WEBVTT 00:00:01.280 --> 00:00:01.919 Amen. 00:00:02.560 --> 00:00:03.040 All right. 00:00:03.120 --> 00:00:12.000 I am very excited to be starting a new series of messages that I've titled Spiritual Reality. 00:00:12.160 --> 00:00:31.120 And I want to explain that title because most of the time when you have a series of messages like this, where you're talking about angels, demons, and humans, the kingdom of God, the kingdom of this world, it's titled Spiritual Warfare. 00:00:31.280 --> 00:00:35.600 We know it mostly by the subject spiritual warfare. 00:00:35.920 --> 00:00:41.039 But I think that the better title is spiritual reality. 00:00:41.600 --> 00:00:53.280 Because spiritual warfare is a small, small, small, small, small part of the spiritual reality that we are to live with and in. 00:00:54.240 --> 00:01:01.200 And I think you can get hyper-focused on spiritual warfare, and it's such a small part of it. 00:01:01.439 --> 00:01:08.560 So I don't want to hyperfocus on something that is minor, overlooking something that is major. 00:01:08.719 --> 00:01:16.560 And so this may be a little different than some of the messages that you've heard on spiritual warfare, spiritual reality. 00:01:17.120 --> 00:01:29.439 But what I want to do is unpack the reality of the unseen realm and how it affects our lives, whether we know it or not. 00:01:29.680 --> 00:01:30.319 Let's pray. 00:01:30.480 --> 00:01:33.439 Father, thank you for opening our eyes, opening our ears. 00:01:33.599 --> 00:01:37.120 Give us revelation into these mysteries. 00:01:37.599 --> 00:01:48.879 Just as you did, Paul, you revealed to him these things, these secrets, these hidden things, these invisible things became visible. 00:01:49.359 --> 00:01:51.040 We ask you for that today. 00:01:51.280 --> 00:01:54.319 Make known to us your kingdom. 00:01:54.480 --> 00:01:57.040 Make known to us your ways. 00:01:57.200 --> 00:02:06.159 Make known to us the things that are more real than this visible, tangible life that we live. 00:02:06.400 --> 00:02:07.599 In Jesus' name. 00:02:07.840 --> 00:02:08.479 Amen. 00:02:09.120 --> 00:02:23.919 The first thing I want to say before we dive into the word is that this book, the Bible, the Holy Bible, this book is the source of truth for all things. 00:02:24.960 --> 00:02:26.080 For all things. 00:02:26.240 --> 00:02:29.120 We don't get to just decide what truth is. 00:02:29.280 --> 00:02:31.120 We don't get to make up what truth is. 00:02:31.280 --> 00:02:36.159 I mean, you can, but you're gonna, it's gonna take you down places you don't want to go. 00:02:38.639 --> 00:02:42.960 We take the word of God and we read it and we believe it. 00:02:43.120 --> 00:02:54.719 And what the word of God tells us about God, what it tells us about Jesus, what it tells us about heaven, what it tells us about earth, what it tells us about angels and demons and humans, we believe that. 00:02:55.120 --> 00:02:58.800 And then we line up our life according to that. 00:02:59.599 --> 00:03:16.960 And that is how we align ourselves with truth, with life and light and peace and health and God's will over the fallen nature, over our flesh, over Satan and demons and the kingdom of darkness and their will for our life. 00:03:17.360 --> 00:03:25.919 And so what we have to do is start with the Word of God, believe the Word of God, have faith in the Word of God. 00:03:26.000 --> 00:03:43.439 That's action, belief plus action equals faith, and then we can enter into the kingdom of heaven as spiritually alive beings, and we can see and hear and know and operate in this spiritual reality. 00:03:44.080 --> 00:03:46.800 And so I love Ephesians 3 9. 00:03:47.360 --> 00:04:05.759 Says, this is Paul writing here, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he says, I was chosen to explain to everyone this mysterious plan that God, the creator of all things, had kept secret from the beginning. 00:04:06.000 --> 00:04:08.240 I think it's a big, that's a lot in there. 00:04:08.319 --> 00:04:09.759 So track with me. 00:04:10.479 --> 00:04:29.600 God's purpose in all of this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 00:04:31.519 --> 00:04:41.920 This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord, because of Christ and our faith in him. 00:04:42.560 --> 00:04:48.399 We can now come boldly and confidently into God's presence. 00:04:48.639 --> 00:04:48.959 Right? 00:04:49.199 --> 00:04:52.480 God's presence is the unseen, invisible realm. 00:04:52.639 --> 00:04:59.519 So listen, he said, I was chosen to explain to everyone this mysterious plan that the Creator of all things kept secret from the beginning. 00:04:59.680 --> 00:05:03.279 God's purpose in all of this was to use the church. 00:05:03.920 --> 00:05:05.600 Who is the church? 