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00:00into the dark realm.
00:02We're going to be talking about the things
00:03of the demonic world.
00:05We're going to be talking about things
00:07that are in direct opposition
00:09to every single one of us as Christians.
00:12You might say, do we have to talk about that?
00:14Yes, we do.
00:16Because that's exactly what
00:19Satan would have us feel like,
00:22is to not talk about him.
00:24Now, Christians are guilty of a pendulum swing.
00:28When it comes to talking about
00:29demonic or satanic things,
00:33Christians have a tendency
00:34to go to one side of that pendulum
00:37and almost glorify Satan in his power.
00:41That's wrong.
00:42Very wrong.
00:43They're terrified of Satan.
00:45Oh, that was Satan.
00:47And the truck backfires on the freeway.
00:49That was Satan.
00:49And no, it's not Satan.
00:51And then the pendulum swings way to the other side
00:54and there's another group of Christians
00:56that don't even believe he exists,
00:58which is insane
00:59because Jesus made it very, very clear
01:02that he does exist.
01:04Old and New Testament both.
01:06But we are still sticking with that theme verse
01:09and that is John 14, verse 29.
01:12John chapter 14, verse 29 says,
01:14Jesus is speaking.
01:15He says, now I have told you before it comes.
01:18That is, I have told you before it happens.
01:20That when it does come to pass,
01:22you may believe.
01:24Bible prophecy should cause you
01:27to have a greater faith.
01:28So just get that under your belt.
01:31Don't be afraid of studying Bible prophecy.
01:3327 to 33% of the entire Bible is Bible prophecy.
01:37And I think God wants you to study
01:39and to know it all.
01:40And that's a comforting thing.
01:43So this will be part one.
01:44It will go as far as we can tonight
01:45before I read a section of scripture.
01:48I want to give you two profound quotes
01:51from two great saints of God.
01:54Number one is the reformer, of course, Martin Luther.
01:58Now, listen to what he said.
02:00And if you ever read Martin Luther's writings,
02:04really the father of the Reformation,
02:08he actually had physical encounters
02:12with either a very, very high-ranking demonic entity
02:16or Satan himself.
02:19There are accounts that he writes about.
02:23In fact, now my memory fails me,
02:25so don't hold me exactly to this.
02:27But in one of the famed castles
02:31or places where Martin Luther was staying,
02:36there was this account that he records
02:40where he says Satan visited him in the room.
02:44He picked up the ink well
02:46and he threw it at that personage,
02:50that manifestation of Satan,
02:52and that ink splattered all over the wall.
02:54And I've not been there,
02:56but I remember Dr. Ed Heinsen telling me
02:58that that ink is still on the wall
03:00from that encounter that Luther claims
03:03that he had with the devil.
03:05I don't think the devil is bothering me or you,
03:08any one of us.
03:09I think the devil himself,
03:11who's not omnipresent,
03:12he's not God,
03:14he can't be everywhere at the same time.
03:17That's why he's got his angelic,
03:20or his minions,
03:21that's a good word for it,
03:21his goobers,
03:24both fallen angels and demon spirits
03:26to harass us.
03:28But I think Satan,
03:29you know,
03:30I think Satan makes his way
03:31from Tehran to Washington
03:34to Moscow to Beijing.
03:36I mean, that's what,
03:37he doesn't mess around with us.
03:39What can we do?
03:40But he likes to mess around with nations.
03:44Be that as it may.
03:45And listen to what Martin Luther said.
03:47The best way to drive out the devil,
03:49if he will not yield to text of scripture,
03:52is to jeer and flout him.
03:55He cannot bear scorn.
03:57Now that's not a normal approach.
03:59I mean,
03:59you've probably never heard that before.
04:02But Luther is saying,
04:04in a word,
04:05Satan is proud.
04:07And he hates
04:09when you do not take him seriously.
04:12Have you ever known a proud person?
04:14If you don't take them seriously,
04:16they get all bent out of shape.
04:18Think about Satan.
04:20If you don't take Satan seriously
04:22in the description
04:23that he wants you to read,
04:25he's going to get very upset.
04:26But if you view Satan
04:28in the light of how
04:29the Bible reveals Satan,
04:32that's a victory on your part.
04:35That's a strength on your side.
04:38And he is a defeated foe.
04:40He just doesn't want you to know it.
04:41Listen to what Thomas More said.
04:43Thomas More said,
04:45the devil,
04:46that proud spirit,
04:47cannot endure to be mocked.
04:50Think about Elijah
04:52on Mount Carmel
04:53and the,
04:54technically,
04:55it's not the 450 prophets.
04:57If you read it carefully,
04:58it's 850 prophets in total.
05:01What does one man of God do
05:03with 850 false prophets?
05:05He mocks them.
05:07If you've ever read
05:08that portion of 1 Kings,
05:09he mocks them.
05:12In fact,
05:13he even says to them,
05:14let's do this.
05:15Let's set up two sacrifices
05:19and I'll call upon my God,
05:21the God of Israel,
05:22and here's the sacrifice
05:23and I'll even pour water
05:25all over my sacrifice
05:28and you can have yours over here.
05:30I'll go first
05:33and,
05:34well,
05:34actually has them go first.
05:36They pour water as well
05:37and they're jumping up and down
05:39and they're yelling
05:41and he says,
05:43you gotta,
05:44I wish Spielberg would do it.
05:47Elijah's standing there
05:49and there's no response
05:51and he goes,
05:52why don't you yell louder?
05:53So they're yelling louder
05:56and that's not doing it
05:58and he says,
06:00maybe your God's busy
06:03and they keep yelling
06:04and then they start jumping up and down,
06:06they're going crazy
06:07and then they start cutting themselves
06:11and they're bleeding
06:13and he actually says,
06:15it's not in the English Bible,
06:17it should be.
06:18He actually says,
06:21maybe your God
06:21is out somewhere in space
06:25going to the bathroom
06:28and they're just jumping up and down,
06:30yelling and screaming
06:31and then he says,
06:32stop it!
06:34And then he walks up to the sacrifice
06:36and he says,
06:36Lord,
06:37show them who's God.
06:39The Bible says
06:40that fire came down from heaven,
06:42consumed the sacrifice
06:44and fire,
06:45the fire was like a tongue
06:47that licked up the water
06:49all around
06:50until it was completely dry
06:53and then Elijah says,
06:55okay,
06:56I want all of you guys to stand still
06:57but get in the line
06:59because I'm going to kill
07:00every single one of you
07:01for being false prophets.
07:02The amazing,
07:03to me,
07:03the big miracle is
07:04they just stood there.
07:06They were convinced,
07:07okay,
07:08we serve the wrong God.
07:10Spiritual powers are real
07:13but we need to understand them
07:15in a balanced way
07:15but we,
07:16by all means,
07:17need to understand them
07:20and this is a very important topic.
07:222 Corinthians chapter 10,
07:24verse 3 through 6
07:25tells us this
07:26and it's no stranger
07:27to many of you.
