1 00:00:04,480 --> 00:00:07,200 Thank you for listening to the Riverbend Church Podcast. 2 00:00:07,600 --> 00:00:10,920 Riverbend Church exists to lead all people to know, love, and 3 00:00:10,920 --> 00:00:14,360 live new life in Jesus Christ. We hope that you enjoy this 4 00:00:14,360 --> 00:00:20,320 message. This morning we're actually in 5 00:00:20,320 --> 00:00:24,200 week 3 of a series called Third Person, where we're taking a 6 00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:28,000 look at the person and the work of the Holy Spirit like we've 7 00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:30,560 talked about in weeks, weeks prior. 8 00:00:31,120 --> 00:00:32,320 I. Think there's probably a wide 9 00:00:32,320 --> 00:00:36,120 spectrum of people here with us in the room and with us online 10 00:00:36,360 --> 00:00:39,800 in terms of our familiarity and our understanding of who the 11 00:00:39,800 --> 00:00:42,880 Holy Spirit is, who he is and what he does. 12 00:00:42,880 --> 00:00:45,400 And, and one of the things that Riverbend that we do is we 13 00:00:45,400 --> 00:00:48,400 actually think that that wide spectrum is a good thing because 14 00:00:48,400 --> 00:00:51,360 it allows us to all come together, come to the table 15 00:00:51,360 --> 00:00:55,840 together, equal footing and be able to learn together to be 16 00:00:55,840 --> 00:00:59,240 able to discover the third person of the Trinity, the Holy 17 00:00:59,240 --> 00:01:04,760 Spirit of God, who he is, what he does and what he has for us. 18 00:01:04,959 --> 00:01:07,960 So if you're new to Riverbend, first of all, welcome. 19 00:01:07,960 --> 00:01:11,000 Thank you so much for choosing to be with us this morning. 20 00:01:11,120 --> 00:01:13,840 But I want to introduce you to a big idea. 21 00:01:13,840 --> 00:01:16,400 Truth has been serving as a big idea throughout our series. 22 00:01:16,600 --> 00:01:18,360 Just kind of get you on the same page. 23 00:01:18,360 --> 00:01:20,880 And if you've been with us throughout this series, then 24 00:01:20,880 --> 00:01:22,840 this is going to sound pretty familiar to you. 25 00:01:23,120 --> 00:01:25,960 If you're taking notes with us. Here's the big idea, the person, 26 00:01:25,960 --> 00:01:29,880 the President's power and path of the Holy Spirit in my life 27 00:01:30,440 --> 00:01:34,560 are necessary for my life. The person, the presence, the 28 00:01:34,560 --> 00:01:38,560 power, and the path of the Holy Spirit in my life are all 29 00:01:38,560 --> 00:01:42,920 necessary in my life, are all necessary for my life. 30 00:01:43,360 --> 00:01:46,840 And a few weeks before, we talked about how the keyword in 31 00:01:46,840 --> 00:01:50,800 this truth is not necessarily power, but it's actually this 32 00:01:50,800 --> 00:01:51,680 word. In. 33 00:01:52,360 --> 00:01:56,760 Is this word in and and here's why is when Jesus came into this 34 00:01:56,760 --> 00:01:59,560 world, he stepped into this world. 35 00:01:59,560 --> 00:02:03,960 He was stepped into this world as a baby God with skin on. 36 00:02:04,240 --> 00:02:07,800 And if you were in Israel at that period of time in history, 37 00:02:07,960 --> 00:02:11,680 you could actually talk to Jesus with with your with your own 38 00:02:11,840 --> 00:02:13,600 mouth. You could hear Jesus with your 39 00:02:13,600 --> 00:02:16,720 own ears. You you could touch Jesus with 40 00:02:16,720 --> 00:02:20,960 your with your own hands. It's talking to God and. 41 00:02:21,600 --> 00:02:24,520 Hearing God and touching God for yourself. 42 00:02:24,720 --> 00:02:27,680 But after Jesus died on the cross and he resurrected from 43 00:02:27,680 --> 00:02:30,280 the dead and he returned to heaven, he returned. 44 00:02:30,280 --> 00:02:33,160 Before returning, He gave a twofold promise to US. 45 00:02:33,160 --> 00:02:37,560 Number one is he promised that he is going to return again. 46 00:02:38,000 --> 00:02:40,880 You see, that's one of the things that we are waiting for 47 00:02:41,080 --> 00:02:44,120 as a church, as followers of Jesus Christ, is the second 48 00:02:44,120 --> 00:02:48,680 coming of Jesus to where he promises to come again for those 49 00:02:48,680 --> 00:02:51,920 who follow him, for those who surrender their lives to him, to 50 00:02:51,920 --> 00:02:54,400 where he will take them to heaven with him. 51 00:02:54,560 --> 00:02:56,640 And that's something that we greatly look forward to. 52 00:02:56,640 --> 00:03:00,600 But in the meantime, in the meantime, he also promised to 53 00:03:00,600 --> 00:03:04,080 give us a helper to send to us, a helper. 54 00:03:04,160 --> 00:03:07,480 And that's the Holy Spirit. You see, as incredible and as 55 00:03:07,480 --> 00:03:12,240 awesome as it was to have Jesus, God the Son, the second person 56 00:03:12,240 --> 00:03:17,760 of the Trinity walking among us, this Emmanuel, God with us, the 57 00:03:17,760 --> 00:03:21,880 awesomeness of God with us has actually been exchanged for this 58 00:03:21,880 --> 00:03:25,320 even greater reality of God in US. 59 00:03:25,720 --> 00:03:29,120 And that's the Holy Spirit, that's the Holy Spirit. 60 00:03:29,120 --> 00:03:32,560 So over the last several, over the last several weeks, we've 61 00:03:32,560 --> 00:03:37,000 talked about the person of the Holy Spirit, who is the Holy 62 00:03:37,000 --> 00:03:38,920 Spirit, the person of the Holy Spirit. 63 00:03:39,080 --> 00:03:41,760 A couple weeks ago, we talked about what happens when the Holy 64 00:03:41,760 --> 00:03:46,040 Spirit shows up and is freed up in our lives. 65 00:03:46,040 --> 00:03:48,440 And we talked about the presence of the Holy Spirit. 66 00:03:48,600 --> 00:03:52,120 If you were with us, then you remember those two messages and 67 00:03:52,360 --> 00:03:55,560 kind of the the 1st 2 building blocks of this series. 68 00:03:55,720 --> 00:03:58,400 If you weren't able to be with us, I would encourage you go to 69 00:03:58,400 --> 00:04:00,440 our website, Riverbend Church dot life. 70 00:04:00,720 --> 00:04:03,360 And from there you can you can look at the messages, you can 71 00:04:03,360 --> 00:04:05,480 watch the messages. You can actually link to our 72 00:04:05,480 --> 00:04:09,040 YouTube page. You can also listen to listen to 73 00:04:09,040 --> 00:04:12,560 the messages back through wherever you listen to listen to 74 00:04:12,560 --> 00:04:14,440 podcast. And I would highly encourage you 75 00:04:14,440 --> 00:04:17,760 to do that just so that you have a firm foundation and a solid 76 00:04:17,760 --> 00:04:20,440 foundation on the person and the presence. 77 00:04:20,760 --> 00:04:22,760 Of the Holy Spirit. But this morning we're going to 78 00:04:22,760 --> 00:04:26,640 be talking about the power of the Holy Spirit, more 79 00:04:26,640 --> 00:04:30,160 specifically, the power of the Holy Spirit in me, the power of 80 00:04:30,160 --> 00:04:35,120 the Holy Spirit that is offered to you and to help guide us and 81 00:04:35,120 --> 00:04:37,440 where we're going this morning. I want to ask if you have a 82 00:04:37,440 --> 00:04:41,080 Bible with you to find Romans chapter 8, Romans chapter 8 with 83 00:04:41,080 --> 00:04:44,000 me this morning, and Romans chapter 8. 84 00:04:44,040 --> 00:04:45,560 Give you a little bit of background. 85 00:04:46,200 --> 00:04:49,520 Own Romans 8. Romans 8 was written by the 86 00:04:49,520 --> 00:04:52,560 apostle Paul. It has been referred to by many 87 00:04:52,560 --> 00:04:56,240 as perhaps one of the greatest chapters in the entire Bible. 88 00:04:56,240 --> 00:04:59,640 Romans, chapter 8. It is so rich. 89 00:04:59,640 --> 00:05:04,880 In fact it is so. It is so rich and so full that I 90 00:05:04,880 --> 00:05:08,440 would highly, highly encourage you in your time with God this 91 00:05:08,440 --> 00:05:12,760 week that you read through Romans 8, that you pray through 92 00:05:12,760 --> 00:05:15,080 Romans 8, and maybe that you even copied. 93 00:05:15,080 --> 00:05:19,640 Down Romans 8 in a journal. That that you have it is so rich 94 00:05:19,680 --> 00:05:23,400 and so filling that I guarantee Romans 8, if you're not familiar 95 00:05:23,400 --> 00:05:26,800 with Romans 8, it is a chapter is a passage of the Bible that 96 00:05:26,800 --> 00:05:30,320 you'll find yourself. Gravitating back to Tom and Tom 97 00:05:30,520 --> 00:05:33,480 and Tom again. So there's no way that we can do 98 00:05:33,720 --> 00:05:38,040 such a rich and full chapter like Romans 8 justice in a 99 00:05:38,040 --> 00:05:40,600 singular service. But that doesn't mean that we 100 00:05:40,600 --> 00:05:44,400 can't learn and be encouraged. By what it does tell us in 101 00:05:44,400 --> 00:05:48,760 regards to the power of the Holy Spirit in US. 102 00:05:49,040 --> 00:05:51,880 Check this out Romans chapter 8, starting in verse one. 103 00:05:52,160 --> 00:05:55,200 This is what Paul writes. There's therefore now no 104 00:05:55,200 --> 00:05:57,720 condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 105 00:05:57,960 --> 00:06:00,720 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ 106 00:06:00,720 --> 00:06:03,520 Jesus from the law of sin and death. 