======================================================================== (IN THE WORD) 04 - THE FLESH AND THE POWERS OF DARKNESS by Milton Green ======================================================================== Summary: The sermon emphasizes the necessity of overcoming the flesh and the powers of darkness to live a life conformed to the image of God. Duration: 53:09 Topics: "Spiritual Warfare", "Fleshly Lusts" Scripture References: Ephesians 2:1-5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ DESCRIPTION ------------------------------------------------------------------------ In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of receiving revelation from the Word of God and being willing to challenge old traditions and wrong teachings. The speaker acknowledges that some of the new insights may be a cultural shock, but encourages listeners to seek the truth in the Word of God rather than the traditions of men. The speaker also highlights the role of the powers of darkness in hiding the truth from believers and urges them to overcome through the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony. The sermon emphasizes the need to turn away from living in the lust of the flesh and instead live according to the will of God. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CONTENT ------------------------------------------------------------------------ When anyone receives revelation in the Word of God, it sometimes conflicts with what he has previously been taught. This causes you to have to deal with old traditions or wrong teaching. These tapes may contain some new light from God's Word, and it may be opposed to some traditions you have previously learned. Therefore, follow through these messages in your Bible, in sequence, in order that you may be able to make a choice for the Word of God rather than the traditions of men. This is tape number four in a series. We urge you to listen to all the tapes in the series in numerical order, so that the whole teaching can be received and understood. Listening to a part of the series or to the tapes out of sequence can lead to a misunderstanding of the nature, the intent, and the importance of this series. Right now, when you go ahead and you let your heart go to the lust of the flesh, like I was talking on forgiveness toward Bob, or, you know, probably these things like that. Now look what I'm doing. I'm letting my heart turn from the Lord and the Spirit, being led by the Spirit, and I'm letting my heart turn toward the lust of the flesh. Isn't that right? So when I do that, I'm sowing to the flesh. Is that right? So when I'm sowing to the flesh, God said, you're gonna reap. Because he's not mom. And the fact that you reap is that in that area, the hedge comes down and the enemy can come in on you, and he wars against your mind, will, and emotions. Now, do you see that? Hey, shake your head. All right. Now, in verse 8, For the one who sows to his own flesh, that's the way he's living, shall from the flesh reap what? Now, do you remember what we read in 2 Peter 1? That through the Word, and walking in the Word, and through these promises, we have a new walk. We no longer, we're not walking after the lust of flesh, but we've got a new nature. Do you ever see them say, they say, well, that's just my nature. I can do anything. It's all right. I may act like a devil. No, you have a new nature. Through these promises, you have a divine nature, and you escape the corruption of this world by lust, because the people that's in the lust of the world are puppets. They're under control of the powers of darkness. The only way you get rid of the powers of darkness and their control over you is to die of the lust of the flesh. Is that strong? Now, that's the only way you can be. I don't care where it's front row, back row, platform. I'm telling you, you just fall after it, and the fleshly sin strikes back at God's right to control your life, and it's an open door for the powers of darkness. They can work in that any area that you refuse. Now, the Lord puts a hedge around you and everything, as long as you live an overcoming life, and you overcome these things as the Lord leads you to them. But when you become rebellious, and you won't overcome these areas in your life, and you're rebelling toward God, He'll let the hedge down, and they'll come and war against your mind, will, and emotions in that area where you won't overcome it. Now, for the one who sows to his own flesh shall from the flesh reap corruption, verse 8, but the one who sows to his spirit... It sounds like here's the opposite, doesn't it? But the one who sows to the spirit shall from the spirit reap what? It sounds like eternal life is better than corruption, doesn't it? Now, let me just tell you something, folks. While we've been ignoring the powers of darkness, that's not what the Scripture said, is it? But while we've been ignoring... They've perverted many, many things. They've been perverting feeling, deliverance, holiness. They've been perverting salvation. They've been perverting many things. So what I suggest to you, you look back here and know from whom you've learned whatever you know what you know. Now, that shouldn't have been anybody if they were held together by truth, should it? I'm telling you, you'd better let this lead you in all truth. Jesus better be the one to lead you in all truth. All right, now, but the one who sows to the spirit shall from the spirit reap eternal life, and let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary. Now, that's kind of plain, isn't it? Remember, and I want you to remember what we looked at in Romans 13. We put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and we make no provision for the lust of the flesh. When