WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.679 This is Ronald Hopkins and thank you for joining the Life Center Church on 147. 00:00:10.800 --> 00:00:18.160 Is this countdown on this monitor or it's on the monitor? 00:00:21.760 --> 00:00:24.000 You know if you don't put a countdown. 00:00:26.800 --> 00:00:28.160 I'm gonna keep going. 00:00:29.440 --> 00:00:30.000 Alright. 00:00:30.239 --> 00:00:32.479 Psalm 147 stands in number three. 00:00:32.560 --> 00:00:35.119 It says, He healed the broken in heart. 00:00:35.439 --> 00:00:38.159 He bind up their wounds. 00:00:38.399 --> 00:00:40.719 Go to Psalm number 109. 00:00:43.039 --> 00:00:46.079 Psalm number 109 stands in number 22. 00:00:46.159 --> 00:00:53.520 It says, For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me. 00:00:53.840 --> 00:01:00.320 And so if you were not here last week, I'm gonna just kind of do a review on what this word wounded means. 00:01:00.479 --> 00:01:08.159 It's an injury to the heart or soul caused by painful experiences. 00:01:10.319 --> 00:01:21.760 Let me stop right there because if you live long enough, you probably have had a painful experience in your life. 00:01:23.840 --> 00:01:35.040 And notice it says that this painful experience has been sent to damage a person's identification. 00:01:37.200 --> 00:01:41.439 It's been sent to damage your emotions. 00:01:42.480 --> 00:01:47.760 It's been sent to damage your beliefs. 00:01:51.840 --> 00:01:55.040 It'll shake you from what you actually believe. 00:01:55.920 --> 00:02:02.239 Some of these experiences will cause you to question whether God is who he says he is. 00:02:04.000 --> 00:02:14.800 These experiences come about in your life to change who God created you to be, to be something that God doesn't recognize. 00:02:17.199 --> 00:02:23.759 These painful beliefs will cause your relationships to be broken. 00:02:24.080 --> 00:02:28.000 God never called us to have damaged relationships. 00:02:28.240 --> 00:02:33.680 We were made to have positive, fruitful relationships. 00:02:33.840 --> 00:02:47.840 But when you get involved in a wrong relationship before it's the right timing, then that relationship can cause you to think a certain way up even about marriage. 00:02:48.800 --> 00:02:49.919 Even about men. 00:02:50.240 --> 00:02:51.439 There are no good men. 00:02:51.520 --> 00:02:52.080 You know why? 00:02:52.159 --> 00:02:54.000 You had a painful experience. 00:02:54.240 --> 00:02:55.439 There are no good women. 00:02:55.520 --> 00:02:55.759 Why? 00:02:55.919 --> 00:03:00.080 Because you had a painful experience and it shook you. 00:03:02.960 --> 00:03:04.560 Now, let's start here today. 00:03:04.719 --> 00:03:07.280 Go to Genesis chapter 1. 00:03:09.840 --> 00:03:13.680 Genesis chapter 1, verse number 26, very familiar. 00:03:13.840 --> 00:03:15.360 We've all read this before. 00:03:15.439 --> 00:03:22.240 It says, and God says, let us make man and our image. 00:03:22.560 --> 00:03:23.280 Yes, sir. 00:03:24.319 --> 00:03:25.919 After our likeness. 00:03:26.560 --> 00:03:39.199 And let them, mankind, have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the fowl of the air, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 00:03:39.360 --> 00:03:41.280 Notice verse number 27. 00:03:41.360 --> 00:03:54.080 It says, So God Elohim, he is the creator of God, he created man in his own image. 00:03:55.039 --> 00:04:04.240 In the image of God created he, him, male and female. 00:04:05.439 --> 00:04:15.199 So we can see right from the beginning that God only created man and woman. 00:04:18.399 --> 00:04:27.759 Contrary to what the world may say, God has only created a man and a woman. 00:04:28.240 --> 00:04:38.319 Now I need you to understand this because if God is a creative God, he takes something and he makes it beautiful. 00:04:39.600 --> 00:04:41.839 And he gives it purpose. 00:04:42.160 --> 00:04:54.079 If God created man and woman, when other people say that God created something other than this, then there's a problem. 00:04:56.000 --> 00:05:02.959 It's set up to get individuals to walk away from the original design. 00:05:05.839 --> 00:05:08.160 It's going to cause confusion. 