Castles and Crowns Come Down- Harnessing God's Power by Francis Chan

I mean I don't know about you but for me if I can't impact the world then I don't want to live in it you know like there's a reason why we're actually on the earth and it's so fun to be a part of a place where we go you know what we're here we're gonna make a difference this year we're gonna do some things a little bit differently remember last year we we had like one lump sum and we said you know let's let's give a million dollars to children's Hunger Fund this year and we were able to pull that off in addition to all the missionaries and different agencies that we support this year what we're gonna do is we decided that every month we're gonna pick a cause and we're gonna give $100,000 to that cause every month so this month in July we're gonna we're gonna focus on the inner cities the the urban poor and the reason why we're going to do this monthly is not only are we gonna be giving the lump sum to various agencies that will talk about phat Keith Phillips from world impact will be talking to us you know a month from now and sharing what's going on in LA and everything else we're gonna but we want to raise awareness we want to each month give you even opportunities for different projects according you know like this this month will be about the inner city and we'll give you different projects where you and your community could possibly go into the inner city and maybe remodel some apartments or or you know help do some prayer walks or outreach and those types of things and so each month we just want to raise awareness for a different cause and we're not even sure what all those causes are gonna be yet you know others are praying through that and in this month we said you know let's focus on what's closest which is which is LA which is the inner cities as sometimes we can drive to Mexico on a mission trip and pass right through LA and forget man there's a huge need out there in fact last weekend last weekend I took about 10 guys and we went up to San Francisco my brother directs the world impact chapter there in San Francisco in the inner city there and so we went and we we poured concrete and laid a driveway for them and stuff like that because what he does is he runs this place where where guys that are like nine months sober that are off the streets once they've been nine months sober and they want to go into ministry he actually trains them and teaches seminary courses in fact some of the guys have already been through the seminary courses and now you got these homeless guys that are clean and sober now and they're actually teaching other homeless and the whole idea is to get them to start pastoring the homeless in in San Francisco and so we went and fixed up that area for them and then on Saturday morning we we drove out to Richmond if you heard of Richmond it's it's at that movie coach Carter that's where it was found that the Richmond is based upon that and we had a homeless breakfast there and we're we're at this church where they were ready to shut their doors a few months ago I mean it was a pretty thriving Church but what happened is as as Richmond became more and more of a lower-class area and more more homeless moved in the middle class and the upper class people moved out of there and so all of those people left the church and just got dilapidated over the years and there's many churches like that in Richmond and so we went over there and did a homeless feeding it was just such a great amazing time of teaching a bunch of homeless people and cooking breakfast for them but it was the pastor that they came to this church I mean there was like eight people at this church now and they're trying to revive it and everything else but he was sharing how a church can't he was just so encouraged he goes you know a church went from one of the suburbs here in San Francisco actually called and said hey we're gonna come and we're going to pray or walk your area we're gonna walk through the neighborhood and pray that God brings revival to this area and so he's all excited in this this group of people from this church then drive over to Richmond and and once they got there and drove through the neighborhood they got to the church and told the pastor hey we're really sorry but we don't feel comfortable walking in this neighborhood and so they took off no way you know and I know it's you know different people are gonna respond differently to that somebody go well that was smart you know when others are going you know others are going man you know what losers are what whatever and and different thoughts go through your head based upon where you are in that area and let me just say that I the reason why I'm on the board at world impact and why I got involved over there with the inner cities is as I heard Keith Phillips speak at the mayor's Prayer Breakfast in Simi Valley like seven eight years ago and I remember him talking about the inner city and at that time I thought to myself you know I always prided myself on thinking I would go anywhere in the world for Jesus Christ like yeah I'd go to Africa yeah I'll go to India yeah I would live you know and then when he started talking about the inner cities I thought I know that I'd moved to Compton you know I started thinking about that I don't know that I would go to watts I and I started thinking wow Lord I thought I was surrendered to you I thought I really would go anywhere for you and I really was fearless but I realized I still am fearful I remember just breaking down that morning I was crying I'm talking to Keith Phillips afterwards I'm going man I just totally neglected this whole area out of fear and many of us were in Simi Valley because we wanted to move away from them and that area and have this safe