WEBVTT 00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:04.320 Well, we are gonna get back to our sermon series today. 00:00:04.959 --> 00:00:14.320 Just as a reminder, we have established over the first half of our series a working definition of what spiritual warfare is. 00:00:14.560 --> 00:00:16.480 I hope that's been clarifying to you. 00:00:16.559 --> 00:00:29.839 I hope that's been helpful to you to look at what what I think can be somewhat of a confusing topic and to look to scripture to get our understanding of when we talk about spiritual warfare, what are we talking about? 00:00:30.079 --> 00:00:34.159 To really summarize it up into a single concept. 00:00:34.320 --> 00:00:38.399 Really, spiritual warfare is the believer's battle against sin. 00:00:38.799 --> 00:00:42.640 When we talk about spiritual warfare, we're talking about fighting sin. 00:00:43.280 --> 00:00:52.640 And we've established the three primary enemies of the Christian who are working together to draw you away from God and draw you into sin. 00:00:53.359 --> 00:01:02.000 But beginning this morning, we now turn our attention to answering the question: how do we win this war? 00:01:02.640 --> 00:01:06.000 How do we successfully fight sin? 00:01:06.799 --> 00:01:17.040 This is where I hope the series turns from clarifying and understanding and defining what spiritual warfare is to now becoming much more practical. 00:01:17.200 --> 00:01:26.480 And I hope that over the next several weeks that what we explore and examine in Scripture will help equip you to just become a better fighter against sin. 00:01:27.200 --> 00:01:33.599 Maybe you're here this morning and maybe you'd say, I feel like I am fighting a losing battle. 00:01:33.840 --> 00:01:42.959 Maybe you're here this morning and you'd say that I just I feel like I've tried to fight sin in my life, and I feel like more often than not I lose. 00:01:43.359 --> 00:01:49.840 I feel as though sin has gotten a hold of me in this area or in that area. 00:01:50.079 --> 00:02:18.879 And if that's you this morning, then I hope that over the next several weeks that what we talk about today won't just be interesting or head knowledge, but that that you will sincerely seek to put into practice what we're talking about and find victory and find uh ways to defeat sin in your life so that you can become more holy. 00:02:19.520 --> 00:02:20.639 Did you know this morning? 00:02:20.800 --> 00:02:24.479 Did you know that it is God's will for you to be holy today? 00:02:25.039 --> 00:02:25.599 Did you know that? 00:02:25.680 --> 00:02:27.120 It is God's desire. 00:02:27.439 --> 00:02:31.039 We read in 1 Thessalonians, this is the will of God, Paul says. 00:02:31.199 --> 00:02:39.120 This is God's will, your sanctification, your setting apart away from sin and becoming more holy. 00:02:39.280 --> 00:02:42.400 That's God's will and God's desire for you. 00:02:43.199 --> 00:02:53.759 And if it's God's will for you to be holy, he provides the means and the avenue and the ability and the empowering grace for you to be holy. 00:02:54.319 --> 00:02:57.520 So that's what we're gonna talk about over these next several weeks. 00:02:58.479 --> 00:02:59.360 Are you excited? 00:02:59.599 --> 00:03:01.120 Are you excited this morning? 00:03:01.680 --> 00:03:04.080 Church, I've been gone for two weeks. 00:03:04.400 --> 00:03:05.439 I'm excited. 00:03:05.599 --> 00:03:06.479 I'm ready. 00:03:06.719 --> 00:03:08.000 We're gonna get into the word. 00:03:08.639 --> 00:03:14.560 We're gonna get in and we're gonna see how we can grow in holiness, how we can win the fight against sin. 00:03:15.439 --> 00:03:18.400 We're gonna begin today in the book of 2 Peter. 00:03:18.960 --> 00:03:27.439 I intended to preach through several verses this morning, but by the time I had worked through the first verse, I had enough material for an entire sermon. 00:03:28.159 --> 00:03:36.639 So we're gonna take this morning to uh to look at one verse in the Bible, but I believe it's a supremely significant verse. 00:03:36.879 --> 00:03:45.919 The truth that is contained within this verse this morning, I believe, is a foundational piece to having victory over sin. 00:03:46.000 --> 00:03:53.759 And well worth our time this morning to fully examine and study out what the verse communicates. 00:03:53.919 --> 00:04:07.199 So turn with me in your own copies of God's word to 2 Peter chapter 1, 2 Peter chapter 1, verse 3, 2 Peter chapter 1, verse 3. 