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The Enemy of Our Faith (Part 2) · Near East Christian Fellowship Sermons

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Welcome to NECF Sermons. Each message here is
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designed to uplift and strengthen you in your
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walk with God. Don't miss out. Stay with us until
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the end for a rewarding experience. Let's dive
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right in. I know, see, in the daily life of the
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believer, this is the contention we have every
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single day. The fight we fight every day is a
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fight to believe what God has said concerns us,
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concerns our lives, concerns everything that
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has to do with us. And we are faced with challenges.
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We are faced with trials. We are faced with temptations.
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We are faced with contrary opinions. We are faced
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with contrary doctrines and teachings. We are
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exposed by the media. We are exposed by every
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opportunity with information. that seems to speak
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contrary to what God has done, that seeks to
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speak contrary to what God has done in us and
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what God is doing in us. Hallelujah. This is
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the daily fight that the believer fights. Amen.
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That we walk in that which God has done for us
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in Christ Jesus. That we walk in the realities
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of the things that God has made available for
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us in the Spirit. Of course, we flip through
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the pages of scriptures every day and we see
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these things, we are taught these things. We
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are taught about our identity. We are taught
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about all that we have in the spirit. But oftentimes,
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we don't see this in reality in our lives. And
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it's not because they are not in us. Hallelujah.
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It's not because God has not achieved these things
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for us or in us. But rather, we find ourselves
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faced with challenging information that seems
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to either discredit what God has done or give
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us an opinion that is contrary to what God has
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done. Hallelujah. 1 Timothy 6, verse 12. 1 Timothy
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6, verse 12. Paul speaking to Timothy, he says,
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fight the good fight of faith. Hallelujah. Now,
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I want you to understand that, first of all,
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he's writing to someone that, number one, is
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a believer, is a Christian. He's addressing a
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young believer and a minister of the gospel.
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And what he's saying to him is to fight the good
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fight of faith. Lay hold on eternal life, to
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which you were also called, that is, he has been
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called into eternal life, and have confessed
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good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
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And Paul is calling him to fight a good fight
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of faith. To fight a good fight of faith. And
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each and every one of us are faced with similar
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situation every single day. In case you don't
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know, we always emphasize this, that the day
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you become a believer is the day that you enter
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a battle. And the battle is not a battle for
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your salvation. It's a battle... for you to live
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in the reality of what God has achieved in Christ.
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Hallelujah. That you begin to see all that God
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has achieved for you in Christ, has made available
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for you in Christ, manifest. So for Paul and
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Timothy, Paul is telling Timothy to fight the
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good. It means there is a fight for the faith
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that we have professed. There is a fight for
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the faith that we have professed. and have received
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in our hearts and daily as we as we as we live
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the christian life it's expected that we realize
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that we understand the context of the fight that
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we are faced with every day now if you don't
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know that you are fighting a fight then it simply
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means that you are living in defeat so it's equally
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important for us to understand that there is
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a fight and it's not just a fight but it is a
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good fight of faith hallelujah There is a good
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fight of faith. And from this text, the word
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fight is translated from a Greek word. Let me
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spell the Greek word. A -G -O -N -I -Z -O -M
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-A -I. Agonizomai. And it means to struggle,
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right? It means to struggle in literal sense,
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you know, to compete for a prize. that's one
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of the variation of the meaning of the word in
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the greek to compete for a price and this word
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agonizomai can be used figuratively to mean to
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content with an adversary to content with what
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with an adversary and opposition to content with
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an adversary and another way to which this word
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is used in a generative case to endeavor to accomplish
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something you know to endeavor to accomplish
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something to fight to label to you know, fervently
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strive to achieve something. But in this context,
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the writer here to Timothy Paul is using this
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word fight in a figurative sense. That is for
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him to contend with an adversity. Fight simply
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means he's contending with an adversity. Fight
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the good fight of faith. Lay hold of an eternal
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life to which you were also called and also have
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confessed the good confession in the presence
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of many witnesses so what paul is saying is this
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see you've professed faith in christ jesus before
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many witnesses you believe in jesus christ and
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as a matter of fact you are living in the realities
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of what god has done in christ jesus and as a
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young minister as a young believer you must fight
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the fight of faith And we must understand that
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we have also a fight of faith to fight. Paul
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later on will say in subsequent chapters in his
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writings still to the same person, Paul will
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later on, you know, will say that he has fought
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the good fight of faith himself in 2 Timothy
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4 verse 7. You see where he's making comments
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and making an example of himself. 2 Timothy 4
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verse 7. 2 Timothy 4 verse 7. Or let me read
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from verse 6. I've already been poured out. As
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a drink offering. And a time for my departure
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is at hand. And this is his testimony. What is
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his testimony? I have fought the good fight.
