1 00:00:00,560 --> 00:00:02,960 Welcome to the Illuminate Church podcast. 2 00:00:03,400 --> 00:00:05,520 We hope today's message is encouraging to you. 3 00:00:10,040 --> 00:00:12,200 We are on this series called Weeds in My Garden. 4 00:00:12,200 --> 00:00:13,640 Hasn't this been an awesome series? 5 00:00:13,680 --> 00:00:17,960 It's it's been amazing walking through certain mental health 6 00:00:17,960 --> 00:00:21,200 issues and challenges. And what does scripture teach 7 00:00:21,200 --> 00:00:25,600 about these things? There's something that I love. 8 00:00:25,840 --> 00:00:28,960 It's, it's this idea of describing something poorly. 9 00:00:29,160 --> 00:00:31,200 OK, so I don't know if you've seen this before, people do 10 00:00:31,200 --> 00:00:33,760 online, but pretty much they'll take like a certain topic or an 11 00:00:33,760 --> 00:00:37,360 idea and they'll explain it, but just like, really badly. 12 00:00:37,560 --> 00:00:39,680 OK, let me give you an example. Let me see if we can guess. 13 00:00:40,120 --> 00:00:43,120 Orphan man who never went to therapy that dresses as a bat at 14 00:00:43,120 --> 00:00:45,720 night, has to protect the city from another man that also needs 15 00:00:45,720 --> 00:00:48,360 therapy. What movie is that? 16 00:00:48,800 --> 00:00:49,960 That's Batman. OK, Yeah. 17 00:00:50,000 --> 00:00:52,720 You they both need therapy. I'm just saying y'all need some 18 00:00:52,720 --> 00:00:53,960 help. All right, here's another one. 19 00:00:55,000 --> 00:00:57,880 One of my favorite movies. Paleontologist visits a new 20 00:00:57,880 --> 00:01:00,800 theme park and leaves a bad review and the owner of the park 21 00:01:00,800 --> 00:01:03,600 agrees. Jurassic Park. 22 00:01:03,600 --> 00:01:04,680 Give it up. That's amazing. 23 00:01:04,840 --> 00:01:07,560 Any Jurassic Park fans? Man, I love everybody. 24 00:01:07,960 --> 00:01:10,600 Get copyright strike. I'm just playing. 25 00:01:11,240 --> 00:01:13,120 I love that movie. Such a good movie. 26 00:01:13,960 --> 00:01:17,160 If you remember, there's this one scene when you really get a 27 00:01:17,160 --> 00:01:19,800 glimpse of the Tyrannosaurus Rex for the very first time. 28 00:01:20,040 --> 00:01:22,400 They're in the car, they're driving to the park, and the 29 00:01:22,400 --> 00:01:26,320 power pretty much shuts down. They're sitting in the park and 30 00:01:26,320 --> 00:01:29,120 they're supposed to be waiting for this this T Rex. 31 00:01:29,120 --> 00:01:31,560 And so the movie goes, they're sitting in the car, it's 32 00:01:31,560 --> 00:01:34,320 raining, it's down pouring. This goat comes up from the 33 00:01:34,320 --> 00:01:37,480 ground, and pretty much they're waiting for the T Rex to get a 34 00:01:37,480 --> 00:01:39,040 snack. Well, power goes out. 35 00:01:39,080 --> 00:01:42,280 They're sitting there and like, well, hold up, we'll try and get 36 00:01:42,280 --> 00:01:44,560 power back up. And all of a sudden the camera 37 00:01:44,560 --> 00:01:48,120 pans over and the goat's gone, which, you know, something bad 38 00:01:48,120 --> 00:01:49,200 about to happen. All right. 39 00:01:49,400 --> 00:01:52,240 And so they're sitting in the car and they're like, what is 40 00:01:52,240 --> 00:01:53,680 that? And all of a sudden they hear 41 00:01:53,680 --> 00:01:56,120 this roar. I mean, the most incredible 42 00:01:56,120 --> 00:01:58,520 roar. And everyone is in the car just 43 00:01:58,520 --> 00:02:02,320 completely stressed out. There's one guy specifically, 44 00:02:02,320 --> 00:02:07,400 he's the attorney and he is just, he is so stressed out that 45 00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:10,360 he decides to go running. Now, if you've seen Jurassic 46 00:02:10,360 --> 00:02:14,760 Park and you've listened to Doctor Alan Grant, OK, the T 47 00:02:14,760 --> 00:02:17,520 rex's vision is based on what movement? 48 00:02:17,520 --> 00:02:19,400 My boy starts running. OK, Like, what are you doing? 49 00:02:19,520 --> 00:02:23,440 So he runs out of the steel cage car and goes to this wooden 50 00:02:23,440 --> 00:02:26,320 building building. He goes to sit on the toilet 51 00:02:26,640 --> 00:02:28,680 because it's a little poopy kind of day, you know what I mean? 52 00:02:28,680 --> 00:02:31,120 He's a little bit stressed out and he's sitting on the toilet. 53 00:02:31,120 --> 00:02:35,080 And as the scene goes AT Rex comes up, knocks down this 54 00:02:35,080 --> 00:02:38,560 wooden, wooden building and the T Rex stares at him like, man, I 55 00:02:38,560 --> 00:02:40,160 got a midnight snack. Ain't daggering. 56 00:02:40,160 --> 00:02:42,200 Some of y'all look the same way. Going to that closet at 12 O 57 00:02:42,200 --> 00:02:44,000 clock in the morning. You shouldn't be doing that. 58 00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:45,640 You shouldn't do that. And the T Rex like this is 59 00:02:45,640 --> 00:02:47,720 amazing. The attorney gets eaten. 60 00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:51,120 Why? Because he did not know how to 61 00:02:51,120 --> 00:02:55,360 manage his stress, he was so stressed out and so fearful as 62 00:02:55,360 --> 00:02:59,240 what was going to happen that he ran out of the safest place he 63 00:02:59,240 --> 00:03:02,480 actually was. And although that's a movie and 64 00:03:02,480 --> 00:03:06,960 it's kind of funny and it's a crazy scene, I imagine if you're 65 00:03:06,960 --> 00:03:10,960 like me, every one of us is dealing with some form of stress 66 00:03:10,960 --> 00:03:15,000 right now and it comes from literally every area of our 67 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:16,600 lives. You might be under pressure. 68 00:03:16,920 --> 00:03:20,120 You might be facing big changes, feeling a lack of control, 69 00:03:20,200 --> 00:03:23,200 shouldering heavy responsibility, staring into an 70 00:03:23,200 --> 00:03:25,480 uncertain future. It might because you're dealing 71 00:03:25,480 --> 00:03:28,240 with multiple issues at once, feeling the lingering effect of 72 00:03:28,240 --> 00:03:31,360 our past struggles, or lacking resources and support you need. 73 00:03:31,520 --> 00:03:34,400 It might be illness, injury, parenting, infertility, 74 00:03:34,480 --> 00:03:37,560 bereavement, abuse, marriage, divorce, relationships, or 75 00:03:37,560 --> 00:03:39,520 caregiving. You might have lost a job and 76 00:03:39,520 --> 00:03:42,640 unemployed long term retiring, facing deadlines, the exams 77 00:03:42,640 --> 00:03:45,040 work, strive for a new position. You might be moving, dealing 78 00:03:45,040 --> 00:03:47,200 with difficult neighbors, worrying about money or drowning 79 00:03:47,200 --> 00:03:48,000 in debt. Are you stressed? 80 00:03:49,480 --> 00:03:51,640 Some of you are like, you know, I want to get more stress when I 81 00:03:51,640 --> 00:03:52,840 came into church. You're so welcome. 82 00:03:52,840 --> 00:03:54,120 I'm so glad I could answer that prayer. 83 00:03:54,560 --> 00:03:55,840 So. But here's the reality is that 84 00:03:55,840 --> 00:03:59,160 stress is not just emotional, it's physical. 85 00:03:59,760 --> 00:04:03,600 So scientists say that stress changes your body. 86 00:04:04,040 --> 00:04:07,880 So when you're under pressure, your heart races, your breathing 87 00:04:07,880 --> 00:04:09,800 quickens, and your muscles tighten. 