WEBVTT NOTE Podcast: Acts 29 Vancouver Episode: Prevailing Church : Humility Publishing Date: 2018-07-15T06:00:44-07:00 Podcast URL: https://acts29.ca Episode URL: https://acts29.ca/prevailing-church-humility/ 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:08.460 Okay this is going to be difficult but let's focus. Yeah just Google worship 00:00:08.460 --> 00:00:12.140 leader who brings both his kids on stage and sings and you might find it on 00:00:12.140 --> 00:00:23.640 YouTube. No. He is famous. Okay father please Lord it's right here but it's not 00:00:24.000 --> 00:00:30.760 So guys we continue. Good to go Wayne? Okay guys we continue with prevailing 00:00:30.760 --> 00:00:35.240 church and a strange aspect that the prevailing church was developed which 00:00:35.240 --> 00:00:40.120 kind of took me by surprise is a prevailing church we said is a church 00:00:40.120 --> 00:00:45.560 that engages that contends that overcomes and yet it is impossible to do 00:00:45.560 --> 00:00:52.200 that unless we embrace this nature of Christ which is humility or to take it a 00:00:52.200 --> 00:00:58.320 step further which is a church that is okay with being humiliated a church that 00:00:58.320 --> 00:01:04.640 is comfortable with humiliation very odd but if you want to be a prevailing 00:01:04.640 --> 00:01:08.880 church that engages contends and overcomes then we must learn how to 00:01:08.880 --> 00:01:15.600 respond to being humiliated how we must be a church that understands humility 00:01:15.600 --> 00:01:20.760 you would think that a contending church shouldn't spend too much time down that 00:01:20.760 --> 00:01:26.240 road and yet it's such an essential part of who we need to become so Hebrews 00:01:26.240 --> 00:01:31.080 chapter 1 verse 3 on one hand says that Jesus Christ is the radiance of the 00:01:31.080 --> 00:01:35.440 invisible God and that he holds everything together by the power of his 00:01:35.440 --> 00:01:40.320 word and so we know that the Sun took his honored place high in the heavens 00:01:40.320 --> 00:01:45.440 right alongside God far higher than any rank or rule so there's that side of 00:01:45.440 --> 00:01:51.320 Christ and then yet at the same time it says in Philippians 2 7 that he did not 00:01:51.320 --> 00:01:57.320 care two hoots for his reputation but he took on the status of a slave here lies 00:01:57.320 --> 00:02:03.760 the paradox that the prevailing church must embrace that on one hand I must 00:02:03.760 --> 00:02:11.120 have an accurate estimation of who God has made me and who I am and who we are 00:02:11.120 --> 00:02:16.640 as a church but on the other hand I must be able to empty myself it's both 00:02:16.640 --> 00:02:19.760 it's not one or the other 00:02:22.560 --> 00:02:28.440 from God's perspective you are his son and that that in your heart from God's 00:02:28.440 --> 00:02:36.240 perspective you are his son you must embed that in your heart but from your 00:02:36.240 --> 00:02:42.320 perspective you must see yourself as a servant that represents him here in the 00:02:42.320 --> 00:02:47.520 earth from his perspective you are his son and you must embed that in your 00:02:47.520 --> 00:02:51.640 heart but from your perspective from my perspective I must see myself as a 00:02:51.640 --> 00:02:59.560 servant who represents him on earth this is the nature that the prevailing church 00:02:59.560 --> 00:03:05.720 must hold intention if it wants to engage contend and overcome otherwise 00:03:05.760 --> 00:03:11.440 we will be a church that continuously reacts to things gets hurt gets broken 00:03:11.440 --> 00:03:16.280 takes time to heal can't handle humiliation and is not like the 00:03:16.280 --> 00:03:23.440 overcomer Christ who once said in Romans chapter 8 that you are more than 00:03:23.440 --> 00:03:28.360 conquerors because of Christ and if it is because of Christ then one of the 00:03:28.360 --> 00:03:34.320 things that stood out in his life is his ability to stand and say I am I was 00:03:34.320 --> 00:03:40.320 before your father Abraham was who can stand and say I am your master who can 00:03:40.320 --> 00:03:44.560 stand and say I am the Messiah who can stand and say you will see the clouds 00:03:44.560 --> 00:03:49.560 open and the Son of God come down he can say all that and yet at the same time he 00:03:49.560 --> 00:03:53.960 can also say that I am the first of servants a chief apostle becomes a chief 00:03:53.960 --> 00:03:56.480 of servants 00:03:57.480 --> 00:04:06.400 so both have to come together eh? get used to this from God's perspective you 00:04:06.400 --> 00:04:09.520 are his son embedded in your heart so that you never forget that but from your 00:04:09.520 --> 00:04:14.200 perspective you must be his servant and representative in the earth and if you 00:04:14.200 --> 00:04:18.560 don't think like that and in that order son first servant next then it is 00:04:18.560 --> 00:04:22.240 impossible to become a prevailing church 00:04:22.240 --> 00:04:31.360 in James chapter 4 verse 6 it says God resists the proud and gives grace to the 00:04:31.360 --> 00:04:35.600 humble and the word resist there is almost like a military term where you 00:04:35.600 --> 00:04:41.680 put up a front and strongly oppose and so here's what God is saying I resist you 00:04:41.680 --> 00:04:45.760 Jacob with the same strength that a military commander would resist an enemy 00:04:45.760 --> 00:04:51.200 that is the strength with which I resist you when you are proud but I give grace 00:04:51.200 --> 00:04:58.880 as in all of myself unfettered without grudging bountifully I give myself to 00:04:58.880 --> 00:05:08.640 you I give grace to you when you're humble and then it goes on to say in 00:05:08.640 --> 00:05:13.280 verse 7 therefore submit to God and resist the devil if you want to be a 00:05:13.280 --> 00:05:17.440 prevailing church this is critical because there is a therefore in verse 7 00:05:17.600 --> 00:05:21.360 it says God gives grace God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble 00:05:21.360 --> 00:05:25.920 therefore submit to God and resist the devil it is almost as if Jacob if you 00:05:25.920 --> 00:05:30.040 don't go down this route acts 29 if you don't embrace this as your character you 00:05:30.040 --> 00:05:35.440 will neither be able to submit to God nor will you be able to resist the devil 00:05:35.440 --> 00:05:40.840 all day pride is the kind of thing that prevents you from submitting to God and 00:05:40.840 --> 00:05:44.440 at the same time it is prevents you from resisting the devil then you can't be a 00:05:44.440 --> 00:05:47.200 prevailing church 00:05:55.240 --> 00:06:03.880 it is chapter 4 verse 6 says that God gives God resists the proud and gives 00:06:03.880 --> 00:06:08.360 grace to the humble and then it says in verse 7 therefore submit to God and 00:06:08.360 --> 00:06:12.640 resist the devil and he will flee from you it almost seems to say that listen 00:06:13.040 --> 00:06:18.160 you cannot submit to God unless you walk in humility and you cannot resist the 00:06:18.160 --> 00:06:24.200 devil and he will not flee from you unless you walk in humility and yet 00:06:24.200 --> 00:06:28.080 this is not a one-sided equation because the church is plagued with one or the 00:06:28.080 --> 00:06:32.280 other either they have an estimation of themselves that is way out of whack or 00:06:32.280 --> 00:06:36.480 they have such a low estimation of themselves that we begin to sell 00:06:36.480 --> 00:06:43.000 ourselves short we are either paupers or we are princes what about holding 00:06:43.000 --> 00:06:47.160 both together where you're both prince and pauper where you're both son and 00:06:47.160 --> 00:06:58.440 servant this is how prevailing churches are able to make noise here on earth we 00:06:58.440 --> 00:07:01.920 see this in Nebuchadnezzar's account in Daniel chapter 4 if you go to Daniel 00:07:01.920 --> 00:07:08.480 chapter 4 you'll find such a progression Daniel chapter 4 because 00:07:08.480 --> 00:07:13.920 guys pride