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Ok, well, last week I had hoped

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that we would deal with 
the unpardonable sin,

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and then with sexual sin.

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And we didn't get to the 
second part last week.

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And so, that's what I want 
to deal with tonight.

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And I think I want to 
call it something like:

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The Holy Spirit is your best Friend

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in fighting against sexual temptation.

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Something like that.

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The Holy Spirit is your best Friend

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when it comes to fighting 
sexual immorality.

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So, I thought the first 
thing that I wanted to do

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is develop what I want 
to call a theology

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of sexual sin.

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Call it the doctrine of sexual sin.

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Here's a starting point.

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Nobody in this room; 
nobody in this world

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is stronger than sin.

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None of us are.

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And by the title,

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the Holy Spirit is our best Friend

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when it comes to sexual sin.

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Nobody is strong enough

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to overcome sexual temptation

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on their own.

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Nobody is strong enough

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to overcome sexual immorality

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on their own.

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Period.

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It's an impossibility.

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It is stronger than us.

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Lay it down.

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It is stronger.

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When you think about the lost man,

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total inability -

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absolutely total inability to do this.

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And I'm including here "lost Christians."

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You say what's that?

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That's a paradox.

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I'm talking about there's a reason why

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certain people in the 
church never get victory.

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That's what I'm talking about.

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And lost people cannot get victory.

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Now, listen. Think with me here.

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Oftentimes in Scripture,

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Scripture doesn't deal necessarily

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with sins particularly;

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sins specifically,

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like certain types of sexual sin.

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There's places it does,

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but oftentimes what we get in Scripture

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is we get sin personified.

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Where am I going with all this?

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I'm going here with it.

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Paul talks about sin - singular

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as a force, as a power.

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Remember how God spoke to Cain

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way back in Genesis 4?

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What did He say?

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Anybody remember what He said

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to Cain before Cain killed his brother?

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Sin is crouching at the door.

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What is that?

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See what He did? He personified sin.

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He made into something living.

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It's crouching at the door.

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Almost as though it's separate.

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It's like over there at the door.

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It's crouching.

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That's like an animal ready to pounce.

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Who else speaks that way about sin?

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Personifies it like that?

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How about Paul?

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How about Paul in Romans?

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Think about what Paul says in Romans.

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He says sin - concerning Christians -

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he says sin singular

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is not going to have dominion over you

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as a Christian.

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He talks about sin singular

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seeking to reign in our mortal bodies.

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You are not to let sin reign.

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Not sins, as in these particular things.

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You are not to let sin as a force,

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as a dominating power in your life

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rule over you.

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Here's the thing with lost people.

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Lost people are dominated by sin.

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Sin dominates them.

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Who is not dominated by sin?

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Those who are under grace, not under law.

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Who are people who are under law?

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What is that another expression for?

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What people in the world 
are under the law?

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Lost people.

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If you're under grace,

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sin will not have dominion over you.

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If you're under law, sin will what?

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Have dominion over you.

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Exactly.

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Sin will reign in your mortal body.

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Sin does dominate.

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How about where we've 
been looking in Ephesians 2?

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A lost man is dead in trespasses and sins.

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Now, there it is in the plural.

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But my point is this:

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The lost man is dominated 
by sin personified.

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This dark lord, this dark power

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of sin reigns - that's 
the position of a king.

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Sin takes up the seat in the lost man

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and it sits on the throne.

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A lot of people have this idea,

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you know, they talk about 
"we" sitting on the throne,

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or Christ sitting on the throne.

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Don't ever believe that.

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Sin is what sits on the 
throne of the lost man.

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Sin does.

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And man is a slave.

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And that's exactly how 
Scripture makes him out.

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Dead in sin.

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He is a slave to sin.

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He is dominated by sin.

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Sin does reign in his mortal body.

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Now, here's the thing.

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You know as well as I do

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that not every person in the world

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is dominated by sexual immorality evenly

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or the same as everybody else.

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You know that's true.

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Not every husband who's lost

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has committed adultery on his wife.

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Not everybody in the 
world is a homosexual.

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Not everybody has committed 
fornication in their life -

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the actual act of it.

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Sin as a dominating force,

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it manifests itself different ways

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in different people.

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Rules them.

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Dominates them.

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Reigns over them.

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But it shows up differently

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in different people.

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But here's the thing,

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when you look at Scripture,

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sexual immorality is oftentimes

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at the front of the list.

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Not just once, and not just twice,

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and not just three times -

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in fact, it's the rarity, 
it's the exception

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when you have a list of sins

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and it's not at the beginning.

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You ever notice that?

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In fact, isn't it interesting

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that when God gives a people over,

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what does He give them over to?

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What's the progress of 
God giving a people up?

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It's that they begin to 
do dishonorable things.

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It's in Romans 1.

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They consider themselves wise.

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They're really fools.

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They begin to fall down and 
worship other things besides God.

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They're seeking to suppress the 
knowledge of God all the time.

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And God gives them over.

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And when He begins to give a people over,

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you'll notice the progression there.

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It's not immediately into homosexuality.

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The first step is people begin to do that

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which they shouldn't do.

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The first step in that 
being given over by God,

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sexual perversion.

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And what I mean by that

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is everything outside of marriage.

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It begins to rot away at that level.

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Now think about the lists

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where sexual sin is first.

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Somebody look up 1 Corinthians 6.

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1 Corinthians 6:9

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And here you have a list -

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don't be deceived.

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People who practice unrighteousness

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don't inherit the kingdom of God.

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And what's right at the 
beginning of the list?

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The sexually immoral.

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Tim: What's next?

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Idolaters.

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Tim: What's next?

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Adulterers.

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Tim: What's next?

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Men who practice homosexuality.

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Tim: I mean, isn't that interesting?
The very first one is sexual immorality.

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Three out of the first four:

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sexual immorality.

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Where else can you think of?

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I think of the works of the flesh.

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Galatians 5. Somebody go over there.

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What is it? V. 22? 23?

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Those are the fruits of the Spirit.

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Wait, say it again?

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Sexual immorality - first,

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impurity - second,

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sensuality - third,

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and then idolatry.

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See, three out of the 
first four right there.

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Or how about in Ephesians 5,

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you get because of these things,

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the wrath of God is coming.

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What's the "these things?"

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What is it? V. 7 maybe?

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"Everyone who is sexually 
immoral or impure

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or who is covetous, that is, an idolater."

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Notice what the first two are.

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Think about Paul speaking 
to the Thessalonians,

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and he's talking about God

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desiring their sanctification.

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And what's the very 
first thing he goes into?

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Chapter 4. 1 Thessalonians.

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"This is the will of God,

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your sanctification: that you abstain

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from sexual immorality..."

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Isn't it interesting.

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The first thing he brings up 
there is sanctification.

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Where's the first place he goes?

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Sexual purity.

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And this is often at 
the front of the list.

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And here's the thing,

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I think if we're honest,

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we recognize different people -

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lost people fall prey to sin

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in all sorts of ways.

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Sin rules and sin reigns them.

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But one of the stark, first in line

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manner in which they fall

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and in which they give themselves over to

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is this sensuality and sexual immorality.

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And it's a big one.

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You know, all you have 
to do is look around

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in our society to see

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we're in a pornographic society.

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You look historically at the sins

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that have been struggled 
with through history.

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This was big 2,000 years ago.

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It was right at the forefront.

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It was a problem,

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and it made it to the head of the class

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in these lists of sins that were given.

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And the thing is,

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men who are dominated by sin -

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sin may manifest itself differently

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in different people.

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And it may manifest itself differently

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at different times in the 
life of the same people.

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You say, well, that guy was committing 
adultery and then he quit.

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Well, you know what?

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People will change and they will migrate

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in the way they're dominated by sin.

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They will do that.

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And idolatry can made a man do that.

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Have a man fall into adultery,

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and he's going to lose his wife.

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He idolizes her and he 
will give up that sin -

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perhaps even for good.

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He can do that.

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Men can give up alcohol

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because they idolize their own life

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and the alcohol about killed them

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and they'll give it up.

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They'll exchange it for something else.

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That's how lost man is,

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but nevertheless, completely dominated.

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And my point is this:

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As long as sexual urge,

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as long as that body is throwing urges,

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that mind is throwing urges,

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Satan is throwing urges,

275
00:13:31,773 --> 00:13:35,731
as long as sin which seeks to rule in them

276
00:13:35,731 --> 00:13:41,202
is throwing that kind of lust their way,

277
00:13:41,202 --> 00:13:44,106
they're helpless.

278
00:13:44,106 --> 00:13:46,732
They cannot dominate that.

279
00:13:46,732 --> 00:13:49,164
They cannot have victory over that.

280
00:13:49,164 --> 00:13:53,061
Now, like I say, they may get old

281
00:13:53,061 --> 00:13:55,917
and the sexual urge and 
the sexual temptation

282
00:13:55,917 --> 00:13:57,665
kind of goes out of them

283
00:13:57,665 --> 00:13:59,391
because they're getting old.

284
00:13:59,391 --> 00:14:02,060
Or, they may idolize a wife

285
00:14:02,060 --> 00:14:04,256
and they may change one thing for another

286
00:14:04,256 --> 00:14:06,035
for a season perhaps.

287
00:14:06,035 --> 00:14:07,834
I mean, that kind of thing happens.

288
00:14:07,834 --> 00:14:09,694
But we're talking men who are

289
00:14:09,694 --> 00:14:11,870
dominated and ruled by this.

290
00:14:11,870 --> 00:14:14,164
But now, you come over into the category

291
00:14:14,164 --> 00:14:15,164
of Christian.

292
00:14:15,164 --> 00:14:16,590
And I'm going to say this,

293
00:14:16,590 --> 00:14:19,181
the Christian is just as dead in the water

294
00:14:19,181 --> 00:14:23,128
and just as helpless by himself

295
00:14:23,128 --> 00:14:24,852
and in his own power.

296
00:14:24,852 --> 00:14:28,509
Jesus said - Jesus was 
coming at the positive end,

297
00:14:28,509 --> 00:14:31,942
and He was speaking of good works,

298
00:14:31,942 --> 00:14:36,421
but did He not say in John 15,

299
00:14:36,421 --> 00:14:39,969
"without Me..." what?

300
00:14:39,969 --> 00:14:41,601
"You can do nothing."

301
00:14:41,601 --> 00:14:45,308
And obviously, Jesus works in His people

302
00:14:45,308 --> 00:14:47,457
by way of the Spirit of God.

303
00:14:47,457 --> 00:14:48,939
I mean, we don't want to make -

304
00:14:48,939 --> 00:14:50,927
the Spirit of Christ -

305
00:14:50,927 --> 00:14:52,701
it's interesting even in Romans 8

306
00:14:52,701 --> 00:14:55,228
how you kind of move from the Spirit,

307
00:14:55,228 --> 00:14:57,416
the Spirit of Christ, Christ...

308
00:14:57,416 --> 00:14:59,916
There's this transition kind of happens.

309
00:14:59,916 --> 00:15:01,368
It's one and the same.

310
00:15:01,368 --> 00:15:03,996
You don't want to 
separate these two things.

311
00:15:03,996 --> 00:15:07,981
But what's the classic text 
in our New Testament

312
00:15:07,981 --> 00:15:12,117
that shows that the 
Christian puts to death sin

313
00:15:12,117 --> 00:15:14,128
only by the Spirit of God?

314
00:15:14,128 --> 00:15:15,845
Romans 8:13

315
00:15:15,845 --> 00:15:20,023
Somebody read that.

316
00:15:20,023 --> 00:15:22,817
"For if you live according 
to the flesh you will die,

317
00:15:22,817 --> 00:15:26,425
but if by the Spirit you put to 
death the deeds of the body,

318
00:15:26,425 --> 00:15:27,449
you will live."

319
00:15:27,449 --> 00:15:29,860
See, one path is death?

320
00:15:29,860 --> 00:15:31,128
That's the lost man.

321
00:15:31,128 --> 00:15:33,456
One path is life. That's the saved man.

