I believe if there
is any one word that
00:01:05.33\00:01:09.03
would
characterize our desire for our
00:01:09.06\00:01:12.28
lives as we live
day by day, that word
00:01:12.31\00:01:15.47
would be victory,
don't we want to be
00:01:15.50\00:01:18.29
victorious
especially for Jesus we want to
00:01:18.32\00:01:21.41
be victorious in
Christ. You know, the
00:01:21.44\00:01:24.60
Book of Revelation
uses a phrase over and
00:01:24.63\00:01:26.60
over again, to
him who overcomes and
00:01:26.63\00:01:30.88
all the promises
in Revelation are
00:01:30.91\00:01:33.00
promised to the
one who overcomes.
00:01:33.03\00:01:35.85
We want to be overcomers. Amen!
00:01:35.88\00:01:38.42
"Amen" We want to be victorious
00:01:38.45\00:01:40.53
for Jesus in every
aspect of our lives, but I've
00:01:40.56\00:01:46.29
discovered that most
Christians are just the
00:01:46.32\00:01:51.10
opposite, haunted
by the fear of failure,
00:01:51.13\00:01:57.79
hidden under a
cloud of doubt and
00:01:58.34\00:02:00.97
discouragement,
and what a pity because
00:02:01.00\00:02:04.67
the laws for
successful Christian
00:02:04.70\00:02:06.85
living are so very
clear in God's word.
00:02:06.88\00:02:10.83
Sometimes, I think
we just make it too
00:02:13.12\00:02:15.41
complicated so
that those who try get
00:02:15.44\00:02:19.06
frustrated, discouraged and give
00:02:19.09\00:02:21.64
up and quit. In
another times, we
00:02:21.67\00:02:25.60
can reduce
Christianity to a meaningless
00:02:25.63\00:02:28.87
simplicity, but I
believe that, a little old lady
00:02:28.90\00:02:35.25
who sit up in prayer
meeting one night and
00:02:37.10\00:02:38.59
gave her testimony
hit the bull's-eye.
00:02:38.62\00:02:42.98
Her language wasn't
as polished as perhaps it
00:02:44.66\00:02:47.48
could have been, but
her message was right on.
00:02:47.51\00:02:50.17
She stood up in
front of the church
00:02:51.96\00:02:53.69
and said I ain't what
I ought to be and I ain't
00:02:53.72\00:03:00.06
what I gonna be,
but praise God anyhow
00:03:00.09\00:03:03.52
I ain't what I was.
Isn't that it, recognizing
00:03:03.55\00:03:09.10
that our lives are not
all that they ought to be
00:03:09.13\00:03:11.57
and having a bold,
calm determination to
00:03:12.35\00:03:15.38
do better and
praising God all the way for
00:03:15.41\00:03:19.06
what he has done
and how far he's led us,
00:03:19.09\00:03:21.31
but again many are
just the opposite, so
00:03:23.92\00:03:27.97
this morning I want
to take a look in the
00:03:28.00\00:03:30.22
battle for the mind,
I want to take a look at
00:03:30.25\00:03:32.92
what I call three
laws for successful
00:03:32.95\00:03:36.13
Christian living
and another thing that I
00:03:36.16\00:03:40.26
want to make clear
this morning is we are
00:03:40.29\00:03:42.28
going to do
something a little different.
00:03:42.31\00:03:44.07
I don't want you to
just sit here and listen
00:03:46.53\00:03:49.27
to the stories and
go out and say, oh!
00:03:49.30\00:03:51.63
Pastor, good
sermon, good sermon, because
00:03:51.66\00:03:55.49
many times it goes
one in-in one ear and
00:03:55.52\00:03:57.83
out the other ear.
So, I want you to get
00:03:57.86\00:04:02.61
what we are
taking about this morning
00:04:02.64\00:04:04.83
and if you've been
coming to the meetings
00:04:04.86\00:04:06.65
in the evening
you're gonna get a printed
00:04:06.68\00:04:07.88
copy, if you
haven't been attending the
00:04:07.91\00:04:09.78
evening meetings
then you won't be able to
00:04:09.81\00:04:11.35
get a printed copy
this morning, so you may
00:04:11.38\00:04:12.79
want to take
notes, but we're gonna,
00:04:12.82\00:04:16.38
I'm warning you in
advance, we're gonna
00:04:16.41\00:04:18.13
stop in the middle
of this sermon and we're
00:04:18.16\00:04:19.80
gonna have a
quiz because I want to
00:04:20.29\00:04:22.22
make sure you're
getting this, it's gonna
00:04:22.25\00:04:23.59
do any good if you
just sit here if you don't
00:04:23.62\00:04:24.81
get it, right? So, we
are going to have a little
00:04:24.84\00:04:26.95
quiz and I'm not going
to tell you when it is, it's
00:04:26.98\00:04:28.66
going to be a pop
quiz, so be prepared.
00:04:28.69\00:04:33.06
Three laws for successful
Christian living. In Romans
00:04:33.99\00:04:36.68
the 7th chapter we
find them. Romans chapter7,
00:04:36.71\00:04:40.34
what is the first
law, verse 7, what
00:04:40.37\00:04:42.70
shall we say then is the
law sin, certainly not, for
00:04:42.73\00:04:49.28
I would not known
what sin was except through
00:04:49.31\00:04:52.14
the law. Now we
could ask which law is Paul
00:04:52.17\00:04:56.25
speaking of here, it's
not sin, but it reveals sin,
00:04:56.28\00:05:00.38
which law is he speaking
of, he tells us for I would
00:05:00.41\00:05:03.63
not have known what
coveting really was if the
00:05:03.66\00:05:07.17
law had not said do
not covet, which law said
00:05:07.20\00:05:11.07
not to covet. God's
law, the Ten Commandments
00:05:11.10\00:05:15.39
right! So the first law
is the Ten Commandments,
00:05:15.42\00:05:19.23
that's the first law
for successful Christian
00:05:20.42\00:05:22.08
living. Remember
that, the Ten Commandments.
00:05:22.11\00:05:24.05
There is nothing wrong
with God's law, there is
00:05:24.08\00:05:26.71
nothing wrong with
the Ten Commandments,
00:05:26.74\00:05:28.30
verse 12 even says so
then the law is holy and
00:05:28.33\00:05:32.38
the Commandment is
holy, righteous, and good.
00:05:32.41\00:05:35.26
He goes so far as to
say in verse 14, the law is
00:05:35.29\00:05:38.26
spiritual. So there is
no problem with God's law,
00:05:38.29\00:05:42.10
its holy, its righteous,
its good, its spiritual, that's
00:05:42.44\00:05:45.33
the law that Paul wants
to be obedient to, but watch
00:05:45.36\00:05:48.84
this. In verse 14, but
I am unspiritual. See the
00:05:48.87\00:05:54.85
problem isn't the law,
the problem is us, the people.
00:05:54.88\00:05:59.14
The law is spiritual, we
are unspiritual. Paul says
00:05:59.17\00:06:02.92
I am unspiritual,
that's Paul the Apostle, and he
00:06:02.95\00:06:08.57
calls himself unspiritual.
I've been sold as a slave
00:06:08.60\00:06:13.63
to sin, I don't understand
what I do, for I want to
00:06:13.66\00:06:19.63
do I do not do, but
what I hate I do and if I do
00:06:19.66\00:06:23.11
what I do want to do
I agree the law is good,
00:06:23.14\00:06:26.25
nothing wrong with the law
is me as it is, there is no
00:06:26.28\00:06:29.74
longer I myself who do it,
but it is sin living in me.
00:06:29.77\00:06:34.58
Do you see, I agree the
law is good, I want to do good,
00:06:35.41\00:06:37.84
I want to obey the law,
but sin living in me prevents
00:06:37.87\00:06:41.22
me from obeying the law
and doing the good that I
00:06:41.25\00:06:44.06
want to do. So in verse 21,
I find this law at work when
00:06:44.09\00:06:48.69
I want to do good evil is
right there with me, for in
00:06:48.72\00:06:53.92
my inner being I delight
in God's law, so again you see
00:06:53.95\00:07:00.80
there is nothing wrong
with God's law. He has the
00:07:00.83\00:07:03.13
passion for God's law, in
his inner being he delights
00:07:03.16\00:07:06.80
in God's law, he desires
God's law. The problem is
00:07:06.83\00:07:12.96
he doesn't understand
himself he says, I don't
00:07:13.58\00:07:16.69
understand what I do for
what I want to do I don't do
00:07:16.72\00:07:18.84
and what I hate I do, you
ever felt like that. So, he
00:07:18.87\00:07:23.26
wants to be obedient to
God's law, he strives with
00:07:23.29\00:07:26.31
all of his heart to
obey God's law, but there is
00:07:26.34\00:07:29.58
something holding him
down, he never seems to be able
00:07:29.61\00:07:32.84
to arrive, he never gets
to the place where he can say
00:07:32.87\00:07:36.14
I am obedient to the
law of God, I have kept his
00:07:36.17\00:07:39.58
commandments. Why not,
when I want to do good evil
00:07:39.61\00:07:44.75
is right there with me,
for my inner being I delight in
00:07:44.78\00:07:47.32
God's law, but in verse 23,
I see another law at work in
00:07:47.35\00:07:51.12
the members of my body
waging war against the law
00:07:51.15\00:07:54.68
of my mind and making me
a prisoner of the law of sin
00:07:54.71\00:07:59.80
at work within my members.
