WEBVTT 00:00:08.560 --> 00:00:16.960 I want to speak this morning on something I felt like God really wanted us to understand. 00:00:18.079 --> 00:00:21.760 And it's this statement that Paul makes. 00:00:22.079 --> 00:00:24.239 It's in Galatians 5:1. 00:00:26.160 --> 00:00:37.280 And he says, Stand fast therefore in the freedom by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. 00:00:37.600 --> 00:00:46.240 And in some translations, it's translated, it is for freedom that Christ has set you free. 00:00:47.840 --> 00:00:51.840 It is for freedom that Christ set you free. 00:00:52.000 --> 00:01:05.519 When He set us free on the cross from the power of sin and death and shame and guilt, He set us free to walk free. 00:01:05.840 --> 00:01:13.519 He set us free that we may live in victory over sin and be free from the power of sin. 00:01:13.840 --> 00:01:21.840 And we have this possibility of freedom without being entangled in yokes of bondage. 00:01:23.040 --> 00:01:25.040 He made it available. 00:01:25.760 --> 00:01:43.439 Father, I ask today that you would pour out grace in this place, the empowering presence of Jesus that empowers us to walk free. 00:01:43.680 --> 00:01:50.239 Father, I ask that you would you would do your work amongst us today in your glory. 00:01:50.560 --> 00:02:04.560 Lord, we ask for grace to be evident in our lives, grace to be leading us on, grace to set us free, grace to let us rise above everything that would hold us back. 00:02:05.040 --> 00:02:17.280 Father, we thank you for the power of the cross that stands forever speaking forever over our lives. 00:02:20.000 --> 00:02:30.800 And so we have this possibility of freedom without being entangled in a yoke of bondage. 00:02:30.960 --> 00:02:32.080 What's a yoke? 00:02:33.599 --> 00:02:41.360 A yoke is things that we feel like we have no choice about. 00:02:42.479 --> 00:02:49.919 A yoke is put on a on cattle or oxen, and they don't really have any. 00:03:43.120 --> 00:03:48.719 And we have patterns of thinking and reacting that are not from the Lord, all of us. 00:03:50.960 --> 00:04:01.439 And there are beliefs about ourselves and about others and about our needs and about our future and about other people and about situations that are lies. 00:04:06.560 --> 00:04:08.560 But they're not true in God. 00:04:09.120 --> 00:04:15.520 And they can come to us from what our families modeled, what our culture thinks. 00:04:16.000 --> 00:04:23.519 Sometimes things that happened to us when we were young, someone said something and it went deeper than intended. 00:04:24.639 --> 00:04:26.480 All kinds of things. 00:04:29.279 --> 00:04:36.079 They can be from hurts and walls that we've put up to protect ourselves from getting hurt again. 00:04:36.879 --> 00:04:41.360 Things like cynicism, emotional shutdowns. 00:04:41.439 --> 00:04:46.800 Some people just use clowning around, attention seeking, whatever it is. 00:04:46.879 --> 00:04:54.079 They're all yokes that are actually yanking us in a direction that's not always whole. 00:04:55.920 --> 00:05:05.600 And we have to suspect that these strongholds are there in a few things. 00:05:07.199 --> 00:05:11.519 One is when we want control over situations or people. 00:05:13.680 --> 00:05:29.360 When we actually just want to control that thing, want to control that person through manipulation, through anger, through restricting their freedom, through locking down a situation, so it has to happen how we want. 00:05:44.879 --> 00:05:55.600 James says that this thing right here, our tongue, our words, is like a flame that can set a whole forest on fire. 00:05:56.000 --> 00:06:12.560 And he says, that mouth of yours that is designed to praise God, designed to speak freedom, designed to speak life, designed to speak the creativity of God, designed to speak the love of God. 00:06:13.680 --> 00:06:15.680 And we use it against people. 00:06:16.000 --> 00:06:17.680 He's like, what is this? 00:06:18.560 --> 00:06:23.600 And when it's a yoke, you don't you don't even enjoy doing that. 00:06:24.000 --> 00:06:40.560 But it's just yanking you in this direction of criticism or gossip or bitterness or malice or anger or self-pity or judging others or speaking negativity about life or people or yourself. 00:06:42.160 --> 00:06:45.199 And it's it's awful. 00:06:51.519 --> 00:06:53.279 It's a stronghold. 00:06:54.800 --> 00:07:03.839 And we have to suspect it when we see behaviors in ourselves that are unhealthy, but we keep doing them anyway. 