WEBVTT 00:00:00.400 --> 00:00:05.200 I just want you to know that 10% of your tithe goes to missions at Gateway Church. 00:00:05.360 --> 00:00:12.560 And uh to date we have spent somewhere around half a million dollars into missions already uh in just two and a half years of our church. 00:00:12.800 --> 00:00:17.600 And uh out of that 10%, the first part of that goes to Jewish ministry. 00:00:17.760 --> 00:00:28.879 We believe that we have to reach the Jew first, and so we are investing heavily into messianic Jewish uh congregations around this former Soviet Union that are springing up there through MJBI. 00:00:28.960 --> 00:00:30.879 And I just want to tell you that your money is being well spent. 00:00:31.120 --> 00:00:36.560 Church is doing great, it's a great trip, and thank you for letting us go, for sending us and allowing us to go. 00:00:36.719 --> 00:00:41.520 I'm gonna share something this morning that uh honestly changed my life two years ago. 00:00:41.679 --> 00:00:48.399 Uh throughout actually the last four years of my life, this has totally, absolutely revolutionized my life. 00:00:48.640 --> 00:00:58.399 And um, you know when you when you walk with the Lord, when you when you decide to serve Jesus, you just you're never going to stay the same. 00:00:58.640 --> 00:01:00.000 This is one thing I'm learning. 00:01:00.079 --> 00:01:04.319 And by the way, not only am I a pastor here at the church, but I want to just kind of put you at ease. 00:01:04.400 --> 00:01:06.000 I'm a Christian too. 00:01:06.799 --> 00:01:08.079 I want you to know that. 00:01:08.239 --> 00:01:12.879 That it's actually uh one of the requirements for being on staff is that you're born again. 00:01:13.120 --> 00:01:17.200 It's it's a it's uh, you know, they really raise the bar here for to be on staff. 00:01:17.519 --> 00:01:27.599 And uh so I want you to know that uh unlike you, I get up in the morning, I want to I want to I have quiet time, I I'm a Christian, and I I want to grow as a Christian. 00:01:27.760 --> 00:01:29.439 I'm not satisfied with where I am. 00:01:29.599 --> 00:01:30.799 I want to do more for the Lord. 00:01:30.879 --> 00:01:36.879 Um there was a time about four years ago where I was probably going through the greatest time of frustration in my life. 00:01:37.040 --> 00:01:59.760 I was a senior pastor at a church, and I was so frustrated, so just so I was wondering why uh that I was not praying for sick people and seeing them be healed, why that uh I was not seeing the miracles of Jesus in my life, why I was just kind of getting up and doing the same thing every day, kind of floating through life and not not really seeing, though, the the things that I wanted to see. 00:02:00.000 --> 00:02:09.360 And I I even said, you know, if this is the way it is, this must be so hard, it must be so difficult to do that only a few people are able to do these things. 00:02:09.439 --> 00:02:12.560 Because, you know, most of the Christians I hang around aren't doing it either. 00:02:12.719 --> 00:02:17.120 And it you know, that that was supposed to make me feel better, you know, that we're all mediocre together. 00:02:17.360 --> 00:02:19.599 But it didn't make me feel any better. 00:02:20.240 --> 00:02:22.879 I just looked around and there wasn't many people doing it. 00:02:23.039 --> 00:02:26.800 There wasn't many people that walked naturally supernatural. 00:02:26.960 --> 00:02:28.319 That and that's the way we should be. 00:02:28.479 --> 00:02:35.360 According to Jesus, we should be naturally supernatural, that we we should have signs and wonders and miracles happening in our lives all the time. 00:02:36.400 --> 00:02:41.280 According to the disciples, they came back and reported to Jesus that, you know, demons submitted to us in your name. 00:02:41.360 --> 00:02:43.280 We laid hands on sick people and saw them hill. 00:02:43.599 --> 00:02:45.199 Things happen in their lives all the time. 00:02:45.360 --> 00:02:47.439 That was not happening in my life, though. 00:02:47.599 --> 00:02:55.039 And so I was thinking, this must be so complicated and so hard that only a few really smart people are gonna be able to figure this out. 00:02:55.199 --> 00:02:58.719 That obviously it's gonna take me a long time to get to that point. 00:02:58.800 --> 00:03:00.319 And, you know, I had to make up my mind. 00:03:00.479 --> 00:03:07.680 Either I'm gonna, you know, spend a long time studying and praying and really trying to figure it out, or the Lord was gonna have to give me revelation. 00:03:07.840 --> 00:03:10.879 And I'm not that smart, so the Lord had to give me revelation. 00:03:11.120 --> 00:03:12.560 And so he did one day. 00:03:12.639 --> 00:03:21.280 And here's what the Lord said to me, Brady, if you don't want to remain the same, and if you're tired of being lukewarm, turn on the light. 