and false humility are the same eh both are self-focused one is not 00:07:13.920 --> 00:07:19.200 better than the other my god can't stand it when you are next to proud people 00:07:19.200 --> 00:07:22.960 can't stand it when you're next to people who are falsely humble both are 00:07:22.960 --> 00:07:27.000 equally obnoxious and all of them all of us are one or the other at different 00:07:27.000 --> 00:07:35.880 times of our lives if you listen to my words I'm not saying one or the other 00:07:35.880 --> 00:07:41.640 I'm saying that both have to be held together so guys you have to listen to 00:07:41.640 --> 00:07:45.360 the entire sentence so that you can get the sense of it otherwise we'll end up 00:07:45.360 --> 00:07:49.440 as princes or as paupers you can't pick on one word or the other when I say 00:07:49.440 --> 00:07:55.000 pauper what I mean is poor in spirit and that is a Jesus statement so on one hand 00:07:55.000 --> 00:07:58.560 I have to be poor in spirit and I have to be a servant here on earth on the 00:07:58.560 --> 00:08:03.920 other hand I have to have an honest estimation of myself that comes both 00:08:03.920 --> 00:08:11.640 from God his word and those that I submit to here in the body we don't 00:08:11.640 --> 00:08:15.600 realize that that to have an honest estimation of myself I need three things 00:08:15.600 --> 00:08:22.000 one I need God's understanding of who I am two I need to understand what the 00:08:22.000 --> 00:08:26.880 word says I am and three I need to understand what you say I am because 00:08:26.880 --> 00:08:32.320 God uses you to point out my blind spots God doesn't show me my blind spots 00:08:32.320 --> 00:08:35.800 through dreams because I won't understand it even if you showed it in a 00:08:35.800 --> 00:08:40.640 dream which is why it's called a blind spot in the dark it even gets darker 00:08:40.640 --> 00:08:46.720 but you have been placed in my life to show me my blind spots 00:08:46.720 --> 00:08:55.520 and so these three things allow us to have a healthy estimation that is 00:08:55.520 --> 00:09:02.640 godly so there's that on one hand on the other hand I'm poor in spirit I'm a 00:09:02.640 --> 00:09:07.240 servant strangely enough even though I'm a servant I can't look at you and say 00:09:07.240 --> 00:09:12.000 you're my servant too no I'm a servant you are God's servant and I'm your 00:09:12.000 --> 00:09:18.560 servant I'm God's servant I'm your servant you are not my servant you are 00:09:18.560 --> 00:09:22.640 his servant you have to decide for yourself how you deal with that but as 00:09:22.640 --> 00:09:27.640 far as I'm concerned I am supposed to see myself as God's servant who serves 00:09:27.640 --> 00:09:37.520 you but you don't serve me that is your call you are God's servant Jesus uses 00:09:37.520 --> 00:09:41.680 the word slave which is even a little lower but since we don't understand 00:09:41.680 --> 00:09:50.440 slave we'll stick to servant look at Nebuchadnezzar chapter 4 and not 00:09:50.440 --> 00:09:57.640 Nebuchadnezzar chapter 4 Daniel chapter 4 Daniel chapter 4 verse 30 onwards 00:10:00.840 --> 00:10:06.680 let's start at verse 28 all this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar 12 months 00:10:06.680 --> 00:10:10.920 later as a king was walking on the roof of the Royal Palace of Babylon he said 00:10:10.920 --> 00:10:15.920 it's not this the great Babylon I have built as a royal residence by my mighty 00:10:15.920 --> 00:10:19.840 power and for the glory of my majesty the words were still on his lips when a 00:10:19.840 --> 00:10:23.720 voice came from heaven this is what is decreed for you King Nebuchadnezzar your 00:10:23.720 --> 00:10:27.360 royal authority has been taken from you you will be driven away from the people 00:10:27.360 --> 00:10:31.760 and will live with the wild animals you will eat grass like cattle seven times 00:10:31.760 --> 00:10:35.760 will pass by you for until you acknowledge that the most high is 00:10:35.760 --> 00:10:39.240 sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes 00:10:39.400 --> 00:10:43.320 immediately what he had said about Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled he was 00:10:43.320 --> 00:10:47.880 driven away from the people he ate grass like cattle his body was drenched with 00:10:47.880 --> 00:10:51.880 the dew of heaven until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his 00:10:51.880 --> 00:10:56.480 nails like the claw of a bird at the end of that time I Nebuchadnezzar raised my 00:10:56.480 --> 00:11:00.840 eyes towards heaven and my sanity was restored then I praised the most high I 00:11:00.840 --> 00:11:04.840 honored and glorified him who lived forever his dominion is an eternal 00:11:04.840 --> 00:11:08.800 dominion his kingdom endures from generation to generation all the peoples 00:11:08.800 --> 00:11:12.280 of the earth are regarded as nothing he does as he pleases with the powers of 00:11:12.280 --> 00:11:15.960 the heavens and the peoples of the earth no one can hold back his hand or say to 00:11:15.960 --> 00:11:21.240 him what have you done at the same time that my sanity was restored my honor and 00:11:21.240 --> 00:11:26.040 splendor will return to me for the glory of my kingdom my advisors and nobles 00:11:26.040 --> 00:11:29.640 sought me out and I was restored to my throne and became even greater than 00:11:29.640 --> 00:11:33.880 before now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and exalt and glorify the king of heaven 00:11:33.880 --> 00:11:37.800 because everything he does is right and all his ways are just and those who walk 00:11:37.800 --> 00:11:44.280 in pride he is able to humble Wow using a pagan king to teach us multiple 00:11:44.280 --> 00:11:51.500 lessons to become a prevailing church a church that engages contends and 00:11:51.500 --> 00:11:57.280 prevails overcomes one must learn this mix that Christ your overcomer had 00:11:57.280 --> 00:12:03.800 which is on one hand he is seated on high says he's I am on the other hand he 00:12:03.800 --> 00:12:10.480 also says I was sent to be your servant the strange thing with Nebuchadnezzar 00:12:10.480 --> 00:12:16.400 story is yes at one point he is proud and he's removed from office and he 00:12:16.400 --> 00:12:22.520 spends his time with animals in forests insane but then the strange thing when 00:12:22.520 --> 00:12:28.880 you read what we just read is when he's restored he doesn't say now oh god I'm a 00:12:28.880 --> 00:12:32.520 worm that you have restored to the throne he says as soon as my sanity 00:12:32.760 --> 00:12:38.320 returned I got my throne back I was made majestic again I had splendor restored 00:12:38.320 --> 00:12:42.720 my mobile sucked me the people looked at me again and he begins to talk about 00:12:42.720 --> 00:12:47.960 everything that is restored and then he says but all this was from the hand of 00:12:47.960 --> 00:12:57.360 God this pagan king had an accurate estimation of himself and he gave credit 00:12:57.360 --> 00:13:04.920 to whom credit was due to be given this is the way we need to live out lives as 00:13:04.920 --> 00:13:11.600 a people of God and live out lives as children of God to accurately estimate 00:13:11.600 --> 00:13:16.800 who I am I am this this is what I have been given I'm good at this it'll 00:13:16.800 --> 00:13:22.640 bother on brilliance and overconfidence but it doesn't step into it and having 00:13:22.640 --> 00:13:29.840 said that this is who I am I now say where I got it from both have to go hand 00:13:29.840 --> 00:13:39.920 in hand and it's such a fine art that God wants to teach us any questions 00:13:39.920 --> 00:13:51.320 before we go on it's not that you aren't wonderful after all you were made in the 00:13:51.560 --> 00:13:58.520 God it's that he is more wonderful and your wonderfulness draws its source from 00:13:58.520 --> 00:14:08.480 him I am wonderful there are times I'm brilliant the wisdom I have sometimes 00:14:08.480 --> 00:14:20.480 just blows me away the things I build are so