WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.120 Our youth group, or a portion of our youth group, 00:00:03.160 --> 00:00:06.620 are leaving for two weeks in Costa Rica and Panama 00:00:06.620 --> 00:00:10.000 on Tuesday. So let's pray for them. If you are 00:00:10.000 --> 00:00:12.500 going on the Costa Rica -Panama trip, would you 00:00:12.500 --> 00:00:14.619 just stand up right where you are? Is that great? 00:00:16.600 --> 00:00:19.500 Alright. If you're going, stand up. Alright, 00:00:19.559 --> 00:00:21.920 look around. Alright, would you just, we don't 00:00:21.920 --> 00:00:23.320 have to make a big deal, but if you're around 00:00:23.320 --> 00:00:25.379 them, would you just stand up, surround them, 00:00:25.399 --> 00:00:26.839 put your hand on them. You don't have to move 00:00:26.839 --> 00:00:29.260 across the room if you don't want to. Let's pray 00:00:29.260 --> 00:00:37.799 for this trip. Jesus, You have commanded us to 00:00:37.799 --> 00:00:40.539 go into all nations, baptizing them in the Father, 00:00:40.700 --> 00:00:43.219 the Son, and the Holy Spirit, making disciples 00:00:43.219 --> 00:00:46.960 and teaching them to obey Your commands. Father, 00:00:47.079 --> 00:00:49.159 we just lift up these servants who are saying 00:00:49.159 --> 00:00:52.299 yes to this commission in this way. Father, we 00:00:52.299 --> 00:00:54.299 pray that You would anoint them with the power 00:00:54.299 --> 00:00:57.380 of Your Holy Spirit. that things that are humanly 00:00:57.380 --> 00:01:00.399 impossible would be the natural overflow of your 00:01:00.399 --> 00:01:03.119 anointing in their lives. We pray for salvation 00:01:03.119 --> 00:01:06.480 of the lost, healing of the sick, deliverance 00:01:06.480 --> 00:01:08.840 of the bound up. We pray that you would protect 00:01:08.840 --> 00:01:11.420 them by the blood of Jesus over their bodies 00:01:11.420 --> 00:01:14.159 from illness and accident, over their spirit 00:01:14.159 --> 00:01:17.019 from any plans of the enemy, and that they would 00:01:17.019 --> 00:01:20.319 produce fruit that will last. We ask it in Jesus' 00:01:20.459 --> 00:01:26.049 name. Amen. Awesome? Our men are back from the 00:01:26.049 --> 00:01:29.489 men's retreat in Costa Rica. And now our ladies 00:01:29.489 --> 00:01:32.469 are going. So if you are a lady going on the 00:01:32.469 --> 00:01:34.290 women's retreat to Costa Rica, would you stand 00:01:34.290 --> 00:01:37.930 up? Let's pray for them. Awesome. Same thing. 00:01:38.329 --> 00:01:40.730 Just right where they are. We've got a few here. 00:01:40.849 --> 00:01:43.609 Let's just stand. If you just want to direct 00:01:43.609 --> 00:01:45.810 your heart toward them, let's pray for them. 00:01:47.650 --> 00:01:50.290 Father, we pray for these ladies that are... 00:01:51.670 --> 00:01:56.030 making the time to go and be with You. Father, 00:01:56.129 --> 00:02:00.170 we ask for an encounter with You in the name 00:02:00.170 --> 00:02:02.629 of Jesus that You would encounter them, Lord, 00:02:02.709 --> 00:02:05.989 that they would be forever changed. That the 00:02:05.989 --> 00:02:08.550 fruit of their lives would be multiplied for 00:02:08.550 --> 00:02:11.430 Your kingdom. We pray Your protection over them. 00:02:11.469 --> 00:02:13.750 We pray over their leaders that You would anoint 00:02:13.750 --> 00:02:16.979 them with power through Your Holy Spirit. to 00:02:16.979 --> 00:02:19.659 cut through all the layers of the stuff directly 00:02:19.659 --> 00:02:22.180 to the hearts of your people. Father, we thank 00:02:22.180 --> 00:02:24.120 you for what you're going to do. In Jesus' name, 00:02:24.340 --> 00:02:32.080 amen. All right. And then Pastor Brad is leading 00:02:32.080 --> 00:02:37.159 a trip to Pakistan. We leave on Friday. So Pastor 00:02:37.159 --> 00:02:40.199 Brad and I and Michelle, my daughter Kara, and 00:02:40.199 --> 00:02:44.719 Russell and Jeremy. So if you're going to Pakistan, 00:02:45.639 --> 00:02:48.639 Why don't you stand up and guys do the same thing? 00:02:48.719 --> 00:02:51.539 And how about somebody besides me and Pastor 00:02:51.539 --> 00:02:55.080 Brad pray for Pakistan? Anybody want to? Okay. 00:02:58.120 --> 00:03:03.580 We'll lay hands on each other. Dear Heavenly 00:03:03.580 --> 00:03:08.960 Father, you send these out like arrows. You sharpen 00:03:08.960 --> 00:03:13.680 the edges. You form the quiver. You go before 00:03:13.680 --> 00:03:17.280 them. Lord, that they may see, that they may 00:03:17.280 --> 00:03:20.020 have expectation of all that you're going to 00:03:20.020 --> 00:03:23.219 do. Lord, as they go, help them to be obedient 00:03:23.219 --> 00:03:26.479 to you. Lord, help them to draw near, and as 00:03:26.479 --> 00:03:29.879 they draw near, draw nearer to them yet. Lord, 00:03:29.919 --> 00:03:32.259 fill them with your power. Fill them with your 00:03:32.259 --> 00:03:34.860 peace. We dispatch your angels around them. We 00:03:34.860 --> 00:03:37.319 ask your protection over them as they go and 00:03:37.319 --> 00:03:40.919 as they come. And Lord, everything they declare 00:03:40.919 --> 00:03:44.520 that they bind on earth is bound in heaven. And 00:03:44.520 --> 00:03:48.319 your victories are yes and amen. Help them to 00:03:48.319 --> 00:03:51.699 walk in that assurance and that faith. We pray 00:03:51.699 --> 00:03:54.300 for that increase on their trip and that many 00:03:54.300 --> 00:03:57.500 would come to know you because of their faithfulness 00:03:57.500 --> 00:04:02.939 in Jesus' name. Amen. Thank you, sir. All right. 00:04:03.520 --> 00:04:05.280 Would there be somebody just come put your hand 00:04:05.280 --> 00:04:07.080 on the cross and pray for all these lost people? 00:04:07.599 --> 00:04:10.400 Anybody just feel led? It's okay? It's not about 00:04:10.400 --> 00:04:12.240 how good your prayer is? Jenny, would you mind? 00:04:12.340 --> 00:04:19.810 Thank you. I just want to encourage you to continue 00:04:19.810 --> 00:04:22.790 to lift up the people God's put on your heart 00:04:22.790 --> 00:04:27.430 every day. So I just wonder in here how many 00:04:27.430 --> 00:04:31.149 people not just have a name on there, but maybe 00:04:31.149 --> 00:04:34.610 you know somebody that if they died today that 00:04:34.610 --> 00:04:36.310 you would just be wrecked inside. Can you raise 00:04:36.310 --> 00:04:40.689 your hand? So I want you to think about all the 00:04:40.689 --> 00:04:43.629 names that are on this cross, all the moms and 00:04:43.629 --> 00:04:47.149 the dads, the brothers, the sisters, the spouses. 00:04:48.020 --> 00:04:50.339 Like, I have skin in the game. I have quite a 00:04:50.339 --> 00:04:53.500 few names on there. So my heart burns for these 00:04:53.500 --> 00:04:56.759 names. It burns for these families that if they 00:04:56.759 --> 00:04:59.139 lose somebody, they don't know that they're going 00:04:59.139 --> 00:05:02.019 to see them on the other side. So I would just 00:05:02.019 --> 00:05:04.240 encourage everybody to pray on a regular basis, 00:05:04.379 --> 00:05:07.220 not just for these people, but anybody in your 00:05:07.220 --> 00:05:10.639 life that you know. If they die, where are they 00:05:10.639 --> 00:05:13.420 going to go? That's how I got saved at 33. I 00:05:13.420 --> 00:05:15.839 asked myself, if I die today, am I going to heaven? 00:05:15.959 --> 00:05:18.759 And the answer was no. And I made that decision. 