S1: Today on Bold steps with Mark job, we're learning what
S1: it means to be made alive through God's transforming power.
S2: You can resist it, but he'll keep coming back. You
S2: can grieve him, but you cannot overcome him. And you
S2: will never be the same once you have the Holy
S2: Spirit inside of you, because he's there to stay, there
S2: to change you there, to transform you there. Sealed unto
S2: the day of redemption. It's a powerful thing to be
S2: alive unto God.
S1: Welcome to Bold Steps with Mark job. Mark is president
S1: of Moody Bible Institute and the senior pastor of New
S1: Life Community Church in Chicago. I'm Wayne Shepherd. As we
S1: continue our brand new series on the book of Ephesians,
S1: Mark is going to be diving into the topic of
S1: what it means to be made alive through God's transforming power.
S1: But right now, he's going to explain three characteristics of
S1: those who are spiritually dead. Today's message comes from our
S1: When You Believe Everything Changes series and it starts right now.
S2: Paul said, you used to be like that. You were dead.
S2: And then he goes on to describe what it means
S2: to be spiritually dead. He says in verse two, in
S2: which you used to live when you followed the ways
S2: of this world, and of the ruler of the kingdom
S2: of the air, the spirit who is now at work
S2: in those who are disobedient. He gives us three characteristics
S2: of spiritually dead people. Number one, when we're spiritually dead,
S2: we are spiritually unresponsive to God's Spirit, but we are
S2: still influenced by other spiritual forces. He says, you used
S2: to live that way when you followed the ways of
S2: the world. Your spirit was dead. Listen, You follow the
S2: ways of the world and of the ruler of the
S2: kingdom of the air. Well who's that? Well, he goes
S2: on to explain who it is. It's the spirit who
S2: is now at work in those who are disobedient. Who's
S2: it talking about? Talking about Satan. Talking about evil spirit.
S2: What he's saying is that in the spiritual world, there's
S2: good spirits and bad spirits. In the spiritual world, there's
S2: the Holy Spirit, and then there's ministering spirits. But then
S2: on the dark side, there are also fallen spirits. So
S2: there are fallen spirits as the Holy Spirit. There's ministering spirits.
S2: And then you have your own spirit. And he says,
S2: when your spirit is dead to God and your non-responsive
S2: to God, you can still be influenced by darker spiritual
S2: forces that are in this world. And when you're not
S2: alive to God, you start listening to other voices in
S2: the spiritual world. You start being influenced by other spiritual forces.
S2: And by the way, can I just clarify this? Some people,
S2: when we talk about, uh, the dark side of the
S2: spiritual world, they oftentimes believe that sort of Lucifer, Satan
S2: or the dark side is, you know, some red. Person
S2: with horns and a pitchfork and a long tail going, ah.
S2: You have a distorted picture. That's a medieval picture. If
S2: the enemy wanted to influence you in a in a
S2: wrong way, the enemy would camouflage himself as an angel
S2: of light. You don't have to worry about dark, evil images.
S2: What you have to worry about is your spirits not
S2: alive unto God. You have to worry about the impersonators
S2: of God. Oh, there's a lot of spiritual forces out there.
S2: And I'm just amazed at how many people are duped
S2: by throw Jesus a Bible and a picture of a
S2: saint in there, and you're like, well, it must be God.
S2: I've been having this back pain here. I'm going through.
S2: You know, there's a lady down in the corner. I
S2: hear she's like a healer and she cracks an eggs
S2: over you and kind of, you know, blows smoke over
S2: your face, and and and she's got a picture of
S2: Jesus over here, and she's got a picture of a
S2: saint over there, and she blows and says things over
S2: me and waves her arms over me. And it must
S2: be of God, right? I mean, she's got a Bible
S2: in the room and a picture of Jesus. this? Listen. Smoke. Pictures.
S2: Broken eggs on your belly. The curandera down the street.
S2: Let me tell you, it's not of God. Hello? That's
S2: not of God. It's not of God. I don't care
S2: how many candles she lights. I don't care how many
S2: pictures of the saints are there. I don't care how many.