00:05:11.360 --> 00:05:15.439 It's gonna create something that God didn't establish. 00:05:16.480 --> 00:05:29.360 And it's going to, if you allow it to, damage relationships, damage your identification, because now you will try to be something that God never created in the first place. 00:05:30.240 --> 00:05:37.120 And then you will run your life and believing that that is of God, but God didn't create that. 00:05:40.000 --> 00:05:45.120 The issue is somewhere along the line, you've been wounded. 00:05:49.199 --> 00:05:53.279 There is something that's called counterfeit. 00:05:54.800 --> 00:06:07.120 And having a counterfeit identification or having a counterfeit money is actually illegal. 00:06:09.920 --> 00:06:13.519 You can actually get in trouble for pretending. 00:06:17.759 --> 00:06:25.600 Now, there are four rooms of progression and development. 00:06:26.959 --> 00:06:36.560 Four progressive rooms of development for both the man and the woman. 00:06:37.279 --> 00:06:39.839 So there is the male room. 00:06:42.160 --> 00:06:44.720 There is the son room. 00:06:45.680 --> 00:06:48.879 There is the father room. 00:06:49.199 --> 00:06:51.920 And then there's the husband room. 00:06:53.040 --> 00:06:56.560 You also have the female room. 00:06:57.360 --> 00:07:00.319 You have the daughter room. 00:07:00.959 --> 00:07:06.639 You have the mother room, and then you have the wife room. 00:07:07.199 --> 00:07:18.160 So every male and every female on the face of this planet will go through these levels of progression and development. 00:07:18.879 --> 00:07:30.079 And the first role given to the male, and the first role given to the female in this room is your identification. 00:07:32.480 --> 00:07:40.800 If the enemy can damage your identification, he can and he will delay your destiny. 00:07:43.199 --> 00:07:59.279 So a person who struggles in this first male room with your identification, this person will struggle to know who he is or who she is and why you actually exist. 00:08:01.199 --> 00:08:08.319 There are many of God's people who are walking on the face of the earth, they've skipped this part. 00:08:08.800 --> 00:08:11.680 They don't know why they exist. 00:08:12.800 --> 00:08:17.680 So they end up wasting their time while they're here on the earth. 00:08:19.839 --> 00:08:29.519 If the enemy can wound your identity early, listen to this, he'll distort your behavior for years. 00:08:32.559 --> 00:08:38.639 Now, when you understand this word distort, you will understand the impact of this. 00:08:38.879 --> 00:08:50.720 The word distort means to something that's been twisted or something that's been pulled away from its original purpose. 00:08:51.120 --> 00:08:59.759 So if the enemy can pull you away from God's purpose for your life, he'll destroy your life. 00:09:14.159 --> 00:09:19.919 Now we looked at last week and we started off talking about the strategies of the enemy. 00:09:20.240 --> 00:09:22.159 He uses a wound. 00:09:23.039 --> 00:09:25.360 He then will tell you a lie. 00:09:26.080 --> 00:09:35.440 Then he has to get you to agree with that lie, and then once you get into agreement with that lie, now it's your behavior. 00:09:35.600 --> 00:09:40.240 Your behavior now begins to line up with this strategy. 00:09:40.399 --> 00:09:45.120 And now it begins to identify who you are. 00:09:45.840 --> 00:09:47.200 Your behavior. 00:10:02.639 --> 00:10:04.480 Okay, point number one. 00:10:05.759 --> 00:10:10.240 You must be aware of what you allow in your house. 00:10:14.559 --> 00:10:23.759 You have to be aware of what you have allowed in this house. 00:10:24.879 --> 00:10:28.639 Not in your house that you get ready to go to when you go home. 00:10:29.519 --> 00:10:31.039 You do as well. 00:10:32.480 --> 00:10:42.559 But you have to be mindful what you allow in this house, because whatever you allow in this house will be what you actually become. 00:10:46.960 --> 00:10:52.480 Whatever you allow in your house, watch this, is what will wound you. 00:10:55.200 --> 00:11:03.440 Because you allowed it in your house, it now changes your identification. 