WEBVTT NOTE Podcast: Acts 29 Vancouver Episode: The Spirit of Absalom Publishing Date: 2024-05-05T06:00:44-07:00 Podcast URL: https://acts29.ca Episode URL: https://acts29.ca/the-spirit-of-absalom/ 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:17.380 So I want to start something called the Spirit of and the Bible deals with it sometimes in 00:00:17.380 --> 00:00:19.760 Jude 111 for instance. 00:00:19.760 --> 00:00:27.300 In Jude 111 if you look at it they use examples from the Old Testament to tell us what to 00:00:27.300 --> 00:00:29.240 avoid. 00:00:29.240 --> 00:00:34.640 And so we want to go down that road over the next two or three weeks to make sure that 00:00:34.640 --> 00:00:36.840 we avoid things we need to avoid. 00:00:36.840 --> 00:00:39.680 So for instance in Jude 111 it says, 00:00:39.680 --> 00:00:40.880 Woe to them! 00:00:40.880 --> 00:00:44.760 They have taken on the way of Cain. 00:00:44.760 --> 00:00:48.280 They've rushed for profit into Balaam's era. 00:00:48.280 --> 00:00:51.520 They've been destroyed in Korah's rebellion. 00:00:51.520 --> 00:00:57.600 So then there are instances like that where God says, listen, don't walk the way of Cain. 00:00:57.600 --> 00:00:59.180 Don't walk the way of Balaam. 00:00:59.180 --> 00:01:01.060 Don't walk the way of Korah. 00:01:01.060 --> 00:01:06.480 And so when we use the word in the Spirit of, if you go to 2 Kings 2.15 it's used both 00:01:06.480 --> 00:01:11.180 in the positive and in the negative sense. 00:01:11.180 --> 00:01:18.340 In the positive sense you find 2 Kings 2.15 it says that Elisha began to walk in the Spirit 00:01:18.340 --> 00:01:20.620 of Elijah. 00:01:20.620 --> 00:01:28.460 And then when you go to Luke 1.17 it explains what God means when he says, in the Spirit 00:01:28.460 --> 00:01:29.460 of. 00:01:29.460 --> 00:01:32.540 So that's the title for the next few messages. 00:01:32.540 --> 00:01:33.540 In the Spirit of. 00:01:33.540 --> 00:01:40.780 In Luke 1.17 it says, when God says in the Spirit of something he means in the nature 00:01:40.780 --> 00:01:47.220 and the power of. 00:01:47.220 --> 00:01:52.300 So today we're not talking about, we will one day talk about the Spirit of Elijah. 00:01:52.300 --> 00:02:00.720 But today I want to talk about the Spirit of Absalom. 00:02:00.720 --> 00:02:05.140 And so before we talk about the Spirit of Absalom we need to understand that this is 00:02:05.140 --> 00:02:13.700 not the name of an evil spirit. 00:02:13.700 --> 00:02:26.780 What we're trying to say is that it is either a personality often preyed on by a spirit, 00:02:26.780 --> 00:02:30.820 preyed on by a spirit. 00:02:30.820 --> 00:02:32.540 And what does that look like? 00:02:32.540 --> 00:02:41.700 When we say the Spirit of Absalom what we're talking about is the nature and the work of 00:02:41.700 --> 00:02:43.580 this spirit. 00:02:43.580 --> 00:02:45.100 The nature and the work of this spirit. 00:02:45.100 --> 00:02:46.380 What does that look like? 00:02:46.380 --> 00:02:47.380 How do I avoid it? 00:02:47.380 --> 00:02:52.580 Because the strange thing is as I was going through it I've been preyed to it. 00:02:52.580 --> 00:02:54.540 I've fallen prey to it. 00:02:54.540 --> 00:03:00.580 I've behaved like Absalom not once, more than once. 00:03:00.580 --> 00:03:07.500 And so to be aware of it then prevents us from behaving the way we should not behave. 00:03:07.500 --> 00:03:11.420 It prevents us from going down that route. 00:03:11.420 --> 00:03:19.500 So when you read 2 Samuel chapter 13 to 18 you'll find the life of Absalom. 00:03:19.500 --> 00:03:31.780 Absalom was David's son and he was born of David and Bathsheba, right? 00:03:31.780 --> 00:03:38.580 And in five chapters he goes from being David's favorite son to his death. 00:03:38.700 --> 00:03:42.700 So what does it look like when we talk about the Spirit of Absalom? 00:03:42.700 --> 00:03:47.660 Maybe we'll deal, most likely we'll deal next week with Korah, Cain and Balaam. 00:03:47.660 --> 00:03:51.380 We have dealt with Jezebel in the past so we might not talk about that. 00:03:51.380 --> 00:03:55.780 And we'll end on a high note with the Spirit of Elijah. 00:03:55.780 --> 00:04:00.500 So go through it so that we know what to avoid. 00:04:00.500 --> 00:04:05.580 And so as we talk about this just be careful of two or three things. 00:04:06.580 --> 00:04:11.980 When a pastor or a leader preaches this it almost feels like it's self-serving. 00:04:11.980 --> 00:04:21.180 It's almost like, okay, is he calling us Absaloms and is he trying to solidify his position and quell down any questions? 00:04:21.180 --> 00:04:25.140 You've got to try and avoid thinking like that because that's not the intent. 00:04:25.140 --> 00:04:27.300 So that's the first thing. 00:04:27.300 --> 00:04:32.780 That it is not self-serving. 00:04:32.980 --> 00:04:36.780 It is guarding the church. 00:04:36.780 --> 00:04:42.980 And that for sure is the responsibility of leaders and definitely my responsibility. 00:04:42.980 --> 00:04:43.980 So that's the intent. 00:04:43.980 --> 00:04:48.980 Second, it is easy to feel guilty and condemned. 00:04:48.980 --> 00:04:55.180 It is easy to feel guilty or condemned. 00:04:55.180 --> 00:05:00.580 Because maybe you have walked this way as I have. 00:05:00.580 --> 00:05:05.180 I'll give you real examples of how I walked this way and the harm I did. 00:05:05.180 --> 00:05:09.780 Not in the distant past but some years ago. 00:05:09.780 --> 00:05:14.580 How it harmed other people who were in authority because they walked this way. 00:05:14.580 --> 00:05:20.380 So sometimes it's easy to feel guilty or condemned as you hear this teaching because did I do that? 00:05:20.380 --> 00:05:28.180 Maybe try to avoid guilt and condemnation because that isn't the intent of the Spirit. 00:05:28.180 --> 00:05:31.180 You know then that it's not coming from the Spirit of God. 00:05:31.180 --> 00:05:33.580 It's coming from our own struggles. 00:05:33.580 --> 00:05:38.380 Or perhaps if I preach it a certain way it might make you feel guilty and condemnation. 00:05:38.380 --> 00:05:41.780 So one of the things I've been asking the Lord is as you go through this series Father, 00:05:41.780 --> 00:05:44.180 can you make me a compassionate plumb line? 00:05:44.180 --> 00:05:48.780 A compassionate plumb line where you hold a plumb line so that the wall is straight. 00:05:48.780 --> 00:05:53.780 But you're compassionate with it so that it doesn't condemn if the wall is crooked. 00:05:53.780 --> 00:05:56.380 And I've asked some others to pray for me and they are. 00:05:56.380 --> 00:05:57.780 So that it doesn't come out wrong. 00:05:57.780 --> 00:06:04.980 And the third thing is as we go about this, yes, I have fallen prey to this. 00:06:04.980 --> 00:06:09.380 And so maybe it is more common in experience than we think. 00:06:09.380 --> 00:06:11.380 I've fallen prey to this. 00:06:11.380 --> 00:06:17.780 And so I know what it feels like to operate in the nature and the work of the Spirit. 00:06:17.780 --> 00:06:23.780 And the last thing is in talking about this we are able to achieve a few ends. 00:06:23.780 --> 00:06:34.380 One, it exposes the Spirit which pretends to be helpful but is actually harmful. 00:06:34.380 --> 00:06:40.380 So it exposes the counterfeit. 00:06:40.380 --> 00:06:43.580 Then I love it when these kids begin to sing. 00:06:43.580 --> 00:06:49.380 Second, it smart waters the Spirit. 00:06:49.380 --> 00:06:52.980 And I know that's a term that needs to be explained. 00:06:52.980 --> 00:06:57.580 The currency notes, if you steal them from a bank, they have a smart water dye on it. 00:06:57.580 --> 00:07:00.980 You steal it and you open the pack and it just sprays that dye. 00:07:00.980 --> 00:07:02.780 It's an invisible dye. 00:07:02.780 --> 00:07:09.580 But the cops can catch it because it shows on your fingers and it shows on your currency 00:07:09.580 --> 00:07:11.980 note whenever it's stolen because it explodes. 00:07:11.980 --> 00:07:13.980 And it's invisible but it is a dye. 00:07:13.980 --> 00:07:15.580 It's called the smart water dye. 00:07:15.580 --> 00:07:17.980 So by talking about this, we smart water the Spirit. 00:07:17.980 --> 00:07:22.180 As in it doesn't matter how much it tries to hide, it'll be exposed. 00:07:22.180 --> 00:07:28.380 And thirdly, we safeguard the church from harm. 00:07:28.380 --> 00:07:36.580 We safeguard the church from harm. 00:07:36.580 --> 00:07:38.780 Those are the intents. 00:07:38.780 --> 00:07:45.980 And so even when we continue with Cora, Balaam and Cain next week, that would be the intent. 00:07:45.980 --> 00:07:46.980 Any questions? 00:07:53.180 --> 00:07:54.780 Any questions? 00:07:54.780 --> 00:07:58.580 Cool. 00:07:58.580 --> 00:08:02.180 So how do absolums end up happening? 00:08:02.180 --> 00:08:07.180 One of the ways absolums end up happening, based just on our reading of the chapters 00:08:07.180 --> 00:08:09.780 in the Old Testament, you can raise absolums. 00:08:09.780 --> 00:08:14.180 Hey, if that other mic is working, please send it my way. 00:08:14.180 --> 00:08:16.380 I prefer moving around. 00:08:16.380 --> 00:08:24.980 You can raise absolums by not dealing with the issues they are struggling with. 00:08:24.980 --> 00:08:32.980 Not dealing with issues they are struggling with. 00:08:32.980 --> 00:08:38.980 Let's go over the absolum story because I just assumed that all of us know the story. 00:08:38.980 --> 00:08:43.380 So absolum was David and Bathsheba's son. 00:08:43.380 --> 00:08:46.780 After the first child died, absolum was David and Bathsheba's son. 00:08:46.780 --> 00:08:48.980 David absolutely loved absolum. 00:08:48.980 --> 00:08:52.780 He had an older son, the oldest, who was supposed to inherit the throne. 