00:04:07.439 --> 00:04:10.240 Father, we thank you now for this opportunity to open up your word. 00:04:10.560 --> 00:04:23.360 Lord, help me to preach, to preach well, to preach in a way that clarifies and communicates exactly what your word says, exactly what you mean by what you say in your word. 00:04:23.839 --> 00:04:40.639 Help me to get out of the way this morning and to really uh just be the mouthpiece and messenger to communicate the meaning and significance and application and ramifications of what your word says today. 00:04:41.040 --> 00:04:42.240 And I I want that. 00:04:42.399 --> 00:04:56.079 That's my desire because I fully trust and believe that it is your word that works in us and that changes us and that conforms us into Christ and encourages us and sustains us and feeds us and strengthens us. 00:04:56.560 --> 00:04:59.439 We need your word more than anything else, God. 00:04:59.920 --> 00:05:02.800 And so I pray your word would work in us today. 00:05:03.040 --> 00:05:04.480 It's in Jesus' name I pray. 00:05:04.720 --> 00:05:05.360 Amen. 00:05:06.319 --> 00:05:23.199 2 Peter chapter 1, verse 3, Peter says or writes this His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness. 00:05:23.680 --> 00:05:31.439 We notice this morning, first and foremost, that God has given you everything you need. 00:05:32.319 --> 00:05:37.519 And the possessor of the divine power in verse 3 is God the Father. 00:05:37.600 --> 00:05:42.800 So the His, the pronoun at the beginning of verse 3, is a reference to God the Father. 00:05:42.959 --> 00:05:57.759 It is God's divine power, and it is through God's power that he has granted you all things as they pertain to two significant categories that Peter mentions. 00:05:58.319 --> 00:06:08.800 Meaning everything that you could ever need as it relates to these categories comes directly through God's divine power. 00:06:09.279 --> 00:06:11.920 God's divine enabling power. 00:06:12.240 --> 00:06:13.920 And what are these two categories? 00:06:14.079 --> 00:06:18.160 Well, you'll notice in the text, the very first thing he mentions is life. 00:06:18.879 --> 00:06:19.519 Life. 00:06:19.920 --> 00:06:27.360 God has given you through his divine power everything you need for life. 00:06:27.600 --> 00:06:32.079 Of course, we recognize this morning this would include physical life. 00:06:32.319 --> 00:06:35.439 Your physical life this morning is a gift from God. 00:06:35.759 --> 00:06:40.879 Everything you need to physically live comes directly from God's hand. 00:06:41.439 --> 00:06:44.240 The food you need to eat to survive. 00:06:44.720 --> 00:06:49.279 The water you need to drink from God's direct hand. 00:06:49.680 --> 00:06:55.519 The very air, the oxygen you need to survive comes from God's own hand. 00:07:02.560 --> 00:07:03.360 From God. 00:07:05.040 --> 00:07:12.319 Everything that you can imagine that you need to continue on in physical existence is directly from God. 00:07:13.279 --> 00:07:18.800 But Peter likely does not have in mind here simply physical life alone. 00:07:19.279 --> 00:07:21.279 This is eternal life. 00:07:21.600 --> 00:07:23.519 Your eternal life. 00:07:23.839 --> 00:07:36.160 This is good news because in the book of Galatians, chapter 3, we notice Paul mentioned, or Peter mentioned, for all who rely on works of the law are under a curse. 00:07:36.959 --> 00:07:44.160 For it is written, cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, and do them. 00:07:44.959 --> 00:07:54.240 So Paul's point in Galatians chapter 3 is that if your salvation were up to you, if eternal life were up to you, here's how you do it. 00:07:54.639 --> 00:08:00.160 You have to keep every single law as it is written in the book of the law. 00:08:00.480 --> 00:08:25.360 That 613 commandments that you must keep in perfection from the moment you first draw breath until the moment that you draw your last breath, both in external law-keeping and internal heart conformity to that perfect righteousness that is communicated through those 613 commands. 