In this sermon, the speaker focuses on the importance of understanding the true nature of salvation. They caution against a destructive heresy that promotes a simplistic four-step process to enter heaven, emphasizing that salvation is not a guarantee that cannot be lost. The speaker also warns against perverting the message of salvation and developing a hatred towards others. They highlight the need for kindness, patience, and teaching aptitude, as God will judge both believers and non-believers. The sermon references biblical examples of God's judgment, such as the punishment of angels, the flood in Noah's time, and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, to emphasize the consequences of living ungodly lives. The speaker encourages believers to walk in holiness and spread the word of God, acknowledging that not everyone will receive it, but those who have a genuine love for God will be saved from God's wrath.

This is tape number eight in a series. We urge you to listen to all the tapes in this series in numerical order so that the whole teaching can be received and understood. Listening to a part of this series or to the tapes out of sequence can lead to a misunderstanding of the nature, the intent, and the importance of this series. Now folks, we've been looking at salvation and we know that we're led to a place to bear the fruit of righteousness, aren't we? And that's what Jesus Christ came here because when we come to the Lord our mouth is bearing the fruit of lawlessness and we're walking on the judgment of God's law of love and death is working in us and destruction. Now if you're in Hebrews 12, you see there that our Father, who the Lord loves, He disciplines and He reproves there in verses five and six and we also see there in verse nine that the Lord disciplines us as our Father's on earth disciplines and verse ten, we see that our Father disciplined for a short time as seen best then, but He disciplined for our good so we can remove all the lawlessness. We're no longer conformed to the former lusts but like the Holy One who called us, we're going to be holy in all our behavior and you have to remove lawlessness and that's what sanctification is in order to bear the fruit of righteousness. And we see in verse 11, all discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful but sorrowful. When you're dying and taking up your cross, it's sorrowful. Yet those who've been trained by this discipline of the Spirit afterwards is going to yield a peaceful fruit of righteousness which is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, goodness, gentleness, meekness, temperance, and faith which against such things there is no law, and that's how the law is fulfilled in Christ. We bear the fruit of righteousness. Now many people profess to know God and they have many different walks of traditions. They love the world, they love religion, but there's only a few that's going to find a narrow door. It's a small door in a narrow way, but many are going to walk the road of destruction saying they're a people of God and they're going to say, Lord, Lord, we cast out demons, prophesied, did miracles, and he said, depart from me, I never did know you. So you better beware, and I want to make you aware right now, that the Lord's Spirit does not confirm unrighteousness. And so I want you to also understand if gifts are working to a person that bears that fruit of lawlessness and he's not overcoming it and he's not being led by the Spirit of God, then what Spirit do you think is working with him? So then as we're walking in love, we're going to see in Philippians 1, when we get to it, that we come into the place of discernment. But if you look there, we see, let me just get you to turn back, hold your place and turn back to Isaiah 35. The thing in working righteousness, if you're walking in righteousness, you're fulfilling God's law, you're doing God's law, and if you're walking in holiness, you're doing God's law. And we know this is all done instinctively by being led by the Spirit of God, by our love relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. We instinctively become doers of God's law. So now as we're walking this walk and if we're finding out this truth that we're supposed to make a straight path, we're learning that we need to get on this straight path, and what is this straight path called? It's called the walk of holiness, amen? And the walk of holiness is everywhere you go, you're walking in holiness, amen? And we see in verse 3, Isaiah 35 verse 3, what are we going to do? Encourage the exhausted and strengthen the feeble and help them get up on this highway of holiness, amen? I can't hear you. Because everyone that's not been walking in the highway of holiness are being exhausted and strengthened, and that's what we were warned about in Luke 21, that you don't get involved with dissipation and the worries of this life, you better keep praying that you're going to have strength to survive all these things, amen? And then stand before the Son of God, you're going to endure to the end, is that correct? Alright, now, verse 3, encourage the exhausted, strengthen the feeble, that's what we do, that's what love does. We say to those with an anxious heart, take courage, fear not, behold, God will come with vengeance the day of the Lord, the recompense of God will come, but He will save you, Zion, from the wrath of God, that's what He's talking about. Then the eyes of the blind will be opened, are our eyes being opened? I can't hear you. Are the ears of the deaf being unstopped, are our ears being unstopped? Alright, now, are we being healed? Then the lame are going to leap like a deer, skip like a cave, and the tongue of the dumb is going to shout for joy, and the waters, that's the word of God in spiritual understanding that Daniel talked about, it's going to break forth in the wilderness. The streams in Rabah, a scorched land, the scorched land in the parable of the Word, James 1 and in Revelation is talking about the oppression of the powers of darkness. And the scorched land is going to become a pool, and the thirsty ground is going to become springs of water, this is what we're walking to. In a hone of jackal, that's where the powers of darkness have been, it's resting place, grass is going to come, reeds and rushes, the water is going to move in. And a highway is going to be there, a roadway, and it's going to be called the highway of holiness. The unclean will not travel on this highway, they can't get on it, but it's going to be for him who walks that way in holiness. And the foolish virgins, the fools are not going to wander on it. No line, no powers of darkness can get up on this highway, they can't touch anyone on it, nor will any violent beast go up on it. These will not be found there, but the redeemed will walk there, and the ransomed of the Lord will return to the Lord, and they're going to come with joyful shouting to Zion, glory be to God forevermore, with everlasting joy upon their heads, and they're going to find this gladness and joy that was taken from the house of God, and all the sorrow inside is going to flee away. Glory be to God, I wish we had some cymbals. Now we know how to go to Zion, don't we? Now let's stop back over there, and what did we see in Hebrews 12, verse 11? All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but it's going to come. I want you to remember what Jesus did right there. Verse 2, we are fixing our eyes on Jesus, just like He did on the Father. The author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him, He endured the cross. That's what you and I are doing. We've got the joy set before us, we're going to endure the cross. It seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful. Yet to those who have been trained to this discipline, after it is going to yield the peaceful fruit of righteousness, and when you get on this straight path right here, folks, all this stuff that's on us is going to start coming off. Therefore it says, verse 12, "...therefore strengthen the hands that are weak, you exhausted and feeble, and the knees that are feeble, and start making these straight paths of holiness and righteousness for your feet, so that the limb which is lame is not going to be put out of joint any more, but rather it's going to be healed walking on the highway of holiness." So we're going to pursue peace with all men. That's holiness and righteousness. And the sanctification, which is a pure heart, that's the only way you get into Zion, without which no man, no one, is going to see the Lord. Then verse 22, "...so we have come to Mount Zion," and that's where Jesus is returning to, Mount Zion, "...to his people, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and the marriage of angels, and the general assembly, if it is the church of the firstborn, who are enrolled in heaven, to the God and judge of all." And in this church, this heavenly Jerusalem in Zion, is the spirits of righteous men, who have been made perfect. The highway of holiness leads to Zion. And here are the ones who will not be on this highway. You back up and see them in verse 8. "...but if you are without discipline, of which all the sons of God