In this sermon, the speaker shares his experiences of preaching in New Zealand and meeting a family named Lois and Barry Jordan. He emphasizes the importance of feeding our minds with pure and righteous thoughts, rather than indulging in the immoral influences of the world. The speaker also recalls a powerful message he heard from a renowned preacher, who questioned the audience's hunger for worldly things. The sermon concludes with a story about a mysterious lady in a town who walked through the streets every day, despite her refined appearance.

Our God, we do thank Thee from the depth of our hearts that we can bow before Thee in worship and adoration here tonight as Thy people. We thank Thee for the death of our Saviour, Jesus, the Christ, God manifest in the flesh, God with us, God the Son. We thank Thee that God took on Him the form of a man and died. It's beyond our comprehension, but we believe it and have no doubt that Jesus was God, the creator of this world, the Saviour of this world, the coming Judge. And so we bless Thee for our Saviour, Father, Thy Son, and that Thou didst so love the world, us, and every living being, that Thou didst give Thine own name, Begotten Son. That whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. We worship Thee for the gift of eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. And we worship Thee that He ever liveth to make intercession for us. As a high priest standing before God the Father, He ever liveth to make intercession for us. Wherefore He is able to say amen to the uttermost which come to God through Him. And so we come to Thee through Jesus our Father. We come to Thee through Thy Son. And we ask Thee to cleanse me in the blood of Jesus Christ, the flesh, only with the Holy Spirit, who shall not speak of himself, but shall glorify Christ. And His whole work is to conform us back into the image lost at all, into the image of Thy Son. Come by Thy Holy Spirit, anoint and fill, and speak to the depth of our hearts through the Holy Bible, Thy Holy, Sacred Word. That we as men shunned it to open, and that we ask Thee in mercy and grace upon us to look upon us as we consider the words in this book. And that's the grace to take them with our hearts and live them. In Jesus the Christ's name, for His glory, and in faith I'm swearing to the unitedly assets of our Father in heaven. Amen. We read in 1 Timothy 5.22 Neither be partakers of other men's sins. Keep thyself pure. Neither give place to the devil. Ephesians 4.27 Neither give place to the devil. Don't give the devil any opportunity to defile you again. Don't invite Satan to hurt you spiritually. Don't give the devil any opportunity, inviting him to defile you again. Neither give place to the devil. Be sober. Be vigilant. Because your adversary, your enemy, the devil, as a roaring lion walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. 1 Peter 5, verse 8 The title of my sermon tonight is When Victory is Impossible. When victory is impossible. Well, my wife and I, for the last number of years, have gone to New Zealand for a few weeks and had many wonderful opportunities to speak to the conservative godly of that land, in the North Island, Auckland, and many other towns, conferences, outreaches that they arrange. A family that we met in New Zealand by the name of Lois and Barry Jordan. Some of you might have heard them, ATI people. And did a lot of work with Mr. Gothard's work in Romania, other countries, over the years. But they are one exciting family. Life was one incredible adventure. I hope it has been for you. If I had 50 lives over, I wouldn't hesitate to cry to God if he gave me another 50 lives. Let me have the same adventure of serving thee. Oh, when they were married, their honeymoon was going to Europe. What to do? To win souls on the streets. They just went as young missionaries. That was their honeymoon. And they haven't stopped, it seems. They're right in their 60s now, but what an incredible couple that we were so privileged. And oh, what a thrill to hear them. They spoke of, in the early years, going to Europe, how they were stunned at these old stations. You know, you have beautiful stations. You break down your buildings all the time. In America, it seems to put new, most of them. Europe doesn't. Europe preserves the old. And the old stations, some of them are there for so long now, they're part of the heritage of the nation's history. They're like walking into history. Well, they said that in Bucharest, in Hungary, as a young couple, they were astonished as the train pulled into this massive old steel structure, you know, in Europe, Bucharest. They were astonished at how many dogs, stray wild dogs, were running in packs around this old station, running down the rail lines, running, scavenging from the trash heaps to stay alive. They were just there. They stayed alive by their own scavenging, and no one cared for them. But what shocked them is that these dogs did the most atrocious things. And they're mischievous. And they're adventurous, mischievous, and dangerous things. They would run as a pack. Because when you were the pack, you will always follow. Don't doubt it. They would run. It didn't take much to get some of them after these big trains coming in. And they'd jump, barking in front of the steel wheels, you know. This thing just would come. Oh, the danger. And then as they looked, they noticed that almost every one of those dogs were maimed, had limbs cut off through this dangerous, mischievous, foolish activity. You know, this to them was fun. Fun to get crippled. But in spite of that, they still pursued the same thing. It maimed