WEBVTT NOTE Podcast: Acts 29 Vancouver Episode: Prevailing Church : Inflicting loss Publishing Date: 2018-05-06T06:00:44-07:00 Podcast URL: https://acts29.ca Episode URL: https://acts29.ca/prevailing-church-inflicting-loss/ 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:08.600 All righty, guys, we've been talking about prevailing church and today we talk about 00:00:08.600 --> 00:00:10.300 inflicting loss. 00:00:10.300 --> 00:00:12.040 What does a prevailing church do? 00:00:12.040 --> 00:00:14.280 It inflicts loss. 00:00:14.280 --> 00:00:16.140 It inflicts loss. 00:00:16.140 --> 00:00:20.600 And so let's try and go through this. 00:00:20.600 --> 00:00:23.880 Prevailing churches inflict loss on the enemy. 00:00:23.880 --> 00:00:29.980 The enemy being Satan, the enemy being Satan and his demons, the enemy being Satan and 00:00:29.980 --> 00:00:38.340 his demons and the ones he uses to do harm, but mainly Satan and his demons. 00:00:38.340 --> 00:00:43.980 So prevailing churches, as in churches that prevail, to prevail, thanks man, to prevail 00:00:43.980 --> 00:00:49.300 is to stand, to engage, to battle, to overcome. 00:00:49.300 --> 00:00:55.220 To prevail is to stand, to engage, to battle, to overcome. 00:00:55.220 --> 00:01:00.220 And so prevailing churches inflict loss upon the enemy because Jesus said it this way in 00:01:00.220 --> 00:01:01.860 Matthew 16, 18. 00:01:01.860 --> 00:01:10.840 He says the gates of hell cannot stand up, cannot endure, cannot prevail against, cannot 00:01:10.840 --> 00:01:12.340 overcome the church. 00:01:12.340 --> 00:01:16.420 Instead the church will overcome the gates of hell. 00:01:16.420 --> 00:01:23.460 Therefore, if Acts 29 or any church in the world wants to become a prevailing church, 00:01:24.100 --> 00:01:31.260 will have to adopt the mentality of inflicting losses upon the enemy, which most churches 00:01:31.260 --> 00:01:40.260 and Acts 29 does not have. 00:01:40.260 --> 00:01:46.260 A prevailing church is meant to inflict loss upon the enemy, but most churches, including 00:01:46.260 --> 00:01:53.260 Acts 29, does not have that mentality that we have to inflict loss. 00:01:53.260 --> 00:02:00.620 That is not a commonly held mentality in churches. 00:02:00.620 --> 00:02:03.580 I'm not talking about an individual here doing this or doing that. 00:02:03.580 --> 00:02:09.820 I'm talking about an entire church rising up together, not in sporadic corners of the 00:02:09.820 --> 00:02:12.100 city doing one thing here or one thing there. 00:02:12.100 --> 00:02:16.380 That's not what a prevailing church is. 00:02:16.380 --> 00:02:22.180 That is a person who suddenly has a strong faith to do something in their little corner. 00:02:22.180 --> 00:02:27.540 But I'm talking about an entire body learning how to have a mentality of, I am here to inflict 00:02:27.540 --> 00:02:29.160 loss upon the enemy. 00:02:29.160 --> 00:02:32.160 That does not strike us. 00:02:32.160 --> 00:02:34.940 Because to inflict loss is first to repossess. 00:02:34.940 --> 00:02:45.660 Whenever we're talking about inflicting loss, when we talk about inflicting loss upon the 00:02:45.660 --> 00:02:54.980 devil, we are talking first about repossessing what he has stolen, and then we are talking 00:02:54.980 --> 00:03:02.100 about restoring that which has been repossessed. 00:03:02.100 --> 00:03:04.220 It's both. 00:03:04.220 --> 00:03:16.140 When you read Isaiah 42, verse 22, Jesus is saying there that, my people have become plunder 00:03:16.140 --> 00:03:18.260 with none to rescue. 00:03:18.260 --> 00:03:22.560 My people have become spoiled with none to say restore. 00:03:22.560 --> 00:03:29.960 So first there is this need, if you want to inflict loss, the first thing is to rescue, 00:03:29.960 --> 00:03:33.420 as in repossess what has been taken. 00:03:33.620 --> 00:03:35.260 Repossess what has been stolen. 00:03:35.260 --> 00:03:38.940 And this happened in the Garden of Eden and it still continues. 00:03:38.940 --> 00:03:43.300 But after you rescue, there is the need to restore. 00:03:43.300 --> 00:03:47.380 And that's why in Isaiah 42, verse 22, it says, they have become plunder with none to 00:03:47.380 --> 00:03:48.380 rescue. 00:03:48.380 --> 00:03:54.540 They have become spoiled with none to say restore. 00:03:54.540 --> 00:03:58.900 What we at Acts 29 and most other churches do is we are like the Red Cross rescuing the 00:03:58.900 --> 00:04:05.580 wounded, and the wounded lie sedated for a while and then they die shortly. 00:04:05.580 --> 00:04:07.200 That's not inflicting loss. 00:04:07.200 --> 00:04:11.960 That's rescuing someone with a whole lot of wounds, applying balm to their wounds, never 00:04:11.960 --> 00:04:16.420 see them fully recover and eventually they die. 00:04:16.420 --> 00:04:21.380 That's like these guys you see in these war movies running with a stretcher between them, 00:04:21.380 --> 00:04:24.860 rescuing people off the battlefield, putting them on stretchers, running them back, putting 00:04:24.860 --> 00:04:29.340 them into a helicopter that flies them to safety and then they lose their limbs and 00:04:29.340 --> 00:04:35.260 their eyes and they come home damaged and are in wheelchairs. 00:04:35.260 --> 00:04:37.140 We are into rescuing people. 00:04:37.140 --> 00:04:40.620 We are rarely into inflicting loss upon the enemy. 00:04:40.620 --> 00:04:42.540 When has it been? 00:04:42.540 --> 00:04:47.700 When was the last time you woke up in the morning with the absolute intent of today, 00:04:47.700 --> 00:04:52.240 I will inflict loss upon the devil and his kingdom. 00:04:52.240 --> 00:04:55.360 This is what I am going to do today. 00:04:55.360 --> 00:04:58.400 That is not how we generally think. 00:04:58.400 --> 00:05:03.880 That is not how I think. 00:05:03.880 --> 00:05:09.080 And yet story after story after story in the Old Testament is not about rescue, but it's 00:05:09.080 --> 00:05:14.900 about rescue and then restoration to a point where the enemy is crushed because of what 00:05:14.900 --> 00:05:17.880 has been done. 00:05:17.880 --> 00:05:19.760 How do you inflict loss upon the enemy? 00:05:19.800 --> 00:05:24.560 You inflict loss upon the enemy by going in and taking what he has taken because Satan's 00:05:24.560 --> 00:05:26.840 fate is already sealed. 00:05:26.840 --> 00:05:29.680 Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire. 00:05:29.680 --> 00:05:30.680 He knows that. 00:05:30.680 --> 00:05:35.760 He will be there for millions and millions and millions of years. 00:05:35.760 --> 00:05:40.760 That's the end condition of Satan. 00:05:40.760 --> 00:05:45.000 But inflicting loss is left to us. 00:05:45.000 --> 00:05:51.440 If we are like our head, Jesus Christ, then it says in 1 John 4 that Jesus Christ came 00:05:51.440 --> 00:05:56.960 down to the earth in flesh to destroy the works of the devil. 00:05:56.960 --> 00:06:06.360 It was one of the primary reasons he came. 00:06:06.360 --> 00:06:15.920 Therefore we have to change our posture because at present Acts 29 does not have a posture, 00:06:15.920 --> 00:06:20.520 a mindset or a strategy of inflicting losses. 00:06:20.520 --> 00:06:26.960 We are more along the lines of let's batten down the hatches and let's preserve Goshen. 00:06:26.960 --> 00:06:30.000 Goshen was this place where Israel lived in Egypt. 00:06:30.000 --> 00:06:33.720 When the plagues would fall in Egypt, there would be no plagues in Goshen. 00:06:33.720 --> 00:06:37.800 When hail would fall in Egypt, there would be no hail in Goshen. 00:06:37.800 --> 00:06:42.800 We must break that mentality which I am partly responsible for cultivating, not partly, largely 00:06:42.800 --> 00:06:48.240 responsible for cultivating in Acts 29 where we need to make sure we do well as Christians 00:06:48.240 --> 00:06:52.600 and nothing wrong with that but the only reason we do well as Christians is so that we who 00:06:52.600 --> 00:06:56.840 do well can now benefit the rest of the world. 00:06:56.840 --> 00:07:03.440 This is why God could have continued plaguing Egypt and leaving Israel in Goshen and everything 00:07:03.440 --> 00:07:05.040 would have been fine. 00:07:05.040 --> 00:07:06.960 They could have multiplied in Goshen. 00:07:06.960 --> 00:07:14.200 They had already reached millions, not millions, yeah almost a million but then he had the 00:07:14.200 --> 00:07:20.320 move out of Goshen so that God may establish his name as the dread of Jacob because as 00:07:20.320 --> 00:07:25.640 they went through the desert, nations looked at them and said their God is God, ours is 00:07:25.640 --> 00:07:33.400 not and that only happens when a people are sent out and when a people refuse to be sent 00:07:33.880 --> 00:07:40.160 out then God scatters them. 00:07:40.160 --> 00:07:46.840 Hear me again, if Acts 29 and to whom much is given, much is expected. 00:07:46.840 --> 00:07:50.880 Too much has been given to us so much is expected. 