00:08:52.780 --> 00:08:55.380 His name was Amnon. 00:08:55.380 --> 00:09:01.980 Amnon lusts after his half-sister, Tamar. 00:09:01.980 --> 00:09:06.180 Tamar refuses his advances, says, this is a really bad idea. 00:09:06.180 --> 00:09:06.980 I'm your half-sister. 00:09:06.980 --> 00:09:08.380 He doesn't listen. 00:09:08.380 --> 00:09:10.580 He rapes her. 00:09:10.580 --> 00:09:15.780 And so now Tamar's life is destroyed because she'll never be able to marry again. 00:09:15.780 --> 00:09:18.380 People will know what has happened. 00:09:18.380 --> 00:09:26.780 Amnon, once he sleeps with her, just is so disgusted with her that he throws her out. 00:09:26.780 --> 00:09:32.380 She may be Amnon's half-sister, but she's absolum's sister. 00:09:32.380 --> 00:09:36.380 Absalom is enraged, but he keeps the rage down. 00:09:36.380 --> 00:09:40.380 His intent is, how do I avenge this? 00:09:40.380 --> 00:09:41.580 David knows about it. 00:09:41.580 --> 00:09:45.380 David doesn't do anything. 00:09:45.380 --> 00:09:49.380 He should have done something with absolum, but he didn't. 00:09:49.380 --> 00:09:51.980 Absalom flees because he knows he's in danger. 00:09:51.980 --> 00:10:00.580 He flees and David's heart longs for him, but David does not do anything. 00:10:00.580 --> 00:10:02.780 He kills Amnon and that's why he flees. 00:10:02.780 --> 00:10:05.980 He gets Amnon into a party and then kills him. 00:10:05.980 --> 00:10:08.180 And absolum flees. 00:10:08.180 --> 00:10:09.980 David knows where he is three years later. 00:10:09.980 --> 00:10:16.780 The Joab the general goes and gets him back into the king's palace, but David refuses to see him. 00:10:16.780 --> 00:10:22.780 Sometimes absolums are formed because David refused to deal with their issues and struggles. 00:10:22.780 --> 00:10:23.780 Sometimes. 00:10:23.780 --> 00:10:29.980 Not all absolums are like that, but sometimes absolums are formed because David refuses to. 00:10:29.980 --> 00:10:34.180 Absalom then begins to do, in 2 Samuel 15, let's read that. 00:10:34.180 --> 00:10:38.580 You'll get an idea of what this spirit is like and how it operates through people. 00:10:38.580 --> 00:10:40.380 And when it operates, what does it look like? 00:10:40.380 --> 00:10:41.080 You'll get an idea. 00:10:41.080 --> 00:10:45.580 Second Samuel 5, sorry, 2 Samuel 15, 15. 00:10:45.580 --> 00:10:47.980 Once you read that, we'll get an idea. 00:10:47.980 --> 00:10:58.980 Absalom does come back to Jerusalem, but now his conspiracy and plot begins to unfold and he turns against David. 00:10:58.980 --> 00:11:06.980 So 2 Samuel 15. 00:11:06.980 --> 00:11:08.380 Starting at verse 1. 00:11:08.380 --> 00:11:16.480 In the course of time, absolum provided himself with a chariot and horses and with 50 men to run ahead of him. 00:11:16.480 --> 00:11:21.280 He would get up early, stand by the side of the road, leading to the city gate. 00:11:21.280 --> 00:11:28.380 Whenever anyone came in with a complaint to be placed before the king for a decision, absolum would call out to him. 00:11:28.380 --> 00:11:30.280 What town are you from? 00:11:30.280 --> 00:11:31.480 He would answer. 00:11:31.480 --> 00:11:33.880 Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel. 00:11:33.980 --> 00:11:41.980 Then absolum would say to him, look, your claims are valid and proper, but there is no representative of the king to hear you. 00:11:41.980 --> 00:11:52.680 And absolum would add, if only I were appointed judge in this land, then everyone who has a complaint or case could come to me and I would see that he gets justice. 00:11:52.680 --> 00:12:00.280 Also, whenever anyone approached him to bow down before him, absolum would reach out his hand, take hold of him and kiss him. 00:12:00.380 --> 00:12:09.280 Absalom behaved in the way towards all Israelites who came to the king asking for justice and he stole the hearts of the men of Israel. 00:12:09.280 --> 00:12:16.380 At the end of four years, absolum said to the king, let me go to Hebron and fulfill a vow that I made to the Lord. 00:12:16.380 --> 00:12:20.580 While your servant was living at Geshur in Aram, I made this vow. 00:12:20.580 --> 00:12:23.980 If the Lord takes me back to Jerusalem, I'll worship the Lord in Hebron. 00:12:23.980 --> 00:12:25.780 The king said to him, go in peace. 00:12:25.780 --> 00:12:27.680 So he went to Hebron. 00:12:27.680 --> 00:12:36.480 And absolum sent secret messengers throughout the tribes of Israel to say, as soon as you hear the sound of the trumpets, then say, absolum is king in Hebron. 00:12:36.480 --> 00:12:40.380 200 men from Jerusalem had accompanied absolum. 00:12:40.380 --> 00:12:45.680 They had been invited as guests and they went quite innocently, knowing nothing about the matter. 00:12:45.680 --> 00:12:54.780 While absolum was offering sacrifices, he also sent for Ahithophel, the Gileonite, David's counselor, to come from Gilo to his hometown. 00:12:54.780 --> 00:13:01.380 And so the conspiracy gained strength and absolum's following kept on increasing to a point where David had to flee. 00:13:01.380 --> 00:13:05.480 And then absolum goes and sleeps with David's concubines. 00:13:05.480 --> 00:13:07.080 And then David flees. 00:13:07.080 --> 00:13:12.280 And in the end, the result is violent because the spirit is violent. 00:13:12.280 --> 00:13:13.980 The spirit of absolum is violent. 00:13:13.980 --> 00:13:14.880 His death is violent. 00:13:14.880 --> 00:13:17.080 We'll talk about that later. 00:13:17.080 --> 00:13:19.880 But this is what the story is about. 00:13:19.980 --> 00:13:25.380 And now that we know the story, let's go on with what we were talking about. 00:13:25.380 --> 00:13:29.080 So you can raise the absolums. 00:13:29.080 --> 00:13:33.680 You can raise the absolums by not dealing with the issue that they are struggling with. 00:13:33.680 --> 00:13:37.680 And it puts them off to the point where now they take things into their own hands. 00:13:37.680 --> 00:13:44.180 So sometimes absolums are the result of David's not doing what they're supposed to do. 00:13:44.180 --> 00:13:44.780 How do you make... 00:13:44.780 --> 00:13:47.580 Oh, there it goes. 00:13:47.580 --> 00:14:08.880 Second, sometimes if you don't discern the personality of people early, 00:14:08.980 --> 00:14:21.780 then you give them a platform and regret it later. 00:14:21.780 --> 00:14:33.680 And the third way absolums are formed is because we are supposed to love, 00:14:33.780 --> 00:14:41.580 we don't stop and correct. 00:14:41.580 --> 00:14:44.080 Jesus would pick figures from the Old Testament. 00:14:44.080 --> 00:14:45.280 Sure. 00:14:45.280 --> 00:14:47.680 Jesus would pick figures from the Old Testament. 00:14:47.680 --> 00:14:51.180 And in his letters to the church in Revelation, he would refer it that way. 00:14:51.180 --> 00:14:55.580 He would say, do not tolerate that woman, Jezebel. 00:14:55.580 --> 00:15:01.480 He wasn't talking about a woman named Jezebel because nobody names their daughter Jezebel. 00:15:01.480 --> 00:15:03.880 He was trying to make a connection. 00:15:03.880 --> 00:15:05.180 That's what we're trying to do here. 00:15:05.180 --> 00:15:15.680 We've got to make sure that we are safeguarding ourselves and the church from this spirit ever gaining a hold of any of us to do harm. 00:15:15.680 --> 00:15:19.580 Just as it used me to do harm to another pastor. 00:15:19.580 --> 00:15:21.180 Who knows I'm talking about this? 00:15:21.180 --> 00:15:24.880 I was actually praying for me. 00:15:24.880 --> 00:15:29.680 So that's where we're going with this. 00:15:29.680 --> 00:15:32.680 Thanks man. 00:15:32.680 --> 00:15:39.580 Between you and me while no one's listening, I really feel bad that the leafs lost here. 00:15:39.580 --> 00:15:52.480 Pray for you. 00:15:52.480 --> 00:15:54.480 The other struggle we have is... 00:16:22.480 --> 00:16:43.880 The other struggle is guys, because this is a spirit that is sometimes at work to divide churches, 00:16:44.880 --> 00:17:03.580 It works through personalities that are nice, friendly, lovable, popular, trustable, like I was. 00:17:03.580 --> 00:17:09.180 And so everyone loves Absalom. 00:17:09.180 --> 00:17:12.880 And so did David. 00:17:12.880 --> 00:17:15.680 So it's very hard to deal with this spirit. 00:17:15.680 --> 00:17:18.580 That's why we need to talk about it. 00:17:18.580 --> 00:17:20.180 So what are some of the characteristics? 00:17:20.180 --> 00:17:35.880 Any questions on that before we go on to the traits of Absalom? 00:17:35.880 --> 00:17:41.380 Any questions? 00:17:42.380 --> 00:17:44.880 So here are some of the traits of Absalom. 00:17:44.880 --> 00:17:55.880 Yeah. 00:17:55.880 --> 00:17:56.380 Yeah. 00:17:56.380 --> 00:18:03.780 Many times Absalom's are the result of David's not, or his father's not dealing with issues and struggles. 00:18:03.780 --> 00:18:08.580 And because they ignore it, either because they want to avoid it or they want to schmooze over it, 00:18:08.680 --> 00:18:19.480 it ends up producing people that didn't have to go down that route. 00:18:19.480 --> 00:18:20.180 Yeah. 00:18:20.180 --> 00:18:28.480 See, the strange thing about the story of David is what happens to him is a result of the prophecy that Nathan speaks over him saying, 00:18:28.480 --> 00:18:30.980 the sword will never leave your house. 00:18:30.980 --> 00:18:34.080 But what happens with Absalom is not because of the prophecy. 00:18:34.080 --> 00:18:35.980 Absalom makes his own choices. 00:18:35.980 --> 00:18:51.380 But it just so works in the tapestry of things that David now suffers an injustice that he had done to Uriah when he had Uriah killed so he could marry Bathsheba. 