What is the Centre of our Problems?

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. We are pleased to have your company and we are doing lesson number 62 or episode 62 of You Shall Receive Power. And we are in chapter two of this wonderful little book called Steps to Personal Revival being filled with the Holy Spirit. And it was written by Helmut Haubeil in German originally but translated now to 28 languages and this book has had leading now getting close to a million copies in circulation. It's heading in that direction. So this is talking about the importance of being filled with the Holy Spirit. Last week we looked at chapter one and spoke about Jesus'most precious gift, the greatest gift he could ever give mankind. Otherwise of course than eternal life is actually the Holy Spirit which is Christ within us, a hope of glory. And we are told in the Bible that he who has the Son has life, he who does not have the Son does not have life. And Jesus comes and dwells in us through the Holy Spirit. But there can be some obstacles to us receiving this and this is what we're going to unpack today Colin. But just before we do that let's say a word of prayer and ask God to bless our study. Father in heaven we just open our hearts and our minds to you. We just pray for your Holy Spirit to guide and lead us. Father, give us the desire to learn from you. Give us a fresh anointing of your Holy Spirit to lead us into all truth is our prayer in Jesus name, amen. So Colin I'm looking forward to this study. If normally if you want a solution to the problem you've got to be able to define what the problem is. SPEAKER D That's true. SPEAKER E Yeah. SPEAKER C So what we're going to do today hopefully by the grace of God is define the challenges and obstacles possibly to people not receiving the Holy Spirit or not seeing a need of it. SPEAKER E Yeah. SPEAKER D Well I guess the question is what is the center of our problems? Is there a spiritual cause to our cause, to our problems? Is the cause a lack of the Holy Spirit? And that's the question we want to answer yes. And I believe the Bible's answer is yes. And it says straight away, it says in the Bible yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and you do not receive because you ask amiss according to the carnal mind and that's found in james, chapter four, verse two to three. SPEAKER E Right. Okay. SPEAKER C And it says, you lust and you do not have. You murder covered and cannot obtain. You fight in war, yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and you do not receive, because you ask amiss that you may spend it on your pleasures. SPEAKER D That's right. And so the problem is, we do things according to the carnal mind. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D And so we can read that in Romans chapter eight, verses five to seven. Romans, chapter eight, verses five to seven. SPEAKER C It says, for those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh. But those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God, it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. SPEAKER D Let's keep reading on verse eight. SPEAKER E Okay. SPEAKER C So then those who are in the flesh cannot please God. SPEAKER D And then verse nine then gives a question where it says, but you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit. If and it asks a question, there's a conditional if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you, if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not his. And it goes on to say, and if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is alive because of righteousness. Jesus invites us, lovingly and Sicily, to ask for the Holy Spirit. We spoke about that in our last program when we read Luke, chapter eleven, verse nine to 13. We looked at Jesus connected the parable of asking for bread because we have nothing, and persistently asking our neighbor for the bread to ask, needing and asking for the Holy Spirit. And so there's a great quote here. It says, from the Spirit of Prophecy from the Desire of Ages, 1898, page. SPEAKER C 672 says, they talk about Christ and about the Holy Spirit, yet receive no benefit. They do not surrender the soul to be guided and controlled by divine agencies. SPEAKER D So we need to surrender the soul. In other words, to be guided and controlled by divine agencies, the Holy Spirit. And that's why we don't receive any benefit. We've been praying for revival for some time. This is very valuable. But I love what Ellen White says in the Spirit of Prophecy about our need of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. And what does it say there? Idiot. SPEAKER E Yeah. SPEAKER C This is from Manuscript Releases, volume seven, page 267. She says, it is this baptism of the Holy Spirit that the churches need today. SPEAKER D Wow. It says it goes on to say, why do we not hunger and thirst for the gift of the Spirit, since this is the means by which we are to receive power? Why do we not talk of it? Why don't we pray for it? Why don't we preach concerning it? SPEAKER C And that's from testimonies volume eight, page 22. SPEAKER D Yeah, she's telling us that we need to hunger and thirst for the Holy Spirit, just like Jesus says in John, chapter seven, if you thirst and why don't we talk about prayer and preach it? Well, we are talking about it. We are preaching about it, and we are praying for it now. SPEAKER E Amen. SPEAKER D And it's been a long time coming, but it's happening all around the world. We're finally realizing that our methods and plans are not going to finish the work of taking the everlasting gospel of the world. We finally realize that we need to pray and we need the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER E Amen. SPEAKER C And you know, Jesus and the Beatitudes in Matthew, chapter five, verse six, says, blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. It is a promise. And how are we to be filled with the Holy Spirit? Because the Holy Spirit brings righteousness, the righteousness of Christ into our lives. SPEAKER D That's right. Now, it's good that we pray for it. We need to pray for revival, but we don't want to only just pray for it. We want to rather what Mark Finley says it is as we put into practice the biblical elements of revival. And so we'd like you to take these Steps of Putting the Steps to Personal Revival in place. That's why we're doing these programs. And we're offering this free book, steps to Personal Revival being Filled with the Holy Spirit, which you can download for free. And we'll give you at the end of the program, the website. SPEAKER C And we'll also put that on our Facebook page under our posts so you. SPEAKER D Can find out where you can download this PDF book for free. And we encourage you to take the steps and put in practice the Steps to Personal Revival. And for many, this will lead to a more powerful and filled life. I know it has for me. I know when I started nine years ago, I started praying and asking, persisting and asking for the Holy Spirit in my life. And I can tell you from my own experience that everything's changed since then. And it would make sense if you start asking and persistent. Jesus says, the Heavenly Father is more willing to give the Holy Spirit than our earthly fathers are willing to give good gifts to us. That's how much he wants