WEBVTT 00:00:03.967 --> 00:00:08.714 All right, let's look at John, chapter 10, verses 1 through 5, and that's where we're going to start this morning. 00:00:08.714 --> 00:00:12.109 We're in a sermon series right now called Encounter. 00:00:12.109 --> 00:00:16.251 It's all about understanding the person and work of the Holy Spirit. 00:00:16.251 --> 00:00:26.571 God desires for each one of us to have real encounters with the Holy Spirit that lead to godly transformation in our lives and in the lives of others around us. 00:00:26.571 --> 00:00:32.031 Last week, we began to talk about the fact that the Holy Spirit speaks to us. 00:00:32.031 --> 00:00:33.424 Aren't you glad about that? 00:00:33.424 --> 00:00:37.628 How many of you experienced that in a more profound way this week? 00:00:37.628 --> 00:00:39.493 Even Amen, very good. 00:00:39.493 --> 00:00:41.850 Today we're going to be continuing this thought. 00:00:41.850 --> 00:00:51.034 We, as believers in Jesus, have the God-given ability to hear, to recognize and to discern the voice of God. 00:00:51.034 --> 00:00:57.189 So the title of today's message is Hearing the Voice of God for Yourself, part 2. 00:00:57.189 --> 00:01:01.948 Or two or dos Whatever you want to put in your notes is part two. 00:01:01.948 --> 00:01:04.409 So John, chapter 10, verses 1 through 5. 00:01:04.409 --> 00:01:06.043 And let's read this together. 00:01:06.043 --> 00:01:21.105 Truly, truly, I say to you he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber, but he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 00:01:21.105 --> 00:01:22.349 Who's the shepherd of the sheep? 00:01:22.349 --> 00:01:25.218 Jesus, excellent To him. 00:01:25.218 --> 00:01:33.612 The gatekeeper opens, the sheep hear his voice and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 00:01:33.612 --> 00:01:41.493 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 00:01:41.493 --> 00:01:44.108 A stranger, they will not follow, but they will flee from him for they do not know his voice. 00:01:44.108 --> 00:01:49.165 A stranger, they will not follow, but they will flee from him for they do not know the voice of strangers. 00:01:49.165 --> 00:01:50.587 Let's pray together. 00:01:50.587 --> 00:01:51.650 Father. 00:01:51.650 --> 00:01:53.274 We thank you for your word this morning. 00:01:53.274 --> 00:01:56.466 We thank you that your word brings life and light. 00:01:56.466 --> 00:02:11.192 And, lord, we pray that you would illuminate our hearts, that you would speak to us directly, that you would help us, help our faith to be strengthened, encourage us that, lord, that you desire to have a relationship with us that is dynamic and real. 00:02:11.192 --> 00:02:20.330 And, lord, we ask that you would help us in every way to connect to you as our Father, and we thank you for it in Jesus' name, amen. 00:02:21.681 --> 00:02:24.068 So how many of you remember cartoons from your youth? 00:02:24.068 --> 00:02:27.140 And almost every cartoon had a rendition of this. 00:02:27.140 --> 00:02:32.919 So I don't care if you were watching Bugs Bunny or Donald Duck or Elmer Fudd or whatever. 00:02:33.060 --> 00:02:40.802 You had one of these scenes somewhere along the way where the individual, whoever it was, was coming up to a very important decision. 00:02:40.802 --> 00:02:46.990 They had to make a very important decision, and the decision could take things one way or another way. 00:02:46.990 --> 00:02:51.414 And so what did you see appear on each shoulder? 00:02:51.414 --> 00:02:58.270 On one shoulder, you had an angel, and on the other shoulder you had what A devil right. 00:02:58.270 --> 00:03:04.641 And the angel would say something like you know that you want to be really nice to that person, you don't want to hurt their feelings. 00:03:04.641 --> 00:03:06.608 And then the devil would say kill them, or whatever the case was. 00:03:06.608 --> 00:03:08.552 You know that you want to be really nice to that person, you don't want to hurt their feelings. 00:03:08.552 --> 00:03:09.896 And then the devil would say kill them, or whatever the case was. 00:03:09.896 --> 00:03:10.076 You know. 00:03:10.076 --> 00:03:25.516 And so they were in this valley of decision, and I'm not trying to take that illustration too far or to make a huge, you know, biblical explanation out of that, but it is true that we do hear a lot of voices, isn't that correct? 00:03:26.138 --> 00:03:41.072 There are a lot of voices that are vying for our attention, and when we're in the point of trying to make a decision, we have to know how to hone in to the voice that matters, and that's the voice of the Lord right and the voice of his spirit as he speaks to us. 00:03:41.072 --> 00:03:52.627 The Trinity itself is characterized by the relationship that they have with each other and the common purpose that they share, and we who are followers of Jesus are a part of God's family. 00:03:52.627 --> 00:03:58.824 How much time do you spend on a daily basis reminding yourself that God is your father? 