WEBVTT 00:00:01.520 --> 00:00:04.879 This podcast is a ministry of Grant Parkway Baptist Church. 00:00:05.519 --> 00:00:08.640 Helping people know, enjoy, and glorify God. 00:00:09.519 --> 00:00:14.320 For more information about Grant Parkway, visit Grantparkway.org. 00:00:14.960 --> 00:00:19.280 Let me uh let me let me say something that's on me before I I I preach. 00:00:19.440 --> 00:00:20.879 I just have a short sermon. 00:00:20.960 --> 00:00:22.960 Uh uh and what? 00:00:23.039 --> 00:00:24.160 Who snickered? 00:00:24.800 --> 00:00:26.399 You see me after the service. 00:00:26.559 --> 00:00:35.679 Uh uh a video, I just met him this morning, and and uh he's very gracious, he and his wife, Adina, he's very gracious, and I said, Hey, do you have any your you have any need, your church have any need? 00:00:35.840 --> 00:00:38.560 And he's like, Oh, you know, converts, and I was like, got that check. 00:00:38.719 --> 00:00:39.920 Uh, we'll pray for you, check. 00:00:40.159 --> 00:00:42.560 And when I first meet people, I like to persist upon them. 00:00:42.640 --> 00:00:48.960 My wife is always patting me under the table, like, you you you you sh and I just take her hand off my leg and throw it off. 00:00:49.039 --> 00:00:51.920 Uh uh because I'm in public, you can't get me now. 00:00:52.079 --> 00:00:56.000 Uh I wait till I get home, take my whooping. 00:00:56.079 --> 00:00:59.759 Uh and and and so uh and I just said a video, what do you what do you need? 00:00:59.920 --> 00:01:03.280 And so I had to pride out of him, but but here's why I'm telling you this. 00:01:03.359 --> 00:01:07.920 Uh, because he said, Well, uh, you know, we need the we have a pastor and we got half his salary paid for. 00:01:08.000 --> 00:01:11.040 And I said, he said, we're praying for the other half of his salary for the year. 00:01:11.120 --> 00:01:12.000 And I said, How much is that? 00:01:12.079 --> 00:01:16.480 And he said,$2,400 for half of his salary, which means he makes$4,800. 00:01:16.719 --> 00:01:18.079 And I was like, That sounds like my job, right? 00:01:18.159 --> 00:01:19.280 I said, I can relate to that. 00:01:19.439 --> 00:01:21.760 Uh so I just said, put us down. 00:01:22.400 --> 00:01:23.840 And he kind of looked at me startled. 00:01:24.000 --> 00:01:33.040 And what was in my head was if we can build a 15,000 square foot children's building, but we can't find$2,400 to pay a man's salary for the year, some of y'all are gonna go to hell. 00:01:34.000 --> 00:01:35.599 And I'm gonna start a list. 00:01:36.799 --> 00:01:47.680 Uh no, because the Bible, what I mean by that is if you're visiting, you kind of go, oh boy, what no, it's just the Bible says Jesus tells a story about a rich man, Lazarus, the rich man is dressed in purple and fine linen every day, Luke chapter 16. 00:01:47.920 --> 00:01:51.840 It says that his gate was laid a beggar, long and eat the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table. 00:01:51.920 --> 00:01:53.519 You'll hear about that more in just a minute. 00:01:53.680 --> 00:01:58.400 And and it says the time came and they died, and the rich man went to hell, and the poor man went to heaven. 00:01:58.480 --> 00:02:03.840 Not because he was poor, the rich man went to hell because the rich man went to hell because he was indifferent to the need right at his gate. 00:02:04.319 --> 00:02:06.400 And so I said, A video, what else do you need? 00:02:06.480 --> 00:02:10.879 And he's like, And so I just verbally beat it out of him. 00:02:11.039 --> 00:02:16.080 He said, Well, our van that we use to take teams wrecked, and and we got to get it fixed is about$3,500. 00:02:16.240 --> 00:02:19.120 I'm like,$2,400, that's about$6,000 right there. 00:02:19.199 --> 00:02:24.080 Then after the last server, he didn't tell me someone, somebody that's been over there said, Hey, they don't have a dryer for the house of joy. 00:02:24.159 --> 00:02:25.039 They have one set of sheets. 00:02:25.120 --> 00:02:28.800 So if a group comes, they wash the sheets and put them outside and pray it doesn't rain. 00:02:29.120 --> 00:02:29.759 What? 00:02:30.080 --> 00:02:31.199 Are you kidding me? 00:02:31.360 --> 00:02:32.319 And so here's the thing. 00:02:32.400 --> 00:02:36.000 We're trying to raise about$6,500 to just send to them. 00:02:36.159 --> 00:02:37.759 So and listen carefully. 00:02:37.840 --> 00:02:38.400 We don't do this. 00:02:38.560 --> 00:02:39.840 Do I do this every Sunday church? 