00:07:07.040 --> 00:07:28.000 Whether it's excessive distraction with screens, whether it's overthinking, self-seeking, impurity, overspending, overeating, all of these things. 00:07:29.120 --> 00:07:33.439 They're just things that are trying to bring comfort where there's pain. 00:07:35.920 --> 00:07:37.680 God wants to set us free. 00:07:38.879 --> 00:07:46.800 We have to suspect it when it's easier to please people and do what they want than to obey God. 00:07:51.680 --> 00:07:57.839 When it's just easier to just, oh well, they wanted me to do this, they wanted me to do that, oh, I had to go and do this. 00:07:58.639 --> 00:08:02.720 And it was easier to serve man than to obey God. 00:08:03.439 --> 00:08:04.720 That's a stronghold. 00:08:05.600 --> 00:08:08.560 God's given us leadership of our own life. 00:08:10.319 --> 00:08:17.600 And we have to suspect it when we easily take offense at people or situations or God. 00:08:17.920 --> 00:08:24.639 We're quick to offend, quick to tweak, quick to jump to conclusions. 00:08:26.959 --> 00:08:34.639 Because if you've actually laid your life down, if you're actually buried with Christ, you actually can't get offended. 00:08:37.840 --> 00:08:41.360 And so offense is our old nature, it's pride. 00:08:41.519 --> 00:08:42.960 That's what it is. 00:08:44.720 --> 00:08:48.320 And so we can justify all of these things, all of us. 00:08:48.480 --> 00:08:56.480 We all do for many years in many ways, and say someone did us wrong, something happened, we're struggling. 00:08:56.960 --> 00:09:01.679 But at the end of the day, sin hurts us and hurts other people. 00:09:04.480 --> 00:09:08.639 And we can excuse it, or we can get free from it. 00:09:09.679 --> 00:09:11.039 They're the options. 00:09:12.720 --> 00:09:14.720 They're actually the options. 00:09:15.519 --> 00:09:25.679 And Paul says in 1 Corinthians 7 verse 23, you were brought at a price, a huge price. 00:09:26.320 --> 00:09:30.080 Joel often says, Heaven was bankrupted. 00:09:36.080 --> 00:09:41.600 Everything that heaven could spend to redeem your life, it spent. 00:09:50.960 --> 00:09:53.679 Do not become slaves to men. 00:09:56.399 --> 00:10:23.759 And we need to understand that when we keep patterns of bitterness, when we keep patterns of people wounding us, us taking offense, when we keep patterns that aren't healthy, when we keep patterns of kind of just negativity, we're actually still slaves to whoever caused that offense, whoever said that, whoever did wrong to us. 00:10:24.159 --> 00:10:27.919 And they're still controlling us whether we ever see them or not. 00:10:29.679 --> 00:10:34.960 And it's not necessary, it's not needed for those in Christ. 00:10:35.200 --> 00:10:39.919 We have choice, and this is the freedom for which Christ died. 00:10:40.240 --> 00:10:47.039 He overcame sin and death and its grip upon anyone who believes. 00:10:47.440 --> 00:10:53.120 But just as you have to receive grace, you have to receive what the cross did. 00:10:53.360 --> 00:10:55.440 You have to want that freedom. 00:10:55.600 --> 00:11:01.200 You have to want to apply that freedom and seek it and fight for it. 00:11:04.559 --> 00:11:06.399 Romans 8, 2. 00:11:06.879 --> 00:11:16.399 For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 00:11:17.360 --> 00:11:19.840 That's a big statement. 00:11:20.960 --> 00:11:28.799 The law of the spirit of life has made me free from the law of sin and death. 00:11:28.960 --> 00:11:30.799 What's the law of sin and death? 00:11:30.960 --> 00:11:35.440 The law of sin and death is we're just stuck with whatever's happened. 00:11:36.000 --> 00:11:38.320 We're stuck with this old nature. 00:11:38.559 --> 00:11:40.320 We're stuck with offense. 00:11:40.480 --> 00:11:42.960 We're stuck with what happened when we were younger. 00:11:43.200 --> 00:11:45.440 We're stuck with what people have done to us. 00:11:45.600 --> 00:11:47.519 That's the law of sin and death. 00:11:47.679 --> 00:11:53.679 And what Paul is saying here is you have been made free from that. 00:11:56.399 --> 00:11:58.000 I see it like this. 00:11:59.200 --> 00:12:04.240 You go to the moon, you're not under Earth's gravity. 00:12:07.440 --> 00:12:20.240 You go to space, there's a law of gravity operating on this earth, and it controls what happens on the earth as far as pulling you down. 00:12:20.960 --> 00:12:23.840 That's gravity, and we're grateful for it. 00:12:25.600 --> 00:12:27.600 But I'm just giving an example. 