to give it to us. SPEAKER C And the promises ask and you shall receive. Seek, and you will find and knock it. It shall be opened. All of those will be answered. SPEAKER D That's right. SPEAKER C That's the promise. SPEAKER D But first we want to look at the problem. We want to actually analyze the problem we have. And we want to do this thoroughly. Otherwise, there's a danger that we'll consider a change, neither necessary nor important. See, if you don't realize you have a problem, you're not going to go to the doctor for solution. SPEAKER E That's right. SPEAKER D If you think you're okay, I'm okay. Well, you're not going to go to the doctor. And that's the same condition of the latestians in Revelation, chapter three, is they think they're okay. They don't see that they have a problem. SPEAKER C They say they have a need of nothing. SPEAKER D And so if you don't realize we have a problem, there's a danger that we will consider change neither necessary nor important. And after that, we want to look at God's solution, which offers us tremendous blessings. And finally, how can we implement this and experience this? Now, our lack of the Holy Spirit doesn't mean that everything we have done and are doing is in vain. It doesn't mean all the things and plans that we're doing are in vain. There are many good plans and programs that we put into place, evangelistic programs and many different things we can put in. And I believe that Lord has blessed our human efforts. But how much greater the results would be, or even better if the situation would be that we actually live more closely and guided by the Holy Spirit. Only God knows that. But I can imagine how much better the results would be. SPEAKER C Yes, absolutely. SPEAKER D And it would have gone in this direction and will go in this direction in the future. This is what Henry T. Blackabee expressed. SPEAKER C With he says he that is God could do more in six months with people that are devoted to Him than he could do in 60 years without Him. SPEAKER D Wow, that's an amazing statement that with God we could do more in six months with people that are devoted to Him than we could do in 60 years without Him. And so the question I've got is, are we going the right way under God's leadership and thus having much greater effectiveness or efficiency? That is the case when we are filled with the Holy Spirit. When we fill the Holy Spirit, we'll be able to do more because we were under God's will. Now, for example, let's say someone holds a sermon and he's finished speaking and maybe no one or maybe a few, or maybe many accept the challenge. If many or all accepted the message and put into practice, then this is great effectiveness, isn't it? SPEAKER E Sure. SPEAKER D This is what the Holy Spirit gives. You see, that's the difference. When the Holy Spirit now what the Bible talks about three different groups and their relationship to God in the Bible. So it's three groups of people and their personal relationship to God. And God's Word differentiates between three groups of people in respect to their personal relationship with God. Within each of these groups there are many different shades depending on the parental training or character training of oneself or your age, culture, education, et cetera. Many other different things can come into play. Yes, but even with all these differences, there are only three basic attitudes towards God. Now, the first one is called no Relationship. And what does the Bible call this one, Eddie? No Relationship. SPEAKER C Okay, well, that will be what we call the natural man. So this is what we are by birth, our natural state, which is having a fallen human nature. SPEAKER D That's right. It's called the natural man. The second is called what's a full or real relationship. And the Bible calls this the spiritual. SPEAKER C Man, the spiritual person. SPEAKER D The spiritual man. Then there's a third category, and this is the tough one. This category. This one is called a divided or feign relationship. And the Bible describes this as a. SPEAKER C Person of the flesh or someone who is carnal. SPEAKER D That's right, a person who is divided and flesh or carnal. Now, the term natural, spiritual and carnal in God's word are not evaluations in this case. They merely describe a person's personal relationship to God. SPEAKER E Right. SPEAKER D And these three groups are described in One Corinthians, chapter two, verse 14 to 16. So let's go there one Corinthians, chapter two, verses 14 and 16. SPEAKER E Okay. SPEAKER C And we're reading from verse 14. It says, but the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him. But we have the mind of Christ. SPEAKER D That's right. So the natural man can't understand spiritual things, can they? SPEAKER E No. SPEAKER D And so this is where the Bible calls natural man has no relationship with God. SPEAKER C And then also, if I was to add to that, if we just keep on going across into the next chapter, which is part of the same thought, this says there chapter three and verse one, and I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people, but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. So that explains the carnal aspect there. They weren't spiritual. They were carnal, but they were babes in Christ, so they weren't totally separated from the Lord. I fed you with milk and not with solid food, for until now, you were not able to receive it. And even now you are still not able, for you are still carnal, for there is envy and strife and division among you. Are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? And when one says, I am of Paul and another, I am of Apollos, are you not carnal? SPEAKER D Well, so Paul's saying in the church, there are carnal Christians. Yes, within the church. And so we want to touch lightly on the subject the natural man. So the natural man, he lives in the world. And a quick glance at the two groups within the church will help us realize where the problem is mainly hidden. These two groups, which is the spiritual person and the personal flesh or carnal christian yes. And that's why we have so many. SPEAKER C Problems in the church that will explain it. SPEAKER D Yes. So the most important thing is to realize is to which group you belong. Thus, our examination will also help us for our self diagnosis. Now we want to just look at our own lives, not the lives of others. We don't want to go and pointing the finger and saying, you're a carnal man or you're a spiritual man or you're a natural man. SPEAKER E Sure. SPEAKER D We need to just look at our own lives and evaluate and be honest about that. SPEAKER C Most important relationship is the one between us and God. And that's the one we are addressing here. SPEAKER D That's right. SPEAKER C Not human being to human being. SPEAKER D That's right. I'm not going to judge. SPEAKER C That will come later. That's to you decide it's not to judge. SPEAKER E Yeah. SPEAKER D So what's the criteria or designation in one group on the other? And we'll determine that in all three groups, the designation occurs according to their personal relationship with the Holy Spirit. That's what it says. Remember, in One Corinthians, chapter two, verse 14, it says, the natural man does. SPEAKER C Not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, nor can he know them because they are spiritually