00:05:06.560 --> 00:05:15.759 To use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 00:05:16.079 --> 00:05:21.439 Now that is also talking about angels and demons. 00:05:22.160 --> 00:05:23.439 Angels and demons. 00:05:23.600 --> 00:05:29.839 Unseen rulers and authority in the heavenly places includes all kingdom of light, kingdom of darkness. 00:05:30.399 --> 00:05:33.439 And the church has a role to play in that. 00:05:36.639 --> 00:05:50.879 Because the church, which is made up of human beings, spirit, soul, and body, in the visible realm, has the ability to do things that those other beings cannot do. 00:05:51.279 --> 00:05:55.199 And they literally are subject to us. 00:05:56.639 --> 00:06:06.560 And we are teaching them the ways and the wisdom of God in this mysterious plan that he has kept secret. 00:06:06.959 --> 00:06:17.600 So, in essence, God in and through your life is using you to educate the unseen realm as to who he is. 00:06:18.079 --> 00:06:20.079 Think about that for a second. 00:06:21.439 --> 00:06:26.399 And so here's what the goal of this series is. 00:06:26.560 --> 00:06:39.199 The goal of this series is that the invisible spirit realm of the kingdom of heaven would become more of a reality to us than this seen natural realm is. 00:06:39.439 --> 00:06:40.800 That's my prayer. 00:06:42.560 --> 00:06:51.519 And that we would help others understand this great mystery, believe the truth about it, and live accordingly. 00:06:51.920 --> 00:06:52.560 Say that again. 00:06:52.639 --> 00:07:11.279 The goal of this series is that the invisible spirit realm of the kingdom of heaven would become more of a reality to us than this seen natural realm is, and that we would help others understand this great mystery, believe the truth about it, and live accordingly. 00:07:12.480 --> 00:07:15.759 That's my prayer for us in this series. 00:07:15.920 --> 00:07:20.000 When we get to the end of this series, that's what I want the results to be. 00:07:20.959 --> 00:07:24.160 And so here's a question that I have for everybody. 00:07:24.560 --> 00:07:28.160 I ask myself this all the time, but here's the question. 00:07:28.480 --> 00:07:31.040 Do you really believe? 00:07:32.800 --> 00:07:35.680 Do you really believe? 00:07:37.040 --> 00:07:39.279 Do you really believe this? 00:07:41.519 --> 00:07:46.959 Or do you just kind of are you just kind of okay with it? 00:07:48.879 --> 00:07:50.959 What kind of belief do you really have? 00:07:51.120 --> 00:07:53.920 Is it just mental agreement? 00:07:56.319 --> 00:07:59.839 Is it kind of a passive belief? 00:08:00.079 --> 00:08:05.360 Like maybe I think it's real. 00:08:06.879 --> 00:08:08.560 Did you ever doubt it? 00:08:09.920 --> 00:08:11.199 We all doubt it. 00:08:11.439 --> 00:08:17.040 We all wonder because it is invisible, intangible. 00:08:21.680 --> 00:08:36.879 The world that we live in is so loud and so hard and so forceful and so tangible, it tends to overshadow the kingdom of God in our life. 00:08:38.399 --> 00:08:47.440 And it can tend to make us doubt the existence and the reality of the unseen realm. 00:08:48.960 --> 00:08:50.799 Do you really believe? 00:08:51.600 --> 00:08:53.279 Do you really believe? 00:08:55.679 --> 00:08:59.279 There are two very real worlds that we exist in. 00:08:59.440 --> 00:09:03.519 One is temporary and one is eternal. 00:09:04.320 --> 00:09:07.919 Both matter extensively to the other. 00:09:08.799 --> 00:09:14.879 One is visible and natural, one is invisible and spiritual. 00:09:15.759 --> 00:09:21.759 The one that is visible and temporary came from the one that is invisible and eternal. 00:09:22.000 --> 00:09:28.080 The one that is visible serves as a picture and a parallel to the one that is invisible. 00:09:28.320 --> 00:09:33.600 Everything in the natural has a supernatural correlation. 00:09:35.120 --> 00:09:51.279 In some ways, God placing us in this earth, in this visible place with all of the things that He created is actually giving us a tangible picture of what the unseen realm is like. 00:09:52.799 --> 00:09:57.360 For everything in the natural, there is a supernatural correlation. 00:09:59.919 --> 00:10:12.879 So these two worlds are referred to as kingdoms, and while they are connected and consequential to one another, they are governed very differently and under different rulers. 00:10:14.240 --> 00:10:16.559 What happens in one affects the other. 00:10:16.639 --> 00:10:19.360 So think about these are parallel worlds. 00:10:19.519 --> 00:10:22.159 They exist on top of each other. 00:10:22.399 --> 00:10:25.759 They exist within each other, if you will. 00:10:26.159 --> 00:10:28.320 One is seen, one is unseen. 00:10:30.080 --> 00:10:32.879 What happens in one affects the other. 00:10:33.279 --> 00:10:38.240 We can only be faithful and loyal to one of them, never both. 00:10:39.759 --> 00:10:43.600 The unseen realm is divided into two kingdoms. 