00:03:21.840 --> 00:03:24.240 And I remember the morning I heard that, I went, what? 00:03:24.479 --> 00:03:27.599 I mean, I it had to be either really simple or really hard. 00:03:27.919 --> 00:03:31.120 And the Lord said, Brady, turn on the light. 00:03:31.360 --> 00:03:33.520 And that's the title of my message this morning. 00:03:33.759 --> 00:03:37.120 I'm here today to challenge you in your life today to turn on the light. 00:03:37.439 --> 00:03:45.520 And I'm telling you that if you do, if you will, if you will put five percent of what I'm gonna ask you to do today, if you'll do five percent of it, it'll totally change your life today. 00:03:45.680 --> 00:03:48.719 I can make this one guarantee, you won't stay the same. 00:03:48.960 --> 00:03:56.879 And if you're tired of just staying the same right where you are today, if if you are absolutely satisfied with where you are today, this message is not for you. 00:03:57.039 --> 00:04:08.560 But if you're not satisfied with where you are in the Lord, if you if you want more, if you're if there is a gnawing hunger in your heart to do more for Jesus than you've ever done before, this message is for you today. 00:04:08.800 --> 00:04:14.319 And so I want you to turn to Genesis chapter 1, and we're gonna read the first four verses of the Bible. 00:04:14.479 --> 00:04:19.199 Now listen, we cannot overlook the fact that Genesis is the seedbed for the rest of the Bible. 00:04:19.360 --> 00:04:25.199 That what Jesus started, what the Lord started in Genesis, he's been trying to flesh out for the for 5,000 years. 00:04:25.360 --> 00:04:31.199 That what started in Genesis is has has he has not changed his mind about mankind, by the way. 00:04:31.519 --> 00:04:33.759 He still believes you're created in his image. 00:04:33.920 --> 00:04:38.079 He still believes he God did not take a great gamble. 00:04:38.240 --> 00:04:42.639 I I hear people say God took a big gamble by trusting us with all the ministry on the earth. 00:04:42.800 --> 00:04:43.920 No, I'm I I think this. 00:04:44.079 --> 00:04:46.240 God knew it was gonna work out just fine. 00:04:46.720 --> 00:04:48.560 God can trust you with ministry. 00:04:48.720 --> 00:04:50.879 God wants you to do the ministry on the earth. 00:04:51.040 --> 00:04:52.560 This is not a gamble for God. 00:04:52.720 --> 00:04:54.160 God knows everything that's gonna happen. 00:04:54.240 --> 00:04:56.160 He knew it was gonna work out just fine. 00:04:56.319 --> 00:05:00.240 He knew that people at Gateway Church would do the ministry of the Lord Jesus. 00:05:00.399 --> 00:05:01.920 He knows it's gonna work out fine. 00:05:02.079 --> 00:05:03.519 He knows you're gonna do it. 00:05:03.759 --> 00:05:04.879 I know you're gonna do it. 00:05:05.040 --> 00:05:06.480 I know that I'm gonna do it. 00:05:06.720 --> 00:05:09.839 I have great confidence in what's about to happen in our midst here. 00:05:10.000 --> 00:05:16.240 And so in Genesis chapter 1, verses 1, 2, 3, and 4, it says, In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 00:05:16.399 --> 00:05:18.560 And now the earth was formless and empty. 00:05:18.720 --> 00:05:20.639 Darkness was over the surface of the deep. 00:05:20.800 --> 00:05:22.480 Now, is this you when you were lost? 00:05:23.759 --> 00:05:26.000 Does this describe you before you knew Jesus? 00:05:26.240 --> 00:05:34.240 Darkness was over you, that you were formless and void, that you were just drifting through life, not knowing your purpose, not knowing your destiny, full of darkness. 00:05:34.399 --> 00:05:37.839 And he said, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. 00:05:38.000 --> 00:05:39.519 Now, I want you to know something today. 00:05:39.680 --> 00:05:44.079 Whether you're lost or born again in this room, the Holy Spirit is hovering over you today. 00:05:44.319 --> 00:05:47.439 And you know what happens when the Holy Spirit hovers over people? 00:05:47.680 --> 00:05:49.519 The Holy Spirit changes people. 00:05:49.680 --> 00:05:52.000 The Holy Spirit is an agent of change. 00:05:52.160 --> 00:05:54.319 The Holy Spirit is our great comforter. 00:05:54.480 --> 00:05:55.839 He comes to comfort you today. 00:05:56.000 --> 00:06:02.160 If you're going through a crisis situation, the Holy Spirit is here today to bring great comfort to you. 00:06:02.319 --> 00:06:06.079 But the Holy Spirit will not allow you to stay in your comfort zone. 00:06:06.480 --> 00:06:10.800 The Holy Spirit has come today to change you into the image of Jesus. 00:06:10.959 --> 00:06:14.959 Now listen, has anybody run up to you this week and mistaken you for Jesus? 00:06:17.120 --> 00:06:17.600 Have they? 00:06:17.759 --> 00:06:19.040 Has that happened this week? 00:06:19.920 --> 00:06:21.199 Are you Jesus? 