00:07:50.880 --> 00:07:56.440 If we don't start at some point soon and I don't know what soon means but at some point 00:07:56.440 --> 00:08:01.240 soon if we don't start going out and by going out I don't mean necessarily getting transferred 00:08:01.240 --> 00:08:02.240 to another island. 00:08:02.680 --> 00:08:06.360 I'm saying going out as in whether they be on the island or we be here, if you don't 00:08:06.360 --> 00:08:12.160 start going out then God will use methods to scatter us so that we will go out. 00:08:12.160 --> 00:08:15.880 I don't want that. 00:08:15.880 --> 00:08:18.520 I would rather not have that. 00:08:18.520 --> 00:08:22.560 I would rather that we go. 00:08:22.560 --> 00:08:29.400 So we have to have a different posture, a mindset, a strategy of inflicting losses and 00:08:29.440 --> 00:08:36.680 Guys, I realize that if I say that then I have to be the first one to do it and I'm 00:08:36.680 --> 00:08:43.000 trying and we'll find a way and pray God that we can all walk together in this. 00:08:47.520 --> 00:08:54.120 Because like David in 1 Samuel 17 29, when he saw Goliath coming up every day, when he 00:08:54.120 --> 00:09:01.920 saw Goliath defying the armies of Israel, one of the things he says is there not a cause? 00:09:01.920 --> 00:09:03.640 Is there not a cause? 00:09:03.640 --> 00:09:07.320 Is there not reason enough to be angry about this? 00:09:07.320 --> 00:09:13.160 Is there not reason enough to be angry about this? 00:09:13.160 --> 00:09:17.560 Jesus used to get vexed. 00:09:17.560 --> 00:09:18.560 He would get angry. 00:09:18.880 --> 00:09:24.480 He healed a withered man and some Pharisees started saying, how come you dare to heal 00:09:24.480 --> 00:09:25.480 him on a Sabbath? 00:09:25.480 --> 00:09:27.480 And Jesus felt angry. 00:09:27.480 --> 00:09:32.360 There was another time when Jesus felt angry just because people didn't want a guy healed 00:09:32.360 --> 00:09:34.960 or because a blind man wanted to reach out to him. 00:09:34.960 --> 00:09:36.400 He would feel angry. 00:09:36.400 --> 00:09:42.280 Where is the rage at Acts 29? 00:09:42.280 --> 00:09:44.160 Where is the rage at Acts 29? 00:09:44.200 --> 00:09:49.400 I'm not saying rage needs to be expressed in bursts of flame, but I'm saying where is 00:09:49.400 --> 00:09:56.120 the cause that causes you now to like we did earlier today, sometimes continue in worship, 00:09:56.120 --> 00:10:01.840 sometimes leap out of the circumstances that are locking us down, sometimes defy the condition 00:10:01.840 --> 00:10:08.160 of our bodies, sometimes go out of the routine that we have established for us ourselves 00:10:08.160 --> 00:10:13.960 saying I need to rage further into the night and break these bonds because there is a 00:10:13.960 --> 00:10:18.200 world waiting out there for me to pour myself out. 00:10:18.200 --> 00:10:21.960 Is there not a cause? 00:10:21.960 --> 00:10:26.480 Is there not a cause? 00:10:26.480 --> 00:10:33.280 The greatest enemy that Acts 29 presently faces in this new move that God will surely 00:10:33.280 --> 00:10:36.840 bring upon us, I assure you of that. 00:10:36.840 --> 00:10:43.360 As long as he allows me to continue as pastor of this church and as far as I know he wants 00:10:43.400 --> 00:10:49.040 me to, there is no way of avoiding what God is bringing to us. 00:10:49.040 --> 00:10:54.360 But there is one enemy that will stop us and that enemy is self. 00:10:54.360 --> 00:10:57.520 The idolatry of self. 00:10:57.520 --> 00:11:03.800 Like every other church in the world, we have an idol in our midst and that is the idol 00:11:03.800 --> 00:11:12.800 of self. 00:11:12.800 --> 00:11:19.800 As far as Jesus, there is another idol in this church and it is the idol of self. 00:11:22.960 --> 00:11:26.320 We won't talk about that today but I just want you to be aware of that. 00:11:26.320 --> 00:11:33.600 And when it comes to inflicting losses on the enemy, we'll have to start afresh guys. 00:11:33.600 --> 00:11:38.400 We can't go with what we've been doing thus far because thus far all our activity was 00:11:38.400 --> 00:11:40.280 towards setting people free. 00:11:40.280 --> 00:11:41.280 Do you have this problem? 00:11:41.280 --> 00:11:42.280 Let's set you free. 00:11:42.280 --> 00:11:43.280 Is the devil doing this? 00:11:43.280 --> 00:11:44.280 Let's set you free. 00:11:44.280 --> 00:11:45.280 Why? 00:11:45.280 --> 00:11:49.280 So that we live devil free lives. 00:11:49.280 --> 00:11:50.280 And there is nothing wrong with that. 00:11:50.280 --> 00:11:55.280 We must live devil free lives so that we can be helpful to the rest of the world. 00:11:55.280 --> 00:11:58.880 But now God is saying, I've been setting you free for the last 12 years. 00:11:58.880 --> 00:12:01.880 Isn't it about time you started setting others free? 00:12:01.880 --> 00:12:08.880 And no one, no one sitting here as I look around, no one is exempt. 00:12:09.880 --> 00:12:12.880 No one is exempt. 00:12:12.880 --> 00:12:19.880 Because he is really after the entire church, not after individual endeavors. 00:12:22.880 --> 00:12:30.880 Because when the net begins to fill with fish, if you and I or if I go on my own individual endeavor, 00:12:30.880 --> 00:12:31.880 the net will tear. 00:12:31.880 --> 00:12:34.880 The net will tear. 00:12:39.880 --> 00:12:42.880 We learn it afresh, eh? 00:12:42.880 --> 00:12:48.880 Because thus far experts and pastors are either too careful about inflicting loss on the enemy 00:12:48.880 --> 00:12:54.880 or too careless, too academic or too formulaic, too worldly or too spooky or too legalistic 00:12:54.880 --> 00:12:55.880 to be of any effect. 00:12:55.880 --> 00:12:59.880 Either we say, oh don't do this, you have to grow stronger before you touch the devil. 00:12:59.880 --> 00:13:02.880 Or, ah the devil is nothing, just go do anything to him. 00:13:02.880 --> 00:13:05.880 Or we have to do this this way, follow these five steps. 00:13:05.880 --> 00:13:09.880 After you follow these five steps, say this, this and this and the devil will go out. 00:13:09.880 --> 00:13:11.880 We've got to stop this stuff. 00:13:11.880 --> 00:13:17.880 It's too academic, too legalistic, too worldly, too careless, too careful. 00:13:17.880 --> 00:13:19.880 Find out what God says in the word. 00:13:19.880 --> 00:13:22.880 Listen to the Spirit of God. 00:13:22.880 --> 00:13:27.880 New times require fresh new ways, guys. 00:13:29.880 --> 00:13:32.880 The manuals that we've had, use them to stand on. 00:13:32.880 --> 00:13:37.880 But don't look into them anymore, because God wants to teach us a fresh new way. 00:13:41.880 --> 00:13:44.880 I've got books, man, on this. 00:13:46.880 --> 00:13:52.880 But I'm finding that the Holy Spirit sometimes shows things in a person's life that no book can show you. 00:13:54.880 --> 00:13:58.880 Stand on those books, use those books as a soapbox. 00:14:02.880 --> 00:14:07.880 I pray God that just like during the time of worship when it seemed like nothing was happening 00:14:07.880 --> 00:14:12.880 and then there was this sprinkle of worship that was happening around the room, 00:14:12.880 --> 00:14:19.880 that in the same way we'll have a sprinkle of a certain anger inside us for what the devil is doing to people. 00:14:22.880 --> 00:14:26.880 It is being done through other people and sometimes through direct possession, 00:14:26.880 --> 00:14:29.880 sometimes through blindness where thousands die. 00:14:29.880 --> 00:14:35.880 And yet I'm concerned about Acts 29 and my own life and livelihood. 00:14:36.880 --> 00:14:39.880 I was saying this at Rochester to the group there. 00:14:39.880 --> 00:14:43.880 I sometimes so badly, so badly wish that I was not a pastor 00:14:43.880 --> 00:14:47.880 so I could show the world that you don't have to be a pastor to do the things pastors do. 00:14:51.880 --> 00:14:55.880 But it's been so long since I left going to work regularly. 00:14:55.880 --> 00:15:00.880 The last time I went to work regularly was so long ago, some of it, Dawn wasn't born. 00:15:03.880 --> 00:15:09.880 I wish sometimes that that were the case. 00:15:09.880 --> 00:15:14.880 So it can be proven that everything that a pastor does, everybody can do. 00:15:16.880 --> 00:15:22.880 But that pastoring is a calling and certain things they do is a gifting by the grace and the Spirit of God 00:15:22.880 --> 00:15:28.880 and nothing else which is given not based on academic degrees but sheerly out of God's grace. 00:15:33.880 --> 00:15:39.880 So guys here's the thing, before we inflict losses, make sure that there is no collateral damage. 00:15:40.880 --> 00:15:45.880 We have to take a few simple steps to make sure that when we inflict losses on the devil, 00:15:46.880 --> 00:15:52.880 What are we saying? We are saying that we can cause the devil to pay a price or to, 00:15:53.880 --> 00:15:59.880 no, let's put it this way, inflict losses as to one, repossess what the devil has stolen 00:16:00.880 --> 00:16:02.880 and restore those that have been rescued. 