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So if you got a Bible, we're going to be in Luke chapter 11.

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And this is a pretty wild part here of the scripture.

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And we'll be in verses 14 through 26.

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And last time we ended up talking about the Holy Spirit and asking for the Holy Spirit.

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And that's okay.

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And Matthew, it says when you ask, will not the Lord give good gifts?

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But here in Luke, it says the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.

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And so you have not because you ask not.

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And like I mentioned, you know, the Holy Spirit's kind of scary to some people.

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But I ended with the fact is I'm not afraid of anything the Holy Spirit wants to do in my life.

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Amen?

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I'm not afraid of any of that. I've seen it abused. I've seen it, you know, be, you know, people

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get spiritually prideful in the gifts that God gives them, and God doesn't take back the gifts, right?

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He doesn't take them back. They still have it. But you just can't operate in pride. It's just so

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destructive. And I think we saw that years ago when they had the Toronto blessing and the Brownsville

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movement and all this crazy stuff that was happening.

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And one gal said, well, it just comes upon me.

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The anointing just comes upon me.

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And somebody asked her, says, well, do you have a job?

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Well, yeah, I have a job.

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Does the anointing come on you at your job?

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Oh, no.

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Who in the world would want the anointing of the Holy Spirit on them at their job to be a witness for Jesus, right?

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Isn't that primarily what the Holy Spirit does?

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He says, you go and wait, right?

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Axe.

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Go and wait.

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And you will receive power from on high to be what?

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To be my witnesses.

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That word literally means martyr.

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That you're willing to die, right?

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As a witness to Jesus.

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And the only way you can do that is by the power of the Holy Spirit.

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And so we see the flip side of that coin.

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Well, it's not really the flip side.

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It's just the dark side of the spiritual world here in this passage that we're going to look at.

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And so read with me.

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We're going to just go, I'm just going to read all 12 verses.

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And it says, and he was casting out a demon.

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And it was mute.

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So it was when the demon had gone out that the mute spoke and the multitudes marveled.

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But some of them said he cast out demons by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.

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others testing him sought from him a sign from heaven but he knowing their thoughts said to them

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every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation and a house divided against a house falls

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if satan also is divided against himself how would his kingdom stand because you say i cast out demons by beelzebub

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and if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore, they will be your judges.

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But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.

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When a strong man fully armed guards his own palace, his goods are in place. But when a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he tries.

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trusted and divides his spoils. He who is not with me is against me and he who does not gather with me

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scatters. When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places seeking rest. And finding

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none, he says, I will return to my house from which I came. And when he comes, he finds it swept

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and put in order. When he goes and then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than

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himself and they enter and dwell there and the last state of that man is worse than the first.

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Shall we pray?

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Lord, thank you.

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Thank you for a powerful word here.

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Lord, that this demonic thing is just, it seems to be on the rise.

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It seems to be more manifest, Lord, in nations and in societies.

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And even in cultures, Lord, that seems.

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to love death. And so, Lord, I just pray that as we look at this, that we can discern that you

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would give us wisdom as your people. Lord, that just as Paul was convinced that you had called

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him to bring people from the power of Satan to the power of God, Lord. And so, Lord, I just pray that

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as your people, we would be that salt and light, that we would have that anointing of your

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Holy Spirit being able to be witnesses in this world of darkness, Lord. And we know that it's around us,

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Lord, so I pray that we would, Lord, just be aware and keep our head on a swivel, spiritually speaking,

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and be ready for whatever comes our way. And Lord, that you would teach us, Lord, teach us to trust you

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and realize that you're the power and to you be the glory forever and ever. Amen. All right.

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So he starts off, he's casting out a demon.

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And this particular incident seems to be a major shift in Jesus' ministry.

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From here on, he only talks to the public in the big masses in parables.

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And he's casting out a demon, and the people marveled.

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They marveled.

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And well, we'd seen him.

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He'd cast him out.

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Remember the first demon he cast out?

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It was in church.

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Yeah, demons aren't afraid to come to church.

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Just saying.

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In fact, the only time that I know I actually saw a manifestation of a demon-possessed person was in church.

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It's the only time.

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And the dude, I mean, he had this wild countenance on his face, but when he jumped up and he started quoting scripture,

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and he was doing it to the guy that was teaching the Sunday school class,

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and they had they ushered him out and it was just it made the hair on the back of your neck just stand on in

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because that's just it so many of the demons they know the Bible better than Christians you know

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or so-called Christians so and the people were they marveled and there's a reason for that and I'll get to that in a second

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now in the book of Luke the term demons or demon occurs

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16 times, and evil spirits occur eight times.

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And so it happened often, and my wife was talking to the other.

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She goes, man, there was just, Jesus dealt with a lot of demons.

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And yeah.

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And that's something I don't like.

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When I was on staff over at Water Springs, I would get these calls.

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And these people said, hey, they need somebody come and pray.

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pray for their family. Doors are opening and closing by themselves, and they're seeing figures in

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their house. And I'm going, uh, send somebody else. I don't want to go. So I'd usually try to call a

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brother and go. And we never had any face-to-face things, but it's just like, no, that's just not a

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ministry I'm, you know, totally giddy about, but I know that that's part of it, right? That's part of the

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Christian life is you're going to, is to be aware of that and to combat that and to pray against

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that. You know, Paul tells us, listen, your wrestlings are not against flesh and blood. Right,

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it's against powers. It's against principalities. It's in, in heavenly places. And so it's, it's, we see it

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quite a bit in scripture here.

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Jesus always has authority over Satan and the demonic.

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They're not equally, they're not equal to Jesus.

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And that was it the last part of my notes,

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and I don't know why I'm going there now, but I'm going there now.

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Right.

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They're not equal to Jesus.

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They're not as equally evil as Jesus is righteous.

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Right?

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The spiritual darkness for Satan in his hordes, they're finite.

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right? They're finite.

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Jesus is infinite. He's the self-existent one that created all things.

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We looked at that last week, right?

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Or was that? No, that was Wednesday night. Sorry.

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That was last week.

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But he created all things.

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By him, all things were made. There was nothing made that wasn't made by him.

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And including the demonic.

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And people that don't know God's word think,

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why would God make Satan in demons?

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Well, they weren't that way to start with, right?

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Pride entered in.

