WEBVTT 00:00:07.333 --> 00:00:15.965 You know, there's great security in knowing you're a child of God when you know whose child you are. 00:00:15.965 --> 00:00:18.600 There's security in that. 00:00:18.600 --> 00:00:21.600 Perfect love casts out all fear. 00:00:21.865 --> 00:00:28.000 And if you are his child, he loves you perfectly in a world of imperfect love. 00:00:28.000 --> 00:00:40.865 What a powerful way to start a message today when we've been journeying, journeying, I have to say that we're journey going through a book about suffering for many, many weeks. 00:00:40.865 --> 00:00:43.500 But at this point. 00:00:43.500 --> 00:00:49.066 But you can find perfect security, perfect love, and knowing he is my Heavenly Father. 00:00:49.066 --> 00:00:52.865 He loves me when so many others have failed. 00:00:52.865 --> 00:00:55.865 That's the kind of security we need. 00:00:57.399 --> 00:01:00.399 In fact, I was reminded of a story. 00:01:00.500 --> 00:01:02.100 You hear me mention him often? 00:01:02.100 --> 00:01:04.832 No perfect leader, but very famous in history. 00:01:04.832 --> 00:01:09.000 Winston Churchill, Prime minister of Great Britain during World War two. 00:01:09.000 --> 00:01:11.599 There's a famous speech he gave in 1941. 00:01:11.599 --> 00:01:13.799 He was asked to give a commencement speech. 00:01:13.799 --> 00:01:18.533 And they're just two years into the war at this point, but they've already encountered so much. 00:01:18.533 --> 00:01:21.400 You know, the war for them was very different than the war for us. 00:01:21.400 --> 00:01:25.933 They had the Germans wanting to invade, actively attack their island. 00:01:25.933 --> 00:01:26.665 We didn't have that. 00:01:26.665 --> 00:01:29.033 We have a gigantic ocean between us and them. 00:01:29.033 --> 00:01:30.465 But he was asked to give a message. 00:01:30.465 --> 00:01:34.266 What have you learned up to this point about how to endure? 00:01:34.266 --> 00:01:36.965 Share this with our soon to be graduates. 00:01:36.965 --> 00:01:41.099 What will be an encouragement to them for how to succeed in life? 00:01:42.766 --> 00:01:45.965 And he got up and he gave some introductory comments. 00:01:45.965 --> 00:01:49.132 But then he got right to the point and he said, here is the key. 00:01:49.132 --> 00:01:54.500 Here's the key idea you need never give in. 00:01:54.500 --> 00:01:56.832 Never give in. 00:01:56.832 --> 00:02:03.465 Never never, never, never give in, never give in. 00:02:03.465 --> 00:02:06.465 And anything great or small. 00:02:07.365 --> 00:02:13.966 And he said that a year ago, many of the surrounding countries thought it was over for us, though we never doubted. 00:02:14.800 --> 00:02:16.032 Never give in. 00:02:16.032 --> 00:02:18.165 Don't give in to tyranny. 00:02:18.165 --> 00:02:23.800 Don't give in to the supposed strength of those who are attacking. 00:02:23.800 --> 00:02:30.300 He said, because we have stood firm now, all we need to do to conquer is to keep persevering. 00:02:31.466 --> 00:02:36.800 I thought of that message and I thought about Peter's audience, who is suffering. 00:02:36.800 --> 00:02:42.532 And let me tell you, when you're suffering, the temptation is to give in. 00:02:42.532 --> 00:02:44.199 I've had enough. 00:02:44.199 --> 00:02:48.332 I don't know if I can last any longer. 00:02:48.832 --> 00:02:49.800 It's too much. 00:02:49.800 --> 00:02:53.032 Lord, why are you allowing this to continue? 00:02:53.032 --> 00:02:57.832 I guarantee you, many of the people in Great Britain felt that way in 1941. 00:02:57.832 --> 00:02:59.932 I don't know how much longer we can hold out. 00:02:59.932 --> 00:03:05.265 When you're suffering the temptation is to give up, to quit, to give in. 00:03:05.265 --> 00:03:08.265 But Peter has a message for that audience today. 00:03:08.265 --> 00:03:19.432 In fact, we're going to be in first Peter chapter five, in the last, nearing the very end of first Peter, if you have a church Bible that'll be on page 789, we have Bibles for you. 00:03:19.432 --> 00:03:20.466 At the connection corner. 00:03:20.466 --> 00:03:22.500 You can slip out and grab one at any time. 00:03:22.500 --> 00:03:25.133 Page numbers on the screen match up to those Bibles. 00:03:25.133 --> 00:03:28.733 Those are for you to keep a hang on to to read from. 00:03:28.733 --> 00:03:31.000 We want you in God's Word regularly. 00:03:32.300 --> 00:03:41.032 We're going to see in today's passage five ways to fight the temptation to give up when you face that temptation. 00:03:41.032 --> 00:03:43.165 I don't know if I can last any longer. 00:03:43.165 --> 00:03:45.832 This is more than I thought I could bear. 00:03:45.832 --> 00:03:48.832 How do we fight that temptation to give up? 00:03:48.832 --> 00:03:51.566 Instead, persevere to stay engaged. 00:03:51.566 --> 00:03:53.199 We're going to see five ways to do that here. 00:03:53.199 --> 00:04:01.765 But let's just read these eight, these verses here in first Peter chapter five, starting with verse eight. 00:04:08.900 --> 00:04:09.500 Verse eight. 00:04:09.500 --> 00:04:11.000 Be sober minded. 00:04:11.000 --> 00:04:12.532 Be watchful. 00:04:12.532 --> 00:04:20.466 Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking to someone to devour. 00:04:21.132 --> 00:04:23.199 Resist him. 00:04:23.199 --> 00:04:51.399 Firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world and after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you to him. 00:04:51.399 --> 00:04:54.800 Be the dominion forever and ever. 00:04:55.932 --> 00:04:58.533 Amen. 00:04:58.533 --> 00:05:06.565 In here today, we're going to see five ways to fight the temptation to give up when you're feeling overwhelmed. 00:05:06.565 --> 00:05:10.966 And the first one here is in these first two words in verse eight. 00:05:10.966 --> 00:05:11.766 And here it is. 00:05:11.766 --> 00:05:14.333 Stay alert. 00:05:14.333 --> 00:05:17.132 First and foremost, stay alert. 00:05:17.132 --> 00:05:18.865 The words we have here. 00:05:18.865 --> 00:05:21.199 Be sober minded and be watchful. 