Latest / truthunedited / 10 Life-Changing Lessons from Colossians That Most Christians Miss
Transcript
- 0:00Speaker 1: Have you ever felt like your faith is being pulled
- 0:03Speaker 1: in two different directions, Like you're trying to follow Jesus,
- 0:07Speaker 1: but the world keeps pulling you into its way of thinking.
- 0:11Speaker 1: Maybe you've even wondered, is Christ really enough? This is
- 0:17Speaker 1: exactly why Paul wrote the Book of Colossians. The believers
- 0:22Speaker 1: in Colossi were being influenced by false teachings, philosophies, and
- 0:26Speaker 1: religious traditions that were trying to mix the Gospel with
- 0:29Speaker 1: human wisdom. They were being told that faith in Jesus
- 0:33Speaker 1: wasn't enough, that they needed extra rules, secret knowledge, or
- 0:38Speaker 1: a deeper mystical experience to truly be saved. Sound familiar
- 0:44Speaker 1: to day. We face the same struggle. The world constantly
- 0:48Speaker 1: tries to add to or take away from the Gospel.
- 0:50Speaker 1: Some say Jesus is great, but you still have to
- 0:54Speaker 1: work for your salvation. Others say all religions lead to
- 0:58Speaker 1: the same God. And still others say faith is fine,
- 1:02Speaker 1: but real success and happiness come from following your own truth.
- 1:07Speaker 1: But Paul's message is clear, Christ is enough. Jesus is
- 1:11Speaker 1: not just another religious teacher. He is the image of
- 1:14Speaker 1: the invisible God. He is not just part of your life.
- 1:17Speaker 1: He is your life, and when we truly understand who
- 1:22Speaker 1: Christ is, it changes everything about how we live, how
- 1:26Speaker 1: we think, and how we stand firm in a world
- 1:30Speaker 1: full of distractions. That's why in this video, we are
- 1:34Speaker 1: going to break down ten of the most powerful lessons
- 1:38Speaker 1: from the Book of Collossis, lessons that will help you
- 1:41Speaker 1: strengthen your faith, keep Jesus at the center of your life,
- 1:45Speaker 1: and walk in the fullness of what God has already
- 1:48Speaker 1: given you. So let me ask you. Have you ever
- 1:51Speaker 1: struggled to stand firm in your faith when the world
- 1:55Speaker 1: is telling you something different? Have you ever felt pressure
- 1:58Speaker 1: to fit in, to compro or to mix human wisdom
- 2:02Speaker 1: with God's truth? Have you ever wondered if Jesus alone
- 2:06Speaker 1: is truly enough for your salvation, your identity, and your future.
- 2:11Speaker 1: Because by the end of this video, you will not
- 2:14Speaker 1: only understand the Book of Colossians, you will understand what
- 2:17Speaker 1: it means to live fully rooted in Christ, unshaken by
- 2:22Speaker 1: the world. We've also created a deep explainer video on
- 2:26Speaker 1: the Book of Colossians and a study e book to
- 2:29Speaker 1: help you go even deeper. Both are linked in the description.
- 2:34Speaker 1: And one more thing. If there's a specific topic, we
- 2:37Speaker 1: mention in this video that you'd like us to do
- 2:39Speaker 1: a full breakdown on let us know in the comments.
- 2:43Speaker 1: We'd love to hear your thoughts. With that being said,
- 2:47Speaker 1: let's get started. The most important lesson we learn from
- 2:50Speaker 1: Colossians is this Jesus is the image of the invisible God.
- 2:56Speaker 1: We just talked about how the believers in Colossi were
- 2:59Speaker 1: being pressed to mix their faith with human traditions, false teachings,
- 3:04Speaker 1: and worldly philosophies. But before Paul even begins to correct them,
- 3:08Speaker 1: he does something powerful. He reminds them who Jesus really is.
- 3:14Speaker 1: Because at the core of every false teaching, at the
- 3:17Speaker 1: root of every deception, there is one common issue, a
- 3:21Speaker 1: misunderstanding of Christ. If you don't fully grasp who Jesus is,
- 3:26Speaker 1: everything else in your faith begins to crumble. That's why
- 3:30Speaker 1: Paul writes in Colossians one fifteen, the Son is the
- 3:36Speaker 1: image of the invisible God, the first born over all creation.
- 3:43Speaker 1: This is not just a poetic description, this is a bold,
- 3:46Speaker 1: earth shattering declaration. Jesus is not just another prophet. He
- 3:51Speaker 1: is not just a good teacher. He is not just
- 3:53Speaker 1: an important spiritual leader. He is God, the image of
- 3:58Speaker 1: the invisible godd. Think about that for a moment. God,
- 4:03Speaker 1: the creator of the universe, the one who spoke the
- 4:06Speaker 1: stars into existence, the one who is beyond human comprehension,
- 4:11Speaker 1: chose to reveal himself to us through Jesus. This means
- 4:16Speaker 1: that if you want to know what God is like,
- 4:18Speaker 1: look at Jesus. If you want to see God's power,
- 4:22Speaker 1: look at the way Jesus calm the storm with a word.
- 4:26Speaker 1: If you want to see God's mercy, look at the
- 4:28Speaker 1: way Jesus forgave sinners. If you want to see God's love,
- 4:33Speaker 1: look at the way Jesus laid down his life for us.
- 4:36Speaker 1: Jesus is not just pointing us to God. He is God.
- 4:43Speaker 1: And this truth changes everything, because if Jesus is truly
- 4:46Speaker 1: God in the flesh, then everything he said carries absolute authority.
- 4:51Speaker 1: When he said I am the Way, the Truth, and
- 4:53Speaker 1: the Life, no one comes to the Father except through
- 4:57Speaker 1: me John fourteen six, giving an opinion, he was speaking
- 5:03Speaker 1: as the one true God When he said, before Abraham
- 5:07Speaker 1: was I am John eight fifty eight. He was claiming
- 5:11Speaker 1: the very name of God, the same name that God
- 5:14Speaker 1: revealed to Moses in the burning bush. When he said,
- 5:17Speaker 1: anyone who has seen me has seen the Father John
- 5:20Speaker 1: fourteen nine. He was making it clear that he was
- 5:24Speaker 1: not just a messenger, he was the message. And yet
- 5:28Speaker 1: this is the very truth that so many people struggle
- 5:31Speaker 1: to accept. Even today. People want to redefine Jesus. They say,
- 5:37Speaker 1: Jesus was a wise man but not God, or Jesus
- 5:42Speaker 1: was a revolutionary but not divine, or Jesus was a
- 5:45Speaker 1: great teacher. But we can also learn from other religions.
- 5:50Speaker 1: But Paul leaves no room for that kind of thinking.
- 5:53Speaker 1: Jesus is above all things. Jesus is before all things.
- 5:58Speaker 1: Jesus is the creator of all things. He is not
- 6:01Speaker 1: an option among many. He is the only way. And
- 6:04Speaker 1: that's why our faith must be fully rooted in Christ,
- 6:07Speaker 1: not in opinions, emotions, or traditions. Think about a tree.
- 6:13Speaker 1: A tree with shallow roots is easily swayed by the wind.
- 6:17Speaker 1: If a storm comes, it topples over, But a tree
- 6:20Speaker 1: with deep roots remains unshaken no matter what comes against it.
- 6:25Speaker 1: The same is true for your faith. If your belief
- 6:29Speaker 1: in Jesus is based on feelings, it will crumble when
- 6:32Speaker 1: life gets hard. If your faith is based on what
- 6:35Speaker 1: culture says, it will shift every time the world redefines truth.
- 6:41Speaker 1: If your understanding of Jesus is based on tradition, it
- 6:45Speaker 1: will be empty and powerless. But if your faith is
- 6:48Speaker 1: rooted in the truth that Jesus is God, nothing will
- 6:52Speaker 1: shake you, not suffering and not doubt, not the shifting
- 6:56Speaker 1: opinions of the world. Look at Peter. In Matthew sixteen
- 7:01Speaker 1: thirteen to eighteen, Jesus asked his disciples a question, who
- 7:05Speaker 1: do you say I am? And Peter answered, you are
- 7:08Speaker 1: the Messiah, the son of the Living God. Jesus responded,
- 7:13Speaker 1: blessed are you Simon's son of Jonah. For this was
- 7:16Speaker 1: not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by
- 7:19Speaker 1: my Father in Heaven. And I tell you that you
- 7:22Speaker 1: are Peter. And on this rock I will build my church,
- 7:26Speaker 1: and the gates of Hell will not overcome it. What
- 7:30Speaker 1: was the rock that the church would be built on
- 7:33Speaker 1: the revelation of who Jesus truly is not just a
- 7:37Speaker 1: good man, not just a prophet, but the son of
- 7:40Speaker 1: the Living God. And Jesus said that when your faith
- 7:44Speaker 1: is built on this truth, even hell itself cannot shake you.
- 7:48Speaker 1: So let me ask you who is Jesus to you?
- 7:51Speaker 1: Not who people say he is, not, who the world
- 7:54Speaker 1: says he is, not even who your church says he is.
- 7:57Speaker 1: Who is Jesus to you, because that one answer will
- 8:01Speaker 1: determine the foundation of your entire faith. Paul wanted the
- 8:05Speaker 1: Colossians to understand this truth because everything else in their
- 8:09Speaker 1: faith depended on it, and the same is true for
- 8:13Speaker 1: you to day, Because if Jesus is truly God in
- 8:17Speaker 1: the flesh, then he alone deserves your worship. If Jesus
- 8:22Speaker 1: is truly the image of the invisible God, then he
- 8:25Speaker 1: alone should define your beliefs. If Jesus is truly the
- 8:29Speaker 1: creator and sustainer of all things, then he alone should
- 8:33Speaker 1: be at the center of your life. So to day
- 8:36Speaker 1: you have a choice. You can treat Jesus like just
- 8:39Speaker 1: another part of your life, one of many voices, one
- 8:42Speaker 1: of many priorities. Or you can recognize him for who
- 8:46Speaker 1: he truly is, the image of the invisible God, the
- 8:50Speaker 1: first born over all creation, the King of kings, the
- 8:54Speaker 1: Lord of lords, the one who was, and is and
- 8:58Speaker 1: is to come. And once you make that choice, your
- 9:02Speaker 1: faith will never be the same again. The second most
- 9:05Speaker 1: powerful lesson we learn from Colossians is this, you have
- 9:09Speaker 1: been transferred from darkness to light. We just learn that
- 9:13Speaker 1: Jesus is the image of the invisible God, that he
- 9:16Speaker 1: is not just a teacher, prophet, or religious figure, but
- 9:19Speaker 1: the full and complete revelation of God himself. And because
- 9:23Speaker 1: he is God, his authority is absolute, his victory is complete,
- 9:28Speaker 1: his power has no limits. But here's the question, what
- 9:32Speaker 1: does that mean for you? If Jesus is who he
- 9:35Speaker 1: says he is, how does that change your identity. Paul
- 9:39Speaker 1: answers this in Colossians one thirteen to fourteen. For He
- 9:45Speaker 1: has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought
- 9:48Speaker 1: us into the kingdom of the Sun He loves, in
- 9:52Speaker 1: whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Think about
- 9:58Speaker 1: that for a moment. If you have put your faith
- 10:00Speaker 1: in Christ, you are not who you used to be.