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You can read about Satan, read Isaiah 11 and Ezekiel 28,

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and it'll give you a great picture, or maybe it's 14.

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But he said, I will.

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I will, I will rise above God.

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That was Satan's ploy.

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Isn't that what he tried getting Jesus to do?

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Hey dude, fall down and worship me, and I'll give you all these kingdoms.

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So, Jesus has always had authority, right?

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He's not, you know, he's not intimidated by, it's not like Satan's his arch rival,

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though he would think he would be.

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But Jesus could destroy Satan with a word.

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Do you understand that?

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With a word.

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And so, and you remember the one demon-possessed guy that at Gaderra, he identified him.

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They identified Jesus.

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They said, Jesus, the son of the most high God, they know who he is.

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Do you?

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The demons know who Jesus is.

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A lot of people don't that say they do.

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So, anyway, this guy was mute.

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And in Matthew's version of what many believe is the, you know, parallels this, the guy was blind as well.

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He was mute and blind.

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And so the multitudes marveled.

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The Pharisees, on the other hand, verse 15 there,

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says, but some of them said he cast out demons by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.

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So the Pharisees, see, because this doesn't say Pharisees, but the Matthew account says

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it's the Pharisees that get all fuzzed up.

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And that's who got mad when he delivered the guy in church, right?

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And said the same thing, Beelzebub.

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It was actually another name for Baal or Baal.

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And then it meant Lord of the Flies.

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That's what Beelzebub meant.

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And some say that it also meant the prince of the demons.

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But that's what Satan means as well as Prince of Demons.

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And so they were jealous.

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I'm convinced they were jealous.

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of Jesus and what he was doing.

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And because he was making a scene this Jesus.

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And we've been seeing that through the book of Luke.

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I like what the scripture says about jealousy.

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A few verses here I wanted to share with you.

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A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh,

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but envy, jealousy, makes the bones rot.

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you got a jealousy problem

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it's it's terrible

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it's consuming when you

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when you get

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jealous

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for James 316 says

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for where jealousy and selfish ambition

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exist

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there will be

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disorder in every vile

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practice

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I just saw a little blurb

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last night, it reminded me of this. It was one of those cold case files, and they were trying to

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find the murder of this 86-year-old woman. She was stabbed over 90 times. The guy that did

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it was a church going. The community loved him. He was just a, just had this persona of just

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faithful husband, faithful father, you know, involved in his church. And he'd borrowed some money from

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lady had a gambling problem and it was like $65,000 and she kept track of every penny so her records were

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were perfect anyway they found him I just thought every vile practice that's vile and to cover it up

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he who covers his sin will not prosper the scripture tells us right if you got one of those

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Just get it out there, man.

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Confess it.

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Get rid of it.

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It'll eat you.

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Promise you.

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Proverbs 27-4,

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anger is cruel and wrath is like a flood,

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but jealousy is even more dangerous.

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This is the ESV, I think.

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It's terrible.

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And we see that it took these guys, right?

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These Pharisees,

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they immediately had murder in their heart.

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We've got to destroy this guy, right?

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We've got to get rid of him.

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And so that's why they had to shift it.

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They said, no, the power is coming from Satan.

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This guy don't have no power.

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And it's absolutely ridiculous.

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Verse 16, it says,

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others testing him sought from him a sign from heaven.

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Didn't he just give you a sign?

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He just gave you a sign.

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And you won't listen.

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You know, they tell us, in John, they asked Jesus, say,

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hey, tell us if you're the son or God or not.

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And Jesus says, I told you.

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You won't listen.

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You're stupid on purpose.

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Well, give us a sign from heaven.

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And he did.

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He had already given that to him.

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And they would not.

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They refused.

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Now, the reason everyone was marveling is that the person is mute.

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And there was a belief among the priest that,

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if a person with a demon was mute, they couldn't cast it out because in their procedure

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process, you see this Catholic exorcist as well. They have a procedure that they go through

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to cast things out. And for the priest, if a person with the demon was mute, they couldn't

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cast it out because part of the priestly procedure was to ask the demon its name. And you remember

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Jesus asked the one guy the one demon its name there are legion we are many and um and so that really made

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the the religious people look bad because Jesus right gets him gets him out the guy starts to talk

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another sign right powerful sign and so and so if the demon didn't speak these poor

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priests and Pharisees were to standstill, they couldn't cast it out. So they're intimidated by

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this power, not intimidated, but caused driven to jealousy because of this power that Jesus has.

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And it was the casting out of a certain kind of demon here, one that they was over their head.

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And you remember Jesus said, well, the disciples, when they couldn't cast it out of the boy, what's up with that?

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They'd have the authority to do it.

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He said, this type only comes out with fasting and prayer.

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And so I don't think there's a set thing, right?

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If we're faced with the demonic, I think you need to, you know, you better have done your homework and be ready for the Lord to, you know,

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give you wisdom when it comes to this.

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And don't lay hands on anyone suddenly.

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You know, I think some people, they honestly think of that,

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oh, I'm a demon hunter.

240
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I'm going to go hunt demons.

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Rots a ruck.

242
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But Jesus, he,

243
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by doing this, he, he, his,

244
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proved to them his messiahship right he's the messiah he's the one they've been looking for

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the one no doubt that they read about when they were in during the the the reading of the of the

246
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prophets and the law and the psalms that jesus is all over it and they're reading about him and here

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he is and they miss it and so verse 17 it says

248
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But he, knowing their thoughts, that one always gets me.

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He had any evil thoughts this week.

250
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Seriously.

251
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You have any evil thoughts this week?

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God knows them all.

253
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I mean, that's shocking.

254
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Oh, he knows that about me?

255
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Yeah, he knows.

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Reminds me of my grandson when he was 16 and he found out that he had nursed.

257
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So the girls were talking about it, his mom and my other daughter and my wife, and they were talking about it.

258
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And he walks and he goes, I didn't do that, did I?

259
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Yes, you did.

260
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I did?

261
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Just grandpa no?

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Oh my gosh.

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Oh my gosh.

264
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He knows our thoughts.

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He knows everything.

266
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He knows whether we nursed or not.

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I mean.

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And so he says to them, he knows their thoughts.

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He knows what they're conniving, and they're, you know, they're trying to divert from the God of heaven.

