Hi, I'm Shelley Quinn
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and welcome to
the 3ABN Worship Hour.
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Let me ask,
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do you realize
that we are in a battle
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for our lives,
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a battle to overcome
three opposing forces,
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self, the
influences of the world
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and the sinister
strategies of Satan.
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And let me tell you,
this is no minor skirmish,
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it is an all-out war.
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It is the war of
the great controversy,
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good versus evil.
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And how we face
the battle is up to us.
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We have one of two choices,
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we can either choose to
remain on the losing side
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and be overwhelmed
by our circumstances,
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overpowered by sin,
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and dealing with
doubt, despair, and defeat.
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Or we can choose to
line up on the winning side
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and draw on God's divine power
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and enjoy the
victory of overcoming,
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the victory of
coming out on top.
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You know, the
Bible has so much to say
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about the victory of overcoming.
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Actually, you could
say all of Scripture
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is about overcoming.
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But what we have to
recognize is the battle is real.
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But so is the
victory in Christ Jesus.
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He promises us the
victory of overcoming,
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which is the title
of today's message.
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Let's pray.
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Heavenly Father,
we come before You
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in the name of Jesus
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and oh, how we thank You, Lord,
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for Your three
greatest gifts of grace,
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how we thank You
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for our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ.
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Precious Lord, thank You.
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Oh, God, that You
became a man and died for us.
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Thank You for
Your Holy Spirit, Lord,
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and thank You for Your word.
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We pray for Your
anointing today, Lord,
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get me out of the way
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and, Lord, anoint this message
and we give You all the praise,
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all the honor, all the
glory, in Jesus' name, amen.
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Now today is going to be
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a good old
fashioned Bible study.
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We are going to
use a lot of Scripture.
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So if you're a note taker,
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you might just want to jot down
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the references
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because we won't have
time to look these up.
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But you can
always watch on YouTube
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where you can pause
and get better notes.
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So, what does the
word overcome mean?
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In the Greek it is
Nike, it means to conquer,
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to overcome by power.
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It implies being victorious
over an enemy in battle.
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It implies endurance
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and perseverance
and determination
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to prevail and triumph.
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What guarantees us the victory?
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I really should say,
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who guarantees us the
victory of overcoming?
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Let's look or
listen to John 16:33.
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Jesus said,
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"These things I
have spoken to you
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that in me, in Christ,
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you may have
peace in the world."
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Let me repeat that.
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In Me, you may have peace,
then He says, in the world,
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you will have tribulation,
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but be of good cheer for
I have overcome the world.
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The death and resurrection
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of our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ
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is what
guarantees us the victory.
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He accomplished His
mission when He came to earth.
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He dealt the death nail
to Satan in His world system,
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and He won the
victory at the cross.
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We're all sinners
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and the Bible tells us
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that the penalty
for sin is death.
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Second death,
total obliteration.
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But we all need a savior,
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and we can't save ourselves
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because
salvation belongs to God.
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Jesus Christ offers us
the gift of eternal life,
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the gift of salvation
by grace through faith.
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All we have to do is
trust Him and receive.
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Jesus is our redeemer.
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He paid the price for our sins.
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And the Bible says
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that He released us from bondage
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by His suffering
and dying on the cross.
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Ephesians 1:7 says,
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"In Him, we have
redemption through His blood,
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the forgiveness of sin."
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He liberated us.
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You know, the Bible says
that we are freed from our sin,
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by His blood.
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He reconciled us to God.
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And now through Christ,
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we are welcomed into
God's loving embrace.
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And He says,
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"I will be your God,
and you will be My people.
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I will be your father
and you will be My children."
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This is covenant language.
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Yes, the unbelieving
world may still oppose Christ,
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and may still attack His people
causing us to have tribulation.
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But let me tell
you, they will not.
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They cannot thwart
His eternal purpose.
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The Bible tells us
in 2 Corinthians 1:20,
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that all of the promises of God
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are yes and
amen in Christ Jesus.
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His
resurrection, Peter tells us,
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gives us a living
hope that we have,
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"an inheritance
that can never perish,
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spoil, or fade, kept in heaven."
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Jesus is coming again soon.
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He's coming to get His people,
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to take us to
heaven for 1,000 years,
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then He will
recreate this earth,
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and there'll be no
more death, dying or sorrow.
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Those who accept Christ
as their Savior and Lord
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are considered to be born again.
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And born again
believers are overcomers.
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Yes, we may face
tribulation on the earth,
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we may have tension
and face opposition.
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But Paul says
this in Romans 8:37.
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"Yet, in all these things,
no matter what is going on,
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we are more than
conquerors through Him,
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who loved us."
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We are over conquerors,
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more than victorious
because of God's love.
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When we are in Christ,
evil cannot conquer us,
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we will always have
Jesus' peace, His comfort,
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and we will have victory
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in our relationship through Him.
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In 1 John 5:4, John writes,
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"Whoever is born of
God overcomes the world,
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they're victorious
over this old world system.
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And this is the victory,"
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he says, "that has
overcome the world."
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Our faith,
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God in the
person of Jesus Christ
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absolutely
conquered evil on the cross.
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And those who are united to Him,
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who are living in Him
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will have victory in overcoming
wickedness, deception.
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Does this mean
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that we will
face every difficulty
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with complete
calm and composure?
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Does this guarantee
us happiness and health?
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The Lord said, "We will
have tribulation in the world."
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So the answer is no.
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But Paul had
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more than his
share of tribulation.
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And in 2
Corinthians 2:14, he says,
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"Thanks be to God
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who always leads us
in triumph in Christ."
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Jesus always will lead us safely
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through all of our problems.
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In fact, my experience has been,
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He carries us through,
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we have His promise
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that He will never
leave us or forsake us.
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We just have to
recognize His presence.
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He's with us
right here, right now.
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Do you remember the
three opposing forces
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I said that we must overcome?
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Self, influences of the world,
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and the sinister
strategies of Satan.
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Let me say this,
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we must pause and ask ourselves,
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are we overcoming?
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Are we
experiencing victory over self?
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In order to
experience victory over self,
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we have to
understand the science of sin.
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Let's look or
listen to James 1:14.
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It says, "Each one is tempted,
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when he is drawn
away by his own desires,
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his own lust, his own
longing, his own craving."
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See, temptation is
different for everyone.
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It is a result
of our upbringing,
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our environment,
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even our inherited tendencies
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that direct our personal choices
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to satisfy our fallen nature.
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But let's listen
again to James 1:14.
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"Each one is tempted
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when he is drawn
away by his own desires,
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and enticed."
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The word enticed literally means
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to catch by bait.
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Oh, please, don't
take Satan's bait.
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He will lure you, and
then he will reel you in.
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We have to understand
how Satan sets the trap.
00:11:05.43\00:11:09.93
And sin is not
just a spontaneous act.
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Listen to what James
goes on and says in verse 15.
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James 1:15,
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"When desire has conceived,
it gives birth to sin.
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And sin, when it is full
grown brings forth death."
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So, James is
likening the process
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or the science of sin
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to the physical
conception and birth.
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You get a wrong
idea in your head,
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and you let it rattle a
while around a little bit.
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That's the gestation period.
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And then
suddenly, it gives birth,
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but not to life,
he says to death.
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Then he says,
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"Do not be deceived
My beloved brethren."
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Satan's deception
makes sin look appealing.
00:12:05.85\00:12:11.29
Satan hides the shame of sin.
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You know what he does?
00:12:14.83\00:12:16.16
He takes sin,
00:12:16.20\00:12:17.67
and he wraps it in
the shiny foil paper
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with a big satin ribbon,
00:12:21.97\00:12:24.47
just the kind of
package you can't wait to open.
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But it is nothing more
than gift wrapped garbage.
00:12:28.11\00:12:34.98
We will never overcome sin
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until we recognize
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how abhorrent sin is to
our holy righteous father.
00:12:41.39\00:12:46.83
If you want to
know how God hates sin,
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just look at the penalty
God paid for sin at the cross.
00:12:50.33\00:12:56.07
If we want to recognize
00:12:56.10\00:12:58.84
what Satan is
trying to do to us,
00:12:58.87\00:13:03.01
his second greatest
sin or deception is this.
