1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:11,600 Welcome to Logan City Christian Church podcast where we bring God's Word to you weekly. 2 00:00:11,600 --> 00:00:17,400 We pray that what you hear will bring clarity to your situation and open doors in your life. 3 00:00:17,400 --> 00:00:18,400 Enjoy the message. 4 00:00:18,400 --> 00:00:22,400 God is so good. 5 00:00:22,400 --> 00:00:23,400 Amen. 6 00:00:23,400 --> 00:00:28,800 Well, it's great to be in the presence of God and fellowship with one another. 7 00:00:28,800 --> 00:00:35,500 I would have been quite happy to allow that to continue for quite a bit yet. 8 00:00:35,500 --> 00:00:37,200 Very happy to do so. 9 00:00:37,200 --> 00:00:42,240 I remember at different times in the history of this church, there were four different 10 00:00:42,240 --> 00:00:48,160 distinct moments where the Spirit of God was being poured out and as in other churches 11 00:00:48,160 --> 00:00:57,700 as well and it's wonderful to see and what was happening, what a signature of the Spirit 12 00:00:57,700 --> 00:01:04,400 of God moving as the worship went for like two hours and it felt like 10 minutes and 13 00:01:04,400 --> 00:01:09,400 some nights we just allowed the worship to continue and the amount of things that God 14 00:01:09,400 --> 00:01:15,960 did in the lives of people was just beautiful, beautiful, transformed for life. 15 00:01:15,960 --> 00:01:17,000 Welcome this morning. 16 00:01:17,000 --> 00:01:23,040 It's lovely to be gathered here again and to our online viewers, it's great to have 17 00:01:23,040 --> 00:01:25,200 you with us again this morning. 18 00:01:25,200 --> 00:01:31,160 I have a message in my spirit that's been brewing for a while, some of you will know, 19 00:01:31,160 --> 00:01:35,800 preachers know very well that you have different messages that brew in your spirit all the 20 00:01:35,800 --> 00:01:41,240 time and it's like God will just go, oh, we'll have that one, thank you and it's usually 21 00:01:41,240 --> 00:01:46,260 the one that's least prepared but that doesn't matter, the Scripture says be ready in season 22 00:01:46,260 --> 00:01:55,040 and out of season but the title of the message this morning is Holy Spirit Empowered Joy. 23 00:01:55,040 --> 00:02:01,160 Joy of the Holy Ghost no matter which way you want to put it but there is a joy of the 24 00:02:01,160 --> 00:02:10,280 Lord that is Spirit led, Spirit empowered and it's powerful. 25 00:02:10,280 --> 00:02:19,000 Now I'm aware that at the end of the service, I'm going to be leaving the altar open to 26 00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:25,000 anybody and everybody that feels that they may need prayer in the area of being touched 27 00:02:25,000 --> 00:02:32,600 by the Spirit of God to renew that joy and the joy of your salvation. 28 00:02:32,600 --> 00:02:37,680 I know there's going to be an impartation of the Holy Spirit, only something that He 29 00:02:37,680 --> 00:02:46,380 can do and as we go through the message, you will understand why the Spirit of God has 30 00:02:46,380 --> 00:02:53,440 this theme this morning, this message, this direction but so many times we can, we're 31 00:02:53,440 --> 00:02:59,600 human beings, we live in a real world and the real world doesn't always work out the 32 00:02:59,600 --> 00:03:06,600 way that we plan it or think that it could or should go but many of us at different times 33 00:03:06,600 --> 00:03:13,160 in life can be heavily burdened down with worry or discouragement, anyone ever not experienced 34 00:03:13,160 --> 00:03:19,680 that hopelessness even and thinking at times that how do we manage to get through this 35 00:03:19,680 --> 00:03:22,100 next hurdle in life? 36 00:03:22,100 --> 00:03:27,860 Maybe you're faced with an illness that you believe in God to bring you through, whatever 37 00:03:27,860 --> 00:03:33,120 it might be, maybe there are relationship issues that you're really trusting God and 38 00:03:33,120 --> 00:03:34,920 you're not seeing anything happen. 39 00:03:34,920 --> 00:03:42,040 Well I want to encourage you today that if we will tap into this river, the river of 40 00:03:42,040 --> 00:03:50,600 the Spirit of God, Jesus said about drinking of this water and this water, the Spirit of 41 00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:57,020 God brings life into the heart, into the life of every believer. 42 00:03:57,020 --> 00:04:04,760 If you are born again, Christ is truly your Savior and the Spirit of God truly does live 43 00:04:04,760 --> 00:04:06,520 within you. 44 00:04:06,520 --> 00:04:16,160 You and I then have this amazing resource and source from heaven, this incredible power 45 00:04:16,160 --> 00:04:24,840 that resides inside of us and sometimes we can be so, so thirsty and try and find other 46 00:04:24,840 --> 00:04:31,520 things or other things to satisfy that thirst but the water that we need to drink is not 47 00:04:31,520 --> 00:04:34,360 far away, it lives within you. 48 00:04:34,360 --> 00:04:40,600 I remember years ago my brother and I were on a property in the outback and our vehicle, 49 00:04:40,600 --> 00:04:47,120 I've shared this before, our vehicle broke down and we were a long way, possibly maybe 50 00:04:47,120 --> 00:04:54,040 not quite a two day walk back to the homestead and because we'd only planned to be away for 51 00:04:54,040 --> 00:05:00,160 a few hours, like it was about a two hour drive there, two hour drive back maybe, we 52 00:05:00,160 --> 00:05:07,160 only took a small ration of water with us which in summer out there in 40 degree heat 53 00:05:07,160 --> 00:05:09,920 it doesn't last long. 54 00:05:09,920 --> 00:05:15,300 So what we did, we just instead of following the road back as we knew if we followed the 55 00:05:15,300 --> 00:05:19,260 fence it was the shortest way there and the most amount of shade. 56 00:05:19,260 --> 00:05:25,940 So that's what we did and we got to a shearing shed that was probably only about half a mile 57 00:05:25,940 --> 00:05:31,440 from the homestead and that shearing shed had a water tank and you could feel the tank 58 00:05:31,440 --> 00:05:36,320 that it was nearly full and you know you put your hand on it, you can feel where it's cold 59 00:05:36,320 --> 00:05:42,640 in that and my brother and I were about to use whatever we could to you know decant a 60 00:05:42,640 --> 00:05:48,080 water into this container and drink it and I remembered something that our father taught 61 00:05:48,080 --> 00:05:54,360 us, that dad taught us, he says before you drink of any tank go up top and have a look 62 00:05:54,360 --> 00:05:59,240 to see if there's a screen in there and if there's not look inside to see what's in. 63 00:05:59,240 --> 00:06:06,240 Well we went up and had a look and there was no screen, there were dead birds, dead crows, 64 00:06:06,240 --> 00:06:10,760 everything that was in there was dead and so we couldn't drink it. 65 00:06:10,760 --> 00:06:15,960 But do you know how tempting it is at times to drink anything when you're thirsty? 66 00:06:15,960 --> 00:06:21,880 And sometimes we may drink things because we're so thirsty that are not good for us 67 00:06:21,880 --> 00:06:26,880 and so we have to make that decision to say hang on a minute even though that I may be, 68 00:06:26,880 --> 00:06:32,840 you may be, we may be going through a very difficult time in life, things may not be 69 00:06:32,840 --> 00:06:40,720 working out the way, we can't just accept the first apparent source of relief or an 70 00:06:40,720 --> 00:06:45,360 answer that comes our way to be the right way. 71 00:06:45,360 --> 00:06:52,840 And so drinking of this living water, it is good, it is wholesome, it's from God Himself 72 00:06:52,840 --> 00:06:58,480 and when we drink from this life source, this water that comes from the Spirit of God, we 73 00:06:58,480 --> 00:07:05,040 know it's good, it is really good, it's not polluted water, it's good water and there 74 00:07:05,040 --> 00:07:13,200 is such a thing as a supernatural joy in the Holy Ghost, it goes above the natural. 75 00:07:13,200 --> 00:07:18,400 I'll give you an example of what I'm speaking about. 76 00:07:18,400 --> 00:07:24,080 Have you ever been in a place where there are many people and people are laughing and 77 00:07:24,080 --> 00:07:28,480 having a great time and you're laughing and having a great time and people tell a few 78 00:07:28,480 --> 00:07:34,560 jokes and by the way, I think this church has the best dad jokes in town by the way 79 00:07:34,560 --> 00:07:39,840 and you know, we know how to have a good laugh but you can be in a place, in a party or in 80 00:07:39,840 --> 00:07:46,400 a family gathering or whatever it might be and everyone's having a good time and you're 81 00:07:46,400 --> 00:07:51,000 laughing and thinking, oh this is fun, this is funny and you go home and when the music 82 00:07:51,000 --> 00:07:56,120 stops and you're left alone, that's what I'm speaking about today. 