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I have finished the race. I have what? I have
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kept the faith. Hallelujah. So Paul here is saying
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that he has fought the good fight. I have finished
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the race. I have kept the faith. So Paul here
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establishes that he has fought that particular
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fight of faith. And of course, he has come to
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a closure, or let's say to the end of his course
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for the walk. What walk? The walk of faith. And
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this walk of faith is what all of us have been
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called to, all of us believers. As long as you
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believe in Jesus Christ, you've been called into
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this, this walk of faith. And he went on to say
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that he has kept the faith. Now, the context
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of Paul's communication here, if you look critically,
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is about the preaching of the gospel. All right?
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It's about the preaching of the gospel. Keeping
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the faith here has to be with the sound doctrine.
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Because in his communication to Timothy, in the
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previous verses we read, and even now, the context
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of what he has kept is a faith, the sound doctrine.
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Hallelujah. Now, Apostle Jude also will use a
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similar word. Jude 1 verse 3. I'm trying to build
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a case for us to see and also to be reminded
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that we have a fight to fight daily. And listen,
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we are not fighting from a place of defeat. Amen?
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We are fighting from the place of victory. What
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we are doing is that we are bringing to manifestation
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that which Christ has won for us. Jude. Verse
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3 to 4. Yes. Beloved, while I was very diligent
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to write to you concerning our common salvation,
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he calls it a common salvation, I found it necessary
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to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly.
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Here's what contend. To contend earnestly for
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the faith which was once for all delivered to
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the saints. For certain men have crept in unnoticed
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who long ago were mapped out for this condemnation
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on the women who turned the grace of god into
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lewness and denied only lord god and our lord
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jesus christ hallelujah again content you see
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the word fight for the faith content for the
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faith is something that you have to do on a daily
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basis and here judy speaking concerning some
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men that have tripped into the church into the
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body of christ And they brought in another conversation
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contrary to the faith. Now, the reason why you
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must contend for the faith is because there is
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an opposition to the faith. Hallelujah. There
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is an opposition to the precious faith that you've
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been given. And you are the one responsible to
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contend, to fight, to preserve, to protect, and
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to bring into manifestation. Of that which God
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has given you as a gift. So, Jude here is saying
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that they must contend because in verse 4, there
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is an opposition that has risen for the sake
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of the faith. There is an opposition that has
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risen because some men here have clipped into
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the body of Christ, the family of God, and they
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are bringing in information that is contrary
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to the faith. Therefore, it is necessary that
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the believer must what? Must contend. Contending
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simply means that you are rejecting what they
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are bringing and you are upholding what you've
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learned. You are protecting what you've learned.
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You are believing what you've learned. You are
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practicing what you've learned. You are not practicing
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anything contrary to what you've learned. That
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is how we contend for the faith. So, contend
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here is a word, epagonizomai. e -p -a -g -o -n
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-i -z -o -m -a -i let me spell again e -p -a
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-g -o -n -i -z -o -m -a -i and it's from the
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same word as fight for the faith as we saw earlier
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on you know from the same word as fight it means
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to content endlessly it just emphasizes the the
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the effort that you have to do as an individual
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remember on sunday I tried to make some basic
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clarification about the fact that the believer
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has faith. Hallelujah. And I tried to make a
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clarity concerning some of the misconceptions
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that we may have found in the book of, I think,
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in the book of James, right? Concerning works.
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Okay? Now, when we are saying you're contending
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for the faith, you are not trying to do something
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to end something. Hallelujah. You're only bringing,
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or you're only bringing to manifestation that
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which God... in christ has done hallelujah so
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the content content here the contending here
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is to honestly honestly effortly you know ensure
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that you are protecting that which you have and
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also we see from this context also in the book
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of jude here the context is about the gospel
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the message which the believer must content for
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because as i said earlier on there is an opposition
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hallelujah the devil is against what you believe
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in the devil is against your status as a believer
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and all he desires every single day is that you
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will not manifest hallelujah the devil doesn't
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doesn't worry yes he has lost you already a believer
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he cannot undo that which have been done in you
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but one thing that the enemy will ensure he makes
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sure he doesn't you don't do is to bring to reality
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your identity Hallelujah. And all that you are
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is found within the pages of the gospel. So you
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see here, some people will come with a different
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message. Why will they bring a different message?
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They bring a different message so that they will
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sway away people from believing what has been
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taught, which is true. From practicing what has
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been taught, which is true, to another doctrine,
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which there is no another doctrine. Hallelujah.