have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children, you are not sons." And we see there in verse 15, see to it, "...that no one comes short of the grace of God, that no root of bitterness springs up and causes trouble, and by it many be defiled." And when bitterness springs up, you know what it does, a bitter person goes to someone else, and then you have two people bitter. These two go to four, those four go to eight, those eight go to sixteen, and it spreads all over. It is dealt with in the body of Christ. So you don't let it spread. And then verse 16, "...see to it that no immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright, which is salvation, for a single meal for fleshly desires." Don't sell your birthright of salvation for the fleshly desires. Are you seeing what I'm saying? Now, I want you to turn just real quickly, and I want you to remember an example of what unrighteousness is. Turn back to Romans 1 real quickly. Romans 1, Romans 1. And we see the fruit. I'll tell you why you do it. Just turn to Luke 8 also. Romans 1 and turn on back to Luke 8. I'm going to tell you what, when you get your Bible up in bed, and you get where you're holding about seven places at the same time, I mean, God's talking to you. Amen? I'll tell you what, I've laughed at myself. Some of the things, I've done everything to stick my toes in the Bible to kind of hold places for me. I wouldn't lose it. I knew if I lose it, if I hold that place, they're not going to let it get away from me. Amen? Glory be to God. All right, now, here we are in Romans 2, Romans 1, rather. We're going to see this fruit right here of unrighteousness. Verse 29, "...being filled with all unrighteousness," here it is, "...wickedness, greed, malice, full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice, their gossip, slanders, haters of God, insolence," all of this has worked to the flesh, "...arrogant, boastful, inventors, disobedient, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful, and although they know the ordinance of God, the commandments of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, and all they can do is the same, to give hearty approval to those who practice them." Well, right there you see it. There's the fruit of unrighteousness. Jesus comes through discipline to remove this so we can bear the fruit, so we can bear the fruit of righteousness there. "...against such things there is no law." Now, who is going to bear it? Now, how many know that that's how Jesus came to save you from the wrath of God, by getting all your sins out of the blood. And if you're not obedient to the Spirit and Word, then you die on your sins. Amen? Huh? Now, I want you to see this right here in Let Every Bang Go and turn back to Luke 8. Now, let's just see. Many are going to try to enter into the kingdom, but only a few are going to do it. And we see in verse 9, "...and his disciples," you can always, disciples, you're talking about the body of Christ, "...disciples began questioning him as to what this parable," they're talking about the parable of the Word, "...what it might mean. And," verse 10, "...and he said, I to you, disciples, is it being granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest, in order that," and this is the message that's trying to tell the church, "...in order that seeing they may not see spiritually, and hearing they may not understand spiritually." They can't see, hear, or understand. And that was Isaiah 6 we're talking about. And so go and tell them. Now, verse 11. Now, the parable is this. The seed is the Word of God. And those beside the road of holiness, are those who hear the Word of God. Look at me. Everything we do, wherever we go, we're walking on the road of holiness. Look at me. Somebody's not looking. We're walking the road of holiness, and we speak the Word. We speak the seeds of God everywhere we go. Amen? We speak the Word of God. We scatter the seed everywhere we go. And some of this seed, the Word that you share, fall on hardened hearts. Some of them may have no desire to know God. Some of them, their hearts are in the world. Amen? This is what you're fixing to see, the ones that get saved. There's only one of them that gets saved. He has a heart that loves God with all his heart. He's the only one that's saved from the wrath of God. The rest of them die in their sins. Now I want you to see it. First one right there, verse 11. Verse 12. And those beside this road of holiness are those who hear the Word of God. Then the powers of darkness, the devil, comes and takes away the Word from their heart. Why? He calls them to love something else more, so that they may not believe and be what? They deny the power. The Word can't wash you. If you deny the Word, if the Word's taken out of your heart, then it can't wash you. Right? It only comes into your heart when you love the Lord with all your heart. Now in verse 13. And those on a rocky soul, these are the ones that have a hardened heart. And those, when they hear the Word of God, they receive the Word with joy, and these have no firm root in the Lord Jesus Christ. So they believe for how long? I can't hear you. They believe for a while. Once again, here's once saved, always saved. They believe for a while. And in time of temptation, when the powers of darkness tempt them, offer them things they can love more than God, what do they do? They fall away. Isn't that something? And now in verse 14. And the seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones that hear the Word of God and they go whose way? Their way, their own business, farm, oxen, and they are choked with what? The worries and the riches and the pleasures of this life, and they bring no fruit to what? Uh-oh. Now let me ask you something. Everybody look at me. Is the evangelist, pastor, prophet, teacher, are they supposed to bring us the unity of the faith to be the mature man? To the same fulness of stature which is Christ? Well, you've got to teach some people about the world right there, because they're never going to make it with the world and the church. Obviously, are they? Then the only one that makes it right here is in verse 15. He's the only one that's saved. Here's salvation. And the seed that's sown in a good soul, that's a man that has a sincere heart, these are the ones who hear the Word of God in an honest and a good heart. They have a good heart. It really loves the Lord, and when you really love the Lord, you welcome this Word and you hold it fast, and then it bears fruit of righteousness. With what? You walk in perseverance. Is that what we saw over in Revelation 14? The saints, they persevere by doing the commandments of God and holding the testimony of Jesus? Is that what we saw? Now, let's turn back to Matthew 13. And they overcome. There you overcome the devil. But the blood of the Lamb and the Word of your testimony and love not your life, fleshly life, unto death. Amen? Matthew 13. Now, did I tell you that the powers of darkness were the scorched, caused the scorched places? I'm going to show you this to you in just a minute, okay? Well, let me just read it to you, verse 6. Let's, verse 5. Another fell on the rocky soil. This is a hardened heart. These are the people that hear the Word of God and they've got hardened hearts, and they do not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up because they had no depth of soil. And when the sun has risen, now, here comes the heat and the fire, they were scorched. And because they had no root in the Lord Jesus Christ, they just withered away. You see what I'm saying? Now, we'll come to hardened heart and you're going to see that the scorched places, that the powers of darkness is to bring persecution and affliction against you. Now, let's look at verse 10. And the disciples came and said to him, Jesus, why do you speak to that multitude out there in parables? And he answered and said to them, to you, disciples, it's been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted to everyone else. Only disciples can, because, see, are you already seeing? Unless you have a good heart turned to the Lord, you can't see, hear, and understand. You're not going to be able to hold on to this Word. Now, you can hear it and you can be joyful for a little while. You can do a backflip and you can just ooh and ah, but you're not going to be able to hold on to this Word unless the Lord really has your heart. Amen? For whoever has spiritual understanding, it said, to him shall more be given and he shall have an abundance, but whoever does not have understanding, even what he has is going to be taken away from him. The powers of darkness do that. Therefore I speak to this multitude in parables, because while seeing they do not see, while hearing they do not hear, nor do they have understanding. Now, that's what happens to people who walk in the form of godliness. They do not have understanding. They're ever learning, never able to come to the knowledge of truth. God lets blinders be on them. There's a veil over their eyes. I don't care how nice folks they seem to be, but if God doesn't have their heart, they can't see, hear, and they can't understand. And in their case, the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says, you