Bondage

Breakers

Bondage Building (January 9th, 2005)

Generally, each message is a part of a series, that deals with applying the Bible to real-life issues.  Don't worry if you've missed part of a series.  Each Sunday will work together with the other messages, or can stand alone to help you deal with the things life brings each day.

Freedom in Christ (January 16th, 2005)

Freedom in Christ (January 23rd, 2005)

where nobody stands alone

Fighting for Freedom (January 30th, 2005)

Bondage Breaker message series you’re trapped, you’re alone, you can live without the chains Intro:  Philadelphia 4 Video Clip:  Hulk commercial 1 Timothy 4: 1 The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. People will willing give up their Freedom in Christ (Galatians 5:1) to follow the bondage of deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Title:  Part 1 - Bondage Building ** Pray 2 Timothy 2: 24 – 26 (NAS) 24 The Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, 25 with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, 26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will. Build bonds by being in opposition to God. Those in opposition are in the snare of the devil, and held captive to do his will. One sin will captivate you. I.    The centrality of the problem a.  Personal or relational faults that have the ability to enslave us.... .... Rebellion [Ezek 20: 38; Daniel 11: 14], mere talkers [Proverbs 16: 28; 20: 19 26: 20], deceivers [James 1: 22; 1 John 1: 8] (v. 10); heresy; greed [Col. 3:5; Luke 12: 15] (v. 11); liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons (v. 12); myth wanderers, they accept rejection of truth (v. 14); corrupt [minds and consciences], unbelievers, impure (v. 15); actions deny their beliefs [James 1: 22; Romans 2: 13], detestable, disobedient, unfit for goodness (v. 16). Paul names people of this following “enemies of the cross” – Philippians 3: 18 – 19 Paul writes Colossians 3: 5 - 11 - when you embrace this renewal there are no distinctions in people b/c it is true knowledge - you see the hate, bigotry, slanderings, gossips, racisms come when you don't embrace this renewal. b. Bonds are built when we accept our human faults. Chains 04:  i. Paul writes to Titus: The centrality of the problem is the acceptance of their faulty humanship. c. How are people placed into bondage? i. By their own will. d. We need to realize that the problem can occur through the pride of our own soul e. Many of us believe we are out of the devil’s reach f. Many believe that it will never happen to us. g. Judas probably had these same thoughts   i. He was in Jesus’ inner circle   ii. He was handpicked by Jesus himself. iii. Judas was in bondage at the end of his life. Luke 22: 3 . Satan entered into Judas' life through a sin that he had. b. Satan then placed Judas into bondage. What is the problem with this bondage? - 2 corinthians 4: 3-4 o 3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. - While you are in bondage, the light of God is not seen clearly o In fact, John 3: 17 – 21 tells us that when we are in bondage we actually run from the light of God. o Truth of God, Purpose from God, and the glory given to God become skewed. II.    The centrality of the solution The next two weeks – Steps to Freedom from the Enslavement Focal passage of the message: 2 Timothy 2: 26 – they must come to their senses and escape. Not anyone else but themselves g. To escape, the bond must be rebuked and silenced. i. Whatever is keeping us in bondage must first be called attention to. 1 John 1: 9 – we must confess our sins, then He is faithful to forgive us. 1. then it must be rebuked 2. then it must be rebuked to silence. h. You've got to let them go. - The Psalmist states that God is a helper. - He will not destroy the bondage if you want to hold on to it. - If we are to ever find solutions   - we have to start believing and acting the same way.   For example:    Many men believe they are more superior than women.  If you believe that then you need to start teaching your brotherhood to act it. Why women will live longer: Picture 6: Stupid man:   Picture 5 stupid man:   picture 4 stupid man:   picture 3 stupid man:  picture 2 stupid man:  picture 1 stupid man   picture 0 stupid man  I.    The centrality of their demise i. Dr. Ray Ortland's quote. i. "The Christian who is not committed to a group of other believers for praying, sharing, and serving, so that he is known, as he knows others, is not an obedient Christian.  He is not in the will of God.  However vocal he ma be in his theology, he is not obeying the Lord." Chains 01  ii. Romans 2: 13 1. For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. iii. James 1: 22 1. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. j. Titus 1: 16 i. They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good. ii. Paul says that despite their profession of knowing God, their lives prove that they do not. iii. In this verse Paul 1. has addressed the initial issues of the necessity of godly leadership 2. has called attention to the seriousness of the Cretan problem. iv. He also identifies a key issue chains  1. the opponents of the gospel are teaching that what a person believes and how a person behaves are not related, and that godly living is not necessary corollary to God's salvific plan and work. k. The bondage that we place ourself in is the fact that we believe one thing and we act in a totally different way. i. That is bondage. I.    Invitation l. Christ has set you free from the bondage of sin. chained cross 2 corinthians 4: 8 – 9 (NAS) 8 we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; i. But if you have failed to stand firm in the faith or you have willfully sinned, it is your responsibility to do whatever necessary to maintain a right relationship with Him.

