His Power to Overcome Sin

We have been trying to understand God's way. And to learn God's way, we have to unlearn our own way. We saw that verse which says that there is a way that appears right to a man, but it leads to death.

So a lot of things that appear to be right to us are wrong. And if we are humble, we will acknowledge that. You know, if we see how Jesus struggled for one hour in Gethsemane, to know what was the Father's perfect will, even though he was without sin, and there was a desire in him, which he was praying about and finding out, is that the Father's will or not? There's nothing wrong in having a desire.

Because what Jesus was desiring there was fellowship with the Father. And he knew that in a few hours that fellowship will be broken. Because he would carry the sins of the world.

So he was praying, isn't there some other way? He wasn't praying selfish prayers like many of us pray. You know, some boy wants to marry some girl. He prays, Oh God, please, please, please give me that girl.

That may be just his own desire. You can't compare that with Jesus praying in Gethsemane for one hour. Jesus was not praying for his own desire.

He was praying, Father, don't let my fellowship with you be broken. That's a good prayer to pray. Don't let my fellowship with you be broken.

And for us, it is never God's will that fellowship should be broken. But for him, because of our sin, it had to be broken. He was the only one who ever had to pray like that.

No human being ever has to pray like Jesus prayed in Gethsemane. Because, what was he praying? Oh Father, don't let my fellowship with you be broken. Do I have to drink this cup that my fellowship will be broken in a few hours? Father said, yeah, it has to be broken.

But Father will never say that to us. He will never say to us, fellowship has to be broken between you and me. So, the type of struggle Jesus had in Gethsemane, no human being ever had or will have.

Because there he was struggling about carrying our sin. And he was saying, do I have to drink this cup? And you know, I can imagine, supposing the father said like this. Okay, you don't have to drink the cup.

You have not sinned at all. You can come straight up to heaven. But then all those people in Tamil Nadu will go to hell.

Oh, okay. Then I will drink the cup for them. There you see the love of Jesus for you.

That is where I saw it for the first time. I was seeking the Lord once. Lord, what was that cup you were trying to avoid drinking in Gethsemane? In all my life, I had never heard a message on it, never read a book on it.

No preacher ever told me what that cup was. No preacher ever told me what that cup was. Lord, what was that cup? That is when I understood.

The cup was breaking the fellowship with his father, which he had for all eternity. He valued that more than money. More than man's honor.

More than physical comfort. He was willing to suffer 10,000 Calvaries, but he didn't want to break fellowship with the father. As I was meditating on it, this is how it came to me.

For myself. That Jesus was suffering there for me. I didn't think about the rest of the people in the world.

I thought he was praying there for me. Father, should I drink this? Then I imagined, the father said, okay, don't drink it. You can come up here.

But then Zachary will go to hell. Then Jesus said, okay, for his sake I'll drink it. When I understood that, I really wept.

I said, Lord, you love me so much. What am I going to live this earthly life for? For myself? Never again. Never again will I live a single day on earth for myself.

Never again will my Christianity be just empty words and praises on Sunday morning. My eyes have been opened to see what Jesus suffered for me. I don't want any of this world's honor or money or anything from now on.

Lord, I only want to live for you. You never changed my decision. No, flesh and blood did not reveal this to me, but my father in heaven.

When you get revelation from heaven, you're a blessed man, just like Simon Peter. I'm a blessed man because I saw that. You can hear it from me.

And you can believe it because you trust me. But remember, your understanding of this is second hand. You may forget it next week.

It's just a nice message. And temporarily, for a few minutes, as you hear it, you're very moved. Oh, Jesus loved me so much.

But next week, you go and live for yourself. You go and sin. And do things you know are displeasing to God.

And you do those things for which Jesus died on the cross. Then I say you have not understood anything. You know what you should do? You say, Lord, this is an amazing truth I just heard this evening.

I never knew it before. But Lord, it is second hand. Maybe true.

I trust Brother Zach. What he says is right. But still, Lord, it's second hand.

I got it through a man. Oh, Lord, please make this truth real to me by your Holy Spirit. And when God shows you, that what I told you just now is true.