00:05:19.079 --> 00:05:22.180 So, Lord, we just lift these people up. We know 00:05:22.180 --> 00:05:24.319 that if they're away from you, there's hurt, 00:05:24.480 --> 00:05:27.779 there are lies, there are deception. So we just 00:05:27.779 --> 00:05:30.779 ask that you would close the eyes of the enemy, 00:05:30.920 --> 00:05:34.040 Lord, that you would send in the right person 00:05:34.040 --> 00:05:36.180 at the right time, Lord, or even yourself, Holy 00:05:36.180 --> 00:05:39.379 Spirit, just come in that moment and just capture 00:05:39.379 --> 00:05:42.439 them. I know that you pursued me for many years, 00:05:42.540 --> 00:05:44.720 Lord, so I just pray that over them, and I know 00:05:44.720 --> 00:05:47.420 that you're doing it. And we will not rest until 00:05:47.420 --> 00:05:50.379 every name on that cross, Lord, has been brought 00:05:50.379 --> 00:05:53.019 home to you. So we just ask that, pray that, 00:05:53.079 --> 00:05:56.040 and believe that in Jesus' name. Amen. Thank 00:05:56.040 --> 00:06:03.079 you so much, Judy. Awesome. Yes, Lord. Let's 00:06:03.079 --> 00:06:08.040 turn our Bibles to Philippians chapter 4. We 00:06:08.040 --> 00:06:14.100 started into this passage last week. desire is 00:06:14.100 --> 00:06:18.120 to finish some truths out of this passage today. 00:06:29.279 --> 00:06:35.720 I want to say I love you so much. I'm so proud 00:06:35.720 --> 00:06:39.160 of you. You're such an amazing group of people. 00:06:39.319 --> 00:06:43.269 You take... the kingdom of heaven seriously. 00:06:44.470 --> 00:06:47.050 You are hungry for the presence of the Lord. 00:06:47.689 --> 00:06:51.790 You desire to be obedient. And that can be a 00:06:51.790 --> 00:06:56.949 rarity even among religion in the culture. And 00:06:56.949 --> 00:06:58.870 so I just want to say you're doing a great job. 00:06:59.089 --> 00:07:01.850 I'm so proud of you. It's an honor to be a part 00:07:01.850 --> 00:07:04.269 of your life. Jill and I consider it a great 00:07:04.269 --> 00:07:07.129 blessing. And I just want to encourage you. You're 00:07:07.129 --> 00:07:13.329 doing awesome. Don't give up. Keep going. Philippians 00:07:13.329 --> 00:07:17.649 chapter 4. So I'm going to do this in a concise 00:07:17.649 --> 00:07:22.870 brief way. If you're just visiting or joining 00:07:22.870 --> 00:07:27.209 us as a gathering, we are in a long time journey 00:07:27.209 --> 00:07:31.529 to become people that are filled with the kingdom 00:07:31.529 --> 00:07:35.149 of heaven on the earth and to release the kingdom 00:07:35.149 --> 00:07:38.470 of heaven intentionally everywhere God sends 00:07:38.470 --> 00:07:41.410 us. I don't have time to go through the whole 00:07:41.410 --> 00:07:44.720 thing, but for five plus years we've been going 00:07:44.720 --> 00:07:47.879 through all jesus teaching on on the kingdom 00:07:47.879 --> 00:07:52.379 and we have received an assignment he saved us 00:07:52.379 --> 00:07:57.040 and until he returns our job as the new testament 00:07:57.040 --> 00:08:00.600 church is to represent the king and to advance 00:08:00.600 --> 00:08:03.079 the kingdom of heaven on the earth so the whole 00:08:03.079 --> 00:08:06.980 world can know the goodness of our god okay and 00:08:06.980 --> 00:08:10.079 so we've been talking about What are ways that 00:08:10.079 --> 00:08:12.699 we can continue to grow and mature in a kingdom 00:08:12.699 --> 00:08:15.660 -minded lifestyle? And last week, we started 00:08:15.660 --> 00:08:20.879 looking at this passage because when Jesus gives 00:08:20.879 --> 00:08:23.759 his famous Sermon on the Mount, and he addresses, 00:08:23.860 --> 00:08:27.160 I believe, one of the paramount passages of New 00:08:27.160 --> 00:08:30.439 Testament Scripture command when he says, I want 00:08:30.439 --> 00:08:34.019 you to seek first the kingdom of God and his 00:08:34.019 --> 00:08:37.159 righteousness, saying, this is the primary thing 00:08:37.159 --> 00:08:39.919 of your life. Jesus saying, seek first the kingdom 00:08:39.919 --> 00:08:42.039 of God and his righteousness, and everything 00:08:42.039 --> 00:08:44.840 else will be added to you. We talked about this 00:08:44.840 --> 00:08:47.980 last week. The context of that passage is what? 00:08:49.120 --> 00:08:54.139 Worry, anxiety, fear. The passage before Jesus 00:08:54.139 --> 00:08:56.419 is saying, do not worry. The passage directly 00:08:56.419 --> 00:08:59.419 after is Jesus saying, do not worry. And so what 00:08:59.419 --> 00:09:06.389 I want us to understand is the The importance 00:09:06.389 --> 00:09:10.529 it is for you and I to live a lifestyle free, 00:09:10.669 --> 00:09:14.889 permanently free of anxiety, worry, and fear. 00:09:15.289 --> 00:09:19.950 Because anxiety works against the fruitfulness 00:09:19.950 --> 00:09:22.750 of the kingdom of heaven. That's what Jesus talked 00:09:22.750 --> 00:09:25.230 about in the parable of the sower. He said, and 00:09:25.230 --> 00:09:27.830 the seed that fell along the rocky soil sprang 00:09:27.830 --> 00:09:31.769 up quickly, but it was overtaken by what? The 00:09:31.769 --> 00:09:35.500 cares of this world and the deceitfulness of 00:09:35.500 --> 00:09:39.240 wealth. And so if we want to be, does anyone 00:09:39.240 --> 00:09:42.059 here want to be highly fruitful for the kingdom 00:09:42.059 --> 00:09:46.279 of heaven? All right, that was a freebie. Everybody 00:09:46.279 --> 00:09:49.720 should have raised their hand. Because when you 00:09:49.720 --> 00:09:52.840 read the parables of Jesus, when he returns, 00:09:53.179 --> 00:09:57.039 he is coming with an expectation for a return 00:09:57.039 --> 00:09:59.019 on the investment of the kingdom of heaven in 00:09:59.019 --> 00:10:03.899 our lives. Every person will bow before the king. 00:10:04.519 --> 00:10:08.879 and give a response of how we used our life for 00:10:08.879 --> 00:10:12.139 his kingdom advancement. Yes? All right. It's 00:10:12.139 --> 00:10:14.779 going to be a glorious day. And we want to be 00:10:14.779 --> 00:10:20.139 fruitful, and anxiety robs fruit of the kingdom 00:10:20.139 --> 00:10:23.100 in our lives. All right? So, last week we started 00:10:23.100 --> 00:10:26.139 the title of the teaching, How to Have Complete 00:10:26.139 --> 00:10:29.019 and Total Victory Over Anxiety, Worry, and the 00:10:29.019 --> 00:10:32.129 Cares of this World. It's one of the number one 00:10:32.129 --> 00:10:34.549 things I have conversations with people about 00:10:34.549 --> 00:10:37.590 in the couple of decades that I've been able 00:10:37.590 --> 00:10:41.850 to be in the pastoring ministry. I mean, it's 00:10:41.850 --> 00:10:45.610 a constant thing, but I really didn't know how 00:10:45.610 --> 00:10:51.330 devastating it was until I was allowed into the 00:10:51.330 --> 00:10:55.769 police department world five years ago. And when 00:10:55.769 --> 00:10:59.879 I started going into people's houses, and continually 00:10:59.879 --> 00:11:04.220 going on suicide threat calls, and mental health 00:11:04.220 --> 00:11:10.019 calls, and going into these astounding situations 00:11:10.019 --> 00:11:15.519 into people's lives, I realize how crippling 00:11:15.519 --> 00:11:20.679 and neutralizing anxiety and fear and worry are 00:11:20.679 --> 00:11:24.240 not just in the world, but inside the church 00:11:24.240 --> 00:11:26.600 and Christendom. Would you agree? It's kind of 00:11:26.600 --> 00:11:30.009 a big deal. All right, so how are we going