1 00:00:11,400 --> 00:00:14,640 How many of you were here last Wednesday night and heard the 2 00:00:14,640 --> 00:00:20,240 message Amen, pass the cup. And this is obviously coming out 3 00:00:20,720 --> 00:00:24,520 of John. Just to give a little quick 4 00:00:24,800 --> 00:00:34,960 recap out of actually Matthew 26 and 39 when Jesus was in the 5 00:00:34,960 --> 00:00:39,160 garden, Amen. And he said this and he went a 6 00:00:39,160 --> 00:00:41,960 little beyond them. And he fell on his face and he 7 00:00:41,960 --> 00:00:47,680 prayed, saying, Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from 8 00:00:47,680 --> 00:00:53,760 me, but yet what? Not my will, but your will be 9 00:00:54,000 --> 00:00:57,320 done. And so he knew he was getting 10 00:00:57,320 --> 00:01:02,480 ready to be crucified and to have to sacrifice his life on 11 00:01:02,480 --> 00:01:05,239 that cross. But the the thing that we 12 00:01:05,239 --> 00:01:11,400 realized in reading that scripture is that he also went 13 00:01:11,400 --> 00:01:15,640 on and talked about when you read in Matthew, Luke and John, 14 00:01:15,960 --> 00:01:20,120 the fact about having to carry his cross. 15 00:01:20,480 --> 00:01:23,840 And we said that his cross was his purpose. 16 00:01:24,440 --> 00:01:29,800 He knew why he was born. He was born to be king of, and 17 00:01:29,800 --> 00:01:35,600 he was born to fulfill what his father said that the Son needed 18 00:01:35,600 --> 00:01:41,360 to fulfill, to put what humanity back in his place of dominion 19 00:01:41,360 --> 00:01:45,600 and rule and authority. And so he knew he was going to 20 00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:50,120 have to be the sacrifice. He knew what God's purpose and 21 00:01:50,120 --> 00:01:54,360 what God's plan was and he had to take the response 22 00:01:54,520 --> 00:01:59,400 responsibility to say not my will, but your will be done, 23 00:01:59,600 --> 00:02:03,040 right? And we looked at this statement 24 00:02:03,040 --> 00:02:06,680 where he says pass the cup and said that you could look at that 25 00:02:06,680 --> 00:02:13,080 in two ways, right? You could say pass the cup or 26 00:02:13,080 --> 00:02:18,240 you could say pass the cup. You could say pass the cup. 27 00:02:18,240 --> 00:02:21,800 I'm going to drink that. I'm going to take up the Lord's 28 00:02:21,800 --> 00:02:25,160 will for my life, or you could say pass the cup. 29 00:02:25,440 --> 00:02:31,720 I'm not going to do it right. And so we talked about for us as 30 00:02:31,720 --> 00:02:35,360 his disciples, a true follower of Christ. 31 00:02:36,680 --> 00:02:40,480 It's so important that we recognize that we all, each and 32 00:02:40,480 --> 00:02:43,600 every one of us through the Scriptures, see that He said, if 33 00:02:43,600 --> 00:02:46,880 you want to follow me and be a disciple for me, you're going to 34 00:02:46,880 --> 00:02:51,040 have to pick up your cross. Because we always say, aren't 35 00:02:51,040 --> 00:02:53,960 you thankful that we didn't have to die on the cross? 36 00:02:53,960 --> 00:02:57,800 I've heard so many people say that, but there is still a cross 37 00:02:57,800 --> 00:03:01,880 that we have to die on. We don't have to physically do 38 00:03:01,880 --> 00:03:06,800 it, but we have to make a decision and a choice to die on 39 00:03:06,800 --> 00:03:12,160 that cross daily so that we can pick up and walk out the plan 40 00:03:12,160 --> 00:03:15,240 and the purpose and the will of God for each and every one of 41 00:03:15,240 --> 00:03:18,880 our lives. It wasn't just Jesus that had to 42 00:03:18,880 --> 00:03:22,760 take that cross. We have a cross that we have to 43 00:03:22,760 --> 00:03:26,280 carry as a true follower of Christ. 44 00:03:26,600 --> 00:03:30,800 And you know, it's important that we remind ourselves as a 45 00:03:30,800 --> 00:03:34,440 disciples that there's going to be things that we're going to 46 00:03:34,440 --> 00:03:37,840 have to crucify daily. If we're going to walk out the 47 00:03:37,840 --> 00:03:42,000 plan and the purposes and the will of God that he has for us, 48 00:03:42,680 --> 00:03:49,880 we're going to have to say, I choose to take the cup to do His 49 00:03:49,880 --> 00:03:53,280 will, Amen. We're going to have to choose to 50 00:03:53,280 --> 00:03:56,280 say those things. When He's asking us to do 51 00:03:56,280 --> 00:04:00,640 things, He's calling us to do things to help continue to 52 00:04:00,640 --> 00:04:02,600 advance His Kingdom in the earth. 53 00:04:02,600 --> 00:04:04,800 There's going to be things that is going to be our 54 00:04:04,800 --> 00:04:08,320 responsibility that He has for us to do. 55 00:04:08,640 --> 00:04:11,200 But are we going to pass the buck? 56 00:04:11,200 --> 00:04:15,160 Because as I was sharing last week, we talked about when He 57 00:04:15,160 --> 00:04:18,399 said pass, when I said pass the cup, I was reminded of that 58 00:04:18,399 --> 00:04:22,520 term, pass the buck. Are we going to pass the buck on 59 00:04:22,520 --> 00:04:25,840 somebody else? Meaning are we going to evade 60 00:04:25,840 --> 00:04:29,600 our responsibility of what God's asking each and every one of us 61 00:04:29,600 --> 00:04:34,320 to do to put it on other people to have to pick up and carry 62 00:04:34,520 --> 00:04:37,320 what God intended for you to pick up and carry? 63 00:04:39,400 --> 00:04:42,920 Are we going to evade it? Are we going to not do his will 64 00:04:42,920 --> 00:04:46,600 and, and and then he's going to have to find somebody else that 65 00:04:46,600 --> 00:04:52,360 will you see what we're saying. And so we went through lots of 66 00:04:52,360 --> 00:04:56,080 scripture last week concerning that. 67 00:04:56,080 --> 00:05:01,520 Each and every one of us have something that God is requiring 68 00:05:01,520 --> 00:05:07,880 of us to do and we went through several scriptures about that 69 00:05:07,880 --> 00:05:11,920 and and recognizing that there was some things that he had for 70 00:05:11,920 --> 00:05:17,600 us to do. Let's read Matthew 1621 through 71 00:05:17,600 --> 00:05:20,600 26 again. It says from that time on, Jesus 72 00:05:20,600 --> 00:05:24,800 began to show his disciples clearly that he must go to 73 00:05:24,800 --> 00:05:29,400 Jerusalem and endure many things at the hands of the elders and 74 00:05:29,400 --> 00:05:33,760 the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed and be 75 00:05:33,760 --> 00:05:36,840 raised up from death to life on the third day. 76 00:05:36,840 --> 00:05:41,800 And Peter took him aside to speak to him privately and began 77 00:05:41,800 --> 00:05:46,600 to reprimand him, saying, May God forbid it, this will never 78 00:05:46,600 --> 00:05:48,920 happen to you. But Jesus looked at him and 79 00:05:48,920 --> 00:05:54,200 said, Peter, get thee behind me, Satan, for you are a stumbling 80 00:05:54,200 --> 00:05:57,160 block to me. And then Jesus said to his 81 00:05:57,160 --> 00:06:02,440 disciples, if anyone wishes to follow me as a true disciple, as 82 00:06:02,440 --> 00:06:05,520 my disciple, he's going to have to what? 83 00:06:05,800 --> 00:06:12,720 Deny himself, set aside the amplified self says selfish 84 00:06:12,760 --> 00:06:22,480 interest, and take up his cross, expressing A willingness to 85 00:06:22,480 --> 00:06:27,520 endure whatever may come and follow me, believing in me, 86 00:06:27,720 --> 00:06:34,480 conforming to my example in living and if need be, suffering 87 00:06:34,480 --> 00:06:39,680 or perhaps even dying because of faith in me. 88 00:06:41,960 --> 00:06:47,640 So he let us know that if you're truly going to be a follower, if 89 00:06:47,640 --> 00:06:51,760 you're truly going to be able to be a disciple of him, that 90 00:06:51,760 --> 00:06:56,040 there's some things that you're going to have to set aside your 91 00:06:56,040 --> 00:06:59,960 own interests, your own will, just like he had to set aside 92 00:06:59,960 --> 00:07:03,600 his own will to do the will of the Father. 93 00:07:03,880 --> 00:07:10,840 And we're going to have to possibly even to be able to pick 94 00:07:10,840 --> 00:07:13,680 up our cross. We're may we may have to endure 95 00:07:13,680 --> 00:07:17,920 some suffering so that we can do the will of the Father. 96 00:07:17,920 --> 00:07:23,040 But I thought it interesting here that Peter said, may it 97 00:07:23,040 --> 00:07:24,920 never be. Do you know you're going to 98 00:07:24,920 --> 00:07:28,400 encounter people in your life that are going to try to talk 99 00:07:28,400 --> 00:07:32,240 you out of the will of God for your life and you're going to 100 00:07:32,240 --> 00:07:38,080 have to rise up just like Peter or Jesus did and you're going to 101 00:07:38,080 --> 00:07:41,160 have to say get thee behind me, Satan. 102 00:07:41,160 --> 00:07:45,960 Yes, because you're trying to get me off course. 103 00:07:46,360 --> 00:07:50,600 You're trying to get me to not do the will of the Father, 104 00:07:51,040 --> 00:07:54,880 You're trying to get me to a place to where I'm more 105 00:07:54,880 --> 00:07:59,680 concerned about me than doing what God wants me to do. 106 00:08:01,520 --> 00:08:05,080 And so we're all going to have those Peter moments. 