00:12:28.000 --> 00:12:35.120 You get away from that thing, you get into space, you get on the moon, you're under a different law. 00:12:35.440 --> 00:12:37.759 The law of gravity does not operate there. 00:12:37.919 --> 00:12:40.879 The moon's gravity operates, not Earth's. 00:12:41.360 --> 00:12:43.200 It's a different law. 00:12:43.519 --> 00:12:47.679 This law is still true, but you are no longer under that pull. 00:12:48.080 --> 00:12:50.399 And I'm giving you that as an example. 00:12:50.639 --> 00:12:54.720 The law of sin does not apply to anyone in Christ. 00:12:55.279 --> 00:12:59.120 The law of sin and death does not apply to your life. 00:12:59.360 --> 00:13:00.639 You are not stuck. 00:13:00.879 --> 00:13:03.200 You don't have to be under that yoke. 00:13:03.440 --> 00:13:07.360 It is for freedom that you are set free. 00:13:09.759 --> 00:13:11.919 But it has to be applied. 00:13:12.480 --> 00:13:17.440 Jesus encountered people, healed them, and said, Go and do something. 00:13:18.320 --> 00:13:19.759 Go and sin no more. 00:13:19.919 --> 00:13:21.120 Get out of this rut. 00:13:21.279 --> 00:13:22.399 Get out of the pattern. 00:13:22.639 --> 00:13:24.799 Get out of the old way of doing things. 00:13:25.039 --> 00:13:26.080 Something's changed. 00:13:26.320 --> 00:13:27.679 Live changed. 00:13:30.639 --> 00:13:36.639 And so I want to give you a vision for what is possible biblically for you. 00:13:37.440 --> 00:13:40.399 Because Jesus is not mucking around. 00:13:41.759 --> 00:13:46.960 He never was, but I'm just saying, in these days, the pressure's on. 00:13:51.279 --> 00:13:56.320 As time draws near, as the last harvest is gathered in. 00:13:56.559 --> 00:14:02.399 I'm telling you, we can't afford to have just muck in our lives. 00:14:04.080 --> 00:14:08.240 And so, and apart from that, you don't want muck in your life. 00:14:08.480 --> 00:14:10.080 It's a yoke. 00:14:10.720 --> 00:14:15.679 It yanks you around when you need at least to yank you around. 00:14:15.919 --> 00:14:21.679 And so let's just get God's vision of what's possible for each of our lives. 00:14:22.000 --> 00:14:24.639 Psalm 45, verse 4 and 5. 00:14:24.799 --> 00:14:26.399 This is a messianic sound. 00:14:26.639 --> 00:14:31.200 That means it's about Jesus and what he does. 00:14:31.440 --> 00:14:33.600 It's a prophecy about Christ. 00:14:33.759 --> 00:14:43.440 And it says, and in your majesty ride prosperously because of truth, humility, and righteousness. 00:14:44.720 --> 00:14:48.080 And your right hand shall teach awesome things. 00:14:48.399 --> 00:14:54.240 Your arrows are sharp in the heart of the king's enemies, and the people fall under you. 00:14:54.480 --> 00:14:55.759 I love this psalm. 00:14:55.840 --> 00:14:58.559 I could read it every single day. 00:15:09.279 --> 00:15:11.039 He's not meandering. 00:15:11.519 --> 00:15:13.039 He's not even walking. 00:15:13.279 --> 00:15:15.360 He's riding forth. 00:15:16.159 --> 00:15:18.399 That's what a king does. 00:15:20.639 --> 00:15:22.000 He doesn't get weary. 00:15:22.159 --> 00:15:24.000 He doesn't like, oh, that'll do. 00:15:24.159 --> 00:15:26.320 I'm kind of tired of dealing with this stuff. 00:15:26.480 --> 00:15:29.519 No, he's riding forth prosperously. 00:15:30.080 --> 00:15:34.720 And it's because of something, because he values truth. 00:15:35.200 --> 00:15:36.960 He values humility. 00:15:37.279 --> 00:15:39.120 He values righteousness. 00:15:39.279 --> 00:15:44.000 And he's coming forth to bring that forth in your life and mine. 00:15:44.399 --> 00:15:47.039 Truth, humility, and righteousness. 00:15:48.799 --> 00:16:04.559 And he will ride through your life, wanting to lead you into truth, into wholeness, into humility, into freedom, into righteousness, and into victory over sin and brokenness. 00:16:06.240 --> 00:16:12.960 And it says his arrows are sharp in the heart of the king's enemies. 00:16:16.240 --> 00:16:18.720 You're not the king's enemies. 00:16:20.399 --> 00:16:26.000 You know that everything that you struggle with is an enemy of Christ. 00:16:28.799 --> 00:16:29.600 Fear. 00:16:31.600 --> 00:16:32.480 Offense. 00:16:35.919 --> 00:16:36.559 Pride. 00:16:38.639 --> 00:16:41.039 Whatever it is, fill in the blank. 00:16:41.440 --> 00:16:43.440 That is the enemy of Christ. 00:16:43.519 --> 00:16:48.720 And I'm telling you, his arrows are sharp to set you free. 00:16:49.519 --> 00:16:53.519 Sharp to dismantle that thing, to get rid of that lie. 00:16:55.039 --> 00:16:58.639 His arm is strong to get you free. 00:16:58.960 --> 00:17:00.960 But you have to want him to. 00:17:01.519 --> 00:17:04.319 Because Jesus does not impose himself. 