00:10:44.159 --> 00:10:55.120 The kingdom of God, that's God, angels, and humans, and the kingdom of Satan, that's God, that's Satan, demons and humans. 00:10:55.679 --> 00:11:04.320 So the unseen realm is divided into two kingdoms: the kingdom of God, God, angels, and humans, the kingdom of Satan, Satan, demons, and humans. 00:11:04.799 --> 00:11:09.200 The seen realm is also known as a kingdom. 00:11:09.440 --> 00:11:16.159 It's referred to in the Bible as the kingdom of this world, the kingdom of this world. 00:11:16.399 --> 00:11:24.559 So you have the kingdom of God, the kingdom of Satan, unseen realm, and the kingdom of this world, which is the seen realm. 00:11:25.120 --> 00:11:29.360 And there you have Satan, demons, and humans. 00:11:30.399 --> 00:11:31.039 Right? 00:11:32.159 --> 00:11:34.960 Now, I'll unpack this. 00:11:35.200 --> 00:11:37.919 The earthly kingdom is governed differently. 00:11:38.240 --> 00:11:39.759 It is three dimensions. 00:11:39.840 --> 00:11:40.559 This is where we live. 00:11:40.639 --> 00:11:48.960 Some of this is, it seems basic, but I'm laying some foundation here that is going to be important for where we're going in the weeks to come. 00:11:49.279 --> 00:11:52.639 This earthly kingdom is governed differently. 00:11:53.120 --> 00:11:55.039 It is three dimensions. 00:11:55.200 --> 00:11:57.360 That's height, width, and depth. 00:11:57.600 --> 00:12:03.759 And we exist in it as three part beings, body, soul, and spirit. 00:12:04.000 --> 00:12:10.639 And we have five senses that we operate with: taste, touch, sight, smell, and hearing. 00:12:11.519 --> 00:12:17.600 I've said this before, and I love the reminder, but you are a spirit. 00:12:19.759 --> 00:12:20.960 You are a spirit. 00:12:21.120 --> 00:12:26.080 You were created by God, you are a spirit, an eternal being. 00:12:27.200 --> 00:12:31.919 You have a soul as a human being, and you live in a body. 00:12:32.159 --> 00:12:36.639 You are a spirit, you have a soul, you live in a body. 00:12:37.200 --> 00:12:53.840 Our initial condition is that our spirit is dead because of sin, and we are left with only our soul, our mind, will, and emotions, and our physical body, the five senses, from which to live and navigate life. 00:12:54.080 --> 00:12:58.639 Strictly limited to the natural realm, the kingdom of this world. 00:12:58.799 --> 00:13:01.200 That's how we start our life. 00:13:01.600 --> 00:13:11.039 Completely limited by our human body and the kingdom of this world that we are dominated by. 00:13:11.840 --> 00:13:17.519 Unable to receive anything from God and unable to operate within the kingdom of God. 00:13:17.679 --> 00:13:20.480 That's how we begin in this life. 00:13:22.399 --> 00:13:30.159 And however, we are subject by default to the kingdom of Satan and are influenced and affected by it. 00:13:30.399 --> 00:13:46.960 So even though we are spiritually dead and we are in the kingdom of this world as a human being, the kingdom of Satan, which is the unseen realm, we are immediately born into and subject to that kingdom. 00:13:47.840 --> 00:13:55.200 Not able to access the kingdom of God, only impacted negatively by the kingdom of Satan. 00:13:57.039 --> 00:14:11.039 The glory of being born again, or born of the Spirit, is the language Jesus mostly used, is that we have the ability to then be subject to the kingdom of God. 00:14:11.600 --> 00:14:16.320 Once we are born again, born of the Spirit, we become spiritually alive. 00:14:16.960 --> 00:14:21.519 Now we have the ability to be subject to the kingdom of God. 00:14:22.960 --> 00:14:26.159 This is why Jesus came on the scene. 00:14:26.559 --> 00:14:31.039 And if you'll remember, what was his very first message? 00:14:31.200 --> 00:14:44.879 When you read the Gospels and you see the very first message of Jesus, how he started communicating, and what the message that he began his ministry with is this the time promised by God has come at last. 00:14:47.519 --> 00:14:49.759 Repent of your sins. 00:14:50.480 --> 00:14:51.679 Oh, wait, sorry. 00:14:51.759 --> 00:14:54.480 He says, the time promised by God has come at last. 00:14:54.799 --> 00:14:57.759 The kingdom of God is near. 00:15:00.080 --> 00:15:02.320 The kingdom of God is near. 00:15:02.879 --> 00:15:07.440 Repent of your sins and believe the good news. 00:15:08.080 --> 00:15:13.120 So the message of Jesus was, hey, I've got good news. 00:15:13.360 --> 00:15:15.679 I'm here to announce something. 00:15:16.000 --> 00:15:24.399 You have been stuck in this world of the kingdom of Satan and the kingdom of this world. 