beautiful the obedience I 00:14:20.520 --> 00:14:25.280 sometimes show and the skill that I have to build certain things that God has 00:14:25.280 --> 00:14:29.360 given me are so amazing he includes me in projects that are impossible because 00:14:29.360 --> 00:14:33.800 he knows that I will be faithful and I'll do them well and the grades that I 00:14:33.800 --> 00:14:39.400 have in certain areas are tremendous I have an apostolic call upon my life I am 00:14:39.400 --> 00:14:44.400 called to the nations this is who I am but guess what I was not born with one 00:14:44.400 --> 00:14:49.360 of them it was all given to me and I thrill at having to work with my father 00:14:49.400 --> 00:14:54.560 on these things he could do all of it himself but he says come Jacob I so 00:14:54.560 --> 00:14:58.800 enjoyed doing this with you and therefore I can say it on one hand and 00:14:58.800 --> 00:15:06.960 then draw my source from him as the author of everything I have just said 00:15:12.040 --> 00:15:17.360 this doesn't mean you go around saying this everywhere but there are times 00:15:17.360 --> 00:15:24.520 when you need to acknowledge how wonderful you are we don't we wait for 00:15:24.520 --> 00:15:27.680 a prophetic word to tell us how wonderful we are and that's good because 00:15:27.680 --> 00:15:30.560 God does tell you how wonderful you are but there are times when you need to 00:15:30.560 --> 00:15:35.360 look at who made you and whose image you are made in and remind yourself of how 00:15:35.360 --> 00:15:41.080 wonderfully you're made he said that about you before you were even formed 00:15:41.160 --> 00:15:42.560 when yourES bawd 00:15:45.240 --> 00:15:46.240 question 00:15:55.640 --> 00:15:56.640 yeah 00:16:04.840 --> 00:16:07.480 you know questions because you agree 00:16:09.400 --> 00:16:10.400 that's good 00:16:11.080 --> 00:16:13.720 Guys, so internally I must think so first, 00:16:13.720 --> 00:16:16.160 before externally acknowledging stuff. 00:16:16.160 --> 00:16:19.080 Because whenever these things are not internally cemented, 00:16:19.080 --> 00:16:24.080 I indulge in either pride or in self abasement 00:16:24.280 --> 00:16:25.620 or false humility. 00:16:25.620 --> 00:16:27.920 Both are evil, both are evil. 00:16:27.920 --> 00:16:29.160 Both will be resisted, 00:16:29.160 --> 00:16:32.480 because they're just variations of the same thing, pride. 00:16:32.480 --> 00:16:35.880 Excessive focus on self, exalting yourself above God, 00:16:35.880 --> 00:16:38.040 above His word, above everything He says. 00:16:38.900 --> 00:16:39.740 That's it. 00:16:39.740 --> 00:16:41.700 One way or the other, it's the same thing. 00:16:46.540 --> 00:16:48.740 But internally, if you can get to this place 00:16:48.740 --> 00:16:52.140 where you acknowledge and know your measure, 00:16:52.140 --> 00:16:54.120 not because of what you think of yourself, 00:16:54.120 --> 00:16:55.900 but because you have gotten an idea 00:16:55.900 --> 00:16:57.140 of what God thinks of you, 00:16:58.100 --> 00:17:00.220 gotten an idea of what the word says about you, 00:17:00.220 --> 00:17:02.660 and gotten an idea of what others say about you 00:17:02.660 --> 00:17:05.820 because of their desire to see you do better. 00:17:05.820 --> 00:17:07.220 And if you can walk there, 00:17:07.260 --> 00:17:10.820 then you are usually safe from pride. 00:17:10.820 --> 00:17:12.460 Then every time I get proud, 00:17:12.460 --> 00:17:14.120 there will be some way or the other 00:17:14.120 --> 00:17:16.220 that God will show me through the word or directly, 00:17:16.220 --> 00:17:19.640 or through you, that Jacob, you stepped into pride again. 00:17:26.120 --> 00:17:28.940 I've so, I know I've said this before, 00:17:28.940 --> 00:17:33.940 but I'm so grateful for the people who point out pride, 00:17:33.940 --> 00:17:37.080 who point out pride, arrogance, 00:17:38.100 --> 00:17:40.780 wrongness, wrong motives in my life. 00:17:40.780 --> 00:17:41.820 I love it. 00:17:41.820 --> 00:17:43.660 I wouldn't be where I am 00:17:43.660 --> 00:17:45.700 if it wasn't for people who did that to me. 00:17:45.700 --> 00:17:47.380 My God, you should crave for it. 00:17:47.380 --> 00:17:48.660 You should plead for it, saying, 00:17:48.660 --> 00:17:51.660 oh God, please, please send me honest people 00:17:51.660 --> 00:17:54.200 who will tell me things on my face 00:17:54.200 --> 00:17:55.340 so that I chain myself. 00:17:55.340 --> 00:17:56.300 Don't ask the question 00:17:56.300 --> 00:17:58.380 when you are told about something and you're like, 00:17:58.380 --> 00:17:59.600 well, what evidence do you have? 00:17:59.600 --> 00:18:00.660 Tell me, why do you think so? 00:18:00.660 --> 00:18:01.720 What did you see about this? 00:18:01.720 --> 00:18:02.560 Show me evidence. 00:18:02.560 --> 00:18:04.080 Why have you come to this conclusion? 00:18:04.080 --> 00:18:06.400 Really, I've got to prove things to you? 00:18:07.480 --> 00:18:08.960 Or someone else has to prove it to you? 00:18:08.960 --> 00:18:10.120 If someone says to Betty, 00:18:10.120 --> 00:18:12.120 Betty, you've got a deficit in this area, 00:18:12.120 --> 00:18:13.600 and Betty knows that that person 00:18:13.600 --> 00:18:17.100 is seriously interested in a well-being, 00:18:17.100 --> 00:18:19.120 then Betty should examine what is said 00:18:19.120 --> 00:18:20.680 instead of asking for evidence. 00:18:22.480 --> 00:18:23.320 Go ahead. 00:18:29.480 --> 00:18:30.320 Absolutely. 00:18:30.320 --> 00:18:31.720 But when the motive becomes, 00:18:31.740 --> 00:18:33.480 prove it before I accept it, 00:18:33.480 --> 00:18:34.880 then you're already on the, 00:18:36.000 --> 00:18:37.500 on an odd kind of defensive. 00:18:40.160 --> 00:18:41.840 The thing should be, 00:18:41.840 --> 00:18:44.080 what I normally do when people point out stuff 00:18:44.080 --> 00:18:48.340 that is wrong, and every week I go through that. 00:18:48.340 --> 00:18:49.620 My thing would be, uh-huh, 00:18:49.620 --> 00:18:51.180 and then I'll go back and, 00:18:51.180 --> 00:18:53.160 the uh-huh is a genuine uh-huh, 00:18:53.160 --> 00:18:55.520 and then I'll go back and examine it, 00:18:55.520 --> 00:18:57.980 and then say, where did you see it? 00:18:57.980 --> 00:18:59.040 It's after. 00:18:59.040 --> 00:19:00.660 The first thing is to receive it, 00:19:00.660 --> 00:19:02.060 because I know there are certain people 00:19:02.060 --> 00:19:04.040 who are interested in my well-being. 00:19:05.080 --> 00:19:06.380 They want me to be better. 00:19:14.180 --> 00:19:18.700 Schemility that demeans myself to exalt God is not godly. 00:19:18.700 --> 00:19:23.220 Schemility that demeans myself to exalt God is not godly. 00:19:23.220 --> 00:19:27.560 Schemility that demeans myself to exalt God is not godly. 00:19:31.660 --> 00:19:34.220 The more this is solidified in a church, 00:19:34.220 --> 00:19:36.500 the less we'll have disclaimers like, 00:19:36.500 --> 00:19:39.060 you know, it's not that I'm not a sinner, but, 00:19:39.060 --> 00:19:41.700 we all sin, but, we are all human, but, 00:19:41.700 --> 00:19:43.480 my god, the number of disclaimers we have, 00:19:43.480 --> 00:19:45.220 that's why church services go long. 00:19:50.240 --> 00:19:53.360 Moses in Numbers 12-3 says something amazing. 00:19:54.260 --> 00:19:56.140 It says that Moses was the meekest man 00:19:56.140 --> 00:19:57.140 on the face of the earth, 00:19:57.140 --> 00:19:58.460 and guess who's writing it? 00:19:58.460 --> 00:19:59.300 Moses. 00:20:01.380 --> 00:20:06.380 If I did that, you guys would not be very happy. 00:20:06.380 --> 00:20:10.380 Well, Moses does that, and you can accept it. 00:20:10.380 --> 00:20:11.840 Moses wrote the first five books, 00:20:11.840 --> 00:20:14.820 and he writes that Moses was the meekest man on the earth. 00:20:15.980 --> 00:20:16.820 Why? 00:20:16.820 --> 00:20:19.460 Because the guy knew what God said about him, 00:20:21.140 --> 00:20:24.260 and the guy had an assessment of himself before God 00:20:24.260 --> 00:20:25.160 that was accurate. 