The Pure Heart #3

Jesus Christ is the exact image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation, and in and through Jesus Christ, all things are created in heaven and earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, dominions, rules, or authority, everything is created through Jesus Christ and for Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is before all things, and in Jesus Christ, all things hold together. Jesus is also head of the body, the church, for he is the beginning, the firstborn of the dead, that he should come to have first place in everything, for it's the Father's good pleasure that all the foolish should dwell in him.

And God has reconciled himself through Jesus, through the blood that we might be presented to him, holy and blameless before him in love. For in Jesus Christ, the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily. In Jesus Christ, we are made complete.

All our sins are blotted out and nailed across, and in Jesus Christ, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. Is that a good start? God, after he'd spoken long ago to the fathers, through the prophets in many portions, in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us through his Son, whom he's appointed heir of all things, and through whom he's made the world. He's a radiance of his glory, the exact representation of his nature, upholds all things by the word of his power.

And when he'd made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high. And because of the great love that he's loved us, he's raised us up together with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus in order that in the ages to come, he might show the surpassing riches of his grace and kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For in Christ Jesus, we are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus, blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, just as he has chosen us before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him in love, that he protest in us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to himself according to the kind intention of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, which he freely bestowed on us and our beloved.

In him we have redemption through the blood, the forgiveness of all our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished on us in all wisdom and insight. And he's made known to us the mystery of his will according to the kind intention which he purposed in Christ, with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of time. That is the summing up of all things in Christ Jesus, things in heaven and things on earth.

Will you receive that? Praise the Lord, but just let that perform its work in you. Stand up with me. I want you to be awake today.

You sleep yesterday. So I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus, blessed with all spiritual blessings. I'm born again, kept by the power of God, redeemed by the blood, born again by the word of God, complete in Jesus.

My sins are nailed across and I'm sealed with the Holy Spirit, I promise. God is my heavenly Father. Jesus Christ is my Lord.

And I'm a product of his love. I have love. I have joy.

I have peace. I have long suffering. I have goodness, gentleness, meekness, temperance, faith.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Now some of you, did you ever hear of the mulligrubs? That's people that don't say the word. You see it on them.

And that's why you got it. You're not in agreement with the word. Amen? I just thought I'd throw that out.

Now, let's just all join together here and just get happy about this thing, okay? So my weapons are mighty in God to turn down strongholds, casting down imaginations, and every thought that exalts itself against the Word of God. And I bring every thought captive to the obedience of the Lord Jesus Christ. I now have authority in the covenant name and the covenant word of Jesus over all the works of darkness.

I now receive grace, the Word, and the blood. I didn't do this yesterday. I'm going to do this first thing today.

I now see by the blood and bind and remove all religious spirits. There they go. I remove with the Word and the blood all heresy, doubt, unbelief, legalism, fear, intimidation, confusion, traditions, mind-binding, distraction, restlessness.

I told you we're going to get them all today. We're not going to go through today what we went through yesterday. And now in Jesus' name, I seal with the blood every religious stronghold and every spirit of error is removed and every work of darkness that are assigned to hinder this meeting and hinder Milton are now sealed with the blood.

They're removed with the Word. I hold the Word and the blood as a hedge. And now we receive peace in the name of Jesus.

Now, Father, in Jesus' name, we just come to receive Your Word. We just thank that Your Word is forever settled in heaven, that Your Word is a final authority, that heaven and earth will pass away and Your Word will never pass away. Your Word, Father, is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

You sent Your Word, Father, to heal us. Your Word is life to us and health to all our whole flesh. We thank You, Lord, that Your Word doesn't return void, without accomplishing what You desire and succeeding in the manner in which You sent it.

We thank You that Your Word sanctifies us, renews our minds, separates us from the world into righteousness. We receive Your Word. We receive Your anointing and blessings over this meeting.

And now, Lord, we receive the fruit of the Spirit. We receive the weapons of our warfare. We speak Your blessings, peace, grace, love, healing deliverance right now over this meeting in Jesus' name.

Hug two people around the neck before you sit down. Last evening, I was out here walking in the parking lot and I met a young man. You ready to start? Look at me then.

I met this young man in the parking lot and he came up to me and he said, I have some problems. I just wonder if I could talk to you. And we went over to my room and we talked for a little bit.

We'll call him Jack. And it's not Jack. And so as we sat there, it just broke my heart to see this young man.

You know, he's seeking Jesus with all his heart and he's in such bondage. And he said, I've never been able to love or even feel love. I've never been able to receive love from anyone.

He says, I don't even understand. He said, I've been, I don't even write to my parents. And he said, I just, I never feel anyway.

I said, and he told me, it's always been that way. It's not supposed to be that way. And so, let me tell you what his problem was.

Religion and men of science call that a social problem or a mental problem or a gland problem. What it is, it's a spiritual problem. And so, I was able to agree with him and possess a land.

You know, ever since Exodus, God has had an Israel. There is an Israel of God, just like where Abraham's seat if Jesus Christ is your Lord, Galatians 3. And he's always given us a land to possess. And we have a land to possess.

And that young man, we agreed. We were able to tell what the strongholds, where the sin had come in. We dealt with those things.

We tore down every one of those strongholds with the word of God. And I want you to know, as he sat there, I'm telling you what, I tell you what, it just like tore my heart in two to see the young man like this, but then to watch Jesus just move into his life. Now, I want you to be, I want you to understand when I'm talking to you here, I'm not here talking about my prayer did it sort of thing.