00:17:04.799 --> 00:17:08.079 He will not force you into anything. 00:17:11.119 --> 00:17:12.799 He waits to be invited. 00:17:12.960 --> 00:17:14.240 He waits to be asked. 00:17:14.400 --> 00:17:18.559 He waits to be called upon to be cried out to. 00:17:18.799 --> 00:17:22.559 Because the fruit of the spirit is self-control. 00:17:22.880 --> 00:17:26.480 We invite Jesus and He will never violate that. 00:17:27.839 --> 00:17:30.000 He will never force you to be free. 00:17:30.240 --> 00:17:32.960 He will never force you to deal with something. 00:17:41.200 --> 00:17:42.960 He will not make you be free. 00:17:45.200 --> 00:17:48.160 Because he values self-control. 00:17:51.119 --> 00:17:54.480 And it says that the people fall under you. 00:17:54.880 --> 00:18:00.960 We fall at his feet and cry out for his work. 00:18:02.720 --> 00:18:10.480 You know that Jesus wars against everything that wars against your wholeness. 00:18:11.279 --> 00:18:12.480 Do you understand that? 00:18:13.279 --> 00:18:14.799 Jesus wars. 00:18:15.839 --> 00:18:21.039 I don't know if you've ever seen the eyes of the Lord when he is going to war. 00:18:26.000 --> 00:18:28.720 It's terrifying to the enemy. 00:18:30.160 --> 00:18:37.920 When there's this look in his eyes when he's going after an enemy of his, which is an enemy of yours. 00:18:38.079 --> 00:18:41.440 Those things that wreak havoc in people's lives. 00:18:41.759 --> 00:18:43.359 He wars over you. 00:18:44.079 --> 00:18:46.319 He wars over you. 00:18:47.039 --> 00:18:51.680 He wars over everything that is warring at your wholeness. 00:18:52.799 --> 00:18:54.400 He isn't passive about it. 00:18:54.559 --> 00:18:59.359 He isn't just like, oh well, one day they'll be free. 00:18:59.440 --> 00:19:01.119 That's not the heart of Jesus. 00:19:01.279 --> 00:19:06.480 The heart of Jesus is he hates those things that are hurting his people. 00:19:06.720 --> 00:19:09.359 He hates those things that are keeping us bound. 00:19:09.599 --> 00:19:15.759 He hates those things that are keeping on causing us to stumble and yanking us around. 00:19:16.640 --> 00:19:18.319 And he wars against them. 00:19:18.559 --> 00:19:24.799 He will attack everything that stands in the way of knowing the Father's love. 00:19:25.119 --> 00:19:29.039 Deeply, truly, wondrously. 00:19:31.680 --> 00:19:43.519 Philippians 1, verse 6 says this, being confident of this, that he who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. 00:19:46.000 --> 00:19:49.759 The Father, the eternal one. 00:19:51.200 --> 00:20:02.640 Yahweh, the one who is writing his story from before time began, has begun a good work in you. 00:20:04.319 --> 00:20:06.640 And he's not about to abandon it. 00:20:12.000 --> 00:20:16.000 No, he is working to complete it. 00:20:16.319 --> 00:20:20.559 He is working to bring you into the likeness of Christ. 00:20:20.880 --> 00:20:31.599 He is organizing situations, people, things that come across your path, people that speak into your life, things that happen, situations. 00:20:31.839 --> 00:20:37.599 He is bringing them all together to bring you into completeness. 00:20:38.079 --> 00:20:38.880 And you know what? 00:20:38.960 --> 00:20:42.640 That just gives me so much trust in the process. 00:20:45.200 --> 00:20:57.759 It gives me so much trust and belief that freedom and the likeness of Christ formed in me and you is entirely possible because the Father is at work. 00:21:00.799 --> 00:21:05.359 Ephesians 6, verse 25. 00:21:06.720 --> 00:21:09.839 It says vision for how God sees you. 00:21:10.079 --> 00:21:12.480 We need a bigger vision of our lives. 00:21:12.720 --> 00:21:16.880 We need a bigger vision of how glorious we're going to become. 00:21:17.039 --> 00:21:22.400 We need a bigger vision of what holiness could look like in our lives. 00:21:22.559 --> 00:21:23.759 We need a bigger vision. 00:21:23.920 --> 00:21:26.720 We're not just trying to get through the day here. 00:21:30.480 --> 00:21:35.519 We are carrying the glory and presence of the Holy One. 00:21:37.759 --> 00:21:39.920 Ephesians 6, verse 25. 00:21:40.400 --> 00:21:59.759 Christ loved the church and gave himself for her, that he might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that he might present her to himself a glorious church. 00:22:00.559 --> 00:22:08.160 Not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. 00:22:09.039 --> 00:22:10.559 It's a big vision. 