This sermon focuses on the concept of being a new creation in Christ, akin to a second Adam, and being conformed to the image of Jesus. It delves into the idea of bearing fruit in good works and increasing in knowledge, drawing parallels from Isaiah about being the vineyard of the Lord. The sermon emphasizes the importance of staying connected to Jesus, the true vine, and the need for spiritual renewal and strength.

And he's the firstborn of a what kind of creation? A new creation, is it? All right, is that what we're supposed to be, a new creation? An old creation, kind of like Adam, right? A new creation is going to be like a second Adam, right? And he's the firstborn in it. We become, which means, we're being conformed in Romans 8, 20 and 9. We're being conformed to the image of what? Jesus. But let's watch what Jesus did first. Praise his name. Turn with me to Luke 4, please. Luke 4. How'd you like to just stay here until about 12 or 1 tonight? That's better than sitting up and smoking all night, isn't it? I'll tell you what, I'd stay here all night. I'm going to tell you what, some of these days, boy, some of these days, won't be no more clocks. They're not going to be. All things going to matter. What God's saying, he's doing so much, people are going to get it. They're going to see the difference in life and death. Folks, I'm going to tell you what we're fixing to see right here. It's going to bless you. Now, folks, I want to tell you, everything that we're doing right here, these days and tomorrow is a foundation for what's going to take place Saturday, what you're going to see in the world. It's just foundation. This is so good right here. I told you you were going to see why there's no power in the church today. I want you to look very closely. And look for verse 1. And Jesus, I want you to mark it, was he full of the Holy Spirit? May I tell you right now that at this point in time, he hadn't cast out one demon or healed one person. I'll give you time to think about that, okay? He hasn't cast out one demon or healed one person. You got that? Okay. Now, he's full of the Holy Spirit. You got that marked? He returned from Jordan, was led about by the Spirit in the wilderness. For 40 days, he was what? Tempted by the devil. He's tested. Everything God has is tested. And he ate nothing for those 40 days. During those days, and when that ended, he became hungry. Isn't that a good time for Satan to show up? Of course, he's there all the time. He and his demons. What would you do? Tempt him about hunger. Hadn't eaten for 40 days. So, that's what Satan does. And the devil said to him, if you're the Son of God, which he is, tell this stone to become bread. Well, folks, the second Adam is getting tested. Let's see if he passes it. Will you put a little warning right after that? And there comes the lust of the flesh. There's the lust of the flesh. You remember Eve was going to... and Adam was going to reach up there and eat? Huh? It's always good for food. Well, there it is. Let's see if the second Adam passed. The second Adam don't pass. We've had it. And Jesus answered him. And watch what he said. It is written. Will you please put right there that Jesus said it is written. Man shall not live on bread alone. See? He wasn't moved by what? What did he mean? He was moved by the Word of God. He just said the Word, right? He had the Word in his heart. All right, now. And then, verse 5, here comes the second temptation. And he led him up in what? What's those two words? Showed him. Will you please mark the little two right there? He's fixing to show him all the kings of the world. Would you put a little two there and say, there's the lust of the eyes, okay? There's the second temptation. Let's see if he passes it. He led him up and showed him all the kings of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to him, I will give you all this demanding its glory for it's been handed over to me. I give it to whomever I wish. Therefore, if you worship before me, it shall be years. The devil comes to you every day telling you that. Giving you parts of the world. If he can get your heart after it, you know you're worshiping a demon. You're in reality worshiping Satan. When your heart goes after anything, you become a slave of Satan. Therefore, if you worship before me. Now, let's see if he passed the test. And Jesus answered again and said to him, watch what he said in verse 8. It is written. He said, it is written again, right? He always answers back to Satan. He says, it is written. You shall not worship the Lord your God and serve him only. Well, he passed the second test, didn't he? Amen? You remember we looked over in 1 John 2. We saw the three temptations. I believe the next one probably comes with a boastful pride of life, isn't it? Huh? That's the only one left, isn't it? Okay. All right, verse 9. And he led him to Jerusalem and had him to stand on the what? Pinnacle of the temple and said to him, if you are the son of God, throw yourself down from here. You know who always was on the court in the courtyard there of the temple? It's always full. Now, look at me. Now, this is something. See? Well, let's see what else he told him there first because Satan kind of turns it around in verse 10 and he said, now Satan says it's written, isn't he? Jesus always turned around saying it's written, it's written, and now Satan, it is written, you come up here and jump off. Because it is written, he will give his angels charge concerning you to guard you and on their hands they'll bear you up unless you strike your foot against the salt. Now, let me show you what Satan was trying to do to him. Satan set him up here and he said, if you jump off, they'll all see you down there and they'll see that you're a son of God because you can't be hurt because the angels catch you, dash your foot against the stone, so nothing can happen to you, then all these people can see you and they'll follow after you and you can help God. See how you be helping out God? You get them to follow you and your ministry? No, the only way God's works. You don't go help God out, the only thing that works, everything gets burned up except what God does through you. Well, we'll see how you handle this. Verse 12, now there's a third temptation. Will you please write up there, after 11, the boastful pride of life or the pride of life. There's a third temptation. I sure do hope you pass it, don't you? And verse 12, and Jesus answered and said, He said, it is said you shall not put the Lord your God to the test. Now, verse 13, and when the devil had finished what? There, every temptation was finished. Have you marked every temptation yet? That's all of them, that's all three of them, that's everything we saw there in 1 John 2, 15, isn't it? That's all the temptation we watched the first Adam fail at, isn't that right? And now He finished every temptation and He departed for him from a what? For a what? Until a what? Opportune time, He'll show up again. Now, I want you to remember, and it's on your notes in Hebrews 4, 15, it said He was tempted and all points yet without sin. Did we already read you're supposed to walk as He walked? You overcome as He overcome, amen? You suffer, you resist sin, amen? Unless you got something else figured out. Now, I want you to watch what happens to Him when He overcomes sin. He has not cast out one demon, He has not healed one sick person, and I want you to watch what happens to Him in verse 14, after He finished all the temptation, watch what God does with Him. And Jesus returned to Galilee, He was in the what? Glory, the power of the Spirit. He could be trusted, He laid down His deity, He came and received His power the way you're supposed to receive power. Are you seeing it? So Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and was first filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, and now He finished being full of the Holy Spirit, empowered Him to resist the devil. Being full of the Spirit, that was the power and grace that gave Him to resist the Spirit, and He chose with His will and in the Holy Spirit to resist it, and then when He chose against Hisself and chose God, then God put the power on Him, and watch what He does right down here in verse 18. He walks right straight in the church house, and He said, The Spirit of God is upon me. He's anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor, the lost. He sent me to proclaim release to these demonized people. The captives recovered the sight to the blind and the healing, and set free those who are downtrodden. Brother, He's got the power of God on Him. He knows where He is. Amen? Brother, I mean He said it before He did it. And then I want you to watch in verse 21. And He began to say to them, This scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing. And boy, I tell you what, this excites folks for a little while when they hear things like that, 22. And all were speaking well of Him. Isn't that sweet? They were all speaking well of Him and wondering at these gracious words. His gracious words, all this authority, which was falling from His lips, and they were saying, Is this not that carpenter's son? Carpet cleaner. What can a carpenter know? See, they began looking at Him in the natural because that's where they were living. They couldn't see Him in the spiritual, could they? And you know what they got? Boy, I tell you what, will you write yourself a note to read the rest of that tonight before you go to bed? Boy, I'm telling you, it's good. They only kill Him. He just wanted to come and set them free from the demons, heal them, take them to the cliff, cast them off, throw them off. I want to tell you something, folks. Nobody's going to touch you until God gets ready for you to be touched. I want you to turn to me to 1 Corinthians 2. 