1 00:00:03,040 --> 00:00:05,560 Thanks for checking out the Anchor Faith Message podcast 2 00:00:05,560 --> 00:00:06,920 from St. Augustine, FL. 3 00:00:07,520 --> 00:00:17,120 Now enjoy this message. We're talking about a reigning 4 00:00:17,120 --> 00:00:18,920 spirit this year. Amen. 5 00:00:20,000 --> 00:00:24,840 And the last few times we've ministered in this arena, we've 6 00:00:24,840 --> 00:00:30,320 been talking about how to maintain a reigning spirit, how 7 00:00:30,320 --> 00:00:34,840 to maintain a reigning spirit. Because in these last days, 8 00:00:34,840 --> 00:00:38,600 we're going to have to have a strong spirit, Amen. 9 00:00:39,120 --> 00:00:43,120 And we talked about the fact these last few times that in 10 00:00:43,120 --> 00:00:48,320 order for us to have a reigning spirit and maintain that spirit, 11 00:00:48,320 --> 00:00:51,120 then we're going to have to know truth, right? 12 00:00:51,960 --> 00:00:55,320 We're going to have to know love, And then what else? 13 00:00:55,320 --> 00:00:57,840 Walk in that love. Amen. 14 00:00:58,480 --> 00:01:03,720 And then tonight I want to talk about that. 15 00:01:03,720 --> 00:01:09,400 For us to continue to maintain a reigning spirit, then we're 16 00:01:09,400 --> 00:01:14,800 going to have to grow strong in spirit. 17 00:01:16,360 --> 00:01:20,760 We're going to have to grow strong in spirit because just 18 00:01:20,760 --> 00:01:25,640 because we say you have a reigning spirit doesn't mean 19 00:01:25,640 --> 00:01:29,960 you're going to rain and doesn't mean that your spirit is going 20 00:01:29,960 --> 00:01:34,400 to be strong, right? We have to do something about 21 00:01:34,400 --> 00:01:40,160 what God has done in US, OK? Because we are not going to 22 00:01:40,160 --> 00:01:45,480 automatically just reign. We have a responsibility, now 23 00:01:45,480 --> 00:01:51,080 that God's put everything within us, for us to begin to exercise 24 00:01:51,080 --> 00:01:57,840 and do the things necessary for us to grow in having this 25 00:01:57,840 --> 00:02:00,880 reigning spirit. And to have this reigning 26 00:02:00,880 --> 00:02:05,280 spirit, we must recognize that we're going to have to grow 27 00:02:05,280 --> 00:02:08,759 strong in spirit. Amen. 28 00:02:08,759 --> 00:02:13,280 We're going to have to grow strong in spirit, a reigning 29 00:02:13,280 --> 00:02:16,280 spirit. We know that this is His spirit, 30 00:02:16,280 --> 00:02:18,560 right? We know this is a different 31 00:02:18,560 --> 00:02:20,480 spirit. This is not the spirit of the 32 00:02:20,480 --> 00:02:22,360 world. We talked about this out of 33 00:02:22,360 --> 00:02:26,880 first John and chapter four last time, and I don't want to have 34 00:02:26,880 --> 00:02:29,560 to go through and read all those scriptures again. 35 00:02:30,320 --> 00:02:34,960 But we know that the spirit that we're talking about and the 36 00:02:34,960 --> 00:02:39,680 reason why we can reign and have a reigning spirit is because 37 00:02:39,680 --> 00:02:42,480 it's His spirit. Amen. 38 00:02:42,720 --> 00:02:46,640 It's his spirit living on the inside of us. 39 00:02:46,640 --> 00:02:53,320 Once we get born again, then he what deposits his self within us 40 00:02:53,520 --> 00:02:59,440 through the Holy Spirit, right? And now we have to what begin to 41 00:02:59,440 --> 00:03:03,720 cultivate that which he has put within us. 42 00:03:03,720 --> 00:03:08,120 We have to cultivate it. God's not going to do it for us. 43 00:03:08,920 --> 00:03:13,720 We have to do it. We have to be the ones that 44 00:03:13,720 --> 00:03:21,280 begin to cultivate everything that God has put within our 45 00:03:21,280 --> 00:03:24,920 hearts. Also the one of the main texts 46 00:03:24,920 --> 00:03:30,440 that pastor gave us that we read from last time was found out of 47 00:03:30,440 --> 00:03:35,960 Romans chapter 5 and verse 17. For by 1 transgression of the 48 00:03:35,960 --> 00:03:40,160 one death reign through the one which is who Satan. 49 00:03:40,400 --> 00:03:43,600 Much more. Those who received the abundance 50 00:03:43,600 --> 00:03:48,560 of grace and grace and the gift of righteousness will what reign 51 00:03:48,560 --> 00:03:56,080 in life through Jesus Christ, through Jesus Christ. 52 00:03:56,560 --> 00:04:01,840 And so we know that the only way that we can reign in this life 53 00:04:01,840 --> 00:04:07,040 is one we must be born again. But then we have to begin to 54 00:04:07,200 --> 00:04:09,440 what? Walk this out? 55 00:04:09,440 --> 00:04:13,320 The way that Jesus tells us We need to walk it out in the 56 00:04:13,360 --> 00:04:17,320 earth. We have to begin to cultivate 57 00:04:17,320 --> 00:04:21,959 and walk our relationship out before the Lord. 58 00:04:21,959 --> 00:04:25,320 Just because we get born again doesn't mean that we 59 00:04:25,320 --> 00:04:29,880 automatically know what we are supposed to do as believers, 60 00:04:31,280 --> 00:04:34,560 right? This is just the doorway into 61 00:04:34,560 --> 00:04:37,960 the Kingdom. Once we get born again, we get 62 00:04:37,960 --> 00:04:40,720 into the Kingdom and now we begin to what? 63 00:04:40,720 --> 00:04:47,680 Discover ourselves or discover who God has created us as His 64 00:04:47,680 --> 00:04:51,920 children, right? And as we begin to read the Word 65 00:04:51,920 --> 00:04:56,680 and study the Word, we begin to discover everything there is 66 00:04:56,680 --> 00:05:01,800 about the Kingdom of God, about who Jesus is to us, about who 67 00:05:01,800 --> 00:05:06,160 the Holy Spirit is to us. Come on, Who the Father is to 68 00:05:06,160 --> 00:05:10,120 us? All of these things have to be 69 00:05:10,120 --> 00:05:14,360 discovered, because the minute you got born again, the only 70 00:05:14,360 --> 00:05:18,200 thing you encountered was his presence coming to make his 71 00:05:18,200 --> 00:05:23,440 abode within you. Right when you first got born 72 00:05:23,440 --> 00:05:29,000 again, all you know is you know, you just encountered him. 73 00:05:29,000 --> 00:05:32,160 He came and we know what happened. 74 00:05:32,160 --> 00:05:36,360 The minute you got born again. He says that his spirit begins 75 00:05:36,360 --> 00:05:39,080 to take up residence on the inside of you. 76 00:05:40,040 --> 00:05:43,360 And then, not only that, we know the minute you get born again. 77 00:05:43,800 --> 00:05:46,680 The love of God, now Romans, right? 78 00:05:46,920 --> 00:05:51,840 Five says, 55 says, Has been what shed abroad in your heart. 79 00:05:52,200 --> 00:05:55,240 But you have to discover that love. 80 00:05:56,000 --> 00:06:01,000 How about when you get married The happy Valentine's Day? 81 00:06:01,000 --> 00:06:05,640 Y'all see my my love shirt When I put this love shirt on, 82 00:06:05,640 --> 00:06:07,680 Brianna's like, are you going to teach on love tonight? 83 00:06:07,680 --> 00:06:11,280 I'm like, no, no, it's not tonight. 84 00:06:11,640 --> 00:06:18,520 But what was I saying? Yeah, when you get married, 85 00:06:19,400 --> 00:06:23,120 y'all act like y'all are just all in lovey dovey land. 86 00:06:23,120 --> 00:06:25,960 I think tonight 'cause it's was really quiet. 87 00:06:26,000 --> 00:06:27,880 I'm. I'm very proud of y'all that you 88 00:06:27,880 --> 00:06:33,240 came to church instead of out to dinner or some romantic getaway. 89 00:06:35,520 --> 00:06:36,400 Amen. Because you. 90 00:06:36,400 --> 00:06:40,400 Love the Lord. And your marriage would be 91 00:06:40,400 --> 00:06:43,400 nothing without him. Amen. 92 00:06:44,360 --> 00:06:51,040 Would be nothing. So I was going to say something 93 00:06:51,440 --> 00:06:53,280 trying to get my train of thought back. 94 00:06:54,120 --> 00:06:58,040 Yes. When you get married, listen, 95 00:06:58,640 --> 00:07:03,000 there's things you have to discover about your spouse 96 00:07:03,640 --> 00:07:07,280 because they go act one way when y'all were just dating. 97 00:07:07,480 --> 00:07:11,040 Come on. And acting and showing their 98 00:07:11,040 --> 00:07:12,840 best side. When they're around you. 99 00:07:12,840 --> 00:07:15,920 When they're dating you. Because what are they trying to 100 00:07:15,920 --> 00:07:17,320 do? Catch you? 101 00:07:18,880 --> 00:07:21,120 Come on. I mean, they're not going to 102 00:07:21,120 --> 00:07:23,160 come in without have brushing their teeth. 103 00:07:23,160 --> 00:07:28,560 They better not. Or taking a shower before you 104 00:07:28,560 --> 00:07:30,440 show up for a date. Come on. 105 00:07:30,440 --> 00:07:33,000 Stinking, right? No. 106 00:07:33,000 --> 00:07:36,400 They're going to show you their best side so that you can get 107 00:07:36,400 --> 00:07:40,360 married and then you start discovering that they leave the 108 00:07:40,360 --> 00:07:43,400 toilet seat up. Come on that. 109 00:07:43,400 --> 00:07:48,800 Their breath stinks. In the morning they go to the 110 00:07:48,800 --> 00:07:51,960 bathroom just like everybody else. 111 00:07:52,880 --> 00:08:04,280 And they need potpourri, right? They can't hide their anger from 112 00:08:04,280 --> 00:08:12,560 you anymore. Come on, they can't, you know, 113 00:08:13,960 --> 00:08:16,520 do a lot of. Things anymore, without you 114 00:08:16,600 --> 00:08:22,200 discovering all about them. And this takes a what? 115 00:08:22,200 --> 00:08:26,920 A lifetime takes a lifetime. That's why you're meant to be 116 00:08:26,920 --> 00:08:31,560 married forever. Takes a lifetime, and isn't that 117 00:08:31,560 --> 00:08:33,440 about our relationship with the? Lord. 118 00:08:33,720 --> 00:08:40,679 It takes a lifetime to discover who and how magnificent Our Lord 119 00:08:40,799 --> 00:08:46,000 is to our lives. That's how it should be. 120 00:08:47,880 --> 00:08:52,160 And most of the time, the reason why relationships end. 121 00:08:52,160 --> 00:08:54,640 This is not a marriage conference or anything, but it 122 00:08:54,640 --> 00:08:59,520 is Valentine's, So it's because you quit discovering one 123 00:08:59,520 --> 00:09:03,240 another. You get bored with one another. 124 00:09:03,680 --> 00:09:07,200 You get aggravated with the seat being up every time you wake up 125 00:09:07,200 --> 00:09:10,000 and go in the middle of the night to sit down on the toilet. 