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Hello, and welcome to the
Middletown Baptist Church podcast,

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where we are proclaiming the
truth to the world.

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My name is Pastor Josh, and I
want to thank you for listening to

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this podcast.

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I hope that this podcast can
be a blessing to you and strengthen

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you in the word of God.

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Now, come along.

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Let's look into the Bible and
see what God has for us here today.

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Praise God for that.

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This morning.

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My heart has already been blessed.

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I hope yours has been as well.

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And we're going to go ahead
and look into the word of God this

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morning.

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If you have your Bibles, turn
to Second Corinthians chapter 10

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with me.

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Second Corinthians, chapter 10.

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You should have had some notes
on the back of your bulletin that

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you can follow along with here
this morning.

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And we also have a PowerPoint
that you can see up there.

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And so we've got you covered.

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We got everything going here
this morning.

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And the title of the sermon
this morning is Go Thinking Biblically.

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The theme for this year is Go.

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If you haven't seen that
already, on the back wall, we have

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our theme Go.

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We are called to go as
ambassadors for Christ.

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And we're called to represent
Jesus in this world.

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If we think about it properly,
this world is not our home.

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We're just passing through.

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And so now that we are saved,
now that we are believers, we have

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a responsibility, we have a purpose.

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And that purpose is to
represent Jesus and his Word and

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his way and his kingdom in
this world that needs hope and need

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salvation.

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But to go properly, to go as
an ambassador properly, we must be

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thinking biblically.

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And that's what we're going to
talk about here this morning.

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Because what we think about,
what we dwell upon in our minds will

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eventually dictate our actions.

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And so we have to think
properly before we can act properly,

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before we can represent properly.

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And so I want to share a
little bit of an example about this

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here.

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Here this morning.

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I'm gonna ask my kids to come forward.

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They're not ready to do this.

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This was totally impromptu.

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So Micah and Nora, come on up here.

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Come on, let's go.

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Hustle up.

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So I don't know if any of you
that have had children have had this

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conversation before.

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We're gonna have a mock
conversation, even though this is

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a real conversation that we've
had in our household.

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Okay, guys, you're gonna go
off to school today, all right?

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And I want you to obey your teachers.

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I want you to respect everybody.

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I want you to learn.

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I want you to be good.

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Cause you're Representing our household.

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You're representing the Musaro name.

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And now if they go out and
say, yeah, yeah, dad, whatever, we're

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gonna think the way we wanna think.

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We're gonna do what we wanna do.

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Are they gonna go represent
our family?

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Well at school, no, they're
gonna represent what they want.

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And more importantly, I've
told them, hey, guys, you're representing

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Jesus out there.

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You're representing our Savior.

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And so one of the things we
do, and different people have different

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ways that their children get
to school.

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Some ride the bus, some stay
at home and are homeschooled.

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Fantastic.

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There's a lot of different
ways to do this, but one of the things

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that we do is I drive them to
school on the road.

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We have a specific place on
the road.

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What do we do?

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Every time we turn on that
road, what do we do?

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We pray, right?

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We pray for the day.

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We make sure that we pray for
what's gonna happen that day and

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that they are gonna obey and
that they're gonna stay safe and

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that they're gonna represent Jesus.

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Right?

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That is important.

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Because if they're not
thinking the way that Dad's thinking,

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their expectations might be,
well, I just want to do whatever

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I want to do.

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But if I clearly explain to
them my expectations for what they

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should be doing in the day,
it's now their responsibility to

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follow that in obedience to
represent dad and mom and the family

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and ultimately the Savior in a
proper way.

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And so that's the kind of
conversation that we have with our

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children, hopefully.

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And so you guys go ahead, go back.

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Thank you so much.

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That's the kind of
conversation that God is having with

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us in Scripture, right?

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Here's what you need to do.

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And if anybody clearly
presents what we are called to do,

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it's our Savior.

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He's given us our marching orders.

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He's given us what we are to
think about properly.

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Now, if my kids say, yeah, dad
said that, but I watched this video

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that said I can do whatever I
want and that I should follow my

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heart, they're gonna have a
choice to make.

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They either have to make the
choice of following what they have

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been told other places or
following what their dad has taught

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them in devotional time and in
children's church and in our prayers

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on the way to school, they
have to make a decision.

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So all of us have to make a
decision when it comes to what we

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are going to think about and
what we are going to believe.

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Who are we going to follow?

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Who are we going to obey as we
represent our Savior as ambassadors.

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Now, just by way of review,
what's an ambassador?

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An ambassador is someone who
takes a message or represents a king

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or a president or some kind of
dignitary to another place.

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And that's exactly what we are
doing here in this world.

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We are representing Christ.

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We are representing his truth.

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And so as we get here this
morning, I want you to think about

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that term, ambassadors.

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And I put down here in our
notes this morning.

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To represent the Lord, we must
think properly.

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Believe it or not, the Bible
tells us how we are to think, to

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think properly.

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Now we're gonna talk about
what thinking properly is.

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It doesn't just mean being smart.

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It doesn't just mean being crafty.

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There's a specific way that we
think properly when it comes to being

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a believer.

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And so the reason why it's
important for us to think properly

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is because of this.

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Our thinking is linked to our beliefs.

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So really it goes back further.

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What we believe drives what we think.

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And so it's not just saying,
okay, well, am I gonna think right

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today?

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Okay, I'm gonna wake up and
I'm gonna really train my brain to

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think this way.

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Really, our brains are tied to
our hearts.

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And so what we believe in our
hearts tie to our minds.

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And we're gonna talk about
that this morning because it's so

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important for us to think
about the why behind our thinking,

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the why behind our action.

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And so our thinking is linked
to our beliefs.

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And so it's believing and
having faith in God and in His Word

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so that we're able to think
properly about the things that we're

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going to face in our life.

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And so our thinking is linked
to our beliefs.

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What do we believe?

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What do we believe about God?

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What do we believe about his goodness?

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What do we believe about all
those attributes of God that we hear

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about in church?

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Do we truly believe that he's
all knowing?

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Do we truly believe that he's
all powerful?

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Do we truly believe that he's
everywhere at all times, meaning

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he's with me in this moment?

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Do we truly believe that his
way is the only way to salvation?

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Do we truly believe that His
Word is perfect and that it's powerful

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and that it can transform our lives?

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Do we truly believe that the
Gospel has power, as the Bible says

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in Romans chapter one?

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If we truly believe those
things, we'll start to think differently,

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which then leads to acting differently.

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Our actions are linked to our
thinking, and so what we believe

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is linked to what we think.

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What we think is linked to
what we do.

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And really?

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That's what we're talking
about this morning.

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What are we doing for Christ?

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What are we doing as ambassadors?

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How are we going?

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Are we going?

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And so the true test for us
this morning is what we believe leads

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to what we think, and what we
think leads to what we do.

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And so we put all that together.

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And so to be an ambassador for
Christ, we must believe the truth.

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It starts with a belief in truth.

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Where do we get our truth?

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The word of God?

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Our truth does not come from
the world.

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The world tells us a bunch of
things to believe.

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The world tells us a bunch of
things to do.

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I'm going to tell you every
single time the world tells you to

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do something, it's contrary to
the word of God.

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The word of God is contrary to
our culture.

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You know what?

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There was a time where
countercultural meant to be rebellious

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against the ways of the church.

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To be countercultural today is
to be against the ways of the culture.

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Right?

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That's countercultural.

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Our cultural.

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I'm going to say it this way.

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I'm going to try to be as kind
as I can with this.

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Our culture is not Christlike today.

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And what we have to do is we
have to be against our culture.

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And so as Christians, we don't
say, well, you know what?

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I know the Bible says this,
but this makes more sense.

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But I was told this by some
Internet figure, celebrity, whatever

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we have to say, you know what
the word of God says this.

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That's not gonna be something
that we compromise on.

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We stand in the truth.

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And so to start with being an
ambassador, we must believe the truth,

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trust in the truth, but then
we must take a next step and then

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actually let that go in our
brains and meditate in our minds.

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And we must believe and think
biblically and therefore act in obedience.

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Because you can believe the truth.

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You can even in many ways
think right thoughts, but sometimes

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those don't connect with our actions.

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We can be theoretical Christians.

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And it's one thing to have in
your mind what's right.

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It's another thing to put that
to practice and say, you know what?

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I love that person.

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So if I love that person, I'm
going to sacrifice for that person.

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If I love the gospel, I'm
going to proclaim the gospel.

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If I love Christ, I'm willing
to take a step in faith for him.

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And so to be an ambassador, we
must believe the truth, think biblically,

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and act in obedience.

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And so let's look at 2
Corinthians, chapter 10.

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2 Corinthians, chapter 10.

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We're going to look at the
first six verses here this morning.

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And what we're going to see in
this passage is Paul explains the

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importance of facing spiritual
warfare properly.

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And by the way, we sometimes
think about spiritual warfare being

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physical warfare.

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That's actually the opposite
of what the Bible says.

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The Bible says that spiritual
warfare is not a warfare of flesh

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and blood.

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It's a spiritual thing.

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And so what we have to think
about in our lives as believers is

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this, as we go, we are going
to face spiritual warfare.

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And so Paul is explaining the
importance of facing spiritual warfare

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properly, using the right tools.

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He's urgent in this passage.

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Let's look at it here in verse
number one, Second Corinthians, chapter

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10 says, Now I, Paul, myself, beseech.

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That's a word that we don't
use frequently today, but it's pleading

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with essentially begging.

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Guys, pay attention to what
I'm about to say.

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Now.

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I, Paul myself, beseech you by
the meekness and gentleness of Christ,

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meaning the only way that I
can beseech you is in the name of

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00:10:23,396 --> 00:10:27,644
Jesus and in his character and
in his meekness and in his grace

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00:10:27,772 --> 00:10:29,436
and his forgiveness and his gentleness.

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00:10:29,468 --> 00:10:33,804
And he says, who in being,
excuse me, who in presence am base

250
00:10:33,852 --> 00:10:37,530
among you, being absent and
bold towards you now, you might not

251
00:10:37,570 --> 00:10:38,682
understand what he's talking
about there.

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00:10:38,706 --> 00:10:42,138
He's saying this, when I'm
with you, sometimes I'm quiet.

253
00:10:42,234 --> 00:10:44,250
When I'm with you, sometimes
I'm not bold.

254
00:10:44,330 --> 00:10:46,874
But right now, where I'm at,
away from you, I need to be bold

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00:10:46,922 --> 00:10:47,562
towards you.

256
00:10:47,666 --> 00:10:49,146
And there's a time and a place
to be meek.

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00:10:49,178 --> 00:10:50,650
And there's a time and a place
to be quiet.

258
00:10:50,730 --> 00:10:52,986
And there's a time and a place
to stand up and proclaim the truth

259
00:10:53,018 --> 00:10:53,402
of God.

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00:10:53,466 --> 00:10:55,962
Paul says, it's now time for
me to proclaim to you the truth of

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00:10:55,986 --> 00:10:56,426
God.

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00:10:56,538 --> 00:10:58,298
There's been times where I've
shut my mouth.

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00:10:58,394 --> 00:11:00,874
There's a time for us to just
be quiet.

