[ "How Lovely, Lord, How Lovely"
00:00:13.81\00:00:14.61
begins ]
00:00:15.01\00:00:17.05
>> Let's pray. Dear Heavenly
Father, we just want to thank
00:01:19.57\00:01:25.21
you for the Sabbath, and thank
you for being here with us, for
You have said where two or three
00:01:25.21\00:01:30.45
are gathered, there You are
also, and we just want to thank
You for being here with us.
00:01:30.45\00:01:34.56
So bless us during this
hour. In Jesus' name, amen.
00:01:34.56\00:01:38.73
Good morning, and
happy Sabbath, church.
00:01:38.76\00:01:41.46
Good morning. As we
begin our worship and
00:01:41.46\00:01:44.27
praise, we just invite you to
sing the song, this prayer that
00:01:44.27\00:01:48.20
is asking God to open the eyes
of our hearts so that we may see
00:01:48.20\00:01:52.27
Him, so that we
may hear His voice.
00:01:52.27\00:01:54.74
So stand with us as we sing
"Open the Eyes of My Heart."
00:01:54.74\00:02:06.42
[ "Open the Eyes
of My Heart" begins ]
00:02:06.42\00:02:09.16
Amen. You may be seated.
00:04:54.36\00:04:58.69
¤¤
00:04:58.69\00:05:01.66
¤¤
00:07:53.50\00:07:56.44
Amen. Faithful He is and
faithful forever He will be,
00:12:10.09\00:12:14.13
never leaving us unequipped for
life's challenges. So with that,
00:12:14.13\00:12:19.10
we have to give Him thanks, give
Him praise, so at this time, I
invite you to come forward if
00:12:19.10\00:12:25.21
you want to give thanks to Him
for all that He has done. I just
invite you now is the
00:12:25.21\00:12:29.84
time.
00:12:29.84\00:12:31.31
¤¤
00:12:31.35\00:12:34.25
>> Amen. Good
morning, boys and girls.
00:15:42.54\00:15:46.34
Can you believe this?
This is the first Sabbath this
00:15:46.34\00:15:49.24
spring break. And I
am so glad you are here.
00:15:49.24\00:15:53.88
You know what I have inside this
bag for show and tell today?
00:15:53.88\00:15:56.99
What do I have inside this bag?
00:15:56.99\00:16:03.39
Money? No. No.
Coins, no. Seeds, no.
00:16:03.43\00:16:09.40
Okay, you're all off.
Okay, no, no rocks. Watch this.
00:16:09.40\00:16:14.30
Inside this bag is a lovely tin,
cookie tin, and inside the
cookie tin are marbles!
00:16:14.30\00:16:28.02
You said that? Well,
you won. That was it.
00:16:28.02\00:16:31.09
Marbles. You know what?
When I was a boy growing up in
00:16:31.09\00:16:34.82
Japan, oh, we would play
marbles. And we were talking
00:16:34.82\00:16:39.16
about it in the production room
before we began. I found out
00:16:39.16\00:16:43.53
even kids in this generation
have played marbles. Have you
ever played marbles? Ooh, I want
00:16:43.53\00:16:49.14
to show you about marbles
because we boys in the little
village, oh, we would play
00:16:49.14\00:16:54.48
marbles, and I began to fill my
big cookie tin can with marbles.
'Cause here's how you play.
00:16:54.48\00:16:58.78
Now, this is in Japan. I don't
know how you play elsewhere.
00:16:58.78\00:17:02.68
But in Japan, you have to have
-- first of all, you have to
have what they call an
00:17:02.68\00:17:07.72
oidama. You can just look
-- oidama. This is the shooter,
00:17:07.72\00:17:13.13
okay? You have to have a
shooter. Oh, and I had one, and
I kept it in my pocket.
00:17:13.13\00:17:16.73
It was my favorite marble. It
would enable -- It was a lucky
00:17:16.73\00:17:20.10
marble. It would do what I
needed it to do. Now, here's
00:17:20.10\00:17:23.41
what you needed to do. First,
all the boys -- if you sit down
-- I think we'll get a
00:17:23.41\00:17:26.68
camera on it. You'll see it.
Okay, so, first, the boys say,
00:17:26.68\00:17:29.44
"Okay, you gonna play? You
gonna play? You gonna play?
00:17:29.44\00:17:31.81
Yep, yep, yep, all right. Okay,
guys, here's a little circle."
00:17:31.81\00:17:34.72
So, there was a little circle
in the middle. Okay, if you're
00:17:34.72\00:17:38.39
gonna play, you have to put two
marbles in. Okay. There's two.
00:17:38.39\00:17:40.82
Okay, you're gonna play. Good,
okay, you too. And everybody has
00:17:40.82\00:17:44.53
to put in two to play, okay? So
there are all the marbles.
Sometimes there'd be 10 boys.
00:17:44.53\00:17:49.76
How many marbles would that be
if there were 10 boys? 20
marbles in the circle.
00:17:49.76\00:17:55.10
I see everybody's coming. Okay.
Now, then they do a big circle
00:17:55.10\00:17:59.11
farther back, and you had to get
behind the line in that circle
and you had to take your oidama,
00:17:59.11\00:18:04.98
and you had to -- this is your
shooter -- and you wanted to
throw it as close to the --
00:18:04.98\00:18:10.32
everybody gets one throw. You
get one throw to get as close to
the circle as you can.
00:18:10.32\00:18:14.72
If it goes inside, oop, you have
to put an extra marble in to get
your shooter back out.
00:18:14.72\00:18:19.63
And then, wherever your shooter
landed, you'd stand there, and
you would have to, with the
00:18:19.63\00:18:24.60
shooter, see if you could knock
a marble out of the circle. As
long as you could knock
00:18:24.60\00:18:29.44
marble out of the circle -- oh,
I missed. So you'd stop right
00:18:29.44\00:18:33.38
there. Next guy would get up and
say, "Oh, I can do better than
00:18:33.38\00:18:37.65
that." Oh, he did. He knocked it
out of the circle. And you get
another turn if you knock one
00:18:37.65\00:18:42.62
out. Oh, you missed. And we'd go
around and around, and you know
00:18:42.62\00:18:46.19
what? You could end up with more
marbles than you started. It's
00:18:46.19\00:18:49.92
incredible. That's what you do.
And that's how you win. You just
keep knocking these
00:18:49.92\00:18:53.80
out. And I would put the marbles
in. I'd knock some more out.
00:18:53.80\00:18:57.13
That American boy, what's he
doing? I'd knock some more out.
00:18:57.13\00:19:00.54
Put the marbles in. By the end
of the year, I had a big square
00:19:00.54\00:19:07.01
cookie tin, bigger than this,
filled to the full with the
marbles I had won, and every day
00:19:07.01\00:19:13.42
I would just let the marbles
fall through my fingers. It felt
so good to win. Oh, it felt so
00:19:13.42\00:19:18.92
good. But you know what? We went
back to America. You know what
00:19:18.92\00:19:24.36
my parents made me do? Give
my marbles to one of the boys in
00:19:24.36\00:19:28.43
the village. And I had to leave
them, and it was so hard to put
the lid back on for the last
00:19:28.43\00:19:34.67
time because I won all these. I
didn't know it was gambling. I
didn't know it was gambling.
00:19:34.67\00:19:39.84
And then I had to give the tin
to my Japanese friend, and he
had all the marbles.
00:19:39.84\00:19:45.31
You know what? When you win,
it's a very wonderful feeling.
