Bible Teaching
Calvary Temple Teaching Library
Satanic Wiles Pt.6
Pastor Scott
May 31, 2000 Wed PM
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You see what we’re looking for is not the armor, we’re looking for the power of the Lord. We’re looking for God’s presence in us to begin to demonstrate itself. We also saw that the armor then went into another aspect of not being ignorant of the enemy’s devices but understanding then what the enemy is going to be drawing upon in our lives that are obvious weak points. Those sins that are the besetting sins that we talked about, those areas in our flesh that are dominating us at this particular phase in our lives. We talked about the fact that everyone of us—our lives spiral, we’re in a process hopefully of growing in grace and in the knowledge of God, but at the same time we’re spiraling; there’s no straight line. And so there are times when our pursuit is going to be with more zeal than at others. There are also times where we’re going to find ourselves needing to break up the fallow ground and seek the Lord, and in those particular times we’re very vulnerable to the enemy if we don’t know who we are and what our tendencies are. And so the armor is really being able to rise up every morning and be knowledgeable of the tendencies—the sin that’s in our members—that has been dominating us and that have to that day be watched out for, and prepared for before we leave the house. And so we rise, and we prepare our hearts, and it’s that awareness that is the putting on of the armor of God. You see, when you’re walking in communion with Him this armor is in place.
We saw that the armor would manifest itself in direct proportion to our pursuit of the Lord. As we are seeking the Lord and seeking to put on Christ, the new man that is after God, in righteousness and true holiness the Scripture says; when we’re seeking that new man to be put on, then the armor is in place. The one thing we saw is this: if you walk in the Spirit, you will not [what?] fulfill the lust of the flesh. So if somehow our flesh is dominating us—it doesn’t matter in what particular area—then what do we need to do? We don’t need to then turn to that particular situation at that time, but we need to be aware of the fact that we’re not walking in the Spirit. Don’t try to fix the problem, the symptom; begin to pursue God and realize your walk in the Spirit is not what it should be. As you begin to deal with the walk in the Spirit the problems will then, of themselves, be overcome because if you walk in the Spirit you will not [say it] "fulfill the lust of the flesh." (Gal. 5:16) And so that’s what we were dealing with then in our last sessions. So that’s enough for the review of that part.
It’s very important for us to understand the need to recognize what manner of man we are. We saw the great weakness that there is in thinking of ourselves more highly that we ought to think. That’s what caused Samson his fall: it’s what caused David his fall; it’s what caused Peter his denial. The moment we begin to think that somehow we’re the exception, that God’s anointing will always be there—it wasn’t for Samson; that God’s grace will always be there—it wasn’t for David; that our great strength will be there, and our resolve—it was not for Peter. And it was because they thought of themselves more highly than they ought. "Lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge [God] him, and he shall direct thy paths." the Scripture says [in Prov. 3:5]. Once we begin to see that that’s the real issue at hand, it helps us.
So we’re talking about putting this armor on, and that ability to walk victoriously over the flesh. We talked about the tendencies of man, and we dealt with those quite extensively. We went last session over the woman’s tendencies, and we dealt with that extensively in Sunday’s session. And our mother Eve, and those things that leant to her destruction and demise, and we ended up with the Delilah spirit and all of those areas of trying to manipulate, and the womanly wiles that are damnable. All of those things that we spoke of, we need to be on guard, ladies, so that the moment we see those things beginning to manifest instead of a meek and quiet spirit, we know we’re not trusting God. The minute we have to try to vaunt ourselves and not be in subjection to our husbands, we know that we’re not trusting God. The armor is not in place. The moment we try to get others to help our husbands because of their weaknesses, we’re not trusting God, and we’re then causing that same broken order that brought Eve down in the beginning. And so, be aware of what your actions are. Don’t judge yourself by your motives, look at your actions and begin to say, "What is it, what is it that I do in crunch time? How do I respond when it’s really going to cost me something?" And what is the cost going to be? Death to self. Because we said the core issue of everything at hand is what? The self-life. Looking for self-ease, looking for self-gratification, all of these things that then begin to destroy us.
