I think we're
going to go straight
00:00:33.96\00:00:36.46
to a very vital text,
it's in Ephesians 6:12,
00:00:36.49\00:00:41.73
where Paul says,
"For our struggle
00:00:41.76\00:00:43.89
is not against flesh and blood,
00:00:43.92\00:00:45.87
but against the
rulers, against the powers,
00:00:45.90\00:00:49.04
against the world
forces of this darkness,
00:00:49.07\00:00:51.44
against the spiritual
forces of wickedness."
00:00:51.47\00:00:55.13
And we certainly
00:00:55.16\00:00:56.19
have been studying
this during the course
00:00:56.22\00:00:57.64
of our series of
meetings together,
00:00:57.67\00:00:59.08
haven't we?
00:00:59.11\00:01:00.26
We are, certainly we discovered
00:01:00.29\00:01:02.41
in our study of God's word
00:01:02.44\00:01:03.61
that we are
involved in a conflict
00:01:03.64\00:01:06.12
between the
forces of good and evil,
00:01:06.15\00:01:08.95
as real as any conflict
00:01:08.98\00:01:11.22
that has ever been
fought on a field of battle.
00:01:11.25\00:01:14.70
This earth has
become the battlefield
00:01:14.73\00:01:17.92
between the
forces of good and evil.
00:01:17.95\00:01:19.79
That has become clear,
hasn't it in our study?
00:01:19.82\00:01:23.63
And the issues however,
00:01:23.66\00:01:25.39
the issues are
spiritual in nature
00:01:25.42\00:01:28.99
and the struggle is actually
over control of the human heart.
00:01:29.02\00:01:33.22
Now I'm here to tell you
00:01:33.25\00:01:34.28
that God has not left us
00:01:34.31\00:01:35.53
as helpless victims in
the hands of the enemy.
00:01:35.56\00:01:38.89
He has provided the means
by which we can be victorious.
00:01:38.92\00:01:43.24
Yes, victorious.
00:01:43.27\00:01:44.84
The victory that Jesus
gained at the cross of Calvary
00:01:44.87\00:01:49.52
is ours true faith in Him.
00:01:49.55\00:01:52.76
It's His
victory, not our victory,
00:01:52.79\00:01:54.85
it's His victory, isn't it?
00:01:54.88\00:01:56.49
It's always His victory.
00:01:56.52\00:01:58.66
But it's essential,
absolutely essential
00:01:58.69\00:02:00.91
if we have to be overcomers
00:02:00.94\00:02:02.56
in the conflict that
we understand something
00:02:02.59\00:02:05.75
about the nature of sin.
00:02:05.78\00:02:07.69
For you see it's through sin
00:02:07.72\00:02:08.80
that sin seeks to control
and to dominate our lives.
00:02:08.83\00:02:13.15
So we must
begin by understanding
00:02:13.18\00:02:14.84
something of how again
sin operates within our lives,
00:02:14.87\00:02:17.95
so that we can better understand
00:02:17.98\00:02:19.55
how to
successfully deal with it,
00:02:19.58\00:02:22.30
and understand how deeply sin
00:02:22.33\00:02:25.19
has affected the
lives of each one of us.
00:02:25.22\00:02:29.67
And to begin with,
00:02:29.70\00:02:31.14
we understand that sin in
a general sense is whenever
00:02:31.17\00:02:35.02
we stray from the
expressed will of God,
00:02:35.05\00:02:38.63
particularly as
expressed in His word.
00:02:38.66\00:02:41.56
But there is a
more definite definition
00:02:41.59\00:02:44.24
that many of us
will be acquainted with
00:02:44.27\00:02:46.53
of sin in 1 John 3:4,
00:02:46.56\00:02:49.21
where it say
"Whosoever committeth sin
00:02:49.24\00:02:51.59
transgresseth also the law:
00:02:51.62\00:02:53.73
for sin is the
transgression of the law."
00:02:53.76\00:02:56.84
And so we understand the
law is the righteous standard
00:02:56.87\00:03:01.39
by which we will
be in the end judged.
00:03:01.42\00:03:04.56
But again, you
know, there's a lot things
00:03:04.59\00:03:06.48
that draw into
that, we draw into that
00:03:06.51\00:03:08.42
the grace of Jesus, the
wonderful plan of salvation,
00:03:08.45\00:03:11.25
the fact is we have
studied in our revival series
00:03:11.28\00:03:14.95
that it is Jesus who provides
us with that righteousness
00:03:14.98\00:03:18.52
by which we meet the
righteous demands of the law,
00:03:18.55\00:03:21.39
I mean all of that
need to be considered
00:03:21.42\00:03:23.11
as we talk about these issues,
00:03:23.14\00:03:24.54
but again let's look at
00:03:24.57\00:03:26.56
how sin
operates within our lives
00:03:26.59\00:03:30.30
as we turn to Romans 7,
00:03:30.33\00:03:32.82
is the New Testament page 126,
00:03:32.85\00:03:36.30
Romans 7 and
we're gonna be looking
00:03:36.33\00:03:37.95
at verses 14 through 18.
00:03:37.98\00:03:40.92
This study this morning
is gonna be very practical.
00:03:40.95\00:03:44.40
All right, I think,
00:03:44.43\00:03:45.46
you know, the spiritual
life ought to be practical.
00:03:45.49\00:03:47.68
The world of the
theology ought to be practical.
00:03:47.71\00:03:51.47
You know it just
can't be the world of ideas
00:03:51.50\00:03:54.23
as important as
ideas really are,
00:03:54.26\00:03:56.93
I mean it is true
that we're interested
00:03:56.96\00:03:59.00
and that is intellectual,
but it's also experiential.
00:03:59.03\00:04:03.53
Romans 7 and
beginning with verse 14,
00:04:03.56\00:04:06.29
where it says.
00:04:06.32\00:04:07.35
"For we know, that
the law is spiritual."
00:04:07.38\00:04:11.34
And my friend it
is deeply spiritual.
00:04:11.37\00:04:14.66
Romans 13:10 tells us
00:04:14.69\00:04:16.24
"love is the
fulfilling of the law".
00:04:16.27\00:04:18.49
And if love is not spiritual,
00:04:18.52\00:04:21.48
then I guess I don't
understand spirituality.
00:04:21.51\00:04:24.99
But it is spiritual,
the law is spiritual,
00:04:25.02\00:04:27.24
but Paul says "I am a flesh
sold in the bondage to sin."
00:04:27.27\00:04:34.45
And my friend that is why
00:04:34.48\00:04:35.77
we often find in
light a conflict,
00:04:35.80\00:04:39.05
a conflict between that
which is very spiritual,
00:04:39.08\00:04:41.82
and that which is unspiritual,
and that is we by nature,
00:04:41.85\00:04:46.10
in our falling
condition are not spiritual.
00:04:46.13\00:04:49.88
We actually are in
a state of bondage.
00:04:49.91\00:04:53.22
We are in a state of slavery.
00:04:53.25\00:04:54.97
And a slave, state
of slavery to what?
00:04:55.00\00:04:58.10
To what? To sin.
00:04:58.13\00:05:00.93
That's what the
knowledge of evil has done.
00:05:00.96\00:05:03.55
And you don't
have to be a drunkard,
00:05:03.58\00:05:05.31
you don't have to be
particularly immoral person
00:05:05.34\00:05:08.07
to really understand that there
are certain aspects of life
00:05:08.10\00:05:12.97
that we are out our control of.
00:05:13.00\00:05:16.52
It could be appetite, it
could be whole host of things
00:05:16.55\00:05:20.21
that bear witness to what
the Bible talks about here.
00:05:20.24\00:05:22.50
So we have this
conflict, and verse 15,
00:05:22.53\00:05:25.47
Paul says, "For what I am
doing, I do not understand."
00:05:25.50\00:05:30.18
And I think all of us
00:05:30.21\00:05:31.24
on some level
can relate to that.
00:05:31.27\00:05:33.12
There are just some things that
sometimes happen in our lives
00:05:33.15\00:05:35.84
even in our
thinking, in our imagination
00:05:35.87\00:05:38.35
that we just shake our
heads, how in the world
00:05:38.38\00:05:40.68
you know what in
the world is going on?
00:05:40.71\00:05:44.72
For what I am
doing I do not understand
00:05:44.75\00:05:46.82
for I am not practicing
what I would like to do.
00:05:46.85\00:05:51.15
But I am doing
the very thing I hate.
00:05:51.18\00:05:56.09
And now that is
frustration, isn't it?
00:05:56.12\00:05:59.18
Absolute frustration,
but let me assure you
00:05:59.21\00:06:01.36
there's a way
out of all of this,
00:06:01.39\00:06:03.27
and of course you know,
00:06:03.30\00:06:04.33
it's all
centered in Jesus Christ
00:06:04.36\00:06:06.69
and experiencing His salvation,
00:06:06.72\00:06:08.44
but also experiencing the
power of Jesus in our lives.
00:06:08.47\00:06:13.40
Verse 16,"But if
do the very thing
00:06:13.43\00:06:15.02
I do not want to
do, I agree with the law
00:06:15.05\00:06:18.09
professing that the law is good.
00:06:18.12\00:06:20.43
So now, now notice.
00:06:20.46\00:06:21.74
So now no longer am
I the one doing it."
00:06:21.77\00:06:26.18
I'm out of control,
I'm not really the one
00:06:26.21\00:06:29.18
that's doing it Paul
says, but what's doing it?
00:06:29.21\00:06:32.71
But sin.
00:06:32.74\00:06:34.86
Which what? Indwells me.
00:06:34.89\00:06:39.67
See we are under the control,
00:06:39.70\00:06:43.01
under the mastery of sin.
00:06:43.04\00:06:45.93
Now I'm talking about
00:06:45.96\00:06:47.00
in our on regenerated
pre-conversion experience.
00:06:47.03\00:06:53.25
And yet there is
this aspect of our lives
00:06:53.28\00:06:56.34
that is still
present, is still present.
00:06:56.37\00:07:03.00
And then it goes
on in verse 18 to say,
00:07:03.03\00:07:04.64
"For I know that
nothing good dwells in me,
00:07:04.67\00:07:06.51
that is, in my flesh for
the willingness is present
00:07:06.54\00:07:11.73
in me but the doing
of the good is not."
00:07:11.76\00:07:16.53
I may have the desire
00:07:16.56\00:07:20.65
but the ability to fulfill
00:07:20.68\00:07:23.85
what I would like to do
or what I would like to be.
00:07:23.88\00:07:29.02
And I would, you know,
to bear my own testimony
00:07:29.05\00:07:32.02
I want to be more
and more like Jesus,
00:07:32.05\00:07:34.65
I pray for that everyday
00:07:34.68\00:07:36.39
as so many of you do.