00:03:58.824 --> 00:04:01.990 Wow, think about that. 00:04:01.990 --> 00:04:04.634 If we could just meditate on that for a bit. 00:04:04.634 --> 00:04:07.020 Wow, think about that. 00:04:07.020 --> 00:04:08.183 If we could just meditate on that for a bit. 00:04:08.183 --> 00:04:11.349 We're part of God's family and his desire is to have constant fellowship with us. 00:04:11.370 --> 00:04:17.829 In John 10, as we just read, jesus uses a common metaphor of being the good shepherd and we being his sheep. 00:04:17.829 --> 00:04:21.805 And again, I'll just refer to the couple of sermons in the beginning of September. 00:04:21.805 --> 00:04:34.309 Mark did a great job of explaining a lot of that, what that motif means, and giving so much definition and clarity on that that I don't feel like I need to address it much this morning. 00:04:34.309 --> 00:04:36.434 But what is God really saying in John 10? 00:04:36.434 --> 00:04:40.504 He speaks of his genuine care for the sheep, which is never ending. 00:04:40.504 --> 00:04:42.767 It never ends. 00:04:42.767 --> 00:04:51.346 He also explains that there are strangers who attempt to use their voices to lead the sheep astray and harm them. 00:04:51.346 --> 00:04:56.204 But before we get into new material, let's just quickly run through a review of last week. 00:04:57.028 --> 00:05:01.242 We first learned that Christians have the ability to hear and obey the voice of God. 00:05:01.242 --> 00:05:02.245 Aren't you thankful for that? 00:05:02.245 --> 00:05:19.966 Some ways that the Holy Spirit speaks to us through the word of God, through sound biblical teaching, through other people, through supernatural means, and some of those examples are the gifts of the Spirit, dreams and visions, signs and wonders, angelic visitations and the audible voice of God. 00:05:19.966 --> 00:05:24.786 The Holy Spirit also speaks to us through our circumstances. 00:05:24.786 --> 00:05:26.711 We could spend a lot of time on that, couldn't we? 00:05:26.711 --> 00:05:44.132 And then, finally, we said that the Holy Spirit speaks to us through an inner voice or an impression that we have on the inside, and I just wanted to say something a little bit more about that, because I think this is probably the most common way that most of us hear and discern the voice of God in our lives. 00:05:44.132 --> 00:05:47.720 Okay, that most of us hear and discern the voice of God in our lives. 00:05:47.720 --> 00:05:51.927 Okay, so many times we can know that it is God speaking to us, because it's not something that we would have thought of on our own. 00:05:51.927 --> 00:05:53.531 Does that make sense. 00:05:54.021 --> 00:05:59.786 So one of the ways that I can initially discern that possibly this could be God speaking to me is I wasn't thinking about it. 00:05:59.786 --> 00:06:01.125 It was kind of out of the blue. 00:06:01.125 --> 00:06:09.565 It just came into my conscience, into my soul, into where I recognized what it was, and so I needed to pay attention to it. 00:06:09.565 --> 00:06:10.910 Okay, that's one thing. 00:06:10.910 --> 00:06:16.829 The other thing is, a lot of times when God speaks to us in this way, we don't like it at first. 00:06:16.829 --> 00:06:20.086 Can we be honest with each other? 00:06:20.086 --> 00:06:24.271 Sometimes, when God speaks to us, it hurts a little bit before it heals. 00:06:25.480 --> 00:06:44.031 I remember one time when I was going through a little bit of a crisis of faith because of everything that had happened, with my dad walking away from our family and from the church, and I was really concerned about where I was in my relationship with God, and God helped me with that by saying you don't really know me. 00:06:44.031 --> 00:06:48.425 That's what I felt like God was speaking to me in my heart. 00:06:48.425 --> 00:06:52.622 Now my first thought was and this is what I said to him I said what do you mean? 00:06:52.622 --> 00:06:56.471 God's good, he's fine with clarifying. 00:06:56.471 --> 00:06:57.233 He doesn't mind that. 00:06:57.233 --> 00:06:58.040 I said what do you mean? 00:06:58.040 --> 00:07:01.225 I've been serving you for 20 years. 00:07:01.225 --> 00:07:08.776 At that point in my life, right For 20 years, at that point in my life, right For 20 years, and I've been in the ministry for the last five years. 00:07:08.776 --> 00:07:10.045 What are you talking about? 00:07:10.045 --> 00:07:12.560 I don't really know you, he said. 00:07:12.560 --> 00:07:14.949 You only know me through the eyes of your teachers. 00:07:14.949 --> 00:07:25.024 You've never taken the time to know me for yourself, and so that could have shut me down and put me in a deep, dark depression, but it didn't do that. 00:07:25.045 --> 00:07:25.668 You know what it did? 00:07:25.668 --> 00:07:35.930 It inspired me to open the Word of God and to begin to read all of the passages concerning who God the Father is and who God the Son is and who God the Spirit is. 00:07:35.930 --> 00:07:44.139 It started me on a year-long journey where I journaled through every single verse that talked about the character and nature of God as found in the Bible. 00:07:44.139 --> 00:07:46.228 And you know what I discovered for myself? 00:07:46.228 --> 00:08:04.028 Some of the things that I had read and heard and believed were not accurate according to the whole counsel of Scripture, the whole Bible, and so God began to recalibrate some of my thinking, and I'm so grateful for that opportunity. 