WEBVTT 00:00:00.959 --> 00:00:04.959 It's time now for the road with Pastor Teacher Steve Holt. 00:00:06.080 --> 00:00:17.679 So tonight, to get anything out of what we're talking about, there has to be something in the beginning of the new year that we purposed in our heart. 00:00:18.079 --> 00:00:23.120 That we purposed in our heart, I want to have an excellent spirit. 00:00:23.359 --> 00:00:28.559 I don't think Daniel called it that, but we know years later, that's the way it was described. 00:00:28.719 --> 00:00:30.640 Listen, by the Queen. 00:00:31.199 --> 00:00:37.359 The Queen mother says that guy's got an extraordinary spirit. 00:00:37.840 --> 00:00:41.359 That might be said by our bosses in our jobs at Brent. 00:00:42.000 --> 00:00:46.479 Welcome to another edition of The Road with Pastor Teacher Steve Holt. 00:00:46.799 --> 00:00:51.439 Steve is the head pastor of The Road in Colorado Springs, Colorado. 00:00:51.600 --> 00:00:59.119 It's our vision to make wholehearted disciples of Jesus Christ and to see you grow in the grace and knowledge of his love. 00:00:59.359 --> 00:01:09.599 If you're in the area, we meet at Chapel Hills Church, located at 2025 Parliament Drive, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 80920. 00:01:10.000 --> 00:01:14.640 You can go to our website at theroad.org for service times. 00:01:14.799 --> 00:01:17.200 That's thheroad.org. 00:01:18.159 --> 00:01:22.319 Here now with today's message is Pastor Teacher Steve Holt. 00:01:26.319 --> 00:01:34.000 So last night, we talked about contending for our inheritance, and we looked at Romans 5.17. 00:01:34.400 --> 00:01:35.760 Let's look at that again. 00:01:35.920 --> 00:01:38.400 That's our theme for tonight. 00:01:38.719 --> 00:01:40.719 That's our theme for tomorrow night. 00:01:40.799 --> 00:01:42.959 That's our theme last night. 00:01:43.280 --> 00:01:47.840 That God has called each one of you to reign and rule in life. 00:01:48.000 --> 00:01:57.359 And in Romans chapter 5, I wish I could just take us through Romans in an hour, which I could, but I'm not going to do that tonight. 00:01:57.439 --> 00:02:08.000 But Romans 5 actually flows into Romans 6, 7, and 8, which I cover really in depth at the wholeheart advance. 00:02:08.240 --> 00:02:12.560 But Romans 5 is a setup for Romans 6, 7, and 8. 00:02:12.879 --> 00:02:15.759 The context is one of contending. 00:02:16.080 --> 00:02:19.360 So that's why I call it contending for our inheritance. 00:02:19.439 --> 00:02:22.240 And tonight I'm talking about contending for an extraordinary spirit. 00:02:22.479 --> 00:02:39.840 But Romans 5, 17, for if by the one man's offense, speaking here of Adam, death reign through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the one, Jesus Christ. 00:02:40.000 --> 00:02:52.240 And in a nutshell, what Paul is saying is in the same way that we are overwhelmed by sinfulness and selfishness and pride. 00:02:52.479 --> 00:02:54.000 Don't even have to work hard at it. 00:02:54.319 --> 00:02:57.599 It's just natural because of Adam's offense. 00:02:57.919 --> 00:03:12.800 God wants us to be overwhelmed with the grace and righteousness of life through the Spirit of God so that we could learn and grow to reign in life instead of letting life reign in us. 00:03:13.039 --> 00:03:30.560 Because most of the time, most believers are letting life, letting circumstances, letting hardship, letting depression rule over them because of the one offense that comes from Adam. 00:03:30.719 --> 00:03:43.599 And he's saying, let's turn that around, and that through the power of the Spirit and through the empowering work of grace, the abundance of grace, the overflow of grace, and the gift, it's a gift of righteousness that you've been given. 00:03:43.840 --> 00:03:48.000 Will you not tap into reigning in life? 00:03:48.240 --> 00:03:49.840 And that's through Christ, though. 00:03:50.639 --> 00:03:55.759 We really, really, I mean, we kind of we kind of covered that last night, so I'm not gonna go into a ton of detail. 00:03:55.919 --> 00:03:58.479 It was recorded and it will be online. 00:03:59.439 --> 00:04:04.879 But tonight I want to talk about this guy, Daniel, a little bit. 00:04:05.199 --> 00:04:06.879 Daniel in the Old Testament. 00:04:07.039 --> 00:04:08.960 We're gonna be in the book of Daniel. 00:04:09.599 --> 00:04:19.759 Daniel, I believe, is kind of a type of warrior and worshiper that we are seeing God raise up in the latter days. 00:04:20.000 --> 00:04:28.879 And, you know, this Saturday night, we covered it just a little bit, beginning last Saturday night, but this Saturday night we're talking about your sons and your daughters shall prophesy. 00:04:29.040 --> 00:04:41.199 And I mentioned to you the fact that I believe God's doing something with children in our time that is unique in the history of the church. 00:04:41.439 --> 00:04:46.240 It's unique in the last days, because we've been in the last days for 2,000 years. 00:04:46.399 --> 00:05:07.360 So in the last days of the last days, God prophesied through Joel, which is what we're in, book of Joel, but that's what Peter chose to speak from in the sermon at Pentecost, as he said, in these last days, as it was prophesied, your sons and your daughters shall prophesy. 