If you have your
Bibles with you this morning
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which I believe many of you do.
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Turn with me to
the Book of Acts.
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And we are going
to read verse 6 and 7.
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Title of the message
is "Breaking the Chains",
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"Breaking the Chains".
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Now it is on the screen
if you would like to join me
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in reading the scripture,
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I would like to
welcome you to do so.
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The Bible says,
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"And when the Herod
was about to bring him out,
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that night Peter was sleeping,
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bound with two
chains between two soldiers,
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and the guards before the
door were keeping the prison.
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Now behold, an angel
of the Lord stood by him,
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and a light shone in the prison,
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and he struck Peter on the side
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and raised him up, saying..."
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Together, ''Arise quickly!'
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And his chains
fell off his hands."
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Bow with me.
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Loving Father,
speak to us today...
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and guide us and teach us
how the chains in our lives
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can be broken in
Jesus' name, amen.
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Amen.
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When God got a
hold of Peter's life,
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Peter was enlisted
in the war against sin.
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When Peter was converted by God,
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when Jesus found a
place in Peter's life,
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he joined Christ
in freeing sinners.
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But as you look
at the life of Peter
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and his life is one of
the most chronicled one
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in the early church.
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We look at John the Revelator,
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but Peter was the one
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that the Lord took
particular attention,
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mitch to outline his life,
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to help us see
ourselves in Peter's life.
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Look at Luke 22:31 and 32.
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And what's true about
Peter is true about many of us.
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And the reason I didn't
say true about all of us
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is because until
you enlist your life
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in the service of God,
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the devil doesn't
really care about what you do.
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Until you are enlisted heart,
mind, soul, and prayer life
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into the work of God,
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the devil doesn't
care what else you do
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because you are no
threat to his kingdom.
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But the devil had
been stalking Peter
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ever since Peter accepted Jesus.
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Notice the words of Christ.
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Matthew 22:31,
"And the Lord said..."
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This is a chilling
scripture in the Bible.
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"And the Lord
said, 'Simon Simon!
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Indeed, Satan
has asked for you..."
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I don't know if that
gets you how it gets me.
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Did he emailed him, did
he send him a text message
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that they may meet on the corner
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and somewhere and say,
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"Hey, Jesus, I need
Peter, I need Peter,
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I need Louis, I need Will,
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I need Gary, I need Mitch,
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I need JD, I need Jeff.
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Give me Bruce and see
what I could do to Bruce.
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I need Mike Babb, I
need him, give him to me.
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That's a chilling
thought when the Bible says,
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Simon, the devil, my enemy,
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the one who I had a
fight within heaven,
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he came to me and
he asked me for you.
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I want to tell you something
that I, when I read this text,
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I rejoice in that that was
not the only part of the verse.
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Amen somebody?
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He said he's asking for you,
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"That he may sift you as wheat."
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I don't know if
you've ever been sifted.
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Oh, I've been sifted.
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I've been sifted.
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And I have not been sifted once,
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I'm starting to
feel like a bag of flour,
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I get sifted more times
than I need to be sifted,
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help me out somebody.
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But the devil...
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the Lord will only allow us
to be sifted, hear me today.
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The Lord will only
allow us to be sifted,
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if there are things in our lives
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that are still
needing to be removed.
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When I was a young boy,
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my mother would
give me the flour,
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when she would
make homemade bread.
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And because she did
it with wheat flour,
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the weevils were
always in the wheat flour.
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The weevils never
liked bleached flour,
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'cause there was nothing in it.
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You see if there
is wheat in your life,
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if you are made of wheat,
come on somebody say amen.
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There is some tares
and there is some wheat,
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I want to suggest you today,
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we are wheat that's
why the devil comes in
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and brings his spiritual
weevils into our lives.
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And the Lord says,
I got some good wheat,
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but there is some
weevils in their lives,
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they got the weevils
that keep them from praying.
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Weevils that keep
them from prayer meeting.
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Weevils that gives
them enough to do at 3ABN,
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they are so busy in production.
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They can't pause to pray
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with the other brothers
and sisters of the church.
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I'm preaching today.
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The weevils of half heartedness,
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the weevils of "I",
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I am too tired, I am overworked.
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Oh, brothers and
sisters, let me tell you,
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if you are overworked
that's all the more reason
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why you need to
get together and pray
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'cause you need
strengths that does not come
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from your own outline of
comfortable Christianity,
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you need prayer.
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When you are overworked,
you need to spend time
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at the fountain
that never stops flowing,
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the feet of Jesus.
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I like verse 32,
the Lord said to Peter,
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you are about to
be in serious trouble.
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"But I have prayed for you."
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I'm so glad that I could
feel the prayer of Jesus.
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Come on somebody talk to me.
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I am so glad that
Jesus prays for us.
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What a prayer life?
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Do you know how many people
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Jesus has to pray
for on a weekly basis?
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He said, "I prayed that
your faith should not fail,
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and when you are converted
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or when you have returned to Me,
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strengthen the brethren."
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I got to break this down today.
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You see some of us will
never be any strength to anybody
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because we ain't converted.
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King James used
the word converted,
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New King James returned.
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You've got to get back
to where you were with God
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before you can be any
strength to anybody else.
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Until you get back,
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until you return
to your first love,
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you could never be a
source of strength for anybody.
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And then the Lord
allowed Peter to be poured
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into the sifting bowl
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of personal aggrandizement.
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Peter thought it
was all about him,
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until God had him sifted.
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And then Jesus put before
Peter a picture of the cross.
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And Peter thinking
that he knew it all,
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said in John 13:37,
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"Peter said to
the Lord, to Jesus,
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'Lord, why can't
I follow you now?
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I will lay down my
life for Your sake."
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Now I would tell
you, if somebody said
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they were willing to
give their life for me, Gary,
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I think that would be a
good person to have around.
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What do you say?
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That's what you want
from your secret service.
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Folk that would
take the bullet for you.
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Lord, you don't have
to go to the crucifixion,
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I'll die for you.
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I'll lay down my
life for Your sake.
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You can count on me
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and the Lord looked at
Peter and said, clueless.
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You don't have a
clue what that means.
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He said, you can't follow me.
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You see one of the reasons
why Peter was not yet qualified
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to Father Lord.
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Peter was
willing, are you listening?
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Are you ready?
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Peter was
willing to die for Jesus
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but Peter was not
willing to live for Jesus.
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Lord said, I don't
need you to die for me,
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I've already done that,
I want you to live for me.
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I want you to live for me.
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People are getting
ready for Jesus Christ.
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Now, I've discovered the
people that want Jesus to come
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the quickest are people
that are tired of waiting,
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they ain't doing nothing.
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Hurry up and get here
Lord, I'm tired of waiting.
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If you are so
busy working for Jesus,
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you don't have time to worry
about when He's getting here,
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but Peter was
unwilling to live for Jesus.
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And the fact is,
the Lord knew that
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Peter did not have
an active prayer life.
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You see, I'm talking
about prayer this morning.
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The Lord knew that Peter
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did not have an
active prayer life.
00:10:10.97\00:10:13.17
You may remember,
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when Jesus invited
Peter, James and John
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to prayer
meeting in the mountains.
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Come on, Matthew 26:40 and 41.
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The Bible says, "Then
He came to the disciples
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and found them..." what?
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Sleeping.
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And he didn't say to John,
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He didn't say to
James, He said to who?
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Peter.
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"What!"
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I like that. That's
what, it's not what?
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It's "What!"
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Exclamation.
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"Peter, could you
not watch with Me?"
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How long was the prayer meeting?
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Come on.
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Oh, Lord, have mercy.
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I don't feel bad if
they could do that to Jesus.
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I've been worrying about
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people not coming
to prayer meetings,
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they did that to Jesus.
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So the problem ain't me
and the problem ain't Jesus,
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the problem is you.
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I'm gonna preach
this sermon today.
00:11:08.80\00:11:12.93
Then He said to Peter,
"Watch and pray, watch and..."
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Do what?
00:11:15.80\00:11:17.14
Pray, lest you Peter
enter into temptation."
00:11:17.17\00:11:21.84
This is Peter right here.
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"Your spirit is
indeed willing Peter,
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but your flesh is
in serious trouble.
00:11:26.25\00:11:29.48
It's weak."
00:11:29.52\00:11:31.85
You see one of my favorite
writers outside of Ellen White
00:11:31.89\00:11:34.39
is a man by the
name of Oswald Chambers.
00:11:34.42\00:11:38.56
Oswald Chambers is
deep. Is he not Karen?
00:11:38.59\00:11:41.90
That man had a
connection with God,
00:11:41.93\00:11:44.07
that man had a connection
with spiritual inside.
00:11:44.10\00:11:46.84
You see Oswald
Chambers described Peter
00:11:46.87\00:11:50.57
as a man with natural devotion.
00:11:50.61\00:11:53.48
What kind of devotion did I say?
00:11:53.51\00:11:55.51
Natural devotion.
00:11:55.54\00:11:56.98
He had a natural devotion.
00:11:57.01\00:11:59.15
It wasn't yet spiritual.
00:11:59.18\00:12:01.08
He was a disciple. He
was a follower of Jesus.
00:12:01.12\00:12:04.95
He was among one
of the chosen 12,
00:12:04.99\00:12:08.19
but he had natural devotion.
00:12:08.22\00:12:10.66
He was an Adventist by osmosis.
00:12:10.69\00:12:14.10
He was a Sabbath keeper.
00:12:14.13\00:12:16.23
He knew about the
second coming of Jesus.
00:12:16.26\00:12:18.67
He had his doctrines straight
from the master himself.
00:12:18.70\00:12:22.07
He spent time with Jesus.
00:12:22.10\00:12:24.34
Jesus saved him
on many occasions
00:12:24.37\00:12:27.71
but one very personal,
Jesus kept Peter from drowning.
00:12:27.74\00:12:33.85
Peter had a connection with God,
00:12:33.88\00:12:35.28
he had natural devotion.
00:12:35.32\00:12:37.32
Let me say something to you.