107 00:06:03,680 --> 00:06:05,760 So if you're taking notes with us, here's what we want to 108 00:06:05,760 --> 00:06:07,560 answer. What in the world is that all 109 00:06:07,560 --> 00:06:09,560 about? What in the world is that all 110 00:06:09,560 --> 00:06:11,200 about? And why is it actually really 111 00:06:11,200 --> 00:06:14,680 good news? For why does it matter? 112 00:06:14,840 --> 00:06:17,000 Why does it matter? Well, if you're taking notes 113 00:06:17,000 --> 00:06:19,640 with us, I want you to look at the power of the Holy Spirit in 114 00:06:19,640 --> 00:06:24,000 me #1 the power of the Holy Spirit in me sets me free. 115 00:06:24,560 --> 00:06:29,840 The power of the Holy Spirit in me sets me free, and in order to 116 00:06:29,840 --> 00:06:33,440 fully understand this truth in the power of the Holy Spirit, 117 00:06:33,760 --> 00:06:35,320 then we. Have to have. 118 00:06:35,680 --> 00:06:40,840 An understanding of who we are, of who we really are and what's 119 00:06:40,840 --> 00:06:43,320 really going on behind the scenes. 120 00:06:43,520 --> 00:06:46,640 Again, taking notes with us. Put it like this in your notes. 121 00:06:47,040 --> 00:06:50,840 There is a raging waging. War within me. 122 00:06:51,240 --> 00:06:54,960 And the problem with me is actually in ME. 123 00:06:56,400 --> 00:06:59,160 You know, elementary school, been sitting in speech therapy 124 00:06:59,160 --> 00:07:02,000 for six years. That speech therapist would be 125 00:07:02,000 --> 00:07:05,240 so proud of me for being able to say raging, waging war. 126 00:07:05,960 --> 00:07:08,080 We worked on that for six years anyway. 127 00:07:08,320 --> 00:07:14,360 But here's the thing. There is a raging waging war 128 00:07:14,600 --> 00:07:18,760 within me. There is a raging waging war 129 00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:23,480 within you, within all of us. And here's what we're saying. 130 00:07:24,160 --> 00:07:31,040 Is the problem with me is in me and the problem with you is in 131 00:07:31,640 --> 00:07:36,800 you, is in you. And This is why, Paul, to kind 132 00:07:36,800 --> 00:07:43,120 of help us get a little bit more context to this, Romans 8 is 133 00:07:43,120 --> 00:07:45,640 preceded by Romans 7. And at the. 134 00:07:45,640 --> 00:07:48,600 Very end of Romans 7. I want to show you a verse that 135 00:07:48,600 --> 00:07:51,120 Paul gives us and see if you can resonate a little bit. 136 00:07:51,120 --> 00:07:55,440 Romans 719 and 20 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil 137 00:07:55,440 --> 00:07:57,440 I do not want. It's what I keep on doing. 138 00:07:58,000 --> 00:08:00,280 Now. If I do what I do not want, it 139 00:08:00,280 --> 00:08:02,760 is not no longer. I who do it, but sin that dwells 140 00:08:03,160 --> 00:08:05,160 within me. It's kind of one of those like 141 00:08:05,160 --> 00:08:08,560 mental tongue twisters, right? Listen, I want to do good. 142 00:08:08,560 --> 00:08:11,840 I just don't and what I do that's not good. 143 00:08:11,840 --> 00:08:14,440 I keep on doing. Why is that? 144 00:08:15,440 --> 00:08:18,600 Why is that? Well, we've been talking about 145 00:08:18,600 --> 00:08:22,440 throughout this entire series. An attribute of the Holy Spirit 146 00:08:22,440 --> 00:08:27,880 of God is he is the third person of the Trinity of God. 147 00:08:28,160 --> 00:08:29,800 And if you're with us in that. 1st in our. 148 00:08:29,800 --> 00:08:31,600 In our. First Message Throughout this 149 00:08:31,600 --> 00:08:36,000 series we talked about Trinity is just the term that we use to 150 00:08:36,000 --> 00:08:39,400 talk about we worship one God that exists in three persons 151 00:08:40,080 --> 00:08:46,960 Father, Son, Holy Spirit, all equal God in equal measure. 152 00:08:47,240 --> 00:08:50,560 There there's no like ranking of of the godhead. 153 00:08:50,560 --> 00:08:52,880 It's not like the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit are like 154 00:08:53,080 --> 00:08:57,560 varsity JV 8th grade. It's all equal God in equal 155 00:08:57,560 --> 00:09:00,840 measure one God existing in three persons, the Trinity. 156 00:09:00,960 --> 00:09:02,880 And here's one of the things that we've discovered together 157 00:09:02,880 --> 00:09:04,960 and we'll continue to discover together. 158 00:09:04,960 --> 00:09:10,560 Church is the Trinity of God. God always invited invites us, 159 00:09:10,920 --> 00:09:14,200 but did you know that there's something called the unholy 160 00:09:14,200 --> 00:09:19,440 Trinity that doesn't invite us but the unholy Trinity effects 161 00:09:19,440 --> 00:09:20,400 all of. Us. 162 00:09:20,640 --> 00:09:23,960 You see, the Holy Trinity invites all of us. 163 00:09:24,080 --> 00:09:26,720 The unholy Trinity effects all of us. 164 00:09:26,720 --> 00:09:28,760 And here's the Unholy Trinity. It's not in your notes. 165 00:09:28,760 --> 00:09:31,880 You can ride out to the side. If you want to first of all, we 166 00:09:31,880 --> 00:09:36,080 have Satan and his demons. Second of all, we have our lost 167 00:09:36,080 --> 00:09:40,160 and broken world and culture. That never default or drift 168 00:09:40,160 --> 00:09:42,240 towards godliness is actually the opposite. 169 00:09:43,200 --> 00:09:48,680 And then third is what the Bible refers to as my flesh, my flesh. 170 00:09:49,240 --> 00:09:51,880 You see, this is what Paul is talking about when he says 171 00:09:51,880 --> 00:09:54,160 listen the. Good that I want to do, I don't. 172 00:09:54,160 --> 00:09:57,400 Do. And what I what I actually end 173 00:09:57,400 --> 00:09:59,920 up doing, I don't want to do, but I keep on doing. 174 00:09:59,920 --> 00:10:02,880 Why is that? It's because of the flesh kind 175 00:10:02,880 --> 00:10:05,080 of give you a little different definition of the flesh. 176 00:10:05,320 --> 00:10:08,720 Our flesh is that. Sin nature that every single one 177 00:10:08,720 --> 00:10:11,440 of us are born with. That's why nobody has to teach 178 00:10:11,440 --> 00:10:15,920 you, sit you down as a kid and have the sin talk of how to sin, 179 00:10:15,920 --> 00:10:20,680 how to lie, how to be selfish. We're all born with that. 180 00:10:21,200 --> 00:10:27,320 We're all born with a sin. Nature that actually leads us 181 00:10:27,880 --> 00:10:31,840 when we're talking about how the Holy Spirit of God in me sets me 182 00:10:31,840 --> 00:10:35,760 free. It actually when we start to 183 00:10:35,760 --> 00:10:38,640 understand the sin nature in me and I start to understand that 184 00:10:38,640 --> 00:10:40,800 the problem with me is actually in me. 185 00:10:40,960 --> 00:10:42,800 It actually leads us to this next truth. 186 00:10:43,200 --> 00:10:45,400 Check this out. Without the Holy Spirit in me, 187 00:10:45,600 --> 00:10:49,000 I'm left to my own demise. I'm left to my own destruction. 188 00:10:49,000 --> 00:10:50,680 I'm left to my own. Ruin. 189 00:10:51,400 --> 00:10:56,640 I'm left to rubble. I'm left to sin having its way 190 00:10:56,640 --> 00:11:00,720 in my life and playing out those drastic consequences. 191 00:11:01,400 --> 00:11:03,960 So let me get kind of get you to do an exercise. 192 00:11:03,960 --> 00:11:06,680 If you wear this online, invite you to do this exercise with us 193 00:11:06,680 --> 00:11:07,880 as well. If you're with us in the room. 194 00:11:07,880 --> 00:11:09,680 Here's what I want to ask that you do. 195 00:11:10,720 --> 00:11:13,440 I'm not saying that you need to to write it down and you know, 196 00:11:13,440 --> 00:11:15,800 don't whisper to the person next to you what they should be 197 00:11:15,800 --> 00:11:18,920 answering, but here's what I wanted to get you to do. 198 00:11:19,280 --> 00:11:23,040 Think about your greatest sin struggle in your life. 199 00:11:24,320 --> 00:11:26,800 Give you a few seconds. Think about your greatest sin 200 00:11:26,800 --> 00:11:30,360 struggle in your life. If you're having trouble, like 201 00:11:30,480 --> 00:11:33,080 identifying what that is, lean over, ask your spouse. 