00:05:07.600 --> 00:05:18.160 And so we're gonna talk more about that on Saturday, what that means, but part of that, I believe, is a work of the Spirit in young people. 00:05:19.040 --> 00:05:20.639 And Daniel is a type. 00:05:20.800 --> 00:05:34.079 Daniel is probably a teenager, very, I mean, there's no way to know his age, but somewhere between 13 and probably 18, the commentations of the Bible say about the book of Daniel. 00:05:35.360 --> 00:05:36.639 But he's really unique. 00:05:36.800 --> 00:05:45.199 I mean, Daniel is one of the most unique guys in the Bible because he just he just finishes well. 00:05:45.519 --> 00:05:48.240 He starts well and he finishes well. 00:05:48.560 --> 00:05:55.120 And in this case, what we're gonna read first is when he's a teenager, he's just a young guy. 00:05:55.279 --> 00:05:56.720 And look at verse 20. 00:05:56.879 --> 00:06:22.639 So Daniel 1, 20, and it says, in all matters of wisdom and understanding about which the king examined them, and he's speaking of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and Daniel, his buddies, he found them, so not just Daniel, but he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers who were in all his rim. 00:06:23.279 --> 00:06:25.839 Ten times better? 00:06:26.079 --> 00:06:26.959 Are you kidding me? 00:06:27.120 --> 00:06:29.199 Here's the circumstances for Daniel. 00:06:29.439 --> 00:06:31.439 Daniel's a refugee. 00:06:32.720 --> 00:06:39.600 Possibly even his parents might have been killed by the Persians. 00:06:39.920 --> 00:06:52.319 And so he's in a refugee camp, and they did some kind of a test there, and they chose him and his three other buddies, and they said, These guys have the IQ for the next test. 00:06:52.560 --> 00:06:58.240 We're looking for kind of an elite group of young men to be in the palace. 00:06:58.399 --> 00:07:00.240 So he's a refugee. 00:07:01.120 --> 00:07:03.600 He comes out of a refugee camp. 00:07:03.839 --> 00:07:07.120 He's brought into a beautiful setting, a beautiful palace. 00:07:07.199 --> 00:07:16.560 I mean, it's hard to imagine today how incredibly influential, powerful, and mighty the Babylonian Empire was. 00:07:16.720 --> 00:07:19.519 It is way more than the United States of America today. 00:07:19.680 --> 00:07:24.079 You talk about a power nation, Babylon. 00:07:24.160 --> 00:07:25.600 There's no one like Babylon at that time. 00:07:25.680 --> 00:07:29.439 It'd say that all the known world at that time was ruled by Babylon. 00:07:29.519 --> 00:07:36.959 And so Nebuchadnezzar and Darius and Cyrus, I mean, these guys control the whole known world at times. 00:07:37.120 --> 00:07:53.680 So, in that setting, Daniel comes in, and we're going to look back at what he did, which is really bizarre to do what he did, but it's going to set him up, and now he's here in a position where it says he's ten times better. 00:07:53.839 --> 00:08:01.839 Now, turn to Daniel 5, and I want to look at a few years later, a number of years later, what's said about him. 00:08:02.000 --> 00:08:08.560 So he is in the administration of Nebuchadnezzar. 00:08:08.959 --> 00:08:21.199 He becomes like a governor with Nebuchadnezzar, and then Nebuchadnezzar's son becomes a ruler, and he continues to have high positions with Darius. 00:08:22.240 --> 00:08:29.519 And then there is a prophetic word given, and none of the magicians and astrologers can figure it out. 00:08:29.920 --> 00:08:43.360 And so the queen, that's the queen, the wife of Nebuchadnezzar, that would be Darius' grandmother, says, Hey, there's this guy who can answer this riddle. 00:08:43.679 --> 00:08:53.679 So in Daniel chapter 5, verse 10, the queen, because of the words of the king and his lords, in other words, they don't know what to do, came to the banquet hall. 00:08:53.840 --> 00:08:56.159 The queen spoke, saying, O king, live forever. 00:08:56.320 --> 00:09:00.159 Do not let your thoughts trouble you, nor let your countenance change. 00:09:00.320 --> 00:09:01.200 Verse 11. 00:09:01.360 --> 00:09:06.159 There is a man in your kingdom whom is the Spirit of the Holy God. 00:09:06.320 --> 00:09:19.120 And in the days of your father, light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, were found in him, and King Nebuchadnezzar, your father, your father the king, made him chief of the magician. 00:09:19.200 --> 00:09:21.039 I said that wrong, so this is his mom. 00:09:21.279 --> 00:09:24.399 Astrologers, Chaldeans, and Soothsayers, verse 12. 00:09:24.559 --> 00:09:28.159 Inasmuch as an excellent spirit, you ought to underline that. 00:09:28.480 --> 00:09:41.120 An excellent spirit, knowledge, understanding, interpreting dreams, solving riddles, and explaining enigmas, were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belshazzar. 00:09:41.600 --> 00:09:47.200 Now Daniel be called, and he will give the interpretation. 00:09:48.399 --> 00:09:50.480 Okay, it pleased Darius. 00:09:51.279 --> 00:09:53.600 So go to Daniel chapter 6, verse 1. 00:09:53.759 --> 00:09:59.759 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom 120 satraps to be over the whole kingdom, verse 2. 00:09:59.919 --> 00:10:09.279 And over these three governors, of whom Daniel was one, that the satraps might give account to them, so that the king would suffer no loss. 00:10:09.519 --> 00:10:17.200 Then this Daniel distinguished himself above the governors and satraps because of an excellent spirit. 