Week Sixth of Journey To Freedom Defeating Satan and This World

I am constantly reminded to hold onto what I believe in. Jesus is the light, when the darkest (Satan / the world) has robbed me of all my sight. So many times in this life, we fall so far short of what Christ has called us to do. We can be praying and praising and feeling connected to the Lord, and then suddenly Satan shows up, and we start complaining, judging, sighing with impatience, feeling discouraged, reacting before thinking and most of all taking my focus off of Jesus. How can we go from one extreme to the next so quickly.

Transcript

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Welcome to Walking in the Living Word Ministries, a weekly podcast with your host, Pastor Mike Futrol.

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Thank you for joining us this week for Walking in the Living Word Ministries. We're on week six of our journey to freedom, defeating Satan in this world. You know, our song this week is Hold On by Katie Nicole. At the end of the video, we'll post a link so you can listen and hopefully purchase it and add it to your library so that when you get in a situation where you just feel like you can't hold on, play that song, listen to it along with this message. You know, I'm constantly reminded to hold on what I believe in. Jesus is the light, when the darkness, Satan has robbed me of all my sight. So many times in this life, we fall so short of what Christ has called us to be. We can be praying and praising and feeling connected to the Lord, and then suddenly Satan shows up and we start complaining, judging, sighing, uh with impatience, feeling discouraged, reacting before thinking, and most of all, taking our focus off of Jesus. You know, how can we go from one extreme to the next so quickly? Then Satan reminds us of our past, that we didn't meet God's plan, that we're not liked by God or liked by others. We are not accepted by others. And that thrust begins another downward spiral of despair. We feel lost and trapped in the darkness. Not only can we get not see clearly, but we even forget what it's like to be able to see clearly. It's so easy for all of us to feel alone in the darkness. But the truth is that finding ourselves in the darkness is part of being in a fallen world. We have to remind ourselves that we have been saved by grace, but we still have to battle our sinful nature in this world. So often when we don't feel God with us, it's because we've given into the darkness. Satan loves it when we focus on the bad, the dark, and the gloomy. Satan gets so much joy when we forget everything that we've been taught and know to be true about God. Satan and the world takes over and our thoughts, patterns, because they have we have allowed them into our minds. We know that we shouldn't feel this way, which makes us feel even more discouraged. What are we to do? Paul says it best in Romans 7, 19 through 25. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do. This I keep on doing. Now, if I do what I do not want to do, it's no longer I do who I do it. But it's sin living in me that does it. Let's look at the uh from Paul's train of thought. So we find this law at work. Although we want to do good, evil is right there with us, step by step. For in our inner being, we delight in God's law, but we seek another law that works in us, waging war against the law of our mind and making us a prisoner of the law of sin at work in us. You know, we become a prisoner of that law, of that sin that's living in us when we allow Satan and the world to convince us that God doesn't care. You know, what a wretched person we are. Who will rescue us from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God who delivered us through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. So then in our mind, we are a slave to God's law, but in my sinful nature, we're a slave to the law of sin. We know that God is still who he is and who he says he is. We know how we can root that truth deep in our hearts in times of despair. How have you ever found yourself wrestling with your own shortcomings and feeling weighted down by your mistakes? I know I have. See, Satan, he didn't win then. It serves as a reminder that despise our struggles, we can find relief and redemption in the grace of Jesus Christ. We should hold on to the promise of victory through Jesus Christ as we navigate the uh complexities of our own moral problems. And boy, do we have, and seek to leave a life pleasing to God. That's one thing I want to do. I hope you do. We should draw strength from his boundless love and unwavering support as we strive to walk in righteousness. Jesus stands as our ultimate source of hope and the key to overcoming our shortcomings in the midst of the battle between sin and everything that goes on around us. You know, uh I've been doing a study on the road to the crucifixion, and I need to put this in here right here. Uh, when when Christ entered the Garden of Ghessene, even though he was fully