00:20:26.380 --> 00:20:27.420 At the end of the day, 00:20:28.420 --> 00:20:31.340 a person who has an honest assessment of himself 00:20:31.340 --> 00:20:33.820 will begin to live a life that is more transparent 00:20:33.820 --> 00:20:35.980 and more willing to be accountable to man. 00:20:35.980 --> 00:20:36.860 Hear me again. 00:20:36.860 --> 00:20:40.460 A person who is beginning to walk in humility 00:20:40.460 --> 00:20:44.140 and has an accurate assessment of his own self 00:20:44.140 --> 00:20:47.380 is a man or a woman who is living a life 00:20:47.380 --> 00:20:48.820 that is more transparent, 00:20:48.820 --> 00:20:50.880 and is living a life that is more willing 00:20:50.880 --> 00:20:52.660 to be accountable to man. 00:20:52.660 --> 00:20:57.140 That is the evidence sometimes for a person who says, 00:20:57.180 --> 00:20:59.300 I have an accurate estimation of myself, 00:20:59.300 --> 00:21:00.340 and I walk humbly. 00:21:01.420 --> 00:21:03.420 The way to find that out is, 00:21:03.420 --> 00:21:05.260 is this person living a transparent life, 00:21:05.260 --> 00:21:07.380 or is their life shrouded in secret? 00:21:07.380 --> 00:21:09.260 You know nothing about them. 00:21:09.260 --> 00:21:14.260 Is this a person who submits to men and women around them, 00:21:14.260 --> 00:21:16.300 or is this a person who isolates himself? 00:21:17.320 --> 00:21:19.980 Clear evidence sometimes, guys, of humility. 00:21:21.460 --> 00:21:22.620 Any questions on that? 00:21:23.860 --> 00:21:25.300 The reason I'm giving, 00:21:25.340 --> 00:21:27.780 I'm saying any questions on that is challenge me, 00:21:27.780 --> 00:21:30.980 because these are such critical things to our lives, guys. 00:21:30.980 --> 00:21:33.780 If God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble, 00:21:36.420 --> 00:21:38.780 then I think this is vitally important for me. 00:21:42.780 --> 00:21:45.940 Yeah, if I am someone who has an accurate estimation 00:21:45.940 --> 00:21:50.060 of myself, and if I am someone who says that 00:21:50.060 --> 00:21:51.820 I know how to walk in humility, 00:21:51.820 --> 00:21:55.740 then you will see greater transparency every year 00:21:55.740 --> 00:21:59.700 in my life, and you will see a willingness to submit 00:21:59.700 --> 00:22:02.820 to being accountable to men and women. 00:22:04.620 --> 00:22:05.780 Both will be evident. 00:22:09.460 --> 00:22:10.500 Both will be evident. 00:22:13.500 --> 00:22:18.260 I don't know if you're quite quite a standby. 00:22:18.260 --> 00:22:21.220 I get so tired of having to say stuff like, 00:22:21.220 --> 00:22:24.140 you know, we are all sinners, but, 00:22:24.140 --> 00:22:27.100 or I don't mean this this way, but, 00:22:27.100 --> 00:22:31.620 or it's just constantly trying to say things 00:22:31.620 --> 00:22:33.420 that'll make us look humble enough. 00:22:36.460 --> 00:22:38.220 We can never say anything straight. 00:22:39.340 --> 00:22:40.820 Hey, I had a brilliant week. 00:22:42.300 --> 00:22:44.140 No, you know, the week was difficult, 00:22:44.140 --> 00:22:46.660 but compared to the other weeks, I had a pretty good week. 00:22:46.660 --> 00:22:48.740 Really, you had a brilliant week, say it. 00:22:51.460 --> 00:22:54.540 Or you exhibited great wisdom. 00:22:54.540 --> 00:22:56.820 I don't know whether it's wise in your eyes, 00:22:56.820 --> 00:22:59.900 and maybe you had a week where you were wiser than this, 00:22:59.900 --> 00:23:02.060 but this week was really wise for me. 00:23:02.060 --> 00:23:04.140 You could have saved so much breath. 00:23:07.820 --> 00:23:10.340 Continuously trying to downplay what we do. 00:23:11.740 --> 00:23:12.940 You know, God really blessed me. 00:23:12.940 --> 00:23:14.540 He gave me $12,000. 00:23:14.540 --> 00:23:15.620 I guess that's nothing for you, 00:23:15.620 --> 00:23:17.340 because you must be earning $20,000. 00:23:17.340 --> 00:23:20.820 But for me, it was, you got $12,000, celebrate. 00:23:20.820 --> 00:23:21.860 Give me half of it. 00:23:35.060 --> 00:23:38.540 I'm not some nameless, faceless, Gideon-like character 00:23:38.540 --> 00:23:41.700 of treading wheat in a winepress 00:23:41.700 --> 00:23:44.540 and lamenting about the insignificance 00:23:44.540 --> 00:23:45.940 of the tribe I come from. 00:23:45.940 --> 00:23:48.940 I don't know why Gideon's helped up as a hero at that point. 00:23:49.940 --> 00:23:52.820 I mean, if you want to compare yourself to Gideon, 00:23:52.820 --> 00:23:55.700 compare yourself to him after chapter seven. 00:23:55.700 --> 00:23:56.540 Not before. 00:23:58.900 --> 00:24:01.460 He's talking about how insignificant he is. 00:24:01.460 --> 00:24:04.940 When he's, and God literally has to come and say to him, 00:24:04.940 --> 00:24:08.860 listen, valiant warrior, valiant warrior. 00:24:08.860 --> 00:24:11.300 You know, half the reason we are afraid of things, 00:24:11.300 --> 00:24:13.540 we talked about this two weeks ago, fear. 00:24:13.540 --> 00:24:14.820 How we are not fearless. 00:24:14.820 --> 00:24:17.260 We are not fearless because neither the people around us, 00:24:17.300 --> 00:24:21.340 nor we ourselves, talk to ourselves about who we are. 00:24:21.340 --> 00:24:23.620 There is this amazing thing called meditation, 00:24:23.620 --> 00:24:26.780 which is simply God-directed self-talk. 00:24:26.780 --> 00:24:29.260 We do not indulge in God-directed self-talk. 00:24:29.260 --> 00:24:31.220 Therefore, when we are standing in the world, 00:24:31.220 --> 00:24:34.860 we cannot say a single decent thing about ourselves, 00:24:34.860 --> 00:24:36.460 except when we come to church. 00:24:36.460 --> 00:24:38.340 God-directed self-talk. 00:24:38.340 --> 00:24:39.900 God-directed self-talk. 00:24:39.900 --> 00:24:42.300 Listen to Gideon's God-directed self-talk. 00:24:42.300 --> 00:24:44.580 I am of the least of the tribe of Benjamin. 00:24:44.580 --> 00:24:46.180 I have been left abandoned. 00:24:46.220 --> 00:24:48.580 We have served the Lord, but nothing has happened. 00:24:48.580 --> 00:24:49.500 This is a wine press. 00:24:49.500 --> 00:24:52.300 I must be treading grapes to make wine, 00:24:52.300 --> 00:24:53.820 which is used for rejoicing. 00:24:53.820 --> 00:24:55.820 But how can we rejoice at a time like this? 00:24:55.820 --> 00:24:57.980 So I will thrash wheat in the wine press. 00:24:57.980 --> 00:24:59.420 And even when the angel comes, 00:24:59.420 --> 00:25:01.220 he continues saying the same thing. 00:25:03.900 --> 00:25:06.540 And so God has to now help him engage 00:25:06.540 --> 00:25:09.940 in God-directed self-talk, where he says valiant warrior. 00:25:09.940 --> 00:25:12.460 And even then, Gideon goes in the middle of the night 00:25:12.460 --> 00:25:13.900 to tear down the idol, 00:25:13.900 --> 00:25:15.780 because he still doesn't have the strength to do it. 00:25:15.780 --> 00:25:18.100 Because like I said, if you don't practice it now, 00:25:18.100 --> 00:25:20.300 it ain't gonna happen tomorrow or in heaven. 00:25:22.500 --> 00:25:25.740 Self-directed, God-directed self-talk. 00:25:25.740 --> 00:25:27.580 Because if your family doesn't do it for you, 00:25:27.580 --> 00:25:29.020 if your wife doesn't do it for you, 00:25:29.020 --> 00:25:30.700 if your children aren't doing it for you, 00:25:30.700 --> 00:25:32.540 who's gonna do it for you? 00:25:32.540 --> 00:25:33.780 Not cats. 00:25:38.220 --> 00:25:39.500 Perhaps some cats. 00:25:41.540 --> 00:25:42.380 Like Timmy. 00:25:43.780 --> 00:25:44.620 I don't know. 00:25:46.780 --> 00:25:48.780 Self-directed God-talk. 00:25:48.780 --> 00:25:50.780 It doesn't really matter who we are, 00:25:50.780 --> 00:25:52.300 it matters who caught it. 00:25:52.300 --> 00:25:53.940 Yeah, and what he said. 00:25:53.940 --> 00:25:57.420 This is how you build a decent estimation of yourself. 00:25:58.820 --> 00:26:00.140 God-directed self-talk. 00:26:00.140 --> 00:26:01.220 Any questions, guys? 00:26:01.220 --> 00:26:02.740 Please challenge me on this. 00:26:02.740 --> 00:26:06.340 Say, no, this sounds too proudish. 