00:10:17.279 --> 00:10:21.039 Again, that's the description of Daniel that was in him. 00:10:21.200 --> 00:10:24.879 And the king gave thought to setting him over the whole rim. 00:10:25.440 --> 00:10:25.759 Okay? 00:10:26.320 --> 00:10:27.919 Setting him over the whole rim. 00:10:28.159 --> 00:10:32.080 Verse 8, but Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not. 00:10:32.240 --> 00:10:33.840 Oh, excuse me, I'm I skipped ahead. 00:10:34.000 --> 00:10:40.879 Alright, the Aramaic for an excellent spirit is Yatir, which means extraordinary. 00:10:41.039 --> 00:10:46.799 So I'm using extraordinary spirit because I like this idea of extraordinary exceedingly. 00:10:47.120 --> 00:11:03.440 Daniel in his life, and we're going to talk about what he did to purpose in his life, is pursuing God in a way that is transformational in his spirit. 00:11:03.679 --> 00:11:08.080 And this is before the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. 00:11:08.240 --> 00:11:10.080 I mean, this is Old Testament. 00:11:10.559 --> 00:11:21.679 So he has an extraordinary and extraordinary spirit with Yahweh, the one God, without the release of the Holy Spirit, as we will know it in the latter days. 00:11:21.840 --> 00:11:25.519 And so there's an excellent spirit within him. 00:11:26.960 --> 00:11:29.120 I want you to watch a quick video. 00:11:29.360 --> 00:11:31.600 You may have seen it before. 00:11:32.080 --> 00:11:33.840 I've always liked this video. 00:11:34.080 --> 00:11:36.960 It's considered one of the great ads of all time, actually. 00:11:37.120 --> 00:11:40.799 It's by Apple, and it came out in 1997. 00:11:40.960 --> 00:11:50.480 To give a context for this, Steve Jobs was fired from Apple, and then he's just come back. 00:11:50.639 --> 00:12:10.799 So the reason he came back is because they wanted the operating system of Next, which he had started when he was doing Pixar, Pixar and Next, and he's invited back in to Apple, and then after eight weeks of trying to figure out what is Apple, what what do we believe in, what are we all about, they come up with this ad. 00:12:10.879 --> 00:12:16.799 And I just think it's perfect for an extraordinary spirit and what God wants to do in the latter days. 00:12:16.960 --> 00:12:20.240 So watch this and may it minister to you. 00:12:27.759 --> 00:12:35.279 The misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs and the square holes. 00:12:36.320 --> 00:12:37.679 One season. 00:13:23.519 --> 00:13:27.360 And you know, I whatever you think about the people he uses in that. 00:13:27.519 --> 00:13:34.320 The reality is, here we talk, we're talking about people who don't even know the Lord, who have an extraordinary spirit. 00:13:34.480 --> 00:13:35.440 And we know the Lord. 00:13:35.600 --> 00:13:46.480 We have the Spirit of God, and how much more so can God do stuff through you guys, through the power of the Spirit, working in the Spirit, through innovation and the imagination of the Spirit? 00:13:46.639 --> 00:13:52.000 Well, Daniel epitomizes that, even as a young man. 00:13:52.399 --> 00:13:57.360 So go back to Daniel chapter 1 and let's look at just one part. 00:13:57.519 --> 00:13:59.200 There's so much we could say here. 00:13:59.360 --> 00:14:17.919 But there's this one little part in Daniel chapter 1 that I just really get animated about every time I read it, because I think it's the key to the beginnings of an extraordinary spirit in doing great things through the Lord, working in your life. 00:14:18.159 --> 00:14:20.720 So start at the very beginning to give the context. 00:14:20.960 --> 00:14:25.600 Again, he's a refugee, he's been brought out of a refugee camp, and he's now in the palace. 00:14:25.840 --> 00:14:33.279 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 00:14:33.360 --> 00:14:46.320 And the Lord gave Jehoiakim, king of Judah, into his hand, and some of the articles of the house of God, which he carried into the land of Shannar to the house of his God, and he brought the articles into the treasure house of this God. 00:14:46.559 --> 00:15:10.879 Then the king instructed Ashpenaz, the master of his eunuchs, to bring some of the children of Israel and some of the king's descendants and some of the nobles, young men, in whom there was no blemish, but good looking, gifted in all wisdom, possessing knowledge and quick to understand, who had ability to serve in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the language and literature of the Chaldeans. 00:15:11.120 --> 00:15:22.399 And the king appointed for them a daily provision of the king's delicacies of the wine which he drank, and three years of training for them, so at the end of that time they might serve before the king. 00:15:22.639 --> 00:15:24.159 Now look at verse 8. 00:15:24.559 --> 00:15:35.440 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with a portion of the king's delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank. 00:15:35.759 --> 00:15:44.559 So evidently there was unclean food involved with the delicacies coming from the king. 00:15:44.879 --> 00:15:53.759 There was food that he was to eat from that went against his conscience because it might have been dedicated to idols at that time. 00:15:54.000 --> 00:15:54.879 Can you imagine? 