00:06:22.160 --> 00:06:22.480 No. 00:06:23.199 --> 00:06:25.839 That's not happened to me lately either. 00:06:26.160 --> 00:06:30.160 I had a guy thought one day I was Jim Carrey, but I I'm not Jesus. 00:06:31.439 --> 00:06:36.240 And so I want you to know something today that I need to be changed. 00:06:36.480 --> 00:06:37.759 I need to be changed. 00:06:38.000 --> 00:06:39.360 Do you need to be changed? 00:06:39.759 --> 00:06:43.439 Listen, if you'll amen me, this will go a lot faster this morning, okay? 00:06:44.800 --> 00:06:50.480 And so God saw, listen, he says, and God said, let there be light, and there was light. 00:06:50.639 --> 00:06:51.920 Do you see how quickly that happened? 00:06:52.000 --> 00:06:54.639 Do you think that happened took thousands of years for that to happen? 00:06:54.720 --> 00:06:58.079 Or do you think that that may have happened instantaneously? 00:06:58.959 --> 00:07:00.720 I think it happened very quickly. 00:07:00.879 --> 00:07:03.519 Immediately, like flipping on the light switch at your home. 00:07:03.680 --> 00:07:05.120 That's how quickly this happened. 00:07:05.279 --> 00:07:07.279 He said, Let there be light and there was light. 00:07:07.360 --> 00:07:11.839 And God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. 00:07:12.000 --> 00:07:15.680 Now listen, right away God said, I like the light better than I like the darkness. 00:07:15.839 --> 00:07:17.519 In fact, God made a decision right there. 00:07:17.680 --> 00:07:18.959 I'm going to live in the light. 00:07:19.120 --> 00:07:21.199 Wherever there is light, that's my domain. 00:07:21.279 --> 00:07:21.920 That's my kingdom. 00:07:22.079 --> 00:07:23.120 That's where I'm going to live. 00:07:23.279 --> 00:07:24.800 He said, I don't want any part of darkness. 00:07:24.879 --> 00:07:25.759 I don't like darkness. 00:07:25.839 --> 00:07:27.040 I'm not going to have any part of it. 00:07:27.199 --> 00:07:28.639 In fact, he made a decision. 00:07:28.720 --> 00:07:31.519 In Jude chapter 6, we see what he did with the darkness. 00:07:31.759 --> 00:07:37.839 Jude verse 6, it says, And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority, but abandoned their home. 00:07:38.000 --> 00:07:42.000 He's talking about the time where he threw one-third of the angels out of heaven along with Satan. 00:07:42.240 --> 00:07:48.959 These he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting change for judgment on the great day. 00:07:49.120 --> 00:07:50.240 Now I want you to know something. 00:07:50.319 --> 00:07:52.319 This is a theological truth today. 00:07:52.560 --> 00:08:01.360 That Satan has legal access given to him by God to dwell in the areas of darkness, both spiritual darkness, physical darkness. 00:08:01.519 --> 00:08:03.199 Satan lives in darkness. 00:08:03.680 --> 00:08:05.439 This is going about to mess you up here. 00:08:05.920 --> 00:08:08.800 Even the darkness that might be in a believer's life. 00:08:10.079 --> 00:08:11.279 Do you catch that now? 00:08:12.000 --> 00:08:13.600 You can be born again here today. 00:08:13.759 --> 00:08:17.360 Jesus can be the sole proprietor of your spirit. 00:08:17.680 --> 00:08:24.800 But in your soul and in your body, there can be places of darkness that the enemy has legal right and legal authority to dwell in. 00:08:25.439 --> 00:08:27.120 Satan lives in darkness. 00:08:27.279 --> 00:08:39.039 And in any area of your life this morning that you do not want the light to come, then Satan has a feast, has a great feast in the areas of darkness that you keep. 00:08:39.279 --> 00:08:52.480 That's where he lives, that's where he torments believers, that's where he comes, that's where he abides, that's where he does his best work is in areas of darkness, even in areas of darkness that might be in a believer's life. 00:08:52.720 --> 00:08:58.639 And I believe today that every believer, every believer must confront the darkness in their life on a regular basis. 00:08:58.799 --> 00:09:00.559 And this is what I'm talking about today. 00:09:00.720 --> 00:09:06.159 Now in Colossians chapter 1, we see these two kingdoms of darkness that are now been firmly established. 00:09:06.320 --> 00:09:18.720 Colossians chapter 1, verses 13 and 14 says, For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 00:09:18.879 --> 00:09:21.679 Both dominion and kingdom mean places of authority. 00:09:21.919 --> 00:09:23.919 Satan has authority in darkness. 00:09:24.080 --> 00:09:26.240 The Lord Jesus has authority in the light. 00:09:26.320 --> 00:09:27.759 That's the way God set it up. 00:09:27.840 --> 00:09:29.679 One day there will be nothing but light. 00:09:29.840 --> 00:09:35.519 In fact, in heaven, you know, it starts out in Genesis chapter 1 with he saying, Let light be separated from darkness. 