00:13:03.04\00:13:07.98
He will try to make us believe
00:13:08.02\00:13:10.99
that it is
impossible to overcome sin.
00:13:11.02\00:13:15.82
Well, 1 John 3:8
absolutely erases that thought.
00:13:15.86\00:13:22.33
It says, "For this purpose,
the Son of God was manifested,
00:13:22.36\00:13:27.77
that He might destroy
the works of the devil."
00:13:27.80\00:13:31.84
Jesus came to save us
from our sins, not in our sins.
00:13:31.87\00:13:38.08
How does He do this?
00:13:38.11\00:13:39.45
You know, Jesus said,
00:13:39.48\00:13:40.82
"Apart from Me,
you can do nothing."
00:13:40.85\00:13:44.22
But what He does is
when we come to Him,
00:13:44.25\00:13:47.59
when we yield and submit to Him,
00:13:47.62\00:13:50.83
He infuses us with His power
00:13:50.86\00:13:54.60
and gives us
strength to overcome.
00:13:54.63\00:13:57.03
What Paul knew that
in Philippians 4:11.
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He said, "I can do
all things through Christ
00:14:00.60\00:14:05.24
who strengthens me."
00:14:05.27\00:14:08.01
Paul had learned
00:14:08.04\00:14:10.75
just as Jesus prayed
three times in Gethsemane,
00:14:10.78\00:14:14.25
"Oh, Lord, let
this cup pass for me."
00:14:14.28\00:14:16.79
Paul prayed three
times to the Lord saying,
00:14:16.82\00:14:20.59
"Take this thorn from my flesh,
00:14:20.62\00:14:23.22
whatever painful hindrance
that was to His ministry."
00:14:23.26\00:14:27.33
He's begging God
three different times.
00:14:27.36\00:14:29.86
Take it away, Lord.
00:14:29.90\00:14:31.90
Well, neither Jesus nor Paul
got the answer to that request.
00:14:31.93\00:14:37.94
It wasn't taken away.
00:14:37.97\00:14:39.87
But God gave them
grace to face their ordeal.
00:14:39.91\00:14:46.05
And Paul tells in
response to his prayer.
00:14:46.08\00:14:50.82
Take this thorn from me.
00:14:50.85\00:14:52.79
In 2 Corinthians 12:9,
Paul shares God's response.
00:14:52.82\00:14:57.96
Jesus said to him,
00:14:57.99\00:14:59.59
"My grace is sufficient for you,
00:14:59.63\00:15:02.80
for My power is made
perfect in weakness."
00:15:02.83\00:15:09.34
We have to understand
00:15:09.37\00:15:11.71
that God's plan of salvation
00:15:11.74\00:15:14.98
is total dependence upon Him
00:15:15.01\00:15:18.25
for direction and for strength.
00:15:18.28\00:15:22.48
I love what Paul said
in 1 Corinthians 10:13.
00:15:22.52\00:15:27.06
Paul said, "No
temptation has overtaken you,
00:15:27.09\00:15:32.26
except such as is common to man.
00:15:32.29\00:15:37.23
But God is faithful,
00:15:37.27\00:15:39.23
who will not
allow you to be tempted
00:15:39.27\00:15:40.94
beyond what you are able,
00:15:40.97\00:15:43.37
but with the temptation
00:15:43.41\00:15:45.37
will also make
the way of escape,
00:15:45.41\00:15:49.44
that you may be
able to bear it."
00:15:49.48\00:15:53.65
Hallelujah, that's a two hander.
00:15:53.68\00:15:56.55
God will empower us.
00:15:56.58\00:15:59.75
And we will know the victory
00:15:59.79\00:16:03.73
of overcoming self.
00:16:03.76\00:16:07.46
Now, let's look at
our second category.
00:16:07.50\00:16:12.10
What we need to overcome is
the influences of the world.
00:16:12.13\00:16:18.11
The world is the battleground.
00:16:18.14\00:16:21.44
There is a sinister
system of evil out there
00:16:21.48\00:16:26.05
that is dominated by Satan.
00:16:26.08\00:16:29.35
And he is opposed to God,
00:16:29.38\00:16:31.82
everything about his
system is opposed to God,
00:16:31.85\00:16:35.72
and God's purposes for humanity.
00:16:35.76\00:16:38.83
In 1 John 2:15, the
apostle of love says this,
00:16:38.86\00:16:44.50
"Do not love the world
or the things in the world.
00:16:44.53\00:16:48.24
If anyone loves the world,
00:16:48.27\00:16:49.60
the love of the
Father is not in him,
00:16:49.64\00:16:51.77
for all that is in the world, "
00:16:51.81\00:16:53.38
now he's going to
list three things.
00:16:53.41\00:16:55.91
He said, "All
that is in the world, "
00:16:55.94\00:16:57.58
and He's
categorizing it in three things,
00:16:57.61\00:17:01.58
"the lust of the
flesh, the lust of the eyes,
00:17:01.62\00:17:05.72
and the pride of
life is not of the Father,
00:17:05.75\00:17:09.66
but it's of the world."
00:17:09.69\00:17:11.06
Lust is a strong carnal desire
00:17:11.09\00:17:15.03
for that which
God does not approve.
00:17:15.06\00:17:19.20
And let me tell you something,
lust is pervasive in our world.
00:17:19.23\00:17:25.21
The lust of the flesh,
00:17:25.24\00:17:26.57
he's talking
about our carnal nature,
00:17:26.61\00:17:28.58
our fallen nature
00:17:28.61\00:17:30.71
that is dominated
by sinful tendencies.
00:17:30.75\00:17:34.98
And what Satan does
00:17:35.02\00:17:36.69
is he incites our flesh to want,
00:17:36.72\00:17:42.22
to desire the wrong
things of the world.
00:17:42.26\00:17:47.10
Actually, Satan
will even corrupt
00:17:47.13\00:17:50.57
God given desire.
00:17:50.60\00:17:51.97
So let me give you an example.
00:17:52.00\00:17:55.00
Sex.
00:17:55.04\00:17:56.50
Did you know sex was
created and designed by God?
00:17:56.54\00:18:03.35
He meant for it to be
00:18:03.38\00:18:04.71
the most pleasurable experience,
00:18:04.75\00:18:07.62
but He reserved that
right to a husband and a wife,
00:18:07.65\00:18:13.12
a man and a woman
00:18:13.15\00:18:14.59
who are joined
in holy matrimony.
00:18:14.62\00:18:18.99
And what Satan does
00:18:19.03\00:18:21.73
is he tells us in
the pursuit of pleasure,
00:18:21.76\00:18:25.87
it's okay, you could be
sensually self-indulgent.
00:18:25.90\00:18:31.51
Satan uses the lust of the eyes.
00:18:31.54\00:18:35.74
He makes things
look appealing to us.
00:18:35.78\00:18:38.25
Just think about Eve.
00:18:38.28\00:18:40.88
Here she is in
the Garden of Eden.
00:18:40.92\00:18:43.49
All these beautiful trees,
00:18:43.52\00:18:45.39
wonderful fruit
that she can eat from,
00:18:45.42\00:18:48.32
but Satan twisted God's word
00:18:48.36\00:18:52.03
and he made the
fruit of the tree
00:18:52.06\00:18:55.03
of the knowledge
of good and evil,
00:18:55.06\00:18:56.53
the only one
00:18:56.56\00:18:57.90
she wasn't supposed to eat from.
00:18:57.93\00:19:00.34
He made it so appealing
to her that she partook.
00:19:00.37\00:19:05.24
And, boy, did that
start the downfall.
00:19:05.27\00:19:07.91
Think of David
00:19:07.94\00:19:09.28
walking on his roof one evening,
00:19:09.31\00:19:12.15
looking down on a lower roof
00:19:12.18\00:19:14.18
and seeing
Bathsheba as she bathed
00:19:14.22\00:19:17.82
and the lust of his eyes.
00:19:17.85\00:19:19.92
He wanted her and he
took her, and he sinned.
00:19:19.95\00:19:24.36
Think of pornography
00:19:24.39\00:19:26.70
and how deadly
pornography can be.
00:19:26.73\00:19:30.37
It's nothing more,
but gift-wrapped garbage.
