Hello and welcome. Thank you for joining us here in Christian #Christian straight talk you're joining myself, Reverend Ben Cooper and we have Simon Pinchbeck. We are looking straight down the barrel of truth this morning this afternoon. This evening, whenever you listen back to this podcast, we just asked God right now that if he will guide you and strengthen us straight out of the barrel of truth, thank you for joining us share these podcasts, wherever you are across the world. This is#Christian Straight Talk. We have our brother with us today, Simon. Good morning.
Simon Pinchbeck:Good morning, Ben. It's great to be back in the boardroom.
Reverend Ben Cooper:We're in. We're in we've dived in, we're back in and #Christian straight talk. What a great What a great strap line if you can use that terminology he mentioned. Amen. Yeah, straight out the barrel of truth
Simon Pinchbeck:straight out a barrel too. And then you know, we've last week we Yeah, we spoke about fear is not an option, didn't we? And I can't say one scripture really bounced out to us stood out to us in it, you know, it was
Reverend Ben Cooper:it come alive, it come alive during that
Simon Pinchbeck:like never before. So today, we think we're gonna talk we're gonna
Reverend Ben Cooper:go back.
Simon Pinchbeck:And that was Exodus 1414. But we'll dig into a few moments because that's a standstill and Laurel five view in various translations. But I've been thinking about this fear thing when I'm doing a little bit of research. And do you know how many times in the Bible the Lord says fear not.
Reverend Ben Cooper:fear not 175 times.
Simon Pinchbeck:He's just guessing now. He just put in a number. He says, it's just kind, this is this will knock you down chair. He says Fear not 365 times
Reverend Ben Cooper:in the Wow, that is serious, one for every day of the year. So if if you are listening, which you are, and you clearly graphs that what I love about God, and Christ in the Holy Spirit is the tells us very clearly, fear not. So that gives me a clear indicator that I'm going to be fearful. And suddenly, it gives me a clear indicator that I was human. He knows human nature. He knows each and every one of us. So if you are in a fearful position at this moment, don't be fearful about being fearful. Don't think that you're a bit of an oddball because the church religion can make you feel an oddball. If you're fearful. You're not saved. Not really saved if you're if your fear spoke.
Simon Pinchbeck:Did we speak last week about all the great men and women are that Yeah, and you know, if we take you know the father of of a for the Jewish Yeah, Abraham.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yeah.
Simon Pinchbeck:twice. Twice he was so fearful. He coughed up his wife to be a sister. Yeah. im alright jack.
Reverend Ben Cooper:All right, quick, quick. Let's put put a woman, for under the bus for our under it. Good. so frightened. Now this is Abraham. the father of faith, where everything has sprung from oh dear me my life in the arena. Quick put the a woman in there? I'm out. I'm out. The her. And where do we? Where do we hear that line? Do you know that line is so have a classic behind straight out of Genesis at the very beginning where where God gave Adam Eve and Eve took off the Tree of Knowledge Center of life and all that. And I bruh Adam said very clearly. Well, God you gave me. Yeah. Isn't it interesting how humanity flicks it onto someone else.
Simon Pinchbeck:needs to blame someone
Reverend Ben Cooper:I've got to blame someone. It's a blind blind culture. There's this stuff that's going on. But fear make you'd say things like that fear. You can imagine how Adam was Hang on a minute, No, not me. Not me. No, no, no, it was a it was a you gave it to me. Not me. I'm perfect. I wouldn't have done that mistake. That fear makes you act different. It makes
Simon Pinchbeck:you different. So, so that I mean, that's a great tea in to that bit of Scripture. So we've Exodus 1414. But if we started Exodus 1410 Yeah. And come on the background to it. Yes. Is that you know, Moses that through trials he and he managed to get Pharaoh to pull all that. Yeah, Israelites out of The nation of Egypt but Pharaoh had second thoughts and he's, he's chasing them
Reverend Ben Cooper:We want some back.
Simon Pinchbeck:He wants to he said, he said no, you know,
Reverend Ben Cooper:come loose. I'm losing my workforce.
Simon Pinchbeck:Well, you know, you've probably sat back and forth. Hold on. I mean, this is a wizard, old guy. He's 80 years old. And he's, he's, im the greatest King in the world, you know? No, no, I want this workforce back.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yeah. And look what it says verse 10,
Simon Pinchbeck:and his Pharaoh,
Reverend Ben Cooper:not going to read it gone.