88 00:04:10,280 --> 00:04:13,680 Adrenaline and cortisol flood your bloodstream. 89 00:04:14,160 --> 00:04:16,160 And that's useful if you're running from danger. 90 00:04:16,480 --> 00:04:18,560 That's useful if you're running from AT Rex. 91 00:04:19,120 --> 00:04:22,240 But if the danger never goes away, what happens then? 92 00:04:23,040 --> 00:04:26,000 And the numbers are alarming. The American Psychological 93 00:04:26,000 --> 00:04:31,040 Association, Stress in American survey, 75%. 94 00:04:31,040 --> 00:04:34,240 I want you to think about this 75%. 95 00:04:34,240 --> 00:04:38,080 That's three out of four Americans report physical or 96 00:04:38,080 --> 00:04:41,400 emotional symptoms caused by stress. 97 00:04:41,880 --> 00:04:45,200 That's headaches, that's exhaustion, that's anxiety, 98 00:04:45,240 --> 00:04:47,480 that's insomnia, that's depression. 99 00:04:47,760 --> 00:04:49,520 And it's not just an isolated issue. 100 00:04:49,520 --> 00:04:53,560 It's literally an epidemic. And here's what's even more 101 00:04:53,560 --> 00:04:56,160 dangerous. Stress spreads. 102 00:04:56,920 --> 00:05:00,000 So I don't know if you've ever, you know, if you grow up in the 103 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:02,960 90s or only 2000s, but you'd walk in the grocery store and 104 00:05:02,960 --> 00:05:05,680 you see someone smoking a cigarette, and you didn't want 105 00:05:05,680 --> 00:05:08,080 to get what second hand? Yeah, you don't want to get 106 00:05:08,080 --> 00:05:09,480 second hand smoke. So what do you do? 107 00:05:09,680 --> 00:05:11,200 You walk up. Like, actually, I'm going to go 108 00:05:11,200 --> 00:05:12,680 through the other door. I'm not going to go this way. 109 00:05:12,680 --> 00:05:13,520 I'm going to let you do your thing. 110 00:05:13,520 --> 00:05:14,400 I'm going to head to the other side. 111 00:05:14,600 --> 00:05:16,360 Or if you go to Vegas, they're still doing that now. 112 00:05:16,360 --> 00:05:18,640 OK, I don't know. They're not in 2025, but they're 113 00:05:18,640 --> 00:05:21,600 still doing that over there. But there's this actual thing 114 00:05:21,600 --> 00:05:26,880 scientists call secondhand stress that literally just being 115 00:05:26,880 --> 00:05:30,280 around other people that are stressed makes you even more 116 00:05:30,280 --> 00:05:31,800 stressed. Like I'm imagining someone 117 00:05:31,800 --> 00:05:35,400 walking into the office and you're just like, they having a 118 00:05:35,400 --> 00:05:36,800 bad day. I'm a go, I'm a go around. 119 00:05:36,800 --> 00:05:38,880 I don't even want to have that conversation because we don't 120 00:05:38,880 --> 00:05:41,120 want to feel it. We don't want to experience the 121 00:05:41,120 --> 00:05:44,240 same thing. And here's the hard truth is 122 00:05:44,240 --> 00:05:47,000 that all those stress is normal. We all experience it. 123 00:05:47,240 --> 00:05:51,600 Living a life of stress isn't, and the question is not whether 124 00:05:51,600 --> 00:05:54,280 we will face it, but how we will respond. 125 00:05:55,000 --> 00:05:59,080 And if we don't manage stress in healthy ways, it doesn't just 126 00:05:59,080 --> 00:06:02,560 stay stressed, it develops into something far more dangerous, 127 00:06:02,560 --> 00:06:07,120 something called burnout. Burnout isn't just tiredness. 128 00:06:07,120 --> 00:06:09,560 It's literally emotional collapse. 129 00:06:09,680 --> 00:06:11,720 It's numbness. It's cynicism. 130 00:06:11,960 --> 00:06:14,280 It's a loss of energy, motivation, and hope. 131 00:06:14,600 --> 00:06:18,920 It's literally a creeping erosion of your ability to live 132 00:06:19,360 --> 00:06:21,840 and work well. And burnout, this is what's 133 00:06:21,840 --> 00:06:24,560 crazy. It wasn't even a recognized term 134 00:06:24,760 --> 00:06:29,440 until the 1970s when scientists began studying this silent 135 00:06:29,440 --> 00:06:31,800 crisis. And now we know it's everywhere. 136 00:06:31,960 --> 00:06:34,920 2/3 of Americans say they've experienced burnout. 137 00:06:35,200 --> 00:06:37,280 And if you're in some professions like healthcare, 138 00:06:37,320 --> 00:06:41,160 like teaching, like leadership, it's over 80%. 139 00:06:41,840 --> 00:06:43,440 And so burnout develops in stages. 140 00:06:43,440 --> 00:06:47,600 Stage 1 is emotional exhaustion. You're going through trauma, 141 00:06:47,600 --> 00:06:50,560 you're going through stress, and you're just emotionally 142 00:06:50,560 --> 00:06:54,840 incapacitated. Stage 2 is increased negativity 143 00:06:54,840 --> 00:06:57,040 in doubt. So this is where the stress is 144 00:06:57,040 --> 00:07:00,800 hitting you, and now you're starting to lose hope, You're 145 00:07:00,800 --> 00:07:04,560 starting to get more cynical. Stage 3 is loss of emotional 146 00:07:04,560 --> 00:07:06,240 stability, discipline, and resiliency. 147 00:07:06,400 --> 00:07:09,320 And so the things that you practice may be working out, 148 00:07:09,520 --> 00:07:13,200 maybe going for a walk, maybe praying, Bible study or 149 00:07:13,200 --> 00:07:15,320 whatever. Do you begin to lose those 150 00:07:15,320 --> 00:07:18,360 disciplines? Stage 4 is isolation. 151 00:07:18,560 --> 00:07:21,320 This is when you shut off the world and attempt to try and 152 00:07:21,360 --> 00:07:24,080 save yourself. Essentially, Stage 5 is 153 00:07:24,080 --> 00:07:26,880 diminished work effectiveness in every area of life. 154 00:07:27,240 --> 00:07:31,440 And stage 6 is identity impairment and confusion. 155 00:07:32,480 --> 00:07:35,520 And some of you listening right now, if you were to be honest, 156 00:07:35,520 --> 00:07:39,280 you, you might be relating more than you want to admit. 157 00:07:39,960 --> 00:07:41,640 You're burned out. You're running on empty. 158 00:07:41,640 --> 00:07:45,640 You're pushing past your limits for far too long because stress 159 00:07:45,920 --> 00:07:49,960 doesn't politely knock before it enters your life. 160 00:07:50,320 --> 00:07:53,920 It quietly invades. And burnout doesn't send a 161 00:07:53,920 --> 00:07:55,400 warning. It comes without notice. 162 00:07:55,400 --> 00:07:59,080 Until one day you realized you're running on nothing. 163 00:08:00,120 --> 00:08:05,000 And the question is, what now? What do we do if we find 164 00:08:05,000 --> 00:08:08,000 ourselves in that exact place? And as I was seeking the Lord 165 00:08:08,400 --> 00:08:10,600 what He would want to speak to you this morning, he brought to 166 00:08:10,600 --> 00:08:13,640 me this one passage. And so I believe with the bottom 167 00:08:13,640 --> 00:08:15,760 of my soul that the Lord Jesus Christ wants to give you a 168 00:08:15,760 --> 00:08:18,800 solution today. How do you overcome the stress 169 00:08:18,800 --> 00:08:22,240 of life? How do you keep going even if 170 00:08:22,240 --> 00:08:24,920 you want to give up? We're going to be in Second 171 00:08:24,920 --> 00:08:27,360 Corinthians chapter 4. If you have your Bibles, you can 172 00:08:27,360 --> 00:08:29,560 turn there now. If you need a Bible, you can go 173 00:08:29,560 --> 00:08:31,800 and pop your hand up. We have ushers that have Bibles 174 00:08:31,800 --> 00:08:34,880 provided for you. We can turn to 2nd Corinthians 175 00:08:34,880 --> 00:08:36,679 chapter 4. If you need a Bible, you can 176 00:08:36,679 --> 00:08:38,440 raise those hands. They'll have that provided for 177 00:08:38,440 --> 00:08:40,120 you. Thank you, ushers. 