00:15:54.960 --> 00:15:57.039 No, let's just put the context here. 00:15:57.279 --> 00:16:20.080 This, the only way I can describe it is that you've gotten a promotion to work at some large company, and you're now going to get paid millions of dollars in salary, and then soon after you're invited in, during the training process, they begin to ask you to do stuff that goes against your conscience. 00:16:20.240 --> 00:16:22.720 And you're 17 years old. 00:16:24.000 --> 00:16:26.159 You're 16 years old. 00:16:26.480 --> 00:16:30.480 And you just came from a flipping refugee camp. 00:16:30.960 --> 00:16:31.279 Okay? 00:16:31.759 --> 00:16:33.440 So you have nothing. 00:16:34.399 --> 00:16:36.480 And you know what refugee camps are like. 00:16:36.639 --> 00:16:41.519 Well, I can't imagine what it would be like to be under the Babylonians in their camps. 00:16:42.080 --> 00:16:43.600 He may be an orphan. 00:16:44.080 --> 00:16:54.000 Talk about the chance to be somebody and the chance to live with security and warmth and have all your needs met. 00:16:54.240 --> 00:16:56.559 Man, Daniel and his buddies have all that. 00:16:56.879 --> 00:17:02.480 But Daniel purposes in his heart, he's not going to defile himself. 00:17:02.799 --> 00:17:14.480 So tonight, if you get anything out of what we're talking about, there has to be something in the beginning of the new year that we purpose in our heart. 00:17:14.720 --> 00:17:19.839 That we purpose in our heart, I want to have an excellent spirit. 00:17:20.079 --> 00:17:25.279 I don't think Daniel called it that, but we know years later that's the way it was described. 00:17:25.440 --> 00:17:27.039 Listen, by the queen. 00:17:27.920 --> 00:17:33.759 The queen mother says that guy's got an extraordinary spirit. 00:17:34.880 --> 00:17:38.400 That might be said by our bosses in our jobs that we're in. 00:17:38.480 --> 00:17:39.039 Well, you know what? 00:17:39.119 --> 00:17:41.200 I don't know all the answers to that, but you know what? 00:17:41.440 --> 00:17:45.119 So and so, this guy's really unique. 00:17:45.920 --> 00:17:49.519 He's got what you're looking for, which the other guys don't have. 00:17:49.680 --> 00:17:51.599 He has an excellent spirit. 00:17:52.160 --> 00:18:01.359 And so I believe something in Daniel, when he was tempted with all of this, and here's what's cool about it, I think, is that he had these blood-stained allies. 00:18:01.519 --> 00:18:05.440 He had these three other guys, and they all purposed in their heart. 00:18:05.599 --> 00:18:08.240 And you may know the rest of the story, and I'm not gonna go into all of it. 00:18:08.400 --> 00:18:14.559 But basically, he then has to go to the head of the eunuchs and he says, try us in this. 00:18:14.799 --> 00:18:16.640 He says, No, I'm not gonna do that. 00:18:16.799 --> 00:18:18.000 You're gonna fast. 00:18:18.480 --> 00:18:20.319 You're gonna fast from the king's food. 00:18:20.400 --> 00:18:22.000 He says, No, just give us vegetables. 00:18:22.079 --> 00:18:23.039 You're not gonna have any meat. 00:18:23.119 --> 00:18:24.000 No, I don't want any meat. 00:18:24.079 --> 00:18:27.920 And that's the reason I believe it was meat that had been offered to idols. 00:18:28.079 --> 00:18:29.759 So I believe it was all kinds of meat. 00:18:29.839 --> 00:18:39.039 It was chicken, it was beef, it was pork, it was all that because it had all been probably sacrificed to the Babylonian gods. 00:18:39.839 --> 00:18:41.519 So he purposes in his heart. 00:18:41.599 --> 00:18:42.960 So let's just start with that. 00:18:43.119 --> 00:18:48.319 Here's the thing tonight, guys, for 2016 is you've got a purpose in your heart. 00:18:48.960 --> 00:19:02.480 In other words, you've got to make a decision while the light is shining, while it's sunny outside, while it's warm in this room, because hell's gonna break loose this year. 00:19:02.799 --> 00:19:04.559 Hell is gonna break loose in your life. 00:19:04.720 --> 00:19:07.599 In some way, shape, or form, I'll I'll guarantee it. 00:19:07.759 --> 00:19:12.720 If you don't prepare for hell, then you're gonna blame God when it comes. 00:19:12.880 --> 00:19:22.400 Because here's the reality, and we're gonna talk about this tomorrow night on overcoming, is that we have got to contend in the spirit expecting tribulation. 00:19:22.640 --> 00:19:26.880 You've got to contend in the spirit expecting suffering. 00:19:28.160 --> 00:19:33.119 But in that, expecting victory through it. 00:19:33.839 --> 00:19:50.160 Because if you, you know, it's it's like when guys, I mean, I don't know how many guys, there's probably at least two dozen guys in my life as a pastor that have signed up with the military, either the Navy or the Army, and they're gonna be either Navy SEALs or they're gonna be special forces. 00:19:50.400 --> 00:19:51.519 That's what they sign up for. 00:19:51.680 --> 00:19:52.640 That's why they do it. 00:19:53.599 --> 00:19:56.240 None of the people I know have ever made it. 00:19:57.119 --> 00:20:04.480 And they're that they've watched way too many movies, they've done way too little workouts, and they don't have a clue what they're getting into. 00:20:04.720 --> 00:20:08.640 And they were like, you know, they were a fullback on the football team in high school. 00:20:09.920 --> 00:20:12.400 That really prepares you to be a Navy SEAL. 00:20:12.720 --> 00:20:21.279 And so the reality is this that those who make it, let's just say in Navy SEAL, they're kind of they're kind of strange. 