(Audio) Discerning False Teachers

Anyone receives revelation in the Word of God, it sometimes conflicts with what he has previously been taught. This causes you to have to deal with old traditions or wrong teaching. These tapes may contain some new light from God's Word, and it may be opposed to some traditions you have previously learned. Therefore, follow through these messages in your Bible, in sequence, in order that you may be able to make a choice for the Word of God, rather than the traditions of men. Well, you came to learn something you didn't already know, didn't you? If you already knew, you see, you wouldn't be here, would you? All right, now, what are you going to do with it if you have to unlearn something? Can you do that? Can you handle that all right? If you see in your Bible you've learned something wrong, can you unlearn it? Well, then, see, if your heart is tied to traditions, people's hearts are tied to traditions, they teach traditions. And if your heart is tied to the Word of God, you'll receive the whole counsel of God, and you're not going to be offended. But let me tell you what part of you is offended. Folks, the flesh gets offended. Romans 8 says the flesh is hostile toward God, and it will not subject itself to the Word of God. So what kind of position do you think that puts you in if you love flesh? Do you think this word is going to bother you any? Some of it won't, but then some of it will. Right? Now, listen, I want everyone to understand this, because if something troubles you in some part of the Word to you, I want you to know what's happening to you. Your flesh, this old, cursed nature that you receive, let me tell you what that nature is, it's the nature of Satan that was in the world. It's supposed to be dead, put it to death. It is hostile toward God. It will not subject itself to the law of God. It cannot please God, it's absolutely... Do you know what it pleases? It pleases Satan. When you love the flesh, you're pleasing the devil. I'm going to explain that to you in a minute, but here's what I want to say to you. Everything that the flesh is... Now, when I talk about the flesh, we're beautifully made as far as our body, but we receive a curse when we come in this world, which I'm going to explain to you. And I want you to know the nature of this flesh is hostile to the Word of God. This is why, through the years, there have been doctrines that do not conform you to godliness. Now, listen to me. There are doctrines that do not conform you to godliness. And people gather their hearts around these doctrines. And then... Do you understand that Jesus is King? Can I tell you something else that wants to be King? The flesh. Do you know the flesh, everything about the flesh, this nature, is selfishness and self-centeredness. Jeremiah 9 says you speak peace to your neighbor while you set an ambush for him. Let me just explain something to you so you see where we're going. If I love pride, when I come to Jesus, I'm supposed to repent of it. But if I love pride, I didn't repent of it, what I would do... First, I would show partiality in my relationships. I would move with the ones who could help me in my reputation, name, and career. Are you hearing me? Now, I'll speak peace. And I'll speak all flattering speech. But in my heart, I'm going to exploit all relationships whenever I have an opportunity to feed this pride that my heart loves. What do you think about that? Huh? Did you get by that one? Well, what does that say? If a man who is supposed to have repented and turned from pride, comes up to teach a word of God. In his heart, he loves pride. In his heart, he loves selfish ambition. He, in his heart, is making a name for himself. Let's say there's some greed in there with it, too. See, these are roots that come into a person's heart. The root is supposed to be Jesus. Everything you do and say is supposed to be in the Lord, but if you've got these things, that's called the lust of deceit. It's deceitful. Now, this is where the world out there lives, you understand? Let me just stop and explain this to you. I'm not going to turn to it, but in Genesis... Now, let me just share with you. If many of you have been to meetings, we are going to share some basic things here starting out. But like he said, we will be getting some things that I've not shared in any meetings. We're going to go to a new and different place, but we're going to have to cover some basic things for most of the people here who have never been to one of the meetings that we've taught. So right now, let me just begin by saying that most people who call themselves Christians do not even understand the sin nature. Now, let me ask you something. If a person does not understand the sin nature, what did he repent from? What did he turn from? Does this mean when you come to Jesus, you just say some words and you quit drinking, smoking, chewing and cussing and just walk right on in? Now, if a person does not repent, if he hasn't read really about it, does he even really know Jesus? See, Billy Graham talks about it, and people quote him all over the place, about 75% of the church is lost. Does that sound like church? Now, see, if we can make statements that over 75% of the church is lost, and people quote and agree with it all over, could anything be more serious? Now, have you noticed there comes the rub when you start showing people where they're lost? Do you know why? Well, this flesh is hostile to God, and so are the people who love the flesh. Now, let me just show you how this happened. The first Adam is holy and blameless. He had a pure heart. He was created in the image and likeness of God. He walked and talked like God. What he did, God placed him in a garden. Are you and I in a garden? Sure, we are. We're in a vineyard. Isn't that right? The vineyard is a church. He put him in the garden and he told him that he put two trees there. One was a tree of life, and one was a tree of the knowledge of good and evil, or the tree