WEBVTT 00:00:05.599 --> 00:00:07.440 Hey, I'm Pastor Steve Hole. 00:00:07.679 --> 00:00:11.759 I want to empower you today to walk in your true identity as a worshiper and warrior. 00:00:11.919 --> 00:00:15.839 Today, embrace the power of God's Word and the Holy Spirit. 00:00:16.000 --> 00:00:19.120 Welcome to the Born for War podcast. 00:00:24.079 --> 00:00:33.359 Listen, when you walk in a house, and all of us in this room have walked in a house before or a building, the first thing you notice is the furniture. 00:00:33.520 --> 00:00:35.439 The first thing you notice is the kitchen. 00:00:35.679 --> 00:00:41.600 Some of the things you notice might be the lighting or it might be the plants, it might be an end table, it might be a cool couch. 00:00:41.840 --> 00:00:44.159 Those things are obvious. 00:00:44.399 --> 00:00:49.520 And when you walk in a church, in the same way, you notice the programs of the church. 00:00:49.679 --> 00:00:53.520 The programs of a church are the furniture of a house. 00:00:53.759 --> 00:00:56.079 It's what you notice, it's what you see. 00:00:56.479 --> 00:00:59.920 And if you're single, then you're probably looking for a singles ministry. 00:01:00.079 --> 00:01:04.799 If you're married, you might want to find out something about a small group ministry or a marriage ministry. 00:01:04.879 --> 00:01:09.040 And we're one of those churches that doesn't have a bulletin. 00:01:09.280 --> 00:01:13.519 I've been called a liberal because I don't have a bulletin. 00:01:13.760 --> 00:01:14.400 All right? 00:01:14.640 --> 00:01:18.000 So we don't have bulletins, so you have to go on the website and you have to look for those things. 00:01:18.159 --> 00:01:19.040 That's what you find out. 00:01:19.120 --> 00:01:21.760 When you come in here, you see that we got a leak in our roof. 00:01:21.920 --> 00:01:28.640 And there's like if you saw those yellow buckets, because we have two leaks coming down, we've had more problems with the roofing, right? 00:01:28.799 --> 00:01:29.920 Here's why. 00:01:30.239 --> 00:01:35.120 Because the most important thing in a house is not the furniture. 00:01:35.680 --> 00:01:39.040 The most important thing in a church is not the programs. 00:01:39.200 --> 00:01:40.959 They will come and go. 00:01:41.200 --> 00:01:46.079 How many of you in this room were here 10 years ago when we first started the church? 00:01:46.239 --> 00:01:47.200 Raise your hand. 00:01:47.599 --> 00:01:49.920 A smattering of you, not very many. 00:01:50.159 --> 00:01:54.159 Next week we're going to celebrate 10 years because people change. 00:01:54.480 --> 00:01:55.920 Programs change. 00:01:56.239 --> 00:02:02.319 But what makes a house is not the furniture, it's what's behind the walls. 00:02:02.480 --> 00:02:04.319 It's what's underneath the floor. 00:02:04.400 --> 00:02:05.359 It's the plumbing. 00:02:05.760 --> 00:02:06.799 It's the wiring. 00:02:06.879 --> 00:02:08.879 That's why we have inspectors. 00:02:08.960 --> 00:02:11.680 So inspectors go through a house before you purchase it. 00:02:11.840 --> 00:02:12.960 That's what they're looking for. 00:02:13.039 --> 00:02:14.879 They're looking at the water heater. 00:02:15.199 --> 00:02:19.039 They're looking at the plumbing and things like that, right? 00:02:19.280 --> 00:02:27.120 Well, that is, to use a metaphor, the values or principles of a church. 00:02:27.360 --> 00:02:29.919 So the principles you can't see. 00:02:30.159 --> 00:02:31.360 The programs you can. 00:02:31.680 --> 00:02:38.800 Sometimes those programs are there not because of principle, but because someone wanted to have that program. 00:02:38.960 --> 00:02:40.879 If that's true, it usually doesn't last. 00:02:41.120 --> 00:02:50.639 But if there's a program based on a principle that's contextualized to a particular group, that may change, but the principles remain the same. 00:02:50.960 --> 00:02:52.800 So I want to talk about values. 00:02:52.960 --> 00:02:58.400 I want to talk about the core values, the core principles of the road. 00:02:58.639 --> 00:03:00.319 So we have ten values. 00:03:00.479 --> 00:03:03.919 We have ten principles, they're exactly the same as ten years ago. 00:03:04.080 --> 00:03:05.680 Now the programs have changed. 00:03:05.919 --> 00:03:10.479 Matter of fact, when we first got started, we started off on Saturday night. 00:03:10.719 --> 00:03:17.439 And probably the first little conflict that we had in the church, Heilers, you'd remember this, was going from Saturday to Sunday. 00:03:17.599 --> 00:03:20.000 That was like the biggest deal. 00:03:20.240 --> 00:03:24.159 And I think we lost a couple people because we did not stay on Saturday night. 00:03:24.400 --> 00:03:28.960 And my basis wasn't whether we met on Saturday night or Sunday morning. 