In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of not loving the world and its deceptive ways. He encourages the audience to live in the world but not let their hearts be attached to it. The preacher highlights that the world is filled with falsehoods and expectations, constantly pressuring individuals to conform and play roles. He emphasizes the need to do the will of God and walk in covenant with Him, rather than analyzing and speculating about His plans. The preacher also warns about the dangers of giving in to the lusts of the flesh, as it leads to sowing seeds of corruption and opens the door for the enemy to attack one's mind, will, and emotions.

Welcome to From the Pulpit and Classic Sermons. Each week we bring you a different message from some of history's greatest speakers in the Christian faith and powerful sermons for modern preachers too. This week we have Milton Greene with his message, The Flesh and the Power of Darkness. When you go ahead and you let your heart go to the lust of flesh, like I was talking about forgiveness towards Bob, or unifying these things. I'm letting my heart turn from the Lord and the Spirit, being led by the Spirit, and I'm letting my heart turn toward the lust of the flesh. Isn't that right? So when I do that, I'm sowing to the flesh. Is that right? So when I'm sowing to the flesh, God said, you're going to reap. Because he's not mocked. And the fact that you reap is that in that area, the hedge comes down and the enemy can come in on you. And he wars against your mind, will, and emotions. Now do you see that? Maybe shake your head. All right. Now, in verse 8, For the one who sows to his own flesh, that's the way he's living, shall from the flesh reap what? Now, do you remember what we read in 2 Peter 1? That through the Word, and walking in the Word, and through these promises, we have a new walk. We're not walking after the lust of the flesh, but we've got a new nature. Do you ever see them say, Well, that's just my nature. I can do anything. It's all right. I may act like a devil. No, you have a new nature. Through these promises, you have a divine nature, and you escape the corruption of this world by lust, because the people that's in the lust of the world are puppets. They're under control of the powers of darkness. The only way you get rid of the powers of darkness and their control over you is by the lust of the flesh. Is that strong? Now, that's the only way you can be. I don't care where it's front row, back row, platform. I'm telling you, you just fall after it, and the fleshly sin strikes back at God's right to control your life, and it's an open door for the powers of darkness. They can work in any area that you refuse. Now, the Lord puts a hedge around you and everything, as long as you live an overcoming life, and you overcome these things as the Lord leads you to them. But when you become rebellious and you won't overcome these areas in your life, and you're rebelling toward God, he'll let the hedge down, and they'll come and war against your mind, will, and emotions in that area where you won't overcome it. Now, For the one who sows to his own flesh, upon the flesh reap corruption, verse 8, but the one who sows to his spirit... It sounds like here's the opposite, doesn't it? But, the one who sows to the spirit shall from the spirit reap what? It sounds like eternal life is better than corruption, doesn't it? Now, let me just tell you something, folks. While we've been ignoring the powers of darkness, that's not what the Scripture said, is it? But while we've been ignoring... They've perverted many, many things. They've been perverting healing, deliverance, holiness. They've been perverting salvation. They've been perverting many things. So what I suggest to you, you look back here and know from whom you've learned, whatever you know, what you know. Now, that shouldn't have been anybody if they were held together by truth, should it? I'm telling you, you better let this lead you in all truth. Jesus better be the one to lead you in all truth. All right, now. But the one who sows to the spirit shall from the spirit reap eternal life, and let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary. Now, that's kind of plain, isn't it? Remember what we looked at in Romans 13. We put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and we make no provision for the lust of the flesh. When we're walking after... Let me ask you something. Do you think walking after the lust of the flesh is walking after sin? Shake your head. Let me try over here. Do you think walking after the lust of the flesh is walking after sin? Absolutely. The lust of the flesh is sin, isn't it? Okay. See, we make no provision for the lust of the flesh, but we die to the lust of the flesh, and we receive a new provision that the Lord has made, that God has made through Jesus Christ. This provision leads us in the image and likeness of God back to the image and likeness of God where we've been in the image and likeness of Satan. Do you follow me? Now, the sin of man today is refusing to accept this provision that God has made for us to get rid of the old sin nature. Are you hearing me? The sin of man today is to refuse the provision that God has made in Jesus Christ for us to get rid of the old sin nature, walking and talking like Satan. And when we reject in the walking covenant with the Lord Jesus Christ as Lord, that means that we choose to enjoy walking and talking and acting like Satan. We choose to remain in the image and likeness of Satan. Now, when a