of death. Now, he was told he could eat off of one, but not to eat off the other. Now, let me just tell you something. You're told this every day, and you have the same opportunity every day. You'll either eat off the tree of life, or you'll eat off the tree of death. Now, you'll understand this later on. Well, what was on this tree of death? The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of the mouth. What is that? Lust means something that draws and pulls your heart. Now, do you know that when you come to God to make covenant with God, you come with your whole heart? He has all your heart. Everything else is second place. Even if you hate your mother and father, family and everything, what does that mean? Love them less. Because, see, if God doesn't have all your heart, then he only becomes one of your idols. It means you've got an idol over here, and you're going to just make him one of your idols. When you've got an idol, he can't control your life. He's really not Lord, and he's really not God. Are you following me? Okay. So, the serpent... Now, what God said, if you eat of this tree, you will surely die. Now, that was the gospel. Now, folks, let me tell you where we're headed to. We're headed to a place where you're going to have understanding about praying for others, and where you're going to have understanding about how to deal with the powers of darkness, and where you're going to have understanding about the covenant that you walk in, the authority that you have in the name of Jesus, and how you can walk in peace. You are supposed to walk in peace. And most people, most all people, as a matter of fact, who goes by the name of Jesus, do have no conception of what this peace is. They've only had it maybe for a short time when they repented at some time, but then they lost it. Now, this is what you're going to see this week, how you can walk now. And if you're not walking in peace, you're walking in rebellion. There's something wrong with your heart. So, God said, Adam, when you eat of this tree, you will surely die, because on this tree, this tree is a lust of flesh, a lust of the eyes, and a boast of pride and a lie. Satan appears in the Word of God, in chapter 3, and he's always saying, half God said. Oh, that's God, oh God, couldn't be that God. Is God really that way? He's all the time saying that to you. Half God really said. So he said this to Eve, and he said, Eve, what does he want Eve to do? Do you think he wants Eve to eat off the tree of life? No, everything God is, Satan is the opposite. That's where your hearts get tested, because everything that God has ever created, he tests the heart of it, and that's what's happening to you. And so he told Eve to go ahead and eat off the tree. Now, did God say, you shall surely die? In chapter 2 he said, you shall surely die. But he told Eve. Now, here comes a doctrine of Satan. Let me say it one more time. This is a doctrine of Satan. You go ahead and eat off this tree of death, the lust of flesh and the lust of the eyes, and a boast of pride and a lie. You can eat off this tree. Now, listen. Genesis 3, verse 4. You surely shall die. Now, here is God. He says, when you eat off this tree, you will die. Don't be deceived about it. You will die. Satan says, you can eat off this tree of the lust of flesh, the lust of the eyes, and a boast of pride and a lie. Now, here comes a doctrine of Satan. Do you know another name for it? A doctrine of demons. And you surely shall not die. So who did Eve believe? Her heart got testy. She believed Satan. And she took off the tree. Let me ask you something. How do you eat the words of God? You eat the words of God by taking them to heart, right? How do you reckon you eat the words of Satan when he talks to you up here? You eat the words of Satan by listening up here and take it in the heart. Oh, I believe we were told to resist Satan. I believe we were told in Ephesians 6, all the weapons up here to keep these things from going in our heart. But many folks who have a false security don't have to deal with that part of the gospel. Who would not want you to deal with that part of the gospel? Probably Satan. Let me ask you something. Our ancestors, who passed down the doctrines and traditions to us, did not expose nor oppose and truly understand what the powers and doctrines were doing. As a matter of fact, the powers and doctrines so prevailed over them that they had us to leave them alone. And if you don't deal with the flesh, they've got you. You're a puppet. Nothing's changed about you. All you've done is walked out of the world into a church building. You're not repentant. Don't you see that? Now, would you receive what your Bible says there? Do you? See, I'm not going to have anything off the wall or anything like that. The Lord's going to confirm it and people's lives. I want to tell you something, folks. This word this week, and I didn't come to boast because we don't have anything that's built around me. These people that we walk with and everything, it doesn't center around me. It doesn't center around any organization. What we're doing is centered around Jesus. The only thing we're a part of is the body of Christ. But I'm going to tell you something that will happen to you this week. You don't receive anything from me until it's confirmed in your heart or you see it in your Bible. Amen? In context. See, I'm not supposed to be your source. You're supposed to hear Jesus. If you don't know his voice, you need to get saved. Amen? You're supposed to know the voice of Jesus. Now, let me tell you something. I won't receive anything you say until the Lord confirms it and I see it in the word of God. I don't receive it from anyone until the Lord confirms it, because I follow Jesus. I don't follow folks. You understand what I mean? I'm not a subject of men. I'm a subject to the Jesus in a man. I don't subject myself to people that go by titles. I subject myself when I hear the voice of Jesus and I see the fruit of Jesus in