community and and I I don't see that as the gospel I see the gospel as you know what sometimes we take risks sometimes we go where no one else will go and and it was so cool to talk to this pastor who moved to Richmond who had many other offers and says you know what I want to go to the worst of the worst I want to go to the worst place and just see if we can't do something and so it's just fun to be there and encourage him and so we're going to talk to you about different projects things that you could possibly get involved in speaking of inner city on Wednesday I was in I was in Philadelphia and speaking of Philadelphia and and there was this gal that was singing there before I spoke and and I had read about her I kind of read the bio that she her musics featured on a lot of TV shows that you watched like Grey's Anatomy Dawson's Creek you know movies like never been kissed that's everything okay see what she has to say is she's singing this song the words were so powerful like I was just looking at the lyrics on this on the screen go man what a great great song so I went back to talk to her because I wanted to play that song for you and and have the lyrics on the screen because it went so well with what I was preaching on this morning and so I was like ah you know do you have that on CD you know can I could copy that is there video you know that shows the words or something and because I'd really like to play it for my church this weekend and she goes I'll come sing at your shirt oh my grill and I go where you live because Hollywood I'm like no way and so so Kendall's actually here and it's Kendall pain and and so just just listen to the words of this song because it was just I loved I loved the the depth of these lyrics and I hope you enjoy too I feel the need to tell the slightest story before this song because I've had a couple of people say that's kind of negative isn't it and I'm like no so the story goes like this mother Teresa story and if any of you know any mother Teresa stories you know that they are legendary this woman did not mince words she sort of told it like it was and made no apologies so this story is is no different but this American man felt the call of God on his life he was sure that God was calling him to do something great he just had one slight problem he had no clue what that great thing actually was so he figures he needs prayer so he goes finds mother Teresa and he says mother Teresa will you pray for me and she says sure I'll pray for you what do you'll me to pray for you for he says I want clarity I want to know in no uncertain terms exactly what it is that God is calling me to do with my life and she looks back at him and her ever so mother Teresa way and she says you know I won't pray for that for you and he's confused and embarrassed and he sort of blurts out but why I only want what you've had for your life you seem to always know exactly what it is that God is calling you to do and she looks back at him and she says I sir have never had clarity what I have had is stressed so I'll pray that you learn to trust and that's when I decided that it was my prayer life that needed to change so the song's called pray I will pray for you now for you have been my faithful friends while the rod we walk is difficult indeed I could not ask for more than what you've already been only that you would say these prayers for me [Music] now may your hearts break enough the compassion answers in your strength all these spends upon the weak and all the castles and crowns you built and place upon your head may they all fall come crashing down around your feet and may you find every step to be harder than the last so your character grows greater each stride and your company be of humble in significance may your weakness be your only source of fry and what you do unto other marrow some to you and may you meet the one who made Sam smile life is through [Music] right that I [Music] your play sings be mini upon our way you hoped they'd be and when you look upon the broken may mercy show you but you could not see and may you never be sure of any plans you desire but she would learn to trust the plan he has for you and me your passions be tried and tested in the holy fire may you fight with all your life for what is true I have prayed for you now I love my dear and faithful friends but what I wish is more than I could ever speak as the way wanders on along to see you once again until then would you say these prayers for me all that you would pray for me [Music] yeah that's what I thought about that song it's like that's so it you see because when we pray I was just thinking about this and this is what my whole message is about is we're always praying God changed things rather than God changed me we want God to change the circumstances and take away all this pain all these trials all these hardships rather than God's plan which is know I want to put some of these things in your life and you need to be praying for yourself that you would grow through these things you see whenever we have decisions to make we want God to make it easy and say God why don't you close all the doors and just leave one open rather than praying God want you make me incredibly wise so I know how to make good decisions when trials come we say God why don't you change it why don't you fix the situation and take away all the pain rather than saying God why don't you use this time to grow perseverance in me let me persevere during this time man when temptations come man we're all tempted and when we're tempted we say God you know what take the temptation away rather than saying God give me the give me the self-control give me the strength that you ask for God make me into this person but all our prayers are they can be so focused on things that are