00:07:36.42\00:07:38.23
I want more of His tenderness,
00:07:38.26\00:07:40.10
I want more of His
gentleness, His patience,
00:07:40.13\00:07:42.45
and His kindness
and it's a process.
00:07:42.48\00:07:44.92
I know that, I know
that from my own experience,
00:07:44.95\00:07:47.34
you know from your
experience, don't you?
00:07:47.37\00:07:49.58
We don't just arrive
there suddenly like a bolt
00:07:49.61\00:07:53.02
out of the blue,
it's as we're living life
00:07:53.05\00:07:56.48
as we live it out
there beyond these walls
00:07:56.51\00:07:58.81
in the nitty-gritty of life
00:07:58.84\00:08:01.12
that in faith as we
meet these challenges
00:08:01.15\00:08:04.42
without and within us
that by the grace of Jesus
00:08:04.45\00:08:08.48
over the process of time
00:08:08.51\00:08:10.37
we are becoming
more and more like Him.
00:08:10.40\00:08:14.18
To me, you know,
it ought to be just,
00:08:14.21\00:08:16.30
okay, Lord, two or three years,
00:08:16.33\00:08:17.98
you know, let's
get this done with.
00:08:18.01\00:08:20.09
But it actually extends
00:08:20.12\00:08:21.21
over the totality
of the period of--
00:08:21.24\00:08:24.04
how long we live.
00:08:24.07\00:08:27.01
It does, ever growing
00:08:27.04\00:08:29.26
and yet knowing
that there is security
00:08:29.29\00:08:32.33
at every point in our experience
00:08:32.36\00:08:34.40
with the very
beginning of the one
00:08:34.43\00:08:35.70
when we come to Christ
00:08:35.73\00:08:37.27
and we're just babies
to each step of the way
00:08:37.30\00:08:41.39
we have great
assurance in Jesus.
00:08:41.42\00:08:44.57
And His acceptance of us,
00:08:44.60\00:08:46.27
so I want to get
this straight out
00:08:46.30\00:08:48.13
at the very
beginning, His acceptance of us
00:08:48.16\00:08:50.89
is not predicated upon our,
00:08:50.92\00:08:53.74
you know, just measuring up
00:08:53.77\00:08:55.02
our performance
being a 100 percent.
00:08:55.05\00:08:57.94
We have this
great assurance in God
00:08:57.97\00:08:59.86
even in times of failure,
00:08:59.89\00:09:02.70
unless confess it and
acknowledge it here and now.
00:09:02.73\00:09:05.88
We all have failures.
00:09:05.91\00:09:10.29
We in ministry have failures.
00:09:10.32\00:09:12.82
And usually we kind
of like to keep that on,
00:09:12.85\00:09:14.90
you know, on the background
but we have our failures.
00:09:14.93\00:09:18.52
But there's such great assurance
00:09:18.55\00:09:20.21
in God's love in Jesus Christ,
00:09:20.24\00:09:23.30
and I hope and pray
by the grace of Jesus
00:09:23.33\00:09:25.82
you are experiencing that,
00:09:25.85\00:09:29.39
that kind of
assurance in your life.
00:09:29.42\00:09:31.50
So I may know Paul
says here, what is right?
00:09:31.53\00:09:35.88
But out of
myself, I can do nothing.
00:09:35.91\00:09:39.67
You see this
conflict between good and evil
00:09:39.70\00:09:41.88
that we're
talking about this morning
00:09:41.91\00:09:43.43
is not simply an
intangible theological concept.
00:09:43.46\00:09:47.62
It is a reality of life.
00:09:47.65\00:09:50.17
We see it all around us
00:09:50.20\00:09:52.15
and most off all
we see it within us.
00:09:52.18\00:09:54.64
Good struggling with evil.
00:09:54.67\00:09:56.48
Our consciences
convicting us of what is right
00:09:56.51\00:09:59.56
that longing within our heart
00:09:59.59\00:10:00.93
to be something
better than we are,
00:10:00.96\00:10:03.87
and on the other
hand, those unholy desires
00:10:03.90\00:10:07.75
represented by sin
within us demanding expression.
00:10:07.78\00:10:12.05
And my friend it is
here in the human heart
00:10:12.08\00:10:15.68
that the conflict
is going to be settled.
00:10:15.71\00:10:19.15
And it's a process,
00:10:19.18\00:10:21.07
I keep wanting to
come back to the process.
00:10:21.10\00:10:23.15
Look at James 1, the
New Testament, page 177.
00:10:23.18\00:10:28.44
James 1 and verses 14 and 15
00:10:28.47\00:10:31.83
talking about the operation
of sin within our lives.
00:10:31.86\00:10:35.57
And here it says,
"But each one is tempted."
00:10:35.60\00:10:39.02
It's talking
about the individuality
00:10:39.05\00:10:40.97
of our own temptations.
00:10:41.00\00:10:43.35
And you know what
maybe a temptation
00:10:43.38\00:10:44.99
do you may not be
a temptation to me.
00:10:45.02\00:10:48.05
You know I will never,
00:10:48.08\00:10:49.14
I don't think
I'll ever be tempted
00:10:49.17\00:10:50.80
with cigarettes or alcohol
00:10:50.83\00:10:53.95
or some of those
other kinds of things
00:10:53.98\00:10:55.61
but believe me I have
my own set of temptations
00:10:55.64\00:10:58.82
that are uniquely mine,
00:10:58.85\00:11:00.39
because my
experience in sin is unique.
00:11:00.42\00:11:05.04
I mean, you know,
there's commonalities
00:11:05.07\00:11:07.45
between us and your
experience in sin is unique.
00:11:07.48\00:11:12.31
So it says but
each one is tempted
00:11:12.34\00:11:15.12
when he is carried away.
00:11:15.15\00:11:17.84
By the way is it
a sin to be tempted?
00:11:17.87\00:11:21.07
Is it a sin to be tempted? No.
00:11:21.10\00:11:23.99
Because Jesus was
tempted, we are reminded,
00:11:24.02\00:11:26.65
is what we do
with the temptation,
00:11:26.68\00:11:29.53
and temptation
always brings a decision.
00:11:29.56\00:11:32.82
It's another one of those tree,
00:11:32.85\00:11:34.83
trees of the
knowledge of good and evil
00:11:34.86\00:11:36.66
kind of experiences
every time we are tempted,
00:11:36.69\00:11:39.80
his way or my way.
00:11:39.83\00:11:41.71
And I know what my ways about
00:11:41.74\00:11:43.21
because I know something about
what sin's done in my life,
00:11:43.24\00:11:46.65
but each one is
tempted when he is carried away
00:11:46.68\00:11:50.35
and this word really says it.
00:11:50.38\00:11:52.34
And is enticed by his own lust.
00:11:52.37\00:11:56.34
Now I know when
typically we think of lust
00:11:56.37\00:11:58.37
we're thinking of sexual--
00:11:58.40\00:12:00.91
impure thoughts
or sexual immorality.
00:12:00.94\00:12:04.86
It is inclusive, the word
Lust here is inclusive of that
00:12:04.89\00:12:08.61
but is not limited to that.
00:12:08.64\00:12:11.22
It is lust in the broader sense,
00:12:11.25\00:12:13.20
it is any unholy desire,
00:12:13.23\00:12:16.47
and when we give
into that unholy desire
00:12:16.50\00:12:19.21
there is all the sin.
00:12:19.24\00:12:20.75
So think of it broader, it
could be a lust for appetite,
00:12:20.78\00:12:24.38
you know, it could be a
lust for my neighbor's Cadillac,
00:12:24.41\00:12:28.95
it could be a
whole host of things
00:12:28.98\00:12:31.78
that we could, you know,
00:12:31.81\00:12:33.05
be lusting after in the world.
00:12:33.08\00:12:35.70
But enticement, you know,
there are those sets of sins,
00:12:35.73\00:12:40.37
you know, I
think we all have them
00:12:40.40\00:12:42.11
that we just absolutely hate.
00:12:42.14\00:12:44.55
Can't you take up
things in your own life,
00:12:44.58\00:12:46.27
you just wish,
maybe you inherited,
00:12:46.30\00:12:48.48
may be you inherited
00:12:48.51\00:12:49.55
or you
developed an awful temper.
00:12:49.58\00:12:53.21
Anger is an awful thing.
00:12:53.24\00:12:55.59
You know, my father had
this explosive, volcanic temper.
00:12:55.62\00:13:00.66
And I found
out, I didn't realize
00:13:00.69\00:13:03.43
it until I became a young adult
00:13:03.46\00:13:04.82
and I'm in the ministry
00:13:04.85\00:13:05.88
I discovered that,
you know I had on occasion
00:13:05.91\00:13:09.48
it didn't happen often
but if I got really upset
00:13:09.51\00:13:12.96
I was volcanic,
then it was over.
00:13:12.99\00:13:17.05
And then I know some people
have a different kind of temper,
00:13:17.08\00:13:21.35
it's kind of brooding underneath
00:13:21.38\00:13:24.44
and I've seen people
with that kind of temper,
00:13:24.47\00:13:27.27
it's not
volcanic, it's not explosive
00:13:27.30\00:13:29.62
but on the other
hand it is something
00:13:29.65\00:13:31.73
I see some people
they've carried anger underneath
00:13:31.76\00:13:34.46
the surface for years.
00:13:34.49\00:13:37.88
They are living in the past
00:13:37.91\00:13:39.13
with things have happened
in the past and they're angry.
00:13:39.16\00:13:42.89
They're very unhappy people.
00:13:42.92\00:13:45.10
So you know can be a
whole host of things,
00:13:45.13\00:13:47.82
you know, we can plug in here,
00:13:47.85\00:13:49.35
and it's not my purpose here,
00:13:49.38\00:13:51.10
to be talking about, you
know make it a list here.
00:13:51.13\00:13:54.27
So there are those, those sins,
00:13:54.30\00:13:56.39
those temptations that we hate.
00:13:56.42\00:13:59.01
When I get
impatient, and by God's grace
00:13:59.04\00:14:01.98
I have made the
Lord has helped me
00:14:02.01\00:14:03.74
a lot in this area,
00:14:03.77\00:14:05.14
I can't say I cannot however say
00:14:05.17\00:14:07.20
that it just will
never happen again.
00:14:07.23\00:14:11.31
I can't presume that.
00:14:11.34\00:14:13.27
But I do pray about it everyday.
00:14:13.30\00:14:15.31
So we have this
the sins we hate.
00:14:15.34\00:14:17.27
On the other hand
we have those sins
00:14:17.30\00:14:19.68
that we just absolutely love,
00:14:19.71\00:14:23.11
that we're enticed with.
00:14:23.14\00:14:25.93
And when I think of
the word enticement, for me
00:14:25.96\00:14:29.04
this is what I think
of, if you can see it,
00:14:29.07\00:14:32.73
it is a German chocolate cake.