a man. Amen? Okay? Is that how you said you're going to know him because he speaks in tongues? Or because he signed the card, or what? You're going to know him by what? Absolutely. You know what that's called? That's called discernment. God gives it to everyone. Would there be any discernment among people that don't deal with flesh? Absolutely not. There wouldn't be any discernment. So anyway, Adam was cursed. Eve gave the fruit to Adam, of course. She got before God and said, Well, what have you done? And she said, The serpent deceived me and I ate. Let me say that again. The serpent deceived me and I ate. All right, now. I want you to know anytime there's sin in your life, death is working in you. There has been a provision made for people to escape death by going to the sacrifice. In the old covenant they had a sacrifice. You have a sacrifice today in the name of Jesus. But anyway, you and I received a cursed nature. You and I, because of this sin of Adam, you and I were in Adam when he committed this sin. Is everybody keeping in mind what I'm saying? I want you to keep in mind what I'm saying. Don't let it drift off somewhere because you're in a war. In the name of Jesus, we just bind up all the destruction right now in the name of Jesus. All mind-wandering right now, all confusion is bound right now. I want you to listen to me, because it's important you hear this part. It's important you hear all of it. You and I, when Adam committed this sin, have not been born. You and I were still in Adam. And so when he was cursed, you and I were cursed. When you and I came into this world, you came in with the nature of Satan. You walked, talked, and acted like Satan. Let me tell you your heart-love pride, this nature, this nature that was born in you. This is why God said, they smoke on you. I mean, there's a hell waiting on you. I mean, you're dead even while you walk in God's eyes, until you repent and turn from this. But you walk in this world and you come into this world and your heart loves pride. Your heart loves hate. Your heart loves anger. Your heart loves ego, rebellion. All of these things are the very nature of Satan. Everything the nature of the flesh is, Satan is. Your heart would love unforgiveness. Your heart would love resentment. Your heart would love bitterness, jealousy. Envy. See, all of these things are selfishness, self-centeredness, self-love, self-worship. Your mind stays totally on what you can use people on every situation. Your mind stays totally on self-serving. That's the world. See, you're programmed in the world. Get to the top. Get all you can and can all you can get. Just step on the whole bunch. Make a name for you. All the best sellers is success and control and power. See, that's flesh. It wants to control, see. That's selfishness and self-centeredness. Are you hearing me? See, that's really me, God. And see, well, in the world, people compare themselves among themselves and measure themselves by themselves. And you know, I said, well, you know, I'm not a bad fellow. You know, I'm a lot better than those over there, and I'm a lot better than those over there. You know, I do some good things every once in a while. See, 2 Corinthians 10 says, when you compare yourself among yourself and measure yourself by yourself, you're without understanding. If you come and look in the mirror, you see how detestable this is in the sight of God. See, when you're measuring up to the world, Satan, all the power of this world lies in the hands of evil ones, 1 John 5 and 19. When you measure up right here, you're looking at a different kingdom. Amen? And you'll never get in it as long as you're walking there. Amen? So what do you do? You walk through this world, pride. Can you tell when somebody's got pride? You sit here and come out their what? Can you hear pride come out of somebody's mouth? Well, then you know what, when the pride comes out of their mouth, you know what's got their heart? Pride. Pride. Can you hear hate come out of someone's mouth? That's the world. Can you hear anger? All of these things are verbal in the God. Can you hear unforgiveness and bitterness come out of somebody's mouth? That's discernment. You can tell what's in their heart by what comes out of their mouth. It's called truth. Amen? Where the heart you believe unto righteousness, where the heart you believe unto unrighteousness. Amen? So here, let me make you aware of something. Because a lot of people who come to meetings, they don't know much about the fires of darkness at all. Never even dealt with it. How many here, and we're going to deal with that part of the gospel, how many of you are aware that there are demons of pride? Hold up your hand. All right? I'm having you hold up your hand because people go to meetings and that's off the wall. It was to you at one time. Amen? Okay. How many know that there are demons of anger and hate and resentment and bitterness? Hold up your hand if you know that. Okay. All right. Now, let me ask you something. All the attributes of God, the Spirit of God, can manifest in you. All attributes and the fruit of Satan can be manifested in you through the spirit of the devil. Now, let me tell you something. This world is puppets of the powers of darkness. They are making a manifestation of the evil. What do you think these spirits of pride and greed and all these things are doing? They're there. Have you ever noticed that every time someone ever hurts you or disappoints you, immediately right there in your mind, there's something, how good you are and how that person shouldn't have ever heard them talk to you. That's called resentment and unforgiveness. Every time you're rejected, and you know why there's a people who won't say, see, well, there's a demon behind every bush or going off the deep end. There's plenty of them to go around. They're always there. And you know what they're wanting to do? They're wanting your heart to agree with them. And when your heart agrees with them, you have a