00:02:39.919 --> 00:02:40.960 I don't do this hardly at all. 00:02:41.120 --> 00:02:42.479 But we have people that have need. 00:02:42.719 --> 00:02:49.680 If you got a little bit extra this month and you say, you know what, I'd like to help for that, some guy walked up to me and was like, hey, I keep a hundred dollar bill folded up my bill for just such occasions. 00:02:49.759 --> 00:02:50.319 Here you go. 00:02:50.479 --> 00:02:52.639 Uh and so somebody else said, Hey, here's a check. 00:02:53.199 --> 00:02:54.240 Give this all to them. 00:02:54.400 --> 00:02:59.520 So if you want to give to that, if you can just write Romania on your check, stick in the box, you can hand it to myself or wait or whatever. 00:02:59.599 --> 00:03:05.039 We'll see that it all comes in and we'll give you an update on what we were able to do to help them kind of leverage the kingdom come in there. 00:03:05.199 --> 00:03:05.520 Okay? 00:03:05.919 --> 00:03:09.039 Uh and here's why, if you're wondering why, you here's why. 00:03:09.280 --> 00:03:10.719 This is James chapter 2. 00:03:10.879 --> 00:03:14.719 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? 00:03:14.879 --> 00:03:16.080 Can that faith save him? 00:03:16.240 --> 00:03:26.000 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, Go in peace, be warmed and filled, without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 00:03:26.240 --> 00:03:30.319 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. 00:03:30.560 --> 00:03:32.400 If you're a visitor today, let me just say this. 00:03:32.560 --> 00:03:34.960 This church is a church, these people are people of faith. 00:03:35.120 --> 00:03:47.120 We're not rich people, but when we all chip in and do our part, we can leverage the kingdom coming, not just here in Sugarland, but in other places all around the world, like Romania, like we do in India, like we do in Costa Rica, okay? 00:03:47.360 --> 00:03:48.560 It's a very missional church. 00:03:48.639 --> 00:03:51.199 We don't just take mission trips, we have missional relationships. 00:03:51.360 --> 00:03:54.800 And so we go to the same place over and over and over. 00:03:55.199 --> 00:04:00.240 So if you say, you know what, I think I can help with that, this is not, I'm gonna take my tithe and put it towards that. 00:04:00.319 --> 00:04:01.919 No, your tithe belongs to your local church. 00:04:02.000 --> 00:04:03.199 This is above and beyond that. 00:04:03.360 --> 00:04:05.039 If you got it and you want to be a part of that, great. 00:04:05.280 --> 00:04:09.199 And if you don't, don't feel any kind of guilt whatsoever because guilt is overrated. 00:04:09.759 --> 00:04:10.400 Amen? 00:04:10.960 --> 00:04:11.360 All right. 00:04:11.520 --> 00:04:13.840 Now let me pray and then I'm gonna preach to you, all right? 00:04:14.080 --> 00:04:15.520 You wanna be preached to today? 00:04:16.079 --> 00:04:17.279 I'm a little charged up. 00:04:17.360 --> 00:04:20.000 I shot a shotgun this weekend and an AR-15. 00:04:20.160 --> 00:04:23.839 Bam, bam, bam, bow! I think in my next life I'm gonna be a sniper. 00:04:24.079 --> 00:04:26.879 Woo! That's all I gotta say about that. 00:04:27.360 --> 00:04:28.240 Let's pray together. 00:04:28.399 --> 00:04:29.680 Lord Jesus, thanks for the word. 00:04:29.920 --> 00:04:31.519 Thanks for the truth that sets us free. 00:04:31.680 --> 00:04:34.399 Jesus, you said you'll know the truth, and the truth will set you free. 00:04:34.560 --> 00:04:39.279 So wash everything off of us, Lord, that's not true so we can live in the freedom that comes from the truth. 00:04:39.439 --> 00:04:40.399 That's our prayer, God. 00:04:40.480 --> 00:04:41.600 We pray it in Jesus' name. 00:04:41.680 --> 00:04:43.279 And everyone said, Amen. 00:04:43.439 --> 00:04:46.639 If you've got a Bible, take it, open up, if you would, to Matthew chapter 15. 00:04:46.800 --> 00:04:48.639 And if you don't have a Bible, there's one on your row. 00:04:48.720 --> 00:04:50.480 I'm on page 821. 00:04:50.720 --> 00:04:52.240 Page 821. 00:04:52.319 --> 00:04:55.759 And we're in a series, if you're our guest today, we're in a series entitled Encounter. 00:04:55.920 --> 00:04:58.319 Usually we preach what's called expository. 00:04:58.480 --> 00:05:01.040 Like that means you go through a book of the Bible, and we usually do that. 00:05:01.120 --> 00:05:03.120 We've taken it, we just finished a book a while back. 00:05:03.279 --> 00:05:07.920 We'll do some something, we'll do a couple series, and then people are asking me, what's the next book you're gonna preach through? 00:05:08.079 --> 00:05:09.120 It's Exodus. 