0:52 our first song. Holy, holy, holy. Praise him and lift him up. Exalt his name forever. Please join with us, brothers and sisters, as we sing. Feel free to clap and sing 1:08 please. Holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty. Worthy to receive glory, worthy to receive 1:28 honor, worthy to receive all our praise. today. Praise him. Praise him. Praise him and lift him up. Praise 1:45 him. Exalt his name forever. Holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty. Worthy to receive 2:06 glory. Worthy to receive honor. Worthy to receive all our praise. Worthy to receive today. Worthy to receive all our praise. Worthy to 2:23 receive. Worthy to receive all our praise. [Music] Today I will celebrate. Sing to the Lord. Sing to the 2:40 Lord new song. I will celebrate. Sing unto the Lord. Sing to the Lord your soul. With my heart, with my 2:56 heart, rejoicing within with my mind. Focus on him with my hands. Raise to the heavens all I am. 3:14 worshiping him. I will celebrate. Sing. I will celebrate. Sing unto the Lord. Sing to the Lord. New song. I will 3:32 celebrate. Sing unto the Lord. Sing to the Lord a new song. With my heart again. With my heart, rejoicing with him with my 3:49 mind. Focus on him with my hands. Raise to the heavens. All I am worshiping him. [Music] 4:08 I will celebrate. Sing unto the Lord. Sing to the Lord a new song. I will cate. Sing unto the Lord. Sing to the 4:26 Lord a new song. Please be seated. Sing our next song. Sing unto the Lord a new song. For God is great and greatly to be [Music] praised. Sing unto the Lord a new 4:46 song. Sing unto the Lord, all the earth. Sing unto the Lord a new song. Sing unto the Lord, all the earth. From the top again. Sing unto the Lord. Sing unto the Lord a new song. Sing unto the Lord, all of the 5:05 earth. Sing unto the Lord a new song. Sing unto the Lord the earth. For God is great and greatly to be praised. For God is great and greatly to be [Music] 5:24 praised. Sing unto the Lord a new song. Sing unto the Lord, all the earth. Sing unto the Lord a new song. Sing unto the Lord, all the earth. Sing unto the Lord, all the 5:43 earth. Sing unto the Lord, all the earth. The victory is mine when the battle is the Lord. Hosana hosana. No enemy can stand when his praise goes 6:02 forth. Hosana hosana. The victory is mine when the battle is the Lord. Hosana hosana. When his praise goes hosana hosana when fear and doubt surround you 6:18 above and the ene is near. Say that Jesus's name is greater than he who lives in the [Music] world. For victory is mine if the lamb is the Lord. Hosanana can stand when his praise goes. 6:38 Hosana. The victory. The victory is mine when the battle is the Lord. Hosana. You know we can send his praise. Hosana. Hosana. Hosana. He has won the 6:56 victory. Hosana over all the eneies. Hosana. We lift our hands in praise. Hosana. We will conquer in his 7:13 name. Your voices. The victory is mine when the battle is the Lord. Hosana. Hosana. No enemy can stand when his praise goes forth. Hosana. Hosana. Victory. The victory is mine when the battle is the Lord. Hosana. Hosana. No 7:31 enemy can stand when his praise goes forth. Hosana. Hosana. Hosana. Hosana. Hosana. Hosana. Only by your mercy can we come to 7:50 you. We deserved your judgment, but you have called us by [Music] name. So we glory in the cross of Christ that made us yours forever that join our lives together to 8:05 sing not to us but to your name alone. Not to us, but to your name alone be all 8:30 the glory, the glory forever. For your faithfulness receive the glory, the 8:48 glory belongs to you. All that we accomplish, you have done for us. Any fruit we harvest is a gift from 9:07 your hand. We are only jars of clay and hold the priceless treasure. We exist to bring you pleasure. Oh [Music] 9:24 God, not to us but to your name. long beard glory, the glory forever. For your faithfulness and 9:45 still receive the glory, the glory belongs to you. Only by your mercy can we come to you. We deserve your judgment. But you 10:07 have called us by name. So we glory in the cross of Christ that made us yours forever and join our lives together to sing. Not to us but to 10:29 your alone be all the glory the glory forever. for your faithfulness and 10:45 steadfast receive the glory. The glory belongs to you. [Music] 11:15 Then I stand before your throne, dressed in glory, not of my own. What a joy I sing of on that day. No more tears or broken dreams. For God 11:35 is the mighty king and everything it was meant to be. We will worship worship forever. In your presence we 11:56 will sing. We will worship worship you and endless hallelujah to the [Music] 12:24 king and I will see you as you heart. Love you with [Music] unsaid to bring me home. Not till then, Lord shall I know. 12:44 Not till then how much I owe. Everything I am before your throne. We will worship worship forever in your presence we will 13:06 sing. We will worship worship you and hallelujah to the king. No more [Music] 13:26 tears, no more shame, no more sin and sorrow ever known again. No more fears, no more 13:44 pain. We will see you face to face. See you face to face. We will worship. We will [Music] worship. Forever in your presence we 14:07 will sing. Sing brothers and sisters we will worship [Music] worship you an endless hallelujah to the king. [Music] 14:34 Be thou my vision, oh Lord of my heart, not be all else to me, save that thou. Be thou my best not