00:11:05.039 --> 00:11:09.200 You allowed it to ruin relationships. 00:11:09.840 --> 00:11:12.080 Notice, you allowed it. 00:11:14.320 --> 00:11:16.240 You gave it access. 00:11:17.440 --> 00:11:22.639 Last week I gave you an example about access and a door. 00:11:23.200 --> 00:11:33.519 When you all came into this building today, you now have access to everything in this room because you came through a door. 00:11:34.559 --> 00:11:37.759 That door, and you didn't even have to open up the door. 00:11:37.840 --> 00:11:39.360 It was already open for you. 00:11:39.519 --> 00:11:41.360 All you did was walk through. 00:11:41.519 --> 00:11:47.360 And because you walked through the door, you now have access to everything in this room. 00:11:47.519 --> 00:11:50.559 Well, that is what the enemy is endeavoring to do. 00:11:50.720 --> 00:11:53.600 He's looking for you to open up certain doors. 00:11:53.919 --> 00:12:01.360 So he can now have access to your mind, to your will, to your emotions, to your body, to your money. 00:12:02.080 --> 00:12:05.200 But you have to give him access. 00:12:06.159 --> 00:12:10.720 The only way he can get in is though you have to give him access. 00:12:11.200 --> 00:12:14.320 You have to give him permission to come in. 00:12:15.600 --> 00:12:17.360 He cannot just come in. 00:12:17.519 --> 00:12:22.960 You have to say, Oh, I'm gonna open up the door and I'm getting ready to let you in. 00:12:23.919 --> 00:12:26.639 Other than that, he stays out. 00:12:27.120 --> 00:12:33.519 The only way he can get in your life, listen to me, is you have to give him access. 00:12:36.639 --> 00:12:50.639 Now we're gonna read a story today because I'm gonna show you this strategy has been used from Genesis to Revelation about how the enemy gains access. 00:12:50.960 --> 00:12:54.159 Now go to 2 Samuel chapter 13. 00:12:57.279 --> 00:13:06.080 2 Samuel chapter 13, and let me set the story for you because here you have King David. 00:13:06.480 --> 00:13:13.200 And we read about David because the Bible says that David was a man after God's own heart. 00:13:13.440 --> 00:13:24.159 But if you read the stories of David, David made a lot of mistakes. 00:13:27.279 --> 00:13:32.720 But what you will find about David is that he never made the same mistake twice. 00:13:35.039 --> 00:13:43.840 So although he did miss it from time to time, you won't ever find him falling back into the same sin. 00:13:47.679 --> 00:13:58.159 Now, 2 Samuel talks about King David, and we know that David had probably hundreds of children. 00:13:58.879 --> 00:13:59.759 Probably. 00:14:08.000 --> 00:14:15.679 But in this chapter, in chapter 14 and chapter 15, it mentions three of his children. 00:14:16.480 --> 00:14:28.559 It mentions who we're gonna focus in on today because there's a lot to talk about in all of it, but we're only gonna talk about Absalom. 00:14:30.240 --> 00:14:33.840 Some of you may not understand, but after this you will. 00:14:34.639 --> 00:14:38.960 Absalom was King David's biological son. 00:14:39.600 --> 00:14:51.200 He also had a daughter, her name was Tamar, but he also had a stepson, and his stepson's name was Ammon. 00:14:52.320 --> 00:15:00.240 And so, Ammon, the Bible says he loved his stepsister. 00:15:03.600 --> 00:15:07.440 When you translate that word love, it actually doesn't mean love. 00:15:07.919 --> 00:15:14.559 It actually means he lusted for her because the Bible describes her as beautiful. 00:15:15.120 --> 00:15:19.440 So he was lusting or he wanted his stepsister. 00:15:20.559 --> 00:15:28.399 And so in this story, he acted as though he was sick, meaning Ammon did. 00:15:28.639 --> 00:15:33.519 So King David came to visit him and he asked him what was wrong. 00:15:33.840 --> 00:15:50.159 And he said to his father, if you just send me, if you just send me my sister and have her cook for me and have her feed me, then I'll begin to feel better. 00:15:51.200 --> 00:15:55.120 So King David agreed to that. 00:15:56.559 --> 00:16:10.240 So all of a sudden, she shows up and she cooks for him and he puts everybody, all of the servants out, and now it's just them two in the room together. 