00:05:09.519 --> 00:05:12.000 We're gonna preach through the book of Exodus starting in January. 00:05:12.079 --> 00:05:14.639 So that'll be about a nine-year journey, so pace yourself. 00:05:14.720 --> 00:05:21.759 Uh anyway, uh, but today we're at Encounter is a series where we're looking at different encounters people had in the Bible with God. 00:05:21.839 --> 00:05:25.680 And today I want to talk to you from Matthew chapter 15, starting in verse 21. 00:05:25.839 --> 00:05:28.560 I want to talk to you about God's passion for authenticity. 00:05:28.800 --> 00:05:30.240 God's passion for authenticity. 00:05:30.399 --> 00:05:31.360 You say, what do you mean? 00:05:31.519 --> 00:05:48.480 Not just God's desire, because God's authentic, he's real, but God's passionate about you and I kind of getting outside of what we think we got to do to get God's attention and just being authentic and being honest, because you're gonna see an encounter with between Jesus and this woman. 00:05:48.560 --> 00:05:49.360 She's a Gentile. 00:05:49.519 --> 00:05:54.959 Jesus was a Jew, this woman was a Gentile, they were like at odds with each other, okay? 00:05:55.120 --> 00:06:00.399 Uh and so they didn't hang out, they didn't talk, and so it it's not a normal interaction. 00:06:00.480 --> 00:06:08.160 And also the context is this if you've ever had children, remember when your kids are little and they got sick and you couldn't do anything about it to make them better? 00:06:08.720 --> 00:06:11.600 That's the context within which this story happens, okay? 00:06:11.759 --> 00:06:14.319 So let's just read the I'll I'll read, you follow along. 00:06:14.480 --> 00:06:16.560 Matthew chapter 15, verse 21. 00:06:16.720 --> 00:06:20.560 And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. 00:06:20.639 --> 00:06:29.920 And behold, the Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, son of David, my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon. 00:06:30.079 --> 00:06:31.680 But he did not answer her a word. 00:06:31.839 --> 00:06:36.879 And his disciples came and begged him, saying, Send her away, for she is crying out after us. 00:06:37.120 --> 00:06:40.959 And he answered, I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 00:06:41.199 --> 00:06:43.920 But she came and knelt before him, saying, Lord, help me. 00:06:44.160 --> 00:06:48.560 And he answered, It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs. 00:06:48.800 --> 00:06:53.600 And she said, Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from the master's table. 00:06:53.759 --> 00:06:57.680 And then Jesus answered her, O woman, great is your faith. 00:06:58.000 --> 00:07:00.160 Be it done for you as you desire. 00:07:00.319 --> 00:07:03.199 And her daughter was healed instantly. 00:07:03.600 --> 00:07:07.759 Four things that we take away from this encounter, I just kind of want to point to this morning. 00:07:07.920 --> 00:07:08.959 Number one is simply this. 00:07:09.040 --> 00:07:18.079 And now they tell you if you go to seminary, they tell you in preaching class that you should be have no more than three points because people can't listen past three points, and that all your points should be balanced. 00:07:18.160 --> 00:07:23.600 They should, like if you spend three minutes on the first point, you should spend three minutes on the second point and the third point. 00:07:23.759 --> 00:07:25.439 I'm gonna start with a confession. 00:07:25.600 --> 00:07:27.199 My points are not gonna be balanced. 00:07:27.279 --> 00:07:28.560 Uh, Kugler, you done? 00:07:28.639 --> 00:07:30.480 You want to rearrange the whole room? 00:07:32.720 --> 00:07:35.680 I gotta practice church discipline here on one of my members. 00:07:36.079 --> 00:07:38.800 Uh and he's there moving chairs and everything. 00:07:39.120 --> 00:07:44.399 Hey, by the way, in the future, can we fill up from the front back so that latecomers can just slip in the very back? 00:07:44.720 --> 00:07:45.839 Can you do that? 00:07:46.240 --> 00:07:48.240 Yeah, that guy clapping somebody that comes late. 00:07:48.319 --> 00:07:50.720 It's like, y'all march me down all the way down here. 00:07:50.879 --> 00:07:55.279 Because if you're a visitor to a church, you get there and they go, Oh, it's full, but you can sit in the front row. 00:07:55.519 --> 00:07:57.199 Never mind, I'll go home. 00:07:57.759 --> 00:07:59.759 The Texans play the Cowboys at noon. 00:07:59.839 --> 00:08:01.279 I'll see y'all next Sunday, maybe. 