Simon Pinchbeck:And when Pharaoh drew near the children of Israel lifted their eyes and behold, the Egyptians marched after them, so they were very afraid. Yeah, they were afraid. And the children of Israel cried out to Lord, then they said to Moses, and here we are this applying that blame culture.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yeah. Coming back,
Simon Pinchbeck:because there were no graves in Egypt. Have you taken us away to Dinah wilderness? Why have you dealt so dealt with us to, to bring this up out of Egypt? Is this not the word that the that we were told you in Egypt, saying that as alone, that we may serve the Egyptians, man, you know, he set him free, and they want to go back into slavery?
Reverend Ben Cooper:They want to go back. And that's that's where we sit today, we got to be very careful as the church is opening for this pandemic, that the pandemic has been a blessing has been a blessing to individuals to really see Christ. But there is a culture at this moment, just just saying, what what they were saying here to Moses, we want to go back, we want to go Leave us alone, we want to go back and the religion wants to go back under Pharaoh, and Pharaoh is the government. The government has the church, the church is owned by by the government. And I'm not talking about the Church of Jesus Christ, because no one can own that kingdom. It says very clearly that, that Christ is the head of the church, he makes it a clear word a clear statements of Christ is the head of the church. But here we have a very mirror image of what we see in this this world today. We want to go back, yeah,
Simon Pinchbeck:there's a fear,
Reverend Ben Cooper:there's a fear, we'll go back.
Simon Pinchbeck:We want to stay in the governmental system. We want to stay in this structure.
Reverend Ben Cooper:We want to stay under this structure.
Simon Pinchbeck:And it's a bar system and it's about all the way probate system. And they go on to say they're crying out and they go for it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians. Amen. Yeah. And that we should die in the wilderness. So they're already thinking, yeah, they're really loving God.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yeah. But God is taking them to a promise. And he's
Simon Pinchbeck:is he's promised and but I've already forgotten that. Yeah. And then and Moses said to the people, he said this, he saw he stood up and he said, Do not be afraid. He says, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians, and this is is a real key scripture but and he says for the Egyptians whom you see today
Reverend Ben Cooper:come on, let's have it.
Simon Pinchbeck:You will see again no more forever. Yeah, the Lord will fight for you. And you shall Hold your peace just stand still stand still see the fears that you see today? Yeah. If you put your trust in the law Yeah, stand still you won't see him again. No,
Reverend Ben Cooper:it's really interesting in verse 10, it says them Pharaoh as Pharaoh approach the Israelites looked up see when you look up so vision is everything vision so what I see with my eyes will affect my heart what I hear with my ears will affect my heart your eye gaze and your ear gate the the window that the access point to your heart and the heart is the true you not the outside you not what you wear, not what you How will the circle and culture you live in. But what's interesting is the Israelites looked up when they looked up what did they see they see the enemy they saw the enemy and the enemy put them in a spin the enemy drove them in fear.
Simon Pinchbeck:There's a phenomenon in the in the animal world people call it flight or fight.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's right. So
Simon Pinchbeck:you know if if I have gotten my dog on a lead yet, and something he either wants to know why he or he wants us correct. He wants to have a go. Yeah, yeah. And that's the same here. Yeah, it's the same in our life. We either fly and run away or we stand still and we fight now.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yeah. Now that fight
Simon Pinchbeck:fight Yeah, this is a different look at our van it was actually more does actually born again. I was a born again believer, Ben,
Reverend Ben Cooper:hang on, on again. We're in church. We don't talk about being born again. We talk about religion. So there's this. There's a different Fight. There's a different site to a worldly fire and a spiritual fight because I don't need to fight because the scripture says the battle belongs to the Lord stands there and he will fight for you. So what does that mean? Just to hold your faith?
Simon Pinchbeck:How would your faith How would your faith I mean, you've you've just this, just keep
Reverend Ben Cooper:on the perch of faith. Yeah, you're on the rock.
Simon Pinchbeck:Hold another scripture that you hold in our one Samuel 1745 47. Is Yeah, is, is where David was up against Goliath. And what? And he turned around to me to to Saul and the others. He said, because the battle was not mine. It's a look,
Reverend Ben Cooper:it's the battle. See, it comes
Simon Pinchbeck:interesting.