them. It crippled them. They were walking. Obviously, many had been killed. Obviously, many. But that didn't stop them. That didn't stop them. That's the shock of it. Oh, how many Christians foolishly chase after things. That crippled them. Spiritually. Oh, how many Christians are influenced and chase after things that wound them and destroy them and cripple them in their pursuit of God. That is staggering. But why? Why would a professing Christian ask yourself if you're guilty and try and answer yourself? I dare you. Why would a professing Christian still chase and follow and seek the company of the godless and become crippled as a result, spiritually, deeply wounded spiritually by pursuing things that the lost chased after, the lost pursued? Why? Why? When God says, be not deceived. Be not deceived, young people. Evil communications corrupt good manners. 1 Corinthians 15, 33. Evil communications, evil company. Why would God warn a Christian this if it wasn't possible that you could still choose evil company? Oh, you say to win them. Oh, brother, sister, let me be honest with you and be honest with yourself. There's a thin line the Holy Spirit always draws in everything you do in the name of Christ. And you know when you cross over that line and it's no longer God's will. Oh, to win their souls is one thing. But when you know you're not there to win their souls anymore, you're never going to win their souls. If anything, they're winning you. They're influencing you to go back. Then you're not there in the will of God. You're very foolish. Be not deceived, God says. I don't think you'll get away with it. Evil communications, evil company. Corrupt good manners. What does that mean? Evil company undermines and destroys godly virtue. It will destroy your pursuit of God. If you have any pursuit of God left, you will become maimed and crippled spiritually. And your pursuit of God will be a terrible shame. Through the wounds you will be inflicted with fools. Fools make a mock at sin. Proverbs 14, verse 9. And a companion of fools shall be destroyed. Proverbs 13, verse 20. Fools make a mock at sin. And God warns. Who's He warning? The godless? No. You, me. A companion of fools shall be destroyed. Proverbs 13, verse 20. Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil. God says. To whom? His people. Exodus 23, verse 2. Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil. Isaiah 57, verse 20 declares the wicked. The wicked are like a troubled sea. It cannot rest. They weary themselves. They weary themselves to commit iniquity. Jeremiah 9, verse 5. Which drinketh iniquity like water. Job 15, verse 16. Giving themselves over to fornication. That's filthiness. Giving themselves over to fornicate. Jude, verse 7. That they may do evil. That they may do evil with both hands. Earnestly. Micah 7, verse 3. With no restraint. Who causes the righteous to go astray. In an evil way. Proverbs 28, verse 10. You're not going to get away with it. They cause the righteous to go astray in an evil way. Oh, don't become lovers of pleasure. More than lovers of God. 2 Timothy 3, verse 4. God speaking to His children. Don't say there's no possibility. Don't become lovers of pleasure. More than lovers of God. 2 Timothy 3, verse 4. He that loveth pleasure. He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man. Proverbs 21, verse 17. Jeremiah 7, verse 24. They hearkened not. Perhaps you tonight, God says this. Word perfect. Answer God. They hearkened not. Nor inclined their ear. But walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart. And went backward and not forward. Speaking of God's people. They went backward and not forward. God's word cries out to us all as Christians. Be not entangled again in the snares of this world. You can or God wouldn't warn you. Be not entangled again in the snares of this world. Neither be partakers of other men's sins. Keep thyself pure. 1 Timothy 5, 22. Psalm 1, verse 1. Blessed. I love that word. They say the new versions stay happy. Well, I don't want to touch the new versions. Let alone read them. Let's not get controversial now. I said it. Good. Now don't leave. I won't say it again. Blessed. I love the word blessed. You see, I know happy sinners. Not every sinner is out there. Oh, woe is me. I'm a sinner. I know a lot of sinners who are happy. But I don't know any sinners that have God's joy. God's peace. That passes all understanding. The joy of the Lord. Joy unspeakable, full of glory. There's no comprehending it until you experience it. This blessedness is God's reward to those who do this. Answer yourself. Have you done this? Or you're not blessed, sir. Not by God. Blessed, God said. This is God's reward. Is the man that hears the gospel, responds to an appeal, prays a sinner's prayer, writes a date and time, stands up and testifies. I was going to a prayer meeting. Oh, no, no, no. God doesn't say that. Most people who only have that look cursed. And people aren't watching. No, this is what God will bless you. And all the rest, I guarantee you know nothing but emptiness and frustration. And the heart that condemns you. With all the other things you can talk about. Unless this is your life. Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly. What does that mean? He will never allow the ungodly to influence him again. Never. God says, not me. Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel, the influence of the ungodly. Nor standeth in the way of sinners. He will never go where sinners go. To be fulfilled with sin. He will never go where sinners go. For their happiness, that is not God's happiness. But their momentary satisfaction with sin. Which is only and always momentary. Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly. Nor standeth in the way of sinners. He will never go where sinners go. Is this your life? If it isn't, you're saying you belong. Nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. What does that mean? There's always scorners. Find me a church left on earth, even the most conservative you'll ever find on earth. That hasn't got a little group of scorners. Those who sit there and look at the other young people who go all the way to God. And they scorn them. Ostracize them. There's always scorners. It's always speaking of scorning those who go through with God. There's nothing here. It's scorning the godless. That God's speaking about. The scorner delights in his scorn. They find it a delight. Oh, he will never sit. He will never associate. He will never identify or keep company with those that scorn the godless. In Psalm 26, verse 5, David cried, I have hated the congregation of evildoers. I have hated the gathering places of evildoers where they go for evil. But you can't walk out of there with a testimony. If you go in and you name the name of Christ, you walk out, you have no testimony left. That's credible. To anyone that knows you went in, that means you know. You are not allowed in. I have hated the congregation, the gathering places of evildoers, and will not sit with the wicked. Psalm 26, verse 5. Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, for this brief moment called life. And that's the biggest shot most of you are ever going to have in life is how short it is. How terribly short it is. Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. Hebrews 11, 25. Isaiah 59, verse 15 is a strange little verse. It speaks of the gospel dispensation. The only book in the Bible that you can say apart from Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John is the gospel according to Matthew, Mark, Luke, John. The only other book in the entire Bible is Isaiah. The gospel according to Isaiah. 500 years before Christ appeared on earth, every single thing was there. His birth to a virgin, Isaiah 740. That he was God, the Son. Manifest in the flesh, Isaiah 9, 12. How when he came it would be a great light within his darkness around the source of Galilee. How would it all lead for him to be crucified, Isaiah 53. And why he would die. For your sins and mine. That when we make his soul an offering for sin, God will see those sufferings. He will see that the travail of his soul shall be satisfied. Nothing in my hands I bring, simply the cross I bring, Isaiah 53. That he rose from the dead. The first appeal of the gospel was made in Isaiah 54 and 55. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found. All in the context. And then comes the judgment of God to those that reject. Most of Isaiah, in its context, is speaking of the gospel dispensation. Of what would come 500 years later through Christ. Oh the Jews say it's Cyrus. No. The Jews say it's this time of persecution. No. Sit with them. In the end they want to cry. They run. One man ran screaming for me when I was in Israel. Screaming. And he was brilliant in his orthodoxy. They have no answer. It's Christ. Oh. But Isaiah says these strange words. In Isaiah 59 verse 15. He that departeth from evil. That means repents and turns from sin. As a result, in its immediate context, of the gospel of Christ. Of Christ's death, life, and call for us to turn. He that departeth from evil through the gospel. Maketh himself a prey. Isaiah told you what would happen if you turn from sin. Not turn to religion. Religion is sickening. Outrageous, blasphemous, sacrilege. If you don't live this book, sir, and pursue what God says. It is sacrilegious. Blasphemy to say you say. If you don't pursue with all your heart and not reject this book. God says what will result. Persecution. He that departeth from evil. As a result of the gospel, maketh himself a prey. You know what that means literally in the Hebrew. Would be regarded as mad. Insane. That's the closest you will come. To what God said through Isaiah. You would be looked upon as insane. You go through with God to see where it starts. Right with your family. My Christian in Pilgrim's Progress, his wife. Said he's beside himself. You've lost your senses. Why? He got saved. He was excommunicated from the church. You remember that? You're insane. You've lost your sensibilities. What do people say? Oh, he's insane. He has a distemper. Oh, get saved. Really saved. And watch where your enemies are. They begin in the hall, God says. If they don't want Christ or repentance from the things that you turn from. The man's enemies are the members of his own house. Where the son rises up against the father. The daughter against her mother. The man's enemies become the members of his own house. If his house has people who will not turn. And cannot tolerate those who do without treating them as evil. Oh, he that departeth from evil will be accounted as mad. He maketh himself a prey. Oh, beloved. All who will live godly. Not all who come out to get a testimony. And carry on like the world. In the world, part of the world. All who will live godly. In Christ Jesus' cell. Suffer persecution. God says. God says. But, young man, young woman. Be willing to be laughed to scorn. For God's sake. And your own. Be willing to be laughed to scorn. But don't be a companion. A fool. Don't be a companion of those that go into foolish things. That can destroy their lives. Don't you let it happen to you when you're saved. Proverbs 28, verse 7. Galatians 6, 14. God forbid, Paul cries out, that I said