322
00:15:33,456 --> 00:15:37,210
The path of life is a person

323
00:15:37,210 --> 00:15:41,324
putting to death deeds of the body,

324
00:15:41,324 --> 00:15:45,028
not by themselves and 
not in their own power.

325
00:15:45,028 --> 00:15:49,467
They're doing that in 
the power of the Spirit.

326
00:15:49,467 --> 00:15:50,982
You see that.

327
00:15:50,982 --> 00:15:55,237
And so this is where 
I'm going in all of this.

328
00:15:55,237 --> 00:15:58,559
The Holy Spirit is absolutely essential.

329
00:15:58,559 --> 00:16:01,609
If we want to have a good -

330
00:16:01,609 --> 00:16:03,843
I mean you want to get to the root;

331
00:16:03,843 --> 00:16:07,354
you want to go deep in this issue

332
00:16:07,354 --> 00:16:13,937
of doing battle, of having victory,

333
00:16:13,937 --> 00:16:19,485
of overcoming, of being successful

334
00:16:19,485 --> 00:16:23,399
battling urges and 
temptations with pornography,

335
00:16:23,399 --> 00:16:25,470
battling urges and temptations

336
00:16:25,470 --> 00:16:29,034
in the direction of sexual immorality.

337
00:16:29,034 --> 00:16:36,649
And you know, having a 
ministry like I'll Be Honest,

338
00:16:36,649 --> 00:16:43,003
and for one, being able to watch,

339
00:16:43,003 --> 00:16:44,705
like I was telling you last week,

340
00:16:44,705 --> 00:16:47,561
which videos get the most traffic

341
00:16:47,561 --> 00:16:49,970
on YouTube and on I'll Be Honest,

342
00:16:49,970 --> 00:16:52,094
being able to see that -

343
00:16:52,094 --> 00:16:53,763
there's no question about it.

344
00:16:53,763 --> 00:16:59,144
Two of the top most watched videos

345
00:16:59,144 --> 00:17:01,069
have to do with the unpardonable sin

346
00:17:01,069 --> 00:17:03,011
and have to do with sexual immorality.

347
00:17:03,011 --> 00:17:06,070
That tells me that among 
professing Christians,

348
00:17:06,070 --> 00:17:09,709
it's huge, it's big, it's something

349
00:17:09,709 --> 00:17:14,710
that people are struggling with.

350
00:17:14,710 --> 00:17:16,159
They're looking for answers.

351
00:17:16,159 --> 00:17:18,452
They're looking for help.

352
00:17:18,452 --> 00:17:20,855
People are getting on the Internet

353
00:17:20,855 --> 00:17:23,597
and at times instead of falling prey

354
00:17:23,597 --> 00:17:24,776
to pornography,

355
00:17:24,776 --> 00:17:27,655
they're actually searching in such ways

356
00:17:27,655 --> 00:17:30,195
that they end up finding I'll Be Honest.

357
00:17:30,195 --> 00:17:32,680
They end up finding,

358
00:17:32,680 --> 00:17:37,161
even one of the first videos

359
00:17:37,161 --> 00:17:39,066
after James came and we kind of

360
00:17:39,066 --> 00:17:41,276
connected the two ministries together,

361
00:17:41,276 --> 00:17:42,956
maybe even made it before that,

362
00:17:42,956 --> 00:17:45,563
but that James made on this subject,

363
00:17:45,563 --> 00:17:48,759
I mean, look at the 
amount of traffic on it.

364
00:17:48,759 --> 00:17:50,471
You look at the amount of traffic

365
00:17:50,471 --> 00:17:52,775
on stuff that James has put up there

366
00:17:52,775 --> 00:17:54,504
or that John Piper has done

367
00:17:54,504 --> 00:17:55,931
or that Paul Washer has done

368
00:17:55,931 --> 00:17:59,155
or any of the pastors that are popular

369
00:17:59,155 --> 00:18:01,069
out there today,

370
00:18:01,069 --> 00:18:02,933
these things are getting so much traffic.

371
00:18:02,933 --> 00:18:04,754
Some of them hundreds and hundreds

372
00:18:04,754 --> 00:18:06,234
of thousands of hits.

373
00:18:06,234 --> 00:18:07,797
Why? What that tells me is

374
00:18:07,797 --> 00:18:11,005
you have people who 
are professing Christians -

375
00:18:11,005 --> 00:18:12,541
whether they're true or not,

376
00:18:12,541 --> 00:18:14,410
you know they're in both categories;

377
00:18:14,410 --> 00:18:16,265
undoubtedly in both categories.

378
00:18:16,265 --> 00:18:17,430
But they're searching

379
00:18:17,430 --> 00:18:19,193
and they're looking for answers.

380
00:18:19,193 --> 00:18:22,517
And I can give this answer right here.

381
00:18:22,517 --> 00:18:25,324
You cannot have victory

382
00:18:25,324 --> 00:18:28,721
unless it is victory that is had by way

383
00:18:28,721 --> 00:18:30,558
of the Spirit of God.

384
00:18:30,558 --> 00:18:32,751
It is by the Spirit you put to death

385
00:18:32,751 --> 00:18:34,381
the deeds of the body.

386
00:18:34,381 --> 00:18:35,736
In other words, this is what

387
00:18:35,736 --> 00:18:37,407
we really have to key in on.

388
00:18:37,407 --> 00:18:39,369
You and I don't have the power -

389
00:18:39,369 --> 00:18:42,536
lost or saved - by ourselves.

390
00:18:42,536 --> 00:18:44,035
We don't have the power.

391
00:18:44,035 --> 00:18:46,442
You need the power of Another

392
00:18:46,442 --> 00:18:49,571
to overcome in this area of your life.

393
00:18:49,571 --> 00:18:52,558
You need the power of the Holy Spirit.

394
00:18:52,558 --> 00:18:55,811
And what I want to do in this Bible study

395
00:18:55,811 --> 00:18:57,851
is simply talk about that.

396
00:18:57,851 --> 00:19:01,361
(incomplete thought)

397
00:19:01,361 --> 00:19:03,591
Where is the Spirit?

398
00:19:03,591 --> 00:19:05,444
And where is His power?

399
00:19:05,444 --> 00:19:07,874
You say, well, as a Christian -

400
00:19:07,874 --> 00:19:09,054
if you're a Christian;

401
00:19:09,054 --> 00:19:11,210
if you're a genuine Christian,

402
00:19:11,210 --> 00:19:14,789
doesn't Romans 8 say 
that you have the Spirit?

403
00:19:14,789 --> 00:19:18,231
Yep. And if you don't 
have the Spirit, what?

404
00:19:18,231 --> 00:19:20,539
You're none of His. 
You don't belong to Him.

405
00:19:20,539 --> 00:19:23,511
So, every single child of God

406
00:19:23,511 --> 00:19:25,103
has the Spirit.

407
00:19:25,103 --> 00:19:27,417
What is that? Case closed?

408
00:19:27,417 --> 00:19:30,006
Does every true Christian have victory

409
00:19:30,006 --> 00:19:33,109
all the time?

410
00:19:33,109 --> 00:19:35,105
Is it enough to be a Christian

411
00:19:35,105 --> 00:19:37,248
to win the battle?

412
00:19:37,248 --> 00:19:39,741
Now, somebody might say,

413
00:19:39,741 --> 00:19:41,685
well, I read in Scripture

414
00:19:41,685 --> 00:19:43,040
that if you're a Christian,

415
00:19:43,040 --> 00:19:45,460
you will win the battle.

416
00:19:45,460 --> 00:19:46,735
If you're a Christian,

417
00:19:46,735 --> 00:19:49,365
you will cut off that hand 
and pluck out that eye,

418
00:19:49,365 --> 00:19:51,079
or else you're going to go to hell.

419
00:19:51,079 --> 00:19:52,860
And look, those are the indicatives,

420
00:19:52,860 --> 00:19:54,669
I recognize, but we've got imperatives

421
00:19:54,669 --> 00:19:55,969
in our New Testament too.

422
00:19:55,969 --> 00:19:57,830
In other words, we've got commandments

423
00:19:57,830 --> 00:20:00,084
to not let sin reign in our mortal bodies.

424
00:20:00,084 --> 00:20:02,292
There is a place that by the Spirit

425
00:20:02,292 --> 00:20:04,517
we are killing sin;

426
00:20:04,517 --> 00:20:06,812
we are seeking to put that sin to death.

427
00:20:06,812 --> 00:20:08,005
There is a place.

428
00:20:08,005 --> 00:20:10,062
Anybody think about Colossians 3 -

429
00:20:10,062 --> 00:20:11,454
what it says there

430
00:20:11,454 --> 00:20:13,923
concerning sexual immorality?

431
00:20:13,923 --> 00:20:17,650
Which by the way is at the 
front of the list again.

432
00:20:17,650 --> 00:20:21,435
"Put to death what is earthly in you."

433
00:20:21,435 --> 00:20:22,885
What's the first in line?

434
00:20:22,885 --> 00:20:24,691
I just said: sexual immorality.

435
00:20:24,691 --> 00:20:26,068
First in line again.

436
00:20:26,068 --> 00:20:27,692
But put it to death.

437
00:20:27,692 --> 00:20:28,844
But here's the thing,

438
00:20:28,844 --> 00:20:30,885
you by yourself -

439
00:20:30,885 --> 00:20:32,869
just like Jesus said to His disciples:

440
00:20:32,869 --> 00:20:34,857
"Without Me you can do nothing."

441
00:20:34,857 --> 00:20:36,803
Without that Spirit,

442
00:20:36,803 --> 00:20:40,603
you cannot do this.

443
00:20:40,603 --> 00:20:43,476
Now, why does Scripture tell us

444
00:20:43,476 --> 00:20:46,983
to put this to death?

445
00:20:46,983 --> 00:20:48,902
Because you have to.

446
00:20:48,902 --> 00:20:51,253
Why does Jesus call us

447
00:20:51,253 --> 00:20:54,356
to cut off the hand and pluck out the eye?

448
00:20:54,356 --> 00:20:57,101
Because you have to.

449
00:20:57,101 --> 00:20:58,402
You have to strive.

450
00:20:58,402 --> 00:20:59,615
There is an effort.

451
00:20:59,615 --> 00:21:01,831
You have to work out your own salvation.

452
00:21:01,831 --> 00:21:04,450
But brethren, the way we do this

453
00:21:04,450 --> 00:21:07,299
is in the power of Another.

454
00:21:07,299 --> 00:21:08,735
And that is so key.

455
00:21:08,735 --> 00:21:14,678
You will do this only as you do this

456
00:21:14,678 --> 00:21:17,129
by divine power.

457
00:21:17,129 --> 00:21:19,662
And so I think the thing that 
we have to talk about;

458
00:21:19,662 --> 00:21:22,418
the thing that we have to wrestle with

459
00:21:22,418 --> 00:21:27,386
is it's not just a given

460
00:21:27,386 --> 00:21:28,916
that because you're a Christian

461
00:21:28,916 --> 00:21:30,222
and you possess the Spirit,

462
00:21:30,222 --> 00:21:32,183
therefore sit back, recline,

463
00:21:32,183 --> 00:21:33,595
kick your feet up,

464
00:21:33,595 --> 00:21:35,032
it's all going to happen.

465
00:21:35,032 --> 00:21:40,775
The Spirit of God is going 
to make it happen.

466
00:21:40,775 --> 00:21:44,737
There's some keys.

467
00:21:44,737 --> 00:21:50,696
There are things said in Scripture

468
00:21:50,696 --> 00:21:55,732
about the Spirit and His 
interaction with us

469
00:21:55,732 --> 00:22:03,183
that I think we need to think about.

470
00:22:03,183 --> 00:22:09,919
Like, as a Christian,

471
00:22:09,919 --> 00:22:15,828
how do I live in the power of the Spirit?

472
00:22:15,828 --> 00:22:18,677
As a Christian, how do I not live

473
00:22:18,677 --> 00:22:20,983
in the power of the Spirit?

474
00:22:20,983 --> 00:22:23,858
What's the difference?

475
00:22:23,858 --> 00:22:25,869
I mean, here's the thing.