178 00:08:44,080 --> 00:08:48,000 And so Second Corinthians is an important book, one of the 179 00:08:48,000 --> 00:08:51,040 largest letters in the New Testament in the Apostle Paul. 180 00:08:51,240 --> 00:08:53,800 This is one of most likely 3 letters that he's writing to the 181 00:08:53,800 --> 00:08:58,200 Church of Corinth about the reality of his suffering and 182 00:08:58,200 --> 00:09:00,400 trials and promoting the gospel message. 183 00:09:01,120 --> 00:09:05,080 And so if you survey the life of the Apostle Paul, I guarantee 184 00:09:05,080 --> 00:09:07,880 you at some point in life he was stressed. 185 00:09:08,280 --> 00:09:10,440 He wanted to give up, like he wanted to quit. 186 00:09:10,440 --> 00:09:11,680 He didn't want to do this anymore. 187 00:09:11,680 --> 00:09:14,720 And we know this because if we actually go later in the book, 188 00:09:14,960 --> 00:09:19,040 in 2nd Corinthians 11, verse 24, the apostle Paul describes some 189 00:09:19,040 --> 00:09:23,760 of some of his experiences. In verse 24 he says five times I 190 00:09:23,760 --> 00:09:28,200 received 40 lashes -1 from the Jews stress. 191 00:09:28,440 --> 00:09:30,840 Three times I was beaten with rods, stress. 192 00:09:30,960 --> 00:09:33,080 Once I received a stoning stress. 193 00:09:33,160 --> 00:09:35,240 Three times I was shipwrecked, stress. 194 00:09:35,360 --> 00:09:37,440 I have spent a night and day in the open sea. 195 00:09:37,440 --> 00:09:40,120 Stress. On frequent journeys on, I face 196 00:09:40,120 --> 00:09:43,840 dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my 197 00:09:43,840 --> 00:09:47,040 own people, dangers from Gentiles, dangers in the city, 198 00:09:47,160 --> 00:09:49,680 dangers in the wilderness, dangers at sea, dangers among 199 00:09:49,680 --> 00:09:51,960 false brothers. Stress, Toil and hardship. 200 00:09:52,160 --> 00:09:55,840 Many sleepless nights, Hunger and thirst, often without food, 201 00:09:55,960 --> 00:09:59,240 cold and without clothing, not to mention other things. 202 00:09:59,240 --> 00:10:02,840 There was a daily pressure on me, my concern for all the 203 00:10:02,840 --> 00:10:06,400 churches. If I had to summarize the life 204 00:10:06,400 --> 00:10:10,600 of the apostle Paul, it was stressful, it was challenging, 205 00:10:11,120 --> 00:10:13,960 it was difficult. And so when he's writing this 206 00:10:13,960 --> 00:10:17,560 letter, he's not writing it from a place of obscurity, hiding in 207 00:10:17,560 --> 00:10:21,520 the desert, living his life. He's writing it from a place of 208 00:10:21,520 --> 00:10:24,560 experience. He's writing it from a place of 209 00:10:24,560 --> 00:10:29,040 lived trauma, of lived challenges, and inspired by the 210 00:10:29,040 --> 00:10:32,320 Holy Spirit, He gives us this message. 211 00:10:33,200 --> 00:10:36,280 And so I want to start here in Second Corinthians chapter 4, 212 00:10:36,760 --> 00:10:42,000 verse 7, this is what he says. Now we have this treasure in 213 00:10:42,000 --> 00:10:45,440 plague jars so that this extraordinary, extraordinary 214 00:10:45,440 --> 00:10:48,920 power may be from God and not from us. 215 00:10:48,920 --> 00:10:53,280 So here is my first point here is that we find power in our 216 00:10:53,280 --> 00:10:55,800 treasure. So we have to start asking is 217 00:10:55,800 --> 00:10:58,080 what is this treasure? He mentions just that we have 218 00:10:58,080 --> 00:11:00,040 this treasure. Well, this is where literary 219 00:11:00,040 --> 00:11:01,640 context in the Bible is so important. 220 00:11:01,800 --> 00:11:06,360 If you go back to chapter 3, verse 17, it says now the Lord 221 00:11:06,360 --> 00:11:10,120 is spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is 222 00:11:10,120 --> 00:11:11,880 freedom. Can I get an Amen where the 223 00:11:11,880 --> 00:11:14,000 Spirit of the Lord is? And by the way, the Spirit of 224 00:11:14,000 --> 00:11:17,040 the Lord is in this church. The Spirit of the Lord is alive 225 00:11:17,040 --> 00:11:20,960 and active. Verse 18, We all with unveiled 226 00:11:20,960 --> 00:11:26,960 faces are looking in a mirror at the glory of the Lord and are 227 00:11:26,960 --> 00:11:31,240 being transformed into the same image from glory to glory. 228 00:11:31,680 --> 00:11:34,960 This is from the Lord who is the Spirit. 229 00:11:35,720 --> 00:11:39,880 Isn't that incredible that because of Jesus, because of the 230 00:11:39,880 --> 00:11:44,200 power of the Holy Spirit, we as believers can experience true 231 00:11:44,200 --> 00:11:47,640 freedom. We can know God personally. 232 00:11:47,720 --> 00:11:51,480 We are being transformed into Jesus people. 233 00:11:52,080 --> 00:11:56,080 But what's an interesting point that he brings out is he uses 234 00:11:56,080 --> 00:11:59,720 this phrase, clay jars. Why does the Apostle Paul use 235 00:11:59,720 --> 00:12:01,800 this? Because clay jars in the 1st 236 00:12:01,800 --> 00:12:05,760 century were very common. They weren't like the nicer 237 00:12:05,760 --> 00:12:08,040 bronze jars which you'd put your valuables. 238 00:12:08,240 --> 00:12:11,240 Clay jars were made cheap and broke easily. 239 00:12:11,600 --> 00:12:14,560 So almost like our modern day plastic bottle, something that 240 00:12:14,560 --> 00:12:16,800 would use for a little bit, it would break and then you kind of 241 00:12:16,800 --> 00:12:20,160 throw it away. I remember years ago there's 242 00:12:20,160 --> 00:12:23,920 this basketball, basketball player named Kyrie Irving has 243 00:12:23,920 --> 00:12:26,960 incredible handles. And they had this show called 244 00:12:26,960 --> 00:12:29,160 Uncle Drew. And pretty much he would dress 245 00:12:29,160 --> 00:12:32,520 up as like this 80 year old grandpa and he would just show 246 00:12:32,520 --> 00:12:34,520 up to the basketball court and just start dunking on people. 247 00:12:34,520 --> 00:12:36,720 Like it was just amazing. You'd have all these young bugs 248 00:12:36,720 --> 00:12:39,440 shooting hoops, slamming dunks and you'd see grandpa show up 249 00:12:39,440 --> 00:12:40,840 and he'd be like, oh, let's see what you got. 250 00:12:40,840 --> 00:12:41,920 And he would just cross everyone up. 251 00:12:42,040 --> 00:12:43,760 It was so crazy. They ended up making a movie 252 00:12:44,040 --> 00:12:45,320 about it. It was, it was awesome. 253 00:12:45,560 --> 00:12:49,160 But like, why was that so crazy? Because no one was expecting 254 00:12:49,160 --> 00:12:51,080 this ability to come from this old uncle. 255 00:12:51,720 --> 00:12:56,800 The weakness of the vessel exemplified the power, The 256 00:12:56,800 --> 00:13:00,240 weakness of what they viewed this uncle, this old uncle, 257 00:13:00,360 --> 00:13:03,120 because of his skill set, and exemplified how glorious His 258 00:13:03,120 --> 00:13:04,640 power is. Let me put it this way. 259 00:13:05,120 --> 00:13:08,520 God is most glorified when He does the extraordinary to the 260 00:13:08,520 --> 00:13:11,840 ordinary. God is most glorified when He 261 00:13:11,840 --> 00:13:14,360 does the extraordinary through the ordinary. 