Participants: C.A. Murray
Series Code: AOT
Program Code: AOT000044
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00:22 Good morning and happy Sabbath.
00:23 To those of you tuning in wherever you're tuning in from 00:26 welcome to Thompsonville. 00:27 This is Sabbath morning, and we praise the Lord that you've 00:30 taken the time to tune in and to listen to what the Word of God 00:34 has to say to you and what God has given to the preacher 00:37 of the hour. My good friend and pastor 00:39 as well as colleague in ministry Pastor C.A. Murray 00:42 has been our speaker from night to night. 00:44 The overriding theme has been "The Winds of War, " 00:48 and today is a very interesting topic. 00:51 And we're going to let him introduce that to you because 00:53 you know every night he's had this very eclectic title 00:57 to break forth from. However, I must say that 01:01 this afternoon the final topic is - 01:05 at 3:00 PM central time - 01:08 and it's entitled War No More. 01:10 But this morning is When War... How? 01:14 And I know that God has something to say 01:16 to every one of us. So thank you so much for tuning in. 01:18 However, before we go and invite our speaker for the morning 01:22 we always like to invite the presence of the Lord 01:25 through prayer. So let's bow our heads together. 01:27 Our gracious Father in heaven, 01:29 we thank you so much that truly we have been made 01:34 completely aware that there are wars taking place in our hearts 01:39 and in our lives. 01:41 And why not? We're living in a world of great controversy. 01:45 The Spirit warring against the flesh; 01:48 the devil trying to take us back to Egypt 01:51 as we found out last night 01:53 and the Lord preparing us for the Promised Land 01:55 that is just within our view. 01:57 So today, Lord, anoint once again your manservant, 01:59 Pastor C.A. Murray, to open our eyes and help us 02:03 to understand how this war can be won. 02:06 When War... How? 02:08 Bless us now as we listen to what Your Spirit has to say 02:11 to us. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. 02:15 And now our speaker for the hour: Pastor C.A. Murray. 02:27 Good morning and happy Sabbath. 02:31 I am wearing the United States Military Academy at West Point 02:35 full dress or parade dress coat. 02:39 Called the parade dress coat because it's their formal coat. 02:43 This is a coat that the cadets wear to formal occasions. 02:47 They also wear it to the Army/Navy football game. 02:50 I've had this coat for some 30 years, 02:55 and when I got it, it was already 10 years old. 03:00 So the coat is about 40 years old. 03:02 And it's still - as you can see - in pretty good shape. 03:05 There are only a couple of ways that you can get 03:09 United States Military Academy at West Point full dress coats: 03:12 you either have to be a cadet there and go to school 03:16 or you can teach there and get one. 03:20 There are a couple of other honest ways to get one, 03:23 and I got one of those other ways. 03:27 But I have spent many hours on the campus 03:32 at West Point. 03:34 Talked to a number of the cadets. 03:36 We dealt with some classes in ethics. 03:40 And I spent a lot of time talking with them as these 03:44 are the military leaders for our country. 03:47 Wanted to sort of "pick their brains" as to how they think. 03:52 Those who will be flying the planes and dropping the bombs 03:56 and controlling the skies and the airways. 04:00 Wanted to talk with them about that. And then... 04:03 Irma and I used to go to West Point on Sunday evenings. 04:06 They have a very nice orchestra there, 04:08 and on Sunday evenings at West Point they had band concerts. 04:12 Overlooking the Hudson. Very scenic, very nice. 04:14 Thousands of people would go, and a bunch of us would go 04:17 from the church. You'd take your picnic basket. 04:19 And you know just really wonderful classical music, 04:23 semi-classical music, by the West Point Military Band. 04:28 As I said, the coat is 40 years of age 04:31 and I've worn it every winter since I got it. 04:35 And in talking with one of the captains at West Point 04:38 he said to me: "When you're going into battle for your 04:44 country you deserve the very best, 04:47 and so we try to give our men the very, very best. " 04:51 This coat is so warm. I wear it through the New York 04:54 winters. I've never buttoned it because it is so warm 04:57 and so cozy that if you button it 04:59 it really becomes like a furnace. 05:01 That's how well made it is: 05:03 that after 40 years of wear still in pretty decent shape. 