1 00:00:06,360 --> 00:00:09,240 Hi and welcome to the Via Zion Sermon podcast. 2 00:00:09,640 --> 00:00:12,360 We are a local church based here in Chennai, India. 3 00:00:12,840 --> 00:00:15,880 We are so glad you are with us and hope that this will 4 00:00:15,880 --> 00:00:19,360 encourage, inspire and instill fresh faith in you. 5 00:00:20,120 --> 00:00:24,200 Our theme for the year 2024 is set apart, and today we look at 6 00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:27,440 how God sets us apart to carry our cross. 7 00:00:28,240 --> 00:00:31,720 Jesus was open and honest with his disciples of the kind of 8 00:00:31,720 --> 00:00:34,880 life they would be called to live should they choose to 9 00:00:34,880 --> 00:00:38,440 follow Him. It's not one that's easy, but 10 00:00:38,440 --> 00:00:41,400 one of great fulfillment and eternal rewards. 11 00:00:42,000 --> 00:00:45,800 As you listen in, would you ask God to show you how better to 12 00:00:45,800 --> 00:00:50,160 carry your cross and follow Jesus, his Son, into the spaces 13 00:00:50,160 --> 00:00:52,760 he leads you? Hi church. 14 00:00:52,880 --> 00:00:55,480 It's such a joy and a privilege to be bringing God's word to you 15 00:00:55,480 --> 00:00:58,280 today. Even as we started this Lenten 16 00:00:58,280 --> 00:01:02,000 series and we've titled it as Set Apart to carry Across. 17 00:01:02,640 --> 00:01:06,040 I believe God is ministering through us, and I believe in the 18 00:01:06,040 --> 00:01:09,520 next 40 days there will be areas in our life that he shows. 19 00:01:10,040 --> 00:01:14,640 There'll be spaces in our own lives which are fragmented many 20 00:01:14,640 --> 00:01:17,880 a times, which we really need to submit and take it back to God. 21 00:01:18,440 --> 00:01:22,200 And even as I continue on in the second part, I just wanted to 22 00:01:22,200 --> 00:01:24,800 take some time to go back to some of the key elements that we 23 00:01:24,800 --> 00:01:27,480 saw last week. The assignment that was given to 24 00:01:27,480 --> 00:01:32,040 us is ordinary, yet is powerful. We also saw that the odd 25 00:01:32,280 --> 00:01:35,320 assignment that is given is extraordinary, yet it's 26 00:01:35,320 --> 00:01:37,680 humbling. We are left to these two. 27 00:01:37,960 --> 00:01:40,120 The key themes that Tina left us with. 28 00:01:40,440 --> 00:01:44,240 One was to ask the King for his Kingdom assignment and the 29 00:01:44,840 --> 00:01:48,480 ability to discern and allow the Holy Spirit to show us what are 30 00:01:48,480 --> 00:01:52,880 not the non Kingdom assignments. Because I believe as we look at 31 00:01:52,880 --> 00:01:56,640 this, deny, carry and follow over the next couple of weeks, 32 00:01:57,000 --> 00:02:01,120 there are specific things Jesus wants us to deny ourselves. 33 00:02:01,440 --> 00:02:04,360 There are specific areas which we've chosen all this while 34 00:02:04,360 --> 00:02:06,320 because saying God, this is not mine. 35 00:02:06,320 --> 00:02:10,160 But He might reveal to us. His word will come alive to us 36 00:02:10,160 --> 00:02:14,480 and say, you need to carry this. And we keep following him all 37 00:02:14,480 --> 00:02:16,840 the days of our life. So even as we get into God's 38 00:02:16,840 --> 00:02:19,760 Word, even as you're watching some of you, most of you who are 39 00:02:19,760 --> 00:02:23,440 listening, I just want to pray a quick word of press that God's 40 00:02:23,440 --> 00:02:26,280 Word will fall on the right areas of our heart. 41 00:02:26,400 --> 00:02:29,200 His Holy Spirit will bring about conviction that we'll be able to 42 00:02:29,200 --> 00:02:30,760 do all that He's called us to do. 43 00:02:30,960 --> 00:02:33,560 So can we quickly pray loving Heavenly Father, Lord, we thank 44 00:02:33,560 --> 00:02:35,920 you, Lord, for this time. I pray that Lord, even as I 45 00:02:35,920 --> 00:02:37,720 speak, it will be You speaking through me. 46 00:02:38,240 --> 00:02:40,200 Thank you, Lord, for your Word, which is alive today. 47 00:02:40,200 --> 00:02:42,400 Lord Jesus. We thank you, Lord, your Word, 48 00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:44,520 which lasts throughout generations. 49 00:02:44,960 --> 00:02:47,720 Lord, your Word says that even though the world fails, your 50 00:02:47,720 --> 00:02:49,640 Word will remain, and we thank you for that. 51 00:02:49,640 --> 00:02:51,520 That assurance is enough, Lord, for us. 52 00:02:52,280 --> 00:02:55,400 And I thank you that we all get to follow you as we meditate and 53 00:02:55,400 --> 00:02:58,600 read from your Word. Speak to us, draw us close to 54 00:02:58,600 --> 00:02:59,960 you. Wherever conviction is needed, 55 00:02:59,960 --> 00:03:02,640 may we be convicted. Wherever repentance is needed 56 00:03:02,640 --> 00:03:06,200 may we repent, and wherever we've hesitated all this while 57 00:03:06,440 --> 00:03:09,560 maybe in boldness rise up to follow you a lot most fully, 58 00:03:09,560 --> 00:03:11,200 namely pray. Amen. 59 00:03:11,480 --> 00:03:13,640 Amen. The keywords that you're going 60 00:03:13,640 --> 00:03:16,920 to look at is from Matthew. Chapter 16 versus 24 to 26 is 61 00:03:16,920 --> 00:03:19,320 the for the entirety of the series and NIV. 62 00:03:19,320 --> 00:03:21,680 This is what it says. Then Jesus said to his 63 00:03:21,680 --> 00:03:25,960 disciples, whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves 64 00:03:25,960 --> 00:03:29,560 and take up their cross and follow me, for whoever wants to 65 00:03:29,560 --> 00:03:32,760 save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for 66 00:03:32,760 --> 00:03:36,280 me will find it. What good will it be for someone 67 00:03:36,280 --> 00:03:38,600 to gain the whole world yet forfeit their soul? 68 00:03:39,080 --> 00:03:42,360 Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 69 00:03:43,560 --> 00:03:47,040 So even as we continue on with the series, the first thing we 70 00:03:47,040 --> 00:03:51,200 need to come to terms is the fact that if we want to be his 71 00:03:51,200 --> 00:03:56,440 disciple, a lot of us want to be Christians, but we really don't 72 00:03:56,440 --> 00:04:01,200 want to follow Jesus every day. A lot of us want to be Jesus 73 00:04:01,200 --> 00:04:03,960 followers, but it's on our terms. 74 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:09,560 But here it says whoever wants to be my disciple must deny 75 00:04:09,560 --> 00:04:12,880 themselves. There's a definite thing that 76 00:04:12,880 --> 00:04:16,920 has to be done, must deny. And it clearly says that we are. 77 00:04:16,959 --> 00:04:22,000 If you want to be his disciples today, if you want to be an 78 00:04:22,000 --> 00:04:26,200 employee of one of the top five tech companies in the world, you 79 00:04:26,200 --> 00:04:30,320 have to do things they require. You can't just walk in on day 80 00:04:30,320 --> 00:04:32,640 one and say, you know what, I'm a big fan of this. 81 00:04:32,640 --> 00:04:34,880 I've been following you. This is how you have to do it. 82 00:04:34,880 --> 00:04:40,400 No, they have a system in place. They have, but they take time 83 00:04:40,400 --> 00:04:42,600 for you to align with them. They in fact, when they induct 84 00:04:42,600 --> 00:04:46,800 you in as an employee, they have culture, trends and all the 85 00:04:46,800 --> 00:04:48,880 different things that they lay out so that you will come in 86 00:04:48,880 --> 00:04:52,240 alignment to what has to be done for their benefit. 87 00:04:52,920 --> 00:04:55,240 It's the same as follows of Jesus. 88 00:04:55,480 --> 00:05:00,480 We are called to be intentional. There's an intentional ask of us 89 00:05:00,480 --> 00:05:04,680 if you want to be my disciple. If you just want to be a Sunday 90 00:05:04,680 --> 00:05:06,720 Christian, you don't have to really take this. 91 00:05:07,720 --> 00:05:12,600 But if you really want to be a Jesus follower, if you really 92 00:05:12,600 --> 00:05:15,560 want to be a disciple of Jesus, you need to be intentional about 93 00:05:15,560 --> 00:05:18,320 that step that you take, it says. 94 00:05:18,480 --> 00:05:20,760 And today we're going to emphasize heavily on the word 95 00:05:20,760 --> 00:05:25,640 deny in the Passion translation. It says, If you truly want to 96 00:05:25,640 --> 00:05:31,200 follow me, you should at once completely reject and disown 97 00:05:31,400 --> 00:05:34,960 your own life. You should at once completely 98 00:05:35,080 --> 00:05:39,680 reject and disown your own life. The problem with following Jesus 99 00:05:39,680 --> 00:05:45,840 is it's just an action to be for all of us in this generation. 