Are you hearing what I'm saying? All right. And so, as he sat there for the first time in his life, he sang for years, the joy of the Lord is my strength. He's clapped for it.

He's jumped for it. But he got it when he dealt with sin. He received the joy of the Lord.

And you know what he said as he sat there? He fell of his mouth and he said, I've never smiled like this in my life. And he was just smiling ear to ear and that's the way I left him. But I told him one thing.

I said, my friend, I said, let me just warn you about something. You didn't just receive an experience right here. When you walk out that door, make certain that you walk with Jesus because these same strongholds want to come back to you.

And you better make sure and understand that you don't just receive this as an experience but as a warning to walk with the Lord. And the joy and freedom will increase from day and hour to hour, but you'll suffer in the flesh and you will cease from sin. Amen? So, traditions lead us away from the Word of God.

I was in a particular denomination who didn't believe in gifts. And see, the most unlikely thing that could ever happen, that I could ever have a part to teach anything because after I had open heart surgery and I was supposed to diagnose things for three years, I couldn't even carry on a conversation because all the brain cells were so damaged through the heart and lung machine being on its own and through the drugs and alcohol for 43 years that I was in. So, see, this is off-the-wall sort of thing for someone like me to have any part in teaching.

See, but there's one good thing about it. There's a whole lot of freedom in not having to be anyone. Do you know that? So, when the Lord first started using me, I was sharing with about 40-something pastors there in Dothan, Alabama, and I'd never met them and they'd never met me.

And when it come time for my part, I walked up and I took my Bible and I turned it to 1 Corinthians 14 and I wish I had it already turned there and I read these verses to them. I didn't say anything. I didn't say hello or nothing.

I just walked up and read these verses. And I want you to know I'm not doing this to be cute or smart. I have something to tell you.

But I read, Now I wish that you all spoke in tongues. And I waited a second. And then I read, I thank God I speak in tongues more than you all.

And I paused a little bit and then I read, Therefore, my brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy and do not forbid to speak in tongues. And I just totally stopped and I waited there for a good bit. I never said another word.

I'd never seen them. They'd never seen me. And there was tremendous tension, kind of like some of it was yesterday.

And I said, What is that rising up in you? Where is that coming from? What is that thing kicking you right there and troubling you? If I'm not mistaken, the only thing I've done is read the Bible. Does the word of God always bother you like this? And needless to say, there was a lot of pastors that didn't come back the next day. But still there were a lot of them that did.

Because if we're not going to deal with the whole counsel of God and all the word of God, you're not in the gospel anyway. Do you understand that? When you just take part of the word of God, you've not got the gospel. Is that plain? All right, now.

Let me tell you the other side of this, Tom. There is a people who go through an experience and they say they're spirit-filled. And they wear tongues like a badge and say, I've got it.

I'm not saying all. There's some people. And what comes out of their mouth is the spirit of the devil.

In other words, they're full. I know they're full of the spirit of the devil because I hear what's coming out of their heart. This is how you know.

Now, let me tell you something, folks. Your Bible says you're going to know them by their fruits. You understand what I'm saying? And in the last days, there's going to be a falling away.

But we saw very plainly, the ones of you stuck around, in John 3, that if a person loves a lot, he'll come to the light. If he loves the deeds of darkness, that's the old self-centeredness, self-worship, selfishness, nature of Satan, he'll pick and choose through the Word of God and he will come to the light. So this is the way you tell.

It's with the heart that man believes in the righteousness, with the heart that man believes in unrighteousness. And so you can tell where a man is by what's in his heart. And you know what's in his heart because of what comes out of his mouth.

You will know them by their fruits. You understand? Now, I've heard Deuteronomy 28, blessings and curses taught. But interestingly enough, in this day and time, when you're building other things besides lives, they stop at the 15th verse and never deal with the curses, just the blessings.

Is that right? So what I want you to do, I'm going to use a lot of the Word. And I want you to discern what your problem is really with me or whether you're having a problem with the Word this week. And if something rises up in you, why don't you just examine it and say, well, what's that doing there? Why is this upset about this part of the Word of God? Amen? Now, let me just have you to understand something.

There's only one that knows this whole Bible, His name is Jesus. And He's the one you're to gather around. And He's the one you're to hear.

And He's the one you're going to follow. Is that correct? All right, now let's just start where we started yesterday. You still love me? All right, and we saw in Romans 5, 12 that through one man, Adam, sin entered into the world and death came through sin or the flesh lust.

So death spread to all men. And so before Jesus Christ becomes Lord of your whole heart, you are a tree of death. You know why you're a tree of death? Because you spew out, listen to me, your heart is living for that satanic curse nature and you're spewing out of your mouth rebellion everywhere you go.

That's the word, world. You hear me? It is spewing, just in case there's a few new people here, you're spewing out of pride, ego, lust, criticism, slander, judgment, condemnation, envy, bitterness, anger, spite, retaliation, all these things. It's a way of life.

And people who walk this way think they're pretty good folks because they compare themselves among themselves and they're not measuring up to a yardstick. Is that plain? All right, now, I want you to turn with me to I Corinthians 15, please. You see, when you make Jesus Christ Lord, you're supposed to be a tree of life.

That means death. You take all thoughts captive. You're in the war.