05:10 When you're going into battle, my point is, 05:13 you've got to wear the very best. 05:15 When you're going into war, you've got to wear equipment 05:20 that suits the war you're going to fight. 05:25 So we're going to talk about winning war today. 05:29 How does one do that? 05:31 I was teasing Pastor Lomacang. I told him I was going to 05:33 go through a 5-part series on war and the last days 05:37 and never refer to Matthew chapter 24. So far so good. 05:41 Now I'm going to need someone's help here. 05:43 Maybe Randy if you will take this from me because this 05:45 is becoming like a furnace all ready. 05:55 Let's go to the Lord in prayer. 05:57 Gracious Father, 06:00 we just praise You and thank You for this Sabbath day 06:05 and we thank You for Jesus, 06:08 the Author and Finisher of our faith. 06:10 We pray now that Your Spirit would attend us 06:14 as we look to Your words. As we seek to fight 06:20 the good fight of faith. 06:23 In Jesus' name, Amen. 06:27 The United States Military Academy at West Point was 06:30 begun in 1802. 06:33 It has graduated some 67,000 graduates. 06:37 It has an average student body of 4,400 students. 06:42 A number of great names have come through West Point: 06:46 Grant, Lee, Pershing, McArthur, 06:52 Eisenhower, Patton, Schwarzkopf, 06:57 and General David Petraeus. 06:59 Their motto is: The history we teach 07:03 is the history we made. 07:06 At West Point men are taught how to win, 07:11 how to protect their country, 07:15 and how to do so with dignity and honor. 07:20 I remember several years ago a cheating scandal 07:24 broke out at West Point 07:27 and they were quick to crush it 07:30 because their motto was: To Win and To Win With Honor. 07:36 In one of the classes on war and tactics 07:40 West Point cadets are taught a number of things 07:45 that are distilled in the following points: 07:49 Number one: when you're going into a battle 07:52 you must know who your enemy is. 07:56 Makes sense, doesn't it? 07:58 You've got to know who you're fighting. 08:00 Number two: you must know where your enemy is. 08:05 Number three: you must know or assess his strength. 08:10 Number four: you must also have some idea of his ability 08:16 to attack you. 08:19 You must also know his ability to maneuver... 08:23 to get away from you. 08:25 You must know and assess his tenacity. 08:29 How hard will he fight? 08:32 You need to have some idea of what it will take 08:36 to make him surrender. 08:40 You must know who's giving the orders, 08:43 who's on top, 08:45 who's running the show. 08:48 And then... the most important: 08:52 never underestimate your enemy's power. 08:57 Never underestimate your enemy's power. 09:03 But late in 2010, General David Petraeus - 09:09 then the commander of our troops in the Middle East 09:11 and in Afghanistan - 09:14 admitted that many of these classic military paradigms 09:19 don't work any more in our modern world... 09:23 particularly since 9/11/2001 09:27 and since we've gone into Afghanistan. 09:32 On Christmas Day, 1979, 09:35 Soviet paratroopers invaded the land 09:39 of the country of Afghanistan. 09:41 Ten years later they left having accomplished very little. 09:48 On October 7, 2001, 09:52 a coalition led by United States forces 09:56 also invaded Afghanistan. 10:00 And now ten years later the jury is still out. 10:06 We don't know if we're winning; 10:10 we don't know if we're losing; 10:13 and as one top general said: 10:16 "We don't always even know who we're fighting. " 10:21 So things have changed in these last few years. 10:27 We found out that they are very tenacious. 10:30 They don't give up easily. 10:32 They are highly maneuverable. 10:35 They have almost unfettered ability to attack us 10:38 and they just don't surrender. 10:46 I want to give you a quote from the book Maranatha page 660. 10:51 Ellen White says: 11:19 Satan is afraid when you resist him. 12:15 Praise God! 12:17 Weakest saint. 12:31 Amen. Isn't that powerful? 12:33 Weakest saint through divine strength. 12:48 So if you've got to go toe to toe, arm to arm, 12:51 blow to blow with Satan, in Jesus you can do it! 12:54 Amen. 12:57 You don't have to be defeated. 12:59 The weakest saint is more than a match. 13:02 Therefore... I continue... 13:19 By batteries... his armaments, his guns, his bullets. 13:38 So Satan's not coming in big and bold 13:42 because he will scare you into the arms of Jesus. 13:45 He's going to slip in, masked, 13:49 because he wants you to stay asleep, stay drowsy. 13:54 The last place he wants you is running and hiding in Jesus. 