Welcome to Battles of
Faith. We are you host
00:00:15.01\00:00:16.92
Ivor and Atonte
Myers. Today's program
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is entitled The art
of counter crucifixion.
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And we've been
talking about the war that
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we are in as Christians
and if you've been watching
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the last several
programs we've been going over
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the different arts of
how to fight and we are
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continuing that today.
Well, Atonte this program
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is going to be we're
gonna have to take this one step
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by step because art
of counter crucifixion
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is something that I
believe is a very powerful
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principle, but
we're gonna have to unfold
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this, so we're gonna
jump right into the scriptures
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and we're gonna
go to the book of
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Psalm chapter 18
and in Psalm chapter 18
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David is here writing
and he is writing about the
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victories that God has
given him over his enemies.
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And I want you to
notice just a couple of verses
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from this chapter in
verse 37 notice what David says,
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I have pursued my
enemies and overtaking them;
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neither did I turn
again till they were consumed.
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Notice verse 40, Thou
hast also given me the necks
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of mine enemies,
that I might destroy them
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that hate me. Verse
42, Then did I beat them
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small as the dust before
the wind; I did cast them
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out as the dirt in the
streets and we will read
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couple more verse 47,
it is God that avengeth me,
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and subdueth
the people under me.
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Ye he delivereth me from
mine enemies thou liftest me
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up above those that
rise up against me thou hast
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delivered me
from the violent man.
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Now, David here
speaking about his war conquest,
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but we wanna take
these verses and look
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at them in light of
the New Testament because
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Jesus has come on the
scene to give us victory
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over our enemies. And
the question Atonte is who
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are our enemies? We are
not talking about people
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as we have seen
in the past programs.
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We are talking about
the enemy of self, the enemy
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of sin and temptation.
Now, I want you to notice
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Micah chapter 7:18.
Micah 7:18, listen to what
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it says here, who is God,
Who is a God like unto thee,
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that pardoneth
iniquity, and passeth by the
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transgression of the
remnant of his heritage?
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he retaineth not
his anger for ever,
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because he
delighteth in mercy. Verse 19,
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He will turn again, he
will have compassion upon us;
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he will subdue our iniquities;
and thou wilt cast all
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their sins into
the depths of the sea.
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We see here that God says
I will subdue not physical
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enemies, but your iniquities.
So, if we would go back
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and read the Psalms
again, Psalm chapter 18
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and read these verses
about David pursuing his
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enemies and overtaking
them. The way that we ought
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to read that as Christians
is these verses are God's
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promises of what he
will do to our sins.
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He will give us the
power to overcome our sins
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not only to, to, to
avoid them but to actually over
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take them. What is that
mean to counter in a war.
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It means that you
not only maybe defend
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yourself, but you also
go after the enemy and,
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and we are being told
according to what we have
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read here we've been
told that God wants us
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to go after our sins
and subdue them grab them by
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the neck counter
crucify them as it were and
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subdue them. You
know as Christians Atonte
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we often limit our
warfare to defense you know
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Oh! that was a close call
miss, that was a close call
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miss, but God says no I
want you to do more than
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that I don't want to
just be on the defensive
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I want you to be an
offensive Christian.
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I want you to go after
your sins and to destroy
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them in my
power and by my grace.
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Now, isn't that good
news I mean that this to me is
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the Gospel that's right.
This is, this is what should
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excite people and this is
what we can take to the world
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because right now sin
is dominating our world
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and it's dominating
peoples lives and they are
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hurting and their sadness
and there are so many bad
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things, but God is
saying look, I want to use you
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Mr. or Mrs. Christian to
go and take this to the world,
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but you must experience
it first. That's right,
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we have to move from a
defensive based Christianity
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to an offensive based
Christianity the Bible says,
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the violent take the
kingdom of Heaven by force
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and what the Bible is
talking about there is not that,
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that Christians
ought to become physically
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violent, but they must
exert a spiritual violence.
