Second Peter chapter 1 verses 5 through 11.
This is where we started our journey a few weeks ago and it
said this for this very reason applying.
Well, actually I don't want to read out of the amplified.
I want to read it out of the new American standard.
So second Peter, and we'll start in verse one just to recap
because it's been a couple of weeks.
Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ to those
who have received a faith of the same kind of ours by the
righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ.
Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and
Jesus our Lord. Seeing that His divine power has
been granted to us and everything that we need
pertaining to life and godliness, aren't you thankful?
Come on that He gave us faith, Hallelujah, and that now we have
been given everything that we need for life and godliness to
live here doing and growing and becoming everything that God has
in store for us to be and to do. Verse 2 says grace and peace be
multiplied to you and the knowledge of God our Lord Jesus
Christ. Seeing that this divine power.
Did I already read that? Sorry.
Yes, through the true knowledge of Him who has called us His own
glory and excellence, For by these He has granted to us His
precious and magnificent promises.
Aren't you thankful for His promises, so that by them you
may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped
the corruption that is in the world by lust.
Now, for this very reason also applying all diligence in your
faith. So we've been talking about
faith and we have said this, that faith is what the currency
of the Kingdom. So faith is the thing that we
need as a believer to be able to operate in the Kingdom of God
right now in the earth, right? And it is the very thing that we
need to make an exchange so that we can receive the promises that
God says we can have in His word.
And the whole Kingdom operates off faith and faith alone.
Come on. So our faith is very important.
And we know I'm not going to go back through every Scripture,
but we know that when we got born again, we saw right here
that He gave us faith. He gave us His divine nature,
and He gave us his divine power and everything that we need to
be able to live this life. Amen.
And we see here that we have some things that we must do with
our faith if we're going to obtain and walk in the promises
of God and the things that he wants us to have in the earth
while we're living here. And so we know the Scripture
says that every one of us has been given the measure of faith
or what The seed of faith. We can say it that way.
We've all been given the seed of faith the minute that we have
confessed Jesus Christ as our Lord.
Faith, come on. The seed of faith, the God kind
of faith got planted within us. Amen.
And now he expects us. We know Roman says the
righteous. What are to what?
Live by faith. We're to live by this faith.
Faith is not to be obscure or say I'm a Christian, I have
faith. No faith is to be actually lived
by. It is to be tangible in our
life. We're to what?
Walk it out every day. Amen.
He says it's impossible to please him.
What without faith? So if we're going to be pleasing
to him, we're going to have to live by faith.
We're going to have to learn how to operate in faith.
And we've we have been taught for years how faith comes.
We know faith comes from hearing and hearing from the word of
God. We know we've been taught
hindrances to our faith. What hinders our faith from
working unbelief, doubt, not hearing the word or having
knowledge of the word. What else hinders our faith?
There's so many things, bitterness, unforgiveness, and
we've taught and learned so much about that.
We must what our faith worketh by love.
But I have not heard a lot of teaching out of this scriptures
verses one through 11 about there is some things about our
faith that need to be added to that need to be added to.
And here in second Peter it outlines 7 qualities that need
to be added to our faith. Not just us being able to
confess, you know, and call those things that be not as
though they are Amen. No, there are some things that
will bring a nourishment when he says here in verse 5, he says
this now for this very reason also applying all diligence in
your faith supply. So when you look up that in the
Greek, it literally means there are some things that we are to
add to our faith. We are to, it also means to
furnish our faith with. So these things, these qualities
are going to be a support to our faith.
It's going to furnish our faith, It's going to add to our faith.
And not only that, it is going to minister nourishment to our
faith. When you look it up in the
Greek, that's what that means. It's going to minister
nourishment to our faith. And so we see that these
qualities here that we list, these 7 qualities are things
that He's letting us know need to come right alongside our
faith to help our faith operate. Why is this so important?
It's so important because He expects us to live by faith.
He expects us to live. This is exciting news.
We're not here trying to be, you know, you know, just whatever.
No, this helps us actually be able to obtain the fullness and
the promises of God in our life. And that is something that's
awesome. Hey, man, don't you want to walk
in the fullness of God? Don't you want to see the
promises of God come to pass in your life?
Don't you want to see the fullness of Christ and all the
things in your life flourishing and growing?
Come on. We want to receive these things
that the Word says because it's good.
It's not meant to be bad or a hard thing.
No, it's meant to bring a refreshing to us and bring
faithfulness to us and bring goodness to us and bring all the
things that God says that we can have, which is the gospel, the
what? Good news.