270
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Could you imagine being guilty of that?

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Diverting somebody away from the Lord.

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And I know I've been guilty of that.

273
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And I shudder to think of what the consequences might be, but praise God for his mercy.

274
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But He knowing their thoughts said to them, every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation.

275
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And a house divided against a house falls.

276
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If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand?

277
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Because you say I cast out demons by Beelzebub.

278
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And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub,

279
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by whom do your sons cast them out?

280
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Therefore, they will be your judges.

281
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And so Jesus is really pointing out to them how absurd,

282
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how illogical this is.

283
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And if he was an agent for sin,

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Satan and work against Satan, that would be civil war in Satan's kingdom.

285
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Notice, Satan has a kingdom, right?

286
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Satan has a kingdom, and he would love to have you in his kingdom.

287
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I would suspect in a group this big, some of you are in his kingdom.

288
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I would encourage you to come out of that kingdom into the kingdom of light, the Lord

289
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Jesus. And the point was that Satan would not work against himself and his accusers had to answer

290
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how Satan benefited from the work Jesus had done. Satan didn't benefit from that. That guy was

291
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set free. He went from death to life. That's just the way the gospel works, right? It's to bring you from

292
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death to life. The whole prodigal son story, right? My son, my son.

293
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son who was dead, now he's alive.

294
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But verse 18 there says,

295
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and if Satan also is divided against himself,

296
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how will his kingdom stand?

297
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Because you say, I cast out demons by Beelzebo.

298
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This would be like a quarterback,

299
00:23:16,580 --> 00:23:18,420
handing the ball off to the running back,

300
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and then tackling him before he got to the line of scrimmage.

301
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For you football fan.

302
00:23:27,100 --> 00:23:31,120
I don't know, man, did you see the shalacking that the 49ers took last night?

303
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Oh my gosh, they got destroyed.

304
00:23:37,180 --> 00:23:38,720
But how ridiculous is that?

305
00:23:38,880 --> 00:23:39,860
It's so ridiculous.

306
00:23:42,400 --> 00:23:45,340
Oh, yeah, he's casting out demons by Beelzebub.

307
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Or a contractor pouring a foundation, right?

308
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and the next morning after it sets up, put 10 sticks of dynamite under it and pops it off.

309
00:24:02,379 --> 00:24:05,600
It's just self-defeating. You wouldn't do that.

310
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And Jesus is pointing out there's stupidity here.

311
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He continues with the ridiculousness in verse 8, and he says,

312
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and they're going to judge you. He says, if I cast him out by Beelzebub, who do your sons cast him out?

313
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if the Pharisees condemn Jesus for using Beelzebub, then their own people who do the same

314
00:24:33,440 --> 00:24:37,080
stand as witness or judges against the Pharisees flawed reasoning.

315
00:24:37,190 --> 00:24:38,260
And it's just so true.

316
00:24:42,320 --> 00:24:46,640
Wouldn't it be easier to just say, wow, that was cool?

317
00:24:48,500 --> 00:24:48,660
Right?

318
00:24:49,300 --> 00:24:51,260
And not try to attribute it to evil?

319
00:24:51,960 --> 00:24:52,920
Because we're going to see.

320
00:24:53,220 --> 00:24:59,640
Listen, attributing that which is evil to the Holy Spirit, or here he says the finger of God,

321
00:25:00,780 --> 00:25:02,040
that's blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.

322
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Wild stuff.

323
00:25:15,679 --> 00:25:22,700
But, verse 20, but if I cast out demons with the finger of God,

324
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surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.

325
00:25:26,400 --> 00:25:26,740
Rett row.

326
00:25:31,120 --> 00:25:32,160
Yeah, what are you going to do with that?

327
00:25:33,400 --> 00:25:34,940
The kingdom of God has come upon you.

328
00:25:38,100 --> 00:25:39,360
You got some answering to do.

329
00:25:40,900 --> 00:25:43,960
Right? Jesus said, hey, if you don't believe me, believe the works that I do.

330
00:25:44,860 --> 00:25:46,160
See what I do. See what I did.

331
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See what he did. He brought life. Everywhere he went, he brought life.

332
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And the religious rulers would try to destroy it with a blanket of death.

333
00:26:02,260 --> 00:26:05,180
The kingdom is upon you.

334
00:26:05,660 --> 00:26:09,780
Therefore, you don't got no excuse.

335
00:26:11,480 --> 00:26:13,660
You know, the Bible tells us that we're all without excuse.

336
00:26:15,080 --> 00:26:20,880
We're all without excuse, not because we've seen magnificent things, you know, in the spiritual realm,

337
00:26:20,960 --> 00:26:21,900
but just walk outside.

338
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That's why the Bible says you're without excuse,

339
00:26:24,860 --> 00:26:25,980
but the things that are made.

340
00:26:29,220 --> 00:26:31,240
It's fascinating every morning.

341
00:26:33,640 --> 00:26:34,340
I walk out.

342
00:26:35,880 --> 00:26:38,140
My wife's got some cool-looking chickens.

343
00:26:39,300 --> 00:26:41,940
And I told you they can poop a lot.

344
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That's the reality of it all.

345
00:26:45,280 --> 00:26:47,840
But it's fascinating how they're created

346
00:26:48,100 --> 00:26:50,860
and all their little design.

347
00:26:50,900 --> 00:26:55,120
and how it all works and that hard egg can come out of their hind in.

348
00:26:55,280 --> 00:26:58,240
I mean, it's miraculous.

349
00:26:59,260 --> 00:27:00,740
Right, it is. It is miraculous.

350
00:27:01,900 --> 00:27:07,760
The sheep and the goats and the horses and everything is just creation speaks.

351
00:27:09,040 --> 00:27:10,960
Right, God's creation speaks to us.

352
00:27:14,640 --> 00:27:15,660
And we need to pay attention.

353
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Unless we stand before him and...

354
00:27:22,579 --> 00:27:23,700
no excuses.

355
00:27:26,600 --> 00:27:31,440
So, surely the kingdom of God is covered on you.

356
00:27:31,440 --> 00:27:35,760
And then he goes into kind of explaining this whole situation here.

357
00:27:36,260 --> 00:27:43,260
In verse 21, he says, when a strong man fully armed guards his own palace, his goods are in peace.

