1 00:00:00,560 --> 00:00:02,960 Welcome to the Illuminate Church podcast. 2 00:00:03,400 --> 00:00:05,560 We hope today's message is encouraging to you. 3 00:00:10,440 --> 00:00:12,640 All right. We are in week 10 of our series 4 00:00:12,640 --> 00:00:17,320 Weeds in My Garden, where we are discovering together the truth 5 00:00:17,320 --> 00:00:21,080 about mental health and applying the scriptures, the word of God 6 00:00:21,080 --> 00:00:23,480 to it so that we're not facing this alone. 7 00:00:23,480 --> 00:00:26,440 And we are facing it. Mental health crisis is a 8 00:00:26,440 --> 00:00:29,720 reality in our nation, across the globe for obvious reasons. 9 00:00:29,720 --> 00:00:32,720 We live in a broken system, a broken society led by broken 10 00:00:32,720 --> 00:00:35,800 people. And there's a lot of brokenness. 11 00:00:35,800 --> 00:00:37,480 And so we feel that it's affecting us. 12 00:00:37,480 --> 00:00:40,880 It changes our mentality and the way that we live, and we're 13 00:00:40,880 --> 00:00:43,000 addressing it head on in this series. 14 00:00:43,000 --> 00:00:46,520 Proverbs 99 says instruct the wise and they will be wiser 15 00:00:46,520 --> 00:00:48,440 still. Teach the righteous and then 16 00:00:48,440 --> 00:00:50,920 we'll add to the learning. So let's add to our learning. 17 00:00:50,920 --> 00:00:55,480 Today somebody say yes and Amen. Today what we're talking about 18 00:00:55,480 --> 00:00:57,400 is counseling. Everyone say counseling. 19 00:00:58,360 --> 00:01:01,200 For so long counseling has been hush, hush. 20 00:01:02,120 --> 00:01:05,040 If you're going to counseling, you don't tell anybody. 21 00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:08,520 And if you do tell people, you're like, I'm going to 22 00:01:08,520 --> 00:01:09,920 counseling. And if you're mad at somebody, 23 00:01:09,920 --> 00:01:13,600 you say you need to go to counseling, right? 24 00:01:13,600 --> 00:01:17,400 Anybody ever said that? Don't raise your hand, right? 25 00:01:18,200 --> 00:01:21,480 And often when we think about counseling, at least back in the 26 00:01:21,480 --> 00:01:24,400 day, since counseling is a pariah, we think of the people 27 00:01:24,400 --> 00:01:29,240 that go to counseling as like the broken ones, the weird ones, 28 00:01:29,960 --> 00:01:32,920 the messed up ones. I just say, if you need to go to 29 00:01:32,920 --> 00:01:35,280 the doctor because of a broken arm, what's wrong with going to 30 00:01:35,280 --> 00:01:36,800 the doctor because of a broken heart? 31 00:01:37,760 --> 00:01:39,120 Right. Amen. 32 00:01:39,760 --> 00:01:43,680 So I would say in the last 10 to 15 years, give or take, this is 33 00:01:43,680 --> 00:01:46,240 a general sense. These aren't statistics that 34 00:01:46,920 --> 00:01:51,080 more and more people are going to counseling and more and more 35 00:01:51,080 --> 00:01:52,520 people are open about counseling. 36 00:01:52,520 --> 00:01:54,720 In fact, it may be the same number of people going to 37 00:01:54,720 --> 00:01:57,880 counseling as before, but now people are more readily willing 38 00:01:57,880 --> 00:02:00,680 to talk about it. It's not a bad thing that you 39 00:02:00,680 --> 00:02:02,640 had to go to counseling. In fact, you looked at as wise. 40 00:02:02,640 --> 00:02:03,720 Wow. You had to strengthen the 41 00:02:03,720 --> 00:02:07,120 courage and the wisdom to go seek a counselor. 42 00:02:07,760 --> 00:02:13,200 Like, wow, look at you. So all that being said, I need 43 00:02:13,200 --> 00:02:16,680 to ask the question, which may seem contrary to what I've just 44 00:02:16,680 --> 00:02:21,400 said. Should I go to counseling? 45 00:02:22,640 --> 00:02:25,600 And you may be looking at me and saying, yes, Tim, you need. 46 00:02:27,640 --> 00:02:29,800 Yeah, but I'm not asking it about myself. 47 00:02:29,800 --> 00:02:32,520 I'm asking it about. You should you go to. 48 00:02:32,520 --> 00:02:35,560 Counseling, if even asking the question gives you shivers 49 00:02:35,560 --> 00:02:38,320 because you think, well, absolutely, it's biblical that 50 00:02:38,320 --> 00:02:40,920 we get counsel, so why would you even question it? 51 00:02:40,920 --> 00:02:43,680 Or if you're a licensed mental health counselor in the room and 52 00:02:43,680 --> 00:02:46,360 you're worried I'm going to dry up your bank account by 53 00:02:46,360 --> 00:02:49,520 answering this question, then I just say hang on, let's reserve 54 00:02:49,520 --> 00:02:52,680 judgment till the end, OK? OK. 55 00:02:53,520 --> 00:02:57,640 Yeah, most of the questions I ask are never rhetorical, just 56 00:02:57,640 --> 00:02:59,400 so you know, just so we have an agreement. 57 00:02:59,400 --> 00:03:02,600 Let's pray, Father, we're in your house to hear from you. 58 00:03:03,320 --> 00:03:06,280 This is a service about you, not about us. 59 00:03:07,040 --> 00:03:09,000 We don't have a man centered. Theology. 60 00:03:09,000 --> 00:03:11,320 We have a Jesus. Centered word, centered 61 00:03:11,680 --> 00:03:15,280 theology. So be prominent, Let every 62 00:03:15,280 --> 00:03:22,840 person's opinion die and let your truth live in Jesus name. 63 00:03:22,840 --> 00:03:24,400 Amen. Amen. 64 00:03:25,520 --> 00:03:28,080 So I talked at length with two licensed mental health 65 00:03:28,080 --> 00:03:32,040 counselors who are a part of our body and not just like kind of 66 00:03:32,040 --> 00:03:34,960 on the flies on the wall, hear some and not some. 67 00:03:34,960 --> 00:03:38,320 These are heavily involved people in our church, people of 68 00:03:38,320 --> 00:03:40,840 high respect, high regard. And I called them up and said, 69 00:03:40,840 --> 00:03:44,400 listen, I want to pick your brain about this question that 70 00:03:44,400 --> 00:03:47,880 we're trying to answer. Should I go to counseling? 71 00:03:47,880 --> 00:03:50,800 And I listened to both of them and the vibe I got from both of 72 00:03:50,800 --> 00:03:57,040 them in general, when we're thinking about typical Western 73 00:03:57,080 --> 00:04:01,080 American counseling, typical, which means there are 74 00:04:01,080 --> 00:04:05,720 exceptions, but typically most Western and American counseling 75 00:04:05,920 --> 00:04:09,840 helps people, provides people with coping mechanisms more than 76 00:04:09,840 --> 00:04:11,720 it provides people with actual healing. 77 00:04:12,800 --> 00:04:15,440 Typically. One of them said when your soul 78 00:04:15,440 --> 00:04:21,120 is wounded, counseling is like a tourniquet as opposed to the 79 00:04:21,120 --> 00:04:24,000 surgery. I'm going to help you because 80 00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:27,000 you're bleeding badly and we're going to deal with the bleeding, 81 00:04:27,960 --> 00:04:30,240 but I'm not going to do the surgery that fixes while you're 82 00:04:30,240 --> 00:04:33,240 bleeding. Another one said that it's like 83 00:04:33,240 --> 00:04:37,000 demon band aids, but not demon eviction and demon eradication. 84 00:04:38,120 --> 00:04:40,760 Whoa, let's say you have a problem with biting your nails. 85 00:04:40,760 --> 00:04:42,760 Traditional counseling would say something like this. 86 00:04:42,760 --> 00:04:46,040 Let's modify that behavior. Let's stop you biting your nails 87 00:04:46,040 --> 00:04:49,400 when what is actually necessary is answering the question, why 88 00:04:49,400 --> 00:04:52,600 are you biting your nails? Let's address the root of that. 89 00:04:53,440 --> 00:04:56,320 So the question I'm really asking today is not should I or 90 00:04:56,320 --> 00:05:00,120 should I not go to counseling? It is this does counseling 91 00:05:00,240 --> 00:05:02,160 traditional American Western counseling. 92 00:05:03,480 --> 00:05:07,680 Actually heal the root. Or does it not? 93 00:05:09,000 --> 00:05:13,400 Heal the root. And so we asked this question. 