14:00 You know back in the days they used to say 14:02 you know you're hiding behind your mother's apron strings 14:06 or skirt tails or you know... You don't want to do that. 14:09 You know, that means you're a coward. 14:10 But to me the best place to be is hiding behind Jesus. 14:15 Amen. You know that story of the woman? 14:18 Hi Steve and Samantha... 14:20 That woman caught in adultery? 14:22 They came and drug her and threw her at the feet of Jesus. 14:25 Now where else better would you want to be 14:30 but at the feet of Jesus? 14:32 If you've got a problem with me, 14:34 take me to the feet of Jesus. I have no problem with that. 14:38 No place better in the world to be than at the feet of Jesus. 14:44 And that's the last place Satan wants you to go. 14:51 I want to affirm something today. 14:53 Living victoriously in Christ 14:59 is not avoidance theology. 15:03 Did you hear me? 15:05 Living victoriously in Christ 15:09 is not avoidance theology. 15:13 The Word of God says: 15:16 "Resist the devil and he will... " What? 15:21 "flee. " It doesn't say appease the devil. 15:25 Doesn't say avoid the devil. 15:28 Doesn't say negotiate with the devil. 15:31 Ellen White says our strength comes when you face him 15:36 in Christ Jesus. 15:39 That's what the Army says. 15:41 Don't run from the enemy... face him and fight him 15:46 and defeat him in Christ. 15:50 The Bible says "resist" in James 4:7. 15:53 You resist and he will flee. 15:57 That Greek work for resist is annisthemi. 16:03 It's an interesting Greek word. 16:06 It is an aggressive verb 16:10 in the imperfect tense. 16:12 Now the imperfect tense in that Greek tense 16:16 that indicates do it and keep on doing it. 16:19 Amen. So the Bible is saying 16:22 resist him and keep on resisting. 16:25 Fight back. Annisthemi is not a passive... 16:31 a passive word. It's an active aggressive tense. 16:36 So it doesn't say just hold your ground against the devil. 16:40 Annisthemi says "attack the devil. 16:44 Go out and get him. Go out and fight him. 16:47 Beat him up! Don't just hold your ground. 16:51 Don't just resist passively... fight back! 16:56 Fight back and he will flee. " 16:58 You know it is that way with most cowards. 17:00 You get enough nerve to punch them, they'll usually back down. 17:04 Um-hmm. 17:06 So you punch the devil in Jesus' name. 17:08 He'll back down. 17:11 In fact, the Bible says he will "flee. " Amen? 17:14 Resist the devil and he will flee. 17:20 Fight and keep on fighting. How do we do that? 17:23 The answer is right there in the text: James chapter 4. 17:27 Go to James chapter 4 real quick. Let's do that. 17:29 James chapter 4. 17:34 We're looking at verses 6 and 7. 17:39 James. I'm in James. I'm in chapter 4 17:41 and we are at verse 6. I'm in the New King James. 17:43 Um, look at verse 6. 18:00 "Resist the devil and he will flee. " And so the text 18:04 actually gives you your methodology. 18:06 Submit to God; humble yourself before God. 18:12 God will draw near and the devil will flee. 18:18 Make sense? You see, there's nothing about you - 18:21 nothing you have, nothing you are - 18:24 that the devil fears. 18:26 He fears your boss. 18:30 So if Satan draws near 18:35 and Christ draws near, Satan steps back. 18:42 So draw near to God and God will draw near to you 18:45 and Satan doesn't dare come around 18:47 while God's got your back. 18:51 The Bible says He "gives more grace. " 18:53 Grace is an interesting thing. 18:55 You get grace, Shelley, to obey 18:57 and then you get grace for obeying. 19:02 Um-hmm. 19:04 You get grace to obey. 19:07 You get grace for obeying. 19:10 You get grace from obeying. 19:16 Then you can be strong in the Lord. 19:19 But the Bible says the word hupotasso 19:22 means to be under obedience. 19:24 Means to be under obedience. 19:26 You know it's interesting... in these last days 19:28 one of the signs of the last days, Pastor John, 19:31 it's getting hard to get folks to work together 19:35 and to be submissive to each other. 19:37 That's a sign of the last days. Any pastor will tell you that. 19:41 Hard to get folks to work together. 19:44 This one don't want to work with this one 19:46 and this one doesn't want to work with this one. 19:48 This one doesn't want to... It has to do with obedience 19:51 and submission. No one wants to be in submission. 19:53 I remember back in 1980? 19:55 Let's see: I pastored Bethesda from... 19:58 '82 to '85 so it had to be 1983. 20:01 One of my very first weddings. 20:03 I remember it very, very well for a couple of reasons. 20:05 Number one: the wedding took place 3-1/2 hours late. 20:09 Bride didn't show. 20:10 Two: while we were waiting in the pastor's study 20:13 a little mouse got into the pastor's study 20:16 and the wedding almost became a funeral. 