00:14:32.76\00:14:35.28
When I think of enticement
this is what I think of,
00:14:35.31\00:14:38.21
if the, and please I must ask,
00:14:38.24\00:14:41.30
my last series
somebody just had to bring me
00:14:41.33\00:14:43.98
a two or three times
German chocolate cake.
00:14:44.01\00:14:47.38
Fortunately it
wasn't the whole cake
00:14:47.41\00:14:49.07
but you know if it's around,
00:14:49.10\00:14:51.64
you now, it is not enough
00:14:51.67\00:14:53.90
you know to take just
one slice of temptation is,
00:14:53.93\00:14:57.30
it is so good to
take another slice
00:14:57.33\00:15:00.36
and if it is in the
cupboard in the house
00:15:00.39\00:15:02.50
it's like it's whispering
it's playing on my subconscious
00:15:02.53\00:15:05.26
and all my conscious level,
00:15:05.29\00:15:07.88
you know, just
calling out to me.
00:15:07.91\00:15:09.84
Come, you know the
rich, chocolate frosting,
00:15:09.87\00:15:13.65
and it is moist
and I shared this,
00:15:13.68\00:15:17.16
this illustration
when I was in Russia,
00:15:17.19\00:15:19.59
one time in Magadan
00:15:19.62\00:15:21.64
and I should have
made this disclaimer
00:15:21.67\00:15:24.48
as I did now
please don't bring it.
00:15:24.51\00:15:26.87
It is a temptation to me
00:15:26.90\00:15:28.75
and I ended up with
seven Russian chocolate cakes,
00:15:28.78\00:15:33.13
and there were 90 Americans
00:15:33.16\00:15:35.77
who were building
a church at Magadan
00:15:35.80\00:15:37.94
and I invited them all in
00:15:37.97\00:15:40.02
because even though it
wasn't as good as German,
00:15:40.05\00:15:42.84
I don't know, how
German it really is
00:15:42.87\00:15:45.55
but we call it
German chocolate cake.
00:15:45.58\00:15:47.31
I wanted it out of my room
00:15:47.34\00:15:50.07
and so I invited everybody in,
00:15:50.10\00:15:52.45
because I knew
this was temptation
00:15:52.48\00:15:54.19
and I knew, I knew
I had to do with it,
00:15:54.22\00:15:56.60
else I would be
through the whole three weeks,
00:15:56.63\00:15:58.89
I would be eating
through that chocolate.
00:15:58.92\00:16:01.71
That's what I think of
enticement, enticement.
00:16:01.74\00:16:07.09
So how do we
deal with these things
00:16:07.12\00:16:08.74
when we are facing enticement?
00:16:08.77\00:16:11.08
Well, the promise
of Matthew 1:21 is this
00:16:11.11\00:16:14.52
"And she will bear a Son,
00:16:14.55\00:16:16.70
and you shall
call his name Jesus,
00:16:16.73\00:16:18.72
for it is He who will save
His people from their sins."
00:16:18.75\00:16:22.81
Is that not a
wonderful precious promise?
00:16:22.84\00:16:27.01
Where would we be without Jesus?
00:16:27.04\00:16:29.88
We'll be hopelessly lost.
00:16:29.91\00:16:31.73
We would be in the grasp of sin
00:16:31.76\00:16:34.51
and my friend
the tendency of sin
00:16:34.54\00:16:36.89
is to take us down
deeper and deeper overtime.
00:16:36.92\00:16:41.46
That's what sin does.
00:16:41.49\00:16:43.13
Unless somebody steps
in and one has stepped in
00:16:43.16\00:16:46.24
but we have to
respond to it, right?
00:16:46.27\00:16:48.26
And that someone is
Jesus who has stepped in
00:16:48.29\00:16:50.89
to, to, you know stop
that downward fall that sin,
00:16:50.92\00:16:56.87
that sin brings
about in our lives.
00:16:56.90\00:16:59.41
And so he, you know,
00:16:59.44\00:17:01.01
you could, shall
call His name Jesus
00:17:01.04\00:17:02.45
for He will save His
people from their sins.
00:17:02.48\00:17:05.40
First of all that brings with it
00:17:05.43\00:17:07.68
the wonderful
promise that forgiveness
00:17:07.71\00:17:11.27
is freely offered
to every one of us
00:17:11.30\00:17:14.43
and isn't
forgiveness a wonderful thing?
00:17:14.46\00:17:17.60
My friend, we don't have to live
00:17:17.63\00:17:18.85
with the sins and
failures of the past,
00:17:18.88\00:17:22.02
I mean he says, you know,
00:17:22.05\00:17:23.34
I will separate them from you
00:17:23.37\00:17:24.89
as far as the
east is from the west.
00:17:24.92\00:17:27.56
And the Bible says
they are gonna be cast
00:17:27.59\00:17:29.11
into depths of the
sea which in some places
00:17:29.14\00:17:31.11
it's several miles down
there, they're out of sight.
00:17:31.14\00:17:33.95
And my friend by the
grace of Jesus we can move on.
00:17:33.98\00:17:37.49
We don't have to
live with the past,
00:17:37.52\00:17:39.99
we can move on in Jesus.
00:17:40.02\00:17:42.42
But we do have to deal
00:17:42.45\00:17:43.48
with the past at
some point, right?
00:17:43.51\00:17:45.66
We do have to deal with
it, and that's why forgiveness
00:17:45.69\00:17:48.10
is so vitally important,
00:17:48.13\00:17:49.81
but furthermore it also carries
00:17:49.84\00:17:51.94
with it this promise
00:17:51.97\00:17:53.94
to break the power
of sin in our lives.
00:17:53.97\00:17:57.70
And again I point
out, this is a process,
00:17:57.73\00:18:00.22
it is not overnight.
00:18:00.25\00:18:01.28
I wish it was like that.
00:18:01.31\00:18:04.11
And done and we were free.
00:18:04.14\00:18:07.75
But no, that's not the way
00:18:07.78\00:18:08.89
the love and
grace of Jesus works,
00:18:08.92\00:18:10.72
it works overtime,
00:18:10.75\00:18:12.24
it's that process by
which we are becoming,
00:18:12.27\00:18:14.89
we are saved by grace
00:18:14.92\00:18:16.65
but we are becoming like Him
00:18:16.68\00:18:20.37
is what it truly is all about.
00:18:20.40\00:18:22.51
A few texts about how,
00:18:22.54\00:18:24.52
how sin operates
within our lives.
00:18:24.55\00:18:26.67
So let me take you
through the seven practical
00:18:26.70\00:18:29.35
and powerful
principles in God's word
00:18:29.38\00:18:33.05
that will help us to
overcome Satan's mastery
00:18:33.08\00:18:37.37
over us through the
operation of sin in our lives.
00:18:37.40\00:18:42.13
And my friend he knows us
00:18:42.16\00:18:43.98
and he's been
tracking us from the moment
00:18:44.01\00:18:45.69
we entered in the life.
00:18:45.72\00:18:46.89
He knows our weaknesses
00:18:46.92\00:18:49.35
he knows our evil
tendencies, doesn't he?
00:18:49.38\00:18:51.68
He knows the buttons to push.
00:18:51.71\00:18:55.93
But you know we really
ought to spend our time
00:18:55.96\00:18:58.11
knowing something
about the evil one
00:18:58.14\00:18:59.54
spending our time focusing
on the one that loves us,
00:18:59.57\00:19:03.07
and who is all powerful.
00:19:03.10\00:19:07.54
Whenever we talk about
the power of the evil one
00:19:07.57\00:19:11.36
we must always,
we never should talk,
00:19:11.39\00:19:13.47
I don't believe talk
about the power of the evil one,
00:19:13.50\00:19:16.14
without in the same breadth
00:19:16.17\00:19:18.27
but saying there is one
that is far more powerful
00:19:18.30\00:19:22.81
and is victorious and has
guaranteed our victory as well.
00:19:22.84\00:19:27.05
So let me take you to the
seven practical principles,
00:19:27.08\00:19:30.06
John 15 the New
Testament, page 85,
00:19:30.09\00:19:34.79
John 15 and we'll
be looking at verse 5,
00:19:34.82\00:19:41.38
John 15:5 where
Jesus said "I am the vine."
00:19:41.41\00:19:46.13
You want to know the
secret of spiritual growth?
00:19:46.16\00:19:48.17
Here it is," I am the
vine, you are the branches."
00:19:48.20\00:19:51.95
it's all about the connections,
00:19:51.98\00:19:53.70
I think there is a class
here called the connections.
00:19:53.73\00:19:56.93
Okay, I think that's part
of what they're talking about.
00:19:56.96\00:20:00.26
"I am the vine,
you are the branches,
00:20:00.29\00:20:01.72
he who abides in
Me and I in him,"
00:20:01.75\00:20:06.87
he bears what? Much fruit.
00:20:06.90\00:20:10.76
Our lives become
fruitful in Jesus.
00:20:10.79\00:20:13.68
It's like the
sap that is flowing
00:20:13.71\00:20:15.75
through the trunk of a tree
00:20:15.78\00:20:17.94
and stretches out to
the branches and fruit.
00:20:17.97\00:20:21.86
And we're coming
up here on spring
00:20:21.89\00:20:23.32
and we're gonna see
that process, won't we?
00:20:23.35\00:20:25.30
You do have fruit
around you, don't you?
00:20:25.33\00:20:27.72
And fruit begins to grow,
00:20:27.75\00:20:30.30
it isn't whole it's not complete
00:20:30.33\00:20:33.27
but through the growing season,
00:20:33.30\00:20:35.89
it's growing, getting larger
00:20:35.92\00:20:38.01
and in process
ripening until it's whole
00:20:38.04\00:20:40.97
and is ready to be harvested
00:20:41.00\00:20:43.37
and so it is in the
spiritual life, isn't it?
00:20:43.40\00:20:47.79
That's how we become fruitful
00:20:47.82\00:20:49.25
and then it says,
but apart from me,
00:20:49.28\00:20:51.04
you can do how much? Nothing.
00:20:51.07\00:20:55.07
My friend we're seeking
00:20:55.10\00:20:56.21
to do the
impossibility apart from Jesus.
00:20:56.24\00:20:58.67
We can have the desire,
00:20:58.70\00:21:00.33
but my friend we
really will not deal,
00:21:00.36\00:21:03.24
be able to effectively deal
00:21:03.27\00:21:04.44
with the fundamental
issue within our lives.
00:21:04.47\00:21:07.10
And so my first principle
00:21:07.13\00:21:08.56
that I want to share with you
00:21:08.59\00:21:10.11
is that number one
we must understand,
00:21:10.14\00:21:13.92
we must sense our
helplessness of ourselves.