problem. And the only way that you can stand against them is to have a covenant partner stronger than they are, and there's only one, and that's Jesus. Amen? So you walk through this world. Now, let me tell you something. Death is on it because here's the way you walk in the world. Every time there's any opportunity, see, now I want you to understand something. Your flesh loves the powers of darkness. Since your heart loves the flesh, they always tell you how to take advantage of every situation and make it an opportunity for the flesh. They put these thoughts, they'll tell you, they'll give you good thoughts and everything to I, me, mine, to live for yourself. Now, see, if the world is living for themselves, what do you think God has a part in their hearts? He doesn't. He really doesn't. So here the people in the world, when it comes to time for someone to do something against my flesh, I hate, and I'll come out of my mouth, they'll tell me, If someone disappoints me, then I'm forgiveness! Talk to me, and in my heart gets an agreement. I'll show you how these strongholds come on you, and that's where the people are today. By the way, your weapons are mighty in God to tear down these fortresses, the powers that I can put on you, unless you want to just hang in there and keep a stiff upper lip like the world. Amen? But first you've got to understand it, that's why it's so important. So, if you've got pride, then you're going to be jealous when someone else is getting attention that you're not getting. Right? And then if you've got greed, you're going to be envious of what somebody else has got. Right? And so these things, when it gets in your heart, it comes out of your mouth. Right? Now, that's not love. That's the opposite of love. It's rebelling against God. Do you know what this gospel is? This gospel washes all that out of your heart. Now, let's just see. Now, you know the powers of darkness. Once you say some words, I believe that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died on the cross and raised him again, the powers of darkness still talk to you? And they do just quickly open your eyes in the morning. You see? Because you're told you're in a war. But see, when you receive Jesus, you receive weapons and you always try. What did it say over in James when it's saying that you speak blessings and curses? This wisdom didn't come from God. This is the way the world talks. This is the flesh. And it just went ahead and said it boldly, demonic. Well, how'd that got in the Bible? And they went ahead and said, this is a doctriness. Isn't that interesting? And also in James 4 it said they don't even get to paracense it because their motives are wrong. What about that? And then over furthermore in James 4 it said, cleanse. He said you'd better get cleaned up. You'd better cleanse your hands, you sinners, this is coming out of your mouth. And you'd better purify, cleanse your hands, and purify your heart, you what? Never mind his speaking blessings and curses that you have in the body and heart. You're trying to take Jesus by one hand and Satan by the other. Because what it says, humble yourself and submit to hear the whole counsel of God. And then it got in the Bible and said, resist the devil. It didn't say ignore him, did it? Huh? It didn't say to ignore the devil. So now let me just show you how we come in this. Let me just show you what repentance is. Here we are walking in this world. Pride, anger, hate, unforgiveness, murder, resentment, criticism, judgment, all these things coming out of our mouth. You know why it's coming out of our mouth? Because that's what's got our heart. Our heart is believing in unrighteousness. Our heart's in obeying to God. We are hostile to God and we do not subject ourselves to God because we love this flesh. And this flesh loves Satan. And when you live with the flesh, you're pleasing Satan. You and him are one. Because the very nature of the flesh and the very nature of Satan are the same. Are you here? See, pride, that's what Satan is. Ego, that's what Satan is. Rebellion, that's what Satan is. Hate, anger, murder, that's what Satan is. Bitterness, I mean myself. Are you hearing what I'm saying? So here you walk in this world. And you don't know. You think you're a pretty good fellow and then a light came to a people who were sitting in darkness. Who was that light? Jesus. They were also sitting in the shadow of death. As the powers of darkness get more and more ground in your life, they bring diseases and they destroy you. How many know that John 10 came to kill, steal, and destroy you? I mean, the enemy, the thief has come to kill, steal, and destroy. He's destroying everybody in the world. The only way you can keep from being destroyed is get that covenant partner and walk in covenant. Amen? And then you always triumph with his covenant name and his covenant word when you're walking in covenant. Amen? So here the people are sitting in darkness. And then a light came. They're in a shadow of death. They've been destroyed. This is the world. They're like a moth. Now, how the powers of darkness destroy it, it's like a moth. It's just deterioration, just a slow destruction. And then this light come. And what did he say? He said, repent. What does repent mean? Change our what? You better change your heart. You folks had better change your heart. And so what do you do? We look in the light right here. We look in the word of God. We see that Satan is our master. Is Satan your master before Jesus Christ becomes your master? Do you understand clearly now how you're controlled by the powers of darkness? See, if someone's your master, you do them what they tell you to do. Well, that's what everybody's doing in the world, what Satan tells them what Satan to do. Right? Right. And so we look at the light right here. We look in the mirror. And we see where we are. And we see that Jesus has come for an example for us and to lead us. And he has already, he came to defeat the powers of darkness. Isn't