So it's good news for us to walk into a faith that's going to be
full and a faith that is actually going to be tangible in
my life, not obscure, that I can actually see the faithfulness of
God, the plan of God, the purposes of God come to its
fullness in my life, which is if that's healing, then I can by
faith believe God that my body can be healed and whole.
Isn't that good? Yeah, Hallelujah.
If He says in His word that there is a full resource
financially, that He shall supply all of my needs according
to His riches and His glory, that I by faith, would be able
to walk into that and receive that promise and see it tangibly
work within my life to be a blessing to other people.
Amen. So this is a good thing.
This is not meant to be hard. This is not meant to be, you
know, like what in the world I got to do.
Yes, because it's good for you. It's good for you.
Amen. It's good, it's wonderful.
And so he says this, let's add some faith to add some things to
our faith. And those seven points were
what? Moral excellence, knowledge,
self-control or temperance, perseverance or endurance?
Come on, godliness. Godliness is a good thing.
Aren't you thankful you're godly and you're not strung out on
drugs on the side of the road? How many were and God delivered
you. Come on.
Hallelujah, godliness. These are good things that we
are to add to our life. Brotherly kindness.
Come on and love. So we see these 7 qualities here
in Second Peter that are going to be a support to our faith.
And do you know why this is so important?
Because you know there's so many people.
Well, I'm calling those things that be not as though they were
and I'm, you know, getting my faith built up because faith
comes from hearing and hearing from the word.
And I'm doing I'm making my confessions, but yet they're
still not seeing things come to pass in their life.
Well, it might be because of this seven list, seven things in
this list are not being nourished to your faith.
So it may not be any of these other principles of faith that
we've been taught except these that might still be lacking in
your life, these principles that still may be lacking in our
life. You know why this is important?
Because I found a Scripture, it says in First Thessalonians,
First Thessalonians chapter 3 and verse 10 out of the
amplified, this was Paul obviously talking.
He says we continue to pray day and night most earnestly, that
we would be able to come and see you face to face and may
complete whatever may be imperfect and lacking in your
faith. So there may be some things that
are still lacking in your faith. And Paul's letting them know,
man, I'm trying to get there so that I can help get you to a
place. Come on and impart in you the
Word so that your faith will not be lacking in some areas.
And that's exactly what we're doing tonight, trying to impart
within you that there may be some of these qualities that are
lacking still in your life, but they are here to help what
nourish your faith, build your faith up to be a support so that
you can see some things begin to move and start come to pass in
your life. Amen.
Because faith is the currency and this is this is a must for
us to be able to receive what God has for us.
And so our faith has to be strong.
Or you can say it like this when he says added to or nourished or
ministered to or furnished or supplied to.
You could also say faith. These qualities are a support to
they're there to support your faith or what uphold it.
And if one of these things is lacking, then what's going to
happen? Your faith is not, there's going
to be a what a crack in your faith, so to speak.
So it's not going to work and support you and do the things
that it should be doing in your life.
And then how many of you, you can also look at these 7
qualities, like how many of you remember when pastor ministered
on ingredients of faith and he had the stove up here and
cooking up things, you know, that were necessary for your
faith. You can also say that these
qualities that we list here, these seven things are also
ingredients to your faith. And you need all of these
things. Come on, working together,
bringing all this resource together so that our faith will
work. Hallelujah.
Because what good is it to say I have faith and I'm not seeing a
single thing work in my life or change or produce the fruit of
come on. And so this is very important
that we recognize this. And so all of these qualities he
lists here is and you continue to read through second Peter one
through 11 is so that we will grow and that we will increase.
It is also so that it will keep us from being fruitless and
idle. So as a believer, we should not
be idle. This is what I'm saying.
We should not be like that little boat in the pond idling
while you're fishing and just sitting there idling along.
No, we should be what? We have momentum moving forward.
We're not going to be idle.
We're not going to be fruitless. And if we do these qualities and
add them to us, what is it going to do?
It's going to keep us from falling and stumbling or messing
up or what else was it stumbling, falling, making a
mistake, sinning, or to trip or also to offend?
Very interesting because your life matters, your life of faith
matters and the qualities that he's talking about that that
could be lacking in your life, could be causing someone else to
stumble, could be causing someone else to stumble.
And so again, because remember, this thing was not just about us
and what Jesus did for us. This was about the Kingdom of
God and the purpose and the plan of God that he had for your life
so that you could be an influence into other people's
lives. And So what we do matters and
what we don't do matters, Amen. What we do matters, and what we
don't do matters to God because it could trip someone else up
and hinder them, be a stumbling block to them.