S2: How it helped your cousin or your other cousin or whatever. Listen,
S2: just because someone claims to be of God, they're not
S2: of God. There's a lot of spiritual forces out there
S2: that impersonate the things of God. Anything that's true and
S2: genuine will always be imitated. Always. And so anytime you
S2: expose yourself to that kind of stuff, you're opening yourself
S2: up to weirdness in the spiritual world, and you need
S2: to stay clean of it. The second thing that he
S2: says is this. Not only are we dead to God,
S2: but open to other spiritual influences. But he tells us
S2: in verse three, all of us also lived among them
S2: at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature
S2: and following its desires and thoughts. The second thing is,
S2: when we're spiritually dead, we are driven by the cravings
S2: and the thoughts of our old nature. Listen, when God's Spirit,
S2: when your spirit is dead and God is not your influence,
S2: then what influences and drives your life will be the
S2: cravings of your fallen nature. You'll have cravings. You'll follow them.
S2: They'll influence your thoughts. They'll influence your action. You will
S2: start living what the Bible says according to the flesh.
S2: You just start doing what your flesh wants you to do. Why?
S2: Because the Spirit's not there to speak to you. So
S2: whatever the flesh tells you to do. You do it
S2: because you don't have the influence of the spirit telling
S2: you where to go, asking you where to go, so
S2: you become fleshly. The bottom line of the flesh is
S2: you satisfy whatever appetites you have whenever you want, however
S2: you want, as much as you can. Why? Because what's
S2: driving you now is the appetite of the flesh. So
S2: you lose restraint because you don't have the influence of
S2: the spirit, and you give in to the lower cravings
S2: of the flesh and start living in a fleshly way,
S2: because you do not have the influence of the power
S2: of the Spirit of God on your life. The same
S2: is true, by the way. If you're a believer, you
S2: may be here in a follower of Jesus Christ. But
S2: if you say no to God enough, and you push
S2: God enough to the side, then you will start living
S2: and acting like a carnal believer. Because you're not being
S2: led by the spirit. You're being led by the flesh.
S2: And Paul says, hey, when you were dead. Hey, you
S2: did whatever your flesh wanted to do. So you thought
S2: it affected your thoughts and calls it the sinful nature.
S2: You lived according to the sinful nature. You followed its
S2: desires and its thoughts. Whatever it drove you to do,
S2: that's where you went, because you lived according to the flesh.
S2: So the person that's spiritually dead, first of all, they're
S2: unresponsive to God. They're open to influences of other spiritual
S2: things in their life. And they live fleshly. They give
S2: into the flesh. They eat of the flesh, they gain
S2: the flesh. They satisfy their flesh. They have an appetite
S2: in the flesh. They have less and less of an
S2: appetite for the things of God, and more and more
S2: in an appetite for the things of the flesh. And thirdly, listen. Thirdly,
S2: he says, like the rest, we were by nature objects
S2: of wrath to be at odds with God accumulates judgment
S2: against ourselves. So because we live this way, we continue
S2: to grow in sin after sin after sin. Rebelliousness after God.
S2: We start living a life that's totally contrary to God.
S2: And the Bible says we accumulate the wrath of God
S2: against us. The judgment of God begins to accumulate against
S2: us because despite of your image that you may have
S2: of God, you cannot violate the holiness of God and
S2: expect just to get away from it, because God in
S2: some way is sort of some soft teddy bear up
S2: in heaven saying, oh, it's okay, don't worry, you're just human.
S2: That's not God. God's a holy God. He's a loving God,
S2: but a holy God. And his holiness demands justice. Are
S2: you tracking with me? It's really important to understand that
S2: sometimes we have this image of God like he's some
S2: jolly Santa Claus. Ho ho ho! Are you on the
S2: naughty list? Oh, you naughty boy. Wait wait wait wait wait.
S2: Who painted that picture of God for you? That's not
S2: the God of the Bible. Oh, I know he's loving.
S2: Yes he is. I know he's merciful. Yes he is.
S2: I know he's full of grace. Yes he is. But
S2: do not forget, ever, that God is a holy God.