00:05:21.199 --> 00:05:23.699 We've already seen that word multiple times at first. 00:05:23.699 --> 00:05:28.065 Peter on be sober minded, we start chapter four, verse seven. 00:05:28.065 --> 00:05:30.033 Be sober minded. 00:05:30.033 --> 00:05:33.632 Be self-controlled for the sake of your prayer. 00:05:33.632 --> 00:05:36.165 Have an awareness of presence. 00:05:36.165 --> 00:05:36.865 Don't be. 00:05:36.865 --> 00:05:41.733 Don't let your mind be numbed by what you intake by this world. 00:05:41.733 --> 00:05:43.233 But to be present. 00:05:43.233 --> 00:05:45.733 But hear these two words together. 00:05:45.733 --> 00:05:47.432 Be sober minded. 00:05:47.432 --> 00:05:50.333 Be watchful that only occur together. 00:05:50.333 --> 00:05:52.033 One other place. 00:05:52.033 --> 00:05:53.899 And it's in first Thessalonians chapter five. 00:05:55.000 --> 00:06:03.632 And first Thessalonians, and especially chapter four in chapter five are all about encouraging people to be ready for Christ's return. 00:06:03.632 --> 00:06:05.199 He's going to come back. 00:06:05.199 --> 00:06:06.233 Be ready. 00:06:06.233 --> 00:06:07.466 Be watchful. 00:06:07.466 --> 00:06:08.733 Be on the alert. 00:06:08.733 --> 00:06:20.632 And when you think the end is near, you're going to have a heightened awareness around you to be on the watch, to be more alert to everything in life. 00:06:21.865 --> 00:06:25.500 Jesus uses at least that be watchful word. 00:06:25.500 --> 00:06:28.432 He also uses that in the garden with the disciples. 00:06:28.432 --> 00:06:30.966 You may remember Matthew 26. 00:06:30.966 --> 00:06:33.466 He asked them, he knows the end is near for him. 00:06:33.466 --> 00:06:35.533 He knows he's about to be betrayed. 00:06:35.533 --> 00:06:40.033 And so he brings some of the disciples with him to the garden, and he asks them to do one simple thing. 00:06:40.033 --> 00:06:42.065 What does he ask them to do for him? 00:06:43.500 --> 00:06:44.365 Just to pray. 00:06:44.365 --> 00:06:46.432 That's all I want you guys to do. 00:06:46.432 --> 00:06:48.065 Just pray. 00:06:48.065 --> 00:06:51.800 And he goes off to pray and he comes back. 00:06:51.800 --> 00:06:54.132 And they treat a prayer like I do often. 00:06:54.132 --> 00:06:57.132 I took a little nap instead. 00:06:58.065 --> 00:06:59.632 And he's like God. 00:06:59.632 --> 00:07:00.500 Here's what he says. 00:07:00.500 --> 00:07:02.665 Wake up. 00:07:02.665 --> 00:07:04.665 Wake up. 00:07:04.665 --> 00:07:05.600 It's the same word. 00:07:05.600 --> 00:07:07.899 Be watchful. Be attentive. 00:07:07.899 --> 00:07:10.600 Be ready. Be on guard. Be present. 00:07:10.600 --> 00:07:11.733 What are you doing? 00:07:11.733 --> 00:07:13.500 You think this is no big deal? 00:07:13.500 --> 00:07:16.132 You don't understand what's at stake here. 00:07:16.132 --> 00:07:19.065 Be watchful. 00:07:19.065 --> 00:07:23.632 When you know the end is near, there is a heightened awareness. 00:07:23.632 --> 00:07:25.733 There is a presence of mind. 00:07:25.733 --> 00:07:27.065 There's an attentiveness. 00:07:27.065 --> 00:07:28.500 Stay alert. 00:07:28.500 --> 00:07:31.333 A continual effort to stay alert. 00:07:31.333 --> 00:07:32.399 Stay present. 00:07:32.399 --> 00:07:34.165 Stay mindful now. 00:07:34.165 --> 00:07:35.932 Why does he say that? 00:07:35.932 --> 00:07:38.033 That is important. 00:07:38.033 --> 00:07:39.766 Because it's not just that. 00:07:39.766 --> 00:07:41.233 Yeah. I'm coming back someday. 00:07:41.233 --> 00:07:42.833 Be ready for that. 00:07:42.833 --> 00:07:45.932 There's a real reason why he says to be mindful. 00:07:45.932 --> 00:07:47.065 Look back here at verse eight. 00:07:48.132 --> 00:07:48.899 Be watchful. 00:07:48.899 --> 00:08:00.699 Be sober minded because your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 00:08:01.399 --> 00:08:05.233 Part of the reason we need to stay alert, be watchful. Be mindful. Be present. 00:08:05.233 --> 00:08:10.966 Be aware of what's going on around us because there is a real threat around us. 00:08:12.800 --> 00:08:24.300 And it's interesting that he uses the imagery of a lion, because other places in Scripture, a lion is used for Christ, the lion and the lamb to speak to his might, splendor, strength. 00:08:24.300 --> 00:08:29.766 Okay, but here he uses a lion and relates that to the devil. 00:08:29.766 --> 00:08:32.533 Why would he do that? 00:08:32.533 --> 00:08:38.200 Well, he is speaking to the the danger of a lion. 00:08:38.299 --> 00:08:49.533 In fact, if you live at this time, one real threat for a Christian was to be fed to lions in the Roman ampitheater. 00:08:51.332 --> 00:08:54.633 That would have been an ever present threat. 00:08:54.633 --> 00:08:56.666 There are church fathers who spoke of this. 00:08:56.666 --> 00:09:00.365 I know someday I am likely to be fed to the lions. 00:09:00.365 --> 00:09:08.166 One guy said, I am like wheat, and being ground in the teeth of the lions will turn me into the bread of Christ. 00:09:09.265 --> 00:09:11.299 That's one way to look at it. 00:09:11.299 --> 00:09:15.466 This is how I will enter into his presence. 00:09:15.732 --> 00:09:18.133 That sounds rather challenging. 00:09:18.133 --> 00:09:18.832 Rather difficult. 00:09:18.832 --> 00:09:21.600 I'd rather avoid that lion altogether personally. 00:09:21.600 --> 00:09:24.033 And he says, be on the alert. 00:09:24.033 --> 00:09:25.466 Some have taken this passage. 00:09:25.466 --> 00:09:33.765 I've heard this taught where they say, look, what this means is that, you know, old lions were the only ones who really roar and they don't really have teeth. 00:09:33.765 --> 00:09:35.899 Are all bark, no bite. 00:09:35.899 --> 00:09:37.033 You don't have to worry about that. 00:09:37.033 --> 00:09:40.232 That shows that they're throwing out their last efforts. 00:09:41.466 --> 00:09:41.899 Well, I've. 00:09:41.899 --> 00:09:44.100 I've been to Africa. 00:09:44.100 --> 00:09:44.899 I've been. 00:09:44.899 --> 00:09:49.765 In fact, we had a student that we kind of hosted for a season in little Rock. 00:09:49.765 --> 00:09:50.600 He was from Africa. 