126 00:09:10,000 --> 00:09:13,400 And your husband had gotten up already and left the toilet seat 127 00:09:13,400 --> 00:09:18,480 up right? So all these things just 128 00:09:18,480 --> 00:09:23,240 continue to add up and build up and then you just don't like it 129 00:09:23,240 --> 00:09:26,880 anymore, OK? But. 130 00:09:27,400 --> 00:09:31,720 You know our relationship with the Lord and the reason why this 131 00:09:31,720 --> 00:09:37,560 happens is because we have not matured in our relationship in 132 00:09:37,560 --> 00:09:41,960 recognizing that people are people, right? 133 00:09:42,480 --> 00:09:45,160 And they're going to make mistakes and they're going to do 134 00:09:45,160 --> 00:09:48,920 things. And we have to be forgiving, 135 00:09:48,920 --> 00:09:54,360 don't we? How many times 70 * 7 forgiving 136 00:09:54,360 --> 00:09:59,720 one another and that isn't that what love is and is a 137 00:09:59,720 --> 00:10:02,800 representation of the Father's love to us? 138 00:10:02,800 --> 00:10:06,840 Aren't you thankful that when we mess up, God Forgives us if we 139 00:10:06,840 --> 00:10:13,000 ask him and he doesn't hold an account to us of a suffered 140 00:10:13,000 --> 00:10:16,320 wrong? Has anybody done the Lord wrong? 141 00:10:22,400 --> 00:10:28,040 And aren't you thankful that His love is consistent? 142 00:10:32,840 --> 00:10:38,960 His love is consistent and it's unfailing that even when we 143 00:10:38,960 --> 00:10:44,200 fail, we can go to the Father and ask Him to forgive us and 144 00:10:44,200 --> 00:10:45,880 that's how our relationship would be. 145 00:10:45,880 --> 00:10:48,960 Should be in our marriages, right? 146 00:10:49,760 --> 00:10:53,000 I know I've had to ask the Lord to forgive me on multiple 147 00:10:53,000 --> 00:10:56,200 occasions, and I'm. I'm glad that he's not tired of 148 00:10:56,200 --> 00:11:04,280 forgiving me that His forgiveness is always flowing 149 00:11:04,280 --> 00:11:09,280 when repentance is there. It's always flowing with 150 00:11:09,320 --> 00:11:14,920 repentance being there. So this life that we're walking 151 00:11:14,920 --> 00:11:22,440 in with Christ is a discovery. We're discovering who he is, but 152 00:11:22,440 --> 00:11:29,120 not only who he is, who we are. And this is, again, a lifetime 153 00:11:29,120 --> 00:11:32,000 journey. And it's a process. 154 00:11:32,000 --> 00:11:35,120 And it's progressive. It's progressive. 155 00:11:35,120 --> 00:11:40,840 That's why we say every year, you know, every year, even in 156 00:11:40,840 --> 00:11:44,720 the natural people do what yearly? 157 00:11:44,840 --> 00:11:49,480 You know, goals and New Year's resolutions and all these 158 00:11:49,480 --> 00:11:50,960 things. What are they doing? 159 00:11:51,400 --> 00:11:54,440 Very value. I want to know how many of you 160 00:11:54,760 --> 00:11:59,240 evaluate every year at the new year, your relationship and 161 00:11:59,240 --> 00:12:05,840 growth with the Lord. That should be #1 on the top of 162 00:12:05,840 --> 00:12:10,600 your New Year's resolution. I should be examining my Walt 163 00:12:10,600 --> 00:12:14,480 with the Lord to see Have I grown this year? 164 00:12:16,560 --> 00:12:21,440 Have I right? Have I challenged myself with 165 00:12:21,440 --> 00:12:27,600 things from the Lord this year? Maybe it is reading a new book, 166 00:12:27,840 --> 00:12:32,480 you know, to help me in an area of my waltz so that I can grow 167 00:12:32,480 --> 00:12:36,640 stronger and stronger. Because remember, as a believer, 168 00:12:36,640 --> 00:12:41,560 we're supposed to be going from faith to faith, glory to glory. 169 00:12:41,800 --> 00:12:47,840 This walk with the Lord should be a continual growth process, 170 00:12:49,080 --> 00:12:53,240 never ending, never ending. We should continue to be 171 00:12:53,240 --> 00:12:55,960 growing. And I'm going to tell you, for 172 00:12:55,960 --> 00:13:00,600 us to maintain a reigning spirit, we're going to have to 173 00:13:00,600 --> 00:13:07,120 make sure that we are growing. Because if we are not growing, 174 00:13:07,320 --> 00:13:12,440 then we are not going to what, produce a strong spirit. 175 00:13:13,960 --> 00:13:18,960 Because it doesn't matter how many books you read, how many 176 00:13:18,960 --> 00:13:24,440 sermons you listen to, if we are not to be able to grow, that 177 00:13:24,440 --> 00:13:29,280 means you actually have to what apply what it is you're reading, 178 00:13:29,280 --> 00:13:35,000 what it is you're hearing, what it is in every situation. 179 00:13:35,840 --> 00:13:40,960 Come on, am I applying what it is that I know to do? 180 00:13:40,960 --> 00:13:45,720 Because to him who knows what to do and doesn't do it. 181 00:13:45,720 --> 00:13:52,600 It's what is it called sin. So if you're not growing and you 182 00:13:52,600 --> 00:13:58,440 know that you should be in an area, in your walk with the 183 00:13:58,440 --> 00:14:02,400 Lord, because the Lord has revealed that to you somehow, 184 00:14:02,400 --> 00:14:08,400 some way, and for you not to do it, you are actually sinning. 185 00:14:08,400 --> 00:14:10,960 You may not be murdering somebody. 186 00:14:11,440 --> 00:14:16,520 You may not be, you know, committing adultery on somebody, 187 00:14:17,720 --> 00:14:23,360 and you know these levels of sin that we think you know are most 188 00:14:23,560 --> 00:14:28,280 important than others. But you are sinning to the fact 189 00:14:28,280 --> 00:14:31,720 that you know you should be doing some things to be able to 190 00:14:31,720 --> 00:14:35,160 grow strong in spirit, and you refuse. 191 00:14:35,160 --> 00:14:36,920 To. That's a sin. 192 00:14:37,240 --> 00:14:42,120 And so that sin will stop you from what? 193 00:14:42,880 --> 00:14:48,120 Progressing and growing and people are going around the 194 00:14:48,440 --> 00:14:51,960 you've heard this statement, people are going around the same 195 00:14:51,960 --> 00:14:56,520 mountain every single year, the same cycles. 196 00:14:56,520 --> 00:15:01,280 Have you seen people, they cycle around the same issues all the 197 00:15:01,280 --> 00:15:07,560 time and you can be assured that if you are cycling every year 198 00:15:07,560 --> 00:15:12,200 around the same issues you. Have a problem. 199 00:15:15,080 --> 00:15:18,520 You have a problem, but great news. 200 00:15:18,920 --> 00:15:24,640 God has the answer. He has a solution to your 201 00:15:24,640 --> 00:15:27,600 problem, and he wants to help you. 202 00:15:27,880 --> 00:15:34,960 He wants to get you out of these continual cycles of behaviors 203 00:15:34,960 --> 00:15:37,920 that you know you're stuck in because you refuse. 204 00:15:38,120 --> 00:15:39,200 You're in. Sin. 205 00:15:39,200 --> 00:15:44,200 Come on. You're in sin, and you will not 206 00:15:44,200 --> 00:15:48,040 have progression and growth with sin in your life. 207 00:15:48,800 --> 00:15:52,880 It just won't happen. It just won't happen. 208 00:15:53,400 --> 00:15:59,600 And so for us to maintain a reigning spirit, we're going to 209 00:15:59,600 --> 00:16:07,280 have to put a priority on growing spiritually and allowing 210 00:16:08,320 --> 00:16:14,280 the spirit of God to continually have the open door within our 211 00:16:14,280 --> 00:16:19,360 hearts and within our lives to tell us whatever we need to do 212 00:16:19,360 --> 00:16:22,760 so that we don't have to encounter this same problem, 213 00:16:22,760 --> 00:16:28,200 this same cycle, this same issue, every single year. 214 00:16:28,200 --> 00:16:29,960 And you know what? He will do it. 215 00:16:31,160 --> 00:16:35,600 He will help you get through it. And he wants. 216 00:16:35,600 --> 00:16:41,960 To so that your growth will not be stunted. 217 00:16:43,080 --> 00:16:45,240 Amen. So that your growth will not be 218 00:16:45,240 --> 00:16:47,760 stunted so. Let's look at a. 219 00:16:47,760 --> 00:16:52,880 Couple of scriptures here about growing strong in spirit, 220 00:16:54,160 --> 00:16:59,720 growing strong in spirit. In First Corinthians 210 through 221 00:16:59,720 --> 00:17:04,280 16 it says this. For to God to us God revealed 222 00:17:04,280 --> 00:17:07,319 them through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all 223 00:17:07,319 --> 00:17:11,680 things, even the depths of God. For who among men knows the 224 00:17:11,680 --> 00:17:15,240 thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in 225 00:17:15,240 --> 00:17:18,560 him? Even so the thoughts of God no 226 00:17:18,560 --> 00:17:21,520 one knows except the Spirit of God. 227 00:17:21,920 --> 00:17:26,560 Now we have received what not the spirit of this world. 228 00:17:26,560 --> 00:17:28,680 Say I do not have the spirit of this. 229 00:17:28,680 --> 00:17:32,960 World. And we know that this is another 230 00:17:32,960 --> 00:17:38,480 scripture confirming first John 4, which we read these last few 231 00:17:38,480 --> 00:17:44,680 times, talking about maintaining A reigning spirit that we're 232 00:17:44,680 --> 00:17:47,480 going to have to, in these last days, know the difference 233 00:17:47,480 --> 00:17:50,680 between the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. 234 00:17:50,960 --> 00:17:57,280 The spirit of error is deception, delusion, OK? 235 00:17:58,280 --> 00:18:02,040 And we know all the other scriptures that pastors been 236 00:18:02,040 --> 00:18:05,000 talking about out of First Timothy that in the last days 237 00:18:05,000 --> 00:18:06,840 many are going to fall away from the faith. 238 00:18:06,840 --> 00:18:11,440 What are they going to be doing? Listening to doctrines of 239 00:18:11,440 --> 00:18:19,800 demons, seducing spirits, Right. And so they're going to, they're 240 00:18:19,800 --> 00:18:22,440 going to start walking into deception. 241 00:18:22,440 --> 00:18:27,520 But the Holy Spirit let us know in first John for that. 242 00:18:27,520 --> 00:18:30,440 Listen, we have the Spirit of Truth. 243 00:18:30,760 --> 00:18:35,520 When we get born again, we have His Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, 244 00:18:35,520 --> 00:18:42,400 living on the inside of us. Therefore we do not have to buy 245 00:18:42,400 --> 00:18:46,320 the lies or buy get caught up in deception. 