100 00:05:46,400 --> 00:05:49,080 For those of us in the last 20 years, it's just hitting that 101 00:05:49,080 --> 00:05:54,520 button follow, and so the implications of that is not felt 102 00:05:54,520 --> 00:05:58,280 heavily. The button press causes us to 103 00:05:58,280 --> 00:06:02,360 see glimpses of a person's update when and when they post, 104 00:06:02,800 --> 00:06:05,480 or based on when the algorithm decides to show it to us. 105 00:06:06,800 --> 00:06:10,560 But here it's saying if you want to follow him, there is 106 00:06:10,560 --> 00:06:13,800 something you must do. You must deny yourself. 107 00:06:14,880 --> 00:06:17,680 In the message, it says anyone who intends to come with me has 108 00:06:17,680 --> 00:06:20,320 to let me lead. You're not in the driver's seat. 109 00:06:20,320 --> 00:06:23,960 I am. Don't run from suffering. 110 00:06:23,960 --> 00:06:26,520 Embrace it. In the Amplified, it says he 111 00:06:26,520 --> 00:06:30,960 must deny himself. Set aside selfish interests. 112 00:06:32,360 --> 00:06:38,360 You know in Greek the word for deny is upper near my I deny, I 113 00:06:38,360 --> 00:06:44,000 disown, I disregard either another person or myself. 114 00:06:45,280 --> 00:06:49,400 And the problem with a lot of us, as I mentioned today, is we 115 00:06:49,400 --> 00:06:53,400 don't understand the gravitas, we don't understand the the cost 116 00:06:53,400 --> 00:06:57,840 because of what cultures created the word follow for us. 117 00:06:58,360 --> 00:07:00,560 But Jesus is asking would you be my disciple? 118 00:07:01,080 --> 00:07:04,400 Would you let go of everything? Would you deny yourself and 119 00:07:04,400 --> 00:07:07,880 follow me? This is countercultural to us 120 00:07:08,520 --> 00:07:12,840 because we're all about denying things, we're all about denying 121 00:07:12,840 --> 00:07:18,960 others, so that we will have things that work for us and will 122 00:07:18,960 --> 00:07:21,840 aid us. So today, if I have to ask you 123 00:07:22,240 --> 00:07:24,160 what are some of the countercultural things that 124 00:07:24,160 --> 00:07:28,200 you've said no to, you've denied, Let's look at it. 125 00:07:28,200 --> 00:07:31,960 Probably you've denied a job offer because the package was 126 00:07:31,960 --> 00:07:34,880 not favourable for you. You probably are in between 127 00:07:34,880 --> 00:07:37,680 jobs. You're jumping ship and you 128 00:07:37,680 --> 00:07:41,320 probably expect a 60% raise and they're just giving you a mere 129 00:07:41,320 --> 00:07:44,880 15%. So you as an individual get the 130 00:07:44,880 --> 00:07:47,600 ability to deny saying this doesn't benefit me. 131 00:07:47,600 --> 00:07:51,720 You make the choice. In our Indian culture we have a 132 00:07:51,720 --> 00:07:54,640 mix of arranged marriage and, you know, love marriage. 133 00:07:54,640 --> 00:07:58,840 And for a lot of times it's the proposals that keep coming and 134 00:07:59,000 --> 00:08:02,120 the bizarre reasons we give when we deny. 135 00:08:02,120 --> 00:08:05,600 Many a times, a lot of a lot has do the physical thing. 136 00:08:06,560 --> 00:08:09,400 Some has to do with spiritual. OK, they have not been baptized. 137 00:08:09,400 --> 00:08:11,600 Oh, they're not spirit filled or they. 138 00:08:12,120 --> 00:08:15,920 But majority of the times are things are you know what they 139 00:08:15,920 --> 00:08:19,080 don't look, you know, there's no spark. 140 00:08:19,480 --> 00:08:22,240 And so eventually we end up going down this road and saying 141 00:08:23,120 --> 00:08:26,160 this is something I'm denying. Probably they don't know. 142 00:08:26,160 --> 00:08:27,600 Well, probably they're not staying abroad. 143 00:08:27,920 --> 00:08:29,160 Probably he's staying with his mum. 144 00:08:29,160 --> 00:08:31,120 Still. It can be a humpty number of 145 00:08:31,120 --> 00:08:37,320 reasons, but we are so in this mode where we get to choose what 146 00:08:37,320 --> 00:08:40,240 we want, what we don't want, and so we are denying certain 147 00:08:40,240 --> 00:08:44,320 things. If you go car shopping or bike 148 00:08:44,320 --> 00:08:46,920 shopping, you go across different brands and different 149 00:08:47,120 --> 00:08:50,360 estimations and quotes and everything and you deny certain 150 00:08:50,360 --> 00:08:52,880 things because some don't work in your favour. 151 00:08:53,720 --> 00:08:56,760 When you apply for a loan, there are certain loans you don't take 152 00:08:56,760 --> 00:08:58,400 because the interest rate is really high. 153 00:08:59,200 --> 00:09:04,680 You deny as long as it's beneficial to me. 154 00:09:04,680 --> 00:09:08,200 I'm denying certain things. I deny certain things. 155 00:09:08,280 --> 00:09:12,160 If the church requires me to do this, I deny this because it 156 00:09:12,160 --> 00:09:15,640 doesn't align with my timetable, it doesn't align with my 157 00:09:15,640 --> 00:09:20,280 calendar. And so we are so in this mode of 158 00:09:20,280 --> 00:09:26,080 always if this meets us and if this propels us, if this helps 159 00:09:26,080 --> 00:09:29,200 me build my network, if this helps me get more clients, if 160 00:09:29,200 --> 00:09:32,240 this helps me to, you know, position myself so that I'll be 161 00:09:32,440 --> 00:09:35,760 known like this, I might take it up, else I'll deny it. 162 00:09:38,160 --> 00:09:42,120 It either serves our interests, helps me achieve my goal, else 163 00:09:42,120 --> 00:09:46,080 I'm wasting my time, causes my career to grow or you know, it 164 00:09:46,400 --> 00:09:51,360 expands my network, You know my people of the same like minded. 165 00:09:51,360 --> 00:09:54,600 Will this help me in the future? You know, I'll, I'll run this 166 00:09:54,600 --> 00:09:56,160 tide and just see if it'll help me. 167 00:09:56,640 --> 00:09:59,000 I'll say like I can deny it in a later stage. 168 00:09:59,960 --> 00:10:02,040 Does it work in favour for me alone? 169 00:10:03,040 --> 00:10:06,800 Or sometimes does it work in favour for my family and then I 170 00:10:06,800 --> 00:10:11,440 might choose it, but Jesus is saying each and every one of us. 171 00:10:11,880 --> 00:10:13,880 And so today, even as I'm speaking this message, it's just 172 00:10:13,880 --> 00:10:16,280 not. It's just not for the husbands. 173 00:10:16,280 --> 00:10:17,960 It's just not for the wives. It's just not for a parent. 174 00:10:17,960 --> 00:10:20,840 It's just not for the children. It's for each and everyone of 175 00:10:20,840 --> 00:10:24,720 you individually who's been uniquely created by God to come 176 00:10:24,720 --> 00:10:29,120 to say Jesus. I want to be a disciple and I 177 00:10:29,120 --> 00:10:35,120 choose to deny myself. A lot of times we make this 178 00:10:35,120 --> 00:10:40,400 decision as a corporate one, but the faith that we exhibit in 179 00:10:40,440 --> 00:10:44,400 Jesus is a personal one. We have to come to a place to 180 00:10:44,400 --> 00:10:48,160 say Jesus. I'm denying myself so I can be 181 00:10:48,160 --> 00:10:51,760 your disciple. And that's how we see marriages 182 00:10:52,280 --> 00:10:55,560 thrive in the center and the plan and purpose of God's will. 183 00:10:56,040 --> 00:11:01,000 That's how we see children who grow up secure knowing that 184 00:11:01,000 --> 00:11:04,600 their parents are living the life that God's called them to 185 00:11:04,600 --> 00:11:08,320 live. So the first call that Paul 186 00:11:08,320 --> 00:11:11,320 encourages us, you're going to be reading from the book of 187 00:11:11,320 --> 00:11:14,360 Philippians. And Paul encourages us and tells 188 00:11:14,360 --> 00:11:21,240 us, keep your eyes on me. I was able to deny myself and 189 00:11:21,240 --> 00:11:23,720 follow Jesus. And so we're going to take some 190 00:11:23,720 --> 00:11:27,200 key themes from this and see what it is for us to deny. 191 00:11:27,960 --> 00:11:30,680 It's the first thing that we're going to look today is we're 192 00:11:30,680 --> 00:11:32,920 going to deny ourselves. So let's read first from 193 00:11:32,920 --> 00:11:35,320 Philippines Chapter 3. And I'm reading from the message 194 00:11:35,320 --> 00:11:38,680 version, verses 12 to 14. I'm not saying that I have this 195 00:11:38,680 --> 00:11:42,400 all together, that I have made it, but I am well on my way 196 00:11:42,400 --> 00:11:46,000 reaching out for Christ, who has so wonderfully reached out for 197 00:11:46,000 --> 00:11:48,120 me. Friends, don't get me wrong. 