welcome to our midweek Bible study
called morning glory I'm so happy that
you are here today why don't you join me
in your Holy Bible here in the book of
James chapter 4 verse 1 let's talk about
the struggle between the two natures you
have two natures on the inside of you
and we want to make sure that one wins
and that one stays crucified let's pray
for a moment Heavenly Father we asked it
as we jump into your word that your Holy
Spirit would bring illumination of your
word we can take it we can apply it to
our lives today and so that we can live
in the peace that the Lord has made
available for us to experience thank you
father in Jesus name we all agree and
say amen now James chapter 4 verse 1
where do Wars and fights come from among
you do they not come from your desires
for pleasure that war in your members
what are the members where the members
are the parts of your body your feet
sometimes want to go in the direction
they shouldn't go your hands maybe want
to touch something or do something or
experiment with something that God's
Word says no that's out of bounds your
mind your thought life can have a
struggle almost like a war going on
should I do this or should I not do this
should I give this off free or should I
keep it for myself and go buy something
that quote makes me happy
unquote should I should I be selfish or
should I be selfless should I live for
God or should I endeavor to gratify
these urges of the flesh so there's a
war that can go on within your members
and what we want to understand is that
you have two natures that are inside of
you okay you have an old nature and you
have a new nature and the old nature is
a little bit like poison oak from this
perspective that if you've ever had
poison ivy or poison oak you know that
you can scratch and scratch and scratch
but yet as much as
you scratch the the itching sensation
doesn't go away matter matter of fact
you can scratch so much that you start
tearing your skin up and some have done
that thinking I've got to get rid of it
well here's the problem the oil that's
on those plants that are poisonous when
you rub against it that oil goes in to
your skin goes through your skin and
it's actually resting underneath your
skin so you can take a wire brush and
scratch and try to get rid of it you're
not going to get rid of it it is now on
the inside of you now there are some
some things that you can take at the
drugstore one product particularly that
will get rid of it very quickly but I
want you to understand this very similar
to the the old nature
that's on the inside of you you are born
again you now have a new nature ok you
have a new nature and the Lord wants you
to live in the new nature which is his
nature and not allow the old to like
hijack your life and start dictating how
it is you're supposed to live so that's
why sometimes it can feel like there's a
war going on on the inside of you your
body can have urges and can have desires
to want to do things that are not right
in the eyes of God and your spirit wants
to serve the Lord and wants to do what's
right so there's this battle between the
flesh and the spirit going back and
forth now the Lord wants you to have
peace he doesn't want you to live in
this constant state of friction and
fighting where one day the spirit man is
dominant and you you live for the Lord
and the next day you just had a total
flesh breakdown said things you
shouldn't have said maybe did things you
shouldn't have done and you're just like
you know it defeated me again okay so
there is victory there is a way and we
want to talk about it today and I also
just want to give you some understanding
of what's taking place when you wonder
what's going on with me I'm saved I love
Jesus why is there still a pull on the
inside of me at times too
to think bad things are to want to do
bad things that's because you have two
natures and you're always going to have
these two natures until there comes a a
change now when I talk about the change
it won't be in this lifetime so since
you're in this earth and you're living
in the the suit of your body which is
the kind of the house that you live in
while you're on the earth okay you need
to know how to win this struggle let's
go now to the book of Genesis very easy
to find first book in the Bible praise
God
Genesis chapter 25 and let's begin in
verse 21 now Isaac pleaded with the Lord
for his wife because she was barren and
the Lord granted his plea and Rebecca
his wife conceived but the children
struggled together within her now watch
this the children struggled together
within her and she said if all is well
why am I like this so she went to
inquire of the Lord now I'm glad that
she went to inquire of the Lord and
didn't go to some other voice that would
just tell her what she wanted to hear is
some you know unsaved psychiatrist or
something like that but she wanted to
know really truly what is going on on
the inside of her and the Lord said to
her two nations okay two nations are in
your womb two peoples shall be separated
from your body one people shall be
stronger than the other and the older
shall serve the younger now what's going
on here with this dear woman of God who
loved the Lord but realized hey there's
a struggle going on on the inside of me
and I don't know what's up the Lord told
her there are twins struggling on the
inside of you now you have the two boys
one is Jacob one is Esau this is really
a picture in the Old Testament of a
struggle between the flesh and the
spirit okay
Jacob represents the spiritual and Esau
certainly when we read his life and
study about him he represents the carnal
this is a struggle going on and we see
it portrayed in a prophetic sense here
this can be very interesting now we see
that Esau he was birthed first but right
literally on his heel was his brother
verse 25 and the first came out read he
was like a hairy garment all over so
they called this name Esau afterward his
brother came out and his hand took hold
of Esau's heel so his name was called
Jacob this is very interesting Esau
comes out first
you can be born-again saved and love
Jesus with all of your heart but still
have these esau elements in your life
that are fleshly and carnal and they can
even be in some ways predominant but
although Esau may be popped out first
Jacob has the potential to arise and be
the spiritual force that God intended
for him to be and thus Esau never
realized God's potential for his life it
was not interested in God's plan for his
life
but Jacob representing the spiritual