00:19:45.31\00:19:49.12
And guess what. Jesus says we
should win. I didn't make that
00:19:49.12\00:19:53.05
up. In a verse I'm gonna share
with your mom and dad in just a
moment, Jesus says, "Now, to
00:19:53.05\00:19:58.16
those who win like I won, you
get to sit with me on my throne
00:19:58.16\00:20:04.20
one day." Whoa! You win! We
don't win against each other.
00:20:04.20\00:20:08.87
We win against the enemy.
And who's the enemy? Who's the
00:20:08.87\00:20:13.61
enemy? Oh, we -- Jesus says, "I
want to win through you against
Satan." So here's our prayer
00:20:13.61\00:20:20.78
every day. Jesus, would you
please win today through me? Can
you say that prayer?
00:20:20.78\00:20:24.59
Let's try. Let's try that
together. Jesus, would you
00:20:24.59\00:20:29.22
please win today through me?
Let's do it one more time.
Jesus, will you please win today
00:20:29.22\00:20:36.06
through me? And He says, "But
of course, because you and I are
00:20:36.06\00:20:42.40
friends." Aren't you glad,
number one, Jesus won the big
battle when he died on the
00:20:42.40\00:20:46.34
cross? Yep. And with the other
hand, how many want to say,
00:20:46.34\00:20:49.51
"I'll pray that prayer. I want
to pray that prayer." Jesus,
would you win through me
00:20:49.51\00:20:53.38
today? Amen. Who
would like to thank Jesus
00:20:53.38\00:20:56.12
for being the winner who wins
through us? All right, I saw
00:20:56.12\00:21:00.22
your hand. Here comes a
microphone. Come on over here.
Can you get through there?
00:21:00.22\00:21:04.33
What's your first
name? >> Marin. >> Marin?
00:21:04.33\00:21:07.60
Come a little
closer. Mary? >> Marin.
00:21:07.60\00:21:11.00
>> Marin. Let's close our eyes
with Marin. She's gonna thank
00:21:11.00\00:21:16.44
Jesus. >> Thank you, Jesus, for
this day, and thank you that all
of us are here, and please help
00:21:16.44\00:21:23.41
us to be good in all this
church. We love you in Jesus'
00:21:23.41\00:21:28.52
name. Amen. >> Amen. Beautiful
prayer, Marin. Amen, boys and
00:21:28.52\00:21:33.69
girls, as you go quietly back to
your seats. Yes, Jesus, thank
you for being the winner in my
00:21:33.69\00:21:40.00
life. Amen.
00:21:40.00\00:21:41.13
>> I'm going to pray with you.
Then we're going to plunge into
00:21:45.37\00:21:49.94
this teaching. This is -- This
is a teaching that needs a lot
of prayer. Just like we prayed
00:21:49.94\00:21:58.65
over little Abigail a moment
ago. You guys are so lucky, Seth
00:21:58.65\00:22:03.05
and Cara. Yeah. So we need God
to hold us close. Want to hear.
00:22:03.05\00:22:06.96
So let's pray together. Father,
we've been much in worship.
00:22:06.96\00:22:11.16
It's not like we're just kicking
into gear now. This is what we
00:22:11.16\00:22:16.46
do for the final moments. The
sun is streaming through these
stained-glass windows.
00:22:16.46\00:22:21.00
We believe that spring is
coming, and there's a joy in the
air, as the choir just sang.
00:22:21.00\00:22:28.04
This teaching make it clear.
Don't -- Let it be Your voice.
There are a lot of other voices
00:22:28.04\00:22:34.22
in us, but let it be Your voice,
not the preacher's voice that
finally gets through.
00:22:34.22\00:22:39.02
We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
00:22:39.02\00:22:43.16
Once upon a time,
Jesus had a hometown.
00:22:45.16\00:22:51.93
But they didn't believe in Him.
And so He performed no miracles
00:22:51.93\00:22:56.37
there. Once upon
another time, Jesus
00:22:56.37\00:22:59.47
had a home church. But
they didn't believe in Him.
00:22:59.47\00:23:04.78
And so he
performed no miracles there.
00:23:04.78\00:23:07.62
Hometown Nazareth, home church
Laodicea, two very sad stories.
00:23:07.62\00:23:14.42
What's up with that? No faith.
Both the hometown and the home
00:23:14.46\00:23:21.40
church kept him out. "You stay
out there. We'll call you when
00:23:21.40\00:23:26.23
we need you." And they never
needed Him. But don't be sad
00:23:26.23\00:23:30.61
because the good news is one of
the two stories is still being
written as we speak.
00:23:30.61\00:23:35.54
It has a letter, and at the very
end of that letter is a promise
00:23:35.54\00:23:44.12
that is dynamite. I want to
share that ending. It's the last
letter of the Bible.
00:23:44.12\00:23:49.06
To the last faith community
on Earth. Don't make the same
00:23:49.06\00:23:54.20
mistake. Believe. Go ahead and
believe in Him. And look at the
00:23:54.20\00:23:58.83
gift. Open your Bible with me,
please, to Revelation chapter 3.
As we move to the end, this is
00:23:58.83\00:24:04.81
the first time I preached in
spring break ever. Usually take
00:24:04.81\00:24:08.98
these two Sabbaths off, but you
know what? We started a journey,
and we got to finish it.
00:24:08.98\00:24:12.75
The last letter, the last letter
in the Apocalypse, the last
letter in the whole Bible.
00:24:12.75\00:24:17.29
Revelation chapter 3. Seven
churches, seven letters, the
last faith community on
00:24:17.29\00:24:21.49
Earth gets the last letter, and
look at this dynamite promise
that the one who dictated the
00:24:21.49\00:24:28.70
letter, that would be the Lord
Jesus, the risen Christ. Look at
this promise right near
00:24:28.70\00:24:33.74
the end. What is this --
verse 21. Revelation 3:21.
00:24:33.74\00:24:37.77
To him, to her who overcomes.
We just talked about winning,
00:24:37.77\00:24:43.75
didn't we? To him, to her who
wins, to him, to her who
triumphs. Jesus says, "I will
00:24:43.75\00:24:51.65
grant to sit with Me on My
throne, as I also overcame and
sat down with my Father on His
00:24:51.65\00:24:59.23
throne." That's a promise with
one condition. Come on, scribble
00:24:59.23\00:25:02.60
it down. There should be in your
worship bulletin a study guide
00:25:02.60\00:25:06.03
for today. Pull that
out and scribble it down.
00:25:06.03\00:25:09.47
Put that -- the title slide
on the screen for those of you
00:25:09.50\00:25:12.64
watching somewhere.
You see our website,
00:25:12.64\00:25:16.71
www.newperceptions.tv.
Go to that website.
00:25:16.71\00:25:21.28
You're looking for a
series that is about to end.
00:25:21.28\00:25:23.92
It ends next Sabbath with
the biggest secret of all, next
00:25:23.92\00:25:26.92
Sabbath. But this
one's entitled "Game of
00:25:26.92\00:25:29.19
Thrones, Crown of
Thorns part 1," okay?
00:25:29.19\00:25:31.39
Let's go. We
just read a promise.
00:25:31.39\00:25:34.56
What's the
promise? Scribble it down.
00:25:34.56\00:25:37.40
You will sit with Me
on My throne one day.
00:25:37.40\00:25:43.10
This is no mythical
game of thrones here.
00:25:43.10\00:25:44.94
This is the real deal.
We're talking about the real
00:25:44.94\00:25:47.14
deal throne, all
right? So what's the promise?
00:25:47.14\00:25:49.18
You will sit with Me
on My throne one day.