198 00:11:48,120 --> 00:11:51,800 By no means do I count myself an expert in any of this, but I've 199 00:11:51,800 --> 00:11:55,680 got my eye on the goal where God is beckoning us on word to 200 00:11:55,680 --> 00:11:59,440 Jesus. I'm off and running and I'm not 201 00:11:59,480 --> 00:12:02,200 turning back. The first thing I would like for 202 00:12:02,200 --> 00:12:05,960 us when we have to deny ourselves is so that you and me 203 00:12:06,160 --> 00:12:11,360 can reach out to Christ who first reached out to us until 204 00:12:11,360 --> 00:12:16,160 unless we deny ourselves, we will not understand the extent 205 00:12:16,280 --> 00:12:20,520 in which we can reach out to Christ because he's reaching 206 00:12:20,520 --> 00:12:23,480 out. She came down to earth, in fact 207 00:12:23,720 --> 00:12:27,280 the whole Lenten time for us to reflect on us. 208 00:12:27,280 --> 00:12:30,600 Jesus didn't leave us to figure salvation out by ourselves. 209 00:12:31,120 --> 00:12:34,880 He said I'll come, I'll be 1 amongst you and I'll do what is 210 00:12:34,880 --> 00:12:36,600 required and he did it for us today. 211 00:12:36,840 --> 00:12:41,400 He laid down his life for us. If I cannot come to terms that 212 00:12:41,400 --> 00:12:45,720 God has reached out for me, I will never be able to receive 213 00:12:46,240 --> 00:12:49,800 God love for me. I will never be able to receive 214 00:12:49,800 --> 00:12:51,720 that. And that comes from a place of 215 00:12:51,720 --> 00:12:56,040 denying myself. I look to him and I realize, 216 00:12:56,040 --> 00:12:59,200 God, if I have to follow you, I need to deny myself. 217 00:12:59,200 --> 00:13:02,600 There are things in me which causes me to go the opposite 218 00:13:02,600 --> 00:13:04,960 way. But because you're going 219 00:13:04,960 --> 00:13:07,840 forward, and because I choose to follow you, because your love is 220 00:13:07,840 --> 00:13:11,240 reaching out, I'm giving up certain things, God, so I can 221 00:13:11,240 --> 00:13:15,320 follow you. And today, the importance is 222 00:13:15,320 --> 00:13:20,240 that once we understand that we can reach out to Him because 223 00:13:20,240 --> 00:13:22,520 he's reached out to us. You will be marked. 224 00:13:22,720 --> 00:13:26,200 You and I will be marked. When we are set about by the 225 00:13:26,200 --> 00:13:29,120 Holy Spirit, He marks us. What does He do? 226 00:13:29,120 --> 00:13:32,080 He brands us. He doesn't leave you the same. 227 00:13:32,400 --> 00:13:36,240 There is a marking on you that even in the course of direction, 228 00:13:36,240 --> 00:13:39,360 when you have temptation, when you fall left or right, you 229 00:13:39,360 --> 00:13:44,240 still will be able to stay the course and do what God's calling 230 00:13:44,240 --> 00:13:47,240 you to do because you're marked by Him. 231 00:13:48,320 --> 00:13:52,040 And so as Paul says this to the Philippine Church, he's also 232 00:13:52,040 --> 00:13:55,160 mentioned about being marked to the Ephesian church in Ephesians 233 00:13:55,160 --> 00:13:58,120 chapter 4 verse 30. He says and do not grieve the 234 00:13:58,120 --> 00:14:02,680 Holy Spirit of God but seek to please Him by whom you were 235 00:14:02,680 --> 00:14:06,800 sealed and marked, branded as God's own for the day of 236 00:14:06,800 --> 00:14:09,280 redemption, the final deliverance from the 237 00:14:09,280 --> 00:14:12,680 consequences of sin. When I am marked by the Holy 238 00:14:12,680 --> 00:14:15,440 Spirit once and for all, I am set apart. 239 00:14:16,360 --> 00:14:19,360 I'm set apart. And so this causes me to 240 00:14:19,360 --> 00:14:22,560 constantly be in a mode of denying myself. 241 00:14:22,720 --> 00:14:27,360 It's an everyday act. He must deny himself, carry his 242 00:14:27,360 --> 00:14:31,040 cross daily and follow me. The operative word there is 243 00:14:31,040 --> 00:14:33,800 daily. It's not on a Sunday, it's every 244 00:14:33,800 --> 00:14:36,840 day. Because every day when I wake 245 00:14:36,840 --> 00:14:39,160 up, my selfishness wakes up with me. 246 00:14:39,680 --> 00:14:43,480 Every day when I wake up, the lustful eyes wake up with me. 247 00:14:43,840 --> 00:14:47,520 Every day when I wake up, those urges of addictions wake up with 248 00:14:47,520 --> 00:14:50,320 me. Every day when I wake up, sin 249 00:14:50,320 --> 00:14:53,920 still wakes up with me. I am redeemed, yes, but I need 250 00:14:53,920 --> 00:14:59,960 to deny the power of sin. I need to deny the power of what 251 00:14:59,960 --> 00:15:02,000 Satan had on me in my previous life. 252 00:15:02,240 --> 00:15:04,600 And that will come because I am marked. 253 00:15:04,800 --> 00:15:06,720 Because when I am marked, there's a definite change. 254 00:15:06,720 --> 00:15:10,000 When they are marked, I am making some steps different than 255 00:15:10,000 --> 00:15:11,600 what I did when I was not marked. 256 00:15:12,840 --> 00:15:16,680 So today, as you deny yourself for those of you who have been 257 00:15:16,680 --> 00:15:21,440 struggling to reach out to Christ himself, come to terms 258 00:15:21,440 --> 00:15:24,480 with the fact that he's reaching out to you today, if you're 259 00:15:24,480 --> 00:15:27,800 dwelling in that sin, he wants to reach out to you. 260 00:15:28,280 --> 00:15:30,400 He wants to say I can give you freedom. 261 00:15:30,840 --> 00:15:33,240 You don't need that substance to get you high. 262 00:15:33,760 --> 00:15:38,160 You don't need to watch that to keep and thinking that you know 263 00:15:38,160 --> 00:15:39,960 you need something which you can't even attain. 264 00:15:41,760 --> 00:15:45,600 The struggle is real. A lot of us are struggling with 265 00:15:45,600 --> 00:15:50,120 the call of God on our lives because we fail to deny and we 266 00:15:50,120 --> 00:15:51,840 fail to understand that you're marked. 267 00:15:53,000 --> 00:15:57,040 I meet so many kids, so many youngsters who said, you know 268 00:15:57,040 --> 00:16:00,600 what, My parents dedicated me for ministry and the biggest 269 00:16:00,600 --> 00:16:04,560 struggle that they have is the call of God on their life. 270 00:16:04,880 --> 00:16:09,200 They are unable to deny themselves and do what the call 271 00:16:09,200 --> 00:16:13,040 requires them to do. But they are marked because 272 00:16:13,040 --> 00:16:16,120 somewhere down the line they invited Jesus in and anything 273 00:16:16,120 --> 00:16:18,640 else they do, they know it's not sitting with them. 274 00:16:19,200 --> 00:16:20,880 They are struggling with the call. 275 00:16:22,200 --> 00:16:26,640 They have to make a decision. You and I have to make the 276 00:16:26,640 --> 00:16:28,440 decision. So today, if you are struggling 277 00:16:28,440 --> 00:16:30,800 in an area like that, I want to encourage you. 278 00:16:30,800 --> 00:16:37,840 Can you deny, deny yourself Every day selfishness will kick 279 00:16:37,840 --> 00:16:38,680 in. But no. 280 00:16:38,680 --> 00:16:42,520 God, your love is greater. Your love for your people is 281 00:16:42,520 --> 00:16:44,920 greater. Do with me, Lord Jesus. 282 00:16:45,680 --> 00:16:48,840 God I I my day is ordained by you. 283 00:16:49,720 --> 00:16:52,920 Yes, I have a calendar set out but disrupt it also. 284 00:16:53,800 --> 00:16:56,560 If someone is reaching out for help, help me to help them. 285 00:16:56,560 --> 00:17:00,240 Lord Jesus Paul is an amazing example. 286 00:17:00,600 --> 00:17:03,680 The light which shone on him, the road to Damascus marked him 287 00:17:03,680 --> 00:17:07,880 once and for all. His eyes are set on the goal and 288 00:17:07,880 --> 00:17:09,800 he's running towards that. As we read the worst in 289 00:17:09,800 --> 00:17:13,520 Philippines 3, his eyes are set on the goal he once marked. 290 00:17:13,680 --> 00:17:18,440 He was set on that goal. So today you and I have to come 291 00:17:18,440 --> 00:17:21,359 to a place saying I can reach out for Christ because he 292 00:17:21,359 --> 00:17:25,720 reached out for me. I can reach out for him every 293 00:17:25,720 --> 00:17:26,800 day. I can reach out to him, say, 294 00:17:26,800 --> 00:17:29,480 God, I need help in this area. It's such a struggle. 