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To practicing things that are contrary to what
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has been taught. to what has brought it into
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salvation so you the believer must what must
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content for for that which you've been given
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hallelujah so what is the faith we have in our
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hearts as we see on sunday and previously that
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faith is operational in our hearts okay faith
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is operational in our mouth hallelujah and we
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emphasize also that faith should be operational
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in our conduct so wherever it is that we need
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to see the operation of faith we are called to
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fight the good fight of faith hallelujah because
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in our mind in our hearts or say our mind or
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our heart the devil will ensure that he puts
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something in our mind that is contrary to what
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god has in the gospel so the fight of faith is
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for us to bring Into manifestation. And also
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to allow that which God has worked in us. To
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come into display. Hallelujah. So this fight
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of faith is not you alone. It's not for you alone.
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It's not fighting as an individual. Amen. We
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are fighting together as a community. Philippians
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1 verse 27. Philippians 1 verse 27. Only, give
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me verse 26, then verse 27. That your rejoicing
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for me may be more abundant in Jesus Christ by
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my coming to you again. Only, which means that
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he was speaking to a community of people. He
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said, only let your conduct be worthy of the
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gospel of Christ. Let your conduct be what? Be
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worthy of the gospel of Christ. This is actually
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living by faith. Hallelujah. This is actually
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living by faith. Your conduct is worthy of the
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gospel, is living by faith. Living by faith is
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not just having something in your heart alone,
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okay? But it's bringing it to manifestation.
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So only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel
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of Christ, so that whether I come and see you
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or I'm absent, I may hear of your affairs, that
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you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind,
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and use the word here, it is similar to fighting.
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which is similar to contending, striving together,
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okay? Striving together for the faith of the
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gospel. Remember what the apostle was saying
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about community, about other believers. Amen.
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Striving together for that faith of the gospel
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that we've received. Hallelujah. So the fight
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of faith cannot be done in the flesh. Even though
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we are confronted daily, as I said earlier on,
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in the natural. In our daily lives, we cannot
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fight the fight of faith in the natural way.
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Amen? The confrontation is natural. Are we together?
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The things that comes against what we have in
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our heart, they are physical things. But the
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way we fight them is not in the physical way.
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I just explained. Corinthians 10 verse 3. Let's
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look at that text. 2 Corinthians 10 verse 3.
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Though we walk in the flesh, we saw it last on
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Sunday. It says, for though we walk in the flesh,
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for though we are in the physical, for though
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we are in the natural, okay, we do not walk according
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to the flesh. For the weapons, and it's what
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we use, for our warfare, against those things
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that comes for our faith. Okay? For the weapons
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of our warfare are not what? Are not physical.
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But even though they are not physical, they are
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not things we can see, they are very mighty in
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God. For what? For pulling down strongholds.
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Okay? What are these strongholds? Casting down
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arguments. I told you before that what is in
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your heart? The things that will come forward
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in your hearts are arguments. Okay? That message
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that those people are preaching in Jude are arguments.
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Are we together? They are bringing arguments.
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Casting down arguments. And everything that is
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exalting itself is making itself more prominent
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against the knowledge of God. Against the knowledge
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of God's word. Against everything that God has
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said concerning you. Against everything that
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God has said concerning the believer. Bringing
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every thought. This thought can come from any
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direction. This thought can even come from good
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counsel. This thought can even come from supposedly
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place of love. Every thought into captivity to
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the obedience of Christ. Ephesians 6 verse 12,
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obviously, will tell us that, you know, for we
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are not wrestling against what? Against human
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beings, okay? But against principalities, all
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right? So even though we know that it is a natural,
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they come in a natural, but the software behind
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that operation is what? It's supernatural. Are
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we together? The person that will come and preach,
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The first gospel to you. The force behind that
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is supernatural. We wrestle against principalities,
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against powers, against rulers of what? Of darkness
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of this age. Against spiritual hosts of wickedness
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in the heavenly. So, Paul made mention of wicked
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and ungodly men who oppose him in 2 Thessalonians
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3, verse 2. And that we may be delivered. From
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what? From unreasonable and wicked men. But how
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will they be delivered? By prayer. All right?
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Give me verse 1. Verse 1. Yes, verse 1. It says,
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finally, pray for us. That what? That the word
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of God or the word of the Lord may run swiftly
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and be glorified. Just as it is with you. Verse
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2. And that we may be delivered from unreasonable
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men. Unreasonable and wicked men, for not all
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have faith. Hallelujah. For not all have faith.
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So there is an opposition to the prosperity of
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the word. There is an opposition to that word
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that is a word of faith. And the way Paul was
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asking for help is not by bringing bodyguards.