1 Corinthians 2. Boy, I praise His name. Paul learned something, didn't he? Verse 1, And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with what? Superiority of the speech, but I imagine he's qualified to, wasn't he? Huh? In the flesh, if that's where he's living at. He said, I didn't come with superiority of the speech. Have you got that marked yet? Or of what? Wisdom, but claiming to you the testimony of God, for I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and crucified. I don't care whether you're the rank president or the janitor. Is Jesus Christ your Lord? That's the only issue today. Did you know that? The issue's not tongues. The issue's not healing. The issue's not demons. The only issue today is Jesus Christ your Lord. That's the only thing he wanted to know. Three, And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my message, my message, please mark his message, and my preaching, his message and his preaching, were not in what? They're not in persuasive words, O wiseman, but here's the way it comes, in the demonstration of the Spirit, and of what? Glory be to God, he's got what Jesus had, hadn't he? Power. Power. Amen? He had to get it the same way Jesus got it, too. And I want you to watch what he tells you, right here. Are you ready? Mark this five, that your faith should not rest on the what? The wisdom of men, but on the what? I'm telling you, you can always... If you ever go to a place, and you wonder if God's there, I'll tell you how you can tell. Son, I'll tell you how you can always tell when I'm in a place. If you see me doing something, then you know I'm there. If you don't see me doing nothing, I ain't there. Isn't that real profound? Chapter 1, verse 17. Back up a little, I just looked at it. For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to what? Preach the gospel, not in what? Cleverness of speech, that the cross of Christ should be made void. I don't want to turn there, but Romans 15, be part of your knowledge. I will not presume to speak anything except what Christ accomplishes through me. In the power of signs and wonders, Paul says, the power of the Spirit, so that I fully preach, fully preach, fully preach the gospel of Christ. I Corinthians 2, well, we already read that. It's good enough to read again. So the second Adam, what'd he come to? Verse back into fellowship with God, and here he is. He went in the church and he said, I'm here, and I come in power, and I'm the firstborn of all creation, and he who believes in me, the works I do, shall he want. He'll do also. And Jesus came in the likeness of God to conform us back to the image of God from where the first man, Adam, had fell. And so I've already told you in Romans 8, 29, we're conformed to the image and likeness of God when we're in covenant with the Lord Jesus Christ. Everything reverses back to God. And the sin of man today is refusing to accept the provision God has made to get rid of this old sin nature. God has made provision. The first Adam fell, you were cursed. He sent the second Adam and made a provision for you to get rid of it and to come back. That's the nature of the devil. And this provision he's made is for us by us accepting the Lord Jesus Christ and walking in this covenant right here. By rejecting the Lord Jesus Christ as Lord and walking in this covenant, we elect to bear the penalty of sin ourself. This means that we enjoy walking and talking and acting like the Satan, find their portion in this world and live in a temporal just a few days for this carton. Get all we can and can all we can get worth. I won't turn to it, but I'm going to tell you in Hebrews 4, 15, 16, he was tempted in all points yet without sin. And in the next verse, 16, it says, When tempted, draw near to the throne of grace. You receive mercy and grace. What's mercy and grace a type of? Loving kindness. That's a God kind of love. You can come and get it, but you can't come and get it double-minded and deceitful. You receive mercy and grace to help in time of need. I'm going to tell you what, we are needy, afflicted people too. Turn with me to James 1. I'm going to do it anyway. Do it? I heard a bird down near this mouth open and say, Do it, do it, do it. Boy, you ever hear that said scripture in Psalm where they just paint for the Word? I'm going to tell you, I just almost live here, leave here. I just pick up more than you know and he's about to fall on the floor every once in a while, just ready to, he just loved God. That's good. That's good. All right, now. In James 1. Now, before I start, I want you to look at me. I'm going to read this to you. Now, I'm going to tell you something you suffer. There are trials, there are persecutions, and it's not the blessed my flesh days are over. Is that right? Boy, we live for the inner man. We don't live for the temporal things. Our heart and our mind is on heavenly things. Now, Adam and Eve, they were innocent. And then God told them, He said, Now, I'm telling you not to do one thing. You're not going to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Here comes Satan. He came with words. Now, here is word right here. Is this seed? That's seed, isn't it? All right, this seed right here. You can receive this seed and you know, and it goes into your heart to feel right here, right? And it can conceive. And then, you know, it brings forth fruit, doesn't it? Now, the opposite of that, which we're going to see a little later, we're going to see that Satan also has seed. Of course, we already know that. But he has seed and they come here words. You know, like the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and boastful pride of life. That's his seed right there. Get your heart off of God and get it down here, earthly. Amen? And so, he came to Eve and he began talking to her. And immediately, she should have shut that conversation off, but she didn't do it, which means these words were conceived, wasn't it? She received those words, didn't she? Amen. She received those words and then it gave birth to sin, didn't it? The seed, you know, when you receive the seed, it's conceived. Just like in pregnancy, isn't that correct? All right, the seed was conceived, it gave birth to sin, and sin was accomplished when she reached up and got the fruit. And then the next thing, it brought forth death, didn't it? And he said, and that always follows sin. It's death. Now, let me show you something. Now, look at me. The Lord says for you to forgive, isn't that right? All right, let's see. So a situation comes where you're hurting and everything, and here comes a seed of unforgiveness. You have an opportunity to resist it. You don't resist it, and then that seed comes on, and then it's conceived. You receive it, right? Because you don't resist it. Is that correct? Do you follow me? And then it gives birth to sin, doesn't it? And sin is accomplished when you have murder in your heart. When you receive something in your heart, from a devil, sin is accomplished when you do it in your heart. Is that correct? And then the next step, that unforgiveness, he enters in and death is working in you. Isn't that right? You're cursed. One demon is a curse. Now, watch what you read right here. Now, as in James, where you find that Scripture about anoint with oil and you will be healed. Now, maybe or perhaps it could be when it gets 70 degrees, but you will be restored if you anoint with oil. Well, let me tell you something about that. There's four chapters and 13 verses before you get there, and this is a menacing Scripture. Some menacing things in James before you get over there. Now, watch here starting in verse 12. Would you rather be cursed or blessed? All right, then, in verse 12, Mark got blessed. Here's how you get blessed. Blessed is a man who what? Well, you don't fall apart the first time a little heaviness comes over you or have a pity party or whatever like that. You persevere. A man who perseveres under trial, for once he's been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love him. Let no one say when he's tempted, I'm being what? Mark is tempted. I'm being tempted by God, for God cannot be tempted by evil, and he himself does not tempt anyone. May I ask you something? If God doesn't tempt anyone, who tempts you? Satan and who else? Say it again. Say demons. You got by with it, didn't you? All right, they come along and tempt you. Well, if God doesn't... Wonder how they tempt you. Now, here's one of the most... Well, I want you to mark this good. Don't you forget where it is. Here's how they come and tempt you. Here's how the trials come. But each one is what? Well, I circle that tempted. Each one is tempted when he is what? Carried away is when you're drifted away, is what I've been telling you about. You're disliking a boat, next thing you step, you find your way over here, you listen to those things, and you're gone from the Word. Is tempted when he's carried away, and what is that word? And what? Enticed by his what? There it is. Right, right after that, fleshly desires, or carton desires, whichever you want to put there. That's what they come along and tempt you with. Now, isn't it an interesting thing when we never found the Word of God too important? You know, it says they can come and take the Word right out of your heart. We never found it important enough to even... You know, after we've said those words, and you can't lose it, then there's no need to pay attention to things like that. It kills you and steals you and destroys you. Right there, hmm? Right there, that's how they talk to you. They entice you. Are you seeing this, folks? They come and entice you all the time. They talk to you. I mean, brother, if you don't have your mind on the Lord, they start your morning off to report you to Satan. You're getting ready to walk with Satan the whole day. But you're carried away and enticed beyond lust. And then, here it is, here it is. Now, there's this unforgiveness. Then, when lust, that's the lust the flesh has what? Conceived. You start listening to them, and then it gives birth to sin. And then, when sin is accomplished, it's then your hearts in agreement with it. Are you seeing it there? I don't have to go back over that again, do I? One of you said I didn't. Shake your head over here. All right, sin is accomplished. They're talking to you. And then, they're enticing you. They're tempting you. Are you seeing this? And sin is accomplished, and it brings forth what? I'm telling you what, either life is working in you or death is working in you. Are you seeing that? But you know something? I sure do want you to see that next verse. Because it had asked you, unless you've got something else worked out, brethren, verse 16, do not be what? Do not be what? Which means you could be deceived about these things. But do you think anybody's being deceived about these things right there? See, so when God says, do not be deceived, we better make sure that we're not too smart, that we just look at it a little and see we don't be deceived. Is that right? There's a bunch of folks being deceived over this. Do you understand that? He said, do not be deceived, my beloved, what? Well, how about that? Now, turn to 2 Corinthians 2, not 11. Now, I want to ask you something before we even start. Are you in the New Testament? All right, you're not in the Old Testament, are you? You're a new one. You're a new covenant right now, aren't you? Now, you watch very closely. All right, what I read back there in James 1, isn't that the same way that Eve was deceived? And she later on said, I was deceived by the serpent. Is that what she said? Is that put up there for a warning for us? Now, you listen very closely. Here we go in verse 2. For I'm jealous for you with a godly jealousy, for I betrothed you to one husband, that to Christ I might present you as a what? You know what a pure virgin would be? It doesn't sound like somebody acting like Satan, does it? Let's go on. 3. But I'm afraid, get ready, mark this good, I'm afraid lest that the serpent did what? Oh, well, that's still over here. He's still around maybe. The serpent deceived Eve by his what? His craftiness, your what? Look at me. That's where the war is. Your minds, your minds should be what? Well, you could be deceived like Eve if I can read. You'll be led astray from the what? The simplicity and the purity of devotion to Christ. I want to tell you something. It's a simple thing to turn your heart totally over the Lord