person chooses to remain in the image and likeness of Satan, well, what's in his heart? Where's his heart? That's where he chooses to remain. He finds his portion in this world, living for his flesh, the carton, and that's a temporal thing. So we're supposed to be... The process that the Lord has called us back in covenant is to bring us back in image and likeness of God, from the image and likeness of Satan, where Adam fell to, which is your nature, where you're led, your heart goes to the lust of your flesh when you're born in this world. Now, this process, as you know, that Jesus came as the example to lead us, and we're to suffer, He suffered, we'll walk as He walked, and here's an example of Him being Lord and us listening to Him. This is what He said, I mean, when you become one with God, you don't come on your own terms. God has a few conditions for you. When you come to be one with Him, and so this process of Jesus being Lord of your life, once again in Romans 8, 29, it's that you be conformed to the image of Jesus, which is the image and likeness of God, you'll be changed. Old things have passed away. You'll walk in newness of life. Now, I want to ask you, how is anybody going to be conformed to the image and likeness of God that their heart goes after the lust of the flesh? That's where they live. That's where their heart is. How can I be transformed in the image and likeness of God if I'm not resisting the devil and dying to the flesh? Will you please tell me how that is? I want to ask you that again. How can I be conformed to the image of Jesus or the image of the flesh? I want to ask you something. Who is it that hides truth from your minds? Who is it that hides truth? They're doing it all the time, every day, folks. There's plenty of them to go around. They're talking to you all the time. Now, when you understand this, see, some of these things are a cultural shock. But this is the way it is. And we're going to look at it right here. Now, you receive this if you see these things in a word because there's a bunch more. See, we're just, I wish we'd get day one and two by. I like to get over in three and four and five. I'll be glad we can do this for five days. Now, I'll tell you who it is that hides the truth from us, the ones we've been ignoring. The powers of darkness. Now, you know we overcome with the blood of the Lamb, the word of our testimony. We love not our, that's the way you overcome them. Love not your flesh. And anyone, Jesus said, anyone who wishes to come after me, that's in Mark 8. It's on your list there. You have to deny yourself, take up your cross. In other words, what it is, it's a walk of death. And a walk of death, you suffer in it. But that's where the glory is. And when you resist temptations of the flesh, let me tell you something to process, folks. That's where the anointing grows on you. As you resist the flesh and temptations come on you, each time you do that, you get promoted. The Lord can trust you more and more, and He just lets more of His Spirit. And I'm going to come to a place here, and I'm going to show you in a word right here. I'm going to share with you in a word right here, while the power is not in the church today. Just plain. And I'm getting close to it right now. So we take up our cross. We deny ourselves. What do you deny yourself? You deny your carton. Live a life to your carton. You live for the heavenly. Let me ask you something. What about this? In that same Scripture there, it says, whoever wishes, now look at me, whoever wishes to save his life, or carton, is going to lose it. Isn't that interesting? But whoever loses his life, dies to this flesh, carton, is the one that's going to save it. Let me ask you something. Is that what your Bible says? Did these things just get dropped in there to analyze, and just reject everything that comes against the flesh? When you reject everything that comes against the flesh, you're giving the powers of darkness to come and go as they want to. That's where they're working at. That's why you hadn't recognized them, you'd been in agreement with them. You never know the devil talking to you, because he's telling you how to take advantage of everything in this world for your flesh. That's why you don't recognize these thugs up there. They tell you how to take advantage of everything. That's a flesh walk. That's why the world out there, to see if they like it, flesh likes it. Because everything Satan is, the flesh is, the lust of the flesh is. But see, while they're listening, they've got a little secret thing that's happening to you. They're cutting you down. You're a tree of the field. We're going to look and see if they're tree cutters later on. They're cutting your tree down. When you're listening to the powers of darkness, death is working in you. It's death. Now folks, remember now, I think it just happened, I'm not saying these things because I'm starting something new, okay? I'm saying what we're saying right here and getting this word in is for you to have an understanding. And when you have an understanding, I'm going to tell you what, you can walk away from here and you can say, in the name of Jesus, you can know what you're talking about because of the Word of God. Amen? And a lot of things on your kids and in your family and folks and around and hurting people and everything, you don't have to tell them to hang in there no more or pray that they'll die comfortably. I'm going to tell you something folks, God is open to rise. I didn't have any problem telling you right there, pulling