00:08:25.920 --> 00:08:30.399 Are you glad this morning eternal life isn't up to you to earn? 00:08:31.040 --> 00:08:32.799 Can somebody say amen? 00:08:33.759 --> 00:08:34.559 Are we glad? 00:08:34.799 --> 00:08:36.000 We are glad. 00:08:36.240 --> 00:08:47.840 We're glad that everything that you need to have eternal life with God is supplied by God, not earned by you. 00:08:48.639 --> 00:08:51.440 Woo! Amen. 00:08:55.600 --> 00:08:58.159 Notice how God does this, by the way. 00:08:59.039 --> 00:09:03.039 God supplies the sacrifice to atone for your sin. 00:09:03.759 --> 00:09:05.840 You need someone to pay the price for sin. 00:09:05.919 --> 00:09:06.720 You can't pay it. 00:09:06.879 --> 00:09:08.799 If you have to pay it, it's your life. 00:09:09.039 --> 00:09:10.159 That's the price. 00:09:10.399 --> 00:09:13.440 Notice how God supplies the sacrifice. 00:09:13.759 --> 00:09:16.159 Notice how God supplies the righteousness. 00:09:16.320 --> 00:09:20.879 You can't enter into the presence of God without attaining to his perfect standard of righteousness. 00:09:21.039 --> 00:09:22.240 So, what does God do? 00:09:22.559 --> 00:09:25.279 He gives you Jesus' perfect righteousness. 00:09:25.519 --> 00:09:29.600 Notice how he even supplies the resurrection body you need to inhabit eternity. 00:09:29.759 --> 00:09:36.159 Remember at the end of our study in 1 Corinthians, in 1 Corinthians chapter 15, we read about the resurrection body. 00:09:36.480 --> 00:09:42.320 God even supplies the body, the very body you need to live eternally, God gives to you. 00:09:42.480 --> 00:09:44.559 Everything you need for eternal life. 00:09:44.799 --> 00:09:46.960 God gives you what you need. 00:09:49.440 --> 00:09:57.679 So the first category here, Peter mentions God has granted you through his divine power everything that pertains to life. 00:09:57.759 --> 00:10:00.080 But notice, secondly, the second category. 00:10:00.320 --> 00:10:06.480 Not only does God give you everything you need for life, he gives you everything you need for godliness. 00:10:06.879 --> 00:10:07.840 For godliness. 00:10:08.000 --> 00:10:09.759 Well, what is godliness? 00:10:10.399 --> 00:10:20.159 Godliness, we would define it this way, is piety or devoutness that flows from an awesome respect for God. 00:10:20.720 --> 00:10:27.519 Or to say it another way, it is a life conformed to the moral character and nature of God. 00:10:28.159 --> 00:10:29.200 Godliness. 00:10:30.240 --> 00:10:50.639 And we notice here that Peter writes that everything that you need for godliness, everything you need to live a life conformed to the moral perfections of God, has been granted to you by God's own divine power. 00:10:52.639 --> 00:10:59.279 This is great news because we recognize once again our complete inability to be godly people. 00:11:00.000 --> 00:11:02.159 We are born in sin, we're born to love sin. 00:11:02.240 --> 00:11:04.879 We're born with a fallen human nature that loves sin. 00:11:05.919 --> 00:11:08.879 We are susceptible to the temptations of sin. 00:11:10.080 --> 00:11:20.639 And so God therefore supplies what you need to defeat sin and to live in holiness instead. 00:11:21.600 --> 00:11:31.440 Meaning every command found in Scripture, you have been enabled by God's divine power to yield to and to obey. 00:11:32.000 --> 00:11:38.480 Every single command in Scripture, you can conform to, you can yield to. 00:11:38.639 --> 00:11:40.720 You'd say, I don't know about a couple of them. 00:11:41.519 --> 00:11:42.480 All of them. 00:11:43.200 --> 00:11:43.840 Why? 00:11:44.480 --> 00:11:46.080 Because it's not up to you. 00:11:46.320 --> 00:11:49.279 It's not based off of your own human effort. 00:11:50.000 --> 00:11:52.240 It's by God's divine power. 00:11:53.279 --> 00:12:00.639 Every sin that you struggle with, you have been empowered to vanquish. 00:12:01.200 --> 00:12:04.000 You'd say, well, there's a couple that I really struggle with. 00:12:04.240 --> 00:12:08.080 There's a couple sins I can think of that I have tried for years, maybe. 00:12:08.240 --> 00:12:10.000 Maybe that's you this morning. 00:12:10.399 --> 00:12:13.440 But Peter doesn't qualify this statement. 00:12:13.919 --> 00:12:17.840 This isn't a qualified statement, it's not a conditional statement. 00:12:19.279 --> 00:12:29.039 Everything that pertains to godliness, God has by his divine power granted to you this morning. 00:12:30.480 --> 00:12:32.480 Some of you don't believe me yet. 00:12:32.799 --> 00:12:34.000 Believe me. 00:12:35.360 --> 00:12:36.879 I want us to think this morning. 00:12:36.960 --> 00:12:45.039 There's a few lies of the enemy lies that we tell ourselves that this statement obliterates. 