00:22:12.960 --> 00:22:15.039 It's a very big vision. 00:22:17.279 --> 00:22:19.599 And it's God's vision for you. 00:22:22.640 --> 00:22:26.079 Jesus gave himself for you. 00:22:26.400 --> 00:22:28.079 Just put your name in there. 00:22:29.680 --> 00:22:31.920 Jesus gave himself for you. 00:22:32.559 --> 00:22:41.279 So that he could and would have the authority to sanctify and cleanse us. 00:22:43.119 --> 00:22:45.119 The power of the word. 00:22:46.079 --> 00:22:53.759 His vision for laying down his life was not so there was like a limping, disorganized, chaotic bride. 00:22:55.440 --> 00:23:08.319 His vision for laying down his life was not for a people still bound up and broken, still stuck in cycles of sin. 00:23:10.640 --> 00:23:21.359 His vision is for glory, and his vision is for such washing with his word that we don't even have a spot or wrinkle or blemish. 00:23:23.839 --> 00:23:32.400 This is not to make you feel guilty, it's to make you feel like you want to run to Jesus and go, do your work. 00:23:33.759 --> 00:23:35.519 Do your work in me. 00:23:36.160 --> 00:23:37.839 I want to be washed. 00:23:40.400 --> 00:23:46.160 It's a lifelong work to be made holy, but you need to believe that it's possible. 00:23:47.440 --> 00:23:50.799 So what Joel was saying this morning, only believe. 00:23:52.160 --> 00:24:04.480 Only believe that it's possible for you, wherever you've come from, whatever the history is, whatever the level of brokenness, the word of the Lord is stronger. 00:24:04.799 --> 00:24:11.200 The word of the Lord, and the will of the Lord is stronger than anything any of us have been through. 00:24:13.440 --> 00:24:26.559 The will of the Lord, the vision of the Lord is bigger, but we have to cooperate with that washing and realizing that it's the Lord and we don't want to resist Him. 00:24:26.720 --> 00:24:29.839 We want to be free, we want to be whole. 00:24:30.720 --> 00:24:33.279 We want to be carrying His glory. 00:24:35.119 --> 00:24:38.640 2 Corinthians 3, verse 16. 00:24:40.880 --> 00:24:42.319 This should excite you. 00:24:42.480 --> 00:24:45.599 I hope you're like nearly bouncing. 00:24:45.920 --> 00:24:52.000 Because I read this and I'm like, God, do it! Do it in me. 00:24:52.559 --> 00:24:53.839 Do it in me. 00:24:54.079 --> 00:24:57.519 I don't want to be yanked by anything. 00:24:57.839 --> 00:25:02.319 Only yoke to the Lord, whose yoke is easy and light. 00:25:04.000 --> 00:25:07.039 I don't want to be reacting out of old stuff. 00:25:07.119 --> 00:25:08.720 I don't want old patterns. 00:25:08.880 --> 00:25:11.200 I don't need any of that stuff. 00:25:11.440 --> 00:25:18.240 I want the mind of Christ and the heart of the Father and the power of the Holy Spirit. 00:25:20.400 --> 00:25:22.799 2 Corinthians 3, verse 16. 00:25:23.039 --> 00:25:27.599 When one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 00:25:28.400 --> 00:25:34.400 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there's freedom. 00:25:35.119 --> 00:25:52.799 But we all with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror of the as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. 00:25:56.000 --> 00:26:07.599 Now I know in one sense this passage is talking about when you turn to the Lord, when you believe in Jesus, the veil is taken away, so you can see that he's the Savior. 00:26:08.160 --> 00:26:09.279 I understand that. 00:26:09.519 --> 00:26:12.799 But this verb right here is an ongoing verb. 00:26:14.880 --> 00:26:22.160 When we keep turning to the Lord, the veil keeps being taken away. 00:26:22.880 --> 00:26:25.039 It's not a one-off event. 00:26:26.240 --> 00:26:30.559 We keep turning, we keep having the veil removed. 00:26:30.799 --> 00:26:39.599 When one turns, when one worships, when one repents, when one yields to the Lord, a veil is taken away. 00:26:40.000 --> 00:26:49.759 And what we justified before in ourselves, well, we accept it as normal, well, we accept it as just us. 00:26:50.400 --> 00:26:52.319 That's just how I am. 00:26:52.880 --> 00:27:06.799 No, the veil's taken away in his presence, and we begin to see this is not my inheritance, this is not for me anymore. 00:27:07.119 --> 00:27:10.079 And that's why worship is key. 00:27:10.720 --> 00:27:27.279 That's why the word is key, because it is in worship, and it is when we sit ourselves before the word that that veil is taken away and truth begins to come in and go, you know that thing that keeps getting you? 00:27:27.519 --> 00:27:30.160 You don't have to live with it anymore. 