295 00:17:31,440 --> 00:17:36,760 I wake up with the aftermath of abuse every day. 296 00:17:36,760 --> 00:17:40,920 I know I'm free In Christ. I'm, I'm, I'm set apart. 297 00:17:40,920 --> 00:17:42,440 I know, Lord, I'm a new creation. 298 00:17:42,440 --> 00:17:43,960 I know you. I've been uniquely made. 299 00:17:43,960 --> 00:17:47,560 I know you're working in me. But still the past hurts lot. 300 00:17:48,880 --> 00:17:51,960 And so today, if you're struggling in that area, would 301 00:17:51,960 --> 00:17:54,880 you come to a place of denying yourselves? 302 00:17:56,360 --> 00:17:58,880 What happens when we deny ourselves? 303 00:18:00,160 --> 00:18:06,280 It showcases Jesus in US. It showcases Jesus in us. 304 00:18:06,960 --> 00:18:11,800 We say I'm denying this and I'm taking on Jesus nature in at 305 00:18:11,800 --> 00:18:16,960 this point and a lot of us have misunderstood that We think 306 00:18:17,200 --> 00:18:20,040 sometimes. When we deny, we take on Jesus 307 00:18:20,040 --> 00:18:22,280 and immediately it is a struggle. 308 00:18:22,280 --> 00:18:24,520 God has to change your bloodstream. 309 00:18:24,520 --> 00:18:28,480 It is a purification process. It is a struggle where the old 310 00:18:28,520 --> 00:18:31,000 blood has to go in and the new blood has to come out. 311 00:18:31,160 --> 00:18:35,240 He will work. She will work. 312 00:18:35,480 --> 00:18:38,320 Would you be committed to the cross so that you can deny 313 00:18:38,320 --> 00:18:42,440 yourself on a daily basis and receive Jesus into your heart? 314 00:18:44,080 --> 00:18:47,240 The second thing that we read from Philippines Chapter 3 is 315 00:18:47,240 --> 00:18:51,920 when I deny myself. My blurred vision is cleared for 316 00:18:51,920 --> 00:18:55,840 total commitment. My blurred vision is cleared for 317 00:18:55,840 --> 00:18:58,480 total commitment. Philippians chapter 3, verses 15 318 00:18:58,480 --> 00:19:00,800 to 16. So let's keep focused on that 319 00:19:00,800 --> 00:19:03,120 goal. Those of us who want everything 320 00:19:03,120 --> 00:19:05,640 God has for us. If any of you have something 321 00:19:05,640 --> 00:19:08,920 else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will 322 00:19:08,920 --> 00:19:12,440 clear your verb vision. You'll see it Yet. 323 00:19:13,120 --> 00:19:16,520 Now that you're on the right track, let's stay on it. 324 00:19:16,920 --> 00:19:19,120 Now that we're on the right track, let's stay on it. 325 00:19:20,040 --> 00:19:26,200 When we deny ourselves, When we deny ourselves, we are telling 326 00:19:26,200 --> 00:19:28,440 God. I'm allowing you to clear all 327 00:19:28,440 --> 00:19:32,520 the blurriness that my eyes currently is seeing. 328 00:19:33,720 --> 00:19:38,160 What does that look like? When we start moving closely 329 00:19:38,680 --> 00:19:41,400 into the promises of God and allowing Jesus to go ahead of 330 00:19:41,400 --> 00:19:45,160 us, the pressures of this world will start blurring our eyes. 331 00:19:45,160 --> 00:19:49,000 It will start blurring our eyes every morning when we wake up. 332 00:19:49,440 --> 00:19:52,800 There will be a new pressure that mounts on us and it 333 00:19:52,800 --> 00:19:55,880 requires us to deny so that we can say, God, I don't want my 334 00:19:55,880 --> 00:19:58,800 will, but your will to be done. I don't want this to be done my 335 00:19:58,800 --> 00:20:03,680 way, but your way. Lord Jesus, if we want only what 336 00:20:03,680 --> 00:20:05,360 we want, our vision will be clear. 337 00:20:06,840 --> 00:20:08,840 If you wake up focused, you know what? 338 00:20:10,360 --> 00:20:13,040 I'm going to be mean because that way I can maintain a 339 00:20:13,040 --> 00:20:14,760 boundary wall. That way people don't come in to 340 00:20:14,760 --> 00:20:17,440 hurt me. That way, people you you 341 00:20:17,440 --> 00:20:19,480 automatically wake up knowing what you want. 342 00:20:20,400 --> 00:20:24,680 But when you wake up wanting to be who Christ wants you to be, 343 00:20:25,480 --> 00:20:28,600 it might feel heavy. The cost is heavy. 344 00:20:28,600 --> 00:20:32,400 Even as we saw last week, this call that God's calling us will 345 00:20:32,400 --> 00:20:35,720 be weighty. That's why you have to say God, 346 00:20:36,080 --> 00:20:40,880 please clear Lord Jesus, clear the mist, clear the fog. 347 00:20:42,360 --> 00:20:45,120 You know one thing, when we wake up, for those of us who've been 348 00:20:45,120 --> 00:20:49,920 in Delhi and places like that, you have noticed them right into 349 00:20:50,560 --> 00:20:52,720 way early in the morning by 3:00 AM and stuff. 350 00:20:53,120 --> 00:20:58,320 Fog sets in dense fog. And as the sun comes during the 351 00:20:58,320 --> 00:21:01,520 day, it changes to mist. And then slowly sunlight comes 352 00:21:01,520 --> 00:21:04,520 in. And I believe a lot of us are 353 00:21:04,520 --> 00:21:09,160 stuck with mist and fog in our eyes and are confused as Christ 354 00:21:09,160 --> 00:21:13,200 followers. For some of us who wake up, mist 355 00:21:13,200 --> 00:21:15,760 is there. And so we go back and say, God, 356 00:21:15,760 --> 00:21:19,320 I really need you. And he over the day works in and 357 00:21:19,320 --> 00:21:22,320 through us. But for some of us, the fog 358 00:21:22,320 --> 00:21:25,920 sends in so thick that we just cancel ourselves here. 359 00:21:25,920 --> 00:21:27,480 Like today. I can't be a Christ follower. 360 00:21:27,680 --> 00:21:30,440 Like how the aircrafts can't take off and they cancel the 361 00:21:30,440 --> 00:21:33,480 flight and there's dense fog because visibility is low. 362 00:21:33,720 --> 00:21:39,600 We cancel ourselves today. Can you and I come to an 363 00:21:39,600 --> 00:21:46,400 understanding that when I have to deny myself so that I can 364 00:21:46,400 --> 00:21:51,640 have a clear vision, it will come only when I'm totally 365 00:21:51,640 --> 00:21:55,400 committed to Jesus? When I'm totally committed to 366 00:21:55,400 --> 00:21:57,840 Jesus. I've told this story quite a few 367 00:21:57,840 --> 00:22:00,520 times in different contexts, but one of the things which I failed 368 00:22:00,520 --> 00:22:03,960 to mention I think is a fact of what I personally went through. 369 00:22:04,440 --> 00:22:08,280 So in 2013, Jan 7th on our anniversary is when we're 370 00:22:08,280 --> 00:22:11,840 leaving. From here I'd quit, you know, 371 00:22:11,840 --> 00:22:16,760 being a pastor and a media pastor specifically at at my 372 00:22:16,760 --> 00:22:20,840 local church back then and then heading to go study. 373 00:22:20,920 --> 00:22:25,120 And I've taken my wife and my two kids at that time, and we're 374 00:22:25,120 --> 00:22:29,280 seated on the flight and I still remember. 375 00:22:33,280 --> 00:22:36,880 I know I'm coming back after a year because that's the that's 376 00:22:36,880 --> 00:22:39,560 what I've written on my SOP statement of purpose. 377 00:22:41,760 --> 00:22:45,880 But as I'm sitting there looking out of the window as my son is 378 00:22:45,880 --> 00:22:48,960 sleeping and wife is sleeping and my daughter is in the 379 00:22:48,960 --> 00:22:53,840 bassinet and I'm just looking out of the window, I realized 380 00:22:55,800 --> 00:23:04,000 that my vision was blurry. My vision was blurry, but I was 381 00:23:04,000 --> 00:23:07,520 committed to Jesus. I said, God, I don't know what 382 00:23:07,520 --> 00:23:10,240 I'm doing right now. This is not a midlife crisis. 383 00:23:10,240 --> 00:23:11,760 I know why I'm stepping out right now. 384 00:23:11,760 --> 00:23:16,000 I know why I'm doing this. But I know somewhere you told 385 00:23:16,040 --> 00:23:19,120 you need to step out. I need you to exercise faith. 386 00:23:19,160 --> 00:23:20,800 I need you to trust me with the future. 387 00:23:21,600 --> 00:23:27,120 And so, Lord, even right now, as I step out, and would you go 388 00:23:27,120 --> 00:23:29,960 ahead of me? Would you show me what to do? 389 00:23:32,440 --> 00:23:37,200 God's plan and purpose will reveal to us each and every day. 390 00:23:38,040 --> 00:23:41,920 As I read earlier, he is ahead of us, which means if he's in 391 00:23:41,920 --> 00:23:45,120 that journey, if he's saying give me the driver's seat, let 392 00:23:45,120 --> 00:23:49,800 me drive. I need to take my hands off the 393 00:23:49,800 --> 00:23:55,120 wheel and say Jesus, I deny myself, please go forward. 