matured into the man that God wanted him
to be and the Holy Spirit is going to
help you to mature into the man or woman
that God wants you to be and you will
become the spiritual person that Christ
has made it possible for you to become
don't let any failures or defeats there
scourge you the battle is turning praise
God I was talking to a friend way back
in high school one day he was a
Christian friend I was a Christian he
was a Christian and he said Stephen he
said I pulled up behind this car now
he goes to different church but we both
love the Lord he said I pulled up behind
this car and the car had a bumper
sticker on the license plate and it said
honk if you love Jesus I said well did
you honk he said yes I honked and it's
he said I guess when I thought I honked
my horn at him you know had his bumper
sticker right when the light had just
turned green and he hadn't moved yet so
he he probably thought like I was
honking like hurry up you know put your
foot on the gas pedal so the guy with
the car with the bumper sticker that
said honk if you love Jesus when my
friend honked that guy thought you know
somebody's honking at me telling me to
hurry up so he reaches his hand out the
window of his car back to pointing
towards my friend and gave him the
universal big finger signal that meant
go to not heaven but the other place so
my friend was like wow I can't believe
that guy driving around with a car with
a bumper sticker representing the Lord
and he's you know giving people the
finger I mean some crazy crazy stuff
what's going on with that you have a
Christian that is struggling with the
two natures on the inside of him and
Esau is winning oh my goodness and you
know we see this certainly even in the
New Testament how about this first
Corinthians chapter 3 you'll you'll not
find a better example probably than the
church at Corinth and this is what Paul
said to them and I brethren could not
speak to you as to spiritual but as to
carnal as to babe's in Christ so Paul
said you're not spiritual all that
pastor Stephen they moved in the gifts
yes technically they moved in all nine
of the gifts they had the gifts just
exploding in their church miracles and
signs and wonders and things like that
and Paul said but you're not spiritual
yeah I have to talk to you like you're a
bunch of babies spiritually because you
haven't grown up verse two I fed you
with milk and not with solid food
for until now you are not able to
receive it and even now you are still
not able for you are still carnal for
where there are Envy strife and
divisions among you are you not carnal
and behaving like mere men in other
words the struggle of the two nature's
the old nature and the new they're not
really moving into the new although
they're born again and saved oh yes
they're they love God they belong to the
Lord but the flesh just constantly was
getting the upper hand on them to the
point when Paul gave instructions about
receiving the Lord's Communion he said
some of you are even getting drunk you
you're like turning this into like some
kind of like a gluttonous meal and he
said some of you are literally you're
getting drunk before the others even
show up to take communion together so
there was a lot going on there of
carnality and this is something that is
believers they were endeavoring to you
know Paul was really trying to help them
not look we understand there's grace
because when you look at the culture of
Corinth and where these believers had
come from and they're getting saved
brand-new everyday you know these are
these are grown men and women that hear
the gospel they get saved and they are
coming out of anything you can think of
a lot of what we have today they had it
back then and they had they had temple
prostitutes they had every form of
sexual perversion that you could think
of just everything going on in that city
of Corinth there were a lot of pagan
temples in that city I saw a lot of
stuff that they are coming out of gross
darkness they give their hearts to Jesus
they belong to the Lord but they are
endeavoring to learn how to get their
flesh under and not let Esau boss them
around but let Jacob be the potential of
what it is they're going to step into
and it took time it took time and it is
important to understand while God wants
us to move in the gifts of the Spirit
and
understand the anointing and things like
that still God wants you to have peace
in your life so that you're really
you're having what I would call victory
not just out in public but most
importantly in your personal life praise
the Lord
so I really believe that we have to go
deeper because even Paul told the church
in Corinth I've been feeding you with
milk and you're really not ready for the
things I would like to teach you and I
would like to share with you now the
church in Ephesus was very very
different it was a very powerful church
and even Paul when he would travel and
preach would talk about those when he
shared the gospel would just you know
give him a hard time about it but he
talks about also what he went and
ministered to the Bereans and said they
were more noble minded they actually
checked the scriptures and validated
what Paul was teaching and sharing and
lining it up with the Word of God
so I believe that I'm speaking to the
noble Bereans I believe I'm speaking to
those who say I don't want this war to
be something that the flesh thinks it's
gonna just have these constant victories
I want to have peace and I want to be
living in the life of the Lord in other
words you want to be truly spiritual not
fake
where you act like you are and but in
your own secret life you have all kinds
of things where the enemy is laughing
because he knows there's an imbalance
here so the Word of God gives us amazing
guidance on how to deal with these
situations let's go now to the Epistle
of first John chapter 1 and let's go
down to verse 8 if we say that we have
no sin we deceive ourselves and the
truth is not in us if you were to look
at this in the Greek the context in the
Greek is really stating this if we say
that we have no sin nature Oh pastor
Steven I belong to Jesus and now that I
belong to
him I'm never going to sin again no no
we all know that that's a lie
we know it's good to have good
intentions to be a person of faith that
you're going to be committed to living
for the Lord but as long as you are in
that body you still have to contend with
the sin nature if we say that we have no
sin nature we deceive ourselves and the
truth is not in us years ago it was
about it was about 15 years ago I