Reverend Ben Cooper:It's an interesting point, if I don't like to use a word mindset, because my mind is just have this natural naturalist on this natural work but my, my logic, my thinking, more articulate in my understanding, my cognitive process in my computing things, the way everything works, that that is temporal. I have to be in Christ so that not that when I say I can rise up to that level of faith, so I'm not going in fear. Because fear as a as a ceiling level, fear will hold you to this world. Fear will pin you down, but faithful you will rise on wings as of equals. Five will take you to a level but it doesn't mean getting into church and doing everything what the church what it means is trust me,
Simon Pinchbeck:well, event, society, right, you're under, you're under percent, right? Because there has to be an understanding that if you've accepted Jesus Christ, yeah. In to your life, yeah. Then your old life is gone. Gone. And gone. Bible tells us two Corinthians 517, that we are a new creation. So God doesn't look on you. As a as the old person as the old Ben was the old Simon or an old bank robber or adulterer or drunken alcoholic, he looks at you, as I suggest, as my son is as short as his son. So then, if when you give your life and we have to be very careful with this given your life when people are very they're just it's a throwaway thing sometimes it's I'll give my life to Lord, what have you Really? Have you really? are you hanging on to the old stuff because giving your life to the Lord means you're treading new territory, you are the Lord's property you've got your child with with the blood,
Reverend Ben Cooper:the blood you're not yourself you are not property of yourself. Your
Simon Pinchbeck:name is written in the Lamb's book of life you
Reverend Ben Cooper:you're an instrument you you're an ambassador,
Simon Pinchbeck:so listen, so here Here it is, if you're all out there, hear this because many people don't grasp this. If you have accepted Jesus Christ, and you're what what we call born again, a new creation. You belong you got the seal you sealed with the blood of the lamb and your seal with Jesus and your seal with the Father. So the father is gonna look after you it's gonna keep watch over you. You don't have to worry or fear like the Israelites here because he's got you.
Reverend Ben Cooper:He's got You,
Simon Pinchbeck:he's got you now we know we've got an enemy who comes out as from said, every different
Reverend Ben Cooper:every angle,
Simon Pinchbeck:what your ways but the Bible clearly says that, you know, that when the Lord fights for you, though the enemies disappeared seven different ways. Yeah,
Reverend Ben Cooper:exactly.
Simon Pinchbeck:So. So all you've got to do
Reverend Ben Cooper:is stand still stand still. But that's the hardest thing. The hardest, the hardest thing that you will ever do as a believer is stand still in the face of adversity. Because if you if we look, continue, look at that Exodus scripture that were in Exodus 1410. It says, as Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up. So there's an action that I take as a human being. And as the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians marching after them, the enemy is always marching after us. The enemy is always looking to draw us back. The enemy is always trying to pull us back. And you can imagine what it looked like as they looked out, what did they see they see the dust in a desert. In the distance in the desert. They see Pharaoh's army coming towards them. He chose the best chariots, the best horses, the best fighting men to go and get them so the enemy will send his best and he will send everything that he's got. To get you and He will drive fear. So there was a fair distance off. But as they looked up in the distance the enemy was coming. And I just got to encourage you right now the enemy is might be surrounding you. But hold your peace hold still stand fast on the Word of God. It says they were terrified, and they cried out to the Lord. Now that's very intriguing. In your terror, you cry out to the Lord. But what why am I going to go
Simon Pinchbeck:which way you're going to go?
Reverend Ben Cooper:And in that terror, they cried out not to Pharaoh, in their fear and their terror terror, they cried out to fare up the cried out to God, but am I gonna go for God? Or am I gonna go for Pharaoh? And it's clear what they chose? Why did you bring us out? Yeah, die. It'd be better for us to stay under Pharaoh. Pharaoh represents the government. Do you want to go back to Pharaoh? Do you want to go back to being coal under this religious regime? Do you want to go back to this satanic way of the way the world is portrayed and pushed over you? Or do you really want to see the glory of God?
Simon Pinchbeck:Was this exactly the same with with David and exactly, we have an army so and his army, they were probably you know, powerful guys. Yes. Oh, man guys, skilled in thought in, in battle, but, but they gone back to the old way they were not living in in a supernatural they were living in the natural, the natural and, and all of a sudden, this young boy comes along is just looks and he sees like a well, virtually a Terracotta Army and doing nothing, nothing. And then there's this big old lump which, you know, the Bible says he was what six cubits? I would just nine foot
Reverend Ben Cooper:nine, he was a 10 foot so he was enormous.
Simon Pinchbeck:He would have been an amazing basketball player. today. He was he was huge. You know, he said he had a spear like a Weaver's right. And his young boys come to sit on the back of his mind is the Lord's Yeah, I've killed basil killed lines, whenever God escaped, you know?
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yeah.