00:25:49.18\00:25:51.05
What's the
condition? Jot it down.
00:25:51.05\00:25:52.61
You must first overcome
today. Not one day, but today.
00:25:52.61\00:25:56.48
You must first
overcome. Seven letters.
00:25:56.48\00:25:59.45
Every single one of the seven
ends with that promise that
00:25:59.45\00:26:03.56
begins with the condition to the
one who overcomes, to him, to
00:26:03.56\00:26:07.93
her, to them.
00:26:07.93\00:26:09.40
actually, the Greek
reads "to the one who keeps on
00:26:09.43\00:26:14.00
overcoming." To the one who
keeps on winning, to the one who
goes on from victory to victory
00:26:14.00\00:26:20.18
day after day. In the Greek,
the tense is continuous action.
00:26:20.18\00:26:26.25
By the way, a rather dramatic
action because this is the word
straight off the battlefield.
00:26:26.25\00:26:30.92
You want to talk about battle?
This is battlefield language.
When you win a war, this is the
00:26:30.92\00:26:35.66
language of winning a battle as
you move on to win a war. Same
00:26:35.66\00:26:42.16
word. It's hardly a game of
thrones. This is mortal combat.
00:26:42.16\00:26:45.53
Listen to Sigve Tonstad.
Put it on the screen, please.
00:26:45.57\00:26:49.74
Let him help us
to that metaphor.
00:26:49.74\00:26:52.54
On the screen, you see it.
"Awareness of conflict changes
00:26:52.54\00:26:55.44
the way we
construe victory and defeat.
00:26:55.44\00:26:57.58
While Jesus makes promises
to everyone who conquers with no
00:26:57.58\00:27:00.65
object in the sentence
--" it just says conquers.
00:27:00.65\00:27:03.22
Conquers what? Conquers who?
00:27:03.22\00:27:04.85
Conquers where? It doesn't say.
00:27:04.85\00:27:06.62
While He makes that promise to
everyone, the tenor of conflict
00:27:06.62\00:27:10.29
is better preserved if we
translate it "to everyone who
00:27:10.29\00:27:13.63
overcomes in the
war." Write that down.
00:27:13.63\00:27:16.10
In the war. "It is
not wrong to say that the
00:27:16.10\00:27:18.83
believers overcome or conquer,"
of course, "but it is implied
00:27:18.83\00:27:22.47
throughout that they
are engaged in a war."
00:27:22.47\00:27:26.74
What war are you talking about?
We're talking about the greatest
cosmic, the bloodiest
00:27:26.78\00:27:30.25
intergalactic battle in the
collective history of the
universe, bar none.
00:27:30.25\00:27:33.31
The Book of Revelation is all
about it. We'll go to just one
00:27:33.31\00:27:36.28
chapter in Revelation. Let me
run these by you. Speaking of
the war, Revelation
00:27:36.28\00:27:39.15
chapter 12, on the screen.
00:27:39.15\00:27:40.76
Beginning with verse 7.
"And war broke out in heaven.
00:27:40.79\00:27:43.09
Michael and his angels fought
against the dragon and his
00:27:43.09\00:27:45.53
angles, and the dragon
and his angels fought back."
00:27:45.53\00:27:47.76
It's obviously a war.
"But he was not strong enough,
00:27:47.76\00:27:50.03
and they lost
their place in heaven.
00:27:50.03\00:27:51.73
He," the dragon, "was hurled to
earth, and his angels with him."
00:27:51.73\00:27:55.70
Who's the
dragon? It's the devil.
00:27:55.70\00:27:58.01
Go down to verse 12.
"But woe to the inhabitants of
00:27:58.01\00:28:01.34
the earth and the sea, for
the devil has gone down to you
00:28:01.34\00:28:04.95
having great wrath." The
NIV reads he's filled with
00:28:04.95\00:28:08.22
fury. He was
hurled because he knows.
00:28:08.22\00:28:10.72
Don't let that misreading
catch you by surprise.
00:28:10.72\00:28:13.82
Let me come back to that.
For the devil has gone down to
00:28:13.82\00:28:17.26
you having great wrath because
he knows that his time is short.
00:28:17.26\00:28:22.13
And wouldn't you know it, as
his fury intensifies, the end of
00:28:22.13\00:28:26.37
time accelerates. So
this thing is just shoop!
00:28:26.37\00:28:29.67
One more line at the end
of the chapter, verse 17.
00:28:29.67\00:28:32.27
"And the dragon
was enraged now."
00:28:32.27\00:28:34.14
This is at the end. "And
the dragon was enraged with
00:28:34.14\00:28:36.81
the woman." She's
the symbol of the seven
00:28:36.81\00:28:39.01
churches of
Christianity, 2,000 years.
00:28:39.01\00:28:41.08
"He was enraged with the woman
and he went to make war with the
00:28:41.08\00:28:44.29
rest of her
offspring," the remnant.
00:28:44.29\00:28:46.25
These would be the people in
the last church, the last faith
00:28:46.25\00:28:49.29
community, and who are they?
Who keep the commandments of God
00:28:49.29\00:28:52.39
and have the testimony of Jesus.
00:28:52.39\00:28:55.13
The people who keep the
commandments. What commandments?
00:28:55.16\00:28:57.37
The Ten Commandments, obviously.
I suppose. Fourth Commandment,
00:28:57.37\00:29:02.04
yep. Seventh Day Sabbath,
remember it and keep it holy. I
00:29:02.04\00:29:05.71
suppose. Who keep the
commandments of God and have the
testimony of Jesus. The last
00:29:05.71\00:29:10.28
war. Some call it the great
controversy between Christ and
00:29:10.28\00:29:13.88
Satan. This is no mythical
struggle. This is the real deal
thing. I want to share a
00:29:13.88\00:29:20.02
quotation with you. Just came
across this stunning depiction
00:29:20.02\00:29:26.56
last week. Put it on the screen.
"If the curtain could be rolled
00:29:26.59\00:29:28.53
back, and each one of us could
discern the constant activities
00:29:28.53\00:29:34.17
of the heavenly family to
preserve the inhabitants of the
00:29:34.17\00:29:37.61
Earth from Satan's seductive
wiles, they -- we -- would see
00:29:37.61\00:29:41.18
that the armies of heaven are in
continual warfare with satanic
00:29:41.18\00:29:44.91
agencies to obtain victories in
behalf of those who do not sense
00:29:44.91\00:29:48.72
their danger and who are passing
on in unconscious indifference."
00:29:48.72\00:29:52.59
I mean, look. You
and I are sitting here.
00:29:52.59\00:29:55.19
We just had great music.
00:29:55.19\00:29:57.43
But there's this war going on at
this very moment. Man, the sun
00:29:57.46\00:30:03.10
is out. The music was great. I'm
glad to be alive. Having no clue
00:30:03.10\00:30:09.94
that if our ears would open and
this curtain would be drawn
aside, there is this massive
00:30:09.94\00:30:17.75
struggle for every human being,
baby, boy, man, woman, all the
way through life right now.
00:30:17.75\00:30:26.09
We don't take the war seriously.
Come on, let's be honest. We
00:30:26.09\00:30:31.06
just don't. We're so used to
being here and we love it here,
and why not? Right now, for us,
00:30:31.06\00:30:37.20
everything's coming up roses.
Wait a day or two, and life
changes, of course.
00:30:37.20\00:30:43.17
Yeah.
00:30:43.17\00:30:46.07
So, keep going.
"Angels are belting the world."