00:16:03.880 --> 00:16:08.880 Besides that, it is executing what God wants on the devil, saying devil you did this, 00:16:08.880 --> 00:16:11.880 now this is what God says and this is what's going to happen. 00:16:11.880 --> 00:16:15.880 I'll give you examples, both from the Bible and from real life. 00:16:16.880 --> 00:16:20.880 But before we do that, if you want to inflict loss upon the devil, 00:16:20.880 --> 00:16:26.880 you have to make sure that there is no collateral damage as in when you damage him, 00:16:26.880 --> 00:16:29.880 that he not have room to damage you. 00:16:29.880 --> 00:16:33.880 And there are some very, very simple steps to prevent the devil from damaging you. 00:16:33.880 --> 00:16:36.880 Very simple steps. Anybody and everybody can do this. 00:16:36.880 --> 00:16:40.880 One, resist pride. Resist pride. Resist pride. 00:16:43.880 --> 00:16:45.880 Very simple. Resist pride. 00:16:46.880 --> 00:16:50.880 And pride has all kinds of shades. All kinds of shades pride has. 00:16:52.880 --> 00:16:56.880 Just when you think you don't have pride is when you probably have a shade 00:16:56.880 --> 00:16:59.880 that is so like your skin that you won't even know it. 00:17:00.880 --> 00:17:03.880 Resist pride because God resists pride. 00:17:03.880 --> 00:17:07.880 Resist pride because God resists the proud. 00:17:07.880 --> 00:17:11.880 What hope do I have dealing with the devil when God opposes me? 00:17:12.880 --> 00:17:17.880 James chapter 4 verse 6 says, Jacob you resist pride because if you don't resist the pride, 00:17:17.880 --> 00:17:22.880 you won't have no attraction with the enemy because God resists you. 00:17:23.880 --> 00:17:28.880 It's one of the few verses where it actually says God resists his children. 00:17:28.880 --> 00:17:31.880 But God resists his children when they are proud. 00:17:32.880 --> 00:17:36.880 Second, don't break order. 00:17:36.880 --> 00:17:39.880 Whatever happens, don't break order. 00:17:39.880 --> 00:17:42.880 Don't break the order of things. 00:17:42.880 --> 00:17:52.880 Doesn't matter that you are right and the thing is the person you are working with is wrong. 00:17:52.880 --> 00:17:59.880 Do not break the order of things because in Ecclesiastes chapter 10 verse 8 it says, 00:17:59.880 --> 00:18:04.880 If you break the wall or if you break the hedge, the serpent will bite. 00:18:04.880 --> 00:18:06.880 The serpent will bite. 00:18:07.880 --> 00:18:12.880 When you've been told something again and again and again and you keep doing it, 00:18:12.880 --> 00:18:18.880 you cannot continue breaking the hedge and the wall Jacob and expect not to be bitten by the serpent. 00:18:18.880 --> 00:18:22.880 It is a matter of time my grace has kept you but it won't, 00:18:22.880 --> 00:18:27.880 it won't keep you. 00:18:27.880 --> 00:18:32.880 It is just that my grace is in vain now because you are not willing to walk in it. 00:18:32.880 --> 00:18:38.880 Third thing, stay connected to the body. 00:18:38.880 --> 00:18:40.880 Stay connected to the body. 00:18:40.880 --> 00:18:43.880 Stay connected to the body. 00:18:43.880 --> 00:18:47.880 Simple steps that everybody can work. 00:18:47.880 --> 00:18:51.880 Stay connected to the body meaning the believers that you are amongst. 00:18:51.880 --> 00:18:56.880 Why? Because as you've seen in multiple National Geographic documentaries, 00:18:56.880 --> 00:18:58.880 it's always the straggler. 00:18:58.880 --> 00:19:00.880 It's always the isolated individual. 00:19:00.880 --> 00:19:07.880 It is always that sheep or wildebeest or deer that does not want to be part of the pack 00:19:07.880 --> 00:19:11.880 or keeps a healthy distance that is first picked off by the devourer. 00:19:11.880 --> 00:19:13.880 Guaranteed guys. 00:19:15.880 --> 00:19:18.880 Fourth, don't continue in evil. 00:19:18.880 --> 00:19:20.880 These are like durr statements. 00:19:20.880 --> 00:19:22.880 Don't continue in evil. 00:19:22.880 --> 00:19:25.880 Don't continue in evil. 00:19:25.880 --> 00:19:31.880 All of us will indulge in sin at some point or the other but don't continue in evil. 00:19:31.880 --> 00:19:33.880 Don't continue in evil. 00:19:33.880 --> 00:19:35.880 John 14 verse 30, Jesus said, 00:19:35.880 --> 00:19:40.880 The prince of darkness is coming but he has nothing in me. 00:19:40.880 --> 00:19:49.880 When I continue in evil, the devil has something in me and there is no way that I can inflict loss upon him 00:19:49.880 --> 00:19:52.880 without suffering serious collateral damage. 00:19:59.880 --> 00:20:03.880 I can't plunder darkness while I'm nurturing darkness. 00:20:03.880 --> 00:20:08.880 I can't plunder darkness while I'm nurturing darkness. 00:20:08.880 --> 00:20:13.880 And the last one, which is a strange one to add here but which I think is critical, 00:20:13.880 --> 00:20:18.880 is believe and listen. 00:20:20.880 --> 00:20:27.880 Believe after obeying it and listen once you've obeyed it to your leaders. 00:20:30.880 --> 00:20:32.880 Believe and listen to your leaders. 00:20:32.880 --> 00:20:39.880 Guys, the number of times I have asked or counseled people at Acts 29 00:20:39.880 --> 00:20:41.880 and in other churches and in different parts of the world 00:20:41.880 --> 00:20:47.880 and the number of times they have refused to walk in the council is stunning. 00:20:49.880 --> 00:20:54.880 Because Second Chronicles, see one of the things you must recognize about my life 00:20:54.880 --> 00:21:00.880 is that I have in my life an active proven record of the prophetic. 00:21:03.880 --> 00:21:05.880 There's no question about that. 00:21:05.880 --> 00:21:10.880 Over the last 12 years you've seen God use me in the prophetic again and again and again and again. 00:21:10.880 --> 00:21:12.880 And you've seen the results of it. 00:21:13.880 --> 00:21:17.880 And it's not the kind of prophetic that tells you to go do this or go to the US. 00:21:17.880 --> 00:21:18.880 Not that kind of prophetic. 00:21:18.880 --> 00:21:22.880 The prophetic that tells you who you are and what God has for you. 00:21:24.880 --> 00:21:29.880 I want to say to you, I'm not thinking of anybody in particular and I'm telling the truth right now. 00:21:29.880 --> 00:21:32.880 I want to say to you that when you receive counsel from me, 00:21:32.880 --> 00:21:36.880 know that it comes with the will of God unfolding. 00:21:37.880 --> 00:21:41.880 And when you refuse that after weighing it and finding it kosher, 00:21:41.880 --> 00:21:44.880 when you refuse that, you're not refusing Jacob. 00:21:49.880 --> 00:21:52.880 Don't resist it. I have no desire to control you. 00:21:52.880 --> 00:21:56.880 And if I use the prophetic to control you, God will judge me severely. 00:22:00.880 --> 00:22:03.880 But please, listen to counsel. 00:22:03.880 --> 00:22:05.880 Do what it takes to walk in it. 00:22:07.880 --> 00:22:09.880 Do what it takes to walk in it. 00:22:09.880 --> 00:22:15.880 Second Chronicles 20-20 says, you will be established by the counsel of the prophets. 00:22:15.880 --> 00:22:19.880 I rarely say stuff like this guys because it's so self-exalting. 00:22:20.880 --> 00:22:22.880 But we are in critical times now. 00:22:22.880 --> 00:22:26.880 And I'll have to say stuff like this so that we as a people move together. 00:22:26.880 --> 00:22:29.880 I listen to counsel guys. I listen to counsel. 00:22:32.880 --> 00:22:36.880 I'm as prone to pride as anybody, as the best of you in pride. 00:22:36.880 --> 00:22:40.880 But I listen to counsel. I take counsel and I listen. 00:22:41.880 --> 00:22:44.880 It is the one thing that has kept me going. 00:22:44.880 --> 00:22:46.880 I'm not going to be a priest. 00:22:46.880 --> 00:22:48.880 I'm not going to be a priest. 00:22:48.880 --> 00:22:50.880 I'm not going to be a priest. 00:22:50.880 --> 00:22:52.880 I'm not going to be a priest. 00:22:52.880 --> 00:22:54.880 I take counsel and I listen. 00:22:55.880 --> 00:22:58.880 It is the one thing that has kept me safe by the grace of God. 00:22:58.880 --> 00:23:01.880 Not anything to do with Jacob, but the grace of God. 00:23:01.880 --> 00:23:04.880 It's the one thing that has kept me safe from making mistakes. 00:23:04.880 --> 00:23:06.880 That are major and that would humiliate me. 00:23:09.880 --> 00:23:11.880 Any questions on these before we go on? 00:23:13.880 --> 00:23:15.880 Because inflicting loss upon the enemy. 00:23:16.880 --> 00:23:18.880 Let me give you examples from the Bible. 00:23:23.880 --> 00:23:26.880 When it came to Moses at one point, 00:23:27.880 --> 00:23:29.880 God says to Moses, 00:23:29.880 --> 00:23:34.880 listen, the Amalekites have been guys who have troubled you for long. 00:23:34.880 --> 00:23:36.880 So here's what I want you to do. 00:23:36.880 --> 00:23:38.880 They aren't in a fighting mood. 00:23:38.880 --> 00:23:40.880 So I want you to go provoke hostilities. 