administered in a certain city to a
group of Christian businessmen they
loved the Lord that were spirit filled
but they had this group had gotten off
into a fad some kind of an unscriptural
fad the the men primarily in the group
were were older men in their late 70s
early 80s and while they believed the
Bible and you know the good teachings of
God's Word they had got over into a
deceptive teaching where they actually
thought they were never going to die
they just said you know brother Steven
we're going to live forever and we're
never going to die and I said that's not
scriptural and I tried to point out some
scriptures to them and they're like aw
no no no we have special revelation that
we're just going to keep on living and
we're never going to die well you know
you I couldn't argue with them and I
wasn't going to like if they weren't
going to accept God's Word in the
scriptures that I gave to refute that
false teaching then there's not much I
could do for them now I thought well it
would be nice to go back and minister
their place again but that's not a
possibility
why pastor Steven well because they're
all dead
they lived their lives as hell and they
died and now the meetings are not held
there anymore because the men that were
leading those meetings they've all
passed away they said they wouldn't but
they did so there can be deceptions and
you can be deceived in the in a way
thinking I'm never going to sin anymore
no you have to be careful we all have to
deal with that sin nature and even
though you could be saved and sanctified
and have a deep walk with God be careful
the sin nature is still there even when
you get it under you still must be on
your toes as long as you're on this
planet there is potential that we could
just let ourselves go and that nature
could be could begin to rise back up
when you think about the Apostle Peter
the early chapters of the book of Acts
chapters 4 chapters 5 and so forth you
see Peter moving in tremendous anointing
to the point to the degree where those
who were placed within the proximity of
the shadow if he just got within that
arc of that radioactive power that glory
zone that he was in and it's just
radiating out from him if you got within
the the the reach of his shadow you were
instantly healed
oh well pastor Stephen he must have have
reached the level of holiness and such a
deep walk with God that he never
probably had to worry about his flesh
another day of his life no no yeah if
you read the book of Galatians you'll
find the Apostle Paul having to rebuke
peter publicly because peter had
compromised a key doctrine now he didn't
compromise his faith but he did
compromise areas of doctrinal importance
that he taught he just completely backed
off on because he wanted to certain how
can I say
celebrity ministers to accept him or
those who still held to the Old Covenant
the Mosaic law and you know I can
understand look they all of the early
Christians they were all Jewish so they
were they were having to navigate from
the Old Covenant into the New Covenant
and the New Covenant is based on faith
in Christ and his atoning sacrifice at
Calvary the Old Covenant was based on
works and you doing what the law said if
you did it you got blessed if you messed
up
you got judgment okay so they are moving
into the New Covenant through faith in
Christ and they are learning New Kingdom
Prince
so it was it was a big step over a big
transition over so Peter just he blew it
and he compromised whenever the leaders
from Jerusalem came down he pretended to
still kind of lean towards the Old
Covenant teachings of you know works and
don't eat this and you can't eat that
and you can do these things and Paul
said hey yeah Peter in front of all of
these people you're acting like a
hypocrite so that's really the message
of Galatians you're not saved by works
you're not justified by works you're not
justified by the law it's impossible you
can only be justified through faith in
Jesus Christ who he himself paid the
penalty for our sins so we put all of
our trust in his atoning work and then
we're good to go
and so even Peter after having such high
mountaintop experiences you find him
later being rebuked by Paul for
hypocritical behavior simply because he
wanted certain people to receive him and
accept him that's basically what we
would call the spirit of fear of man
well my friends we thank God that
although the sin nature the old nature
can try to dictate and aserp the life
that God wants us to live greater
however is He that is in us and then he
that is in the world and even the old
sin nature that would try to give us
trouble the Holy Spirit indwelling
within us and the life of Christ within
us offers us the potential to live like
Christ in the earth praise the Lord this
is very very important you cannot
eradicate the sin nature out of your
body okay you have a mortal body you are
living in this world and as long as
you're alive
you're hearing this you cannot eradicate
the sin nature out of your life out of
your body but but you can arrest it you
can subdue it and you can keep it under
so that you're not living in this
constant state of war but you come into
a place of peace and it is beautiful
it's very very beautiful Paul himself
spoke about this in the book of
Galatians let's go over there right now
to the book of Galatians chapter 2 verse
20 now I'm going to read this verse and
for many of you that have been in the
faith for some time you won't instantly
recognize this verse but it's one thing
to be able to quote it or to know about
it it's another thing to actually be
able to say it and mean it and that it
is true in your life so here it is are
you ready Galatians chapter 2 verse 20
Paul said I have been okay not that he's
going to one day not that he hopes to or
wishes that he could ever get there he
said I have been crucified now
crucifixion is a putting to death we
understand this is a reference to die I
have been crucified with Christ it is no
longer I who live but Christ lives in me
and the life which I now live in the
flesh I live by faith in the Son of God
who loved me and gave himself for me
praise the Lord
a very wonderful minister who I know
well he's a very good man he had apostle
Lester Sumrall come to his church to
minister and this this Minister this
pastor that I know very well because he
lives in a very affluent city and this
city has one of the most
beautiful malls not only in America but
in the world you know so he thought well
maybe apostle Summerall would like to go
to the mall now at this time dr.
