Are You Fighting Against God?

Alright, make sure to go back and listen to Wednesday's message. I keep hearing from people that were so encouraged, even in Oklahoma, different states. And I was only going to speak about 10 or 15 minutes, and it turned out to be a full message on the power of intercession.

And the more I studied, the more I even spoke, the more I realized God uses intercession. I mean, you can start back in Genesis. You can work your way through the New Testament.

When people intercede, and they lay hold of the horns of the altar. The altar used to have horns on it. And I talked about how you lay hold of God with one hand and pray for the sinner in the other.

God used Daniel, Nehemiah, Abraham, Moses. Can we keep going? Prophets would intercede. New Testament.

Jesus intercedes. The Holy Spirit intercedes. Paul would intercede for the church.

It's just we miss how powerful our prayers are because we don't see it right away. We love microwave Christianity. One minute.

Isn't it funny? I'm not going to get into too many rabbit trails, but that's not even really healthy, by the way. Microwaving your food for a minute. So let's look at the parallel.

It's not really healthy to seek God quickly. Hurry up and want answers. It's a pursuit.

Seeking Me. Diligently pursuing Me. It's a pursuit.

And it takes time. It's hard for me too, but I learn now to encourage myself in the Lord when I don't see results. Because the other end of that is saying, well, forget it then.

Have you ever been there? I've been plowing this soil in the prayer for a year at this early morning. I don't see nothing happening. Or in your home, or in your prayer closet.

I don't see nothing. Lord, I'm just giving up. I've found that that's the time to break in and break through.

Because there comes a point where your prayer life is tested. When we're praying, we're seeing results, we're feeling great, that's not really where it's tested. It's tested in the furnace of doubt, in the fires of discouragement.

That's where the dross is removed. And you say, Lord, I don't care. I'm going to seek You with all of my heart.

That felt like a message, but it wasn't. So, let's get into that. The title is, Are You Fighting Against God? Are you fighting against God? Now the application from the context, remember this church loves context.

We don't like saying what God's Word doesn't say. That's called exegesis. When you speak into the Word of God that's not there.

Things that aren't there. Exegesis is when you pull it apart. But to recap, the religious leaders, remember put the apostles in prison, and then the angel let them out.

And the angel said, go back and speak to the people all the words of life. And when the guards returned, they told the leaders that the apostles were no longer there. But they found them in the temple, and they arrested them.

And they told them, stop speaking in Jesus' name. And then this is where we left off, Acts 5.29. But Peter and the other apostles answered and said, we ought to obey God rather than government. And if you didn't hear that message, go back and listen to it again.

And I was able to get through it, and that's why we're here this morning talking about this. But why was last week's topic of obeying God over government so challenging? Why is this topic with government so challenging? I mean, I could talk for a half hour on it, and I won't. An area of personal growth, maybe I'll open up a little bit, and I still don't have answers.

Maybe it's just my unique calling, like God's called certain people to do certain things. But anytime I talk about this government and God's Word, people get a little offended. You're too political.

Okay, well, how can I be biblical but not political? Mentioning the President or mentioning the Supreme Court or these laws? But it's in the Bible. I don't know. And some of us are going to talk more about it.

Others aren't. I know I have people texting me, Shane, when Israel was attacked or when the Supreme Court overruled Roe v. Wade. No, our church didn't say anything.

And it's an interesting topic, but I begin to realize that over the years, people just don't like what I'm saying because it doesn't support their candidate or their agenda. Hmm, well then. See, I can be political as long as I line up with their political beliefs.

Hmm, interesting. Just food for thought. Food for thought.

Because it's biblical to talk about political hot buttons because they're very applicable to our daily living, especially for young adults. I can't imagine where we separate God's Word with legislation or government or things like that. Now, you can get to a point where it's too much.

I got it, but it plays such an important role in our lives. And I'm pretty sure when the Word says, be the salt and the light, and that has to do with all areas of society. I don't know, maybe not politics.

But it's such an important topic. But why was last week specifically so challenging? There are many different situations. And here's what I mean by challenging.

So many people, and I have people ask me, what about this situation? What about that situation? I'm a public school teacher. Or I work in the fire department and I've got to raise the pride flag. Or I'm a federal employee and I have to do this.

Or I'm a sheriff or a police department and they're making us put this back. Over the years, why is this so challenging? And I think, hopefully, this is the case. It's because there are many different situations and people are led differently.

In some cases, God is teaching submission in the lives of some of us. But in other situations, God wants the person to be bold. There are also times to be silent and to wait, and there are other times to speak up.

That's why I can't say, oh, yeah, this is why I tell everybody. This is why I tell everybody. Just tell your boss, well, how do you word it nicely? Just protest and say, I'm not going to do that.

I'm quitting. And then when you lose your job, we'll pray that God will get you a new one. In some cases, that might be what a person needs to do.

Or they need to stay and they need to navigate those waters. Maybe God has you there for the students. I don't know.

Maybe He wants you to stay in the fire department or the sheriff's department for a season. Now, there are lines that can be crossed. Amen? What I'm talking about right now are those gray areas.

But if they begin, and what I talked about last week, if they begin to tell a teacher, you have to teach this. And you have to say, I support this and I'm going to teach this. I'm going to recommend this book that is so perverted.

I have to. I don't know how you do it. I couldn't.