we're walking after... Let me ask you something. Do you think walking after the lust of the flesh is walking after sin? Check your head. Let me try over here. Do you think walking after the lust of the flesh is walking after sin? Absolutely. The lust of the flesh is sin, isn't it? Okay. See, we make no provision for the lust of the flesh, but we die to the lust of the flesh. And we receive a new provision that the Lord has made, that God has made through Jesus Christ. This provision leads us in the image and likeness of God back to the image and likeness of God where we've been in the image and likeness of Satan. Do you follow me? Now, the sin of man today is refusing to accept this provision that God has made for us to get rid of the old sin nature. Are you hearing me? The sin of man today is to refuse the provision that God has made in Jesus Christ for us to get rid of the old sin nature, walking and talking like Satan. And when we reject in the walking covenant with the Lord Jesus Christ as Lord, that means that we choose to... and enjoy walking and talking and acting like Satan. We choose to remain in the image and likeness of Satan. Now, when a person chooses to remain in the image and likeness of Satan, what's in his heart? Where's his heart? That's where he chooses to remain. See, he finds his portion in this world, living for his flesh, the carton, and that's a temporal thing. So we're supposed to be... the process that the Lord has called us back in the covenant is to bring us back in the image and likeness of God. From the image and likeness of Satan where Adam fell to, which is your nature, where you're led, your heart goes to the lust of your flesh when you're born in this world. Now, this process, did you know that Jesus came as the example to lead us? And we're to suffer, He suffered. We walk as He walked. And here's an example of Him being Lord and us listening to Him. This is what He said, I mean, when you become one with God, you don't come on your own terms. God has a few conditions for you when you come to be one with Him. And so this process of Jesus being Lord of your life, once again in Romans 8, 29, it's that you be conformed to the image of Jesus, which is the image and likeness of God. You'll be changed. Old things have passed away. You'll walk in newness of life. Now, I want to ask you, how is anybody... how is anybody going to be conformed to the image and likeness of God that their heart goes after the lust of the flesh? That's where they live. That's where their heart is. How can I be transformed in the image and likeness of God if I'm not resisting the devil and dying to the flesh? Will you please tell me how that is? I want to ask you that again. How can I be conformed to the image of Jesus or the image of the flesh? I want to ask you something. Who is it that hides truth from your minds? Who is it that hides truth? They're doing it all the time, every day, folks. There's plenty of them to go around. They're talking to you all the time. Now, when you understand this... See, this... Some of these things are a cultural shock. But this is the way it is. And we're going to look at it right here. Now, you'll see this if you see these things in the Word. Because there's a bunch more. See, we're just... I wish we'd get day one and two by. I like to get over in three and four and five. I'll be glad we can do this for five days. Now, I'll tell you who it is that hides the truth from us. It's the ones we've been ignoring. The powers of darkness. Now, you know we overcome with the blood of the Lamb, the Word of our Testament. We love not our... That's the way you overcome them. Love not your flesh. And anyone... Jesus said, anyone who wishes to come after Me, that's in Mark 8. It's on your list there. You have to deny yourself, take up your cross. In other words, what it is, it's a walk of death. And a walk of death, you suffer in it. But that's where the glory is. And when you resist temptations of the flesh... Let me tell you something to process, folks. That's where the anointing grows on you. As you resist the flesh and temptations come on you, each time you do that, you get promoted. The Lord can trust you more and more, and He just lets more of His Spirit. And I'm going to come to a place here, and I'm going to show you in a word right here. I'm going to share with you in a word right here. Well, the power is not in the church today. Just plain. And I'm getting close to it right now. So we take up our cross. We deny ourselves. What do you deny yourself? You deny your carton. Live a life to your carton. You live for the heavenly. Let me ask you something. What about this? In that same Scripture there, it says, Whoever wishes... Now, look at me. Whoever wishes to save his life, or carton, is going to lose it. Isn't that interesting? But whoever loses his life, dies to this flesh, carton, is the one that's going to save it. Now, let me ask you something. Is that what your Bible says? Did these things just get dropped in there to analyze, and just reject everything that comes against the flesh? When you reject everything that comes against the flesh, you're giving the powers of darkness come and go as they want to. That's where they're working at. That's why you hadn't recognized them. You'd been in agreement with them. You never know that the devil's talking to you because he's telling you how to take advantage of everything in this world for your flesh. That's why you don't recognize these thoughts up there. They tell you how to take advantage of everything. That's a flesh walk. That's why the world out there, to see if they like it, flesh likes it. Because everything Satan is, the flesh is, the lust of the flesh is. But see, while they're listening, they've