00:23:41.880 --> 00:23:44.880 God says, go start provoking them. 00:23:44.880 --> 00:23:48.880 Do things that will get them antsy so that they'll try and fight you. 00:23:49.880 --> 00:23:50.880 Why? 00:23:50.880 --> 00:23:57.880 Because I want to completely eradicate the Amalekites for what they did to you. 00:23:57.880 --> 00:23:59.880 And I want you to have their plunder. 00:24:01.880 --> 00:24:04.880 In 1 Kings 20, Jehoshaphat, he says, 00:24:04.880 --> 00:24:06.880 Jehoshaphat, go stand here. 00:24:06.880 --> 00:24:08.880 I'm going to cause an ambush. 00:24:08.880 --> 00:24:12.880 And when the ambush happens, you will collect spoils for three days. 00:24:12.880 --> 00:24:16.880 And you will call that valley the Valley of Baraka or blessing. 00:24:16.880 --> 00:24:18.880 And what was Jehoshaphat doing? 00:24:18.880 --> 00:24:20.880 He was sitting thinking, 00:24:20.880 --> 00:24:23.880 this army is going to wipe us out because it's much bigger than us. 00:24:24.880 --> 00:24:28.880 I talked about this last week where Paul turns up in Ephesus 00:24:28.880 --> 00:24:30.880 and he deals with the spirit of divination. 00:24:30.880 --> 00:24:36.880 And the spirit of divination was a spirit that was called the spirit of python. 00:24:36.880 --> 00:24:38.880 Why was it called the spirit of python? 00:24:38.880 --> 00:24:40.880 Because at Ephesus there were some caves. 00:24:40.880 --> 00:24:43.880 And those caves were called the caves of Delphi. 00:24:43.880 --> 00:24:45.880 And from the caves of Delphi, 00:24:45.880 --> 00:24:48.880 there would come these windbags who would come out 00:24:48.880 --> 00:24:50.880 and make strange hissing noises. 00:24:50.880 --> 00:24:52.880 And someone would interpret them. 00:24:52.880 --> 00:24:56.880 And it was called the oracles of Delphi, false prophets. 00:24:56.880 --> 00:24:59.880 And so into that town comes Paul. 00:24:59.880 --> 00:25:03.880 And he begins to change the condition of that city 00:25:03.880 --> 00:25:05.880 by causing Artemis to fall. 00:25:05.880 --> 00:25:06.880 And what happens? 00:25:06.880 --> 00:25:10.880 Thousands and thousands of dollars worth of magic papyri 00:25:10.880 --> 00:25:14.880 and charms are thrown into a bonfire. 00:25:14.880 --> 00:25:19.880 And Ephesus becomes one of the strongest churches in that area. 00:25:20.880 --> 00:25:23.880 What do you think Jesus did when he went to Decapolis? 00:25:23.880 --> 00:25:25.880 He found one man. 00:25:25.880 --> 00:25:28.880 But that man was critical because the loss had to be inflicted. 00:25:28.880 --> 00:25:30.880 And what was the loss that had to be inflicted? 00:25:30.880 --> 00:25:34.880 There was a legion of demons in that one man. 00:25:35.880 --> 00:25:37.880 Let's not even try to figure out how much a legion is. 00:25:37.880 --> 00:25:39.880 But it was more than one. 00:25:40.880 --> 00:25:43.880 And so Jesus chases out this spirit, 00:25:43.880 --> 00:25:45.880 this prominent principality in that man. 00:25:45.880 --> 00:25:49.880 The spirit flees, two or thousands pigs run over and fall into the water. 00:25:49.880 --> 00:25:54.880 But that man then, four chapters later, is transforming Decapolis. 00:25:56.880 --> 00:25:57.880 What did David Wilkerson do? 00:25:57.880 --> 00:26:01.880 Went into an area in New York that was pathetic. 00:26:01.880 --> 00:26:02.880 But here's the thing, guys. 00:26:02.880 --> 00:26:05.880 Inflicting loss, you have to carry your life in your hand. 00:26:05.880 --> 00:26:09.880 And stand there and say, I'm here to set people free. 00:26:09.880 --> 00:26:11.880 This is what I was sent for. 00:26:12.880 --> 00:26:14.880 Who are we setting people free from? 00:26:14.880 --> 00:26:19.880 We're setting people free from the devil who likes destroying lives, 00:26:19.880 --> 00:26:23.880 likes blinding lives, likes stealing, likes doing harm. 00:26:23.880 --> 00:26:24.880 He loves it. 00:26:24.880 --> 00:26:27.880 You cannot imagine the relish, the delight, 00:26:27.880 --> 00:26:31.880 the absolute pleasure that he has. 00:26:31.880 --> 00:26:32.880 He loves it. 00:26:32.880 --> 00:26:33.880 He Wests it. 00:26:33.880 --> 00:26:36.880 1948, he's in the relish, the delight, 00:26:36.880 --> 00:26:40.880 the absolute pleasure that it brings the devil 00:26:40.880 --> 00:26:44.880 when wicked, evil depravities happen to people. 00:26:44.880 --> 00:26:49.880 Where he can take a man and hold him in a situation day after day after day, 00:26:49.880 --> 00:26:53.880 even though he knows tomorrow danger may come his way and he may get caught, 00:26:53.880 --> 00:26:55.880 but he will stand there and keep doing it. 00:26:55.880 --> 00:26:57.880 Who does this? The devil. 00:26:57.880 --> 00:26:58.880 No man can convince you. 00:26:58.880 --> 00:26:59.880 And make us do this. 00:26:59.880 --> 00:27:01.880 And what are we here for? 00:27:01.880 --> 00:27:03.880 We have the mind of Christ and we want to stand and say, 00:27:03.880 --> 00:27:07.880 I have come to inflict losses and repossess and restore people. 00:27:07.880 --> 00:27:10.880 Guys, this is not the job of the pastor. 00:27:10.880 --> 00:27:13.880 The job of the pastor is just to tell you this, actually. 00:27:24.880 --> 00:27:27.880 We are going to buy the power of the Holy Spirit 00:27:27.880 --> 00:27:31.880 and by the command of Christ, build a church that will say, 00:27:31.880 --> 00:27:34.880 I've been touched by a fire. 00:27:34.880 --> 00:27:38.880 So let the world come and watch me burn. 00:27:46.880 --> 00:27:49.880 If this is not what we're building, then what are we doing here, right? 00:27:52.880 --> 00:27:54.880 The problem with any revelation that God gives us, 00:27:54.880 --> 00:27:58.880 if you don't immediately embrace it and chase the vultures away 00:27:58.880 --> 00:28:03.880 that try to come and pray on it, then it just becomes information. 00:28:12.880 --> 00:28:17.880 Your first responsibility is to the cause of Christ being expressed through this church. 00:28:17.880 --> 00:28:20.880 Let me say that again. Please hear me. 00:28:20.880 --> 00:28:23.880 And I'm right on this, even though it sounds wrong. 00:28:23.880 --> 00:28:28.880 Your first responsibility is to the cause of Christ 00:28:28.880 --> 00:28:32.880 at present because you're in this church being expressed through this church. 00:28:33.880 --> 00:28:36.880 You should live it, eat it, breathe it. 00:28:37.880 --> 00:28:40.880 It will bless the rest of everything you do, 00:28:40.880 --> 00:28:43.880 starting from your spouse to your children, 00:28:43.880 --> 00:28:46.880 to your work, to your resources, to your money. 00:28:46.880 --> 00:28:49.880 It is the way God had made things. 00:28:50.880 --> 00:28:53.880 Please understand this. 00:28:53.880 --> 00:28:55.880 It's your first responsibility. 00:28:55.880 --> 00:28:59.880 So if Christ is saying something through the church over multiple Sundays, 00:28:59.880 --> 00:29:02.880 then it means that this is something God wants for May's life, 00:29:02.880 --> 00:29:05.880 God wants for George's life, God wants for Mark's life, 00:29:05.880 --> 00:29:08.880 God wants for Marcus's life. 00:29:09.880 --> 00:29:14.880 And as you begin to live this, your family, your children, your resources, your work, 00:29:14.880 --> 00:29:16.880 everything gets blessed. 00:29:16.880 --> 00:29:20.880 Because you are seeking first the rule of God. 00:29:20.880 --> 00:29:24.880 It just so happens that it's being expressed in a forum like this. That's all. 00:29:24.880 --> 00:29:26.880 You could have been in another church, 00:29:26.880 --> 00:29:29.880 and God would have something else that he wants you to join in. 00:29:29.880 --> 00:29:33.880 But these things we're talking about here are fundamental. It applies to every church. 00:29:33.880 --> 00:29:37.880 This is not fancy footwork. This is age old, age old. 00:29:47.880 --> 00:29:50.880 Who are we inflicting these losses on, guys? 00:29:51.880 --> 00:29:58.880 If you read 1 Samuel 17, and if you hold up Goliath as a type of the devil, 00:29:58.880 --> 00:30:05.880 then we are inflicting losses on someone who, the Bible says in 1 Samuel 17, 8, 00:30:05.880 --> 00:30:10.880 that he is someone who, not verse 8, 00:30:13.880 --> 00:30:15.880 in verse 33, I think. 00:30:15.880 --> 00:30:18.880 It says that the devil is a man of war. 00:30:18.880 --> 00:30:21.880 The devil is a man of war. 00:30:21.880 --> 00:30:27.880 That right from when he was a youth, and it's not like I'm trying to say the devil was small and then grew big. 00:30:27.880 --> 00:30:29.880 I'm just saying the devil is a man of war. 00:30:29.880 --> 00:30:34.880 So please understand that as we inflict losses, we aren't going up against some pussy cat. 00:30:34.880 --> 00:30:37.880 We are talking, I mean, why did I bring up cats again? 00:30:37.880 --> 00:30:41.880 We are talking about a man of war. 00:30:41.880 --> 00:30:45.880 We are talking about someone who is relentless in his onslaught, 00:30:45.880 --> 00:30:48.880 because relentlessness causes us to be veered. 