00:12:45.919 --> 00:12:50.879 Lie number one, I've struggled with this sin for so long, I'll never be free. 00:12:51.519 --> 00:12:58.320 I have fought and I fought and I fought, and truly, this sin, this specific sin, has mastered me. 00:12:58.559 --> 00:13:00.399 It has become my master. 00:13:00.639 --> 00:13:03.759 I have become enslaved to this sin. 00:13:05.759 --> 00:13:11.679 But Peter's statement obliterates the lie by reminding us that God has given you what you need. 00:13:11.759 --> 00:13:14.399 You're not missing anything this morning. 00:13:14.799 --> 00:13:16.480 You're not missing anything. 00:13:16.799 --> 00:13:21.039 God has given you everything you need to defeat any sin. 00:13:21.600 --> 00:13:25.600 It doesn't matter how long that you've struggled with it. 00:13:25.919 --> 00:13:30.159 God has enabled you this morning by his divine power to defeat it. 00:13:32.000 --> 00:13:43.600 I've heard it described this way that sometimes when we when we yield ourselves to sin for so long, and there's maybe a maybe specific sin in your life that you have just yielded to and yielded to for so long. 00:13:44.000 --> 00:13:48.559 It's described like one of those giant cargo ships in the ocean. 00:13:48.799 --> 00:13:50.879 And you've seen these huge ships. 00:13:51.120 --> 00:13:57.440 And if you were to take that cargo ship and you were to tell the captain, Captain, we need to do a 180-degree turn. 00:13:57.679 --> 00:14:00.240 We need to do a complete change in direction. 00:14:00.720 --> 00:14:08.720 That captain doesn't just simply spin the wheel and do one of these and start going in the other direction. 00:14:08.960 --> 00:14:11.440 No, what does that captain need to do? 00:14:11.759 --> 00:14:15.120 He needs to start slowly turning that wheel. 00:14:15.360 --> 00:14:26.960 And that giant cargo ship, you know, it takes a long time for that ship to begin to slowly turn around and to start heading in the other direction. 00:14:27.679 --> 00:14:33.440 And some have described when you're battling sin for a long time, that's what it's like. 00:14:33.840 --> 00:14:35.360 That's what it's like. 00:14:35.759 --> 00:14:51.360 One degree, you're turning, you're turning this ship around, and it's one degree one day, and it's one degree the next day, and it's one degree the next day, and and you're slow, you have to turn this ship around, and you're not gonna all of a sudden just say, okay, snap. 00:14:51.519 --> 00:14:57.600 I'm so I'm completely free, I'm no longer tempted at all, I no longer struggle at all with this sin. 00:14:57.759 --> 00:14:59.519 That's not how it works. 00:15:00.639 --> 00:15:03.759 Day by day by day, the first day it's hard. 00:15:03.840 --> 00:15:05.360 You say, I'm committing today. 00:15:05.519 --> 00:15:08.240 Today I'm gonna finally get my anger under control. 00:15:08.799 --> 00:15:12.720 Today I'm finally going to put my tongue into submission. 00:15:13.440 --> 00:15:17.679 Today I'm finally gonna defeat the lust that has consumed me. 00:15:18.080 --> 00:15:21.120 And so you do the first day and you fight, and it's hard. 00:15:21.200 --> 00:15:23.120 You're turning a giant ship. 00:15:24.320 --> 00:15:27.279 And the next day, it's hard. 00:15:28.240 --> 00:15:29.679 And the next day. 00:15:32.639 --> 00:15:33.440 Thank you, thank you. 00:15:33.519 --> 00:15:34.559 It's hard. 00:15:35.360 --> 00:15:42.960 But the idea is day by day, by day, by day, by day, by day, slowly that ship begins to turn. 00:15:43.279 --> 00:15:47.360 And what I don't mean is that you every day you lose, you lose, you lose. 00:15:47.440 --> 00:15:48.960 That's not turning the ship. 00:15:49.200 --> 00:15:53.200 Turning the ship is saying, today, today I'm choosing to put off my sin. 00:15:53.360 --> 00:16:03.200 Today I'm choosing by God's divine power to say no to these sins that so easily ensnare me. 00:16:03.679 --> 00:16:05.840 And then the next day, doing it again. 00:16:06.000 --> 00:16:11.840 And as you do that, eventually the grip that sin holds on you will loosen. 00:16:12.720 --> 00:16:14.080 It will loosen. 00:16:18.399 --> 00:16:19.840 How about the next lie? 00:16:20.559 --> 00:16:23.679 You can't teach a no, I missed it up. 00:16:23.840 --> 00:16:26.720 You can't teach an old dog new tricks. 00:16:27.039 --> 00:16:28.639 New dog old tricks. 00:16:28.799 --> 00:16:31.360 You can teach a new dog old tricks. 00:16:31.679 --> 00:16:35.519 That's supposed to say you can't teach an old dog new tricks. 