262 00:13:14,480 --> 00:13:18,440 We are made powerful when we recognize it was never dependent 263 00:13:18,440 --> 00:13:21,600 on us to begin with, but dependent on Him and we were 264 00:13:21,600 --> 00:13:27,200 never meant to be God. I want you to understand that is 265 00:13:27,200 --> 00:13:31,400 there is burden and trying to be God for yourself, the stress of 266 00:13:31,400 --> 00:13:33,560 trying to carry everything on your own. 267 00:13:33,560 --> 00:13:39,200 No wonder we get burned out and our greatest treasure isn't what 268 00:13:39,200 --> 00:13:43,920 we possess on our own, but what God has given us by His Spirit. 269 00:13:44,920 --> 00:13:48,600 It's not your skill set, it's not your talents, it's not your 270 00:13:48,600 --> 00:13:50,520 abilities, it's not your background. 271 00:13:50,520 --> 00:13:53,440 It's the Spirit of God dwelling in each and every believer. 272 00:13:53,440 --> 00:13:56,480 And because of that spirit, we can experience freedom, 273 00:13:56,880 --> 00:14:00,040 relationship, and the transforming power of the Holy 274 00:14:00,040 --> 00:14:03,840 Spirit. Through that dependence, we can 275 00:14:03,840 --> 00:14:07,360 find power in our treasure. Verse 8, Let's continue. 276 00:14:08,280 --> 00:14:11,080 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed. 277 00:14:11,920 --> 00:14:14,000 We are perplexed, but not in despair. 278 00:14:14,320 --> 00:14:16,480 We are persecuted, but not abandoned. 279 00:14:16,600 --> 00:14:20,120 We are struck down, but not destroyed. 280 00:14:20,360 --> 00:14:23,400 So the apostle Paul, now the Scripture gives us a view of the 281 00:14:23,400 --> 00:14:26,080 Apostolic ministry that Paul is walking in. 282 00:14:26,280 --> 00:14:29,320 And those that are willing to follow Jesus, he's like saying 283 00:14:29,480 --> 00:14:33,640 if you follow him, if you live there, your life, this life, 284 00:14:33,800 --> 00:14:35,440 this is what your life is going to be like. 285 00:14:35,640 --> 00:14:37,400 And it doesn't seem very encouraging. 286 00:14:37,400 --> 00:14:38,760 So what? Let's break it down a little 287 00:14:38,760 --> 00:14:39,400 bit. Afflicted. 288 00:14:39,840 --> 00:14:44,240 In the 1st century, this term was used of people pressing into 289 00:14:44,240 --> 00:14:47,520 battle and experiencing eternal stress. 290 00:14:48,040 --> 00:14:52,400 This word crushed means that you are almost confined to a space. 291 00:14:52,520 --> 00:14:55,360 You're pressured, you're crushed, you're being closed in. 292 00:14:55,880 --> 00:14:59,640 Perplexed is this idea of being doubtful, of being confused or 293 00:14:59,640 --> 00:15:04,080 being without resources and despair is a complete loss. 294 00:15:04,640 --> 00:15:09,640 Persecuted is this idea of being chased into fear or experiencing 295 00:15:09,640 --> 00:15:15,480 oppression and being forsaken is left behind or deserted, Struck 296 00:15:15,480 --> 00:15:20,040 down, This is what's so cool. Struck down is to castaway, lay 297 00:15:20,040 --> 00:15:26,120 a foundation or sowing a seed, and destroyed is to die or be 298 00:15:26,120 --> 00:15:28,280 ruined. So what is the scripture 299 00:15:28,280 --> 00:15:31,160 teaching? Although this trial and stress 300 00:15:31,160 --> 00:15:35,080 might have backed you in the corner, in Christ you can't keep 301 00:15:35,080 --> 00:15:37,720 me there. Although in this season I am 302 00:15:37,720 --> 00:15:42,000 confused and it seems like I don't have enough, in Christ I 303 00:15:42,000 --> 00:15:44,720 will never lose. Although I might be stressed, 304 00:15:44,720 --> 00:15:48,680 oppressed, and chastened to fear, in Christ I will never be 305 00:15:48,680 --> 00:15:52,600 deserted. And although I am struck down 306 00:15:52,720 --> 00:15:57,320 and it seems like my life is over in Christ, my affliction is 307 00:15:57,320 --> 00:15:59,160 sowing seeds of a greater purpose. 308 00:15:59,320 --> 00:16:02,360 That in the pain that God is sowing seeds, He's building a 309 00:16:02,360 --> 00:16:05,480 new foundation that are going to bear much fruit in your future. 310 00:16:05,600 --> 00:16:07,640 That's the promise of following Jesus. 311 00:16:07,840 --> 00:16:11,840 And so when we follow him, God can use your suffering as a 312 00:16:11,840 --> 00:16:14,320 foundation for something far greater in your life. 313 00:16:14,680 --> 00:16:17,640 Isn't that a beautiful promise? That's a beautiful promise. 314 00:16:17,840 --> 00:16:20,040 And how do we know that? Let's continue on in verse 10. 315 00:16:21,200 --> 00:16:26,640 We always carry the death of Jesus in our body so that the 316 00:16:26,640 --> 00:16:30,520 life of Jesus may also be displayed in our body. 317 00:16:30,920 --> 00:16:35,520 For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus 318 00:16:35,520 --> 00:16:42,040 sake, so that Jesus life may also be displayed in our mortal 319 00:16:42,040 --> 00:16:46,080 flesh. So then death is at work in us, 320 00:16:46,360 --> 00:16:51,800 but life in you. When we follow Jesus, we carry 321 00:16:51,800 --> 00:16:55,160 his pain. And you might be asking is why 322 00:16:55,160 --> 00:16:56,920 would I do that? Because here's the reality, 323 00:16:56,920 --> 00:16:59,760 Christian or not Christian, you will experience stress. 324 00:17:00,840 --> 00:17:03,440 Believer or not believer, you will experience trials. 325 00:17:04,000 --> 00:17:08,480 And God promises the life of Jesus himself to come to life 326 00:17:08,680 --> 00:17:11,560 through you. In this church we say we exist 327 00:17:11,560 --> 00:17:14,560 to help people find abundant life in Jesus. 328 00:17:14,720 --> 00:17:18,040 And in John 10/10 he says the thief comes to steal, kill and 329 00:17:18,040 --> 00:17:20,680 destroy. But I have come to give you life 330 00:17:21,040 --> 00:17:23,920 and have it in abundance. And here's the problem. 331 00:17:24,400 --> 00:17:29,200 We have been deceived to believe that the key to abundance is an 332 00:17:29,200 --> 00:17:33,120 easy life when Jesus lived in perfect abundance but suffered 333 00:17:33,120 --> 00:17:35,360 greatly. I remember when I was a kid, I 334 00:17:35,360 --> 00:17:38,600 got saved at 10 years old and I did not grow up in a Christian 335 00:17:38,600 --> 00:17:39,960 household. It was very challenging for me. 336 00:17:39,960 --> 00:17:43,520 I got radically saved and I went back home and my situation 337 00:17:43,520 --> 00:17:46,240 didn't really change. And I didn't know it at the 338 00:17:46,240 --> 00:17:50,120 time, but when I was 10, all the way up to a young teenager, I 339 00:17:50,120 --> 00:17:53,120 would have these crazy demonic nightmares. 340 00:17:53,120 --> 00:17:55,440 I mean, like, we're not talking like, hey, it was a bad dream. 341 00:17:55,440 --> 00:17:57,840 You woke up kind of crazy. I mean, I would wake up at 342 00:17:57,840 --> 00:18:01,480 10:00, 11-12 years old and run through the house like a crazy 343 00:18:01,480 --> 00:18:04,080 person because I literally thought this, this demonic 344 00:18:04,080 --> 00:18:06,280 oppression was attacking me. I didn't know what it was. 345 00:18:06,280 --> 00:18:09,520 This was my experience. And so after years of doing 346 00:18:09,520 --> 00:18:11,880 this, I was so stressed and so fearful. 