20:22 But before the wedding while we were going through the 20:25 wedding planning. You know, you're planning the wedding. 20:28 You're planning going through... We had gone through 20:30 all of the tests. We'd gone through the Luscher Color Test. 20:32 We had gone through Milwaukee. 20:34 We had gone through Cincinnati. 20:36 We had gone through all of those tests that are supposed to 20:38 spot and detect potential problems in a marriage. 20:41 We went through all of that stuff. Everything was fine. 20:43 We're planning the wedding, and those of you who know me 20:46 I always write out my own homily. I write individual 20:49 homilies for individual weddings. 20:51 I tend to be pretty standard when it comes to 20:54 the vows. So we're going over the vows 20:57 and the bride says: "Wait a minute. 20:59 We are not going to put in that love, honor and obey stuff. 21:04 We decided we're not putting that in. " 21:07 And I said: "Why? " 21:09 She said: "Because it makes me sound subservient. " 21:14 "It makes me sound sycophantal. " 21:19 "Makes me sound like a slave so we're taking that out. " 21:24 And I noticed she was doing all the talking so I looked at him. 21:28 And he said: "Hhhhh... " 21:36 So I said: "Well why don't we just put it in 21:38 for both of you? You say it and he say it 21:40 so that you're mutually being subservient each to the other. " 21:46 She said: "Nope! Not putting it in 21:48 because I'm not going to always obey 21:53 and if he says something stupid I'm not obeying. " 21:58 So I said: "Do you want to get married? " 22:03 "Yeah I do... but we're not putting that in. " 22:07 So I looked at him 22:09 and he said: "Hhhhh... " 22:19 And so 3-1/2 hours later and one mouse they got married. 22:24 You know how long that marriage lasted? 22:29 Thirty years. Going on right now... 22:34 because the year after when they had their first 22:37 Down syndrome child she found the Lord. 22:43 And if you ask her now about what she was then 22:48 and what she is now she will tell you 22:53 "I was not converted and I didn't know Jesus 22:57 but this Down syndrome child has introduced me to Christ. " 23:03 And so 30 years later they're grandparents now. 23:08 Doing pretty good. 23:10 But my point is: it's tough to get people to submit 23:15 in these days. And yet the secret of your battle with Satan 23:21 is submission to Jesus Christ. 23:23 You can't defeat the devil without Christ. 23:29 Just not going to happen. 23:32 We are called now to defend the kingdom of light 23:35 and not only resist but attack the kingdom of darkness 23:41 and bring back prisoners of war. Amen? 23:44 We are all POW's. 23:47 Everyone here is a POW. 23:48 We've been snatched from the camp of the enemy. 23:51 In fact, Paul uses this prisoner of war metaphor 23:55 many times in his writings. 23:58 In Ephesians chapter 3 he uses it once. 24:00 Ephesians chapter 4 he uses it again. 24:03 II Timothy chapter 1 he uses it a third time 24:06 and two times in Philemon he introduces himself 24:10 as a prisoner of Jesus Christ. 24:13 And the word is interesting. 24:15 There are 1, 2, 3 words for prisoner... 24:18 actually two words for prisoner. 24:20 One is translated a passive prisoner 24:26 languishing in a cell. 24:29 That's not the word Paul chooses to use. 24:31 He uses the prisoner word that means 24:36 one who is chained to his guard. 24:39 Very interesting. 24:41 So Paul says: "I'm a prisoner of Jesus. I'm not languishing 24:45 in a cell... I'm chained to Christ. " 24:48 You see the difference? "So that wherever Christ goes I go. 24:52 Whatever Christ does I do. 24:55 I'm chained to Jesus. 24:58 Not languishing in a cell... I'm chained to Him. " 25:02 The Old Testament calls it a brand or a burning 25:05 snatched from the fire. Zechariah chapter 3 verse 3. 25:07 You know that text. We are... We are brands as it were 25:11 plucked from the fire and placed into the camp of Jesus Christ. 25:15 You've been snatched as it were from the jaws of hell. 25:22 Let me tell you something. 25:26 When you see someone 25:31 walking around rejoicing in the Lord - 25:36 walking around with... and I'm going to embarrass her 25:41 and use this term - a "Jill Morikone smile" on her face 25:51 there are at least three things you are not supposed to do. 25:55 Now I use that... I use Jill because - 25:58 and I told her this some time ago - 26:00 I actually got a letter as producer of the Today show 26:03 that someone asked: "Would you please tell Jill Morikone 26:09 not to smile so much. " 26:13 It's true. 26:17 "She just smiles too much... just too happy. " 26:24 And it occurred to me as I wrote that person back 26:26 you can't smile too much. 26:29 Now you can smile inappropriately. 