00:26:07.860 --> 00:26:09.180 But it ain't. 00:26:09.180 --> 00:26:10.020 Go. 00:26:10.220 --> 00:26:11.060 Go. 00:26:25.740 --> 00:26:26.580 Yeah. 00:26:26.580 --> 00:26:30.060 I would use him as an example if I was preaching about that. 00:26:30.060 --> 00:26:31.060 I would. 00:26:31.060 --> 00:26:33.460 That he can use people who are scared, 00:26:33.460 --> 00:26:35.460 frightened, don't think much of themselves. 00:26:35.460 --> 00:26:37.660 I would use him as an example for that. 00:26:37.660 --> 00:26:40.380 But in this case, I find it difficult 00:26:40.380 --> 00:26:43.140 that he's lamenting even after the angel speaks to him. 00:26:45.140 --> 00:26:45.980 Yeah. 00:26:49.980 --> 00:26:53.860 So on one hand, begin to indulge in God-directed self-talk, 00:26:53.860 --> 00:26:55.900 otherwise you won't be able to face your boss, 00:26:55.900 --> 00:26:57.860 you won't be able to face your clients, 00:26:57.860 --> 00:26:59.740 you won't be able to face your spouse. 00:27:02.340 --> 00:27:05.340 On the other hand, learn how to empty yourself. 00:27:05.340 --> 00:27:06.780 That's a strange thing. 00:27:06.820 --> 00:27:09.740 One hand is this thing about accurate estimation. 00:27:09.740 --> 00:27:12.140 On the other hand, you must be so obsessed 00:27:12.140 --> 00:27:14.620 with emptying yourself, because that's what Jesus did. 00:27:14.620 --> 00:27:16.860 Focus on how to fully empty yourself. 00:27:16.860 --> 00:27:18.020 How do you empty yourself? 00:27:18.020 --> 00:27:21.980 Three very simple pathways, which we've talked about before. 00:27:21.980 --> 00:27:24.580 One, self-forgetfulness. 00:27:24.580 --> 00:27:26.740 Self-forgetfulness. 00:27:29.860 --> 00:27:31.980 Do well, and then forget yourself. 00:27:31.980 --> 00:27:33.860 Get something, forget yourself. 00:27:34.540 --> 00:27:37.100 Don't think too much of Jacob. 00:27:37.100 --> 00:27:39.780 Jacob, that is great, that is a great message, 00:27:39.780 --> 00:27:40.860 really good preaching. 00:27:40.860 --> 00:27:43.620 Now, engage in this thing called self-forgetfulness. 00:27:43.620 --> 00:27:46.100 Empty yourself, otherwise you will be stuck 00:27:46.100 --> 00:27:49.740 at that level of great preaching for the next six months 00:27:49.740 --> 00:27:52.060 when you could go so much further. 00:27:52.060 --> 00:27:54.940 Self-forgetfulness is a word that C.S. Lewis came up with. 00:27:55.900 --> 00:28:00.060 Second, acknowledge all that you have, 00:28:00.060 --> 00:28:02.140 and our comes from him. 00:28:02.140 --> 00:28:07.140 Acknowledge him as El Elion, 00:28:11.460 --> 00:28:14.940 the mighty possessor of the universe 00:28:14.940 --> 00:28:16.180 who gives you all things. 00:28:17.660 --> 00:28:21.860 The mighty possessor of the universe 00:28:21.860 --> 00:28:23.300 who gives you all things. 00:28:23.300 --> 00:28:24.620 What are these, what are we talking about? 00:28:24.620 --> 00:28:27.740 We're talking about ways to empty yourself. 00:28:27.740 --> 00:28:29.020 What a cool thing, huh? 00:28:32.020 --> 00:28:33.180 On one hand, God is saying, 00:28:33.180 --> 00:28:35.500 be full of what I tell you you are. 00:28:35.500 --> 00:28:36.940 And then on the other hand, he's saying, 00:28:36.940 --> 00:28:39.700 now, go, empty yourself. 00:28:39.700 --> 00:28:41.020 What a cool God. 00:28:43.780 --> 00:28:44.860 And the third one is, 00:28:44.860 --> 00:28:46.500 be full of what I tell you you are. 00:28:46.500 --> 00:28:47.700 And then on the other hand, he's saying, 00:28:47.700 --> 00:28:50.300 now, go, empty yourself. 00:28:50.300 --> 00:28:51.420 What a cool God. 00:28:53.460 --> 00:28:54.460 Not to cling. 00:28:55.500 --> 00:28:58.100 These are three, I mean, magic bullets, 00:28:58.100 --> 00:29:00.820 if I was allowed to say that in church. 00:29:02.100 --> 00:29:03.940 Three, do not cling 00:29:07.060 --> 00:29:12.060 to your advantages, privileges, and rights. 00:29:18.420 --> 00:29:20.260 Whose life do we get all this from? 00:29:20.260 --> 00:29:22.660 From the one life that really matters, Jesus Christ. 00:29:22.700 --> 00:29:24.860 He did all three. 00:29:28.380 --> 00:29:29.620 What a cool God, man. 00:29:35.780 --> 00:29:37.220 What are we trying to do this for? 00:29:37.220 --> 00:29:38.860 We must become a people who prevail. 00:29:38.860 --> 00:29:40.460 One of the ways we prevail is by walking 00:29:40.460 --> 00:29:42.500 in this kind of attitude. 00:29:53.180 --> 00:29:54.220 Any questions, guys? 00:29:56.820 --> 00:29:58.620 Think like this, huh? 00:29:58.620 --> 00:29:59.940 Practice these things. 00:29:59.940 --> 00:30:02.180 Self-forgetfulness. 00:30:02.180 --> 00:30:04.820 After a great time of piano playing, 00:30:04.820 --> 00:30:07.740 Chris goes and, no, no big deal. 00:30:07.740 --> 00:30:09.380 After making a huge business deal, 00:30:09.380 --> 00:30:11.620 Dano goes and, self-forgetfulness. 00:30:11.620 --> 00:30:15.300 After teaching dance to 50 students, self-forgetfulness. 00:30:15.300 --> 00:30:17.660 After a brilliant message, self-forgetfulness. 00:30:17.660 --> 00:30:20.100 After getting a promotion at work, self-forgetfulness. 00:30:20.100 --> 00:30:23.020 After playing a great game of soccer, self-forgetfulness. 00:30:23.020 --> 00:30:25.700 In small and big things, because we think 00:30:25.700 --> 00:30:27.380 we must engage in this in big things. 00:30:27.380 --> 00:30:31.780 Now, you can't engage, you can never deal with big things 00:30:31.780 --> 00:30:34.060 unless you do it in tiny, tiny, tiny, 00:30:34.060 --> 00:30:36.260 tiny, tiny little things. 00:30:36.260 --> 00:30:38.500 Self-forgetfulness also helps you 00:30:38.500 --> 00:30:40.500 get over your mistakes faster. 00:30:40.500 --> 00:30:44.900 So, you burn your cooking dish, self-forgetfulness. 00:30:44.900 --> 00:30:46.340 There are more dishes to cook. 00:30:47.340 --> 00:30:49.340 It just goes on and on and on. 00:30:52.340 --> 00:30:55.100 Acknowledge him as El Elion, the mighty possessor. 00:30:55.100 --> 00:30:57.740 This makes it easy, even when you lose things, 00:30:57.740 --> 00:31:00.340 to know there is the mighty possessor of the universe 00:31:00.340 --> 00:31:02.340 from whom everything comes. 00:31:02.340 --> 00:31:05.340 And there is more, because he owns a candy shop. 00:31:07.340 --> 00:31:09.340 It helps you recover from loss, 00:31:09.340 --> 00:31:12.340 because he's the repairer of the breach 00:31:12.340 --> 00:31:14.340 and the restorer of the streets that are ruined. 00:31:15.340 --> 00:31:17.340 He's the locust chaser. 00:31:17.340 --> 00:31:20.340 He didn't call himself that, but it kind of says that. 00:31:22.340 --> 00:31:24.340 And then the last one is, do not cling on 00:31:24.340 --> 00:31:26.340 to your advantages, privileges, and rights. 00:31:26.340 --> 00:31:27.340 This is critical, eh? 00:31:27.340 --> 00:31:29.340 You can do the law first, too, and then hold on 00:31:29.340 --> 00:31:31.340 to your rights and advantages and privileges. 00:31:31.340 --> 00:31:34.340 Must lay them down, because that is where pride begins to creep in. 00:31:41.340 --> 00:31:43.340 Our relationship with our possessions 00:31:43.340 --> 00:31:45.340 is also an extension of either pride or humility. 00:31:45.340 --> 00:31:48.340 Our relationship with our possessions, this is critical, 00:31:48.340 --> 00:31:51.340 our relationship with our possessions 00:31:51.340 --> 00:31:54.340 is also an indicator or an extension 00:31:54.340 --> 00:31:56.340 of our pride or humility. 00:31:59.340 --> 00:32:02.340 When something gives you less joy and more, 00:32:02.340 --> 00:32:05.340 when something that God has given you 00:32:05.340 --> 00:32:10.340 is less of a matter of joy, but more of a matter of a statement, 00:32:10.340 --> 00:32:12.340 then it will turn into an idol. 00:32:12.340 --> 00:32:13.340 Let me give you an example. 00:32:13.340 --> 00:32:16.340 So let's assume that someone gives, 00:32:18.340 --> 00:32:20.340 what's his name? Mike. 00:32:20.340 --> 00:32:22.340 Someone gives Mike this guitar. 