glory. There's nothing a preacher can glory in. What have I got to glory in? Education, academic. Knowledge of Greek, Hebrew. Qualifications that give me the right to think I can stand up and preach because I've got six years in Oxford. No, no. I've got nothing to glory in. Any of you could possibly even raise your eyebrow and say, oh, that's good. I've got nothing. And Paul said, God forbid that I said glory. I've got nothing. Save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. The closer a man is to God who preaches. There's only one thing he glories in. And that's Christ's death. For this world. God forbid that I said glory. Save in the cross. Apart from the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. By whom the world is crucified unto me. And I unto the world. Now that's something. Always quote the second half of the verse. Don't be like a Jehovah Witness. That can't. That dare not. If you have come to Christ. Through the cross. This is what happens. By whom the world. Is crucified unto me. The world dies to me. The world in my home. My wife. My children. My father. My mother. By whom the world. Anywhere. Not just out there in the wicked places. But everywhere. Is crucified. I die to them. And I unto the world. All they do. I die to. I die to these things. Paul said. Tell me he was unique. Or does this not apply to us. Who dare. In this world. To name the name of Jesus Christ. God manifests in the flesh. And what he said. He requires a man. Oh I call ye me Lord. Lord and do not. The things that I say. Many will say to me in that day. Lord. Lord. Have we not prophesied. Preach. My name. Cast out devils. In my name. That's it. Done many wonderful works. Well I profess unto them. I never knew you. I wonder how many preachers. And those who have cast out devils. In his name. And done miracles in his name. He doesn't say no. They didn't happen. That didn't. The devil would do anything. Even to a preacher. Be careful. I never knew you. I never knew you. What departs from me. Ye that work iniquity. You never repented. You just went on in your sin. And became a preacher. And cast out devils. Because of sensationalism. And sensationalism. Draws ninety percent of the church. Miracles. But repentance. Ninety percent of the professing church. Would run. The day you even named it from the pulpit. The old preachers used to say. Turn. Or burn. Today. You say that. They'll burn you. Fast. Preacher. By whom the world is crucified. Unto me. And I unto the world. Is that your testament. Is the world. Crucified unto you. Are you crucified unto the world. Or is the world. Still in your heart. Unto God. Because after all. He's the only one we have for. And if you're not here for God. God forgive you. That you could sit under the preaching. Of this holy book. And reject everything you know. Though Christ died for you. In John 15. Jesus prayed. I pray not that thou wouldest. Take him out of the world. But that thou shouldest. Keep. Them. From the evil. Literally from the evil one. And all. He would have them do. In its context. Deliver us from evil. Everything the devil would do. Neither be partakers of other men's sins. A very serious statement. To Christians. Keep thyself pure. Is a command that is very. Very. Very. Very fearful. If you're not going to. Listen to God. Christianity. 1 Timothy 5.22. Keep thyself pure. Whatsoever things. Are pure. I love that. Old testament. 80% of the New Testament is the Old Testament. Word perfect mostly. Only this side of Calvary. The light of Calvary. It changes things totally. Keep thyself pure. Whatsoever things are pure. Philippians 4 verse 8. If there be any virtue. What does that mean? Any protection. For you spiritually. Morally. Strengthening and building up your moral integrity. Literally. Is what the context is saying. If there's any strengthening. Morally. In your integrity. Morally. Your moral integrity. Protection spiritually. Think. On. These. Things. Whatsoever things are pure. If there be any virtue. Think. On. These. Things. What does that mean? Let your mind become absorbed. By these things. Let your mind become absorbed. Discipline to reject evil. You can. I'm bringing every thought into obedience. I'm doing the obedience of Christ. Bringing every thought into captivity. You can do it. God wouldn't ask it of you. No. I don't want that. Whatever evil thoughts. Whatever thoughts of evil come. They're not evil thoughts. They're thoughts of evil. You have to think on these things. Whatever will protect you. Morally. Spiritually. Strengthening and building you up. In your moral integrity. Think on these things. Let your mind become absorbed. With these things. These pure things. Reject evil things. Of every avenue that could defile you. And break down your walk with God. I will set. No. Wicked. Thing. Before me. Psalm 103. David Christ. Back in New Zealand. The beginning of this year. My wife and I were driving from city to. Well. Town to town. Some of them were cities. We had just finished in a very lovely convention. And the man who arranged this conference. Now was driving me and my good wife. Through town after town. To get to another part of the North Island. Of the two South and North Islands. To preach in another conference. So as we were driving through the towns. There's one town. He said the most strange thing. He said. This town. Something quite strange happened. There was a little lady. In this town. We were driving through the town center. A little lady dressed well. She wasn't poor. She wasn't a champ. She wasn't a downcast outcast. She dressed like a lady. Refined. She had a beautiful home. She wasn't