00:09:50.600 --> 00:09:55.432 He had come from Rwanda to learn at the college, and he was supposed to go back. 00:09:55.432 --> 00:09:57.932 And it was a partnership they had between countries. 00:09:57.932 --> 00:10:02.200 But while he was there, different Christian families were hosting some of these kids to help. 00:10:02.200 --> 00:10:03.466 Just love on the media and live with us. 00:10:03.466 --> 00:10:07.399 But he come over, hang out, have meals, learn about American culture. 00:10:07.399 --> 00:10:12.700 And so one day I actually had the chance to go visit his family in Rwanda. 00:10:12.700 --> 00:10:14.932 I was already going there to teach at a Bible college. 00:10:14.932 --> 00:10:16.799 In fact, here's an image you'll see of their family. 00:10:16.799 --> 00:10:21.265 We went to their little village, and we got to meet some of their family. 00:10:21.265 --> 00:10:22.600 And we saw their village. 00:10:22.600 --> 00:10:24.533 We saw their home. 00:10:24.533 --> 00:10:25.865 Go ahead, put that image up on the screen. 00:10:25.865 --> 00:10:26.899 Now, if you would. 00:10:26.899 --> 00:10:32.200 And this was probably a third of their entire family that were all there in this one little house. 00:10:32.200 --> 00:10:34.765 Just four little rooms. 00:10:34.765 --> 00:10:39.332 And it was just packed with people and and people from the whole village. 00:10:39.332 --> 00:10:47.932 In fact, they told me when I came, they said, you may be the very first white person to come to this village, and this is where he grew up. 00:10:47.932 --> 00:11:00.732 Now the interesting part of this village is they were on the edge of one of these large national parks where a lot of the wild animals are, and these are these are huge parks and there's no, there's so big, in fact, put up the next image. 00:11:00.732 --> 00:11:03.466 My mom actually had a chance to go with me and my youngest son. 00:11:03.466 --> 00:11:04.600 And here we are. 00:11:04.600 --> 00:11:05.200 Me and my mom. 00:11:05.200 --> 00:11:08.166 As we're about to enter into the park. 00:11:08.166 --> 00:11:10.332 That's a skull from an elephant. 00:11:10.332 --> 00:11:10.765 There. 00:11:11.799 --> 00:11:13.265 Great place to get a picture. 00:11:13.265 --> 00:11:18.566 We head into the park, and it was hours and hours of driving without seeing any. 00:11:18.566 --> 00:11:21.765 Anybody else, any other cars or anything. 00:11:21.765 --> 00:11:24.566 Just huge park. 00:11:24.566 --> 00:11:27.566 They don't put fences around these parts. 00:11:28.865 --> 00:11:32.466 It'd be like trying to put a fence around the Red River Gorge or something. 00:11:32.466 --> 00:11:35.466 Around the whole kind of area. 00:11:35.966 --> 00:11:39.299 Except there's no lions in the Red River Gorge, by the way. 00:11:39.299 --> 00:11:44.299 As far as I know, maybe a mountain lion or something, but not the same. 00:11:44.299 --> 00:11:51.799 And if you are in his village and you hear a lion, they do have lions in this park. 00:11:51.799 --> 00:11:54.332 This is actually a picture of a lion in the park. 00:11:54.332 --> 00:11:57.732 That's not how I don't mind him staying there. 00:11:57.732 --> 00:11:59.865 But if they can do that, that's dangerous. 00:11:59.865 --> 00:12:02.932 If you're in his village and you hear a lion roaring. 00:12:05.166 --> 00:12:07.832 You better take note. 00:12:07.832 --> 00:12:09.033 You better be cautious. 00:12:09.033 --> 00:12:10.899 You better be alert to just go. 00:12:10.899 --> 00:12:19.200 Walking along aimlessly with no sense of caution would be utterly foolish. 00:12:20.265 --> 00:12:23.500 And yes, the devil has been defeated. 00:12:23.500 --> 00:12:33.133 We know the ultimate outcome, and yet he's still allowed in this in-between time before the final time when Christ returns, he's come is defeated. 00:12:33.133 --> 00:12:34.566 Death. He's going to come back him. 00:12:34.566 --> 00:12:42.232 In this in-between time, he's allowed to continue to influence the world. 00:12:42.232 --> 00:12:53.299 And I think what's fascinating about the devil strategy in this day and age, people are a lot less likely to see him as a lion prowling about. 00:12:53.533 --> 00:12:58.865 They're a thousand times more likely to say he's not real. 00:12:58.865 --> 00:13:00.533 He doesn't exist. 00:13:00.533 --> 00:13:01.765 Come on. Really? 00:13:01.765 --> 00:13:02.732 What are you worried about? 00:13:04.232 --> 00:13:07.232 Which is probably his best strategy. 00:13:07.265 --> 00:13:14.633 We've been lulled to sleep, thinking he doesn't exist, thinking I've got nothing to worry about. 00:13:15.299 --> 00:13:17.033 Now there's two extremes you can swing to. 00:13:17.033 --> 00:13:18.100 When you think about the devil. 00:13:18.100 --> 00:13:20.932 One is he doesn't exist. No big deal. 00:13:20.932 --> 00:13:22.166 I don't have to worry about him at all. 00:13:22.166 --> 00:13:27.533 Even though Scripture says he prowls about like a roaring lion seeking to destroy, seeking to devour. 00:13:27.899 --> 00:13:33.432 The other extreme is to see him behind every single thing that happens in your life. 00:13:33.432 --> 00:13:34.533 You know your tail light goes out. 00:13:34.533 --> 00:13:36.000 The devil's against me again today. 00:13:36.000 --> 00:13:38.332 He's after me. I know it well. 00:13:38.332 --> 00:13:40.533 The devil is not omnipresent like God. 00:13:40.533 --> 00:13:43.133 He's not everywhere. 00:13:43.133 --> 00:13:48.399 He's probably not singling you out day in, day out. 00:13:48.399 --> 00:13:50.200 Though. Demons certainly can be. 00:13:50.200 --> 00:13:51.299 There can be attacks. 00:13:51.299 --> 00:13:55.200 A lot of what we face is just the natural consequence of a fallen world. 00:13:58.365 --> 00:14:00.466 But the reality is he does exist. 00:14:00.466 --> 00:14:01.500 He is at work. 00:14:01.500 --> 00:14:11.633 He is seeking to disrupt God's plan and especially seeking to see those who are pursuing Christ persecuted. 00:14:11.932 --> 00:14:14.066 And that's who Peter is speaking to. 00:14:14.066 --> 00:14:16.033 Now, what do we do about that? 00:14:16.033 --> 00:14:18.799 What is our strategy? 