202 00:11:34,720 --> 00:11:37,720 Think about what your greatest sin struggle is in your life. 203 00:11:38,440 --> 00:11:41,440 It could be. It could be lust, it could be 204 00:11:41,440 --> 00:11:46,400 anger, it could be materialism, it could be it could be 205 00:11:46,400 --> 00:11:50,640 unforgiveness. It could be an addiction. 206 00:11:51,080 --> 00:11:54,800 An addiction to alcohol or, or, or some other type of substance. 207 00:11:56,040 --> 00:11:58,960 And listen, we're not doing this exercise as a, as a way of 208 00:11:58,960 --> 00:12:02,280 judging one another. We're not, we're not doing this 209 00:12:02,280 --> 00:12:05,000 exercise of going, man, I can't believe that you struggle with 210 00:12:05,000 --> 00:12:06,360 that. I've never struggled with that. 211 00:12:06,520 --> 00:12:08,800 I only struggle with this. Therefore, I'm better than you 212 00:12:08,800 --> 00:12:10,120 are. That's not what we're doing 213 00:12:10,120 --> 00:12:12,600 here. We're just identifying the 214 00:12:12,600 --> 00:12:15,200 commonality of every single person with us, whether you're 215 00:12:15,200 --> 00:12:17,920 in the room or online. We all struggle with sin, right? 216 00:12:18,360 --> 00:12:20,440 So what is your greatest sin struggle? 217 00:12:21,520 --> 00:12:23,560 Now here's a question I want to pose to you. 218 00:12:24,360 --> 00:12:29,680 What would happen to you if that sin had free reign to just run 219 00:12:29,680 --> 00:12:32,680 rampant in your life? Let me give you an example of 220 00:12:32,680 --> 00:12:35,640 your greatest sin struggle this morning is lust. 221 00:12:36,560 --> 00:12:38,240 Here's what you already know about lust. 222 00:12:38,240 --> 00:12:41,080 Lust giving into the temptation of lust. 223 00:12:41,440 --> 00:12:46,520 Leaves you lonely and empty, living a life of secrecy and 224 00:12:46,520 --> 00:12:52,560 shame while also permitting you to to engage in true intimacy. 225 00:12:53,720 --> 00:12:55,800 That's that's how lust plays out. 226 00:12:56,480 --> 00:12:59,160 Maybe your greatest since struggle this morning is just 227 00:12:59,160 --> 00:13:00,720 completely flying off the handle. 228 00:13:00,720 --> 00:13:03,200 And it's anger and you already know this. 229 00:13:03,200 --> 00:13:05,200 And if you don't know what the people around you and the people 230 00:13:05,200 --> 00:13:08,040 closest to you already know it. But if you're if anger is 231 00:13:08,040 --> 00:13:11,880 allowed just to run rampant, to run free in your life, then 232 00:13:11,880 --> 00:13:14,320 guess what anger is going to do? Anger is going to continue to 233 00:13:14,320 --> 00:13:18,160 damage and destroy vital relationships in your life. 234 00:13:19,040 --> 00:13:21,640 What about materialism? What about if your greatest sin 235 00:13:21,640 --> 00:13:25,280 struggle is materialism to where you have this insatiable need 236 00:13:25,280 --> 00:13:28,480 just to have more and more and bigger and better? 237 00:13:28,720 --> 00:13:32,000 If that sin struggle continues to run rampant in your life, 238 00:13:32,000 --> 00:13:33,160 guess what's going to end up happening? 239 00:13:33,360 --> 00:13:36,960 You're going to find yourself in in even more and more debt while 240 00:13:36,960 --> 00:13:40,320 at the same time experiencing even less and less contentment 241 00:13:40,960 --> 00:13:42,800 in your life. What if your greatest sin 242 00:13:42,800 --> 00:13:44,480 struggle is unforgiveness this morning? 243 00:13:45,040 --> 00:13:47,400 Well, if your greatest sin struggle is unforgiveness, and 244 00:13:47,400 --> 00:13:51,080 unforgiveness is able to run rampant and to run free in your 245 00:13:51,080 --> 00:13:52,720 life, guess what's going to end up happening? 246 00:13:52,880 --> 00:13:57,280 Is this going to create within you an even greater and more 247 00:13:57,280 --> 00:14:00,440 harming form of bitterness? That is going to. 248 00:14:00,440 --> 00:14:05,200 Grow and metastasize and you're going to become even more bitter 249 00:14:05,280 --> 00:14:09,080 while also eliminating any possibility of finding healing. 250 00:14:10,320 --> 00:14:13,400 What if your greatest sin struggle is is an addiction to 251 00:14:13,600 --> 00:14:16,200 to alcohol or any other type of substance? 252 00:14:16,800 --> 00:14:20,640 Well, that addiction, if it's allowed to run free and rampant 253 00:14:20,640 --> 00:14:22,840 in your life, guess what's going to end up happening? 254 00:14:23,360 --> 00:14:27,400 You're going to become an even greater slave to a substance, 255 00:14:27,680 --> 00:14:31,920 and that substance is going to take more and more from you and 256 00:14:31,920 --> 00:14:35,720 rob you more and more. A vitality in life. 257 00:14:36,640 --> 00:14:39,720 Here's the point. Do you know one of the reasons 258 00:14:39,720 --> 00:14:43,560 that God hates sin so much? One of the reasons that God 259 00:14:43,560 --> 00:14:46,600 hates sin so much is he hates what sin does to us. 260 00:14:48,120 --> 00:14:51,800 And without the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives, you 261 00:14:51,800 --> 00:14:56,040 and I, we are left. To our own demise, we're left to 262 00:14:56,040 --> 00:14:58,160 our own demise. You see, some of us, we think 263 00:14:58,160 --> 00:15:02,200 that God's hatred of sin is rooted in his hatred towards you 264 00:15:02,200 --> 00:15:05,000 or is rooted in His disappointment towards you. 265 00:15:05,520 --> 00:15:08,840 And what I would tell you is it's not His hatred of sin is 266 00:15:08,840 --> 00:15:11,040 rooted actually in His love for you. 267 00:15:11,560 --> 00:15:14,840 He loves you so much that He doesn't want to see that sin 268 00:15:14,840 --> 00:15:19,360 destroy your life. But without the person and the 269 00:15:19,360 --> 00:15:23,640 presence and the power of the Holy Spirit in your life, you 270 00:15:23,640 --> 00:15:26,000 and I, we're left to our own demise. 271 00:15:26,360 --> 00:15:29,440 But that does not have to be our destiny, right? 272 00:15:30,040 --> 00:15:32,120 Check this out with the Presence. 273 00:15:32,120 --> 00:15:34,640 However, with the presence of the Holy Spirit in me, I am a 274 00:15:34,640 --> 00:15:37,320 new person. I'm a new creation. 275 00:15:37,760 --> 00:15:40,320 With the presence of the Holy Spirit in me, I'm a new person. 276 00:15:40,320 --> 00:15:44,360 I'm a new person. This does not mean that you have 277 00:15:44,360 --> 00:15:49,240 a new name, or that that you take on a completely new like 278 00:15:49,240 --> 00:15:52,320 persona, or that you have a new Social Security number. 279 00:15:53,040 --> 00:15:56,920 We were at Connor and Tabitha's wedding yesterday. 280 00:15:57,440 --> 00:16:01,360 Please pray for Tabitha. We were at Connor and Tabitha's 281 00:16:01,360 --> 00:16:05,520 wedding yesterday and it reminded me of, of when Julie 282 00:16:05,520 --> 00:16:10,120 and I got married to where we, we, we go up to we, we got 283 00:16:10,120 --> 00:16:14,040 married and we moved immediately up to Raleigh, NC and we had to 284 00:16:14,040 --> 00:16:18,280 go to the Social Security number to get her name legally, legally 285 00:16:18,280 --> 00:16:21,000 changed. Her last name legally changed to 286 00:16:21,640 --> 00:16:24,680 to Wallace. So we're waiting there for for 287 00:16:24,680 --> 00:16:28,440 two hours in this office and there's a guy that's waiting 288 00:16:28,440 --> 00:16:30,560 there in the same office as we are. 289 00:16:30,920 --> 00:16:33,760 And you know, it's kind of like the DMV to where they call you 290 00:16:33,760 --> 00:16:36,120 up. And so Julie and I were sitting 291 00:16:36,120 --> 00:16:38,160 right here in front of this partition and then. 292 00:16:38,320 --> 00:16:40,320 This gentleman that's been waiting in the room. 293 00:16:40,840 --> 00:16:44,200 For over 2 hours with us, he's probably much longer than two 294 00:16:44,200 --> 00:16:46,000 hours because he was already there by the time that we had 295 00:16:46,000 --> 00:16:47,960 gotten there and we've been waiting for two hours. 