00:08:01.519 --> 00:08:02.959 But just let's just start right here. 00:08:03.199 --> 00:08:04.399 Let's just vote right here, okay? 00:08:04.480 --> 00:08:05.680 How many of you are in favor next week? 00:08:05.759 --> 00:08:07.199 We'll fill up from the front back. 00:08:08.000 --> 00:08:09.120 All right, there you go. 00:08:09.279 --> 00:08:11.360 We don't have business meetings, but there you go. 00:08:11.439 --> 00:08:12.240 Uh uh. 00:08:12.560 --> 00:08:15.040 So I want to confess my points are not gonna be balanced. 00:08:15.120 --> 00:08:18.800 I have a long first point and then three short points after that, okay? 00:08:19.439 --> 00:08:20.319 You still with me? 00:08:20.879 --> 00:08:21.120 All right. 00:08:21.199 --> 00:08:23.120 Point number one in this encounter we take away. 00:08:23.279 --> 00:08:25.839 Number one is this there's a spiritual dimension to life. 00:08:26.079 --> 00:08:27.600 There's a spiritual dimension to life. 00:08:27.680 --> 00:08:28.639 Look at verse 21. 00:08:28.800 --> 00:08:33.120 It says, and Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. 00:08:33.200 --> 00:08:35.039 Now, Tyre and Sidon were port cities. 00:08:35.120 --> 00:08:38.159 It was pretty, pretty pagan, pretty debauched, pretty wild. 00:08:38.240 --> 00:08:41.279 Uh, and Jesus kind of not goes to those cities, but to that region. 00:08:41.440 --> 00:08:46.000 Verse 22 says, And behold, that's the Bible's way of saying, check it out. 00:08:46.559 --> 00:08:47.600 Notice this. 00:08:47.919 --> 00:08:48.320 Hello. 00:08:48.799 --> 00:08:55.840 And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, have mercy on me, O Lord, son of David. 00:08:56.000 --> 00:08:58.559 My daughter is severely oppressed by a demon. 00:08:58.720 --> 00:09:01.200 Now, see, that's why we say we take away from this encounter. 00:09:01.279 --> 00:09:04.399 The Bible tells us, hey, there's a spiritual dimension to life. 00:09:04.480 --> 00:09:08.559 Well, what do you mean my daughter is oppressed by a demon? 00:09:08.720 --> 00:09:10.159 Well, let me just give you a couple things. 00:09:10.240 --> 00:09:14.240 First of all, I want to distinguish between being oppressed and being possessed, okay? 00:09:14.399 --> 00:09:21.440 As a Christian, you can be oppressed, you can be tormented, you can be hounded, you can be tempted by spiritual entities that are not of God. 00:09:21.600 --> 00:09:22.960 The Bible calls them demons. 00:09:23.120 --> 00:09:30.559 But as a Christian, you cannot be possessed, controlled by a spiritual entity that is not of God, that the Bible calls a demon. 00:09:30.720 --> 00:09:31.200 Here's why. 00:09:31.360 --> 00:09:35.440 You're just taking notes, just write down Ephesians chapter 4, verse 30. 00:09:35.679 --> 00:09:39.519 Because I'm not just preaching my opinion up here, my privilege is to preach the Bible. 00:09:39.679 --> 00:09:46.000 The Bible tells us in Ephesians chapter 4, verse 30, it says, and do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God by whom? 00:09:46.720 --> 00:09:48.080 Underline that in your mind. 00:09:48.240 --> 00:09:51.039 By whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 00:09:51.200 --> 00:09:56.480 See, the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit of God is a very personal reality. 00:09:56.639 --> 00:10:00.000 By whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 00:10:00.480 --> 00:10:10.799 Here's why we believe and understand that what the Bible teaches is that as a Christian, you cannot be possessed, but you can be oppressed, severely, tormented, whatever, but you can't be possessed. 00:10:10.879 --> 00:10:11.200 Why? 00:10:11.360 --> 00:10:13.840 Because you have been sealed by the Holy Spirit. 00:10:14.159 --> 00:10:18.159 You do not grieve the Spirit of God by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 00:10:18.240 --> 00:10:24.000 In other words, who has the spiritual authority to break the seal that the Holy Spirit puts on your life? 00:10:24.559 --> 00:10:25.279 Nobody. 00:10:25.519 --> 00:10:27.759 You say, well, I don't even know if I even believe this. 00:10:27.840 --> 00:10:30.240 By the way, there's people that don't believe that Satan's real. 00:10:30.320 --> 00:10:32.399 It's all kind of a figment of your imagination. 00:10:32.559 --> 00:10:37.279 Religious people invented that to kind of make people dependent upon the church. 00:10:37.360 --> 00:10:39.360 So you got to understand where Satan comes from. 00:10:39.519 --> 00:10:42.480 Before he was Satan, he was an angel, and his name was Lucifer. 00:10:42.559 --> 00:10:45.679 And the Bible says that he rebelled against God in heaven. 