00:08:04.028 --> 00:08:04.951 Does that make sense? 00:08:04.951 --> 00:08:10.028 So sometimes, when he speaks to us in that inner voice, it's not like we immediately go. 00:08:10.028 --> 00:08:15.451 Yes, sometimes it makes us think, sometimes it takes us back a little bit. 00:08:15.451 --> 00:08:38.173 Right, we also talked about the fact that believers can learn how to hear the acronym hear the Holy Spirit clearly by making it a habit to listen to the Holy Spirit, expecting to hear the Holy Spirit in whatever way that he chooses to speak, anticipating growing in your ability to discern the voice of Holy Spirit and responding in humble obedience to what the Holy Spirit is truly saying. 00:08:38.919 --> 00:08:41.227 Okay, so let's start. 00:08:41.227 --> 00:08:47.731 This morning, there are a lot of voices around us, am I right? 00:08:47.731 --> 00:08:56.361 If you don't believe me, we're only a few weeks away, maybe less than that, three weeks away from an election. 00:08:56.361 --> 00:08:58.087 And how many of you know? 00:08:58.087 --> 00:09:07.527 Depending upon the channel you tune to or the radio station that you're listening to, you're going to hear a lot of chatter from a lot of different sides and all kinds of angles. 00:09:07.668 --> 00:09:23.692 Right, we need to be able to discern the voice of God in the day and time that we're living in, maybe more than ever before, because we have all of this knowledge, all of this opinion that is always being spoken. 00:09:23.692 --> 00:09:38.144 It's like people are not holding back their opinions anymore, and now we have social media, which gives a platform for people to espouse their opinions and to talk about things that they believe to be absolutely true, even if they are found later to be false right. 00:09:38.144 --> 00:09:44.222 So we really need to be able to know how to hone into and discern the voice of God. 00:09:44.222 --> 00:09:53.187 We must be aware of voices that are not from God, and in this passage, in John 10, it says a stranger they will not follow. 00:09:53.187 --> 00:10:16.548 That is our story, that is our testimony, that is the end goal that God has for us as believers in Jesus that we will not follow the voice of a stranger, but they will flee from him, for they do not know or discern or understand or listen to the voice of strangers. 00:10:18.000 --> 00:10:25.908 In our passage today, jesus continues to talk about us being like sheep, those who follow him as their good shepherd, hear and obey his voice. 00:10:25.908 --> 00:10:28.750 And we don't follow the voice of strangers. 00:10:28.750 --> 00:10:31.905 Easier said than done. 00:10:31.905 --> 00:10:34.687 Because why is that the truth? 00:10:34.687 --> 00:10:48.032 Because, remember, the still small voice is a lot of times in competition with screaming voices, voices that are so loud and piercing that it's like we can't turn away. 00:10:48.032 --> 00:10:51.649 It feels like that we have to pay attention to them, right? 00:10:51.649 --> 00:10:56.282 So let's talk about the first voice that we need to avoid. 00:10:56.282 --> 00:10:57.904 It is the voice of our flesh. 00:10:57.904 --> 00:11:02.520 The voice of our flesh is opposed to God's will. 00:11:02.520 --> 00:11:08.902 No, but I'm a pretty good person, I mean overall, from an overarching standpoint. 00:11:08.902 --> 00:11:14.553 I make good decisions, I think good thoughts, I speak good words. 00:11:14.553 --> 00:11:16.076 I'm a great person. 00:11:16.076 --> 00:11:18.503 Actually, I'm not even a good. 00:11:18.503 --> 00:11:19.667 I'm a great person. 00:11:19.667 --> 00:11:23.200 Everybody who knows me loves me, right? 00:11:23.200 --> 00:11:27.475 Everybody who knows me loves me, right. 00:11:27.475 --> 00:11:29.244 What do they love about you? 00:11:29.244 --> 00:11:38.669 If you're a believer in Jesus Christ, they love the God that's in you, because we can't even know love without knowing the love of the Father, right? 00:11:38.669 --> 00:11:47.424 So let's be careful with how we, you know, congratulate ourselves and want to give ourselves a reward for being the world's greatest people. 00:11:47.424 --> 00:11:52.081 Okay, because the voice of our flesh is opposed to God's will. 00:11:52.822 --> 00:11:59.794 1 John, chapter 2, verse 15, says this do not love the world or the things in the world. 00:11:59.794 --> 00:12:03.768 Again, culture crying out to us, screaming out to us. 00:12:03.768 --> 00:12:05.832 This is the way you should go. 00:12:05.832 --> 00:12:08.207 This is the way you should live your lives. 00:12:08.207 --> 00:12:10.688 This is the way that you should raise your children. 00:12:10.688 --> 00:12:13.609 This is the way that you should be married or not be married. 00:12:13.609 --> 00:12:15.908 This is the way. 00:12:15.908 --> 00:12:18.106 How many of you know we don't need another way. 00:12:18.106 --> 00:12:20.332 John 14, six tells us. 00:12:20.332 --> 00:12:25.187 Jesus said I am the way, the truth and the life. 00:12:25.187 --> 00:12:28.894 No one comes to the Father except by me. 00:12:28.894 --> 00:12:30.903 Jesus is the way. 00:12:30.903 --> 00:12:36.100 It goes on to say if anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 00:12:36.100 --> 00:12:43.666 For all that is in the world the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the Father but is of the world. 