Listen to what I said. When God shows you, that what I told you just now is true. It will change your life completely.

For the rest of your life, you'll never be able to live for anything on this earth. It won't be a great struggle to live for Jesus. It's not a struggle for me today to live for Jesus.

Why is it a struggle for you? Why is it you love sin so much? Why is it you don't get victory over sin? You hear these things, you heard it so many times. They have not taken it before God and asked God to show it to you by His Holy Spirit. You know, when Paul was writing to the Ephesians, he was writing some of the most wonderful things written in the whole Bible in the letter to Ephesians.

And what does he tell them? Ephesians chapter 1. You know, we are thinking of the subject is how to understand God's way. The meek he will guide and show his way. How to understand God's way? You can't understand it by just listening to a message.

See, a message is like the signpost which says, Chennai, this direction, 300 kilometers. Now, if you see a signpost like that, Chennai, 300 kilometers, and you see only Chennai, and you cling to that and say, Ah, I reached Chennai at last. Don't be foolish.

He is saying, Chennai is in this direction. Please go there for 300 kilometers. So, the best preacher in the world who stands here, whoever it is, whoever is the best preacher you have heard in your life, it is only like a signpost.

Jesus Christ in that direction, it is only like a signpost. If you search with all your heart, you will find him. And if you cling to this preacher and say, I found Jesus Christ, you are foolish.

He is only showing you. So, Paul was only like that. Paul told these Ephesians, just by reading what I say, you won't understand.

If you could understand like that, then you would have said, please read this letter 25 times, you will understand it. No, if you read it 100 times, you won't understand it. But he says, I will tell you how you will understand it.

Ephesians 1.17 He says, I am praying that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ Father of Glory will give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him. That is the prayer, the Holy Spirit of Revelation. And that through him, verse 18, the eyes of your heart will be enlightened so that you can know these truths.

Yeah, that's the thing. That God will open the eyes of your heart. Then you will understand.

Otherwise, you won't understand. Now, Paul's closest co-worker was Timothy. He shared so many things with Timothy.

He spent many hours with him, many years. Now, in his last letter to Timothy, see what he says. 2 Timothy 2 and verse 7 He says, please think about what I say and the Lord will give you understanding in everything.

See, he says, I can't give you that understanding. So, Paul could not give it to Timothy, his closest co-worker. How can any preacher give it to you? He can only show you that way.

Go to the Lord. And say, Lord, please open the eyes of my heart. You know, many of us, for so many years, we have understood in our mind that the eyes of our heart are not enlightened.

You must pray, Lord, make this truth real in my heart. When you listen to a man, it goes to your head. The Holy Spirit must make it sink into your heart.

You know what I told you just now about how Jesus was struggling in Gethsemane to save you and me. Now you have all understood it in your head and you can go and preach it to others also. But if you are not saved from sin, then it has not sunk into your heart.

You are still seeking after the things of the world then it has not sunk into your heart. If you are still seeking the honor of men then it has not gone into your heart. You must pray that this truth, the Holy Spirit will grip your heart with it.

Then your life will be changed. Otherwise it is just like stuffing food into your mouth. You keep on stuffing your food with food into your mouth it is no use.

It has to go inside and get digested. If you keep on putting food into your mouth you will afterwards vomit it all out. So same way the truth you hear you must pray that the Holy Spirit will make these things real in your heart.

Because God's way and man's way is like differences between heaven and earth. Why are there so many religions in the world? Hundreds of religions. It's because so many people who have not seen God have decided to speak about God.

See what Jesus said in John 1.18 John 1.18 is a very clear verse No man has seen God at any time But the only begotten Son of God who is in the bosom of the Father He has explained Him So no one has seen God at any time But Jesus who lived there with the Father from all eternity He came down and told us what He is like That's why He is the only way to God Because He is the only man who walked on this earth who has seen the Father No one else has seen God But one who came from there told us what the Father is like Now supposing you get hundred people who have never seen an elephant They have never seen a photograph of an elephant Now in India and all people have seen at least a picture of an elephant Let's go to some other country where they have never seen an elephant And they have never seen a photograph And supposing they are sitting hundred children in a class The teacher tells them Ok children, in India there is an animal called an elephant I want all of you to draw a picture of the elephant What type of picture will it be?