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In other words, a
spiritual just all their energy,
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all their force in order
to take the kingdom of heaven,
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because we must serve
God with all of our heart,
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heart, all our souls, and
all our mind and that means
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that when it comes to
our enemies, which itself
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the temptations the
sins. Not only are we to be to
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defend ourselves in
the grace of Christ, but
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we are also to turn
around and to grab hold of those
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sins and destroy
them put them away as our
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Second Corinthians 10
says, bring every disobedient
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thought into captivity
to Christ, to cast down
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those thoughts. And
interestingly enough the
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Greek definition for
the word cast out means to
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destroy. So God is here
calling us to destroy not just
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bring into captivity
these thoughts, but destroy
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every unclean thought,
destroy every temptation
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when temptation comes
we are called not only
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to defend ourselves
against it, but to counter
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crucify. Do you sometimes
feel that your situation
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is hopeless that your
sin is so big and so much
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stronger than you
that there is just no hope.
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It is our prayer that these
messages will be a blessing
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to you and that you
will believe that God can
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do this in your
life because even as,
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as we're recording I
can just imagine Satan being
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angry because it's like
wait a minute we are going
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over the steps, where
that they are understanding
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the formula what it
takes to defeat me and I know
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he is not happy, but
praise God. That's right,
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we wanna layout some
principles in this particular
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program on how the Art
of Counter Crucifixion works
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and the first thing we
want to talk about is defense.
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What is it mean for
Christian to be on the defense
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to be ready for an attack
and to ward off that attack.
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And Atonte the
answer is amazingly simple.
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We're gonna talk
about stance for a moment
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or position, position.
Now it's a, it's a known fact
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Atonte that you know if
you have a person standing next
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to you, they're just standing
outright straight and you
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were to push that
person what would happen
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that person would
fall over why? Because
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his center of
gravity is what? High,
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is high, but if that
same person were to get into
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a stance and that's what
they teach in any fighting
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system, any physical
fighting system they teach you
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that before you begin
to fight the first thing
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you must do is get down
into your stance or your
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position. Why do they
say that because you have
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to have balance. Your
center of gravity has to be low
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when your knees are bent
hint, hint when your knees
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are bent and your feet
are wide apart, your center
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of gravity is lowered
and if someone were to try
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to push you over it will be
more difficult for you to be
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pushed over when you are
low than when you are high.
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Now, this principle
is crucial Atonte because
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I want you to notice
in Psalms 18 Verse 36,
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how David points
this out he says,
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Thou hast
enlarged my steps under me,
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and the margin
actually needs to widened.
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So David said you had
widened my steps under me
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so that I did not fall or
so that my feet did not slip.
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What do we talking about
here, we're talking about
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a stance we're talking
about a position, you have
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placed me upon the
rock and you have lowered
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or widen my steps so
that I would not fall or
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would not be pushed
off balance. You know,
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Atonte unfortunately
many Christians are push
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overs when it
comes to the Devil,
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when it comes to
temptation. All the Devil has to
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do is push why? Because
our center of gravity is what?
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High, is high. The
first thing that we must learn
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in this Art of Counter
Crucifixion is how to lower
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our center of
gravity. What I mean when
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I say lower our center of
gravity it means to become
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humble. It
means to become lowly.
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And the Bible says
pride cometh before a fall.
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That's right, so you
got to be pretty puffed up
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when you puffed up it's
easy for Satan to push you
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over. Pride comes
before a fall and a Holy Spirit
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or rather Holy Spirit
comes with pride can goeth
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before destruction,
right, and a Holy Spirit
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before a fall, right.
This is how temptation works
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Atonte. The Devil
knows that all he has to do
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is to cause you to rise
and you know that's what
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temptation does
it causes us to rise.
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Someone says something
to you and all of the sudden
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you rise, that's right,
because you are now under
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defense and as soon
as you rise your center
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of gravity as it was
spiritually speaking your
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center of gravity is not
lifted up and all the Devil
00:10:03.21\00:10:06.53
has to do is to sweep
you. Just sweep those legs out
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from under you and what
happens we fall, we fall.
00:10:10.47\00:10:13.13
So if we can learn
how to master humbleness
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how to remain low and
that's why Jesus never fell,
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because he never
what? Exalted himself,
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his center of gravity
was always low. You know
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I has had a thought you
not, you don't get as offended
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as much the places
where you get offended
00:10:33.43\00:10:35.58
the most are in your
home with your spouse or with
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our children and at
your church I mean my husband
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is a pastor I'm a pastor's
wife we work with people
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all the time we know
there is always offended
00:10:43.27\00:10:45.26
people over something
and people always saying
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something that they
shouldn't be saying and it's
00:10:47.68\00:10:49.52
completely Satan, but
these things wouldn't happen
00:10:49.55\00:10:52.09
if we were getting puffed
up if the pride if we just
00:10:52.12\00:10:55.35
did, if we just laid
low. Satan would not able to,
00:10:55.38\00:10:58.08
to push us over.