00:30:46.11\00:30:48.81
Ooh, angels are belting the
world, refusing Satan his claims
00:30:48.81\00:30:52.21
to supremacy. You
remember that little village
00:30:52.21\00:30:54.88
called Dothan and the boy
who's a sidekick to the prophet
00:30:54.88\00:30:58.12
Elisha. Went out
one early morning and
00:30:58.12\00:31:00.52
he looked and said, "Oh, no,
the enemy, the Assyrians have
00:31:00.52\00:31:03.79
surrounded that village."
They're gunning for Elisha.
00:31:03.79\00:31:06.49
He goes racing back and,
"Master, Master, get up, wake
00:31:06.49\00:31:09.23
up! You're not gonna believe."
00:31:09.23\00:31:10.97
Elisha goes, rubbing the sleep
out of his eyes, he stands and
00:31:10.97\00:31:14.04
he looks and he
says, "This poor boy."
00:31:14.04\00:31:16.07
He said, "Oh, God,
open the boy's eyes."
00:31:16.07\00:31:18.24
You remember that? And
the boy looks when his eyes
00:31:18.24\00:31:21.88
are open. And he
sees the hills covered
00:31:21.88\00:31:25.38
with these -- what
was it? Chariots of fire.
00:31:25.38\00:31:29.25
Covered, surrounded.
You're always a majority, even
00:31:29.25\00:31:34.06
when you're standing alone.
You are always a majority, even
00:31:34.06\00:31:38.26
when you're standing alone.
So don't be afraid to stand up
00:31:38.26\00:31:42.40
all by yourself. Angels
belt the world, refusing
00:31:42.40\00:31:46.43
Satan his claims to
supremacy. Keep reading.
00:31:46.43\00:31:48.94
"We hear not the voices.
We see not with natural sight
00:31:48.94\00:31:51.91
the work of these angels, but
their hands are linked about the
00:31:51.91\00:31:55.24
world, and with sleepless
vigilance, they are keeping the
00:31:55.24\00:31:58.35
armies of Satan at bay."
Ladies and gentlemen, we are in
00:31:58.35\00:32:01.18
a war and the
battle is intensifying.
00:32:01.18\00:32:04.29
Read it again.
Verse 21, Revelation 3.
00:32:04.29\00:32:09.02
To him, to her, to them who
overcome, I will grant to sit
00:32:09.02\00:32:12.73
with Me on My throne as I also
overcame and sat down with My
00:32:12.73\00:32:16.53
Father on His
throne. Unbelievable promise.
00:32:16.53\00:32:21.54
But it's that condition. To
him who overcomes, to her who
00:32:21.57\00:32:31.18
overcomes. Would you jot that
down, please? Because what Jesus
is really saying is "to the one
00:32:31.18\00:32:35.15
who overcomes as I overcame."
This is nothing new. This is no
00:32:35.15\00:32:40.76
new territory. Somebody's
already been over this ground.
"To the one who overcomes as I
00:32:40.76\00:32:44.46
overcome." And, by the way,
as promises, we will overcome in
00:32:44.46\00:32:48.20
the very same way. Could it be
any clearer? John 16:33 -- What
00:32:48.20\00:32:54.37
did Jesus say? "In this world
--" this is just before his
00:32:54.37\00:32:57.04
execution. This is late Thursday
night. "In this world, you're
00:32:57.04\00:33:00.74
gonna suffer. You're gonna
suffer trouble. You're gonna
have tribulation, but take
00:33:00.74\00:33:05.48
heart." I like it in the
NIV. But cheer up. I have what?
00:33:05.48\00:33:09.08
I have overcome the what? I've
overcome the entire world. I've
00:33:09.08\00:33:14.49
overcome. Yeah, yeah. We needed
that amen, Pastor José, right at
00:33:14.49\00:33:19.06
that moment. Couldn't
be any clearer. Hey, look.
00:33:19.06\00:33:23.90
Look, folks. The issue here
is an end game. War, all right?
00:33:23.90\00:33:30.11
And at the heart of the issue
is faith. There's no faith in a
00:33:30.11\00:33:35.48
hometown called Nazareth. Is
there any faith in a home church
this end faith community,
00:33:35.48\00:33:39.85
is there any faith in a home
church called Laodicea? No
lepers were healed in
00:33:39.85\00:33:46.96
Nazareth. How many sinners
are getting healed in Laodicea?
00:33:46.96\00:33:54.10
You say no sinners healed,
Dwight? I'm not suggesting that.
00:33:54.10\00:33:57.87
But the reality is Laodicea
doesn't believe -- It doesn't
believe that it can actually be
00:33:57.87\00:34:03.34
healed of sin. No.
Either because they keep trying
00:34:03.34\00:34:09.38
to heal themselves on their own
power or because they really
don't think it's possible to be
00:34:09.38\00:34:13.15
healed from sinning in this
life. But what if -- here's the
00:34:13.15\00:34:15.72
question. What if Jesus
could heal us from sinning?
00:34:15.72\00:34:21.06
What if he could help us from
sinning? I have a book given to
00:34:21.06\00:34:28.66
me by a friend years ago. The
author of the book wrote it
under the pseudonym -- here's
00:34:28.66\00:34:33.34
the pseudonym -- Vaughn Allen. I
understand, having read through
the book, I understand
00:34:33.34\00:34:38.37
why he didn't want his name
on the cover. But in the book,
00:34:38.37\00:34:44.65
amazing. He -- Let me give the
title of the book first. "The
War Is Real: And So Is the
00:34:44.65\00:34:49.88
Victory." Now, I want
to share a line or two.
00:34:49.88\00:34:52.69
Now, he's speaking of overcoming
and why more Christians don't
live victorious lives today, and
00:34:52.69\00:34:57.89
he suggests two reasons. Jot
these down. See what you think,
00:34:57.89\00:35:01.73
okay? Reason number one why
there isn't more victory in my
life. Reason number one -- we
00:35:01.73\00:35:06.70
don't fully appreciate the
sinfulness of sin. Could that be
00:35:06.70\00:35:12.61
it? Vaughn Allen writing.
"We do not realize how utterly
00:35:12.64\00:35:16.18
detestable sin is.
We do not comprehend how
00:35:16.18\00:35:19.25
contrary sin is to God's
character and how terribly
00:35:19.25\00:35:22.78
offensive it is to Him. We
have lived with sin and its
00:35:22.78\00:35:26.45
results so long and have toyed
with sin so much" that it's no
00:35:26.45\00:35:32.29
big deal to us. True or false?
00:35:32.29\00:35:36.23
It's true. I mean, what's that?
00:35:36.23\00:35:39.53
Look, once in a while,
it's not that big a deal.
00:35:39.53\00:35:45.24
"Steps to Christ," that little
classic, that Christian classic
00:35:45.24\00:35:48.81
on the screen. "We
shall not renounce sin
00:35:48.81\00:35:51.31
unless we see its
sinfulness." Vaughn Allen again.
00:35:51.31\00:35:57.59
Oh, this is good. In
fact, I wish you'd just
00:35:57.59\00:36:00.26
circle this whole quotation.
You have it in your study guide.
00:36:00.26\00:36:03.66
"The absolute horror of sin can
be seen only when we look at the
00:36:03.66\00:36:07.23
cross. It would be
well for us each day
00:36:07.23\00:36:11.63
to pray --" two prayers.
Here are the two prayers he
00:36:11.63\00:36:14.44
suggests. Prayer
number one that God would
00:36:14.44\00:36:16.77
give us a genuine abhorrence of
sin, and prayer number two that
00:36:16.77\00:36:20.11
God would give us a hatred for
it because of what it did to the
00:36:20.11\00:36:23.41
Son of God and
because of what it does to us.