07:28Paul tells the church at Corinth,
07:30by the way,
07:31the church at Corinth,
07:32Corinth, Greece,
07:34extremely prone
07:37to demonic activity,
07:39demonic worship,
07:40the culture
07:41so when there's a church
07:42born in there
07:43in Corinth,
07:43Greece,
07:45it carried a lot of residual
07:47into that brand new church.
07:48It was a very carnal church.
07:49It took a long time,
07:51if ever,
07:52for that church
07:53to get mature in Christ
07:55but I mean,
07:56I got news for you.
07:56If you study the history
07:58of the church at Corinth,
07:59it's probably a church
08:00you would not attend
08:02but God called them saints.
08:05They trusted Christ
08:07but boy,
08:08were they messed up
08:09but listen to what he tells them,
08:11something very deep.
08:12He says,
08:12for though we walk in the flesh,
08:15that is,
08:16we walk in these human bodies,
08:17we do not war
08:20according to the flesh.
08:21How come?
08:22Why?
08:23For the weapons
08:24of our warfare
08:25are not carnal,
08:26earthly,
08:27fleshy
08:27but mighty in God
08:29for pulling down strongholds.
08:32I want you to remember this.
08:33Satanic powers
08:34establish invisible,
08:36supernatural strongholds
08:38over believers' lives
08:40and according to the book of Daniel,
08:42over the realms
08:44of political powers.
08:46I know that might sound strange
08:48to some of you.
08:48You read the book of Daniel
08:49and the book of Daniel
08:51tells us that there are
08:52angelic and demonic forces
08:54that reside over nations
08:57and are relegated
08:59to their borders.
09:00So there is an angel
09:02and there's a demon
09:03or there's an angel
09:05and a fallen angel
09:06that resides over America,
09:09over Canada,
09:11over Japan.
09:12Isn't that weird to think?
09:14And they war.
09:16You say,
09:16I don't believe that.
09:17Well,
09:18stay tuned for these studies.
09:22Remarkable.
09:23But he goes on,
09:24verse 5,
09:25this is what we're supposed to do.
09:27Casting down,
09:28heave them,
09:28like violently.
09:30Cast down arguments
09:32and every high thing
09:33that exalts itself
09:35against the knowledge of God,
09:36bringing every thought
09:38into the captivity,
09:39to the obedience of Christ
09:40and being ready,
09:42this is,
09:43listen to this,
09:44and being ready
09:45to punish all disobedience.
09:47How does that happen?
09:48When your obedience is fulfilled.
09:50What does that mean?
09:51When you are obedient to Christ,
09:53your obedience winds up
09:55punishing disobedience.
09:57Evil.
09:58It's a reference to evil.
10:00As Christians,
10:01we are supposed to be instruments
10:02that evil trembles at
10:05when we show up.
10:07You ever think of that?
10:08We don't often live that out,
10:10but look at us.
10:11You're all so summery,
10:13summery cute.
10:14You got your sleeveless tops on
10:17and you got your board shorts on
10:18and it's summertime
10:19and you look so harmless.
10:22As a Christian,
10:24that's fine for us
10:25looking at each other.
10:27Satan ought to be looking at you
10:28and he trembles
10:29because he's not looking
10:30at what you're wearing.
10:31He's looking at who you work for.
10:34I mean,
10:35you are God's kid.
10:37You are a soldier
10:37of the Lord Jesus Christ
10:39in a world
10:39that we are to be salt and light
10:41and we are to be exposing
10:43and resisting darkness and evil
10:45and Satan hates that.
10:47And when we take that seriously,
10:51it means we are not
10:55overpowering him
10:55or I should say
10:56we are not giving him
10:59unnecessary due.
11:00In other words,
11:01oh, the devil made me do it.
11:03No, no, no.
11:06God is sovereign.
11:07The devil's not sovereign.
11:10And the devil has no Bible.
11:13You've got the Bible.
11:14God gave you the Bible.
11:15And that's a wonderful thing
11:17to remember.
11:18Listen,
11:19we want to talk about this
11:20and again,
11:21new section,
11:22new introduction
11:23for a little while here anyway.
11:24And that is the reality
11:26of Satan's existence.
11:27In Matthew chapter 16,
11:29verse 23,
11:29it'd be good for you
11:30to write this down.
11:32Satan's existence.
11:33Jesus,
11:34or in the New Testament,
11:36I should say,
11:36Jesus turns to Peter
11:38and he says this to Peter.
11:39And it's a shocking moment
11:43because it's just the disciples
11:44and Jesus.
11:46But Peter says something
11:48he should not have said.
11:49Jesus announces to the disciples,
11:51hey guys,
11:52I'm going to tell you something.
11:53Don't tell anybody.
11:55But from here on out,
11:56I'm heading towards Jerusalem.
11:58I'm going to be betrayed.
12:00I'm going to be crucified.
12:01But on the third day,
12:02I'm going to be risen from the dead.
12:07And listen to this.
12:10Peter tells him,
12:11that's not going to happen.
12:14The preceding verses,
12:16Peter says to Jesus,
12:18that's not going to happen.
12:19Jesus has said it.
12:21And Peter says,
12:22wait,
12:22you don't understand.
12:25That's not going to happen.
12:28I bet you Peter just saying it,
12:31didn't think anything of it.
12:32It just seemed weird to him.
12:34Why would Jesus do this?
12:37Lord,
12:37that's not going to happen.
12:39And Jesus turned to Peter
12:40and he said,
12:41get behind me,
12:42Satan.
12:43Wow.
12:46You're an offense to me
12:48for you are not mindful,
12:50watch this,
12:51of the things of God
12:52but the things of men.
12:53Satan,
12:54mark it down in your notes,
12:55Satan is mindful
12:57of the things of men.
13:00Satan is always plotting,
13:02thinking,
13:03scheming,
13:04manipulating
13:06toward seizing
13:07the minds
13:08of men and women,
13:10boys and girls.
13:11That's what he loves.
13:14If you look at a house,
13:16think about a house.
13:17You might drive by a house
13:21and
13:22I got to tell you,
13:23in my mind right now,
13:24yesterday we were in LA,
13:25we were driving home,
13:26the traffic was insane
13:27so the computer's routing us
13:28all over the place
13:29and we drive through this area
13:31of Los Angeles
13:31and I know LA gets a bad rap
13:34and it should for political reasons
13:35but we drove through this,
13:37the GPS took us through this neighborhood
13:39and it was just absolutely stunning.
13:41Cutest homes you've ever seen.
13:43They're not mansions,
13:44they were just so cute
13:46and one,
13:46I told Matt,
13:48I said,
13:48look at that house,
13:49it looks like a fairy tale.
13:50It was so cool.
13:52It had this manicured landscape and all
13:55and it had the little walkway going up
13:57and it had a porch
13:58and it had these columns
14:00and it was perfectly geometrically laid out,
14:02just so clean and neat.