The second law is the law
00:07:59.83\00:08:03.93
of sin, notice God's law
is not sin, God's law is good
00:08:03.96\00:08:16.26
and righteous. The law
of sin prevents him from
00:08:16.48\00:08:22.13
obeying the law of God,
he wants to obey God's law,
00:08:22.16\00:08:27.37
but he can't do it why not?
Because the law of sin is at
00:08:27.40\00:08:32.11
work within my members.
Oh! What a wretched man I am,
00:08:32.14\00:08:36.42
he cries out, who will
deliver me from this body
00:08:36.45\00:08:40.01
of death. Now Paul
doesn't excuse it when he breaks
00:08:40.04\00:08:45.62
the law, he doesn't
say well I can't keep the
00:08:45.65\00:08:49.84
Commandments anyway may
as well just break them, he
00:08:49.87\00:08:52.92
doesn't say well I'm
under grace so it doesn't matter
00:08:52.95\00:08:55.58
if I break the law. When he
breaks the law, he hates it,
00:08:55.61\00:08:59.61
he says what a wretched
man I am, I hate myself,
00:08:59.64\00:09:03.00
God, deliver me from this
body of sin. Aren't you glad
00:09:03.03\00:09:08.31
that he didn't end his
letter to the church of Rome
00:09:08.34\00:09:11.33
right there. Thanks be to God
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
00:09:11.36\00:09:18.63
so in my mind I am a slave
to the law of God, but in my
00:09:20.13\00:09:27.27
sinful nature a slave to the
law of sin, you see the battle
00:09:27.30\00:09:36.17
for the mind is the desire
in our hearts and in our minds
00:09:36.20\00:09:41.74
to be obedient to the law
of God, but the law of sin also
00:09:41.77\00:09:46.09
at work in our bodies
is holding us back and
00:09:46.12\00:09:51.06
preventing us from doing
what we desire in our hearts.
00:09:51.09\00:09:54.68
Two laws waging war against
the law of my mind making me a
00:09:56.17\00:10:03.05
prisoner of the law of
sin. The chapter 8, verse 1, we
00:10:03.08\00:10:11.02
find the solution,
therefore there is now no
00:10:11.05\00:10:14.59
condemnation for those
who are in Christ Jesus, why?
00:10:14.62\00:10:20.65
Because through Christ Jesus,
the third law, the law of the
00:10:21.10\00:10:26.64
spirit of life has set me free
from the law of sin and death,
00:10:26.67\00:10:33.71
why? Verse 4 tells us,
in order that the righteous
00:10:33.74\00:10:38.66
requirements of the law might
be fully met in us who live
00:10:38.69\00:10:43.16
not according to the sinful
nature, but according to the
00:10:43.70\00:10:46.61
spirit. So, the third law
sets us free from the law of sin
00:10:46.64\00:10:53.21
and death in order that
the righteous requirements of
00:10:53.24\00:10:57.35
God's law might be fully
met in us. Notice, the law
00:10:57.38\00:11:03.34
of the spirit of life does
not set us free from the law of
00:11:03.37\00:11:10.05
God, as some would have
you believe, it sets us free
00:11:10.08\00:11:16.95
from the law of sin
that prevents us from obeying
00:11:16.98\00:11:21.49
the law of God in order
that we can obey the law of God.
00:11:21.52\00:11:25.64
So now we have three
laws, the law of God that's the
00:11:27.02\00:11:31.75
good one that we want to
obey, the law of sin that's the
00:11:31.78\00:11:34.97
bad one that's preventing
us from obeying, and the law
00:11:35.00\00:11:37.67
of the spirit of life
that enables us to overcome the
00:11:37.70\00:11:41.19
law of sin and obey the law
of God. Now, we can see these
00:11:41.22\00:11:47.82
three forces at work in the
laws of nature all around us.
00:11:47.85\00:11:53.07
When I was a little boy
growing up in Louisiana every
00:11:54.60\00:11:57.39
summer we go out to the
beach on the gulf and that was
00:11:57.42\00:12:02.37
one of my favorite times.
We go out there in the beach
00:12:02.40\00:12:05.11
and I would love to be
out there in my little bathing
00:12:05.14\00:12:07.61
suit, running around in
the sand and feeling the cool
00:12:07.64\00:12:11.46
waves, the water just
lapping around my feet and legs
00:12:11.49\00:12:14.64
and then I would look up and
there he would be, a big giant
00:12:14.67\00:12:19.45
brown pelican just soaring
through the air, have you ever
00:12:19.48\00:12:25.14
seen a brown pelican, so
beautiful they hardly ruffle
00:12:25.17\00:12:29.81
a feather when they're flying
and all of a sudden I just
00:12:29.84\00:12:34.22
forgot about everything else
and I would just be fixed on
00:12:34.25\00:12:37.67
that bird and I had a burning
desire in my heart. I wished
00:12:37.70\00:12:43.30
I could fly like a brown
pelican, but there is a law
00:12:43.33\00:12:49.31
that holds me down,
the law of sin, the law of
00:12:50.73\00:12:56.08
gravity holds me down
and prevents me from doing
00:12:56.11\00:13:00.65
what I want to do deep
down in my heart, but there is
00:13:00.68\00:13:06.60
another law, the law of flight
enables me to overcome the
00:13:06.63\00:13:14.58
law of gravity and let me
fly. I always remember the first
00:13:14.61\00:13:23.68
time I went out to take
my very first ride on a B-52
00:13:23.71\00:13:29.55
bomber, I don't know
if you have ever seen one
00:13:29.58\00:13:31.81
up close, but the B-52
is a huge airplane and fully
00:13:31.84\00:13:37.97
loaded with fuel and
weapons weighs close to 500,000
00:13:38.00\00:13:42.04
pounds. The closer we got
to that airplane the bigger
00:13:42.07\00:13:47.60
it looked and the smaller
the engine seemed, even though
00:13:47.63\00:13:52.34
they were eight engines
they just didn't seem big enough
00:13:52.37\00:13:55.73
to get us off the ground
and I thought whoa, there is no
00:13:56.21\00:14:00.99
way that that thing is
gonna fly. We did all of our
00:14:01.02\00:14:04.52
checklists and we got
clearance to start the
00:14:04.55\00:14:07.11
engines, taxied out to the
end of the runway, finished
00:14:07.14\00:14:10.43
our checklist and finally
we got clearance from the
00:14:10.46\00:14:13.63
tower to takeoff. So we
taxied out into position and all
00:14:13.66\00:14:19.39
eight throttles for all eight
engines go full bore to the
00:14:19.42\00:14:23.66
wall and those engines
begin to roar and that big bird
00:14:23.69\00:14:29.94
began to just inch down
the runway and I knew we
00:14:30.35\00:14:35.15
would never get off
the ground, but the law of
00:14:35.18\00:14:40.34
flight it's so powerful.