So there are lines that eventually were called to not cross. But if you're not a person of prayer, a person of faith, a person of humility, filled and led by the Spirit, you can become a bully or a coward. It happens on either side, doesn't it? That's why you'll see many people, I guess I could say in the political spectrum, on the far right or the far left, they're not believers clearly on either side, but they're so extreme and they're so arrogant and bullying, but they think I'm standing up for the truth, at least what their definition of the truth is.

Or the other side where I'm just not going to say anything. Like I just mentioned, those churches that won't ever say anything about anything. It's political.

And I've talked to some of these guys before, and they'll tell me, they'll say, Shane, our job is just to preach the Gospel. Okay, well, how do you preach the Gospel when you have to wiggle through all these different topics that are relevant to the Gospel? For example, when the Gospel changed my heart, I might have to say something about killing the unborn. I don't know.

Maybe. How do I avoid that one? Where in the Old Testament, God says you sacrifice your children to Molech and Baal, and that thought has not even entered my mind. Okay, I'm going to skip those verses because it might be too... Now, Romans 1, we're definitely not going to be in Romans 1, are we? They suppress the truth.

God gave them over to debase mind. They begin to exchange in natural affections, men for men and women for women. These things ought not be.

It's an abomination in the sight of God. I can't go there. You see the problem? Either you preach all of God's Word, or you're a coward.

There's no way around it. There's absolutely no way around it. Now, that doesn't mean that people like myself preach perfectly.

We have a perfect message, but God uses imperfect people. So does my emotions get in there sometimes? If you think you can speak for one hour perfectly... No, I mean your gestures, your tone, your mannerism, your theological persuasions, I would love to give you a shot. And we're going to all sit here with our notepad.

It's not possible. It's not possible. But you try.

That's one reason I have to get here. I have to get on my face right here at 6 in the morning. Because I've got some stuff to say and people are not going to want to hear it.

But how do I know what's of me? Out of anger, frustration. The best thing often is to wait on the Lord. To get confirmation.

To not pop off. It's hard. No pastor does.

Even the ones who don't say anything, they don't navigate the waters perfectly. Because when we get saved, we forget. It took me time to realize this.

We're new creations in Christ, correct? We are like dead in our sin to now alive in Christ. But it's not like, and you are a completely different person in regard to sin. But some of those same characteristics still stay with you.

If you're a little cocky and bold, you might be a little cocky and bold as a Christian. But see, now God will use that for you to be bold in the face of adversity. You might be like, well, that person's got some quirks, right? Or whatever.

But God's going to use those in your life to be a blessing to others. I was shy and passive. And maybe you're still shy and passive.

But at least you're bold when it's time to be bold. And so I think sometimes we forget that. We forget that I'm not going to, or you're not going to, we're not going to come out of the conversion chamber, this completely new person.

Now many things change. I no longer desire this. Many of you stop cursing.

But there's still a hint of your mom or dad in you, isn't there? So let's talk about timing because that's where I left off last week. When do I say something? When don't I say something? Bold at work, not bold at work. I've got family members that are in my face.

I've got social media. It's kind of hard to navigate, but Matthew 7, 6 is very important for us. How many of you have read this verse, but didn't quite understand it? So this is Jesus.

Don't give what is holy to the dogs, nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet and turn and tear you in pieces. Now we don't have time to go through all of Matthew 7 where Jesus said that you'll know them by their fruit. Not everyone who says, Lord, Lord, is a follower of Mine.

And it's an incredible chapter. But it says something important. He's talking to us.

Do not give what is holy to the dogs, nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet and turn and tear you in pieces. Now just reading that, I'd say, okay, I'm never talking about the Gospel then. And how do we discern what's a dog? Can you imagine telling somebody you run into an atheist at Trader Joe's, I'm not dialoguing with you because you're a dog.

You're a swine. I learned that with my kids. What do little piggies do? What do little piggies do? What was that movie in the Christmas movie? Where they eat that food, or a Christmas story or something like that.

See, you don't preach a perfect sermon. I'm sorry, I'm only 20 minutes in. Well, wild hogs.

Do not throw your precious things to the swine. Wild hogs. How many of you are hunters here? And you've seen wild hogs.

My brother told me about this once. I mean, he's had some encounters where they're fast and they'll kill you. They've got their little tusks.

And it's nasty. That's why they carry even a rifle, they also carry a .357 or something where they can take these hogs out. They're sharp.

They're tough. They're very aggressive. Very aggressive.

And also this passage, it's not an excuse to be silent. It's a mandate to be careful. How many of you have ever gotten into debates with people? You look back like, I should have never started that one.

Truth offends. And you'll hear me say this a lot, but our attitude shouldn't. Any difficulty with that one? Truth offends, but our attitude shouldn't.

I used to pray, Lord, don't have me run into an atheist or agnostic or somebody who challenges after a venti coffee. Because I'm wired. I'm ready.

I'm snarky. I'm critical. I'm agitated easily.

Come on, church, let's be real. You're like, oh boy, I don't know what he's talking about. You know some things that trigger you.

Barnes, the commentator Barnes said, do not offer your doctrine to those violent and abusive people who would growl and curse you, nor to those especially debased and prolificate who would not perceive its value. They would trample it down and they would abuse you. Although the swine and the dogs such as the religious leaders would hear the message from time to time, the main thrust of the disciples' message was to the common people who were very open.