Jesus Christ. Everything's up to God. I'll give you a second to think about that. It's a simple... It's not a complicated thing to do once you just choose to do it. You don't have to perform. Get in on it. It's a simple thing. Now I want you to watch very happily the next Scripture. What happens when your mind is led astray? This is how Satan leads your mind astray. Are you ready for it? Here it is right here. For if one comes and preaches a what? I'm going to give you a second to put a circle around another Jesus. How many Jesus are there? Well, we find Jesus today that can do this and this one can do that. And this one can't do anything. There are all kinds of Jesus, but there's really one. Amen? You know what in Matthew 24? You find Scripture and they say, and here's Jesus. But he said, don't believe any of them. Is that what your Bible's saying? I wonder what he's talking about. If one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, are you receive a what? That's them. You don't have to skip that anymore. You receive a different spirit which you have not received, are a different what? That's how your mind gets led astray by perverted gospel. You see it over in Galatians 1, starting in verse 6. That's how they lead you astray. Are you seeing it? Another Jesus and a different gospel. And it's all led to in this different spirit, does it? Amen? Which you have not accepted. You bear this beautifully. Let's look in 14. Verse 14. For no wonder, for even Satan disguised himself in angel light. May I ask you something? Look at me. Does the false prophet know he's a false prophet? Does the false teacher know he's a false preacher, teacher? He's a puppet. Even Jews people, they don't even suspect it. They capture him, they don't even know it. He doesn't know it. You could sleep in the same bed as a false teacher and not even know it if you don't know the Word of God. Do you know that? You don't know the difference if you don't know the Word of God. If Satan can talk you out of not even knowing the Word of God, then you'll be a people follower or be deceived. All right, now look here. Verse 15. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also what? They disguise themselves as what? Servants of righteousness whose end shall be according to their what? Their deeds. Boy, I can't resist it. Now, the deeds is their walk. You're going to know them of their fruit. And of course, we wouldn't dare want to rebuke anybody today because we're just nice folks. We're going to love them into it, aren't we? We're going to love them into it, aren't we? With a human compassion, we're going to help God out and we're just going to love them into it. Don't, don't, don't. We're nice Christian folks. We don't rebuke anything and get their carton upset, do we? Because we surely don't want, we'd rather that carton not to be upset as pleased God, hadn't we? Huh? In this day of compromise. Hosea says, they sow the wind and reap the whole whirlwind. You know how you sow wind? Tell us some more beautiful stories, preacher. Words. Words. Words bring up straw. We'll see us later on Hosea, Saturday. The word brings up grain on the straw, which is fruit. In other words, words just bring up hay and stubble. So he says, you sow the wind and you reap the whirlwind. You know who the whirlwind is? Them. You know what wind means? Words. And Psalm 107, it says, it talks about that being in the shadow of death, which means being in the presence of death working in you. And we see the person is set free. Then the waves of the sea, you understand that this is water right here? And the waves of the sea were hushed. That means the words were cut off because then he was led to his desired haven, his desired haven, which is peace. Waves are words. Now, I want you to turn with me to Ephesians 4. Ephesians 4, and I just want to read you one verse. I might read two. I'm going to read three. Verse 11. Now, here's what the Lord is saying. Do you want to know who craftsmen are? Do you know craftsmen back during the time of the tabernacle? The ones that anointed to build all the articles and the gold pieces and things, you know, for the tent of meeting and all these things? The holy place. Now, they were craftsmen. Do you know who the craftsmen are today? They build the house of God and things. Do you know what the temple of God is today? It's lively stones that make up a spiritual house. See, Jesus Christ is a living stone. We're lively stones that make up a spiritual house. A holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God in Christ Jesus. We are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy priesthood, a peculiar people to show forth praises unto him who has delivered us out of the darkness into his beloved Son. Do you know who the craftsmen build this up, this kind of body up? See, while they're watching one temple being built somewhere else that you can see with the eye, you miss another temple called Israel of God. And here's the one that's building it. And it's well underway. Verse 11. And he gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers for the what? The equipping of the saints for the work of the servant to building up the body of Christ until we all are what? We are supposed to attain to the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of Man to a mature man. Now, look at verse 14. As a result, we're no longer, no longer, no longer to be like some children tossed here and there by waves which is words and carried about by every word of doctrine and all kind of words of doctrine. Do you see it? You're not carried about by every word of doctrine by the trickery of men. But there's that word again called craftiness. It said talking about your mind being led astray by craftiness in what kind of, what kind of deceitful what? Satan have schemes? What do you think that happens to people that's not in a war? Think they might fall for some of this right here? Well, we found out there'd been a good reaction ever since the Catholic Church started, hadn't we? Boy, we'd gone into that, hadn't we? Well, you know, I've been telling you what the fruit of righteousness is. That's when you're walking in covenant, the fruit of righteousness in Proverbs 11, 30. And you don't have to turn there, but I want you to be sure to know it, that the fruit of righteousness is you become a tree of life. I'll give you a second to think about that. You become a tree of life, you give life. I mean, somebody comes to your tree, you get life. You're full of life and from your tree. You know there's a tree of death? A tree of death gives off death. Let me give you an example. Did I talk about unforgiveness? You know what? When that gets down to bitterness, you remember what it said in Hebrews? Be sure that a root of bitterness does not what? Spring up. You know what the bitterness in a person does? It goes and it gets other people. It goes and gets them and it corners them over them. And it becomes with this critical mouth and everything, and it begins building this. It becomes a tree of evil. And from this root of bitterness springing up, you begin talking about someone. And then you get there and that person starts receiving those words and taking those words to heart. And the next thing you know, that that person is also feeling unforgiveness and resentment toward this person too because they ate those words. And then many become defiled. Are you seeing it? Well, then that's why God said you have discipline in the church. This is why you don't see folks get out of wheelchairs and things like that when you pray for them because people have something else worked out. They think somebody else come from heaven and think that's old-fashioned to do it like God wants to do it. I'm going to tell you what. I'll tell you something better in old-time religion is acts. Grandmother and grandfather missing things. Just get adjusted to it. All right, let's look at some false teachers. We don't need a break, do we? You need to learn to be tough. Turn to the second beater. We're going to look at a false teacher and then we'll take a minute. I sure wouldn't want them to talk you out of it, have you going to a ball game tomorrow night or something when we're just talking about life for eternal. Second beater, if you have your Bibles. I want you to watch this in verse 1. But false prophets also arose among a people, just as there will also be false teachers among you. You remember? I'll tell you what, sometimes it's all right to laugh, but if you notice, I've got tears in my eyes. You remember when we used to read about the false prophets and false teachers and say, boy, they sure did have a lot of problems back then, didn't they? You know, nothing like that could ever get around us, a false teacher, a false prophet. There'd never been a time of false teachers and false prophets as there are right now. And you will not know the difference if your heart goes to anything besides the Lord Jesus Christ unless you know the Word of God. You'll not know the difference. Because if you don't trust God, that means you have to trust something else. Is that plain? All right, now, verse 1. False prophets also arose among a people and false teachers. Now, we're fixing to see what a false teacher is. Who will secretly introduce destructive heresies. They just drop them in there being used. They're a tool, don't even know it. Everybody in the world is robots, controlled by the powers of darkness. And when they move in your midst, you know, all they have to do is come and shake a preacher's hand and have some kind of position in the world and come around the place. They're a big tither. Even denying the Master, when you deny the Word, you deny the Master, any part of it. Who bought them bringing swift destruction upon themselves. Now, watch them, verse 2. And many, mark many, will follow their what? Sensuality. Everything is just carton. I mean, just leaving life to flesh. Sensuality, feeling. And because of them, the way of truth will be what? Perverted. They pervert the Word of God. Three. And in their what? Greed, they'll exploit you with what? False word, their judgment from long ago is not idle and their destruction's not to sleep because they're being destroyed as they do it. Judgment's all over them. I want you to watch what happens to them there starting in verse 9. Then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment, and especially those who what? That's these false teachers. They indulge the flesh in its what? Corrupt desires. It's just like Satan. And despise the authority of their daring. And what else are they? These false teachers of their self-will. Now, all Satan has to do, he's deeming to get somebody's mind on their self, and they've got them. You get them wanting to make a name for themselves or their ministry or their church or something like that beside Jesus, and he's got them. Self-will. They do not tremble when they revile angelic majesties, whereas angels, who are greater in might and power, do not bring a reviling of judgment against them before the Lord. And you see this same thing over in Jude. Or they know all about the devil, just