00:21:13.95\00:21:21.26
Let's talk about
the strong willed
00:21:21.29\00:21:22.79
individual right now.
00:21:22.82\00:21:26.21
How many of us are
strong willed by nature?
00:21:26.24\00:21:28.89
Let's be honest, okay?
00:21:28.92\00:21:31.09
I'm strong willed.
00:21:31.12\00:21:33.50
Those of us are strong willed
00:21:33.53\00:21:35.01
have a
disadvantage at all of this
00:21:35.04\00:21:36.93
because on some level we believe
00:21:36.96\00:21:38.29
that we can somehow do it,
00:21:38.32\00:21:40.51
but somehow we are in control.
00:21:40.54\00:21:43.44
And sometimes that--
00:21:43.47\00:21:44.50
you know, I think
the Pharisees tend
00:21:44.53\00:21:45.94
to be strong willed
people, don't you think?
00:21:45.97\00:21:48.45
The Pharisees
strong willed people.
00:21:48.48\00:21:50.99
You know, and
they were depending
00:21:51.02\00:21:52.46
and we can depend
upon what we can do.
00:21:52.49\00:21:55.19
I won't ask those, well,
00:21:55.22\00:21:56.81
of course who are the
weak willed individuals
00:21:56.84\00:21:58.67
the ones you
didn't lift their hands,
00:21:58.70\00:22:00.35
I'm not gonna go.
00:22:00.38\00:22:02.26
Okay, so we won't
go to the process.
00:22:02.29\00:22:04.82
But those of you
who are weak willed
00:22:04.85\00:22:07.25
you have an advantage
over a strong willed people
00:22:07.28\00:22:11.17
because you
already are so close,
00:22:11.20\00:22:13.62
you know you know
that you can't do it.
00:22:13.65\00:22:16.59
So you have a leg up
in all of this actually.
00:22:16.62\00:22:19.92
And think of it is a blessing
00:22:19.95\00:22:22.76
because you're not caught
up with a strong willed people
00:22:22.79\00:22:25.26
trying to do it and thinking
we can do it is self-deception.
00:22:25.29\00:22:30.15
You already know that you can't.
00:22:30.18\00:22:32.80
So you're already there.
00:22:32.83\00:22:35.42
So look at it as I
said as a blessing,
00:22:35.45\00:22:39.62
a blessing in
disguise, I do understand that.
00:22:39.65\00:22:42.46
But nevertheless
it is a blessing.
00:22:42.49\00:22:44.58
So we know it's impossible
for ourselves to overcome,
00:22:44.61\00:22:47.95
the desire may
be present within us
00:22:47.98\00:22:50.54
as Paul said but the
doing is non present within us.
00:22:50.57\00:22:54.08
But the second
step is we must realize
00:22:54.11\00:22:56.85
where the source of
the power comes from.
00:22:56.88\00:22:59.62
And my friend, the source
of the power comes from whom?
00:22:59.65\00:23:02.44
Yes, it's Jesus.
00:23:02.47\00:23:03.98
Because Jesus declared
all power has been given
00:23:04.01\00:23:09.59
to Me in heaven and on earth.
00:23:09.62\00:23:12.75
We ought not to forget
00:23:12.78\00:23:13.83
what that's really talk about,
00:23:13.86\00:23:15.30
it's not just heaven,
00:23:15.33\00:23:16.36
all powers has been
given been to Him on earth.
00:23:16.39\00:23:21.12
So it kills, all
powers has been given to Him,
00:23:21.15\00:23:26.06
we have an advantage.
00:23:26.09\00:23:29.04
John 1:12 says, "But
as many as received Him,
00:23:29.07\00:23:33.02
to them gave He power
to become the sons of God,
00:23:33.05\00:23:37.09
even to them that
believe on His name."
00:23:37.12\00:23:40.40
And my friend,
if you have entered
00:23:40.43\00:23:41.59
into a committed
relationship by faith,
00:23:41.62\00:23:44.02
if you're in a
faith relationship
00:23:44.05\00:23:45.89
with Jesus
Christ you have received
00:23:45.92\00:23:47.59
Him as your Lord and Savior.
00:23:47.62\00:23:49.45
In receiving Him
you have received power.
00:23:49.48\00:23:55.59
Power to become the
sons and daughters of God.
00:23:55.62\00:23:59.42
It is a
wonderful thing, isn't it?
00:23:59.45\00:24:01.68
And it's so deeply spiritual,
00:24:01.71\00:24:03.77
I like spiritual things
00:24:03.80\00:24:05.01
and this is spiritual,
talking about the power.
00:24:05.04\00:24:09.40
You see the tendency
00:24:09.43\00:24:10.57
for us as human beings
is to focus in on ourselves,
00:24:10.60\00:24:14.25
our feelings and
how impossible this is
00:24:14.28\00:24:17.92
and it's absolutely true.
00:24:17.95\00:24:19.88
If we really know our hearts,
00:24:19.91\00:24:21.11
it is absolutely impossible
to change what we are.
00:24:21.14\00:24:24.89
Some people never
get beyond themselves.
00:24:24.92\00:24:28.60
Now that's where
receiving Jesus gets us beyond
00:24:28.63\00:24:33.27
the reality of who we are.
00:24:33.30\00:24:35.20
As we discovered the
reality of who Jesus is
00:24:35.23\00:24:39.00
and what means to us as by
faith we're connected to Him.
00:24:39.03\00:24:43.47
And a part of that
reality that is ours and Jesus
00:24:43.50\00:24:47.06
is that we have this power
00:24:47.09\00:24:51.23
that is ours in Jesus.
00:24:51.26\00:24:55.34
Not apart, okay?
00:24:55.37\00:24:58.68
And so, since he's got the power
00:24:58.71\00:25:01.63
the second step is we must make
a decision for Jesus Christ.
00:25:01.66\00:25:06.04
We must be in as I said
a committed relationship,
00:25:06.07\00:25:09.87
a decidedly
committed relationship,
00:25:09.90\00:25:12.91
not a vacillating relationship.
00:25:12.94\00:25:15.26
And some people are in a
vacillating relationship.
00:25:15.29\00:25:18.70
You know,
they're drawn on one hand
00:25:18.73\00:25:20.80
and yet they're whirled
in their simple tendencies
00:25:20.83\00:25:24.18
draw them into another,
00:25:24.21\00:25:25.27
they're just kind of
waffling in their walk.
00:25:25.30\00:25:29.60
My friend, we must settle it,
00:25:29.63\00:25:31.51
we must settle our commitment
00:25:31.54\00:25:33.69
in our
relationship with Jesus Christ
00:25:33.72\00:25:35.68
and He's the one that will
reassure us in all of this.
00:25:35.71\00:25:42.41
So we must make a
decided commitment.
00:25:42.44\00:25:44.80
It was the Civil War.
00:25:44.83\00:25:47.05
As you'll remember at
one point the Civil War,
00:25:47.08\00:25:49.50
the union forces were outside
00:25:49.53\00:25:52.16
of the southern
city of Atlanta, Georgia
00:25:52.19\00:25:54.89
threatening this
beautiful city of the south.
00:25:54.92\00:25:58.72
And every able body person
00:25:58.75\00:26:01.17
was without the city
seeking to defend it.
00:26:01.20\00:26:05.22
A young woman in
the interior of the city
00:26:05.25\00:26:07.83
could hear those guns booming
00:26:07.86\00:26:09.57
and you know, it wasn't that
far away as I already noted.
00:26:09.60\00:26:13.55
She had been hearing
this going on for some time
00:26:13.58\00:26:15.76
and finally
couldn't stand it any longer.
00:26:15.79\00:26:17.77
She went over to the stove
00:26:17.80\00:26:19.29
and she grabbed a stove
poker and went out of the house
00:26:19.32\00:26:22.27
and head it down the street,
she was headed to the front.
00:26:22.30\00:26:25.16
Somebody was
coming back into the city
00:26:25.19\00:26:26.77
and saw the look
of determination,
00:26:26.80\00:26:28.35
saw that poker and
how she was holding it.
00:26:28.38\00:26:31.65
And stopped her and asked her,
00:26:31.68\00:26:34.25
"Where are you
going, young lady?"
00:26:34.28\00:26:36.51
And she said with
that glint in her eye
00:26:36.54\00:26:39.69
that she was
headed to the front.
00:26:39.72\00:26:41.83
And he said to
her, "What in the world
00:26:41.86\00:26:43.60
do you expect to do at
the front with a stove poker?"
00:26:43.63\00:26:47.05
And she said, "May be not much
00:26:47.08\00:26:48.96
but at least they are
gonna know on who side I'm on."
00:26:48.99\00:26:52.67
See, I like that.
00:26:52.70\00:26:54.44
because we often are
in a state of indecisions.
00:26:54.47\00:26:56.93
Sometimes we can desolating.
00:26:56.96\00:26:59.78
We have to, some people,
00:26:59.81\00:27:01.30
you know, some people go through
a lifetime like this indecisive.
00:27:01.33\00:27:05.21
But at some point we have
to come to a decision in Jesus.
00:27:05.24\00:27:11.05
And that's often where the
enemy has an advantage over us,
00:27:11.08\00:27:15.10
when we are indecisive,
in a state of indecision.
00:27:15.13\00:27:19.45
And my friend,
this is something,
00:27:19.48\00:27:20.89
you know, we make
a decision in Christ
00:27:20.92\00:27:22.81
but we're giving
ourselves to Jesus day by day,
00:27:22.84\00:27:25.99
moment by moment on some level
consciously or unconsciously.
00:27:26.02\00:27:31.71
That's what it means to be
a Christian, it is opening up.
00:27:31.74\00:27:35.57
It is giving,
yielding ourselves to Him.
00:27:35.60\00:27:41.17
And receiving impart His life,
00:27:41.20\00:27:44.37
His love, His grace, His power.
00:27:44.40\00:27:48.74
It's a beautiful thing.
00:27:48.77\00:27:51.77
The spiritual life
is a beautiful thing.
00:27:51.80\00:27:54.62
Let's move on to Matthew
8, the New Testament, page 6.
00:27:54.65\00:27:58.95
Page 6, Matthew 8.
00:27:58.98\00:28:00.94
And we're gonna be
looking at verse 13
00:28:00.97\00:28:02.94
as we come to
our next principle.
00:28:02.97\00:28:07.69
Matthew 8 is the
story of the centurion.
00:28:07.72\00:28:10.85
Remember he had
this valued servant
00:28:10.88\00:28:13.03
who was deathly ill.
00:28:13.06\00:28:15.14
I mean he was gonna die,
00:28:15.17\00:28:16.33
obviously unless
something miraculously happened.
00:28:16.36\00:28:19.75
And this centurion
had heard about Jesus
00:28:19.78\00:28:21.87
and he came seeking for Jesus.