And I know what he says about being a stumbling block.
What does he say? You might as well tie that
millstone around your neck and go throw yourself over into the
sea or lake or river or whatever, right?
So we don't want to be a stumbling block, but we can be
if we're not putting the right things in our faith to produce
the right things so that people see it in our lives.
Let me read that second Peter 1 and 10 out of the amplified
because when you read the whole context of this chapters one
through 11 and you read about all the things that he gave to
us through his power and his divine nature and he put within
us, He's letting us know. I put all of that in you so that
you can walk in these qualities, so that you can live these
things out and add them to your faith.
And so anyway, in second Peter chapter 1 and verse 10, let me
read this to you out of the amplified.
It says therefore, believers be all the more diligent to make
certain about your calling and and him choosing his choosing
you be sure that your behavior reflects and confirms your
relationship with God. Are you hearing me your
relationship with God? For by doing these things that
they just, He just listed those 7 qualities.
By doing these things actively and developing these virtues,
you will never stumble in your spiritual growth and you will
live a life that leads others away from sin.
Do we live a life that leads others away from sin or do we
participate with others in their sin?
Just a question. Because he's letting us know
right here. The reason for these qualities
to be added to our faith is so that we are people, that we are
not going to lead others into sin.
And that is not just, you know, the things you want to list as
sin. But how about sinning and
gossip? How about sinning And you know
what? Some of the other things that we
think are not important, but God says they are.
How about lying? How about not being a person of
integrity? How about talking about your
boss? Come on.
Or your leaders. See, so these things matter and
they will affect our faith and it may be we're not seeing a
result of some things happening in our life is because we still
need to grow in some of these qualities.
Amen. So let's look at, you know, the
last time we talked, the last Wednesday night, we talked about
moral excellence and what was moral excellence or virtue?
It was just you. And this is the context when you
look moral excellence up, you aligning yourself with what is
right according to the word. That is moral excellence.
It also means right living or
righteousness. So again, we wonder why things
aren't happening. As a believer in our life, are
we aligned with the word of righteousness?
Are we living right? Are we living with integrity?
Are we are we abstaining from sin?
Or are we still dabbling and practicing and playing?
So he's saying, listen, your faith is not going to fully
work. If there's still some things
that are not morally excellent in your life, you're not doing
some right things. You're you're cheating people in
your business. Oh, what about that one?
You see what I'm saying? So there's a lot of things that
we have to ask ourselves. Are we living right?
Are we aligning ourselves with the right way of living
according to the word? Not what the world says is
right, not what the world says is love?
Come on. But are we living according to
what Agape has said in his word is love right and all of these
things. So it has to do with aligning
our thoughts, our feelings and actions with the righteousness
of God. All of that matters to God.
Remember, He cares about our whole being.
First Thessalonians chapter 5 and verse 23 what that he wants
us to remain blameless, right? Both what spirit, soul and body
until the coming of the Lord. He wants all of us to be right,
all all aspects of us, our mind, our will, our emotions,
everything to be in alignment with righteousness.
And what does that mean? That I am choosing to do what he
says about every scenario, every situation, everything.
I'm not going to worry about how I feel about how this person
made me feel. I don't have a right to lash
out. I'm going to do what the word
says. He says, if you're, you know,
slapped in the face, then what are you to do?
Turn the other cheek? Do I have a right to punch them
out just cuz I feel like they deserve it?
Right? So this is what we're talking
about, right? Live it, doing things God's way,
moral excellence. And so we we looked at all these
things and we gave you a couple of scriptures concerning that.
OK, so then let's move forward. We also talked about what is
knowledge? Knowledge simply is his, His
word, His wisdom, that's His knowledge, Amen.
And us getting wisdom, getting understanding, getting the
knowledge of God and then putting it into application in
our life. And I can assure you this, that
if you are putting into application the word of God in
your life, you are going to look moral, period.
Clearly, if you are doing the Word, you will be living morally
excellent and righteous. But outside, if you don't know
what the Word says about a situation, right?
If you don't know that, the Word says, you know that you should
not be in a, you know, extramarital situation.
You're married and yet you're sleeping around with somebody.
If you don't know what the word says about that, well then
you're ignorant of the word. You don't have knowledge.
But when you do have the knowledge, he who knows the
right thing to do according to knowledge and chooses not to do
it. It is what he said is send to
you. So if you have the knowledge and
you're applying it to your life, you will live morally excellent.