Summerall is in the late stages of his
life
and all he's trying to do is still get
as many souls saved as he possibly can
and that's all that's on his mind and
also he's endeavoring to transfer the
anointing to the next generation because
he knows his time is short and it indeed
was short he passed away just I think
about two years later well he comes to
this church and this pastor friend of
mine dear man of God said to him dr.
Sommer aw can I take you to the mall so
that you can walk around and do and do
some shopping he said the mall he said
what would I want to go do something
stupid like that for now look I'm not
saying there's anything wrong with
shopping I'm not saying that it's not
fun to even to walk through the mall but
for him his life was so laid down he
didn't care about stuff like that
well Pastor Steven where did he get his
suit out where did he get his shoes at I
don't know but all I'm saying is that if
he needed to buy a suit he probably just
go somewhere quickly by its size by it
he's done with that he's not all hung up
and stuff like that he's not he's not
all like just fixated with stuff because
you're not on this planet very long and
even if you live to be 85 or 95 or 100
it still goes by very very quickly and
on top of that we are quickly running
out of time we are already in the last
days and technically you could say we're
in the last days of the last days so dr.
something Rob just was not into stuff
like that what he's dead to it he's not
excited about it
and I'm not saying that you can't
appreciate nice things I do I look I
know the difference between a $40 tie
and a tie you know that costs $4.00
there yeah it doesn't take a genius you
can appreciate nice things but that's
not what makes up your life that's not
what makes your world go around
you're what makes your life operate is
your walk with the Lord and you be
tied in to what's on God's heart a what
his assignment for your life is if
that's not tithing to the Great
Commission then you need to make some
adjustments so Paul made that statement
I have been crucified with Christ and
you could have some believers they could
stand up and they could quote it I have
been crucified with Christ but you look
at their life you're like no no brother
you have good scripture memory you've
got that verse memorized but no your
life is not crucified in the least bit
you are totally living for yourself and
you certainly aren't on the cross now
we're not talking about literally
getting up on a wooden cross and hanging
that's not what we're talking about
we're talking about your life totally
laid down for the Lord and Paul said I'm
there and if you are there you know it
you know it you know that Esau is under
and that Jacob it is operating you know
that the flesh is crucified and you're
walking in the spirit now it doesn't
mean you're perfect no but it does mean
that really Christ is living through you
and you have found out the secret it's
amazing it's an amazing thing
glory to God let me say this once you do
find the path into the true life which
is losing your life so that you can
receive his life once you find that path
and you begin to walk on it I've
discovered that it's like a bicycle if
you've ever ridden the bicycle maybe you
learned to ride when you were six years
old and you know you spend time riding
the bike as a kid teenager and stuff
like that well maybe as an adult you get
busy and you haven't ridden a bike for
15 years but did you know and I'm sure
you do that if you get back on a bicycle
even if you haven't ridden one for 15
years you know what you you still could
ride it you still have that balance you
have that muscle memory and you know the
route you know the lane you know how to
do it you have to relearn it all over
again you're good to go now it's the
same way once you find
path into the Crucified life where the
real joy of living is found that if you
ever deviate from it like Peter
obviously did what Peter getting kind of
into the flesh and really caring about
what the bigwigs in Jerusalem thought
more than about what God said in his own
word and what Jesus personally taught
him about the New Covenant if you ever
find yourself having I I wouldn't say I
wouldn't say back slid but I would say
you're not where you're supposed to be
that the flesh is is getting the upper
hand then I would say it's just like a
bicycle and you know how to get back on
it and you've not forgotten how to ride
you need to do whatever it takes and
it's different for different people in
and within the body of Christ you need
to do whatever it takes to get back up
on that cross because that's the only
safe place pray use the Lord now I do
believe it's true to come into a place
like this not when you get to heaven
nobody's walking around you know what
the cross in heaven you know what I mean
in other words it's not like you're
gonna meet any saint in heaven saying
I've been dared to die to myself no
you're out of your body it's it's over
with finally it's over with you're out
of that body that gave you so much
trouble on the earth but while you're
still on the earth yes you're gonna have
to deal with the two natures the flesh
and the spirit and you're gonna have to
know how to keep that flesh under but it
is possible to do it and it is very much
possible to come into a place where you
can personally say it because you're
living it I have been crucified with
Christ and it's not bragging and it's
not like you're trying to be spiritual
but you can say it in humility I found
the way I've discovered it and I'm
living it and Paul did and I believe God
wants his people to find this place in
him more than even spiritual gifts
because you could be like the church in
Corinth where you have all the spiritual
gifts going on but
now your butt but now your flesh is
still you know it's just it's still
going on and now you now you're jealous
now you're envious and you got somebody
in their church saying I love Apollo's
and another says well I'm a Peter and
then another says I'm a Christ and then
you got all these factions and divisions
and all this carnal stuff fighting and
quarreling in the house of God amongst
the Saints so this is a living reality
that God wants us to come into where you
can realize in your heart I'm not the
same anymore Esau is gone under the
flesh is we've got the victory over it
and you can say I found that place and
you can say I have been crucified with
Christ praise God well pastor Steven how
do I get into it what really is the
remedy of dealing with the old nature
pastor Steven what's the secret sauce