00:16:35.759 --> 00:16:39.679 And I'm not calling anybody here an old dog, just so you know. 00:16:40.799 --> 00:16:44.559 But some of you are here this morning and you'd say, you know what, I've lived a long time. 00:16:44.720 --> 00:16:46.000 I'm out of time. 00:16:46.559 --> 00:16:51.600 I just can't change my I can't change at this late stage in my life. 00:16:52.159 --> 00:16:59.600 But know this morning that you have never reached an age at which the power of God stops working in your life. 00:17:02.240 --> 00:17:04.240 Some of you don't believe me. 00:17:05.599 --> 00:17:14.319 Whether you're 10 years old or you're 100, the power of God is active in your life, enabling you to change. 00:17:16.559 --> 00:17:17.839 How about the last one? 00:17:18.000 --> 00:17:19.359 This is just who I am. 00:17:19.519 --> 00:17:20.400 It's just who I am. 00:17:20.480 --> 00:17:21.519 It's a part of my nature. 00:17:21.680 --> 00:17:23.359 I just have a quick fuse. 00:17:23.599 --> 00:17:25.759 That's who I that's how that's how I was born. 00:17:26.319 --> 00:17:27.519 It's who I am. 00:17:28.480 --> 00:17:30.400 I just I shoot at the hip. 00:17:30.559 --> 00:17:34.559 I say what's on my minds, regardless of the consequences. 00:17:34.640 --> 00:17:36.079 It's just who I am. 00:17:37.039 --> 00:17:38.799 Can God change you? 00:17:39.920 --> 00:17:41.599 Can God change you? 00:17:42.000 --> 00:17:43.839 I hope you believe that. 00:17:44.079 --> 00:17:45.359 It's not just who you are. 00:17:45.519 --> 00:17:47.839 Maybe who you are needs to change. 00:17:48.480 --> 00:17:52.160 And God has equipped and enabled you to be transformed. 00:17:53.119 --> 00:17:55.200 You can change what you love. 00:17:56.799 --> 00:18:00.400 That's kind of a big debate going on, like in the LGBTQ debates right now. 00:18:00.880 --> 00:18:02.640 Can God actually change what you love? 00:18:02.799 --> 00:18:03.839 Yes, he can. 00:18:04.240 --> 00:18:04.720 He can. 00:18:04.880 --> 00:18:11.440 He can, you, your affections, what you love, can be shaped and transformed by the word of God. 00:18:12.079 --> 00:18:13.359 It's not who you are. 00:18:13.519 --> 00:18:15.359 Sin isn't who you are. 00:18:17.519 --> 00:18:26.079 The power of God changes and transforms you to conform you into holiness and into the image of His Son. 00:18:26.799 --> 00:18:31.440 You have everything you need for transformation to take place. 00:18:32.960 --> 00:18:35.039 So then the question becomes, how? 00:18:35.440 --> 00:18:37.920 Okay, we've established to the premise, the principle. 00:18:38.000 --> 00:18:41.039 Now comes the question, how does this happen? 00:18:41.279 --> 00:18:42.400 How does this happen? 00:18:42.640 --> 00:18:50.319 Is it just wait, knuckle it, just say, no, no, no, no, no, no, don't sin today, no, no, no, no, no. 00:18:50.480 --> 00:18:53.680 Human resistance, human effort, fighting. 00:18:55.759 --> 00:19:04.160 Or does God provide exactly what you need to say no against the temptations of sin? 00:19:04.640 --> 00:19:08.240 Notice how the verse, the second half of the verse ends here. 00:19:09.200 --> 00:19:25.519 He says that his divine power is granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence. 00:19:25.839 --> 00:19:29.359 So, what does the second half of the verse communicate to us today? 00:19:29.519 --> 00:19:42.160 It communicates this that everything that you need is transmitted to you, it's given to you through the knowledge of Jesus Christ. 00:19:42.960 --> 00:19:55.279 So the knowledge of Jesus Christ is the avenue by which God's divine power is activated in the granting to you of life and godliness. 00:19:55.440 --> 00:19:58.720 So let's break down what this means for both of those categories. 00:19:59.279 --> 00:20:03.680 Knowing Jesus is the means by which you receive eternal life. 00:20:04.240 --> 00:20:10.319 This knowledge of Jesus certainly includes intellectual facts and truths. 00:20:10.640 --> 00:20:13.839 You can't just make up who you think Jesus is. 00:20:14.079 --> 00:20:18.240 There's a reason why we have this. 00:20:18.960 --> 00:20:20.160 This is the truth. 00:20:20.400 --> 00:20:21.920 This is who Jesus really is. 00:20:22.079 --> 00:20:23.039 It's in here. 00:20:23.519 --> 00:20:31.039 So facts and truth are certainly a part of the equation of what Peter means when he refers to the knowledge of Jesus Christ. 00:20:31.200 --> 00:20:33.359 But it isn't just knowing. 00:20:34.000 --> 00:20:37.279 It isn't just knowing facts about Jesus. 