that right? To make us a way to where we can be what? Reconciled back to God. Amen? We can be reconciled back to God. So how are we reconciled back to God? Jesus says, let me be your new master and brother. And I'll show you the way back to God. That you fell out of fellowship with God in the first Adam. But in Luke 4, Jesus says, I went through the same temptations as Eve did. The lust of flesh, the lust of the eye, and the browth of the bride of life. I proved my heart holy and blameless. And that's the example. That's where I want to lead you and show you. You're going to be holy and blameless. Is that the kind of bride that Jesus is coming after? Is that what he says? Is that what Adam was before he fell? And the last Adam has come to bring you back to that place of holiness and blameless. Being holy and blameless. Is that right? So what do you do? You see the light right here. And then your heart, what? Comes to the light. Your heart turns from Satan. And says, Satan, I break my covenant with you. And now I make Jesus Christ Lord of my whole heart. And now I turn from all the sin nature. Amen? I now repent of it, which means I have a change of heart. And now I'm going into a new direction because I've got a new master. His name is Jesus. And now when Jesus becomes your master, the Spirit of God comes to lead you in all truth. Is that right? He says this word is not for private interpretation. And he's no respecter of any people. Now flesh is what makes, flesh likes to be kings. And a lot of times they'll change the word to pulpit. You can't even hear from God unless you hear it through flesh, you know, sometimes. But anyway. This is where, brother, that people have to understand this. Because they're back in Egypt with straw and brick. I'm not saying this to be smart. But a slave worker to death for the reputations of name and greed. I now hear you've turned. And now, what did Jesus say in Mark 8? If any man wishes to come after me, if he's going to follow after me, you're going to what? You're going to deny yourself. There you go. There goes selfishness. And then he's going to take up his cross and follow me. Let me ask you something. If you love pride and you come here and repented, are you going to suffer giving up pride? Sure. If you love greed right here and you repented from it, are you going to suffer giving up greed? Well, why are you going to give it up? Because you found something you love more than you do greed or pride. His name is Jesus, amen? That's what makes him Lord. He said, why did he call me Lord and Lord and not do what I say? So whoever wishes to come after me, let him take up his cross and follow, which means you'll suffer in the flesh. But you're going to cease in sin, amen? And then he said, after you've suffered a while, I'm going to confirm you. And I'm going to strengthen you. And then I'm going to establish you right here, whatever. And then you'll lay hands on a sick and they will recover. I mean, you'll lay hands on a sick and they shall recover. You'll know it withal and they will be restored because of the prayer. What kind of man availeth much? But a double-minded man don't receive anything from God. Isn't that interesting? As a matter of fact, they're called harlots. What about that? What about something like that in the Bible? Whoever wishes to follow after me, let him deny himself. He'll take up his cross and follow me. Because, now listen to this. Whoever wishes to save his life, in other words, you want to still continue to live for this selfishness. Now, when you live in the flesh, what does the flesh live for? It lives in the world. Your mind is set on the world. When your mind is set on the world, your mind is set on the flesh. But you're supposed to change directions. Man, everything you do, you do unto the Lord. He's the root in your heart now. It's not pride. In all your relationships, see, and brother, you know my relationship with you? I do what's unto the Lord in that relationship right there. I never suffer rejection. I'll have rejection when I start seeking your approval instead of God's approval. I've never rejected. Amen? Never suffered. Because everything else is number two. Jesus is number one. Amen? So now, all things have passed away. All things have become new. As Jesus Christ is in the world, so am I. Whoever wishes to save his life is going to what? He's going to lose it because if you're trying to save your life, you're walking in sin and rebellion. You've got the wrong Jesus. You've got the wrong gospel. That's what you're repenting from. Now, I'm going to tell you now, and then I'll show you all over your Bible. A week ago here, for weeks you're seeing it over and over and over and over. No end. That's why the powers of darkness. That's why there's no joy. That's why there's no gladness. This is why people are programmed. Hold on to that pride. Make people think you've got it all put together. That's the way Satan has programmed the world. See, then you'll never put it out there. You keep all this covered up where you've been, tore all to pieces. Can I tell you folks something? You're going to get set free from this all over this building. You can have a freedom you've never known since the first day you were born this week. But you know something? Can I tell you right now? You're going to be in a war. You kind of had a war getting here. Let me say it again. You had a war getting here. As a matter of fact, you had some people to go with you there. Isn't it strange how they acted? Who do you think is talking to them? Who do you think doesn't want people to come in here or something like this? Now, I'm not boasting myself. I'm telling you, they don't want to hear that part of the Word. Now, let me just show you something. They'll try to put dread to make you dread. You sit so long. Folks, if I don't get you to sit here an hour or two every night, I cannot take you to a place where you can get free. It's not a sermonette. Amen? I'm telling you, I'm