You will be in a place of living in righteousness and the fruits
of that will you'll see it produced in your life, right.
So we must be in a position, and I'm going to tell you in the
changes of look at the denominations now in the
churches that have changed doctrine and belief.
And if you as a believer and as a follower of Christ do not have
your own knowledge of what the Word says, then you would what,
fall in line with whatever they're saying.
Well, it must be because we just want to be relevant to all
people. But I know what the scripture
says. I have knowledge of the Word.
I know what he says, that there is a man and there is a woman.
So no one can convince me otherwise.
You see what I'm saying? So it's imperative that we stay
in the word of God, rightly dividing the word of truth, and
that that is your truth and there is no other truth because
the world's truth changes. Now they're saying, you know,
that this person is not a male, when scientifically, for
billions of years we have said not billions.
You know what I mean? For all these years, scientists
have said these chromosomes are a male and these are a female.
But now what is happening? They're changing it.
But if we don't have the knowledge of the word as a
believer, we will be deceived. OK, So if we'll a lie, we have
to stay in truth because we've said this faith comes from what?
Hearing and hearing from the word of God.
And it doesn't come just from having heard.
We have to be in a place that we are continually hearing the Word
because I'm going to tell you, you can hear other things and it
sounds convincing. That's why I've got to go back
to the word. Wait a minute, what it, what's
the word say? I need faith.
I need to hear this word again. OK, So again, this is what we're
talking about, what true knowledge is concerning the
Word. And if we're going to have
reigning faith, we're going to have to be people of the Word
and continually in the Word. What else?
Renewing our mind to the Word. That's why Romans 12/1 and two
says that we are what? Therefore, to renew our minds
daily, daily we need to be renewing our minds to the Word
of God. I'm telling you, you can't take
a day off. The minute you try to take a day
off, boom, something's going to hit you.
Try to get you off. Come on.
No, we need to be daily renewing our mind to the word of God
daily, taking in the bread of life daily.
He tells us this is our bread and this is what we should be
eating every single day because it will keep our minds anchored.
He is the anchor, right? The Word should be the anchor to
your soul so that when everything else is changing, it
doesn't matter about my emotions, my will, all these
things that are going on because I have an anchor to the Word of
God for my soul and it's not going to be moved.
An anchor holds right, and it holds true to truth.
All right. So again, it's so imperative
that we renew our mind to the Word of God and that we hold on
to it daily. You know, as I was talking with
Pastor about this as we were going home or whatever, and he
said, you know, it seems as if too, when you make this list, is
that these, these attributes or qualities or ingredients of
faith that are supposed to be a support are it seems as if it
can be progressive, right? Like it builds upon one another.
Because he gives us the faith. And the first thing he tells us
that we need to do is now start applying what the word, what
the, the moral excellence is to our faith, which is start living
right because because without faith you can't live right,
right. So moral excellence is the first
thing that he starts talking about that righteousness.
You can't do it out in your own self and in your own works.
You can't live a moral godly life without Christ.
I don't care how good or nice you think someone is.
They have the seed and the nature of sin in them.
Okay, So the moral excellence and then once you have that
faith put in you and you're growing in the righteousness of
God in that moral excellence, the only way you're going to
grow in that is through the knowledge of God's Word, right?
And then what happens as you apply the knowledge of God's
word and you're walking out these moral excellencies and
living your life right, you're going to then have to have
self-control to do it right? And, and that was our next point
that it leads to is self-control or one translation says
temperance, right? Temperance and self-control is
so important. And things that you know, again
should be evident in a believer's life.
If you're a believer and you are out of control, you can tell
that there's not been some things added to your faith.
If you're out of control, like you are a practicer of being out
of control in in, in your work, you're out of control.
And in this situation that you just had with your family,
you're out of control. Come on, you have no
self-control. You have no temperance.
Then you can tell you've not allowed these moral excellencies
and these things to be added the word of God to your life.
OK. And of course we know that
self-control is what a fruit of the Spirit.
It's a fruit of the Spirit. Amen. self-control and
temperance is a full is a fruit of the spirit.
And so when he talks about self-control and temperance,
he's really talking about the virtue of one who knows how to
master his passions and desires and sensual appetites.
We're talking about reigning faith.
We're talking about a reigning church.