94 00:05:14,080 --> 00:05:18,240 The problem is found in Ephesians chapter 6, which don't 95 00:05:18,240 --> 00:05:19,560 turn there. If you want to turn somewhere in 96 00:05:19,560 --> 00:05:21,920 your Bible and get ready, it's Matthew chapter 12 is where you 97 00:05:21,920 --> 00:05:23,520 need to be. So open your Bibles to Matthew 98 00:05:23,520 --> 00:05:25,520 chapter 12. If you need a Bible, raise your 99 00:05:25,520 --> 00:05:27,920 hand and our ushers will get their workout for the morning 100 00:05:27,920 --> 00:05:31,000 and bring one to you. And you can keep that Bible. 101 00:05:31,000 --> 00:05:32,880 It's our gift to you. Glad you have one. 102 00:05:33,160 --> 00:05:34,920 We're coming. Keep those hands up. 103 00:05:35,200 --> 00:05:41,280 They're coming up in the the mezzanine if you need one. 104 00:05:42,160 --> 00:05:45,080 But if he's just chapter 6, Jesus is speaking through Paul 105 00:05:45,080 --> 00:05:48,120 because Jesus is the word. And Paul writes down these 106 00:05:48,120 --> 00:05:52,240 words, essentially expressing to us why we have any problem in 107 00:05:52,240 --> 00:05:54,960 the world. He says you do not wrestle right 108 00:05:54,960 --> 00:05:56,280 up here, Jim. We need two more. 109 00:05:56,280 --> 00:05:59,560 Way up here, ushers. That he's literally running, so 110 00:05:59,840 --> 00:06:03,200 he went to get more Bibles. Don't you love it when you run 111 00:06:03,200 --> 00:06:05,200 out of Well, I don't love it when you run out of Bibles. 112 00:06:05,200 --> 00:06:07,000 But when people anyways, you know what I'm saying? 113 00:06:07,400 --> 00:06:12,560 Maybe you don't because neither do I Here comes more Bibles 1 114 00:06:12,560 --> 00:06:15,040 here, one in the middle coming to you. 115 00:06:15,720 --> 00:06:20,160 I'm just going to wait because Bibles matter Talk amongst 116 00:06:20,160 --> 00:06:24,600 yourselves. One more in the middle. 117 00:06:25,480 --> 00:06:27,880 Oh, here it's coming. It's like somebody passed down 118 00:06:27,880 --> 00:06:33,720 the hot dog. All right, Ephesians chapter 6, 119 00:06:34,800 --> 00:06:38,600 a very important scripture that frames a lot of what we're 120 00:06:38,600 --> 00:06:41,480 experiencing in our life. Many of you heard it many times, 121 00:06:41,960 --> 00:06:43,440 but let's pretend that we've never heard it. 122 00:06:43,440 --> 00:06:46,280 And Jesus speaking through Paul says, listen, you're not 123 00:06:46,280 --> 00:06:49,720 wrestling, you're not warring against, you're not having 124 00:06:49,720 --> 00:06:56,160 problems with what's corporeal, the body, flesh and blood, what 125 00:06:56,160 --> 00:06:58,760 is seen. You're wrestling against 126 00:06:58,760 --> 00:07:01,000 something else. And then Paul listed for us, the 127 00:07:01,000 --> 00:07:05,520 raps, the rulers, the authorities, the powers, the 128 00:07:05,520 --> 00:07:09,520 spiritual forces of darkness, of wickedness. 129 00:07:10,360 --> 00:07:15,440 These are what we are warring against, and therefore this is 130 00:07:15,440 --> 00:07:19,240 the root of our mental health struggles. 131 00:07:19,960 --> 00:07:22,360 At its very root, you're not wrestling against what's seen, 132 00:07:22,360 --> 00:07:27,000 but that which is unseen. You follow me. 133 00:07:28,200 --> 00:07:30,920 What's demonic? Ephesians chapter 4 says it this 134 00:07:30,920 --> 00:07:32,400 way. Do not give the devil a 135 00:07:32,400 --> 00:07:37,920 foothold. So there is permission here. 136 00:07:38,920 --> 00:07:45,080 I can give the devil a foothold or I can say not so fast and not 137 00:07:45,080 --> 00:07:47,840 give him a foothold. Not give the demonic, the 138 00:07:47,840 --> 00:07:50,720 rulers, the authorities, the powers of spiritual forces, a 139 00:07:50,720 --> 00:07:52,880 place in my life. 2 words that are going to matter today. 140 00:07:52,880 --> 00:07:55,000 The first one is foothold. Everyone say foothold. 141 00:07:55,720 --> 00:07:58,600 This is one of those English words that lacks the actual 142 00:07:58,600 --> 00:08:00,600 meaning. It just sounds like a ledge. 143 00:08:00,600 --> 00:08:02,600 Like OK, I have a grass now in your life. 144 00:08:02,760 --> 00:08:07,880 But what it really means is opportunity or license authority 145 00:08:07,880 --> 00:08:15,760 if you will, over a territory. Opportunity, license authority 146 00:08:15,760 --> 00:08:18,960 over a territory. The Bible teaches us to guard 147 00:08:18,960 --> 00:08:22,400 our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus these territories and what 148 00:08:22,400 --> 00:08:26,960 we do as we got walk out to the front, instead of guarding our 149 00:08:26,960 --> 00:08:30,680 heart and mind, we take down the no trespassing sign, we unlock 150 00:08:30,680 --> 00:08:35,520 the door, we turn off the alarm and say demon rules, 151 00:08:35,520 --> 00:08:38,720 authorities, powers first forces, darkness come on in. 152 00:08:39,919 --> 00:08:42,760 Whether we do that intentionally or unintentionally. 153 00:08:43,240 --> 00:08:48,840 And a lot of times we don't even do it to ourselves if we're 154 00:08:48,840 --> 00:08:52,520 being honest candid, which is different than honesty. 155 00:08:54,440 --> 00:08:58,440 If we're being candid. Sometimes somebody else has 156 00:08:59,320 --> 00:09:06,000 trampled into our territory with words, with physical abuse, with 157 00:09:06,000 --> 00:09:11,040 threats, you name it. And as they enter, they tear 158 00:09:11,040 --> 00:09:15,840 down the no trespassing sign with them, and they give access 159 00:09:15,920 --> 00:09:20,480 by wounding you to the enemy. Because you know what a wound 160 00:09:20,480 --> 00:09:21,680 is. We have the skin, right? 161 00:09:21,680 --> 00:09:26,280 And then we get wounded, and now there's access to what's inside 162 00:09:26,280 --> 00:09:31,000 because of the wound on what is our barrier, our skin. 163 00:09:31,920 --> 00:09:34,960 And so it is with our hearts, our souls, our minds. 164 00:09:34,960 --> 00:09:38,960 There's a wound that happens either by our own sin, by the 165 00:09:38,960 --> 00:09:42,440 sin of somebody else, a trauma, or just by the happenstance of 166 00:09:42,440 --> 00:09:43,960 the world. You're driving an I4 and 167 00:09:43,960 --> 00:09:47,040 suddenly you feel wounded and you want to use the Lord's name 168 00:09:47,040 --> 00:09:49,480 in vain. And the demons are like, let's 169 00:09:49,480 --> 00:09:53,480 get them right. This is how mental health 170 00:09:53,480 --> 00:09:58,000 happens. It can happen from an event you 171 00:09:58,000 --> 00:10:02,840 do somebody else's doing the world, and then there's a wound 172 00:10:02,840 --> 00:10:05,440 and opening a foothold and opportunity. 173 00:10:06,080 --> 00:10:10,280 And the enemy says, here I am, I'm coming in. 174 00:10:11,880 --> 00:10:15,600 And then our bodies start responding to these traumas, 175 00:10:16,320 --> 00:10:19,960 these triggers until your brain, if you were here last week, Dr. 176 00:10:19,960 --> 00:10:25,680 W Beavis, neurologically, we can rewire our brains for good, but 177 00:10:25,680 --> 00:10:29,560 in mental health crisis for bad, and it becomes this new pathway 178 00:10:29,560 --> 00:10:33,280 that's cut into our mind. And then our body reacts to 179 00:10:33,280 --> 00:10:34,880 that. So our hormones are like, we got 180 00:10:34,880 --> 00:10:36,520 to do what we got to do to protect the body. 181 00:10:36,520 --> 00:10:38,520 Here comes some cortisol, here comes some adrenaline. 182 00:10:38,600 --> 00:10:40,000 All these things start mixing together. 183 00:10:40,000 --> 00:10:42,800 Here goes the suppression of dopamine and serotonin, which 184 00:10:42,800 --> 00:10:44,600 bring peace to the body. All these things start 185 00:10:44,600 --> 00:10:47,480 happening. So frequently. 