00:12:43.666 --> 00:12:45.157 And the world is passing away and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the father but is of the world. 00:12:45.157 --> 00:12:48.671 And the world is passing away and the lust of it. 00:12:48.671 --> 00:12:52.807 But he who does the will of God abides when. 00:12:52.807 --> 00:12:53.288 How long? 00:12:53.288 --> 00:12:56.094 Forever, forever. 00:12:56.094 --> 00:13:02.279 We are not to love this world or the ways of this world. 00:13:02.279 --> 00:13:03.966 This isn't the physical creation. 00:13:04.006 --> 00:13:08.028 By the way, we went out yesterday and had an amazing day, my family and I. 00:13:08.028 --> 00:13:09.091 We drove up to Kentucky. 00:13:09.091 --> 00:13:11.427 How many of you ever heard of Sonny's Barbecue? 00:13:11.427 --> 00:13:14.558 Okay, I'm not sponsored by Sonny's. 00:13:14.558 --> 00:13:18.620 I don't receive any kind of kickbacks, although if you're watching and you want to send us a coupon, that'd be great. 00:13:18.620 --> 00:13:31.182 But the nearest Sonny's is like an hour and 15 minutes away from our house and I've been wanting to go there since my birthday in September, and so we just decided to get in the car and drive up there and have Sonny's. 00:13:31.182 --> 00:13:35.952 And so we did that yesterday with our boys, levi and Ben, and had a great trip. 00:13:35.952 --> 00:13:37.383 It was beautiful outside. 00:13:37.904 --> 00:13:39.808 Some other people did some other things yesterday. 00:13:39.808 --> 00:13:41.642 Mark, did you do anything yesterday? 00:13:41.642 --> 00:13:42.222 Were you busy? 00:13:42.222 --> 00:13:45.389 Huh, a little something, miss Amy. 00:13:45.389 --> 00:13:52.712 I noticed, I got a little picture and on that left hand there's something that well, there's a little bling. 00:13:52.820 --> 00:14:02.799 So Mark and Amy got engaged yesterday, yep, in the middle of God's creation. 00:14:02.799 --> 00:14:07.365 So the earth is good and the fullness thereof, right. 00:14:07.365 --> 00:14:10.969 The earth is good, but the world is not good. 00:14:10.969 --> 00:14:18.947 The system of the world that is comprised of Satan's dominion and his way of doing things. 00:14:18.947 --> 00:14:23.951 It's the very opposite of what is godly and holy and spiritual. 00:14:23.951 --> 00:14:27.490 We have to make sure that our desires line up with God's desires. 00:14:27.490 --> 00:14:32.932 We are led astray when we listen to the voice of our flesh leading us into temptation. 00:14:32.932 --> 00:14:34.505 So what are these three things? 00:14:34.505 --> 00:14:41.614 The lust of the flesh is the cravings of sinful man that are opposed to God's will and God's way. 00:14:41.614 --> 00:14:46.111 What is it that we crave that is against God's purpose or God's plan? 00:14:46.111 --> 00:14:54.190 It is the basis for rebellion against God and the pursuit of all things that can be defined as selfish in nature. 00:14:54.559 --> 00:14:55.904 Have you ever realized? 00:14:55.904 --> 00:15:09.308 I realized, when we had our firstborn son, jordan, who's a wonderful blessing to us, but he was born Caesarian, and he was born after Amy was in labor for a very long time I can't even remember the hours, but it was a couple of days. 00:15:09.308 --> 00:15:11.081 It feels like right, is it that long? 00:15:11.081 --> 00:15:12.765 It was a long time. 00:15:12.765 --> 00:15:17.365 We try not to go back there too much in our memory bank to that portion of things, right. 00:15:17.365 --> 00:15:28.831 So when Jordan was born and we brought him home, amy's mom stayed for a while for a day or, and helped around the house and helped with the baby and helped with Amy. 00:15:28.831 --> 00:15:29.474 Amy was pretty much bedridden. 00:15:29.474 --> 00:15:30.317 She couldn't do much at all. 00:15:30.317 --> 00:15:34.105 When Amy's mom went home, I realized something very quickly. 00:15:34.105 --> 00:15:36.909 What do you think I realized? 00:15:37.610 --> 00:15:40.442 Tyler, you are a very selfish man. 00:15:40.442 --> 00:15:53.173 I never thought of myself as selfish before, but, boy, I realized when this kid needed everything from me and my wife needed everything from me too, which was so different from her normal way. 00:15:53.173 --> 00:15:54.581 She's such a giver. 00:15:54.581 --> 00:16:05.511 I realized, lord, I need help with this because I, in my sinful nature, in my flesh, I'm a selfish, I can be a selfish person. 00:16:06.581 --> 00:16:08.548 So what kinds of things are the lust of the flesh? 00:16:08.548 --> 00:16:09.684 What about materialism? 00:16:09.684 --> 00:16:29.504 Having to have the latest, greatest, whatever it is and when I say these things, please understand, I've been dealt with by the Lord this week as well Egocentricity, always thinking about myself and how I'm going to benefit from something. 00:16:29.504 --> 00:16:34.525 Exploitation, taking advantage of other people so that I can get ahead in life. 00:16:34.525 --> 00:16:36.110 Lust of the flesh? 