a guttural person. This little lady. Would walk through the town. Every single day. For years. What did she do? She had bags. In the bags she had little carry. Plastic things. And she went to every trash bin. In the town. The rubbish bins. Right across the city. This town. Rather large. And she would stand there. People who didn't know her. Because they were outsiders. Would stand there. Shocked. Amazing. What is this refined lady. Taking out of these dirt trash bins. For good reason. Placing them eventually. And then going to the next place. Where there was a trash heap. A trash bin. For people to throw all their rubbish. Well most people eventually just said. We don't interfere. She's obviously a bit senile. But there you are. And then she died. The police broke the door down. Because the neighbors. People began to worry. She hadn't appeared for a while. And beautifully kept outside. But they were shocked. The entire house she had shelled. And right through that hole. She had stacked the rubbish. The trash that she had collected. Carefully selected. From the trash heaps of the world. Right through the hole. These were the things that she treasured. She valued. She went out of her door in the morning. To carefully select and find from the trash. The rubbish heaps of the world. That was a shock to that whole town. How many Christians do the same? Not with literal rubbish. And trash. But with the morally decadent. Trash. And rubbish. Of this world. With DVDs. Literature. CDs. Music. How many Christians do this? Daily. They go out to carefully take from the rubbish. The trash. The moral decadence and trash of this world. Oh. What if you deliberately and carefully gone out and selected. While you name the name of Jesus. To take back in your home from the rubbish. The moral dirt. And trash of this world. It will shock people if they were ever to find out. What you took back from the world. The most moral trash. Carefully. And took to your home. Preachers. Would you be allowed back in the pulpit? If anyone. Before you died. Shocked by what you treasured. What you valued. Would you be allowed back in the pulpit? If people were to know what you've taken back in that home of yours. From the moral trash of this world. Oh. Young man here in America. I met years ago. Jonathan Decino. Some of you might know him. His sister was the lady who wrote that tract of Kansas. She had Kansas. And how she related to the cross. And people have spread that around. Much of the world that tract. But this boy is really a fireball for God. Oh. Burning heart. He came to South Africa. He was in our home and many Christians. And my word, he had an impact on our nation. He had an impact on our nation. He was so courageous for God. What an amazingly godly young man. Jonathan Decino. He's over married into Romania now. Goes down in the big tubes to all these drug addicts. All these broken lives. These runaways. To give them the gospel. And brings many to Christ. But that's a full time service. Trusting God to stay alive. To go out and reach all these lost people. Because so many thousands have left home. And no matter what happens to sin, they won't go home. And they're sleeping in the big drainage in their thousands. It's a full time ministry. As Jonathan Decino was telling me. And telling a youth group that was in my home I think years ago. How he used to walk around with ear things on, you know. And there was his little CD collection of godly music. Conservative. And his godly father and mother. And they thought he was listening to you know, lovely music. Old hymns of our faith. He was listening to the heaviest metal. This heavy metal about killing people. Killing yourself. Murder. The worst of all music. This boy had resorted and was listening in this godly home. There was moral. There was indecency. Moral decadence. There was blasphemy rightly against God. And hatred and rebellion against authority. Parents beginning with parents. Even killing your parents. They said, you know, when I was young to be honest with you, you were institutionalized if you did those things. Let alone sing and make millions. No money can get away with anything this way. These old barriers have been thrown aside when it comes to money. Hollywood. Singers. In this day and age of freedom of speech, you can be a devil worshipper so long as it makes money. And you're famous. Oh, he was there, you see. Tell me, what music are you listening to? I'm talking about music that you know will send you to hell. But now wait, Christians. Have you started listening to the world's music? I want to warn you. What you allow yourself to listen to, at first, being saved, you will be shocked. But if you listen a second time, you're not so shocked. You listen ten times, you'll begin to like it. You can go into a conservative place and sing the hymns of the faith and walk out and five minutes later be listening to words and music that are blasphemous and morally decadent. What you allow yourself to be conditioned to, you begin to love. What do you, I think, you allow and tolerate that you shouldn't be? You go across the Holy Spirit's warnings. What are you bringing from the world's trash heaps into your life, into your home, that you choose while you name the name of Christ? This is the obnoxious part. What do you allow your mind to store from the trash heaps of the world, let alone bring physical things in, but you go out there and you feed your mind on? Will you answer God, please, every single one of you, and name the name of Christ? What do you feed your mind on from the moral decadence of this world, let alone the physical things you could