Bondage Breakers  sermon series Title: Steps to Freedom in Christ, part 1 Have you ever wondered where God has gone? He isn’t answering prayers.  He seems so distant. Have you thought that you have bonded your relationship with Him? As moma would say, you got the constipation of the heart and James 4: 7 is gonna loosen you up. James 4: 7 – 8 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. • Submit – Greek – upotagete derived from upotage – subjection, subordination, obedience – derived from tasso – I appoint, order, determine, set, direct. Play clip of Waterboy starring Adam Sandler (0:13:08 – 0:14:34) – This is where moma tells Bobby that he should resist girls because they are the devil. 1 Peter 5: 6 – 9 6Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.  8Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. • Humble – Greek – tapeinothete – derived from tapeinos – I lower, humble, humiliate, have little. ** Pray I. Why does James tells us to submit to God? a. He knows us i. To fulfill our purpose we will have to submit to Him ii. Psalm 139: 1 – 4 1. O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. 2You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. 3You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. 4Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD. b. Have strength to resist evil i. The way to rid the evil is to embrace the good. 1. Immanuel Kant states, in his Ethical of Value , that “nothing can possibly be conceived in the world, or even out of it, which can be called good … intelligence, wit, judgment, talents of the mind, courage, resolution, perseverance and qualities of temperament … (may) become extremely bad and mischievous if the will (character) which is to make use of them … is not good.  Power, riches, honor, even health, and the general well-being and contentment with one’s condition which is called happiness, inspire pride … (is not good unless) … a good will to correct the influence of these on the mind (is present). ii. How are we to successfully resist him? iii. By differentiating what is happening in our lives. 1. Part of submission to God is giving Him what we haven’t given Him, what we have placed into bondage. 2. When we give Him these aspects then He can and will set us free. II. 7 Steps in freeing our bonds to submission to God. a. Deciphering Poser vs. Player i. Illustration 1. There are people out there that think they are all pretty. 2. Being really pretty, I don’t understand that. HA! 3. We have to decipher between power idea and true player idea. ii. 1st step 1. Renounce activities that deny Jesus Christ or gives guidance through any source outside of the Bible. a. Ephesians 4: 26 – 27 i. 26 BE ANGRY, AND yet DO NOT SIN; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and do not give the devil an opportunity. ii. Do not let the devil have foothold through any other source. iii. The Bible will rebuke him 2. “I am proud to be Southern Baptist.” a. Because the Southern Baptist does not give guidance outside of the Bible. i. Baptist Faith and Message 2000 The Scriptures The Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is God's revelation of Himself to man. It is a perfect treasure of divine instruction. It has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter. Therefore, all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy. It reveals the principles by which God judges us, and therefore is, and will remain to the end of the world, the true center of Christian union, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and religious opinions should be tried. All Scripture is a testimony to Christ, who is Himself the focus of divine revelation. Exodus 24:4; Deuteronomy 4:1-2; 17:19; Joshua 8:34; Psalms 19:7-10; 119:11,89,105,140; Isaiah 34:16; 40:8; Jeremiah 15:16; 36:1-32; Matthew 5:17-18; 22:29; Luke 21:33; 24:44-46; John 5:39; 16:13-15; 17:17; Acts 2:16ff; 17:11; Romans 15:4; 16:25-26; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; Hebrews 1:1-2; 4:12; 1 Peter 1:25; 2 Peter 1:19-21. b. Here at Epiphany we have one question that we ask in a time of indifference: i. What does the Bible say? 1. We believe this Bible is the totally inspired, infallible, inerrant word of God. c. The activities or resources that detour you away from Jesus or the Bible is counterfeit, for Jesus and the Bible is the only Real that exists in this area. b. 2nd step i. Renounce wrong priorities 1. James 4: 13 – 17 a. 13 Come R164 now, you who say, "Today R165 or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit." 14 Yet F70 you do not know what F71 your life will be like tomorrow. You R166 are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. 