296 00:16:48,120 --> 00:16:50,120 He's sitting in the partition next to us. 297 00:16:50,280 --> 00:16:52,880 And I know you're not supposed to listen in to what happens in 298 00:16:52,880 --> 00:16:55,200 the other partition, but it's not like my last name was 299 00:16:55,200 --> 00:16:57,720 getting changed. So after two hours, I'm getting 300 00:16:57,720 --> 00:17:00,000 bored, right? So I'm listening in on the 301 00:17:00,000 --> 00:17:01,920 conversation that's going on beside me. 302 00:17:02,320 --> 00:17:06,839 This dude gets up and he goes waits for over 2 hours and he 303 00:17:06,839 --> 00:17:10,200 asked this question when the when the lady behind the desk 304 00:17:10,200 --> 00:17:12,440 says, Sir, what, what can we help you with? 305 00:17:12,440 --> 00:17:14,440 He goes, I'm here to get a new Social Security number. 306 00:17:15,079 --> 00:17:17,599 He goes, well, excuse me, why do you need a new Social Security 307 00:17:17,599 --> 00:17:19,160 number? He goes, well ma'am, I got a lot 308 00:17:19,160 --> 00:17:21,960 of debt and I just figured if I got a new Social Security 309 00:17:21,960 --> 00:17:26,240 number, I get AI get a clean start and I was like, that's not 310 00:17:26,240 --> 00:17:27,839 how it works. I know that. 311 00:17:30,000 --> 00:17:33,120 But you know it like. Being a new person, being a new 312 00:17:33,120 --> 00:17:36,040 creation, it doesn't give you new Social Security number. 313 00:17:37,160 --> 00:17:39,560 As a matter of fact, we're able, we we, we have this beautiful 314 00:17:39,560 --> 00:17:44,040 context in John chapter 3 to where Jesus has a conversation. 315 00:17:44,040 --> 00:17:45,880 With a very. Well known and renowned 316 00:17:45,880 --> 00:17:49,920 religious leader man by the name of Nicodemus and Nicodemus is 317 00:17:49,920 --> 00:17:52,880 asking Jesus, Jesus how can I be made right with God? 318 00:17:52,880 --> 00:17:57,760 And Jesus tells Nicodemus you have to be born again and it 319 00:17:57,760 --> 00:18:00,320 just completely rocks Nicodemus world. 320 00:18:00,520 --> 00:18:02,440 This is what Jesus was talking about. 321 00:18:03,000 --> 00:18:05,960 You see, with the person and the presence and the power of the 322 00:18:05,960 --> 00:18:11,600 Holy Spirit in me, it means that that I have the power of God 323 00:18:11,600 --> 00:18:15,480 himself in me and it means that He is transforming me and 324 00:18:15,480 --> 00:18:19,360 changing me from the inside out. It means that the things that 325 00:18:19,520 --> 00:18:21,760 before. I had the Person in the presence 326 00:18:21,760 --> 00:18:23,160 and the power of the Holy. Spirit in me. 327 00:18:23,760 --> 00:18:26,240 That I no. Longer really crave those things 328 00:18:26,240 --> 00:18:28,360 anymore. Those are not my chief desires. 329 00:18:28,520 --> 00:18:31,960 And it means that now I have, yes, I still have a sinful 330 00:18:31,960 --> 00:18:35,920 flesh, but now I have the power of God himself, the Holy Spirit 331 00:18:35,920 --> 00:18:41,520 in me to counter that sinful flesh and those sin struggles in 332 00:18:41,520 --> 00:18:44,520 my life and to bring conviction in my life. 333 00:18:44,560 --> 00:18:47,680 And, and if you're new to church, that word conviction, 334 00:18:47,760 --> 00:18:49,200 let me kind of unpack that for you. 335 00:18:49,360 --> 00:18:52,920 Conviction is when I do something or I don't do 336 00:18:52,920 --> 00:18:55,840 something that God tells me to do or tells me not to do. 337 00:18:55,840 --> 00:18:58,760 If I live my life and make a decision or a choice that's 338 00:18:58,760 --> 00:19:03,120 contrary to the ways of God, then if the Holy Spirit lives in 339 00:19:03,120 --> 00:19:07,480 me, then there's like a twinge within me to where it's almost 340 00:19:07,480 --> 00:19:09,560 like the Holy Spirit's telling me, Ben, that's no longer who 341 00:19:09,560 --> 00:19:11,920 you are. Then that wasn't right. 342 00:19:12,680 --> 00:19:16,400 Then you know that that was sin. Then you know that you fell into 343 00:19:16,400 --> 00:19:19,720 that temptation again. And he doesn't bring conviction 344 00:19:19,720 --> 00:19:23,960 into my life to quote UN quote, convict me or to condemn me. 345 00:19:24,120 --> 00:19:27,360 He brings it into my life and brings it to my attention so 346 00:19:27,360 --> 00:19:30,440 that I can confess it before God and ask God to forgive me. 347 00:19:31,120 --> 00:19:35,640 Of it, you see, without the Holy Spirit in my life, I'm left my 348 00:19:35,640 --> 00:19:38,840 own demise. Sin actually has free reign in 349 00:19:38,840 --> 00:19:44,040 my life because there's nothing to counter my flesh and it will 350 00:19:44,040 --> 00:19:46,200 destroy me. It will eat me up. 351 00:19:46,920 --> 00:19:50,440 But with the Holy Spirit in my life, with the Holy Spirit of in 352 00:19:50,440 --> 00:19:54,120 my life, then I am a new person. I'm a new creation. 353 00:19:54,920 --> 00:19:59,360 This is why Paul so could so confidently say check this out 354 00:19:59,360 --> 00:20:03,280 the beginning of Romans 81. Therefore there is now no 355 00:20:03,280 --> 00:20:06,200 condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 356 00:20:07,160 --> 00:20:10,520 That word condemnation. It's a pretty interesting word. 357 00:20:10,520 --> 00:20:12,640 Let me show you, and I think I wrote this in your notes. 358 00:20:13,120 --> 00:20:15,400 It's actually a Greek word, katakrema. 359 00:20:15,520 --> 00:20:18,280 It literally means shocker condemnation. 360 00:20:18,520 --> 00:20:20,600 Be like wow that was worth the price of admission. 361 00:20:21,120 --> 00:20:23,600 Condemnation means condemnation. Here's what you may not know. 362 00:20:23,600 --> 00:20:25,680 It's actually a legal or forensic term. 363 00:20:26,480 --> 00:20:28,920 This word kind of cream is a legal or forensic term. 364 00:20:28,920 --> 00:20:32,320 It means it includes both the sentence and the execution of 365 00:20:32,320 --> 00:20:34,600 the sentence. So it's almost like standing 366 00:20:34,600 --> 00:20:37,080 before a judge and the judge delivers. 367 00:20:37,320 --> 00:20:41,880 The verdict and says because you are guilty, here is what is 368 00:20:41,880 --> 00:20:44,760 awaiting for you. This is the sentence and then 369 00:20:44,760 --> 00:20:47,840 later on the execution. Of that sentence. 370 00:20:48,120 --> 00:20:51,600 So when Paul writes, there is therefore now no condemnation 371 00:20:51,600 --> 00:20:52,920 for those who are in Christ Jesus. 372 00:20:53,240 --> 00:20:55,080 Let me kind of unpack what that means. 373 00:20:55,240 --> 00:20:58,080 That means that if you have the Holy Spirit of God in your life, 374 00:20:58,080 --> 00:21:01,080 if you surrendered your life to Jesus and you've asked God to 375 00:21:01,080 --> 00:21:09,040 forgive you of your sins, it means that there is no sentence, 376 00:21:09,360 --> 00:21:11,680 there is no execution of the sentence and there is no 377 00:21:11,680 --> 00:21:13,640 judgment hanging over your life anymore. 378 00:21:14,520 --> 00:21:18,080 Here's why. It's because the sentence, the 379 00:21:18,080 --> 00:21:20,520 execution of the sentence, and the judgment, it's already been 380 00:21:20,520 --> 00:21:24,560 paid for by Jesus. You see, when Jesus hung on the 381 00:21:24,560 --> 00:21:29,000 cross, he took on the full weight and the pavement of my 382 00:21:29,000 --> 00:21:33,000 sins and and your sins. That's what we mean when we say 383 00:21:33,000 --> 00:21:38,440 Jesus died in our place. So now if you've surrendered 384 00:21:38,440 --> 00:21:41,680 your life to Jesus and the Holy Spirit of God lives in you, now 385 00:21:41,680 --> 00:21:45,400 when God the Father looks at you and looks down on you and looks 386 00:21:45,720 --> 00:21:49,080 in you, here's what he sees. He sees the blood of Jesus on 387 00:21:49,080 --> 00:21:51,760 you and he sees the presence of the Holy Spirit in you. 388 00:21:52,040 --> 00:21:55,440 All the while the Holy Spirit, I can just picture the Holy Spirit 389 00:21:56,200 --> 00:21:59,040 whispering in the ear of the Father when he looks at you. 390 00:21:59,040 --> 00:22:03,240 And when he looks at me and goes, he's mine, she's mine. 391 00:22:04,680 --> 00:22:08,760 You see, to a follower of Jesus, there is no sentence or sentence 392 00:22:08,760 --> 00:22:12,840 or execution of a sentence or judgment hanging over our lives. 393 00:22:13,720 --> 00:22:15,600 But tragically, the reverse is true. 394 00:22:16,240 --> 00:22:19,800 If you haven't surrendered your life to Jesus, you still have a 395 00:22:19,800 --> 00:22:23,640 sentence and execution of the sentence and judgment hanging 396 00:22:23,640 --> 00:22:26,200 over your life. Here's why. 397 00:22:26,520 --> 00:22:29,120 Somebody has got to pay the price for your sin. 398 00:22:29,960 --> 00:22:32,160 Somebody has got to pay the price for your sin. 399 00:22:32,640 --> 00:22:35,000 You may say, well, Ben, I'm a good person. 