476
00:22:25,869 --> 00:22:29,024
Some Christians are more mature

477
00:22:29,024 --> 00:22:31,282
than other Christians.

478
00:22:31,282 --> 00:22:34,845
Some Christians are more holy

479
00:22:34,845 --> 00:22:36,486
than other Christians.

480
00:22:36,486 --> 00:22:38,368
Look, there's automatic assumptions

481
00:22:38,368 --> 00:22:41,330
in Scripture that when you 
come to look at elders,

482
00:22:41,330 --> 00:22:43,464
not everybody in the church is an elder.

483
00:22:43,464 --> 00:22:46,192
When you come to look at teachers,

484
00:22:46,192 --> 00:22:48,166
James is very specific

485
00:22:48,166 --> 00:22:50,616
that not many of you should be teachers.

486
00:22:50,616 --> 00:22:53,414
He is automatically 
assuming right up front

487
00:22:53,414 --> 00:22:55,371
that most people in the church

488
00:22:55,371 --> 00:22:58,514
are not at a certain level.

489
00:22:58,514 --> 00:23:02,888
You get people all over the place.

490
00:23:02,888 --> 00:23:05,289
Why does Paul have to tell the Corinthians

491
00:23:05,289 --> 00:23:09,962
not to sleep with prostitutes?

492
00:23:09,962 --> 00:23:14,126
Because they were.

493
00:23:14,126 --> 00:23:17,160
There are others who weren't.

494
00:23:17,160 --> 00:23:21,237
They are many in our 
church who don't do that.

495
00:23:21,237 --> 00:23:24,806
Paul wasn't doing that.

496
00:23:24,806 --> 00:23:28,275
Let me ask you this.

497
00:23:28,275 --> 00:23:30,936
Here's the reality.

498
00:23:30,936 --> 00:23:33,000
Some are having victory -

499
00:23:33,000 --> 00:23:35,204
some true Christians are having victory

500
00:23:35,204 --> 00:23:39,939
in the area of sexual immorality

501
00:23:39,939 --> 00:23:41,651
while others are not having

502
00:23:41,651 --> 00:23:44,471
the same amount of success.

503
00:23:44,471 --> 00:23:46,316
And here's the thing,

504
00:23:46,316 --> 00:23:48,222
the guy that's having the success -

505
00:23:48,222 --> 00:23:50,377
"without Me you can do nothing."

506
00:23:50,377 --> 00:23:52,383
Same truth applies there.

507
00:23:52,383 --> 00:23:55,317
It's not like he's got a 
power innate to himself.

508
00:23:55,317 --> 00:23:58,446
That man is doing what he does

509
00:23:58,446 --> 00:23:59,880
in reaching a higher plane

510
00:23:59,880 --> 00:24:02,857
and excelling to a greater degree

511
00:24:02,857 --> 00:24:06,190
by the power of the Spirit.

512
00:24:06,190 --> 00:24:08,616
The one who isn't,

513
00:24:08,616 --> 00:24:12,818
isn't tapping the power of the Spirit.

514
00:24:12,818 --> 00:24:14,246
Or let's say it this way,

515
00:24:14,246 --> 00:24:17,863
that's almost impersonal 
to say it like that.

516
00:24:17,863 --> 00:24:24,003
It's like tapping a maple tree for 
maple syrup or something.

517
00:24:24,003 --> 00:24:27,665
The Person of the Spirit -

518
00:24:27,665 --> 00:24:30,200
you need to get this -

519
00:24:30,200 --> 00:24:33,481
the weak person who's fumbling

520
00:24:33,481 --> 00:24:38,537
and tumbling and tripping and falling -

521
00:24:38,537 --> 00:24:41,484
the Spirit of God in his life -

522
00:24:41,484 --> 00:24:47,310
that Spirit; that third 
Person of the Godhead,

523
00:24:47,310 --> 00:24:50,097
is the same Person in the life

524
00:24:50,097 --> 00:24:55,797
of the guy who's walking a very holy life.

525
00:24:55,797 --> 00:24:58,492
The Spirit in the weak man's life

526
00:24:58,492 --> 00:25:03,394
is just as powerful over sexual sin

527
00:25:03,394 --> 00:25:09,165
as the Spirit in the holy man's life.

528
00:25:09,165 --> 00:25:14,414
Look, what's true about the weak man

529
00:25:14,414 --> 00:25:18,576
is that the Spirit is not subduing

530
00:25:18,576 --> 00:25:22,871
that sexual temptation in the same way

531
00:25:22,871 --> 00:25:24,946
as it's happening in the strong man.

532
00:25:24,946 --> 00:25:27,764
Why? That's the question on the table.

533
00:25:27,764 --> 00:25:29,168
Why?

534
00:25:29,168 --> 00:25:31,945
The weak Christian is indwelt

535
00:25:31,945 --> 00:25:35,426
by the almighty Spirit of God.

536
00:25:35,426 --> 00:25:38,743
Listen, the Spirit of God 
is stronger than sin

537
00:25:38,743 --> 00:25:40,718
every time, every day,

538
00:25:40,718 --> 00:25:43,236
always, in every instance,

539
00:25:43,236 --> 00:25:46,236
no exceptions.

540
00:25:46,236 --> 00:25:49,763
The Spirit is more powerful than sin

541
00:25:49,763 --> 00:25:51,447
all the time.

542
00:25:51,447 --> 00:25:53,940
There is no sexual sin

543
00:25:53,940 --> 00:25:56,664
that is stronger than the Spirit of God.

544
00:25:56,664 --> 00:26:00,279
So why the difference?

545
00:26:00,279 --> 00:26:01,582
The weak Christian,

546
00:26:01,582 --> 00:26:04,564
if he ever puts to death 
deeds of the flesh,

547
00:26:04,564 --> 00:26:06,548
does it by the Spirit.

548
00:26:06,548 --> 00:26:09,612
If the strong man puts to death

549
00:26:09,612 --> 00:26:13,154
the deeds of the flesh more,

550
00:26:13,154 --> 00:26:15,719
it's by the Spirit.

551
00:26:15,719 --> 00:26:19,734
Same Spirit. Same power.

552
00:26:19,734 --> 00:26:21,760
The Spirit is a Person.

553
00:26:21,760 --> 00:26:26,295
The Spirit chooses what He will do,

554
00:26:26,295 --> 00:26:27,516
how He will do it,

555
00:26:27,516 --> 00:26:30,479
when He will do it.

556
00:26:30,479 --> 00:26:35,729
What's happening in the weak man's life?

557
00:26:35,729 --> 00:26:37,841
You see, this is what we need to get at.

558
00:26:37,841 --> 00:26:42,050
The Spirit is your best Friend

559
00:26:42,050 --> 00:26:45,128
in putting to death sexual sin.

560
00:26:45,128 --> 00:26:46,478
That's the title.

561
00:26:46,478 --> 00:26:48,663
That's the title of this.

562
00:26:48,663 --> 00:26:50,914
The Spirit of God is your best Friend

563
00:26:50,914 --> 00:26:54,943
in putting to death sexual sin.

564
00:26:54,943 --> 00:26:59,348
So what's the difference?

565
00:26:59,348 --> 00:27:02,399
I mean, from your knowledge of Scripture,

566
00:27:02,399 --> 00:27:04,594
does anything jump out at you

567
00:27:04,594 --> 00:27:11,634
as to why that difference might exist?

568
00:27:11,634 --> 00:27:12,811
What was that?

569
00:27:12,811 --> 00:27:14,529
Quenching the Spirit.

570
00:27:14,529 --> 00:27:20,785
Tim: Oh, brethren...

571
00:27:20,785 --> 00:27:26,774
Yeah. Let's go there.

572
00:27:26,774 --> 00:27:29,619
We are told by the same author

573
00:27:29,619 --> 00:27:32,628
in two different places

574
00:27:32,628 --> 00:27:34,898
not to grieve the Spirit,

575
00:27:34,898 --> 00:27:36,739
not to quench the Spirit.

576
00:27:36,739 --> 00:27:38,193
You know what's interesting

577
00:27:38,193 --> 00:27:42,140
about both of those passages?

578
00:27:42,140 --> 00:27:48,497
Paul doesn't explain what he means.

579
00:27:48,497 --> 00:27:52,548
What do you think is true

580
00:27:52,548 --> 00:27:56,097
when an author of Scripture

581
00:27:56,097 --> 00:28:00,557
doesn't explain himself?

582
00:28:00,557 --> 00:28:03,343
What do you think is a typical assumption

583
00:28:03,343 --> 00:28:05,741
in the mind of the author

584
00:28:05,741 --> 00:28:07,705
when he says something like that?

585
00:28:07,705 --> 00:28:09,927
That the hearers already 
knew what he meant.

586
00:28:09,927 --> 00:28:11,839
Tim: Yeah. Exactly.

587
00:28:11,839 --> 00:28:14,719
That it would be simply understood.

588
00:28:14,719 --> 00:28:16,453
He doesn't have to get into

589
00:28:16,453 --> 00:28:17,970
developing this.

590
00:28:17,970 --> 00:28:21,889
Look, we all know,

591
00:28:21,889 --> 00:28:23,885
Paul was one to develop an idea

592
00:28:23,885 --> 00:28:26,080
when it needed to be developed.

593
00:28:26,080 --> 00:28:31,830
He didn't do that in 
either of those cases.

594
00:28:31,830 --> 00:28:35,399
He's really making the assumption:

595
00:28:35,399 --> 00:28:41,458
we know what does it.

596
00:28:41,458 --> 00:28:48,543
Let me offer a suggestion here.

597
00:28:48,543 --> 00:28:55,010
When we are given instruction;

598
00:28:55,010 --> 00:28:59,516
when we're told to do something,

599
00:28:59,516 --> 00:29:03,984
you know that Jesus did all that He did

600
00:29:03,984 --> 00:29:06,453
as a man -

601
00:29:06,453 --> 00:29:10,405
He did it in the power 
of the Spirit of God.

602
00:29:10,405 --> 00:29:12,723
The Spirit of God enabled Him

603
00:29:12,723 --> 00:29:15,577
to cast out demons.

604
00:29:15,577 --> 00:29:18,518
The Spirit of God moved Him,

605
00:29:18,518 --> 00:29:21,971
empowered Him,

606
00:29:21,971 --> 00:29:23,702
drove Him out into the wilderness

607
00:29:23,702 --> 00:29:25,098
to be tempted.

608
00:29:25,098 --> 00:29:28,060
The Spirit of God filled Christ

609
00:29:28,060 --> 00:29:32,890
without measure.

610
00:29:32,890 --> 00:29:34,892
When Jesus came along and He healed,

611
00:29:34,892 --> 00:29:37,421
you think about this.

612
00:29:37,421 --> 00:29:43,789
Go over there, find that pool, and wash.

613
00:29:43,789 --> 00:29:47,042
Or He would just say rise up.

614
00:29:47,042 --> 00:29:51,937
The Spirit was working 
through Jesus Christ

615
00:29:51,937 --> 00:29:54,673
to powerfully heal these people.

616
00:29:54,673 --> 00:29:56,232
But you know what's interesting?

617
00:29:56,232 --> 00:30:01,207
These people by faith did what was

618
00:30:01,207 --> 00:30:05,685
absolutely impossible for them 
to do in their own power.

619
00:30:05,685 --> 00:30:08,166
Get that.

620
00:30:08,166 --> 00:30:10,337
It's just as impossible for you

621
00:30:10,337 --> 00:30:12,685
to overcome sexual temptation

622
00:30:12,685 --> 00:30:17,735
as it is for a man to go wash in a pool

623
00:30:17,735 --> 00:30:19,639
and get his sight,

624
00:30:19,639 --> 00:30:23,201
or to simply get up just because

625
00:30:23,201 --> 00:30:27,938
Jesus told him to get up.

626
00:30:27,938 --> 00:30:30,016
How does a man who's got palsy

627
00:30:30,016 --> 00:30:31,498
and is lame get up?

628
00:30:31,498 --> 00:30:32,989
How does a man who's been

629
00:30:32,989 --> 00:30:37,921
for almost 40 years beside this pool -

630
00:30:37,921 --> 00:30:40,501
how does he just get up?