bring in there? Oh, keep thyself pure, God says. It's up to you. No, you're saved. Otherwise God would say, I'm going to keep you pure. You have nothing to do with it. Keep yourself pure. Whatever things are pure, open up your mind, discipline your mind to reject anything that could defile you, or in any way hinder your pursuit with God. Whether it's the cinemas, the books, the literature, the music, the DVD, the telephone, and anything else going on in social media that defiles you, that opens you up to moral filth, that Satan's watching you, God's watching you, but it doesn't matter if God's watching. I mean, he doesn't really matter. You know how much God matters to you? It's how much you just brazenly do what you know is evil, though you know he's watching. It doesn't matter. No one's watching you. Should I pick up this magazine that years ago they'd jail you for pornography? Today it's on every stand to buy a loaf of bread, because your children have to plead the blood of Christ, not to be defiled. Oh, no one's watching. God's watching, but God doesn't matter. Why doesn't he matter? Because you just feed your mind. What are you feeding your mind from the moral trash heaps of this world? I will set no wicked thing before me. I won't keep thyself pure. What things are pure? Think on these things. I'm adored and disciplined to reject the wrong and overcome the evil with the good. One of the great preachers of our country in southern Africa, he's dead for many years now, but when I was a young preacher, I sat under his ministry at a great convention, and I was stunned. His old frailty and the way God was with him in that pulpit. I mean, the children didn't move. They didn't move. That's when God is sort of, oh, I don't remember everything he said, but one thing I do remember really shook me. He asked this question in his old age and frailty, looking gently at us, but asking us with his heart. Do you still hunger for the world? Do you still thirst to be with sinners, where sinners go? There's only one reason. There's not two reasons. If you're saved, if you begin to hunger for evil again, for wicked company, for wicked places, for wicked things, to go into the devil's houses, to feast from the devil's table with the devil's people, from the things the devil holds out to satisfy his people. If you hunger and thirst, if you begin after you're saved to hunger and thirst for these things and go to these places and take up these things that the devil gives to the devil's people, and you're saved, there's one reason, not two. You neglected this book. You starved yourself from the food that would satisfy you. Otherwise you would never, ever thirst for these things again or these places or these people. You neglected feeding from the food that would strengthen you. As newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the word that you may grow thereby. This is how you grow when you're first saved. This is how you grow till the day you die. It's the word of God that strengthens you, that feeds you daily. I've come to regard thy word more than my necessary food. Why? Well, you see, when you're born and not born again, all you are is a child of your father and mother. You're not God's child. Nobody's born a child of God. You must be born again. Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. He'll never go to heaven. No! There has to be a spiritual birth. A baby can't do it. All you do as a baby is take the milk of your mother and you feed her ordinary food. But the day you become God's child, there's a spiritual birth because of your obedience and your faith in the grace of God through Christ and the risen Christ to set you free. For if the Son shall set you free, you shall be free indeed. And if you are, at that moment you have another food that you've never required to stay alive. You would die unless you had food that was there having a physical birth. Now God tells you from that moment there's another food that you have to feed. That's important. Or you will become weak. And God knows what will happen to you even morally. You can't starve yourself from the only food that would strengthen you. Wherewithal shall the young man cleanse his way by taking heed according to thy word. Thy word have I hid within my heart that I might not sin against thee. It is sin that will keep me from the Bible, but the Bible will keep me from sin. And if no other way, you can try a thousand ways, I guarantee you until you try this way you will never ever cease to thirst for the world and the devil's things again. It will come with a vengeance. If you starve yourself here, you've got to get some food and you'll be amazed what you resort to to satisfy a starving heart and mind. Don't deprive yourself of this book. Man shall not live by bread alone, by food anymore. Once you're saved, it stops. But by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God, you live by this, God says. You come to regard this more than my necessary food. I've come to regard thy word more important, more vital for my survival. Because this survival means more to me than physical survival. Once you really want God, there's only one reason you'll never thirst for the world again if you're truly saved. Beloved, Psalm 90 verse 8 speaks about secret sins. Oh, secret sins. Proverbs 28, 13, he that covereth his sins, that means the secret sins, shall not prosper. That means spiritually. It's not speaking about other things in this particular context. But whoso confesseth shall have mercy. Now in Ezekiel, chapter 18, verse 28, God promises that he will restore any man, woman, or child who falls back into sin, into