394 00:23:56,040 --> 00:23:59,240 If we don't, if we fail to take our hands off, if we fail to 395 00:23:59,240 --> 00:24:04,480 deny, we will be stuck and engulfed in a dense fog. 396 00:24:05,960 --> 00:24:09,680 We will start making decisions based on all the other 397 00:24:09,680 --> 00:24:13,320 circumstances outside. We will start making decisions 398 00:24:13,640 --> 00:24:18,320 and blaming things that are not happening, like based on things 399 00:24:18,320 --> 00:24:19,840 that are happening outside of us. 400 00:24:20,240 --> 00:24:25,560 So God's telling would you, would you please do what I'm 401 00:24:25,560 --> 00:24:27,520 asking you to do if you want to be my disciple? 402 00:24:28,160 --> 00:24:31,920 Luke 418 The spirit of the Lord is upon me, for He has anointed 403 00:24:31,920 --> 00:24:33,240 me to bring good news to the poor. 404 00:24:33,240 --> 00:24:36,480 He has sent me to proclaim the captives will be released and 405 00:24:36,480 --> 00:24:39,480 the blind will see that the oppressed will be set free, and 406 00:24:39,480 --> 00:24:41,880 that the time of the Lord's favour has come. 407 00:24:43,200 --> 00:24:47,120 This is a prophecy that Jesus, when he went back into his own 408 00:24:47,120 --> 00:24:50,560 hometown synagogue, he read at that time it was a portion of 409 00:24:50,560 --> 00:24:54,280 Isaiah 61 and as he was reading it, he closed his cronies, said 410 00:24:54,280 --> 00:24:55,680 the scriptures have been fulfilled. 411 00:24:56,440 --> 00:25:01,840 One thing what happens when we deny ourselves to Jesus is the 412 00:25:01,840 --> 00:25:05,800 fact that he opens our spiritual eyes Today. 413 00:25:06,080 --> 00:25:10,600 A lot of us have to take that step of faith in our spiritual 414 00:25:10,600 --> 00:25:15,240 lives for it to be recognized in our physical lives. 415 00:25:15,760 --> 00:25:19,600 If we don't see it with our spiritual eyes, we won't be able 416 00:25:19,600 --> 00:25:22,360 to see it come through in our physical eyes. 417 00:25:22,880 --> 00:25:27,240 Today when Jesus read that he was telling the prophecy has 418 00:25:27,240 --> 00:25:31,080 become fulfilled and then on he goes on to set people free and I 419 00:25:31,080 --> 00:25:34,920 believe he opened blind eyes to see the 12 who came alongside 420 00:25:34,920 --> 00:25:37,400 with him. Their eyes were open, they were 421 00:25:37,400 --> 00:25:40,440 not blinded. Just imagine when Jesus asks 422 00:25:40,440 --> 00:25:43,400 Peter who I am, he says Jesus you are the Messiah. 423 00:25:43,400 --> 00:25:47,120 That is evidence of spiritual eyes being opened. 424 00:25:48,760 --> 00:25:50,960 It was about a spiritual eyes being open. 425 00:25:50,960 --> 00:25:53,520 If it was just a physical eyes, Peter would have ran a marketing 426 00:25:53,520 --> 00:25:56,760 campaign. He would have got a whole bunch 427 00:25:56,760 --> 00:25:59,720 of anonymous donors to say, hey, you know, we need so many things 428 00:25:59,720 --> 00:26:01,880 here to take care of Jesus. He would have built him, He 429 00:26:01,880 --> 00:26:03,200 would have taken him in a Rolls Royce. 430 00:26:03,200 --> 00:26:06,560 Probably spiritual eyes were open. 431 00:26:07,800 --> 00:26:10,200 And because his spiritual eyes were open, Jesus took him to 432 00:26:10,200 --> 00:26:14,200 places to see certain things that only the spiritual eyes 433 00:26:14,200 --> 00:26:19,960 could understand. So today for us to deny 434 00:26:19,960 --> 00:26:24,840 ourselves again means that we should have total commitment to 435 00:26:24,880 --> 00:26:28,040 Jesus so that he can clear out our blurry vision. 436 00:26:29,200 --> 00:26:33,360 The third thing that we read from Philippians chapter 3 is 437 00:26:33,360 --> 00:26:37,440 when we deny ourselves. We keep track of others who are 438 00:26:37,440 --> 00:26:39,240 also running towards the same goal. 439 00:26:39,680 --> 00:26:42,320 We just not are running by ourselves. 440 00:26:43,360 --> 00:26:45,920 But you're also seeing others who are parallely running across 441 00:26:45,920 --> 00:26:50,160 in different phases of our life. Philippines chapter 3, verses 17 442 00:26:50,160 --> 00:26:53,520 to 19, verses 17 to 19. Stick with me, friends. 443 00:26:53,640 --> 00:26:58,000 Keep track of those you see running the same course, headed 444 00:26:58,000 --> 00:27:01,320 for the same goal. There are many out there taking 445 00:27:01,560 --> 00:27:05,280 other paths, choosing other goals and trying to get you to 446 00:27:05,280 --> 00:27:08,600 go along with them. I've warned you of them many 447 00:27:08,600 --> 00:27:10,920 times. Sadly, I'm having to do it 448 00:27:10,920 --> 00:27:14,080 again. All they want is easy street. 449 00:27:14,720 --> 00:27:19,000 They hate Christ's cross. But easy street is a dead end. 450 00:27:19,000 --> 00:27:23,120 St. those who live there make their bellies their gods. 451 00:27:23,600 --> 00:27:28,120 Belches are their praise. All they think of is their 452 00:27:28,120 --> 00:27:32,600 appetites. And I'm living by this, that I'm 453 00:27:32,600 --> 00:27:35,120 not living for my appetite. Lord, I'm not going to come into 454 00:27:35,120 --> 00:27:37,600 church thinking I'm going to be served. 455 00:27:37,600 --> 00:27:39,480 No, God, I'm coming prepared not. 456 00:27:39,480 --> 00:27:42,880 I want to be refreshed by you, but I also want you to use me. 457 00:27:43,760 --> 00:27:46,320 Use. Guard my tongue, Help me speak 458 00:27:46,320 --> 00:27:49,600 life that I won't speak death. That I would know how to invite 459 00:27:49,600 --> 00:27:51,360 people. I would know how to do what 460 00:27:51,360 --> 00:27:55,440 you're calling me to do. And what Paul tells here is keep 461 00:27:55,440 --> 00:27:57,320 track of those who are running the same course. 462 00:27:57,400 --> 00:27:58,920 Because why do we have to keep track? 463 00:27:58,920 --> 00:28:01,440 Because, mate, this journey is going to be hard. 464 00:28:01,440 --> 00:28:05,720 You need to be encouraged, If you and I aren't encouraged on 465 00:28:05,720 --> 00:28:09,320 this journey by fellow other people who are running towards 466 00:28:09,320 --> 00:28:10,680 the same goal. What is the same goal? 467 00:28:10,680 --> 00:28:14,000 The same goal is eternity that we will spend eternity with 468 00:28:14,040 --> 00:28:18,200 Jesus. You need to find encouragement. 469 00:28:19,160 --> 00:28:23,680 Just this week a beautiful thing happened when a couple of us 470 00:28:23,680 --> 00:28:26,760 collaborating towards doing something as a couple of 471 00:28:26,760 --> 00:28:29,320 churches together, we got in a zoom call. 472 00:28:29,680 --> 00:28:32,280 There's no pleasantries that to be exchanged. 473 00:28:32,280 --> 00:28:36,120 There's nothing to be exchanged. Bang on, we hit When can we get 474 00:28:36,120 --> 00:28:37,480 this thing done? Who's doing it? 475 00:28:37,640 --> 00:28:39,440 What are we doing it? Let's go for it. 476 00:28:39,600 --> 00:28:40,600 Amen. Let's go. 477 00:28:41,200 --> 00:28:45,200 We are on mission. We are running the race with 478 00:28:45,240 --> 00:28:50,000 others in track next to us. That's what I love. 479 00:28:50,000 --> 00:28:53,400 I loved even this last week, when a couple of weeks back when 480 00:28:54,080 --> 00:28:56,840 when I had two of my friends lead worship for a conference. 481 00:28:57,400 --> 00:29:01,600 I've observed and watched them closely that even though they're 482 00:29:01,600 --> 00:29:04,120 from different parts of the city, when they came it was like 483 00:29:04,360 --> 00:29:07,520 a dynamite, 2 dynamites coming and causing a severe explosion. 484 00:29:08,520 --> 00:29:14,400 They both brought their hearts together and that's what happens 485 00:29:14,400 --> 00:29:17,320 when we run along with others. We will encourage one another. 486 00:29:17,320 --> 00:29:20,040 We will spur one another. When someone is low, God will 487 00:29:20,040 --> 00:29:21,960 give us the word of encouragement in our mouth. 488 00:29:22,160 --> 00:29:24,960 When someone is scared, we will be able to stand alongside with 489 00:29:24,960 --> 00:29:28,320 them and say don't be afraid. When someone is lost, we will 490 00:29:28,320 --> 00:29:31,120 help them to roll that Jesus is there to journey with them. 491 00:29:31,120 --> 00:29:33,560 That in this season just push through. 