26:31 You know, you can. Someone tells you how their dog got hit 26:35 by a car and you... 26:38 That's inappropriate. 26:42 But you can't smile too much. 26:49 So when you see one smiling all the time 26:52 there are at least three things you ought not do. 27:05 Amen. 27:07 We're going to come back to that in just a moment. 27:19 Amen. 27:21 Just because a person smiles 27:23 doesn't mean they don't have problems. 27:34 Because even if you're not like that 27:39 you can be. Amen? 27:44 Don't get mad. Don't get discouraged. 27:47 Don't think they don't have any problems. 27:50 And even if you're not like that, you can be... 27:55 because if they've got joy you can get joy. 28:01 Amen? 28:03 If they've got victory, you can get victory. 28:10 If Jesus loves them, well guess what? 28:15 Loves you too. 28:18 "Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on... " 28:23 them? "us that... " 28:28 they? "we should be called the children or sons of God. " 28:34 So don't get upset 28:38 because if you really want that kind of joy 28:41 you can have it. 28:44 Don't think that they don't have any problems. 28:47 Listen ladies and gentlemen, brothers and sisters, 28:49 smiling in the face of pain is a learned behavior. 28:54 It's not natural but your can learn it. 29:00 So if you're not painting on a phony smile 29:02 you really do have joy in the midst of trial. 29:06 You can smile through the struggle. 29:09 You can smile when inside you feel like crying 29:15 through Jesus Christ. 29:18 So just because people smile 29:20 do not think they are free from trouble. 29:23 I'm in I John chapter 4 verses 16 and 17. 29:27 I John chapter 4:16-17. 29:32 I like this one. 30:15 Now that is basically saying you can live like, love like, 30:21 act like Christ here and now! 30:27 You can have the joy of Jesus in this world 30:31 in preparation for the world that is to come. 30:35 You can be like He is here and now. 30:40 So don't think they don't have any problems. 30:42 Jill's got problems. 30:45 Amen. 30:47 She's got Greg! 30:52 Greg is all right... Greg is a great guy. 30:54 But any time you put two people together you're going to have 30:56 some issues. Greg's not a saint. 31:01 Close to it... but he's not. 31:04 Amen. 31:08 So she smiles 31:11 because along with the joy she's got Jesus. 31:19 So people who smile are just living like Jesus 31:21 in the here and now. 31:23 And God puts those smiley people in your path 31:26 not to get on your nerves 31:29 but to make you jealous. Um-hmm. 31:34 God wants you to be jealous. 31:36 Next time you see somebody going along... 31:42 God wants you to be jealous. 31:44 Don't just be jealous... get Jesus... - 31:49 Amen? - 31:51 and then you'll smile. 31:55 That's why God puts those people in your path. 31:58 That's part of your victory fight. 32:01 Romans chapter 11 verse 14. 32:03 The book is Romans chapter 11 verse 14. 32:06 Paul says: 32:29 That's why I took it from the Clear Word 32:30 because it makes it so plain. 32:32 So Paul says: "I'm living a life so that when my own family 32:37 sees me they will say 'I want that for me. 32:41 I want what he's got. ' " 32:45 And that's why God has you live next to and work among 32:49 the Jill Morikone's of the world. 32:52 And they're everywhere ladies and gentlemen 32:55 because everywhere there are people who have joy. 32:59 So when you see them don't get mad 33:04 get jealous. 33:06 And then when you get jealous get Jesus. 33:11 The Bible says in I Corinthians 12:31: 33:14 "Covet earnestly the best gifts. " 33:17 In the song we used to sing as children: 33:20 Oh the best friend to have is Jesus. 33:25 Now let me give you some weapons. 33:27 Let me give you some stuff to fight with 33:30 in this battle if we're going to win this war. 33:32 I'm reading from the book Selected Messages 33:35 pages 242 and 243. 33:39 This is encouragement from Ellen White. She says: 34:07 So she says: "Press forward... " 34:09 Press forward with the knowledge that God's hearing your prayers. 34:23 And so even when you're depressed go forward 34:28 because depression never comes from the Lord. 34:33 Said it before... will say it again: 34:36 God sends many things your way 34:37 but He will never send depression. 34:39 That comes from the devil. 34:41 When you get to the "nobody knows the trouble I've seen" 34:43 "I can't take another step... I quit! " 34:46 that's not God. That's Satan. 