00:30:48.880 --> 00:30:51.880 Hey, and the third thing is, every time the devil rises, 00:30:51.880 --> 00:30:56.880 remember he has an enemy camp of thousands and thousands of demons, 00:30:56.880 --> 00:30:59.880 and in the camp there is a shout. 00:30:59.880 --> 00:31:03.880 You think the shout of God that is in the church is loud? 00:31:03.880 --> 00:31:07.880 You have no idea how loud the shout of the enemy is. 00:31:08.880 --> 00:31:13.880 Every time someone falls, every time someone decides, I'm not going to go on with this, 00:31:13.880 --> 00:31:16.880 every time someone succumbs to the conditions of life, 00:31:16.880 --> 00:31:20.880 every time someone decides that I'm going to go deep into sin, 00:31:20.880 --> 00:31:25.880 every time someone is sick and dying, who do you think is celebrating? 00:31:31.880 --> 00:31:34.880 Remember the lion and the... 00:31:35.880 --> 00:31:40.880 Yeah, and remember the scene where Aslan is being slain on the stone? 00:31:42.880 --> 00:31:48.880 Satan thrills at these things, but we are coming to take away the roar of the lion. 00:31:48.880 --> 00:31:53.880 Not of Aslan, of the lion, the devourers. 00:31:54.880 --> 00:31:59.880 I'm not exaggerating, I'm not trying to paint a picture. 00:32:00.880 --> 00:32:05.880 Though it looks like I'm trying to paint a picture, I'm not. 00:32:06.880 --> 00:32:12.880 The prevailing church has the ability to say, let no man's heart fail because of the devil, 00:32:12.880 --> 00:32:15.880 your servant will go and fight. 00:32:15.880 --> 00:32:19.880 The prevailing church has to be able to say to our neighbors, to people in trouble, 00:32:19.880 --> 00:32:23.880 to people who email you from different nations, to situations you find around the world, 00:32:23.880 --> 00:32:28.880 to the poor man, the lost man, the depraved man, the crazy man, the addicted man, 00:32:28.880 --> 00:32:32.880 the man who cannot escape, you have to be able to go and say, 00:32:32.880 --> 00:32:38.880 do not be afraid, let your heart not fail, for your servant, meaning you, will go out and fight. 00:32:38.880 --> 00:32:41.880 Here's the thing, guys, words ain't enough. 00:32:41.880 --> 00:32:46.880 I love these songs, I love these songs, but these songs just don't cut it. 00:32:46.880 --> 00:32:50.880 All these songs do for us is they create a placebo effect in our lives that, 00:32:50.880 --> 00:32:55.880 ah, we are singing the song and as the beat gets louder, we get charged. 00:32:55.880 --> 00:32:58.880 Sorry, I'm spitting all over the place. 00:32:58.880 --> 00:33:00.880 We get charged. 00:33:00.880 --> 00:33:05.880 But then after the charging is over, the service comes to an end and reality hits us. 00:33:05.880 --> 00:33:08.880 That's not what we're looking for, man. 00:33:09.880 --> 00:33:19.880 Because here's the thing, eh, you cannot, you can only go and fight if you have been going out and fighting. 00:33:19.880 --> 00:33:23.880 Let me write that down, it's not very complicated, it's not cliched either. 00:33:23.880 --> 00:33:25.880 You can only go and fight. 00:33:25.880 --> 00:33:43.880 You can only go and fight if you have been going out and fighting. 00:33:44.880 --> 00:33:49.880 You can only go and fight if you have been going out and fighting. 00:33:49.880 --> 00:33:52.880 You can only go and fight if you have been going out and fighting. 00:33:52.880 --> 00:33:55.880 I need an eraser, guys. 00:33:55.880 --> 00:33:59.880 You can only go and fight if you have been going out and fighting. 00:33:59.880 --> 00:34:00.880 What do you mean by that, Jacob? 00:34:00.880 --> 00:34:12.880 Guys, if you have not yet actively begun to say, hey, next time there's a need to inflict loss or to set someone free, 00:34:12.880 --> 00:34:13.880 can you call me? 00:34:13.880 --> 00:34:21.880 Hey, next time there's a situation where you can show me how to cast out demons, can you call me? 00:34:21.880 --> 00:34:27.880 Hey, next time there are people who come from outside who need help, can you call me? 00:34:27.880 --> 00:34:34.880 Hey, next time this lady calls you and says that she can pop popcorn without putting it in the microwave by just looking at it, 00:34:34.880 --> 00:34:36.880 and she needs deliverance, can you call me? 00:34:36.880 --> 00:34:45.880 Hey, next time you meet with this Filipino person who has charms and amulets around me and needs to be delivered, can you call me? 00:34:45.880 --> 00:34:51.880 Once you begin doing this, then you get to fight and go, because you can't fight. 00:34:51.880 --> 00:34:55.880 You can't go and fight till you have been doing this for a while. 00:34:55.880 --> 00:34:57.880 This is something that David learned very quickly. 00:34:57.880 --> 00:35:00.880 David says to Saul, listen to what David says to Saul, 00:35:00.880 --> 00:35:10.880 I have fought the lion and the bear, and when I would fight the lion and the bear, I would pull the lamb out of its mouth. 00:35:10.880 --> 00:35:17.880 Therefore, now, having fought the lion and the bear, I know how to take care of Goliath. 00:35:17.880 --> 00:35:24.880 There is no fighting something bigger till you have already fought something smaller on a regular basis. 00:35:30.880 --> 00:35:38.880 But Jacob, you haven't called me. Why do you need an invitation? 00:35:51.880 --> 00:35:53.880 This is not an invitation, it's a command. 00:35:53.880 --> 00:35:58.880 I'm not putting you on the hot seat. I had to learn this way. 00:35:58.880 --> 00:36:03.880 Please remember that every time I say you, I really mean you, I don't mean us or me. 00:36:03.880 --> 00:36:10.880 I mean you. But every time I say you, please understand that I've gone over this three, four times thing, Jacob, what about you? 00:36:10.880 --> 00:36:16.880 So, yes, it may be offensive, but I'm asking you, what are you waiting for? Why do you need an invitation? 00:36:16.880 --> 00:36:20.880 It is a command given to every Christian. 00:36:20.880 --> 00:36:28.880 But we don't have time. Well, then, only do it in the time that you have, because there will be time during two weeks you'll have time. 00:36:28.880 --> 00:36:32.880 Guys, you won't believe this. Every week, you can ask Hades this. 00:36:32.880 --> 00:36:43.880 Every week there is someone either, usually outside Acts 29 or inside Acts 29, who needs to be freed from what the enemy is doing. 00:36:43.880 --> 00:36:48.880 Every week, at least sometimes two incidents a week. 00:36:48.880 --> 00:36:53.880 How do you learn how to do this? By imitating, not mimicking. 00:36:53.880 --> 00:36:57.880 Mimicking is doing something someone else is doing without understanding. 00:36:57.880 --> 00:37:01.880 Imitating is doing something someone else is doing with understanding. 00:37:01.880 --> 00:37:04.880 That's the difference between mimicking and imitating. 00:37:04.880 --> 00:37:08.880 You can mimic somebody, but you can mimic somebody else. 00:37:09.880 --> 00:37:11.880 That's the difference between mimicking and imitating. 00:37:11.880 --> 00:37:19.880 You can mimic somebody. I mean, I used to mimic a guy who used to play the guitar, and that's why I only still play three chords. 00:37:19.880 --> 00:37:28.880 But there was a guy who started with me who imitated better guitarists, and they imitated by learning chords, by learning notes. 00:37:28.880 --> 00:37:30.880 Now they play the guitar so well. 00:37:30.880 --> 00:37:36.880 Well, I'm stuck with mimicking because I know G, C, D, and everything that I sing starts on that. 00:37:36.880 --> 00:37:41.880 Which is why half the time you guys can't sing, because it's very high, but you're stuck with it. 00:37:43.880 --> 00:37:51.880 The point is this. The only way you can learn to fight the enemy is by going with people who have been fighting with the enemy, 00:37:51.880 --> 00:37:56.880 so that you can learn what it looks like when the word is applied. 00:37:56.880 --> 00:38:00.880 It is not mimicking, it is imitating. 00:38:01.880 --> 00:38:12.880 Let me stop and give you a chance to challenge or ask questions, because I'm making statements that are pretty strong, so feel free. 00:38:14.880 --> 00:38:17.880 You can only go and fight if you've been going out and fighting. 00:38:17.880 --> 00:38:20.880 To fight is to take back what has been taken. 00:38:20.880 --> 00:38:27.880 To fight is to then reinforce and restore what has been harmed. 00:38:27.880 --> 00:38:30.880 And then the third part of fighting is to sentence a thief. 00:38:30.880 --> 00:38:33.880 There are three parts to fighting when it comes to the enemy. 00:38:33.880 --> 00:38:41.880 When you want to inflict losses, let's assume that the first part is to get her out of the enemy's clutches. 00:38:41.880 --> 00:38:45.880 The first part is to get her out of the enemy's clutches. 00:38:45.880 --> 00:38:48.880 She was taken, so I bring her back out of the enemy's clutches. 