186 00:10:48,080 --> 00:10:53,400 That this becomes our new normal and we, including myself, say 187 00:10:53,400 --> 00:10:59,400 things like this is just the way it is, this is just who I am. 188 00:11:00,640 --> 00:11:05,480 I'm stuck and I can't go back. That's the lie of the enemy. 189 00:11:07,480 --> 00:11:09,040 That's the lie of the enemy. There you go. 190 00:11:09,120 --> 00:11:14,160 That one was free. Now listen to where we're 191 00:11:14,160 --> 00:11:15,920 heading today. Might be obvious by what I say, 192 00:11:15,920 --> 00:11:19,280 but the general sense I got from both of the counselors I talked 193 00:11:19,280 --> 00:11:22,480 to is that undoing the work of the enemy can only be done by 194 00:11:22,480 --> 00:11:32,480 the work of the enemy defeater. So am I saying to stop going to 195 00:11:32,480 --> 00:11:40,850 counseling? Is not counseling the healing 196 00:11:40,850 --> 00:11:43,810 that we're looking for? Yes or no? 197 00:11:43,810 --> 00:11:48,840 What's the answer, Ingram? I would say the answer to the 198 00:11:48,840 --> 00:11:51,320 question of whether or not you should go to counseling is not 199 00:11:51,320 --> 00:11:54,320 yes or no. I would say the answer to the 200 00:11:54,320 --> 00:11:59,280 question should I go to counseling is it depends. 201 00:12:00,160 --> 00:12:02,080 Look at your neighbor, Say it depends. 202 00:12:02,880 --> 00:12:07,600 Now say on what? I'm glad you asked Matthew 203 00:12:07,600 --> 00:12:10,400 chapter 12, Jesus speaking his own words. 204 00:12:10,400 --> 00:12:12,800 He gives us the answer in verse 43. 205 00:12:12,800 --> 00:12:17,200 He paints a word picture that is so wonderful, so clear, so easy 206 00:12:17,200 --> 00:12:20,560 to understand that we don't need a seminary degree to figure out 207 00:12:20,560 --> 00:12:23,920 what Jesus is saying here. When an impure demonic rules, 208 00:12:23,920 --> 00:12:27,000 authorities, powers, spiritual forces, When an impure spirit 209 00:12:27,000 --> 00:12:30,680 comes out of a person, it goes looking for a vacation. 210 00:12:31,360 --> 00:12:35,640 It goes through every places seeking rest, but it does not 211 00:12:35,640 --> 00:12:38,680 find it. Then it says I'll return to the 212 00:12:38,680 --> 00:12:43,440 house that I left, and when it arrives it finds a house 213 00:12:43,600 --> 00:12:47,880 unoccupied. Everyone say empty, swept clean 214 00:12:48,280 --> 00:12:53,760 and put an order, but empty. Then it goes this demon and 215 00:12:53,760 --> 00:12:59,320 takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself. 216 00:12:59,320 --> 00:13:04,360 You thought I was bad. Here comes my friends, and they 217 00:13:04,360 --> 00:13:07,640 go in and they live there in that house, and the final 218 00:13:07,640 --> 00:13:10,160 condition of that person is worse than the first condition. 219 00:13:11,040 --> 00:13:13,480 This is how it will be. And when you hear Jesus? 220 00:13:13,480 --> 00:13:16,560 Say Will. Be it is a promise, This is how 221 00:13:16,560 --> 00:13:18,280 it will be with this wicked generation. 222 00:13:19,200 --> 00:13:24,320 This is how it is in our generation, in pure spirits, in 223 00:13:24,320 --> 00:13:26,280 us. This is mental health crisis. 224 00:13:26,560 --> 00:13:30,760 This is the wound opened, the opportunity, the license, the 225 00:13:30,760 --> 00:13:34,280 authority to take over territory, giving the devil a 226 00:13:34,280 --> 00:13:37,120 foothold. This is happening, Jesus says, 227 00:13:37,120 --> 00:13:41,120 and he speaks of it matter of factly, like it's not 228 00:13:41,120 --> 00:13:45,480 superstition, it's not a myth. It's almost like this demonic 229 00:13:45,480 --> 00:13:47,560 activity is a no brainer to Jesus. 230 00:13:47,560 --> 00:13:49,640 It's very clear. Here's the devil, He's found a 231 00:13:49,640 --> 00:13:52,960 host who's given opportunity, whether by their own hand or by 232 00:13:52,960 --> 00:13:56,360 the hand of somebody else, and now he's set up camp. 233 00:13:57,800 --> 00:14:01,040 Jesus is saying like this happens all the time, which 234 00:14:01,040 --> 00:14:03,040 should bring you a little bit of comfort and hope, meaning you're 235 00:14:03,040 --> 00:14:07,040 not alone. There is something happening. 236 00:14:07,040 --> 00:14:10,800 And now I have some hope because I understand biblically what is 237 00:14:10,800 --> 00:14:14,160 happening. And there must also be some 238 00:14:14,160 --> 00:14:19,640 biblical recompense, a remedy, some sort of help the demon. 239 00:14:20,200 --> 00:14:21,680 He goes and takes his little vacation. 240 00:14:22,400 --> 00:14:25,640 Then he's like, I'm going home. I'm going to return to the house 241 00:14:25,640 --> 00:14:28,520 where I was. Charles Spurgeon says it this 242 00:14:28,520 --> 00:14:31,640 way. The foul fiend, this demon calls 243 00:14:31,640 --> 00:14:36,720 the man my house. And he goes on to say the demons 244 00:14:36,720 --> 00:14:40,680 audacity is amazing. He did not build that house. 245 00:14:40,960 --> 00:14:44,200 He did not buy that house. He has no right. 246 00:14:44,400 --> 00:14:48,080 To that house. And yet here he is. 247 00:14:51,040 --> 00:14:55,280 Yet here he is. Jesus, if you look up in verse 248 00:14:55,280 --> 00:15:01,280 38, it's important to note the people he's addressing, who's 249 00:15:01,280 --> 00:15:02,960 the audience? That always matters when you're 250 00:15:02,960 --> 00:15:05,160 reading, right? Who, who's being spoken to? 251 00:15:05,360 --> 00:15:08,160 In this case, it says the Pharisees and the teachers of 252 00:15:08,160 --> 00:15:11,520 the law, meaning the religious elite, those in charge, those 253 00:15:11,520 --> 00:15:13,920 who have should have it all right? 254 00:15:14,440 --> 00:15:17,280 And Jesus is looking at them and saying, OK, you have your 255 00:15:17,280 --> 00:15:21,600 temple, your house, and it is in order. 256 00:15:23,280 --> 00:15:24,760 Everything's working like it should. 257 00:15:25,440 --> 00:15:27,880 People are exchanging money, buying their animals, and people 258 00:15:27,880 --> 00:15:30,600 bring the animals to the altar, sacrifice the priests, the 259 00:15:30,600 --> 00:15:33,240 Levites sacrifice the animals. They put the blood where the 260 00:15:33,240 --> 00:15:34,760 blood supposed to be. They're taking care of the 261 00:15:34,760 --> 00:15:36,440 Candelabra, keeping the lights lit. 262 00:15:36,520 --> 00:15:39,880 They're keeping the the bread, the showbread inside the holy 263 00:15:39,880 --> 00:15:42,640 place, and they got the oil of anointing and the incense is 264 00:15:42,640 --> 00:15:44,800 burning up to the Lord. And then there's the Ark of the 265 00:15:44,800 --> 00:15:46,840 Covenant behind that. They're taking care of all of 266 00:15:46,840 --> 00:15:48,080 it. It's beautiful. 267 00:15:48,600 --> 00:15:51,560 It's in order. It's swept clean, and Jesus says 268 00:15:53,080 --> 00:15:59,040 it's unoccupied because they are rejecting the Messiah. 269 00:15:59,040 --> 00:16:01,000 That's what's happening here. They're like, give us a sign 270 00:16:01,360 --> 00:16:03,840 that you're the Messiah. Shall it prove it to? 271 00:16:03,880 --> 00:16:09,960 Us, and this is what Jesus is saying, an unoccupied house and 272 00:16:09,960 --> 00:16:13,120 the enemy has come to live here, and now he's throwing a party 273 00:16:13,120 --> 00:16:15,600 here. A demon can only inhabit someone 274 00:16:15,600 --> 00:16:20,040 if he finds it empty, that is, without the indwelling. 275 00:16:20,720 --> 00:16:23,000 Of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit. 276 00:16:23,760 --> 00:16:30,200 If the house, if the person, if the host is put in order and 277 00:16:30,200 --> 00:16:37,640 swept clean, the demon doesn't care if it's unoccupied. 