1 00:00:01,520 --> 00:00:04,080 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Stephen Ferdick. I'm the pastor of Elevation 2 00:00:04,320 --> 00:00:04,800 Speaker 1: Church and. 3 00:00:04,800 --> 00:00:05,840 Speaker 2: This is our podcast. 4 00:00:05,880 --> 00:00:07,760 Speaker 1: I wanted to thank you for joining us today. 5 00:00:08,080 --> 00:00:09,240 Speaker 2: Hope this inspires you. 6 00:00:09,680 --> 00:00:10,680 Speaker 3: Hope it builds your faith. 7 00:00:10,760 --> 00:00:11,400 Speaker 2: Hope it gives your. 8 00:00:11,360 --> 00:00:13,560 Speaker 1: Perspective to see God has moving in your life. 9 00:00:13,840 --> 00:00:18,800 Speaker 2: Enjoy the message now. 10 00:00:18,800 --> 00:00:22,239 Speaker 1: Philippians, Chapter one, verse twelve through twenty six. 11 00:00:22,400 --> 00:00:25,320 Speaker 2: Paul speaking says. 12 00:00:25,079 --> 00:00:27,120 Speaker 1: Now, I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that 13 00:00:27,840 --> 00:00:30,560 Speaker 1: what has happened to me has actually served to advance 14 00:00:30,600 --> 00:00:34,400 Speaker 1: the Gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout 15 00:00:34,440 --> 00:00:36,760 Speaker 1: the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I 16 00:00:36,840 --> 00:00:43,080 Speaker 1: am get ready for a strange phrase in chains for Christ. 17 00:00:44,520 --> 00:00:47,559 Speaker 2: And because of my chains. 18 00:00:48,200 --> 00:00:51,400 Speaker 1: Most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in 19 00:00:51,440 --> 00:00:54,080 Speaker 1: the Lord, and they're all the more to proclaim the 20 00:00:54,080 --> 00:00:59,280 Speaker 1: Gospel without fear. It is true that some preach Christ 21 00:00:59,280 --> 00:01:03,720 Speaker 1: out of envy and rivalry. Paul said, not everybody likes me. 22 00:01:04,400 --> 00:01:06,920 Speaker 1: Touch somebody and say everybody's not supposed to like you. 23 00:01:09,720 --> 00:01:12,000 Speaker 1: In fact, look at the person on your other side 24 00:01:12,160 --> 00:01:14,000 Speaker 1: that you didn't want to look at the first time, 25 00:01:15,480 --> 00:01:19,479 Speaker 1: and tell them if everybody likes you, you're not doing 26 00:01:19,480 --> 00:01:28,760 Speaker 1: it right. It's true that some preach Christ out of 27 00:01:28,800 --> 00:01:30,880 Speaker 1: envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter 28 00:01:30,959 --> 00:01:34,680 Speaker 1: do so out of love, knowing that I am put here. 29 00:01:36,160 --> 00:01:38,720 Speaker 1: I really like how he said that I am put here, 30 00:01:39,560 --> 00:01:42,240 Speaker 1: not by accident, and not even by the decree of 31 00:01:42,280 --> 00:01:46,080 Speaker 1: evil humans. So I might have been sentenced to prison 32 00:01:46,120 --> 00:01:49,720 Speaker 1: by Rome, but I'm put here for the purpose of God, 33 00:01:51,040 --> 00:01:54,200 Speaker 1: for the defense of the Gospel, the former Christ out 34 00:01:54,240 --> 00:01:58,560 Speaker 1: of selfish ambition, not sincerely supposing that they can stir 35 00:01:58,640 --> 00:02:01,440 Speaker 1: up trouble for me while I am in chains. But 36 00:02:01,520 --> 00:02:04,600 Speaker 1: what does it matter. The important thing is that in 37 00:02:04,640 --> 00:02:08,720 Speaker 1: every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. 38 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:13,240 Speaker 1: And because of this I rejoice. Not because everything is 39 00:02:13,280 --> 00:02:16,080 Speaker 1: going right in my life, not because I got a 40 00:02:16,120 --> 00:02:22,080 Speaker 1: new car, not because I got a ring, not because 41 00:02:22,120 --> 00:02:27,679 Speaker 1: my circumstances caused me to have a happy feeling and endorphins. 42 00:02:27,720 --> 00:02:32,079 Speaker 1: But because of this I rejoice, Yes, and I will 43 00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:35,480 Speaker 1: continue to rejoice, for I know that, through your prayers 44 00:02:35,560 --> 00:02:39,200 Speaker 1: and God's provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what 45 00:02:39,240 --> 00:02:41,639 Speaker 1: has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. 46 00:02:42,480 --> 00:02:48,280 Speaker 1: And I eagerly expect and hope at Pocara Dokia that 47 00:02:48,400 --> 00:02:50,680 Speaker 1: I will in no way be ashamed, but will have 48 00:02:50,919 --> 00:02:54,560 Speaker 1: sufficient courage, so that now as always, Christ will be 49 00:02:54,600 --> 00:02:57,920 Speaker 1: exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. 50 00:02:58,040 --> 00:03:02,480 Speaker 2: For to me, to live is Christ and to die 51 00:03:02,600 --> 00:03:03,080 Speaker 2: is Gain. 52 00:03:04,080 --> 00:03:07,480 Speaker 1: I win either way if the situation turns around or 53 00:03:07,480 --> 00:03:10,240 Speaker 1: if it stays the same. If I am to go 54 00:03:10,280 --> 00:03:13,120 Speaker 1: on living in the body, this will mean. 55 00:03:13,000 --> 00:03:14,040 Speaker 2: Fruitful labor for me. 56 00:03:14,160 --> 00:03:21,519 Speaker 1: Yet what shall I choose, I don't know. I'm torn 57 00:03:21,680 --> 00:03:25,560 Speaker 1: between the two. I desire to depart and be with Christ. 58 00:03:26,440 --> 00:03:27,720 Speaker 1: I kind of want to get out of here. I'm 59 00:03:27,760 --> 00:03:29,640 Speaker 1: an old man now, and I'd like to see Jesus. 60 00:03:30,320 --> 00:03:34,519 Speaker 1: I got crowns waiting for me. It's better by far, 61 00:03:34,639 --> 00:03:38,640 Speaker 1: But it is more necessary for you that I remain 62 00:03:38,680 --> 00:03:41,200 Speaker 1: in the body. Convinced of this, I know that I 63 00:03:41,240 --> 00:03:43,680 Speaker 1: will remain, and I will continue with all of you 64 00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:46,960 Speaker 1: for your progress and joy in the faith, so that 65 00:03:48,160 --> 00:03:51,480 Speaker 1: through my being with you again you're boasting in Christ. 66 00:03:51,600 --> 00:03:53,960 Speaker 1: Jesus will abound on account of me. That's a whole 67 00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:56,080 Speaker 1: lot of versus. Let's get the bread and make the 68 00:03:56,120 --> 00:03:59,680 Speaker 1: sandwich as we go. Verse thirteen. I am in chains 69 00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:04,880 Speaker 1: or Christ. Verse twenty two. Yet what shall I choose? 70 00:04:05,680 --> 00:04:09,800 Speaker 1: And the title of the message is choosing your chains? 