these slices up here, I could tell you some pretty good stories about, you know, but there's a lot of things I don't know. I can only share with you what I know. I don't have to know everything. But let me tell you something, nobody else knows everything either. I'm just a part. You're a part. I'm important. I'm part of Jesus. Aren't you? See, Satan saw that he couldn't stop the church with persecution. That persecution just makes you stronger and closer. So what he's now doing, he's been seducing the church to conform and be like the world which he already controls. You get like the world, he's got you. You get the world and the church. So, while the church in the past years has been ignoring Satan and the powers of darkness, the demons, Satan has been changing the gospel of grace into a social gospel. We start building houses besides building up this house. We look for other fruit besides the fruit of this house. I want you to know this is a temple, folks. We start getting other fruit besides it. Now, Satan's perverted a lot of things. Now, this is no reason why anybody should be defensive about it. If I can show you it in a word, why are you offended? Why are you protecting? Why would you be upset about it, see? You shouldn't be offended. Wait and see if it lines up in a word. If it doesn't line up in a word, you're supposed to correct me, aren't you? Why don't you write me a little note there and correct me. And if I'm saying I'm wrong, I'll sure get to it and just give it to God or whatever and everything I repent. Because I'm telling you, before God, I'm not going to say anything exaggerated or anything to say what God says. Now, I've had a very good advantage over a lot of you, and many of you have been where you are, just seeing people set free all over the place. And when you see people set free and they walk with Jesus and see them set free from the powers of darkness and you see that this is the way that they got in there, it's a beautiful, wonderful thing. Because I'm going to tell you, you'll not walk with Jesus until you're free from these compulsions of the flesh. Those things are just pulling levers on you. Now, by the way, this is good news. It's not bad news. This is good news. I'm sharing with you good news. This is good news for those that receive it. It's bad news for those that don't. Now, why did the Lord say, keep yourself unspotted from the world? There ain't much reason to do that. Keep yourself unspotted from the world? We know in James 4, I won't turn there, but it said, Why does the Lord say that whoever is a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God? A friend of the world walks and talks like a world, doesn't he? Isn't that right? That's where the flesh wants to live. This is on your notes there, 1 John 5, that all the power of this world lies in the hands of the evil one. In other words, Satan, all the power of this world lies in the hands of Satan and the powers of darkness. All the power of this world. Is that plain? And we're going to see how. Do you recall in Luke 4 that Satan said, Luke 4, 5, 6, Satan, I said, told Jesus when he's being tempted, I'll give you all the kingdoms of the world if you'll bow down and worship me. You get a little visit like that every day to get your heart to go after these things. See, there are things in the world that you need. Automobiles, and stone, wood, and everything. But do you know what those powers of darkness try to do? To get your heart toward it. See your heart. I'll explain it to you a little later. See, in other words, when Satan came to Jesus and told him he'd give him all the kingdoms of the world if he'd bow down and worship him, what Satan was doing, he claims rulership of the world and Jesus didn't dispute it with him. He didn't dispute it. Now, I want to ask you something. How aware are you when you get up each morning, how aware are you that you live in the midst of an evil system controlled by God's enemies out there? Because that's just exactly what your Bible says. I said, if you're a friend of it, you're an enemy of God. Now, see, Satan uses the world system. He uses the world system against you to get your heart. He uses the lust of the flesh to get a person to live for himself and be the Lord of his own life. That's why he talks to you, to get you. Now, I think I'll just give, you know, I'll give you, let's see, I'll give one example about something that, how they come and talk to you, you know, reading newspapers and so forth. Sometimes I share about this. I just want to share about it again. Did you ever see anybody have car fever? Car fever. Got to have it. All right, let me just share something. Now, the reason I want to point this out to you, I'm just going to give you some examples of some little things in just your everyday walking life that get you programmed and everything, how they just steal your heart right there and get you. A proud person is satisfied and a satisfied person don't need God. Proud folks, God needs them. Do you hear me? Let me show you. Now, see that red car, that red convertible, that red piece of steel. And all of a sudden, as I look, my lust in my eyes, here it begins, and I see that. And in that, as I look at that red piece of steel, here these pictures come in my mind. And it shows me, when I get near Sally, how she's going, how I'm going to look in that red piece of steel. And how I just go through town, how I get around the fence in different places, these pictures come and show me how I look, how I'm going to be something. Somebody, when I get in that