got a little secret thing that's happening to you. They're cutting you down. You're a tree of the field. We're going to look and see that they're tree cutters later on. They're cutting your tree down. When you're listening to the powers of darkness, death is working in you. It's death. Now, folks, remember now, I think it just happened. I'm not saying these things because I'm starting something new, okay? I'm saying what we're saying right here and getting this word in is for you to have an understanding. And when you have an understanding, I'm going to tell you what, you can walk away from here and you can say in the name of Jesus, you know what you're talking about because of the Word of God. Amen? And a lot of things on your kids and in your family, folks, and around and hurting people and everything, you don't have to tell them to hang in there no more. Or pray that they'll die comfortably. I'm going to tell you something, folks. God has opened their eyes. I didn't have any problem telling you right there, pulling these glasses up here. I could tell you some pretty good stories about, you know. But there's a lot of things I don't know. I can only share with you what I know. I don't have to know everything. But let me tell you something. Nobody else knows everything either. I'm just a part. You're a part. I'm important. I'm part of Jesus. Aren't you? See, Satan saw that he couldn't stop the church with persecution. That persecution just makes you stronger and closer. So what he's now doing, he's been seducing the church to conform and be like the world, which he already controls. You get like the world, he's got you. You get the world and the church. So while the church in the past years has been ignoring Satan and the powers of darkness, the demons, Satan has been changing the gospel of grace into a social gospel. We start building houses besides building up this house. We look for other fruit besides the fruit of this house. I want you to know this is a temple, folks. We start getting other fruit besides it. Now, Satan has perverted a lot of things. Now, this is no reason why anybody should be defensive about it. If I can show you in a word, what are you defending? What are you protecting? Why would you be upset about it, see? You shouldn't be offended. Wait and see if it lines up in a word. If it doesn't line up in a word, you're supposed to correct me, aren't you? Why don't you write me a little note there and correct me, and if I'm saying I'm wrong, I'll sure get to it and just give it to Scott or whatever and everything. I'll repent. Because I'm telling you, before God, I'm not going to say anything exaggerated or anything to say what God said. Now, I've had a very good advantage over a lot of you, and many of you, where you've been for years, you're seeing people set free all over the place. And when you see people set free and they're walking with Jesus and see them set free from the powers of darkness, and you see that this is the way that they got in there, it's a beautiful, wonderful thing. Because I'm going to tell you, you will not walk with Jesus until you're free from these compulsions of the flesh. Those things are just pulling levers on you. Now, by the way, this is good news. It's not bad news. This is good news. I'm sharing with you good news. This is good news for those that receive it. It's bad news for those that don't. Now, why did the Lord say, Keep yourself unspotted from the world? There ain't much reason to do that. Keep yourself unspotted from the world? We know in James 4, I won't turn there, but it said, What does the Lord say to whoever is a friend of the world and makes himself an enemy of God? My friend ain't a friend of the world. He walks and talks like a world, doesn't he? Isn't that right? That's where the flesh wants to live. This is on your notes there, 1 John 5, All the power of this world lies in the hands of the evil one. In other words, Satan. All the power of this world lies in the hands of Satan and the powers of darkness. All the power of this world. Is that plain? And we're going to see how. Do you recall in Luke 4 that Satan said, Luke 4, 5, 6, Satan said, told Jesus, When he's been temptated, I'll give you all the kingdoms of the world if you'll bow down and worship me. You'll get a little visit like I never do to get your heart to go after these things. See, there are things in the world that you need. Automobiles, and stone, wood, and everything. But you know what the powers of darkness try to do? To get your heart toward it. See your heart. I'll explain it to you a little later. See, in other words, when Satan came to Jesus and told him he'd give him all the kingdoms of the world if he'd bow down and worship him, what Satan was doing, he claims rulership of the world and Jesus didn't dispute it with him. He didn't dispute it. Now, I want to ask you something. How aware are you when you get up each morning, how aware are you that you live in the midst of an evil system controlled by God's enemies out there? Because that's just exactly what your Bible says. It says if you're a friend of it, you're an enemy of God. Now, see, Satan uses the world system. He uses the world system against you to get your heart. He uses the lust of the flesh to get a person to live for himself and be the Lord of his own life. That's why he talks to you, to get you. Now, I think I'll just give... You know, I'll give you... See, I'll give one example about something that... How they come and talk to you, you know, read newspapers and so forth. Sometimes I share about this. I just want to share about it again. Have you ever seen anybody have a car fever? Car fever. Got to have it. All right, let me just share something. Now, the reason I want to point this