71 00:04:10,800 --> 00:04:12,920 Speaker 1: Ask the person next to you on your way to 72 00:04:13,000 --> 00:04:15,120 Speaker 1: your seat, do you want to be free? 73 00:04:15,400 --> 00:04:17,800 Speaker 2: You may be seated? God bless you. 74 00:04:24,040 --> 00:04:24,360 Speaker 3: Now. 75 00:04:24,760 --> 00:04:29,159 Speaker 1: My kids have been saying something to me lately, really 76 00:04:29,200 --> 00:04:31,560 Speaker 1: just the boys. Abby doesn't say it, and they need 77 00:04:31,560 --> 00:04:33,160 Speaker 1: to stop saying this to me if they ever want 78 00:04:33,160 --> 00:04:37,239 Speaker 1: to play Fortnite again. But they keep saying you sound 79 00:04:37,320 --> 00:04:40,280 Speaker 1: like an old man, and not just you sound like 80 00:04:40,320 --> 00:04:42,520 Speaker 1: an old man. I can't even use my phone without 81 00:04:42,560 --> 00:04:44,920 Speaker 1: being judged by them. They tell me you did that 82 00:04:45,000 --> 00:04:49,320 Speaker 1: like an old man. You know, all of my extra movements, 83 00:04:49,520 --> 00:04:51,839 Speaker 1: all of my you know, three swipes when it only 84 00:04:51,880 --> 00:04:56,840 Speaker 1: takes one, and they tell me that sometimes in my sermons, 85 00:04:57,080 --> 00:05:01,280 Speaker 1: they tell me the cringiest moments of my sermon, and 86 00:05:01,320 --> 00:05:03,839 Speaker 1: it kind of hurts my feelings until I remember that 87 00:05:03,880 --> 00:05:08,560 Speaker 1: I pay for everything, and then I gently remind them, 88 00:05:08,600 --> 00:05:12,880 Speaker 1: don't let these few gray hairs in my beard fool you. 89 00:05:12,960 --> 00:05:15,840 Speaker 1: I am still the coolest person that you know, and 90 00:05:15,920 --> 00:05:18,680 Speaker 1: even if I'm not, I can disconnect the technology that 91 00:05:18,720 --> 00:05:21,119 Speaker 1: allows you to communicate with all of your broke friends 92 00:05:21,120 --> 00:05:21,640 Speaker 1: who think. 93 00:05:21,480 --> 00:05:27,279 Speaker 2: They're cooler than me, I told y'all jet Lag. 94 00:05:27,440 --> 00:05:32,200 Speaker 1: So I kind of wanted to say that to Paul 95 00:05:32,520 --> 00:05:36,159 Speaker 1: reading Philippians One. I love the text. I've preached from 96 00:05:36,160 --> 00:05:39,960 Speaker 1: it a few times. But what struck me the most 97 00:05:40,000 --> 00:05:45,120 Speaker 1: about Philippians One on this particular voyage was how Paul sounds. 98 00:05:45,839 --> 00:05:46,920 Speaker 2: Sounds like an old man. 99 00:05:48,240 --> 00:05:53,240 Speaker 1: He sounds like he has the kind of wisdom theologians 100 00:05:53,240 --> 00:05:55,040 Speaker 1: call it the weather or construct. 101 00:05:55,040 --> 00:05:56,799 Speaker 2: He uses it throughout the letter. 102 00:05:57,160 --> 00:05:59,039 Speaker 1: The letter, which by the way, he wrote from a 103 00:05:59,080 --> 00:06:02,520 Speaker 1: prison cell, is one of four letters that Paul wrote 104 00:06:03,000 --> 00:06:10,080 Speaker 1: while in captivity, the Captivity Epistles, Colossians, Ephesians, Filemen, and Philippians. 105 00:06:11,040 --> 00:06:12,040 Speaker 2: And it's a. 106 00:06:12,040 --> 00:06:15,960 Speaker 1: Paradox to begin with that he could write the happiest 107 00:06:15,960 --> 00:06:19,960 Speaker 1: book in the Bible in a prison cell, and that 108 00:06:20,000 --> 00:06:23,880 Speaker 1: he is writing about the progress of the Gospel while 109 00:06:23,880 --> 00:06:25,360 Speaker 1: he himself is on lockdown. 110 00:06:26,200 --> 00:06:27,000 Speaker 2: Won't that preach? 111 00:06:28,040 --> 00:06:30,680 Speaker 1: Sometimes it's when you're in the worst situation of your 112 00:06:30,720 --> 00:06:32,719 Speaker 1: life that God is doing. 113 00:06:32,560 --> 00:06:35,320 Speaker 2: The most through you. It's a true story. 114 00:06:35,440 --> 00:06:40,240 Speaker 1: Sometimes when you feel completely limited, you know, when you 115 00:06:40,440 --> 00:06:44,599 Speaker 1: feel like you've completely lost control, that's when God really 116 00:06:44,680 --> 00:06:47,320 Speaker 1: has you in a place of surrender. And that's where 117 00:06:47,320 --> 00:06:50,039 Speaker 1: he can do the deep work and get beyond the 118 00:06:50,080 --> 00:06:54,400 Speaker 1: superficial cliche Christianity where we know all the right answers 119 00:06:54,440 --> 00:06:57,600 Speaker 1: and we think that God is all about our parking 120 00:06:57,680 --> 00:06:59,920 Speaker 1: spaces and trivial things. 121 00:07:00,160 --> 00:07:01,360 Speaker 2: And sometimes we go. 122 00:07:01,320 --> 00:07:04,000 Speaker 1: Through a trial and we get in a situation. Have 123 00:07:04,080 --> 00:07:06,320 Speaker 1: you ever had God just take the steering wheel from you? 124 00:07:06,560 --> 00:07:09,840 Speaker 1: And it wouldn't Carrie Underwood, It was God, And all 125 00:07:09,880 --> 00:07:12,480 Speaker 1: of a sudden you found yourself completely out of control. 126 00:07:12,640 --> 00:07:14,840 Speaker 1: How many control freaks do I have in the room. 127 00:07:15,000 --> 00:07:18,080 Speaker 1: I need to see where the control freaks are. There 128 00:07:18,080 --> 00:07:20,520 Speaker 1: are two things I don't really like in life, and 129 00:07:20,520 --> 00:07:27,160 Speaker 1: I'm comfortable admitting it now. I don't like babies and 130 00:07:27,200 --> 00:07:33,280 Speaker 1: I don't like airplanes. And I don't like either because 131 00:07:33,960 --> 00:07:35,600 Speaker 1: both are things that I can't control. 132 00:07:38,720 --> 00:07:39,240 Speaker 2: I don't like. 133 00:07:39,880 --> 00:07:43,760 Speaker 1: I really don't like babies on airplanes. That is my 134 00:07:43,880 --> 00:07:49,040 Speaker 1: personal hell rapture. And we were on seventy five hours 135 00:07:49,080 --> 00:07:52,680 Speaker 1: of flights over the last two weeks and Elijah was like, 136 00:07:52,720 --> 00:07:54,480 Speaker 1: do you have any tips for getting through the airport? 137 00:07:54,560 --> 00:07:55,160 Speaker 2: Dad? 138 00:07:56,760 --> 00:08:00,680 Speaker 1: And I said, oh, you want that old man wisdom now? 139 00:08:01,720 --> 00:08:03,680 Speaker 2: And I told him what one of my friends told me. 140 00:08:03,760 --> 00:08:05,400 Speaker 1: He said, just keep saying to yourself over and over 141 00:08:05,400 --> 00:08:06,880 Speaker 1: again as you walk through the security line. 142 00:08:06,920 --> 00:08:09,160 Speaker 2: I am not a human. I have no rights. I 143 00:08:09,160 --> 00:08:12,280 Speaker 2: am not a human. I have no rights. And you'll 144 00:08:12,320 --> 00:08:13,480 Speaker 2: be set up for success. 145 00:08:15,120 --> 00:08:21,400 Speaker 1: And so we're interested to see Paul. He's older now, 146 00:08:22,320 --> 00:08:26,680 Speaker 1: it's been decades since Jesus knocked him off his horse, 147 00:08:27,840 --> 00:08:32,520 Speaker 1: made him go blind so he could really see, took 148 00:08:32,559 --> 00:08:35,880 Speaker 1: away his physical sight so he could show him something spiritual, 149 00:08:37,040 --> 00:08:40,360 Speaker 1: knocked him down so he could raise him up. And 150 00:08:40,400 --> 00:08:44,560 Speaker 1: Paul has passed the point now of needing people to 151 00:08:44,760 --> 00:08:47,480 Speaker 1: like him. In fact, if I was preaching at youth X, 152 00:08:47,559 --> 00:08:52,959 Speaker 1: I would say Paul has zero left to give what 153 00:08:53,040 --> 00:08:56,600 Speaker 1: people think about him or say about him. 154 00:08:56,640 --> 00:08:59,960 Speaker 2: Only one thing matters to him now, and it's called purple. 