00:09:35.679 --> 00:09:37.440 You know how the book ends in Revelation? 00:09:37.600 --> 00:09:43.840 There's not going to be any need for the sun or the moon in heaven, because the Lord Jesus, the Lamb, is going to be our light in heaven. 00:09:44.080 --> 00:09:45.679 Heaven will be no darkness in life. 00:09:45.759 --> 00:09:47.039 There will be no night in heaven. 00:09:47.200 --> 00:09:59.759 There will be nothing but illuminated light for eternity, day after day after day after day, hour after hour, heaven will be lit up with the glory of the Lord Jesus, and we will live an everlasting eternal light in heaven. 00:10:00.000 --> 00:10:02.000 Both physical and spiritual light. 00:10:02.159 --> 00:10:06.320 There will never be an area of darkness in your heart again when you get to heaven. 00:10:06.480 --> 00:10:07.679 Can you say amen to that? 00:10:07.919 --> 00:10:09.679 That is good news this morning. 00:10:09.919 --> 00:10:20.639 Now, in Ephesians 5, before you put that scripture up, in Ephesians 5, Paul wrote a letter to the church at Ephesus, and he was trying to encourage them to go to another level, like I'm encouraging you today. 00:10:20.960 --> 00:10:24.799 In fact, Paul was saying, listen, church, you're not going to stay the same. 00:10:25.120 --> 00:10:34.240 When you accepted Jesus and the Holy Spirit came into your life, when you were baptized in the Holy Spirit, when you were born again and the fruit of the Spirit began to appear in you, you're not going to stay the same. 00:10:34.480 --> 00:10:35.759 And so here's what Paul says. 00:10:35.919 --> 00:10:37.200 Paul was just real straightforward. 00:10:37.360 --> 00:10:39.840 In verse 1, he says, be imitators of God. 00:10:40.000 --> 00:10:41.200 Don't put it up quite yet. 00:10:41.440 --> 00:10:42.960 Be imitators of God. 00:10:43.120 --> 00:10:51.519 Now, how would you like someone to have you in a counseling session and sit down with you and you're complaining, you've got this problem, you're working through it, and the counselor says, hold, just stop. 00:10:51.600 --> 00:10:52.960 Listen, here's your solution. 00:10:53.519 --> 00:10:54.799 Just act like God. 00:10:55.919 --> 00:10:57.440 Just act like God. 00:10:58.000 --> 00:10:59.840 Now have a good day. 00:11:00.480 --> 00:11:06.399 Now, if you're making your live in counseling, and that's the counsel you're giving, you're going to have skinny kids because you're not going to make a very good living. 00:11:07.120 --> 00:11:08.480 But be imitators of God. 00:11:08.559 --> 00:11:12.720 Now, Paul, I'm so thankful that Paul went into a little more detail than that. 00:11:12.960 --> 00:11:15.440 But he did say, act like God. 00:11:16.240 --> 00:11:18.879 It's possible today for you to be mistaken for Jesus. 00:11:19.039 --> 00:11:25.679 I really believe that it's possible for you to be mistaken or for you to have the an accurate reflection of Jesus Christ. 00:11:25.919 --> 00:11:32.480 Not perfect, but you're going to look and talk and act so much like Jesus that people are going to mistake you for Christ. 00:11:33.200 --> 00:11:36.480 Here's what he said though in verse 8, Ephesians 5, verse 8. 00:11:37.039 --> 00:11:40.879 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. 00:11:41.039 --> 00:11:47.039 And live as children of light, for the fruit of light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth. 00:11:47.200 --> 00:11:49.120 And find out, that's what we're doing this morning. 00:11:49.279 --> 00:11:51.679 Let's find out this morning what pleases the Lord. 00:11:51.919 --> 00:11:56.559 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 00:11:56.639 --> 00:12:00.000 Now, if you're reading along in your Bible, I want you to underline the word expose. 00:12:00.080 --> 00:12:02.799 And if not, I want you to write that word down in your notes today. 00:12:02.960 --> 00:12:09.200 Because that word simply means to bring it into the light, to give a full explanation. 00:12:09.440 --> 00:12:12.879 Now my mom and dad uh believed in spanking when I grew up. 00:12:13.120 --> 00:12:17.519 And uh I know you can't tell that, but I really did have a lot of discipline growing up. 00:12:17.679 --> 00:12:20.639 And here's what my mom, my dad didn't do this, but my mom would do this. 00:12:20.799 --> 00:12:24.159 We had a little routine we had to go through before I I knew the routine. 00:12:24.320 --> 00:12:25.679 I was gonna get a spankin'. 00:12:25.840 --> 00:12:30.799 I got caught, I was busted, the judge, the jury, the trial, all took about 15 seconds. 00:12:30.879 --> 00:12:32.879 I'm busted, I'm about to get a spankin'. 00:12:33.279 --> 00:12:36.240 And then my mom would say this before she gave me a spankin. 00:12:36.399 --> 00:12:37.679 Give me a full explanation. 