Simon Pinchbeck:And he goes that and
Reverend Ben Cooper:that was such a battle. But isn't it interesting what David says to him, you come against me with spear, Javelin, and sword, but I come in the name. I come in the name of the Lord, he had no weaponry or no armory, he just have five stones in a sling. But he before any mention of of anything that he was carrying the stones, his sling, he says, I come in the name of the Lord. That is that is the power of that is the that is the place that I should be as as in in as in as much as a believer, I've got to understand that in the name of Jesus. There is power in the name of Jesus. All things are possible to those who believe I've got to be careful with that line that I don't take that and use that and take a text out of context. I've got to make sure that I know my Redeemer lives. And because he lives I can face tomorrow. And it doesn't matter how big and how vast the army is. If I know that I'm going in the name, I'm going to be alright. Well, it's got to be done in the nine
Simon Pinchbeck:point there have been a lot and I you know, we love the Old Testament and we love the idea. We're going to get into Joshua in a minute. But what you said days do you remember in two kings that Elijah and his servant? Yeah. And it was a huge army. Yeah. And the light shirt and the server was scared, shaky, frightened. Do you know he was alive? She said, Lord, open his eyes.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yeah. open his eyes. Lord.
Simon Pinchbeck:What did he see? But tell me he saw mass chariots and armies of
Unknown:angels
Reverend Ben Cooper:where they come from nice. What did he say? He say something that the enemy couldn't say concede. Yeah. Imagine what that would have been like, when this young this servant guy either opened. What is this? If we could see in that spirit? Well, if we really could see above the natural eyesight. It's interesting, isn't it that what we just read out from Exodus chapter 14 for verse 10. They looked up and they saw so what you see affects you. So what the servant saw, first affected and made him shake in his boots. But then when his eyes were opened, and what he see in the heavenlies when it this is different,
Simon Pinchbeck:and you know, I'll bring it to, you know, I've I've spoken to yet two young men. I spoke to a young lad, Christian lad, who was walking down east and the London one night and there was a gang coming towards him, and the new One or two of them, but he you know, he was a white that these but they sort of just walked straight by him.
Reverend Ben Cooper:And what did they say?
Simon Pinchbeck:And the next day you spoke to one of them and he said that he said it was empty fellows with your last name big fellows.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Really?
Simon Pinchbeck:He said anybody with me? He said, Yeah, he did. He was too big feathers with you. You know, that's why we didn't worry about you, you know, we didn't want to take you on with pasture by he passed you by well, and my good mate of mine. His daughter was over in Ireland, I'd be for somewhere and she was with a friend. And there was a gang of boys surrounded them surrounded these two girls as they walk in back to their apartment. All of a sudden, from nowhere. A couple come out and psycho Come in, come in
Reverend Ben Cooper:and turn into their report angels. Angels appear. Psalm 91.
Simon Pinchbeck:I've got several incidences,
Reverend Ben Cooper:yes, stories, like God always shows up. He always gets us through, He always makes a way where there is no way
Simon Pinchbeck:now. Now we say that, uh, because we have stories of that. But we were saying just outside, there's massive persecution going on, isn't there in the world? Yeah. And we can't ignore it. Because there's Christians out in places like Afghanistan.
Reverend Ben Cooper:A lot of intake
Simon Pinchbeck:labs have been taken. So they, you know, you might say, well, that's okay for you to talk about this stuff. But what about these people? There's no, doesn't seem to be angels. But there will be miraculous stories outside the scope. And there are others one will know. But tell us what you've experienced, because you do daily, weekly podcasts on a persecuted church down?
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yeah, it's come to a clear understanding in my heart and mind that when you are faced with a gun, when you are faced with your own mortality, God God steps in like never before, I don't believe that any Christian in the UK can fully understand and fully grasp unless you've been in that arena. And God has given you the strength because it is only by the revelation or knowledge of the Holy Spirit and by the power of His Word that it will equip any human being to be able to face a bullet to be able to face a situation because over here, and now in the West, within the UK, we are so cushioned. So cushioned is probably more dangerous, to be cushion the way we're cushion, but in the persecuted church. We hear it, we read it, we see it. Time and time again. We're where people's lives are threatened if you if you if you deny Christ, you'll be safe. You're live. Nobody denies him. Nobody denies him. Yes, some their lives get taken, yes, their families get ripped apart. But it's still a big percentage of God. God makes her way where there is no way God, God heals God, God makes a door. God, the God saves lives. God sets the captives free. And in the persecuted church. It has to be the power of the Holy Spirit takes you to a place of a supernatural level, where you suddenly realize that this world is meaningless. It is it is very temporal. Thank God for His grace and His mercy and His power strengthens a human being to be able to face that persecution. The UK doesn't understand what persecution means.