Chuck Smith, the dog does not refer to the family pet. It was a wild scavenger dog that ran in packs and was a menace to their livestock. More like the coyote, the swine always stood for that which was unclean.

You guys, many years ago, was it 2017 or 2018, I had debated the atheists at the college, at A.V. College. I think you can find it online. But I've had to ban so many people from that group on Facebook.

Man, these little swine. See, I can't preach a perfect sermon. Maybe that was... But that's what it is.

I feel like I'm throwing these pearls to people who don't care. They're trampling underfoot. Because here's the thing, no matter what you say, most people don't want... they're not genuinely asking.

I learned that a long time ago on social media. Hey, Pastor Shane, what do you think? Oh, here's what I think. Oh, boom, boom, boom, boom.

Oh, you just want to argue. Oh, you have a critical, arrogant heart. We have to ban people probably monthly.

It's fine you allow dialogue and difference, but when that swine comes out, that coyote, and you've got to discern that from time to time. Often tell contentious people, hey, when you're ready to listen, contact me. Okay, I'm done.

I see an email, come in. Delete. You don't even read it.

Sometimes I don't if I know who it's from, because I know, here we go again. And you've got to be careful with your time and your energy and your resources, whatever drains you. If it's a continual draining, and I still today maybe only see 1% of comments on social media.

I don't have the time or the energy. And it's very draining, and it's not very encouraging. Because you're going to let somebody in Arkansas tell you off, who's watched one sermon, and you're going to dialogue for an hour.

That just exhausted me. It's pointless. It's fruitless.

So using wisdom is so important. And I saw a couple here, gosh, probably, I don't know when that's been, maybe three months. And I grew up with kind of with their son, or with a relative of theirs, back in the day in the 1990s, probably 90, 91, 92.

So I'm like, man, let me have his email. Reach out to him. Oh boy.

I started getting all these memes of poking fun at God and Jesus. And I'm like, I said, well, that was pretty funny. But you're going to have to answer to God at some point.

And to just keep that, you know, that like, whoa, I opened up that can of worms. So I just say, when you're ever ready to talk, and God's got you in a very difficult season, you know how to reach me. Because if you keep... Because then you start to not answer as nicely as you should.

Anybody been there? No, this is a good service. I hope this applies to the 11 a.m., maybe a little bit more. That's why I love Paul's prayer request.

In the opening of my mouth to make known with boldness the mystery of the Gospel for which I am ambassador and chains that in proclaiming it, I may speak boldly as I ought to speak. And we left off as well last week, the real reason people are upset is because light exposes their darkness. Truth convicts their soul and confrontation challenges their pride.

And now we get some advice by a man named Gamaliel. Gamaliel gives some incredible advice. So, the apostles are arrested, the angel lets them out, they go back to the temple, they're preaching again, they go and they bring them back again.

Like, hey, hey, hey, we told you to not do this anymore. And when they heard that part that God is overdoing it, you're going to listen to God instead of us? They were furious. I bet.

And they plotted to kill them. Do you know that still happens? Have you ever seen what's going on in Syria or Africa? Or a lot of the places where Christians are being persecuted and killed for their faith. And this is why.

We have to believe God over government. And they were so upset. Because what you're doing, not only challenging them, you're challenging the demonic presence behind them.

And any time the demonic responds, it's not calm, cool, and collected. It's not reasonable. Because they lack all the fruit of the Spirit.

Every fruit of the Spirit that's in a Christian love, joy, peace, contentment, long-suffering, gentleness, kindness, self-control, there's an opposite that a person filled with a demonic presence. Or even, you know, in this whole topic, I don't want to get into it, demons, this. But if you're not on God's side, can you guys fill in the blank on that one? Do you want me to fill in the blank? You can tell the world out there.

Well, be careful. If you're not on God's side, you're already on the enemy's side. So I don't have some demon, I don't know exactly.

But I do know you're working for the king of darkness. Because you don't have the light of the truth in you. And they're going to kill the apostles.

But God always has His Gamaliel. And so He stood up, a Pharisee named Gamaliel. This guy's well-respected.

He's a teacher of the law. He's respected. And I don't know.

I mean, I don't want to say, was he seeing some of what Jesus did? Was he fulfilling Old Testament prophecy? Because if you really wanted to know, you could see, hey, was he from Nazareth? Was he out of Egypt? I called my son. Why is he a Galilean? And all these things you could see in the Old Testament if you really wanted to research it. Especially the prophetic words about him being sacrificed and killed and different things.

And so He said, okay, okay, guys, religious leaders, let's remove the apostles out of the room for a little bit. Let's get them out of the room. And let me talk to them.

Because they would have, I don't think, without Gamaliel, did I pronounce that right? Gamaliel. Let's just say G. Big G. A Pharisee named Big G. If he wasn't there, I don't know if they would have survived it. Obviously, God's in control.

God's on the throne. It's according to His sovereign plan. But I think we worry too much because God always has His Big G somewhere.

Don't you love that story too? Do you remember Elisha who called down fire from Mount Carmel? And then he was so pumped, he said, now let's kill all the prophets of Baal. 850 prophets of Baal. Old Testament is brutal.

Brutal. And little Jezebel makes him run and hide. She's after me.