by day or by 15:00 night. Waking or sleeping, thy presence my love. Brother, sing. Be thou my 15:15 wisdom and thou my true word. I ever with thee and thou with me, Lord. Thou my great 15:32 father and I thy true son. Thou in me dwelling and I in thee together. Be thou my back shield sword 15:53 for the fire. Be thou my dignity. Thou my delight. Thou my soul shelter and thou 16:10 my lighter. Praise thou meward, oh power of my power. Sisters, riches I 16:27 he nor man's empty praise. Thou my inherititance now and always. Thou end frost in my 16:49 heart. I king of heaven my treure now together when he voices. I King of heaven when victory is 17:08 won and I reach heaven. Oh bright heaven son. Heart of my own heart won't ever be full. 17:27 still be my vision. Oh ruler of all. We all stand. Come and worship royal 17:51 priesthood. Come and worship. Holy nation, worship Jesus our redeemer. He is 18:12 worthy. Sing of glory. One more time. Repeat. Make it personal. Come and worship royal priest. Come and worship. Holy 18:32 [Music] nation. Worship Jesus my redeemer. My redeemer. He is worthy. King of glory congregation sing 18:50 hallelujah hallelu hallelu [Music] hallelu hallelu 19:12 Jesus my redeemer redeemer. He is worthy. King of glory. Brothers and sisters, as we remain 20:03 standing, turn our thoughts and our hearts to our Lord and Savior. The Lord knows all 20:21 things. He knows every hidden thought, motive, word, deed. He calls us to come just as we are with great boldness 20:41 trusting in our Lord and Savior, his forgiveness, his righteousness. High King of heaven, when victory is won 21:00 and I reach heaven, oh bright heaven son, heart of my own heart, whatever beforeall, still be my vision, oh ruler of all. We need the eyes of our hearts to 21:21 be opened to see Jesus. in his splendor, in his glory. I want to read from Psalm 95. It says 21:46 today if you would hear his voice and the margin it says oh that you would obey today. Oh that you would obey. This is the longing of the father that we should hear his 22:02 voice not harden our hearts to have soft hearts that we might be prepared for the day of strife for the day of temptation. We must hear him. So we come before the King of Kings and the 22:21 Lord of Lords. Oh come, let us sing for joy to the Lord. Let us sing joyfully to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving. Let us shout joyfully to him with psalms. For the Lord is a great God and 22:40 great King above all gods. In whose hand are the depths of the earth. The peaks of the mountains are his also. The sea is his. For it was he who made it, and his hands formed the dry land. Come, let us worship and bow down. 22:58 Let us kneel before the Lord our God, our maker. for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand today if you would hear his voice. Oh that you would hear his voice. Brothers and sisters, let's just cry out 23:18 to the Lord with a longing that we want to hear him and we want to praise him and give him glory and acknowledge his lordship and all that he's done. Loving father, we praise you and thank you Lord. We praise you. We thank you Lord. 23:31 There is no one like you. You're the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and all authority belongs to you, Lord. And we thank you that you love us with an everlasting love, Lord. There is no shadow of turning with thee, Lord. We 23:43 praise you, King of glory. We want to give you all the praise and honor that's due unto your name, Lord. Yes, Lord. You spoke into the darkness and there was light. And even today, as you speak into our lives, Lord, we know that you will 23:56 change us. You'll touch our eyes, Lord, that we might see you and you will transform us, Lord, by your Holy Spirit's power. We praise you and thank you, Lord. We come to our come to you to your throne. And we trust you, Lord, 24:11 that you can do great and mighty things, much more than we can expect, Lord, much more than our eyes and minds can comprehend. You are able to do, Lord, in your eternal power and wisdom. We thank you and praise you. We thank you, Lord, 24:23 for your presence here. We want to worship and bow down Lord before you. We pray in your mighty name Jesus. Please be seated brothers and sisters. Let's look together at 24:45 our memory verse for last week. He had a promise. Matthew 18:4, "Whoever humbles 25:04 himself as this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." Amen. And let's look at this week's memory verse. Let's uh you can repeat after me. Luke 25:27 16:10. He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much. Let's say that once again. Luke 16:10. He who is 25:46 faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much. Yeah. So brothers and sisters uh today brother Charles and brother John have gone to 26:02 hubli we can we'll just we'll just pray and commit them uh you know and and and all that they do and uh after that brother Danish will come up and share but let's just pray for them. loving father. Lord, we thank you for brother 26:17 Charles and brother John. And we thank you for sending them. And we pray that you anoint them mightily and give them great grace and power and uh that they can speak the perfect word even even our own hearts. Lord, we really ask that we 26:29 look to you with that longing that we will hear your voice, Lord. And we believe that you'll speak to us according to our need. We thank you and praise you. We pray in your mighty name, Jesus. Amen. Oh, we are privileged, blessed to hear the 26:44 word of God from brother Danish. Brother Danish, please come up and share what's on your heart. Good morning dear brothers and 27:06 sisters. It's a it's a pleasure and joy that we can listen to God's voice what God want to speak to us in our heart. And uh I thought of this verse in Ephesians chapter 1. Ephesians chapter 1 verse 17. 