155 00:09:01,520 --> 00:09:10,600 Speaker 1: Not popularity, purpose not promotion, purpose not prosperity. In this 156 00:09:11,000 --> 00:09:17,080 Speaker 1: physical razzle dazzle bling sense, but purpose. Paul has passed 157 00:09:17,080 --> 00:09:20,080 Speaker 1: the point of needing people to validate him. 158 00:09:20,520 --> 00:09:22,400 Speaker 2: And so he says something. 159 00:09:22,120 --> 00:09:24,920 Speaker 1: Really cool, And I'm actually gonna get a bracelet made 160 00:09:25,320 --> 00:09:27,840 Speaker 1: off of Verse eighteen. You can look for it. It'll 161 00:09:27,840 --> 00:09:30,040 Speaker 1: be available at campus resources. You know how we used 162 00:09:30,040 --> 00:09:33,880 Speaker 1: to have WWJD bracelets. This one's going to be called 163 00:09:35,080 --> 00:09:40,120 Speaker 1: wd im and it comes from Philippians one to eighteen. 164 00:09:40,160 --> 00:09:45,440 Speaker 1: This is paul slogan. He says, what does it matter? 165 00:09:46,840 --> 00:09:49,360 Speaker 1: Do you know how much better you would sleep at 166 00:09:49,440 --> 00:09:51,079 Speaker 1: night if you had that. 167 00:09:51,120 --> 00:09:52,840 Speaker 2: On your wrist? 168 00:09:53,840 --> 00:09:57,480 Speaker 1: Do you know how much stress would just disappear if 169 00:09:57,480 --> 00:09:59,800 Speaker 1: you could get Now, you don't really get this in 170 00:09:59,800 --> 00:10:03,400 Speaker 1: your thirties, or maybe even in your forties. Paul is 171 00:10:03,480 --> 00:10:07,200 Speaker 1: older now. They've beat him. He's been shipwrecked. They called 172 00:10:07,240 --> 00:10:10,200 Speaker 1: him a fake, they called him a fraud. He kept preaching. 173 00:10:10,480 --> 00:10:13,520 Speaker 1: They threw him in prison. God busted him out. In fact, 174 00:10:13,640 --> 00:10:16,040 Speaker 1: the first time he went to Philippi, when he was 175 00:10:16,080 --> 00:10:18,680 Speaker 1: getting the mission started, they threw him in prison. 176 00:10:19,040 --> 00:10:21,000 Speaker 2: And Paul did what you always. 177 00:10:20,600 --> 00:10:23,840 Speaker 1: Do when you're in prison, with your feet in stocks 178 00:10:24,240 --> 00:10:28,880 Speaker 1: and your back beaten raw, he started singing praises to 179 00:10:29,080 --> 00:10:33,720 Speaker 1: God at midnight. Because Paul knew something. You can either 180 00:10:33,840 --> 00:10:38,080 Speaker 1: let your chains break your praise, or you can let 181 00:10:38,120 --> 00:10:44,040 Speaker 1: your praise break your chains. Why y'all get quiet while 182 00:10:44,040 --> 00:10:45,640 Speaker 1: I was gone, y'all used to shout. 183 00:10:45,360 --> 00:10:46,360 Speaker 2: At Elevation Church. 184 00:10:50,080 --> 00:10:54,040 Speaker 1: And when he praised God at midnight, all of the 185 00:10:54,160 --> 00:10:59,600 Speaker 1: chains of all of the prisoners came loose. Sometimes, God, 186 00:10:59,679 --> 00:11:04,120 Speaker 1: will you use your situation to set somebody else free? 187 00:11:04,840 --> 00:11:08,160 Speaker 1: Can I stay on that for forty five seconds? You 188 00:11:08,280 --> 00:11:13,240 Speaker 1: have been questioning what you have been going through, and 189 00:11:14,360 --> 00:11:15,800 Speaker 1: it's not even about you. 190 00:11:16,840 --> 00:11:19,240 Speaker 2: God is using some of you to. 191 00:11:19,280 --> 00:11:25,520 Speaker 1: Break generational curses off of your children. There are things 192 00:11:25,520 --> 00:11:29,160 Speaker 1: that you struggled with that your children will not have 193 00:11:29,240 --> 00:11:33,000 Speaker 1: to struggle with like you struggled with them because you 194 00:11:33,120 --> 00:11:43,480 Speaker 1: were willing watch this to embrace the chains. Some wisdom 195 00:11:43,559 --> 00:11:45,800 Speaker 1: God can only give you after you've lived a little while. 196 00:11:47,360 --> 00:11:50,000 Speaker 1: Some wisdom God can only give you when you've got 197 00:11:50,000 --> 00:11:54,280 Speaker 1: that old man apostle Paul Swag where he said it 198 00:11:54,320 --> 00:11:56,160 Speaker 1: doesn't even matter. 199 00:11:57,240 --> 00:11:59,200 Speaker 4: Hey, Paul, did you hear they got a fake Facebook 200 00:11:59,240 --> 00:12:00,880 Speaker 4: account with your name on it? 201 00:12:00,960 --> 00:12:07,040 Speaker 1: And Paul said, right now, I hate to do this, 202 00:12:07,160 --> 00:12:09,920 Speaker 1: but can can we interrupt the sermon? I need you 203 00:12:09,960 --> 00:12:12,520 Speaker 1: to pray for me at every location, and I need 204 00:12:12,520 --> 00:12:13,880 Speaker 1: you to pray for me because. 205 00:12:13,640 --> 00:12:15,559 Speaker 2: I'm not that good at this. 206 00:12:16,440 --> 00:12:20,240 Speaker 1: I let stuff that doesn't matter weigh me down to 207 00:12:20,280 --> 00:12:24,120 Speaker 1: the point that I get so distracted, And please pray 208 00:12:24,160 --> 00:12:25,800 Speaker 1: for me right now. Would you stretch your hands toward 209 00:12:25,800 --> 00:12:28,800 Speaker 1: this stage and say, Father, I pray for pastor Steven, 210 00:12:30,160 --> 00:12:34,160 Speaker 1: that he would stop being so stupid to let stupid 211 00:12:34,160 --> 00:12:39,840 Speaker 1: stuff sidetrack him from what really matters. Now, put your 212 00:12:39,840 --> 00:12:41,760 Speaker 1: hand on the person that's next to you, on your 213 00:12:41,800 --> 00:12:44,760 Speaker 1: right and on your left, and say, God, I pray 214 00:12:44,800 --> 00:12:48,559 Speaker 1: for this person that they would stop being so petty 215 00:12:49,280 --> 00:12:54,319 Speaker 1: and letting little things ruin their day, contaminate their joy, 216 00:12:54,360 --> 00:12:58,640 Speaker 1: poison their spirit, and distract them from their destiny, so 217 00:12:58,679 --> 00:13:00,520 Speaker 1: that they can get focused on what really matters and 218 00:13:00,559 --> 00:13:02,920 Speaker 1: realize that half the stuff they're worrying about you're already 219 00:13:02,920 --> 00:13:04,840 Speaker 1: working out, so they don't need to have an ulcer. 220 00:13:05,160 --> 00:13:07,520 Speaker 1: They can throw up their hands right in the middle 221 00:13:07,520 --> 00:13:10,520 Speaker 1: of the storm and thank you for being Lord of all. 222 00:13:12,000 --> 00:13:21,000 Speaker 2: In Jesus name. Amen, what does it matter? What does 223 00:13:21,040 --> 00:13:21,520 Speaker 2: it matter? 224 00:13:22,440 --> 00:13:24,480 Speaker 1: That's why you gotta go to your twenty year high 225 00:13:24,480 --> 00:13:30,560 Speaker 1: school reunion. I just went, and all the people I 226 00:13:30,720 --> 00:13:35,240 Speaker 1: was so obsessed with impressing I don't even remember their names. 227 00:13:36,520 --> 00:13:40,160 Speaker 1: Who are you again? That's why I was preaching to 228 00:13:40,200 --> 00:13:45,040 Speaker 1: the teenagers at you facts, because if they can get 229 00:13:45,040 --> 00:13:50,559 Speaker 1: on mission with what really matters, if they can get 230 00:13:50,559 --> 00:13:54,679 Speaker 1: a sense of what matters, it doesn't matter what they say, 231 00:13:55,080 --> 00:13:57,800 Speaker 1: It doesn't matter what they think. They don't have a 232 00:13:57,880 --> 00:14:00,760 Speaker 1: heaven or a hell to put you in. They don't 233 00:14:00,840 --> 00:14:04,960 Speaker 1: have a crown to crown you with. People can't complete you, 234 00:14:05,480 --> 00:14:06,760 Speaker 1: only Jesus can. 235 00:14:07,320 --> 00:14:08,360 Speaker 2: Why would I live. 236 00:14:08,240 --> 00:14:12,240 Speaker 1: For the approval of people who can't complete me? Sorry 237 00:14:12,360 --> 00:14:15,280 Speaker 1: Jerry Maguire, Sorry Renee Sealwegger. 