492 00:29:34,640 --> 00:29:36,600 When someone is grieving, we will grieve with them. 493 00:29:36,920 --> 00:29:39,360 When someone is joyful we will celebrate with them. 494 00:29:40,880 --> 00:29:45,040 Many of us think that this journey is going to be easy. 495 00:29:45,040 --> 00:29:48,440 No, it's going to be hard, but it's in that squeezing. 496 00:29:48,440 --> 00:29:52,280 What are you pouring out? 2011, I remember we were doing 497 00:29:52,280 --> 00:29:55,200 Live Jam in the city of Chennai. We did three weeks. 498 00:29:55,200 --> 00:29:57,360 We went close to around like 40 schools. 499 00:29:57,960 --> 00:30:03,360 It was a group of 2025 odd kids who my who most of them were 500 00:30:03,360 --> 00:30:05,400 part of the the group, were part of. 501 00:30:05,400 --> 00:30:08,520 You know, Tina's had been doing a mind team and all that and it 502 00:30:08,520 --> 00:30:10,600 was them. They all were dejected 503 00:30:10,600 --> 00:30:13,720 individuals. One had, one didn't have a job, 504 00:30:13,720 --> 00:30:19,480 one was all of them was in some struggle of identity. 505 00:30:19,480 --> 00:30:21,360 Purpose of what God's calling them. 506 00:30:21,360 --> 00:30:23,240 They don't know why they're doing this course in college, 507 00:30:24,520 --> 00:30:28,720 but by the end of three weeks, because they served God 508 00:30:28,720 --> 00:30:33,400 wholeheartedly out of a place of saying God, we're doing this for 509 00:30:33,400 --> 00:30:35,680 you as an offering. God fulfilled. 510 00:30:35,800 --> 00:30:39,280 Today they're all in different places, doing all that God's 511 00:30:39,280 --> 00:30:42,840 called them to do and living their lives to their fullest. 512 00:30:44,520 --> 00:30:50,040 You don't have to have it going right always, but even when it's 513 00:30:50,040 --> 00:30:54,480 not going right, when you choose to still keep running, God will 514 00:30:54,480 --> 00:30:57,840 reward you. So when we deny ourselves, it 515 00:30:57,840 --> 00:31:01,680 gives birth to two things. I've told you 3 instances. 516 00:31:02,040 --> 00:31:04,760 We first deny ourselves because you know Christ is reaching out 517 00:31:04,760 --> 00:31:08,120 to us. We deny ourselves because He 518 00:31:08,120 --> 00:31:10,720 when we are committed to him, he clears our blurry vision. 519 00:31:11,120 --> 00:31:13,360 The third, we keep track of others who are running towards 520 00:31:13,360 --> 00:31:15,040 the same goal so that we are also encouraged. 521 00:31:15,560 --> 00:31:18,240 But for those of you who are struggling still, what I'm 522 00:31:18,240 --> 00:31:22,160 struggling to deny myself is to come to a place to say God. 523 00:31:22,160 --> 00:31:25,240 When I deny myself, what are you going to do to me? 524 00:31:25,880 --> 00:31:29,440 He does 2 distinct things. The first thing that he does is 525 00:31:29,840 --> 00:31:35,480 faith gets activated when you deny yourself. 526 00:31:35,600 --> 00:31:39,160 Faith gets activated when you do not deny yourself. 527 00:31:39,160 --> 00:31:44,640 Faith does not get activated. Faith will only get activated 528 00:31:44,640 --> 00:31:47,640 when you deny yourself. And what does that look like? 529 00:31:48,440 --> 00:31:52,800 Had I mentioned about my 2013 when it was at one moment say, 530 00:31:52,800 --> 00:31:57,960 God, this is purely your will. You told me to go, so I'm going. 531 00:31:58,200 --> 00:32:02,440 I held him to that and he gave me the faith to push through 532 00:32:02,440 --> 00:32:05,840 that whole year to go on a mission and to come back. 533 00:32:06,360 --> 00:32:11,080 I'm not working my way out. A lot of times we forget along 534 00:32:11,080 --> 00:32:14,400 that journey and we figure, you know what, I need to figure this 535 00:32:14,400 --> 00:32:15,840 out. That's why we fail to deny 536 00:32:15,840 --> 00:32:19,560 ourselves every day when we don't fail, I mean when we fail 537 00:32:19,560 --> 00:32:24,280 to deny ourselves every day. Faith is not activated every 538 00:32:24,280 --> 00:32:27,600 day. So there was this couple, friend 539 00:32:27,600 --> 00:32:29,760 who had gone a year or two before us. 540 00:32:29,760 --> 00:32:32,440 They had gone. They had got both gotten an 541 00:32:32,720 --> 00:32:36,040 admission to the seminary, and we didn't realize what their 542 00:32:36,040 --> 00:32:38,240 real intention was a couple of months later. 543 00:32:38,240 --> 00:32:40,960 To be got to know that they were dentists here. 544 00:32:41,720 --> 00:32:43,960 But they felt they wanted to live the American dream, and 545 00:32:43,960 --> 00:32:47,800 they went there and they just ended up doing different courses 546 00:32:47,800 --> 00:32:50,040 just to stay on. And then by the time we were 547 00:32:50,040 --> 00:32:52,800 leaving, they were surprised that we were leaving. 548 00:32:52,800 --> 00:32:54,600 They were surprised that we were coming back here. 549 00:32:55,440 --> 00:32:58,520 The truth was when we 'cause we were denying ourselves everyday 550 00:32:58,520 --> 00:33:03,480 faith kept burning, and that gave us purpose, that gave us a 551 00:33:03,480 --> 00:33:05,960 sense of direction as to what God wants us to do. 552 00:33:06,800 --> 00:33:09,040 And then we saw them and they said, you know what? 553 00:33:09,720 --> 00:33:12,360 We can't at this point because our kids have gotten used here. 554 00:33:12,960 --> 00:33:15,680 We can't do this because it's tough. 555 00:33:16,800 --> 00:33:20,600 And you soon realize you're more than you're denying yourselves. 556 00:33:20,960 --> 00:33:23,560 You're denying the call that God has on your life. 557 00:33:25,040 --> 00:33:29,920 A lot of the following year, even as I was studying, my 558 00:33:29,920 --> 00:33:32,040 entire group was a whole bunch of younger guys. 559 00:33:32,040 --> 00:33:33,840 You know, like 7-8 years younger. 560 00:33:34,720 --> 00:33:38,160 And I saw, especially with different nationalities, they 561 00:33:38,240 --> 00:33:41,040 all were dating, trying to find someone to date who can get them 562 00:33:41,040 --> 00:33:45,480 a visa into their own country. Specifically they all so you can 563 00:33:45,480 --> 00:33:48,320 be in a Christian college and yet have your motives entirely 564 00:33:48,320 --> 00:33:50,960 wrong. You can have your motives 565 00:33:50,960 --> 00:33:53,600 entirely wrong. And so today what I'm telling is 566 00:33:53,600 --> 00:33:58,880 the fact that whatever journey and path that you're in, you 567 00:33:58,880 --> 00:34:03,400 need to realise that when I deny myself, faith will enable will 568 00:34:03,400 --> 00:34:06,200 get activated within me. Faith will get activated within 569 00:34:06,200 --> 00:34:11,199 me to pursue all that God's calling me to do to move ahead 570 00:34:11,400 --> 00:34:13,560 in this journey so that I'll be able to do it. 571 00:34:15,480 --> 00:34:18,199 And for those of us who's struggling, I would say, could 572 00:34:18,199 --> 00:34:19,600 we make it everyday? Practice. 573 00:34:20,520 --> 00:34:22,199 Oh God, I'm dying to myself today. 574 00:34:22,199 --> 00:34:27,120 Lord Jesus, would you resurrect in me your plan the way you want 575 00:34:27,360 --> 00:34:29,520 Geshom to operate today? Would you resurrect that? 576 00:34:30,639 --> 00:34:32,679 The second thing that we see is anonymity. 577 00:34:33,320 --> 00:34:36,679 When we deny ourselves, it gives birth to anonymity. 578 00:34:37,159 --> 00:34:40,600 What is anonymity? You, your titles, everything 579 00:34:40,760 --> 00:34:42,760 goes to zero. You're a nobody. 580 00:34:43,800 --> 00:34:47,239 I still remember in 2013 when we walked into our local church, 581 00:34:47,239 --> 00:34:50,400 The Oaks Church. That time, no one knew us. 582 00:34:50,960 --> 00:34:53,960 I mean, we stood out very obviously because in Texas, in 583 00:34:53,960 --> 00:34:57,160 the redneck Texas church, we were the only brown skin people. 584 00:34:58,800 --> 00:35:04,000 But it's in that anonymity that we drew closer to Jesus. 585 00:35:05,640 --> 00:35:07,840 I didn't. I wasn't known as a musician. 