S2: That the angels fly around the throne of God Almighty,
S2: covering their face and covering their feet and yelling to
S2: one another, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty. All
S2: the earth is full of his glory. His glory and
S2: his holiness is so powerful and so preeminent that if
S2: you were to see a revelation of God's glory, you
S2: would immediately die, because the holiness of God is so
S2: powerful and grand, and we are so fallen and sinful
S2: that God's holiness would consume us. The Bible refers to
S2: him in the Old Testament as a consuming fire. It's
S2: the holiness of God. Yet with all the holiness of God.
S2: That's why when people say to me, I just wish
S2: God were fair with me. I say, no, no, no,
S2: you don't want God to be fair. No, no, never
S2: ask that. God would be fair. You don't want God's justice.
S2: You want God's mercy. Because if God were fair, we'd
S2: be in trouble. So we pray for God's mercy. We
S2: pray for God's compassion. And I love this. So he's
S2: just described how we are when we're dead. We're walking
S2: around influenced by evil spirits given to the cravings of
S2: our own flesh under the judgment of God. Man, it
S2: paints a bleak, bleak picture. And Paul says, that's who.
S2: That's who all of us were before. But I love
S2: the transition. Oh, man, aren't you glad there's a but
S2: in there? But, but. But oh, I love this. But
S2: but signifies is a a change of direction, a contrast.
S2: Look what he says in verse four. But because of
S2: his great love. Thank you Lord. Because of his great
S2: love for us. God, who is rich in mercy. Ah, man,
S2: there's the love of God. God who is rich in mercy.
S2: There's the mercy of God. Verse five made us alive
S2: with Christ, even when we were dead in our transgressions.
S2: It is by grace that you have been saved. So
S2: it's the love of God, the grace, the mercy of God,
S2: and the grace of God I love it, the love
S2: of God, his incomparable love for us, the mercy of God.
S2: When we deserve wrath, he gives us mercy and the
S2: grace of God. This undeserved, unmerited favor of God that
S2: he grants us. It is while we were yet dead
S2: in our trespasses and sins, when we were objects of wrath,
S2: filling our own cravings, dead to God out there doing
S2: our own thing. God looked at us and he still
S2: loved us.
S1: You're listening to Bold Steps with pastor Mark Jobe and
S1: engaging study from the book of Ephesians. And Mark, I,
S1: I love how you mentioned that we've been saved by
S1: grace through faith, and faith is what this program is
S1: all about, isn't it?
S2: It is. Everything good comes via faith. Without it, the
S2: Bible tells us we can't receive anything from God.
S1: I want to take a moment and thank our bold partners,
S1: those of you who give a gift each month to
S1: bold steps, and that means a gift of any size.
S1: Some of you can do more, some do less. But
S1: every gift really is so encouraging. I want our partners
S1: to know the results. Mark. So here's just one example.
S1: This listener writes to us and says, the message I
S1: heard today really blessed me. I'm struggling right now, and
S1: I know the Lord just spoke directly to me through
S1: brother Mark. Thank you very much. Our bold partners make
S1: that possible.
S3: And I love that. This is from Leon in Chicago.
S3: And I want to say, Leon, that's the way the
S3: Holy Spirit works. We proclaim the message. It goes out
S3: at different times in different stations and different states. But
S3: the Holy Spirit knows exactly what we need to hear
S3: and when we need to hear it.
S1: So thank you to our bold partners. You can sign
S1: up to be a partner at Bold Steps. Okay, back
S1: into today's message with bold Steps and Mark Jobe.
S2: He looked at us and his love drove him to
S2: reach out to us, and his mercy propelled him to
S2: see us in a different way. And his grace drove
S2: him to reach out to us while we were yet sinners,
S2: far from him, dead spiritually. And listen to what it says. Oh,
S2: I love this. You were dead spiritually. Our spirits were dead.
S2: Have you ever seen when someone is someone has died
S2: and an air room? They take out the defibrillators and
S2: they say, okay. Clear. Clear. Clear. Boom! All right, all right,
S2: clear out. Now watch it. Boom! Okay. One more time. Boom!
S2: And then the heart starts. Boom boom boom boom boom boom.
