1 00:00:03,560 --> 00:00:07,680 You're very welcome to today's Triumph Church podcast. 2 00:00:08,119 --> 00:00:10,440 We pray that you enjoy the message. 3 00:00:15,520 --> 00:00:18,720 But it is a a blessing to us to be with you. 4 00:00:19,560 --> 00:00:22,120 The Lord very supernaturally joined us. 5 00:00:22,520 --> 00:00:27,640 It's been an interesting way to, you know, that he has tied our 6 00:00:27,640 --> 00:00:30,280 hearts together over period of time. 7 00:00:30,280 --> 00:00:36,360 We are in a phase of our ministry that we feel called to 8 00:00:37,480 --> 00:00:41,840 plant churches around the world. And some of them are literally 9 00:00:41,840 --> 00:00:45,560 plants where we put a pastor that wasn't there before and 10 00:00:45,560 --> 00:00:51,840 then begin, you know, through our relationship with him, 11 00:00:52,160 --> 00:00:56,280 contributing to the growth of that ministry spiritually as 12 00:00:56,280 --> 00:00:58,600 well as naturally. But then there are a lot of 13 00:00:58,600 --> 00:01:01,520 other churches that already were in existence. 14 00:01:01,520 --> 00:01:07,280 And we found some of those in Uruguay and Bolivia and El 15 00:01:07,280 --> 00:01:11,760 Salvador and the Dominican Republic and, and of course, 16 00:01:12,680 --> 00:01:17,280 Pastors Brad and Amy. And that he joined our hearts 17 00:01:17,280 --> 00:01:21,080 with theirs. And part of the process that we 18 00:01:21,080 --> 00:01:26,680 feel called to do is to be an agent or a partner in ministry 19 00:01:27,000 --> 00:01:30,800 together with the people that the Lord joins us with to enable 20 00:01:30,800 --> 00:01:35,360 their growth, to enable their increasing influence in their 21 00:01:35,360 --> 00:01:37,000 community. Because that's what it's all 22 00:01:37,000 --> 00:01:41,240 about. We're not here just to be a 23 00:01:41,240 --> 00:01:45,560 religious social club that is inward in terms of the blessing 24 00:01:46,520 --> 00:01:51,440 we are looking for perhaps, but to be a change agent in the 25 00:01:51,440 --> 00:01:56,000 world that God has put us in, to be a source of influence for the 26 00:01:56,000 --> 00:01:59,920 Kingdom of God that wouldn't be there otherwise. 27 00:02:00,600 --> 00:02:04,480 And, you know, it was not too long ago that a couple of years 28 00:02:04,480 --> 00:02:11,960 ago we started this process. We are now we have 22 church 29 00:02:11,960 --> 00:02:18,920 plants or affiliations such as you have become to us in eight 30 00:02:18,920 --> 00:02:23,280 different countries in the last two two years and a few months. 31 00:02:23,480 --> 00:02:28,240 And so the Lord's doing a quick work and part of his direction 32 00:02:28,240 --> 00:02:34,400 to us is to in an instant such as this, where a viable church 33 00:02:34,400 --> 00:02:39,800 is already growing and and becoming an influence to enable 34 00:02:39,800 --> 00:02:47,800 that process to to be expedited to be enhanced in whatever way 35 00:02:47,800 --> 00:02:50,320 we can. And one of the things he's put 36 00:02:50,320 --> 00:02:56,000 on our heart is the, you know, the importance of, of the 37 00:02:56,000 --> 00:02:59,560 relationships that are created, not just culturally around the 38 00:02:59,560 --> 00:03:04,880 world, but the body of Christ is a, you know, collection of 39 00:03:04,880 --> 00:03:09,800 different cultures, different talents, personalities, each 40 00:03:10,760 --> 00:03:14,520 making its own contribution to the larger body of Christ for 41 00:03:14,520 --> 00:03:17,840 the for the purpose of glorifying the Lord in this 42 00:03:17,840 --> 00:03:22,520 earth and producing growth and influence for the Kingdom of 43 00:03:22,520 --> 00:03:26,840 God. So as that process unfolds, in 44 00:03:27,160 --> 00:03:32,320 many instances, it's simply a matter of us trying to enhance 45 00:03:33,200 --> 00:03:38,240 your influence in a ministry. And in that process, you know, 46 00:03:39,720 --> 00:03:44,600 really is much focused on the significance of a building. 47 00:03:45,600 --> 00:03:47,720 That seems like a natural consideration. 48 00:03:47,720 --> 00:03:51,400 We can have church and a home. We can have it anywhere we want 49 00:03:51,400 --> 00:03:55,160 to have a church. But yet the Lord spoke to us 50 00:03:55,160 --> 00:03:59,960 clearly that one of the greatest evangelistic tools that a church 51 00:03:59,960 --> 00:04:04,680 has is a building. It is a point of identity in a 52 00:04:04,680 --> 00:04:10,560 given community, and it draws people to to see what's going 53 00:04:10,560 --> 00:04:13,120 on. I mean, even, you know, for us, 54 00:04:13,120 --> 00:04:16,000 it's been very much that same truth. 55 00:04:16,000 --> 00:04:20,040 We've passed through a number of different facilities since we 56 00:04:20,040 --> 00:04:23,880 started our church in a motel conference room just like this. 57 00:04:23,880 --> 00:04:29,200 And then we, you know, outgrew that and went to a, you know, 58 00:04:29,200 --> 00:04:32,080 well, it was an auditorium in a local Community College. 59 00:04:32,080 --> 00:04:36,280 It would seat a few 100. And we outgrew that and made a 60 00:04:36,280 --> 00:04:40,200 deal with a developer in an industrial park to build us out 61 00:04:40,200 --> 00:04:41,960 some space in one of his buildings. 62 00:04:41,960 --> 00:04:45,080 And we had a 1500 seat sanctuary in there. 63 00:04:45,520 --> 00:04:49,240 And then in a few years we'd outgrown that and built our own 64 00:04:49,240 --> 00:04:53,200 building then. And you know, it's, it's like a 65 00:04:53,200 --> 00:04:56,240 process. And of course, that building, 66 00:04:56,360 --> 00:05:00,600 every time we changed to a new facility, a new building, you 67 00:05:00,600 --> 00:05:03,080 know, I would say within a matter of a year or so, we had 68 00:05:03,080 --> 00:05:06,040 doubled in size. People are interested. 69 00:05:06,040 --> 00:05:10,080 It's draw, it draws people to see what's going on in a 70 00:05:10,080 --> 00:05:14,160 particular facility. And so of course, you know, we 71 00:05:14,160 --> 00:05:18,000 know that you are the church individually. 72 00:05:18,520 --> 00:05:23,520 Buildings aren't to be the the principal goal except to the 73 00:05:23,520 --> 00:05:28,880 extent that it enables us to exercise greater influence in a 74 00:05:28,880 --> 00:05:32,880 community because that's what it's all about growing the 75 00:05:32,880 --> 00:05:35,920 Kingdom of God. If you believe the word of truth 76 00:05:35,920 --> 00:05:40,560 that you've been taught is a life changing experience for 77 00:05:40,560 --> 00:05:44,600 you. Well, the Lord says if we make 78 00:05:44,600 --> 00:05:50,280 the effort to disciple nations, then it'll change nations. 79 00:05:51,120 --> 00:05:55,840 There are two groups of nations at the end of the age that are 80 00:05:55,840 --> 00:06:00,640 going to be, you know, judged according to Matthew 25, the 81 00:06:00,640 --> 00:06:06,120 judgment of the living nations, goat nations, and, and of 82 00:06:06,120 --> 00:06:10,240 course, those that are sheep nations that are part of the 83 00:06:10,240 --> 00:06:13,960 purpose and plan of God. And that's who is going to 84 00:06:14,040 --> 00:06:17,600 populate the millennial reign. And of course, it would be a 85 00:06:17,600 --> 00:06:22,960 shame to have a culture such as Irish culture or any of the 86 00:06:23,640 --> 00:06:29,920 national cultures we might think of be excluded as a national 87 00:06:29,920 --> 00:06:33,120 identity in the millennial reign of our Lord. 88 00:06:33,120 --> 00:06:37,880 And you know, of course, your participation in the eternal 89 00:06:37,880 --> 00:06:41,240 ages to come isn't dependent upon your national identity 90 00:06:41,600 --> 00:06:45,120 identity, but it would be a shame for you to be there 91 00:06:46,080 --> 00:06:49,440 without the culture you were intended to influence. 92 00:06:50,160 --> 00:06:54,720 And so it's important that we see the discipleship of all, all 93 00:06:54,720 --> 00:06:59,080 nations as a significant thing for all of us to be participants 94 00:06:59,080 --> 00:07:02,040 in. You might say how, you know, 95 00:07:02,120 --> 00:07:06,560 obviously we'll talk about that as we get into today's message, 96 00:07:06,560 --> 00:07:10,720 but this is kind of who we are right now in terms of what the 97 00:07:10,720 --> 00:07:14,480 Lord's called us to do. We still have our our ministry, 98 00:07:14,480 --> 00:07:18,320 our church in, in Minneapolis. And of course, that's an 99 00:07:18,320 --> 00:07:22,440 important part of the calling of God on our life. 100 00:07:23,240 --> 00:07:28,040 I had actually thought that was to be my final calling, you 101 00:07:28,040 --> 00:07:31,520 know, was to be a pastor. And I was very comfortable with 102 00:07:31,520 --> 00:07:35,200 that because I've done it for decades and, you know, didn't 103 00:07:35,200 --> 00:07:38,840 hold any threatening unknowns for me. 104 00:07:39,960 --> 00:07:45,640 So I was happy just to remain a pastor in my my latter years. 105 00:07:45,640 --> 00:07:50,680 I got my own burning Bush and said, no, you're, you're to use 106 00:07:51,160 --> 00:07:56,960 what you have stewarded on the Lord's behalf to this point is a 107 00:07:56,960 --> 00:08:01,520 springboard into all of the world and to plant churches, 108 00:08:01,840 --> 00:08:06,720 make disciples of all nations. We're excited to be joined with, 109 00:08:07,640 --> 00:08:13,440 you know, Brad and Amy and this wonderful venture along with the 110 00:08:13,440 --> 00:08:18,200 other other churches that we have either planted or become 111 00:08:18,640 --> 00:08:22,600 affiliated with. Anyway, it's, it's really good 112 00:08:22,600 --> 00:08:27,880 to be here. It's it's hard for me to I mean, 113 00:08:27,880 --> 00:08:31,680 select from the word of God, which is so broad and so 114 00:08:32,200 --> 00:08:36,120 beautiful. You know, a specific message for 115 00:08:36,600 --> 00:08:41,320 a one hour that that would be the most by the way, 45 minutes 116 00:08:41,320 --> 00:08:43,840 sermon perhaps whatever this turns out to be. 117 00:08:45,760 --> 00:08:49,840 So you have to agree with me that I'll have the utterance 118 00:08:49,840 --> 00:08:53,840 that he plans for you to benefit from today. 119 00:08:54,680 --> 00:08:59,160 I've got a a lot of possibilities, but let's just 120 00:08:59,160 --> 00:09:03,120 take a moment and pray. Father, we thank you that what 121 00:09:03,120 --> 00:09:07,440 we're doing is not simply a a natural matter. 