238 00:14:15,679 --> 00:14:19,479 Speaker 2: Only Jesus can't complete me. It doesn't matter. 239 00:14:28,760 --> 00:14:34,440 Speaker 1: Because what matters more. Now here's the key. What matters more. 240 00:14:35,400 --> 00:14:39,520 Speaker 1: This is your priority. And for Paul, the priority was 241 00:14:39,600 --> 00:14:43,200 Speaker 1: never a popularity. So some say this, and some say that, 242 00:14:43,880 --> 00:14:47,600 Speaker 1: and then eh and then eh and bah bah. 243 00:14:48,000 --> 00:14:48,960 Speaker 2: Paul's like, I'm old. 244 00:14:49,000 --> 00:14:53,720 Speaker 1: Now I know something, and this is what the old 245 00:14:53,800 --> 00:14:55,920 Speaker 1: minister told me when I was first getting started. He said, 246 00:14:55,920 --> 00:14:59,000 Speaker 1: there are certain things in your ministry you will go 247 00:14:59,040 --> 00:15:02,200 Speaker 1: through that you will question. And I said, well, what 248 00:15:02,280 --> 00:15:06,000 Speaker 1: would you change if you could change anything? He said, 249 00:15:07,480 --> 00:15:09,360 Speaker 1: why aren't you getting your elevation pen ready to write 250 00:15:09,360 --> 00:15:17,480 Speaker 1: down what the old man said? He said, there's a 251 00:15:17,520 --> 00:15:21,640 Speaker 1: lot of stuff that I wouldn't choose, but there's nothing 252 00:15:21,680 --> 00:15:28,800 Speaker 1: I would change because now I've been through enough to 253 00:15:28,920 --> 00:15:33,080 Speaker 1: know that. It took some of the breaking to get 254 00:15:33,080 --> 00:15:38,120 Speaker 1: to some of the blessing, and it took some of 255 00:15:38,160 --> 00:15:44,080 Speaker 1: the betrayals to get to the blessing, and it took 256 00:15:44,120 --> 00:15:48,520 Speaker 1: some of the conflict to get to the calling, and 257 00:15:48,560 --> 00:15:51,320 Speaker 1: it took some of the weakness to get to the string. 258 00:15:52,920 --> 00:15:56,960 Speaker 1: I wouldn't change it. I wouldn't choose it. I thought 259 00:15:57,000 --> 00:16:01,520 Speaker 1: this was relevant because of us are in situations today 260 00:16:01,520 --> 00:16:09,040 Speaker 1: that we would not choose. Nobody chooses sickness. Nobody choose 261 00:16:09,080 --> 00:16:12,320 Speaker 1: as a kid who is off doing the opposite of 262 00:16:12,360 --> 00:16:15,760 Speaker 1: everything you raised them to do. And you find out 263 00:16:15,760 --> 00:16:19,640 Speaker 1: what Paul found out, you were never really in control. 264 00:16:21,440 --> 00:16:23,960 Speaker 2: The more you think you're in control, the younger your 265 00:16:24,040 --> 00:16:24,640 Speaker 2: kids are. 266 00:16:32,280 --> 00:16:35,800 Speaker 1: I tell you, if it was my teenager, if it 267 00:16:35,880 --> 00:16:38,640 Speaker 1: was your teenager, you would be locked in a room 268 00:16:38,680 --> 00:16:43,720 Speaker 1: with prescription pills. Shut up, jet lag, jet lag, jet lag. 269 00:16:44,920 --> 00:16:46,600 Speaker 1: I'll be nicer next week. We got a lot of 270 00:16:46,640 --> 00:16:47,160 Speaker 1: guests for it. 271 00:16:47,240 --> 00:16:47,640 Speaker 2: Rained in. 272 00:16:49,560 --> 00:16:54,360 Speaker 1: Paul's just like what everybody say, what you're going to 273 00:16:54,480 --> 00:16:58,360 Speaker 1: keep me in this prison? I got these chains, and 274 00:16:58,400 --> 00:17:00,720 Speaker 1: I know it looks like I'm chained to the Roman. 275 00:17:00,480 --> 00:17:10,840 Speaker 2: Guards, but actually these guards are chained to me. Now, 276 00:17:10,960 --> 00:17:12,600 Speaker 2: I wouldn't choose these chains. 277 00:17:14,160 --> 00:17:19,560 Speaker 1: But actually, if it takes my chaine to set somebody 278 00:17:19,600 --> 00:17:25,000 Speaker 1: else free, if it takes my pain, if it takes 279 00:17:25,080 --> 00:17:30,200 Speaker 1: going through a season of loneliness to really discover joy, 280 00:17:30,840 --> 00:17:35,040 Speaker 1: I would choose the change. I'd rather have change on 281 00:17:35,119 --> 00:17:39,200 Speaker 1: my feet and be free in my mind, and free 282 00:17:39,400 --> 00:17:47,200 Speaker 1: in my spirit, and free in my conscience. Because Paul 283 00:17:47,280 --> 00:17:52,920 Speaker 1: said to me, the important thing is, the important thing 284 00:17:53,040 --> 00:17:56,840 Speaker 1: is now. It's very important what you put next. This 285 00:17:56,920 --> 00:17:59,800 Speaker 1: is verse eighteen. Guys in the production room. The important 286 00:17:59,800 --> 00:18:05,320 Speaker 1: thing is whatever you put next will determine what your 287 00:18:05,440 --> 00:18:12,600 Speaker 1: joy is chained to. Whatever you put after, the important 288 00:18:12,640 --> 00:18:15,840 Speaker 1: thing is your joy will move up and down with 289 00:18:15,880 --> 00:18:21,600 Speaker 1: that thing. So whatever you choose to change your joy 290 00:18:21,640 --> 00:18:24,240 Speaker 1: to whatever priority if for you. 291 00:18:24,359 --> 00:18:25,040 Speaker 2: No matter what you. 292 00:18:24,960 --> 00:18:27,040 Speaker 1: Would say, because we would all say that Jesus is 293 00:18:27,040 --> 00:18:28,520 Speaker 1: the head of our lives. You don't get up and 294 00:18:28,560 --> 00:18:30,440 Speaker 1: come out here to a place like this if you're 295 00:18:30,440 --> 00:18:32,720 Speaker 1: not going to say the right answer. But I'm talking 296 00:18:32,800 --> 00:18:34,680 Speaker 1: about reflected in your choices. 297 00:18:35,480 --> 00:18:38,000 Speaker 2: If the important thing is. 298 00:18:37,880 --> 00:18:41,320 Speaker 1: That people like you, then when people. 299 00:18:42,200 --> 00:18:44,280 Speaker 2: Like you, you will like you. 300 00:18:47,320 --> 00:18:51,480 Speaker 1: If the important thing is that God loves you, then 301 00:18:51,480 --> 00:18:56,359 Speaker 1: when people don't like you, you still like you, because 302 00:18:56,400 --> 00:19:02,520 Speaker 1: I'm accepted in the beloved. If the important thing is comfort, 303 00:19:02,960 --> 00:19:05,960 Speaker 1: then when everything is just right, and when the climate 304 00:19:06,040 --> 00:19:10,320 Speaker 1: is seventy two point four Fearnheit, you will be happy 305 00:19:10,520 --> 00:19:13,920 Speaker 1: about the climate or the environment. But if the important 306 00:19:13,920 --> 00:19:17,360 Speaker 1: thing to you is not comfort but calling, you can 307 00:19:17,400 --> 00:19:21,440 Speaker 1: be in a miserable situation and turn it into a ministry. 