00:16:10.480 --> 00:16:15.039 And he said to his sister, I need you to sleep with me. 00:16:16.320 --> 00:16:21.600 And she responds to him the way she should respond. 00:16:23.360 --> 00:16:24.799 No means no. 00:16:26.320 --> 00:16:32.960 When you read the rest of the scripture, the scripture says that he now forced himself on her. 00:16:37.279 --> 00:16:40.159 So he raped his sister, his stepsister. 00:16:43.759 --> 00:16:45.039 And watch this. 00:16:45.519 --> 00:16:50.240 After he got what he wanted, he threw her out. 00:16:54.960 --> 00:16:56.000 Put her out. 00:16:56.320 --> 00:16:59.840 You have to understand something back in biblical time. 00:17:00.879 --> 00:17:04.079 It was an honor to be a virgin. 00:17:08.480 --> 00:17:10.640 That should be happening right now. 00:17:11.440 --> 00:17:14.000 I didn't get a lot of amens off of that. 00:17:15.200 --> 00:17:24.640 And you could tell whether or not a person was married or a virgin based upon, no different now, the clothes. 00:17:27.359 --> 00:17:30.240 You can tell a lot about the clothes that you wear. 00:17:32.799 --> 00:17:36.079 You showing a little skin and all of that is showing. 00:17:36.480 --> 00:17:38.400 I question whether or not. 00:17:40.799 --> 00:17:43.039 Stop there, Pastor, stop there, stop there. 00:17:44.960 --> 00:17:47.039 So he ended up putting her out. 00:17:47.839 --> 00:17:54.640 And because they were a close-knit family, she went and told her brother. 00:17:55.359 --> 00:18:00.480 Now, let's pick up the story in verse number 20. 00:18:00.799 --> 00:18:06.240 And Absalom, her brother, said to her, Hath Ammon, thy brother, been with thee? 00:18:08.480 --> 00:18:14.160 But hold now your peace, my sister. 00:18:15.359 --> 00:18:17.440 Don't say anything. 00:18:18.559 --> 00:18:19.759 He is your brother. 00:18:20.000 --> 00:18:21.440 Regard not the thing. 00:18:21.680 --> 00:18:27.039 So Tamar remained desolate in her brother's Absalom's house. 00:18:27.200 --> 00:18:30.160 So she actually stayed in her brother's house. 00:18:30.400 --> 00:18:31.519 Didn't come out. 00:18:32.240 --> 00:18:33.519 Watch what happens. 00:18:33.759 --> 00:18:40.400 But when King David heard of all these things, he was very wroth. 00:18:41.599 --> 00:18:50.799 When King David heard that his son had raped his daughter, he got mad. 00:18:52.240 --> 00:18:54.720 How many of you say he should have got mad? 00:18:55.920 --> 00:18:56.960 As he should. 00:18:57.759 --> 00:18:59.039 But watch this. 00:18:59.359 --> 00:19:00.880 That's all he did. 00:19:07.119 --> 00:19:10.000 He didn't do anything after that but get mad. 00:19:13.200 --> 00:19:14.480 Point number one. 00:19:14.799 --> 00:19:16.480 Somebody say wound. 00:19:19.359 --> 00:19:37.680 So a father's womb was now open because the father failed to provide protection for his daughter and for his son. 00:19:38.960 --> 00:19:49.200 So he was now, and she was now, we're not going to talk about her, but he was now wounded because of the neglect of the father. 00:19:52.720 --> 00:19:54.559 There was no justice. 00:19:58.240 --> 00:19:59.200 He was mad. 00:20:01.039 --> 00:20:02.960 He was wounded at that moment. 00:20:05.200 --> 00:20:10.079 Whatever you aren't healed of will eventually hurt someone else. 00:20:12.720 --> 00:20:16.640 See, it is important how you live your life. 00:20:19.119 --> 00:20:21.599 It is important what you do. 00:20:22.240 --> 00:20:24.799 It is important what you say. 00:20:25.279 --> 00:20:28.400 It is important how you say it. 00:20:28.720 --> 00:20:36.640 You could possibly have wounded your children and you not even become aware of it. 00:20:39.359 --> 00:20:40.559 Help us grow. 00:20:40.799 --> 00:20:42.480 Go to Psalm number 55. 00:20:44.240 --> 00:20:50.000 See, the house was supposed to be a place of protection, but it wasn't. 00:21:24.880 --> 00:21:25.920 So interesting. 00:21:26.079 --> 00:21:29.440 That we're aware of when the enemy comes. 00:21:30.720 --> 00:21:32.319 Then I could have borne it. 00:21:32.559 --> 00:21:39.519 Neither was it that hatred that was he that hated me that did magnify himself again. 00:21:39.759 --> 00:21:42.480 Then I would have not have hid myself from him. 00:21:42.880 --> 00:21:51.440 But it was thou a man of my equal, my guide, my acquaintances. 