Participants: Bill Liversidge
Series Code: VIJ
Program Code: VIJ000011
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00:22 Let's bow our heads together for prayer this morning.
00:25 Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You so much 00:28 that Your presence is with us right now in this room 00:31 and we are in our that You would give Your mind to us 00:36 that we really can think Your thoughts everyday 00:41 and You live in us and show us Your truth. 00:47 Please guide us into all truths 00:49 and be with us this day and always in Jesus name, amen. 00:54 Amen, amen. Thank you very much. 00:56 Well, we were talking about habit formation. 01:03 In Romans 6:13, 16, key verses here 01:10 were Paul using the continuous tense in Greek reminds us 01:14 that we ought not to continuously 01:18 present our bodies to sin 01:22 as instruments of unrighteousness 01:24 but that we should continuously present our bodies to God 01:31 as instruments of righteousness. 01:33 And I was explaining to you in the last session 01:37 how important it is to address old habits in our lives 01:42 because if you don't replace them 01:45 with better habits they will continue 01:48 to pull you back in to the same old pathways. 01:52 You may even become seriously discouraged. 01:56 I remember, I reached the point in my own Christian life 01:59 that I said this doesn't work. 02:01 Why am I still doing things that I don't want to be doing? 02:07 And it would have been such a relief 02:08 if anybody had been sufficiently educated 02:11 to have explained to me 02:13 that I'm doing things that I don't want to do. 02:15 I'm not even planning to do but there a trigger's out there 02:18 and they set me off 02:20 and the thought comes in my mind 02:22 and I find myself doing things. 02:25 So I cannot urge upon you the importance 02:29 of replacing existing habits with new patterns in our minds 02:34 that bring glory to God. 02:38 Now Jack, I wish you take a minute 02:40 and would you be willing to share with the room 02:43 what's you just raised with me a minute ago 02:45 when I was visiting if we can possibly extract 02:48 the microphone here will get to do this so. 02:51 I believe that I read this at some place 02:54 that Christ lost His omnipresence at the cross. 03:00 And I was saying He eluded to the fact 03:04 that we should be asking Him to help us with her mind 03:08 in all these other things and I was saying, 03:12 well, does it the Holy Spirit have to do that. 03:15 Christ partner in heaven has to do this for us 03:19 because I don't believe the father does this. 03:23 And that's my belief I kind of knew it this. 03:27 Man, this is a great question, man. 03:28 It's an excellent question. 03:30 And Jesus did accept certain limitations 03:33 when He took on humanity but the good news is 03:37 that the members of the trinity unlike us 03:41 they have a oneness about them. 03:45 Now if you look in John 17 for example, 03:51 John 17:21, John 17:21 03:57 this is the prayer of Jesus. 04:01 He prays for His disciples, His followers, He says that 04:04 "They all may be one, even as thou, 04:07 Father, art in me, and I in thee." 04:13 I hope you're hearing this. 04:15 The members of the Godhead appeared to be in each other 04:19 and even though the Holy Spirit is not mentioned here 04:22 we know that He is an equal member of the triune godhead. 04:27 So the members of the godhead 04:29 are actually in, they're spoken of, Jesus said 04:33 my Father is in Me, this of course 04:35 is the beautiful ministry of the Holy Spirit 04:38 that makes that possible. 04:40 And Jesus was in the Father. 04:43 So any time we hear about Jesus being in us 04:46 and I appreciate Jack opening this tour. 04:49 It's pointing to the Holy Spirit. 04:52 Amen. 04:53 Who makes it's like having Jesus in you 04:55 if the Holy Spirit is in you. 04:58 Compare John 16, flip back one chapter 05:03 we read this first yesterday but we'll read it again. 05:06 John 16:13, 14, 05:11 "But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, 05:13 he will guide you into all the truth. 05:17 He will not speak of Himself 05:18 but whatever He hears He will speak 05:21 and disclose to you what is to come." 05:23 And look at verse 14, "He shall glorify me, 05:29 He shall take of mine and disclose it to you." 05:36 The Holy Spirit's entire ministry 05:40 is to take the things of Jesus and make them available to us. 05:45 Amen. Amen. 05:47 This is how Jesus can be alive and well in each one of us 05:51 if you have the Holy Spirit in you 05:54 because they are one you have Christ in you. 05:57 Amen. Amen. 05:58 I do hope that's crystal clear. 