00:14:18.799 --> 00:14:23.000 Because when I'm being attacked, I don't like that there's a temptation to want to give up. 00:14:23.000 --> 00:14:24.066 This is too much. 00:14:24.066 --> 00:14:25.332 This is too hard. 00:14:25.332 --> 00:14:27.166 I don't like this. 00:14:27.166 --> 00:14:28.732 It doesn't even take a roaring lion. 00:14:28.732 --> 00:14:34.232 It may just take a tail light being out to be enough to be like, I'm out is a hard day. 00:14:34.232 --> 00:14:36.700 Can be two fickle at times. 00:14:36.700 --> 00:14:39.265 What are our strategies? 00:14:39.265 --> 00:14:42.732 Well, it continues with the next one here. 00:14:42.732 --> 00:14:46.566 Looking back at verse eight, the devil prowls around like a lion. 00:14:46.566 --> 00:14:48.265 Roaring lion. 00:14:48.265 --> 00:14:51.765 But in verse nine, we get our second way to fight the temptation to give up. 00:14:51.765 --> 00:14:52.432 Look at verse nine. 00:14:53.466 --> 00:14:55.399 Resist him. 00:14:55.399 --> 00:15:03.932 Firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 00:15:03.932 --> 00:15:09.365 The second way is to practice active resistance. 00:15:09.365 --> 00:15:13.466 Practice active resistance because it works. 00:15:13.466 --> 00:15:14.365 Resist him. 00:15:14.365 --> 00:15:20.666 In fact, the text I want you to look at is James four, 6 or 7, which is just 1 or 2 pages back in your Bible. 00:15:20.666 --> 00:15:21.533 Just go back. 00:15:21.533 --> 00:15:25.100 A couple of pages of the book of James comes right before first Peter. 00:15:25.100 --> 00:15:29.399 There's a passage in there that's real similar to some of what we've seen in first. 00:15:29.399 --> 00:15:35.500 Peter, if you go over to James four, six and seven. 00:15:36.299 --> 00:15:38.232 Verse six says, but he gives more grace. 00:15:38.232 --> 00:15:42.232 Therefore it says, God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. 00:15:42.232 --> 00:15:44.200 We saw that last week. 00:15:44.200 --> 00:15:47.332 We talked about humble yourselves, therefore, the mighty hand of God here. 00:15:47.332 --> 00:15:50.332 And the fact quoted that same verse got a person opposes the proud. 00:15:50.332 --> 00:15:51.200 Give grace to the humble. 00:15:52.432 --> 00:15:54.100 Submit yourselves therefore to God. 00:15:54.100 --> 00:15:58.232 And here's the here's the phrase from today resist the devil. 00:15:58.232 --> 00:16:05.299 But he added a phrase that's not in first Peter resist him and he will flee from you. 00:16:05.700 --> 00:16:08.700 This is why resisting is important. 00:16:08.732 --> 00:16:12.166 You want to know how to get the devil to leave you alone. Resist. 00:16:12.166 --> 00:16:14.799 Actively resist. 00:16:14.799 --> 00:16:17.500 And there's this mindset that the devil is so powerful. 00:16:17.500 --> 00:16:21.832 There's nothing I can do to keep him from bothering me. 00:16:22.600 --> 00:16:24.932 That's not biblical. 00:16:24.932 --> 00:16:27.033 Yes, the devil is powerful. 00:16:27.033 --> 00:16:28.566 He is. 00:16:28.566 --> 00:16:31.066 But we're not called to fear him. 00:16:31.066 --> 00:16:31.365 We don't. 00:16:31.365 --> 00:16:32.566 We don't fear the devil. 00:16:32.566 --> 00:16:34.200 We fear God alone. 00:16:34.200 --> 00:16:38.033 Now, that doesn't mean you dismiss him or treat him flippantly because he is powerful. 00:16:38.033 --> 00:16:40.600 But I don't fear him. 00:16:40.600 --> 00:16:43.133 In fact, I actively resist him. 00:16:44.399 --> 00:16:46.166 You see this in Scripture. 00:16:46.166 --> 00:16:48.832 You see this with Jesus. 00:16:48.832 --> 00:16:53.100 When the devil attacks him, he actively resists him. 00:16:53.332 --> 00:16:56.365 In fact, we're going to see that in our next point. 00:16:56.365 --> 00:16:59.365 How do we go about actively resisting? 00:16:59.932 --> 00:17:01.432 There's different ways you can do that. 00:17:01.432 --> 00:17:03.133 To say resist is one thing. 00:17:03.133 --> 00:17:05.266 How do we actively resist? 00:17:05.266 --> 00:17:08.633 Practically resist on an ongoing basis? 00:17:09.833 --> 00:17:21.099 This is in this verse, verse nine, resist him standing firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 00:17:21.099 --> 00:17:22.932 Here's how you resist him actively. 00:17:22.932 --> 00:17:26.732 Number three strengthen your immune system. 00:17:27.799 --> 00:17:30.133 I'm not talking about your physical immune system, though. 00:17:30.133 --> 00:17:30.633 That's great. 00:17:30.633 --> 00:17:34.365 After it seems like it's taking a month for me to recover from whatever. 00:17:34.365 --> 00:17:35.465 I had the flu or something. 00:17:36.532 --> 00:17:39.833 Strengthen your immune systems on the physical side of life. 00:17:39.833 --> 00:17:50.299 It's great to have a lot of remedies for when you do get sick, whether it's the doctor or essential oils or whatever you use to try to ward off sickness when it comes. 00:17:50.299 --> 00:17:52.066 But what's way better? 00:17:52.066 --> 00:17:59.700 What's a million times better, is to have a really strong immune system so that your own immune system can fight off whatever comes that. 00:17:59.700 --> 00:18:02.266 There's too many things that are going to come at you. 00:18:02.266 --> 00:18:09.365 So to be strong, help protect you more than the medicines you can take after the fact. 00:18:09.365 --> 00:18:11.700 And the same is true spiritually. 00:18:11.700 --> 00:18:18.232 You want to be really strong spiritually, to be able to withstand the attacks of the enemy. 00:18:19.133 --> 00:18:22.432 In fact, the way we do that is what he says here in verse nine. 00:18:22.432 --> 00:18:24.900 Be firm in your faith. 00:18:24.900 --> 00:18:26.465 Be firm in your faith. 00:18:27.799 --> 00:18:38.266 So going back to that example of Jesus, Jesus spent 40 days at the front end of his ministry in the wilderness, fasting and praying for 40 days. 00:18:39.032 --> 00:18:40.000 And he comes out of that. 00:18:40.000 --> 00:18:46.099 And the first thing that happens is that the devil attacks. 