83 00:07:56,120 --> 00:08:06,480 That part of your being, that external joy or external happiness or things that may motivate 84 00:08:06,480 --> 00:08:12,520 us to make us laugh, the question is, is it lasting? 85 00:08:12,520 --> 00:08:18,880 Does it have an enduring power inside of you to carry you through and the answer is no, 86 00:08:18,880 --> 00:08:25,320 it doesn't and so it's like stagnant water but when we drink of the Spirit of God and 87 00:08:25,320 --> 00:08:29,240 I'm not saying a physical, you know, get a cup of water and say, Holy Spirit, fill up 88 00:08:29,240 --> 00:08:37,280 my cup, what I'm speaking about is there is an incredible, unlimited source of God that 89 00:08:37,280 --> 00:08:43,280 lives inside of us that whenever we are in a time of need, a time that we don't know 90 00:08:43,280 --> 00:08:49,560 which way to turn, thank you by the way brother, great communion, the Spirit of God is there 91 00:08:49,560 --> 00:08:57,880 and if we draw upon that resource and take it in to our spirit, there's life there and 92 00:08:57,880 --> 00:09:03,880 so when I speak about the joy of the Holy Ghost, there is a joy that exists in this 93 00:09:03,880 --> 00:09:11,160 world of happiness that is a result of things that may happen but when things change and 94 00:09:11,160 --> 00:09:18,520 if favour ceases from your boss or whatever it might be, that joy really was only superficial 95 00:09:18,520 --> 00:09:24,360 or it really wasn't a long enduring joy. 96 00:09:24,360 --> 00:09:33,280 So I'm not speaking about happiness, happiness is depending upon circumstances but the Spirit 97 00:09:33,280 --> 00:09:42,040 of God when He imparts this joy of the Spirit in us remains in the good times and in the 98 00:09:42,040 --> 00:09:46,480 really hard times. 99 00:09:46,480 --> 00:09:53,320 The joy of the Lord does not depend upon circumstances, it depends upon a person which is the Spirit 100 00:09:53,320 --> 00:10:00,160 of God and it depends upon us with our attitude to choose to tap into that life source that 101 00:10:00,160 --> 00:10:06,840 resides inside of us and this is the difference that I see and so you know we in this world 102 00:10:06,840 --> 00:10:12,440 today, many people will take drugs and alcohol and various different things to try and numb 103 00:10:12,440 --> 00:10:17,280 the discouragement, the disappointment, you know whatever it might be but I want to let 104 00:10:17,280 --> 00:10:21,360 you know today if you don't already know, there is a river that flows from the throne 105 00:10:21,360 --> 00:10:26,280 of heaven that flows inside of you, of your spirit if you truly are a child of the living 106 00:10:26,280 --> 00:10:35,080 God that its resources are limitless, it flows and it flows and it flows, it has no end and 107 00:10:35,080 --> 00:10:45,240 so this is what I'm speaking about today is tapping into this, tapping into what already 108 00:10:45,240 --> 00:10:52,160 resides inside of you and inside of me and it is an exciting thing, it's an exciting 109 00:10:52,160 --> 00:10:58,320 subject and I believe it is supernatural, it is supernatural, it's over and above the 110 00:10:58,320 --> 00:10:59,320 natural. 111 00:10:59,320 --> 00:11:04,760 Now, why would God, I'm going to read some Scriptures speaking about the joy of the Holy 112 00:11:04,760 --> 00:11:11,800 Ghost and you know this supernatural joy, now why would God put this in our being and 113 00:11:11,800 --> 00:11:15,700 in our life and in our reach, why would He do that? 114 00:11:15,700 --> 00:11:22,040 Because He knew that we were going to need it, He knew that you know as Christians we're 115 00:11:22,040 --> 00:11:31,560 going to need a source that will never run dry, a power that never ceases to be consistently 116 00:11:31,560 --> 00:11:38,920 consistent and when we call upon the Name of the Lord incredible things happen throughout 117 00:11:38,920 --> 00:11:48,520 this message, it will also be an encouraging word, a section in the message about our attitude 118 00:11:48,520 --> 00:11:56,560 toward what we already have that we have to decide in the midst of a test or a trial, 119 00:11:56,560 --> 00:12:05,660 do I want to, do I allow myself to be buried with the discouragement, the pain, the hopelessness 120 00:12:05,660 --> 00:12:08,460 and it's a really easy thing to do, isn't it? 121 00:12:08,460 --> 00:12:15,320 It's the most easiest thing to do or do I decide to hang on a minute, I'm going to believe 122 00:12:15,320 --> 00:12:23,560 God in the time of my weakness, the time of my frailty when we've done all that we can 123 00:12:23,560 --> 00:12:31,020 and still nothing may be changing that our focus turns to the Lord and it's there that 124 00:12:31,020 --> 00:12:33,640 He begins to help us. 125 00:12:33,640 --> 00:12:40,580 A word that sums this up is called grace and I'm going to share with this a little bit 126 00:12:40,580 --> 00:12:42,040 later on. 127 00:12:42,040 --> 00:12:55,260 So Psalm 16 and verse 11, an incredible Psalm that this is the one that you know David himself, 128 00:12:55,260 --> 00:13:00,680 he penned this because of his experiences that he'd had with God, the faithfulness of 129 00:13:00,680 --> 00:13:08,360 God and David's really bragging on God here, he's just really explaining that you can't 130 00:13:08,360 --> 00:13:14,720 go wrong when you trust God, no matter what happens in life, our focus should be on His 131 00:13:14,720 --> 00:13:21,540 unfailing faithfulness, that He's always there regardless what we may have done in our life 132 00:13:21,540 --> 00:13:28,600 or not done in our life, God will always be there for you, always, always He will be there 133 00:13:28,600 --> 00:13:29,600 for you. 134 00:13:29,600 --> 00:13:36,160 So I would draw attention to verse 16 of Psalm 11 and it says, you will show me the path 135 00:13:36,160 --> 00:13:40,800 of life, isn't it good, Cliff you mentioned that this morning about showing the path of 136 00:13:40,800 --> 00:13:46,040 life, he says, in your presence is how much joy? 137 00:13:46,040 --> 00:13:53,740 It's the fullness of joy, praise God, at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. 138 00:13:53,740 --> 00:14:02,520 So when he says that in your presence there is fullness of joy, if I was to hold up a 139 00:14:02,520 --> 00:14:12,400 cup and I was to tell you that it was full, would you expect to be able to put any more 140 00:14:12,400 --> 00:14:14,600 water in it? 141 00:14:14,600 --> 00:14:18,440 If it's full, it's full. 142 00:14:18,440 --> 00:14:28,360 So what this is speaking about is this resource of joy, this fullness of joy means, and this 143 00:14:28,360 --> 00:14:34,360 is the picture and I love it, that you can drink from this thing all day long and it 144 00:14:34,360 --> 00:14:40,400 stays full, it won't empty, it will always be full, it's not like it goes down a bit 145 00:14:40,400 --> 00:14:45,680 and then a couple of days, no it's always full, it always remains full. 146 00:14:45,680 --> 00:14:51,880 It reminds me of a story, I don't know if it's true or not, but old Paddy, he was fishing 147 00:14:51,880 --> 00:14:57,200 by the river and next thing you know this bottle floats past him and he picks it up 148 00:14:57,200 --> 00:15:04,180 and he opens it up and this genie comes out, totally biblical of course, and this genie 149 00:15:04,180 --> 00:15:09,400 pops out and he says to Paddy, he said, Paddy you have two wishes, what's your first wish? 150 00:15:09,400 --> 00:15:14,320 He said, hey I want a bottle of whiskey that never runs dry. 151 00:15:14,320 --> 00:15:18,920 So boom, there's this bottle of whiskey and he takes the lid off and glug, glug, glug, 152 00:15:18,920 --> 00:15:23,320 glug, glug, glug, glug, glug, I'm not suggesting you do this by the way, but and he drinks 153 00:15:23,320 --> 00:15:27,960 it and halfway down it goes and all of a sudden it fills back up and he tried it about three 154 00:15:27,960 --> 00:15:29,820 or four times. 155 00:15:29,820 --> 00:15:34,280 He says, this is incredible and the genie said, well what's your second wish? 156 00:15:34,280 --> 00:15:36,880 He said, I've got to have another one of these. 157 00:15:36,880 --> 00:15:41,380 Oh come on, help me out a bit there. 158 00:15:41,380 --> 00:15:46,200 But this is the thing, that if God gives you a cup that never runs out, never runs dry, 159 00:15:46,200 --> 00:15:50,640 no point in wanting another one because that one is sufficient. 