will keep on hearing, you will not understand. You will keep on seeing, but you will not perceive. Isn't that what we saw a little earlier back in Isaiah? Is that right? For the heart of this people who are not disciples become dull, and with their ears they scarcely hear, and they close their eyes, lest they should see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and they'd repent, and then they'd repent of unrighteousness, and then they'd start walking in Christ, and then I should heal, and then the blessings of God would be on them. But blessed are your eyes, disciples, because they're going to see in your ears, because they're going to hear. Does everybody follow that? Now, is that exactly what we tied together earlier over in Isaiah 6, when he comes looking for the fruit? Amen? Now, I hope you're thinking about that. Now, look at verse 18. Here, then, the parable of the sower. Verse 19, When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, now, here's how you can keep from being saved from the wrath of God. When anyone hears the words of the kingdom and does not understand it, he doesn't have understanding because his heart's not turned toward God. And the powers of the darkness, they just come immediately, and they snatch away what has been sown in his heart. This is one to whom the seed was sown beside the road of holiness. Do you hear me? Did you hear me? Verse 20, And the one whom the seed was sown on the rocky places, now, this is where the scorched places come, this is a man, he hears the word of God, and immediately he receives it with joy, joy, joy, oh, joy, joy, joy. Yet, he has no firm root in the Lord Jesus Christ because of his old hardened heart, he's not loving the Lord with all his heart in himself. But he's only temporary, he only believes for a while, and then when the affliction and the persecution, the powers of darkness bring against him, rises because of the word of God, immediately, which direction does he go? I can't hear you. He falls away from the faith. Why does he fall away from the faith? Because he loves the approval of man, or he loves other things more than he does God. He falls away from the faith. Can I tell you something? This man is not saved no matter what anyone ever tells him. I want you to always remember what the Greek is for falling away. Falling away. Falling away got in the Bible because you can fall away. Now, I want you to hold your place and turn to Hebrews 3. Praise God. And let's see some of these things. Hebrews 3. Now, we got some people here that's kind of walking in holiness. Hebrews 3, verse 1. Hebrews 3, verse 1. Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, look in verse 6. But Christ was faithful as a son over his house, whom house we are, if we hold fast our confidence, holy brethren, and the boast of our hope firm until what? Here until the end. Now, you look in verse 12. Take ears, brethren. No, I missed something. Let's look in verse 8. Do not harden your hearts, like he's talking about in the parable of the Word. Don't have any rocky soul, as when they provoked me after the day of trial in the wilderness. Don't have a hardened heart. Then look in verse 12. Take care, brethren, lest there should be in anyone an evil, unbelieving heart, which we saw in verse Peter 2. And then you fall away. You fall away. You are holy, brethren, and then you fall away from the living God. Is that what your Bible says? Verse 14. For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm unto the end. Is that right? Now, I'm going to just make this brief. Let's look in Hebrews 5, verse 8. Although Jesus was a son, verse 8, he learned obedience from the things which he suffered. Are we supposed to walk as he walked? Verse 9. And having been made perfect, was he made perfect? Did he love the Lord with all his heart and his neighbors as himself? Are we to love one another as Christ loved us? And having been made perfect, we're going to be made perfect also. And that's what you call a mature man. And he became to all those who obeyed the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, the source of salvation. It didn't say all those that believed that Jesus Christ was the Son of God and died on the cross. It said all the ones that obeyed him. Amen? Now, we look in verse 13. For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. You've got to move on. If you're going to be saved, verse 14, you've got to go on and be a mature man. You can't retire as a babe or a child. As doctrines tell you, you can be a carnal Christian. It's a lie. Verse 14. But solid food is for the what? The mature man. And that's what Paul was trying to tell them over in 1 Corinthians 2 and 3. Right? Solid food is the mature man. You'd better get away from that strife and jealousy and move on in these things. Solid food is for the mature. Who because of what? They practice righteousness, have their senses trained to discern. They discern good and evil. Isn't that right? Now, that's what we're all to do. You don't retire back in 1 Corinthians 3. The Bible keeps going, doesn't it? The whole book of Hebrews is telling you how to be perfect and saved. That's what it is. Do you remember what we saw when you finally get over to Hebrews 12? It's telling you how to be perfect and bear the fruit of righteousness. Amen? Hebrews 6, verse 1. Therefore, let's leave these elementary teachings about Christ and let us press on to what? We're going to press on to what? Maturity is what salvation is. Amen? That's the holiness and righteousness. What is it called, elementary teaching? Verse 2. Of the instruction about washings and laying on the hand of resurrection of the dead. That's elementary things. The thing that you do is press on to maturity. And the false teaching and the false prophets and the false signs and wonders and everything today are trying, the purpose of the devil is to keep you and to entice your heart to not be the mature man. You camp around partial truths or some of the byproducts of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen? Let's go on to verse 4. For in the case, let's don't act like this is not in there now. For in the case of those who have once been enlightened by the word of God and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been partakers of the Spirit of God. Amen? The Spirit of God was in them. And having tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come and then have fallen away from the faith, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucified themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame. Now let me ask you, turn over to Hebrews 10 and hold your place. Is this exactly what we saw in verse 26? See, when you're walking with the Lord and pressing on to maturity, you don't fall away to practice sin. Is that right? If we go on sinning willfully, verse 26, after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sin, but a certain terrifying expectation of judgment. Verse 29, How much severer punishment do you think that he will deserve whose trample underfoot the Son of God and then regard as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he is sanctified and insulted the Spirit of grace? Now that's exactly what it's saying right there. You put the Son of God to shame, that His blood is not sufficient. Amen? That's what happens when you turn away from God to practice sin. Now let me make you aware of something. When you fall away, it's impossible to renew you to repentance. That's when you fall away to the point your heart becomes so hardened that the Word of God can't work in you anymore. You know, I'm going to give you an example of that after I get through right here. I'll show you something. Now verse 7, For ground, and we're back in Hebrews 6, verse 7. For ground, where's the ground at, folks? Where's the land at? Our hearts, right? Look at me, folks. Right here's your ground. You know, the rain comes out of heaven to give us word. You see that you put the seed in here and then the rain comes out of heaven. You have to water the seed for it to grow, right? But if you don't get the rain out of heaven, you're going to bear this fruit up here, the other one right there. Isn't that right? Okay, now. For the ground, all right, I'm going to read this all over again so we've got it in context. Let's go to verse 4. For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and taste the heavenly gift and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit of God, they've tasted the good word of God and the powers of age to come, and then have fallen away from the faith. They become tempted, their hearts turn away. It is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify themselves to the Son of God and put Him to open shame. For the ground, or the heart, that drinks the rain which often falls upon it, it brings forth vegetation that means love. Just write it in here. That's what the mature person does. It is going to bring forth love, and it's useful for those whose sake it's also tilled, and what are they going to receive for bringing forth this love? The blessings from God. That's what covenant is. Amen? Now let's go on to the next person there. But here's the opposite of it. If this ground here yields what? Thorns and thistles like we saw in Matthew 7, like we saw in Isaiah 5. It's a worthless land. Is that correct? It's worthless. And they're on their way to hell as they descend jubilant into it. And that's where we've been walking. But if it yields thorns and thistles. Now you remember thorns and thistles. Hold up your hand. The thorns and thistles, it is worthless. It's close to being cursed. In other words, if you begin yielding these thorns and thistles, you're close to being cursed. And if you don't repent and turn around, you're going to end up being burned in the fire. Isn't that real simple? But beloved, we're convinced of better things concerning you besides thorns and thistles. And the things that accompany true salvation. That's the reason we're speaking this way. Now I want to show you how false teaching leads you to hell. Hold your places right there. In Matthew 13, we're going to come back there. But I want you to turn to 2 Peter 2. And I want you to see something. Now verse 20. 