unbiblical yes there are times when God changes the situation but so often more than anything God wants us to change and we should be praying for these circumstances that God allows in our lives as opportunities for us to grow in our character and our person I love what I mean if you read in the Bible you'll see that that's God's way of working I remember remember the story of Solomon when Solomon asks for something it I love this in in first Kings 3 verse 7 it says now O Lord my God you have made your servant King in place of my father David but I'm only a little child and I I don't know how to carry out my duties your servant is here among the people you've chosen a great people too numerous to count or number so give your servant at turning hard to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong for who is able to govern this great people of yours so so Solomon has taken over the throne he goes me I'm just a kid and I got this huge nation that I'm supposed to govern and so we asked God to give him wisdom and discernment and here is God's response I love God's response in first Kings 3:10 the Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this so God said to him since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself nor have you asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice I'll do what you've asked I'll give you a wise and discerning heart so they'll never have been anyone like you nor will there ever be see God says I'm so pleased with you Solomon because because you didn't ask for long life and health and for everything to be easy he goes in fact you didn't even ask for all your enemies to die and I gotta confess I prayed that before haven't you I mean you know sometimes I just think God you know it's earth will be so much better you know everything else and and yet what God says to him he goes you know what you didn't pray that you didn't pray for the easier route instead you prayed for a wisdom to figure out these situations and make good judgments in light of them and it says God was pleased with Solomon and he says because you prayed for that I'm gonna give it to you I'm gonna give you I'm gonna make you the wisest person on earth and I was thinking about that passage of how often we just say God make my life easier make the decisions obvious rather than saying God gave me discernment and he doesn't say take away my enemies he just says give me wisdom and how to deal with them don't just kill him and God was so pleased with that see God's pleased when we take on the trials in the world and ask God you know what for wisdom like James says and when the trials come that we ask for wisdom again Solomon prayed not changed things but changed me and in when we talk about trials I love what it says in romans five verses three three and four in romans five verses 3 and 4 it says not only so but we also rejoice in our sufferings we rejoice in our sufferings because we know that suffering produces perseverance perseverance character and character hope so so here you know Paul says and what we actually rejoice in our suffering because we know that suffering produces perseverance so there's a side of us like like Paul says that we ought to as believers we should be rejoicing when things are difficult why because we realize that this is the only way that we're going to build perseverance and it's only with the perseverance that character is going to come see it's this mindset that says I want to be a man of character I want to be a woman of character to say that about yourself so when trials come you can actually get excited and go ok good good here comes a trial God use this to change me use this to build some perseverance in me and that perseverance to turn that into character and that character which will lead to hope but when's the last time that when suffering came your way you actually rejoice and you actually prayed and said God okay use this to build some perseverance in me because I want to be a person of character change me not change the situation not take away the suffering but I'm rejoicing in this because I want to be changed and then temptation with temptation temptation is always going to be in your face and I've heard people so many times through my years as a pastor say gosh I prayed that God would just take that temptation away but he hasn't well he never promised that he would you're gonna be tempted the rest of your life temptation is going to be in your face for the rest of your life you think you get to a certain point of your Christian walk when suddenly sin doesn't look 10 anymore and it's not a lowering and that Satan's not after you anymore no that's not what the Bible teaches instead the Bible explains that you know what the the sin zone what the temptation is always going to be there it's always going to be in your face saying it's going to attack you till the day you die and throw things in your face that are very appealing and we pray for strength we pray for self-control I love what it says in 1st Corinthians 10:13 where it says no temptation no temptation has seized you except what is common to man and God is faithful he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can handle but when you're tempted he'll also provide a way out so you can stand up under it I love that he says look there's no temptation every temptation that you face he says is common to man that means whatever you think your temptation is like oh you don't know how difficult it is for me God says trust me other people have struggled with the same thing you're not the first one in history to struggle the temptation that's in your face right now okay because it's common to man and he goes and God is faithful he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can handle that is such an