107 00:08:06,680 --> 00:08:09,600 We're we're going to have to tell people, I'm sorry, you 108 00:08:09,600 --> 00:08:13,200 don't understand why I have to move from Florida to Oklahoma 109 00:08:13,200 --> 00:08:16,640 with three kids to go to a Bible school, right? 110 00:08:17,880 --> 00:08:20,240 To go do the will of God for my life. 111 00:08:20,240 --> 00:08:22,560 I'm sorry you don't understand that. 112 00:08:23,840 --> 00:08:29,040 And you need to get behind me basically because I must do what 113 00:08:29,040 --> 00:08:32,640 the Father's wanting me to do, even though you don't understand 114 00:08:32,640 --> 00:08:34,200 it. And I know your heart is you 115 00:08:34,200 --> 00:08:38,559 don't want us to have to go without or, and I don't know 116 00:08:38,559 --> 00:08:41,559 where we're going and I don't know what we're doing and I 117 00:08:41,559 --> 00:08:44,640 don't know how how it's going to all manifest. 118 00:08:44,640 --> 00:08:50,080 But what I do know is I must do the will of the Father, that He 119 00:08:50,080 --> 00:08:54,200 has a purpose and He has a plan, and He has assignments for my 120 00:08:54,200 --> 00:08:57,640 life. Amen. 121 00:08:57,960 --> 00:09:00,000 And that's for each and every one of us. 122 00:09:00,000 --> 00:09:03,880 He did not say it was just for the pastors, the evangelist, the 123 00:09:04,240 --> 00:09:06,880 apostles, the teachers, the prophets. 124 00:09:06,880 --> 00:09:12,000 No, He said each and every one of His followers, His disciples, 125 00:09:12,240 --> 00:09:14,760 we're going to have to pick up our own cross. 126 00:09:14,760 --> 00:09:18,360 The cross is the purpose that God has for your life and the 127 00:09:18,360 --> 00:09:21,720 plans and the assignments. We're going to have to pick it 128 00:09:21,720 --> 00:09:25,960 up, take the responsibility, and then start walking it out. 129 00:09:25,960 --> 00:09:31,040 Just like Jesus had to carry his own cross to his death, we're 130 00:09:31,040 --> 00:09:33,320 going to have to carry our own cross. 131 00:09:33,680 --> 00:09:37,560 And there's going to be times that there is nobody there to 132 00:09:37,560 --> 00:09:42,560 help you carry that cross but Jesus. 133 00:09:43,280 --> 00:09:45,440 Hallelujah. And we're going to see that. 134 00:09:45,640 --> 00:09:50,480 How can we carry our cross effectively? 135 00:09:50,720 --> 00:09:52,560 We're going to get some answers tonight. 136 00:09:52,920 --> 00:09:57,920 So here we see this great picture of what He clearly says 137 00:09:57,920 --> 00:10:02,960 a true follower of His will do. They will have to deny 138 00:10:02,960 --> 00:10:08,760 themselves. And in Scripture, we saw here in 139 00:10:08,760 --> 00:10:13,480 Luke 9, just one more Scripture, because, you know, I realized 140 00:10:13,480 --> 00:10:17,160 too, that pastor had just ministered not too long ago on 141 00:10:17,160 --> 00:10:19,880 what a disciple looks like. And he went through all the 142 00:10:19,880 --> 00:10:23,920 scriptures that I went through last Wednesday about doing the 143 00:10:23,920 --> 00:10:26,240 will of the Father. This is how we know if you're 144 00:10:26,240 --> 00:10:29,800 truly a true disciple, is that you're going to do His will. 145 00:10:30,800 --> 00:10:33,560 You're going to do it. You're going to do whatever He 146 00:10:33,560 --> 00:10:36,720 tells you to do. Just like Jesus said, I only do 147 00:10:36,720 --> 00:10:40,720 what my Father tells me to do. I only say what my Father tells 148 00:10:40,720 --> 00:10:43,360 me to say. And everything you see I do is 149 00:10:43,360 --> 00:10:45,880 because the Father has told me to do it. 150 00:10:46,600 --> 00:10:50,520 Our lives should be a representation of the will of 151 00:10:50,520 --> 00:10:56,720 the Father so that when they see you, they see this person's 152 00:10:56,720 --> 00:11:03,040 doing God's will. This person's doing exactly what 153 00:11:03,040 --> 00:11:06,960 God's having them do. You can see evidence of it in 154 00:11:06,960 --> 00:11:13,200 your life. And so Luke 9 says this, or let 155 00:11:13,200 --> 00:11:18,320 me read Matthew 10 again. Matthew 1038. 156 00:11:18,320 --> 00:11:22,000 We're going to get moving. Matthew 1038 and 39 says this. 157 00:11:22,000 --> 00:11:25,960 And he who does not take up His cross and follow after me, what 158 00:11:25,960 --> 00:11:31,680 did he say is not worthy of me? He's not worthy of me. 159 00:11:33,920 --> 00:11:39,000 If you're unwilling to carry your cross, to do the plan, to 160 00:11:39,000 --> 00:11:42,520 do the purpose, to do the assignment that God has for your 161 00:11:42,520 --> 00:11:44,560 life, he says you're not worthy of me. 162 00:11:45,960 --> 00:11:49,680 Now look at Luke 9, Luke 923 and 25. 163 00:11:49,680 --> 00:11:53,160 It says this. And he was saying to them all, 164 00:11:53,160 --> 00:11:56,680 if anyone wishes to follow me, this is Luke's account. 165 00:11:56,680 --> 00:11:59,720 And I like the way Luke's account reads it in the 166 00:11:59,720 --> 00:12:03,600 amplified. This is why I'm reading it the 167 00:12:03,600 --> 00:12:07,000 same scripture and what he's saying it says, and he was 168 00:12:07,000 --> 00:12:10,760 saying to all of them, If anyone wishes to follow me as my 169 00:12:10,760 --> 00:12:18,480 disciple, He must deny himself, set aside selfish interest, take 170 00:12:18,480 --> 00:12:21,520 up His cross. What Daily? 171 00:12:21,560 --> 00:12:26,800 This is the key. This is the key daily. 172 00:12:27,640 --> 00:12:32,720 This is not a one time event. It was a one time event for 173 00:12:32,880 --> 00:12:35,800 Jesus after he said it was finished. 174 00:12:36,800 --> 00:12:43,040 But daily we saw through the three years that he or the 33 175 00:12:43,040 --> 00:12:47,120 years that he was on the earth walking it out, that he was 176 00:12:47,120 --> 00:12:49,400 always doing the will of the Father. 177 00:12:50,240 --> 00:12:54,000 So he was a perfect example of how he did it. 178 00:12:54,400 --> 00:12:58,400 But he says to to his disciples, we're going to have to pick up 179 00:12:58,400 --> 00:13:03,080 this cross daily, meaning there's going to be choices in 180 00:13:03,080 --> 00:13:06,000 our life every day that we're going to encounter. 181 00:13:06,240 --> 00:13:08,960 And we're going to have to choose because we're going to 182 00:13:08,960 --> 00:13:17,000 see what it means in a minute to deny our self-interest, to deny 183 00:13:17,000 --> 00:13:23,720 our flesh, to deny how we feel about a situation, to deny a lot 184 00:13:23,720 --> 00:13:27,400 of things, to be able to daily choose. 185 00:13:27,680 --> 00:13:31,560 I'm following him. I must pick up my cross in this 186 00:13:31,560 --> 00:13:36,200 situation. I'm going to have to deny myself 187 00:13:36,200 --> 00:13:38,840 in this situation. I What does that mean? 188 00:13:38,840 --> 00:13:47,040 I'm going to deny how I want to respond or want to, what I want 189 00:13:47,040 --> 00:13:53,640 to do in this scenario or how I would do it in this situation or 190 00:13:53,640 --> 00:13:56,840 circumstance. So he says daily. 191 00:13:56,840 --> 00:14:02,440 And what does it say? Expressing A willingness to 192 00:14:02,480 --> 00:14:09,240 endure whatever may come. So when you're choosing daily to 193 00:14:09,240 --> 00:14:13,680 pick up your cross and follow him, you are saying I am willing 194 00:14:13,680 --> 00:14:18,400 to endure whatever is going to come from me having to choose to 195 00:14:18,600 --> 00:14:22,920 deny myself in this situation that I have to endure. 196 00:14:24,440 --> 00:14:29,240 I'm going to have to endure some things, OK. 197 00:14:30,960 --> 00:14:36,200 And then he goes on to say and follow me, believing in me. 198 00:14:36,240 --> 00:14:41,680 I love this conforming to me, 'cause everybody says, oh, I 199 00:14:41,680 --> 00:14:43,960 believe in Jesus. But I don't see them picking up 200 00:14:43,960 --> 00:14:48,080 their cross every day and doing the plan and doing the will and 201 00:14:48,080 --> 00:14:52,400 doing what He's telling them to do in situations and in 202 00:14:52,400 --> 00:14:56,680 scenarios and in circumstances that they're encountering every 203 00:14:56,680 --> 00:14:58,400 day. Come on. 204 00:14:58,960 --> 00:15:07,160 And they're not being conformed to Him, the example in living 205 00:15:07,320 --> 00:15:12,560 and if need be, in suffering or perhaps even dying because of 206 00:15:12,560 --> 00:15:15,880 faith in me. And as I was meditating on that 207 00:15:15,880 --> 00:15:20,480 today, I was reminded of that one Columbine student. 208 00:15:20,920 --> 00:15:24,240 How many of you remember Columbine, the shooting years 209 00:15:24,240 --> 00:15:27,440 and years ago? I don't remember what year it 210 00:15:27,440 --> 00:15:31,520 was. It was in the late 90s or early 211 00:15:31,520 --> 00:15:36,160 2000s maybe. And the one girl that was a 212 00:15:36,160 --> 00:15:42,200 believer and she, I mean, it was all over the news that he wanted 213 00:15:42,200 --> 00:15:45,840 her to deny her faith in Jesus Christ and that he wouldn't 214 00:15:45,840 --> 00:15:49,160 shoot her and kill her and she should. 