And what is reigning mean? That we know how to operate in
dominion. And Pastor said several years
ago that the first thing of dominion that we have to be
operating in is our own life. You're not going to operate in
dominion in other things if you can't even have self-control and
dominion over things going on in your life, your flesh, your
passions, your desires. And you can't have self-control
with anger or whatever the case may be, right?
And so he's letting us know that that's what he's actually
talking about with Temperance, is being able to master these
things. And He expects us to do this.
And when we learn how to have self-control and temperance,
then we're going to have strong faith.
You know why? Because there's going to be
times that you are standing and believing God in faith and the
enemy's going to come in and try to get you off and distracted
and get you aggravated because you're not seeing it come to
pass and going to want you to just abandoned your position.
And you have to have self-control and temperance to
be a person that when I've done all the stand, I am standing and
I will not be moved off my position.
But if you haven't practiced self-control in the passions and
all these other things in your life, then guess what?
He's going to be able to get you off.
It's going to be able to get you off because you're going to lose
control and you're going to abandon your faith.
You're going to abandon your position.
And I'm telling you, This is why this these things have to be
looked at and continually nurtured within our life as a
believer if we're going to walk in the fullness and the promises
of what God says that we should have in this life.
So y'all know Galatians chapter 5 where he talks about what the
fruit of the spirit it is. But I want to go up to Galatians
5 verse 16 and start there. Because remember, we're talking
about being able to have self-control and temperance over
the flesh, over the passions and the desires of the flesh, which
is what the pride of life, lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes,
deceitfulness of riches. See, you can't have lust for
money, come on, because that money is going to take you into
a place that you don't want to be so looky.
Here in Galatians chapter 5 and verse 16, he says, But I say to
you, walk habitually in the Spirit, seek Him and be
responsive to His guidance, and then you will certainly not
carry out the desires of the sinful nature which responds
here. It is impulsively without regard
to God and His precepts. For the sinful nature has its
desires which is opposed to the Spirit, and the desire of the
Spirit opposes the sinful nature.
For these two, the sinful nature and the Spirit are what?
In direct opposition to each other, continually in conflict.
So this is never going to go away until we get our glorified
bodies. So every day it is in conflict,
our flesh is going to want to respond.
This is why we must be continually what in the Word,
adding, adding the knowledge of God's Word, renewing our mind to
what the word says, walking righteously, walking in the
moral excellencies of God, so that when it comes to the battle
that's going to happen every day, because my flesh is going
to want to respond still in a sinful nature, but because I've
learned how to what master it? Take dominion over it because I
don't let it dominate me, right? Then I'm going to be able to
walk in the faith that I need in the circumstances that I need to
have my faith working because I've learned how to not be
moved, how to not be moved, how to not let things dominate me,
how to not let things control my emotions, control how I feel.
All these things that want to get you off of where you're at
with God. OK, so he tells us this.
And then what does he say here in verse?
Where were we at? Continually in conflict so that
you as a believer do not always do whatever good things you want
to do. Verse 18 But if you are guided
and led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the law.
Now the practices of the sinful nature are clearly evident.
And then he lists all the things, right?
But look what he says here. I love the way the Amplified
reads this. Total irresponsibility and lack
of self-control here as one of these works of the flesh.
And This is why we've got to be people that have learned how to
have temperance and put this body in subjection.
Come on and learn how to master its passions and its desires.
Verse 20 Idolatry, sorcery, hostility, strife, jealousy,
fits of anger. Come on, as a believer, are you
still having temper tantrums? Fits of I mean, it should not be
so. And this could be a reason why
your faith is just lacking and not working because you have not
put under these things and mastered them and added them to
your faith. Add them.
Bring a supply to your faith by operating in self-control and
temperance right disputes. Dissensions, factions that
promote heresies, envy, drunkenness, riotous behavior,
and all these other things. I warned you beforehand, just as
I did previously, that those who practice such things will not
inherit the Kingdom of God, but the fruit of the Spirit is what
the result of His presence within us is.
Lovejoy, inner peace. I love that inner joy is inner
peace. Joy is more than an emotion of
laughter. Joy is on the inside.
Come on. So it doesn't matter how you
feel, you should have joy on the inside.
That's why you should be joyous about the days ahead.
Come on about the days ahead. Because it doesn't matter my
circumstances, because I know that the joy of the Lord is a
fruit of the Spirit and it lives on the inside of me.
And I'm going to choose this day to operate in joy and inner what
peace and pull strength up from the inside of me to be able to
look forward at the days ahead and be able to laugh.
Because my God sits in the heavens and laughs.
He is not moved by one thing, by one thing.
He sits in the heavens and he laughs.