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It's by praying that there will be deliverance
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from this set of people. So to fight or contend
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for the faith, we must understand the nature
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of this fight. Okay? Where the fight is fought
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and the weapons for the fight, we must understand
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the nature of this fight. We must understand
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what this fight is all about. We must also understand
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the enemy and his devices. Okay? We must understand
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the enemy and his devices. And we must not be
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ignorant of them. 2 Corinthians 2 .11 says that
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we are not ignorant of what? Of the devices of
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the devil, of the enemy. Let Satan take advantage
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of us. Speaking to a church. For we are not ignorant
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of what? Of the devices. So the enemy, the devil,
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has devices. He has methods. He has schemes.
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He has technology by which he... He operates
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in order to what? To sabotage the work of God
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in our lives. And God has given us the ability.
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Hallelujah. He has given to us the power, the
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will, to ensure that we bring to nothing the
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plan and the work of the devil. He has given
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us authority. He has given us power to do what?
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To bring to nothing the plan and the works of
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the enemy. So we can fight the spiritual war
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by, by using physical means we've said around
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this fight okay of faith is located in our hearts
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first and foremost all right let's begin from
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the heart first of all we see it in the heart
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we've seen that primarily faith operates in the
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heart of man and in our words and of course in
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our actions Romans chapter 10 verse 9. How we
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come to know Jesus Christ and accept and be part
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of the family. Romans chapter 10 verse 9 and
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10. That if you confess with your mouth the Lord
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Jesus Christ and what? And believe where? Where
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do you believe? You believe in the heart, right?
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You confess it's in your lips and it's in your
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heart. What do you confess and what do you believe?
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that god has raised him from the death you will
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be saved verse 10 for with the heart with the
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heart all right what happened one believes unto
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righteousness and with the mouth what happened
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confession is made into unto salvation so we
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can see the operation of faith in the heart and
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also in the profession of a man hallelujah 2
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Corinthians chapter 4 verse 13. We're just trying
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to betray the fact that we'll find faith in operation
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in the heart and also in our words, in our mouth.
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And since we have the same spirit of faith, according
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to what is written, I believe. And therefore,
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what do I do? I speak. We also believe and therefore
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we speak. So there's a believing that is in the
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heart. And then, of course, we see the profession
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that is in words. Acts 11, verse 23. Mark 11,
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23. For surely I say to you, whoever says to
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this mountain, be removed and be cast into the
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sea and does not doubt. Where? Where does he
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doubt? In his heart. So where does doubt operate?
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Doubts operate in the heart. All right? Equally,
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what beliefs, where does faith also operate?
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Faith also operates where? In the heart. So it
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seems to me that the heart is a place where either
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faith will operate or doubt will operate. It
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depends on what is given chance to operate. But
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beliefs, that those things he says will be done,
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he will have whatever he says. Amen? So, Just
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of a sudden you begin to have a story in your
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heart that a brother besides you needs to be
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laid hand upon to be healed. And suddenly you
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turn and you look at the person by your left
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and you're by your right side. If I lay hand
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on this person and he doesn't get healed, what
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will happen? Then you begin to doubt. Pastor
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Carson is smiling because he knows what I'm saying.
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Then you begin to doubt, all right? And then
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you don't lay hand on him. What has happened
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at that moment? Faith wants to manifest. but
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doubt. So there's a conflict where we cannot
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see with our eyes, but there's a war happening
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in your heart. Faith and doubt. And whatever
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you allow to manifest will take the place. Hallelujah.
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So we have a responsibility always to do what?
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To allow faith to have expression through us.
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Amen? So what does the Bible say about our hearts?
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What does the Bible say about our hearts? Firstly,
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we saw that a man is born again from the heart.
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Salvation is from the heart, alright? Romans
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10, verse 9 and 10, we saw that a man is born
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again from the heart. The changes are, of course,
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we don't see with our physical eyes. It's in
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the heart of that man that the man becomes born
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again. That is a spiritual part of that man.
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Verse 9 says that if you confess with your mouth
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the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart, that
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heart, the word heart in the Greek is the word
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kardia. K -A -R -D -I -A. And it is figuratively
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used here. We're not talking about the heart
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that pumps blood. We're not talking about your
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heart that is pumping blood. But it's a figurative
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statement here, the heart. figuratively means
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the truths or the feelings sometimes you see
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interchangeably the mind it is that affective
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center of your being that your core of a man
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that has the capacity of what of of making choices
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moral preference the heart and in the bible the
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word card here is mentioned over 800 times in
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the scripture But never will we see it referring
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to any literal or physical part of our body that
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is pumping blood. That is, the heart is only
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used figuratively, right? It's oftentimes used
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in scriptures figuratively. Figuratively for
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what? For that particular part of a man that
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is the core of his being. So the Bible presents
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the heart as the inner core of man. So that is
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where the fight happens. That is where the battle
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happens. That is where, you know, this... Conversation
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happens. The heart of a man. Not merely the physical
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organ or emotions. The word heart is descriptive.