How then can we resist those things whether they be internal—the sin that’s in our members, the working of the flesh—or external—the seduction, the beguiling of the enemy? How is it that we’re going to be able to deal with these things? And I think that’s really where we left off. Romans, chapter 6. Let’s turn over there and pick this up for this evening. Some things that we’ve gone over so many times, we’ve studied this out and looked at it in different ways. I think it’s important for us to understand that the epistle here of Romans is—especially in these first eight chapters—the core of the great working of redemption in our lives. And God is talking to us about who we are in the flesh, and the need of regeneration, and the need of the infilling of the Holy Spirit. Romans chapter 6, verse 13 speaks to us about the responsibility that we have then in the presentation of our members to be instruments to righteousness and not to lasciviousness. "Let not sin [Verse 12] therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof." Sin is in our members, but He says in verse twelve that we’re not to let it what? Reign, rule. Don’t panic because it’s there, it’s there. Don’t let it rule. This tells us then that we have something to say about what’s taking place in our lives in the midst of this battle. This tells us that we have something to say about the effectiveness of the armor as it pertains to the temptations that we’re finding before us. "Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, [be strong in the Lord] as those that are alive from the dead…" You see, the very desire to yield your members is proof that you’re alive from the dead. The fact that you want to be free from sin’s power, the fact that you want to be obedient to the Lord, the fact that you want to be free from all of these things that are dominating your life at this time is an indication that you are alive in your spirit, that you’re born again, and the good news tonight is: if God is for you [say it], "No one can be against you!" Praise God for it.
And so don’t panic. Now, these things that are out of order need to be changed. We need to be aware of them and they’re dangerous, but don’t then—and listen to me, this is the key that the enemy uses—don’t allow the Accuser of the brethren to be able to destroy you by isolating you and saying, "If you loved God you wouldn’t do that, there’s no sense in you just hanging around. You’re nothing more than a hypocrite, why don’t you just give up and go back to the other crowd?" I want to tell you something. The old crowd drinks, and they’re drunkards, and they’re enemies of God, and I want you to know something. You might find that there are born-again Christians who find themselves drinking, drinking without temperance, and even becoming drunk, who are horrified, who hate it, who fall on their faces before God, who cry out for God’s deliverance. And that’s an indication that there is a spark of life in them, and that they’re not like the old crowd that the devil’s telling them to go back to, amen? The Accuser of the brethren is one of the things that we have to understand here, beloved. He’s going to come and accuse you of having sin in your life. Of course we do, it’s in our members. He’s going to try to accuse you and cause you to become guilty over any type of thought that you might have, or the fact that you’ve fallen behind your contemporaries. You can count on one thing: the devil’s sure not going to encourage you in the Lord. And so in the midst of this, what does the Scripture tell us? That the fact that we are no longer comfortable and no longer desire to yield our members is the indication that we are alive from the dead and that we are now capable of lending our members as instruments of righteousness unto God. "For sin shall not have dominion over you. For sin shall not have dominion over you." That’s the best news you’re going to hear tonight. And so we realize then that sin is something we’re going to have to contend with but it will not be—does not have to be—the dominant force.
The Scriptures go on, and we’re not going to spend our whole time on this, this evening, because this isn’t really the subject matter in and of itself; but we see in verse 16 that it says we have the responsibility. "Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?" And so we realize then that God has called you and me and given us the responsibility of recognizing these actions in our lives—listen to me—and making a quality decision right now to change that thing. Your life will not change if you don’t change it now. Your life is not going to change if you don’t change it now. See, that last now has already gone by and if you didn’t change between that and this one then now is when you’re going to have to change; and if you don’t do it now then it’s not going to be done. And so for the course of our lives to be changed, when do we have to change it? Now. It’s a decision. It’s saying, "I’m not going to let this dominate me anymore. I make that decision now; to yield my members in pursuit of the righteousness of God. I’m not going to get around to it tomorrow. I’m not going to justify it. I’m not going to make any excuses for myself. What I did, what I do is not acceptable to the Lord, and with all of my heart now I want to know Him, and I want to pursue Him." And I want to tell you something, especially some of you young people who don’t have quite as much experience in this, the moment you make that kind of decision, get ready for all the opposition that can be thrown you way. It will come in ways that you’ve never known before.