That's right, the Bible says,
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"Great peace have
they which love thy law:
00:11:00.41\00:11:02.24
and nothing shall
offend them. " In other words
00:11:02.27\00:11:04.98
temptations cannot come
in and cause them to rise
00:11:05.01\00:11:08.20
any temptation you look at
the temptation of adultery.
00:11:08.23\00:11:10.85
Temptation comes in
and says man you deserve
00:11:10.88\00:11:14.48
this you deserve better
than what you have right now.
00:11:14.51\00:11:17.73
Temptation causes us to
rise and once we rise once
00:11:17.76\00:11:21.21
our center of gravity
has been lifted up the Devil
00:11:21.24\00:11:23.83
just comes in sweeps and
we fall. We make his job easy,
00:11:23.86\00:11:28.41
exactly, we need to
make his job very hard.
00:11:28.44\00:11:31.55
If we surrendered
and stay low with God
00:11:31.58\00:11:35.63
like Jesus. Jesus was
humble and meek and if we would
00:11:35.66\00:11:39.82
allow God to work those
attributes in us Satan's job
00:11:39.85\00:11:43.87
to try to get us to fall
would be much harder right now.
00:11:43.90\00:11:46.50
It's very easy, push
and sweep, that's right.
00:11:46.53\00:11:50.00
Or lift and sweep and
don't be a push over, right.
00:11:50.03\00:11:53.21
You know this bending the
knees idea, idea of bending
00:11:53.24\00:11:56.98
the knees. So, that you
can get lower how do we get
00:11:57.01\00:11:59.40
lower there is only one
way to get lower and it is by
00:11:59.43\00:12:01.85
bending the knees.
This is why the art of deep
00:12:01.88\00:12:05.03
breathing is so important.
These things have set us
00:12:05.06\00:12:08.27
up step by step to
learn how to deal with the
00:12:08.30\00:12:12.06
actual crisis. You know,
in, in, in war, in battle.
00:12:12.09\00:12:16.49
In war I should say there
is the drill and then there
00:12:16.52\00:12:22.08
is real time conflict or
what you do in the drill matters
00:12:22.11\00:12:27.97
but what you do in real
time conflict matters more,
00:12:28.71\00:12:32.33
that's right. You see,
it's not about what we talk
00:12:32.36\00:12:35.48
and what we hate, this
is what you do in the when
00:12:35.51\00:12:37.72
the Christ comes. We can
talk these things, but what
00:12:37.75\00:12:40.56
happens in the midst of
the crisis that's what really
00:12:40.59\00:12:43.88
counts and these things
learning to still and beside
00:12:43.91\00:12:47.18
in, learning to
focus and to breath deep,
00:12:47.21\00:12:49.71
leaning to know
without knowing and fight by,
00:12:49.74\00:12:54.30
by not resistant God.
Knowing these things and
00:12:54.33\00:12:58.48
understanding these things
and mastering these principles
00:12:58.51\00:13:01.44
will help us to this,
get to this ultimate level
00:13:01.47\00:13:04.94
of actually overcoming
counter crucifying as it were
00:13:04.97\00:13:09.93
the temptations that
the devil throws out at us.
00:13:10.44\00:13:13.14
Now, I was never a
martial artist, but for what I
00:13:13.65\00:13:15.95
learned from my
husband and when I can see
00:13:15.98\00:13:17.63
from people who, who do
that, that art that training
00:13:17.66\00:13:21.07
or whatever, if you are
low you can see the enemy
00:13:21.10\00:13:24.61
coming better, that's
right, you have a better
00:13:24.64\00:13:26.70
understanding of
your surroundings.
00:13:26.73\00:13:27.82
You have control
over the situation instead
00:13:27.85\00:13:29.97
of the situation
taking over you? That's right,
00:13:30.00\00:13:32.01
when we are on our
knees when we are praying.