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It's a descriptive term that is used to explain
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a person's motives. That's the way your motive
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is. You know, your conviction is found in your
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heart. Your persuasion. You see, you have to
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come to a place of persuasion about a certain
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thing. That's when doubt does not work again.
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For example, now, I know that I cannot come to
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Pastor Emmanuel and tell him, Pastor Emmanuel,
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Jesus is not God. And then he will begin to wonder.
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He has reached a place of persuasion that there's
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no amount of doubt that can come and convince
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that Jesus is not God. Hallelujah. So also, all
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of us, that we should come to a place of persuasion
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concerning everything that God has said concerning
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you. concerning everything that the word of God
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says about us, about what we should do, about
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how we should live our life, we must reach to
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this place of persuasion. And our persuasion
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is in our heart, not only in our lips, on our
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lips. If what we say on our lips, the songs we
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sing, we dance to, are actually the things that
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we have persuasions in our heart about, then
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we will see our conduct, what we do. will reflect
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the persuasions of our hearts, also the things
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that we see on our mouths, hallelujah, in our
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lips. So we see the scripture repeatedly places
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emphasis on the heart, on the heart of man. For
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example, in Proverbs 4, verse 23, Proverbs 4,
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23, will teach us a very important thing. Proverbs
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4, verse 23, it says, keep your heart with all
30:01
diligence. For all of it springs the issues of
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life. I want you to give me this in NLT. Do we
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have that? Yes. It says, guard your heart above
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all else. Why? For it determines the course of
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your life. Your heart determines the course of
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your life. Whether your life will go left or
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your life will go right, your heart is the core.
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so if your heart is a central processing system
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of your body of your life so you have the responsibility
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not that someone will come and got your heart
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for you you will do what will got your heart
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that is the fight of faith you have a responsibility
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to do what to lay a guard on your heart because
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that is the way many think that's the way the
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core of a man is from it we see the course of
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your life Hallelujah. 1 Samuel 16, verse 7. We
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see when the prophet came to anoint and he said
31:10
something concerning David. 1 Samuel, give me
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1 Samuel 16, verse 7. He said, but the Lord said
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to Samuel, don't judge by his appearance because
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there's a way we can judge people by their appearance.
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Don't judge by his appearance or height. So I
31:29
have rejected him. The Lord doesn't see things
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the way you see them. People judge by outward
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appearance, but the Lord looks at what? Where
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does the Lord look at? He looks at the core of
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the man, the invisible part that we cannot see
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with our physical eyes. Hallelujah. That is where
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the battle for faith happens. Matthew 12, verse
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24. Matthew 12, verse 24. Conviction is in the
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heart. Persuasion is in your heart. All right?
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Even, you know, to receive by the Spirit is from
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your heart. It says, How can you, being evil,
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right? Where does that evil nature come from?
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Can you, being evil, speak good things? Evil
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is from the heart. How can you, who are evil,
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speak good things? For out of the abundance of
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the heart, what will happen? The mouth will speak.
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Okay? So if the heart is good, what will happen?
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Good things will come out. Alright? If the heart
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is evil, what will we see? Evil things will come
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out. So if you are good and you are speaking
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evil things, is there no confusion there? You
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are a believer, which means that you are a good
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person. God has made you good. But every time
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we hear what we hear from your words are not
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faithful words. It means that there's a disconnection
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somewhere. There's a corruption somewhere. Luke
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chapter 6, verse 45. Luke 6, verse 45. All these
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two texts reveal that what comes out of a person's
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mouth proceeds from what fills his heart, from
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his nature, from his identity. A good man, what
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happened for him? Out of the good treasure of
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where? Of his heart, his core, his being. Out
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of the treasures of his heart brings forth good.
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Okay? Out of the treasures of his heart, what
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happens? He brings out good. And an evil man,
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out of the evil treasure of his heart, brings
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forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart,
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his mouth, what? His mouth speaks. So the heart
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is very, very vital in the direction. You see,
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there's a place we're going to read about words.
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We're going to look at words. How powerful words
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are. The apostle used to make emphasis about
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words. The gem to talk about words. The tongue
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is what? It's like fire. That's how we describe
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it, right? And if you know how to use it, the
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Bible says you eat the fruit of it. But what
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you say must be faith -filled words. Hallelujah.