215 00:15:49,160 --> 00:15:56,280 She stood up and she said I will not deny Jesus Christ as my 216 00:15:56,280 --> 00:15:59,000 Savior. And he shot her and killed her. 217 00:16:00,920 --> 00:16:04,400 And we think that that doesn't happen in today's society. 218 00:16:06,480 --> 00:16:15,480 This is a real time martyr right here in the USA because she as a 219 00:16:15,480 --> 00:16:19,520 teenager stood up and say, I'm not going to deny Jesus Christ 220 00:16:19,520 --> 00:16:24,080 as my Lord and my Savior. And she was killed. 221 00:16:26,000 --> 00:16:31,680 So she endured even unto death, to be able to stand up and do 222 00:16:31,680 --> 00:16:33,960 the will of the Father by saying, I'm a follower. 223 00:16:34,360 --> 00:16:42,080 I'm not going to deny him. So what does it mean to be a 224 00:16:42,080 --> 00:16:45,560 true follower? To pick up it said, for us to be 225 00:16:45,560 --> 00:16:49,240 able to literally deny ourselves. 226 00:16:49,400 --> 00:16:57,280 It means this that we may take hold and take up upon ourselves 227 00:16:57,440 --> 00:17:02,360 the cross to claim it and to make it our own. 228 00:17:03,480 --> 00:17:07,880 And Jesus made it his own. And he's a perfect example of 229 00:17:07,880 --> 00:17:11,920 how we're to make it our own. And thank God that we do not 230 00:17:11,920 --> 00:17:15,720 have to die as the sacrifice for humanity. 231 00:17:15,720 --> 00:17:20,800 But there are things that must die if we're going to follow 232 00:17:20,800 --> 00:17:23,000 Christ. OK. 233 00:17:23,359 --> 00:17:27,800 And it means to what? Take possession of it, to reach 234 00:17:27,800 --> 00:17:32,760 after it, to strive for it. That means there is a our cross 235 00:17:32,800 --> 00:17:35,680 is something that he's saying if we're going to be a true 236 00:17:35,680 --> 00:17:38,920 follower, we're going to have to take hold of it. 237 00:17:40,240 --> 00:17:45,120 That is the purpose that he has for our life, the plans that he 238 00:17:45,120 --> 00:17:48,160 has for our lives, because that was Jesus's purpose. 239 00:17:48,160 --> 00:17:54,240 That was His plan, the cross. We're going to have to take hold 240 00:17:54,240 --> 00:17:56,440 of it. We're going to have to put it on 241 00:17:56,440 --> 00:18:00,760 ourselves and we're going to have to what? 242 00:18:01,160 --> 00:18:04,160 We're going to have to carry it. We're going to have to claim it. 243 00:18:04,280 --> 00:18:06,240 We're going to have to take possession of it. 244 00:18:06,240 --> 00:18:08,120 We're going to have to reach after it. 245 00:18:08,120 --> 00:18:12,240 We're going to have to strive after the purpose and the plan 246 00:18:12,520 --> 00:18:17,000 and the assignment that He has for every single one of His 247 00:18:17,000 --> 00:18:20,040 followers who say you're a disciple. 248 00:18:23,520 --> 00:18:28,520 There's something that he is requiring, something that He has 249 00:18:28,760 --> 00:18:32,200 for you as a true follower of Christ. 250 00:18:33,320 --> 00:18:38,200 There's an assignment, there's a plan, there's a purpose of what 251 00:18:38,200 --> 00:18:42,320 He has for you to be doing. And like I said, it may not be 252 00:18:42,320 --> 00:18:45,640 he's not calling you into the five Fold ministry or he may not 253 00:18:45,640 --> 00:18:47,440 be calling you to be a missionary. 254 00:18:47,840 --> 00:18:51,560 And you know, Timbuktu, which I found out really is a real 255 00:18:51,560 --> 00:18:56,480 place. I thought it was just a saying 256 00:18:59,120 --> 00:19:02,360 for real. I wasn't good with geography or 257 00:19:02,360 --> 00:19:10,080 any of that stuff. So anyway, but he has something 258 00:19:10,080 --> 00:19:15,080 for each and every one of us to do every day, daily, picking up 259 00:19:15,080 --> 00:19:18,400 our cross. And whatever that may be that 260 00:19:18,400 --> 00:19:23,840 he's asking of you, we're going to have to choose to take hold 261 00:19:23,840 --> 00:19:27,840 of it, reach after it, strive for it. 262 00:19:27,840 --> 00:19:30,240 Amen. To be able to accomplish it. 263 00:19:30,720 --> 00:19:34,800 It's not just going to be, oh, I'm a believer and there's no 264 00:19:34,800 --> 00:19:38,600 other responsibility that I have just so just as pastor said, so 265 00:19:38,920 --> 00:19:41,800 I'm good to go so that one day when I die, I get to go to 266 00:19:41,800 --> 00:19:44,760 heaven. That's not reality. 267 00:19:45,040 --> 00:19:48,600 Again, this is not the Magic Kingdom where all your wishes 268 00:19:48,600 --> 00:19:53,760 come true, OK? This is the Kingdom of God. 269 00:19:53,880 --> 00:19:56,400 Amen. And there's things that He has 270 00:19:56,400 --> 00:20:00,560 for His children to do. So we're going to have to, when 271 00:20:00,560 --> 00:20:04,880 He says take up our cross and take possession of it, it 272 00:20:04,880 --> 00:20:08,280 literally means we're going to have to die to self. 273 00:20:09,440 --> 00:20:11,920 Die to self? What is self? 274 00:20:12,160 --> 00:20:18,600 Well, there's self preservation. You're doing whatever you can to 275 00:20:18,600 --> 00:20:22,760 make sure that you're going to be in the best position, right? 276 00:20:23,640 --> 00:20:27,600 There's self-interest like the scripture even says there's 277 00:20:27,600 --> 00:20:32,280 things that you're interested in that you want to do, but God 278 00:20:32,280 --> 00:20:34,520 saying, but I want you to do this. 279 00:20:34,560 --> 00:20:36,880 So guess what's going to have to die? 280 00:20:38,600 --> 00:20:47,080 That thing that's keeping you from actually saying, Lord, what 281 00:20:47,080 --> 00:20:50,840 is it that you want me to do in this situation? 282 00:20:50,840 --> 00:20:55,080 Right. So it literally means to utterly 283 00:20:55,520 --> 00:21:00,200 disown, deny and forget yourself. 284 00:21:01,000 --> 00:21:03,280 Say forget yourself. That's a good term. 285 00:21:03,280 --> 00:21:06,120 Just for the next time I talk to somebody and I'm giving them 286 00:21:06,120 --> 00:21:08,440 that advice, I'm just going to say just forget yourself. 287 00:21:10,600 --> 00:21:13,840 It's good advice. Forget yourself in this 288 00:21:13,840 --> 00:21:24,640 situation. Just forget yourself totally 289 00:21:24,640 --> 00:21:28,600 disowned. Forget yourself and lose sight 290 00:21:29,120 --> 00:21:34,640 of your own interest. That's what it means to deny, to 291 00:21:34,640 --> 00:21:38,280 pick up your cross, to carry it out right. 292 00:21:39,200 --> 00:21:43,160 And last week I gave you tons of scriptures on the fact that as a 293 00:21:43,160 --> 00:21:47,440 disciple, he does have a plan. He has something for you to do. 294 00:21:47,440 --> 00:21:51,320 I don't want to go through all those scriptures, but what I do 295 00:21:51,320 --> 00:21:55,440 want to read is first John 217. It says the world is passing 296 00:21:55,440 --> 00:22:02,640 away, and with its lust, the shameful pursuits and ungodly 297 00:22:02,640 --> 00:22:06,680 longings. But the one who does the will of 298 00:22:06,680 --> 00:22:13,960 God and carries, say, carries, carries your cross, carries out 299 00:22:13,960 --> 00:22:21,080 his purposes, lives forever, lives forever. 300 00:22:21,360 --> 00:22:25,880 So the world's passing away. And we know that there's the 301 00:22:26,160 --> 00:22:31,320 lust of the flesh, the pride of life, all the things that the 302 00:22:31,320 --> 00:22:37,080 world is pursuing, those shameful pursuits and ungodly 303 00:22:37,080 --> 00:22:39,560 longings. But the one who's going to what? 304 00:22:40,000 --> 00:22:47,120 Deny his self and all of those things is going to be able to 305 00:22:47,120 --> 00:22:50,440 what? Be the one that's going to carry 306 00:22:50,440 --> 00:22:54,240 out the will of God and the purpose of God for our life. 307 00:22:54,400 --> 00:23:00,280 OK, now look at first Peter chapter 4 and verse 2. 308 00:23:00,840 --> 00:23:04,760 Because we're going somewhere, it says, so that he can no 309 00:23:04,760 --> 00:23:09,360 longer spend the rest of his natural life living for human 310 00:23:09,360 --> 00:23:17,600 appetites and desires, but lives for the will and purpose of God. 311 00:23:19,880 --> 00:23:27,080 Are you living for the will and the purposes and the plans and 312 00:23:27,080 --> 00:23:33,760 the pursuits and the assignments of God, or are you pursuing the 313 00:23:33,760 --> 00:23:40,920 natural life of human appetites and human desires, which has to 314 00:23:40,920 --> 00:23:45,280 do with all the things of this world that it can offer you? 315 00:23:45,280 --> 00:23:48,280 Because remember, in every one of those scriptures where he 316 00:23:48,280 --> 00:23:52,000 talks about a true follower of mine is going to pick up his 317 00:23:52,000 --> 00:23:55,520 cross. He also said in the very next 318 00:23:55,520 --> 00:24:04,160 verse, whoever chooses to what lose his life, lose his life 319 00:24:04,160 --> 00:24:09,640 and, and and one of them even goes into what does it profit to 320 00:24:09,640 --> 00:24:13,680 gain the whole world. You're pursuing everything the 321 00:24:13,680 --> 00:24:19,080 world has to offer, your 4-O1K, your retirement, the best at 322 00:24:19,080 --> 00:24:25,360 the, you know, at your job, the best CEO of your company and all 323 00:24:25,360 --> 00:24:32,680 these pursuits and all these things and yet what forfeit your 324 00:24:32,760 --> 00:24:37,280 soul. So we're talking about the plans 325 00:24:37,280 --> 00:24:41,240 and the purposes and the pursuits and the cross that God 326 00:24:41,240 --> 00:24:43,600 has for each and every one of us to carry. 