00:38:48.880 --> 00:38:53.880 Now that I brought her, the next thing is there are marks left by the enemy on her. 00:38:53.880 --> 00:38:56.880 There is a wound here, there is a bruise here. 00:38:56.880 --> 00:39:02.880 Now my intent is I've got to restore these wounds and bruises so that she doesn't even remember them. 00:39:03.880 --> 00:39:11.880 And having done this, the third part is sentencing the thief for having stolen. 00:39:11.880 --> 00:39:14.880 Psalm 149 talks about this. 00:39:14.880 --> 00:39:23.880 It says in Psalm 149 verses 5 to 8 that it is a privilege of the saints to have high praises in their mouth and a two-edged sword in their hands. 00:39:23.880 --> 00:39:31.880 To do what? To inflict upon the nobles and the kings the vengeance and the sentence of God. 00:39:31.880 --> 00:39:37.880 Psalm 149 talks about it. It's a warring psalm. It's a fascinating psalm. 00:39:37.880 --> 00:39:48.880 The thing is that even as we are talking about this, we have no idea of it because this is not where we normally dwell, think, live, meditate, strategize. 00:39:48.880 --> 00:39:51.880 But what if an entire church began to think like this? 00:39:51.880 --> 00:39:53.880 This is just part one of inflicting losses. 00:39:53.880 --> 00:39:58.880 I don't know how many parts there are to it, but there's more than one. 00:39:58.880 --> 00:40:00.880 Any questions? 00:40:08.880 --> 00:40:14.880 The third part is when you sentence a thief, when a thief is caught he pays double. 00:40:14.880 --> 00:40:16.880 When a thief is caught he pays seven times. 00:40:16.880 --> 00:40:23.880 So these are scriptures, one's from Leviticus and one's from, I don't remember where, Proverbs I think. 00:40:23.880 --> 00:40:30.880 So guys, let me move forward and then I'll be able to explain it. 00:40:37.880 --> 00:40:41.880 The greatest weapon we have against the enemy 00:40:41.880 --> 00:40:50.880 Words. 00:40:50.880 --> 00:40:56.880 Our greatest weapon against the devil is words. 00:40:56.880 --> 00:41:03.880 Greatest weapon against the devil is our words. 00:41:03.880 --> 00:41:16.880 And therefore everything in terms of rescuing, restoring, and sentencing the one who did harm happens through words. 00:41:16.880 --> 00:41:21.880 These words, however, have to have two things in them, three things in them. 00:41:21.880 --> 00:41:25.880 One, the word meaning the Bible and what it says. 00:41:25.880 --> 00:41:28.880 Two, faith. 00:41:28.880 --> 00:41:32.880 Three, the word of God. 00:41:32.880 --> 00:41:35.880 Three, authority. 00:41:41.880 --> 00:41:46.880 Leave any of these out and it doesn't work. 00:42:03.880 --> 00:42:07.880 Yeah, Isaiah 55, thank you. 00:42:11.880 --> 00:42:18.880 I'm going to say something again that is going to sound presumptuous but this might happen for the next few months guys. 00:42:18.880 --> 00:42:22.880 Imitate me in this guys, imitate me as I imitate Christ in this. 00:42:22.880 --> 00:42:27.880 I use words and I use them powerfully. 00:42:27.880 --> 00:42:35.880 I'm not talking about preaching, I'm talking about dealing with the enemy, dealing with faith, dealing with healing, dealing with the things of God, standing in nations, dealing with it. 00:42:35.880 --> 00:42:44.880 One of the things God has taught me is to use words, imitate me in this as I imitate Christ. 00:42:44.880 --> 00:42:47.880 It's our biggest weapon. 00:42:47.880 --> 00:42:52.880 God did this at the beginning when he created, he used words. 00:42:52.880 --> 00:42:54.880 And then he gave man the ability to do it too. 00:42:54.880 --> 00:43:00.880 The first thing he does with Adam is, hey I want you to go name the animals, use your words. 00:43:00.880 --> 00:43:08.880 Hey I want you to name this beautiful person I'm creating out of your rib, use your words. 00:43:08.880 --> 00:43:13.880 It's an age old thing. 00:43:13.880 --> 00:43:18.880 And so the words that we speak must contain three things, the word. 00:43:18.880 --> 00:43:22.880 And when I talk about the word there, it has two parts to it. 00:43:22.880 --> 00:43:32.880 The first part is Hebrews 412, which and Psalm 149, 5 or 6, let me just check. 00:43:32.880 --> 00:43:37.880 Psalm 149, what does it say? 6. 00:43:37.880 --> 00:43:39.880 Psalm 149, 6. 00:43:39.880 --> 00:43:42.880 In both these the word is called a two-edged sword. 00:43:42.880 --> 00:43:45.880 So one of the things we use is we simply use verses. 00:43:45.880 --> 00:43:47.880 We simply use verses. 00:43:47.880 --> 00:43:49.880 Like Jesus did. 00:43:49.880 --> 00:43:51.880 Like Jesus did. 00:43:52.880 --> 00:43:57.880 Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. 00:43:57.880 --> 00:44:00.880 You shall not test the Lord your God. 00:44:00.880 --> 00:44:02.880 He used words. 00:44:02.880 --> 00:44:11.880 In a face to face, hand to hand, close combat with Lucifer himself, he used words. 00:44:11.880 --> 00:44:13.880 He did not use power. 00:44:13.880 --> 00:44:15.880 He did not use miracles. 00:44:15.880 --> 00:44:17.880 He did not use angels. 00:44:17.880 --> 00:44:20.880 He did not use his position with God. 00:44:20.880 --> 00:44:22.880 He used words. 00:44:29.880 --> 00:44:36.880 So the word as in Hebrews 412, where it's a two-edged sword, it can cut, you can use scriptures. 00:44:36.880 --> 00:44:41.880 The second is the word as in strategies and examples. 00:44:41.880 --> 00:44:44.880 Strategies and examples. 00:44:44.880 --> 00:44:52.880 In 1 Corinthians 10 6 it says, we have told you these stories, Paul is saying, so that they might be examples to you. 00:44:52.880 --> 00:44:54.880 What do you mean strategies and examples? 00:44:54.880 --> 00:45:06.880 Where you are dealing with a situation and you remember how someone in the Bible used a certain method to bring about a certain change. 00:45:06.880 --> 00:45:12.880 And you take that story and use it as a strategy to undo things. 00:45:12.880 --> 00:45:16.880 Real life examples. 00:45:29.880 --> 00:45:31.880 Let me give you examples of both. 00:45:31.880 --> 00:45:34.880 Dano and I went to Bhutan. 00:45:35.880 --> 00:45:40.880 One of the things we did when we went to Bhutan is stand at the gates of Bhutan. 00:45:40.880 --> 00:45:44.880 Because it's a Buddhist kingdom that is opposed to Christianity. 00:45:44.880 --> 00:45:47.880 Like I'm talking about violently opposed to Christianity. 00:45:51.880 --> 00:45:54.880 Some things need to be exposed. 00:45:54.880 --> 00:45:57.880 Religions that they say they are peaceful are usually not. 00:45:57.880 --> 00:45:59.880 They are violent. 00:46:00.880 --> 00:46:04.880 So it is this Buddhist kingdom in the northern Himalayas that is violent. 00:46:04.880 --> 00:46:06.880 I remember standing there with him. 00:46:06.880 --> 00:46:08.880 And this was done for the future. 00:46:08.880 --> 00:46:10.880 Again use words where you use scriptures. 00:46:10.880 --> 00:46:13.880 Open Psalm 24 and began to read. 00:46:13.880 --> 00:46:18.880 And Psalm 24 says, lift up you ancient gates. 00:46:18.880 --> 00:46:21.880 Be open you doors for the king of glory will come in. 00:46:21.880 --> 00:46:23.880 Who is the king of glory? 00:46:23.880 --> 00:46:26.880 The Lord strong and mighty in battle. 00:46:26.880 --> 00:46:29.880 And we prayed that. That was in 2009. 00:46:29.880 --> 00:46:34.880 I'm still waiting to see the church in Bahrain going to Bhutan. 00:46:34.880 --> 00:46:36.880 Because that's one of the lands given to them. 00:46:36.880 --> 00:46:40.880 To go and begin to claim what was spoken in 2009. 00:46:40.880 --> 00:46:41.880 And it will happen. 00:46:41.880 --> 00:46:47.880 Half the time I tell you things in advance so that when it happens you know that God was faithful. 00:46:47.880 --> 00:46:50.880 That's using scriptures straight off. 00:46:50.880 --> 00:46:53.880 Let me give you examples of using stories. 00:46:53.880 --> 00:46:56.880 This is a story that some of you have heard and many may not have. 00:46:56.880 --> 00:47:02.880 When I first came to Canada there was a time when my immigration papers were stuck in Vegreville, Alberta. 00:47:02.880 --> 00:47:07.880 I had three days left for the papers to come through. 00:47:07.880 --> 00:47:09.880 If not I would have to return to India. 00:47:09.880 --> 00:47:11.880 Two days left for the papers to come through. 00:47:11.880 --> 00:47:13.880 If not I would have to return to India. 00:47:13.880 --> 00:47:16.880 Sue and Joan and maybe Ruth remember this. 00:47:16.880 --> 00:47:22.880 Where there was this cell group that I used to be part of and I went and asked them to pray. 00:47:22.880 --> 00:47:26.880 And now there's one day left and I've got one day to either stay in Canada or go back. 00:47:26.880 --> 00:47:31.880 And I remember a guy called Roland Tan, his wife Margaret, came and said to me, 00:47:31.880 --> 00:47:33.880 Little foxes are spoiling your vine. 00:47:33.880 --> 00:47:34.880 That's all she said. 00:47:34.880 --> 00:47:36.880 Little foxes are spoiling your vine. 00:47:36.880 --> 00:47:38.880 It's a scripture from the Song of Songs. 