122 00:09:07,440 --> 00:09:13,040 It's not just a a normal venture to do our religious duty on a 123 00:09:13,040 --> 00:09:16,640 Sunday morning. It isn't a matter of being 124 00:09:16,640 --> 00:09:21,320 entertained by a man or person. We are here for the sole purpose 125 00:09:21,320 --> 00:09:25,360 of hearing from you. You tell us the one word from 126 00:09:25,360 --> 00:09:28,280 you can change our experience of life. 127 00:09:28,280 --> 00:09:33,160 So we thank you now as we exercise our faith for divinely 128 00:09:33,160 --> 00:09:37,040 inspired utterance and the anointing that destroys every 129 00:09:37,040 --> 00:09:41,480 yoke of bondage. This being a time when we're 130 00:09:41,480 --> 00:09:44,920 graduated to another degree of glory in you. 131 00:09:45,120 --> 00:09:48,600 We believe for that in Jesus name, Amen. 132 00:09:49,840 --> 00:09:55,480 Well, as we, you know, as I kind of struggle a little bit with 133 00:09:55,480 --> 00:10:00,800 what, what to preach, you know, I could not get away from 134 00:10:00,800 --> 00:10:03,680 something that I know you're already very familiar with, and 135 00:10:03,680 --> 00:10:06,840 that is faith. I'm so I'm going to talk to you 136 00:10:06,840 --> 00:10:10,200 about faith. And that's really what our 137 00:10:10,200 --> 00:10:15,360 ministries are often referred to as Word of Faith. 138 00:10:16,600 --> 00:10:20,400 I'm not sure I like Handel's all that much because it tends to 139 00:10:20,400 --> 00:10:25,360 seem exclusive, but when we talk about being a faith ministry, 140 00:10:25,920 --> 00:10:30,640 that isn't something that should alienate or even especially 141 00:10:30,640 --> 00:10:34,160 attract, because it's simply referring to the word of God. 142 00:10:34,160 --> 00:10:39,520 This is the Word of Faith. This isn't a particular weird, 143 00:10:39,760 --> 00:10:43,880 you know, or different kind of church. 144 00:10:43,880 --> 00:10:46,320 Then then all churches are called to be. 145 00:10:46,760 --> 00:10:50,080 We're all called to be Word of Faith churches because that's 146 00:10:50,080 --> 00:10:54,600 what this Bible is. It is the Word of Faith and in 147 00:10:54,600 --> 00:10:59,680 the in the word itself tells us that we have to be certain if 148 00:10:59,680 --> 00:11:02,760 we've been justified by the blood of Jesus that we live by 149 00:11:02,760 --> 00:11:06,600 faith. We don't live by, you know, the 150 00:11:06,600 --> 00:11:10,080 casual coincidence that may unfold in somebody's life if 151 00:11:10,080 --> 00:11:14,880 they or the the fruit of a good education, although that's 152 00:11:14,880 --> 00:11:18,720 important or the fruit of something else, hard work. 153 00:11:18,720 --> 00:11:24,880 You don't you don't experience what you can experience in life 154 00:11:25,000 --> 00:11:28,360 through the Lord. If you limit it to those kinds 155 00:11:28,360 --> 00:11:33,440 of considerations, It is faith that is going to determine your 156 00:11:33,440 --> 00:11:37,520 ultimate experience of life, your ultimate quality of life. 157 00:11:38,880 --> 00:11:42,960 You know, as Pastor Brad was talking a few moments ago about, 158 00:11:43,960 --> 00:11:49,760 you know, the, the generosity of a, a woman that had very little 159 00:11:49,760 --> 00:11:52,800 to give, but she was willing to give it all. 160 00:11:53,480 --> 00:11:57,960 And of course, that's the heart condition that the Lord wants to 161 00:11:57,960 --> 00:12:02,360 cultivate in all of us. But why are there people who are 162 00:12:02,360 --> 00:12:06,640 generous when the word says, if you sow sparingly, you reap 163 00:12:06,640 --> 00:12:09,480 sparingly, you sow bountifully, you reap bountifully. 164 00:12:10,120 --> 00:12:14,120 Well, He doesn't measure generosity in terms of dollars 165 00:12:14,120 --> 00:12:17,800 and cents, but rather on the basis of what you have to give. 166 00:12:18,120 --> 00:12:24,640 So why wouldn't she be abounding now out of that poverty that she 167 00:12:24,640 --> 00:12:30,560 began with? And I guess the most basic thing 168 00:12:30,560 --> 00:12:34,080 you can say about that is you have to believe that the Lord 169 00:12:34,080 --> 00:12:37,760 wants you to prosper. You have to believe that God's 170 00:12:37,760 --> 00:12:42,600 into your financial increase because that's what the Word 171 00:12:42,600 --> 00:12:45,760 says. The Bible says he takes pleasure 172 00:12:45,760 --> 00:12:47,680 in the prosperity of His servants. 173 00:12:48,440 --> 00:12:51,960 The Word of God says He wishes above all things that you 174 00:12:51,960 --> 00:12:55,720 prosper and be in health even as your soul prospers. 175 00:12:56,280 --> 00:12:59,560 The Word of God tells us He wants you to have all 176 00:12:59,560 --> 00:13:02,360 sufficiency in all things. Why? 177 00:13:02,920 --> 00:13:05,440 So you can abound to every good work. 178 00:13:06,080 --> 00:13:08,880 But if you don't know these things, you can't invest your 179 00:13:08,880 --> 00:13:12,640 faith in them. But even if you do know them 180 00:13:12,640 --> 00:13:15,240 intellectually, that's not good enough. 181 00:13:15,640 --> 00:13:19,920 You have to invest your believing in these things to see 182 00:13:19,920 --> 00:13:24,360 the fruit of the promise of God come to pass in your life. 183 00:13:25,120 --> 00:13:29,600 You have to believe. There are a lot of religious, 184 00:13:31,840 --> 00:13:34,640 there are a lot of religious efforts that we all make from 185 00:13:34,640 --> 00:13:40,680 time to time, you know, to align our words with the word of God, 186 00:13:40,680 --> 00:13:44,960 to align our thoughts with the word of God, to base our 187 00:13:44,960 --> 00:13:46,920 relationships on the word of God. 188 00:13:46,920 --> 00:13:51,560 So we strain to make it happen in this natural arena, often 189 00:13:51,560 --> 00:13:56,520 can't and wonder why, you know, things are not working in that 190 00:13:56,520 --> 00:14:01,160 particular arena as they should be, because it's not by works 191 00:14:01,960 --> 00:14:06,440 that you gain these things. It's the grace of God, and yet 192 00:14:06,440 --> 00:14:10,880 the Bible tells us we can only appropriate the grace of God by 193 00:14:10,880 --> 00:14:13,400 faith, beginning with our salvation. 194 00:14:14,040 --> 00:14:18,040 So it all comes back to what you believe you're going to 195 00:14:18,040 --> 00:14:23,320 experience a life in terms of your quality of life or 196 00:14:23,320 --> 00:14:27,960 experiences in general in life in line with what you believe. 197 00:14:29,280 --> 00:14:32,080 Faith is defined, and this is important. 198 00:14:32,080 --> 00:14:35,320 You get this. Faith is defined as the 199 00:14:35,320 --> 00:14:38,760 investment of your belief system in the Word of God. 200 00:14:39,680 --> 00:14:43,640 When the Bible talks about faith, it's not talking about 201 00:14:43,640 --> 00:14:47,920 OK, the Christian faith as opposed to the Hindu faith, or 202 00:14:48,240 --> 00:14:51,640 no, it's not a particular religious pursuit. 203 00:14:52,120 --> 00:14:57,600 The word faith in the Bible is defined as the investment of 204 00:14:57,600 --> 00:15:01,640 your belief system in the Word of God because the Bible tells 205 00:15:01,640 --> 00:15:04,120 us that a man is as he thinketh in his heart. 206 00:15:04,840 --> 00:15:10,000 You are going to be what you believe and it shouldn't be a 207 00:15:10,000 --> 00:15:15,200 hard understanding that you know we have to work to get. 208 00:15:15,480 --> 00:15:17,960 You are a product of your belief system. 209 00:15:18,440 --> 00:15:23,120 You make choices every day that are going to be based on what 210 00:15:23,120 --> 00:15:25,800 you believe is in your best interest. 211 00:15:26,240 --> 00:15:30,080 If you're normal, what is in yours or your family's best 212 00:15:30,080 --> 00:15:32,800 interests. That's the way you make choices 213 00:15:33,320 --> 00:15:36,120 each and every day of your life, and you make dozens of them. 214 00:15:36,680 --> 00:15:40,240 And the Lord says every one of those choices you make is going 215 00:15:40,240 --> 00:15:43,760 to fall in the category of life and blessing or death and 216 00:15:43,760 --> 00:15:46,720 cursing. And he says he wants you to 217 00:15:46,720 --> 00:15:51,800 choose life over in Deuteronomy 30 where he tells us that, but 218 00:15:51,800 --> 00:15:54,800 the choice is yours because you're a free moral agent. 219 00:15:55,960 --> 00:15:59,360 And this understanding, you know, it shocked me how few 220 00:15:59,360 --> 00:16:03,280 people really have this a grasp on this truth. 221 00:16:04,480 --> 00:16:07,280 But he will allow you to experience death and cursing, 222 00:16:07,280 --> 00:16:08,760 even though he loves you so much. 223 00:16:09,000 --> 00:16:14,000 He sent Jesus to redeem you from the touch of death in every 224 00:16:14,000 --> 00:16:17,800 arena. It's his will that you make a 225 00:16:17,800 --> 00:16:20,520 choice for life and blessing. But if you choose death and 226 00:16:20,520 --> 00:16:24,320 cursing, and that's what the Bible is a revelation of how to 227 00:16:24,320 --> 00:16:30,600 make right choices, how to invest your decision making in 228 00:16:30,600 --> 00:16:34,440 the judeo-christian ethic, the value system, the ethical 229 00:16:34,440 --> 00:16:38,000 standards of the Bible. This is how you make good 230 00:16:38,000 --> 00:16:42,960 choices for life and blessing. And he tells you how you know 231 00:16:43,960 --> 00:16:48,720 the opposite choices that you would make affect you in terms 232 00:16:48,720 --> 00:16:50,920 of death and cursing and the touch of it. 233 00:16:51,760 --> 00:16:56,240 So even if you're saved and you believe that God loves you and 234 00:16:56,240 --> 00:17:00,480 you can't understand why, you know, you've prayed to be healed 235 00:17:00,480 --> 00:17:03,720 or you've prayed to be successful in the financial 236 00:17:03,720 --> 00:17:07,440 arena so you can abound to every good work, but nothing seems to 237 00:17:07,440 --> 00:17:10,960 be happening. You know, we've preached faith 238 00:17:10,960 --> 00:17:15,880 for 45 years in our ministry. And, and one of the most 239 00:17:15,880 --> 00:17:19,599 consistent things that I have had to deal with as a pastor 240 00:17:19,599 --> 00:17:23,720 over the years are people who come to me and say, pastor, I 241 00:17:23,720 --> 00:17:27,960 believe the word of God. I made a decision to believe the 242 00:17:27,960 --> 00:17:31,040 word. I have prayed and it's not 243 00:17:31,040 --> 00:17:33,720 changing anything in this natural arena. 244 00:17:35,160 --> 00:17:39,040 You know this, that's what faith does when you invest your faith. 245 00:17:40,280 --> 00:17:45,880 OK, so much to say on a basic plane, but we we deal with two 246 00:17:45,880 --> 00:17:50,960 realms of truth in our lives, the spiritual arena of truth and 247 00:17:50,960 --> 00:17:55,440 the natural arena of truth. This is these are the two realms 248 00:17:55,440 --> 00:17:59,360 of truth we have to live in. We've been created with a 249 00:17:59,360 --> 00:18:04,280 physical body and a the ability to navigate this temporal world 250 00:18:04,280 --> 00:18:07,640 that we live in. And that world is governed by 251 00:18:07,640 --> 00:18:10,320 the laws of physics that are very real and that you have to 252 00:18:10,320 --> 00:18:13,480 cooperate with. You'll never get so spiritual. 253 00:18:13,480 --> 00:18:15,680 You can jump out of a tree and fly like a bird. 254 00:18:15,680 --> 00:18:18,560 You're going to go down because of the law of gravity. 