358
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Most Bible commentators say the strong man here is speaking.

359
00:27:49,400 --> 00:27:56,280
of Satan. And we know back in verses 17 and 18, it does suggest that Satan has this kingdom.

360
00:28:02,200 --> 00:28:10,640
And Satan likes his kingdom. And he wants to get as many into his kingdom as possible, because if they're in

361
00:28:10,720 --> 00:28:17,700
his kingdom, then they're not in God's kingdom. And he hates you, and he hates me. He hates the

362
00:28:18,000 --> 00:28:19,180
image bearers of God.

363
00:28:19,480 --> 00:28:20,160
He hates.

364
00:28:24,240 --> 00:28:26,200
With a purple passion he hates.

365
00:28:29,420 --> 00:28:31,680
And notice, his goods are in peace.

366
00:28:32,240 --> 00:28:34,020
In other words, Satan's got you by the throat.

367
00:28:34,980 --> 00:28:37,380
Or he's got a ring in your nose, dragging you around.

368
00:28:37,520 --> 00:28:40,700
Maybe it's an addiction or he's just got you.

369
00:28:42,060 --> 00:28:42,980
He's cool with that.

370
00:28:44,680 --> 00:28:48,660
I think he's got a lot of people that would like to be bold for Jesus,

371
00:28:48,900 --> 00:28:51,020
but he just keeps him quiet.

372
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If he can keep him quiet,

373
00:28:52,180 --> 00:28:53,300
he's not going to even mess with him.

374
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They're at peace.

375
00:28:54,720 --> 00:28:56,000
He'll just leave him there.

376
00:28:59,280 --> 00:29:01,260
And it started, clear back in Genesis, right?

377
00:29:01,900 --> 00:29:04,520
God, God did not say.

378
00:29:06,500 --> 00:29:08,080
Hath God said, right?

379
00:29:08,120 --> 00:29:10,120
He calls a God a liar right off the bat.

380
00:29:11,440 --> 00:29:12,560
And people aren't privy to that.

381
00:29:12,720 --> 00:29:13,820
They just believe what they hear.

382
00:29:15,800 --> 00:29:16,840
They did put it to the test?

383
00:29:17,800 --> 00:29:18,560
How many people you know that?

384
00:29:18,780 --> 00:29:30,940
especially it was on the internet it's got to be true no here's true here's true right here's

385
00:29:30,940 --> 00:29:38,520
true right sift everything through the truth everything through the truth right conversations places

386
00:29:38,520 --> 00:29:45,680
you go things you see things you hear sift it all through the truth that's the only way you're

387
00:29:45,640 --> 00:29:51,460
going to get out of this thing alive. Because if it was possible in the last days, which I believe

388
00:29:51,560 --> 00:30:01,280
we're in, by the way, for possible even the very elect would be deceived. Watching this world right

389
00:30:01,340 --> 00:30:14,860
now, you guys, it's crazy, right? The whole Gaza thing, Trump put together a council

390
00:30:16,320 --> 00:30:18,300
on how to govern Gaza.

391
00:30:19,160 --> 00:30:22,060
And he invited Turkey, and I believe Syria, I'm not sure.

392
00:30:23,880 --> 00:30:25,540
And Israel didn't know that.

393
00:30:27,580 --> 00:30:30,100
But he told Israel, this is our deal, not your deal.

394
00:30:31,980 --> 00:30:32,780
That's a scary thing.

395
00:30:35,220 --> 00:30:40,000
No, they should have a big say, and who's involved in that thing.

396
00:30:40,780 --> 00:30:43,320
Not only that, but Iran, we're watching that deal,

397
00:30:43,440 --> 00:30:46,260
because we know that it's in the last days, right?

398
00:30:48,679 --> 00:30:55,640
And some of the estimates are between 20 and 30,000 people they've killed in Iran the last week.

399
00:30:57,740 --> 00:30:59,500
Most of them under 30 years old.

400
00:31:02,820 --> 00:31:04,040
Where's the protest for them?

401
00:31:05,960 --> 00:31:06,140
Right?

402
00:31:07,880 --> 00:31:11,920
People aren't afraid to smack an ice dude in the face, you know, officer in the face,

403
00:31:11,980 --> 00:31:15,420
but they just ignore that.

404
00:31:17,900 --> 00:31:19,040
I digress. I'm sorry.

405
00:31:21,080 --> 00:31:21,800
But it's getting wild.

406
00:31:22,000 --> 00:31:25,260
Satan's kingdom seems to be on the rampage.

407
00:31:30,900 --> 00:31:33,560
So he started his, you know, he started clear back in Genesis,

408
00:31:34,220 --> 00:31:35,300
got them tripped up.

409
00:31:35,460 --> 00:31:36,440
Now here we are.

410
00:31:40,480 --> 00:31:40,920
So,

411
00:31:42,180 --> 00:31:46,220
then in Job, the first few chapters of Job, he's going to and fro.

412
00:31:47,100 --> 00:31:50,160
God asks him, hey, Louis, where are you been?

413
00:31:52,840 --> 00:31:55,020
You know, God's not intimidated by Satan.

414
00:31:56,460 --> 00:31:57,000
Where are you been?

415
00:31:57,060 --> 00:31:58,840
Oh, I'm just going to and fro in the earth.

416
00:31:59,220 --> 00:31:59,920
What does that mean?

417
00:32:00,780 --> 00:32:05,040
That means he's going to and fro in the earth to see what kind of stealing, killing,

418
00:32:05,200 --> 00:32:06,420
and destroying he can do.

419
00:32:08,120 --> 00:32:08,580
To and fro.

420
00:32:08,920 --> 00:32:10,600
Oh, hey, have you considered?

421
00:32:11,000 --> 00:32:12,000
My servant Job.

422
00:32:13,480 --> 00:32:14,620
You know, I bet Job's up and the going.

423
00:32:25,100 --> 00:32:26,160
Oh, Lord, please.

424
00:32:29,300 --> 00:32:32,240
I'm struggling enough with the world and the flesh, let alone the devil.

425
00:32:32,440 --> 00:32:33,860
I mean, that's just a slam dunk.

426
00:32:38,600 --> 00:32:39,580
Because he asks for us.