34:50 That comes from the devil. 34:52 She says: "Fight depression like the plague. " 34:56 Find a friend who talks positive. Sing a song. 34:59 Read the Word. 35:01 Get out of your gloomy room and get into some sunlight. 35:04 But don't stay there and let the devil beat on you 35:07 with depression 'cause it doesn't come from the Lord. 35:10 Never, ever, ever comes from the Lord. 35:12 Now, we've got to find our place and go back and finish it. 35:17 "I tell you as one who knows" 35:20 Of course she knew. You know, Ellen White had 4 boys 35:21 and lost 2 of them. 35:23 Her husband, James, had five strokes. 35:26 Five. And every stroke changed his personality 35:31 and took him into a darker place. 35:33 So she had to live with a man that one time she said 35:36 to a friend of hers: "You know sometimes I don't know if 35:38 my husband is even sane. " 35:41 Ellen White said that 35:42 because that last stroke altered his personality. 35:47 And sometimes James could get mean. 35:49 But it wasn't him... it was the stroke. 35:53 So she says: "I'm telling you this as one who knows. " 35:57 Lost two children. Have an invalid husband 36:00 who worked himself in the cause of Christ 36:03 almost to death. Five strokes... and the last one killed him. 36:07 Let's go back. 36:24 So just keep pressing forward whether you see the end or not. 36:28 Walk as if you know where you're going 36:32 even when you don't because God knows where you're 36:36 going and God knows where He is leading you. 36:40 That's how some people can smile in the midst of trial. 36:46 Amen? 36:48 Now I'm in II Selected Messages page 243. 36:51 II Selected Messages 243. 37:17 So talk faith... talk positive. 37:20 You know... rehearse these things, affirm these things 37:23 in your life. Talk about the things you know you have. 37:26 Sure you've got problems but you've also got Jesus. 37:31 "You are not alone, so rejoice in the things you have. " 37:35 Now she's talking about the power of positive speaking. 37:40 Some people complain all the time. 37:44 Complain, complain, complain, complain, complain. 37:46 Heard a Spanish pastor. My wife translated... 37:48 we were listening to... we listen to 3ABN Latino 37:52 quite a bit at our house. 37:55 And one day we were listening and I wasn't getting everything 37:58 and Irma said: "Ah! " 38:00 And I said: "What'd he say? What'd he say, what'd he say? " 38:03 And the pastor was saying: "You know, some of you people 38:05 get mad and want to turn your back on the church 38:08 and leave the church like the devil has treated you so good. " 38:16 What are you leaving the Lord for? 38:17 Devil hasn't done anything for you. 38:23 Better stick with Jesus. 38:26 So if you're complaining all the time that's not Jesus. 38:29 Number one: it attracts gloom and it's like putting a 38:32 "for rent" sign on your heart. 38:34 Complaining all the time. 38:36 The devil loves people who complain all the time. 38:38 You just opened up and said "Come on in and live here. " 38:42 Constant complaining depresses you, 38:45 discourages those around you, 38:50 even those who agree with you. 38:53 Depressing 38:59 and it glorifies Satan. 39:01 Jude 16 talks about grumbling and speaking 39:06 and rumblers and complainers. 39:10 Psalm 77 David says: "I complained and my spirit 39:14 was overwhelmed. " 39:17 If you want to win the war and defeat the devil, 39:23 we've got to stop giving him ammunition. 39:26 Does that make sense? 39:29 You give the devil bullets he's going to shoot at you. 39:34 If you want to win the war, you've got to stop giving him 39:37 ammunition. Now I'm in II Selected Messages 39:40 again 243. 40:02 Amen? 40:04 If you believe in Jesus, you ought to walk like Jesus. 40:07 You ought to talk like Jesus. 40:09 You ought to live like Jesus. 40:10 You ought to love like Jesus. 40:12 Now I'll say this again as if you didn't know: 40:16 "the hardest, the longest, the toughest battle 40:21 you will ever fight is against yourself. " 40:26 Amen? 40:28 Toughest battle. 40:29 You've got to resist in the imperfect tense 40:34 and keep on resisting. 40:36 First volume of the Testimonies or rather 40:40 3rd volume of the Testimonies page 106 40:43 Ellen White talks about a Bro. S. 40:47 3T 106... she says: 41:16 So if God said: "Sic 'em" 41:19 to somebody else, no problem. 41:40 How many know this is true? 41:43 Yeah. If the Lord says: "Go to Shelley Quinn and tell her 41:47 how bad she is... " "OK, Lord. " 41:52 But when God says: "Hold up a mirror and examine yourself, " 41:58 "Oh, I don't want to do that. " 42:01 Huh? I think we've got a little bit more. Let's bring it back. 42:12 Doesn't want to do that. 42:22 Sadly, many of us are losing that battle. 