to 00:11:30.009 --> 00:11:33.950 do that? In review from last week, number one, 00:11:34.009 --> 00:11:36.450 these are truths out of this passage, Philippians 00:11:36.450 --> 00:11:44.470 4. Let's read 6 and 7 again today. Do not be 00:11:44.470 --> 00:11:49.029 anxious about anything, but in everything, by 00:11:49.029 --> 00:11:51.049 prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present 00:11:51.049 --> 00:11:55.039 your request to God. and the peace of God which 00:11:55.039 --> 00:11:58.320 transcends all understanding will guard your 00:11:58.320 --> 00:12:03.000 hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Let's 00:12:03.000 --> 00:12:06.500 read it again. Do not be anxious about anything, 00:12:06.679 --> 00:12:10.580 but in everything, by prayer petition, with thanksgiving, 00:12:10.700 --> 00:12:13.440 present your request to God, and the peace of 00:12:13.440 --> 00:12:17.740 God which transcends all understanding will guard 00:12:17.740 --> 00:12:22.139 your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. All 00:12:22.139 --> 00:12:27.000 right. Just briefly in review, we said this last 00:12:27.000 --> 00:12:33.720 week in taking a look at this. For those of you 00:12:33.720 --> 00:12:35.639 who say, I'm not really a person that worries, 00:12:35.720 --> 00:12:38.220 I'm with you. I would not characterize myself 00:12:38.220 --> 00:12:40.919 as a worried person. Fear and anxiety, it's not 00:12:40.919 --> 00:12:46.480 really something that I feel like really jacks 00:12:46.480 --> 00:12:50.019 with my life. Can I remind you that the Greek 00:12:50.019 --> 00:12:52.740 word here used for worry or anxiety, both in 00:12:52.740 --> 00:12:55.639 Matthew 6 and this Philippian 4 passage, is this 00:12:55.639 --> 00:12:59.019 Greek word merim naho. And it means to be anxious, 00:12:59.279 --> 00:13:02.659 yes, to be troubled with cares. But listen to 00:13:02.659 --> 00:13:08.419 this, to seek to promote one's own desires. And 00:13:08.419 --> 00:13:10.659 there's a part of this that's not just about 00:13:10.659 --> 00:13:14.379 fear and worry. There's a part of being overtaken 00:13:14.379 --> 00:13:17.820 by our own desires in the world. that neutralizes 00:13:17.820 --> 00:13:20.100 the fruitness of the kingdom so we want to get 00:13:20.100 --> 00:13:23.480 free of all that yes all right so number one 00:13:23.480 --> 00:13:26.720 we talked about last week do not water down the 00:13:26.720 --> 00:13:29.779 eternal holy word of god god clearly commands 00:13:29.779 --> 00:13:35.720 do not be anxious about anything do not be anxious 00:13:35.720 --> 00:13:38.799 about anything we talked about this last week 00:13:38.799 --> 00:13:41.659 we just need to be sobered by the word of god 00:13:41.659 --> 00:13:44.600 it says heaven and earth will pass away but my 00:13:44.600 --> 00:13:47.840 word will never pass away And God is saying to 00:13:47.840 --> 00:13:52.639 us, do not be anxious about anything. Anything. 00:13:53.659 --> 00:13:56.539 I know it may be overkill, but the word anything 00:13:56.539 --> 00:14:01.059 here in the Greek, we looked at medis or medis. 00:14:01.120 --> 00:14:04.259 It means nobody, no one, no thing. It's pretty 00:14:04.259 --> 00:14:07.720 clear. Don't be anxious about anything. It's 00:14:07.720 --> 00:14:09.580 not a suggestion. It's not if you're feeling 00:14:09.580 --> 00:14:13.139 good. It's a command from Scripture. Don't be 00:14:13.139 --> 00:14:16.889 anxious about anything. We ask this question, 00:14:17.049 --> 00:14:19.330 if God gives you a command, will He give you 00:14:19.330 --> 00:14:23.370 the grace to be obedient to it? Absolutely. Absolutely. 00:14:25.490 --> 00:14:30.629 The devil has suddenly whispered lies and worry 00:14:30.629 --> 00:14:33.970 and distraction for so long about so many things 00:14:33.970 --> 00:14:36.909 that have been uncontested that we have become 00:14:36.909 --> 00:14:39.690 convinced that it's a natural and inevitable 00:14:39.690 --> 00:14:44.039 part of the Christian life. But it's not. Anxiety 00:14:44.039 --> 00:14:46.519 is not a natural part of the Christian life. 00:14:46.620 --> 00:14:49.059 It's a plan of the enemy to rob the kingdom in 00:14:49.059 --> 00:14:51.580 our lives. And we need to acknowledge it and 00:14:51.580 --> 00:14:55.779 say, I will not be anxious. Yes? Can we stop 00:14:55.779 --> 00:14:57.620 right here and just receive the command of Scripture? 00:14:58.320 --> 00:15:00.659 If you need to repent, just repent right now. 00:15:01.139 --> 00:15:03.779 Repent means to change the way you think. Just 00:15:03.779 --> 00:15:06.019 say, it's not okay for me to be anxious. God, 00:15:06.120 --> 00:15:12.779 I'm sorry. I receive your command. And I choose 00:15:12.779 --> 00:15:15.000 to be obedient, not to be anxious about anything. 00:15:15.559 --> 00:15:19.720 Number two, do not water down the eternal holy 00:15:19.720 --> 00:15:22.940 word of God. Pray about everything. Pray about 00:15:22.940 --> 00:15:27.740 everything. Told you, I invited you to read a 00:15:27.740 --> 00:15:30.159 book that I've been enjoying. Jill and I listened 00:15:30.159 --> 00:15:32.580 to some of it yesterday called Praying Like Monks, 00:15:32.679 --> 00:15:35.259 Living Like Fools. And he goes in depth of this 00:15:35.259 --> 00:15:40.179 lifestyle about praying about everything. 1 Thessalonians 00:15:40.179 --> 00:15:43.419 5 tells us pray continually. What does that mean? 00:15:43.500 --> 00:15:47.500 It means a lifestyle in which we are having conversational 00:15:47.500 --> 00:15:51.059 communion with God about everything. The Scripture 00:15:51.059 --> 00:15:54.860 says don't be anxious about anything, but in 00:15:54.860 --> 00:16:00.500 everything. Everything. The Greek word pas means 00:16:00.500 --> 00:16:04.360 each, every, any, all, everyone, all things, 00:16:04.419 --> 00:16:08.370 always. said this last week, isn't it interesting 00:16:08.370 --> 00:16:12.330 that God's antidote for anxiety is intimate communion 00:16:12.330 --> 00:16:15.809 with Him? He says, don't be anxious about anything. 00:16:15.850 --> 00:16:18.710 Instead, everything you've got, talk to me about 00:16:18.710 --> 00:16:23.450 it. Commune with me. I really want to encourage 00:16:23.450 --> 00:16:27.549 you in this. There is nothing in your life that 00:16:27.549 --> 00:16:31.110 God doesn't want to talk to you about. Religion 00:16:31.110 --> 00:16:34.490 has kind of lied to us and robbed us that... 00:16:34.730 --> 00:16:38.389 God only wants to talk to you about lofty spiritual 00:16:38.389 --> 00:16:43.090 matters. And it's just not true. God wants to 00:16:43.090 --> 00:16:46.190 talk to you about everything going on in your 00:16:46.190 --> 00:16:51.450 life. Everything. If you're thinking about it, 00:16:51.529 --> 00:16:54.990 He wants a conversation about it. And I'm telling 00:16:54.990 --> 00:16:59.629 you, if you're longing for an anxious, free lifestyle, 00:17:00.090 --> 00:17:04.220 say yes. to a communing lifestyle. What does 00:17:04.220 --> 00:17:08.599 the scripture say to us? Love justice and walk 00:17:08.599 --> 00:17:10.720 humbly with your God. That's the point, right? 