400 00:22:35,240 --> 00:22:37,640 I try to do good. I have good intentions. 401 00:22:38,040 --> 00:22:42,040 So listen, I'm just banking on the fact that when I die and I 402 00:22:42,040 --> 00:22:44,680 stand before God, then he's going to sit there and go, hey. 403 00:22:44,960 --> 00:22:47,920 You're good outweighs the bad. We'll let you slide. 404 00:22:48,880 --> 00:22:52,320 He can't do that. God will never allow sin to 405 00:22:52,320 --> 00:22:54,520 simply go or to sweep it under the rug. 406 00:22:54,520 --> 00:22:57,000 Here's why. Because God is a holy God and 407 00:22:57,000 --> 00:22:59,760 God is a just God. And this is a different message 408 00:22:59,760 --> 00:23:02,440 for a different day. But that's why we can actually 409 00:23:02,440 --> 00:23:05,840 actively practice forgiveness towards another person, even 410 00:23:05,840 --> 00:23:08,720 though they may have vastly wronged us and they've never 411 00:23:08,720 --> 00:23:11,320 asked for forgiveness. Forgiveness is just simply 412 00:23:11,320 --> 00:23:14,120 releasing our perceived right to take vengeance on somebody 413 00:23:14,280 --> 00:23:17,080 because we know that God is a holy God and a just God. 414 00:23:17,280 --> 00:23:21,280 And even if somebody that has greatly done us harm and wrong 415 00:23:21,480 --> 00:23:24,800 never answers for their offense in this life, they will stand 416 00:23:24,800 --> 00:23:26,720 before God and give an account for their life. 417 00:23:26,920 --> 00:23:28,720 That's why, as followers of Jesus, we can sit. 418 00:23:28,800 --> 00:23:32,400 There and go, God I. Forgive them, not say what they 419 00:23:32,400 --> 00:23:35,120 did was OK, but I'll leave that in your hands. 420 00:23:35,720 --> 00:23:39,320 But if you're not a follower of Jesus, you need to understand 421 00:23:39,320 --> 00:23:42,240 that God is a holy God and God is a just God. 422 00:23:42,240 --> 00:23:47,720 Therefore he will never allow sin to simply slide or to sweep 423 00:23:47,720 --> 00:23:53,360 it under the rug. Furthermore, because all sin is 424 00:23:53,360 --> 00:23:57,680 committed against God. Follow me on this, because all 425 00:23:57,680 --> 00:24:01,760 sin is committed against God, and God is eternal, the 426 00:24:01,760 --> 00:24:05,560 consequences of our sin, or eternal in nature. 427 00:24:07,440 --> 00:24:10,040 The consequences of our sin or eternal in nature. 428 00:24:10,240 --> 00:24:12,160 Here's the consequence of our sin. 429 00:24:12,680 --> 00:24:16,000 If we stand before God and we're the ones that pay the price for 430 00:24:16,000 --> 00:24:20,280 our sin, the consequence of that sin is eternal separation from 431 00:24:20,280 --> 00:24:24,480 God, from a loving, holy God in a very real, very horrible place 432 00:24:24,480 --> 00:24:27,200 called hell. There was actually not created 433 00:24:27,200 --> 00:24:30,360 for you, not created for us, not created for the bad guys of the 434 00:24:30,360 --> 00:24:32,280 world. It was actually created for 435 00:24:32,280 --> 00:24:37,080 Satan and his demons. And what is so terrifying about 436 00:24:37,080 --> 00:24:40,320 hell is not the mere existence of hell, is the fact that 437 00:24:40,320 --> 00:24:42,800 because our sins have been committed against an eternal 438 00:24:42,800 --> 00:24:45,160 God, the consequences of our sin are eternal. 439 00:24:46,240 --> 00:24:48,920 What's so bone chilling about the reality of hell is the 440 00:24:48,920 --> 00:24:53,720 eternality of hell, the fact that it is forever and ever and 441 00:24:53,720 --> 00:24:55,560 ever. There are no second chances. 442 00:24:56,000 --> 00:24:58,600 You see, somebody's got to pay the price for our sins. 443 00:24:58,920 --> 00:25:02,080 And here is the great grace and mercy and compassion and 444 00:25:02,080 --> 00:25:07,600 invitation of God is right. Now we have a choice of who pays 445 00:25:07,600 --> 00:25:10,080 for our sin. We can either stand before God 446 00:25:10,080 --> 00:25:13,920 and go God, I'll, I'll pay for my own sin and you allow your 447 00:25:13,920 --> 00:25:18,080 pride to lead you to hell. Or you can come with humility 448 00:25:18,080 --> 00:25:21,280 and you can go God. Listen, if Jesus died for my 449 00:25:21,280 --> 00:25:25,480 sins, God, I don't want this X this sentence or the execution 450 00:25:25,480 --> 00:25:27,640 of the sentence or judgment hanging over my head. 451 00:25:28,720 --> 00:25:31,440 God, I want to know that I am made right with you. 452 00:25:32,840 --> 00:25:35,800 Would you forgive me in my sins based off of what Jesus did for 453 00:25:35,800 --> 00:25:39,840 me on the cross? And instantaneously the answer 454 00:25:39,840 --> 00:25:43,440 is yes, you will be forgiven. You see, the Holy Spirit of God 455 00:25:43,440 --> 00:25:44,520 sets. Me. 456 00:25:44,800 --> 00:25:47,440 Free. Ultimately of me. 457 00:25:48,360 --> 00:25:51,000 But that's not. Where it ends Did you know that 458 00:25:51,000 --> 00:25:53,920 the Holy Spirit of God also wants us to know this morning 459 00:25:54,040 --> 00:25:56,240 that He does something else and it's one of the most beautiful 460 00:25:56,240 --> 00:25:59,320 gifts that He could give us. The Holy Spirit of God in me 461 00:25:59,440 --> 00:26:02,760 assures me. The Holy Spirit of God in me 462 00:26:03,480 --> 00:26:06,880 assures me. So here's what that means. 463 00:26:09,280 --> 00:26:12,840 Before we get into the assurance that the Holy Spirit gives us, I 464 00:26:12,840 --> 00:26:15,720 think there are a couple things that God wants you and God wants 465 00:26:15,720 --> 00:26:19,520 me to know about Him. The first one if you're taking 466 00:26:19,520 --> 00:26:20,880 notes. Here it is. 467 00:26:20,880 --> 00:26:24,200 God wants me to be confident in my salvation. 468 00:26:25,360 --> 00:26:28,200 God wants me to be confident in my salvation. 469 00:26:28,680 --> 00:26:31,640 Not, hey, I have a pretty good idea that I'm saved. 470 00:26:35,760 --> 00:26:38,240 I have a reasonable expectation that I'm saved. 471 00:26:38,960 --> 00:26:42,880 God wants me to be confident in my salvation. 472 00:26:44,200 --> 00:26:48,680 Why is that so important? It's so important that you and I 473 00:26:48,680 --> 00:26:53,240 that we know that we are saved, that we know that we are saved 474 00:26:53,240 --> 00:26:57,520 because if we're not confident in our salvation, then at least 475 00:26:57,520 --> 00:27:00,760 for two reasons. Number one is we will always be 476 00:27:00,760 --> 00:27:05,240 paralyzed by the question. Have you ever been there to 477 00:27:05,240 --> 00:27:09,680 where you're doubting your salvation and you find yourself 478 00:27:09,680 --> 00:27:15,280 kind of like, it's almost like. On offense, am I arnta, am I 479 00:27:15,280 --> 00:27:18,880 arnta, Am I arnta? And you're paralyzed by the 480 00:27:18,880 --> 00:27:21,440 question. And here's The thing is, as long 481 00:27:21,440 --> 00:27:25,000 as you and I are paralyzed by the question, we will never be 482 00:27:25,000 --> 00:27:28,320 able to live out the life that God has created us for. 483 00:27:29,080 --> 00:27:32,200 Second of all, when we're not confident in our salvation, 484 00:27:32,480 --> 00:27:34,520 listen very closely what I'm about to say. 485 00:27:35,040 --> 00:27:38,600 We will find ourselves trying to live for the love of God rather 486 00:27:38,600 --> 00:27:40,200 than living from the love of God. 487 00:27:41,200 --> 00:27:45,960 And we see this happen all the time and religious people trying 488 00:27:45,960 --> 00:27:49,200 to live for the love of God rather than from the love of 489 00:27:49,200 --> 00:27:51,120 God. And the difference is so 490 00:27:51,120 --> 00:27:54,080 distinct. Living from the love of God is, 491 00:27:54,200 --> 00:27:57,280 listen, I know I have a confidence that I am a son of 492 00:27:57,280 --> 00:28:01,160 God, that I'm a child of God, and I'm able to live in that 493 00:28:01,160 --> 00:28:03,520 freedom and in that knowledge and in that peace. 494 00:28:03,720 --> 00:28:06,440 Rather, if I'm trying to live, for the love of God, I'm trying 495 00:28:06,440 --> 00:28:08,520 to earn. Something that I can never earn 496 00:28:09,040 --> 00:28:14,040 at all. God wants us to be confident in 497 00:28:14,040 --> 00:28:17,280 our salvation. So what wars against our 498 00:28:17,280 --> 00:28:19,920 confidence? Well, what? 499 00:28:19,960 --> 00:28:21,640 In other words, what brings about doubt? 