00:36:23.41\00:36:27.28
End quote.
00:36:27.28\00:36:28.42
Hey, listen, guys. I know this
is not a comfortable subject.
00:36:28.45\00:36:32.15
I mean, who talks about sin
anymore? Who wants to talk about
00:36:32.15\00:36:36.19
sin? Please. Jesus is our
savior, and that's all you need
00:36:36.19\00:36:40.13
to tell us. Except that Jesus
Himself, in the very last letter
to the last faith community on
00:36:40.13\00:36:45.60
this planet, says, "No, there's
more I need to tell you. You
00:36:45.60\00:36:50.71
overcome." To him, to her, to
you who win. I give you the
right to sit on My throne with
00:36:50.71\00:36:59.15
Me forever and ever. It's got to
be a big deal. Two reasons why
00:36:59.15\00:37:03.59
the Laodiceans are not gaining
the victory over temptation and
sin. Reason number one -- we do
00:37:03.59\00:37:07.42
not fully appreciate the
sinfulness of sin. And write it
00:37:07.42\00:37:10.23
down. Here's the other one. We
are not convinced that victory
over sin is possible in
00:37:10.23\00:37:14.86
this life. In fact, Vaughn Allen
writes, "Many are convinced that
00:37:14.86\00:37:19.40
such victory is impossible."
No posible. You cannot do it.
00:37:19.40\00:37:26.98
Ah. Here's -- Let me go for
a moment to that apocalyptic
00:37:26.98\00:37:31.28
classic "Great Controversy."
00:37:31.28\00:37:32.95
Look at this. You
have to fill it in.
00:37:32.98\00:37:35.02
"If those who hide and excuse
their faults --" Look, you're
00:37:35.02\00:37:41.12
talking about me. I'm
not talking about you.
00:37:41.12\00:37:44.56
I'm talking about me.
God, it's not that big a deal.
00:37:44.56\00:37:48.46
Do you understand
that? I know, I know.
00:37:48.46\00:37:51.57
But it's just -- It's
not that big an issue.
00:37:51.57\00:37:56.34
Don't worry about
it. I'll get over it.
00:37:56.34\00:37:58.17
By the end of my life,
I'll have it all dealt with.
00:37:58.17\00:38:02.54
"If those who hide and excuse
their faults could see how Satan
00:38:02.54\00:38:06.38
exults over them, how he taunts
Christ and holy angels with
00:38:06.38\00:38:10.05
their course." Yo,
God, have you seen Dwight
00:38:10.05\00:38:12.92
lately? Talk
about a piece of work.
00:38:12.92\00:38:15.29
Look at him. Big
with the lips, but look at
00:38:15.29\00:38:18.09
his life. How he
taunts Christ and the
00:38:18.09\00:38:21.83
holy angels with our course.
We would make haste if we knew.
00:38:21.83\00:38:24.70
We would make haste to confess
our sins and to put them away.
00:38:24.70\00:38:27.60
I don't want it
anymore, anymore.
00:38:27.60\00:38:29.34
Don't need it. I don't
have to live with this.
00:38:29.34\00:38:31.61
Through defects in the
character, my character, Satan
00:38:31.61\00:38:34.08
works to gain control of the
whole mind, and he knows that if
00:38:34.08\00:38:36.85
these defects are
cherished, he'll succeed.
00:38:36.85\00:38:38.91
Therefore he's constantly
seeking to deceive the followers
00:38:38.91\00:38:41.58
of Christ -- now, here it comes,
the punch line -- with his
00:38:41.58\00:38:44.29
fatal -- right in the word
"fatal" because you know what
00:38:44.29\00:38:46.86
fatal means? It's deadly.
00:38:46.86\00:38:48.19
It'll kill you.
His fatal sophistry.
00:38:48.19\00:38:49.99
Boy, that's an old
word. What's that mean?
00:38:49.99\00:38:51.86
It means deception.
His fatal deception.
00:38:51.86\00:38:54.56
He's constantly seeking to
deceive the followers of Christ
00:38:54.56\00:38:57.57
with his fatal deception that
it is impossible for them to
00:38:57.57\00:39:00.64
overcome. You can't do it.
00:39:00.64\00:39:02.20
I'm telling you. There
are people that even teach
00:39:02.20\00:39:05.61
that. I mean,
there are people that
00:39:05.61\00:39:07.64
even preach that.
You don't get over it.
00:39:07.64\00:39:09.88
You don't get over in this life.
Maybe something -- boom -- for
00:39:09.88\00:39:13.21
the final generation at
the end -- shoop -- something
00:39:13.21\00:39:16.05
disappears, but
you never get over it.
00:39:16.05\00:39:19.12
I'm just wondering. Did
Jesus miss something here?
00:39:19.12\00:39:26.13
He said to the ones who win.
Continuous action, day after day
00:39:26.13\00:39:29.93
after day. He
could've just said "to the
00:39:29.93\00:39:32.23
ones who win at the very end."
No, day after day, if you win,
00:39:32.23\00:39:37.01
I'm gonna let you
sit with Me on My throne.
00:39:37.01\00:39:41.88
Stupendous promise. But
could it be we have failed
00:39:41.88\00:39:46.61
so many times we have
concluded it cannot be done?
00:39:46.61\00:39:51.55
In my power. Can't be done.
00:39:51.55\00:39:53.62
Listen to this --
another line on the screen.
00:39:53.62\00:39:56.73
"Without Christ, we cannot
subdue a single sin or overcome
00:39:56.73\00:39:59.86
the smallest temptation."
Jesus himself declared -- come
00:39:59.86\00:40:02.86
on, let's read it out loud
together, John 15:5 -- "Without
00:40:02.86\00:40:07.00
Me, you can do" how much?
Come on, let's do that again.
00:40:07.00\00:40:11.91
"Without me,
you can do nothing."
00:40:11.91\00:40:14.81
Zero, nada. You
cannot do a thing without
00:40:14.81\00:40:18.28
Me. Mm.
00:40:18.28\00:40:21.05
The reasons why we Laodicean
Christians don't live with
00:40:21.08\00:40:24.82
overcoming. Number one, we don't
fully appreciate the sinfulness
00:40:24.82\00:40:28.32
of sin. Number two, we're not
convinced that victory over sin
is even possible in this life.
00:40:28.32\00:40:32.93
But you know what? Come on.
Given Jesus' clear command to
00:40:32.93\00:40:37.33
the one who overcomes day after
day after day, I'll give you the
00:40:37.33\00:40:43.81
throne. Given that it's apparent
that Jesus believes you can win
with Him, that means this
00:40:43.81\00:40:54.52
sophistry, this deception about
it's impossible, it's impossible
not to sin is what it is -- a
00:40:54.52\00:41:02.06
bald-faced lie whispered by the
deceiver of the human race.
Yeah, you're not gonna win this.
00:41:02.06\00:41:09.26
Don't even try. You know
how long you have struggled with
00:41:09.26\00:41:13.30
this thing? Make peace with it.
Just, you know, there's some
things you just shake hands and
00:41:13.30\00:41:17.91
say, "All right, we'll
go together." It's a lie.
00:41:17.91\00:41:25.85
How do I know? Look at
this. Philippians 4:13, come on.
00:41:25.85\00:41:30.69
Let's read this out loud. This
is too good. We can't just keep
00:41:30.69\00:41:33.42
this to ourselves. Read it out
loud with me. "For I can do all
00:41:33.42\00:41:38.29
things through Christ who
strengthens me." Ladies and
gentlemen, how many things can I
00:41:38.29\00:41:42.40
do through Christ? How many
things? I suppose that could
also mean I can overcome through
00:41:42.40\00:41:46.17
Christ who strengthens me. True
or false? It's got to be true.