00:12:37.840 --> 00:12:39.679 Explain yourself, young man. 00:12:40.159 --> 00:12:42.639 But mom, let's can we just cut to the chase? 00:12:42.879 --> 00:12:45.679 What whatever I tell you is going to be a lie. 00:12:46.159 --> 00:12:47.919 I I don't know why I did it. 00:12:48.159 --> 00:12:49.039 I have no idea. 00:12:49.200 --> 00:12:51.200 I was on heavy medication, I'm out of my mind. 00:12:51.360 --> 00:12:52.720 I don't know why I did it. 00:12:53.200 --> 00:12:54.320 Because you told me not to. 00:12:54.480 --> 00:12:56.159 That was the real reason I did it. 00:12:56.480 --> 00:13:01.919 Can we just cut to the chase and get- No, she wanted me to explain why I disobeyed. 00:13:02.240 --> 00:13:04.399 I had I don't know why I disobeyed. 00:13:04.639 --> 00:13:06.799 I just I just know that I'm getting spanked. 00:13:06.879 --> 00:13:09.120 And can we just, you're just prolonging the inevitable. 00:13:09.200 --> 00:13:11.600 Spank me and let's move on with our lives. 00:13:12.399 --> 00:13:15.600 But this is why, now listen, here's the here's the good news. 00:13:15.919 --> 00:13:22.960 All the Lord wants you from you today is to bring it into the light, give him a full explanation, and you can skip the spanking. 00:13:23.759 --> 00:13:24.879 That's grace. 00:13:25.840 --> 00:13:28.799 However, y'all amen that really quickly. 00:13:29.120 --> 00:13:38.879 However, if you do not bring it into the light and you refuse to give the explanation, the Bible says the Lord disciplines those he loves. 00:13:39.200 --> 00:13:40.320 You get the spanking. 00:13:41.360 --> 00:13:47.039 But if you'll bring it into the light and give a full explanation, you can skip the spanking. 00:13:48.000 --> 00:13:49.279 That's the good news, isn't it? 00:13:49.519 --> 00:13:50.320 I'll take that option. 00:13:50.480 --> 00:13:52.240 My mom never gave me that option. 00:13:52.399 --> 00:13:56.559 I brought it into the light, I gave her an explanation, still got the spanking. 00:13:57.039 --> 00:14:00.320 And then I met Jesus, and I tried to explain to her how Jesus would do it. 00:14:00.399 --> 00:14:02.000 She had no, she didn't care. 00:14:02.799 --> 00:14:04.559 And let's keep reading here. 00:14:04.879 --> 00:14:15.039 For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret, but everything, listen, everything exposed by the light becomes visible. 00:14:15.360 --> 00:14:19.600 Satan lost his ability to hide in the darkness a long time ago. 00:14:20.080 --> 00:14:25.759 When you shine the light of the Holy Spirit on the places of your of darkness in your heart, he cannot hide. 00:14:26.000 --> 00:14:28.159 The enemy cannot hide from the Lord Jesus. 00:14:28.320 --> 00:14:32.639 He lost his authority and ability to hide from the Lord Jesus a long time ago. 00:14:32.799 --> 00:14:35.600 And he says, For it is light that makes everything visible. 00:14:35.759 --> 00:14:41.039 This is why it is said, wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you. 00:14:41.279 --> 00:14:47.840 Now I I believe this morning that most believers, and maybe many of us in this room today, have just gotten used to the darkness. 00:14:48.639 --> 00:14:53.519 Well, you know, I'm a man, so I'm I'm just always gonna struggle with lust and anger and greed. 00:14:53.759 --> 00:14:56.240 Well, I'm a woman, so I'm always gonna have my feelings hurt. 00:14:56.320 --> 00:14:57.919 I'm never gonna be able to get along. 00:14:58.240 --> 00:15:00.720 Oh, it's just my as well, but I'm always gonna be offended. 00:15:01.039 --> 00:15:03.120 That must be my lot in life. 00:15:03.360 --> 00:15:05.039 I'm just used to the darkness. 00:15:05.200 --> 00:15:10.000 My dad did that, my granddad did that, I'm probably gonna do that, my son might do that. 00:15:10.320 --> 00:15:12.000 See, we just get used to the darkness. 00:15:12.159 --> 00:15:19.200 When I went to the Ukraine, there is more light bulbs in my house than there is in the entire city of Odessa, Ukraine. 00:15:19.440 --> 00:15:20.320 It's dark there. 00:15:20.480 --> 00:15:22.000 The street lights hardly work. 00:15:22.159 --> 00:15:30.799 Uh we uh the the senior pastor of the church there lives in a high-rise apartment complex, which by the way, uh unbelievable living conditions there for people. 00:15:30.960 --> 00:15:36.240 And so one after one evening it was late, it was like eight or nine o'clock, they invited us up to their house to drink coffee. 00:15:36.320 --> 00:15:38.320 And so we're walking up this flight of stairs. 00:15:38.399 --> 00:15:40.799 They live on the third floor, and we're walking up these steps. 00:15:40.879 --> 00:15:43.279 Look, OSHA has never been to Ukraine. 00:15:43.440 --> 00:15:47.200 Occupational safety and all those things are totally non-existent there. 