- 10:04Speaker 1: You are not where you used to be. You have
- 10:06Speaker 1: been rescued, not just improved, not just given a second chance,
- 10:11Speaker 1: not just slightly changed, completely transferred from the kingdom of
- 10:15Speaker 1: darkness to the Kingdom of Christ. Most people don't fully
- 10:19Speaker 1: grasp what this means, because if you have been transferred,
- 10:23Speaker 1: that means you do not belong to the old kingdom. Anymore.
- 10:27Speaker 1: Darkness no longer has power over you. Sin no longer
- 10:31Speaker 1: defines you, Guilt no longer owns you. You are not
- 10:34Speaker 1: under the rule of the enemy. You are not trapped
- 10:37Speaker 1: by the past. You are not a slave to sin.
- 10:40Speaker 1: You have been set free. But here is where many
- 10:43Speaker 1: believers struggle. Even though God has transferred them, they still
- 10:47Speaker 1: live as if they are in bondage. Even though they
- 10:50Speaker 1: have been rescued, they still act like they are prisoners.
- 10:53Speaker 1: Even though the door has been opened. They stay inside
- 10:56Speaker 1: the cell. And that's exactly what the enemy wants. Because
- 11:00Speaker 1: Satan knows he has lost. He knows that when Christ
- 11:03Speaker 1: died on the cross and rose again, the power of
- 11:06Speaker 1: sin and death was broken forever. But if he can
- 11:10Speaker 1: keep you thinking like a prisoner, he doesn't need to
- 11:12Speaker 1: put chains on you. You'll keep yourself bound. Think about
- 11:17Speaker 1: the Israelites in the Old Testament. For four hundred years
- 11:21Speaker 1: they were slaves in Egypt. They were beaten, oppressed, and
- 11:25Speaker 1: treated as nothing. But then God raised up Moses. He
- 11:30Speaker 1: sent plagues, performed miracles, and split the Red Sea in
- 11:34Speaker 1: half to deliver them from Pharaoh's hand. They were free.
- 11:37Speaker 1: But what happened the moment things got hard. They started
- 11:41Speaker 1: thinking like slaves again. They wanted to go back to Egypt.
- 11:45Speaker 1: They said, maybe it wasn't that bad. They had been
- 11:48Speaker 1: physically freed, but mentally they were still in chains. And
- 11:52Speaker 1: that is exactly how many believers lived to day. Jesus
- 11:56Speaker 1: has already broken every chain. Jesus has already delivered them
- 12:01Speaker 1: from darkness. Jesus has already given them complete freedom. But
- 12:06Speaker 1: instead of walking in that freedom, they let shame, guilt,
- 12:10Speaker 1: and fear drag them back into the same patterns, the
- 12:13Speaker 1: same temptations, the same mindset. But Paul is saying, you
- 12:18Speaker 1: have been transferred. Stop living like you belong to your
- 12:22Speaker 1: old life. Look at what Jesus said in John eight
- 12:25Speaker 1: thirty six. So if the sun sets you free, you
- 12:29Speaker 1: will be free indeed, not partially free, and not conditionally free,
- 12:34Speaker 1: and not momentarily free free indeed. So why do so
- 12:39Speaker 1: many people still struggle? Because freedom is not just something
- 12:43Speaker 1: you receive, It's something you learn to walk in. And
- 12:47Speaker 1: this is where the battle happens, because even though you
- 12:50Speaker 1: have been rescued, the enemy will do everything he can
- 12:54Speaker 1: to make you forget it. He will whisper your still
- 12:58Speaker 1: the same person you were before. He will remind you
- 13:01Speaker 1: of every failure, every mistake, every regret. He will try
- 13:05Speaker 1: to convince you that you are not really free. But
- 13:09Speaker 1: every time he lies, you have a choice. You can
- 13:12Speaker 1: either believe the enemy or you can believe the one
- 13:15Speaker 1: who rescued you. You can either stay in the mindset
- 13:18Speaker 1: of slavery, or you can step into the identity of
- 13:21Speaker 1: a child of God. You can either let shame drag
- 13:25Speaker 1: you back, or you can declare that you have been redeemed.
- 13:29Speaker 1: Because here's the truth. Redemption is not about what you've done.
- 13:33Speaker 1: It's about what Christ has done for you. Paul says,
- 13:37Speaker 1: in him we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. That
- 13:41Speaker 1: means your past is no longer a prison. That means
- 13:44Speaker 1: your mistakes are no longer held against you. That means
- 13:48Speaker 1: your sin has been fully paid for. There is no
- 13:51Speaker 1: more debt, there is no more condemnation, there is no
- 13:55Speaker 1: more distance between you and God. Because when Jesus died
- 14:00Speaker 1: on the cross, he didn't just save you. He transferred
- 14:03Speaker 1: you into a whole new kingdom. So what does this
- 14:06Speaker 1: mean for your life? And it means you don't have
- 14:08Speaker 1: to fight for freedom, It's already yours. It means you
- 14:12Speaker 1: don't have to live in fear. Jesus already won the battle.
- 14:16Speaker 1: It means you don't have to carry guilt. Your sins
- 14:19Speaker 1: have already been forgiven. It means that from this moment on,
- 14:23Speaker 1: you are no longer bound by your past. So let
- 14:27Speaker 1: me ask you, are you living like someone who has
- 14:30Speaker 1: been rescued or are you still letting the enemy convince
- 14:34Speaker 1: you that you belong in the darkness? Because to day
- 14:38Speaker 1: you have a choice. You can stay in the old mindset,
- 14:41Speaker 1: doubting whether you're really free, or you can step into
- 14:44Speaker 1: your new identity, fully embracing the truth that you have
- 14:48Speaker 1: been transferred into the Kingdom of Christ. And once you do,
- 14:53Speaker 1: you will never see yourself the same way again. The
- 14:56Speaker 1: third most powerful lesson we learn from Colossians is this
- 15:00Speaker 1: Christ in you, the hope of glory. We just learned
- 15:04Speaker 1: that we have been transferred from darkness to light, that
- 15:07Speaker 1: we no longer belong to our past, to shame or
- 15:10Speaker 1: to sin. But the beauty of salvation is not just
- 15:14Speaker 1: that we have been rescued. It's that Christ himself now
- 15:18Speaker 1: lives inside of us. Paul makes this clear in Colossians
- 15:23Speaker 1: one twenty seven when he writes to them, God has
- 15:28Speaker 1: chosen to make known among the gentiles the glorious riches
- 15:32Speaker 1: of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope
- 15:37Speaker 1: of glory. This is not just another religious concept. This
- 15:42Speaker 1: is not just a poetic metaphor. This is the single
- 15:45Speaker 1: greatest reality of the Christian life. If you are in Christ,
- 15:49Speaker 1: then He is in you, not beside you, not near you,
- 15:54Speaker 1: not just watching over you from heaven. In you. Think
- 15:57Speaker 1: about that for a moment. The same Gesh who calmed storms,
- 16:01Speaker 1: healed the sick, and raised the dead, the same Jesus
- 16:05Speaker 1: who spoke the universe into existence, the same Jesus who
- 16:10Speaker 1: conquered sin and crush the power of death now dwells
- 16:14Speaker 1: inside of you. If you truly grasp this, it will
- 16:17Speaker 1: change everything. It will change how you see yourself. It
- 16:21Speaker 1: will change how you fight your battles. It will change
- 16:24Speaker 1: how you live every single day. Because you are not alone,
- 16:29Speaker 1: you don't have to rely on your own strength. You
- 16:31Speaker 1: don't have to figure everything out by yourself. You don't
- 16:34Speaker 1: have to try to be good enough, strong enough, or
- 16:37Speaker 1: worthy enough, because the one who is good enough, strong enough,
- 16:42Speaker 1: and worthy enough already lives in you. And yet so
- 16:47Speaker 1: many believers still live as if they are on their own.
- 16:51Speaker 1: They try to fight temptation in their own power. They
- 16:54Speaker 1: try to serve God through their own effort. They try
- 16:57Speaker 1: to walk in righteousness through their own disciplate and when
- 17:01Speaker 1: they fail, they feel like they're letting God down. But
- 17:05Speaker 1: here's the truth. You are never meant to do this
- 17:07Speaker 1: by yourself. The Christian life is not about trying harder.
- 17:12Speaker 1: It's about surrendering more because Christ in you is the
- 17:15Speaker 1: hope of glory. Not your performance, not your ability, not
- 17:19Speaker 1: your religious devotion. Christ in you. And this is where
- 17:23Speaker 1: so many people get stuck. They think Christianity is about
- 17:27Speaker 1: self improvement. They think if they just read more, pray more,
- 17:32Speaker 1: work harder, and fix themselves, then God will be pleased
- 17:35Speaker 1: with them. But Christianity is not about self improvement. It's
- 17:40Speaker 1: about self surrender because the goal is not for you
- 17:43Speaker 1: to become a better version of yourself. The goal is
- 17:47Speaker 1: for Christ to be fully alive in you. Paul understood this.
- 17:52Speaker 1: That's why he wrote in Galatians two twenty, I have
- 17:54Speaker 1: been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but
- 17:58Speaker 1: Christ lives in me. He didn't say I have been
- 18:02Speaker 1: improved by Christ, he said, I no longer live. Paul
- 18:07Speaker 1: knew that the Christian life is not about adding Jesus
- 18:10Speaker 1: to who we already are. It's about letting go of
- 18:13Speaker 1: who we used to be so that Jesus can live
- 18:16Speaker 1: through us. So what does this mean for your life?
- 18:19Speaker 1: It means that you are not trying to become righteous.
- 18:23Speaker 1: Christ is already your righteousness. It means that you don't
- 18:27Speaker 1: have to prove yourself. Christ has already made you accepted.
- 18:31Speaker 1: It means that you don't have to live in fear
- 18:35Speaker 1: because the presence of God is already inside of you.