00:17:11.660 --> 00:17:16.240 To walk humbly with God, to walk in a lifestyle, 00:17:16.559 --> 00:17:21.039 communion. Who would say yes to that? All right, 00:17:21.059 --> 00:17:22.539 let's just stop right here. If you weren't here 00:17:22.539 --> 00:17:24.720 last week and you just want to say, I'm saying 00:17:24.720 --> 00:17:27.480 yes to that, I will be, Lord, I want to start 00:17:27.480 --> 00:17:38.809 to talk to you about everything. I just feel 00:17:38.809 --> 00:17:41.970 led. I'm sorry, but I want to encourage the students, 00:17:42.049 --> 00:17:47.430 the young men and women in here. God is not the 00:17:47.430 --> 00:17:52.450 least bit afraid, ashamed, or uninterested to 00:17:52.450 --> 00:17:55.549 talk about your sexual desires, your sex life. 00:17:56.269 --> 00:17:59.569 Adults, married, men and women. These things 00:17:59.569 --> 00:18:02.470 are not off limits to God. He created us. He 00:18:02.470 --> 00:18:06.150 created our desires. And there's these strongholds 00:18:06.150 --> 00:18:08.269 in our lives that we just feel like, man, this 00:18:08.269 --> 00:18:11.670 is not something I can talk to God about. There 00:18:11.670 --> 00:18:13.829 is nothing he doesn't want to talk to you about. 00:18:13.970 --> 00:18:17.910 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, 00:18:18.109 --> 00:18:20.750 by prayer and petition, bring your request to 00:18:20.750 --> 00:18:23.250 God. Does that make sense? All right, number 00:18:23.250 --> 00:18:29.329 three. Just starting here today. Number three, 00:18:29.910 --> 00:18:33.569 thanksgiving is a gift from God and a powerful 00:18:33.569 --> 00:18:37.160 weapon against anxiety and worry. When we read 00:18:37.160 --> 00:18:40.000 this passage, I know this sounds simple, but 00:18:40.000 --> 00:18:43.059 this is so powerful. It says, do not be anxious 00:18:43.059 --> 00:18:45.480 about anything, but in everything by prayer and 00:18:45.480 --> 00:18:49.339 petition, what? With thanksgiving, present your 00:18:49.339 --> 00:18:51.940 request to God. How many of you believe that 00:18:51.940 --> 00:18:56.599 the word of God is intentional? That every word 00:18:56.599 --> 00:19:01.119 here is important? With thanksgiving, we present 00:19:01.119 --> 00:19:03.660 our request to God because thanksgiving is a 00:19:03.660 --> 00:19:09.099 gift that we have. Psalm 104, we read at the 00:19:09.099 --> 00:19:12.799 beginning of the service, talks about we enter 00:19:12.799 --> 00:19:17.119 into the gates of God's presence with thanksgiving. 00:19:17.720 --> 00:19:21.500 We enter into thanksgiving with thanksgiving 00:19:21.500 --> 00:19:26.039 into his presence. And I know this isn't, well, 00:19:26.079 --> 00:19:29.119 anyway, I feel like God wanted me to intentionally 00:19:29.119 --> 00:19:32.339 speak about this for some people here today. 00:19:33.480 --> 00:19:36.200 I want you to know that there are times that 00:19:36.200 --> 00:19:39.559 I feel like God is a million miles away. I don't 00:19:39.559 --> 00:19:44.420 feel him. I don't hear him. I'm just continuing 00:19:44.420 --> 00:19:47.940 to be obedient, trying to be faithful. But there 00:19:47.940 --> 00:19:51.339 are times when I go to pray or read my Bible 00:19:51.339 --> 00:19:55.400 and I feel like it's a cold brick wall. Has anybody 00:19:55.400 --> 00:19:59.329 ever been there besides me? Okay. when I'm in 00:19:59.329 --> 00:20:01.789 that place what God taught me a number of years 00:20:01.789 --> 00:20:04.890 ago that has proven to be true over and over 00:20:04.890 --> 00:20:07.569 again when you're in that place where you start 00:20:07.569 --> 00:20:10.190 to pray you start to talk to God and you just 00:20:10.190 --> 00:20:12.430 you got nothing there's no feeling there's no 00:20:12.430 --> 00:20:14.369 love burning in your heart you don't feel him 00:20:14.369 --> 00:20:19.349 anywhere near if you will begin to thank God 00:20:19.349 --> 00:20:23.430 for things in your life it's very simple you 00:20:23.430 --> 00:20:25.730 say Jesse it can't be that simple it is that 00:20:25.730 --> 00:20:28.819 simple and the word of God is true When you don't 00:20:28.819 --> 00:20:30.819 feel him, when he's a million miles away, if 00:20:30.819 --> 00:20:32.960 you'll just begin to thank him for things in 00:20:32.960 --> 00:20:35.059 your life, remembering what he has done. It doesn't 00:20:35.059 --> 00:20:40.779 have to be big, amazing, spiritual things. We 00:20:40.779 --> 00:20:42.880 were on vacation this week at a cabin that had 00:20:42.880 --> 00:20:45.200 no trash service. So we had to burn all our trash 00:20:45.200 --> 00:20:48.319 and bring some home, pack it in, pack it out. 00:20:48.579 --> 00:20:51.160 And we got home last night and we had trash in 00:20:51.160 --> 00:20:53.519 the car and we threw it in our trash can. We're 00:20:53.519 --> 00:20:55.519 like, wow, it's nice to have trash service. Thank 00:20:55.519 --> 00:20:59.789 you, God. isn't that ridiculous first world problems 00:20:59.789 --> 00:21:03.210 but when you can't feel him begin to thank him 00:21:03.210 --> 00:21:06.549 begin to remember what he has done thank him 00:21:06.549 --> 00:21:08.950 for the little things the big things the mundane 00:21:08.950 --> 00:21:11.910 things and what you'll find is that you will 00:21:11.910 --> 00:21:16.329 enter into his gates with thanksgiving and this 00:21:16.329 --> 00:21:18.829 is important in our our prayer life when we're 00:21:18.829 --> 00:21:23.869 praying about everything also why thanksgiving 00:21:23.869 --> 00:21:29.140 is so important in combating anxiety and fear 00:21:29.140 --> 00:21:32.940 and worry. Thanksgiving takes our eyes off the 00:21:32.940 --> 00:21:36.700 object of our anxiety and re -centers them on 00:21:36.700 --> 00:21:40.700 God as our good father. And that exaltation of 00:21:40.700 --> 00:21:44.559 God makes him bigger and stronger and powerful 00:21:44.559 --> 00:21:47.980 and it lessens the hold of the object of our 00:21:47.980 --> 00:21:51.160 anxiety and it shrinks the hold that the devil 00:21:51.160 --> 00:21:55.369 has on us. It's really important that we be people 00:21:55.369 --> 00:21:59.230 of gratitude. It says, don't be anxious about 00:21:59.230 --> 00:22:02.369 anything. Pray about everything with gratitude. 00:22:02.509 --> 00:22:06.089 There's a reason for that. Because how many of 00:22:06.089 --> 00:22:08.910 you know, anxiety, fear, and worry is just when 00:22:08.910 --> 00:22:11.549 we get into the rut in which that thing that 00:22:11.549 --> 00:22:14.410 we're anxious about is getting bigger and bigger 00:22:14.410 --> 00:22:16.930 and bigger, and it's getting bigger than God. 00:22:16.970 --> 00:22:19.529 It's getting bigger than our trust in Him. And 00:22:19.529 --> 00:22:22.670 so when we begin to have gratitude and we remember, 00:22:22.890 --> 00:22:27.349 this is what Jesus did for me. This is what he's 00:22:27.349 --> 00:22:30.049 doing for me right now. This is what he did for 00:22:30.049 --> 00:22:33.130 my family. This is how he helped us in our finance. 00:22:33.250 --> 00:22:36.109 I can't believe all my children are saved. And 00:22:36.109 --> 00:22:38.609 you just begin to have gratitude in your heart. 00:22:39.289 --> 00:22:42.150 It shrinks the hold that anxiety has on our heart. 00:22:42.250 --> 00:22:46.490 And it may not be flashy, but it's true. And 00:22:46.490 --> 00:22:50.619 there's many of us that are walking in a lifestyle 00:22:50.619 --> 00:22:54.839 plagued by anxiety because we do not have a heart 00:22:54.839 --> 00:22:58.140 of gratitude toward God. And could we just stop 00:22:58.140 --> 00:23:00.680 and say, God, if that's your word, I'll be obedient. 