You're no longer warrior to the flesh, and these things are not coming out of your mouth. Is that correct? Because it's not supposed to be in your heart. Let me ask you something.

If I had a group of people that I'm teaching to all the time, let's see, and I show them things in the Word they've never heard. Maybe nobody told them where I've got it. But if I've got spiritual pride in my life, what's going to come out of my mouth? Spiritual pride.

Well, if you start mixing that in the Word, what are you going to get? You'll get spiritual pride too. If I'm in rebellion in the power of the Word of God, where do you think you're going to land if I'm your source? You'll be in rebellion in the Word of God. You understand? And so on and on and on.

This is the reason, he said, you better know them by their fruits, not by their gifts or seniority or titles or, quote, Scripture. Amen? All right, now, in 1 Corinthians 15, we were there yesterday in verse 21. For since by a man, that man is Adam, came death, by a man, the Lord Jesus Christ, also came the resurrection of the dead.

Because everyone who has the Adam nature is walking in death, smoke's on them. Now, verse 22. For as in Adam all die, all die, so and also in Christ all shall be made alive.

Now, there is life and death. And if you're in Adam, death is coming out of your mouth because that's where your heart is. I don't care what you joined or where you're sitting or what you're a part of.

It's with the heart. And once again, what this brother said, I'm telling you, it's a walk of love which is opposite of selfishness. And in the walk of love, it's the sanctification and the purification to put to death all the deeds of selfishness and self-centeredness.

And then we become a vessel of love and giving. That's where the glory is. That's where the power is, as we saw there in Luke 4. And you can jump and clap red, too, but you'll not have the power.

You have a pure heart. And you'll not have a pure heart until you're led by the Spirit of God. All right, now turn with me to Romans 13, please.

Romans 13. Now, I want to share something with you. I don't receive anything from any man until I see it in my Bible, until I have it confirmed to me the Lord didn't work.

I don't want you to receive nothing from me until the Lord confirms it with His Word. Amen? On the other hand, if you will receive what you see in the Word there... Now, if you love your traditions, any traditions you have more than the Word of God, you're not teachable because traditions teach you to teach what you've been taught rather than teach the Word of God. And you're just like the Pharisees.

You can't receive any new light because you already know it all. You're already wise and you already got it all put together. You can't receive anything else.

A tax collector or a fisherman or a carpenter couldn't show you nothing because in many cases men are falling after intellect, they're falling after men, theology, academic, whatever. I'm telling you, you follow the Lord Jesus Christ and you better know His voice. Amen? Now, if you'll receive, I'm going to promise you something.

If you'll receive the Word of God with a repentant heart, not a hardened heart, don't that way depart the Word of God. If you'll receive the Word of God as you see it in context and in balance this week, I'm telling you what your total life will be. I mean totally changed this week.

And I'm telling you, some of you right now are practicing sin and you're in a very, very extremely, much more dangerous place than you even conceive of. But I'm going to tell you something that Jesus, the good news is that Jesus sits on the throne of grace, you can turn from it, and I want you to know there are going to be signs and wonders here with the Word of God this week. Amen? Now, I'm not too eager to begin praying with anyone.

Again, that means, as a matter of fact, the way we're going to work it out, you're going to pray for yourself. If your prayers are no good, there's no use me praying for you, is there? Huh? If your heart's not right, so you just now, I'm serious with you, you really concentrate on having your heart right and all this confusion, all this mind-binding, all these strongholds, I'm telling you folks, it's in you, they're coming down this week. Amen? If you'll receive the Word of God.

Okay? And if you're a stubborn and stiff neck, just hang in there and keep a stiff upper lip. Let the rough end drag. And Romans 13, verse 12.

The night is almost gone. The day is at hand. Let us therefore lay aside the deeds of darkness.

May I ask you what the deeds of darkness are? Is that the flesh? That's all the works of the flesh. That's what is the flesh. That is the cursed nature.

Now, our body, we're beautifully made. We're talking about the nature of Satan that we were cursed with, living for ourself. Amen? So we lay it aside.

Is that what your Bible says? Now, you're going to hunt for you some scripture where you don't have to lay aside? You're going to hunt for you a doctrine, you're going to have your ears tickled to where you can find you a lifestyle living in the flesh in this world, and then somebody come there on Sunday morning, they tell you how righteous you are and how you helped God out, he's broke, and so forth, huh? Is that what you like? Well, you keep hanging in there too. It don't work. That's the reason folks sit around and count each other all the time.

And verse 12, let us lay aside the deeds of darkness, and what are we going to do? It says, put on the armor of light. What is the armor of light? It's over at Ephesians 6, and we're going over there in a minute. It says, put it on.

You better have it on. Why are you going to put on the armor of light? Because when you repent and you put on the Lord Jesus Christ, look at me. Somebody's not looking.

You come to a place from where you repent, you turn from the deeds of darkness away of Satan, you put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and then you turn from all rebellion. You resist the devil, so no more rebellion will come into your heart. You resist it in your mind.

This is the reason you take every thought captive to the obedience of Jesus, that rebellion will not get back in your heart, because you're in a process of having your mind renewed and purified, sanctified, your heart, and being reconciled back to God. Is that right? You're being born again with the Word of God. Amen? You can't be born again with the Word of God if you don't love the Word of God and receive the Word of God.

Amen? If you don't receive and love the Word of God, you love something else. You can't have two masters even if you love the one and hate the other. Jesus said, if you love me, you will obey my commandments.