500 00:28:22,160 --> 00:28:24,800 I think doubt in our salvation is going to come from one of two 501 00:28:24,800 --> 00:28:27,880 sources. Number one, Simply put, it's 502 00:28:27,880 --> 00:28:30,760 either going to come from heaven or it's going to come from hell. 503 00:28:31,840 --> 00:28:34,920 If you're with us this morning in the rumor online and you find 504 00:28:34,920 --> 00:28:37,840 yourself doubting your salvation, that doubt is coming 505 00:28:37,840 --> 00:28:40,400 from one of two places, is coming from heaven or is coming 506 00:28:40,400 --> 00:28:43,640 from hell. It's either coming from God that 507 00:28:43,640 --> 00:28:47,600 is trying to get your attention and an open invitation for you 508 00:28:47,600 --> 00:28:51,160 to come to him and to receive his forgiveness and receive the 509 00:28:51,160 --> 00:28:55,160 new life that he wants to offer you, or is coming from hell 510 00:28:55,160 --> 00:28:57,760 itself. This wanting to neutralize you 511 00:28:58,080 --> 00:29:01,760 for the purpose of the Kingdom for living out your. 512 00:29:01,840 --> 00:29:05,360 Purpose and the purpose in which you and I were created So here's 513 00:29:05,360 --> 00:29:08,760 the question how do we know the difference between which where 514 00:29:08,760 --> 00:29:14,640 each of these voices is coming from Simply put, if the voice of 515 00:29:14,640 --> 00:29:19,560 doubt is more of a tugging at your heart and you're sitting 516 00:29:19,560 --> 00:29:22,120 here with us in the. Room or wherever you may be 517 00:29:22,120 --> 00:29:25,520 online and there's a tugging at your heart to where you can 518 00:29:25,520 --> 00:29:30,160 almost sense and feel and almost audibly hear within your own 519 00:29:30,160 --> 00:29:33,120 head. Go and he's talking about you. 520 00:29:34,600 --> 00:29:37,960 You've never you've never you've never asked me to become king of 521 00:29:37,960 --> 00:29:40,120 your heart. You've never asked me to forgive 522 00:29:40,120 --> 00:29:42,600 you of your sins. This is something that you need 523 00:29:42,600 --> 00:29:46,840 to do. That tender voice of invitation 524 00:29:47,480 --> 00:29:49,960 is coming from God. That's not going to come from 525 00:29:49,960 --> 00:29:51,920 hell. Hell doesn't want you to turn to 526 00:29:51,960 --> 00:29:54,400 to to God. Hell doesn't want you to 527 00:29:54,400 --> 00:29:57,680 surrender your life to him. But. 528 00:29:57,720 --> 00:30:00,520 If the voice. This is how we know that if the 529 00:30:00,520 --> 00:30:04,400 voice is actually coming from hell and the voice is a lot more 530 00:30:04,400 --> 00:30:08,040 times than not, the voice of doubt that is coming from hell 531 00:30:08,040 --> 00:30:11,760 itself is going to come, is going to be associated with a 532 00:30:11,760 --> 00:30:15,440 self loathing. To where you may be with us in 533 00:30:15,440 --> 00:30:19,120 the room or with us online. To where you know, you may be 534 00:30:19,120 --> 00:30:23,160 doubting your salvation and you may have this like voice or you 535 00:30:23,160 --> 00:30:26,360 may have this, this like tinge in your heart. 536 00:30:27,240 --> 00:30:29,120 And it's almost this audible voice in your head. 537 00:30:29,120 --> 00:30:31,600 Be like, you know what? You're a piece of trash. 538 00:30:32,320 --> 00:30:35,000 God could never love you. God could never like he's 539 00:30:35,000 --> 00:30:36,840 talking about everybody else but you. 540 00:30:37,240 --> 00:30:39,760 If they only knew what you had done and what you're about. 541 00:30:39,920 --> 00:30:42,080 Honestly, if they'd only know what you've been thinking about 542 00:30:42,080 --> 00:30:45,760 earlier this morning, man, you're just a piece of garbage. 543 00:30:46,640 --> 00:30:50,080 If there's a self loathing hatred of self that's probably 544 00:30:50,080 --> 00:30:52,680 coming, that voice of doubt is probably coming from hell. 545 00:30:53,880 --> 00:30:56,960 So what do we do? What do we do with the voices of 546 00:30:56,960 --> 00:31:00,320 doubt? Well, number one, I think that 547 00:31:00,320 --> 00:31:02,720 we have to ask ourselves the fundamental questions. 548 00:31:03,200 --> 00:31:04,320 Here's the fundamental questions. 549 00:31:04,320 --> 00:31:07,400 Number one, who do I say that Jesus is? 550 00:31:08,120 --> 00:31:12,120 Who do I say that Jesus is not just on a Sunday morning at 551 00:31:12,120 --> 00:31:14,920 during church time, but it. With my life. 552 00:31:15,600 --> 00:31:17,840 Who is Jesus? Is Jesus just a historical 553 00:31:17,840 --> 00:31:19,480 figure? Is he a good moral teacher? 554 00:31:19,480 --> 00:31:22,440 If I implement some of his principles in my life, I'll win. 555 00:31:22,640 --> 00:31:26,000 Or is Jesus Christ the Son of God who came to die on the cross 556 00:31:26,000 --> 00:31:28,040 for my sins? Is he Lord and Savior of my 557 00:31:28,040 --> 00:31:31,480 life? Who is Jesus #2 Have my sins 558 00:31:31,480 --> 00:31:34,720 been forgiven? Can you sit here this morning in 559 00:31:34,720 --> 00:31:37,160 the room or with us online? Can you sit here this morning 560 00:31:37,160 --> 00:31:40,000 and know without a doubt that your sins have been forgiven? 561 00:31:40,040 --> 00:31:42,520 And if the answer is yes, on what basis? 562 00:31:43,920 --> 00:31:50,400 And on what basis? Who is Jesus? 563 00:31:50,680 --> 00:31:53,280 And how my sins been forgiven. You want to know one of the 564 00:31:53,280 --> 00:31:56,560 greatest weapons that we can have in our arsenal? 565 00:31:58,160 --> 00:32:04,040 It's a weapon called place and date, Place and date. 566 00:32:05,120 --> 00:32:08,560 Here's what I mean by that. Is there some of us that we 567 00:32:08,560 --> 00:32:11,520 struggle so much with? Am I arnta? 568 00:32:11,520 --> 00:32:14,240 Am I arnta? And it's so tricky for us to be 569 00:32:14,240 --> 00:32:18,560 able to discern the voices of doubt and the source of that 570 00:32:18,560 --> 00:32:22,080 doubt. They were missing one of the 571 00:32:22,080 --> 00:32:24,480 greatest weapons in our arsenal. The greatest weapon in our 572 00:32:24,480 --> 00:32:27,440 arsenal is when those voices of doubt come against me. 573 00:32:27,600 --> 00:32:28,720 I can go. No, no, no, no. 574 00:32:29,240 --> 00:32:34,280 Late May 1988, Dacula High School football field, eastern 575 00:32:34,280 --> 00:32:36,440 end zone. Sitting across from a family 576 00:32:36,440 --> 00:32:38,800 friend of mine, I know that I gave my life to Jesus Christ. 577 00:32:40,200 --> 00:32:42,800 One of the one of the young ladies that we had the honor and 578 00:32:42,800 --> 00:32:44,600 privilege of baptizing last week. 579 00:32:44,600 --> 00:32:46,600 If you were with us last week, you know that we got to 580 00:32:46,600 --> 00:32:48,720 celebrate baptism. One of the things that you may 581 00:32:48,720 --> 00:32:52,080 not know is after the service, we got to baptize a mom and her 582 00:32:52,080 --> 00:32:54,400 two daughters after the 11:00 service. 583 00:32:54,400 --> 00:32:58,360 It was awesome. But a couple weeks before last 584 00:32:58,360 --> 00:33:02,440 week, about 3 weeks ago, we're sitting at El Sombrero having a 585 00:33:02,440 --> 00:33:05,200 conversation with his family because we know that the Holy 586 00:33:05,200 --> 00:33:07,240 Spirit moves around chips and salsa, right? 587 00:33:08,800 --> 00:33:10,800 If you ever want to free up the Holy Spirit order queso. 588 00:33:13,520 --> 00:33:15,640 But I remember talking, I remember talking to this, to 589 00:33:15,640 --> 00:33:18,640 this, to this young lady in high school, brilliant young lady. 590 00:33:19,640 --> 00:33:22,000 And she was telling me, she goes, I'm pretty sure that I 591 00:33:22,000 --> 00:33:24,040 gave my life to Jesus, but there's just this is doubt. 592 00:33:24,240 --> 00:33:26,200 I keep doubting. Why do I keep doubting? 593 00:33:26,200 --> 00:33:30,240 And I was like, I can't really answer that question for you, 594 00:33:30,240 --> 00:33:33,920 but can you go back to, can you go back to a place and date? 595 00:33:33,920 --> 00:33:39,360 And she goes, well, no. And I said, listen, I said, why 596 00:33:39,360 --> 00:33:41,880 don't you go home? I'm not trying to talk you into 597 00:33:41,880 --> 00:33:43,720 anything. If if I could, I definitely 598 00:33:43,720 --> 00:33:45,000 would. I'm not trying to manipulate 599 00:33:45,000 --> 00:33:49,920 your emotions, but why don't you go home and just nail it down 600 00:33:50,600 --> 00:33:52,600 tonight? To where? 