14:04It was attractive,
14:06it was amazing
14:07so we started talking about,
14:08we started talking about heaven
14:11but to get into that house,
14:13you gotta first get to the porch
14:16and for Satan to get into your life,
14:18he will always throw,
14:20as it were,
14:21mail and newspaper
14:23and boxes
14:25and Amazon FedEx junk
14:27on the porch.
14:29The Amazon guy never,
14:30I hope not,
14:31he never knocks on your door,
14:33opens the door of your house
14:34and throws the box in the house.
14:35I prefer he would do that
14:37but they don't do that, right?
14:39They don't do that.
14:40They throw everything
14:40that is being delivered on the porch.
14:44No matter how beautiful your home might be,
14:46I'm saying it this way,
14:48your life,
14:49your body,
14:50your mind
14:52is the entryway,
14:54that's the porch to your soul
14:56and the enemy will shoot
14:58and throw garbage,
15:00temptations,
15:01whatever it takes
15:02and he'll throw it
15:03but it can only
15:05get to your front door.
15:07It will land on the porch.
15:09Christian, listen,
15:10it can only land on the porch.
15:13Whatever Satan throws at you
15:14can only land on the porch.
15:17when we sin
15:19is when we open the door
15:20and we pick it up
15:21and bring it in.
15:22That's where we blow it
15:25and Satan threw out a thought
15:27to Peter.
15:28Peter probably
15:30thought,
15:31well,
15:31Jesus just said that
15:33but I don't want that to happen.
15:36I know Jesus has never led us wrong yet
15:39but that sounds wrong
15:40and Peter speaks.
15:41He was probably feeling pretty innocent
15:43and then Jesus says,
15:45get thee behind me.
15:46He's like,
15:46what'd I do?
15:49Get thee behind me,
15:50Satan.
15:52Wow.
15:54Satan's great power
15:57lies in our weakness
16:01to be hit in the mind.
16:03He doesn't mind the things of God.
16:06He minds the things of the flesh.
16:09And the Bible tells us
16:10the things of the flesh
16:11are things like lust.
16:14The lust of the eyes,
16:15the pride of life,
16:16the desire
16:18for us to have things.
16:21I was talking to a man today.
16:22He called me.
16:23He was concerned about
16:26my insomnia
16:26and he said,
16:28hey,
16:28how can I help you?
16:30He happens to be
16:30a renowned physician
16:33and he said,
16:33how can I help you?
16:34And I said,
16:34no,
16:35it's just the way it is.
16:36I've embraced it.
16:37It's no problem.
16:40And it was great
16:41because he had made a comment.
16:42He said,
16:43listen,
16:43whatever you need.
16:44And he said,
16:45I don't,
16:46I've had my career.
16:48I do have my career.
16:50He said,
16:50all I want to do now
16:52is bless the body of Christ
16:53and to keep people
16:54like you
16:55and others like
16:57you guys at your church
16:58serving the Lord.
16:59He said,
17:01the money that I've made,
17:02he said,
17:03how many millions of dollars
17:04do I need to make?
17:06Can you believe,
17:07can you,
17:07wouldn't you like
17:08to be able to say that?
17:10But here's why
17:11he's able to say it.
17:12He said,
17:13I've already played
17:14all that game,
17:15that dumb game
17:17of getting stuff.
17:18And he said,
17:18all the stuff
17:19I thought I had to have,
17:20he goes,
17:20I got rid of it
17:21because it's a bunch of junk.
17:22All the world talked it up.
17:23It turned out to be
17:24nothing but a joke.
17:25He said,
17:25I live simply now.
17:27I've never had more money
17:28in my life
17:28because now I'm trying
17:29to give it all away.
17:31And I'm looking for places
17:32to build up
17:33the kingdom of God.
17:35Listen,
17:36that's a man
17:37that Satan fears.
17:40Because the trick
17:41of Satan
17:41is to get you
17:42to fall in love
17:43with the stuff
17:43that he throws
17:44on your porch
17:46so that you pick it up
17:47and you're like
17:47a little monkey
17:48tinkering around
17:49with the thing
17:49until the clock
17:52runs out.
17:53You ever seen
17:53those monkeys
17:54that put the hand
17:54in the jar
17:55and then they get caught
17:57by the guy
17:58running around
17:59in the jungle
17:59because the monkey
18:00won't let go
18:01of the crackers.
18:03He thinks
18:04he's got to have
18:04the crackers.
18:05Satan throws things
18:06on your porch.
18:08And Jesus would say,
18:10get thee behind me.
18:12That word mindful,
18:14by the way,
18:14means this.
18:15This is kind of creepy.
18:17Satan.
18:17This is what's...
18:18Satan,
18:18to have understanding
18:20regarding man
18:20or mankind,
18:22to be observant.
18:23That's creepy.
18:23Satan is observant
18:25of the ways of man,
18:26aware of,
18:27acquainted with,
18:28familiar with
18:28the mind of man.
18:29Satan doesn't know
18:31your thoughts.
18:32You and I are just
18:33very predictable.
18:34He has been studying
18:36humans
18:38every moment
18:39since we were created.
18:40He's very good at it.
18:42But I really...
18:43Listen,
18:44if you're in some
18:45type of Pentecostal group
18:46right now
18:47or you're watching
18:48right now
18:48and you have been taught
18:50that Satan
18:50can read your mind,
18:52there's nowhere
18:53in Scripture
18:54you can make
18:55that claim.
18:56I don't believe that.
18:57I just think
18:58he's really smart.
18:59I think the mind
19:01is a place
19:01where you and God
19:02meet up.
19:05He may launch arrows,
19:07but we're the ones
19:08that bring them in
19:09or open the door.
19:11What about this?
19:121 Thessalonians 2,
19:14verse 18 says,
19:15Therefore,
19:15we wanted to come to you,
19:17says Paul,
19:17even I, Paul,
19:18time and again,
19:19but Satan,
19:20what?
19:21Hindered us.
19:22That word hinder
19:23means this.
19:24To cut into
19:25so as to cause confusion.
19:28Think about your life
19:29right now.
19:30Is something going on?
19:31It may be so nothing.
19:33Now just pause, everybody.
19:34Think about your own life
19:35right now.
19:35Has there been something
19:36that just doesn't make sense?
19:38It's just a little tad off.
19:40Something's a little weird
19:40about that.
19:41Maybe it's today.
19:43Maybe it's been
19:43the last few days.
19:44Maybe it's been
19:44the last six months.
19:46It's just not coming together.
19:48It just doesn't make sense.
19:51You ought to ask God
19:52to show you why
19:52it doesn't make sense.
19:56What about a dream?
19:57Are you having a dream?
19:57I hear from people
19:58all the time,
19:59Pastor, I had a dream.
20:01What do you think it means?
20:02I always tell people,
20:02if you don't know what it means,
20:03I don't know what it means.
20:04God didn't give me
20:06some,
20:07you know,
20:11translation of dream things.
20:13But ask God.
20:14Ask God.
20:15He gave you the dream.
20:16If he wanted me to have it,
20:17he would have given it to me.