00:10:45.759 --> 00:10:50.480 And not only did he rebel, but he convinced a third of the angelic host to rebel with him. 00:10:50.559 --> 00:10:54.720 He convinced them that, hey, this follow me because I'm going to take over. 00:10:54.879 --> 00:10:58.559 The Bible talks about this in Isaiah chapter 14, verses 12 to 15. 00:10:58.639 --> 00:10:59.600 This is what it says. 00:10:59.840 --> 00:11:02.320 He says, He's talking to Lucifer. 00:11:02.399 --> 00:11:08.159 He says, How you have fallen from heaven, O day star, Son of Dawn, how you are cut down to the ground. 00:11:08.320 --> 00:11:10.080 You who laid the nations low. 00:11:10.240 --> 00:11:14.720 You said in my heart, in your heart, I will ascend to heaven above the stars of God. 00:11:14.960 --> 00:11:16.639 I will set my throne on high. 00:11:16.799 --> 00:11:21.360 I will sit on the mount of the assembly in the far reaches of the north. 00:11:21.519 --> 00:11:23.679 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds. 00:11:23.840 --> 00:11:26.240 I will make myself like the most high. 00:11:26.399 --> 00:11:29.200 Now, by the way, that phrase ought to sound familiar. 00:11:29.519 --> 00:11:32.639 I will make myself like the most high. 00:11:32.799 --> 00:11:38.080 Remember back in the Garden of Eden when the serpent tempted Adam and Eve and he said, God's afraid you'll be like him? 00:11:38.480 --> 00:11:39.440 Remember that? 00:11:39.759 --> 00:11:44.879 At the root of all spiritual rebellion is the lie that you can somehow be like God. 00:11:45.120 --> 00:11:47.279 You can be on the same level with God. 00:11:48.399 --> 00:11:49.279 You can't. 00:11:49.600 --> 00:11:50.879 God stands alone. 00:11:50.960 --> 00:11:52.799 He's a solitary being in himself. 00:11:53.120 --> 00:11:57.360 But Lucifer believed a lie and said, Hey, I will make myself like the Most High. 00:11:57.519 --> 00:12:01.600 But you were brought down to Sheol to the far reaches of the pit. 00:12:01.759 --> 00:12:08.720 Now, you follow with me because there's a reason I'm kind of building this case and kind of giving you just a brief introduction to what the Bible says. 00:12:08.799 --> 00:12:09.679 Are you still with me? 00:12:10.320 --> 00:12:11.440 No, we're talking about. 00:12:11.600 --> 00:12:14.799 We learned early on, a woman comes to Jesus and says, Lord, help me. 00:12:15.200 --> 00:12:17.679 My daughter's severely oppressed by a demon. 00:12:17.840 --> 00:12:20.320 You're like, whoa, whoa, whoa, what's she talking about? 00:12:20.480 --> 00:12:21.679 We've got to walk this backwards. 00:12:21.759 --> 00:12:23.120 And what is this whole demon thing? 00:12:23.200 --> 00:12:24.080 Where does that come from? 00:12:24.240 --> 00:12:25.679 Well, Lucifer rebelled. 00:12:25.759 --> 00:12:30.639 He convinced one third of the angels to rebel, and God said, Hey, you can't have rebellion in heaven. 00:12:30.720 --> 00:12:36.320 That's why the Bible says in 1 Samuel 15, about verse 23, that rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft. 00:12:36.480 --> 00:12:38.240 God does not smile upon rebellion. 00:12:38.320 --> 00:12:39.360 So he kicked him out of heaven. 00:12:39.440 --> 00:12:40.480 He said, You like to rebel? 00:12:40.799 --> 00:12:44.240 I'll send you to a place where rebellion takes place day and night, 24-7. 00:12:44.480 --> 00:12:47.840 It's a place called earth. 00:12:49.360 --> 00:12:50.480 Not hell. 00:12:51.440 --> 00:12:52.639 He's not in hell right now. 00:12:52.720 --> 00:12:53.679 He's here on the earth. 00:12:53.840 --> 00:12:55.279 And he brought these fallen angels. 00:12:55.360 --> 00:12:56.639 Now the Bible calls demons with him. 00:12:56.720 --> 00:12:57.679 You say, How do you know that? 00:12:57.840 --> 00:12:59.200 Job chapter 1, verse 6. 00:12:59.279 --> 00:13:01.919 It says, The angels came before the Lord, and Satan came with him. 00:13:02.000 --> 00:13:03.440 And God said, Where have you come from? 00:13:03.600 --> 00:13:08.720 And Satan said, I've come from walking to and fro about the whole earth. 00:13:09.919 --> 00:13:14.879 So this is why this woman says, Hey, I my daughter's severely oppressed by a demon. 00:13:15.120 --> 00:13:16.559 You say, Well, I don't know what you mean. 00:13:16.639 --> 00:13:17.919 Let me give you another verse to write down. 00:13:18.080 --> 00:13:19.840 Matthew 25, verse 41. 00:13:20.080 --> 00:13:21.679 Jesus is talking about the judgment. 