God, he became fully man. I mean, he'd been fully man all along, from the day he was born here on this earth, he he had human flesh. He felt when he fell and scraped his knee, uh, when he got a splinter in his hand, when he was working in the carpet shop, was his dead. But all along he had felt the different trials and tribulations and problems that this world goes through. But when he got to Jerusalem that last week, the human side of him started taking over. And by the time he got to the Garden of Ghice, Fully Man was in control. Now, fully God was still there, but the fully man part from that point forward to the day he walked out of the tomb, he felt everything, every beating, every hit, every spit upon, every word spoken in anger, and and just he's he felt everything that we feel. Now, being fully God, he could have taken and and just wiped that all away. He could have called 72,000 angels to come help him. But he did. Now, God did send an angel to comfort him and strengthen him. And see, I think that's why it's so important if we understand this, that we need to hold on because, see, the Holy Spirit is sent by Jesus to comfort us, to strengthen us, to guide us, to encourage us. And the reason that is because Christ can sit in heaven and say, I know exactly what Mike's feeling right now, I know exactly what Mike's going through right now, I know the pain that he's in, I know all the anguish and anxiety, stress, everything, because I went through every bit of it. And see, not only did Jesus go through all that to die for our sins, because he had to pay the price for our sins, but he went through all of that so when he is in heaven and interceding for us, he can say, I know what he's feeling, I know what she's feeling because I felt it and I understand. And so I want you to understand that we don't need just to give up on things, we need to hold on. We need to allow God to come into the midst of all ice. We need to let him be our comforter, our encourager. See, he sent the Holy Spirit to walk with us, Dega, to live in our hearts, to be there when we hit that wall, to be there when we need that help. So I encourage you right now to hold on. Because, see, we need that. I believe the only way God can give Christians the power to set aside their desire to sin and to do what is good and right is by walking in his power instead of our own, allowing the Holy Spirit to guide us. It's the only hope any of us have is to serve God in this life. You know, we can say when we walk by the spirit, we no longer uh gravitate the desires of the flesh. The Bible tells us that the desires of the flesh are against the spirit, and the desires of the spirit are against the flesh. For those are opposed to each other to keep you from doing the things that you want to do. But if you are led by the spirit, you will not fall prey to the flesh and Satan's desires, for you um, so you will fail because Satan wants you to fail. We need to let it soak in, just like the song says, I know there's a light that's waiting up ahead. We need to stay in the fight. Look to the one who says, hold on just a little bit longer. Jesus is telling us that it's going to be okay. He tells us that we may not understand what we're going through, but it's going to make us stronger. Jesus says, There's a purpose for this pain. I need for you to hold on just a little bit longer. Jesus says, Listen to what I'm saying to you. I know deep down there's a well full of faith inside of you. Allow the hope to arise in you. Uh lifting up my name in prayer and praise. Understand, I will never leave you. And the storms that you go through are there for a purpose, and I will walk with you through each one. I will hold your hand, I will be there with you. Each storm that we go through is there to make us stronger, more robust, and more faithful individual. The storms are designed to expose underlying problems in our lives, mold our character, and refine our nature. Those storms serve as opportunities for growth and deeper understanding of our faith. They challenge us to comfort our fears and uncertainties, pushing us toward a deeper understanding of God's promises. He still the storm to whisper, and the ways of the seas were hushed in Psalms 107 29. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation by prayer and petition and with thanksgiving, present your request to God, and the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4, 6 through 7. We can say amen to that. As we look back on today's message, we understand life can be tough. And sometimes we feel like giving up. When challenges come our way, it's important to remember that we are not alone. The Bible offers plenty of wisdom and comfort for those difficult moments. There are many verses that remind us to hold on to our faith and stay strong. Even when things get hard, those words, these words can give us hope and strength to keep moving. We need to look to God and the Bible to find courage and uh and encouragement, no matter what we're facing. Whether we're struggling