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New Covenant - Overcoming Temptation - Part 5
Zac Poonen

Zac Poonen (1939 - ). Christian preacher, Bible teacher, and author based in Bangalore, India. A former Indian Naval officer, he resigned in 1966 after converting to Christianity, later founding the Christian Fellowship Centre (CFC) in 1975, which grew into a network of churches. He has written over 30 books, including "The Pursuit of Godliness," and shares thousands of free sermons, emphasizing holiness and New Testament teachings. Married to Annie since 1968, they have four sons in ministry. Poonen supports himself through "tent-making," accepting no salary or royalties. After stepping down as CFC elder in 1999, he focused on global preaching and mentoring. His teachings prioritize spiritual maturity, humility, and living free from materialism. He remains active, with his work widely accessible online in multiple languages. Poonen’s ministry avoids institutional structures, advocating for simple, Spirit-led fellowships. His influence spans decades, inspiring Christians to pursue a deeper relationship with God.
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Sermon Summary
This sermon emphasizes the importance of reverencing God and seeking His secrets for godly living. It highlights the need to overcome temptations by relying on the power of the Holy Spirit and being sensitive to God's voice. The message encourages believers to live by every word from God's mouth, to listen to His guidance, and to prioritize seeking His presence and obeying His leading in daily life.
Sermon Transcription
But the church has drifted away from this truth for hundreds and hundreds of years. It is this great secret and it's called a mystery, a secret. The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him, it says in Psalm 25. It's with those who fear Him, those who reverence Him. God whispers His secrets to those who reverence Him. Forgiveness of sins is not a secret, that's openly proclaimed. No sins can be forgiven. But the secret of living a godly life, that is a secret. God whispers it in the ears of those who reverence Him. And if you haven't heard that secret, it probably proves you don't reverence Him. The fear of the Lord is to hate sin. And the one who is honest like Paul and says, Oh God, I find lusting, I want to be free. I want to be free. He who cries out at night, who wets his pillow with tears because he got angry once during the day. Who wets his pillow with tears because he lusted with his eyes once during the day. How many are there in the world like that? Who would rather pull out one eye than lust with that eye? Very few, even among believers. God whispers certain secrets in their ears that lead them to an overcoming life which 99% of believers never experience. Remember that only 2 out of 600,000 Israelites entered the land of Canaan. Of that original group that left Egypt. I'm not surprised that only 2 out of 600,000 believers who left Egypt enter a life of victory. It's always the minority. Very few find the way to life, Jesus said in Matthew 7. Very few. I want to be among that few. And I want to encourage you to be among that few. Don't miss this wonderful provision God has made in the New Covenant. Don't give up. I remember when I cried out to God for power, I said, Lord, if it takes 10 years, it's going to take 10 years but I'm going to seek you, but I'm not going to live the substandard, defeated Christian life I have right now and which I see around me in most Christians. No. I will look at Jesus and run this race. Like the Bible says. And so we come to these temptations. The first temptation he was commanded to turn stones into bread. It's interesting that the first temptation that came to Eve was with food and that came to Jesus was with food. The difference is that Eve was not really hungry and was in a beautiful garden and Jesus was hungry after 40 days of fasting and was in the wilderness. It was as difficult as possible and he overcame. I remember once when I had a headache. Many years ago my children were small and I said, Lord, did you ever have a headache in your life? Do you know what it's like to be tempted when you have a headache? I hope you know that. I'm sure you know that temptation is more difficult to overcome when you have a headache than when you don't have a headache, particularly if it's very severe. And the Lord said to me, you have overcome getting irritated with your children when you didn't have a headache. Now you have to overcome getting irritated when you have a headache. So I've been promoted to a higher class. The examination is a little tougher. And I said, Lord, I want to be an overcomer. I don't want to get irritated with anybody when I have a headache. Because the power of the Holy Spirit is greater than whatever power there is in my flesh to drag me down. You must have faith. In those difficult circumstances, in the wilderness, after 