00:13:32.04\00:13:34.41
When we are praying for
humility we can never be a
00:13:34.44\00:13:38.24
offended if we are low,
right, in Christ and that's why
00:13:38.27\00:13:42.00
the Bible Jesus says
come unto me for I am meek
00:13:42.03\00:13:44.53
and lowly, I mean he was
trying to tell us something
00:13:44.56\00:13:48.51
here the way of
escape is by coming to Jesus
00:13:48.54\00:13:52.18
and he teaches us how to
be meek and how to be lowly
00:13:52.21\00:13:56.00
and those who are
lowly cannot be pushed around
00:13:56.03\00:13:59.56
or pushed over by
temptation. So that's the first
00:13:59.59\00:14:02.82
principle understanding
our position, our stance if you
00:14:02.85\00:14:06.11
are falling check
your stance, that's right,
00:14:06.14\00:14:08.91
check your position,
your position, your center of
00:14:08.94\00:14:12.10
gravity is too high
and you need to come down
00:14:12.13\00:14:15.73
and when we come down
Satan exalted himself.
00:14:15.76\00:14:19.18
Jesus humbled himself
even unto the death of the
00:14:19.21\00:14:21.97
cross and that's what
we ought to do in the midst
00:14:22.00\00:14:24.51
of crisis and trial. And
that's why the Bible says
00:14:24.54\00:14:26.94
"Great peace have
they which love thy law:
00:14:26.97\00:14:29.47
and nothing shall
offend them. " For a long time
00:14:29.50\00:14:31.65
I struggle with that
because I thought look how make
00:14:31.68\00:14:34.26
it not appears you what
they said was rude you know
00:14:34.29\00:14:36.89
but if you are like
Jesus, Jesus was never offended
00:14:36.92\00:14:39.47
and people were rude
to him, but he wasn't
00:14:39.50\00:14:42.13
offended they
were very mean to him.
00:14:42.16\00:14:43.73
But if you lay low
like Jesus did the offense
00:14:43.76\00:14:46.85
can't touch you it's
almost like the offense
00:14:46.88\00:14:48.91
doesn't go that low.
That's right, now we're gonna
00:14:48.94\00:14:51.37
to talk about another
principle Atonte in this art
00:14:51.40\00:14:53.34
of counter crucifixion
and that is protecting the
00:14:53.37\00:14:56.68
center line.
Protecting the center line again
00:14:56.71\00:14:59.46
in any system of war
fighting system of war
00:14:59.49\00:15:02.45
you were taught that
you must protect your center
00:15:02.48\00:15:04.93
line because the vital
organs are found in the
00:15:04.96\00:15:08.64
center line. They are not
found on the outer parameters,
00:15:08.67\00:15:11.44
but right in the center and
in the same way as Christians
00:15:11.47\00:15:15.19
we need to understand
that the devil is out to attack
00:15:15.22\00:15:18.44
the center line. What's
in the center? Our minds,
00:15:18.47\00:15:22.03
our hearts and,
and, and once we realize
00:15:22.06\00:15:26.09
what were Satan is
aiming? We've got to learn
00:15:26.12\00:15:29.32
how to protect
these center lines. Now,
00:15:29.35\00:15:31.73
you say what how do we
protect the center line what
00:15:31.76\00:15:34.21
are our deflectors. What
the Devil really has you know
00:15:34.24\00:15:37.68
a few ways of entering
into the mind, but one of
00:15:37.71\00:15:40.65
those ways is through
the eyes, one of those
00:15:40.68\00:15:44.37
ways is through
the tongue, the mouth,
00:15:44.40\00:15:46.53
one of those ways is through
the ears and what we need
00:15:46.56\00:15:49.99
to do as Christians is
to understand that our eyes
00:15:50.02\00:15:53.62
and our ears and our
tongue are to be the deflectors
00:15:53.65\00:15:57.81
as it were, that deflects
Satan's blows from coming
00:15:57.84\00:16:01.48
in here. So, when the
Devil tempts us with, with,
00:16:01.51\00:16:03.88
with sight our eyes
ought to deflect move away from
00:16:03.91\00:16:09.11
what the devil is trying to
show you. Turn your eyes shift
00:16:09.14\00:16:11.72
them. Use your eyes as
deflectors and not receptors.