It will all be hundred different pictures Because nobody will think that elephant has got such a big nose Because no other animal has got it Somebody will draw a lion or a dog or a cow and call it elephant Why? Because nobody has seen an elephant You understood Ok, now you tell hundred people who have not seen God Now tell us what God is like Tell us how to go to God There will be same thing hundred different opinions But one man who has been to India and seen an elephant he will tell you, you fellows are all wrong this is not what an elephant looks like this is not what an elephant looks like They will all say, no no no you don't know what you are talking about hundred of us cannot be wrong don't say only one of you is right I don't know what you are drawing Who is right?

The one person who has seen the elephant is right That is why you have so many religions in the world through the thousands of years everybody had a conscience that told him there is a God so the different concepts of God through the thousands of years somebody says that sun that is God God in the middle of the moon that is the true God one person says the moon that is the true God somebody else says that big tree on the mountain that is the God or somebody says that big rock that is the God or somebody says lightning and thunder that is God or somebody says snake that is God like that there can be thousands of opinions you can't blame them they have never seen God then one person comes from God he is the only one who can tell us that is why I believe in Jesus Christ because he is the

only one who came from heaven and it witnesses with my spirit God is not a God who tries to frighten us Jesus showed God as a loving father and my spirit agrees with that I am sure that is the true God God is a good God I sometimes see outside some newly constructed buildings somebody with their tongue sticking out trying to frighten you what is that? that is all crazy ideas about God or devil or whatever it is my God is not one with his tongue sticking out he is a loving father that is what Jesus showed in my eyes and my spirit agrees with that the more I have trusted him it has made my life so restful and peaceful that is why I don't stick out my tongue at anybody else also why is it some people stick out their tongue at other people because they have got one God like that they worship

you know when people get angry you see their face it is like one dog shows the teeth and the other dog shows the teeth I have seen two human beings like that you know he is showing that teeth because my God is like that my God is not like that my God is a very happy cheerful loving father he loves me and protects me and cares for me I am like a little one year old child in his arms and so I am very happy I am so pure have you seen little children in the arms of their father smiling and happy have you ever seen a six month old baby sticking out his tongue at you no that is all when they become two years old they do things like that they are so happy in their father's arms that is how we are to be if we know the true God you know the Bible says in Psalm 115 Psalm 115 we read it is talking

about idols here in verse four onwards up to seven it says about idols they have got mouths but they can't speak eyes but they can't see ears but they can't hear they have got noses but they can't smell hands they can't feel feet they can't walk and they got a sound they can't make a sound with that what a description of an idol then the wonderful verses those who make them will become like them that is an amazing verse don't get angry with me that is what God has written in his book I am not saying that that is God's word I am not saying that that is what the Bible says fight with the Bible not with me what does that verse say you will become like the God you worship you worship a God sticking out his tongue like that you will also be like that sticking out your tongue like that if you

worship the God you will also become like that if you are like that you will also be like that but if you are always a cheerful peaceful person your God must also be like that why is it you can't forgive people who cheated you or wronged you because you worship some God who doesn't forgive anybody that is not the true God not like those people who have never seen an elephant trying to draw an elephant many Christians they are worshipping some other God they say they are Christians but they haven't seen the true God because they don't look at the face of Jesus Christ the glory of God is seen in the face of Jesus Christ he never stuck out his tongue at anybody he never gritted his teeth at anybody always you read in the Bible he was moved with compassion he looked at suffering people his

heart was moved with compassion he looked at women who have fallen into adultery Mary Magdalene prostitute devil possessed people Mary Magdalene had seven demons have you seen women even with one demon I have seen hair all flying mad people if there are seven demons you can imagine what they are like this woman her name was Mary Magdalene came to Jesus hair flying clothes all flying around like that Jesus was moved with compassion this woman whom my father created to be a child of God devil has got into her Jesus didn't despise her he didn't make fun of her when you see a woman like that you may despise her Jesus was moved with compassion cast out the demons all of them she was born again she combed her hair dressed properly I met a girl like this once couple of years ago when I was in