speak abusively. They just know all about it. But watch what happens to them in verse 12. But these like unreasoning animals, these people, they're born as creatures of instinct. Will you please put that in? It's just flesh. To be captured and killed, and they are captured and killed. Do you understand that? They're reviling where they have no knowledge. They don't know the Word of God about that. Will in the destruction of those discrete creatures also be what? Is that plain? Now watch over there, verse 17. These are springs without water, without the Word. Myths driven by the storm. You'll find out later that that storm is them for whom the black darkness has been reserved for speaking out arrogant words. Now, I'm going to slow down here a little bit because I want you to see this in verse 18. For speaking out arrogant words, proud words, a vanity. Here's what these false teachers and prophets do. They entice by fleshly desires. Do you see that? That's a false teacher. That's a false prophet. He leads people by fleshly desires. They entice by fleshly desires and by what else? I hope you're marking that sensuality, those who barely escape from the ones who live in the area. Promising them what? Freedom. There's no demons can come around this place. We've got the prettiest stained glass in town. Promising them freedom while they themselves are what? They're slaves of corruption, for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved, isn't it? You know what the ministers of Satan do, folks? Ministers of Satan pervert the Word of God. You'll see them over in Galatians 1, 6 through 10. I'm not going to turn it. If you want to make your note, it should be part of your note. Right there they have a different gospel. Distort the gospel of Christ, and that's what we're reading about in 2 Corinthians. It said, Don't let your mind be led where? Astray. I said, You sure better have your mind on Jesus. Oh, I'm going to tell you what's the truth. The gospel contrary. Do you remember one of the first things I told you, folks? I said, Don't receive anything from me until God confirms it in your heart that you're not under any condemnation. Is that what I told you? I'm telling you what, that people that represent God, they don't have to have a following. Do you understand that? Because people who follow God knows it's the only thing. I like that where paper read, Don't follow me no more than you see me follow Christ. Amen? Is that good? Oh, because I'm going to tell you what, it's just like I've watched pastors, and I've watched youth ministers, but I've watched the demons make them idols, and they get all puffed up, and they start to become idols. Do you know what a youth minister should do? And these young people, you know what we're supposed to do when they come toward us? We point to Jesus. Amen? We don't consume this on ourselves. We don't become an idol of ourselves, do we? Well, I think we're going to take about a... There you go. First, if you want to take a break, will you come back? In ten minutes, shake your head. Anybody that comes back after ten minutes gets fourteen consecutive licks on the wrist. And you can't go home until it's over. All right. Here, let it load up, and put it in my mouth in between verses, and when you don't read your Bible, I think you kind of want to... See, it'd be a little suspicious. It's mouth-fresh if you kind of drink it like that, you know. So I want to tell you what I had here. And when I was in Waco at Highland Baptist Church, you know, I'd slip a little... You know, I'd just keep... See, your mouth gets dry, and I'd slip a little on my hand, and I thought, well, someone saw me because here appeared a little gold bottle, and I kept looking at it, and I thought, well, you know, I need to try this new flavor. So I reached over, and I got in, and while everyone was down there by between the verse right there, I had my hand loaded up, and it was all. And I had to stop. And I told them, I said, I've just anointed my tongue. I'll say everything twice now. Well, anyway. Well, do you realize that it's a natural thing to act like the devil? You know that's a natural thing? You know people says that's just my nature? That's natural? See, natural senses are what you see, smell, taste, hear, and feel. These natural things are born in us, and you know what we call that, don't you? Natural things are not spiritual things. Do you realize that? Natural things are not spiritual things. It's natural to take advantage of all opportunities. It's natural to defend yourself. It's natural to put yourself first. It's natural to make a name for yourself. Natural things are flesh, promoted by demons and go against God's Word. Now, I'll show it to you in a word. Turn to James 3. Now, I'll tell you what we're going to do here. Before you leave tonight, we're going to have the Lord to refresh you and make you like new here, a strength. And I believe that His presence is here to do it. And any of that tiredness and fatigue or things like that that you're feeling, I'm going to tell you that you're going to find out that clocks are not important. And you're just going to receive strength. All right. Now, what do you think that people come into... This is the world in the church. They come in with jealousy and, you know, I should be... You know, they talk to them and say, You should be running that thing. I should be in this place and so forth. And there's selfish ambition, people coming in where you're supposed to be making a name for Jesus and they're making a name for themselves, right? What do you think it kind of... That's where you see disorder. And this is what we've been accustomed to, just like the world. I want you to look with me, please, in James 3, verse 14. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition... See, jealousy is I, me, my. Is that right? I should be the one in that place. Selfish ambition is make a name for yourself. I should be... Okay, I, me, my. If you have these in your heart, don't be arrogant and lie against this Word. Is that what your Bible says? Don't be arrogant and lie against this Word if that's in your heart. And the next part says, This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but this kind of wisdom is earthly, which means world, natural, which means you set natural senses what you see, smell, taste, hear, and feel. Now, let me just say it again. That's worldly. This kind of wisdom is selfish ambition and jealousy is worldly. It's fleshly, and it's all stirred up by mnemonic. Do you see that right there? Just says plain old demons there, doesn't it? Shake your head. All right, now. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. But the wisdom from above is first pure. It's peaceable. See, this is a different kind of wisdom. That's world, flesh, and demon wisdom. See, you're not supposed to be overcoming the world of flesh and the devil. If you're not overcoming the world of flesh and the devil, the world of flesh and the devil is overcoming you. But this wisdom from above is first pure. It's peaceable. It's gentle, reasonable, full of mercy, good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy, and a seed whose fruit is righteousness, sown in peace by those who make peace. May I ask you something? When you walk into a room, does peace come into the room? Or disorder? Does peace go where you go? Folks, do you remember that we talked about in Covenant the first two days? And we got into Scripture. Now, listen very closely. You know, over in John 15, it says that I have chosen you to bear fruit, much fruit. Now, see, the only way you can be fruitful is walk in Covenant. Is that right? And then it says after you're fruitful, you're walking in Covenant. He says you ask anything you wish, and it'll be given to you. Is that what your Bible said? See, because the one who is walking in Covenant, listen very carefully, he's not walking after the carton, is he? Amen? Are you seeing this? Now, don't go too fast. You've got to see this because something's going to change right here. A person who's walking in Covenant is living for heavenly things. His mind is not on the world. Is that right? Or the flesh, right? And then God said the most amazing thing in Covenant words. He said you ask whatever you wish, and it'll be given to you. And then we drop back in chapter 14. He said when you're fruitful, and the next part is multiply. Multiply is being the disciple of what's given to you. When God gives you, you give it to others. That's love. Is that correct? That's love. And then it says, he who believes in me, if you believe in Jesus, the works that I do, shall you do also. And then twice it says, whatever you ask, it'll be given to you. Now, once again it says, whatever you ask, it'll be given to you. Now, that's kind of foreign to what we've been accustomed to, isn't it? We just kind of read past verses like that. Let me show you why. Let me show you why right here, starting in chapter 4. Now, get your big pencil ready. You might find something else for your refrigerator in here. Verse 1, What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? See, you already know there's disorder in every evil thing. We already know the kind of wisdom that's going on in this situation. It's coming, it's worldly. The world's in it, and it's the flesh, and it's all stirred up from demons. Incidentally, folks, may I remind you of something? All these scriptures we're reading in James comes before James 5, 14, and 15, where you anoint with oil. Are you seeing why back down the line there they had to write some thick books? Huh? That God couldn't do these things anymore? He's using a lot of oil, and it's all dying because he didn't want to walk in covenant. He didn't want to deal with the devil. He didn't want to talk about demons, act like the world. Verse 1, What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? It's not the source your what? What does it mean, pleasures? Flesh, carton, which waged war in your what? Mark that, your members. Now, I want you to circle this right. Your what? Your lust, your old fleshly desires. That's the way you come to God. Old fleshly desires. You lust, and you do not have. I want you to write above that, your way. You do not have your way. Just write and swallow that. You don't have your way, so you commit murder. See, you do it in your heart. Things don't happen your way. You're just in your heart. You commit murder. See, that's carton. That's the flesh. And you are envious. What does envious mean? I, me, mine, Mark envious. And you cannot obtain. Once again, will you put right above, you cannot obtain right above that, your way. Just put a little arrow there. Your way, once again. You don't obtain your way. That's your carton's way. I, me, mine. So you fight and quarrel, disorder and every evil thing. You do not have because you do not ask. Will you put there, his way. You ask, you pray. Where it says ask right there, right above that, pray. You pray and do not receive because you ask with a what? You got carton motives. You got the wrong motives so that you may spend it on your what? Consuming on your flesh. You