Now, verse 13. Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing, drunkenness, sexual promiscuity, sensuality, strife, and jealousy. That's an interesting thing.

I think I read that in 1 Corinthians 3 one time. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ and you make... What's those two words? I can't hear you. You make no provision for the flesh in regards to its lust.

You make no provision for rebellion. Is that what your Bible says? Now, does that kind of line up with some of the things we read over in 1 John? That the one that's righteous is the one that practices righteousness. Is that right? The one who practices sin is of the devil because he loves it.

He's made idle out of it and he won't turn from it. Amen? He's not led by the Spirit of God. Amen? He has a false security.

Now, in Colossians 1, 21 and 22, it says that we were formerly alienated. We were hostile where? We were hostile in mind. We were formerly engaged in evil deeds.

Isn't that right? But he has reconciled us through a fleshy body, through death, that now we're supposed to be presented to him holy and blameless before him in love. Is that correct? Now, what does holy and blameless mean? It means that you have a pure heart. Now, what did we read over in 1 Peter 1, 14 through 16? That as obedient children, when you put on the Lord Jesus Christ, you're no longer conformed to your former lust.

You make no provision. You're no longer conformed to your former lust. I'm not talking about a form of godliness.

I'm talking about godliness. You're no longer conformed to your former lust. That's what you repented for from, which was yours in your ignorance.

That's when you was walking in darkness. But now, like the Holy One, like the Lord Jesus Christ, see, as you bore the image of Adam, now you're going to bear the image of Jesus. You've repented.

You've had a change of heart. You have changed directions. Amen? And you're laying all these deeds aside.

You're led by the Spirit of God. You put them to death. If you're not led by the Spirit of God, you've got another security beside Jesus.

And he's not in you. Is that plain? So we're holy and blameless. Now, I want you to turn with me to Romans 8, please.

Turn to Romans 8. See, we're to possess the land, and we're to tear down every stronghold of Satan. There is a land to possess, and that land is your heart. Amen? That heart is a real you.

That's you. Now, in Romans 8, verse 14, for all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are the ones who are what? Son of God. Many people who are going to say, Lord, Lord, in the last days that we saw in Matthew 7, have never been led by the Spirit of God.

Neither was that fellow that cast out demons, prophesied, did miracles in Matthew 7, who practiced, continued to practice sin. Lord Jesus said, I never did know you. That's not the Spirit of God working through that man.

Do you understand? That's the Spirit of the devil to ungodliness and lawlessness in him. You follow me? There is a difference. Everything God has, Satan has a counterfeit of.

Now, in verse, so if you're led by the Spirit of God, let's see in verse 12, so then, brethren, we are talking to brethren again. We saw that the brethren are tempted and enticed by lust and works of darkness in James 1, 14 through 16. We saw it in 1 Peter 1, 5 through 8. We're told to have the shield of faith just like Jesus had showed us, right? The shield of faith that's standing in the Word of God.

So, verse 12, so then, brethren, we're under obligation. Our obligation is not to the flesh, not any longer, but not to live according to the flesh. And if you're living there or still living according to the flesh, you must die.

This is sin and death. That's what you repented from. That's what you received from Adam.

That's what you're supposed to turn from. You come with a whole heart to Jesus. Now, listen to me.

By coming with a whole heart to Jesus, you're saying, I make you Lord. Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and not do what I say? In other words, Jesus, I'm coming with all my heart to identify with you, and there's nothing in my heart that I won't turn from or give up for you because I love you more than this world, the things in this world, more than family, more than men, more than anything. I love you, and I'll be led by the Spirit of God, and I'm teachable, and the Spirit of God is going to lead me to what? To purify, to have a pure heart, that I'll be holy and blameless before him in love.

Is that right? Just like he did Jesus' example, and we'd have fallen in his steps. Is that right? Now, a form of godliness leaves that out. So, verse 13, if you're living according to the flesh, you must die, but if you're living led by the Spirit, here is what you do.

Did it say in verse 14 that sons of God are led by the Spirit of God? I can't hear you. All right, then in the rest of verse 13, if you're led by the Spirit of God, this is what it says you're doing. You're putting to death the deeds of the flesh and the body.

Is that right? That's the reason the Spirit of God leads you to get rid of all rebellion. That's the reason you're no longer under judgment, under the law. Amen? You're no longer under judgment, under the law.

But if you're not led by the Spirit of God, you're still under judgment, and you're still under law. And there's a church today that said, Jesus became a curse to me at Calvary, and the heart is still living for a curse. You follow me? In other words, when you start teaching obedience to the Word of God, they call it works.

Salvation by works. Everybody that teaches salvation by words calls obedience salvation by works. Obedience to the Holy Spirit.

Are you hearing what I'm saying? They teach salvation by words, and then when you're teaching obedience, and you start dealing with the judgment, and you start dealing with these things of obedience to the Lord, they call it salvation by works. That's not what I'm talking about, being led by the Spirit of God. Is that what I'm reading here? Okay? Now, look in verse 17.

And if children, I want you to circle if children. If children, heirs also, heirs of God, and your fellow heirs with Christ, your children, if, if, if, if, if we what? We're going to suffer with him in order that we may be glorified with him. Now, what are you suffering? You're suffering, Jesus said, whoever wishes to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me.