20:20And I don't share my dreams
20:21with you because they're so dumb.
20:25But I don't think I've ever
20:26had a really decent dream
20:29of some,
20:29you know,
20:30I haven't seen,
20:31you know,
20:31God coming in the clouds,
20:33Jesus.
20:33That would be incredible.
20:35But some people say,
20:36you know,
20:36I have this dream
20:37and this and that
20:37and the other thing.
20:38Look,
20:38I don't know about that stuff.
20:40But listen,
20:40if you don't know,
20:41ask God about it.
20:44Well,
20:45something's keeping me up
20:45all night.
20:46Okay,
20:47you need to ask God
20:47about that.
20:49Because either God's
20:50trying to tell you something
20:51or the enemy's
20:52really,
20:53really harassing you.
20:54And we're going to get
20:55into this later on
20:57in this series
20:58on oppression,
21:00suppression,
21:01and possession.
21:04Very important things.
21:06You need to know
21:06the difference
21:07of those three
21:08satanic powers
21:09and do they
21:10all
21:11or do a few?
21:13How do they
21:13apply to you?
21:14Where are you
21:15on this?
21:16What will the Bible
21:17say to us?
21:18So this is amazing
21:19because watch
21:20how personal
21:21this can get.
21:22Weariness.
21:25Fatigue.
21:27So he hindered Paul
21:28by confusion,
21:29by weariness,
21:30fatigue.
21:31And the word means
21:32with the intent
21:33to thwart
21:33or impede
21:34the plan of God.
21:36If you're going
21:36to take a stand
21:37for Jesus,
21:38you can expect
21:38this to happen.
21:39Everybody,
21:40can you hear me?
21:41Do you want to live
21:42a dynamic,
21:43meaningful Christian life?
21:44Then look at that word
21:45right now
21:46and know this.
21:47Get excited about it.
21:48Satan is going
21:49to attempt
21:49to hinder you.
21:51Don't let that
21:54remotely
21:55cause you
21:55to have
21:57hesitation
21:58or fear.
22:00That would
22:00let Satan win.
22:03Listen,
22:04Jesus told us
22:04these things
22:05in advance.
22:05If you know
22:06that if you're
22:07going to take
22:07a stand
22:08for God,
22:08you're going
22:09to be opposed,
22:11that's great news.
22:13In fact,
22:13I have to tell you,
22:14it's so beautiful
22:15and I say this humbly,
22:16it's so beautiful
22:17to constantly be
22:18at war
22:19with the dark world
22:22that if things
22:23got calm
22:24and peaceful
22:24for me,
22:25I would start
22:26to be a little
22:27concerned.
22:30I'd start
22:30to maybe
22:31worry a little
22:31bit.
22:33I mean,
22:33God gives us
22:34Sabbath seasons
22:35and you
22:37recuperate
22:37and you rest.
22:39For what?
22:40To get back
22:40at the war.
22:42And we're all
22:43fighting darkness
22:44as believers
22:45and you know
22:46that because
22:46when you see
22:47darkness,
22:48hear darkness,
22:49feel it,
22:50grieves your
22:50heart,
22:51grieves your
22:51soul.
22:54John chapter
22:5513 verse 26
22:57Jesus answered
22:58and said,
22:59it is he
23:01to whom,
23:01this is at
23:02the last supper,
23:03it is to he
23:04whom I shall
23:05give a piece
23:06of bread
23:07when I have
23:08dipped it
23:09and having
23:10dipped it
23:12and having
23:13dipped the bread
23:14he gave it
23:15to Judas Iscariot
23:16the son of Simon.
23:17Verse 27,
23:18now after the
23:19piece of bread
23:20Satan entered
23:22him,
23:23Judas,
23:23then Jesus
23:24said to him,
23:25notice,
23:26Jesus,
23:27the word
23:28demands this,
23:29Jesus didn't
23:30speak to
23:31Judas,
23:33Jesus looked
23:34at Judas
23:35and yes,
23:36it looks like
23:36he's speaking
23:36to Judas
23:37but who was
23:38Jesus talking
23:38to?
23:39Satan.
23:41Jesus says
23:42to Satan,
23:43what you do,
23:44do quickly.
23:45Which I get
23:46a lot of
23:46comfort out
23:47of this.
23:47Jesus,
23:49knowing all
23:49things,
23:50tells Satan
23:50what you're
23:52going to do,
23:52do it fast.
23:54I like
23:55that.
23:55He's still
23:56in control.
23:57Even when
23:57he's being
23:57betrayed,
23:58Jesus is still
23:59in control.
24:00It's glorious.
24:02Look at the
24:03word entered.
24:04Satan entered
24:05into Judas.
24:06This is,
24:07this is,
24:08this is tough.
24:10To come
24:11through,
24:11to enter
24:12into,
24:12to be granted
24:13access,
24:14to be allowed.
24:15This is key,
24:15to be allowed.
24:16Somehow,
24:17listen,
24:18somehow in
24:18Judas'
24:19life,
24:19he left
24:20the door
24:20open and
24:21allowed entrance
24:22and he
24:23made it
24:23available
24:24for Satan
24:25to pick
24:25him.
24:26See,
24:27you and I
24:27are 2,000
24:28years this
24:28way of
24:29that event
24:29and you
24:30and I,
24:31it's so
24:32crystal clear
24:32to us,
24:33it's like,
24:33this doesn't
24:34even make
24:34me think.
24:35You gotta
24:36step back
24:36then.
24:37Satan
24:38was plotting
24:40and planning.
24:41Now,
24:41Jesus knew
24:42all things
24:43from the
24:43beginning,
24:44the scripture
24:44says.
24:45But understand
24:46this,
24:46none of the
24:47disciples did.
24:48They didn't
24:49know.
24:50Judas himself
24:51didn't know.
24:52Judas wasn't
24:53like six
24:53years old
24:54and realized,
24:54I'm the
24:55one.
24:56He didn't
24:56know that.
24:59All along
25:00the way,
25:01Judas was
25:02making decisions
25:03of his own
25:04choosing that
25:06set him up
25:07to be the
25:09one.
25:09Does that
25:09make sense?
25:11One step
25:12after another,
25:13one thought,
25:14one motive,
25:15one idea,
25:16he began to
25:17think probably
25:17a life of
25:18self-consumption
25:20or absorption
25:21or self-centeredness
25:23or egocentricness.
25:25It's all about
25:26me,
25:26Judas.
25:27He cared
25:28about money.
25:29We know
25:29that.
25:30He sold
25:30Jesus out
25:31for 30
25:32pieces of
25:32silver.
25:34But what's
25:34remarkable is
25:35that word
25:36means he
25:37had a
25:37doorway that
25:38Satan could
25:39come through.
25:40He entered
25:40into.
25:41He granted
25:42access to be
25:43allowed.
25:44Implication is
25:45this,
25:45to go into
25:46where you
25:47have been
25:48granted access
25:49or to have
25:50been invited
25:50into by
25:51one's actions
25:52or at the
25:53suggestion of
25:54another.