347 00:18:12,200 --> 00:18:15,480 There was only one thing I could do when I was a kid. 348 00:18:15,760 --> 00:18:18,160 I didn't have a Bible for myself, but I had this 349 00:18:18,160 --> 00:18:21,120 children's Bible. And I remember I would open up, 350 00:18:21,320 --> 00:18:23,840 it would be like one O clock in the morning and I would be so 351 00:18:23,840 --> 00:18:25,200 scared. I would run into my room. 352 00:18:25,560 --> 00:18:27,960 I would grab that that children's Bible and I would 353 00:18:27,960 --> 00:18:31,160 start reading. And all of a sudden the comfort 354 00:18:31,160 --> 00:18:35,760 of Christ, the presence of God would just fill me and calm me 355 00:18:36,240 --> 00:18:38,280 and provide relief for my stress. 356 00:18:38,920 --> 00:18:42,720 And what I learned at a young age is that abundance isn't the 357 00:18:42,720 --> 00:18:45,960 absence of suffering, it's the presence of Christ in the middle 358 00:18:45,960 --> 00:18:50,120 of it. Abundant life doesn't mean an 359 00:18:50,120 --> 00:18:54,560 easy life, it means that Christ is in it with you till the end. 360 00:18:54,920 --> 00:18:57,360 And we see this in second Corinthians chapter one, verse 361 00:18:57,360 --> 00:18:59,000 5, just a couple chapters earlier. 362 00:18:59,560 --> 00:19:03,120 It says for just as the sufferings of Christ overflow to 363 00:19:03,120 --> 00:19:09,040 us, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. 364 00:19:09,760 --> 00:19:12,320 That comfort. When we experience stress, when 365 00:19:12,320 --> 00:19:17,480 we're burned out, when we have these trials, we can find life. 366 00:19:17,920 --> 00:19:21,200 It doesn't matter on circumstances, it matters on 367 00:19:21,200 --> 00:19:23,840 God's presence. Let's continue in verse 13. 368 00:19:25,400 --> 00:19:29,080 And since we have the same spirit of faith in keeping with 369 00:19:29,080 --> 00:19:32,480 what is written, I believed, therefore I spoke. 370 00:19:32,760 --> 00:19:38,120 We also believe and therefore we speak for we know not that the 371 00:19:38,120 --> 00:19:41,760 one who raised Lord Jesus will also raise with Jesus and 372 00:19:41,760 --> 00:19:44,960 present us with you. So here's my point here is that 373 00:19:44,960 --> 00:19:49,320 we find faith in our triumph. It's really interesting that the 374 00:19:49,320 --> 00:19:51,600 Scripture quotes in Old Testament passage. 375 00:19:51,840 --> 00:19:56,400 This is from Psalm chapter 1, chapter 116, verses 8 to 10. 376 00:19:56,640 --> 00:20:00,040 This is the Psalm of David, and here's what it says for you, 377 00:20:00,040 --> 00:20:06,040 Lord rescued me from death. My eyes from tears, my feet from 378 00:20:06,040 --> 00:20:09,720 stumbling. I will walk before the Lord in 379 00:20:09,720 --> 00:20:12,960 the land of the living. I believed. 380 00:20:13,320 --> 00:20:17,920 I love this. I believed even when I said I am 381 00:20:17,920 --> 00:20:23,840 severely oppressed. I believed even when I said I am 382 00:20:23,840 --> 00:20:28,360 severely oppressed. And Paul is saying that we can 383 00:20:28,360 --> 00:20:32,600 have that same exact faith. Isn't that a beautiful thing? 384 00:20:32,600 --> 00:20:35,880 That in the midst of suffering, the midst of oppression, the 385 00:20:35,880 --> 00:20:39,240 midst of stress, we can have that same overcoming faith? 386 00:20:40,080 --> 00:20:43,560 And the completed act of the resurrection of Jesus Christ 387 00:20:43,800 --> 00:20:48,160 will bring to fruition this future moment, this moment when 388 00:20:48,160 --> 00:20:51,680 we triumph over death and enjoy God's presence. 389 00:20:52,320 --> 00:20:55,320 A few months ago, one of my favorite pastors, his name was 390 00:20:55,400 --> 00:20:58,800 Vodi Bacam, and he was a bold preacher of the faith. 391 00:20:58,800 --> 00:21:01,760 He passed away, I want to say weeks ago, maybe a month ago, 392 00:21:02,480 --> 00:21:04,120 and I love it. There was one of his sermons. 393 00:21:04,520 --> 00:21:07,200 This is what he says, and it's so telling concerning he, I 394 00:21:07,200 --> 00:21:08,560 mean, he passed away in his mid 50s. 395 00:21:08,560 --> 00:21:10,760 This is what he says quote for quote. 396 00:21:11,440 --> 00:21:15,840 You're going to hear a rumor one day that Vodi Bacam is no more. 397 00:21:16,600 --> 00:21:22,240 Don't believe it, don't believe it, don't believe it, because 398 00:21:22,240 --> 00:21:25,120 though I die, I will rise with Christ. 399 00:21:25,880 --> 00:21:29,240 There is no Christian that loses in the end. 400 00:21:30,600 --> 00:21:32,640 I don't care how hopeless your story is. 401 00:21:33,040 --> 00:21:34,720 I don't care how hopeless your situation is. 402 00:21:34,720 --> 00:21:38,800 If you are a follower of Jesus, a believer in Jesus, there is no 403 00:21:38,800 --> 00:21:41,680 bad ending for you. That's the promise we have. 404 00:21:41,680 --> 00:21:46,760 And because of that promise, we can find faith in our triumph. 405 00:21:47,480 --> 00:21:52,720 Verse 15. Indeed, everything is for your 406 00:21:52,720 --> 00:21:57,400 benefit, so that as grace extends through more and more 407 00:21:57,400 --> 00:22:01,640 people, it may cause Thanksgiving to increase to the 408 00:22:01,640 --> 00:22:05,080 glory of God. So we find strength in our 409 00:22:05,080 --> 00:22:07,560 Thanksgiving. This is the summation of the 410 00:22:07,560 --> 00:22:11,280 entire section. When you live like this, when 411 00:22:11,280 --> 00:22:15,160 you live with this boldness of faith, people will be saved 412 00:22:15,280 --> 00:22:19,040 because of your faithfulness to God, and God will be glorified 413 00:22:19,040 --> 00:22:22,120 because of what is being built, because of a people of 414 00:22:22,120 --> 00:22:24,720 Thanksgiving. Listen, if we call ourselves 415 00:22:24,720 --> 00:22:28,160 followers of Jesus, if we call ourselves Jesus people, the 416 00:22:28,160 --> 00:22:32,840 people of God or a people of gratitude, what would happen to 417 00:22:32,840 --> 00:22:36,040 your stress if you dwelt on your problems as much as you dwelt on 418 00:22:36,040 --> 00:22:39,000 your blessings? What would happen to your pain 419 00:22:39,080 --> 00:22:41,440 if in the moment of that you're going to, I'm going to go to God 420 00:22:41,440 --> 00:22:43,960 in prayer, What would happen to your burnout? 