Simon Pinchbeck:So what we're saying is that, even though it may seem on our side, that God's not at work is at work. He's at work, he's at work, God is in these these amazing people of faith that really like
Reverend Ben Cooper:they are those real church, they are the persecuted church around the world that is being persecuted is the real church. I have to ask myself, the question is the church in the UK just all show, we have not faced any persecution whatsoever. And we have to look at the fruit of what is going on when you look at the persecuted church, and you see what they go through and the way God guides them. They can't even hold a Bible. They have to bury Bibles. And there are so many different ways. And God and they have apps on their phone and all sorts of ways of of following Christ and fruit Transworld radio, a great Christian radio station that gets the Word of God right out to the persecuted church. So in the UK, I have to ask myself, how much of the church as we use that church label are really saved?
Simon Pinchbeck:So it's a great question. It's a real big question and I think it's something we can address. Some foreigners should really address because what are you explain that to me? That is answered, answered today. The doubts and the questions I had in my head for we came in to do this. So and what we're saying is that
Reverend Ben Cooper:when fear really comes into the arena, I know we all have fears of certain things in this nation. But if you can imagine, like we've read that line out there very, very quickly, and because obviously time, they says that they looked up, and they was fearful, they looked up, and they was terrified. Real terror. And real fear will make you do two things, it will make you act completely outside of the structure of a Christian, or it will drive you closer to the cross as fight
Simon Pinchbeck:or flight again, but but, you know, for we sort of leave that leave this line of thought, Ben, in countries like this project is thriving, it's growing,
Reverend Ben Cooper:it's growing, the government can't control it. They can't control it. In Iran, they flattened all the churches. But the church is still growing, still growing people. In Afghanistan, they're trying to drive Christians out. But the church is still growing. In Korea, North Korea, China, trying to destroy the Church of Jesus Christ, but it is it is growing
Simon Pinchbeck:so so these men and women do not die in vain. No, no, do not die in vain, better transfer purpose, for their lives, for their death. So the Lord is using their amazing faith, to inspire others. Yeah, to come to faith to
Reverend Ben Cooper:come to faith. And I heard and I read, and I listened into this unbelievable story of this lady that was in one of the darkest prisons in the world, in the in the world of, of, of Islam, and in the hardest area you could ever want to be in the darkest, darkest of the darkest of the dark is prisons. And she got out. And she got out she got free. But the Holy Spirit spoke to her. And she had to go back. Why did she go back because she had to go back because she had to teach and preach the gospel. So she walked back to that prison. And she went into that. She gave herself out. You can't do that. In the bento the Simon so whoever so you're in. God will give you the fuel and the zil and the spiritual fervor. God will give you the strength to face with whatever you face. So this this, this big capital word fear is across every platform of life. Even a believer does not escape this word. If anything, when you become a believer, and you're on the fringe, and you are in and you are around Christianity, you know in your heart that his he lives, you know, you might not attend church, and you might not portray outside, but in your heart, you are a believer, you will probably be quite a fearful person. Because when you look across the world, the world will give you fear. Oh,
Simon Pinchbeck:totally. And it's ramped up to a level
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yeah, not see another afraid to say, the church within the UK, correct me send me an email, text me whatever you want to say, has not taught an individual how to live in the valley of the shadow of death, how to live by faith, how to live enough most fearful moment of your life. We've been lifting the flag, and it's been the wrong flag. The church needs to come back to sound doctrine. Preach the word in season, out of season. We are in a spiritual crisis in the UK. And it's not because of what the devil has done is what the church hasn't done.
Simon Pinchbeck:When we're in a spiritual the biggest spiritual house. It's across across the world. Yeah. I was a couple of years ago. I was in India and and speaking to one in one of these little home churches. Yeah, they were around. Absolutely. And it was you know, and it was on the back of like a conference where Yeah, 2000 leaders, you know, so they're hungry. They're hungry and one lady stood up. They pointed out for prayers because she had been at the conference and for two days she was at a conference house had been burgled. Wow. And everything she had been taken away now. She was still there, as she was saying no because I love the Lord so much. Now, you're right. To we encounter that love, that same power and that same love here in the UK are we to have we get on to our material. thing we're hanging
Reverend Ben Cooper:on to Christian materialism. Christian materialism being here we've we've we've we've got a
Simon Pinchbeck:I've got a nice card I mean, you know, it's easy, isn't it? It is,
Reverend Ben Cooper:I believe, for the believer the way it will be fine. But for those that are in religion, they are going to be challenged like never before.