00:16:11.75\00:16:17.01
You know, lot of
people say man if I was only,
00:16:17.04\00:16:19.35
if I was just blind
life would be so much better.
00:16:19.38\00:16:21.10
I wouldn't have any
temptation to deal with it,
00:16:21.13\00:16:24.32
if I was just deaf
you know things wouldn't
00:16:24.35\00:16:26.39
offend me all the
time. No our ears ought to be
00:16:26.42\00:16:29.39
our defense mechanism,
our eyes ought to be our
00:16:29.42\00:16:32.21
defense when we
dedicate our eyes to Christ
00:16:32.24\00:16:34.68
and our ears to Christ
as we're walking throughout
00:16:34.71\00:16:37.43
the day and we hear
something instead of receiving
00:16:37.46\00:16:41.72
those things into our ear
and allowing them to dwell
00:16:41.75\00:16:44.57
in our hearts. We, we,
we deflect those we say Lord
00:16:44.60\00:16:48.27
I give this over to you I
will not allow it to enter
00:16:48.30\00:16:50.84
into my heart and
to hit the target.
00:16:50.87\00:16:53.34
We've got to learn to protect
as it were the center line,
00:16:53.37\00:16:57.03
the same is true with
the eyes, the same is true
00:16:57.06\00:16:59.54
with the ears.
Protect don't allow the Devil
00:16:59.57\00:17:01.73
to come in and lodge
his thoughts into our minds
00:17:01.76\00:17:04.84
and then into our
hearts. Now, what is trapping?
00:17:04.87\00:17:07.27
Okay, we're gonna talk
about the next principle
00:17:07.30\00:17:09.98
which is trapping and
this is a really amazing thing
00:17:10.48\00:17:15.31
Atonte because in
Second Corinthians chapter 10.
00:17:15.34\00:17:17.72
Second Corinthians
chapter 10 and verse 5,
00:17:18.89\00:17:21.81
the Bible tells us there
and we've read this verse
00:17:21.84\00:17:25.49
a few times already, but
the Bible talks about bringing
00:17:25.52\00:17:30.30
into captivity every thought
to be obedience of Christ
00:17:30.33\00:17:35.18
and it uses the word
captivity. Now, I would say
00:17:35.21\00:17:38.78
you what does
captivity mean? Well, what you
00:17:38.81\00:17:41.62
would answer to me captivity
means, that you have been
00:17:41.65\00:17:44.34
caught or trapped.
Second Corinthians 10:5,
00:17:44.37\00:17:48.05
Casting down imagination,
and every high thing
00:17:49.12\00:17:51.31
that exalted itself against
the knowledge of God, and
00:17:51.34\00:17:53.90
bringing into captivity
every thought to the obedience
00:17:53.93\00:17:58.69
of Christ. We are seeing
in this scripture that when
00:17:58.72\00:18:02.80
Satan sends one of
those thought bombs we are
00:18:02.83\00:18:05.60
talking about earlier
that, that when he is addresses
00:18:05.63\00:18:08.85
or tries to lodge his
temptations into our hearts
00:18:08.88\00:18:12.93
these evil thoughts and
evil feelings we ought to trap
00:18:12.96\00:18:17.02
them. We ought to bring
them into captivity one of the
00:18:17.05\00:18:21.70
ways in which many
fighting systems of a worldly
00:18:21.73\00:18:25.46
nature operate is you
know if you throw a punch
00:18:25.49\00:18:28.26
at someone, they
would trap your hands
00:18:28.29\00:18:30.31
that you would not
able to throw another punch.
00:18:30.34\00:18:32.30
What Christ is coming us
to do here is that when the
00:18:32.33\00:18:34.92
temptation comes in you
trapped that thought you
00:18:34.95\00:18:38.35
bring into captivity to
Christ you don't allow that
00:18:38.38\00:18:41.27
thought to wander around
in your heart and in your mind
00:18:41.30\00:18:43.84
and just have it's own
will. You trap it and you bring
00:18:43.87\00:18:47.63
it into captivity to
Christ and again this is another
00:18:47.66\00:18:51.27
principle this another
lesson that can only be learned
00:18:51.30\00:18:55.84
and that can only be exercise
through the grace of Christ.