278 00:16:39,000 --> 00:16:41,000 I said a lot of if, then let me clean that up. 279 00:16:41,760 --> 00:16:47,120 If you go to counseling and they help clean something up, which 280 00:16:47,120 --> 00:16:48,800 often is what happened. And listen, I'll say it this 281 00:16:48,800 --> 00:16:52,000 way. I got a degree in counseling 282 00:16:52,000 --> 00:16:53,360 from the university. Of Florida. 283 00:16:54,240 --> 00:16:56,760 Which is now, according to the Wall Street Journal, if you 284 00:16:57,680 --> 00:16:59,720 never mind whatever you think about the Wall Street Journal, 285 00:17:01,720 --> 00:17:03,520 they say the University of Florida is the number one 286 00:17:03,520 --> 00:17:05,680 university, public or private in the entire nation. 287 00:17:06,680 --> 00:17:09,920 And I'm only saying that to say there should be some credibility 288 00:17:09,920 --> 00:17:12,000 then to a degree from that institution. 289 00:17:12,880 --> 00:17:18,319 And I have this degree and I've been to counseling, right? 290 00:17:18,960 --> 00:17:22,400 And I've researched with a couple of counselors over and 291 00:17:22,400 --> 00:17:27,839 over in to prepare for today, and we get to this conclusion 292 00:17:29,360 --> 00:17:32,880 that what counseling does is clean the house and put it in 293 00:17:32,880 --> 00:17:36,920 order, but it leaves it devastatingly, dangerously 294 00:17:37,120 --> 00:17:42,320 empty. One of the people I spoke to, 295 00:17:42,320 --> 00:17:45,960 the counselor said counseling can be like healing somebody 296 00:17:45,960 --> 00:17:48,920 with a cold but leaving their immune system a wreck. 297 00:17:50,800 --> 00:17:55,400 So we've taken care of this problem, usually with coping 298 00:17:55,400 --> 00:17:59,840 mechanisms, but we haven't healed and given you strength 299 00:17:59,840 --> 00:18:03,000 and stability. So you probably are going to 300 00:18:03,000 --> 00:18:05,160 fall again. And the next time you fall 301 00:18:05,160 --> 00:18:08,760 you'll feel worse than the first because now you've tried to fix 302 00:18:08,760 --> 00:18:13,520 it and it didn't fix. So now not only do I have a 303 00:18:13,520 --> 00:18:16,440 problem, I have the second problem of an unfixable problem, 304 00:18:18,400 --> 00:18:19,480 You picking up what I'm putting down. 305 00:18:23,360 --> 00:18:27,880 Without the Holy Spirit, we end up with seven demons worse than 306 00:18:27,880 --> 00:18:29,640 the first. So we need a new view on 307 00:18:29,640 --> 00:18:31,840 counseling that involves. Greatly the work of the Holy 308 00:18:31,840 --> 00:18:32,880 Spirit. Turns me a few. 309 00:18:32,880 --> 00:18:36,840 Books over to the book. Of John and chapter 14, John 310 00:18:36,840 --> 00:18:39,720 chapter 14, Jesus again speaking. 311 00:18:40,240 --> 00:18:45,000 He's speaking to his disciples, people who believe in him, and 312 00:18:45,000 --> 00:18:48,960 he says, if you love me, keep my commands and I will ask the 313 00:18:48,960 --> 00:18:51,880 Father, and the Father will give you another advocate. 314 00:18:51,960 --> 00:18:55,560 Jesus is the first advocate, and there's another advocate coming 315 00:18:55,560 --> 00:18:58,400 to help you and to be with you forever. 316 00:18:58,440 --> 00:19:01,760 Jesus is going to leave so that the Holy Spirit can come and be 317 00:19:01,760 --> 00:19:05,000 with the people forever. Verse 17 the Spirit of truth, 318 00:19:05,800 --> 00:19:09,240 the world cannot accept him because it neither sees him nor 319 00:19:09,240 --> 00:19:11,920 knows him. But you know him for he lives 320 00:19:11,920 --> 00:19:15,840 with you and note will be and when you see will be in Jesus 321 00:19:15,840 --> 00:19:18,560 says that it means it's a promise. 322 00:19:18,560 --> 00:19:23,160 Some of you are listening. It's a promise he will be in 323 00:19:23,160 --> 00:19:29,600 you, this advocate. Praise be to God. 324 00:19:30,480 --> 00:19:34,160 This word is the second word. We talked about foothold and now 325 00:19:34,160 --> 00:19:35,440 here's. This word advocate, which has. 326 00:19:35,440 --> 00:19:38,240 So much more meaning than just this word. 327 00:19:38,240 --> 00:19:40,440 The Greek word underneath this is paraclesos. 328 00:19:40,680 --> 00:19:42,520 We use the word or we don't use the word. 329 00:19:42,520 --> 00:19:43,880 It's English, but nobody uses it. 330 00:19:43,880 --> 00:19:46,080 It's Paraclete. When's the last time you're in 331 00:19:46,080 --> 00:19:48,280 conversation and threw out the word paraclete? 332 00:19:49,280 --> 00:19:51,080 I was talking to my Paraclete the other day. 333 00:19:52,200 --> 00:19:55,440 Yeah. Para means from close beside, 334 00:19:55,640 --> 00:20:01,640 and kaleo means able to make the call properly. 335 00:20:01,640 --> 00:20:05,840 Then it's an advocate. Who makes the right judgment 336 00:20:05,840 --> 00:20:09,480 speaks the right wisdom, because they are close enough to you and 337 00:20:09,480 --> 00:20:11,360 to the situation to understand it. 338 00:20:12,440 --> 00:20:15,400 This advocate, I want you to see the amplified version. 339 00:20:15,920 --> 00:20:18,000 And if you never read the amplified version of the Bible, 340 00:20:18,000 --> 00:20:20,760 it's basically reading the Bible with a thesaurus. 341 00:20:21,240 --> 00:20:23,640 So you get a lot of synonyms to a word. 342 00:20:23,640 --> 00:20:25,960 And we need synonyms for the word advocate. 343 00:20:26,160 --> 00:20:27,680 And the Amplified Bible gives it to us. 344 00:20:27,680 --> 00:20:30,200 John 1416. And I will ask the Father, and 345 00:20:30,200 --> 00:20:34,080 He will give you another helper, comforter, advocate, 346 00:20:34,440 --> 00:20:37,480 intercessor, counselor, strengthener. 347 00:20:37,840 --> 00:20:41,880 He will give you a standby. To be with you forever, the 348 00:20:41,880 --> 00:20:47,080 Paraclete Para close beside let's. 349 00:20:47,080 --> 00:20:49,920 Consider this for a moment. Because it's going to help. 350 00:20:49,920 --> 00:20:52,480 You in your mental health struggles, what it means when it 351 00:20:52,480 --> 00:20:54,280 says close? Beside Jesus says he. 352 00:20:54,280 --> 00:20:57,040 Lives with you and will be in you. 353 00:20:57,040 --> 00:21:02,800 He's prophesying, promising the Spirit, and if you go on to read 354 00:21:02,800 --> 00:21:06,600 the Bible a few weeks later. Jesus dies, buries resurrected 355 00:21:06,600 --> 00:21:09,040 he. Ascends into heaven, and then 356 00:21:09,040 --> 00:21:12,040 the disciples are gathered together in this one room in the 357 00:21:12,040 --> 00:21:15,840 upper room, and on Pentecost, this holy day in the Jewish 358 00:21:15,840 --> 00:21:18,280 tradition. The Spirit of God is. 359 00:21:18,280 --> 00:21:21,840 Poured out of the church, and the Spirit comes down and dances 360 00:21:21,840 --> 00:21:26,840 like flames on it, and dwells. The believers to be with. 361 00:21:26,840 --> 00:21:29,880 Them. Forever in them. 362 00:21:32,000 --> 00:21:38,200 That close. Fall of 2024, Christine and I 363 00:21:38,200 --> 00:21:43,040 and Owen drove Audrey up to Liberty University. 364 00:21:45,920 --> 00:21:52,280 Yep, I got there and was angry. I was mad at Liberty for 365 00:21:52,280 --> 00:21:55,400 stealing my daughter. That's how I felt. 366 00:21:55,560 --> 00:21:58,520 I'm like, I don't like you. I don't care how pretty you are 367 00:21:58,520 --> 00:22:01,200 and your dining hall is the number one dining hall in. 368 00:22:01,200 --> 00:22:05,240 The nation it's they have. Banners in their dining hall, 369 00:22:06,040 --> 00:22:07,640 like like basketball championships. 370 00:22:07,720 --> 00:22:10,280 Their dining hall has a banner number one dining hall in 371 00:22:10,280 --> 00:22:13,720 America, anyway. In the morning. 372 00:22:13,720 --> 00:22:15,160 It was a Wednesday. Owen. 373 00:22:16,200 --> 00:22:18,080 He had driven up to help set up at Gordon. 