00:18:46.365 --> 00:18:47.900 By the way, I've noticed this in life. 00:18:47.900 --> 00:18:48.799 Have you experienced this? 00:18:48.799 --> 00:18:56.000 It seems like some of the times I'm most vulnerable to an attack is when I've had a really high spiritual moment. 00:18:56.000 --> 00:18:56.365 But then. 00:18:56.365 --> 00:18:59.865 Yet maybe that's left me really low physically. Really tired. 00:18:59.865 --> 00:19:02.299 Jesus would have been at a pinnacle spiritually. 00:19:02.299 --> 00:19:03.566 40 days of fasting. 00:19:03.566 --> 00:19:08.500 Talk about a heightened awareness spiritually and yet probably at a very low point. 00:19:08.633 --> 00:19:12.200 Physically he was probably very hungry, angry, lonely and tired. 00:19:12.200 --> 00:19:12.965 Probably what? 00:19:12.965 --> 00:19:14.032 He was angry in the right way. 00:19:14.032 --> 00:19:15.432 But you get what I'm saying. 00:19:15.432 --> 00:19:16.299 Like you've been there. 00:19:16.299 --> 00:19:17.000 You've been hungry. 00:19:17.000 --> 00:19:18.066 You've been like, I don't. 00:19:18.066 --> 00:19:19.333 I can't take anything else. 00:19:19.333 --> 00:19:22.232 The slightest little thing might that set me off in that moment. 00:19:23.799 --> 00:19:27.833 And he comes and attacks in that right. 00:19:28.799 --> 00:19:31.833 The high point spiritually, I've been to the mountaintop. 00:19:31.833 --> 00:19:33.133 We've been to the top of Everest. 00:19:33.133 --> 00:19:35.633 We've done the hard part. 00:19:35.633 --> 00:19:40.432 But it's the descent where most people encounter the biggest problems. 00:19:40.432 --> 00:19:42.900 I gave all my energy to that. 00:19:42.900 --> 00:19:47.500 And now I'm weak and tired and I'm coming back down. 00:19:47.633 --> 00:19:50.633 And the devil attacks him right then. 00:19:51.766 --> 00:19:56.032 And how does he ward off the attacks of the devil? 00:19:56.032 --> 00:19:58.299 What does he do? 00:19:58.299 --> 00:20:00.365 I think I heard someone say it. 00:20:00.365 --> 00:20:01.432 Scripture. 00:20:01.432 --> 00:20:03.500 It quotes Scripture. 00:20:03.500 --> 00:20:05.333 Of course the devil quotes scripture. 00:20:05.333 --> 00:20:07.133 It's like he misquoted. 00:20:07.133 --> 00:20:13.133 He quotes, but he misused the scripture to try to deceive, manipulate. 00:20:13.133 --> 00:20:15.700 He loves to use a partial truth. 00:20:15.700 --> 00:20:17.400 He'll do that to you, by the way. 00:20:17.400 --> 00:20:19.500 Who do you think you are going to church? 00:20:19.500 --> 00:20:20.465 I know what you've done. 00:20:20.465 --> 00:20:21.633 Who do you think you are? 00:20:21.633 --> 00:20:23.833 He'll use a partial truth in your life. 00:20:23.833 --> 00:20:27.566 Like God can't save you, rescue you, redeem you because of what you've done. 00:20:27.566 --> 00:20:31.165 He loves to use a partial truth and use Scripture. 00:20:31.165 --> 00:20:34.400 And Jesus responds with Scripture. 00:20:36.965 --> 00:20:45.865 Now, the reason he could quote God's Word to Satan is because he knew God's Word and one. 00:20:45.865 --> 00:20:47.400 Look, there's no shortcut to this. 00:20:47.400 --> 00:20:54.200 One of the ways to be firm in your faith is to hide God's Word in your heart. There's no shortcut. 00:20:54.200 --> 00:20:59.932 Psalm 119 9 to 11 says, I have hidden your word in my heart so that I might not sin against you. 00:20:59.932 --> 00:21:03.799 I've got to be actively hiding His Word in my life. 00:21:03.799 --> 00:21:11.633 I've got to be actively absorbing and meditating on His Word so that when times come up when I need it, it'll be there. 00:21:12.333 --> 00:21:17.266 I've hidden your word in my heart so that I might not sin against you. 00:21:17.266 --> 00:21:26.700 We see Jesus call on God's Word in that moment and if you're not regularly memorizing scripture, let me just encourage you to start. 00:21:26.799 --> 00:21:29.633 I'm not here to put you down for what you haven't done. 00:21:29.633 --> 00:21:31.500 There's plenty people that want to do that. 00:21:31.500 --> 00:21:32.865 We want to do that to ourselves. 00:21:32.865 --> 00:21:34.032 Just start somewhere. 00:21:34.032 --> 00:21:36.266 Pick any verse that matter. 00:21:36.266 --> 00:21:37.799 Sometimes you'll get overwhelmed by. 00:21:37.799 --> 00:21:39.232 What part should I remember? 00:21:39.232 --> 00:21:41.000 Just open it up and point to a verse. 00:21:41.000 --> 00:21:42.232 It doesn't matter. 00:21:42.232 --> 00:21:45.232 Start memorizing God's Word. 00:21:45.766 --> 00:21:54.532 I'll encourage you two other places to start our memory verse for the church this month with first Peter five, six and seven, which we talked about last week. 00:21:54.532 --> 00:21:58.266 Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you at the proper time. 00:21:58.266 --> 00:22:01.099 Cast your anxieties upon him, which we did last week. 00:22:01.099 --> 00:22:02.799 We had a table down here. 00:22:02.799 --> 00:22:05.500 Half of us were here about last week because of the snow. 00:22:05.500 --> 00:22:07.165 We had a table, which is fine, I understand. 00:22:07.165 --> 00:22:13.732 We had a table down here and people actually took us no card and wrote their anxiety on it and laid it before him. 00:22:13.732 --> 00:22:14.633 I'm going to lay it down. 00:22:14.633 --> 00:22:17.032 I'm going to cast it on him because he cares for me. 00:22:18.365 --> 00:22:20.833 Maybe first Peter five six and seven is a great one. 00:22:20.833 --> 00:22:22.133 We've been talking about it. 00:22:22.133 --> 00:22:22.865 Humble yourselves. 00:22:22.865 --> 00:22:25.865 Cast your anxieties on him. 00:22:26.099 --> 00:22:26.833 But it's not that. 00:22:26.833 --> 00:22:28.232 Pick one. 00:22:28.232 --> 00:22:32.665 Whatever that anxiety was that you wrote down. 00:22:33.532 --> 00:22:35.165 Pick a verse related to that. 00:22:35.165 --> 00:22:43.200 Because reality is, I'm guessing this week that some of us were tempted to come back to church, find it, pick it, back up. 00:22:43.200 --> 00:22:46.365 I like that down, but I'm not sure I'm ready to. 00:22:46.365 --> 00:22:48.232 I don't know that I can trust that to him yet. 00:22:48.232 --> 00:22:51.965 I want to worry about it some more myself. 