160 00:15:50,640 --> 00:15:58,000 In His presence there is fullness of joy, so that means then that our journey is not 161 00:15:58,000 --> 00:16:04,640 focusing on or living in and dwelling in the hard places which, you know what, it's easy 162 00:16:04,640 --> 00:16:09,200 to be there and sometimes we're there for a reason, for a season I mean, but you know 163 00:16:09,200 --> 00:16:15,480 my advice is, I've had to do it many times, I'm sure you have as well, like a plane going 164 00:16:15,480 --> 00:16:20,200 down just diving, you pull on that stick, I think it's a stick, I've never flown a 165 00:16:20,200 --> 00:16:25,960 plane, whatever they do and the plane's going down, we're going to crash, pull up, you've 166 00:16:25,960 --> 00:16:32,600 got to pull up and as soon as you're going down you're looking at your fate, your destiny, 167 00:16:32,600 --> 00:16:35,260 you're going to die. 168 00:16:35,260 --> 00:16:40,200 But they made a decision to pull back and that plane bottoms out and goes up, so what 169 00:16:40,200 --> 00:16:42,320 are they now looking at? 170 00:16:42,320 --> 00:16:43,840 The sky. 171 00:16:43,840 --> 00:16:48,600 And when you and I, when we are in a time of trouble or need, of persecution, whatever 172 00:16:48,600 --> 00:16:54,960 it might be, pull back on that rudder, look up toward heaven, allow your sight to see 173 00:16:54,960 --> 00:16:59,080 things that will encourage you and not remind you of how bad things are. 174 00:16:59,080 --> 00:17:01,840 Yes things can be very bad. 175 00:17:01,840 --> 00:17:07,680 But God is saying, drinking from this river, drinking from the Spirit of God, this Holy 176 00:17:07,680 --> 00:17:14,600 Spirit joy really is a decision that we make because it already resides inside of us. 177 00:17:14,600 --> 00:17:21,360 It's our choice, it's our choice to drink of it, it's our choice to tap into it. 178 00:17:21,360 --> 00:17:27,480 And so the work in dwelling of the Holy Spirit, there are benefits and when we tap into them 179 00:17:27,480 --> 00:17:29,000 there are amazing blessings. 180 00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:40,000 If you'd like to turn with me to the book of Galatians, chapter 5, verse 22, I think 181 00:17:40,000 --> 00:17:44,480 most of us, not all of us know it's speaking about the fruit of the Spirit and prior to 182 00:17:44,480 --> 00:17:50,800 that it's speaking about, you know, the flesh, the old nature that, you know, it wants to 183 00:17:50,800 --> 00:17:57,360 do its old things and the new created Spirit of man, the new creation that you are, wants 184 00:17:57,360 --> 00:18:00,720 to do things the ways the Spirit of God leads us to do. 185 00:18:00,720 --> 00:18:05,640 And so there can be, you know, a battle that goes on. 186 00:18:05,640 --> 00:18:10,400 And then Apostle Paul brings this analogy, he says, well, let me tell you what the works 187 00:18:10,400 --> 00:18:14,720 of the flesh are and he goes into all these things, he says, but you don't want to go, 188 00:18:14,720 --> 00:18:18,840 you're a born-again Christian, you're a child of the living God, this is what resides in 189 00:18:18,840 --> 00:18:25,680 you and this is what we tap into and this is what we can and probably should, definitely 190 00:18:25,680 --> 00:18:27,720 should live from. 191 00:18:27,720 --> 00:18:35,160 And he says here in verse 22, but, isn't that a good word, but, so it's a change, it's 192 00:18:35,160 --> 00:18:41,280 an action shift that's actually meaning that in spite of everything that's just been said, 193 00:18:41,280 --> 00:18:43,040 there's some good news. 194 00:18:43,040 --> 00:18:49,400 Here comes a life-changing experience if you will tap into this, if you will believe this 195 00:18:49,400 --> 00:18:57,840 and it says, but the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, 196 00:18:57,840 --> 00:19:04,560 goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, against such there is no law. 197 00:19:04,560 --> 00:19:09,920 You know, this is a very joyful church, my mum's name is Joy, there's Joy over there, 198 00:19:09,920 --> 00:19:14,560 who's the other, another Joy here, who are, we got Joy's everywhere in the church, it's 199 00:19:14,560 --> 00:19:21,240 a very joyful church, praise the Lord, but the thing is, the Spirit of God here is saying, 200 00:19:21,240 --> 00:19:28,040 well the Word of God is saying that the fruit of the Spirit, I think a more accurate word 201 00:19:28,040 --> 00:19:37,000 for the word fruit is evidence, that the evidence of the indwelling Spirit in our life is love, 202 00:19:37,000 --> 00:19:40,080 is joy and it goes on. 203 00:19:40,080 --> 00:19:43,640 So what does that mean? 204 00:19:43,640 --> 00:19:51,280 It means that it's there, the resources are there, it's there. 205 00:19:51,280 --> 00:19:52,680 How do we tap into this? 206 00:19:52,680 --> 00:19:56,560 I'm glad you asked because I'm going to answer that as we go. 207 00:19:56,560 --> 00:19:59,880 So what does joy mean? 208 00:19:59,880 --> 00:20:08,760 You may be surprised, this is what joy means, it means extend favour or extended favour. 209 00:20:08,760 --> 00:20:16,760 You might think, I'm not getting it, hang on, be patient, patience is the fruit of the 210 00:20:16,760 --> 00:20:21,480 Spirit folks, just be patient, I'll get there. 211 00:20:21,480 --> 00:20:28,960 It means lean towards, be favourably disposed, now you might be thinking, what's that got 212 00:20:28,960 --> 00:20:29,960 to do with anything? 213 00:20:29,960 --> 00:20:33,620 It has everything to do with it, I'm going to explain in a minute. 214 00:20:33,620 --> 00:20:38,760 It also means the awareness, you ready for this, joy, what does joy mean? 215 00:20:38,760 --> 00:20:45,880 The awareness of God's grace creates joy. 216 00:20:45,880 --> 00:20:51,920 The awareness of God's grace creates joy in our lives. 217 00:20:51,920 --> 00:20:57,920 It means favour and this is the one I like, grace recognised. 218 00:20:57,920 --> 00:21:05,520 Now you're thinking, it's no big deal to me, well I think it will be by the end of the 219 00:21:05,520 --> 00:21:11,760 message because this is everything, this is really absolutely everything when we speak 220 00:21:11,760 --> 00:21:13,880 about joy. 221 00:21:13,880 --> 00:21:21,720 So extended favour, do you think that if you were in a place or I was in a place where 222 00:21:21,720 --> 00:21:27,520 I'm thinking, oh Lord, I've messed up again, has anyone ever said that before? 223 00:21:27,520 --> 00:21:29,120 Or is it just me? 224 00:21:29,120 --> 00:21:34,680 I've messed up again, I've blown it, I don't know if there's any redemption for me and 225 00:21:34,680 --> 00:21:42,200 then this realisation of this extended favour that God is saying, you know what, regardless, 226 00:21:42,200 --> 00:21:47,040 I love you, I'm with you, I'll never leave you, I'll never forsake you and not only that, 227 00:21:47,040 --> 00:21:50,400 I'm going to be with you, I'm going to show you how to get this right. 228 00:21:50,400 --> 00:21:53,640 Do you think that would make you sad? 229 00:21:53,640 --> 00:21:57,640 Hello? 230 00:21:57,640 --> 00:22:00,040 Do you think that would make you sad? 231 00:22:00,040 --> 00:22:02,260 What would it do? 232 00:22:02,260 --> 00:22:04,840 It would make you joyful. 233 00:22:04,840 --> 00:22:07,980 It would make us very joyful. 234 00:22:07,980 --> 00:22:15,140 And if you are in a place that maybe, you know, rejection might be a deal or something 235 00:22:15,140 --> 00:22:21,520 in your life or whatever it might be or, you know, there are so many people around and 236 00:22:21,520 --> 00:22:28,280 that God favours you and the word He leaned towards is that God is actually leaning towards 237 00:22:28,280 --> 00:22:30,360 you. 238 00:22:30,360 --> 00:22:33,720 His favour is towards you. 239 00:22:33,720 --> 00:22:38,120 He's not standing back hiding saying, I'm going to make you work for this. 240 00:22:38,120 --> 00:22:41,080 No, He doesn't. 241 00:22:41,080 --> 00:22:46,720 In any place or situation we find ourselves in, God's always leaning towards us. 242 00:22:46,720 --> 00:22:55,640 And an outward result of that, when we realise this, this truth, it creates a joy in our 243 00:22:55,640 --> 00:22:56,640 life. 244 00:22:56,640 --> 00:22:59,200 This realisation, God does love me. 245 00:22:59,200 --> 00:23:00,560 God does care for me. 246 00:23:00,560 --> 00:23:01,820 He cares for you. 247 00:23:01,820 --> 00:23:03,880 He loves you. 248 00:23:03,880 --> 00:23:10,220 And that is a motivator of joy in our life that the Spirit of God is bearing witness 249 00:23:10,220 --> 00:23:15,720 with your spirit that God loves you, regardless. 250 00:23:15,720 --> 00:23:18,000 Amen. 251 00:23:18,000 --> 00:23:22,840 So it goes on, be favourably disposed. 