00:21:51.759 --> 00:21:58.640 We took sweet counsel together and walked into the house of God in our company. 00:21:58.880 --> 00:21:59.759 Notice what. 00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:02.160 David begins to say. 00:22:02.799 --> 00:22:05.680 It wasn't people who didn't know me who hurt me. 00:22:09.119 --> 00:22:18.720 It was the very same people that were in my family. 00:22:22.640 --> 00:22:23.599 Wounds. 00:22:29.680 --> 00:22:31.839 I'm letting you just think about that. 00:22:34.559 --> 00:22:41.440 Painful experience that change your identification. 00:22:42.240 --> 00:22:47.200 Painful experiences that change your belief. 00:22:47.599 --> 00:22:53.519 Now you understand why people will say, I grew up in the church. 00:22:55.599 --> 00:22:57.359 But then they walked away. 00:22:59.119 --> 00:23:01.279 I started in the church. 00:23:02.400 --> 00:23:05.279 But your life doesn't look like how you started. 00:23:05.920 --> 00:23:11.440 Because you had a painful experience that changed your belief system. 00:23:11.599 --> 00:23:17.519 And now, because of that, you don't want anything to do with anything about the church. 00:23:18.960 --> 00:23:19.519 Why? 00:23:19.759 --> 00:23:21.359 Because you've been wounded. 00:23:26.000 --> 00:23:28.400 It can be the wound of neglect. 00:23:31.680 --> 00:23:34.880 Not being properly guided. 00:23:40.160 --> 00:23:48.880 It can be where you didn't know how to process your emotions and you were left to figure things out on your own. 00:23:51.359 --> 00:23:56.720 You were left to carry issues too early. 00:23:59.279 --> 00:24:03.599 And all of a sudden, you didn't get a chance to grow up. 00:24:07.839 --> 00:24:12.880 It's the spirit of neglect, is what the Bible calls it. 00:24:13.119 --> 00:24:28.720 And it will, it has, not it will, it has convinced believers that because you were not properly protected, you must now live disconnected. 00:24:31.519 --> 00:24:33.759 Because you were wounded. 00:24:34.480 --> 00:24:40.640 Now, because you were wounded, it's now challenging for you to connect with people. 00:24:40.880 --> 00:24:42.880 I don't want to be around anybody. 00:24:44.240 --> 00:24:44.960 You know what? 00:24:45.039 --> 00:24:48.079 Because I'm a male, so I don't get along with other males. 00:24:49.119 --> 00:24:52.000 I'm a female, but I don't get along with other females. 00:24:53.119 --> 00:24:55.359 Where do you find that in the Bible? 00:24:57.200 --> 00:25:00.160 Where show me chapter and verse where that's at. 00:25:00.319 --> 00:25:01.200 You know the issue? 00:25:01.359 --> 00:25:02.480 You've been wounded. 00:25:04.160 --> 00:25:06.880 So now you use that as an excuse. 00:25:11.279 --> 00:25:16.240 Neglect will teach and train you not to expect anything from anyone. 00:25:18.160 --> 00:25:21.440 So now you have trust issues. 00:25:27.039 --> 00:25:32.000 And the pain you carry will become the pain you become. 00:25:35.279 --> 00:25:36.319 Neglect. 00:25:37.519 --> 00:25:38.480 Wounds. 00:25:38.960 --> 00:25:46.160 See, we don't talk about this stuff in the church, but the church of the Lord Jesus Christ is full of wounded Christians. 00:25:51.279 --> 00:25:54.400 Who are who've been hiding all these years. 00:25:54.880 --> 00:25:58.480 Trying to act like everything is praise the Lord. 00:26:01.359 --> 00:26:02.640 God is good. 00:26:04.160 --> 00:26:06.400 But you've been hiding in that room. 00:26:07.440 --> 00:26:13.039 And one thing about those rooms is that you will have to go from one room to the next room. 00:26:13.279 --> 00:26:17.759 And any wound that's not healed, you take to the next room. 00:26:20.319 --> 00:26:27.279 So you may have already passed the male room, but you may be in the husband room. 00:26:27.519 --> 00:26:37.200 So you could be a husband that never recognized who you are in Christ, and now it's difficult for you to lead your family. 00:26:38.960 --> 00:26:44.480 Now you have no purpose in life while your wife is frustrated with you. 00:26:45.759 --> 00:26:48.160 Because now you have no direction. 