00:32:22.340 --> 00:32:24.340 And it is the ultimate guitar. 00:32:24.340 --> 00:32:27.340 Eric Clapton played it. 00:32:27.340 --> 00:32:30.340 And so he gives it to Mike. 00:32:30.340 --> 00:32:33.340 And Mike holds it, he looks at it, 00:32:33.340 --> 00:32:37.340 and it is supposed to be something that is a joyful gift 00:32:37.340 --> 00:32:41.340 that he was given, because God loves giving us things 00:32:41.340 --> 00:32:43.340 for our pleasure. 00:32:43.340 --> 00:32:46.340 But he receives it and initially it's joy, 00:32:46.340 --> 00:32:50.340 and from there on it becomes a statement of his status. 00:32:51.340 --> 00:32:53.340 Where Clapton's guitar now becomes, 00:32:53.340 --> 00:32:55.340 I got Clapton's guitar. 00:32:55.340 --> 00:32:57.340 It's not a question of joy anymore, 00:32:57.340 --> 00:32:59.340 it becomes a statement of status. 00:32:59.340 --> 00:33:02.340 The moment a God-given gift becomes a statement of status, 00:33:02.340 --> 00:33:04.340 it becomes an idol. 00:33:04.340 --> 00:33:08.340 And with it will come sensuality, confusion, pride, and the demonic. 00:33:11.340 --> 00:33:14.340 Doesn't matter whether it's your house, your promotion, 00:33:14.340 --> 00:33:18.340 a car, a guitar, a wife, a husband, a child. 00:33:18.340 --> 00:33:20.340 Doesn't matter. 00:33:20.340 --> 00:33:22.340 The moment where God has given you, 00:33:22.340 --> 00:33:24.340 for your joy, 00:33:24.340 --> 00:33:27.340 that when he gives it to you, 00:33:27.340 --> 00:33:29.340 that your joy may be complete, 00:33:29.340 --> 00:33:32.340 when it becomes a statement of who you are, 00:33:32.340 --> 00:33:34.340 it becomes an idol. 00:33:34.340 --> 00:33:35.340 Check, check. 00:33:35.340 --> 00:33:38.340 Immediately start checking in your life. 00:33:38.340 --> 00:33:41.340 Because I've come to Canada to study and gotten a work permit, 00:33:41.340 --> 00:33:43.340 or because I've immigrated to Canada, 00:33:43.340 --> 00:33:45.340 or because I have this car or that car, 00:33:45.340 --> 00:33:48.340 or because I have this guitar or that guitar, 00:33:48.340 --> 00:33:50.340 or because I found a beautiful spouse, 00:33:50.340 --> 00:33:54.340 or because I have five kids, 00:33:54.340 --> 00:33:59.340 the moment what God has given you for your pleasure and joy 00:33:59.340 --> 00:34:03.340 becomes a statement of who you are, 00:34:03.340 --> 00:34:05.340 it becomes an idol. 00:34:09.340 --> 00:34:11.340 And when it becomes an idol, 00:34:11.340 --> 00:34:18.340 it always brings in sensuality, pride, confusion, and the demonic. 00:34:23.340 --> 00:34:25.340 Or power, position. 00:34:25.340 --> 00:34:27.340 Could be power or position. 00:34:27.340 --> 00:34:31.340 King Asa, Asa, 00:34:31.340 --> 00:34:35.340 when he saw everything that God did for him, 00:34:35.340 --> 00:34:37.340 his heart got proud. 00:34:37.340 --> 00:34:38.340 Proud. 00:34:46.340 --> 00:34:48.340 Sometimes a lack speaks to. 00:34:48.340 --> 00:34:52.340 Many of us aren't happy when someone else in church begins to really prosper. 00:34:52.340 --> 00:34:57.340 It's amazing how bitter Christians get when others do really well. 00:34:57.340 --> 00:35:02.340 Hey, when I walk into your house and I see a house that is beautiful, 00:35:02.340 --> 00:35:07.340 my heart should thrill that your house is more beautiful than mine. 00:35:07.340 --> 00:35:10.340 If you have anything that I don't have, 00:35:10.340 --> 00:35:14.340 and you are enjoying it and God has given it to you, 00:35:14.340 --> 00:35:16.340 my heart should be so happy. 00:35:16.340 --> 00:35:19.340 I love it when Christians prosper. 00:35:21.340 --> 00:35:23.340 I mean, I'll call him a show-off, 00:35:23.340 --> 00:35:26.340 but I love the fact that he has a Mustang. 00:35:26.340 --> 00:35:29.340 Every time I look at the Mustang, I think to myself, 00:35:29.340 --> 00:35:31.340 I should have had it when he was young, 00:35:31.340 --> 00:35:35.340 when I was young, but now that I'm old, I'm happy that he has it. 00:35:35.340 --> 00:35:39.340 Thrill at other Christians who have good things. 00:35:39.340 --> 00:35:42.340 Thrill at other Christians making money. 00:35:42.340 --> 00:35:45.340 Thrill at other Christians and their big houses. 00:35:45.340 --> 00:35:48.340 Thrill at other Christians and their comfy sofas. 00:35:48.340 --> 00:35:51.340 Thrill at other Christians and their connect tickets. 00:35:51.340 --> 00:35:55.340 Thrill at other Christians and their chalet in Vancouver. 00:35:55.340 --> 00:36:00.340 Thrill at it, because we somehow do not enjoy it when other Christians prosper. 00:36:00.340 --> 00:36:03.340 We either assign a motive for their prosperity, 00:36:03.340 --> 00:36:06.340 or we assign a motive for our jealousy. 00:36:06.340 --> 00:36:08.340 It's discernment. 00:36:16.340 --> 00:36:19.340 I mean, I wrote a book, I couldn't even get it printed. 00:36:19.340 --> 00:36:22.340 Chris writes a book and it's in the library. 00:36:22.340 --> 00:36:26.340 Thrill at it, even though it's about cats. 00:36:28.340 --> 00:36:30.340 Every time she sends me an email saying, 00:36:30.340 --> 00:36:33.340 my book went into this place or my book is this, 00:36:33.340 --> 00:36:35.340 I go tell people about it, man. 00:36:35.340 --> 00:36:39.340 I throw in a bit about cats too, but I go tell people. 00:36:39.340 --> 00:36:44.340 Every time Dana would do well in Bahrain, my heart would thrill, man. 00:36:45.340 --> 00:36:48.340 Guys, why am I harping on this point? 00:36:48.340 --> 00:36:52.340 Simply because it is an issue among Christians. 00:36:55.340 --> 00:36:58.340 Simply because it is an issue in this church, 00:36:58.340 --> 00:37:02.340 just in case you thought we were talking about the other church. 00:37:08.340 --> 00:37:10.340 Joan's dad was like that. 00:37:10.340 --> 00:37:13.340 He would thrill at other people prospering. 00:37:19.340 --> 00:37:23.340 It's a culture of an orphan that seeks equality. 00:37:23.340 --> 00:37:27.340 It's a culture of an orphan that seeks equality. 00:37:27.340 --> 00:37:30.340 Why do you want to be equal? Because you're an orphan. 00:37:31.340 --> 00:37:33.340 How are they? 00:37:33.340 --> 00:37:37.340 It's a culture of an orphan that seeks equality. 00:37:44.340 --> 00:37:45.340 Yeah. 00:37:48.340 --> 00:37:51.340 Okay. Let's conclude. 00:37:52.340 --> 00:37:55.340 I want to move from the word humility to humiliation. 00:37:56.340 --> 00:37:58.340 Humiliation. 00:37:59.340 --> 00:38:03.340 Most of the quotes that I will use are from quotes that 00:38:03.340 --> 00:38:07.340 Oswald Chambers came up with and I think they're so worth considering. 00:38:07.340 --> 00:38:09.340 From humility, we move to humiliation. 00:38:09.340 --> 00:38:14.340 A prevailing church is a church that is willing to suffer humiliation. 00:38:14.340 --> 00:38:17.340 A prevailing church or a people of God who prevail, 00:38:17.340 --> 00:38:20.340 who conquer, who overcome, who contend, 00:38:20.340 --> 00:38:24.340 are a people who are willing to suffer humiliation. 00:38:24.340 --> 00:38:27.340 Matthew 5, verse 39, Jesus says, 00:38:27.340 --> 00:38:29.340 I tell you not to resist an evil person, 00:38:29.340 --> 00:38:33.340 but whoever slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 00:38:33.340 --> 00:38:39.340 I mean, in the natural realm, if you don't hit someone back when they hit you, 00:38:39.340 --> 00:38:41.340 you are seen as weak. 00:38:41.340 --> 00:38:45.340 But in the spiritual realm, when you don't hit back, 00:38:45.340 --> 00:38:49.340 it shows evidence that the Son of God lives in you. 00:38:50.340 --> 00:38:53.340 But the hit back thing sounds too far removed. 00:38:53.340 --> 00:38:57.340 When you don't respond in kind to the way people treat you, 00:38:57.340 --> 00:38:59.340 when people treat you unfairly, 00:38:59.340 --> 00:39:02.340 when people misunderstand you deliberately, 00:39:02.340 --> 00:39:05.340 when people misrepresent you deliberately, 00:39:05.340 --> 00:39:08.340 our usual response is, 00:39:08.340 --> 00:39:11.340 I must correct this, because for us, 00:39:11.340 --> 00:39:14.340 vindication and justice is important. 