00:18:51.380 --> 00:18:57.380 If you don't know these stories, it's good to read 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel. 00:18:57.380 --> 00:19:01.280 It's about David and Saul and it's rich. 00:19:01.280 --> 00:19:06.280 It shows how people are and how God deals with things. 00:19:06.280 --> 00:19:07.280 Yeah. 00:19:07.280 --> 00:19:12.180 So here are some traits of Absalom. 00:19:12.180 --> 00:19:22.580 Absalom's don't trust authority. 00:19:22.680 --> 00:19:34.080 They don't think authority is competent. 00:19:34.080 --> 00:19:47.680 And there's a tendency to feel that they would handle it better. 00:19:47.680 --> 00:19:51.080 Perhaps they could. 00:19:51.180 --> 00:20:02.980 The crazy thing about being the manager of anything and you can ask the principal of a school or the manager of a company is that there are things that people can deal with much better than you. 00:20:02.980 --> 00:20:04.980 But there are these little things they can deal with. 00:20:04.980 --> 00:20:10.780 But when you deal with a whole table of things, there's a reason why managers are paid. 00:20:10.780 --> 00:20:14.480 Manager wages. 00:20:14.480 --> 00:20:19.580 So I might be able to deal with one of the things that the manager isn't doing well. 00:20:19.580 --> 00:20:21.380 That becomes my pet peeve. 00:20:21.380 --> 00:20:29.080 But if I were put in the same place, I would not know how to deal with the 43 other things he deals with. 00:20:29.080 --> 00:20:32.780 And so Absalom's and now we are coming back to the church. 00:20:32.780 --> 00:20:34.780 Absalom's don't trust authority. 00:20:34.780 --> 00:20:39.280 They don't think authority is competent and they feel that they would handle things better. 00:20:39.280 --> 00:20:41.980 Perhaps they would. 00:20:41.980 --> 00:20:43.680 There's another thing that happens with them. 00:20:43.680 --> 00:21:03.680 The topic they are most interested in at present is the topic that they think the church needs. 00:21:10.680 --> 00:21:13.380 I used to cause so much havoc for people. 00:21:13.380 --> 00:21:21.280 There was a time when the only thing I was obsessed with is we have to start something in downtown that helps the homeless and the drug addicts. 00:21:21.280 --> 00:21:30.280 Businessmen would call me to talk to them because I would seek opportunities to get businesses involved in setting up things on Hastings. 00:21:30.280 --> 00:21:36.380 They would call me and I would go with a whole set of scriptures that would rip strips of them saying, 00:21:36.380 --> 00:21:37.880 what are you guys doing your business for? 00:21:37.880 --> 00:21:41.180 You should be pumping all your money into Hastings and downtown. 00:21:41.180 --> 00:21:43.680 They would call me once. They would never call me after that. 00:21:43.680 --> 00:21:46.180 Why? 00:21:46.180 --> 00:21:47.980 For very obvious reasons. 00:21:47.980 --> 00:21:52.680 These were generous Christian businessmen who were putting money in so many different things. 00:21:52.680 --> 00:22:03.380 But in my spiel to them, it would be if you don't help the poor, then what good are you? 00:22:03.380 --> 00:22:06.280 And so what would happen then is they would never call me back. 00:22:06.280 --> 00:22:07.480 It never took off. Why? 00:22:07.480 --> 00:22:08.680 Because that was my pet thing. 00:22:08.680 --> 00:22:11.880 My pet thing was we need to do something for Hastings. 00:22:11.880 --> 00:22:27.780 And sometimes what happens is the topic that you are most interested in begins to become the topic that you think the entire church should now learn. 00:22:27.780 --> 00:22:32.080 The Absalom spirit, we just call it A.S. 00:22:32.180 --> 00:22:42.680 The Absalom spirit works against leadership, works against leadership. 00:22:42.680 --> 00:23:04.780 And shepherds who have for years been laying down their lives to build. 00:23:04.880 --> 00:23:13.180 The Absalom spirit works against leadership and shepherds who have for years been laying down their lives to build. 00:23:13.180 --> 00:23:14.980 To build a sheep. 00:23:15.080 --> 00:23:43.880 The spirit distorts, misrepresents, and tries to marginalize the influence of leaders amongst people by pulling what's called the Eden Deception. 00:23:44.880 --> 00:23:46.480 What's the Eden Deception? 00:23:46.480 --> 00:23:48.580 It's very simple. 00:23:48.580 --> 00:23:50.580 Did he really say that? 00:23:50.580 --> 00:23:51.780 Oh, that's not right. 00:23:51.780 --> 00:23:53.280 You know, but I don't want to criticize that. 00:23:53.280 --> 00:23:57.480 I don't want to say anything, but I'm surprised he said that. 00:23:57.480 --> 00:24:01.480 That's a blooming hook, man. 00:24:01.480 --> 00:24:06.980 That's done so often. 00:24:06.980 --> 00:24:07.980 It's called the Eden Deception. 00:24:07.980 --> 00:24:14.480 That's how Adam and Eve were hooked. 00:24:14.480 --> 00:24:22.280 So in that sense, Absalom is a master manipulator. 00:24:22.280 --> 00:24:26.880 There'll be statements like, you know, you're my friend. 00:24:26.880 --> 00:24:28.380 I want to spend quality time with you. 00:24:28.380 --> 00:24:29.880 I want to invest in you. 00:24:29.880 --> 00:24:34.080 Unlike others, maybe you're not getting the time you need, but I'll invest in you. 00:24:34.180 --> 00:24:36.180 Here's a fresh word for you. 00:24:36.180 --> 00:24:38.080 And the fresh word will be on the side. 00:24:38.080 --> 00:24:47.980 It'll never be corporately tested. 00:24:47.980 --> 00:24:56.680 It is self-exalting in the sense that it operates outside of permission. 00:24:56.680 --> 00:25:02.280 It operates outside of permission. 00:25:02.380 --> 00:25:10.780 It operates outside of permission, inside meetings. 00:25:10.780 --> 00:25:16.080 But it's disguised as Christian service. 00:25:16.080 --> 00:25:18.380 And it is actually Christian service. 00:25:18.380 --> 00:25:25.880 But the strange thing about Christian service is Christian service that is outside order is not Christian service, 00:25:25.880 --> 00:25:31.380 because your God is a God of order. 00:25:31.480 --> 00:25:34.880 So this is the difficult part about Christianity. 00:25:34.880 --> 00:25:40.080 It's not that what a person does is wrong. 00:25:40.080 --> 00:25:42.880 It might be righter than every other person in the church. 00:25:42.880 --> 00:25:49.180 But when it's not done in order, it is not Christian anymore. 00:25:49.180 --> 00:25:52.480 Any questions before we go on? 00:25:52.480 --> 00:25:54.680 I hate having been stuck here. 00:25:54.680 --> 00:25:55.680 Sorry, go ahead. 00:26:01.480 --> 00:26:05.680 No, we are saying that this is not the name of a spirit. 00:26:05.680 --> 00:26:10.880 We are saying that this is the nature and the work of a spirit. 00:26:10.880 --> 00:26:12.380 It operates through people. 00:26:12.380 --> 00:26:17.680 There is nothing in the Bible to say there's a spirit called the spirit of Absalom. 00:26:17.680 --> 00:26:20.180 Charismatics and Pentecostals can come up with that. 00:26:20.180 --> 00:26:24.780 But there is nothing like that. 00:26:24.780 --> 00:26:27.680 There is nothing called spirit of Jezebel, 00:26:27.680 --> 00:26:30.680 but there is a woman called Jezebel in the Old Testament 00:26:30.780 --> 00:26:31.880 and in the New Testament. 00:26:31.880 --> 00:26:34.380 Jesus refers to that woman Jezebel, 00:26:34.380 --> 00:26:39.980 meaning she is doing things in the nature of the old Jezebel. 00:26:39.980 --> 00:26:44.280 So when we talk about someone operating in the spirit of Absalom, 00:26:44.280 --> 00:26:49.780 what we are saying is that person is now taking on the nature of the Absalom in the Old Testament. 00:26:49.780 --> 00:26:52.180 And obviously what he's doing is ungodly. 00:26:52.180 --> 00:26:56.280 And if he is fueled by another spirit that makes him do it, 00:26:56.280 --> 00:26:59.680 that causes discord, strife, dissension, 00:26:59.680 --> 00:27:02.180 yeah, then it is another spirit operating. 00:27:02.180 --> 00:27:04.080 But it is because a person is behaving like that. 00:27:04.080 --> 00:27:07.980 It's in the nature of the work of the Absalom in the Old Testament. 00:27:07.980 --> 00:27:09.880 So that's why when you look at the book of Revelation, 00:27:09.880 --> 00:27:13.180 Jesus says do not tolerate that woman Jezebel. 00:27:13.180 --> 00:27:18.680 What he means is there is this woman who's behaving like the Jezebel in the Old Testament. 00:27:18.680 --> 00:27:19.680 Do not tolerate her. 00:27:30.680 --> 00:27:32.680 I can't hear you. Can you speak louder? 00:27:48.180 --> 00:27:49.180 Yeah. 00:27:52.180 --> 00:27:55.180 Yeah, so how God sees everything is like this. 00:27:57.180 --> 00:27:58.680 So this is the tunnel of time. 00:27:59.180 --> 00:28:03.180 He's able to say things because he knows what's going to happen here. 00:28:03.180 --> 00:28:06.180 But he doesn't make people do things to make that happen. 00:28:06.180 --> 00:28:09.680 It's in his foreknowledge that he speaks, not in predetermination. 00:28:10.680 --> 00:28:15.680 Because if it was in predetermination, then poor Judas, what hope did he have? 00:28:17.680 --> 00:28:20.680 Poor Ananias and Sapphira, what hope did they have? 00:28:21.680 --> 00:28:27.680 So it's not, he doesn't predetermine our evil actions because then he is not a holy God. 00:28:28.680 --> 00:28:31.680 Because he's literally taking us down a path of evil. 00:28:32.680 --> 00:28:35.180 But because in his foreknowledge he can say, 00:28:35.680 --> 00:28:39.680 therefore the prophetic word then comes to pass because he knows what's going to happen. 00:28:39.680 --> 00:28:41.180 But he doesn't predetermine it. 00:28:41.680 --> 00:28:46.180 So he's not manipulating Absalom to do something, but he knows Absalom will do it. 00:28:47.680 --> 00:28:48.680 Yeah. 00:28:51.680 --> 00:28:52.680 Any other questions? 