00:26:48.319 --> 00:26:50.799 You don't know, you can't even hear from God. 00:26:55.359 --> 00:26:56.079 Oh yeah. 00:26:58.559 --> 00:26:59.519 Wounds. 00:27:00.400 --> 00:27:01.920 That's why we started off. 00:27:02.240 --> 00:27:03.519 God is a healer. 00:27:05.759 --> 00:27:07.200 Point number two. 00:27:08.160 --> 00:27:10.240 Who will you trust? 00:27:12.400 --> 00:27:14.000 Who will you trust? 00:27:19.279 --> 00:27:21.519 We talked about the womb. 00:27:21.920 --> 00:27:24.480 Now let's see how he fell for the lie. 00:27:24.720 --> 00:27:27.359 Go back to 2 Samuel chapter 13. 00:27:33.039 --> 00:27:35.920 2nd Samuel chapter 13, verse number 21. 00:27:36.000 --> 00:27:40.559 It says, But when the king heard of all these things, he was mad. 00:27:43.119 --> 00:27:48.480 So he did not trust the authority of his father. 00:27:49.759 --> 00:27:56.240 So he believed the lie that he could handle things by himself. 00:27:59.440 --> 00:28:01.359 I don't need anybody. 00:28:02.960 --> 00:28:05.359 I can get this done by myself. 00:28:08.480 --> 00:28:14.480 And that lie changed how he saw authority. 00:28:17.359 --> 00:28:18.319 Watch this. 00:28:18.640 --> 00:28:28.880 When you don't understand God's authority for your life, you can start seeing things through the lenses of a wound and not the truth. 00:28:31.039 --> 00:28:37.119 Lies are sent to distort your perception of things. 00:28:37.359 --> 00:28:45.680 See, we are living in a generation now where you have people who don't understand authority. 00:28:50.880 --> 00:28:53.119 You don't want to submit to anybody. 00:28:53.680 --> 00:28:56.000 Forget obeying laws. 00:29:03.680 --> 00:29:08.960 See, we have these quote unquote what the world has established as youth takeovers. 00:29:12.319 --> 00:29:13.920 You know the issue. 00:29:16.400 --> 00:29:18.480 Not understanding authority. 00:29:20.799 --> 00:29:27.920 You have a generation that's coming up that does not understand God's method of authority. 00:29:28.240 --> 00:29:33.599 So what happens is that now there's an uprising that's happening. 00:29:47.680 --> 00:29:49.599 Well, how are you gonna reproduce? 00:29:53.920 --> 00:29:55.599 You out of order. 00:29:57.119 --> 00:30:09.599 Because of the womb, now what happens is that because you don't need a man, the enemy brings a woman to distort the truth. 00:30:10.400 --> 00:30:13.839 There's nothing that two women can do to create a baby. 00:30:14.720 --> 00:30:17.519 There's nothing that two men can do to create a baby. 00:30:17.680 --> 00:30:35.039 In fact, when you read Romans chapter 1, you will see that the Bible says that they burn in lust one toward another and they change the natural use, the natural use of what God intended, and it became a lie. 00:30:35.759 --> 00:30:37.839 I didn't say it, God said it. 00:30:37.920 --> 00:30:45.920 But what happened was that you got involved prematurely with somebody and they created a lie. 00:30:46.880 --> 00:30:52.720 And now you based your life off of a lie and you think that God will accept it. 00:30:52.799 --> 00:30:59.440 Listen, folks, he does not accept anything that's not in line with the word, it's illegal. 00:31:01.680 --> 00:31:04.000 But the world may accept it. 00:31:12.400 --> 00:31:18.240 The Lord didn't send us all across the country to come back to Michigan after about 15 years to play games. 00:31:19.920 --> 00:31:21.839 Somebody got to tell the truth. 00:31:23.519 --> 00:31:28.960 Somebody gotta be bold enough to tell God's people the truth from what God said. 00:31:30.079 --> 00:31:31.599 I'm just that person. 00:31:35.599 --> 00:31:38.559 The lie taught him to trust himself. 00:31:42.720 --> 00:31:48.640 The lie taught him to trust himself. 00:31:54.160 --> 00:31:58.480 The lie taught him to trust himself. 00:32:00.960 --> 00:32:05.680 The lie taught him to trust himself. 00:32:09.200 --> 00:32:14.319 The lie taught him to trust himself, not God. 00:32:16.480 --> 00:32:17.359 How do you know? 00:32:17.519 --> 00:32:21.440 Because we're getting ready to read that he took things in his own hands. 