327 00:24:43,840 --> 00:24:48,040 And it may be that he wants you straight up as ACEO of a multi 328 00:24:48,040 --> 00:24:53,120 $1,000,000 company like Elon, Elon Musk, you may be the next 329 00:24:53,120 --> 00:24:55,520 one. But let Him get you there, 330 00:24:55,800 --> 00:25:03,720 pursuing the right things without self-interest, because 331 00:25:03,720 --> 00:25:08,120 He can do it, because He can put you in the right place. 332 00:25:08,720 --> 00:25:13,760 Those that what seek first the Kingdom of God and His 333 00:25:13,760 --> 00:25:17,480 righteousness. All things will be what added 334 00:25:17,480 --> 00:25:26,920 unto you, and He'll add it with no sorrow, no sorrow. 335 00:25:29,080 --> 00:25:33,240 So we see here the Scriptures letting us know that this 336 00:25:33,240 --> 00:25:39,040 self-interest, this natural human desires is of the flesh. 337 00:25:39,040 --> 00:25:40,800 And we're going to talk about this. 338 00:25:42,680 --> 00:25:45,520 I want to remind you of a scripture because as I was 339 00:25:45,520 --> 00:25:50,200 meditating on this this today, I was reminded of the scripture 340 00:25:50,200 --> 00:25:56,000 that I used when we were doing the series on reigning faith. 341 00:25:56,000 --> 00:25:58,880 How many of you were on Wednesday nights and went 342 00:25:58,880 --> 00:26:01,640 through that series on reigning faith? 343 00:26:01,840 --> 00:26:07,440 Well, there was one scripture that stood, that stood, not 344 00:26:07,440 --> 00:26:11,520 stuck. It did stick stood out for me 345 00:26:11,880 --> 00:26:16,640 and I read it multiple times during that series and I wanted 346 00:26:16,640 --> 00:26:19,320 to reread it because it goes along with this. 347 00:26:19,320 --> 00:26:24,600 In second Peter chapter 1 and verse 10 in the amplified it 348 00:26:24,600 --> 00:26:29,440 says this. It says, therefore believers be 349 00:26:29,440 --> 00:26:34,800 all the more diligent to make certain about his calling and 350 00:26:34,800 --> 00:26:41,360 His choosing you be sure that your behavior reflects and 351 00:26:41,360 --> 00:26:47,120 confirms your relationship with God for by doing these things 352 00:26:47,200 --> 00:26:54,360 actively or we could also say daily actively developing these 353 00:26:54,360 --> 00:26:58,520 virtues, you will never what stumble in your spiritual growth 354 00:26:58,960 --> 00:27:04,800 and you will live a life that leads others away from sin. 355 00:27:07,040 --> 00:27:13,360 So again, we know that Jesus picking up his cross following 356 00:27:13,360 --> 00:27:18,400 after the will of the Father brought him to a place that the 357 00:27:18,400 --> 00:27:23,800 whole world now can come into can choose him. 358 00:27:24,840 --> 00:27:32,360 He displayed that doing the will of the Father brings what life 359 00:27:33,040 --> 00:27:38,520 brings life, because without Him we wouldn't have life, right? 360 00:27:38,840 --> 00:27:43,160 That's why He was raised from the dead, and we are raised up 361 00:27:43,160 --> 00:27:49,640 with Him in the newness of life and seated with Him. 362 00:27:49,640 --> 00:27:52,960 Not just raised up with him in the newness of life, but yet 363 00:27:52,960 --> 00:27:56,360 we're now what? Seated with Him in heavenly 364 00:27:56,360 --> 00:28:01,040 places far above. Come on, all principalities, 365 00:28:01,040 --> 00:28:06,360 we're seated with him in Christ in heavenly places, because he 366 00:28:06,360 --> 00:28:09,880 rose from the grave. But here he's saying, Listen, 367 00:28:09,880 --> 00:28:14,800 you as believers, be more diligent to make certain about 368 00:28:14,800 --> 00:28:18,600 his calling of you and His choosing of you. 369 00:28:19,440 --> 00:28:22,480 That's what we should be more consumed with. 370 00:28:22,880 --> 00:28:26,640 What is God asking of me every day? 371 00:28:27,160 --> 00:28:31,840 Because there is a cross that I am responsible for to carry 372 00:28:32,000 --> 00:28:37,920 while I'm sojourning in this life, in this earth, and I'm 373 00:28:37,920 --> 00:28:40,720 going to be held accountable for it. 374 00:28:41,600 --> 00:28:47,840 There's rewards that could be laid up for me in heaven because 375 00:28:47,840 --> 00:28:52,000 I choose to do the will of the Father, because I choose to do 376 00:28:52,000 --> 00:28:55,960 His purposes, because I choose to do His plans, because I 377 00:28:55,960 --> 00:29:00,320 choose to do the assignments that He is asking of me. 378 00:29:00,560 --> 00:29:06,240 But I have to do it by choosing daily to, to crucify 379 00:29:06,880 --> 00:29:13,480 self-interest and to crucify the flesh. 380 00:29:14,120 --> 00:29:19,560 OK, so how can we daily crucify the flesh? 381 00:29:19,920 --> 00:29:22,840 Let's look at this because this is what he's saying. 382 00:29:23,200 --> 00:29:26,360 For us to be able to deny ourselves, we're going to have 383 00:29:26,360 --> 00:29:29,000 to choose that. I'm crucifying this self every 384 00:29:29,000 --> 00:29:35,120 day. Every day I'm going to have to 385 00:29:35,120 --> 00:29:43,120 choose to crucify myself to do what God is requiring of me and 386 00:29:43,120 --> 00:29:48,280 asking of me In whatever situation and scenario He may 387 00:29:48,280 --> 00:29:52,920 have for your life, there's something that you're going to 388 00:29:52,920 --> 00:29:56,760 have to daily crucify. And this is what he's talking 389 00:29:56,760 --> 00:29:59,320 about, picking up your cross and carrying it. 390 00:29:59,680 --> 00:30:08,520 So it has to be a decisive, ongoing choice of your acts, 391 00:30:08,560 --> 00:30:10,680 actions, following through with it. 392 00:30:12,560 --> 00:30:17,360 You have to make a decision that in in this moment, I am not 393 00:30:17,360 --> 00:30:22,000 going to worry about my desire or self-interest because he's 394 00:30:22,200 --> 00:30:25,480 requiring and asking me to do something else. 395 00:30:26,640 --> 00:30:29,680 And so I'm going to have to choose to pick up my cross. 396 00:30:29,680 --> 00:30:33,560 I'm going to choose to crucify my flesh and walk it out. 397 00:30:34,600 --> 00:30:38,080 And what's so good about being able to do that? 398 00:30:38,480 --> 00:30:44,720 It's just as I was saying, the fact that Jesus rose from the 399 00:30:44,720 --> 00:30:51,960 grave and is seated at the right hand of the Father and then told 400 00:30:51,960 --> 00:30:56,800 us as believers we're seated with him, then that means we've 401 00:30:56,800 --> 00:31:02,120 been given all authority, power, and dominion back to be able to 402 00:31:02,280 --> 00:31:11,640 actually crucify this flesh every day, to crucify it every 403 00:31:11,640 --> 00:31:16,880 day, and to say not my will, but your will be done in this 404 00:31:16,880 --> 00:31:19,600 situation. Why is this important? 405 00:31:19,760 --> 00:31:24,600 Because to be able to do what God is truly asking us to do as 406 00:31:24,600 --> 00:31:28,160 believers, to live it out every day in front of people's lives 407 00:31:28,160 --> 00:31:32,400 by choosing the right thing over the wrong thing. 408 00:31:33,120 --> 00:31:35,560 See, people don't even think about that anymore. 409 00:31:36,360 --> 00:31:41,000 Like they'll go through their job and do their their daily 410 00:31:41,000 --> 00:31:46,080 activities as a Christian and get in a situation where they 411 00:31:46,080 --> 00:31:49,840 should be doing something totally different according to 412 00:31:49,840 --> 00:31:52,840 what the scripture says about this situation. 413 00:31:53,160 --> 00:31:58,680 And they just override it every day in their response. 414 00:32:02,280 --> 00:32:06,640 And so here we're going to have to choose to remind ourselves 415 00:32:07,240 --> 00:32:12,400 that, listen, the reason that I can be able to choose what is 416 00:32:12,400 --> 00:32:17,440 right in this situation and deny self and choose to do the will 417 00:32:17,440 --> 00:32:22,200 of the father in this situation. It is not self effort. 418 00:32:24,480 --> 00:32:29,080 It's not in our own power. And as I said with reigning 419 00:32:29,080 --> 00:32:35,920 faith, it is not willpower. It is not willpower to choose to 420 00:32:35,920 --> 00:32:38,400 pick up your cross. Do you know what it is? 421 00:32:38,400 --> 00:32:43,400 It is the power of the Holy Ghost that raised Christ from 422 00:32:43,400 --> 00:32:49,480 the dead on the third day that says now He dwells on the inside 423 00:32:49,480 --> 00:32:52,560 of you. And so therefore, there is 424 00:32:52,560 --> 00:32:57,800 nothing that I could be dealing with in a day that I can't tap 425 00:32:57,800 --> 00:33:04,040 into that power to be able to choose to rise above it and do 426 00:33:04,040 --> 00:33:08,720 the will of the father. There's no excuse as a believer 427 00:33:10,280 --> 00:33:16,520 for us to think that we have to have willpower or we have to do 428 00:33:16,520 --> 00:33:21,080 it in our own self effort. It is not doing it in your own 429 00:33:21,080 --> 00:33:23,440 self. You can't do it in your own 430 00:33:23,440 --> 00:33:26,040 self. And that's why we see so many 431 00:33:26,040 --> 00:33:31,440 believers failing because they don't have the power of the Holy 432 00:33:31,440 --> 00:33:33,920 Ghost living on the inside of them. 433 00:33:39,760 --> 00:33:43,920 So Acts, I'm just going to read you what the Scripture says and 434 00:33:43,920 --> 00:33:45,800 let the Scripture talk for itself. 