246 00:18:46,640 --> 00:18:52,040 But in order to do that, we're going to have to maintain a 247 00:18:52,040 --> 00:18:55,920 Rainey's, we're going to have to maintain a strong Spirit. 248 00:18:56,200 --> 00:19:02,200 We're going to have to continue to allow the Lord to grow within 249 00:19:02,200 --> 00:19:04,840 us every year, every day. Come on. 250 00:19:05,160 --> 00:19:10,000 So that we know what the Spirit of Truth is saying, what the 251 00:19:10,000 --> 00:19:14,520 Holy Spirit is saying, because we do not have the Spirit of 252 00:19:14,520 --> 00:19:20,800 this world. Now, isn't that wonderful that 253 00:19:20,800 --> 00:19:24,520 when you get born again, you have the Holy Spirit, you have 254 00:19:24,520 --> 00:19:28,880 His Spirit dwelling on the inside of you, and you no longer 255 00:19:28,880 --> 00:19:31,280 have the Spirit of this? World. 256 00:19:32,840 --> 00:19:37,200 But do you know what? You can still have a ear to this 257 00:19:37,200 --> 00:19:43,480 world. You can still have a eye to this 258 00:19:43,480 --> 00:19:48,800 world. You can be listening to all the 259 00:19:48,800 --> 00:19:53,960 things that the world is saying, and I don't care that you have 260 00:19:53,960 --> 00:19:58,160 His spirit on the inside of you. If you listen more to what the 261 00:19:58,160 --> 00:20:01,200 spirit of this world is saying, then guess what? 262 00:20:01,560 --> 00:20:03,120 That's. What you're going to be 263 00:20:03,120 --> 00:20:13,480 participating in if you continue to look with the eye right of 264 00:20:13,480 --> 00:20:19,320 the flesh? And the lust of this world, then 265 00:20:19,320 --> 00:20:22,000 that's what you're going to be entertaining, and that's what 266 00:20:22,000 --> 00:20:25,760 you're going to be feeding on and putting within you. 267 00:20:27,840 --> 00:20:34,360 And every time we do that, it will cause our spirit to become 268 00:20:34,360 --> 00:20:44,160 weakened, even though he and his spirit is stronger, but he can't 269 00:20:44,160 --> 00:20:48,040 do anything about it if we're feeding on the wrong. 270 00:20:48,040 --> 00:20:53,080 Thing if we're. Feeding on the wrong things. 271 00:20:53,520 --> 00:20:56,480 OK, so he said. We don't have the spirit of this 272 00:20:56,480 --> 00:20:59,240 world, but the spirit who is from God. 273 00:20:59,240 --> 00:21:04,320 Say I have the Spirit from God, so that we may know the things 274 00:21:04,320 --> 00:21:11,680 freely given to us by God. Aren't you thankful that because 275 00:21:11,680 --> 00:21:16,160 we have the Spirit of God and not the spirit of this world any 276 00:21:16,160 --> 00:21:21,240 longer, we can know the things that are freely given to us now 277 00:21:21,240 --> 00:21:27,280 as a believer? Freely that's given to us as a 278 00:21:27,280 --> 00:21:31,400 believer, all right. And it's by God which things we 279 00:21:31,400 --> 00:21:36,240 also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those 280 00:21:36,240 --> 00:21:39,880 taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with 281 00:21:39,880 --> 00:21:43,240 spiritual words. But a natural man does not 282 00:21:43,240 --> 00:21:46,600 accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness 283 00:21:46,600 --> 00:21:49,720 to him and he cannot understand them, right? 284 00:21:51,000 --> 00:21:55,240 Remember, you try to read the Word before you got born again, 285 00:21:55,400 --> 00:21:59,120 and the Bible just seemed like a bunch of mumbo jumbo until the 286 00:21:59,120 --> 00:22:03,480 Holy Spirit turns the light on and you receive him. 287 00:22:04,800 --> 00:22:07,200 Come on. And then when you open it up, 288 00:22:07,200 --> 00:22:11,720 it's like a whole new world. Whole new world, right? 289 00:22:13,400 --> 00:22:18,320 It's like a whole new world. That's because the Spirit 290 00:22:19,360 --> 00:22:24,680 brought it all to light and brought it alive to you, so that 291 00:22:24,680 --> 00:22:31,120 now you can actually spiritually discern what the word is saying. 292 00:22:32,280 --> 00:22:37,960 OK, and so it says this. And he cannot understand them 293 00:22:37,960 --> 00:22:39,920 because they are spiritually appraised. 294 00:22:39,920 --> 00:22:46,040 But he who has known the mind of the Lord that he will instruct 295 00:22:46,040 --> 00:22:47,960 him. But we have the what? 296 00:22:49,560 --> 00:22:54,160 Wow. Not only do we have His spirit 297 00:22:54,160 --> 00:22:57,480 living on the inside of us. Guess what else we have? 298 00:22:57,480 --> 00:23:04,320 We have His mind on everything. That means there's nothing that 299 00:23:04,320 --> 00:23:08,840 we could be going through in this earth as long as we are 300 00:23:08,840 --> 00:23:13,080 living in this world that we can't get the instruction and 301 00:23:13,080 --> 00:23:16,360 the mind of Christ on whatever it is that we're dealing with. 302 00:23:18,600 --> 00:23:22,560 So what does that tell me? That tells me then that I can 303 00:23:22,560 --> 00:23:29,120 reign over every situation, over every circumstance that I 304 00:23:29,400 --> 00:23:34,600 encounter, and my walk with the Lord on this earth in the midst 305 00:23:34,600 --> 00:23:39,040 of this fallen world. I don't have to fall into the 306 00:23:39,040 --> 00:23:45,680 trap of, you know, answering and doing things like the world does 307 00:23:45,680 --> 00:23:47,880 it. I can go straight to the mind of 308 00:23:47,880 --> 00:23:53,640 Christ and begin to ask him for His wisdom on how to deal with 309 00:23:53,680 --> 00:23:56,440 every situation that I'm going through. 310 00:23:57,760 --> 00:24:01,040 Amen. So that I can be assured that if 311 00:24:01,040 --> 00:24:06,720 I apply His wisdom and His direction to my life in whatever 312 00:24:06,720 --> 00:24:09,960 it is that I'm dealing with, I can be assured that I'll win, 313 00:24:11,000 --> 00:24:14,840 that I'll reign, that I'll overcome, that I'll be the 314 00:24:14,840 --> 00:24:17,080 victorious one. Amen. 315 00:24:17,920 --> 00:24:21,080 Hallelujah. That means I don't ever have to 316 00:24:21,080 --> 00:24:24,480 be defeated. I may. 317 00:24:24,480 --> 00:24:31,880 Feel defeated. I may feel defeated. 318 00:24:32,760 --> 00:24:35,640 But that doesn't mean that I am defeated. 319 00:24:36,040 --> 00:24:40,480 And I'm not going to let that feeling control what I know is 320 00:24:40,480 --> 00:24:45,200 truth. Because if I have a strong 321 00:24:45,200 --> 00:24:50,360 spirit, I'm going to be led by that spirit and not my feelings 322 00:24:51,240 --> 00:24:55,520 about what it is that I am dealing with or what it is that 323 00:24:55,520 --> 00:25:01,080 I'm going through. OK, so thank God we have the 324 00:25:01,080 --> 00:25:03,720 mind of Christ. Have you seen how crazy this 325 00:25:03,720 --> 00:25:06,160 world is? I'm telling you, every believer, 326 00:25:06,400 --> 00:25:11,040 you better wake up every morning and thank him that you have the 327 00:25:11,040 --> 00:25:16,440 mind of Christ. Because we are living in a world 328 00:25:16,800 --> 00:25:21,760 of a world gone crazy in their minds, and we're seeing it every 329 00:25:21,760 --> 00:25:25,160 day. And you need to thank him. 330 00:25:25,560 --> 00:25:27,720 Don't be talking about to yourself. 331 00:25:27,960 --> 00:25:32,680 I'm losing my mind. Or, you know, come on or I'm 332 00:25:32,680 --> 00:25:35,880 going crazy. That should not be coming out of 333 00:25:35,880 --> 00:25:40,720 your mouth. You should be saying, thank you, 334 00:25:40,720 --> 00:25:42,520 Lord. I have the mind of Christ. 335 00:25:42,520 --> 00:25:44,760 I have a strong spirit. Come on. 336 00:25:44,760 --> 00:25:49,120 Every day when you wake up, begin to start talking about who 337 00:25:49,120 --> 00:25:53,360 you are and what God has said instead of talking crazy like 338 00:25:53,360 --> 00:25:55,960 this world. Because you're going to have 339 00:25:55,960 --> 00:26:03,960 what you and a reigning spirit will begin to talk like that. 340 00:26:03,960 --> 00:26:11,480 Come on, they'll talk like that. You know, I was just sharing 341 00:26:11,560 --> 00:26:14,560 this is I'm not even on one scripture in my notes. 342 00:26:17,600 --> 00:26:22,800 I was talking to our ministry coordinators this past Sunday 343 00:26:22,800 --> 00:26:25,920 because pastor had to fly out that Sunday. 344 00:26:25,920 --> 00:26:29,520 So I had to do the meeting with the ministry coordinators and 345 00:26:29,520 --> 00:26:32,920 then at staff meeting. I did the leadership, teaching 346 00:26:32,920 --> 00:26:37,200 and staff meeting because the Holy Spirit reminded me about 347 00:26:37,200 --> 00:26:42,760 the children of Israel. And I read out of numbers, you 348 00:26:42,760 --> 00:26:51,920 know, chapter one and chapter 1124, I believe, or 1424, one of 349 00:26:51,920 --> 00:26:55,160 those. And here we know the children of 350 00:26:55,160 --> 00:26:55,840 Israel. You are. 351 00:26:55,880 --> 00:26:59,640 Y'all remember the story, right where he said he's going to 352 00:26:59,640 --> 00:27:03,680 deliver the people. Moses, go deliver my people out 353 00:27:03,680 --> 00:27:08,040 of captivity. They came right through the Red 354 00:27:08,040 --> 00:27:10,480 Sea. He delivered them out and he was 355 00:27:10,480 --> 00:27:12,600 planning to bring them into a what land? 356 00:27:12,600 --> 00:27:17,600 Flowing with milk and honey. We talked about this Friday 357 00:27:17,600 --> 00:27:21,240 night, ladies, right. And about all that honey that 358 00:27:21,240 --> 00:27:26,520 was flowing and so. He wanted to bring him into the 359 00:27:26,520 --> 00:27:31,200 promised land, but we know they got stuck in the what? 360 00:27:32,120 --> 00:27:35,160 The wilderness. For how long? 361 00:27:36,400 --> 00:27:42,600 40 years. And do you know why that all of 362 00:27:42,600 --> 00:27:48,320 them died in the wilderness, even though God said you're? 363 00:27:48,360 --> 00:27:53,320 He They were delivered. Guys, hey, they were delivered. 