264
00:11:01,002 --> 00:11:04,336
There's a time for us to take
a step back and say, let's evaluate

265
00:11:04,368 --> 00:11:04,720
the matter.

266
00:11:04,760 --> 00:11:07,456
But Paul says, hey, I'm absent
from you now, but I'm gonna be bold

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00:11:07,488 --> 00:11:09,568
towards you two.

268
00:11:09,624 --> 00:11:14,720
But I beseech you that I may
not be bold when I am present with

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00:11:14,760 --> 00:11:17,520
that confidence, meaning,
don't make me be bold when I come

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00:11:17,560 --> 00:11:18,144
visit you.

271
00:11:18,232 --> 00:11:20,784
There's gonna be a time where
there needs to be confrontation.

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00:11:20,832 --> 00:11:23,504
He says, let's get this
confrontation handled right now,

273
00:11:23,592 --> 00:11:26,500
because when I come to you
again, I don't Wanna have that confrontation

274
00:11:26,840 --> 00:11:29,994
wherewith I think to be bold
against some, meaning there's going

275
00:11:30,002 --> 00:11:33,178
to be some that need
confrontation, others know which

276
00:11:33,234 --> 00:11:35,466
think of us as if we walked
according to the flesh.

277
00:11:35,498 --> 00:11:40,234
He says there's some people
thinking that Paul and his companions

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00:11:40,282 --> 00:11:42,106
there are acting in the flesh.

279
00:11:42,298 --> 00:11:45,194
He says, hey, I got to
confront that because we're not acting

280
00:11:45,242 --> 00:11:45,626
in the flesh.

281
00:11:45,658 --> 00:11:48,074
You can't act in the flesh as
an ambassador for Christ.

282
00:11:48,162 --> 00:11:49,578
You have to act in the spirit.

283
00:11:49,674 --> 00:11:52,010
So he says, some of you are
saying that we're acting in the flesh.

284
00:11:52,090 --> 00:11:53,162
You can't act in the flesh.

285
00:11:53,226 --> 00:11:53,786
Verse 3.

286
00:11:53,858 --> 00:11:56,452
For though we walk in the
flesh, meaning you know what?

287
00:11:56,476 --> 00:11:58,100
Paul realizes that we're humans.

288
00:11:58,180 --> 00:12:00,980
He realizes that we have flesh
and bone and blood, okay?

289
00:12:01,060 --> 00:12:02,996
He says we walk in the flesh.

290
00:12:03,188 --> 00:12:04,372
That's just a reality.

291
00:12:04,436 --> 00:12:06,772
He's not talking about walking
in sin, he's talking about walking

292
00:12:06,836 --> 00:12:07,716
as a human.

293
00:12:07,868 --> 00:12:10,964
But he says, though we walk in
the flesh, we do not war after the

294
00:12:10,972 --> 00:12:11,204
flesh.

295
00:12:11,252 --> 00:12:14,932
Meaning though we walk in this
physical world and we have a physical

296
00:12:14,996 --> 00:12:18,960
body, we don't fight spiritual
warfare with physical things.

297
00:12:19,340 --> 00:12:21,812
What if I told you this
morning, hey, look, there's a lot

298
00:12:21,836 --> 00:12:24,598
of enemies out there against
us when, when it comes to the cause

299
00:12:24,614 --> 00:12:25,270
of the gospel.

300
00:12:25,350 --> 00:12:27,734
So everyone take up your
swords and we're all going to go.

301
00:12:27,822 --> 00:12:30,102
That's not what Paul is saying
we have to do.

302
00:12:30,206 --> 00:12:32,262
Now, he does say that we take
up a sword, but it's a different

303
00:12:32,286 --> 00:12:32,806
type of sword.

304
00:12:32,838 --> 00:12:34,582
We're going to get that here
in a little bit.

305
00:12:34,686 --> 00:12:36,134
It's a spiritual battle.

306
00:12:36,262 --> 00:12:38,678
So he says, even though we're
walking around and seeing things

307
00:12:38,734 --> 00:12:41,750
physically with our eyes and
feeling things physically with our

308
00:12:41,790 --> 00:12:45,410
bodies, it's a spiritual
battle that we face as we go.

309
00:12:46,590 --> 00:12:51,446
For as he says here, for the
weapons of our warfare are not carnal,

310
00:12:51,478 --> 00:12:54,052
that were carnal just means
fleshly, okay?

311
00:12:54,116 --> 00:12:57,300
Fleshly, physical but mighty.

312
00:12:57,380 --> 00:13:03,828
We have powerful weapons
through God to the pulling down of

313
00:13:03,884 --> 00:13:04,548
strongholds.

314
00:13:04,564 --> 00:13:06,820
We're going to talk about what
strongholds are here this morning.

315
00:13:06,940 --> 00:13:10,468
If we're honest with
ourselves, many of us have strongholds

316
00:13:10,484 --> 00:13:11,880
in our life mentally.

317
00:13:12,380 --> 00:13:17,204
Strongholds are things that
are contradicting the word of God

318
00:13:17,332 --> 00:13:20,218
that we think about, that we
live in, that we that hold us back

319
00:13:20,354 --> 00:13:22,586
from doing the things that God
has called us to do.

320
00:13:22,658 --> 00:13:23,754
Then he says, verse 5.

321
00:13:23,842 --> 00:13:28,394
Casting down imaginations and
every high thing that exalted itself

322
00:13:28,442 --> 00:13:32,746
against the knowledge of God
and bringing into captivity every

323
00:13:32,818 --> 00:13:35,750
thought to the obedience of Christ.

324
00:13:36,450 --> 00:13:38,570
Bringing every thought to the
obedience of Christ.

325
00:13:38,610 --> 00:13:39,962
We're going to talk about what
this is all about.

326
00:13:39,986 --> 00:13:42,954
Because at first glance, it
might be confusing what this is all

327
00:13:42,962 --> 00:13:43,370
about.

328
00:13:43,490 --> 00:13:50,012
But Paul is talking here about
living by what we believe and thinking

329
00:13:50,076 --> 00:13:52,972
properly about the truth of
God as we go.

330
00:13:53,156 --> 00:13:56,620
And so I want us to look at
that here this morning when it comes

331
00:13:56,660 --> 00:13:58,396
to the area of spiritual warfare.

332
00:13:58,428 --> 00:13:59,516
What is spiritual warfare?

333
00:13:59,548 --> 00:14:02,412
Well, it could come in many
different forms, but it's opposition

334
00:14:02,476 --> 00:14:04,412
to what we're trying to do for Christ.

335
00:14:04,596 --> 00:14:08,764
It's opposition to the gospel,
it's opposition to purity, it's opposition

336
00:14:08,812 --> 00:14:10,866
to God's definition of the truth.

337
00:14:11,028 --> 00:14:13,702
And so what happens is that
spiritual warfare attacks us from

338
00:14:13,726 --> 00:14:14,342
all angles.

339
00:14:14,406 --> 00:14:17,526
And the Bible explains it all
in the book of Ephesians that Satan

340
00:14:17,558 --> 00:14:20,950
is firing fiery darts at us
and trying to find weaknesses and

341
00:14:20,990 --> 00:14:24,182
trying to destroy the very
fabric of what God is doing in our

342
00:14:24,206 --> 00:14:25,090
world today.

343
00:14:25,630 --> 00:14:27,270
So you see this in culture.

344
00:14:27,430 --> 00:14:28,950
The marriage is under attack.

345
00:14:29,070 --> 00:14:30,530
Family is under attack.

346
00:14:30,990 --> 00:14:32,610
Purity is under attack.

347
00:14:32,990 --> 00:14:34,614
Honesty is under attack.

348
00:14:34,782 --> 00:14:36,070
The list goes on and on.

349
00:14:36,110 --> 00:14:39,366
And so what we can see here, I
think all of us can agree this morning

350
00:14:39,438 --> 00:14:42,210
that that spiritual warfare is
a real thing.

351
00:14:42,590 --> 00:14:45,190
It is something that we all,
if we're honest with ourselves, if

352
00:14:45,230 --> 00:14:47,206
we're serving God, are going
to face.

353
00:14:47,278 --> 00:14:49,970
And the Bible tells us how we
are to fight it.

354
00:14:50,350 --> 00:14:51,478
We are to fight it.

355
00:14:51,534 --> 00:14:53,622
Paul explains that we don't
battle it in the flesh.

356
00:14:53,686 --> 00:14:54,662
We saw that in verse three.

357
00:14:54,686 --> 00:14:57,370
He says we do not war after
the flesh.

358
00:14:57,790 --> 00:15:01,238
The book of Ephesians tells us
that we don't war in the flesh.

359
00:15:01,334 --> 00:15:02,530
Ephesians 6.

360
00:15:03,630 --> 00:15:05,588
So what are these carnal weapons?

361
00:15:05,774 --> 00:15:07,992
What are these carnal weapons
that he warns us against?

362
00:15:08,096 --> 00:15:09,336
He says we don't.

363
00:15:09,448 --> 00:15:10,184
Verse 3.

364
00:15:10,272 --> 00:15:12,220
We do not war after the flesh.

365
00:15:12,560 --> 00:15:13,480
So what is he saying here?

366
00:15:13,520 --> 00:15:16,120
He says there's weapons of carnality.

367
00:15:16,200 --> 00:15:19,736
There's fleshly weapons that
we can use, or there's spiritual

368
00:15:19,768 --> 00:15:21,048
weapons that we can use.

369
00:15:21,184 --> 00:15:23,912
So what are these carnal
weapons that he's warning us against?

370
00:15:24,096 --> 00:15:27,704
Well, to know what the carnal
weapons are, we need to know what

371
00:15:27,712 --> 00:15:29,176
the spiritual weapons are.

372
00:15:29,328 --> 00:15:31,060
Ephesians, chapter six.

373
00:15:31,460 --> 00:15:33,116
You guys know this passage of Scripture?

374
00:15:33,148 --> 00:15:34,748
It's the armor of God.

375
00:15:34,924 --> 00:15:39,964
These are the weapons that God
calls us to wield in our battle,

376
00:15:40,012 --> 00:15:44,988
in our spiritual warfare that
we're fighting starts with the belt

377
00:15:45,004 --> 00:15:45,840
of truth.

378
00:15:46,740 --> 00:15:49,840
So the opposite of the belt of
truth would be lies.

379
00:15:50,580 --> 00:15:55,900
And so what he's saying here,
he says, don't use lies, don't use

380
00:15:56,020 --> 00:15:58,846
deception for your warfare.

381
00:15:59,038 --> 00:16:00,734
Use the truth.

382
00:16:00,782 --> 00:16:03,214
The belt of truth, the
breastplate of righteousness.

383
00:16:03,262 --> 00:16:09,262
That's God's righteousness by
the way, shoes of the gospel, the

384
00:16:09,286 --> 00:16:13,630
shield of faith, the helmet of
salvation, the sword of the spirit.

385
00:16:13,710 --> 00:16:15,854
And the Bible says that the
sword of the spirit is the word of

386
00:16:15,862 --> 00:16:16,478
God.

387
00:16:16,654 --> 00:16:20,046
And so we know the positives,
we know what we are supposed to do.