06:02 By the way, its 17 years of age 06:04 I encountered Christianity in Melbourne, Australia. 06:11 And a 75-year-old literature evangelist 06:14 came knocking on the door of our house. 06:18 And my mother was seriously ill at the time 06:20 and this woman is such a good talker, 06:25 she actually convinced me to later come in to the house. 06:29 And I tried that tell my mother was so sick 06:31 but this woman was in ministry not just selling books 06:36 and so she came in and minister to my mother. 06:40 And one of those things you can't argue with this 06:42 when God rises a person up and heals them 06:46 and restores them. 06:47 And my mother once she was restored 06:50 immediately they then praying for her older son that was me. 06:54 She would kneel down and pray for her wicked son William, 06:59 and I didn't feel like her wicked son. 07:02 I was caring for my brothers and sisters, 07:04 I was trying to look after my mother, 07:06 I was doing all the right things as a young man 07:10 and I didn't understand the term wicked. 07:13 But I knew that I have lots of habits in my life 07:15 that were not to the glory of God. 07:17 So my mother kept praying. 07:21 Anyway one morning, 07:22 I was taking the train to work down in to the city, 07:27 the heart of the city and in the providence of God 07:30 He sat me next to a young Methodist preacher, 07:34 a young man of God 07:38 and I started chatting with this guy 07:40 and I was explaining to him that I had some convictions 07:47 and that I was having difficulty 07:49 honoring these convictions. 07:52 And the biggest conviction that I was having a struggle was 07:56 I had listened to my mother 07:58 having a serious of Bible studies. 08:02 And one of those studies was 08:04 about the keeping of the Sabbath 08:08 and this was news to me. 08:10 I automatically assumed 08:12 that everyone went to church on the same day. 08:16 And I discovered that there are people 08:18 going to church on different days 08:21 and all of a sudden Friday night 08:23 became an important night and I remember saying 08:27 to this young pastor that's my dance night. 08:33 I go to the dance hall every Friday night. 08:36 It's party night. It's drinking night. 08:38 It's-- whatever going on night. 08:41 It's the big night all my friends are there. 08:44 I've been going there for years. 08:46 It's the biggest night of the week. 08:49 And I didn't have a lot of high points 08:51 in my life at this point. 08:54 So I said to this young Methodist minister 08:55 I don't know what to do because unfortunately 08:59 I overheard this Bible study and I became convicted 09:03 that I should be thinking about Sabbath. 09:07 This young man bless his heart he never questioned me 09:11 he made no effort to convince me 09:13 that I was wrong in my choice of day 09:16 which I thought was incredibly generous of him 09:19 because he can see that I was sincerely asking 09:22 and so instead of correcting me and pointing out that may be 09:27 I should have been thinking about some day. 09:29 And you know I love the fact that people can be come 09:32 respectful of one another's belief, don't you? 09:34 Amen. Amen. 09:35 And this because somebody is worshipping on a different day 09:38 that me or they thinking differently 09:40 that me doesn't mean I should sit in judgment 09:43 or even make myself appear to be 09:45 better or superior to them. 09:49 Every thing hinges on the conviction 09:51 you have from the Word of God. 09:54 And I was convicted about Friday night and Saturday. 09:58 So this young Methodist minister 10:00 never corrected me on the day bless his heart. 10:03 I didn't realize this till years later. 10:06 He read Romans 6:16 to me, 10:09 the verse we just read, quite so precious to me. 10:14 Look at it again and reminds us self of the words. 10:18 Romans 6:16. 10:26 Oh, Greg, would you read that for me 10:27 because that's missing here and-- 10:30 "Do you not know that when you present yourselves 10:34 to someone as slaves for obedience, 10:38 you're slaves over the one whom you obey, 10:41 either of sin resulting in death 10:43 or of obedience resulting in righteousness." 10:45 Who has that in the King James Version? 10:48 Now the regular King James-- 10:50 Eddie, have you got the regular King James? 10:52 Hang on, just pray for the microphone 10:54 that will appear. 10:58 Great, thank you. 11:02 "Know ye not, that to whom 11:04 ye yield yourselves servants to obey, 11:07 his servants ye are to whom ye obey, 11:10 whether of sin unto death, 11:11 or of obedience unto righteousness?" 