Jezebel, what am I gonna... God, you just called down fire. It consumed the entire altar, the entire sacrifice, all the water around the altar. Why are you scared of Jezebel? But I love it because it shows... I'm telling you, I can be so bold sometimes.

Man, but you get me some other times? My little six-year-old won't intimidate me. And Elijah's running. He's hiding.

And God says, I have 7,000 men who have not bowed their knee to Baal nor have they kissed His image. Not just seven. Not just 70.

I have 7,000 people. Elisha, get back up and keep fighting. And so Gamaliel said, men of Israel, take heed to yourself.

What are you gonna do to these men? In other words, he brought some sanity in there. It's a good lesson for us. Don't react.

Respond. Because that's what happened. Isn't that what a reaction is? Emotions are high.

You're tense. Reaction comes out. How many fights in marriage start because of reaction versus responses? Come on, can I get a few of these? Okay, I think there's more.

Balcony, anybody up there? Okay. But what a lesson for us too as believers. Don't react.

They're gonna take them out and stone them. They would have been high on a precipice and they would have grabbed these big... It wasn't little rocks. It was stone them.

Throw down on their heads and their bodies and they're ready to kill them. He said, don't do that. For some time ago, Thetis rose up claiming to be somebody.

A number of men, about 400 joined him. He was killed and all who obeyed him were scattered and came to nothing. After this, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census and drew away many people after him.

He also died and everyone who obeyed him were dispersed. And now I say to you, keep away from these men and leave them alone. For if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing.

But I think Big G knew something. Don't you? But if I'm just gonna put my item and paraphrase in there, commentary. Some of these guys have to have been like Nicodemus.

Whoa! Some of the Pharisees believed, but because of the fear of the Jews and they wanted to be cast out of the temple, they didn't say anything. And you've got this guy, one of the religious leaders, you've got like, I'm reading into this. He might be saying, let's see what happens here.

Like this is interesting with Jesus. Let's give this some time. Let's see what happens here.

Because I'm sure he felt the earthquake and the sky darkened. By now, he knows that somebody ripped that veil. Somebody ripped that four-inch thick veil as high as the ceiling, possibly, from top to bottom, not a big scissors.

And it's probably still laying on the ground. Or maybe they put it back up to him. But he's processing all this.

He said, because if this is of God, you might not be able to overthrow it. Are you reading along for a sentence? You cannot. That should give all of us a little lift in our walk.

There are certain things where the enemy cannot. I mean, there are things where God gives us choice and freedom and responsibility. It's perfect will, permissive will.

We can get into that whole debate. But if God is going to do something and you line up with Him, that's the key. If you line up with Him, nothing can stop it.

Nothing can stop it at all. If it's of God, you cannot overthrow it, lest you even be found to fight against God. I just realized how many billions of people are fighting against God.

Governments fighting against God. Because again, if you're not on His side, there's not light and darkness and shades of gray and baby blue and yellow. What side are you on? Light and darkness.

Truth and error. Good and evil. Right and wrong.

And that side is fighting against God. It's fighting against God. I mean, I just thought that this morning, actually, I believe, everything has been against the Gospel since the beginning of Jesus' birth.

I mean, the theologians, if you want to get technical, how far back can we go when the enemy is trying to destroy the whole race of Israel and the Jews? Should we talk about Abraham and how far back you want to go? The garden, possibly? But everything has been against the Gospel since the beginning of Jesus' birth. Rome, even Rome couldn't quench what God was doing. Herod said, you know what? Just kill every child, every male child under two.

That will take care of it. No, it will not. The Pharisees could not silence them no matter what they did.

The voice of truth got even louder no matter what they did. How frustrated do you think this group of people were? I mean, sometimes I laugh because it's like, we killed him. He's massacred.

He's bloody. He's on the cross. They put a spear in his... He's dead as dead gets.

And just to make sure, let's put a whole guard in front of the tomb. Can you imagine the next day the soldiers come running back? Like, what are you doing? An angel came. What is going on? We can't get rid of this guy.

And the soldiers would actually lose their life. I mean, if you think this stuff out, there's a lot of confirmation. Even I heard an interview with Ben Shapiro and Dennis Prager.

You guys got to pray for these guys because they don't know the Lord. And Ben was kind of mocking Jesus and this, and he's like, yeah, he's a common criminal. And I mean, they still believe in Israel today that his body was stolen.

What? Use your common sense. All his disciples were killed. Brutally.

For a lie? Can you imagine you're being stretched out? Here comes the sword. Okay, we hit his body, but I'm not going to tell anybody. I mean, you'd be confessing before they even... It's hung upside down.

Crucified. Beheaded. Because you hit a body and you're following this lie? It's not possible.

Nothing could stop the truth. The enemy could not outwit him either. I love that verse.

How about you that says, and I didn't have time to find it this morning, had they known what they were doing, they would have never crucified the Son of Glory. I just laugh again. Can you imagine the enemy? Oh, man.

Wow, we killed Him. Hell's rejoicing. Hell's rejoicing.

The demons are laughing and jeering and then, uh-oh. Wait a minute. What's going on here? I mean, I think they knew right away.

You know, the ground shaking and the temple and the veil and the dead and the graves being raised again and Jesus going down and witnessing to those captives and leading them to captivity or they at least went and conquered hell, death, sin, and the grave and their party was very short-lived. Nothing could stop what God would... Not false prophets. Not the Gnostics.