00:15:47.360 --> 00:15:51.120 And I'm honestly, they were the most dangerous set of steps I'd ever seen in my life. 00:15:51.200 --> 00:15:58.240 The way they wound around, one wrong step you dropped about four feet, you could have broken your leg, your back, whatever you bought ball on. 00:15:58.320 --> 00:16:01.919 And the rail had about two screws holding it into the wall, there was no support. 00:16:02.000 --> 00:16:08.799 And so we're walking up these things, and you know, they have three little boys, so the pastor and his wife and the three little boys, they just shoot up the steps, no problem. 00:16:08.960 --> 00:16:14.960 They get to the top, they're waiting at the door for us, and George and I are holding each other like a couple of old women walking up the steps. 00:16:15.279 --> 00:16:16.080 It's dark. 00:16:16.240 --> 00:16:17.120 We can't see. 00:16:17.519 --> 00:16:21.120 I mean, i we're scared that we're gonna break our leg going up the steps. 00:16:21.679 --> 00:16:25.200 And uh we get to the top, and I said, How do aren't you guys afraid? 00:16:25.279 --> 00:16:28.559 Or aren't you don't you get scared when you're walking up these steps? 00:16:28.720 --> 00:16:31.440 Don't you don't you uh doesn't that bother you that there's no light? 00:16:31.519 --> 00:16:35.200 They go every time we put a light bulb in the hallway, uh, someone steals it. 00:16:35.519 --> 00:16:38.000 And he says, so we just and here's what she said. 00:16:38.159 --> 00:16:39.840 We're used to the darkness. 00:16:40.639 --> 00:16:45.360 And I thought in my heart, yeah, most believers are just used to the darkness. 00:16:45.440 --> 00:16:46.639 We just get used to it. 00:16:46.879 --> 00:17:04.480 We just get used to walking through life and tolerating areas of darkness in our life and just assuming that it must be too difficult, too difficult to overcome this, that it's only for a few people who've been to Bible school and have have God's special favor that can overcome the areas of darkness. 00:17:04.559 --> 00:17:08.640 And the rest of us, our lot in life is just to walk it out and tolerate it. 00:17:08.799 --> 00:17:10.400 And that's not it though. 00:17:10.640 --> 00:17:13.440 Listen, there's uh there's better news than that. 00:17:13.759 --> 00:17:18.960 And so today there are two things that I believe the Lord tells us to do that we can walk in the light. 00:17:19.039 --> 00:17:23.119 And I want before I give you the two things, you've got to do both of them. 00:17:23.359 --> 00:17:25.119 You can't do just one of these. 00:17:25.359 --> 00:17:26.400 You have to do both. 00:17:26.559 --> 00:17:32.000 It's like combining, have you ever cooked biscuits without putting the yeast in, without putting the it's those are crackers. 00:17:32.160 --> 00:17:33.359 They're not biscuits. 00:17:33.599 --> 00:17:35.359 You have to put everything in. 00:17:36.640 --> 00:17:38.160 I don't know a lot about baking. 00:17:38.240 --> 00:17:40.880 That was the only baking analogy I could come up with. 00:17:41.839 --> 00:17:43.039 Obviously. 00:17:43.279 --> 00:17:44.480 But I do know this. 00:17:44.640 --> 00:17:46.880 You have to put all of the ingredients in. 00:17:47.119 --> 00:17:50.559 Everything it says on that list, those are not suggestions. 00:17:51.839 --> 00:17:53.680 Here's the first thing you do. 00:17:53.920 --> 00:17:56.240 Just say yes to the Holy Spirit. 00:17:57.440 --> 00:18:03.680 And I know you say, oh no, that's so simple, and obviously you didn't have much time to study because that is too simple. 00:18:06.799 --> 00:18:07.759 You know what? 00:18:08.160 --> 00:18:11.039 You are you hear the voice of the Lord just fine. 00:18:12.480 --> 00:18:24.079 In fact, you see, if if I call, like I do a lot of prophetic ministry, if I had one of you stand up and I say, the Lord says to you, you're hearing the Lord just fine, you would believe that, but because I said it in a large group, most of you don't believe that. 00:18:24.400 --> 00:18:27.519 Most of you believe that only a few people hear the Lord's voice real well. 00:18:27.680 --> 00:18:31.759 Listen, Jesus said, My sheep know my voice. 00:18:32.000 --> 00:18:37.839 If you're born again here today, listen, you cannot even be born again unless you hear the Lord's voice. 00:18:38.160 --> 00:18:42.160 Calling you out of darkness into the kingdom of the Son He loves. 00:18:42.319 --> 00:18:43.119 Is that not right? 00:18:43.359 --> 00:18:44.079 He rescued you. 00:18:44.319 --> 00:18:45.440 You know how you were rescued? 00:18:45.519 --> 00:18:47.680 You you heard the voice, the voice of the Lord. 00:18:47.759 --> 00:18:48.960 You heard the Holy Spirit. 00:18:49.119 --> 00:18:51.680 You came out of darkness and were rescued. 