11:14 Notice the word coming through in the King James. 11:16 I prefer this word to whom you? Obey. 11:20 Now read it one more time, Eddie. 11:21 Listen carefully to it so we can pick it up. 11:26 "Know ye not, that to whom 11:28 ye yield yourselves servants to obey, 11:33 his servants ye are to whom ye obey." 11:36 Very good. 11:37 "Whether of sin unto death, 11:38 or of obedience unto righteousness?" 11:40 He placed the emphasis on the right syllable 11:43 that time. 11:45 The word is "Yield" 11:47 and this young minister said to me 11:49 the secret is don't struggle against this. 11:53 Don't ask God to make you strong enough 11:55 not to go in to the dance hall on Friday night. 12:00 Yield, does it I don't understand, yield. 12:03 He said well, the modern word is surrender. 12:05 I said, I still don't get it. 12:08 He said, go out and find a tree 12:10 or some quite place and just look up 12:14 and this is where I got the phrase from 12:16 and say to God I give you permission 12:20 right now to bring the mind of Jesus in to me. 12:25 Amen. 12:27 I give Jesus permission to make that the decision 12:31 whether I go in to the dance hall or not. 12:33 I said, what's that I gonna do? 12:34 He said, just try it and see what happens. 12:38 So, Friday I took the train back to where I lived. 12:42 I got off the train and I walk through the gate. 12:45 You know I could have turned in any of several directions 12:48 but I always turn left on Friday night 12:50 because it took me down pass the dance hall. 12:54 So I turned left and I'm walking down on 12:56 I can hear the music half a mile away 12:58 and I'm walking down-- I'm getting in the groove 13:01 as I'm walking along I can just feel myself 13:03 I'm ready for this, you know. 13:06 And I got to the gate of the dance hall 13:08 and I hesitated for a minute but I went in. 13:12 And there's a huge tree in the front yard 13:15 that still live, by the way. 13:18 Anyway I hesitated and the young woman 13:20 came out of the dance hall, 13:21 a good friend of mine and she saw me. 13:24 Bill, Bill, we've been waiting for you. 13:27 And she came down and she took hold of me by my hand 13:30 and started leading me up in to the dance hall. 13:34 You probably been in a situation like this 13:36 but every thing in me said, no, no, no 13:38 I don't want to go into the little dance hall 13:40 but my legs were saying yes, yes, yes. 13:43 And I walked right up to the door of the dance hall 13:48 and the Holy Spirit went zap. 13:50 Amen. 13:51 And Romans 6:16 jumped into my mind, 13:56 it was the King James Version 13:58 "To whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, 14:03 his servants ye are whether of sin unto death 14:07 or God unto righteousness?" 14:11 And I hesitated and I realized that God was prompting me 14:15 to yield for the first time in my life 14:18 that I had ever experienced yielding. 14:21 So I said to this girl, hey, I can't come in at the moment 14:24 go in without me I'll join you shortly. 14:27 I knew, I shouldn't say that but it got me off the hook 14:30 and I turned around and I went back 14:32 and I stood on to this big tree for the first time in my life 14:36 because I'd never prayed. 14:38 I looked up and I said to God 14:40 you know, I don't know much about You. 14:42 We've this very casual conversation 14:45 but the young preacher told me to yield. 14:49 And even though I don't comprehended fully 14:52 I'm giving You permission right now 14:56 to bring the mind of Jesus in to me 14:59 and I give Him permission to make the decision 15:01 whether I go in to the dance hall or not 15:03 because there's drinking 15:04 and all kinds of activities going on in the dance hall. 15:10 And something happened. 15:14 Miraculously, I knew within myself 15:18 that I was not going in to the dance hall. 15:21 My mind just went click. Amen. 15:24 Did I have to go in turn around and walk away 15:28 but of course the enemy didn't want 15:29 to let me off the hook that quickly. 15:31 A dozen of my friends come and, 15:32 what are you doing talking to a tree, you know? 15:36 This is secular Australia remember, 15:38 you didn't pray not openly. 15:41 I was so embarrassed. 15:42 They said, what are you doing? They came and stood around me. 15:46 I said, look it's I wasn't ready 15:48 to witness to anybody. 15:50 I said, I can't stay tonight and I fled, I fled. 15:56 Three weeks later I went back into the dance hall, 16:02 I was so depressed. 