00:15:24.639 --> 00:15:43.120 You've been stuck, completely dominated by your flesh, completely dominated by your physical body, completely dominated by your human soul, your mind, will, and emotions, with no way to access the kingdom of God, no way to receive anything from God. 00:15:45.840 --> 00:15:47.519 Your only choice was sin. 00:15:50.000 --> 00:15:51.440 Your only choice was sin. 00:15:51.519 --> 00:16:00.480 You were stuck in that default state, separated from God, and Jesus shows up and he says, I've got good news. 00:16:01.120 --> 00:16:03.279 The kingdom of God is here. 00:16:04.399 --> 00:16:06.480 The kingdom of God has come. 00:16:07.039 --> 00:16:12.480 You're about to have some other options, is what Jesus was saying. 00:16:13.120 --> 00:16:20.799 But in order to receive it, in order to enter into it, in order to operate in it, you've got to do something first. 00:16:22.000 --> 00:16:27.120 You have to repent of your sins. 00:16:27.519 --> 00:16:31.120 We've talked extensively about that, so I'm not going to go off into that. 00:16:31.279 --> 00:16:37.519 Repentance means to change what you believe to be true about God, about yourself, and about others. 00:16:38.639 --> 00:16:46.559 He's saying, You got to change what you believe to be true and believe the good news. 00:16:48.480 --> 00:16:50.960 2 Corinthians verse 4. 00:16:51.759 --> 00:17:00.399 Paul's talking about these sufferings that we encounter in this world, in our human bodies, in our human souls. 00:17:00.480 --> 00:17:05.200 He's talking about suffering, he's talking about persecution, he's talking about troubles. 00:17:05.440 --> 00:17:07.680 And this is what he says in the context of that. 00:17:07.839 --> 00:17:18.960 He says, Therefore, we do not lose heart, though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 00:17:19.200 --> 00:17:24.880 In other words, what he's saying is, in our physical body, we are wasting away. 00:17:25.440 --> 00:17:27.599 How many of you can relate to that? 00:17:28.880 --> 00:17:36.640 Yet inwardly, he's talking about our spirit, we are renewed day by day. 00:17:37.920 --> 00:17:42.880 In other words, those two things can be having very different experiences. 00:17:45.440 --> 00:17:56.400 You can be wasting away outwardly, but because you are born of the Spirit, because the kingdom of God is here, you can be renewed inwardly day by day. 00:17:56.559 --> 00:18:06.559 Listen to what he says: for our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 00:18:07.599 --> 00:18:12.559 In other words, so something's happening here that transcends here. 00:18:13.599 --> 00:18:23.039 There's something that's happening in this seen realm, in this temporary realm, that affects the unseen eternal realm. 00:18:23.279 --> 00:18:24.559 And it matters. 00:18:33.440 --> 00:18:40.559 How many of you have light and momentary troubles that feel heavy and permanent? 00:18:43.839 --> 00:18:44.559 Guess what? 00:18:44.799 --> 00:18:47.519 Those things are achieving something for you. 00:18:48.240 --> 00:18:51.279 Those things are accomplishing something for you. 00:18:53.279 --> 00:19:03.039 An eternal glory that far outweighs the sufferings in this life. 00:19:03.440 --> 00:19:05.680 The light and momentary troubles. 00:19:06.640 --> 00:19:09.279 It outweighs them, it trumps them. 00:19:09.519 --> 00:19:11.359 It overrides them. 00:19:13.599 --> 00:19:32.160 So listen, verse 18, so we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal, is eternal. 00:19:32.319 --> 00:19:39.200 And so, as Christians, if you're not a Christian, if you're not born of the Spirit, you don't have a choice. 00:19:39.759 --> 00:19:41.359 You have no choice. 00:19:42.160 --> 00:19:46.480 You are limited completely to the seen realm, no choice. 00:19:46.640 --> 00:19:52.319 You're completely under the dominion of the kingdom of Satan, and you don't have a choice. 00:19:52.640 --> 00:20:00.559 The beauty of what Christ did, the gospel, the grace of God, is that now you have a choice. 00:20:00.960 --> 00:20:07.599 From the moment you first ever heard the gospel, that's why it's so important to share the gospel with people. 00:20:09.200 --> 00:20:12.079 Then you all of a sudden have a choice. 00:20:13.039 --> 00:20:30.480 I can accept Jesus, I can be born of the Spirit, and now there's this whole other world that I can transcend, that my earthly life can now transcend and have an eternal impact. 00:20:32.880 --> 00:20:39.200 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 00:20:39.359 --> 00:20:40.720 Ephesians 6 10. 00:20:40.960 --> 00:20:47.039 He says, A final word, be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might. 00:20:47.279 --> 00:20:55.279 Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 00:20:55.519 --> 00:21:12.079 For we are not fighting against flesh and blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. 00:21:31.599 --> 00:21:34.160 So what he's talking about, spiritual power. 