00:28:52.680 --> 00:28:53.680 Okay. 00:28:57.680 --> 00:29:02.680 An Absalom spirit works at stealing the hearts of people, 00:29:02.680 --> 00:29:10.680 works at stealing the hearts of people that belong to the Lord. 00:29:10.680 --> 00:29:25.680 Works at stealing the hearts of people that belong to someone else's authority. 00:29:25.680 --> 00:29:33.680 And always remember, Absalom is not an external threat. 00:29:37.680 --> 00:29:39.680 It is internal. 00:29:41.680 --> 00:29:45.680 It's not something from the outside, it's inside. 00:29:45.680 --> 00:29:47.680 Absalom was David's son. 00:29:47.680 --> 00:29:50.680 He was within the spiritual realm. 00:29:50.680 --> 00:29:51.680 It's inside. 00:29:51.680 --> 00:29:53.680 Absalom was David's son. 00:29:53.680 --> 00:29:56.680 He was within the palace, within the family. 00:30:02.680 --> 00:30:03.680 The goal is, 00:30:06.680 --> 00:30:08.680 can I displace, 00:30:11.680 --> 00:30:16.680 can I displace and replace the one in authority? 00:30:21.680 --> 00:30:24.680 Can I displace and replace the one in authority? 00:30:25.680 --> 00:30:33.680 So Absalom will, and the strange thing is you can provide opportunities 00:30:36.680 --> 00:30:47.680 for Absalom to engage corporately, as in engage with the body at large. 00:30:48.680 --> 00:30:58.680 But even when opportunity comes, discontentment kicks in 00:31:00.680 --> 00:31:04.680 and therefore they can't function. 00:31:07.680 --> 00:31:11.680 Discontentment is so the heart of Absalom. 00:31:11.680 --> 00:31:15.680 If he loses his discontentment, he won't be able to function. 00:31:15.680 --> 00:31:17.680 He has to be discontent. 00:31:17.680 --> 00:31:20.680 You take away discontentment from Absalom? 00:31:20.680 --> 00:31:27.680 One of the things that happens when I begin to feel discontent under someone's authority, 00:31:27.680 --> 00:31:30.680 if I let go of that discontentment, I can return to normal. 00:31:30.680 --> 00:31:33.680 So what do I have to do? I have to hold on to it. 00:31:33.680 --> 00:31:35.680 Always see the grass that is greener somewhere else. 00:31:35.680 --> 00:31:38.680 Always find things that are not working. 00:31:38.680 --> 00:31:43.680 Always be able to find some fault that makes me displeased and discontent. 00:31:43.680 --> 00:31:48.680 Because if I let go of my discontentment, I will return to being a full-fledged son. 00:31:48.680 --> 00:31:51.680 So I have to nurse discontentment. 00:31:51.680 --> 00:31:54.680 I have to find something that is better somewhere else. 00:32:01.680 --> 00:32:06.680 They would make good movie critics, but that's not where we're going. 00:32:07.680 --> 00:32:18.680 And so because of the critical spirit, they are usually not able to receive spiritual food, 00:32:18.680 --> 00:32:28.680 not able to receive spiritual food from leaders or direction. 00:32:28.680 --> 00:32:30.680 They're not able to receive it. 00:32:37.680 --> 00:32:45.680 So yes, there's a false humility, but it is towards trying to steal hearts. 00:32:45.680 --> 00:32:58.680 Trying to steal hearts through assurances, favors done, great humility, 00:32:58.680 --> 00:33:20.680 welcoming into their lives ones that belong to a shepherd 00:33:20.680 --> 00:33:35.680 that absolums won't work with, but work behind or on the side. 00:33:35.680 --> 00:33:39.680 Any questions? 00:33:39.680 --> 00:33:48.680 So false humility, and they try to steal hearts by giving assurances, by giving favors, 00:33:48.680 --> 00:33:55.680 by doing favors, by showing great humility, by welcoming people into their lives. 00:33:55.680 --> 00:34:02.680 And these are lives that actually are being raised under the authority of a shepherd. 00:34:02.680 --> 00:34:07.680 But absolums won't work alongside the shepherds. 00:34:07.680 --> 00:34:15.680 They will work on the side so that it's something that's happening on the side, not in real. 00:34:15.680 --> 00:34:19.680 This is exactly what's happening in 2 Samuel 15. 00:34:27.680 --> 00:34:30.680 Humility that is not towards a peaceable end is false. 00:34:30.680 --> 00:34:39.680 Humility that is not towards a peaceable end is false and does not have wisdom. 00:35:00.680 --> 00:35:16.680 It's kind of like a more political, violent, same with our prime minister's things that we don't really like about him. 00:35:16.680 --> 00:35:21.680 But we're not ready to leave the country. We know who we are committing. 00:35:21.680 --> 00:35:34.680 How do we fight for what we believe will help the church and yet still continue to fight? 00:35:46.680 --> 00:35:52.680 What I can do if I am, if you're the pastor, or if you are the shepherd and I am operating under you, 00:35:52.680 --> 00:36:02.680 and you are beginning to do things that either don't take care of me or don't address my issues, and you've tried, you can't fight. 00:36:02.680 --> 00:36:08.680 You have only two choices. You can bring it up, I hope that the pastor will change. 00:36:08.680 --> 00:36:12.680 Fighting, stirring up stuff from... 00:36:25.680 --> 00:36:27.680 Yeah, yeah. 00:36:27.680 --> 00:36:36.680 And so you can be validated by the word on almost every issue. 00:36:36.680 --> 00:36:42.680 And if it comes to that, then the leader is in error, if you can show the person from the word. 00:36:42.680 --> 00:36:51.680 And there's a process, Matthew 18, if there is an issue with any of the leaders or with me that you see is wrong, 00:36:51.680 --> 00:36:53.680 then you'll have to go the Matthew 18 route. 00:36:53.680 --> 00:36:57.680 Jacob, this is something that you're doing wrong. 00:36:57.680 --> 00:37:00.680 And Jacob doesn't care to hoots for you. 00:37:00.680 --> 00:37:02.680 So then you go and bring one of the other leaders and says, 00:37:02.680 --> 00:37:07.680 Jacob, I've spoken to this leader. We want to come and talk to you about it. 00:37:07.680 --> 00:37:09.680 And Jacob still doesn't care to hoot. 00:37:09.680 --> 00:37:12.680 So now you have to go to that leader, let's say it's Derek, who might be nicer. 00:37:12.680 --> 00:37:17.680 And so you go to Derek and you say, Derek, we need to ask the leaders to deal with this issue, 00:37:17.680 --> 00:37:22.680 because this is an issue where Jacob is doing me harm, Jacob is doing wrong, Jacob is doing evil. 00:37:22.680 --> 00:37:26.680 It is sin that is contagious. 00:37:26.680 --> 00:37:31.680 And if Derek doesn't listen, then you go to Jane or you go to Heidi. 00:37:31.680 --> 00:37:35.680 One of them will hopefully listen to you. 00:37:35.680 --> 00:37:41.680 And at some point, they'll have to confront me or confront people that are with me. 00:37:41.680 --> 00:37:44.680 If you want to find sin, you'll find it in my life easily. 00:37:44.680 --> 00:37:50.680 But if you want to find contagious sin, it's unlikely. 00:37:50.680 --> 00:37:55.680 Sin that is contagious must be dealt with. 00:37:55.680 --> 00:37:58.680 Where it's something that I do. 00:37:58.680 --> 00:38:00.680 Like, let me give you contagious sins. 00:38:00.680 --> 00:38:13.680 Strife, discord, gossip, sexual sin, embezzling money, jealousy, bitterness, unforgiveness. 00:38:13.680 --> 00:38:16.680 These are contagious sins. The Bible mentions them. 00:38:16.680 --> 00:38:25.680 If these you find, and that if you find these and you find these repeatedly in my life or in the life of any of the leaders, 00:38:25.680 --> 00:38:33.680 yeah, then you should come up and talk about it. 00:38:33.680 --> 00:38:44.680 What Absalom does is whisper behind backs. 00:38:44.680 --> 00:38:48.680 So some years ago, I used to go to church and preach there often. 00:38:48.680 --> 00:38:50.680 The man trusted me. 00:38:50.680 --> 00:38:54.680 He, every time he would leave town, he would let me speak. 00:38:54.680 --> 00:39:01.680 And he opened this church to me, would involve me in prayer, would involve me in mission. 00:39:01.680 --> 00:39:07.680 And then I would drive people up and down to Surrey, to Richmond, to Vancouver. 00:39:07.680 --> 00:39:15.680 And then one day I noticed that they were beginning to complain about this pastor. 00:39:15.680 --> 00:39:17.680 And I knew him quite well. 00:39:17.680 --> 00:39:18.680 That's a sad thing, eh? 00:39:18.680 --> 00:39:25.680 That sometimes you are trusted by somebody because you know them well, and yet you can fall into this trap. 00:39:25.680 --> 00:39:28.680 And so they began to say things about this pastor. 00:39:28.680 --> 00:39:34.680 First there was one lady and she started talking about him and I didn't say anything. 00:39:34.680 --> 00:39:36.680 But it would happen week after week. 00:39:36.680 --> 00:39:42.680 And by the third time it happened, now there were two or three people in my car and they would start talking about this person. 00:39:42.680 --> 00:39:50.680 I would now begin to, for some strange reason, encourage them and begin to almost enjoy it like a morsel. 00:39:50.680 --> 00:39:56.680 Where it was, it was odd to listen to them gossip about this man that I knew well. 00:39:56.680 --> 00:39:58.680 But I would just keep listening. 00:39:58.680 --> 00:40:02.680 I would have the same responses that I've written down. 00:40:02.680 --> 00:40:05.680 Oh really? Yeah. I'm not too sure of that. 00:40:05.680 --> 00:40:10.680 That doesn't sound like him, but you know, yeah, I guess people make mistakes. 00:40:10.680 --> 00:40:17.680 Or, oh really? You know, I don't want to say anything critical about it, but really that happened? 00:40:17.680 --> 00:40:24.680 It was so, it was so, yeah, I wish I don't make mistakes like that when I have a church. 00:40:24.680 --> 00:40:27.680 It is so blooming pious, you feel like slapping yourself. 00:40:27.680 --> 00:40:30.680 And this would go on for weeks on end. 00:40:30.680 --> 00:40:33.680 And then I did even a stranger thing. 