00:28:21.90\00:28:24.71
And there's always some
encouragement in these stories
00:28:24.74\00:28:28.28
and the gospels particularly,
aren't they for us?
00:28:28.31\00:28:30.83
We can relate to this.
00:28:30.86\00:28:32.52
And so he came to Jesus
asking for Jesus to step in,
00:28:32.55\00:28:37.09
to intervene in the
life of his servant.
00:28:37.12\00:28:41.71
And again there's such
deep spiritual lessons in this
00:28:41.74\00:28:43.68
because in fact
that's what we've done
00:28:43.71\00:28:45.29
when we come to Jesus Christ.
00:28:45.32\00:28:46.70
We have in our
desperation knowing
00:28:46.73\00:28:48.60
that we are dying in our sins.
00:28:48.63\00:28:50.91
We are asking Jesus to
step in and to intervene.
00:28:50.94\00:28:55.05
And my friend, we
don't have to beg Him.
00:28:55.08\00:28:57.38
He's right there, the
moment that we respond
00:28:57.41\00:28:59.31
to His love and
grace, He will step in
00:28:59.34\00:29:03.23
and He will put
everything right.
00:29:03.26\00:29:05.64
And here it is verse 13,
00:29:05.67\00:29:07.00
"And Jesus said
to the centurion.
00:29:07.03\00:29:08.59
'Go, it shall be done for
you as you have believed.'
00:29:08.62\00:29:13.84
' And the servant was
healed that very moment
00:29:13.87\00:29:15.75
because you see he
did believe in Jesus.
00:29:15.78\00:29:19.55
And when Jesus
said "He is healed."
00:29:19.58\00:29:21.65
He took Jesus at his word.
00:29:21.68\00:29:24.61
The next principle
is we must have faith,
00:29:24.64\00:29:29.77
we must believe
that we will overcome,
00:29:29.80\00:29:34.88
not ourselves, we've
already settled that,
00:29:34.91\00:29:36.81
we can do nothing
but through His power.
00:29:36.84\00:29:39.50
If we do not
believe that by His grace
00:29:39.53\00:29:42.00
and through His power
00:29:42.03\00:29:43.06
and through the power of
His indwelling life in us
00:29:43.09\00:29:46.94
that we can overcome.
00:29:46.97\00:29:48.77
If we don't believe
we will not overcome.
00:29:48.80\00:29:52.10
And I've seen this over
and over again as I worked,
00:29:52.13\00:29:55.50
you know, the
years-- through the years
00:29:55.53\00:29:57.47
helping people in
stop smoking clinics.
00:29:57.50\00:29:59.95
This is the crucial
issue I found, find most often,
00:29:59.98\00:30:03.86
most smokers feel defeated.
00:30:03.89\00:30:06.37
They've tried, they fell.
00:30:06.40\00:30:07.85
The average
smoker try six times,
00:30:07.88\00:30:09.59
we know statically
before they succeed
00:30:09.62\00:30:12.19
in breaking the habit.
00:30:12.22\00:30:13.85
But I find in most smokers
00:30:13.88\00:30:14.99
there's a sense of defeat up
to that point in their lives.
00:30:15.02\00:30:19.09
I remember woman that was
attending a series of meeting
00:30:19.12\00:30:21.64
I had in Sioux
Falls, South Dakota.
00:30:21.67\00:30:23.55
It's the only place where
we had back to back series
00:30:23.58\00:30:25.99
separated by three weeks.
00:30:26.02\00:30:27.65
We just had so much interest
00:30:27.68\00:30:29.46
that it was decided
we're going to continue on
00:30:29.49\00:30:32.26
and so I did another six weeks.
00:30:32.29\00:30:34.87
This is when I was
doing five nights a week so.
00:30:34.90\00:30:38.30
Also it was much-- it's
a little bit easer program
00:30:38.33\00:30:41.22
today on people.
00:30:41.25\00:30:42.59
But she had not made a
decision the first time
00:30:42.62\00:30:46.69
and I could never put it,
00:30:46.72\00:30:47.77
put my hands on what
was holding her back.
00:30:47.80\00:30:50.68
But she did come
to the second series
00:30:50.71\00:30:53.00
to hear it all over again,
00:30:53.03\00:30:54.69
which is
something to think about.
00:30:54.72\00:30:56.54
And finally it came out,
00:30:56.57\00:30:57.94
I mean she was a Christian.
00:30:57.97\00:31:00.03
And it was this
thing, it was cigarettes.
00:31:00.06\00:31:03.46
She finally told
me, she said, "You know,
00:31:03.49\00:31:05.39
I had bowed down to the
altar over this matter."
00:31:05.42\00:31:08.83
And she felt so defeated,
so defeated by this thing.
00:31:08.86\00:31:14.66
She felt shame
because she believed that
00:31:14.69\00:31:18.42
as a Christian that
she ought, you know,
00:31:18.45\00:31:20.34
she ought to be able to
break-free from this habit.
00:31:20.37\00:31:22.64
And she hadn't
been able to do it.
00:31:22.67\00:31:24.49
And I tell you this
was the central issue
00:31:24.52\00:31:25.99
in helping her.
00:31:26.02\00:31:27.66
And I'm sure it's a
practical things with her,
00:31:27.69\00:31:29.58
you know, takes
three to five days
00:31:29.61\00:31:31.14
to break the physical
addiction once you stop.
00:31:31.17\00:31:34.93
You know,
nicotine is very addictive
00:31:34.96\00:31:36.58
but it doesn't take
long to get it depleted
00:31:36.61\00:31:39.65
out of your body tissues,
three to five days typically.
00:31:39.68\00:31:43.73
But there is of course
00:31:43.76\00:31:44.79
that psychological
dependency beyond that,
00:31:44.82\00:31:46.92
so I was sharing all of
this practical things with her
00:31:46.95\00:31:49.97
and--but I stopped every day,
00:31:50.00\00:31:54.02
I stopped at her
house, I didn't go in.
00:31:54.05\00:31:57.14
I stopped for just a
moment, I never asked her,
00:31:57.17\00:31:59.53
"How's it going today?
00:31:59.56\00:32:02.17
What victories
have you gained today?
00:32:02.20\00:32:03.68
And did you any defeats today?"
00:32:03.71\00:32:07.38
And so, you know,
00:32:07.41\00:32:08.76
we have developed
this open relationship.
00:32:08.79\00:32:10.29
She knew that I wasn't
going to give her a bad time
00:32:10.32\00:32:12.99
and she failed, I
was there to support her.
00:32:13.02\00:32:14.88
And then I
would share a promise.
00:32:14.91\00:32:17.70
And then I would
tell her, "I know,
00:32:17.73\00:32:20.65
I know that with God's
help, you can overcome this."
00:32:20.68\00:32:24.97
And over the next few days
00:32:25.00\00:32:27.20
I began to see
faith taking hold in her.
00:32:27.23\00:32:31.17
I began to see that
she was coming to believe
00:32:31.20\00:32:34.81
that with God's
help she could overcome.
00:32:34.84\00:32:38.90
And you know what, she did.
00:32:38.93\00:32:41.99
And it was all by God's grace.
00:32:42.02\00:32:44.16
Amen.
00:32:44.19\00:32:45.50
So we must believe
if we don't believe it,
00:32:45.53\00:32:49.13
it's just not
going to happen, right?
00:32:49.16\00:32:53.61
So it's always a thing, Mark 11,
00:32:53.64\00:32:55.43
the New Testament page 37
00:32:55.46\00:32:56.99
as we go through the
next principle of faith.
00:32:57.02\00:32:59.70
Mark 11 and looking at verse 24.
00:32:59.73\00:33:05.37
Where Jesus said,
"Therefore I say to you,
00:33:05.40\00:33:07.68
all things for
which you pray and ask,
00:33:07.71\00:33:10.31
believe that
you have received--"
00:33:10.34\00:33:12.27
and there's that
faith factor again.
00:33:12.30\00:33:14.46
"And they would
be granted to you."
00:33:14.49\00:33:16.66
And of course, prayer
will be an essential part
00:33:16.69\00:33:20.13
of the seven
steps of overcoming.
00:33:20.16\00:33:23.99
We must pray, so
we must ask in prayer.
00:33:24.02\00:33:29.65
And by the way we must
always ask in accordance
00:33:29.68\00:33:32.49
with God's will, right?
00:33:32.52\00:33:35.23
If it is your will, however,
00:33:35.26\00:33:37.34
we must ask the question
00:33:37.37\00:33:39.16
is it God's will
that we overcome?
00:33:39.19\00:33:42.97
Is it? Is it His will?
00:33:43.00\00:33:46.60
So we need not attach to
that prayer, God help me.
00:33:46.63\00:33:51.10
Help me in this
desperate situation
00:33:51.13\00:33:53.00
whatever might be in
this wicked temper mind.
00:33:53.03\00:33:55.41
My appetite
that's out of control.
00:33:55.44\00:33:57.74
My wicked tongue I
just, I just, you know,
00:33:57.77\00:34:00.02
it's out of my
mouth before I know it.
00:34:00.05\00:34:02.23
Whatever it may be, we
know that it's God will.
00:34:02.26\00:34:07.03
So we ought to
be praying about it.
00:34:07.06\00:34:09.41
The Bible says, "You have
not, because you ask not."
00:34:09.44\00:34:12.69
2 Peter 1,
00:34:12.72\00:34:14.08
in the New
Testament, page 183, 183.
00:34:14.11\00:34:17.17
2 Peter 1:4.
00:34:17.20\00:34:20.15
There is something that we
can bring to God in prayer.
00:34:20.18\00:34:26.33
2 Peter and it's Chapter 1
00:34:26.36\00:34:34.24
and find verse 4 there.
00:34:34.27\00:34:36.58
Well, another page here.
00:34:36.61\00:34:39.06
Where it said, "By
these He has granted to us,
00:34:39.09\00:34:41.89
His precious and
magnificent promises,
00:34:41.92\00:34:44.86
so that by then you may become
00:34:44.89\00:34:47.39
partakers of the divine nature,"
00:34:47.42\00:34:49.81
just think of
what this is saying.
00:34:49.84\00:34:52.01
By these precious
and magnificent promises
00:34:52.04\00:34:54.64
we become partakers
of the divine nature."
00:34:54.67\00:34:56.61
That is not saying
that we become God.
00:34:56.64\00:35:00.08
But it's talking
about the character of God,
00:35:00.11\00:35:01.89
the divine nature.
00:35:01.92\00:35:03.20
"Having escaped the corruption
00:35:03.23\00:35:06.49
that is in the world by lust."
00:35:06.52\00:35:09.03
There is a way out.
00:35:09.06\00:35:10.23
I'm sharing with
you the seven principles
00:35:10.26\00:35:12.08
by which we can
break that vicious cycle
00:35:12.11\00:35:14.86
that many of us have
been on and for decades even.