364 00:27:53,320 --> 00:27:59,480 Anybody in here been delivered. They were delivered. 365 00:28:01,200 --> 00:28:09,200 But their minds were still what slaves they were delivered, and 366 00:28:09,200 --> 00:28:12,480 he was ready to take them into the. 367 00:28:12,480 --> 00:28:18,280 Promised land into the fullness of everything that God would 368 00:28:18,280 --> 00:28:23,040 have for them. And all they did was what 369 00:28:23,880 --> 00:28:30,840 complained, grumbled, and murmured about everything that 370 00:28:30,920 --> 00:28:33,440 that they thought God. Brought him out there just for 371 00:28:33,440 --> 00:28:37,720 them to die in three days. They wanted to, you know, go 372 00:28:37,720 --> 00:28:40,400 back. Isn't that what the scripture 373 00:28:40,400 --> 00:28:43,880 says when you've been delivered? Don't Don't look back. 374 00:28:45,200 --> 00:28:53,720 You're not fit or worthy. But they were looking back, and 375 00:28:53,720 --> 00:28:56,960 they thought it was better over in Egypt as slaves and in 376 00:28:56,960 --> 00:29:01,480 bondage because their minds had not been renewed. 377 00:29:01,880 --> 00:29:06,480 But they didn't enter in, it says, because of their unbelief. 378 00:29:07,720 --> 00:29:12,240 That's what the Bible says. They didn't enter into all that 379 00:29:12,240 --> 00:29:14,880 God had for them because of their unbelief. 380 00:29:15,240 --> 00:29:20,160 What was the number one thing that started the process of 381 00:29:20,160 --> 00:29:26,200 their unbelief? Grumbling, complaining, and 382 00:29:26,200 --> 00:29:32,640 murmuring against God as if God couldn't do anything. 383 00:29:35,320 --> 00:29:37,840 It's. One step away from unbelief in 384 00:29:37,840 --> 00:29:43,200 your life if all you are doing is griping and complaining and 385 00:29:43,200 --> 00:29:48,080 murmuring about you know. What you think God should be 386 00:29:48,080 --> 00:29:53,040 doing and what He's not doing for you, because God's in 387 00:29:53,040 --> 00:29:54,760 control. God is not in control. 388 00:29:54,760 --> 00:30:02,080 He's in control of his work and He's working through your. 389 00:30:04,360 --> 00:30:12,160 Responses your actions. So they were mumbling, 390 00:30:12,160 --> 00:30:16,280 grumbling, complaining, and it is the very thing that led them 391 00:30:16,280 --> 00:30:20,400 into unbelief. But then I go on and I read 392 00:30:20,400 --> 00:30:25,560 about Joshua and Caleb after, you know, God was there, were 393 00:30:25,560 --> 00:30:30,240 ready to, He brought him in and Joshua and Caleb, it said. 394 00:30:30,400 --> 00:30:34,600 We're of a what? Different spirit. 395 00:30:37,200 --> 00:30:41,400 They had a different spirit. So you know what that means to 396 00:30:41,400 --> 00:30:44,480 me. That spirit of murmuring, 397 00:30:44,680 --> 00:30:50,240 complaining, and grumbling is not the spirit of God that he 398 00:30:50,240 --> 00:30:52,840 wants you to have. It's a critical spirit. 399 00:30:55,280 --> 00:31:01,600 It is a spirit of unbelief and doubt and unthankfulness. 400 00:31:05,200 --> 00:31:12,400 And so we as believers, we need to make sure that we are always 401 00:31:12,400 --> 00:31:15,400 in a position that we're checking our hearts to make sure 402 00:31:15,400 --> 00:31:17,320 we're not. And you know what they were 403 00:31:17,320 --> 00:31:21,600 grumbling and complaining about? Also Moses. 404 00:31:24,280 --> 00:31:31,200 Moses, their leader, Number one thing that will get you in 405 00:31:31,200 --> 00:31:34,040 trouble. Come on. 406 00:31:35,200 --> 00:31:38,520 They were mumbling and complaining and griping and 407 00:31:38,520 --> 00:31:43,720 grumbling about Moses and actually God said I heard them 408 00:31:43,720 --> 00:31:47,720 in their tents and it's not. They weren't talking against 409 00:31:47,720 --> 00:31:52,120 Moses. They were talking about God and 410 00:31:52,120 --> 00:31:56,440 he took it personal when you start talking about your leader 411 00:32:00,240 --> 00:32:06,400 and it said they all died and did not enter into the fullness, 412 00:32:06,400 --> 00:32:09,560 into the promises that God actually had for them. 413 00:32:10,520 --> 00:32:17,760 OK, so the reason I bring that up is because we want to make 414 00:32:17,760 --> 00:32:21,600 sure that we have the right spirit and if we don't have the 415 00:32:21,600 --> 00:32:22,440 right. Spirit. 416 00:32:22,680 --> 00:32:27,200 The only way we're going to have a strong spirit is if we feed on 417 00:32:27,200 --> 00:32:32,320 the right things. And griping and complaining and 418 00:32:32,320 --> 00:32:36,960 murmuring and all these things is not feeding on the right 419 00:32:36,960 --> 00:32:40,800 thing. It's not feeding on the right 420 00:32:40,800 --> 00:32:44,880 thing in any situation in your marriage. 421 00:32:45,440 --> 00:32:48,440 What about griping and complaining about your husband 422 00:32:48,440 --> 00:32:51,760 all the time? I'm telling you what that's the 423 00:32:51,760 --> 00:32:56,080 sure sign to cause. Come on, destruction to your 424 00:32:56,080 --> 00:32:58,280 marriage. What about griping and 425 00:32:58,280 --> 00:33:00,960 complaining about your teenagers all the time? 426 00:33:03,200 --> 00:33:06,600 What about griping and complaining about the house you 427 00:33:06,600 --> 00:33:11,080 live in or the car you drive in? You see what I'm saying? 428 00:33:11,280 --> 00:33:18,280 How can God move on your behalf when only way he will operate is 429 00:33:18,280 --> 00:33:21,200 by faith? But you are in unbelief because 430 00:33:21,200 --> 00:33:23,320 of the words that are coming out of your mouth. 431 00:33:24,920 --> 00:33:28,720 And it may not be like I don't believe God, but I can't believe 432 00:33:28,720 --> 00:33:33,560 I'm still living in this house. You see what I'm saying? 433 00:33:33,880 --> 00:33:37,920 It's unbelief. He can't work with that because 434 00:33:37,920 --> 00:33:39,320 it's a bad attitude. It's a. 435 00:33:39,320 --> 00:33:44,840 Wrong spirit. It's a wrong spirit. 436 00:33:46,200 --> 00:33:50,920 So we want to have a reigning spirit, We want to have a strong 437 00:33:50,920 --> 00:33:55,760 spirit, which means that I loved what Joshua and Caleb said. 438 00:33:56,480 --> 00:34:03,080 They said give me that mountain. Do you know that in I'm going 439 00:34:03,080 --> 00:34:07,400 back to this, Do you know that in the midst this is not in my 440 00:34:07,400 --> 00:34:12,719 notes? This in the midst of 40 years. 441 00:34:13,120 --> 00:34:15,600 Of listening. And he called it to the 442 00:34:15,600 --> 00:34:23,040 congregation. 40 years of listening to the congregation 443 00:34:23,360 --> 00:34:32,120 gripe, complain, murmur, be doubtful of everything, right? 444 00:34:32,120 --> 00:34:34,239 They're not in faith about anything. 445 00:34:35,560 --> 00:34:38,600 It said. Joshua and Caleb being of a 446 00:34:38,600 --> 00:34:42,920 different spirit and actually said they were strengthened 447 00:34:42,920 --> 00:34:45,840 because when it was time for them to take the promised land, 448 00:34:46,080 --> 00:34:51,040 he got up on that mountain and he said I am well able, I'm 449 00:34:51,040 --> 00:34:59,160 stronger today than I was 40 years ago, so now he's. 85 And 450 00:34:59,160 --> 00:35:07,080 he actually grew stronger and was strengthened in 40 So here 451 00:35:07,080 --> 00:35:11,480 you have Joshua and Caleb that are being able to stay in the 452 00:35:11,480 --> 00:35:15,920 midst of this kind of environment, not taking on the 453 00:35:15,920 --> 00:35:20,920 thoughts of everybody else, but actually applying God's word to 454 00:35:20,920 --> 00:35:26,840 what God said to them. That you will surely enter into 455 00:35:26,840 --> 00:35:30,040 a land flowing well with milk and honey. 456 00:35:30,360 --> 00:35:33,680 That you're we're going to be able to receive that promised 457 00:35:33,680 --> 00:35:36,440 land. They were able to stand up in 458 00:35:36,440 --> 00:35:40,400 the midst of all of these thousands of people griping and 459 00:35:40,400 --> 00:35:44,080 complaining and doubtless and all these things. 460 00:35:44,080 --> 00:35:50,000 And Joshua and Caleb decided we're going to grow, we're going 461 00:35:50,000 --> 00:35:53,480 to grow stronger. We are actually going to be able 462 00:35:53,480 --> 00:35:57,520 to have strength. Come on in the midst of this. 463 00:35:57,520 --> 00:36:02,880 So this tells me that we can do it no matter what our situation, 464 00:36:03,040 --> 00:36:05,320 no matter what we are going through. 465 00:36:05,320 --> 00:36:10,040 I don't care if your whole house, your household, does 466 00:36:10,040 --> 00:36:16,040 nothing but gripe and complain and fuss and have drama and be 467 00:36:16,040 --> 00:36:19,360 dysfunctional. You as a believer, as a child of 468 00:36:19,400 --> 00:36:26,240 God, by the power of your will, can choose to say, I'm going to 469 00:36:26,240 --> 00:36:29,360 reign in the midst of this. Come on. 470 00:36:29,600 --> 00:36:33,280 And I'm going to have a strong spirit and I'm going to allow 471 00:36:33,280 --> 00:36:36,520 this to strengthen me and to grow me. 472 00:36:36,520 --> 00:36:39,520 Come on. So that in the day and the hour 473 00:36:39,520 --> 00:36:47,360 that God said he's going to bless me and my household, you 474 00:36:47,360 --> 00:36:55,800 see what I'm saying? Stronger because they chose to 475 00:36:55,840 --> 00:36:59,800 believe God's word in the midst of all of that garbage. 476 00:37:00,440 --> 00:37:04,800 And don't you think that they couldn't have taken on those 477 00:37:04,800 --> 00:37:13,080 same complaints and thought processes, but they chose to 478 00:37:13,080 --> 00:37:16,600 hold on to God's word and what God said. 479 00:37:17,000 --> 00:37:20,480 And in that what we're supposed to do, if we're going to rain, 480 00:37:20,640 --> 00:37:23,680 if we're going to maintain a reigning spirit, then we have to 481 00:37:23,680 --> 00:37:28,480 choose to hold on to what God's Word has said in the midst of 482 00:37:28,480 --> 00:37:34,360 whatever's going on in our life. Come on and choose to say, I 483 00:37:34,360 --> 00:37:37,800 don't know about you, but I'm going to grow through this 484 00:37:37,920 --> 00:37:41,840 because I'm going to flow. Come on, I'm going to flow this 485 00:37:41,840 --> 00:37:45,000 year. Come on with the Holy Ghost. 