want God to come down and cooperate so you can have, so you can make a name for your church or make a name for your ministry or yourself or something. See, it's not in the spirit. Not out making a name for Jesus. Because see, what is opposite of what we just read, what I told you in John 15? He said you ask whatever you wish and it will be given to you. That's someone that's being fruitful, walking in covenant. Here's the opposite. Somebody's trying to come to God in the flesh. You've always seen a double-minded man in James 1 receives nothing from God. Amen? All right, now, you want to know what adulterous is? Let me tell you what adulterous is. That's someone that pretends obedience to God. You know what happens to, you know what God said about adulterous? He said, they are the ones that hate me and despise me. I think we just need to stop and see that. Hold your place right there and turn back to Psalms 81. They're called pretenders. Adulterous is a pretender. All right, Psalm 81, 15, we'll just read this part. Those who hate the Lord are the ones who would what? The ones that pretend obedience to him. And their time of punishment is what? Now, we're going to run into that later on, pretenders and ones that despise him. You always know that God says the ones that hate him is the one that pretends obedience to him. That's the reason he moves ahead and he says, sick them. Now, we're back over there in 4. See what he says right there in verse 4. You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you think this, I put this in my Bible for no purpose? And then once again he said that. He said, do you think I just dropped this in my Bible? His Scripture speaks no purpose. He jealously desires a spirit which is made to dwell in us. We know that's the Lord's minister to us, to our spirit. And the enemy comes to minister to flesh which is supposed to be dead. Is that correct? They come to talk to the carton. All right, now, I want you to turn with me to Luke 8, please. Luke 8, Luke 8, Luke 8. A multitude is almost more than you can count. In a word, isn't it? And in verse 4, we see the parable of the Word. He's always said in Mark 4, he said, if you don't understand this parable, how are you going to understand any of the parables? Which means, Luke, the parable of the Word is more important than any parables. Of course it would be. Now, verse 4. Then a great multitude were coming together, boys, about the biggest crowds ever in front of the Lord Jesus Christ. And those in various cities were turning to him. He spoke by way of a parable. He said, the sower went out to sow the seed. As he sowed, some fell beside the road, and it was what? What is this seed? They didn't know what it was, but we know what it is. The seed is the Word of God. And look here, it's trampled underfoot, wasn't it? And then, what does it come by and say then? And the who came and ate it up? Oh, I mentioned something about beasts of the field, and here we got the birds of the air, hadn't we? I wonder who these birds of the air represent. Them is right. Them is exactly right. Now, here's a... Now, the reason I'm pointing this out, because later on, particularly when we start getting in some things on Saturday, we're going to show the church in the grasp of the violent. We're going to see that the violent, the powers of darkness, has the church in bondage right now. And you're going to see it in the Word of God. This is why people cannot... This is why I don't tape it. This is why I like for people to come to seminars, because, see, they'll take that tape. And if they hadn't heard all these others, some of these things they say seem like off the wall. You know it? And see, this way, you prevent your good from being evil spoken of. Of course, you won't have any problem with it like everybody else. Maybe people come and listen to the Word, and we start. We've been building a foundation here. This is what we've been doing. Well, now, he's got one of the largest crowds in front. Now, I want you to go up. You've got the birds of the air marked there, because later on in verse 12 you're going to see it there, the powers of darkness. So here he's got this. It's kind of like television in 14 states here. He's got all these people he had to back up in a boat to. There's so many people right there. It's a good chance to get them to join something, isn't it? Verse 6, And other seed fell on rocky soil. As soon as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no more. Other seed fell among the thorns. The thorns grew up, and it choked it out. Other seed fell into the good soil, and grew up and produced a crop a hundred times as much. As he said these things, he would call out, He has ears to hear. Let him hear. Everyone had ears, didn't they? But let me tell you something. They didn't have spiritual ears. And you know who all understood this? No one. Not anyone there. Here he had this wonderful, wonderful opportunity, and all these thousands, he could get them joined up. And not even the twelve disciples understood what he said, because he had to take them aside. Let me tell you something about Jesus. If he were here in the flesh right here, right now, he is here now. But I want to tell you something. He only speaks the word of God to those who have their heart turned toward him. That's the only one. This whole book is a mystery. It's meant to be understood. Here it stands. He's our kind of people. I said, she's also a little Pentecostal. And you know something? I just hurt so much, because I've hurt. And you know, I knew that, and there's a couple of different ways you could say this, but I knew I probably wouldn't be that way again. And I wanted to impart some truth, and what time I could there. See, if people don't know the truth, the truth can't set them free. So I began getting them some things, and I'm aware when I come to places where it might strike a nerve, or a gold calf might rise up and kick someone in there, or you touch an idol or whatever. But when I would come to these places, the interesting thing would happen. All their eyes would turn, you know, and I would be looking at them, and their eyes would just cut toward this man down here on the front. And I just spent a whole time watching how he's taking it. And I finally looked at him, and he just wasn't happy at all. He sure wasn't happy. He just looked there, and he wasn't pleased at all when I read this Bible. And you know, finally, as I went on, I mean, he was just a plain distraction, because everything I said, they would all look at him. And you know, I just knew enough to know he was a church boss. And so I figured the only way I'm going to get their attention is to come down here, come down here where he is. And so I stood here, and he still wasn't happy. But see, this church boss isn't God. You understand that? He's not God. Church bosses aren't God. And he was submitting and letting himself be used by demons to think he was God or something. And so the demons work with church bosses. And I'll show you how demons work with church bosses. First, they have his heart lifted up. And every time you get around a church boss or cross a church boss's path, demons, you get near them, they intimidate you, and see, and they attack you because they've got him where they want him, see. Do you ever understand when you start to get around a church boss, it's kind of like getting around a wreck. Fear and everything else gets on you, you see. See, fear is a ministry of demons. Fear, if God hasn't given you a spirit of fear, where's the spirit of fear? Fear and intimidation comes with everything. Every time fear and intimidation comes, you're being talked to by the devil. You remember, if you fear God, you'll not be afraid of anything else. And if you don't fear God, you're afraid of everything. But I don't know how I got into that. But I don't like church bosses. Now, the parable. He didn't intend for them to see or hear. Now, the parable of verse 11 is this. The seed is the word of God. And look at verse 12. This is where, this corresponds with verse 5 where the birds of the air came and ate up the seed. And those, he's got the disciples. Now, the multitude's gone. The Sunday morning crowd's gone home, amen? And those beside the road are those who have heard then the devil comes and takes away the what? Word from their heart. Now, what do you think about that? Do you understand that the demons can take the word right out of your heart? Do you know how they do it? Just make you believe a lie. Remember when I told you to look in the word? And you want to see what Reverend Smith or Dr. Brown or somebody else thinks, the Lord couldn't teach you anything? Or the structure thinks? Or denomination thinks? Or anything else thinks? If you put anything else there, you put it before the word of God. And they bring that to intimidate you and that replaces the word of God. So you can't receive it, you can't walk in it, and you can't stand in it because your heart's not right. And the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart so that they may not believe and be saved. And those on the rocky soil are those who when they hear the word of God they receive it with joy, joy, joy, joy. And these have no firm root. They believe for a while, but in time of temptation it'll always come. They what? Well, I think that's what happened to 1 Timothy 4, 1. Some folks fell away from the faith there. They departed from the faith. They're not into faith. Let me just tell you something. That person doesn't know the Lord. Okay? I mean, he just doesn't know the Lord. Let me just tell you another way. He didn't make it. All right, here's another one. See, his salvation's up here. Look at me. It wasn't here. It's up here. Well, I can now think of it. They say the Greek says in your pocket. I think that's what the Holy Spirit says anyway. 