421 00:22:44,040 --> 00:22:48,160 If your attitude to your family to your job or this alarming 422 00:22:48,160 --> 00:22:52,080 begrudging pain that you're experiencing and you substituted 423 00:22:52,080 --> 00:22:55,120 that with gratitude. They can't exist at the same 424 00:22:55,120 --> 00:22:57,480 time. James chapter one verse 2 425 00:22:57,480 --> 00:22:58,640 through 4. That's why he says this. 426 00:22:58,840 --> 00:23:03,240 Count it all as joy, my brothers and sisters, because you know 427 00:23:03,240 --> 00:23:06,760 that the testing of your faith produces endurance and let 428 00:23:06,760 --> 00:23:09,800 endurance have its full effect that you can be mature and 429 00:23:09,800 --> 00:23:15,440 complete lacking in in nothing in a review of workers multiple 430 00:23:15,440 --> 00:23:17,800 studies. This is crazy that people who 431 00:23:17,800 --> 00:23:22,320 practice gratitude at least once a week showed showed significant 432 00:23:22,320 --> 00:23:26,800 improvements in stress and depression, and those that did 433 00:23:26,800 --> 00:23:30,000 not practice gratitude at least once a week did not experience 434 00:23:30,000 --> 00:23:34,600 any benefit at all. Gratitude practice regularly 435 00:23:34,760 --> 00:23:39,560 lifts the pressure to get a little physiological gratitude 436 00:23:39,560 --> 00:23:41,400 activates. Pastor Tim has talked about 437 00:23:41,400 --> 00:23:43,280 this. The parasympathetic nervous 438 00:23:43,280 --> 00:23:45,320 system. This is our rest and digest 439 00:23:45,320 --> 00:23:48,640 system. It lowers heart rate and reduces 440 00:23:48,640 --> 00:23:52,320 stress hormones like cortisol. I, I want you to think about 441 00:23:52,320 --> 00:23:55,320 this like we just found this out, like in the last few 442 00:23:55,320 --> 00:24:00,280 decades that God and his ultimate Providence, hard wired 443 00:24:00,440 --> 00:24:04,640 mental and emotional solutions and spiritual actions isn't that 444 00:24:04,640 --> 00:24:06,560 crazy? It's like the science is just 445 00:24:06,560 --> 00:24:10,440 now catching up. And so through gratitude, we can 446 00:24:10,440 --> 00:24:13,000 find strength in our Thanksgiving. 447 00:24:14,240 --> 00:24:17,520 And what's the result? What's the result of finding 448 00:24:17,520 --> 00:24:21,080 power in our treasure, of finding life in our trials, of 449 00:24:21,080 --> 00:24:24,440 finding faith in our triumph, or finding strength in our 450 00:24:24,440 --> 00:24:27,040 Thanksgiving? The first part of verse 16. 451 00:24:27,720 --> 00:24:36,400 Therefore, we do not give up. When we walk in the truth of 452 00:24:36,400 --> 00:24:43,320 God's Word, we do not give up. When we face financial 453 00:24:43,320 --> 00:24:49,880 pressures, we do not give up. When parenting is difficult, we 454 00:24:50,000 --> 00:24:54,160 do not give up. When marriages feel strained, we 455 00:24:54,280 --> 00:24:56,840 do not give up. When the world seems to be in 456 00:24:56,840 --> 00:25:00,480 chaos, and my God, it does, we do not give up. 457 00:25:00,560 --> 00:25:03,880 When the health challenges are overwhelming, we do not give up. 458 00:25:03,960 --> 00:25:06,920 When relationships break, we do not give up. 459 00:25:06,960 --> 00:25:10,360 When disappointment weighs heavy, we do not give up. 460 00:25:10,360 --> 00:25:13,720 Help me out here. When faith feels weak, we do not 461 00:25:13,720 --> 00:25:15,920 give up. When stress is overwhelming and 462 00:25:15,920 --> 00:25:19,400 the burnout seems close, we do not give up. 463 00:25:19,760 --> 00:25:23,200 That is a child of God rooted in the Word of God. 464 00:25:23,840 --> 00:25:25,960 And why is that the case? The promise is real. 465 00:25:26,000 --> 00:25:27,920 Amen. The promise is real. 466 00:25:34,840 --> 00:25:40,440 The second part of verse 16, it says even though our outer 467 00:25:40,440 --> 00:25:46,760 person is being destroyed, our inner person, your inner person, 468 00:25:47,560 --> 00:25:53,200 is being renewed day by day for our momentary light affliction. 469 00:25:54,080 --> 00:25:58,040 It's producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal 470 00:25:58,040 --> 00:26:02,160 weight of glory. So we do not focus on what is 471 00:26:02,160 --> 00:26:07,440 seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, 472 00:26:07,880 --> 00:26:12,680 but what is unseen is eternal. And what is tomorrow? 473 00:26:14,280 --> 00:26:17,720 What is tomorrow for you? What is tomorrow for your 474 00:26:17,720 --> 00:26:20,480 family? What is tomorrow for the life 475 00:26:20,480 --> 00:26:25,840 that you're living? God promises renewal each and 476 00:26:25,840 --> 00:26:29,600 every day. Every single day. 477 00:26:29,600 --> 00:26:32,520 You know we're in October. Why wait for a New Year's 478 00:26:32,520 --> 00:26:35,240 resolution? Why not a new day resolution? 479 00:26:35,920 --> 00:26:37,920 Why not a new day? Why not wake up tomorrow? 480 00:26:37,920 --> 00:26:39,920 Don't wait till Monday to start praying. 481 00:26:40,560 --> 00:26:42,360 Don't wait till next year in January. 482 00:26:42,360 --> 00:26:45,040 Why not a new day? Because God promises each and 483 00:26:45,040 --> 00:26:47,040 every day. And here's what's so cool. 484 00:26:47,120 --> 00:26:50,320 That renewal happens when even if your pain doesn't go away, 485 00:26:50,680 --> 00:26:54,440 that God promises the renewal even if your situation doesn't 486 00:26:54,440 --> 00:26:57,120 change. And here's the promise is that 487 00:26:57,120 --> 00:27:01,840 our afflictions, our trials, our stress is temporary. 488 00:27:02,840 --> 00:27:05,840 And here's the thing, the stress we experience, it's because of 489 00:27:05,840 --> 00:27:09,360 real struggle. Struggles that's real, but not 490 00:27:09,360 --> 00:27:12,520 forever. Struggles, Yes, they're real, 491 00:27:13,120 --> 00:27:16,560 but they're not forever. And I feel like the Lord wants 492 00:27:16,560 --> 00:27:19,160 to speak to someone today that some of you are angry at God 493 00:27:19,160 --> 00:27:22,600 because you've been dealing with an affliction for a long time. 494 00:27:23,240 --> 00:27:26,600 And I understand and the Lord understands. 495 00:27:27,560 --> 00:27:29,480 But here's the truth. Whether you believe in God or 496 00:27:29,480 --> 00:27:30,640 not, you're still living in pain. 497 00:27:32,320 --> 00:27:37,200 And why not walk with the God who doesn't look down on your 498 00:27:37,200 --> 00:27:42,480 suffering, but suffers with you? That's the God that we serve. 499 00:27:43,120 --> 00:27:47,400 Don't allow your pain to prevent you from drawing close to God. 500 00:27:47,880 --> 00:27:51,880 Because here's what I know. If you could see tomorrow, if 501 00:27:51,880 --> 00:27:56,480 you could get a glimpse, if you could get a picture of what God 502 00:27:56,480 --> 00:27:59,720 has promised you, your problems today would lose its power. 503 00:28:00,840 --> 00:28:05,280 If we could see that beautiful image when we see the King of 504 00:28:05,280 --> 00:28:10,520 Kings seated in glory, enthroned in power beyond all of the 505 00:28:10,520 --> 00:28:14,760 problems, all of a sudden what we are experiencing today would 506 00:28:14,760 --> 00:28:18,480 fade away, just like this video. Let's play that video. 507 00:28:37,760 --> 00:28:44,840 We press your name to protect us to. 508 00:28:47,320 --> 00:28:58,960 Guide us, Lord, to see. Us through to give us all in the 509 00:29:00,000 --> 00:29:06,640 name of. Jesus, the video. 510 00:29:07,640 --> 00:29:12,240 Why did I just play that video? This is a video of Nigerian 511 00:29:12,240 --> 00:29:15,680 Christians worshipping after five people were killed when 512 00:29:15,680 --> 00:29:17,440 their church was burned by terrorists. 513 00:29:19,040 --> 00:29:23,280 I don't think that stress in burnout adequately expresses 514 00:29:23,280 --> 00:29:26,160 their pain. Whether you realize or not, over 515 00:29:26,160 --> 00:29:31,160 the past decade over 52,000 Christians have been killed in 516 00:29:31,160 --> 00:29:35,800 Nigeria, 18,500 have been abducted and unlikely to have 517 00:29:35,800 --> 00:29:39,640 survived. More than 20,000 churches and 518 00:29:39,640 --> 00:29:41,360 Christian schools have been attacked. 