586 00:35:07,840 --> 00:35:11,160 I wasn't known as a pastor. I was just another person here 587 00:35:11,800 --> 00:35:16,680 to worship Jesus for who he is. And we thrived in that 588 00:35:16,680 --> 00:35:21,000 anonymity, anonymity. Many a times we feel being 589 00:35:21,000 --> 00:35:24,320 anonymous. We need to get comfortable when 590 00:35:24,320 --> 00:35:27,600 we become Jesus followers. And because we're denying him, 591 00:35:27,920 --> 00:35:30,280 we need to be comfortable in becoming anonymous. 592 00:35:31,160 --> 00:35:36,640 And what happens when we when we no longer defined by what others 593 00:35:36,640 --> 00:35:39,640 call us, we are no longer defined by what others think 594 00:35:39,640 --> 00:35:42,600 they know of us. No, we are really bothered of 595 00:35:42,600 --> 00:35:46,760 what God is thinking about us. I can do so many other things I 596 00:35:46,760 --> 00:35:48,720 can do. Those are all under my skill 597 00:35:48,720 --> 00:35:50,560 set. But that doesn't define me. 598 00:35:50,960 --> 00:35:53,840 The one who created me is the one who defines me. 599 00:35:54,640 --> 00:35:57,640 So today, for those of you who've been, who've who've been 600 00:35:57,640 --> 00:36:00,000 hesitating to deny and who've been thinking God, what will 601 00:36:00,000 --> 00:36:02,040 happen immediately when I deny? These are the two things that 602 00:36:02,040 --> 00:36:04,920 will happen. You will, faith will get 603 00:36:04,920 --> 00:36:09,560 activated and you will learn to thrive in the anonymity that 604 00:36:09,560 --> 00:36:12,080 God's calling you to do. Because at the end of the day, 605 00:36:12,080 --> 00:36:13,920 you'll be like this is all about him. 606 00:36:14,920 --> 00:36:17,200 If you're all running towards the same goal, it's all about 607 00:36:17,200 --> 00:36:20,720 Jesus. It has nothing to do about me in 608 00:36:20,720 --> 00:36:23,920 Philippines 3 Paul ends it by saying. 609 00:36:24,000 --> 00:36:26,720 But there's a far more to life for us. 610 00:36:26,840 --> 00:36:30,920 We're citizens of high heaven. We're waiting the arrival of the 611 00:36:30,920 --> 00:36:33,800 Saviour, the Master Jesus Christ, who will transform our 612 00:36:33,800 --> 00:36:37,400 earthly bodies into glorious bodies like his horn. 613 00:36:37,480 --> 00:36:41,360 He'll make us beautiful and whole with the same powerful 614 00:36:41,360 --> 00:36:46,360 skill by which he's putting everything as it should be under 615 00:36:46,360 --> 00:36:51,800 and around him. So as we've heard this maybe 616 00:36:51,800 --> 00:36:57,320 come to a place and saying, God, I want to deny myself so I can 617 00:36:57,320 --> 00:37:01,040 follow you wholeheartedly. In the New Testament, in the 618 00:37:01,040 --> 00:37:05,760 life of Jesus, we read two people who denied him Judas. 619 00:37:05,760 --> 00:37:09,720 All of us know from Luke 22 denied him for 30 pieces of 620 00:37:09,720 --> 00:37:12,840 silver, from Luke 20 to one to six, it says. 621 00:37:12,840 --> 00:37:15,480 Now the festival of unleavened bread called the Passover, is 622 00:37:15,480 --> 00:37:17,240 approaching, and the chief priests and the teachers of the 623 00:37:17,240 --> 00:37:20,320 law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus, for they were 624 00:37:20,320 --> 00:37:24,000 afraid of the people. Then Satan entered Judas called 625 00:37:24,000 --> 00:37:27,120 Iscariot, one of the 12, and Judas went to the chief priests 626 00:37:27,120 --> 00:37:30,600 and the offices of the temple garden, discussed with them how 627 00:37:30,600 --> 00:37:33,480 he might betray Jesus. They were delighted and agreed 628 00:37:33,480 --> 00:37:36,560 to give him money. He consented and watched for an 629 00:37:36,560 --> 00:37:40,840 opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was 630 00:37:40,840 --> 00:37:45,200 present. Be careful what you allow to 631 00:37:45,200 --> 00:37:49,160 overpower you when you have not denied yourself. 632 00:37:50,880 --> 00:37:54,920 Watch out for what spirit you're operating out of, because many a 633 00:37:54,920 --> 00:37:58,840 times, the spirit that we'll be operating out of will be one of 634 00:37:58,840 --> 00:38:01,680 self preservation. It'll be one where we're trying 635 00:38:01,680 --> 00:38:04,920 to protect our own interests. We'll be one where we like. 636 00:38:04,920 --> 00:38:08,240 We want things done our way where we are thinking, you know 637 00:38:08,240 --> 00:38:09,680 what, this has to be done my way. 638 00:38:09,680 --> 00:38:11,520 Else I just don't think it's happened. 639 00:38:11,520 --> 00:38:15,000 This is not how it has to happen or it's a give and take policy. 640 00:38:15,000 --> 00:38:17,000 Because I'm doing this, you have to do this for me. 641 00:38:17,720 --> 00:38:22,720 Money was his source. At the end of the day, it was 642 00:38:22,720 --> 00:38:27,880 clearly evident that spirit of money was upon him because when 643 00:38:28,080 --> 00:38:30,680 they said that they will remunerate him for him doing 644 00:38:30,680 --> 00:38:33,120 this, he thought that will satisfy him. 645 00:38:33,680 --> 00:38:39,760 After he said, you know, this is the man that guilt and shame 646 00:38:39,760 --> 00:38:42,400 took his own life. He couldn't, he couldn't 647 00:38:42,400 --> 00:38:44,600 understand how he could have done this. 648 00:38:44,600 --> 00:38:47,920 So he decided the best way to live is to kill himself and he 649 00:38:47,920 --> 00:38:50,440 went and hung himself. So today, if you're struggling 650 00:38:50,440 --> 00:38:55,560 today, if you cannot serve 2 masters, your source is really 651 00:38:55,560 --> 00:38:59,080 important. If you're trying to deny Jesus 652 00:38:59,080 --> 00:39:02,320 with having another source, the evidence of that source will 653 00:39:02,480 --> 00:39:07,800 produce guilt, shame. Jesus wants you to live free. 654 00:39:08,720 --> 00:39:12,200 So do you step out today and say I don't want to, you know, 655 00:39:12,200 --> 00:39:15,080 substitute my denial for anything else? 656 00:39:15,080 --> 00:39:16,880 Lord, I'll deny you wholeheartedly. 657 00:39:17,560 --> 00:39:21,960 The second person we sees, Peter, he said, I won't deny 658 00:39:21,960 --> 00:39:25,160 you. But at that moment when three 659 00:39:25,160 --> 00:39:27,760 people are confronting him, saying that we've seen you, you 660 00:39:27,760 --> 00:39:32,200 smell like him, you, you talk like him, you even probably are 661 00:39:32,200 --> 00:39:33,920 wearing clothes that are similar to him. 662 00:39:34,320 --> 00:39:40,160 He denied, denied, denied. But what he did was he wept 663 00:39:40,240 --> 00:39:44,280 bitterly. When he wept bitterly, he was 664 00:39:44,280 --> 00:39:47,560 willing to receive the repentance that Jesus was 665 00:39:47,560 --> 00:39:52,440 offering on the cross. So today if you and I are 666 00:39:52,440 --> 00:39:58,280 struggling, I would ask you, would you come to a place of 667 00:39:58,280 --> 00:40:02,360 saying God might denying? You. 668 00:40:02,360 --> 00:40:05,960 I know I've done some mistake right here but I want to come 669 00:40:05,960 --> 00:40:09,080 and say I'm sorry, Lord. His arms are stretched wide on 670 00:40:09,080 --> 00:40:12,040 the cross of Calgary. To say I'm here to forgive you. 671 00:40:13,280 --> 00:40:17,200 I'm here to forgive you. These things had to happen. 672 00:40:18,600 --> 00:40:22,520 But many a times in the lives that we are living, we get to 673 00:40:22,520 --> 00:40:25,840 choose some of these things. You and I get to choose you and 674 00:40:25,840 --> 00:40:30,280 I get to handle things and say, God, take this, Lord, it's I 675 00:40:30,280 --> 00:40:32,120 don't want this. This is not my cup to bed. 676 00:40:33,320 --> 00:40:37,080 Deny yourself or say, God, I I I want to pursue this. 677 00:40:37,080 --> 00:40:39,240 But is this really what what you want me to pursue? 678 00:40:39,240 --> 00:40:41,440 Can I? I love you to orchestrate 679 00:40:41,440 --> 00:40:48,080 everything. God, you know when we when, when 680 00:40:48,080 --> 00:40:52,480 we have to deny ourselves, we need to deny ourselves wholly. 681 00:40:53,560 --> 00:40:56,640 You know, in filmmaking there's this technique where you'd have 682 00:40:56,640 --> 00:41:00,880 seen where the camera will go when a person is washing their 683 00:41:00,880 --> 00:41:04,440 face, the camera goes ahead in front of them and then as they 684 00:41:04,440 --> 00:41:07,240 get up, it goes right through the mirror into their face. 685 00:41:08,440 --> 00:41:13,320 And filming that kind of a scene requires 2 actors. 