25:55That's creepy.
25:56By leaving
25:57the door open
25:57of your life.
25:58And folks,
25:59listen,
25:59we can all
25:59do this by
26:00being sloppy
26:01in our
26:01Christianity.
26:02Some people
26:03do it
26:03blatantly.
26:04People who
26:05toy with
26:06sins.
26:07I am not
26:07kidding.
26:08You're going
26:08to think I'm
26:09kidding when I
26:09tell you that
26:11I have more
26:12than one time
26:13and one time
26:14was severely,
26:15very satanic
26:20to say the
26:21least.
26:22Where this
26:23person,
26:23this individual
26:25said this is
26:26how I got
26:26started.
26:27I didn't mean
26:27to but I was
26:28playing games.
26:29I was nine
26:30years old.
26:30I started
26:31playing games
26:31with these
26:32Ouija boards
26:34and I just
26:35got really good
26:36at the Ouija
26:36board and
26:38then I wound
26:39up, I'm not
26:39kidding, he
26:40said he wound
26:40up using the
26:41Ouija board
26:42with that,
26:42you know that
26:43big black
26:43eight ball thing
26:44where you shake
26:44and you look
26:45at the bottom.
26:46He wound
26:47up, I got
26:47those things
26:48working together,
26:48they would
26:49work, they
26:49would wind
26:49up saying
26:50the same
26:50things, my
26:51friends would
26:51all freak
26:51out.
26:52And this
26:53guy's life
26:54wound up
26:54a demonic
26:55mess.
26:59You don't
26:59play with
27:00stuff like
27:00that.
27:02You don't
27:03go to
27:05tarot card
27:06readers,
27:09soothsayers,
27:09or mediums.
27:12Our world
27:12thinks that's
27:13cute.
27:15Oh, let's
27:16have an
27:17all-girls
27:18night out,
27:18we're going
27:19to go get
27:19our palms
27:19red.
27:21How about
27:21go and get
27:22your fingers
27:22done instead?
27:25No palms
27:26red, no,
27:27no palms.
27:29Oh, it's
27:29cute, it'd be
27:30funny.
27:30It's not
27:30funny.
27:31You want
27:32to know
27:32why it's
27:32not funny?
27:34Because
27:36Satan,
27:37demonic
27:38activity,
27:38will make
27:39it true
27:39enough to
27:40get you
27:41hooked
27:42with
27:43curiosity.
27:44Oh, my
27:45goodness,
27:47that's
27:47right.
27:48My high
27:49school
27:50sweetheart's
27:50name was
27:51Bob.
27:52How did
27:54it know?
27:56And you're
27:57curious now.
27:58It's a
27:59hook.
28:00There's
28:01enough of
28:01it that's
28:02real under
28:02the power of
28:03demonic
28:03activity to
28:04hook you
28:05in.
28:06by the
28:07way,
28:08when you
28:09were way
28:09back then
28:10or way
28:10back when
28:11or way
28:11back where,
28:14so were
28:14demons.
28:15What are
28:16you going to
28:16do?
28:16You're going
28:16to tell me,
28:17well, that
28:17would have
28:17been way
28:18back, that
28:18demon would
28:19have been
28:19way old.
28:20How old
28:20are they?
28:22Do they
28:22die?
28:24When were
28:25they born?
28:26You don't
28:27know nothing
28:27about that
28:28stuff.
28:28We just
28:29know that
28:30they are a
28:30highly
28:32organized,
28:33dark,
28:36realm of
28:37spiritual
28:37power.
28:39And woe
28:40to us if
28:40we write
28:41them off as
28:42some sort
28:42of fairy
28:43tale.
28:44I believe
28:45today, and
28:46I think the
28:47Bible makes
28:47it overwhelmingly
28:48clear, that
28:49so much of
28:49our world's
28:51upheavals down
28:52to the family
28:53upheaval is
28:55linked to some
28:55sort of demonic
28:56influence to say
28:57the least.
28:58Especially in
28:59the home where
29:00there's pornography
29:01or spiritual
29:05darkness,
29:06spiritual things
29:08that are not
29:08sanctioned by
29:09God.
29:11And look, I
29:11just want you
29:12to know, I'm
29:12not beating up
29:13on pornography
29:14because it's a
29:14physical thing
29:15and it's so
29:16popular and
29:16everybody, from
29:17what I'm,
29:18everybody's involved
29:19in it.
29:19No, they're
29:20not.
29:21Almost got in
29:22an argument,
29:23almost, well,
29:24I'm not going to
29:25say.
29:27Recently, one
29:27person insisted,
29:29every Christian's
29:30involved in it.
29:30And I said,
29:31no, they're not.
29:32I said, no,
29:33they're not.
29:34Well, are you?
29:35I said, no, I
29:36am not.
29:38Well, okay, you're
29:39the only one.
29:39I said, I'm not
29:40the only one.
29:43But listen, that's
29:43a satanic lie
29:44itself.
29:46Satan will say,
29:46everybody's doing
29:47it.
29:47And then you
29:48notice what he
29:48does?
29:49Everybody's doing
29:50it.
29:50So then you do
29:51it.
29:51And then Satan
29:51says, oh, how
29:52could you?
29:56He tells you to
29:57do it and then he
29:58condemns you when
29:58it's done.
30:00Why?
30:00Because he's a
30:01great devil.
30:02That's what he
30:03does.
30:04But people, be
30:05very, very wise.
30:07Pornography is
30:08more spiritual than
30:09it is physical.
30:12It's, listen,
30:13sexual immorality,
30:14as we're learning
30:15on Sundays with
30:16the book of
30:16Proverbs, sexual
30:17immorality, the
30:18scripture says that
30:20when someone commits
30:21sexual immorality,
30:21they're sinning
30:22against their own
30:22soul.
30:23Isn't that wild?
30:24It didn't say that
30:25about stealing.
30:26You shouldn't steal.
30:27But it doesn't say
30:28when you steal, you
30:29sin against your own
30:29soul, it doesn't
30:30say about cursing.
30:32It doesn't say that
30:33about murder.
30:34It doesn't say that
30:35about you name it.
30:36But isn't that
30:37weird?
30:38Because it's a
30:39spiritual realm and
30:40there's bonds that
30:42happen in that realm.
30:45I think, this is just
30:47me, blame it on me,
30:47it's just me, my
30:48opinion, I think the
30:51human trafficking,
30:52sexual human
30:52trafficking thing, I
30:55think it's
30:55diametrically opposed
30:57to, of course, what is
30:58good and right, which
31:00makes it wrong and
31:01bad.
31:02Why is it so
31:03prevalent today?
31:04Because I believe that
31:06is one of the blatant
31:07manifestations of
31:09satanic activity.
31:11Trafficking in the
31:11souls of men and
31:13women.
31:16And it's off the
31:17charts.