00:03:29.199 --> 00:03:33.599 My basis was when do most people think about going to church? 00:03:33.680 --> 00:03:36.159 And it's Sunday morning, so we went to Sunday morning. 00:03:36.319 --> 00:03:42.319 The core values didn't change, but that was a program that caused some consternation to some people. 00:03:42.800 --> 00:03:47.280 Anybody know that in the church people get consternation over the funniest things? 00:03:47.680 --> 00:03:48.479 They do. 00:03:48.800 --> 00:03:50.800 And uh, but but values. 00:03:51.039 --> 00:03:52.080 That's what I want to talk about. 00:03:52.159 --> 00:03:56.400 I want to talk about ten core values of the road or principles. 00:03:56.479 --> 00:03:57.120 Think of it that way. 00:03:57.199 --> 00:04:00.639 So turn in your Bibles to John chapter 4. 00:04:00.879 --> 00:04:02.639 Look at John chapter 4 with me. 00:04:02.719 --> 00:04:07.680 I want to start there and talk about these ten values. 00:04:07.759 --> 00:04:12.400 So it's going to look different today in that we're not looking at one verse like I normally do. 00:04:12.560 --> 00:04:14.400 I'm going to jump around a little bit. 00:04:14.639 --> 00:04:18.879 Some of it will be on the screen, and some of it you'll open your Bible, but let's start with this one. 00:04:19.040 --> 00:04:20.480 I think it's a great place to start. 00:04:20.639 --> 00:04:24.639 I think this is the most important of the ten core values. 00:04:24.800 --> 00:04:26.399 So this is number one. 00:04:26.639 --> 00:04:34.399 So Jesus is talking to a woman at the well, and he's concluding the conversation by saying this. 00:04:34.480 --> 00:04:36.879 Look at verse 23, John 4, 23. 00:04:37.199 --> 00:04:46.480 But the hour is coming, and now is when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth. 00:04:46.720 --> 00:04:54.240 Underlined in spirit and in truth, for the Father is seeking such to worship him. 00:04:54.879 --> 00:05:01.600 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship, there it is again, in spirit and truth. 00:05:01.920 --> 00:05:07.920 So value number one at the road is word and spirit. 00:05:08.240 --> 00:05:16.879 We value God's word as preeminent, as inerrant, that means without error, and infallible. 00:05:16.959 --> 00:05:22.399 So that's why every week we teach from God's Word. 00:05:22.480 --> 00:05:24.560 Now, right now we're in the study of 1 Peter. 00:05:24.639 --> 00:05:35.199 We've taken a break here as we go into the 10-year anniversary, which is next week, and there's going to be a massive cake at every service, and you're all going to eat from it. 00:05:35.439 --> 00:05:36.959 So it's going to be really fun. 00:05:37.439 --> 00:05:44.480 But the vision of the road, which I'll talk about more next week, is based on Word and Spirit. 00:05:44.639 --> 00:05:46.079 It's based on God's Word. 00:05:46.879 --> 00:05:48.240 That's exciting. 00:05:48.720 --> 00:05:51.759 Because the principles of God's word don't change. 00:05:53.120 --> 00:06:07.439 Okay, so I read in Genesis and I read the words of Jesus, that he made them, meaning us, male and female. 00:06:08.000 --> 00:06:17.199 He said that marriage is between a man and a is that hard? 00:06:17.600 --> 00:06:21.040 I mean that that just doesn't seem that hard to me. 00:06:21.439 --> 00:06:25.920 But when our culture is changing, we're going to remain the same. 00:06:27.360 --> 00:06:34.399 So in the second service, and I had a feeling this was happening, but I didn't say anything until it happened. 00:06:35.199 --> 00:06:39.680 I said, Would you stand if you have a child two years or younger? 00:06:40.000 --> 00:06:51.120 And so a woman stood, and we got down to one year or less, or two of them, and I looked at her and she's got her hand on her tummy. 00:06:51.920 --> 00:06:59.920 Because she was acknowledging the truth that she does have a child in the womb. 00:07:01.120 --> 00:07:18.560 So in the Declaration of Independence, we read that every individual should be allowed to have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of that includes an unborn child. 00:07:18.720 --> 00:07:20.879 So we're gonna always be pro-life. 00:07:21.920 --> 00:07:24.879 I'm not gonna vote for someone who's not pro-life. 00:07:26.000 --> 00:07:31.920 And so and so that's a principle guiding our convictions, right? 