out to you, I'm just going to give you some examples of some little things in just your everyday walking life that get you programmed and everything. How they just steal your heart right there and get you... A proud person is satisfied and a satisfied person don't need God. Proud folks, God needs them. You hear me? Let me show you. Now, I see that red car. That red convertible. That red piece of steel. And all of a sudden, as I look my lust in my eyes here, it begins working. I see that. And then that... As I look at that red piece of steel, I hear these pictures come in my mind. And it shows me, when I get near Sally, how she's going, how I'm going to look in that red piece of steel. And how I just go through town. How I get around the fence in different places. These pictures come and show me how I look, how I'm going to be something. Somebody. When I get in that red piece of steel. And after these pictures, now they're talking to you. Folks, I'm telling you the truth. In Jesus' name, I'm talking to you. I'm telling you the truth. And in little small things like that, they're getting in your heart. And that is the lust of eyes. Because see, you need an automobile to ride around with in this day and time. And you can do it. You need them. But see, that automobile, that rusting piece of steel, don't need to get your heart. See how perverted it is? Because you're looking at that red... The enemies we're talking to, and he's getting that piece... That red piece of steel and the pride of life to make this... This red piece of steel is going to take you through the world and make you somebody. Are you seeing? Proud. And so finally, he just draws all those pictures and how good you're going to look and how you're going to be accepted and received by everybody when you get in that red piece of steel. And then all of a sudden, a little thought comes there. I've got to have that red piece of steel if I work three jobs. I mean, you've got to have it. I mean, it's got you. And you go to... You got to wait until the next day. How can I wait until the next day? And all night, you're just about to stay awake thinking about that red piece of steel. Here comes those pictures you're knowing. The demons are just bouncing off the wall. They just laugh as they talk to you there and get you so lifted up in your boastful pride of life. You go get that red piece of steel and you don't have much time to drive around. You have to work all the time. But you get a little old trip, pride trip, everything, you know, every time you jump in it because that makes you somebody. You want nothing before you had that red piece of steel. That red piece of steel is already rusting and then you decide, well, you know, I need to go kind of get me some clothes and so forth. So, you get in your red piece of steel. You drive into the clothing store and you start to pull in and something says, won't you pull over a little bit? They can see you a little better inside if you... That's them. So, you just kind of kind of swerve around here and kind of pull over here where some folks can kind of see you a little better when you get out of your red piece of steel. You go on in to the clothing store and you find you a coat and as you look at that coat pictures start coming again and you start seeing that how you're going to look and what a success you're going to be in that cotton. That cotton that's already rotten, rusting steel. Then something has got your heart right here. You try it on and you find a mirror and you go over and look at it and something up there tells you you've got the prettiest carton in town. There's nobody like you. Nowhere. Now you've got your red piece of steel and you've got your rotten, your rusting steel and your rotten cotton. That's why they laugh at you. Powers of darkness. Now, I'm very honest you know, I'm kind of I'm very honest with you. I'm going to tell you until you probably have a chance to kind of get in this a little more. Why don't you just kind of put that on the shelf there and let the Lord confirm this. That couldn't be that way. Well, jump in. It is that way. It's exactly the way it is. All right, now. Flesh agrees with Satan. Turn to 1 John 2, please. 1 John 2. 1 John 2. Now, we're going to look at how Satan controls the world and the people of the world. We're going to look at it. If you will, please. Verse 15. Now, you got your scissors with you? If you run into something you don't like, remember, just cut it out. Now, it says in 15, Do not love the world. Look at me. Here they are. Oh, God knows I have to live in this world. He wants me to have the best. Have God really said, Yes, you just read it. Listen. Listen, folks. You're going to live in this world, but your heart doesn't go to the world. You understand what I mean? You know, this world is phony as a $3 bill. Do you ever notice that? All the roles that this world finds you to play. Are you always supposed to be something? Be noticed? Play games? They're your puppets! Do not love the world nor the red pieces of steel in the world. That's what it's saying. You understand? Now, look at me. Look at me. I need some clothes to wear. I need an automobile to ride in. If it hadn't gotten there, they're not the ones that are taking me through this world and making me something. I'm something in Jesus. Now, I used to live that way when they talked to me and my heart made me something. I mean, my heart went after something so I could be something. Now, I use these things and I appreciate these things and I've prospered in these things but they haven't got my heart. The Lord has given me some pretty good things and I don't have any of them. I can't give up right now. None of them. Not any of them. And that's grace. Nothing to boast about except