2 Peter 2, verse 20. For if after you have escaped the what? The defilement of the world. Now defilement of the world is hearts that are walking and rebelling to God. Is that right? That's what defilement is. Have we already seen that? Somebody shake your head. For if after you've escaped the defilement of the world, and that's what we saw in 2 Peter 1 and 4, by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and then you're again entangled back in the world, and you're overcome, the last state has become worse for you than what? Than the first. For it would be better for you to have never known the way of righteousness, search the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from what? To turn away from what? To turn away from what? Delivered to them. You know, it's just been laying there all the time. Isn't it amazing? We never could. Isn't it amazing that all the smart and intellectual and academics and all that's come through these ages, that we're so smart, can't even see something so simple in the Word. You can't see anything in the Word of God unless the Spirit of God opens your eyes. Amen? The defilement of the world is when you turn from the Holy Commandments and you turn back to the world. Now you know how the Lord describes this right here? It's like a dog. According to the Paul book, it's like a dog who returns to its vomit when you go back to the world. It's like a sow. You know, you're like a pig. After you get washed with the Word of God, then you go jump right back in the pig pen. Now let me ask you something right here. Why would it say that it'd been better off for you to have never known the way of righteousness than having known it, to turn back to the world? For this reason. Since you've known the way of righteousness and you've turned away from righteousness, you've turned back to the world, your heart has become so hardened that the Word no longer works in you. Whereas if you never had known the way of righteousness, you never had known the truth, then so you could hear the teaching of the gospel and you could know the truth and there'd be some chance for you to be saved. But since you've already known it and turned from it, you've committed sin unto death because your heart has become so hardened the Word can't even come in no more to wash you so you can be born again through the living and abiding Word of God. That's the Word and the Spirit. Let me see that. Hold up your hand. Now, what is it that leads people into a place where their hearts become so hardened and leads them into the sin of death? Those teachers that teach these destructive heresies right here. False doctrines. And I want to show it to you. Go back in that same chapter there to verse 1. But false prophets also rose among a people just as there will also be false teachers among you and who will secretly introduce what? Destructive heresies. Right here it is, folks. Here's a destructive heresy. There's a doctrine that does not lead you into maturity, conform you to godliness. Look at me, folks. Do you see it right here? And that's what that false teacher... Now, he's going to secretly introduce this destructive heresy. In other words, it's not going to be easily discerned what he's doing. That's the reason it's secretly introduced. You can't hardly discern it. That thing will capture your heart and then you're blocked off to the Word. He's going to secretly introduce destructive heresy. And what is this heresy going to do right here? It's going to, just like we saw in Jude, it's going to be denying the Master, denying the Lord Jesus Christ who brought him bringing swift destruction on themselves. In other words, when you deny any of the part of the Word of God, you're denying the Lord Jesus Christ and you stumble over the stumbling stone to your own doom. All right, now, when Jesus comes... Now, look at me right here, folks. Look at me. I want you to listen to me. When Jesus returns with his angels and godly ones, he's going to come to execute judgment upon those who are flattering and speaking these things and walking after these works, and that's who his judgment is going to come on first. Is that what we saw in 2 Thessalonians 1 and Jude? And here these false teachers are in verse 2. And many are going to follow their sensuality and many follow the broad road of destruction, what he's talking about in 7.13 and on down. And many will follow their sensuality and because of these false teachers, the way of the truth is going to be perverted or maligned. Is that right? And where are they going to be leading people to the broad road of destruction? Now, see, look here. I want you to look at me. Here you are. You're escaping the defilement of the world belust by the way of righteousness. And you start in and then up comes a man and he teaches you a doctrine which perverts the truth and it's a destructive heresy. And what does this do? This destructive heresy tells you that you can bless God and continue to curse your neighbor. And what do you do? You turn right back into the false teacher turns you right back to the world. And then you sit there and your heart becomes hardened to the word of God. You found your security in the destructive heresy besides being found, defining your security and being led by the spirit of God. He gave you a false security right there. And he led you on the broad road of destruction. How many see that? Hold up your hands. Now, verse 3, And in their love for greed, what are they going to do? They're going to exploit you with false words because their hearts love selfish ambition. And their judgment from long ago is not idle and their destruction is not asleep because it's active, it's all over them. For if God did not spare angels when they sinned and cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness to reserve for judgment and did not spare the ancient world but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, the righteousness is only going to be the ones that's going to be preserved, with seven others when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly. And if he condemned, there's the flood. And if he condemned, here comes the fire. If he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes, having made them as a what? As an example to anybody that wants to live ungodly, after the fire's going to burn them up and it's doing it today. And we see how now. And if you rescued righteous lot not oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men but what he saw and heard that righteous man while living among them felt his righteous soul tormented day after day with their what? Flawless deed. Then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation. But he also knows how to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment. And I want you to know all the unrighteous are full of the powers of darkness. They are under the bonds of the chains of darkness right now. And so are you and so am I. For all your unrighteous deeds they've chained them on you. And we see that these teachers in verse 18 for speaking out arrogant words of vanity they entice people by fleshly desires and sensuality. That's works. Verse 19, promising people freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption. And you remember that what we saw in Romans 1.29 we saw that although they know that those who practice such things are worthy of death they not only do the same but give hearty approval to those that practice it. Amen? And that's exactly what he's talking about. Now when a man comes, when you come to the Lord and then you turn back and you let some man capture your heart then you're not going to be led by the words of Jesus anymore. And so it's like a pig it's like a dog returning to his vomit or a pig jumping back in a pig pen, isn't it? Shake your head. Now this is the reason why we're now let all everything go but Matthew 13 and I want you to turn on and read you one verse in Matthew 7, okay? Can I tell you what? People there don't like the holy things that we're learning in the word of God. In Matthew 7, I want you to read with me verse 6. Do not give what is holy to who? There's your dogs that return the vomits. Do not throw your pearls before what? Pigs. There's