00:32:28.079 --> 00:32:29.759 Because he believed the lie. 00:32:30.799 --> 00:32:38.319 So because he believed the lie, I am going to do something about this because my father didn't protect me. 00:32:42.960 --> 00:32:46.160 Point number three, you gotta stop agreeing with the lie. 00:32:49.920 --> 00:32:53.119 Now go to 2 Samuel 13, 22. 00:32:53.279 --> 00:32:54.559 Let's continue to read. 00:32:54.720 --> 00:32:59.680 And Absalom spake unto his brother Ammon, neither good nor bad. 00:33:01.279 --> 00:33:02.720 And what happened? 00:33:03.039 --> 00:33:04.000 He hated him. 00:33:08.799 --> 00:33:11.839 He hated his own brother because of what he did. 00:33:13.039 --> 00:33:15.759 He got an agreement with hatred. 00:33:17.359 --> 00:33:20.240 So he became hatred. 00:33:22.400 --> 00:33:27.359 Whatever you refuse to surrender, you will eventually start feeding. 00:33:30.880 --> 00:33:36.240 He got an agreement with hatred and he became hatred. 00:33:37.039 --> 00:33:37.359 Okay. 00:33:40.720 --> 00:33:46.480 He made a long-term agreement with short-term pain. 00:33:49.440 --> 00:33:53.759 Whatever you will agree with, that is what you will become. 00:33:53.920 --> 00:33:57.680 The book of Amos says, can two walk together? 00:33:57.839 --> 00:33:59.920 There's a spiritual law there. 00:34:00.240 --> 00:34:07.680 So if you become an agreement with pain, you will become pain. 00:34:11.519 --> 00:34:13.199 That's the law. 00:34:13.840 --> 00:34:15.920 He agreed with hatred. 00:34:16.960 --> 00:34:18.719 And he became that. 00:34:20.480 --> 00:34:24.480 Whatever you are in agreement with, that's what you will become. 00:34:30.159 --> 00:34:32.639 I need this to be sobering today. 00:34:38.239 --> 00:34:45.039 If you agree with distrust, you'll become guarded. 00:34:47.039 --> 00:34:50.159 This is the status of many marriages. 00:34:50.719 --> 00:34:53.360 You don't trust your spouse anymore. 00:34:53.760 --> 00:34:55.679 For whatever reason. 00:34:56.079 --> 00:34:58.639 And now you have become guarded. 00:35:01.519 --> 00:35:16.960 Woo! Glory to God! And whatever is not given to God will get reinforced by repeated thoughts. 00:35:19.360 --> 00:35:20.000 Pain. 00:35:22.079 --> 00:35:23.840 And your behavior. 00:35:25.360 --> 00:35:27.760 No wonder you can't stop smoking weed. 00:35:29.199 --> 00:35:31.599 You just you didn't give it to God. 00:35:32.079 --> 00:35:33.840 Give God your weed. 00:35:39.440 --> 00:35:40.000 Yeah, yeah. 00:35:40.079 --> 00:35:40.480 Uh-huh. 00:35:40.639 --> 00:35:41.039 Uh-huh. 00:35:41.360 --> 00:35:43.119 Give God that alcohol. 00:35:43.760 --> 00:35:44.400 Amen. 00:35:45.840 --> 00:35:50.800 Because other than that, you'll just keep repeating the same behavior. 00:35:53.360 --> 00:35:56.800 Pain doesn't stay private, it shows up in public. 00:35:58.400 --> 00:36:06.719 So you may think that you are hiding things, which is point number four, but it shows up in your public life. 00:36:08.320 --> 00:36:09.840 And everybody can see it. 00:36:10.079 --> 00:36:12.079 Everybody can smell it on you. 00:36:16.400 --> 00:36:21.440 So he got an agreement with hatred and he became revengeful. 00:36:22.800 --> 00:36:25.679 Now we're not going to talk about revenge. 00:36:27.119 --> 00:36:30.320 I'm going to talk about manipulation. 00:36:34.800 --> 00:36:37.440 Go to 2 Samuel chapter 15. 00:36:39.440 --> 00:36:43.599 Because he became this, he became a manipulator. 00:36:52.880 --> 00:36:59.119 It's interesting that there are many people in the body of Christ that are professional manipulators. 00:37:02.000 --> 00:37:07.760 Because when you get involved in manipulating people, you're trying to control them. 00:37:09.360 --> 00:37:23.199 You're trying to shape the outcome, or you're trying to gain an advantage by being deceitful. 00:37:26.159 --> 00:37:32.960 And people who operate in the spirit of manipulation have no integrity. 00:37:35.599 --> 00:37:39.519 Because they're self-serving. 00:37:40.239 --> 00:37:42.239 They stand the game. 00:37:42.639 --> 00:37:49.679 So they're doing everything and they're deceptive measures to get an advantage over you. 00:37:53.519 --> 00:37:55.440 They'll even lie to you. 00:37:58.239 --> 00:38:00.880 They'll even steal from you. 00:38:02.960 --> 00:38:08.079 They'll convince you that what they're doing is right even though it's wrong. 