the grace of God. It's the grace of God to even know the difference. But right here in 15 it said, do not love the world or the things in the world. Now, let me ask you, are you hearing what they're saying? That's going to tell you why to not love the world or the things in the world. I need some clothes to wear. I need an automobile to ride in. But it hadn't gotten me there. They're not the ones that's taking me through this world and making me something. I'm something in Jesus. Now, I used to live that way when they talked to me and my heart made me something. I mean, my heart went after something so I could be something. Now, I use these things and I appreciate these things and I've prospered in these things but they haven't got my heart. The Lord has given me some pretty good things and I don't have any of them. I can't give up right now. None of them. Not any of them. And that's grace. Nothing to boast about except the grace of God. It's the grace of God to even know the difference. But right here in 15 it said do not love the world or the things in the world. Now let me ask you are you hearing what this is saying? It's going to tell you why to not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world I want you to get ready. Here's another one for the refrigerator. If you love the world the love of the Father is not in you. Is that what your Bible says? Unless you've said your words or unless you're a Methodist. Unless you're a charismatic. Where's your heart? With a heart man believing in the right. Do you understand that this whole thing might be a little more serious than any of us? Have thought it to be? Do you ever think about that folks? And then maybe some of us have got a little light some others have not and you kind of know it. Well immediately they start talking to you about spiritual pride they set you down and right there and then your heart gathers around a little truth and there you count perverted. See the body of Christ there's some of us up the road there's some of us down the road but God has put us here to love and help one another folks. The last to come first and the first to come last we don't know anything about the place. Know each other at the place. There's no big shots in it. Have you received that yet? If you don't you're going to stay in bondage to men. Do you hear me? Why see a man whose breath is in his nostril? Who's he? Who's man? That's just God speaking. He can do a bunch. He's smart. Who's going to get you? That's a bunch of lies. Who's going to get you? Don't harm him who follows after that which is good. If anything can intimidate you it's got you. If anything make you fearful it's got you. You're in bondage your problem's right there. See right here where I'm pointing at right there is what's got you. Fear and intimidation comes from the devil. Let me tell you something. When you don't fear God you're afraid of everything. And when you fear God you're not going to be afraid of anything else. Because when you learn the fear of God you understand there's nothing else to be afraid of. Now there's a difference in fear of God and fear of the devil. See we've been programmed to fear of the devil because we've been programmed by Hollywood and television and Inquire and things like that. You get those kinds of words you start eating those kinds of words and taking those things to heart and the devil's got you. I want to show you something. Boy it's going to be a beautiful thing. Boy I just love the Lord's Word. Isn't it something? Isn't it amazing? It's just amazing how God's Word sets us free. Well let's go on. It says something else here. Do not love the world of things in the world if your land loves the world the love of the Father is not in Him. Sixteen for all all all all all is in the world. Now here it comes. The lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life who I know who I am and what I've done. Hey listen to me. You know how we've been programmed to kind of drop it on somebody just well I know so it's a bang. Well I did bang this. You know just just you know just kind of just let them know I've got a four bedroom for all Oh my it's time to laugh. You know what Jeremiah 10 14 says I'm not going to turn there but I just want to tell you it said all mankind is stupid and devoid of knowledge. That's why we laugh. God's right after all wasn't He? We just found out He's right. I mean they make puppets out of you. So there it is. The lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life. Later on we're going to see that that's how these three things right there that brought about the fall of Adam. Now we run into something else. These things are not from the world father but it's from the who. This lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes the boastful pride of life. Where's it from? It's from the world. So that's the reason it says so it's good reason to say not love the world but love all the things in the world right? Alright now look here watch it watch me right there. When I lived in the natural that's where my heart went my garden and I I I lived after the the I found the temporal things of the world that's where the lust of the flesh goes to because it finds things in the world to make it something. This flesh wants I got that pride in there so I slip a little red car on this flesh and it's something. Slip a red coat on somebody and it's something. I didn't say blue did I? Alright now verse 17 The world is passing away and also it's what? He said it's gone folks I'm telling you it's all all the lust is headed for destruction Amen? Well it's being destroyed right now. The world is passed away also it's lust but the one who does what? Why don't you circle that about four times we keep running this over