27:33 This is uh Paul's burden desire for the brothers and sisters in Ephesus. Ephesus is the church which Paul stayed for almost 3 years. And it says he was preaching day and night with 27:50 tears. So he has much burden and love for this church. And he said uh it says in Ephesians 1 chapter 17, the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the father of glory may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of 28:06 him. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you will know what is the hope of his calling. What is the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints and what is the surpassing greatness of his 28:21 power towards toward us who believe. So the poe the burden Paul had that it's not that they just hear a message they just read read a letter but their heart may be enlightened and uh their heart may see something which they have never seen 28:39 they taste something of the power and love of God which they have never experienced in their lives and I believe this is the longing and desire of God's heart that uh he can reveal himself to each one of us in a measure which we can 28:54 understand him and know him. And as I said, it's not just a message. When I, you know, think of uh all the years how the Lord has been uh Lord helped us and uh helped me in the church, it is yes, I've been blessed and challenged by a number of messages 29:13 that we heard and uh that there are truths which can set us free. There are truths which can lead us to more liberty in our spirit. But it's also of uh encounter of uh with God and the godly man, godly men that uh 29:32 influenced uh not only mine, many of our lives uh very clearly. We can see that. So you know I think of uh u this man called Melkisedc Genesis 14. we can uh read about him. Genesis 29:51 14:17. So this is when Abraham came after a mighty victory. And then verse 18, Genesis 14:18, Melised the king of Salem brought out bread and wine. Now he was the priest of God most 30:10 high. He blessed him. He blessed Abraham and said, "Blessed be Abraham of God most high, possessor of heaven and earth, and blessed be God most high, who has delivered your enemies into your 30:28 hand." It's just a less than a minute. His message was not long. He just spoke for a minute, but it did something to the soul, the heart of Abraham. And that's why when the king of Sodor came and offered his gifts gifts, Abraham said in 30:48 verse 22, I sown to the Lord God most high possessor of heaven and earth that I will not take a thread or a sandal sandal throng or anything that is yours. He used the word what Abraham used. I swn to the Lord God most high possessor 31:06 of heaven and earth. He was battling an earthly battle. You know, it's not easy to b in any physical battle. You have to it's a real struggle to battle. But this man came and lifted Abraham's eyes to heavenlies and and he 31:25 could see the Lord God most high. It's not my victory. This is not my battle, Lord. It is you who granted me victory and I don't want to touch your glory. I don't want to give the glory to your king. So he made a commitment in his 31:39 heart. Lord I will not touch what is not mine. And not only this there are many uh circumstances Jesus think of Jesus the way he looked Peter. I don't think he will ever Jes Peter will ever forget that wonderful look beautiful look look of mercy look 31:58 of compassion look of love which Jesus looked at Peter when he was failed when he was at his lowest in his life when we don't need to turn there but most of you know that incident when Jesus told him warned him you are going to deny me three times 32:16 Peter and when Jesus uh when Peter denied It says uh Jesus looked at him and Peter saw that and Peter went and wept. It was not a look of judgment. It was not a look 32:33 of Yeah, I told you. No, it was not like that. It was a a a look of compassion. It was not a message. But I believe that Peter would never forget that in his life. And even I can think of a numerous incident in the Bible. Think of that 32:48 breakfast they had in the seashore. They tried all night there and they left Jesus. They left their calling. They were discouraged, gloomy. And Peter went back and called his friends and they went to fishing. But Jesus met them 33:04 there and Jesus invited them breakfast. That's in John chapter 21. He didn't speak uh he didn't share a long message about backsliding and uh he didn't speak too much verse but they had their breakfast and I believe Jesus could see their face 33:21 and they could see Jesus' face and they were having the breakfast I think you can think something like this breakfast with the backsliders and there Jesus asked Peter Peter do you love me Peter do you love me three times I wish brothers and 33:37 sisters we have more encounters like this that we just not hear the message and go back but we encounter Christ in our gathering as we come it's not necessarily being a message but when we have one-to-one conversation with 33:52 brothers here we we touch we sense something of the