255 00:18:18,960 --> 00:18:22,600 So you know, there are physical laws we cooperate with in the 256 00:18:22,600 --> 00:18:27,000 temporal arena, but there's a higher realm of truth called the 257 00:18:27,000 --> 00:18:31,560 spiritual realm. This is the realm you become a 258 00:18:31,560 --> 00:18:35,520 part of when you're born again. You become spiritually alive 259 00:18:35,520 --> 00:18:38,120 unto God. And so now you have a whole 260 00:18:38,120 --> 00:18:43,880 different arena of truth that you have to that I say you have 261 00:18:43,880 --> 00:18:45,720 to. You don't have to do anything, 262 00:18:45,720 --> 00:18:51,360 but if you want to change your natural situation, you need to 263 00:18:51,360 --> 00:18:55,120 invest your believing in the spiritual truths of the word. 264 00:18:55,680 --> 00:18:58,600 When there's a contradiction will net with natural truth. 265 00:18:58,680 --> 00:19:01,240 Often times there's not a contradiction. 266 00:19:01,240 --> 00:19:03,600 That's fine. You believe something in the 267 00:19:03,600 --> 00:19:06,960 Word, and that doesn't contradict anything you see in 268 00:19:06,960 --> 00:19:10,080 this natural temple arena. And that's good, but they're 269 00:19:10,080 --> 00:19:12,880 going to be many times you believe something in the 270 00:19:12,880 --> 00:19:16,640 spiritual arena about who you are in Christ. 271 00:19:17,440 --> 00:19:20,640 And that's an important beginning point. 272 00:19:20,760 --> 00:19:24,560 Who you are in Christ, This is the real you. 273 00:19:24,880 --> 00:19:28,280 When you're born again, you're a new creature in Christ. 274 00:19:28,280 --> 00:19:31,920 You've never existed prior to the time you were born again on 275 00:19:31,920 --> 00:19:35,160 a spiritual plane. You were spiritually dead or 276 00:19:35,160 --> 00:19:38,560 separated from God. But when you get saved, you make 277 00:19:38,560 --> 00:19:42,560 a decision to believe that Jesus paid the penalty for your sin. 278 00:19:42,560 --> 00:19:47,800 You become spiritually alive unto God and He sees you in 279 00:19:47,800 --> 00:19:50,320 Christ. There are many wonderful 280 00:19:50,320 --> 00:19:53,080 scriptures in the Word about being in Christ. 281 00:19:53,760 --> 00:19:58,840 There are also scriptures that talk about His being in US and 282 00:19:58,840 --> 00:20:03,840 that being our hope of glory. But there is a melding of our 283 00:20:03,840 --> 00:20:07,920 life with His when we become born again. 284 00:20:08,320 --> 00:20:12,440 And you become on a spiritual plane according to the word of 285 00:20:12,440 --> 00:20:18,080 God, you become the healed, the delivered, the set free, the 286 00:20:18,080 --> 00:20:21,800 prosperous. This, this is how God sees you. 287 00:20:21,800 --> 00:20:25,680 This is who you are. But you get up in the morning 288 00:20:25,680 --> 00:20:28,280 and you look in the mirror and you're not healed. 289 00:20:28,360 --> 00:20:30,600 You're sick as a dog. You don't feel good. 290 00:20:31,320 --> 00:20:36,000 So why are you walking with sickness and disease when God 291 00:20:36,000 --> 00:20:39,920 says by the stripes of Jesus you were healed, therefore you are 292 00:20:39,920 --> 00:20:43,240 healed? Well, here's a conflict between 293 00:20:43,240 --> 00:20:47,480 spiritual truth and the natural reality you're dealing with on a 294 00:20:47,480 --> 00:20:50,240 daily basis. The Word says you become the 295 00:20:50,240 --> 00:20:52,520 righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. 296 00:20:52,920 --> 00:20:57,480 The moment you're born again, you have right standing with 297 00:20:57,480 --> 00:21:01,400 God. That also implies A behavioral 298 00:21:01,400 --> 00:21:04,720 change. But the most important 299 00:21:04,720 --> 00:21:07,920 understanding, at least out-of-the-box, is that you have 300 00:21:07,920 --> 00:21:12,040 right standing with God. No matter what you do, you still 301 00:21:12,040 --> 00:21:13,600 have right standing with the Lord. 302 00:21:14,560 --> 00:21:18,720 Religion says no. You know, you, you go out and 303 00:21:18,720 --> 00:21:22,600 sin after you're born again, you know you're going to have to get 304 00:21:22,600 --> 00:21:24,960 forgiven by God. You're going to have to grovel 305 00:21:24,960 --> 00:21:28,720 around in repentance. No, the Bible says that if 306 00:21:28,720 --> 00:21:31,680 you're saved, there is no condemnation in Christ. 307 00:21:32,880 --> 00:21:37,640 He sees you as cleansed by the blood of the Lamb. 308 00:21:37,640 --> 00:21:40,960 Once you make the decision to be born again. 309 00:21:41,360 --> 00:21:46,640 That's not an OK to go sin. It's just saying that he doesn't 310 00:21:46,640 --> 00:21:50,080 see you any differently when you do now. 311 00:21:50,080 --> 00:21:52,160 Your experience of life will be different. 312 00:21:53,240 --> 00:21:58,840 He hasn't separated himself from you when you sin, you've 313 00:21:58,840 --> 00:22:01,880 separated yourself from him. He's still there. 314 00:22:02,320 --> 00:22:04,400 He never leaves you, never for sex. 315 00:22:04,400 --> 00:22:05,400 You. I don't know why I'm getting 316 00:22:05,400 --> 00:22:09,200 into all of this. I have to trust the Lord in 317 00:22:09,200 --> 00:22:13,160 this. But He sees you as cleanse even 318 00:22:13,160 --> 00:22:16,480 the day after you did something dramatically wrong. 319 00:22:17,320 --> 00:22:21,880 But you're going to eat the fruit of a decision for cursing 320 00:22:21,880 --> 00:22:24,880 and death unless you do something. 321 00:22:26,280 --> 00:22:28,560 He hasn't left you, you've left him. 322 00:22:29,000 --> 00:22:33,280 So when we see in first John 17 through nine that we confess, 323 00:22:33,640 --> 00:22:37,520 the word simply means acknowledge, and that restores 324 00:22:37,520 --> 00:22:43,040 us to our place in him. You say, well, you know, when I 325 00:22:43,080 --> 00:22:46,440 when I sin, bad things happen. Yeah, you've chosen death and 326 00:22:46,440 --> 00:22:51,240 cursing and you're not going to be able to receive the purposes 327 00:22:51,240 --> 00:22:53,720 of the Lord, which is your healing, your deliverance, 328 00:22:53,720 --> 00:22:56,640 whatever it might be. You're not going to receive 329 00:22:56,640 --> 00:23:01,040 those kinds of things because the word says your heart will 330 00:23:01,040 --> 00:23:03,480 condemn you. Jesus doesn't condemn you. 331 00:23:03,480 --> 00:23:06,920 The Lord doesn't condemn you, but your heart will condemn you. 332 00:23:06,920 --> 00:23:12,920 And in first John three, it talks there about how we have no 333 00:23:12,920 --> 00:23:17,520 confidence in God. That's a synonym for faith, and 334 00:23:17,520 --> 00:23:20,040 therefore you won't receive what you ask of Him. 335 00:23:20,760 --> 00:23:25,280 So when you when that's just a natural fact of life for a 336 00:23:25,280 --> 00:23:28,800 believer, when you deliberately, especially if it's a deliberate 337 00:23:28,800 --> 00:23:33,720 sin, your heart will condemn you or later you discover it is your 338 00:23:33,720 --> 00:23:36,080 heart. You can't love the Lord and not 339 00:23:36,080 --> 00:23:41,360 have your heart condemn you. And it affects your your faith, 340 00:23:41,360 --> 00:23:45,080 your ability to receive the the promises and principles of God. 341 00:23:45,640 --> 00:23:49,960 Well, you know, this is a whole nother arena of teaching and 342 00:23:49,960 --> 00:23:54,560 consideration we could get into, but it's important you see that 343 00:23:54,560 --> 00:23:56,840 distinction. We live in two realms of truth. 344 00:23:58,160 --> 00:24:02,200 You make decisions to believe who you are in Christ. 345 00:24:02,680 --> 00:24:07,920 That is the dominant truth. It created this temporal world 346 00:24:07,920 --> 00:24:10,920 that we live in now. The realm of the Spirit did. 347 00:24:11,720 --> 00:24:14,920 And so when you invest, you're believing in the spiritual truth 348 00:24:14,920 --> 00:24:18,480 of who you are in Christ. And that contradicts the natural 349 00:24:18,480 --> 00:24:20,720 fact. It changes the temporal, 350 00:24:21,840 --> 00:24:27,080 temporal arena in 2nd Corinthians 418 there it talks 351 00:24:27,080 --> 00:24:30,920 about that realm is subject to change. 352 00:24:31,400 --> 00:24:34,840 That's what the word temporal actually means, temporary. 353 00:24:35,080 --> 00:24:40,240 We get our English word from it. So the other realm, the scene 354 00:24:40,240 --> 00:24:43,920 realm of the unseen realm, the spiritual realm is unchanging 355 00:24:44,080 --> 00:24:46,880 and it's eternal. So when you invest you're 356 00:24:46,880 --> 00:24:52,080 believing in that realm, then it changes your natural 357 00:24:52,080 --> 00:24:57,640 circumstance and the dominant realm of truth takes over and 358 00:24:57,640 --> 00:25:02,360 you your healing happens, your deliverance happens, your 359 00:25:02,360 --> 00:25:09,560 financial blessing happens. So that being the case, and 360 00:25:09,560 --> 00:25:15,400 since getting more back on the subject here, when you believe 361 00:25:15,920 --> 00:25:20,880 that that's the truth and you invest your faith in the word 362 00:25:21,360 --> 00:25:25,680 that says these things and then you put corresponding action 363 00:25:26,040 --> 00:25:28,440 with that faith. I mean, that's an actual a 364 00:25:28,440 --> 00:25:32,240 natural outworking. It isn't a legalistic effort 365 00:25:32,240 --> 00:25:34,240 you're making. But when you truly believe 366 00:25:34,240 --> 00:25:38,080 something, you act on it. If you're not acting on it, you 367 00:25:38,080 --> 00:25:40,000 haven't come to a place of faith yet. 368 00:25:40,840 --> 00:25:46,800 And so when you, when you get to a place of faith where whatever 369 00:25:46,800 --> 00:25:49,960 it is you're considering is concerned, it changes the way 370 00:25:49,960 --> 00:25:53,760 you behave in that regard. But I get, I get asked that 371 00:25:53,760 --> 00:25:59,840 question so much over the years, I believe and yet nothing 372 00:25:59,840 --> 00:26:02,560 changes. I believe, I know I do. 373 00:26:02,560 --> 00:26:06,960 I've made a decision to believe. And I've said before making a 374 00:26:06,960 --> 00:26:10,120 decision is the starting point. You need to do that. 375 00:26:11,000 --> 00:26:15,160 But faith is a process of altering A belief system that 376 00:26:15,160 --> 00:26:19,680 has been in place since you were born, since you since you were 377 00:26:19,680 --> 00:26:23,040 born into this earth. You hear things that begin to 378 00:26:23,040 --> 00:26:26,760 shape what you believe, maybe from well meaning parents, a 379 00:26:26,760 --> 00:26:30,560 philosophy professor in school, a friend that you thought was 380 00:26:30,560 --> 00:26:34,320 particularly cool or something. You hear all of these things 381 00:26:34,320 --> 00:26:39,960 about life and it shapes a system of belief that now needs 382 00:26:39,960 --> 00:26:42,240 to be changed once you're born again. 