Victory Only Through Christ

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 where we are looking at the book by Pastor Dennis Smith 50 Days Prayers and Devotionals to prepare for the latter rain and Christ's return. We are continuing our study today on day 29, which is victory only through Christ. And we started unpacking that in the previous program. And we pray that you've been blessed by it, that you've been able to spend some time in the Word, done it prayerfully, so that the spirit of truth can work with the word of truth and lead us into all truth. And as such we do not actually study the Bible without prayer and we just invite you to bow your heads with Colin and myself as we just pray for God to bless our study today. Dear Father in heaven, thank you for your love. Thank you for demonstrating Your love through Jesus Christ, our Lord, that while we were yet ungodly, while we were still sinners and Your enemies, christ came and died for us and demonstrated Your incredible love for us. Today, Father, we just want to continue to uphold the power of Your word, the truths of the Gospel, and the power of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. And as such, we just pray for a fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit. Guide and lead us, bless us Father, with your presence as we study together. From your word is our prayer in Jesus name, amen. So we've got this incredible program that we're continuing here today. Colin, I love the first part of the study we did in last week's program, but I think it might just be good seeing a week has passed now just to do a review of what we've done so far. SPEAKER D Yeah, well, we talked last week about victory only through Christ. In other words, we were asking the question what is the answer to how we can live a consistently victorious Christian life? Let's be honest Eddie and we've all struggled with that, that's the truth. Every Christian I've ever spoke to has struggled with that and we found out the answer is letting Jesus live out his life in us. And this truth is taught right throughout the Bible. And the New Testament is very clear about the necessity of Christ living in us in order for us to have the victory over temptation and sin. And Jesus used the imaginary or the imagery of the vine and branches to illustrate this truth. He said abide in me and I knew yes. Remember, he spoke of that in John, chapter 15, verse four to five. And let's just read that again. SPEAKER C Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine, no more can you except you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He that abides in me, and I in Him. The same brings forth much fruit, for without me you can do nothing. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D So we looked at that. We can't do anything unless we abide in Him and Jesus abides in us. SPEAKER C Well, what a beautiful relationship we can have with the Lord. US and him. SPEAKER E And him. And us. SPEAKER D It's great news, great news. And it gives you such peace because you know it's Christ abiding in you that's doing the works in and through you. And so Paul taught this truth throughout his writings as well. In Romans, chapter six, verse eleven, he. SPEAKER C Says, likewise, reckon yourself also to be dead indeed to sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. SPEAKER D And also it says in one Corinthians, chapter two, verse 16, okay, we are. SPEAKER C To have the mind of Christ. SPEAKER D Yeah, we to have the mind of Christ. Well, the only way we can have the mind of Christ, if we have Christ living in us and having his mind. SPEAKER E Amen. SPEAKER D And you know that Christ's mind was filled with pure, holy, virtuous thoughts. If we've asked Christ to live in us through the daily baptism of the Holy Spirit, if we believe he does. If we believe he will manifest his love, his pure, holy, virtuous thoughts in our minds, he will do just that. SPEAKER E Amen. SPEAKER D It's a matter of faith, believing that he will truly manifest Himself in our life. That's why Paul recognized this fact when he wrote in Galatians 220, oh, yes, that beautiful text. SPEAKER C I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live. Yet not I, but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh. I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. SPEAKER D So the first step was to be he realized that he was crucified with Christ. So the first step for us is we must believe that we were crucified with Christ. So we need to die to ourself, die to our selfish desires. SPEAKER C While the Gospel brings good news to us of eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord, it also requires a cross. We are to recognize that when Christ died, we died. We are to deny self. So death to self is actually a part of the Gospel, but that's how you experience the good news of eternal life through Jesus. SPEAKER D That's right. And that's our part, is to choose that God will do everything else and do his part. But we must choose by our own choice to do that. And then again, so you crucify with Christ and then he goes, well, guess what? But I still living, aren't I? SPEAKER E That's right. SPEAKER D Still alive. But yet it's not I that live anymore. It's Christ that lives in me. SPEAKER E Amen. SPEAKER D And how do you do it? I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. SPEAKER C So it's the faith of Jesus that he lives by. SPEAKER D That's right. SPEAKER C Jesus authored faith for us so that the faith that we have, we receive from Him. SPEAKER D And then he also confirms this in Ephesians chapter three, verse 16 to 17. SPEAKER C Says that he would grant you according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith. SPEAKER D Wow. So we can be strengthened with might by his spirit, by the Holy Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in our hearts by faith. And again it says in Philippians, chapter four, verse 13, that we can do. SPEAKER C All things, all things through Christ who strengthens us. Doing all things comes because Christ is the one that strengthens us. SPEAKER D That's right. And it says that this mystery will be revealed just before Jesus comes. Remember we spoke about Revelations, chapter ten, verse seven? SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D Where God says the mystery of God will be revealed just before the 7th trumpet is blown. And the 7th trumpet in Revelation reveals it's, the revealing of second coming of Jesus Christ. And it said just before, in other words, just before Jesus returns, the mystery of God will be revealed to the universe. SPEAKER C Isaiah 60, verse one, talks about that as well. It says, Arise, shine, for thy light has come and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. SPEAKER D That's right. And we connected that also to Revelations 18 one, where previous where it says that the three angels and messages of Revelations 14, verses six to twelve will be repeated. SPEAKER C That's right. SPEAKER D Illuminate the whole world, but with power, because it'll be repeated along with God's glory lighting up this earth. SPEAKER C And the outpouring of the latter rain. SPEAKER D And the outpouring the latter rain. And God's glory is his character, because remember Moses said, Show me your glory. God's glory is his character. And the Ten Commandments are a transcript of God's glory, or his transcript of his character, his merciful good. And that's how it works. SPEAKER C So we've seen the glorious end result of God's church by faith. We haven't seen it physically yet, but that is yet in the future. So there are still many good things to come. SPEAKER D Oh, absolutely. And so God's glory is going to light up this earth, which is the mystery that God talks about, the last mystery to be revealed to the universe. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D And it'll be demonstrated in Revelations 18, verse one. But God's glory of his character will be lighted up in his people amen. On this earth, who will then give the three angels message the last warning in power. And what is this mystery? Well, the mystery is found in Colossians, chapter one, verse 27. SPEAKER C To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you? The hope of glory. SPEAKER D See, twice the word glory is used there. SPEAKER C Yes, right. SPEAKER D Twice. To whom God has made known what is the riches of the glory, god's character of this mystery amongst Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Because Christ represented God's character or his glory in the flesh. SPEAKER E Yeah. Wow. SPEAKER D And so he wants to then dwell in us, so his glory, his character will be reflected in us. And that's what it's talking about. SPEAKER C It great. Is the mystery of Godliness. God was manifest in the flesh is the first Timothy, chapter three, verse 16. SPEAKER D That's right. SPEAKER E Yeah. SPEAKER D And I'm sure these verses might be similar to some of you out there listening to that. The difficulty we have, what we're talking about today is that most Christians know the words and phrases that we're talking about. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D With these Bible verses. And usually the personal application of these verses by the Christian is the belief that we must stay connected with God in order to have his power added to our efforts to obey. We often believe that Christ living in us means that he is there to strengthen us in our efforts to overcome the temptation sins in our life. That is not what these verses are saying. SPEAKER C In other words, that actually sort of bypasses the cross because self has to be denied. In other words, if self is taken out of the way, it's all Christ, it's not us and Christ, it's all Christ. SPEAKER D That's right. So that's not what these verses are saying. Firstly, I want us to realize that Jesus does literally abide in you. He said that he does, and we can believe Him. SPEAKER E Amen. SPEAKER D And this happens as we daily receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Let's look up John, chapter 14, verses 16 to 18, where Jesus says let's back up a little bit further in John, chapter 14, verse twelve, jesus makes this incredible promise. SPEAKER E Yeah. SPEAKER C It says, they're most assured I say to you, he who believes in me, the works that I do, he will do also. And greater works than these he will do because I go to my Father. SPEAKER D Wow. So here's Jesus saying that those who believe in Him will do greater works in Him than Jesus. Have you ever looked at what the works did? SPEAKER C Incredible. SPEAKER E Yeah. SPEAKER C No, I don't know anybody that can match that. And now to say that his church can do greater works yeah, but look. SPEAKER D At the early Church. Did not they heal the sick, raise the dead? SPEAKER C They did. SPEAKER D They did all the same miracles that Jesus did, and they taught the same things that Jesus did and did the same works. SPEAKER C Matter of fact, the power of God is working so well of them that even just the shadow of Peter would fall on people and they would be healed. SPEAKER D That's right. Because Christ was dwelling in them. They were baptized with the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER E Amen. SPEAKER D And then how do we receive Christ in us? Well, we read John 1416 to 18. Jesus then goes on to tell us, this is how I will come, and you'll be able to do the same works as me. SPEAKER C And Jesus says, And I will pray the Father, and he will give you another helper or another comforter that he may abide with you forever. The Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees Him nor knows him, but you know Him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. SPEAKER D So he's saying, Jesus is going to send us the comforter or the Holy Spirit or the Advocate, who is not only will be with us, but will be in us. SPEAKER E In us. SPEAKER C That's right. And Jesus says in verse 18, I will not leave you orphans. I will come to you. SPEAKER D He not only goes if you keep on reading John, he says, not only Jesus comes and dwells in us, he says the Father as well. SPEAKER C That's right. Verse 23 and Jesus said, if anyone loves me, he will keep my word and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make. SPEAKER E Our home with him. Wow. SPEAKER D Is that an amazing promise? That the Father and the Son who created the whole universe. And remember, we've talked about this before, just in our galaxy alone where we live, planet Earth and our little sun here, they believe that there's at least 100 to 200 billion suns or stars just in our galaxy. All right? Then you got all the planets that go around those suns, and they reckon there's at least 200 to 200 billion galaxies in the universe. And the creator of all them wants to come and dwell in us. And it's through the Holy Spirit that he dwells in us. And that's how Jesus said, you'll be able to do the same works as me, because I will be dwelling you, and I will seek to do the same works through you that I did. SPEAKER C How big is our God? I think the know, he says that he's blinded the eyes of men on this Earth. If we really understand what God is offering us here, who would not want that? We all keen to know famous people, whether they be politically famous or whether they be musicians, or whether they be movie stars or some sort of guru, people want to know that they know this person and if they're on a first name basis, even greater. But here the King of the Universe, the Father and the Son, want to come and make their home with us. What a privilege. I think sometimes we read that and we just sort of glance over it, we just sort of move on. We don't actually accept the beautiful offer that God is giving us here, that we can be so closely, intimately acquainted with God. SPEAKER D Now, did you notice also that he said the world cannot accept this? SPEAKER C Yes, I did see that because the world can't see it. SPEAKER D They can't accept the Holy Spirit of Christ in you, the Hobit glory, because they don't know Him. You have to know Him to have that happen. There is a work of the Holy Spirit that is for everybody, and that's found in John, chapter 16, where it says the Holy Spirit convicts us of sin. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D And then leads us to Jesus, the remedy for sin. SPEAKER E Amen. SPEAKER D That is the work of the Holy Spirit for everyone. But this work of the Holy Spirit of Christ abiding in us and dwelling in us is only for the believer, he says. That's what it says in John, chapter 14. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D So we also want to go to First John, first John, chapter three, verse 24. SPEAKER C It says now he who keeps his commandments abides in him. And he in him. And by this we know that he abides in us by the Spirit whom he has given us. SPEAKER D So how does he abide in us? SPEAKER C Through the Holy Spirit that God has given. SPEAKER D That he has given us. That's another gift and it's given it to those who what obey Him? SPEAKER E That's right. SPEAKER D Who keep his commandments. So what happens with Jesus living in us? We have his mind. One Corinthians, chapter two, verse 16. Yes, we have his mind. We have the mind of Christ. We also have his love, his joy, his peace, his patience, his gentleness, his goodness, his faith, his meekness and temperance that are found in the book of Galatians five, chapter five, verse 22 to 23. SPEAKER C Yes, the fruit of the Spirit. SPEAKER D Yeah, we have the fruit of the Spirit because it's Christ's fruit as well. We have also Jesus likes and his dislikes. We can have his pure thoughts, we can even have his forgiveness. Remember on the cross, after they did everything to Jesus, he says, Father, forgive them for they do not know what he's doing. And so Jesus can even having Jesus living in us, we can have his forgiveness, that we can then forgive others as he forgives us. And the way he forgaves complete surrender. SPEAKER C To the will of the Father. I mean, typically the response would be these people are treating me so badly. It'll be anger and aggression. If you could do something to them, you would. But Jesus here is totally abiding by faith in the will of His Father to do God's will, not his own. SPEAKER E Will, as he said. SPEAKER C Nevertheless, not My will, but Thy will be done. And in that abiding peace, somehow he finds it within Himself to pray father, forgive them. They don't know what they're doing. They don't understand what they're actually doing. SPEAKER D So if Christ is dwelling in us and we have his forgiveness in us or Christ's forgiveness, remember that. And then someone does something to us, then the natural response if Christ is dwelling in us is, Father, forgive them, for they don't know what they're doing instead of reacting. SPEAKER E Well. SPEAKER C Stephen, you know who was stoned, the first martyr there in the New Testament Church, he said, Father, do not lay the sin against them because he had. SPEAKER D The Holy Spirit dwelling in him. Yeah, I mean, he was chosen as one of the seven deacons, not based on his theological background or what university he went to. The seven deacons were chosen by the apostles because they're identified as men filled with the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER E That's right. SPEAKER D That was the qualification and power and men of good reputation. That was the qualification. So we see that if we have Christ living in us, we have his likes, his dislikes, his pure thoughts, his forgiveness. I guess the list could go on and on. Basically, we can have every virtue of Christ in us through Christ abiding in us. It's just great news. SPEAKER C It is great news. SPEAKER D And so what we're talking about is not becoming Christ like or always having Christ's help or power to resist temptation. What we're talking about is so much better than that, the truth, that Christ wants to literally live out his life in us, not simply add his power to our feeble efforts. So how does this happen? And we're going to now unpack how this happens shortly. Okay? So just give us a summary what we've been talking about. SPEAKER C Eddie okay, so we've been talking about how we come to the Lord, how we are crucified with Christ, and how we are to have Christ abiding in us. He is the vine, we are the branches. And that unless we are actually grafted in, unless we are connected to Jesus Christ, we cannot produce any fruit. And he says that without Him we can do nothing. Then we of course read this was in John, this is what Jesus says. And then of course, we read from the Apostle Paul in Galatians two, verse 20, that we are to be crucified with Christ. So when Christ died, we died. He executed fallen humanity. So the demands of the law, which is the death of the sinner, was met in Christ Jesus. We were executed with him. Two Corinthians, chapter five says that if one died for all, then all are dead. All died crucified with him. However, while we're in that dead state, spiritually there is life. Why? Because we are made alive. We are quickened by the Holy Spirit, because we have Christ living us in us, our hope of glory. Because he says I'm crucified with Christ. Nevertheless I live. Yet it's not I living, it's not me living, it's Christ living in me. And he says that while he's even in the flesh, he lives by faith. Faith of the Son of God. And Jesus loved us. He gave Himself for us, now we give ourselves to Him. And that is really the principle of the Gospel, that Christ can live within us, our hope of glory. And when Christ is living in us, his glory is reflected in the way we interact with other people, in the way we love them and show them love and mercy and grace. And we love just like Jesus loved. He loved His Father with his whole heart, mind, soul and strength. And he loved his neighbor us, the people who came to Redeem. He loved us that he was willing to lay down his life for us. And we therefore also are able and able to make that same sacrifice for others around us. SPEAKER D Because it's not us. SPEAKER C Because it is Christ in us. But this can only come to us by faith. Yes, if we don't believe the Word of God. The latent power in the Word of God actually doesn't actually action, because God doesn't force anything on us. He allows us the freedom of choice, which is a precious gift from Him. We can choose. But if we choose to believe every word, man should not live by bread alone, but every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. If we believe the good news of the Gospel, we receive the fullness of Christ. We can grow in grace, we can grow in mercy and favor based on what we know. And God will continue to educate us and teach us things that we don't know. Hidden chapters in our life will become evident to us. And as we grow in that grace and we choose Christ at every stage of our life, we will more fully and fully reflect the image and glory of Jesus Christ. SPEAKER D So there's power in his word. SPEAKER E Amen. SPEAKER D For example, how was the Earth created? SPEAKER C By his word. SPEAKER D By his word, he spoke and it was done. SPEAKER C He commanded and it stood fast, as it says in Psalms 33. SPEAKER D So if we apply the same principle that the Word became flesh, if the Word lives in us, there is nothing impossible. SPEAKER E Amen. SPEAKER C And of course, that beautiful text we looked at there, where Jesus said he gives us power over the enemy. SPEAKER D Yes. By his word. SPEAKER C By his word. SPEAKER D By his word. By the Word dwelling in us. The word dwelling in us. So remember, we have previously seen that our efforts are ineffective of overcoming temptation, even when we have faith in God abiding his power in our efforts. We have all tried that method and failed again and again, haven't we? SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D Lord, please help me. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. Please help me. We've tried that method and failed again. Again. So I want you to just challenge you today, our listeners, to lay aside your definition of what it means to have Christ in you, right? And prayerfully ask that the God of our Lord jesus Christ, the Father of Glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, and that our eyes of our understanding may be enlightened according to Ephesians, chapter one, verse 1718. There's that promise, yeah, that is so. SPEAKER C Important that the eyes of your understanding being enlightened, the opportunity that God gives his last church on earth, which is the church of the latest sins that we read in Revelation, chapter three. One of the things he counsels us to receive from Him is an ointment to put on our eyes I self so that we may see. So here we read that God wants to enlighten us, that the eyes of our understanding can actually comprehend a knowledge of Him and a knowledge of the Scriptures. So until that is self is actually applied and God offers to us freely, we receive it and we apply it. And that's really the Holy Spirit illuminating us, giving us spiritual discernment to understand spiritual things. Then also we can receive the good news of the Gospel, because sometimes it's either we can't quite see it or it just sounds too good to be true, or we rely on our own experience rather than on the word of God to give us the right experience. SPEAKER D That's right. Praise God. So we've looked at how Christ can live in us and we realized that Jesus was there all the time. And we looked at that. We want you to realize that Jesus does really literally abide in you. He said that he does and we can believe Him. Remember, this happens as we daily pray for and ask and receive the daily baptism of the Holy Spirit, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory, which we looked in John 14, verse 16 to 18, and one John, chapter three, verse 24. SPEAKER C That's right. SPEAKER D Remember, with Jesus living in us, we have his mind. One Corinthians, chapter two, verse 16, we have all the fruit of the Spirit from Galatians 522 to 23. And I might just add one more that in Ephesians chapter five, verse nine. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D It says, the fruit of the Spirit is also righteousness and goodness and Godliness. So we can have Christ's righteousness, a fruit of the Spirit abiding in us. We can have his likes and his dislikes, we can have his pure thoughts, we can have his forgiveness. And the list could go on and on and on. Every virtue of Christ is in us through Christ abiding in us. And number one thing, I just want you to believe that this is a fact. We can believe this by faith. And it is with this knowledge that we are to meet the temptations that come our way. When we know this, we can meet the temptations that come our way. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D However, even with this knowledge, the majority of Christians live their life in the following way they've accepted Christ by faith and believe they are forgiven they think they need to work hard at becoming Christlike by putting forth efforts to obey Him. And in their efforts to obey, they ask God to add his power to these efforts. And as we've stated before, all such efforts are doomed to failure. What we're going to present shortly after the break is not becoming Christ like to always having Christ's help or power to resist temptation. We want to present something so much better that the truth is that Christ wants to literally live out his life in us, not simply add his power to our feeble efforts. And we're going to come back after the break and see how does this work. SPEAKER C Well, I'm looking forward to that study. Let's take that break now, Colin. And we'll be back right after this short message. Stay tuned. SPEAKER B Those who prayerfully study the Bible go from each search wiser than they were before. Thus they will find the hidden treasure, for the Lord will quicken their understanding. Messages to young people, page 259 and 260. SPEAKER C Welcome back to you shall receive power. Just before the break, we are having a discussion about the essential component and this wonderful opportunity we can have to be connected with God, our Father and Jesus Christ through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit that Christ can live in us, giving us greater hope and having the glory of God actually reflected in his people. Now there's obviously some elements of growth that need to take place in that, but we believe in two phases of salvation. One is recreation, where God speaks things into existence and we receive the blessings and the power of God in our lives. The other one is regeneration, and that takes a lifetime to work through. So we want to discuss those and unpack those a little bit further. But the interesting question is, Colin, how does this all work? Does it just simply happen? I mean, what do we need to do? SPEAKER D Well, let's just summarize quickly before we head into that, okay? First we got to realize that Jesus does literally abide in you. We must believe that, okay? He said he does and we must believe Him. And this happens as we daily receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. We looked at that in John 14 1618 and one John, chapter three, verse 24. SPEAKER C That's right. SPEAKER D And remember, with Jesus living in us, we have his mind. One Corinthians, chapter two, verse 16. We have the fruits of the spirit of love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. Galatians 522. And also Ephesians, chapter five, verse nine. His righteousness and his goodness. Godliness we have his likes and his dislikes, his pure thoughts, his forgiveness. Every virtue of Christ can be in us if we have Christ abiding in us. It's essential though, that we believe this, okay? And so we're going to now look at it. How does it actually work? SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D How does this happen? Simply put, the steps. Are these? Step one when you become aware of a temptation to sin, choose to turn your mind immediately away from it. Philippians, chapter four, verse eight. SPEAKER C Okay, philippians four, verse eight says, finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are noble, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, and whatsoever things are of good, report if there is any virtue, and if there is anything, praiseworthy, think, or meditate on these things. SPEAKER D All right. So step one when you become aware of temptation to sin, you still have what's called a choice. You can choose to turn your mind immediately away from it. SPEAKER C That's right. So if you've got a drinking problem, don't sit in front of the beer bottle and stare at it when it's