WEBVTT 00:00:00.533 --> 00:00:01.633 Well, good morning Valley View. 00:00:01.633 --> 00:00:03.999 How you doing this morning? 00:00:03.999 --> 00:00:06.033 Y'all doing good, man. 00:00:06.033 --> 00:00:07.266 I just love our worship team. 00:00:07.266 --> 00:00:08.999 I love that I get to serve with them every week. 00:00:08.999 --> 00:00:10.965 That is the highlight of my week. 00:00:10.965 --> 00:00:14.365 Can we just give a big shout out? 00:00:14.365 --> 00:00:18.533 Oh, so real fast, Pastor John. 00:00:18.533 --> 00:00:22.865 Since his love, he and his family are enjoying some vacation time right now. 00:00:22.865 --> 00:00:28.233 So I'm very grateful that he models that for us as a staff that he's going away. 00:00:28.233 --> 00:00:30.666 Highlighted the importance of family. 00:00:30.666 --> 00:00:37.533 Speaking of family, I feel like this morning is a family reunion for me because my parents my parents are here. 00:00:37.533 --> 00:00:40.533 I've got like Jody and Ben, they're all like family. 00:00:40.533 --> 00:00:43.265 Laura, Adrian, her best friend. 00:00:43.265 --> 00:00:47.365 Katie's here, Chris, my neighbor, but my neighbors there. 00:00:47.365 --> 00:00:49.499 So, I mean, it's like a big family reunion this morning. 00:00:49.499 --> 00:00:54.665 So this morning we are going to as it broke. 00:00:54.665 --> 00:00:55.765 But it's okay. 00:00:55.765 --> 00:01:06.132 We are going to we're going to jump into a word that I am super excited about. 00:01:08.132 --> 00:01:12.533 I'm going to share from my heart. 00:01:12.533 --> 00:01:15.433 Now, listen, that's code for a lot of people that have left. 00:01:15.433 --> 00:01:17.965 I'm not leaving, okay? 00:01:17.965 --> 00:01:20.399 If you've been around here for a while, you know what that means. 00:01:20.399 --> 00:01:25.865 But I'm going to share from my heart and be vulnerable about some things that I just recently have walked through. 00:01:25.865 --> 00:01:27.198 And I'm on the tell it. 00:01:27.198 --> 00:01:33.433 And this is the ending of our series on Free and Fearless, which has been our keywords for the year. 00:01:33.433 --> 00:01:38.099 So can we, by the way, to Kobe killed it last week with that message, didn't he? 00:01:38.099 --> 00:01:43.132 That was man, I was absolutely loving it. 00:01:43.132 --> 00:01:45.399 I mean, it just did such a phenomenal job. 00:01:45.399 --> 00:01:46.533 I mean, it was powerful. 00:01:46.533 --> 00:01:48.899 It was packed full of just Jesus. 00:01:48.899 --> 00:01:59.299 It was amazing. So this morning, I want to start off by telling you a story about my life and then I'm all tied in to our message today. 00:01:59.299 --> 00:02:01.399 Spring is my favorite time of year. 00:02:01.399 --> 00:02:04.066 I absolutely love spring. 00:02:04.066 --> 00:02:11.432 When spring rolls around, I love being outside cycling, being outside with my kids, mowing grass. 00:02:11.432 --> 00:02:14.066 I got bees this year, I've got my own hive. 00:02:14.066 --> 00:02:15.233 I'm going to be making honey. 00:02:15.233 --> 00:02:16.133 Some of you've come to me. 00:02:16.133 --> 00:02:19.665 You want me to sell you honey others if you ever think I'm crazy. 00:02:19.665 --> 00:02:22.598 But I love spring. 00:02:22.598 --> 00:02:25.633 Spring is just are the time of year for me. 00:02:25.633 --> 00:02:28.633 That is just my favorite. 00:02:28.998 --> 00:02:35.466 However, this year, as spring was rolling in, I was on the is just all loving it, loving it, loving it. 00:02:35.466 --> 00:02:45.366 And then suddenly I begin to have this downward spiral that I never really I mean, I've dealt with something like that before, but not like this. 00:02:46.665 --> 00:02:51.532 And I couldn't figure out how I got there because I mean, when I say I love spring and this, I'm like, so pumped. 00:02:51.532 --> 00:02:52.265 There's so much to do. 00:02:52.265 --> 00:02:57.699 I mean, soon as the sun is up, I'm outside all day long, all the way until like the end of day. 00:02:57.699 --> 00:03:03.532 And then I just started getting into this this, this downward spiral. 00:03:03.532 --> 00:03:11.399 And I mean, the only thing I know to call it was like a kind of like a little bit of a midlife crisis. 00:03:11.399 --> 00:03:14.233 And it was around me that I began to experience this. 00:03:14.233 --> 00:03:18.366 And I didn't tell many people about it because, one, I didn't even know what was going on. 00:03:18.366 --> 00:03:19.366 I just felt it. 00:03:19.366 --> 00:03:29.699 I just felt this chaos and I couldn't quite pinpointed. And it all began with the thought. 00:03:30.165 --> 00:03:32.699 It all began with a thought. 00:03:32.699 --> 00:03:35.699 And it wasn't a bad thought. 00:03:36.566 --> 00:03:39.566 It wasn't a sinful thought. 00:03:40.199 --> 00:03:42.733 It was actually a good thought. 00:03:42.733 --> 00:03:44.765 But all began with a thought. 00:03:44.765 --> 00:03:51.699 So what I want to do this morning is I've got these great illustrations here that our team brought out for us, and these are our Jenga blocks. 00:03:51.699 --> 00:03:53.733 Okay, so you're like my little Jenga blocks. 00:03:53.733 --> 00:03:56.432 I can move things around here. 00:03:56.432 --> 00:04:04.566 So I want for representation sake each level to represent something in your life. 00:04:04.566 --> 00:04:07.498 So for me, I did this just for simplicity's sake. 00:04:07.498 --> 00:04:09.532 I don't know if camera one can catch this. 00:04:09.532 --> 00:04:14.799 We'll just say health, family, finances, career, salvation. 