Lord we get something to encourage and lift us up I remember yesterday I was going through some a little bit of misunderstanding or some uh event which It's not very uh it is a little 34:11 sorrowful. Then we were discussing that and I happened to call a brother and I spoke about this to that brother and he started laughing. He said brother for us these things can work for our good. That really changed my heart. I prayless. Oh 34:26 thank you Lord. Even though I looks like I made a blunder or something which was not right. But all these things can work together for good for those who love God. those who called according to God's purpose. So the main thing what we need 34:41 to check in our heart is that Lord I want to love you. I want to follow you. I don't have any other intention in my heart but to complete the your plan for my life. It is your will that I want to accomplish and then I know that I love 34:53 you with all my heart. It's not just a emotional love but a love that will lead us to obedience that we heard often in the church. So, you know, I let's turn to this verse in Ephesians 2:20. Ephesians chapter 2:20. We are his 35:18 workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. Another version, a living translation, it says, "We are God's masterpiece. God has created us a new in Christ Jesus so that we can do the good 35:38 things which he planned for us long ago." There is a a unique plan, a unique purpose for which God has called us, each one of us. And uh it is a function 35:54 you have in the body of Christ. It is a ministry which each of us need to fulfill. And Jesus said towards the end of his life, "Father, I have glorified you by completing the work which you 36:09 have asked me to do." So we we hear in the church it's primarily it's not our ministry but it's our life. It's God is not impressed by the message but the man behind the message. It's not the message but it's the man behind the message. That is what 36:29 impresses God. It's not offering but it is a man who do the offering. But still we know that there is a plan and purpose a little function you have to fulfill in the body of Christ. But uh often you know I heard uh from brother Zach 36:47 uh brother Zach said that we should never become a paralyzed member in the body. I I pray it often and even I pray now Lord I I don't want to be a paralyzed member in the body. I want to be an effective member in the body. That 37:02 doesn't mean that we are longing for a public ministry or any other gift which we can which is only outside but not like that but an effective member a heart is pumping the blood is never seen outside but if I even the kidneys which 37:18 are purifying the blood is never seen but uh it's there is a unique function you can't replace it so brothers and sisters I want to encourage you the young people children and old brothers and sisters that God has a plan. God has a purpose. Turn to this 37:37 verse in Joshua chapter 18. We look at this old brother. He is 85. What is his spirit? What is his heart? Joshua chapter 18. This is Calb saying. I'm 85 years old today and I'm still strong. I'm still as 37:55 strong today as I was in the day of Moses sent me. He has not forgotten his beginning. As my strength was then, so my strength is now for war and for going out and coming in. Now then, give me this hill country 38:14 about which the Lord spoke on that day. For you heard that the day that Anakim were there and great fortified cities. Perhaps the Lord will be with me and I will drive them out as just as the Lord has spoken. This is a man who understood 38:30 God's power. That's why he is not worried about his age. We need to worry about our age. If the power is ours, but when the power is of the Lord's, we don't need to worry about the age. Brothers and sisters, it's not only for 38:43 brothers and sisters. You have a ministry. You have a specific calling in the body of Christ. And uh it's God's will and God's purpose that you fulfill that ministry. Maybe it may be just like Melki Saddak he gave a little food and 38:58 uh one minute of message but he will never forget I don't think Abraham will ever forget that encounter with this man Melki Sedak so but you know having said that I realized that when it comes to our practical life day-to-day life it 39:15 was not fully true that I I always felt that I am not paralyzed but most of the time We feel paralyzed or sometimes certain things paralyze us with fear with worries with cares of the life we feel 39:33 helpless. So you know when Jesus sent the disciples and if you look at the prayer which Jesus prayed towards the end in John chapter 17 and he prayed to the father that Jesus they will keep them one uh they'll keep them united 39:49 that is one burden Jesus had and then maybe can turn to that verse John 17:1 this is the almost the last what was in the la what was in the heart of 40:07 the lord towards the end of his life verse 11 last part it says that they may be one even as we are one so Jesus longed for unity among the disciples not unity of opinion but unity 40:25 of spirit they were all different but Jesus never uh taught them in a way that they should be one in their opinion or their temperament but in spirit. And uh 15 it says I do not ask you to take them out of the world but to 40:42 keep them from the evil one but to keep them from the evil one. So the burden Jesus had that he was aware of the danger. He was aware of the danger that the devil though he he's going to be destroyed those his power is going to be 40:59 taken away at the cross but he will still have some power to uh power to influence the Christians and uh so Jesus prayed but keep my disciples from the power of this evil one and uh you know there are a couple of verses I want to 41:17 share in this regard and um the first if you turn to Hebrews chapter 2 Hebrews chapter 2. See, God has taken away the power of Jes power of devil. Power of devil in a way that devil cannot touch a child of 41:35 God without a divine approval from the lord divine approval from the permission of father. And uh this verse Hebrew Hebrews chapter 2:14. Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, he himself 41:53 likewise also part of the same. That means Jesus became like one of us, all of us, that through the death he might render powerless him. He him who had the power of death that is the devil and might free those who through the fear of 42:10 death were subject to slaveries all their lives. So the the power of death which was with the devil Jesus has made him powerless and uh he do not have the power of death over our lives so that we no longer fear the devil no longer even 42:29 fear death which is the greatest of all fear and we walk in liberty and freedom and I remember brother Zach uh writes in one of this article this is a verse we must never forget in our life and we should try to remember this verse verse 42:44 that the devil's power has taken away and uh another verse from 1 John chapter 4 1 John chapter 4:4 You are from God little 43:02 children and have overcome them because greater is he who is in you than who is in the world. Greater is he who is in you than who is in the world. So the power of devil has been destroyed. Yet we find in the new testament in in acts 43:21 of the apostles in the beginning itself uh we see devil god allow devil to uh the disciples to face devil. God allow even in the beginning of the ministry of Jesus's life in God's wisdom allowed Jesus to be tempted by the devil because 43:41 in God's divine wisdom it's a plan and purpose through which God strengthen his disciple through which God refineses his disciples through which God makes us more conformed to the image of Christ so we don't need to fear but we need to be 43:58 alert as the Bible says and uh Paul writes we are not ignorant of his schemes and uh so that we can fulfill the plan and purpose which God has for us effectively otherwise as I was mentioning the fear and the condemnation 44:14 and many other things which comes from the devil can paralyze us and uh prevent us from being effective in what God want us to fulfill on this earth and even it's good to look at this temptation which Jesus faced in L Matthew chapter 4 44:28 Matthew chapter 4:1 Matthew 4:1 it says Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit, led by the spirit into the 44:45 wilderness to be tempted by the devil. So this is just after his baptism and there was a a heavenly experience in Jesus's life. But immediately after that it says he was led by the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 45:01 The holy spirit and god will not tempt us but he can lead us to the place lead us to wilderness. Sometimes we can be tempted by the devil. So I don't want to go detail into that temptation but this is to show that uh God can permit the 45:19 conflict in our life spiritual conflicts in our life and God's plan and purpose is not that that we hang our head in shame or condemned or failed or defeated by the devil but we must overcome and this is what God told Cain it says your 45:35 enemy is so near but you must overcome him. So here in this verse it says verse 13 Matthew 4:13 it says devil finished every temptation and he left him until an opportune time and 14 it says Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the 45:55 spirit it's wonderful when I read this Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit anointed with the Holy Spirit but when after he finished all the temptation Jesus went back even more stronger even more it says in the power of the Holy 46:10 Spirit. I don't believe that any of us can fulfill the plan and purpose even if it is a little ministry we have we cannot fulfill with our own strength. We need the power of the Holy Spirit and God will allow us to be tempted by the 46:24 devil. And uh we'll turn to Ephesians chapter 6. Ephesians chapter 6. So as I mentioned Ephesians is the 46:46 Ephesus is the church where Apostle Paul himself stayed for almost 3 years and and we read that in Acts chapter 19 and 20. We don't need to turn there. But he had I believe he had such a burden and love for the brothers and sisters there. 