00:12:37.35\00:12:38.69
Very few things
are more self defeating
00:12:41.46\00:12:43.59
the natural devotion.
00:12:43.63\00:12:45.29
Natural devotion is often
sustained by natural excuses.
00:12:45.33\00:12:51.03
Natural devotion.
00:12:51.07\00:12:53.10
Natural devotion says,
00:12:53.13\00:12:54.67
I know what the Lord wants
me to do but I have other plans.
00:12:54.70\00:12:59.11
Oswald Chambers
puts it this way.
00:12:59.14\00:13:02.04
Natural devotion,
this is January 4th
00:13:02.08\00:13:05.18
of its My
Utmost for His Highest.
00:13:05.21\00:13:06.61
He says, natural
devotion may be very well
00:13:06.65\00:13:10.19
to attract us to Jesus,
00:13:10.22\00:13:12.19
to make us feel his fascination,
00:13:12.22\00:13:14.82
but listen to this, but it
will never make us disciples.
00:13:14.86\00:13:18.56
Natural devotion
will always deny Jesus
00:13:18.59\00:13:22.73
somewhere or the other.
00:13:22.76\00:13:26.23
Natural devotion will
lead us to deny Jesus.
00:13:26.27\00:13:28.70
You see the problem with
00:13:28.74\00:13:30.07
and Oswald
Chambers brought this out.
00:13:30.11\00:13:31.44
The problem that Peter
faced was Peter did not know
00:13:31.47\00:13:36.21
where the test was
going to come from.
00:13:36.24\00:13:38.98
He thought the test would
come in going to the cross.
00:13:39.01\00:13:42.08
The Lord said, Peter that's not
where the test is coming from,
00:13:42.12\00:13:44.52
you're ready for that,
00:13:44.55\00:13:45.89
but the devil is going
to hit you with a left foot
00:13:45.92\00:13:47.36
that will bring you down.
00:13:47.39\00:13:48.72
Peter did not know the direction
00:13:51.53\00:13:53.13
the test was coming from,
00:13:53.16\00:13:54.50
so he had this natural devotion.
00:13:54.53\00:13:56.40
Natural devotion, can I spend
some time on natural devotion?
00:13:56.43\00:13:59.73
You see natural
devotion takes time
00:13:59.77\00:14:02.17
to look at everybody
else's weakness but our own.
00:14:02.20\00:14:05.94
Natural devotion says...
00:14:05.97\00:14:07.64
and it often
begins with the letter I.
00:14:11.61\00:14:14.18
You see when we die to "I"
00:14:14.22\00:14:18.19
then Jesus can
live inside of us.
00:14:18.22\00:14:21.92
It is no longer "I" who
live but Christ who lives in me.
00:14:21.96\00:14:27.23
When natural
devotion is put in the dust,
00:14:27.26\00:14:30.07
we now are no longer
in charge of where we go.
00:14:30.10\00:14:33.57
Jesus said to Peter,
remember Peter and John
00:14:33.60\00:14:35.97
at the end of the Book of John.
00:14:36.00\00:14:38.31
John was there, Peter was there,
00:14:38.34\00:14:40.81
and the Lord said
to Peter, "Follow me."
00:14:40.84\00:14:43.75
And Peter said,
"What about him?"
00:14:43.78\00:14:45.15
That's natural devotion.
00:14:45.18\00:14:47.12
What about everybody else?
00:14:47.15\00:14:48.78
The Lord said, "It's
none of your business."
00:14:48.82\00:14:52.45
If I have John stand
here, remember that Louis,
00:14:52.49\00:14:55.59
it's none of your business.
00:14:55.62\00:14:56.96
If I tell him to
stand here till I come back,
00:14:56.99\00:14:59.86
you follow me.
00:14:59.89\00:15:01.70
Natural devotion understands
our personal responsibility
00:15:01.73\00:15:05.83
to follow Jesus personally.
00:15:05.87\00:15:10.51
And he said to Peter, you know,
00:15:10.54\00:15:12.17
Peter, the problem
is you're old man now
00:15:12.21\00:15:14.94
but when you were
young, when you were young...
00:15:14.98\00:15:19.81
I'm gonna just
read it right here,
00:15:19.85\00:15:21.75
and I'm going
to read John 21:18.
00:15:21.78\00:15:25.52
He said, "Most
assuredly, I say to you,
00:15:25.55\00:15:27.36
when you were
younger, you girded yourself,
00:15:27.39\00:15:30.93
walked where you
wished, but when you are older,
00:15:30.96\00:15:34.93
you will stretch out your hands,
00:15:34.96\00:15:37.80
and another will
gird you and carry you
00:15:37.83\00:15:41.74
where you do not wish."
00:15:41.77\00:15:44.94
And so a lot of us
are naturally devoted.
00:15:44.97\00:15:47.04
That's why when certain
suggestions come up for prayer
00:15:47.08\00:15:49.91
and study in time in the
Bible, we are naturally devoted.
00:15:49.94\00:15:53.72
We don't want to go
because we go where we wish,
00:15:53.75\00:15:58.42
when we wish, how we
wish on our own schedule.
00:15:58.45\00:16:02.86
But when self is put to death,
00:16:02.89\00:16:05.26
we become a part
of God's schedule.
00:16:05.29\00:16:10.80
And we say, are
they going to pray?
00:16:10.83\00:16:12.63
I want to be there.
00:16:12.67\00:16:14.00
Are they going to
study? I need to be there.
00:16:14.04\00:16:16.17
If you only get 10
seconds, 10 minutes,
00:16:16.20\00:16:19.41
30 seconds, 30 minutes
studying as a church together,
00:16:19.44\00:16:23.14
do you not know that
the strength of the church
00:16:23.18\00:16:25.55
on the day of
Pentecost was they got together,
00:16:25.58\00:16:28.62
they were in one
accord in one place.
00:16:28.65\00:16:31.55
They prayed together,
00:16:31.59\00:16:33.05
they put aside
their differences.
00:16:33.09\00:16:34.92
How can you put
aside your differences
00:16:34.96\00:16:37.19
when you are
maintaining your differences
00:16:37.23\00:16:39.26
by natural devotion?
00:16:39.29\00:16:41.23
But somewhere along the
way, God got a hold of Peter.
00:16:46.97\00:16:50.84
You see, natural devotion
made Peter follow Jesus,
00:16:50.87\00:16:55.38
but Mark 14:54, you
don't have to turn there,
00:16:55.41\00:16:57.78
you can go there quickly.
00:16:57.81\00:16:59.15
But Mark 14:54,
00:16:59.18\00:17:00.92
his natural
devotion the Bible says,
00:17:00.95\00:17:03.08
"But Peter followed
Jesus at a distance."
00:17:03.12\00:17:07.99
At a what? At a what?
00:17:08.02\00:17:10.73
Come on say, distance.
00:17:10.76\00:17:12.46
He followed Jesus but
he was never close enough
00:17:12.49\00:17:15.10
for Jesus to make
an impact in his life.
00:17:15.13\00:17:17.47
He followed Him at a distance.
00:17:17.50\00:17:18.97
He watched Jesus as he
entered the judgment hall.
00:17:19.00\00:17:21.67
Matthew Mark and
Luke all cite the fact
00:17:21.70\00:17:24.07
that Peter followed
Jesus at a distance.
00:17:24.11\00:17:27.21
And some of us
are followers of Jesus
00:17:27.24\00:17:29.21
but we follow Him at a distance.
00:17:29.24\00:17:32.68
We haven't gotten close enough
00:17:32.71\00:17:34.55
for the
beautiful flames of Christ
00:17:34.58\00:17:37.02
to consume our natural devotion.
00:17:37.05\00:17:40.22
And then Peter
eventually denied the Lord,
00:17:43.26\00:17:46.03
and he heard those
words ringing in his ear.
00:17:46.06\00:17:50.50
The rooster will not crow until
you have denied Me three times.
00:17:50.53\00:17:57.34
He denied Him
even with profanity.
00:17:57.37\00:17:59.97
He denied any
connection with God.
00:18:00.01\00:18:02.58
How are you
willing to die for Me
00:18:02.61\00:18:04.68
when you can't even profess Me?
00:18:04.71\00:18:08.68
And we don't profess
God just by our lips,
00:18:08.72\00:18:10.89
we profess Him by our lives.
00:18:10.92\00:18:13.79
Does your life
profess the Jesus?
00:18:13.82\00:18:17.13
That's a question
God brought to me.
00:18:17.16\00:18:18.79
Does your life John profess me?
00:18:18.83\00:18:21.50
I know your sermons do,
but does your life profess me?
00:18:21.53\00:18:26.87
I know your songs do, but
does your life profess me?
00:18:26.90\00:18:33.51
You got to ask
yourself that question.
00:18:33.54\00:18:36.41
Does my life profess Jesus?
00:18:36.44\00:18:38.55
Or is my life
under my direction?
00:18:38.58\00:18:40.92
I want to tell you something,
00:18:40.95\00:18:42.28
God got a hold of Peter
and Peter was converted.
00:18:42.32\00:18:44.79
You see, when the
resurrection day came,
00:18:44.82\00:18:47.52
Peter and John ran to the tomb.
00:18:47.56\00:18:50.59
Amen.
00:18:50.63\00:18:51.96
You know why?
00:18:51.99\00:18:53.33
Because the Lord broke him,
00:18:53.36\00:18:54.70
when he realized
that his denial of Christ
00:18:54.73\00:18:56.87
resulted not only in
the crucifixion of Christ
00:18:56.90\00:18:59.83
but the broken relationship.
00:18:59.87\00:19:01.84
When the Lord Jesus died,
00:19:01.87\00:19:04.44
He died with a
broken relationship
00:19:04.47\00:19:07.24
between Him and Peter,
00:19:07.28\00:19:08.61
and nothing brought
more joy to his heart
00:19:08.64\00:19:11.21
than to get the news for Mary,
00:19:11.25\00:19:13.62
I want to tell
you that he's risen.
00:19:13.65\00:19:16.38
Come on, amen. He's risen.