important verse God's never going to let you be tempted beyond what you can handle so whatever temptation is in your face and we're all facing them right now okay don't think that you're the only one that walked in this room today and you were bombarded with temptation all week okay we all faced it but the truth of God's Word is that whatever you faced you had power to overcome it he always gives you a way of escape I love that because it gets rid of all excuses across the board yeah baby because I know we're in a in a time in the in church history where there's so much whining and complaining and as if you're the only one who's ever faced temptation and my concern is that we empathize with those who are struggling with sin which is the right thing to do but then we stop there and we don't move on to reminding them of the power that's within them and we don't move on and we you know we just put our arm around them ha so sorry yeah that's so difficult that's so difficult that's so painful that's such a tough struggle I know friends that kind of go through that as well but then we stop there and we don't remind them but greater is He Who is in you you've got power over that do you realize that every time you face that you don't ever have to fall into that temptation you don't ever have to sin that with every single sit you every situation that you're put in there's a way out without sinning and you could have taken that I could take that and we forget to remind people it's like we stop at the cross and we forget about the resurrection you know we forget about the power that's available to all of us and I want to talk about that this morning because everything I read in this book I mean when you read the New Testament I don't know what you see but for me I see victory I see power and that's not a theme that that we see in Christians lives I mean how many Christians would you label with the adjective powerful victorious and yet that's what I see here you know if we're in this period where everyone's just feeling sorry for themselves and we just talk about our problems and everything else and we don't talk about this victory in this power that's available to us that I see all throughout the scriptures I mean I I just don't believe that believers are walking around with with nearly the boldness or confidence that God desires for us we're supposed to be victorious people strong people I mean isn't that what you want to be it said that that thought that's what I love that first Corinthians passage because it shows that you know what I can win every time every time and there's something about that it's something about victory no there's I mean those of you who are competitive I'm not but III know a lot of you guys are and but just that that thrill of winning you know just the thrill of just you know when you have an opponent where you just know you know what I could beat him every time hey Gary I'm sorry I'd you're the first face I saw I had a basketball day I got to bring it up again I have to I had the greatest game of my life I mean wearing our basketball league it was it was it last season it was it was about a year ago I mean it's the first time in my life I'm playing basketball my whole life and for the first time in my life my team was saying just get the ball to Francis I thought no way did someone just say that I'm playing my whole life that's the first time I heard that but I was on fire but um but Gary was guarding me so I 100 so thank you thank you you made my day you made my basketball career but but it's that whole idea of don't you love to win don't you just love that and and and I think there's there's that sense in which God's built that into us we're supposed to be victorious and and and it's so nice to know that every time I'm faced with a sin it's not an opponent that's too great for me like I can win every time and I need to walk around with that boldness that confidence because that's the the boldness I mean let's look at this verse it's a first Corinthians 15 first Corinthians 15 I mean here's the attitude I love this victorious attitude where Paul says where oh death he's talking about death he's talking about sin and as human beings I mean as followers of Jesus Christ I just say we should be fearless I mean really there shouldn't be nothing we fear except God himself and here here we take something like death which so many people on the earth are just terrified like aw I don't want to die you know let me do this let me do this let me protect my Salva me ensure everything I can you know get those germs away from in this fearful fearful attitude whereas whereas as believers death isn't something we need to fear well that's a scariest thought for some people that wow this might be the last day of my life for us as believers it should be Wow this might be the last day of my life this could be my last day on earth like I don't fear death anymore it's this I mean look at this attitude where O death is your victory where O death is your sting I love that it's like we're gonna do kill me whew scary you know it's just that's the attitude that God it's just victorious and this boldness because what he got to fear because he goes on he says the sting of death is sin and the power of sin is the law but thanks be to God he gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ it's not the best it's like I'm on TV I'm gonna win I'm gonna win at the end there's nothing what's what's gonna go wrong I'm gonna win is it's almost like and I know life's gonna get challenging but it's almost like when I was younger I used to love watching sporting events so if I was in church I would use this thing called a VCR yeah and and record you know like a game and but everyone once a while on the way home from church I'd have like the