I don't know if you have
00:14:40.37\00:14:45.71
ever noticed how the wing
of an airplane is designed,
00:14:45.74\00:14:49.52
it's designed to take
advantage of the law of
00:14:50.55\00:14:53.65
flight. Bernoulli's principle,
and Bernoulli's principle
00:14:53.68\00:14:58.49
goes like this. Air that
moves across the surface will
00:14:58.52\00:15:05.23
reduce the pressure that
it exerts on that surface and
00:15:05.26\00:15:10.82
the faster the air flows
across the surface the less
00:15:10.85\00:15:14.61
pressure it exerts. The
wing of an airplane is curved
00:15:14.64\00:15:20.35
across the top and flat
across the bottom and for
00:15:20.38\00:15:25.92
that reason the air flowing
over the top of the wing has
00:15:25.95\00:15:29.73
to go further than the
air flowing across the bottom,
00:15:29.76\00:15:33.74
that means its covering a
lot more distance in less time
00:15:34.69\00:15:38.27
so it's flowing faster
across the surface and remember
00:15:38.30\00:15:42.34
Bernoulli's principle,
the faster it goes across the
00:15:42.37\00:15:45.20
surface the less pressure
it exerts, so as the wing
00:15:45.23\00:15:49.65
moves through the air faster
and faster the pressure on
00:15:49.68\00:15:53.18
the top of the wing
gets lighter and the pressure
00:15:53.21\00:15:55.97
underneath is greater compared
to the pressure on top until
00:15:56.00\00:15:59.72
you reach a certain speed
that the pressure under the wing
00:15:59.94\00:16:03.58
is so much greater than the
pressure on top that it just
00:16:03.79\00:16:08.19
lifts that bird
500,000 pounds off the
00:16:08.22\00:16:12.48
ground and I can swore and
fulfill the desire deep down
00:16:12.51\00:16:17.32
in my heart to fly. The
law of flight enables me to
00:16:17.35\00:16:23.10
overcome the law of gravity
and do what I desire in my
00:16:23.13\00:16:27.95
heart and that is to fly
and therefore the law of God is
00:16:27.98\00:16:32.61
what I desire, but the law
of sin and death is holding me
00:16:32.64\00:16:36.40
down, but the law of the
spirit of life enables me to
00:16:36.43\00:16:40.93
overcome the law of sin and
death and swore in obedience
00:16:40.96\00:16:45.95
victorious for God,
good news. Amen. "Amen"
00:16:45.98\00:16:51.12
Now, a word of caution before
we learn how to put the law
00:16:52.37\00:16:55.76
of spirit of life to
work in our own lives.
00:16:55.79\00:16:58.94
Romans, chapter 8, is
not instruction on how
00:16:59.53\00:17:05.39
to be saved. The first part
of Romans talks about how to
00:17:05.42\00:17:10.41
be saved by grace through
faith in Jesus Christ and not
00:17:10.44\00:17:14.61
by works. We are not
saved by overcoming, we are not
00:17:14.64\00:17:20.22
saved even because the law
of the spirit of life enables me
00:17:20.25\00:17:24.28
to overcome the law of
sin and death and become
00:17:24.31\00:17:26.25
obedient to the law of God
that does not save me, that
00:17:26.28\00:17:29.45
is the result of being
saved by grace through faith in
00:17:29.48\00:17:33.29
Jesus and we need to be clear
on that, but nevertheless it
00:17:33.32\00:17:39.66
is a power, it is a force
that God has enacted in our
00:17:39.69\00:17:43.30
lives and made available
to us, so that we can be
00:17:43.33\00:17:46.54
victorious for him without
excuse. How do you put the
00:17:46.57\00:17:53.83
law of the spirit of life
to work, that's the question,
00:17:59.13\00:18:00.10
but before we answer
that question you have to
00:18:00.11\00:18:03.47
answer three
questions because its quiz time,
00:18:03.50\00:18:07.31
quiz time, so get your
thinking caps on, this is not
00:18:08.84\00:18:14.29
that hard a quiz folks, don't
worry. There are three laws
00:18:14.32\00:18:19.70
for successful Christian
living. The first law is?
00:18:19.73\00:18:23.14
"God's law."
God's law, say it nice
00:18:23.17\00:18:25.81
and loud for the
camera now. The first law is?
00:18:25.84\00:18:28.63
"God's law." God's law, the
00:18:28.76\00:18:30.21
Ten Commandments, that's
the one we want to obey, but
00:18:30.24\00:18:34.02
the second law prevents
us from obeying and the Bible
00:18:34.05\00:18:37.38
calls it the law of? "Sin."
00:18:37.41\00:18:39.54
Sin, very good, it holds
us down. But the third law
00:18:39.57\00:18:43.12
enables me to overcome
the law of sin and be obedient
00:18:43.15\00:18:46.67
to the law of God
and that's the law of?
00:18:46.70\00:18:48.93
"Spirit." The spirit of life,
00:18:49.56\00:18:51.26
very good, you get an A
this morning. Now, how do we
00:18:51.29\00:18:55.87
put it to work, how do we
get the law of spirit of life
00:18:55.90\00:18:59.50
to work. There are two things
that have to happen. The first
00:18:59.53\00:19:03.51
step is your part, the
second step is God's part.
00:19:03.54\00:19:09.00
Remember God never
operates by force, he operates
00:19:10.10\00:19:14.51
by love and choice you do
your part and God will do his,
00:19:14.54\00:19:20.34
so what is your part.
I'm going to read the verse
00:19:20.70\00:19:23.28
to you and see if it
just doesn't jump out at you,
00:19:23.31\00:19:27.55
see if you can pick it
up. How do you get the law of
00:19:27.58\00:19:29.61
the spirit of life to work in
your life, here is the answer.
00:19:29.64\00:19:32.35
In chapter 8, verse 5,
those who live according to the
00:19:32.38\00:19:36.93
sinful nature have their
minds set on what that nature
00:19:36.96\00:19:43.14
desires, but those who live
according to the spirit have
00:19:43.17\00:19:47.59
their minds set on
what the spirit desires.
00:19:47.62\00:19:51.93
Did you catch it. How do
we get the law of the spirit
00:19:53.55\00:19:57.34
of life to work for us,
set your mind on the things of
00:19:57.37\00:20:06.69
the spirit and that's what
you're gonna do. If you set
00:20:06.72\00:20:10.97
your mind on the things
of the flesh then that's
00:20:11.00\00:20:15.48
what you'll wind up
doing. The secret then
00:20:15.51\00:20:18.58
to the battle for the
mind is to set your mind
00:20:18.94\00:20:24.49
on the things of the spirit.
Now, don't confuse what I
00:20:24.86\00:20:32.47
call mental discipline,
setting the mind, don't
00:20:32.50\00:20:36.96
confuse it with some
of the popular things like
00:20:36.99\00:20:40.79
positive thinking by
Norman Vincent Peale or
00:20:41.84\00:20:46.06
Psycho-Cybernetics
by Maxwell Maltz,
00:20:46.09\00:20:48.72
or think and Grow Rich by
Napoleon Hill. All of these
00:20:48.82\00:20:53.17
books are good and
all of these men have made
00:20:53.20\00:20:55.88
contributions to understanding
how the mind works,
00:20:55.91\00:20:58.82
but they all leave out
something. Mental discipline
00:20:58.85\00:21:03.84
is God's plan for us, so
what is mental discipline.
00:21:03.87\00:21:08.84
There are three texts
in the Bible that define
00:21:08.87\00:21:12.46
the three steps of mental
discipline. The first one is
00:21:12.49\00:21:17.01
Proverbs 23, verse 7, and
you don't even have to look
00:21:17.04\00:21:20.03
this one up. You probably
know it by heart, whatsoever
00:21:20.06\00:21:23.61
a man thinketh in his
heart, what, so is he. Now that
00:21:23.64\00:21:30.67
means in simple terms
that you are what you think
00:21:30.70\00:21:34.55
about, your thoughts determine
what you are. Now that's
00:21:34.58\00:21:40.58
something to think about, Amen
You are what you think about.
00:21:40.61\00:21:44.97
Whatever man thinks in his
heart, so is he. The second
00:21:45.00\00:21:47.59
verse, Luke, chapter 6,
verse 45, the good man does
00:21:47.62\00:21:53.38
good from the good stored
up in his heart while the evil
00:21:53.41\00:21:56.17
man does evil from the
evil stored up in his heart,
00:21:56.20\00:21:58.78
not only do your
thoughts control what you are,
00:21:59.76\00:22:02.37
your thoughts control
what you do, your thoughts
00:22:02.40\00:22:08.04
control your behavior.
So, the third step then seems
00:22:08.07\00:22:15.03
rather obvious if your
thoughts control what you
00:22:15.06\00:22:18.14
are and your thoughts control
what you do, your thoughts
00:22:18.17\00:22:21.68
control your behavior,
then in order to change your
00:22:21.71\00:22:24.94
behavior you simply
need to change your mind
00:22:24.97\00:22:28.58
and that's exactly what
Paul says in Romans, chapter 12,
00:22:30.20\00:22:33.27
verse 2, be transformed
by the renewing of the mind.
00:22:33.30\00:22:39.27
It's simple in theory, but
it's not so simple in practice
00:22:41.91\00:22:51.23
and the reason is because
these thoughts in our minds
00:22:52.27\00:22:57.90
that control our behavior
are actually thought patterns,
00:22:57.93\00:23:03.71
patterns of thought that
are called habits and habits are
00:23:05.22\00:23:13.82
very, very powerful creatures.
Most of what we do on a daily
00:23:13.85\00:23:23.84
basis is the result of habit,
that's a fact, now usually
00:23:23.87\00:23:30.45
when you hear the word
habit you think bad, but that's
00:23:30.48\00:23:36.02
not always true. A habit is
bad only if it's a bad habit.
00:23:36.05\00:23:42.41
Habits can be good.