jealous of your heart for the godly jealousy. Now, let me ask you something. Are you willing, for the Word of God, if you've got idols, to let them go? Well, if you love the flesh, you won't let them go. You won't come back. Because you've got some oxen to take care of out there. You've got a family. You've got a farm to go to. You've got a business. I mean, after all, God gets a little boring when you've got all that going for him. You just don't have your heart. Huh? Isn't that right? Now, see, the reason I have to explain this to you, people are getting mean. We use a whole lot of the words. As a matter of fact, there's just going to be a bunch of words, but we've got to understand where we're coming from here first. So anyway, you repent. And now what happens? You're led to the Spirit of God. Now, what's the Spirit of God there? He'll bring up one thing at a time right there. He said, right there it is. See, you're walking in peace. The moment I'm telling you, when you repent with all your heart, right there, you have peace. You know why you have peace? Because God puts a shield around you. He puts a shield around everything that walks in covenant with him. You understand? So there's a shield coming around you. And so you walk along. And then he said, now we've got to deal with that attitude you had toward Aunt Grace, that unforgiveness. And you put it up there, and right here's the attitude of unforgiveness, and right here's Jesus. And you say, well, Lord, I love you more than I do unforgiveness. I'm going to give up unforgiveness toward Grace. I choose to love Grace, Aunt Grace. So what do you do? Your flesh has suffered because flesh would like to destroy Aunt Grace. You understand what I mean? So you come to Jesus, and he'll bring up one day. Now, let's just say you come up, and all of a sudden you haven't got peace. You haven't got peace. And then your Bible says you walk in peace. You're supposed to pursue peace. You're supposed to pursue the sanctification, Hebrews 12, 14, without, You shall not see the Lord! So anyway, oh yeah. All of a sudden I'm walking along and I don't have peace. Do you know why you don't have peace? The powers of darkness are attacking you. Do you know when they attack you? They attack everything that moves that hasn't got a hedge around it. And they kill it and destroy it. Your Bible says something about learning the fear of God. Can I go ahead and tell you what the fear of God is? It's learning reality, what's going on. And when you learn reality, what's going on, you'll wake up one morning and you'll jump up there and say, Reporting for beauty, Lord Jesus. So anyway, you walk along and you haven't got peace. Then you'll say, Lord, what to do? And the Spirit of God will show you right then, right then. You were critical. You judged the person that killed you. And then you say, Lord, I'm sorry. What do you do? You go to the sacrifice. Who's the sacrifice? His name is Jesus. And when you go to the sacrifice and get that cleansed, then judgment is not on you. I'm not talking about law, save, law, save. You hear what I mean? That's a walk. And you know what? When you confess it, but then the Lord Jesus cleanses it, then what happens? The hedge goes back. Because the powers of darkness are attacking you. What about that? That's covenant. That's Jesus. And that's a walk of peace. Are you hearing what I'm saying? Well, that's good. Now, we know the powers of darkness are going to come back to try to get you out of fellowship and get you out of this walk of peace. But see, you're in Christ. You've got the hedge around you right here. They shoot the darts in you and say, I'm not coming out, Mr. Devil. You come in lust. They're the ones that draw all these pictures you know when you walk through the shopping center. And if you listen to them, it will get in your heart if you don't resist it. Right? Okay. Now, I want you just to see this. Turn with me to Luke 6. We'll start reading some of the Bible now. In Luke 6, I want you just to see this so you'll understand what fruit is. In Luke 6, verse 43, let's make a rule this week. Any time we read a scripture that's in the Bible, we're not going to act like it's not there. Okay? Don't act like it's not there. Okay? A lot of folks wish this one wasn't there, verse 43. For there is no good tree which produces bad fruit, nor, on the other hand, a bad tree which produces good fruit. Now, how many here know that we are the trees? Right? There are two different kinds of fruit. There is the fruit of the flesh or the fruit of the Spirit. If you've got this thing on there, Walter, put that on over there right there, will you please? That fruit of the flesh right there. Okay? Now, look up here. Do you see off to the right right there, if your heart, let's call the tree your heart. We're the tree, right? Is Jesus supposed to be the vine? Look at me. I'm going to have Walter turn it off if you don't look at me. Is Jesus supposed to be the vine? Are we supposed to be the branches? That's right. And do the branches bear fruit? Can a branch bear fruit by itself? It has to be into the vine, right? Now, see, there are two different kinds of vine. You can have the vine of the world and the Savior, or you can have the vine of Jesus. Now, right here is the way you come into this world. Your heart loves the cursed nature, so your heart is loving Satan. It helps people to see this right here. You see what I mean? Your heart is the tree right there. Amen? And we're the branches, isn't that right? Now, what's got your heart is what's going to come out of your mouth. Do you understand what I mean? Whatever's got your heart is going to come out of your mouth. Now, the reason is... I want you to look at me. The reason this is a little difficult for people to kind of handle at first is because you're in the middle of a great falling away. I said, you're in the middle of a great falling away. And as we get on into the Word this week, if you can persevere and endure, you'll see in