and over the one who does the will of God is the one at what? Alright now folks are you seeing that we're seeing people who walk after the flesh and then reaping corruption and we're seeing the ones that do in the will of God is eternal life does it sound like covenant is something to walk in rather than analyze? Huh? Did the Lord in all his wisdom send a book down here for us to analyze and speculate about and vote on? Huh? You know we're only going to wonder what God's doing we go get four opinions and take a majority out of it and do it instead of finding out what God wants right? Okay I don't want to turn to it but you're familiar with the scripture in Romans 12 1 and 2 it says that you make this let's turn to it turn to it Romans 12 verse 1 I urge you brethren by the mercies of God to present your bodies a living and what kind of sacrifice do you know that a holy sacrifice was one that abstained from lust of the flesh did you see that a while ago? Did we read that in 1 Peter? Shake your head It's not very holy when it's acting like Satan is it? Is your body holy when it's acting like Satan? No So we present our bodies a living holy sacrifice except of God which just is your spiritual service of worship Now look at me you make this body a living sacrifice holding except of the blood of God now listen folks you die to this so that the spirit of godliness so God's spirit can come in and you'll be a manifestation of God in the flesh that is the mystery of godliness now we've heard a lot of mystery of godliness but I'm kind of making a little more emphasis on the mystery of iniquity because we understand how the powers of darkness and everything and the sin is right? and I'm making a little more emphasis on that leave that alone you know what God's saying to him right now shut up and he's fixing so we can hear that's what he does when you witness he wants somebody to hear right there and he sees their heart kind of turned to him he tells the demon shut up so they just shut down and a man can hear are you hearing me? now I'll tell you that God is the one who can control everything there's no wisdom there's no counsel there's no understanding against God and what I'm talking about here today and I'm sharing about the powers of darkness I'm talking about getting in on the counsel of God and God and spirit and word agree is that right? now second verse and do not be what? conform the world we've always said we've always seen in first Peter as obedient children not be conformed to the flesh right? now we're saying do not be conformed to the world but be what? you're going to be transformed into the divine nature by the renewing of your mind how do you renew your mind? boys start planting this seed in here folks now the Lord he'll start taking it to heart now don't take it up here and see how smart you can be about it take it in here and make it a way of life right? and then when you take it in your heart you eat the word you take it to heart it performs its work in you because I mean you just uh when a folks seniority don't have anything to do with it when you start coming to the Lord with all your heart do you ever see a brand new brand new little old baby Christian and everything and he's come with all his heart and he don't know many scriptures or anything but he knows all his heart turned to the Lord you watch him go out and talk about Jesus and he can just say something and the Spirit of God just go all over somebody see it's not us and our intellect and our it's doing it it's the Spirit of God that works with us that's what I tell you the fruit of righteousness that's walking right in God's eyes we become a tree of life you don't have to wait until Thursday night visitation I'm telling you you can slosh all over everybody while you're getting their hair fixed what do you think about that? see because when you say you don't have to say too much the Spirit of God just moves all over he's one that did it never was us it never was us now grace is when we start finding this out I tell you I get a glimpse of it and it just does me in that's why I got so much confidence I know it's all him my confidence in the Lord I have to have okay do not be conformed this world be transformed in you in your mind that you may prove what is the what the will of God in you and it is I think and we've been reading about the will of God being opposite the flesh over and over and over and over and you're going to keep seeing over and over as a matter of fact we're going to go to a verse later on that said who goes to heaven said Benny going to come and call me Lord he said I don't know you and he goes ahead and said the one that goes to heaven is the one that does the will of God now with all the powers of darkness being ignored and left out of the scripture a lot because of the fact that we haven't had a lot of understanding because of traditions and lies and things that have been handed down to us there have been some things perverted and wrong that's why you go and find a church full of demons pastor on down are you listening to me it won't fit in a box or something like that I started out by telling you that the churches top to bottom are demonized you don't have to go very far to find that out unless you are a slanderer if you want to come to the will of God that's up to you this is God's movie nothing is going to stop it anyway so now we see why the Lord said you overcome the world of flesh and demons you also see if you're not overcoming they're overcoming you is that right alright once again I want to just tell you when you choose fleshly sin when you choose fleshly sin less the flesh you strike back at God's right to direct your life now the sins of the flesh lead you from the will of God is that plain