00:41:46.17\00:41:48.70
If I can do all things through
Christ and that surely includes
winning day after day after day,
00:41:48.70\00:41:53.04
you're saying, "Dwight, you're
never gonna sin?" I'm not saying
00:41:53.04\00:41:56.61
you're never gonna sin. I'm
talking about winning. I'm tired
00:41:56.61\00:41:59.61
of focusing on sinning. He
doesn't say -- He doesn't end
the letter to Laodicea "and all
00:41:59.61\00:42:05.12
those who quit sinning will sit
with Me on the throne." No, He
doesn't put it in the
00:42:05.12\00:42:08.56
negative. He says, "Let me
give it to you in the positive.
00:42:08.56\00:42:11.06
All those who win day after
day, you'll sit with Me on the
00:42:11.06\00:42:16.13
throne." I'm not talking about
wimping out. I'm talking about
00:42:16.13\00:42:20.14
winning out until the very end.
You say, "Dwight, you're still
talking about an impossibility."
00:42:20.14\00:42:24.87
Well, take that up with Paul
in Philippians 4:13. And, by the
00:42:24.87\00:42:28.41
way, here's one more. Just in
case you had a question about
Philippians 4:13, look at
00:42:28.41\00:42:31.65
Jude 24, next to the last book
of the Bible on the screen. "Now
to Him who is able to keep
00:42:31.65\00:42:35.72
you from" what? From what?
From falling, and to present you
00:42:35.72\00:42:39.69
faultless before the presence of
His glory with exceeding joy. He
can keep you and me from
00:42:39.69\00:42:45.06
losing. That falling
isn't just stumbling around.
00:42:45.06\00:42:48.56
Come on, Dwight. It doesn't
mean keep you from sinning.
00:42:48.56\00:42:51.27
It means exactly what you said,
stumbling around. Oh, really?
00:42:51.27\00:42:56.07
I keep with all my Bibles on the
page for Jude 24 this one-liner.
00:42:56.07\00:43:01.31
Put it on the screen as well.
"He who has not sufficient faith
00:43:01.34\00:43:04.21
in Christ --" you see,
this whole thing is about faith.
00:43:04.21\00:43:06.82
Do you believe it or not?
Nazareth didn't believe it.
00:43:06.82\00:43:09.32
Laodicea didn't believe
it. That's why He's outside.
00:43:09.32\00:43:11.82
They kept Him out. Are
you keeping Him out now?
00:43:11.82\00:43:16.16
Are you keeping Him out now?
Sophisticated mind and life that
00:43:16.16\00:43:21.13
you are, are you keeping Him
out when He wants to come in?
00:43:21.13\00:43:27.90
Okay, how's this go here?
"He who has not sufficient faith
00:43:27.90\00:43:32.87
in Christ to believe that He can
keep him from sinning" -- write
00:43:32.87\00:43:36.41
that in -- "He can keep you from
sinning has not the faith that
00:43:36.41\00:43:39.88
will give him an entrance
into the kingdom of God."
00:43:39.88\00:43:43.05
Hey, listen, that's a no-brainer
because if you don't believe
that Jesus can keep you from
00:43:43.08\00:43:47.99
sinning today, why would you --
How would you have enough faith
to say "I believe He can take me
00:43:47.99\00:43:53.40
to heaven"? If you believe that
He can take you to a place you
00:43:53.40\00:43:56.83
have never seen but do not
believe that He can help you
with a problem you can see, why
00:43:56.83\00:44:01.10
would you go there when you
can't deal with it here? Without
00:44:01.10\00:44:08.51
that faith. We don't have faith
enough to enter heaven. We're no
better than the people
00:44:08.51\00:44:12.75
of Nazareth, and there would be
no miracles among us because
there's no overcoming within us.
00:44:12.75\00:44:20.72
To the one who overcomes, as
I overcame. Declares the Lord of
00:44:20.72\00:44:31.63
Laodicea. I want to go to 1 John
2 because the writer of
Revelation wrote a letter just
00:44:31.63\00:44:36.50
near the end of the Bible. I
wish you could've been here
during Sabbath school.
00:44:36.50\00:44:39.67
This place was full, from the
center aisle forward, filled
with our kids, and our Sabbath
00:44:39.67\00:44:44.21
school leaders, God bless our
Sabbath school leaders. I'm so
00:44:44.21\00:44:48.18
proud of them -- Glynis
Bradfield and her team. I think
it was from zero up to fourth or
00:44:48.18\00:44:52.49
fifth grade. And they brought a
chemistry professor in who said,
"I'm gonna talk about 1 John."
00:44:52.49\00:44:56.69
Well, my ears perked up because
that's exactly what we were
gonna talk about this morning.
00:44:56.69\00:45:01.03
So, we snapped some pictures --
a little fuzzy, but this
happened about 60 minutes ago
00:45:01.03\00:45:06.63
in this space. When he --
David Randall -- This is David
00:45:06.63\00:45:10.57
Randall, one of our chemistry
professors on campus. He said,
"Hey, I want to show
00:45:10.57\00:45:13.17
you something." Let me see
that picture of David Randall.
00:45:13.17\00:45:16.41
All right, but I need to see
-- did you get a picture of the
00:45:16.41\00:45:19.95
flask? We haven't even had a
chance to look at these.
Apparently, they're not changing
00:45:19.95\00:45:23.39
it. But he stood up here --
Oh, yeah, the flask is in his
00:45:23.39\00:45:25.49
other hand. I'm sorry.
You see that dark thing in his
00:45:25.49\00:45:27.39
other hand? That's a
glass cannister. You see that?
00:45:27.39\00:45:30.49
And he put iodine in it. He
says, "This is sin. This is sin.
00:45:30.49\00:45:33.70
Hey, kids, this is sin." And so
he put -- it looks like this,
and he took -- I don't
00:45:33.70\00:45:37.47
know what it was, but he poured
it in, and voilà -- there's not
a shred of that darkness left.
00:45:37.47\00:45:44.17
And he says, "That's what God
does with your sins." [ Chuckles
00:45:44.17\00:45:48.14
] You go. You go, Professor.
That's precisely the Gospel. If
we confess our sins, He's
00:45:48.14\00:45:53.21
faithful and just to what...?
Forgive us our sins and...
00:45:53.21\00:45:57.42
cleanse us of all
unrighteousness. That's just
been written, and now we go to
00:45:57.42\00:46:00.82
-- Let's put 1
John 2:1 on the screen.
00:46:00.82\00:46:02.82
So, John says, "Hey, I want
to -- I want to write to you
00:46:02.86\00:46:07.76
followers of Christ."
"My little children, these
00:46:07.76\00:46:10.93
things I write to you, so
that you may not --" what? --
00:46:10.93\00:46:15.54
"so that you may not
sin." We know this verse.
00:46:15.54\00:46:17.61
You've seen this
verse all your life.
00:46:17.61\00:46:19.04
"...these things I write to
you, so that you may not sin.
00:46:19.04\00:46:22.98
And if anyone sins --"
how's it go? -- "we have an
00:46:22.98\00:46:27.82
Advocate with the Father,
Jesus Christ the righteous."