- 18:40Speaker 1: Think about it. In the Old Testament, the presence of
- 18:42Speaker 1: God was something people had to travel to. The Israelites
- 18:46Speaker 1: had the Tabernacle, then later the Temple. Only the high
- 18:50Speaker 1: priest could enter the Holy of Holies and only once
- 18:54Speaker 1: a year. But now, because of Jesus, the presence of
- 18:58Speaker 1: God is in sight of us. We don't have to
- 19:01Speaker 1: go to a temple. We are the temple. This is
- 19:04Speaker 1: why Paul says in First Corinthians six nineteen, do you
- 19:08Speaker 1: not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit,
- 19:12Speaker 1: who is in you, whom you have received from God.
- 19:16Speaker 1: That means every time you wake up in the morning,
- 19:19Speaker 1: God is already with you. Every time you face a challenge,
- 19:22Speaker 1: the power of Christ is already inside you. Every time
- 19:26Speaker 1: you feel weak, the strength of God is already available
- 19:30Speaker 1: to you. And once you understand this, your entire perspective
- 19:34Speaker 1: on life will change. So why do so many believers
- 19:38Speaker 1: still feel distant from God? Because they are looking for
- 19:42Speaker 1: something they already have. They are praying for God to
- 19:46Speaker 1: come near when He already lives inside of them. They
- 19:50Speaker 1: are asking for power when they already have the Holy Spirit.
- 19:53Speaker 1: They are striving for something that Jesus has already given them.
- 19:58Speaker 1: And the Enemy loves this because if he can keep
- 20:01Speaker 1: you thinking that you are far from God, if he
- 20:05Speaker 1: can keep you striving to earn what has already been
- 20:08Speaker 1: freely given, if he can keep you distracted by your
- 20:11Speaker 1: failures instead of resting in Christ's victory, then he can
- 20:15Speaker 1: keep you from living in the fullness of what God
- 20:19Speaker 1: has already provided. But to day that stops, to day
- 20:24Speaker 1: you wake up to the truth that Christ is in you.
- 20:27Speaker 1: You are not abandoned, you are not powerless, you are
- 20:30Speaker 1: not incomplete. And everything you need, peace, strength, wisdom, righteousness,
- 20:35Speaker 1: it is already inside of you because Christ himself is
- 20:39Speaker 1: inside of you. So let me ask you, are you
- 20:43Speaker 1: living as if Jesus is truly in you? Or are
- 20:46Speaker 1: you still trying to fight life's battles in your own strength?
- 20:50Speaker 1: Are you still trying to be good enough when Christ
- 20:53Speaker 1: has already made you righteous? As you still trying to
- 20:56Speaker 1: chase after God's presence when his presence is already within you.
- 21:00Speaker 1: Because to day you have a choice. You can keep striving, struggling,
- 21:04Speaker 1: and trying to make yourself worthy, or you can finally
- 21:07Speaker 1: rest in the greatest truth of all Christ in you,
- 21:11Speaker 1: the hope of glory, and once you truly believe that,
- 21:15Speaker 1: you will never walk in defeat again. The fourth most
- 21:19Speaker 1: powerful lesson we learn from Colossians is this walk in Christ,
- 21:24Speaker 1: not in empty philosophy. We just learned that Christ lives
- 21:27Speaker 1: in us, that the same power that raised Jesus from
- 21:30Speaker 1: the dead is now inside every believer. But even though
- 21:35Speaker 1: we have this power, even though we have full access
- 21:38Speaker 1: to God's wisdom and truth, there is still something that
- 21:41Speaker 1: threatens to pull us away false teachings. This is why
- 21:45Speaker 1: Paul warns in Colossians two eight, see to it that
- 21:48Speaker 1: no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy,
- 21:53Speaker 1: which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces
- 21:57Speaker 1: of this world rather than on Christ. Paul is saying
- 22:02Speaker 1: be careful. Not everything that sounds wise is actually true,
- 22:06Speaker 1: because the greatest threat to your faith is not always obvious.
- 22:11Speaker 1: Most believers won't openly reject Jesus. Most won't suddenly abandon
- 22:16Speaker 1: their faith. Most won't wake up one day and decide
- 22:19Speaker 1: to follow another God. But deception works differently. It's not
- 22:23Speaker 1: a direct attack. It's a slow drift. It happens when
- 22:27Speaker 1: we start adding things to the Gospel. It happens when
- 22:30Speaker 1: we start mixing the world's wisdom with God's truth. It
- 22:34Speaker 1: happens when we stop standing firm and start compromising little
- 22:38Speaker 1: by little. And that's exactly what was happening in Colossi.
- 22:43Speaker 1: False teachers had infiltrated the church, trying to convince believers
- 22:47Speaker 1: that Jesus wasn't enough. They introduced new philosophies, mystical ideas,
- 22:53Speaker 1: and religious traditions that seem spiritual, But in reality, we're
- 22:58Speaker 1: pulling people away from Christ. And this is still happening today.
- 23:01Speaker 1: Turn on the TV, scroll through social media, listen to
- 23:05Speaker 1: the messages our culture is preaching, and you will see
- 23:09Speaker 1: it everywhere. It sounds like all religions lead to the
- 23:13Speaker 1: same God. Live your truth. You don't need Jesus to
- 23:17Speaker 1: be a good person. The Bible is outdated, Times have changed.
- 23:21Speaker 1: God just wants you to be happy. No matter what.
- 23:24Speaker 1: It sounds deep, It sounds wise, it sounds loving, but
- 23:28Speaker 1: it is hollow and deceptive because the enemy doesn't need
- 23:31Speaker 1: to turn you into an atheist to make you ineffective.
- 23:35Speaker 1: He just needs to mix a little lie into the truth.
- 23:39Speaker 1: He just needs to get you to believe in a
- 23:41Speaker 1: slightly different version of Jesus, and before you know it,
- 23:46Speaker 1: you're no longer walking in Christ. You're walking in man
- 23:49Speaker 1: made ideas. You're walking in human wisdom. You're walking in
- 23:53Speaker 1: a belief system that feels good but is actually leading
- 23:57Speaker 1: you away from God. This is why Paul says, see
- 24:01Speaker 1: to it that no one takes you captive, because false
- 24:04Speaker 1: teachings don't just mislead you, They enslave you. They promise freedom,
- 24:09Speaker 1: but they make you more confused. They promise enlightenment, but
- 24:13Speaker 1: they leave you empty. They promise wisdom, but they disconnect
- 24:17Speaker 1: you from the only source of true wisdom Jesus Christ.
- 24:22Speaker 1: Look at what happened in the garden of Eden when
- 24:25Speaker 1: Satan tempted Eve. He didn't tell her to hate God.
- 24:28Speaker 1: He didn't say reject your faith. He simply twisted the truth.
- 24:33Speaker 1: Did God really say you must not eat from any
- 24:36Speaker 1: tree in the garden Genesis three one? He planted a
- 24:40Speaker 1: seed of doubt. He made her question God's word. He
- 24:44Speaker 1: made her think that there was another way to wisdom
- 24:47Speaker 1: outside of God, and that one small deception changed everything.
- 24:52Speaker 1: This is why Paul warn so strongly, do not let
- 24:55Speaker 1: anyone deceive you, because deception doesn't just take you off
- 25:00Speaker 1: for a moment, it can derail your entire faith. So
- 25:05Speaker 1: how do we guard ourselves? How do we make sure
- 25:07Speaker 1: we are walking in Christ and not in empty philosophy.
- 25:11Speaker 1: We have to know the real truth so well that
- 25:14Speaker 1: we recognize a lie the moment we hear it. Think
- 25:18Speaker 1: about how bank tellers are trained to spot counterfeit money.
- 25:22Speaker 1: They don't spend hours studying fake bills. They don't memorize
- 25:26Speaker 1: every possible forgery. Instead, they study the real thing so
- 25:31Speaker 1: closely that the moment they see a fake, they know
- 25:34Speaker 1: something is wrong. And that's exactly how we guard ourselves
- 25:38Speaker 1: against deception. We don't need to chase every false teaching
- 25:42Speaker 1: to try and disprove it. We don't need to analyze
- 25:46Speaker 1: every new philosophy the world throws at us. We just
- 25:50Speaker 1: need to know the Word of God so deeply that
- 25:53Speaker 1: the moment a lie comes our way, we recognize that
- 25:57Speaker 1: it doesn't align with the truth. Jesus said in John
- 26:01Speaker 1: eight thirty one to thirty two, if you continue in
- 26:04Speaker 1: my word, you really are my disciples, then you will
- 26:08Speaker 1: know the truth, and the truth will set you free.
- 26:12Speaker 1: The truth is not found in culture. The truth is
- 26:15Speaker 1: not found in human wisdom. The truth is not found
- 26:19Speaker 1: in popular opinions. The truth is found in Christ alone.
- 26:23Speaker 1: So let me ask you what is shaping your beliefs.
- 26:26Speaker 1: Is your faith fully built on the Word of God
- 26:29Speaker 1: or is it mixed with human philosophy? Are you standing
- 26:32Speaker 1: firm in truth or are you drifting little by little
- 26:36Speaker 1: toward a watered down version of Christianity? Because to day
- 26:40Speaker 1: you have a choice. You can keep following a faith
- 26:43Speaker 1: that feels good but has no foundation. You can keep
- 26:47Speaker 1: listening to voices that sound wise but lead you away
- 26:51Speaker 1: from Jesus. You can keep walking in empty philosophies that
- 26:55Speaker 1: promise freedom but only leave you more lost. Or you
- 26:59Speaker 1: can stand for in the real truth. You can root
- 27:02Speaker 1: yourself in God's words so deeply that no deception can
- 27:05Speaker 1: shake you. You can walk in Christ with full confidence,
- 27:09Speaker 1: knowing that He alone is the way, the truth, and
- 27:13Speaker 1: the life. Because once you choose to follow the real Jesus,
- 27:18Speaker 1: the Jesus of the Bible, not the Jesus of culture,
- 27:21Speaker 1: you will never be deceived again. The fifth most powerful
- 27:25Speaker 1: lesson we learn from Colossians is this, you have been
- 27:29Speaker 1: made alive with Christ. We just learned about the danger
- 27:33Speaker 1: of mixing worldly philosophy with the Gospel, how deception creeps
- 27:37Speaker 1: in little by little, and how the only way to
- 27:40Speaker 1: stand firm is by rooting ourselves in the truth of Christ.
- 27:44Speaker 1: But now we take it even deeper, because here's the question,
- 27:49Speaker 1: what is the truth about who you are in Christ?
- 27:53Speaker 1: Paul answers it clearly in Colossians two thirteen to fourteen.
- 27:58Speaker 1: When you were dead in your sin and in the
- 28:00Speaker 1: uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ.
- 28:05Speaker 1: He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge
- 28:09Speaker 1: of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us.
- 28:13Speaker 1: He has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.
- 28:17Speaker 1: This verse is the core of the Gospel. It tells
- 28:19Speaker 1: us who we were, It tells us what Christ has done.