388
00:16:20,118 --> 00:16:24,148
But what happens sometimes is
that we then end up giving to the

389
00:16:24,204 --> 00:16:26,468
spiritual battle fleshly weapons.

390
00:16:26,644 --> 00:16:29,668
And so if we want to look at
what those carnal weapons really

391
00:16:29,724 --> 00:16:33,508
are, those carnal weapons are
the opposite of what the spiritual

392
00:16:33,604 --> 00:16:34,676
weapons are.

393
00:16:34,828 --> 00:16:37,684
So if we look at the belt of
truth, we see that the carnal weapons

394
00:16:37,732 --> 00:16:38,760
would be lies.

395
00:16:39,580 --> 00:16:42,612
You know, there is a time
where sometimes we feel like we need

396
00:16:42,636 --> 00:16:44,692
to lie to get to the right place.

397
00:16:44,796 --> 00:16:45,108
Right?

398
00:16:45,164 --> 00:16:46,980
The ends justifies the means.

399
00:16:47,020 --> 00:16:48,564
You ever heard someone teach that?

400
00:16:48,732 --> 00:16:51,758
And we've even heard that
within the culture of Christianity,

401
00:16:51,884 --> 00:16:54,266
like, do whatever you gotta do
to get to the right place.

402
00:16:54,338 --> 00:16:58,350
No, the Bible says that we
never fight lies with lies.

403
00:16:59,170 --> 00:17:00,762
Two wrongs don't make it right.

404
00:17:00,866 --> 00:17:04,510
So we always shine the light
of the truth upon a situation.

405
00:17:05,010 --> 00:17:08,110
We're gonna talk about taking
every thought into captivity.

406
00:17:09,650 --> 00:17:10,730
So what that means is this.

407
00:17:10,770 --> 00:17:13,914
When you hear something in
your mind telling you we all know

408
00:17:13,922 --> 00:17:14,474
what.

409
00:17:14,642 --> 00:17:16,826
Hopefully you don't hear
voices constantly.

410
00:17:16,858 --> 00:17:18,086
Okay, that's something else.

411
00:17:18,118 --> 00:17:19,238
We'll work on that another time.

412
00:17:19,294 --> 00:17:20,598
But you know what I mean, right?

413
00:17:20,734 --> 00:17:21,558
You'll hear something.

414
00:17:21,614 --> 00:17:22,438
A lie in your brain.

415
00:17:22,454 --> 00:17:23,526
Or maybe you don't think it's
a lie.

416
00:17:23,558 --> 00:17:24,598
Maybe you think it's a truth.

417
00:17:24,694 --> 00:17:25,810
I'm not good enough.

418
00:17:26,270 --> 00:17:27,750
I'm a terrible father.

419
00:17:27,910 --> 00:17:29,334
I'm a terrible pastor.

420
00:17:29,462 --> 00:17:30,854
I fail so much.

421
00:17:31,022 --> 00:17:32,930
You know what, what do we do
with that?

422
00:17:33,390 --> 00:17:37,782
We take that thought and we
bring it.

423
00:17:37,806 --> 00:17:40,182
We take it into captivity, as
the Bible says.

424
00:17:40,286 --> 00:17:41,238
Think about it this way.

425
00:17:41,294 --> 00:17:43,674
You put it in a trap and you
hold it there.

426
00:17:43,742 --> 00:17:45,186
And what does the Bible tell
us to do?

427
00:17:45,258 --> 00:17:46,386
Take it before Christ.

428
00:17:46,458 --> 00:17:50,070
Take it before the truth and
say, am I a terrible father?

429
00:17:50,970 --> 00:17:53,970
Well, the truth is, maybe I am
being a terrible father.

430
00:17:54,130 --> 00:17:57,378
But the difference is, is that
the lies from the enemy are gonna

431
00:17:57,394 --> 00:17:59,282
come in a vague way to pull
you down.

432
00:17:59,386 --> 00:18:01,986
The conviction of the Holy
Spirit telling me I need to change

433
00:18:02,058 --> 00:18:03,986
is going to show me how I
change that.

434
00:18:04,058 --> 00:18:05,010
So how does that look?

435
00:18:05,050 --> 00:18:06,802
How does that look with my own situation?

436
00:18:06,866 --> 00:18:07,186
Okay.

437
00:18:07,218 --> 00:18:07,874
Terrible father.

438
00:18:07,922 --> 00:18:08,802
You're a terrible father.

439
00:18:08,866 --> 00:18:10,098
And I'm thinking about that, okay?

440
00:18:10,114 --> 00:18:11,750
I take that thought into captivity.

441
00:18:12,330 --> 00:18:13,410
Why am I feeling this?

442
00:18:13,450 --> 00:18:14,786
Why am I thinking this?

443
00:18:14,938 --> 00:18:18,578
Take that thought and I bring
it before the truth of Christ and

444
00:18:18,634 --> 00:18:19,810
there's conviction there.

445
00:18:19,930 --> 00:18:20,642
You know what?

446
00:18:20,746 --> 00:18:22,450
Haven't been spending Time
with my children.

447
00:18:22,570 --> 00:18:24,130
I haven't been praying with them.

448
00:18:24,250 --> 00:18:26,882
I've been putting my work over
my family.

449
00:18:27,066 --> 00:18:31,282
I've been demonstrating very
sensual and terrible things in my

450
00:18:31,306 --> 00:18:32,402
life in front of them.

451
00:18:32,506 --> 00:18:35,970
The way that I talk, what I
watch, what I do, okay, all of those

452
00:18:36,010 --> 00:18:40,724
things, that's the Holy Spirit
convicting me to get to a place in

453
00:18:40,732 --> 00:18:44,132
my life where I need to change
that, to get to be a dad that I need

454
00:18:44,156 --> 00:18:44,800
to be.

455
00:18:45,500 --> 00:18:47,108
But then we take on the other
side of things.

456
00:18:47,164 --> 00:18:48,852
I put it before Christ and
hey, you know what?

457
00:18:48,876 --> 00:18:50,452
There isn't really any conviction.

458
00:18:50,596 --> 00:18:52,228
I'm doing everything that I
possibly can.

459
00:18:52,284 --> 00:18:53,028
I'm trying to do.

460
00:18:53,084 --> 00:18:53,988
Trying to do all those things.

461
00:18:54,044 --> 00:18:56,452
Then we understand that that's
a lie from the enemy that's trying

462
00:18:56,476 --> 00:18:57,460
to pull us back.

463
00:18:57,580 --> 00:18:59,396
So the lie from the enemy is
going to be vague.

464
00:18:59,428 --> 00:19:01,972
The lie from the enemy is
never going to show you a path to

465
00:19:01,996 --> 00:19:02,868
get to the right place.

466
00:19:02,924 --> 00:19:06,934
And, and so what we see is the
carnal weapons, our lies, self righteousness.

467
00:19:07,062 --> 00:19:10,326
By the way, we saw there that
one of the elements of the spiritual

468
00:19:10,358 --> 00:19:12,870
warfare would be the armor of
God and that one of those things

469
00:19:12,910 --> 00:19:14,966
would be the shield of faith.

470
00:19:14,998 --> 00:19:17,590
But then we saw that there's
the breastplate of righteousness.

471
00:19:17,750 --> 00:19:20,790
Again, that's not our
righteousness, that's God's righteousness.

472
00:19:20,950 --> 00:19:25,222
And so one of the ways that we
can try to fight the things in our

473
00:19:25,246 --> 00:19:26,854
life is through self righteousness.

474
00:19:26,902 --> 00:19:28,294
Like, well, I'm a good person.

475
00:19:28,382 --> 00:19:29,276
I do enough.

476
00:19:29,398 --> 00:19:31,264
You know, my good outweighs my bad.

477
00:19:31,352 --> 00:19:32,848
The Bible says that that's a lie.

478
00:19:32,944 --> 00:19:34,672
That's not thinking biblically.

479
00:19:34,816 --> 00:19:36,752
Thinking biblically is this,
I'm not enough.

480
00:19:36,856 --> 00:19:39,696
The reality is, is that I am
not a good person.

481
00:19:39,768 --> 00:19:42,540
You say, why are you up there
preaching to us?

482
00:19:43,480 --> 00:19:45,552
Scripturally speaking, there
is none good.

483
00:19:45,656 --> 00:19:46,860
No, not one.

484
00:19:49,560 --> 00:19:51,504
It's who we're judging
ourselves against.

485
00:19:51,672 --> 00:19:54,140
Well, I'm good compared to
this person.

486
00:19:54,440 --> 00:19:56,576
Who are you comparing
yourselves to if you're comparing

487
00:19:56,608 --> 00:19:57,248
yourself to Christ?

488
00:19:57,304 --> 00:19:58,480
None of us are good.

489
00:19:58,600 --> 00:20:02,048
So therefore, I cannot bring
my righteousness before any issue

490
00:20:02,104 --> 00:20:04,224
in my life and say, well, I
can try to beat that.

491
00:20:04,312 --> 00:20:07,840
No, the only righteousness
that can overcome evil in our lives

492
00:20:07,880 --> 00:20:10,540
is the righteousness of Jesus
Christ on our account.

493
00:20:10,920 --> 00:20:14,272
And so therefore, when we go
thinking biblically, we think, hey,

494
00:20:14,336 --> 00:20:17,824
it's his righteousness, not my
righteousness going forward.

495
00:20:17,912 --> 00:20:19,168
Empty religion.

496
00:20:19,344 --> 00:20:20,320
Empty religion.

497
00:20:20,400 --> 00:20:22,100
So we saw the shield of faith.

498
00:20:22,520 --> 00:20:24,240
Shield of faith is this.

499
00:20:24,360 --> 00:20:27,920
It's relying on the faith that
we have in Christ for all the things

500
00:20:27,960 --> 00:20:28,816
that we do.

501
00:20:28,968 --> 00:20:30,220
Everything that we do.

502
00:20:30,920 --> 00:20:32,608
I have faith that he will save me.

503
00:20:32,664 --> 00:20:34,496
I have faith that he will
preserve me.

504
00:20:34,568 --> 00:20:36,160
I have faith that he will provide.

505
00:20:36,280 --> 00:20:38,384
I have faith that he will protect.

506
00:20:38,512 --> 00:20:39,856
The list goes on and on.

507
00:20:40,008 --> 00:20:43,040
But what happens with empty
religion is that we don't have faith

508
00:20:43,120 --> 00:20:44,576
in God for these things.

509
00:20:44,648 --> 00:20:45,840
We have faith in ourselves.

510
00:20:45,920 --> 00:20:47,554
It's linked to self righteousness.

511
00:20:47,672 --> 00:20:50,894
But it's this idea that, hey,
if I just go through all the religious

512
00:20:50,942 --> 00:20:52,686
steps, I'll be okay, right?

513
00:20:52,758 --> 00:20:55,730
God won't strike me down today
if I just make sure I'm in church.

514
00:20:56,150 --> 00:20:59,742
The truth is, is that this
empty religion without faith is just

515
00:20:59,766 --> 00:21:02,010
like every other religion out there.

516
00:21:02,470 --> 00:21:05,438
Every single religion out
there is empty if it's not based

517
00:21:05,494 --> 00:21:07,610
in the truth of Jesus Christ.