308 00:19:22,440 --> 00:19:26,200 Speaker 1: I'm looking for somebody today who is no longer concerned 309 00:19:26,600 --> 00:19:30,919 Speaker 1: about popular opinion or personal preference. But you've come to 310 00:19:31,000 --> 00:19:33,680 Speaker 1: the place in your life where you say, I want 311 00:19:33,680 --> 00:19:37,280 Speaker 1: to know him. I want to make him know. I 312 00:19:37,440 --> 00:19:41,520 Speaker 1: want real joy, joy that the world didn't give and 313 00:19:41,560 --> 00:19:43,480 Speaker 1: the world can't snatch it back. 314 00:19:46,119 --> 00:19:48,800 Speaker 2: I missed you. Let me preach like I want to preach. 315 00:19:52,720 --> 00:19:55,840 Speaker 1: So you won't be tossed to and fro and yanked 316 00:19:55,880 --> 00:19:59,879 Speaker 1: back and forth by the affairs of life. Paul says, 317 00:20:00,119 --> 00:20:04,880 Speaker 1: my feet are locked and my hands are chained, but 318 00:20:04,920 --> 00:20:06,840 Speaker 1: my mind is free. 319 00:20:07,280 --> 00:20:09,480 Speaker 2: I'm here, but the mission is. 320 00:20:09,440 --> 00:20:14,280 Speaker 1: Moving forward, and the important thing is The important thing 321 00:20:14,359 --> 00:20:20,280 Speaker 1: is you get to choose what comes next, what is 322 00:20:21,200 --> 00:20:28,919 Speaker 1: your priority. And you can't have God's peace without God's priorities. 323 00:20:31,760 --> 00:20:36,440 Speaker 1: You can pray for it. But if you tie your 324 00:20:36,600 --> 00:20:44,000 Speaker 1: joy to how your husband treats you, or how the 325 00:20:44,160 --> 00:20:47,640 Speaker 1: crazy girl in the cubicle next to you. 326 00:20:47,640 --> 00:20:48,600 Speaker 2: You knew she was. 327 00:20:48,600 --> 00:20:52,320 Speaker 1: Crazy, her eyes were crazy. You're gonna put your joy 328 00:20:52,560 --> 00:21:01,600 Speaker 1: on crazy girl. I can't hook my joy to that. 329 00:21:04,320 --> 00:21:07,000 Speaker 2: I can't. I can't hook my joy to what the 330 00:21:07,040 --> 00:21:11,520 Speaker 2: boss decides or what his boss decides. 331 00:21:12,320 --> 00:21:17,119 Speaker 1: My joy is not connected to my job, So I 332 00:21:17,160 --> 00:21:18,320 Speaker 1: gotta find something else. 333 00:21:19,400 --> 00:21:26,480 Speaker 2: And for Paul, it was purpose, not preference, not popularity. 334 00:21:26,800 --> 00:21:27,439 Speaker 2: Someone say it is. 335 00:21:27,600 --> 00:21:35,199 Speaker 1: Some say that wd im wwjd WWI don't care. Www dot, 336 00:21:35,359 --> 00:21:36,440 Speaker 1: who cares? 337 00:21:37,480 --> 00:21:43,119 Speaker 2: Dot com? Www dot? Jesus Christ is my boss dot com. 338 00:21:43,119 --> 00:21:45,800 Speaker 1: Wwws If he says I'm blessed, I'm blessed and there's 339 00:21:45,840 --> 00:21:48,480 Speaker 1: not a thing you can do to curse me dot com. 340 00:21:48,560 --> 00:21:51,800 Speaker 1: Www dot, I'm blessed with a car without a car. 341 00:21:51,960 --> 00:21:54,680 Speaker 2: Www dot. I don't need a watch to be blessed. 342 00:21:55,080 --> 00:21:57,040 Speaker 2: Www dot. If you break up with me. 343 00:21:57,040 --> 00:21:59,399 Speaker 1: It's your loss because God has something special in me. 344 00:22:00,920 --> 00:22:09,840 Speaker 1: What does it matter? And this is your choice. One 345 00:22:09,880 --> 00:22:14,640 Speaker 1: scholar said Paul must be going senile. He maybe took 346 00:22:14,640 --> 00:22:20,240 Speaker 1: one too many to the head because he's in chains 347 00:22:20,320 --> 00:22:24,600 Speaker 1: talking about a choice. I don't know if I want 348 00:22:24,640 --> 00:22:25,400 Speaker 1: to live or die, Paul. 349 00:22:25,440 --> 00:22:26,159 Speaker 2: They didn't ask you. 350 00:22:33,760 --> 00:22:35,760 Speaker 1: I love it when people say I didn't like that song, 351 00:22:35,800 --> 00:22:47,080 Speaker 1: you know, saying Sunday, we didn't ask you when he 352 00:22:47,160 --> 00:22:51,240 Speaker 1: put it as a choice, He's saying, I can't. I 353 00:22:51,280 --> 00:22:53,960 Speaker 1: can't choose how long these chains stay on me. I'm 354 00:22:54,000 --> 00:22:59,199 Speaker 1: still waiting. But I get to make a choice, not 355 00:22:59,280 --> 00:23:04,600 Speaker 1: about what happened next, but about my response. 356 00:23:04,720 --> 00:23:07,120 Speaker 2: And I choose. 357 00:23:08,359 --> 00:23:13,320 Speaker 1: Since God hasn't removed these chains, since God hasn't fixed 358 00:23:13,359 --> 00:23:17,600 Speaker 1: the situation, since God hasn't fixed the relationship, since God 359 00:23:17,680 --> 00:23:20,639 Speaker 1: hasn't given me the breakthrough yet, since I'm still dealing 360 00:23:20,680 --> 00:23:23,280 Speaker 1: with the addiction, since it won't just go away like 361 00:23:23,320 --> 00:23:25,160 Speaker 1: they told me it would. And I prayed that one time, 362 00:23:25,240 --> 00:23:27,199 Speaker 1: and I still went home addicted. And they told me 363 00:23:27,240 --> 00:23:29,359 Speaker 1: that if I prayed this that the change would fall off. 364 00:23:29,359 --> 00:23:32,560 Speaker 1: But the chains are still there. And since and since 365 00:23:32,600 --> 00:23:36,320 Speaker 1: God won't remove the chains, I'm gonna ask him to 366 00:23:36,520 --> 00:23:41,399 Speaker 1: use the chains. That's my choice. 367 00:23:42,840 --> 00:23:44,840 Speaker 2: What shall I choose? 368 00:23:45,640 --> 00:23:49,560 Speaker 1: You have a choice to me, you always do the 369 00:23:49,600 --> 00:23:53,280 Speaker 1: greatest gift God can give you as a choice, he said, 370 00:23:53,320 --> 00:23:56,960 Speaker 1: I'm in chains for Christ. Christ didn't put these chains 371 00:23:57,000 --> 00:23:59,159 Speaker 1: on me, But now that these chains are on me, 372 00:23:59,320 --> 00:24:03,320 Speaker 1: I'm gonna let him use them. 373 00:24:03,560 --> 00:24:07,640 Speaker 2: He didn't bring the disease. He didn't bring the divorce. 374 00:24:07,760 --> 00:24:08,919 Speaker 2: I wouldn't choose it. 375 00:24:10,280 --> 00:24:13,760 Speaker 1: But if I can't change it, God, will you use 376 00:24:13,880 --> 00:24:21,439 Speaker 1: these chains to change me, change others, make me an 377 00:24:21,440 --> 00:24:25,639 Speaker 1: example of your grace. That's your choice, and God's not 378 00:24:25,720 --> 00:24:31,159 Speaker 1: the only one who gives you a choice. This is 379 00:24:31,200 --> 00:24:33,040 Speaker 1: what I was trying to explain to the youth, and 380 00:24:33,080 --> 00:24:35,120 Speaker 1: I really think I was talking to my sixteen year 381 00:24:35,160 --> 00:24:40,920 Speaker 1: old self. That's where I made the choice to follow Christ. Well, 382 00:24:41,000 --> 00:24:43,040 Speaker 1: actually he made the choice. He chose me. I didn't 383 00:24:43,119 --> 00:24:46,280 Speaker 1: choose him, theologically speaking, but it was the moment that 384 00:24:46,320 --> 00:24:48,520 Speaker 1: I became aware of his prevenient grace in my life 385 00:24:49,080 --> 00:24:50,800 Speaker 1: and surrendered to what he was already doing. 386 00:24:51,600 --> 00:24:52,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, that sounds better. 