- 28:23Speaker 1: It tells us what that means for us now. And
- 28:26Speaker 1: if you truly understand this, it will change everything. Because
- 28:30Speaker 1: Paul doesn't say we were struggling in our sins. He
- 28:34Speaker 1: doesn't say we were lost and needed guidance. He doesn't
- 28:38Speaker 1: say we were broken but could fix ourselves. He says
- 28:42Speaker 1: we were dead, completely helpless, completely powerless, completely unable to
- 28:47Speaker 1: save ourselves. And that's what so many people don't understand.
- 28:52Speaker 1: Because the world teaches us that we are basically good,
- 28:55Speaker 1: that we just need a little improvement, that if we
- 28:59Speaker 1: try hard enough, we can fix ourselves. But the Bible
- 29:03Speaker 1: says otherwise. Without Christ, we were not just sick. We
- 29:07Speaker 1: were spiritually dead. Without Christ, we were not just misguided,
- 29:11Speaker 1: we were enemies of God. Without Christ, we were not
- 29:15Speaker 1: just making mistakes. We were buried under a debt we
- 29:18Speaker 1: could never pay. And this is where guilt and shame
- 29:22Speaker 1: take hold of so many believers, because even after they
- 29:25Speaker 1: accept Jesus, they still live as if they are defined
- 29:29Speaker 1: by their past. They still carry the weight of sins
- 29:33Speaker 1: that Christ already paid for. They still feel like they
- 29:37Speaker 1: have to work to prove they are worthy. But Paul
- 29:39Speaker 1: is saying, you were dead, but God made you alive,
- 29:44Speaker 1: not because you earned it, not because you proved yourself,
- 29:47Speaker 1: not because you finally got it together, but because Jesus
- 29:51Speaker 1: took your debt and nailed it to the cross. This
- 29:54Speaker 1: is why guilt no longer has power over you. This
- 29:57Speaker 1: is why your identity is no longer in your failures.
- 30:01Speaker 1: This is why legalism, trying to earn God's love through
- 30:05Speaker 1: religious effort, has no place in your life because your
- 30:09Speaker 1: entire record of sin was canceled. Think about that. Imagine
- 30:14Speaker 1: standing in a courtroom guilty of every crime on the list.
- 30:18Speaker 1: There is no excuse, no way out, and the punishment
- 30:21Speaker 1: is clear. The judge is about to declare your sentence.
- 30:25Speaker 1: But then Jesus steps in. He takes the guilty verdict,
- 30:29Speaker 1: he takes the punishment. He takes every charge against you
- 30:32Speaker 1: and wipes it clean. Not just some of your sins,
- 30:36Speaker 1: not just the small ones, not just the ones You've
- 30:38Speaker 1: worked hard to make up for, all of them. And
- 30:41Speaker 1: now when God looks at you. He doesn't see your failures.
- 30:45Speaker 1: He doesn't see your past. He doesn't see the list
- 30:48Speaker 1: of sins that once condemned you. He sees Christ. This
- 30:53Speaker 1: is why your sins no longer define you. But here's
- 30:56Speaker 1: the problem. Even though Jesus has set people free, many
- 30:59Speaker 1: still live as if they are in chains. They walk
- 31:02Speaker 1: around carrying guilt that Jesus already took. They try to
- 31:06Speaker 1: earn God's love when he has already given it freely.
- 31:09Speaker 1: They live in fear of being rejected when Christ has
- 31:12Speaker 1: already made them fully accepted. And the enemy loves this,
- 31:17Speaker 1: because if he can't keep you from being saved, he
- 31:20Speaker 1: will try to keep you stuck in guilt. He will
- 31:23Speaker 1: remind you of every mistake. He will whisper that you
- 31:26Speaker 1: are not really forgiven. He will try to make you
- 31:29Speaker 1: believe that even though Jesus paid for your sins, you
- 31:33Speaker 1: still have to do more to make yourself worthy. But
- 31:36Speaker 1: that is a lie because Paul doesn't say that Jesus
- 31:41Speaker 1: partially canceled your debt. He doesn't say that Jesus reduced
- 31:45Speaker 1: the penalty. He doesn't say that Jesus gave you a
- 31:49Speaker 1: second chance to fix yourself. He says it is finished,
- 31:53Speaker 1: just like Jesus declared on the cross in John nineteen thirty.
- 31:57Speaker 1: It is finished, paid in full, settled, forever, completely erased.
- 32:02Speaker 1: And once you understand this, you will stop striving. You
- 32:06Speaker 1: will stop living under guilt and shame. You will stop
- 32:09Speaker 1: seeing yourself through the lens of your past because you
- 32:12Speaker 1: are not who you used to be. You are not
- 32:15Speaker 1: the sum of your mistakes. You are not a prisoner
- 32:18Speaker 1: to sin. You are not defined by your worst moments.
- 32:21Speaker 1: You have been made alive with Christ. So what does
- 32:24Speaker 1: this mean for your life? It means you don't have
- 32:27Speaker 1: to prove yourself to God because he already loves you fully.
- 32:32Speaker 1: It means you don't have to live under condemnation because
- 32:36Speaker 1: Jesus already took your punishment. It means you don't have
- 32:40Speaker 1: to hold on to shame because your sins have already
- 32:44Speaker 1: been nailed to the cross. And when you truly believe this,
- 32:48Speaker 1: it changes everything. So let me ask you. Are you
- 32:52Speaker 1: still living as if you are guilty when Christ has
- 32:55Speaker 1: already set you free? Are you still carrying burdens that
- 32:59Speaker 1: Jesus has already removed? Are you still trying to earn
- 33:03Speaker 1: what He has already given because to day you have
- 33:06Speaker 1: a choice. You can keep living in guilt, letting the
- 33:09Speaker 1: past define you, or you can finally walk in the
- 33:13Speaker 1: freedom that Jesus died to give you because you have
- 33:17Speaker 1: been made alive, and once you step into that truth,
- 33:21Speaker 1: you will never live the same way again. The sixth
- 33:25Speaker 1: most powerful lesson we learn from Colossians is this, set
- 33:28Speaker 1: your mind on things above. We just learned that we
- 33:32Speaker 1: have been made alive with Christ, that our sins have
- 33:35Speaker 1: been canceled, and that we no longer live under guilt, condemnation,
- 33:40Speaker 1: or the weight of our past. But now comes the challenge,
- 33:45Speaker 1: how do we actually live in that freedom? Because even
- 33:48Speaker 1: though we have been spiritually raised to life, the world
- 33:51Speaker 1: around us constantly tries to pull us back down. Paul
- 33:55Speaker 1: gives us the answer in Colossians three one to two.
- 34:00Speaker 1: Since then you have been raised with Christ, set your
- 34:03Speaker 1: hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the
- 34:07Speaker 1: right hand of God. Set your minds on things above,
- 34:11Speaker 1: not on earthly things. Paul is saying, you've been raised
- 34:15Speaker 1: to life, So why are you still thinking like someone
- 34:18Speaker 1: who is dead? Because here's the truth. Your thoughts determine
- 34:23Speaker 1: the direction of your life. Where your mind goes, your
- 34:26Speaker 1: life follows. If your mind is constantly focused on fear,
- 34:30Speaker 1: you will live in fear. If your mind is filled
- 34:34Speaker 1: with negativity, your life will reflect that negativity. If your
- 34:39Speaker 1: mind is consumed by the world, your faith will be
- 34:42Speaker 1: weak and unstable. This is why Paul is commanding us
- 34:46Speaker 1: to shift our focus. He's not saying try harder to
- 34:49Speaker 1: be spiritual. He's not saying force yourself to think positive.
- 34:54Speaker 1: He's saying, fix your mind on Heaven, Fix your mind
- 34:57Speaker 1: on Christ, fix your mind on what is eternal, because
- 35:02Speaker 1: if your mind is set on things above, your life
- 35:05Speaker 1: will begin to reflect the Kingdom of God instead of
- 35:08Speaker 1: the chaos of this world. But this is where most
- 35:12Speaker 1: people struggle because the world is loud. Distractions are everywhere,
- 35:17Speaker 1: your phone, your job, the media, social pressures. Everything around
- 35:21Speaker 1: you is fighting for your attention, and if you're not careful,
- 35:25Speaker 1: you'll spend more time feeding your mind with earthly things
- 35:29Speaker 1: than you do filling your heart with the things of God,
- 35:32Speaker 1: and the result a weak, distracted, and spiritually drained life.
- 35:38Speaker 1: This is why so many Christians struggle with anxiety, fear, doubt,
- 35:42Speaker 1: and spiritual dryness, not because they don't love God, but
- 35:46Speaker 1: because their minds are being filled with everything except his truth.
- 35:51Speaker 1: Jesus said in Matthew six twenty two to twenty three,
- 35:56Speaker 1: the eye is the lamp of the body. If your
- 35:59Speaker 1: eyes are hell, your whole body will be full of light.
- 36:02Speaker 1: But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will
- 36:06Speaker 1: be full of darkness. In other words, whatever you focus
- 36:10Speaker 1: on fills you. If you focus on negativity, your heart
- 36:14Speaker 1: will be filled with darkness. If you focus on fear,
- 36:18Speaker 1: your life will be filled with anxiety. If you focus
- 36:21Speaker 1: on worldly things, your faith will grow weak. But if
- 36:25Speaker 1: you fix your eyes on Jesus, everything changes. Because when
- 36:29Speaker 1: your mind is set on Christ, your heart is filled
- 36:32Speaker 1: with peace. When your thoughts are rooted in His promises,
- 36:36Speaker 1: your faith grows stronger. When you focus on what is eternal,
- 36:40Speaker 1: you stop being shaken by temporary problems. But here's the question,
- 36:45Speaker 1: how do we actually set our minds on things above
- 36:48Speaker 1: in a world full of distractions. Paul gives us the
- 36:51Speaker 1: answer in Romans twelve two dash do not conform to
- 36:56Speaker 1: the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the
- 36:59Speaker 1: renewing of your mind. You have to renew your mind daily.