252 00:23:22,840 --> 00:23:25,680 In other words, you are the apple of His eye. 253 00:23:25,680 --> 00:23:27,920 Well, in fact, I don't know about that. 254 00:23:27,920 --> 00:23:33,960 As Pastor Clark Taylor said, he said, if I'm the apple of His eye, well, I am, so how can 255 00:23:33,960 --> 00:23:34,960 you be? 256 00:23:34,960 --> 00:23:38,520 I thought that was funny. 257 00:23:38,520 --> 00:23:41,920 But the thing is, we're all God's favourites. 258 00:23:41,920 --> 00:23:45,160 God loves us all equally. 259 00:23:45,160 --> 00:23:51,440 And I think this is where sometimes religion or legalism come in, is that because I pray 260 00:23:51,440 --> 00:23:55,240 more than this one, that God would love me more, favour me more than the other one. 261 00:23:55,240 --> 00:23:56,720 No, it doesn't work like that. 262 00:23:56,720 --> 00:23:59,160 It doesn't work like that at all. 263 00:23:59,160 --> 00:24:00,880 God loves us all. 264 00:24:00,880 --> 00:24:02,360 The awareness of God's grace. 265 00:24:02,360 --> 00:24:10,480 Are you ever, am I ever aware or do I take the time to be conscious of God's presence 266 00:24:10,480 --> 00:24:16,440 and an awareness that what I'm saying to you today of His grace towards you, His favour 267 00:24:16,440 --> 00:24:21,280 towards you, has that awareness become a revelation in your life? 268 00:24:21,280 --> 00:24:27,440 Because let me tell you, when it does, you'll be jumping and leaping and praising God. 269 00:24:27,440 --> 00:24:34,400 The revelation that God loves you, loves me is an amazing thing and we all need to know 270 00:24:34,400 --> 00:24:35,800 this. 271 00:24:35,800 --> 00:24:39,580 The favour, the grace recognised. 272 00:24:39,580 --> 00:24:45,760 This is the one that I think, to me personally, it just stands out from the others because 273 00:24:45,760 --> 00:24:51,080 grace recognised means that we've previously lived not recognising it. 274 00:24:51,080 --> 00:24:57,200 And there are times that you and I, I'm sure, have been through tests and trials and tribulations 275 00:24:57,200 --> 00:25:02,320 and doing it tough, feeling like the weight of the world's on your shoulders. 276 00:25:02,320 --> 00:25:03,320 There's nowhere to turn. 277 00:25:03,320 --> 00:25:09,800 No matter which way you try to turn, it seems like there's a roadblock everywhere and it's 278 00:25:09,800 --> 00:25:11,840 like God, are you even there? 279 00:25:11,840 --> 00:25:14,760 Are you even interested in my life? 280 00:25:14,760 --> 00:25:20,520 It seems like I'm so alone and we can live and people do live lives like this for so 281 00:25:20,520 --> 00:25:21,800 long. 282 00:25:21,800 --> 00:25:24,040 I want to encourage you. 283 00:25:24,040 --> 00:25:26,880 You're not a beggar in the sight of God. 284 00:25:26,880 --> 00:25:32,200 You're not someone that has to continually, you know, be on your knees groveling or climbing 285 00:25:32,200 --> 00:25:37,400 up the stairs, you know, on your knees, you know, these indulgences and making, putting 286 00:25:37,400 --> 00:25:40,580 yourself through pain to be accepted by God. 287 00:25:40,580 --> 00:25:43,560 You don't have to do anything like that because you've already been accepted. 288 00:25:43,560 --> 00:25:46,400 Jesus paid the price for that. 289 00:25:46,400 --> 00:25:47,840 We don't have to do that. 290 00:25:47,840 --> 00:25:50,080 It's been done for us. 291 00:25:50,080 --> 00:25:55,640 But when we're right in the middle of a situation, I was in one a couple of weeks ago and I'm 292 00:25:55,640 --> 00:25:58,320 thinking, why is this so heavy? 293 00:25:58,320 --> 00:26:03,200 Why is this, what does this seem so impossible? 294 00:26:03,200 --> 00:26:05,240 And the Lord spoke to me. 295 00:26:05,240 --> 00:26:07,920 He said, because I said, Lord, where are you? 296 00:26:07,920 --> 00:26:10,240 He said, I'm everywhere. 297 00:26:10,240 --> 00:26:12,600 I'm right there with you. 298 00:26:12,600 --> 00:26:17,640 But he said to me, you need to have an attitude change. 299 00:26:17,640 --> 00:26:26,000 And then I began to realize the grace that has been with me all the time. 300 00:26:26,000 --> 00:26:27,400 And I began to rejoice. 301 00:26:27,400 --> 00:26:35,200 It naturally happened because I realized in the midst of a circumstance, the groveling 302 00:26:35,200 --> 00:26:36,200 wasn't fixed. 303 00:26:36,200 --> 00:26:41,560 Has anyone found that whinging, complaining and groveling has ever fixed any of your problems? 304 00:26:41,560 --> 00:26:43,120 Can I see a show of hands? 305 00:26:43,120 --> 00:26:44,640 Is there anybody here? 306 00:26:44,640 --> 00:26:47,680 No, it doesn't fix anything. 307 00:26:47,680 --> 00:26:51,040 Would you say that it possibly might even make it worse? 308 00:26:51,040 --> 00:26:58,240 I see a few husband and wives bumping shoulders and we do offer free counseling after the 309 00:26:58,240 --> 00:26:59,240 service. 310 00:26:59,240 --> 00:27:03,480 Just book in, you go online and you book your appointment in, not a problem. 311 00:27:03,480 --> 00:27:06,280 No, we don't do that. 312 00:27:06,280 --> 00:27:07,920 But we recognize the grace. 313 00:27:07,920 --> 00:27:11,400 It's like God gives us a shake up and God, I don't want that. 314 00:27:11,400 --> 00:27:15,960 I want a groveling this because I feel that I've been through so much pain in my life 315 00:27:15,960 --> 00:27:18,280 that I feel I deserve this. 316 00:27:18,280 --> 00:27:25,080 Has anyone ever done that? 317 00:27:25,080 --> 00:27:28,560 It wasn't fair what happened. 318 00:27:28,560 --> 00:27:29,640 Why did they do that? 319 00:27:29,640 --> 00:27:30,640 Why did they... 320 00:27:30,640 --> 00:27:32,640 Why, Lord, why didn't you stop? 321 00:27:32,640 --> 00:27:34,640 Why, why, why, why, why? 322 00:27:34,640 --> 00:27:38,080 Sound like Tom Jones. 323 00:27:38,080 --> 00:27:42,360 You'll get that in a minute. 324 00:27:42,360 --> 00:27:49,080 So the complaining and the groveling and staying in this dark pit in this dungeon never fixes 325 00:27:49,080 --> 00:27:51,840 anything and I know we all know that. 326 00:27:51,840 --> 00:27:53,840 Doesn't fix anything. 327 00:27:53,840 --> 00:27:57,600 I'll tell you what it does do. 328 00:27:57,600 --> 00:28:06,080 It has the capacity to attract people of that same downcast spirit. 329 00:28:06,080 --> 00:28:10,520 And often, they may be good people, but often that's the last counsel or company that you 330 00:28:10,520 --> 00:28:13,320 need to keep at that time. 331 00:28:13,320 --> 00:28:25,000 And so this grace realized is to me so special because it comes in a time when we've got 332 00:28:25,000 --> 00:28:30,960 nothing left, no fuel left in the tank and God waits for us to get right to the end and 333 00:28:30,960 --> 00:28:34,000 say, how's that working for you, Rob? 334 00:28:34,000 --> 00:28:36,720 Well, it ain't. 335 00:28:36,720 --> 00:28:42,920 And then the Spirit of God begins to minister to us and reveal to us, reminds us of who 336 00:28:42,920 --> 00:28:43,920 He is. 337 00:28:43,920 --> 00:28:50,040 There's great grace toward us and then we realize, oh God, you've been there all the 338 00:28:50,040 --> 00:28:51,460 time. 339 00:28:51,460 --> 00:28:58,220 And I've insulated myself from your spirit because me and myself, I just wanted to complain 340 00:28:58,220 --> 00:29:04,240 and I just wanted to do whatever we do, but I'm seeing it now. 341 00:29:04,240 --> 00:29:08,880 My focus should not be on my feelings or the emotion of the whole thing, yet it is a real 342 00:29:08,880 --> 00:29:10,720 thing, a real thing we go through. 343 00:29:10,720 --> 00:29:13,480 But I need to pull on that rudder. 344 00:29:13,480 --> 00:29:18,880 Instead of looking at the problem, nose diving, I'm going to make a change and you pull on 345 00:29:18,880 --> 00:29:19,880 that rudder. 346 00:29:19,880 --> 00:29:22,800 Next thing you know, you're not looking at the problem anymore. 347 00:29:22,800 --> 00:29:25,840 You're focusing on the grace, grace realized. 348 00:29:25,840 --> 00:29:28,960 I'm realizing, God, I was going the wrong way. 349 00:29:28,960 --> 00:29:35,840 Not that you go to hell for it, but it doesn't help us when we're going the wrong way. 350 00:29:35,840 --> 00:29:41,120 But as soon as we make that decision, it's a choice that we make, that we start climbing 351 00:29:41,120 --> 00:29:44,800 up and our whole, the panoramic view changes. 352 00:29:44,800 --> 00:29:51,640 And in a spiritual sense, we see that when we're going up, focus those things or set 353 00:29:51,640 --> 00:29:55,880 your mind on those things which are above, not beneath. 354 00:29:55,880 --> 00:29:56,880 There's a reason for that. 355 00:29:56,880 --> 00:29:59,640 But it is a spiritual law. 356 00:29:59,640 --> 00:30:05,040 What you see and what you focus on is what we meditate on and what we meditate on is 357 00:30:05,040 --> 00:30:09,680 what we speak and what we speak we create and it comes into existence. 