00:13:21.840 --> 00:13:29.039 He says, Then he will say to those on his left, Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 00:13:29.279 --> 00:13:35.039 So we've seen so far the origin of Satan, how he got to become, he went from being Lucifer to being Satan. 00:13:35.200 --> 00:13:38.240 But also we see that he's roaming about this earth. 00:13:38.399 --> 00:13:44.399 But we also need to understand that Jesus tells us in verse 25 that God's prepared a place for the devil and his angels. 00:13:44.559 --> 00:13:46.799 He doesn't have more authority than God does. 00:13:47.200 --> 00:13:48.320 It's a reference to hell. 00:13:48.480 --> 00:13:52.080 We says the devil and his angels, that's a reference to demons. 00:13:52.240 --> 00:13:54.879 But said all that to say this, okay? 00:13:55.120 --> 00:14:00.960 First, do not, do not live in fear, but be mindful. 00:14:01.840 --> 00:14:02.159 Okay? 00:14:02.399 --> 00:14:03.360 There's a balance here. 00:14:03.440 --> 00:14:04.240 Don't live in fear. 00:14:04.320 --> 00:14:07.120 Don't walk out today and kind of go, I don't want to ever go back to that church. 00:14:07.200 --> 00:14:08.639 They talk about the devil and stuff. 00:14:08.799 --> 00:14:10.320 No, we talk about the Bible. 00:14:10.480 --> 00:14:12.159 And we say what the Bible says. 00:14:12.320 --> 00:14:13.279 You say, what do you mean? 00:14:13.440 --> 00:14:15.120 Be mindful, but don't be fearful. 00:14:15.279 --> 00:14:16.000 Here's what I mean. 00:14:16.159 --> 00:14:19.200 The Bible says this in 1 John chapter 4, verses 1 to 4. 00:14:19.360 --> 00:14:24.559 He says, Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God. 00:14:24.720 --> 00:14:27.519 For many false prophets have gone out into the world. 00:14:27.679 --> 00:14:29.600 And by this you know the Spirit of God. 00:14:29.840 --> 00:14:38.159 Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. 00:14:38.399 --> 00:14:43.679 This is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. 00:14:43.840 --> 00:14:46.960 Little children, you're from God and have overcome them. 00:14:47.120 --> 00:14:48.000 Hear this part. 00:14:48.240 --> 00:14:52.399 For he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 00:14:52.639 --> 00:14:54.159 See, I want to end where we began. 00:14:54.320 --> 00:14:58.960 We begin by saying, Don't grieve the Holy Spirit by whom you were sealed to the day of redemption. 00:14:59.120 --> 00:14:59.679 Remember that? 00:14:59.919 --> 00:15:06.799 And we end with the Bible telling us in 1 John 4, 4, that greater is he that's in you, the Holy Spirit, than he that is in the world. 00:15:07.039 --> 00:15:19.279 Which is why we can be aware of the fact that there's a spiritual dimension to life and not get spooked or freaked out or like, oh no, what, whoa, whoa, what I would rather have four tips on parenting and then let me go, okay? 00:15:20.240 --> 00:15:22.080 Here's why I tell you all of that. 00:15:22.399 --> 00:15:28.240 Keep in mind this is a woman coming to Jesus because her daughter is severely oppressed by a demon. 00:15:28.399 --> 00:15:32.799 When dealing with your kids, you should ask this question more often than you probably do. 00:15:33.039 --> 00:15:36.080 Is this situation spiritual or physical? 00:15:37.120 --> 00:15:39.200 Is this situation spiritual or physical? 00:15:39.360 --> 00:15:45.039 Because what we do is we don't think about our kids in terms of the spiritual reality, the spiritual dimension to life. 00:15:45.679 --> 00:15:54.720 Or we wait until our kids are 14, 16, or 18, or 20 off at college and go off the deep end, and we think, man, my kids just whatever. 00:15:55.120 --> 00:15:56.320 You ever ask yourself this question? 00:15:56.399 --> 00:16:01.919 What if your kids' behavior right now is a result of years of spiritual oppression? 00:16:04.159 --> 00:16:12.480 People come to see me and they bring their kid problems, and I I ask them this question in your mind, is this a spiritual or a physical problem? 00:16:13.200 --> 00:16:15.679 And almost every time they go, What do you mean? 00:16:16.000 --> 00:16:19.519 Because they've forgotten there's a spiritual dimension to life. 00:16:19.679 --> 00:16:24.480 That's why I'm just from this encounter, the first thing we take away is a real tangible reminder. 00:16:24.720 --> 00:16:27.039 Oh, by the way, this is this is a real thing. 00:16:27.200 --> 00:16:30.399 I don't have to live in fear of this, but I need to be mindful of this. 00:16:30.559 --> 00:16:32.559 Well, ask yourself this question today, men. 00:16:32.720 --> 00:16:34.799 We need to be the spiritual leaders in our family. 