it's a great question isn't it and I
think in some ways it's it's more than
just one thing I think in other ways
that you also have to find out what
works for you but let me just give you a
few points here's one that works really
well and this is what worked for me I
can I can only tell you what works for
me here's one first Corinthians chapter
11 verse 1 now many of you if you know
the King James Version you know what
like this the Apostles Paul said follow
me as I follow Christ but I think it
makes a little more sense in some of the
more modern versions because the English
language does expand and have variation
over the over the years especially over
a four hundred year period from when the
KJV was originally put out now first
Corinthians chapter 11 verse 1 imitate
me that's a better translation
Paul said imitate me just as I also
imitate you hmm
Paul said look I found the path I know I
know
how to live this Paul Paul's the one
that said I am crucified with Christ
okay so he said look I know how to get
you in there so if you will imitate me
as I imitate Christ
now if the person's not imitating Christ
I don't have any interest really in
following your life I may find your life
interesting I may find it amusing but
but if you're not imitating the Lord I'm
certainly not going to pattern myself
after you we want to we want to follow
those or imitate those who are following
Christ and again Paul said you have you
have many teachers but not many fathers
a father is somebody that you can look
at and you can say that person has
demonstrated how to do it not just
teaching about it because you could have
a whole lot of teachers and there's a
lot of teachers that can teach real good
but they can't they can't even live what
they're teaching and that's why if you
kind of look at their life you think why
why am I seeing things
short-circuited in their life because
while they may have understanding on it
even have revelation on it unless you
make application of it and you really
walk it out then you your message will
not have the same weight the testimony
will not have the the right resonance
when you're type when you're trying to
minister that message but Paul could say
imitate me just as I also imitate Christ
Wow praise the Lord so this is what I
found when I was really looking
particularly as a young man when I was
really looking for ways to get victory
over the flesh and walk in the spirit
because the war was raging what really
helped me was to identify individuals
with the help of the Holy Spirit who
were actually living this crucified life
who the flesh was not overthrowing their
life but they were holy men
and the holy spirit allowed me to find
some holy men and basically say they're
living it so if you imitate them in
other words if you look at what they're
doing that you can tie in to what
they're doing if you want to be a good
coach then you're going to study the
coaches that have good winning teams
you're not gonna study somebody whose
football team last season was Owen 15
yeah why would you try to emulate that
because that that's not what you're
after you want to find out those in your
respective career field who are at the
top why so you can emulate that and
ideally you should if you if you really
make those principles something that you
really live by it'll start working in
your life well spiritually it's the same
way so that's that's what began to work
for me I began to look past you know
what's popular what's a fad and I began
to look at now it's not that some of
this stuff's not cool but like what
really what really can help me win in
this area where the struggle of the two
natures is going back and forth I'm
talking like a dr. Jekyll mr. Hyde where
it's like a tug-of-war where one day the
flesh pulls you over here the flesh wins
and the next day yeah I'm gonna pray and
I'm gonna lift for God and now you're
back over in the spirit but it's goin
back and forth back and forth well you
find those that are living like Paul
hallelujah I had had a remarkable
encounter with the Lord one time in a
vision where he shared some things with
me about this this struggle and this was
this was sometime back when I had this
vision but he told me that some of the
areas that I had had struggles in he
even told me I don't hold you completely
responsible for for that in other words
for failure in those areas because he
said nobody ever taught you how to live
now when I I'm not saying I never heard
a preacher I had a heart look I heard a
lot of preachers but the Lord was trying
to convey to me you never heard one
would demonstrate to you the victory in
that area so to be honest it was the
holy spirit that started revealing to me
what we would know as the Saints and I
would start reading about Saints who had
lives of purity and holiness and the
more I read it intrigued me and then I
could see oh that's how they lived their
life well no no no wonder for you and so
it began to kind of become like an open
book and it didn't mean that there
weren't people today it just meant that
in my arena of exposure what I had heard
growing up in church and then kind of
also a lot of mainstream Christianity I
didn't really find what I need it to
help me in this area didn't mean that I
didn't hear good teaching it just meant
in those areas of the struggle of the
two nature I couldn't get I couldn't
find the answers that I was looking for
well as I began to dig deeper the Lord
unveiled it and it was something that
just became became a revelation I began
to walk into it I would say that if you
really want victory yes study Galatians
chapter two the whole book of Galatians
and spend a lot of time in Romans
chapter 6 and chapter 8 and it'll just
start to be revealed by the spirit you
start slipping into it and the next
thing you know you're walking in the
victory and once you've got the victory
slight riding the bicycle you you've got
it all you have to do is maintain it so
I would say emulate those and imitate
those who are imitating Christ and if
you do that if you do that in many ways
I can and you keep listening and you
keep making those applications and a lot
of ways I can just predict your future
not that I'm trying to you know give you
a prediction but I'm just telling you
that if you follow after those that are
strong in the Lord and I'm not trying to
say this is the type of a person I am I
am I'm just trying to say we need to be
able to recognize what is pop culture
and pop culture that permit
into the church that's not going to help
you get victory over the flesh and you