00:47:38.880 --> 00:47:43.880 And so I started praying, oh God, these little foxes, chase them away and stuff like that. 00:47:43.880 --> 00:47:47.880 And then a friend came and said to me, why are you praying that way? 00:47:47.880 --> 00:47:49.880 How did Samson deal with the foxes? 00:47:49.880 --> 00:47:51.880 So I went and read the story of Samson. 00:47:51.880 --> 00:47:52.880 And here's what Samson did. 00:47:52.880 --> 00:47:54.880 Samson caught the foxes. 00:47:54.880 --> 00:47:56.880 He tied their tails together. 00:47:56.880 --> 00:48:01.880 He set their tails on fire and sent them back into the standing grain of the enemy. 00:48:01.880 --> 00:48:03.880 So the next morning I wake up. 00:48:03.880 --> 00:48:04.880 This is the last day. 00:48:04.880 --> 00:48:10.880 By that evening, if I don't get my papers, I have to leave Canada for India. 00:48:10.880 --> 00:48:12.880 And so I wake up in the morning and I pray this simple prayer. 00:48:12.880 --> 00:48:18.880 Father, these little foxes that are spoiling my vine, that's causing my papers to be stuck in Vegreville, Alberta. 00:48:18.880 --> 00:48:19.880 It's not being released. 00:48:19.880 --> 00:48:20.880 It's been months. 00:48:20.880 --> 00:48:21.880 I've done everything. 00:48:21.880 --> 00:48:22.880 It's not been released. 00:48:22.880 --> 00:48:25.880 I catch these little foxes right now, as Samson did. 00:48:25.880 --> 00:48:26.880 I tie their tails together. 00:48:26.880 --> 00:48:27.880 I set their tails on fire. 00:48:27.880 --> 00:48:30.880 And I send them back into the standing grain of the enemy. 00:48:30.880 --> 00:48:32.880 And I release my papers. 00:48:32.880 --> 00:48:37.880 At 8.20, I still remember the time because it was way too early for me. 00:48:37.880 --> 00:48:43.880 At 8.20, I get a call from Vegreville, Alberta saying, we just want you to know that 20 minutes ago, 00:48:43.880 --> 00:48:46.880 we released your papers and we're sending them by courier. 00:48:46.880 --> 00:48:48.880 And you should receive them by this evening. 00:48:48.880 --> 00:48:50.880 I'm just giving you one example. 00:48:50.880 --> 00:48:55.880 I can give you example upon example upon example of how you take stories from the Bible. 00:48:55.880 --> 00:48:59.880 And you realize that this is a strategy that can be unfurled. 00:48:59.880 --> 00:49:04.880 In Vietnam, Jason was there. 00:49:04.880 --> 00:49:07.880 Was there anyone else from here who came to Vietnam? 00:49:07.880 --> 00:49:08.880 No. 00:49:08.880 --> 00:49:09.880 Jason was there. 00:49:09.880 --> 00:49:12.880 When we first went to Hanoi, there's a river there. 00:49:12.880 --> 00:49:16.880 There's a river there that is treated as a holy river. 00:49:16.880 --> 00:49:19.880 In that river, there's a turtle that was 110 years old. 00:49:19.880 --> 00:49:21.880 And that turtle died. 00:49:21.880 --> 00:49:24.880 It was when the turtle died that I clearly heard God saying to, 00:49:24.880 --> 00:49:27.880 I don't know if you remember this, I even showed you the BBC photograph. 00:49:27.880 --> 00:49:33.880 Clearly God saying, it's time for a change of who rules Hanoi. 00:49:33.880 --> 00:49:36.880 And I remember praying that in church. 00:49:36.880 --> 00:49:37.880 Time for a change. 00:49:37.880 --> 00:49:44.880 This ancient king that has been, that is supposed to have ruled Hanoi for ages is now dead. 00:49:44.880 --> 00:49:45.880 Time for you to go in. 00:49:45.880 --> 00:49:47.880 You know the first thing we did when we went to Hanoi, 00:49:47.880 --> 00:49:50.880 and this is when people will think this is getting too super spiritual, too Pentecostal, 00:49:50.880 --> 00:49:54.880 hey, at the end of the day, the results should bear it out. 00:49:54.880 --> 00:49:58.880 The proof of the pudding is in the results. 00:49:58.880 --> 00:50:03.880 And if the results bear it out, you know that the action was not unwarranted. 00:50:03.880 --> 00:50:07.880 The first thing Jason and I did, along with Isaac, the guy who supplied us furniture, 00:50:07.880 --> 00:50:09.880 was go to this lake. 00:50:09.880 --> 00:50:12.880 And we did what Elijah did. 00:50:12.880 --> 00:50:14.880 And what did Elijah do? 00:50:14.880 --> 00:50:20.880 He heard that there was a lake that was causing barrenness and unproductivity in Jericho. 00:50:20.880 --> 00:50:23.880 So he takes a bowl and he takes salt in it. 00:50:23.880 --> 00:50:24.880 We went and bought a fresh bowl. 00:50:24.880 --> 00:50:27.880 It was a scary thing because there are cops surrounding the place, 00:50:27.880 --> 00:50:30.880 because Hanoi is not the easiest place to do these things in. 00:50:30.880 --> 00:50:34.880 And we go to this lake and we stand there and we take this new bowl with salt in it, 00:50:34.880 --> 00:50:37.880 and we sprinkle it in the river, and then we started prophesying over that city. 00:50:37.880 --> 00:50:39.880 That was our first visit to Hanoi. 00:50:39.880 --> 00:50:41.880 After that, you know what has happened. 00:50:41.880 --> 00:50:42.880 You've seen the pictures. 00:50:42.880 --> 00:50:45.880 I mean, you don't remember the pictures, but I look at these pictures on my camera every day. 00:50:45.880 --> 00:50:47.880 It fascinates me. 00:50:47.880 --> 00:50:50.880 You were there when we went and taught in that narrow room. 00:50:55.880 --> 00:51:00.880 Guys, stories can be used as strategy and examples. 00:51:00.880 --> 00:51:04.880 And verses can be used as a sword to cut us under. 00:51:04.880 --> 00:51:06.880 That is part one. 00:51:06.880 --> 00:51:07.880 The second part is faith. 00:51:07.880 --> 00:51:09.880 Faith is your ability. 00:51:09.880 --> 00:51:13.880 Faith is your understanding of knowing what God can do because you trust him. 00:51:13.880 --> 00:51:14.880 Authority is different. 00:51:14.880 --> 00:51:23.880 Authority is what you think can happen through you because God has given you or delegated to you that ability. 00:51:23.880 --> 00:51:31.880 When these three things combine, now you begin to inflict loss upon the enemy. 00:51:31.880 --> 00:51:34.880 Otherwise, all we are doing is doing what the Red Cross does. 00:51:34.880 --> 00:51:41.880 Put people on stretchers, bring them out of the battlefield, help them get raptured or die under sedatives. 00:51:49.880 --> 00:51:51.880 We've got to break out of our dullness, eh? 00:51:55.880 --> 00:51:57.880 We do not think militarily. 00:51:58.880 --> 00:52:00.880 It's not in our way of thinking. 00:52:05.880 --> 00:52:11.880 So my question, and so Sue's question was sentencing the thief. 00:52:14.880 --> 00:52:20.880 I don't think there's ever a time you should go into any nation, into any city, without praying that, 00:52:20.880 --> 00:52:26.880 Father, as I enter the city, I enter the city as an emissary of yours, and that I will plunder the enemy. 00:52:26.880 --> 00:52:33.880 And here are the sentences or the things that I pronounce on him based on either what you've shown me or based on your word. 00:52:35.880 --> 00:52:37.880 And you begin to speak it. 00:52:37.880 --> 00:52:40.880 Be it Mongolia, be it New York City, be it Vancouver. 00:52:42.880 --> 00:52:43.880 Make it a point. 00:52:44.880 --> 00:52:48.880 And you may think, so what's the big deal? You think a prayer like that will work? 00:52:48.880 --> 00:52:52.880 Guys, the only weapon you have is words. 00:52:52.880 --> 00:52:53.880 Nothing else. 00:52:55.880 --> 00:52:58.880 Nothing else. You don't have anything but words. 00:52:59.880 --> 00:53:06.880 The blood of Jesus that was shed on the cross does not help if you don't put it in words. 00:53:06.880 --> 00:53:14.880 The scriptures that Jesus has given us in the Bible does not help deal with the enemy unless you put it in audible words. 00:53:14.880 --> 00:53:16.880 Audible words. 00:53:17.880 --> 00:53:19.880 It cannot be prayers said in our mind. 00:53:19.880 --> 00:53:21.880 It has to be audible words. 00:53:23.880 --> 00:53:25.880 If you can hear it, the devil can hear it. 00:53:25.880 --> 00:53:28.880 So you have to be loud enough to be legible to yourself. 00:53:29.880 --> 00:53:30.880 That's all. 00:53:34.880 --> 00:53:37.880 And combine it with faith, knowing that it will happen. 00:53:37.880 --> 00:53:47.880 And then combine with authority, as in your understanding that even though the devil hasn't lost his power, you have authority over him because he lost his authority. 00:53:55.880 --> 00:54:01.880 So here's the questions that I have to ask yourself. 00:54:01.880 --> 00:54:03.880 That's a nice way of putting it. 00:54:03.880 --> 00:54:05.880 Here are the questions I have to ask yourself. 00:54:05.880 --> 00:54:07.880 So that includes all of us. 00:54:11.880 --> 00:54:16.880 Have I rescued lambs out of the mouth of lions and bears in the last six months? 00:54:17.880 --> 00:54:19.880 Did I smite the lion when he arose? 00:54:20.880 --> 00:54:26.880 Have I rescued lambs out of the mouth of lions and bears in the last six months? 