Simon Pinchbeck:Well, which we've spoke about it and we,
Reverend Ben Cooper:and what's going to come into the area of your mindset and your understanding is this word that we're talking about fear. Because if I go with Pharaoh and Pharaohs teachings in the government's teaching, if I go with that, I don't quite agree with it, but I'll be safe. Because that's how fear drives you. I'll come under the structure of government. But if you want to follow Jesus, you have got to push a lot of stuff over and go, No, I'm going by five.
Simon Pinchbeck:Well, you've also got to strengthen your relationship with the Lord. So that you hear very clearly yet what he wants you to do. Yeah. One person in the Bible who who heard very clearly, yeah, from God is Joshua. Now, the Book of Joshua. Ben, I, personally, you know, tell me if I'm bluffing is probably one of the most underrated books I think there is. And look, he is God speaking to Joshua. Don't forget, you know, Moses said rightly that he's dying. He wasn't gonna come into the promised land, Joshua, and Caleb and yeah, he says this to him. So so in Joshua, verse one, and he starts to six, he said, This, listen to what he said. And you know, because he says this, he said, Be strong, and of good courage. For to this people you shall diviners and inheritance around which I swore that if I was to give them and he again, he says this, he says, only be strong and very courageous that you may observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded you. Interesting, he said, Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you might prosper wherever you come. And that's a word for us isn't the
Reverend Ben Cooper:same as a solid word.
Simon Pinchbeck:He says, this book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night that you may observe and do according to all those written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have priceless success. And then he ends that guy's saying, once again, he says this, have I not commanded you be strong and of good courage. Do not be afraid or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Wherever, wherever you go. Come on. So God is clearly given instruction to this young leader. Don't be afraid. Don't be afraid. Don't be afraid. Don't be afraid, Be of good courage. But do not let this book of the Lord depart from my mouth or meditate on it day and night comes back to the word comes back to the words in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And then in john, it says, and the Word became flesh. And he's made his dwelling among us, the word is the key word is the key. And he says, and what is the word? Jesus, Jesus, Jesus is the golden white fruit of all the Way through from Genesis, through revelation, God said, Let us make man in our image. In Colossians, it says, very, very clear that Christ is the image of the invisible God.
Simon Pinchbeck:But he says this, he says, Do not be afraid, or be dismayed. Now,
Reverend Ben Cooper:two interesting words, to
Simon Pinchbeck:be not be afraid, because of what I'm going to do with you. And do not be dismayed. What you see I do so there is a thing. So for us, do not be afraid. But don't be dismayed because what I'm going to do through you
Reverend Ben Cooper:So what that tells us very clearly is, is that what our expectancy of us in God's world is not what God is going to do. So what God is saying is what I'm going to do with you is no way you can accomplish this in the flow. Do not be afraid of what I'm going to do to you. Isn't it interesting that he's not talking about the world outside? He's encouraging this young warrior leader, what I'm about to do to you. You could be dismayed or you could be worried. Yeah, because you can't do this in your own strength and we see a clear understanding that the power of obedience will flatten any city, or do anything and destroy any enemy. But if you've got someone in your camp that is nicking the plunder. further on in the text. They were saying victory and victory. This is what's out. To the church. We've had great, great powerful leaders that God has been as birthed into this nation. But in that camp of Joshua, he had a couple of little scallywags that went into a certain city. They didn't see what, sorry, Joshua and the others didn't see what they was doing when you've got someone in your camp. That is robbing and taking the blessing. God said, go into that city and in city after city, they see it fall, they took everything out of there. So you might be steadfast in the Word of God. But watch out, because the ones that you could be journeying with might be filtering and trying to snatch the glory Yeah,
Simon Pinchbeck:it's a good point it's a it's a it's a great point because you The Lord has if he thought he spoke for you, you've got your Yeah, you've got your your focus. Well, where you're going. But that might be delayed because because there's too Oh, we're very careful in the mix with mix. We're very careful you've got around you. Yeah. Because you've got the right people. And they don't need many Ben. It doesn't mean you can out there. We used to saying it when I was in the police force. You know, I knew hundreds and hundreds of people. But when it comes down to it, you only probably got a handful of true felons the true ones that
Reverend Ben Cooper:cover your back shoe for instance, cover your back.
Simon Pinchbeck:But so what was the first I mean he'd see God use Joshua in any sort of first city came up was Jericho. Jericho. Now this was a 45 city was famous for the land for it was was so fucked up. They said you could write a chariot on top and you know, he couldn't
Reverend Ben Cooper:get through it. He seemed impossible with man.