One of our young people even commented on that, they said, "I just purposed that I was going to seek the Lord since this teaching, and it’s something that I’ve really purposed to do, and I was going to rise up early..." And wouldn’t you know, all the circumstances came around that they were up the latest they’d been in a long time. Now how many of you would expect anything less than that? Because the Scripture says when the word enters in Satan comes immediately to take it out. And so you have to expect these things, and then what do you do at a moment like that? Well, here it is and you’re up later than you would normally be, and you were planning on getting up at 5:30 to spend some quiet time and here it is 1:30 in the morning. "It’s only four hours until I have to get up. What I’ll do then is I’ll wait and see what happens tomorrow." Let me give you some advice: if you ever find yourself in that circumstance, just kiss off the other four hours and pray. How many of you know it doesn’t kill you to stay up all night? "Well in the morning, I just don’t know if I’ll be able to function." I want to tell you something. When you’re walking in obedience to God, the grace of God begins to move in your life and there begins to be an energizing, and the Lord said, "I have bread to eat that you don’t know anything about." Amen? They were tired. He was weary in body; His physical body needed food. He was tired. Jesus was tempted in every way such as we are. He was whipped, man. He sits down there; the disciples go to get Him food. Jesus is tired, and now suddenly that tired becomes an opportunity to minister, and He begins to share, and the anointing of God begins to flow through His life and now He’s refreshed, praise God. Before they got back with McDonald’s, Jesus was pumped and eating bread that they didn’t know anything about. And that’s what we’re going to be dealing with in our lives. It’s always going to come down to the natural law, natural principles, what would be the logical thing to do versus walking in the Spirit and trusting God. "Yeah, but you know, I have a final exam tomorrow. I have some big business meeting tomorrow." I want to tell you something: you can handle business meetings and finals better with the anointing than any other condition you’ll ever be in. Now don’t misunderstand me, if you haven’t studied before, God’s not going to help you cheat on your test. But it’s that refreshing, and that ability to yield our members unto righteousness, to do it God’s way, to choose against the appetite, the solicitation of the flesh or the Accuser of the brethren.
And so those decisions begin to be made, and there’s the yielding process. Let me just put it this way: God is not going to do it for you. "Oh Lord, cause me to be more obedient." He can’t! He’s already given you everything that pertains to life and godliness in Christ Jesus. Submit to His lordship and His strength in your recognized weakness will cause you to be obedient, but He can’t make you obedient against your will, against you exaltation of self, the self-life, and the ease, and all these different areas that dominate us. So it’s choice, it’s yielding. How else can we deal with this thing? Well, after the fact that we’re responsible to yield ourselves, we realize that in Ephesians 4, verse 26 we can not even give place to the devil. Now we referred to these, I believe, in Sunday’s teaching, and I want to reiterate them because it’s important for us to understand these principles again as we’re going into this other aspect of dealing with the flesh. Don’t give place to the devil. What is giving place to the devil? We made a couple of comments in our last session or two ago. I want you to understand that giving place to the devil is failing to recognize the environment that you’ve put yourself in. In Ephesians 4, verse 26, we talked about the fact that it’s so important for us to trust in, verse 24, that new man, the true work of regeneration in our hearts, and that God is working according to His good pleasure, in us, and that it’s not self-ability, it’s willful desire to be like Him. You can’t do it, but you can want it. You can’t do it, but you must want it. That’s where the will comes in; that’s where choice comes in. And so we saw here that He talked very clearly about the fact that each of us were then to give no place to the devil [verse 27] through trusting in anything other than the new man. Paul said it this way, very clearly. He said, "I count everything else dung. I count it all dung. I count it all loss the things that used to be gain to me. The things I used to boast in, the things I used to trust in, they’re all without any avail, and now having counted them lost, trusting no longer in my own natural ability, but in the new man that I’ve become, I receive the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ."