427
00:32:41,760 --> 00:32:42,440
he asked for us

428
00:32:42,880 --> 00:32:44,720
you remember what he said to the lord about joe right

429
00:32:46,160 --> 00:32:46,860
you won't let me

430
00:32:48,020 --> 00:32:49,520
you know won't let me at that guy

431
00:32:50,200 --> 00:32:51,380
you put a hedge around him

432
00:32:53,340 --> 00:32:54,000
the Lord goes okay

433
00:32:55,280 --> 00:32:56,800
take that hedge down you can't kill him though

434
00:33:05,260 --> 00:33:06,600
he asked for Simon

435
00:33:06,740 --> 00:33:07,640
you remember Jesus said

436
00:33:08,340 --> 00:33:09,600
the Lord said to him

437
00:33:09,620 --> 00:33:14,640
Luke 2231, Simon, Simon, indeed, Satan has asked for you that he may sift you as wheat.

438
00:33:17,180 --> 00:33:17,860
He asked for you.

439
00:33:22,580 --> 00:33:25,120
And if the Lord pulls down that head, what are we going to do?

440
00:33:39,859 --> 00:33:48,260
So he's got a kingdom and it's powerful, but the truth keeps you free from it.

441
00:33:49,060 --> 00:33:52,180
That's why it's important to know the truth, right?

442
00:33:52,380 --> 00:33:54,900
First John 519, we know that we.

443
00:33:55,560 --> 00:34:00,820
are of God and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.

444
00:34:02,860 --> 00:34:07,920
The whole world. You talk to people, right? And you, you mention, you mentioned Jesus or you

445
00:34:08,200 --> 00:34:13,179
mention the Holy Spirit or you mention scripture and they look at you like, what are you

446
00:34:14,169 --> 00:34:21,200
talking about? I don't know what you're talking about. There's a blindness. People should be

447
00:34:21,159 --> 00:34:24,379
able to see what's going on and they don't.

448
00:34:32,320 --> 00:34:34,600
2 Corinthians 4, 3 and 4 he says,

449
00:34:34,679 --> 00:34:38,300
But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing,

450
00:34:38,919 --> 00:34:41,760
whose minds the God of this age has blinded,

451
00:34:42,220 --> 00:34:46,060
who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ,

452
00:34:46,440 --> 00:34:49,040
who is the image of God, should shine on them.

453
00:34:51,340 --> 00:34:52,060
And that's where we come in.

454
00:34:55,000 --> 00:34:55,100
Right?

455
00:34:55,220 --> 00:34:57,360
Just like the Apostle Paul, his conversion,

456
00:34:58,340 --> 00:35:01,980
his conversion was to bring the people

457
00:35:02,800 --> 00:35:04,840
from the power of Satan to the power of God.

458
00:35:07,500 --> 00:35:09,880
To expose that and reveal that

459
00:35:09,880 --> 00:35:11,860
and reveal the need of mankind,

460
00:35:13,300 --> 00:35:14,580
that they need salvation.

461
00:35:16,200 --> 00:35:17,300
Because most of us know that.

462
00:35:18,440 --> 00:35:23,600
I mean, if you're going to just be honest, if you're going to be really honest in your own heart, you think, yeah, I need something.

463
00:35:25,980 --> 00:35:26,760
Yeah, I know.

464
00:35:27,020 --> 00:35:28,920
I know. It was like that Philippian jailer, right?

465
00:35:29,320 --> 00:35:30,220
He was going to kill himself.

466
00:35:31,520 --> 00:35:32,160
He didn't know.

467
00:35:33,120 --> 00:35:35,100
And then he says, what do I got to do to be saved?

468
00:35:35,740 --> 00:35:37,500
Believe on Lord Jesus Christ, you will be saved.

469
00:35:39,020 --> 00:35:39,540
Pretty simple.

470
00:35:45,180 --> 00:35:48,380
As long as the enemy can keep you doing what is.

471
00:35:48,400 --> 00:36:00,240
is sinful. His goods are at peace. His goods are at peace. He's got you. Turn. Right? And that what John

472
00:36:00,240 --> 00:36:05,340
the Baptist came saying? That's what Jesus came saying. That's what the apostles came saying.

473
00:36:05,960 --> 00:36:11,080
Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Make sure you stay right with God.

474
00:36:12,140 --> 00:36:17,740
I don't know about you, but I can get off course really easy, really fast. And it's scary how fast it can

475
00:36:17,680 --> 00:36:17,940
happen.

476
00:36:24,620 --> 00:36:27,520
Until, verse 22, until

477
00:36:31,980 --> 00:36:33,520
a stronger one comes.

478
00:36:33,960 --> 00:36:36,940
But when a stronger than he comes upon him

479
00:36:37,260 --> 00:36:40,760
and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor.

480
00:36:42,100 --> 00:36:42,600
That's Jesus.

481
00:36:44,440 --> 00:36:44,960
He comes.

482
00:36:46,940 --> 00:36:47,620
Like I say, he's.

483
00:36:48,600 --> 00:36:50,520
he's not equal to Satan.

484
00:36:51,100 --> 00:36:53,180
He's superior, right?

485
00:36:53,720 --> 00:36:56,540
He speaks a word that Satan and his minions must obey.

486
00:37:00,800 --> 00:37:01,580
1 John 3.8.

487
00:37:01,580 --> 00:37:04,780
It says, the one who does what is sinful is of the devil.

488
00:37:05,920 --> 00:37:08,140
Because the devil has been sinning from the beginning.

489
00:37:08,320 --> 00:37:15,280
The reason the Son of God appear was to destroy the devil's work.

490
00:37:16,740 --> 00:37:17,220
That's why he came.

491
00:37:18,180 --> 00:37:25,500
right we we looked at it in hebrews on wednesday where it says in verse 14 of chapter two of the book of

492
00:37:25,760 --> 00:37:31,160
hebrews it says in as much as the children have partaken of the flesh and blood he himself jesus

493
00:37:31,420 --> 00:37:37,300
likewise shared in the same that through death he might destroy him who had the power of death

494
00:37:37,560 --> 00:37:43,619
that is the devil and part of that is the fear of death what it goes on to say in the next verse

495
00:37:44,100 --> 00:37:46,880
If he can keep you afraid, what are you afraid of?

496
00:37:48,580 --> 00:37:51,260
Ask yourself that question and be honest with yourself.