42:31 In the 7th volume of the Bible Commentary page 947 42:37 she says this: 42:39 "As long as Satan reigns 42:44 you will have to fight that battle. " 42:49 So you never get any rest. 42:52 You never get any vacation. 42:54 You never get any time off; you never get any comp time. 42:59 You've got to fight that battle as long as you live. 43:02 Amen? 43:04 Ministry of Healing page 105 43:07 we are told: "Angels are in the fight with us. " 43:10 Praise God! 43:12 In the book Sons and Daughters of God page 160 43:15 "Christ is in the fight with us. " 43:17 Praise God! 43:19 In Desire of Ages page 280 43:21 "God is in the fight with us. " 43:23 So all heaven is there. 43:26 And the Holy Spirit is in the fight with us 43:29 so you're not fighting alone! 43:32 And when you've got that team on your side 43:34 victory is won! 43:39 Now if you want to know how you're doing in the battle 43:43 it's time for your stress test. 43:47 Now this only works if you're brutally honest with yourself. 43:54 You ready for your stress test? 43:56 You know, when God gives a test it's not very complex. 43:58 It's really very simple. 44:00 Not tough at all. 44:03 It is inspired by Pauline theology 44:08 and Ellen White. 44:12 Think back to the last time you were really 44:18 disappointed. 44:20 You really wanted something and didn't get it. 44:25 Or rather, the last time somebody did something 44:31 that really got on your nerves. 44:37 Family member? Acquaintance? Co-worker? 44:41 Now I'm not talking about some- thing that mildly annoyed you. 44:47 I want you to think back to the last time someone did something 44:50 that pushed your buttons. 44:54 That ticked you off. 44:59 That made you come dangerously close 45:06 to doing or saying something you know you had no business 45:10 doing or saying. 45:14 Get that in your mind. Resolve... 45:17 Or rather, wrap your mind around that. 45:20 The last time you got really mad 45:24 because of something someone did 45:27 or said or is doing or is saying 45:34 and you got that close... 45:44 My question is: 45:47 how did you respond? 45:50 What did you do? 45:54 What did you say? 45:58 And perhaps equally as important: 46:02 what did you think? 46:04 Now for this to work you must be brutally honest with yourself. 46:10 No varnish; no wax; no veneer; 46:13 no polyurethane... the naked truth. 46:16 How did you respond when you got squeezed? 46:22 When they stepped on your toes or assassinated your character? 46:28 Or told a lie on you or backed you into a corner? 46:32 Or misrepresented you or let go a confidence that you told them 46:37 to keep sacred. What did you do? 46:40 How did you react? 46:42 What did you think when you got squeezed or pressed? 46:46 What came out? 46:50 Was it the blood of Jesus 46:54 or foul air? 47:00 And when you resolved it, if indeed you resolved it, 47:03 did the person on the other end of your angst and anger... 47:08 could they say: "You know, I really saw Jesus in them. " 47:16 Or did you act like 99.99% of the world tends to act 47:21 when they get pressed? 47:23 How did you respond 47:27 when your toes got stepped on? 47:29 When you got passed over? 47:31 When you got disrespected? 47:36 And lastly: how hard was it 47:41 to apologize? 47:46 If you answered those questions truthfully, 47:50 that's where you are in Jesus. 47:57 If you have not answered it this day, 48:01 one day you will have to answer that question. 48:07 II Corinthians chapter 2 verses 14 and 15. 48:12 Paul says to the Corinthian church: 48:16 "Thanks be to God. " I'd better find it. 48:21 "Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph 48:25 in Christ and through us diffuses the fragrance 48:30 of His knowledge in every place. 48:34 For we are to God the fragrance of Christ 48:36 among those who are being saved 48:38 and among those who are perishing. " 48:40 So when you got squeezed, what came out? 48:47 I heard someone say years ago 48:51 "Forgiveness - grace - is the fragrance 48:57 that a rose emits 49:01 when it is crushed underfoot. " 49:06 That's forgiveness. 49:08 So when you got crushed 49:13 what was your fragrance? 49:17 In the first book of Selected Messages page 387 49:20 we are told that the love of self is active in the church. 49:26 You know, I said this I think two nights ago. 49:28 Satan has one set of guns and weapons for the world. 49:32 He has another totally separate and distinct set of weapons 49:37 for the church. 