And so as Paul is speaking to us in Philippians—let’s turn over there for just a second. I wasn’t going to go over there, but go over to Philippians for just a second and look at that passage. As Paul is speaking to us, it’s a great ministry that he speaks. (We’re in chapter 3, verse seven.) Contextually, what was gain to him? All of that that’s in the first six verses. "[I was] an Hebrew of Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; Concerning zeal, persecuting the church." All that was in the natural Paul said, all that was that I counted gain, I now count what? The only way you’re ever going to move in the power of God like the Apostle Paul found is to stop relying on anything in the natural that you trusted in the past. The guile, the intellect, the physical prowess, whatever it was that you used to trust in—parents, position—until you can count it loss you don’t have the armor on. You’re vulnerable to the world’s methods because that’s still where your trust and your heart are.
And so the apostle speaks to us and he says, "Look, these things have to be loss." And when they are, what will come to me? Look at the next phrase, "the knowledge of Christ." You can’t know Jesus by trusting in the world’s methods. You can’t have on the armor and trust in the arm of the flesh; it doesn't work. You can never yield your members as instruments to righteousness as long as you’re still trying to protect your self-interest. You know, just keeping a little bit back like Ananias and Sapphira. Wanting it to appear that you’re a pursuer when you know in your own heart what’s being held back, and your inability to trust God, and then you wonder why Satan continues to wreak havoc in your life, and why there’s never peace. Turmoil reigns, and the Lord wants you free and arrayed in the armor of God. But the apostle speaks to us and says, "The knowledge of Christ will come when you’ve emptied yourself of everything else, counting them dung that I might win Christ." If Jesus is not the prize the armor is not in place. If we’re not laying aside the sin that does so easily beset, if our focus is not on winning Christ, then we don’t have on the armor of God, we’re vulnerable. Oh, we may still be in pursuit, we may still be born-again at this moment, but beloved, we’re taking shots, we’re taking fiery darts that should be quenched in the shield, and we’re becoming weaker and weaker. And tragically, most of the time we’re not even aware of it because of the [quote] "deceitfulness of sin." We think we’re more than we are, and then one day we rise and shake ourselves and there’s no anointing. One morning we rise up and like the patriarch of old, we realize the Spirit of God was here and we didn’t even know it; and it’s all done through the wiles of the devil. The key to the armor of God being in place [verse 9] is this, it continues, emptying ourselves of self-will and trust, found in Him not having our own righteousness. No merit in any of our actions, the understanding that all that’s good in me is God working in me. And then, verse ten, "that I may know him, [that I might know him] in the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings."
We find this power of His resurrection. What is the power of that resurrection? In simplicity, this is what it is: Jesus said, "I commended my Spirit into the hand of the Father." There’s only one thing that’s going to cause you and I to rise from the dead, and that’s to die knowing that we can do nothing about it but have absolute trust that He’ll raise us up. You’ve got to die knowing that we are absolutely dependent upon Him. No merit, no ability, absolute trust. That’s the power of His resurrection. That is the fellowship of His sufferings. You see, Jesus’ sufferings were not what was externally inflicted upon Him; the sufferings of Jesus was the understanding that He was going to experience the wrath of God, that it would please Father to bruise Him. Now we know the paradox of this. He wanted to do this, He loved us; it was the eternal purpose from before the foundations of the world. But at the same time, Jesus’ suffering wasn’t the personalities who hated Him, and those who smote Him, and those who spat upon Him and mocked Him. The personal suffering was the fact that sin came upon Him. It made Him ugly, marred beyond recognition. He was never a sinner, but He became sin. He never sinned, but He was made sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in Christ. How do we partake of His sufferings today? By doing the same thing He did, by dying. By coming to that place where we finally empty ourselves into total reliance in the Father. Self-will, self-preservation, self-interest is our great enemy, and there is no greater suffering than daily taking up that cross, dying to self, and following Him. There’s not a thing easy about it. If you think it’s easy you probably haven’t died yet. And then He says, (look at it, verse eleven,) [unless I come to this place of being made conformable to this death, by that alone] "If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead." And so the apostle tells us that this is so necessary in our ability to give no place then to the enemy.