00:04:14.799 --> 00:04:16.565 We'll just use it for different tiers. 00:04:16.565 --> 00:04:23.932 For me personally, it was one thought in one of those arenas and it was just a thought. 00:04:23.932 --> 00:04:26.266 It was like, Oh, you probably need to do this. 00:04:26.266 --> 00:04:28.699 And it was actually like, okay, the Lords on this is cool. 00:04:28.699 --> 00:04:29.766 Maybe or maybe he's not. 00:04:29.766 --> 00:04:32.865 I don't know, just this thought was like, okay, need to do that. 00:04:32.865 --> 00:04:43.298 But then it went to another thought that then went to another thought that went to another thought that went to another thought. 00:04:43.365 --> 00:04:47.632 And had I couldn't figure out how did I get here. 00:04:47.632 --> 00:04:55.399 So this morning what we're going to do is unpack three stories in Scripture of thoughts that led to fear. 00:04:56.632 --> 00:05:10.565 All right, If you got your Bibles, open it up to Genesis three and more than just thoughts that led to fear, but thoughts that could lead to fear says in Genesis three. 00:05:10.565 --> 00:05:17.466 Now, the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. 00:05:17.466 --> 00:05:25.699 And he said to the woman, Did God really say, you must not eat from any tree in the garden? 00:05:25.899 --> 00:05:29.266 For me, these this is what was going on. 00:05:29.266 --> 00:05:36.432 The issues that I was struggling with to be 100% honest were original sin in the garden issues. 00:05:36.432 --> 00:05:46.132 And what was happening was the enemy was just throwing out these thoughts and looking for, Oh, wow, wow, look, there's a loose one right there. 00:05:46.132 --> 00:05:49.132 I can pull that one out. 00:05:49.565 --> 00:05:51.232 And then I'm-I had that happen. 00:05:51.232 --> 00:05:52.399 I mean, it was a good thought. 00:05:52.399 --> 00:05:56.732 And then suddenly there's an open door to fear. 00:05:57.665 --> 00:05:59.531 There was an open door to fear. 00:06:01.132 --> 00:06:01.999 I was like, That was weird. 00:06:01.999 --> 00:06:06.632 And it was it was one thing of like, Oh, I probably need to do this with working out this and that. 00:06:06.632 --> 00:06:08.732 There was this like, What about this in your health? 00:06:08.732 --> 00:06:09.598 What about that your health? 00:06:09.598 --> 00:06:11.665 What about sickness? 00:06:11.665 --> 00:06:15.766 And then suddenly I got this gaping hole that I didn't know how I got there. 00:06:15.766 --> 00:06:17.665 I mean, it was a good thought initially. 00:06:17.665 --> 00:06:23.732 Then the enemy was like, Oh, oh, there's another, there's another. 00:06:23.732 --> 00:06:26.598 There's another whole. 00:06:26.598 --> 00:06:30.165 The enemy did the same to Eve. 00:06:30.399 --> 00:06:34.098 He said, Did God really say? 00:06:35.565 --> 00:06:45.031 The woman said to the serpent, We may eat from the truth or excuse me, from the trees in the garden, but God did say you must not eat from the tree that is in the middle of the garden. 00:06:45.031 --> 00:06:46.665 You must not touch it or you will die. 00:06:48.098 --> 00:06:50.132 You will certainly not die, the serpent said to the woman. 00:06:50.132 --> 00:06:56.932 For God knows when you eat, your eyes will be open and you will be like God, knowing good and evil. 00:06:58.298 --> 00:07:05.665 Where the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye and also desirable for gaining wisdom. 00:07:05.665 --> 00:07:07.966 She took some at eight it. 00:07:07.966 --> 00:07:12.199 She also gave some to her husband who was with her and he ate it. 00:07:12.199 --> 00:07:22.365 Then the eyes, both of them were open and they realized that they were naked, so they sewed the fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. 00:07:22.365 --> 00:07:26.031 Skip down the verse eight right here. 00:07:26.031 --> 00:07:31.266 And this is the thing that really I'm trying to do for you to catch up with this story. 00:07:32.399 --> 00:07:42.232 When the door opened for fear, they ran, they ran in shame, and God came looking for him saying, Where are you? 00:07:42.232 --> 00:07:44.632 And their answer was, I heard you in the garden. 00:07:44.632 --> 00:07:48.499 I was afraid because I was naked. 00:07:48.966 --> 00:07:51.065 Here's the thing. 00:07:51.065 --> 00:07:54.232 God's not afraid of our questions, okay? 00:07:54.232 --> 00:07:57.298 He's not afraid for us going to him. 00:07:57.298 --> 00:08:12.031 But in this situation, specifically, the questions Satan brought Eve were accusation that God was withholding from her, and she agreed with the fear and then the doors began to open. 00:08:12.031 --> 00:08:14.432 Does that make sense? 00:08:14.432 --> 00:08:22.899 When we allow the enemy access, we have to give him access. 00:08:22.899 --> 00:08:23.531 Okay. 00:08:23.531 --> 00:08:26.298 Sometimes it's through unforgiveness, some times it's through lies. 00:08:26.298 --> 00:08:28.199 We believe sometimes it's through. 00:08:28.199 --> 00:08:33.231 But the enemy loves to go after our mind and just the thoughts. 00:08:33.231 --> 00:08:36.666 And in each situation, that's exactly what happened. 00:08:36.666 --> 00:08:39.966 Oh, did God really say it was these access points? 00:08:42.166 --> 00:08:45.698 And that began to lead to this, where they begin to feel the shame. 