601 00:33:52,600 --> 00:33:54,640 When those. Voices of doubt come up. 602 00:33:54,800 --> 00:33:58,800 You're able to counter those voices of doubt in my bedroom On 603 00:33:58,800 --> 00:34:00,600 this date. Here's why I would tell you, 604 00:34:00,600 --> 00:34:03,920 church, if you're struggling with those voices of doubt, one 605 00:34:03,920 --> 00:34:07,560 of the greatest pieces of ammo in your arsenal, spiritual 606 00:34:07,560 --> 00:34:13,480 arsenal, is place and date. Where May 18th Riverbend Church 607 00:34:13,480 --> 00:34:17,920 can become a sacred date on your calendar and it can become the 608 00:34:17,920 --> 00:34:20,920 greatest weapon in your spiritual arsenal. 609 00:34:21,040 --> 00:34:24,440 When those voices are doubt of doubt start to swell up. 610 00:34:24,719 --> 00:34:27,000 And I'll tell you exactly what I told this young lady. 611 00:34:27,280 --> 00:34:29,400 Let's assume. That you may have already given 612 00:34:29,400 --> 00:34:31,679 your life to Jesus. It's not like Jesus is going to 613 00:34:31,679 --> 00:34:33,080 sit there in heaven when you say Jesus. 614 00:34:33,280 --> 00:34:36,000 I want to nail this down. I want to be sure. 615 00:34:36,320 --> 00:34:39,280 I've got to be sure of this. I can't live on this fence 616 00:34:39,320 --> 00:34:41,400 anymore. It's not like Jesus in heaven 617 00:34:41,400 --> 00:34:44,280 going, Oh my goodness, this is so frustrating. 618 00:34:45,239 --> 00:34:48,159 He's going to say, yes, absolutely. 619 00:34:48,480 --> 00:34:51,719 I want you to have confidence in your salvation. 620 00:34:52,400 --> 00:34:56,120 So here's what I would tell you, church, if you are doubtful if 621 00:34:56,120 --> 00:34:59,960 the Holy Spirit of God lives in you, then you've got to nail it 622 00:34:59,960 --> 00:35:02,040 down. Just nail it down. 623 00:35:02,040 --> 00:35:06,480 Make today a sacred date on your calendar. 624 00:35:07,480 --> 00:35:09,920 Because if you don't, what are we doing? 625 00:35:11,440 --> 00:35:15,200 If you don't, then we will not be able to receive or to live 626 00:35:15,200 --> 00:35:18,480 out everything else that God has for us in His Word. 627 00:35:19,880 --> 00:35:21,520 So not only does God want us to be. 628 00:35:21,520 --> 00:35:26,240 Confident in our salvation. God also wants me to be 629 00:35:26,240 --> 00:35:28,440 confident in my eternal security. 630 00:35:28,960 --> 00:35:31,440 God wants me to be confident in my eternal security. 631 00:35:31,440 --> 00:35:34,040 And it may sound like the same thing, but there's a slightly 632 00:35:34,040 --> 00:35:37,080 different nuance there. This simply means being 633 00:35:37,080 --> 00:35:38,600 confident in my eternal security. 634 00:35:38,720 --> 00:35:43,880 This simply means that I know that no matter what, God loves 635 00:35:43,880 --> 00:35:47,480 me and God has saved me. And there's nothing that will 636 00:35:47,480 --> 00:35:50,400 ever change that there was. There's nothing that will ever 637 00:35:50,400 --> 00:35:53,440 change the fact that God loves me and that God has saved me. 638 00:35:53,520 --> 00:35:57,800 Simply put, if I am saved, I can never lose my salvation. 639 00:35:58,320 --> 00:36:02,400 I can never lose my salvation again at the beginning of our of 640 00:36:02,400 --> 00:36:05,360 our time together this morning. I encourage you to go back 641 00:36:05,360 --> 00:36:07,120 through Romans 8 in your own time. 642 00:36:07,120 --> 00:36:09,720 But one of the things that you're going to find out is that 643 00:36:09,720 --> 00:36:13,160 the very end of Romans. 8 is this beautiful promise that God 644 00:36:13,160 --> 00:36:15,360 gives us, and this is where we pick it up. 645 00:36:15,360 --> 00:36:18,400 In verse 35, Paul is asking a rhetorical question. 646 00:36:18,600 --> 00:36:20,640 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? 647 00:36:20,840 --> 00:36:24,080 Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or 648 00:36:24,080 --> 00:36:28,040 nakedness, or dangerous sword? If anything happens to me, is 649 00:36:28,120 --> 00:36:29,760 anything going to? Is anything so? 650 00:36:29,760 --> 00:36:31,840 Big and bad, that is. Never going to separate me from 651 00:36:31,840 --> 00:36:33,920 the love of God. And then he goes on down to 652 00:36:33,920 --> 00:36:36,760 verse 38. For I'm sure that neither death, 653 00:36:36,760 --> 00:36:40,280 nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor 654 00:36:40,280 --> 00:36:45,440 things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything 655 00:36:45,440 --> 00:36:47,280 else in all of creation. Will be able to. 656 00:36:47,280 --> 00:36:52,200 Separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. 657 00:36:52,400 --> 00:36:55,080 Do you want to know why this is such a big deal And why you need 658 00:36:55,080 --> 00:36:59,480 to have eternal security is because you need to have the 659 00:36:59,480 --> 00:37:02,800 peace of knowing. That no matter what you do, no 660 00:37:02,800 --> 00:37:06,520 matter where you go, God will never not love you and God will 661 00:37:06,520 --> 00:37:10,440 never cast you aside. Because listen to me, church, 662 00:37:11,080 --> 00:37:13,960 God's love for you is not based on anything that you did to 663 00:37:13,960 --> 00:37:16,240 begin with. It's all based on who He is. 664 00:37:17,440 --> 00:37:23,440 Second of all, if we think that we can lose our salvation, then 665 00:37:23,440 --> 00:37:28,160 we would be tempted to start to erroneously fall into this trap 666 00:37:28,320 --> 00:37:30,840 and this, this, this false thought that there was something 667 00:37:30,840 --> 00:37:32,840 that we could do to ever earn our salvation. 668 00:37:33,400 --> 00:37:36,160 Listen, if we couldn't earn God's love or earn our 669 00:37:36,160 --> 00:37:39,840 salvation, there's nothing that we can ever do to unearn God's 670 00:37:39,840 --> 00:37:42,240 love or to unearn God's salvation. 671 00:37:42,240 --> 00:37:46,680 And I love how Paul puts it here in Romans 838 through 39. 672 00:37:46,680 --> 00:37:49,920 And basically he's asking this question, what do you think is 673 00:37:50,040 --> 00:37:54,200 big enough and bad enough to force God's hand out from around 674 00:37:54,200 --> 00:37:57,040 you? Once he has got you, he has got 675 00:37:57,040 --> 00:37:59,400 you. And here's the beautiful thing 676 00:37:59,400 --> 00:38:02,360 of where we go from here if you're a follower of Jesus. 677 00:38:03,000 --> 00:38:07,280 Like if I know what happens to me when I die, let come what may 678 00:38:07,280 --> 00:38:11,920 even the worst if I die, when I die, I know that I will spend 679 00:38:11,920 --> 00:38:14,720 eternity with God in heaven, and I'll go ahead and tell. 680 00:38:14,720 --> 00:38:18,600 You a person that has eternal security or security and their 681 00:38:18,600 --> 00:38:22,360 eternal destination is going to live life differently in the 682 00:38:22,360 --> 00:38:25,000 time that they've got here than somebody that doesn't have 683 00:38:25,000 --> 00:38:28,240 eternal security. You see a lot of us, we live 684 00:38:28,240 --> 00:38:30,240 life as if we don't have eternal security. 685 00:38:30,400 --> 00:38:33,640 So we got to get all that we can get here because life is short 686 00:38:33,640 --> 00:38:35,560 and it's going to end and we can't take it with us anyway. 687 00:38:35,760 --> 00:38:37,800 No, no, no. This place is as a follower of 688 00:38:37,800 --> 00:38:41,200 Jesus, this place is not our home and we can have eternal 689 00:38:41,200 --> 00:38:43,720 security. But here's a question that I 690 00:38:43,720 --> 00:38:46,840 have for you. As we kind of come to an end 691 00:38:48,080 --> 00:38:51,120 knowing that God wants us to be confident in our salvation and 692 00:38:51,120 --> 00:38:53,680 knowing that God wants us to be confident in our eternal 693 00:38:53,680 --> 00:38:56,520 security, I want to turn it on the personal. 694 00:38:57,040 --> 00:39:01,400 How confident are you in both of those things? 695 00:39:02,800 --> 00:39:04,920 How confident are you in both of those things? 696 00:39:04,960 --> 00:39:06,840 Your eternal security and your salvation. 697 00:39:07,560 --> 00:39:09,920 If you've been taking notes with us, I want to direct your 698 00:39:09,920 --> 00:39:11,760 attention to something you probably already noticed at the 699 00:39:11,760 --> 00:39:14,880 bottom of your note sheet. It's a, it's a spectrum one 700 00:39:14,880 --> 00:39:17,120 through 10. If you've been, if you haven't 701 00:39:17,120 --> 00:39:19,600 been taking notes with us and you just been like listening to 702 00:39:19,600 --> 00:39:22,320 us and, and, and kind of taking it all in, I want to encourage 703 00:39:22,320 --> 00:39:24,320 you to take out the take out your note sheet. 