00:16:36.110 --> 00:16:38.254 How about racism? 00:16:38.254 --> 00:16:42.243 This is an outworking of the lust of the flesh. 00:16:42.243 --> 00:16:44.849 Or how about neglecting those in need? 00:16:44.849 --> 00:16:53.212 These are all evidences or things that we can point to that say I'm dealing with temptation in this area. 00:16:53.212 --> 00:17:01.282 Right, and moving on to the lust of the eyes, anything that entices the eyes, especially sexual lust. 00:17:01.341 --> 00:17:25.088 We live in a day when, literally in the palms of our hands, we carry computers that have storage that's beyond our belief and with just one accidental push of a button we can get to a place where we shouldn't get to and we can linger there and it can become a problem that becomes an addiction in our lives. 00:17:25.088 --> 00:17:28.194 But how many of you know we can't blame the phones. 00:17:28.194 --> 00:17:35.616 We have to blame lust, which is a desire to have something that we actually never. 00:17:35.616 --> 00:17:40.724 Even if we were to get what it is that we desire, we wouldn't be fulfilled by it. 00:17:40.724 --> 00:17:46.692 That's the sick part about lust it can never be fulfilled. 00:17:46.692 --> 00:17:49.402 So we're talking about pornography. 00:17:49.402 --> 00:17:51.365 We're talking about covetousness. 00:17:51.365 --> 00:17:54.393 We're talking about never being satisfied. 00:17:55.820 --> 00:18:03.849 These are voices that we hear on a daily basis that attempt to take us away from the will of God and from his way of doing things, and we need to stand against them. 00:18:03.849 --> 00:18:05.897 Take us away from the will of God and from his way of doing things, and we need to stand against them. 00:18:05.897 --> 00:18:06.359 How about the last one? 00:18:06.359 --> 00:18:14.028 The pride of life, pretentious hypocrisy that causes one to glory in themselves or their possessions. 00:18:14.028 --> 00:18:16.011 Look at what I've done. 00:18:16.011 --> 00:18:18.315 Look at what I've accomplished. 00:18:18.315 --> 00:18:26.318 We can't wait for somebody to ask us what we do for a living, because we're a fill in the blank and we're very proud of it. 00:18:26.318 --> 00:18:32.883 We can't wait for somebody to ask us about our house, because we have the biggest house on the block and it's amazing. 00:18:32.883 --> 00:18:39.454 We're driving new cars and all of this has been done because we're so good. 00:18:44.461 --> 00:18:49.230 I'm speaking pretty plainly because these are the kinds of thoughts we have, folks. 00:18:49.230 --> 00:18:50.913 Let's be real. 00:18:50.913 --> 00:18:53.406 Can we just be honest with each other? 00:18:53.406 --> 00:19:01.233 These thoughts try to infiltrate our lives and try to direct us and lead us and steer us in the wrong direction. 00:19:01.233 --> 00:19:07.769 This is very familiar because it started in the very beginning. 00:19:08.500 --> 00:19:16.863 Adam and Eve, in the Garden of Eden, succumbed to the temptations as they saw that the tree was good for food, lust of the flesh. 00:19:16.863 --> 00:19:22.869 The tree was pleasant to the eyes the lust of the eyes and it was a tree to be desired. 00:19:22.869 --> 00:19:23.730 For what purpose? 00:19:23.730 --> 00:19:29.122 To make one wise, the pride of life. 00:19:29.122 --> 00:19:33.371 Look at me, look at my accomplishments, look at what I know. 00:19:33.371 --> 00:19:34.374 Yeah, they knew something. 00:19:34.374 --> 00:19:35.060 What did they know? 00:19:35.060 --> 00:19:39.952 They knew that they were sinners and they needed to try to cover it up. 00:19:39.952 --> 00:19:53.652 The first shame ever experienced happened in the Garden of Eden and every single one of us born since then has been born in sin and shame and has given in. 00:19:53.652 --> 00:19:57.125 Before we came to Jesus, it wasn't even given in. 00:19:57.125 --> 00:19:58.204 It was a way of life. 00:19:58.204 --> 00:20:04.291 We lived according to the flesh, according to our fleshly desires. 00:20:04.291 --> 00:20:07.348 But how many of you know that's not the end of the story? 00:20:08.080 --> 00:20:12.291 Because Jesus, like Adam and Eve, was tempted by Satan. 00:20:12.291 --> 00:20:21.667 He was tempted as he was taken into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit after his baptism and he resisted the temptation of the enemy. 00:20:21.667 --> 00:20:24.763 On every turn, satan said turn these stones into bread, and that's the lust of the enemy. 00:20:24.763 --> 00:20:27.465 On every turn, satan said turn these stones into bread, and that's the lust of the flesh. 00:20:27.465 --> 00:20:30.645 What did Jesus say? 00:20:30.645 --> 00:20:35.548 Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. 