15 Instead, F72 you ought to say, "If R167 the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that." 16 But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; F73 all R168 such boasting is evil. 17 Therefore, to R169 one who knows the right F74 thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin. 2. whatever is most important to us will be what we worship. Where our treasure is our heart will be as well. a. Our thoughts, love, devotion, trust, adoration and obedience are directed to this object above all others. b. This object or worship is truly our god. 3. Though we may not bow down to statues, it is easy for people and things of this world to subtly become more important to us that the Lord. a. What is our priority in life i. Matthew 4: 10 1. Worship is our priority. 2. Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: `Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'" ii. John 4: 23 – 24 1. 23Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth." 2. Deception vs. Authenticity a. Truth illustration i. When your wife asks if she is fat.  You are in a loose loose situation 1. So I think, you really only have three answers a. Yeah, you could loose a few. b. No, baybee you’ve never looked better c. Find protective head gear. 2. I chose (1). a. Then it was like watching Animal Kingdom … and the willowbee separates himself from the pack, there is no hope. b. We joke about truthfulness in relationships, but the Bible tells us to lay aside falsehood and deceit i. Why 1. You ought to be a man of your word a. James 5: 12 (NAS) i. 12 But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath; but your yes is to be yes, and your no, no, so that you may not fall under judgment. b. Gossip defeats this thought, because every Real man and Real Women tell you to your face. i. James 3: 5 – 6 1. 5 So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell. c. You are to be a truthful or deceitful person i. James 3: 9 – 11 (NAS) d. You are either following God or not i. This Wednesday for Connect Group – Choosing the Holy Spirit’s Guidance 1. You will learn a. The key to following Jesus is hearing His voice as we walk in a close relationship with Him. b. Each time we fail to recognize or refuse to follow the Spirit’s voice in our lives, our hears will grow harder. 2. John 16: 13 a. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. ii. What does this say about truth in light of the persons of the Godhead? 1. Holy Spirit will guide us from the knowledge of God (perhaps thru Scripture). a. For what purpose i. Ephesians 4: 14 – 15 (NAS) 1. 14 As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; 15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, e. Be Warned:  1 Timothy 4: 1 – 2; 1 John 4: 1 – 3 i. We have to test the spirits because there will be ones that are not of God that will try to deceive us. 1. David tells us that we are blessed when we turn from deception. a. Psalm 32: 2 i. Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit. 3. How can we be strong enough to do this? a. 1 John 1: 7 i. 7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. ii. When you have a fear, it is easier to make it through in the company of others. 1. Fear of the Dark 2. Fear of the Dentist 3. Fear of Haunted Houses 4. Opposing david evans in a game of paintball iii. God uses the fellowship of believers to hold you up and accountable 1. Hebrews 10: 25 a. 25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near. 4. Do not let fear, doubt, misunderstanding, lack of time, talents and abilities pull you away from truth. a. 2 Timothy 1: 7 i. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. b. Do not walk in fear of living the truth i. 2 Corinthians 5:7-8 1. We live by faith, not by sight. c. Fear can control us if we let it. d. We need to renounce our fears specifically for God. e. Fear stands opposed to faith, and true faith must be grounded in truth. i. The greatest deception in our world is the tool of fear. 5. Invitation a. Hebrews 2: 14 – 15 i. Christ made the devil powerless, who had the power of death, so that we would be free from the slavery of death ii. 17 – 18 1. This is how He made this freedom possible. a. Who has fear today – Come b. Who is tired of living lies – Come c. Who here is tired of playing the part for others and wants to come to grips with themselves - Come

Title:  Steps to Freedom in Christ, part 2 ** Pray Lamentations 3: 1 – 18 (NLT) Anguish 01 --  1 I am the one who has seen the afflictions that come from the rod of the LORD's anger. Anguish 02 --  2 He has brought me into deep darkness, shutting out all light. Anguish03 --  3 He has turned against me. Day and night his hand is heavy upon me. Anguish 04 --  4 He has made my skin and flesh grow old. He has broken my bones. Anguish 05 --  5 He has attacked me and surrounded me with anguish and distress. Anguish 06 --  6 He has buried me in a dark place, like a person long dead. Anguish 07 --  7 He has walled me in, and I cannot escape. He has bound me in heavy chains. Anguish 08  8 And though I cry and shout, he shuts out my prayers. Anguish 09 --  9 He has blocked my path with a high stone wall. He has twisted the road before me with many detours. Anguish 10 --  10 He hid like a bear or a lion, waiting to attack me. Anguish 11 --  11 He dragged me off the path and tore me with his claws, leaving me helpless and desolate. 