518
00:21:08,390 --> 00:21:10,782
So I'm going to tell you here
this morning, empty religion can

519
00:21:10,806 --> 00:21:13,010
be found in a church that's
not like ours.

520
00:21:14,400 --> 00:21:17,112
But empty religion can be
found in churches very similar to

521
00:21:17,136 --> 00:21:17,704
ours.

522
00:21:17,832 --> 00:21:18,488
Meaning this.

523
00:21:18,544 --> 00:21:21,048
If I'm just doing all the
right steps, I'm okay, I'm okay.

524
00:21:21,064 --> 00:21:24,616
But there's no faith in that
God's power is controlling my life,

525
00:21:24,688 --> 00:21:27,032
that God's power is preserving
my life.

526
00:21:27,216 --> 00:21:30,860
And so empty religion, unbelief.

527
00:21:31,680 --> 00:21:33,528
This is a big broad category.

528
00:21:33,624 --> 00:21:35,624
Wisdom of man and the world.

529
00:21:35,792 --> 00:21:38,536
This is where many of us fall
short when it comes to this idea

530
00:21:38,568 --> 00:21:39,582
of carnal weapons.

531
00:21:39,696 --> 00:21:40,978
So spiritual warfare comes.

532
00:21:41,034 --> 00:21:41,950
What do we do?

533
00:21:42,250 --> 00:21:48,642
We take the wisdom of man, the
wisdom of culture, the wisdom of

534
00:21:48,666 --> 00:21:51,510
this world, and we say, yeah,
that makes sense.

535
00:21:52,330 --> 00:21:54,390
What we call Christian pragmatism.

536
00:21:54,970 --> 00:21:59,070
It works for that guy in the
world, why can't it work for me?

537
00:22:00,250 --> 00:22:03,138
He looks pleasurable, he looks
like he's loving life.

538
00:22:03,194 --> 00:22:04,962
He looks like he's got
everything he wants.

539
00:22:05,026 --> 00:22:05,256
So.

540
00:22:05,298 --> 00:22:07,560
So therefore, as a Christian,
I'm gonna live that way too.

541
00:22:08,020 --> 00:22:10,396
Problem is that we don't know
what's going on behind the scenes

542
00:22:10,428 --> 00:22:11,800
of that individual's life.

543
00:22:12,580 --> 00:22:15,964
And what we understand too,
that as Christians, we can't desire

544
00:22:16,012 --> 00:22:17,276
to be like the world.

545
00:22:17,348 --> 00:22:20,396
We can't desire the things
that the world wants and desires

546
00:22:20,428 --> 00:22:20,764
after.

547
00:22:20,852 --> 00:22:23,388
And so what happens here is
that we take a place in our life

548
00:22:23,444 --> 00:22:25,372
where we begin to formulate.

549
00:22:25,436 --> 00:22:28,684
And I'm gonna use some words
that might sound a little scary,

550
00:22:28,732 --> 00:22:30,172
but don't be afraid.

551
00:22:30,316 --> 00:22:32,488
Theology, okay?

552
00:22:32,664 --> 00:22:37,672
We can allow the wisdom of
this world to dictate our theology.

553
00:22:37,736 --> 00:22:38,824
Now, what is theology?

554
00:22:38,952 --> 00:22:40,312
It's what we believe about God.

555
00:22:40,376 --> 00:22:43,048
It's what we know about God, okay?

556
00:22:43,224 --> 00:22:44,184
It's that idea.

557
00:22:44,232 --> 00:22:47,140
What do we believe about who
God is and what he has done for us?

558
00:22:47,760 --> 00:22:51,336
We can allow the wisdom of man
and the wisdom of this world to dictate

559
00:22:51,368 --> 00:22:52,600
what we believe about God.

560
00:22:52,680 --> 00:22:55,928
And when we understand that,
that way we begin to think about

561
00:22:55,984 --> 00:22:58,100
God in a way that he should
not be thought about.

562
00:22:58,750 --> 00:23:01,810
Well, maybe he will be like this.

563
00:23:02,350 --> 00:23:03,974
Maybe he'll be like everyone else.

564
00:23:04,022 --> 00:23:07,126
You ever had someone that had
an issue in their life and they projected

565
00:23:07,158 --> 00:23:09,030
that issue in their life upon God?

566
00:23:09,190 --> 00:23:11,142
Well, everyone has turned
their back on me.

567
00:23:11,166 --> 00:23:11,574
So you know what?

568
00:23:11,582 --> 00:23:13,250
God's gonna turn his back on
me too.

569
00:23:14,030 --> 00:23:17,170
That person forgot about me,
so God's gonna forget about me too.

570
00:23:17,790 --> 00:23:19,014
That person double crossed me.

571
00:23:19,022 --> 00:23:19,734
So I believe God's.

572
00:23:19,782 --> 00:23:23,062
See, what happens is we allow
our circumstances to dictate what

573
00:23:23,086 --> 00:23:25,530
we think about God instead of
taking his Word.

574
00:23:26,000 --> 00:23:30,712
And so instead of building our
theology about God on the Word, we

575
00:23:30,736 --> 00:23:34,472
build our theology on God when
it comes to our experiences, our

576
00:23:34,496 --> 00:23:36,696
emotions, our culture.

577
00:23:36,888 --> 00:23:39,448
And what Paul is saying here
is he's like, no, no, no, no, no,

578
00:23:39,504 --> 00:23:40,552
take every thought.

579
00:23:40,656 --> 00:23:44,740
Second Corinthians, chapter
10, go back with me, verse 4.

580
00:23:45,120 --> 00:23:51,740
He says we need these
spiritual tools, the armor of God,

581
00:23:52,570 --> 00:23:56,510
ultimately the sword of the
Spirit, like the word of God, to,

582
00:23:57,050 --> 00:24:00,790
as it says here, pull down strongholds.

583
00:24:01,450 --> 00:24:06,418
So our weapons of our warfare
are not fleshly, not carnal, but

584
00:24:06,474 --> 00:24:11,714
mighty, but powerful through
God, not through man, through God

585
00:24:11,842 --> 00:24:14,626
to the pulling down of strongholds.

586
00:24:14,658 --> 00:24:17,350
Now that's a phrase that we
don't use quite frequently.

587
00:24:18,500 --> 00:24:21,612
Stronghold that actually in
some ways maybe in our minds could

588
00:24:21,636 --> 00:24:23,308
have a positive connotation.

589
00:24:23,484 --> 00:24:25,388
Hey, we have a stronghold in
our life, folks.

590
00:24:25,404 --> 00:24:27,980
In this context, we don't want strongholds.

591
00:24:28,060 --> 00:24:29,644
Okay, so what is the definition?

592
00:24:29,692 --> 00:24:30,540
I know that's very small.

593
00:24:30,580 --> 00:24:33,612
I'll try to represent that,
what I say here.

594
00:24:33,636 --> 00:24:37,612
But the definition in this
context of a stronghold are wrong

595
00:24:37,676 --> 00:24:40,640
thoughts that contradict the
word of God.

596
00:24:41,700 --> 00:24:46,696
So a stronghold in my life
might be, or someone else's life

597
00:24:46,768 --> 00:24:50,168
might be that you're thinking
improper thoughts.

598
00:24:50,344 --> 00:24:53,512
Those improper thoughts are
tied to an improper theology.

599
00:24:53,656 --> 00:24:57,048
That improper theology is tied
to an improper belief.

600
00:24:57,224 --> 00:24:57,800
Right.

601
00:24:57,920 --> 00:25:02,152
So going back, improper
actions are dictated by improper

602
00:25:02,216 --> 00:25:04,940
thoughts that are dictated by
improper beliefs.

603
00:25:05,840 --> 00:25:08,296
So it goes back to what we
believe about God.

604
00:25:08,408 --> 00:25:10,360
It goes back to what we're
thinking about God.

605
00:25:10,440 --> 00:25:10,638
But.

606
00:25:10,664 --> 00:25:13,202
But then it eventually hits us
in our life where it gets to what

607
00:25:13,226 --> 00:25:14,082
we're doing.

608
00:25:14,266 --> 00:25:17,346
So some of us have issues in
our life that we feel like we cannot

609
00:25:17,378 --> 00:25:18,386
get rid of.

610
00:25:18,538 --> 00:25:20,354
I can't stop thinking about this.

611
00:25:20,442 --> 00:25:21,986
I can't stop doing this.

612
00:25:22,058 --> 00:25:23,842
I can't get victory over this.

613
00:25:23,946 --> 00:25:25,282
That is a stronghold.

614
00:25:25,346 --> 00:25:30,226
You are thinking and
inevitably acting in contradiction

615
00:25:30,338 --> 00:25:31,830
to the word of God.

616
00:25:32,890 --> 00:25:35,010
And none of us want to admit
strongholds in our life.

617
00:25:35,050 --> 00:25:38,770
But the reality is, is that
many of us, if not all of us, have

618
00:25:38,810 --> 00:25:42,194
faced a stronghold in our life
or plural strongholds in our life

619
00:25:42,282 --> 00:25:44,190
that we cannot give victory over.

620
00:25:45,530 --> 00:25:47,506
And you would say, well, how
do I get victory over this?

621
00:25:47,578 --> 00:25:48,930
We'll never be perfect in this world.

622
00:25:48,970 --> 00:25:49,778
We understand that.

623
00:25:49,834 --> 00:25:51,490
We're always gonna be battling
the flesh.

624
00:25:51,570 --> 00:25:53,842
We're always gonna be battling
the struggles that we face.

625
00:25:53,946 --> 00:25:58,002
But the idea for this would be
that you are not given over to those

626
00:25:58,026 --> 00:25:58,722
strongholds.

627
00:25:58,786 --> 00:26:03,470
Those strongholds do not
identify you as who you are in Christ.

628
00:26:04,660 --> 00:26:06,044
The power of God.

629
00:26:06,092 --> 00:26:08,108
What does it say there in
verse 4?

630
00:26:08,244 --> 00:26:14,636
The power of God is powerful
enough to pull down those strongholds,

631
00:26:14,828 --> 00:26:18,796
to make you believe different
things, to think different things,

632
00:26:18,868 --> 00:26:21,468
and to ultimately act in a
different way.

633
00:26:21,604 --> 00:26:25,356
You say, what does this have
to do with us when we go, when we

634
00:26:25,428 --> 00:26:27,372
proclaim the word to the world?

635
00:26:27,476 --> 00:26:30,220
Folks, if you're not thinking
right and I'm not thinking right

636
00:26:30,260 --> 00:26:32,110
and we're not believing right and.

637
00:26:32,220 --> 00:26:35,866
And we're not acting right,
how can we represent our king?

638
00:26:35,978 --> 00:26:39,786
How can we represent our
mission properly?

639
00:26:39,978 --> 00:26:41,674
We're going and representing ourselves.

640
00:26:41,722 --> 00:26:42,826
We're representing our culture.

641
00:26:42,858 --> 00:26:44,026
We're representing our world.

642
00:26:44,098 --> 00:26:45,098
Who are we standing for?

643
00:26:45,154 --> 00:26:46,554
Someone inspected my life.

