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