519 00:29:42,280 --> 00:29:45,480 There's this website calledgenocidewatch.com and they 520 00:29:45,480 --> 00:29:50,720 give 10 stages of genocide and Nigeria is in the last two for 521 00:29:50,720 --> 00:29:55,880 Christians. Extermination in denial, the 522 00:29:55,880 --> 00:30:00,160 extermination of believers systematically and the denial 523 00:30:00,160 --> 00:30:01,760 that it's even happening by the government. 524 00:30:02,680 --> 00:30:05,200 And I didn't play this to minimize what you're stressed 525 00:30:05,200 --> 00:30:07,400 about. I don't want you to see it that 526 00:30:07,400 --> 00:30:10,320 way. I played this to show that 527 00:30:10,320 --> 00:30:14,240 although you can't always choose what happens in your life, you 528 00:30:14,240 --> 00:30:18,000 have a God-given ability to choose how you respond. 529 00:30:21,160 --> 00:30:25,320 What can the enemy do to you if you respond to worry with 530 00:30:25,320 --> 00:30:28,960 worship? If you're in the car, stressed 531 00:30:28,960 --> 00:30:32,160 by life, going into work, and you break out in worship? 532 00:30:33,160 --> 00:30:38,320 What can the enemy do to you if you respond to your pain with 533 00:30:38,320 --> 00:30:41,000 prayer? That although I'm suffering, 534 00:30:41,000 --> 00:30:43,520 although this is what I'm experiencing, God, I'm coming to 535 00:30:43,520 --> 00:30:47,520 you in prayer. What can the enemy do to you if 536 00:30:47,520 --> 00:30:50,760 you respond to your stress with surrender? 537 00:30:51,400 --> 00:30:54,080 That God, although I don't understand how this is going to 538 00:30:54,080 --> 00:30:56,200 pan out. God, I surrender this to you. 539 00:30:57,320 --> 00:31:01,600 What can the enemy do to you if you respond to the teachings of 540 00:31:01,600 --> 00:31:04,880 this world, which is to get more stress and to pick yourself up 541 00:31:04,880 --> 00:31:08,960 by your bootstraps and and make it happen and instead respond to 542 00:31:08,960 --> 00:31:14,120 the truth of his word and through the spirits renewing 543 00:31:14,120 --> 00:31:18,040 power, we can find hope and our tomorrow. 544 00:31:18,680 --> 00:31:22,280 Do you believe that today that you can find hope in your 545 00:31:22,280 --> 00:31:27,640 tomorrow by the Holy Spirit And as I begin to closeout the Lord 546 00:31:27,640 --> 00:31:34,920 wanted me to read this passage. It's the story of Elijah and 547 00:31:35,000 --> 00:31:38,160 Elijah in first Kings 18 has this miraculous encounter with 548 00:31:38,160 --> 00:31:42,160 God where he's before the prophets of Baal and he calls 549 00:31:42,160 --> 00:31:46,760 fire down from heaven to prove that that Yahweh is the one true 550 00:31:46,760 --> 00:31:50,480 God and not this false God. And and what I love about this 551 00:31:50,480 --> 00:31:54,720 context is because the next chapter is in light of that, the 552 00:31:54,720 --> 00:31:58,800 next chapter filled with depression and agony is in light 553 00:31:58,800 --> 00:32:01,440 of his biggest achievement, which I think is so interesting 554 00:32:01,440 --> 00:32:03,960 because if you look, they've done numerous interviews of 555 00:32:03,960 --> 00:32:06,240 people that have won the Super Bowl and won championships. 556 00:32:06,520 --> 00:32:08,720 And they said the most depressing time was after they 557 00:32:08,720 --> 00:32:10,840 won. They spent their whole years 558 00:32:10,840 --> 00:32:13,960 trying to achieve something. And as soon as it happened, they 559 00:32:13,960 --> 00:32:16,760 had a big dip. And here's what happened is, is 560 00:32:16,760 --> 00:32:21,160 in First Kings 19, Elijah has run away because Jezebel, the 561 00:32:21,160 --> 00:32:23,840 wife of King Ahab has promised to kill him. 562 00:32:24,400 --> 00:32:26,760 And so he's been in the mountains for 40 days and 40 563 00:32:26,760 --> 00:32:28,080 nights. He's in this cave. 564 00:32:29,320 --> 00:32:35,120 And God spoke in First Kings 19 verse 9, it says suddenly the 565 00:32:35,120 --> 00:32:40,880 word of the Lord came to him and he said to him, what are you 566 00:32:40,880 --> 00:32:45,120 doing here, Elijah? What are you doing here, Elijah? 567 00:32:46,320 --> 00:32:49,560 He replied, I have been very, very zealous for the Lord God of 568 00:32:49,560 --> 00:32:53,480 armies, but the Israelites have abandoned your covenant, tore 569 00:32:53,480 --> 00:32:56,000 down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. 570 00:32:56,480 --> 00:33:00,920 I alone am left, and they are looking for me to take my life. 571 00:33:01,960 --> 00:33:05,920 Then he said, Go out and stand on the mountain in the Lord's 572 00:33:05,920 --> 00:33:08,800 presence. And at that moment the Lord 573 00:33:08,800 --> 00:33:12,520 passed by, and a great and mighty wind was tearing at the 574 00:33:12,520 --> 00:33:14,960 mountains, as was shattering the cliffs before the Lord. 575 00:33:15,240 --> 00:33:16,920 But the Lord was not in the wind. 576 00:33:17,720 --> 00:33:19,600 And after the wind there was an earthquake. 577 00:33:20,160 --> 00:33:21,640 But the Lord was not in the earthquake. 578 00:33:21,880 --> 00:33:25,560 And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not 579 00:33:25,560 --> 00:33:28,560 in the fire. And after the fire there was a 580 00:33:28,560 --> 00:33:34,240 voice, a soft whisper. And when Elijah heard it, he 581 00:33:34,240 --> 00:33:37,880 wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the 582 00:33:37,920 --> 00:33:42,200 entrance of The Cave. And suddenly a voice came to him 583 00:33:42,200 --> 00:33:46,440 and said, What are you doing here, Elijah? 584 00:33:49,200 --> 00:33:51,960 And I feel like the Lord is asking us in this space, asking 585 00:33:51,960 --> 00:33:57,760 you, what are you doing here? I didn't ask you to go here. 586 00:33:58,800 --> 00:34:01,880 I didn't ask you to live here. I didn't ask you to run away 587 00:34:01,880 --> 00:34:04,320 here. What are you doing here? 588 00:34:04,320 --> 00:34:08,040 And here's what's interesting is God knew why Elijah was there, 589 00:34:08,960 --> 00:34:13,719 but he wanted Elijah to know. He knew the reason, but he 590 00:34:13,719 --> 00:34:18,239 wanted Elijah to face it. Why are you here in the season 591 00:34:18,239 --> 00:34:19,960 of stress, burnout, or discouragement? 592 00:34:20,679 --> 00:34:23,679 Why are you running from what God has called you to face? 593 00:34:24,440 --> 00:34:28,760 Why are you hiding in The Cave when God has called more of you 594 00:34:28,880 --> 00:34:31,760 on the outside? And here's the God that we 595 00:34:31,760 --> 00:34:34,159 serve. He didn't rebuke Elijah. 596 00:34:34,800 --> 00:34:40,840 He revealed himself, not in the earthquake, not in the fire, not 597 00:34:40,840 --> 00:34:43,960 in the wind, but in a gentle whisper. 598 00:34:45,159 --> 00:34:50,000 And some of you, you keep waiting for God to shout from 599 00:34:50,000 --> 00:34:54,679 the sky when he's been whispering in your spirit the 600 00:34:54,679 --> 00:34:58,640 whole time. The problem is not that God's 601 00:34:58,640 --> 00:35:02,680 not speaking. It's the noise of stress, fear, 602 00:35:02,680 --> 00:35:04,240 and burnout that has been louder. 