486 00:37:45,000 --> 00:37:48,920 There's a new flow of the Holy Ghost, and I'm going to choose 487 00:37:48,920 --> 00:37:56,040 to grow and flow through it and be stronger on the other side 488 00:37:56,800 --> 00:38:00,600 and be strengthened. Hallelujah. 489 00:38:01,000 --> 00:38:03,080 So you choose. It's up to you. 490 00:38:03,320 --> 00:38:10,640 God can't do anything. He's already done everything. 491 00:38:13,040 --> 00:38:18,280 He's already done everything. And so in the midst of hearing 492 00:38:18,600 --> 00:38:22,000 the gripe and the complaining, in the midst of all those 493 00:38:22,000 --> 00:38:25,080 things, you have to be the one to say, I choose to grow. 494 00:38:26,240 --> 00:38:29,240 I choose to become stronger. I. 495 00:38:29,280 --> 00:38:33,760 Choose to allow my spirit to be strengthened in the midst of 496 00:38:33,760 --> 00:38:45,320 this instead of destroyed, because it will what it will 497 00:38:45,320 --> 00:38:53,200 make you or it will break you. You choose in the midst of 498 00:38:53,200 --> 00:38:56,840 things that are going on in your life every day. 499 00:38:58,200 --> 00:39:01,440 Second Corinthians 413 and 14 says this. 500 00:39:01,440 --> 00:39:03,920 It says And since we have the same. 501 00:39:03,920 --> 00:39:08,880 Spirit of what? Faith according to what is 502 00:39:08,880 --> 00:39:12,440 written. I believe, therefore I spoke. 503 00:39:12,560 --> 00:39:17,800 We also believe, and therefore we speak knowing that he who 504 00:39:17,800 --> 00:39:22,640 raised up the Lord Jesus Christ will also raise us up with Jesus 505 00:39:22,640 --> 00:39:28,920 and will present us. With you we have the same spirit 506 00:39:28,920 --> 00:39:35,760 of faith. So His spirit is not just the 507 00:39:35,760 --> 00:39:42,160 spirit of truth, right? His spirit is a spirit of faith 508 00:39:43,400 --> 00:39:46,800 and a reigning spirit is a spirit of faith. 509 00:39:48,600 --> 00:39:54,120 A strong spirit will produce faith within your life. 510 00:39:55,000 --> 00:40:00,800 A weak spirit, a broken spirit, a spirit that is feeding on the 511 00:40:00,800 --> 00:40:06,040 wrong things will not be a person of faith and reign in 512 00:40:06,040 --> 00:40:09,160 situations. It's just the bottom line. 513 00:40:09,160 --> 00:40:11,600 I don't care that God is on the inside of you. 514 00:40:13,880 --> 00:40:19,760 If you don't feed your spirit, it will not be strong, it will 515 00:40:19,760 --> 00:40:23,960 be weak. If we don't feed our physical 516 00:40:23,960 --> 00:40:31,960 bodies, Come on, what happens? It will begin to eat itself up, 517 00:40:32,720 --> 00:40:36,560 actually. Through starvation. 518 00:40:38,560 --> 00:40:40,600 And that. Just think about that as your 519 00:40:40,600 --> 00:40:45,120 spirit man. If you don't feed your spirit, 520 00:40:45,120 --> 00:40:50,800 man, it's starving. It's. 521 00:40:50,800 --> 00:40:56,240 Starving and we become anemic and anorexic. 522 00:40:57,400 --> 00:41:00,400 And have you ever seen believers that are like that? 523 00:41:04,960 --> 00:41:14,880 They have no faith, and sitting in faith churches, no faith. 524 00:41:14,880 --> 00:41:17,120 And you know how we know they don't have any faith? 525 00:41:17,120 --> 00:41:19,520 Because of the first things that come out of their mouth when 526 00:41:19,520 --> 00:41:27,960 they enter into a trial or a situation, right? 527 00:41:28,040 --> 00:41:32,000 Because a person with a strong spirit is actually going to say 528 00:41:32,000 --> 00:41:36,680 what God says. A. 529 00:41:36,920 --> 00:41:40,840 Person that has fed themselves on the right things are going to 530 00:41:40,840 --> 00:41:44,520 say what God says in the midst of whatever it is that they're 531 00:41:44,520 --> 00:41:46,880 going, whatever it is that's going on in our life. 532 00:41:47,120 --> 00:41:50,560 Look at this. If you don't think that we have 533 00:41:50,560 --> 00:41:54,720 to grow, do you think that the minute you get born again, 534 00:41:54,720 --> 00:41:57,440 you're just TA dah? That's it. 535 00:41:57,960 --> 00:42:01,520 We're good. Most Christians believe that and 536 00:42:01,520 --> 00:42:04,040 live that way. They're born again. 537 00:42:04,040 --> 00:42:06,400 They're good to go. They're waiting on one day when 538 00:42:06,400 --> 00:42:07,800 they die, they get to go to heaven. 539 00:42:07,800 --> 00:42:11,320 And nothing about their life or their lifestyle changes. 540 00:42:14,080 --> 00:42:19,320 That means they don't grow, right. 541 00:42:21,080 --> 00:42:26,920 So we, if we're going to have that reigning spirit, have to be 542 00:42:26,920 --> 00:42:32,840 people that realize we have to grow in every season, in every 543 00:42:32,840 --> 00:42:35,040 season. We have to grow no matter what 544 00:42:35,040 --> 00:42:39,280 the season beholds us, whether it's a great season, whether 545 00:42:39,280 --> 00:42:43,320 it's a challenging season. We have to make a decision that 546 00:42:43,320 --> 00:42:47,800 we're going to grow through those those seasons, OK? 547 00:42:48,640 --> 00:42:54,600 And what the way we grow is that we apply God's word to our lives 548 00:42:54,600 --> 00:42:57,040 and whatever it is we're being challenged with. 549 00:42:58,000 --> 00:43:05,800 Now look at Luke 240, because I want to prove to you that Jesus 550 00:43:05,800 --> 00:43:11,560 even had to grow. Yeah, he did. 551 00:43:11,560 --> 00:43:19,000 Luke 240. Now he was the son of, yet he 552 00:43:19,000 --> 00:43:23,440 had to grow it says. It says. 553 00:43:23,440 --> 00:43:32,080 And the child grew and became strong in what in spirit, filled 554 00:43:32,080 --> 00:43:36,240 with wisdom. And the grace of God was upon 555 00:43:36,440 --> 00:43:41,920 him. And the grace of God was upon 556 00:43:41,920 --> 00:43:46,160 him, then dropped down to 52 and it says, And Jesus increased. 557 00:43:46,600 --> 00:43:50,800 Anytime you increase, it's because you've allowed him to 558 00:43:50,800 --> 00:43:53,640 grow you or increase your capacity. 559 00:43:53,840 --> 00:43:59,480 You just don't grow automatically, OK? 560 00:44:00,480 --> 00:44:04,360 If we did not feed our children, they would not grow properly. 561 00:44:08,080 --> 00:44:11,640 They wouldn't grow properly. And so it says. 562 00:44:11,640 --> 00:44:17,200 And he increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God 563 00:44:17,440 --> 00:44:24,080 and man, So he grew and became strong in spirit. 564 00:44:27,480 --> 00:44:31,120 He grew and became strong in spirit. 565 00:44:31,840 --> 00:44:41,280 Our number one assignment is to get you so pumped up like you on 566 00:44:41,280 --> 00:44:49,680 steroids, strong in spirit. Your spirit ought to be as 567 00:44:49,680 --> 00:44:55,040 strong as you know, all these bodybuilders that you see with 568 00:44:55,040 --> 00:44:58,080 strong muscles, like Arnold Schwartzman. 569 00:44:58,600 --> 00:45:01,840 However you pronounce it. And who else was a big, huge 570 00:45:01,840 --> 00:45:04,560 bodybuilder? That was old school days. 571 00:45:05,240 --> 00:45:12,280 OK, Pastor Mike. Pastor Earl. 572 00:45:12,480 --> 00:45:16,000 He loves you, Christopher. You tell him that when you see 573 00:45:16,000 --> 00:45:23,760 him next. OK, pump him up, Christopher. 574 00:45:25,760 --> 00:45:31,840 So strong, like your spirit ought to be the strongest muscle 575 00:45:31,840 --> 00:45:36,920 in your body. Right. 576 00:45:38,240 --> 00:45:42,000 Because when you have a strong spirit, you're going to be able 577 00:45:42,000 --> 00:45:46,440 to conquer anything that comes your way. 578 00:45:46,440 --> 00:45:51,400 So what is what does it mean where it says he grew and became 579 00:45:51,400 --> 00:45:55,480 strong in spirit? When you look that up in the 580 00:45:55,480 --> 00:46:01,720 Greek, it means he had to grow in the divine nature of God. 581 00:46:02,520 --> 00:46:06,760 Though he was the Son of God, but he was what? 582 00:46:06,800 --> 00:46:14,040 A man in the earth? So he had to discover himself as 583 00:46:14,040 --> 00:46:18,480 the divine nature of God. He isn't that what we do when we 584 00:46:18,480 --> 00:46:21,520 get born again? What our old man has passed 585 00:46:21,520 --> 00:46:23,920 away? Behold all things become new and 586 00:46:23,920 --> 00:46:27,840 now we have the divine nature. Zoe life coming to dwell on the 587 00:46:27,840 --> 00:46:30,200 inside of us when we get born again. 588 00:46:30,480 --> 00:46:35,640 And now we have to do what? Discover and grow in that divine 589 00:46:35,640 --> 00:46:41,520 nature, discovering who we are in Christ. 590 00:46:42,600 --> 00:46:47,440 And so he had to grow in streak strong divine nature of God. 591 00:46:47,680 --> 00:46:50,520 The influence. This is what he had to grow in, 592 00:46:50,680 --> 00:46:56,800 the influence which is feels and governs the seat of his 593 00:46:56,800 --> 00:47:04,440 emotions. He had to grow in the seat of 594 00:47:04,440 --> 00:47:09,840 his emotions, just like we do, which is the soul, realm, the 595 00:47:09,840 --> 00:47:14,480 mind realm, the mental realm, our mind, our will, our 596 00:47:14,480 --> 00:47:19,040 emotions. That's why he had to say not my 597 00:47:19,040 --> 00:47:22,160 will be done, but your will be done. 598 00:47:25,080 --> 00:47:29,880 That's why he had to say it. Because if he was the Son of God 599 00:47:29,880 --> 00:47:33,880 and could just automatically do it, no. 600 00:47:33,880 --> 00:47:36,800 He was showing us who we are. That's good. 601 00:47:36,800 --> 00:47:44,200 Hallelujah. Isn't that what Pastor Roddy 602 00:47:44,200 --> 00:47:47,240 said? He didn't come so that we could 603 00:47:47,240 --> 00:47:51,080 see who he was. He came so that we can see who. 604 00:47:51,080 --> 00:48:03,640 We are who we are. And so he had to grow and learn 605 00:48:03,640 --> 00:48:09,800 how to feel and govern his seat of emotions as well as we do. 606 00:48:09,800 --> 00:48:13,520 He had to have control over his emotions and didn't he? 607 00:48:16,320 --> 00:48:20,360 He had to what? He had to run money changers out 608 00:48:20,360 --> 00:48:22,920 of the temple, but he didn't do it in anger. 