435 00:33:46,480 --> 00:33:49,440 And this is another thing that if we're going to choose to be 436 00:33:49,440 --> 00:33:53,440 those that say every day I'm going to crucify my flesh and 437 00:33:53,440 --> 00:33:56,400 I'm going to pick up my cross and things that God's asking me 438 00:33:56,400 --> 00:33:59,640 to do, then I'm going to have to be full of the power of the Holy 439 00:33:59,640 --> 00:34:01,320 Ghost. Then I'm going to have to be 440 00:34:01,320 --> 00:34:04,920 full of the Word of God. I'm going to have to know what 441 00:34:04,920 --> 00:34:09,600 the Word says so that when I encounter a situation, I'm not 442 00:34:09,600 --> 00:34:14,199 responding in my flesh or in myself effort, but I'm 443 00:34:14,199 --> 00:34:19,360 responding in the power and the authority of the Word of God and 444 00:34:19,360 --> 00:34:25,480 the power of God that lives on the inside of me to be able to 445 00:34:25,480 --> 00:34:31,360 do it right. So Acts 18 But you shall receive 446 00:34:31,360 --> 00:34:38,719 what power, come on and ability. Look what he says power and 447 00:34:38,719 --> 00:34:42,679 ability. You have no ability to be able 448 00:34:42,679 --> 00:34:46,400 to do some of the things that God is asking you to do when 449 00:34:46,400 --> 00:34:49,800 you're encountering a situation. But if you learn how to tap into 450 00:34:49,840 --> 00:34:56,560 the power, he'll show you how you can do it. 451 00:34:58,120 --> 00:35:01,040 He'll show you how you can. Come on. 452 00:35:01,040 --> 00:35:12,720 We need to be reminded of the little train who knows it Say 453 00:35:12,800 --> 00:35:15,080 it. I think I can. 454 00:35:15,080 --> 00:35:19,240 I think I can. I think we have so much doubt 455 00:35:19,600 --> 00:35:23,440 and we have so much telling us, oh, I can't do that. 456 00:35:23,440 --> 00:35:26,000 I can't do that. I mean, there's no way I can 457 00:35:26,000 --> 00:35:29,320 keep my mouth shut about that. Oh, there's no way I can do 458 00:35:29,320 --> 00:35:31,560 that. Oh, no, no, no. 459 00:35:31,560 --> 00:35:33,640 Do you know what? That just happened to me. 460 00:35:33,640 --> 00:35:39,040 There's no way I can't hold my fist back, right? 461 00:35:41,240 --> 00:35:47,440 But I have the power and the ability to crucify my flesh and 462 00:35:47,440 --> 00:35:50,920 to be able to tap into the Spirit of God. 463 00:35:50,920 --> 00:35:56,240 It says when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, Amen. 464 00:35:56,240 --> 00:35:59,240 When He comes upon you and those that are filled with the Holy 465 00:35:59,240 --> 00:36:04,600 Ghost, you have no excuse. Anytime you encounter a 466 00:36:04,600 --> 00:36:07,320 situation, just start praying in the Holy Ghost. 467 00:36:07,320 --> 00:36:12,640 One, it'll scare people away and then you won't have to deal with 468 00:36:12,640 --> 00:36:18,840 them. But two, come on, He's going to 469 00:36:18,840 --> 00:36:23,200 fill you up with power so you don't respond in your flesh. 470 00:36:24,400 --> 00:36:26,120 OK? He's going to give you the 471 00:36:26,160 --> 00:36:29,840 ability to stand in that moment. Amen. 472 00:36:30,240 --> 00:36:32,840 Hallelujah. Look at first John 4/4. 473 00:36:33,000 --> 00:36:37,080 It says you are from God, little children and have overcome them 474 00:36:37,080 --> 00:36:42,440 because what greater is he that is in you than he that's in the 475 00:36:42,440 --> 00:36:47,120 world? So we must replace and not just 476 00:36:47,120 --> 00:36:48,920 resist. We must folk. 477 00:36:49,280 --> 00:36:53,120 It says the focus is not just saying no, but putting off the 478 00:36:53,120 --> 00:36:59,640 old and putting on the new self, replacing selfish desires with 479 00:36:59,640 --> 00:37:04,000 the fruit of the Spirit. So we're going to have to say 480 00:37:04,000 --> 00:37:07,760 greater is he that's in me and choose that I'm going to put on 481 00:37:07,760 --> 00:37:11,560 the new self. I'm going to allow the power of 482 00:37:11,560 --> 00:37:19,640 God within me to restrain me. Thank God we have a restraint, 483 00:37:23,600 --> 00:37:26,560 because you see what the world looks like without it. 484 00:37:31,480 --> 00:37:37,400 We have a restraint on the inside, the power of the Holy 485 00:37:37,400 --> 00:37:41,240 Ghost, the greater One who lives on the inside of us. 486 00:37:41,240 --> 00:37:45,480 Ephesians 316 May He grant you out of the riches of His glory 487 00:37:45,480 --> 00:37:49,040 to be what? Strengthened and spiritually 488 00:37:49,040 --> 00:37:54,520 energized with power through His Spirit in your inner self. 489 00:37:55,200 --> 00:38:01,320 So this is how we're going to be able to crucify this flesh or 490 00:38:01,320 --> 00:38:07,080 the the selfish desires and the things that you know, we want to 491 00:38:07,080 --> 00:38:09,960 do instead of what God wants us to do. 492 00:38:10,760 --> 00:38:16,200 We're only going to be able to do it through the power of God 493 00:38:16,200 --> 00:38:19,240 on the inside of us. And us what? 494 00:38:19,440 --> 00:38:22,640 Yielding to it? Yielding to it? 495 00:38:22,640 --> 00:38:27,200 Ephesians 610 In conclusion, be strong in the Lord, draw your 496 00:38:27,200 --> 00:38:31,360 strength from Him and be empowered through your union 497 00:38:31,360 --> 00:38:37,680 with Him and in the power of His black boundless might. 498 00:38:38,760 --> 00:38:42,960 So you have to draw on your union with him. 499 00:38:43,240 --> 00:38:49,120 Draw on the strength of God, the power of God that's dwelling on 500 00:38:49,120 --> 00:38:54,200 the inside of you. You have power, Dunamis working 501 00:38:54,200 --> 00:38:59,120 power living on the inside of you to be able to crucify this 502 00:38:59,120 --> 00:39:04,840 flesh daily and to pick up your cross and carry it in every 503 00:39:04,840 --> 00:39:11,400 scenario, in every situation. But how many of us don't tap 504 00:39:11,400 --> 00:39:16,600 into it and don't yield to it? We respond with our words, with 505 00:39:16,600 --> 00:39:21,880 our mouth, with our actions, our behaviors. 506 00:39:24,080 --> 00:39:28,800 I mean, it's sad day when you see adults acting like 2 year 507 00:39:28,800 --> 00:39:33,880 olds, right? That say they're even believers 508 00:39:33,880 --> 00:39:38,120 but they're having a meltdown like a 2 year old that has not 509 00:39:38,120 --> 00:39:43,360 learned how to self govern their behavior. 510 00:39:44,120 --> 00:39:47,840 And thank God we don't have to any longer self govern our 511 00:39:47,840 --> 00:39:52,320 behavior, but we do have to learn how to yield to the Spirit 512 00:39:52,320 --> 00:39:58,040 of God on the inside of us to be able to have self-control. 513 00:40:01,320 --> 00:40:07,240 Amen. So look at Colossians, I'm just 514 00:40:07,240 --> 00:40:10,200 reading you the scriptures of how much power you carry on the 515 00:40:10,200 --> 00:40:13,800 inside of you Colossians chapter 1 and verse 11. 516 00:40:14,000 --> 00:40:18,560 It says, we pray that you may be strengthened and invigorated 517 00:40:18,560 --> 00:40:24,040 with all power according to his glorious might to attain every 518 00:40:24,040 --> 00:40:30,160 kind of what? Endurance and patience and with 519 00:40:30,600 --> 00:40:35,040 joy. So he's saying, listen there, 520 00:40:35,080 --> 00:40:39,800 the Spirit of God is ready to strengthen you and to invigorate 521 00:40:39,800 --> 00:40:44,360 you with power whenever you're encountering situations where 522 00:40:44,360 --> 00:40:49,320 your flesh just wants to have an outburst, but he's asking you 523 00:40:49,320 --> 00:40:54,160 crucify it. I want you to do this. 524 00:40:54,240 --> 00:40:57,000 I don't want you to respond that way, right? 525 00:40:58,040 --> 00:41:03,240 And look what he says here in Second Corinthians 12/9 and 10, 526 00:41:03,240 --> 00:41:06,720 it says, but he said to me, my grace is sufficient for my 527 00:41:06,720 --> 00:41:10,920 loving kindness and mercy are more than enough, always 528 00:41:10,920 --> 00:41:14,680 available regardless of the situation. 529 00:41:15,960 --> 00:41:22,080 For my power is being perfected, and is completed, and shows 530 00:41:22,080 --> 00:41:26,520 itself most effectively in your weakness. 531 00:41:27,400 --> 00:41:32,280 Therefore I will all the more gladly boast in my weakness, so 532 00:41:32,280 --> 00:41:37,600 that the power of Christ may completely listen to this enfold 533 00:41:37,600 --> 00:41:45,200 me, and may dwell in me, so that I am well pleased with weakness, 534 00:41:45,200 --> 00:41:49,240 with insults, and with distresses, persecutions, and 535 00:41:49,240 --> 00:41:51,640 difficulties for the sake of Christ. 