00:19:16.42\00:19:18.09
And so when Peter
and John got that news,
00:19:18.12\00:19:20.39
Peter got to the tomb before
00:19:20.42\00:19:21.82
John broken and
said, "Where is He?"
00:19:21.86\00:19:23.43
Where is He?
00:19:23.46\00:19:24.79
I need to ask Him to forgive me.
00:19:24.83\00:19:28.10
And Mary said,
"He will meet you.
00:19:28.13\00:19:30.17
He will meet you
with the other disciples.
00:19:30.20\00:19:32.07
We'll find Him.
00:19:32.10\00:19:33.94
And he found forgiveness
in the presence of Jesus,
00:19:33.97\00:19:36.14
amen somebody?
00:19:36.17\00:19:37.67
The Lord forgave Peter.
00:19:37.71\00:19:39.21
And Peter this time, you see,
00:19:39.24\00:19:40.94
I am convinced that
those of us who are like me,
00:19:40.98\00:19:44.21
whose mouths are in fifth gear
00:19:44.25\00:19:46.58
and whose lives
are in first gear,
00:19:46.61\00:19:48.75
help me out somebody.
00:19:48.78\00:19:50.52
You didn't get that.
00:19:50.55\00:19:51.89
Meaning our mouths
are moving so fast,
00:19:51.92\00:19:53.39
our lives can't
catch up with it.
00:19:53.42\00:19:55.89
We know what
everybody else ought to do
00:19:55.92\00:19:57.26
but we don't know
what we ought to do,
00:19:57.29\00:19:58.63
we don't know
what we ought to do.
00:19:58.66\00:20:00.36
God said, John, you
tell everybody what to do.
00:20:00.40\00:20:03.43
Now I'm going to tell
you what you need to do.
00:20:03.47\00:20:05.70
Amen. There you go.
00:20:05.73\00:20:07.24
God got a hold of Peter,
00:20:12.04\00:20:14.88
and the same devil
that beat Peter up,
00:20:14.91\00:20:18.31
Peter said, okay, Lord,
now you can count on me.
00:20:18.35\00:20:21.18
You can count on me
now, I am converted.
00:20:21.22\00:20:24.15
You can count on me now,
Lord, I understand my weakness,
00:20:24.19\00:20:27.59
I see where I
fell, I know how flesh...
00:20:27.62\00:20:31.99
and spirit are in
controversy with each other.
00:20:35.03\00:20:39.50
And now that you
have changed my life,
00:20:39.53\00:20:42.24
now that I'm
filled with Your spirit,
00:20:42.27\00:20:44.17
You can rely on me.
00:20:44.21\00:20:45.54
And after Peter's conversion,
he threw his heart and soul
00:20:45.57\00:20:49.24
into the work of saving others
and leading them to Christ.
00:20:49.28\00:20:52.81
Look at Acts 2:38, "Peter
said to them, 'Repent...'"
00:20:52.85\00:20:55.85
Do what church?
00:20:55.88\00:20:57.42
"Repent, and let
every one of you be baptized
00:20:57.45\00:21:01.19
in the name of Jesus Christ
for the remission of sins,
00:21:01.22\00:21:05.39
and you shall receive
the gift of the Holy Spirit."
00:21:05.43\00:21:09.46
Amen.
00:21:09.50\00:21:10.83
When you're converted,
when your sins are forgiven,
00:21:10.87\00:21:13.40
the Lord will
fill you with a spirit
00:21:13.44\00:21:14.90
like He just filled me
and Peter got together,
00:21:14.94\00:21:17.51
Peter became a
soldier of the cross.
00:21:17.54\00:21:20.01
He finally
embraced the power of God,
00:21:20.04\00:21:22.91
where all he had before
was the vocabulary of God.
00:21:22.94\00:21:28.55
There is a difference,
00:21:28.58\00:21:30.35
between the vocabulary
of God and the power of God.
00:21:30.39\00:21:35.02
Peter finally
embraced the power of God
00:21:35.06\00:21:38.09
and then Peter did not
care who resisted the gospel.
00:21:38.13\00:21:41.40
You know why
Because heaven's agenda
00:21:41.43\00:21:44.30
finally became Peter's mission.
00:21:44.33\00:21:47.10
What you want me to do, Lord?
00:21:47.14\00:21:48.74
I messed up so bad.
00:21:48.77\00:21:50.11
I'll do anything
You ask me to do.
00:21:50.14\00:21:52.74
And I want to tell you
today, nothing angers Satan more
00:21:52.77\00:21:54.78
than those that offer
freedom in Jesus' name.
00:21:54.81\00:21:57.65
Nothing gets
the devil more upset
00:21:57.68\00:22:00.42
than when your life is lived
fully dedicated to God's cause,
00:22:00.45\00:22:05.05
because your cause
has been obliterated.
00:22:05.09\00:22:09.79
Acts 4:13, look at this.
00:22:09.82\00:22:12.43
This is a new Peter.
00:22:12.46\00:22:14.46
Not the timid Peter
walking at a distance,
00:22:14.50\00:22:16.67
not the timid Peter
hiding behind trees,
00:22:16.70\00:22:19.17
but the Bible says
in verse 13 of Acts 4.
00:22:19.20\00:22:21.40
"Now when they saw the..."
00:22:21.44\00:22:22.77
What?
00:22:22.80\00:22:24.21
"Boldness of Peter and John,
00:22:24.24\00:22:27.78
and perceive that
they were uneducated
00:22:27.81\00:22:30.01
and untrained, they marveled.
00:22:30.05\00:22:33.01
And they realized..."
00:22:33.05\00:22:34.82
The most important thing,
00:22:34.85\00:22:36.18
"They realize that
they had been with Jesus."
00:22:36.22\00:22:39.05
Let me tell you
something, brothers and sisters,
00:22:39.09\00:22:40.92
it's good to be an
Adventist Christian,
00:22:40.96\00:22:42.49
but above and beyond
having good doctrines,
00:22:42.52\00:22:45.79
we need to have a
connection with Jesus.
00:22:45.83\00:22:48.50
Amen.
00:22:48.53\00:22:49.86
If you don't have a
connection with Jesus,
00:22:49.90\00:22:51.23
you could have
the cleanest colon,
00:22:51.27\00:22:54.14
but the most corrupt heart.
00:22:54.17\00:22:55.80
Some Adventists all they
know is what we don't do,
00:22:59.61\00:23:02.64
rather than what we need to do.
00:23:02.68\00:23:04.25
We need to be
connected with Jesus,
00:23:04.28\00:23:05.88
somebody ought to say amen.
00:23:05.91\00:23:07.55
Amen.
00:23:07.58\00:23:08.92
We need to be
connected with Jesus.
00:23:08.95\00:23:11.12
Only as we spend
time in His presence,
00:23:11.15\00:23:13.92
will we realize and
see our utter deficiencies.
00:23:13.96\00:23:18.83
It is not until we're
in the presence of Jesus
00:23:18.86\00:23:21.16
that we see our deficiencies,
we see our weaknesses,
00:23:21.20\00:23:24.83
we understand that our lives
are not where they ought to be,
00:23:24.87\00:23:28.10
oh, I want to
spend time with Jesus.
00:23:28.14\00:23:29.84
What about you?
00:23:29.87\00:23:31.37
When Peter got with Jesus,
00:23:34.61\00:23:35.94
there was only one thing
more than being educated.
00:23:35.98\00:23:39.11
Peter wanted to be
filled with the Holy Spirit.
00:23:39.15\00:23:42.62
And I want to tell you today,
00:23:42.65\00:23:43.99
nothing causes
greater concern to hell
00:23:44.02\00:23:46.62
than a spirit filled Christian.
00:23:46.65\00:23:49.39
Amen.
00:23:49.42\00:23:52.76
Peter had
become so spirit filled
00:23:52.79\00:23:54.26
that he could
discern Satan's agents.
00:23:54.30\00:23:57.63
Look at the
chronicle of Peter Acts 5:13.
00:23:57.67\00:24:01.60
When the church began,
00:24:01.64\00:24:02.97
Satan tried to get
some counterfeit Christians
00:24:03.00\00:24:04.64
to join the church.
00:24:04.67\00:24:06.68
Tried to get some
people that were counterfeit,
00:24:06.71\00:24:08.78
didn't have a relationship,
they try to join the church
00:24:08.81\00:24:11.58
and pollute the
early Christian church.
00:24:11.61\00:24:13.35
And Peter, God used
Peter to call them out.
00:24:13.38\00:24:16.62
Acts 5:3 notice this.
00:24:16.65\00:24:19.65
"And Peter said, 'Ananias,
00:24:19.69\00:24:21.89
why has Satan filled your
heart to lie to the Holy Spirit
00:24:21.92\00:24:27.40
and keep back part of the price
of the land for yourself?'"
00:24:27.43\00:24:31.63
Peter was saying to Ananias,
00:24:31.67\00:24:33.23
half hearted Christianity
is not acceptable to God.
00:24:33.27\00:24:36.97
If you give your heart to God,
00:24:37.01\00:24:38.64
you've got to
pay the whole price.
00:24:38.67\00:24:42.08
That's what he said to him.
00:24:42.11\00:24:43.45
You've only given
half of the price.
00:24:43.48\00:24:44.85
God doesn't want
half of the price,
00:24:44.88\00:24:46.31
He wants all of us.
00:24:46.35\00:24:48.05
Didn't want a half
hearted Christianity,
00:24:48.08\00:24:49.48
He doesn't want
Sabbath keeping Adventists,
00:24:49.52\00:24:51.22
He want people that
want to be Christians
00:24:51.25\00:24:52.59
everyday of the week.
00:24:52.62\00:24:54.99
Devotionally,
prayerfully taking time,
00:24:55.02\00:24:58.79
inconveniencing
your natural self
00:24:58.83\00:25:01.03
to have some spiritual activity
with your brothers and sisters.
00:25:01.06\00:25:04.87
Peter was so
filled with the spirit,
00:25:04.90\00:25:06.53
he called out the adversary
by name, Satan did that to you.
00:25:06.57\00:25:10.51
I know what that's like Ananias,
00:25:10.54\00:25:12.01
he did the same thing to me.