God made our minds to work
00:23:44.07\00:23:48.19
that way, most of what we
do on a daily basis is the
00:23:48.22\00:23:51.94
result of habit and habits
are formed through the process
00:23:51.97\00:23:58.03
of repetition doing
something over and over again.
00:23:58.06\00:24:02.48
For example, learning
to drive, how many of you
00:24:03.74\00:24:09.30
learned to drive on a
stick shift. Well, that's a good
00:24:09.33\00:24:14.10
number of hands, you know,
how to drive a stick shift.
00:24:14.13\00:24:16.29
You remember when you learned
how to do it, you knew that
00:24:16.59\00:24:21.23
you had to put the clutch in,
change the gear, and let that
00:24:21.26\00:24:28.63
clutch out at just the
right timing and speed and give
00:24:28.66\00:24:32.48
it a little gas at just
the right moment in order to
00:24:32.51\00:24:35.48
accelerate and takeoff,
and you remember the first time
00:24:35.51\00:24:39.67
that you did it. You sat
in that car and you had to
00:24:39.70\00:24:46.13
even think well which way
do I turn the key this way
00:24:46.16\00:24:49.83
or that way, and you had it
in neutral, the clutch is in,
00:24:49.86\00:24:54.39
break on, turn the key,
start it up and then you put it
00:24:54.42\00:24:58.12
into gear and you had to
let that clutch out at just the
00:24:58.15\00:25:01.13
right and you're thinking
through all of this and it
00:25:01.16\00:25:03.94
just started going so smoothly
down the road first time,
00:25:03.97\00:25:08.07
it didn't, what happened
jerk-jerk-jerk-jerk and then
00:25:08.10\00:25:15.91
it stops right, at least
that's what happened to me
00:25:15.94\00:25:19.14
jerk-jerk-jerk-jerk and
it stopped again, and I don't
00:25:19.88\00:25:23.44
know how many times I have
to do it and when I finally got
00:25:23.47\00:25:26.48
it going it was
jerk-jerk-jerk-jerk, oh!
00:25:26.51\00:25:29.90
Finally got it and then
remember when you had to
00:25:29.93\00:25:32.51
stop for a red light on a
hill and somebody is behind
00:25:32.54\00:25:39.40
you, too close, but can
you remember the last time you
00:25:39.43\00:25:47.75
started your car up and
took off and even stopped at a
00:25:47.78\00:25:51.43
light on the hill,
probably not, why not? Because
00:25:51.46\00:25:56.25
through the process of
doing it over and over and over
00:25:56.28\00:25:59.62
again those thoughts
became entrenched as patterns
00:25:59.65\00:26:03.76
habits, so now you can jump
in the car, turn the key on,
00:26:03.79\00:26:08.75
start it up, take off,
drive to where you're going
00:26:08.78\00:26:11.96
without even thinking about
what you're doing and that's
00:26:11.99\00:26:15.19
good because it leaves
your mind free to do something
00:26:15.22\00:26:18.25
else like look for other
cars. See so habits are not bad,
00:26:18.28\00:26:24.18
habits free our minds to
be able to do constructive and
00:26:24.55\00:26:28.80
positive things. God made
us that way, it's a wonderful
00:26:28.83\00:26:32.97
way, the way that he made
the mind and it's through the
00:26:33.00\00:26:36.38
process of repetition over
and over again these habits
00:26:36.41\00:26:39.91
become ingrained and
established and they happen
00:26:39.94\00:26:42.78
automatically. Example, if
I'm listening to my wife's CD
00:26:42.81\00:26:50.25
every morning when I'm
getting dressed, I listen to
00:26:50.28\00:26:52.55
my wife's CD, I'm shaving,
I'm listening, one day at a
00:26:52.58\00:26:54.55
time. Oh! I like that song
over and over and over again
00:26:54.58\00:26:57.76
one day at a time
everyday when I'm shaving,
00:26:57.79\00:26:59.77
all this goes on for two or
three weeks. Finally one day
00:26:59.80\00:27:02.29
I'm driving down the freeway
and it's time for me to hum,
00:27:02.32\00:27:05.03
so I look at my watch
and say oh yeah, time to hum,
00:27:05.06\00:27:07.88
what am I gonna hum,
oh one day at a time, hmm,
00:27:07.91\00:27:10.53
that has goes. No, what
happens, I'm just driving
00:27:10.94\00:27:15.46
along and all of a sudden
it comes out, why? Because
00:27:15.49\00:27:21.23
it's been established as
a pattern of thought and it
00:27:21.26\00:27:23.78
just comes out automatically
without even thinking, so it's
00:27:23.81\00:27:27.83
the process of repetition
that sets these patterns,
00:27:27.86\00:27:32.09
these habits, these thought
patterns up in our minds.
00:27:32.12\00:27:35.39
Now the other thing that
we need to know is that these
00:27:36.79\00:27:40.07
patterns are very, very
powerful creatures and that's
00:27:40.10\00:27:46.45
why it's not so easy to
change our behavior. I'm gonna
00:27:46.48\00:27:52.00
demonstrate this and I
know I'm gonna get in troubles,
00:27:52.03\00:27:55.28
I always get in trouble when
I do it, but it's such a good
00:27:55.31\00:27:59.19
illustration I'm gonna do
it anyway, alright. You ever
00:27:59.22\00:28:03.66
heard of this jingle, it goes
like this, Pepsi Cola hits the
00:28:03.69\00:28:07.93
spot, 12 full ounces that's
a, yeah, I heard about 3 or 4
00:28:09.35\00:28:14.34
ounces out there, 12 full
ounces that's a lot. Now tell
00:28:14.37\00:28:18.79
me those of you that
know the answer, tell me when
00:28:18.82\00:28:25.46
you heard that jingle did you
say oh! man I really like that
00:28:25.49\00:28:28.41
I'm gonna write it down
150 times and memorize it,
00:28:28.44\00:28:30.72
is that what happened?
Nope, you probably heard it
00:28:31.98\00:28:34.41
150 times and after hearing
it over and over again it
00:28:34.44\00:28:36.73
becomes established as a
pattern, a thought pattern, a
00:28:36.76\00:28:39.57
habit and it's a powerful
one. Now, here is where I get
00:28:39.60\00:28:44.62
in trouble, do you know
how long it's been since
00:28:44.65\00:28:50.37
that jingle has been broadcast
on the air. Well, just to be
00:28:50.40\00:28:57.69
safe, I'll say it's been over
40 years, way over 40, but I
00:28:57.72\00:29:05.12
won't say how many.
You haven't heard that
00:29:05.15\00:29:08.05
advertisement for 40 years and
yet I can say Pepsi Cola hits
00:29:08.08\00:29:12.13
the and you instantly
respond with spot, a few of you,
00:29:12.16\00:29:15.63
12 full ounces that's a lot,
after 40 years it just shows
00:29:16.67\00:29:20.24
you how powerful these thought
patterns or these habits are.
00:29:20.27\00:29:24.19
That's why will power
alone is not always enough to
00:29:25.27\00:29:27.81
change your behavior,
have you ever noticed that, you
00:29:27.84\00:29:31.11
make a decision, set a New
Year's resolution, I'm gonna
00:29:31.14\00:29:33.12
stop smoking, I'm gonna
stop this, I'm gonna do that
00:29:33.15\00:29:35.37
and maybe it lasts for a
day or two and then right back
00:29:35.40\00:29:38.04
to where you were,
because these are powerful,
00:29:38.07\00:29:41.44
powerful creatures. Now,
listen, one last thing that we
00:29:41.47\00:29:43.66
have know about how the
mind works and then we're gonna
00:29:43.69\00:29:45.56
put it altogether in a package
that you can use easily and
00:29:45.59\00:29:49.26
that is that your brain has
two halves to it, a right side
00:29:49.29\00:29:53.65
and a left side and everybody
has both halves to their
00:29:53.68\00:29:56.49
brains well, almost everybody
here, both halves to the
00:29:56.52\00:30:01.24
brain. Now, the right side of
the brain is what we typically
00:30:01.27\00:30:06.09
refer to as the subconscious
and the left side is the
00:30:06.12\00:30:09.29
conscious. The left side
of the brain does all the
00:30:09.32\00:30:12.53
reasoning and logic, it makes
decisions, it decides what is
00:30:12.56\00:30:19.26
the best thing to do in any
certain situation. It's kind of
00:30:19.29\00:30:24.32
like the general in an army.
The army, the general makes
00:30:24.35\00:30:28.55
all the decisions, but he does
not have the power to execute
00:30:28.58\00:30:32.58
those decisions. He may say we
need to take that hill, but he
00:30:32.77\00:30:37.24
doesn't have the power to
take the hill. The army on the
00:30:37.27\00:30:40.68
other hand has the power and
that's the way the right brain
00:30:40.71\00:30:43.77
brain works. It has all
the emotion, all the feelings
00:30:43.80\00:30:47.03
that drive our behavior
and that's where the power is.