12 He bent his bow and aimed it squarely at me. 13 He shot his arrows deep into my heart. Anguish 14 --  14 My own people laugh at me. All day long they sing their mocking songs. Anguish 15 --  15 He has filled me with bitterness. He has given me a cup of deep sorrow to drink. Anguish 16 --  16 He has made me grind my teeth on gravel. He has rolled me in the dust. Anguish 17 --  17 Peace has been stripped away, and I have forgotten what prosperity is. Anguish 18 --  18 I cry out, "My splendor is gone! Everything I had hoped for from the LORD is lost!" how many can relate? When we are caught up in things that contradict God’s wiring of who we are, then the aftermath naturally leads us to lament in anguish. Three steps to avoid unnecessary pains. I. Release troublesome Bitterness and embrace divine Forgiveness a. Key Thought i. You have no right as one that walks with Christ daily to hold onto bitterness or grudges. 1. It is only those that do not have a daily walk with Christ that demonstrates bitterness or grudges. ii. Mandate:  Forgive others as you have been forgiven for your sin through Jesus’ death on the cross. iii. Ephesians 4: 31, 32 1. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. b. What does holding on to the right for revenge do to us? c. Illustration: i. In his book. Lee: The Last Years, Charles Bracelen Flood reports that after the Civil War, Robert E. Lee visited a Kentucky lady who took him to the remains of a grand old tree in front of her house. There she bitterly cried that its limbs and trunk had been destroyed by Federal artillery fire. She looked to Lee for a word condemning the North or at least sympathizing with her loss. After a brief silence, Lee said, "Cut it down, my dear Madam, and forget it." It is better to forgive the injustices of the past than to allow them to remain, let bitterness take root and poison the rest of your life.  -- Michael Williams. d. Bitterness is Satan’s doorway. i. We need to forgive others so Satan cannot take advantage of us ii. 2 Corinthians 2: 10, 11 1. If you forgive anyone, I also forgive him. And what I have forgiven-if there was anything to forgive-I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes. iii. God says 1 John 3: 10 1. This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother. e. Eight biblical thoughts about forgiveness. i. It is hard to forgive because we want revenge. ii. We are told not to take revenge, but let God deal with the person. 1. Romans 12: 19 – 21 a. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."  Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. iii. Forgive others for your sake so you can be free from the bondage of hatred. iv. Forgiveness is not forgetting v. Don’t wait for the other person to ask for your forgiveness 1. Luke 23: 34 a. Father forgive them. 2. Matthew 18 a. If a brother has wronged you go to them. vi. Forgive from your heart. vii. Forgiveness is choosing not to hold someone’s sin against him or her anymore. 1. Forgiveness is a choice, a decision of your will. viii. Don’t wait until you feel like forgiving. f. Illustration: i. In "The Christian Leader," Don Ratzlaff retells a story Vernon Grounds came across in Ernest Gordon's Miracle on the River Kwai. The Scottish soldiers, forced by their Japanese captors to labor on a jungle railroad, had degenerated to barbarous behavior, but one afternoon something happened. A shovel was missing. The officer in charge became enraged. He demanded that the missing shovel be produced, or else. When nobody in the squadron budged, the officer got his gun and threatened to kill them all on the spot . . . It was obvious the officer meant what he had said. Then, finally, one man stepped forward. The officer put away his gun, picked up a shovel, and beat the man to death. When it was over, the survivors picked up the bloody corpse and carried it with them to the second tool check. This time, no shovel was missing. Indeed, there had been a miscount at the first check point. The word spread like wildfire through the whole camp. An innocent man had been willing to die to save the others! . . . The incident had a profound effect. . . The men began to treat each other like brothers. When the victorious Allies swept in, the survivors, human skeletons, lined up in front of their captors (and instead of attacking their captors) insisted: "No more hatred. No more killing. Now what we need is forgiveness." Sacrificial love has transforming power. -- Don Ratzlaff, "The Christian Leader". II. Flee from youthful Rebellion and specialize in seasoned Submission                                  PLAY  Napolean Dynamite – Chapter 4 (0:09:35 – 0:11:20)                                 Napolean plays the comedic rebellious grandchild Kip plays the whiny, whimpy submissive grandchild Movies like this play off of the nature of humankind. The humor is found because rebellious people and whiny whimpy submissive people truly exist. i. We live in a rebellious age. ii. Many people only obey laws and authorities when it is convenient for them. b. It is easy to believe the lie that those in authority over us are only robbing us of the freedom to do what we want. The Bible calls for a different kind of man and woman of God c. Romans 13: 1 – 5 i. God says we have two responsibilities: 1. Pray for those over us 2. To submit to them. d. Paul tells us that Colossians 3: 18 – 25 i. Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them. Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged. Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. 23Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, 24since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. 25Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism. e. Hebrews 13: 17 i. Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you. ii. John Gill - "obey": by constantly tending upon the word preached by them, and hearkening to it; by receiving it with faith and love, as it appears agreeable to the Scriptures; for a contrary behaviour is pernicious to souls, and highly resented by God 1. Proverbs 17: 11 - A rebellious man seeks only evil, So a cruel messenger will be sent against him. f. What if I don’t like what the leaders are about? i. Then leave, quietly leave. 1. Don’t gossip, don’t plant seeds of doubt toward leadership, just leave. 2. That goes with church, job, etc. ii. Your Biblical Mandate is to quietly leave. 1. Leadership is always taken care of by the Higher Ups iii. You do not have to justify anything, if you do your godly mandate, then God will fulfill his Vengeful mandate 1. Deuteronomy 32: 35 – 36 (NAS) Vengeance is Mine, and retribution, In due time their foot will slip; For the day of their calamity is near, And the impending things are hastening upon them.' 36 "For the LORD will vindicate His people, And will have compassion on His servants, When He sees that {their} strength is gone, And there is none {remaining,} bond or free. III. Fight prideful actions and humbly situate yourself a. Philippians 3: 3 i. Gives good definition of humility 1. 3For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh- ii. No confidence in flesh. iii. Humility is confidence properly placed in God. b. Illustration i. Hudson Taylor was scheduled to speak at a Large Presbyterian church in Melbourne, Australia. The moderator of the service introduced the missionary in eloquent and glowing terms. He told the large congregation all that Taylor had accomplished in China, and then presented him as "our illustrious guest." Taylor stood quietly for a moment, and then opened his message by saying, "Dear friends, I am the little servant of an illustrious Master." 1. W. Wiersbe, Wycliffe Handbook of Preaching and Preachers, p. 243. ii. Today we are strangers of such a humility c. Proverbs 16: 18 i. Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. ii. Pride is the original sin of Lucifer 1. It sets one person or group against another. 2. Satan’s strategy is always to divide and conquer, but God has given us the ministry of reconciliation. a. 2 Corinthians 5: 19 i.  19that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. IV. Invitation a. In the time of hurt, anguish, pain and lament – peace, direction and purpose can be found b. Lamentations 3: 19 – 26 (NLT) Pray01 --  19 The thought of my suffering and homelessness is bitter beyond words. Pray 02 --  20 I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss. Pray 03 -- 21 Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: Pray 04 --  22 The unfailing love of the LORD never ends! By his mercies we have been kept from complete destruction. Pray 05 --  23 Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each day. Pray 06 --  24 I say to myself, "The LORD is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!" Pray 07 --  25 The LORD is wonderfully good to those who wait for him and seek him. Pray 08 --  26 So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the LORD. TECH TEAM – At this point you can go back to the Message title slide for the rest of the message c. As Jeremiah laments on behalf of Israel, we see the cure for bitterness, rebelliousness and pridefulness d. The cure for such brokenness is found in the healing relationship of Jesus i. I am not talking about religion. ii. I am not talking about committees in a church iii. I am not talking about good things and deeds iv. I am talking about knowing Jesus more than you know anyone else, because you walk, talk and hang out with him daily 1. It is only through the daily journey with Jesus that you will be able to fully understand and extend Forgiveness, Submission, and Humility.