00:21:34.400 --> 00:21:43.359 Pray that you will be strengthened with all whose glorious power, God's, so that you will all have the endurance and the patience you need. 00:21:43.519 --> 00:21:48.319 Listen, may you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father. 00:21:48.480 --> 00:21:53.599 Joy is something we receive from God, it's something the Holy Spirit produces in us. 00:21:53.680 --> 00:21:56.559 It's supernatural, it's spiritual. 00:21:58.799 --> 00:21:59.759 It's like spiritual. 00:22:00.480 --> 00:22:05.279 Happiness that earthly circumstances can't take away from you. 00:22:06.319 --> 00:22:08.640 Always thanking the Father. 00:22:08.960 --> 00:22:19.279 He has enabled you, listen, to share in the inheritance that belongs to His people who live in the light. 00:22:19.680 --> 00:22:32.960 For He has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of His dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins. 00:22:33.440 --> 00:22:42.160 So the gospel, if you believe it and you receive it, is that God literally, you become born of the Spirit. 00:22:42.480 --> 00:22:53.119 God literally takes you from the kingdom of darkness, jerks you out of the kingdom of darkness, and he plugs you right into the kingdom of light. 00:22:53.359 --> 00:23:04.480 You are transferred from that kingdom of darkness that we're born subject to, and he plugs you into the kingdom of light, the kingdom of his son. 00:23:11.359 --> 00:23:17.839 Verse 14, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins. 00:23:18.000 --> 00:23:20.000 15, Christ, listen to this. 00:23:20.319 --> 00:23:25.759 Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. 00:23:27.359 --> 00:23:29.759 So do we have a picture of God? 00:23:30.559 --> 00:23:32.319 Is God invisible? 00:23:32.640 --> 00:23:38.799 Yes, the Bible says God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship him in spirit and truth. 00:23:38.960 --> 00:23:40.319 Jesus said that, right? 00:23:40.640 --> 00:23:45.200 God is not a man, he is spirit. 00:23:47.039 --> 00:23:49.039 And he is invisible. 00:23:49.680 --> 00:23:51.279 But can we see him? 00:23:54.559 --> 00:23:57.839 Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. 00:23:58.079 --> 00:24:10.079 He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. 00:24:10.400 --> 00:24:15.839 He made the things which we can see and the things that we cannot see. 00:24:16.079 --> 00:24:24.880 Listen to this, such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. 00:24:25.359 --> 00:24:28.240 Everything was created through him and for him. 00:24:28.480 --> 00:24:30.000 And let me just say this. 00:24:31.519 --> 00:24:37.279 There are way too many scriptures like this to put in this series. 00:24:38.400 --> 00:24:45.279 I mean, this would take years to sit here every single Sunday to unpack. 00:24:45.440 --> 00:24:48.240 It's the whole entire word of God. 00:24:48.720 --> 00:25:05.359 When you read it and you study it and you believe it and you submit your life to it, it's absolutely amazing how it literally opens your eyes, opens your ears, and allows you to operate in this realm. 00:25:06.559 --> 00:25:08.640 I love this excerpt from A.W. 00:25:08.880 --> 00:25:10.799 Tozer's The Pursuit of God. 00:25:10.880 --> 00:25:17.200 And I said this to the team, but as we're going through this series, number one, I would encourage you to pray. 00:25:17.359 --> 00:25:20.319 I would encourage you to pray prayers like, God, open my eyes. 00:25:20.559 --> 00:25:21.680 I want to see things. 00:25:21.839 --> 00:25:23.359 Give me revelation. 00:25:24.079 --> 00:25:25.759 I would read Colossians. 00:25:25.920 --> 00:25:27.279 I would read Ephesians. 00:25:27.519 --> 00:25:32.160 Ephesians is just unbelievable, but it's believable. 00:25:32.480 --> 00:25:33.839 It blows my mind. 00:25:34.079 --> 00:25:37.920 Literally have to just, I read Ephesians and I'm like, Ephesians chapter 1. 00:25:38.000 --> 00:25:47.119 Just try to just read Ephesians chapter 1 without your mind being blown and your heart for God growing and strengthening. 00:25:47.279 --> 00:25:48.240 It's unbelievable. 00:25:48.400 --> 00:25:50.160 And then you got to try to read chapter 2. 00:25:50.240 --> 00:25:54.480 And it's like, oh my gosh, it's unreal. 00:25:54.640 --> 00:25:57.519 Every time I read it, it changes my life. 00:25:58.319 --> 00:26:05.359 Colossians, the book of Jude, very short, but rich, full of spiritual insight. 00:26:05.920 --> 00:26:08.400 Ezekiel, Job. 00:26:09.519 --> 00:26:17.279 Unbelievable the things that you can learn about the unseen realm when you read those books. 00:26:17.519 --> 00:26:19.200 But I love this excerpt from A.W. 00:26:19.359 --> 00:26:19.920 Tozer. 00:26:20.160 --> 00:26:23.519 If you haven't read The Pursuit of God, you're not a Christian. 