Not the heresies. All these heresies from legalism to theology. Heresy, you have to do this.

Okay, you believe in Jesus, but you have to do this and have to do this, have to do this. Or heresy from theological positions and anytime you doubt who God really is, the nature of God, who Christ really is, it turns into a cult. How many of you guys have seen the guy on social media now with the beanie? The black beanie? He's in a black area.

He's got black followers. And he's like, I am the next pope. And he's like very stern.

And people send me, what do you think? He's a joke. Or if he's a legitimate false prophet, maybe, but he's not going to overthrow God. My goodness.

I mean, you know how many people would send me, but shame Elon Musk could be part of the Antichrist and one world system. Okay, you're going to fear him over God? Trump could usher in the one world system and the cryptocurrency and what's it going to do? Well, I still know who sits on the throne. So I'm not as worried as you are.

I'm not as worried. Stop trusting in man and get your face buried in the Word of God and start trusting in God and God alone. You're watching too many YouTube videos on the earth being flat and chem trails and the government conspiracy, all this.

Just get your face buried in the Word of God and trust Him and Him alone. It amazes me. They have more time for YouTube than God's Word.

No wonder you're scared and fearful. And what do you think of this? What do you think of this? What do you think of this? I don't know, but God knows. I have no clue.

But Shane, we might be led astray. You will if you're not in the Word. Oh, Lord, help my tongue.

Help my tongue. No, no, no, no, no, no. No, no, no.

That just might be too much of the flesh. I don't think so. Isn't that true? We've got to point this out.

You've got to call out this. You've got, we'll be led astray. You're not led astray when you're grounded in the Word and filled with the Spirit.

Shane, it'll deceive even the elect. Well, it says actually, if it were possible. It's not possible.

If it were possible, it would deceive even the elect. And again, we can get into the eschological view on that, on what Jesus was talking about. But the bottom line is, you don't need to fear man when you're trusting in God, when you're filled with the Spirit of God.

How do you mislead a believer on fire for God? I'll tell you how, you ready? You get them away from that fire. You get them away from the truth a little bit. You actually begin to isolate them.

A lot of people like this are isolated. You need to stay under the accountability, the covering of the accountability of your leaders too. You run things by them.

What do you think of this? And you have godly counsel. The Word says in the multitude of counsel there is safety. All these people that isolate themselves and they think, God, the Lord is speaking to me.

He's not speaking to all the elders in the church and the deacon and the court team. He's speaking to me. You're listening to a deceptive spirit.

That's how you're deceived. You get away from the shelter and the framework and the safety of God's Word, God's people. Anytime you think you've got a corner on the truth and you're hearing from God, but nobody else is? Now if you're talking about the world or carnal Christians, yes, but when you're talking about, if you can't take constructive feedback from spirit-filled believers, I'm telling you, you're on the wrong path.

Absolutely. And I can still hear, but what about this? What about this YouTube video? What about this thing that's going, you know what? Trust in God. Yes, invest.

Use wisdom. I'd like to know what the mark's going to be before it gets here, but I have a feeling it probably won't be bamboozled. Oh man, I got this tattoo of Morgan and she got one of me.

And now we have the mark? You bought Bitcoin? Now you, oh, you're part of the system. You bowed to the wrong God. Amazon has your handprint to buy stuff now in the store, Whole Foods.

Pastor, am I lost for eternity? Guys, I'm trying not to, but it's going to be so clear. Publicly reject God and His truth. Bow to the wrong God.

Take this, whatever it is, a world system, a mark, who knows? It's going to be so clear. So clear. Now, carnal Christians will be bamboozled.

I haven't used that word in a while. It sounds... They'll be tricked. They'll be deceived because they're more worried about their next trip to Vegas than they are filled with the Spirit of God.

They're more concerned about Laughlin than holiness. From atheists to enemies, nothing has silenced God's truth. From governments to the courts, to the courts, who has issues with all these federal judges the last couple of months? Oh, my Lord, help me.

Yeah, I better not get political yet. Here we go. But it's a good reminder, there is only one Supreme Court.

And it's not the United States of America's Supreme Court. They are but mere men. God holds their breath in the palm of His hand.

If I were them, I would be... You're saying this is legal when God's Word says it's not lawful? God, help us. From all of our leaders and legislation, nothing can stop God Almighty. Now, some forms of government, different things, they'll silence some of God's truth temporarily right? Just go to North Korea, find out how many Christians are there.

Don't actually. You won't be coming back. Certain areas of the Middle East, but it's not like God's going, I can't penetrate that area.

It's because there are some things, some things where it's more silent, but it's only temporary. Okay, I'm going to try not to get too excited, so help me. There is a time coming when the lion of the tribe of Judah will roar again.

Will roar again. And I love it. I know I say it a lot.

I'd say it every Sunday if I could. But you know, everybody has this idea, he came back as a little lamb. You know those pictures of Jesus, the little lamb, and the little lamb was slain, and the Lamb of God, and He opened out His mouth, and that, that... Babe, that's... That time period's over.

He's not coming back a lamb. It will roar from Zion. The lion will roar again.

And every false government, false system, false believer will bow their knee to Jesus Christ. And so, Big G got his agenda approved, and they agreed with him. They agreed with him.