00:40:33.680 --> 00:40:38.680 When I spent time with that pastor, I'm sitting with the pastor, I'm telling him, you know, 00:40:38.680 --> 00:40:42.680 I just want you to know that this person is saying this about you and this person is saying that about you. 00:40:42.680 --> 00:40:45.680 I'm telling him what they have said. 00:40:45.680 --> 00:40:49.680 I thought to myself, I've done my holy, godly duty. 00:40:49.680 --> 00:40:52.680 But I was operating in the spirit of absolute. 00:40:52.680 --> 00:40:56.680 And one day he calls us all to his house. 00:40:56.680 --> 00:40:58.680 He calls all the parties involved. 00:40:58.680 --> 00:41:01.680 And I thought, good, their goose is cooked. 00:41:01.680 --> 00:41:03.680 And so we call them all. 00:41:03.680 --> 00:41:07.680 We're sitting around this table and I'm thinking to myself, well, your turn has come. 00:41:07.680 --> 00:41:09.680 Now you'll get your just desserts. 00:41:09.680 --> 00:41:15.680 And he turns to me and he says, why did you entertain their gossip? 00:41:15.680 --> 00:41:18.680 Why did you talk? Why did you listen to them? 00:41:18.680 --> 00:41:19.680 Why did you say the things? 00:41:19.680 --> 00:41:20.680 And I'm looking at him stunned. 00:41:20.680 --> 00:41:23.680 I'm thinking to myself, you should be shouting at them, not at me. 00:41:23.680 --> 00:41:27.680 Well, that man took such a stance against me. 00:41:27.680 --> 00:41:33.680 I was so upset that I got up and left and I did not speak to him for six months. 00:41:33.680 --> 00:41:38.680 Stopped going to his church, completely disappeared, would not talk to him. 00:41:38.680 --> 00:41:47.680 And one day I remember early morning I wake up and the Lord says, you are the guilty man, not him. 00:41:47.680 --> 00:41:51.680 You were the one who operated in the spirit that was wrong, not him. 00:41:51.680 --> 00:41:55.680 Call him up and tell him you want to come to his church. 00:41:55.680 --> 00:41:58.680 And so I called him up and that evening, Sunday evening, I went to his church. 00:41:58.680 --> 00:42:00.680 I went to his church and he welcomed me. 00:42:00.680 --> 00:42:02.680 He was kind to me. 00:42:02.680 --> 00:42:05.680 And he said, Jacob, do you just want to share a word with me? 00:42:05.680 --> 00:42:09.680 And he said, Jacob, do you just want to share a word of encouragement? 00:42:09.680 --> 00:42:12.680 He was still giving me an opportunity after all that I'd done. 00:42:12.680 --> 00:42:17.680 I go up, stand on stage and before the whole church I confessed what I had done. 00:42:17.680 --> 00:42:20.680 And I turned to him publicly and I said I was sorry. 00:42:20.680 --> 00:42:27.680 At the end of the day, the only way to spare yourself of the Absalom spirit is to repent and stop what you're doing. 00:42:27.680 --> 00:42:29.680 There's no other way around it. 00:42:35.680 --> 00:42:39.680 That was not the first time I did it. 00:42:39.680 --> 00:42:43.680 That was perhaps the last time I operated in the fullness of it. 00:42:43.680 --> 00:42:46.680 I've still made mistakes after that. 00:42:46.680 --> 00:42:56.680 But I'm aware of it now. 00:42:56.680 --> 00:43:02.680 So behind the scenes, Absalom's covertly plant doubt concerning leadership. 00:43:02.680 --> 00:43:06.680 And they usually have this nose for discontented people. 00:43:06.680 --> 00:43:09.680 They have a nose for discontented people. 00:43:09.680 --> 00:43:23.680 They can smell discontented people out and then they'll sow more seeds of discontentment. 00:43:23.680 --> 00:43:27.680 Absalom is self-seeking because he loves listening to complaints that undermine authority. 00:43:27.680 --> 00:43:30.680 I loved listening to complaints about this bastard. 00:43:30.680 --> 00:43:32.680 He was a good friend. 00:43:32.680 --> 00:43:33.680 Taught me a lot. 00:43:33.680 --> 00:43:36.680 But it was good to hear that this man also had faults. 00:43:36.680 --> 00:43:43.680 It was good to hear the things he was messing up, getting wrong. 00:43:43.680 --> 00:43:50.680 And once the spirit gathers a small following, the disloyalty is openly displayed. 00:43:50.680 --> 00:43:59.680 When we sat in his house and he said what he said to me, got up and left in a huff, I was shouting. 00:43:59.680 --> 00:44:07.680 Because then disloyalty was an open display. 00:44:07.680 --> 00:44:11.680 And once disloyalty is an open display, what happens is people are forced to make a choice. 00:44:11.680 --> 00:44:19.680 People are forced to make a choice. 00:44:19.680 --> 00:44:25.680 They have to choose between Jacob, who's given them rides every week, 00:44:25.680 --> 00:44:32.680 who's done them favors, who helps them, and the pastor that they are complaining about. 00:44:32.680 --> 00:44:35.680 Now they have to make a choice. 00:44:35.680 --> 00:44:47.680 Puts people in a very difficult situation. 00:44:47.680 --> 00:44:52.680 I told him because I thought I was an innocent party. 00:44:52.680 --> 00:44:56.680 I didn't expect him to call and then turn on me. 00:44:56.680 --> 00:45:05.680 And me entertaining it because I really wanted to hear more and do the Absalom thing, that was completely wrong. 00:45:05.680 --> 00:45:09.680 And the strange thing was Chava, he was a good friend, man. 00:45:09.680 --> 00:45:17.680 He was a guy who did me good. 00:45:17.680 --> 00:45:20.680 I realize this is going to be heard by a lot of people, eh? 00:45:20.680 --> 00:45:35.680 But you must also realize how serious this is. 00:45:35.680 --> 00:45:40.680 Yeah, that's a hard call, eh? Do you repeat the question? 00:45:40.680 --> 00:45:43.680 Chava's saying, so when you hear things like this, how do you deal with it? 00:45:43.680 --> 00:45:45.680 I think there are just two ways to deal with it. 00:45:45.680 --> 00:45:53.680 Avoid it. Do not take car rides if this is, if it's pastor roast every Sunday when you get home. 00:45:53.680 --> 00:45:56.680 Avoid car rides. Do not go. 00:45:56.680 --> 00:46:01.680 And if it continues, do you have the courage to tell them to stop? 00:46:01.680 --> 00:46:12.680 Or do you have the courage if they don't stop to come and say, hey, Derek, hey, Mae, hey, Don, this is happening? 00:46:12.680 --> 00:46:16.680 It's not easy because you feel like you're being a tattletale. 00:46:16.680 --> 00:46:23.680 You're betraying that nobody can now trust you. 00:46:23.680 --> 00:46:32.680 It's very difficult. 00:46:32.680 --> 00:46:36.680 I was at a pastor's house in Houston three months ago, and he said, Jacob, 00:46:36.680 --> 00:46:44.680 always remember that people need to be faithful first to the vision of God and then only then be loyal to the leader. 00:46:44.680 --> 00:46:46.680 I thought, what a cool statement. 00:46:46.680 --> 00:46:49.680 Sometimes we think loyalty to the leader is the most important thing. 00:46:49.680 --> 00:46:55.680 No, you have to be faithful to the vision of God and only after that, be loyal to the leader, 00:46:55.680 --> 00:47:01.680 because loyalty to the leader will always collapse at some point when the leader does not please you. 00:47:01.680 --> 00:47:07.680 But faithfulness to the vision of God will stay. 00:47:07.680 --> 00:47:11.680 Your loyalty is not to a leader. It is important. 00:47:11.680 --> 00:47:15.680 David had men who were loyal to him, the mighty three, the mighty 30. 00:47:15.680 --> 00:47:18.680 He could run with them because he had them. 00:47:18.680 --> 00:47:25.680 There was something greater than loyalty to a leader, which is faithfulness to the vision of God. 00:47:25.680 --> 00:47:33.680 And that you have to have locked in your heart, eh? 00:47:33.680 --> 00:47:40.680 People are forced to then make a choice between the genuine leader and Absalom who has deceived them. 00:47:40.680 --> 00:47:50.680 And the spirit is hard to deal with because the people it works through are emotionally attached to or involved in people's life, 00:47:50.680 --> 00:47:54.680 emotionally attached or favors done. 00:47:54.680 --> 00:47:59.680 How do you then break relationship? 00:47:59.680 --> 00:48:04.680 And Absalom works from within. It's quiet leaven. It's always on the side. 00:48:04.680 --> 00:48:08.680 It's never upfront. It's never corporate. It's always on the side. 00:48:08.680 --> 00:48:13.680 So you never know what's being said. 00:48:13.680 --> 00:48:17.680 Leadership often tolerates the spirit in love. 00:48:17.680 --> 00:48:20.680 Leadership tolerates the spirit in love. 00:48:20.680 --> 00:48:27.680 You would think Jesus would say, hey, that woman, Jezebel, meaning the woman who's acting like Jezebel, love her, love her back into fellowship. 00:48:27.680 --> 00:48:31.680 He doesn't say that. He says, do not tolerate her. 00:48:31.680 --> 00:48:39.680 Put her out because I'm going to put her on a bed of sickness and I'm going to put any of the children who fornicate with her into a bed of sickness. 00:48:39.680 --> 00:48:47.680 Those are loving Jesus' comments. 00:48:47.680 --> 00:48:54.680 So leadership sometimes tolerates Absalom's because we are meant to be loving, 00:48:54.680 --> 00:49:02.680 but mistakenly so because it's a spirit that seeks to divide and conquer, that seeks to divide and conquer. 00:49:02.680 --> 00:49:06.680 It seeks to divide and conquer. 00:49:06.680 --> 00:49:09.680 The earlier you deal with it, the safer the flock is. 00:49:09.680 --> 00:49:24.680 One of the reasons I want to go down this road is so that any time I or you begin to behave like Cora, Cain, Balaam, Absalom, I don't know, Safira, any of those guys, 00:49:24.680 --> 00:49:27.680 we suddenly have a light going off saying stop this. 00:49:27.680 --> 00:49:29.680 This will bring discord and strife. 