686 00:41:13,640 --> 00:41:16,440 One will be on the other side where the face will be seen 687 00:41:16,440 --> 00:41:18,960 within the main actor. But the person here who's in the 688 00:41:18,960 --> 00:41:24,400 foreground is a body double. And who's a body AA body double 689 00:41:24,400 --> 00:41:29,360 is they look like the other person. 690 00:41:29,360 --> 00:41:32,760 They'll have the same skin, shade, same haircut, same 691 00:41:32,760 --> 00:41:35,520 makeup, same clothes, Just that they're inverted. 692 00:41:36,920 --> 00:41:41,040 They're a look alike version. Physically, outwardly, they look 693 00:41:41,040 --> 00:41:42,720 alike. Inwardly they're different. 694 00:41:42,720 --> 00:41:48,200 Behaviorally they're different. And I think are we denying a 695 00:41:48,200 --> 00:41:51,440 version of ourselves and not ourselves? 696 00:41:52,440 --> 00:41:56,040 Are we denying a version of ourselves and not ourselves? 697 00:41:57,200 --> 00:41:59,040 God does not want a version of ourselves. 698 00:41:59,040 --> 00:42:03,720 He doesn't want Geshom 3 point 4.4 No, because that will be 699 00:42:03,720 --> 00:42:05,160 today. Tomorrow it might be 3 point 700 00:42:05,160 --> 00:42:10,360 4.5. He wants me entirely. 701 00:42:10,680 --> 00:42:13,040 When I stand in the front of the mirror, who do I look? 702 00:42:13,040 --> 00:42:18,960 I need to deny myself my name, my accolades, my position, my 703 00:42:18,960 --> 00:42:22,720 bank balance, things that I think I've built. 704 00:42:22,880 --> 00:42:26,600 I need to deny myself to say God, you are the source fair 705 00:42:26,600 --> 00:42:31,880 thing. Not me, I'm yours holy. 706 00:42:33,280 --> 00:42:36,720 When we read that chapter before Jesus gets betrayed by Judas, 707 00:42:36,720 --> 00:42:40,240 he's in the garden of Gethsemane and they say it's a garden where 708 00:42:40,880 --> 00:42:46,520 they press oil. Jesus in his human form had the 709 00:42:46,520 --> 00:42:48,360 same struggle. He had to come to the place. 710 00:42:48,360 --> 00:42:52,520 He knew what it entailed. Yet he fell down there and said, 711 00:42:52,520 --> 00:42:55,800 Lord, let not my will but your will be done. 712 00:42:56,920 --> 00:42:58,960 Let not my will, Lord, but your will be done. 713 00:43:00,360 --> 00:43:04,080 And so today, Church, for those of you listening, I just want 714 00:43:04,080 --> 00:43:07,720 you to lift your hands and say, Lord, I'm here today to deny 715 00:43:07,720 --> 00:43:13,160 myself whatever I've built. My credentials, my profile, my 716 00:43:13,160 --> 00:43:17,120 bio, whatever it says about me. Lord, you know everything inside 717 00:43:17,120 --> 00:43:19,480 out. I've probably embellished it 718 00:43:19,640 --> 00:43:24,000 outside, but I want you, Lord Jesus, entirely. 719 00:43:24,200 --> 00:43:27,320 I want to solely follow you. I want to run after you. 720 00:43:28,200 --> 00:43:29,960 I pray, Lord, that you would work in and through me. 721 00:43:29,960 --> 00:43:32,720 Lord Jesus. I pray especially Lord for those 722 00:43:32,880 --> 00:43:34,760 who've been struggling to deny themselves. 723 00:43:34,760 --> 00:43:38,560 Lord Jesus, would you work in and through their hearts that 724 00:43:38,560 --> 00:43:41,880 you would make it clear. I pray, Lord, if a dense fog is 725 00:43:41,880 --> 00:43:46,920 set in may your light shine through and dismiss every dense 726 00:43:46,920 --> 00:43:49,680 fog. Lord that their blurry we should 727 00:43:49,680 --> 00:43:52,720 be cleared. For those who are beating 728 00:43:52,720 --> 00:43:56,000 themselves up. Lord with guilt and shame, let 729 00:43:56,000 --> 00:43:57,840 them know that your arm is stretching out. 730 00:43:57,840 --> 00:44:01,320 Lord Jesus. For those who've been struggling 731 00:44:01,320 --> 00:44:03,480 thinking that they alone are suffering, that they alone are 732 00:44:03,480 --> 00:44:05,920 going through this hardship. Let them see others who are 733 00:44:05,920 --> 00:44:09,280 running those tracks to realize in their denials they also are 734 00:44:09,280 --> 00:44:12,680 running the race. But maybe be encouraged looking 735 00:44:12,680 --> 00:44:14,320 at them. Lord Jesus, we thank you. 736 00:44:15,960 --> 00:44:20,320 I pay Lord, maybe thrive in our anonymity, Lord Jesus, because 737 00:44:20,320 --> 00:44:24,040 you are watching over us. I pray our faith will arise as a 738 00:44:24,040 --> 00:44:27,320 church go before us. Lord, strengthen us, take 739 00:44:27,320 --> 00:44:29,200 charge. I pray that Lord you would be 740 00:44:29,200 --> 00:44:29,720 with us. Lord. 741 00:44:29,720 --> 00:44:32,120 I pray especially Lord that Lord in the midst of everything we 742 00:44:32,120 --> 00:44:34,520 want to give glory and honor to your name. 743 00:44:34,520 --> 00:44:37,880 Lord, we believe Lord Jesus, you are setting us apart, that even 744 00:44:37,880 --> 00:44:42,000 as we deny ourselves we'll be able to do it every day. 745 00:44:42,000 --> 00:44:45,640 Lord Jesus, to deny ourselves to say Jesus, we need you. 746 00:44:45,920 --> 00:44:49,960 We need you every day be glorified. 747 00:44:49,960 --> 00:44:52,480 Lord be honored. Go before us strengthen us, 748 00:44:52,480 --> 00:44:56,400 Lord, give us strengthen our legs to run this race slot. 749 00:44:56,400 --> 00:44:59,520 So that we'll be forbid we'll we'll be steadfast we'll be 750 00:44:59,520 --> 00:45:03,680 consistent. Lord Jesus, in your most holy 751 00:45:03,680 --> 00:45:05,760 name we pray. Lord, Amen. 752 00:45:06,240 --> 00:45:07,120 Amen. Amen. 753 00:45:08,400 --> 00:45:10,920 So church, even as you step or I pray that God will bless you. 754 00:45:11,760 --> 00:45:14,560 I pray that even as you, you will come to a place of denying 755 00:45:14,560 --> 00:45:18,120 yourself every day to say Jesus, I need you, Jesus. 756 00:45:18,120 --> 00:45:24,280 I cannot do this without you. That you will be able to come 757 00:45:24,680 --> 00:45:30,800 and see Jesus clearly for who He is, don't allow the dense fogs 758 00:45:30,800 --> 00:45:35,440 and mists settle over your life. That he will be able to 759 00:45:35,440 --> 00:45:38,080 breakthrough. He'll be able to encourage you 760 00:45:38,080 --> 00:45:40,160 every step of the way. And for those of us who've been 761 00:45:40,160 --> 00:45:43,520 denying a version of ourselves, I pray His Word will work in and 762 00:45:43,520 --> 00:45:46,880 through you through the week, that you will be able to see him 763 00:45:46,880 --> 00:45:52,400 more clearly than ever before. You will be able to visibly go 764 00:45:52,400 --> 00:45:54,880 to a place and say, God, this is bear it all before him and say 765 00:45:54,880 --> 00:45:57,760 this is who I am. Make that personal commitment. 766 00:45:58,240 --> 00:46:00,320 We are here to pray for. If you need prayers, reach out 767 00:46:00,320 --> 00:46:02,760 to us. But I pray specifically that God 768 00:46:02,760 --> 00:46:05,360 will minister you. This is as heavy as it is. 769 00:46:05,360 --> 00:46:08,120 This is the cost that we need to pay it if you want to be a real 770 00:46:08,280 --> 00:46:10,560 follower of Jesus. And I pray even as you listen to 771 00:46:10,560 --> 00:46:14,400 this word and as you meditate on it, it will start soaking you, 772 00:46:14,800 --> 00:46:18,080 that you will be drenched in it, that you will start dripping off 773 00:46:18,080 --> 00:46:20,880 it in the days to come. Pray that you have a blessing 774 00:46:20,920 --> 00:46:22,120 week. God bless you all. 775 00:46:22,760 --> 00:46:24,600 Thanks for listening to this message. 776 00:46:24,920 --> 00:46:28,440 We hope you were blessed to hear more messages like this. 777 00:46:28,720 --> 00:46:32,760 Make sure to subscribe and check out our podcast channel for past 778 00:46:32,760 --> 00:46:35,120 episodes. If you like what you are 779 00:46:35,120 --> 00:46:39,640 hearing, consider rating US, subscribing, and even sharing it 780 00:46:39,640 --> 00:46:42,240 with friends. That would really help us. 781 00:46:43,080 --> 00:46:47,560 For more content from via Zion and to connect with us, go to 782 00:46:47,680 --> 00:46:52,720 via Zion dot in. Remember, whoever finds Jesus 783 00:46:52,960 --> 00:46:53,680 finds life.