31:21Luke chapter 10,
31:22verse 18, Luke 10,
31:2318 says, and he
31:24said to them, Jesus,
31:25I saw Satan fall
31:27like lightning from
31:28heaven.
31:28The disciples were
31:29preaching the gospel.
31:30He sent them out and
31:32they're preaching the
31:32gospel, they're healing
31:34the sick, and they came
31:36back to tell Jesus,
31:37this is amazing.
31:39And he says to them,
31:40I saw Satan fall like
31:41lightning from heaven.
31:43Behold, I give you
31:44authority to trample on
31:46serpents and scorpions
31:47and over all the power of
31:49the enemy, and nothing
31:50shall by any means hurt
31:51you.
31:52Wow.
31:53You know what's so cool
31:54about that?
31:55See the word fall?
31:56Jesus said, I saw
31:57Satan get beat down.
32:01Pipto is the Greek
32:02word.
32:02I saw Satan get a
32:04beat down.
32:05He got tripped up.
32:06He got shoved down.
32:08Down to the ground.
32:10He failed.
32:11Implication?
32:12Satan was seen
32:13stumbling, falling
32:14down, and being
32:15defeated when the
32:17gospel ministry went
32:18forth.
32:19Isn't that amazing?
32:21When the gospels
32:22proclaim, Satan gets
32:24tripped up and
32:24stumbles and falls,
32:26Jesus says, I saw
32:27him fall like
32:28lightning.
32:29When you guys were
32:30out there preaching
32:31the gospel, when you
32:32were telling people
32:33that the Messiah had
32:34come and he's going
32:35to go to the cross
32:36and die on the cross
32:37for their sins and be
32:38resurrected from the
32:39dead, that the
32:40salvation of God has
32:41arrived, I saw Satan,
32:43when you said it, I
32:44saw Satan fall like
32:45lightning.
32:46Oh my goodness.
32:47Church, listen, this is
32:49you.
32:49This is me.
32:50This is us.
32:50When we tell other
32:52people, it drives Satan
32:55nuts.
32:56That's why, listen, that's
32:59why you're hesitant about
33:01telling other people the
33:02gospel.
33:03That's why you kind of,
33:04it's like, I can't do
33:05that.
33:05Yes, you can.
33:06Who's telling you to be
33:08afraid?
33:09It's not God.
33:12I think I should tell
33:14that person about Jesus.
33:15No, I can't.
33:15I better pray about it.
33:16No, don't even pray
33:17about it.
33:18Go do it.
33:20Satan will say, why don't
33:22you pray about it?
33:23You should pray about
33:24it.
33:27Just look.
33:28What if I do it and I
33:29look like a fool?
33:31Excuse me.
33:31Now you care about
33:32looking like a fool.
33:35After all the things
33:35you've done, when you
33:36looked like a fool, all
33:37of a sudden, you're
33:38going to, God's telling
33:40you, because I'm
33:42guaranteeing you, Satan's
33:43not telling you to go
33:44share the gospel with
33:45that guy.
33:47But look, the proof
33:49is this.
33:50You get a little
33:50nervous about it.
33:53My mouth's dry.
33:54This is good.
33:55This is a good thing.
33:56That means God's going
33:57to be the power, not
33:57you.
33:58I don't know what to
33:59say.
34:00That's part of it
34:01also.
34:02Of course you don't
34:03know what to say.
34:03None of us do.
34:04When you walk up there
34:05and open your mouth, it
34:07takes a huge amount of
34:07faith to obey like
34:09that.
34:09And then you say,
34:10excuse me.
34:10And then all of a
34:11sudden, it just comes
34:13out and you're like,
34:14oh my gosh, I'm
34:15learning so much.
34:16I didn't even remember
34:17knowing this.
34:18And you're quoting
34:19scripture and you're
34:20like, where'd that
34:20come from?
34:22Does anybody know
34:22what I'm talking
34:23about?
34:23See?
34:24You should try this.
34:26Living on the edge,
34:27baby.
34:27It's the way to go.
34:29It's amazing.
34:30This Christianity is
34:31boring.
34:33Nope.
34:34Nope.
34:35Start listening to
34:36that voice.
34:37And it's been my
34:39experience that when
34:40Satan is so slick,
34:42I'm convinced that when
34:43Satan spoke to Eve,
34:44he didn't say, so
34:49Eve, you know.
34:53I think, I think his
34:55voice must have been
34:56so incredibly wonderful,
34:58even possibly in some
34:59way seductive.
35:02A voice that's like,
35:05Eve, you know, you're
35:06amazing.
35:07And you can become
35:09amazing, more amazing
35:10if you just, if you
35:11just take one more
35:13step and you can become
35:14like God.
35:17God's holding out on
35:18you.
35:18He doesn't want you to
35:18eat that fruit.
35:19You should try it.
35:21She wasn't stupid.
35:23She was perfect.
35:24Think of that.
35:25She was perfect and she
35:27fell for what he said.
35:29That should cause all
35:30of us to sober up a
35:31little bit, huh?
35:32That's like pretty
35:32serious.
35:33It's like, man, who am
35:34I?
35:35Well, frankly, you and I
35:36are nothing but by the
35:38Holy Spirit.
35:39We're no, we're no
35:42competition to Satan
35:43until we belong to God.
35:46And that's for later
35:49tonight if I ever get
35:50there.
35:55We also know this, that
35:57there's a great reality
36:00and existence that is
36:01obviously something that
36:03we all can acknowledge
36:05no matter if we are
36:06believers or not.
36:08And that is that there's
36:09a difference in the
36:10existence of simultaneously
36:12good and evil.
36:16Somebody might say, I
36:17don't believe in a
36:18demonic world.
36:18Do you believe in evil?
36:19Well, no, I don't
36:21believe in evil.
36:22So then you don't
36:22believe in good.
36:23No, I believe in good.
36:25Well, then if you
36:26believe in good, you
36:26have to believe in evil.
36:30I believe everyone is
36:31good.
36:33Then why is the world
36:34like this?
36:38According to the
36:39Bible, the world is
36:41evil.
36:44That's what the Bible
36:45says.
36:47And we kind of have
36:49that syndrome.
36:49of arranging the
36:52chairs on the deck
36:53of the Titanic as
36:54it's starting to
36:56sink.
36:57And we think
36:58thoughts or we say
36:59things like, it's not
37:00sinking, but it is
37:02sinking.
37:06Lisa showed me a
37:08really cute little
37:09Instagram thing last
37:10night.
37:10It's very old
37:11fashioned looking.
37:12Of course, it's
37:13brand new, but it's
37:14all done up and it
37:16was, it was, it's
37:17all about growing up
37:18in the 60s.
37:19And the guy's voice
37:20sounds like a voice
37:21from the 60s and
37:22all the scenes.
37:23And it should, look,
37:24that's me.
37:25I grew up in the
37:2560s.
37:26And the guy made the
37:28comment about during
37:29summer, we left the
37:31house at 7 a.m.
37:32us kids and we did not, we
37:36did not come back until
37:37well, you, you had to
37:40come home when the
37:43streetlights came on.