00:35:14.89\00:35:18.30
This vicious cycle of
sin and failure, you know,
00:35:18.33\00:35:21.96
we fall and
then we were praying,
00:35:21.99\00:35:24.28
we ask for God's help,
00:35:24.31\00:35:25.34
we get up and we start again
00:35:25.37\00:35:26.59
and before we know it,
00:35:26.62\00:35:28.22
we're just in this
cycle, down, up and up and down.
00:35:28.25\00:35:33.43
You know, I'm trying to
share something practical
00:35:33.46\00:35:35.54
that will help us to
break that cycle inner wise.
00:35:35.57\00:35:39.53
You, if you had
that wicked temper,
00:35:39.56\00:35:41.59
as I had to deal within my life.
00:35:41.62\00:35:44.38
My friend, there is a way out.
00:35:44.41\00:35:48.24
You are not doomed.
00:35:48.27\00:35:50.68
To be in a state of frustration,
00:35:50.71\00:35:54.31
trying to deal with a temper
00:35:54.34\00:35:56.33
and dealing with
the awful aftermath
00:35:56.36\00:35:58.87
when you blew it.
00:35:58.90\00:36:02.68
You can by God's grace overcome,
00:36:02.71\00:36:04.23
I'm not gonna say it's
gonna happen overnight.
00:36:04.26\00:36:07.22
In my
experience it was overtime.
00:36:07.25\00:36:10.62
Time's the factor,
00:36:10.65\00:36:11.68
you notice I keep coming back
00:36:11.71\00:36:12.87
to the process,
have you picked that up?
00:36:12.90\00:36:15.87
Over time and the assurance,
00:36:15.90\00:36:18.91
remember, the
assurance that we have
00:36:18.94\00:36:20.71
at every point
as we are growing.
00:36:20.74\00:36:24.76
We hear this.
00:36:24.79\00:36:26.39
If we should die that moment,
00:36:26.42\00:36:27.47
our salvation is secure.
00:36:27.50\00:36:30.43
So we have deep, we
have deep assurance.
00:36:30.46\00:36:33.12
Our assurance is not based upon,
00:36:33.15\00:36:35.43
well, if you overcome,
00:36:35.46\00:36:38.50
welcome. It's not that at all.
00:36:38.53\00:36:41.85
But you know
when we come to Jesus
00:36:41.88\00:36:43.48
there is this deep heart desire
00:36:43.51\00:36:46.25
that develops to
become like Jesus.
00:36:46.28\00:36:49.09
And sin comes to
be seen as the hateful
00:36:49.12\00:36:52.55
and hurtful thing
that it really is.
00:36:52.58\00:36:55.44
And we realize it was sin
that nailed Him to the cross.
00:36:55.47\00:36:59.71
It was sin that brought
00:36:59.74\00:37:01.77
such grief to
the heart of Jesus.
00:37:01.80\00:37:05.12
And so we have a
longing to be free so that
00:37:05.15\00:37:08.84
we can become
more and more like Him.
00:37:08.87\00:37:12.00
That's what we're
really talking about.
00:37:12.03\00:37:14.48
So assurance at
every step of the way.
00:37:14.51\00:37:17.02
Yes, be assured of that.
00:37:17.05\00:37:18.50
By the way the next point
is we must claim the promises.
00:37:18.53\00:37:23.05
The ABC's remember the ABC's,
00:37:23.08\00:37:25.30
ask, believe and claim. Okay.
00:37:25.33\00:37:28.76
And the one that I for
years, almost every day
00:37:28.79\00:37:32.36
I incorporate
this in my prayer life,
00:37:32.39\00:37:34.12
where it says, "I
can do all things--"
00:37:34.15\00:37:36.76
Philippians 4:13,
00:37:36.79\00:37:37.95
"I can do all
things through Christ--"
00:37:37.98\00:37:40.44
Christ who
what? What does He do?
00:37:40.47\00:37:42.43
"Who strengthens me."
00:37:42.46\00:37:43.92
I'm weak but He is strong.
00:37:43.95\00:37:47.18
I can do all things through Him
00:37:47.21\00:37:48.66
who strengthens me.
00:37:48.69\00:37:50.37
Yes, I know apart from
Him I can't do nothing,
00:37:50.40\00:37:52.12
but I can do all
things through Him
00:37:52.15\00:37:53.86
who strengthens me.
00:37:53.89\00:37:56.52
And so as I pray
00:37:56.55\00:38:00.18
daily, as I come to Jesus
00:38:00.21\00:38:02.42
and as I acknowledge my failures
00:38:02.45\00:38:04.29
and as I
acknowledge my weaknesses
00:38:04.32\00:38:06.15
and I do.
00:38:06.18\00:38:08.15
There are several things
that I'm very specific about
00:38:08.18\00:38:10.56
that I'm praying about
in my own spiritual walk,
00:38:10.59\00:38:13.18
in my own spiritual
life, weaknesses and failures
00:38:13.21\00:38:16.17
and sins in my own
life, those simple tendencies,
00:38:16.20\00:38:18.48
I'm praying about.
00:38:18.51\00:38:19.54
And as I come this
is one of the promises,
00:38:19.57\00:38:22.07
"Well, Jesus I
know that without You,
00:38:22.10\00:38:24.45
I can do nothing.
00:38:24.48\00:38:26.08
But You have promised
that I can do all things
00:38:26.11\00:38:29.25
through You who strengthens me."
00:38:29.28\00:38:31.20
And I claim that.
That's how I pray.
00:38:31.23\00:38:34.27
I confess, I can't do it
but I also confess that He can.
00:38:34.30\00:38:40.76
He can do for me what
I cannot do for myself.
00:38:40.79\00:38:43.64
It is a
relationship of total reliance.
00:38:43.67\00:38:48.42
It's a beautiful thing.
00:38:48.45\00:38:49.86
2 Corinthians 12:9,
10, it's another one
00:38:49.89\00:38:52.53
that I often reclaim,
00:38:52.56\00:38:53.89
where Jesus is speaking to Paul.
00:38:53.92\00:38:56.52
He says, "And He said to me,
00:38:56.55\00:38:58.25
'My grace is
sufficient for you,"
00:38:58.28\00:39:01.35
you may think that,
00:39:01.38\00:39:02.62
you know,
there's just no way out,
00:39:02.65\00:39:04.15
you know, nobody
has ever been through
00:39:04.18\00:39:05.44
what I have been
through, or had to dealt with,
00:39:05.47\00:39:07.52
what I've dealt with,
00:39:07.55\00:39:08.79
nobody had the
background I did growing up.
00:39:08.82\00:39:11.16
But Jesus said no matter what
our life situation or condition,
00:39:11.19\00:39:14.70
He says My grace is sufficient.
00:39:14.73\00:39:18.82
He says in Romans
where sin abounds,
00:39:18.85\00:39:22.22
grace does much more abound.
00:39:22.25\00:39:25.68
Those were all
promises we ought to know,
00:39:25.71\00:39:28.29
text we've to have in our mind.
00:39:28.32\00:39:29.48
"My grace is sufficient for you,
00:39:29.51\00:39:31.08
for power is
perfected in weakness."
00:39:31.11\00:39:34.74
There is this aspect of grace
00:39:34.77\00:39:36.26
that we talked little
of that is spoken of here.
00:39:36.29\00:39:39.47
Grace is not only
God's unmerited favor,
00:39:39.50\00:39:44.73
unmerited, it is.
00:39:44.76\00:39:46.78
But grace in Jesus also carries
with it the power of Jesus.
00:39:46.81\00:39:52.12
There is powering grace.
00:39:52.15\00:39:55.63
"For power is
perfected in weakness."
00:39:55.66\00:39:58.16
Think about that.
00:39:58.19\00:40:00.20
It's something about it
00:40:00.23\00:40:01.26
when we come to
Jesus in our weaknesses
00:40:01.29\00:40:03.51
and reliance that Jesus
will reveal Himself in power.
00:40:03.54\00:40:10.64
So my friend we
can put aside the mask,
00:40:10.67\00:40:14.32
we don't need to be pretentious.
00:40:14.35\00:40:16.57
We come to Him as we are.
00:40:16.60\00:40:19.47
In our weaknesses, we
acknowledge it before Him
00:40:19.50\00:40:22.97
and by faith we reach
out to Him and through faith
00:40:23.00\00:40:27.68
He will again
rebuilt Himself in power.
00:40:27.71\00:40:32.38
He says, "Most
gladly, therefore,
00:40:32.41\00:40:33.69
I will rather boast
about my weaknesses,
00:40:33.72\00:40:35.77
that the power of
Christ may dwell in me."
00:40:35.80\00:40:38.36
When we understand and
appreciate our weaknesses,
00:40:38.39\00:40:41.47
it is then that the
power of God will rest upon us.
00:40:41.50\00:40:44.38
But if we are this self willed,
00:40:44.41\00:40:46.27
strong willed
individuals and we think,
00:40:46.30\00:40:48.37
I'm gonna make
it, I'm gonna do it.
00:40:48.40\00:40:51.43
Not appreciate in our weaknesses
00:40:51.46\00:40:53.17
we will not
experience His power,
00:40:53.20\00:40:55.98
until at some
point we are on our knees
00:40:56.01\00:40:58.27
and confessing it, "I
thought, Lord, I could do it
00:40:58.30\00:41:00.98
but now I realize I could not.
00:41:01.01\00:41:04.26
Unless You help me,
there's no way our of this."
00:41:04.29\00:41:08.93
It's, when we acknowledge
and understand our weaknesses
00:41:08.96\00:41:11.68
that His power
is revealed to us.
00:41:11.71\00:41:15.44
And so all the
glory belongs to Jesus.
00:41:15.47\00:41:21.66
The glory does not belong to us.
00:41:21.69\00:41:24.57
It never belongs to
us, the glory is all His.
00:41:24.60\00:41:27.66
And he goes on to say,
00:41:27.69\00:41:28.72
"For when I am
weak, then I am strong."
00:41:28.75\00:41:30.83
Then another
promise, Ephesians 3:20,
00:41:30.86\00:41:33.69
where it says, "Now to Him,"
00:41:33.72\00:41:35.36
speaking of
Jesus, "Who is able,"
00:41:35.39\00:41:38.62
and my friend be
assured that He is able.
00:41:38.65\00:41:41.82
You know that
song from long ago.
00:41:41.85\00:41:43.93
He's able He's
able I know He's able
00:41:43.96\00:41:49.42
I know my Lord
is able to carry me
00:41:49.45\00:41:53.02
through Anyway, He's able.
00:41:53.05\00:41:57.56
And take, takes hold of it.
00:41:57.59\00:41:59.66
His sufficiency that He is able.