If he's going to do this, he will deny. What's he going to deny? You're going to deny self. That's what you repented for, selfishness, self-centered, self-worship.

Amen? The nature of Satan. And because whoever lives and wants to save his life, this nature, this life, and this world is going to lose it. But whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel, that's covenant.

And led by the Spirit of God is the one who's going to save it. Amen? Now, that gets folks upset. Sometimes they'll walk out when you say that part of the Bible.

They don't like that part of the Bible, just like some people don't like tongues. They just don't like that part of the Bible because something makes them uncomfortable. Flesh is hostile, we're going to see right here, to this part of the Word of God.

Amen? So what is the purpose of all this? We see in verse 29 that we be conformed to the image of Jesus. You cannot be conformed to the image of Jesus while you have Satan by the hand. While you're in sin and rebellion, you cannot be conformed to the image of Jesus.

That is also a form of godliness. You suffer, you put to death the deeds of rebellion, the selfishness and self-centered, you put them to death. You make no provision for them.

And that's what the Spirit of God leads you to do, to put them to death so that you'll have a pure, holy, and blameless heart. And that's where Adam was before he was, before Eve was enticed to eat off the tree of death, the lust of flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful bride of life, and Adam received it. Amen? And this is what you're restored back to Adam's first image, innocent, holy, and blameless.

And that is the ministry. That is the Word of reconciliation being reconciled back to God. Amen? All right, now, look with me in verse 6, 5. For those who are walking, according to the flesh where are their minds? Their minds are on things that please the flesh.

Do you see that? Now, if that's where your heart is, look at it. If your heart is, if you're not putting this to death and led by the Spirit of God, what you're going to do, you're going to walk with your heart going after what pleases the flesh. Now, that's death.

But those who are walking according to the Spirit, what is their mind set on? Like we saw in Colossians 1 through 3, our mind and heart is set on things above. Amen? Now, that upsets folks when they've got their heart, they've got idols in this world, they get upset. So, people get upset.

What does that change about God's Word? Flesh has always opposed the spiritual things. Is that right? Let me say that again. Flesh always opposes the spiritual things.

Always. They're in opposition to it. And people who walk after the flesh, this is how the Word divides.

That's what the Word is doing today. The Word divides because those who come to the light of coming, the others will continue to walk in darkness. Now, in verse 6, For the mind that's set on the flesh, that's rebellion, is death.

But the mind or heart that's set on the Spirit is life and peace because where a person's mind is still set on the flesh, here's how he'll act toward the Word of God. He'll be hostile to this part of the Word of God. He's hostile to the Word of God, and he will not subject himself to the Word of God.

Is that what your Bible said? Well, then it said somebody led by the Spirit of God is not that way. Is that correct? The Spirit of God, if you're led by the Spirit of God, you put to death all the deeds of the flesh. Is that correct? Because you never practice anything because you'll put it to death.

Now, let me just tell you so I can explain it. When some sin... See, you walk in peace. Let me just... When you come to the Lord with all your heart, and you've... All over this building, I know that you've come to the Lord and you've been in brokenness and with your whole heart.

Lord, I give you my whole heart right now. And you know what happened to you when you got up? You just cried before the Lord and peace came over you. You know why peace came over you? Because God put a hedge around you.

That's where you're supposed to walk all the time, in peace. You follow me? You walk all the time with that peace, but most of you, once you've had this peace, you later on, you lost it. And you never have recovered it because you were not serious about this part of the Word.

Because something came up that the Spirit of God was going to show you that your heart was dealing with, and you didn't deal with it, you didn't give it up. And you didn't seek the path of peace anymore. But you didn't really seek the Lord to give this thing up.

Are you following me? And so, you lost your peace. How did you lose your peace? Because when your heart is in some rebellion, you lower the hedge on yourself. Do you follow me? And then the powers of darkness can get to you.

That's why you haven't got any peace, because the powers of darkness are tormenting you. Do you follow me? But the moment that you deal with anything... Now, see, that's how you chastise. You're chastised by when you do something wrong, the powers of darkness come into and attack you.

And so, what are you going to do? When your peace is gone, you're going to get back before the Lord and say, God, what did I do? He said, that attitude that you had, those words that you spoke about that. And immediately, what do you do? You say, God, I'm not going to do this with my head up here, and my heart. I turn from all those things right now in Jesus' name.

I repent, and I turn, and immediately what happens? The peace is back, and the hedge is around you. Amen? Now, that's where the body of Christ is supposed to be. The Word, those who come to the light, will gather around the light.

And nothing under the ban will be in that congregation, because they'll deal with it. That's why church discipline is left out of the Word. That's like if I see the hate coming out of your mouth, brother, I go up to you and realize that I'm dealing with some logs and things myself.

I don't come up to condemn you, but to love you, because when these strongholds are in your heart, you are a tormented person. You don't have peace with everybody in a body of Christ who's supposed to become the Lord with all their heart. Is that right? And so when you deal with the rebellion, what happens? I come up to you, and I show you this, and immediately you're glad, because Proverbs says a wise man will become wiser, but a scoffer.

And you see the mockers in Jude 18, in the last days who follow after own godly lust. What are they going to do? They're going to hate you. They're going to be defensive.

And this is why, you know, if you take your brother to someone like that, it won't receive correction. You take your brother with you, and you go to him and say, now, once again, we've come to you in love, not to condemn you. And I just want to bear witness to this, brother, that this thing is in your life, and I know you want to deal with it.