need to be able to get all that stuff
sorted out because there's stuff out
there that stopping to help you at all
may be fun to listen to but when the
rubber meets the road you can't you
can't live the life like these other
strong men and women in the word lived
or the Saints lived you're just like why
why can't I get into that well it could
be that some of the wrong voices are
speaking things to you that just can't
they can't get you there you know why
they don't know about it there are a lot
of things that the Lord will only unveil
to those who are hungry if you're really
hungry and you really want it then the
Lord sees that and he will honor that
you'll begin to give you exposure begin
to give you answers and now you can come
into it but for those who aren't
interested it's just like it's like veil
it's veiled to them mmm-hmm
but look when you get the heaven Wow
you can be a person that your works are
not burned up because there's going to
be a lot of stuff and the life of a lot
of believers and all even a lot of
Christian ministers that they think it
was a great work it's just gonna go up
in smoke it's what Paul said is going to
be wood hay and stubble and people may
applaud it and people may think oh
that's wonderful we're going to even put
you on the on the news media whatever we
love you but look there's just a lot of
things it's gonna go up totally in smoke
but the only things that would remain or
what Paul would say you know the gold
and things that that are valuable in the
eyes of the Lord a lot of that is built
on the foundation of having a life that
is truly pleasing to the Lord
mm-hmm and if you'll take time to get
the most important life worked out which
is yours okay if you'll take the time to
do that oh oh my goodness Wow you'll be
looking forward to your time of when you
go before the Lord because why in a
sense you've already gone before him
every day mm-hmm thank you Jesus
hallelujah well pastor Steven what else
can you tell me I would tell you that
you need to find a scripture that the
Holy Spirit illuminates to you that is
the weapon that you use against the
flesh that whenever the flesh would rise
up this is your fallback Scripture this
is the scripture you lean on and I could
probably give you some good suggestions
but here's the thing you need to find it
because it needs to be the Living Word
that God speaks to you I have a key
Scripture and it'll probably be always
the scripture that I stand on until I go
home to be with the Lord and whenever my
flesh wants to do something I go right
back to that Scripture and I in that
scripture just it hits the flesh
I meditate on that Scripture I I don't
deviate off of that Scripture and it
gets me through these things where you
have to sometimes take your ship through
an iceberg field you know it just keeps
you grounded in the things of God so you
need to have that you need to have that
so if the flesh tries to do its thing
you have that word in order to deal with
that situation I would also say
concerning the sin nature remember you
have two natures you have the flesh
nature which is the sin nature and you
also have the new life which is the
spirit nature I would say this that the
one that you feed the most is the one
that's going to win and the one that you
starve out is the one that's going to
get real quiet real quiet now
you need to start out that sin nature
that flesh nature and I'll be honest
maybe people call me an old-fashioned
preacher but I think it's absolutely
ludicrous when Christians that are
washed with the blood of Jesus and are
filled with the spirit when they go out
and watch movies that glorify horror and
the blasphemy of God's name and vie
and just you know they'll sit there and
for three hours saturate themselves with
the most profane images and words and
sexual immorality and then they'll and
then they'll wonder why they can't walk
in the spirit well suppose you're
feeding your flesh now I'm not talking
about eating food real food I'm talking
about the flesh nature the sin nature
and if you feed that well the war will
be fierce and that flesh nature will be
getting a lot of victories but if you
starve that out and you cut off these
profane things which in many ways God
calls them idolatry and if you get the
idols out of your heart out of your life
then you know what your life will become
a lot more peaceful so if you starve out
the sinful nature while at the same time
you are feeding the ravenous nature of
your spirit which wants more and more of
God which wants to worship and praise it
doesn't want to listen to filthy secular
music that makes you want to shake your
body and take your clothes off and when
you listen to pure music of praise and
worship and then you feed on the word
well hallelujah suddenly life becomes a
lot smoother and there is a place you
keep doing that where there's a shift
and there can come a defining moment
literally a defining moment you move
into that position where you can cry out
like Paul when I say cry I'm not talking
about you know crying the tears I'm
saying speak out with faith and it's not
a confession of faith it's a reality I
have been crucified with Christ and the
old Steven Brooks is dead Wow
praise the Lord it's amazing you can
come into that so I would say starve the
bad stuff feed the good stuff I have
been crucified with Christ it is no
longer I who live but Christ lives in me
and the life which I now live in the
flesh
I live by faith in the Son of God who
loved me and gave himself for me
so my friends as long as you're on this
planet you will have to deal with the
struggle of the two natures and the
reason that the struggle can be so
strong but like a violent war warfare in
your members is because the flesh the
sin nature the flesh nature has just
been getting way too much pampering hmm
now look those of you who know me know
that I love church history and I study
church history from the perspective of
global church history I'm not just
studying Protestants I'm not just
studying Catholic saints I'm not just
studying those from Eastern Orthodoxy I
study the global work that God has done
throughout the church throughout the
centuries looking for tips and tidbits
that will help me in this journey but my
friends I will say that while I am NOT
an ascetic somebody who would cause
great discomfort to themselves I would
say this I am also at the same time not
a person that's just going to sit back
and do everything I can to pamper my
flesh nature how many of you know with a
sinful nature loves to be pampered mmm
this loves it it could it could I mean