S2: They've just been brought to life by the power of
S2: an outside source. Spiritually. You were dead. You and I
S2: were dead. Spirits were dead. Unresponsive to God and the
S2: power of an outside source called the Holy Spirit. The
S2: power of an outside source was applied to our spirit.
S2: And the moment that we heard the gospel, and the
S2: moment that we believed by faith, and the moment that
S2: we were willing to repent and believe and open up
S2: our hearts and receive the message of the gospel. Then
S2: suddenly that outside power came in, and that spirit that
S2: was dead was boom, made alive.
S4: BA boom ba boom ba boom.
S2: And suddenly we were a living being. Oh, you say, pastor,
S2: I just didn't feel anything different. Well, you can't feel
S2: it because it's spiritual, not emotional, not physical. But let
S2: me tell you what happens when your spirit comes alive.
S2: When your spirit comes alive. Now something has changed. Now
S2: notice your spirit is different than the Holy Spirit. Your
S2: spirit that you were born with was dead because of sin.
S2: The Holy Spirit, who's the third person of the Triune God,
S2: comes down and comes inside of you and resurrects your spirit.
S2: And now the Holy Spirit starts speaking to your spirit.
S2: That's why when someone comes to Christ, we don't give
S2: them a thousand page booklet and say, here, read this.
S2: These are 999 rules of what you can do and
S2: can't do. Don't chew tobacco and spit on church grounds. No.
S2: don't say this word or that word. No. Don't do
S2: this or that. No no no no no no no
S2: no no. No one gives you a book. Why? Because
S2: you get something much better than a book. You get
S2: an inbuilt spiritual GPS system. It's called the Holy Spirit.
S2: Now that your spirit's alive, you walk out of the
S2: place and you start doing something, and suddenly a voice
S2: inside says. Why are you doing that? Well, I've always
S2: done it. But now suddenly you feel like, nah, I
S2: don't feel I can do it like I did it anymore,
S2: because something inside of me telling me that's wrong. You
S2: go to talk like you used to talk before, and
S2: suddenly some words start sort of fumbling in your mouth
S2: because there's something inside of you saying that. That that's
S2: not the way you speak anymore. You have some thoughts
S2: that you had before, and something inside of you starts
S2: telling you, hey, those thoughts need to be aligned. You
S2: do things that you've done for years and didn't think
S2: a moment about it, and now you do them and
S2: now you feel sad about it. Or guilty. Why? Because
S2: the Holy Spirit is starting to align your life with
S2: the life of God. The Holy Spirit inside of you
S2: is has awakened you to the voice of God, to
S2: the things of God. And now God is speaking to you.
S2: You open up the Bible that used to be this dusty,
S2: crusty book that only people read at funerals and and
S2: weddings and that you had, but you never read because
S2: you just didn't understand it. And when you come to
S2: God and the Holy Spirit is inside of you, suddenly
S2: the eyes, the veils in your eyes start coming off,
S2: and suddenly it's like things start making sense and coming alive,
S2: and you feel like God is speaking to me now.
S2: I mean, I actually read the Bible and felt like
S2: God had a word for me. I'm actually reading it
S2: and feeling like I'm understanding and growing and that God
S2: is speaking to my soul. Why? What is that? It's
S2: the Holy Spirit. You have come alive now. Oh, you're
S2: not perfect. Oh, no. No. No way. From perfect. The moment,
S2: the moment you come to Christ, you are made alive
S2: in your spirit. But here's the thing. You still have
S2: the same old brain. Your soul hasn't changed. Only your
S2: spirit's changed. But you still have the same old mind.
S2: Because God doesn't give us a brain transplant. So you
S2: can come to Christ, get saved. Your spirit's alive. Get convicted,
S2: go out in the foyer and lust at a girl
S2: who has a short skirt on. You're thinking, oh Lord,
S2: I thought I just got saved. Yeah, you just got saved.
S2: But you still have the same old mind. Your mind
S2: has to be changed by the renewing of your mind.
S2: It's a process. Your spirit is made alive immediately. Your
S2: mind has to be renewed with time and truth. Are
S2: you tracking with me? This is real important for you
S2: to understand. But when your spirit's made alive. Oh, here's
S2: what I know. When you genuinely have the spirit, I don't.