00:39:14.340 --> 00:39:17.340 And don't hang on to that, there's more coming, 00:39:17.340 --> 00:39:20.340 so you'll get the full picture before you respond to that. 00:39:20.340 --> 00:39:22.340 Vindication and justice is important. 00:39:22.340 --> 00:39:26.340 And yet Jesus says that when someone slaps you on the right cheek, 00:39:26.340 --> 00:39:28.340 turn the other to him, 00:39:28.340 --> 00:39:30.340 because in the spiritual realm, when you do that, 00:39:30.340 --> 00:39:33.340 it is the evidence of the Son of God whose nature is in you. 00:39:33.340 --> 00:39:35.340 When you're personally insulted, 00:39:35.340 --> 00:39:37.340 when you're personally ridiculed, 00:39:37.340 --> 00:39:39.340 when these things happen, 00:39:39.340 --> 00:39:42.340 you must not only not resent it, 00:39:42.340 --> 00:39:44.340 but you must make it an opportunity 00:39:44.340 --> 00:39:47.340 to exhibit the Son of God in your life. 00:39:47.340 --> 00:39:50.340 Not only are you meant not to resist it, 00:39:50.340 --> 00:39:53.340 you're supposed to use it as an opportunity. 00:39:53.340 --> 00:39:57.340 Thank God for these ridiculously high illogical standards 00:39:57.340 --> 00:40:00.340 that Christ has set for us. 00:40:00.340 --> 00:40:02.340 When you're insulted, when you're ridiculed, 00:40:02.340 --> 00:40:04.340 when you're treated wrongly, when you're misrepresented, 00:40:04.340 --> 00:40:06.340 when you're misunderstood, when you're accused, 00:40:06.340 --> 00:40:10.340 use it as an opportunity to evidence the Son of God, 00:40:10.340 --> 00:40:13.340 because that is what he expects. 00:40:15.340 --> 00:40:20.340 A prevailing church is willing to suffer humiliation. 00:40:23.340 --> 00:40:27.340 You and I are not. I am not. 00:40:27.340 --> 00:40:30.340 But this convicts me. 00:40:30.340 --> 00:40:35.340 But this convicts me pretty hard. 00:40:35.340 --> 00:40:39.340 There have been occasions when I remember the last church I was in, 00:40:39.340 --> 00:40:45.340 and I was leaving for good to begin Acts 29. 00:40:45.340 --> 00:40:47.340 And there used to be this nice lady, 00:40:47.340 --> 00:40:50.340 but for whatever reason she had it out for me. 00:40:50.340 --> 00:40:54.340 And she would make fun of me every Sunday afternoon 00:40:54.340 --> 00:40:57.340 and gather a crowd to make fun of me too. 00:40:57.340 --> 00:41:00.340 As a pastor, you have to be kind even though you don't want to. 00:41:00.340 --> 00:41:03.340 And so two weeks left and I'm leaving, 00:41:03.340 --> 00:41:06.340 and this lady comes up and she gathers a little crowd 00:41:06.340 --> 00:41:09.340 and she starts making fun again 00:41:09.340 --> 00:41:15.340 of things that she knows either irk me or make me feel not nice. 00:41:15.340 --> 00:41:17.340 And she started doing it again. 00:41:17.340 --> 00:41:20.340 And I'm thinking to myself, I've got two weeks, nothing to lose. 00:41:20.340 --> 00:41:22.340 I'm going to give it to you. 00:41:22.340 --> 00:41:25.340 And so I sense a lot saying, 00:41:25.340 --> 00:41:27.340 what do you really want to do, Jacob? 00:41:27.340 --> 00:41:30.340 And so she finishes saying what she says. 00:41:30.340 --> 00:41:34.340 People start laughing and they make fun for a few seconds. 00:41:34.340 --> 00:41:37.340 And then I say something really nice about her 00:41:37.340 --> 00:41:41.340 and compliment her for something genuine. 00:41:41.340 --> 00:41:42.340 And then I leave. 00:41:42.340 --> 00:41:44.340 And as I'm leaving, I'm telling her, 00:41:44.340 --> 00:41:46.340 Father, you know that was rough. 00:41:46.340 --> 00:41:47.340 I didn't say anything back. 00:41:47.340 --> 00:41:49.340 And she really made fun of me. 00:41:49.340 --> 00:41:52.340 And I don't know, I find it a little unfair. 00:41:52.340 --> 00:41:55.340 And as I'm walking away, I hear the Lord loud and clear. 00:41:55.340 --> 00:41:58.340 And he says, Jacob, thank you for being so kind to my daughter. 00:42:00.340 --> 00:42:03.340 I'm thinking, was it really? 00:42:03.340 --> 00:42:06.340 For one thing, I can't bear it when God says thank you to me. 00:42:06.340 --> 00:42:10.340 I find it, I usually can't handle it. 00:42:10.340 --> 00:42:12.340 I don't mind me saying thank you to him. 00:42:12.340 --> 00:42:15.340 But when he thanks me, it bothers me. 00:42:15.340 --> 00:42:17.340 And as clear as daylight, I hear him saying, 00:42:17.340 --> 00:42:19.340 thank you for being kind to my daughter. 00:42:19.340 --> 00:42:21.340 And for the first time in my life, I realized, 00:42:21.340 --> 00:42:25.340 oh shucks, as much as I'm your son, she's your daughter. 00:42:25.340 --> 00:42:27.340 She was being nasty to me. 00:42:27.340 --> 00:42:28.340 But I was nice to her. 00:42:28.340 --> 00:42:29.340 And you heard it. 00:42:29.340 --> 00:42:32.340 And you actually were happy that I was kind to your daughter. 00:42:32.340 --> 00:42:33.340 My eyes were full of tears. 00:42:33.340 --> 00:42:37.340 And I remember saying, Father, if this is all that it takes 00:42:37.340 --> 00:42:39.340 to make you happy, I'll do it a million times. 00:42:41.340 --> 00:42:44.340 But usually, we don't think of other people made in his image. 00:42:44.340 --> 00:42:47.340 And we don't think of other Christians as sons or daughters of his. 00:42:47.340 --> 00:42:49.340 It's you, you, and only you. 00:42:49.340 --> 00:42:52.340 And therefore, you react and say things that are nasty. 00:42:52.340 --> 00:42:54.340 Or at least get your pound of flesh. 00:42:54.340 --> 00:42:55.340 Or put up resistance. 00:42:55.340 --> 00:42:56.340 Or stand for justice. 00:42:56.340 --> 00:42:58.340 Or I must be heard, I must be understood. 00:42:58.340 --> 00:43:00.340 I cannot be misrepresented. 00:43:00.340 --> 00:43:02.340 Or the vindication of the Lord should be numb. 00:43:05.340 --> 00:43:07.340 Not Jesus-ish, guys. 00:43:10.340 --> 00:43:12.340 Not Jesus-ish. 00:43:14.340 --> 00:43:15.340 We're getting there. 00:43:15.340 --> 00:43:16.340 We're getting there. 00:43:20.340 --> 00:43:25.340 The Beatitudes basically can be summed up in these words. 00:43:25.340 --> 00:43:26.340 Do what is not your duty. 00:43:26.340 --> 00:43:28.340 Or your obligation. 00:43:28.340 --> 00:43:30.340 The Beatitudes may be summed up this way. 00:43:30.340 --> 00:43:32.340 Do what is not your duty. 00:43:32.340 --> 00:43:34.340 Or your obligation. 00:43:35.340 --> 00:43:37.340 It is not your duty to go the second mile. 00:43:39.340 --> 00:43:41.340 Do what is not your duty. 00:43:41.340 --> 00:43:42.340 Or your obligation. 00:43:42.340 --> 00:43:44.340 It is not your duty to go the second mile. 00:43:44.340 --> 00:43:47.340 It is not your duty or obligation to turn the other cheek. 00:43:47.340 --> 00:43:52.340 But Jesus said that if you, if you, Jacob, are my disciple, you will do all these things. 00:43:54.340 --> 00:43:59.340 I hope across this room we are being convicted by the Holy Spirit. 00:44:03.340 --> 00:44:05.340 Prevailing people don't crave for vindication. 00:44:05.340 --> 00:44:08.340 They're not upset at being misrepresented and misunderstood. 00:44:08.340 --> 00:44:12.340 One of the things someone told me ages ago is that, Jacob, if you want to pastor a church, 00:44:12.340 --> 00:44:16.340 if you want to work in a church, then please don't crave for being understood. 00:44:23.340 --> 00:44:24.340 I say that to you. 00:44:24.340 --> 00:44:33.340 If you want to enter church work or do ministry, then abandon this whole idea of I need to be understood. 00:44:33.340 --> 00:44:38.340 Because it isn't a premium value item. 00:44:41.340 --> 00:44:42.340 Jesus was brilliant. 00:44:42.340 --> 00:44:47.340 He would be misunderstood and just in case not everybody misunderstood him, 00:44:47.340 --> 00:44:51.340 he would go and say stuff like, oh, and by the way, eat my flesh and drink my blood. 