your pigs and your dogs because they trample the word of God under their feet and then they turn and tear you to pieces. Brother, do I know, understand what that's talking about. Amen? Now, we're back over there in Matthew 13 and I want you to see verse 7 with me. And others fell among the thorns and we saw the ones that fall away and others fell among the thorns and the thorns came up and choked them out. He who has spiritual ears, let him hear. Now let's see what that's talking about about the seed falling among the thorns and choking out the word of God. Amen? And let's go right now to receive answer to that spiritually in verse 22. And the one whom the seed was sown among the thorns this is a man who hears the word of God and the worries of the world deceitfulness and riches and Luke 8 it says and desires for other things they choke the word of God and then it becomes what? Look at me, folks. He never does bear the fruit of righteousness because his heart, the powers of darkness See, I want you to see what the powers of darkness do to you now when you start receiving the word. They're right outside this door right here and what they're going to start on you first, they're going to bring persecution on you because of the word. They're going to bring affliction on you because of the word. That's the scorched places. Now let me share it with you exactly what that is. The scorched places is the fire. Do you hear what I'm saying? The scorched places is the fire. They bring that fire and that pressure on you and if you're going to kind of walk with God right there you're going to get thrown into the furnace of fire. Amen? That's where the fourth man walks with you. But if you don't like that fire if you don't love the Lord if you want to suffer to have obedience to prove that you love the Lord more than you do anything else you turn back from the fire and you'll become unfruitful because you don't choose to put to death. You've never learned to hate sin because you don't love God that much. And you'll turn back from the fire and you'll never walk through the fire. You'll turn back to have your ears tick and you'll go back to this false teacher here who will give you a false assurance so you can live by the desire of the flesh because you love you want to walk by the desires of your father because your father is a devil. Amen? See that? Let me give you an example of that. I want you to turn with me to John 12. John 12. Just hold your place and turn with me to John 12. I want you to remember something right there in light of just what I said. John 12. All right, I want you to read with me there in verse 24. Truly, truly, verse 24. I say to you, unless a grain of wheat that would be you and I falls into the earth and what? If we don't die it's going to remain by itself alone in selfishness. But if we die then what are we going to do? We're going to bear fruit for God. You remember Romans 7, which is love. But he who loves his life is going to what? He's going to be destroyed if he loves this fleshly life. If he wants to find his portion in this world and his father is a devil he's going to go where the devil goes. But he who hates his life in this world if you hate your life in this world you're going to keep your life keep your life to life eternal. Amen? Now once again you see salvation right there. You have to hate your life in this world. You have to know you're on the right trail when you start hating your life in this world. Amen? Is that right? Now we go back to Matthew 13 and let's look at 23. Here is the man who was saved. Had you wondered about these parables of the word before and just hadn't quite seen these things in it before? Verse 23. And the one whom the seed was sown on a good soil this is a man who hears the word of God. He understands the word of God because he's a disciple and he loves the Lord. Amen? He indeed bears fruit and and you know there's something the harlot likes to say you bear fruit by going out and getting some more people to join. You bear fruit and you bear the fruit of righteousness and you bring forth a hundred foe some 60 and some 30 because you become a tree of life. Amen? Now, I want you to look with me in Matthew 13 and let's just continue on in verse 24. He presented another parable to them saying the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man that man Jesus who sowed good seed in his field and while men were sleeping the enemy Satan came and sowed tares also among the wheat and went away. But when the wheat sprang up and it bore what? Rain, which is the fruit of love then the tares became what? Evident because we know the deeds of the flesh are evident in Galatians 5 19. Amen? And then we see right there in verse 30 allow both to grow together. It doesn't mean that when you're talking about the field right here you're talking about the world but they're going to grow up in this world and in the time of what? Harvest? I'm going to say to the who? Reapers. This word right here, this next word, I want you to circle it about eight times. First First Reapers We're fixing to go to Revelation and see this. First Reapers I want you to gather up who? I can't hear you. First Reapers when Jesus returns at the end of the age He's going to say gather up the tares and bind them in bundles and burn them up but gather the wheat into my what? My barn but the first thing is the destruction of the tares and you see that if you look right there in I'm going to come back to that verse 30 and look in verse 39 and the enemy who sowed them, the bad seed, is the devil and the harvest that's the tares and lollies and the harvest is what? the end of the age, is that what Matthew 24, Jesus is returning at the end of the age? end of the age and the reapers are who? angels and are you beginning to see what we're talking about right there? I'm going to come back I'll say to that in just a minute verse 40 therefore just as the tares are gathered up first and burned with fire, is that what we saw there? so shall it be what? at the end of the age it doesn't say anything about a rapture here does it? it just said the tares are going to be burned up first I can't hear you and then the son of man will send forth his angels and they will what? one more time say those two words what are they going to gather out of his kingdom? he's going to gather out all these people who are stumbling blocks and all those who commit lawlessness is that real simple? he's going to gather them out and he's going to cast them into the furnace of fire and boy they have no foundation and in that place they're going to be weeping and gnashing their teeth there's going to be anger, sickness, disease and everything then after he's done this then the who are going to shine forth? I can't hear you then the righteous are going to shine forth as a sun in the kingdom of their father he who has spiritual ears let him hear we understand that don't we? let's look at verse 47 again the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea and gathering fish of every kind and when it was filled they drew it out on the beach and they sat down and they gathered the what? they gathered the good fish into containers but what did they do with the bad fish? they threw it away so it will be at the end of the age the angels will come forth and they're going to do what? they are first going to take out the wicked from among who? the righteous so that leaves the righteous if you take out the wicked first and we'll cast them into the furnish of fire and there's going to be weeping and gnashing of teeth and all the righteous are going to remain is that what we're talking about? now let's go back and read this thing again right there in verse 39 let's read 30 first we're going to allow verse 30 allow both to grow together until the harvest and then I'll tell you what before we read it right there I want you to hold Revelation 14 we was in Revelation 14 this morning Revelation 14 and now we're back to read Matthew 13 verse 30 allow both to grow together until the harvest and in the time of the harvest I'll say to the reapers first, first reapers when Jesus returns he'll send his angels and he'll say first gather up the tares and those that commit lawless and all the stumbling blocks and bind them in bundles and burn them up and gather my wheat into my barn amen what is this wheat? wheat's the one that lies dies in the soil and bears fruit amen and then in verse 39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil and the harvest is in the age and the reapers are angels amen now we're in Revelation 14 and let's see the harvest time and the reapers and the angels here we go now let's just look in verse 1 we know that we look to behold the lamb Jesus is returning he's standing on the mountain sign with him 144,000 having his name and the name of his father written on their foreheads they have the mark of God on them, right? let's see what they look like verse 4 these are the ones who have not been defiled with women at harlot church for they've kept themselves pure these are the ones that follow the Lord Jesus Christ wherever he goes amen now in verse 5 and no lie was found in their mouth but they are blameless and then we see in verse 12 here