00:46:27.82\00:46:31.42
You know what? We're so excited
about the second half of that --
00:46:31.45\00:46:35.42
the second half of that verse
that we totally miss the first
half. Well, we do a little
00:46:35.42\00:46:40.83
something about the Greek tenses
in 1 John, and we say, "Well,
this is continuous sinning, and
00:46:40.83\00:46:45.47
that's what you stop doing, but
you go on sinning, you know,
every now and then."
00:46:45.47\00:46:49.67
And I know what we're doing --
we're wanting to preserve. We're
wanting to preserve the
00:46:49.67\00:46:56.41
focus on our Lord Jesus Christ.
But Jesus, at the ending to the
letter at Laodicea says,
00:46:56.41\00:47:02.98
"Oh, by the way, when you win
day after day after day, as I
won, you'll sit with Me one
00:47:02.98\00:47:11.66
day on the throne of the
universe." Now, John, in fact,
00:47:11.66\00:47:15.63
talks about this a little
further. Go down to -- Drop down
00:47:15.63\00:47:19.17
to 1 John 5. Put it on the
screen. "For this is the love of
00:47:19.20\00:47:21.00
God --" verses 3 and 4 --
"that we keep His commandments.
00:47:21.00\00:47:23.77
And His
commandments are not burdensome.
00:47:23.77\00:47:26.14
For whoever is born of
God overcomes the world.
00:47:26.14\00:47:29.88
And this is the victory that has
overcome the world -- our faith.
00:47:29.88\00:47:32.38
Who is he who overcomes the
world, but he who believes that
00:47:32.38\00:47:35.22
Jesus is the Son of God."
Jesus says, "Listen, guys, I
00:47:35.22\00:47:37.72
know -- in this
life, you'll have trouble.
00:47:37.72\00:47:39.95
It's gonna be hard.
00:47:39.95\00:47:41.52
I wish I could tell you that
you're just gonna skate through
00:47:41.56\00:47:45.13
this. You're not gonna skate
through it. It's gonna be hard.
00:47:45.13\00:47:48.56
But take heart, be of good cheer
-- I have overcome the world."
00:47:48.56\00:47:54.27
So, the question that begs
asking is, how do we Laodiceans
00:47:54.27\00:47:58.97
overcome? How are we to overcome
as Jesus overcame? In the last
letter, He tells us,
00:47:58.97\00:48:03.45
plain as the nose on your
face -- "Why haven't I seen this
00:48:03.45\00:48:06.72
before?" I'm gonna show you
something. Watch this. Now, the
verse we've just read
00:48:06.72\00:48:10.52
is verse 21.
Let's read it again.
00:48:10.52\00:48:12.52
"To him/To her who overcomes
I will grant to sit with Me on
00:48:12.52\00:48:15.49
My throne, as I also overcame
and sat down with My Father on
00:48:15.49\00:48:19.43
His throne." I never saw this
before, but do you realize that
00:48:19.43\00:48:23.33
just before Jesus had -- Jesus
speaks these words that we've
been focusing on this morning --
00:48:23.33\00:48:29.70
just before He speaks it, before
He breathes a word about
overcoming, about winning, about
00:48:29.70\00:48:35.68
victorious living, He speaks a
very clear word about Himself. I
want you to catch verse 20.
00:48:35.68\00:48:41.75
We've read verse 20
before. But here it is again.
00:48:41.75\00:48:44.59
Just before He calls us to
win day after day after day, He
00:48:44.62\00:48:48.06
says, "Behold, I
stand at the door and knock.
00:48:48.06\00:48:50.13
I'm outside.
Lookit -- I'm outside.
00:48:50.13\00:48:51.53
I need to come in. Just
if -- I'm knocking at the
00:48:51.53\00:48:53.83
door. Before I
stand at the door and
00:48:53.83\00:48:55.36
knock, if anyone hears My voice
and opens the door, I will come
00:48:55.36\00:48:58.53
in to him/to her and dine
with them, and they will dine
00:48:58.53\00:49:03.71
with Me."
00:49:03.71\00:49:04.77
Would you jot this down, please?
Before Jesus ever commands
Laodicea to overcome the devil,
00:49:04.81\00:49:13.82
He invites us first to
open up the door. Not a word --
00:49:13.82\00:49:20.42
[Chuckling] Not a word about
overcoming until first, He says,
00:49:20.42\00:49:25.86
"Hey." [ Tapping ] "Hey. Psst,
psst, psst, psst! I'm trying to
get your attention.
00:49:25.86\00:49:28.50
Anybody in there? Yo! If you can
hear me, if you would just open
00:49:28.50\00:49:33.17
this door, I will come in to
you, and then you and I together
-- We overcome day after day
00:49:33.17\00:49:40.64
after day." Ladies and
gentlemen, verse 20 precedes
00:49:40.64\00:49:46.41
verse 21. The promise is in 21,
but the power is in verse 20.
00:49:46.41\00:49:53.62
You see that? Am I making
something up? Before the
overcoming -- before a word, the
00:49:53.62\00:50:01.40
promise. "Open up the door, and
I will come in to you. I stand
at the door and knock."
00:50:01.40\00:50:07.64
That's faith. I mean, anybody
that would hear His voice --
00:50:07.64\00:50:11.14
that's faith. Anybody that opens
the door -- that's an act of
faith. Faith invites Him in.
00:50:11.14\00:50:16.68
And faith says, "All right, You
start winning in my life." The
00:50:16.68\00:50:30.33
issue is faith. The issue is
believing. It's trusting. And by
the way, Jesus said, "You
00:50:30.33\00:50:36.03
will overcome as I overcame."
How did Jesus overcome? You scan
00:50:36.03\00:50:41.40
the Gospels -- four Gospels.
It's not rocket science. Scan
the Gospels, and you will
00:50:41.40\00:50:45.07
see two predominant practices in
the life of Jesus, and,
particularly, they intensify
00:50:45.07\00:50:50.78
when He goes hand-to-hand and
face-to-face with the enemy.
Now, you and I never go
00:50:50.78\00:50:55.72
face-to-face with the enemy, but
we go hand-to-hand every single
day -- we just don't see
00:50:55.72\00:50:59.69
him, right? Two practices of
Jesus -- you want to know what
00:50:59.69\00:51:07.03
they are? This is so simple, I'm
embarrassed, but they're these.
00:51:07.03\00:51:10.47
Number one -- Jesus spent much
time in prayer with His Father.
He'd get up early in the
00:51:10.47\00:51:18.37
morning, late at night --
sometimes, He'd pray all night.
00:51:18.37\00:51:24.75
Why? Because overcome --
overcoming necessitates these
00:51:24.75\00:51:28.82
two practices. Much time in
prayer -- in practice number two
-- Jesus consumed the Word as if
00:51:28.82\00:51:33.02
it were bread. He
feasted on it. He ate that Word.
00:51:33.02\00:51:37.73
He prayed. He read. He prayed.
He read. "As I overcame him,
00:51:37.73\00:51:45.93
you'll overcome him." Does that
seem too simplistic? Not a huge
00:51:45.93\00:52:02.25
solution. Complicated? Not
at all. But what if it were
00:52:02.25\00:52:06.65
possible? What if it were
possible that Jesus is right,
that we really can overcome,
00:52:06.65\00:52:15.73
that we can win this thing with
Him inside, of course -- we
could win this thing day
00:52:15.73\00:52:23.04
after day after day? What if He
were right? And maybe there'll
00:52:23.04\00:52:28.61
be a faith community like
Laodicea at the very end of the
line that, one day, wakes up and
00:52:28.61\00:52:36.55
says, "Man. [ Chuckling ] I've
been saying it's impossible.