- 37:04Speaker 1: That means you don't just read the Bible once in
- 37:06Speaker 1: a while, you fill your mind with it daily. You
- 37:09Speaker 1: don't just pray when you're in trouble. You live in
- 37:12Speaker 1: constant communication with God. You don't just listen to worship
- 37:17Speaker 1: music on Sundays. You fill your life with an atmosphere
- 37:21Speaker 1: of worship. Because the reality is whatever you feed your
- 37:25Speaker 1: mind will shape your spirit. If you spend more time
- 37:29Speaker 1: scrolling through social media than seeking God, don't be surprised
- 37:34Speaker 1: when your faith feels weak if you consume more news
- 37:38Speaker 1: than scripture. Don't be surprised when fear overwhelms you. If
- 37:42Speaker 1: you let the world define your values, don't be surprised
- 37:45Speaker 1: when your faith starts to fade. This is why Paul
- 37:49Speaker 1: is saying set your mind on things above, because your
- 37:53Speaker 1: mindset will either pull you closer to God or further
- 37:56Speaker 1: from him. So what does this look like? Practically? It
- 38:00Speaker 1: means filling your mind with the word of God, because
- 38:04Speaker 1: you cannot stand firm in truth if you are not
- 38:07Speaker 1: constantly reminding yourself of it. It means guarding what you
- 38:11Speaker 1: allow into your heart because not everything you hear, watch,
- 38:15Speaker 1: or read is beneficial to your spiritual life. It means
- 38:20Speaker 1: choosing faith over fear because when your mind is set
- 38:23Speaker 1: on Christ. You stop being controlled by the worries of
- 38:27Speaker 1: this world. And when you do this, you will see
- 38:30Speaker 1: transformation in your life. Because setting your mind on things
- 38:34Speaker 1: above is not just about thinking differently, it's about living differently.
- 38:40Speaker 1: It means that when trials come, you don't panic. You
- 38:43Speaker 1: trust God. When the world tries to shake you, you
- 38:47Speaker 1: stand firm. When life gets overwhelming, you remain at peace
- 38:51Speaker 1: because your heart is anchored in something greater. This is
- 38:54Speaker 1: why Paul says in Philippians four eight dash Finally, brothers
- 38:59Speaker 1: and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right,
- 39:05Speaker 1: whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if
- 39:10Speaker 1: anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things. Because
- 39:16Speaker 1: your mind was never meant to be a battlefield of
- 39:19Speaker 1: stress and fear. It was meant to be a place
- 39:23Speaker 1: where faith, truth, and the presence of God reign. So
- 39:28Speaker 1: let me ask you what is your mind set on
- 39:31Speaker 1: to day. Is it focused on the worries of this
- 39:34Speaker 1: world or on the truth of God's word? Is it
- 39:37Speaker 1: being shaped by the noise of culture or by the
- 39:40Speaker 1: voice of the Holy Spirit. Is it consumed by temporary
- 39:44Speaker 1: things or is it anchored in what is eternal because
- 39:48Speaker 1: to day you have a choice. You can continue letting
- 39:52Speaker 1: your mind be filled with the distractions, fears, and pressures
- 39:56Speaker 1: of this world, or you can make the decision to
- 39:59Speaker 1: set you your mind on things above, because once you do,
- 40:03Speaker 1: you will experience a level of peace, clarity, and spiritual
- 40:08Speaker 1: strength that nothing in this world can shake. The seventh
- 40:11Speaker 1: most powerful lesson we learn from Colossians is this put
- 40:15Speaker 1: to death what belongs to your old life. We just
- 40:19Speaker 1: learned about the power of our mindset, how setting our
- 40:22Speaker 1: minds on things above transforms the way we live. But
- 40:27Speaker 1: here's the truth. You cannot set your mind on heavenly
- 40:31Speaker 1: things if you are still holding on to earthly things.
- 40:35Speaker 1: Paul doesn't just tell us to think differently, he tells
- 40:38Speaker 1: us to live differently. That's why in Colossians three five
- 40:42Speaker 1: to ten, Paul gives a direct command put to death. Therefore,
- 40:47Speaker 1: whatever belongs to your earthly nature sexual immorality, impurity, lust,
- 40:53Speaker 1: evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry. You used to
- 40:58Speaker 1: walk in these ways in the life once lived. But
- 41:01Speaker 1: now you must also rid yourselves of all such things
- 41:04Speaker 1: as these, anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from
- 41:10Speaker 1: your lips do not lie to each other, since you
- 41:14Speaker 1: have taken off your old self with its practices, and
- 41:17Speaker 1: have put on the new self, which is being renewed
- 41:20Speaker 1: in knowledge, in the image of its creator. Paul is
- 41:24Speaker 1: not suggesting. Paul is not giving advice. Paul is commanding
- 41:29Speaker 1: put it to death, because the old life and the
- 41:32Speaker 1: new life cannot exist together. And yet this is where
- 41:36Speaker 1: so many believers struggle. They want the blessings of the
- 41:39Speaker 1: new life, but they are still holding on to the
- 41:42Speaker 1: chains of the old life. They want the peace of God,
- 41:45Speaker 1: but they refuse to let go of bitterness. They want
- 41:48Speaker 1: the joy of salvation, but they are still chasing after
- 41:52Speaker 1: sinful desires. They want the power of the Holy Spirit,
- 41:55Speaker 1: but they are still feeding their flesh. And this is
- 41:59Speaker 1: why many crisestions feel stuck, because they are trying to
- 42:02Speaker 1: walk in freedom while still dragging the weight of their past.
- 42:07Speaker 1: But Paul is saying, you cannot have both. You must choose.
- 42:10Speaker 1: You cannot live in resurrection power while clinging to dead things.
- 42:14Speaker 1: Jesus didn't die to improve your old life. He died
- 42:17Speaker 1: to give you a completely new life. But new life
- 42:21Speaker 1: requires a funeral for the old one. This is why
- 42:24Speaker 1: Paul doesn't say try to do better. He doesn't say
- 42:28Speaker 1: work on your weaknesses. He doesn't say slowly phase out
- 42:32Speaker 1: your sinful habits. He says put it to death. Because
- 42:36Speaker 1: if you don't kill sin, it will kill you. Look
- 42:40Speaker 1: at how James describes the process of sin in James one,
- 42:44Speaker 1: fourteen to fifteen. Each person is tempted when they are
- 42:47Speaker 1: dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then,
- 42:52Speaker 1: after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and sin,
- 42:56Speaker 1: when it is full grown, gives birth to death. Sinn
- 43:00Speaker 1: always leads to death, maybe not immediately, maybe not in
- 43:04Speaker 1: ways you expect, but it will kill something. It will
- 43:07Speaker 1: kill your peace, It will kill your intimacy with God.
- 43:11Speaker 1: It will kill your spiritual confidence. It will kill the
- 43:14Speaker 1: future God has for you. And the only way to
- 43:17Speaker 1: stop sin from destroying your life is to put it
- 43:20Speaker 1: to death before it grows. This is where many believers
- 43:25Speaker 1: make a critical mistake. Instead of killing sin, they manage it.
- 43:31Speaker 1: They keep it in a controlled environment, They justify it
- 43:35Speaker 1: as a small issue. They keep it hidden so no
- 43:38Speaker 1: one knows about it. But sin is never satisfied with
- 43:41Speaker 1: being managed. It will grow, it will spread, It will
- 43:45Speaker 1: take over. This is why behavior modification is not enough.
- 43:50Speaker 1: Some people think Christianity is about fixing behavior, reading the
- 43:54Speaker 1: Bible more, praying more, going to church more. And while
- 43:59Speaker 1: those things are important, they do not replace the need
- 44:03Speaker 1: for true transformation, because God is not just trying to
- 44:06Speaker 1: adjust your actions. He is trying to change your heart.
- 44:10Speaker 1: He's not interested in making you a better version of
- 44:13Speaker 1: your old self. He's calling you to completely die to
- 44:17Speaker 1: your old self so that the new self made in
- 44:20Speaker 1: the image of Christ can take over. Jesus made this
- 44:23Speaker 1: clear in Luke nine twenty three to twenty four. Whoever
- 44:28Speaker 1: wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take
- 44:32Speaker 1: up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants
- 44:36Speaker 1: to save their life will lose it. But whoever loses
- 44:39Speaker 1: their life for Me will save it. That's the real issue.
- 44:43Speaker 1: Most people don't want to lose their life. They want
- 44:46Speaker 1: to keep control, They want to hold on to their
- 44:49Speaker 1: old desires. They want to follow Jesus without fully surrendering.
- 44:53Speaker 1: But Jesus says that's not how this works. If you
- 44:57Speaker 1: truly want the life that Christ offers, you have to
- 45:00Speaker 1: let go of the one you are trying to hold onto.
- 45:03Speaker 1: So let me ask you what needs to die in
- 45:06Speaker 1: your life. Is it a sinful habit that you've been excusing.
- 45:10Speaker 1: Is it a toxic relationship that keeps pulling you away
- 45:13Speaker 1: from God? Is it an attitude of anger, pride, or
- 45:17Speaker 1: lust that you haven't surrendered? Because today you have a choice.
- 45:22Speaker 1: You can keep trying to hold onto both lives, or
- 45:25Speaker 1: you can finally make the decision to put to death
- 45:28Speaker 1: what belongs to your old self. And once you do,
- 45:32Speaker 1: you will walk in a level of freedom, joy, and
- 45:35Speaker 1: power that you have never experienced before. The eighth most
- 45:39Speaker 1: powerful lesson we learn from Collosians is this, let the
- 45:43Speaker 1: peace of Christ rule in your heart. We just learned
- 45:46Speaker 1: that in order to fully step into the new life
- 45:48Speaker 1: Christ offers, we must put to death everything that belongs
- 45:52Speaker 1: to our old life, our sinful desires, our selfish habits,
- 45:57Speaker 1: and anything that keeps us tied to the past. But
- 46:01Speaker 1: now comes the question what fills the space left behind?
- 46:05Speaker 1: Because once you remove something from your life, something else
- 46:09Speaker 1: will take its place. If you remove sin but don't
- 46:13Speaker 1: fill your heart with God's truth, you will fall back
- 46:16Speaker 1: into old patterns. If you remove bad habits but don't
- 46:20Speaker 1: develop godly ones, you will stay spiritually stagnant. If you
- 46:24Speaker 1: put to death your old way of thinking, but don't
- 46:27Speaker 1: renew your mind in Christ, the world will shape your
- 46:30Speaker 1: thoughts again. And this is why Paul doesn't just tell
- 46:33Speaker 1: us what to remove, he tells us what to replace
- 46:37Speaker 1: it with. In Colossians three point fifteen, he gives this command,
- 46:41Speaker 1: let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since
- 46:44Speaker 1: as members of one body, you were called to peace
- 46:48Speaker 1: and be thankful. Paul isn't just telling us to have peace.
- 46:53Speaker 1: He's telling us to let the peace of Christ rule
- 46:56Speaker 1: in our hearts. That means peace is not just a feea.
- 47:00Speaker 1: It's not just a nice idea. It's not just something
- 47:04Speaker 1: we experience in quiet moments. Peace is something that rules
- 47:08Speaker 1: over us. And here's the truth. Something is always ruling
- 47:12Speaker 1: your heart for some people. For some its anxiety, for
- 47:16Speaker 1: some its stress, insecurity or anger. But Paul is saying,
- 47:20Speaker 1: don't let fear rule you. Don't let anxiety control you,
- 47:24Speaker 1: don't let stress dictate your life. Let the peace of
- 47:28Speaker 1: Christ take over. But this is where many believers struggle,
- 47:32Speaker 1: because even though they believe in Jesus, they do not
- 47:35Speaker 1: live in peace. They pray, but they are still anxious.