704 00:39:25,080 --> 00:39:26,320 I don't. You look at the bottom of that 705 00:39:26,320 --> 00:39:28,200 note sheet, there's a spectrum one through 10. 706 00:39:28,200 --> 00:39:32,280 And this is just a time between you and God. 707 00:39:32,280 --> 00:39:34,240 And I'm not going to ask that. I'm going to ask that you don't 708 00:39:34,240 --> 00:39:37,200 look at anybody else. 'S at all. 709 00:39:37,840 --> 00:39:41,960 But if one represents I am absolutely have no confidence in 710 00:39:41,960 --> 00:39:46,920 my salvation or I know that I haven't asked Jesus to take 711 00:39:46,920 --> 00:39:49,040 control of my life and God to forgive. 712 00:39:49,040 --> 00:39:51,480 Me in my sins and the Holy Spirit doesn't live my life. 713 00:39:51,480 --> 00:39:55,760 I have 0 confidence in that 10 being been I've been here with 714 00:39:55,760 --> 00:39:59,680 you the whole time and I have 100% assurance to where if I 715 00:39:59,680 --> 00:40:02,560 were to die right now, I know that I would spend eternity with 716 00:40:02,560 --> 00:40:04,760 God in heaven. Here's a question for you 717 00:40:04,760 --> 00:40:06,720 church. One through 10. 718 00:40:07,520 --> 00:40:10,800 Where are you? Where are you in your 719 00:40:10,800 --> 00:40:13,480 confidence? Here's what I want to ask that. 720 00:40:13,480 --> 00:40:15,680 We do. We're about to come to a close 721 00:40:16,480 --> 00:40:18,520 just wherever. You're at if you'll take out a 722 00:40:18,520 --> 00:40:20,160 pen or a. Pencil or a marker or 723 00:40:20,160 --> 00:40:24,960 highlighter or whatever. I just want you to circle where 724 00:40:24,960 --> 00:40:28,480 you are. I just want you to circle where 725 00:40:28,480 --> 00:40:30,720 you are. Not going to ask you to bring 726 00:40:30,720 --> 00:40:32,400 these up, turn them in. We're not going to stand in 727 00:40:32,400 --> 00:40:34,040 front of a microphone and read out loud. 728 00:40:34,040 --> 00:40:38,840 Not going to like hold it up. This really just an exercise for 729 00:40:38,840 --> 00:40:42,840 you. Wherever you marked on that 730 00:40:42,840 --> 00:40:47,360 spectrum, I just want you to know God wants you to be 100% 731 00:40:47,360 --> 00:40:52,520 confident this morning. And through the power and the 732 00:40:52,520 --> 00:40:55,560 person and the presence of the Holy Spirit with us this 733 00:40:55,560 --> 00:40:58,640 morning, guess what? You can be. 734 00:41:00,200 --> 00:41:02,880 You can be. So here's what we're about to 735 00:41:02,880 --> 00:41:04,880 do. We're about to stand and we're 736 00:41:04,880 --> 00:41:08,080 about to worship and we're about to go into a time of response. 737 00:41:10,840 --> 00:41:14,720 Maybe for you this morning, maybe the greatest thing that 738 00:41:14,720 --> 00:41:16,560 you can do. As a matter of fact, the reason 739 00:41:16,560 --> 00:41:19,400 that God brought you. Here this morning, make no 740 00:41:19,400 --> 00:41:20,280 mistake. About it. 741 00:41:20,280 --> 00:41:22,880 The reason that God brought you here this morning is because 742 00:41:22,880 --> 00:41:24,800 this morning he wants you to nail it down. 743 00:41:26,400 --> 00:41:29,680 He doesn't want you to be paralyzed by by doubt anymore. 744 00:41:31,320 --> 00:41:34,880 And if you feel that like, then I need to nail it down this 745 00:41:34,880 --> 00:41:38,480 morning. I need to make May 18th, 2000, 746 00:41:38,720 --> 00:41:43,400 2020, 5A sacred date. Then I'll be down here. 747 00:41:43,400 --> 00:41:45,920 Pastor Todd will be down here. We would love to pray with you. 748 00:41:46,160 --> 00:41:47,680 Maybe there's a small group leader. 749 00:41:47,680 --> 00:41:49,800 Maybe one of your small group leaders is sitting beside. 750 00:41:49,800 --> 00:41:52,960 You or or or spiritual? Mentor that's sitting beside 751 00:41:52,960 --> 00:41:55,400 you, and maybe you just need to grab him by the arm and go, hey, 752 00:41:55,400 --> 00:41:57,120 can we step out in the hallway for a second? 753 00:41:57,480 --> 00:41:59,080 Just have a conversation with them. 754 00:41:59,800 --> 00:42:03,320 Maybe there's somebody in your life to where the Holy Spirit's 755 00:42:03,320 --> 00:42:06,520 been tugging and moving at your heart to where it's not that 756 00:42:06,520 --> 00:42:09,200 you're trapped in this Am I aren't I am I aren't I? 757 00:42:09,240 --> 00:42:10,800 It's. Is he? 758 00:42:10,800 --> 00:42:11,840 Is she? Is he? 759 00:42:11,920 --> 00:42:15,880 Is she? Maybe this time is a time to 760 00:42:15,880 --> 00:42:19,120 where you come down and you pray on behalf of somebody because 761 00:42:19,120 --> 00:42:21,400 they may not be here with us in the room. 762 00:42:21,800 --> 00:42:24,560 But I'll tell you this, the person and the presence and the 763 00:42:24,560 --> 00:42:27,280 power of the Holy Spirit is not contained to a room. 764 00:42:27,560 --> 00:42:30,520 We lift up men and women and other students and other guys 765 00:42:30,520 --> 00:42:32,680 and girls by name. The Holy Spirit has this 766 00:42:32,760 --> 00:42:37,040 unbelievable way of going exactly where they are right now 767 00:42:37,040 --> 00:42:39,600 during this time, even though they're not with us physically 768 00:42:39,600 --> 00:42:43,040 in the room and to become be able to soften their hearts. 769 00:42:43,600 --> 00:42:47,120 But the invitation for us is to nail it down and to pray for 770 00:42:47,120 --> 00:42:51,400 others that we want to make sure that they have a confidence in 771 00:42:51,400 --> 00:42:53,360 their salvation and their eternal security. 772 00:42:53,640 --> 00:42:55,040 So would you pray with me? God? 773 00:42:55,040 --> 00:42:56,480 We love you. God, we thank you. 774 00:42:56,680 --> 00:43:00,680 God, we are just absolutely in awe of the fact that you would 775 00:43:00,680 --> 00:43:03,880 love us so much that you would send your son Jesus into this 776 00:43:03,880 --> 00:43:06,280 world. To die for. 777 00:43:06,280 --> 00:43:09,680 US. We got to walk among us to where 778 00:43:09,680 --> 00:43:12,880 we can live just in awe and wonder. 779 00:43:13,000 --> 00:43:19,880 This was God with us, but God. When Jesus ascended back to 780 00:43:19,880 --> 00:43:24,520 heaven, God, there was a great exchange that took place with an 781 00:43:24,520 --> 00:43:27,520 even greater promise. Not just God with us, but now 782 00:43:27,520 --> 00:43:30,880 there's a promise and there's an invitation of God in US. 783 00:43:32,080 --> 00:43:34,960 So God, I pray that your Holy Spirit would move throughout 784 00:43:34,960 --> 00:43:39,320 this place and online and beyond these walls to our circles and 785 00:43:39,520 --> 00:43:43,480 spheres of influence, to where this morning would be a morning 786 00:43:43,480 --> 00:43:45,320 to where we would nail things down. 787 00:43:45,320 --> 00:43:50,640 If we have doubts, then May 18th, 2025 will become a sacred 788 00:43:50,640 --> 00:43:54,160 day, God for us in the room and for other people. 789 00:43:54,280 --> 00:43:57,120 God, that we would lift them up by name, that you would meet 790 00:43:57,120 --> 00:43:59,440 them exactly where they are. You would begin working in their 791 00:43:59,440 --> 00:44:02,320 heart and softening in their heart and draw them closer to 792 00:44:02,360 --> 00:44:04,000 you. God, I pray that you would. 793 00:44:04,000 --> 00:44:07,320 Be that you would allow us the. Freedom just to get over 794 00:44:07,320 --> 00:44:10,160 ourselves and get over our pride of what we think that other 795 00:44:10,160 --> 00:44:12,840 people may think. If we need to step out and come 796 00:44:12,840 --> 00:44:16,560 and just nail things down, God, that is our. 797 00:44:16,560 --> 00:44:19,160 Greatest decision. That is our greatest choice. 798 00:44:19,720 --> 00:44:21,400 This morning. So I pray that you would grant 799 00:44:21,400 --> 00:44:25,040 us freedom and boldness and obedience and doing what you've 800 00:44:25,040 --> 00:44:27,440 called us to do this morning in Jesus name that we pray. 801 00:44:27,800 --> 00:44:32,840 Amen. Thank you for listening to the 802 00:44:32,840 --> 00:44:35,880 Riverbend Church Podcast. Learn more about who we are as a 803 00:44:35,880 --> 00:44:38,000 church and how to connect. You can head over to our 804 00:44:38,000 --> 00:44:40,160 website, Riverbend Church dot Life.