358 00:30:09,680 --> 00:30:14,680 And so how much different would it be then when we change what we see by an attitude 359 00:30:14,680 --> 00:30:20,460 adjustment to start climbing up and saying, hang on a minute, grace realized. 360 00:30:20,460 --> 00:30:24,700 That God's grace toward me is never failing. 361 00:30:24,700 --> 00:30:27,360 That cup, in His presence, there's fullness of joy. 362 00:30:27,360 --> 00:30:31,120 That cup, I can drink as much as I need or it's never going to run out. 363 00:30:31,120 --> 00:30:38,040 So I don't have to be conservative on how much I drink, just drink because there's our 364 00:30:38,040 --> 00:30:39,040 answer. 365 00:30:39,040 --> 00:30:45,400 I believe David had that revelation in Psalm 23, my cup runneth over. 366 00:30:45,400 --> 00:30:49,780 It is a powerful principle, the grace of God. 367 00:30:49,780 --> 00:30:53,080 And so grace is an empowering ability of God. 368 00:30:53,080 --> 00:30:58,400 You know, we know that grace means He's undeserved, He's undeserved favor towards you and toward 369 00:30:58,400 --> 00:31:05,200 me that it was by grace that we were saved through faith and not of our own works. 370 00:31:05,200 --> 00:31:07,600 Nothing that we could do. 371 00:31:07,600 --> 00:31:11,180 Salvation was a free gift, a work of grace and I understand that. 372 00:31:11,180 --> 00:31:13,920 But there's more to grace than that. 373 00:31:13,920 --> 00:31:17,240 Grace is an empowering ability as well. 374 00:31:17,240 --> 00:31:21,960 And I want to focus on that through the rest of this message because we need to focus on 375 00:31:21,960 --> 00:31:24,720 God's empowering ability. 376 00:31:24,720 --> 00:31:34,200 Do you know that God's grace is what also opens the avenue to dunamis power? 377 00:31:34,200 --> 00:31:35,800 It's powerful. 378 00:31:35,800 --> 00:31:39,000 And I know that the Word of God is just so good. 379 00:31:39,000 --> 00:31:46,440 I know that if you don't already know this, the revelation is going to set you free. 380 00:31:46,440 --> 00:31:49,080 That it's all about God's care for us. 381 00:31:49,080 --> 00:31:50,400 It's all about that. 382 00:31:50,400 --> 00:31:53,120 God's care for us. 383 00:31:53,120 --> 00:31:57,600 So this joy rises up inside of us knowing that God's got it. 384 00:31:57,600 --> 00:32:03,640 I know I was over in Kenya that last trip and I was talking about something similar 385 00:32:03,640 --> 00:32:08,200 and they always want to know, they want to learn Aussie slang. 386 00:32:08,200 --> 00:32:15,440 I mean Kenyans here today, they say come on, teach us some more Aussie slang. 387 00:32:15,440 --> 00:32:19,720 And you know, one of them is that God's all over it like a coat of paint and they have 388 00:32:19,720 --> 00:32:20,720 a good laugh. 389 00:32:20,720 --> 00:32:21,720 They just love it. 390 00:32:21,720 --> 00:32:25,960 And one day I said, God's killing it and the place went dead quiet. 391 00:32:25,960 --> 00:32:29,960 Because we have that saying in Australia, oh God's killing it. 392 00:32:29,960 --> 00:32:33,960 He's just got it, you know, and I realized, don't use that one. 393 00:32:33,960 --> 00:32:38,000 It didn't work and it wasn't wise to say that. 394 00:32:38,000 --> 00:32:44,280 And I tell you what, the times we have over there are just great. 395 00:32:44,280 --> 00:32:47,400 Just wonderful people also. 396 00:32:47,400 --> 00:32:53,240 Romans 14 verse 17, for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking but righteousness 397 00:32:53,240 --> 00:32:56,760 and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 398 00:32:56,760 --> 00:33:02,360 Now Apostle Paul previously was addressing a problem that the Christians at that time, 399 00:33:02,360 --> 00:33:08,480 they were being confronted with other Christians, some were eating meat that was sacrificed 400 00:33:08,480 --> 00:33:13,640 to idols and others would do it, some of them wouldn't do it and Apostle Paul saying, hey 401 00:33:13,640 --> 00:33:16,160 guys, you've missed the whole point. 402 00:33:16,160 --> 00:33:19,600 You know, he's speaking about conscience saying all that sort of thing. 403 00:33:19,600 --> 00:33:23,800 But he said, he's saying to the Christians, he says, guys, I want to bring you back to 404 00:33:23,800 --> 00:33:26,240 Christianity 101. 405 00:33:26,240 --> 00:33:28,160 Let's go back to what I taught you. 406 00:33:28,160 --> 00:33:36,200 He says, for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, amen, but it's righteousness 407 00:33:36,200 --> 00:33:41,640 being right with God through Christ Jesus and peace that is a result of being in the 408 00:33:41,640 --> 00:33:42,640 family of God. 409 00:33:42,640 --> 00:33:49,200 And he says, and the joy in the Holy Spirit and so for Apostle Paul to be inspired by 410 00:33:49,200 --> 00:33:53,720 the Spirit of God to add that last bit in, joy in the Holy Spirit, he's actually saying 411 00:33:53,720 --> 00:33:59,480 to these guys, he says, you know, you're so focused and becoming legalistic on these things, 412 00:33:59,480 --> 00:34:02,560 you're losing your joy, you're losing your focus. 413 00:34:02,560 --> 00:34:08,260 He said, focus again on the Spirit of God who lives in you and think deeply about the 414 00:34:08,260 --> 00:34:10,800 witness that the Spirit of God has given. 415 00:34:10,800 --> 00:34:13,920 He will restore the joy of your salvation. 416 00:34:13,920 --> 00:34:19,040 He restores the joy in our life if we will yield to it. 417 00:34:19,040 --> 00:34:24,160 And so in the midst of confusion about this eating and drinking, righteousness, peace 418 00:34:24,160 --> 00:34:28,540 and joy in the Holy Spirit was what the message was. 419 00:34:28,540 --> 00:34:32,300 And so he reminds them, this is what the kingdom is about. 420 00:34:32,300 --> 00:34:37,200 And the kingdom of God is also about joy in the Holy Spirit, because God knew that we 421 00:34:37,200 --> 00:34:38,680 were going to need this. 422 00:34:38,680 --> 00:34:43,420 We were going to have to know that this is our portion. 423 00:34:43,420 --> 00:34:45,020 This is our benefit. 424 00:34:45,020 --> 00:34:50,000 This is our right as children of the living God, that whenever you and I may be going 425 00:34:50,000 --> 00:34:57,000 through a difficult time, that we have accessible and available to us at any moment of our life, 426 00:34:57,000 --> 00:35:05,760 this ability to draw upon a supernatural strength that lives inside of us to maintain a joy 427 00:35:05,760 --> 00:35:11,720 through the deepest and toughest tests and trials in the name of Jesus. 428 00:35:11,720 --> 00:35:13,000 Amen. 429 00:35:13,000 --> 00:35:16,920 So recognize grace is inspired by the Spirit of God. 430 00:35:16,920 --> 00:35:23,680 In Luke chapter 10 verse 21, it reads here, in that hour, Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit 431 00:35:23,680 --> 00:35:29,260 and said, I thank you Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things 432 00:35:29,260 --> 00:35:32,960 from the wise and the prudent and reveal them to babes. 433 00:35:32,960 --> 00:35:36,880 And so, Father, for so it seemed good in your sight. 434 00:35:36,880 --> 00:35:45,680 Now, previously, or previous to that, Jesus sent out the 70 to go out and to witness and 435 00:35:45,680 --> 00:35:47,680 be kingdom people. 436 00:35:47,680 --> 00:35:50,520 And I could only imagine what they would have thought. 437 00:35:50,520 --> 00:35:53,400 At that time, they'd already seen what Jesus had done. 438 00:35:53,400 --> 00:35:56,800 They saw what he was able to do, and Jesus commissioned them. 439 00:35:56,800 --> 00:35:59,760 And I can imagine their first day on the job as apprentices. 440 00:35:59,760 --> 00:36:01,440 Could you imagine? 441 00:36:01,440 --> 00:36:05,240 And he sends them out in the midst of all these big bad wolves. 442 00:36:05,240 --> 00:36:06,720 And I could only imagine if it'd be... 443 00:36:06,720 --> 00:36:10,720 I don't think things would change much from as it is today. 444 00:36:10,720 --> 00:36:13,400 My thoughts were, it's just like, off they go. 445 00:36:13,400 --> 00:36:15,480 And you go, you speak to him. 446 00:36:15,480 --> 00:36:17,440 No, no, I'm not... you speak to him. 447 00:36:17,440 --> 00:36:19,480 I'm not going to knock on that door. 448 00:36:19,480 --> 00:36:21,040 Yeah, you knock on that door. 449 00:36:21,040 --> 00:36:22,640 But I'm scared. 450 00:36:22,640 --> 00:36:24,840 Yes, how am I? 451 00:36:24,840 --> 00:36:29,780 I mean, could have there have been an element of this when they went out? 452 00:36:29,780 --> 00:36:33,040 It's very possible. 