00:22:51.965 --> 00:22:53.566 Who here was tempted to do that this week? 00:22:53.566 --> 00:22:56.165 I laid it down, but I wanted to come pick it back up. 00:22:56.165 --> 00:23:00.465 Okay, two of you now I know, but we got another thing to lay down here this week. 00:23:00.465 --> 00:23:01.432 Okay? There's a few more. 00:23:01.432 --> 00:23:02.232 I saw them come up. 00:23:03.200 --> 00:23:04.432 Yeah. 00:23:04.432 --> 00:23:19.333 Pick a verse related to that anxiety that you wrote down, whether it was finances, whether it was salvation of a friend or family member or child, or maybe it was just anxiety in general for me. 00:23:19.333 --> 00:23:26.066 There was a season where Matthew six, the later part of that chapter, I was quoting it constantly. 00:23:26.066 --> 00:23:36.133 I felt like I was up with worry and anxiety and that whole section he talks about do not worry about what you eat, what you wear. 00:23:36.133 --> 00:23:46.932 The pagans run after all these things, but your heavenly father knows that you need seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all those things will be added to you as well. 00:23:46.932 --> 00:23:48.700 You know, worry about tomorrow. 00:23:48.700 --> 00:23:50.799 Tomorrow has enough worry on its own. 00:23:50.799 --> 00:23:53.900 Each day has enough trouble of its own. 00:23:54.266 --> 00:23:56.299 It cares for the birds. 00:23:56.299 --> 00:23:58.032 It cares for the flowers of the fields. 00:23:59.333 --> 00:24:01.133 He knows how to meet your needs. 00:24:01.133 --> 00:24:07.200 I quoted that multiple times a day and it was a deep comfort to my soul. 00:24:09.532 --> 00:24:15.066 So if you want to be firm in your faith, one strategy is to know His word, be in his word, memorize his word. 00:24:15.066 --> 00:24:16.465 There's no shortcuts around that. 00:24:16.465 --> 00:24:19.465 We've got to hide His word in our heart. 00:24:19.833 --> 00:24:23.232 Another is staying on the example of Jesus. 00:24:23.232 --> 00:24:25.665 This prayer. 00:24:25.665 --> 00:24:27.965 Jesus spent 40 days. 00:24:27.965 --> 00:24:33.465 Maybe he knew the attack of the devil was coming and he spent 40 days preparing in prayer. 00:24:33.833 --> 00:24:39.365 Talk about a heightened spiritual awareness, fasting and prayer. 00:24:39.432 --> 00:24:42.365 But there were plenty of times where he just got away by himself. 00:24:42.365 --> 00:24:49.333 I got to pull away from everything else the madness that's going on around me and just connect with the father. 00:24:49.333 --> 00:24:49.965 I just pray. 00:24:51.700 --> 00:24:54.165 There's no shortcuts in spiritual growth. 00:24:54.165 --> 00:24:58.266 We need to be memorizing His Word, and we have to carve out time to pray. 00:24:58.266 --> 00:25:02.266 That's going to look different for everyone depending on your phase of life. 00:25:02.266 --> 00:25:03.900 There's different ways to do that. 00:25:03.900 --> 00:25:09.365 I'd encourage you to, if you like, using a calendar and a schedule, put it on there somewhere. 00:25:09.365 --> 00:25:15.365 Set an alarm on your phone for sometime, even if it's just one minute of focused prayer. 00:25:15.365 --> 00:25:18.365 Just get started somewhere. 00:25:19.500 --> 00:25:24.133 There's an app I like to use sometimes called pray as you go. 00:25:24.465 --> 00:25:25.766 It's an awesome app. 00:25:25.766 --> 00:25:31.400 It's just guided prayers and it's just a few minutes, 10 to 15 minutes. 00:25:31.400 --> 00:25:33.633 It is so helpful. 00:25:33.633 --> 00:25:35.165 Those are great resource. 00:25:35.165 --> 00:25:45.833 Find something that encourages you to grow in prayer, because we want to be firm in our faith to build up our immune system. 00:25:45.833 --> 00:25:47.932 Be ready for the attacks that will come. 00:25:47.932 --> 00:25:50.665 Be strong. Be prepared. 00:25:50.665 --> 00:25:53.665 Have a firm foundation. 00:25:54.766 --> 00:25:59.165 Now, the next way we are able to keep from giving in. 00:25:59.833 --> 00:26:01.066 When life is hard. 00:26:01.066 --> 00:26:05.365 From giving in to the temptation to give up. 00:26:05.365 --> 00:26:07.900 Look at the second half of that verse in verse nine. Resist him. 00:26:07.900 --> 00:26:16.400 Firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 00:26:16.400 --> 00:26:18.066 Here's the fourth thing to remember. 00:26:18.066 --> 00:26:21.066 Remember, you are not alone. 00:26:22.833 --> 00:26:25.165 Remember, you're not alone. 00:26:25.165 --> 00:26:30.032 When you're suffering, it's easy to feel like I'm the only person who has ever experienced this. 00:26:30.032 --> 00:26:32.465 I'm the only person who has ever faced this. 00:26:32.465 --> 00:26:35.465 But remember, you're not alone. 00:26:36.000 --> 00:26:38.200 If you read this, we've read the stories of Elijah. 00:26:38.200 --> 00:26:45.365 There came this point, by the way, right after a huge victory against the prophets of Baal, where he set up the altar and he got consumed by fire. 00:26:45.365 --> 00:26:48.532 I mean, you want to talk about a big moment? 00:26:48.532 --> 00:26:51.865 That's something that you would never forget if you've experienced that. 00:26:51.865 --> 00:26:59.965 But then right after, not long after it all, one person starts attacking him and he's like, it's all over. 00:26:59.965 --> 00:27:02.000 I got to go hide. 00:27:02.000 --> 00:27:03.266 How could this happen? 00:27:03.266 --> 00:27:07.299 I had this huge victory, and now this person's against me. 00:27:08.066 --> 00:27:14.032 And God says to him, I have 7000 prophets who have not found the need to bail. 00:27:14.032 --> 00:27:15.165 You think you're alone? 00:27:15.165 --> 00:27:17.133 You think you're the only one left. 00:27:17.133 --> 00:27:20.133 And there are thousands. 00:27:21.400 --> 00:27:23.165 You're not alone. 00:27:23.165 --> 00:27:24.665 You make. And the. 00:27:24.665 --> 00:27:26.200 And the enemy loves to get you. 00:27:26.200 --> 00:27:29.032 Isolate you, get you feeling alone. 