00:30:47.06\00:30:51.34
The general makes a decision
and issues the orders and
00:30:52.01\00:30:55.21
the army automatically,
indiscriminately, without
00:30:55.24\00:30:58.74
trying to decide is that
a good order or bad order,
00:30:59.02\00:31:01.29
if it's a good army it
goes. The general says take the
00:31:01.32\00:31:04.85
hill the army says yes sir,
let's go. And you see that's
00:31:04.88\00:31:09.19
the way your brain
works. The left brain decides
00:31:09.22\00:31:11.99
this is right, this is
true and the right brain obeys
00:31:12.02\00:31:16.00
and after that order has
been given a number of times it
00:31:17.62\00:31:21.83
becomes established as a
pattern in the right brain.
00:31:21.86\00:31:25.08
So that the right brain
who has the power automatically
00:31:25.11\00:31:28.42
takes over and you obey
that order without even the
00:31:28.45\00:31:32.09
left side thinking
about it or issuing the order,
00:31:32.12\00:31:34.72
that's exactly how it
works. Some of you have been
00:31:35.89\00:31:39.72
learning some new
things and some of you are here
00:31:39.75\00:31:43.37
on a Sabbath morning for
the very first time in your life
00:31:43.40\00:31:46.38
and it feels a little strange.
It feels different you know
00:31:46.41\00:31:50.29
in your head that it's a
right thing to do, but it just
00:31:50.32\00:31:54.24
doesn't feel right because
for so many years you have
00:31:54.27\00:31:57.81
been doing it differently.
The right brain is saying
00:31:57.84\00:32:01.13
wait a minute, wrong day,
wait a minute, I should be
00:32:01.16\00:32:04.76
watching the ballgame
on television in just a
00:32:04.79\00:32:07.19
few minutes, wait a
minute what's mom gonna think,
00:32:07.22\00:32:09.81
what's your dad gonna
think, what are all your friends
00:32:09.84\00:32:12.51
gonna think, wait a
minute. Have you have been wrong
00:32:12.54\00:32:14.79
all this years oh! Wait
a minute, I don't know if
00:32:14.82\00:32:17.49
I can do that, you see all
the emotions, all the fears are
00:32:17.52\00:32:20.16
stacked in the right side
and they've been controlling
00:32:20.19\00:32:22.71
your behavior for so long that
it seem so difficult and the
00:32:22.74\00:32:26.31
left brain is saying yes,
but it's the right thing to do.
00:32:26.34\00:32:29.51
That's why we have such a
battle and such a struggle
00:32:32.29\00:32:35.75
and so we need to keep
giving those orders over
00:32:35.78\00:32:37.57
and over to the right side
of the brain until it becomes
00:32:37.60\00:32:40.77
established as a habit or a
pattern, and then it will feel
00:32:40.80\00:32:43.74
like the right thing to
do. The other thing is that for
00:32:43.77\00:32:49.07
most people, most of the time
those orders are given to the
00:32:49.10\00:32:51.67
the right brain in
terms of the images, pictures.
00:32:51.70\00:32:55.53
For example, if I say the
word car, you didn't see the
00:32:56.33\00:33:00.78
letters CAR in your
mind did you? Probably not,
00:33:00.81\00:33:04.69
what do you see? Saw a
car, how many of you saw a car.
00:33:04.72\00:33:09.33
Yeah, your car or one you
wish was your car. Alright,
00:33:10.07\00:33:14.80
we think in terms of images,
most people do images and
00:33:14.83\00:33:18.46
so your orders are given to
the right brain as an image,
00:33:18.49\00:33:21.52
a picture, if you have
an image of yourself as a
00:33:21.55\00:33:25.00
dummy. A failure in
life, never being able to mount
00:33:25.03\00:33:31.04
anything than that
image becomes a goal for your
00:33:31.07\00:33:36.00
right brain to accomplish
and that's exactly what you
00:33:36.03\00:33:40.10
are going to be. On the
other end, if you have an
00:33:40.13\00:33:42.76
image of yourself as
successful, powerful, a
00:33:42.79\00:33:46.19
Christian obeying Jesus
then that's what you are
00:33:46.22\00:33:48.94
gonna do. The student who
sees themselves as a failure is
00:33:48.97\00:33:52.80
going to give instructions
to fail their test that day.
00:33:52.83\00:33:56.09
Student who sees themselves
as successful and smart and
00:33:56.79\00:34:00.04
brilliant is given
instructions to their right
00:34:00.07\00:34:03.14
brain to do the things
that are going to make them
00:34:03.17\00:34:05.25
pass their test. Parents,
I hope that you are getting
00:34:05.28\00:34:12.62
the full implication of
what we are talking about this
00:34:12.65\00:34:15.48
morning? I've been in
homes and I've heard parents
00:34:15.51\00:34:20.61
talking to their kids.
I've heard things like he is a
00:34:20.64\00:34:25.32
little monster, he will
never amount to anything, he is
00:34:25.35\00:34:29.31
so dumb, he will never
accomplish anything in his
00:34:29.34\00:34:31.46
life and we
wonder why they grow up
00:34:31.49\00:34:34.01
not accomplishing anything.
Because everything you say
00:34:34.04\00:34:38.14
is giving an order to your
child's right brain to obey
00:34:38.17\00:34:42.89
and he is going to obey
it. On the other hand, children
00:34:42.92\00:34:46.71
that are brought up in
an environment where they
00:34:46.74\00:34:48.74
thought that God has
given him a brain and they're
00:34:48.77\00:34:51.50
bright and they are smart
and they are intelligent and
00:34:51.53\00:34:54.34
they are successful and
they can accomplish all things
00:34:54.37\00:34:57.25
through Christ who gives them
strength those children have
00:34:57.28\00:34:59.94
images of themselves as
goals to accomplish that are
00:34:59.97\00:35:03.54
going to be successful and
positive in life. Parents be
00:35:03.57\00:35:09.06
careful what you say to
your children because it
00:35:09.09\00:35:12.58
becomes a prophecy. Now
does all of this really work,
00:35:12.61\00:35:20.41
I'm going to prove it to
you right now all right. So I'm
00:35:20.44\00:35:24.96
gonna ask you to experiment
with me. I'd like for you to
00:35:24.99\00:35:28.79
put your feet on the ground,
flap your hands in your lap
00:35:28.82\00:35:31.28
and close your eyes, but
don't go to sleep. It won't
00:35:31.31\00:35:34.83
work if you're
sleeping, this is gonna be fun.
00:35:34.86\00:35:38.03
Alright, so close your
eyes, put your feet down, hands
00:35:38.06\00:35:40.69
on your lap and tune in
the television screen of your
00:35:40.72\00:35:43.86
mind so that you can
see a lemon. A bright yellow
00:35:43.89\00:35:48.83
lemon and I want you to
get it in crystal clear focus,
00:35:48.86\00:35:52.69
look at it. Look at that
wrinkled skin, look at the
00:35:53.42\00:35:56.94
little green stem on the
end, rotate that lemon in your
00:35:56.97\00:36:01.62
mind until you can read
the letters sun kissed written
00:36:01.65\00:36:06.90
across the yellow skin in
green letters then picture a
00:36:06.93\00:36:11.32
knife slicing through the
lemon, this lemon is so juicy
00:36:11.35\00:36:16.36
that the juice just
erupts around the blade of the
00:36:16.39\00:36:19.61
knife, squirting everywhere
and you pick up half of that
00:36:19.64\00:36:24.04
lemon and you squeeze
it over your outstretch
00:36:24.07\00:36:27.74
tongue. Squeeze it hard,
let it drip down, catch a
00:36:27.77\00:36:32.09
mouthful of that lemon
juice and whew! It is sour, you
00:36:32.12\00:36:38.49
have it, taste it,
swish it around, get another
00:36:38.52\00:36:43.42
mouthful. Oh! It is
sour, now open your eyes.
00:36:43.45\00:36:50.39
How many of you have noticed
that your mouth started to
00:36:52.27\00:36:54.58
water? Did your mouth
water, look at that, did you say
00:36:54.61\00:36:59.49
mouth water. Did you
tell your mouth to water, no
00:36:59.52\00:37:03.28
what did you do, you presented
the image and that image
00:37:03.31\00:37:06.67
becomes a goal and your
right brain automatically
00:37:06.70\00:37:10.87
embraces it and begins
to do the things that it
00:37:10.90\00:37:13.86
accomplished and that's
why your mouth begins to water.