14. And the seeds which fell among the thorns, these are one who've heard. Here's the war against you and the word. Here it is just plainly. They hear the word of God, the ones who've heard, and they go. Whose way? Which way they go? Their way. And they are choked with what? There it is. That's what the demons feel. You're mindful of worries and riches and pleasures of this life. That's where their heart is. And they bring no fruit to maturity, which means they bear fruit for Satan. They don't know the Lord. Is that clear? All right, now the next one, 15. And the seed in the good soil, these are one who've heard the word in honest and good heart. They hold it fast. They bear fruit with what? Well, they know the Lord. But those other people there are Lord of their own life. They don't consider God their motive or decision. They find their proportion in this world. They're living for their self. You know what the enemy attacked on their mind is? It's to get us so indulgent in fleshly sin that we become preoccupied with that pride of position, acquiring possessions, and pursuing pleasure. Do you understand what the world is doing? Live for yourself. So their life purpose becomes self-centered, which is I, me, mine. I want you to know, and I'll tell you again, you remember, and I mentioned to you, if the fellow owns a penthouse up there, I don't care what kind of position, what kind of name, what kind of worldly possessions he might have right then, where he's dancing one foot, one hand, two feet, or doing back flips, I want you to know if Jesus Christ is not his Lord, and he's in covenant with God Almighty, he's a slave of demons. Is that clear? Well, let's just see it in the Word. See, the whole world lives for themselves and their flesh. They're called sons of disobedience in the world. Do you understand that you can be a church member and be a son of disobedience? There's plenty of them. You can come every Sunday and Wednesday and be a son of disobedience. Turn to Ephesians 2, please. Ephesians 2. Ephesians 2. All right. Verse 1. Now I want you to get your big pencil ready. And you what? You were dead in your trespasses and your sins. You were that way. Now you're supposed to be walking with Jesus. In which you what? You firmly walked. Are you circling these? You firmly walked there. According, how did you walk? According to the what? You walked according to the course of the world. You don't walk there anymore. You also walked according to the, what else? The prince of the power of this earth. That's Satan and the demons that control this world. You walked that way. He is called the prince of this world. And also of the what? The spirit. That's them. Circle that. The spirit. If you don't care, write you out from this. Get your amplified Bible sometime. And just read these scriptures right here too. The spirit that is what? Yesterday? Now. Circle now. The spirit. That's them. The demons. That is now working. What's that word? In. Look at me. Out there is out. Inside here is in. Right now. That spirit is working in the what? Sons of disobedience. And a son of disobedience is someone that's not living right there. Front row, back row, platform. Is that what your Bible says? Verse 3. Among them we too all what? Formally live. You don't live there anymore. In the what? That's how they get in there. Get into people. The lust of the flesh. Isn't that clear? You seeing it? Shake your head. The lust of the flesh. Indulging the what? Well, you get a house full of them when you indulge the desires of the flesh. Mark that. And of the what? Mine and they were. That means you're not anymore, but you were by nature. Children of wrath, even as a wrath. Is that clear? This is why when we come into covenant God and we really and truly... Now, I mean, that doesn't mean just join something. I mean you make Jesus Christ Lord and He becomes Lord of your life. This is where in Colossians 1, 13, He says, He delivered us out of the domain of darkness into the kingdom of His beloved Son. And darkness is all over. Well, these people don't know. They're just here for a season. See, that changes Thursday night visitation when you really see you're not getting them to go join. You're getting them to come. You get the fires on them, the smokes on them, right? You bring them to the truth. I want you to look with me in Ephesians 5 while we're there. Just turn to Ephesians 5. Are we supposed to be in the image and likeness of God? All right, let's begin that first verse. Therefore be what? Imitators of God, not the devil. That's the image of God. If you circle that, as beloved children, and walk in His love just as Christ also loved you, gave Himself for us, and offered Him in sacrifice to God as a prager to Roman. All right, now here we go in verse 3. Now watch very closely. But do not let immorality or any impurity or greed, that's things after the world, even be named among you as proper among what? Saints of God. That's the one that's the image and real likeness of God. These things are not even named among them. Do you see that? Huh? Unless you've got something else worked out. Now, 4. There must not be no filthiness or silly talk or coarse jesting, which is not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. All right, now here we go. Get your big pencil ready, for this you can know with certainty. If God says you can know something with certainty, do you think it might be pretty certain? Well, let's see what's certain right here. That you know with certainty that no immoral or impure person or covetous man who isn't a dollar has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Is that clear? Of course, doctrines of demons would make you believe different, wouldn't it? Huh? Then, 6. Here's a warning. Get ready to mark it. Let no one what? Let no one what? Does that mean you could be, might be possibly deceived about this? Let no one deceive you with what? Empty words. For because of these things, the what? Wrath of God comes upon what? Well, we get back to this same thing. Hadn't it been a different time? Shake your head, you wonder, well, where is the devil in all this? I don't see him anywhere. Why doesn't the church recognize the devil? Because they're in agreement with him. Deceived. I'm not saying it's unkindly to hit or lock eyes elevated or something. What I know, I know, but grace, I'm just telling you, they're deceived. They do spiritual things with the carnal minds and with worldly methods. Waiting for the world church to start and sitting in it. Making a name for themselves and operating with worldly methods. See, the demons got everybody in the church going on retreats today. I think it's time to start charging, don't you? You know what the church feel like warfare is? Going to church in the rain. Turn to Colossians 2. Colossians 2. Do you think God warns you about something? Do you think you should just kind of consider it maybe? Here's a warning for you in Colossians 2, verse 8. See to it that no one takes you what? Captive through what? Philosophy and what else? Empty deception according to the what? Traditions of men according to what else? The elementary principles of the world rather than according to this Bible right here, Christ. Unless you're intimidated and fearful. Intimidated and fearful. Hell's going to be full of intimidated and fearful people. Have you about decided it just matters more what God says and what folks say or what they think? Have you about decided that? Well, then Jesus is Lord. He's warned you not to be taken captive through philosophy, empty deception. What's empty deception? Twisting God's Word. Traditions of men, things that's handed down. It looked good what grandmother and grandfather did, didn't it? We wouldn't want to upset grandmother and grandfather. You know what Paul had to do, didn't you? Paul come to a place where he had to say, Mother and daddy, grandmother and granddaddy, Worshipping in temple, not where it is. Worshipping the Lord Jesus Christ. See, because when you come into blood covenant, it's no longer flesh and blood anyway, is it? You got a new family, folks. You sure do have a new family. So we're not to be taken captive by the traditions of men, the elementary principle worldly ways rather than according to this Word. Is that correct? See, you know, all the world's best-selling books teach you about power, success, control, beauty, envy, and greed. I, me, my, we, us. That's the world. And you let the world get in the church. So why don't you turn with me to John 8, please? John 8. John 8. All right, John 8, verse 31. Jesus, therefore, was saying to those Jews who had believed him, If you remain in my Word, then you're truly disciples of mine, and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. They answered him, We are Abraham's offspring and have never yet been enslaved to anyone. How do you say you shall become free? In other words, they were right then slaves of the Roman government, weren't they? Not counting the demons hanging on them like bats. 34. Jesus answered them, Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. And I want you to watch how Jesus answered them in verse 38. These religious folks. 38. I speak the things which I have seen of my father. Who was his father? God Almighty. Isn't that right? Therefore, you also, what? Uh-oh. He said, I'm looking at your fruit. I'm looking at your walk here. And you're doing the things which you've heard from what? Your father and my father are different. I can tell what your deeds are. I'm looking at your walk. We've got different fathers. I look at your walk and you talk. They answered and said to him, Abraham is our father. Do you understand that Abraham is your father's folks? It's your seed of Abraham. Your son's and daughter's Abraham. Do you know that in Galatians 3? Shake your head. All right. Now, we're the Israel of God. We're the spiritual Israel of God. Is that correct? Okay. They answered and said to him, Abraham is our father. Jesus said to them, if you're Abraham's children. See, the only way you can be Abraham's child today is for Jesus Christ to be your Lord. Said, if you're Abraham's children, he said, do what? Deeds of Abraham and that's not. I see the things you're doing and they don't line up. But children of Abraham, are you seeing that? Shake your head. Let's go on then. Verse 41. You're doing the what? Your walk right there is showing that you're doing the deeds of your father the devil. They said to him, we were not born of fornication. We have one father, even God. And Jesus said to him, 43, why do you not understand what I'm saying? It's because you cannot hear my word. And Jesus always liked to please people like this and said, you have your father the devil. And you want to do the what? See there? Circle desires about three times. That's carton desires. You want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, does not stand the truth because there's no truth in him. And whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own what? And what he's saying, you've got the same nature he has. That's why he said your father's a devil. Mark on nature. He speaks from his own nature for he is a liar and a father of lies, 47. Hears of God, hears the words of God. But for this reason you do not hear because you're not a God. Is that plain? Now look at me. Later on, later on there, he said to them, he said, see that's church of that day. And he said, church folks, church folks, it's the father who glorifies me of whom you say he is your God, but you haven't come to know him. But I know him. And if I say I don't know him, I'll be a liar like you. I know him because I keep his word. That's the difference in the deeds of the devil and having a father of God and the deeds of doing the deeds of Satan. That's what he told them. I want you to see that. We want to read that. Verse 54. Jesus answered, if I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my father who glorifies me of whom you say he is our God. And you've not come to know him, but I know him. And if I say that I do not know him, I'll be a liar like you. But I do know him and keep his word. Amen? Well, I want you to remember what I told you before that when you receive a lie, wherever you receive it, from a demon, a word of doctrine, somebody, or some person, ancestors, world, wherever you get it, God looks on you. When you receive a lie, you're just rejecting the truth. You've not