00:27:29.032 --> 00:27:30.333 And we live in a very. 00:27:30.333 --> 00:27:36.532 Even though there's lots of noise going all alone in a crowd kind of dynamic. 00:27:36.532 --> 00:27:38.432 Many of us get very isolated. 00:27:38.432 --> 00:27:40.732 This is why a couple of things are important one. 00:27:40.732 --> 00:27:43.732 Be reading good Christian biographies. 00:27:44.333 --> 00:27:49.032 Last week I mentioned Elizabeth Elliot and we read a long quote from her. 00:27:49.032 --> 00:27:55.432 She's written a book, and in fact, go ahead and put that list of some different Christian biographies up on the screen that I've read that are fantastic. 00:27:55.432 --> 00:28:00.099 The book she wrote, she wrote a bunch of them, but one I read shadow of the Almighty. 00:28:00.099 --> 00:28:04.032 That's about the story of their time ministering to the Alka Indians. 00:28:04.032 --> 00:28:05.333 Or I think they're called something else. 00:28:05.333 --> 00:28:09.700 But they were the Indians and Ecuador and the tragedy of her husband being killed. 00:28:09.700 --> 00:28:15.633 You want to read a good Christian biography to remind you that plenty of others have faith. 00:28:15.633 --> 00:28:16.700 What I'm facing. 00:28:16.700 --> 00:28:19.133 And far more difficult. 00:28:19.133 --> 00:28:21.432 Hudson Taylor's spiritual secret. 00:28:21.432 --> 00:28:24.566 Briscoe is another missionary biography, child. 00:28:24.566 --> 00:28:31.266 The Insanity of God is a newer one that captures a lot of stories of efforts to reach people in China, Muslim countries. 00:28:31.266 --> 00:28:32.932 Journals of David Brainerd that was written. 00:28:32.932 --> 00:28:39.732 Those were actually collected by Jonathan Edwards, who was so impressed with this young missionary who was reaching Indians in America early in America's history. 00:28:40.799 --> 00:28:48.299 The point is, be reading good stories of other Christians who have gone before you so that you don't feel alone. 00:28:48.299 --> 00:28:52.400 And if none of those books sound interesting, let me just point you to one book. 00:28:52.400 --> 00:28:54.833 It's called acts. 00:28:54.833 --> 00:28:56.700 Turn to the book of acts. 00:28:56.700 --> 00:28:58.133 Read the book of acts. 00:28:58.133 --> 00:29:00.299 Read how the disciples lived. 00:29:00.299 --> 00:29:02.000 Read what they stood for. 00:29:02.000 --> 00:29:04.099 Against persecution. 00:29:04.099 --> 00:29:09.133 You want to talk about a powerful testimony for the truth of Christianity? 00:29:09.566 --> 00:29:12.566 You don't live that way for a lie. 00:29:13.432 --> 00:29:15.333 You don't lay down your life like that. 00:29:15.333 --> 00:29:19.066 Stand up to everyone who is saying you can't keep preaching. 00:29:19.066 --> 00:29:21.665 We got to obey God, not you. 00:29:21.665 --> 00:29:24.665 You don't do that for a lie. 00:29:25.266 --> 00:29:28.266 Here's what you do for a lie. 00:29:28.465 --> 00:29:28.932 You know what? 00:29:28.932 --> 00:29:34.032 If I want to make up my own religion, let's add in things like I can have as many wives as I want. 00:29:34.032 --> 00:29:36.833 Like Joseph Smith and the Mormons. 00:29:36.833 --> 00:29:40.232 That's what you do when you're making up your own religion. 00:29:40.232 --> 00:29:40.700 Well, you know what? 00:29:40.700 --> 00:29:48.665 I could really use my own git and helicopter and mansions. 00:29:48.665 --> 00:29:52.465 That's what you do when you're making it up for you. 00:29:53.532 --> 00:29:56.532 But you read the book of acts. 00:29:56.633 --> 00:29:58.732 To follow in the model of Jesus. 00:29:58.732 --> 00:30:00.200 And you're not alone. 00:30:00.200 --> 00:30:03.200 So many have gone before. 00:30:03.766 --> 00:30:08.465 Remember, when you're tempted to give up, you're not alone. 00:30:09.266 --> 00:30:15.700 Now lastly, he says here, number five verse Peter, look at verse ten. 00:30:16.833 --> 00:30:31.165 After you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace was called you to his eternal glory in Christ will himself restore, confirm, strengthen and establish you. 00:30:31.500 --> 00:30:35.232 Restore, confirm, strengthen and establish you. 00:30:35.232 --> 00:30:37.532 Focus on number five. 00:30:37.532 --> 00:30:39.465 Here's how you fight the temptation to give up. 00:30:39.465 --> 00:30:40.532 Focus on the future. 00:30:40.532 --> 00:30:42.932 Promise. 00:30:42.932 --> 00:30:45.500 Focus on the future. 00:30:45.500 --> 00:30:56.500 People who seem to be able to make sacrifices in the moment are often able to do so because they have a clear picture in their head of a future reality that they want to experience. 00:30:57.833 --> 00:30:58.900 Some examples of this. 00:30:58.900 --> 00:31:05.665 If you have a retirement account right now, you're putting away money that you could really use right now. 00:31:05.665 --> 00:31:10.032 Hundreds, sometimes thousands of dollars a month you're putting away. 00:31:10.032 --> 00:31:12.665 Knowing that I'm going to need this in the future. 00:31:12.665 --> 00:31:16.465 Even though you have no idea if you'll be alive or be able to use it or not. 00:31:16.465 --> 00:31:24.365 But you know, I'm going to sacrifice now because of a greater future reality that that I'm anticipating. 00:31:24.365 --> 00:31:25.732 That's an example for old people. 00:31:25.732 --> 00:31:27.965 Let's talk about young people. 00:31:27.965 --> 00:31:37.266 Get kids every single day, are willingly experiencing taking on pain for the promise of a greater future. 00:31:38.165 --> 00:31:39.432 You'll see this every day. 00:31:39.432 --> 00:31:51.099 Their parents will willingly take their child who wants to go to some office where they drop them off and they go in and an adult comes toward them with some kind of plier like torture device, shoves it in their mouth and twists on a wire. 00:31:51.099 --> 00:31:57.299 And then for the next couple of days, they're whining about how much their teeth hurt, and then they go right back. 00:31:57.299 --> 00:31:59.833 Next month. 