- 47:39Speaker 1: They go to church, but they are still weighed down
- 47:42Speaker 1: by stress. They know God is in control, but their
- 47:45Speaker 1: hearts are still filled with worry. Why because peace is
- 47:50Speaker 1: not something that automatically happens. It is something you have
- 47:54Speaker 1: to allow to rule in your life. Paul says, let
- 47:58Speaker 1: the peace of Christ rule. That means peace is already
- 48:02Speaker 1: available to you. You just have to let it take over.
- 48:06Speaker 1: But if we are honest, most of us don't. Instead,
- 48:10Speaker 1: we let our emotions rule us. We let our circumstances
- 48:13Speaker 1: rule us. We let the voices of the world rule us.
- 48:17Speaker 1: And as a result, even though Jesus has already given
- 48:20Speaker 1: us his peace, we don't experience it because we are
- 48:24Speaker 1: too focused on everything else. Look at what Jesus says
- 48:28Speaker 1: in John fourteen twenty seven, Dash peace I leave with
- 48:32Speaker 1: you my peace I give you. I do not give
- 48:34Speaker 1: to you as the world gives. Do not let your
- 48:38Speaker 1: hearts be troubled, and do not be afraid. Jesus already
- 48:42Speaker 1: gave us his peace. But just like Paul says, we
- 48:45Speaker 1: have to let that peace rule our hearts, and that
- 48:49Speaker 1: means we have to make a choice. We have to
- 48:51Speaker 1: choose peace over worry. We have to choose trust over anxiety.
- 48:55Speaker 1: We have to choose faith over fear. But how do
- 48:58Speaker 1: we do that and do we actually let the peace
- 49:01Speaker 1: of Christ rule in our hearts, especially when life is chaotic. First,
- 49:06Speaker 1: we must shift our focus. One of the biggest reasons
- 49:09Speaker 1: people live in anxiety is because their focus is in
- 49:13Speaker 1: the wrong place. They focus on their problems instead of
- 49:17Speaker 1: God's promises. They focus on what they can't control instead
- 49:21Speaker 1: of the one who is in control. They focus on
- 49:25Speaker 1: what's going wrong instead of what God is doing behind
- 49:28Speaker 1: the scenes. This is why Isaiah twenty six three says
- 49:34Speaker 1: you will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are
- 49:37Speaker 1: steadfast because they trust in you. If your mind is
- 49:41Speaker 1: fixed on God, peace will follow. But if your mind
- 49:45Speaker 1: is constantly dwelling on fear, negativity, and uncertainty, then anxiety
- 49:50Speaker 1: will rule your heart instead. Second, we must surrender everything
- 49:54Speaker 1: to God in prayer. Paul gives us the key in
- 49:58Speaker 1: Philippians four six to do not be anxious about anything,
- 50:03Speaker 1: but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,
- 50:09Speaker 1: present your requests to God. And the peace of God,
- 50:13Speaker 1: which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds.
- 50:17Speaker 1: In Christ, Jesus Peace is not the absence of problems.
- 50:22Speaker 1: Peace is the result of trusting God with those problems.
- 50:27Speaker 1: That means if you are carrying stress, it's because you
- 50:30Speaker 1: haven't given it fully to God yet. If you are
- 50:33Speaker 1: constantly anxious, it's because you are still trying to control
- 50:37Speaker 1: what only God can control. And the moment you truly
- 50:41Speaker 1: surrender everything to Him, peace will take over. Third, we
- 50:46Speaker 1: must walk in gratitude. Paul connects peace with thanksgiving. Let
- 50:51Speaker 1: the peace of Christ rule in your hearts and be
- 50:54Speaker 1: thankful Colossians three point fifteen. Because gratitude shifts your heart
- 51:00Speaker 1: from worry to worship. When you are thankful, you stop
- 51:03Speaker 1: focusing on what you don't have and start recognizing what
- 51:07Speaker 1: God has already done. And when you live in gratitude,
- 51:11Speaker 1: fear loses its grip on you. So let me ask
- 51:15Speaker 1: you what is ruling your heart to day? Is it anxiety, stress, fear?
- 51:20Speaker 1: Or is it the peace of Christ? Because to day
- 51:23Speaker 1: you have a choice. You can keep letting your emotions
- 51:26Speaker 1: rule you. You can keep living under the weight of stress.
- 51:30Speaker 1: You can keep allowing circumstances to dictate your peace, or
- 51:35Speaker 1: you can finally let the peace of Christ take over.
- 51:38Speaker 1: You can shift your focus, surrender everything in prayer, and
- 51:42Speaker 1: walk in gratitude, knowing that God is in control and
- 51:47Speaker 1: his peace is greater than any problem you will ever face.
- 51:52Speaker 1: And once you truly let that piece rule your heart,
- 51:55Speaker 1: nothing in this world will be able to shake you.
- 51:59Speaker 1: The ninth most powerful lesson we learn from Colossians is this,
- 52:03Speaker 1: devote yourself to prayer. We just learned about the power
- 52:07Speaker 1: of letting the peace of Christ rule in our hearts.
- 52:11Speaker 1: That real peace is not found in perfect circumstances, but
- 52:15Speaker 1: in surrendering everything to God. But here's the question, how
- 52:20Speaker 1: do we actually live in that peace every day? How
- 52:24Speaker 1: do we stay strong when life keeps throwing battles our way.
- 52:29Speaker 1: Paul gives us the answer in Colossians four two. Devote
- 52:33Speaker 1: yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. Paul is not
- 52:37Speaker 1: making a suggestion. He's not saying, pray when you feel
- 52:41Speaker 1: like it. He's giving a command. Devote yourself to prayer.
- 52:45Speaker 1: Why because prayer is not just an option. It is
- 52:49Speaker 1: the foundation of spiritual strength. It is the difference between
- 52:53Speaker 1: walking in power and walking in weakness. It is the
- 52:57Speaker 1: difference between standing firm and constantly falling. It is the
- 53:02Speaker 1: difference between living in faith and being consumed by fear.
- 53:06Speaker 1: And yet, if we're honest, most Christians struggle with prayer.
- 53:10Speaker 1: They pray occasionally, but not consistently. They pray when they
- 53:14Speaker 1: need something, but not as a daily habit. They pray
- 53:18Speaker 1: out of obligation instead of out of passion, and the
- 53:21Speaker 1: result a weak, inconsistent, and powerless faith. That this is
- 53:25Speaker 1: why so many believers feel spiritually dry, This is why
- 53:29Speaker 1: they struggle with the same sins over and over again.
- 53:33Speaker 1: This is why they constantly feel distant from God. Because
- 53:37Speaker 1: prayer is the key to spiritual strength, and if you
- 53:41Speaker 1: neglect it, you will never experience the full power of
- 53:45Speaker 1: God in your life. Look at Jesus. If any one
- 53:49Speaker 1: could have lived without prayer, it was him. He was
- 53:52Speaker 1: God in the flesh, He had all power and authority,
- 53:56Speaker 1: and yet he prayed constantly. In Mark one thirty five says,
- 54:00Speaker 1: very early in the morning, while it was still dark,
- 54:03Speaker 1: Jesus got up, left the house and went off to
- 54:07Speaker 1: a solitary place where he prayed. In Luke five sixteen,
- 54:12Speaker 1: it says, but Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and
- 54:15Speaker 1: prayed before making big decisions. He prayed before performing miracles,
- 54:22Speaker 1: He prayed before going to the cross, he prayed. Prayer
- 54:26Speaker 1: was not something Jesus did occasionally, it was his lifestyle.
- 54:31Speaker 1: And if Jesus needed to pray constantly, how much more
- 54:34Speaker 1: do we? But this is where many believers get discouraged
- 54:39Speaker 1: because they want to have a strong prayer life, but
- 54:42Speaker 1: they don't know how. They don't know what to say,
- 54:45Speaker 1: they don't know how to stay consistent, they don't know
- 54:48Speaker 1: how to actually hear from God. So how do we
- 54:51Speaker 1: change that? How do we develop a powerful, consistent prayer
- 54:55Speaker 1: life that actually transforms our faith? Paul gives us three
- 54:59Speaker 1: keys in Colossians. For two, one, devote yourselves to prayer.
- 55:04Speaker 1: Make prayer a priority. Devotion means commitment. It means making
- 55:09Speaker 1: prayer a non negotiable part of your life. Too many
- 55:13Speaker 1: people treat prayer like an afterthought. They pray when they
- 55:16Speaker 1: have time, but never make time. They pray when they
- 55:20Speaker 1: are desperate, but neglect it when things are going well.
- 55:24Speaker 1: But Paul is saying prayer should not be your last resort,
- 55:27Speaker 1: It should be your first response. It should be something
- 55:31Speaker 1: you build your life around, not something you squeeze into
- 55:34Speaker 1: your schedule. So if you want a powerful prayer life,
- 55:37Speaker 1: you must make time for it. Set aside intentional moments
- 55:41Speaker 1: every day to be with God. Wake up early if
- 55:45Speaker 1: you have to, turn off distractions. Make it a habit,
- 55:49Speaker 1: because prayer is not just something you do. It is
- 55:52Speaker 1: where your strength comes from. Two. Being watchful Pray with expectation.
- 56:00Speaker 1: Paul tells us to be watchful in prayer. That means
- 56:03Speaker 1: don't just pray out of routine. Pray with expectation. So
- 56:07Speaker 1: many people pray, but they don't actually expect anything to happen.
- 56:12Speaker 1: They pray just in case God listens. They pray just
- 56:16Speaker 1: in case he might move. But Jesus didn't teach us
- 56:19Speaker 1: to pray like that. In Mark eleven twenty four, he said,
- 56:22Speaker 1: whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have
- 56:25Speaker 1: received it, and it will be yours. In James one six,
- 56:30Speaker 1: it says, but when you ask, you must believe and
- 56:32Speaker 1: not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a
- 56:35Speaker 1: wave of the sea blown and tossed by the wind.
- 56:40Speaker 1: Faith Filled prayer expects results. It prays as if God
- 56:44Speaker 1: is actually listening. It prays as if Heaven is actually moving.
- 56:48Speaker 1: It prays as if miracles are actually possible. So if
- 56:51Speaker 1: you want a powerful prayer life, stop praying small, faithless prayers.
- 56:57Speaker 1: Start praying with expectation, Start believing that God is working,
- 57:01Speaker 1: Start watching for how he answers. Because when you pray
- 57:04Speaker 1: with faith, Heaven responds. Three and be thankful. Pray with gratitude.