is the perseverance of these saints they keep theirself pure they keep the commandments of God and they hold the faith of Jesus isn't that right? and we look back in verse 8 and another angel, a second one followed saying fallen, fallen in Babylon that false prophet harlot church she has made up all made all the nations drink of the wine of the passion of her immorality in other words she doesn't keep the commandments amen and then you look in verse 14 and I looked and behold a white cloud and sitting on the cloud was one like the son of man having a golden crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand and another angel came out of the temple crying out with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud put in your sickle and reap because the hour to reap has come because the harvest of the earth is ripe and he who sat on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth and the earth was reaped and another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven and he also had a sharp sickle and another angel and one who has the power over what? that's a fire that's going to burn all the stumbling blocks and the tares and those who commit lawlessness came out from the altar and he called with a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle saying put in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth because the grapes are ripe and the angel swung his sickle to the earth he gathered the clusters from the vine of the earth and he threw them in the great winepress of the wrath of God the wrath of God the winepress of God is the wrath of God and the winepress of God is when the powers of darkness and sons of destruction are turned loose to destroy and I want you to see that there before we go any further turn everything loose and turn back to Lamentations it's between Jeremiah and Ezekiel it's between Jeremiah and Ezekiel Lamentations between Jeremiah and Ezekiel now we're going to see what the winepress looks like because this is how this is how the harvest time is coming at the end of the age and with this winepress is how this winepress is how the wicked are going to be removed from among the righteous and you're going to see it here right now Lamentations 1 verse 1 chapter 1 verse 1 how lonely sits the city, that's the church that was full of people she's become like a widow who was once great among the nations she who was a princess among the provinces has become a forced labor in other words in bondage to the powers of darkness she weeps bitterly in the night her tears are on her cheek it's coming folks she has none to comfort her there's no Holy Spirit among all her lovers, all her friends the powers of darkness have dealt treacherously with her see you used to agree with the powers of darkness you used to agree with the powers of darkness that's your friends when you walk and talk like them you see what I mean, up there on your screen they have become her enemies Judah has gone into exile under affliction, under harsh servitude she dwells now among the world the nations and she has found no rest they just torment from her friends all her pursuers the powers of darkness have overtaken her in the midst of distress the roads of Zion are in mourning because no one comes to the appointed feast all her gates are desolate because the abomination of desolation is moving, her priests are groaning that's what it's saying in the church today they're groaning sickness her virgins are afflicted and she herself is bitter she bears this fruit of unrighteousness which you see on the screen verse 5 her adversaries have become her masters her enemies are prospering for the Lord has caused her grief he's pronounced judgment why? because of the multitude of her transgressions of the law amen and that's why they're there the adversaries, her little ones have gone away as captives before the adversary look in verse 9 her uncleanness was in her skirts she did not consider her future remember Proverbs 5 therefore she's fallen astonishingly this is Bible in the harlot's church she has no comforter look in verse 13 from on high he sent fire into my bones that's God and the fire is the power of the darkness adversary, it's prevailed over them he has spread a what? a net for my feet that's exactly what Job had said the net is the power of the firstborn of death he's turned me back he's made me desolate the abomination is the one that makes desolation the abomination is the power of the darkness I'm faint, weak, sick all day long the yoke of my transgressions of God's law is bound by his hand they're knit together in other words my sins have brought the bondage on me they've come upon my neck the yoke he has made my strength fail the Lord has given me into the hands of those against whom I am not able to stand, amen? the Lord has rejected all my strong men, in other words he rejected all the men the men that I always had my confidence in, trusted and put my confidence, he's rejected them in my midst, he's called and appointed time against me to crush my young men, now crush means curse and destroy the Lord has trodden as in a what? I can't hear you this is the wrath of God, it's rind press the Lord has trodden us in a wine press the virgin daughter of Judah look in verse 16 for these things I weep, my eyes run down with water because far from me is a what? a comforter, the spirit of God who does what? the one who restores my soul my children are desolate because the enemy has prevailed that's what the wrath of God does, that's what the wine press, the Lord is righteous for I've rebelled against what? now what is that talking about right there? the commandments of his law, amen? that's how come the adversary is there, I've rebelled against his command, now hear now all peoples and behold my pain that's a birth pain, my virgins and my young men have gone into captivity verse 19 I called to my lovers that's the powers of darkness but they deceived me double minded, my priest and my elders are perishing in the city today while they're seeking food to restore their strength themselves rather than repent and return to the Lord they're seeking to restore their strength in themselves, we're going to have some burn out seminars, now chapter 2 verse 5 the Lord has become like an enemy, a thief he's swallowed up the church, he's devoured it, he's swallowed up all it's palaces and he destroyed it's strongholds and multiplied in the daughter of Judah, mourning and moaning verse 7 the Lord has rejected his altar the place of worship, he's abandoned his sanctuary, in other words look here, this sanctuary is this body right here, you know what it becomes when he abandons it, you know when it doesn't bear fruit it just bears thistles and thorns it's called a waste place a waste place, salt it's a land of salt and burning waste, it doesn't produce fruit, it's worthless are you hearing what I'm saying? the Lord has rejected his altar, he's abandoned his sanctuary, he's delivered into the hand of the enemy the walls of her palace, look in verse 11 let's look in verse 9 her gates her gates have sunken to the ground, he's destroyed and broken her bars, her king and her princes, that's the men that they're letting rule over them are among the nations of the world the law is what? the law is no more also where prophets can find no vision from the Lord, they don't even know what's going on, now I want you to hold your place right there, and I want you to turn back to the left right here, now Psalm 74 and I want to show it to you in a different light, ok? Psalm 74 Psalm 74 I want you to see it, now you know the powers of darkness are tree cutters and they come and now we look in verse 1, O God Psalm 74 verse 1, O God why has thou rejected forever? why does thy anger smoke against the sheep of thy pastor? remember thy congregation which thou purchased above which thou redeemed to be the tribe of thine inheritance, the mountains thine where thou hast dwelt turn thy footsteps toward the perpetual ruins, that's what it's in today, the enemy, the powers of darkness have damaged everything within the sanctuary look at me right here, this body of ours is a sanctuary, that's where the temple is today, you know what I mean? while the harlot church is waiting for a temple to be a physical temple to be built in Israel they don't see the temple of God being living stones that make up a spiritual house going to be holy and righteous, and it's being built now in a time of distress as it was in Nehemiah and Ezra, amen? okay now, it says verse 3 turn thy footsteps toward the perpetual ruins, the enemy has damaged everything within the sanctuary, thine adversaries have roared in the midst of what? the meeting houses, the meeting places they have set up their own standards for signs, you know what their own standard for signs is? right here is one of them, right here doctrines of demons you stand up the standard of the adversary that's doctrines of demons it seems as if one has lifted up his axe in a forest of trees because that's what they're in, they're cutting down the congregation, amen? you see this in Matthew 7, 17 and 19 if you, but I'm not going to turn verse 7, they have burned thy sanctuary to the ground they have defiled this is