453 00:36:33,040 --> 00:36:37,480 Surely there would have been a measure of intimidation of some degree, because Jesus 454 00:36:37,480 --> 00:36:39,560 didn't go with them. 455 00:36:39,560 --> 00:36:43,040 He sent them out, and they're on their own. 456 00:36:43,040 --> 00:36:47,440 I think that would have been quite an intimidating moment, but a moment to grow. 457 00:36:47,440 --> 00:36:48,680 God does the same with us. 458 00:36:48,680 --> 00:36:53,080 There are times that he separates you and causes you to be in a place where you're not 459 00:36:53,080 --> 00:36:54,080 comfortable. 460 00:36:54,080 --> 00:36:58,560 And then he'll create opportunity for you to minister to someone or whatever it might 461 00:36:58,560 --> 00:36:59,560 be. 462 00:36:59,560 --> 00:37:05,640 And let me say, the same is the way the disciples come back, so we come back, totally changed, 463 00:37:05,640 --> 00:37:07,480 totally transformed. 464 00:37:07,480 --> 00:37:09,680 It's just an incredible thing. 465 00:37:09,680 --> 00:37:14,800 But Jesus, when they came back, they said, you know, Lord, even the demons are subject 466 00:37:14,800 --> 00:37:15,800 to us in your name. 467 00:37:15,800 --> 00:37:17,200 I mean, they were joyful. 468 00:37:17,200 --> 00:37:18,200 They were ecstatic. 469 00:37:18,200 --> 00:37:21,360 They're going, man, this is amazing. 470 00:37:21,360 --> 00:37:27,440 And when Jesus heard their report, it says in that hour, Jesus rejoiced, not just rejoiced, 471 00:37:27,440 --> 00:37:30,960 He rejoiced in the Spirit. 472 00:37:30,960 --> 00:37:39,440 And so that word there, rejoiced, what it means is, is that a person is so overwhelmed 473 00:37:39,440 --> 00:37:46,600 by this incredible good news and this what has happened and the results of it that people 474 00:37:46,600 --> 00:37:52,800 listen to this, they jump, they twirl around, they throw their hands in the air, probably, 475 00:37:52,800 --> 00:37:55,160 you know, do a little bit of a disco wiggle or something. 476 00:37:55,160 --> 00:37:56,160 I don't know what it might be. 477 00:37:56,160 --> 00:37:57,720 But you're getting the picture. 478 00:37:57,720 --> 00:38:00,720 Now, am I saying that Jesus did that? 479 00:38:00,720 --> 00:38:06,600 No, what I'm saying is the word said says that Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit and the 480 00:38:06,600 --> 00:38:11,800 concordance says that when someone rejoices in the Spirit, they just don't stand there 481 00:38:11,800 --> 00:38:14,880 and go, I'm really happy about that today. 482 00:38:14,880 --> 00:38:17,440 Praise the Lord. 483 00:38:17,440 --> 00:38:22,140 He jumped and he shouted and he was like, yes, it's happening. 484 00:38:22,140 --> 00:38:25,600 The kingdom of God is breaking forth everything that's been planned. 485 00:38:25,600 --> 00:38:30,920 It started, this was the first time and off they go and they come back rejoicing and saying, 486 00:38:30,920 --> 00:38:33,840 Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name. 487 00:38:33,840 --> 00:38:35,120 How good is that? 488 00:38:35,120 --> 00:38:38,400 And so Jesus, yeah, that's what it's about. 489 00:38:38,400 --> 00:38:43,560 But He wants us to rejoice in the victories that we have every single day. 490 00:38:43,560 --> 00:38:48,840 Whenever we have a test or a trial that comes our way, Jesus is wanting us to have the attitude 491 00:38:48,840 --> 00:38:52,760 to go, yes, here comes another test and another trial. 492 00:38:52,760 --> 00:38:54,140 How awesome is this? 493 00:38:54,140 --> 00:38:59,180 This is another great opportunity to show off how good and mighty our God is. 494 00:38:59,180 --> 00:39:02,760 Come on, bring it on, as Pastor Keith would say. 495 00:39:02,760 --> 00:39:05,180 And this is what I'm seeing. 496 00:39:05,180 --> 00:39:10,920 So we can be bogged down with what we're seeing, everything that is wrong and go, no, no, no, 497 00:39:10,920 --> 00:39:11,920 no, no, no, no, no. 498 00:39:11,920 --> 00:39:15,800 Grace realized, I'm focusing on this. 499 00:39:15,800 --> 00:39:21,800 Bring it because my God is greater than any problem, any test, any trial, any persecution. 500 00:39:21,800 --> 00:39:24,400 He's greater than any financial struggle that I'm going through. 501 00:39:24,400 --> 00:39:27,120 He's greater than any relational problem that I'm going through. 502 00:39:27,120 --> 00:39:31,040 He's greater than any sickness that I might be experiencing. 503 00:39:31,040 --> 00:39:34,920 Grace revealed, my God is greater. 504 00:39:34,920 --> 00:39:37,360 Let's do this thing. 505 00:39:37,360 --> 00:39:38,360 Praise the Lord. 506 00:39:38,360 --> 00:39:40,840 Are you excited this morning? 507 00:39:40,840 --> 00:39:42,840 Praise God. 508 00:39:42,840 --> 00:39:44,480 Hallelujah. 509 00:39:44,480 --> 00:39:48,420 John chapter 15 verse 11, nearly finished. 510 00:39:48,420 --> 00:39:53,200 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may remain in you and that your joy may 511 00:39:53,200 --> 00:39:54,680 be full. 512 00:39:54,680 --> 00:39:55,680 Amen. 513 00:39:55,680 --> 00:40:02,200 He doesn't want us to do life with joy like our yellow light on the petrol gauge flashing 514 00:40:02,200 --> 00:40:03,400 and staying on. 515 00:40:03,400 --> 00:40:05,580 I've got enough just to get home. 516 00:40:05,580 --> 00:40:08,480 It's not about just having enough to get somewhere. 517 00:40:08,480 --> 00:40:12,120 It's about keeping the tank full all the time to know. 518 00:40:12,120 --> 00:40:17,040 And it's grace realized that I can drink from that cup all day long, all night long. 519 00:40:17,040 --> 00:40:22,680 And when I'm going through a test and a trial, that cup's going to stay full so I can keep 520 00:40:22,680 --> 00:40:25,000 drinking from it and it's going to stay full. 521 00:40:25,000 --> 00:40:26,000 That is God's grace. 522 00:40:26,000 --> 00:40:28,800 And when we realize that, we rejoice. 523 00:40:28,800 --> 00:40:33,680 We go, man, it's going to be a tough, or it is a tough journey, but I know I'm not walking 524 00:40:33,680 --> 00:40:36,160 this alone. 525 00:40:36,160 --> 00:40:37,760 Christ is with you. 526 00:40:37,760 --> 00:40:40,260 The Spirit of God is in you. 527 00:40:40,260 --> 00:40:43,780 The rivers of living water is in you and it's flowing. 528 00:40:43,780 --> 00:40:46,240 It's flowing like a torrent, I can tell you. 529 00:40:46,240 --> 00:40:51,580 And so in our tests and trials, take a sip from that, draw from that spring that will 530 00:40:51,580 --> 00:40:53,040 never ever run dry. 531 00:40:53,040 --> 00:40:57,720 And I tell you, this grace realized starts bubbling up within us. 532 00:40:57,720 --> 00:40:59,760 What have I to be afraid of? 533 00:40:59,760 --> 00:41:05,120 You know, the fear of failure... 534 00:41:05,120 --> 00:41:07,280 The Christ who lives in me is not a failure. 535 00:41:07,280 --> 00:41:11,840 And if I listen to Him and have my attitude lined up with Him, I'm going to be exactly 536 00:41:11,840 --> 00:41:15,880 like Him and end up exactly where He wants me to be. 537 00:41:15,880 --> 00:41:18,600 I think sometimes we may worry too much. 538 00:41:18,600 --> 00:41:23,800 In fact, the Bible says not to worry at all. 539 00:41:23,800 --> 00:41:29,920 1 Peter chapter 1 verse 6 to 9, and here's where it shifts. 540 00:41:29,920 --> 00:41:35,760 In this, you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been 541 00:41:35,760 --> 00:41:37,720 grieved by various trials. 542 00:41:37,720 --> 00:41:40,480 Anyone been grieved by various trial here today? 543 00:41:40,480 --> 00:41:44,000 Probably plenty of us, if not all of us at some stage. 544 00:41:44,000 --> 00:41:46,040 And so now we can place ourself in this. 545 00:41:46,040 --> 00:41:49,880 So now we can say, if I'm going through a trial now, the rest of this word is going 546 00:41:49,880 --> 00:41:54,160 to give me an answer to get through it, to succeed and be on top of it. 547 00:41:54,160 --> 00:41:55,160 Amen? 548 00:41:55,160 --> 00:41:58,920 That the genuineness of your faith... 549 00:41:58,920 --> 00:42:00,680 What is that? 550 00:42:00,680 --> 00:42:03,480 The genuineness of your faith. 551 00:42:03,480 --> 00:42:07,400 Does that mean that a faith cannot be genuine? 552 00:42:07,400 --> 00:42:12,560 What it's actually saying is, is that faith can be built. 553 00:42:12,560 --> 00:42:15,080 Faith can be exercised. 554 00:42:15,080 --> 00:42:18,880 Our faith can increase. 555 00:42:18,880 --> 00:42:22,960 But it's not so much in a quantity, it's quality. 556 00:42:22,960 --> 00:42:25,280 That's the difference. 557 00:42:25,280 --> 00:42:32,840 The genuineness of your faith, the faith is an inner persuasion that no matter what we 558 00:42:32,840 --> 00:42:40,280 are facing, the outside, our mind is telling us, run. 559 00:42:40,280 --> 00:42:42,420 It's all over. 560 00:42:42,420 --> 00:42:43,420 It's finished. 