00:49:29.680 --> 00:49:34.680 Stop this now. It doesn't end well. 00:49:34.680 --> 00:49:36.680 It doesn't end well. 00:49:36.680 --> 00:49:46.680 Yeah. 00:49:46.680 --> 00:49:58.680 Yeah. 00:49:58.680 --> 00:50:01.680 Yeah. We'll talk about how to deal with Absalom and end with that. 00:50:01.680 --> 00:50:08.680 And one of the things is for leaders to be discerning because sometimes it's like quiet leaven. 00:50:08.680 --> 00:50:14.680 It happens on the side and you don't see it till the dough is completely raised. 00:50:14.680 --> 00:50:20.680 And so you've got to find out earlier because it's yeast that must be swept out. 00:50:20.680 --> 00:50:23.680 Yeah. 00:50:23.680 --> 00:50:30.680 It's a counterfeit anointing, guys, because it confides and counsels people. 00:50:30.680 --> 00:50:46.680 It confides and counsels people without permission or delegated authority. 00:50:46.680 --> 00:50:49.680 That's why it's a counterfeit anointing. 00:50:49.680 --> 00:50:51.680 It's a false deliverer. 00:50:51.680 --> 00:50:57.680 It's a counterfeit anointing because it confides and counsels people without delegated authority, 00:50:57.680 --> 00:51:02.680 without permission on the side so you never know. 00:51:02.680 --> 00:51:10.680 And then the other thing that happens, and this we have to be careful with because very often in our speaking about people, 00:51:10.680 --> 00:51:13.680 we begin to dishonor them. 00:51:13.680 --> 00:51:17.680 Gossip always dishonors. 00:51:17.680 --> 00:51:19.680 Resentment always dishonors. 00:51:19.680 --> 00:51:22.680 One of the things that Absalom does, and this is so sad, 00:51:22.680 --> 00:51:27.680 that he's going against his father. 00:51:27.680 --> 00:51:28.680 And what does he do? 00:51:28.680 --> 00:51:34.680 He goes up on a balcony, an open air balcony where the city can view, 00:51:34.680 --> 00:51:44.680 and he begins to sleep with his father's concubines in open display so that he can shame his father. 00:51:44.680 --> 00:51:53.680 So the Absalom spirit loves shaming shepherds and leaders that they're operating under. 00:51:53.680 --> 00:52:00.680 It'll be in quiet conversations, in gossip, in insinuations, in questions asked, in the ways questions are asked. 00:52:00.680 --> 00:52:05.680 And that is something that we all have to be careful of because it's so easy for me to talk about any of you 00:52:05.680 --> 00:52:09.680 in a way that shames you, in a forum that is not with a leader. 00:52:09.680 --> 00:52:15.680 It could be in a public place. 00:52:15.680 --> 00:52:16.680 Have I done it? 00:52:16.680 --> 00:52:19.680 Yes. 00:52:19.680 --> 00:52:22.680 Unfortunately, yes. 00:52:22.680 --> 00:52:26.680 To you, yes. 00:52:26.680 --> 00:52:29.680 And I don't want to. 00:52:29.680 --> 00:52:39.680 And you need to stop too if you're doing it. 00:52:39.680 --> 00:52:43.680 So how do we deal with the spirit? 00:52:43.680 --> 00:52:45.680 How do we deal with it? 00:52:45.680 --> 00:52:47.680 Let's look at some scriptures. 00:52:47.680 --> 00:53:07.680 Acts 20, verse 28 to 31. 00:53:07.680 --> 00:53:09.680 Paul is in Ephesus. 00:53:09.680 --> 00:53:11.680 He's going to say goodbye to them. 00:53:11.680 --> 00:53:13.680 And then he makes this statement. 00:53:13.680 --> 00:53:17.680 Please understand that this is going to happen in almost every church. 00:53:17.680 --> 00:53:18.680 What are we doing? 00:53:18.680 --> 00:53:23.680 We are safeguarding ourselves so that it doesn't happen or so that it doesn't affect. 00:53:23.680 --> 00:53:25.680 It happened 2,000 years ago. 00:53:25.680 --> 00:53:29.680 It happens now too because the spirits that operate are the same. 00:53:29.680 --> 00:53:32.680 Acts 20, verse 28 to 31. 00:53:32.680 --> 00:53:36.680 Here's what it says. 00:53:36.680 --> 00:53:39.680 Keep watch over yourselves. 00:53:39.680 --> 00:53:41.680 And he's talking to the leaders and the shepherds. 00:53:41.680 --> 00:53:47.680 He says, keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. 00:53:47.680 --> 00:53:52.680 Be shepherds of the Church of God, which he bought with his own blood. 00:53:52.680 --> 00:53:57.680 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 00:53:57.680 --> 00:53:59.680 That's external. 00:53:59.680 --> 00:54:01.680 Verse 30 is what is bothersome. 00:54:01.680 --> 00:54:07.680 Even from your own number, men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 00:54:07.680 --> 00:54:10.680 So be on your guard. 00:54:10.680 --> 00:54:18.680 If you go to Proverbs 20, verse 26, and I want to read it from the message because it's a little softer perhaps. 00:54:18.680 --> 00:54:24.680 Proverbs 20, verse 26 from the message. 00:54:24.680 --> 00:54:29.680 Proverbs 20, verse 26. 00:54:29.680 --> 00:54:34.680 What I'm trying to show here is the responsibility that shepherds, overseers or leaders have. 00:54:34.680 --> 00:54:38.680 Proverbs 20, verse 26 from the message. 00:54:38.680 --> 00:54:46.680 It says, after careful scrutiny, a wise leader makes a clean sweep of rebels and dolt's. 00:54:46.680 --> 00:54:54.680 And so it is important to scrutinize, as you would in your company, things that would cause your company not to flourish. 00:54:54.680 --> 00:54:57.680 Only in this case, we don't sweep people out. 00:54:57.680 --> 00:55:02.680 We try to help people get back on track. 00:55:02.680 --> 00:55:05.680 Just like this man helped me to get back on track. 00:55:05.680 --> 00:55:09.680 When I went to his church and I said what I said, he was a little embarrassed. 00:55:09.680 --> 00:55:10.680 He didn't expect me to say that. 00:55:10.680 --> 00:55:12.680 He said, Jacob, you didn't need to explain it. 00:55:12.680 --> 00:55:14.680 I said, no, I didn't need to. 00:55:14.680 --> 00:55:18.680 And things have been really good since. 00:55:18.680 --> 00:55:19.680 Stop tolerating it. 00:55:19.680 --> 00:55:23.680 You're dealing with a power or a personality that is operating under the power. 00:55:23.680 --> 00:55:24.680 What are they doing? 00:55:24.680 --> 00:55:31.680 They are coming against God's established authority and they are seeking to divide the house. 00:55:31.680 --> 00:55:34.680 How dumb would it be if someone came to divide your house 00:55:34.680 --> 00:55:40.680 and you didn't do anything? 00:55:40.680 --> 00:55:43.680 Romans 16, verse 17 and 18. 00:55:43.680 --> 00:55:46.680 Romans 16, verse 17 and 18. 00:55:46.680 --> 00:55:54.680 I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. 00:55:54.680 --> 00:55:55.680 Keep away from them. 00:55:55.680 --> 00:56:00.680 Keep away from them, for such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. 00:56:00.680 --> 00:56:05.680 By smooth talk and flattery, they deceive the minds of naive people. 00:56:05.680 --> 00:56:13.680 Nehemiah, chapter 6, verse 1 to 9. 00:56:13.680 --> 00:56:18.680 There were two guys, Sanballat and Tobiah. 00:56:18.680 --> 00:56:21.680 Both of them were operating this way. 00:56:21.680 --> 00:56:24.680 They were trying to stop Nehemiah from building the wall. 00:56:24.680 --> 00:56:28.680 And they would keep trying to do things on the side, keep trying to get Nehemiah distracted. 00:56:28.680 --> 00:56:37.680 Nehemiah refuses to fall for the antics of these Absalom types who were trying to stop and distract him from building the wall. 00:56:37.680 --> 00:56:46.680 Sometimes you have to completely ignore their desire to have a platform or have a voice. 00:56:46.680 --> 00:56:55.680 You have to ignore it because it is meant to poison. 00:56:55.680 --> 00:56:59.680 Here's another one, Luke, chapter 6, verse 27 and 28. 00:56:59.680 --> 00:57:05.680 It says, listen, pray for those who abuse you, love those who hate you. 00:57:05.680 --> 00:57:15.680 So there's that part now where when you know there are Absalom's, do what David did, long for their return and begin to pray. 00:57:15.680 --> 00:57:16.680 Begin to pray. 00:57:16.680 --> 00:57:21.680 Begin to pray your heart out saying, Father, just like you did for me when you used people to change me, 00:57:21.680 --> 00:57:31.680 please change so that what befell Absalom and what I was spared will not happen to them and they will be spared too. 00:57:31.680 --> 00:57:33.680 That is a true shepherd. 00:57:33.680 --> 00:57:39.680 Any shepherd who wants to sacrifice sheep that are butting each other is not a real shepherd. 00:57:39.680 --> 00:57:46.680 At some point in the midst of the plumb line, there must come in compassion. 00:57:46.680 --> 00:57:49.680 There is no mercy without judgment, guys. 00:57:49.680 --> 00:57:52.680 You cannot show mercy without judgment. 00:57:52.680 --> 00:57:55.680 Mercy does not exist if judgment does not exist. 00:58:01.680 --> 00:58:08.680 Third book of John, not John 3, chapter 1, verse 9. 00:58:08.680 --> 00:58:09.680 There was a guy like this. 00:58:09.680 --> 00:58:11.680 I met guys like this. 00:58:11.680 --> 00:58:13.680 I'm not talking about Acts 29. 00:58:13.680 --> 00:58:15.680 I met guys like this. 00:58:15.680 --> 00:58:17.680 I had to use the scripture to expose them. 00:58:17.680 --> 00:58:19.680 Third John 1, 9. 00:58:19.680 --> 00:58:24.680 I wrote to the church, but diatrophis, who loves to be first, will have nothing to do with us. 00:58:24.680 --> 00:58:29.680 So if I come, I'll call attention to what he's doing, gossiping maliciously about us. 00:58:29.680 --> 00:58:33.680 Not satisfied with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers. 00:58:33.680 --> 00:58:37.680 He stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church. 00:58:37.680 --> 00:58:41.680 Dear friends, do not imitate what is evil, but do what is good. 00:58:41.680 --> 00:58:44.680 Paul had to deal with people like this. 00:58:44.680 --> 00:58:50.680 I pray, God, that sometimes just teaching it will prune us where we need to be pruned 00:58:50.680 --> 00:58:52.680 so that we don't have to deal with it. 00:58:52.680 --> 00:58:54.680 Got to understand that, guys. 00:58:54.680 --> 00:59:00.680 When Jesus talks about pruning, the first measure he uses for pruning is the word. 00:59:03.680 --> 00:59:07.680 He wants more fruit in a church, and so he will prune. 