00:26:24.400 --> 00:26:28.559 You have to, it's mandatory reading if you haven't read The Pursuit of God. 00:26:28.799 --> 00:26:30.000 Listen to this. 00:26:30.319 --> 00:26:37.920 The world of sense intrudes upon our attention day and night for the whole of our lifetime. 00:26:38.160 --> 00:26:42.559 It is clamorous, insistent, and self-demonstrating. 00:26:42.960 --> 00:26:45.680 It does not appeal to our faith. 00:26:46.000 --> 00:26:52.160 It is here assaulting our five senses, demanding to be accepted as real and final. 00:26:53.119 --> 00:27:03.519 But sin has so clouded the lenses of our hearts that we cannot see the other reality, the city of God shining all around us. 00:27:03.839 --> 00:27:06.640 The world of sense triumphs. 00:27:06.960 --> 00:27:13.599 The visible becomes the enemy of the invisible, the temporal, the enemy of the eternal. 00:27:13.920 --> 00:27:18.960 That is the curse inherited by every member of Adam's tragic race. 00:27:19.200 --> 00:27:20.079 Listen to this. 00:27:20.319 --> 00:27:26.319 At the root of the Christian life lies belief in the invisible. 00:27:36.400 --> 00:27:42.400 The object of the Christian's faith is unseen reality. 00:27:42.640 --> 00:27:56.000 There is a way that what is of the Spirit, that what is of the kingdom of God, can get to where it is more real to you than this earth world that we live in. 00:27:56.880 --> 00:28:00.400 You can get there and you can stay there. 00:28:01.759 --> 00:28:03.519 But it's not easy. 00:28:04.400 --> 00:28:13.920 And it certainly doesn't happen without intentionality, without seeking and learning and growing and praying. 00:28:14.400 --> 00:28:43.440 I say this all the time, but if you believe in God, if you believe that God created everything, if you believe that He created you, if you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who died on the cross in your place for your sins, if you believe all of that, that you have access to the presence of God, that you can come boldly before his throne and receive things. 00:28:43.759 --> 00:28:52.720 If you believe all of that, but you don't pray and talk to him, you don't actually believe it. 00:28:53.279 --> 00:28:54.720 Can I say that? 00:28:55.440 --> 00:29:02.799 If you believe all of that, but you don't read and study the Bible, you don't actually believe it. 00:29:02.960 --> 00:29:04.480 You just think you believe it. 00:29:04.640 --> 00:29:09.519 You agree, there's mental assent that I guess I agree with that. 00:29:09.599 --> 00:29:10.960 I don't know what else to agree with. 00:29:11.119 --> 00:29:13.920 This is how I was raised, or this is with so-and-so. 00:29:16.319 --> 00:29:23.519 Belief, true belief, genuine beliefs always manifests itself in behavior. 00:29:23.839 --> 00:29:25.039 In behavior. 00:29:25.279 --> 00:29:28.960 Let your behavior tell you what you really believe or not. 00:29:29.519 --> 00:29:32.480 Your behavior tells you what you really prioritize or not. 00:29:32.559 --> 00:29:40.079 You can think you prioritize certain things, but your behavior is what proves to you that you actually prioritize it. 00:29:41.440 --> 00:29:51.680 And what happens is when you go, you know what, I do believe in God, and I am going to prove it by reading and studying God's word. 00:29:52.079 --> 00:29:58.000 I do believe in God, and I'm going to prove it by opening my mouth and talking to him, even though he's invisible, can't see him. 00:29:58.240 --> 00:30:00.240 I'm going to speak out loud to him. 00:30:06.160 --> 00:30:07.440 That's faith. 00:30:08.720 --> 00:30:11.920 Belief doesn't actually get you in. 00:30:12.480 --> 00:30:14.160 Faith gets you in. 00:30:14.400 --> 00:30:16.319 But faith has to come from belief. 00:30:16.480 --> 00:30:17.839 Belief has to be there first. 00:30:18.000 --> 00:30:20.880 Repentance, belief, faith. 00:30:21.839 --> 00:30:26.160 Faith is what opens your eyes to the unseen realm. 00:30:26.480 --> 00:30:31.920 Faith is what causes you to learn about it and to know it as a reality. 00:30:32.240 --> 00:30:38.799 And so I'm saying that mostly to a bunch of believers here today to equip you to help other people. 00:30:39.680 --> 00:30:40.880 Equip you to help other people. 00:30:41.119 --> 00:30:47.599 Don't let people be around you and close to you that say they believe, but they don't really believe. 00:30:47.759 --> 00:30:51.279 Like help them understand you don't really believe. 00:30:51.519 --> 00:30:55.200 And it's okay to go, I'm struggling here. 00:30:55.519 --> 00:30:57.920 I've said, I've said that I believe in Jesus. 00:30:58.000 --> 00:31:00.240 I've said that I believe in God, but I don't pray to Him. 00:31:00.319 --> 00:31:01.119 I don't read the Bible. 00:31:01.200 --> 00:31:02.720 I don't have a relationship with Him. 00:31:02.880 --> 00:31:03.839 Well, guess what? 00:31:04.160 --> 00:31:05.920 You don't really believe. 