609 00:48:23,040 --> 00:48:25,440 So that means he had what? Self-control. 610 00:48:26,480 --> 00:48:29,240 He was able to deal with his emotions. 611 00:48:29,920 --> 00:48:33,360 We know he cried. Jesus wept. 612 00:48:35,120 --> 00:48:38,640 And crying and weeping is not a problem if it's done in the 613 00:48:38,640 --> 00:48:43,760 right spirit. Not crying and weeping like 614 00:48:43,880 --> 00:48:46,520 Esau, who did it in the wrong spirit. 615 00:48:49,840 --> 00:48:54,640 You see that? So he also It meant he had to 616 00:48:54,640 --> 00:49:01,800 grow in the characteristics and personality of the Holy Spirit. 617 00:49:01,960 --> 00:49:06,320 Working His power. Isn't that something? 618 00:49:08,240 --> 00:49:12,680 So don't we have to, We have to understand the working of the 619 00:49:12,680 --> 00:49:18,800 Holy Spirit, the power of the Holy Spirit as a believer. 620 00:49:22,040 --> 00:49:27,200 Amen. So he had to grow strong in 621 00:49:27,200 --> 00:49:32,880 spirit, and we have to grow strong in spirit if we're going 622 00:49:32,880 --> 00:49:38,000 to maintain a reigning spirit. You know, I've been talking 623 00:49:38,000 --> 00:49:42,080 about this out of Ephesians. Chapter 4, verse 11, La La La La 624 00:49:42,080 --> 00:49:46,320 la, verse 13. Let's just read it from there. 625 00:49:46,320 --> 00:49:50,240 It says until we all what come to the unity of faith and the 626 00:49:50,240 --> 00:49:55,640 knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of 627 00:49:55,640 --> 00:50:00,280 the stature of the fullness of Christ, That word stature. 628 00:50:00,280 --> 00:50:05,280 One translation said that Jesus grew in stature as well. 629 00:50:05,280 --> 00:50:10,560 One translation says that so that word stature means mature. 630 00:50:10,960 --> 00:50:17,680 He had to grow up into the fullness of being a perfect man, 631 00:50:17,680 --> 00:50:23,360 a mature man operating. And because he grew in these 632 00:50:23,360 --> 00:50:28,600 things, to discover who he was into a mature man. 633 00:50:30,240 --> 00:50:32,600 Amen. And do you know that's what we 634 00:50:32,600 --> 00:50:35,520 have to do If we're going to have a strong spirit, we're 635 00:50:35,520 --> 00:50:38,360 going to have to mature. We're going to have to grow. 636 00:50:39,400 --> 00:50:43,120 We're going to have to be a person that says I need to grow 637 00:50:43,120 --> 00:50:49,160 in this area in my life. You can't sit in this church and 638 00:50:49,160 --> 00:50:54,080 not have an area in your life that is not brought forth and 639 00:50:54,080 --> 00:50:56,720 you think you got it all together. 640 00:50:57,480 --> 00:50:59,920 Not you ain't going to. It ain't going to happen in this 641 00:50:59,920 --> 00:51:07,720 church, because all of us have. Something that we have to grow 642 00:51:07,720 --> 00:51:09,520 in. And mature in. 643 00:51:10,960 --> 00:51:14,040 All of us. And all the time with the word 644 00:51:14,040 --> 00:51:18,840 that's coming forth, it's it's it's then nudging us and and the 645 00:51:18,840 --> 00:51:23,080 Holy Spirit's revealing to us, you need to actually grow in 646 00:51:23,080 --> 00:51:25,600 this area. You have been dealing with this 647 00:51:25,600 --> 00:51:29,680 for 15 years and it's still a struggle for you. 648 00:51:30,760 --> 00:51:37,640 You know, I feel like saying may it never be right, because why? 649 00:51:37,640 --> 00:51:41,720 It's up to us to choose to do what it takes to grow. 650 00:51:42,000 --> 00:51:43,240 Isn't that what? He says. 651 00:51:43,240 --> 00:51:45,760 Listen, when you were a child, you used to what? 652 00:51:46,480 --> 00:51:49,000 Think. Like a child, act like a child. 653 00:51:49,280 --> 00:51:55,120 But when you become a what a man, it's time to what grow up 654 00:51:56,840 --> 00:52:01,120 and put away what childish things put away? 655 00:52:01,120 --> 00:52:07,960 Whining and wanting attention. Like babies do, right? 656 00:52:08,680 --> 00:52:11,800 All those things. And so we have to recognize, he 657 00:52:11,800 --> 00:52:14,960 says. Listen, we need to grow into the 658 00:52:14,960 --> 00:52:17,760 stature and the fullness of Christ. 659 00:52:18,000 --> 00:52:21,480 Look what it says in verse 14, that we should no longer be 660 00:52:21,480 --> 00:52:25,480 children tossed to and fro and carried away. 661 00:52:25,680 --> 00:52:28,080 Listen to this. This is why it's important, 662 00:52:28,080 --> 00:52:32,280 because this is what pastor's been talking about, carried away 663 00:52:32,280 --> 00:52:42,400 about with every wind of doctrines of demons, right? 664 00:52:43,920 --> 00:52:49,600 So it's most important that we mature in these last days so 665 00:52:49,600 --> 00:52:53,360 that we can guarantee we can't. We don't have to fall into 666 00:52:53,360 --> 00:52:56,840 deception because we've actually grown up spiritually. 667 00:52:57,000 --> 00:53:01,960 We've actually allowed ourselves to mature and apply the word and 668 00:53:01,960 --> 00:53:06,040 recognize areas that need to be dealt with and actually begin to 669 00:53:06,040 --> 00:53:08,920 deal with them so that we won't caught. 670 00:53:08,920 --> 00:53:13,280 Get caught up in every wind of doctrine by the trickery of men 671 00:53:13,280 --> 00:53:16,800 in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting. 672 00:53:17,040 --> 00:53:21,400 But speaking the truth in love so that you may grow up into all 673 00:53:21,400 --> 00:53:25,120 things, into Him who is the head? 674 00:53:25,760 --> 00:53:27,840 Christ. You see that? 675 00:53:29,520 --> 00:53:35,920 What does it mean to grow up? To grow up, to mature and and 676 00:53:35,920 --> 00:53:40,760 where he says this into all things, he means into a complete 677 00:53:40,880 --> 00:53:44,080 man. Into a complete man. 678 00:53:45,200 --> 00:53:49,560 It means to grow mental and moral character. 679 00:53:50,360 --> 00:53:53,840 It means to mature. Amen. 680 00:53:54,840 --> 00:53:57,760 So just because you're born again doesn't mean that you're 681 00:53:57,760 --> 00:54:01,000 mature. Doesn't mean that you don't have 682 00:54:01,000 --> 00:54:06,040 to grow, that you don't have to do more things to allow yourself 683 00:54:06,040 --> 00:54:10,560 to sit up underneath the word. Apply the word so that you can 684 00:54:10,800 --> 00:54:14,000 grow. Now look at Ephesians chapter 685 00:54:14,000 --> 00:54:17,640 316 and 20. It says that he would grant you, 686 00:54:17,640 --> 00:54:22,600 according to his riches of his glory, to be strengthened with 687 00:54:22,600 --> 00:54:24,160 power through. His. 688 00:54:24,160 --> 00:54:28,440 Spirit in the what? Inner man. 689 00:54:30,520 --> 00:54:37,000 So the inner man, your spirit needs to be strengthened. 690 00:54:38,360 --> 00:54:43,640 You will not maintain a reigning spirit unless you strengthen it. 691 00:54:43,640 --> 00:54:48,640 Just like what do they call working out strength training. 692 00:54:51,240 --> 00:54:55,440 So we have to put it under the gun, so to speak. 693 00:54:55,720 --> 00:55:02,800 Put it under some what pressure? Put it underneath some word, 694 00:55:03,040 --> 00:55:07,400 some actual words of righteousness. 695 00:55:07,520 --> 00:55:13,200 Not milk of the word, but words of righteousness for us to begin 696 00:55:13,200 --> 00:55:17,160 to what? Strengthen and grow in our inner 697 00:55:17,160 --> 00:55:20,960 man so that our spirit can begin to be strong? 698 00:55:21,560 --> 00:55:25,560 If all we do is sit up underneath the milk of the word, 699 00:55:25,560 --> 00:55:29,440 what will we remain? Babies. 700 00:55:29,960 --> 00:55:31,080 Babies. Do nothing. 701 00:55:31,080 --> 00:55:37,960 But what? Cry, whine, complain, tell you 702 00:55:37,960 --> 00:55:42,080 they don't want to do it. To fall down on the floor and 703 00:55:42,080 --> 00:55:50,280 pitch a little temper tantrum. Act a fool, right? 704 00:55:51,600 --> 00:55:57,080 All these things that babies do, and just think about churches 705 00:56:01,400 --> 00:56:08,960 and some of the things believers do right? 706 00:56:10,400 --> 00:56:15,680 They're acting like babies because what has happened, they 707 00:56:15,680 --> 00:56:20,320 have not allowed themselves to grow and mature. 708 00:56:21,920 --> 00:56:23,840 They've not allowed themselves to grow. 709 00:56:24,160 --> 00:56:27,400 Oh, but they come to church every every Sunday and every 710 00:56:27,400 --> 00:56:33,520 Wednesday. What's that doing for them if 711 00:56:33,520 --> 00:56:39,200 they're not applying it so that they can grow by it? 712 00:56:40,200 --> 00:56:44,120 If they're not doing it because you can hear the word and be 713 00:56:44,120 --> 00:56:50,800 what deceived, you can. Come to church and hear good 714 00:56:50,800 --> 00:56:57,800 word, good word. And deceive your You can sit in 715 00:56:57,800 --> 00:57:00,520 these seats and deceive yourself. 716 00:57:00,520 --> 00:57:04,040 You don't even have to listen to a doctrine of demon or a 717 00:57:04,040 --> 00:57:12,280 deceiving spirit. All you have to do is come to 718 00:57:12,280 --> 00:57:16,000 church and hear the good, unadulterated word of God and 719 00:57:16,000 --> 00:57:19,240 sit here and do nothing with it, and you become what? 720 00:57:20,040 --> 00:57:28,600 And no demon did that. Who did it? 721 00:57:31,560 --> 00:57:37,040 The one that chose not to apply it, Not one demon did it. 722 00:57:38,880 --> 00:57:45,720 Not one person seduced you know. You chose to sit right there and 723 00:57:45,720 --> 00:57:49,080 to. Harden your heart. 724 00:57:50,080 --> 00:57:57,080 To the pluckings of the Holy Spirit speaking to you every 725 00:57:57,080 --> 00:57:59,920 time you're sitting up underneath the word about things 726 00:57:59,920 --> 00:58:03,200 that need to be adjusted and things that need to grow and 727 00:58:03,200 --> 00:58:07,600 things that need to be tweaked within your life, and instead of 728 00:58:07,600 --> 00:58:13,680 doing it, then you become deceived and what we call 729 00:58:13,960 --> 00:58:17,120 deceiving your own. Heart. 