America I never thought I would meet demon possessed people in America she was at this meeting young girl 26 years old perhaps hadn't taken a bath for months stinking filthy dirty dress not looking good hair I asked her to give her heart to Jesus after the meeting I told her to say Lord Jesus she moved her mouth and said I can't say that name I said say she said no I can't say then I knew it was a demon so I commanded the demon to get out of her in Jesus name now say it she said I can't say I was really surprised she said how is this demon is gone and she still can't say then the Lord showed me demon is gone but she still got the old habit which she has not given up you know for years only one tape is running in her head I cannot say that name same tape is playing now so I told her I am a

servant of God in Jesus name I am telling you say it say Lord Jesus come into my heart and she was set free Lord Jesus come into my heart next morning I saw this young smartly dressed lady said brother Zach do you remember me she said no I can't remember she said you prayed with me last night you are the same person completely different I praise God that even today after 2000 years Jesus still looks at such people with compassion and sets them free I want to say to all of you I don't care what your problem is I don't care how much you have lived in sin today I want to tell you in Jesus name you can be free He looks at you with compassion not with anger I want to tell you that Jesus does not look at you with anger He looks at you with compassion He knows that you are ashamed of many things

in your life and as His servant I want to tell you that God loves you don't believe all these lies of the devil He loves you and He wants to set you free from every bad habit in your life He set me free from bad habits He set me free from hatred I really believe I can say before God today that it is impossible for me to hate anybody today even if the devil tries he cannot make me hate someone because the Holy Spirit has gripped my heart but what I am saying I am not boasting I am only just saying the Holy Spirit is more powerful than the devil is that right? you agree with that if you are filled with the Holy Spirit He fills your heart with love because God is love how can you say you are filled with the Holy Spirit if you are not filled with love I can't understand that a lot of people

today say they are filled with the Holy Spirit they speak in tongues but they hate somebody I think that's not the Holy Spirit filled with the Holy Spirit in addition to speaking in tongues you will also love people and if you don't love people even if you speak in tongues morning till night that's not the Holy Spirit that's what the Holy Spirit did to me He filled my heart with love He even made my physical body to serve God when you are filled with love your body will be healthier also some of you got sicknesses because you don't allow the Holy Spirit to fill your body with love somebody you hate somebody you don't like somebody you won't talk to that is a poison you smile at somebody and say praise the Lord brother but in your heart you don't seek fellowship with him you are keeping

your hand like this shaking his hand but your spirit is like this that's why you have problems in your life because you have allowed a little poison into your heart that's not God's way God's way is always the way of love Do you believe the word of God which says in 1 John 1 that God is light and in him verse 5 there is no darkness at all 1 John 1 verse 5 Do you believe that?

Do you all believe that? Yes or no? There is no darkness You know what that means?

Now turn to chapter 4 verse 8 there it says in the last part what light means God is love chapter 4 verse 8 1 John 4 verse 8 so light means love so what does darkness mean? what? hatred so God is love and there is no hatred in him at all he doesn't hate people he hates sin like he hates darkness but he doesn't hate people and this Holy Spirit is this God the Holy Spirit is this God when he comes and fills my heart what does he fill my heart with? love with no darkness at all that means love with no hatred at all no bitterness at all I can't manage that I have told God Lord there are some people I find it very difficult to love I don't ask you to do it I ask you to let me fill your heart and then you will do it it's like supposing the Lord tells me keep turning this fan for 24 hours I say