00:08:45.698 --> 00:08:50.298 They begin to feel the fear that they had agreed upon. 00:08:52.032 --> 00:08:53.466 Somebody needs to get that phone call. 00:08:53.466 --> 00:09:15.066 Apparently, for me personally, what began to happen in May this year was I begin to let the enemy in into my life, not knowing that it was fear and it begin to just take me down this downward downward spiral to the point of like every night for me to go to bed. 00:09:15.066 --> 00:09:21.066 I had to have some night going, just playing over my brain, just for my mind to shut up. 00:09:21.798 --> 00:09:29.166 I had to have my mentors pray over me, break stuff off, break agreements to try to figure out how did I get in? 00:09:29.166 --> 00:09:30.331 Here's the thing. 00:09:30.331 --> 00:09:34.631 When the Holy Spirit brings a thought to your mind, there's a solution. 00:09:34.631 --> 00:09:35.166 Okay? 00:09:35.166 --> 00:09:38.731 There's something there that there's that there's a there's a healing that needs to take place. 00:09:38.731 --> 00:09:40.466 There's a freedom that comes with it. 00:09:40.466 --> 00:09:46.966 But when our mind agrees with the enemy and there's not a solution, it's torment. 00:09:46.966 --> 00:09:52.032 And then what happens is all these holes begin to pop in our life. 00:09:52.032 --> 00:09:52.932 Everything begins. 00:09:52.932 --> 00:09:54.365 The enemies just, Oh, wow, wow, wow. 00:09:54.365 --> 00:09:55.666 You know, that was easy. 00:09:55.666 --> 00:10:00.631 And he's looking for every little weak spot that he can pick out because that makes sense. 00:10:01.698 --> 00:10:02.032 All right. 00:10:02.032 --> 00:10:04.899 Jump over to me about chapter six. 00:10:04.899 --> 00:10:11.765 I'm going to kind of give you a recap on this and then I'll break this down for us as we're turning there. 00:10:11.765 --> 00:10:15.466 I want I'm going to throw out some thoughts here. 00:10:15.466 --> 00:10:20.966 Fear not in scripture, this mission 365 times is one of the number one commandments. 00:10:20.966 --> 00:10:21.932 It is the number one command. 00:10:21.932 --> 00:10:22.331 But why? 00:10:22.331 --> 00:10:28.932 Because it's most needed in you and I in our everyday lives can respond in one or two ways. 00:10:28.932 --> 00:10:32.231 We can respond in fear or we can respond in love. 00:10:32.231 --> 00:10:34.032 There is no in between. 00:10:34.032 --> 00:10:36.365 You understand everything that you and I do daily. 00:10:36.365 --> 00:10:44.932 Every interaction we have with our family, every interaction we have with our spouse, every interaction we have with our coworker kid is either response in love or fear. 00:10:46.265 --> 00:10:53.899 And what fear does is it drives our mind into forbidden territory. 00:10:54.099 --> 00:10:55.131 Does that make sense? 00:10:55.131 --> 00:11:00.599 It drives us into a place that we agree with the enemy and we give him access. 00:11:00.599 --> 00:11:07.465 And with this series that we're doing free and fearless, in order for you to be fearless, you have to address fear. 00:11:07.465 --> 00:11:10.365 You cannot say Oh, I'm going to be I'm going to be fearless. 00:11:10.365 --> 00:11:14.131 I'm going to be fearless and maybe fearless and not address the root issue. 00:11:14.131 --> 00:11:15.999 So what's going on in your mind here? 00:11:15.999 --> 00:11:27.999 Chapter six is this Israel keeping Their walls have been torn down for 70 years, and what they could not do in 70 years with Nehemiah is leadership. 00:11:27.999 --> 00:11:31.764 They were able to rebuild 52 days throughout the chapter. 00:11:31.764 --> 00:11:37.764 It highlights four different instances where the enemy attempted to frighten Nehemiah in discourage them from continuing on. 00:11:39.465 --> 00:11:43.532 Nehemiah mentions the issue of fear four times in this chapter. 00:11:43.532 --> 00:11:48.664 So let's jump let's jump over to our rights. 00:11:49.432 --> 00:11:53.865 Nehemiah, verse six one production. 00:11:53.865 --> 00:11:55.865 I'm going to jump around, so just catch up on that. 00:11:55.865 --> 00:11:58.099 Thank you. 00:11:58.099 --> 00:12:08.164 For this reason he was hurt that I should be afraid and act that way in sin so that they may have a cause of evil. Report and that they may approach me. 00:12:08.164 --> 00:12:08.999 I'm going to break this down. 00:12:08.999 --> 00:12:16.365 In my words, what was going on in the Hamas building the wall and Israel's enemy comes to him and says, Hey, look, man, we see what you're doing. 00:12:16.365 --> 00:12:18.399 This thing. 00:12:18.399 --> 00:12:21.631 You know, I know we're your enemy, but we need to talk. 00:12:21.631 --> 00:12:26.131 When you talk like this, you know we don't like that you're building back your your walls. 00:12:26.131 --> 00:12:29.365 You know, you haven't done it seven years, so we don't think you should. 00:12:30.365 --> 00:12:43.432 And what happens is, in the way the amount of responses is you saying, look, if I agree with the accusations, if I respond, it's the same as if I've agreed with it. 00:12:43.432 --> 00:12:44.532 Does that make sense? 00:12:44.532 --> 00:12:58.432 If you if I say if you're coming at me saying, hey, I'm throwing these thoughts of fear at you, and if I partner with that, I'm going to open the very door of accusation towards me as if I had done it. 00:12:58.432 --> 00:12:59.831 Does that make sense? 