your Bible very clearly that your lives are going to be changed right there. You know the truth, and the truth will set you free. These strongholds are coming. As your heart goes to the Word, you're going to be set free. When your heart is tied to the flesh, here's what's going to come out of your mouth. See that unforgiveness? It's going to come off the branch. See the fruit right there? The fruit of gossip. Jealousy. Envy. Strife. Slander. Criticism. See, that's going to come out of your mouth. Why? Because your heart lives in selfishness and self-centeredness. You're in self-love. That's where your mind stays on yourself all the time. It's always looking for an opportunity for yourself. And it powers it out and just showing you, I'll go this way. You can take advantage of it. Are you understanding what I'm saying? And all of these things right here, there's lying, impurity, there's temper, murder, hate, selfishness, rebellion, ego. Now, that's where the world walks. Can I tell you something? This is what you're supposed to repent from. All of these things right there walk in selfishness and self-centeredness and are obeying to God. All of these things right there is a lust of the flesh, a lust of the eye, and a boast of pride and lack. When these things, when your heart lives for these things right here, your heart is living for the world. You are not eagerly awaiting the return of the Lord. Because that's not where your heart, your heart's not set on things above. Now, see, that's a difficult thing, but when you've got the world in the church, that's exactly where you're living. That's what you're repenting from. Now, put the other one up there, Walter. Now, when you're repenting, now, that was a fruit of Satan over there. Now, when you're repenting, who's going to be your vine right there? Who's the root going to be tied to? Now, where's the root come into? Look at me. The root comes into your heart. Now, let me ask you something. Do you think you can walk up to Jesus and you can make covenant with him and say, I'm going to make you master of everything, but I'm going to hold on to pride, bitterness, and greed? Do you think you can come to him that way? See, I'm going to show you some people in the Bible that tried to. See, when you think you can, you've got the wrong Jesus. The only way you can come to him is come to all hearts. See, if you come and just want to hold on to other idols, what you're saying is, Jesus, I'll receive you as one of my other idols along with these other idols I have. You didn't get him. Can I say that again? Jesus is not going to come and be one of your idols. You're not going to have these other idols and then just going to let Jesus be one of them. You just tip your hat to him once in a while. He said, why do you call me Lord, Lord, and don't do what I say? Right there we're going to see it, right there in Luke 6, right there. No good tree bears bad fruit, no bad tree bears good fruit. Isn't that interesting? Didn't that get in the Bible? See, the Pharisees picked out part of the word of God and when Jesus came along with the word, tried to lead them out of that darkness, they were offended. Why were they offended? Because what Jesus said over here didn't fit in their structure, which had their hearts. Amen? God didn't have the heart, the Lord didn't have the heart, so he couldn't lead them out of darkness. Amen? Unless Jesus has all your heart. You come to this Bible and it's just a religious exercise. This Bible is supposed to wash you from all rebellion. I mean, it's religion. This word can't wash you unless your heart comes to it. See? Unless you have your heart, it can't wash you. It's deception. So here's why you're going to walk. You'll walk. Romans 8, verse 14 says, "...the Son of God, the Lord and the Spirit of God." Well, if this flesh is in rebellion to God, if it's hostile to God and it won't subject itself to the word of God, may I ask you, does something have to be done to it? Let me ask you over here. Look at it there. I want you to look at it. Hold Luke 6 and turn with me over to Romans 8. Romans 8. I want you to see this in your Bible right here, because see... Now, let's just begin in verse 6. "...for if your mind is set on the flesh," it's what? Death. All right? Now look here. Can you have your mind set on heaven, heavenly things, spiritual things, and think about it all the time? If you do, you're walking in love. But if your mind is set on the flesh, you're walking in rebellion to God, because you're practicing sin all the time. You hear the power of the darkness, it's in your heart. That's where the power of the darkness attacks you. All right, the mind... Now, I'll tell you something. Some of you... I'm telling you about this, and you're going to have to see this clearly in your word right now. And it's going to be real clear to you. "...for if your mind is set on the flesh," it's death. You're supposed to repent it from your mind being set on the flesh, but to have the mind of Christ. Is that right? "...but if the mind is set on the," what? Spirit. "...if your mind is set on the Spirit," what does it say? Did I tell you about peace? Now, remember what I told you about the hedge? Do you hear me? You have a hedge around you. "...if your mind is set on," where? The Spirit. "...but the moment you start getting your mind on things of the flesh," selfishness and self-centeredness, folks, you're agreeing with the devil in your heart, right? And you'll be tormented. They attack you. Well, then what do you do? When you're tormented, if you're a child of God, you'll come to the sacrifice, and you'll say, you'll come to say, what did I do, Jesus? And the Spirit of God will show you, and then you'll come to sacrifice and say, I repent, and I turn from that, and that's a way you receive reproof and discipline. But what does the world do when they come to them? They're stubborn. They're stiff-necked, and they just keep on, and on, and on, until the powers of darkness have destroyed