my flesh and your flesh to go on a
10-year cruise and never come back let's
go on a cruise praise God yes we need a
cruise we need to have a time where we
just hit the buffet every day we need to
take a break from work we need to take a
break from this and that we just need to
be we need to be stuffed with the
world's good stuff hallelujah
you know what not within months not
within weeks but within days ooh your
flesh will be dominating your spirit
like you wouldn't believe
pastor Steven we just need to take a
break from the Bible we've had too much
of that word
after Steven we need to take a break
from that prayer we've had too much
spirituality we need to get on a cruise
ship and we just need to go sin a little
bit no no dear Lord no mm-hmm no do you
know the act no I'm not against a cruise
industry I'm not against cruise ships
but I'm not into pampering my flesh okay
I know nice things I can enjoy a nice
meal like I could enjoy a nice latte I
can enjoy you know I know what a nice
watch is I know what fine clothes are
okay but look I'm not a person who's
just out to pamper myself all the time
you do that you're gonna get in trouble
mmm and maybe maybe you you need a
little touch of a set of asceticism
maybe you need to do a little fasting
old pastor Steve and that's legalistic
no that's your flesh saying don't
crucify me smile praise the Lord the
Lord loves you amen and he has made
provision through Christ and the
revelations found in his word
so that you can live a life that's
pleasing to him in public in private and
you're not you're not going to be
embarrassed when you stand before the
Lord you're actually looking forward to
standing before the Lord Pastor Steven
do you believe in the rapture well you
know prophet Bob Jones was asked at one
time do you believe in the rapture he
goes well sure I get raptured everyday i
I mean when you are going up before the
Lord and you're seeing the Lord and you
are in the courts of heaven and you're
having a good time with the Lord you're
not like oh I hope the rapture doesn't
come today I'd have to stand it for the
Lord and I'm not living right know
you're ready to go anytime why you're
just moving in that mode mmm and yes I
do believe in the catching up of the
Saints because I win I believe the Bible
I believe 1st Thessalonians chapter 4
chapter 5 I believe 2nd Thessalonians
chapter 2 and 3 I believe the Bible I
believe there is a catching up and jesus
said when I come
I'm coming like a thief what he meant by
that he's coming in the sense that no
man knows the day or the hour when I'm
coming so you need to be living for the
Lord
hallelujah so yes I find it very
interesting the way some ministers just
I don't know they just get so they they
get really I you know some of you drink
to they get drunk I don't think that's
good I think anytime you yield control
of your body to another influence
whether it's an outside influence or
something coming into your body that the
moment is enters into your body whether
it's alcohol or something you smoke that
you're under the intoxicant of that look
the moment something else is under
control you're in trouble you're in
trouble now I'm not saying you know if
you need to take a medication and
there's some effects but you need to
take that medication that there's not
grace for that but if you're doing fine
why in the world would you put something
into your system where the Spirit is now
no longer dominant but the flesh the
flesh now has great ability to rise up
and go wild why in the world would
anybody do that much less a minister
praise God but you know what we all have
our own choice we all have the
scriptures I remember one time I talked
to a minister spirit-filled well-known
evangelist loved God there was a certain
area that I brought up with him and he
goes oh brother Stephen he said I know
that's in the Bible I said yeah it is
it's in the New Covenant and there it is
I said what are you going to do about
that he said I'm gonna pretend like it's
not there that's literally what he told
me he said I know that's there and he
said I know I should tighten up in this
area but I just you know I like this
thing over here oh look it's a choice we
all have to make and I'm just saying
that there is room for you on the cross
Galatians chapter 2 verse 20 and it's
where the real life begins oh but you
know what
it's just it's just God leaves it into
our Juice
our selection but I believe I'm talking
to those that really want to win and the
Lord told me he said I want you to raise
up champions I don't want you to be a
typical pasture that's just trying to
please everybody and make everybody
happy I have called you to raise up
warriors I said okay praise the Lord
so I know that you're somebody that
wants to win in this area not just when
you go to heaven I mean hello we're out
of the body you're the struggles over
and then when you get your body back you
know what when that time comes when our
bodies are resurrected up and and we get
that as Paul said that glorified body
which is designed for eternity for
immorality it's not going to have the
sin nature in it so it's gonna be
incredible that's you're gonna be like
way being ladies you'll be way beyond
any type of a you know fictional female
comic book character any guy that's in
the Lord you'll be way beyond Superman
I mean you'll be like all of them
combined together
put them all together and you still
couldn't touch what it is that you're
gonna be stepping into so it's amazing
but until then until then always be
aware that you have two natures
so my friends make sure that you're
living for the Lord and you are doing
those things those principles and
practices that allow you to be the
spiritual person that God wants you to
be and at the same time keeping the
flesh the sin nature under it's possible
yes it's doable yes and by God's grace
you will be able to say like Paul said
and mean it and believe it and look look
there's a no lien that comes with it
Galatians chapter 2 verse 20 I have been
crucified with Christ is the same thing
as Galatians chapter 6 verse 6 and the
moment that ever happens in your life
you're like ifit's I'm there I'm living
it I know what it is then what do you do
you maintain it you maintain it and you
walk in it
and you make it the primary focus of
your life because that is also that that
same essence of being filled with the
spirit all of that goes along with it
together that's why I can't just make it
one thing it's it's a little bit of a
package deal it's a it's not complicated
but it's being filled with the spirit