00:19:30.40\00:19:35.60
Paul tells us in
Romans 13:14, he says,
00:19:35.64\00:19:41.58
"Put on the Lord Jesus Christ
00:19:41.61\00:19:44.01
and make no provision
00:19:44.05\00:19:47.35
for the flesh to
fulfill its lust."
00:19:47.38\00:19:49.98
You know, I remember
teaching on this in England
00:19:50.02\00:19:52.72
and this lady told me afterwards
00:19:52.75\00:19:54.72
she said,
00:19:54.76\00:19:56.09
"I have to walk by
a bakery every day.
00:19:56.12\00:19:58.16
I love lemon meringue pie."
00:19:58.19\00:20:00.30
And she said,
00:20:00.33\00:20:01.66
"I almost stop
every day and get a pie
00:20:01.70\00:20:03.77
and I'm gaining so much weight."
00:20:03.80\00:20:05.73
And she said,
00:20:05.77\00:20:07.14
"What does it mean
to make no provision
00:20:07.17\00:20:09.50
for the flesh?"
00:20:09.54\00:20:10.87
And I said, "Change the
path of how you walk home.
00:20:10.91\00:20:15.41
Don't walk by that
bakery, don't buy that pie,
00:20:15.44\00:20:19.61
make no
provision for your flesh."
00:20:19.65\00:20:23.65
But then,
00:20:23.69\00:20:25.02
John also
mentioned the pride of life.
00:20:25.05\00:20:28.02
Satan will use
00:20:28.06\00:20:29.99
our natural
inclination toward pride.
00:20:30.03\00:20:33.63
And what he incites in
us is arrogance, hardiness,
00:20:33.66\00:20:38.83
prejudice, and materialism.
00:20:38.87\00:20:43.24
And he continues on in John,
00:20:43.27\00:20:46.57
after he talks about
the lust of the flesh,
00:20:46.61\00:20:48.78
the lust of the eyes
and the pride of life.
00:20:48.81\00:20:51.95
Here's how he concludes.
00:20:51.98\00:20:54.02
He says,
00:20:54.05\00:20:55.38
"The world is passing
away, and the lust of it.
00:20:55.42\00:21:01.32
But he who does the
will of God abides forever."
00:21:01.36\00:21:07.53
God will empower you
00:21:07.56\00:21:10.93
to enjoy the victory
of overcoming the world.
00:21:10.97\00:21:17.77
Now, let's think
about the third category,
00:21:17.81\00:21:21.04
the sinister
strategies of Satan.
00:21:21.08\00:21:25.48
Let me tell you something.
00:21:25.51\00:21:27.32
Satan's forces of
darkness are highly structured.
00:21:27.35\00:21:33.56
They're structured
00:21:33.59\00:21:35.12
for the most
destructive purposes.
00:21:35.16\00:21:38.13
Listen to what Paul
writes in Ephesians 6:12.
00:21:38.16\00:21:41.90
He says,
00:21:41.93\00:21:43.26
"We do not struggle
against flesh and blood,
00:21:43.30\00:21:47.27
but against
principalities and powers,
00:21:47.30\00:21:50.17
and the rulers of
the darkness of this age,
00:21:50.21\00:21:52.84
against spiritual
hosts of wickedness
00:21:52.87\00:21:57.68
in the heavenly places."
00:21:57.71\00:22:00.22
You know what's funny,
00:22:00.25\00:22:02.08
I often recognize
00:22:02.12\00:22:03.45
when someone else is
in a spiritual battle,
00:22:03.49\00:22:06.65
and usually anybody
that's having a problem.
00:22:06.69\00:22:08.82
That's what it is.
00:22:08.86\00:22:10.23
But sometimes,
00:22:10.26\00:22:12.13
I am a little slow
to recognize or admit
00:22:12.16\00:22:17.20
that the spiritual battle
is the source of my challenges.
00:22:17.23\00:22:22.84
Let me tell you something.
00:22:22.87\00:22:24.44
We are all in a
spiritual battle.
00:22:24.47\00:22:27.61
Every single day of our lives,
00:22:27.64\00:22:31.31
we are facing a
spiritual battle,
00:22:31.35\00:22:35.68
and we need to
know spiritual warfare.
00:22:35.72\00:22:39.85
Jesus said in John 10:10,
00:22:39.89\00:22:45.19
"The thief comes not,
00:22:45.23\00:22:47.13
but to steal and to
kill and to destroy.
00:22:47.16\00:22:50.57
But I," Jesus said,
00:22:50.60\00:22:52.33
"have come, that
you may have life
00:22:52.37\00:22:54.54
and have it more abundantly."
00:22:54.57\00:22:56.20
The thief, the
devil comes to steal,
00:22:56.24\00:22:59.37
to kill, and to destroy.
00:22:59.41\00:23:03.14
He is a liar.
00:23:03.18\00:23:05.11
Jesus said, "He is
the father of all lies,
00:23:05.15\00:23:08.12
that there is no truth in him."
00:23:08.15\00:23:11.52
And what he does
00:23:11.55\00:23:13.25
is he wages a war of
misinformation about God.
00:23:13.29\00:23:20.13
Satan will say,
"Oh, God has favorites.
00:23:20.16\00:23:23.57
God doesn't really love you."
00:23:23.60\00:23:26.13
But God says, the Bible says,
00:23:26.17\00:23:29.20
"God is not a
respecter of people,
00:23:29.24\00:23:32.01
that he loves all of humanity."
00:23:32.04\00:23:34.98
And in 1 Timothy 2:4, it says,
00:23:35.01\00:23:37.35
"God, our Savior,
desires all to be saved.
00:23:37.38\00:23:42.45
There's not this
little group of elect people.
00:23:42.48\00:23:45.85
He desires all to be saved
00:23:45.89\00:23:48.72
and to come to the
knowledge of the truth.
00:23:48.76\00:23:51.93
Satan says,
00:23:51.96\00:23:53.56
"Oh, God's going
to torture people
00:23:53.60\00:23:55.80
in hell with
unending pain, never ending."
00:23:55.83\00:24:01.97
But the Bible says
00:24:02.00\00:24:04.21
that those who
choose the path to hell,
00:24:04.24\00:24:08.91
that they are going to burn up,
00:24:08.94\00:24:12.41
they will
suffer the second death
00:24:12.45\00:24:15.48
that Revelation
mentions four times,
00:24:15.52\00:24:18.49
and that second death
00:24:18.52\00:24:20.76
will obliterate their existence.
00:24:20.79\00:24:24.83
Satan will say,
00:24:24.86\00:24:28.16
"I'll have a little
fun while you're young,
00:24:28.20\00:24:31.03
sow your wild oats now."
00:24:31.07\00:24:34.37
God says,
00:24:34.40\00:24:35.90
"Today is the day of salvation."
00:24:35.94\00:24:39.51
None of us are
promised tomorrow.
00:24:39.54\00:24:41.74
Do not let this day go by
00:24:41.78\00:24:44.15
without crying out to the Lord
00:24:44.18\00:24:46.38
and saying,
"Lord change my heart,
00:24:46.41\00:24:48.58
change me.
00:24:48.62\00:24:49.95
I want to accept
Jesus as my Savior."
00:24:49.98\00:24:53.99
Satan knows Scripture.
00:24:54.02\00:24:56.32
And what he does
is he distorts it.
00:24:56.36\00:24:58.89
It's a subtle
blend of truth and error.
00:24:58.93\00:25:03.77
And he promotes
00:25:03.80\00:25:05.80
delusional
theories of misinformation.
00:25:05.83\00:25:11.57
The Bible called Satan,
the accuser of the brethren.
00:25:11.61\00:25:18.55
Satan focuses on
our past mistakes,
00:25:18.58\00:25:21.42
and he tries to make
us afraid of the future.
00:25:21.45\00:25:24.55
God says, "Don't
dwell on the past.
00:25:24.59\00:25:28.42
I'm doing a new thing in
you, can you not perceive it?"
00:25:28.46\00:25:32.06
And then He says,
00:25:32.09\00:25:33.76
"If you'll keep
your eyes focused on Me,
00:25:33.80\00:25:36.73
you don't have to be
afraid of the future.
00:25:36.77\00:25:39.90
Trust in Me,
00:25:39.93\00:25:41.27
and I will give
you perfect peace."