Simon Pinchbeck:Now. Now, what did he say? He said March wrap, but don't say a word obedience. Why did he say don't say a word because, you know, they were going to go and navigate in here, we're sort of grumbling. Exactly what you were saying. As soon because you knew that, that then those people who are mounting Yeah, Rob, the blessing is that's exactly what you were saying. So we got people around you moaning and groaning, not going a bad report, a bad report. It's gonna, you know,
Reverend Ben Cooper:spies were sent out, but
Simon Pinchbeck:then they ended up walking around in the wilderness for years. So be very clear you that's a great point. Be very careful who got in your camp. And the
Reverend Ben Cooper:reason I mentioned that part of that text, I know it's gonna slide off off of a better term. But I do believe God is prompting me to say that now say, again, even though Joshua was given clear instruction that Simon read out, he was saying victory and victory and victory just to the church, we have seen victory and victory. But because a couple in the same camp suddenly decide to go off on a different angle, it starts to move the rest off on the wrong angle. So that affected Joshua as a leader. He lost that battle,
Simon Pinchbeck:then I don't think we we I think we're on the same lines. Because you can have people in your ear telling you exactly you can't do that. You think you are you can't we're not going that's too difficult for you though. If the Lord soldier to do it, yeah, pull you through it. You got to get rid of these naysayers. Yeah, these doubters because they're the ones that are quite happy sitting in their chairs are quite happily sit on the sidelines, moaning and complaining about you when you're in there in the arena. Right, you, you know you probably fall down and get covered in muck and whatever. But if the Lord soldier doing, they're gonna do it, because look further, Ronnie Josh, I love that book of Joshua Ferber on verse 10. All of a sudden, he's got Five Kings coming at him any Five Kings. He's got Five Kings coming at him. And what is he, he calls, he calls out to him. He calls out to God, he says, Son standstill over Gibson and moon in a value. So the sun's still stuck. So the sun's just 74 is an errand.
Reverend Ben Cooper:So when you believe Yeah, Joshua, the Book of Joshua, I believe runs parallel with the book of Ephesians. Because of fusions is this I call it the spiritual Joshua. Because when you read the two together, right, you've got the Joshua rose, the practical, the practical fighting, Old Testament and when you look at Ephesians, about dressing in the armor, the spiritual warfare so when you bring the two together, that's how we see ourselves today is to listen and there is instruction as Joshua had to follow, but there is a spiritual instruction as well. put on the armor of God. Put the full armor on Ephesians chapter six, you've got to put on the full arm of the breastplate, and an on all the rest that goes along with that. So when Joshua had these kings and these these coming against him, the sun stood still Hang on a moment that goes against law that goes against the, the natural law of life that goes against the law of science that goes against the law of gravity over physics, it goes against everything, because
Simon Pinchbeck:if the substance still that means the earth and spinning unless you believe it's round, then you're gonna fall
Reverend Ben Cooper:off. Yeah, you're gonna fold out, I thought I was fat.
Simon Pinchbeck:Well, that's another that's an argument for another.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yes. So when you think about that, the sun stood still. That is how much God will move, to keep you safe and evil, and God will God will just hold the Son of God will give you more daylight hours, God will give you more strength in your valley of the shadow of death. But the key, the key to all of this, from Genesis to Revelation is Jesus being the center is Jesus
Simon Pinchbeck:been a center so we're not to fight in? No, in our physical strength,
Reverend Ben Cooper:decisions, it makes very clear our battle is not against flesh and blood, flesh and blood, and against principalities, against the forces and the authorities in heavenly realms.
Simon Pinchbeck:And we come back to what David said, we come back to Zacharias, it
Reverend Ben Cooper:might not buy up
Simon Pinchbeck:strength, by strength, not by power, but in my spirit, says the Lord. It's all spiritual. It says in some trust in chariots, and
Reverend Ben Cooper:I saw trust in osis, I'd trust in some trust in pastors. Don't do that. Never trust and
Simon Pinchbeck:that's an interesting point, some trust in the word of man, they do not trust in the word of mouth
Reverend Ben Cooper:comes back to what we're saying the other week, without going down that road humanism,
Simon Pinchbeck:you totally
Reverend Ben Cooper:know the word, the word man. So, we are living in a very spiritual world, very spiritual world. But the world only sees it and the humanity sees it as the natural world. But there is a world amongst in in this world, that is a very powerful spiritual world. The Bible talks about that very, very clearly there is there is angels, active at this very moment in time, you still have the issue of the foreign gods bow is not really spoken about, you know, the Sangha, but he, he he is around jazz rebel is around Lucifer is the leader of his troops are is about is a massive thing that is still happening. witchcraft, the occult world. Freemasonry,
Simon Pinchbeck:please, you know, we'll see what we're doing release podcast, we're asking you really to examine where you are with your faith, and we're exempt asking you to question yeah, everything. Yeah. Because right now, we should be questioning every single thing we're believing to see if it comes in line with Scripture. Yeah, we're okay. We're on good ground. You know? If not, then do we need it in our lives? So that's what we that's what we've got to ask, you know, do you know you are in Christ? Like 20?