I've been telling others it's
00:52:36.55\00:52:41.39
impossible -- you can't do
this." And Jesus comes along and
00:52:41.39\00:52:45.03
says, "It's not impossible.
I did it. I want you to do it
00:52:45.03\00:52:50.37
through Me." She who overcomes
day after day. He who overcomes
day after day. Now, let me end
00:52:50.37\00:52:57.44
with this, and then
I'll tell you a short story.
00:52:57.44\00:52:59.47
Quotation on the screen --
"John pointed the people --"
00:52:59.51\00:53:02.14
that's John the Baptist
-- "pointed the people to
00:53:02.14\00:53:04.01
the Lamb of God who taketh
away the sins of the world.
00:53:04.01\00:53:07.72
He said, 'Behold the
Lamb of God, who takes away
00:53:07.72\00:53:09.62
the sin of the world.'
There is a great deal in that
00:53:09.62\00:53:12.25
'taketh away.'"
He takes it away.
00:53:12.25\00:53:15.52
If you've been carrying
something around your ankle like
a ball and chain, something that
00:53:15.56\00:53:20.10
you've dragged through your life
to this very day, behold the
Lamb of God who takes away
00:53:20.10\00:53:29.50
the sin of the world. Oh,
there's a great deal in those
words -- "takes away."
00:53:29.50\00:53:33.14
"The question is
--" keep reading --
00:53:33.17\00:53:34.48
"The question is,
Shall we keep on sinning as
00:53:34.48\00:53:36.58
though it were an impossibility
for us to overcome?"
00:53:36.58\00:53:39.11
That's a
rhetorical question. No.
00:53:39.11\00:53:40.92
Well, then, the next question
-- "How are we to overcome?"
00:53:40.92\00:53:42.78
Answer -- "As Christ overcame,
and that is the only way.
00:53:42.78\00:53:46.86
He prayed to His
heavenly Father."
00:53:46.86\00:53:48.36
That was the
practice -- He just prayed.
00:53:48.36\00:53:50.66
"He prayed to
His heavenly Father.
00:53:50.66\00:53:52.23
We can do the same...
When tempted to speak wrong or
00:53:52.23\00:53:54.23
do wrong, resist Satan and say,
I will not surrender my will to
00:53:54.23\00:53:56.87
your control. I will
cooperate with divine
00:53:56.87\00:53:59.07
power and through
grace be a conqueror."
00:53:59.07\00:54:02.00
End quote.
00:54:02.00\00:54:04.01
That's it. Just like Jesus.
He prayed to His Father...
00:54:04.04\00:54:10.65
and was given the power to
overcome, to win. "I want you to
00:54:10.65\00:54:17.79
overcome as I overcame, then
come and sit on the throne with
Me." The question is,
00:54:17.79\00:54:23.73
is, can't you make this
any more practical? I can.
00:54:23.73\00:54:27.50
Let me end with this story.
00:54:27.50\00:54:30.70
There was a little girl who
invited Jesus into her heart.
00:54:30.73\00:54:33.64
She was so excited that Jesus
had come into her heart that she
00:54:33.64\00:54:36.81
was just telling everybody.
Well, one day, a grumpy grown-up
00:54:36.81\00:54:39.57
came along, and grown-ups
tend to be grumpy with children.
00:54:39.57\00:54:42.54
And the grown-up looked down at
this little girl, and he said,
00:54:42.54\00:54:44.58
"Yeah, but how do you
deal with temptation?"
00:54:44.58\00:54:46.48
She didn't -- She
didn't miss a beat.
00:54:46.48\00:54:48.22
A smile still on her face,
and she cheerily replied, "Well,
00:54:48.22\00:54:51.95
now that I've invited Jesus
into my heart, when Satan comes
00:54:51.95\00:54:55.29
knocking, I send
Jesus to the door."
00:54:55.29\00:54:58.19
[ Laughter ] Brilliant
little girl. She got it.
00:54:58.23\00:55:03.80
That's it. That's all you
have to know. Today's message --
00:55:03.80\00:55:07.47
the teaching ends with this --
you invite Jesus in, and when
the devil comes back, 'cause
00:55:07.47\00:55:12.94
he'll be back -- when the devil
comes back and you hear that
knocking, just send Jesus to the
00:55:12.94\00:55:17.61
door. Works
every time. She got it.
00:55:17.61\00:55:23.42
And you know what, Laodicea? It
is time for us to get it, too.
00:55:23.42\00:55:29.66
We can't keep blowing off this
sin thing and saying, "I'll get
00:55:29.66\00:55:36.06
over it someday." You don't have
someday -- you have today. You
have today, and that's all
00:55:36.06\00:55:41.34
you have. So why would you
put it off? He says, "If you
00:55:41.34\00:55:48.84
overcome as I overcome, you win!
Get Me inside, and when the
devil comes back -- remember,
00:55:48.84\00:55:56.45
now, our little secret --
you have Me to answer the door."
00:55:56.45\00:56:05.99
Works every time. Overcome.
[ Chuckles ] Win -- you can
00:56:05.99\00:56:12.90
because He can. Yes, you can
because he can. Don't you let
nobody tell you you can't stop
00:56:12.90\00:56:22.24
that sinning. Whatever that
sinning is, you can stop it
through Christ. Amen. What do
00:56:22.24\00:56:30.72
you say? >> Amen. >> Amen.
Come on, guys. This is a tough
00:56:30.72\00:56:34.29
subject, but we had to deal with
it -- we couldn't skip it
because God's waiting.
00:56:34.29\00:56:38.96
[ Chuckles ] The planet is
a mess. Jesus is coming soon.
00:56:38.96\00:56:43.10
There is going to be a faith
community on this planet
symbolized by this Laodicea,
00:56:43.10\00:56:49.27
and this faith community is
going to rise up and say, "You
00:56:49.27\00:56:53.84
know what? Count me in. You
come in, and then count me in.
00:56:53.84\00:56:57.55
We'll do this battle
thing together." And you'll win.
00:56:57.55\00:57:01.28
I promise you -- you'll win.
00:57:01.28\00:57:03.15
>> We've been really blessed by
the financial support that comes
00:57:07.26\00:57:09.26
from our viewers, and we've
made a conscious decision not to
00:57:09.26\00:57:12.59
continually appeal
to you for that support.
00:57:12.59\00:57:15.63
The fact is, as everyone in the
industry will tell you, we're
00:57:15.63\00:57:18.80
needing to make constant
upgrades to our technology.
00:57:18.80\00:57:21.54
So if God has blessed you and
you'd like to further the work
00:57:21.54\00:57:24.24
of this ministry, we
invite you to partner with us.
00:57:24.24\00:57:26.57
Not a single penny of
your donation will go to me.
00:57:26.57\00:57:29.58
Every bit of your gift goes
to the mission of blessing your
00:57:29.58\00:57:33.05
community and our world.
You can donate on our website,
00:57:33.05\00:57:36.08
newperceptions.tv.
Or call the number.
00:57:36.08\00:57:39.19
You know the
number -- 877-HIS-WILL.
00:57:39.19\00:57:41.62
Again, that number is 877
-- the two words "HIS-WILL."
00:57:41.62\00:57:45.96
And may the God who has blessed
you continue to pour into your
00:57:45.96\00:57:48.53
life the gifts of
His joy and His hope.
00:57:48.53\00:57:51.60
Thank you. And
I'm looking forward to
00:57:51.60\00:57:53.77
seeing you, right
here, again, next time.
00:57:53.77\00:57:56.81
¤¤ ¤¤
00:58:01.21\00:58:21.20
¤¤
00:58:21.20\00:58:28.47