Laodicea and Sanctifying Power

SPEAKER B Jesus promised his disciples in Acts One eight, you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem and in all here and Samaria and to the end of the earth. Welcome to. You shall receive power. And here are your hosts, Ettienne McClintock and Colin Hone. SPEAKER C Dear listener, greetings and a warm welcome. Thank you for tuning into the program again today. Colin and myself are delighted to have your company. And just as we start, we invite you to join us for prayer as we ask God to bless our study today. Gracious Father in heaven, we just submit ourselves to you, to your love, to your grace and your righteousness. And Father, we come needy, sinful, helpless and dependent. And we just invite you to please forgive us for our sins, to give us a fresh measure of your Holy Spirit. That you would speak through us, Father, that you'll touch lives. That you also give the Holy Spirit to those who are listening and are watching at the moment. This is our prayer in Jesus name, amen. Now, Colin, we had a fascinating study last time we ran the program. We were talking about the white raiment, which God counsels us to buy, and it particularly counsels the last church out of the seven churches found in the book of Revelation. Revelation, chapter two and three. And we spoke about the justifying righteousness of Christ, and we also spoke about his sanctifying righteousness. And we started touching on that beautiful topic of the everlasting Gospel or the everlasting Covenant. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C So perhaps you just want to take us through a little summary for those who've just joined us of what we spoke about last time, so we can build on that in this program. SPEAKER E Well, we talked about the Old and the New Covenant and how the New covenant, it's God wants to do everything. God's going to write his laws on our mind and our hearts. It's God who's going to forgive our sins, it's God who's going to do it. And we talk about the old covenants where we want to do everything. SPEAKER C That's right. SPEAKER E We talked about the New covenant does not take away God's law. God's law is still present. The only change that has taken place is the Christian's relationship to the law. SPEAKER C Because we looked at that last time where it says that the law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. And then we looked at two Corinthians, chapter three, where it spoke about the law was the ministration of death written and engraved on tables of stone. So when the law is external to us, and it was written on those tablets, administers death to us instead of life. But if we receive it through the Holy Spirit, and then is written on the tablets of the heart put in our minds, administers the righteousness of Christ to us. SPEAKER E That's right. SPEAKER C Which administers life. SPEAKER E That's right. And so we're going to talk about the gospel of deliverance from sin today. The Gospel of Deliverance. And beautiful Paul understood that in the apostle Paul understood the gospel of victory over sin when he wrote these words in Romans chapter six, verse one and two, he goes, what shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer to it? SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER E So he's saying, no, once we're dead to sin, we no longer live to sin. SPEAKER C And I mean just before that, a couple of verses back in Romans chapter five and verse 20, it says, moreover, the law entered that the offense or the sin may abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more. So this is the grace that we are proclaiming to you, dear listener, at the moment that is super abounding grace of God. SPEAKER E That's right. And here Paul clearly states that the follower of Jesus Christ should not be living a life of habitual sin. He then goes on to explain why this is so. In Romans chapter six, verses three to seven, he says, know ye not that so many of us were baptized into Jesus Christ, were baptized into his death, therefore because of that, therefore always means what we've just read before. SPEAKER C That's right. SPEAKER E Therefore, because we're baptized into his death, we are buried with him by baptism unto death. That like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we should walk in newness of life. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER E For we had been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall also be in the likeness of his resurrection. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER E Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that's with Jesus that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should no longer serve sin, for he that is dead is freed from sin. And that's in Romans chapter six, verse three to seven. So Paul's telling us in these verses that all have accepted jesus Christ died with him on the cross. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER E And were buried with him in the grave. And therefore because of that, the old sinful nature, you, the sin loving me, the prideful you, the unforgiving you or not you. But I'm just saying about us, the angry you, the angry me, the lustful you, the lustful me is dead and buried with Christ. SPEAKER C So all our liabilities have been taken out of the way through the death of Christ. SPEAKER E That's right. Therefore your old sinful nature is dead and buried and need not control you any longer. We don't have to be controlled by our sinful nature. SPEAKER C Yeah, because that verse seven is very clear. For he who has died has been freed from sin as long as we have died in Christ. SPEAKER E That's right. So when you are tempted to sin, you are to believe that the old sinful nature that once controlled you need not control you anymore. And so this is really great news. And you do not need to yield to the temptation of sin. And so at the moment of temptation, you simply put that sinful, you back on the cross and believe it is dead and buried with Christ. This is what it means to be died daily and to take up your cross daily knowing this fact, and that you don't have to live a life well, that old life of sin. Paul goes on to write in Romans chapter six, verse eight to 14. What does it say? In Romans chapter six, verse eight to. SPEAKER C 14 says, for now, if we died with Christ, we believe we shall also live with Him. So this is a connection to Christ, a really intimate connection. Verse five. Already we had read, for if we've been united together with Christ in the likeness of his death, certainly we should also be in the likeness of his resurrection. Going to verse nine, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more, death no longer has dominion over Him. So, in other words, the word dominion, there no longer rules over Him, because he lives eternally for the death that he died, he died to once, to sin once for all, but the life which he lives, he lives to God. Likewise, you also reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Therefore, do not let sin reign in your mortal bodies, that you should obey it in its lusts. Do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not have dominion. In other words, rule over you. Dominion over you. For you are not under law, but under grace. SPEAKER E So what's happening here is Paul's saying, because you've died with Christ and we're buried with Him. And so first question we go, have we died with Christ and have we been buried with Him? SPEAKER C That's the first step, isn't it? SPEAKER E You have also been raised up with Him, his resurrection, and can live a life of obedience to God. He's saying you can, for you are now dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER E And so in the letter to the Galatians, paul clearly describes how the Christian is to live the obedient life through Christ. So Paul is saying in Galatians, chapter two, verse 20, the how. And that's what we really want to focus on today, right, is we want to know how. How does this work? SPEAKER C Well, that's important. So the practical aspects of how our faith works and what our faith is to be placed in that's right, how. SPEAKER E To live a victorious, victorious Christian life. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER E So let's read. SPEAKER C Galatians 220 says, I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. And the life which I now live, I live in the flesh. I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. SPEAKER E So here Paul states how the Christian is living obedient life by telling us how he did it. What's the first thing he did? The first thing he did is he accepted the fact that he was crucified with Christ. Step number one. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER E You see, the old sinful Paul was dead and buried with Christ. Then he is quick to point out that nevertheless I live. Paul's still alive. SPEAKER C Even though he's dead, he's still alive, which is quite an enigma, I guess, to explain, but explains it quite well. How was that possible? SPEAKER E Yeah. However, it's not Paul that actually is living and controlling his life. He's saying, the old Paul's dead. SPEAKER D Right. SPEAKER E The Paul that was sinful Paul that. SPEAKER C Was trying to control his life, the persecuting Paul. SPEAKER E Yeah. It's not Paul that is actually living and controlling his life. Rather, he states, yet not I, but Christ live in me. So Paul, Christ living in him was a I that live. It's Christ that lives in me from now on. Yes, it's Christ that's doing all these works. It's Christ that's keeping the commandments. It's Christ that's given me the victory over sin. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER E And this was a reality to him. Therefore, Paul depended on Christ for victory over sin 100% amen. Which he states with these words, the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God. Now, the phrase the faith of the Son of God means the Son of God's faithful obedience to his Father. So what Paul is saying is that he lives the obedient Christian life by depending in faith on Christ who's living in him, to continue to live a life of obedience to the Father in and through Paul. So he's believing that Christ is living in him. And that's Christ who will continue to live a life of obedience to the Father in and through Paul. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C And that close intimate relationship there is demonstrated because it says we've been crucified with Christ. In other words, we find ourselves in Christ by faith. So when Christ died, we died with him. But then he also has the other aspect, the second part of that relationship, which is a real intimate relationship with God the Father through Jesus Christ as Christ in us, a hope of glory. It says, Nevertheless, I live, yet not I, but Christ lives in me. Now, when Jesus promised the Holy Spirit to the disciples, he said, you already know the Holy Spirit, for he is with you. But then he promised that pentecost experience the baptism of the Holy Spirit, which is, he shall be in you. So Paul's explaining this whole close, intimate relationship of death, burial and resurrection, but that resurrection that newness of life comes with Christ living in us. SPEAKER E That's right. So Paul's obedience, right, is actually Christ's righteous obedience manifest in and through Him. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER E It's not Paul's obedience, it's Christ's obedience and Christ's righteous obedience which is manifest in and through Him. This is the true biblical experience of sanctification by faith in Christ alone. Christ's righteousness is imparted or becomes the believer's life. So in order to have the victory God wants us to have, we must keep our eyes on Jesus. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER C And I just want to pick that up because we spoke about faith and how important faith is. It's not our faith. Faith is a gift from God and has been authored by Christ. He said we have to look to Jesus. And I'm going to read from Hebrews chapter twelve and verse two where it says, looking unto Jesus. So where do we have to focus our eyes on Jesus? Look to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. Now the word ours added, this is the author and finisher of faith, who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despised the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. So Jesus is the author and finisher of faith. And I just want to go to Hebrews chapter five because it talks about this whole complete package that we're talking about, the Everlasting Gospel, the good news of our salvation. SPEAKER E That's right. SPEAKER C It says that Christ, after he had suffered, it says having been perfected. This is Hebrews chapter five and verse nine. Having been perfected, he, Jesus, became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him. SPEAKER E Wow. SPEAKER C So Christ is the author of our salvation, just like he is the author of our faith. Our complete deliverance from sin, from its penalty and its power is found in Jesus Christ? SPEAKER E Yeah. By focusing on Jesus. So doesn't it say that in two Corinthians three, chapter three, verse 18, as you behold amen. Who are you? Beholding Jesus. As you behold Jesus, you are what transformed into his image from glory, from his character. Yeah, from glory to glory, by the same image, by the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER C By the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER E So it says it there again. And so that's how we experience sanctification, by faith in Christ alone. SPEAKER C So it's by beholding, just like we behold Him in two Corinthians chapter 318, and also beholding Jesus, who is the author and finisher of our faith. SPEAKER E It's Christ's righteousness is imparted and becomes the believer's life. SPEAKER C So it's where our focus is, where our eyes are looking. SPEAKER E That's right. So in order to have victory that God wants us to have, we must keep our eyes focused on Jesus constantly. Or as Paul puts it in first thessalonians chapter five, verse 17, he says, pray without ceasing. Yes, constantly focusing and praying without ceasing. We must become diligent to be led by the Spirit, moment by moment and be sensitive to the Spirit's conviction when temptation comes our way. Now, this will require 100% surrender of self 100% of the time. This is how the believer buys the white raiment. We got to surrender 100% of self, 100% of time. You see, our sinful nature will try to dominate us. It will cry out to be satisfied by us yielding to the temptation. So our part is to willingly choose to turn away from that temptation. We can choose and to deny self and take up the cross, die to the yearning to fulfill the temptation. Look to Jesus, asking Him to give us his victory over it and believe he will do it. Just that all we can do is choose and believe. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER E And we choose by giving our will to God and then believe that Jesus will give us his victory. This is the experience that those will have who come out of Laodicea receive the latter reign of the Holy Spirit and ready for Christ's return. Now, you might find yourself having a desire for a certain sin that you really don't want to give up. We all have that. I've got ones that I'm dealing with. SPEAKER C Maybe it's chocolate or ice cream or could be anything. SPEAKER E Yeah, whatever it is, whatever the thing that you're dealing with. And it's something you really don't want to give up. We don't want to give it up because we like it. SPEAKER C You know, it's unhealthy, but you still do it. SPEAKER E That's right, because we like it. In that case, again, look to Jesus. Ask Him to give you his desire concerning that particular sin. For Jesus not only gives us forgiveness for sin, but also repentance. Jesus gives us repentance. SPEAKER C So not only is faith a gift, jesus gives us other things as well. In regards to our salvation, he gives us repentance. Wow. SPEAKER E A desire not to want to sin. You can read that in Acts, chapter five, verse 31, and it says, Him. SPEAKER C That being Jesus Christ, god has exalted to his right hand to be a prince and a savior, to give repentance to Israel and the forgiveness of sins. So repentance is a gift, and the forgiveness of sins which comes with that is another gift from God. SPEAKER E And repentance is turning away from sin. SPEAKER C That's right. It's 180 degree turn. If you were walking that way, you'd make a uturn and you walk the other way, walking away from God. Now you're walking towards God. SPEAKER E So the good news, he not only gives you forgiveness, but he also gives you repentance. SPEAKER C Thank you, Lord. SPEAKER E A desire not to want to sin. And I just love what Ellen White says in the spirit of prophecy from her book, Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing. SPEAKER C That's a great little book that's page 142 says, the victory is not one without much earnest prayer. SPEAKER E Let's just stop there. It's not one without how much much earnest earnest prayer. SPEAKER C Earnest prayer. SPEAKER E We got to wrestle you know how Jacob, he wrestled with God all night. He wouldn't let go until he received the blessing. We are not to let go of Jesus until he received the blessing. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER C So it says, our will is not to be forced into cooperation with divine agencies, but it must be voluntarily submitted so that's that surrender or laying down. SPEAKER E That'S our part, isn't it? SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER C Which is being crucified with Christ. Were it possible to force upon you with a hundredfold greater intensity the influence of the Spirit of God, it would not make you, a Christian, a fit subject for heaven. The stronghold of Satan would not be broken. The will must be placed on the side of God's will. So as Jesus is our example, yet he says, nevertheless, let not My will, but Thy will be done. So our will is also to be in accordance with the will of God for us and our lives. SPEAKER E Three times he did that in the garden Gethsemane, didn't he? Not my will, but your will. SPEAKER C He struggled. SPEAKER E He struggled with that. SPEAKER C He wrestled. But he was authoring our salvation in that struggle, wasn't he? SPEAKER E But in the end, he was not My will, Father, but Your will. And that's got to be the same with us, Father. We're struggling with things in our lives. But not my will, Father, but your will. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER C So it says the will must be placed on the side of God's will. You are not able of yourself to bring Your purposes and desires and inclinations into submission to the will of God. But if you are willing to be made willing stop right there. SPEAKER E But if you are willing to be made willing so I'll think, Lord, I'm willing to be made willing. SPEAKER C I'm not willing to do it, but I'm willing for you to transform and change Me so that I have those right desires and motives. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER E How's this? And then what if you do this, this is the promise God will do. SPEAKER C God will accomplish the work for you. Even casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Now, that is a quote from two Corinthians, chapter ten and verse five. So it even pertains to the thoughts and the feelings. It says there, casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. SPEAKER E Which is what we want, isn't it? SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER E Okay, but we've got to be willing to be made willing. SPEAKER C I've prayed that prayer a number of times, lord, I'm willing to be made willing. I don't feel willing at the moment, but I know that what you offer is so much better than what I have. Yes, I'm willing to be made willing. It says, then you will work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. Now, this is also another quote. This is from Philippians, chapter two, verse twelve and verse 13. Then you will work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. SPEAKER E So who's doing it? SPEAKER C It is God working in you both to will and to do, but only. SPEAKER E If you're willing to be made willing. There's the choice that we need to. SPEAKER C Be making some profound statements in that. SPEAKER E And it's not going to happen. The victory is not going to happen without much earnest prayer. We've got to wrestle with God and humble ourselves at every step. There's a humbling ourselves. Humility at every step. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER E That's just a wonderful promise, isn't it? And this is what sanctifying faith is. This issue was at the heart of the Protestant Reformation. The battle cry of the Reformation was solo fide by faith alone. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER E This issue is at the heart of the Gospel and the message of righteous by faith. It is also how one avoids falling to Satan's amiga, apostasy. Okay, remember the amiga apostasy is one either trying to achieve righteousness by your own efforts and works, which is the Old Covenant, or you default to the other side that obedience to God's commandments cannot be kept. SPEAKER C So we've taken the elf and the amiga of apostasy. So the first apostasy, and then, of course, the last great deception. And we've just boiled it down to what it really means in essence, which is again denying the constitution of God's government, which is his selfless law of love as contained in the Ten Commandments and as demonstrated in the life of Jesus Christ. SPEAKER E That's right. The Omega posse is saying there are people who are saying the law cannot be kept. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER E You cannot keep the commandments of God. You cannot have victory over sin. Contrary to the Scriptures we've just read in Romans and many other Scriptures. SPEAKER C As we said, it's a half truth, basically, because in and of yourself, you can't do it. SPEAKER E You can't. SPEAKER C But if you've been crucified with Christ and Christ lives his life out on you, he's not a minister to sin, he is a minister of righteousness. SPEAKER E The only way is Christ living in you and keep and writing and God. SPEAKER C Doing the connection with God. SPEAKER E And if you're willing to be made willing, god will do it. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER E And so the Bible is very clear in the matter concerning the Christian walk with God. God is so clear, and he makes this clear in Colossians, chapter two, verse six, about how to walk with Jesus. SPEAKER C Okay, this is a beautiful, simple little text. It says, as you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him. SPEAKER E How did you receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior? SPEAKER C Received him as my righteous prince and my deliverer. SPEAKER E Did you have to work at that? SPEAKER C No. By faith. SPEAKER E There's the key. You believed by faith in the promise what God said he would do it's by faith. So how do you walk with Him? SPEAKER C By sanctification part by faith, again, by. SPEAKER E Faith in Him that he will do what he said he would do, in. SPEAKER C And believing His Word, because faith comes by hearing and hearing the word of God. Romans, chapter ten, verse 17. Believing His Word as you did when you received them the first time, so nearly believe that he's able to keep you from falling or even not allow you to be tempted beyond what you can bear. But with every temptation, he will always make a way of escape, believing that. SPEAKER E He will write his laws on your mind and hearts, believing he'll give you a new heart, believing he'll put his spirit in you to walk and keep his statues and his commandments, believing he will do what he said he will do. By faith. SPEAKER C Jeremiah 31. That new Covenant promise. SPEAKER E That's right. So people are saying that he can't do it. It's really what they're saying is they don't have faith in God's Word. SPEAKER C It is a statement of unbelief. SPEAKER E That's right. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER E So the one way receives Jesus Christ as his justifying Savior is by faith. I mean, we believe that Jesus is the Son of God and died for our sins, don't we? Yes. And we believe he forgives our sins and gives us eternal life, and one becomes a Christian by faith in Jesus, works are not involved. God does not require a lost sinner to begin doing good works before coming to Jesus. The sinner does not have to clean up his life and try to make himself acceptable before God before receiving salvation. We come to Him as we are. SPEAKER C As we are. That's right. SPEAKER E No, the sinner simply comes to Christ as he is and accepts him by faith as His Savior, we accept what Christ has done for Him. The same principle of faith applies to the Christian being sanctified. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER E Living the obedient life. Once one is born again and begins to live the Christian life, it is natural for him to focus on his own efforts to obey God's law. Just a natural thing. SPEAKER D Okay. SPEAKER C So it can be a distraction. We've got to be careful that our eyes of faith are taken of Jesus and they start focusing on what we can do. SPEAKER E Yeah. However, we soon discovered that it's impossible by our own efforts to keep God's law. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER E And Paul describes this impossibility in Romans, chapter seven, verse 21 and 23. SPEAKER C Paul says, I find then a law that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man, but I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin, which is in my members. SPEAKER E Yeah. So Paul had personally experienced the impossibility of obeying God's law through his own efforts. And he's forced to cry out in Romans chapter seven, verse 24, when he cries out, o wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of his death? SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER C And that is such an appropriate text because we're dealing with the latestian church and we're talking about I self so that we can see and then also white raiment, which is the righteousness of Christ, that our nakedness is clothed. But the issue that Laodicea does not know is that they are wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked. But the word wretched is only found twice in the Bible and here it's fine the second time. O wretched man that I am, who will deliver me from this body of death? So the solution, the antidote to the ladicean problem is actually the answer to this question. O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death? SPEAKER E The answer is given that right. Then in Romans chapter seven, verse 25, he then gives the answer to this cry I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. The apostle Paul had learned that faith in Christ was the only way to victoriously live an obedient Christian life. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER E And so again he goes on in Romans chapter eight, verse three to four. For what the law could not do in that was weak through the flesh, god sending his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh. Just have that put in your head in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemn sin in the flesh, that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us who work not after the flesh, but after the spirit. SPEAKER C Wow, that's some powerful text. And that, of course, continues the theme that we read in Romans, chapter seven, where this man wants to do all the good things, but he can't find the ability to do it. He just gets defeat after defeat. All the bad things he doesn't want to do, those are the things he does. But he's familiar with the law. He says that he's got a law in his mind, but in his flesh he sees another law, which is the law of sin and the law of sin and death, as we read in Romans, chapter eight and verse two. Because it says that the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. Now, dear listener, we just need to take a break here and we'll be right back after this short message. So stay tuned. You are listening to, you shall receive power with Colin Hohne and Etienne McClintock. SPEAKER F Welcome to the minute that makes a difference. I'm Margot Marshall. What difference do relationships make to our health? A profound difference. Eight large scale studies found that socially isolated people had two to five times the risk of premature death from all causes compared to those who had a strong sense of connection. And community. No wonder the World Health Organization includes social health in its definition of wellness. We were created for social relationship, and the quality of social relationships has been found to be even more important than the quantity. So make quality time with your family and friends a priority. Maybe join a community group, because people need people and relationships make a difference. SPEAKER C Dear listener, welcome back. You are listening to, you shall receive power with Colin Hone and Etienne McClintock. And just before the break, Colin, we were talking about those beautiful texts that explain that condition. When we start relying on our own works and we take our eyes of Jesus, where we actually exclaim, then, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death? And then the answer, of course, is I thank God through Jesus Christ, our Lord. And then we started getting into Romans chapter eight. SPEAKER E That's right, where it says but that the righteous of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. SPEAKER C Now, this was enabled by something that God did because we couldn't do it. Romans eight, verse three says, for what the Law could not do, in other words, we could not buy keeping the Law in and of ourselves. Do God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh. And then it says, on account of sin. He actually condemned sin in sinful flesh because he took our fallen humanity upon Himself. He took our fallen humanity on his sinless divinity, put these two together. And then that enabled us, as we read in verse four, that the righteous requirements of the Law might be fulfilled in us who no longer walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. SPEAKER E That's right. So we've got to walk according to the Spirit. So how do we do that? Well, in order to walk in the Spirit, we must daily experience the baptism of the Holy Spirit, which is Christ in us. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is asking Jesus to live out his life daily. In and out. We die daily, we're almost born daily. We have Jesus living in us daily and choose to yield to the Spirit's promptings. Now, once the choice is made to yield to the Spirit's promptings, we are then able to look to Christ to live out his victory over the temptations in our life. And this is why Paul wrote that the righteous of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after flesh, but in the Spirit. Now, what happens is Jesus, who lives in the Spirit filled believer, will fulfill the righteous requirements of the Law in him as he yields or walks after Spirit. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER E In other words, it is Jesus who does the fulfilling of the righteous requirements of the Law. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER C Thank you, Lord. SPEAKER D Yes. Beautiful. SPEAKER E So any righteousness that we seek to attain by our own efforts is actually unrighteousness, since it's impossible to attain any righteousness apart from faith in Christ's. Righteousness. And the prophet Isaiah wrote in Isaiah, chapter 64, verse six, he said this, didn't he? SPEAKER C It says, but we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are like filthy rags. We all fade as a leaf, and our iniquities like the wind, have taken us away, all of us alone. SPEAKER E Righteousness are like filthy racks. And Paul confirms this in Romans, doesn't he? Romans, chapter 14, verse 23. SPEAKER C Yes, he's talking about acts of faith. And he says, he who doubts is condemned, so unbelief condemns us if he eats, because he does not eat from faith. For whatever or whatsoever is not from faith is sin. SPEAKER E That's right. So the only way to live a victorious Christian life is to look in faith to Christ when tempted to sin. Hebrews, chapter twelve, verse one and two. SPEAKER C It says therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of faith, who, for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despised the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. SPEAKER E So the only way one's obedience can be holy is by faith in Christ living out his holy righteousness or holy righteous, obedient life within him. When tempted, he turns immediately to Jesus, asking him to manifest his victory over that temptation. Christ's righteous obedience will then be manifest in his life. He will be experiencing righteous by faith. Yes, in his walk with the Lord, he will have bought the white raiment. And that is why Paul wrote in Romans, chapter one, verse 16 to 17. SPEAKER C These are beautiful verses. It says, therefore I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek, for in it that's in the Gospel, the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith. As it is written, the just shall live by faith. SPEAKER E That's right. From faith to faith. So the true gospel of Jesus Christ is a gospel of power. It is the very power of Jesus living in us through the baptism of the Holy Spirit that brings salvation to us through our belief or our faith in him. Hence, the justified Christian lives by faith in Christ alone, for righteousness. And John recognized faith as the only means of overcoming the temptation of Satan as well. He wrote in one, john, chapter five, verse four, these wonderful words about how he, how we can overcome the temptations of Satan, okay? SPEAKER C And it says, for whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world, our faith, even our faith, even our faith. Now that faith is not the one that we naturally have. That is the one that's been gifted to us. But if we've received it by faith, it is ours. So we can exercise the faith of Christ Jesus. SPEAKER E The three angels message in Revelations 14, verse six to twelve says, here are they that keep the commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus. SPEAKER D Jesus. SPEAKER E We have Jesus faith. SPEAKER C And the keeping word there refers to not only the commandments, but also the keeping of that faith of Jesus. SPEAKER E That's right. SPEAKER C So they keep the possession of it. SPEAKER E Yeah. You can see why Satan wants to blind God's people to the marvellous experience of righteous by faith in Christ alone. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER E First, he wants to replace Christ from that aspect of the Christian's life by looking to our own efforts to overcome instead of looking to Jesus Christ. That was the problem that the Jewish nation have and that's the problem that many Christians have. And we've all experienced that, trying to obey God through our own efforts, by our own strength. So he wants to replace Christ from the aspect of Christian life, looking to our own efforts to overcome instead of looking to Christ. Now, secondly, this is his other way that Satan tries to blind God's people. He doesn't want us to have the victory over temptation and sin. He does not want God's law to be obeyed. For through experiencing righteous by faith, we place Christ at the very center of our walk with God, and a life will be a life of obedience to God and his law. SPEAKER C Satan's enmity to the law is great because it stops him, it doesn't enable him to achieve his desire. And his object is to be like the Most High. The law says you'll have no other gods before me. You will not have any gray images, you wouldn't bow down before them and worship them. But Satan is always trying to work even behind the scenes to try and solicit worship. In Revelation chapter 13, five times the word is worshipped is mentioned there. It says they worship the beast and they worship the dragon who gave him his seed, his power and great authority. So through this antichrist power, Satan receives worship. He is trying to undermine God's law, undermine God's constitution, because if he can do that, he can receive worship. But the law of God prohibits him from receiving that. SPEAKER E That's right. And even in Revelations chapter twelve, verse 17, who is the dragon or Satan making war with? SPEAKER C It's a good question. SPEAKER E He says, and the dragon was arranged with the woman. This is the church woman represents church, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring or remnant who keep this is the last remaining church on earth just before Jesus comes. Who what they have these two things who keep the commandments of god number one? SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER E Not who try to keep the commandments who attempt to keep the commandments of God. They keep the commandments of God. And we're looking at today is how we keep the commandments of God. It's through the new covenant experience of Jesus and God writing the law on our mind and hearts and giving us a desire to obey God's law. Because it's God giving us a new heart. It's Jesus living in us who will seek to keep the new covenant promise. And they have the testimony of Jesus Christ. SPEAKER C Testimony of Jesus Christ is the spirit of prophecy, which is what the prophets have written. SPEAKER E That's right. It says that in Revelation, chapter 19, verse ten, that the testimony of Jesus Christ is the spirit of prophecy. So God is angry and makes to war on those who have the spirit of prophecy and who keep the commandments of God. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER E And so you can see why Satan wants to blind God's people, this marvelous experience of righteous by faith. But it's only through faith in Christ's obedience to God's law will be manifest in and through us, through Jesus. And that is true righteous by faith. However, for us to receive the white raiment, we must first have the eye salve to remove our blindness of Satan's amiga deception. We need the eye salve of the Holy Spirit to see clearly our true condition. All right. And to convict us of sin and lead us to Jesus as well. SPEAKER C And that blindness. When their blindness removes, we can more clearly see Jesus Christ. SPEAKER E That's right. SPEAKER C By beholding Him, we can become changed. But the I self needs to be applied. SPEAKER E That's right. And Ellen White, in the spirit of prophecy, certainly understood the centrality of faith in Christians life. She wrote these words in the Review and Herald, october 18, 1898. SPEAKER C The knowledge of what the Scripture means when urging upon us the necessity of cultivating faith is more essential than any other knowledge that can be acquired. SPEAKER E So what's the most essential knowledge that we can cultivate? SPEAKER C Yeah, well, it's an essential understanding of what it means to cultivate faith. So how do we cultivate, how do. SPEAKER E We grow faith that's cultivating faith? She knew faith in Christ was the only way to victory. She knew that faith in Christ's righteousness was the only way to be righteous. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER E She knew that faith in Christ was the only way to perfect obedience to God's law. This is why she endorsed the message of righteous by faith so strongly. You see it right through her writings. SPEAKER D Absolutely. SPEAKER E She knew it was the only way to have Christ central in the life and become the people who come out of the latest seeing condition and fulfill God's purpose for his church, and who receive the latter reign and are ready to meet Christ when he returns in glory. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER E So we're going to talk about the struggle of surrender. What is the believer's part in experiencing righteous by faith. SPEAKER C Okay, now you know, as I look at the Bible we just read out of Romans chapter seven and Romans chapter eight. But Romans chapter eight, verse seven says that the carnal mind, the word carnal is the same word for flesh. It says Christ came in the likeness of sinful flesh. The word flesh there sucks. It says that the fleshly mind I like that. SPEAKER E The works of the flesh sucks. SPEAKER C Yeah, I think the way we transliterate it into our alphabet is sarx. SPEAKER E Oh, okay, that it sucks. All right. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER C And so the fleshly mind says is enmity against God. So in other words, it is contradictory and it is one that's hostile towards God. Then it says that that fleshly mind is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can it be. So what we want to know is how do we get to surrender that mindset so that we can receive the mind of Christ? SPEAKER E Well, it's the struggle of surrender, isn't it? Let's be honest with us. And so the believer's part, our part in experience righteous by faith is to surrender our sinful desires to Jesus amen. And to let Jesus give us the victory. And even though the one might have accepted Jesus, he still has sinful desires within himself. At times our sinful nature will manifest a strong desires to sin and we can all relate to that and we've experienced that. And we have besetting sins in our lives and habitual sins that have dominated us when we even want to obey God. SPEAKER C And my struggle is not identical to your struggle. It's similar in principle. But for example, I might struggle with an addiction to say, alcohol where you've got no issue with alcohol whatsoever. Or for me it might be an addiction to what I see, maybe it's pornography, but another person doesn't quite struggle with that. So we need the righteousness of Christ so that we can actually have that death in Christ, which is then taking away of those desires because we crucified. A dead man can no longer desire. SPEAKER E That's right. SPEAKER C We then raised a newness of life with new desires, which is the principle received from God by writing his laws within our hearts and in our minds. SPEAKER E That's right. And we all have besetting sins in our lives. These are the habitual sins that have dominated us even when we want to obey God. And I know that time and time again the victory even over one's best desires to do right, it doesn't happen sometimes. And the only solution to this battle with self is to make a complete 100% surrender. In other words, buy from God. At such times of conflict with one's sinful desires, there may be many times when the Christian will feel cry out as Christ did in the garden, lord, if possible, let this cup pass from me. However, the Christian at such times must also say what Christ said nevertheless, not My will, but thine be done. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER E You know, once Christ gained the victory of surrender in the garden, the victory of the cross was assured. I want to just say that again. Once Christ gained the victory of surrender in the garden not my will, but Your will, Father. The victory of the cross was assured. That was where the decision was made. Not my will, Father, but your will. And that's the same with us struggling sinners. Once the victory of surrender is gained, the victory over sin is assured. Because at that point, Christ will manifest his victory in the life as a sinner, asks Christ to do it, and believes he will. SPEAKER C So he authored that victory for us, and then he gifts it to us if we receive it by faith. SPEAKER E That's right. And so the Christian must realize that he will face strong battles with his sinful desires. However, the victory can be gained not by trying hard to overcome these sinful desires. No. The victory will gain when one chooses to surrender. That besetting sin to God. That's the hard part. And then ask Christ to give Him the victory over that temptation we need to surrender and then ask Jesus to give us the victory over that desire. It's just that simple. It's 100% surrender 100% of the time. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER E And looking to Jesus 100% of the time for victory is the answer to living the consistently victorious Christian life. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER E That's why Ellen White wrote that it's a cooperative nature of victory when she wrote these words in letter 20 118. SPEAKER C 96 what the people want is instruction. What shall I do that I may save my soul? We need more and still more of vital Godliness brought out. SPEAKER E Wow. And again she writes in the book Acts of Apostles, page 482. Wonderful book. If you ever get an opportunity, please. SPEAKER C It'S a great New Testament talks about the New Testament experiences of the apostles after Christ's resurrection and the baptism. SPEAKER E The Holy Spirit is right through it. It's called Acts of Apostles. Page 482. She makes this point is that the. SPEAKER C Work of gaining salvation is one of Copartnership, a joint operation. There is to be cooperation between God and the repentant sinner. This is necessary for the formation of right principles in the character. Man is to make earnest efforts to overcome that which hinders him from attaining to perfection, which is 100% surrender. But he is wholly dependent on God for success. Faith in Christ's obedience, human effort of itself is not sufficient. 100% surrender obviously is required. Without the aid of divine power, it avails nothing. God works and man works. Resistance of temptation must come from man, which is 100% surrender yes. Who must draw his power from God. So this is faith in Christ's obedience. So by faith we have to draw that power. On one side there is infinite wisdom, compassion and power, and on the other side, weakness, sinfulness and absolute helplessness. SPEAKER E You've just got to come to that point. SPEAKER C Absolutely. SPEAKER E So it's also important to ask Jesus to give us his desire towards any sin and temptation we desire. So Jesus will do that if we ask Him. Remember, Jesus gives Christian both forgiveness and repentance. Remember, which is a desire not to commit a particular sin. SPEAKER D Yeah. Amen. SPEAKER E Gives us forgiveness, and he gives us a desire not to commit a particular sin. So how can this happen in our lives? We want to get down to the nitty gritty now. Yes. How can this happen in our lives? So what is the answer to how we can live a victorious or and consistently victorious Christian life? The answer is letting Jesus live out his life in us. Paul taught we have the mind of Christ in One Corinthians, chapter two, verse 16, didn't he? SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C One Corinthians Chapter Two And verse 16, for who has known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him, but we have the mind of Christ. And of course, Philippians, chapter two, verse five, let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. And then Romans Chapter Twelve. And verse two says that we are to be transformed by the renewing of our mind. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER E So Christ's mind right, was filled with what? Well, with pure joy, holiness, virtuous thoughts. So if we have asked Christ to live in us through the baptism of the Holy Spirit every day, if we believe he does, and if we believe he will manifest his love, his purity, his holiness, his virtuous thoughts in our mind, he will do just that. It's a matter of faith. Believing that God said he would do that when we ask it, believing that he will truly manifest Himself in our lives. This is why Ellen White wrote in the wonderful words in this, another great book, Desire of Ages. I'm actually reading that book at the moment. Are you? I can't get past a chapter like, wow. Wow. Just amazing. A book called Desire of Ages. SPEAKER C The first time I read that book, I speed read it, and it was just a fascinating book. Now I'm slowing down because there's so much good every line is pregnant with meaning. SPEAKER E It's a good way of putting it. It's taking me a while to read it because I'm highlighting things that just stand out, and it's just not every page does. But this is found in The Desire of Ages, page 123, and I just want you to listen to these words, what Ellen White says in the spirit of Prophecy. SPEAKER D Okay. SPEAKER C Quoting from John, chapter 14, verse 30. It says, the prince of this world cometh, said Jesus, and have nothing in me. There was in him nothing that responded to Satan's. Sophistry he did not consent to sin. Not even by a thought did he yield to temptation. So it may be with us. Christ's humanity was united with divinity. He was fitted for the conflict by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. And he came to make us partakers of the divine nature. So long as we are united to Him by faith, sin no more has dominion over us. God reaches for the hand of faith in us to direct it to lay fast hold upon the divinity of Christ that we may attain to perfection of character. SPEAKER E Wow. SPEAKER D Whoa. SPEAKER E Let that just sink. You know, Jesus is saying know he didn't consent to sin, not even by thought, that he yielded a temptation. And he says, So it may be. SPEAKER C With us, but that just blows my mind. And it says there that God reaches for the hand of faith. So in other words, our faith. And what does he do with our faith? He wants it to lay fast hold so that's a grip that cannot be loosed or released fast hold upon the divinity of Christ. So we lay hold of divine power by faith, which is the power of. SPEAKER E Christ, which is exactly what Jesus did. Christ's humanity was united with divinity, and he was fitted for the conflict by how? By the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. So we too may be fitted by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, by uniting our humanity with Jesus. And so the living Christ within the believer is to be our very life. Every believer is able to say, Christ lives in me. Just like Paul, it's not I that live edin. You should be able to say, It's not I that lives anymore, Eddie. It's Christ that lives in me. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER E Colin, I can say, It's not I that lives anymore, but it's Christ that lives in know. It's the indwelling of the Holy Spirit of Christ in me. The hope of glory. And the Christian need is to learn how to let Jesus live out his life in and through us. That's what we need to learn. And how to learn to let Jesus live out his life in and through us. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER E That is why the following Scripture emphasizes the reality of Christ living in the believer in Romans, chapter five, verse ten. SPEAKER C This is another one of my favorites because it talks about reconciliation to God, in other words, bringing the relationship back that was severed through sin. And it says there, Romans chapter five and verse ten, for if when we were enemies, so there's still no goodness in us at that point in time when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son. Much more having been reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. SPEAKER E And again it says in Colossians, chapter three, verse four when Christ, who is our life shall appear, then shall you also appear with Him in glory. SPEAKER D Beautiful. SPEAKER E There is a science or methodology to salvation and victory over sin. These are the biblical principles for victory that Ellen White wrote. And she talks about it in two Timothy, chapter three, verse 16 and 17 in her book Christian Education, page 84. SPEAKER C Okay says, the Bible contains the science of salvation, so it's a science, so we can study it for all those who will hear and do the words of Christ. The Apostle says, all Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfectly and thoroughly furnished unto all good works. Two Timothy, chapter three, verse 