00:20:22.319 --> 00:20:25.119 And we've got a special forces guy in our church, Chris. 00:20:25.279 --> 00:20:26.480 Some of you guys know Chris. 00:20:26.799 --> 00:20:28.880 And Chris is actually kind of normal. 00:20:29.119 --> 00:20:32.799 But most SF guys that I met, they're not really that normal. 00:20:33.440 --> 00:20:37.119 Listen, they think differently. 00:20:38.480 --> 00:20:41.119 Did you sign up to be normal? 00:20:41.359 --> 00:20:45.920 Did you, I just want to grow up with my life and be average. 00:20:46.720 --> 00:20:55.920 You know, I just, I, you know, I want to go, I want to watch this movie Braveheart, because it's about this guy named William Wallace in the 12th century who was average. 00:20:56.640 --> 00:21:02.720 You know, I want to go, and you know, I like David in the Bible because he was just so average. 00:21:03.839 --> 00:21:06.799 And so, men and women, that's not what we signed up for. 00:21:07.359 --> 00:21:12.720 We signed up through the power of the Spirit to have an excellent spirit, but you gotta want that. 00:21:12.880 --> 00:21:16.319 You gotta strive for that, and you gotta battle for that. 00:21:16.559 --> 00:21:26.960 So, my encouragement is that God's given us these wonderful promises through the Spirit of God to be a people with an extraordinary spirit. 00:21:27.119 --> 00:21:31.599 So turn to 1 Corinthians chapter 2. 00:21:32.559 --> 00:21:41.200 1 Corinthians chapter 2 is one of those awesome chapters in the Bible that deal with our spirit and God's spirit. 00:21:42.079 --> 00:21:45.279 Daniel is a focused young man. 00:21:46.640 --> 00:21:54.160 Daniel was relentless in his pursuit of being an extraordinary young man. 00:21:54.480 --> 00:21:59.759 Now, I'll just say this I am not just talking about like it's your job from the perspective. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:17.759 Perspective of being successful, I'm talking about an excellent spirit, an extraordinary character that translates into hearing from God and being extraordinary in what God's called you to do. 00:22:17.839 --> 00:22:36.640 Because here's what 1 Corinthians 2 9 says, Paul writing, but as it is written, I has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love him. 00:22:38.079 --> 00:22:43.920 So men and women, the Lord has this extraordinary future for you. 00:22:44.079 --> 00:22:55.039 Some of you are retired, and you may be in that mode of kind of kicking back and relaxing. 00:22:55.440 --> 00:22:58.960 Some of you, young people that are here, you're just getting started. 00:22:59.279 --> 00:23:01.839 I believe the message is for both. 00:23:02.400 --> 00:23:14.720 That God has this incredible future for you, because if you don't learn to live or relive, you start to die. 00:23:15.920 --> 00:23:21.039 And so God has this future that He's saying, I has not seen. 00:23:21.200 --> 00:23:24.720 You can't even necessarily see it or envision it right now. 00:23:25.200 --> 00:23:28.960 You can't even hear it, but I've prepared this for you. 00:23:29.119 --> 00:23:37.200 I've prepared something so awesome and wonderful for you that listen, you can't fathom it in your natural heart. 00:23:38.079 --> 00:23:39.119 So don't even try. 00:23:39.279 --> 00:23:41.920 Don't even try to fathom it in your natural heart. 00:23:42.160 --> 00:23:44.000 It's so supernatural. 00:23:44.319 --> 00:23:45.680 Then he says this. 00:23:47.279 --> 00:23:51.680 Because you read verse 9 and you go, oh, okay, wow, I guess I can't fathom it, you know. 00:23:51.839 --> 00:23:53.440 But then in verse 10 he says this. 00:23:53.680 --> 00:24:07.680 But God has revealed it to us through his spirit, for the spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. 00:24:08.160 --> 00:24:19.119 For what man knows, the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him, even so no one knows the things of God except the spirit of God. 00:24:19.279 --> 00:24:29.839 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. 00:24:30.079 --> 00:24:36.480 So he's saying that the Spirit of God is the only one who knows the heart of God. 00:24:36.799 --> 00:24:47.920 And so when we even talk about the Trinity, for example, we speak of the Trinity knowing the ways of the Father, such that Jesus even said, I can only do what I see the Father doing. 00:24:48.079 --> 00:24:56.880 And the only way he could say that was by being filled with the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit revealing it to him what the Spirit of God was going to do. 00:24:57.039 --> 00:25:10.079 And so when Jesus entered a village, I think, you know, we have testimony and we have written form of all the people he healed, but he probably passed up hundreds he didn't heal because the Father didn't have his hand on that person. 00:25:10.319 --> 00:25:24.480 I think that's why he said in some cases, Bartimaeus be an example where, you know, he's obviously blind, he's been sitting there begging, and then he comes up, he screams out to Jesus, and then Jesus says, Well, what do you want? 00:25:25.039 --> 00:25:31.759 Because I don't know, some would say, well, he's saying that to kind of stir up the faith of Bartimaeus. 