discerned. SPEAKER E Right. SPEAKER D So the natural man has absolutely no relationship with the Holy Ghost. He lives in the world and doesn't inquire about God at all, or only rarely he inquires of God. Now we want to talk. The spiritual and carnal are in the church, and these two groups are mainly introduced in One Corinthians, chapter two and three, as well as in Romans chapter eight, verses one to 17, and Galatians four and six. SPEAKER E Right. SPEAKER D Now we need to realize the criteria for these two groups is their relationship to the Holy Spirit. And this is so because God has stipulated that the Holy Ghost is our only connection to heaven. You can find that in The Desire of Ages, page 322, or Matthew, chapter twelve, verse 32. So we have a look at Matthew, chapter twelve, verse 32, and we can see these two groups. SPEAKER C Okay, matthew, chapter twelve, and reading from verse 32 32, anyone who speaks a word against the Son of man, it will be forgiven him. But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come. SPEAKER D Wow. The heart must be open to the Spirit's influence, or God's blessing cannot be received. SPEAKER C Yeah, that's from Steps to Christ, page 69. SPEAKER D Now I want to go back to One Corinthians, chapter two, verses 15 and 16. One Corinthians, chapter two, verse 15 and 16, and talks about spiritual judges. SPEAKER C And it says, but he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. For who has known the mind of the Lord, that we may instruct him, but we have the mind of Christ. SPEAKER D And that's quoting from Isaiah, chapter 40, verses 13, who has known the mind of the Lord that we may instruct him? Yes, but we have the mind of Christ. So the person with the Spirit or the Holy Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, for who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. SPEAKER C Okay, that's the NIV version of what we just read before. SPEAKER D That's right, yeah. Okay, so the spiritual person is the true Christian. He's called spiritual because he is filled with the Holy Ghost. And here too, the relationship with the Holy Ghost is the criteria for the designation as a spiritual person. He has a good and growing relationship with the Holy Spirit, and Jesus is the center of his life. I just want to say those two things again. He has a good and growing relationship with the Holy Spirit. He is asking daily for the Holy Spirit and growing in the Holy Spirit and the fruit to start seeing in that person. So it's a growing relationship with the Holy Ghost. And also you'll notice that Jesus will be the center of that person's. Know sometimes. We also say sometimes that Jesus is on the heart's throne. You've heard that saying? SPEAKER E Yes, I have. SPEAKER D So the spiritual person has committed himself or herself essentially and completely to Jesus. And as a general, this is confirmed daily by surrendering himself to Jesus every morning with everything he or she has, is or has. And in the latest scene message, he is called hot. Hot, for example. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D Now, sometimes I sort of question that hot, I believe hot. And Jesus says, I'd rather you be hot or cold. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D I mean, why would Jesus want you to be cold if that's bad? SPEAKER C Well, it's better than lukewarm, isn't it? SPEAKER D That's right. SPEAKER C Which we know typically would look at it that way, but yeah, that's right. SPEAKER E Yeah. SPEAKER D And also in the parable of the ten Virgins, in Matthew, chapter 25, he calls there's five wise and five are foolish. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D And even in Romans, chapter eight, verses one to 17, it says more about this. And in Galatians five, it even says more about him as well. He has the fruits of the spirit of love, joy, peace, patience and goodness. And he also experiences life more abundantly. In John, chapter ten, verse ten. SPEAKER E That's right, yeah. SPEAKER C Jesus says there, I've come that they may have life and may have it more abundantly. SPEAKER D That's right. Or as Paul says in Ephesians, chapter three, verse 19, and let's read that Ephesians, chapter three, verse 19 about about being filled with the fullness of God. SPEAKER E Yeah. SPEAKER C And it says there, to know the love of Christ, which passes all knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. SPEAKER D Wow. And also in Colossians, chapter two, verse nine. It also speaks about just how a person who is filled with the Holy. SPEAKER C Spirit, it says, for in him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. SPEAKER D That's in Jesus bodily. If Jesus then dwells in us, the Holy Spirit, all the fullness of God dwells in us. That's right as well. And so let's have a look what a carnal church member looks like. So a person can be a member for a short time, and I can totally relate to this as I looked at my life, especially in the many early years of my Christian walk. And even it can raise itself every now and then as well, right? But a person can be a member for a short time or for many years and still be a Carnal Christian. If to your surprise, you find that you're a Carnal Christian at the moment, then don't be upset about it, but rather be glad because you have the possibility of changing it immediately. And you can experience that great joy through a life with the Holy Spirit. And I'm convinced that most Carnal Christians are unknowingly in this condition and have a desire to experience more in their faith. I think most of us could say we're in Laodicea, we don't know our true condition. SPEAKER E Yeah, that's true. SPEAKER D And our ignorance is often not even our own fault. Consider you experience great joy through a life with Christ in your heart, through the Holy Spirit. And Jesus said in John chapter 15, verse eleven, he says that your joy may be full. And so through this change of being daily filled the Holy Spirit, you can step by step experience the life abundantly that Jesus promises. In John chapter ten, verses verses ten. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D And we're going to talk more about this later and you can have a well fanned hope for eternal life. So right now we want you to, if you can, just say this prayer. Say this prayer and be honest about that. And this is the prayer goes like this father in Heaven, please make me willing to ask myself this question. If I am a Carnal Christian, then please help me to realize this right away. Make me willing to be willing for everything you want and please lead me to a happier Christian life, to the promised life of abundance and eternal life. Please renew my heart and thank you for answering my prayer because I ask it in Jesus name. And if you ask that prayer, the Father through Jesus and the Holy Spirit will come into your life and they will give you a more of abundant life. SPEAKER C And I like that fact that even if we don't quite feel willing, but we do recognize, even from an objective perspective, that there's a need we can ask to be made willing. Lord, I am willing to be made willing. SPEAKER D Make me willing to be willing. Now let's read what the Apostle Paul had to say to the carnal church members. In one Corinthians, chapter three, verse one. SPEAKER C To four, it says, and