00:20:37.519 --> 00:20:39.759 That's not really what Peter means here. 00:20:40.319 --> 00:20:44.880 In other words, it's not just knowing the plan of salvation that saves you. 00:20:45.119 --> 00:20:48.559 It's not just knowing Romans' road that saves you. 00:20:48.799 --> 00:20:50.640 There's a saving faith. 00:20:50.799 --> 00:20:58.400 There's a personal faith and trust that results in a real knowing of the person of Jesus. 00:20:58.640 --> 00:20:59.680 Jesus is a person. 00:20:59.839 --> 00:21:00.559 He is a being. 00:21:00.720 --> 00:21:03.920 He's a personal being, as is God the Father and God the Spirit. 00:21:04.160 --> 00:21:16.880 And so the knowing of Jesus extends beyond simple intellectual facts, although that's a part of the basis of it, and extends into having a personal knowing relationship with Jesus. 00:21:18.240 --> 00:21:23.599 Do you recognize this morning that that's God's design for your salvation? 00:21:23.839 --> 00:21:34.160 Why you're saved from sin is so that you can be with and know Jesus for all of eternity, enjoying Him and delighting in Him and being with Him forever. 00:21:34.480 --> 00:21:48.400 So the knowing of Jesus, knowing Jesus personally, is the means by which God gives you and grants you eternal life through the personal placing of your faith and trust in Jesus. 00:21:50.000 --> 00:21:55.599 Saving faith in Jesus results in a union and communion with Jesus. 00:21:57.440 --> 00:21:59.519 So we recognize this morning that. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:04.480 Everything you need for eternal life comes to you through knowing Jesus. 00:22:04.640 --> 00:22:09.759 But notice once again our second category here, this also applies to godliness. 00:22:10.000 --> 00:22:11.519 This also applies to godliness. 00:22:11.680 --> 00:22:12.559 By the way, there's a reason. 00:22:12.720 --> 00:22:14.400 These are sequential, by the way. 00:22:14.640 --> 00:22:15.680 These are sequential. 00:22:15.839 --> 00:22:24.319 He says life and godliness, meaning life comes first, regeneration comes first, being made a new creation comes first, and then what follows is what? 00:22:24.720 --> 00:22:25.680 Godliness. 00:22:26.240 --> 00:22:36.079 So God gives you everything you need for life that comes to the knowledge of knowing Jesus, and then he gives you everything you need for godliness, which once again, guess what? 00:22:36.240 --> 00:22:37.279 Comes through what? 00:22:38.240 --> 00:22:39.680 Knowing Jesus. 00:22:40.000 --> 00:22:40.799 Knowing Jesus. 00:22:40.880 --> 00:22:43.119 Now, this is where this gets really good, people. 00:22:43.359 --> 00:22:47.200 This is where this gets really good because you say, I'm struggling with sin. 00:22:47.359 --> 00:22:48.400 I'm having a hard time. 00:22:48.559 --> 00:22:49.519 How do I fight sin? 00:22:49.680 --> 00:22:50.640 How do I battle sin? 00:22:50.720 --> 00:22:51.440 How do I win? 00:22:51.519 --> 00:22:54.000 How do I fight the battle and win against sin? 00:22:54.480 --> 00:22:55.440 Guess how? 00:22:56.559 --> 00:22:58.160 Knowing Jesus. 00:22:58.720 --> 00:23:00.559 Knowing Jesus. 00:23:01.039 --> 00:23:02.880 So what does that mean? 00:23:03.200 --> 00:23:14.720 It means that everything that you need to grow in godliness and to fight sin comes through you growing in knowing Jesus more. 00:23:17.039 --> 00:23:18.720 You'd say, I already know him. 00:23:20.640 --> 00:23:23.359 Try that one with your wife, men. 00:23:25.519 --> 00:23:27.680 I don't need to spend any more time with her. 00:23:27.920 --> 00:23:30.160 I don't need to get to know her anymore. 00:23:30.559 --> 00:23:32.000 I already know her. 00:23:33.759 --> 00:23:35.200 Hold on a second. 00:23:35.440 --> 00:23:36.799 What does this mean? 00:23:37.039 --> 00:23:45.119 It means that there is a depth to your relationship with Jesus that has no bottom. 00:23:45.680 --> 00:23:49.119 Meaning you go deeper and deeper and deeper. 00:23:49.279 --> 00:24:00.079 And the fellowship and the union and the communion with Jesus gets richer and richer and better and better and sweeter and sweeter. 00:24:00.960 --> 00:24:02.319 Notice what he says here. 00:24:02.480 --> 00:24:03.440 Notice what he says. 00:24:03.599 --> 00:24:05.200 How does Jesus call you? 00:24:05.519 --> 00:24:07.519 He's called us to what? 00:24:08.400 --> 00:24:12.960 His own glory and excellence. 