47:01 And it's wonderful when we read the beginning of the church. Some of the people they were practicing magic. They came and they uh burned all their books. We read that it was almost 50,000 silver coin that costed it was very they had 47:15 paid such a price such a price to become Christians and Paul felt a burden to stay there for 3 years and uh he it says that he admonished them he encouraged them challenged them guided them with tears almost 3 years with day and night 47:31 so it's wonderful what a privilege to be under a man like Paul to be encouraged him directly and so here when he writes A number of years later he is writing a letter to Ephesus. So I believe we heard from brother Zach if you read Ephesus is one 47:48 of the most spiritual letter and the first three chapters he reminds us of the blessing what we received or what the Lord has done and the next three chapters he reminds us what our responsibility how should we respond and 48:03 it's almost in conclusion turn to Ephesians chapter 6:10. This is how Paul summarizes this letter. Finally, be strong in the Lord 48:20 and in the strength of his might. Put on the full armor of God so that you will be able to stand firm against the scheme of the devil. For our struggle is not against the flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, and 48:36 against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. So even in Corinthians, Paul writes that, you know, Corinthians was not as spiritual as the Ephesians church. Even to them, Paul writes, we 48:55 are not ignorant of his schemes. We are not ignorant of the schemes of the devil. So I thought of this Paul you know he he reminds you know where he's writing this letter from a prison uh he he had a 2-year imprisonment in 49:10 Rome and in that prison he is writing a letter and you know there is a term which uses uh there is a word which used six times in the book of Ephesus that is uh heavenly places. So he is physically in prison. He is chained but he is uh his mind 49:30 occupied with heavenly places. He writes about the blessings in the heavenly places. He reminds us that God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly places. Many things he explains that manifold wisdom of God 49:44 might be revealed to the rulers through the church in the heavenly places. So brothers and sisters this is uh reality. This is reality. So it's a note that you know there is a way we can uh go to and unreality always think about heaven 50:01 devil demon and all these things but Jesus didn't walk like that I don't believe Peter or Paul any of the disciples walked like that but there were period there were times which they faced conflict and uh god gave them grace and they came through this 50:16 successfully so it was it says Jesus devil left him for a time so it's Not that we are continually thinking about devil and looking for demons. No, but we walk in faith. We trust in the Lord and we walk in the joy of the Lord. But when 50:31 we encounter the Lord, when encounter the devil, we don't give up. We resist him as the Bible says. So here Paul uh writing to them, our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the 50:47 world forces of this darkness. So you know Paul didn't write that your struggle that really encourages me. It says our struggle. So Paul was not ashamed to acknowledge there is struggle. There is conflict within 51:05 him. So now I don't want to think that Paul in this first century prison he was persecuted. He was almost you know given to death. He is experiencing the same struggle that I am experiencing here today. It uh 51:24 but we can see his footstep. We don't it is not we who design we who decide. You know when Jesus calls called Peter called Paul we read that in acts he said I will show them how much he should suffer for me. So there is a there is a 51:40 suffering which God has designed for Paul and there is something which God has designed for us with it with with which the capacity we have. So here Paul said our struggle is not against flesh and blood. I believe it's a great 51:56 secret and uh he recognized he's not cing a verse like I'm doing right now and uh he faced that struggle. I wonder what he would have faced in Ephesis or different things. But uh maybe people persecuted them. He tried to there were people who 52:15 wanted to kill him. But in all these things he could see through it is not the men. It is it is those who behind the power behind him is it is the devil. And uh he knew that he sensed that you know I was thinking of you know recent 52:30 tension we had in our borders. We have these uh things called radars which monitors you know what comes into our territory or border and it looks for these drones and missiles and and the moment it detects it auto automatically 52:46 attacks and uh destroy that weapon. So something like that within Paul's heart was alert. So he was aware that this is uh enemy is not far from us. He is near. So he was always alert in his life. 53:05 So let I want to turn to this verse Matthew sorry 1 Corinthians chapter 6. So the one secret here we need to know that brothers and sisters if we 53:21 want a heavenly battle we cannot fight with flesh and blood. We cannot fight with flesh and blood and then we can we can have power for fighting against devil. So you know Corinthians it was not like that. Corinthian 1 Corinthians 53:38 chapter 6 there were laws law lawsuits or there were case there were court case between the believers there. So but they were fighting with each other and and they were not able to see the enemy behind who tried to bring division and 53:53 confusion. We don't need to feel condemned that someone else pulls us into court but uh if we we ourselves go ahead and you know our covetousness we wanted to put somebody into trouble we have to be careful but if some someone else pulls 54:09 us into court or a physical fighting we don't need to worry so this verse in 2 Corinthians chapter verse 10 it says for though we walk in the flesh we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare 54:27 are not of flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of the fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God and