it's all of these things coming together
but yes when it happens you know it and
if you've never known it may you push
and pursue and go after the Lord with
all of your heart so that it can be a
reality because it is it is clearly your
inheritance God never intended for you
to live in victory defeat defeat victory
defeat defeat defeat victory and just
this constant struggle that is not God's
will there's peace there's peace for you
Heavenly Father I pray for your people
that they will work this out with you
that if there are any that are just fed
up with the struggle that they will work
this out with you and find that path
into Galatians 2 verse 20 and make it a
reality in their lives and that they
will not quit until they have found this
place in you in Jesus name we thank you
for more than enough grace and we thank
you for your peace in Jesus name Amen
praise God we're going to get ready to
take communion if you're watching
today's program and you don't know Jesus
or perhaps you are also somebody that
you once served the Lord and you're
watching me but you've fallen away from
God and you you have not served the Lord
it's time for you to come back and if
you don't know the Lord it's time for
you to get to know him and make your
life right with God okay so if you're in
one of those conditions one of those
situations right now pray this simple
prayer after me
say Lord Jesus I come to you and I give
my heart to you Jesus wash all of my
sins away
Jesus write my name in your book of life
and Jesus established me in you
strengthen me in you I dedicate my life
to live for you and the serve you
forever thank you Jesus for saving me
thank you Lord Jesus thank you Lord
Jesus now for many of you that you're
away from the Lord just thinking for a
second chance
maybe it's the fifth or sixth chance
okay but just thank you for because this
time it's going to stick and this time
you're breaking through father we give
you all of the praise in Jesus name Amen
if you prayed that prayer I would love
to hear from you and I would love to
have our prayer team be praying for you
just write me or email me at contact at
Steven Brooks org let us know that
you've given your heart to the Lord or
that you've come back to Christ praise
God we want to be able to pray for you
praise God now grab some unleavened
bread leaven in the Bible represent it's
sin that's why we use unleavened bread
okay if you don't have a little wafer
like this just grab what you can maybe a
cracker or something like that and get
some grape juice and let's pray father
we set apart now this piece of bread and
the juice as Holy we pray over it and
bless it because this is now Communion
and this is now the body of Jesus and
his blood father thank you for the flesh
of Jesus thank you for all of his
promises
thank you for provision for all that we
need father thank you for the Ministry
of the Holy Spirit leading us into
victory thank you Oh God thank you Oh
God
all Father in the last days there is
deception but we thank you that your
word is our foundation and the Holy
Spirit is our clarity we thank you that
you will not allow us to be deceived so
we thank you that we walk in purity and
holiness we thank you that we will be
that bride that doesn't have spot or
wrinkle we thank you for the blood
covering all of our sins and we thank
you that you are moving us into the
mature image of your son we
thank you for a good strong discipleship
of bringing others into the life of
fullness and wholeness where the crazy
struggle is over because the battle is
won father thank you for Jesus they give
her his body and his name amen
let's receive now the body of Christ
praise the Lord hallelujah praise God
praise the Lord in hell there are
different levels of punishment those who
knew the truth that rejected it and
continue to do awful things will be
punished in a greater degree as compared
to those who rejected Christ but they
weren't what we would call wild sinners
or those that influenced others to sin
or those that try to corrupt the
innocence of those two and pull them in
the darkness there's different levels of
punishment in Hell in heaven there are
different levels of glory and rewards
and access into certain things according
to the way that you lived your life on
the earth well pastor Steven if you're a
Christian and we're all going to heaven
what does it matter we could just Wow
well why not just live in the flesh and
you know kind of enjoy the flesh and
still you know try to make heaven
because Paul the Apostle talked about
being caught up into the third heaven
the first level is brilliant it's
beautiful the second level not many
Christians can be in a place where as
soon as they go to be with the Lord they
can go right into the second heaven
because it's so brilliant and pure that
those on the first level they're they're
not able to go there and it could take
them on the first level although there's
no time in heaven it could take them
what we would say from an earth
perspective quite some time maybe even
years before they're developed enough to
even maybe even glimpse into that second
and the third heaven the third heaven is
where those who walked closest with the
Lord while they were on the earth they
will be able to go into that place a
place of such brilliance that if you
don't walk close to the Lord you can't
you can't you couldn't take it it's
- brilliant that's why that's why you
really want to live for him mmm-hmm
hallelujah said that you can enjoy all
that God has for you praise the Lord
hallelujah get your life ready now
father thank you for the blood of Jesus
we thank you for its cleansing power and
we thank you Father that the blood
cleanses as we walk with you as we walk
with you it's constantly cleansing
because father not only can we sin and
we need the blood the covers and forgive
us but father we're human that means
that even if we didn't sin we still are
imperfect so we need the blood to cover
us continually and as we walk in
fellowship with you the blood cleanses
us continually from all sin we thank you
for this thank you for the blood of
Jesus we receive it now with great
Thanksgiving in the name of Jesus we
pray amen let us now receive
whoo praise the Lord my friends I've
enjoyed spending time with you today
live for the Lord I speak to you that
the tug of war is going to end and never
never will you live like that spirit
flesh spirit flesh but now you will move
into your inheritance and stay there
strong in the Lord getting stronger
every day thanks for watching
I'll see you back next time bye-bye