00:31:06.240 --> 00:31:13.200 And if you'd like to repent of that and believe and start reading and praying, God will change your life. 00:31:13.519 --> 00:31:21.920 God will open your eyes to this, the reality of the kingdom of God, and it will become more real to you than this seen world that you live in. 00:31:22.160 --> 00:31:25.119 How many of you remember when you crossed over? 00:31:26.079 --> 00:31:33.279 You remember when God opened your eyes and you started hearing and seeing things that you couldn't hear and see before. 00:31:33.440 --> 00:31:48.799 You remembered reading this as a historical book that was very dry and dull and boring, and then all of a sudden you open it and it comes alive and explodes inside of your heart. 00:31:49.119 --> 00:31:50.799 You remember the difference. 00:31:50.960 --> 00:31:52.160 That's what we want to see. 00:31:52.319 --> 00:31:54.079 That's what we're talking about. 00:31:55.200 --> 00:31:56.799 So here's something interesting. 00:31:57.039 --> 00:32:01.759 God created, uh, God created the heavens and the earth. 00:32:05.440 --> 00:32:09.519 You know the uh account of history, of creation. 00:32:11.440 --> 00:32:21.359 But what is an interesting thought is before he created the heavens and the earth, which when he when he says the heavens and the earth, he's not talking about the heaven that he dwells in. 00:32:21.519 --> 00:32:24.559 He didn't create the heaven he dwells in and the earth. 00:32:24.799 --> 00:32:29.039 He created the heavens, which is the atmosphere around the earth. 00:32:29.279 --> 00:32:31.359 It's the sky, basically. 00:32:31.519 --> 00:32:42.000 When you see that word heavens in Genesis, it's the word sky, it's the atmosphere, it's the clouds and what you know, wherever until you get to that line where it's space. 00:32:44.319 --> 00:32:50.799 Then there are the then there is the heavens where God dwells, the unseen realm. 00:32:51.759 --> 00:32:56.480 And that's a different heavens than the heavens and the earth that we live in here. 00:32:57.680 --> 00:33:00.640 So, but look, but listen, God created it. 00:33:00.880 --> 00:33:03.599 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 00:33:03.759 --> 00:33:09.519 The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. 00:33:10.559 --> 00:33:15.119 And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. 00:33:15.359 --> 00:33:20.240 What's interesting about the earth is when he first created it, it was only water. 00:33:20.480 --> 00:33:22.079 It was just water. 00:33:24.720 --> 00:33:29.839 And then as he began to create, he began to create land out of the water. 00:33:30.160 --> 00:33:40.880 But how do you know that under the land is water, and above the land is water, and there's water in the atmosphere, where it's known as the water planet. 00:33:41.039 --> 00:33:42.799 Earth is known as the water planet. 00:33:43.039 --> 00:33:46.880 And what does the spirit, uh, what does water represent in Scripture? 00:33:47.119 --> 00:33:49.440 The Spirit of God, the presence of God. 00:33:50.400 --> 00:33:52.559 Love this in Job 38. 00:33:53.039 --> 00:33:58.720 This is God talking to Job and his friends after their conjecture. 00:33:58.880 --> 00:34:04.079 And he says, Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? 00:34:04.799 --> 00:34:14.079 Tell me, if you know so much, who determined its dimensions and stretched out the surveying line? 00:34:14.400 --> 00:34:16.880 Most people believe that's the equator. 00:34:19.519 --> 00:34:25.039 What supports its foundations and who laid its cornerstone? 00:34:25.280 --> 00:34:31.519 As the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy. 00:34:31.920 --> 00:34:43.599 So what's amazing is that the angels were there before God created the heavens and the earth in Genesis 1. 00:34:44.159 --> 00:34:54.800 So God and the angels and heaven already existed before he created the heavens and the earth in the scene realm. 00:34:56.239 --> 00:35:02.800 Listen to how the old in the old covenant it tries to describe this. 00:35:02.960 --> 00:35:04.559 Deuteronomy 10, 14. 00:35:04.960 --> 00:35:15.840 Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the Lord's thy God, the earth also, with all that therein is. 00:35:16.639 --> 00:35:17.519 King James. 00:35:17.760 --> 00:35:19.119 You're welcome. 00:35:20.239 --> 00:35:23.119 Behold, listen, let's slow down here for a second. 00:35:23.360 --> 00:35:29.599 Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the Lord thy God's. 00:35:30.239 --> 00:35:31.840 The earth also. 00:35:34.719 --> 00:35:37.840 All that therein is. 00:35:38.880 --> 00:35:48.719 So this is this is how we'll read some more in a second, but basically what this is saying is there's a difference between the heavens and the earth and the heavens, heavens. 00:35:50.000 --> 00:35:52.320 One translation says the highest heavens. 