00:59:07.680 --> 00:59:11.680 But the first method of pruning is the scissor of the word. 00:59:11.680 --> 00:59:18.680 And if the word can prune me, then I don't have to now worry about him having to take any extra steps. 00:59:18.680 --> 00:59:20.680 It's done. 00:59:21.680 --> 00:59:24.680 And that's Jesus' preferred method, too. 00:59:24.680 --> 00:59:28.680 Can I just prune you with my word, where you change, because my word has convicted your heart, 00:59:28.680 --> 00:59:30.680 because it is life and spirit? 00:59:30.680 --> 00:59:34.680 And once that happens, he doesn't have to take any other measure. 00:59:36.680 --> 00:59:38.680 It's always the word that prunes first. 00:59:38.680 --> 00:59:42.680 But when that doesn't work, that's when he has to use other methods. 00:59:42.680 --> 00:59:46.680 Why? Because he loves his bride and because he loves you. 00:59:47.680 --> 00:59:49.680 Both. 00:59:55.680 --> 01:00:01.680 If you're a leader, know that you are a target, and there will be attempts to drive a wedge. 01:00:01.680 --> 01:00:06.680 The trick is to be faithful to the vision of God and only then be loyal to the leader. 01:00:06.680 --> 01:00:12.680 So let's assume someone wants to plant these thoughts in Derek's head or Iris' head, 01:00:12.680 --> 01:00:19.680 or that it's better there, or this is not working here, you know, and the conversation begins. 01:00:19.680 --> 01:00:26.680 Derek has to know that he'll be a target, and he has to then learn how to protect himself and his wife from being drawn into that. 01:00:26.680 --> 01:00:29.680 Leaders will be attacked in this. 01:00:29.680 --> 01:00:35.680 I was, and therefore I betrayed a good friend who was a mentor of sorts to me. 01:00:35.680 --> 01:00:40.680 I'm not saying that because it happened to me, it'll happen to you. 01:00:40.680 --> 01:00:45.680 You honestly are much better. And surprisingly, I'm sincere about that statement. 01:00:53.680 --> 01:00:57.680 Yeah. Yeah, it's always, darling, Absalom lulls you into it. 01:00:57.680 --> 01:01:01.680 When you go to shake Absalom's, when you go to bow before Absalom, 01:01:01.680 --> 01:01:06.680 Betty's question was, you get lulled into it. It's not a direct attack. 01:01:06.680 --> 01:01:11.680 And I'm saying, yes, she's right. Because when you go to bow before Absalom, he won't allow you to. 01:01:11.680 --> 01:01:14.680 He'll shake your hand and grab you and hug you. 01:01:14.680 --> 01:01:21.680 And it's like someone famous who you're going to say hello to, and he just grabs you and treats you like a friend. 01:01:21.680 --> 01:01:25.680 What do you do then, man? It completely disarms you. 01:01:25.680 --> 01:01:32.680 One of the other things I've found over the last couple of years is when people come and complain to you about somebody else. 01:01:32.680 --> 01:01:36.680 If you ever bring that out, they don't want to say a word then. 01:01:36.680 --> 01:01:38.680 I'm always surprised at that. 01:01:38.680 --> 01:01:44.680 You spent six weeks telling me about this person, and now when I invite you to talk to that person, 01:01:44.680 --> 01:01:47.680 you pretend like you never met me. 01:01:47.680 --> 01:01:52.680 That's when you know that God is with you. 01:01:52.680 --> 01:01:56.680 That's when you know that courage is missing. 01:02:08.680 --> 01:02:15.680 Confront or avoid Absalom personalities who try to manipulate you, who try to sow discontent. 01:02:16.680 --> 01:02:22.680 If it persists, find a leader that you're friendly with or you think is able to accept you and speak to them about it. 01:02:22.680 --> 01:02:24.680 Let me say that again. 01:02:24.680 --> 01:02:35.680 In this context of either pursuit or revive or the common gathering we have here at Acts 29 or quest or any other thing that will happen in the future, 01:02:35.680 --> 01:02:43.680 if after having heard this, you see this kind of Absalom personality or the spirit of Absalom in operation, 01:02:43.680 --> 01:02:46.680 confront them or avoid them. 01:02:46.680 --> 01:02:53.680 And if they persist, speak to a leader that you think you can approach and tell them this is happening. 01:02:53.680 --> 01:02:56.680 Because the intent is to safeguard the church. 01:02:56.680 --> 01:03:01.680 Confront or avoid an Absalom personality who tries to manipulate or sow discontent. 01:03:01.680 --> 01:03:05.680 If it persists, speak to the leadership about it. 01:03:05.680 --> 01:03:12.680 And then the other thing is we have to be careful about guys like Job, who we trust, 01:03:12.680 --> 01:03:18.680 who bring in Absaloms back into the fold before they repent. 01:03:18.680 --> 01:03:25.680 So let's say Betty is operating that way, and she's trying to get the people who are trying to get her to come back. 01:03:25.680 --> 01:03:30.680 And then along comes Jillian and says, no, you know, she's changing. 01:03:30.680 --> 01:03:32.680 I've seen some changes. Let's bring Betty back. 01:03:32.680 --> 01:03:38.680 Not if Betty hasn't actually changed. 01:03:38.680 --> 01:03:41.680 Job brought Absalom back into David's circle. 01:03:41.680 --> 01:03:54.680 And because of that, David then suffered, where he had to flee like a refugee from his own son, being cursed by a guy called Shimei. 01:03:54.680 --> 01:03:59.680 Sometimes repentance is required before restitution can happen. 01:04:25.680 --> 01:04:29.680 Yeah, but I'm saying why not give the benefit of doubt? 01:04:29.680 --> 01:04:36.680 Should we bring up things with leadership immediately or give it some time when people persist on acting like this? 01:04:36.680 --> 01:04:41.680 I would say persist because what if it's just an anomaly? 01:04:41.680 --> 01:04:46.680 What if it's just one bad day or two bad days? 01:04:46.680 --> 01:04:50.680 But if you see a pattern, then it's required that you bring it up. 01:04:50.680 --> 01:04:57.680 Yeah, yeah, yeah. 01:04:57.680 --> 01:05:01.680 Hey, there are legitimate complaints, man. 01:05:01.680 --> 01:05:10.680 You bring anybody from outside Acts 29 and you will find them finding a lot of holes in everything we do in the leaders, in the pastors. 01:05:10.680 --> 01:05:11.680 They will find it. 01:05:11.680 --> 01:05:16.680 It's us who are here that may not. 01:05:16.680 --> 01:05:19.680 It's the leaders here who may not see their faults. 01:05:19.680 --> 01:05:23.680 But you bring someone from outside, you'll see huge holes starting with me. 01:05:23.680 --> 01:05:26.680 The bigger you are, the bigger the hole. 01:05:26.680 --> 01:05:33.680 And so, and so, so there are legitimate complaints, say. 01:05:33.680 --> 01:05:34.680 There are legitimate complaints. 01:05:34.680 --> 01:05:40.680 Those complaints must be brought up with someone that you know has a listening ear for you. 01:05:40.680 --> 01:05:41.680 And I guarantee you this. 01:05:41.680 --> 01:05:47.680 There are enough people in this church now to hear a legitimate complaint. 01:05:47.680 --> 01:05:51.680 There are. 01:05:51.680 --> 01:05:55.680 For every three people you can't approach, you will find one that you can. 01:05:55.680 --> 01:05:56.680 Go speak to them. 01:05:56.680 --> 01:06:04.680 Tell them that you're being treated unfairly, that you're being ignored, that things are not being dealt with, that this was done, harm was done. 01:06:04.680 --> 01:06:06.680 And if you have the guts, then confront directly. 01:06:06.680 --> 01:06:13.680 I once said something to Rene that affected us so badly that she called me up half an hour later and spoke to me and said, 01:06:13.680 --> 01:06:15.680 You did this to me. You harmed me. You hurt me. 01:06:15.680 --> 01:06:19.680 And I'm thinking to myself, defend, defend, defend, defend. 01:06:19.680 --> 01:06:25.680 Somehow come up with a scripture that will knock her off a pedestal. 01:06:25.680 --> 01:06:27.680 Because I can come up with scriptures for everything. 01:06:27.680 --> 01:06:29.680 And so I'm thinking, come up with something. 01:06:29.680 --> 01:06:32.680 And then I'm thinking to myself, my God, she is right. 01:06:32.680 --> 01:06:35.680 I remember apologizing to her, saying, I am sorry. 01:06:35.680 --> 01:06:36.680 What I did was wrong. 01:06:36.680 --> 01:06:38.680 I have absolutely no right to do what I did. 01:06:38.680 --> 01:06:41.680 I hurt you and I hurt you badly and I have no excuse. 01:06:41.680 --> 01:06:44.680 I don't know if you will be able to let go of this immediately. 01:06:44.680 --> 01:06:50.680 But if it takes time, I'll try over a period of time to make you get better. 01:06:50.680 --> 01:06:57.680 Sometimes one-on-one confrontation works, but sometimes it's hard to do that with the pastor who thinks he's all that. 01:06:57.680 --> 01:07:00.680 So then go to someone who doesn't think as highly as himself. 01:07:04.680 --> 01:07:06.680 So let's see what is the end of Absalom. 01:07:06.680 --> 01:07:09.680 So we leave with a warning. 01:07:11.680 --> 01:07:14.680 Though Absalom means father of peace, that's what his name means. 01:07:14.680 --> 01:07:16.680 Ab Shalom. 01:07:16.680 --> 01:07:21.680 Though Absalom means father of peace, it's a violent spirit and it meets a violent end. 01:07:21.680 --> 01:07:24.680 Violent end. 01:07:24.680 --> 01:07:26.680 Violent spirit. 01:07:32.680 --> 01:07:34.680 Is this born out in the New Testament? 01:07:34.680 --> 01:07:37.680 Let's look at the Old Testament, what happened to Absalom, then look at the New Testament. 