497
00:37:51,560 --> 00:37:52,360
What are you afraid of?

498
00:37:55,760 --> 00:37:56,800
I'm afraid of falling.

499
00:37:58,400 --> 00:38:08,040
I'm afraid of bringing or giving the enemies of the Lord opportunity to blaspheme because of my sinfulness.

500
00:38:08,240 --> 00:38:10,820
That's what scares me, which is a pretty good fear.

501
00:38:12,360 --> 00:38:16,300
because I've prayed and I've got to deal with the Lord that if I ever start to cross that line,

502
00:38:16,560 --> 00:38:17,660
he's going to kill me.

503
00:38:18,480 --> 00:38:18,620
Right?

504
00:38:18,900 --> 00:38:23,960
He's going to cut my head off, push me out in front of a car, get kicked by a mule.

505
00:38:28,100 --> 00:38:29,740
Because I don't want that.

506
00:38:31,000 --> 00:38:31,780
I'm afraid of that.

507
00:38:34,860 --> 00:38:39,200
But when it comes to this stuff out here, there's nothing to fear.

508
00:38:40,420 --> 00:38:47,320
If you've received Christ, right, he's abundant life.

509
00:38:48,200 --> 00:38:49,420
In him there is no death.

510
00:38:52,480 --> 00:38:54,720
And all things are under his feet.

511
00:39:01,360 --> 00:39:09,200
So the two strong men here, right, the one is so much superior to the other one.

512
00:39:09,380 --> 00:39:11,400
Jesus is self-existent, eternal.

513
00:39:12,360 --> 00:39:13,520
Satan is finite.

514
00:39:14,780 --> 00:39:15,520
He has an end.

515
00:39:16,760 --> 00:39:18,740
Jesus is by far the strongest.

516
00:39:19,360 --> 00:39:20,680
And I love that word.

517
00:39:22,020 --> 00:39:27,940
The word stronger there in the Greek, it's, it's, I'm going to try to pronounce it, okay.

518
00:39:29,780 --> 00:39:31,980
It's kurs, it's kuros, is kuros.

519
00:39:32,760 --> 00:39:39,340
And what it's, it's God's power standing by, ready to unlearned.

520
00:39:39,360 --> 00:39:43,000
itself to bring about his perfect will through faith.

521
00:39:43,850 --> 00:39:44,460
I love that.

522
00:39:45,040 --> 00:39:45,180
Right?

523
00:39:46,160 --> 00:39:46,840
Let me say that again.

524
00:39:47,020 --> 00:39:54,460
It's God's power standing by, ready to unleash itself to bring about his preferred will through faith.

525
00:39:56,240 --> 00:39:57,000
Jesus is stronger.

526
00:39:57,200 --> 00:39:57,880
You got faith in him?

527
00:39:59,460 --> 00:39:59,600
Right?

528
00:40:00,620 --> 00:40:05,760
Now, I don't about you, but every day, I need more faith today than I did yesterday.

529
00:40:06,900 --> 00:40:08,200
I don't know why that is.

530
00:40:09,240 --> 00:40:10,900
But I just, Lord, I need more, please.

531
00:40:12,000 --> 00:40:13,420
And the Bible says that faith is a gift.

532
00:40:13,700 --> 00:40:16,400
So get to asking, right?

533
00:40:17,260 --> 00:40:18,720
Lord, just come on, add a little bit more.

534
00:40:19,780 --> 00:40:24,660
You know, because faith in Jesus, you can't be full of fear and faith at the same time, right?

535
00:40:25,180 --> 00:40:26,120
They can't coexist.

536
00:40:34,700 --> 00:40:38,000
It goes on with the definition of this word.

537
00:40:38,180 --> 00:40:43,060
it says, this engaging strength is always and immediately available from the Lord,

538
00:40:43,780 --> 00:40:45,320
which accomplishes his assignments.

539
00:40:46,840 --> 00:40:49,020
God's got an assignment for you, right?

540
00:40:49,260 --> 00:40:50,200
Everybody's got assignments.

541
00:40:50,640 --> 00:40:51,340
Satan's got assignments.

542
00:40:51,560 --> 00:40:52,380
Demons have assignments.

543
00:40:52,960 --> 00:40:54,040
Angels have assignments.

544
00:40:54,240 --> 00:40:56,820
We get one assigned to us, right?

545
00:40:56,960 --> 00:40:58,240
Guardian angels, you've heard of it.

546
00:40:58,740 --> 00:41:00,200
The Bible teaches that, right?

547
00:41:01,000 --> 00:41:02,000
What's your assignment?

548
00:41:03,740 --> 00:41:04,620
What's he called you to do?

549
00:41:06,380 --> 00:41:08,040
Right, you can be a witness right, where you're working.

550
00:41:09,160 --> 00:41:11,920
whether you're digging ditch or you're a lawyer.

551
00:41:12,280 --> 00:41:12,800
Well, maybe.

552
00:41:16,440 --> 00:41:17,000
Just kidding.

553
00:41:22,700 --> 00:41:24,200
Your assignment is to glorify him.

554
00:41:25,000 --> 00:41:25,600
Wherever you're at.

555
00:41:27,000 --> 00:41:29,460
Unlike the woman that said the anointing never comes on her at work.

556
00:41:29,560 --> 00:41:31,020
No, I want the anointing on me at work.

557
00:41:31,960 --> 00:41:33,440
I need it on me all the time.

558
00:41:34,480 --> 00:41:36,160
Because otherwise I don't watch what I say.

559
00:41:40,400 --> 00:41:44,220
Now, then he goes on and he says, in verse 23, he says,

560
00:41:44,640 --> 00:41:52,620
He who, he who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me, scatters.

561
00:41:54,380 --> 00:41:57,320
Jesus is saying here, there is no such thing as neutrality.

562
00:41:57,860 --> 00:41:59,040
You can't be neutral.

563
00:41:59,880 --> 00:42:01,100
So many people think they can.

564
00:42:01,400 --> 00:42:02,600
Oh, yeah, I've heard about Jesus.

565
00:42:03,680 --> 00:42:06,080
Yeah, he sounds kind of cool, but, yeah, I don't.

566
00:42:07,280 --> 00:42:09,820
I've been looking into the Buddhist thing or, you know,

567
00:42:10,880 --> 00:42:15,580
Baha'ism or Islam or, I'm just kind of check.