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For you to be able to benefit from what? From
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the treasures of what are in God's word. So we're
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not talking about the tongue yet. The tongue
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will be another discussion, all right? The tongue
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will be another discussion. We're talking about
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the heart, where the battle is, where the fight
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is. and when we come to begin to analyze how
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we can sport of faith and see the manifestation
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of those that we speak hallelujah so there the
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heart therefore describes the inner man do we
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agree we've seen that the heart is a cold man
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and and in romans 2 29 paul speaks of the circumcision
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that cannot be seen outwardly romans chapter
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2 verse 29 romans 2 29 Paul speaks of the circumcision
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that cannot be seen outwardly, but takes place
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in the heart that shows that God's work is done.
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But he is a Jew, right? One who is one inwardly.
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So the argument of Paul here is that a Jew is
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a Jew in the heart, not just by outward appearance.
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And circumcision is that of where? Of the heart.
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Alright? So circumcision is an analogy for what
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God will do in the heart. Physical circumcision.
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Paul is using it here as a figurative of what
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God will do in the heart. The cutting off of
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the flesh, which has to do with what? The separation
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of the spirit. The engulfing of the spirit in
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man. In the spirit. Okay. He says, but he is
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a Jew who is one inwardly. And circumcision is
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that of the heart. In the spirit. So circumcision
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is done in the spirit, not in the letter. Whose
35:53
praise is from men? Not from men, but from God.
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Hallelujah. 1 Peter 3, verse 3. Also we'll see
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a writer here speaking about the hidden person
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of the heart, linking it to the inward spirit
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life of man. Give me 1 Peter 3, verse 3. So we're
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just trying to build a case concerning the issue
36:19
of the heart and where we face opposition and
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how we can deal with that. It says, do not let
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your adornment, talking about the women here,
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do not let your adornment be merely what? Hard
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work arranging of hair, doing makeups and doing
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your nails, wearing golds or putting on fine
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apparel. Rather, let it be what? The hidden person
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of the heart, which means that there's a part
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of you that is called the heart. That is the
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real you. That is you. That is a man that is
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born again. Hallelujah. The real person of the
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heart with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle
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and a quiet spirit, which is very precious, very
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precious on the side of God. Hallelujah. So we
37:08
have established that faith and doubt, all right,
37:11
operates, can operate. it operates in the heart
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faith and doubt where do they operate they operate
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in the heart therefore we must guard our hearts
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or diligently diligently the activity of doubt
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can be found in the heart can be found in the
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heart mark chapter 11 verse 23 we read it earlier
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on the word doubt Doubt, yes. For surely I say
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to you, whoever says to this mountain, be removed
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and be cast into the sea and does not doubt in
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his heart. So where does doubt happen? Doubt
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happens in the heart. So what does it mean to
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doubt? Now we understand what the heart is, right?
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That is the core. That is the real you. That
38:01
is the you that we know. That by the spirit we
38:04
know. Doubt occurs there. So what is doubt? What
38:08
is doubt? Now the Greek word for that doubt is
38:14
diacrino. D -I -A -K -R -I -N -O. Diacrino. And
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it appears in the New Testament many times and
38:28
carries an important idea about a person. Diacrino.
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It means to... To separate. Another way. The
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word can mean many things in scriptures. So I'm
38:46
just going to call. It's rendition in scriptures.
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It can mean to separate. Or it means to separate.
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It means to distinguish. Diacrino. To separate.
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To distinguish. To judge between. Diacrino is
39:07
also. discern to discern diacrino also means
39:13
hesitate and it also means to become divided
39:21
within oneself to become divided within oneself
39:24
is a phrase so the word comes from two different
39:27
words uh dia and krino dia means true or between
39:31
and then krino to judge or to decide to judge
39:35
or to decide so to to centrally the idea is to
39:38
separate things right separation of things mentally
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you know separation of an idea separation of
39:47
a thing mentally in order to arrive at the conclusion
39:49
that is the idea diacrino okay so depending on
39:56
the context this photos can either produce discernment
40:01
diacrino it can either produce discernment or
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internal division or doubt, what we call doubt.
40:10
Based on the context of its application, the
40:12
word diacrino can mean discernment or what? Or
40:15
doubt. So where does it happen? It happens in
40:18
the heart. Between trying to discern, discernment
40:21
happens in the heart. Doubt happens in the heart.
40:24
So the word diacrino. So we'll see the word diacrino
40:29
applied in various contexts in scripture. For
40:31
example, number one. Diacrino is used as discernment.