00:25:41.30\00:25:44.24
God and Satan
00:25:44.27\00:25:46.54
are on totally different teams.
00:25:46.57\00:25:51.28
Satan uses
smokescreen distractions
00:25:51.31\00:25:55.78
to keep God's people
00:25:55.82\00:25:58.12
from fulfilling
God's ultimate purpose
00:25:58.15\00:26:01.92
for their lives.
00:26:01.96\00:26:03.73
In 2 Corinthians 2:11,
00:26:03.76\00:26:08.70
Paul gives this warning,
00:26:08.73\00:26:11.07
he speaking along then he says,
00:26:11.10\00:26:13.37
"Lest Satan should
take advantage of us,
00:26:13.40\00:26:17.77
for we are not
ignorant of his devices."
00:26:17.81\00:26:21.88
Let me just pause and say this.
00:26:21.91\00:26:24.55
Satan knows your
human weaknesses.
00:26:24.58\00:26:27.22
The next time you're
feeling overcome, HALT.
00:26:27.25\00:26:30.75
That's a four-letter acronym,
00:26:30.79\00:26:34.22
H-A-L-T Hunger,
Anger, Loneliness or Tired.
00:26:34.26\00:26:38.09
If you're in any
one of those conditions,
00:26:38.13\00:26:40.23
take care of it
00:26:40.26\00:26:41.60
before you take any other action
00:26:41.63\00:26:43.63
because if you don't, if
you don't recognize that,
00:26:43.67\00:26:48.00
you're going to
give Satan a foothold.
00:26:48.04\00:26:50.94
Let me give you an example.
00:26:50.97\00:26:52.44
Ephesians 4:26-27 says,
"In your anger, do not sin.
00:26:52.47\00:26:57.85
Do not let the sun go
down while you're still angry.
00:26:57.88\00:27:01.68
Do not give the
devil a foothold."
00:27:01.72\00:27:06.76
You know, when we
thoughtlessly vent anger,
00:27:06.79\00:27:09.92
it hurts people
00:27:09.96\00:27:11.66
and it's
destructive to a relationship.
00:27:11.69\00:27:14.20
Yet, if we keep
anger bottled in,
00:27:14.23\00:27:19.10
it can create bitterness
and hostility within us.
00:27:19.13\00:27:23.44
So what do we do?
00:27:23.47\00:27:25.07
Find a constructive
way to deal with anger.
00:27:25.11\00:27:30.65
Attack the problem,
don't attack people.
00:27:30.68\00:27:37.32
When we know that
if we are in Christ,
00:27:37.35\00:27:42.96
we can know the
victory of overcoming
00:27:42.99\00:27:47.73
the sinister
strategies of Satan.
00:27:47.76\00:27:51.83
Revelation 12:11 says,
00:27:51.87\00:27:55.74
"They overcame
him, overcame Satan,
00:27:55.77\00:27:59.01
by the blood of the Lamb,
00:27:59.04\00:28:00.94
and by the word
of their testimony."
00:28:00.98\00:28:03.35
No matter what
tribulations we face
00:28:03.38\00:28:05.45
here on earth,
00:28:05.48\00:28:06.82
the blood of the Lamb,
00:28:06.85\00:28:08.18
the sacrificial offering
of Jesus Christ on the cross,
00:28:08.22\00:28:12.45
we know that
gives us the victory.
00:28:12.49\00:28:15.42
The word of our
testimony is accepted by faith,
00:28:15.46\00:28:19.13
this gift of eternal life
00:28:19.16\00:28:21.43
that Jesus has given us
to know that we are saved.
00:28:21.46\00:28:25.17
And this makes us
00:28:25.20\00:28:27.44
ultimately
victorious over Satan.
00:28:27.47\00:28:32.37
So how do we position ourselves
00:28:32.41\00:28:38.08
on the winning side?
00:28:38.11\00:28:42.08
James 4:6 says this,
00:28:42.12\00:28:46.19
"God resists the proud,
00:28:46.22\00:28:50.06
but gives grace to the humble."
00:28:50.09\00:28:52.16
What does it mean to be humble?
00:28:52.19\00:28:55.30
Paul wrote to the
Philippians and he said,
00:28:55.33\00:28:57.17
"Let this mind be in you
that was in Christ Jesus,
00:28:57.20\00:29:00.37
who although He was God,
00:29:00.40\00:29:02.57
He took on the
form of a bond-servant,
00:29:02.60\00:29:04.51
He came in the likeness of man,
00:29:04.54\00:29:07.18
and He was obedient
00:29:07.21\00:29:10.38
even to the point of death,
00:29:10.41\00:29:14.72
death on a cross."
00:29:14.75\00:29:16.38
Jesus said, "I only do
what the Father tells me to do.
00:29:16.42\00:29:18.85
I only say
00:29:18.89\00:29:20.22
what the Father
tells me to say."
00:29:20.26\00:29:23.39
In other words,
00:29:23.43\00:29:24.86
the mind of Christ
00:29:24.89\00:29:26.23
that Paul wants in us
is a mind that His humble.
00:29:26.26\00:29:31.53
Humility is to
be totally dependent
00:29:31.57\00:29:36.64
upon God.
00:29:36.67\00:29:38.27
That's what God in the
person of Jesus Christ.
00:29:38.31\00:29:41.71
He didn't call on
His divine powers.
00:29:41.74\00:29:44.35
He handled things
as you and I have to,
00:29:44.38\00:29:47.25
and He was completely
dependent upon the Father.
00:29:47.28\00:29:52.19
Now James goes on.
00:29:52.22\00:29:53.76
In the next verse,
James 4:7, he says,
00:29:53.79\00:29:56.93
"Therefore submit to God."
00:29:56.96\00:30:01.83
The word submit
00:30:01.86\00:30:04.97
literally means
to line up under.
00:30:05.00\00:30:09.04
It's a word that
is used of soldiers
00:30:09.07\00:30:12.51
who are lining up
under the authority
00:30:12.54\00:30:15.14
of their commander in chief.
00:30:15.18\00:30:17.48
We are to submit
to God's authority,
00:30:17.51\00:30:22.55
to give Him our allegiance,
to follow His leadership,
00:30:22.58\00:30:27.82
to obey His commandments.
00:30:27.86\00:30:31.79
And you want to know something?
00:30:31.83\00:30:34.03
We are either
submitted to Christ
00:30:34.06\00:30:37.80
or we're submitted to Satan.
00:30:37.83\00:30:40.64
There is no middle ground.
00:30:40.67\00:30:42.70
Let me prove that.
00:30:42.74\00:30:44.07
Romans 6:16, Paul writes,
00:30:44.11\00:30:47.24
"Do you not know
00:30:47.28\00:30:48.84
that to whom you
present yourself slaves to obey?
00:30:48.88\00:30:52.78
You are that one's
slave whom you obey,
00:30:52.81\00:30:57.72
whether of sin,
leading to death,"
00:30:57.75\00:31:00.99
that's being on the losing side,
00:31:01.02\00:31:03.53
"or of obedience
leading to righteousness?"
00:31:03.56\00:31:07.80
That's being on
the winning side.
00:31:07.83\00:31:10.70
John 14:15.
00:31:10.73\00:31:15.30
You've heard this
probably many times.
00:31:15.34\00:31:18.34
Jesus says, "If you love
Me, keep My commandments."
00:31:18.37\00:31:24.48
Now, many times we stop there.
00:31:24.51\00:31:26.75
And we don't realize
00:31:26.78\00:31:28.12
He bridged this
verse with the next verse.
00:31:28.15\00:31:31.89
Of course, there
were no verse distinctions
00:31:31.92\00:31:35.69
when this was
originally written.
00:31:35.72\00:31:38.43
What Jesus
said, "If you love Me,
00:31:38.46\00:31:40.20
keep My commandments
and I will give you,
00:31:40.23\00:31:45.30
I will pray to Father,
00:31:45.33\00:31:46.87
and He will give
you another helper
00:31:46.90\00:31:51.17
that He may
abide with you forever,
00:31:51.21\00:31:52.94
the Spirit of truth,
00:31:52.97\00:31:55.11
who will dwell
with you and be in you."