red piece of steel. And after these pictures, now they're talking to you. Folks, I'm telling you the truth. In Jesus' name, I'm talking to you, I'm telling you the truth. And in little, small things like that, they're getting in your heart. And that is the lust of eyes, because, see, you need an automobile to ride around with in this day and time. And you can do it, you need them. But see, that automobile, that rusting piece of steel don't need to get your heart. See how perverted it is? Because you're looking at that red, the enemy, as we're talking to him, he's getting that piece, that red piece of steel and the pride of life to make this, this red piece of steel that's going to take you through the world and make you somebody. Are you seeing? Proud. And so finally, he just throws all those pictures and how good you're going to look and how you're going to be accepted and received by everybody when you get in that red piece of steel. And then all of a sudden, a little thought comes there, I've got to have that red piece of steel if I work three jobs. I mean, you've got to have it. I mean, it's got you. And you go to, you've got to wait till the next day, how can I wait till the next day? And all night, you're just about to stay awake thinking about that red piece of steel and here comes those pictures you know of. The demons are just bouncing off the wall. They just laugh as they talk to you. And get you so lifted up in your boastful pride of life. You go get that red piece of steel and you don't have much time to drive around, you have to work all the time. But you get a little old trip, pride trip, everything, you know. Every time you jump in it, because that makes you somebody. You were nothing before you had that red piece of steel. And that red piece of steel is already rusting. And then you decide, well, you know, I need to go kind of get me some clothes and so forth. So, you get in your red piece of steel, you drive into the clothing store and you start to pull in here and something says, why don't you pull over a little bit, they can see you a little better inside of you. That's them. So, you're just kind of, kind of swerving around here, kind of, pull over here where some folks can kind of see you a little better. When you get out of your red piece of steel. You go on into the clothing store and you find your coat. And as you look at that coat, pictures start coming again. And you start seeing how you're going to look and what a success you're going to be in that cotton. That cotton that's already rotten. Rusting steel. Then something, it's got your heart! Right here. And you try it on and you find a mirror and you go over and look at it and something up there tells you you've got the prettiest heart in town. There's nobody like you. Nowhere. Now you've got your red piece of steel and you've got your rotten, your rusting steel and your rotten cotton. That's why they laugh at you. Powers of darkness. Now, I'm very honest. I'm very honest with you. I'm going to tell you until you probably have a chance to kind of get in this a little more. Why don't you just kind of put that on the shelf there and let the Lord confirm it. That couldn't be that way. Well, jump in. It is that way. It's exactly the way it is. All right, now. Flesh agrees with Satan. Turn to 1 John 2, please. 1 John 2. 1 John 2. Now, we're going to look at how Satan controls the world and the people of the world. We're going to look at it. If you will, please. Verse 15. Now, you've got your scissors with you. If you run into something you don't like, remember, just cut it out. Now, it says in 15, Do not love the world. Look at me. Here they are. Oh, God knows I have to live in this world. He wants me to have the best. Has God really said? Yes, He just read it. Listen. Listen, folks. You're going to live in this world, but your heart doesn't go to the world. You understand what I mean? You know, this world is phony as a $3 bill. Did you ever notice that? All the roles that this world finds you to play. Are you always supposed to be something? Be noticed? Play games? They're your puppets. Do not love the world, nor the red pieces of steel in the world. That's what it's saying. You understand? Now, look at me. Look at me. I need some clothes to wear. I need an automobile to ride in. But they're not the ones that are taking me through this world and making me something. I'm something in Jesus. Now, I used to live that way when they talked to me and my heart made me something. I mean, my heart went after something so I could be something. Now, I use these things and I appreciate these things and I've prospered in these things, but I haven't got my heart. The Lord has given me some pretty good things. And I don't have any of them. I can't give up right now. None of them. Not any of them. And that's grace. Nothing boasts about it except the grace of God. It's the grace of God to even know the difference. But right here in 15 it said, Do not love the world, the things in the world. Now, let me ask you, are you hearing what this is saying? It's going to tell you why to not love the world, the things in the world. I need some clothes to wear. I need an automobile to ride in. But they're not the ones that are taking me through this world and making me something. I'm something in Jesus. Now, I used to live that way when they talked to me and my heart made me something. I mean, my heart went after something so I could be something. Now, I use these things and I appreciate these things and I've prospered in these things but I haven't