Patience, not the ability to wait, but how we act while we
are waiting. Oh, that's a good one.
How do you act when you are waiting in the line at Disney
World? How you waiting while you're in
the line at the grocery store? How are you waiting in the line?
Come on of traffic in Saint Augustine, right?
How are we waiting? Are we really patient or are we
agitated? I'm adding to my faith just like
everyone of you add to your faith.
Come on, when you're ready, when you want something to be done,
are you being patient with God? God, this should already be
taken care of. But are we being patient?
Say, let my patience have, it's perfect work in you because it's
doing something in you. It's doing something in you.
It's doing something in me, right?
So inner peace, patience, not the ability to wait, but how we
act while waiting, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, and what self-control.
All of these have already been imparted within us in our spirit
by the Holy Spirit. And what are they to do?
They're to flourish and they are to be evident in a believer's
life. And the way they're going to be
evident in the believers life is that we're going to be in
situations that are going to pull, have to pull these fruits
out. Amen.
And if we never let these fruits come out, we're not adding to
our faith. Some things that God says need
to be added to our faith to be able to properly work so that we
see some results. OK, So what is verse 23 says?
Gentleness, self-control. Against these things there is no
law and those who belong to Christ Jesus.
What has crucified this sinful nature together with its
passions and appetites? Remember, that's what we said
self-control and temperance is about being able to crucify
these passions and these appetites of the normal fleshly
responses because we're in this right body that has not been
glorified yet, right? Verse 25, If we claim to live by
the Spirit, we must what, also walk by the Spirit.
Look at, look at, Amplified says with personal integrity, godly
character and moral courage. Our conduct should be empowered
by the Holy Spirit. Moral integrity, godly
character, these are all things that should be a part of our
faith. And sometimes people's faith is
not work working properly because there are some things
that are not godly about their life.
And I don't care how long you quote Mark 1123 and 24.
He's not going to work through your life with a life of non
integrity and character of God. Now he's going to give you time
to grow because he's a good God and he knows where everybody is
and he's going to work through you where as you're growing and
do it. But when you know and you choose
not to change certain things and still allow and excuse certain
behaviors, then your faith is going to be hindered and lacking
and you're not going to see the results.
And you're going to wonder why, Well, why is everybody else
prospering? Why is everybody else's marriage
been restored? Why is everybody else's kids,
you know, doing good and not rebelling?
Now, I know that your kids have their, they have a will, but I'm
going to tell you, you as parents can open the door to
some things for your kids if you hide and stuff in you.
But that's a whole nother subject.
That's a parenting conference that most parents don't want to
come to. But anyway, we'll move on.
Romans chapter 8. Romans chapter 8.
This will be our last scripture 'cause I know y'all are ready to
go. So Romans chapter 8, let's look
what it says about self-control and temperance In Romans 81 and
17 it says therefore now there's no condemnation for those who
are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit is
life which is in Christ Jesus. And the law of our new being has
set us free from the law of sin and death.
For what the law could not do, that is, overcome sin and remove
its penalty, its power being weakened, and by the flesh man's
nature, without the Holy Spirit, God did.
He sent His Son in the likeness of a sinful man as an offering
for sin, and he condemned sin in the flesh, subdued it, overcame
it in the person of His own Son, so that the righteous and the
just requirement of the law might be fulfilled in US who do
not live our lives in the ways of the flesh, guided by
worldliness and our sinful nature, but we live our lives in
the ways of the Spirit, guided by His power.
See, we do not have to be in a We don't have to have
self-control and temperance by willpower.
Some of us are trying to do this in our own willpower instead of
the power of the Holy Spirit. But you know, I know there's
many people that do have willpower and can be so
disciplined when it comes to working out and eating right and
all these other things. And I know people that have such
willpower when it comes to a budget and finances and all
these things, but yet they have no willpower to do the word.
Right. So again, God doesn't expect us
to have willpower to do it in ourselves.
He has empowered us with everything we need for life and
godliness and has given us Dunamis power.
We said this from the very beginning, Dunamis power,
dynamite power living on the inside of us so that we can walk
and have self-control and do all the things that he is saying.
These qualities are needed to be added to our faith so that we
can walk it out in this life. Amen.
So that we do not have to be mastered by our flesh and our
passions of the way we feel and all these things.
But no, we have allowed the Holy Spirit on the inside of us to
dominate and to empower us with the grace of God to be able to
walk in self-control and temperance.
Come on. And all the things that we need
to be able to walk morally excellent.