383 00:26:43,640 --> 00:26:49,000 And so you've got to, you've got to begin absorbing the new 384 00:26:49,000 --> 00:26:52,960 truth, the new realm of truth that you've decided to believe. 385 00:26:52,960 --> 00:26:54,840 It just begins with the decision. 386 00:26:55,520 --> 00:26:58,800 You've got to begin absorbing that new realm of truth by 387 00:26:59,040 --> 00:27:02,160 hearing and hearing and hearing that truth. 388 00:27:03,120 --> 00:27:06,160 Meaning you're going to have to give consideration to your own 389 00:27:06,160 --> 00:27:09,480 words, which you hear more than anybody else's. 390 00:27:09,480 --> 00:27:13,680 That's why what you speak is so one of the reasons why it's so 391 00:27:13,680 --> 00:27:17,640 important. You've got to understand there's 392 00:27:17,640 --> 00:27:20,280 certain people you can't fellowship with. 393 00:27:20,840 --> 00:27:24,920 That means have a sharing of heart with Bible says what 394 00:27:25,920 --> 00:27:28,960 concord has Christ with Belial or the believer with the 395 00:27:28,960 --> 00:27:30,680 unbeliever. The answer is none. 396 00:27:32,120 --> 00:27:37,000 So you know, the fellowship that you had at one point in time 397 00:27:37,480 --> 00:27:42,240 with people that are not believers or don't believe the 398 00:27:42,240 --> 00:27:46,280 word that you believe, you can, you can even be talking somebody 399 00:27:46,280 --> 00:27:50,680 else that's born again, but they don't know or care about living 400 00:27:50,680 --> 00:27:53,200 in line with the word of God. You can't fellowship with them 401 00:27:53,240 --> 00:27:55,680 either. And fellowship means a sharing 402 00:27:55,680 --> 00:27:58,720 of heart. It means you can't listen to 403 00:27:58,720 --> 00:28:00,960 them. You can't put yourself in a 404 00:28:00,960 --> 00:28:06,160 posture of, of being affected or influenced by their opinions. 405 00:28:06,160 --> 00:28:09,560 Even though you may, you know you know you, you may like them 406 00:28:09,560 --> 00:28:12,480 or respect them for other reasons and other ways. 407 00:28:12,880 --> 00:28:17,760 You can't fellowship with them. It'll infect your belief system. 408 00:28:18,720 --> 00:28:22,000 It doesn't mean you can't have a relationship with people that 409 00:28:22,000 --> 00:28:25,040 are unsaved. You need that because the Lord 410 00:28:25,040 --> 00:28:27,160 may need you to bring them into the Kingdom. 411 00:28:27,160 --> 00:28:30,760 So you maintain a relationship by loving them, being kind to 412 00:28:30,760 --> 00:28:35,360 them and you know these kinds of things, but you don't interact 413 00:28:35,360 --> 00:28:38,440 with them on a heart level or it will infect you. 414 00:28:39,600 --> 00:28:41,840 Don't know why I got into that at the moment either. 415 00:28:42,320 --> 00:28:49,400 But so the point being, I get asked, you know, Pastor, you 416 00:28:49,400 --> 00:28:52,160 know, I think I believe. Well, if you think you believe, 417 00:28:52,160 --> 00:28:54,480 you don't. Or pastor, I have made a 418 00:28:54,480 --> 00:28:56,560 decision to believe. Well, that's good. 419 00:28:56,560 --> 00:28:59,160 That's starting point. But that's not where you, you 420 00:28:59,160 --> 00:29:02,000 know, just automatically assume you got faith. 421 00:29:02,000 --> 00:29:07,840 Now, there's a scripture that mandates us to examine ourselves 422 00:29:08,160 --> 00:29:12,720 whether we be in the faith. That's in 2nd Corinthians 13 423 00:29:12,720 --> 00:29:16,880 five. So let's go there for a moment. 424 00:29:17,080 --> 00:29:21,840 2nd Corinthians 13 five, I guess you all got it up there. 425 00:29:21,840 --> 00:29:28,960 OK, well, that's nice. But the word says here, examine 426 00:29:28,960 --> 00:29:31,920 yourselves whether you be in the faith. 427 00:29:32,360 --> 00:29:35,120 So this is for people who thought they were in the faith, 428 00:29:36,040 --> 00:29:39,480 people who are wondering why, you know, they're since they 429 00:29:39,480 --> 00:29:41,640 decided to believe, they haven't gotten healed. 430 00:29:41,640 --> 00:29:45,040 They haven't gotten, I mean, prosperity is nowhere close. 431 00:29:46,280 --> 00:29:48,880 Whatever it was they're believing for hasn't occurred. 432 00:29:49,560 --> 00:29:53,440 Well, we're told in verse 5 to examine yourselves, whether you 433 00:29:53,440 --> 00:29:57,280 be in the faith, prove your own selves. 434 00:29:57,880 --> 00:30:01,560 That's an interesting word. That Greek word is perosmos, 435 00:30:02,120 --> 00:30:07,280 translated prove here. And of course, you know, we see 436 00:30:07,280 --> 00:30:09,720 it used in other ways and other places. 437 00:30:10,480 --> 00:30:12,600 That's another message. I can't go there. 438 00:30:12,920 --> 00:30:18,240 But it it means to put pressure on yourself before the enemy 439 00:30:18,240 --> 00:30:23,880 puts pressure on you. You examine yourselves and prove 440 00:30:24,560 --> 00:30:28,240 your own selves. Know you, not your own selves, 441 00:30:28,640 --> 00:30:32,520 how that Jesus Christ is in you, except you be reprobates. 442 00:30:33,160 --> 00:30:36,560 I did a series called Reprobate Faith not too long ago. 443 00:30:37,320 --> 00:30:41,960 Reprobate means counterfeit. It means put to the test and 444 00:30:41,960 --> 00:30:48,640 failed on trial and reprobate faith is counterfeit. 445 00:30:48,640 --> 00:30:53,520 Faith fakes people out. They think they're in faith and 446 00:30:53,520 --> 00:30:59,280 truly they are not in faith. And so he says the solution to 447 00:30:59,280 --> 00:31:04,280 this is to examine yourselves, whether you be in faith. 448 00:31:04,280 --> 00:31:08,400 If you got the amplified rendering of this handy, If you 449 00:31:08,400 --> 00:31:10,920 do, then I'll read that for a moment. 450 00:31:11,760 --> 00:31:16,400 Test and evaluate yourselves to see whether you are in the 451 00:31:16,400 --> 00:31:20,880 faith. Now that's going to be told how 452 00:31:20,880 --> 00:31:25,200 we do that in the balance of this verse and living your lives 453 00:31:25,200 --> 00:31:28,560 as committed believers. Examine yourselves, not me. 454 00:31:29,280 --> 00:31:31,760 You know, a lot of people say, well, the word doesn't work. 455 00:31:32,480 --> 00:31:36,560 You know, I've tried this now for six months a year, the faith 456 00:31:36,560 --> 00:31:38,640 message it, it just flat doesn't work. 457 00:31:38,640 --> 00:31:41,320 Now you're trying, you're putting him on trial. 458 00:31:42,440 --> 00:31:45,320 He said no, examine yourself, not me. 459 00:31:45,320 --> 00:31:49,600 Or do you not recognize about yourselves by an ongoing 460 00:31:49,600 --> 00:31:52,440 experience that Jesus Christ is in you? 461 00:31:52,520 --> 00:31:56,320 Unless indeed you failed the test and are rejected as 462 00:31:56,320 --> 00:32:00,200 counterfeit. So then there are two big 463 00:32:00,320 --> 00:32:04,400 things. Is this the amplified? 464 00:32:09,440 --> 00:32:12,760 Huh. OK, there is a rendering that 465 00:32:12,760 --> 00:32:15,040 talks about holding to your faith. 466 00:32:15,160 --> 00:32:20,800 Oh, amplified classic. Well, OK, the amplified classic 467 00:32:20,800 --> 00:32:30,160 says holding to your faith. Holding to your faith and 468 00:32:30,160 --> 00:32:37,680 showing the proper fruits of it. The classic Amplified says that 469 00:32:37,680 --> 00:32:41,520 you need to hold to your faith and show the proper fruits of 470 00:32:41,520 --> 00:32:45,240 it, and then of course, that Jesus Christ is in you. 471 00:32:46,000 --> 00:32:50,240 So these are the three main points that we are to test when 472 00:32:50,240 --> 00:32:55,440 we evaluate our faith, when we examine ourselves, whether we be 473 00:32:55,440 --> 00:32:58,320 in the faith. And the first of those would be 474 00:32:58,320 --> 00:33:02,160 holding to your faith. It's not. 475 00:33:03,520 --> 00:33:06,920 It's not real faith. It's counterfeit faith. 476 00:33:06,920 --> 00:33:10,120 It's reprobate faith. If you put a deadline on your 477 00:33:10,120 --> 00:33:14,880 faith, look at it that way. Faith has no deadlines. 478 00:33:15,560 --> 00:33:18,920 You can't say Lord doctor told me I'm going to die within the 479 00:33:18,920 --> 00:33:21,880 next year. OK, here. 480 00:33:21,880 --> 00:33:25,480 Here we go. Is this the amplified classic? 481 00:33:25,520 --> 00:33:30,080 OK, examine and test and evaluate your own selves to see 482 00:33:30,080 --> 00:33:34,360 whether you're holding to your faith and showing the proper 483 00:33:34,360 --> 00:33:37,800 fruits of it. Holding to your faith means you 484 00:33:37,800 --> 00:33:42,720 don't put any deadlines on God. When you say, Lord, doctor told 485 00:33:42,720 --> 00:33:44,880 me I got a year to live, you got to do something. 486 00:33:44,920 --> 00:33:47,880 You got to do something within the next few months or I'm going 487 00:33:47,880 --> 00:33:50,200 to die. Well, Lord, I'm on the verge of 488 00:33:50,200 --> 00:33:52,560 bankruptcy. If you don't, if you don't help 489 00:33:52,560 --> 00:33:55,440 me out here, you know I'm not. I'm going to have to shut down 490 00:33:55,440 --> 00:33:57,080 my business. I'm going to have to do this or 491 00:33:57,080 --> 00:33:59,360 that. No deadlines. 492 00:34:00,760 --> 00:34:08,719 Faith doesn't see a deadline as being an issue because you know 493 00:34:09,639 --> 00:34:12,639 it just doesn't. The promise of God is you and 494 00:34:12,679 --> 00:34:14,199 Amen. Whether it comes to pass 495 00:34:14,199 --> 00:34:19,560 tomorrow or two years from now. Your your deal is to hold to 496 00:34:19,560 --> 00:34:23,000 your faith until you see the promise manifest. 497 00:34:23,520 --> 00:34:25,880 And it doesn't really matter how long it takes. 498 00:34:26,600 --> 00:34:31,080 It seems like most Christians have a, a limit, you know? 499 00:34:31,080 --> 00:34:33,480 Well, I've, I've been tithing for a year now. 500 00:34:33,480 --> 00:34:37,560 I've been tithing for two years now and I haven't seen the winds 501 00:34:37,560 --> 00:34:41,560 of heaven opened in my life. Well, the Lord said this is one 502 00:34:41,560 --> 00:34:46,520 place you can prove him, but you don't do it by putting a 503 00:34:46,520 --> 00:34:52,239 limitation on him. You prove him by making a 504 00:34:52,239 --> 00:34:56,159 decision to tithe. From now on, it doesn't matter 505 00:34:56,159 --> 00:35:00,960 whether you see anything or not. This is something you believe 506 00:35:01,440 --> 00:35:03,440 and the windows of heaven will be open. 507 00:35:04,040 --> 00:35:11,280 Can't be any deadlines. So essentially we see that being 508 00:35:11,280 --> 00:35:16,560 the first point of examination in verse 5 of chapter 13. 509 00:35:17,120 --> 00:35:21,200 Are you holding to your faith, showing the proper fruits of it? 510 00:35:21,720 --> 00:35:25,440 That does not mean getting the manifestation of what you're 511 00:35:25,440 --> 00:35:29,520 believing for. You know, a lot of people say, 512 00:35:29,520 --> 00:35:32,800 well, I don't, you know, I don't see the fruit of healing or I 513 00:35:32,800 --> 00:35:34,880 don't see the fruit of prosperity. 