S2: I don't worry, because I know you're going to be
S2: convicted and empowered and dragged back and taken to the
S2: cross and that God is going to work in you,
S2: because once you have the spirit, you are sealed unto
S2: the day of redemption. You can fight it, but you
S2: can't win. You can resist it, but he'll keep coming back.
S2: You can grieve him, but you cannot overcome him. You
S2: can try to live like you don't have it, but
S2: you have it, and you will never be the same
S2: once you have the Holy Spirit inside of you. Because
S2: he's there to stay, there to change you there, to
S2: transform you there. Sealed unto the day of redemption. It's
S2: a powerful thing to be alive unto God. And listen
S2: to what he says. So you were dead, but you
S2: have been made alive with Christ. Verse six. And God
S2: raised us up with Christ. So not only were you
S2: made alive, but you were raised up. Jesus was made
S2: alive in the grave, but he raised up and walked again.
S2: We were we were made alive spiritually. But now we're
S2: raised up with Christ. We we begin to walk with Christ.
S2: Live with Christ. He begins to live inside of us. Listen.
S2: And by the way, you know, people say, well, Jesus
S2: is in me. And technically you're wrong, but literally you're right.
S2: Because really, who lives inside of you is the Holy
S2: Spirit that carries with him the essence and the presence
S2: of Jesus. Are you understanding?
S1: Being raised up and made alive by God? This is
S1: bold steps. And that's the takeaway from today's message from
S1: pastor Mark Jobe. Well, we love getting listener letters like
S1: the one we heard earlier. And if you'd like to
S1: connect with us and share your story or just say hello,
S1: we'd love to hear from you. You can write to
S1: us at Bold steps. 820 North LaSalle Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois
S1: 606 ten. Once again, our address is 820 North LaSalle Boulevard, Chicago,
S1: Illinois 60,006 ten. Or connect with us online when you
S1: visit our website, you'll find us at Bold steps.org. You
S1: can also stay connected on your favorite social media platforms
S1: like Facebook and Instagram. Just a few of the ways
S1: you can stay in touch with the Bold Steps team,
S1: and we look forward to hearing from you soon. So
S1: thank you to our bold partners. You can become a
S1: partner with us when you go online to Bold Steps. Now, Mark,
S1: before we end today, I'd like you to share with
S1: our listeners a little about your brand new devotional booklet,
S1: more Than a Label discovering who you are in Christ.
S3: Wayne, so many people these days have told us that
S3: one of the tactics of the enemies is to have
S3: them live with accusations about who they are or who
S3: they are, not putting labels on them. So this little
S3: devotional is meant to help get someone jump started. 15
S3: days into taking those labels off and taking on the
S3: labels of God. In other words, getting God's identity over
S3: their life.
S1: Well, I hope you will request a copy of Mark's
S1: devotional more Than a label. When you give a gift
S1: of any amount to bold steps today. Just visit us
S1: at Bold Steps dot plus this month. Only when you
S1: do give to Bold steps, we'll be happy to send
S1: you our bold step gift. In addition to Mark's Devotional.
S1: It's a book titled Lies Boys Believe, and it tackles
S1: some of the most dangerous and common lies that our
S1: culture pushes on young boys. It's filled with engaging illustrations,
S1: fun puzzles, interactive challenges, and graphic elements that appeal to
S1: boys visual learning style. The book makes discovering truth and
S1: adventure rather than a chore for boys this thoughtfully crafted,
S1: bold step gift will keep them engaged while imparting life
S1: changing biblical wisdom. Today, we'd love to send you a
S1: copy when you give a gift to support this ministry.
S1: Just go to Bold Steps or call us at 800.
S1: That's (800) 356-6639 or mail your donation and request for the
S1: book to bold steps. 820 North LaSalle Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois
S1: 606 ten. Well, that's all the time we have today,
S1: but be sure to join us again tomorrow when Mark
S1: concludes this message on what it means to be made
S1: alive in Christ. Our message comes from our series called
S1: When You Believe. Everything changes and you will hear it
S1: right here Wednesday on Bold Steps with Mark John. Bold
S1: steps is a production of Moody Radio, a ministry of
S1: Moody Bible Institute.