00:27:34.079 --> 00:27:44.880 If you don't turn to the Lord, if you don't get in his presence, if you don't fill your life with worship and the word, that veil doesn't get lifted. 00:27:45.440 --> 00:27:53.279 We all know many, many, many believers who just live bound up and broken their whole life. 00:27:54.400 --> 00:27:56.000 It's unnecessary. 00:28:07.119 --> 00:28:13.599 And the only time you realize there's been a veil that you've been looking through is when it's taken away. 00:28:13.759 --> 00:28:17.920 And then you go, Wow, now I can see. 00:28:18.480 --> 00:28:23.119 Now I can see that that bitterness is just hurting me. 00:28:24.079 --> 00:28:34.079 Now I can see that that reaction or that greed or whatever it is, it's like I don't I don't need to look through that filter now. 00:28:36.319 --> 00:28:41.440 And Paul says here, where the spirit is, there's freedom. 00:28:41.839 --> 00:28:43.680 And people often use that verse. 00:28:43.759 --> 00:28:46.240 They quote it completely out of context. 00:28:46.480 --> 00:28:51.599 Where the spirit of the Lord is, there's freedom, and they quote it to justify doing whatever they want. 00:28:53.599 --> 00:28:57.519 And it's like, um, have you actually read the passage? 00:28:59.039 --> 00:29:05.279 Because this is in the context of transformation before the face of God. 00:29:08.480 --> 00:29:14.160 With an unfold face, we are beholding the glory of the Lord. 00:29:14.400 --> 00:29:22.559 And as we behold Him, we're transformed by the spirit of freedom into a greater measure of freedom. 00:29:24.079 --> 00:29:26.240 From glory to glory. 00:29:28.400 --> 00:29:54.400 In fact, I would say if our lives aren't being transformed into more likeness of Christ, if your life does not look more like Jesus now than last week or last month or last year, if your life is not in a greater measure of glory than last month or last year, then some veils need to be lifted. 00:29:55.519 --> 00:30:08.960 Because our inheritance as sons and daughters is to go from glory to glory into the likeness of Christ. 00:30:10.000 --> 00:30:14.079 Anything less than that, you're shortchanging yourself. 00:30:14.400 --> 00:30:17.839 Anything less than that, the enemy's robbing you. 00:30:18.319 --> 00:30:23.359 Anything less than that, sin is just wasting your time. 00:30:24.880 --> 00:30:26.559 Glory to glory. 00:30:27.119 --> 00:30:29.440 Philippians 4 verse 8. 00:30:30.160 --> 00:30:47.200 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue, if there is anything praiseworthy, meditate on these things. 00:30:47.359 --> 00:30:54.960 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you. 00:30:56.960 --> 00:31:06.400 Paul is calling the church to a life where our minds are stayed on what is true. 00:31:07.440 --> 00:31:10.960 They keep course to what is true. 00:31:11.359 --> 00:31:14.160 We keep course to what is pure. 00:31:14.559 --> 00:31:17.119 We're not like wandering and distracted. 00:31:17.279 --> 00:31:20.240 Oh, maybe this is the answer, maybe that's the answer. 00:31:20.400 --> 00:31:48.880 Maybe if I vent about this, maybe if I gossip about that, maybe if I take it out on this person, maybe if I do this, he's saying, get your mind stayed on these things, whatever is lovely, then we're not defiled with negativity, with cynicism, with worry, with fear, with bitterness. 00:31:49.680 --> 00:31:52.000 And the God of peace is with us. 00:31:52.240 --> 00:32:01.680 And when we can't do that, it's a signal that something needs, some yoke needs to be broken off us. 00:32:08.880 --> 00:32:31.200 Revelation 19, verse 17 says it says this, let us be glad and rejoice and give him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his wife has made herself ready, and to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. 00:32:33.200 --> 00:32:35.359 Have you thought about that verse? 00:32:37.599 --> 00:32:50.160 Part of our rejoicing, part of our giving him glory is that we choose to make ourselves ready on earth. 00:32:56.559 --> 00:33:20.880 You would be concerned if you turned up to a wedding and the brides just hadn't had a shower, didn't wash her hair, still unkempt, nothing ready, rolling around in whatever she was wearing last year. 00:33:24.559 --> 00:33:26.799 Um there is a problem here. 00:33:30.160 --> 00:33:37.200 There is a preparation for a wedding that is a picture of our union with Christ. 