631
00:30:40,501 --> 00:30:43,201
Jesus told him to get up and he did.

632
00:30:43,201 --> 00:30:48,365
Here's the thing.
Here's the thing.

633
00:30:48,365 --> 00:30:53,006
One of the ways you grieve the Spirit;

634
00:30:53,006 --> 00:30:56,934
one of the ways that you forsake

635
00:30:56,934 --> 00:31:01,744
the power of the Spirit

636
00:31:01,744 --> 00:31:04,920
is when you don't strive to do

637
00:31:04,920 --> 00:31:07,180
what He tells you to do.

638
00:31:07,180 --> 00:31:09,700
That is so key to living 
the Christian life.

639
00:31:09,700 --> 00:31:12,495
It doesn't mean that you 
have the power to do it,

640
00:31:12,495 --> 00:31:15,225
any more than that man on the ground

641
00:31:15,225 --> 00:31:17,933
had power to get up in his own strength.

642
00:31:17,933 --> 00:31:19,977
But you see, what happened when Jesus

643
00:31:19,977 --> 00:31:23,991
told him to do it,

644
00:31:23,991 --> 00:31:29,322
and looking up at Jesus

645
00:31:29,322 --> 00:31:33,449
and believing, he got up.

646
00:31:33,449 --> 00:31:34,560
He did it.

647
00:31:34,560 --> 00:31:36,524
He did the impossible.

648
00:31:36,524 --> 00:31:38,291
Not in his own strength.

649
00:31:38,291 --> 00:31:39,875
You see, that is the secret

650
00:31:39,875 --> 00:31:41,561
to living the Christian life.

651
00:31:41,561 --> 00:31:43,386
Not so much a secret,

652
00:31:43,386 --> 00:31:45,906
but it's amazing how often we miss it.

653
00:31:45,906 --> 00:31:50,670
Brethren, when Scripture 
says to do things,

654
00:31:50,670 --> 00:31:54,496
if your first attitude is one of defeat,

655
00:31:54,496 --> 00:31:57,332
if your first attitude is 
"I can't do that,"

656
00:31:57,332 --> 00:31:58,887
no, no, no.

657
00:31:58,887 --> 00:32:00,906
Of course, you can't do that.

658
00:32:00,906 --> 00:32:03,471
The first step is

659
00:32:03,471 --> 00:32:09,921
Jesus tells me to pluck out my eye.

660
00:32:09,921 --> 00:32:12,212
He tells me to do that.

661
00:32:12,212 --> 00:32:17,729
His representative -

662
00:32:17,729 --> 00:32:21,815
he talks about putting to death sin

663
00:32:21,815 --> 00:32:23,182
in the mortal body.

664
00:32:23,182 --> 00:32:25,088
He talks about not letting sin reign.

665
00:32:25,088 --> 00:32:27,966
He talks about putting to 
death what's earthly in me.

666
00:32:27,966 --> 00:32:32,191
I am being told in Scripture to kill it.

667
00:32:32,191 --> 00:32:33,688
Now here's what you'll find.

668
00:32:33,688 --> 00:32:38,184
When you say "I can't."

669
00:32:38,184 --> 00:32:40,120
It rules me.

670
00:32:40,120 --> 00:32:41,868
It dominates me.

671
00:32:41,868 --> 00:32:45,011
I can't.

672
00:32:45,011 --> 00:32:49,775
You see what's happening right there?

673
00:32:49,775 --> 00:32:54,939
What you have to lay hold on is this:

674
00:32:54,939 --> 00:32:57,286
The Spirit of God empowers us

675
00:32:57,286 --> 00:33:00,103
in our obedience.

676
00:33:00,103 --> 00:33:04,412
When you are disobedient,

677
00:33:04,412 --> 00:33:06,330
He doesn't.

678
00:33:06,330 --> 00:33:08,698
If you think I'm going to lay down

679
00:33:08,698 --> 00:33:10,568
and not obey Christ,

680
00:33:10,568 --> 00:33:12,575
and the Spirit of God is going to come in

681
00:33:12,575 --> 00:33:15,321
and wonderfully saturate with His power

682
00:33:15,321 --> 00:33:16,814
and I'm going to rise up

683
00:33:16,814 --> 00:33:18,345
and I'm going to be so strong

684
00:33:18,345 --> 00:33:20,823
and I'm going to be able to 
resist every temptation.

685
00:33:20,823 --> 00:33:23,106
That's not how it happens.

686
00:33:23,106 --> 00:33:25,883
That isn't obedience.

687
00:33:25,883 --> 00:33:29,510
Or how about this,

688
00:33:29,510 --> 00:33:31,493
as far as the commands go with this,

689
00:33:31,493 --> 00:33:34,767
you are told to flee youthful lusts.

690
00:33:34,767 --> 00:33:37,370
You are told to run from them.

691
00:33:37,370 --> 00:33:39,076
You're told to run

692
00:33:39,076 --> 00:33:40,899
and you're told to attack.

693
00:33:40,899 --> 00:33:45,025
Cut. Amputate.

694
00:33:45,025 --> 00:33:48,657
You're called to do some surgery here.

695
00:33:48,657 --> 00:33:51,237
You're called to eradicate things.

696
00:33:51,237 --> 00:33:53,421
You're called to flee from things.

697
00:33:53,421 --> 00:33:56,795
You're called to do battle.

698
00:33:56,795 --> 00:33:58,794
You're called to put to death.

699
00:33:58,794 --> 00:34:01,594
You're called to kill.

700
00:34:01,594 --> 00:34:03,695
And look, when we look at our Lord

701
00:34:03,695 --> 00:34:07,259
and we say, "Lord, I trust You.

702
00:34:07,259 --> 00:34:10,123
That if You've told us 
in Your Word to do this.

703
00:34:10,123 --> 00:34:13,103
I'm going to trust that there's 
power in this to do it."

704
00:34:13,103 --> 00:34:15,556
And even if you fall on your 
face, you know what?

705
00:34:15,556 --> 00:34:19,104
You get up again.
"Lord, I just fell on my face."

706
00:34:19,104 --> 00:34:21,012
Maybe it was because you were too proud.

707
00:34:21,012 --> 00:34:23,079
Maybe it was because 
He wants to teach you

708
00:34:23,079 --> 00:34:25,126
all the more how badly you need Him.

709
00:34:25,126 --> 00:34:26,815
But brethren, I'm telling you this,

710
00:34:26,815 --> 00:34:28,515
the Holy Spirit is your best Friend

711
00:34:28,515 --> 00:34:31,106
in putting to death sexual sin.

712
00:34:31,106 --> 00:34:33,751
You've got to have the Spirit.

713
00:34:33,751 --> 00:34:39,911
You've got to have Him.

714
00:34:39,911 --> 00:34:46,906
Let's talk about grieving the Spirit.

715
00:34:46,906 --> 00:34:49,735
Just not striving to do

716
00:34:49,735 --> 00:34:51,034
what you're commanded to do

717
00:34:51,034 --> 00:34:52,091
is one of the ways,

718
00:34:52,091 --> 00:34:53,991
but how else?

719
00:34:53,991 --> 00:35:00,199
Brethren, the man who lives

720
00:35:00,199 --> 00:35:03,256
the most holy life -

721
00:35:03,256 --> 00:35:05,031
what is a holy life?

722
00:35:05,031 --> 00:35:08,374
Closely associated with those

723
00:35:08,374 --> 00:35:13,313
sanctified word group.

724
00:35:13,313 --> 00:35:17,491
We're sanctified -

725
00:35:17,491 --> 00:35:19,803
is it 2 Thessalonians 2:13?

726
00:35:19,803 --> 00:35:25,202
Sanctified by the Spirit.

727
00:35:25,202 --> 00:35:27,491
You're sanctified by the Spirit.

728
00:35:27,491 --> 00:35:30,143
The holy man is holy

729
00:35:30,143 --> 00:35:34,707
by the power of the Spirit.

730
00:35:34,707 --> 00:35:40,208
That man by that Spirit -

731
00:35:40,208 --> 00:35:42,849
that Spirit is operating in his life.

732
00:35:42,849 --> 00:35:44,355
He's putting to death.

733
00:35:44,355 --> 00:35:47,113
That man is doing the things -

734
00:35:47,113 --> 00:35:49,455
he's seeking to obey;

735
00:35:49,455 --> 00:35:53,811
he's seeking to walk in the 
way (incomplete thought).

736
00:35:53,811 --> 00:35:55,250
He's mindful.

737
00:35:55,250 --> 00:35:59,432
He's mindful to make a 
covenant with his eyes like Job

738
00:35:59,432 --> 00:36:02,105
and not look where he shouldn't look.

739
00:36:02,105 --> 00:36:04,672
He's mindful to flee, to run away

740
00:36:04,672 --> 00:36:11,157
from places that would 
cause him to stumble.

741
00:36:11,157 --> 00:36:13,046
He's mindful of that.

742
00:36:13,046 --> 00:36:15,701
He does that.

743
00:36:15,701 --> 00:36:21,425
Running. Gouging out. Amputating.

744
00:36:21,425 --> 00:36:26,190
Look, every one of us,

745
00:36:26,190 --> 00:36:29,829
that means you have to make

746
00:36:29,829 --> 00:36:33,258
some radical steps.

747
00:36:33,258 --> 00:36:36,578
If you're not willing 
to make radical steps,

748
00:36:36,578 --> 00:36:38,682
and then you go around all the time

749
00:36:38,682 --> 00:36:42,058
dismally defeated -

750
00:36:42,058 --> 00:36:44,301
Oh, woe is me...

751
00:36:44,301 --> 00:36:45,953
I just can't overcome.

752
00:36:45,953 --> 00:36:48,388
I'm just not like other people.

753
00:36:48,388 --> 00:36:50,355
Woe is me.

754
00:36:50,355 --> 00:36:55,787
Like what's that donkey 
on Winnie the Pooh?

755
00:36:55,787 --> 00:36:57,789
Eeyore.

756
00:36:57,789 --> 00:37:01,730
Brethren, we have to take radical steps.

757
00:37:01,730 --> 00:37:08,235
But what are other ways that we grieve -

758
00:37:08,235 --> 00:37:09,703
and you have to put those two:

759
00:37:09,703 --> 00:37:13,626
quench, quench - you just quench.

760
00:37:13,626 --> 00:37:16,808
He's this burning, He's this fire.

761
00:37:16,808 --> 00:37:18,546
There's this heat.

762
00:37:18,546 --> 00:37:21,890
There's this passion that He encourages

763
00:37:21,890 --> 00:37:23,682
in our love for God,

764
00:37:23,682 --> 00:37:25,441
our love for Christ,

765
00:37:25,441 --> 00:37:27,003
in living a holy life,

766
00:37:27,003 --> 00:37:29,227
hungering and thirsting 
after righteousness.

767
00:37:29,227 --> 00:37:32,901
And you just throw a big 
bucket of cold water

768
00:37:32,901 --> 00:37:37,500
on His influences in your life.

769
00:37:37,500 --> 00:37:39,394
How?

770
00:37:39,394 --> 00:37:41,098
He doesn't explain it.

771
00:37:41,098 --> 00:37:46,853
He expects that you full well know.

772
00:37:46,853 --> 00:37:50,022
What? Look.

773
00:37:50,022 --> 00:37:53,150
Be honest with me.

774
00:37:53,150 --> 00:37:57,874
What are the things that at times

775
00:37:57,874 --> 00:38:00,665
you've allowed into your life

776
00:38:00,665 --> 00:38:02,315
and you know you shouldn't have?

777
00:38:02,315 --> 00:38:04,809
Or things you haven't 
allowed into your life

778
00:38:04,809 --> 00:38:06,295
that you know you should have?

779
00:38:06,295 --> 00:38:08,275
What are the things that you've done?

780
00:38:08,275 --> 00:38:11,398
When are the times 
your conscience told you

781
00:38:11,398 --> 00:38:12,876
you've grieved the Spirit?