00:12:59.831 --> 00:13:18.831 It's kind of like my situation going back to this when the enemy began to poke at my mind and looking for these open doors, it was honestly as if I had to come in agreement with those things. 00:13:18.965 --> 00:13:20.698 But it was just as if I did. 00:13:20.698 --> 00:13:27.599 And really what that was happening was, I was enabling the enemy in those areas of my life. 00:13:27.599 --> 00:13:39.298 I was giving him authority in those areas of my life by my thoughts, by my agreements, by the fear that I that was going on. 00:13:39.298 --> 00:13:44.198 And let me just say this before I continue on this part. 00:13:45.264 --> 00:13:57.899 When fear happens and we hope we recognize it and see it, we have one of two options we can either repent or we sit. 00:13:59.099 --> 00:14:01.731 Now, I really want you to get a hold of that. 00:14:01.731 --> 00:14:06.465 When fear creeps in, we have one or two options. 00:14:06.465 --> 00:14:07.631 Repent or sin. 00:14:07.631 --> 00:14:14.631 In my case, in this situation, I didn't realize that at first. 00:14:14.631 --> 00:14:15.764 I didn't take authority. 00:14:15.764 --> 00:14:20.731 I didn't have godly sorrow in those areas of my heart because they were all good thoughts initially. 00:14:20.731 --> 00:14:29.764 The real reason, real tracking is just making sense for me. 00:14:29.764 --> 00:14:32.465 I'm glad to have my mom and Jody out there. 00:14:32.465 --> 00:14:34.698 Mama, my mom, I'll tell you this. 00:14:34.698 --> 00:14:47.298 All my basketball games when I was in high school and all the stuff that, you know, I would send to like a recruiter or something like that for a scholarship opportunity, my mom was in the back of those videos yelling, So it's good to have you here with me this morning. 00:14:48.764 --> 00:14:54.865 But back to this is is this these thoughts? 00:14:54.865 --> 00:14:59.764 I had to finally get to a point where it felt like fear. 00:14:59.764 --> 00:15:02.965 If it looked like fear, I'm repenting. 00:15:02.965 --> 00:15:05.731 I'm just like, I can't go down this path. 00:15:05.731 --> 00:15:08.731 I can't I can't go there. 00:15:08.764 --> 00:15:11.999 So let's go back to your Nehemiah. 00:15:12.365 --> 00:15:17.631 Let's go to verse one now, what happened in San Barlett to buy a gas? 00:15:17.631 --> 00:15:30.664 Should the Arab and the rest of the enemies had heard that I had rebuilt the wall and there was no bricks left in it, though at that time they had not hung the doors at the gates, then sent out the gas and sent to me saying Come and let us meet together. 00:15:30.664 --> 00:15:34.999 Among the villages in the plant about No, but they thought to to harm me. 00:15:34.999 --> 00:15:42.032 So I sent messages, messengers to them saying I am doing a great work that I cannot come down from. 00:15:42.032 --> 00:15:43.798 Why should the work cease? 00:15:43.798 --> 00:15:45.899 Why should I leave and go down to you? 00:15:45.899 --> 00:15:50.198 But they sent this message four times and I answered in the same manner. 00:15:50.198 --> 00:15:54.664 So here Nehemiah is saying, Look, I am doing this awesome thing. 00:15:54.664 --> 00:15:57.499 I got this thing going off with the Lord are building this thing. 00:15:57.499 --> 00:16:01.631 When the Messengers came to him and said, Hey, would you come down to meet with in this place of honor? 00:16:01.631 --> 00:16:11.432 Which is really funny to me in Scripture because you're like, the enemy wants to meet you in a place called Oh no, I know it's a dead joke, but but you look at it, you're like, really? 00:16:11.432 --> 00:16:13.331 That doesn't I mean, come on, enemies. 00:16:13.331 --> 00:16:14.764 We see your move here. 00:16:14.764 --> 00:16:16.032 You want to meet us in this place. 00:16:17.164 --> 00:16:20.198 But he's like, No, I'm doing a great work. 00:16:20.198 --> 00:16:22.664 Why should I stop what I'm doing? 00:16:22.664 --> 00:16:27.764 And can I just encourage us as believers, when the enemy comes to us? 00:16:27.965 --> 00:16:31.264 That should also be our response. 00:16:31.264 --> 00:16:33.164 Hey, I'm part of a community. 00:16:33.164 --> 00:16:35.099 Hey, I'm part of my family, I'm part of this. 00:16:35.099 --> 00:16:36.631 I'm doing these things for the Lord. 00:16:36.631 --> 00:16:51.865 Why should I stop what I'm doing when those voices coming and I'm going to be really straight up with you guys and say this In May this year, I was pumped because I had all this fresh vision of things, God showing me, show me four here, show me four things else I'm doing. 00:16:51.865 --> 00:16:59.798 And I partner was here and it derailed me, distracted me from the things I was building for the Lord. 00:16:59.798 --> 00:17:01.032 Because let me tell you something. 00:17:01.032 --> 00:17:03.231 As believers, we are called to build. 00:17:05.498 --> 00:17:09.832 We're called to build families community. 00:17:09.832 --> 00:17:11.865 We're supposed to bring the kingdom to every place. 00:17:11.865 --> 00:17:13.632 Doesn't mean you have to be on stage right here. 00:17:13.632 --> 00:17:24.097 But hey, if you come here, if you're a mechanic, if you're a doctor, if you're a lawyer, if you're a firefighter, whatever, you're supposed to bring the kingdom into that. 00:17:24.097 --> 00:17:25.932 So we are building the kingdom. 00:17:25.932 --> 00:17:36.698 But what we partner with, fear, we get distracted in the little this the enemy doesn't mind you and I doing ministry. 