40:37
Discernment. Distinguishing correctly. Distinguishing
40:40
correctly. That's one of the positive use of
40:44
diacrino. It means to distinguish rightly or
40:48
perceive accurately. Discernment. To distinguish
40:52
rightly or perceive accurately. And we see Paul
40:56
use it in text in 1 Corinthians 11 verse 29.
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1 Corinthians 11 verse 29. It says, for anyone
41:04
who eats and drinks without discerning the body,
41:08
eats and drinks judgment on himself. The word
41:11
discerning the body, the word discerning here
41:13
is actually diacrino. Okay? Diacrino. Paul teaches
41:20
our believers must recognize what? Spiritual
41:23
realities properly. So in this text, diacrino
41:26
means to distinguish truth correctly. To discern,
41:30
discernment is not just it's not just suspicious
41:33
just suspicion but proper spiritual judgment
41:37
so we see the context of the use of the word
41:39
here to distinguish properly to discern all right
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another application of the word diacrino is internal
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division or what we call doubt in in the heart
41:52
so the same what we see is application differently
41:55
it can also describe what a divided heart james
42:03
write about the gems one verse six gems of the
42:06
one verse six but let him ask in faith talking
42:11
about asking we know what with no doubting without
42:14
doubting for he who doubts is like a wave of
42:17
the sea driven and tossed by the wind so that
42:19
word doubt or doubting is a word like like we
42:22
know so this is not just simply meaning you know
42:27
without asking questions You know, let him what?
42:32
Let him ask in faith with no doubting. For he
42:37
who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven
42:40
thus and fro. So doubt in scripture is not the
42:45
absence of information. Doubt is not the absence
42:49
of information. But it is having competing persuasions
42:53
within you. Okay? Having what? Competing persuasions.
42:59
Two different ideas in your heart. Let me give
43:02
you an instance. The word of God says you are
43:06
forgiven. Listen to this. The word of God says
43:10
you are forgiven. But in your heart, you are
43:12
doubting whether you are truly forgiven. So where
43:14
is the doubt coming from? It's coming from outside.
43:19
It's not your being. Where is the doubt coming
43:21
from? It's coming from Satan. So in your heart,
43:26
there's a conflict between I am forgiven eternally
43:29
and what? And I'm condemned or I'm not forgiven.
43:33
So there's a conflict that happens in the heart.
43:35
But you have to be taught the word of God, all
43:38
right? You have to be trained in the word of
43:41
God. We're going to look at how we can fight
43:43
that later on. You have to be trained in the
43:45
word to know, to reach to a place, knowledge,
43:49
okay? To the place of what? Of persuasion. persuasion
43:57
hallelujah so James continues in chapter 1 verse
44:03
8 he says a double -minded man he is a double
44:07
-minded man unstable in all his ways a double
44:12
-minded man a double -minded man is a man that
44:16
has various opinions in his heart and is dividing
44:20
him in between meaning a divided heart produces
44:22
what It produces instability in a man. Hallelujah.
44:28
So Paul used the same word for Abraham. For example,
44:32
in Romans 4 .20, we'll see that Abraham staggered
44:37
not at the promises of God through unbelief.
44:40
Romans 8, 4 .20, sorry. He says he did not waver.
44:45
Some translation would use the word stagger.
44:47
He did not waver at the promises of God. He did
44:50
not doubt. That word weaver, check the meaning
44:53
of the word. He did not doubt at the premise
44:56
of God through unbelief, okay? But was strengthened
45:01
in faith, giving glory to God. So Abraham did
45:06
not become divided internally concerning God's
45:09
promise. That's what it means. All right? That
45:12
word weaver or staggered, diacrino. Abraham did
45:16
not become divided internally in his heart. This
45:20
is what God said. okay but this is the nature
45:23
of my body so the the the reality of his biology
45:28
is contrary to what god is saying but the bible
45:32
says that abraham did not work did not stagger
45:36
or he did not weaver in faith he did not have
45:40
a divided heart even though there is a reality
45:43
that speaks against the truth of what god have
45:46
said he had external difficulties But inwardly
45:50
there is a persuasion in him. Faith therefore
45:54
is not the absence of challenge. Okay? This is
46:00
what God has said concerning your life. This
46:02
is what God has said concerning the believer.
46:05
Will the external environment always align to
46:08
what God has said? No. But does it take away
46:11
the reality of what God has said? No. Hallelujah.
46:19
Faith is refusing internal division after God's
46:24
word has been spoken. Listen, when the serpent
46:28
came to Eve, see, this is what happened. He came
46:32
to her and he asked her, what have God said?