00:07:33.680 --> 00:07:35.920 I don't know, that just doesn't seem hard to me. 00:07:36.399 --> 00:07:46.000 I can wake up in the morning and 99% of my life is settled for me because I love God and his word. 00:07:46.480 --> 00:07:49.680 And I believe that the kingdom of God is the best way to live. 00:07:50.000 --> 00:08:15.439 So you that are out there that are thinking about marriage, or you're gonna get married, or you just got married, or you're in your first couple years of marriage, build your marriage on that value of the word and the spirit, the power of the Holy Spirit, believing that God can take any problem, any situation, any addiction, and through the power of his spirit, he can set you free. 00:08:15.759 --> 00:08:17.680 He can set you free. 00:08:17.839 --> 00:08:20.399 That's core to the road. 00:08:20.639 --> 00:08:24.560 And so someone comes to me and they've and they've been to prison. 00:08:24.720 --> 00:08:28.959 Someone comes to our church and they have done horrendous things. 00:08:29.839 --> 00:08:33.519 God can redeem that because of the power of the Holy Spirit. 00:08:33.679 --> 00:08:36.080 If they want to be redeemed, God will redeem you. 00:08:36.240 --> 00:08:37.200 Isn't that exciting? 00:08:38.559 --> 00:08:41.120 There's always hope for every person. 00:08:41.200 --> 00:08:44.960 So that's what we mean by the word and the Spirit. 00:08:45.120 --> 00:08:47.600 Now turn to Mark 11. 00:08:48.720 --> 00:08:52.799 Mark 11, verse 15. 00:08:53.919 --> 00:08:56.000 So they came to Jerusalem. 00:08:56.559 --> 00:09:08.879 Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. 00:09:09.200 --> 00:09:12.399 And he would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple. 00:09:12.559 --> 00:09:13.360 Verse 17. 00:09:13.600 --> 00:09:21.279 Then he taught, saying to them, Is it not written, My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations? 00:09:21.440 --> 00:09:26.799 So, men and women, we started this church with 40 nights of prayer. 00:09:27.120 --> 00:09:32.080 So, value, the second value of this church is worship and prayer. 00:09:32.720 --> 00:09:40.399 The only thing besides the teaching of God's word that takes up most of our time on a Sunday morning is worship. 00:09:40.639 --> 00:09:49.200 And by the way, worship's not just singing songs, but it is how we express our worship and elevate Christ on Sunday morning. 00:09:49.440 --> 00:09:52.240 But worship also involves having integrity. 00:09:52.480 --> 00:09:54.799 Worship involves telling the truth. 00:09:55.039 --> 00:09:58.240 Worship involves sacrificing your life for others. 00:09:58.639 --> 00:10:03.440 That's all worship because worship is putting Christ first in our lives. 00:10:04.240 --> 00:10:07.600 So worship and prayer go together. 00:10:07.919 --> 00:10:12.960 So we started this church with 40 nights of prayer and worship together. 00:10:13.279 --> 00:10:18.000 We Monday through Friday have one hour, noon to one. 00:10:18.159 --> 00:10:24.240 We come in and we pray and call out to God during that noon, we call it noonday fire. 00:10:24.480 --> 00:10:26.799 And if you haven't been to that, you should come. 00:10:27.120 --> 00:10:38.720 If you've got an issue, something you're working on, come to Noonday Fire because we always give time for individual prayer, for people to seek the Lord individually for what they're calling out to God for. 00:10:38.879 --> 00:10:43.759 To come two or more gathered in his name has power and anointing on it. 00:10:43.919 --> 00:10:45.279 That's why we do it. 00:10:45.519 --> 00:10:55.759 You know what really, I think really what held us together and the church grew exponentially during COVID because we prayed together. 00:10:56.000 --> 00:10:57.840 We were constantly praying. 00:10:58.080 --> 00:11:02.320 That was a, do you guys remember how tenuous that time was? 00:11:02.639 --> 00:11:13.759 I mean, it seemed like that we were losing freedoms left and right, and censorship was coming up through social media and stuff like that, and we began to pray and call out to God. 00:11:13.919 --> 00:11:15.519 We saw miracles happen. 00:11:15.759 --> 00:11:20.799 So we turned a catastrophic situation into prayer. 00:11:21.360 --> 00:11:28.080 And we had Elijah fire prayer that Liz led and others led, and it was breakthrough time. 00:11:28.240 --> 00:11:32.080 We saw so many breakthroughs during that time. 00:11:32.240 --> 00:11:34.879 And some of you know what I'm talking about. 00:11:35.120 --> 00:11:45.759 You've experienced situations where that you need a breakthrough, and you called some friends together, or you're in a community group, and you cried out to God, and God showed up. 00:11:46.879 --> 00:11:50.000 So, church, we need to be, we need to be a church. 00:11:50.080 --> 00:11:55.600 We need to constantly remember that worship and prayer brings the kingdom. 00:11:56.000 --> 00:12:00.960 That's why we're told to pray, Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 00:12:01.120 --> 00:12:02.000 We're praying for that. 00:12:02.080 --> 00:12:03.840 That's in the Lord's Prayer. 