00:25:31.920 --> 00:25:33.759 Maybe, maybe he didn't know. 00:25:34.000 --> 00:25:44.799 Maybe because of the limitations of him being limited by the Spirit of God as fully man, he didn't know because it says he could only do what he saw the Father doing. 00:25:44.960 --> 00:25:49.119 And so the Spirit of God reveals the heart of God to us. 00:25:49.200 --> 00:25:50.160 And guess what? 00:25:50.319 --> 00:25:52.240 We've got the Spirit of God. 00:25:53.359 --> 00:25:57.839 God has secrets for those who fear him, the scriptures say. 00:26:00.559 --> 00:26:16.240 And so there are secrets of God embedded in the heart of God that it says he wants to and has freely given to us from God, but I believe strongly that we're not tapping into that most of the time. 00:26:16.960 --> 00:26:19.440 That's why I thought that video was so good. 00:26:19.759 --> 00:26:32.559 Because you have to think differently, you have to imagine differently, or we will be just like everybody else all the time. 00:26:33.039 --> 00:26:37.119 Because this is the box we're supposed to fit into. 00:26:37.680 --> 00:26:46.079 You're a Christian, you're an American, you're an American, and you're a Christian, and this is what you do. 00:26:46.799 --> 00:26:47.440 Really? 00:26:48.880 --> 00:26:51.839 It's not working very well in America today. 00:26:52.240 --> 00:26:53.440 It's not working very well. 00:26:53.759 --> 00:26:59.599 40% of America say they're evangelical Christian, and we lead the world in torn. 00:27:00.960 --> 00:27:04.640 And we lead quickly leading the world in sex trafficking. 00:27:05.039 --> 00:27:08.480 And I could go on all the other things that we lead the world in. 00:27:09.359 --> 00:27:14.960 And some of you have probably been the victims of the greed of Wall Street. 00:27:15.759 --> 00:27:18.799 Something's wrong with our Christianity here. 00:27:19.759 --> 00:27:28.400 And so building wholehearted disciples means to us at the road, we have to think differently. 00:27:28.960 --> 00:27:45.440 We have to tap into the secrets of God and the extraordinary spirit of God that can change the world, that can make a difference in our world, that God has given us, because he says it's been freely given to us the deep things of God. 00:27:45.599 --> 00:27:54.480 And I want to challenge us tonight to purpose in our heart as we head into the new year that we're going after an extraordinary spirit. 00:27:54.799 --> 00:27:58.480 We want everything that God has for us. 00:27:59.359 --> 00:28:15.680 Because what we hear from the world is look, just get a job, just make some money, have some time to play, watch TV, hang out, get a house, get a car, have a dog, a lab. 00:28:18.880 --> 00:28:20.240 Don't get a cat. 00:28:20.880 --> 00:28:21.920 No, whatever. 00:28:22.240 --> 00:28:28.240 But but we so we're all boxed into this little world, and Jesus has so much more. 00:28:29.200 --> 00:28:34.559 And the Spirit of God is wanting to speak to those saints that have purposed in their heart. 00:28:34.720 --> 00:28:37.279 I want an extraordinary spirit. 00:28:37.759 --> 00:28:39.359 I want to be able to have revelation. 00:28:39.440 --> 00:28:40.240 I really believe this. 00:28:40.400 --> 00:28:47.599 I really believe, you guys, you young people in this room, that God can give you an extraordinary spirit at your school. 00:28:47.839 --> 00:28:51.440 God can give you an extraordinary spirit in your athletics. 00:28:51.599 --> 00:29:01.920 God can give you an extraordinary spirit with your friends such that you will have revelation that you shouldn't have, and you can be ten times better. 00:29:02.160 --> 00:29:06.000 You can be ten times better than your natural self. 00:29:07.039 --> 00:29:18.000 I don't believe it's actually, I don't believe it's healthy to compare yourself with others, but the reality is be ten times better than who you naturally would be for the glory of God. 00:29:18.240 --> 00:29:21.839 I said this to Isaac as he goes back for the beginning of baseball season. 00:29:22.000 --> 00:29:24.400 Be ten times better than Isaac's ever been. 00:29:24.720 --> 00:29:26.000 And we went through it. 00:29:26.160 --> 00:29:27.119 We went through Daniel. 00:29:27.200 --> 00:29:31.039 We talked about it every day, tons of times, and then 1 Corinthians 2. 00:29:31.119 --> 00:29:32.480 And then I had all the kids in there. 00:29:32.720 --> 00:29:34.960 And I was boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. 00:29:35.599 --> 00:29:36.559 Daniel did it. 00:29:36.640 --> 00:29:39.519 He didn't even have the Holy Spirit like we do today. 00:29:39.759 --> 00:29:42.079 Wasn't even poured out the way it is today. 00:29:42.400 --> 00:29:44.400 God can do extraordinary things through us. 00:29:44.480 --> 00:29:46.079 So look at verse 13. 00:29:46.880 --> 00:30:00.079 These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 00:30:00.400 --> 00:30:03.839 So we can't get it through human wisdom. 00:30:04.319 --> 00:30:07.039 We need an extraordinary spirit. 00:30:07.200 --> 00:30:08.559 Let me give you three Rs. 00:30:08.720 --> 00:30:11.519 I want you to jot down three Rs here. 00:30:12.400 --> 00:30:14.559 Number one, request it. 00:30:15.119 --> 00:30:17.920 Number two, revelation for it. 00:30:18.240 --> 00:30:20.160 Number three, reception of it. 00:30:20.319 --> 00:30:21.440 So let me say it again. 