536 00:41:51,640 --> 00:41:57,560 For when I am weak in my human strength, than what I am truly 537 00:41:57,560 --> 00:42:04,040 strong and able, truly powerful, truly drawing from God's 538 00:42:04,040 --> 00:42:07,480 strength. So when we start talking about 539 00:42:07,680 --> 00:42:11,640 crucifying the flesh and being able to pick up your cross daily 540 00:42:11,640 --> 00:42:16,760 and carry it, it's not anything about you having to do it. 541 00:42:17,760 --> 00:42:21,960 It's about you yielding to the power of God that's readily 542 00:42:21,960 --> 00:42:27,240 available for you in those moments, in your weakness, in 543 00:42:27,240 --> 00:42:32,320 those moments when your flesh, when you want to rise up and 544 00:42:32,320 --> 00:42:37,480 respond and say no, Lord, it's too hard, I'm not going to do it 545 00:42:37,480 --> 00:42:41,400 that way. No, you yield to the Spirit of 546 00:42:41,400 --> 00:42:45,480 God who's saying on the inside, yeah, you can do all things 547 00:42:45,480 --> 00:42:47,200 through Christ who strengthens you. 548 00:42:48,000 --> 00:42:53,280 You can do it. You can do it, whatever it is 549 00:42:53,600 --> 00:42:58,520 that he's requiring of us. So look at some practical ways 550 00:42:58,520 --> 00:43:03,520 that we have to crucify the flesh #1 we're going to have to 551 00:43:03,520 --> 00:43:07,080 learn as believers, and we've taught this for years, that we 552 00:43:07,080 --> 00:43:11,440 are to walk by the Spirit. We're to walk by the Spirit. 553 00:43:11,680 --> 00:43:18,640 We cannot walk by our flesh and walk by our human natural. 554 00:43:18,640 --> 00:43:20,760 We're going to have to walk by the Spirit. 555 00:43:20,960 --> 00:43:23,720 And for us to walk by the Spirit, we are going to have to 556 00:43:23,720 --> 00:43:28,040 abide in Christ daily, just like he says daily. 557 00:43:28,040 --> 00:43:29,840 We're going to have to crucify the flesh. 558 00:43:29,840 --> 00:43:33,000 This is why we say daily, you should be reading the Word, 559 00:43:33,280 --> 00:43:35,880 abiding in the Word. Because if you're not in the 560 00:43:35,880 --> 00:43:38,760 Word, guess what? Your flesh is going to rise up 561 00:43:38,760 --> 00:43:41,880 first. Amen. 562 00:43:42,520 --> 00:43:46,280 So we're going to have to be people that walk by the Spirit. 563 00:43:46,280 --> 00:43:49,640 And the only way we can walk by the Spirit is by abiding in 564 00:43:49,640 --> 00:43:53,440 Christ daily. And that is through us reading 565 00:43:53,440 --> 00:43:59,400 our Word right through times of prayer daily, right? 566 00:43:59,400 --> 00:44:03,000 And you know what? When we're in the Word and we're 567 00:44:03,000 --> 00:44:06,480 full of the Spirit of God because we've been abiding, then 568 00:44:06,480 --> 00:44:10,280 guess what? The Spirit of God is so full on 569 00:44:10,280 --> 00:44:13,680 the inside of you. And when a situation comes, it's 570 00:44:13,680 --> 00:44:19,280 easy to yield to it. It's easier to yield to the Word 571 00:44:19,280 --> 00:44:28,760 and the Spirit in you instead of self-interest or all the flesh 572 00:44:28,800 --> 00:44:32,480 and all the things that the flesh is telling you to do. 573 00:44:32,720 --> 00:44:36,720 So we know what the Scripture says, John 15, that if we abide 574 00:44:36,720 --> 00:44:43,600 in Him, then what His Word will abide in US 15-7 and eight says, 575 00:44:43,600 --> 00:44:49,600 if you remain in me and my words remain in you, that is, if we 576 00:44:49,600 --> 00:44:54,680 are vitally united and my message lives in your heart, ask 577 00:44:54,680 --> 00:44:56,480 whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 578 00:44:56,480 --> 00:44:59,080 My Father will be glorified and honored by this. 579 00:44:59,240 --> 00:45:04,080 When you bear much fruit and prove yourselves to be what? 580 00:45:06,800 --> 00:45:17,560 True disciples have fruit, not somebody that just says they're 581 00:45:17,560 --> 00:45:23,640 a Christian and a believer. True disciples who have learned 582 00:45:23,640 --> 00:45:29,760 how to pick up their cross every day will have proof in the 583 00:45:29,760 --> 00:45:33,040 pudding. The fruit of the Spirit will be 584 00:45:33,040 --> 00:45:40,640 evident within their life. It will be evident as a 585 00:45:40,640 --> 00:45:46,240 disciple, a true disciple, a true follower of him. 586 00:45:46,640 --> 00:45:50,600 I like what one minister said, Pastor Jack Myers, which we are 587 00:45:50,600 --> 00:45:57,040 on his board down in Tampa. He, he, he had this statement a 588 00:45:57,040 --> 00:46:00,040 long, long time ago. And the Holy Spirit reminded me 589 00:46:00,040 --> 00:46:02,280 of it today because it went with this. 590 00:46:02,280 --> 00:46:06,160 The fruit of the Spirit is grown because we're talking about 591 00:46:06,160 --> 00:46:10,680 doing the will of the Father. The fruit of the Spirit is grown 592 00:46:10,680 --> 00:46:14,840 and developed in the Garden of Obedience. 593 00:46:15,720 --> 00:46:19,560 I like that. And the Holy Ghost reminded me 594 00:46:19,560 --> 00:46:23,320 because I had had it in a note from over last year. 595 00:46:24,800 --> 00:46:30,720 The fruit of the Spirit is grown and developed within you, the 596 00:46:30,720 --> 00:46:37,120 Garden of Obedience because we're talking about we are to be 597 00:46:37,480 --> 00:46:42,520 doing the will of the Father and that's what obeying him at 598 00:46:42,520 --> 00:46:46,000 whatever he's saying for us to do whatever it is that God's 599 00:46:46,000 --> 00:46:54,200 asking or requiring of us daily. And when we obey fruit, the 600 00:46:54,200 --> 00:46:57,520 fruit of the Spirit of God is flourishing within our lives 601 00:46:57,520 --> 00:47:01,040 when we're choosing to say not my will, your will in this 602 00:47:01,040 --> 00:47:05,960 situation, I'm going to choose to obey your word because I've 603 00:47:05,960 --> 00:47:09,400 been abiding in it because the Spirit of God is in me. 604 00:47:09,560 --> 00:47:13,840 And I'm going to choose to truly prove that I am truly your 605 00:47:13,840 --> 00:47:17,520 disciple because I'm going to allow the fruit of the Spirit 606 00:47:17,720 --> 00:47:21,560 come on to be a part of my life in this situation. 607 00:47:21,760 --> 00:47:25,440 Let's look at this in Galatians 516 through 25. 608 00:47:25,440 --> 00:47:30,760 It says, but I say walk habitually in the Holy Spirit, 609 00:47:32,280 --> 00:47:36,880 seek Him and be here. It is responsive to his 610 00:47:36,880 --> 00:47:40,760 guidance. We have to respond. 611 00:47:40,760 --> 00:47:45,400 The Holy Spirit is always speaking if you are in vital, 612 00:47:46,400 --> 00:47:50,600 He's always speaking to those who are in vital union with Him. 613 00:47:51,080 --> 00:47:54,400 But if you're not abiding, guess what the Word says, you're cut 614 00:47:54,400 --> 00:47:56,040 off. So guess what? 615 00:47:56,040 --> 00:48:00,520 There's a disconnect. There's a disconnect, so you're 616 00:48:00,520 --> 00:48:04,560 not going to respond properly. You're not going to respond by 617 00:48:04,560 --> 00:48:09,280 the Spirit if you're not in vital union with Him every day, 618 00:48:09,280 --> 00:48:14,320 daily abiding, remaining in Him, reading His Word, praying in the 619 00:48:14,320 --> 00:48:18,120 Spirit, listening to what He's telling you to do. 620 00:48:18,320 --> 00:48:22,720 It says you'll be responsive to His guidance, and then you will 621 00:48:22,720 --> 00:48:28,440 certainly not carry out the desires of the sinful nature. 622 00:48:31,160 --> 00:48:35,080 This is the result of you choosing to respond to the 623 00:48:35,080 --> 00:48:40,920 Spirit and abide within His Word every day, remaining in Him, 624 00:48:41,800 --> 00:48:48,640 abiding in Him, dwelling in Him in His Word, and praying, 625 00:48:49,440 --> 00:48:54,080 prayer, praying in the Spirit. It says the nature which 626 00:48:54,080 --> 00:49:00,520 responds impulsively without regard for God and His precepts. 627 00:49:00,920 --> 00:49:08,000 You see that He lets us know how the sinful nature responds. 628 00:49:09,080 --> 00:49:12,920 So you have to ask yourself if you're a believer and it lets 629 00:49:12,920 --> 00:49:15,440 you know how the sinful nature responds. 630 00:49:15,440 --> 00:49:18,520 It's letting you know that you're not walking by the 631 00:49:18,600 --> 00:49:22,240 Spirit. It's evident if you're 632 00:49:22,240 --> 00:49:26,760 responding the way the natural flesh wants you to respond. 633 00:49:27,800 --> 00:49:33,480 OK, so he goes on to say verse 17. 634 00:49:33,480 --> 00:49:36,760 For the sinful nature has its desire. 635 00:49:36,760 --> 00:49:42,600 Which is what opposed to the Spirit and the desire of the 636 00:49:42,600 --> 00:49:45,680 Spirit, opposes the sinful nature. 637 00:49:46,040 --> 00:49:52,720 For these two, the sinful nature and the Spirit are in direct 638 00:49:52,720 --> 00:49:57,920 opposition to each other continually in conflict. 639 00:49:59,320 --> 00:50:01,800 We will not get rid of this conflict. 