this world and its follies, who goes back. Why? Verse 28, because he considereth I like that word, and turneth away from all his transgressions against God. Because God says he considereth. That's what God's waiting for you right now in this building. Are you considering everything you heard here tonight? The folly of it? The absolute empty folly of sin. The danger of it. God sees you considering because he considers all these verses that I've read to you and he turns from his iniquity, his transgressions, confessing and turning. God says he will forgive him and restore him. Restore him to a true walk. Won't you even consider what God says? If you are saved, that means every single person that knows you in God's earth, beginning with your family, can't doubt it. Because if any man be in crisis, all things are passed away. Behold, God says that to everybody that knows you beginning with your family. Look, behold, all things have become new. If any man be in Christ, he is a new creation. All things are passed away. Behold, all things have become new. If you are saved and you have not kept yourself pure because you neglected this book. It's the only reason. By confessing, considering your plight and the grief you've become to God and what you are losing in integrity, in your own conscience, in self-respect, let alone others. Because you consider what you've heard tonight and you seek God afresh, confessing to God what you've done and turn from it in your heart as best as you can. God expects nothing more. It's the relationship with Christ that is maintained 100% through this book. Don't doubt this now. The other thing, if you really have to put in the scales what they really do to influence you for God, no matter what you want to tell me to influence you for God, if 1% is really what keeps you true, I'm surprised. It's this book. Don't neglect this book for anything. And you will never thirst for the world again. Never. Or hunger for evil again. To the degree you soak yourself in this book is the greatest discipline of your life. To that degree, God is first and only to that degree or God is way down the line if you neglect this for evil or anything else. If you're not saved, then you know I want to ask you a question I hope you don't forget. What does the devil offer you that isn't going to make you die and go to hell and taste much of what hell is, the side of hell, to listen swiftly? What makes you want to say no to Christ? Answer yourself. Oh, come to Jesus with us in truth and do what I'm crying to Christians you are staggering. Do it every day of your life. Start the day reading Psalm 1 not Ephesians 6. And live it. Then I dare you if you've got time to go to Psalm 119. Every single verse tells you why you need to read the Bible to stay strong and warns you what will happen every single verse in this context is about the spirit. So Psalm 1, Psalm 119 then you've got to be pretty thick in your mind as it were to not devour the scriptures before anything in your day to keep yourself pure and not be partakers of other men's sins as you walk through this wicked world. You need to ask God's forgiveness if you've been affected by this world and connected to this book. I want to ask you right now to stand and say God it's me you're speaking to. I am confessing it and I am returning and I am determined from now on that this book will be my greatest discipline in life that I never thirst again. I dare you to stand up and say it's me you're speaking to God. Anyone that's that honest stand and come. Stand sir. Yes. Thank you. Anymore keep standing. Don't be ashamed. Be ashamed if you're guilty and you're not standing. Imagine what God's feeling now about you that carry his name into dirt and carry dirt into your lives. Yes. It's quite a thing isn't it. But let me assure you all God waits for is this. He considers it. That's all God's waiting because he considers it doesn't reject it. Come stand in the front. Come don't be ashamed. Come let's make something holy here. And those who are all right with God out there otherwise they wouldn't be sitting. They can pray for you in his more trance you see of you getting through with God here. Will you stand around the front here. You don't have to kneel. This isn't an altar. Just come and stand. Come this way please. It seems the loudspeakers were working this side. I want to ask you something else as you move this way please. The whole lot of you just move down. Let's make an altar here. It isn't bowing physically that matters. It's the heart. And that's what's happening here. Yes keep moving. Thank you. I want to ask something else. It's going to be the hardest thing you've ever had to do in your life if you're sitting there unsaved. If you're not saved and you are going to hell and you are really going through a taste of hell because of sin. No matter how happy you think even in laughter the heart is sorrowful. That's the patheticness of sin. You're not saved and you are pursuing the things that will destroy you. And you need God's salvation and you need to do what you heard tonight. From tonight to the day you die and you know God will keep you. And you seek God tonight and you want his salvation. No matter what it costs. Let me tell you if it's too much a payment a cost to stand up publicly to receive Christ then I doubt you're ever going to make any cost any way along life. You have to start this way. Most of us did. You have to come like all of us come. I want anyone sitting here who's not saved and who wants Christ who promises he promises he will in no wise turn away anyone who comes to God through Christ Jesus our Lord this book says. That means he cannot. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found. Be careful. Tomorrow may never come and another meeting like this may never come. Be careful. If ye shall seek me ye shall find me. And ye shall search me with all your heart. Come do that tonight. God will take you and you will become his responsibility his property and if you do the things he said you will be kept by the power of God through faith. There's always a condition and faith comes by the word of God to the degree you soak yourself in the word of God from that moment until you die. God will keep you through everything Satan tries or his people try. I'm going to ask you just once and God have mercy if you say no. I don't want that. It's too much. I want Christ's salvation and to become born again tonight. You become God's child. It's up to you now. God waits. And I want you to say it's me God and stand now and I want God's salvation tonight. Anyone? Yes I see two hands in the front here and I see somebody else standing there through that street in my understanding. Let's bow and pray. Will you in the front pray with me please? Not aloud. Not to each other. To God. So not that loud that you're being heard by everyone but will you pray aloud and don't doubt that God is not going to mock you that another man is leading you in prayer. Because if you pray this from your heart as best as you can in integrity to God do you honestly believe a holy God would say no? Because he wants this more than you do. Don't have any doubt. The Lord's watching and he will reach if it comes from your heart. So all of you standing here apart from the three or four or maybe more that I can't see that really need salvation those we're going to deal with now. But just while we're standing here you all are Christians who've really fallen down and been affected by this world because of the neglect of the word. Will you pray with me aloud these words? Oh God I humble myself in the sight of the Lord that he may lift me up as he has promised and restore unto me the joy of his salvation. I long for that more than I long for anything in life to be restored to have a vital encounter with Christ again and a vital relationship with him every day of my life. I ask for forgiveness and cleansing in the blood of Jesus Christ God's Son that cleanseth us from all sin. I come to thee through my advocate my high priest and I ask thee for mercy because of his intercession and because as a high priest he can sow thee father his blood and for that reason alone I believe thou hast forgiven me and I have no doubt every sin every failure things I've forgotten in my baseness to confess to thee in my lukewarmness I look for cleansing I come to thee with nothing but the blood of Jesus I ask for a fresh start a clean plate because of my faith in the blood of Jesus Christ and because I consider here tonight the folly of the compromises I have made with the world and I ask thee I ask that thou would let the blood go deeper wash me through and through and through and through create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me a consistent grace to live in all the light I've been given concerning the standard of God through this holy book renew a right spirit within me then will I teach transgressors thy ways and sinners shall be converted unto thee when I stop being with them in sin they'll listen I lay my life on the altar of God I dedicate my body not a dead offering completely on the altar a total surrender and I ask thee to fill me with the Holy Spirit again that is to take control of my life again I invite thee to do it with all my heart and I know the way to be kept by the power of God and I ask for the grace to discipline myself from this night every day of my life to soak myself in the Bible to hide it in my heart that I might not sin against thee keep me true Lord Jesus as a race that I must run there are victories to be won give me power every hour to be true and help people to forgive me that have witnessed and probably stumbled at my life of compromise even if I have to go and ask for forgiveness and to testify that I'm right with God and until they get right with God I will never come near again to them in the circumstance where I can help it where they could tempt me again to compromise in Jesus Christ's name Amen we stand we just stand where we are the few that did put your hands up and stood for salvation would you please just go right now and stand in the back there don't be ashamed and don't let us feel grieved that you didn't for fear of man anyone that put their hands up for salvation just right in the back of the row there will you do it immediately and no one's going to stand looking at you and shaking their heads if anything they're rejoicing everyone that's standing please stand in the back is there anyone left standing that would seek God for salvation please don't sit down you have to go and pray with somebody don't deny God that anyone else that put their hands up in the front here even please stand in the back if it's salvation you need alright I see just two people maybe the others will join you if they get courage to see will the man and the lady please a soul winner will you take them beside and just sit somewhere privately a man with a man and a lady with a lady please and don't preach again to them just pray them through and bring nothing but Christ's death to them and life and then let them do what they heard tonight till the day they die so please just take them somewhere privately in people's eye view please thank you God wonderfully bless all of you can you all stand please