644
00:26:46,642 --> 00:26:49,770
Are they going to say, wow,
pastor Josh represents Christ, or

645
00:26:49,810 --> 00:26:51,322
he represents the world?

646
00:26:51,506 --> 00:26:53,706
Well, Lord willing, it would
be Christ.

647
00:26:53,858 --> 00:26:58,466
But the focus sometimes is
that we assume that we're living

648
00:26:58,498 --> 00:27:00,030
for Christ, but yet we're not.

649
00:27:00,330 --> 00:27:03,362
And so what I need to see here
this morning is this wrong.

650
00:27:03,426 --> 00:27:06,850
These wrong thoughts, these
strongholds are thoughts that lead

651
00:27:06,890 --> 00:27:08,550
to wrong actions.

652
00:27:08,890 --> 00:27:11,186
And what we do sometimes in
churches is this.

653
00:27:11,258 --> 00:27:13,230
We try to address the action.

654
00:27:15,050 --> 00:27:17,330
We try to go, okay, I saw that
person's issue.

655
00:27:17,370 --> 00:27:20,018
They have an issue, so let me
go fix that issue in their life.

656
00:27:20,074 --> 00:27:24,518
And we try to formulate a plan
to get that person out of that issue.

657
00:27:24,714 --> 00:27:27,630
And what happens is that
sometimes someone can leave that

658
00:27:27,670 --> 00:27:33,630
issue and go to another issue,
because the deeper issue is not the

659
00:27:33,670 --> 00:27:34,622
outward action.

660
00:27:34,726 --> 00:27:36,542
It's the inward heart issue.

661
00:27:36,646 --> 00:27:37,550
And so you know what?

662
00:27:37,590 --> 00:27:39,614
Let's say, for example, I've
got an addiction issue.

663
00:27:39,702 --> 00:27:41,134
Well, I got you off of this addiction.

664
00:27:41,182 --> 00:27:42,350
Now you're on this addiction.

665
00:27:42,430 --> 00:27:45,422
The truth is, is that there's
a deeper heart issue involved when

666
00:27:45,446 --> 00:27:46,830
it comes to a stronghold.

667
00:27:46,990 --> 00:27:49,694
So I could sit up here and be
legalistic and say, oh, this is the

668
00:27:49,702 --> 00:27:51,134
rules of Middletown Baptist Church.

669
00:27:51,182 --> 00:27:53,022
You got to do this and do this
and not do this.

670
00:27:53,046 --> 00:27:54,456
And not go here and not do that.

671
00:27:54,558 --> 00:27:55,396
And you know what?

672
00:27:55,468 --> 00:27:58,452
Many of you maybe could try to
formulate your life to a place where

673
00:27:58,476 --> 00:28:00,916
it looks like you've gotten
everything taken over.

674
00:28:00,988 --> 00:28:02,292
But that's legalism.

675
00:28:02,436 --> 00:28:03,300
That's empty.

676
00:28:03,380 --> 00:28:04,916
That's empty religion.

677
00:28:05,108 --> 00:28:06,600
That's faithlessness.

678
00:28:07,180 --> 00:28:09,572
There are some things that we
should stay away from, but we should

679
00:28:09,596 --> 00:28:11,876
want to stay away from them
because of the change in our hearts

680
00:28:11,908 --> 00:28:14,244
and thinking properly about God.

681
00:28:14,372 --> 00:28:15,940
And so the strongholds are
just that.

682
00:28:15,980 --> 00:28:18,532
They're holding us back from
doing the things that we are supposed

683
00:28:18,596 --> 00:28:19,092
to do.

684
00:28:19,196 --> 00:28:23,006
So when we rely on carnal
thoughts for fleshly thoughts, worldly

685
00:28:23,038 --> 00:28:29,518
thoughts to guide our lives,
these strongholds hold us from being

686
00:28:29,654 --> 00:28:31,290
ambassadors for Christ.

687
00:28:34,070 --> 00:28:35,550
You want to be an ambassador
for Christ.

688
00:28:35,590 --> 00:28:37,454
You want to be a
representative of his kingdom.

689
00:28:37,502 --> 00:28:40,670
You want to be a
representative in Jerusalem, Judea,

690
00:28:40,750 --> 00:28:42,990
Samaria, and to the uttermost
part of the earth.

691
00:28:43,150 --> 00:28:46,654
We've got to allow God to pull
these strongholds down so that we

692
00:28:46,662 --> 00:28:47,970
are thinking biblically.

693
00:28:48,810 --> 00:28:52,110
This is not a challenge for us
to all be perfect people.

694
00:28:52,810 --> 00:28:56,434
If we were called to be
perfect people, none of us could

695
00:28:56,442 --> 00:28:57,570
do it, right?

696
00:28:57,610 --> 00:28:58,738
None of us could do it.

697
00:28:58,874 --> 00:29:00,386
This is not about perfection.

698
00:29:00,498 --> 00:29:02,946
It's about pursuing holiness.

699
00:29:03,058 --> 00:29:05,762
It's pursuing righteousness
and thinking biblically.

700
00:29:05,826 --> 00:29:07,390
Thinking biblically about issues.

701
00:29:08,250 --> 00:29:12,322
So, for example, we'll see.

702
00:29:12,346 --> 00:29:14,380
I'm not going to use anything
specific, but let's see.

703
00:29:14,420 --> 00:29:16,120
Like, something pops up in the news.

704
00:29:16,820 --> 00:29:20,012
Like, let's say, for example,
there's a news break.

705
00:29:20,116 --> 00:29:22,920
Such, such and such happened
at this place, at this time.

706
00:29:23,220 --> 00:29:24,280
What do we do?

707
00:29:24,660 --> 00:29:27,164
Do we immediately think about
it in the context of the word of

708
00:29:27,172 --> 00:29:29,868
God, or we immediately think
about it from the context of our

709
00:29:29,924 --> 00:29:30,520
nation?

710
00:29:31,140 --> 00:29:33,084
How is this going to affect me?

711
00:29:33,252 --> 00:29:35,320
How is this going to affect my.

712
00:29:37,300 --> 00:29:37,900
Whatever.

713
00:29:37,980 --> 00:29:38,604
Fill in the blank.

714
00:29:38,652 --> 00:29:40,752
My finances, my health.

715
00:29:40,936 --> 00:29:44,432
The truth is, is that many
times our initial lens that we see

716
00:29:44,456 --> 00:29:47,056
the world through is not the
lens of the gospel, it's the lens

717
00:29:47,088 --> 00:29:47,940
of ourselves.

718
00:29:49,080 --> 00:29:52,432
And what I would say is
thinking biblically is this to think

719
00:29:52,456 --> 00:29:56,368
about every issue of my life,
every circumstance of my life, every

720
00:29:56,424 --> 00:30:00,016
relationship of my life
through the lens of the Gospel instead

721
00:30:00,048 --> 00:30:02,500
of the lens of Josh Massaro.

722
00:30:03,000 --> 00:30:08,238
And therefore, it is only
through that the power of God and

723
00:30:08,294 --> 00:30:11,118
the guidance of his Word that
breaks down these strongholds.

724
00:30:11,134 --> 00:30:13,838
And so you say I've got
strongholds in my life that are holding

725
00:30:13,854 --> 00:30:14,570
me back.

726
00:30:15,270 --> 00:30:17,982
Admittedly, there are things
that I'm thinking about that are

727
00:30:18,006 --> 00:30:19,010
not biblical.

728
00:30:20,230 --> 00:30:23,390
First step to know if you're
thinking biblically is to know scripture.

729
00:30:23,550 --> 00:30:24,846
If you've never read Scripture.

730
00:30:24,878 --> 00:30:27,006
If you're not in the Word,
you're not gonna know if you're acting

731
00:30:27,038 --> 00:30:27,790
scripturally or not.

732
00:30:27,830 --> 00:30:31,230
And I'm gonna tell you, our
default methodology is not scripture.

733
00:30:31,390 --> 00:30:33,518
If you're just like, ah, I
don't need to read the Bible, I'm

734
00:30:33,534 --> 00:30:34,030
sure I'll act.

735
00:30:34,070 --> 00:30:34,738
Right?

736
00:30:34,934 --> 00:30:35,994
It's not going to happen.

737
00:30:36,082 --> 00:30:36,426
Right.

738
00:30:36,498 --> 00:30:41,018
We have to intentionally
decide to follow the word of God

739
00:30:41,114 --> 00:30:42,890
through the power of God in
our lives.

740
00:30:42,930 --> 00:30:46,874
And so therefore, it is only
the power of God and the guidance

741
00:30:46,922 --> 00:30:50,698
of his Word and the Spirit
that breaks down these strongholds

742
00:30:50,714 --> 00:30:51,590
in our life.

743
00:30:54,130 --> 00:30:55,738
So how do we pull down strongholds?

744
00:30:55,754 --> 00:30:56,650
I've already alluded to it.

745
00:30:56,690 --> 00:30:58,762
We'll kind of go through this
pretty quickly.

746
00:30:58,906 --> 00:31:03,102
We must destroy every thought
that contradicts the truth of God.

747
00:31:03,226 --> 00:31:07,414
Verse 5, verse 5, Second
Corinthians, chapter 10.

748
00:31:07,582 --> 00:31:14,470
Casting down imaginations,
casting down these thoughts.

749
00:31:14,550 --> 00:31:18,870
And I think it's appropriate
that it says imaginations there because

750
00:31:18,910 --> 00:31:22,214
a lot of this that we're
facing in our life are just basically

751
00:31:22,262 --> 00:31:23,690
figments of our imagination.

752
00:31:25,630 --> 00:31:28,694
You could also say it this
way, casting down anything that argues

753
00:31:28,742 --> 00:31:30,170
against the truth of God.

754
00:31:31,530 --> 00:31:33,682
Cast it out, get rid of it.

755
00:31:33,786 --> 00:31:35,390
Don't even entertain it.

756
00:31:35,770 --> 00:31:38,306
The problem is, is that too
many Christians, including myself,

757
00:31:38,418 --> 00:31:38,978
okay?

758
00:31:39,074 --> 00:31:41,330
Because I don't want to come
across as, hey, I've got this right.

759
00:31:41,450 --> 00:31:43,330
I'm coming from a perch of
perfection here.

760
00:31:43,450 --> 00:31:47,266
No, but too many of us
Christians are coming to situations

761
00:31:47,298 --> 00:31:50,226
in our life and we're
entertaining what the world is bringing

762
00:31:50,258 --> 00:31:50,658
to us.

763
00:31:50,714 --> 00:31:51,650
Don't even entertain it.

764
00:31:51,690 --> 00:31:56,844
Cast it out, get rid of it,
destroy it, destroy it.

765
00:31:57,012 --> 00:32:03,836
Then he goes, cast out every
imagination and every high thing.

766
00:32:03,988 --> 00:32:08,044
Or that another way you could
put that is lifted up opinions, respected

767
00:32:08,092 --> 00:32:12,300
opinions of this world, cast
down these imaginations and every

768
00:32:12,340 --> 00:32:16,604
high thing that here's the
definitive thing that we should cast

769
00:32:16,652 --> 00:32:17,052
out.