46:38
Because faith will always come for the word,
46:40
right? Doubt will always come for the word. Whatever
46:46
God has said, the devil will bring doubt. And
46:50
the reason for doubt is that you will not be
46:51
able to live out that reality that God has said
46:54
concerning what you said. As God said. And for
46:59
Abraham here, the natural situation can speak
47:04
doubt into his heart. The devil can use that
47:06
as a device to speak doubt into his heart. And
47:09
then he will now doubt the word of God. And when
47:12
he doubts the word of God, that is not sin. Doubt
47:14
is not a sin. Alright? Remember that man? that
47:19
was sinking he screamed and there was deliverance
47:24
doubt on his own is not seen but to walk in doubt
47:29
is unbelief are we together to walk in doubt
47:34
that is now unbelief so can there be conflicting
47:39
ideas in our heart obviously every day we have
47:42
conflicting ideas but we must be persuaded we
47:47
must that's why we must see the fight of faith
47:49
resisting the devil and his devices and allowing
47:52
the work of god and what god have said concerning
47:55
us to find expression daily in our lives hallelujah
47:59
so another application of the old diacrino is
48:05
is a hesitation hesitation acts of the 10 verse
48:12
20 and god was speaking to peter Acts chapter
48:19
10 verse 20. Arise therefore, go down and go
48:22
with them, doubting nothing. For I have sent
48:26
them. Do not hesitate. Do not argue internally
48:31
against what God has already made clear. That's
48:33
what the revelation for Peter there. So therefore,
48:38
doubt is not simply the absence of faith as I've
48:40
said. It is often division within the heart.
48:44
Okay? It is often the division that happens with
48:48
within your heart within my heart a person is
48:52
pulled in two judgments you know you're judging
48:56
between what god has said and what and what the
49:00
other idea is bringing the devil two convictions
49:02
or two voices since the heart is a center of
49:07
persuasion and decision what enters and occupy
49:10
the heart determines whether you will walk in
49:13
faith or become unstable Do you understand what
49:17
I said? What determines how you live your life
49:21
is what you allow to find expression from your
49:24
heart. So what enters and occupies the heart
49:28
determines whether a person walks in faith or
49:31
becomes unstable, living in unbelief. Today you
49:35
are there, tomorrow you are down. Tomorrow is
49:36
not consistency in your life. Because you are
49:40
allowing your heart, you are not allowing your
49:43
heart to be influenced by What God has allowed
49:48
your heart to be influenced with so that you
49:50
will be strong enough, you will be equipped enough
49:53
to be persuaded. Persuasion comes by knowledge.
49:58
It's not a miracle. It's by knowledge. We can't
50:03
lay hands on you to be persuaded. Unpersuadedness
50:07
is unbelief. It's a choice. Hallelujah. So, we
50:13
must... Know our responsibility. Satan is majorly
50:21
at war against your faith. So I close. Satan
50:25
is majorly at war against our faith. He majorly
50:30
attacks us through circumstances. Circumstances
50:33
are orchestrations from the kingdom of darkness.
50:37
I mean some evil circumstances will happen and
50:40
the devil wants to use that to speak. Louder
50:43
than what God is saying. Our experiences, what
50:51
we've passed through in life. You know, I've
50:56
had some people, they believe that God can never
50:58
use them. Even though they are believers. And
51:03
that's not true because they've had previous
51:05
experiences. So they think that the experiences
51:07
they have is stronger than what God is saying.
51:10
The word of God is too good to be true about
51:13
what the identity is. And if you are here, the
51:17
word of God for you is that God is interested
51:19
in your life, no matter what you've become in
51:23
the past. A man in Christ is precious on the
51:27
side of God, and he's a man or a woman that God
51:30
wants to use for his glory. So our experiences
51:33
in the past should not speak louder than what
51:38
God is saying concerning us. You should not speak
51:43
louder. Doctrines, teachings that come against
51:46
the faith. I just want you to pray for yourself.
51:54
That I'm able to guard my heart. Because we come
51:59
to realize that, see, this fight of faith is
52:02
not, it's not something that is done occasionally.
52:07
No, daily, as you wake up, You are confronted
52:12
by a devil that is working 24 hours. And his
52:23
goal is to ensure that you don't become what
52:27
God has made you. And let's just pray for yourself
52:30
that you are diligent, that you are contending
52:33
for the faith. We appreciate you being here today.
52:38
We hope you carry this word with you throughout
52:40
your week. Don't forget to check the show notes
52:43
for additional insights. Stay connected with
52:46
us through our website or follow us on social
52:49
media. If you are encouraged, share this message
52:52
with someone you care about. Until next time,
52:55
stay blessed.