00:24:13.599 --> 00:24:24.960 Meaning that as you grow in your knowing of Jesus, as you grow in knowing Jesus more day by day by day, you grow in your relationship with Jesus every day. 00:24:29.759 --> 00:24:42.000 So the more you grow in knowing Jesus, the more magnificent he becomes, the better he becomes, the more majestic he comes, he becomes. 00:24:42.880 --> 00:24:48.079 The more you come to know Jesus, his glory shines brighter and brighter and brighter. 00:24:48.960 --> 00:24:52.799 And we are drawn like a moth to flame. 00:24:53.039 --> 00:25:02.079 We are drawn to the greatness and the glory and the splendor and the majesty and the sovereignty of our Lord Jesus. 00:25:02.400 --> 00:25:06.400 And not only his glory, but notice he says his excellence. 00:25:06.799 --> 00:25:15.519 And the word there carries the connotation of moral excellence, which means that we are drawn to Jesus' perfect love. 00:25:16.480 --> 00:25:19.119 Who else loves you like Jesus? 00:25:19.599 --> 00:25:27.279 Who else loves you with the depth and the strength and the perfections of the love of Jesus? 00:25:27.519 --> 00:25:28.000 Who? 00:25:28.319 --> 00:25:32.480 Where else can you go for that unconditional perfect love? 00:25:33.039 --> 00:25:34.240 And that's just one. 00:25:34.400 --> 00:25:36.400 How about his kindness? 00:25:37.119 --> 00:25:39.119 Who else is perfectly kind? 00:25:39.279 --> 00:25:41.599 People are mean sometimes, aren't they? 00:25:41.839 --> 00:25:42.640 People are mean. 00:25:42.720 --> 00:25:44.480 My own kids are mean to me. 00:25:44.720 --> 00:25:45.920 People are mean. 00:25:46.160 --> 00:25:49.440 Where else can you go for the perfect kindness? 00:25:49.839 --> 00:25:51.359 But Jesus? 00:25:52.240 --> 00:25:53.680 What about compassion? 00:25:53.839 --> 00:25:56.799 What about patience and long suffering? 00:25:56.960 --> 00:25:59.119 What about grace and mercy? 00:26:00.079 --> 00:26:05.039 What about justice and righteousness and fairness and holiness? 00:26:05.440 --> 00:26:06.799 Jesus is perfect. 00:26:06.960 --> 00:26:12.079 He has moral excellence, moral perfection that can be found nowhere else. 00:26:12.240 --> 00:26:19.599 And the more you know Jesus, the more he draws you to himself through those perfections of his character and who he is. 00:26:19.759 --> 00:26:24.079 And the more you are drawn to him and love him and grow closer to him. 00:26:24.480 --> 00:26:29.920 And while this is happening, day by day by day by day, and you don't stop. 00:26:30.000 --> 00:26:32.720 It's why Jesus says, abide in me, remain in me. 00:26:33.279 --> 00:26:35.200 Don't stray away from me. 00:26:35.440 --> 00:26:37.039 Stay with me, stay in me. 00:26:37.200 --> 00:26:43.519 And the more you do that, the more you are growing and knowing Jesus more every day. 00:26:43.759 --> 00:26:44.640 Get this. 00:26:45.440 --> 00:26:57.279 He satisfies you and fills you up with his perfections so that there is no more room in your heart to want sin. 00:26:58.799 --> 00:27:00.559 That's how you fight. 00:27:00.880 --> 00:27:02.000 That's how you fight. 00:27:02.160 --> 00:27:03.200 How do you fight? 00:27:03.440 --> 00:27:04.799 Go to Jesus. 00:27:05.440 --> 00:27:06.880 Go to Jesus. 00:27:07.759 --> 00:27:13.440 Don't just come to Jesus Sunday morning at 9.15 next week. 00:27:15.759 --> 00:27:16.880 Every morning. 00:27:17.119 --> 00:27:18.319 Start your morning. 00:27:18.559 --> 00:27:19.599 Go to Jesus. 00:27:19.920 --> 00:27:24.240 We're going to talk about the practice of biblical meditation in a couple of weeks. 00:27:24.400 --> 00:27:28.319 We're going to get really practical there about how you do this, but this is the principle here. 00:27:29.119 --> 00:27:31.039 In the morning, go to Jesus. 00:27:31.359 --> 00:27:33.599 Fill yourself up in Jesus. 00:27:34.720 --> 00:27:36.319 Before you go to bed. 00:27:37.119 --> 00:27:39.519 Satisfy yourself in Jesus. 00:27:40.000 --> 00:27:42.160 Grow in knowing Jesus more. 00:27:45.039 --> 00:27:46.079 You're struggling with sin. 00:27:46.160 --> 00:27:48.960 Could I ask you, are you growing in knowing Jesus? 00:27:50.400 --> 00:27:52.960 Is Jesus just a concept, an idea? 00:27:54.880 --> 00:27:58.559 Just a figure that you kind of have learned about but don't really know. 00:27:59.519 --> 00:28:01.839 I'd say that's where you gotta start. 00:28:03.200 --> 00:28:05.680 That's where Peter says you gotta start. 