00:37:13.89\00:37:16.66
This stuff works, the
brain is an incredibly powerful
00:37:18.20\00:37:24.20
instrument that God gave
us and we must use it in the
00:37:24.23\00:37:28.22
right way. You
cannot, you know people ask me
00:37:28.25\00:37:32.59
sometimes Pastor, I don't
know what's wrong with me I just
00:37:32.62\00:37:34.97
can't seem to get victorious
for Jesus, I can't seem to
00:37:35.00\00:37:38.35
get over certain sins, my life
just doesn't seem to get any
00:37:38.38\00:37:41.40
better and I always
ask number one, what do you
00:37:41.43\00:37:44.14
watch on television? What
kind of books do you read?
00:37:44.17\00:37:48.83
What kind of magazines
do you read? What kind of
00:37:48.86\00:37:52.55
images are you putting
into your mind? You cannot take
00:37:52.58\00:37:58.64
a picture of a pile of
garbage, develop it and expect
00:37:58.67\00:38:03.39
it to come out looking
like a rose. In the computer
00:38:03.42\00:38:08.20
industry they have a
formula called GIGO and it means
00:38:08.23\00:38:14.23
garbage in garbage
out. You cannot program a
00:38:14.26\00:38:19.49
bunch of errors into a
computer and expect it to
00:38:19.52\00:38:21.98
give you the right
answer. We cannot feed our mind
00:38:22.01\00:38:27.11
on the filth and the cesspools
of this world and expect to
00:38:27.55\00:38:32.17
swore in obedience to God.
Fix your mind on the things
00:38:32.20\00:38:38.44
of the spirit and you will
do the things of the spirit, you
00:38:38.47\00:38:42.44
cannot spend four or
five hours or more a day
00:38:42.47\00:38:46.15
watching the things that
are tearing and holding you
00:38:46.18\00:38:50.32
down and expect to be
obedient to God. Mental
00:38:50.35\00:38:59.10
discipline is the key
and mental discipline must be
00:38:59.13\00:39:03.31
total. In fact, Paul tells
us in chapter 4 Philippians,
00:39:03.34\00:39:07.17
verse 8, finally brothers
whatever is true, whatever is
00:39:07.20\00:39:10.41
whatever is noble, whatever
is right, whatever is pure,
00:39:10.44\00:39:14.10
whatever is lovely,
whatever is admirable, if
00:39:14.13\00:39:16.47
anything is excellent or
praise worthy think about
00:39:16.50\00:39:19.64
such things. God not
only tells us what we ought to
00:39:19.67\00:39:24.21
think he tells us how we
ought to think, he tells us
00:39:24.24\00:39:26.43
what we ought to think.
Fix your mind on the things
00:39:26.46\00:39:31.27
that are good. Fix your
mind on the things of the pure
00:39:31.30\00:39:33.66
and those are the things
you are gonna do. And our
00:39:34.02\00:39:37.47
mental discipline must be
total, we must die to sin,
00:39:37.50\00:39:40.66
the dead don't respond to
anything and that's the way
00:39:42.54\00:39:44.80
we need to be to sin.
You know sometimes people say
00:39:44.83\00:39:47.14
Pastor, I don't know what's
wrong with me, I keep getting
00:39:47.17\00:39:49.29
all these bad thoughts in
my mind what's wrong with me,
00:39:49.32\00:39:51.69
nothing. There is
nothing wrong with a bad thought
00:39:51.72\00:39:56.18
coming into your mind,
that's called temptation,
00:39:56.21\00:40:00.27
it becomes wrong when
you choose to keep it there
00:40:01.79\00:40:05.02
and that's the battle for
the mind. Recognizing when a
00:40:06.64\00:40:10.37
bad thought comes in and
instantly putting it out and
00:40:10.40\00:40:13.04
replacing it with a
good thought. Folks that's
00:40:13.07\00:40:16.95
the battle for the mind,
that's where it all takes
00:40:16.98\00:40:19.89
place and you have the
power, you have the control by
00:40:19.92\00:40:23.57
controlling what
thoughts you keep in your mind.
00:40:23.60\00:40:26.33
And the secret to mental
discipline is what I call the
00:40:29.20\00:40:33.64
secret of the banana
tree. Now you don't know about
00:40:33.67\00:40:38.77
banana trees up here because
it's too cold and you don't
00:40:38.80\00:40:42.44
have banana trees, but
I'm from the deep South and
00:40:42.47\00:40:45.71
before we moved up here,
we lived down in Texas in
00:40:45.74\00:40:48.20
the southern tip of Texas
and we had banana trees in
00:40:48.23\00:40:51.06
our backyard. That was
the first time I ever had any
00:40:51.09\00:40:53.51
banana trees, I didn't know,
I learned some things. Did you
00:40:53.54\00:40:57.07
know that a banana tree
only makes one bunch of bananas
00:40:57.10\00:41:00.28
and then dies did you
know that? Just one bunch and
00:41:00.31\00:41:03.80
than it's dead. And so
they keep sending up little
00:41:03.83\00:41:06.71
shoots, new banana trees
and they send up a lot more
00:41:06.74\00:41:11.26
new banana trees than the
banana trees that are there.
00:41:11.29\00:41:14.09
So you have to weed
out your banana trees, chop
00:41:15.02\00:41:19.80
them down, get them out of
there, otherwise there will
00:41:19.83\00:41:21.87
be so many they will all
die. So I got a machete, like
00:41:21.90\00:41:27.65
a good banana plantation
owner and I went over with
00:41:27.68\00:41:31.57
my two little boys and
we chopped down that first
00:41:31.60\00:41:34.31
banana tree and so the three
others myself and two little
00:41:34.34\00:41:38.65
boys started dragging that
big banana tree to the back
00:41:38.68\00:41:41.39
of the lot, there was a
big ditch and we were going to
00:41:41.42\00:41:43.26
throw them in there. Have
you ever tried dragging the
00:41:43.29\00:41:46.16
banana tree all the way to
the back of your lot, they are
00:41:46.19\00:41:49.35
heavy, they're almost
all water. They are heavy, so
00:41:49.38\00:41:52.29
pulling this thing
and they thought they were
00:41:52.90\00:41:54.63
contributing a little bit
too. You know, pulling this big
00:41:54.66\00:41:57.75
banana tree to the back
and then, oh! I've to go chop
00:41:57.78\00:42:00.37
down another one by now
I'm tried, I drag it to the
00:42:00.40\00:42:03.45
back, I don't really wanna
do another banana tree, but
00:42:03.48\00:42:05.93
there are a lot more that
have to chop down and we are
00:42:05.96\00:42:08.52
dragging these trees to
the back and I'm getting
00:42:08.55\00:42:10.53
so tired. Finally, I looked
in there and I thought. Aha!
00:42:10.56\00:42:14.88
I got it, the secret of
the banana tree, there was a
00:42:16.97\00:42:20.99
little shoot growing up out
of the ground about that big.
00:42:21.02\00:42:24.72
I took my machete and
went, shook and I pick that
00:42:25.49\00:42:29.83
banana tree up and put it
in my pocket and chopped off
00:42:29.86\00:42:34.66
another one, shook, put it
in my pocket and chopped off
00:42:34.69\00:42:38.93
another one and put it
in my pocket and then when
00:42:38.96\00:42:43.10
my pocket got full I just
walked to the back of the lot
00:42:43.13\00:42:46.70
and dumped out a whole
bunch of banana trees in
00:42:46.73\00:42:49.92
that ditch. You see if
you wait until those thoughts
00:42:49.95\00:42:55.21
take route in your mind
and grow tall, it's almost
00:42:55.24\00:43:00.17
impossible to get them
out. It takes a lot of work, you
00:43:00.20\00:43:03.59
can do it, but it takes a
lot of work, but if you learn to
00:43:03.62\00:43:07.90
come off the instant they
sprout up, it's a lot easier
00:43:07.93\00:43:12.75
and you can be successful.
Mental discipline must be
00:43:14.12\00:43:19.75
total. A man is coming
to Revelation Now meetings
00:43:19.78\00:43:24.79
and made a decision
since his body is a temple of
00:43:24.82\00:43:27.20
Holy Spirit, he is going
to stop smoking cigarettes.
00:43:27.23\00:43:29.60
He was a farmer in Oklahoma
and that next day he was
00:43:31.07\00:43:36.59
driving around his tractor
plowing up the field and he
00:43:36.62\00:43:38.85
said this is it, I think
I'm going to stop right now.