01:07:37.680 --> 01:07:47.680 In 2 Samuel 18, verse 9, Absalom is riding and fleeing from battle and he had amazing hair, like Derek or Don. 01:07:47.680 --> 01:07:49.680 Amazing hair. 01:07:54.680 --> 01:07:56.680 Sorry. 01:07:56.680 --> 01:07:58.680 Tony is feeling left out. 01:08:02.680 --> 01:08:11.680 So Absalom had amazing hair and so he goes riding and his hair gets entangled in the branches and he's now suspended between heaven and earth. 01:08:11.680 --> 01:08:15.680 And can't free himself and the mule runs away. 01:08:15.680 --> 01:08:20.680 It says his head got caught in the Terebin tree so he was left hanging. 01:08:20.680 --> 01:08:28.680 And then in verse 14, Job asks one of his servants, can you slay Absalom? 01:08:28.680 --> 01:08:31.680 And the guy says, you can give me as many shekels as you want. 01:08:31.680 --> 01:08:34.680 I will not touch the king's son. 01:08:34.680 --> 01:08:36.680 So Job says, I cannot wait anymore. 01:08:36.680 --> 01:08:41.680 And he takes three javelins and he shoves it right through Absalom's heart and kills him on the spot. 01:08:41.680 --> 01:08:43.680 It was a violent death. 01:08:43.680 --> 01:08:46.680 And his death brings great sorrow to Israel. 01:08:46.680 --> 01:08:48.680 Great sorrow to Israel. 01:08:48.680 --> 01:08:53.680 But it was the only way that Israel could be reunited under David. 01:08:53.680 --> 01:09:12.680 Sometimes the only way to bring back the unity that has been destroyed by Absalom is to actually make sure that either that spirit is not active or the person does not continue doing what, it has to be stopped and arrested. 01:09:12.680 --> 01:09:18.680 Is there New Testament scriptures to bear this out? 01:09:18.680 --> 01:09:21.680 First Corinthians 3.16. 01:09:21.680 --> 01:09:31.680 These are New Testament scriptures that sometimes bother me because it almost presents another side of God that we don't attribute to him. 01:09:31.680 --> 01:09:33.680 First Corinthians 3.16. 01:09:33.680 --> 01:09:39.680 If you destroy the house of God, I will destroy you. 01:09:39.680 --> 01:09:44.680 That's talking about the house, the temple. 01:09:44.680 --> 01:09:46.680 It's not talking about our bodies. 01:09:46.680 --> 01:09:49.680 If you destroy the house of God, how do we destroy the house of God? 01:09:49.680 --> 01:09:51.680 Descension, strife, discord, contagious sin. 01:09:51.680 --> 01:09:54.680 Descension, strife, discord, contagious sin. 01:09:54.680 --> 01:09:56.680 These are the ways we destroy the house of God. 01:09:56.680 --> 01:09:59.680 And we name another one. 01:09:59.680 --> 01:10:01.680 First Corinthians 11. 01:10:01.680 --> 01:10:02.680 Verse 29.30. 01:10:02.680 --> 01:10:17.680 If you do not discern the body, as in if you read the first, the preceding verses, if you begin to bring divisions within the body and you do not discern the body, then know this, that some of you will sleep and some of you will die. 01:10:17.680 --> 01:10:23.680 Sorry, some of you will fall sick and some of you will sleep, as in die. 01:10:23.680 --> 01:10:27.680 We don't realize how precious the unity of the body is to him. 01:10:27.680 --> 01:10:35.680 And therefore, when I begin to do what I did then in that man's house, I'm putting myself in God's judgment. 01:10:35.680 --> 01:10:40.680 For him, removing Jacob from the earth is not a big deal. 01:10:40.680 --> 01:10:44.680 It's transferring me from this plane to this plane. 01:10:44.680 --> 01:10:49.680 I still get to go to heaven because my eternal security is fine. 01:10:49.680 --> 01:10:50.680 Fine. 01:10:50.680 --> 01:11:00.680 But it is a removal from the earth when I begin to destroy the one thing that Christ brought with his blood and the Spirit is making together. 01:11:00.680 --> 01:11:11.680 This is why we land with a prayer of repentance so that if we have gone down this route, that God would begin to heal our heart and begin to bring us back to a place where this does not happen. 01:11:11.680 --> 01:11:13.680 Second Timothy 4.14. 01:11:13.680 --> 01:11:18.680 Talks about two guys, a guy called Hymenaeus and a guy called Alexander the Coppersmith. 01:11:18.680 --> 01:11:21.680 Both of them behaved like this. They would bring discord and strife. 01:11:21.680 --> 01:11:28.680 And Paul says, I'm releasing them into Satan's hands. 01:11:28.680 --> 01:11:35.680 And yet in Second Timothy 2.24, it says, Hey, Jacob, can you gently try and teach or explain this? 01:11:35.680 --> 01:11:44.680 And if you can, then perhaps ones who have done the same thing that you did years ago will come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil. 01:11:49.680 --> 01:11:50.680 Let's pray. 01:11:50.680 --> 01:12:09.680 Father, we heard Ed and Stacey talk about what we have here and that sometimes it can become commonplace for us. 01:12:09.680 --> 01:12:19.680 We also know that there are plenty of flaws, plenty of things that are not how they should be in this church. 01:12:19.680 --> 01:12:29.680 And that there can be valid, legitimate concerns, complaints, issues that must be dealt with. 01:12:29.680 --> 01:12:32.680 And that perhaps haven't been dealt with. 01:12:32.680 --> 01:12:36.680 There has been no channel to deal with it. 01:12:36.680 --> 01:12:40.680 There has been no channel to deal with it. 01:12:43.680 --> 01:12:51.680 False in my personality and my way that makes it hard sometimes for the church to get to a better place. 01:12:51.680 --> 01:12:54.680 Would you start there? 01:12:54.680 --> 01:13:04.680 Would you start there by helping me and others who are leadership in different churches to begin to find ways to address issues and concerns 01:13:04.680 --> 01:13:10.680 so that that can never be the reason why absolums happen in this church? 01:13:10.680 --> 01:13:12.680 Can you begin with that? 01:13:12.680 --> 01:13:17.680 All I can offer is a sincere prayer, Oh God, but you are faithful and this is your church. 01:13:17.680 --> 01:13:21.680 None of us paid it for it with our blood you did. 01:13:21.680 --> 01:13:27.680 But you do want a blemishless, beautiful, bright, vibrant, bright, shining like Stace was saying. 01:13:27.680 --> 01:13:37.680 So we come right now, Father, and ask for a spirit of repentance. 01:13:37.680 --> 01:13:39.680 We ask for a spirit of repentance. 01:13:39.680 --> 01:13:41.680 We were talking about the spirit of absolum. 01:13:41.680 --> 01:13:43.680 Now we're asking for a spirit of repentance. 01:13:43.680 --> 01:13:47.680 Nineveh was affected by a spirit of repentance. 01:13:47.680 --> 01:13:51.680 The entire city repented and they were spared. 01:13:52.680 --> 01:14:01.680 I asked for a spirit of repentance so that this church will never be a place where absolum will flourish. 01:14:01.680 --> 01:14:11.680 If some of us have behaved like absolum, are behaving like absolum, like I did, then, Oh God, 01:14:11.680 --> 01:14:19.680 then, Oh God, gentle Savior, help us escape that snare. 01:14:19.680 --> 01:14:24.680 Help us escape that snare because you love your bride. 01:14:24.680 --> 01:14:27.680 You love this church, Abba, and you love each one of us. 01:14:27.680 --> 01:14:30.680 Help us escape that snare. 01:14:30.680 --> 01:14:34.680 And as we go forward, when I make a mistake gossiping about someone, slandering someone, 01:14:34.680 --> 01:14:38.680 saying something ill about someone, exposing them publicly, 01:14:38.680 --> 01:14:43.680 speaking behind their back in a way that shames them, could you quickly remind me saying, 01:14:43.680 --> 01:14:49.680 But Jacob, but Jacob, but Jacob, could you do that for us, Jesus? 01:14:49.680 --> 01:14:53.680 Can you bring purity into this church in this one area? 01:14:53.680 --> 01:14:59.680 As we deal with different things, could you do that for us, Lord, not even for our sake, but for your sake first, 01:14:59.680 --> 01:15:06.680 and then for our sakes, so that we may be blameless and pure? 01:15:06.680 --> 01:15:09.680 There's a scripture. I remember it as a children's song. 01:15:09.680 --> 01:15:13.680 Do everything without complaining. Do everything without arguing, 01:15:13.680 --> 01:15:17.680 so that you may become blameless and pure children of God. 01:15:17.680 --> 01:15:23.680 Jesus, these are the things we are asking for at this stage in the life of the church. 01:15:23.680 --> 01:15:28.680 Please grant it. Please grant it. 01:15:28.680 --> 01:15:33.680 Thank you, Holy Spirit. I trust your work in my life, in our lives, in the life of this church, 01:15:33.680 --> 01:15:41.680 so that Absalom forever will find this a difficult place to thrive. 01:15:41.680 --> 01:15:48.680 And so, Father, as one who is the shepherd of this flock that you have appointed, 01:15:48.680 --> 01:15:57.680 I release forgiveness upon anyone who has operated in the spirit of Absalom, 01:15:57.680 --> 01:16:05.680 upon anyone who has spoken ill of any of the leaders or of me with a heart that holds nothing back. 01:16:05.680 --> 01:16:09.680 I release your forgiveness, Father. 01:16:09.680 --> 01:16:12.680 And if you forgive, then how can any of us hold anything back? 01:16:12.680 --> 01:16:17.680 And let the same thing be reciprocated towards me, where I have harmed or any of the leaders have harmed. 01:16:17.680 --> 01:16:26.680 Let the ones that are hurt forgive us. 01:16:26.680 --> 01:16:36.680 So I erase from my heart anything outstanding 01:16:36.680 --> 01:16:42.680 and start with a fresh slate for every person in this house right now. 01:16:42.680 --> 01:16:46.680 Fresh slate. 01:16:46.680 --> 01:16:57.680 Across this room, Spirit of God, could you do that? 01:16:57.680 --> 01:17:06.680 Could you do that, oh God? 01:17:06.680 --> 01:17:10.680 In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. 01:17:10.680 --> 01:17:14.680 Bless you guys. If you need prayer, there'll be people here to pray with you, yeah?