16:04 And I thought because didn't understand habit formation 16:09 and I was in the state of mild depression 16:12 and the Holy Spirit said to me 16:14 this is God at His best speaking to my mind 16:18 God said to me, its the first time 16:19 I heard God in my own mind 16:22 God said to me, did you have to turn left? 16:29 I said what? Well, could you turn right? 16:35 I said, well, I could and both rows would have 16:38 let the home. 16:40 He said, well, I suggest you start turning right. 16:44 And so I quit walking pass the dance hall 16:48 and I started turning right. 16:50 So three years ago my older son Simon who is a pastor, 16:53 he and I were in Melbourne together he said dad, 16:55 let's take a train out the way you used to live. 16:58 I said okay. 17:00 I thought he was interested in saying where I used to live. 17:04 So we took the train out 17:05 we got off the train and he said to me 17:06 and I know he got great joy out of this he said dad, 17:09 empty your mind of all preconceived ideas. 17:12 I said oh, yeah, yeah. He's testing thee. 17:16 He said now walk through that gate 17:18 and turn automatically the way that you turned. 17:23 Don't think about it. 17:24 Don't make a conscious decision. 17:26 Walk through the gate and just turn in the direction 17:30 you feel inclined to turn. 17:34 He's watching me and I walked through the gate 17:36 which way did I turn? 17:37 Right. Right. 17:40 Oh, come on. Come on. 17:42 No, right. Well, the-- 17:43 Oh, hallelujahs she's growing rapidly, yes. 17:46 I automatically turned right. Amen. 17:50 And I said to my son at the time 17:51 you know I've actually forgotten the streets. 17:54 I must have turned right so many times 17:57 that it became the habit and in the process 18:02 the old habit lost its power and authority over me. 18:05 Amen. Amen. 18:06 The new habit had replaced the old. 18:09 I said, I have to go back 18:10 and work out the streets all over again 18:13 and now to go left because I was in the habit 18:16 for several years of turning right. 18:18 Praise the Lord. Amen. 18:20 What a-- I didn't understand 18:21 the principle fully like I do know 18:24 but I want to encourage you here today 18:28 that even though you're coming to the cross everyday 18:31 and you're putting on the mind of Jesus 18:34 you must intelligently act upon sound biblical principles. 18:39 Amen. Amen. 18:40 And as you act upon them 18:42 on a regular and consistent basis 18:45 they will replace the old habits in your lives 18:50 and you'll find yourself automatically 18:53 doing by nature the very things 18:58 that are in the mind of God which is now in you. 19:02 Thank you for that. 19:03 I'll bishop that out, would you? 19:05 The new nature. It's the new nature. 19:08 It's the new nature in you. Amen. 19:12 And I can't resist to showing this little statement 19:14 from my favorite author with you 19:17 because I happened to have 19:18 it's stuck in my Bible along side 19:21 Romans Chapter 12. 19:25 This lady who is a very prolific Christian writer 19:28 of the 19th century by the name of Ellen White. 19:33 Right one of the most beautiful commentaries 19:35 on the life of Jesus 19:37 and regardless of your denominational preferences 19:41 I strongly urge you to check out the book 19:45 called "The Desire of Ages." 19:48 It's the most beautiful commentary 19:51 on the life of Jesus 19:53 you will ever read outside of the Scriptures, 19:56 I'm very serious. 19:58 And it will not upset your denominational connections 20:02 because it's simply a beautiful commentary on the life of Jesus 20:06 it will strengthen you in your own church 20:09 affiliations at this moment. 20:11 And on page 668, listen carefully to the words 20:17 its just a little statement, "If we consent, 20:23 He will so identify Himself with our thoughts and aims, 20:29 so blend our hearts and minds into conformity to His will," 20:35 I hope you hearing it and here's the important 20:37 part of Ellen White triggered this in me 20:39 when she said what she just said, 20:42 "that when obeying Him we shall be 20:47 but carrying out our own impulses." 20:50 Amen. Amen. 20:55 You'll grow to the point that when you obey Jesus 21:00 she will just be doing naturally now the things 21:04 that are in your own mind. 21:06 Amen. 21:07 That's powerful 21:09 because you've gotten into the habit. 21:12 The mind of Jesus has now become one with your mind. 21:16 You're doing now by nature 21:19 the very will of God Himself in you. 21:23 Isn't not remarkable? Amen. 21:25 It's absolutely remarkable. 21:28 The seriously advanced concept coming through here today. 