603 00:35:06,120 --> 00:35:08,640 Think about that. It's not that God hasn't been 604 00:35:08,640 --> 00:35:10,920 talking. It's not that God hasn't been 605 00:35:10,920 --> 00:35:14,040 speaking. Is that the stress, the burnout, 606 00:35:14,040 --> 00:35:17,400 the fear is a louder than his voice. 607 00:35:18,000 --> 00:35:20,080 And what did God tell Elijah to do? 608 00:35:21,480 --> 00:35:25,800 Verse 15 Then the Lord said to him, go. 609 00:35:27,600 --> 00:35:32,720 God's response to Elijah's pain was a call to action, not a call 610 00:35:32,720 --> 00:35:35,760 to quit. And so here's the question, what 611 00:35:35,760 --> 00:35:39,880 is God asking you to do? What is God asking you to give 612 00:35:39,880 --> 00:35:42,240 up? Jesus promises in Matthew 613 00:35:42,240 --> 00:35:45,640 Chapter 11, verse 20. Come to me, all who are weary 614 00:35:45,640 --> 00:35:50,320 and burdened, and I will give you rest. 615 00:35:50,840 --> 00:35:55,280 That's the promise of Jesus. It's not a suggestion, it's not 616 00:35:55,280 --> 00:35:59,360 an idea, it's not just a saying. It's Jesus's promise. 617 00:36:00,000 --> 00:36:04,680 But here's the reality is that turning to Jesus requires us to 618 00:36:04,680 --> 00:36:08,600 turn away from other things. Our rest comes through 619 00:36:08,600 --> 00:36:12,280 repentance. Repentance is turning our old 620 00:36:12,280 --> 00:36:17,680 way of thinking, our old habits, our old burdens, our old sins, 621 00:36:18,200 --> 00:36:22,120 and facing the King of glory filled with grace and mercy. 622 00:36:22,960 --> 00:36:26,720 And that my prayer for this church is that we would be a 623 00:36:26,720 --> 00:36:30,720 people that don't give up. That when stress presses in, we 624 00:36:30,720 --> 00:36:32,440 would press deeper into the presence of God. 625 00:36:33,320 --> 00:36:35,240 That when burnout whispers, you're done. 626 00:36:35,240 --> 00:36:39,200 We would hear this, the Spirit whisper back, you're not 627 00:36:39,200 --> 00:36:45,360 finished, you're not finished, you're not finished. 628 00:36:46,200 --> 00:36:47,520 That's what God is saying to you. 629 00:36:48,360 --> 00:36:51,280 That we would be a church that finds power in our treasure 630 00:36:51,280 --> 00:36:54,040 through the Holy Spirit. That we would be a church that 631 00:36:54,040 --> 00:36:56,400 finds life in our trials through Christ's comfort. 632 00:36:57,080 --> 00:37:00,080 That we would be a church that finds faith in our triumph 633 00:37:00,480 --> 00:37:02,320 because we believe God's promises. 634 00:37:02,680 --> 00:37:05,160 That we would be a church that finds strength in our 635 00:37:05,160 --> 00:37:09,280 Thanksgiving through gratitude. That we would be a church that 636 00:37:09,280 --> 00:37:12,800 finds hope in our tomorrow because of that future glory. 637 00:37:13,520 --> 00:37:18,520 And when the world, when families, when Co workers look 638 00:37:18,520 --> 00:37:22,360 at you, they don't see a people that's surviving stress. 639 00:37:23,120 --> 00:37:27,000 They see a people living in a peace that makes no sense. 640 00:37:27,800 --> 00:37:30,480 And when people ask the question, how do you get 641 00:37:30,480 --> 00:37:34,960 through? There's one answer, there's one 642 00:37:34,960 --> 00:37:39,320 Savior, there's one name, and that's Jesus. 643 00:37:40,160 --> 00:37:47,360 Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we welcome your 644 00:37:47,360 --> 00:37:55,570 presence in this moment. God, I first want to pray for 645 00:37:55,570 --> 00:38:03,210 our release. You told us to come to you all 646 00:38:03,210 --> 00:38:05,290 who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 647 00:38:06,770 --> 00:38:10,920 So God with open hearts and open minds, I pray God for us to let 648 00:38:10,920 --> 00:38:17,640 go, to turn back, to repent, to turn to you the author and 649 00:38:17,640 --> 00:38:20,920 finisher of our faith. And God, with that turning comes 650 00:38:20,920 --> 00:38:23,680 restoration. So that I pray, Lord, a spirit 651 00:38:23,680 --> 00:38:27,240 of restoration over this body in Jesus name, that there is a 652 00:38:27,240 --> 00:38:29,960 people that will be freed from the burdens of life. 653 00:38:29,960 --> 00:38:35,680 They don't have to walk in fear and stress and worry because the 654 00:38:35,680 --> 00:38:41,840 God of all creation is near. And Lord, I pray God for those 655 00:38:41,840 --> 00:38:45,400 that are in this room right now that have not made you Lord and 656 00:38:45,400 --> 00:38:49,440 Savior, that Jesus you lived 2000 years ago. 657 00:38:49,440 --> 00:38:57,280 God in the flesh lived a perfect life, was persecuted, was 658 00:38:57,280 --> 00:39:02,800 crucified on the cross, living a perfect life that you died and 659 00:39:02,800 --> 00:39:05,960 rose again, paying the penalty of sin and death. 660 00:39:07,760 --> 00:39:10,120 And because we have faith in you, we can have life. 661 00:39:11,880 --> 00:39:15,200 And so in this holy moment, with every eye close, every head 662 00:39:15,200 --> 00:39:19,000 bowed, if if that is you in this room and the Holy Spirit is 663 00:39:19,000 --> 00:39:23,200 drawing you to a relationship with the Father, when I count to 664 00:39:23,200 --> 00:39:25,520 three, I want you to pop your hand up so I can pray with you 665 00:39:26,360 --> 00:39:28,760 and for you. God is calling you home today. 666 00:39:30,120 --> 00:39:35,360 123 That is you and keep your hand up. 667 00:39:35,720 --> 00:39:39,000 We have are going to give you something I want to pray with 668 00:39:39,000 --> 00:39:40,280 you and for you keep your hand up. 669 00:39:40,800 --> 00:39:45,000 Thank you thank you Jesus anyone else. 670 00:39:45,000 --> 00:39:46,240 The Lord is calling you home today. 671 00:39:47,720 --> 00:39:53,760 Thank you Lord. Once you have that you can put 672 00:39:53,760 --> 00:39:59,360 your hand down. Thank you Jesus, and as a 673 00:39:59,360 --> 00:40:02,920 church, if we can pray this together, say, Heavenly Father, 674 00:40:04,680 --> 00:40:12,360 I recognize my sin. And that Jesus lived, was 675 00:40:12,360 --> 00:40:17,840 crucified, died, and was buried and rose again the third day. 676 00:40:18,640 --> 00:40:20,600 And I have faith in that sacrifice. 677 00:40:21,520 --> 00:40:25,040 And because of Jesus I can be forgiven. 678 00:40:25,760 --> 00:40:29,080 Because of Jesus I can have new life. 679 00:40:29,680 --> 00:40:34,400 And I commit to following you for the rest of my life in Jesus 680 00:40:34,400 --> 00:40:37,120 name, Amen. Can we get it? 681 00:40:37,120 --> 00:40:40,240 For those who just made the best decision of their life, God is 682 00:40:40,240 --> 00:40:43,480 good. Thanks for joining us today. 683 00:40:43,960 --> 00:40:46,520 We hope God is speaking to your heart through this message. 684 00:40:46,840 --> 00:40:49,520 If you'd like to connect with us, you can text connect to 685 00:40:49,520 --> 00:40:56,040 407-588-0115 or visit Illuminate dot church. 686 00:40:56,480 --> 00:40:57,720 Have a great week.