00:23:01.920 --> 00:23:04.880 If that's your word, I'll be obedient. So let's 00:23:04.880 --> 00:23:09.619 just pause. Lord, we repent for being people 00:23:09.619 --> 00:23:14.500 that are not grateful as we should be at times. 00:23:15.720 --> 00:23:18.180 And Lord, we thank you for this gift of gratitude 00:23:18.180 --> 00:23:22.559 that gives us the power to be free from anxiety. 00:23:23.299 --> 00:23:25.380 Would you remind us of these things? Would you 00:23:25.380 --> 00:23:28.200 seal them into our hearts as the command of your 00:23:28.200 --> 00:23:31.059 word right now by the fire of your spirit in 00:23:31.059 --> 00:23:35.259 us? That in those moments of anxiety, we would 00:23:35.259 --> 00:23:38.380 remember to bring our grateful heart to you. 00:23:40.799 --> 00:23:49.660 Do you agree? All right. Amen. Number four, God 00:23:49.660 --> 00:23:53.339 promises to give us His peace in exchange for 00:23:53.339 --> 00:23:58.200 our anxiety. Can anybody say hallelujah? God 00:23:58.200 --> 00:24:01.420 promises to give us peace in exchange for our 00:24:01.420 --> 00:24:06.200 anxiety. His peace. This exchange is not theoretical, 00:24:06.579 --> 00:24:12.240 accidental, or automatic. It must be real, intentional, 00:24:12.559 --> 00:24:18.460 and consistent. I know that's wordy, but it's 00:24:18.460 --> 00:24:22.339 very intentional in its wording. God has promised 00:24:22.339 --> 00:24:25.440 through this passage to exchange His peace for 00:24:25.440 --> 00:24:28.539 our anxiety, but it's not theoretical. Do you 00:24:28.539 --> 00:24:30.519 know what I mean? I mean, it's not like, oh, 00:24:30.599 --> 00:24:35.140 that's such a good poetic passage. No, it has 00:24:35.140 --> 00:24:39.339 to be real. It can't be a theory. It has to become 00:24:39.339 --> 00:24:44.250 a practice. It's not automatic. How many Christians 00:24:44.250 --> 00:24:48.089 have walked in seasons of anxiety and you know 00:24:48.089 --> 00:24:50.329 that this doesn't just automatically happen when 00:24:50.329 --> 00:24:52.789 you wake up in the morning? It's not. It's an 00:24:52.789 --> 00:24:55.769 obedience issue. It's a stewardship issue to 00:24:55.769 --> 00:25:00.250 come and exchange anxiety. And let me tell you, 00:25:00.289 --> 00:25:07.859 this is not a one -time event. Before service 00:25:07.859 --> 00:25:10.680 every Sunday, we have a time we call soaking, 00:25:10.759 --> 00:25:12.599 and there's prayer and worship and portable four 00:25:12.599 --> 00:25:14.819 just getting our hearts, and we pray for you, 00:25:14.900 --> 00:25:18.299 and we pray for the service. And Chris was in 00:25:18.299 --> 00:25:21.640 there leading worship, and I'm worshiping Jesus, 00:25:21.799 --> 00:25:26.259 and all I can think about is how I had a doctor's 00:25:26.259 --> 00:25:29.380 checkup about two or three months ago, and all 00:25:29.380 --> 00:25:31.380 I could think about was the fact that she says, 00:25:31.460 --> 00:25:34.700 your bad cholesterol is high. You're going to 00:25:34.700 --> 00:25:37.339 come back in six months. If it hasn't been fixed 00:25:37.339 --> 00:25:39.740 by your diet and exercise, I'm going to highly 00:25:39.740 --> 00:25:43.359 recommend medication. So I'm sitting there worshiping 00:25:43.359 --> 00:25:47.240 Jesus, and all I'm hearing is that my cholesterol 00:25:47.240 --> 00:25:51.779 is high. I'm like, this is ridiculous. I'm trying 00:25:51.779 --> 00:25:56.690 to praise Jesus, but I'm feeling anxiety. I don't 00:25:56.690 --> 00:25:59.170 take any medication. I don't want to take medication. 00:25:59.329 --> 00:26:02.549 I also don't want a heart attack. So all the 00:26:02.549 --> 00:26:05.170 things start running through my mind. This is 00:26:05.170 --> 00:26:10.150 where I'm going with this. So I'm sitting there. 00:26:10.730 --> 00:26:13.109 Chris is leading worship. People are praying. 00:26:13.230 --> 00:26:20.150 And I'm anxious. And I'm like, this is exactly 00:26:20.150 --> 00:26:27.210 why we need to understand this exchange. so here's 00:26:27.210 --> 00:26:30.049 what i and they're going to do this in the in 00:26:30.049 --> 00:26:32.710 the children's ministry today but here's what 00:26:32.710 --> 00:26:35.869 i want to teach you this comes i actually first 00:26:35.869 --> 00:26:39.289 heard of this um in a book i was reading over 00:26:39.289 --> 00:26:41.769 a decade ago by richard foster it's called the 00:26:41.769 --> 00:26:45.849 celebration of disciplines and he's he's teaching 00:26:45.849 --> 00:26:48.809 about the disciplines of the christian life that 00:26:48.809 --> 00:26:51.289 our forefathers had in the early church and how 00:26:51.289 --> 00:26:55.759 they walked in obedience and he calls it Palms 00:26:55.759 --> 00:27:00.339 down, palms up. I'm not real, I don't think that's 00:27:00.339 --> 00:27:03.039 a real cool name for it, but that's okay. But 00:27:03.039 --> 00:27:06.420 what he teaches is this, and I've adapted it 00:27:06.420 --> 00:27:10.279 just for my own heart a little bit. But so, you 00:27:10.279 --> 00:27:14.940 get to a spot, and if you're feeling anxious, 00:27:15.000 --> 00:27:19.000 you stop, and you make the exchange not a theory, 00:27:19.140 --> 00:27:22.920 but a biblical reality. And so, like I did this 00:27:22.920 --> 00:27:28.160 morning, stop. I have my fist. God, I'm giving 00:27:28.160 --> 00:27:30.960 you my anxious thoughts about my cholesterol. 00:27:32.299 --> 00:27:36.980 I just let go of it. I give you my anxious thoughts 00:27:36.980 --> 00:27:39.839 about my heart, my health, all these things. 00:27:40.240 --> 00:27:43.920 I let go of it. You just turn your hands over. 00:27:44.200 --> 00:27:48.140 And in exchange, I receive healing through the 00:27:48.140 --> 00:27:51.660 blood of Jesus and peace in my heart that I would 00:27:51.660 --> 00:27:54.240 not continue to worry about it. And this is just 00:27:54.240 --> 00:27:57.279 me, for me, I take that, what I've received, 00:27:57.460 --> 00:28:01.220 and I just bring it right here. I just bury it 00:28:01.220 --> 00:28:05.019 in my heart. It helps me. And you know, there'll 00:28:05.019 --> 00:28:08.259 be times, ask my wife, man, I can sleep like 00:28:08.259 --> 00:28:11.900 that, baby. Put my head to the pillow, and I'm 00:28:11.900 --> 00:28:16.240 gone. I'm out. I'm snoring. But every once in 00:28:16.240 --> 00:28:20.440 a while, anxiety just... rushes me and I'm laying 00:28:20.440 --> 00:28:22.740 there and I can't sleep and my mind's thinking 00:28:22.740 --> 00:28:27.759 about all these things and I'm getting better 00:28:27.759 --> 00:28:30.819 but there were times in my life when I would 00:28:30.819 --> 00:28:36.140 lay in my bed for hours and think about stuff 00:28:36.140 --> 00:28:43.539 just think about it be anxious but over the years 00:28:43.539 --> 00:28:45.819 I've gotten better that when I get to that point 00:28:45.819 --> 00:28:50.099 if I will just immediately be obedient to get 00:28:50.099 --> 00:28:53.680 up, go to the living room, get on my knees or 00:28:53.680 --> 00:28:55.700 sit on the couch and go through the exchange. 00:28:56.380 --> 00:29:01.940 It's amazing how God's Word works. And it will 00:29:01.940 --> 00:29:05.779 exchange anxiety for peace and I can go to sleep. 