00:25:12.04\00:25:13.54
All of a sudden
Satan started noticing
00:25:16.64\00:25:18.58
how God was using Peter.
00:25:18.61\00:25:23.08
He said wait a minute.
00:25:23.12\00:25:24.95
Peter,
00:25:24.99\00:25:26.72
that's why I need to
be concerned about Peter.
00:25:26.76\00:25:28.86
His mouth is still big
but now he's messing with me.
00:25:28.89\00:25:33.29
Peter, write his
name down, Legion.
00:25:33.33\00:25:37.77
What's his name, Satan?
00:25:37.80\00:25:39.40
Write down Peter.
00:25:39.43\00:25:40.80
Let's put a new
plan together for Peter.
00:25:40.84\00:25:43.94
Let's find out how
we can trip him up,
00:25:43.97\00:25:46.01
shut him up, cut
him up, hang him up.
00:25:46.04\00:25:50.45
Get five more evil angels
00:25:50.48\00:25:52.41
and let's study
Peter, follow his path.
00:25:52.45\00:25:56.38
And Peter got so
bold when he was warned
00:25:56.42\00:25:58.62
not to preach in
Jesus' name in Acts 5:29,
00:25:58.65\00:26:01.32
Peter said and the
other disciples said,
00:26:01.36\00:26:03.46
we ought to obey
God rather than men.
00:26:03.49\00:26:06.70
That's Peter.
00:26:06.73\00:26:08.06
He did not care,
00:26:08.10\00:26:09.50
he knew what the devil
had done to him, Karen.
00:26:09.53\00:26:11.53
He says, I'm going
to give everything I can
00:26:11.57\00:26:13.47
for the cause of God,
and when my mouth opens,
00:26:13.50\00:26:16.07
people will know that
it's not just by mouth,
00:26:16.10\00:26:18.87
it's my life, that's
standing in behalf of Jesus.
00:26:18.91\00:26:25.41
Peter even called out a man
00:26:25.45\00:26:26.92
that was trying to buy
the Holy Spirit with money.
00:26:26.95\00:26:30.02
Do you remember that?
00:26:30.05\00:26:31.75
They saw the power
00:26:31.79\00:26:33.12
of the Spirit of God
in the apostle's life.
00:26:33.15\00:26:35.06
In Acts 8:20,
00:26:35.09\00:26:36.46
"But Peter said that this man,
00:26:36.49\00:26:37.83
that tried to buy the
spirit of God with money.
00:26:37.86\00:26:40.23
Peter said to him,
'Your money perish with you,
00:26:40.26\00:26:43.90
because you thought
that the gift of God
00:26:43.93\00:26:45.40
could be purchased with money!"
00:26:45.43\00:26:46.90
Oh, how sad it is that today,
00:26:46.94\00:26:48.97
there are so many preachers
that are selling out for money.
00:26:49.00\00:26:53.01
They're selling Jesus for money.
00:26:53.04\00:26:55.91
Oh, brothers and sisters,
He paid everything for us.
00:26:55.94\00:26:58.88
Let us never put
Jesus up for purchase.
00:26:58.91\00:27:01.55
Never allow
financial gain to be the motive
00:27:01.58\00:27:05.49
why you serve the Lord.
00:27:05.52\00:27:09.86
The Lord was so on Peter,
that Peter was so powerful
00:27:09.89\00:27:13.19
by the spirit
working in his life,
00:27:13.23\00:27:14.86
that there were sometimes
that Peter would pass through
00:27:14.90\00:27:17.13
a particular town.
00:27:17.17\00:27:18.50
And when you read the story,
00:27:18.53\00:27:21.87
the streets were
lined with people
00:27:21.90\00:27:24.47
that were waiting
for the shadow of Peter
00:27:24.51\00:27:27.08
to fall on them so
that they might be healed.
00:27:27.11\00:27:31.08
That's how God
was using that man.
00:27:31.11\00:27:32.95
If his shadow could
but just fall on us,
00:27:32.98\00:27:35.48
we think we could be healed.
00:27:35.52\00:27:36.95
Well, a man in God's work.
00:27:36.99\00:27:39.69
And the devil said,
00:27:39.72\00:27:41.06
we gotta find a
way to shut him up.
00:27:41.09\00:27:45.79
And now the sermon begins.
00:27:45.83\00:27:48.13
Acts 12:1.
00:27:48.16\00:27:52.20
"Now about that time
00:27:52.23\00:27:55.00
Herod the king
stretched out his hand
00:27:55.04\00:27:56.94
to harass some from the church."
00:27:56.97\00:28:00.28
You notice I said
that James and John
00:28:00.31\00:28:02.14
are going to come into view.
00:28:02.18\00:28:03.71
What did he do?
00:28:03.75\00:28:05.08
"Then he killed James
00:28:05.11\00:28:07.65
the brother of
John with the sword."
00:28:07.68\00:28:10.29
I got one of them.
00:28:10.32\00:28:11.65
See God had a plan for John
00:28:11.69\00:28:13.59
'cause Revelation
wasn't yet written.
00:28:13.62\00:28:17.06
So God said, I got him covered
but I got a plan for Peter.
00:28:17.09\00:28:21.33
So John you're all right,
00:28:21.36\00:28:23.70
'cause you
gonna be the last one.
00:28:23.73\00:28:27.50
And the reality is until we
are a threat to Satan's kingdom,
00:28:27.54\00:28:31.37
Satan doesn't care about us.
00:28:31.41\00:28:32.74
That's why the Lord says in
Matthew 5:10, His words are,
00:28:32.77\00:28:36.04
"Blessed are
those who are persecuted
00:28:36.08\00:28:37.78
for righteousness' sake,
00:28:37.81\00:28:40.22
For theirs is the
kingdom of heaven."
00:28:40.25\00:28:42.45
I rather be prosecuted by man,
00:28:42.48\00:28:46.99
persecuted by man than
be out of the world of God.
00:28:47.02\00:28:50.23
Come on somebody? Amen.
00:28:50.26\00:28:51.96
Because that
persecution is temporary
00:28:51.99\00:28:53.40
because the Lord says,
00:28:53.43\00:28:54.76
if you are
persecuted for the right reason,
00:28:54.80\00:28:56.53
heaven is yours.
00:28:56.56\00:28:58.07
Not because you bought it
00:28:58.10\00:28:59.43
but because I've given it
to you for standing with me.
00:28:59.47\00:29:02.40
If we suffer with Christ,
we will also reign with Christ.
00:29:02.44\00:29:07.14
But so many people
want to avoid suffering,
00:29:07.18\00:29:09.34
I don't want to say
that they might be offended.
00:29:09.38\00:29:12.61
Phooey.
00:29:16.69\00:29:18.45
Offended because I
tell you the truth.
00:29:23.73\00:29:27.86
In Christ's
Triumphant, page 219,
00:29:27.90\00:29:32.00
we are given a council,
00:29:32.03\00:29:33.37
"It is not safe to lose
sight of Christ for one moment."
00:29:33.40\00:29:36.64
It is not safe to lose
sight of Christ for what?
00:29:36.67\00:29:39.51
One moment.
00:29:39.54\00:29:42.24
"His followers
must pray and believe
00:29:42.28\00:29:44.25
and love Him fervently."
00:29:44.28\00:29:46.75
But know this,
00:29:51.82\00:29:54.49
and when you start
loving God fervently,
00:29:54.52\00:29:56.16
and start serving Him fervently,
00:29:56.19\00:29:57.66
and start making
time for Him in your life,
00:29:57.69\00:29:59.93
Satan is going to
put you on his hit list.
00:29:59.96\00:30:03.06
Look at the next verse,
verse 3 and 4 of Acts 12.
00:30:03.10\00:30:06.47
"And because he..."
00:30:06.50\00:30:07.84
That is Herod was "Saw
that it pleased the Jews,
00:30:07.87\00:30:12.27
he proceeded
further to seize Peter also.
00:30:12.31\00:30:18.65
Now it was during the
Days of Unleavened Bread.
00:30:18.68\00:30:21.55
So when he had arrested
him, he put him in prison,
00:30:21.58\00:30:24.85
and delivered him
00:30:24.89\00:30:26.42
to four squads of
soldiers to keep him,
00:30:26.45\00:30:29.79
intending to bring him before
the people after the Passover."
00:30:29.82\00:30:34.86
Now this is powerful.
00:30:34.90\00:30:36.23
He put him in prison,
he locked him in prison,
00:30:36.26\00:30:38.23
he locked him to the soldiers,
who are locked to the walls,
00:30:38.27\00:30:40.94
who Peter then was
locked to the walls,
00:30:40.97\00:30:42.44
he was lock, lock, locked up.
00:30:42.47\00:30:46.07
He was not just
in prison ministry,
00:30:46.11\00:30:47.84
he was in prison,
prison, prison ministry.
00:30:47.88\00:30:50.75
He was locked up to everybody.
00:30:50.78\00:30:53.01
And it was so
serious that these soldiers,
00:30:53.05\00:30:54.98
their responsibility was,
00:30:55.02\00:30:56.52
we're not just putting
him behind these two gates
00:30:56.55\00:30:58.99
and plus an iron gate,
00:30:59.02\00:31:02.42
we're going to put
you in jail with Peter.
00:31:02.46\00:31:04.69
We're going to lock you to
the walls, lock him to you,
00:31:04.73\00:31:07.10
and lock him to the walls.
00:31:07.13\00:31:08.46
And it was their
personal responsibility
00:31:08.50\00:31:10.87
that if Peter ever got away,
00:31:10.90\00:31:12.67
they would have to
give their lives for Peter.
00:31:12.70\00:31:17.67
So they were diligent
00:31:17.71\00:31:19.04
but this is where
intercessory prayer comes in.
00:31:19.07\00:31:20.41
You know why?
00:31:20.44\00:31:21.78
Because there are some people
that cannot pray for themselves
00:31:21.81\00:31:23.58
when they are bound.
00:31:23.61\00:31:27.98
Verse 5, "Peter was therefore
kept in prison, but..."