00:41:59.69\00:42:02.87
That's my word,
listen, He is able to do.
00:42:02.90\00:42:05.52
Now this is active, not passive.
00:42:05.55\00:42:07.58
"He is able to do
exceeding abundantly
00:42:07.61\00:42:12.79
beyond all that we ask or
even can comprehend, think,
00:42:12.82\00:42:18.94
according to the
power that works," where?
00:42:18.97\00:42:23.37
"The power that
works within us."
00:42:23.40\00:42:25.51
And who is that power
and the source of that power?
00:42:25.54\00:42:29.23
Jesus. It is Jesus, you got it.
00:42:29.26\00:42:31.89
He can do exceeding abundantly
00:42:31.92\00:42:33.68
beyond all that we ask or think.
00:42:33.71\00:42:35.34
My friend, our expectations
always come at short
00:42:35.37\00:42:38.17
of what He
actually can do for us.
00:42:38.20\00:42:41.59
He actually-- He
can do far more for us
00:42:41.62\00:42:43.87
than we can comprehend,
00:42:43.90\00:42:45.37
but we just need to believe it.
00:42:45.40\00:42:47.06
And then the last
promise I share with you
00:42:47.09\00:42:49.91
and again it's
another one I claim every day.
00:42:49.94\00:42:52.27
Philippians 2:13,
00:42:52.30\00:42:53.46
"For it is God who is at work."
00:42:53.49\00:42:56.75
Who is behind the works?
00:42:56.78\00:42:58.19
Who is actually working? God.
00:42:58.22\00:43:01.32
Is God, now the
connections by faith.
00:43:01.35\00:43:04.05
"It is God who
is at work in you,
00:43:04.08\00:43:06.78
both to will and to
work for His good pleasure."
00:43:06.81\00:43:13.64
And so as I'm
praying every morning.
00:43:13.67\00:43:17.55
I say, "Lord Jesus,
I give my life to you,
00:43:17.58\00:43:20.20
I commit myself to you.
00:43:20.23\00:43:22.55
And I believe that you are,
00:43:22.58\00:43:26.61
I'm not even asking Him to do
00:43:26.64\00:43:28.61
what He's already doing.
00:43:28.64\00:43:31.77
And I believe that You
are at working me to will
00:43:31.80\00:43:35.19
and to do of
your good pleasure."
00:43:35.22\00:43:38.98
Because I know, we're helpless.
00:43:39.01\00:43:41.71
My friend, we're helpless.
00:43:41.74\00:43:44.01
And we are in a
dependant relationship.
00:43:44.04\00:43:47.00
We're in a
dependant relationship,
00:43:47.03\00:43:48.51
you know that, don't you?
00:43:48.54\00:43:49.85
So it's Him that got the will.
00:43:49.88\00:43:51.65
I don't always had the desire
00:43:51.68\00:43:53.14
but you can pray,
00:43:53.17\00:43:54.27
"Lord, give me the desire even."
00:43:54.30\00:43:57.77
Be at work to and me to will
00:43:57.80\00:43:59.97
and to do of your good pleasure.
00:44:00.00\00:44:01.84
And so let's go to James 1,
00:44:01.87\00:44:03.50
the New
Testament, page 177, 177.
00:44:03.53\00:44:07.60
James 1:2, 3.
00:44:07.63\00:44:11.79
Where it says, "Consider
it all joy, my brethren,
00:44:11.82\00:44:14.66
when you
encounter various trials."
00:44:14.69\00:44:17.06
Let me see how many of you
00:44:17.09\00:44:19.07
really are jumping up and down
00:44:19.10\00:44:20.92
when you are faced with trials.
00:44:20.95\00:44:23.98
You know just
overjoyed, Thank You,
00:44:24.01\00:44:25.90
Lord for this trial in my life.
00:44:25.93\00:44:28.57
Just lost my
job, thank You, Lord."
00:44:28.60\00:44:33.38
Now that's not us, is it?
00:44:33.41\00:44:35.69
Now we're in prayer,
00:44:35.72\00:44:37.15
we're in deep darkness and Lord,
00:44:37.18\00:44:39.15
save me, help me.
00:44:39.18\00:44:42.05
But He says,
"Consider all joy, my brethren,
00:44:42.08\00:44:44.06
when you encounter
various trials knowing
00:44:44.09\00:44:46.27
that the testing of your
faith produces endurance."
00:44:46.30\00:44:50.41
And that's why we rejoiced at
00:44:50.44\00:44:52.89
because we know
that as we are tested
00:44:52.92\00:44:56.52
and by faith we
persevere the result is
00:44:56.55\00:45:00.81
we develop this
wonderful quality,
00:45:00.84\00:45:03.95
spiritually
quality of endurance.
00:45:03.98\00:45:07.15
And my, friend, we're never,
00:45:07.18\00:45:08.33
we're never going to
get through to the other end
00:45:08.36\00:45:11.22
without developing this
00:45:11.25\00:45:12.45
wonderful spiritually
quality of endurance.
00:45:12.48\00:45:15.17
And so next we must
learn to endure through faith.
00:45:15.20\00:45:21.18
Endurance is something
that He will develop within us
00:45:21.21\00:45:25.57
and comes through
the experience of time,
00:45:25.60\00:45:30.78
through time.
00:45:30.81\00:45:32.37
I have this theory,
00:45:32.40\00:45:34.79
you know, weakness is
often we are born with
00:45:34.82\00:45:36.69
but weaknesses come as
we get into temptation.
00:45:36.72\00:45:40.31
And we're given
the temptation here
00:45:40.34\00:45:42.02
and the temptation
again here and there.
00:45:42.05\00:45:44.31
And in time we become addicted,
00:45:44.34\00:45:48.31
we're in the grasp of sin.
00:45:48.34\00:45:50.09
Correspondently
by the grace of Jesus
00:45:50.12\00:45:52.17
putting into
practice these steps
00:45:52.20\00:45:54.26
of these principles of faith.
00:45:54.29\00:45:58.53
We meet temptation, by His grace
00:45:58.56\00:46:01.44
we overcome
that temptation once.
00:46:01.47\00:46:03.73
You know, what you
do once by His grace
00:46:03.76\00:46:06.47
can be replicated a second time.
00:46:06.50\00:46:10.44
And thus a third time
and may be we'll slip here
00:46:10.47\00:46:13.07
and may be on
occasion we'll slip there.
00:46:13.10\00:46:15.59
But if we keep on this track
00:46:15.62\00:46:17.77
overtime each time by His grace
00:46:17.80\00:46:20.18
when we gain
victory we are strengthened
00:46:20.21\00:46:24.54
just a little, a little.
00:46:24.57\00:46:27.63
Next time we meet
it and by God's grace
00:46:27.66\00:46:30.60
we overcome it that temptation.
00:46:30.63\00:46:33.90
We're
strengthened a little more.
00:46:33.93\00:46:35.74
Overtime that which was a
weakness in us will in time
00:46:35.77\00:46:41.30
become a point of strength.
00:46:41.33\00:46:45.31
Okay. It will, I
believe that's true.
00:46:45.34\00:46:49.81
Let me take you to
Hebrews 12:1 and 2,
00:46:49.84\00:46:52.24
the last one I'm
gonna share with you,
00:46:52.27\00:46:53.53
the New Testament, page 175.
00:46:53.56\00:46:56.85
So we must endure through faith.
00:46:56.88\00:46:59.28
But Hebrews 12
00:46:59.31\00:47:01.20
and I share this in
every stop smoking clinic
00:47:01.23\00:47:03.83
that I ever conducted.
00:47:03.86\00:47:05.79
Hebrews 12, and
beginning with verse 1,
00:47:05.82\00:47:07.69
"Therefore,
since we have so great
00:47:07.72\00:47:10.01
a cloud of
witnesses surrounding us,
00:47:10.04\00:47:13.00
let us also lay
aside every encumbrance,
00:47:13.03\00:47:14.79
and the sin which so
easily entangles us."
00:47:14.82\00:47:19.40
And oh, we have our own stories
00:47:19.43\00:47:21.69
that we can relate about.
00:47:21.72\00:47:23.00
How easily we get
entangled in our sins.
00:47:23.03\00:47:25.88
"Let us run with--"
there's the word again.
00:47:25.91\00:47:28.35
"Endurance the race
that is set before us."
00:47:28.38\00:47:30.23
My, friend, this is no sprint,
00:47:30.26\00:47:31.62
this is no one
hundred yard dash.
00:47:31.65\00:47:33.89
This is a long
distance race that we're in.
00:47:33.92\00:47:37.72
It encompasses the
totality of our lives.
00:47:37.75\00:47:43.11
We're in this race.
00:47:43.14\00:47:45.82
And everyone one of us
can be victors in this race.
00:47:45.85\00:47:49.97
But you got to
learn to run it well.
00:47:50.00\00:47:51.98
And by the way He's
the one that ran it,
00:47:52.01\00:47:55.03
the first to run it
well, to run it successfully.
00:47:55.06\00:47:59.97
And because He was
victorious as I said earlier,
00:48:00.00\00:48:03.04
He too, He's
gonna help us to learn.
00:48:03.07\00:48:04.90
He's gonna condition
us, He is our trainer,
00:48:04.93\00:48:07.30
He is our divine counselor.
00:48:07.33\00:48:08.84
He is there
every step of the way,
00:48:08.87\00:48:10.96
helping us, teaching us.
00:48:10.99\00:48:14.01
And we're learning to
learn how to run well by faith.
00:48:14.04\00:48:19.42
Does that make any sense.
00:48:19.45\00:48:21.32
And those of us are running,
00:48:21.35\00:48:22.88
verse 2 says, we have
our eyes fixed on Jesus,
00:48:22.91\00:48:26.38
fixing our eyes on Jesus.
00:48:26.41\00:48:29.49
So there's a focus in life.
00:48:29.52\00:48:33.07
You have your eyes fixed
on the things of this world.
00:48:33.10\00:48:35.92
But you have your
eyes fixed on Jesus.
00:48:35.95\00:48:38.53
It goes on to say, "The
author and perfecter of faith,
00:48:38.56\00:48:40.60
who for the joy set
before Him endured the cross."
00:48:40.63\00:48:45.46
There's that
word endurance again.
00:48:45.49\00:48:47.79
Now think about
what Jesus went through
00:48:47.82\00:48:49.19
when He hung there
on the cross of Calvary,
00:48:49.22\00:48:50.96
the weight of our sins, of
all of us pressing upon Him,
00:48:50.99\00:48:54.37
and that sense of
being separated from God.
00:48:54.40\00:48:56.73
That sense of abandonment.
00:48:56.76\00:48:59.21
My, friend, that is what
crushed the life out of Him.
00:48:59.24\00:49:02.51
Sin, it's our sins that
crushed the life out of Jesus.