374 00:22:18,360 --> 00:22:20,440 He I'm sorry. Not a Gordon at liberty. 375 00:22:20,760 --> 00:22:24,520 He drove the rest the way up to Boston to finish his last year 376 00:22:24,680 --> 00:22:26,560 there. So he leaves in the morning. 377 00:22:26,560 --> 00:22:31,080 We're standing in a parking lot and I can't speak when my kids 378 00:22:31,080 --> 00:22:33,160 leave. I I'm weird. 379 00:22:33,880 --> 00:22:36,520 I get for Klimt. I have sunglasses on. 380 00:22:36,640 --> 00:22:38,480 My tears are going. I'm just walking around like 381 00:22:38,480 --> 00:22:41,120 don't talk to me, right? I literally can't speak. 382 00:22:41,400 --> 00:22:44,440 So I'm dealing with the pain of him leaving in the morning and I 383 00:22:44,440 --> 00:22:47,120 know that afternoon I'm getting on a plane and leave my daughter 384 00:22:47,120 --> 00:22:50,720 way up here in Virginia. And I'm like, I can't handle 385 00:22:50,720 --> 00:22:52,840 this. So we're walking around the 386 00:22:52,840 --> 00:22:56,040 campus, went to the bookstore and across the street from the 387 00:22:56,040 --> 00:22:57,160 bookstore. Up in a little hill there. 388 00:22:57,160 --> 00:23:00,080 Is like the I don't know if it's the original Chapel of Liberty, 389 00:23:00,080 --> 00:23:04,080 but it's this old white church classic. 390 00:23:05,000 --> 00:23:07,960 I'm like, let's go in there. So we. 391 00:23:07,960 --> 00:23:10,200 Go in there together and we traipsing in and we just look 392 00:23:10,200 --> 00:23:13,200 around and like look at all this and I noticed that the windows 393 00:23:13,200 --> 00:23:17,600 are all flowers, stained glass. Windows like there's the Lily, 394 00:23:18,720 --> 00:23:21,160 there's the Tulip. I don't can't remember what they 395 00:23:21,160 --> 00:23:23,520 were, but over here in the front left corner right into the 396 00:23:23,520 --> 00:23:25,520 altar. Are roses. 397 00:23:26,480 --> 00:23:29,040 And Audrey's middle name. Is Rose. 398 00:23:30,280 --> 00:23:36,280 I'm like. So we gather together up near 399 00:23:36,280 --> 00:23:38,440 this stained glass window. We all put our hands on. 400 00:23:38,440 --> 00:23:41,280 Like the thing, Whatever. We put our hands on the window 401 00:23:42,040 --> 00:23:46,160 and we prayed and the tears flowed and like this is. 402 00:23:46,240 --> 00:23:49,600 Where you're going to be and we bless you and care for her. 403 00:23:49,600 --> 00:23:54,360 And I'm just crying and whatever, judge me later and I 404 00:23:54,360 --> 00:23:56,280 said. This to her. 405 00:23:57,000 --> 00:24:00,600 I said Audrey. Anytime you feel sad, lost, or 406 00:24:00,600 --> 00:24:04,720 lonely. Anytime it feels scary. 407 00:24:05,960 --> 00:24:11,000 Come stand right here in front of this window and remember Mom 408 00:24:11,000 --> 00:24:13,360 and Dad, we had our hands. Right here. 409 00:24:14,320 --> 00:24:16,080 And you can come and be like. Right. 410 00:24:16,080 --> 00:24:20,800 Here and put your hand. Here again and I thought to 411 00:24:20,800 --> 00:24:28,920 myself, I'm a smart dad. Until yesterday. 412 00:24:32,000 --> 00:24:35,120 I was at a ceremony with one of our elders who's battling cancer 413 00:24:36,240 --> 00:24:41,720 and he was blessing his children in case he's not healed. 414 00:24:42,160 --> 00:24:44,160 Of his body he's healed spiritually, he's. 415 00:24:44,280 --> 00:24:45,400 On fire. For the Lord His. 416 00:24:45,400 --> 00:24:48,040 Spirit is so strong. And so he had a blessing 417 00:24:48,040 --> 00:24:51,440 ceremony with his kids, and he laid his hands on his kids as 418 00:24:51,440 --> 00:24:54,200 he's blessing them. And I thought to myself the same 419 00:24:54,200 --> 00:24:58,120 thought I had with Audrey, like, hey, Austin and Adeline, you can 420 00:24:58,120 --> 00:25:00,600 always remember that your dad's hand was right. 421 00:25:00,600 --> 00:25:03,840 Here blessing you. And your dad's hand was right. 422 00:25:03,840 --> 00:25:06,240 Here blessing you. Remember that? 423 00:25:06,240 --> 00:25:07,680 And then I thought back to Audrey. 424 00:25:08,160 --> 00:25:09,160 And I thought. What a silly. 425 00:25:09,160 --> 00:25:13,280 Thing to tell her she has to come to this window and touch 426 00:25:13,280 --> 00:25:18,720 where our hands have touched because I've held her hand I've 427 00:25:18,720 --> 00:25:21,600 placed my hand on. Her head, I've placed my hand on 428 00:25:21,600 --> 00:25:23,880 her tummy when she was not well and we prayed for her. 429 00:25:24,760 --> 00:25:30,960 Like all she has to do is look at her hands and daddy's with 430 00:25:30,960 --> 00:25:33,960 her. And I'm having this revelation 431 00:25:33,960 --> 00:25:35,800 yesterday, watching this blessing ceremony. 432 00:25:35,960 --> 00:25:38,240 And then I'm like. Y'all, I'm a little slow you 433 00:25:38,240 --> 00:25:39,520 probably. Picked it up long ago. 434 00:25:39,520 --> 00:25:42,520 I'm like. This is exactly the Holy Spirit. 435 00:25:44,800 --> 00:25:49,280 I don't have to go. Anywhere to be with him because 436 00:25:49,280 --> 00:25:52,680 he is already with me. Daddy's with me. 437 00:25:53,280 --> 00:25:55,920 I just have to look at my. I don't know where to look 438 00:25:57,000 --> 00:25:59,320 inside. He's here. 439 00:25:59,320 --> 00:26:03,880 He's the Paraclete close beside the Bible says he's. 440 00:26:03,880 --> 00:26:10,040 Closer than your own breath. I don't know if you're bored or 441 00:26:10,040 --> 00:26:11,320 emotional. I can't tell. 442 00:26:14,920 --> 00:26:18,240 Not only is that and by the way, when he indwells you, when he 443 00:26:18,240 --> 00:26:19,120 fills. You up. 444 00:26:19,400 --> 00:26:20,960 This is the message to the enemy. 445 00:26:22,240 --> 00:26:23,280 The enemy's a. Taker. 446 00:26:23,280 --> 00:26:27,080 He'll go wherever there's opportunity and when the Holy 447 00:26:27,080 --> 00:26:29,600 Spirit fills you the sign. Goes up. 448 00:26:30,040 --> 00:26:34,560 Occupied. No vacancy, No trespassing. 449 00:26:35,240 --> 00:26:37,160 Because I'm indwelled with the Spirit of God. 450 00:26:37,160 --> 00:26:44,960 Amen. Not only is he close beside, but 451 00:26:44,960 --> 00:26:47,240 he's also this kaleo, the one who makes the call. 452 00:26:47,240 --> 00:26:49,160 In the church, we call it an intercessor. 453 00:26:51,120 --> 00:26:52,640 An intercessor is one who makes an. 454 00:26:52,640 --> 00:26:56,800 Entreaty a plea on behalf of another. 455 00:26:57,880 --> 00:26:59,640 I want to show. You 2 pieces of scripture. 456 00:26:59,800 --> 00:27:01,520 That put this together. They're right in the same 457 00:27:01,520 --> 00:27:03,640 chapter, Romans chapter 8. Don't turn there because I'm 458 00:27:03,640 --> 00:27:06,440 going quick, but it says verse 23. 459 00:27:06,440 --> 00:27:09,240 Not only so, but we ourselves, the church. 460 00:27:09,240 --> 00:27:12,640 This means you and I included to this day, we ourselves who have 461 00:27:12,640 --> 00:27:17,240 the first fruits of the spirit groan inwardly as we wait 462 00:27:17,240 --> 00:27:20,680 eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our 463 00:27:20,680 --> 00:27:22,640 bodies. In these bodies we're going to 464 00:27:22,640 --> 00:27:26,800 have pains, mental health, physical health, relationship 465 00:27:26,800 --> 00:27:29,400 stuff going on and it causes us to groan. 466 00:27:29,800 --> 00:27:31,680 We have pain. Anyone ever groaned in this 467 00:27:31,680 --> 00:27:33,440 world like you know what I'm talking about. 468 00:27:34,640 --> 00:27:38,640 Yep, go down to verse 26. In the same way the Spirit helps 469 00:27:38,640 --> 00:27:41,760 us in our weakness. Somebody say glory. 470 00:27:43,360 --> 00:27:45,560 We do not know what we ought to pray for. 471 00:27:46,320 --> 00:27:47,400 I don't know if you've ever been there. 