00:31:28.02\00:31:32.52
What kind of
prayer, church? Constant.
00:31:32.55\00:31:34.66
"Constant prayer was offered
to God for him by the church."
00:31:34.69\00:31:40.80
The church that prays together,
00:31:40.83\00:31:43.06
I am believing more and more
00:31:43.10\00:31:45.33
that there are people
that cannot be set free
00:31:45.37\00:31:47.77
until we believe it
is our responsibility,
00:31:47.80\00:31:50.97
as a united body to pray
00:31:51.01\00:31:53.31
for the
deliverance of our family,
00:31:53.34\00:31:55.14
our friends, our
neighbors, our coworkers,
00:31:55.18\00:31:57.88
come on somebody say amen.
00:31:57.91\00:31:59.61
God's got to get us to the place
00:31:59.65\00:32:00.98
where somebody else's
freedom is our highest priority.
00:32:01.02\00:32:04.99
And sometimes it
will never be accomplished
00:32:08.56\00:32:10.36
other than fasting and prayer.
00:32:10.39\00:32:12.49
In the very book
about prayer, page 247,
00:32:17.23\00:32:19.70
we are told,
00:32:19.73\00:32:22.30
Peter was
preaching his heart out,
00:32:22.34\00:32:24.51
preaching everywhere he went.
00:32:24.54\00:32:26.78
And I love what
Ellen White says here.
00:32:26.81\00:32:28.14
She says, "Among God's
people there should be,
00:32:28.18\00:32:31.58
at this time,
frequent seasons of sincere,
00:32:31.61\00:32:35.52
earnest prayer."
00:32:35.55\00:32:36.89
Did you hear that,
Karen? Frequent seasons.
00:32:36.92\00:32:38.79
Not just once in a while.
00:32:38.82\00:32:40.59
"The mind should be constantly
in a prayerful attitude."
00:32:40.62\00:32:45.79
We talked about that this week.
00:32:45.83\00:32:47.30
"In the home and in the church,
00:32:47.33\00:32:49.96
let earnest
prayer be offered..."
00:32:50.00\00:32:52.23
And listen to
this very carefully.
00:32:52.27\00:32:54.04
"In behalf of those
who have given themselves
00:32:54.07\00:32:58.71
to the preaching of the Word."
00:32:58.74\00:33:02.54
I am so encouraged,
when I walk pass somebody,
00:33:02.58\00:33:04.98
and they say Pastor,
we're praying for you.
00:33:05.01\00:33:08.12
You don't know how
that makes me feel.
00:33:08.15\00:33:12.12
So I drops an email or maybe
a voice message on my phone.
00:33:12.15\00:33:15.46
Pray for you this morning,
00:33:15.49\00:33:19.29
because the life of
a pastor is one where,
00:33:19.33\00:33:21.93
we are not
allowed to be sinners.
00:33:21.96\00:33:25.37
We're supposed to be perfect.
00:33:25.40\00:33:26.74
Phooey.
00:33:29.30\00:33:30.64
Constant rain
softens the ground,
00:33:36.98\00:33:40.68
constant prayer
softens the heart.
00:33:40.72\00:33:46.72
When we press into
the presence of God,
00:33:46.76\00:33:50.63
we find relief it is thrown
00:33:50.66\00:33:51.99
but when we fail to
present to God's presence,
00:33:52.03\00:33:54.96
we fall short of
getting to the place
00:33:55.00\00:33:56.53
where living faith is activated
00:33:56.56\00:33:58.70
and where we get
strength for the trial
00:33:58.73\00:34:00.67
that is ahead of us.
00:34:00.70\00:34:03.14
We got to press into
God's presence through prayer,
00:34:03.17\00:34:05.17
not just study.
00:34:05.21\00:34:06.54
We got to press into
God's presence through prayer.
00:34:06.57\00:34:09.41
I remember
being on a plane once,
00:34:12.51\00:34:14.92
I tried my best to
explain this to my wife
00:34:14.95\00:34:17.59
when I arrived in Miami.
00:34:17.62\00:34:19.85
I was sitting next to
a young lady on the plane
00:34:19.89\00:34:21.52
and we struck up a conversation
00:34:21.56\00:34:24.03
and then I open my
Bible to begin to pray.
00:34:24.06\00:34:26.86
And I like to sit by the window
00:34:26.90\00:34:29.13
and I was so glad I
was at the window that day.
00:34:29.16\00:34:34.24
At 32,000 feet I got so
drawn into the presence of God
00:34:34.27\00:34:38.14
and I began to weep.
00:34:38.17\00:34:39.81
I didn't shed a
tear, I began to weep.
00:34:39.84\00:34:43.88
And I
intentionally turned my body
00:34:43.91\00:34:45.65
and I tried to stretch
my head as much as I could
00:34:45.68\00:34:47.85
to the window, so
that this young lady
00:34:47.88\00:34:49.92
who I spoke to maybe
just a little hour ago
00:34:49.95\00:34:52.25
wouldn't see me weeping.
00:34:52.29\00:34:54.79
I was so in the presence of God,
00:34:54.82\00:34:56.86
I didn't want the
plane to land yet.
00:34:56.89\00:35:01.33
It was the announcement of
the flight attendant that said,
00:35:01.36\00:35:05.97
we're preparing to land,
00:35:06.00\00:35:07.34
put your tray tables
00:35:07.37\00:35:08.70
in the upright
and lock position,
00:35:08.74\00:35:10.61
and bring your
seat backs straight up.
00:35:10.64\00:35:15.54
And I got to Miami
00:35:15.58\00:35:16.91
and I tried to
explain to my wife
00:35:16.95\00:35:18.28
what happened on
the plane, I said,
00:35:18.31\00:35:19.75
she was what was that
like and my brother-in-law
00:35:19.78\00:35:21.12
and my sister-in-law
00:35:21.15\00:35:22.48
and my wife was
sitting there say,
00:35:22.52\00:35:23.85
tell me what was it like?
00:35:23.89\00:35:25.22
I said honey,
00:35:25.25\00:35:27.06
it was like being in the
warm presence of one who,
00:35:27.09\00:35:30.59
I said He sat there
and he looked at me.
00:35:30.63\00:35:35.23
And he said John, "Can we talk?"
00:35:35.26\00:35:38.13
And when He said those words,
00:35:38.17\00:35:40.20
I was in that plane but
I was in a different place
00:35:40.24\00:35:42.74
altogether spiritually.
00:35:42.77\00:35:45.31
My eyes began to
be filled with water.
00:35:45.34\00:35:47.51
You know,
00:35:47.54\00:35:49.81
I've never had that
experience like that before.
00:35:49.84\00:35:54.02
And ever since then many
more had come after that,
00:35:54.05\00:35:56.85
I'll tell you at
a different time.
00:35:56.89\00:35:59.95
But when you're pressing
into the presence of God
00:35:59.99\00:36:01.82
something happens there
00:36:01.86\00:36:05.76
that you can't fake.
00:36:05.79\00:36:09.73
That's why the church
continued to pray for Peter.
00:36:09.76\00:36:13.10
You see when the Bible
said to bring Peter out,
00:36:13.13\00:36:16.20
look at verse 6.
00:36:16.24\00:36:18.37
And when Herod was about
to bring him out that night,
00:36:18.41\00:36:23.85
"Peter was sleeping,
bound with two chains
00:36:23.88\00:36:28.78
between two soldiers,
00:36:28.82\00:36:30.95
and the guards before the
door were keeping the prison."
00:36:30.99\00:36:37.16
Bring him out did
not mean set him free.
00:36:37.19\00:36:39.03
Bring him out meant, I
am going to humiliate Peter
00:36:39.06\00:36:42.40
as best as I could.
00:36:42.43\00:36:44.50
All the souls he snatched
00:36:44.53\00:36:47.37
from my kingdom.
00:36:47.40\00:36:52.57
Don't fool yourself,
the devil takes pleasure
00:36:52.61\00:36:55.54
in humiliating God's children.
00:36:55.58\00:36:59.61
He loves to accuse us.
00:36:59.65\00:37:02.08
And the sad reality is sometimes
00:37:02.12\00:37:03.65
what he says about us is true.
00:37:03.69\00:37:05.95
But I want to say today
00:37:05.99\00:37:07.32
and I praise God
for this, only God,
00:37:07.36\00:37:09.89
only Jesus can prevent the devil
00:37:09.92\00:37:14.20
from publicly humiliating us.
00:37:14.23\00:37:17.20
That's why I love verse 7.
00:37:21.40\00:37:23.00
"An angel of the
Lord stood by him,
00:37:23.04\00:37:25.77
and light shone in the prison,
00:37:25.81\00:37:29.74
and he struck Peter on
the side and raised him up..."
00:37:29.78\00:37:33.05
And he said, what did he say?
00:37:33.08\00:37:34.98
"Arise quickly!'
00:37:35.02\00:37:36.92
'And his chains
fell off of his hands."
00:37:36.95\00:37:42.62
You see, can I say this?
00:37:42.66\00:37:44.66
Unless we move at
the command of God,
00:37:44.69\00:37:48.36
our chains would
never fall off of our hands.
00:37:48.40\00:37:54.00
He didn't say arise,
when you feel like it.
00:37:54.04\00:37:56.81
He didn't say,
when you get time arise.
00:37:56.84\00:37:58.81
He didn't say
think about it arise.
00:37:58.84\00:38:00.31
He said Peter, do it now.
00:38:00.34\00:38:03.85
This is the more arise quickly.
00:38:03.88\00:38:06.82
And when he got up
at the command of God,
00:38:06.85\00:38:09.38
when he got up his chains fell.
00:38:09.42\00:38:11.49
I'm so glad that
the angels of God
00:38:11.52\00:38:13.72
have never been on
an unemployment line.
00:38:13.76\00:38:17.49
"The angel of the Lord
encampeth round about those
00:38:17.53\00:38:20.16
that fear him
and delivers them."
00:38:20.20\00:38:22.76
But there is something that's
very powerful about this verse.
00:38:22.80\00:38:24.80
Very, very powerful and potent
in the story and it is this.