00:44:51.340 --> 00:44:53.340 And then he would walk away without explaining it. 00:44:53.340 --> 00:44:56.340 Bad enough, there were enough people leaving him. 00:44:56.340 --> 00:44:58.340 And then he would mess it up more. 00:44:59.340 --> 00:45:01.340 But they understood when he rose from the dead. 00:45:03.340 --> 00:45:06.340 And now to answer Diana's question, which she didn't ask. 00:45:09.340 --> 00:45:10.340 Oh, before we go there. 00:45:10.340 --> 00:45:12.340 Guys, I love this line. 00:45:12.340 --> 00:45:19.340 A disciple realizes that it's his Lord's honor that is at stake in his life, not his own honor. 00:45:19.340 --> 00:45:26.340 A disciple realizes it is the Lord's honor that is at stake in his life, not his own honor. 00:45:26.340 --> 00:45:31.340 Every time I insist on having my own rights, I hurt the Son of God. 00:45:31.340 --> 00:45:36.340 While in fact, I can prevent Jesus from being hurt if I will take the blow myself. 00:45:36.340 --> 00:45:37.340 Love the line. 00:45:37.340 --> 00:45:39.340 It's not mine, obviously. 00:45:39.340 --> 00:45:45.340 A disciple realizes that it is his Lord's honor that is at stake in his life, not his own honor. 00:45:45.340 --> 00:45:50.340 Every time I insist on having my own rights, I hurt the Son of God. 00:45:50.340 --> 00:45:56.340 While in fact, I can prevent Jesus from being hurt if I will take the blow myself. 00:45:56.340 --> 00:46:03.340 Is this the meaning of filling up in my own flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ from Colossians 1.24? 00:46:03.340 --> 00:46:09.340 Where you wrong me and instead of making an issue of it, I take the wrong. 00:46:10.340 --> 00:46:16.340 Because my honor is not important, but Christ's honor is. 00:46:17.340 --> 00:46:22.340 Doesn't matter whether it's my mother, my father, my brother, my sister, someone here at Acts 29. 00:46:22.340 --> 00:46:27.340 It doesn't matter. 00:46:37.340 --> 00:46:39.340 I love this next line. 00:46:39.340 --> 00:46:41.340 We are always looking for justice. 00:46:41.340 --> 00:46:45.340 Never look for justice, but never cease to give it and seek it for others. 00:46:45.340 --> 00:46:47.340 We are always looking for justice. 00:46:47.340 --> 00:46:49.340 Never look for justice. 00:46:49.340 --> 00:46:55.340 We are always looking for justice, but never cease to give it and seek it for others. 00:46:55.340 --> 00:46:57.420 Never cease to give it 00:46:57.420 --> 00:46:59.200 We're always looking for justice 00:46:59.200 --> 00:47:00.700 Never look for justice 00:47:00.700 --> 00:47:02.620 But never cease to give it 00:47:02.620 --> 00:47:04.380 And seek for others 00:47:04.780 --> 00:47:06.900 We're always looking for justice 00:47:07.200 --> 00:47:08.600 Never look for justice 00:47:08.600 --> 00:47:10.780 But never cease to give it 00:47:10.780 --> 00:47:12.780 And seek for others 00:47:19.740 --> 00:47:21.240 Seek it for others 00:47:21.240 --> 00:47:22.840 And never cease to give it 00:47:23.560 --> 00:47:25.080 Or don't go looking for it 00:47:25.340 --> 00:47:32.340 We've got broader shoulders when we can take insults, we can take offences, we can take 00:47:32.340 --> 00:47:38.660 people misunderstanding us, we can take people misrepresenting us, we can take accusations, 00:47:38.660 --> 00:47:43.420 we can take mud on our face, we can take it because it is our nature. 00:47:43.420 --> 00:47:44.700 Why is it our nature? 00:47:44.700 --> 00:47:49.420 Because Christ lives in you and it is his nature. 00:47:49.420 --> 00:47:52.020 We can take it. 00:47:52.020 --> 00:47:53.700 So that he doesn't have to take it. 00:47:53.700 --> 00:47:57.060 You can take it. 00:47:57.060 --> 00:48:03.140 Read Paul's letters and you can see him taking accusation upon accusation, slander upon slander. 00:48:03.140 --> 00:48:10.540 He calls himself and the rest of the apostles a scum of the earth. 00:48:10.540 --> 00:48:17.660 But when it came to justice for others and giving out justice, cease not from it and 00:48:17.660 --> 00:48:19.820 seek it for others but not for yourself. 00:48:19.820 --> 00:48:20.820 Big deal. 00:48:21.140 --> 00:48:22.860 Because at the end of the day, who is your judge? 00:48:22.860 --> 00:48:23.860 God. 00:48:23.860 --> 00:48:25.740 And he will give you your just rewards. 00:48:25.740 --> 00:48:28.020 He is faithful in this. 00:48:28.020 --> 00:48:31.740 What is hidden will come out to the light. 00:48:31.740 --> 00:48:33.540 What is false will be exposed. 00:48:33.540 --> 00:48:36.620 Either in this life or in the next. 00:48:36.620 --> 00:48:41.540 But it will be exposed. 00:48:41.540 --> 00:48:43.140 Such a cool statement. 00:48:43.140 --> 00:48:47.900 Never cease justice for yourself but never cease to give it and never cease to seek it 00:48:47.900 --> 00:48:50.180 for others. 00:48:50.180 --> 00:48:54.580 The problem when you start seeking justice for yourself is that becomes your main obsession 00:48:54.580 --> 00:48:56.580 and others get left out. 00:48:56.580 --> 00:49:00.580 I'm done. 00:49:00.580 --> 00:49:01.580 Any questions? 00:49:01.580 --> 00:49:02.580 Sorry? 00:49:02.580 --> 00:49:10.580 Yeah, I'll talk about it another day. 00:49:10.580 --> 00:49:17.580 I'll ask you a question anyways. 00:49:17.980 --> 00:49:32.980 Yeah, that's when he speaks up for the injustice that is being done by the Pharisees to the 00:49:32.980 --> 00:49:33.980 others. 00:49:33.980 --> 00:49:36.500 One of his main complaints with the Pharisees was very simple. 00:49:36.500 --> 00:49:43.220 You have the keys to knowledge and you do not enter in nor will you allow others to 00:49:43.420 --> 00:49:44.420 enter in. 00:49:44.420 --> 00:49:49.780 And therefore Jesus would take up his cause against them. 00:49:49.780 --> 00:49:52.780 But Jesus rarely defended himself. 00:49:52.780 --> 00:49:58.340 He would defend his father every now and then but he would rarely defend himself. 00:49:58.340 --> 00:50:05.100 These are characteristics of Jesus that have been swept under the carpet of our rights 00:50:05.100 --> 00:50:09.060 and this sense of freedom, liberty, justice, equality. 00:50:09.060 --> 00:50:11.020 They're very good qualities. 00:50:11.020 --> 00:50:15.460 So maybe seek it for everybody else because freedom, justice, liberty, and equality for 00:50:15.460 --> 00:50:20.460 us comes from him. 00:50:20.460 --> 00:50:27.740 Hard, huh? 00:50:27.740 --> 00:50:32.260 Psalm 25 verse 9 puts it this way and this is critical for a prevailing church that if 00:50:32.260 --> 00:50:35.220 you are humble I will teach you my ways. 00:50:35.220 --> 00:50:37.340 My God, I would love to know his ways. 00:50:37.340 --> 00:50:39.340 I would love to know his ways. 00:50:39.380 --> 00:50:44.460 I would love to be taught his ways but to learn his ways I must, he says I will teach 00:50:44.460 --> 00:50:46.900 you my ways and then I will show you my ways. 00:50:46.900 --> 00:50:54.620 How badly do we need this as a church and as individuals? 00:50:54.620 --> 00:51:01.780 And it goes without saying that if you are humble, if I am humble, let's take me, if 00:51:01.820 --> 00:51:11.820 If I am humble I will follow order because order requires submission. 00:51:17.660 --> 00:51:19.660 Hard, eh? 00:51:26.540 --> 00:51:29.580 I'm not an authority unto myself. 00:51:29.620 --> 00:51:35.620 I'm submitted to a people, to God, both. 00:51:35.620 --> 00:51:40.540 Because if I'm humble I have to, I'm not saying I'm this, I'm just saying instead of always 00:51:40.540 --> 00:51:44.260 saying you, you, you, I'm just saying I, I'm not saying that this is who I am. 00:51:44.260 --> 00:51:48.260 I'm just saying that at the end of the day this is what I desire, that father if I'm 00:51:48.260 --> 00:51:51.540 humble I will walk in order. 00:51:51.540 --> 00:51:54.940 I won't take things into my own hands and say I know what you said but this is what 00:51:54.940 --> 00:51:55.940 I want to do. 00:51:55.940 --> 00:51:57.540 It doesn't work that way. 00:51:57.540 --> 00:51:58.540 Questions guys? 00:51:58.540 --> 00:51:59.540 Okay, let's just pray. 00:51:59.540 --> 00:52:00.540 Father, today seemed kind of long but it's still two hours actually.