640 00:50:01,800 --> 00:50:07,280 This is why He tells us daily we must die daily we must choose to 641 00:50:07,280 --> 00:50:10,720 pick up our cross and crucify this flesh daily. 642 00:50:10,840 --> 00:50:14,400 We are going to have to make a decision that this sinful nature 643 00:50:14,400 --> 00:50:17,520 is not going to dominate me because I'm dead to it. 644 00:50:17,800 --> 00:50:21,440 Because the Spirit of God living on the inside of me and me 645 00:50:21,440 --> 00:50:25,680 vitally in union with Him, dwelling in the Word every day 646 00:50:25,880 --> 00:50:29,960 is going to keep me from responding in that sinful nature 647 00:50:31,480 --> 00:50:35,320 and those desires. This is why he says it's in 648 00:50:35,320 --> 00:50:40,120 constant opposition to each other continually so that you as 649 00:50:40,120 --> 00:50:45,080 believers do not always do whatever good things you want to 650 00:50:45,080 --> 00:50:46,440 do. Verse 18. 651 00:50:46,440 --> 00:50:51,440 But if you are guided and led by the Spirit, you are not subject 652 00:50:51,440 --> 00:50:54,800 to the law. Now the practices of the sinful 653 00:50:54,800 --> 00:50:58,000 nature, let me just show you are clearly evident. 654 00:50:58,440 --> 00:51:02,600 They are sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, total 655 00:51:02,600 --> 00:51:08,560 irresponsibility, lack of self-control, idolatry, sorcery, 656 00:51:08,560 --> 00:51:13,400 hostility, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, disputes, 657 00:51:13,400 --> 00:51:17,400 dissensions, factions that promote heresies, envy, 658 00:51:17,400 --> 00:51:21,720 drunkenness, pious behavior, and other things like these. 659 00:51:22,080 --> 00:51:26,280 We could name a million things like these. 660 00:51:26,920 --> 00:51:29,040 What is it? The things of this world, the 661 00:51:29,040 --> 00:51:33,480 sinful nature, the lust of the flesh, the pride of light, the 662 00:51:33,480 --> 00:51:39,160 lust of the eyes, all the things that as a believer we should not 663 00:51:39,160 --> 00:51:42,560 be operating in. And if we're abiding in His Word 664 00:51:42,920 --> 00:51:46,200 and the Spirit of God is dwelling on the inside of us, we 665 00:51:46,200 --> 00:51:51,720 must learn to yield to the Spirit instead of yielding and 666 00:51:51,720 --> 00:51:56,640 responding in the flesh. And these things, we're not 667 00:51:56,640 --> 00:52:00,640 going to get rid of it. It's battling daily meaning, 668 00:52:00,640 --> 00:52:04,680 self-interest, self desires, the things you want to do. 669 00:52:04,800 --> 00:52:08,160 Well, I would rather go to the beach and, you know, do 670 00:52:08,160 --> 00:52:10,640 whatever. That's a selfish interest. 671 00:52:10,760 --> 00:52:12,600 There's nothing wrong with doing that. 672 00:52:12,600 --> 00:52:17,280 But if it comes before God, then that's the problem. 673 00:52:18,280 --> 00:52:21,880 There's nothing wrong with going and doing. 674 00:52:22,120 --> 00:52:26,360 But if it comes before the desire to do what God wants you 675 00:52:26,360 --> 00:52:31,760 to do, it is a selfish interest and a selfish desire. 676 00:52:31,760 --> 00:52:36,400 And he tells us we have to crucify that to do the will of 677 00:52:36,400 --> 00:52:40,640 the Father or to be obedient to him and what he's asking us to 678 00:52:40,640 --> 00:52:45,280 do. I mean, this is just reality of 679 00:52:45,280 --> 00:52:49,320 how it works. And it's a good thing because 680 00:52:49,320 --> 00:52:54,200 everything that He wants for us is life and fullness and 681 00:52:54,200 --> 00:52:58,800 abundance. He does not want us controlled 682 00:52:58,800 --> 00:53:06,280 by our sinful nature and those desires because it's only going 683 00:53:06,280 --> 00:53:10,120 to lead to one thing. And what is that death? 684 00:53:11,000 --> 00:53:18,760 Those who sow to the flesh will reap destruction, but if you sow 685 00:53:18,760 --> 00:53:30,080 to the spirit, you'll reap of the spirit life, and whatsoever 686 00:53:30,080 --> 00:53:34,080 thing, if you sow, you shall reap. 687 00:53:34,080 --> 00:53:38,160 It is a spiritual law in the Kingdom of God and you cannot 688 00:53:38,160 --> 00:53:46,240 get rid of it just because we live in this generation in the 689 00:53:46,240 --> 00:53:49,560 world. It is a spiritual principle and 690 00:53:49,560 --> 00:53:54,120 This is why we see believers life still encountering all 691 00:53:54,120 --> 00:53:58,320 kinds of problems in their life because they're sowing to the 692 00:53:58,320 --> 00:54:05,160 wrong thing. So he said these people that are 693 00:54:05,160 --> 00:54:10,240 practicing all of these sinful natures or fleshly desires will 694 00:54:10,240 --> 00:54:14,520 not inherit the Kingdom of God. But then he goes on to let us 695 00:54:14,520 --> 00:54:16,400 know what is the fruit of the Spirit? 696 00:54:16,400 --> 00:54:19,520 What does it look like? It says the result of His 697 00:54:19,520 --> 00:54:25,440 presence within us is love, unselfish concern for others, 698 00:54:25,440 --> 00:54:31,320 joy, inner peace, patience. Not the ability to wait, but how 699 00:54:31,320 --> 00:54:40,720 we act while we're waiting, kindness, goodness, what 700 00:54:40,920 --> 00:54:47,160 faithfulness, gentleness and self-control and against such 701 00:54:47,160 --> 00:54:51,920 things there is no law and those who belong to Christ Jesus have 702 00:54:51,920 --> 00:54:55,400 what there's this word crucifixion that we think is 703 00:54:55,400 --> 00:54:59,880 only the cross that Jesus is on on your necklace. 704 00:55:00,360 --> 00:55:10,480 No has crucified the what sinful nature, together with its 705 00:55:10,480 --> 00:55:16,120 passions and its appetites. For if we claim to live by the 706 00:55:16,120 --> 00:55:21,680 Holy Spirit, we must what, also walk by the Spirit with personal 707 00:55:21,680 --> 00:55:30,040 integrity, godly character, moral courage, meaning we need 708 00:55:30,040 --> 00:55:37,360 to stand up for what God says is good, what he says is evil. 709 00:55:37,360 --> 00:55:43,320 We need to have moral courage to stand up in an hour and in a day 710 00:55:44,880 --> 00:55:49,720 that all the world is trying to say, oh, it's that's, you know, 711 00:55:49,720 --> 00:55:56,480 that's old religion or that's old school that you have to be 712 00:55:56,480 --> 00:56:00,480 married or have be married before you can have sex. 713 00:56:03,320 --> 00:56:07,360 No, we have to have moral courage to be able to say, no, 714 00:56:07,360 --> 00:56:12,360 that's not right according to the Scripture, right? 715 00:56:14,520 --> 00:56:18,360 And it's not what we say. It's what we live by, which is 716 00:56:18,360 --> 00:56:23,360 the standard of the Word of God, the foundation of our faith. 717 00:56:24,080 --> 00:56:29,880 It says our conduct would be empowered by the Holy Spirit. 718 00:56:30,280 --> 00:56:33,360 The next thing we have to do is starve the flesh. 719 00:56:33,720 --> 00:56:35,520 We're going to have to cut some things off. 720 00:56:35,520 --> 00:56:38,800 If we don't want selfish interest or our flesh to 721 00:56:38,800 --> 00:56:42,200 dominate us, then we have to starve the flesh. 722 00:56:43,480 --> 00:56:45,480 What does that mean? We have to cut some things out 723 00:56:45,480 --> 00:56:47,880 of our life. We're going to have to cut off 724 00:56:47,880 --> 00:56:51,520 Netflix, right? We're going to have to cut off 725 00:56:52,240 --> 00:56:58,360 some of the the music that, you know, everybody just. 726 00:56:58,360 --> 00:57:00,200 Oh, it's just words that don't affect you. 727 00:57:00,200 --> 00:57:04,760 Oh, yes, it does. It gets in you to where now, 50 728 00:57:04,760 --> 00:57:07,840 years later, you can still remember the words in in the 729 00:57:07,840 --> 00:57:12,120 song when I haven't listened to it in 35 years. 730 00:57:12,120 --> 00:57:14,200 But I can hear a song and know the words. 731 00:57:14,840 --> 00:57:18,560 Yeah, it does affect you, right? It's getting in you. 732 00:57:19,800 --> 00:57:25,840 And if it's vulgar and profanity and and lustful and sexual, why 733 00:57:25,840 --> 00:57:28,560 do you think you're having such a hard time putting down your 734 00:57:28,560 --> 00:57:31,960 flesh? No, it needs to be starved. 735 00:57:32,240 --> 00:57:34,160 Things need to be cut out of your life. 736 00:57:34,360 --> 00:57:37,280 And that's not old school. That's his school. 737 00:57:41,080 --> 00:57:47,120 It's his school of thought. It's his school, and I choose to 738 00:57:47,120 --> 00:57:52,880 be a disciple or a student or a pupil of his school. 739 00:57:53,480 --> 00:57:55,560 And that's what he says. Amen. 740 00:57:55,800 --> 00:57:59,200 So that's what I put my life upon. 741 00:57:59,440 --> 00:58:01,800 So there's going to be things we're going to have to cut off 742 00:58:01,800 --> 00:58:06,080 those cravings, avoiding situations like I'm not going to 743 00:58:06,080 --> 00:58:10,120 get involved in people's drama. I mean, I'll be your friend, but 744 00:58:10,120 --> 00:58:12,720 I I'll be your friend this long because I'm not going to listen 745 00:58:12,720 --> 00:58:15,320 to a bunch of drama. I don't want it to affect me. 746 00:58:18,040 --> 00:58:20,480 Not going to listen to drama, right? 