got my heart. The Lord has given me some pretty good things and I don't have any of them. I can't give up right now. None of them. Not any of them. And that's grace. Nothing boasts about it except the grace of God. It's the grace of God to even know the difference. But right here in 15 it said, Do not love the world, the things in the world. Now, let me ask you, are you hearing what this is saying? It's going to tell you why to not love the world, the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, I want you to get ready. Here's another one for the refrigerator. If you love the world, the love that bothers not in you. Is that what your Bible says? Unless you've said your words. Or unless you're a Methodist. Unless you're a charismatic. Where's your heart? With a heart man believing right. Do you understand that this whole thing might be a little more serious than any of us? Have thought it to be? Did you ever think about that, folks? And then maybe some of us have got a little light. Some others have not. And you kind of know it. Well, immediately they start talking to you about spiritual pride. They set you down right there. And then your heart gathers around a little truth. And there you count. Perverted. See the body of Christ. See, some of us up the road. There's some of us down the road. But God has put us here to love and help one another, folks. The last to come first and the first to come last. We don't know anything about the flesh. Know each other ain't the flesh. There's no big shots in it. Have you received that yet? If you don't, you're going to say in bondage to men. Do you hear me? When I see man whose breath is in his nostril. Who's he? Who's man? That's just God speaking. He can do a bunch. He's smart. Who's going to get you? That's a bunch of lies. Who's going to get you? I'll harm him who follows after that which is good. If anything can intimidate you, it's got you. If anything can make you fearful, it's got you. In bondage, your problem's right there. See right here where I'm pointing at? Right there is what's got you. Fear and intimidation comes from the devil. Let me tell you something. When you don't fear God, you're afraid of everything. And when you fear God, you're not going to be afraid of anything else. Because when you learn the fear of God, you understand there's nothing else to be afraid of. There's a difference in fear of God and fear of the devil. See, we've been programmed to fear the devil because we've been programmed by Hollywood and television and Inquirer and things like that. You get those kind of words, you start eating those kind of words and taking those things to heart and the devil's got you. I want to show you something. Boy, it's going to be a beautiful thing. Boy, I just love the Lord's Word. Isn't it something? Isn't it amazing? It's just amazing how God's Word sets us free. Well, let's go on. It says something else here. Do not love the world of things in the world if your land loves the world. The love of the Father is not in him. 16, for all, all, all, all, all, all, all is in the world. Now here it comes. The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life. Who I know, who I am, and what I've done. Hey, listen to me. You know how we've been programmed to kind of drop it on somebody just... Well, I know someone to bang. Well, I did bang this. You know, just kind of just let them know. Huh. I've got four bedrooms. For all... Oh, my. It's time to laugh. You know what Jeremiah 10, 14 says? I'm not going to turn there, but I just want to tell you. It said all mankind is stupid and devoid of knowledge. That's why we laugh. God's right answer, wasn't he? We just found out he's right. I mean, they make puppets out of you. So there it is. The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life. Later on, we're going to see that that's how... These three things right there that brought about the fall of Adam. Now, we run into something else. These things are not from the world, Father, but it's from the who. This lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the boastful pride of life. Where's it from? It's from the world. So that's the reason it says, so it's good reason to say not love the world, the things in the world. Right? All right, now look here. Watch it. Watch me right there. When I lived in the natural, that's where my heart went, my garden, and I lived after the... I found the temporal things of the world. That's where the lust of the flesh goes to, because it finds things in the world to make it something. This flesh wants to have got that pride in there, so it slips a little red car on this flesh, and it's something. Slip a red coat on somebody, and it's something. I didn't say blue, did I? All right, now, verse 17. The world is passing away, and also it's what? He said it's gone, folks. I'm telling you, all the lust is headed for destruction. Amen? Well, it's being destroyed right now. The world is passed away, also it's lust, but the one who does what? Why don't you circle that about four times? We keep running this over and over. The one who does the will of God is the one at what? All right, now, folks, are you seeing that we're seeing people who walk after the flesh and then reap in corruption, and we're seeing the ones that do in the will of God is eternal life? Does it sound like covenant is something to walk in rather than analyze? Huh? Did the Lord in all his wisdom send a book down here for us to analyze and speculate about and vote on? Huh? You know, God, wonder what God's doing? Go get