00:17:36.698 --> 00:17:48.231 If we do it in fear because we do it from a place of being powerless, we don't walk in the God given authority that we received. 00:17:48.265 --> 00:17:52.432 We turn it over to do things from a weak place. 00:17:52.432 --> 00:17:53.698 Does that make sense? 00:17:53.698 --> 00:17:55.031 All right, back over here to Nima. 00:17:56.097 --> 00:17:57.298 See, where was I? 00:17:57.298 --> 00:18:00.298 Okay. 00:18:02.065 --> 00:18:03.332 Ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba. 00:18:03.332 --> 00:18:04.298 So they sit here in. 00:18:04.298 --> 00:18:06.198 Oh, sorry. 00:18:06.198 --> 00:18:07.265 I got distracted there for a minute. 00:18:07.265 --> 00:18:09.832 I was floor there, but. 00:18:09.832 --> 00:18:10.432 All right, then. 00:18:10.432 --> 00:18:14.164 I mean, since this note years responses, why should the great work stop? 00:18:14.164 --> 00:18:19.531 Why I come and talk to What this means is that we're fully engaged. 00:18:19.531 --> 00:18:22.565 And I said that a minute ago in everything the Lord has is doing. 00:18:22.565 --> 00:18:29.731 So here they said to him coming with us, and he says no in answers the same manner for all times. 00:18:30.464 --> 00:18:37.031 We see this about capturing those thoughts, capturing those lives. 00:18:37.031 --> 00:18:38.332 And Paul addresses us. 00:18:38.332 --> 00:18:42.498 The Corinthians, he says, Take every thought. 00:18:42.498 --> 00:18:45.531 Captive self has got the Bible open back over to Corinthians. 00:18:47.597 --> 00:18:48.897 Where was that? 00:18:48.897 --> 00:18:52.597 Said Corinthians Timbers five. 00:18:54.832 --> 00:18:58.365 And even when I was preparing for this, I want to tell you this. 00:18:58.365 --> 00:19:04.832 I know I'm going to be a little bit all over the place this morning, but this is something got to be caught more than had knowledge. 00:19:04.832 --> 00:19:05.897 Does that make sense? 00:19:05.897 --> 00:19:30.731 Because I'm going to tell you, for me personally, this has been something that I wrestled with well, since May and I'm on the tail end of it, of trying to take every thought captive, sent Christians ten five castle down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity at the obedience of Christ. 00:19:30.731 --> 00:19:32.597 Now, here's fun part of this. 00:19:32.597 --> 00:19:40.498 I always thought that meant take every bad thought, count this, know every thought captive. 00:19:40.498 --> 00:19:41.664 Do you know good thoughts? 00:19:41.664 --> 00:19:51.765 Actually try to exalt themselves above God and they try to move into different places of timing. 00:19:51.964 --> 00:19:57.231 You know, went back to Eve when Eve thought God was withholding. 00:19:57.664 --> 00:20:04.632 She withheld her trust, which then moved to her, withholding her love, which caused the issues there. 00:20:04.632 --> 00:20:06.964 Right. 00:20:06.964 --> 00:20:17.897 When I don't take every thought captive, sometimes good thoughts will try to exalt themselves above God, and I will find myself out of alignment. 00:20:17.897 --> 00:20:23.464 And for me, that's what happened, was all these things started happening. 00:20:23.464 --> 00:20:27.832 All these little little holes in my life, this one there, that one there. 00:20:27.832 --> 00:20:31.865 And they just started popping and I couldn't figure out what was going on. 00:20:31.865 --> 00:20:34.065 And then guess what? 00:20:34.065 --> 00:20:43.464 When life brings the little Satan's little struggles, where's my foundation? 00:20:44.164 --> 00:20:44.998 It can't. 00:20:44.998 --> 00:20:46.565 It can't hold. 00:20:46.565 --> 00:20:48.731 It's not stable. 00:20:48.731 --> 00:20:51.531 Unlike over here, when everything is patched up. 00:20:51.531 --> 00:20:54.531 Good, nice, tight. 00:20:54.531 --> 00:20:57.332 There's a solid foundation. 00:20:57.332 --> 00:20:58.565 Let me tell you something, though. 00:20:58.565 --> 00:21:00.865 What's beautiful about the Lord? 00:21:00.865 --> 00:21:05.832 Psalm 23, It says his rod stuff. 00:21:05.832 --> 00:21:09.132 One is there to guide the others there to correct. 00:21:09.132 --> 00:21:16.565 One is there to protecting, the other one's to bring things into a moment they guide and protect them. 00:21:16.565 --> 00:21:22.432 So when those little holes begin to form in my life, I can be sensitive to his spirit. 00:21:22.432 --> 00:21:24.932 I can have his words so deep inside me. 00:21:24.932 --> 00:21:27.397 I can be so in tune with what he's saying. 00:21:27.397 --> 00:21:34.265 When something gets out of line and I feel it creeping, I repent, quick to repent, to patch that up. 00:21:35.265 --> 00:21:37.397 And do you know what repentance is? 00:21:37.397 --> 00:21:42.332 Not an event, It's a lifestyle, repentance. 00:21:42.332 --> 00:21:56.065 It's got to be a daily thing because if not, when those things come, then you have a major crash, a major crash, and then you're like, Oh, I don't know what happened. 00:21:56.065 --> 00:21:58.198 My marriage was good, everything was solid. 00:21:58.198 --> 00:21:59.964 And now I let you know. 00:21:59.964 --> 00:22:02.632 I had a phone call with a friend this week. 00:22:02.632 --> 00:22:08.065 He just walked through a divorce and I said, Bro, what happened? Like, tell me. 00:22:08.065 --> 00:22:11.632 So we start protecting our marriage. 00:22:12.164 --> 00:22:12.498 Really? 