00:31:55.14\00:31:59.51
You know, we
don't obey to be saved,
00:31:59.55\00:32:02.95
we obey because we are saved,
00:32:02.98\00:32:06.19
and we're motivated by
love and loyalty to God.
00:32:06.22\00:32:11.93
Obedience is empowered by grace.
00:32:11.96\00:32:17.70
It is, as God
gives us the Holy Spirit,
00:32:17.73\00:32:21.30
He works in us to will
and to do His good pleasure.
00:32:21.34\00:32:25.91
And I have to say this,
00:32:25.94\00:32:28.54
partial
obedience is no obedience.
00:32:28.58\00:32:33.21
Let me repeat that.
00:32:33.25\00:32:35.45
Partial
obedience is no obedience.
00:32:35.48\00:32:40.76
So, how do we
prioritize obedience?
00:32:40.79\00:32:46.83
In Mark 12:29,
00:32:46.86\00:32:53.50
it begins to set this up,
00:32:53.54\00:32:57.07
someone is asking Jesus,
00:32:57.11\00:32:59.17
"What's the most
important commandment
00:32:59.21\00:33:01.94
in all of the Word of God?"
00:33:01.98\00:33:04.58
And He says, " Hear, O Israel:
00:33:04.61\00:33:06.98
The Lord our God is one,
00:33:07.02\00:33:08.58
you shall love the Lord your God
00:33:08.62\00:33:10.05
with all of your
heart, with all of your soul,
00:33:10.09\00:33:12.12
with all of your mind,
00:33:12.15\00:33:13.56
with all of you strength,
00:33:13.59\00:33:14.92
this is the
greatest commandment."
00:33:14.96\00:33:18.86
Tall order
00:33:18.89\00:33:20.23
for loving with
all of your strength.
00:33:20.26\00:33:22.60
Then as Jesus goes on to say,
00:33:22.63\00:33:25.43
"And the second is
like it, and this is it,
00:33:25.47\00:33:30.04
that you shall love
your neighbor as yourself."
00:33:30.07\00:33:34.74
There are no
greater commandments
00:33:34.78\00:33:37.51
than these two.
00:33:37.55\00:33:39.31
Like I said,
that's a tall order.
00:33:39.35\00:33:42.32
And I don't think
it's humanly possible
00:33:42.35\00:33:45.22
that I can love my
neighbor as myself,
00:33:45.25\00:33:47.96
not in my human
weakened condition.
00:33:47.99\00:33:52.06
But Paul said in Romans 5:5,
00:33:52.09\00:33:53.80
that God pours out
His love into our heart,
00:33:53.83\00:33:58.03
by the power of the Holy Spirit.
00:33:58.07\00:34:01.44
God is love. The
Holy Spirit is God.
00:34:01.47\00:34:04.57
So as the spirit
of love enters us,
00:34:04.61\00:34:08.31
we become empowered
to love in this way.
00:34:08.34\00:34:14.02
Jesus said in Luke 11:9,
00:34:14.05\00:34:17.02
He said, "Ask
and it will be given,
00:34:17.05\00:34:18.92
seek and you will find,
00:34:18.95\00:34:20.29
knock and the door
will be opened unto you."
00:34:20.32\00:34:23.46
Actually in the Greek,
these are linear verbs.
00:34:23.49\00:34:26.86
It's a continuous action.
00:34:26.90\00:34:29.23
Ask and keep on asking,
seek and keep on seeking,
00:34:29.26\00:34:32.57
knock and keep on knocking.
00:34:32.60\00:34:35.04
And Jesus tells
us in Luke 11:13,
00:34:35.07\00:34:38.57
what we're asking for.
00:34:38.61\00:34:40.28
He says, "If you being evil
00:34:40.31\00:34:41.74
know how to give good
gifts to your children,
00:34:41.78\00:34:45.18
how much more will
the Heavenly Father
00:34:45.21\00:34:48.28
give the Holy Spirit
00:34:48.32\00:34:51.45
to those who ask
00:34:51.49\00:34:54.32
and keep on asking."
00:34:54.36\00:34:59.46
You might wonder why
we have to keep on asking.
00:34:59.49\00:35:02.33
Hey, we're leaky vessels.
00:35:02.36\00:35:04.53
We crave the spirit,
we resist the spirit.
00:35:04.57\00:35:07.64
Sometimes we even
quench the Holy Spirit.
00:35:07.67\00:35:10.11
Every morning, the first prayer
out of your mouth should be,
00:35:10.14\00:35:14.04
"Oh, Lord, fill me
again with Your Holy Spirit.
00:35:14.08\00:35:16.88
Help me remember how
dependent I am upon You.
00:35:16.91\00:35:19.21
I can't do this without You."
00:35:19.25\00:35:21.88
Paul wrote to the
Ephesians and in Chapter 3,
00:35:21.92\00:35:25.95
it begins in verse 16.
00:35:25.99\00:35:28.42
He's telling him, them,
00:35:28.46\00:35:30.86
"I am praying that
you will be strengthened
00:35:30.89\00:35:35.76
with might."
00:35:35.80\00:35:37.73
And I mean, this,
this word here is dynamite,
00:35:37.77\00:35:41.74
the dynamite power of God,
00:35:41.77\00:35:43.57
that you will be strengthened
with might through His Spirit
00:35:43.61\00:35:47.28
in the inner man.
00:35:47.31\00:35:49.51
That, anytime you see
the word that or so that,
00:35:49.54\00:35:53.01
it's a purpose statement.
00:35:53.05\00:35:54.58
So Paul wants us to be
00:35:54.62\00:35:55.95
strengthened
with the Holy Spirit,
00:35:55.98\00:35:58.12
"For this purpose, that you,
00:35:58.15\00:36:00.76
Christ may dwell in
your hearts through faith
00:36:00.79\00:36:04.96
that you being
rooted and grounded in love
00:36:04.99\00:36:07.06
may be able to comprehend
with all of the saints,
00:36:07.10\00:36:11.30
what is the width, the length,
the depth, and the height,
00:36:11.33\00:36:15.40
to know the love of Christ,
00:36:15.44\00:36:18.54
which passes knowledge
00:36:18.57\00:36:20.88
that you may be filled
with all the fullness of God."
00:36:20.91\00:36:26.85
Are you filled with
all the fullness of God?
00:36:26.88\00:36:32.42
Just asking that question.
00:36:32.45\00:36:35.22
Who of us is going to say, yeah,
00:36:35.26\00:36:39.33
but don't let it intimidate you.
00:36:39.36\00:36:42.06
The Scripture
says we can have it.
00:36:42.10\00:36:44.43
And 1
Thessalonians 3:12-13 says this.
00:36:44.47\00:36:49.70
Paul writes such, I
love this scripture.
00:36:49.74\00:36:53.88
He says to the Thessalonians,
00:36:53.91\00:36:56.64
"May the Lord make you increase
00:36:56.68\00:36:58.85
and abound in
love to one another,
00:36:58.88\00:37:02.48
and to all just as we do to you.
00:37:02.52\00:37:05.35
"Who's doing the work here?
00:37:05.39\00:37:07.66
May the Lord make
you abound in love.
00:37:07.69\00:37:13.60
And here we come with
that purpose statement.
00:37:13.63\00:37:17.03
"So that He may
establish your hearts,
00:37:17.07\00:37:22.94
blameless in holiness,
00:37:22.97\00:37:25.91
before our God and Father
00:37:25.94\00:37:28.28
at the coming of
our Lord Jesus Christ,
00:37:28.31\00:37:31.38
with all of the saints."
00:37:31.41\00:37:34.05
What?
00:37:34.08\00:37:35.65
He says, "As God works in us
00:37:35.68\00:37:38.52
to cause us to increase in love,
00:37:38.55\00:37:42.36
He makes us
blameless in holiness."
00:37:42.39\00:37:45.16
See, holiness just means
to be separated from sin.
00:37:45.19\00:37:49.66
Love cannot sin.
00:37:49.70\00:37:52.07
So as we increase in
love, we increase in holiness.
00:37:52.10\00:37:56.71
But it all begins
with praying and saying,
00:37:56.74\00:37:59.47
"Oh, Lord, fill me
with Your Holy Spirit today,
00:37:59.51\00:38:01.94
pour Your love
into my heart today.