730 00:58:19,200 --> 00:58:22,280 You've deceived your own heart. You know how you deceived your 731 00:58:22,280 --> 00:58:24,040 own heart? Because I'm going to church? 732 00:58:25,560 --> 00:58:29,440 I asked Jesus to come into my heart and save me so that when I 733 00:58:29,440 --> 00:58:33,440 die I get to go to heaven. I didn't think there was 734 00:58:33,440 --> 00:58:37,280 anything else necessary. You see that? 735 00:58:38,600 --> 00:58:43,720 So deception can run. What be? 736 00:58:44,160 --> 00:58:52,550 Right here in the church. For those that don't receive it, 737 00:58:54,310 --> 00:59:00,760 those that don't do it. Come on now, let me read this 738 00:59:00,760 --> 00:59:03,320 last scripture. Let me see where I want to go 739 00:59:03,400 --> 00:59:18,550 because I know what time it is, because we can go next Wednesday 740 00:59:18,550 --> 00:59:20,470 and talk about some of these things. 741 00:59:25,870 --> 00:59:30,990 Growing and feeding our spirit is a necessity if we're going to 742 00:59:30,990 --> 00:59:34,310 reign and maintain that reigning spirit. 743 00:59:46,240 --> 00:59:52,000 Let's talk about Abraham real quick and Romans chapter 4. 744 00:59:52,680 --> 00:59:57,200 Let's end with this Romans chapter 4 and verse 17. 745 00:59:57,200 --> 01:00:03,760 This is a good thing. We won't end on a a hard thing. 746 01:00:05,280 --> 01:00:10,760 He was the father of many nations, right, it says, And in 747 01:00:10,760 --> 01:00:15,440 the presence of him who he believed, even God, who gives 748 01:00:15,440 --> 01:00:19,160 life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist 749 01:00:19,160 --> 01:00:23,400 in hope against hope, he believed so that he might become 750 01:00:23,400 --> 01:00:27,480 what the father of many nations according to that which had been 751 01:00:27,480 --> 01:00:30,200 spoken. So shall your descendants be 752 01:00:30,200 --> 01:00:37,480 without becoming weak in faith. So we see. 753 01:00:37,480 --> 01:00:41,360 I'm trying to show you the scriptures where it talks about 754 01:00:42,840 --> 01:00:47,680 our spirit man either growing or becoming weak. 755 01:00:49,360 --> 01:00:55,640 And here we see that Abraham without becoming weak. 756 01:00:55,720 --> 01:01:01,480 How did he not become weak? Because what did he did? 757 01:01:01,480 --> 01:01:05,920 He called those things that what be not as though they were 758 01:01:06,240 --> 01:01:09,920 right. It says in verse 18 in hope 759 01:01:09,960 --> 01:01:11,880 against hope. What did he do? 760 01:01:12,320 --> 01:01:16,720 He believed so that he might become a father of many nations 761 01:01:16,720 --> 01:01:19,320 according to which had been spoken. 762 01:01:19,320 --> 01:01:23,840 So shall your descendants be Without becoming weak in faith, 763 01:01:24,880 --> 01:01:29,240 he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead, since he 764 01:01:29,240 --> 01:01:34,160 was about 100 years old, and the deadness of Sarah's womb yet. 765 01:01:34,720 --> 01:01:38,080 With respect to the promise of God, what did he do? 766 01:01:38,080 --> 01:01:42,600 He did not waver in unbelief, but what happened? 767 01:01:42,960 --> 01:01:50,560 He grew strong in faith. He grew strong in faith. 768 01:01:51,360 --> 01:01:58,960 In the midst of a bad situation, right where he could his wife 769 01:01:58,960 --> 01:02:03,560 and him had no children, has anybody ever been there? 770 01:02:05,360 --> 01:02:08,040 Right. You would think that you could 771 01:02:08,040 --> 01:02:11,440 doubt God, that it was going to come to pass. 772 01:02:12,360 --> 01:02:16,880 But in the midst of all of the things that he was going 773 01:02:16,880 --> 01:02:20,840 through, he chose to believe God at his word. 774 01:02:21,240 --> 01:02:26,200 And when he chose to believe God at his word and what God had 775 01:02:26,200 --> 01:02:32,040 promised, he grew stronger. In faith, His faith grew. 776 01:02:32,040 --> 01:02:34,720 His. Spirit man became stronger. 777 01:02:37,520 --> 01:02:42,320 So for us to grow, we're going to have to hear the Word and 778 01:02:42,320 --> 01:02:47,320 what the word says and begin to believe the word over whatever 779 01:02:47,320 --> 01:02:49,320 it is that's going on in our life. 780 01:02:49,560 --> 01:02:54,520 And in the midst of that, that's when growth can begin to happen. 781 01:02:54,960 --> 01:02:59,040 Growth doesn't happen outside of you actually having to have 782 01:02:59,040 --> 01:03:03,680 faith to do what it is God said to do in whatever situation it 783 01:03:03,680 --> 01:03:06,880 is. That's how your faith grows. 784 01:03:07,600 --> 01:03:17,520 Your faith doesn't just grow by hearing the word, only you have 785 01:03:17,520 --> 01:03:23,640 to act upon it in the midst of the challenge and have faith in 786 01:03:23,640 --> 01:03:27,920 it. And that's when your spirit can 787 01:03:27,920 --> 01:03:33,120 grow stronger. That's when your faith, your 788 01:03:33,120 --> 01:03:36,760 your spirit can be strengthened and grow. 789 01:03:37,200 --> 01:03:41,720 We're stronger today. You're stronger every time you 790 01:03:41,720 --> 01:03:45,200 make a decision that you're going to believe God's word in 791 01:03:45,200 --> 01:03:48,400 whatever it is. Every time what happens, you'll 792 01:03:48,400 --> 01:03:51,080 grow stronger. Your spirit man gets stronger, 793 01:03:51,280 --> 01:03:55,160 and what happens? It says he was able to look back 794 01:03:55,160 --> 01:03:58,520 on the what? The faithfulness of God. 795 01:04:00,200 --> 01:04:03,840 So every time you make a decision, I'm going to stand on 796 01:04:03,840 --> 01:04:06,640 the word about whatever it is you're going through. 797 01:04:06,920 --> 01:04:09,840 Your faith now can begin to be strengthened. 798 01:04:09,840 --> 01:04:12,760 You can begin to. Your spirit can begin to grow 799 01:04:13,000 --> 01:04:17,760 stronger and stronger so that when the next challenge comes, 800 01:04:17,760 --> 01:04:21,440 what do you? Well, I look back on the 801 01:04:21,440 --> 01:04:24,600 faithfulness of God. I know he was able to help me 802 01:04:24,720 --> 01:04:28,160 and strengthen me and do what he said he was going to do here. 803 01:04:28,160 --> 01:04:31,600 So guess what? Now I'm able to walk into this 804 01:04:31,600 --> 01:04:34,800 next challenge. You ought to be stronger in the 805 01:04:34,800 --> 01:04:37,280 next challenge than you were in that one. 806 01:04:40,680 --> 01:04:42,240 And you can. Tell if a. 807 01:04:42,240 --> 01:04:47,880 Person has actually applied faith in a situation by their 808 01:04:47,880 --> 01:04:52,160 response of the next trial or situation or circumstance they 809 01:04:52,160 --> 01:04:56,960 enter in. Did they actually grow from the 810 01:04:56,960 --> 01:05:00,680 last challenge? Because if they did, you'll see 811 01:05:00,680 --> 01:05:03,680 that they'll make a decision for this next challenge. 812 01:05:03,680 --> 01:05:06,200 I'm not going to act a fool like I did over here. 813 01:05:07,480 --> 01:05:09,960 I'm not going to have an emotional breakdown when I just 814 01:05:09,960 --> 01:05:14,240 find out that, you know, I'm losing my job or whatever the 815 01:05:14,240 --> 01:05:16,400 case. Why? 816 01:05:16,400 --> 01:05:19,960 Because your spirit grew, because you actually applied the 817 01:05:19,960 --> 01:05:26,040 word in the last trial. And that's how now if you don't 818 01:05:26,040 --> 01:05:31,400 respond right, you can see to yourself and say to yourself, 819 01:05:31,680 --> 01:05:37,680 maybe I really didn't grow as much as I thought and really 820 01:05:37,680 --> 01:05:41,360 didn't apply faith as much as I thought I did. 821 01:05:42,960 --> 01:05:50,320 You see that because every every day, as the challenge comes, we, 822 01:05:50,440 --> 01:05:55,120 no matter what comes our way, if we've been applying faith every 823 01:05:55,120 --> 01:05:59,200 day along the way we are growing and being strengthened. 824 01:05:59,200 --> 01:06:07,000 So that our spirit is strong, we should have a strong spirit. 825 01:06:09,800 --> 01:06:12,040 We should have a strong spirit, guys. 826 01:06:15,000 --> 01:06:18,800 So that we're not having a meltdown at the next situation, 827 01:06:19,080 --> 01:06:22,680 and we're not, you know, feeling overwhelmed and anxious and 828 01:06:22,680 --> 01:06:31,600 stressed out at the next thing or even in what God is asking of 829 01:06:31,600 --> 01:06:38,680 you to do, you should be strong enough to say yes. 830 01:06:38,680 --> 01:06:42,040 Lord. If you've been applying along 831 01:06:42,040 --> 01:06:45,720 the way, OK, yes, Lord. You know what? 832 01:06:45,760 --> 01:06:48,640 This is a new thing you're asking me to walk into. 833 01:06:48,640 --> 01:06:52,440 You're asking me to walk into a new business design or a new 834 01:06:52,440 --> 01:06:54,240 business plan. But you know what? 835 01:06:54,480 --> 01:06:58,560 I did it on the smaller level and I and I had faith to do it 836 01:06:58,560 --> 01:07:01,840 there and I was challenged in that situation. 837 01:07:01,840 --> 01:07:04,280 But, but I know you came through. 838 01:07:04,840 --> 01:07:08,840 So if you're asking me to step out, to do something else larger 839 01:07:08,840 --> 01:07:13,800 than that, my capacity, my spirit is stronger today than it 840 01:07:13,800 --> 01:07:17,680 was then because I actually walked through it by faith. 841 01:07:18,640 --> 01:07:24,600 So again, that's going. And growing from faith to faith, 842 01:07:26,520 --> 01:07:32,160 glory to glory, right? Because you've been applying and 843 01:07:32,160 --> 01:07:38,360 growing and allowing your spirit to be strengthened and strong. 844 01:07:39,920 --> 01:07:43,680 Hallelujah. You ought to be like Caleb. 845 01:07:44,800 --> 01:07:47,120 You ought to be like. Abraham. 846 01:07:48,400 --> 01:07:50,880 He's our father. Of what faith? 