00:22:12.498 --> 00:22:19.330 He says, We were partying when we should have been doing missions. 00:22:19.330 --> 00:22:21.164 I'm fine with vacations. 00:22:21.164 --> 00:22:22.597 Vacations are good. 00:22:22.597 --> 00:22:23.230 You need them. 00:22:23.230 --> 00:22:24.298 I'm about to go on one. 00:22:24.298 --> 00:22:26.198 I'm super pumped. 00:22:26.198 --> 00:22:31.265 But you have to be guarding those things because if not, you're foundations. 00:22:31.265 --> 00:22:34.830 And then you find yourself where you should have been in a different place. 00:22:34.830 --> 00:22:37.230 And it's not about this prosperity message. 00:22:37.230 --> 00:22:43.998 I'm talking about building on the foundation of God, leaving a legacy, leading things for your family, being a part of the community. 00:22:45.765 --> 00:22:46.631 You're not there. 00:22:46.631 --> 00:22:47.631 You're you're over here. 00:22:47.631 --> 00:22:49.330 Back to square one. 00:22:49.330 --> 00:22:50.164 Oh, here I am. 00:22:50.164 --> 00:22:52.931 I'm trying to rebuild my own strength. 00:22:52.931 --> 00:22:55.597 When we have his presence, we read his word. 00:22:55.597 --> 00:23:05.530 We'll let it go deep within when those things pop out, it's okay, because this loving kindness draws us to repentance. 00:23:05.530 --> 00:23:09.065 And I just would let his word wash over me every night. 00:23:09.065 --> 00:23:09.964 And how was repentance? 00:23:09.964 --> 00:23:15.030 The things I wasn't even sorry for, but I just was like, God, I pray God, this sorrow there I don't know. 00:23:15.030 --> 00:23:16.298 Maybe that's a bad thought. 00:23:16.298 --> 00:23:17.330 Maybe that's a bad thought. 00:23:17.330 --> 00:23:18.530 Maybe that's a good thought. 00:23:18.530 --> 00:23:19.631 But I'm sorry. I'm sorry. 00:23:19.631 --> 00:23:20.964 God forgive me here. 00:23:20.964 --> 00:23:22.265 I'm sorry I put this there. 00:23:22.265 --> 00:23:23.597 I'm sorry I put that there. 00:23:23.597 --> 00:23:27.131 And every night just let it as a word wash over me. 00:23:30.730 --> 00:23:34.631 The last story that I want to highlight is Luke. 00:23:36.065 --> 00:23:48.830 When Jesus went to the wilderness, said that Jesus being filled with the Holy Spirit. 00:23:48.830 --> 00:23:49.931 That's a key part. 00:23:49.931 --> 00:23:52.230 I want you to read that really carefully. 00:23:52.230 --> 00:24:03.597 Then Jesus being filled with the Holy Spirit returned from the Jordan, was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being tempted for 40 days by the devil. 00:24:03.597 --> 00:24:05.464 And in those days he ate nothing. 00:24:05.464 --> 00:24:10.798 And then afterward, when he had ended, he was hungry. 00:24:11.698 --> 00:24:18.097 Koby and I were talking about this earlier this week in the office. 00:24:20.065 --> 00:24:27.065 I think it's funny, my humor funny. 00:24:27.431 --> 00:24:37.798 When Satan showed up, Jesus could have responded a lot of different ways because he had already dealt with them once in the beginning. 00:24:37.798 --> 00:24:55.230 Like really you The analogy I like to use to my kids that they understand the power of the enemy versus the power of God is I say take a grain of sand and compare it to the ocean so they can see that contrasting difference in size. 00:24:55.230 --> 00:24:56.265 That's Satan's power. 00:24:56.265 --> 00:25:01.330 I turn around, look at the ocean, that's God's. 00:25:03.597 --> 00:25:07.065 But here's the powerful thing here. 00:25:09.730 --> 00:25:21.798 And the devil said to him, If you're the son of God to me, and these stones become bread, but Jesus signature to him, it is written man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. 00:25:21.964 --> 00:25:29.730 Then the devil try it again in Jesus answer to Him, Get behind me, Satan, for it is written. 00:25:29.730 --> 00:25:36.964 You shall worship the Lord Your God and Him only shall you serve deacons. 00:25:36.964 --> 00:25:40.765 If you don't want to go ahead to communion, that be great. 00:25:42.664 --> 00:25:45.664 And then you try it again. 00:25:47.765 --> 00:26:06.964 He says it has been said You shall not tempt the Lord your God, He responded, being filled with the Spirit and with the word being filled with the spirit and the word. 00:26:06.964 --> 00:26:07.698 Let me tell you something. 00:26:07.698 --> 00:26:09.998 As believers, we need both. 00:26:09.998 --> 00:26:12.597 Because if we don't have both, here's what's going to happen. 00:26:12.597 --> 00:26:19.365 If we respond, which is the word, there's a good chance we can fall into legalism. 00:26:19.765 --> 00:26:27.097 And if we respond just with the spirit over here, there a good chance we could follow the lawlessness. 00:26:27.097 --> 00:26:33.897 The two are anchors for us that we have to have together. 00:26:34.365 --> 00:26:57.330 Here's the thing, Jesus responded in a way and in a bottle form for you and I to grab a hold of when Jesus resisted Satan, what he was demonstrating, what God could do. 00:26:57.330 --> 00:26:58.030 Excuse me. 00:26:58.030 --> 00:27:13.431 He wasn't demonstrating what God can do, but what God could do is through a man submitted to the Word and the Holy Spirit, it was for you, and I was a model for you and how we were supposed to respond. 00:27:13.431 --> 00:27:14.798 It was something that was tangible. 00:27:14.798 --> 00:27:17.730 It was an example. 