Now, with this in our understanding let’s go on back to Romans for just a second. I want you to see something in Romans chapter 7 that’s vital for us in this particular phase of the study. In Chapter 7 of Romans we’re talking again about understanding what this flesh is. I made a comment, and I just kind of skimmed over it Sunday, and I think it’s important to go back and spend a little more time. You remember I said that the armor did more than just keep the fiery darts out, but it did something else, do you remember what we commented on? I just said it in one phrase—it also keeps your flesh contained. And when we begin to see then, if you can picture this armor, and the armor is that righteousness of God, that robe of righteousness that we’ve placed on ourselves. Now, we’re not whited sepulchers full of dead men’s bones so don’t get that kind of image in your mind, but see this robe of righteousness now that we’re wearing, this new life, the new man after God, created in righteousness and true holiness, and see that for what it is; and see then that when the enemy looks on us he sees something different. He begins to see the very character of God; he sees the glory of God, he would like to make and hurl accusations but he knows that it’s not having any effect because we know that we’re adorned in the armor and the righteousness of God. We know that we’re new men and we begin to make those professions of faith and by doing that, the same aura around us is what suppresses or dominates sin rather than letting sin have dominion over us. It’s the awareness of the finished work.
Romans says it this way. Look over there at chapter seven, verse eighteen, a passage that we’ve read numerous times, "For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not." People will get so frustrated, we have that "Oh, I want to do what’s right!" and them poof, we find ourselves falling again. What’s wrong with me? "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord." And so as Paul is writing to us here by the Holy Spirit, he says, "Don’t think it strange concerning the fiery trials that are coming upon you." He said don’t think that this is strange that which is coming upon you. You’ve been tempted in every way—Jesus has, but without sin. There is no temptation that will take you, the Scripture says, but such as is common to man. I know that in my flesh dwells no good thing, there’s no temptation but such is as common to man. "I want to do good, but I just can’t seem to muster up the ability. How am I going to handle this thing?" Well, he goes down and says, "You’re not. If you’re looking for some way to get rid of that tendency, it won’t go away." Now some will say that’s not good news! Well, yes it is. It will keep the Accuser of the brethren from telling you that you’re not a child of God, that Christians don’t experience that. Yes they do, but it does not dominate them. And everything within them is in pursuit of God to bring it into total subjection to where it no longer is able to even manifest once, but you’re still aware that it’s there. The moment that you forget what manner of man you are you’re ripe for satanic destruction.
Look at what the apostle says, verse 23: "But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members." I see another law. What is this law in my members? What is that which wars against my desire to do right? It’s sin, it’s a law, it’s there, and it will not go away. ‘You mean if I pray, and fast, and study twenty hours a day for the next twenty years, it’s not going to be gone?" Nope, still going to be there. Bummer! What do we have to look forward to? Grace, more Grace. Now let me put this in proper perspective for you, when iniquity abounds, what happens? Now don’t misunderstand what that passage is saying, it doesn’t say "The more I sin, the more grace it get." The more aware you are of you capacity to sin the more grace abounds. The more you know you need, the more is available, and will cause that which you are to be brought into subjection. Not the more you sin, the more you know your potential; the more you’re aware of how ugly you are; the more you understand the imminent need of the grace and the mercy of God, the more that grace is available to you. The law in the members is always there; it will always work contrary to the desire of your mind. And it brings us into captivity to the law of sin that is in our members. "Oh wretched man that I am…"
That will be one of the greatest revelations you ever come to, beloved, how wretched you are. "Well actually, I thought I was pretty good." Then you haven’t spent enough time walking in the Spirit and experiencing the benefits of the armor, because the strength of the armor is recognizing the weakness of self. And so once we understand that, and we come to verse twenty-five, "I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord." With the mind now—the renewed mind—it’s been regenerated, it never thought about the things of God, never desired the things of God, and now it does, and now I want God. And so with my mind I now pursue God, but with my members I’m still going to pursue the law of sin. They [our members] are always going to want to sin. Leave them to themselves, they’ll sin. Dominate them through the grace, through faith, through the mercy of God. Bring them into subjection and yield not your members as instruments. Your flesh’s desire to act out is not your will. "You mean my flesh can act separate from my will?" Yes, you’re spastic. Okay? Your body will act on it’s own, and you’ve got to then willfully bring that thing under control. And if you can see that as a picture, it will help you out.