Besides, we've got a wall around this congregation right here. This wall is the glory of Jesus. This is the hedge that Jesus said, walk along and compel them to come in.

And we don't want to lose this hedge, so, brother, we've got to deal with this. We've got to deal with this. Now, just receive us, brother, because this hate is there.

He hears it, too. And this brother, confirm it and everything, and then you say, you react. You hate correction.

You won't receive correction, which proves what? Your heart loves rebellion. And then what do you do? Take him before the church, set him outside, and treat him as a heathen and Gentile. And you know what happens then? When you pray for the sick, they will recover.

And when you anoint with oil, they will be restored. Not maybe, perhaps, or 70 degrees. That's the way God works through a pure heart.

Are you hearing me? There's not any disorder. Now, I've proved this so well with your Bible, what I've just told you here, so clearly this week. And I want to tell you something, folks.

There's been a time already of a great falling away to the extent that you can't even comprehend it right now. But I want you to tell you that there's a lamp shining in Jerusalem right now. And I'm telling you, God has some things to say.

Because ever since the Reformation, every time anybody's got any lack, they've gathered around it and made an idol out of it and called it it. And they call it it. And then they call it it.

And then they call it somebody's wrong. And see what happens when you gather around part of a teaching and you call it it, you get tunnel vision. And the only thing you can get out of this Bible, see it become an idol in your heart, and the only thing you can see out of this Bible is what fits in your structure.

It's got your heart. That's the way the Pharisees were. That when Jesus came along with more light, he said, why can't you understand what I'm saying? He said, you can't hear my word.

My word don't have any place in you because you've already built you another tower over here. You've built you another structure. So it has tunnel vision.

And their teaching, the Pharisees' teaching, their structure had their hearts. And so they reacted to any new word from God. They reacted to it.

They wouldn't receive it. Are you hearing me? Now, I want to read verse 9. Does it say that if you're led by the Spirit of God, you're going to put to death the deeds of the flesh, rebellion? Is that right? Shake your head. Okay, now, in verse 9, however, you're not in flesh, but you're in the Spirit.

That's where you are. If indeed the Spirit of God's in you, that's where... Is this plain? If the Spirit of God and Jesus is in you, you're being led by the Spirit of God. Is that plain? Do you hear me? But if anyone doesn't have the Spirit of God, he doesn't belong to Jesus.

Is that plain? Now, you just check your life out and see if Jesus is Lord of you or if you're calling him Lord, Lord and don't do what he says. Because, folks, we're just getting started. I mean, we're just getting in a little foundation that we can go even into the last days.

I want you to know there is a trumpet blowing right now. And there had been tremendous darkness and deception and chains on folks. There's no problem all over this building.

And bondage, and you can be free from it. I think you come here for the Word of God. I think you come here to this place to learn some new things, didn't you? That's the reason you come here.

So that means evidently you're supposed to be teachable. And so if you receive the Word of God, do you know what happens? The chains will come off of you and the bondage will come off of you because he sent his Word to heal you. Amen? All right, now turn with me to Galatians 5. Galatians 5. Now, are the sons of God led by the Spirit of God? Now, if you have picked out... Now, listen to me, folks.

There are certain parts of this Bible that people, that traditions have used. Now, let me ask you something. Have we learned some new things in the last few years? Shake your head.

All right, now, were they some... Have we learned some things in the last few years that our ancestors didn't know anything about? Is that right? Now, what if our ancestors developed doctrines and teachings and they did not even expose the powers of the doctrines? They didn't oppose nor expose nor even understand what they were doing. And then we have doctrines that would come in and we're brought up in in this high and could it get to your heart? And then when it gets to your heart, you can't receive new light. Amen? Now, I want to ask you something.

Have you gathered around something? Has your heart gathered around something? Your heart is supposed to be gathered around the whole counsel of God and you'll never know it all. There's no end to your learning. Amen? So that means if you're teachable in a new light, I've got new light, I'm teachable.

And so when I find out something's wrong, when I get new light and I see it, I'll turn from it. I'll always come to the light. Amen? Amen? All right.

Now, sons of God are led by the Spirit of God and they put to death all deeds of rebellion. Is that right? If you're led by the Spirit of God. And if you're not led by the Spirit of God, you don't belong to Jesus.

You've got to follow security. Now in verse 16, But I say, Walk by the Spirit of God, and you... What is those two words? You will not. You will not.

Circle that about four times. You will not carry out the desire of the flesh. Now I wonder if you've found some Scripture somewhere, it's all right for you to practice in and walk and carry out the rebellion and everything.

You better look at that Scripture again. Does the Bible say two things? Well, if you don't like this part, you go over and gather your heart around the other part. I know 1 Corinthians 3 in the Bible, we're going to share about it this week.

Obviously, this is in a direct contradiction of what we are taught in 1 Corinthians 3 that you can sit on the throne. That's a lie. You don't sit on the throne.

Jesus is Lord of your heart. Amen? And this you'll see from that Bible right there in your lap, if you can stand it this week. If you want to know, you can know this week.

I'm telling you Jesus Christ is Lord. That sounds like a cult, doesn't it? That's what it's called. And verse 17.

For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit. Always know anyone who walks after the flesh will oppose you. So what? Love them.

They might get saved. Amen? Jesus said, Vengeance is mine. You no longer war after the flesh.