00:28:07.440 --> 00:28:09.119 This summer, Liz. 00:28:10.319 --> 00:28:15.759 Now I owe her ice cream because that's our rule if I use her in illustration, and I forget to tell her I owe her ice cream, so. 00:28:17.759 --> 00:28:18.799 Here you go, Liz. 00:28:19.039 --> 00:28:20.319 Free ice cream. 00:28:22.079 --> 00:28:28.480 Over the summer, Liz built a mud kitchen in our backyard. 00:28:28.720 --> 00:28:30.240 Has anybody heard of these things? 00:28:30.480 --> 00:28:31.599 A mud kitchen. 00:28:31.759 --> 00:28:35.119 It's like a thing that you build, I don't even know. 00:28:35.279 --> 00:28:40.720 You put all these pieces of wood pallets together and build a kit an outdoor kitchen. 00:28:40.880 --> 00:28:47.920 And you get all these old pots and pans, and then the kids can use play with mud basically and make like mud food for us. 00:28:49.519 --> 00:28:49.920 Yeah. 00:28:50.160 --> 00:29:00.319 And so now Benaya, he'll go out into the mud kitchen and he'll make these mud pies and mud cakes, and he'll offer them to me for sustenance. 00:29:00.960 --> 00:29:01.759 I say, thank you. 00:29:01.839 --> 00:29:02.880 I'd love another one. 00:29:03.200 --> 00:29:04.400 Goes and make another one. 00:29:04.640 --> 00:29:05.279 He loves it. 00:29:05.440 --> 00:29:07.519 He loves playing in the mud kitchen. 00:29:07.839 --> 00:29:09.279 Great job, Liz. 00:29:11.519 --> 00:29:16.319 But you know what Benaya likes more than like mud cookies and mud muffins? 00:29:17.759 --> 00:29:18.880 The real thing. 00:29:19.039 --> 00:29:20.960 He loves the real cookies, right? 00:29:21.119 --> 00:29:25.039 So I could tell Benaya, if I said, Benaya, you need to stop playing in the mud. 00:29:25.279 --> 00:29:26.799 Stop playing in the mud. 00:29:27.200 --> 00:29:28.640 I say, no, no. 00:29:29.119 --> 00:29:30.559 Stop doing that. 00:29:31.680 --> 00:29:35.920 He might obey, but he's also a rebellious little kid. 00:29:36.240 --> 00:29:39.200 And he probably is just still doing it because he is having fun. 00:29:39.279 --> 00:29:40.240 He's enjoying the mud. 00:29:40.319 --> 00:29:41.359 He's having fun. 00:29:41.599 --> 00:29:45.200 I could start to, I could start to punish and discipline him. 00:29:45.440 --> 00:29:48.000 You know, I could start taking away toys, right? 00:29:48.079 --> 00:29:49.680 I could send up the timeouts. 00:29:49.759 --> 00:29:51.279 You know, we could do some spankings. 00:29:51.359 --> 00:29:55.440 We could do various disciplinary techniques to try to get him to stop. 00:29:55.599 --> 00:30:02.799 And that might work too, but inside he probably still is going to really want to be playing in the mud because there's a joy and a fun to it. 00:30:03.039 --> 00:30:05.359 I could grab away everything he's playing with. 00:30:05.440 --> 00:30:08.319 I could do all these measures to try to get him to stop. 00:30:08.960 --> 00:30:17.279 But what I believe the most effective strategy would be to get him to stop playing in the mud is to say, Banaiah, I made cookies. 00:30:17.920 --> 00:30:21.119 Put your mud down and come inside and eat. 00:30:21.440 --> 00:30:49.119 And I guarantee you, because he is my son after all, that at the sound of the of the temptation of a treat inside, he would ditch the mud in a heartbeat and would begin to run with the speed of which a three-year-old, almost three-year-old can run into the house to partake of the better treat, the better joy, the better pleasure. 00:30:50.799 --> 00:30:53.359 This is what it means to know Jesus. 00:30:53.599 --> 00:30:57.519 This is how God has designed for you to grow in holiness. 00:31:01.599 --> 00:31:03.200 He's given you his son. 00:31:03.920 --> 00:31:05.680 He's given you Jesus. 00:31:06.000 --> 00:31:11.279 He's given you someone who is so much supremely better than sin. 00:31:14.799 --> 00:31:20.000 So you say, I don't why would I want, why would I want the mud pies anymore? 00:31:20.240 --> 00:31:21.920 Why would I want that? 00:31:22.880 --> 00:31:27.119 When I can have the glory and the excellence of Jesus instead. 00:31:28.880 --> 00:31:30.319 That's how you fight. 00:31:31.039 --> 00:31:32.480 That's how you win. 00:31:33.519 --> 00:31:34.960 So, church, do it. 00:31:35.759 --> 00:31:36.880 Do it, church. 00:31:37.680 --> 00:31:38.559 Tomorrow. 00:31:39.039 --> 00:31:39.680 Today. 00:31:40.720 --> 00:31:42.880 Satisfy yourself in Jesus. 00:31:43.920 --> 00:31:53.039 And I promise, because it's the promise of Scripture, that the lure and enticement of sin will weaken in your life. 00:31:54.160 --> 00:32:04.000