00:30:21.680 --> 00:30:30.000 Requesting it, revelation from the Holy Spirit for it, and reception of it through obedience. 00:30:30.319 --> 00:30:38.799 So I believe God is looking for men and women who want it and they start asking for it. 00:30:38.960 --> 00:30:43.359 They seek God for it, they go after it, and that's why I like the word contend. 00:30:43.519 --> 00:30:45.039 You've got to contend for it. 00:30:45.119 --> 00:30:47.599 God, I need an extraordinary spirit. 00:30:47.920 --> 00:30:49.279 That's my prayer. 00:30:49.519 --> 00:30:52.160 That's my prayer with my little band on my wrist here. 00:30:52.319 --> 00:31:04.880 I want a worship leader with an extraordinary spirit who wants to be a part of the road, that loves what we're doing, who wants to be a part of building wholehearted disciples. 00:31:05.119 --> 00:31:07.759 Someone who is seeking the kingdom. 00:31:07.920 --> 00:31:09.680 I'm talking about a contender. 00:31:10.319 --> 00:31:14.559 I want a contender, somebody who contends in worship. 00:31:14.880 --> 00:31:17.440 And man, God's going to bring that, right? 00:31:17.599 --> 00:31:18.480 He is going to bring that. 00:31:18.640 --> 00:31:32.160 And in your life, that you would be a contender as a parent, that you would be a contender as a husband, that you'd be a contender as a wife, that you'd be a contender with your children, that you'd be a contender at your work. 00:31:32.319 --> 00:31:39.039 In other words, God, I have to have the character of an extraordinary spirit, and I'm going to tap into your spirit. 00:31:39.200 --> 00:31:44.240 And as we talked about just, I mean, I said it so many times last night, you've got to know God. 00:31:45.599 --> 00:31:48.960 And like I told you, it's really a boring book. 00:31:49.200 --> 00:31:53.200 But it is a book that certainly laid some foundations in my J.I. 00:31:53.359 --> 00:31:55.039 Packer, Knowing God. 00:31:55.599 --> 00:31:57.759 I'm already going to tell you it's a boring book. 00:31:57.920 --> 00:32:01.839 I'll already tell you that you'll fall asleep within three pages. 00:32:02.000 --> 00:32:03.680 But you've got to contend. 00:32:03.839 --> 00:32:12.720 And as you contend, listen, don't give up because as you start to discover the attributes of God, it will set your heart on fire. 00:32:13.039 --> 00:32:15.039 It will set your heart on fire. 00:32:15.200 --> 00:32:23.200 Because as you, oh, you start to contend with this idea of God being loving and God being sovereign. 00:32:24.880 --> 00:32:29.359 And God being the one we can put our faith in. 00:32:29.599 --> 00:32:38.400 As we know Him, our heart is inspired by Him because we start having a head and a heart on fire. 00:32:39.920 --> 00:32:43.279 Instead of a heart on fire and an empty head. 00:32:43.440 --> 00:32:49.519 I mean, there's one form of Christianity that's like, oh man, they have great praise and worship and all that. 00:32:49.680 --> 00:32:54.319 And everybody gets goosebumps every time you go to their worship conferences and everything. 00:32:54.480 --> 00:32:56.480 They don't know anything about God. 00:32:56.960 --> 00:33:02.559 And so as soon as problems occur, they don't even know how to access the attributes of God because they haven't studied it. 00:33:02.720 --> 00:33:04.000 They haven't dug into it. 00:33:04.160 --> 00:33:07.119 They haven't had an extraordinary spirit of going after God. 00:33:07.200 --> 00:33:10.880 And there's another part that's just full of knowledge. 00:33:11.119 --> 00:33:14.960 And their heads are on fire, but their hearts are passionless. 00:33:15.680 --> 00:33:17.680 In church, we have to be both, don't we? 00:33:17.839 --> 00:33:22.559 We've got to have both, both sides of God in an extraordinary spirit. 00:33:22.880 --> 00:33:29.359 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God for their foolishness to him. 00:33:30.079 --> 00:33:34.960 So you're going to get, if you go after this stuff, you're going to be called a fool this year. 00:33:35.279 --> 00:33:36.240 That's awesome. 00:33:37.039 --> 00:33:39.759 I hope you guys are called fools a lot. 00:33:40.319 --> 00:33:43.440 Nor can he know them because they're spiritually discerned. 00:33:43.519 --> 00:33:44.319 Verse 15. 00:33:44.480 --> 00:33:50.480 But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. 00:33:50.720 --> 00:34:00.480 For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him, but we have the mind of Christ. 00:34:02.880 --> 00:34:05.039 So non-believers can't have it. 00:34:05.119 --> 00:34:07.359 It's not available to them. 00:34:08.800 --> 00:34:12.320 I mean, they're good people, wonderful people. 00:34:12.880 --> 00:34:16.400 Do extraordinary things without the Spirit of God. 00:34:16.559 --> 00:34:20.159 But we've been given the mind of Christ. 00:34:21.760 --> 00:34:26.000 And I would say we've been given an extraordinary spirit. 00:34:26.320 --> 00:34:31.519 And God calls us in to that extraordinary spirit this year. 00:34:31.840 --> 00:34:33.280 Contend for it. 00:34:33.760 --> 00:34:34.880 Contend for it. 00:34:35.119 --> 00:34:39.199 So turn in your Bibles to 2 Timothy 4, and I'm going to conclude with this. 00:34:39.440 --> 00:34:40.800 2 Timothy 4. 00:34:41.039 --> 00:34:43.440 So Paul's at the end of his life. 00:34:43.840 --> 00:34:47.119 He's had an extraordinary spirit his whole life. 00:34:47.360 --> 00:34:51.840 Ever since he got saved, he he just rocked his world. 