847 01:07:54,440 --> 01:08:00,800 And he became stronger and was strengthened, because he chose 848 01:08:01,040 --> 01:08:05,880 to believe God's promise about above everything else. 849 01:08:05,880 --> 01:08:07,920 What it Let me read that verse 20 again. 850 01:08:07,920 --> 01:08:09,960 It says. Yet with respect to the promise 851 01:08:09,960 --> 01:08:15,480 of God, he did not waver in unbelief, but he grew stronger 852 01:08:15,480 --> 01:08:18,760 in faith, giving glory to God. And what happened? 853 01:08:18,760 --> 01:08:23,640 Being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able 854 01:08:23,640 --> 01:08:30,319 also to perform. He was well able, but it was 855 01:08:30,319 --> 01:08:37,520 because he was growing. In faith and chose to believe 856 01:08:37,520 --> 01:08:42,040 the promise, the word of God, that God had spoken above 857 01:08:42,040 --> 01:08:46,960 anything about, above the deadness of Sarah's womb and the 858 01:08:46,960 --> 01:08:51,160 deadness of his body, he believed. 859 01:08:51,160 --> 01:08:56,479 God. And God came through, and he 860 01:08:56,479 --> 01:08:58,120 grew. By it. 861 01:08:58,120 --> 01:09:01,520 Let me read that out of the The Passion translation and we'll 862 01:09:01,520 --> 01:09:06,359 close. It says that's what the 863 01:09:06,359 --> 01:09:09,640 Scripture means when it says I have made you the father of many 864 01:09:09,640 --> 01:09:13,240 nations. He is our example and father. 865 01:09:13,560 --> 01:09:17,160 For in God's presence, he believed that God could raise 866 01:09:17,399 --> 01:09:22,319 the dead and call into being things that don't even exist yet 867 01:09:22,319 --> 01:09:25,279 against all odds. When he looked hopeless. 868 01:09:25,279 --> 01:09:29,359 When it looked hopeless, Abraham believed the promise and 869 01:09:29,359 --> 01:09:35,240 expected God to fulfill it. He took God at his word. 870 01:09:35,399 --> 01:09:38,520 That's what faith is. God says it. 871 01:09:38,840 --> 01:09:49,120 I believe it, that he took God at his word and as a result he 872 01:09:49,120 --> 01:09:51,439 became the father of many nations. 873 01:09:51,439 --> 01:09:55,040 God's declaration over him came to pass. 874 01:09:55,560 --> 01:10:00,640 Your descendants will be so many that they will be impossible to 875 01:10:00,640 --> 01:10:04,080 count in spite of being nearly 100 years old. 876 01:10:04,080 --> 01:10:08,600 When the promise of having a son was made, his faith was so 877 01:10:08,800 --> 01:10:15,600 strong that it could not be undermined by the fact that he 878 01:10:15,600 --> 01:10:19,080 and Sarah were incapable of conceiving a child. 879 01:10:19,360 --> 01:10:22,200 He never stopped believing God's promise. 880 01:10:22,600 --> 01:10:26,320 For he was made strong in his faith. 881 01:10:26,920 --> 01:10:33,920 To father a child, his faith, his faith was so strong. 882 01:10:34,280 --> 01:10:37,320 It's his faith that fathered that child. 883 01:10:38,720 --> 01:10:40,040 God didn't do it. Amen. 884 01:10:40,040 --> 01:10:45,600 That's good. His faith did it. 885 01:10:46,720 --> 01:10:51,120 His faith did it. And he grew stronger in 886 01:10:51,120 --> 01:10:53,960 believing God that he could do it. 887 01:10:53,960 --> 01:11:00,160 And because he was a he was mighty in faith and convinced 888 01:11:00,160 --> 01:11:04,400 that God had all the power needed to fulfill his promises, 889 01:11:04,400 --> 01:11:09,280 Abraham glorified God. So now you can see why Abraham's 890 01:11:09,280 --> 01:11:14,640 faith was accredited to his account as righteousness before. 891 01:11:14,920 --> 01:11:20,680 God, Amen. Because he believed God, he 892 01:11:20,680 --> 01:11:23,560 grew. And because he believed God, he 893 01:11:23,560 --> 01:11:28,280 grew stronger. His spirit grew stronger in 894 01:11:28,480 --> 01:11:29,960 faith. Amen. 895 01:11:30,200 --> 01:11:35,720 Hallelujah. So if we are going to maintain 896 01:11:35,720 --> 01:11:40,720 this reigning spirit, then we have to constantly be allowing 897 01:11:40,720 --> 01:11:47,280 God to mature us and grow us. And actually applying God's word 898 01:11:47,280 --> 01:11:54,000 to our life day in and day out, practicing it, doing it. 899 01:11:54,000 --> 01:11:58,480 Not just hearing it and sitting in the church and and shouting 900 01:11:58,480 --> 01:12:03,560 about how God did all these things, but actually saying God. 901 01:12:03,560 --> 01:12:08,880 You can do it through what me. You can do it through me, and 902 01:12:08,880 --> 01:12:12,480 when you do it through me, I'm going to grow, I'm going to be 903 01:12:12,480 --> 01:12:15,080 strengthened, my spirits going to be strong. 904 01:12:15,280 --> 01:12:21,680 Allowing him to grow us is most important for us to maintain a 905 01:12:21,680 --> 01:12:27,560 strong spirit. Again, you know, every year we 906 01:12:27,560 --> 01:12:31,200 should be evaluating ourselves and saying where, what are some 907 01:12:31,200 --> 01:12:33,560 areas that I'm still weak in faith in? 908 01:12:33,560 --> 01:12:38,840 What are some areas that I know I need to grow in and begin to 909 01:12:38,840 --> 01:12:44,760 ask God, right, To show you and challenge you and begin to 910 01:12:44,760 --> 01:12:49,760 actually do it right? Whether it be your emotions, 911 01:12:49,920 --> 01:12:53,040 whether it be the characteristics of God and 912 01:12:53,040 --> 01:12:56,600 things you know you need to do. Whether it be you know, the 913 01:12:56,600 --> 01:12:59,000 fruits of the spirit, self-control. 914 01:13:00,680 --> 01:13:06,080 Do you know that we let me read this real quick? 915 01:13:06,200 --> 01:13:09,360 I had this down, but I didn't read it out of Proverbs. 916 01:13:10,800 --> 01:13:21,000 This is really important because because it is up to us to 917 01:13:21,000 --> 01:13:24,840 maintain our spirit. It's up to us. 918 01:13:25,320 --> 01:13:31,240 Look what Proverbs says here in I know I put it on. 919 01:13:32,560 --> 01:13:40,520 Yeah, right here, Proverbs 2528. Whoever has no rule over his own 920 01:13:40,520 --> 01:13:45,720 spirit is like a city broken down without. 921 01:13:45,720 --> 01:13:51,720 Walls. You have no rule over your own 922 01:13:51,720 --> 01:13:57,760 spirit. We ought to have. 923 01:13:57,760 --> 01:14:02,240 He's given us rulership. He's given us dominion. 924 01:14:02,760 --> 01:14:07,160 He's given us everything that pertains to life and godliness. 925 01:14:07,160 --> 01:14:10,360 He's given us his word. He's given us his spirit. 926 01:14:10,600 --> 01:14:16,360 He's put everything within us that we need to reign over our 927 01:14:16,360 --> 01:14:18,520 own spirit. To. 928 01:14:18,560 --> 01:14:22,760 Rule over it. And when you don't, when you 929 01:14:22,800 --> 01:14:29,040 don't rule over your own spirit and decide you know what spirit 930 01:14:29,040 --> 01:14:33,440 we're going to grow, we're going to do this thing. 931 01:14:34,400 --> 01:14:37,640 I'm not going to let it just be out of control. 932 01:14:38,360 --> 01:14:41,680 It says you are like a city broken down without. 933 01:14:41,680 --> 01:14:47,640 Walls. And then in Proverbs 1632, it 934 01:14:47,640 --> 01:14:52,520 says he who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he 935 01:14:52,520 --> 01:14:58,760 who rules his spirit than he who takes a city, it's. 936 01:14:58,760 --> 01:15:03,560 Better to rule your spirit then be mighty enough to take a city 937 01:15:07,880 --> 01:15:11,880 who has rule over your spirit. We do. 938 01:15:12,320 --> 01:15:16,040 God does not. He is not going to make you 939 01:15:16,040 --> 01:15:21,080 grow. He is not going to make you 940 01:15:21,080 --> 01:15:26,520 become strong. We have to decide. 941 01:15:26,680 --> 01:15:30,680 We are going to do it. We are going to grow. 942 01:15:30,800 --> 01:15:35,160 We are going to change. We're going to allow him to work 943 01:15:35,160 --> 01:15:42,120 within us and yield our spirit to Him, Just as we said Jesus 944 01:15:42,120 --> 01:15:46,320 had to yield his will to the Father. 945 01:15:46,880 --> 01:15:50,640 We have to do the same thing for us to grow strong in spirit. 946 01:15:52,080 --> 01:15:55,960 We have to yield ourselves. We have to yield our will. 947 01:15:56,120 --> 01:16:00,320 We have to yield our mind. We have to yield our emotions, 948 01:16:00,520 --> 01:16:05,080 our thinking, our reasoning. We have to yield our bodies. 949 01:16:05,080 --> 01:16:10,280 We have to yield our spirit. We have to yield it all, because 950 01:16:10,280 --> 01:16:12,880 he cannot make us do. Anything. 951 01:16:14,760 --> 01:16:22,440 We have rulership over our own spirits and that determines the 952 01:16:22,440 --> 01:16:33,480 quality of life we will have. It will determine the quality of 953 01:16:33,480 --> 01:16:38,640 life we have. The good news is about having 954 01:16:38,640 --> 01:16:45,560 the good life. He's made it available, but we 955 01:16:45,560 --> 01:16:49,400 have to walk in it and we have to choose to do it. 956 01:16:49,440 --> 01:16:51,160 Amen. Hallelujah. 957 01:16:51,160 --> 01:16:55,040 Let's pray, Father, we just thank you for your word tonight. 958 01:16:55,040 --> 01:16:58,080 We thank you, Father, that you are raising us up. 959 01:17:04,360 --> 01:17:06,480 Thank you so much for listening to this message. 960 01:17:06,600 --> 01:17:09,920 If you want more, subscribe to our Message podcast on iTunes, 961 01:17:10,080 --> 01:17:12,080 Google Play, Spotify, and SoundCloud. 962 01:17:12,240 --> 01:17:14,720 Rating and leaving a comment will go a long way with helping 963 01:17:14,720 --> 01:17:16,440 our messages get better circulation. 964 01:17:17,040 --> 01:17:19,200 If you'd enjoy watching our weekend messages, visit 965 01:17:19,200 --> 01:17:22,440 youtube.com/anchor Faith. We'd love it. 966 01:17:22,440 --> 01:17:24,600 If you'd subscribe, leave a comment or a like on the 967 01:17:24,600 --> 01:17:26,480 messages. If you'd like to find out more 968 01:17:26,480 --> 01:17:29,040 information about us and how we're influencing the world, and 969 01:17:29,040 --> 01:17:31,560 help support the work we're doing by giving, just visit 970 01:17:31,560 --> 01:17:32,760 anchorfaith.com.