00:29:06.740 --> 00:29:16.210 And this is such an important... thing for us 00:29:16.210 --> 00:29:20.009 to understand grasp and actually practice for 00:29:20.009 --> 00:29:23.869 the kingdom because i honestly believe that the 00:29:23.869 --> 00:29:27.170 church of jesus christ can live in total and 00:29:27.170 --> 00:29:30.150 permanent freedom from anxiety fear and worry 00:29:30.150 --> 00:29:35.329 and we need to but you're going to have to be 00:29:35.329 --> 00:29:38.990 move out of the theory into the practice you're 00:29:38.990 --> 00:29:41.250 going to have to be consistent and you're going 00:29:41.250 --> 00:29:43.230 to have to be intentional about it does that 00:29:43.230 --> 00:29:48.509 make sense It's quite an exchange. He promises 00:29:48.509 --> 00:29:51.950 His peace. That's what it says. And the peace 00:29:51.950 --> 00:29:57.029 of God. I know some of you are like, why do I 00:29:57.029 --> 00:29:58.990 always talk about the language? I just think 00:29:58.990 --> 00:30:01.089 it's important because sometimes we lose it. 00:30:01.130 --> 00:30:03.630 But the Greek word here that's originally written 00:30:03.630 --> 00:30:07.430 in, that's the word for peace in the New Testament. 00:30:07.950 --> 00:30:12.930 But look, the root word is ero. And it means 00:30:12.930 --> 00:30:18.299 to join. And peace doesn't mean the absence of 00:30:18.299 --> 00:30:21.799 horrible things. It means to set at one again 00:30:21.799 --> 00:30:26.220 with God. Isn't that interesting? From the root 00:30:26.220 --> 00:30:30.819 word, to join. The word peace means we were separated 00:30:30.819 --> 00:30:35.180 by our anxiety, our peace, because peace is not 00:30:35.180 --> 00:30:37.319 a feeling. He's a person, the Prince of Peace. 00:30:39.690 --> 00:30:41.990 Right, and when we do this exchange, it says, 00:30:42.069 --> 00:30:44.930 and the peace of God, we will be brought back 00:30:44.930 --> 00:30:48.130 into oneness with God. We'll be brought into 00:30:48.130 --> 00:30:53.269 quietness, rest, and peace. The peace of God 00:30:53.269 --> 00:30:57.750 in exchange for our anxiety. And then he says 00:30:57.750 --> 00:31:01.950 that God promises his peace will surpass human 00:31:01.950 --> 00:31:04.710 intellect, thoughts, feelings, or understanding. 00:31:05.029 --> 00:31:09.450 Does anybody find that to be amazing? This exchange, 00:31:09.529 --> 00:31:12.730 we're bringing all our thoughts, our feelings, 00:31:12.849 --> 00:31:15.269 our anxiety, our words, we're bringing to him. 00:31:15.369 --> 00:31:18.569 And if we'll be faithful in this biblical process 00:31:18.569 --> 00:31:22.549 of exchange, he not only gives us peace, he gives 00:31:22.549 --> 00:31:26.170 us peace that highly surpasses all the human 00:31:26.170 --> 00:31:31.009 intellect, the thoughts, the feelings. That's 00:31:31.009 --> 00:31:37.150 literally what the word... Human understanding 00:31:37.150 --> 00:31:39.390 means here, it's a Greek word, nous, and it means 00:31:39.390 --> 00:31:42.789 human intellect, thoughts, feelings, or understandings. 00:31:43.730 --> 00:31:47.329 This exchange must be real and intentional. We've 00:31:47.329 --> 00:31:50.589 shared that. This exchange must be consistent. 00:31:51.150 --> 00:31:54.829 All right, you're not going to have one biblical 00:31:54.829 --> 00:31:59.309 exchange with God about all anxiety in your life 00:31:59.309 --> 00:32:02.470 for the rest of your life. Most likely, the enemy 00:32:02.470 --> 00:32:05.609 is going to bring something else to be anxious 00:32:05.609 --> 00:32:08.309 or worry, and you're going to be tempted with 00:32:08.309 --> 00:32:12.950 it. And so for a while, if you find yourself 00:32:12.950 --> 00:32:15.369 really struggling with anxiety, worry, and fear 00:32:15.369 --> 00:32:18.869 for a while, you maybe have to go through this 00:32:18.869 --> 00:32:23.089 exchange quite often. And it's beautiful. It's 00:32:23.089 --> 00:32:26.190 wonderful. Why not? But they're going to come 00:32:26.190 --> 00:32:29.390 as a lifestyle, right, that there's going to 00:32:29.390 --> 00:32:32.880 be more permanent and consistent freedom. in 00:32:32.880 --> 00:32:35.839 your life from anxiety altogether. Alright, does 00:32:35.839 --> 00:32:38.579 this make sense to you? Are you good? Are you 00:32:38.579 --> 00:32:44.519 with me? Wow. Tough crowd today. Alright. So, 00:32:44.660 --> 00:32:50.839 the exchange. Could we just pause and receive 00:32:50.839 --> 00:32:54.559 from the Lord an invitation into this kind of 00:32:54.559 --> 00:33:00.569 lifestyle? If you need to repent, change the 00:33:00.569 --> 00:33:02.569 way you think about it according to the Scripture, 00:33:02.789 --> 00:33:09.170 just do that. If you need to make an exchange 00:33:09.170 --> 00:33:32.730 right now, do that. Are you okay with the whole 00:33:32.730 --> 00:33:40.910 palms down, palms up? You okay with that? You're 00:33:40.910 --> 00:33:44.170 like, man, it feels like new agey to me. I don't 00:33:44.170 --> 00:33:45.750 know what to tell you. You're not meditating. 00:33:46.190 --> 00:33:49.049 You're being obedient to the Scripture. But you 00:33:49.049 --> 00:33:51.390 have the Spirit of God in you, the Word of God 00:33:51.390 --> 00:33:54.289 in your lap. You take it to the Lord. But I know 00:33:54.289 --> 00:33:59.150 this, the exchange is vitally important to kingdom 00:33:59.150 --> 00:34:04.009 people. however you want to approach God about 00:34:04.009 --> 00:34:05.769 it. Alright, can we close with this, number five? 00:34:07.630 --> 00:34:11.429 Number three, thanksgiving is a gift. Number 00:34:11.429 --> 00:34:15.130 four, God promises an exchange. And number five, 00:34:15.289 --> 00:34:20.289 this promise not only offers us real -time relief 00:34:20.289 --> 00:34:23.849 from anxiety, but this exchange will fortify 00:34:23.849 --> 00:34:27.409 and protect our hearts and minds, sustaining 00:34:27.409 --> 00:34:30.940 a lifestyle of permanent victory. Let's read 00:34:30.940 --> 00:34:36.760 what the Word says here. Do not be anxious about 00:34:36.760 --> 00:34:38.860 anything but in everything by prayer and petition. 00:34:39.119 --> 00:34:41.760 With thanksgiving, present your request to God. 00:34:42.139 --> 00:34:46.039 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, 00:34:46.320 --> 00:34:52.179 will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. 00:34:56.000 --> 00:35:02.880 Kind of a big deal. The word guard here, phoreo, 00:35:03.039 --> 00:35:06.300 strong concordance of Greek words. I want you 00:35:06.300 --> 00:35:08.099 to see these three definitions. I'm not making 00:35:08.099 --> 00:35:10.699 this up. This is the Greek lexicon. This is the 00:35:10.699 --> 00:35:13.820 Greek dictionary for this word used by guard. 00:35:13.960 --> 00:35:17.539 Look at these three definitions. It says in exchange, 00:35:17.960 --> 00:35:21.840 God's going to give us his peace that will be 00:35:21.840 --> 00:35:24.599 a watcher in advance. It's going to go before 00:35:24.599 --> 00:35:28.400 us in advance of our issues and be a watchman. 00:35:28.800 --> 00:35:31.460 The peace of God will. On top of that, it's going 00:35:31.460 --> 00:35:34.000 to be to mount a guard at the gate. The current 00:35:34.000 --> 00:35:36.559 situation, the relief, the freedom currently. 