come to him. You've gone somewhere else for truth. And he holds you responsible because he said if you're going to be approved unto him, you are to study. Well, in other words, he tells us to walk in a manner worthy of him, bearing fruit in all good works and increasing in the knowledge of the word. That's what he tells us to do, isn't it? Now, just real quickly, I want to turn to Isaiah 14. Isaiah 14. Let me ask you something. Would it be all right if we stayed about 12 or 13 minutes more? Would it? Just hold up your head if it would be all right. Okay. All right, now, I'm going to tell you what. We're going to pray right here, and I'm going to tell you, though, people that's getting a little weary or something, they're trying to talk. We're going to get strength. I'm going to tell you to go home renewed. Amen? That's all right, isn't it? If God says you can make it on one hour, I told you it's better than sitting up smoking all night, isn't it? All right, now, in Isaiah 14. Now, we are the trees of the field. Is that right? You know, the trees of the field. Isaiah 55, clap their hands. Now, in Isaiah 14, we're going to see that there are tree cutters. We're the trees of the field, and there are tree cutters. Now, I want you to look at this with me. Look at verse 12. We see we're talking about Satan. How you've fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, sun of the dawn. You have been cut down to the earth. You have what? You know, that's what Satan does. He comes and weakens you. He exhausts you. That's what he does to the whole world. But you said in your heart, he's talking to Satan. He said, what's Satan saying? In his heart, I will ascend to heaven. I will raise my throne above the stars of God. I will sit on the mountain assembly in the recesses of the north. I will ascend above. It's I, me, my. See that? I'll ascend above the heights of the cloud. I'll make myself like the most high. Nevertheless, you be thrust down the shield to the recesses of the pit. Let's back up to verse 4. 14.4 right there. We know we're talking about Satan right there. He's also called the king of Babylon. Verse 4, it said that you take up this taunt against the king of Babylon, that's Satan, and say how their pressure has ceased, how fury has ceased. The Lord has broken the staff of the wicked, the scepter of rulers, which used to strike the people in fury with unceasing strokes. That's exactly what he's doing right now. It hasn't ceased yet. This is prophecy for later on. He's striking the people with unceasing strokes right now, which subdued the nations in anger in what? It's unrestrained persecution is what he's bringing right now. The whole earth, this is later on, is at rest and is quiet. They break forth in shouts of joy. Even the cypress trees rejoice over you in the cedars of Lebanon saying, Satan, since you and your demons were laid low, know what? No tree cutter comes up against us. Now, you're going to see all over your Bible about the tree cutters. See, Satan, when you see Satan, and when you see demons, it's synonymous, and I'll show you an example of that a little later on. It's synonymous. When you're talking about the one, Satan cuts down trees, so does the demons. Satan can only be in one place at one time. The demons are all around, and when they get ground, that's what they're doing. They're chopping down the tree. Now, turn to Isaiah 5. Back up to 5 real quick. 5. Verse 1. Isaiah 5, verse 1. Let me sing now for my well-beloved a love, a song of my beloved concerning his vineyard. My well-beloved had a vineyard on a fertile hill. Who is the vineyard? We're the vineyard. The beloved is Jesus, isn't that right? And he dug it all around, removed its stones. We're the vineyard, and he's working in the vineyard right there. Well, let's just see that over in the New Testament. Hold your hand right there and turn with me over to Luke 13 just a moment, please. And then we'll come back. I want you to turn to Luke 13 just a moment, please. Luke 13. Turn to Luke 13. All right, 13. Read with me in verse 6. You see the same thing here. And he began telling this parable. A certain man had a fig tree which had been planted in his what? We're looking at the vineyard. And he came looking for what? He came looking for fruit for who? God or Satan? He came looking for fruit for God on it and did not find any. And he said to the vineyard keeper, Behold, for three years I've come looking for fruit on this fig tree without finding any. What did he say? Sick'em. Cut it down. Why does it even use up the ground? And he answered and said to him, Let it alone, sir, for this year, too, until I want. Isn't that what he's reading over there? In Isaiah 5 in that vineyard. And then I dig around it, put in some fertilizer. And if it bears fruit next year, fine. But if it does not, what does it say? Sick'em, tree cutters. Now, we're going to see how the tree cutters get there. Come back over to Isaiah 5. Isaiah 5 verse 2. He dug it all around, removed its stones. He's digging over there, wasn't he? He planted with the choice this vine. He built a tower in the middle of it. He hewed out a vine vat in it. Then he expected it to produce good fruit, didn't he? Good fruit, good grapes. Fruit for God. All right, let's see what he had. But it produced only what? Fruit for the devil. Worthless grapes. Amen? And now we're looking three. And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge between me and my what? My vineyard. The Lord says, what more was there to do for my vineyard that I have not done in it? Why, when I expected it to produce good grapes, did it produce worthless fruit? So now let me tell you what I'm going to do to my vineyard. I'm going to what? I'm going to what? Now look at this. Folks, when he removes the hedge, he's saying, Sick'em, people who do not walk to walk with God do not have any hedge around them. Is that plain? You can just write that one down in your book. Covenant is what God brought to protect us from this evil one already destroying in this world. All right, now. I will remove, in verse 5, I'll remove its hedge, and it will be what? Consumed. I'll break down its wall, and it'll become what? Now, here's the ground. Do you understand this is God's field, that we're God's field, we're God's building? 1 Corinthians 3, 9. Do you know that? This is a field. You know, you give ground, take ground, this is it. Become trampled ground. This is where judgment sprouts up. Either the Word of God is sprouting there, fruit for the Lord, or judgment. We see it later on in Hosea. And I'm going to lay it waste. It'll not be pruned or hoed, but briars and thorns will come up. I'll also charge the clouds, where it says clouds right above that H-S, that means the Holy Spirit. I'll also charge the clouds to rain no rain on it, for the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the what? Do you understand that's what we're supposed to be, the house of Israel? We are the house of Israel. And the men of Judah's delightful plant, he came, does he look for justice, which means discipline and reproof? That's what he came looking for in this vineyard. But behold, what did he find? All right, let me show you how he shed blood in the midst of the congregation. Look at me. When I was 43 years old, I was just like a little child. I want to please God. You can't know how I want to please the Lord with all my heart. Lord, I'll just do anything, anything you want me to do. I don't know nothing, Lord. Show me what to do that I can please you. And let's say I go into a place, a church, that represents church. You know why we call it church. It's a building with a steeple on it. But there are people that are supposed to represent God. And I go in there, and instead of making disciples there, they like for people to make decisions. And they teach me how to be a good structure member. But they don't teach me the Word of God. I'm not taught to be a disciple. And then when I might say something in the Word of God, and I say, well, you know, if I can read this says such and such here, now you just don't know, and you just leave that alone, you'll set a big tither. Besides, you don't have any education. What can you know? Now you just fit into the structure here. Shape up, or we'll withdraw fellowship from you. And then you knew how it was out there in the world. And then you might go to see yourself, you know, out whizzing all the time. You won't just tell everybody about Jesus and things. And you get back in your structure, and you find out that upsets folks. They get mad at you. So you don't want any job or anything. You just want to tell people about Jesus. And people attack you. And all you're doing is loving people. You're not opening your mouth, not doing anything except telling people about Jesus or maybe things like that. See, there's some degree of righteousness when you live that way. You know that. But then when you get in that structure, you know what's happening? They teach you form of godliness instead of godliness. A form of godliness is not godliness. And when you receive form, they open you up to the powers of darkness and the powers of blackness shed the blood, and the blood is on their hands. And that's how he looked for justice, and that's what he found, bloodshed. And look what else. See, the demons are already there. They're already running the place. He looked for righteousness. That's when people walk right in front of God, but, behold, what do you see? A cry of distress. Isn't that right? Well, later on, I think we'll just start later on just to see. No, I'm going to turn there. Turn with me to Luke 3. I want to look at this first before we go. Luke 3. I want you to see what John the Baptist, John the Baptist here, see where there's form, where there's not justice. The Lord removes a hedge. He says, And you know what you hear is next? A cry of distress. A cry of distress. They just stay stubborn and just hang in there like the world, keeping a stiff upper lip. God can't do anything. We just stay over here and count. Verse 7. It says, You know who's the serpent? Satan. So he's just saying, You're a family of snakes. You're a family of Satan. All right, now look at me, folks. Now, this is very important to understand the rest of this. Look here. He said, You bunch of snakes, you family of the devil. He said, I'm telling you right now that you better bring forth fruit for God. If you really mean business, you better repent. You better be making a change in your heart. And furthermore, they better be fruit from God in keeping with that repentance, in turn, that you're supposed to be coming here for, snakes. And watch what happens. Now, bring forth fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourself, We have Abraham for our father. For I say to you that God is able from these stones to raise up children of Abraham. And also, the ax is already laid to the root of the trees. I don't know whether they didn't understand what he's saying, but I'll tell you what he's saying. You're already being cut down, snakes. The root's already cutting you down. The demon, the powers of darkness have already got you. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is what? And throw it on the fire. Now, I have something to say to you. You'll never come to God with your mind there to repent. You'll never receive anything from God. You'll look around at everybody else. And you'll go into despair and confusion. Because if you don't come to God right here to repent, you change directions here when you come to repentance of God. Now, I want to read this quickly. God is doing a secret work in our day. Let me tell you who wrote this. I don't usually quote people or anything, but I'm telling you that God's on this. This is David Wilson. God is doing a secret work in our day. He's raising up a hungry people who are growing more and more dissatisfied with the fleshly worldly system that now exists even in the church. These God-hungry people are saying among themselves, this is not it. There's something more. The bigness and sensationalism of it all has left us empty and dry. We want more. More than entertainment. More than a big show of buildings. More than shallow celebrity gospel. We want deeper values. We want to see Jesus. We want spotless robes of righteousness. We want to go back to doing things in total dependence on God. I see it all over the nation today. Disillusioned Christians searching for reality. The people in a pew are beginning to fast and pray. They're fasting. Some of these dear men of God grieve over the conditions in the church today. God is revealing to all praying people that a glorious new work of the Spirit is about to break forth. God is going to shake everything it can be shaken. He'll tear down the old political backslidden ecclesiastical system. He'll disown the formal super-church structure. He's going to chase out of His presence all who are engaged in self-promoting ministries. Will you say amen, please? Be honest, say to God, are you really satisfied with the religious system today and especially in your church? Some are, but most are not getting their needs met. I believe we've gotten off the track of true spirituality. The spiritual leanness of so many Christians today is a direct result of getting into the flesh. Trying to do kingdom work in our own power with worldly methods. Our values are becoming perverted. Shame on us. We're substituting temporal values for eternal ones. We have evangelists and teachers who specialize in telling believers how much God owes them. Material blessings are magnified. Spiritual ones minimized. According to some, it's our right to be rich, successful, and immune to all pain, and I'll add, to not suffer. Beloved, how much of that teaching is going to stand up before the judgment seat of Christ? There's a growing inner knowledge in me that most of our modern self-centered teaching is going to be consumed before the flaming eyes of the Son of God. I confess to you it has taken years for me to live only for eternal values. I grieve when I think back of the time and the money I wasted trying to build something tangible for God. I wanted something people could see how important I thought those buildings were to God's kingdom. I convinced myself God deserves the best. He does, but it's not in bricks and mortar and steel. He deserves the best of our time and yielded us. Thank God for the day the Spirit revealed to me how shallow my values were. I spent 20 years planning programs, building buildings, running all over the world trying to show God how important this kingdom of mine was. All the while my reputation grew as a minister of faith and vision, yet after each new project I felt a letdown. No sooner was one building finished than I was already planning another. I was an ideal man for God. I had more ideals than any preacher in America. Ideals on how to evangelize, how to organize New Testament programs. The programs and the ideals were successful enough to entrap me and keep me on the treadmill of business, and that's where every shepherd is in the country about it, in business. These old traditions, I've got them waiting tables. I discovered the hard way that the glory of God, the peace and joy of the Spirit was being stripped down, emptied, made totally weak. God had exposed all my values. He turned His flaming eyes on my soul and showed me I'd better reject my old way of doing things or be lost in a maze of self-imposed activity. Now my greatest joy is waiting upon Him for direction. I have made time to be along with Him. I prepared my soul to abide in His quiet presence. He's letting me sense what the Spirit is saying to this generation. The more He empties me, the more He fills me with a desire to depend only on Him for everything. I see now that all along the Lord was just waiting for me to lay down all my plans, all my ambition, and be given over to Him as a bond slave. The sweat's now gone. The sweat is now gone. The pressure's off. He's recreating all my values. We're now moving swiftly. Now listen to this. In what we know is the end time, we'd better be in possession of the heavenly vision of holiness and humility. The testing time is coming upon us with lightning speed. Now listen. It's going to take more than a doctrine or a particular teaching to see us through. We're going to have to really know the Lord in His fullness. We'd better have our eyes on eternal values. Only spiritual things are going to remain. You know when the Spirit is calling you out of shallow Christianity about you. You will know when the Lord is wanting to touch you in a supernatural way. You will know when He's calling you out of the ordinary. He'll stir your nest. An unexplainable divine restlessness will come upon you. You'll become disinterested in what you've been doing. All your successes will leave you feeling empty and unfulfilled. Nothing you have or do will meet the need in you for reality. You will sense that a very deep need in you is not being yet met. Questions have never been answered. A shadow of dissatisfaction will be cast over your entire life. That is a mark of God's dealing with you in a supernatural way, trying to get you to turn loose of all that you hold dear. It is His way of showing you that your needs are really physical. I mean your needs are really spiritual and they're not physical. Now do you also sense this call to a deeper walk with God? Is your soul hungry for more of the Spirit of your life? If so, end the civil war in you by yielding everything you have to the Master. Die of the flesh. The misery goes the very moment you surrender all to Him. When you do it, it's over. You can know true peace and happiness the moment you quit trying to be somebody. Want nothing but Jesus and your life will take on new meaning. My greatest grief is that it took so long for me to get out of God's way. I wasted years doing things simply out of compassion. I was spiritually blind, not knowing that God must clearly direct every step I take. I had an international pulpit, preaching to thousands with crowded audience. Thank God He showed me there was much more. The numbers in the crowd meant nothing. I wanted to see people get deeper in the Lord. I wanted nothing more to do with shallow decisions. God had to totally change my way of thinking. And now like Gideon, I know that big is not always best. Don't let it happen to you. You take stock of your life and values. Shut yourself up with God along in a secret closet. Pray diligently for the spiritual hunger. Ask God to give you a spirit of sorry for wasting so much time. Pray for a greater desire for His Word. Pray for a broken heart. Pray for a purging and a purifying work in your life. And then get ready to be cast into the fire of testing. Because you will be tested. Because the testers are there. And the war doesn't end until you leave this carton. Will you stand up please? Now, I'm telling you in Jesus' name that the Lord is going to strengthen you right now. And if you get talked out of it, that's up to you. Now, I'm the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. I'm the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. Blessed with all spiritual blessings. Seated in the heavenly places. Seated in the heavenly places. My nature is divine. My nature is divine. My health is divine. My health is divine. As Jesus Christ is in the world, so am I. My weapons are mighty in God. My weapons are mighty in God. Tearing down strongholds. Tearing down strongholds. I take dominion. I take dominion. I rule and reign in the name of Jesus. I rule and reign in the name of Jesus. The Son of God. The Son of God. Has destroyed all the works of darkness. Has destroyed all the works of darkness. He's made a public display of them. He's made a public display of them. And I'm given authority over all the powers of darkness. And I'm given authority over all the powers of darkness. In the name of Jesus. In the name of Jesus. And I always. And I always. Triumph in the name of Jesus. Triumph in the name of Jesus. And now the Word says. And now the Word says. When in time of need. When in time of need. I can go to the throne of grace. I can go to the throne of grace. When I'm weak. When I'm weak. I become strong. I become strong. And Lord Jesus. And Lord Jesus. I now come before the throne of grace. I now come before the throne of grace. I submit to the Lordship of Jesus. I submit to the Lordship of Jesus. And to the Word of God. And to the Word of God. I humble myself. I humble myself. I come with a repentant heart. I come with a repentant heart. I come for mercy and grace. I come for mercy and grace. I stand in your Word, Lord. I stand in your Word, Lord. Then I'm strengthened in all power. Then I'm strengthened in all power. But you're mine. But you're mine. And now in Jesus' name. And now in Jesus' name. From your throne. From your throne. I receive grace. I receive grace. The Word and the blood. The Word and the blood. I remove in the name of Jesus. I remove in the name of Jesus. All the works of tiredness and fatigue. All the works of tiredness and fatigue. Is removed in Jesus' name. Is removed in Jesus' name. All weakness and exhaustion. All weakness and exhaustion. Is removed for me in the name of Jesus. Is removed for me in the name of Jesus. Now from your throne, Lord. Now from your throne, Lord. I receive grace. I receive grace. And I receive strength. And I receive strength. When I'm weak. When I'm weak. I become strong. I become strong. I'm receiving strength from your throne. Your strength is coming into me. And now in Jesus' name, I proclaim the finished works of Calvary. And I proclaim in Jesus' name, I'm free from the works of darkness. I'm strong in the Lord, and the joy of the Lord is my strength. Now let's sing a praise song before we leave. Okay, Brother, would you lead it? He gives me living water, and my thirst no more. He gives me living water, and my thirst no more. He gives me lifting arms, and I thirst no more for the joy of... In the name of Jesus, I remove all sleepiness until you get home and get in the bed and read that in there. If you need any tapes, Scott will sell you some there. I speak blessings, peace, grace, love, healing, and deliverance. No ball games. There's life here tomorrow.