radio on and it would tell me the score I'm like oh man you know if you ever if ever had that happen where you TiVo a game and then you hear the score and your team won but you watch it anyways and you see when it gets to a difficult time there's still like big deal I know they're gonna pull it off but it's still fun and you see the struggle and everything else that's that's the way life ought to be for us we know what happens in the end and so yeah don't be struggles but you know at the end you're victorious and so you go around life with that Bouldin is that confidence of I know he wins in the end and I know I'm on his side and so yeah I'm gonna go through some trials and there's gonna be some difficult times in life but I'm gonna be victorious 2nd Corinthians 4 verses 8 & 9 it says this we are hard pressed on every side but not crushed perplexed but not in despair persecuted but not abandoned struck down but not destroyed he says look it's it's gonna be difficult there's gonna be times he but but it's this fighting attitude because because I know I'm hard pressed on every side but I'm not crushed I'm perplexed but I'm not in despair I'm not I'm not like oh yeah I'm a little confused right now but I'm not I'm not freaking out to the point we're all it's hopeless because I I know that and he goes and and and I'm persecuted but but I'm not abandoned so all these people are against me but it's okay God's by my side I'm not abandoned I'm struck down yeah they knocked me down I'm pretty messed up right now but I'm not destroyed it's that attitude of the fighter that's been knocked down over and over again and just gets up because I'm not going down I am NOT gonna go down that's the attitude that we're supposed to have is not sitting there and despair and feeling just defeated otherwise what did Jesus die for what did he rise for it's this attitude if I know life gets difficult and no some of you guys feel like you've been knocked down from my prayers that you would just feel confident this morning go you know what but I'm not destroyed and I can't be destroyed you're not gonna take me down because I know how this thing ends and I win death has no sting I have no fear of it the victory is gone the victory is on my side I love what it says in first John 5 first John 5 verses 3 through 5 this is love for God to obey his commands and his commands are not burdensome for everyone born of God overcomes the world this is the victory that has overcome the world even our faith who is it that overcomes the world only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God he says those of us who believe that Jesus is the Son of God he goes we we get the victory we overcome the world yeah we can sit here and talk about how bad the world's getting and all the temptation and what everybody believes but you know what if you believe in Jesus Christ the Bible says you overcome the world see in that and when when Peter preached on the day of Pentecost he goes you repent and you be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins and you will receive the Holy Spirit it's promises for you for your children for those who are far off he promises us that you know what if you believe in Jesus Christ if you believe that Jesus died on that cross for your sins and the Bible says you know why that for those of you who have entered the waters of baptisms and youyou said you know what I'm I'm following Jesus Christ whatever he wants and his first command as well get baptized you get baptized the Bible says you know what that belief that believe and Jesus Christ makes you an overcomer because my spirit will come into you and I'll give you power that's why I told his disciples you just wait wait in Jerusalem because when when my Holy Spirit comes then you're gonna receive power and when's the last time you dwelt on that power when's that last time you just said you know what he's in me so what's gonna happen to me I'm a believer in Jesus Christ so I will overcome the world because the Spirit of God is in me I you know I'm just gonna read some different verses to you because I feel like we get bombarded with lies all week long don't we people telling you that you can't do this you can't do that you're stuck in this and you're stuck with that issue and the sad thing is that so many of those statements are made by churchgoers and people call themselves Christians and they just make us dwell on our weaknesses rather than the strength of the spirit that's in us man we can we can sit here and feel sorry for ourselves all day if we just look at the flesh but if we believe these promises that are in Scripture and so all I want to do was not really dig into any verse I just want to read a bunch of verses to you today and just let you meditate on them and but you know and I want you to believe in the truth of these verses I mean do you believe that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me all things all things through Christ who strengthens me do you believe the day that wait upon the Lord will renew their strength they'll mount up with wings like eagles the run and not grow weary they'll walk and not faint of this passage in second samuel i love the way i mean listen to the attitude of these different people in the bible second samuel hears david verse 22 verse 30 he says with your help i can advance against a troop and with my god i can scale a wall as from as for God his way is perfect the word of the Lord is flawless he is a shield for all who take refuge in him for who is God besides the Lord and who is the rock except our God it is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect he makes my feet like the feet of a deer he enables me to stand on the heights he trains my hands for battle my arms can bend a bow of bronze you give me your