00:33:40.400 --> 00:33:44.880 And we know that that preparation is on earth because it says it here. 00:33:45.519 --> 00:33:51.599 The fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. 00:33:52.240 --> 00:34:14.400 We make ourselves ready by choosing to engage in righteousness and getting ourselves free from unrighteousness by the power of the Holy Spirit, not our own works, the power of the cross, taking that power for freedom and cleaning ourselves, preparing ourselves. 00:34:30.639 --> 00:34:32.239 Can you imagine that? 00:34:33.360 --> 00:34:36.480 Is your heart beating with that desire? 00:34:37.280 --> 00:34:44.159 That moment when you see Christ, and you will be like him. 00:34:44.960 --> 00:34:45.920 Radiant. 00:34:46.960 --> 00:34:47.920 Perfect. 00:34:49.920 --> 00:35:00.400 For we shall see him as he is, and everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself just as he is pure. 00:35:01.119 --> 00:35:07.679 John doesn't let us get away with, oh well, one day I'll see Jesus and everything will be fixed then. 00:35:08.159 --> 00:35:18.800 He says, if you actually have that hope, if you actually believe that, then you will purify yourself towards that day. 00:35:22.400 --> 00:35:28.800 And the more that we behold Jesus now, the more he's revealed to us, the more we're transformed. 00:35:29.039 --> 00:35:30.719 That work is still now. 00:35:31.039 --> 00:35:33.679 We become like him as we see him. 00:35:37.519 --> 00:35:39.360 I wrote this statement. 00:35:43.360 --> 00:35:45.039 Put it somewhere. 00:35:45.360 --> 00:35:47.519 I see it every day. 00:35:47.840 --> 00:35:49.360 Write it on the mirror. 00:35:49.599 --> 00:35:54.480 I don't want anything in me that can't be found in Christ. 00:35:56.320 --> 00:35:57.119 I don't know. 00:35:57.280 --> 00:35:58.960 I hope you don't either. 00:35:59.199 --> 00:36:04.000 I don't want anything in me that can't be found in Christ. 00:36:06.159 --> 00:36:11.920 Any way of thinking, any way of reacting, any emotion. 00:36:13.119 --> 00:36:16.320 If it's not in Jesus, I don't want it in me. 00:36:16.719 --> 00:36:18.559 And I don't want it in you. 00:36:20.559 --> 00:36:21.840 It's big. 00:36:22.480 --> 00:36:25.440 It's a way to search your heart. 00:36:25.679 --> 00:36:28.880 Let the Holy Spirit search your heart. 00:36:29.519 --> 00:36:32.960 Show me anything in me that's not in Christ. 00:36:33.679 --> 00:36:34.320 Wow. 00:36:34.719 --> 00:36:39.280 Imagine what your life is going to be like in a year if you do that every day. 00:36:40.800 --> 00:36:42.079 Imagine that. 00:36:43.679 --> 00:36:45.920 Imagine what's going to happen. 00:36:48.480 --> 00:36:59.199 You know, once on a train, I was going to uni, and every day the train would go past a suburb called Chatswood in Sydney. 00:37:00.800 --> 00:37:11.360 And for months and months and months, maybe over a year, I saw this construction site as I went past. 00:37:12.719 --> 00:37:17.519 And it just seemed like the builders were just digging around in the ground. 00:37:18.800 --> 00:37:22.639 And then I couldn't really see them anymore, just this hole. 00:37:25.920 --> 00:37:29.519 And I couldn't see much from the train, but I thought it was so odd. 00:37:29.599 --> 00:37:32.400 I'm like, what are they doing all these months? 00:37:38.400 --> 00:37:47.119 And then in what seemed like a week, but it might have been two weeks, but it was a very, very short space of time. 00:37:48.559 --> 00:37:53.280 And in massive high-rise building just went up. 00:37:56.320 --> 00:37:57.760 It was so startling. 00:37:57.840 --> 00:37:58.960 And it really puzzled me. 00:37:59.039 --> 00:38:03.519 I'm like, if they can build that fast, what were they doing for the last year? 00:38:04.639 --> 00:38:06.960 Because of course I know engineering. 00:38:09.599 --> 00:38:11.519 And the Lord spoke to me. 00:38:12.320 --> 00:38:18.639 He said, the bigger the building, the deeper and stronger the foundation had to be. 00:38:22.960 --> 00:38:28.960 So it took months and months and months to get that foundation right. 00:38:29.760 --> 00:38:34.960 And when the foundation was right, then something could explode upwards. 00:38:35.440 --> 00:38:38.559 And you know, some of us just don't want to dig deep. 00:38:40.960 --> 00:38:43.920 And get in and get strong foundations. 00:38:44.400 --> 00:38:54.400 And then the Lord's like, He's got these plans and visions and glory for us and purposes, but he cannot rest that on faulty foundations. 