I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people, but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ, I fed you with milk and not with solid food, for until now you were not able to receive it. And even now you are still not able, for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? When one says I'm of Paul and another says, I'm of Apollos, are you not carnal? SPEAKER E Wow. SPEAKER D So this is talking to the church and he's saying there's carnal Christians, they're saying the name of Christian, but they're carnal Christians. And there's envy and strife and divisions among you. And you can see that happens in many churches. And you can clearly see that the criteria for the designation to this group is a personal relationship with the Holy Spirit. That's what he's saying, that you need the Holy Spirit. In these few verses, the apostle Paul mentions four times they are carnal. What does carnal mean? It means that this person lives from the power of the flesh. That's what it means. You're living from the power of the flesh. SPEAKER C So that's really having a form of Godliness. If you're carnal but just denying the power, you're not having the Holy Spirit in you. SPEAKER D That means you're living in the normal strength and abilities that each person has. You're living by your own abilities. And many people have different abilities, and some people might have incredible abilities, and it might look outwardly look like, wow, that person's got incredible abilities, but they're living from their own abilities, so they. SPEAKER C Could have natural endowments which look good, but there's so much more that the Spirit could offer them. SPEAKER D That's right. What it means that he isn't filled with the Holy Spirit or isn't sufficiently filled with the Holy Spirit. That was the problem with the foolish Virgins. They weren't sufficiently filled with the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER E Right. SPEAKER D And so some people think this group only consists of people who live in blatant sin. But that is only one of the many shades within this group. And I want to stress again that there are lots of differences within each of these groups. And Paul addresses the Carnal people as dear brothers. Dear brothers. SPEAKER C Well, that's encouraging, isn't it? SPEAKER D This shows that he was dealing with church members. Paul couldn't speak to them as to spiritual people. That means that they weren't filled with the Holy Ghost or weren't sufficiently filled with the Holy Ghost. He had to speak them as babes in Christ. This shows that they haven't grown in faith as they should have, and a person can have a great biblical knowledge and still not grow spiritually. I've met people who know a lot about the Bible, but they don't act like Jesus. Do you know what I mean? SPEAKER E Yeah. SPEAKER C Well, even with the writing of the New Testament while Jesus was here on earth, he said to those who were. SPEAKER D Studying the Scriptures, the Pharisees and the. SPEAKER C Sadducees, you seek the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life. But these are they which testify of me. So they hadn't been transformed and changed by the power of God. They were knowledgeable in the Scriptures, but the spirit of the Scriptures, they did. SPEAKER D Not have that's right. And I've seen people who have maybe not so little knowledge of the Scriptures or just growing, yet you can tell that they're spirit filled because of the fruits in their life, the way they treat each other, the way they treat people, even they don't judge people. And so you can see, Jesus said, you'll know them by their fruits. SPEAKER C You can see when someone's given their life to the Lord how gentle they are. There's a contrast between carnal Christians and them. And the other thing is also they learn so much faster as well because the Holy Spirit teaches them. Because they have the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER D That's right, yeah. So as I said, a person can have a great biblical knowledge and still not grow spiritually. Spiritual growth has to do with their complete dedication and surrender to Jesus and a constant life in asking and growing through the power of the Holy Spirit. And many carnal Christians feel dissatisfaction, disappointment, purposeness, or under constant efforts in their spiritual life. And other carnal Christian members have gotten used to this condition or are satisfied with this condition. They might say, we are just sinners. We can't do anything about it. Again, other carnal Christians might be enthusiastic. They are glad that they know biblical truth. And carnal church members can be very active, even have leading positions in the local church or even the church administration. They may even do a lot for God, but still don't know that they are carnal. And I just want to leave you with this Bible verse. That Jesus. This is Jesus words. In Matthew chapter seven, verse 22 to. SPEAKER C 23, it says, but many will say to me in that day, lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name, cast our demons in your name and done many wonders in your name? And then I will declare to them, I never knew you depart from you, you who practice lawlessness. Dear listener, we're just going to take a break here and we'll be right back after this message. Stay tuned. SPEAKER F Did you ever hear it said that we only use 10% of our brain? The fact is, that's not fact. The idea we only use 10% of our brain is a myth. Scientific American quoted a neurologist from Johns Hopkins as saying, the idea is so wrong, it's almost laughable. A Mayo Clinic neurologist says that over the course of a day, you certainly use 100% of your brain. The whole three pounds. Walk towards the jug, grab it, pour out. Hot water. Make sure you don't overfill your cup. The occipital and the parietal lobes, motor, sensory and sensory, motor, cortices, basal ganglia, cerebellum and frontal lobes all work in just a few seconds. That's how God made us. The Bible says in Psalm 139, verse 14, I will praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. God made your brain, use it for his purposes. I'm John Bradshawer. It is written, let's live today by every word. SPEAKER C Dear listener, welcome back. You are with the program. You shall receive power with Colin Hone and Etienne McClintock. And we are in part two where we are talking about three types of Christians. We've spoken about the natural man, we've spoken about the one who is spiritual. And then we've also spoken about the one that's carnal, which if you look at the latest sin condition, that is the Lukewarm Christian, isn't it? SPEAKER D That's the one we're just emphasizing at the moment. They're in the church. The spiritual Christian and the Carnal Christian live together in the church together. And we just spoke about how many carnal Christians feel dissatisfied or disappointed or feel purposelessness or under constant effort in their spiritual life. And we also looked at how other carnal church members have gotten used to this condition or just satisfied with this condition. They're okay with it. They might say we're just sinners and we can't do anything about it. And we also looked at maybe other carnal Christians might be enthusiastic, right? They are glad they know the biblical truth. And Carnal church members can be very active and even have leading positions in the local church or even the church administration. They may even do a lot for God. But then we looked at what Jesus said in Matthew chapter seven, verse 22 to 23, which says that many will say to me in that day, lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name? So here's people who are claiming the name of Jesus and prophesying in his name. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D Here's people who are saying and we've cast out demons in your name. So here are Christians that are saying we've cast out demons in your name. SPEAKER E Yeah. SPEAKER D And they also said we've done many wonders in your name. So these are miracles being performed. SPEAKER E Yeah. SPEAKER D And then Jesus says and declares them I never knew you depart from me, you who practice lawlessness. Now lawlessness means who practice what? Sin? SPEAKER C Yeah, transgression of the law. SPEAKER E Sin? SPEAKER D Yes, sin. Breaking God's law and committing sin continually. And so where did the problem lay? Jesus said that he didn't know them. That was the problem. They didn't have a real relationship with Christ, but rather only a feigned relationship. Either there hadn't been a real commitment or hadn't been maintained. And Jesus didn't live in their hearts through the Holy Spirit. Thus they had no personal relationship with Jesus. So there may be an apparent connection with Christ when it is in Christ in know I read some serious words about this before, but before I mention them, I want to point out that we can be free from the following things if we live a life with the Holy Spirit. And so I want you to read these things, okay? SPEAKER C This comes from the desire of ages. Page 349. A spirit contrary to the Spirit of Christ would deny him whatever the profession. Men may deny Christ by evil speaking, by foolish talking, by words that are untruthful or unkind. They may deny him by shunning life's burdens or by pursuit of sinful pleasure. They may deny him by conforming to the world, by uncurteous behavior, by the love of their own opinions, by justifying self, by cherishing doubt, borrowing trouble and dwelling in darkness. In all these ways, they declare that Christ is not in them. SPEAKER E Whoa. SPEAKER D And that's a pretty powerful statement, and I can identify with that, that I've been many of those things throughout my Christian walk, and I can like to say that I'm a carnal Christian, but I want to give the good news is this can change. SPEAKER E Amen. SPEAKER D Through the grace of God. SPEAKER C Thank you, Lord. SPEAKER D Yes, this can change. And so that's why surrendering our lives and making commitment to God is so important. Paul emphasizes this in Romans, chapter twelve, verse one, where he says, I urge. SPEAKER C You therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your body a living sacrifice, wholly acceptable to God, which is your reasonable or rational service. SPEAKER D So present means surrender, doesn't it? Living sacrifice, wholly acceptable God, which is our reasonable service. And so I believe that God desires to heal us, to set us free from the tyranny of our ego and bondage to sin, because that's what it really is. It's a bondage to ourself and sin. SPEAKER E That's right. SPEAKER D But since this requires an entire transformation, a renewing of a whole nature, we must yield ourselves holy to Him. SPEAKER C And you can read about that in Step to Christ, page 43, paragraph two. SPEAKER D Yes. And he God, invites us to ourselves, to Him that we may work his will in us. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D It remains to us to choose whether we'll be set free from the bondage of sin. Do you see that we can choose to be set free from the bondage of sin, to share the glorious liberty of the sons of God. We could actually choose that. SPEAKER C Free moral agents, so that the power to choose is a God given gift, and God wants us to exercise it, but for good. SPEAKER D He wants us to choose. He wants us to surrender. He wants us to repent. He wants us to be filled with the Holy Spirit. The Bible makes that clear. But we must choose. SPEAKER E That's right. SPEAKER D And I beloved how God answers our basic commitment with rebirth in John chapter three, verses one to 21. And it all has to do with not only surrendering, but staying surrendered. That's John, chapter three, verses one to 21, where he talks about us being born again to Nicodemus. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D You must be born again by water and the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER C Born from above. SPEAKER D That's right, born from above. And then in John, chapter 15, verses one to 17, he talks about, we're going to talk about this more later on, but it's about staying surrendered. So it's not only surrendering, but how to stay surrendered. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D And Morris Vendance says much about surrendering our lives to God when he says these words. SPEAKER C So there is no such thing as a partial surrender. It's no more possible to be partially surrendered than it is possible to be a little bit pregnant. Either you are or you aren't. There is no middle ground. SPEAKER D Well, that's pretty true. You're either pregnant or you're not pregnant. SPEAKER C Yeah, that's true. SPEAKER D You're either surrendered or you're not surrendered. And I love what Ellen White says as well. SPEAKER E Okay. SPEAKER C This is In Desire of Ages, page 623. It says, only those who will become coworkers with Christ, only those who will say, lord, all I have and all I am is Thine, will be acknowledged as sons and daughters of God. SPEAKER D Wow. And so it's complete surrender, isn't it? And the question I always ask is, why don't we want to completely surrender? Why is it the only thing I can think of is there's cherished things in our lives that we want to hold on to? SPEAKER C We focus on what we think we may lose, but what we should be focusing on is what we're going to gain. SPEAKER D That's right. SPEAKER C There is so much more to gain. What we lose are only the things that will separate us from the Lord. God doesn't want us to give up any things that are for our own good to retain that's right. So what happens is we focus on that course. We are selfish by nature, but really the focus should be on Jesus and these incredible gifts. He wants to give us an eternal love. And who doesn't want to be full of love and joy and peace and the fruit of the Spirit that comes in the train of receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER D And Peter said that that we can be partakers of the divine nature. I mean, what an incredible promise that is. SPEAKER E Yeah, that's profound. SPEAKER D That's what surrendering is. We're surrendering so we can be partakers of the divine nature. We unite ourselves with Christ's divine nature, and that's how we have the victory. Amen. And the tragic thing is that when you read the Bible, you read in the church, there are two groups. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D The foolish and the wise virgins, the. SPEAKER C Parable in Matthew 25, sheep of the. SPEAKER D Goats, the parable of the talents. So a person can be in the church and still be lost. And that's tragic. And the parable of the ten Virgins. And the message to Laodicean church also illustrate this. So why is a carnal Christian so difficult to identify. It's really difficult to identify. Since a carnal person's life is filled with religion, he often doesn't realize that he's missing something vital, an intimate and saving relationship with God. If Christ isn't allowed to govern our whole life, then he is standing in front of the door knocking. So Jesus is sitting there knocking. In Revelation, chapter three, verse 20, he. SPEAKER C Says Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into him and dine with him and he with me. SPEAKER D And he says if we don't let him in, what happens? What's the ultimate goal that he says, what Jesus said will happen if we don't let Jesus in? SPEAKER C Well, ultimately he will finally say those words in the last day. I never knew you. SPEAKER D Yeah, in Revelation 320 says he'll spew you out. SPEAKER C Well, that's right. SPEAKER D That's even quite strong language. And something else plays a part through our strong doctrinal foundation which is based on the Bible. We have strong convictions, it's true. At the same time we want to stay open to further insights. We have the certain that we believe the truth and that thrills us knowing the truth. When I discovered the truth of God's word and all the truths in there, it was incredible and it really was exciting to know this and we've got a lot of good knowledge. Yes, we say the right things and that's what makes it so difficult to identify the carnal problem because we all talk in the same language and doesn't it play a role if I have ever really lived with the Holy Ghost? If not, then can I even notice the differences? SPEAKER C I remember years ago as a kid and I wasn't converted. I'd been baptized but I had not surrendered to the Lord and I was Christian at church and there were some people who thought well of me as a young man and that was important to me. So I almost lived a double life. I was a different person at home. And sometimes I could be a little bit rude at home, but when I was at church, I was relatively well behaved. And I remember one day we were out camping and my mum had done something and I showed disrespect to her. And I've always regretted it subsequent to that for more than one reason. But I was rude to her and in front of people and people saw this and their view of me changed because they saw me in my natural state. So I was a carnal Christian but not a happy Christian. And then when I got caught know the flesh didn't like that. But it's not late until the Holy Spirit convicted me that you need to honor your father and your mother. And when the Holy Spirit wrote that in my mind that under the full conviction of the Holy Spirit, I realized how wrong it really was. It was no longer about my reputation. It was about honoring God and honoring Him through my parents. SPEAKER D What you're saying is we can act. SPEAKER E Yeah, absolutely. SPEAKER D And so, really, what are we like when we're in driving the car? What are we like when we're at work? SPEAKER E That's right. SPEAKER C Being cut off in the traffic. SPEAKER D What are we like? We can all go to church and put on the mask, but what are we like when we're in the home with our children or with our husbands or wives or with a next door neighbor? When there's something? What are we like then? Exactly. And I love it. A pastor once wrote where he says, I received a call from a sister who was taking part in this 40 days of prayer time and we're going to talk more about the 40 days later on. She said that it had changed her life. She had wondered her whole life what was missing in her spiritual life. And now she knew it. It was the Holy Ghost. He said, I wish you could have heard her testimony. She said that she had noticed for the first time in her life that she had a relationship with God. And others have already noticed the change in her life. We can see that a person can notice something is missing but doesn't know what it is. There's something quite missing, but they just don't know what it is. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D And many have a desire for more and don't know what it is or how to get it. And I'm thankful that First Corinthians, chapter three, verse one to four, uses the word still. Three for you are still carnal. This shows us that it's possible for the carnal person to become spiritual. It says, you're still like that, but you can be like this. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D Even though you're encouraging, you can be spiritual. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D And no one has to remain carnal. Since he is in the church, he has a good chance to realize this and change it. And we're going to talk later about how you can become spiritual. Now, another aspect to consider is envy and strife. Or as the NIV says, there is jealousy and quarrelling among you. SPEAKER E That's right. SPEAKER D I mean, how many board meetings have you been to? Or how many times have you been to meetings and you've seen quarreling in the church? And this behavior proves to Paul that the carnal church members are not living through God's spirit, but rather acting carnally, which means, just like other people. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D They can act just like a natural people abate in a religious packaging. Now, does this mean that tensions in the church stem mainly from carnal minded church members? Well, you read in Jude, verse 19. SPEAKER C It says there that these are sensual persons who cause divisions, not having the Spirit. SPEAKER D There you go. So this can happen in the church. And at the time of Jesus, didn't the Pharisees and Sadducees rival with each, even with each other. SPEAKER E Yes, they did. SPEAKER D And even the disciples were arguing, debating who was going to be the greatest. This is why they were even with Jesus for three and a half years. This means that already back then there were tensions between the conservatives and the liberals progressives. True, and we see it today. One group was very particular and the other took things very loosely. But both were convinced that they had the correct Bible interpretation and attitude. SPEAKER C That's right. None were wrong, but the other side was wrong. SPEAKER D But I've seen both sides. I've seen conservatives who believe they have the right theological doctrine or Bibles, but. SPEAKER C Don'T act like Jesus don't have the right spirit. SPEAKER D And I've seen the same thing with liberals who saying, hey, listen, it's more friendly church, we're loving, let's don't judge. Yet they judge the conservatives and they attack. I've said the conservatives attack the liberals and the liberals attack the conservatives. And isn't that showing our carnal nature? When we do that, both sides condemn. SPEAKER C Themselves through their actions. SPEAKER D I've been part I've been on both sides of the equation. And so, like, one group was very particular and the other group took things very loosely. And both were convinced they had the correct biblical interpretation and attitude. But Jesus showed us that both groups were carnal, meaning not filled with the Holy Spirit. And the same thing is possible today. Conservative Christians can also be carnal Christians. And unfortunately, people today often look through the glasses of conservative or liberal