00:20:35.548 --> 00:20:37.625 And then what does Satan do? 00:20:37.625 --> 00:20:47.652 He took him to this high place and he said all the kingdoms of the world, everything that you can see with your eyes, I will give to you, if you will just bow down and worship me. 00:20:47.652 --> 00:20:53.346 All the kingdoms of the world, everything that you can see with your eyes, I will give to you, if you will just bow down and worship me, the lust of the eyes. 00:20:53.346 --> 00:21:00.969 If you are the son of God, throw yourself down from this high temple wall and the angels will protect you. 00:21:00.969 --> 00:21:04.281 The pride of life, when Jesus say. 00:21:04.281 --> 00:21:08.211 He said thou shalt not tempt the Lord, your God. 00:21:08.211 --> 00:21:18.107 And on that last one, the one where he said bow down and worship me and I'll give you all the kingdoms, he said get out of here, depart from me. 00:21:18.107 --> 00:21:29.260 I will worship the Lord, god only Lord, god only. 00:21:29.260 --> 00:21:30.041 He defeated every temptation. 00:21:30.041 --> 00:21:31.423 He defeated every temptation. 00:21:31.443 --> 00:21:35.829 The Bible says that he was faced with every temptation known by man, yet without sin. 00:21:35.829 --> 00:21:39.154 Why is this important for us? 00:21:39.154 --> 00:21:55.055 Because not only did he do all of that, but then he gave himself into the hands of a holy God and took upon himself the wrath of God, all of the punishment that every person that has ever given into temptation deserved. 00:21:55.055 --> 00:22:06.692 Jesus took it upon himself on the cross and he said Father, forgive them, for they don't know what they're doing. 00:22:06.692 --> 00:22:31.969 And he said it is finished, and the curse that came upon Adam and Eve and all of the rest of humanity up until that point in time was removed and we have the ability by grace, through faith, to put our faith, hope and trust in a living Savior and not only to be forgiven of our sins, but listen to how good our Heavenly Father is. 00:22:31.969 --> 00:22:49.291 He writes on our account, not guilty, and he also writes always did the right thing, always said the right thing, always thought the right thing, always had the right motivation. 00:22:49.291 --> 00:22:57.307 What, how scandalous the grace of God truly is. 00:22:57.307 --> 00:23:10.844 How amazing our God is that he would care that much for us to call us his children, my friends, just like Jesus did. 00:23:10.844 --> 00:23:17.575 We must understand that we must hide God's word in our heart that we might not sin against him. 00:23:17.575 --> 00:23:23.253 The word of God is essential when it comes to resisting temptation. 00:23:24.060 --> 00:23:32.814 Romans 12, verses 1 and 2, says I appeal to you, therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice. 00:23:32.814 --> 00:23:35.806 The living sacrifice part is the part that's hard. 00:23:35.806 --> 00:23:36.146 Why? 00:23:36.146 --> 00:23:39.890 Because we have to do it every day, sometimes many times a day. 00:23:39.890 --> 00:23:47.403 We have to remind ourselves wait a minute, my life is on the altar, I have given my rights up and I am following Christ. 00:23:47.403 --> 00:23:53.682 Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 00:23:54.084 --> 00:23:56.189 Do not be conformed to this world. 00:23:56.189 --> 00:23:59.201 How many of you know the world wants to conform you. 00:23:59.201 --> 00:24:06.294 The culture of this world wants to conform you, and I don't care what side of an issue it is. 00:24:06.294 --> 00:24:21.708 The culture of this world wants to conform you, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind that, by testing, you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. 00:24:21.708 --> 00:24:24.827 Do you want to be able to understand the will of God? 00:24:24.827 --> 00:24:26.069 Do you want to be able to hear the voice of God? 00:24:26.069 --> 00:24:27.220 Do you want to be able to hear the voice of God. 00:24:27.220 --> 00:24:29.700 Don't be conformed to the culture of this world. 00:24:29.700 --> 00:24:33.049 Don't give in to the voice of your flesh. 00:24:33.049 --> 00:24:40.646 Understand, know the word of God, hide it in your heart so that you may not sin against him. 00:24:44.375 --> 00:24:47.623 Romans 8 is a beautiful chapter that I encourage you to go home and read as well. 00:24:47.623 --> 00:24:52.961 It talks about the difference between those who walk in the flesh and those who walk in the spirit. 00:24:52.961 --> 00:24:54.243 And here's the deal. 00:24:54.243 --> 00:24:57.538 It's not us walking in the spirit, in our own strength. 00:24:57.538 --> 00:25:11.903 We're walking in the very spirit that raised Jesus Christ from the dead, and he lives in us and he can overpower us and encourage us and help us and strengthen us and lead us and guide us, and all of those things. 00:25:11.903 --> 00:25:16.018 So, first, the voice of our flesh. 00:25:16.018 --> 00:25:21.761 Secondly, satan is always attempting to get us to believe his lies. 00:25:21.761 --> 00:25:25.596 You ever heard the voice of Satan? 00:25:25.596 --> 00:25:33.740 Maybe not Satan himself, but I'm sure you've heard the voice of demonic influence. 00:25:33.740 --> 00:25:37.656 I'm sure that you've heard it, even maybe at times, from people that you love. 00:25:38.849 --> 00:25:42.780 Satan loves to use those closest to us to mess with us. 00:25:42.780 --> 00:25:49.915 How many of you are thankful that we don't wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers and rulers of darkness? 00:25:49.915 --> 00:25:52.661 People are not our enemies. 