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yeah, two is in Christ. Are
Simon Pinchbeck:you weak? And Christ is in you?
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yeah. So there is a connection there is this that then this is where we see the natural collide with the spiritual? Yeah, there's a collision. If you can use that terminology, there is a coming together, there is a oneness, but we can't see it. Because we only see naturally.
Simon Pinchbeck:You see, if you're in Christ, then you're not going to fear man. And then the Bible tells us that the fear of man is a snare and I read this this morning from in Isaiah, it says, save yourself from such a man whose breath is in his nostrils for what account is he so you know what account are these these people? When when we do God and I know we're coming into Monday and I think it's just gone so quickly this morning but I think before you you know, end on on on the scripture Ben two Timothy one seven
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yeah, let's let's let's finish Come on. I don't want to finish but we're not finishing but this is a continuum.
Simon Pinchbeck:This is a continum
Reverend Ben Cooper:this is we're just gonna breathe
Simon Pinchbeck:a says you know what you do you're not been given a spirit of fear.
Reverend Ben Cooper:No
Simon Pinchbeck:as a new born again, spirit full believer, you've not been given a spirit of fear. God doesn't say oh is a fearful spirit for you. no, he's giving you a spirit, a spirit of power and of love, and a strong mind.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Okay, so I clearly understand through that text Christ has given me a strong mind. He has given me everything. But I, I still act in fear that is because that is of my flesh. So there is a battle that is within the greatest battle is the enemy is the enemy. The enemy of me is me is
Simon Pinchbeck:my enemy. Yeah.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Did my friend did it is it is the inside of me. That is the stronger me. But it is my mind that tries to control the spirit on me. So there is always a battle between faith and fear is not because I'm not cold, or I'm not saved. God gives us God, there has been a ransom on your life, you have been washed in a blood of Jesus. But what I see with my naturalize, I cannot allow it to come into my heart because then I will be just like the natural light. As they see Pharaoh they see him and they heard him coming over the hills. So assignment is just read out from that text. God has given us more. God hasn't given us fear. But there is a part of me, that will always be that Ben, fearful thinking natural me. But God has given us so much more that is learning to the more I lean in him, the fear starts to push away, the more I follow Him, the fear starts to go, the more I trust him. So over the journey of my Christian walk with him, I will reach a point where I won't be so fearful, I will reach a point where I'm closer but there is I've got a learn to walk with him and trust him.
Simon Pinchbeck:And thats, a great way to come into lambin. And listen, wherever you are out there. Wherever you listen to this. We just pray that the Lord has opened your heart and is right to receive what we've been what we believe the Lord has put in our heart and there's some great stuff come out today. But you know, don't forget what we said right beginning this 365 times the Lord says Fear not to not be afraid. And if you put your trust in the Lord and not in man, then you you know the fears as Ben says you'll see him that you'll just move through. Amen, Pastor. And as we said in that first scripture, we spoke about the Egyptians that you see a day you will not see again, and the fears that you see today. You're not seeing again. So I pray that the Lord will bless you the Spirit of the Lord or surround you and you will you will have those angels all about you to guide you and guide you and lift you up so you will foot one striker stone, so, amen. Thanks, Ben. This morning. It's been God bless you, brother.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Thank you so much to everyone that's been listening to us today. You've been listening to Simon Pinchbeck and myself here#Christian Straight Talk. You know, please never never give up you or you can contact us anywhere, any place any time you know, just never never give up contact Simon through #Christian straight talk you know you've been listening to us as we've been speaking out straight out the barrel of truth. You can find us #Christian straight talk on Twitter, and other social media feeds. But thank you so much to listen to this podcast. Have a great day. Stay in the Word of God never ever give up. He's the King of glory. And remember, I can do all things through Christ that gives me strength in Jesus name. Amen.