37:46For 12 hours, our
37:47parents did not know
37:48where we were and they
37:50loved it.
37:52And we loved it.
37:55And we, you know what
37:57we did?
37:58We fell out of trees.
37:59We, we got hurt.
38:01We'd come home.
38:03We had mud on injuries
38:05to stop the bleeding.
38:07Anybody remember that?
38:09And we didn't die.
38:11And we made it.
38:13And it was just so cute,
38:14all this stuff.
38:15And it's the guys
38:15talking about all this,
38:16all this stuff.
38:18And the thing was, I
38:20told Lisa, I said,
38:21it's amazing that even
38:24our own children, when
38:28they see this, they
38:29think we're, we're
38:30nuts.
38:31Because one of the
38:32things was there were
38:32no seatbelts.
38:33And if there were seat
38:34belts in the car, you
38:36were considered a loser
38:37if you used them.
38:39What's wrong with you?
38:40Can't you get in a car
38:41without seatbelt?
38:42What are you, a baby or
38:42something?
38:43Remember that?
38:44It was like, nobody was
38:46wrapped in bubble wrap.
38:47People, I mean, seriously,
38:48it was crazy.
38:51And, uh, it was just a
38:55different world.
38:57In fact, when you would
38:58put on the brake, my mom
38:59used to reach over with
39:00her right arm to stop me
39:01from going through the
39:01window.
39:02Do you remember that?
39:04That was normal.
39:08Now, I say all that to
39:09say this.
39:12That if there's evil in
39:14the world and you cannot
39:14deny it, then why is
39:17there good like a mom
39:18reaching out to put her
39:20hand across my little
39:22chest so I didn't go
39:23through the window?
39:24Why would someone help
39:26someone hurting and in
39:27need?
39:30There's evil.
39:31Are you, are you sitting
39:33down and listening?
39:33There is evil that we can
39:37detect and, and look at
39:38because we know what good
39:39is.
39:40If without good, you'd
39:42never know what's evil.
39:44Atheists always say this.
39:46I don't believe in God.
39:48Why not?
39:49Look at the world.
39:51Okay, keep going.
39:53Oh, he's maniacal.
39:54He's evil.
39:55I don't believe in God
39:56because look at all the
39:58mayhem in the world.
40:00Okay, keep going.
40:00I really like the direction
40:01you're going on this.
40:03I, I don't believe in God
40:04because there's wars and
40:05babies are born blind and
40:07all this stuff.
40:08All right.
40:09All right.
40:11So what are you saying?
40:14What you're saying is there's
40:16a lot of evil in the world.
40:17There's a lot of evil in
40:18the world, but how can there
40:19be evil in the world if
40:20there's no God?
40:23There can't be evil in the
40:24world if there's no God.
40:27There has to be a God for
40:28evil to be in the world.
40:30Why?
40:30Because evil comes out of
40:32good.
40:34Evil cannot create anything.
40:36Evil is the perversion of
40:39what is good.
40:41Think of it.
40:42Good must by logic be first
40:46before evil can ever appear.
40:50When someone's a pervert,
40:52they do evil, but on the
40:55inside of them, they're
40:56looking for something that
40:58was originally good.
40:59They go about it in a
41:01pervert way.
41:01Are you hearing me?
41:02Are you tracking this?
41:03Let's pretend we're in
41:04psych 101.
41:07Even someone who's perverse
41:11has taken what is good and
41:14bent it into wrong.
41:17Are you with me?
41:18You can't do that when you
41:20start with evil because evil
41:22cannot be bent into good.
41:26There's no logic course in the
41:29universe that would back that
41:30up.
41:30It's this.
41:31Good happened first, then
41:34evil.
41:35And what does the biblical
41:36record say?
41:37Good happened first, then
41:39came evil.
41:41We know this in our lives.
41:42Even though we're born
41:44sinners, we're born sweet,
41:46cute little babies, but
41:48within us, as good as we are,
41:51all we need is the motor
41:53skills to do evil.
41:57Thank God.
41:57Thank God a one-year-old
41:58can't handle a gun.
42:00We'd all be dead because
42:02they're furious one moment
42:04and then they would shoot
42:05up the world and then
42:06they would all, then
42:07they'd be, then they're
42:08all, their emotions change
42:09radically constantly.
42:11Can you imagine?
42:12You've seen little babies
42:13all upset and they throw
42:14themselves on the ground
42:14and then they hit their
42:15head.
42:15It's kind of funny when
42:17they do that, but you
42:18gotta, you know, you gotta
42:18act like you care.
42:19But they, it's just like,
42:21wow, look at that.
42:22Imagine if that person had
42:24a gun.
42:27Wow.
42:28But when they grow up,
42:30they're able to do, sadly,
42:33evil.
42:33It comes natural for us.
42:38So the reality of good,
42:39I want to put this up,
42:40I want to read it to you,
42:41the reality of good.
42:42Regarding the reality of
42:43good, good must be
42:44understood using the rules
42:46of logic and what would
42:49call, what I would call
42:50me, Jack, the first
42:52evident source, meaning
42:53that good by nature had to
42:55precede evil by nature.
42:56The observable evidence
42:57of good proves that the
42:59source of good must
43:00precede that which is
43:01evil.
43:02Good must first have
43:04existed before evil
43:06could have existed.
43:07We said that a moment
43:08ago.
43:08The next one is this,
43:10the reality of evil.
43:11Same thing in reverse.
43:13Regarding the reality of
43:15evil, it must be
43:15understood using the
43:16very same rules of
43:18logic and what I would
43:19call the second
43:21evident source, meaning
43:22that evil by nature had
43:24to come out of or
43:26originate from that
43:27which is good.
43:28Evil is the perversion
43:29of what is good.
43:31Evil is taking good and
43:32twisting it, polluting it,
43:34manipulating it until it
43:36has been corrupted and
43:37made to be evil.
43:39The Bible says in
43:41Genesis chapter 1 verse
43:444, in fact, when you see
43:46the word good, can you
43:47guys shout it out when I
43:48come to it?
43:49And God saw the light
43:50that it was?
43:52And God divided the
43:53light from the darkness.
43:55That's Genesis 1
43:564.
43:57Genesis 1
43:5810.
43:58And God called the dry
44:00land earth and the
44:02gathering together of the
44:03waters, he called seas,
44:05and God saw that it was?
44:07Genesis 1
44:0812.
44:09And the earth brought
44:10forth grass, the herb
44:12that yields seed according
44:14to its kind, and the tree
44:15that yields fruit, whose seed
44:18is in itself according to
44:20its kind, and God saw
44:21that it was?
44:22Good.
44:23Okay, watch this.
44:24Genesis 1
44:2418.
44:25All chapter 1.
44:27And to rule over the
44:29day, he's talking about
44:29the heavenly bodies, to
44:30rule over the day and
44:31over the night, and to
44:32divide the light from the
44:34darkness, and God saw
44:35that it was?
44:36Good.