00:49:02.54\00:49:06.82
And He said, He set the
joy, who for the joy set
00:49:06.85\00:49:09.86
before Him endured the cross.
00:49:09.89\00:49:11.76
What was that joy?
00:49:11.79\00:49:14.25
My, friend, it was
the joy of our salvation
00:49:14.28\00:49:18.89
that He will save us
00:49:18.92\00:49:21.29
and that we would be with
Him in this glorious future.
00:49:21.32\00:49:25.10
And in a similar way we must
endure the things that we face,
00:49:25.13\00:49:29.46
setting the joy
that is before us.
00:49:29.49\00:49:31.66
So the last one is
we must focus on Him
00:49:31.69\00:49:34.08
and the joy,
they'll lose the battle.
00:49:34.11\00:49:36.55
You're focusing on your sins,
00:49:36.58\00:49:38.35
you're focusing on your
failures and your weaknesses.
00:49:38.38\00:49:41.10
My, friend, it
will keep you down.
00:49:41.13\00:49:43.94
So we need to
understand and confess,
00:49:43.97\00:49:46.23
acknowledge our weaknesses
00:49:46.26\00:49:47.56
but we must keep
our focus on the joy.
00:49:47.59\00:49:49.92
The joy that would be
ours when we gain the victory.
00:49:49.95\00:49:53.48
The joy that will be
ours when we stand around
00:49:53.51\00:49:55.30
the throne of
God with those crowns
00:49:55.33\00:49:58.23
and hats in hands and
we're shouting hallelujah.
00:49:58.26\00:50:02.61
I tell you, that's
what keeps me going.
00:50:02.64\00:50:05.43
I know there's a
future and I want it.
00:50:05.46\00:50:09.16
I want to be part of it.
00:50:09.19\00:50:11.04
I want to experience what
life was really meant to be,
00:50:11.07\00:50:14.39
not the life as it came to be.
00:50:14.42\00:50:16.80
1986, moved to
Spokane Washington
00:50:16.83\00:50:20.77
to begin my ministry,
00:50:20.80\00:50:21.89
it's basically
eastern Washington,
00:50:21.92\00:50:23.56
the northern panhandle of Idaho.
00:50:23.59\00:50:25.51
So I started there
working January 1986.
00:50:25.54\00:50:29.43
And I had heard about Bloomsday,
00:50:29.46\00:50:31.47
ever heard of Bloomsday.
00:50:31.50\00:50:32.88
It is a 10k race approximately
seven and half miles.
00:50:32.91\00:50:36.70
I have been
running since I was 27,
00:50:36.73\00:50:38.95
but not competitively
00:50:38.98\00:50:40.55
but I determine,
I'm gonna run this.
00:50:40.58\00:50:42.70
So I got my training
so that several weeks in
00:50:42.73\00:50:45.56
I was at the seven
and half mile mark.
00:50:45.59\00:50:48.19
So I was pretty fit and--
but I drove around the course,
00:50:48.22\00:50:54.09
I want to see it.
00:50:54.12\00:50:56.00
And I knew because
I've heard about this,
00:50:56.03\00:50:58.59
everybody knows about this.
00:50:58.62\00:50:59.65
It's about 4, 5 miles in,
00:50:59.68\00:51:01.55
it's what they
call Doomsday Hill.
00:51:01.58\00:51:05.19
And I knew this is where
it was drawing you either,
00:51:05.22\00:51:08.27
we are going to
be successful or not.
00:51:08.30\00:51:11.63
And I set this one goal,
00:51:11.66\00:51:12.94
I wanted to run
the whole distance.
00:51:12.97\00:51:15.03
I wasn't concerned
about time necessarily
00:51:15.06\00:51:17.20
but I wanted to
run the whole distance.
00:51:17.23\00:51:20.80
And with excitement,
00:51:20.83\00:51:22.61
some 40,000 people
this first Sunday in May.
00:51:22.64\00:51:26.17
That gun went off and
the adrenaline was flowing
00:51:26.20\00:51:29.32
and I went out way too fast.
00:51:29.35\00:51:32.42
And part of this is you want
to get away from the main crowd
00:51:32.45\00:51:34.89
so you're not
getting tripped up.
00:51:34.92\00:51:36.54
So we work away
through the crowd,
00:51:36.57\00:51:38.03
the walkers and those who didn't
really train but are there.
00:51:38.06\00:51:41.61
But anyway, I went out too fast,
00:51:41.64\00:51:43.23
so by the time I
got to Doomsday Hill,
00:51:43.26\00:51:46.29
I was so tired.
00:51:46.32\00:51:48.18
It's about an eighth
of a mile steep hill.
00:51:48.21\00:51:51.43
And I felt like my legs
were made out of concrete.
00:51:51.46\00:51:54.66
I can barely get one,
00:51:54.69\00:51:56.52
you know, they
were begging me to rest,
00:51:56.55\00:51:58.38
they were
hurting, they were aching.
00:51:58.41\00:52:00.73
I was so tired, I was
so tempted, just to walk,
00:52:00.76\00:52:03.49
I wasn't running fast at all.
00:52:03.52\00:52:06.28
But I was still
just barely running.
00:52:06.31\00:52:09.78
But I had this
goal, I wanted to run
00:52:09.81\00:52:12.49
the whole thing
and I got to the top.
00:52:12.52\00:52:15.67
And I got through the
finish line and I've run it.
00:52:15.70\00:52:20.57
Now I ran it
again the next year,
00:52:20.60\00:52:23.37
what do you
think that did for me?
00:52:23.40\00:52:26.57
I want to tell you
I didn't worry near
00:52:26.60\00:52:28.66
as much about that hill
because I had overcome it once
00:52:28.69\00:52:32.80
and I knew that I
could do it again.
00:52:32.83\00:52:36.45
And my friend that's the
way the spiritual life can be
00:52:36.48\00:52:39.81
as we advance in
our faith in Jesus.
00:52:39.84\00:52:43.03
I take you again to
these seven powerful points
00:52:43.06\00:52:45.77
and I end with
one text after this.
00:52:45.80\00:52:47.39
Again, number one, we
must sense our helplessness.
00:52:47.42\00:52:50.60
Number two, we must
make a decision for Jesus.
00:52:50.63\00:52:53.93
Number three, well, we must
believe that we can overcome.
00:52:53.96\00:52:57.95
Number four, we need to be
praying and ask Him in prayer,
00:52:57.98\00:53:01.40
claiming those beautiful
promises that God has given us.
00:53:01.43\00:53:04.96
And number seven, we must
learn to endure through faith
00:53:04.99\00:53:08.64
as we focus in on the joy
that is ours in Jesus Christ.
00:53:08.67\00:53:12.24
Take a look at
Romans 8 as we conclude.
00:53:12.27\00:53:15.83
Romans 8 is the New
Testament, page 124.
00:53:15.86\00:53:22.55
Romans 8, I
conclude with these words.
00:53:22.58\00:53:25.77
They just resound.
00:53:25.80\00:53:28.83
Romans 8:31,
00:53:28.86\00:53:30.97
"What then shall we
say to these things?
00:53:31.00\00:53:33.22
If God is for us,
who is against us?
00:53:33.25\00:53:36.65
He who did not
spare His own Son,
00:53:36.68\00:53:38.61
but delivered
Him over for us all,
00:53:38.64\00:53:40.78
how will He not also with
Him freely give us all things?
00:53:40.81\00:53:44.69
Who will bring a
charge against God's elect?
00:53:44.72\00:53:47.20
God is the one who justifies.
00:53:47.23\00:53:49.91
Who is the one who condemns?
00:53:49.94\00:53:51.75
Christ Jesus is He who died,
00:53:51.78\00:53:53.95
yes, rather who
was raised, who is all,
00:53:53.98\00:53:56.42
who is at the right hand of God,
00:53:56.45\00:53:58.63
who also intercedes for us.
00:53:58.66\00:54:01.53
Who will separate us
from the love of Christ?
00:54:01.56\00:54:03.61
Will tribulation, or distress,
or persecution, or famine,
00:54:03.64\00:54:07.33
or nakedness, or
peril, or sword?"
00:54:07.36\00:54:10.22
Verse 37, "But
in all these things
00:54:10.25\00:54:13.44
we overwhelmingly conquer" How?
00:54:13.47\00:54:18.01
"Through Him who loved us.
00:54:18.04\00:54:21.63
For I am convinced
that neither death nor life,
00:54:21.66\00:54:25.32
nor angels nor principalities
nor things present
00:54:25.35\00:54:28.63
nor things to come, nor powers,
00:54:28.66\00:54:30.52
nor height nor depth,
nor any other created thing."
00:54:30.55\00:54:34.19
And can you imagine
anything beyond that?
00:54:34.22\00:54:37.21
"Will be able to
separate us from the love of God
00:54:37.24\00:54:41.98
which is in
Christ Jesus our Lord."
00:54:42.01\00:54:46.54
My friend, the deck has
been stacked in our favor.
00:54:46.57\00:54:50.80
Go out there and fight
the good fight of faith.
00:54:50.83\00:54:55.00
And by God's grace
you will be an overcomer.
00:54:55.03\00:54:58.47
Let's pray.
00:54:58.50\00:55:00.19
Father in
heaven, we just stirred
00:55:00.22\00:55:03.13
this morning to
again to declare,
00:55:03.16\00:55:07.55
to express our gratitude
for the debts of Your love.
00:55:07.58\00:55:12.37
And the power of that love
as it is that work within us.
00:55:12.40\00:55:16.29
What we hear, we'll confess it.
00:55:16.32\00:55:18.06
We know that without
You we can do nothing.
00:55:18.09\00:55:20.53
But Lord, we have
made this decision,
00:55:20.56\00:55:22.98
we have entered into a
faith relationship with You.
00:55:23.01\00:55:25.76
And we do believe
that You have the power.
00:55:25.79\00:55:28.49
And we are in prayer in this
moment and we are asking for
00:55:28.52\00:55:32.20
You to fulfill that
which You have promised.
00:55:32.23\00:55:34.74
We can do
nothing, we confess it.
00:55:34.77\00:55:37.16
But we claim the promise
that we can do all things
00:55:37.19\00:55:40.13
through You who strengthens us,
00:55:40.16\00:55:41.75
strengthen us
individually, Lord.
00:55:41.78\00:55:44.13
For that individual
battles that we are fighting
00:55:44.16\00:55:48.06
and we claim that promise
00:55:48.09\00:55:49.47
that You will
continue to be at work in us
00:55:49.50\00:55:52.10
to will and to do
of Your good pleasure.
00:55:52.13\00:55:56.31
Keep us by Your grace
is my prayer in Jesus name.
00:55:56.34\00:55:59.80
Amen.
00:55:59.83\00:56:00.86