00:18:51.920 --> 00:18:56.079 And so we are supernaturally equipped to hear the voice of the Lord. 00:18:56.160 --> 00:18:58.799 And all you have to do is say yes to the Holy Spirit. 00:18:58.880 --> 00:19:02.079 The Holy Spirit's purpose is to help you get out of the darkness. 00:19:02.319 --> 00:19:06.960 In John chapter 3, verses 19 through 21, it says, this is the verdict. 00:19:07.200 --> 00:19:09.680 In other words, this been this has been already been declared. 00:19:09.839 --> 00:19:10.720 This is the verdict. 00:19:10.960 --> 00:19:16.079 Light has come into the world, but men love darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 00:19:16.240 --> 00:19:24.400 Now listen today, if you are in love with the sin, the darkness in your life, you're if you're in love with that darkness, this is the most miserable message you'll ever hear. 00:19:24.640 --> 00:19:34.640 But if you hate the darkness that's in your life like I did four years ago, when I begin to hate the darkness, I begin to literally loathe the darkness that was in my life. 00:19:34.799 --> 00:19:36.240 This was good news to me. 00:19:36.480 --> 00:19:42.799 He says, everyone who does evil hates the light and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 00:19:43.039 --> 00:19:46.480 But whoever lives by the truth, isn't that us today? 00:19:46.720 --> 00:19:49.839 I mean, we've all made that choice in this room today to live by the truth. 00:19:50.000 --> 00:19:56.319 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God. 00:19:56.480 --> 00:19:58.160 And so I said, Lord, how do I do that? 00:19:58.319 --> 00:19:59.599 How do I expose myself? 00:19:59.759 --> 00:20:02.079 How do I come into the light on a daily basis? 00:20:02.240 --> 00:20:03.759 And the Lord showed me how to pray. 00:20:03.920 --> 00:20:07.440 Now, what I'm about to give you, this prayer is not going to be on keychains one day. 00:20:07.519 --> 00:20:10.079 It's not going to, I'm not trying to give you another prayer of Jabez. 00:20:10.319 --> 00:20:12.799 I'm telling you, this is how the Lord told me to pray. 00:20:12.960 --> 00:20:14.640 I gave it to you in your sermon notes. 00:20:14.720 --> 00:20:15.839 It's inside your bulletin. 00:20:15.920 --> 00:20:17.039 It'll come up on the screen. 00:20:17.119 --> 00:20:19.119 But ask the Lord how you should pray. 00:20:19.359 --> 00:20:22.319 But I'm telling you, let me give you a warning before you pray this prayer. 00:20:22.559 --> 00:20:24.319 It'll totally mess you up. 00:20:25.599 --> 00:20:26.880 I'm just telling you that. 00:20:27.039 --> 00:20:34.880 In fact, I shared this prayer the way I was praying with our leaders about a month ago, and a guy that's one of our life group leaders said he'd begin, he's praying this now every day for a month. 00:20:35.039 --> 00:20:37.200 He said it's totally ruined his life. 00:20:38.000 --> 00:20:39.039 I'm just picking. 00:20:39.279 --> 00:20:41.119 But it will mess you up. 00:20:41.279 --> 00:20:42.319 And I'll tell you why. 00:20:42.480 --> 00:20:47.200 Because everything that's hidden in the darkness will come to the light, and then you must deal with it. 00:20:48.640 --> 00:20:49.599 But it's easy to deal with. 00:20:49.680 --> 00:20:52.400 We just repent, we say, Lord, I'm sorry, cleanse me. 00:20:52.480 --> 00:20:55.599 But listen, you've got to confront the darkness in your own life. 00:20:56.000 --> 00:20:57.440 You've got to be willing to confront it. 00:20:57.519 --> 00:20:58.640 You've got to be willing to face it. 00:20:58.720 --> 00:21:00.480 You've got to be willing to admit to it. 00:21:00.640 --> 00:21:01.920 You don't have to tell the whole crowd. 00:21:02.000 --> 00:21:03.359 You don't have to tell twelve people. 00:21:03.519 --> 00:21:07.359 You just got to admit to yourself that there's areas of darkness in your life. 00:21:07.680 --> 00:21:08.960 We just learn to live with it. 00:21:09.039 --> 00:21:12.720 We think it's such a normal part of who we are that, oh, it can't be wrong. 00:21:12.880 --> 00:21:13.680 This is who I am. 00:21:13.839 --> 00:21:15.359 No, it's not of the Lord. 00:21:15.519 --> 00:21:17.599 And when you pray this prayer, it'll come to the surface. 00:21:17.680 --> 00:21:19.279 And then we've got to deal with it. 00:21:19.519 --> 00:21:22.319 You've got to confront the darkness in your own heart. 00:21:22.559 --> 00:21:23.599 And this is what he says. 00:21:23.680 --> 00:21:24.240 Here's how I pray. 00:21:24.799 --> 00:21:29.759 I ask the Holy Spirit to shine his light into every dark area of my soul. 00:21:30.079 --> 00:21:34.400 I will not hide and I will not withdraw from your presence. 00:21:35.039 --> 00:21:38.559 Expose and remove the works of darkness in my life. 00:21:38.880 --> 00:21:47.359 I give the Holy Spirit permission to establish the kingdom of Jesus Christ in my thoughts, my emotions, and in my physical body. 00:21:47.759 --> 00:21:51.359 I want to be an accurate reflection of Jesus Christ from this day forward. 