747 00:58:20,800 --> 00:58:24,320 Or or chaos. And you know this person that 748 00:58:24,320 --> 00:58:27,760 always comes to you, they always have a problem and then you try 749 00:58:27,760 --> 00:58:30,360 to give them the word for the answer and they never listen, 750 00:58:30,360 --> 00:58:32,520 but then that problem starts getting on you. 751 00:58:32,760 --> 00:58:35,240 Nope, done. Not going to do it. 752 00:58:35,720 --> 00:58:39,120 I don't want to hear your drama. I've given you the answer, 753 00:58:39,800 --> 00:58:42,080 right? I mean, there's nothing but why? 754 00:58:42,080 --> 00:58:45,960 Because you don't want that stuff affecting your peace. 755 00:58:48,640 --> 00:58:52,120 It will affect your life. It will affect your marriage. 756 00:58:52,120 --> 00:58:55,320 If you start taking on your friend's thoughts about what 757 00:58:55,320 --> 00:58:58,000 she's having a problem with with her husband, you'll start 758 00:58:58,000 --> 00:58:59,920 looking at your husband with that thought. 759 00:59:04,640 --> 00:59:09,040 So I'm not going to listen to that because I don't want it 760 00:59:09,040 --> 00:59:15,400 affecting me, right? So there's things you have to 761 00:59:15,400 --> 00:59:21,160 cut off so that it's not going to affect your flesh or rile you 762 00:59:21,160 --> 00:59:25,320 up to where you're going to want to respond the way they're 763 00:59:25,320 --> 00:59:31,000 responding about a situation. Romans 8/11/13 says this. 764 00:59:31,000 --> 00:59:34,520 But if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead 765 00:59:34,880 --> 00:59:38,800 dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also 766 00:59:38,800 --> 00:59:42,520 give life to your mortal bodies through the Spirit who dwells in 767 00:59:42,520 --> 00:59:45,800 you. So then, brethren, we are under 768 00:59:45,800 --> 00:59:52,440 no obligation to the flesh or to live according to the flesh. 769 00:59:55,760 --> 01:00:00,360 Remember, the flesh and the Spirit are battling daily and 770 01:00:00,360 --> 01:00:04,800 you have to say I am not obligated to this flesh any 771 01:00:04,800 --> 01:00:08,040 longer. It's not going to rule me. 772 01:00:08,320 --> 01:00:13,800 I'm not going to let this affect me, this selfish desire or this 773 01:00:13,800 --> 01:00:17,760 response that I want to have. In the flesh I am. 774 01:00:17,760 --> 01:00:20,440 I'm not obligated to it. It doesn't own me. 775 01:00:20,440 --> 01:00:22,800 It doesn't rule me. And what does it say? 776 01:00:22,800 --> 01:00:26,480 Not to live in the flesh, but live and not to live according 777 01:00:26,480 --> 01:00:29,040 to the flesh. For you, if you are living 778 01:00:29,040 --> 01:00:34,120 according to the flesh, you must die. 779 01:00:34,720 --> 01:00:41,440 But if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of 780 01:00:41,440 --> 01:00:44,600 the body, what happens? You will live. 781 01:00:46,080 --> 01:00:48,880 So there's some things, say I've got to die. 782 01:00:50,200 --> 01:00:56,680 Yeah, yeah. Self has to die, Flesh has to 783 01:00:56,680 --> 01:01:00,280 die. And we have to choose every day 784 01:01:00,280 --> 01:01:04,960 to crucify it, because if you don't, you won't do what God's 785 01:01:04,960 --> 01:01:07,360 asking you to do. You won't do the plans and the 786 01:01:07,360 --> 01:01:11,120 purposes of God for your life. And you'll be 90 years old one 787 01:01:11,120 --> 01:01:14,800 day if the Lord tarries. And you'll sit back and still be 788 01:01:14,800 --> 01:01:19,560 asking the question that so many people ask on their deathbed. 789 01:01:20,000 --> 01:01:28,560 Did I do what I was supposed to do while I lived in the earth? 790 01:01:32,240 --> 01:01:37,000 Still on their deathbed, regretting that they didn't do 791 01:01:37,000 --> 01:01:44,200 this or they didn't do that. And yet we have a moment still 792 01:01:44,200 --> 01:01:49,520 left in the earth to say we are going to do what God is asking 793 01:01:49,520 --> 01:01:51,680 us to do. We're going to pick up our cross 794 01:01:51,680 --> 01:01:54,600 daily. We're going to pursue his plans, 795 01:01:54,600 --> 01:01:57,360 his purposes, his pursuits for our life. 796 01:01:57,600 --> 01:02:01,480 And we're going to choose to be true disciples and follow after 797 01:02:01,480 --> 01:02:05,640 him and carry our own cross no matter what it takes. 798 01:02:05,800 --> 01:02:09,680 Because I don't want to be on my deathbed if that trumpet don't 799 01:02:09,680 --> 01:02:14,120 sound and be thinking, did I do everything that I should have? 800 01:02:14,400 --> 01:02:22,760 That's all people think of is regrets they regret. 801 01:02:22,760 --> 01:02:25,440 Did I do what I was supposed to do? 802 01:02:29,760 --> 01:02:32,480 And how many lay there regretting that I gave all my 803 01:02:32,480 --> 01:02:36,920 effort and all my energy to my job and my family is a mess. 804 01:02:39,600 --> 01:02:45,840 People live with regret every day and God's saying I don't 805 01:02:45,840 --> 01:02:48,200 want you to have to live with those regrets. 806 01:02:48,200 --> 01:02:54,160 I want you to fulfill life and godliness and and do the things 807 01:02:54,360 --> 01:02:57,000 in freedom that I'm asking you to do. 808 01:02:57,000 --> 01:02:59,960 But you're going to have to choose to say no longer to 809 01:02:59,960 --> 01:03:04,800 self-interest or self passions or the things that I want to do 810 01:03:05,680 --> 01:03:09,440 because, you know, you only live one life and every one of those 811 01:03:09,440 --> 01:03:12,760 that said it die thinking I could have done something 812 01:03:12,760 --> 01:03:18,680 different. And so we want to be like Paul 813 01:03:18,680 --> 01:03:26,480 that says, I poured out my life like a drink offering poured out 814 01:03:26,480 --> 01:03:31,240 my life so that people could see the Kingdom of God and be 815 01:03:31,240 --> 01:03:35,360 delivered from the tyrannical ruler of the enemy. 816 01:03:35,360 --> 01:03:40,440 And death and disease and sickness and addiction come on. 817 01:03:40,640 --> 01:03:45,960 And, and all the stuff that we see going on in people's lives 818 01:03:47,360 --> 01:03:56,760 because we're going to pass the cup and choose not to say not my 819 01:03:56,760 --> 01:03:58,800 will. Let somebody else do that. 820 01:03:59,160 --> 01:04:02,880 That's the pastor's job. Oh, that's that, you know, 821 01:04:02,880 --> 01:04:05,920 they're young, they're in their 20s, they have more energy. 822 01:04:05,920 --> 01:04:08,920 That's their responsibility. No, it's not their 823 01:04:08,920 --> 01:04:14,760 responsibility If God's asking you to do it and you'll be that 824 01:04:14,760 --> 01:04:20,480 person on your bed that regretted thinking, did I do 825 01:04:20,480 --> 01:04:22,760 everything? I mean, I'm getting ready to see 826 01:04:22,760 --> 01:04:25,680 Jesus. Did I do, I mean, that's the 827 01:04:25,680 --> 01:04:28,400 fear of the Lord. I'm not trying to put fear in 828 01:04:28,400 --> 01:04:33,480 you. That's the fear of the Lord that 829 01:04:33,480 --> 01:04:36,760 I'm getting ready to stand before the Holy One. 830 01:04:37,400 --> 01:04:42,960 And did I really do what is being asked of me? 831 01:04:44,880 --> 01:04:50,680 It's the fear of the Lord. It's not to put fear in you, but 832 01:04:50,680 --> 01:04:55,440 to put the fear of God in you that we're all going to stand 833 01:04:55,440 --> 01:05:00,680 before him. We're all going to stand before 834 01:05:00,680 --> 01:05:03,840 him and we're and he's going to say, I had this, this and this. 835 01:05:03,840 --> 01:05:07,960 I asked you to go over there and pray with that individual and 836 01:05:07,960 --> 01:05:12,400 you said you were too busy. I asked you to go and help that 837 01:05:12,400 --> 01:05:18,440 young mother, you know, and give her some advice on this horrible 838 01:05:18,440 --> 01:05:20,400 parenting that's happening today. 839 01:05:21,120 --> 01:05:24,720 But you said you were too busy. You had your own kids to take 840 01:05:24,720 --> 01:05:29,360 care of. It's the it's the little things 841 01:05:31,200 --> 01:05:38,280 that he's requiring of us as his followers daily. 842 01:05:39,640 --> 01:05:45,160 Remember, it's daily picking up our cross, daily choosing to 843 01:05:45,160 --> 01:05:50,040 crucify our flesh and saying not my will. 844 01:05:50,040 --> 01:05:52,880 Whatever your will is, I'll do it. 845 01:05:53,880 --> 01:05:58,600 I'll do it, Hallelujah. And we can do it. 846 01:05:59,880 --> 01:06:08,160 We can do it because Christ has given us everything we need on 847 01:06:08,160 --> 01:06:13,360 the inside of us. The power, the ability, the 848 01:06:13,360 --> 01:06:21,800 strength, everything. If we will just abide in Him and 849 01:06:21,800 --> 01:06:28,680 stay in union with Him, walk by His spirit and not by this 850 01:06:28,680 --> 01:06:33,720 flesh, then we'll be able to do the things that He's asking each 851 01:06:33,720 --> 01:06:35,880 and every one of us to do. Amen. 852 01:06:36,360 --> 01:06:39,080 And we won't be 1 to say I'm going to pass the cup to 853 01:06:39,080 --> 01:06:40,080 somebody else.