00:27:17.730 --> 00:27:18.897 I mean, you didn't. 00:27:18.897 --> 00:27:20.330 Why do you respond that way? 00:27:20.330 --> 00:27:50.498 You know, I this is this is Andrew's imagination here, but I vision him sitting there going, oh, I want to tell you a bunch of stuff, but I'm going to respond this way so that the people and I love this thought, I'm going to respond this because the ones that replaced your worship, I'm going to teach them how to defeat you because you remember when Satan went to him was like, Hey, what are you going to do? 00:27:50.498 --> 00:27:51.564 I'm your worship leader. 00:27:51.564 --> 00:27:52.463 Here I am. 00:27:52.463 --> 00:27:55.864 And and I love this thought again, this is my imagination here. 00:27:55.864 --> 00:28:03.864 I could just see Jesus picking a big, big thing of dirt with his dad up there in heaven and going, Well, we're going to replace you with this. 00:28:03.864 --> 00:28:11.198 Oh, agree life on this and this is going to take it your place and this is going to be pure worship. 00:28:12.030 --> 00:28:17.798 So let's bring all these thoughts of what's going on this morning. 00:28:17.931 --> 00:28:18.730 There's three stories. 00:28:18.730 --> 00:28:30.397 There's these now you've responded was letting the enemy in the fear. Okay. 00:28:30.397 --> 00:28:33.230 There was a Nehemiah doing the good, the work of the Lord. 00:28:33.230 --> 00:28:35.463 Hey, look, I'm building we're building these walls. 00:28:36.663 --> 00:28:55.897 And then there was Jesus who responded on the offense, what I want to do this morning is as communions being passed, I want you to ask the Holy Spirit, How am I responding to fear more than that? 00:28:55.897 --> 00:28:59.564 How am I responding to my thoughts? 00:28:59.564 --> 00:29:05.763 Because if I don't grab a hold of those first fears, going to get a foothold. 00:29:05.763 --> 00:29:24.163 But the open doors that I create through that and in that fear may be maybe you're freaking out about your health, maybe it's your family, maybe there's an issue with your family that you're just like, maybe it's a thought that you're entertained. 00:29:24.163 --> 00:29:29.897 Maybe it's that you both come from broken marriages and that you're thinking, was she leave or will he leave or will this happen? 00:29:29.897 --> 00:29:31.230 Will that happen? 00:29:31.230 --> 00:29:32.330 Maybe it's your finances. 00:29:32.330 --> 00:29:35.864 Maybe right now, with the economy the way it is, you're just panicking. 00:29:35.864 --> 00:29:44.397 Am I going to do Maybe it's your job, maybe you're going, well, is this where I'm at for the rest of my life? 00:29:44.397 --> 00:29:45.698 Is it or do you have something different? 00:29:45.698 --> 00:29:52.198 Lord Or maybe your question. 00:29:52.198 --> 00:29:58.397 You or your relationship with God is and the enemies want to torment you with those thoughts. 00:29:58.397 --> 00:30:09.631 So, deacons, if you go ahead and pass communion, I want to just posture our hearts right now and ask God to search your heart. 00:30:10.298 --> 00:30:11.498 Where is there fear? 00:30:11.498 --> 00:30:15.230 Where have I given an open door? 00:30:17.631 --> 00:30:21.330 Where is there a place that the enemy has? 00:30:21.330 --> 00:30:27.131 Has I've allowed him in and I haven't repented. 00:30:28.498 --> 00:30:29.498 You may think you may be. 00:30:29.498 --> 00:30:34.364 Also, you may be thinking that this is this is it for the rest of your life. 00:30:34.364 --> 00:30:39.131 God doesn't have anything better So right now just begin to ask the Lord. 00:30:39.131 --> 00:30:40.597 Search your heart. 00:30:40.597 --> 00:30:42.498 God, search my heart. 00:30:42.498 --> 00:30:48.698 Is there any area you've called me to be to build your kingdom? 00:30:48.698 --> 00:30:50.897 You've called me to walk fearlessly. 00:30:50.897 --> 00:30:54.397 You've called me to stand on the promises that you have. 00:30:54.397 --> 00:30:59.597 And in maybe I'm entertaining thoughts, I shouldn't entertain. 00:30:59.597 --> 00:31:04.463 Maybe I'm letting the enemy whisper in the night. 00:31:04.730 --> 00:31:06.897 And what happens a lot is we do good at first. 00:31:06.897 --> 00:31:08.097 We're doing we're doing good. 00:31:08.097 --> 00:31:09.163 We're resisting, resisting. 00:31:09.163 --> 00:31:16.463 But then we grow weary and we let his voice get so loud we don't recognize truth. 00:31:20.963 --> 00:31:28.564 So right now, all across the room, ask the Lord to search your heart. 00:31:28.564 --> 00:31:30.663 Ask the Lord. 00:31:30.663 --> 00:31:36.030 Is there any area that you need His presence to calm his truth in? 00:31:36.030 --> 00:31:38.097 Let me tell you, here's how we're going to do this. 00:31:38.097 --> 00:31:43.397 If there is a lie that you've agreed with, repent and replace it with truth. 00:31:46.663 --> 00:31:53.730 This is something that I've learned over the years from from those that are close to my life that have poured into me. 00:31:53.963 --> 00:31:57.431 If there's a lie, repent. 00:31:57.431 --> 00:32:19.830 If there's a fear that you've come in agreement with that just a few more seconds, then don't reason it. 00:32:19.864 --> 00:32:26.931 Because fear masquerades itself as wisdom and it masquerades itself as reason. 00:32:26.931 --> 00:32:29.864 It tries to entertain thoughts. 00:32:29.864 --> 00:32:33.963 And only if the Holy Spirit is on those thoughts should you go there. 00:32:33.963 --> 00:32:41.298 But there's life with those not downward spiral is not spinning you out of control. 