00:38:01.98\00:38:04.08
Oh, Lord, cause me
to increase in love
00:38:04.11\00:38:07.02
and thank You, Father,
00:38:07.05\00:38:08.55
that You will establish my heart
00:38:08.58\00:38:10.92
blameless in holiness."
00:38:10.95\00:38:14.19
John writes in 1 John 4:4.
00:38:14.22\00:38:18.83
"You are of
God's little children
00:38:18.86\00:38:22.16
and have overcome them,"
00:38:22.20\00:38:24.93
he's talking
about the evil spirits,
00:38:24.97\00:38:27.44
"you've overcome them
00:38:27.47\00:38:29.40
because greater
is He who is in you
00:38:29.44\00:38:35.74
than He who is in the world."
00:38:35.78\00:38:38.65
The indwelling Holy Spirit
will illuminate our minds,
00:38:38.68\00:38:44.19
He will, with truth
00:38:44.22\00:38:46.05
He will empower us
with divine strength,
00:38:46.09\00:38:49.72
and we will overcome sin.
00:38:49.76\00:38:53.83
We will resist temptation,
00:38:53.86\00:38:56.36
no matter what
Satan uses to lure us.
00:38:56.40\00:39:01.10
Now returning to James 4:7,
00:39:01.14\00:39:05.24
"Therefore
submit to God, line up,
00:39:05.27\00:39:09.48
resist the devil, and
he will flee from you."
00:39:09.51\00:39:15.22
Resist means to
literally take your stand
00:39:15.25\00:39:20.72
against him.
00:39:20.76\00:39:22.42
By faith in Christ,
empowered by the Holy Spirit,
00:39:22.46\00:39:28.13
we can successfully resist
00:39:28.16\00:39:32.60
the temptation of the evil,
00:39:32.63\00:39:36.57
and when we take our stand
the devil will flee from us.
00:39:36.60\00:39:40.78
We will have continual victory
00:39:40.81\00:39:46.18
of overcoming self,
00:39:46.21\00:39:48.78
of overcoming the
influences of the world
00:39:48.82\00:39:52.65
and of overcoming
00:39:52.69\00:39:54.76
the sinister
strategies of Satan.
00:39:54.79\00:39:59.63
In James 4:8, he
says, "Draw near to God.
00:39:59.66\00:40:06.00
Oh, draw near to God, and
He will draw near to you."
00:40:06.03\00:40:10.97
Do you know God is waiting?
00:40:11.01\00:40:13.61
Even this moment,
00:40:13.64\00:40:15.24
God is waiting for
you to draw near to Him.
00:40:15.28\00:40:19.88
This implies an
intimate relationship.
00:40:19.91\00:40:24.85
And this is how
you position yourself
00:40:24.89\00:40:29.06
on the winning team.
00:40:29.09\00:40:31.36
So, what weapons
00:40:31.39\00:40:35.60
does God equip us with
00:40:35.63\00:40:39.37
to enjoy the
victory of overcoming?
00:40:39.40\00:40:42.30
2 Corinthians 10:3-5, Paul says,
00:40:42.34\00:40:46.64
"That we walk in the
flesh we did not war,
00:40:46.68\00:40:48.84
we do not war
according to the flesh.
00:40:48.88\00:40:51.81
For the weapons of our
warfare are not carnal,
00:40:51.85\00:40:56.15
but mighty in
pulling down strongholds."
00:40:56.18\00:40:59.12
Let's hit the pause button.
00:40:59.15\00:41:01.19
The strongholds he's
talking about is up here.
00:41:01.22\00:41:06.19
The battle
ground is in our mind.
00:41:06.23\00:41:10.97
When we have unhealthy thoughts
or fantasies or desires,
00:41:11.00\00:41:17.41
they take us captive, we
become a prisoner of war.
00:41:17.44\00:41:22.94
But he goes on and he says,
00:41:22.98\00:41:24.55
casting down arguments
00:41:24.58\00:41:27.02
and every high
thing that exalts itself
00:41:27.05\00:41:29.68
against the knowledge of God.
00:41:29.72\00:41:32.85
The high things
that exalt itself
00:41:32.89\00:41:36.16
against God's knowledge
are human philosophies,
00:41:36.19\00:41:39.89
human reasoning,
00:41:39.93\00:41:41.46
human theories
that distort truth.
00:41:41.50\00:41:45.67
This is worldly
thoughts, worldly wisdom.
00:41:45.70\00:41:50.24
And then it goes
on in verse 5 still,
00:41:50.27\00:41:54.61
2 Corinthians 10:5,
00:41:54.64\00:41:58.31
he says,
00:41:58.35\00:41:59.68
"Bringing every
thought into captivity
00:41:59.71\00:42:02.88
to the obedience of Christ.
00:42:02.92\00:42:06.86
Only can error,
00:42:06.89\00:42:11.03
Satanic error be
defeated by God's truth."
00:42:11.06\00:42:17.57
Jesus is our commander in chief,
00:42:17.60\00:42:19.93
and we must
yield to His authority.
00:42:19.97\00:42:23.91
We must ask Him, "Oh
Lord, redirect my thoughts.
00:42:23.94\00:42:28.54
Help me, Lord, to be
focused on Your truth.
00:42:28.58\00:42:33.08
Teach me Lord, give me
wisdom and discernment.
00:42:33.11\00:42:36.15
Help me to test the spirits."
00:42:36.18\00:42:38.92
God's mighty weapons,
the Holy Spirit, God's Word,
00:42:38.95\00:42:44.33
Christ living in
our heart through faith,
00:42:44.36\00:42:47.53
love, faith, prayer, hope.
00:42:47.56\00:42:50.47
These are
powerfully effective weapons.
00:42:50.50\00:42:54.24
So, we overcome not
with literal weapons,
00:42:54.27\00:43:00.84
but by putting on
the full armor of God.
00:43:00.88\00:43:04.75
Ephesians 6:10.
00:43:04.78\00:43:10.29
Paul talks about this armor.
00:43:10.32\00:43:12.52
He says, "Be strong in the Lord
00:43:12.55\00:43:14.32
and then the power of His might
00:43:14.36\00:43:15.99
put on the whole armor of God,
00:43:16.02\00:43:19.19
that you may be
able to stay on,"
00:43:19.23\00:43:21.96
that means to be
established, to be unmovable,
00:43:22.00\00:43:26.50
"to stand against
the wiles of the devil,
00:43:26.53\00:43:29.24
that you may be
able to withstand,
00:43:29.27\00:43:32.57
to resist in the evil day.
00:43:32.61\00:43:35.48
And having done all to stand,
00:43:35.51\00:43:37.81
stand therefore
take a firm position
00:43:37.85\00:43:41.08
in this battle
against Satan and here's how.
00:43:41.12\00:43:45.19
Now He's going to
tell us what our armor is.
00:43:45.22\00:43:50.09
He says,
00:43:50.13\00:43:51.46
"Having girded
your waist with truth,"
00:43:51.49\00:43:54.50
remember, God's
truth is the only way
00:43:54.53\00:43:58.00
that you can defeat Satan,
00:43:58.03\00:44:00.20
"having put on the
breastplate of righteousness."
00:44:00.24\00:44:04.81
Hey, take a deep breath.
00:44:04.84\00:44:06.17
This is not your righteousness,
00:44:06.21\00:44:07.58
the best you can do
00:44:07.61\00:44:08.94
is but filthy
rags before the Lord.
00:44:08.98\00:44:10.95
This is the
righteousness of Jesus Christ
00:44:10.98\00:44:13.55
in 2 Corinthians 5:21.
00:44:13.58\00:44:16.15
It says that God made
Him Jesus who knew no sin,
00:44:16.18\00:44:21.26
to be sin for us,
00:44:21.29\00:44:23.26
that we in Him
00:44:23.29\00:44:25.43
might become the
righteousness of God.
00:44:25.46\00:44:29.60
Hallelujah.
00:44:29.63\00:44:31.57
When you are in Christ,
00:44:31.60\00:44:35.14
you have been credited
with His righteousness.
00:44:35.17\00:44:40.24
Our sins were imputed to Him.
00:44:40.28\00:44:42.58
His righteousness was imputed
or credited to our account.