them. Are you following me? If you're a child of God, you're allowed to come to the light. You'll come back to peace. Because when your mind is set on the Spirit, it's life and peace. Now, watch what this next verse says. Verse 8, I mean 7. Because if your mind is set on the flesh, you are hostile toward God, and you will not subject yourself to the law of God because you're in rebellion to God. Now, look here. If I love pride, if I love pride, and I practice it, and I don't give it up, does that prove that I love pride more than I do Jesus? If I refuse to give it up. Let me ask you over here. If I refuse to give up pride, do I prove I love pride more than I do Jesus? That's why it's called an idol. Colossians 3, 5. And we'll see all this. See, that's what's got folks in bondage. All right, now. Let's say I love pride. What do you think I'll do with the Word of God? Let's say I'm a teacher, which I am. And let's say, you know, I want to come in. Does pride want to look good? Shake your head. Sure! All right, now, look here. If a person's heart is tied to pride, let me show you what he'll do. The powers of darkness work him like a yo-yo because pride loves to look good. When he'll come to the Word of God, he'll read right here. And they'll feed him thoughts. When he's going to come to the Word, it kind of smacks against some kind of traditions or something like that. And he'll pour a little water on those scriptures. Or skip it. Why? His heart's wrong. He uses God and everything else to feed pride. Because his motives is his self. So the only thing he wants to read you out of the Bible is blessings. He won't read you judgment. He might lose nickels, noses, and numbers. And nickels, noses, and numbers. I'm honest with you folks. I'm not being smart. And I'm not talking to both of you. I'm going to tell you what. Nickels, noses, and numbers is what builds men. See, you can start over. You can say the Word of God. But pride will be over here building something else with nickels, noses, and numbers that will make him look good. And so, will he take the Word of God here and sanctify the congregation? Let it be divided? Let the Word have a holy congregation? He absolutely will not. Because he's got idol in his heart. Jesus does not have his heart. That's exactly what you see in Matthew 7. About the false teachers. They come in sheep's clothing. But inwardly. Where's inwardly? They inwardly are the ravenous wolves. In other words, what does a lamb do? A lamb puts everything on the table because only his motives are only Jesus, but a wolf. He comes with sheep's clothing. See, you are a wolf before Jesus Christ becomes your Lord. That's the whole world out there. Wolves. That's the way they think. They say one thing, but they're deceitful. They want to feel pride, grieve, use all relationships. Flesh always uses people. Because it's selfish. Amen? Oh, you hear what I'm saying? Now, if that struck a nerve with any of you while I was saying that, see, what you need to do is come to the line. Don't try to justify nice folks and things like that. Just decide you love Jesus more than you do nice folks. Or yourself either. Amen? If he's Lord. Isn't that right? So a person with pride will not say the word exactly as it says. You know why? He'll not say the word. He'll not let the congregation be sanctified and purified because he's building for the wrong motives. He's building for the approval of other people. He's wanting to look good. He's not building to make Jesus look good. And when your heart is tied to any of this, you're hostile to God, and you will not subject yourself to the word of God. That's the reason Matthew 7 said that you're going to know these false teachers by their what? Fruit. Can you hear pride? Can you hear greed? Can I tell you something? Anyone that loves pride and greed, they'll take the word of God, they'll exploit and use the congregation. You know that's in 2 Peter 2. It warns you. It's clear. You'll be exploited. Hearts strained in greed. They'll lead you out to fleshly desires. That's rebellion! Kind of like, look at this prophet right there, just plain, it's right there in the word. Of course, if you're already rich and increasing good, you don't like to read that part of the Bible. Well, are you following what I'm saying? This is total rebellion against God. Let's just say it again right there. Romans 8, verse 7. Because if your mind is set on, let's put it this way, if your mind is set on pride, you are hostile to God and you will not subject yourself to the word of God. What do you think about that, folks? Can you say that? All right, let's put it this way. Because, see, if I won't give up pride, that means I love pride more than I do Jesus. Amen? See, we live in a time, the world and the church, where there are good sins and bad sins. You can have bitterness and unforgiveness and slander and hate and everything like that, but don't be a homosexual. Don't do those sins down at the pool room down there, drink and that kind of stuff. Dope. Those are not good sins for a church. All right, verse 7, let's see it again. Because the mind is set on the flesh, the mind is set on greed, it's hostile toward God and it will not subject itself to the law of God. You know what I'm saying? So now let me ask you something. A person has to, something has to happen. If the flesh is hostile toward God, if this is the way you're walking in this world, tell me something. How in verse 29 are you ever conformed to the image of Jesus? You can't be conformed to the image of Jesus if you're hostile toward God, can you? Huh? Can a hostile person, can someone hostile and not subject itself to the word of God, can they be conformed to the image of Jesus? Well, then if you repent, what do you repent from? You repent from hostility, don't you? You repent when you wouldn't subject yourself to the word of God and now Jesus Christ is your master. Does it, if someone says, Lord, do you do what they say or do you analyze what they say?