514 00:35:34,880 --> 00:35:37,840 So, you know, this must not be working. 515 00:35:37,840 --> 00:35:43,360 That's not the fruit that you're to be measuring by Galatians 522 516 00:35:43,360 --> 00:35:47,000 the fruit of the spirit. Brother Hagin is taught that the 517 00:35:47,560 --> 00:35:50,560 capital S in spirit. There really should be a little 518 00:35:50,560 --> 00:35:55,320 S because it's talking about this being the fruit of sowing 519 00:35:55,560 --> 00:35:59,600 the seed of God's Word into the soil of the human heart. 520 00:36:00,520 --> 00:36:04,760 And of course, that's the seed principle Jesus talks about in 521 00:36:04,760 --> 00:36:08,360 Mark chapter 4. You know, the seed is the word 522 00:36:08,360 --> 00:36:11,120 of God. You got some challenges to keep 523 00:36:11,120 --> 00:36:14,440 that the soil of your heart cultivated properly and then 524 00:36:14,440 --> 00:36:17,920 it'll produce fruit. 3060 and a hundredfold. 525 00:36:18,960 --> 00:36:23,480 The fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 522 tells us what 526 00:36:23,480 --> 00:36:27,920 fruit we should be experiencing as a result of that seed being 527 00:36:27,920 --> 00:36:31,280 sown in our heart. Now, this is a big test for you. 528 00:36:32,040 --> 00:36:36,960 You're testing your faith. I mean, this is how you examine 529 00:36:36,960 --> 00:36:38,960 yourself, whether you be in the faith. 530 00:36:39,600 --> 00:36:46,560 Are you showing Lovejoy, peace, patience, kindness? 531 00:36:46,640 --> 00:36:50,240 Look at the fruit of the Spirit and see if these things are true 532 00:36:50,240 --> 00:36:52,200 for you. Even when the pressure's on, 533 00:36:53,360 --> 00:36:57,320 when the pressure is on and the symptoms haven't been alleviated 534 00:36:57,840 --> 00:37:01,080 or the, you know, the money hasn't come in and you're 535 00:37:01,080 --> 00:37:03,040 feeling like time is running out. 536 00:37:03,040 --> 00:37:06,960 Do you have peace? Because if you're in faith, you 537 00:37:06,960 --> 00:37:10,520 do you have joy? Are you still able to love 538 00:37:10,520 --> 00:37:14,040 people that treat you poorly, really badly? 539 00:37:15,000 --> 00:37:18,440 And yet, you know we're called to love them. 540 00:37:18,800 --> 00:37:22,200 As a matter of fact, the word says that faith only works by 541 00:37:22,200 --> 00:37:26,880 love. Love being agape, meaning to 542 00:37:26,880 --> 00:37:30,840 give to someone else. When your motivation isn't self 543 00:37:30,840 --> 00:37:37,360 concern, your faith will work. You know, if if your only 544 00:37:37,360 --> 00:37:40,160 motivation is to get healed, you probably won't. 545 00:37:43,160 --> 00:37:46,400 If, if if you're, you're, you know, you haven't thought beyond 546 00:37:46,400 --> 00:37:47,120 that. Why? 547 00:37:47,600 --> 00:37:52,920 Why are these truths of God available to us? 548 00:37:53,440 --> 00:37:57,360 It is ultimately to accomplish His purposes in life, not to 549 00:37:57,360 --> 00:38:02,400 serve, as you know, to satisfy the demands or lusts of our 550 00:38:02,400 --> 00:38:06,800 flesh. He wants you to be healed so you 551 00:38:06,800 --> 00:38:09,880 can be a a witness or witness for Him. 552 00:38:10,840 --> 00:38:13,880 He doesn't want you to be a fat, happy couch potato. 553 00:38:16,920 --> 00:38:21,160 And if you're not using, if your faith isn't grounded in the love 554 00:38:21,160 --> 00:38:23,080 of God, that's what it amounts to. 555 00:38:23,080 --> 00:38:25,680 What do you, what do you believing for? 556 00:38:25,680 --> 00:38:29,440 What's the reason? Well, I don't want to have to 557 00:38:29,440 --> 00:38:32,520 deal with the pain anymore. I don't want to have to, you 558 00:38:32,520 --> 00:38:37,000 know, believe God just to pay the bills every month anymore. 559 00:38:37,640 --> 00:38:41,440 If you're believing you got peace and you have joy, you're 560 00:38:41,440 --> 00:38:45,120 able to treat people lovingly, your motivation is turned 561 00:38:45,160 --> 00:38:50,120 outward. It isn't simply a motivation 562 00:38:50,120 --> 00:38:54,720 that would serve your carnal nature, but it is turned outward 563 00:38:54,720 --> 00:38:57,960 to other people's benefit, the higher purposes of God. 564 00:38:59,000 --> 00:39:05,360 And, and you know, so hey, this is a biggie. 565 00:39:05,760 --> 00:39:09,240 Take a look at the fruit of the Spirit because he says this is 566 00:39:09,240 --> 00:39:13,560 part of the examination. Are you holding to it? 567 00:39:14,520 --> 00:39:18,560 That's why we are told to be imitators of those through who 568 00:39:18,560 --> 00:39:21,880 through faith and patience inherit the promises. 569 00:39:21,880 --> 00:39:25,200 Patience meaning that you're holding to it. 570 00:39:26,040 --> 00:39:29,160 The word patient means to endure, and it carries the 571 00:39:29,160 --> 00:39:31,320 connotation of cheerful endurance. 572 00:39:32,760 --> 00:39:36,080 So you cheerfully enduring. Are you walking around on your 573 00:39:36,080 --> 00:39:40,280 lower lip, feeling sorry for yourself, hanging on by your 574 00:39:40,280 --> 00:39:43,040 fingernails until the Lord finally gets around to doing 575 00:39:43,040 --> 00:39:46,240 something? No, that's not faith. 576 00:39:46,440 --> 00:39:51,920 That's reprobate faith. That's counterfeit faith unless 577 00:39:51,920 --> 00:39:54,120 you're holding to it. And you're not going to change 578 00:39:55,120 --> 00:39:57,720 unless you're showing the proper fruits of your faith. 579 00:39:59,160 --> 00:40:01,240 The peace and the joy comes first. 580 00:40:01,320 --> 00:40:04,920 I've had people say to me over the years, man, I'd be peaceful 581 00:40:04,920 --> 00:40:07,000 and I'd be joyful if I had my healing. 582 00:40:07,480 --> 00:40:13,040 Or when the day comes that my prayers are answered, you know 583 00:40:13,040 --> 00:40:15,680 I'll be peaceful and joyful. No, it's got to come first. 584 00:40:17,920 --> 00:40:20,200 And that's what faith will do. It'll bring it. 585 00:40:21,440 --> 00:40:26,320 It'll bring it. And when the fruit of the Spirit 586 00:40:26,320 --> 00:40:29,120 is there and you can be kind to people even when they shout at 587 00:40:29,120 --> 00:40:33,680 you, you're patient. You're not counting the hours 588 00:40:33,680 --> 00:40:39,200 until you see a manifestation when you can, you know, just 589 00:40:39,760 --> 00:40:45,000 rejoice in the Lord because he said the these things in the 590 00:40:45,000 --> 00:40:49,800 word that you're believing, then you are passing the examination 591 00:40:49,800 --> 00:40:52,960 of faith. There we go. 592 00:40:53,280 --> 00:40:57,080 I was leaning on it wrong. Then you're passing the 593 00:40:57,080 --> 00:41:02,120 examination of faith. And so the biggie though, to me 594 00:41:02,120 --> 00:41:08,680 is knowing that Christ is in you, because if you really know 595 00:41:09,160 --> 00:41:13,920 that the greater one lives in you, if you really know that, 596 00:41:15,200 --> 00:41:18,480 then you can do all things. You can do all. 597 00:41:18,480 --> 00:41:21,680 There's nothing you can't do according to the Word. 598 00:41:22,360 --> 00:41:25,600 You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. 599 00:41:26,320 --> 00:41:31,680 He is in you, you are in Him. You find your identification in 600 00:41:31,680 --> 00:41:36,880 Him and He is in you working to do his will and his good 601 00:41:36,880 --> 00:41:44,280 pleasure according to the word. So knowing that he is in here is 602 00:41:44,280 --> 00:41:48,800 a hugely important contributor to whether or not you've got the 603 00:41:48,800 --> 00:41:50,680 peace of God and the joy of the Lord. 604 00:41:50,680 --> 00:41:54,600 And you're you're tolerant and you're kind and you're gentle 605 00:41:54,600 --> 00:42:00,680 and you're patient. Hey, it's when you know that He 606 00:42:00,680 --> 00:42:04,760 lives within you, when you know that the Creator of this 607 00:42:04,760 --> 00:42:09,920 universe is in you, when you're filled with the Holy Spirit 608 00:42:10,320 --> 00:42:14,600 because of the fact that He is a triune Godfather, Son, and Holy 609 00:42:14,600 --> 00:42:19,200 Spirit. You are also indwelled by the 610 00:42:19,200 --> 00:42:24,280 Father, indwelled by the Son. How in the world can you be 611 00:42:24,280 --> 00:42:28,240 walking around on your lower lip feeling sorry for yourself if 612 00:42:28,240 --> 00:42:32,040 you truly know that, if you have a revelation of that fact, 613 00:42:32,040 --> 00:42:37,240 that's what it says here, how Jesus Christ is in you. 614 00:42:38,040 --> 00:42:43,360 How can that be except you be reprobates, except your faith be 615 00:42:43,360 --> 00:42:47,600 counterfeit? And so these are three important 616 00:42:48,160 --> 00:42:52,520 points of self examination that we all need to make. 617 00:42:52,520 --> 00:42:56,280 Are you holding to your faith? Are you showing the proper 618 00:42:56,280 --> 00:42:59,600 fruits of it? And do you have a day by day 619 00:42:59,600 --> 00:43:07,400 awareness that Christ is in you? He is your hope of glory, and if 620 00:43:07,400 --> 00:43:11,440 you know that He is in you, it changes your outlook on life. 621 00:43:11,800 --> 00:43:16,480 Each and every day of your life you ACT differently, you make 622 00:43:16,480 --> 00:43:20,240 different decisions. And that now they are for life 623 00:43:20,240 --> 00:43:23,480 and blessing instead of death and cursing. 624 00:43:24,480 --> 00:43:27,960 So these are important considerations, I think, but 625 00:43:28,320 --> 00:43:32,760 there are other other other ways that I think we can identify 626 00:43:32,760 --> 00:43:36,520 counterfeit faith. Of course, faith works by love. 627 00:43:36,520 --> 00:43:40,400 This is a biggie. So if you have trouble loving 628 00:43:40,400 --> 00:43:43,720 people, and especially the people that are hard to love, 629 00:43:44,200 --> 00:43:47,360 there's some people I don't have any trouble loving at all. 630 00:43:48,280 --> 00:43:52,360 Here's an example and others too, that you have walked with 631 00:43:52,360 --> 00:43:55,560 and learned to trust and be with. 632 00:43:55,560 --> 00:44:00,080 For some people are real easy to love, real easy to give to. 633 00:44:00,320 --> 00:44:02,320 This is the kind of love we're talking about. 634 00:44:02,760 --> 00:44:05,400 You give to them. How do you give to them? 635 00:44:05,400 --> 00:44:08,840 Give them a listening ear, give them an encouraging word. 636 00:44:09,200 --> 00:44:12,840 Give them time and prayer. Give them maybe a little 637 00:44:12,840 --> 00:44:15,320 financial help. Give them courtesy. 