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