00:35:52.400 --> 00:35:54.239 It translates that word as the highest heavens. 00:35:54.320 --> 00:35:58.239 How many of you know there's not Hebrew words that translate into English words? 00:35:58.400 --> 00:36:05.840 So we have the word heaven, and they have the word heaven where God dwells, that is a different word than heaven and earth where we dwell. 00:36:06.559 --> 00:36:14.719 And they articulated it here in the King James as heaven of heavens, is the only way they could describe it, or the highest heavens. 00:36:15.360 --> 00:36:18.639 I love that, I don't have that in here, but I love that uh Psalms. 00:36:18.719 --> 00:36:27.760 It's actually in Samuel and it's in Psalms, but where it says that the Lord looks down on heaven and earth. 00:36:28.639 --> 00:36:30.719 The Lord looks down on heaven and earth. 00:36:30.880 --> 00:36:32.320 That's that's interesting. 00:36:32.639 --> 00:36:35.920 How can he look down on heaven and earth from heaven? 00:36:36.239 --> 00:36:38.400 Well, it's a different heaven. 00:36:39.599 --> 00:36:47.039 1 Kings 8 27 says, but will God indeed dwell on the earth? 00:36:47.360 --> 00:36:54.480 This is when God began to express that he wanted a place to dwell on the earth, that his spirit wanted a place to dwell on the earth. 00:36:54.559 --> 00:36:58.800 And we're going to get into in the weeks to come, we're going to get into angels, demons, humans. 00:36:59.039 --> 00:37:05.039 We're going to get into spirits and how spirits have to have houses to dwell in. 00:37:05.440 --> 00:37:05.760 Okay. 00:37:06.320 --> 00:37:12.960 Heaven is a house to dwell in, and heaven has houses to dwell in. 00:37:13.920 --> 00:37:18.159 And earth is a house to dwell in and has houses to dwell in. 00:37:18.719 --> 00:37:23.519 And there's something that happened with the demons when they were kicked out of heaven. 00:37:23.599 --> 00:37:25.840 They became homeless spirits. 00:37:26.480 --> 00:37:27.440 Homeless spirits. 00:37:27.519 --> 00:37:28.320 They're homeless. 00:37:28.559 --> 00:37:35.119 That's why when someone is fully under the control of demons, usually they end up homeless because that's what demons are. 00:37:35.199 --> 00:37:36.800 They're homeless spirits. 00:37:38.559 --> 00:37:48.480 And so you ever drive down, we were driving through Dallas last week, and you know you're going under the bridges and stuff, and you just see the people and the condition of these people. 00:37:48.960 --> 00:37:51.119 Only demons can do that to humans. 00:37:51.280 --> 00:37:53.599 Humans can't even get there by themselves. 00:37:54.239 --> 00:37:57.199 They got to have something helping them get to that state. 00:37:57.360 --> 00:38:03.920 And when a demon takes influence in a person and inhabits a person, they want to make that person just like them. 00:38:04.159 --> 00:38:06.800 They're trying to conform that person into their image. 00:38:06.960 --> 00:38:08.159 Does that sound familiar? 00:38:08.320 --> 00:38:10.960 Like a familiar agenda? 00:38:11.360 --> 00:38:13.920 We're trying to be conformed to the image of Christ. 00:38:14.000 --> 00:38:16.559 They're trying to conform us into their image. 00:38:17.679 --> 00:38:28.159 And so when you talk about God starting to say, uh, I created people, here's another thought. 00:38:28.480 --> 00:38:31.360 God created angels before he created people. 00:38:32.639 --> 00:38:36.159 People are companions for God. 00:38:36.239 --> 00:38:41.840 We're made in his image and he desires relationship with us, communion with us, right? 00:38:42.800 --> 00:38:49.760 Before God created woman, he was creating, he was trying to create companions for Adam. 00:38:50.000 --> 00:38:51.519 What did he create? 00:38:52.800 --> 00:38:53.679 Animals. 00:38:54.559 --> 00:38:58.719 I personally believe that's why he created animals, uh, angels. 00:38:59.199 --> 00:39:02.400 He created angels as companions for himself. 00:39:02.559 --> 00:39:04.000 He wanted companions. 00:39:05.440 --> 00:39:11.519 And they did not meet the need for Adam as a companion, and so he created woman. 00:39:11.840 --> 00:39:15.840 I believe God created angels for himself as companions. 00:39:16.639 --> 00:39:20.800 They did not meet the need, and so he created people. 00:39:22.159 --> 00:39:22.880 Just thoughts. 00:39:22.960 --> 00:39:24.639 I'm just giving you thoughts. 00:39:26.480 --> 00:39:37.679 And so there's a reason that the Bible makes a correlation between demons and animals. 00:39:37.840 --> 00:39:40.559 What does the Bible call demons in Scripture? 00:39:40.880 --> 00:39:43.119 Beasts of the field, birds of the air. 00:39:43.199 --> 00:39:48.320 It always relates them to animals, unthinking, instinctive animals. 00:39:49.920 --> 00:39:54.320 So now God has really trying to have relationship with man. 00:39:54.400 --> 00:39:57.440