progressive. And the advantage is that the observer comes off well. Whoever's observing whatever side you're on, you're the one that comes off well. SPEAKER E Yeah. SPEAKER C You want to look good. SPEAKER E Yeah. SPEAKER D However, with the biblical classification of carnal or spiritual, we are challenged to take the spiritual inventory. We're challenged to look at ourselves closely. We should do this for our own good. SPEAKER E Yeah. SPEAKER D Consider what God clearly tells us in Galatians, chapter six, verse seven and eight. What does he say? SPEAKER C It says, do not be deceived. God is not mocked for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to the flesh will of the flesh reap corruption. He who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. SPEAKER D Wow. So the carnal person wants to follow Jesus, right, and please him, but he hasn't surrendered his whole life to Jesus, or if he has, then he's backslidden. Man, I can relate to this. I remember I come and fire for Jesus and then eventually I sat on the pews. And as time went on, I became more lukewarm and more lukewarm. SPEAKER E Right. SPEAKER D And I became carnal. A carnal. Christian and so ultimately, what that means we're just carrying out our own will and not God's will. But this doesn't know you can't just do God's will and your own will simultaneously. SPEAKER C Tried that more than once. It doesn't work. SPEAKER D And ultimately he's just carrying out his own life in his own hands. And as the saying goes, there are two souls dwelling in his breast. SPEAKER E Wow. SPEAKER D Can God send the Holy Spirit in such a case? Well, remember in James, chapter four, verse three, it says no. The answer is no because we ask and we do not receive because we're asking a miss. SPEAKER E Yes, that's right. SPEAKER D And I've come to the conclusion that it means asking with a carnal attitude. See, we're asking with a carnal attitude. Wouldn't an answer to such a request only boost the ego? I ask for something from God, from a carnal perspective, to boost my own pride. Well, God's not going to answer that, is he? SPEAKER C Well, it says there in James, chapter four, verse three, that you ask and do not receive because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. SPEAKER D That's right. So consequently, this church member is living through normal human powers and abilities. And in Revelation 316, this is called the Lukewarm. And in Matthew 25, the foolish virgin. SPEAKER E Virgins, yes. SPEAKER D So why does Jesus call carnal church members Lukewarm? Why does he call them Lukewarm? Why is it that so many Christians are lacking an experience with the Holy Ghost? And so, in order to answer this question, we'll first have to take a look at the Laodicean phenomenon. Now, why did Jesus call the believers in the Laticer Lukewarm? He gave us a clear indicator. He says, Behold, I stand at the door and knock. That's in Revelation, chapter three, verse 20. SPEAKER E That's right. SPEAKER D You see, Jesus, what's saying is Jesus wasn't the center wasn't at the center of the lives of the believers. He was outside knocking to come in. But he was outside. He was standing outside in the front of the door. Why didn't he go in? Because he hadn't been invited. SPEAKER C That's right. SPEAKER E Yeah. SPEAKER D He doesn't force his way in because he respects our free will decision. SPEAKER C It's interesting that the Lord says to us, knock and it will be open unto you. Yeah, but when he's knocking, it's not automatically open for Him, is it? SPEAKER D No, we have to choose. SPEAKER C We've got to choose to open that door. SPEAKER D God is love. He will not force his way in. SPEAKER E That's right. SPEAKER D He wants to come in, but we have to ask Him and invite Him in. And so why do believers leave Jesus outside the front door? I mean, it must be different reasons and causes for this. And some only move on purely intellectual and cognitive plane in their spiritual lives, like the scribe Nicodemus, and they don't understand what the Christian life is all about. Nicodemus couldn't understand spiritual things, could he? SPEAKER E No. That's right. SPEAKER D He says, you must be born again. He goes, what? How am I supposed to come out of my mother's womb a second time? He wasn't spiritually discerning. SPEAKER E No. SPEAKER D He didn't understand what a Christian life is all about. And when we compare that with John three, verse one to ten, for others the price of discipleship is too high. Jesus says, Go and sell all you have and then come and follow me. Take up your cross, deny yourself. The price of discipleship is too high, and they have too much to give up. Like that young, rich Wooler in Matthew chapter 19, verses 1624. SPEAKER E Yeah. SPEAKER D You see, to follow Jesus, it requires self denial and the willingness to change your life. Let's look at Matthew chapter 16, verse 24 to 25. SPEAKER C And then Jesus said to his disciples, if anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself. Take up his cross and follow me, for whoever desires to save his life will lose it. And whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. SPEAKER D Wow. So we need to completely surrender ourselves to God and deny self. That's the hardest part, is denying self. SPEAKER C That's the greatest battle ever fought, is that battle with self. SPEAKER D Every day we go through it, our sinful nature doesn't want to deny self. It craves to please self. And then you have this Holy Spirit trying to convict us to surrender to God and trust in God. Trust and unite yourself with divine Christ's, divine nature. And so leaving Jesus outside can be caused by pure negligence, insufficient time, and personal fellowship with Jesus. And I repeat, the reason for Lukewarmness in Revelation chapter three, verse 20 is, behold, I stand at the door is that Jesus is not at the center of our lives, yes, but rather outside or on the sidelines. So the Lukewarmness relates to the personal relationship with Jesus and in other areas, the person concerned definitely doesn't have to be Lukewarm. We don't have to be Lukewarm. For example, a man can invest a lot in his know, his work, and at the same time neglect his wife. SPEAKER C It's true. SPEAKER D You can put everything in your career. You're putting so much, you neglect your wife. You could be committed to your job, but Lukewarm in his marriage relationship, he's committed to his job, but Lukewarm in his marriage relationship, a person can even be committed church member, a diligent church leader, or pastor or president and still be Lukewarm in his relationship with Jesus. He could be so dedicated to the know into the work, but not spending much time on his relationship with Jesus. And the person is so dedicated to accomplish a lot of tasks that neglects his personal relationship with Jesus. And this is the Lukewarmness that Jesus wants to remove or wants to be removed. SPEAKER C So we can be busy doing good stuff, essential stuff even. But because that is a priority and God is not a priority, we have other gods before us, and therefore we may be Christian, but we will be carnal Christians having a form of Godliness, but denying the power of the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER D A person can be so busy doing God's work, and that can be in the church and mission work that neglects the Lord of the work. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D Remember, I mean, Jesus himself spent so much time in prayer with his Father, he'd go all night spending time with his father and that's why he was equipped to do the work during the day. He spent much time in prayer in relationship with his Father, and we're to do the same. We're to spend in a relationship with Jesus, spending time with Jesus in prayer. And Jesus wants to he wants to remove this and wants to spend time so I want to have a look, a quick look at the parable of the ten virgins. Just a quick look, and we're going to talk more about it in our next program. But what does the parable of the Ten Virgins show us in respect of spiritual incarnal members? Well, all were ten virgins, weren't they? SPEAKER C That's right, yes. SPEAKER D All had pure biblical beliefs. All had lamps. SPEAKER C That's right, they did. SPEAKER D All had the Bible. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER C So that lamp refers to the Bible. Thy word is a lamp to my feet, a light to my path. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D All of them went to meet the bridegroom. SPEAKER C So they were looking for the coming of the return of the Savior. That's right, second coming. SPEAKER D All of them went to sleep. SPEAKER E Right. SPEAKER D And all heard the call and woke up. All prepared their lamps. All their lamps were burning, but half of them noticed that their lamps were going out. You see, all of them prepared their lamps and all their lamps were burning. But burning lamps need what? SPEAKER E Oil. SPEAKER C Ongoing oil. SPEAKER D That's right, yeah. You see, energy was used and after a short time, five of them noticed that the lamps were going out. They were running out of oil. The lamps of the foolish versions that only burned for a short time show us that they did have something from the Holy Spirit. Obviously they had some Holy Spirit, but it wasn't enough. SPEAKER C And typically you need more oil at time. When you've got the lamp, you desire the lamp to burn brighter, so you can see and that's normally at midnight. SPEAKER D That's right. Yeah, that's right. There was too little oil. That was the only difference. And the five foolish virgins were know when the five came asking to be led, and Jesus answered them, I do not know you. They were too late in attending to the oil, the Holy Ghost. The door remained closed. They were too late. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D And Jesus statement shows us that our personal relation with him has something to do with the Holy Ghost. Whoever doesn't let himself be led by the Holy Spirit won't be acknowledged by Jesus. And in Romans, chapter eight, verses eight, nine, it says these words, it says. SPEAKER C So then those who are in the flesh cannot please God, but you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now, if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not his. SPEAKER D Wow, so the only way we can have a real personal relation with Jesus is through the Holy Ghost. I mean, One John, chapter three, verse 24 says, and by this we know that he Jesus abides in us by the Spirit whom he has given us. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D How do we know Jesus? By this Bible verse it says, we know Him. SPEAKER C How? By the Holy Spirit which has been given us. SPEAKER D That right. This means that the assurance I have that I'm filled with the Holy Ghost is at the same time the assurance that I am in Jesus and he is in me. SPEAKER C And it says there in Romans chapter eight and verse 16, he says, but the Spirit himself bears witness with our Spirit that we are the children of God. So we have the Holy Spirit witnessing in ourselves to tell us that we are actually children of God. If you got a guess, it means the Holy Spirit has not in you and he has not witnessed to that. SPEAKER D That's right. And this is exactly the spirits that that Sister had who did the 40 days through 40 days. She spent 40 days in prayer. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D Spending time with Jesus, asking Jesus to live out his life, asking for the Holy Spirit in her life. And as she did this, her relation with God completely changed in a different way. And others noticed the change in her life. And I can tell you many stories about many people who have taken up the 40 day challenge of spending 40 days with God. It changed everything because they asked Jesus to come in on a regular basis, and then everything changed from then on. SPEAKER E Amen. SPEAKER C And what a privilege to be that intimately connected with the God of heaven and earth. I mean, we don't even understand his power or his love for us, but he yearns with an everlasting love to be that closely connected to us. Dear Listener, we're just going to take a break here and share our contact details. And if you want information you haven't been able to jot it down about how you can get this book Steps to Personal Revival for free. By downloading a PDF, we'd be able to give that information to you. If you email us or you give us a call on these numbers. 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. We are looking at the challenges that we face when we are lukewarm as Christians, because we want to be hot Christians. A cold person is someone who's in the flesh. He doesn't. Have any inclination spiritually because the Spirit of God, he has not allowed to awaken that in him yet. But the challenge we have is not that we are hot. That's not a problem. That is a blessing. The challenge is when you are carnal and lukewarm. SPEAKER D That's right. And the Bible talks about three types of groups of people and their personal relationship with God. It talks about the natural man who has no relationship with God. Then it talks about the spiritual man who has a full relationship. And then it talks about a divided or feigned relationship. We're talking about people in the church. The Bible describes this person as the flesh or carnal, and we don't have to remain that way. And it talks about the natural man doesn't receive the things of God. And so we don't have to remain in this condition. We can ask to come out of it, but the way to come out of is we need to surrender our lives and make a commitment. Paul says in Romans Twelve to beseech yourselves brethren by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, wholly acceptable God, which is your reasonable service. You see, Jesus wants to heal us and set us free from the tyranny of our ego and bondage of sin. But since this requires entire transformation, a renewing of our whole nature, we must yield ourselves wholly to Him. Our ego is offended, jealous, annoyed and resentful. God wants to free us from these attitudes. SPEAKER C Well, thank you, Colin, for leading us through this incredibly important study. We don't want anything to hinder the blessing of receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit. And dear listener, we pray that you've been encouraged, that you've been blessed by the study and that God will be able to fill you with all the fullness of Jesus Christ as he desires to do. Thank you for joining us today. We look forward to catching up with you next time. Until then, God bless. SPEAKER D You'Ve been listening to a production of three ABN Australia radio.