00:18:55.87\00:18:59.32
We need to be still, be
silent focus and breath deep
00:18:59.35\00:19:04.44
without breathing deep,
without understanding the
00:19:04.47\00:19:08.25
indwelling of the spirit
of God it will be impossible
00:19:08.28\00:19:11.98
for us to capture these
thoughts and bring them into
00:19:12.01\00:19:15.60
captivity to Christ. So,
you have to identify though,
00:19:15.63\00:19:18.35
that's right, and know
that, these are evil not be
00:19:18.38\00:19:21.69
a denial and that's what I
think some of us are stock,
00:19:21.72\00:19:26.00
you know we think oh
it's not so bad you know
00:19:26.03\00:19:29.57
I can think about that or
do that. But you must identify
00:19:29.60\00:19:33.03
it as evil. That's
right. And now Atonte that same
00:19:33.06\00:19:35.74
verse up in verse 5 very
first line it says casting
00:19:35.77\00:19:38.83
down imaginations we
saw earlier that the word
00:19:38.86\00:19:42.10
for casting down
implies to destroy, alright,
00:19:42.13\00:19:45.77
look at that, the Bible is
telling us here that through
00:19:45.80\00:19:48.02
the grace of Christ we can
actually destroy imagination,
00:19:48.05\00:19:52.08
counter
crucifixion. Evil imagination,
00:19:52.11\00:19:55.16
evil imagination God
calls us not only to bring that
00:19:55.19\00:19:59.44
evil thought into captivity
but then to destroy it.
00:19:59.47\00:20:02.94
So, we trap and then we
Destroy. We take no prisoners
00:20:02.97\00:20:06.83
of war. No prisoners
of war, no evil thoughts
00:20:06.86\00:20:09.59
running around in
our hearts. We captured,
00:20:09.62\00:20:12.71
we trap, and then we
destroy. You know, sometimes
00:20:12.74\00:20:17.62
we say Lord give me
a clean heart make my
00:20:17.65\00:20:20.24
heart pure. God is
saying, I will do that for you
00:20:20.27\00:20:23.43
if you are willing
to allow me to do that,
00:20:23.46\00:20:25.88
it's not just like a zap
boom magic kind of thing.
00:20:25.91\00:20:28.54
God is saying look you
surrender each thing to me
00:20:28.57\00:20:32.19
and I will do that for
you. And so if we really want
00:20:32.22\00:20:35.98
a clean heart a pure
heart it's really our mind.
00:20:36.01\00:20:38.17
We want clean thoughts and
00:20:38.20\00:20:40.83
pure thoughts and God
says I will do that for you.
00:20:40.86\00:20:43.47
You know there is
another verse Atonte that is the
00:20:43.50\00:20:47.74
powerfully illustrates
this point, it's actually found
00:20:47.77\00:20:49.81
in the Book of
Galatians chapter 5,
00:20:49.84\00:20:52.47
Galatians chapter 5 and
verse 24 and it's says here.
00:20:52.50\00:20:57.06
And they that are
Christ have crucified the flesh
00:21:00.02\00:21:05.04
with the affections and
lust. Now, you've never read
00:21:05.07\00:21:10.16
that verse in your life
before Crucified the affections
00:21:10.19\00:21:14.12
and the lust, now
remember the lust and affections
00:21:14.15\00:21:17.47
and temptations are
busy trying to do what?
00:21:17.50\00:21:20.31
Crucify us, yes they
are trying to kill us,
00:21:20.34\00:21:23.04
they are trying to
destroy us, but the Bible says
00:21:23.07\00:21:25.56
that they that are
Christ have crucified the flesh
00:21:25.59\00:21:30.21
and the affections and the
lust. Wait a minute are you
00:21:30.24\00:21:33.74
telling me that you are
calling me to counter crucify
00:21:33.77\00:21:40.24
sin to counter crucify lust
and the Bible says yes that's
00:21:40.27\00:21:44.43
exactly what I'm telling
you. If you live in the Spirit
00:21:44.46\00:21:47.16
walk in the spirit it is
by the spirit of God that we
00:21:47.19\00:21:51.21
learned how to eliminate
that temptation by actually
00:21:51.24\00:21:54.85
crucifying the affection
and the lust. That means
00:21:54.88\00:21:57.74
bringing it to an
end, destroying it.