with school, friendships, family issues, through God's words, they are there to support us and remind us of God's love and presence in our lives. Fear can easily consume us at any moment in our lives. It might coax us to give up hope or to turn away from trusting God. However, the Bible repeatedly reminds us that faith has the power to overcome fear. Embracing our mindset where faith triumphs over fear keeps us grounded and steadfast. When we refocus our thoughts from fears to faith, we find peace, direction, and strength to keep holy knowledge. Let us remember that our faith can cast away the shadows of fear, allowing us to trust God's plan. Hope in God's promises can transform our outlook during tough times. And when life gets hard, finding comfort in God's presence can uplift our spirits. The Bible speaks about how God is near us, ready to provide peace amidst the storms we're going through. Leaning on his presence allows us to feel secure and reminds us that we are not alone in this battle. Recognizing his constant companionship helps us to hold on tighter to our faith, offering us hope. We need to press forward when courage with courage and joy. You know, as we reflect on this message about holding on, we're reminded of the extremely just the powerful strength that can be found in Tate. And God's promises. When life hurts, hold on to Jesus. While holding on to Jesus makes all the difference. The Bible says he is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Hebrews 13 8. That means his love, his strength, and his faithfulness never changes, even when our circumstances do. He understands our pain. Jesus wasn't just God in a robe, he lived as a man, he faced rejection, betrayal, suffering. He gets it, folks. He gives peace that defiles logic. The world's peace depends on everything going right. His peace holds on, holds you when nothing is going right. He renews your strength. And when you run in on empty, his power shows up best in your weaknesses. In 2 Corinthians 12 9, and he refills your hold on to Jesus. It's more than just saying a prayer, it's daily choice to trust him, even when you don't see the way forward. We pray honestly. We don't need fancy words. Tell him exactly how you're feeling. The Bible isn't just a book, it's God speaking directly to you. Find verses that comfort and strengthen you. Stay connected to other believers. Real life stories of holding on. Think about Job. He lost everything, his family, health, wealth. Yet he said, Though he slay me, yet will I trust him. Job 13, 15. Or Peter, who started sinking in the storm, but he was saved the second he cried out to Jesus. Their stories show two things faith doesn't erase pain, but it carries you through it. Jesus never lets go, even when you feel like you're sleeping. When you feel like letting go, maybe you're thinking, I'm tired, but nothing changes. You know, I've tried everything I know to try. I'm just tired. Here's the truth Jesus isn't a quick fix, He's a lifetime refuge. This is a lifetime process, folks. Ask yourself, am I expecting God to fix my problems my way, or am I trusting his plan? Have I given up on prayer because I didn't get the answer I wanted? Sometimes the miracle isn't the storm stopping, it's you finding Jesus in the middle of it. Life will hurt, but when it does, hold on to Jesus. Not because he's magically make everything easy, but because he's the only one who can walk you through the fire and bring you out strong. Open your mouth to Psalms 34:18. The Lord is close to the broken heart and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Let that truth sink in. You're not alone. You're holding, he's holding you right now. Let us embrace his strength and seek joy, finding comfort in knowing that he's always with us. We can hold on to our faith, knowing that our struggles are temporary and lead to great rewards. May we continue to explore the promises found in his word as we strengthen our journey to freedom. Folks, this journey to freedom is not a one-and-done type situation. Once we break free of those chains, it's a daily chore to stay focused on Jesus, to allow him to be in control, not Satan in the world. And not allow Satan and the world to put those chains back on us. So I encourage you, when you hit one of those brick walls, turn to the Bible, turn to prayer. Maybe listen to one of these messages again. But don't give up. Hold on. Christ has gone through everything you will ever go through. I promise you. He loves you. And we are so grateful and thankful for all he's done for us. Again, thank you for joining, Walking in the Living Word Ministries. We're so happy that you have decided to go on this journey with us as we work towards freedom from Satan in this world. We hope you will join us next week as we continue this journey. Again, thank you for joining, Walking in the Living Word Ministries.

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Thanks for joining us today on this edition of Walking in the Living Word. We pray that you can fire.