21:33 So as we wrap things up here three powerful steps, 21:40 three powerful steps 21:42 that lead to victory in the life of the believer. 21:46 We got to take a couple of minutes 21:48 as we conclude now just in case the word has touched you 21:53 at some special level this weekend. 21:57 I am gonna give you a couple of minutes to feedback to me. 22:00 What is touched you from the Word of God 22:02 specifically this weekend? 22:05 I'm gonna take a couple of extra minutes here 22:07 this morning on top of our regular time 22:10 so that we'll have time to answer this. 22:12 Who's responding to that? 22:13 What has touched you especially 22:16 during our seminar on Victory in Jesus 22:19 that you'd like to share and give praise to God for? 22:22 Ruddy, yes? 22:24 To me what's critical or so powerful 22:29 is the fact that God is willing to transform me 22:34 and He gives me the methodology 22:36 the means to achieve that by surrendering, 22:40 by coming to the cross this 22:43 that the three steps that you aligned 22:46 and He actually dwells in me 22:50 and takes over my nature, 22:56 so where He dominates and I can fulfill His paln. 23:00 Beautiful. 23:01 Because He gives me His motives, 23:03 His desires and His plan. 23:06 We could say you worked the whole in shall either. 23:09 Yes. It's powerful. 23:10 Praise the Lord, man. Praise the Lord. 23:11 That's powerful. Amen. 23:12 It's powerful, it's powerful, powerful. 23:13 Yeah, yes. Kane, yes? 23:19 I've been struck this weekend 23:21 that in spite of my natural tendency 23:24 is to be an enemy of God, 23:26 He's gracious and forgiving and kind and loving 23:31 and He will come into my mind 23:35 when I ask Him to and I invite Him to 23:37 and as I become more impressed with His word 23:40 and understand it better my thoughts 23:43 would become His thoughts 23:44 or His thoughts will become my thoughts. 23:46 Okay, powerful statement there, thank you. 23:49 Who else is responding? 23:50 Okay, down the front here, thank you. 23:53 Let me know when the three minutes is up please. 23:56 Well, I got to admit I cheated a little bit 23:58 because I get your book and I read it twice. 24:01 That's music to my ears. 24:03 And I followed this pattern and I have had my mind 24:08 actually change by God and issues resolved 24:13 that were just impossible resolved. 24:15 I mean, this works God is so faithful. 24:19 I mean, I just love Him. 24:21 I'll just fall more and more in love with Him 24:23 because you see how much He loves you. 24:25 As He changes you. Beautiful. 24:27 And it's all about Him. 24:28 Powerful testimony. Praise God. 24:31 Come on who else is sitting there 24:33 praising God something's gripped you this weekend. 24:36 I am actually thrilled 24:38 that I can trust God enough to change me 24:42 but I am even more thrilled realizing 24:48 that people around me are changed. 24:52 That gives me such a goose bumps 24:54 that God has His people on this place. 24:57 Amen. Amen. 24:58 Beautiful testimony and thank you. 25:01 All good things must come to an end 25:02 and thank you for being such great participants 25:05 in the word for entire weekend 25:08 which will show on television for many weeks to come. 25:11 Let's stand together as we conclude. 25:13 We gonna call Almighty 25:14 the close in prayer for us please. 25:22 So the God in gratitude and humility, 25:30 we thank You for the great gift of Jesus for the fact 25:35 that you pursue us so much 25:38 that You want to dwell within us, 25:41 transforming us into Your likeness. 25:45 Lord, thank you so much. 25:48 To You be the honor and the glory always, amen. 25:52 Amen. Amen. 25:54 Creative Media Ministries is a faith based ministry 25:57 dedicated to the sharing of the good news 25:59 of the Lord Jesus Christ. 26:01 We need your help to take this dynamic message 26:03 to the uttermost parts of the earth. 26:06 If God is touched your heart 26:07 and the Word of God has come to life 26:09 like never before contributions can be sent to 26:12 Creative Media Ministries, PO Box 9485, 26:16 Bakersfield, CA 93389 26:20 or you can make your donation online 26:22 by visiting our website 26:24 at www.creative mediaministries.org. 26:29 To order the complete series of Victory in Jesus 26:31 and many other seminars in DVD or CD format 26:34 contact us at www.creative mediaministries.org. 26:40 You can also call us at 888-744-0443. 26:46 That's 888-744-0443 26:50 or write to us at Creative Media Ministries, 26:53 PO Box 9485, Bakersfield, CA 93389. |
Revised 2015-01-01