00:38:56.639 --> 00:38:58.239 He cares about you. 00:38:59.039 --> 00:39:09.360 I was thinking the more power that anything has, the less discrepancy there can be. 00:39:35.360 --> 00:39:38.800 Everything in them is holding on course. 00:39:39.119 --> 00:39:43.679 Because there is so much speed there, there is so much power there. 00:39:43.840 --> 00:39:46.480 It's like there is no wriggle room. 00:39:50.800 --> 00:39:55.280 The greater the load, the less tolerance there is for cracks. 00:39:58.239 --> 00:40:02.800 You know, the facade is of no consequence to internal strength. 00:40:09.760 --> 00:40:19.519 What matters is what's going on inside, in our thinking, in our heart, and the Lord will give us incredible strength if we let Him. 00:40:20.320 --> 00:40:26.480 And God often puts pressure on a situation to bring the drossa. 00:40:29.440 --> 00:40:34.159 We often pray or sing, you know, God, refine me, purify me. 00:40:36.480 --> 00:40:37.920 It's a great song. 00:40:38.159 --> 00:40:39.679 It's a great prayer. 00:40:40.400 --> 00:40:42.960 It's just that it requires heat. 00:40:45.280 --> 00:40:46.880 Requires pressure. 00:40:47.199 --> 00:41:01.920 It requires the Lord to take you at your word and bring circumstances around to bring up that wrong thinking, to bring up that lie about yourself or about him. 00:41:02.880 --> 00:41:09.360 To bring up that negativity, to bring up that fear, to bring up that bitterness. 00:41:15.039 --> 00:41:27.039 And he will he's not afraid to bring the circumstances, the heat, the pressure, the discomfort, whatever it is, to purify a willing heart. 00:41:31.840 --> 00:41:34.079 Because it's a crack in the foundation. 00:41:34.239 --> 00:41:38.000 It's causing weakness and vulnerability whether we like it or not. 00:41:38.719 --> 00:41:43.199 It causes you to be yanked around by the enemy when you need it least. 00:41:46.719 --> 00:41:50.960 We want to be fit for the front line of the kingdom. 00:41:53.039 --> 00:41:56.639 And you cannot have six soldiers on the front line. 00:41:59.840 --> 00:42:02.960 We want to be strong and fit and able. 00:42:18.480 --> 00:42:25.119 But I will say this Jesus is very interested in our hearts and in our words. 00:42:26.880 --> 00:42:31.840 And you need to be very interested in your heart and your words. 00:42:40.880 --> 00:42:42.480 Of God purifying me. 00:42:42.719 --> 00:42:44.480 You have to have coffee with me instead. 00:42:49.119 --> 00:42:51.360 Matthew 12, verse 36. 00:42:52.800 --> 00:43:02.000 But I say to you that for every idle word that men may speak, they will give an account in the day of judgment. 00:43:07.599 --> 00:43:08.960 That scares me. 00:43:13.679 --> 00:43:14.960 We'll be giving an account. 00:43:15.119 --> 00:43:19.199 I'll be giving an account of every idle word. 00:43:19.519 --> 00:43:21.199 What's the word idle mean? 00:43:21.360 --> 00:43:22.480 It means two things. 00:43:22.639 --> 00:43:24.159 The first is barren. 00:43:26.079 --> 00:43:27.920 Something that can't bear fruit. 00:43:28.159 --> 00:43:30.800 Words that don't actually carry life. 00:43:33.119 --> 00:43:42.880 When we speak things that are not life-giving to the hearer, we'll be giving an account to the Lord who does speak life. 00:43:45.679 --> 00:43:56.000 It also means this in the Greek, it means lazy, shunning the labor which one ought to perform. 00:43:56.639 --> 00:43:59.360 That means those words that are lazy. 00:44:01.519 --> 00:44:03.920 We didn't do the work we needed to. 00:44:04.719 --> 00:44:06.400 We didn't deal with our stuff. 00:44:06.559 --> 00:44:09.519 We didn't sort out the wrong thinking. 00:44:09.760 --> 00:44:11.440 And out came the negativity. 00:44:11.599 --> 00:44:12.719 Out came the fear. 00:44:12.880 --> 00:44:14.159 Out came the worry. 00:44:14.400 --> 00:44:16.239 Out came the gossip. 00:44:17.280 --> 00:44:22.079 And Jesus says, He's warning us because he's kind. 00:44:22.719 --> 00:44:28.079 And he's saying, you don't want that stuff coming out of your mouth. 00:44:29.599 --> 00:44:31.440 Let's get whole people. 00:44:34.639 --> 00:44:37.920 Matthew 5, verse 22 to 26. 00:44:40.719 --> 00:44:45.039 I'm not going to read it right now, but I would recommend reading it at home. 00:44:45.360 --> 00:44:58.400 But Jesus is saying, you come to worship me, you come to bring your gift, and you have something in your heart against someone, you need to go deal with that. 00:45:01.199 --> 00:45:03.360 It's so important to him. 00:45:03.679 --> 00:45:08.719 He says, delay worship to resolve relationship. 00:45:11.440 --> 00:45:13.840