shield of victory you stoop down to make me great I love that see it's not this attitude of aw what am I gonna do I'm falling apart oh it's just this attitude of confidence you know what with God because yeah I can't do any of that stuff but with God on my side I can pull any of this off I can be victorious let me read to you just meditate on these things Ephesians chapter 3 verse 14 for this reason I kneel before the Father from whom his whole family in heaven on earth writ divides its name I prayed that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his spirit in your inner being so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith and I pray that you being rooted and established in love may have power together with all the saints to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ and to know this love that surpasses knowledge that you may be filled to the to the measure of all the fullness of God now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask imagine according to his power that is at work within us to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever amen Romans 8:31 what then shall we say in response to this if God is for us who can be against us he who did not spare his own son but gave him up for us all how will he not also along with him graciously give us all things who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen it is God who justifies who is he that condemns Christ Jesus who died more than that who was raised to life is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword as it is written for your sake we face death all day long we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered no in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us for I'm convinced that neither death nor life neither Angels nor demons neither the present nor the future nor any powers neither height nor depth nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord don't you love these passages it's just you know what McConkey victorious I have a spirit in me nothing can separate me from his love with my god I can pull anything off and this is the attitude we there's no temptations overcome me except what's common to man and God's faithful he's never gonna let me tempt be tempted beyond what I can handle this is a great thought that that no one's gonna gonna separate God and I because I'm convinced death life angels principalities nothing's going to separate me from the love of God Romans six verse one what shall we say then shall we go on sinning that grace may increase by no means we died to sin how can we live in it any longer or don't you know that all of us who are baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death we were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father we too may live a new life if we've been united with him like this in his death we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection for we know that our old self was crucified with him so the body of sin might be done away with that we would no longer be slaves to sin because anyone who has died has been freed from sin now if we died with Christ we believe that we'll also live with him for we know that since Christ was raised from the dead he cannot die again death no longer has mastery over him the death he died he died to sin once for all but the life he lives he lives to God in the same way count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evils desires do not offer the parts of your body to sin as instruments of wickedness but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness for sin shall not be your master because you are not under law but under grace you believe these things I know you're gonna hear all sorts of other messages during the week but do you believe that you know what you're dead to sin it doesn't have to have mastery over you if you're in sin right now that's because you've chosen to be in sin it's not because you're powerless I'm not gonna believe that see I used to listen to people you said listen to people that would say I just can't do it I'm like oh man I don't know what to say but now I do know what to say and so tell them don't know you're lying right now either you're not a believer or you're because a court either you're a liar or God is and I'm gonna choose you because God says that he won't I mean I understand we all fall we all screw up but - afterwards say there was nothing I could do about it that's just wrong you're calling God a liar and so I'm calling you one that it's not God who lied it's you who've chosen to fall into that sin because you had power over it and we didn't walk in that type of victory and I I just don't believe that our fellowship is based around that victorious attitude that I see in Scripture I mean you you read read it for yourself read the New Testament for yourself try to get out of this mindset of the poor me mindset and read scripture for yourself and I think you'd see that this is about victory this is about power it's not about Christ coming into your life and the Holy Spirit coming in your life so you can complain about all the trials and just stay there yes we need to we need to care for one another and hurt what those who are hurt and but also we need to remind each other of the power that's in us and I think you'd agree that we just don't see enough of that in the church and there's not enough talk about victory and boldness and power which is available to all of us and which should be I mean our God's a victorious God he's a strong God he wins in the end and so we as reflections of Jesus Christ we need to portray that image and show that image of people who are true image bearers of Jesus Christ and just like yes Jesus went through the suffering everything else but he was not crushed and he rose