And they called for the apostles, and they lovingly let them go, and they beat them. These guys, these guys, they just cannot let them go. Okay, okay, Gamaliel, we'll... I want to say Gandalf, accidentally or something.

So, they'll let him... We'll let them go, but we're going to beat the... We're going to MMA. We're going to beat the tar out of them. And then we'll let them go.

We're just to make sure we get this point across. And so, it's a good reminder today. Is your faith being tested? Is your faith being tested? They're beaten.

They were beaten for their testimony. And we get upset if somebody posts something negative. Jesus said, it's a narrow road.

He said, it's a heavy load. It's a heavy cross. It's a rugged cross.

It's a hard way. That's why He said count the cost. Listen, I love all the benefits of Christianity and following Jesus.

Don't get me wrong. Don't get me wrong. But this element of Christianity that they call the name and claim of prosperity gospel is so dangerous and deadly because it paints a false view of genuine Christianity.

They might be millionaires and own jets, but that doesn't mean we're supposed to be. And if that draws you away from God, give Me neither poverty nor riches. Proverbs.

Give Me neither poverty nor riches. Lest I be poor and I steal from you. Or lest I be rich and I forget the God who made me.

I don't know. Don't you want to paint a realistic picture? Don't you want to tell your kids Jesus loves you? He's going to be with you. Even through the leukemia.

Even if He takes one of us early. I don't know about you, but that's the foundation I want them to know. I want them to cling to the cross in the midst of the storm.

But you've got to give people a realistic view. You might never grow a mega church saying those things, but you'll grow a mega ministry in the hearts of people. Because you have the remnant, the people... I don't want to hear this, but I need to hear it.

Anybody say that? You think I want to live this? You think I want to carry a cross and die to myself and die to my opinions? I'd love to tell people off a lot more. You guys are just... Thank God I'm a pastor. Because I still got a little Irish and German in me.

I have to just let things... Carry the cross. Things going on in your life. I thought following Jesus was easy.

No. Sometimes it's warfare. Sometimes there's a battle.

Sometimes you hold on to heaven as you're going through hell, but you get to the end of the road and you say, I have finished well. I have won my race. The crown of glory.

The hope of Christ. Guys, don't you think we need to tell people that more often? It's a narrow road. That cross is heavy.

That burden that He carried. He'll carry it, but He says, cast all your cares upon Me. My burden is light.

But it's a narrow road. It's a heavy cross. Dying to self and carrying a cross.

We might actually have a lot more joy when we understand, I might not have the big house with the picket white fence and two and a half acres and all this, and everything's going my way, and I've got a huge bank account. I'm going to retire at age 55. No wonder we're miserable, because we have a false definition of what it means to follow Jesus.

But isn't that true? I don't like what I'm saying, honestly. I want to retire at 55. I want to see my kids and grandkids running out in the grass.

These federal judges, that's why they drive me crazy, because they're allowing criminals into our country for the next generation. White picket fence, oh, that would be cool. I've always said, love some acreage.

Find a good John Deere backhoe again on sale. I'll be content. I love it.

Come on, Jesus, come on. But what about if none of that happens? And you bury a child. What about if you lose your retirement, and you've got to keep working? See, when you follow Him regardless, it doesn't matter what happens.

I just left a man a voicemail yesterday. I used to see him at the altar all the time. But his wife left him and got divorced.

Now he's mad at God. I don't have anything to do with that God. But of course, you have to be loving in this, but you want to say, what are you talking about? Though He slay you, yet will you trust Him? That's the Christian life.

God promised you a perfect marriage and your spouse would stay forever. How do you know you didn't contribute to it, mister? Oh, don't get me started. Don't get me started.

This could go bad. Because I've heard it so much. It's like their fault, their fault, their fault, their fault.

When you hear both stories, you're like, oh, guys, truth is in the middle. I hate to be the bearer of bad news. You know, I want to be careful.

I don't know if I've ever seen a situation ever where someone is completely innocent, zero percent. There might be. You might be out there.

I don't know. Maybe in our case that would happen, right? All my fault. We're actually excited that the book for pastors is going to be out this week.

The free PDF. Morgan wrote a chapter and just opened up about our own struggles and what that looks like. So I'll announce that more.

I don't know why I said it. It doesn't fit, but at least you know now. And they commanded them, get out of here and stop speaking in Jesus' name and let them go.

So get out of here. Stop speaking in Jesus' name. Get out of here.

I'm pretty sure they weren't snarky when they left. How would you do? They probably didn't smart off. I might say something.

Ha ha ha. Told you. Big G's on my side.

But I'm pretty sure they didn't smart off. They left grateful. And they said, so they departed from the presence of the council rejoicing.

Guys, I'm so convicted by this service. I would have been rejoicing. I'm moving to Samaria.

I hate these guys. Wouldn't you? Come on. 9 a.m., you need to be more real.

Or 8.30. You know, we're digging through some things here. They were rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. Oh, how many of us would complain, complain, complain.

He died bloody and naked on the cross on Calvary for our sins and paid that debt in full for me. What do I have to complain about? Oh, God, help us. And then did they move far, far, far away to Asia Minor? Nope, they went back to the temple.

Wow. This is amazing. These guys, like, well, I mean, they did have an advantage if they saw the risen Christ.