00:12:03.919 --> 00:12:07.440 That's in the disciples' prayer when they ask you, said, pray this way. 00:12:07.600 --> 00:12:16.960 Pray that the kingdom which is out there would be brought down here into our midst through prayer and worship. 00:12:17.120 --> 00:12:20.080 And so that's value number two. 00:12:20.480 --> 00:12:24.639 Well, number three is found in Ephesians 4. 00:12:24.799 --> 00:12:26.799 Don't turn there, it'll be up on the screen. 00:12:27.120 --> 00:12:43.519 He himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. 00:12:43.840 --> 00:12:52.799 I love this verse, and I think it's a core verse for the purpose of the church, and that is value three, discipleship and empowering. 00:12:53.200 --> 00:12:56.320 Or you could say it this way: discipleship and empowerment. 00:12:56.480 --> 00:12:59.279 We're empowering people to change the world. 00:12:59.360 --> 00:13:00.320 That's our mission statement. 00:13:00.399 --> 00:13:04.000 We'll talk way more about that next week. 00:13:04.799 --> 00:13:09.440 So you have churches that are built on tradition. 00:13:10.559 --> 00:13:14.480 You have churches that are built on evangelism. 00:13:14.720 --> 00:13:16.720 Our church is built on empowerment. 00:13:16.879 --> 00:13:21.200 Our church is built on building leaders, building disciples. 00:13:21.360 --> 00:13:23.679 It's core to who we are. 00:13:24.320 --> 00:13:28.559 Now you gotta say one heretical statement at every sermon, so I'm gonna give you one. 00:13:30.960 --> 00:13:35.519 I don't think we need more evangelism in America. 00:13:35.759 --> 00:13:37.919 I think we need more discipleship. 00:13:39.200 --> 00:13:43.840 So what I mean by that, I know it's heretical, but I'm gonna let me explain myself. 00:13:44.159 --> 00:13:59.840 If so, I've been a Christian for 45 years, and I bet if I added up all the crusades and all the numbers of all the people that have gotten saved at all these crusades, we we've saved America three or four times over. 00:14:00.480 --> 00:14:02.240 But look at our morals. 00:14:02.879 --> 00:14:04.639 Look at our ethics. 00:14:05.039 --> 00:14:08.399 Look at the we lead the world. 00:14:08.639 --> 00:14:12.559 We lead the civilized world in pornography. 00:14:13.840 --> 00:14:17.759 We lead the civilized world in the creation of X-rated movies. 00:14:18.080 --> 00:14:20.960 We lead the world in divorce. 00:14:21.279 --> 00:14:22.799 What is going on? 00:14:23.519 --> 00:14:33.600 Churches are not discipling believers, they're just stuck there, they've they walked an aisle, we've we've somehow given them a certification to say you're now saved. 00:14:33.759 --> 00:14:35.120 They're not saved. 00:14:36.000 --> 00:14:38.960 They're not any more saved than man and the moon. 00:14:40.000 --> 00:14:45.679 If we took a survey of a one-mile radius around the church, almost everybody'd say they're a Christian. 00:14:45.840 --> 00:14:52.559 And their rationale would, well, I'm not a Buddhist and I'm not a Muslim, I'm an American, so I must be a Christian. 00:14:52.960 --> 00:15:00.960 Have you ever wondered why those stats come out and say that only 40% of all evangelicals vote? 00:15:01.519 --> 00:15:03.600 You think, man, that's horrible. 00:15:03.919 --> 00:15:05.759 Evangelical Christians are not voting. 00:15:05.919 --> 00:15:06.879 We should be voting. 00:15:07.200 --> 00:15:13.440 No, the problem's not that they're not voting, the problem is they're calling themselves evangelical Christians and they don't even know the Lord. 00:15:14.639 --> 00:15:16.879 Because if you knew the Lord, you'd vote. 00:15:17.200 --> 00:15:18.879 So we've got to disciple people. 00:15:19.039 --> 00:15:29.759 Men and women, we gotta, we've gotta move from being a Jesus believerslash American to becoming a Jesus disciple who has discipline. 00:15:29.919 --> 00:15:31.120 That's what it means. 00:15:31.440 --> 00:15:33.440 It means discipline in our life. 00:15:33.679 --> 00:15:35.360 Where our lives are different. 00:15:35.440 --> 00:15:37.039 They're different than everybody else. 00:15:37.360 --> 00:15:42.159 God has made us different because we're being filled regularly with the Holy Spirit. 00:15:42.240 --> 00:15:44.960 So that's a core value of the road. 00:15:45.120 --> 00:15:46.799 It's the reason we started Empower You. 00:15:46.960 --> 00:15:53.600 That's why this fall we're gonna be pushing really hard for road community groups. 00:15:53.679 --> 00:15:58.080 And our prayer is that over 50% of the church will be in a community group. 00:15:58.320 --> 00:16:00.799 Value number four, marriage and family. 00:16:01.039 --> 00:16:01.919 Marriage and family. 00:16:02.080 --> 00:16:09.039 Marriage and family is the bedrock of culture, it's the bedrock of society. 