00:32:43.498 --> 00:32:49.030 Some of us, including myself and the more godless, are there. 00:32:50.364 --> 00:32:54.564 So, Jesus, we ask you to come. 00:32:54.798 --> 00:33:00.597 We ask you to come convict our hearts that you're loving kindness. 00:33:00.597 --> 00:33:03.163 Let your word wash over us. 00:33:03.163 --> 00:33:09.763 It cleanses Jesus. 00:33:10.431 --> 00:33:15.963 She's got your communion in front of you to bless the body. 00:33:15.963 --> 00:33:18.131 There's blood. 00:33:18.131 --> 00:33:21.131 Here's what I want us to do. 00:33:24.431 --> 00:33:30.564 If we think your body is broken for us. 00:33:30.896 --> 00:33:33.896 So we could be free. 00:33:34.864 --> 00:33:35.263 A father. 00:33:35.263 --> 00:33:37.596 We bless your body. 00:33:37.596 --> 00:33:38.131 We thank you. 00:33:38.131 --> 00:33:40.631 That was broken so we can be free. 00:33:40.631 --> 00:33:43.631 Let's take it as body. 00:33:48.030 --> 00:33:53.963 Father, we think you of your blood that cleanses us so we can be fearless. 00:33:55.364 --> 00:33:56.196 We thank you, Father. 00:33:56.196 --> 00:34:00.730 That your blood washes is why is so fathers? 00:34:00.730 --> 00:34:01.297 We repent. 00:34:01.297 --> 00:34:09.864 This morning we ask for your blood to wash over us. 00:34:10.396 --> 00:34:12.164 We love Jesus. 00:34:12.164 --> 00:34:26.764 Let's take a blood with every head bowed, every eye closed. 00:34:28.831 --> 00:34:34.931 If you're here this morning and you want to say, and your man, I'm still wrestling with fear. 00:34:34.931 --> 00:34:38.097 I'm wrestling with thoughts, accusations, if you're here. 00:34:39.331 --> 00:34:40.164 Okay, Come on. 00:34:40.164 --> 00:34:41.396 All the other. 00:34:41.396 --> 00:34:42.597 Who else? 00:34:42.597 --> 00:34:43.496 Who else? 00:34:43.496 --> 00:34:45.396 Look, I'm telling you my story. 00:34:45.396 --> 00:34:49.364 We all have a story right now, okay? 00:34:50.364 --> 00:34:53.831 Here's what I want to do. 00:34:53.996 --> 00:34:55.496 We took of the body. 00:34:55.496 --> 00:35:01.664 We took it. The blood, the washing, the cleansing, the repentance. 00:35:01.664 --> 00:35:07.496 I want to pray over you all this area. 00:35:07.496 --> 00:35:14.130 And then I want to celebrate together on the offense of declaring who God is. 00:35:14.130 --> 00:35:15.630 Hey, man. 00:35:15.630 --> 00:35:21.097 So if that's you right now, I want you to posture your hands in a place of receiving. 00:35:21.097 --> 00:35:25.530 Okay, Father. 00:35:25.530 --> 00:35:31.931 God, right now we just break off every lie, every accusation, every fear. 00:35:31.931 --> 00:35:33.030 The enemy. 00:35:33.030 --> 00:35:35.164 Right now, we curse it. 00:35:35.164 --> 00:35:37.331 We send it back to the pits of hell. 00:35:37.331 --> 00:35:40.130 We say, Lord, your kingdom come on to our lives. 00:35:40.130 --> 00:35:43.697 We give you access Father Weaver pits, we repent. 00:35:43.697 --> 00:35:47.597 We take every thought captive to the knowledge of you. 00:35:47.597 --> 00:35:50.597 We repent, we repent. 00:35:50.697 --> 00:35:53.764 Start All right, Now, look, I'm just telling you what I'm getting from the Holy Spirit. 00:35:53.764 --> 00:35:58.530 Some of you right now, you're repenting, and then your reasoning, you're repenting and then your reasoning. 00:35:58.530 --> 00:36:00.364 So right now, take those thoughts captive. 00:36:00.364 --> 00:36:01.831 Take those thoughts. Captive. 00:36:01.831 --> 00:36:04.197 Any thought that is trying to exalt it? 00:36:04.197 --> 00:36:05.664 It could be a great thought. 00:36:05.664 --> 00:36:16.797 Any thought that is trying to exalt itself higher than the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, higher than the one that has you in the palm of his hands, higher than the one that knows every hair on your head. 00:36:16.797 --> 00:36:23.996 Any thought that is trying to exalt itself higher than that right now we take that captive because we are going to be known as a church. 00:36:23.996 --> 00:36:36.697 It is a people that are fearless, that walk in authority through the blood of Jesus God. 00:36:36.697 --> 00:36:38.864 It's true love and kindness. 00:36:38.864 --> 00:36:40.996 You just want a wholeness. 00:36:40.996 --> 00:36:45.297 You want to be a safe and loving father for us. 00:36:45.364 --> 00:36:47.264 Which is kind of the way we'll end this morning. 00:36:47.264 --> 00:36:49.396 A little different because we've got people down here. 00:36:49.396 --> 00:36:52.996 I'd love to come and just pray with you guys. 00:36:53.496 --> 00:36:56.463 Pastor John loves you guys. 00:36:56.463 --> 00:36:57.463 He'll be back soon. 00:36:57.463 --> 00:36:59.731 He's he's on vacation. 00:36:59.731 --> 00:37:00.664 But thank you all. 00:37:00.664 --> 00:37:04.396 Think Colby, we've got another guest this next week. 00:37:04.396 --> 00:37:09.396 It's going to be awesome, This free and fearless series I pray that is ministered to you. 00:37:09.396 --> 00:37:13.231 I pray that you caught something, even if things were kind of all over the place. 00:37:13.231 --> 00:37:15.630 I pray you got something in your heart this morning. 00:37:15.630 --> 00:37:18.364 I love you guys. 00:37:18.364 --> 00:37:18.731 I pray. 00:37:18.731 --> 00:37:22.597 Blessings in Jesus name, Amen. 00:37:22.597 --> 00:37:23.896 Go in peace. 00:37:23.896 --> 00:37:24.630 All right. If you want the