638 00:44:15,320 --> 00:44:20,720 Give them gentleness, kindness. When you begin giving to people, 639 00:44:21,320 --> 00:44:24,480 then you know your faith will operate on a level that it will 640 00:44:24,480 --> 00:44:29,000 not operate on any other way. And one of the biggest enemies 641 00:44:29,360 --> 00:44:32,920 in terms of loving people is love of the world that we see in 642 00:44:32,920 --> 00:44:37,600 first John 2:15. If you love the world and the 643 00:44:37,600 --> 00:44:40,240 things that are in the world, the love of God will not be in 644 00:44:40,240 --> 00:44:42,600 you. And of course, that's the first 645 00:44:42,600 --> 00:44:44,440 direction your love needs to take. 646 00:44:45,520 --> 00:44:51,440 When we talk about loving being the royal law we abide by, we 647 00:44:51,440 --> 00:44:54,360 see that the first direction of that love is God. 648 00:44:55,640 --> 00:44:59,520 The second of that direction of that love is our neighbor. 649 00:44:59,520 --> 00:45:03,400 Loving him as ourselves. We'd love the Lord thy God with 650 00:45:03,400 --> 00:45:06,240 all thy heart, all thy mind, all thy soul. 651 00:45:06,320 --> 00:45:09,320 You know second commandment like unto it. 652 00:45:09,320 --> 00:45:13,680 Love thy neighbor as thyself. So love has the direction of God 653 00:45:13,680 --> 00:45:16,680 first, and then and then people secondly. 654 00:45:17,560 --> 00:45:21,920 But I would say this, you can't love God or people to any 655 00:45:21,920 --> 00:45:24,560 greater a degree than you know how much God loves you. 656 00:45:24,560 --> 00:45:27,360 And we're talking about faith right now because faith only 657 00:45:27,360 --> 00:45:30,960 works by love. So the first point of revelation 658 00:45:30,960 --> 00:45:32,960 has to be how much God loves you. 659 00:45:34,240 --> 00:45:37,000 If you don't know how much God loves you, you're not, you 660 00:45:37,000 --> 00:45:38,800 really don't. You're not going to love God 661 00:45:38,800 --> 00:45:43,680 back in the way that that you should and you're not going to 662 00:45:43,680 --> 00:45:49,280 love unworthy people back for sure or give to them in any 663 00:45:49,280 --> 00:45:52,520 substantial way. And so how much how do you know 664 00:45:52,520 --> 00:45:57,080 how much God loves you? Well, we could go over to 1st 665 00:45:57,080 --> 00:46:01,720 John chapter 4 and spend some time there, but we're not John 666 00:46:01,720 --> 00:46:08,760 416 tell first John 416 tells us the apostle John says there we 667 00:46:08,760 --> 00:46:14,360 have known and believed the love that God has to us and then he 668 00:46:14,360 --> 00:46:16,840 says that's what perfects you in love. 669 00:46:18,080 --> 00:46:22,200 He said knowing and believing how much God loves you is what 670 00:46:22,200 --> 00:46:25,040 perfects you in love. How do you know if you've been 671 00:46:25,040 --> 00:46:28,600 perfected in love? How do you know you really have 672 00:46:28,600 --> 00:46:30,400 a revelation of how much he loves you? 673 00:46:31,120 --> 00:46:33,200 Well, perfect love casts out fear. 674 00:46:33,960 --> 00:46:40,160 So if fear is a is a part of your life and for many people 675 00:46:40,160 --> 00:46:44,920 it's a daily routine. Anxiety and fear constrains most 676 00:46:44,920 --> 00:46:49,240 people's decision making process, naturally speaking. 677 00:46:50,520 --> 00:46:54,920 But if you have fear, you are not perfected in love, which 678 00:46:54,920 --> 00:47:00,720 means you have not known or believed how much God loves you. 679 00:47:05,360 --> 00:47:07,960 And that's only going to come by spending time with Him. 680 00:47:09,120 --> 00:47:10,760 It's the only way that's going to come. 681 00:47:11,360 --> 00:47:13,520 I mean, we all have the same challenge. 682 00:47:14,520 --> 00:47:17,040 I know the things I think about in private. 683 00:47:17,040 --> 00:47:20,280 I know the things that, you know, I want to say to somebody 684 00:47:20,280 --> 00:47:24,120 that cuts me off in traffic and maybe do if there's nobody else 685 00:47:24,120 --> 00:47:26,640 in the car with me. You know, I know. 686 00:47:26,880 --> 00:47:31,960 I know the real me and I know how unlovable I really am. 687 00:47:32,120 --> 00:47:35,680 Everybody knows that about themselves, and it can make it 688 00:47:35,680 --> 00:47:40,080 hard to understand. How in the world could a perfect 689 00:47:40,080 --> 00:47:44,000 God love you so much that He sent Jesus? 690 00:47:44,000 --> 00:47:47,080 But He does, and you're not going to have a revelation of 691 00:47:47,080 --> 00:47:50,880 that to any greater a degree than you spend time with Him. 692 00:47:51,000 --> 00:47:54,920 And that just means sitting with Him, opening your heart to Him, 693 00:47:55,600 --> 00:47:58,360 praying in the Holy Ghost. A lot of times you don't know 694 00:47:58,360 --> 00:48:02,600 how to pray as you ought. This is really important for you 695 00:48:02,600 --> 00:48:05,320 to be able to pray in the Holy Spirit. 696 00:48:06,120 --> 00:48:09,160 He says when you do, you're making intercession for the 697 00:48:09,160 --> 00:48:11,280 Saints according to the perfect will of God. 698 00:48:12,000 --> 00:48:14,960 And the 1st St. that you're making intercession for is 699 00:48:14,960 --> 00:48:25,800 likely you, you know, but Saints aren't something special beyond 700 00:48:25,800 --> 00:48:29,640 being a believer. All believers are referred to as 701 00:48:29,640 --> 00:48:36,120 Saints. So at any rate, so love is the 702 00:48:36,880 --> 00:48:39,520 is a major consideration in whether or not your faith is 703 00:48:39,520 --> 00:48:41,280 going to work. Are you able to love people? 704 00:48:42,280 --> 00:48:44,480 Are you able to love God? As the Word says? 705 00:48:44,800 --> 00:48:48,960 If you're not, then you know your faith is reprobate, it's 706 00:48:48,960 --> 00:48:51,120 counterfeit, and it will not work. 707 00:48:52,440 --> 00:48:54,960 And so how do you know? We just went through that 708 00:48:54,960 --> 00:48:59,800 process. Hopeless Faith is counterfeit 709 00:49:00,640 --> 00:49:04,240 because in Hebrews 11/1 we're told that faith is a substance 710 00:49:04,240 --> 00:49:09,160 of things hoped for. In other words, that word hope 711 00:49:09,160 --> 00:49:13,360 means expect, by the way, confident expectation. 712 00:49:13,360 --> 00:49:17,240 And it's not the kind of hope we hear about in the world, hanging 713 00:49:17,240 --> 00:49:21,360 on by your fingernails until the Lord gets ready to help you out 714 00:49:21,360 --> 00:49:24,920 here. Now, hope is confident 715 00:49:25,160 --> 00:49:28,760 expectation. So when you grow in your faith 716 00:49:28,760 --> 00:49:33,280 to a place of confident expectation, your faith will put 717 00:49:33,280 --> 00:49:36,880 substance to it. When you grow in your faith to 718 00:49:36,880 --> 00:49:40,920 that point, then you'll have the manifestation that you desire 719 00:49:41,360 --> 00:49:44,160 when you really and then truly expect it. 720 00:49:46,200 --> 00:49:49,520 And I've heard people say, well, you don't want to get your 721 00:49:50,160 --> 00:49:53,480 expectation up too high because then you know, if you get 722 00:49:53,480 --> 00:49:55,480 disappointed, you'd be devastated. 723 00:49:55,480 --> 00:49:59,560 So you don't you don't want to be just expecting something that 724 00:50:00,280 --> 00:50:06,360 you know, like that, like healing, like deliverance, like 725 00:50:06,360 --> 00:50:11,320 whatever it is you're expecting. No, where it says that you have 726 00:50:11,320 --> 00:50:16,320 to expect for your faith to have something to put substance to. 727 00:50:17,760 --> 00:50:20,000 Now, this is really important, maybe one of the most 728 00:50:20,000 --> 00:50:22,200 significant parts about being in faith. 729 00:50:23,640 --> 00:50:27,760 How does expectation come? How do you develop expectation? 730 00:50:28,680 --> 00:50:31,320 Well, let's take a look at first Peter chapter 1. 731 00:50:31,320 --> 00:50:36,240 I mean, how do you expect something that so far, you know, 732 00:50:36,240 --> 00:50:40,320 it's like a dream come true. Yeah, you want it, but how? 733 00:50:40,520 --> 00:50:44,120 How in the world do you do you expect this first? 734 00:50:44,120 --> 00:50:51,720 Peter 113 is where we found the answer to that which says 735 00:50:51,720 --> 00:50:58,120 wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober and hope to 736 00:50:58,120 --> 00:51:01,040 the end. Hope there same word as in 737 00:51:01,040 --> 00:51:05,040 Hebrews 11/1. It means confident expectation. 738 00:51:05,480 --> 00:51:08,960 So something called girding up the loins of your mind. 739 00:51:10,160 --> 00:51:14,000 And when it says be sober, that word simply means be sound 740 00:51:14,000 --> 00:51:17,600 minded. In other words, you control your 741 00:51:17,600 --> 00:51:24,000 mind, you cast down vain imaginations and every every 742 00:51:24,000 --> 00:51:27,040 thought that exalts itself against the knowledge of Christ. 743 00:51:27,840 --> 00:51:30,000 I mean you're going to have to control your thinking. 744 00:51:30,560 --> 00:51:34,480 That's what be sober means. Gird up the loins of your mind. 745 00:51:34,480 --> 00:51:38,920 Be sound minded and whatever that means, gird up the loins of 746 00:51:38,920 --> 00:51:41,160 your mind. It produces hope. 747 00:51:42,560 --> 00:51:45,120 It produces positive expectation. 748 00:51:45,120 --> 00:51:47,960 How long to the end? The end of what? 749 00:51:47,960 --> 00:51:51,160 The end of your faith, The end of the age, whatever end you're 750 00:51:51,160 --> 00:51:55,360 dealing with. But you will generate positive 751 00:51:55,360 --> 00:52:00,080 expectation if you gird up the loins of your mind. 752 00:52:01,920 --> 00:52:07,080 Well, loins means the creative capacity of your mind. 753 00:52:07,360 --> 00:52:12,200 Your mind is how you become a creator. 754 00:52:12,200 --> 00:52:16,440 You create the day you're going to step into tomorrow. 755 00:52:16,440 --> 00:52:20,200 You create your own experience of life. 756 00:52:20,800 --> 00:52:24,440 That's your calling. You're made in the image and 757 00:52:24,440 --> 00:52:26,440 likeness of God, and He's the Creator. 758 00:52:26,720 --> 00:52:31,200 Therefore, He makes you able to create, not anybody. 759 00:52:31,200 --> 00:52:35,200 You can't use this, your faith, your prayer, your love. 760 00:52:35,200 --> 00:52:38,640 You can't use any of these things to manipulate other 761 00:52:38,640 --> 00:52:44,720 people's decisions. You can't I mean, your faith is 762 00:52:44,720 --> 00:52:48,240 for you. You know, there are some very 763 00:52:48,240 --> 00:52:53,320 few exceptions to that, like a parent able to exercise their 764 00:52:53,320 --> 00:52:58,200 faith on behalf of their child. Do their child grows to a place 765 00:52:58,200 --> 00:53:01,400 of accountability before God and they can do it themselves. 766 00:53:02,040 --> 00:53:05,720 You know, there are certain instances of spiritual authority 767 00:53:05,720 --> 00:53:10,000 where where somebody else can, but normally your faith is just 768 00:53:10,000 --> 00:53:11,880 for you. It's not for other people. 