full. SPEAKER E Yeah. SPEAKER D So when you're tempted, just choose to turn your mind immediately away from it. You have a choice. No one can mess with your choice. SPEAKER E Sure. SPEAKER D Even Satan can't mess with your choice. God can't either. This is something he's given us as a gift free will. So you choose to turn your mind immediately away from it. SPEAKER C And if you've got an issue with overeating, don't go to a buffet and then expect to go, that's all right. SPEAKER D Sometimes you're going to be put in a buffet. SPEAKER C Well, that's true. SPEAKER E Yeah. SPEAKER D So we can't avoid not always sure, locking ourselves up in a closet. So we're just going to go through the steps, and then let's then unpack it. So that's the first step. The second step is to believe that your sinful nature's attraction to the temptation is broken. It was broken at the cross. SPEAKER E Sure. SPEAKER D So believe that. Then. The third step, believe Jesus is living and abiding in you. Believe that Jesus is living in you. The fourth step ask Jesus to manifest his virtue in you in relation to the temptation. Be specific. SPEAKER E Okay. SPEAKER D The next step, believe that he will manifest Himself in that manner. SPEAKER E Okay. SPEAKER D And I'll give you some examples in a minute. And then finally, 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. When you start trying to fight the temptation, just rest in it. You've asked for Jesus for the virtue in relation to the temptation you're experiencing. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D You're asking for his virtue and then finally thanking for the deliverance he has just given you. So these are the steps. Now, let's take an example. Okay. Let's take the example of anger. Someone does something to make you angry. I'm sure we've all experienced that. Yeah, everybody's experienced it. Perhaps they've cut you off while you're driving, or maybe someone has said something hurtful to you. I'm sure we've all experienced that. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D If you mean driving long enough, you're going to have someone who's going to cut you off or do something that's going to make you angry. And I believe that everybody has had someone say something hurtful to us. So the application of these steps would go as follows. For example, let's go through the steps. As soon as you become aware of the temptation to become angry, choose to turn your mind away from what is making you feel angry. SPEAKER C Okay. SPEAKER D Believe that the angry you was crucified at the cross and that the power of your sinful nature's desire to become angry was broken or is broken. Then believe that Jesus is in you. Let me say that again. Then believe Jesus is living in you. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D Then ask Jesus to manifest his non anger or peace in and through you. So you might say, Lord, give me your peace. All right. Then believe that he is doing that at that very moment. Believe it that he is giving you his peace. SPEAKER C You don't wait to feel it. Believe it first. SPEAKER D Believe it by faith that he is doing what he promised he would. Yes, that's the faith part. Then rest in that belief and don't fight the temptation to become angry. And then thank Him for the deliverance from anger he has just given to you. Now, I have done this while I'm driving. It's a great way of driving. And so you can come to the point where you're driving, someone cuts you off, and you don't feel anger because you've kept on asking for Jesus for his peace in relation to that virtue in and through. What about another example is when you're tempted to have impure thoughts. I'm sure everybody has dealt with this. SPEAKER E Sure. SPEAKER D You do the same thing with that temptation. As soon as you become aware of the temptation to think impure thoughts, choose to turn your mind away from that. Or turn your mind away from what is making you think those impure thoughts. For example, you could be driving down the road and you see it's summertime, and you see a beautiful girl that's not wearing much clothing, and it's a windy day, and you're tempted to look and have impure thoughts. Turn your mind immediately away. SPEAKER C Yes, it could be a big billboard with something. SPEAKER D That's right. You have a choice. Turn your mind immediately away. Choose to turn your mind away from what is making you think those impure thoughts. Believe that the impure thinking you was crucified at the cross and that the power of your sinful nature's desire to think impure thoughts is broken. SPEAKER C That's right. So that old man was crucified. He's died. So therefore a dead man can have no power over you anymore. SPEAKER D That's right. Then again, believe Jesus is abiding in. SPEAKER C You or living in you, the new man. SPEAKER D Then ask Jesus to manifest his pure thoughts in and through you. For example, you would say, Lord, give me your pure thoughts. Or Lord, if it's anger, Lord, give me your peace. Ask Jesus to manifest his pure thoughts in and through you. Then believe that he's doing that right at that moment. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D Believe that by faith. You've asked him to. He said he would, so believe it, then rest in that belief and don't fight the temptation to think impure thoughts. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D And then thank Him for deliverance from the impure thoughts he has given to you. SPEAKER C Prayer is definitely very powerful. So notice there that you use the word ask a few times, Colin. So prayer is an essential part of victory and surrendering to Christ right at the time when the temptation comes. SPEAKER D That's right. SPEAKER C It's not gritting the teeth and trying hard and just saying, Lord, just give me the power. Just, I surrender to you, Jesus, live your life, your pure life in and through me and give me the right motives and thoughts and desires, because there's no longer I but Christ that lives in me. SPEAKER D And you're asking Christ to do what he promised that he would do. SPEAKER E Amen. SPEAKER C You're believing his word? He's promised that's it right believing in the promises. SPEAKER D But if you try and fight the temptation your own strength, guess what you're trying to do? You're trying to fight the temptation in. SPEAKER C Your own strength, which is really the. SPEAKER D Impossible, which is righteous by works there. SPEAKER C You know, I believe, you know, if you look at our time in which we live in the condition of the Church that says that Jesus says, I know your works. You're not cold or hot, but you're lukewarm. And I think this lukewarmness is actually what you just described there, Colin, where there is an approach to try and do the right thing in our own strength. So what happens is they're not cold because they're not the works of the flesh, because you want to do the works of righteousness, but what happens is they masquerade as the right works, but really in the mind. The corruption remains in the mind, so the thoughts are still impure even. You may even be able to turn yourself away from something and people don't know what you're you know, Christ is