00:21:57.77\00:22:00.23
The question is how in
the world, do we astray, do we
00:22:01.46\00:22:04.42
counter crucify sin.
We've seen God said here, we
00:22:04.45\00:22:08.58
seen it in his word
that he calls us to do this.
00:22:08.61\00:22:11.32
You know when you are
fighting a battle against
00:22:11.35\00:22:13.21
someone and that
person seems very strong.
00:22:13.24\00:22:15.72
You know you ask
yourself one question does this
00:22:15.75\00:22:18.58
person have a weak
point, does this person
00:22:18.61\00:22:22.14
have a weak spot and we
ought to ask the same question
00:22:22.17\00:22:26.52
of temptation. Does
temptation have a weak spot?
00:22:26.55\00:22:31.06
You know on face value
it seems like temptation
00:22:31.86\00:22:35.02
can have a weak spot,
temptation is impervious
00:22:35.05\00:22:37.40
to anything, temptation
cannot be defeated, but
00:22:37.74\00:22:40.59
Atonte we know that
temptation must have a weak
00:22:40.62\00:22:43.60
spot because we are
told to do what? To crucify,
00:22:43.63\00:22:46.46
to crucify, to crucify the
lust, to crucify affections.
00:22:46.49\00:22:50.38
Now, we do know from
this verse, but we also know
00:22:50.80\00:22:53.38
it because Jesus
himself over came temptation.
00:22:53.41\00:22:58.09
He crucified it. So,
we need to understand yes
00:22:58.93\00:23:03.28
temptation does have a
weak spot well the question
00:23:03.31\00:23:06.69
is what is temptations
weak spot? And the answer
00:23:06.72\00:23:11.37
is again amazingly
simple. What is the power of
00:23:12.59\00:23:16.74
temptation? Temptation
causes us to what? Rise.
00:23:16.77\00:23:21.90
The center of gravity
as it were for temptation
00:23:21.93\00:23:26.16
is in its height. Remember
Satan exalted himself Jesus
00:23:26.19\00:23:33.11
humbled himself. Where
do we strike at temptation
00:23:33.14\00:23:37.65
is the question. How
do we strike a temptation?
00:23:37.68\00:23:40.48
The answer is we strike
low, very low, we strike low
00:23:40.51\00:23:45.98
in responding
low, in striking low.
00:23:46.01\00:23:49.75
Remember Jesus said
I'm meek and what lowly in
00:23:49.78\00:23:54.40
striking low Jesus was
always able to overcome sin.
00:23:54.43\00:23:58.70
He never allowed sin to
lift him up and thus give
00:23:59.54\00:24:04.05
temptation the advantage,
he always kept himself low
00:24:04.57\00:24:08.24
and he struggle. You
say what do you mean strike
00:24:08.27\00:24:10.25
little? Pastor listen.
Someone says something to you
00:24:10.28\00:24:13.44
and it in your
natural mind you would in your
00:24:13.47\00:24:17.05
natural response
you would strike high.
00:24:17.08\00:24:18.90
And you will go, defend
myself, I'm gonna defend
00:24:18.93\00:24:21.63
myself. How dare you
that's what call striking high.
00:24:21.66\00:24:24.73
You are striking back high,
00:24:24.76\00:24:26.27
You strike low by refusing
to retaliate evil for evil.
00:24:26.30\00:24:31.77
I imagine it this way
like temptation is coming
00:24:31.80\00:24:34.39
and looking for the
person to tempt them,
00:24:34.42\00:24:37.41
but the person is laying
so low that they can't pick
00:24:37.44\00:24:40.23
the temptations right
were we can't kept pick
00:24:40.26\00:24:41.63
the person. That's
right, the radar of temptation
00:24:41.66\00:24:43.73
cannot pick you up
because you are underneath
00:24:43.76\00:24:46.35
you are low, you
are underneath its radar
00:24:46.38\00:24:48.42
screening. And you
are heading Christ.
00:24:48.45\00:24:49.78
You know, when Jesus
was blindfolded and the
00:24:49.81\00:24:53.83
Roman soldiers were,
were, were hitting him
00:24:53.86\00:24:57.43
and saying prophecy
unto us who swear you?