568
00:42:16,300 --> 00:42:17,120
Okay, you're against him.

569
00:42:18,780 --> 00:42:19,440
You're against him.

570
00:42:21,520 --> 00:42:23,480
To not be for him is to be against him.

571
00:42:30,180 --> 00:42:31,300
One commentator said,

572
00:42:31,360 --> 00:42:33,380
in the conflict against the powers of darkness,

573
00:42:33,780 --> 00:42:35,720
there is no room for neutrality.

574
00:42:40,760 --> 00:42:44,660
And this sense to be undecided is to be decided.

575
00:42:45,380 --> 00:42:46,700
There is no neutral ground.

576
00:42:46,880 --> 00:42:49,340
We are either with Jesus or against him.

577
00:42:51,000 --> 00:42:53,680
There is no luxury of guarded neutrality.

578
00:42:54,140 --> 00:42:55,260
And people try to claim that.

579
00:42:56,780 --> 00:42:57,560
And they're against the Lord.

580
00:42:58,880 --> 00:43:00,040
Notice what he says here, though.

581
00:43:00,100 --> 00:43:04,160
I like what he says because it kind of has a cowboy connotation to it

582
00:43:04,820 --> 00:43:05,640
where he says.

583
00:43:06,120 --> 00:43:06,600
that

584
00:43:09,020 --> 00:43:09,500
who

585
00:43:10,480 --> 00:43:11,780
he who is not with me

586
00:43:11,900 --> 00:43:13,660
is against me and he who

587
00:43:13,780 --> 00:43:14,960
does not gather

588
00:43:16,040 --> 00:43:16,520
gather

589
00:43:18,120 --> 00:43:18,920
that's what we're

590
00:43:19,940 --> 00:43:21,300
we're supposed to be spiritual cowboys

591
00:43:22,400 --> 00:43:23,160
gathering them up

592
00:43:23,820 --> 00:43:25,260
and not what he's told his disciples go out

593
00:43:25,520 --> 00:43:27,360
you you compel them to come in

594
00:43:28,720 --> 00:43:29,580
compel them come on

595
00:43:29,680 --> 00:43:31,220
come on in gather them

596
00:43:32,200 --> 00:43:33,420
and one thing about cowboys

597
00:43:33,560 --> 00:43:35,620
when they're working for the boss

598
00:43:35,640 --> 00:43:41,760
You listen to the boss, and you go and you take everything to where the boss is leading you.

599
00:43:44,680 --> 00:43:50,820
And man, is there a lot of strays out there that's just waiting to hear the truth of the gospel.

600
00:43:52,160 --> 00:43:57,720
And here we are, on a Sunday, in our holy huddle, right, we're huddled up.

601
00:43:58,060 --> 00:43:58,860
Ready, break.

602
00:43:59,760 --> 00:43:59,900
Right?

603
00:44:00,520 --> 00:44:02,080
Go out into the world, gather them up.

604
00:44:03,560 --> 00:44:05,120
Well, I have a hard time talking about Jesus.

605
00:44:05,320 --> 00:44:07,980
invite him to church then, and I'll talk to him about Jesus.

606
00:44:12,440 --> 00:44:17,780
He who gathers with me, if he's not gathering with Jesus, your life, your sinful life is

607
00:44:18,020 --> 00:44:19,340
scattering people all over.

608
00:44:20,100 --> 00:44:20,480
I know.

609
00:44:21,340 --> 00:44:21,840
Mine did.

610
00:44:22,520 --> 00:44:27,620
I remember in high school, some of the guys that I led astray, you know, the whole marijuana

611
00:44:27,940 --> 00:44:28,880
down the marijuana road.

612
00:44:30,200 --> 00:44:34,620
And I'm, I know one guy, he's a judge in Seattle, and he's still smoking dope.

613
00:44:36,040 --> 00:44:41,920
come on dude you're 63 years old what are you doing and you're going to make good judgments

614
00:44:42,700 --> 00:44:51,580
no he's scattering he's scattering because of his life people say well i'm not hurting anybody

615
00:44:51,860 --> 00:44:57,660
yeah you are everybody that knows and loves you and sees your sin you're hurting them everyone

616
00:44:58,760 --> 00:45:04,620
we don't sin unto ourselves just like we don't live unto ourselves our life has an impact

617
00:45:07,080 --> 00:45:09,120
you're either gathering or you're scattering.

618
00:45:12,480 --> 00:45:13,300
And I'm going to tell you,

619
00:45:16,260 --> 00:45:19,020
I don't know why the Lord called me to do what I'm doing,

620
00:45:20,880 --> 00:45:24,320
but the greatest joy of my life is to see people come to know Jesus.

621
00:45:26,620 --> 00:45:29,720
Nothing in my life has ever compared to it.

622
00:45:30,600 --> 00:45:34,300
And I played ball and I did okay in sports and experienced success.

623
00:45:34,560 --> 00:45:36,300
and certain areas of life.

624
00:45:36,440 --> 00:45:39,400
And I'm just like, it all pales in comparison.

625
00:45:41,240 --> 00:45:43,520
To see somebody come to Jesus,

626
00:45:45,040 --> 00:45:46,540
gathering them into the fold.

627
00:45:51,960 --> 00:45:53,720
Well, we're going to wrap it up here

628
00:45:53,820 --> 00:45:54,740
with these last verses,

629
00:45:54,960 --> 00:45:57,860
which are pretty powerful and scary.

630
00:45:58,920 --> 00:46:00,340
This is scary stuff.