770
00:32:17,156 --> 00:32:23,050
Anything that exalteth itself
against the, the knowledge of God,

771
00:32:23,210 --> 00:32:25,578
anything that's contrary to
the knowledge of God, we get rid

772
00:32:25,594 --> 00:32:26,282
of it.

773
00:32:26,466 --> 00:32:27,610
It's useless.

774
00:32:27,770 --> 00:32:30,710
It's gonna hurt me, it's gonna
destroy me.

775
00:32:31,010 --> 00:32:34,070
And so we think biblically
about it and we reject it.

776
00:32:35,010 --> 00:32:36,186
And how do we do that?

777
00:32:36,258 --> 00:32:41,466
We take that thought, it says,
and bringing into captivity every

778
00:32:41,538 --> 00:32:45,658
thought, every thought to the
obedience of Christ.

779
00:32:45,714 --> 00:32:48,122
And so the way that it was put
to me is you take that thought, you

780
00:32:48,146 --> 00:32:51,208
put it in a trap, and you say,
that's not gonna bother me until

781
00:32:51,264 --> 00:32:54,344
I give that to the Lord and I
give that to the truth of God, and

782
00:32:54,352 --> 00:32:57,240
I match that up to the truth
of Who Jesus Christ is and what he

783
00:32:57,280 --> 00:32:59,304
has done and the Gospel and
the Word.

784
00:32:59,352 --> 00:33:00,792
And I say, no, that doesn't
match up.

785
00:33:00,816 --> 00:33:01,560
I cast that away.

786
00:33:01,600 --> 00:33:02,820
I get rid of that.

787
00:33:03,840 --> 00:33:07,496
It's really the methodology
that we're seeing here is this idea

788
00:33:07,528 --> 00:33:08,680
of getting rid of it.

789
00:33:08,800 --> 00:33:13,768
We must take every thought,
every idea, every concept before

790
00:33:13,824 --> 00:33:17,044
Jesus to see if it aligns with
his true truth.

791
00:33:17,172 --> 00:33:18,612
Not if it aligns with my truth.

792
00:33:18,676 --> 00:33:20,276
Not if it aligns with the
truth of this world.

793
00:33:20,348 --> 00:33:22,964
Not if it aligns with some
church tradition.

794
00:33:23,092 --> 00:33:25,540
Even though church traditions
in and of themselves are not bad

795
00:33:25,580 --> 00:33:26,160
things.

796
00:33:26,620 --> 00:33:28,520
But we align it with the truth.

797
00:33:29,340 --> 00:33:30,564
Truth in scripture.

798
00:33:30,692 --> 00:33:33,540
You say, well, I come from the
school of thought that there's different

799
00:33:33,580 --> 00:33:34,852
truths in this world.

800
00:33:35,036 --> 00:33:38,420
Your truth could be my truth,
but my truth could be not your truth.

801
00:33:38,500 --> 00:33:39,012
And just.

802
00:33:39,036 --> 00:33:40,756
We all have our own truths, folks.

803
00:33:40,788 --> 00:33:41,860
That's not a way to live our lives.

804
00:33:41,900 --> 00:33:42,836
We can't live our lives.

805
00:33:42,908 --> 00:33:45,650
We can't with subjective truths.

806
00:33:46,070 --> 00:33:48,382
We have to live our life with
one objective truth.

807
00:33:48,446 --> 00:33:50,910
The objective truth for my
family, whether I like it or not,

808
00:33:50,950 --> 00:33:52,606
is the truth of God's word.

809
00:33:52,798 --> 00:33:54,730
Gotta raise my children that way.

810
00:33:55,510 --> 00:33:58,094
You know how many times I
wanna tell my kids, hey, you know

811
00:33:58,102 --> 00:33:58,650
what?

812
00:34:00,470 --> 00:34:02,238
Just go ahead and do what
those guys are doing.

813
00:34:02,294 --> 00:34:05,534
Whatever, you know, Tired of
this, dad.

814
00:34:05,582 --> 00:34:07,134
Why can't we do this, dad?

815
00:34:07,182 --> 00:34:07,998
Why can't we do that?

816
00:34:08,054 --> 00:34:09,102
Because dad said so.

817
00:34:09,126 --> 00:34:10,126
And that's the final word.

818
00:34:10,158 --> 00:34:14,927
No, son, because we as
Christians have to live differently.

819
00:34:15,103 --> 00:34:16,719
God's called us to be different.

820
00:34:16,839 --> 00:34:18,639
Doesn't mean that we have to
be weird.

821
00:34:18,799 --> 00:34:21,343
Just means that we have to
avoid things that are going to cause

822
00:34:21,391 --> 00:34:23,791
us to pull ourselves away from
the truth of God.

823
00:34:23,855 --> 00:34:28,671
And if we are not careful, our
families, our individual lives, our

824
00:34:28,695 --> 00:34:31,823
churches will be pulled away
with every wind of doctrine, as the

825
00:34:31,831 --> 00:34:32,367
Bible says.

826
00:34:32,423 --> 00:34:34,031
And we will not be grounded in truth.

827
00:34:34,095 --> 00:34:36,607
So we take every thought,
every idea.

828
00:34:36,703 --> 00:34:37,535
Nothing is safe.

829
00:34:37,567 --> 00:34:40,619
We take all those concepts and
we bring it before Christ.

830
00:34:42,160 --> 00:34:43,620
So the summary is this.

831
00:34:44,480 --> 00:34:52,776
Do our thoughts, do our ideas,
do our inclinations, our desires,

832
00:34:52,808 --> 00:34:56,020
our dreams, our vision,
whatever you want to say, do those

833
00:34:56,400 --> 00:34:58,168
thoughts obey Christ?

834
00:34:58,224 --> 00:35:00,180
See it at the end of verse
five with me.

835
00:35:00,560 --> 00:35:05,192
Bring into captivity every
thought to the obedience of Christ.

836
00:35:05,296 --> 00:35:06,888
So it's not just an agreement?

837
00:35:06,984 --> 00:35:11,040
Agreement's one thing, like
talking about our kids.

838
00:35:11,120 --> 00:35:14,752
It's family Sunday, Son.

839
00:35:14,816 --> 00:35:15,740
Clean your room.

840
00:35:16,600 --> 00:35:17,700
Okay, dad.

841
00:35:19,000 --> 00:35:20,352
You understand you need to
clean your room?

842
00:35:20,376 --> 00:35:20,528
Yeah.

843
00:35:20,544 --> 00:35:21,056
It's dirty, Dad.

844
00:35:21,088 --> 00:35:21,520
I understand.

845
00:35:21,560 --> 00:35:22,240
It's messy.

846
00:35:22,320 --> 00:35:23,376
Okay, son.

847
00:35:23,568 --> 00:35:24,112
Okay.

848
00:35:24,176 --> 00:35:27,860
So his agreement with my command.

849
00:35:29,080 --> 00:35:30,900
This kind of sounds bad to say command.

850
00:35:33,890 --> 00:35:38,474
His agreement to his room
needing the cleaning does not equate

851
00:35:38,522 --> 00:35:39,322
obedience.

852
00:35:39,466 --> 00:35:39,770
Right?

853
00:35:39,810 --> 00:35:40,950
And we would all agree.

854
00:35:41,570 --> 00:35:44,730
And so many times as
Christians, we say, oh, yeah, amen.

855
00:35:44,890 --> 00:35:46,042
We adhere to that.

856
00:35:46,146 --> 00:35:46,938
That's good.

857
00:35:47,074 --> 00:35:49,578
Good solid teaching, good
solid doctrine.

858
00:35:49,674 --> 00:35:54,010
The truth is, is that
sometimes we are not all the way

859
00:35:54,050 --> 00:35:55,354
there when it comes to obedience.

860
00:35:55,402 --> 00:35:58,346
Our thoughts don't always
complete that cycle of obedience

861
00:35:58,458 --> 00:36:01,870
because obedience takes
action, obedience takes follow through.

862
00:36:02,730 --> 00:36:04,354
It's saying, yes, Lord, I
agree with you.

863
00:36:04,362 --> 00:36:05,746
And yes, Lord, I'm following.

864
00:36:05,898 --> 00:36:09,010
So to be an ambassador, we
can't just think the same things

865
00:36:09,050 --> 00:36:09,826
that God thinks.

866
00:36:09,858 --> 00:36:11,042
That's great, that's amazing.

867
00:36:11,106 --> 00:36:12,418
And that will affect our lives.

868
00:36:12,474 --> 00:36:16,226
But we've got to then really,
as the Bible speaks of authentic

869
00:36:16,258 --> 00:36:19,666
faith, if you authentically
believe these things, it will authentically

870
00:36:19,778 --> 00:36:21,310
proclaim in your life.

871
00:36:21,850 --> 00:36:27,260
And so do our thoughts and our
actions and our heart obey Christ.

872
00:36:28,440 --> 00:36:30,720
Want to hit you with a few
things here, and then we'll be done.

873
00:36:30,760 --> 00:36:33,312
I know that's the end of your
notes, but I just want to hit you

874
00:36:33,336 --> 00:36:34,620
with a few thoughts here.

875
00:36:34,920 --> 00:36:39,168
When tempted to think carnally
or fleshly, we must renew our minds

876
00:36:39,184 --> 00:36:39,616
in Christ.

877
00:36:39,688 --> 00:36:42,220
Romans, chapter 12, verse 2.

878
00:36:43,160 --> 00:36:46,816
The Bible speaks of this idea
of renewing our minds.

879
00:36:46,928 --> 00:36:48,112
How do we renew our minds?

880
00:36:48,176 --> 00:36:50,640
Well, we put every thought
into captivity and we bring it before

881
00:36:50,680 --> 00:36:51,428
the word of God.

882
00:36:51,504 --> 00:36:56,172
And be not conformed to this
world, but be transformed by the

883
00:36:56,196 --> 00:36:58,300
renewing of your mind that you
may prove what is that?

884
00:36:58,340 --> 00:37:01,120
Good and acceptable and
perfect will of God.

885
00:37:01,780 --> 00:37:03,676
This is a daily exercise.

886
00:37:03,788 --> 00:37:08,124
When tempted to think
carnally, renew our minds with the

887
00:37:08,132 --> 00:37:09,148
truth of God.

888
00:37:09,324 --> 00:37:11,004
It's as basic as that.

889
00:37:11,092 --> 00:37:14,060
As hard as it is, that's what
the Bible tells us to do, renew our

890
00:37:14,100 --> 00:37:14,800
minds.

891
00:37:15,700 --> 00:37:19,240
Well, I renew my mind back in
1989, so I'm good today.

892
00:37:19,600 --> 00:37:22,008
No, this is a daily process.

893
00:37:22,064 --> 00:37:23,608
This is an hourly process.

894
00:37:23,744 --> 00:37:26,216
Sometimes more than that.

895
00:37:26,368 --> 00:37:29,020
Renew our minds in the Word of God.

896
00:37:29,520 --> 00:37:30,740
What does that mean?

897
00:37:31,840 --> 00:37:36,860
Study the Word, love the Word,
be in the Word, believe the Word,

898
00:37:37,440 --> 00:37:38,860
proclaim the Word.