00:16:34.879 --> 00:16:41.440 And if or if you're a single mom or single parent mom and you're raising the kids, you're you need to be the spiritual leader in your home. 00:16:41.519 --> 00:16:45.679 And you need to ask yourself, what am I doing to create space for my kids spiritually? 00:16:45.919 --> 00:16:48.720 What am I doing to protect my children spiritually? 00:16:49.039 --> 00:16:54.399 Every once in a while, since my kids were three and four years old, I would just look at them and say, How's your soul? 00:16:55.440 --> 00:16:59.279 Or we put our kids in bed at night and say, What do you hear the Lord saying these days? 00:16:59.519 --> 00:17:02.960 Like one night my my uh wife was putting Sophie, our youngest, in bed. 00:17:03.120 --> 00:17:08.960 Sophie was about five at the time, and she said, Sophie, let's just get real still and just listen to God and see what God may be saying. 00:17:09.119 --> 00:17:12.799 And so they were still for about 30 seconds, and Marcy said, You hear anything? 00:17:12.960 --> 00:17:13.680 And she said, Yep. 00:17:13.839 --> 00:17:15.359 She was what'd you hear God say? 00:17:15.519 --> 00:17:17.920 I heard God say, I ate too much dessert. 00:17:19.680 --> 00:17:21.920 I've never heard God say that, by the way. 00:17:22.559 --> 00:17:25.599 If anything, I hear God say, You deserve extra. 00:17:27.039 --> 00:17:29.680 And so, see there, yeah, somebody else is listening. 00:17:30.559 --> 00:17:31.440 Here's my point. 00:17:31.599 --> 00:17:36.799 Don't make it so ominous where you get your kids and go, kids, we're gonna make a circle in the family living room. 00:17:36.880 --> 00:17:39.759 Let's all be quiet now, grit our teeth, and listen for God. 00:17:40.000 --> 00:17:40.319 No. 00:17:40.640 --> 00:17:43.039 We just lay on the bed of their kids and say, What's God saying to you? 00:17:43.119 --> 00:17:46.000 I say to my 16-year-old this day, who's like five foot ten almost. 00:17:46.160 --> 00:17:49.759 I'm like, hey, what's what's your soul feel like these days? 00:17:50.480 --> 00:17:51.279 Good, Dad. 00:17:51.440 --> 00:17:52.799 You paying attention to your soul? 00:17:52.960 --> 00:17:53.200 Good. 00:17:53.359 --> 00:17:57.759 Because I'm inviting my children to be reminded there's a spiritual dimension to life. 00:17:58.000 --> 00:18:01.759 Second thing we take away from this encounter is that the silence of God is purposeful. 00:18:01.920 --> 00:18:03.279 Now, now look at what happens. 00:18:03.440 --> 00:18:06.000 This woman says, Have mercy on me, O Lord Son of David. 00:18:06.160 --> 00:18:08.559 My daughter is severely oppressed by a demon. 00:18:08.720 --> 00:18:11.839 Verse 23, but he did not answer her a word. 00:18:12.480 --> 00:18:17.759 What if you went to work tomorrow and someone walked up to you and said, Hey Bill, how's it how was your weekend? 00:18:17.920 --> 00:18:18.720 It was horrible. 00:18:18.960 --> 00:18:21.680 My daughter is severely oppressed by a demon. 00:18:22.240 --> 00:18:23.839 You would say something, wouldn't you? 00:18:24.000 --> 00:18:29.119 You wouldn't be like, catch you at lunch. 00:18:29.200 --> 00:18:30.160 Let's go to Chewy's. 00:18:30.240 --> 00:18:31.440 You know it's open now. 00:18:31.759 --> 00:18:37.920 No, something would come out of you because if you didn't say anything, I mean that person who had the the problem would be like, what? 00:18:38.079 --> 00:18:43.920 But the Bible says very clearly right there in verse 23, he did not answer her a word. 00:18:44.160 --> 00:18:46.000 Jesus didn't utter a syllable. 00:18:46.160 --> 00:18:46.400 Why? 00:18:46.559 --> 00:18:48.640 Because the silence of God is purposeful. 00:18:48.799 --> 00:18:51.119 It's not punishment, it's invitation. 00:18:51.279 --> 00:18:55.119 See, we would rather God say no than for God to say nothing. 00:18:55.279 --> 00:18:58.319 But sometimes God says nothing on purpose. 00:18:58.559 --> 00:18:59.599 Are you aware of that? 00:18:59.839 --> 00:19:03.839 Because here's what we do: when God doesn't say anything, we just start filling in the dialogue. 00:19:03.920 --> 00:19:07.440 We say our part, then we jump over here and we kind of ad lib God's part. 00:19:07.519 --> 00:19:13.920 Well, God probably thinks this and probably, and then we come back over here and we do our part, then we come back over here and we do God's part. 00:19:14.000 --> 00:19:18.319 And by the way, just because God's not talking doesn't mean he's not watching. 00:19:19.599 --> 00:19:25.039 And sometimes God just watches you get your bipolar on and go back and forth, back and forth. 