00:44:42.61\00:44:47.12
1 Corinthians 1:30 says
00:44:47.15\00:44:48.88
that Jesus Christ
has become for us,
00:44:48.92\00:44:52.49
our wisdom from
God, our righteousness,
00:44:52.52\00:44:55.82
our sanctification
and our redemption.
00:44:55.86\00:45:00.86
You should be so excited
00:45:00.90\00:45:03.40
to think about what
your Savior has done for you.
00:45:03.43\00:45:07.37
And once again, if you
haven't accepted Christ,
00:45:07.40\00:45:10.91
I invite you this day,
don't put it off anymore.
00:45:10.94\00:45:15.81
But tell Jesus,
00:45:15.84\00:45:17.38
I want to be on
the winning side.
00:45:17.41\00:45:20.52
Now Paul goes on, still
talking about our armor,
00:45:20.55\00:45:23.79
Ephesians 6:15,
00:45:23.82\00:45:25.95
"Having shod your feet
00:45:25.99\00:45:28.69
with the preparation
of the gospel of peace."
00:45:28.72\00:45:34.20
Boy, there's a lot
of confusion over this,
00:45:34.23\00:45:38.07
having shod your feet
00:45:38.10\00:45:39.43
with the preparation
of the gospel of peace.
00:45:39.47\00:45:42.34
You know what I think it is?
00:45:42.37\00:45:44.44
I think he's...
00:45:44.47\00:45:45.81
that Paul is saying,
00:45:45.84\00:45:47.24
"I want you to
have a sure footing."
00:45:47.28\00:45:49.54
If you know God's love,
if you know God's strength,
00:45:49.58\00:45:54.18
God will enable
you to stand firm.
00:45:54.22\00:45:58.39
And, boy, what better
place to learn the truth
00:45:58.42\00:46:03.09
than Romans 5:8-10, says,
00:46:03.12\00:46:06.86
"God demonstrates
His only love toward us,
00:46:06.90\00:46:10.53
in that while we
were still sinners."
00:46:10.57\00:46:13.64
Christ died for us
before we ever accepted Him.
00:46:13.67\00:46:18.44
He died for us
00:46:18.47\00:46:20.01
much more than now
having been justified
00:46:20.04\00:46:24.75
by His blood, that
means you're declared,
00:46:24.78\00:46:27.55
when you confess your
sins, He declares you innocent.
00:46:27.58\00:46:32.82
He take, hit, the
blood of Jesus blocks away
00:46:32.85\00:46:36.73
all the forensic evidence,
00:46:36.76\00:46:38.89
and the judge says, not guilty.
00:46:38.93\00:46:42.36
He says, "Much more
00:46:42.40\00:46:43.73
having been
justified by His blood,
00:46:43.77\00:46:46.23
we shall be saved
from wrath through Him.
00:46:46.27\00:46:48.84
For if when we were enemies,
00:46:48.87\00:46:51.84
we were reconciled to God
00:46:51.87\00:46:53.74
through the death
of His Son much more,
00:46:53.78\00:46:56.81
having been reconciled,
00:46:56.85\00:46:58.38
we shall be saved by His life."
00:46:58.41\00:47:03.35
If you remember,
00:47:03.39\00:47:04.72
Romans 5:8-10 every morning,
00:47:04.75\00:47:07.36
if you get up and
you think about this,
00:47:07.39\00:47:10.19
you talk about
00:47:10.23\00:47:11.73
preparing the way
by the gospel of peace,
00:47:11.76\00:47:15.30
your feet are going to be shod
and you will have sure footing.
00:47:15.33\00:47:21.44
Now Ephesians 6:16
00:47:21.47\00:47:26.21
continues the
explanation of the armor.
00:47:26.24\00:47:28.84
He says, "Above all,
take the shield of faith."
00:47:28.88\00:47:33.18
This is to trust in God.
00:47:33.21\00:47:35.22
This is a defensive
weapon, the shield of faith.
00:47:35.25\00:47:38.72
Take up the shield
of faith, trust in God,
00:47:38.75\00:47:41.72
trust in His promises.
00:47:41.76\00:47:44.06
And if you, if you don't
feel like you have enough faith,
00:47:44.09\00:47:47.56
be like the man who
came to Jesus and said,
00:47:47.60\00:47:50.57
"I believe, Lord,
help out my unbelief.
00:47:50.60\00:47:54.44
Jesus will give you the faith.
00:47:54.47\00:47:57.37
He says, "Take up
that shield of faith
00:47:57.41\00:47:59.54
with which you
are able to quench
00:47:59.57\00:48:01.64
all the firing
darts of the wicked one."
00:48:01.68\00:48:05.55
Satan has no power against you
00:48:05.58\00:48:07.52
when you believe God's promises.
00:48:07.55\00:48:09.78
And then he says, "Take
the helmet of salvation."
00:48:09.82\00:48:14.49
Oh, Christian,
please listen to me.
00:48:14.52\00:48:18.49
Oh, listen to this.
00:48:18.53\00:48:20.40
I talk with people
00:48:20.43\00:48:21.76
who've been in
the church for years
00:48:21.80\00:48:24.53
and they have no
assurance of salvation.
00:48:24.57\00:48:27.57
The Bible tells you,
if you are in Christ,
00:48:27.60\00:48:30.01
you can have absolute
assurance of your salvation.
00:48:30.04\00:48:34.58
Listen to 1 John 5:12.
00:48:34.61\00:48:38.95
It says, "He who
has the Son has life.
00:48:38.98\00:48:43.59
He who does not have
the Son does not have life."
00:48:43.62\00:48:47.46
Now in verse 13, he says,
00:48:47.49\00:48:49.09
"These things I
have written to you
00:48:49.12\00:48:51.79
who believe in the
name of the Son of God,
00:48:51.83\00:48:54.70
that you may know
00:48:54.73\00:48:57.83
that you have eternal life
00:48:57.87\00:49:00.37
and that you may
continue to believe
00:49:00.40\00:49:03.71
in the name of the Son of God."
00:49:03.74\00:49:07.58
You, if you are in
Christ, you can say,
00:49:07.61\00:49:11.58
"Thank You,
Lord, that I am saved."
00:49:11.61\00:49:14.12
Have assurance of your salvation
00:49:14.15\00:49:16.52
because that's the helmet
you need to put on every day
00:49:16.55\00:49:20.09
to be able to fight the devil.
00:49:20.12\00:49:22.59
And then he says,
00:49:22.62\00:49:24.13
"And pick up the
sword of the Spirit, "
00:49:24.16\00:49:26.63
which is the Word of God.
00:49:26.66\00:49:28.60
If you think about Jesus
00:49:28.63\00:49:30.40
in the wilderness
when He was tempted,
00:49:30.43\00:49:32.80
how did He defeat the devil?
00:49:32.83\00:49:35.80
It is written. It is
written. It is written.
00:49:35.84\00:49:39.31
You remember Zorro,
00:49:39.34\00:49:40.88
old Zorro used to come
00:49:40.91\00:49:42.44
and after his
brave feats he would,
00:49:42.48\00:49:47.25
three bold swipes,
00:49:47.28\00:49:48.78
he would make his mark 'Z'
00:49:48.82\00:49:51.85
to leave his
initial on the gate.
00:49:51.89\00:49:56.73
You can leave your initial
on the gate of the enemy.
00:49:56.76\00:50:02.10
When the enemy
comes against you,
00:50:02.13\00:50:04.10
pull out that sword and
with three bows swipe say,
00:50:04.13\00:50:08.14
it is written,
and Satan must flee.
00:50:08.17\00:50:13.74
Then he says, praying
always with all prayer
00:50:13.78\00:50:16.44
and supplication in the spirit.
00:50:16.48\00:50:18.91
The Bible tells
us that the spirit,
00:50:18.95\00:50:21.45
we don't know how to
pray in our weaknesses.
00:50:21.48\00:50:23.79
But Paul tells us
in Romans 8:26, he,
00:50:23.82\00:50:28.32
even the widow know
how to pray as we ought,
00:50:28.36\00:50:31.49
the Holy Spirit will
make intercession for us.