Play Remember the Titans Chapter 10 (30:49 – 34:00) We are still fighting wars today that our ancestors fought during their life. Last Week:  Steps to freedom – how to free yourself from current bondage Today:  Fighting for freedom – preventing spiritual bondage What is spiritual bondage? - It is when you allow a sin to captivate your life. How do you prevent spiritual bondage that leads to greater sin, marital bliss, addictions, moral and financial bankruptcies? Anytime I encounter an opportunity for spiritual enhancement (mine or someone elses) … … I recognize that I am in a spiritual battle, and so I use four biblical principles in the fight: This is what I do: I. I ACKNOWLEDGE THE ADVERSARY a. Satan is real. (1 Peter 5:8-9) 8 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. i. An attack is validation of faith 1. When you’re being attacked, welcome to the club. It’s proof that you’re a believer. 2. 1 Peter 2: 21 – 22 21 For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, 22 WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH; 3. Hebrews 12: 3 3 For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. ii. The more you strive the more He fights 1. The fact is, the more you make an impact for God, the more the devil is going to fight you. You never outgrow it. It just gets more intense. 2. It always seems that the more you try to do good the more that goes wrong. a. Consider Job b. If there were no devil, why would God send His Son to fight what does not exist? i. The Bible says God sent Jesus Christ to defeat the works of Satan. The Bible says that Satan is the prince of this world. Jesus said so. He never disputed Satan’s right to work all across the world. The Bible says in 1 John 3:8,  “Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil.” Illustration: Subject: Wake UP A man and his wife were having some problems at home and were giving  each other the silent treatment.  Suddenly, the man realized that the next day, he would need his wife to wake him at 5:00 AM for an early morning business flight. Not wanting to be the first to break the silence (and LOSE), he wrote on a piece of paper, "Please wake me at 5:00 AM."  He left it where he knew she would find it.  The next morning, the man woke up, only to discover it was 8:00AM and he had missed his flight.  Furious, he was about to go and see why his wife hadn't wakened him, when he noticed a piece of paper by the bed.  The paper said, "It is 5:00 AM.  Wake up." c. we typically fight against the wrong adversary II. I ACCEPT GOD-GIVEN AUTHORITY a. We have power i. Most believers are very ignorant about the authority that they have to use against the devil. ii. Matthew 28:18-19 says we have all authority in heaven and earth. 1. Then Jesus says, “Therefore go and make disciples.” He transfers the authority to you and me. b. We have a mission i. He does that because he’s given us a specific mission (2 Corinthians 5:20). 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. ii. When you send an ambassador to another country, the ambassador has the full authority to represent that country. 1. The Bible says that you - as a believer in ministry - are Christ’s ambassador. 2. He gives us power to represent Him, not just to get us out of a jam c. By accepting the authority that God gives us, mandates that we accept all of His authority. i. Authorities 1. Romans 13 a. governing authority 2. Hebrews 13 a. church authority 3. Ephesians 6 a. family authority d. You have the power to do amazing things i. Power Illustration The Samurai Long ago and far away there was in the land of the Samurai a powerful emperor who needed a new Chief Samurai, so he sent a declaration throughout the land that he was searching for the best one. A year passed, and only three people showed up for the trials: * a Japanese Samurai * a Chinese Samurai, and * a Jewish Samurai. The emperor asked the Japanese Samurai to demonstrate why he should b e the chief Samurai. The Japanese Samurai opened a match box, and out flew a bumblebee. Whoosh! went his razor sharp sword, and the bumblebee dropped dead on the ground in two pieces. The emperor exclaimed: "This is impressive" The emperor then issued the same challenge to the Chinese Samurai; for him to demonstrate why he should be chosen. The Chinese Samurai also opened a match box, and out buzzed a fly. Whoosh, Whoosh! Went