472 00:27:47,400 --> 00:27:48,880 God, I don't know what to pray anymore. 473 00:27:50,560 --> 00:27:53,880 I'm all out of prayers. I don't know what to ask for. 474 00:27:53,880 --> 00:27:55,960 I feel so stuck, so lost, so broken. 475 00:27:56,600 --> 00:27:59,360 I don't have words. When we don't know what to pray 476 00:27:59,360 --> 00:28:04,440 for, it says the Spirit himself intercedes for us. 477 00:28:04,440 --> 00:28:08,200 How? Through wordless groans. 478 00:28:10,880 --> 00:28:13,240 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, 479 00:28:13,240 --> 00:28:15,360 because the Spirit intercedes. For God's people. 480 00:28:15,560 --> 00:28:18,400 In accordance with the will of God, meaning that God knows our 481 00:28:18,400 --> 00:28:20,680 hearts better than we know our hearts. 482 00:28:20,800 --> 00:28:26,200 So watch this when we groan over the pain of the world and we're 483 00:28:26,200 --> 00:28:33,960 like the Spirit hears our groans, knows what that means, 484 00:28:34,080 --> 00:28:36,800 and then intercedes to the Father with his own groans. 485 00:28:36,800 --> 00:28:37,720 I don't know what they sound like. 486 00:28:37,720 --> 00:28:39,840 It may be speaking in tongues, it may be our prayer language, 487 00:28:40,080 --> 00:28:45,200 may be prophetic, and maybe, I don't know, you're groaning. 488 00:28:45,680 --> 00:28:49,040 I need a vacation and the Spears of. 489 00:28:49,040 --> 00:28:52,680 God, give him your abiding spirit. 490 00:28:53,480 --> 00:28:56,000 Right. Or I need a doughnut, which is 491 00:28:56,000 --> 00:28:57,720 really code for. I want escapism. 492 00:28:57,720 --> 00:28:59,080 I need something to make me feel better. 493 00:28:59,080 --> 00:29:00,840 So fill in the blank. It could be doughnut for one 494 00:29:00,840 --> 00:29:13,200 person. It could be tequila, meth, porn, 495 00:29:14,480 --> 00:29:19,960 groan, the spirit of God's like, let me intercede and give you 496 00:29:19,960 --> 00:29:23,000 what you really need. God, can we give them what 497 00:29:23,000 --> 00:29:28,040 satisfies groaning and groaning, They go together. 498 00:29:28,040 --> 00:29:31,920 He intercedes because he's close enough to you to make the right 499 00:29:31,920 --> 00:29:35,160 call. I know what you need and he 500 00:29:35,160 --> 00:29:38,840 calls on heaven for it. And then when you take these two 501 00:29:38,840 --> 00:29:41,800 together, the Paraclete, he's close beside and he's making the 502 00:29:41,800 --> 00:29:44,640 call. It helps us understand why his 503 00:29:44,640 --> 00:29:49,800 name is also then comforter. If there's one who is close to 504 00:29:49,800 --> 00:29:53,080 you all the time and makes the right call, interceding for you 505 00:29:53,080 --> 00:29:54,800 all the time, doesn't that bring you comfort? 506 00:29:55,800 --> 00:29:58,120 This is not rhetorical. If there's one that is close to 507 00:29:58,120 --> 00:30:03,240 you all the time, never leaving your side, and he's able to make 508 00:30:03,240 --> 00:30:08,640 the right call, interceding for you to to God himself, does that 509 00:30:08,640 --> 00:30:13,800 not bring you comfort? Yes, yes, and yes. 510 00:30:14,840 --> 00:30:17,400 One of the counselors I talked to told me his own personal 511 00:30:17,400 --> 00:30:19,640 story. This is a man in our church. 512 00:30:19,640 --> 00:30:21,400 He's got kids of his own now. He's grown. 513 00:30:22,000 --> 00:30:26,640 But I want you to try to imagine him as 7, just a little boy, 514 00:30:29,040 --> 00:30:35,600 kind of defenseless, innocent, wonderfully, rambunctiously 515 00:30:35,720 --> 00:30:40,520 pure. And he said in my home, my dad 516 00:30:40,520 --> 00:30:46,120 was terrifying. I had the kind of dad you wanted 517 00:30:46,120 --> 00:30:52,400 to escape. From and so he would his escape 518 00:30:52,400 --> 00:30:54,360 look like this? And maybe it sounds familiar to 519 00:30:54,360 --> 00:30:57,200 you, but I know this man. I'm picturing him as a little 520 00:30:57,200 --> 00:31:02,240 boy. Just as fragile little kid his 521 00:31:02,240 --> 00:31:03,760 escape. Was to run into his room. 522 00:31:05,400 --> 00:31:10,200 Close the door. And then climb under his. 523 00:31:10,200 --> 00:31:17,920 Bed and hide there shaking. Terrified Dad's going to come 524 00:31:17,920 --> 00:31:28,130 in, say something, do something. And so he's hiding and he said 525 00:31:28,130 --> 00:31:30,330 the most amazing thing would happen to me repeatedly. 526 00:31:31,440 --> 00:31:37,240 With no one else. Under the bed, someone would hug 527 00:31:37,240 --> 00:31:44,280 me. Warm, peaceful, assuring, 528 00:31:45,440 --> 00:31:48,360 comforting, and. He said. 529 00:31:48,360 --> 00:31:51,200 I didn't realize till I got. Older and found Jesus. 530 00:31:51,880 --> 00:31:56,280 That my hugger. Was the Holy Spirit that whole 531 00:31:56,280 --> 00:32:00,080 time Grasp me? Pulling me in. 532 00:32:01,200 --> 00:32:03,600 Making me feel safe. Even though I wasn't. 533 00:32:05,200 --> 00:32:07,520 Because of my. Father, I'm wondering today who 534 00:32:07,920 --> 00:32:13,360 in here and who online is hiding under the bed. 535 00:32:15,080 --> 00:32:17,600 And you need a hug from the Holy Spirit. 536 00:32:20,480 --> 00:32:22,040 The message in a nutshell is this. 537 00:32:22,040 --> 00:32:25,720 When you face mental trials, whether it's a tough situation 538 00:32:25,720 --> 00:32:29,640 or an ongoing mental health struggle, this is the counsel 539 00:32:29,640 --> 00:32:32,680 from the Word of God. Start with the Holy Spirit. 540 00:32:33,360 --> 00:32:38,640 And then go from there. We often, and I have done this 541 00:32:38,640 --> 00:32:42,160 myself, start with the, go from there and then eventually. 542 00:32:42,160 --> 00:32:43,640 Hopefully get to the Holy Spirit. 543 00:32:44,920 --> 00:32:48,480 But why not just start with the indwelling? 544 00:32:48,520 --> 00:32:50,000 Of the Holy Spirit. And the. 545 00:32:50,000 --> 00:32:52,520 Power of the Holy Spirit. And the peace of the Holy 546 00:32:52,520 --> 00:32:55,240 Spirit, listen to me. You may also need a physical 547 00:32:55,240 --> 00:32:59,240 person, a counselor, a human being to sit across. 548 00:32:59,240 --> 00:33:01,520 From you because. Often another person can tell 549 00:33:01,520 --> 00:33:04,200 you what you can't tell yourself can. 550 00:33:04,200 --> 00:33:07,040 Help you see what you. Cannot see, can put in the words 551 00:33:07,040 --> 00:33:09,280 what you can't put in the words, and help reframe things. 552 00:33:09,280 --> 00:33:12,400 And not only that, they will give you tips and tricks that 553 00:33:12,400 --> 00:33:14,200 they're different. They're better than tips and 554 00:33:14,200 --> 00:33:16,080 tricks that will help. You. 555 00:33:17,920 --> 00:33:21,840 To come off the ledge, you may be redlining and you can't even 556 00:33:21,840 --> 00:33:25,800 function and they're going to. Help you to mitigate those. 557 00:33:25,800 --> 00:33:32,720 Things, but I'll say this, should you go to counseling? 558 00:33:33,720 --> 00:33:36,800 It depends. It depends on whether or not the 559 00:33:36,800 --> 00:33:40,920 counselor is Holy Spirit filled and willing to lead the session 560 00:33:40,920 --> 00:33:42,360 by the. Work of the Holy Spirit. 561 00:33:43,040 --> 00:33:46,440 A counselor cannot. Heal you but a holy? 562 00:33:46,440 --> 00:33:50,240 Spirit filled counselor who will guide you to the Holy Spirit 563 00:33:50,240 --> 00:33:57,320 himself will give. You life healing that is 564 00:33:58,360 --> 00:34:02,240 lasting, believe it. It's why here at Illuminate 565 00:34:02,240 --> 00:34:04,920 Church we have something we call biblical encouragers. 