You have compassion. Let your light shine. You don't have to stick it down somebody's throat.

Let it shine. They'll get drawn to the light. Amen? So, the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh, for these are in opposition to one another.

Is this plain? Now, you're supposed to be led by the Spirit of God so that you may not do the things you please. Is that plain? You don't do the things you please after the flesh. Now, verse 19.

Now, the deeds of the flesh. Let me put it another way. The fruit of rebellion.

Are you ready? Now, before I read this, I want you to just promise me right now you're not going to act like it's not in there. Over here, you're not going to act like it's not in there when you read it. Amen? What about you? You too.

All right, now in verse 19. Now, the deeds of the fruit of rebellion, the flesh, are evident. Have you circled evident? Hey, folks, did we read something yesterday in Matthew 7, you will know them by their fruit? Is this what you're reading right here? The fruit of the flesh, the fruit of death, is evident.

Are you hearing? You hear it coming out of somebody's mouth, and when it comes out of their mouth, they've got a problem with their heart, and if they are a Christian, they will come to the light and deal with it. Amen? That's the way you get rid of all disorder and every evil thing. That's how the book of Acts, they were one heart and one mind.

Amen? They wasn't gathered around men or reputation. They were gathered around Jesus. Amen? And, brother, if you didn't walk in it, you didn't stay there.

And you know what happened? They saw great things and works done by Jesus, and no one was trying to get glory for Him. No one was making a name. They were all making a name for Jesus because they died to the thing that wanted to make a name for themselves.

Amen? Is that right? See, this is the reason Jesus said, I'll not share my glory with you because this is the only part of you that wants any glory, and it's supposed to be dead. That's the reason He doesn't share it. Amen? Now, verse 19.

Verse 19. What do you have to have a name for if you've got Jesus? Well, that's the only way you get Him. You don't get both unless you want to practice sin here.

Now, the deeds of the flesh, the deeds, the fruit of rebellion are evident, which are, here they are, immorality. What is that word right there? I can't hear you again. You're not talking to me.

They are impurity. All right, now look here. What's the opposite of a pure heart? You know what that means in Greek? Impure.

Right? I see when Jesus cries to the Lord, don't you put to death all impurity. Is that right? Unless you've got another gospel. Amen? Unless you've got another doctrine.

Now, what did we read yesterday after Satan had perverted the Word of God and even said, you surely shall not die. You can go eat off of that tree of rebellion, that tree of death, the lust, the flesh, the lust, the eyes of both. You surely shall not die.

You know what that was? That's the doctrine of the demon. What if there's any around today? Huh? All right? Now, in verse 20, there is idolatry. We miss sensuality.

Sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissension, factions, envy and drunkenness, carousing, and things what? Like these, that's the things of the flesh, which I forewarn you, just as I forewarn you, that those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. And when you receive that, you'll learn what the fear of God is. The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom and my people are destroyed by the powers of darkness for lack of wisdom because they won't receive that part of the Word.

Because why? They love darkness and they want to justify it. They love the deeds of darkness, the deeds of Satan, and Satan destroys them because their heart's in agreement with them. All right, are you seeing that? But, see, that's not the fruit of the Son of God.

Is that right? All right, what about some congregation that produces this kind of fruit? What's leading them? It's not the Spirit of God, is it? All right, we go on to see right there that the fruit of the Spirit. Now, where does the fruit come out? Of the mouth, amen? And then that shows what's from the abundance of the heart, the mouth what? Speaks, and from the fruit of the Spirit, here's what comes out, which is opposite, the opposite of selfishness. Now, that was selfishness.

That's the ways that Satan are obeying. Now, here's the ways of the Lord. This is Him in delighting.

This is God. This is where Adam was at the very beginning before he ate off the tree of death. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.

Against these kind of things, there is no what? Law, which means there's no longer any judgment because these things are not in your heart. That's the reason you're no longer under the law. Don't get a form of guidance and say, Jesus became a curse to me.

Calvary, when you're under the law, when you're still walking in rebellion to God. What did we see in John 3? God so loved the world, and we looked over in 3.16 that you can have eternal life. And you go over to John 3.36, and we see, in Jesus Christ, you have eternal life, but those who do not obey the Son haven't got eternal life, but the wrath of God still remains on them.

They never have turned just exactly like the man was in Matthew 7 who practiced sin. Amen? He practiced lawlessness, and this is what this talks about. Amen? One verse, and then we'll let a bunch of you go.

Now, those who belong to Christ Jesus. Now, may I ask you, do you belong to Christ Jesus? All right, if you belong to Christ Jesus, here's what you've done. You've crucified the flesh with its passions and its what? Desires.

Now, look at me, folks. You've got to see this. Somebody's not looking.

When you walked at the flesh, were you dead? Were you walking in death? Amen? All right, now look in verse 1. And you were dead in your trespasses. Now, I want you to see where you're demonized, too, when you were walking that way. In which you what? You formerly walked.

That means you don't walk there anymore. Amen? You formerly walked there. How did you walk? You walked according to the course of the world.

You walk, talk, and act like the world, who lives all that's in the world, the lust of flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boast of pride of life, which is rebellion of God. What is the lust of flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boast of pride of life? That is when your heart is drawn to something. That's when something captures your heart instead of Jesus.

Amen? Okay. So you formerly walked after the course of the world. You formerly walked according to the prince and power of the air.