- 57:11Speaker 1: Paul ends this verse with something so important, Be thankful,
- 57:16Speaker 1: because gratitude changes everything. Most people pray from a place
- 57:21Speaker 1: of lack. They focus on what they don't have. They
- 57:24Speaker 1: focus on what hasn't happened yet. They focus on what
- 57:27Speaker 1: they think is missing, But thankfulness shifts your entire perspective.
- 57:32Speaker 1: When you pray with gratitude, you stop focusing on what
- 57:35Speaker 1: God hasn't done and start remembering what He has done.
- 57:39Speaker 1: And when you pray from a place of gratitude, your
- 57:42Speaker 1: faith grows stronger. Because if God has been faithful before,
- 57:47Speaker 1: he will be faithful again. If he provided for you before,
- 57:51Speaker 1: he will provide for you again. If he answered prayers before,
- 57:56Speaker 1: he will answer again. This is why thankful prayers are
- 57:59Speaker 1: powerful prayers. They are not desperate, they are confident. They
- 58:03Speaker 1: are not filled with doubt. They are filled with faith.
- 58:06Speaker 1: They are not driven by fear. They are rooted in trust,
- 58:10Speaker 1: and when you pray like that, you will see God
- 58:12Speaker 1: move in ways you never expected. So let me ask you,
- 58:16Speaker 1: how is your prayer life? Is it weak and inconsistent?
- 58:19Speaker 1: Is it rushed and distracted? Is it filled with doubt
- 58:22Speaker 1: instead of expectation? Because to day you have a choice.
- 58:27Speaker 1: You can keep treating prayer as an optional part of
- 58:29Speaker 1: your life, or you can choose to devote yourself to it.
- 58:34Speaker 1: You can choose to make it a priority. You can
- 58:36Speaker 1: choose to pray with expectation. You can choose to pray
- 58:40Speaker 1: with gratitude, and when you do, your faith will never
- 58:44Speaker 1: be weak again. The tenth most powerful lesson we learn
- 58:48Speaker 1: from Collosians is this, live wisely and shine for Christ.
- 58:53Speaker 1: We just learned about the power of prayer. How devoting
- 58:56Speaker 1: ourselves to a strong and consistent prayer life fuels our faith,
- 59:00Speaker 1: strengthens our spirit, and aligns us with God's will. But
- 59:05Speaker 1: prayer is not just about talking to God. It's about
- 59:09Speaker 1: being transformed by him. And when you are transformed, it
- 59:13Speaker 1: will be evident in the way you live. This is
- 59:17Speaker 1: why Paul says in Collossians four five through six, be
- 59:21Speaker 1: wise in the way you act toward outsiders, make the
- 59:24Speaker 1: most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full
- 59:29Speaker 1: of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know
- 59:32Speaker 1: how to answer everyone. Paul is making it clear your
- 59:37Speaker 1: faith is not just about what you believe. It is
- 59:39Speaker 1: about how you live. It is about how you interact
- 59:43Speaker 1: with the world around you. It is about how you
- 59:45Speaker 1: shine for Christ in a world that desperately needs him. Because,
- 59:50Speaker 1: whether you realize it or not, people are watching. Your
- 59:53Speaker 1: co workers are watching how you handle stress. Your family
- 59:58Speaker 1: is watching how you respond to confort. Your friends are
- 1:00:01Speaker 1: watching how you navigate difficult situations. And for some people,
- 1:00:06Speaker 1: the way you live might be the only glimpse of
- 1:00:09Speaker 1: Jesus they ever see. So the question is what are
- 1:00:13Speaker 1: you showing them? Are you showing them a life that
- 1:00:16Speaker 1: reflects Christ. Are you showing them a life that is
- 1:00:19Speaker 1: different from the world. Are you showing them wisdom, grace
- 1:00:23Speaker 1: and love? Or are you showing them something else? Because
- 1:00:26Speaker 1: here is the truth. Your witness is not just in
- 1:00:29Speaker 1: your words. You can talk about Jesus all day long,
- 1:00:32Speaker 1: but if your life does not reflect him, people will
- 1:00:35Speaker 1: not listen. You can quote Bible verses, but if your
- 1:00:39Speaker 1: actions contradict them, your testimony will lose its power. This
- 1:00:44Speaker 1: is why Paul says to live wisely and to make
- 1:00:47Speaker 1: the most of every opportunity, because every interaction is an opportunity.
- 1:00:53Speaker 1: Every conversation is a chance to reflect Christ. Every decision
- 1:00:58Speaker 1: is a moment to display Godly wisdom. Every challenge is
- 1:01:03Speaker 1: a test of whether you truly trust in Him. But
- 1:01:06Speaker 1: wisdom is not just about what you know, It is
- 1:01:10Speaker 1: about how you apply it. That is why Paul also says,
- 1:01:14Speaker 1: let your conversation be full of grace, seasoned with salt,
- 1:01:18Speaker 1: because how you speak matters just as much as how
- 1:01:21Speaker 1: you live. Some people claim to represent Jesus, but their
- 1:01:25Speaker 1: words are harsh and condemning. They speak truth, but without grace.
- 1:01:30Speaker 1: They defend their faith, but in a way that pushes
- 1:01:33Speaker 1: people away. They try to be bold, but they forget
- 1:01:37Speaker 1: to be loving, and instead of drawing people to Christ,
- 1:01:41Speaker 1: they make him seem unapproachable. But Paul says, our words
- 1:01:45Speaker 1: should be filled with both grace and truth. That means
- 1:01:49Speaker 1: we speak with kindness even when we disagree. That means
- 1:01:53Speaker 1: we reflect Christ in our tone, not just our message.
- 1:01:56Speaker 1: That means we bring wisdom into every conversation, not just opinions.
- 1:02:01Speaker 1: Jesus was the perfect example of this. He never compromised
- 1:02:05Speaker 1: the truth, but he always spoke with love. When he
- 1:02:09Speaker 1: corrected people, he did it with grace. When he taught,
- 1:02:13Speaker 1: he made people feel seen and valued. When he called
- 1:02:16Speaker 1: people to repentance, it was always with an invitation, not condemnation.
- 1:02:22Speaker 1: And this is how we should live because the world
- 1:02:25Speaker 1: does not need more religious arguments. It does not need
- 1:02:29Speaker 1: more people who claim to follow Jesus but do not
- 1:02:32Speaker 1: live like him. It needs people who truly reflect Christ,
- 1:02:36Speaker 1: people who walk in wisdom, people who speak with grace,
- 1:02:40Speaker 1: people who make the most of every opportunity to shine
- 1:02:43Speaker 1: for Jesus. So let me ask you, are you living
- 1:02:47Speaker 1: wisely in the way you interact with the world. Are
- 1:02:50Speaker 1: you representing Jesus well in your words and actions? Are
- 1:02:55Speaker 1: you making the most of every opportunity to show others
- 1:02:59Speaker 1: the love of Christ? Because today you have a choice.
- 1:03:03Speaker 1: You can keep living casually, blending in with the world,
- 1:03:06Speaker 1: missing opportunities to be a light. Or you can choose
- 1:03:09Speaker 1: to live with purpose. You can choose to let wisdom
- 1:03:13Speaker 1: guide your decisions. You can choose to let grace shape
- 1:03:17Speaker 1: your conversations. You can choose to make every moment count
- 1:03:20Speaker 1: for eternity, because when you do, your life will become
- 1:03:24Speaker 1: more than just a reflection of Jesus. It will become
- 1:03:28Speaker 1: a testimony that draws others to Him. The most important
- 1:03:33Speaker 1: lesson we learn from the Book of Collosians is this
- 1:03:36Speaker 1: we are called to live fully rooted in Christ. We
- 1:03:40Speaker 1: have walked through powerful truths, truths that challenge us, transform us,
- 1:03:45Speaker 1: and call us into a deeper, stronger faith. We have
- 1:03:49Speaker 1: seen that Christ is enough, that he is the image
- 1:03:52Speaker 1: of the invisible God, and that we have been transferred
- 1:03:55Speaker 1: from darkness to light. We have learned that we are
- 1:03:58Speaker 1: made alive with Him, that our old selves must die,
- 1:04:02Speaker 1: and that His peace must rule in our hearts. But
- 1:04:06Speaker 1: now comes the final question, are you truly living fully
- 1:04:10Speaker 1: surrendered to Christ? Or are you still holding on to
- 1:04:14Speaker 1: the world. Because everything we have learned leads to this moment.
- 1:04:18Speaker 1: You can know all these truths, you can memorize every verse,
- 1:04:22Speaker 1: you can agree with everything Paul wrote, but if you
- 1:04:25Speaker 1: do not live it, it will not change you. Colossians
- 1:04:28Speaker 1: is not just about understanding who Christ is. It is
- 1:04:32Speaker 1: about choosing to walk in Him every single day. Paul
- 1:04:36Speaker 1: makes this clear in Colossians two six through seven. So then,
- 1:04:40Speaker 1: just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to
- 1:04:44Speaker 1: live your lives in Him, rooted and built up in Him,
- 1:04:48Speaker 1: strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing
- 1:04:51Speaker 1: with thankfulness. Paul is saying, you started with Christ, now
- 1:04:55Speaker 1: keep walking in Him. Because faith is not just a decision,
- 1:05:00Speaker 1: it is a lifestyle. It is not just about believing
- 1:05:04Speaker 1: in Jesus once, It is about remaining rooted in Him daily.
- 1:05:08Speaker 1: But this is where many people struggle. They give their
- 1:05:11Speaker 1: lives to Christ, but they do not stay rooted in him.
- 1:05:15Speaker 1: They let distractions pull them away. They let fear keep
- 1:05:19Speaker 1: them from growing deeper. They let their old life still
- 1:05:22Speaker 1: have a hold on them, and slowly, without realizing it,
- 1:05:26Speaker 1: they drift. This is why Paul uses the imagery of
- 1:05:29Speaker 1: being rooted in Christ. Because roots determine the strength of
- 1:05:34Speaker 1: a tree. A tree with deep roots can withstand storms.
- 1:05:38Speaker 1: A tree with deep roots can survive dry seasons. A
- 1:05:41Speaker 1: tree with deep roots will not be easily shaken. But
- 1:05:44Speaker 1: a tree with shallow roots it falls when the wind blows,
- 1:05:49Speaker 1: it withers when the heat comes, it cannot stand firm
- 1:05:52Speaker 1: when pressure comes. And the same is true for your faith.
- 1:05:56Speaker 1: If you are rooted in Christ, you will not be
- 1:05:58Speaker 1: shaken by trial. If you are rooted in Christ, you
- 1:06:02Speaker 1: will not be deceived by false teachings. If you are
- 1:06:05Speaker 1: rooted in Christ, you will not let fear control you.