387 00:24:57,440 --> 00:25:00,680 Speaker 1: And I was trying to get them to see how 388 00:25:00,760 --> 00:25:02,560 Speaker 1: you know, over five hundred of them gave their lives 389 00:25:02,600 --> 00:25:13,840 Speaker 1: to Christ. During youthects most important choice they'll ever make. 390 00:25:15,280 --> 00:25:20,520 Speaker 1: But the moment they come to that choice, the devil 391 00:25:20,560 --> 00:25:28,080 Speaker 1: comes with little choices because the enemy sees their potential. 392 00:25:30,359 --> 00:25:33,439 Speaker 1: And sometimes the enemy believes in your potential more than 393 00:25:33,480 --> 00:25:39,399 Speaker 1: you do. And so you get around some friends and 394 00:25:39,400 --> 00:25:44,320 Speaker 1: you're young, thirteen, fourteen, and they're looking at porn. 395 00:25:44,359 --> 00:25:47,680 Speaker 2: It's just a little porn. It's just one time porn. 396 00:25:49,119 --> 00:25:51,200 Speaker 1: And they're calling you gay and weird if you don't 397 00:25:51,240 --> 00:25:54,000 Speaker 1: look at it. So you look at it. It's just 398 00:25:54,520 --> 00:25:59,000 Speaker 1: a choice. And they're drinking, they're smoking, they're vaping. So 399 00:26:00,119 --> 00:26:02,200 Speaker 1: it's a choice. It's not going to send you to hell. 400 00:26:02,960 --> 00:26:07,080 Speaker 1: God's grace has got you covered. But it's just a choice. 401 00:26:08,320 --> 00:26:15,040 Speaker 1: What you don't know until you know is that choices 402 00:26:16,280 --> 00:26:26,720 Speaker 1: don't stay choices. They become habits. It's just one choice, 403 00:26:27,800 --> 00:26:29,400 Speaker 1: just a little you turn up one time and then 404 00:26:29,400 --> 00:26:32,000 Speaker 1: it's like, well maybe I'll do it again. And I 405 00:26:32,080 --> 00:26:35,960 Speaker 1: lied to my parents one time. So you know, y'all 406 00:26:36,000 --> 00:26:41,240 Speaker 1: think this is a youth sermon. If somebody would have 407 00:26:41,280 --> 00:26:46,960 Speaker 1: preached this to a lot of us earlier, we could 408 00:26:46,960 --> 00:26:48,439 Speaker 1: have seen the choice for what it was. 409 00:26:48,560 --> 00:26:52,080 Speaker 2: But we didn't know what mattered then. 410 00:26:53,119 --> 00:26:54,840 Speaker 1: We couldn't know what mattered then, you know. 411 00:26:55,000 --> 00:26:57,320 Speaker 2: So it's just a little thing. 412 00:26:57,359 --> 00:26:59,920 Speaker 1: But then it becomes a habit, and now you kind 413 00:26:59,920 --> 00:27:02,639 Speaker 1: of you keep doing it and it doesn't quite hit 414 00:27:02,760 --> 00:27:04,280 Speaker 1: It doesn't quite get you as high as it did 415 00:27:04,280 --> 00:27:05,880 Speaker 1: the last time. You gonna do more of it. Now 416 00:27:06,480 --> 00:27:07,800 Speaker 1: it takes a little more. It takes a little more 417 00:27:07,880 --> 00:27:10,200 Speaker 1: things you can handle us good. Then it becomes a habit, 418 00:27:11,400 --> 00:27:13,119 Speaker 1: and now you know it's not just a glass of 419 00:27:13,160 --> 00:27:15,800 Speaker 1: wine to relax. And oh, by the way, I always 420 00:27:15,800 --> 00:27:18,439 Speaker 1: get scared when I do this part because it's not 421 00:27:18,600 --> 00:27:22,879 Speaker 1: just sex and drinking that I'm talking about. 422 00:27:23,400 --> 00:27:25,560 Speaker 2: Some of us gossip so bad. 423 00:27:26,040 --> 00:27:30,760 Speaker 1: It would be better off if we were alcoholics. I mean, 424 00:27:30,840 --> 00:27:34,840 Speaker 1: the damage we do with our mouths is way worse 425 00:27:34,920 --> 00:27:36,120 Speaker 1: than what a bottle can do. 426 00:27:36,480 --> 00:27:37,680 Speaker 2: Okay, So I'm not. 427 00:27:37,800 --> 00:27:41,040 Speaker 1: Just talking about whatever specific sin you don't happen to 428 00:27:41,080 --> 00:27:52,560 Speaker 1: struggle with. Some of us are so angry, just mad ah, 429 00:27:55,200 --> 00:27:58,959 Speaker 1: And we used to get mad with good reason. It 430 00:27:59,000 --> 00:28:03,760 Speaker 1: was a choice, but then it became a habit, and 431 00:28:03,840 --> 00:28:11,480 Speaker 1: now it's automatic. You don't even choose anymore. Now it's 432 00:28:11,560 --> 00:28:16,159 Speaker 1: the default setting. Now it's just what you do to 433 00:28:16,160 --> 00:28:20,280 Speaker 1: get your way, and you hate yourself after you do it, 434 00:28:21,000 --> 00:28:23,159 Speaker 1: but it got you what you wanted, so you do 435 00:28:23,200 --> 00:28:27,640 Speaker 1: it again. And it's kind of like one time Paul 436 00:28:27,760 --> 00:28:30,760 Speaker 1: was saying, I don't do what I want to do, 437 00:28:31,720 --> 00:28:34,800 Speaker 1: I do what I want don't want to do? Who 438 00:28:34,840 --> 00:28:38,920 Speaker 1: will deliver me from this body of death? And he 439 00:28:39,160 --> 00:28:42,280 Speaker 1: wasn't saying this before he met Christ. 440 00:28:43,200 --> 00:28:46,240 Speaker 2: He was saying this. As a Christ follower. 441 00:28:47,200 --> 00:28:51,600 Speaker 1: I made some choices. The choice became a habit. I 442 00:28:51,640 --> 00:28:53,560 Speaker 1: didn't know it was a big deal. At the time, 443 00:28:54,040 --> 00:28:57,120 Speaker 1: it didn't seem like a big deal. I didn't forgive 444 00:28:57,240 --> 00:28:59,040 Speaker 1: one person, and I let the. 445 00:28:59,040 --> 00:29:02,320 Speaker 2: Bitterness get a hold of me. And then the bitterness 446 00:29:02,360 --> 00:29:03,760 Speaker 2: was no longer just one person. 447 00:29:03,800 --> 00:29:07,680 Speaker 1: I started getting mad at everybody, and I started blaming everybody. 448 00:29:07,800 --> 00:29:08,840 Speaker 2: And now what's my habit? 449 00:29:09,000 --> 00:29:11,400 Speaker 1: And now when something doesn't go my way, my first 450 00:29:11,600 --> 00:29:14,200 Speaker 1: response is to blame all the people who weren't there 451 00:29:14,200 --> 00:29:16,200 Speaker 1: for me, or if they would have, or if she 452 00:29:16,280 --> 00:29:19,720 Speaker 1: would have. I started complaining. I made the choice to complain. 453 00:29:20,080 --> 00:29:22,400 Speaker 1: And I used to just complain when things were really bad. 454 00:29:22,760 --> 00:29:25,800 Speaker 1: But now now it's instead of instead of his praise 455 00:29:25,840 --> 00:29:28,840 Speaker 1: will continually be on my mouth. Now it's complaint is 456 00:29:28,880 --> 00:29:32,200 Speaker 1: continually on myself. It's a habit. It's automatic. It's my 457 00:29:32,240 --> 00:29:35,320 Speaker 1: first instinct. I can't even see what's right. I walk 458 00:29:35,360 --> 00:29:37,400 Speaker 1: in the room and all I see is what's wrong. 459 00:29:37,480 --> 00:29:43,000 Speaker 1: It's automatic, and before long, it's not just what I do. 460 00:29:45,080 --> 00:29:53,040 Speaker 1: It becomes my identity. Now it's who I am. I'm 461 00:29:53,040 --> 00:29:58,360 Speaker 1: a slave to fear. I'm a child of God, but 462 00:29:58,400 --> 00:30:03,560 Speaker 1: I feel like a slave to sin. I made a choice, 463 00:30:05,000 --> 00:30:11,200 Speaker 1: became a habit became automatic. That's what the Bible says 464 00:30:11,200 --> 00:30:16,080 Speaker 1: when it says, don't walk in the flesh the habits 465 00:30:17,120 --> 00:30:22,840 Speaker 1: of the old life, the patterns of your perspective pre Christ, 466 00:30:25,440 --> 00:30:28,640 Speaker 1: and just keep doing it. It's pulling on you, This 467 00:30:28,760 --> 00:30:31,760 Speaker 1: pulls you back into it. You don't tell your e 468 00:30:31,840 --> 00:30:32,840 Speaker 1: group about that stuff. 