00:31:59.833 --> 00:32:02.665 With the hope of a future of straighter teeth. 00:32:02.665 --> 00:32:04.165 I'm willingly enduring. 00:32:04.165 --> 00:32:05.900 I'm willingly sacrifice. 00:32:05.900 --> 00:32:11.333 I'm willing saying no to myself now for a future promise. 00:32:11.333 --> 00:32:13.066 And here's what he says. 00:32:13.066 --> 00:32:16.432 Here's what Peter says that the future holds. 00:32:16.432 --> 00:32:20.400 Look back at verse ten after you have suffered a little while. 00:32:20.400 --> 00:32:25.932 By the way, it never feels like a little while in the moment, but to God, it is a little while. 00:32:25.932 --> 00:32:29.732 And when you look back, you realize it wasn't as long as it felt in the moment. 00:32:29.732 --> 00:32:33.099 But after you have suffered, it will end after you have suffered a little while. 00:32:33.099 --> 00:32:34.633 Look at what he says. 00:32:34.633 --> 00:32:48.032 The God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 00:32:48.032 --> 00:32:52.965 We could spend the next four weeks on each of those four words. 00:32:54.365 --> 00:32:57.365 I just want to focus on one restore. 00:32:57.365 --> 00:33:02.066 If anybody could write these words restore, confirm, strengthen, establish. 00:33:03.566 --> 00:33:05.665 It's Peter. 00:33:05.665 --> 00:33:08.299 Because if you think about what happened with Peter, in fact. 00:33:08.299 --> 00:33:10.299 In fact, flip over to the book of Luke. 00:33:10.299 --> 00:33:11.566 Luke chapter 22. 00:33:11.566 --> 00:33:14.133 It's on page 29, in a church Bible. 00:33:14.133 --> 00:33:17.133 Luke 22. 00:33:20.299 --> 00:33:23.333 Verse 31, 33, 34. 00:33:23.333 --> 00:33:30.833 In that range Luke 2231 Jesus tells Peter how this is going to go. 00:33:31.099 --> 00:33:32.099 Here's what's going to happen. 00:33:32.099 --> 00:33:34.532 Peter. 00:33:34.532 --> 00:33:41.833 Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat. 00:33:43.566 --> 00:33:51.400 Yeah, he was experiencing the devil prowling about like a roaring lion seeking to devour, destroy, kill. 00:33:52.266 --> 00:33:53.232 Saints demanded that. 00:33:54.500 --> 00:33:59.599 But I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. 00:33:59.599 --> 00:34:00.465 Peter attacks. 00:34:00.465 --> 00:34:01.532 Going to come. Peter. 00:34:01.532 --> 00:34:03.165 I'm praying that it may not fail. 00:34:03.165 --> 00:34:06.465 Peter, I'm praying that you do not give up and stand firm. 00:34:06.465 --> 00:34:08.500 But look at what he says next. 00:34:08.500 --> 00:34:16.000 And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers. 00:34:16.000 --> 00:34:17.699 Peter. Guess what? 00:34:17.699 --> 00:34:22.432 You're going to fail, but you're going to come back. 00:34:22.432 --> 00:34:25.432 I will restore you. 00:34:25.865 --> 00:34:27.800 You're not going to stand firm. 00:34:27.800 --> 00:34:28.733 You think you are. 00:34:28.733 --> 00:34:33.932 In fact, he says, Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death. 00:34:33.932 --> 00:34:38.599 No, Peter, the rooster is going to grow, and you will have denied me. 00:34:38.599 --> 00:34:42.699 And when that happens, strengthen your brother. 00:34:42.699 --> 00:34:50.300 If anybody could say the word restore and say it, knowing that that is the future reality, it would be Peter. 00:34:53.132 --> 00:34:55.666 Here's what I want for us today. 00:34:55.666 --> 00:35:01.965 Who needs that word restore as a future reality? 00:35:03.565 --> 00:35:03.965 Okay. 00:35:03.965 --> 00:35:04.365 Some. 00:35:04.365 --> 00:35:07.365 It's restore. 00:35:09.465 --> 00:35:11.365 What about confirm? 00:35:11.365 --> 00:35:16.599 Who needs to be confirmed in your faith to know him intimately. 00:35:16.599 --> 00:35:19.365 Who needs that word today? 00:35:19.365 --> 00:35:20.965 I need to be confirmed in him. 00:35:20.965 --> 00:35:23.365 Secure in him. 00:35:23.365 --> 00:35:26.900 What about the strengthened man? 00:35:26.900 --> 00:35:32.300 If anything, today I want to be strengthened so that I can stand firm to the attacks of the evil one. 00:35:32.300 --> 00:35:33.833 Ephesians chapter six. 00:35:33.833 --> 00:35:38.800 Stand firm in your faith so you can face the fiery darts of the enemy. 00:35:38.800 --> 00:35:40.800 Put on the full armor of God. 00:35:40.800 --> 00:35:42.833 Breastplate of righteousness. 00:35:42.833 --> 00:35:44.632 Shout on your feet. 00:35:44.632 --> 00:35:48.666 And then he says, hold the sword of the spirit, the Word of God. 00:35:49.266 --> 00:35:51.632 Strengthen in your faith. 00:35:51.632 --> 00:36:01.965 Lastly, we need this word established, established, rooted, that there is no other foundation in my life. 00:36:01.965 --> 00:36:04.099 The root of everything is in Christ. 00:36:04.099 --> 00:36:08.699 I need established who needs that word today? 00:36:08.699 --> 00:36:09.166 Yeah. 00:36:09.166 --> 00:36:14.766 Look, whatever word it is, here's what I want you to do is to pick one of those four words today. 00:36:14.766 --> 00:36:16.766 Write it down in your notes. 00:36:16.766 --> 00:36:19.300 Circle it in your Bible. 00:36:19.300 --> 00:36:22.300 Put it somewhere in every day this week. 00:36:22.733 --> 00:36:24.099 Look at that word. 00:36:24.099 --> 00:36:27.500 Trust that that's a future reality that Christ has for you. 00:36:27.500 --> 00:36:29.365 And he has promised you. 00:36:29.365 --> 00:36:30.500 And lean on that. 00:36:30.500 --> 00:36:33.132 When you're tempted to give up. 00:36:33.132 --> 00:36:34.400 Confirm. 00:36:34.400 --> 00:36:36.333 Strengthen. 00:36:36.333 --> 00:36:38.932 Established. 00:36:38.932 --> 00:36:41.233 Root deeply in him. 00:36:41.233 --> 00:36:46.166 That's what he did for Peter, and it's what he'll do for you. 00:36:46.166 --> 00:36:48.733 You're not alone. 00:36:48.733 --> 00:36:51.733 You're not alone. 00:36:51.865 --> 00:37:01.032 One of the ways we will actively remember what he's done for us is today, we're going to take communion together. 00:37:01.032 --> 00:37:05.400 In fact, if you are one of the men who helped serve communion, you can go ahead now and