00:25:52.661 --> 00:25:55.065 Satan is our enemy. 00:25:55.065 --> 00:26:00.920 Jesus makes it clear just a few verses after the ones we read in John 10. 00:26:00.920 --> 00:26:07.141 In verse 10, the thief comes only to steal and kill and to destroy. 00:26:07.141 --> 00:26:08.282 What is Satan's MO? 00:26:08.282 --> 00:26:09.710 What is his mode of operation? 00:26:09.710 --> 00:26:11.577 What is his job description? 00:26:11.577 --> 00:26:15.060 To steal, to kill and to destroy. 00:26:15.060 --> 00:26:21.041 He hates us because we're a part of God's family. 00:26:21.041 --> 00:26:23.538 Ultimately, he hates God. 00:26:23.538 --> 00:26:29.196 But if you can't get to the parents, what do you do? 00:26:29.196 --> 00:26:35.998 You try to get to the children, and that's what Satan attempts to do over and over again. 00:26:35.998 --> 00:26:38.301 Satan always condemns. 00:26:38.301 --> 00:26:46.430 So if the thoughts you're hearing are negative, destructive, vicious or accusing, it's not God, it's the enemy. 00:26:46.430 --> 00:26:48.432 Vicious or accusing, it's not God, it's the enemy. 00:26:48.551 --> 00:26:51.375 God doesn't talk to us like that. 00:26:51.375 --> 00:26:52.717 Does he correct us? 00:26:52.717 --> 00:26:54.018 Does he discipline us? 00:26:54.018 --> 00:26:56.701 Does he sometimes scold us? 00:26:56.701 --> 00:26:58.763 Does he all of those things? 00:26:58.763 --> 00:27:08.464 Absolutely yes, but he never beats us up, he never abuses us. 00:27:08.464 --> 00:27:14.314 He never leaves us feeling hopeless or helpless or without an answer to the problem. 00:27:14.314 --> 00:27:17.298 He's with us and we are his own. 00:27:17.298 --> 00:27:20.163 How does Satan do this? 00:27:20.884 --> 00:27:23.212 Satan tries to remind us of our past failures. 00:27:23.212 --> 00:27:31.381 How many of us live in our daily lives wrestling with an old version of ourselves? 00:27:31.381 --> 00:27:36.835 What I did before, what I used to be, how I used to live. 00:27:36.835 --> 00:27:40.460 Satan tries to make your past seem like it's in the present. 00:27:40.460 --> 00:27:43.497 It's one of his greatest weapons. 00:27:43.497 --> 00:27:45.234 Here's the reality, folks. 00:27:45.234 --> 00:27:46.499 He's a liar. 00:27:46.499 --> 00:27:52.856 If he's speaking to you, here's what you can know for sure. 00:27:52.856 --> 00:27:54.496 It's not the truth. 00:27:54.496 --> 00:28:01.261 Run from it, flee from it, resist it. 00:28:01.261 --> 00:28:11.661 He loves to throw up our past sins, our past rebellions, things we're so embarrassed about that we can't tell any other soul on the planet. 00:28:11.661 --> 00:28:17.481 These are the things that he loves to remind us of. 00:28:18.412 --> 00:28:33.376 When God is asking us to step out and to be a blessing to somebody else, to minister to somebody else or to change in an area in our life, and he's giving us a lifeline, a way that we can do that, satan tries to tell you oh, you think you're going to do that. 00:28:33.376 --> 00:28:36.463 You're a liar, you're a thief. 00:28:36.463 --> 00:28:37.814 This is what he says to us. 00:28:37.814 --> 00:28:42.815 You're a thief, you're a liar, you're no good. 00:28:42.815 --> 00:28:46.075 Just settle down. 00:28:46.075 --> 00:28:56.830 Just settle down. 00:28:56.830 --> 00:29:04.559 Just settle down, just lay down, just embrace who you are. 00:29:04.559 --> 00:29:05.701 You're never going to change. 00:29:05.701 --> 00:29:09.266 In the words of a man named Carmen, which some of you will never know who that is. 00:29:09.266 --> 00:29:15.320 When Satan reminds you of your past, remind him of his future. 00:29:15.320 --> 00:29:23.904 There is a day coming when Satan and every demon that exists in the heavenlies will be called to account. 00:29:23.904 --> 00:29:36.922 They will bow their knees and acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, because they'll have to, and they will be thrown into the pit of hell and locked up forever and ever and ever. 00:29:44.671 --> 00:29:48.221 Satan also tries to scream at us through our present circumstances. 00:29:48.221 --> 00:29:50.955 He loves this. 00:29:50.955 --> 00:29:58.137 Oh, remember what the doctor said You're going to be sick the rest of your life. 00:29:58.137 --> 00:30:04.340 Look at your checking account. 00:30:04.340 --> 00:30:07.309 Do we have checking account? 00:30:07.309 --> 00:30:08.756 Look at your credit card statement. 00:30:08.756 --> 00:30:14.596 You're not going to be able to dig out of that. 00:30:14.596 --> 00:30:19.875 That relationship that's broken. 00:30:19.875 --> 00:30:23.103 No hope, it's over. 00:30:23.103 --> 00:30:30.039 This is the voice of Satan screaming at us. 00:30:30.039 --> 00:30:31.675 Where is your God? 00:30:31.675 --> 00:30:37.136 That's the one he loves the most. 00:30:37.136 --> 00:30:44.976 You know where our God is. 00:30:44.976 --> 00:30:47.198 He's with us. 00:30:47.198 --> 00:30:48.470 He's with us. 00:30:48.470 --> 00:30:51.759 He's with us through the miry clay. 00:30:51.759 --> 00:30:54.759 He's with us through the fire. 00:30:54.759 --> 00:30:59.401 He's with us through everything that we face in this life. 00:31:04.990 --> 00:31:07.920 Satan also tries to terrify us through fear about the future. 