- 1:06:10Speaker 1: But if your faith is only surface level, if it
- 1:06:12Speaker 1: is based on emotions, traditions, or convenience, then when hardship comes,
- 1:06:18Speaker 1: when temptation knocks, when the world tries to pull you away,
- 1:06:22Speaker 1: you will fall. This is why Paul tells us to
- 1:06:27Speaker 1: not just believe in Christ, but to be built up
- 1:06:29Speaker 1: in Him, to be strengthened in faith, to be deeply rooted.
- 1:06:33Speaker 1: So let me ask you what are you rooted in?
- 1:06:36Speaker 1: Are you rooted in Christ or are you still holding
- 1:06:39Speaker 1: on to the things of this world? Because you cannot
- 1:06:42Speaker 1: be rooted in both. Jesus himself said in Matthew six
- 1:06:47Speaker 1: twenty four dash, no one can serve two masters. Either
- 1:06:51Speaker 1: you will hate the one and love the other, or
- 1:06:55Speaker 1: you will be devoted to one and despise the other.
- 1:07:00Speaker 1: You cannot be fully rooted in Christ if you are
- 1:07:03Speaker 1: still trying to keep your roots in the world. You
- 1:07:06Speaker 1: cannot live for eternity while still chasing temporary things. You
- 1:07:12Speaker 1: cannot claim Jesus as your foundation while still letting culture, opinions,
- 1:07:16Speaker 1: and sin shape your decisions. You have to choose. You
- 1:07:21Speaker 1: have to decide if you will live fully for Christ
- 1:07:23Speaker 1: or if you will let the world have a peace
- 1:07:25Speaker 1: of you. Because the truth is, God has already given
- 1:07:30Speaker 1: you everything you need to stand firm. He has given
- 1:07:35Speaker 1: you his spirit to guide you. He has given you
- 1:07:37Speaker 1: his word to strengthen you. He has given you his
- 1:07:40Speaker 1: peace to sustain you. He has given you his grace
- 1:07:43Speaker 1: to cover you. But He will not force you to
- 1:07:46Speaker 1: be rooted in him. That is your choice. So what
- 1:07:49Speaker 1: will you do? Will you stay lukewarm, half in and
- 1:07:52Speaker 1: half out? Will you keep trying to mix faith with
- 1:07:54Speaker 1: worldly desires? Will you keep letting fear keep you from
- 1:07:58Speaker 1: surrendering completely? Or will you finally let your roots go deep?
- 1:08:03Speaker 1: Will you decide that from this moment forward you will
- 1:08:06Speaker 1: no longer be easily shaken. Will you choose to remain
- 1:08:10Speaker 1: strong in Christ no matter what comes. Will you commit
- 1:08:14Speaker 1: to walking in Him, living in Him, being built up
- 1:08:18Speaker 1: in Him, and never looking back? Because this is your moment,
- 1:08:22Speaker 1: This is the moment you choose to stand firm. This
- 1:08:26Speaker 1: is the moment you say no to compromise. This is
- 1:08:29Speaker 1: the moment you declare that Christ is enough and you
- 1:08:32Speaker 1: will never be uprooted from Him again. So let me
- 1:08:36Speaker 1: ask you which lesson from Colossians spoke to you the most.
- 1:08:41Speaker 1: Was it learning that Jesus is the image of the
- 1:08:44Speaker 1: invisible God? Was it realizing that you have already been
- 1:08:48Speaker 1: transferred from darkness to light? Was it understanding that you
- 1:08:53Speaker 1: have been made alive in Christ? Was it the challenge
- 1:08:57Speaker 1: to put to death what belongs to your old life?
- 1:09:00Speaker 1: Was it the call to devote yourself to prayer or
- 1:09:03Speaker 1: the command to live wisely? Drop a comment below. I
- 1:09:07Speaker 1: want to hear what impacted you the most, and if
- 1:09:10Speaker 1: this message encouraged you, share it with someone who needs
- 1:09:13Speaker 1: to hear it. Because the truth of Colossians is not
- 1:09:17Speaker 1: just for you. It is for any one who is
- 1:09:20Speaker 1: tired of living a shallow, weak and distracted faith and
- 1:09:24Speaker 1: is ready to be fully rooted in Christ. Let's come
- 1:09:27Speaker 1: before God in prayer because everything we have learned in Collossians,
- 1:09:32Speaker 1: every truth, every challenge, every call to stand firm, comes
- 1:09:37Speaker 1: down to this moment. This is where we stop just
- 1:09:41Speaker 1: hearing and start asking God to help us live it
- 1:09:44Speaker 1: out Heavenly Father, we come before you with humble hearts,
- 1:09:48Speaker 1: knowing that without you we are weak, easily distracted, and
- 1:09:53Speaker 1: constantly pulled by the world. But you have called us
- 1:09:57Speaker 1: to something greater. You have not saved us, You have
- 1:10:01Speaker 1: rooted us in Christ. You have transferred us from darkness
- 1:10:05Speaker 1: to light, made us alive, and given us a foundation
- 1:10:08Speaker 1: that cannot be shaken. And yet, Lord, we confess that
- 1:10:12Speaker 1: too often we still struggle. We still hold on to
- 1:10:16Speaker 1: things that you have called us to let go of.
- 1:10:19Speaker 1: We still battle with fears, doubts, and distractions. We still
- 1:10:24Speaker 1: forget that Christ is enough. So to day we surrender. Lord,
- 1:10:29Speaker 1: we ask that you would strengthen our hearts to stand
- 1:10:32Speaker 1: firm in Christ. When the enemy tries to deceive us.
- 1:10:36Speaker 1: Let your truth rise up inside of us. When the
- 1:10:40Speaker 1: world tries to pull us away, remind us that we
- 1:10:43Speaker 1: are no longer citizens of this world. We belong to
- 1:10:47Speaker 1: your kingdom. When fear tries to creep in, let your
- 1:10:52Speaker 1: peace rule in our hearts. Teach us to set our
- 1:10:55Speaker 1: minds on things above when our thoughts begin to spiral
- 1:10:59Speaker 1: with worry, when we attempted to focus on temporary problems
- 1:11:02Speaker 1: instead of eternal truths. Holy Spirit, redirect our minds, help
- 1:11:08Speaker 1: us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector
- 1:11:11Speaker 1: of our faith. We pray for the courage to put
- 1:11:13Speaker 1: to death what belongs to our old life. Lord, we
- 1:11:17Speaker 1: do not want to just modify our behavior. We want
- 1:11:20Speaker 1: to be transformed. Search our hearts, reveal the areas where
- 1:11:25Speaker 1: we are still holding on to sin, pride, bitterness, or
- 1:11:30Speaker 1: anything that is not from You, and give us the
- 1:11:33Speaker 1: strength to let it go completely, to walk away from temptation,
- 1:11:38Speaker 1: and to choose obedience over compromise. God, we pray that
- 1:11:42Speaker 1: you would fill us with a hunger for your presence.
- 1:11:45Speaker 1: Do not let us be satisfied with a shallow faith.
- 1:11:48Speaker 1: Do not let us become distracted by the things of
- 1:11:51Speaker 1: this world. Stir up in us a desire to know
- 1:11:54Speaker 1: you more, to spend time in your word, and to
- 1:11:56Speaker 1: devote ourselves to prayer. Lord, we ask for wisdom in
- 1:12:01Speaker 1: a world full of deception. Let us stand firm in
- 1:12:04Speaker 1: truth when culture tries to redefine what is right and wrong.
- 1:12:09Speaker 1: Let us be anchored in your word when we face
- 1:12:12Speaker 1: decisions big or small. Let us be led by your spirit,
- 1:12:17Speaker 1: not by our own understanding. We also pray that our
- 1:12:21Speaker 1: lives would reflect Christ, that the way we speak, act,
- 1:12:24Speaker 1: and love would point others to You. Let our conversations
- 1:12:28Speaker 1: be full of grace and truth. Let our attitudes reflect
- 1:12:32Speaker 1: patience and kindness. Let our actions prove that we belong
- 1:12:35Speaker 1: to You. And Lord, we pray that you would make
- 1:12:38Speaker 1: us bold. The world is growing darker and the need
- 1:12:42Speaker 1: for Jesus has never been greater. But too often we
- 1:12:45Speaker 1: stay silent. We let fear hold us back. We worry
- 1:12:49Speaker 1: about what people will think instead of what you have
- 1:12:51Speaker 1: called us to do. So today we ask for holy boldness.
- 1:12:56Speaker 1: The kind of boldness that Peter and John had when
- 1:13:00Speaker 1: they stood before rulers and declared that they could not
- 1:13:03Speaker 1: stop speaking about what they had seen and heard. The
- 1:13:07Speaker 1: kind of boldness that Paul had when he refused to
- 1:13:10Speaker 1: compromise even when he was beaten, imprisoned, and rejected. The
- 1:13:15Speaker 1: kind of boldness that Jesus had when he set his
- 1:13:17Speaker 1: face toward the cross, choosing obedience over comfort. Make us bold, Lord,
- 1:13:24Speaker 1: Bold to live for you in a world that opposes you.
- 1:13:27Speaker 1: Bold to love people even when it is hard, Bold
- 1:13:31Speaker 1: to share the Gospel without fear, Bold to walk in
- 1:13:35Speaker 1: the power and authority that you have already given us.
- 1:13:38Speaker 1: We thank you God that you have already provided everything
- 1:13:42Speaker 1: we need. We do not have to strive, we do
- 1:13:45Speaker 1: not have to fear, and we do not have to
- 1:13:48Speaker 1: fight alone. Because Christ lives in us the hope of glory,
- 1:13:55Speaker 1: and we declare to day that we will stand firm
- 1:13:58Speaker 1: in Him. We will not drift, we will not compromise.
- 1:14:02Speaker 1: We will not let the enemy steal what you have
- 1:14:04Speaker 1: planted in us. From this moment on, we will be
- 1:14:08Speaker 1: fully rooted in Christ. In Jesus Mighty name, we pray Amen.
- 1:14:13Speaker 1: If this message spoke to you, we encourage you to
- 1:14:15Speaker 1: go deeper. We have a full explainer video on the
- 1:14:19Speaker 1: Book of Collossians, breaking it down in a way that
- 1:14:22Speaker 1: will strengthen your faith even more. We also created a
- 1:14:26Speaker 1: study ebook to help you apply these truths to your
- 1:14:29Speaker 1: daily life. You can find both linked in the description.
- 1:14:33Speaker 1: And if you know someone who needs this message, do
- 1:14:36Speaker 1: not keep it to yourself, share this with them. Let's
- 1:14:39Speaker 1: help more people stand firm in Christ, live boldly for Him,
- 1:14:44Speaker 1: and walk in the full power of the Gospel.