00:16:09.840 --> 00:16:11.440 It's really interesting, isn't it? 00:16:11.679 --> 00:16:38.240 That I don't know if it was 2004, I know it was early 2000s, a black political leader made a statement that the most important thing that's needed in the African American black community is for fathers to be fathers and for marriages to be held together by marriage and family. 00:16:38.480 --> 00:16:40.720 And his name was Barack Obama. 00:16:42.399 --> 00:16:45.600 But when he became president, we never heard much about it. 00:16:46.080 --> 00:16:54.240 You see, that's someone who's doing anything and saying anything just to get a vote, but it's not a core value that they have. 00:16:54.399 --> 00:17:00.399 And what's interesting is he's got a beautiful family, and he's had longevity in his marriage. 00:17:00.480 --> 00:17:07.920 I mean, talk about something to leverage in that group of men and women in our culture, a minority. 00:17:08.559 --> 00:17:19.200 So at the road, we value marriage and family, and ten years from now, we're gonna still value marriage and family because that's what the Bible does, and so that's a core value. 00:17:19.359 --> 00:17:23.279 That's the wiring of the house is marriage and family. 00:17:24.079 --> 00:17:35.119 And some of us have been through divorces, some of us have been through adultery, some of us have been through uh widowhood, some of us have been through deep pain in marriage and family. 00:17:36.079 --> 00:17:38.079 There's always a new day. 00:17:38.880 --> 00:17:41.920 You can start again through Jesus Christ. 00:17:42.240 --> 00:17:43.359 You can start again. 00:17:44.000 --> 00:17:50.400 Some of you in this room are single and you wish you were married and you're not married, and God's got a plan for you too. 00:17:50.480 --> 00:17:51.279 Is it interesting? 00:17:51.519 --> 00:17:56.960 Apostle Paul had so much to say about singleness, and he said, I wish you were like me. 00:17:57.279 --> 00:17:59.200 There's so much beauty in that. 00:17:59.359 --> 00:18:11.039 I mean, this church is full of men and women who are single helping out in ministries because of the time that they have, and appreciate that so much, love that so much. 00:18:11.359 --> 00:18:14.319 So marriage and family. 00:18:15.359 --> 00:18:17.759 Value number five, men and women. 00:18:18.079 --> 00:18:18.960 Men and women. 00:18:19.039 --> 00:18:20.960 So I set those as different. 00:18:21.200 --> 00:18:31.920 So there's a masculine heart in men, there's a feminine heart in women, and God has a special message for both, and so that's why we have whole-hearted men and whole-hearted women. 00:18:32.000 --> 00:18:39.519 So whole-hearted men on Tuesday morning, I talk really different there than I do here because I'm talking to men. 00:18:40.160 --> 00:18:47.440 It's a more challenging message to men, usually based on something related to the masculine heart of a man. 00:18:47.519 --> 00:18:53.039 And Liz teaches different to the women than she would on Sunday morning when she's up here with me. 00:18:53.200 --> 00:19:00.319 And so we value women, and we value men. 00:19:01.839 --> 00:19:17.920 And when you have a church, the worldwide church, but then specifically the American church, where 65% of those who attend are women, see how important it is to have a men's ministry that's targeting a man's heart? 00:19:18.240 --> 00:19:20.799 Because most men don't go to church. 00:19:21.119 --> 00:19:23.519 But they're coming here, holy smokes. 00:19:23.680 --> 00:19:30.640 So how many, so if you're a man, if you're male, or boy, male, boy or man, stand. 00:19:31.440 --> 00:19:32.480 Would you stand? 00:19:33.200 --> 00:19:34.160 Come on. 00:19:34.799 --> 00:19:37.759 That's a pretty high percentage right there, folks. 00:19:39.920 --> 00:19:47.119 So men and women are important to God and to us, and that's why we have wholehearted men, wholehearted women. 00:19:48.079 --> 00:20:03.359 So next week, I'm not gonna say anything this week because we're pushing toward VBS, but next week we're gonna talk about whole-hearted, uh the whole heart advance, which is this fall for men, and you can take, you can get the early elk special. 00:20:04.480 --> 00:20:08.559 So the early elk special is in May, where you'll get 15% off. 00:20:08.720 --> 00:20:11.119 We'll talk more about that next week. 00:20:11.440 --> 00:20:12.799 Ephesians 6. 00:20:13.039 --> 00:20:18.079 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 00:20:18.240 --> 00:20:29.279 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 00:20:29.440 --> 00:20:34.000 Value 6, spiritual warfare and mission. 