561 00:42:43,420 --> 00:42:46,240 You're going to look like a fool. 562 00:42:46,240 --> 00:42:49,560 But there's an inner persuasion inside of us that we listen to. 563 00:42:49,560 --> 00:42:51,520 No, no, no, no, no. 564 00:42:51,520 --> 00:42:55,000 All of those things are subject to change because I believe in my God. 565 00:42:55,000 --> 00:43:00,240 I realize that there's a grace of my life and there's a river that I can drink from 566 00:43:00,240 --> 00:43:02,960 right now to maintain my joy. 567 00:43:02,960 --> 00:43:08,080 And I know that the joy of the Lord is my strength and that I can maintain this joy 568 00:43:08,080 --> 00:43:10,520 and that God is going to get me through. 569 00:43:10,520 --> 00:43:12,480 And I am convinced about that. 570 00:43:12,480 --> 00:43:17,440 Devil, there's nothing you can do or say to convince me otherwise because the joy of the 571 00:43:17,440 --> 00:43:22,680 Lord is our strength. 572 00:43:22,680 --> 00:43:24,360 Praise the Lord. 573 00:43:24,360 --> 00:43:30,840 So the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though 574 00:43:30,840 --> 00:43:36,600 it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory the revelation of Jesus Christ, 575 00:43:36,600 --> 00:43:43,120 whom having not seen you love, though now you have not seen him yet believing, you rejoice 576 00:43:43,120 --> 00:43:51,000 with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith, the salvation 577 00:43:51,000 --> 00:43:52,920 of your souls. 578 00:43:52,920 --> 00:43:59,460 Just quickly, what the Spirit of God in the scripture is doing is bringing out a real 579 00:43:59,460 --> 00:44:05,920 life situation we all go through, tests, trials, persecutions, and all that sort of thing. 580 00:44:05,920 --> 00:44:07,280 So that's in one hand. 581 00:44:07,280 --> 00:44:12,880 And on the other hand, the Word of God is saying, but do you know that you possess this 582 00:44:12,880 --> 00:44:18,800 ability to go through this problem over here, rejoicing with joy inexpressible? 583 00:44:18,800 --> 00:44:22,240 So how do we do that? 584 00:44:22,240 --> 00:44:26,240 How do we do that? 585 00:44:26,240 --> 00:44:31,800 James 1, verse 2 to 4, my brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 586 00:44:31,800 --> 00:44:36,640 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience, but let patience have its perfect 587 00:44:36,640 --> 00:44:41,440 work that you may be perfect and complete, lacking no thing, nothing. 588 00:44:41,440 --> 00:44:43,280 Amen. 589 00:44:43,280 --> 00:44:46,400 So what a crazy thing in the natural. 590 00:44:46,400 --> 00:44:51,840 You and I going through a real bad test or trial and the scripture says, consider it 591 00:44:51,840 --> 00:44:52,840 all joy. 592 00:44:52,840 --> 00:44:57,620 Oh, how come I didn't think about that? 593 00:44:57,620 --> 00:45:01,120 Because it doesn't sound like a good idea, does it? 594 00:45:01,120 --> 00:45:05,720 Let me explain what this means. 595 00:45:05,720 --> 00:45:11,400 Consider it all joy when you fall into various trials. 596 00:45:11,400 --> 00:45:18,640 This here is speaking about posing to us a choice to consider. 597 00:45:18,640 --> 00:45:29,940 When a test or a trial comes, we can choose to consider it joy or we can choose to not 598 00:45:29,940 --> 00:45:36,120 consider it joy and be down in this hole. 599 00:45:36,120 --> 00:45:42,280 So there's something in this that the Word of God is saying, Christians, when things 600 00:45:42,280 --> 00:45:50,800 are not working out for you, make a conscious decision in your life, as hard as it is, I'm 601 00:45:50,800 --> 00:45:54,960 going to choose to drink from that river. 602 00:45:54,960 --> 00:46:01,440 I'm going to choose to drink from that fullness of joy, even in the midst of things that I 603 00:46:01,440 --> 00:46:05,120 see just don't seem right and don't even seem to be getting better. 604 00:46:05,120 --> 00:46:12,040 But I'm not going to allow this thing drag me down into a pit any longer and I'm not 605 00:46:12,040 --> 00:46:16,700 going to allow it to keep me in that pit for another second. 606 00:46:16,700 --> 00:46:19,240 And it's a decision, it's a choice. 607 00:46:19,240 --> 00:46:26,760 So when we count it all joy, consider it, listen to this, grace revealed, consider it 608 00:46:26,760 --> 00:46:30,400 God's favor, God's empowerment. 609 00:46:30,400 --> 00:46:35,400 And when we get hold of that, and it's hard as it is, I know it's hard, I know this, as 610 00:46:35,400 --> 00:46:40,440 we all do, that it says that the testing of your faith, you know your faith, my faith 611 00:46:40,440 --> 00:46:44,240 will be tested and it will be tested over and over and over again. 612 00:46:44,240 --> 00:46:45,400 And why does God do that? 613 00:46:45,400 --> 00:46:49,320 Why can't God just zap things and just fix it and it's all done and we can get them a 614 00:46:49,320 --> 00:46:50,320 merry life? 615 00:46:50,320 --> 00:46:51,320 Well, you know why? 616 00:46:51,320 --> 00:46:54,880 Because we will be the same person when we're a hundred ready to go home to the Lord than 617 00:46:54,880 --> 00:46:58,360 when we were saved, when we were 20 years old, we never grew. 618 00:46:58,360 --> 00:47:05,080 God said, I'm about growing my people, testing you and trying you, improving you, the patience, 619 00:47:05,080 --> 00:47:13,640 the endurance of His people to be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 620 00:47:13,640 --> 00:47:22,120 And as I close on this, 2 Corinthians 12 verse 7 to 10, and I think this is what really drives 621 00:47:22,120 --> 00:47:31,640 it home, 2 Corinthians chapter 12 verse 7 to 10, unless I should be exalted above measure 622 00:47:31,640 --> 00:47:36,360 by the abundance of revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of 623 00:47:36,360 --> 00:47:45,800 Satan to Buffett, nearly said Buffet, I'm hungry. 624 00:47:45,800 --> 00:47:52,520 To Buffett, Buffett me, I said it again. 625 00:47:52,520 --> 00:47:57,560 Lest I be exalted above measure concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times 626 00:47:57,560 --> 00:47:59,080 that it might depart from me. 627 00:47:59,080 --> 00:48:02,000 Okay, how many of us have been there? 628 00:48:02,000 --> 00:48:03,680 You're going through it. 629 00:48:03,680 --> 00:48:06,480 You really gone through stuff. 630 00:48:06,480 --> 00:48:07,960 Lord just take it away. 631 00:48:07,960 --> 00:48:11,560 And you're praying, just take it away. 632 00:48:11,560 --> 00:48:20,880 A thorn in the flesh, a problem, something that is deeply persecuting you, a problem that's 633 00:48:20,880 --> 00:48:22,920 going on. 634 00:48:22,920 --> 00:48:26,800 You know, the answer is not to ask the Lord to remove it. 635 00:48:26,800 --> 00:48:29,320 It's not there. 636 00:48:29,320 --> 00:48:36,120 Apostle Paul wrote here, he said, and he, Jesus said to me, my grace is sufficient for 637 00:48:36,120 --> 00:48:37,120 you. 638 00:48:37,120 --> 00:48:42,000 It's the same like that cup, sufficiency of something is sufficient. 639 00:48:42,000 --> 00:48:46,080 It's more than enough, more than what you need to get it done. 640 00:48:46,080 --> 00:48:49,420 And if you think that there's not enough, God's got more and he's got more, and he's 641 00:48:49,420 --> 00:48:54,160 got an endless supply, it's eternal. 642 00:48:54,160 --> 00:49:01,080 So we shouldn't be afraid or worried about tapping into what is, has no end. 643 00:49:01,080 --> 00:49:08,840 That is an unlimited resource that God has given to you saying, use this in your time 644 00:49:08,840 --> 00:49:09,840 of need. 645 00:49:09,840 --> 00:49:10,840 This is what you need. 646 00:49:10,840 --> 00:49:11,840 Drink it, use it. 647 00:49:11,840 --> 00:49:18,400 Oh, but Lord, I don't want to waste it in case someone else more needy than me needs 648 00:49:18,400 --> 00:49:19,400 it. 649 00:49:19,400 --> 00:49:20,400 Drink it. 650 00:49:20,400 --> 00:49:22,960 There's more for every, there's enough for everybody. 651 00:49:22,960 --> 00:49:34,200 But he says here, for my strength is made perfect, made perfect in weakness. 652 00:49:34,200 --> 00:49:37,680 You know what that's saying? 653 00:49:37,680 --> 00:49:47,040 God's strength comes to maturity in us when we got nothing left, yet our eyes are still 654 00:49:47,040 --> 00:49:49,680 focused on him. 655 00:49:49,680 --> 00:49:55,520 It's like you think it's all over, I just can't do this anymore, I'm finished, it's 656 00:49:55,520 --> 00:49:56,520 done. 657 00:49:56,520 --> 00:50:02,640 I can't bear the weight of this anymore, whatever it might be, it's at that place. 658 00:50:02,640 --> 00:50:12,200 We cry out to God, Lord help me, help me. 659 00:50:12,200 --> 00:50:22,040 God's saying, this is where my grace works power in your life. 660 00:50:22,040 --> 00:50:27,640 He says for my strength, my dunamis power is made perfect in weakness. 661 00:50:27,640 --> 00:50:28,640 How does that happen? 