00:34:52.159 --> 00:34:54.800 He gave up everything for the gospel. 00:34:55.199 --> 00:35:02.079 He was who's who in the who's who of Judaism when he got saved. 00:35:02.239 --> 00:35:06.880 And then he became public enemy number one. 00:35:07.039 --> 00:35:08.960 How would you like to go from who's who? 00:35:09.199 --> 00:35:10.159 Do you ever get those things? 00:35:10.239 --> 00:35:13.440 I mean, I used to get those things all the time after I graduated from college. 00:35:13.599 --> 00:35:17.280 You know, if you you be in who's who, and I thought, wow, that's really an honor, you know. 00:35:17.440 --> 00:35:20.800 They really, somebody's finally noticing all my accolades and everything. 00:35:20.960 --> 00:35:24.159 And then you realize, for$150. 00:35:24.880 --> 00:35:29.920 And you're like, so you look at the book, you know, oh, well, there's your little name. 00:35:30.079 --> 00:35:31.360 You know, you're in who's who? 00:35:31.840 --> 00:35:33.519 Well, but Daniel really was. 00:35:33.679 --> 00:35:35.440 I mean, he was he was an all-star. 00:35:35.679 --> 00:35:36.719 He was coming up. 00:35:36.880 --> 00:35:40.559 He was one of the best and the brightest in Jerusalem at the time. 00:35:40.719 --> 00:36:00.079 And he comes to know the Lord, and within days, literally days, he has to be lifted on a rope in a basket to the other side of the wall because there's now death threats on his life because he's preaching the gospel at the synagogue, and he goes from who's who to most wanted. 00:36:00.320 --> 00:36:10.239 And so for the rest of his life, and we know, if you've read, just what he went through with 39 lashes and the torture and the shipwreck and sleepless nights. 00:36:10.400 --> 00:36:12.239 We'll talk more about that tomorrow night. 00:36:12.320 --> 00:36:16.960 That I think you have to battle for your inheritance and what it took in his life. 00:36:17.039 --> 00:36:18.639 But here he is, he's the end of his life. 00:36:18.800 --> 00:36:28.159 So this is his last will and testament to his best buddy, his best friend, his mentory, the one he's discipled the most, and that's Timothy. 00:36:28.320 --> 00:36:30.719 So 2 Timothy chapter 4, we're coming to the end. 00:36:30.800 --> 00:36:35.039 He knows he's about to be martyred, he knows he's about to die, he knows at the end of his line. 00:36:35.280 --> 00:36:46.320 And this is what he says: For I am already, verse 6, for I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. 00:36:46.480 --> 00:36:54.639 So he uses an Old Testament imagery, a drink offering, being poured out on the sacrifice there at the temple. 00:36:54.800 --> 00:37:07.119 And Timothy, whose father was a Gentile, his mother was a Jew, he would have understood through being in the temple, probably had been to Jerusalem, what he meant. 00:37:07.679 --> 00:37:10.239 He's being poured out, he knows his time has come. 00:37:10.639 --> 00:37:17.519 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have kept the faith. 00:37:17.760 --> 00:37:27.440 Finally, there's laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day. 00:37:27.920 --> 00:37:30.079 In your Bibles, it should be a capital D. 00:37:30.239 --> 00:37:44.079 He's talking about the day, the second coming of Christ, the day of the Lord, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day, and not to me only, but also to all who have loved his appearing. 00:37:44.559 --> 00:37:50.880 There's a ton here, and I don't want to spend entire time on this, but I want to just hit a couple things. 00:37:51.119 --> 00:37:58.000 First thing, he says here that he has fought the good fight. 00:37:59.519 --> 00:38:01.360 That's his imagery. 00:38:01.679 --> 00:38:03.519 That's Paul's imagery. 00:38:03.679 --> 00:38:06.800 Guys, the Christian life is a fight. 00:38:07.679 --> 00:38:09.519 It is a battle. 00:38:10.159 --> 00:38:30.880 And if you are not prepared to suffer, then you will just coast through life, constantly the victim, constantly blaming others, always worried about the things that happened in your past, blaming your husband, blaming your wife, blaming your parents, whatever it is, and you're just gonna go through life and nobody's gonna like you at the end. 00:38:31.840 --> 00:38:34.159 They're just gonna put up with you. 00:38:35.280 --> 00:38:36.719 That's a drag. 00:38:37.440 --> 00:38:39.280 And you know what kind of people end up like that? 00:38:39.440 --> 00:38:42.079 The ones who all they think about is their 401k. 00:38:42.480 --> 00:38:44.719 And all they think about is their next promotion. 00:38:44.880 --> 00:38:47.440 All they think about is how much money they have in the bank. 00:38:47.760 --> 00:38:50.639 Seriously, that's I I don't have any time for that. 00:38:51.039 --> 00:38:52.159 Now, is that important? 00:38:52.400 --> 00:38:53.039 Yeah, it's important. 00:38:53.119 --> 00:38:56.400 I'm not saying don't think about that, but I'm saying that's all they think about. 00:38:56.559 --> 00:39:13.039 And then they're gonna get their Christianity right because they got their fire insurance because they walked the aisle at their church, and now they now their kids go with them to church, and really the only thing they do that's sort of faith-based is that Sunday morning thing. 00:39:13.519 --> 00:39:21.599