16 and verse seven. SPEAKER E So how does it happen? Well, simply put, here are the steps that you can take, okay? Number one, when you become aware of a temptation to choose to sin, choose to turn your mind immediately away from it. Claim the promise in Philippians, chapter four, verse eight. SPEAKER D Okay? SPEAKER C And that says, finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good, report if there's any virtue and if there's anything praiseworthy, meditate on these things. SPEAKER E That's right. So when you become aware of temptation to sin, choose to turn your mind immediately away from it. Next, believe that your sinful nature's attraction to the temptation is broken, just like we talked about in Romans chapter six, believe that your sinful nature's attraction to temptation is broken. And believe Jesus is living in you. Ask Jesus to manifest his virtue in you in relation to temptation. Be specific. Believe that he will manifest Himself in that manner. Rest in that belief and don't fight the temptation. When we fight the temptation, we are actually focusing on it and trying to resist in our own strength. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER E Instead, remember in Hebrews chapter twelve, verse one to two, look to Jesus for his victory in anew and then thank him for the deliverance he has just given you. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER E And I'm going to give you an example, just one quick example. Let's take an example of anger and unforgiveness, okay? For example, someone says to you has deeply hurt you and we've all been deeply hurt, which has made you angry and you don't want to forgive them. Well, you can apply these steps as follows. First, as soon as you become aware of the temptation to become angry and unforgiving, you surrender that sinful desire and choose to turn your mind away from that. What is making you feel angry? SPEAKER D Okay? SPEAKER C So it starts with surrender. SPEAKER E That's right. SPEAKER C Once you've identified it. SPEAKER E That's right. Believe that the angry you, the unforgiving you was crucified at the cross and that the power of your sinful nature's desire to become angry and unforgiving is broken. SPEAKER D Wow. SPEAKER E Believe Jesus is in you. Ask Jesus to manifest his peace and forgiveness in and through you and toward that person. Believe that he is doing that at that right at the moment. Rest in that belief and don't fight the temptation to become angry. And then thank Him for the deliverance that he has just given you. SPEAKER D Wow. SPEAKER C Okay, so that's quite a few steps that you can take there. But they're practical and simple. First of all is identifying it, then surrendering it, and then thinking, well, if it's a feeling of anger and unforgiveness that those sins were actually paid for at the cross, in other words, those sins have been taken away. Because if Jesus paid the price and removed them, in other words, justified, it's just as if we've never sinned. The power of those sins to control us have been taken away as well. As long as we reconcile ourselves to the death of Jesus Christ. SPEAKER E Look to Jesus and ask Him to manifest his virtue in and through you, in what you're being tempted on. If it's like anger, give me your peace, yes. If it's lust, give me your purity. Whatever it is that you need so. SPEAKER C Crucified with Christ, that's the first step. And then the second step is Jesus in you. So that intimate relationship and believe that Jesus is in you and he will manifest his peace and forgiveness, his righteousness in your life. SPEAKER E That's right. SPEAKER C Dear listener, we're just going to take a break here and share our contact details with you. If you have any questions or you would like information or even want some books on this, we have some books by Pastor Dennis Smith, 50 Days Prayers and Devotionals to Prepare for the Lateral Reign and Christ's Return. You can get those books, you can even get Helmet Halball's book. Or if you want to have the details on how you can download a PDF version of the book for free, please contact us on these details. Thank you for joining us on You Shall Receive Power. If you would like more information about today's program or if you have any questions, please contact 3ABN Australia Radio by Phoning 024-973-3456. Or you can send an email to [email protected]. You can also contact us on our 3ABN Australia radio Facebook page. We look forward to hearing from you SPEAKER C Dear listener, welcome back. You are listening to, you shall receive power with Colin Hone and Ettienne McClintock. And just before the break, we were talking about some practical aspects on how to deal with anger and unforgiveness. And Colin, we were just talking during the break about how big unforgiveness is. It is a big deal. We can all think of people who we struggle to forgive because of the wrongs they have done to us. Now, can we deal with some other issues as well? Another common one would be impure. SPEAKER E Yes. Yeah. So let's just know you're tempted to have impure thoughts. We'll do the same thing with that temptation. As soon as you become aware of that temptation and thinking impure thoughts, surrender that sinful desire and choose to turn your mind away from it. What is making you think those impure thoughts? Surrender starts with surrender. Believe that the impure. Thinking you was crucified at the cross and the power of your sinful nature's. Desire to think impure thoughts is broken. Believe that. Believe Jesus is living in you, and then ask Jesus to manifest his pure thoughts in and through you and believe that he's doing that right at the moment. Believe by faith that Jesus really is doing that. Rest in that belief and don't fight the temptation to think impure thoughts. Don't try and overcome it on your own strength, because you just can't. SPEAKER C Good advice. SPEAKER E Then thank Him for the deliverance from the impure thoughts that he has just given you. Ellen White understood that the only way to be victorious over temptation is by faith in Christ's righteousness. And I just want to leave you with this quote from The Desire of Ages, page 324, which talks about the only defense against evil. SPEAKER C It says the only defense against evil is the indwelling of Christ in the heart through faith in his righteousness. Unless we become vitally connected with God, we can never resist the unhallowed effects of self love, which is the opposite of God's selfless love, self indulgence and temptation to sin. We may leave off many bad habits for the time. We may even part company with Satan, but without a vital connection with God through the surrender of ourselves to Him, moment by moment, we shall be overcome. Without a personal acquaintance with Christ and a continual communion, we are at the mercy of the enemy and shall do his biding. SPEAKER E In the end, you've got to constantly be looking to Jesus moment by moment. That's why Paul said, pray without ceasing. And remember, brothers and sisters, this is a process, so don't be too down. When you fall, Jesus will be there to pick you up again. SPEAKER C And if we sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Dear listener, may God encourage you, may you bless you, draw you closer to Himself and keep you until that day is our prayer. We look forward to catching up with you next time. God bless. SPEAKER D You'Ve. Been listening to a production of Three ABN Australia radio.