769 00:53:15,480 --> 00:53:18,080 At any rate, the same is true for love. 770 00:53:18,080 --> 00:53:21,800 The Bible says love never fails. I've had people say to me, well, 771 00:53:21,800 --> 00:53:25,320 love has has failed. You know, I have loved that 772 00:53:25,320 --> 00:53:28,520 person for I've done everything I can do for two years and 773 00:53:28,520 --> 00:53:30,200 they're just as ugly as they ever were. 774 00:53:30,920 --> 00:53:34,520 So I can't see love working or not ever failing. 775 00:53:35,120 --> 00:53:40,240 Well, that verse in First Corinthians 13, you know, is a 776 00:53:42,200 --> 00:53:46,360 statement of of that. It never go gets old or goes out 777 00:53:46,360 --> 00:53:49,760 of style. It is always God's solution for 778 00:53:49,760 --> 00:53:53,560 relational challenges, but you can't manipulate somebody into 779 00:53:53,560 --> 00:53:56,800 loving you by loving them because they're a free moral 780 00:53:56,800 --> 00:54:00,760 agent. Just just none of these things. 781 00:54:00,760 --> 00:54:06,080 Your faith, your prayer life. You can pray forces of darkness 782 00:54:06,080 --> 00:54:14,280 to abate and you know someone's struggle, but you can't pray 783 00:54:14,280 --> 00:54:18,280 them into a place of health or healing. 784 00:54:18,800 --> 00:54:22,240 You can pray the the forces of darkness coming against them be 785 00:54:22,240 --> 00:54:26,520 abated, but you can't micromanage their life through, 786 00:54:26,600 --> 00:54:30,680 through your prayer, through your faith, through your love or 787 00:54:30,680 --> 00:54:33,560 anything else. And so you always have to have 788 00:54:33,560 --> 00:54:35,840 that in mind. That doesn't mean you don't pray 789 00:54:35,840 --> 00:54:38,200 for people. You don't love people obviously, 790 00:54:38,200 --> 00:54:40,680 or you don't join your faith with theirs. 791 00:54:41,040 --> 00:54:42,760 That's the proper use of your faith. 792 00:54:42,960 --> 00:54:45,440 When they're believing the right thing, then you can get an 793 00:54:45,440 --> 00:54:48,560 agreement with them and amplify the effect of the faith. 794 00:54:49,840 --> 00:54:56,120 But at any rate, I want you to see in this verse, gird up the 795 00:54:56,120 --> 00:54:59,520 loins, the creative capacity of your mind. 796 00:55:00,960 --> 00:55:04,600 This is a different word for mine than in many other places, 797 00:55:04,840 --> 00:55:10,000 Romans 12/2, where we're told not to be conformed to the 798 00:55:10,000 --> 00:55:13,000 things of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of 799 00:55:13,000 --> 00:55:15,880 your mind. The word mind, the Greek word 800 00:55:15,880 --> 00:55:20,560 there really has to do with the logical capacity, the rational 801 00:55:21,360 --> 00:55:23,480 characteristics of the human mind. 802 00:55:24,240 --> 00:55:28,880 You have the capacity to make deductions or inductions from 803 00:55:29,640 --> 00:55:32,200 the things that you see in this natural arena. 804 00:55:32,760 --> 00:55:37,040 This is a different word. Gird up the loins of your mind 805 00:55:37,480 --> 00:55:40,400 here. If you look in the strongs means 806 00:55:40,400 --> 00:55:45,160 imagination. Now this is probably the most 807 00:55:45,160 --> 00:55:48,440 important thing to me over the years. 808 00:55:48,440 --> 00:55:51,480 It finally opened to my understanding. 809 00:55:52,440 --> 00:55:58,240 You know my imagination prior to, you know, learning the word 810 00:55:58,240 --> 00:56:01,000 it was, it was where fantasy occurred. 811 00:56:01,640 --> 00:56:04,960 You, you could use your imagination and fantasize and 812 00:56:05,280 --> 00:56:09,360 you know, whatever you wanted to do with it. 813 00:56:09,840 --> 00:56:14,680 Imagination is the ability of your mind to mentally image 814 00:56:14,680 --> 00:56:20,040 future probability. Now hear that it has always got 815 00:56:20,040 --> 00:56:23,120 to do with future probability. You don't need to imagine what's 816 00:56:23,120 --> 00:56:26,280 past or what's present. You know what that is. 817 00:56:27,000 --> 00:56:33,560 But to imagine means you build a picture of a future probability, 818 00:56:34,480 --> 00:56:39,160 and that is a powerful force that even relates to unsaved 819 00:56:39,160 --> 00:56:42,640 people. Back in Genesis 11, we're told 820 00:56:42,640 --> 00:56:46,600 when the Tower of Babel was being built, the Lord had to go 821 00:56:46,600 --> 00:56:49,080 down and scatter them, He said, because nothing would be 822 00:56:49,080 --> 00:56:52,920 restrained from them that they imagined to do. 823 00:56:53,800 --> 00:57:00,640 Imagination is hugely important. And most people's, and I'm 824 00:57:00,640 --> 00:57:06,160 speaking in the natural arena, most people's imagination, they 825 00:57:06,160 --> 00:57:08,320 build pictures of all of the negatives. 826 00:57:08,640 --> 00:57:12,240 That's what fear will do. Well, I'm fearful about this 827 00:57:12,240 --> 00:57:15,160 doctor's report. And it builds a picture in your 828 00:57:15,160 --> 00:57:19,280 mind's eye about what that's going to look like. 829 00:57:19,280 --> 00:57:21,800 You're going to get sick and die and what's going to who's going 830 00:57:21,800 --> 00:57:24,960 to take care of your husband or your wife or your kids or, you 831 00:57:24,960 --> 00:57:28,560 know, fear. We'll build a picture of failure 832 00:57:28,560 --> 00:57:34,600 in business, failure financially, fear or taking 833 00:57:34,640 --> 00:57:37,440 cares, worry, It's all the same thing. 834 00:57:37,800 --> 00:57:41,840 Builds a picture in your mind's eye of the negative. 835 00:57:42,760 --> 00:57:44,960 And that's why the Word says you're going to have to cast 836 00:57:44,960 --> 00:57:51,040 down vain imaginations, foolish imaginations, and bring every 837 00:57:51,040 --> 00:57:53,440 thought captive to the obedience of Christ. 838 00:57:53,800 --> 00:57:57,600 You begin to build a picture. Hear me now, but you don't hear 839 00:57:57,600 --> 00:57:59,840 anything else I've said today. Hear this. 840 00:58:00,280 --> 00:58:05,960 Use your imagination to build pictures of what God says about 841 00:58:05,960 --> 00:58:09,720 your life. And that begins with the Word of 842 00:58:09,720 --> 00:58:15,040 God and continues into what He tells you or shows you by the 843 00:58:15,040 --> 00:58:20,000 Holy Spirit. The Word of God has two channels 844 00:58:20,000 --> 00:58:23,000 into your life. One is the written word, the 845 00:58:23,000 --> 00:58:27,520 general will of God for all believers of all ages, and then 846 00:58:27,520 --> 00:58:32,680 the revelation ministry of the Holy Spirit to your life, which 847 00:58:32,680 --> 00:58:36,240 has to do with God's purposes for you as an individual that 848 00:58:36,240 --> 00:58:40,680 aren't written in the Word. I mean, you know, there are 849 00:58:40,680 --> 00:58:45,600 messages by the dozens that have been preached about how to 850 00:58:45,600 --> 00:58:49,880 understand God's will for you. But we can go real quickly to 851 00:58:49,880 --> 00:58:54,160 1st Corinthians chapter 2 verse 9 and see this without any 852 00:58:54,160 --> 00:58:57,840 question. First Corinthians chapter 2 853 00:58:57,840 --> 00:59:01,280 verse 9. I has not seen ear heard neither 854 00:59:01,280 --> 00:59:03,920 is enter into the heart of man the things that God has prepared 855 00:59:04,320 --> 00:59:08,640 for them that love him. And you know, I presume we've 856 00:59:08,640 --> 00:59:12,000 got a room full of believers that love God and this is his 857 00:59:12,000 --> 00:59:16,280 word to you. I hadn't seen it ear hadn't 858 00:59:16,280 --> 00:59:18,840 heard it. Neither has it entered the heart 859 00:59:18,840 --> 00:59:20,720 of man. You're not going to get it from 860 00:59:20,720 --> 00:59:24,920 an aptitude test, from a course of instruction in college. 861 00:59:25,360 --> 00:59:27,840 You're not going to get it from well meaning parents. 862 00:59:28,760 --> 00:59:33,280 Verse 10 says they have been revealed unto us by the Holy 863 00:59:33,280 --> 00:59:36,240 Spirit. This is the Holy Spirit's 864 00:59:36,240 --> 00:59:39,880 ministry to your life is to reveal things that God has 865 00:59:39,880 --> 00:59:43,640 prepared for you if you're a person who loves him. 866 00:59:44,600 --> 00:59:47,320 And so you need to build a picture of your life. 867 00:59:47,320 --> 00:59:51,520 Yes, everything God says about you and His word, you are 868 00:59:51,520 --> 00:59:54,840 healed, you are delivered, you are set free, you are 869 00:59:54,840 --> 00:59:57,560 prosperous. What does that look like in your 870 00:59:57,560 --> 00:59:59,720 estimation of future probability? 871 00:59:59,720 --> 01:00:03,680 Can you see it? God told Abram he could have 872 01:00:03,760 --> 01:00:08,440 whatever he could see. That was a snapshot of a truth 873 01:00:08,440 --> 01:00:12,560 for us and the new covenant. We can have whatever we can see. 874 01:00:12,560 --> 01:00:16,480 And it's not talking about natural visual acuity to us. 875 01:00:17,360 --> 01:00:20,040 It's talking about what we can see with our mind's eye. 876 01:00:20,520 --> 01:00:25,560 And that's why he uses the word gird up the loins of your mind, 877 01:00:25,840 --> 01:00:30,040 the the word for imagination, because that will build 878 01:00:30,240 --> 01:00:34,640 expectation in you the more you see that instead of the natural 879 01:00:34,640 --> 01:00:37,360 circumstance. It goes back to again, 2nd 880 01:00:37,360 --> 01:00:42,880 Corinthians 417 and 18. We're not to study or to focus 881 01:00:42,880 --> 01:00:49,760 on and to be attentive to the things that are seen, but we are 882 01:00:49,760 --> 01:00:53,720 to look at, to focus upon, to study things that are not seen. 883 01:00:54,160 --> 01:00:57,680 The unseen realm being the eternal realm, the realm of the 884 01:00:57,680 --> 01:00:59,960 Spirit. And that's what is revealed to 885 01:00:59,960 --> 01:01:04,520 us by the Word of God. So all of these things tie 886 01:01:04,520 --> 01:01:08,360 together. But for me, you know, one of the 887 01:01:08,360 --> 01:01:13,160 most profitable things I, I have seen in the Word in my years in 888 01:01:13,160 --> 01:01:18,680 ministry is starting to use my imagination deliberately to see 889 01:01:18,840 --> 01:01:22,600 churches being built all over this world, to see them in 890 01:01:22,600 --> 01:01:27,240 different nations where we have contacts and where you know we 891 01:01:27,240 --> 01:01:31,360 can, where we have relationships, you know, that 892 01:01:31,400 --> 01:01:35,360 the Lord establishes with us. And in different churches. 893 01:01:35,560 --> 01:01:43,280 I can see with my mind's eye. And he calls this the loins of 894 01:01:43,280 --> 01:01:48,640 my mind, the creative capacity, because if I can see it, I can 895 01:01:48,640 --> 01:01:51,800 make it happen in my life. I can make it happen. 