00:50:31.53\00:50:36.00
And then Paul
writes in Ephesians 6:18,
00:50:36.03\00:50:41.24
"Being watchful to this end
00:50:41.27\00:50:43.94
with all perseverance
00:50:43.97\00:50:45.44
and supplication
for all the saints."
00:50:45.47\00:50:48.34
Oh, this reminds me
of what Peter is saying,
00:50:48.38\00:50:51.51
"Be watchful, be sober,
00:50:51.55\00:50:53.31
be vigilant
because your adversary,
00:50:53.35\00:50:56.05
that devil roams
around like a roaring lion,
00:50:56.08\00:50:59.62
seeking whom he may devour.
00:50:59.65\00:51:03.06
Resist him, stand
steadfast in the faith,
00:51:03.09\00:51:08.96
steadfast in the faith,
00:51:09.00\00:51:11.70
knowing that the same sufferings
00:51:11.73\00:51:14.30
are experienced
by your brotherhood
00:51:14.34\00:51:17.94
in the world."
00:51:17.97\00:51:19.61
Do overcomers still
face sickness, death
00:51:19.64\00:51:22.68
with absolute peace,
calm, and total serenity?
00:51:22.71\00:51:27.25
No, even when
you're walking in faith,
00:51:27.28\00:51:30.12
death is heartbreaking.
00:51:30.15\00:51:32.59
You know, we don't realize,
00:51:32.62\00:51:36.06
sometimes we try to be so stoic,
00:51:36.09\00:51:39.76
but death is the last
enemy that will be destroyed.
00:51:39.79\00:51:44.77
In 1 Corinthians 15:52, it says,
00:51:44.80\00:51:48.50
"In a moment, in
the twinkling of an eye,
00:51:48.54\00:51:51.31
at the last
sound of the trump, "
00:51:51.34\00:51:54.31
this is Christ's second coming,
00:51:54.34\00:51:56.58
"this incorruptible, "
00:51:56.61\00:51:58.11
it says, "must put on,
00:51:58.15\00:52:00.58
the corruptible
must put on incorruption,
00:52:00.62\00:52:03.95
the mortal must
put on immortality."
00:52:03.99\00:52:07.62
When does this happen?
00:52:07.66\00:52:09.56
Right now, Paul
told in 1 Timothy 6:16,
00:52:09.59\00:52:13.53
only God is immortal.
00:52:13.56\00:52:15.96
We put on immortality
at that last trumpet.
00:52:16.00\00:52:19.93
And then he quotes...
00:52:19.97\00:52:21.30
This is 1 Corinthians 15.
00:52:21.34\00:52:22.84
If you don't believe me,
look up 1 Corinthians 15:52-54.
00:52:22.87\00:52:28.08
He says, "When this corruptible
has put on incorruption
00:52:28.11\00:52:32.91
and this mortal
has put on immortality,
00:52:32.95\00:52:35.98
then shall be brought to
pass the saying that is written,
00:52:36.02\00:52:42.56
death is
swallowed up in victory."
00:52:42.59\00:52:46.23
I just want to
say one quick thing.
00:52:46.26\00:52:49.80
Some people think
00:52:49.83\00:52:51.63
that if you don't have a
complete physical healing
00:52:51.67\00:52:56.24
that you don't
have enough faith.
00:52:56.27\00:52:58.44
Oh, if you've ever
said that to anybody,
00:52:58.47\00:53:00.71
ask for their forgiveness.
00:53:00.74\00:53:02.54
Do you remember in
Acts 19, when Paul,
00:53:02.58\00:53:06.21
they take a
handkerchief from Paul
00:53:06.25\00:53:07.82
and they take it to
sick people, not Paul,
00:53:07.85\00:53:10.62
they just take the handkerchief
and they would get well.
00:53:10.65\00:53:14.89
People say whoa, Paul
had the gift of healing.
00:53:14.92\00:53:19.43
Really, in 2 Timothy 4:20,
00:53:19.46\00:53:25.93
Paul's writing to
Timothy and he says,
00:53:25.97\00:53:28.57
"Erastus stayed in Corinth,
00:53:28.60\00:53:31.97
but Trophimus I have
left in Miletus sick."
00:53:32.01\00:53:38.28
Don't you think
that Paul was doing
00:53:38.31\00:53:40.72
a lot of praying for Miletus?
00:53:40.75\00:53:42.98
Miletus was one of his people.
00:53:43.02\00:53:45.92
So, what we have to know
00:53:45.95\00:53:48.79
is that the
Bible has a lot to say,
00:53:48.82\00:53:51.33
Jesus has a lot to say
about being an overcomer.
00:53:51.36\00:53:55.26
To every church,
00:53:55.30\00:53:57.10
all seven of the churches
in Revelation Chapter 2 and 3,
00:53:57.13\00:54:01.24
Jesus makes a promise.
00:54:01.27\00:54:03.71
If we are overcomers, and those,
00:54:03.74\00:54:07.38
some of those promises include
00:54:07.41\00:54:09.34
that you will enjoy
the gift of eternal life
00:54:09.38\00:54:14.22
that He will not blot your
name out of the book of life,
00:54:14.25\00:54:17.95
that you will not
suffer the second death.
00:54:17.99\00:54:21.22
Oh, I want to know
the victory of overcoming,
00:54:21.26\00:54:27.63
don't you?
00:54:27.66\00:54:29.00
Here's Tim Parton now
to sing "Victory in Jesus."
00:54:29.03\00:54:34.24
I heard an old, old story
00:54:37.84\00:54:42.91
How a Savior came from glory
00:54:42.94\00:54:47.62
How He gave His life on Calvary
00:54:47.65\00:54:52.39
To save a wretch like me
00:54:52.42\00:54:56.99
I heard about His groaning
00:54:57.03\00:55:01.76
Of His precious blood's atoning
00:55:01.80\00:55:06.67
Then I repented of my sin
00:55:06.70\00:55:12.44
And won the victory
00:55:12.47\00:55:17.91
I heard about His healing
00:55:17.95\00:55:22.52
Of His precious power revealing
00:55:22.55\00:55:27.46
How He made the
lame to walk again
00:55:27.49\00:55:32.73
And He caused the blind to see
00:55:32.76\00:55:37.43
And then I cried,
00:55:37.47\00:55:39.77
"Dear Jesus, Come and
heal my broken spirit"
00:55:39.80\00:55:46.57
And somehow Jesus came
00:55:46.61\00:55:50.38
And brought to me the victory
00:55:50.41\00:55:56.08
I have victory in Jesus
00:55:56.12\00:56:00.46
My Savior forever
00:56:00.49\00:56:04.69
He sought me and He bought me
00:56:04.73\00:56:08.90
With His redeeming blood
00:56:08.93\00:56:13.37
He loved me 'ere I knew Him
00:56:13.40\00:56:18.21
And all my love is due Him
00:56:18.24\00:56:22.84
He plunged me to victory
00:56:22.88\00:56:27.88
Beneath
00:56:27.92\00:56:29.98
The cleansing flood.
00:56:30.02\00:56:36.99
Thank you, Tim.
00:56:42.20\00:56:44.47
You know, we can count on this.
00:56:44.50\00:56:47.84
I want, if you've got
a pen, write this down.
00:56:47.87\00:56:50.77
I'm going to give
you several scriptures.
00:56:50.81\00:56:52.87
I love these promises.
00:56:52.91\00:56:54.74
Philippians 1:6 says
00:56:54.78\00:56:56.28
that God will
complete the good work
00:56:56.31\00:56:58.58
He's begun in you.
00:56:58.61\00:57:00.02
1 Peter 1:5 says, we
are kept by His power.
00:57:00.05\00:57:03.65
Hebrews 13:20-21 says
00:57:03.69\00:57:06.32
God will make you complete
00:57:06.35\00:57:08.82
in every good
work to do His will.
00:57:08.86\00:57:12.03
Jude 1:24-25 says
00:57:12.06\00:57:14.30
He will keep us from stumbling.
00:57:14.33\00:57:16.93
And 1 Thessalonians 5:23 says
00:57:16.97\00:57:19.70
that He will
sanctify you completely.
00:57:19.73\00:57:22.10
There is victory in Jesus.
00:57:22.14\00:57:24.44
You can know that
victory of overcoming.
00:57:24.47\00:57:29.54