566 00:34:06,320 --> 00:34:09,120 They're not counselors. We're not legally even allowed 567 00:34:09,120 --> 00:34:12,360 to call them counselors. They are highly trained men and 568 00:34:12,360 --> 00:34:14,600 women. Full of the Spirit of God. 569 00:34:15,000 --> 00:34:19,880 That our Dream Team volunteers as well as staff who will meet 570 00:34:19,880 --> 00:34:22,320 with you knee to knee and guide you to. 571 00:34:22,320 --> 00:34:23,520 The work of the Holy Spirit that's. 572 00:34:23,520 --> 00:34:25,520 All they do, God, what's the Holy Spirit saying now? 573 00:34:25,639 --> 00:34:27,000 What's the Holy Spirit showing you? 574 00:34:27,520 --> 00:34:30,639 What does the Holy Spirit? Mean by that, what's Holy Spirit 575 00:34:30,639 --> 00:34:32,880 doing? What's that's constantly leading 576 00:34:32,880 --> 00:34:34,280 you to the? Work of the Holy Spirit. 577 00:34:34,280 --> 00:34:38,400 That is in you and knows the fractures more than you know it 578 00:34:38,400 --> 00:34:42,800 yourself and is interceding. For you as I've. 579 00:34:42,800 --> 00:34:45,920 Told you before here, during my worst days of anxiety, I did go 580 00:34:45,920 --> 00:34:47,960 to counseling. I needed help. 581 00:34:47,960 --> 00:34:50,320 I was redlining, I was passing out due to anxiety. 582 00:34:50,320 --> 00:34:52,600 I could barely function due to anxiety. 583 00:34:54,679 --> 00:34:58,120 And my counselor was a Christian, but the counseling 584 00:34:58,120 --> 00:35:00,720 wasn't. Does that make sense? 585 00:35:01,240 --> 00:35:04,480 He's a Christian counselor, but the counseling wasn't Christian. 586 00:35:04,480 --> 00:35:08,240 It was just normal Western Christian, normal Western 587 00:35:08,240 --> 00:35:12,520 counseling. And So what we did was gave me 588 00:35:12,520 --> 00:35:15,240 coping mechanisms, taught me how to breathe backwards. 589 00:35:15,240 --> 00:35:17,520 When you breathe in, suck your belly, and when you breathe out, 590 00:35:17,720 --> 00:35:19,920 push your belly out. What this does is it forces air 591 00:35:19,920 --> 00:35:23,080 to your head and you're passing out because you got no oxygen up 592 00:35:23,080 --> 00:35:24,600 there. You got no blood up there. 593 00:35:24,960 --> 00:35:27,200 So this and not only that, it's going to take your mind off 594 00:35:27,200 --> 00:35:29,800 whatever's triggering you as you're practicing and saying it 595 00:35:29,800 --> 00:35:32,480 and it does. And not only that, I've told you 596 00:35:32,480 --> 00:35:33,800 this before. It's kind of funny, but it's 597 00:35:33,800 --> 00:35:35,520 true. He said, hey, just pretend like 598 00:35:35,640 --> 00:35:37,920 the fear is attached to a balloon and let it float away. 599 00:35:37,920 --> 00:35:40,680 And you know what I said? What if there's birds up there 600 00:35:41,560 --> 00:35:44,040 and they pop the balloon? The fear is coming back. 601 00:35:44,040 --> 00:35:45,600 I know it's coming back. He said, all right, we'll put it 602 00:35:45,600 --> 00:35:47,680 on a boat and let it float away. I'm like, what if it's a lazy 603 00:35:47,680 --> 00:35:49,720 river and it's just going to keep coming back? 604 00:35:49,720 --> 00:35:50,920 Yeah, you've heard me say these things before. 605 00:35:50,920 --> 00:35:56,600 If not, this is the first time. Whatever what my counselor 606 00:35:56,600 --> 00:35:57,880 wanted me to do, and I've told you this. 607 00:35:57,880 --> 00:36:00,600 Before as well is. Pretend like there was no lion 608 00:36:00,600 --> 00:36:02,240 in the room seeking to devour me. 609 00:36:05,880 --> 00:36:07,560 I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm fine. 610 00:36:08,000 --> 00:36:12,400 And what I went to counseling with hopes of is that the 611 00:36:12,400 --> 00:36:14,080 counselor and I would kill the lion. 612 00:36:15,120 --> 00:36:17,560 Instead we just pretended like the lion wasn't there. 613 00:36:18,760 --> 00:36:24,480 But in my journey of healing. Yielded to the Holy Spirit, He 614 00:36:24,480 --> 00:36:27,200 shut. The mouth and destroyed that 615 00:36:27,360 --> 00:36:30,640 filthy lion. Now listen different lines, try 616 00:36:30,640 --> 00:36:34,560 to come back occasionally and I have the choice to give him 617 00:36:34,560 --> 00:36:39,240 opportunity to let him have territory or say none shall 618 00:36:39,240 --> 00:36:42,320 pass. The Holy Spirit lives here. 619 00:36:43,400 --> 00:36:48,240 He's abiding in me and I with him and he's put up the no 620 00:36:48,240 --> 00:36:51,480 trespassing sign because this belongs to him. 621 00:36:51,720 --> 00:36:59,360 He is the authority here and that and only that defeats the 622 00:36:59,360 --> 00:37:03,120 lion in Jesus name. Let's put it this way, more than 623 00:37:03,120 --> 00:37:05,240 counseling, we all need the counselor. 624 00:37:08,480 --> 00:37:09,960 So here's how we're going to close today. 625 00:37:10,120 --> 00:37:12,600 I want you to decide right now, whether you're home watching 626 00:37:12,600 --> 00:37:15,680 online or here in the room, that you're going to obey the Holy 627 00:37:15,680 --> 00:37:20,200 Spirit no matter what. In these next few moments, 628 00:37:20,760 --> 00:37:22,720 you're not obeying me. Don't listen to me. 629 00:37:22,720 --> 00:37:24,040 Listen to the. Holy Spirit. 630 00:37:24,560 --> 00:37:26,760 And I need you to decide before I say anything else. 631 00:37:26,760 --> 00:37:29,640 Like, Lord, if you speak, I'm doing all right. 632 00:37:29,640 --> 00:37:32,440 So just make that decision in your mind before I say anything 633 00:37:32,440 --> 00:37:33,400 else. I'm doing it. 634 00:37:33,960 --> 00:37:36,360 Whatever you say, Lord, I'm in. I'm going to be bold. 635 00:37:36,360 --> 00:37:40,520 I'm going to be courageous. If today you are here. 636 00:37:41,520 --> 00:37:44,920 And you're empty. You're unoccupied. 637 00:37:45,560 --> 00:37:49,640 There's a vacant, deep hole in your heart, and you want that 638 00:37:49,640 --> 00:37:52,160 space filled. Then in just a moment, I'm going 639 00:37:52,160 --> 00:37:54,720 to count to 3 and you're going to come forward. 640 00:37:59,600 --> 00:38:01,880 Can I correct myself right in front of you all? 641 00:38:04,280 --> 00:38:05,680 I want to do something else first. 642 00:38:05,680 --> 00:38:09,160 Is that OK? What are you going to say? 643 00:38:09,160 --> 00:38:14,720 No, just occurring to me that if you don't. 644 00:38:14,720 --> 00:38:17,320 Have Jesus as your Savior. You have no access to the Holy 645 00:38:17,320 --> 00:38:20,840 Spirit to fill you. And so First things first would 646 00:38:20,840 --> 00:38:24,320 be for everyone who has not. Yet put their faith and trust in 647 00:38:24,320 --> 00:38:27,920 Jesus to do that. Recognizing what the book of 648 00:38:28,320 --> 00:38:31,760 Romans says, if you confess with your mouth and believe in your 649 00:38:31,760 --> 00:38:33,920 heart that. Jesus is Lord, you will be 650 00:38:33,920 --> 00:38:35,320 saved. Saved. 651 00:38:35,320 --> 00:38:37,480 From the penalty of sin and saved to the. 652 00:38:37,480 --> 00:38:41,240 Everlasting love of the Father. And it happens by confession and 653 00:38:41,240 --> 00:38:43,600 by faith. And so let's bow our heads and 654 00:38:43,600 --> 00:38:45,920 pray this prayer together. Everyone in the room, everyone 655 00:38:45,920 --> 00:38:49,440 online say these words. After me saying, Father, come a 656 00:38:49,440 --> 00:38:52,000 lot of Father in the name of Jesus. 657 00:38:52,680 --> 00:38:57,560 I recognize that I am a Sinner in need of a Savior. 