the one that wants to give you those victory, the works of faith, which is Christ in you. SPEAKER D Hope of glory. I mean, that's what you're doing. You're praying for Christ, the hope of glory, to live out his virtuous life in and through you. Give me your pure thoughts, give me your peace. Whatever your experience of temptation, what you're having, you go through these steps and Christ will do it. Another one, and this is one that many of us battle is that many Christians find difficult obtaining Vitria over eating or eating the wrong foods. This may seem the most difficult because we all have to eat. SPEAKER C We've got to eat at least two or three times a day. Some people eat more. But how do you avoid a temptation when food's got to be placed in front of you two to three times. SPEAKER D A day at least, yeah. So how do we deal with the temptation? It's a good question. First, we have to be enlightened by the Spirit concerning what we should and what we should not eat. And through God's Word god's Word lays out what we should eat and what we should not eat. So we need to understand God's Word and then be enlightened by the Spirit and convict other Spirit about that. Yes, about how much and when we. SPEAKER C Should eat how much as well. SPEAKER E Yeah. SPEAKER D The Spirit would do this for us through the Word of God and personally convicting us in a particular situation. So what happens when the temptation comes and the Spirit convicts? Right. Convicts us. Follow the same steps as listed before. Example, as soon as you become aware of the temptation to eat the wrong thing or take more food than necessary, choose to turn your mind away from what is making you want to do this. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D Believe that he or believe that the overeating you, the self indulgent you, was crucified at the cross, and that the power of your sinful nature's desire to overeat or eat the wrong foods is broken. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER C And Jesus, the first temptation in the wilderness, when he started his ministry, he overcame appetite. After 48 days of fasting, he had. SPEAKER D The victory for you. And so when you're asking Christ to give you the victory, he has already had the victory, and he's just giving you the victory that he had. SPEAKER C He was authoring victory and salvation even there in the wilderness, just as he was at the cross. SPEAKER D Right. So believe the overeating, the self indulgent you was crucified at the cross, and that the power of your sinful nature's desire to overeat or eat the wrong foods is broken. SPEAKER E Amen. SPEAKER D And then believe Jesus is in you or living in you. Then ask Jesus to manifest his temperance. Remember what is one of the fruit of the Spirit? SPEAKER C His temperance. That's right. SPEAKER D Yeah. So you're asking Jesus to manifest his temperance, his appetite, his self control in and through you. SPEAKER E Amen. SPEAKER D Then believe that he's doing that at that very moment. SPEAKER C Look, we do need a power outside of ourselves to give us the victory. I mean, I know appetite is something that I've been struggling with for years. I've gained weight and I'll go and exercise again, and then before I know it, I'm eating and eating the wrong kinds of food and junk food and to know that Christ can give us the victory. And the interesting thing is, appetites are connected. If you can actually, through Christ, obtain a victory over the food appetites, what happens is it lessens the strength and the power of other appetites. And even Alan White has a fair bit to say about that. SPEAKER D He says, have the victory over appetite. You can have the victory over anything. SPEAKER E Anything. Amen. Yeah. SPEAKER D So ask Jesus to manifest his temperance or his appetite, his self control in and through you, because remember, he had the victory over that. Believe that he's doing that right at that moment and rest in that belief. Don't fight the temptation to overeat or eat the wrong foods and then thank Him for the deliverance from intemperance he has just given to you. I just think it's amazing you can do that with forgiveness as well. The same thing with forgiveness. Okay, example many times have I preached on experiencing God's love and emotional healing. I remember I was in a conference, an Avengers conference, and I won't say which one it was, but I went to a prayer conference and I preached on experiencing God's love and emotional healing. And after I preached, I then took people who wanted to experience and have forgiveness in their life. I took them through the prayer of forgiveness, which is, by the way, is exactly the same mode here, all right? It doesn't matter what it is. It's the angry you. And these were all Seven Day Adventists conference. A lot of these people were pastors, wives, women, men. And afterwards, I said, look, you know, if anyone who wants to have private prayer happy to take you through the prayer of forgiveness and ask God to reveal the strongholds in your life that are preventing you from experiencing God's love more fully. SPEAKER E Yeah. SPEAKER D And because Satan knows this, right? He knows all this. That's why the Bible says in Ephesians, do not let the sun go down in your anger, your anger, and give what place to the devil. When we hold on to anger and bitterness and resentment, we're giving place to the devil and demons in our lives. And all they want to do, he wants to do is destroy us, all right? So I took them through what's called the prayer of forgiveness, which is exactly the same thing, asked them to ask God to reveal the strongholds in their life, and nearly all of them had been abused. SPEAKER E Wow. SPEAKER D I'm talking probably 30, 40% of all the people at this prayer conference had been abused in some way in their life, either sexually, physically, emotionally, or even religiously abused. And so I took them through the prayer forgiveness. The prayer forgiveness was simply to say, and so they were all holding on to anger and bitterness and resentment, and it manifests itself out in the desires of the flesh. A lot of it is in overeating, all right? You eat comfort food to comfort yourself. And so a lot of them being criticized all sorts of different ways. So we took them through the prayer forgiveness, which was very similar to this, was to ask God or ask Jesus for his forgiveness through them towards those who have hurt them. Because remember, Jesus had the victory of being forgiving. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D He says, Father, forgive them for they do not know what they're doing. So we ask for Jesus'forgiveness through them, then ask Jesus to forgive them and to bless them, and then just rest in that. And then ask for the baptism of the holy Spirit of Christ in the hope of glory. And I've seen hundreds of people healed for having unforgiving spirit by going through the prayer of forgiveness. SPEAKER E Yeah. SPEAKER C And the wonder thing, the encouraging thing for me is that in Hebrews four there, we read that we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses. Well, why is that? Because he was tempted in all as we are, yet without sin. So he's confronted the same temptation. He's obtained the victory over that temptation, and we can actually receive his victory by faith, just as he took through that. He spoke about that process to go. SPEAKER D Through, even from being unforgiving. And so in this manner, you'll be allowing Jesus to live out his life in you in every moment of the day. The victory is his. You're simply choosing to let Him manifest his virtues in and through you. That is your part to choose to give Your will to God concerning a particular temptation. Remember, Edin, we're always free to not make that choice and focus on the temptation, aren't we? SPEAKER C Yes, that's right. SPEAKER D We can focus on it. You're always free to not to make that choice and focus on the temptation. When that happens, the sinful desire is conceived and will bring forth the sin. Just like James, chapter one, verse 14 to 15 says. SPEAKER C It says, but each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. And when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin. And sin, when it is full grown, brings forth death. SPEAKER D There you go. SPEAKER C That's a process. SPEAKER D And here's another one. Perhaps someone has hurt you deeply. I don't know. Everyone's been hurt. I mean, I can tell you about my own testimony, but I was hurt when I was a little child. My parents separated when I was five years old, and I remember the day where they had a big fight in a train station, and my father was stronger, so he held my brother and I, and my mother got on a train and went to another city. And I remember how hurtful that was. And I also remember being criticized a lot as a child, always criticized a lot. And so what happens is I got angry when someone criticized me and that I would then criticize them back, right, which is a natural response. And so I went through this prayer of forgiveness. And when I went through the prayer of forgiveness, I noticed that when someone criticized me that I didn't respond. Now, it still raises his ugly head every now and then when someone criticizes him. And when it happens, I just go and go through the prayer of forgiveness, and I ask for Jesus'forgiveness, for the person who's criticized Him. SPEAKER C This prayer has actually been very helpful in your own life and many, many people. SPEAKER D Many people. So perhaps someone has hurt you deeply. Sometimes in such situations, we can experience what I call a dark pleasure, which means by holding on to anger and choosing not to forgive them, it's a dark pleasure. I don't want to forgive them. It's like this pleasure. We feel that they don't deserve to be forgiven for the terrible things they have done to us. And some things people have done by societies, it seems that they're unforgivable. Yes, unforgivable. Some of the things that people have done, we feel they don't deserve to be forgiven for the terrible things they have done to us. However, as Christians, we know, don't we? We know, right, that God commands us to forgive those who have wronged us. It says that in Mark, chapter eleven. SPEAKER C Verse 25 and 26, it says, whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses. SPEAKER D There you go. So we know that God commands us to forgive those who have wronged us and to love them. In Matthew, chapter five, verse 44, he says that, doesn't he? SPEAKER C He says it, yeah. He says, But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you. SPEAKER D So how do we get to that point where we can be like that? This is how. This is how. By having Christ living in us and ask going through these steps. It's a growing process, though. Remember that. So it's for our good that we forgive. Holding on to anger and unforgiveness towards someone is like taking poison and waiting for them to die. It's like you're taking the poison and waiting for them to die. SPEAKER C That's a great analogy because I think everybody can actually relate to this. This issue we've had with some people have hurt us, some of them have been spiteful. Like I said, they spitefully used you. They've tarnished your reputation in the church. SPEAKER D It happened even in the church. SPEAKER C They've mocked you and at your expense. People have laughed at you. And you struggle to forgive those people because you don't feel they're worthy. And they feel if you do forgive them, they're just getting away with it. And then how's there any retribution? How's there any justice? But if we receive the spirit of Christ, we can't forgive them. Because like you're saying, it recalls back on us and we actually hurt ourselves. We have stress, we have anger issues. We are unmiserable and unhappy because we can't let go of these things and. SPEAKER D We'Re manifesting the fruits of the flesh. So let's look at it. Let's look at how this can happen. See, because of our sinful nature, the reality is that we are unable to forgive and love our enemies, right? We may do it intellectually, but our pride and selfishness will not allow us to forgive them from the heart. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D In these cases, the same principle must be followed. Remember, Jesus got the victory over the temptation not to forgive, and his victory can be ours. SPEAKER C Thank you, Lord. SPEAKER D Jesus was also victorious over the temptation not to love those who abused him. Remember on the cross? SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D He was spat on, crown of thorns, stripped naked, abused, scourged twice. Yeah. And he goes, Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they're doing. Now this victory can be also ours as well. How can we allow Jesus to live out his life of forgiveness and love towards someone who has hurt us very deeply? Let's use the example of a person who has hurt you. You can simply say, Lord, I am a sinner and cannot forgive or love that person. I don't want to use a name, but you can just fill in any name who has hurt you. This is what you say, lord, I cannot forgive that person who has hurt you. You can simply say, Lord, I am a sinner and cannot forgive or love him. So I give up trying and I ask you to manifest Your forgiveness and love towards that person through me. I trust you and rest in the fact that you are doing that right now. And thank you, Lord, for the forgiveness and love you are manifesting in me at that very moment. If you do this, you experience Jesus'forgiveness and love in your heart towards those people that have hurt you. I've done this, Eddie, and I've seen thousands of people around the world who have done this, and it works because Jesus had the victory over being unforgiving, and he'll give us that forgiveness. SPEAKER C And they are once they've gone through this process, it's like they've been delivered and set free from a heavy burden. SPEAKER D That's right. Remember, Jesus came to free us, to free us from our emotional burdens as well. If you do this, you'll experience Jesus'forgiveness and love in your heart towards those people have hurt you. And this will happen without you struggling to gain the victory. Remember, the victory was already gained by Christ's perfect life and death on the cross. You simply have to choose to allow Jesus to manifest his victory in and through you and believe that he will. I can also say from experience that you will feel the compassion of Jesus for the person you're asking Him to forgive and love through you. You'll feel compassion of Jesus toward that person. This is a miracle. SPEAKER C That is nothing short of a miracle. SPEAKER D I know, it's unbelievable. You will also feel within yourself the desire to pray for them. And perhaps even with tears, you will start praying for those who have hurt you in this manner. Right. You're letting Jesus character love and virtues become an integral part of our life. Choose and believe. Choose and believe. That is the Christian's part in obtaining the victory over every temptation and sin. Choosing means we give God our will on any given temptation. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D Where most Christians go wrong is that they think that God they think giving God their will means they also exert their willpower in order to obey. No, we are to give God our will and let God provide the power by Christ living in us and manifesting Himself in and through us. SPEAKER C That's right. So it's not our will, but it's Christ's will to be done in our lives. And that there's a surrender of the will to mean Jesus said, you know, I don't do my own will, but I come to do the will of the Father who sent me. So in the same way, we are to surrender our will to Jesus and let him have and live his will in through us. SPEAKER D So therefore, emotional healing becomes an important part of the process of the Christian growing to the point where Christ can live out his life of victory consistently in the believer's life. And once the emotional issues are healed and removed, the way is open for the fullest manifestation of Christ in the life. Hence, if you feel you have emotional wounds that are causing you to feel angry or depressed or anxious or fearful, there's a great book called Spirit Baptism Deliverance by Dennis Smith, which he especially wrote chapters on emotional healing and experiencing God's love. And so example, when I give seminars around the world on revival, I always do this topic on emotional healing and experiencing God's love. And when you experience that, it's like the weight of the world is lifted off your shoulder. So people can then experience Christ more fully in their lives. And just remember this too, that the Christian growth is a process. Don't become discouraged if you are not where you want to be in living a consistently victorious Christian life. God knows your heart and that is your desire to be faithful to Him. And he will continue to lead you closer and closer into a relationship with Himself which will result in a greater and greater victories through Christ living in you. Remember, sanctification is the work of a lifetime. SPEAKER E Lifetime. SPEAKER C Thank you, Colin. I think that's very encouraging, the fact that we can have victories today and we can have new victories in Christ tomorrow and we can live in that victorious state in Christ Jesus through surrender, through having Christ living within us. And whenever we are tempted, I always see the temptation as a means that is used by the devil or it could even be internal temptation and of the flesh getting in the way and drawing us away from Christ. But I always see that as abiding in Christ, remaining in Him and just asking Him, Lord, help me with this. I don't want to lose contact, I don't want to lose connection with you so that your spirit can remain in me and I can receive your victory. SPEAKER D He's not the help. Christ is the victory. Christ has the victory and he just wants to give that victory, his victory in and through you. It's his victory. SPEAKER E Amen. SPEAKER C Well, let's just go and give our contact details to our listener out there and we'll be right back after the short break. Stay tuned. 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 Welcome back to you shall receive power. Just before the break, we were talking about emotional healing and we've been working through the steps to go through when people are having challenges, the common temptations, whether it be food, appetite, becoming angry, all those things. Colin so maybe you can just take us through the basic principles, the steps that people can use to surrender to Jesus and obtain his victory. SPEAKER D That's right. I mean, it doesn't matter what temptation you're facing, whether it's being unforgiving or overeating or being anger or impurity or whatever it is, you can apply this principle. And we must believe that Christ lives in us and that Christ had the victory over every single one of those things. He had the victory over being unforgiving, he had the victory over appetite, overeating, etc. He had the victory over impure of thoughts. He had the victory over everything. And he will give out his victory to us. So how does it work again? When you become aware of a temptation of sin, choose to turn your mind immediately away from it. Believe your sinful nature's attraction to the temptation is broken. Believe Jesus is living in you, then ask Jesus to manifest his virtue in relation to the temptation. Be specific. Example lord, give me your purity. Lord give me your peace. Lord give me your forgiveness, whatever it is relation that temptation. Ask for the fruit of the Spirit that Jesus has. Be specific. Believe that he will manifest Himself in this manner. Believe he will do it. Rest in the belief and don't fight the temptation. Because remember, when we fight the temptation, we're actually focusing on it and trying to resist in our own strength. And then thank Him for the deliverance he has just given you. Now you might have to do this five minutes later, but after a while you just won't even experience it anymore. SPEAKER C Thank you for that, Colin. That's been a wonderful study. And thank you for just for those basic practical steps we can take to make sure that nothing draws us away from our connection with God. Our Father and dear listener, we thank you for joining us today. I just want to leave you with this beautiful promise regarding temptation, because temptation is common to us and you've mentioned a few things there. We can all relate to those things, whether it be unforgiveness or appetite for food or whatever it may be but one Corinthians, chapter ten and verse 13 says no temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man. So we can all relate to those temptations. But God is faithful who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with their temptation will also make a way of escape, so that you may be able to bear it. So we thank you for the victory we can obtain through Jesus Christ, your Lord. Thank you, Heavenly Father. And we thank you in Jesus name. Dear listener, God be with you. God bless you and keep you until we meet again. SPEAKER A Next time heaven shall declare the glory of his name all creation by at the coming of the King every eye shall see every heart will know close you every niche I every tongue holy me holy see the coming of the King holy it. SPEAKER C You'Ve been listening to a production of three ABN Australia radio.