899
00:37:40,160 --> 00:37:44,914
So when tempted to think this
way, renew our minds as believers.

900
00:37:45,072 --> 00:37:48,734
Here's something to really
make your minds go, oh, man, I really

901
00:37:48,742 --> 00:37:49,438
don't want to hear this.

902
00:37:49,494 --> 00:37:51,070
I don't want to be responsible
for this.

903
00:37:51,190 --> 00:37:53,050
First Corinthians, chapter 6.

904
00:37:53,670 --> 00:37:55,770
First Corinthians, chapter 6,
verse 19.

905
00:37:56,070 --> 00:37:58,130
You want to hear something
really convicting?

906
00:38:00,150 --> 00:38:02,830
Part of being a pastor is
preparing the sermon and being, like,

907
00:38:02,870 --> 00:38:04,254
convicted throughout the week.

908
00:38:04,422 --> 00:38:05,950
Man, this has been hitting me
hard this week.

909
00:38:05,990 --> 00:38:08,650
First Corinthians, chapter 6,
verse 19 and 20.

910
00:38:08,950 --> 00:38:15,390
As believers, we are not our
Own we all, if we're a believer.

911
00:38:15,470 --> 00:38:19,358
We belong to God completely,
Not just my Sunday morning for an

912
00:38:19,414 --> 00:38:21,278
hour or an hour and a half.

913
00:38:21,334 --> 00:38:23,010
The pastor is long winded.

914
00:38:23,670 --> 00:38:24,606
What does it say?

915
00:38:24,678 --> 00:38:26,430
First Corinthians, chapter 6,
verse 19.

916
00:38:26,550 --> 00:38:26,926
What?

917
00:38:26,998 --> 00:38:32,062
Know ye not that your body is
the temple of the Holy Ghost, which

918
00:38:32,086 --> 00:38:36,410
is in you, which ye have of
God, and ye are not your own?

919
00:38:37,440 --> 00:38:38,712
This is not Pastor Josh.

920
00:38:38,776 --> 00:38:39,576
This is the word of God.

921
00:38:39,608 --> 00:38:40,568
You're not your own.

922
00:38:40,704 --> 00:38:41,192
Why?

923
00:38:41,296 --> 00:38:45,300
Well, who does God think he is
that he can control me?

924
00:38:46,480 --> 00:38:47,160
Glad you asked.

925
00:38:47,200 --> 00:38:48,072
Here's the next verse.

926
00:38:48,136 --> 00:38:49,060
Here it is.

927
00:38:49,360 --> 00:38:52,580
For we are bought with a price.

928
00:38:53,040 --> 00:38:54,872
Someone paid the price for you.

929
00:38:54,976 --> 00:38:56,184
That was Jesus Christ.

930
00:38:56,272 --> 00:38:58,152
He shed his blood on the cross
for you.

931
00:38:58,256 --> 00:39:01,432
Your gift of salvation is free
for you, but it wasn't free for him.

932
00:39:01,536 --> 00:39:03,220
He bought you with a price.

933
00:39:03,610 --> 00:39:09,330
Therefore, glorify God in your
body and in your spirit, which are

934
00:39:09,370 --> 00:39:10,130
God's.

935
00:39:10,290 --> 00:39:11,394
That covers everything.

936
00:39:11,482 --> 00:39:12,834
Your body and your spirit.

937
00:39:12,962 --> 00:39:13,410
Some people.

938
00:39:13,450 --> 00:39:15,890
There was a teaching back in
the day, you know, as long as your

939
00:39:15,930 --> 00:39:18,674
spirit is with God, you can do
whatever you want with your body.

940
00:39:18,762 --> 00:39:19,790
No, no, no.

941
00:39:20,090 --> 00:39:24,550
Spirit and body, thought and
action, word and deed.

942
00:39:25,210 --> 00:39:26,402
That's the idea.

943
00:39:26,546 --> 00:39:28,760
Jesus mentioned that in the
Sermon on the Mount.

944
00:39:28,890 --> 00:39:30,012
It's more than just what you do.

945
00:39:30,036 --> 00:39:31,800
It's what you think, it's what
you believe.

946
00:39:32,100 --> 00:39:34,572
And so I want to hit you with
a few of these thoughts here at the

947
00:39:34,596 --> 00:39:34,972
end.

948
00:39:35,076 --> 00:39:39,960
God wants our minds to be set
on His Word and His way.

949
00:39:40,260 --> 00:39:43,880
He wants our minds to be set
on His Word and His way.

950
00:39:44,900 --> 00:39:47,244
I want to leave you with some
verses that you can write down.

951
00:39:47,332 --> 00:39:48,428
Whoa, that's really small.

952
00:39:48,484 --> 00:39:49,468
What happened?

953
00:39:49,644 --> 00:39:50,600
Come on.

954
00:39:50,900 --> 00:39:52,652
Okay, I'll read them to you.

955
00:39:52,676 --> 00:39:53,292
Take my word for it.

956
00:39:53,316 --> 00:39:53,900
I'm just kidding.

957
00:39:53,980 --> 00:39:55,484
Proverbs 23:7.

958
00:39:55,572 --> 00:39:56,700
Proverbs 23:7.

959
00:39:56,740 --> 00:39:58,904
Man, this is one that got me
this week, too.

960
00:39:59,092 --> 00:40:01,312
Proverbs 23:7.

961
00:40:01,496 --> 00:40:04,176
You can write this down and
maybe meditate upon these verses

962
00:40:04,208 --> 00:40:04,960
this week.

963
00:40:05,080 --> 00:40:10,064
I think that they will help us
when it comes to our thought life.

964
00:40:10,152 --> 00:40:11,820
Proverbs 23:7.

965
00:40:12,520 --> 00:40:17,660
For as he thinketh in his
heart, so is he.

966
00:40:18,520 --> 00:40:19,232
That's what it is.

967
00:40:19,256 --> 00:40:21,180
It's saying what you think
about who you are.

968
00:40:21,880 --> 00:40:24,620
Okay, first Peter 1:13.

969
00:40:25,100 --> 00:40:26,276
First Peter 1:13.

970
00:40:26,348 --> 00:40:27,044
Write that down.

971
00:40:27,132 --> 00:40:29,828
I think this is another
really, really good one when it comes

972
00:40:29,884 --> 00:40:32,116
to the concept of how we
should think.

973
00:40:32,188 --> 00:40:33,092
It says, wherefore?

974
00:40:33,156 --> 00:40:35,348
Gird up the loins of your mind.

975
00:40:35,484 --> 00:40:36,436
Get your mind ready.

976
00:40:36,468 --> 00:40:37,332
That's what he's saying.

977
00:40:37,436 --> 00:40:43,700
Get your mind prepared, be
sober and hope to the end.

978
00:40:43,740 --> 00:40:46,836
For the grace that is to be
brought unto you at the revelation

979
00:40:46,868 --> 00:40:47,684
of Jesus Christ.

980
00:40:47,772 --> 00:40:49,988
Get your minds ready in the
time that you have, is what he's

981
00:40:50,004 --> 00:40:50,560
saying.

982
00:40:51,330 --> 00:40:53,322
Philippians 3, 18 and 19.

983
00:40:53,506 --> 00:40:56,362
You say, well, Pastor, is this
really an issue when it comes to

984
00:40:56,386 --> 00:40:56,746
our church?

985
00:40:56,778 --> 00:40:59,110
Is this really an issue when
it comes to Christianity today?

986
00:40:59,410 --> 00:41:02,906
Philippians, chapter three,
verse 18 and 19 tell us very clearly

987
00:41:02,938 --> 00:41:04,922
that even back then there were
people that were struggling with

988
00:41:04,946 --> 00:41:05,322
this.

989
00:41:05,426 --> 00:41:07,178
Philippians, chapter 3, verses
18 and 19.

990
00:41:07,234 --> 00:41:11,130
For many walk of whom I have
told you often and now tell you,

991
00:41:11,250 --> 00:41:16,356
even weeping, that they are
enemies of the cross of Christ, whose

992
00:41:16,388 --> 00:41:21,844
end is destruction, whose God
is their belly, meaning their appetites,

993
00:41:21,892 --> 00:41:25,972
their pleasures, and whose
glory is their shame, who mind earthly

994
00:41:26,116 --> 00:41:27,380
things meaning.

995
00:41:27,460 --> 00:41:30,260
There were people that saw the
importance of following God, but

996
00:41:30,300 --> 00:41:33,652
they allowed the pleasures of
this world to pull them away, the

997
00:41:33,676 --> 00:41:35,604
thoughts of this world to pull
them away.

998
00:41:35,772 --> 00:41:38,740
Then the last one I want to
leave you with, and this is one that

999
00:41:38,860 --> 00:41:40,324
I think is so important.

1000
00:41:40,412 --> 00:41:43,332
Romans, chapter five, or,
excuse me, Romans, chapter eight,

1001
00:41:43,516 --> 00:41:45,844
verses five through eight.

1002
00:41:45,932 --> 00:41:46,804
This will be it.

1003
00:41:46,892 --> 00:41:48,480
I want you to see this here.

1004
00:41:49,260 --> 00:41:51,092
Romans, chapter 8, verses 5
through 8.

1005
00:41:51,116 --> 00:41:55,028
It says, for they that are
after the flesh do mind the things

1006
00:41:55,084 --> 00:41:59,108
of the flesh, but they that
are after the spirit.

1007
00:41:59,284 --> 00:42:04,372
Spirit is God dwelling within
you, the spirit, the things of the

1008
00:42:04,396 --> 00:42:05,080
spirit.

1009
00:42:06,220 --> 00:42:10,442
For to be carnally or fleshly
minded is death, but to be spiritually

1010
00:42:10,506 --> 00:42:12,350
minded is life and peace.

1011
00:42:13,970 --> 00:42:17,230
Because the carnal mind is
enmity against God.

1012
00:42:18,210 --> 00:42:19,610
I don't know if you guys
caught that.

1013
00:42:19,730 --> 00:42:23,114
The carnal mind, the fleshly
mind, the worldly mind, is enemy

1014
00:42:23,162 --> 00:42:29,114
of God, for it is not subject
to the law of God, neither indeed

1015
00:42:29,162 --> 00:42:30,202
can be so.

1016
00:42:30,226 --> 00:42:35,800
Then they that are in the
flesh cannot please God.

1017
00:42:37,180 --> 00:42:38,388
You can check me on that.

1018
00:42:38,444 --> 00:42:41,156
That's what Romans chapter 8,
verse 8 says.

1019
00:42:41,308 --> 00:42:45,540
Those that are in the flesh,
those that think in the flesh, act

1020
00:42:45,580 --> 00:42:50,324
in the flesh, believe in the
flesh, cannot please God.

1021
00:42:50,452 --> 00:42:53,092
And our desire as believers is
to please God in every way and to

1022
00:42:53,116 --> 00:42:57,620
go and to proclaim and to
share the truth and to love and to

1023
00:42:57,660 --> 00:43:00,148
forgive and to extend meekness
and grace.

1024
00:43:00,244 --> 00:43:02,778
For, folks, we cannot do any
of those things if we're walking

1025
00:43:02,874 --> 00:43:06,154
and thinking and believing the
things of this world in the flesh.