you know this is the kind of thing that's led us to a lot of theology that God can't do nothing because he doesn't do those things through people walking out of the flesh so we get this stuff handed down to us the only things left for us to do is man sounds like humanism doesn't it honor men Jesus at one time said how can you believe when you honor one another and do not seek the honor from the one and only God amen alright the whole world is slaves of demons and sons of disobedience did I already tell you that now if you're a son of disobedience you can sit in a church and be a church member and be a son of disobedience you understand that don't you ok so the whole world lives for themselves and their flesh trying to control the powers of darkness I want to show you that in a word please turn to Ephesians 2 please Ephesians 2 well I tell you what I just want to tell you and I sure am enjoy being with this with you well I'm just telling you I'm just looking all over the place and just seeing the love of Jesus all over this place I really am I'm telling you what I praise this name well I tell you it's so encouraging to see people that love Jesus and his word like I'm seeing in Ephesians 2 I want you to make yourself a little note there in Ephesians 2 you know Amplified Bible is alright to read the Amplified Version and this would be particularly interesting to you to just put Amplified right there just right under where it says Chapter 2 just put Amplified Bible because later on you just want to pick this up and read it Amplified in verse 1 and you were dead will you please circle were dead now I'm going to tell you what it's talking about you were dead before Jesus Christ became your Lord that's what it's talking about have you got it circled now I want to ask you don't get ahead of me don't read over these other things because we're going to stop at several places while you're somewhere else you're going to miss some things because we're going to look at them and you were dead in your trespasses and sins in which you what formerly walked now I want you to mark those two words formerly walked that's the way you formerly walked did I tell you about my former walk before Jesus Christ became my Lord I walked half the natural life the lust the flesh amen alright and it's something else I formerly in which you formerly walked according to the what I formerly according to the course of the world which means you are not walking according to the course of the world now is that correct you formerly walked there you were dead there when you were walking that way you're not walking there anymore is that what your bible is saying amen you formerly walked according to the course of the world according to the what the prince of power there you were dead when you were walking the course of the world and walking according to Satan the powers of darkness the demons you was formerly walked there which means you're not walking there anymore is that what it's saying alright now there you've got the world you've got Satan who is the god of this world now you're gonna look at the gods of this world and the spirit that's not capital S is it will you please mark that that's a demon spirit this is the way you formerly walked but the demon spirit that is what's that word now please circle now spirit now it's right now what's it doing right now it's working now what's that word in look at me look at me right out here it's out inside it's in are you hearing me this demon spirit you were you formerly walked you're not walking according to the course of the world anymore you were dead when you were walking he was formerly walking the course of Satan you're not walking there now he was formerly walking according to the spirits that work in inside of all the sons of disobedience in church out of church wherever do you hear me is that plain that's not real complicated is it I mean it's right there isn't it now where the sons of disobedience walk sons of disobedience walk after the lust of flesh and after Satan amen then the lust of flesh is the one that walks that follows demons the lust of flesh follows the world the lust of the flesh follows the current course of this world is that right all right now in verse 3 among them two now that's among the sons of disobedience we too all what now you formerly walked there we see in verse 2 now in verse 3 you formerly lived there which means you don't live there anymore amen you don't walk or live there anymore is that what your bible says you formerly lived in the what I can't hear you you were dead when you had master Satan as master of your life and you were walking out of the course of the world after him and the demon spirits that were working in you they were on your land controlled and controlled by them now how they controlled the lust of flesh the lust of the eyes and the brows and the pride of life you come into this I tell you now it says you formerly walked there and you formerly lived there in the lust of the flesh are you listening to me folks you formerly lived there in the lust of the flesh which means you're not living there anymore you formerly lived there it says it over and over and over now listen if we've been ignoring the powers of darkness we don't start finding we start finding out a little about it in the word you're not going to get upset about it are you because once you understand it you understand what's been tearing your head off and then all you have to do is just line your heart up with the word of God and let mercy get you in grace and get under grace and get free get your mind will and emotions free it's good now verse 3 among them we too we used to all formerly lived it means you were formerly lived in the lust of the flesh you formerly