four opinions and take a majority out of it and do it instead of finding out what God wants, right? Okay, I'm not going to turn to it, but you're familiar with the Scripture in Romans 12, 1 and 2. It says that you make this—let's turn to it. Turn to it there. Romans 12. Verse 1, I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and—what kind of sacrifice? Do you know that a holy sacrifice was one abstained from lust of the flesh? Did you see that a while ago? Did we read that in 1 Peter? Shake your head. It's not very holy when it's acting like Satan, is it? Is your body holy when it's acting like Satan? No. No. No, we present our bodies a living, holy sacrifice, except of God, which just is your spiritual service of worship. Now, look at me. You make this body a living sacrifice, holding itself unto God. Now, listen, folks. You die to this so that the Spirit of godliness, so God's Spirit can come in, and you'll be a manifestation of God in the flesh. That is the mystery of godliness. Now, we've heard a lot of mystery of godliness, but I'm kind of making a little more emphasis in the mystery of iniquity, because we understand how the powers of darkness and everything and the sin is, right? And I'm making a little more emphasis, because in the temple of that age they said, Leave that alone. You know what God's saying to them right now? Shut up. And he's fixing it so we can hear. That's what he does when you witness. He wants somebody to hear right there, and he sees their heart kind of turn to him. He tells them to shut up. So they just shut down. And a man can hear. Are you hearing me? Now, I'll tell you that God is the one in control of everything. There's no wisdom. There's no counsel. There's no understanding against God. And what I'm talking about here today, and I'm sharing about the powers of darkness, I'm talking about getting in on the counsel of God and God's Spirit and word of greed. Is that right? Now, second verse. And do not be what? Conform to the world. We've always said, we've always seen in 1 Peter, As obedient children, not be conformed to the flesh. Right? Now we're saying, Do not be conformed to the world. But be what? You're going to be transformed into the divine nature by the renewing of your mind. How do you renew your mind? Boy, start planting this seed in here, folks. Now, the Lord, you start taking it to heart. Now, don't take it up here and see how smart you can be about it. Take it in here and make it a way of life. Right? And then when you take it into your heart, you eat the word, you take it to heart, it performs its work in you. Because, I mean, you just, folks in your heart don't have anything to do with it. When you start coming to the Lord with all your heart, you ever see a brand new little old baby Christian and everything, and he's come with all this heart, and he don't know many scriptures or anything, but he knows all this heart turning to the Lord. You watch him go out and talk about Jesus, but he can just say something, the Spirit of God just go all over somebody. See, it's not us and our intellect that's doing it. It's the Spirit of God that works with us. That's what I tell you. The fruit of righteousness that's walking right in God's eyes, we become a tree of life. You don't have to wait till Thursday night visitation. I'm telling you, you can slosh all over everybody while you're getting their hair fixed. What do you think about that? See, because when you say you don't have to say too much, the Spirit of God just moves all over. He's the one that did it. It never was us. It never was us. Now, grace is when we start finding this out. I tell you, I get a glimpse of it, and it just does me in. That's why I got so much confidence. I know it's all Him. My confidence in the Lord. I have to have it. Okay. Do not be conformed to this world. Do not be transformed in you and your mind that you may prove what is the what? The will of God is. And we've been reading about the will of God being opposite the flesh over and over and over and over, and you're going to keep seeing it over and over. As a matter of fact, we're going to go into a verse later on that said, who goes to heaven? It said, many are going to come and call me Lord. He said, I don't know you. And he goes ahead and said, the one that goes to heaven is the one that does the will of God. Now, with all the powers of darkness being ignored and left out of the Scripture a lot, because of the fact that we haven't had a lot of understanding, because of traditions and lies and things that have been handed down to us, there have been some things perverted and wrong. That's why you go and find a church full of demons, pastor on down. Are you listening to me? It won't fit in a box or something like that. I started out by telling you that the churches, top to bottom, are demonized. You don't have to go very far to find that out, unless you are a slanderer. If you want to come to the Word of God, that's up to you. This is God's movie, nothing's going to stop it anyway. So now we see why the Lord said you overcome the world of flesh and demons. You also see if you're not overcoming, they're overcoming you. Is that right? All right. Once again, I want to just tell you, when you choose fleshly sin, when you choose fleshly sin, lust of flesh, you strike back at God's right to direct your life. Now, the sins of the flesh lead you from the will of God. Is that plain? You know, this is the kind of thing that's led us to a lot of theology, that God can't do nothing because He doesn't do things through people