00:38:24.83\00:38:28.77
When we are bound and
we cannot get to the light,
00:38:32.91\00:38:37.05
the Lord brings the light to us.
00:38:37.08\00:38:41.88
There are lot of
people in prison,
00:38:41.92\00:38:44.25
that they find the
light of God in prison
00:38:44.29\00:38:47.12
because they
can't come to the light.
00:38:47.16\00:38:48.49
I want to say to
you in God's mercy,
00:38:48.52\00:38:51.16
He sends His light to us
00:38:51.19\00:38:53.09
even in the dark places
00:38:53.13\00:38:55.56
of our own personal experiences.
00:38:55.60\00:39:01.17
When we find ourselves
bound by circumstances,
00:39:01.20\00:39:03.51
bound by a hesitating heart,
00:39:03.54\00:39:05.51
bound by our own
traditional Christianity,
00:39:05.54\00:39:08.61
bound by the things we
refused to do differently,
00:39:08.64\00:39:12.05
the Lord still allows
His light to shine on us,
00:39:12.08\00:39:14.88
hoping that somewhere
along the way this light
00:39:14.92\00:39:17.25
will ignite our hearts
00:39:17.29\00:39:18.82
and come from our darkness
into His marvelous light.
00:39:18.85\00:39:23.12
I would suggest to
you that that angel
00:39:23.16\00:39:25.33
when he lit that prison up,
00:39:25.36\00:39:26.90
it wasn't a dim
light, there is no dim light
00:39:26.93\00:39:29.90
that comes from God,
it's always marvelous light.
00:39:29.93\00:39:34.14
That's what being in
bondage and being in darkness
00:39:34.17\00:39:37.27
is not always the same thing.
00:39:37.31\00:39:39.91
And there is no prison
that Satan can bind us in,
00:39:39.94\00:39:43.14
that can keep the light
of God from shining on us.
00:39:43.18\00:39:46.78
Now this is very important.
00:39:46.82\00:39:51.39
Peter rose and
the chains fell off.
00:39:51.42\00:39:53.66
Peter could not
say that he was free,
00:40:01.06\00:40:03.67
if he was still
bound in the chains.
00:40:03.70\00:40:07.97
Peter could not
say that he was free,
00:40:08.00\00:40:12.74
if he was still
bound in the chains.
00:40:12.77\00:40:15.21
You see, the evidence
of our freedom in Jesus
00:40:15.24\00:40:18.91
is that we are no
longer bound by the chains.
00:40:18.95\00:40:23.25
Addictions fall
away, tempers calm down,
00:40:23.28\00:40:27.29
immorality is abandon,
00:40:27.32\00:40:29.39
people begin to
smile and love one another,
00:40:29.42\00:40:32.03
but Peter could not
say that he was free
00:40:32.06\00:40:34.90
as long as he was
still bound by the chains.
00:40:34.93\00:40:38.33
But notice the
further obligation,
00:40:38.37\00:40:40.67
and this is huge in light
about all I said this morning.
00:40:40.70\00:40:43.14
Acts 12:8, "Then the
angel said to him..."
00:40:43.17\00:40:46.81
What did he say?
00:40:46.84\00:40:48.18
Read it together.
00:40:48.21\00:40:49.54
"Gird yourself and
tie on your sandals'',
00:40:49.58\00:40:52.81
and so he did.
00:40:52.85\00:40:54.18
Put on your
garments and..." What?
00:40:54.22\00:40:55.88
"Follow me."
00:40:55.92\00:40:57.25
Remember, Peter had
an argument with Jesus
00:40:57.29\00:41:00.16
not too long before
that, why can't I follow you?
00:41:00.19\00:41:03.53
But now he's
willing to follow Him.
00:41:03.56\00:41:05.93
You see when
self is put to death,
00:41:05.96\00:41:08.00
instead of arguing about
how and when to follow Jesus,
00:41:08.03\00:41:11.93
all of a sudden
Jesus says follow me,
00:41:11.97\00:41:14.27
and Peter has no rebuttal, I
am going to follow you, Lord.
00:41:14.30\00:41:18.41
But here is something that's
very powerfully important.
00:41:18.44\00:41:21.01
When the Lord breaks our chains,
00:41:21.04\00:41:23.28
He instantly frees us
from the things that bind us.
00:41:23.31\00:41:27.05
Hear me carefully.
00:41:27.08\00:41:28.42
Look up here,
you got to get this,
00:41:28.45\00:41:29.78
this is powerful.
00:41:29.82\00:41:31.15
When the Lord breaks our chains,
00:41:34.02\00:41:36.49
He instantly...
00:41:36.52\00:41:37.86
what word did I just use?
00:41:37.89\00:41:39.83
He immediately frees us
00:41:39.86\00:41:43.47
from the thing that bound us.
00:41:43.50\00:41:47.20
But He methodically frees us
00:41:50.21\00:41:52.27
from the
circumstances that bind us.
00:41:52.31\00:41:58.18
When God breaks our chains,
00:41:58.21\00:42:00.75
He now asks us to join
him in our journey of freedom.
00:42:00.78\00:42:07.39
You see, freedom is
not just an immediate act,
00:42:07.42\00:42:09.76
freedom is a continual process.
00:42:09.79\00:42:12.56
That's why Jesus
said to the disciples,
00:42:12.59\00:42:14.40
"Follow Me and I will make you."
00:42:14.43\00:42:19.00
Now this is
vitally important you see,
00:42:19.03\00:42:21.07
when delivered and Peter didn't,
00:42:21.10\00:42:23.10
for the first time in his life,
00:42:23.14\00:42:24.57
Peter didn't ask
God where are we going?
00:42:24.61\00:42:26.61
What are we doing?
Where we're going to end up?
00:42:26.64\00:42:28.48
For the first time in his life
00:42:28.51\00:42:29.84
he did not care
where he ended up.
00:42:29.88\00:42:31.68
What was more important to
him was whom he was following.
00:42:31.71\00:42:34.72
But Jesus wanted
to do something else.
00:42:38.05\00:42:40.26
He didn't want to
just break his chains.
00:42:40.29\00:42:42.89
Hear me carefully.
00:42:42.92\00:42:44.43
He wanted to change, He
wanted to change the place
00:42:44.46\00:42:48.43
where Peter had been bound.
00:42:48.46\00:42:50.37
Look at verse 9.
00:42:53.87\00:42:57.27
"So he went out
and followed him,
00:42:57.31\00:42:59.37
and did not know that
00:42:59.41\00:43:00.74
what was done by
the angel was real,
00:43:00.78\00:43:02.88
but thought he was seeing a..."
00:43:02.91\00:43:04.35
What? "Vision."
00:43:04.38\00:43:06.82
You know, when God
begins to transform our life,
00:43:06.85\00:43:09.62
I have to say this.
00:43:09.65\00:43:11.75
When God begins to
transform our lives,
00:43:11.79\00:43:16.46
the reason why we can't
believe what we're seeing
00:43:16.49\00:43:22.13
is because God transforms us
00:43:22.16\00:43:25.23
into a vision
that only He has of us.
00:43:25.27\00:43:27.87
So when we see
what we become in Jesus,
00:43:31.27\00:43:36.64
we say that can't
be that, that can't be.
00:43:36.68\00:43:41.88
Am I really seeing Garland.
00:43:41.92\00:43:44.82
That's not the Garland I know.
00:43:44.85\00:43:46.82
Even Garland will say,
that's not the Garland I know.
00:43:46.86\00:43:51.03
Because God has a vision for us,
00:43:51.06\00:43:53.83
better than the
vision we have for ourselves.
00:43:53.86\00:43:57.43
He says it has not yet
been revealed what you shall be,
00:43:57.47\00:44:01.04
but we do know that
when He is revealed,
00:44:01.07\00:44:03.64
we shall be like Him,
for we will see Him as He is.
00:44:03.67\00:44:08.61
God's vision for everyone
of us which is hard to believe,
00:44:08.64\00:44:12.51
I want to tell you
today, it's hard to believe
00:44:12.55\00:44:15.15
that one day I
will be like Jesus.
00:44:15.18\00:44:20.36
Oh, but I'm so glad
that the Lord sees it.
00:44:20.39\00:44:24.19
Because He sees it, Louis,
00:44:24.23\00:44:25.69
He can work on me and he said,
00:44:25.73\00:44:29.06
thank you Jesus.
00:44:29.10\00:44:30.43
He who has begun a good
work in you will complete it.
00:44:30.47\00:44:35.87
I'm preaching to myself.
00:44:42.91\00:44:46.45
Hope you enjoy
my sermon to myself.
00:44:46.48\00:44:48.78
God's got a vision for us,
00:44:52.02\00:44:53.49
that's hard for us
to even understand.
00:44:53.52\00:44:57.43
But complete deliverance,
hear me church as I wind up.
00:44:57.46\00:45:01.73
Complete
deliverance is a process.
00:45:01.76\00:45:05.33
Can I say that again?
00:45:05.37\00:45:06.70
Complete deliverance is a, what?
00:45:06.74\00:45:08.47
Process.
00:45:08.50\00:45:09.84
Go to the very
next verse, verse 10.
00:45:09.87\00:45:12.44
"When they were past the
first and second gate posts,
00:45:12.47\00:45:15.48
they came to the iron gate..."
00:45:15.51\00:45:17.01
Look at all the places,
00:45:17.05\00:45:18.55
look at all the
things that locked Peter in.
00:45:18.58\00:45:20.35
Now I want you to get this.
00:45:20.38\00:45:21.72
Peter was free,
the chains were broken,
00:45:21.75\00:45:24.09
the chains were broken, Mike...
00:45:24.12\00:45:25.65
Amen.
00:45:25.69\00:45:27.02
But there were
gates holding him in.
00:45:27.06\00:45:28.62
And what many of us have to
come to the realization of is
00:45:28.66\00:45:32.16
there are gates in our lives,
00:45:32.19\00:45:34.93
there are gates in
our lives holding us in,
00:45:34.96\00:45:38.07
even though we say we are free,
00:45:38.10\00:45:39.87
there are gates
still ahead of us,
00:45:39.90\00:45:41.87
that we've not
gotten through iron gates,
00:45:41.90\00:45:44.27
first gates,
second gates, it goes on.