1026
00:43:06,202 --> 00:43:10,026
Folks, I know all of us today
are solid Christians and the concept

1027
00:43:10,058 --> 00:43:12,282
of, hey, we're strong for what
we believe.

1028
00:43:12,386 --> 00:43:12,874
Amen.

1029
00:43:12,922 --> 00:43:13,626
We should be.

1030
00:43:13,698 --> 00:43:16,410
But I'm gonna tell you, folks,
the challenge is to think about it

1031
00:43:16,450 --> 00:43:18,506
and to believe in it and to
live in that.

1032
00:43:18,578 --> 00:43:21,786
And so if we think like the
world, we will act in the world's

1033
00:43:21,818 --> 00:43:22,298
ways.

1034
00:43:22,394 --> 00:43:26,122
If we think in the flesh, we
will act out our fleshly desires.

1035
00:43:26,186 --> 00:43:26,398
And.

1036
00:43:26,434 --> 00:43:29,094
And then if we think on the
truth, I wanna leave you with the

1037
00:43:29,102 --> 00:43:29,558
positive.

1038
00:43:29,654 --> 00:43:33,142
If we think on the truth of
God, we will live out the truth of

1039
00:43:33,166 --> 00:43:35,590
God and fulfill his will for
our lives.

1040
00:43:35,710 --> 00:43:36,438
That's it?

1041
00:43:36,574 --> 00:43:37,078
That's it.

1042
00:43:37,134 --> 00:43:38,022
Are we gonna be perfect?

1043
00:43:38,086 --> 00:43:38,550
No.

1044
00:43:38,670 --> 00:43:44,854
But we gotta take steps to be
thinking biblically, believing biblically

1045
00:43:44,982 --> 00:43:47,330
so that we can act biblically
as we go.

1046
00:43:48,030 --> 00:43:49,718
This isn't an easy message, right?

1047
00:43:49,774 --> 00:43:51,690
Because you don't often think
about thinking.

1048
00:43:52,040 --> 00:43:52,832
Right.

1049
00:43:53,016 --> 00:43:54,528
It's kind of like our brains.

1050
00:43:54,624 --> 00:43:55,968
God's not concerned about what
we think.

1051
00:43:56,024 --> 00:43:58,592
He's concerned about what we
do, but he is concerned about what

1052
00:43:58,616 --> 00:43:59,296
we think.

1053
00:43:59,448 --> 00:44:02,016
Our minds are a battlefield.

1054
00:44:02,208 --> 00:44:05,360
A lot of the spiritual warfare
that's happening is going on right

1055
00:44:05,400 --> 00:44:06,620
here in this world today.

1056
00:44:07,400 --> 00:44:11,392
And if we start to believe
those lies, we begin to put our feet

1057
00:44:11,456 --> 00:44:15,376
not on the solid foundation,
but we put our feet on the sand.

1058
00:44:15,568 --> 00:44:18,352
And if you notice the houses
of the.

1059
00:44:18,456 --> 00:44:21,232
You know that the parable of
the man, the men that built their

1060
00:44:21,256 --> 00:44:23,472
house upon the rock and the
man that built his house upon the

1061
00:44:23,496 --> 00:44:25,260
sand, their houses look the same.

1062
00:44:26,280 --> 00:44:28,592
Everything was okay until what happened.

1063
00:44:28,736 --> 00:44:29,700
The storms.

1064
00:44:30,840 --> 00:44:32,176
So we can all be fine.

1065
00:44:32,208 --> 00:44:32,672
But guess what?

1066
00:44:32,696 --> 00:44:34,160
The storms of life are coming.

1067
00:44:34,280 --> 00:44:37,280
And the storms of life are the
ones that are going to reveal to

1068
00:44:37,320 --> 00:44:41,152
us what we are standing on in
our truth of God.

1069
00:44:41,296 --> 00:44:42,900
What you believe about God?

1070
00:44:43,960 --> 00:44:45,580
Get into a Bible study.

1071
00:44:46,770 --> 00:44:48,954
Begin to study scriptures on
your own.

1072
00:44:49,042 --> 00:44:52,074
Get to a place in your life
where you're hungering and thirsting

1073
00:44:52,122 --> 00:44:52,938
after the Word.

1074
00:44:53,034 --> 00:44:55,150
The Word is our driving force.

1075
00:44:55,490 --> 00:44:58,874
Ultimately, it's God who is
our powerful force that is driving

1076
00:44:58,922 --> 00:44:59,738
us in the spirit.

1077
00:44:59,834 --> 00:45:01,578
But he has given us the
marching orders.

1078
00:45:01,594 --> 00:45:03,674
Remember what I said about my
children on here?

1079
00:45:03,762 --> 00:45:04,458
If I don't give.

1080
00:45:04,514 --> 00:45:04,986
Hey, guys.

1081
00:45:05,018 --> 00:45:06,122
Be good at school.

1082
00:45:06,306 --> 00:45:08,070
Well, dad, what's being good mean?

1083
00:45:09,170 --> 00:45:10,554
Well, it means this.

1084
00:45:10,722 --> 00:45:12,030
Respect your teachers.

1085
00:45:13,500 --> 00:45:15,252
It means to be honest.

1086
00:45:15,396 --> 00:45:16,564
It means to not bully.

1087
00:45:16,612 --> 00:45:18,212
It means to be truthful.

1088
00:45:18,276 --> 00:45:18,548
Right?

1089
00:45:18,604 --> 00:45:21,236
So what God has done is he
says, be good.

1090
00:45:21,388 --> 00:45:22,720
Here's how you do it.

1091
00:45:23,100 --> 00:45:26,320
But we ultimately rely on his
strength and not our own.

1092
00:45:27,020 --> 00:45:30,340
So I encourage you to think
biblically here.

1093
00:45:30,380 --> 00:45:32,164
This morning we're gonna have
a time of invitation.

1094
00:45:32,212 --> 00:45:37,796
I'm gonna ask as we move
forward here, now that you inspect

1095
00:45:37,828 --> 00:45:41,410
your life, inspect your thoughts.

1096
00:45:42,070 --> 00:45:42,990
I'll never know.

1097
00:45:43,030 --> 00:45:43,438
Your thoughts.

1098
00:45:43,454 --> 00:45:44,190
I will never know.

1099
00:45:44,230 --> 00:45:45,518
I can't see into your brain.

1100
00:45:45,614 --> 00:45:47,726
Only you and the Lord can see
your thoughts.

1101
00:45:47,918 --> 00:45:50,766
What I would encourage you
Today to think about is do my thoughts,

1102
00:45:50,878 --> 00:45:55,118
do my ideas, do my passions,
do my dreams, do they align with

1103
00:45:55,174 --> 00:46:00,702
the Word or do they align with
my desires, the world's desires?

1104
00:46:00,846 --> 00:46:04,258
Hey, now's the time for you to
say, I'm going to take every thought

1105
00:46:04,454 --> 00:46:05,946
into captivity.

1106
00:46:06,138 --> 00:46:09,562
Trust in the power of God to
pull those strongholds and give that

1107
00:46:09,586 --> 00:46:11,830
over to Christ, to be in
obedience to Him.

1108
00:46:12,130 --> 00:46:13,466
This is your time of invitation.

1109
00:46:13,498 --> 00:46:16,266
You can't think properly, though.

1110
00:46:16,418 --> 00:46:19,642
You can't be walking in the
truth of Christ unless you are a

1111
00:46:19,666 --> 00:46:22,310
believer, unless you're
walking in faith with Him.

1112
00:46:22,690 --> 00:46:26,842
So to exercise that, you must
be one who trusts in him, the One

1113
00:46:26,866 --> 00:46:28,026
who died on the cross for your sins.

1114
00:46:28,058 --> 00:46:29,584
Remember, you were bought with
a price.

1115
00:46:29,722 --> 00:46:32,276
He paid the price for you by
living that perfect life, by dying

1116
00:46:32,308 --> 00:46:35,364
on the cross for your sins, by
conquering death through the resurrection,

1117
00:46:35,412 --> 00:46:37,652
and by extending that gift of
grace to you.

1118
00:46:37,756 --> 00:46:40,980
And so this morning, you can
think properly with his strength

1119
00:46:41,060 --> 00:46:42,900
if you believe on him today.

1120
00:46:43,020 --> 00:46:45,572
And so I'm gonna ask if you're
able to stand with me, every head

1121
00:46:45,596 --> 00:46:47,316
bowed, every eye closed as the
music plays.

1122
00:46:47,348 --> 00:46:49,316
You have an opportunity to
move this morning.

1123
00:46:49,468 --> 00:46:59,598
You have an opportunity to
follow and to think biblically about

1124
00:46:59,654 --> 00:47:01,770
who God is and what he has
done for you.

1125
00:47:02,550 --> 00:47:05,290
There's so much more we could
talk about when it comes to this.

1126
00:47:05,830 --> 00:47:09,130
What it is, is it's turning
over your thoughts to Him.

1127
00:47:10,470 --> 00:47:16,290
If we're following him with
our mind, our hearts, our bodies

1128
00:47:17,110 --> 00:47:18,650
means he wants us all.

1129
00:47:19,190 --> 00:47:22,254
Give your bodies a living
sacrifice, holy acceptableness of

1130
00:47:22,262 --> 00:47:23,930
God, which is our reasonable service.

1131
00:47:24,880 --> 00:47:26,180
He wants you.

1132
00:47:28,640 --> 00:47:32,232
He doesn't need us, but he
wants us to be a part of it.

1133
00:47:32,416 --> 00:47:36,216
Where's our desire when it
comes to seeking after him today,

1134
00:47:36,368 --> 00:47:38,648
Lord, I pray that you'd be in
this time of invitation, working

1135
00:47:38,704 --> 00:47:41,608
hearts and lives challenge us
here today.

1136
00:47:41,744 --> 00:47:43,480
We ask all these things in
Jesus name.

1137
00:47:43,520 --> 00:47:44,300
Amen.

1138
00:47:44,640 --> 00:47:47,272
Thank you again for listening
to the Middletown Baptist Church

1139
00:47:47,336 --> 00:47:48,024
podcast.

1140
00:47:48,152 --> 00:47:50,236
I hope that this sermon has
been a blessing for you.

1141
00:47:50,288 --> 00:47:50,932
You.

1142
00:47:51,116 --> 00:47:52,292
If you would like to find out.

1143
00:47:52,316 --> 00:47:54,612
More information about our
church or this sermon, you can find

1144
00:47:54,636 --> 00:47:58,052
us at
middletownbaptistchurch.org or find

1145
00:47:58,076 --> 00:48:00,040
us on Facebook or YouTube.

1146
00:48:00,460 --> 00:48:05,684
You can also email me directly
at Josh Massaro, Middletown BaptistChurch.com

1147
00:48:05,852 --> 00:48:09,428
if you've enjoyed this
podcast, please subscribe and follow

1148
00:48:09,484 --> 00:48:12,520
along for future podcast and updates.

1149
00:48:12,860 --> 00:48:14,020
Thank you so much.

1150
00:48:14,140 --> 00:48:14,964
God bless.

1151
00:48:15,092 --> 00:48:16,140
Have a wonderful day.