469 00:30:35,200 --> 00:30:35,920 Speaker 2: You can't. 470 00:30:37,800 --> 00:30:41,440 Speaker 1: These these these these chains aren't the kind of change 471 00:30:41,480 --> 00:30:47,840 Speaker 1: that you wear around your net. These changes, the choices 472 00:30:49,440 --> 00:30:54,120 Speaker 1: that become habits. Now it's automatic. You didn't even want 473 00:30:54,120 --> 00:30:58,520 Speaker 1: to do it anymore, but you think it's who you are. 474 00:31:00,080 --> 00:31:01,640 Speaker 1: I guess your nature. 475 00:31:02,840 --> 00:31:06,640 Speaker 2: You see that I'm trying to show you. 476 00:31:08,560 --> 00:31:11,960 Speaker 1: And I hope that you'll discuss this with your kids 477 00:31:12,000 --> 00:31:15,960 Speaker 1: after church, and I hope that you'll discuss this with 478 00:31:16,000 --> 00:31:21,600 Speaker 1: some people in your life that you can trust about 479 00:31:21,640 --> 00:31:27,200 Speaker 1: the choices that became habits, that became automatic. 480 00:31:28,840 --> 00:31:32,120 Speaker 2: I'm just offended all the time. Now. I made the 481 00:31:32,200 --> 00:31:33,160 Speaker 2: choice to be offended. 482 00:31:34,800 --> 00:31:39,240 Speaker 1: The person hurt me, and I chose to let that 483 00:31:39,320 --> 00:31:42,600 Speaker 1: hurt on the inside, and I didn't let it heal. 484 00:31:44,040 --> 00:31:47,800 Speaker 1: And now I'm pushing good people away because of who 485 00:31:47,880 --> 00:31:48,640 Speaker 1: hurt me back then. 486 00:31:51,000 --> 00:31:57,880 Speaker 2: And I want you to see how today's choices come, 487 00:31:57,920 --> 00:32:03,120 Speaker 2: tomorrow's chains come. 488 00:32:03,160 --> 00:32:15,120 Speaker 1: Here Nick, Jake, it's crazy, it's crazy how young this happens. 489 00:32:16,440 --> 00:32:23,600 Speaker 1: Because Jake has a calling. Jake has a purpose, I said, Nick, 490 00:32:23,640 --> 00:32:28,840 Speaker 1: because that's his dad. His dad is mcgiver. He fixes everything. 491 00:32:31,360 --> 00:32:38,400 Speaker 1: Jake is a worshiper. The enemy knows that, so he 492 00:32:38,480 --> 00:32:42,840 Speaker 1: wants to come to Jake early in life with a choice, 493 00:32:45,440 --> 00:32:50,720 Speaker 1: certain friends, certain things, certain outlooks. 494 00:32:52,200 --> 00:32:53,240 Speaker 2: What he wants you to do. 495 00:32:56,440 --> 00:32:58,240 Speaker 1: He wants to get you locked up good and tight 496 00:32:59,400 --> 00:33:04,640 Speaker 1: while you're young, because he knows what God put inside 497 00:33:04,800 --> 00:33:14,000 Speaker 1: of you. H he knows that this young man could 498 00:33:14,000 --> 00:33:19,640 Speaker 1: be a chain breaker in his generation. The enemy knows 499 00:33:19,720 --> 00:33:25,000 Speaker 1: his purpose. So what he wants to do while you're young. 500 00:33:25,320 --> 00:33:27,080 Speaker 2: Now, he's clever. 501 00:33:28,240 --> 00:33:32,840 Speaker 1: The enemy is crafty, so he's not gonna he's not 502 00:33:32,920 --> 00:33:34,080 Speaker 1: gonna come at Jake. 503 00:33:35,440 --> 00:33:40,040 Speaker 2: With the chain because if he comes it Jake with 504 00:33:40,120 --> 00:33:42,120 Speaker 2: a chain, Jake's gonna run. 505 00:33:43,480 --> 00:33:50,240 Speaker 1: Right. So he comes I'm helping somebody today. I feel 506 00:33:50,240 --> 00:33:54,280 Speaker 1: it in my bones. With a choice. 507 00:33:55,160 --> 00:33:56,280 Speaker 2: He has to lock you in. 508 00:33:58,400 --> 00:34:07,120 Speaker 1: To thinking, believing, and insecurities early, so now later in 509 00:34:07,200 --> 00:34:11,040 Speaker 1: your life, when you decide to pursue a mission, go ahead, 510 00:34:11,080 --> 00:34:12,399 Speaker 1: try to pursue a mission. 511 00:34:13,040 --> 00:34:17,640 Speaker 2: A Nope, because I got you. 512 00:34:19,480 --> 00:34:23,800 Speaker 1: And later in life, let's say he plants a sexual 513 00:34:23,840 --> 00:34:26,799 Speaker 1: addiction in your mind at an early age. And then 514 00:34:26,800 --> 00:34:28,839 Speaker 1: you get a wife, and now you want to love 515 00:34:28,880 --> 00:34:31,640 Speaker 1: your wife and be a good man and be intimate 516 00:34:31,760 --> 00:34:34,239 Speaker 1: with your wife in the way that God intended. But 517 00:34:34,320 --> 00:34:41,400 Speaker 1: see you move toward intimacy. But I got you with 518 00:34:41,520 --> 00:34:46,560 Speaker 1: a choice that became a habit, that became automatic. 519 00:34:47,560 --> 00:34:50,280 Speaker 2: And now you can't treat a woman like a woman. 520 00:34:50,360 --> 00:34:53,360 Speaker 1: You treat her like an object because I got you 521 00:34:54,280 --> 00:34:57,400 Speaker 1: in chains. Jake, you're being real dramatic. You don't have 522 00:34:57,400 --> 00:34:59,680 Speaker 1: to jerk that hard. Just say yeah, they stand right there. 523 00:35:00,080 --> 00:35:04,279 Speaker 1: He's got you in these chains. So you want to 524 00:35:04,320 --> 00:35:06,680 Speaker 1: make a change in your life later. But he got 525 00:35:06,760 --> 00:35:10,440 Speaker 1: you in chains so early. And some of us spend 526 00:35:10,880 --> 00:35:16,280 Speaker 1: decades being dragged around by the devil, being dragged around 527 00:35:16,760 --> 00:35:20,640 Speaker 1: by decisions that we made in our past. That I 528 00:35:20,719 --> 00:35:24,680 Speaker 1: got news for you are already covered by the blood 529 00:35:24,719 --> 00:35:28,640 Speaker 1: of Jesus Christ. And I read in my Bible whom 530 00:35:28,680 --> 00:35:33,080 Speaker 1: the sun sets free is free. Indeed, it means I 531 00:35:33,160 --> 00:35:36,640 Speaker 1: don't have to spend the rest of my life being 532 00:35:36,760 --> 00:35:39,720 Speaker 1: dragged around by the decisions. 533 00:35:39,040 --> 00:35:42,640 Speaker 2: Of my past. I don't have to stay in these says. 534 00:35:43,360 --> 00:35:50,799 Speaker 1: I know a name that won't break everything. I think 535 00:35:50,840 --> 00:35:54,319 Speaker 1: we need to shout on this word, because some of 536 00:35:54,400 --> 00:35:59,399 Speaker 1: us are chain to mindsets, and chain to scarcity, and 537 00:35:59,520 --> 00:36:04,240 Speaker 1: shame to panic, and chain to our imaginations, and shame 538 00:36:04,400 --> 00:36:05,200 Speaker 1: to memories. 