00:20:34.160 --> 00:20:36.720 We just finished a series on cosmic war. 00:20:36.880 --> 00:20:40.799 You can look that up if you weren't a part of our church at that time. 00:20:41.359 --> 00:20:46.240 But how many of you have started your own company or an LLC? 00:20:46.400 --> 00:20:47.200 Raise your hand. 00:20:47.440 --> 00:20:50.559 All right, a lot of you in this room, probably most of you in this room. 00:20:50.880 --> 00:20:54.720 How many of you have fathered kids? 00:20:55.440 --> 00:20:57.839 How many of you have mothered kids? 00:20:58.240 --> 00:21:02.880 How many of you are trying to live with purity in your singleness? 00:21:03.119 --> 00:21:04.960 All right, I mean look at that. 00:21:05.359 --> 00:21:06.319 Guess what? 00:21:06.720 --> 00:21:08.079 It's hard. 00:21:08.559 --> 00:21:10.319 All of that's hard. 00:21:10.720 --> 00:21:14.960 Because Satan and demons oppose you whenever you try to do the right thing. 00:21:15.119 --> 00:21:20.160 So we're trying to equip you at the road for spiritual warfare to get ready for hard. 00:21:20.319 --> 00:21:22.160 It's life's hard. 00:21:23.519 --> 00:21:28.160 Anything of righteousness is going to be opposed by the enemy. 00:21:28.559 --> 00:21:30.720 So, how do we learn how to fight? 00:21:30.960 --> 00:21:35.039 Well, that's what we talk about a lot here is spiritual warfare. 00:21:35.200 --> 00:21:45.599 We we bring up Satan's name from time to time, not to give him any special place, but to realize that you're in a battle so that you won't quit. 00:21:45.839 --> 00:21:48.079 And you won't give up, but you'll push through. 00:21:48.240 --> 00:21:50.079 Now turn to Matthew 18. 00:21:50.240 --> 00:21:52.480 Would you turn to Matthew 18 with me? 00:21:54.079 --> 00:21:59.599 And this is because we have so many problems. 00:22:01.039 --> 00:22:19.519 If you believe in spiritual warfare, if you believe that the Bible is the Word of God, if you believe that those values never change, if you believe in marriage and family, if you believe in developing a masculine heart and a feminine heart, you're going to go through conflicted relationships. 00:22:19.680 --> 00:22:28.720 So Matthew 18, Jesus gives us some instructions in verse 15 about how to deal with conflict in relationships. 00:22:28.960 --> 00:22:35.039 Moreover, if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. 00:22:35.440 --> 00:22:38.720 If he hears you, you have gained your brother. 00:22:38.960 --> 00:22:47.680 But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. 00:22:47.839 --> 00:22:49.599 We call it a covenant of harmony. 00:22:49.920 --> 00:22:57.759 Value seven is peacemaking, peacemaking, and reconciled relationships. 00:22:58.079 --> 00:23:05.519 Peacemaking and reconciled relationships programmatically gave us what we call the covenant of harmony. 00:23:05.599 --> 00:23:11.839 So the covenant of harmony is the program, but the principle is reconcile relationships. 00:23:12.000 --> 00:23:21.039 We believe that almost every relationship can be worked out through coming together and talking about our differences. 00:23:21.920 --> 00:23:27.039 We've had to do it, Liz and I have had to do it, all of our staff have had to do it at different times. 00:23:27.200 --> 00:23:35.200 We've probably had 40 or 50 situations over the 10 years where in any other church, man, people would have flown out. 00:23:35.279 --> 00:23:38.000 There'd been division between couples or something like that. 00:23:38.079 --> 00:23:46.319 But because of the covenant of harmony, we encourage them, we don't make anybody do anything, but we encourage them to work it out in a Matthew 18 way. 00:23:46.480 --> 00:23:47.279 They do. 00:23:47.920 --> 00:23:54.640 And 99% of the time they work it out because both parties want to have a reconciled relationship. 00:23:55.279 --> 00:24:04.720 Now, after the second service, a person came to me and talked about a situation that she was in, and we began to talk about the covenant of harmony. 00:24:04.880 --> 00:24:18.400 So covenant of harmony is, I think it's pretty unique to our church, but that's how many of you have come out of churches that are either split or lots of people have left those churches because of some problem relationally? 00:24:18.559 --> 00:24:19.359 Raise your hand. 00:24:19.519 --> 00:24:20.640 Yeah, a lot of you. 00:24:21.519 --> 00:24:23.279 We need a covenant of harmony. 00:24:23.519 --> 00:24:30.640 We need to push in, press in, work things out, and try to find, if you can, a win-win situation. 00:24:31.440 --> 00:24:39.279 Value eight, which kind of flows out of value seven, transparency and vulnerability. 00:24:39.519 --> 00:24:42.319 Transparency and vulnerability. 00:24:43.039 --> 00:24:47.599 So again, this is unique to the road. 00:24:47.759 --> 00:24:49.920 This is why road community groups are important. 