walking out of the flesh. So we get this stuff handed down to us, and the only thing left for us to do is man. Sounds like humanism, doesn't it? Honor men. Now, Jesus at one time said, How can you believe when you honor one another and do not seek the honor from the one and only God? Amen? All right. The whole world is slaves of demons and sons of disobedience. Did I already tell you that? Now, if you're a son of disobedience, you can sit in a church and be a church member and be a son of disobedience. You understand that, don't you? Okay. So the whole world lives for themselves and their flesh. They only control the powers that are. I'll only show you that in a word. Please turn to Ephesians 2, please. Ephesians 2. Oh, I'll tell you what. I just want to tell you that I sure enjoy being with this with you. Oh, I'm just telling you, I'm just looking all over the place and just seeing the love of Jesus all over this place. I really am. I'm telling you what, I praise this name. Oh, I'll tell you what, it's so encouraging to see people that love Jesus and his Word like I'm seeing them. In Ephesians 2, I want you to make yourself a little note there in Ephesians 2. You know, amplified Bible is all right to read. The amplified version. And this would be particularly interesting to you. To just put amplified right there, just right under where it says chapter 2, just put amplified Bible. Because later on, you just want to pick this up and read it. Amplified. In verse 1, And you were dead. Will you please circle were dead. Now, I'm going to tell you what he's talking. You were dead before Jesus Christ became your Lord. That's what he's talking. Now, have you got it circled? Now, I want to ask you, don't get ahead of me. Don't read over these other things because we're going to stop at several places while you're somewhere else. You're going to miss some things because we're going to look at them. And you were dead in your trespasses and sins in which you what? Formerly walked. Now, I want you to mark those two words, formerly walked. That's the way you formerly walked. Did I tell you about my former walk before Jesus Christ became my Lord? I walked after the natural, after the lust of the flesh. Amen? All right. And there's something else. I formerly, in which you formerly walked according to the what? I formerly according to the course of the world, which means you are not walking according to the course of the world now. Is that correct? You formerly walked there. You were dead there when you're walking that way. You're not walking there anymore. Is that what your Bible's saying? Amen? You formerly walked according to the course of the world, according to the what? The prince of power there. You were dead when you was walking the course of the world and walking according to Satan, the powers of darkness, the demons. You was formerly walked there, which means you're not walking there anymore. Is that what it's saying? All right. Now, there you've got the world. You've got Satan, who is the God of this world. Now, you're going to look at the gods of this world and the Spirit. That's not capital S, is it? Will you please mark that? That's a demon spirit. This is the way you formerly walked. But the demon spirit, that is, what's that word? Now. Please circle now. Spirit now. It's right now. What's it doing right now? It's working. Now, what's that word? In. Look at me. Look at me. Right out here is out. Inside is in. Are you hearing me? This demon spirit, you formerly walked. You're not walking according to the course of the world anymore. You were dead when you was walking. You was formerly walking the course of Satan. You're not walking there now. You was formerly walking according to the spirits that work in, inside of all the sons of disobedience. In church, out of church, wherever. Are you hearing me? Is that plain? That's not real complicated, is it? I mean, it's right there, isn't it? Now. Where do the sons of disobedience walk? Sons of disobedience walk after the lust of flesh and after Satan. Amen? Then the lust of flesh is the one that follows demons. The lust of flesh follows the world. The lust of the flesh follows the current course of this world. Is that right? All right. Now, in verse 3. Among them two. Now, that's among the sons of disobedience. We two. All what? Now, you formerly walked there. We see in verse 2. Now, in verse 3. You formerly lived there, which means you don't live there anymore. Amen? You don't walk or live there anymore. Is that what your Bible says? You formerly lived in the what? I can't hear you. Now, look at me. Now, folks. And it's real simple. You were dead when you had master Satan as master of your life. And you were walking after the course of the world. After him and the demon spirits that were working in you. They were on your land. Controlled you. Controlled by them. Now, how do they control? The lust of flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the brood supply of life. You come into this world belonging to them. What do you think it does to you? Now, it says you formerly walked there and you formerly lived there in the lust of the flesh. Are you listening to me, folks? You formerly lived there. And the lust of the flesh, which means you're not living there anymore. You formerly lived there. It says it over and over and over. Now, listen. If we've been ignoring the powers that are, we start finding out a little about it in the Word, you're not going to get upset about it, are you? Because once you understand it, you understand what's been