539 00:36:05,640 --> 00:36:07,560 Speaker 2: But I read in John that whom. 540 00:36:07,320 --> 00:36:11,960 Speaker 1: The sun sets free is free indeed, and if you 541 00:36:12,120 --> 00:36:24,320 Speaker 1: believe that, sound like you're free. Paul said, I found 542 00:36:24,360 --> 00:36:31,120 Speaker 1: another chaine. This chain is called Grace. So let the 543 00:36:31,239 --> 00:36:37,080 Speaker 1: devil know. I'm not chained to these Roman guards. I'm 544 00:36:37,200 --> 00:36:44,560 Speaker 1: saying to Grace. That means I've found the love that 545 00:36:44,760 --> 00:36:46,200 Speaker 1: will not let me go. 546 00:36:47,680 --> 00:36:49,239 Speaker 2: Even if I try to get away. 547 00:36:49,280 --> 00:36:51,120 Speaker 1: Go ahead, try to get away, Try to get away. 548 00:36:51,480 --> 00:36:52,560 Speaker 2: He won't let me go. 549 00:36:53,160 --> 00:36:56,160 Speaker 1: Even if I try to run, try to run, he 550 00:36:56,239 --> 00:36:57,200 Speaker 1: won't let me go. 551 00:36:57,800 --> 00:36:58,880 Speaker 2: Pull as hard as. 552 00:36:58,760 --> 00:37:01,080 Speaker 1: You want to pull, take you boom. 553 00:37:01,120 --> 00:37:04,160 Speaker 2: I might be all, but I lived, and as long 554 00:37:04,239 --> 00:37:08,120 Speaker 2: as I got to in my grip, You're not going anywhere. 555 00:37:08,640 --> 00:37:12,600 Speaker 1: Whom the son sat fray is phrase. 556 00:37:13,600 --> 00:37:18,279 Speaker 2: Indeed, God is willing me close certain. 557 00:37:22,520 --> 00:37:29,840 Speaker 4: I'm changed to Grace, I'm no longer a slave to fear. 558 00:37:34,280 --> 00:37:43,359 Speaker 4: I'm a China God, and I choose everything I've been through, 559 00:37:43,400 --> 00:37:47,080 Speaker 4: even my shame. God's gonna use it to tell a 560 00:37:47,120 --> 00:37:51,240 Speaker 4: greater story of grace. God's gonna use. 561 00:37:51,160 --> 00:37:53,200 Speaker 1: My change to break somebody else's. 562 00:37:56,840 --> 00:37:59,680 Speaker 2: My son won't have to go through what I went through. 563 00:38:00,360 --> 00:38:04,520 Speaker 2: God's gonna use my chains to set somebody free. 564 00:38:05,960 --> 00:38:09,360 Speaker 5: And He's got you. And you get to make a 565 00:38:09,480 --> 00:38:16,920 Speaker 5: choice today. Everybody in here is serving something. What do 566 00:38:16,960 --> 00:38:20,080 Speaker 5: you want to serve? Who do you want to serve? 567 00:38:23,200 --> 00:38:31,680 Speaker 1: Paul identified himself as a servant of Christ Jesus. What 568 00:38:31,719 --> 00:38:36,879 Speaker 1: he meant was Grace is a bigger chain than said 569 00:38:38,560 --> 00:38:40,680 Speaker 1: And no matter what my decisions might say about me 570 00:38:40,760 --> 00:38:48,960 Speaker 1: or indicate otherwise, I am a child of God. You're 571 00:38:49,000 --> 00:38:52,719 Speaker 1: gonna wander sometimes, go I wander off, wonder off, wonder off, 572 00:38:52,880 --> 00:38:53,680 Speaker 1: Come on, try hard. 573 00:38:53,719 --> 00:38:55,880 Speaker 2: I got you. I got you. 574 00:38:57,800 --> 00:39:01,920 Speaker 1: Grace is stronger, Heather, don'tssume me if I break his wrist, 575 00:39:02,239 --> 00:39:03,240 Speaker 1: it's for a good cause. 576 00:39:05,520 --> 00:39:05,960 Speaker 2: I got you. 577 00:39:07,800 --> 00:39:12,279 Speaker 1: I see you in the spirit God pulling on you today. 578 00:39:13,360 --> 00:39:15,319 Speaker 1: You didn't even want to come to church today. Look 579 00:39:15,360 --> 00:39:19,680 Speaker 1: at you right here in church. You made so many 580 00:39:19,760 --> 00:39:26,680 Speaker 1: dumb decisions. And today you're standing in the presence of 581 00:39:26,760 --> 00:39:27,839 Speaker 1: a chain breaking God. 582 00:39:33,200 --> 00:39:43,720 Speaker 6: So so is your choice, worshiper, What will you choose? 583 00:39:45,440 --> 00:39:47,879 Speaker 2: Paul made his choice. 584 00:39:48,760 --> 00:39:52,840 Speaker 1: He said, I'm gonna let God use these chains to 585 00:39:52,960 --> 00:39:57,520 Speaker 1: declare his grace. And for everybody who's stuck in a 586 00:39:57,560 --> 00:40:00,000 Speaker 1: situation that you can't change right now, and sometimes that's 587 00:40:00,000 --> 00:40:05,520 Speaker 1: situation is yourself, I want you to make a decision, 588 00:40:06,120 --> 00:40:11,880 Speaker 1: a choice, because choices, choices. 589 00:40:13,080 --> 00:40:13,840 Speaker 2: Become habits. 590 00:40:15,200 --> 00:40:19,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, you choose to trust God in this season of 591 00:40:19,520 --> 00:40:21,920 Speaker 1: your life. And you know what, if you trust God 592 00:40:21,960 --> 00:40:24,840 Speaker 1: a few times, guess what, it becomes. 593 00:40:25,960 --> 00:40:26,600 Speaker 2: Automatic. 594 00:40:28,040 --> 00:40:31,040 Speaker 1: And now you find yourself leaning not on your own understanding, 595 00:40:31,080 --> 00:40:35,800 Speaker 1: but in all your ways acknowledging Him. And you realize 596 00:40:36,400 --> 00:40:38,640 Speaker 1: the devil has been lying to me this whole time. 597 00:40:39,480 --> 00:40:41,319 Speaker 1: I'm not a slave to what they said. I'm not 598 00:40:41,360 --> 00:40:43,040 Speaker 1: a slave to what they did. 599 00:40:44,239 --> 00:40:45,439 Speaker 2: I am a child of God. 600 00:40:45,520 --> 00:40:50,280 Speaker 1: If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, 601 00:40:51,360 --> 00:40:52,080 Speaker 1: the old. 602 00:41:02,440 --> 00:41:08,960 Speaker 2: And the new has come. If you believe God is. 603 00:41:08,880 --> 00:41:12,319 Speaker 1: A chain breaker, I want you to stand on your 604 00:41:12,320 --> 00:41:17,600 Speaker 1: feet right now and give him a midnight praise, a 605 00:41:17,800 --> 00:41:20,959 Speaker 1: praise that breaks shames and. 606 00:41:21,000 --> 00:41:24,120 Speaker 2: Sass anxiety away. 607 00:41:24,800 --> 00:41:25,120 Speaker 3: Come on. 608 00:41:25,200 --> 00:41:28,319 Speaker 2: You'll have to do better than that. If you are 609 00:41:28,360 --> 00:41:30,960 Speaker 2: a serpent of the Most High. 610 00:41:30,760 --> 00:41:34,120 Speaker 1: God and you know all power is in his hand 611 00:41:34,840 --> 00:41:39,640 Speaker 1: and he gotta prevent grave with all authority, release the praise. 612 00:41:39,480 --> 00:41:43,160 Speaker 2: Right now, all the free. He will lift your hands. 613 00:41:44,200 --> 00:41:47,880 Speaker 2: You don't have to feel free to be free. The 614 00:41:47,920 --> 00:41:52,760 Speaker 2: same breaking power and then Almighty God is in this place. 615 00:41:54,960 --> 00:41:58,880 Speaker 1: Power, power, She loves. 616 00:42:05,480 --> 00:42:06,600 Speaker 3: Thank you for joining us. 617 00:42:06,880 --> 00:42:09,360 Speaker 1: Special thanks to those of you who give generously to 618 00:42:09,400 --> 00:42:10,160 Speaker 1: this ministry. 619 00:42:10,480 --> 00:42:12,920 Speaker 3: Is because of you that this ministry is possible. 620 00:42:13,360 --> 00:42:15,560 Speaker 1: You can click the link in the description to give 621 00:42:15,640 --> 00:42:19,799 Speaker 1: now or visit Elevationchurch dot org slash podcast for more 622 00:42:19,800 --> 00:42:23,600 Speaker 1: information and if you enjoyed the podcast, you can subscribe. 623 00:42:23,880 --> 00:42:25,240 Speaker 3: You can share it with your friends. 624 00:42:25,480 --> 00:42:27,759 Speaker 1: You can click the share button, take a screenshot and 625 00:42:27,840 --> 00:42:29,960 Speaker 1: share it on your social stories and tag us at 626 00:42:29,960 --> 00:42:30,839 Speaker 1: Elevation Church. 627 00:42:30,880 --> 00:42:32,520 Speaker 3: Thanks again for listening. God bless you.