from all of that and showed that he was victorious in the end in the same way we have to look at our trials would have led to look at our decisions we had look at our temptations and say God you know what make me that victorious person like you were because you were tempted and you didn't sin and I want to be that way you went through the pain and yet you came out victorious and just like you died and rose I want to die and I want to rise with you I truly wanted to be like Jesus Christ here's a prayer I've been praying for you this week it's Ephesians 1 verses 18 through 20 Ephesians 1 verse 18 through 20 he says I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you the riches of his glorious inheritance in the Saints and his incomparably great power for us who believe that power is like the working of his mighty strength which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms Paul sprang for this Ephesian Church and because I'm I just prayed that you would get it I pray that you would understand this power that's available to you I prayed you think about Christ in his dead body in the tomb and imagine how much power it took to raise that body from the grave and he was and I'm praying that you would understand that powers available to you that you would no longer say well I understand your you know your power was great enough to raise Jesus from the grave but my issues are pretty big because man I just wasn't praying for this church because I want them to see that you've got so much power available to you do you believe the promises though do you believe what Peter says that you repent and you be baptized and you be filled with the Holy Spirit and that promise was not just for them but it was for their children and for we who are far off do you believe that I don't know what it is that you're struggling with but we are all facing stuff we got temptations we got trials but we're still here right we're still here in this room and we're fighting it out and we're battling it out and one day we're gonna be victorious but for now we got to live day to day in victory and we got to stop just coming forward just to confess our sins but also asking people you know what pray that I would get the prayer that the power that's in me I know that the Holy Spirit's in me and I want that power and I want to exert that power I'm put to death the deeds of my flesh like the Bible says I can and I pray that as you just hear these promises of God that it stirs something in you that as you read through the New Testament yourselves that you see you know what this is all about power and what's available to me and it's not power that you know like the health wealth thing of okay I'll never get sick and I'm gonna be rich and I'm gonna have everything I want on this earth now because that's not the way Jesus lived is not the way the Apostles lived I mean it was this power that's saying you know what I'm being persecuted right now but I'm not gonna be crushed and I'm gonna I'm gonna just keep giving I'm gonna keep serving and everything else everything that Kendall was singing about earlier it's like you know what Lord bring it on cuz your spirits in me and use these difficult times to build some character into me some strength into me some self-control into me give me wisdom because I'm gonna make some decisions this week and I really don't have the wisdom on my own to know which way to go I'm not asking you to take away all options I'm just asking you make me such a wise person that I can figure out what you would want based upon knowledge of this book you know what and as this trial comes you know what if you want to take it away take it away do it for your glory but if it stays here then give me the strength to make it through and make me strong through it but this morning maybe some of you are going you know what I don't even know if I have that power in me I don't know that I really believed in the power of the Holy Spirit or know that I ever even gave my life and believed in the cross and if that's you you know that's square one I mean I don't but this isn't some sort of a self-help seminar that I'm giving this morning if believe in yourself look in the mirror and say I am powerful you know it's it's not that it's it's no look in the mirror and go I stink you know I'm weak I'm worthless you know I screwed up so many times but then Jesus came and Jesus came and he died on the cross for all of my failures all of my sin and then he put his power into me and it's with God God has I love what David says when he says he is stooped over to make me great see for so much in my life I thought that humility meant I was powerless and humility meant I had to walk around going yeah I'm not a very good speaker no I'm I'm always struggling with sin I'm others that that's not humility that's that's that's that's a direct contradiction of God's word that no I'm a powerful person because God has stooped over and made me great and so I'm not going down I'm gonna be victorious and what are you gonna do to me kill me ooh I'm scared you know that's the type of life that God wants me to live and it's difficult it's difficult but I got a trust that God is by my side and if you're not sure of that then come pray with us you get baptized this morning some of you maybe you just need prayer because you've been in the sin if you believed all these lies and I'm just stuck rather than believing the promises of God no you're not God's Spirit is in you and if he can raise Christ from the dead I'm pretty sure it can make you victorious over your sin

Channel: SermonIndex.net

Views: 22,200

Rating: 4.8367348 out of 5

Keywords: Francis, Chan, Revival, Repent, God, Sermons, Jesus, SermonIndex

Id: ZxrrFuty7WM

Length: 47min 54sec (2874 seconds)

Published: Wed Mar 28 2012