That's Satan. That's the way you formerly walked. You were dead when you walked there.

But now, and you formerly walked according to the spirit. If you looked, you amplified it, plainly tells you this is a demon spirit that right now works in all the what? The sons of disobedience. The sons of disobedience are the ones who walk after the flesh.

Amen? That walk after the flesh. Among them, verse 3, now this is where you formerly lived. The ways of the world, you were a slave of Satan and the demon spirits that worked in, it didn't say on your shoulder, that worked in the sons of disobedience.

Now, that's what you possess the land from, by the way. Verse 3. Now, among them, we too all, we all what? Formerly lived, which means you're not living there anymore, right? You formerly lived in the lust of the flesh. Does it mean you're not living there anymore? That's the reason it said you formerly lived in the lust of flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and the mind.

And you were by what? What's that word? Nature. It's the opposite of a divine nature. By your nature, you were children of what? You were children of wrath, even as the rest.

Amen? That means the wrath of God is on you. That's the same thing you saw in Colossians 3, 5 through 8. That's the same thing that you saw in John 3. The wrath of God remains on you. Folks, are you seeing this? See, this is what God, this is what the last days is about.

It's a vengeance of God for His temple. It's vengeance, but it's the wrath of God that's coming over all rebellion. Do you follow me? Amen? All right, now, turn over to Ephesians 4. Ephesians 4. In Ephesians 4, look with me there in verse 3. Now, wait a minute.

I want to go to verse 5 first. Look at verse 5. For this you can know with certainty. When God says you can know something with certainty, you think it's pretty certain? For this you can know with certainty, that no immoral man, no impure man, no covetous man, all of these could be an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of who? In case you have a problem with the kingdom of God, there's a kingdom of Christ.

You don't have any part of the kingdom of Christ in God. Now, it says, Let no one what? Deceive you with what? Empty words. Was Eve deceived with empty words from Satan? Are you warned right here? Does God know what you'll probably be deceived about also? Is this the reason He said for you not to be deceived? Are you following me? So you can know that an impure person, that a covetous person... Now, let's just stop here just one minute.

Now, I want you to look with me. Just hold your place there and turn over after Philippians to Colossians 3. I want you to read this again. Now, we're told not to set our mind on things of the flesh, aren't we? Now, look in verse 2. Set your mind on things above.

Don't set your mind on things that are on earth. Now, flesh loves to live for the things of the world. Amen? All right, now in verse 3. For you have died.

In other words, you've died to your identity and you've died to yourself because you're put to death. You choose, you reckon yourself dead. Amen? Your reputation, name, and everything you have.

And then verse 5. Therefore, you consider the members of your earthly body. You're dead to immorality, impurity, impassion, and evil desire, greed. All of these things amount to what? Adultery.

What do we see right over there? Now, let's don't act like it's there in Ephesians 5, verse 5, that no immoral, no impure person or covetous man or adulterer, he doesn't have an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ. Amen? Now, anyone says that they have a security with those things right there, God said, don't be deceived because you can be deceived with empty words about this. Amen? Now, what are you going to receive? Some teaching, some doctor? Are you going to receive the Word of God? What are you going to do with this? Amen? It's there, isn't it? So, let's just continue in verse 6. Colossians 3, 6. For it is on account of these things, these things, that the wrath of God is coming on those.

And where's it going to begin? The house of God. Amen? And in them you also, you once walked when you were living in them, but now you're not walking there anymore. You were living, which means you're not living there anymore.

Is that plain? Because Jesus is the Lord of your whole heart. Amen? Now, are you seeing how the powers of darkness have been able to take such advantage over us? It's called a church. See, that's exactly where they're working at.

And when they get your heart in agreement with you, what do you think they're doing to you? And we call it peace, though we walk in the stubbornness of our heart. Now, let's turn back to Ephesians 5. Ephesians 5, verse 5. For this you can know with certainty that none of these immoral people, impure person, covetous man who isn't at all or has an inheritance of the kingdom of Christ and God. In other words, what does a Christian do? He's overcoming, he is steadfast, and he endures to the end.

You're always overcoming. You never turn back. Amen? Now, let me ask you something.

Have you noticed times that you were really going forwards and then you just kind of settled in and settled around something? Then you lost your peace and a torment come on you, didn't it? You quit going forward. I'm telling you, as a Christian, he continually going to more light, more light, more light. That's who a Christian is.

He never turns back. And when you turn back and it gets on you, you better get before the throne of grace and repent of these things, get that peace back, and learn something by it. Now, we are destroying speculation and every lofty thing or argument that's raised up or comes up here in your mind against the Word of God, and you'll take every thought captive to the obedience of who? Does your Bible say you take every thought captive? If Jesus has all your heart, you'll walk in it.

Now, one last verse, 6. And we're ready to punish all disobedience. In other words, we're going to suffer in the flesh when it comes up there whenever your obedience is complete. Is that plain? Huh? Now, let me ask you something.

Do you love me? Well, you stayed around. Evidently, you do. You're going to have to love me to go to heaven, aren't you? All right, now, what I'd like to ask you, one last thing, and then we're going to go.

Get before the Lord and start dealing with the things in your heart. This week, because I'm going to tell you, the latter part of the week, we're going to start dealing with those stronghold folks, and it's going to come off you. Do you think you've got a different head on you? Do you hear me? I'm telling you in Jesus' name, amen?