00:54:33.880 --> 00:54:37.880 Can these lambs tell stories about how you rescued them? 00:54:41.880 --> 00:54:44.880 And if the answer is no, praise God, 00:54:44.880 --> 00:54:54.880 this time that is coming is going to be a time where you can begin to engage in this, learn it, imitate, begin to walk in this. 00:54:54.880 --> 00:54:58.880 Not in prayer lines here, but beyond this. 00:54:59.880 --> 00:55:00.880 This is easy. 00:55:08.880 --> 00:55:09.880 Another question. 00:55:11.880 --> 00:55:12.880 Don't you love this? 00:55:12.880 --> 00:55:13.880 Don't you love this? 00:55:13.880 --> 00:55:16.880 Don't you love what David wrote in Psalm 23? 00:55:16.880 --> 00:55:18.880 You prepare a table for me where? 00:55:26.880 --> 00:55:29.880 It's God's favorite place to set up tables for his children. 00:55:30.880 --> 00:55:31.880 Not in the safety of a church, 00:55:34.880 --> 00:55:35.880 but in the presence of my enemies. 00:55:35.880 --> 00:55:37.880 That's where I will set up a table for you. 00:55:37.880 --> 00:55:38.880 Means two things guys. 00:55:39.880 --> 00:55:44.880 You know, in Judges chapter 1 verses 1 to 7, it talks about a king called Adoni Zedak. 00:55:45.880 --> 00:55:47.880 And so here's what Adoni Zedak used to do. 00:55:48.880 --> 00:55:51.880 He used to catch people and if they did harm, he would cut their thumbs off. 00:55:52.880 --> 00:55:56.880 He did that to 70 kings, cut their thumbs off and their toes off. 00:55:56.880 --> 00:56:02.880 Finally, in Judges chapter 1, God says, Hey Judah, the tribe of Judah, and Judah arises. 00:56:02.880 --> 00:56:04.880 I want you to go first. 00:56:04.880 --> 00:56:05.880 And battle. 00:56:05.880 --> 00:56:07.880 So Judah is at the forefront and he goes to battle. 00:56:07.880 --> 00:56:10.880 And before Judah goes to battle, Judah turns to the tribe of Simeon and says, 00:56:10.880 --> 00:56:12.880 Hey Simeon, you want to go with us? 00:56:12.880 --> 00:56:14.880 And Simeon says, Yes, they both go and battle. 00:56:14.880 --> 00:56:16.880 They catch Adoni Zedak. 00:56:17.880 --> 00:56:19.880 And they bring Adoni Zedak and you know what they do to him? 00:56:19.880 --> 00:56:20.880 Cut off his thumbs and toes. 00:56:22.880 --> 00:56:30.880 And Adoni Zedak says this, I have done this to 70 kings and I had them eating the scraps under my table. 00:56:30.880 --> 00:56:32.880 But now I have to go and battle. 00:56:32.880 --> 00:56:36.880 I have eaten the scraps under my table, but now it is being done to me. 00:56:36.880 --> 00:56:38.880 The point of this whole story is this. 00:56:38.880 --> 00:56:42.880 When God says, I prepare a table for you in the presence of my enemies, 00:56:42.880 --> 00:56:46.880 what he means is, I will situate you in a place where if you want to, 00:56:46.880 --> 00:56:48.880 you can inflict loss upon the enemy. 00:56:48.880 --> 00:56:51.880 Cut off his thumbs and his toes and have him eat the scraps off your table. 00:56:51.880 --> 00:56:52.880 That's one side of it. 00:56:52.880 --> 00:56:56.880 The second side of it is what Lot did. 00:56:56.880 --> 00:56:58.880 Where there were angels that came into Sodom. 00:56:58.880 --> 00:57:01.880 And they were disguised as men. 00:57:01.880 --> 00:57:06.880 And the men of Sodom started planning to do them harm. 00:57:06.880 --> 00:57:08.880 What did Lot do? 00:57:08.880 --> 00:57:11.880 He called them and he seated them around his table. 00:57:11.880 --> 00:57:16.880 And he said, I would rather that you be safe even if my daughters were harmed. 00:57:17.880 --> 00:57:18.880 What was the point? 00:57:18.880 --> 00:57:20.880 The point is, God wants us to do two things. 00:57:20.880 --> 00:57:27.880 One, make the enemy eat the scraps off your table because I want to set a table where you and I can meet. 00:57:27.880 --> 00:57:32.880 But in the presence of your enemies, because Jacob, I came to destroy the works of this devil. 00:57:32.880 --> 00:57:37.880 I came, as I said in Isaiah 49, to say to those in darkness, come out into the light. 00:57:37.880 --> 00:57:38.880 It is safe. 00:57:38.880 --> 00:57:40.880 I came to set the captive free. 00:57:40.880 --> 00:57:42.880 I came to say to prisoners, come out. 00:57:42.880 --> 00:57:43.880 You are free. 00:57:43.880 --> 00:57:44.880 You are OK. 00:57:44.880 --> 00:57:45.880 Go. 00:57:45.880 --> 00:57:46.880 This is what I came for. 00:57:46.880 --> 00:57:51.880 I want to set up a banqueting table for you, Acts 29, in the presence of my enemies, 00:57:51.880 --> 00:57:54.880 not in some safe enclosure where you sing hallelujah. 00:57:54.880 --> 00:57:55.880 Nothing wrong with that. 00:57:55.880 --> 00:57:56.880 I like that too. 00:57:56.880 --> 00:58:00.880 But in the presence of my enemies so that they will eat the scraps off your table. 00:58:00.880 --> 00:58:07.880 Plus, the ones you rescue will sit around your table and you will offer them, guarantee them protective hospitality, 00:58:07.880 --> 00:58:12.880 saying before you are harmed, they'll have to harm me because that's exactly what my son did. 00:58:12.880 --> 00:58:17.880 He hung on the cross and he said, before you touch Jacob, you'll have to touch me. 00:58:17.880 --> 00:58:19.880 And then he rises up again. 00:58:19.880 --> 00:58:21.880 This is the kind of God we are called to serve. 00:58:21.880 --> 00:58:23.880 Isn't this God worth serving? 00:58:23.880 --> 00:58:24.880 Isn't this God worth serving? 00:58:24.880 --> 00:58:25.880 Isn't this God worth serving? 00:58:25.880 --> 00:58:27.880 Is there not a cause? 00:58:29.880 --> 00:58:32.880 This is what I mean by raging. 00:58:32.880 --> 00:58:37.880 And may this not fizzle out by the time we reach home. 00:58:37.880 --> 00:58:45.880 May this break through the dullness of our flesh and of our mind and of the idol that we worship at Acts 29 called self. 00:58:48.880 --> 00:58:50.880 That idol must be cut down. 00:58:51.880 --> 00:58:59.880 Because it will oppose everything we want to do and everything God is planning to do. 00:58:59.880 --> 00:59:00.880 The idol of self. 00:59:00.880 --> 00:59:02.880 We'll talk about that. 00:59:08.880 --> 00:59:09.880 We'll stop here. 00:59:09.880 --> 00:59:16.880 We learned what I wanted to finish today, which we will stop now. 00:59:16.880 --> 00:59:21.880 What I wanted to finish today was how do we correctly wield the sword of the spirit? 00:59:21.880 --> 00:59:24.880 Who do we not learn from? 00:59:24.880 --> 00:59:26.880 Who do we learn from? 00:59:26.880 --> 00:59:30.880 How do we prove ourselves as men? 00:59:30.880 --> 00:59:33.880 Or I'm just including you women too. 00:59:33.880 --> 00:59:34.880 From boys to men. 00:59:34.880 --> 00:59:36.880 How do we prove ourselves as men? 00:59:38.880 --> 00:59:44.880 What are the other things that we can have to be able to inflict loss upon the enemy? 00:59:44.880 --> 00:59:46.880 We'll talk about that next time. 00:59:47.880 --> 00:59:49.880 We'll talk about that next time. 00:59:49.880 --> 00:59:57.880 But remember this guys, the rampant worship of the idol of self has blunted the battle acts of my life. 00:59:57.880 --> 01:00:06.880 The rampant worship of self has blunted the acts of my life. 01:00:06.880 --> 01:00:12.880 In Jeremiah 50 verse 19, God turns and he's saying this to Cyrus, but you can take it for the church. 01:00:12.880 --> 01:00:13.880 The church. 01:00:13.880 --> 01:00:26.880 God says in Jeremiah 51 or 50, Jeremiah 51 verse 20, he says, you are my battle acts. 01:00:26.880 --> 01:00:27.880 And that's what he wants to say to us. 01:00:27.880 --> 01:00:31.880 Guys, you are my battle acts with you. 01:00:31.880 --> 01:00:35.880 I will continue and complete what I plan to do. 01:00:37.880 --> 01:00:40.880 You are my battle acts to inflict loss upon the enemy. 01:00:41.880 --> 01:00:44.880 Jeremiah 51 verse 20, two zero. 01:00:44.880 --> 01:00:50.880 Five one, Jeremiah five one, verse 20, two zero. 01:00:51.880 --> 01:00:58.880 But the problem is the battle acts of our lives have been blunted by this idol called self. 01:01:01.880 --> 01:01:06.880 Looking forward to pulling that down, pulling that idol down in our lives. 01:01:06.880 --> 01:01:09.880 It has no business sharing space with Christ. 01:01:13.880 --> 01:01:14.880 Questions? 01:01:17.880 --> 01:01:19.880 Any questions guys? 01:01:23.880 --> 01:01:26.880 Come on, someone step up for Nick and Diana. 01:01:29.880 --> 01:01:31.880 Any questions, any thoughts you want to add? 01:01:36.880 --> 01:01:38.880 Maybe I should say something. 01:01:40.880 --> 01:01:50.880 If the government just wants to be sure of what kind of a body we have, we should read Joe 58 there. 01:01:52.880 --> 01:01:54.880 You probably mean 38. 01:01:55.880 --> 01:01:56.880 38, 38. 01:01:57.880 --> 01:01:58.880 38, 38. 01:02:00.880 --> 01:02:01.880 38. 01:02:03.880 --> 01:02:04.880 Yeah. 01:02:04.880 --> 01:02:07.880 So, any questions guys? 01:02:09.880 --> 01:02:11.880 Okay, let's pray.