00:24:50.000 --> 00:24:54.799 This is why wholehearted men, we have 59 tables in here. 00:24:55.519 --> 00:25:10.079 I only speak for 15 minutes, but where the real action happens is that 45 minutes that happens in that group of seven or eight guys that work stuff out and they're open about their stuff, they're open about their problems. 00:25:10.559 --> 00:25:16.960 So Brene Brown was the one who said, if you want to break the power of shame in your life, learn to be vulnerable with some allies. 00:25:17.119 --> 00:25:22.640 Learn to be vulnerable with some trusted, what we call blood-stained allies. 00:25:23.119 --> 00:25:26.799 I think most women have that, but most men don't. 00:25:27.039 --> 00:25:32.160 And that's why we've emphasized it so much from the pulpit from me is because I didn't have that. 00:25:32.400 --> 00:25:35.119 And I had to develop that a decade ago. 00:25:35.759 --> 00:25:37.599 It's made all the difference in the world. 00:25:37.839 --> 00:25:39.599 Having blood-stained allies. 00:25:39.920 --> 00:25:55.680 So, you men, I want you to know how much whole-hearted men has meant to the men in this room because of all the women that have come to Ryan and me and Andy and others and said, Man, I'm so glad you do Tuesday morning. 00:25:56.000 --> 00:26:01.039 My husband is a changed man because of wholehearted men. 00:26:01.839 --> 00:26:02.880 Isn't that awesome? 00:26:03.119 --> 00:26:03.759 Yeah. 00:26:04.640 --> 00:26:06.720 And we did it because I needed it. 00:26:06.960 --> 00:26:08.480 You guys, I needed it. 00:26:08.720 --> 00:26:14.240 And so I just simply, we just simply did what we needed and we grew together that way. 00:26:14.480 --> 00:26:25.119 And it's a it's a cardinal fact that this church would not be here today if it wasn't for bloodstained allies that came alongside me. 00:26:25.359 --> 00:26:26.319 Ryan was one of them. 00:26:26.480 --> 00:26:42.559 Ryan was the key guy that came, we didn't even know each other at Mountain Springs, but he and Mandy came alongside Liz and I, and from the beginning just stuck with us and you know, heard all the stuff we had been through and believed in us. 00:26:43.039 --> 00:26:44.799 Everybody needs that, you guys. 00:26:44.960 --> 00:26:46.319 Everybody in this room needs that. 00:26:46.400 --> 00:26:54.160 You need people who believe in you, but you're gonna have to be a bloodstained ally before you're gonna get a blood-stained ally. 00:26:54.880 --> 00:27:03.200 And most men don't have it, and I think it's it's a shame, and that's probably why so many eventually struggle in their Christian life. 00:27:03.359 --> 00:27:07.200 Value number nine: leaders and entrepreneurs. 00:27:07.680 --> 00:27:09.200 Leaders and entrepreneurs. 00:27:09.359 --> 00:27:10.799 So we started Empower You. 00:27:11.200 --> 00:27:24.079 And one of the reasons we started Empower You was to be a platform for busy people that you could listen to those 15-minute messages and get kind of a tutorial on how to be a leader. 00:27:24.400 --> 00:27:29.279 And um, I believe that everybody in this room is a leader. 00:27:29.440 --> 00:27:33.279 Or let me say this: everybody in this room has the potential to be a leader. 00:27:33.519 --> 00:27:41.759 It doesn't mean you're a leader of thousands, it could be that you're a leader of hundreds, or it could be a leader of dozens, or a leader of five, or the leader of your family. 00:27:41.920 --> 00:27:45.759 But everybody in some way, shape, or form is called to be a leader. 00:27:46.240 --> 00:27:52.079 You'd be surprised how many people are watching your life that you didn't even know they were watching your life. 00:27:52.319 --> 00:27:55.359 But they are because you have some kind of influence in their life. 00:27:55.440 --> 00:27:56.960 And that would be the best definition. 00:27:57.119 --> 00:28:00.160 The best definition of leadership is influence. 00:28:00.480 --> 00:28:17.759 Imagine, church this size, if we all went forth filled with the Holy Spirit, and said, God, use me any way you want in my family, in my neighborhood, in my job, in my future, what God would do. 00:28:17.920 --> 00:28:20.960 And that would bring a kingdom of God revolution to our county. 00:28:21.039 --> 00:28:22.799 And I'll talk more about that next week. 00:28:22.960 --> 00:28:26.240 But there's leadership on everybody in this room. 00:28:26.480 --> 00:28:32.160 So whenever I'm preparing a message from the Word, I'm always thinking leadership. 00:28:32.319 --> 00:28:34.960 I'm always thinking leadership within our congregation. 00:28:35.039 --> 00:28:37.279 That God's got someone out there. 00:28:38.799 --> 00:28:47.519 Might only be one or two people at that particular message, but God's got someone out there that's gonna hear this message and they're gonna run with it, man. 00:28:48.000 --> 00:28:52.720 Now, 90% may not on that message, but then the next week it'll be another message. 