40 days of fasting, when this whole being was crying out for food, the devil says, not to do something evil. He doesn't say, go and rob some bakery or steal. No, no, no. He knows that Jesus has gone way beyond all that. A very subtle temptation. Haven't you got power? Weren't you anointed 40 days ago? Use that power for yourself. And Jesus said, no. It's a very subtle temptation. It can come to you and me. God gives you something. In his case, it was the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Whatever it is in your case. And the devil says, use it for yourself. When the prodigal son got his share of the inheritance, who did he use it for? Himself. And God gives you gifts and you use it for yourself. You don't even realize that you've fallen in temptation. It's very subtle, this PhD level of temptation. But Jesus was alert. He was sensitive to the Holy Spirit. When you walk 30 years listening to the Holy Spirit, you become sensitive to little, little things which other believers don't even recognize. He said, no. Man doesn't live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. In the New Covenant, we can hear God speaking to us. Every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. In the Old Covenant, they couldn't. In the Old Covenant, the Old Covenant is the book of the law. Read it. You don't hear God. You just read it. And do you know that there are many people today who just read the Bible. They don't hear God at all. You live an old covenant life. Can I watch this television program? Which verse tells me whether I can watch this particular television program? But if you have the habit of listening to God, 1 John 2 27-28 says, the anointing within will tell you. That's how we're supposed to live. Man shall live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. As soon as that program comes on the TV, the voice says, that's not for you. You turn it off. Do you do that? Most Christians don't. I'll tell you that. Or you see some filthy picture in a magazine and the voice within immediately says, turn that page. It's up to you to obey. The Holy Spirit is not going to turn that page. You've got to turn. Then you will live. Because man will live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. God's speaking all the time. Haven't you heard God speaking in your conscience? Haven't you heard God speaking when you're busy doing something, saying, drop that and spend two minutes talking to me now? Just two minutes. And you don't. You're busy. You say, wait, wait, wait, wait. I'll do that later on. And when later on comes, you can't find the presence of God anymore. Because you despised it when he invited you into his presence. We've all been guilty of that. I've been guilty of it. I know I'm not throwing stones at anyone. I'm just telling you some things I learned from the mistakes and the stupid things I did in my own life. And I know what I lost. And I say, Lord, help me. I never want to lose that again. I want to be an overcomer. Life is so short. Life is not given to us just to feed our lusts. No. We're to be overcomers. Because then we can fulfill God's purpose on earth. Man shall live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. God speaking all the time. You say, but I don't hear it. Well, if your ears are full of other voices, that you're listening, listening, listening, listening, obviously you won't hear it. But in Revelation 1.10 that John says in the Isle of Patmos, he heard the voice of the Lord like a trumpet. I mean, if a trumpet blew right now, how many of you would say, I didn't hear that. You know, that's how loud the voice of the Lord was to John because he'd walked with God for 65 years. And I say, Lord, I want to get there. I want to get there where the voice of the Lord is as loud as a trumpet and all the other voices.
New Covenant - Overcoming Temptation - Part 5
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Zac Poonen (1939 - ). Christian preacher, Bible teacher, and author based in Bangalore, India. A former Indian Naval officer, he resigned in 1966 after converting to Christianity, later founding the Christian Fellowship Centre (CFC) in 1975, which grew into a network of churches. He has written over 30 books, including "The Pursuit of Godliness," and shares thousands of free sermons, emphasizing holiness and New Testament teachings. Married to Annie since 1968, they have four sons in ministry. Poonen supports himself through "tent-making," accepting no salary or royalties. After stepping down as CFC elder in 1999, he focused on global preaching and mentoring. His teachings prioritize spiritual maturity, humility, and living free from materialism. He remains active, with his work widely accessible online in multiple languages. Poonen’s ministry avoids institutional structures, advocating for simple, Spirit-led fellowships. His influence spans decades, inspiring Christians to pursue a deeper relationship with God.