tearing your head off. And then all you have to do is just line your heart up with the Word of God and let mercy get you in grace and get under grace and get free, get your mind, will, and emotions free. It's good. Now, verse 3, "...among them we too, we used to, all formerly lived." It means you were formerly lived in the lust of the flesh. You formerly lived in the lust of the flesh. It means that you're not living there anymore. Is that what your Bible says? You're not living in the lust of the flesh anymore. You formerly lived there. You formerly walked there after the world. Adulging the desires of the flesh. You formerly was indulging the desires of the flesh. Are you circling these? All right. Good. We don't have to get out that wet squirrel. You formerly indulged the lust of the flesh, the desires of the flesh. Folks, is this plain? And of the what? Whatever come in your mind or whatever desire to come in your mind right there. Turn right. Yes, sir, Mr. Satan. Turn left. Yes, sir, Mr. Satan. Now where do we go to? Let's go over a little of greed. Let's go to the shopping center of lust a little bit. Folks, who do you think that talks to you and you go in those grocery stores and get over around that magazine counter? On those television there and make you want to hop on some old channel and just kind of camp there a little while? You're idle. Everything in the room points to you're idle. You're the latest in the devil. What do you think soap operas do to folks? That sure make them righteous, won't it? If you're not got anger and immorality or anything like that, you just keep letting that, just taking that stuff in your heart. What's the word that says, watch what you listen to? What Mark 4, you better be careful what you listen to. What if you receive a lot of unbelief? What are you going to get? What if you're talking to a harlot? It's not pure in heart. Come before the Lord. What do you think this harlot is going to load you up with? Faith? All right, now. We too all formerly lived in the lust of the flesh, indulged in the desires of the flesh and the mind, and were, and were by nature. You know what kind of nature it was? Have you circled nature yet? See, you've got a new nature now. You've got a divine nature. You hadn't got the old nature. Were by nature, children of wrath, even as the rest. And that doesn't sound like a children of God, does it? Huh? Hath God really said, we just read it? And it says a lot more. We're just getting started. Now, let's turn over to Ephesians 5, please. Ephesians 5. Ephesians 5. Let me ask you something. Who are we supposed to be in the image and likeness of? God. Now watch that first verse right there. Therefore be imitators of God as beloved children. Right? Look in verse 3. Do not let immorality or impurity or greed even be named among you. It's not even to be named among you as proper among the saints. Do you assume what kind of language? We don't walk, talk and act like the world. Is that plain? Not even named. Now, where I was going in verse 5, I thought I'd add those other two. And in verse 5. For this you know with certainty. If God says you can know something with certainty, you think it's certain. Either you know or you don't know. If God says you can know with certainty, do you think you can know it for certain? Here's what he says. You can know for certain that no immoral or impure person or covetous man who is an adulterer has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Hath God really said? Yes, sir. Verse 5. It says something real interesting. Verse 6. Let no one what? Oh, God put that in there because it might be someone who would deceive you. Huh? Something might deceive you. Isn't that right? Recognize the reason that got in verse 6? Let no one deceive you. Shake your head. Alright, let's see what he says about this. Let no one deceive you with what kind of words? A lot of nice empty words. For because of these things right there. Will you circle these things and run your little line up there to immoral, impure, covetous man or adulterer has idols in his heart. Because of these things, the wrath of God comes upon the who. There it is. The sons of disobedience. Therefore, verse 7, do not be partakers with them. Is that plain? But you were formerly darkness, which means you're not darkness anymore. When you see the light, you walk in the light. It's His light. What it wants to tell you over in John that you better walk in the light. Why you held the light? Because darkness is there to pursue you. Who do you think that darkness is? But darkness is not blessings. You understand now that demons are not blessings. Can I just kind of drop this out here that they're curses? All it takes is one demon to have any ground in your life and you've got a curse in your life. You understand that? All it takes is one demon. Right now. But you were formerly dark, but now you're light in the Lord. Walk as children of light. Now, what does it say? That word right there in verse 8 says walk. Walk. That's your deeds. That's how you live. Isn't that right? Walk as children of light. Now, you know, it says the interesting thing in 14 for this reason, it says awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead. Christ was going to shine on you. Thought I'd throw that in. You've been listening to the From the Pulpit and Classic Sermon series. This week, you heard Milton Green with his message, The Flesh and the Power of Darkness. Tune in next week to hear The Cross in China, a Chinese revival story. On From the Pulpit and Classic Sermons.