00:31:07.920 --> 00:31:14.259 I was tempted to ask for a show of hands, but I won't do that. 00:31:14.259 --> 00:31:31.916 But how many of you know that since 9-11, especially in America, there has been such a release of fear Terror and fear, loathing, reeling what's going to happen next? 00:31:31.916 --> 00:31:39.057 And here's the one that he whispers is it really worth it to follow Jesus? 00:31:39.057 --> 00:31:46.175 If you follow me, I'll take care of you, I'll keep you safe. 00:31:46.175 --> 00:32:00.751 Is God really going to be faithful in the future? 00:32:00.771 --> 00:32:04.517 James 4, verse 7, says submit yourselves, therefore, to God. 00:32:04.517 --> 00:32:09.724 Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 00:32:09.724 --> 00:32:14.194 Submit yourselves, therefore, to God. 00:32:14.194 --> 00:32:17.803 Listen to him, listen to his voice, submit to his word. 00:32:17.803 --> 00:32:20.289 Make sure that you're in fellowship with one another. 00:32:20.289 --> 00:32:26.796 Keep yourself in a place where you can be healthy in your relationship with God, but don't just stop there. 00:32:27.250 --> 00:32:29.298 We are called if you want to fight something. 00:32:29.298 --> 00:32:31.759 Some of you have it in your heart to fight something. 00:32:31.759 --> 00:32:35.519 If you want to fight something, resist the enemies. 00:32:35.519 --> 00:32:37.435 Temptations is lies. 00:32:37.435 --> 00:32:41.159 Stand up against them and say no, you won't. 00:32:41.159 --> 00:32:46.713 I'm a child of God and you're not going to talk to me like that. 00:32:46.713 --> 00:33:03.182 Do you ever talk to yourself this isn't, I'm not getting you in trouble with this question. 00:33:03.182 --> 00:33:06.403 Do you ever talk to yourself? 00:33:06.403 --> 00:33:09.711 I'll tell you what I do. 00:33:09.711 --> 00:33:13.017 If my mind starts to wander in a place that it shouldn't go, I say mind shut up in the name of Jesus. 00:33:13.017 --> 00:33:18.432 Strong words, I know, but you know what's stronger than that? 00:33:18.432 --> 00:33:23.151 The temptation that wants to lure me into thinking about something I don't need to think about. 00:33:23.151 --> 00:33:25.957 Resist it, stand against it. 00:33:25.957 --> 00:33:37.801 If you're having a problem with pornography, get rid of your internet, lock down your phone, do whatever it takes Resist. 00:33:39.003 --> 00:33:41.757 Resist when Satan brings a lie to you. 00:33:41.757 --> 00:33:43.080 Speak the truth to him. 00:33:43.080 --> 00:33:44.767 Speak the truth to him. 00:33:44.767 --> 00:33:45.790 That's what Jesus did. 00:33:45.790 --> 00:33:47.678 He spoke the higher truth. 00:33:47.678 --> 00:33:58.539 You see, satan doesn't come out and just blatantly lie where it's so convincingly obvious, he laces it with elements of truth so as to try to confuse you. 00:33:58.539 --> 00:34:13.918 But how many of you know the Holy Spirit that resides on the inside of us is not fooled, is not tricked, ever, ever, and if we listen to him, he will lead us and guide us into all truth. 00:34:13.918 --> 00:34:20.333 We must continually remind ourselves of the truth that we know in Christ. 00:34:20.715 --> 00:34:22.117 John 10, 10, verse B. 00:34:22.117 --> 00:34:28.137 Let's not forget that I came that they may have life and have it more abundantly. 00:34:28.137 --> 00:34:32.655 That's Jesus's purpose, that's our good shepherd, that's the MO. 00:34:32.655 --> 00:34:45.485 He's walking with us and he wants us to live this life above the fray, above the chatter, above the discontentment that this world tries to throw on us, above the lies, the realm of lies that Satan world tries to throw on us. 00:34:45.485 --> 00:34:51.559 Above the lies, the realm of lies that Satan wants us to live in. 00:34:51.559 --> 00:35:02.931 Saints, submit yourselves to God, resist the devil, and he might. 00:35:02.931 --> 00:35:10.664 If he feels like it, he will flee from you. 00:35:10.664 --> 00:35:23.844 We have become far too passive In our approach to sin and temptation and the lives of the enemy. 00:35:23.844 --> 00:35:33.014 I encourage you, I beg of you, stand up, having done all to stand. 00:35:33.014 --> 00:35:39.577 Stand, therefore, understanding that the battle is not ours. 00:35:39.577 --> 00:35:47.295 The battle belongs to the Lord, but the Lord has called us to be in his army to be a part of it. 00:35:47.295 --> 00:35:56.043 Lord has called us to be in his army to be a part of it. 00:35:56.063 --> 00:35:57.210 So let's move on to something nice. 00:35:57.210 --> 00:36:01.235 How do you know it is God who's speaking to you. 00:36:01.235 --> 00:36:06.353 So when you hear a voice, when you sense something on the inside, you have this kind of inner knowing that we've been talking about, or even you have this audible voice that you hear. 00:36:06.353 --> 00:36:09.298 Whatever the case, you have a dream, a vision, whatever it is. 00:36:09.298 --> 00:36:11.963 How do you know it is God who's speaking to you? 00:36:11.963 --> 00:36:13.072 Number one can you guess what? 00:36:13.072 --> 00:36:15.237 It is Pretty simple. 00:36:16.179 --> 00:36:16.840