44:36Next verse.
44:38Genesis 1
44:3921.
44:39So God created great sea
44:41creatures and every living
44:42thing that moves, with
44:45which the waters abounded
44:46according to their kind, and
44:47every winged bird according
44:49to its kind, and God saw
44:51that it was?
44:52Good.
44:53Next verse.
44:54Genesis 1
44:5531.
44:56Last verse.
44:57Then God saw everything
44:59that he had made, and
45:00indeed it was very good.
45:03So the evening and the
45:04morning were the sixth
45:05day.
45:05Good.
45:06Good.
45:07God creates good.
45:10So, moving ahead next
45:12week together, was evil or
45:15how is evil created?
45:18How did that come about?
45:20What is the genesis, no pun
45:22intended, of evil?
45:24And we'll have to study
45:25that.
45:26Now, we'll get into, if
45:28you scan the notes, you'll
45:30see that I just now got to
45:32point number one, which is
45:34time to end.
45:36But here's what I want to
45:38do.
45:39I want to do this.
45:41I'm going to ask Gia to come
45:42back out.
45:42I'm going to ask you
45:44tonight, we've talked a lot
45:46about evil and the devil, and
45:51I want tonight, before you
45:53leave, I want you to pray.
45:56In this gathering together, I'm
45:58not saying pray out loud.
45:59I'm just saying let's stick
46:00together right now, as a
46:02church, as what would be a
46:05holy convocation, a gathering
46:08of believers.
46:09The Lord's present in this
46:11place.
46:14Before we do this, I want you
46:16to just prepare your heart.
46:17You can shut your Bibles and
46:18all.
46:18I'm going to ask the guys to
46:20tee up an audible for us to
46:23play here in a second.
46:27I referenced earlier tonight
46:28how summertime casual on a
46:32Wednesday night we look, and so
46:33we should.
46:36And this is how we see one
46:37another.
46:39And yet, when you read the
46:40Bible, the Bible speaks to us
46:42as being clothed in
46:43righteousness, in the
46:45righteousness of Christ.
46:46The Bible tells us that we, and
46:48we'll get into this next week, we
46:49are armored up with the
46:52armament of God, the soldier
46:55of God.
46:58When we look at each other with
46:59our natural eyes, none of us
47:00have helmets on.
47:02But with our spiritual eyes,
47:04every single one of us who
47:05know Jesus have helmets on.
47:07What if we were to right now
47:09snap our fingers?
47:11Yesterday at CBS, the screen, the
47:14guy touched a button, and this
47:16massive, this massive screen, I
47:20mean, it was unbelievable.
47:21I don't even know if it would fit
47:23in here.
47:24The guy could move from New York
47:26City to Panama to just with a
47:29little toggle of the computer
47:31and this spectacular thing
47:32changed.
47:33What if we just hit a button on
47:35the panel and, or snap the
47:36finger, and all of a sudden you
47:38could be seen in your spiritual
47:40armament right now as you're
47:42sitting here.
47:42You've got a helmet on, you've
47:44got a breastplate of
47:45righteousness, you've got a
47:46shield of faith, you've got a
47:47sword of the spirit, you've got
47:49the belt of righteousness around
47:51your waist, your feet are
47:52shod with the preparation of the
47:54gospel, you have the sword of
47:56the spirit in your hand.
47:57That's what you look like when
47:59God is looking at you and he's
48:00looking at you right now.
48:02And I want you to think about
48:03that.
48:05By the way, I hope when he looks
48:06at us, I hope our, I don't
48:08want, I hope I speak for all of
48:10us, I don't want my armor and I
48:12don't want anybody's armor from
48:13this church being all shiny and
48:16all brand new like it's not been
48:18in any battles.
48:19I want your armor to be dented, I
48:22want it to be dirty, I want it to
48:24have some satanic blood splats
48:26all over it, maybe some fang,
48:30there might be a fang over here
48:32and some fur from some satanic
48:34goober, because we're warriors,
48:38we're warriors and we live like
48:42this, but we war like the other.
48:45We look like this, I should say,
48:47but we war like the other.
48:49So listen to this, that C.S.
48:52Lewis just put this together and
48:55it's you, you are God's deployed
48:59soldier here now because you and
49:03I live in enemy occupied territory.
49:06Satan has seized this earth.
49:09Remember, he didn't make it, he
49:10just took control of it.
49:13And you, you now are no longer
49:15under his jurisdiction.
49:17You're a soldier of the Lord Jesus
49:19Christ to fight against satanic
49:21powers and it doesn't look like
49:24God's doing anything, but he is.
49:28And he's using you and I.
49:30And Satan, as much as God loves you,
49:35Satan hates you.
49:36And I'm good with that.
49:38Because greater is he who lives in me
49:41than he who lives in this world.
49:46So I'm going to ask you,
49:48I'm going to ask you to close your eyes
49:50because we're going to pray.
49:54You don't have to close your eyes,
49:55but you close your eyes.
49:56Listen, listen to these words
49:59by C.S. Lewis talking about
50:01you and I being in this world
50:04for the truth of God
50:08and Satan.
50:13Another possible objection is this.
50:16Why is God landing in this enemy
50:18occupied world in disguise
50:20and starting a sort of secret society
50:22to undermine the devil?
50:23Why is he not landing in force,
50:25invading it?
50:26Is it that he is not strong enough?
50:29Well, Christians think he is going
50:31to land in force.
50:32We do not know when,
50:33but we can guess why he is delayed.
50:36He wants to give us the chance
50:38of joining his side freely.
50:40I do not suppose you and I
50:42would have thought much of a Frenchman
50:43who waited till the Allies
50:44were marching into Germany
50:45and then announced he was on our side.
50:48God will invade.
50:50But I wonder whether people
50:51who ask God to interfere openly
50:52and directly in our world
50:54quite realize what it will be like
50:56when he does.
50:57When that happens,
50:58it is the end of the world.
51:00When the author walks onto the stage,
51:02the play is over.
51:04God is going to invade all right.
51:06But what is the good of saying
51:07you are on his side then
51:08when you see the whole natural universe
51:10melting away like a dream
51:12and something else,
51:13something it never entered your head
51:14to conceive,
51:15comes crashing in.
51:17Something so beautiful to some of us
51:18and so terrible to others
51:20that none of us will have any choice left.
51:22For this time,
51:23it will be God without disguise.
51:25Something so overwhelming
51:26that it will strike either irresistible love
51:29or irresistible horror
51:30into every creature.
51:32It will be too late then
51:33to choose your side.
51:34There is no use saying
51:35you could choose to lie down
51:37when it has become impossible
51:38to stand up.
51:39That will not be the time
51:40for choosing.
51:41It will be the time
51:42when we discover
51:43which side we really have chosen,
51:45whether we realized it before or not.
51:47Now, today,
51:49this moment is our chance
51:50to choose the right side.
51:52God is holding back
51:53to give us that chance.
51:55It will not last forever.
51:56We must take it
51:58or leave it.
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