we are taking every thought captives to the obedience of 54:44 Christ. I don't fully understand that words. I don't see that every thought which comes into my heart I take thought number one and then taking it to the lord not like that I don't feel but there is a we know that there is a 54:59 conflict there is a negative thought there is a there is a condemnation there is a spirit of condemnation there is a spirit of accusation when there is a negative thought about somebody who is close to us we need to be careful we 55:12 need to take it to the lord we need to think that we should not think that we have discernment when we are seeing some someone someone else's life which I can see think of that wisdom from above is full of mercy and compassion. So if it 55:28 produces hate and hindrance in our heart we can know that this is not from the Lord. So God's voice will not create hatred in our hearts. It's the outcome of God's dealing in our heart. It's love and good conscience and faith. So I just 55:43 thought of mentioning uh three areas very briefly where we need to be alert. We can be alert on uh the devil. The first the first verse which I want to read from it's revelation 12:10. So think of that word we are not 56:00 ignorant of the schemes of the devil. Revelation 12:10. Then I heard a loud voice in heaven saying, "Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come. For the accuser of our 56:20 brothers, accuser of our brethren has been thrown down. He accuses them day and night. Accuses them before God day and night. He is the accuser of the brethren." In other words, he accuses 56:36 before God. and he accuses about ourselves and uh he accuses us about others in our heart. So you know I thought of apostle Paul he's writing this letter he he says there in verse 16 56:54 I think he says uh in addition to all take up the shield of faith by which with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. So you know Paul many things you know Paul would have faced in his life devil would have gone 57:11 to him. See Paul you you're the one who give permission to kill many disciples of Jesus. You think God can forgive you? Maybe God can forgive you but do you think God can fulfill his plan? You're not worthy to be called an 57:30 apostle. How much time you failed even after have you becoming a Christian? How many times you messed up, you cannot fulfill God's plan. See how many times you are falling into the same sin. You cannot get up. You cannot 57:42 get up. So what Paul is saying, we need to take the shield of faith with which we'll be able to extinguish the flaming arrows of the evil one. and uh and the fact of justification as we heard in this church I haven't heard anywhere it 58:01 is explained well that his blood not only uh cleanses us also justifies us you know if you could turn to revelation chap sorry sorry acts chapter 3 there's something which I want to show you from there acts chapter 3 verse 58:23 14 This is uh Peter speaking to the Jews there. So he says in verse 13, "The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus, the one whom you delivered and 58:42 disowned in the presence of Pilate when he has decided to release him." And uh 14 it says, "But you disowned the holy and righteous one." So think of that picture. Peter is standing and pointing his finger to the Jews and telling you 59:00 down Jesus Christ. Brothers uh and sisters who disowned Christ two days back it is it is Peter himself disowned. It is Peter himself denied. So is he a hypocrite? He's acting as he's didn't do anything. So brothers and sisters this 59:20 is the power of justification. This is the power of the blood of Christ and this is the power that God gave him when he was filled with the Holy Spirit. He could see that no I don't want to look back. I don't want to bother what 59:34 happened in the past. I don't want to run look run the lace race looking at my my baggage but I would rather leave my baggage. I look at Jesus and I run the race. So this is a great privilege brothers and sisters and this this is 59:51 what the first thing which I want to say and second point I wanted to warn or encourage is not yield to self-pity or anxiety not yield to self-pity and for anxiety be watchful there is a godly man this uh Oswald 1:00:10 Chambers he said self-pity is of the devil straightforward self-pity is of the devil If you yield it, if you if you allow self-pity, you will not be able to fulfill God's plan in your life. So, think of this verse in Matthew chapter 1:00:25 16 verse 21. Matthew chapter 16 21. From that time Jesus began to show his disciple that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priest and the 1:00:45 scribes and be killed. But Peter took him aside and began rebuking him, saying, "God forbid it, Lord. This shall never happen to you." So Peter didn't speak this verse without concern. Peter had a burden and concern 1:01:04 for Jesus. He didn't wanted her to Jesus to suffer. It was love. It was uh it was sympathy. But uh the only difference it is human love. It is human sympathy. Jesus didn't move around with human sympathy. Desiring human sympathy. He 1:01:24 was moved with divine compassion in his heart. You know human sympathy is like contribution. We are very rich. We have something which we can help the poor. It's like a rich man giving that little you know he has something to offer he 1:01:37 gave that it's it's a contribution that is human sympathy but uh