his great flashing sword, and the fly dropped dead on the ground - in four small pieces. The emperor exclaimed in awe: "That is really VERY impressive." Now the emperor turned to the Jewish Samurai, and asked him also to step forward and demonstrate why he should be the head Samurai. The Jewish Samurai also opened a match box, and out flew a small gnat. His lightning quick sword went Whooooosh! Whooooosh! Whoooosh! But the tiny gnat was still alive and flying around. The emperor, obviously very disappointed in this display, said: "I see you are not up to the task, for the gnat is not dead." The Jewish Samurai merely smiled and said: "Circumcision is not meant to kill." If you accept the fullness of God’s authority (personal authority and higher ups authority) then you can tap into a power for amazing things. III. I PUT ON THE ARMOR a. Let us take a look at the famous passage on spiritual armor in Ephesians 6:11-17. i. When Paul wrote this, 1. he was in prison 2. he was chained 24-hours a day to a Roman guard. ii. Sitting there chained to this man, Paul looked at centurian and used the Roman centurion as a model for spiritual armor. b. The Roman had on i. a breastplate - a piece of metal to protect his chest from spear attack. ii. a strong, leather girdle around his mid-waste to protect him. iii. boots, a shield, a helmet, and a sword. c. You’ve got to dress for ministry i. Romans 12: 1 – 2 ii. Paul says just as the Roman soldier goes out to do battle, when you’re in ministry you’ll need to be dressed for battle. iii. You put it on iv. before you teach that Bible study v. before you teach that Sunday school class vi. before you play that note in worship vii. before you talk to your spouse in the morning A Piano Duet Wishing to encourage her young son's progress on the piano, a mother took the boy to a Paderewski concert. After they were seated, the mother spotted an old friend in the audience and walked down the aisle to greet her. Seizing the opportunity to explore the wonders of the concert hall, the little boy rose and eventually explored his way through a door marked "NO ADMITTANCE." When the house lights dimmed and the concert was about to begin, the mother returned to her seat and discovered that the child was missing. Suddenly, the curtains parted and spotlights focused on the impressive Steinway on stage. In horror, the mother saw her little boy sitting at the keyboard, innocently picking out "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star." At that moment, the great piano maestro made his entrance,  quickly moved to the piano, and whispered in the boy's ear, "Don't quit. Keep  playing." Then leaning over, Paderewski reached down with his left hand and began filling in a bass part. Soon his right arm reached around to  the other side of the child, and he added a running obligatio.  Together, the old master and the young novice transformed what could have been frightening situation into a wonderfully creative experience.  The audience was so mesmerized that they couldn't recall what else the great maestro played. Only the classic "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star." Perhaps that's the way it is with God. What we can accomplish  on our own is hardly noteworthy. We try our best, but the results aren't always gracefully flowing music.  However, with the hand of the Master, our life's work can truly be beautiful. d. When we put on the armor of God, then our life takes on a new meaning, importance and successes. IV. I AIM THE ARTILLERY a. We have weapons for ministry. i. Our weapons are not of this world 1. We’re not fighting against physical people. 2. We’re fighting against spiritual forces. b. The battlefield for spiritual warfare i. Your thought life, in your mind (2 Corinthians 10:4-5). 4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. 5 We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, c. Paul says the weapons i. demolish arguments ii. They pull down pretension d. In this battle for thoughts, what are our weapons? i. You have four weapons: humility, faith, truth and praise. V. Invitation a. Humility i. Humble yourself to stand before your peers and ask for prayer b. Faith i. Group in 3 or 4 for specific prayer circles c. Truth i. Go to a prayer station and meditate on God’s word d. Praise i. Sing the next song with all of your heart