Lord I can't even turn it for half an hour my hand gets tired Lord says I am not asking you to do it I am asking you to put on the switch and let the electricity come in that is easy that's what God is asking you you are trying to love that difficult person you are trying to turn the fan you get tired after sometime you get tired and again you start hating that person then again you get some exhortation and you start turning the fan and you try to love and then you get tired and again you start hating it how long are you going to do like this? the Lord says stop all this put on the switch let the electricity come in that's wonderful see how many hours it is going love, love, love watch that fan it's got a message I love everybody even somebody who hates sitting there he gets the air stop

thinking like that put my heart with the Holy Spirit let the electricity of God come into my life that's how we are supposed to live if Jesus just told me to keep turning the fan that is a terrible message he is saying open your heart be filled with the Holy Spirit that is God's way man's way is the struggle, struggle, struggle every sin is like that how many years you have tried to overcome some bad habit in your life sexual habits nowadays people go to the internet cafe and see all types of dirty things on that internet you can lock the door behind you and live in sin there you can lock the door behind you and live in sin there you can pay 10 rupees per hour and live in sin you paid only 10 rupees but you filled your mind with filth and listen those pictures will be in your mind for the

next 50 years those pictures will be in your mind you pay 1 lakh rupees you cannot get it out of your mind that is the trick of the devil you be careful all these movies comes into the television 95% of it is good but that 5% which is filthy some improperly dressed woman and the way they shake their hips to entice you that picture will remain in your mind that story you will forget but this picture will remain in your mind for 50 years you can't get rid of it somebody asks you next year what is that story you saw in that film can't remember I forgot but the picture you won't forget that is the way of the devil isn't it true who can set you free who can clean up your mind here is the good news Jesus can do it you say Lord I have done all this in the past please forgive me he cleansed Mary

Magdalene and made her so pure that is God's way not by your struggling not by saying I won't do that again go to God and say Lord Lord I can't say I won't do it again many preachers tell you tell God you won't do it again how many times you have said it all your sexual sins all your fooling around with boys and girls school and college and everywhere parents don't know about it you come to a conference like this you say I won't do it again I will tell you you will do it again you can take a decision now it will last for about 3-4 days you go to God like this today say Lord I can't say I won't do it again because I am so weak but I will tell you this Lord I don't want to do it again that's what I am asking you to say not I won't do it again because that is the mark of a strong man and you

are not a strong you are a very weak person when it comes to sin you are strong for fighting and all but not against the devil you can fight with people when it comes to sin you are a weak person you go to God and say Lord I am a weak person I can't say I won't do that again I will do it again next week but Lord I will tell you this I am sick and tired of falling into the sin I want you to set me free whatever habit it is in your life whatever habit you have are you a secret drunkard or a secret smoker of cigarettes or secretly fighting with your wife and hitting her secretly doing wrong things with money cheating people in your business you are not cheating people you are destroying yourself with all those habits you are not cheating people you are destroying yourself I want to encourage

you to go to the Lord today and say Lord I can't overcome it but I say I want to overcome it I want you to fill me with your Holy Spirit today I want you to strengthen me in my inner man with the Holy Spirit give me the power that you gave to Peter, James and John on the day of Pentecost give me the power that Jesus had on earth as a man that is what has encouraged me the most and I say Lord like we read in this verse the humble evil show his way I say Lord show me your way and Jesus says I am the way then I have got to look at you so you saw just now what happens when there is no power God is so good to give us a living demonstration of what we are talking about just before we finish the Lord says I want to give them a demonstration as to what happens when power goes what should I have

done what should I have done should I start turning the fan should I try to burn the light I have to say Lord I can't do anything please send some power same thing in your life Lord I can't do anything please send your power and how easy it is when the power comes otherwise just think how loudly we have to shout here life is very easy when we are filled with the Holy Spirit the thing which you find difficult to do you will find it is easy you can love the person whom you can't love till now that sinful habit which you cannot overcome you can overcome when you are filled with the Holy Spirit when you stand up to speak God's words will flow through you what is the answer to all this be filled with the Holy Spirit that is God's way God's way is not struggling, struggling, struggling Jesus

said I am the way as a man when he was filled with the Holy Spirit that's how he lived his life and if he lived like that how can I live without being filled with the Holy Spirit you know what you should pray for day and night Lord fill me with your Holy Spirit set me on fire with the Holy Spirit bring me under this waterfall of the Holy Spirit if you pray like that you would have found God's way way of overcoming sin the way of living for Him let's pray