00:19:25.279 --> 00:19:28.000 And God looks down and says, Why do you need me? 00:19:28.319 --> 00:19:29.680 You got this all figured out. 00:19:29.839 --> 00:19:31.839 You play the part of you and me. 00:19:32.640 --> 00:19:35.359 And here, it's not punishment, it's invitation. 00:19:35.440 --> 00:19:39.599 It's God saying, Come on, let's relate to each other in a deeper way. 00:19:39.759 --> 00:19:40.720 Let me tell you something. 00:19:40.960 --> 00:19:45.359 Some of the best moments in life do not involve words. 00:19:46.160 --> 00:19:47.440 They just don't. 00:19:48.240 --> 00:19:51.039 And if it's quiet right now in your life, you're not alone. 00:19:51.279 --> 00:19:53.039 You say, What do you mean? 00:19:53.200 --> 00:19:59.039 The Bible is replete with examples of people who are trying to hear God and God wasn't saying anything. 00:19:59.119 --> 00:20:03.440 Like in the 13th Psalm, he says, How long, O Lord, will you forget me forever? 00:20:03.680 --> 00:20:05.599 How long will you hide your face from me? 00:20:05.839 --> 00:20:11.359 How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? 00:20:11.599 --> 00:20:15.039 How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? 00:20:15.279 --> 00:20:17.759 Consider and answer me, O Lord my God. 00:20:18.000 --> 00:20:27.680 Light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death, lest my enemy say, I have prevailed over him, lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken. 00:20:28.000 --> 00:20:31.839 But I've trusted past tense in your steadfast love. 00:20:32.079 --> 00:20:40.079 My heart shall rejoice in your salvation, and I will sing to the Lord because he has dealt past tense bountifully with me. 00:20:40.240 --> 00:20:41.359 Why do I tell you that? 00:20:41.519 --> 00:20:45.519 Because sometimes when God gets quiet, you need to get quiet too. 00:20:47.839 --> 00:20:48.400 Why? 00:20:48.559 --> 00:20:51.599 Because the silence of God is so purposeful. 00:20:52.640 --> 00:20:57.119 Third thing we take away from this encounter is pay attention to the posture of your life. 00:20:57.440 --> 00:20:59.359 Pay attention to the posture of your life. 00:20:59.519 --> 00:21:02.240 Look at the latter part of verse 23. 00:21:02.400 --> 00:21:03.759 The Bible tells us this. 00:21:04.000 --> 00:21:10.400 He says, And his disciples came and begged him, saying, Send her away, for she is crying out after us. 00:21:10.559 --> 00:21:15.359 And he, Jesus, answered, I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 00:21:15.519 --> 00:21:18.960 But she came and knelt before him, saying, Lord, help me. 00:21:20.960 --> 00:21:23.200 You see, what do you mean? 00:21:23.519 --> 00:21:25.920 Pay attention to the posture of your life. 00:21:26.160 --> 00:21:27.359 I mean, she heard it. 00:21:27.519 --> 00:21:29.599 She heard Jesus say, They're like, Lord, can you do something? 00:21:29.680 --> 00:21:32.079 This woman's about to wear us out, okay? 00:21:32.319 --> 00:21:36.079 And Jesus is like, I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 00:21:36.240 --> 00:21:40.720 Now I have friends who will take that verse and build a whole theology on that, and they're dead wrong. 00:21:40.880 --> 00:21:43.039 What Jesus is saying is exactly right. 00:21:43.200 --> 00:21:44.400 He was sent to the Jews. 00:21:44.640 --> 00:21:47.599 He died with a sign above him on the cross that said, King of the Jews. 00:21:47.759 --> 00:21:56.240 When he says, I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, what he is saying is what the Bible says, He, Jesus, came unto his own, and his own received him not. 00:21:56.480 --> 00:21:59.759 And so the gospel goes from the Jews and becomes for the whole world. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:00.799 For the Gentiles. 00:22:00.880 --> 00:22:02.079 That's what the Bible refers to. 00:22:02.240 --> 00:22:04.000 Non-Jews were called Gentiles. 00:22:04.160 --> 00:22:13.759 This is the first reference, if you want a little Bible fun fact, this is the first indication in Matthew's gospel that the gospel of Jesus is coming to the whole world. 00:22:14.000 --> 00:22:19.279 He says, I was sent for the I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 00:22:19.440 --> 00:22:31.759 And the woman, the persistent woman with a daughter who has a spiritual issue going on in her life, came, but she came and knelt before him, saying, Lord, help me. 00:22:31.920 --> 00:22:33.440 Let me ask you a real practical question. 00:22:33.599 --> 00:22:37.039