00:28:52.960 --> 00:28:54.799 But somebody's gonna run with it. 00:28:55.759 --> 00:29:08.000 I can't tell you how many times people have come up and said, man, when you said this, that just gave me such a creative imagination of how God can use me. 00:29:08.240 --> 00:29:10.160 And then they went forth with it. 00:29:10.400 --> 00:29:22.160 And so, church, we're building Jesus followers to Jesus' disciples to Jesus leaders, those who lead and are in some cases even entrepreneurial. 00:29:22.240 --> 00:29:27.279 And then lastly, value 10, a kingdom of God revolution. 00:29:27.519 --> 00:29:36.480 So a few months ago, a reporter with the Gazette was asking me if I'm a Christian nationalist. 00:29:38.640 --> 00:29:45.599 And uh and I said, I don't even, I said, I don't, I don't even know what you mean by the term. 00:29:47.119 --> 00:29:48.480 I said, you don't know that term? 00:29:48.640 --> 00:29:52.480 I said, no, I know that term, but I don't know what you mean by that term. 00:29:53.200 --> 00:29:55.119 So define it. 00:29:56.400 --> 00:29:58.000 Now that's funny. 00:29:58.720 --> 00:30:05.839 That's a funny one when you ask a secular reporter who doesn't walk with the Lord to define Christian nationalism. 00:30:06.319 --> 00:30:10.480 So she mumbled and fumbled all over the place. 00:30:11.039 --> 00:30:14.880 And I said, Well then if you can't define it, why are you asking me? 00:30:18.480 --> 00:30:20.000 Because here's what you're trying to do. 00:30:20.160 --> 00:30:21.200 It's called gotcha. 00:30:21.359 --> 00:30:23.519 You're trying to do a gotcha here. 00:30:23.920 --> 00:30:24.880 You know what I am? 00:30:25.279 --> 00:30:26.160 And she said, What? 00:30:26.319 --> 00:30:30.079 I said, I'm a I'm a kingdom of God revolutionary. 00:30:31.119 --> 00:30:32.799 She goes, what's that? 00:30:37.279 --> 00:30:41.920 Folks, when you get in these debates with people, don't use their terms. 00:30:42.079 --> 00:30:43.839 Make them define their terms. 00:30:45.519 --> 00:30:49.920 Someone's out there and they're talking about gender confusion, all this stuff, and trans this and trans that. 00:30:50.000 --> 00:30:52.640 And I can't tell you, I don't even know what the terms are. 00:30:53.200 --> 00:30:57.119 There's probably 35 definitions of a woman. 00:30:57.279 --> 00:31:05.200 Just say, define to me what a woman is without using woman. 00:31:07.039 --> 00:31:09.519 And just wait and listen to them fumble around. 00:31:09.599 --> 00:31:11.200 It's it's pathetic. 00:31:13.200 --> 00:31:16.640 Raise your hand if you can define a woman. 00:31:18.880 --> 00:31:22.960 Like for 6,000 years, every civilization has been able to define a woman. 00:31:23.200 --> 00:31:25.200 Raise your hand if you can define a man. 00:31:26.720 --> 00:31:29.119 This is really hard stuff, man. 00:31:33.440 --> 00:31:45.839 So a kingdom God revolution is loving our culture enough to bring Jesus into the culture, but not being defined by the culture. 00:31:46.400 --> 00:31:50.240 It means being word-rooted, spirit alive, and culturally engaged. 00:31:50.480 --> 00:31:53.759 Word-rooted, spirit alive, culturally engaged. 00:31:54.000 --> 00:31:56.960 That's a kingdom of God revolution. 00:31:57.200 --> 00:32:16.000 And so when we walk into any situation, we can hold our head up, not pridefully, but humbly, but with God confidence, that the truth that sets us free, we believe in, and then take every thought captive and every relationship captive. 00:32:16.640 --> 00:32:22.160 Don't be arrogant, don't be prideful, don't be hateful. 00:32:22.880 --> 00:32:26.079 Be kind, be loving, be confident. 00:32:27.599 --> 00:32:30.000 How many times have you had a coach? 00:32:30.319 --> 00:32:38.960 If you were in high school or whatever, and you were on an athletic team and you had a coach, and he said at halftime, you guys have what it takes. 00:32:39.440 --> 00:32:40.880 Now we're going to make a game plan. 00:32:41.039 --> 00:32:45.599 We're going to change the game plan slightly, but you guys can win this game. 00:32:47.759 --> 00:32:49.279 That's what Jesus says does. 00:32:49.359 --> 00:32:49.920 He's our coach. 00:32:50.000 --> 00:32:52.559 He says, look, you can win in Christ. 00:32:52.880 --> 00:32:58.799 Follow the book, follow the plan, and I'll guide you and I'll lead you. 00:33:03.039 --> 00:33:05.920 Thank you for listening to the Forn for War podcast. 00:33:06.079 --> 00:33:09.519 We hope today's message has empowered you to make a difference in your world. 00:33:09.680 --> 00:33:15.519 To connect with Pastor Steve's sermons, books, and blog, visit Steve Holtonline.org. 00:33:15.680 --> 00:33:16.559 God bless.