I mean, you'd be a little motivated too. Not making excuses because we need to be doing the same thing. Now we have the Holy Spirit residing in us.

They did as well. So they went back to the temple. And in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus and Him crucified.

They did not let it stop them. How cool is that? They did not cease. They did not cease.

Did you know that challenges are often meant and designed by the enemy sometimes to stop us? How many of you can look back in your life and say, you know, had I known the full story? No way. No way. Fighting against God.

Back to the topic I'm going to close out hopefully soon. What does it mean to fight against God? Well, it's an aggressive nature toward God. Do you ever watch like Turning Point USA, those interviews at college campuses? Or you'll listen to these different, these apologists are really good at what they do from Ray Comfort too.

I can't think of all the other ones I see sometimes. And the other side can never have a normal conversation. I mean, they're fuming, they're spitting.

If murder was legal, the apologists would be dead. I mean, they are so, you can see the demonic come out. They're so aggressive.

And why are you so mad? Why are you so mad? Aggressive. It's fighting against God. They're aggressive for the truth.

They're resisting. They're resisting or they're struggling against something. They're fighting against God.

And I thought recently of James 4, 6. James 4, 6. Here's the problem. Who's he writing to? Oh boy. Oh boy.

Wait, are you telling me that God resists? Are you telling me I'm proud? Wouldn't that be cool if God could do it? Everybody who's proud in this room would light up like a Christmas tree. Wouldn't that be something? Who would not be lit up like a Christmas tree? Not telling the truth. God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.

And guys, it's a daily thing, because there are days when God's not resisting me. I know He's not. I'm right there with Him.

But there are other days. And you can tell you're not in alignment with God. But here's the encouragement.

God will use your struggle to strengthen you and He'll use your stronghold to weaken pride. Because so many times, people, they beat themselves up when they fall again. Or they can't let go or something.

Unless there's somebody out there I don't know of. All of us struggle with something. There's a crack in the armor.

Somewhere. Have you ever put on the whole armor of God, but there's a little... I didn't see that thing. There's a crack in the armor.

And that struggle can strengthen you if you take it to God. And it humbles you. Paul said the thorn was given to me as a messenger of Satan to what? Keep him humble.

And I think some struggles and some strongholds, I don't say it's okay to cave into them. Please don't hear. But it keeps us humble.

Man, I'm not all that and a bag of chips. Do they still say that today? No, no more? Okay. What do they say today? Oh, I can? Okay, I can say that.

That's true. But you realize, I've got this... I can't really judge that person because you know what? I struggle with this. And if God took away everything, no more struggles.

I'm sinless perfection. Man, I haven't messed up in a couple years. I don't know how humble we'd be.

Would you be humble? No, actually, because the more success, the more arrogant we get often. The more knowledge, the more puffed up, the more holy. If you're pursuing holiness for the wrong reasons, you'll become the most puffed up Christian that your family knows.

Did you know that? Holiness, living for God, with the wrong heart, puffs up. I'm a super Christian. You went to Cinemark.

This has happened to me. Well, it's a good movie. Yeah, but what about the previews? Before it, you post your videos on TikTok.

How do you not see something? Should we keep going? Hmm. Is that white Ziffandel I saw you buy at Trader Joe's? You actually own a TV? My wife wears a head covering and is in total submission to me. Would all the women wearing pants please stand up and leave and never come back? I want down to the ankle dresses next Sunday, alright? It wouldn't be so funny if it wasn't true.

I run from those people who are all about holiness for the wrong heart. Pastor, we love this church. We hear you on the radio, and we don't watch TV either.

We don't go to them. We don't do. We don't, we don't, we don't, we don't, we don't.

Okay, but what do you do? Are you bragging? Are you boasting? Guys, I've seen this over the years. It's terrible. It's terrible.

I'll never forget. I don't know. Well, maybe my wife will.

I don't know if you know. Maybe, well, now you'll know. Too late.

But because I don't share a lot of stuff, but I remember when Frozen came out. Is that a movie I probably want my kids watching? Probably not. But they were.

And then a family said, oh, I can't believe Pastor Shane. I cannot believe. Hey, I tried.

You try to monitor. You try to monitor five kids day in and day out, exhausting. Who's their friends? What kind of sleepover? What kind of movie? What about Disney? What about this? What about that? But Lord of the Rings, it also has this.

And it's like, holy smokes, guys. No, I don't prefer they watch anything like that. But do you know how many kids have ran away? Ran away from God because of legalism.

And out of respect, I have my kids sometimes ask me, Dad, can I do this? I wouldn't do it. I don't think it's a good idea. But you know, you're going to have to be a man or woman someday to trust your judgment.

I cheat a little bit though sometimes. I think they have to wait until they're 25, is it? No tattoos until they're 25 and I'll give them some money. I'm not saying they're bad legalism.

Hello? I'm just not putting a whole bunch of ink in a needle and putting it under my skin personally. Again, people have freedom. But how many people are judged on that too? And I have to deal with this all the time.

And it just breaks my heart. I remember when I had Russell. Remember Russell who spoke? I visited him at the hospital the day he died.

And just like, why do you let him? He's all tatted up. Like one says, little devil or little demon or something. How do you allow that? Well, it's kind of hard to erase it.