00:43:38.88\00:43:40.92
So he took his cigarettes
out of his pocket, threw
00:43:40.95\00:43:43.38
threw them over his shoulder
and then he turned around
00:43:43.41\00:43:46.11
to see where they hit. So he
starts around the field again
00:43:46.14\00:43:50.51
and he starts thinking
just one more, man if I could
00:43:50.54\00:43:54.95
just have one more cigarette,
oh! It would taste so good
00:43:54.98\00:43:56.90
right now. I don't know
how long I'll able to go,
00:43:56.93\00:43:58.78
if you think you'll be able
to make it, man it's going to
00:43:58.81\00:44:00.17
be tough by the time he
gets back to that spot where
00:44:00.20\00:44:02.50
he threw them down, he stopped
got off his tractor, picked
00:44:02.53\00:44:06.59
up his cigarettes
and smoked another one.
00:44:06.62\00:44:08.81
Now he really got disgusted
with himself, I've gone
00:44:08.84\00:44:11.43
longer than this without
smoking not even trying to
00:44:11.46\00:44:13.49
quit before, so what's
wrong with me. He throws
00:44:13.52\00:44:16.56
them down, he stumps
them in the ground, he plows
00:44:16.59\00:44:18.63
around that field
round, round and round and then
00:44:18.66\00:44:20.97
he goes into the house, the
sunsets, he sits there at the
00:44:21.00\00:44:23.28
table for his big farm
supper and after eating his hand
00:44:23.31\00:44:27.35
goes in his pocket, no
cigarettes there, he threw
00:44:27.38\00:44:30.36
them out in the dirt, so he
got up and he starts looking
00:44:30.39\00:44:33.46
around in all the drawers
of the house. His wife beating
00:44:33.49\00:44:36.63
to the punch and they
were all gone. So he starts
00:44:36.66\00:44:39.84
looking for the ashtrays,
just one butt that's all, can't
00:44:39.87\00:44:43.57
even find a butt, she
washed them all. But he did
00:44:43.60\00:44:47.23
find the flash light. So
he took that flash light went
00:44:47.26\00:44:51.71
back out into the field
digging around in the dirt
00:44:51.74\00:44:55.33
until he found those
cigarettes, sat out there in
00:44:55.36\00:44:58.64
the dirt clods, smoked three
cigarettes in a row. He was
00:44:58.67\00:45:01.88
really disguised with himself
now and says that's it, I'm
00:45:01.91\00:45:04.41
gonna stop smoking
and I'm never gonna think
00:45:04.44\00:45:06.26
about another cigarette again.
As far as I know that's the
00:45:06.29\00:45:09.50
last cigarette that he
ever smoked. Mental discipline,
00:45:09.53\00:45:13.22
the power of the mind,
but we must die to sin and
00:45:13.80\00:45:16.60
don't let those
thoughts come into your mind
00:45:16.63\00:45:18.83
anymore, when they do
come put them out. It's like
00:45:18.86\00:45:21.91
the ancient proverb,
Chinese proverb, it says
00:45:21.94\00:45:24.39
that you can't stop the birds
from flying over your head,
00:45:24.67\00:45:27.98
you can't even stop them
from landing on the top of
00:45:29.24\00:45:31.68
your head, but you can
prevent them from making
00:45:31.71\00:45:34.66
a nest in your hair, the bad
thoughts are out there folks,
00:45:34.69\00:45:38.88
we live in a world of sin,
they are gonna come in, but
00:45:38.91\00:45:41.27
as soon as they come in put
them out, mental discipline,
00:45:41.30\00:45:44.30
fix your mind on the things
of the spirit and you will do
00:45:44.33\00:45:47.62
the things of the
spirit. That's the secret to
00:45:47.65\00:45:51.27
victorious Christian living,
you do your part and then
00:45:51.30\00:45:56.23
God does his. What's God
part, verse 9, you however
00:45:56.56\00:46:00.63
are not controlled by
your sinful nature, you are
00:46:00.66\00:46:03.27
controlled by your spirit.
Verse 11, and if the spirit of
00:46:03.30\00:46:08.11
him who raised Jesus
from the dead is living in you
00:46:08.14\00:46:12.14
then he who raised Christ
from the dead will also give
00:46:12.17\00:46:15.37
life to your mortal bodies
through his spirit who lives,
00:46:15.40\00:46:18.09
the same power that
raised Jesus from the dead will
00:46:18.12\00:46:21.15
give life to you and to
your body. Therefore if by the
00:46:21.18\00:46:24.71
spirit you put to death
the misdeeds of the body you
00:46:24.74\00:46:28.42
will live the Bible says,
you do your part and God does
00:46:28.45\00:46:33.43
his part, God will never
force you, he'll never force
00:46:33.46\00:46:36.89
you to stop smoking,
he'll never force you to stop
00:46:36.92\00:46:39.64
eating too much, he'll
never force you to stop sharing
00:46:39.67\00:46:42.71
that little juicy bit of
gossip, but if you do your
00:46:42.74\00:46:45.99
part mental discipline
signaling to God that you
00:46:46.02\00:46:49.31
want to change, signaling
to God that you freely submit
00:46:49.34\00:46:52.70
yourself to him by mental
discipline, he will change you
00:46:52.73\00:46:56.51
and you will be
victorious. "Amen."
00:46:56.54\00:46:59.23
You decide, I want to
stop smoking and you go around
00:47:00.62\00:47:05.04
all day thinking about how
long can you go till you get
00:47:05.07\00:47:07.45
your next cigarette
then you're signaling to God
00:47:07.48\00:47:10.60
you don't really want to
stop, he's not gonna force
00:47:10.63\00:47:13.52
you, you decide I'm gonna
stop this terrible habit of
00:47:13.55\00:47:18.16
gossip, but as soon as
you hear something you start
00:47:18.19\00:47:20.65
making a list of everybody
that you think ought to
00:47:20.68\00:47:22.63
know, then you're signaling
to God that you don't really
00:47:22.66\00:47:26.80
want to change, if
you decide I'm gonna stop
00:47:26.83\00:47:29.69
overeating, but all the
way home from church you start
00:47:29.72\00:47:33.25
thinking oh! If I could
just have a Baskin-Robbins
00:47:33.28\00:47:35.96
ice cream cone, then
you're gonna stop and get one
00:47:35.99\00:47:40.37
because you're signaling to
God I just don't want to quit,
00:47:40.99\00:47:44.10
but once we learn to fight
the battle where it is in the
00:47:45.35\00:47:48.49
mind then the behavior
is gonna change, you can be
00:47:48.52\00:47:54.75
successful in fact one of
my favorite verses in the Bible
00:47:54.78\00:47:59.79
that sums up the whole
sermon is found right here
00:48:00.43\00:48:05.54
in Second Corinthians
Chapter 3 verse 18, "and we
00:48:05.57\00:48:10.77
who with unveiled faces
all behold the Lord's glory are
00:48:12.56\00:48:18.85
being transformed into his
likeness with ever increasing
00:48:18.88\00:48:23.20
glory which comes from
the Lord, who is the Spirit.
00:48:23.23\00:48:28.71
By beholding Jesus, we become
transformed into his image,
00:48:30.02\00:48:36.34
into his likeness, the
more you fix your mind on
00:48:37.77\00:48:42.57
Christ, the more like
him you become transformed,
00:48:42.60\00:48:46.98
so the secret to success
in life is to follow the lamb.
00:48:47.72\00:48:55.28
And now you know how to do
it. Fix your mind on the lamb,
00:48:56.61\00:49:02.82
turn your eyes upon Jesus,
look full in his wonderful
00:49:04.47\00:49:10.33
face and the things of
earth will grow strangely dim
00:49:10.36\00:49:16.98
in the light of his glory
and grace, follow the lamb.
00:49:17.85\00:49:24.34
Pray with me, Oh! Lord
God, we have learned the
00:49:26.02\00:49:36.41
secret in your word, mental
discipline, fix the mind on
00:49:36.44\00:49:43.91
the things of the Spirit
and that's what we'll do, we've
00:49:43.94\00:49:49.67
learned Lord that
that's what it means to follow
00:49:49.70\00:49:51.37
the lamb, help us by
your grace to follow him,
00:49:51.40\00:49:58.60
become transformed
into his image by beholding
00:49:59.24\00:50:02.57
him, we ask in
Jesus name. Amen! Wanna do
00:50:02.60\00:50:08.19
something a little bit
different this morning,
00:50:08.22\00:50:10.19
we've talked about the
mind and how we can discipline
00:50:10.86\00:50:15.93
our thoughts so that we
can learn to screen out the bad
00:50:15.96\00:50:19.62
thoughts and allow those
good thoughts to take root
00:50:19.65\00:50:22.80
and to grow and that
the way we think is gonna
00:50:22.83\00:50:25.89
effect the way we live
and change our behavior.