You have that—what’s that syndrome where people yell out obscenities? Tourette’s—I started to say tarot cards but I knew that wasn’t it—Tourette’s Syndrome. Bahhh! They say something, and you go [gesturing]. Saw one of those guys in Chicago at the airport when the kids were real small. Years ago, we were on our way to California—the kids were probably like seven and five—and ran into one of those guys over in one of the little gift shops. You should have seen the kids scatter, man. Star and Kimberly, whooom, man! This guy was sitting there and he was looking at something. "Blahhh!" He lets out all these obscenities, the kids took off, and our flesh is kind of that way. And you say, "What’s that about?" Now thank God there’s a cure. There’s bringing this flesh under through dependence, through recognition of the weakness, through a dependence on the mercy of God and not in ourselves, and a willful daily death to self. Because when you draw nigh unto God, what happens? Are you daily seeking less of self, more of God? That’s what then begins to cause the subordination of these members of sin. It begins to then weaken them, as we’re stronger in the Spirit.
Verse two of the next chapter, "For the law of the Spirit of life [spiritual living] in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death." That’s not just talking about the fact that we’re going to be raised in the last day. This eighth chapter is not just a promise of the finished work of regeneration; this is talking about practical living right now. There is a law in my members that wars against the law of my mind [Paul said] but let me tell you, there’s a greater law—the law of spiritual living in Christ Jesus—and it makes me free from this law of sin and death. And so we’re to enter into this greater law that’s available to us by recognition of need; failure to rely any longer on the things that we used to count gain; a willful choosing of the spiritual walk over the flesh, the path of least resistance; no longer looking to our works of behavior, for what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh. [Look at verse three.] "…God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh." That our right standing with God, the fulfillment of the law, he says, was done in Jesus and so it’s fulfilled in us who now no longer trust in the flesh. ["I’ve got to bring this flesh under—no"] Walk in the Spirit and believe that the work is final, it’s done, and I can rest right now. I don’t have to worry about it. Let me ask you tonight: are you really worried about what the end of this thing is going to be? "Somehow I’ve got to work harder, I’ve got to somehow bring this thing under" as opposed to saying, "You know, it’s finished in Jesus Christ, I don’t like this anymore, I want to be free, and Lord, I can’t do a thing about it. I’ve tried for five years. I’ve tried for ten years. I’ve tried for fifteen. I’ve tried for thirty years and it won’t go away." And we just studied, it’s not supposed to go away. We need to go away. I can’t do it, Father, and if I’m going to come into you presence it’s not going to be by my merit. I can’t whip this thing. I need the finished work of Jesus. Father, I’m never going to get into heaven if You don’t just let me in based on grace and mercy and the faith you’ve given me to believe that Jesus satisfied You, because this is not acceptable. *Note - end of side one.
And now you’re on the path of walking in the Spirit. Now you’re experiencing chapter eight verse six, "…to be spiritually minded is life and peace." The spiritual mind that can call things that are not as though they were and understand that our actions become the consequence of God working in us to will and to do, not of our own volition. My volition is just to say, "Without You I can do nothing. Speak, and I’ll obey." And He begins to motivate us by the Word of truth, and we begin to be sanctified and washed by the water of the Word, and we begin to get a new understanding of what our capabilities are when we stop trying so hard to appease God and just seek to know Him.