49:40 He doesn't use some of the obvious things he uses 49:42 in the world. In the church it's pride... 49:45 Um-hmm... 49:47 and ego and self. 49:52 And those are just as deadly 49:56 as any bomb ever dropped. 50:01 They are the hardest to diagnose 50:05 and almost impossible to eradicate without Jesus. 50:10 And in Steps to Christ page 71 she says: 50:20 You can't keep Christ and self in the same place 50:25 at the same time. 50:28 You will lose your battle. 50:30 James says in James chapter 1 verse 8: 50:33 "A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways. " 50:37 NIV says: "In everything that he does. " 50:42 So if you want some victory in the fight 50:45 Philippians chapter 2 verse 5 tells you how. 50:56 What mind is that? 50:59 Well the key is in verse 2. 51:03 We are told: "Let nothing be done through selfish ambition 51:09 or conceit... " So what's that mind? 51:15 That's the mind of Christ. Act as Jesus acts. 51:20 Verse 8 same chapter same book: 51:41 You see, that ladies and gentle- men is the mindset of Christ. 51:45 That's the mentality that assures victory. 51:49 Victory for Christ was sealed at the cross 51:53 but it was secured in the garden when Jesus said: 51:58 "Nevertheless not My will but Thy will be done. " 52:02 Once Christ had settled that, had made that statement, 52:06 once He decided whatever God wants I'm willing to do - 52:09 "not My will, Thy will" - 52:11 that's when Satan's knees got weak 52:15 because Christ was willing to die. 52:17 And a person who is willing to die 52:21 is a dangerous person for the enemy. 52:25 Satan knew that. 52:27 That's why in World War II the American Navy was so afraid 52:31 of those kamikaze pilots. Because when you don't care 52:34 about your own life you are certainly not going to care 52:36 about mine. And a person who is willing to die 52:40 is an incredibly dangerous person. 52:43 That's why we are so afraid of and cannot understand 52:45 this idea of the suicide bomber. 52:47 That someone will have a baby on their back 52:50 and a bomb on their belly 52:52 and walk into a place full of people 52:53 and blow themselves up. It doesn't make sense! 52:57 But when a person is willing to die, the only way you can 53:00 stop him is kill him. 53:02 But if you've done that, you've given him something 53:05 he's already prepared for. 53:07 So when Pontius Pilate threatened Christ 53:12 and said: "Don't you know I could take Your life? " 53:15 Christ had to stop him in his tracks. 53:17 "You're not taking anything from Me. " 53:20 "I'm giving it. " 53:23 "Giving my life; I came into the world for this. " 53:29 So when you're willing to die, 53:32 when you're willing to give up your life rather than do 53:36 anything to wound Christ, 53:39 you are a powerful person and Satan knows it. 53:44 When you say: "Lord not my will but Thy will be done. 53:49 I'd rather go to death than disappoint You, " 53:53 bottom line... you won! 53:58 And Satan understands that. 54:04 I Thessalonians 4:16-17. 54:06 Let me read you the contract. You know this text. 54:13 Give me a moment to find it. 54:15 I Thessalonians 4:16. 54:18 Did 117 funerals, so I know this one by heart. 54:29 I remember it in the King James. 54:43 "Wherefore comfort one another with these words. " 54:46 That, then, is the contract. 54:50 You live in Christ; you die in Christ... 54:54 you live forever. 54:58 Anybody here ready to die? 55:05 It's a tough question to ask. 55:08 But when you're ready to die 55:10 that's when you really begin to live. 55:15 Fourth volume of the Testimonies page 147. 55:38 Amen? 55:39 God will either take it out of the way 55:41 or give you the power to climb it. 55:46 Amen. 55:47 In other words, God will make sure that you can deal with it. 55:51 He will either remove it or give you strength. 55:55 Let's go back. 56:29 Amen? 56:31 When you get to the point where you say: 56:34 "Lord, I give You everything. 56:37 I'm willing to die if You want me to, " 56:41 God says at that point: "I'll work miracles through you. 56:44 That's when I can really work for you, 56:47 with you, to you, and through you. " 56:49 When you get to that point where you'd rather die 56:52 than offend the Word of God, that's when you become 56:55 a powerful, powerful weapon. 56:58 And Satan himself knows that... 57:03 that when you say that you'd "rather die than offend God" 57:07 he knows as far as your case is concerned 57:11 the battle is over and his dominion is lost. 57:17 When you're willing to die, that's when you live. Amen? 57:23 And that's when you gain victory in the cause of Christ 57:28 and you become a champion for Jesus. |
Revised 2014-12-17