896 01:01:52,680 --> 01:01:55,560 I say I can. The Lord will through me when I 897 01:01:55,560 --> 01:02:00,080 see it as he says it is. And this is what he says it is 898 01:02:00,840 --> 01:02:04,320 he says this to all of us in the word of God, healed, delivered, 899 01:02:04,320 --> 01:02:09,360 set free, prosperous, but to you in particular, when you begin to 900 01:02:09,360 --> 01:02:14,120 identify the desires in your heart that are God-given and it 901 01:02:14,120 --> 01:02:17,760 orient's you toward what you believe must be his will for 902 01:02:17,760 --> 01:02:19,840 your life. And that's the way it begins. 903 01:02:21,280 --> 01:02:25,960 And then you know, you begin to get Marks and goals and 904 01:02:25,960 --> 01:02:29,920 objectives you can press toward that will take you toward your 905 01:02:29,920 --> 01:02:34,160 high calling of God. When that process unfolds in 906 01:02:34,160 --> 01:02:39,920 your life, then you know it's because you can see it with your 907 01:02:39,920 --> 01:02:44,240 mind's eye. He said, if you see it, you can 908 01:02:44,240 --> 01:02:49,080 have it. And I, I'll tell you a good way 909 01:02:49,080 --> 01:02:53,000 to know if this is sinking in is when you're, when you get in bed 910 01:02:53,720 --> 01:02:58,000 and you get in that place between wakefulness and sleep. 911 01:02:59,280 --> 01:03:03,760 The things that populate your mind's eye at that point fall in 912 01:03:03,760 --> 01:03:09,400 the category of fear, anxiety. Does it keep you from going to 913 01:03:09,400 --> 01:03:12,320 sleep really good because you're worried about paying the bills 914 01:03:13,120 --> 01:03:16,520 or you're worried about something attacking your body or 915 01:03:16,720 --> 01:03:20,400 in that place where you're really not deliberate? 916 01:03:20,400 --> 01:03:22,520 Thank you. For exercising your will, where 917 01:03:22,520 --> 01:03:24,160 does your mind's? Eyes go if. 918 01:03:25,040 --> 01:03:27,960 It was a blessing. Goes to who you are in Christ. 919 01:03:28,720 --> 01:03:29,880 When it goes. For more. 920 01:03:30,400 --> 01:03:32,800 Information for your life you. Can visit. 921 01:03:32,880 --> 01:03:36,160 Us, your marriage, your relationship, whatever it may 922 01:03:36,200 --> 01:03:39,360 be, when it goes to this desire of your heart. 923 01:03:40,480 --> 01:03:47,640 I mean, you know, I, I flew in, in the days before ministry and 924 01:03:47,640 --> 01:03:52,440 I'm wrapping up now, but in my days before ministry, I was an 925 01:03:52,440 --> 01:03:54,720 Air Force pilot. I went through, that's what I'd 926 01:03:54,720 --> 01:03:57,880 always wanted to be. I went through a Military 927 01:03:57,880 --> 01:04:01,640 Academy and got my wings and then went to pilot training, got 928 01:04:01,640 --> 01:04:08,640 my wings and in pilot training, even though we had some airline 929 01:04:08,640 --> 01:04:14,360 pilots that were in training to fly fighters or, or whatever 930 01:04:14,360 --> 01:04:16,600 their Air National Guard units had to offer. 931 01:04:17,080 --> 01:04:21,920 But they were, they were already pilots and they were, you know, 932 01:04:21,920 --> 01:04:24,000 in some instances several 1000 hours. 933 01:04:24,000 --> 01:04:27,200 They were young guys, but they had a lot of experience. 934 01:04:27,280 --> 01:04:32,080 We had two of them in my class and everybody assumed they were 935 01:04:32,080 --> 01:04:38,720 going to win the, you know, the flying award, which they, they 936 01:04:38,720 --> 01:04:46,080 made, you know, for, for people that, well, Long story short, I 937 01:04:46,080 --> 01:04:51,640 finished at the top in the flying phase of of my pilot 938 01:04:51,640 --> 01:04:55,680 training class for one reason. Not because I'd had any 939 01:04:55,680 --> 01:04:59,480 experience. I hadn't, not because I was, you 940 01:04:59,480 --> 01:05:03,200 know, some people say he's a natural or he's a natural. 941 01:05:03,200 --> 01:05:06,920 I don't think anybody's really a natural. 942 01:05:07,480 --> 01:05:10,360 I mean, I guess there are different levels of coordination 943 01:05:10,360 --> 01:05:13,920 and reflexive responses, but it wasn't that. 944 01:05:14,440 --> 01:05:18,560 It was because without knowing what I was doing, I would lay in 945 01:05:18,560 --> 01:05:20,880 bed at night. When I got back, Glenn and I had 946 01:05:20,880 --> 01:05:22,640 just gotten married and used to bugger. 947 01:05:23,160 --> 01:05:26,240 But I would stay there. I would be sitting there 948 01:05:26,560 --> 01:05:29,040 thinking about the ride the next day, particularly if it was a 949 01:05:29,040 --> 01:05:32,320 check ride and I was going through all the control motions. 950 01:05:32,320 --> 01:05:35,720 And you know, I could see myself doing the different maneuvers 951 01:05:35,720 --> 01:05:39,520 and the formation and aerobatics and air combat maneuvering in 952 01:05:39,520 --> 01:05:42,880 the instruments, the navigation, whatever right it was. 953 01:05:43,400 --> 01:05:46,480 I'd walk myself through it over and over again. 954 01:05:47,040 --> 01:05:49,560 And, and then that's the way it went the next day. 955 01:05:50,240 --> 01:05:53,760 And I'm doing this without even knowing I'm doing this. 956 01:05:54,720 --> 01:05:58,240 I am using girding up the loins of my mind. 957 01:05:58,240 --> 01:06:06,400 I'm using the creative capacity of my mind by envisioning the 958 01:06:06,400 --> 01:06:10,400 future probability that, you know, was going to take shape. 959 01:06:10,440 --> 01:06:13,400 And it did. They've actually determined, and 960 01:06:14,360 --> 01:06:18,640 I'm told in the basketball arena there, rather than practicing 961 01:06:18,640 --> 01:06:25,240 free throws, or maybe not to the total exclusion of practicing 3 962 01:06:25,520 --> 01:06:29,160 free throws, but they'd have their professionals. 963 01:06:29,200 --> 01:06:33,840 You know, just imagine hitting the hitting the basket and had 964 01:06:33,840 --> 01:06:36,880 as much positive effect as getting out there, actually 965 01:06:36,880 --> 01:06:40,680 practicing it. When you can see it in your 966 01:06:40,680 --> 01:06:45,400 mind's eye, you have created a future you're going to step into 967 01:06:45,400 --> 01:06:51,240 tomorrow. So that's about all I'm going to 968 01:06:51,240 --> 01:06:54,240 have time to do. I'm going to say there are a few 969 01:06:54,240 --> 01:06:59,680 more examples of counterfeit faith, wavering faith. 970 01:07:00,480 --> 01:07:03,120 We know you can't waver. You've got to hold to your 971 01:07:03,120 --> 01:07:07,720 faith, silent faith in 2nd Corinthians 413, Romans 10/8, 972 01:07:08,360 --> 01:07:12,040 you got to speak it. You got to speak it because 973 01:07:12,040 --> 01:07:15,480 you're hearing it and it reinforces what you're believing 974 01:07:15,480 --> 01:07:19,880 and thinking, and not to mention the effect you're having on 975 01:07:19,880 --> 01:07:23,280 other people. But we believe, therefore we 976 01:07:23,280 --> 01:07:29,120 speak. Faith without a vision is also 977 01:07:29,200 --> 01:07:32,800 the last one. You're not using your faith just 978 01:07:32,800 --> 01:07:39,800 to gratify your own self or do, you know, build your little 979 01:07:39,800 --> 01:07:42,560 world. God has a vision for you. 980 01:07:43,360 --> 01:07:46,480 That's where you apply it. And I don't know, you know, this 981 01:07:46,480 --> 01:07:52,920 is a whole nother message, but I think you can certainly connect 982 01:07:52,920 --> 01:07:56,040 the dots. As you think about it, you begin 983 01:07:56,040 --> 01:08:01,120 imagining seeing yourself, your future probabilities defined by 984 01:08:01,120 --> 01:08:05,280 what God has called you to do. We're going to go look at some 985 01:08:05,440 --> 01:08:09,920 properties that, you know, I, Brad and, and Amy are, are 986 01:08:09,920 --> 01:08:11,960 interested in and I don't, you know, I don't. 987 01:08:14,440 --> 01:08:19,200 Here's here's the thing. In third world nations, you 988 01:08:19,200 --> 01:08:23,720 know, or in certain parts of the world, the power of the dollar 989 01:08:23,720 --> 01:08:26,640 is amazing and it can do a whole lot of different things. 990 01:08:27,640 --> 01:08:32,040 You know, you can build a nice 200 seat sanctuary for fifty 991 01:08:32,040 --> 01:08:37,080 $60,000 in many places in Latin America, less than that in 992 01:08:37,080 --> 01:08:40,800 Africa. We can build brick and metal 993 01:08:40,800 --> 01:08:44,479 roof churches in Africa for 35,000. 994 01:08:45,319 --> 01:08:48,520 So you can do a ton with a, you can do a lot with a dollar. 995 01:08:49,319 --> 01:08:54,800 Unfortunately, Ireland's exchange rate is is not the same 996 01:08:56,520 --> 01:09:03,240 to do what we could do for, you know, fifty $75,000 in another 997 01:09:04,000 --> 01:09:08,000 nation or less would probably take, you know, a million or two 998 01:09:08,000 --> 01:09:11,439 here, but it's God we're talking about. 999 01:09:12,520 --> 01:09:15,920 Couple $1,000,000 is just a drop in the Holy Ghost bucket. 1000 01:09:16,439 --> 01:09:18,840 You know, that is the truth of the matter. 1001 01:09:19,319 --> 01:09:24,720 It all depends on are we seeing our future probabilities the way 1002 01:09:24,720 --> 01:09:28,040 we should be seeing it. It's not just your pastor's 1003 01:09:28,040 --> 01:09:30,560 responsibility. This is your church. 1004 01:09:31,279 --> 01:09:36,560 Everybody that has felt called here and believe me, everyone 1005 01:09:36,560 --> 01:09:39,680 has a place where it pleases God to put them in the body of 1006 01:09:39,680 --> 01:09:42,240 Christ. Another message, but one of the 1007 01:09:42,800 --> 01:09:46,479 most significant truths about your success in the Kingdom is 1008 01:09:46,479 --> 01:09:52,080 going to be your being a participant where it pleases God 1009 01:09:52,080 --> 01:09:54,600 to put you. And you can know that very 1010 01:09:54,920 --> 01:09:57,800 certainly and very surely. And so part of your 1011 01:09:57,800 --> 01:10:02,280 responsibility, part of your supply to this body is joining 1012 01:10:02,280 --> 01:10:07,440 with them in their faith is they is they see future probabilities 1013 01:10:07,440 --> 01:10:10,400 that include a beautiful facility. 1014 01:10:10,400 --> 01:10:11,960 It doesn't matter how much it costs. 1015 01:10:12,880 --> 01:10:16,560 It's the Lord we're talking about and he'll bring it in one 1016 01:10:16,560 --> 01:10:18,920 way or the other. So I would encourage you all in 1017 01:10:18,920 --> 01:10:22,600 that regard. Again, Lynn and I are so blessed 1018 01:10:22,600 --> 01:10:30,560 to be associated with you in the future as well as presently, and 1019 01:10:30,560 --> 01:10:32,720 we look forward to being a part of the process. 1020 01:10:33,160 --> 01:10:36,800 I thank you for your patience with me because I have preached 1021 01:10:36,800 --> 01:10:40,720 in an hour and 15 minutes actually. 1022 01:10:41,920 --> 01:10:44,960 So I'm done here. Take it or I'm going to preach 1023 01:10:44,960 --> 01:10:45,480 longer.