What do you want me to do? Wear a turtleneck and a long sleeve shirt? And don't move around too much? To me, that's being a hypocrite and false. Hey, here's who I was. And look at what God has done.

Look what Christ has done. And I told you I was almost ending and I wasn't, was I? But let me try to end now. Stop clapping.

We'll get there. Are you? And I have to stop telling stories, I know. But isn't this all true? Guys, my heart breaks for the legalist.

My heart breaks for the legalist. You know, they got the big King James only right here. When was the atheist debate? 2017, 18? Here we are seven years later and I still have a pastor mad at me who's King James only.

And he'll let me know. He'll post stuff. He'll protest GraceFest.

JetHawks. Yeah, he's out front at JetHawks. This is not of God.

Really? Why don't you say it in the King James language? Thus thou sayeth. My goodness. But here's the thing I tell these guys, guys, I know your marriage isn't healthy.

I know your family life isn't good. You're not fooling me. I've been on that legalistic camp side and it's hard.

It's hard because you got to mold and fit this like I hope they don't think this or think this or think this. I've got to look like a perfect pastor. That's hard to keep that look going.

So are you aggressive with God? Are you resisting wisdom? Are you struggling for control? Men, let me speak to you for a minute. Are you fighting against God because of pride? Did you know pride and anger go hand in hand? Pride and anger go hand in hand. When we're self-focused, self-focus always leads to anger and control.

Is God resisting you this morning? Guys, we're not happy when we're back eating with the pigs like the prodigal son. Women, are you fighting against God? Is there a contentious spirit? A controlling and manipulating type of thing going on? We are not the Holy Spirit for our spouse. That can work both ways, by the way.

Teens and young adults, are you fighting against God? Are you rebelling against parents or authority? And let me speak to the prodigal son and daughter for just a minute. There's a song I've been having on Rewind a lot lately. It said, I thought the world had something special I was missing.

My daddy told me not to chase it and I didn't listen. I fell downhill a mile a minute. Before I knew it, I was living in a pigsty a long, long way from home.

I went running like a rebel. Racked up debts I couldn't pay. I went dancing with the devil one foot in the grave.

How the heaven did I get here? I went through it all away. All I've given you was trouble and all you've given me was grace. I am well aware that if it was not for the grace of God, I would not be here.

And many people think I've talked to people, God's just going to smite me. No, He's going to fight for you. He's going to judge me.

No, He's going to encourage you. Oh, the judgment's coming. But if you hear my voice right now, thank God you're not there yet.

He's condemning me. No, that's the enemy. He's convicting you.

He's going to destroy me. No, He's going to rebuild. Your life.

Let me tell you about the God who rebuilds and renews and revives and restores and refills and rearranges and recovers everything. I'm not one of those people. I remember all my friends back in 1987-88, it's like, I'm out of here.

I'm out of the A.V. How many of you ever said that? Been there? You know what I'm talking about? Well, that never happened with me. I was born here and God willing, I will die here. But I remember at age 30, I said, oh God, I've ruined my life.

And watch God rebuild from the ashes. And I get the privilege of driving by every day just about the street where I destroyed everything. But that same street is where God rebuilt it.

Out of the ashes, I will arise. And so will you. So will you if you turn back to God.

Have you ever eaten with the pigs? It's not fun. Do you know the pigs eat anything? Even feces? Pigs. Pigs.

How long are you going to keep living with the pigs? Because of pride. Because of rebellion. It's bitterness that keeps us bound.

And it's arrogance that keeps us lost. I don't know about you, but the prodigal son story, I've often wondered and I've thought about it. You know, it says the father saw his son running, right? Like, why didn't he ever go look for the son? You would think, right? Why didn't he go look for the son? All right, I'm going to Samaria.

I'm going to pull him out of the brothel. Get that Bravery Brewery or Lucky Luke IPA out of his hands. I'm going to drag him home.

He's not yet ready. He was waiting to see when he came to himself. Parents, don't pull the kids out too early.

Don't enable a deep work of the Spirit. If you can help, please do. I don't know the answers there.

I know sometimes we need to help. Sometimes we need to allow God to break them. If you can hear the sound of my voice, you can still pray, Daddy, can I come home? Daddy, can I come home? And let me tell you, when a prodigal comes home, they are the enemy's worst nightmare.

Aren't they? They're the enemy's worst nightmare because they don't have a pedigree and a theological education. And I graduate from this. They said, I've been through hell and I can get you to heaven.

I know the tricks of the enemy. I know the deceit. I know the darkness.

I know I was so close to hell, I've said before that my clothes still smell like smoke. I was not only dancing with the devil, I was on the highway to hell. But let me tell you how to come out of that darkness and depression and the enemy is fearful of those who have been brought back to the Lord.

But you must come to yourself this morning. You must come to yourself this morning. Everything I just talked about, if you know there's areas where you're rebelling against God, if you know there's an area where you're rebelling against God, get that right.

Get that right before Him. We're a church that still believes in healing. We don't get weird about it.

Not going to blow on you and push you down and hit you with a handkerchief. We just ask God, would You want to heal? Would You want to set free? God, what do You want to do today? Isn't that an incredible prayer? Lord, what do You want to do today? Because I know what I want to do. How about You? I want to hit in and out before the line gets long.

I want to hurry up and scurry through this. The flesh does. But Lord, what do You want to do?