631
00:46:01,160 --> 00:46:03,800
It says, when an unclean spirit goes out of a man,

632
00:46:04,880 --> 00:46:07,800
he goes through dry places seeking rest

633
00:46:09,180 --> 00:46:10,420
and finding none he says

634
00:46:10,580 --> 00:46:12,920
I will return to my house from which I came

635
00:46:13,680 --> 00:46:16,960
and when he comes he finds it swept and put in order

636
00:46:18,520 --> 00:46:20,620
that he goes and takes with him

637
00:46:21,020 --> 00:46:23,640
seven other spirits more wicked of than himself

638
00:46:24,120 --> 00:46:25,720
and they enter and dwell there

639
00:46:25,720 --> 00:46:29,360
and the last state of that man is worse than the first

640
00:46:30,160 --> 00:46:32,780
mere Mary Magdalene had seven demons in her

641
00:46:37,720 --> 00:46:41,840
and people that have been reformed they try to self-reform right you go to

642
00:46:42,060 --> 00:46:50,880
a or or you know in a or whatever is it n a you go to those things it's good i think it gets people

643
00:46:50,960 --> 00:46:54,960
on the right path and they can kind of clean their life up a little bit where they're not

644
00:46:55,640 --> 00:47:02,600
you know inebriated and and living in a fog but i'll tell you what if it if it is if their life is

645
00:47:02,620 --> 00:47:06,840
not filled with the spirit of God, it's going to come back seven times greater.

646
00:47:07,780 --> 00:47:08,380
I got a friend.

647
00:47:08,540 --> 00:47:09,920
In fact, I'm going to go see him this week.

648
00:47:10,420 --> 00:47:12,000
And he told me that he was a meth addict.

649
00:47:12,700 --> 00:47:13,800
He cried out to the Lord.

650
00:47:13,880 --> 00:47:15,260
He knew the Lord when we were young.

651
00:47:15,680 --> 00:47:16,760
And he cried out to the Lord.

652
00:47:16,860 --> 00:47:19,580
He said, it was like the Lord delivered me immediately.

653
00:47:21,480 --> 00:47:22,800
He says, but I didn't do nothing with that.

654
00:47:23,240 --> 00:47:24,100
I didn't go to church.

655
00:47:25,800 --> 00:47:26,960
I didn't start reading my Bible.

656
00:47:28,340 --> 00:47:29,820
I wasn't listening to worship music.

657
00:47:29,940 --> 00:47:30,780
I wasn't doing anything.

658
00:47:30,860 --> 00:47:31,480
I wasn't praying.

659
00:47:32,600 --> 00:47:35,400
And he said, in about two years, I said, it was really good for about a year or two.

660
00:47:36,320 --> 00:47:37,700
And he said, I fell right back into it.

661
00:47:38,440 --> 00:47:40,220
And he said, I was almost dead.

662
00:47:42,839 --> 00:47:45,080
But he said, I thought I was going to die.

663
00:47:45,900 --> 00:47:47,560
He said, it had such a hold on me.

664
00:47:51,500 --> 00:47:52,960
Got to fill it with good things, man.

665
00:47:53,760 --> 00:47:55,360
We got to fill our life with good things.

666
00:47:55,940 --> 00:47:56,800
That'd be God's word.

667
00:47:57,819 --> 00:47:58,140
Fellowship.

668
00:47:59,060 --> 00:47:59,200
Right?

669
00:47:59,300 --> 00:48:01,180
Brothers and sisters, it'll keep us accountable.

670
00:48:01,200 --> 00:48:04,540
and sharpness.

671
00:48:07,440 --> 00:48:09,360
You got to pursue Jesus on purpose.

672
00:48:10,040 --> 00:48:10,940
Doesn't just happen.

673
00:48:11,420 --> 00:48:13,480
Don't just go to a Bible study or a church service.

674
00:48:14,440 --> 00:48:15,420
You've got to self-feed.

675
00:48:19,080 --> 00:48:20,040
Because the days are dark.

676
00:48:20,760 --> 00:48:21,600
The time is evil.

677
00:48:22,120 --> 00:48:23,640
And we're called to redeem that time.

678
00:48:27,400 --> 00:48:30,680
Maybe you need to clean your house this morning.

679
00:48:32,120 --> 00:48:33,180
Jesus can do that for you.

680
00:48:34,220 --> 00:48:35,100
He can clean you up.

681
00:48:35,700 --> 00:48:39,580
And then he can fill you with better things.

682
00:48:41,420 --> 00:48:42,800
She's got to ask, right?

683
00:48:43,600 --> 00:48:44,800
Got to ask, got to surrender.

684
00:48:45,360 --> 00:48:46,680
Got to come to the end of yourself.

685
00:48:52,680 --> 00:48:56,000
And the last state of that man is worse than the first.

686
00:48:57,380 --> 00:48:58,580
May that not be us.

687
00:48:59,880 --> 00:49:00,000
Amen?

688
00:49:00,400 --> 00:49:00,680
Let's pray.

689
00:49:02,460 --> 00:49:04,820
Father, thank you for your word.

690
00:49:06,340 --> 00:49:12,660
Lord, it's so full of life as we read it and as we examine it.

691
00:49:12,880 --> 00:49:15,160
Lord, as we write it up on the pages of our heart.

692
00:49:16,280 --> 00:49:23,740
I just pray for anyone who's struggling, Lord, just seems to just be spinning their wheels, Lord.

693
00:49:23,860 --> 00:49:28,740
Spiritually speaking, Lord, would you just bring him to that place of a sheer foundation, Lord,

694
00:49:28,800 --> 00:49:33,340
that they would truly put them, their feet upon the rock, Lord, that they would walk with you

695
00:49:33,960 --> 00:49:41,460
and yield to you. I pray that you would just give us a zeal and, Lord, just a fervor in our hearts

696
00:49:41,460 --> 00:49:48,640
in these days in which we live and the opportunity to be that witness. And so, Lord, fill us up.

697
00:49:48,840 --> 00:49:54,980
We know that, Lord, you're our hope. You're the resurrection and the life, and that we can

698
00:49:55,120 --> 00:49:58,540
simply choose and humble ourselves. And you'll meet us right there.

699
00:49:58,940 --> 00:50:04,240
So I just pray for any today that would need to do that, Lord, that they would just come up and be prayed for by the prayer team.

700
00:50:05,020 --> 00:50:08,000
And Lord, just be encouraged in their walk with you.

701
00:50:08,520 --> 00:50:11,060
Lord, there's nothing we've done that you won't forgive us for.

702
00:50:12,380 --> 00:50:18,920
Your mercy and your grace extends far beyond anything we could ever think or imagine, Lord.

703
00:50:19,100 --> 00:50:21,260
So we worship you because of that.

704
00:50:22,440 --> 00:50:27,800
And pray that you would go with us this week, that we would be your salt and light.

705
00:50:27,980 --> 00:50:30,320
Jesus' name. Amen. Let's all stand, shall we?