662 00:50:28,640 --> 00:50:35,520 Because his grace is sufficient for us, his empowering ability. 663 00:50:35,520 --> 00:50:43,880 When apostle Paul had the revelation of grace revealed, grace received, grace understood, 664 00:50:43,880 --> 00:50:48,520 listen to what he says as I close. 665 00:50:48,520 --> 00:50:56,520 Therefore, because of the revelation that I now have of this grace revealed, my cup 666 00:50:56,520 --> 00:50:58,520 will always be full. 667 00:50:58,520 --> 00:51:05,800 Because of this, most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities that the power of 668 00:51:05,800 --> 00:51:08,840 Christ may rest upon me. 669 00:51:08,840 --> 00:51:15,000 That word boast is not telling everybody, you know, boasting, no, no, it's not that 670 00:51:15,000 --> 00:51:16,280 at all. 671 00:51:16,280 --> 00:51:22,600 It's speaking about our revelation, what we have about the situation. 672 00:51:22,600 --> 00:51:28,840 We go around saying, you know, I thought it was all finished, but I have this revelation 673 00:51:28,840 --> 00:51:30,360 that my God's going to get me through. 674 00:51:30,360 --> 00:51:32,600 It's his grace, it's his empowering ability. 675 00:51:32,600 --> 00:51:36,800 And I know that I had to come to the end of myself. 676 00:51:36,800 --> 00:51:40,040 I had to come to the end of me trying to fix everything. 677 00:51:40,040 --> 00:51:42,000 Anyone ever been there? 678 00:51:42,000 --> 00:51:45,040 I had to come to the end of myself. 679 00:51:45,040 --> 00:51:49,280 And when I found that place, when I thought that I was a failure, that I failed and I 680 00:51:49,280 --> 00:51:55,680 called out to God, there his grace reveal came and empowered me and helped me and strengthened 681 00:51:55,680 --> 00:51:57,840 me and strengthens you. 682 00:51:57,840 --> 00:52:03,760 He said, therefore, I take pleasure in infirmities and reproaches and needs and persecutions 683 00:52:03,760 --> 00:52:06,800 and distresses for Christ's sake. 684 00:52:06,800 --> 00:52:10,680 When I am weak, then I am strong. 685 00:52:10,680 --> 00:52:12,680 I am strong. 686 00:52:12,680 --> 00:52:13,680 Amen. 687 00:52:13,680 --> 00:52:22,240 Now, if you're here today and you know that you need this unlimited source that I've 688 00:52:22,240 --> 00:52:25,080 been telling you about, his name is Jesus. 689 00:52:25,080 --> 00:52:26,960 That's how we get into this. 690 00:52:26,960 --> 00:52:29,680 This is how we obtain this. 691 00:52:29,680 --> 00:52:31,520 But you need to be a Christian. 692 00:52:31,520 --> 00:52:35,200 You need to be a child of God to access this. 693 00:52:35,200 --> 00:52:38,160 Does that mean that if I'm not a Christian that God won't love me? 694 00:52:38,160 --> 00:52:39,320 No, he loves you. 695 00:52:39,320 --> 00:52:42,720 He always has and always will. 696 00:52:42,720 --> 00:52:48,400 And he's given out invitations from the time of the cross of Calvary for humanity to come 697 00:52:48,400 --> 00:52:54,520 to him to be saved, to experience this amazing work of grace in their lives. 698 00:52:54,520 --> 00:52:59,360 The forgiveness of sin, the acquittal of sin, the being pardoned of every sin that we've 699 00:52:59,360 --> 00:53:00,360 committed. 700 00:53:00,360 --> 00:53:06,920 Not only that, to be received into the family of God and start life fresh and new again. 701 00:53:06,920 --> 00:53:10,120 That we are justified like we have never ever sinned once in our life. 702 00:53:10,120 --> 00:53:11,920 I don't know about you. 703 00:53:11,920 --> 00:53:17,280 When I heard about that 30 years ago, I took it with both hands. 704 00:53:17,280 --> 00:53:18,280 That's for me. 705 00:53:18,280 --> 00:53:20,560 And I know you've done that as well. 706 00:53:20,560 --> 00:53:24,160 Well, I hope you have. 707 00:53:24,160 --> 00:53:29,200 But being a Christian is not by name or word only. 708 00:53:29,200 --> 00:53:32,240 It's a spiritual conversion. 709 00:53:32,240 --> 00:53:39,680 It takes place when our spirit man that was dead to God because of sin, that when we accept 710 00:53:39,680 --> 00:53:42,920 Christ, say, Lord Jesus, I ask that you save me. 711 00:53:42,920 --> 00:53:44,880 I'm sorry for the things I've done wrong. 712 00:53:44,880 --> 00:53:49,200 Would you forgive me and cleanse me from all those things? 713 00:53:49,200 --> 00:53:50,200 He'll do that. 714 00:53:50,200 --> 00:53:56,080 And not only that, he'll receive you into the family of God and treat you just as his 715 00:53:56,080 --> 00:54:01,120 own, cherish you and just love on you so much. 716 00:54:01,120 --> 00:54:08,360 And it's there at that point, that place where we have access to so many blessings is more 717 00:54:08,360 --> 00:54:13,820 than what one could one could share in a in a day. 718 00:54:13,820 --> 00:54:20,040 One of them is this joy that is available to every single one of us, that river that 719 00:54:20,040 --> 00:54:28,000 flows of the spirit of God, that Holy Spirit joy rise up from within us in any given situation. 720 00:54:28,000 --> 00:54:30,200 You do experience that. 721 00:54:30,200 --> 00:54:35,080 Yes, you first must be born again. 722 00:54:35,080 --> 00:54:39,680 So this morning, as I close, I want to give that opportunity to everybody here and everyone 723 00:54:39,680 --> 00:54:46,120 watching online, because it'd be wrong for me to assume that everybody is born again. 724 00:54:46,120 --> 00:54:49,840 Born again means that we've given our old life behind. 725 00:54:49,840 --> 00:54:51,760 We've trusted in Christ to be saved. 726 00:54:51,760 --> 00:54:53,600 We have the new nature. 727 00:54:53,600 --> 00:54:55,600 The old person's gone. 728 00:54:55,600 --> 00:54:59,600 It does a wonderful work in our life. 729 00:54:59,600 --> 00:55:02,680 Christ in us, a hope of glory. 730 00:55:02,680 --> 00:55:06,880 Being born from above, it means. 731 00:55:06,880 --> 00:55:09,920 So if you've never experienced that before, you're watching online. 732 00:55:09,920 --> 00:55:11,840 And how do I experience that? 733 00:55:11,840 --> 00:55:14,440 Well, it's a good question. 734 00:55:14,440 --> 00:55:16,640 Very easy answer. 735 00:55:16,640 --> 00:55:22,440 I'll pray a prayer, same prayer similar that I prayed 30 years ago when I gave my heart 736 00:55:22,440 --> 00:55:25,880 to Jesus and I invited him into my life. 737 00:55:25,880 --> 00:55:28,480 It was the greatest thing that ever happened to me. 738 00:55:28,480 --> 00:55:35,400 And I just couldn't imagine my life without him, but it's the beginning of the first steps 739 00:55:35,400 --> 00:55:37,440 of many to come. 740 00:55:37,440 --> 00:55:44,000 I wholeheartedly believe in our first step being born again, equally as much as being 741 00:55:44,000 --> 00:55:49,040 disciple and being taught and trained in the ways of God. 742 00:55:49,040 --> 00:55:50,200 Amen. 743 00:55:50,200 --> 00:55:54,000 So I'm going to pray a prayer. 744 00:55:54,000 --> 00:55:59,280 And I really do from my heart encourage you, if you're not already born again, that you 745 00:55:59,280 --> 00:56:01,960 would pray this prayer from your heart. 746 00:56:01,960 --> 00:56:06,480 The Bible says that if you believe from your heart and confess with your mouth the Lord 747 00:56:06,480 --> 00:56:08,360 Jesus, you shall be saved. 748 00:56:08,360 --> 00:56:13,640 If you believe that God raised him from the dead, you shall be saved. 749 00:56:13,640 --> 00:56:15,760 And that's most of us believe that. 750 00:56:15,760 --> 00:56:18,160 So why don't we pray? 751 00:56:18,160 --> 00:56:22,120 Can we bow our heads and close our eyes? 752 00:56:22,120 --> 00:56:24,760 I deeply encourage you to pray with me this morning. 753 00:56:24,760 --> 00:56:29,000 If you've never prayed this prayer before, would you do it today? 754 00:56:29,000 --> 00:56:34,960 Father God, I come to you in the name of Jesus. 755 00:56:34,960 --> 00:56:42,640 I believe in my heart and I confess with my mouth the Lord Jesus. 756 00:56:42,640 --> 00:56:49,120 This day, I give my life to you, Lord, and I ask you forgive me of everything I've done 757 00:56:49,120 --> 00:56:51,760 wrong. 758 00:56:51,760 --> 00:56:57,120 This day, I give my entire being to you. 759 00:56:57,120 --> 00:57:01,520 In the name of Jesus, I need to be born again. 760 00:57:01,520 --> 00:57:05,880 And today, I receive you Jesus. 761 00:57:05,880 --> 00:57:06,880 Amen. 762 00:57:06,880 --> 00:57:11,280 Thank you for joining us. 763 00:57:11,280 --> 00:57:13,920 We pray God's richest blessing on your life. 764 00:57:13,920 --> 00:57:18,600 If you haven't already, make sure to join us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. 765 00:57:18,600 --> 00:57:22,640 You can also find us at LoganCityChristianChurch.com. 766 00:57:22,640 --> 00:57:49,640 See you next week.