782
00:38:12,876 --> 00:38:14,676
What are the things?

783
00:38:14,676 --> 00:38:17,160
James: One thing I was thinking of

784
00:38:17,160 --> 00:38:19,885
is when you don't 
approve what is excellent,

785
00:38:19,885 --> 00:38:21,759
what's amazing is in Philippians 1

786
00:38:21,759 --> 00:38:23,804
when Paul says approve what is excellent,

787
00:38:23,804 --> 00:38:25,652
so you may be pure.

788
00:38:25,652 --> 00:38:29,156
Meaning, if I don't 
approve what is excellent,

789
00:38:29,156 --> 00:38:31,535
that deals with purity and blamelessness,

790
00:38:31,535 --> 00:38:32,995
and so I know there's times

791
00:38:32,995 --> 00:38:35,337
I grieve the Holy Spirit not by even

792
00:38:35,337 --> 00:38:37,699
doing overt sin, but by not approving

793
00:38:37,699 --> 00:38:39,745
what is most excellent;

794
00:38:39,745 --> 00:38:41,469
just doing what is good,

795
00:38:41,469 --> 00:38:43,493
and right there I grieve the Holy Spirit.

796
00:38:43,493 --> 00:38:45,474
And I start myself on a path

797
00:38:45,474 --> 00:38:49,589
where I can end up in sin or greater sin.

798
00:38:49,589 --> 00:38:51,793
Tim: And here's the thing to think about.

799
00:38:51,793 --> 00:38:57,147
It's like James is saying right there.

800
00:38:57,147 --> 00:39:00,656
What can happen is

801
00:39:00,656 --> 00:39:08,828
like I speak in a rough tone to my wife.

802
00:39:08,828 --> 00:39:12,328
Two things just happened.

803
00:39:12,328 --> 00:39:15,779
I made provision for the flesh.

804
00:39:15,779 --> 00:39:19,980
Anybody think of a text 
that says not to do that?

805
00:39:19,980 --> 00:39:22,458
Romans 13:14

806
00:39:22,458 --> 00:39:26,651
I just made provsion for the flesh.

807
00:39:26,651 --> 00:39:29,811
And I just grieved the Spirit,

808
00:39:29,811 --> 00:39:32,070
to whatever degree.

809
00:39:32,070 --> 00:39:34,442
Not everything we do grieves the Spirit

810
00:39:34,442 --> 00:39:37,709
to the same degree undoubtedly.

811
00:39:37,709 --> 00:39:41,256
And undoubtedly, if we 
deal with sin quickly,

812
00:39:41,256 --> 00:39:45,331
things get healed very well.

813
00:39:45,331 --> 00:39:48,969
But think about what happens.

814
00:39:48,969 --> 00:39:53,554
Something in my relationship with my wife

815
00:39:53,554 --> 00:39:59,019
and then all of a sudden,

816
00:39:59,019 --> 00:40:02,694
bombarded by a temptation

817
00:40:02,694 --> 00:40:07,724
in the sexual realm.

818
00:40:07,724 --> 00:40:12,597
Can there be connections like that?

819
00:40:12,597 --> 00:40:19,214
The Spirit of God spoke to me.

820
00:40:19,214 --> 00:40:23,680
I should not have had a 
second helping of that food.

821
00:40:23,680 --> 00:40:26,457
I knew it not only was going to

822
00:40:26,457 --> 00:40:28,854
appear to others to be gluttony around me;

823
00:40:28,854 --> 00:40:31,425
I just knew I didn't need it.
I knew I shouldn't have done that.

824
00:40:31,425 --> 00:40:33,298
You see, you make a 
provision for the flesh.

825
00:40:33,298 --> 00:40:34,436
You grieve the Spirit.

826
00:40:34,436 --> 00:40:36,382
And then what happens?

827
00:40:36,382 --> 00:40:40,217
Sin will now get the upper hand.

828
00:40:40,217 --> 00:40:44,979
Sin as a singular, as a force.

829
00:40:44,979 --> 00:40:46,373
And so what happens is

830
00:40:46,373 --> 00:40:49,538
you can suddenly find yourself

831
00:40:49,538 --> 00:40:53,355
very vulnerable with regards to sexual sin

832
00:40:53,355 --> 00:40:55,529
when the thing that you did

833
00:40:55,529 --> 00:40:58,720
wasn't even about that.

834
00:40:58,720 --> 00:41:01,168
You didn't grieve the 
Spirit through pornography.

835
00:41:01,168 --> 00:41:02,529
You didn't grieve the Spirit

836
00:41:02,529 --> 00:41:04,843
through anything that 
you were doing like that.

837
00:41:04,843 --> 00:41:07,686
But it's because you grieved Him

838
00:41:07,686 --> 00:41:09,856
and now His power in your life

839
00:41:09,856 --> 00:41:11,706
has subsided.

840
00:41:11,706 --> 00:41:13,259
It's waned.

841
00:41:13,259 --> 00:41:16,348
And suddenly, a wave comes over you

842
00:41:16,348 --> 00:41:19,099
and you are under such temptation,

843
00:41:19,099 --> 00:41:21,654
or, what's happened is,

844
00:41:21,654 --> 00:41:23,324
you've tempted the devil.

845
00:41:23,324 --> 00:41:25,803
And when the Spirit steps back,

846
00:41:25,803 --> 00:41:27,730
He gives place to the devil

847
00:41:27,730 --> 00:41:30,314
to do something or to tempt you.

848
00:41:30,314 --> 00:41:33,105
Listen, the Spirit is not only

849
00:41:33,105 --> 00:41:34,969
more powerful than sin;

850
00:41:34,969 --> 00:41:36,780
He's more powerful than the devil.

851
00:41:36,780 --> 00:41:38,805
Infinitely more!

852
00:41:38,805 --> 00:41:41,548
He can stop all these things.

853
00:41:41,548 --> 00:41:44,253
But there's connections.

854
00:41:44,253 --> 00:41:45,832
You see, there's connections

855
00:41:45,832 --> 00:41:47,184
with you feeding the flesh.

856
00:41:47,184 --> 00:41:51,353
There's connections with

857
00:41:51,353 --> 00:41:53,742
defiling your conscience.

858
00:41:53,742 --> 00:41:56,219
That Spirit of God knows when you

859
00:41:56,219 --> 00:41:58,377
defile the conscience.

860
00:41:58,377 --> 00:41:59,962
You should never do it.

861
00:41:59,962 --> 00:42:02,730
And it will grieve Him.

862
00:42:02,730 --> 00:42:04,223
Anybody think of other things

863
00:42:04,223 --> 00:42:05,944
that tend to grieve the Spirit?

864
00:42:05,944 --> 00:42:06,746
(from the room)

865
00:42:06,746 --> 00:42:08,394
Well, I know the verse that says

866
00:42:08,394 --> 00:42:09,687
to not grieve the Spirit

867
00:42:09,687 --> 00:42:11,104
Ephesians 4:30,

868
00:42:11,104 --> 00:42:13,387
the next verse says let all bitterness

869
00:42:13,387 --> 00:42:15,474
and wrath and anger and clamor

870
00:42:15,474 --> 00:42:17,135
be put away from you.

871
00:42:17,135 --> 00:42:18,700
I definitely think bitterness,

872
00:42:18,700 --> 00:42:20,191
or having harsh affections

873
00:42:20,191 --> 00:42:21,427
towards another brother

874
00:42:21,427 --> 00:42:26,178
will grieve the Spirit really quick.

875
00:42:26,178 --> 00:42:28,229
Tim: Brethren, we need to remember this,

876
00:42:28,229 --> 00:42:31,194
the Spirit is always stronger

877
00:42:31,194 --> 00:42:33,588
than sexual sin.

878
00:42:33,588 --> 00:42:35,826
Always.

879
00:42:35,826 --> 00:42:38,969
And if you're feeling 
like you're just being

880
00:42:38,969 --> 00:42:41,673
thrown around,

881
00:42:41,673 --> 00:42:44,532
you have to be honest.

882
00:42:44,532 --> 00:42:48,868
If you're lost, you can grit your teeth,

883
00:42:48,868 --> 00:42:50,754
and you can try in your own strength

884
00:42:50,754 --> 00:42:52,999
to do things, but you're 
going to be defeated

885
00:42:52,999 --> 00:42:54,336
every time.

886
00:42:54,336 --> 00:42:56,103
You're just going to be defeated.

887
00:42:56,103 --> 00:42:59,674
You're going to be defeated.

888
00:42:59,674 --> 00:43:01,124
But if you're a Christian

889
00:43:01,124 --> 00:43:04,208
and you've got the Spirit,

890
00:43:04,208 --> 00:43:07,001
you're going to put that to death.

891
00:43:07,001 --> 00:43:08,095
And you will do it.

892
00:43:08,095 --> 00:43:09,791
You will do it.

893
00:43:09,791 --> 00:43:12,199
It's a given.

894
00:43:12,199 --> 00:43:15,966
Jesus says that you must do it,

895
00:43:15,966 --> 00:43:17,188
or you will go to hell.

896
00:43:17,188 --> 00:43:19,417
That's as much as saying you will do it.

897
00:43:19,417 --> 00:43:22,129
Listen, everybody who belongs to Christ,

898
00:43:22,129 --> 00:43:24,389
there is a reality.

899
00:43:24,389 --> 00:43:29,763
They have crucified the passions,

900
00:43:29,763 --> 00:43:33,473
the lusts. They have.

901
00:43:33,473 --> 00:43:34,865
Scripture says that.

902
00:43:34,865 --> 00:43:36,647
Scripture says sin will not have

903
00:43:36,647 --> 00:43:38,046
dominion over you.

904
00:43:38,046 --> 00:43:40,435
Scripture says the path to life -

905
00:43:40,435 --> 00:43:43,023
putting to death the deeds of the body.

906
00:43:43,023 --> 00:43:45,038
These are at the front of the line.

907
00:43:45,038 --> 00:43:47,959
You will do this if you're 
on the path to life.

908
00:43:47,959 --> 00:43:49,036
You will.

909
00:43:49,036 --> 00:43:51,227
Because you do have the Spirit.

910
00:43:51,227 --> 00:43:53,264
And because the Spirit will make you holy.

911
00:43:53,264 --> 00:43:54,956
And because if you spend your time

912
00:43:54,956 --> 00:43:58,111
grieving the Spirit, you're 
going to spend time

913
00:43:58,111 --> 00:44:00,586
back in the woodshed too.

914
00:44:00,586 --> 00:44:02,292
And He's going to see to it.

915
00:44:02,292 --> 00:44:03,409
I mean, we have this.

916
00:44:03,409 --> 00:44:04,738
We have this reality.

917
00:44:04,738 --> 00:44:06,204
He disciplines His children;

918
00:44:06,204 --> 00:44:07,468
if you're His child.

919
00:44:07,468 --> 00:44:10,323
But brethren, there are those

920
00:44:10,323 --> 00:44:12,703
who don't make near as much progress

921
00:44:12,703 --> 00:44:13,879
in the Christian life.

922
00:44:13,879 --> 00:44:15,315
There are those who flounder.

923
00:44:15,315 --> 00:44:16,477
There are those who are

924
00:44:16,477 --> 00:44:18,212
more Corinthian-like too many times

925
00:44:18,212 --> 00:44:19,032
in their life.

926
00:44:19,032 --> 00:44:21,039
There are those who don't get the victory.

927
00:44:21,039 --> 00:44:22,390
There are those undoubtedly

928
00:44:22,390 --> 00:44:23,720
in the Christian realm

929
00:44:23,720 --> 00:44:25,890
who grieve the Spirit, quench the Spirit

930
00:44:25,890 --> 00:44:28,462
more than other people.

931
00:44:28,462 --> 00:44:31,354
We don't want to quench the Spirit.

932
00:44:31,354 --> 00:44:34,517
We want to live in the 
power of the Spirit.

933
00:44:34,517 --> 00:44:36,808
Look, the Spirit is a Person.

934
00:44:36,808 --> 00:44:40,446
He's infinitely strong.

935
00:44:40,446 --> 00:44:42,391
He's with the child of God.

