We're going to have a little heart -to -heart
talk today about something that's very practical.
And I think that you'll find most of my heart
-to -heart talks practical because I've learned
a long time ago that even though heaven is our
goal and heaven is real, heaven is not a state
of mind. Heaven is real. I believe everything
that the Bible teaches regarding heaven and life
after death. But I have also found from the teaching
of the Word of God that there's an awful lot
of living that has to be done before you and
I are going to walk those streets of gold. I
have found out a long time ago that nobody escapes
troubles. Even though you are a Christian, don't
ever feel that you are immune to troubles, to
sorrows, to heartaches. No, ma 'am. The Word
of God says that you'll not only have troubles,
but there'll be tribulations. But also remember,
the Word of God promises the Christian victory
over these things. Now, what you and I are going
to discuss today is real victory and false. Real
victory and its counterfeit. You want to know
something? The victorious life is simply a life
fully surrendered to God with Christ himself
dwelling within and in complete control. Some
of you do not begin to understand what I'm talking
about when I speak of one's life being controlled
by the Master. But there is such a place. There
absolutely is a place where a life is under complete
control of the Master, a life in which the only
desire, is to bring glory to the Lord Jesus Christ.
It is the only really, truly happy life that
I know anything about. And yet, Christians refuse
to enter in, lest their lives should be made
miserable. There are those who are not born again,
who get the idea that if you're going to live
a Christian life, you're going to be miserable.
You're going to go... around with a long face.
There'll no longer be joy. That with your conversion,
all joy, all happiness goes. Let me tell you
something. It's only after you've been born again
that you know what real happiness is, what real
joy is. For there can be no real happiness, there
can be no real joy without peace of mind and
peace of soul. I mean that. Now, there's a difference
between having fun and having real joy and happiness.
Oh, sure. You pass by a bar and you hear them
laughing and giggling and you can say to the
one next to you, my, they certainly are happy
in there. No, they may be having fun for a couple
of hours. But I'll tell you, it's like somebody
says, champagne at night and real pain in the
morning. Because you cannot, it is impossible
for any human being to really be happy, to know
what genuine happiness is, what real joy really
is, if there is no peace of mind. And you only
have peace of mind when there is peace of soul.
And Jesus himself is the only one who can give
that. Mm -hmm. Somebody says, oh, but this life
of being a Christian is so filled with crosses.
That's exactly the idea that many Christians
have. That where... There is the choice between
things agreeable and disagreeable. The unpleasant
one must, of course, be chosen. That's the idea
that some Christians have. Let me ask you something.
Can you find anything like that in the Bible?
I can't. Paul is never tired of talking about
the wonderful joy in his life. Read the Bible.
Constantly, Paul is talking about rejoice evermore.
He's constantly talking about this wonderful
joy that's in his life. In everything, he says,
give thanks. Yet what hardship, what bitter persecution
were his lot. If you love God and fully trust
him, the place in which you are is that. happiest
place in which you can possibly be. And the work
you're doing is the very best for you, of course.
God may move you elsewhere or give you other
work. That's left to Him. He's not always God.
He's perfect knowledge. He's perfect wisdom.
But let Him be glorified in us now. No matter
what you're going through, no matter what the
circumstances are, no matter how deep the waters,
no matter how dark the night, for a Christian,
there can still be joy on the inside. There is
that perfect peace, that perfect... Trust, knowing
that nothing, absolutely nothing can come into
your life or touch you if you are completely
surrendered to him. If you have given yourself
completely to his guidance, to his control, then
nothing can happen to you but what he allows
and he permits. And if he has allowed and permitted
that thing, then it's the very best place in
the whole world for you. So you can look up and
still rejoice and still be glad. That's real
victory. Somebody says, what about the crosses?
Oh, I was so amused the other day in one of the
Friday services. A woman got up, and I'll tell
you, all she could talk about was her crosses.
I didn't let her go on very long, I'll tell you.
Her crosses. Now she says, I'll tell you. When
God gives me those crosses, I will bear them.
Crosses. Nowhere in the Bible do we read of crosses.
Yet when our plans are upset, or the weather
spoils our day, or sickness, Our bereavement,
our sorrow, alters our plans. We're very apt
to say very sadly, well, I suppose that this
is just my cross for the day. Oh, don't ever
say that around me, whatever you do. I can't
stand these people who are always talking about
their crosses. and blaming God for everything
that happened to them, and yet, I'll tell you,
they're such martyrs. It's their cross, and yet
they brought the whole thing on themselves. But
yet they find such comfort in the fact that it's
their cross, and they'll bear it. Mm -hmm. If
God has complete control over us, I repeat, nothing
can happen contrary to His will. And is not His
will the very best for us? Instead of resigning
ourselves to something, the... feeling that should
be in our hearts should ever be, I delight to
do thy will. Oh my God. That's what the psalmist
said. That's what David said. I delight to do
thy will. Oh my God. There can be no such thing
as disappointment in the life of a man really
living this victorious Christian life. My is
to do the will of him that sent me. Those are
words of our own Lord. Can we say the same? Can
you say honestly? My meat is to do the will of
him that sent me? That's real victory. There's
nothing false about that. When we're transformed
by the renewing of our mind, We shall prove every
day of our lives that God's will is good and
perfect. Shall it not therefore be acceptable?
But remember something. Only for those who are
living in his divine will, who have given their
lives to be controlled completely by him, are
the folk who can accept that glorious promise
in the 12th chapter of Romans, the second verse.
It is only then that all things work together
for good. That's right. All right, let's go back
to that cross, picking up the cross. I know.
That Jesus himself said, if any man would come
after me, let him deny himself and take up his
cross and follow me. That's scripture. That's
in the 16th chapter of Matthew, the 24th verse.
And Jesus himself said it. If any man, if you,
my friend, would come after me, after Jesus,
Let him deny himself and take up his cross and
follow me. Another scripture. Whosoever does
not bear his cross and come after me cannot be
my disciple. Now watch. There is one cross for
everyone and for every day. As surely as there
was a cross for Jesus, and he died on that cross
and gave his life on that cross, there is a cross
for every man and every woman who would dare
to follow him. If you had seen a man in our Lord's
day carrying a cross, you would know immediately
that it meant death to someone, probably for
the man himself. For always the cross... is a
sign of death. And before anyone can really,
truly follow Jesus Christ, really be a disciple,
he must be dead with Christ and risen with him.
That's exactly what Paul meant when he said,
I have been crucified with Christ. Yep, I live.
In other words, I am still alive. I am still
in the flesh. I am still in the world. I had
been crucified with Christ, yet I live. Yet no
longer I, but Christ liveth in me. Someone has
said, it's one thing to be saved from the penalty
of sin. It's another thing... To follow Christ.
It was Dr. Thomas who said once that some Christians
are monstrosities. They are no more like Christ
20 years after their conversion than they were
when they began the Christian life. They're not
learning of him. They have never taken up their
cross. They have not been crucified with Christ.
They know nothing about being crucified with
Christ. The taking up of the cross is the end
of crosses and the beginning of discipleship.
And therein is the secret. of real victory. God
bless you.