658 00:38:58,120 --> 00:39:05,520 And today I confess and I believe that Jesus is Lord, that 659 00:39:05,560 --> 00:39:10,080 Jesus is my Savior. I receive you into my heart and 660 00:39:10,080 --> 00:39:14,120 I ask you to live your life through mine. 661 00:39:14,560 --> 00:39:18,440 All the days of my. Life if you've. 662 00:39:18,440 --> 00:39:19,920 Prayed that prayer for the first time. 663 00:39:19,920 --> 00:39:23,280 You've just become a believer in Jesus Christ, a part of the 664 00:39:23,280 --> 00:39:27,200 forever family of faith, and we're going to celebrate that 665 00:39:27,200 --> 00:39:29,200 with you. If that's you, then on the count 666 00:39:29,200 --> 00:39:31,040 of three, if you prayed that prayer for the first time, raise 667 00:39:31,040 --> 00:39:33,240 your hand nice and high and hold it there because I got something 668 00:39:33,240 --> 00:39:35,040 I got to give you. On the count of three, if you 669 00:39:35,040 --> 00:39:38,040 prayed that for the first time, 123, nice and high. 670 00:39:38,280 --> 00:39:40,480 Come on, anyone in the house today, Go ahead, Don't be 671 00:39:40,480 --> 00:39:41,800 ashamed. Put it out there. 672 00:39:41,800 --> 00:39:44,680 Let's go. You two, way back in the back, 673 00:39:45,400 --> 00:39:48,000 we see you. Any others? 674 00:39:48,000 --> 00:39:49,760 Say up in the mezzanine, we're coming to you. 675 00:39:50,480 --> 00:39:53,400 I see you. Hallelujah. 676 00:39:53,960 --> 00:39:56,640 Any others? I don't have the best eyesight. 677 00:39:56,680 --> 00:39:57,680 Is your hand up? You're. 678 00:39:57,680 --> 00:39:59,400 No, you're just kind of dancing. Woo. 679 00:40:03,400 --> 00:40:07,760 Praise the Lord. Second part, Did we miss anybody 680 00:40:09,240 --> 00:40:10,800 back there? OK, people are pointing. 681 00:40:12,320 --> 00:40:15,800 Got a point? Second part, If today you were 682 00:40:15,800 --> 00:40:20,440 here and you are empty, and you desire the filling of the holy. 683 00:40:20,440 --> 00:40:22,960 Spirit. I'm going to count to 3 and I 684 00:40:22,960 --> 00:40:24,080 want you to join me down here. Let. 685 00:40:24,080 --> 00:40:26,520 Me say it this way. If you're here today and you're 686 00:40:26,520 --> 00:40:29,080 hiding under the bed and you need a hug. 687 00:40:29,080 --> 00:40:32,360 From the Holy Spirit you already decided. 688 00:40:32,360 --> 00:40:35,360 You were going to obey God before I asked, so I'm going to 689 00:40:35,360 --> 00:40:37,400 count the three. And if that's you, you're going 690 00:40:37,400 --> 00:40:39,160 to come forward and the church is going to. 691 00:40:39,160 --> 00:40:41,040 Cheer you because this. Is not a bad thing. 692 00:40:41,040 --> 00:40:42,760 You're not awkward or weird or broken. 693 00:40:42,960 --> 00:40:45,200 You're human and you're responding. 694 00:40:45,200 --> 00:40:47,160 To the Holy Spirit, what could be? 695 00:40:47,160 --> 00:40:48,520 Better, if that's you, on the count of three. 696 00:40:48,520 --> 00:40:52,160 Join me here 1. 23. Come on down. 697 00:40:52,440 --> 00:41:11,920 We're waiting for you. Come on down from the mezzanine. 698 00:41:11,920 --> 00:41:14,280 We'll wait. Somebody'd up there. 699 00:41:15,040 --> 00:41:31,120 Maybe you're already coming. Come on. 700 00:41:31,640 --> 00:41:34,960 We're waiting for you. We'll wait for you. 701 00:41:34,960 --> 00:41:35,880 Here they come. They're coming. 702 00:41:35,880 --> 00:41:54,600 Running. There's people coming down the 703 00:41:54,600 --> 00:41:55,600 stairs. I don't know if they're leaving 704 00:41:55,600 --> 00:41:58,760 or coming here, so I don't want. To. 705 00:42:00,040 --> 00:42:05,000 Don't ever like leaving anybody behind and they're back. 706 00:42:06,920 --> 00:42:09,880 Hey, would y'all turn this way? Can y'all come this way a 707 00:42:09,880 --> 00:42:10,200 little? Bit. 708 00:42:10,960 --> 00:42:16,080 Come on, this way. Come on around. 709 00:42:17,880 --> 00:42:19,520 Glad you came. We're waiting for you. 710 00:42:35,230 --> 00:42:40,590 Hey, I want you to know you've done a good thing. 711 00:42:41,990 --> 00:42:44,550 Polly's standing for them. I think we should all stand for 712 00:42:44,550 --> 00:42:48,190 them, right? So good, you did a good. 713 00:42:48,190 --> 00:42:50,750 Thing you made a wise. Choice. 714 00:42:51,190 --> 00:42:52,870 You obeyed the Spirit of God, which is. 715 00:42:53,470 --> 00:42:58,510 Never wrong and I was. Praying for you this week. 716 00:42:59,360 --> 00:43:01,320 And here's what I felt like the Lord put on my heart. 717 00:43:01,360 --> 00:43:03,960 To share with you very. Simple words that'll make very 718 00:43:03,960 --> 00:43:07,360 simple sense. He wants to return. 719 00:43:07,360 --> 00:43:11,440 To you everything. That was stolen. 720 00:43:12,680 --> 00:43:16,600 All of it. There's nothing that He won't 721 00:43:16,600 --> 00:43:20,200 return to you. Think of what the Spirit of God 722 00:43:20,200 --> 00:43:21,520 gives. He gives Lovejoy, peace, 723 00:43:21,520 --> 00:43:23,480 patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and 724 00:43:23,480 --> 00:43:25,760 self-control. If your love has been stolen, 725 00:43:26,000 --> 00:43:29,120 he's giving it back. If your joy has been stolen, 726 00:43:29,120 --> 00:43:31,480 your peace, your innocence, your faith. 727 00:43:31,680 --> 00:43:34,040 If these have been stolen provisions been stolen from you, 728 00:43:34,280 --> 00:43:36,200 the Lord is returning it. To you. 729 00:43:36,560 --> 00:43:38,760 And he's doing it through. The work of Holy Spirit. 730 00:43:39,240 --> 00:43:42,000 The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is given to any believer. 731 00:43:42,680 --> 00:43:45,400 The moment you receive Jesus, you are given the gift of Holy 732 00:43:45,400 --> 00:43:46,960 Spirit. The question is. 733 00:43:47,120 --> 00:43:48,960 Have you put the holy? Spirit to work. 734 00:43:49,480 --> 00:43:54,120 The Greek word lambado means to employ, to put, to use what's 735 00:43:54,120 --> 00:43:57,040 already been given. And we say this is what it means 736 00:43:57,040 --> 00:44:00,920 to receive the Holy Spirit, to lambano, to put to work what's 737 00:44:00,920 --> 00:44:03,640 already been given. So the Holy Spirit has been 738 00:44:03,640 --> 00:44:06,480 given to you by your confession of faith in Jesus. 739 00:44:06,480 --> 00:44:11,160 Now we're going to ask for the infilling of that Spirit, which 740 00:44:11,160 --> 00:44:17,160 means that all of you, every thought, every crevice, every 741 00:44:17,160 --> 00:44:20,120 dry place. Will be filled up with spirit. 742 00:44:20,400 --> 00:44:22,800 And put to work in your life. So if you bow your heads, close 743 00:44:22,800 --> 00:44:26,800 your eyes all together, Lord in. Jesus name we speak. 744 00:44:26,800 --> 00:44:29,400 The infilling of your spirit over every man and woman up here 745 00:44:29,400 --> 00:44:32,880 today, that you would touch them from the top of their heads to 746 00:44:32,880 --> 00:44:35,800 the bottom of their feet, from the depths of their soul. 747 00:44:36,200 --> 00:44:38,600 There's no place that you are not touching, you are not 748 00:44:38,600 --> 00:44:40,280 filling. And you're bringing with it all 749 00:44:40,280 --> 00:44:43,240 the abundance of your Kingdom, your love and your joy and your 750 00:44:43,240 --> 00:44:45,720 peace. You're restoring faith. 751 00:44:46,040 --> 00:44:47,560 You're binding up the broken hearted. 752 00:44:47,560 --> 00:44:51,080 You're setting the captives free and. 753 00:44:51,080 --> 00:44:53,440 Father, because of the Holy Spirit, we say. 754 00:44:53,440 --> 00:44:58,560 Devil, get your hands off of the sons and daughters, they belong 755 00:44:58,560 --> 00:45:03,320 to the Spirit of God and not to the filthy liar in Jesus name, 756 00:45:03,760 --> 00:45:09,520 Amen, Amen, Amen. Thanks for joining us today. 757 00:45:10,000 --> 00:45:12,560 We hope God is speaking to your heart through this message. 758 00:45:12,920 --> 00:45:16,560 If you'd like to connect with us, you can text connect to 4:07 759 00:45:16,920 --> 00:45:22,080 588-0115 or visit Illuminate dot Church. 760 00:45:22,560 --> 00:45:23,800 Have a great week.