00:45:44.31\00:45:48.14
"Which opened to
them of its own accord,
00:45:48.18\00:45:51.28
and they went out
and went down one street,
00:45:51.31\00:45:54.18
and immediately the
angel departed from him."
00:45:54.22\00:46:00.26
Bondage sin has gates.
00:46:00.29\00:46:03.29
If you've ever been bound
by a tenacious sin, you know
00:46:03.32\00:46:06.09
that freedom comes in stages.
00:46:06.13\00:46:07.96
Can I get an amen somebody?
00:46:08.00\00:46:09.33
Yeah, amen.
00:46:09.36\00:46:10.70
You may say, oh,
the Lord forgave me,
00:46:10.73\00:46:13.94
but it's going
to take me sometime
00:46:13.97\00:46:15.30
to get pass those gates.
00:46:15.34\00:46:18.61
When you get pass
the first gate, you say,
00:46:18.64\00:46:20.28
oh, feel better
than I did last week.
00:46:20.31\00:46:24.18
And you get pass the next gate,
00:46:24.21\00:46:26.72
feel better than I
did week before last.
00:46:26.75\00:46:29.58
And you get pass the iron gate,
00:46:29.62\00:46:33.36
I'm so glad I'm completely
out of that situation.
00:46:33.39\00:46:37.86
And when you're
out of the situation,
00:46:37.89\00:46:39.43
hear me this morning.
00:46:39.46\00:46:40.80
It is not until
you're out of the situation
00:46:40.83\00:46:43.30
that the angel said,
00:46:43.33\00:46:44.90
now I can leave you by yourself,
00:46:44.93\00:46:46.47
you gonna be all right,
you're going to be okay.
00:46:46.50\00:46:50.41
The angel had
something else to do.
00:46:50.44\00:46:52.17
He delivered Peter
from his own circumstances,
00:46:52.21\00:46:55.11
not just from his chains.
00:46:55.14\00:46:59.21
Verse 11,
00:46:59.25\00:47:01.38
"And when Peter had
come to himself, he said..."
00:47:01.42\00:47:04.52
Oh, I like this, God
does not stop leading
00:47:04.55\00:47:06.62
until we know that we are free.
00:47:06.65\00:47:08.72
God does not stop leading
until we know that we are free.
00:47:08.76\00:47:11.36
Peter said to
himself, what did he say?
00:47:11.39\00:47:13.29
Together, "Now
I know for certain
00:47:13.33\00:47:17.10
that the Lord
has sent His angel,
00:47:17.13\00:47:19.20
and has delivered me
from the hand of a Herod
00:47:19.23\00:47:22.74
and from all the expectation
of the Jewish people."
00:47:22.77\00:47:26.74
The only thing more powerful
00:47:26.78\00:47:28.31
than being bound
is being delivered.
00:47:28.34\00:47:32.68
Here the devil had
different expectations.
00:47:32.71\00:47:35.58
But now this is
where the sermon ends.
00:47:35.62\00:47:38.59
The church is praying, I
got to close my Bible now.
00:47:38.62\00:47:42.26
The church is praying.
00:47:42.29\00:47:44.56
Man, I just hope our church is
not talked about in this text.
00:47:44.59\00:47:48.06
They are praying
in verse 12 to 14.
00:47:48.10\00:47:52.17
"So when he had considered this,
00:47:52.20\00:47:53.60
he came to the house of Mary,
00:47:53.64\00:47:55.00
the mother of John
whose surname was Mark,
00:47:55.04\00:47:57.44
where many were
gathered together..."
00:47:57.47\00:47:58.81
Doing what? "Praying.
00:47:58.84\00:48:00.64
And as Peter knocked
at the door of the gate,
00:48:00.68\00:48:04.38
a girl named
Rhoda came to answer.
00:48:04.41\00:48:06.72
And when she
recognized Peter's voice,
00:48:06.75\00:48:08.58
because of her gladness
she did not open the gate,
00:48:08.62\00:48:11.09
but ran in and announced
00:48:11.12\00:48:12.45
that Peter
stood before the gate.
00:48:12.49\00:48:14.26
But they said to her,
"You are beside yourself!'
00:48:14.29\00:48:16.73
"Another
translation says, you're mad.
00:48:16.76\00:48:19.83
"Yet she kept
insisting that it was so.
00:48:19.86\00:48:22.10
So they said ''it is an angel.'
00:48:22.13\00:48:24.03
'So now Peter
continued knocking,
00:48:24.07\00:48:27.00
and when they open
the door and saw him..."
00:48:27.04\00:48:28.60
They were what? "Astonished."
00:48:28.64\00:48:31.74
Why would God answer
the prayers of a church
00:48:31.77\00:48:34.11
that did not believe in prayer?
00:48:34.14\00:48:37.58
I had to wrestle with that, Joe.
00:48:37.61\00:48:39.45
I had to wrestle with that.
00:48:39.48\00:48:40.82
I had to find an answer.
00:48:40.85\00:48:42.18
Why would God answer the prayer
00:48:42.22\00:48:43.55
of a bunch of
folk that are praying
00:48:43.59\00:48:44.92
and don't even believe
that God can answer prayers?
00:48:44.95\00:48:47.29
Why would He do it, Rosemary?
00:48:47.32\00:48:48.66
Why would He do it?
00:48:48.69\00:48:50.03
And God gave me the
answer this morning.
00:48:50.06\00:48:51.63
See I sent Mike
Babb my sermon yesterday.
00:48:51.66\00:48:54.66
But I said to
Mike, this morning,
00:48:54.70\00:48:56.03
I got a new version.
00:48:56.06\00:48:57.40
Get part two.
00:48:57.43\00:48:59.13
Get the newer version,
00:48:59.17\00:49:00.50
because God gave me
some answers this morning.
00:49:00.54\00:49:02.47
This is a part of my
devotions this morning.
00:49:02.50\00:49:04.21
And this is divine.
00:49:08.01\00:49:09.34
Our prayers are answered
not because of our great faith,
00:49:09.38\00:49:12.81
they are answered
because of our great God.
00:49:12.85\00:49:15.02
Praise the Lord.
00:49:15.05\00:49:17.59
Hallelujah, He
answers our prayers
00:49:17.62\00:49:19.59
not because we're
great but because He's great.
00:49:19.62\00:49:22.09
But this is the
close. Listen to this.
00:49:26.73\00:49:29.73
"But motioning to them
with his hands to keep silent,
00:49:29.76\00:49:35.27
he declared to them
00:49:35.30\00:49:37.87
how the Lord had
brought him out..."
00:49:37.91\00:49:39.77
How the Lord
had brought him out?
00:49:57.93\00:49:59.26
"And he said, 'Go,
tell these things to James
00:50:07.34\00:50:10.71
and he departed
to another place."
00:50:10.74\00:50:13.24
'It's the last point but
it's probably the most powerful.
00:50:13.27\00:50:17.68
God not only
delivered Peter from his chains,
00:50:17.71\00:50:20.92
God delivered
Peter from the places
00:50:20.95\00:50:23.18
he had become familiar with.
00:50:23.22\00:50:25.09
You see, I've learned this week
00:50:30.09\00:50:31.43
that the Lord wants
to do things in our lives
00:50:31.46\00:50:33.43
that will astound us.
00:50:33.46\00:50:36.20
When they saw
Peter, they were astounded.
00:50:36.23\00:50:39.20
This is not selfish Father...
00:50:45.07\00:50:47.34
but I want my life
to be astounding to God.
00:50:50.75\00:50:54.68
I don't want a
mediocre life anymore.
00:50:54.72\00:50:57.75
I want my life to
be astounding to God,
00:50:57.79\00:51:03.06
so that the next time
that the conversation comes up
00:51:03.09\00:51:06.93
between Jesus and Satan...
00:51:06.96\00:51:08.30
and the devil brings up my name,
00:51:11.70\00:51:13.03
the Lord will say,
00:51:13.07\00:51:14.40
you don't want to
mess with him this time.
00:51:14.44\00:51:16.64
Amen somebody?
00:51:16.67\00:51:18.97
You forgot the last time.
00:51:19.01\00:51:22.88
We've had
trials in our ministry,
00:51:22.91\00:51:24.25
we've had tests
all along the way.
00:51:24.28\00:51:26.28
And the test have
continued to come,
00:51:26.31\00:51:28.52
sometimes through the frailty
of our own self absorption
00:51:28.55\00:51:32.59
and our lack of
faithfulness to God.
00:51:32.62\00:51:34.49
And so here it is 2017,
00:51:39.96\00:51:41.63
and I believe one of the reasons
00:51:41.66\00:51:43.00
why so many of us
00:51:43.03\00:51:45.93
keep telling the
same old stories is that,
00:51:45.97\00:51:48.90
we're chained
to the same places.
00:51:48.94\00:51:52.94
Our chains are broken
but we're in the same place.
00:51:52.97\00:51:55.14
You see it's
2017, I'm praying that,
00:51:55.18\00:52:01.28
that God will break your chains
00:52:01.32\00:52:05.09
and give you a
better study life.
00:52:05.12\00:52:06.55
Amen.
00:52:06.59\00:52:07.92
He'll take you
from the same place
00:52:07.96\00:52:09.29
of a humdrum prayer life
00:52:09.32\00:52:11.43
and turn that prayer
life into the power of God.
00:52:11.46\00:52:15.93
That He will take
you from the place
00:52:15.96\00:52:17.30
where your spiritual life
00:52:17.33\00:52:18.67
seems to be okay with you,
00:52:18.70\00:52:23.64
but it will become a
power in the hand of God.
00:52:23.67\00:52:27.34
So this morning, as
this chorus has sung by us.
00:52:27.38\00:52:30.71
If you just put
the words up there,
00:52:30.75\00:52:32.08
I don't even need to turn to it.
00:52:32.11\00:52:33.52
I think we need to pray today.