00:21:51.599 --> 00:21:52.559 I pray that all the time. 00:21:52.720 --> 00:21:54.480 I pray it in the morning, in my quiet time. 00:21:54.559 --> 00:21:55.599 I pray it in my car. 00:21:55.759 --> 00:21:56.559 I pray it at night. 00:21:56.720 --> 00:21:58.079 My wife and I pray this together. 00:21:58.240 --> 00:21:59.359 I pray this over my children. 00:22:00.079 --> 00:22:01.200 Lord, I give you permission. 00:22:01.359 --> 00:22:05.039 Please shine the light of your Holy Spirit into every dark area of my heart. 00:22:05.200 --> 00:22:06.640 Lord, I do not want to hide. 00:22:06.720 --> 00:22:07.839 I'm not running from you. 00:22:07.920 --> 00:22:16.079 I'm not going to be like Adam and Eve and run from his presence and cover myself with fig leaves and act like nothing was wrong when he came looking for them in the garden. 00:22:16.319 --> 00:22:19.200 Listen, what started in Genesis is being fleshed out today. 00:22:19.359 --> 00:22:22.160 We run from the Lord, but actually we should be running to him. 00:22:22.799 --> 00:22:29.200 And I'm telling you today, if you'll just say, Lord, I just give you permission to shine your light right now into every dark part of my heart. 00:22:29.359 --> 00:22:30.559 Lord, I'm not going to hide from you. 00:22:30.640 --> 00:22:31.519 I'm not going to run from you. 00:22:31.680 --> 00:22:32.160 I want you. 00:22:32.240 --> 00:22:33.279 I embrace you. 00:22:33.519 --> 00:22:38.720 You know, when I came home from the Ukraine, I'd been gone ten days, the longest I've ever been gone from my wife or kid. 00:22:38.880 --> 00:22:41.920 And when my four-year-old boy, he's real, real tender. 00:22:42.000 --> 00:22:45.839 He really loves to cuddle and hug, and he's got a real tender spirit. 00:22:46.000 --> 00:22:51.519 When he saw me, he ran and jumped on me, and for all night long he was just real close to me. 00:22:51.680 --> 00:22:53.359 I'm telling you, it melted my heart. 00:22:53.519 --> 00:22:54.880 I knew that's what he was going to do. 00:22:54.960 --> 00:22:56.880 I couldn't wait to get home because he was going to run to me. 00:22:56.960 --> 00:22:58.079 He was going to jump in my arms. 00:22:58.160 --> 00:22:59.440 He had not seen me for ten days. 00:22:59.759 --> 00:23:00.880 He just laid his head on me. 00:23:00.960 --> 00:23:06.000 He just talked to me and talked my ear off, told me everything he had done at his grandparents' house, told me all the stories. 00:23:06.160 --> 00:23:07.519 He was all over me. 00:23:07.759 --> 00:23:09.839 And I loved every minute of it. 00:23:10.240 --> 00:23:14.720 And I wonder if how long it's been since some of us have run to the dad. 00:23:15.039 --> 00:23:17.119 And just let him love on us. 00:23:17.359 --> 00:23:19.759 Listen, all he wants you to do is run to him. 00:23:20.640 --> 00:23:22.640 All he wants you to do is cut let him come. 00:23:22.720 --> 00:23:24.480 Let him embrace you today. 00:23:24.799 --> 00:23:25.920 Running to the Lord. 00:23:26.079 --> 00:23:29.119 See, you're not, it doesn't matter what you've done. 00:23:29.200 --> 00:23:32.160 He's not going to, it's not going to be anger that you get from him. 00:23:33.200 --> 00:23:36.319 It's not going to be anger, it's going to be a warm embrace. 00:23:37.119 --> 00:23:38.640 Why would we not run to the Lord? 00:23:38.720 --> 00:23:44.640 Why I don't want Abram to ever think, when he's 20 years old, I want to know when he comes to Dad, he's going to get a warm embrace. 00:23:45.680 --> 00:23:48.160 So that Abram one day knows that's how God is. 00:23:48.319 --> 00:23:49.200 That's how Dad is. 00:23:49.279 --> 00:23:50.559 That must be how God is. 00:23:50.799 --> 00:23:53.759 Listen, all you're going to get is a warm embrace. 00:23:54.079 --> 00:23:58.480 Why would we not expose ourselves and open our hearts and just be honest to the Lord? 00:23:58.720 --> 00:24:07.599 I'm about to give you one sentence that if you forget everything else I've spoken today, you may forget who I am 20 years from now, but I don't want you to ever forget this one sentence. 00:24:07.759 --> 00:24:11.279 In fact, this entire message is to give you one sentence today that I want you to remember. 00:24:11.359 --> 00:24:12.319 And here it is. 00:24:12.640 --> 00:24:18.640 The greatest weapon you have against the enemy is to have an honest heart before the Lord. 00:24:20.240 --> 00:24:30.880 The greatest weapon you have against the enemy and his strategy, his schemes against you, against your marriage, against your finances, against your sickness, against everything in your children's lives, against every part of your life. 00:24:30.960 --> 00:24:35.440