936
00:44:42,391 --> 00:44:44,069
Every child of God in this room

937
00:44:44,069 --> 00:44:47,348
has the Spirit of God indwelling.

938
00:44:47,348 --> 00:44:49,494
The Spirit of God is with you.

939
00:44:49,494 --> 00:44:53,504
He is with you and He will be with you

940
00:44:53,504 --> 00:44:55,668
apparently forever.

941
00:44:55,668 --> 00:44:57,194
You have this reality.

942
00:44:57,194 --> 00:44:58,524
And He is a Holy Spirit.

943
00:44:58,524 --> 00:45:02,867
And He sanctifies His people.

944
00:45:02,867 --> 00:45:06,783
Well, if you're not having victory,

945
00:45:06,783 --> 00:45:11,023
it's because He's not 
giving you the victory.

946
00:45:11,023 --> 00:45:14,857
So let's search for the reasons.

947
00:45:14,857 --> 00:45:19,769
Why is the Spirit not giving me victory?

948
00:45:19,769 --> 00:45:21,626
One thing we've looked at:

949
00:45:21,626 --> 00:45:27,347
because you're not seeking to do

950
00:45:27,347 --> 00:45:29,769
what He's telling you to do;

951
00:45:29,769 --> 00:45:34,896
trusting in His power to do it.

952
00:45:34,896 --> 00:45:39,795
Or you've got the Spirit grieved.

953
00:45:39,795 --> 00:45:49,593
What are some other ways 
we can grieve the Spirit?

954
00:45:49,593 --> 00:45:54,901
Look. Sin is what grieves the Spirit.

955
00:45:54,901 --> 00:45:56,791
(incomplete thought)

956
00:45:56,791 --> 00:45:58,854
James talked about choosing things

957
00:45:58,854 --> 00:46:04,712
that are excellent.

958
00:46:04,712 --> 00:46:06,694
Does that mean that if I choose that

959
00:46:06,694 --> 00:46:09,059
which isn't most excellent,

960
00:46:09,059 --> 00:46:12,041
that it may grieve the Spirit?

961
00:46:12,041 --> 00:46:13,567
It may.

962
00:46:13,567 --> 00:46:14,861
I mean, it may.

963
00:46:14,861 --> 00:46:17,666
If you're willingly making wrong choices,

964
00:46:17,666 --> 00:46:20,941
even though that which you're choosing

965
00:46:20,941 --> 00:46:24,829
it's just way down the line

966
00:46:24,829 --> 00:46:26,629
in usefulness and profitableness

967
00:46:26,629 --> 00:46:28,714
in your life...

968
00:46:28,714 --> 00:46:31,850
Brethren, here's the thing.

969
00:46:31,850 --> 00:46:33,946
There's undoubtedly some people

970
00:46:33,946 --> 00:46:39,908
who it's like hearing 
about Spurgeon's take

971
00:46:39,908 --> 00:46:42,471
on Robert Chapman.

972
00:46:42,471 --> 00:46:46,209
How does a man come to be

973
00:46:46,209 --> 00:46:49,561
the holiest man?

974
00:46:49,561 --> 00:46:52,508
The most Christ-like man

975
00:46:52,508 --> 00:46:55,795
that somebody has ever met?

976
00:46:55,795 --> 00:46:57,423
People who met Lloyd-Jones

977
00:46:57,423 --> 00:46:59,382
were blown away.

978
00:46:59,382 --> 00:47:01,819
How does a man get to be like that?

979
00:47:01,819 --> 00:47:06,101
Same way. Without Christ, he's nothing.

980
00:47:06,101 --> 00:47:09,553
It's by the Spirit.

981
00:47:09,553 --> 00:47:11,516
If you want to live in the greatest

982
00:47:11,516 --> 00:47:16,237
demonstrations of the Spirit of God,

983
00:47:16,237 --> 00:47:18,239
the people who are going to live most

984
00:47:18,239 --> 00:47:20,502
in that power, most in that joy,

985
00:47:20,502 --> 00:47:23,171
most in that realm,

986
00:47:23,171 --> 00:47:24,758
they're the people who are

987
00:47:24,758 --> 00:47:28,401
most diligent to walk so carefully

988
00:47:28,401 --> 00:47:30,970
before Him.

989
00:47:30,970 --> 00:47:33,421
They don't want to grieve Him.

990
00:47:33,421 --> 00:47:36,505
They don't want to make a misstep.

991
00:47:36,505 --> 00:47:41,561
They don't want to 
settle for the status quo.

992
00:47:41,561 --> 00:47:44,267
They're trying to reach the excellence.

993
00:47:44,267 --> 00:47:47,432
They don't want to offend Him.

994
00:47:47,432 --> 00:47:51,747
They don't want to do that which

995
00:47:51,747 --> 00:47:55,022
would bring a cloud.

996
00:47:55,022 --> 00:47:59,941
Now think with me about the Spirit.

997
00:47:59,941 --> 00:48:04,256
2 Thessalonians 2:13 talks about

998
00:48:04,256 --> 00:48:06,801
being sanctified by the Spirit.

999
00:48:06,801 --> 00:48:11,285
I can think of a place there in John 17:17

1000
00:48:11,285 --> 00:48:13,916
that says that we're sanctified

1001
00:48:13,916 --> 00:48:16,978
by the Word.

1002
00:48:16,978 --> 00:48:18,815
Now let me ask you this.

1003
00:48:18,815 --> 00:48:21,799
Are we sanctified by both?

1004
00:48:21,799 --> 00:48:23,490
On the one hand over here,

1005
00:48:23,490 --> 00:48:24,817
when you read Scripture,

1006
00:48:24,817 --> 00:48:26,384
you're sanctified by the Word;

1007
00:48:26,384 --> 00:48:29,249
and then, over here, you're sanctified

1008
00:48:29,249 --> 00:48:31,751
by the Spirit when you do something else?

1009
00:48:31,751 --> 00:48:36,752
Something different?

1010
00:48:36,752 --> 00:48:39,162
Or do you think that perhaps

1011
00:48:39,162 --> 00:48:41,306
the Spirit of God is the one who

1012
00:48:41,306 --> 00:48:43,004
puts to death sin?

1013
00:48:43,004 --> 00:48:44,347
Makes us pure;

1014
00:48:44,347 --> 00:48:48,518
makes us sanctified

1015
00:48:48,518 --> 00:48:51,509
by way of the Scriptures.

1016
00:48:51,509 --> 00:48:54,298
At least one of the ways.

1017
00:48:54,298 --> 00:48:58,719
Yeah. "Sanctify them by Thy truth.

1018
00:48:58,719 --> 00:49:00,082
Thy Word is truth."

1019
00:49:00,082 --> 00:49:02,026
Sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

1020
00:49:02,026 --> 00:49:05,880
It's the Holy Spirit who takes that Word.

1021
00:49:05,880 --> 00:49:09,420
So here's a reality.

1022
00:49:09,420 --> 00:49:11,329
You are not going to live in the power

1023
00:49:11,329 --> 00:49:14,021
of the Spirit - the sanctifying power

1024
00:49:14,021 --> 00:49:17,062
of the Spirit unless you're in the Word.

1025
00:49:17,062 --> 00:49:18,858
Jesus said the Word sanctifies.

1026
00:49:18,858 --> 00:49:20,326
"Sanctify them by Thy Word."

1027
00:49:20,326 --> 00:49:22,559
He's praying to His Father.

1028
00:49:22,559 --> 00:49:23,741
Let me ask you this.

1029
00:49:23,741 --> 00:49:25,635
Do you think that prayer

1030
00:49:25,635 --> 00:49:29,297
is still powerful till this very hour?

1031
00:49:29,297 --> 00:49:32,874
But I can tell you this,

1032
00:49:32,874 --> 00:49:34,610
it's kind of like the man who won't

1033
00:49:34,610 --> 00:49:36,856
try to get up when he's told to get up.

1034
00:49:36,856 --> 00:49:40,142
If you have this book on your shelf

1035
00:49:40,142 --> 00:49:41,865
and it's collecting dust,

1036
00:49:41,865 --> 00:49:45,856
and you're over there struggling

1037
00:49:45,856 --> 00:49:49,250
with sexual immorality,

1038
00:49:49,250 --> 00:49:51,174
if you want to know what the problem is

1039
00:49:51,174 --> 00:49:54,459
go look at yourself in the mirror.

1040
00:49:54,459 --> 00:49:58,334
Look, if you know that Jesus Himself -

1041
00:49:58,334 --> 00:50:00,364
what you have to understand is this:

1042
00:50:00,364 --> 00:50:03,569
Jesus didn't just say

1043
00:50:03,569 --> 00:50:07,125
that we're sanctified by the Word;

1044
00:50:07,125 --> 00:50:11,008
Jesus is actually praying to His Father

1045
00:50:11,008 --> 00:50:14,020
that we would be sanctified by the Word.

1046
00:50:14,020 --> 00:50:15,447
There's a difference.

1047
00:50:15,447 --> 00:50:17,796
The second is better because it expresses

1048
00:50:17,796 --> 00:50:19,297
the truth of the first,

1049
00:50:19,297 --> 00:50:22,076
but it also says that 
God has been prayed to

1050
00:50:22,076 --> 00:50:24,194
by our Messiah who intercedes all the time

1051
00:50:24,194 --> 00:50:25,148
on our behalf.

1052
00:50:25,148 --> 00:50:27,043
And He's actually prayed that prayer

1053
00:50:27,043 --> 00:50:29,255
that this Word would sanctify us.

1054
00:50:29,255 --> 00:50:31,312
If there's no other reason for you never

1055
00:50:31,312 --> 00:50:33,176
to skip a day to be in this book,

1056
00:50:33,176 --> 00:50:34,597
then it's that.

1057
00:50:34,597 --> 00:50:36,499
You say, are you trying to tell me

1058
00:50:36,499 --> 00:50:38,072
that there's a connection between

1059
00:50:38,072 --> 00:50:41,404
me falling into doing 
something with that mouse

1060
00:50:41,404 --> 00:50:43,793
with my computer that 
I shouldn't have done

1061
00:50:43,793 --> 00:50:47,882
and the fact that I didn't read 
the Scriptures that morning?

1062
00:50:47,882 --> 00:50:51,089
Well, I hope you have 
the logical abilities

1063
00:50:51,089 --> 00:50:54,527
to recognize the answer to that is yes.

1064
00:50:54,527 --> 00:50:56,374
I hope you can put the pieces together

1065
00:50:56,374 --> 00:51:05,409
and recognize, oh... yeah.

1066
00:51:05,409 --> 00:51:07,987
He prayed that we would 
be sanctified through it.

1067
00:51:07,987 --> 00:51:15,115
I'm not going to the Word of God.

1068
00:51:15,115 --> 00:51:17,725
Not that you go to it
like a magic formula.

1069
00:51:17,725 --> 00:51:20,174
That's not it.

1070
00:51:20,174 --> 00:51:22,479
It's that you go to it

1071
00:51:22,479 --> 00:51:24,717
and you feast on the truth

1072
00:51:24,717 --> 00:51:29,263
and you feast on the Christ.

1073
00:51:29,263 --> 00:51:31,480
Remember - beholding the Lord,

1074
00:51:31,480 --> 00:51:36,149
the Spirit transforms us.

1075
00:51:36,149 --> 00:51:38,752
You see, you go there and you find Him.

1076
00:51:38,752 --> 00:51:40,197
You find the Lord.

1077
00:51:40,197 --> 00:51:43,985
You behold His glory.

1078
00:51:43,985 --> 00:51:47,365
You look at Him and His sexual purity.

1079
00:51:47,365 --> 00:51:50,803
Go there. Hear what He said.

1080
00:51:50,803 --> 00:51:52,694
Trust that if He told you

1081
00:51:52,694 --> 00:51:55,658
to gouge out eyes,

1082
00:51:55,658 --> 00:51:57,889
you can do it.

1083
00:51:57,889 --> 00:51:59,180
You can do it.

1084
00:51:59,180 --> 00:52:01,407
He'll help you do it.