what they do, the fire burns they have defiled the dwelling place of thy name they've said in their heart let us completely subdue them they've burned all the meeting places of God in the land and we do not see our signs any longer, there's no longer any prophet, nor is any among us who knows how long, how long oh God will this adversary revile, they don't know how long it's going to happen, now let's turn back to chapter 2 we know the law is no more and here's what it, do you remember now me sharing with you why don't you look at me just a minute do you remember me sharing with you, and when to know this truth and walk in a congregation, for this word is not taught, and you can see death and hell on everybody that are in there and you would like to for them to hear, so they can be led out of it amen? and you see them leaning forward, looking at their Bibles and you listen to what is being taught and it's pure, the death, there's no life in it, it's just using some verses and running intellectual circles around everybody there, and they have you know what they've heard, nothing have heard absolutely nothing, now mother is a church, you know it mother is a church so we look in verse 11 my eyes fell because of tears, my spirit is greatly troubled, my heart is poured out on the earth, because of the destruction of the daughter of my people, now boy I want to tell you her little ones, that's the little babies in there, and infants, that little baby Christians, that's trying to come to God, are faint in other words, there's sickness and death on them in the streets of the city, and they're saying to their mothers, the church where they are right there, where is the fruit where is all the love where is the wine, where is all the understanding and revelation as they faint like wounded men, in the streets of the church as their life is poured out, on the mother's bosom, right here is the mother's bosom, right there right there it is, their life is poured out, and they're asking, where is the revelation in the word where is the love that, why don't I see in here, what I see in the Bible and they keep leaning forward with their little Bibles, as they're destroyed and my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge and because you reject this knowledge, I'll destroy your mother verse 14 your prophets, your preachers are seeing for you false and foolish visions destructive heresies and they have not exposed your sins, your lawlessness and iniquity and transgression so as to restore you from captivity because the law is lost but they've seen for you false and misleading oracles, look at me right here it is folks, verse 15 all the pious along the way are going to clap their hands in derision at you they're going to hiss and shake their heads at the daughter of Jerusalem is that what's happening today folks and you know what they're going to be saying today is this the church at which they've said it's the perfection of beauty, the love of God and supposed to be a joy to the whole earth ha ha ha ha in chapter 4, verse 11 the Lord has accomplished his wrath chapter 4, verse 11 the Lord has accomplished his wrath he's poured out his fierce anger, he's kindled a fire in Zion which has consumed it's what? the foundation, if you've got the wrong foundation brother, it consumes it the foundation the kings of the earth, that's the leaders of the earth did not believe nor in the happiness of the world that the adversary and the powers of darkness and the enemy could enter the gates of the church and why are they there? because of the sins of our prophets and the iniquity of our priests who have shed in their midst the blood of the righteous those who have sinned against their hearts trying to come to the Lord right there, they're leading them to misleading oracles and leading them into destruction and death, amen that's something to think about isn't it now, I want to ask you something are we commanded to are we commanded to walk as Jesus walked are we commanded to love as Jesus loved are we commanded to be holy and blameless as the Lord Jesus Christ was alright, are we commanded so if we're going to walk like Jesus we're going to be holy and blameless like him what if we're supposed to walk like Paul walked huh I want you to turn to me to Philippians 1 and we're going to see something about the walk that we're in and I believe you're really going to be very encouraged Philippians 1 we're going to look at this walk right now we've saw plenty about salvation haven't we look up here I want to show you a destructive heresy 4 easy steps into heaven do this, number 1 do this, number 2, do this, number 3 do this, number 4, you're saved and you can't lose it and it'll break your heart powers are not in the season people now I tell you what you better be careful that the enemy don't get you to pervert this thing and you hate people hope you hear what I'm saying you got to be kindness and patience and apt to teach because God's going to judge you and he's going to judge him too you don't have one thing to do you're free to walk in love and that's the only thing you have a right to do or you'll just be there with them I'm going to tell you right now we're fixing to get into a few things it's just going to really bless you amen I mean it's going to help you that's what you came here for you need encouraged and helped amen are you encouraged and helped got the fear of God on you I hope you have you have to hear the gospel to have the fear of God you know it that's what the gospel brings on you the fear of God do you know you can have the fear of God and then lose it do you know you don't want to you'll never lose the fear of God because the fear of God is what warns you when you're about to make a wrong step amen I start to do things you know and I just want to explain to you if anyone new here I start to get in a conversation or get dragged into something on the telephone all of a sudden bang the fear of God will come on me you know better watch your mouth you better let that along and hang that phone up amen that's good that's good Philippians 1 verse 6 it's a good verse but I'm confident this very thing that he who began a good work in you is going to what I can't hear you he's going to perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ that's what he's doing back in the first century and that's what he's doing right now he's still perfecting it now verse 9 and this I pray that your love may abound it's going to grow still more and more hallelujah hey folks when we walk in this our love for one another grows more and more amen we abound in love when we get this stuff on us I mean we just love one another praise God that's good that's where the joy is and I pray that your love abound more and more now I want you to see exactly where what goes along with love boy you're fixing to get blessed it's right there in that verse don't read in front of it let me read it to you and this I pray that your love may abound more and more and real knowledge and what uh oh discernment comes by walking in love and the reason we haven't been able to discern all these things that's happening around us because we have not been walking in love amen amen now so that you may approve the things that are excellent you need discernment so you know what's excellent because that's where you're going to be walking at in order to be sincere and what you're going to be the blameless bride of Christ until the day of Christ have you been filled with what fruit of righteousness glory be to God that's what salvation is amen whoo which comes how through the Lord Jesus Christ not through positional truth let me say it again it doesn't come through positional truth here let's tell me somebody's got positional truth and they bring love joy peace long suffering goodness gentleness meekness temperance and faith it comes only through the faith in the Lord Jesus Christ hating your life and taking up your cross and following Jesus to the glory and the praise of God hallelujah to the name of Jesus let's just stop and praise him praise God forevermore hallelujah to the name of the Lord glory be to God forevermore praise God forevermore hallelujah to the name of the Lord praise the name of Jesus praise the name of the Lord glory be to God glory be to God hallelujah again chapter 2 verse 2 now here's what Paul said he said make my joy complete by being of the same mind like in the book of Acts maintaining the same love as it did in the book of Acts united in the same spirit which apostle prophet and pastor and teacher is supposed to bring you into intent on one purpose that's loving and praising God forevermore do nothing from selfishness look at it up here you do nothing from selfishness glory be to God do nothing from selfishness or empty deceit but with humility of the mind let each of you regard one another more important than himself brother that's a change of heart do not merely look out for your own personal interest but also for the interest of the others that's how you love your brother yourself have this same mind in you which was also in the Lord Jesus Christ glory be to God now back up to Philippians 1 and get ready for a fit starting in verse 27 only conduct yourself in a