00:52:33.55\00:52:35.75
I think we need to pray today.
00:52:35.78\00:52:39.09
But if you want to pray with me,
00:52:39.12\00:52:40.46
if you want to come
up and pray with me.
00:52:40.49\00:52:43.16
We had this song last week.
00:52:43.19\00:52:44.79
I remember,
somebody said, Pastor,
00:52:44.83\00:52:46.16
this was the
closing song last Sabbath.
00:52:46.19\00:52:49.46
I said, it's going to be
the closing song this Sabbath
00:52:49.50\00:52:51.60
because we still need to pray.
00:52:51.63\00:52:54.34
The year just began, we
can't just make one Sabbath,
00:52:54.37\00:52:57.11
the Sabbath of
prayer, we need to pray.
00:52:57.14\00:52:59.27
And today, what I want you
to come forward to do and pray
00:52:59.31\00:53:02.18
in your prayer, if
you come forward today
00:53:02.21\00:53:03.85
to pray at the altar with me.
00:53:03.88\00:53:06.85
If God is talking to you today
00:53:06.88\00:53:08.32
and you want to
come forward to pray.
00:53:08.35\00:53:12.99
You're praying that the Lord
00:53:13.02\00:53:14.36
will break the
chains that bind you,
00:53:14.39\00:53:16.93
whatever they may
be, you're too busy,
00:53:16.96\00:53:20.40
you don't feel the
need of fellowship,
00:53:20.43\00:53:23.83
you've got other things to do...
00:53:23.87\00:53:25.67
I can be a Christian by myself,
00:53:28.70\00:53:32.44
you want the Lord to
break those chains today.
00:53:32.47\00:53:36.01
You don't want to be
in the same place in 2017,
00:53:36.04\00:53:38.15
that you were in '16
and '15, and maybe '14.
00:53:38.18\00:53:42.08
I don't know how
far back it goes...
00:53:42.12\00:53:43.92
but you cannot enter
2017 with your study life
00:53:47.72\00:53:51.29
chained to the same place,
00:53:51.33\00:53:53.26
your prayer life
chained to the same place,
00:53:53.29\00:53:55.86
your spiritual life
chained to the same place,
00:53:55.90\00:53:58.77
your devotional life
chained to the same place,
00:53:58.80\00:54:01.30
you will never
be astounding to God
00:54:01.34\00:54:03.57
with your life
chained to the same place.
00:54:03.61\00:54:07.64
See in that same book
on prayer, it is said,
00:54:07.68\00:54:10.28
and hear me, before we pray.
00:54:10.31\00:54:12.98
It is a part of
God's plan to grant to us,
00:54:13.01\00:54:16.89
and answer to
the prayer of faith
00:54:16.92\00:54:19.55
that which He would not bestow,
00:54:19.59\00:54:23.93
did we not thus ask.
00:54:23.96\00:54:26.70
So this morning, I want you in
your own prayer circle to pray.
00:54:26.73\00:54:31.13
There is a chain in your life,
00:54:31.17\00:54:32.50
there's a chain and
there's a prison in your life,
00:54:32.53\00:54:34.60
there're some gates
you've got to get passed.
00:54:34.64\00:54:37.57
There's an iron
gate in your way,
00:54:37.61\00:54:40.31
but you've got to
arise and follow Jesus.
00:54:40.34\00:54:42.64
You can't ask for directions,
you can't ask Father,
00:54:42.68\00:54:44.85
where are we going, you
just got to get up and go.
00:54:44.88\00:54:48.52
You've got to submit
your life to the guiding angel
00:54:48.55\00:54:50.32
that God has sent
to be by your side.
00:54:50.35\00:54:53.52
You've got to pray like
you've never prayed before,
00:54:53.56\00:54:55.76
become devoted like you've
never been devoted before,
00:54:55.79\00:54:58.49
you've got to
change your schedule
00:54:58.53\00:55:00.20
if it's too busy for
Jesus, it's not of Him.
00:55:00.23\00:55:04.43
If Jesus is not in it,
00:55:04.47\00:55:05.80
if corporate
prayer is not in it,
00:55:05.83\00:55:07.30
if time with your brothers
and sisters is not there,
00:55:07.34\00:55:10.41
then it ain't God's schedule.
00:55:10.44\00:55:12.57
Busyness is sometimes
Satan's greatest tool,
00:55:12.61\00:55:15.84
and so Father,
00:55:15.88\00:55:17.28
I thank You that
You delivered us,
00:55:17.31\00:55:20.12
You delivered
us, You delivered me
00:55:20.15\00:55:23.75
from my self
absorbed life of activity,
00:55:23.79\00:55:27.26
for my self
definition of righteousness,
00:55:27.29\00:55:30.63
for my own definition of
00:55:30.66\00:55:32.79
personal
stumblings and bumblings
00:55:32.83\00:55:36.26
and all the chains
that Satan had bound me
00:55:36.30\00:55:39.63
with you broke them.
00:55:39.67\00:55:41.30
Thank you Jesus.
00:55:41.34\00:55:42.77
You broke them,
00:55:42.80\00:55:45.81
and my life is in a
different place now.
00:55:45.84\00:55:48.64
For Your glory, let us pray.
00:55:48.68\00:55:50.55
Pray independently, I'm
going to just pray audibly,
00:55:50.58\00:55:54.42
you pray in your heart
that God will speak to you.
00:55:54.45\00:55:57.89
Loving Father, Your
people are standing here today.
00:55:57.92\00:56:01.86
You want to breathe into them
00:56:01.89\00:56:03.22
and cause them
to be a mighty army.
00:56:03.26\00:56:04.99
You want to take these dry bones
00:56:05.03\00:56:07.43
and cover them what's anew,
00:56:07.46\00:56:08.80
put Your spirit within them
00:56:08.83\00:56:10.90
that we here in Thompsonville
00:56:10.93\00:56:14.30
might stand up a great
00:56:14.34\00:56:15.67
and mighty army unified,
00:56:15.70\00:56:19.71
transformed, spirit filled
00:56:19.74\00:56:24.65
and delivered.
00:56:24.68\00:56:27.18
You don't want us to go
forward from this place today
00:56:27.22\00:56:30.65
with the same
attitude we brought here,
00:56:30.69\00:56:33.46
with the same
agenda we brought here,
00:56:33.49\00:56:36.06
with our
beautifully organized calendars
00:56:36.09\00:56:38.59
where Jesus is
hardly even seen in it.
00:56:38.63\00:56:42.26
Lord reorder our
steps, for You said,
00:56:42.30\00:56:44.93
the steps of a righteous
man are ordered by the Lord.
00:56:44.97\00:56:50.27
Father, we've been
going all these different ways
00:56:50.31\00:56:52.07
but there's a
way that seems right
00:56:52.11\00:56:53.64
but in the end we'll realize
00:56:53.68\00:56:55.01
it's just been the way of death.
00:56:55.04\00:56:57.68
We want to go the way of life.
00:56:57.71\00:56:59.05
Amen.
00:56:59.08\00:57:00.65
Some of us are just
as impetuous as Peter.
00:57:00.68\00:57:03.39
Our mouths are in fifth gear,
and our minds are in first,
00:57:03.42\00:57:06.62
but Lord today...
00:57:06.65\00:57:08.96
the devil's asking for
us that he might sift us,
00:57:08.99\00:57:11.19
but Lord today we now
know you're praying for us.
00:57:11.23\00:57:16.40
Help us to pray for one another.
00:57:16.43\00:57:18.53
Amen.
00:57:18.57\00:57:20.34
Sometimes You walk
through the doors of this church
00:57:20.37\00:57:22.07
and we put our eyes on
another brother or sister
00:57:22.10\00:57:24.81
that we just don't like
00:57:24.84\00:57:26.54
and the devil glorifies in that.
00:57:26.57\00:57:31.01
Give us a Pentecostal experience
00:57:31.05\00:57:32.61
on the day of
Pentecost pour into us,
00:57:32.65\00:57:35.28
only as we are on our
knees praying for unity,
00:57:35.32\00:57:39.89
for our lives to be burnt up,
00:57:39.92\00:57:45.13
for ourselves to be consumed,
00:57:45.16\00:57:49.33
for us to be broken before you
00:57:49.36\00:57:52.47
that we could be
whole the way that you see.
00:57:52.50\00:57:57.54
And then finally
Father, You can give us a vision
00:57:57.57\00:57:59.94
of who You always saw us to be,
00:57:59.97\00:58:02.48
and when people see us
they will be astounded,
00:58:02.51\00:58:05.05
is that who I think it is.
00:58:05.08\00:58:09.02
Oh, Lord, Jesus, thank
You for such deep love.
00:58:09.05\00:58:12.95
And so we submit
ourselves to you today Father,
00:58:12.99\00:58:15.32
this is not the
end all that ends all
00:58:15.36\00:58:16.86
but Lord I pray that
this is a humble beginning.
00:58:16.89\00:58:20.20
And this year will be
the soul spirit filled
00:58:20.23\00:58:21.93
that this church will be
shoulder to shoulder in lives
00:58:21.96\00:58:26.60
that have been set free
by our prayers in our work.
00:58:26.63\00:58:31.11
Family members that
have been delivered,
00:58:31.14\00:58:33.01
the community that
has been delivered,
00:58:33.04\00:58:34.81
our neighbors and friends
that have been delivered,
00:58:34.84\00:58:37.05
because we brought
them to you in prayer.
00:58:37.08\00:58:39.91
And then we went and
labored for their salvation
00:58:39.95\00:58:42.12
because we have
been put to death.
00:58:42.15\00:58:44.72
And so, Father,
hear our prayers today.
00:58:44.75\00:58:46.96
Now our dear Lord as we pray,
00:58:46.99\00:58:50.09
take our hearts
and minds far away
00:58:50.13\00:58:53.80
and may You alone
receive all the glory,
00:58:53.83\00:58:56.73
and we pray this in the precious
00:58:56.77\00:58:59.63
and worthy name
of Jesus, our savior.
00:58:59.67\00:59:02.50
Amen and amen.
00:59:02.54\00:59:05.17