1085
00:52:01,407 --> 00:52:06,256
He sent the Spirit here to help us

1086
00:52:06,256 --> 00:52:08,711
to live that way.

1087
00:52:08,711 --> 00:52:10,442
Anybody think of anything else?

1088
00:52:10,442 --> 00:52:11,681
Any other connections?

1089
00:52:11,681 --> 00:52:13,604
Any other connections you can think of

1090
00:52:13,604 --> 00:52:16,867
in Scripture about the Spirit of God?

1091
00:52:16,867 --> 00:52:20,356
Yeah, John Piper preached a message

1092
00:52:20,356 --> 00:52:23,046
on Romans 8:13 - "By the Spirit,

1093
00:52:23,046 --> 00:52:25,048
we put to death the deeds of the body."

1094
00:52:25,048 --> 00:52:26,314
And he was talking about

1095
00:52:26,314 --> 00:52:28,263
he was looking for Scripture -

1096
00:52:28,263 --> 00:52:30,096
where in Scripture does it say

1097
00:52:30,096 --> 00:52:32,346
that we receive the Holy Spirit?

1098
00:52:32,346 --> 00:52:36,883
And he brought up Galatians 3:2

1099
00:52:36,883 --> 00:52:38,824
which says, "Let me ask only this:

1100
00:52:38,824 --> 00:52:40,938
did you receive the Spirit

1101
00:52:40,938 --> 00:52:42,777
by works of the law?

1102
00:52:42,777 --> 00:52:44,867
Or by hearing with faith?"

1103
00:52:44,867 --> 00:52:47,752
And he brought out it's by hearing

1104
00:52:47,752 --> 00:52:50,751
with faith that we receive the Spirit.

1105
00:52:50,751 --> 00:52:54,125
Tim: Why don't you read 
the first five verses all together?

1106
00:52:54,125 --> 00:52:55,779
(from the room) Of Galatians 3?

1107
00:52:55,779 --> 00:52:56,922
Tim: Yeah.

1108
00:52:56,922 --> 00:52:57,857
(from the room)

1109
00:52:57,857 --> 00:52:59,223
"Oh foolish Galatians!

1110
00:52:59,223 --> 00:53:00,750
Who has bewitched you?

1111
00:53:00,750 --> 00:53:02,762
It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ

1112
00:53:02,762 --> 00:53:04,229
was publicly portrayed..."

1113
00:53:04,229 --> 00:53:07,219
Tim: Now, see you 
want to stop right there.

1114
00:53:07,219 --> 00:53:09,931
You see, if you just dive in -

1115
00:53:09,931 --> 00:53:11,393
which isn't wrong -

1116
00:53:11,393 --> 00:53:12,988
I mean, you went to the text

1117
00:53:12,988 --> 00:53:14,199
that Piper dealt with.

1118
00:53:14,199 --> 00:53:17,400
But see, if you dive in where you dove in,

1119
00:53:17,400 --> 00:53:19,344
you know what you get?

1120
00:53:19,344 --> 00:53:21,460
You get the word "faith."

1121
00:53:21,460 --> 00:53:23,122
It's a good word.

1122
00:53:23,122 --> 00:53:24,086
But you know what?

1123
00:53:24,086 --> 00:53:26,424
Sometimes it's a very abstract term.

1124
00:53:26,424 --> 00:53:28,883
You hear "faith" and you miss

1125
00:53:28,883 --> 00:53:30,215
the heart and soul.

1126
00:53:30,215 --> 00:53:35,294
(incomplete thought)

1127
00:53:35,294 --> 00:53:37,902
You don't want to ever miss verse 1.

1128
00:53:37,902 --> 00:53:40,839
Verse 1 is the heart and soul

1129
00:53:40,839 --> 00:53:43,398
of where this faith focuses.

1130
00:53:43,398 --> 00:53:48,209
It is Christ who has been publically

1131
00:53:48,209 --> 00:53:50,369
crucified before you.

1132
00:53:50,369 --> 00:53:52,924
There is power.

1133
00:53:52,924 --> 00:53:57,979
There is power in looking to the cross

1134
00:53:57,979 --> 00:53:59,970
in faith.

1135
00:53:59,970 --> 00:54:02,602
Because brethren, look,

1136
00:54:02,602 --> 00:54:07,726
what that cross does -

1137
00:54:07,726 --> 00:54:10,243
"Blessed are the poor in spirit..."

1138
00:54:10,243 --> 00:54:11,760
When you're in a place

1139
00:54:11,760 --> 00:54:14,947
where you come before the Lord:

1140
00:54:14,947 --> 00:54:22,645
Lord, I can't beat sexual immorality.

1141
00:54:22,645 --> 00:54:26,991
I'm not strong enough.

1142
00:54:26,991 --> 00:54:30,921
But Jesus died on the cross.

1143
00:54:30,921 --> 00:54:33,430
In that death on the cross,

1144
00:54:33,430 --> 00:54:36,530
He unleashed magnificent power.

1145
00:54:36,530 --> 00:54:38,107
Can you think of any other verse?

1146
00:54:38,107 --> 00:54:39,801
I'm thinking of one from Peter.

1147
00:54:39,801 --> 00:54:41,395
Can you think of any other verse

1148
00:54:41,395 --> 00:54:43,057
that talks about the cross

1149
00:54:43,057 --> 00:54:44,634
and righteousness?

1150
00:54:44,634 --> 00:54:46,595
Or the cross and power?

1151
00:54:46,595 --> 00:54:49,585
The cross and producing righteousness?

1152
00:54:49,585 --> 00:54:52,463
Anybody think of any other verses?

1153
00:54:52,463 --> 00:54:55,654
Titus 2:14 - "Who gave Himself for us

1154
00:54:55,654 --> 00:54:58,169
to redeem us from all lawlessness

1155
00:54:58,169 --> 00:55:00,607
and to purify for Himself a people..."

1156
00:55:00,607 --> 00:55:03,645
To purify for Himself a people

1157
00:55:03,645 --> 00:55:05,767
of His own possession.

1158
00:55:05,767 --> 00:55:11,177
I mean, yeah.

1159
00:55:11,177 --> 00:55:13,465
You want to look at the cross.

1160
00:55:13,465 --> 00:55:16,819
Now, keep going. That was just v. 1.

1161
00:55:16,819 --> 00:55:19,865
(Galatians) "Let me ask you this.

1162
00:55:19,865 --> 00:55:21,198
Did you receive the Spirit

1163
00:55:21,198 --> 00:55:23,364
by words of the law or 
by hearing with faith?

1164
00:55:23,364 --> 00:55:24,950
Tim: Ok. That's in the beginning.

1165
00:55:24,950 --> 00:55:26,699
Did you receive?

1166
00:55:26,699 --> 00:55:28,712
This is when you first received.

1167
00:55:28,712 --> 00:55:31,568
Did that happen by faith or by works?

1168
00:55:31,568 --> 00:55:36,344
Hearing of faith or the works of the law?

1169
00:55:36,344 --> 00:55:37,921
Now, keep going.

1170
00:55:37,921 --> 00:55:41,218
"Are you so foolish?

1171
00:55:41,218 --> 00:55:43,008
Having begun by the Spirit,

1172
00:55:43,008 --> 00:55:45,433
are you now being perfected by the flesh?"

1173
00:55:45,433 --> 00:55:49,457
Tim: Oh, you better stop right there.

1174
00:55:49,457 --> 00:55:51,378
Perfected.

1175
00:55:51,378 --> 00:55:55,461
That's the word we want.

1176
00:55:55,461 --> 00:55:57,176
Do you want to be perfected

1177
00:55:57,176 --> 00:56:00,764
when it comes to sexual immorality?

1178
00:56:00,764 --> 00:56:04,301
You see what he's saying?

1179
00:56:04,301 --> 00:56:08,423
You started the right way.

1180
00:56:08,423 --> 00:56:11,196
Perfected is another way to say

1181
00:56:11,196 --> 00:56:14,119
He's transforming us,

1182
00:56:14,119 --> 00:56:17,356
from glory to glory.

1183
00:56:17,356 --> 00:56:18,449
That's being perfected.

1184
00:56:18,449 --> 00:56:20,384
It's being made like Christ.

1185
00:56:20,384 --> 00:56:26,224
He says you talk about 
grieving the Spirit?

1186
00:56:26,224 --> 00:56:28,436
You see, he's been 
talking about the Spirit

1187
00:56:28,436 --> 00:56:29,775
and now in the next verse,

1188
00:56:29,775 --> 00:56:31,961
he's going to come back 
to the Spirit again.

1189
00:56:31,961 --> 00:56:32,909
Keep going.

1190
00:56:32,909 --> 00:56:35,821
"Did you suffer so many things in vain

1191
00:56:35,821 --> 00:56:38,491
if indeed it was in vain?

1192
00:56:38,491 --> 00:56:40,785
Does He who supplies the Spirit to you

1193
00:56:40,785 --> 00:56:42,746
and works miracles among you

1194
00:56:42,746 --> 00:56:45,194
do so by works of the law

1195
00:56:45,194 --> 00:56:46,682
or by hearing with faith?"

1196
00:56:46,682 --> 00:56:47,702
Now there it is.

1197
00:56:47,702 --> 00:56:52,779
Now it's not received;

1198
00:56:52,779 --> 00:56:56,424
now it's supplied.

1199
00:56:56,424 --> 00:56:58,162
And it's the ongoing working

1200
00:56:58,162 --> 00:57:00,322
of the supernatural in your life.

1201
00:57:00,322 --> 00:57:03,566
You see, he jumped from one to the other.

1202
00:57:03,566 --> 00:57:07,511
And right in the middle, he brought up,

1203
00:57:07,511 --> 00:57:09,744
what are you thinking?

1204
00:57:09,744 --> 00:57:13,528
See, I would say this to all of us.

1205
00:57:13,528 --> 00:57:16,495
If you move away from the cross,

1206
00:57:16,495 --> 00:57:17,892
he would say this to you:

1207
00:57:17,892 --> 00:57:21,323
what are you thinking?

1208
00:57:21,323 --> 00:57:22,314
You know what?

1209
00:57:22,314 --> 00:57:24,696
I don't doubt you can find lots of plans -

1210
00:57:24,696 --> 00:57:27,856
quick ten step plans, you know,

1211
00:57:27,856 --> 00:57:30,576
probably adulterers anonymous

1212
00:57:30,576 --> 00:57:32,117
or something is out there.

1213
00:57:32,117 --> 00:57:35,326
But brethren, there may be a lot

1214
00:57:35,326 --> 00:57:37,418
of quick fix programs

1215
00:57:37,418 --> 00:57:40,414
on the fast path to sexual purity.

1216
00:57:40,414 --> 00:57:43,271
Undoubtedly, there's all 
sorts of books written

1217
00:57:43,271 --> 00:57:45,140
and there's programs out there.

1218
00:57:45,140 --> 00:57:47,691
People get tempted by these things.

1219
00:57:47,691 --> 00:57:50,411
Come spend $2,000

1220
00:57:50,411 --> 00:57:51,901
and come to this program

1221
00:57:51,901 --> 00:57:53,337
and we'll fix you;

1222
00:57:53,337 --> 00:57:55,278
we'll set you right.

1223
00:57:55,278 --> 00:57:56,770
You know, if somebody simply

1224
00:57:56,770 --> 00:57:58,302
took their Bibles and sat down

1225
00:57:58,302 --> 00:58:01,102
with the first five verses of Galatians 3,

1226
00:58:01,102 --> 00:58:03,196
and they just took time to study those,

1227
00:58:03,196 --> 00:58:05,604
meditate on them before the Lord

1228
00:58:05,604 --> 00:58:06,943
and get on their face,

1229
00:58:06,943 --> 00:58:09,306
and really seek to understand 
the implications

1230
00:58:09,306 --> 00:58:10,721
of those passages,

1231
00:58:10,721 --> 00:58:13,427
you know where the power is?

1232
00:58:13,427 --> 00:58:15,556
In the Spirit.

1233
00:58:15,556 --> 00:58:17,702
You know how the Spirit is supplied?