00:50:25.92\00:50:29.29
and so I want to
challenge you, you know,
00:50:29.77\00:50:31.65
it's one thing to come
to the Revelation Now or to
00:50:31.68\00:50:34.89
watch Revelation Now on
the air, those of you sitting
00:50:34.92\00:50:37.74
at home, it's one thing to
watch it, to hear it, and then
00:50:37.77\00:50:40.82
walk away and say Oh!
Yeah, that was nice, but it's
00:50:40.85\00:50:43.66
another thing to bring
it into your heart, bring it
00:50:43.69\00:50:45.94
into your life, so that
it makes a difference in
00:50:45.97\00:50:47.58
your life and that's what
we want to do. This one that
00:50:47.61\00:50:50.95
you heard this morning was
so important, it's the most
00:50:50.98\00:50:55.05
important one I believe
of the whole series next to
00:50:55.08\00:50:58.05
in fact the impact it had on
my life is more important than
00:50:58.08\00:51:01.22
anything I have ever
done except to accept
00:51:01.25\00:51:03.19
Jesus Christ as my savior,
so I want to challenge you
00:51:03.22\00:51:06.31
to do is what I call the
power formula. We are half way
00:51:06.34\00:51:09.64
through Revelation Now
and I want to challenge you
00:51:09.67\00:51:13.40
for the last two weeks, for
the last half of the series to
00:51:13.43\00:51:16.34
do the power formula
and here is what the power
00:51:16.37\00:51:19.04
formula consists of. There
are two parts, the first part is
00:51:19.07\00:51:23.42
for you to commit yourself
over the next two weeks,
00:51:23.45\00:51:26.51
let's give it a trail here
over the next two weeks you
00:51:26.57\00:51:29.36
commit yourself to spending
15, 20, 30 minutes a day
00:51:29.39\00:51:34.73
in the word of God first
thing before you wake up in the
00:51:35.00\00:51:38.53
morning, if you can do that,
that's better yet, first thing
00:51:38.56\00:51:43.63
after you wake up in the
morning, alright, before you
00:51:43.66\00:51:46.43
do anything else. So what
I like for you to do is to
00:51:46.46\00:51:49.18
commit yourself to spend
a little time everyday with
00:51:49.21\00:51:53.07
Jesus, that's the first
part and then the second part
00:51:53.10\00:51:58.52
of the power formula is
to commit yourself throughout
00:51:58.55\00:52:01.83
the rest of the day to
practice mental discipline,
00:52:01.86\00:52:05.10
remember those little
banana trees its so much
00:52:05.80\00:52:08.37
easier to whack off
the banana tree when it's
00:52:08.40\00:52:10.38
big then to wait until it
gets full grown. So the moment
00:52:10.41\00:52:13.01
you find the wrong
kind of thought coming into
00:52:13.04\00:52:16.25
your mind, what I want
you to do is learn how to
00:52:16.28\00:52:18.81
recognize those
thoughts and you learn how to do
00:52:18.84\00:52:20.95
that by spending time
with Jesus everyday and then
00:52:20.98\00:52:23.96
when a bad thought comes
in immediately you put it
00:52:23.99\00:52:26.08
out, alright. Now, let me
talk a little bit about your
00:52:26.11\00:52:28.64
time with Jesus, now
we've been spending time looking
00:52:28.67\00:52:31.65
at Revelation and we
are into the Antichrist and
00:52:31.68\00:52:34.04
the mark of the beast and
all of those things, but folks
00:52:34.07\00:52:36.53
if you are not spending
time with the lamb everyday
00:52:36.72\00:52:40.39
it won't do you a bit
of good to know all about
00:52:40.42\00:52:42.31
Revelation. And so spend
time with the Lord, and let me
00:52:42.34\00:52:46.61
suggest the way to do it. I
don't suggest that you start
00:52:46.64\00:52:49.94
in Genesis and start reading
through, because if you do
00:52:49.97\00:52:53.48
you gonna get to Chronicles
with all the begets and the
00:52:54.17\00:52:57.83
begots and you know I
guess kind of bogged down
00:52:57.86\00:53:01.00
a little bit until you
really learn how to understand
00:53:01.03\00:53:03.49
that part of the Bible.
What we are really looking
00:53:03.64\00:53:06.32
for is how to find Jesus
in the scripture, so I want to
00:53:06.35\00:53:09.40
suggest that you start in
the Gospels, pick one that you
00:53:09.43\00:53:14.61
like Matthew, Mark, Luke,
John, I like Luke, Luke had
00:53:14.64\00:53:19.64
a neat way of writing, I
like Matthew because Matthew
00:53:20.17\00:53:22.90
is so steeped in the
Old Testament, pick one
00:53:22.93\00:53:25.56
that you really like and
then read it through. Now when
00:53:25.59\00:53:29.62
you read the Gospels,
you're gonna read stories
00:53:29.65\00:53:31.79
about Jesus, so pick a
story and read it and then ask
00:53:32.08\00:53:38.37
yourself and this is important
you may want to jot it down
00:53:38.40\00:53:42.26
as a little reminder on your
note book, desktop, computer,
00:53:42.29\00:53:46.16
on your notepad or whatever
you do everyday, read a story
00:53:46.74\00:53:50.60
and ask yourself this
question. What did that
00:53:50.63\00:53:54.94
story teach me about what
God is like, you see that's
00:53:54.97\00:53:59.78
what you want to know when
you study the Bible isn't it.
00:53:59.81\00:54:01.66
What is God like, what
did that story teach me about
00:54:02.42\00:54:05.18
who Jesus is and what
he's like, ask yourself that
00:54:05.84\00:54:09.92
question, think about it
and then pray. Now when you
00:54:09.95\00:54:16.44
pray, I want you to practice
and try something that may
00:54:16.47\00:54:21.64
be a little different
from what you are accustomed
00:54:21.67\00:54:25.44
to doing in your prayer
life, but I promise you its
00:54:25.47\00:54:30.74
powerful and effective,
try this, may be one morning
00:54:30.77\00:54:38.30
you read the story
about the time when Jesus
00:54:38.33\00:54:42.69
healed a leper, think it
through, what did it teach
00:54:42.72\00:54:50.83
me about God and then
pray like this. Pray, Lord,
00:54:50.86\00:54:56.44
I read about the leper this
morning you know that already,
00:54:59.07\00:55:04.66
Lord I know you do, but
you know this time it was
00:55:04.69\00:55:08.74
different for me, this time
I realize that I'm the leper,
00:55:08.77\00:55:16.83
I'm the one that's
unclean and I'm the one that's
00:55:19.85\00:55:26.78
walking over the hillside
coming down on the other side,
00:55:27.10\00:55:30.60
seeing the multitude out
there, trying to get close
00:55:31.90\00:55:37.70
to you. Lord, I want to
get close to you, but I can't,
00:55:37.73\00:55:42.53
they won't let me,
because I'm unclean. But Lord,
00:55:43.30\00:55:47.69
I'm coming anyway, I'm
coming, I'm not gonna let
00:55:47.72\00:55:51.76
anything stop you, stop
me, I'm coming to you Lord
00:55:51.79\00:55:55.73
I'm walking through the
crowd, they pull away in
00:55:55.76\00:55:58.10
horror, but I'm
coming, here I am Lord,
00:55:58.13\00:56:01.86
I'm kneeling at your
feet, the crowd's pulling away,
00:56:03.36\00:56:07.33
but I know that if you
just touch me I'll be healed,
00:56:08.75\00:56:12.86
I know, Lord I can
feel your hand, I can feel
00:56:14.22\00:56:18.99
your hand on my head
right now, you're the one
00:56:19.02\00:56:22.23
who reached down and
touched the untouchable
00:56:23.46\00:56:25.21
when everybody else pulls
away. I can feel the power
00:56:25.24\00:56:29.30
surging into my body, I
know that you've made me holy.
00:56:31.06\00:56:35.85
Lord, I know you've empowered
me to make it through this
00:56:36.78\00:56:39.70
day, I'm gonna walk
with you step by step.
00:56:39.73\00:56:43.91
Oh! Lord, I just want
to love you more and more,
00:56:44.52\00:56:47.26
thank you and praise
you. Amen. You see pray like
00:56:48.08\00:56:54.64
that everyday, it will
change your life. And then
00:56:54.67\00:56:59.19
discipline your mind,
would you do that? Just
00:57:00.14\00:57:02.76
make a note to
yourself right now, those of you
00:57:02.79\00:57:04.86
who are watching at
home and those of you here in
00:57:04.89\00:57:06.45
the congregation, just
make a note to yourself
00:57:06.48\00:57:09.42
power formula
everyday for two weeks and you
00:57:09.78\00:57:12.87
watch what God does.
Thank you, God loves you,
00:57:12.90\00:57:15.80
God bless you
and follow the lamb.
00:57:16.22\00:57:18.82
"Amen!."
00:57:19.45\00:57:20.42