And He goes on then in verse eight and says, "So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh…" You are not in the flesh. In my flesh dwells no good thing, but you’re not in the flesh. The flesh is going to be destroyed. Now, don’t come to the place where you begin to separate yourself to where you think you’re not responsible for your actions, but let me show you one way to approach this thing that I think could help you out. When there are things that you’re doing that are not acceptable to God, and they’re not acceptable to you, you have to understand—that’s not me. Now we know that if we take that to excess it won’t work, right? But in the spiritual realm and in the spiritual mind we have to understand that. Let me give you an example that might help. We talked about the involuntary natural working of sin in our members. You walk up to somebody and your flesh slaps them, [sound effects] and you say, "That’s not me." And they say, "Okay, could you explain this to me?" "Well, you know, it’s no longer I that live but God that liveth in me, and the old man’s dead, and that’s just sin that’s in my members and that’s not really me. See, me, the real me, is holy, and pure, and true." Now we know at that point we’re into Gnosticism, aren’t we? And you slap the guy and you say, "Nah, that wasn’t me really, you know, that’s just sin and it’s just…" Well, that guy’s going to beat the you out of you. Okay? That’s not acceptable, everybody knows that’s not acceptable. What we do is we begin to accept the responsibility for our actions and we know that is us without the dominion of Christ. And once you begin to see that, it begins to bring about true repentance, true godly sorrow, and awareness that the only way to bring that flesh under subjection is to daily crucify him [the flesh].
We’re back to walking in the Spirit. What did you do today to free yourself from self-reliance? You cannot walk in dependence in the Spirit and fulfill the lust of the flesh. We’ll finish with this for tonight. Verse thirteen, "For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." You live after the flesh, you feel that that’s you, let me show you the difference—that’s not me, that’s my flesh. No, that is you, but that’s not all there is to you. That action is unacceptable, that’s me and I take responsibility for it. There was a time when I couldn’t help myself, but sin no longer has dominion over me and I’m no longer a debtor to the flesh to live after it [Verse 12]. That behavior just tells me one thing; I’m not walking in the Spirit. I need to fall on the rock and be broken. Jesus, help me, I’m back in control of my life again. I’m acting ugly; I’m sitting here trying to justify this behavior. There is no godly sorrow. How can we get godly sorrow if God doesn’t give it to us? How can we have a broken and contrite heart unless it’s given to us by God? You can’t, but you want me to tell you how to get it? You go to Him and say, "Father, I can’t get it. I find myself in a position right now where I just don’t really care and I want to tell you something. I’m scared, but I don’t have any conviction. I know what is right and I have no ability to do it. Father, I don’t want to do it at this moment. Everything in my flesh is wanting to go another way." You don’t come and say you’re sorry. You say, "Lord, I don’t even want to be sorry, but I’m willing to be sorry. I’m willing to be sorry. Lord, I’m beyond ability. I need mercy." So you’re not coming trying to gain merit; you’re not coming trying to affect some spiritual laws that you learned, and you’re not imitating things you used to do when you were in dominion of your life. You’re now coming and saying, "Lord, it’s beyond me. I’m back under the power of this thing. Lord, I am in need of mercy." It’s the prodigal son when he finally came to himself and said, "I’m not worthy, it’s not working." And the awareness that if you draw nigh, He’ll draw nigh to you.
Father, we thank You for Your word, and tonight those who have been struggling down this avenue; we ask that it would bring an encouragement to their hearts. I want you to pray because I had no intention of going this way tonight, so somebody is here that is in one of these situations. The Accuser has been beating you up, and you’ve begun to believe that you’re not a child of God and that you never have been. But that’s the lie of the devil, and I want to tell you something. To be spiritually minded is life and peace. The very fact that you want to be restored and that you’re concerned with your condition is the proof that you’re alive in the Spirit tonight. And Father, I’m asking You to rejuvenate this soul. Father, I’m asking You to bring refreshing to this mind. I’m asking You, Father, as they come to this place to where they’re at the end, they would realize that it’s the beginning. This is where grace abounds. When we come and empty ourselves of all that we’ve depended upon in the past, Your grace is sufficient. Make it real tonight, Father. Make it real tonight Father, in Jesus name.