00:38:11.280 --> 00:38:19.840 And when a person is operating in the spirit of manipulation, it's deceptive charm. 00:38:22.960 --> 00:38:24.800 It's witchcraft. 00:38:27.840 --> 00:38:42.880 When you read this, because we're run out of time, Absalom, Absalom used a presentation of himself to create a certain perception. 00:38:44.880 --> 00:38:46.400 Let me help you. 00:38:47.599 --> 00:39:00.320 He acted as though he was a certain individual to deceive people so that they will believe he was this when he wasn't that. 00:39:05.119 --> 00:39:13.920 I'll use this example because this is what happens for certain young ladies when they don't know the truth. 00:39:14.159 --> 00:39:23.360 When they're on the dating scene and they come across a young man and he presents himself well on the outside. 00:39:24.800 --> 00:39:27.280 And he says, Oh, I go to church. 00:39:29.599 --> 00:39:34.079 And he can quote scriptures, but so does the enemy. 00:39:35.679 --> 00:39:38.239 And he'll even go to church with you. 00:39:40.320 --> 00:39:54.719 But after he's gotten what he wanted from you, whether that was something that's valuable or you gave your hand in marriage and now you're stuck. 00:40:02.000 --> 00:40:03.679 He tricked you. 00:40:04.639 --> 00:40:09.119 And now if you didn't develop your prayer life, now you're frustrated. 00:40:13.280 --> 00:40:15.280 And now you want to get out. 00:40:18.960 --> 00:40:22.079 Boy, I didn't get one amen from one single person. 00:40:24.320 --> 00:40:27.840 You should have been like, preach, thank you, that helps me. 00:40:29.920 --> 00:40:33.920 God's timing is perfect. 00:40:37.039 --> 00:40:40.559 That's why it's important that you don't rush. 00:40:44.559 --> 00:40:46.480 You need to vet him out. 00:40:47.760 --> 00:40:49.679 You need to vet her out. 00:40:52.079 --> 00:40:54.639 It doesn't matter how old you think you are. 00:40:55.760 --> 00:41:02.400 Because you can be fifty and in hell at home because you married the wrong person. 00:41:07.920 --> 00:41:12.400 People who manipulate build appearance before character. 00:41:14.079 --> 00:41:21.599 That is something you gotta learn to be a fruit inspector. 00:41:23.039 --> 00:41:25.360 Let me examine your fruit. 00:41:26.800 --> 00:41:33.199 Let me see if you can operate in love and self-control and patience and joy. 00:41:33.440 --> 00:41:34.960 Let me check that out. 00:41:35.039 --> 00:41:36.639 And it may take a while. 00:41:38.960 --> 00:41:43.599 But I guarantee you, waiting a while is worth the wait. 00:41:47.360 --> 00:42:04.639 Now I've got to get to a certain place of this, this, we got to disconnect from this behavior. 00:42:05.519 --> 00:42:07.840 So 2 Samuel chapter 15. 00:42:08.000 --> 00:42:10.719 I'm gonna encourage you to go back and read this. 00:42:11.440 --> 00:42:24.000 But what you will see, what Absalom used, he looked for people who were hurt by other people. 00:42:27.840 --> 00:42:33.360 He looked for people who were disappointed by other folks. 00:42:34.719 --> 00:42:38.639 He looked for people who were like loners. 00:42:39.920 --> 00:42:45.039 He looked for people who were like isolated by themselves. 00:42:45.440 --> 00:43:02.639 And then they started, he started to deceive them, trick them, to get them on his side, and when you read the story, you will find that they were so convinced that they were ready to rebel against their own king, King David. 00:43:06.719 --> 00:43:16.320 It was mind-boggling to read how the spirit of manipulation comes in all when they believe a lie. 00:43:19.280 --> 00:43:26.960 Because now he wanted to take revenge on somebody who was supposed to protect him but didn't. 00:43:28.239 --> 00:43:29.679 His own father. 00:43:46.480 --> 00:43:48.559 And you've never released it. 00:43:49.039 --> 00:43:50.719 You never let that go. 00:43:51.840 --> 00:43:53.199 But you're bitter. 00:43:54.880 --> 00:43:56.239 You're upset. 00:43:57.760 --> 00:43:59.440 And you've even made vows. 00:44:00.000 --> 00:44:01.519 I'll never do that. 00:44:03.840 --> 00:44:04.239 Why? 00:44:04.480 --> 00:44:06.159