00:35:37.280 --> 00:35:40.139 And then thirdly, to protect with a garrison 00:35:40.139 --> 00:35:43.079 to him in. So after the victory is won, God's 00:35:43.079 --> 00:35:46.320 going to station a garrison. A garrison of what? 00:35:47.480 --> 00:35:49.599 Did you know that in the Old Testament, when 00:35:49.599 --> 00:35:52.860 the Word of God calls God the Lord Almighty, 00:35:53.239 --> 00:35:58.360 it's actually in Hebrew? the Lord of angel armies, 00:35:58.539 --> 00:36:08.300 the host of angel armies. Our God is a mighty 00:36:08.300 --> 00:36:15.260 warrior. And when he says, if you in your frailness 00:36:15.260 --> 00:36:18.079 would be willing to obey me in this exchange, 00:36:18.460 --> 00:36:21.239 I will not only take your anxiety in the moment 00:36:21.239 --> 00:36:24.650 and give you my peace. But because of my promise, 00:36:24.789 --> 00:36:27.829 I will actually set that peace as a guard over 00:36:27.829 --> 00:36:31.170 your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. It'll 00:36:31.170 --> 00:36:33.929 go before you and protect you. It'll be stationed 00:36:33.929 --> 00:36:36.489 with you in the moment of anxiety. And I will 00:36:36.489 --> 00:36:39.349 hem you in with it and leave a garrison of angel 00:36:39.349 --> 00:36:44.469 armies for your protection. Quite a promise. 00:36:48.329 --> 00:36:52.789 What is significant about hearts and minds? And 00:36:52.789 --> 00:36:57.469 it will guard your hearts and minds in Christ 00:36:57.469 --> 00:37:02.130 Jesus. If you think about the heart and what 00:37:02.130 --> 00:37:05.730 the Bible says about the heart. Danny, one of 00:37:05.730 --> 00:37:07.829 our elders here, introduced me to a man and he 00:37:07.829 --> 00:37:10.769 became my disciple maker for a number of years. 00:37:10.929 --> 00:37:13.449 JD, he's gone on to be with the Lord Jesus. Love 00:37:13.449 --> 00:37:16.210 him. One of the most important things that he 00:37:16.210 --> 00:37:20.059 taught me from the scriptures was Jesse. Your 00:37:20.059 --> 00:37:24.780 heart is a treasure chest of truth. And whatever 00:37:24.780 --> 00:37:27.360 truths you put into that treasure chest, the 00:37:27.360 --> 00:37:30.039 Bible says out of that heart will flow all the 00:37:30.039 --> 00:37:33.780 issues of life. Out of that heart will flow your 00:37:33.780 --> 00:37:37.719 words. That's what Matthew said. In Luke, out 00:37:37.719 --> 00:37:40.119 of that heart, what you put in that heart will 00:37:40.119 --> 00:37:42.460 flow the fruit of your life. A good tree will 00:37:42.460 --> 00:37:45.219 bear good fruit. A bad tree will bear bad fruit 00:37:45.219 --> 00:37:47.820 brought out of the treasures held in your heart. 00:37:47.920 --> 00:37:51.320 That's what Jesus said. And so it says it's very 00:37:51.320 --> 00:37:55.400 important that the things that you say are true 00:37:55.400 --> 00:37:58.280 are actually biblical truths. Because you can 00:37:58.280 --> 00:38:01.360 take a religious truth that's slightly canted, 00:38:01.360 --> 00:38:04.219 slightly not right, put it in the treasure chest 00:38:04.219 --> 00:38:06.599 of your heart, and how you think about God will 00:38:06.599 --> 00:38:12.139 produce things that are not kingdom fruit. You 00:38:12.139 --> 00:38:15.199 have to be careful, Jesse, about lies that you 00:38:15.199 --> 00:38:17.219 receive from the enemy, and you don't start to 00:38:17.219 --> 00:38:19.840 hide those lies in the treasure chest of your 00:38:19.840 --> 00:38:22.900 heart, because out of that heart flows everything 00:38:22.900 --> 00:38:26.619 in your life. All the streams of your life, your 00:38:26.619 --> 00:38:29.039 words, your fruit, everything comes out of the 00:38:29.039 --> 00:38:31.619 heart. And when the Word of God says, if you 00:38:31.619 --> 00:38:34.829 will come to me, Don't be anxious about anything, 00:38:35.010 --> 00:38:38.550 son. Instead, pray to me about everything and 00:38:38.550 --> 00:38:41.650 exchange your anxiety for my peace. If you'll 00:38:41.650 --> 00:38:48.530 do that, I will guard your heart. Will guard 00:38:48.530 --> 00:38:54.449 your heart. You see how important that is? That 00:38:54.449 --> 00:38:57.449 we're not settling for a lifestyle of anxiety 00:38:57.449 --> 00:39:01.690 and worry and disobedience. Because our heart, 00:39:02.059 --> 00:39:07.639 gives everything in our life. And it has to be 00:39:07.639 --> 00:39:11.360 protected. That's why Solomon said, above all 00:39:11.360 --> 00:39:15.880 else, son, guard your heart. Because everything 00:39:15.880 --> 00:39:20.780 comes out of it. It's significant. But not only 00:39:20.780 --> 00:39:23.159 our heart, our treasure chest, our truth chest, 00:39:23.360 --> 00:39:25.920 which we need to be guarded by the Holy Spirit 00:39:25.920 --> 00:39:28.820 and the man Jesus Christ. But he says, I will 00:39:28.820 --> 00:39:32.639 guard your hearts and your minds. This, it's 00:39:32.639 --> 00:39:35.639 just getting better. It's just getting better. 00:39:35.780 --> 00:39:39.219 Why is the mind important? It is the battlefield 00:39:39.219 --> 00:39:43.719 of the kingdom of heaven. The mind is the battlefield. 00:39:43.880 --> 00:39:46.739 Think about all the things that Jesus taught 00:39:46.739 --> 00:39:50.340 about your thoughts and, and how you understand 00:39:50.340 --> 00:39:53.300 who God is and the word of God. You have heard 00:39:53.300 --> 00:39:55.989 it said this, but I'm telling you this. He said, 00:39:56.030 --> 00:39:58.610 repent, which means literally change the way 00:39:58.610 --> 00:40:04.489 you think. Why is the mind so important? I heard 00:40:04.489 --> 00:40:07.030 this, and I was probably in high school. I think 00:40:07.030 --> 00:40:08.869 it was in high school. And I remember hearing 00:40:08.869 --> 00:40:11.829 it, writing it down in a journal. And it's always 00:40:11.829 --> 00:40:14.050 stuck with me. And you probably heard something 00:40:14.050 --> 00:40:17.789 like it. But it says this, if you sow a thought, 00:40:17.949 --> 00:40:21.869 you'll reap an act. If you sow an act, you reap 00:40:21.869 --> 00:40:24.940 a habit. If you sow a habit, you reap a lifestyle. 00:40:25.360 --> 00:40:29.820 If you sow a lifestyle, you reap a destiny. And 00:40:29.820 --> 00:40:32.519 if you boil down the destiny of your life, it 00:40:32.519 --> 00:40:36.760 comes down to the things you think about. Are 00:40:36.760 --> 00:40:40.840 they true? Are they God? Are they righteous? 00:40:42.260 --> 00:40:45.239 I can't tell you how badly we need our minds 00:40:45.239 --> 00:40:48.880 guarded. I mean, we're in a world that is shouting 00:40:48.880 --> 00:40:51.599 at us from every angle with such loud voices. 00:40:51.659 --> 00:40:54.719 Everywhere we go, we're hearing loud voices, 00:40:54.780 --> 00:40:58.000 and they're coming into our mind, and we're hearing 00:40:58.000 --> 00:41:00.380 intrusive thoughts about hurting ourselves, and 00:41:00.380 --> 00:41:02.519 we're thinking about things, and we think we're 00:41:02.519 --> 00:41:05.199 going crazy when all it is is an enemy trying 00:41:05.199 --> 00:41:07.340 to rob the kingdom of heaven from our lives. 