lived in the lust of the flesh it means that you're not living there anymore is that what your bible says you're not living in the lust of the flesh anymore you formerly lived there you formerly walked there after the world indulging the desires of the flesh you formerly was indulging the desires are you circling these alright good we don't have to get out that wet squirrel you formerly indulged the lust of the flesh the desires of the flesh folks is this plain and of the what whatever come in your mind or whatever desire to come in your mind right there turn right yes sir mr. satan turn left yes sir mr. satan portent of duty mr. satan now where we go to let's go over a little of greed let's go to the shopping center and lust a little bit folks who you think that talks to you when you go in those grocery stores get over around that magazine counter on those television there make you want to jump on some old channels you know and just kind of camp there a little while you're idle everything in the room points to the idle you're the latest in the devil what do you think uh what do you think those soap operas do to folks they sure make them righteous won't they if you're not if you're not got anger and immorality or anything like that you just keep letting just taking that stuff in your heart what's the word watch what you listen to what mark for you better be careful what you listen to what if you what if you receive a lot of unbelief what are you gonna get what if you're talking to a harlot it's not pure in heart come before the lord what do you think this harlot's gonna load you up with faith alright now we too all formerly lived in the lust of the flesh indulged in the desires of the flesh and the mind and were and were by nature were shook you know what kind of nature it was have you circled nature yet see you've got a new nature now you've got a divine nature you hadn't got the old nature were by nature children of wrath even as a rest and that doesn't sound like a children of god does it huh hath god really said we just read it and it says a lot more we're just getting started now let me look where are they let's turn over to the Ephesians 5 please Ephesians 5 Ephesians 5 let's let me ask you something who are we supposed to be in the image and likeness of god now watch that first verse right there therefore be imitators of god as beloved children right look in verse 3 do not let immorality or impurity or greed even be named among you it's not even be named among you it's proper among the saints do you assume what kind of language we don't walk talk and act like the world is that plain not even named now where I was going in verse 5 I thought I'd add those other two in verse 5 for this you know with certainty if god says you can know something with certainty you think it's certain either you know or you don't know if god says you can know with certainty do you think you can know it for certain here's what he says you can know for certain that no immoral or impure person or covetous man who is an adulterer has an inheritance in the kingdom and christ and god hath god really said yes sir verse 5 says says something real interesting verse 6 let no one what oh god put that in there because it might be someone who would deceive you huh something might deceive you isn't that right recognize the reason that got in verse 6 let no one deceive you shake your head alright let's see what he says about 6 let no one deceive you with what kind of words a lot of nice empty words for because of these things right there will you circle these things and run your little line up there to immoral impure covetous man or adulterer has idols in his heart because of these things the wrath of god comes upon the who there it is the sons of disobedience therefore verse 7 do not be partakers with them is that plain but you were formerly darkness which means you are not darkness anywhere when you see the light you walk in the light as he is the light what it wants to tell you over in John that you better walk in the light while you have the light because darkness is there to pursue you who do you think that darkness is but darkness is not blessings you understand now that demons are not blessings can I just drop this out here that they are curses all it takes is one demon to have any any ground in your life and you have a curse in your life all it takes is one demon right now but you were formerly darkness but now you are light in the lord walk as children of light now what does it say that word that word right there in verse 8 says walk walk that's your deed that's how you live isn't that right walk as children of light now you know it says interesting thing in 14 for this reading it says awake sleeper and arise from the dead Christ was going to shine on you thought I would throw that in I tell you what let's go back to first Corinthians 5 I want to I want to look at that I want to be a moral man just a little bit first Corinthians 5 first Corinthians 5 verse 1 all right now 1 it is actually reported that there is immorality among you and immorality of such a kindness does not exist even among the Gentiles that someone has his father's wife and you have become arrogant and have not mourned instead in order that the one who has done this deed this deed of immorality might be removed from your midst this concludes tape number 4 please fast forward this tape to return it to the beginning please proceed ======================================================================== Audio: https://sermonindex1.b-cdn.net/12/SID12614.mp3 Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/milton-green/in-the-word-04-the-flesh-and-the-powers-of-darkness/ ========================================================================