As Gary plays, I want you to stand and just begin to pray. I want everyone praying, and I don’t want anyone necessarily paying attention to anybody else but just look at your own heart. If you’re here tonight and you’re that individual I’d like you just to slip your hand up and say, "Pastor, I want you to pray with me tonight, because that’s me." Let’s pray as a body together for these and just lift their hands up. There are about a dozen hands that are in the air and we’re going to pray and believe God. Father, in the name of Jesus. Now I knew certain of the hands that would go up. I’m aware of that, but there are those here tonight—these hands that have gone up, it’s very real, and we’re not minimizing your condition at all. I want you to know there are those to whom God has specifically spoken, and I’m aware of that, and God’s grace is going to be here tonight as we pray. You’re going to walk out of here now with a newness of life working in you, and the walk in the Spirit, and that armor is going to be on you, and you’re going to be at peace in your acceptance in the Beloved. Let’s pray beloved for our family here in the name of Jesus. Father, we come, and we just ask that You would refresh their hearts tonight and that war, Father, which has been raging in their lives and has caused them even this very night to say, "I don’t even know if I can go on another step, another day" we ask, Lord, that Your Spirit would gird them up even now. That they would see the door opening before them that no man can open. That they would understand the glory of God that is their rear guard because You’ve brought them into this straight path here tonight, Father. You’ve spoken, and You’ve told them that their life begins now, right now. Make the decision right now. It’s all dung. There’s no trust; there’s no reliance in all the mechanics of the past. I’m beyond myself. Father, I have nothing to bring you—I’m here in the pigpen—I have nothing to bring You; there’s nothing I can bring home. I have no merit; I have just disgrace. I’ve squandered my inheritance. I’ve squandered the blood of Jesus. I’ve squandered the peace and the grace and the anointing that I once knew, and it’s gone. I don’t have anything to bring, but I’m coming home because even the servants receive ministry at Your house. I’m not worthy Father; I’ve sinned against You. I don’t ask for anything but just to be by You. I just want to be able to see You in the morning. I just want to be around. I don’t expect anything; I’m not worthy. Draw nigh unto God. Be strong in the Lord. Reckon yourselves dead indeed now to self-will and to sin’s dominion in your members and alive unto Christ. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Just worship the Lord. Just take sometime and just praise Him for what’s happening in your heart tonight and what the Spirit of God is doing in the lives of these. Oh Jesus, Jesus. We thank You, Lord, for Your presence. We thank You for speaking to hearts tonight, Father, in the name of Jesus. Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
As Gary continues to play, and those of you who really believe that God has spoken to your hearts tonight, and has visited you, and you’ve been freed, just turn to somebody next to you and say, "I’m free, Jesus has delivered me tonight, I want you to know." Begin to speak it, and begin to make your confession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and give no place to the devil, no embarrassment. That context had to do with the brethren. Brothers and sisters will be able to lift your hands up now, they’re going to check on you, say, "How are you doing today, man, I’m praying for you, praise God. I want you to know something, you’re not out here alone, we’re lifting your hands up." Let’s rejoice in the Lord tonight and delight ourselves in Him. Sing it together, "Emmanuel" and glorify Him. He’s in you tonight, praise God. Oh, Jesus! Sing it one more time; just rejoice in the God that’s in you. Greater is He that’s in you than he that’s in the world. God’s for you, nobody can be against you. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Even when you’re at one of your spiritual mountain tops the decision that you make to worship God, the decision that you make to pray, the choice you make to witness, the prayer of faith that you pray on behalf of another, none of it initiates with you. It has nothing to do with your position or your merit, and it’s no different when you’re at your lowest. He initiates it all. Thank Him for the life He’s worked in you tonight. Father, we thank You that You’ve made it real to hearts and that sin will not dominate them as they leave this place tonight and they’ll know that the grace and the mercy of God is alive and working in them, and that in all these things they are more than conquerors. We receive it in Jesus name. Amen, amen. Turn to somebody and say, "You’re more than a conqueror." Amen. Go in peace, God’s love go with you.
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