1234
00:58:17,702 --> 00:58:19,670
By faith.

1235
00:58:19,670 --> 00:58:24,278
By faith in Him who was 
held up before them

1236
00:58:24,278 --> 00:58:26,101
as publicly crucified.

1237
00:58:26,101 --> 00:58:27,841
Can I tell you something?

1238
00:58:27,841 --> 00:58:30,687
There is a reason why the Lord's Supper

1239
00:58:30,687 --> 00:58:32,537
is an ongoing ordinance

1240
00:58:32,537 --> 00:58:34,065
in the life of the church.

1241
00:58:34,065 --> 00:58:36,441
It's because God wants us to come back

1242
00:58:36,441 --> 00:58:37,893
to the death of His Son

1243
00:58:37,893 --> 00:58:40,494
over and over and over

1244
00:58:40,494 --> 00:58:42,589
and remember Him. Why?

1245
00:58:42,589 --> 00:58:44,420
Because it is there

1246
00:58:44,420 --> 00:58:48,273
that your very spiritual life exists.

1247
00:58:48,273 --> 00:58:51,930
That is where the price was paid.

1248
00:58:51,930 --> 00:58:54,771
That is where the sin was paid.

1249
00:58:54,771 --> 00:58:58,368
That is where He died on the cross

1250
00:58:58,368 --> 00:59:01,064
to make a people that would be

1251
00:59:01,064 --> 00:59:03,475
pure and righteous and holy

1252
00:59:03,475 --> 00:59:05,658
and people of His own possession.

1253
00:59:05,658 --> 00:59:08,481
That is where the power flows.

1254
00:59:08,481 --> 00:59:13,228
The Spirit supplied as we look.

1255
00:59:13,228 --> 00:59:16,305
What you have to recognize is this:

1256
00:59:16,305 --> 00:59:19,207
Was the Spirit not just as real

1257
00:59:19,207 --> 00:59:21,023
in the lives of these Galatians

1258
00:59:21,023 --> 00:59:23,363
as in Paul himself?

1259
00:59:23,363 --> 00:59:24,855
Yes.

1260
00:59:24,855 --> 00:59:27,235
Why was the Spirit not doing

1261
00:59:27,235 --> 00:59:30,084
what the Spirit could have done

1262
00:59:30,084 --> 00:59:32,147
to perfect the people?

1263
00:59:32,147 --> 00:59:34,519
Because they went about it wrong.

1264
00:59:34,519 --> 00:59:36,120
Undoubtedly, we come back to

1265
00:59:36,120 --> 00:59:37,534
grieving the Spirit.

1266
00:59:37,534 --> 00:59:39,755
But the thing is,

1267
00:59:39,755 --> 00:59:42,671
when we take our eyes off of Christ

1268
00:59:42,671 --> 00:59:45,114
and we seek other gimmicks

1269
00:59:45,114 --> 00:59:48,278
in our seeking to be prefected -

1270
00:59:48,278 --> 00:59:49,915
don't get hung up on that.

1271
00:59:49,915 --> 00:59:51,870
That's Paul's terminology.

1272
00:59:51,870 --> 00:59:53,555
We should be pursuing perfection.

1273
00:59:53,555 --> 00:59:56,260
I'm not saying that Paul is teaching

1274
00:59:56,260 --> 00:59:58,009
we'll find it.

1275
00:59:58,009 --> 01:00:00,532
But I'm saying we should 
be shooting for it.

1276
01:00:00,532 --> 01:00:01,796
If you should be shooting

1277
01:00:01,796 --> 01:00:03,109
towards Christ-likeness,

1278
01:00:03,109 --> 01:00:06,303
how could it not be perfection?

1279
01:00:06,303 --> 01:00:08,280
That's what He is.

1280
01:00:08,280 --> 01:00:10,387
Should we be seeking to be perfected?

1281
01:00:10,387 --> 01:00:11,643
Yes.

1282
01:00:11,643 --> 01:00:13,457
We should.

1283
01:00:13,457 --> 01:00:14,921
How?

1284
01:00:14,921 --> 01:00:16,395
Well, you see, when you do

1285
01:00:16,395 --> 01:00:19,830
what the Galatians did,

1286
01:00:19,830 --> 01:00:21,844
you know what he has to tell them

1287
01:00:21,844 --> 01:00:26,489
not to do in chapter 5?

1288
01:00:26,489 --> 01:00:28,794
Bite and devour each other.

1289
01:00:28,794 --> 01:00:30,256
Why?

1290
01:00:30,256 --> 01:00:32,800
You see what happens when you try

1291
01:00:32,800 --> 01:00:36,927
to live the Christian life

1292
01:00:36,927 --> 01:00:39,104
and you're not tapping into

1293
01:00:39,104 --> 01:00:41,238
the power of the Spirit?

1294
01:00:41,238 --> 01:00:48,111
Suddenly, carnality, 
fleshy-ness breaks out

1295
01:00:48,111 --> 01:00:51,322
in their life.

1296
01:00:51,322 --> 01:00:54,833
You say, could it be that I'm struggling

1297
01:00:54,833 --> 01:00:57,338
with sexual sin because I've purposely

1298
01:00:57,338 --> 01:01:02,471
missed the Lord's Supper 
the last two times?

1299
01:01:02,471 --> 01:01:03,729
Yeah.

1300
01:01:03,729 --> 01:01:05,427
Could it be because I haven't been

1301
01:01:05,427 --> 01:01:07,571
reading in one of the Gospel's

1302
01:01:07,571 --> 01:01:10,960
and actually taking the time

1303
01:01:10,960 --> 01:01:13,402
to behold the Christ there?

1304
01:01:13,402 --> 01:01:14,989
And to see Him?

1305
01:01:14,989 --> 01:01:17,581
And to think on His death?

1306
01:01:17,581 --> 01:01:20,299
Yeah.

1307
01:01:20,299 --> 01:01:22,361
I mean, you see,

1308
01:01:22,361 --> 01:01:25,418
the Spirit is your best Friend.

1309
01:01:25,418 --> 01:01:28,506
But what you want is the Spirit

1310
01:01:28,506 --> 01:01:31,729
in such a condition as He is

1311
01:01:31,729 --> 01:01:34,520
eager to help you be holy.

1312
01:01:34,520 --> 01:01:37,875
And He is moving to make you holy.

1313
01:01:37,875 --> 01:01:40,654
And He is pouring grace upon you.

1314
01:01:40,654 --> 01:01:43,719
And He is infusing power into you.

1315
01:01:43,719 --> 01:01:45,566
That's what you want.

1316
01:01:45,566 --> 01:01:49,350
And that's how you'll be victorious.

1317
01:01:49,350 --> 01:01:51,118
But just because you have the Spirit,

1318
01:01:51,118 --> 01:01:56,371
doesn't mean He's all-out moving

1319
01:01:56,371 --> 01:01:58,956
for you to overcome.

1320
01:01:58,956 --> 01:02:01,290
There's all sorts of ways we can grieve,

1321
01:02:01,290 --> 01:02:03,324
we can quench, we can not use

1322
01:02:03,324 --> 01:02:04,895
the very means,

1323
01:02:04,895 --> 01:02:08,078
we can not seek to appropriate

1324
01:02:08,078 --> 01:02:10,374
the things that the Spirit 
(incomplete thought).

1325
01:02:10,374 --> 01:02:13,305
It's like, you know,

1326
01:02:13,305 --> 01:02:15,755
the Spirit can say to us,

1327
01:02:15,755 --> 01:02:17,833
you know, there's no ink in that pen.

1328
01:02:17,833 --> 01:02:19,906
But you get down there and right with it.

1329
01:02:19,906 --> 01:02:21,224
I'll cause the ink to flow

1330
01:02:21,224 --> 01:02:22,587
once you're writing with it.

1331
01:02:22,587 --> 01:02:25,079
So much of the Christian 
life is like that,

1332
01:02:25,079 --> 01:02:28,777
where we are being told,

1333
01:02:28,777 --> 01:02:30,784
do the impossible.

1334
01:02:30,784 --> 01:02:32,693
And we're not supposed to look and say

1335
01:02:32,693 --> 01:02:35,440
it's impossible; I'm not going to do it.

1336
01:02:35,440 --> 01:02:38,100
No. This is a life that we walk

1337
01:02:38,100 --> 01:02:41,422
in faith, trusting that God's power

1338
01:02:41,422 --> 01:02:43,392
will flow through us.

1339
01:02:43,392 --> 01:02:46,735
Without Christ, I can't do anything.

1340
01:02:46,735 --> 01:02:49,833
But with Christ strengthening me,

1341
01:02:49,833 --> 01:02:51,653
we can do all things through Christ

1342
01:02:51,653 --> 01:02:54,057
who strengthens me.

1343
01:02:54,057 --> 01:02:55,871
But you see, I can do all things

1344
01:02:55,871 --> 01:02:57,542
through Christ who strengthens me.

1345
01:02:57,542 --> 01:02:59,844
It's not that He's going 
to do them for me.

1346
01:02:59,844 --> 01:03:03,114
I have to actually set forth.

1347
01:03:03,114 --> 01:03:05,012
I need to step.

1348
01:03:05,012 --> 01:03:07,468
Peter didn't just float on the water.

1349
01:03:07,468 --> 01:03:09,474
Jesus didn't just waft him out

1350
01:03:09,474 --> 01:03:12,920
and he just floated out and sat down

1351
01:03:12,920 --> 01:03:16,932
on the water and stood on it.

1352
01:03:16,932 --> 01:03:19,976
Jesus said, "Come."

1353
01:03:19,976 --> 01:03:21,580
He needed to get up.

1354
01:03:21,580 --> 01:03:24,080
He needed to step out of the boat.

1355
01:03:24,080 --> 01:03:27,166
And then he found, it supported him.

1356
01:03:27,166 --> 01:03:29,504
And then when he took his eyes off Christ?

1357
01:03:29,504 --> 01:03:31,754
You see, Jesus is telling 
us the same thing

1358
01:03:31,754 --> 01:03:35,444
with regards to sexual sin.

1359
01:03:35,444 --> 01:03:40,013
Here He is out walking the perfect life

1360
01:03:40,013 --> 01:03:42,418
when it comes to purity.

1361
01:03:42,418 --> 01:03:45,260
And He says, "Follow Me."

1362
01:03:45,260 --> 01:03:48,020
"Come on out of that boat."

1363
01:03:48,020 --> 01:03:49,464
And you set your eyes on Him

1364
01:03:49,464 --> 01:03:50,827
and you put your foot out,

1365
01:03:50,827 --> 01:03:52,662
and you still start walking in purity.

1366
01:03:52,662 --> 01:03:54,184
And guess what happens when you

1367
01:03:54,184 --> 01:03:56,538
take your eyes off of Him?

1368
01:03:56,538 --> 01:03:57,724
You sink.

1369
01:03:57,724 --> 01:03:59,685
And then what happens?

1370
01:03:59,685 --> 01:04:01,712
You put your eyes back on Him.

1371
01:04:01,712 --> 01:04:03,913
And He reaches out and 
He grabs hold of you

1372
01:04:03,913 --> 01:04:06,295
and He takes you back up.

1373
01:04:06,295 --> 01:04:08,433
It's the same.

1374
01:04:08,433 --> 01:04:10,599
It's the same over and over

1375
01:04:10,599 --> 01:04:14,606
throughout the Christian life.

1376
01:04:14,606 --> 01:04:16,519
The Spirit of God.

1377
01:04:16,519 --> 01:04:18,637
Your best friend when it comes to

1378
01:04:18,637 --> 01:04:22,881
putting to death the deeds of the body.

1379
01:04:22,881 --> 01:04:26,930
Any other comments or thoughts on that?

1380
01:04:26,930 --> 01:04:28,598
Father, help us to live

1381
01:04:28,598 --> 01:04:31,529
in the light of these truths

1382
01:04:31,529 --> 01:04:36,530
and the power of these truths.

1383
01:04:36,530 --> 01:04:38,351
We pray in Christ's name,

1384
01:04:38,351 --> 01:04:39,253
Amen.