00:24:57.46\00:25:00.69
Atonte, I always
imagine this Jesus could call
00:25:00.72\00:25:04.48
blindfolded that he could
call their names out, yes,
00:25:04.51\00:25:07.51
and probably giving
them a heart attack, but
00:25:07.54\00:25:10.75
he did not, he did
not try to prove himself
00:25:10.78\00:25:14.32
he strike low,
how did he strike low?
00:25:15.06\00:25:17.14
By not answering a
word, how do we strike low
00:25:17.17\00:25:20.12
by doing the humble
thing, how do we strike low
00:25:20.15\00:25:25.19
by when temptation
says men don't you deserve
00:25:25.22\00:25:27.91
this you say no I
don't deserve that.
00:25:27.94\00:25:29.43
You strike low, when
temptation says man you
00:25:30.18\00:25:32.50
deserve better than
your husband or your wife
00:25:32.53\00:25:34.50
and you ought to go
out and do this. You ought
00:25:34.53\00:25:36.70
to indulge yourself
you strike low by saying
00:25:36.73\00:25:39.61
no I'm not worthy
of that. I'm not worthy
00:25:39.64\00:25:41.74
of bearing the cross of
Christ I'm not worthy of, of,
00:25:41.77\00:25:45.08
of you know I am the
lowest of the low and Jesus
00:25:45.91\00:25:48.77
says those who are
will humble themselves
00:25:48.80\00:25:51.49
will be what?
Exalted, but those who exalt
00:25:51.95\00:25:54.79
themselves will be
humbled. So, in as is Atonte
00:25:54.82\00:25:59.38
what is the
message we have? Be still,
00:26:00.06\00:26:03.80
be silent focus and
breath deep know without knowing
00:26:05.43\00:26:12.76
fight without
fighting and counter crucify
00:26:13.69\00:26:18.44
and if we learn
this process whenever
00:26:19.36\00:26:22.37
temptation arises we
learn this process of being
00:26:22.40\00:26:25.55
still, silent,
focus, breathing deep asking
00:26:25.58\00:26:28.02
for the spirit of God
to fill us know without
00:26:28.05\00:26:30.33
knowing. Lord what's
the way you want me to go?
00:26:30.36\00:26:31.83
How do I deal with
this? fight without fighting
00:26:31.86\00:26:33.93
by refusing to engage
the enemy counter crucify
00:26:33.96\00:26:37.61
by trapping by staying
low trapping and destroying
00:26:39.28\00:26:42.84
that sinful thought in
the grace of Christ we become
00:26:42.87\00:26:46.64
masters over self.
And he who has master self
00:26:46.67\00:26:51.32
is greater than he who
masters others. You know,
00:26:51.35\00:26:56.28
I feel compelled right
now because I know many
00:26:56.31\00:27:00.08
people are watching and
to make an appeal to ask
00:27:00.11\00:27:04.03
them to make a decision
to say Lord I want to learn
00:27:04.06\00:27:08.06
these arts I want this
to be a part of my life,
00:27:08.09\00:27:11.68
I want to trap my
enemy, which is Satan and self
00:27:11.71\00:27:18.78
and to make that decision
and to make the decision,
00:27:18.81\00:27:21.86
make a conscious
decision say this is what I want
00:27:21.89\00:27:23.89
in my life and I want
God to give me the power
00:27:23.92\00:27:27.06
to do that. That's
right, you know as warriors
00:27:27.09\00:27:29.38
we need to learn how
to fight and be persistent
00:27:29.41\00:27:32.15
in fighting. Many times
we get knock down, but Atonte
00:27:32.18\00:27:36.47
real fighters always
get up they say where did
00:27:36.50\00:27:39.59
I go wrong they study
that how do I make it?
00:27:39.62\00:27:42.30
How do that I mess up
there they study it and they go
00:27:42.33\00:27:45.60
back to there master
Jesus Christ and they say
00:27:45.63\00:27:48.54
master continue to
teach me and eventually day
00:27:48.57\00:27:51.92
by day they become
better and better in the grace
00:27:51.95\00:27:55.71
of Christ until
they master self.
00:27:55.74\00:27:57.99
Well we all at a time
until next time God bless.
00:27:59.22\00:28:02.85