00:41:13.449 --> 00:41:16.730 It's such an epidemic right now, intrusive thoughts 00:41:16.730 --> 00:41:19.230 about self -harm. It's in the church. It's out 00:41:19.230 --> 00:41:21.289 of the church. It's in young people. It's in 00:41:21.289 --> 00:41:24.610 old people. It's in men. It's in women. The devil 00:41:24.610 --> 00:41:27.690 coming in with lies to say, you're going to feel 00:41:27.690 --> 00:41:33.289 better if you harm yourself. Oh, Lord, we need 00:41:33.289 --> 00:41:39.030 our minds protected. And he said, son, if you'll 00:41:39.030 --> 00:41:42.150 be faithful to do this, don't settle for a life 00:41:42.150 --> 00:41:45.179 of anxiety. Pick up a life of constantly talking 00:41:45.179 --> 00:41:47.840 with me about everything. And when you get overwhelmed, 00:41:47.960 --> 00:41:50.179 exchange your anxiety for my peace. And if you 00:41:50.179 --> 00:41:53.360 do this, son, I'll not only guard your heart, 00:41:53.480 --> 00:41:58.900 I will guard your mind. I will go before you 00:41:58.900 --> 00:42:02.579 in advance and guard your mind. I'll mount a 00:42:02.579 --> 00:42:05.980 guard at the gate of your mind. I'll protect 00:42:05.980 --> 00:42:08.280 with the garrison. I'll hem in your thoughts. 00:42:08.320 --> 00:42:18.699 I'll protect you from the back end also. Fabulous. 00:42:18.699 --> 00:42:23.699 Alright. And let me ask you this last question. 00:42:24.460 --> 00:42:30.019 And who is it that will seal this freedom from 00:42:30.019 --> 00:42:37.900 anxiety forever? Christ Jesus. And I will guard 00:42:37.900 --> 00:42:41.710 your hearts and minds in Christ. Christ Jesus. 00:42:43.050 --> 00:42:46.409 Did you know that Christ is not Jesus' last name? 00:42:47.010 --> 00:42:55.429 Right? Christ is a title given to the King of 00:42:55.429 --> 00:43:00.889 Kings. It means the Anointed One. The One endowed 00:43:00.889 --> 00:43:07.769 with all divine authority. And when Jesus guards 00:43:07.769 --> 00:43:11.130 your heart and mind, you are well guarded, my 00:43:11.130 --> 00:43:16.130 friends. When the one with total victory, total 00:43:16.130 --> 00:43:19.030 authority, unlimited resources in the kingdom 00:43:19.030 --> 00:43:21.469 of heaven, when he guards your heart and mind, 00:43:21.570 --> 00:43:27.650 you are fruitful for the kingdom of heaven. Yeah, 00:43:27.650 --> 00:43:30.489 I know some of you know this, but I work part 00:43:30.489 --> 00:43:34.530 -time in private security world, and we actually 00:43:34.530 --> 00:43:37.309 had a client that our company was guarding last 00:43:37.309 --> 00:43:42.119 year that was killed. Was killed on our watch. 00:43:42.199 --> 00:43:44.539 The company. When we were supposed to be guarding 00:43:44.539 --> 00:43:48.559 him, he was killed. Assassinated, actually. And 00:43:48.559 --> 00:43:54.880 I know the men that are on that detail that were 00:43:54.880 --> 00:43:57.539 there that day. I know them intimately. They're 00:43:57.539 --> 00:44:00.599 not just acquaintances. They're friends for years 00:44:00.599 --> 00:44:06.579 now. Fantastic guys. Highly trained. Highly motivated. 00:44:06.940 --> 00:44:10.719 But in that situation, they did not have the 00:44:10.719 --> 00:44:15.019 authority or the resources they needed to guard 00:44:15.019 --> 00:44:19.460 the principle. And they were left vulnerable, 00:44:19.760 --> 00:44:22.539 and the principle was left vulnerable, and it 00:44:22.539 --> 00:44:28.679 was a devastating disaster. In contrast, when 00:44:28.679 --> 00:44:33.179 Jesus, the Christ, guards your heart and mind, 00:44:33.320 --> 00:44:38.219 there is no weapon of the enemy that can prosper. 00:44:41.039 --> 00:44:52.480 Are you with me? This is not just some great 00:44:52.480 --> 00:44:57.539 passage. This is a key to a lifestyle of permanent 00:44:57.539 --> 00:45:02.079 freedom. And in that freedom, an increase in 00:45:02.079 --> 00:45:04.820 fruit that will last, that we will lay at the 00:45:04.820 --> 00:45:11.769 feet of our King in that day. Who wants to hear, 00:45:11.869 --> 00:45:16.550 well done, my good and faithful servant? What 00:45:16.550 --> 00:45:19.449 else are we living for? What else are we living 00:45:19.449 --> 00:45:23.070 for? But to release the kingdom of heaven on 00:45:23.070 --> 00:45:26.289 this earth so that all men will know the reign 00:45:26.289 --> 00:45:32.309 of our King. I believe it's time for anxiety, 00:45:32.369 --> 00:45:36.789 fear, and worry to be permanently extinguished 00:45:36.789 --> 00:45:42.179 from my life. and our life as a church. And I 00:45:42.179 --> 00:45:44.480 believe that this passage has great power to 00:45:44.480 --> 00:45:47.460 do that. And I'm excited. I'm excited about what 00:45:47.460 --> 00:45:54.739 is to come. Because you've got just a few. You've 00:45:54.739 --> 00:45:57.780 got just a few kingdom -minded people that are 00:45:57.780 --> 00:46:00.119 planting the truths of God in their heart. They 00:46:00.119 --> 00:46:02.860 are guarded by the authority and power of Christ 00:46:02.860 --> 00:46:06.639 Jesus operating in the kingdom. That's world 00:46:06.639 --> 00:46:10.360 -changing stuff right there. You are world -changing 00:46:10.360 --> 00:46:15.059 stuff right there. All right. If you would say 00:46:15.059 --> 00:46:18.860 yes to this exchange lifestyle, let's just close 00:46:18.860 --> 00:46:21.360 our eyes. Can we do that? Close our eyes. If 00:46:21.360 --> 00:46:25.380 you are saying, I want to receive this passage 00:46:25.380 --> 00:46:27.519 of Scripture in full faith, I want this to become 00:46:27.519 --> 00:46:29.940 my life, if that's you, would you just stand 00:46:29.940 --> 00:46:32.380 up as your commitment? Don't worry about what 00:46:32.380 --> 00:46:36.059 anybody else is doing. It does not matter. It's 00:46:36.059 --> 00:46:41.010 you and God. if you're saying yes to God, to 00:46:41.010 --> 00:46:44.130 permanent freedom from anxiety, fear, and worry 00:46:44.130 --> 00:46:52.849 through the exchange lifestyle. Father, I thank 00:46:52.849 --> 00:46:56.769 You for the gift that is Your Holy Word that 00:46:56.769 --> 00:47:00.610 does not compromise and it is always true and 00:47:00.610 --> 00:47:05.070 right and powerful. And God, we say thank you 00:47:05.070 --> 00:47:09.250 for Philippians 4, 6, and 7 and what it offers 00:47:09.250 --> 00:47:12.769 us. And we are saying yes to you right now. God, 00:47:12.829 --> 00:47:15.630 as we say yes, would you release grace that's 00:47:15.630 --> 00:47:19.530 necessary in our lives for us to walk this out 00:47:19.530 --> 00:47:22.650 in obedience? Even though we hear your word and 00:47:22.650 --> 00:47:25.090 our heart is convinced by your Holy Spirit and 00:47:25.090 --> 00:47:27.730 we long to be obedient, our obedience is not 00:47:27.730 --> 00:47:32.380 even possible unless you help us. So would you 00:47:32.380 --> 00:47:35.139 release grace over us? We receive it right now. 00:47:35.159 --> 00:47:37.719 If you've called us not to be anxious, but to 00:47:37.719 --> 00:47:40.199 pray about everything in exchange and be guarded, 00:47:40.219 --> 00:47:45.099 we say yes. We say yes. Help us in this, Lord. 00:47:45.260 --> 00:47:49.039 I pray for my friends that are here and those 00:47:49.039 --> 00:47:52.139 that are listening online. I pray that the devil 00:47:52.139 --> 00:47:55.380 will never have the free pass of anxiety again. 00:47:55.460 --> 00:47:59.659 It will always be contested. by Your Word and 00:47:59.659 --> 00:48:03.099 the power of Your Holy Spirit from this day forward. 00:48:04.019 --> 00:48:07.599 God, redeem us and set us free permanently from 00:48:07.599 --> 00:48:10.000 these things that we would produce much fruit 00:48:10.000 --> 00:48:12.940 that would last until we see You face to face, 00:48:13.019 --> 00:48:17.239 Jesus. We love You and always will. Amen. Alright, 00:48:17.360 --> 00:48:19.460 you guys are a blessing. I love you. Have a great 00:48:19.460 --> 00:48:20.239 week in the Lord.