manner worthy of the gospel now you're not look here if you're bearing this kind of fruit you're not you're unworthy amen or worthless rather but conduct yourself in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ so that whether I come and see you remain absent I may hear of you that you are standing firm in the spirit one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel now here it comes get your big pencil ready now if you're walking in truth it doesn't matter what anybody is saying verse 28 in no way are you going to be alarmed by your opponents that persecute you and afflict you which is a sign of destruction for them but it's a sign of salvation for you laughing laughing whoo verse 29 for to you Zion has been granted for Christ's sake not only to believe in him but also to suffer for his sake as you bear your cross and here it comes here's the next verse I want you to circle 8 times Paul said you're going to experience the same conflict which you saw in me and now here to be in me now you ready for that I'm going to tell you what I welcome it do you boy to no one see what I see right there I'm not saying I've adjusted to it yet but I sure am adjusting amen huh who needs the approval of man or anything going on in this world it looks good when you have God amen now chapter 3 Paul said now let's just see this again let's read this Paul said are you going to experience the same conflict you saw in me is that what he said it's there isn't it now let's see the conflict and Paul it's going to happen to you turn to Philippians 3 Philippians 3 verse 7 but whatever Paul verse 7 this is what Paul says whatever things were gained to me those things I've counted lost for the sake of Christ everything it's gained in this fleshly world I've counted lost more than that I call count all things to be lost in the view of the surpassing value of knowing the Lord Jesus Christ my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and I count them but dung rubbish in order that I may gain Christ and that's exactly what it is I may be found in the Lord Jesus Christ not having a righteous my own which derives from the law I'm going to establish my own righteousness but it's going to be that righteousness which comes through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of what faith which is being led by the Spirit and worshiped by the Word of God that I might know the Lord Jesus Christ I'm going to take up my cross the power of this resurrection and the fellowship of this suffering and I'm going to be conformed to his death I'm not going to die as quick but I'm going to die verse 11 in order that I may attain to the resurrection of the dead in order that I may be saved and resurrected from the dead is that plain not that I've already obtained it or I've already become perfect I don't walk around like I'm already perfect but I keep pressing on I press on in order to lay hold of that same thing which the Lord Jesus Christ has already laid hold on because I'm going to love other people in the same love that Christ did love me I'm laying hold of it glory be to God forevermore hallelujah to the name of Jesus praise God forevermore hallelujah to the name of the Lord now let's see this conflict that happened to him hold your place well I'll tell you what don't hold it just turn back to 2nd Corinthians I'll tell you because some of you won't hold it anyway turn back to 2nd Corinthians 4 and let's see how he walked and this is how you and I are going to walk 2nd Corinthians 4 verse 7 but we have this treasure in earth and vessel that's a passing greatness of the power that's going to be working in us and through us it's not going to be a what it's not going to be our planning it's not going to be our works amen we're walking in rest and peace amen we are going to be a what afflicted is that what we saw back in the peril of the word the Christians going to be afflicted but he don't fall away amen I can't hear you we are afflicted in every way but we're what I want you to look at me right here it's a big word I want everybody to look at me right here I want to share something with you I have had attacks on me and the powers of darkness in death and attacks on me in the last few weeks and months in such a way if at a given time God had moved them off of me I've been absolutely destroyed I've been crushed now here's what's going to happen you're going to be afflicted but you're not going to be crushed I'm going to tell you why you're not going to be crushed because you know the truth and you're going to repent because when these things start moving in on you and there you're going to just I mean you had that much heart of design in the Lord and when this thing of burnout comes on people that they call it and this affliction comes on them you're going to see a time before long and what this afflictions coming on because they're walking in strife and stress and selfish ambition I had a really dear friend that was in my home sometime back and he was preaching in the area where I was and he come to the house there and I used his own words he just he was amazed that he's still living and you know if I was to call his name many of you would know it it doesn't matter what his name is but what he was going through I had already been gone through sometime back the Lord was totally changing my direction and all that death and everything come on me I mean it had been on me sometime but then it came on it just double up and I was dying and I knew I was dying and then I just had the word of the Lord and I said I'll go through some I'm not going to explain it but the Lord delivered me out of it I was afflicted in every way but I was not crushed I didn't I was only at the house there that day that he come and I was leaving town and I asked him he was going to preach in his meeting and I asked him to I saw that he was just really in a bad way and then he explained some things and immediately I could relate and see what was wrong with him and I said why don't you let me pray for me and he started just from the chair over the couch and he was starting to crawl over there and I said brother I want to pray for you in the bedroom in there because I didn't know the man that was with him and I didn't want somebody with unbelief and so forth like that to hinder because I knew some things that I wanted to pray with him about and we went into the bedroom and I closed the door and I began to explain to him how the stress and strife and religious spirits gets on people in ministry and they drive you they just drive you and they keep you so under pressure of strife and stress I'm not going to have anybody at the turn there but I'm going to read it to you it's part of the cursive but I just want to read it to you here's what it is I want to read to you what burnout is and in this world right here you're going to find no rest there's going to be there's no rest and it's continual turmoil there'll be no resting place for the sole of your feet in other words when you walk the powers of darkness will help you full of strife stress, busyness and restlessness anytime stress and strife is on you it's an open door for all heart disease and all the other diseases and death, the spirit of death is always there working with stress and strife and then this is what they're going to call burnout and there the Lord is going to give you a trembling heart you'll be full of fear, you're going to have the failing of eyes and you're going to have despair of soul you're not going to have any joy and all the heaviness is going to be all over you and your life shall hang in doubt and many times in the morning you're going to wish it was evening and evening you wish it was morning and you're going to have no assurance of your life, you'll just see yourself just existing in this with no joy and gladness, now that's how the powers of, that's affliction in every way now this is going to come on people that's being led, driven by those religious spirits that don't have a heart for God now let me tell you what this man did when I prayed for him and got him to repent of some of these things there and I just repented and got him to grieve and I just practically just hold him up there to pray for him and all of a sudden all of these demons of stress and strife just came off of him and death measure at least some of it and it came off of him and he actually just fell over on the bed I mean he fell backwards, bang it just he just fell I had to walk around the other side of the bed to start breaking religious curses and things on him but that's not what really set him free what set him free is the fact that God dealt with his heart is he going to give up his wealth is he going to give up his name and his comfort in a religious system you know that you can be a king in a religious system and there's nothing going on in this world as comfortable as that is you know that don't you and some other things I'm not going to mention and boy he agreed with God and God removed that off of him and man I'm telling you what I got a hold of a tape that I was gone that he preached on that Wednesday night and I ain't got over it yet that's good I miss that one more time, that's good This concludes tape number 8