compassion is not like that divine compassion is not like that so Jesus moved with divine compassion and we should not desire that I should be pied I'm going to be I'm going through some 1:01:54 struggle you know I want to be encouraged yes brothers and sisters we need encouragement I need encouragement you need encouragement you know when Jesus was at get seminary he was not ashamed to call his disciples my soul is 1:02:06 grieved I want you to come and pray with me but he was not desiring human sympathy so you know I I don't know now but many years back I've heard you know uh sisters in mother's room some of her children one sister she had three girls 1:02:22 and they were very small and some sister went and told why your child is uh very lean why your child is very lean why your child is like So we don't want to feed or we don't want to put someone into anxiety and contribute into anxiety. We need to be 1:02:39 sensitive. So uh it's not a sympathy. We have to be moved by the divine compassion. And Jesus could see through. You know I cannot help somebody which I can't see. Why Jesus could see through Peter? We heard if I want to help 1:02:55 somebody first I need to stop impressing them. And second Jesus said when you have a log in your eyes how can you help others we need to take out the critical attitude from our heart then we should be able to clearly see why Jesus able to 1:03:10 why Jesus was able to see p Peter that it is not divine it is human because Peter had a love and compassion sorry Jesus had a love and compassion for Peter so that's there are uh that's what I want to remind you brothers and 1:03:23 sisters be warned about self-pity and anxiety Maybe one more verse uh in this uh context I wanted to read from 1 chapter 1 Peter uh chapter 5 1 Peter chapter 5 1 Peter chapter 1:03:45 5:8 Be of sober spirit be on the alert your advisory the devil prawls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour You know in what context Paul is writing that verse. It says your advisory the 1:04:03 devil crawls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. Resist him firm in your faith. The previous verse says cost all your anxiety on him because God's care God cares for you. I don't know how many of us have 1:04:20 seen anxiety is a weapon of the devil. Especially the mothers, sisters with children. There are so many thoughts can come to us. So many burden which can comes to us and it can be like a weight on our spirit. It can be like a cloud 1:04:37 which you know hinder our vision and all the negative thoughts. You know I had I had fears when I think of my childhood. I didn't grow up in a godly home but when I think of my children I had a lot of fear but this would often lead us to 1:04:52 overreact and uh we don't want to you know our own emotion our own uh anxiety to control our actions but we want the Holy Spirit to control our actions but in the time of anxiety we must learn not to lose hope not to lose heart there is 1:05:08 uh no one none of us need to lose hope and uh even if I'm 85 years old I can be like this man Calibb who said Lord I still have strength but the strength is not with me it is with you. So brothers and sisters, I want to 1:05:23 encourage you not yield yourself to self-pity and anxiety. And the last point in closing, I want to read from 2 Corinthians chapter 11. I believe this is the one thing which I 1:05:49 fear most in my heart and we often warn in the church. It's not that you know devil can do something physically. He can torture he can allow us to be tortured and uh he can even cause us to die but none of these things you know is 1:06:07 a match with what is written in this verse. It says Paul writes about uh Corinthians 2 Corinthians 11:3. I am afraid that as as a serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and the 1:06:25 purity of devotion to Christ. That your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and the purity of devotion to Christ. It's it's very relevant in the times which you are living in. That's what we were reminded in the conference to value 1:06:44 that simple pure relationship with the Lord. And I believe you know here is where the things which are good can be a hindrance for the best. You often say that the good is the enemy of the best. The one thing which the Lord desires in 1:07:01 our heart not our gift primarily not our service it's us. It says in Hebrews I think God desires jealously the spirit which he has made to dwell in us. you know uh Solomon who wrote songs of Solomon he didn't end well and uh that 1:07:19 was the you we read from Razak's writing and that book was the most you know good devotional book in the all Bible the the bride and the bridegroom the picture of relationship between the Christ and the bride but even Solomon he was wandered 1:07:36 away from faith and uh we read in the book of revelation about the elder in the Ephesus There are many things, many gifts. But he lost his first love. I want to examine my heart. I want never want to come to a place the the desire, the 1:07:54 motive in my heart is not driven by the love for Christ. We must be the motive behind all our actions should be the love for Christ. You know, I want to conclude with this uh parable in uh Luke chapter 7. This is not a parable. is a 1:08:11 real story. Luke chapter 7. This is when the one of the Pharisee called Simon, he invited Jesus to dine with him. So he he invited Jesus for a dinner in Luke 7 verse 1:08:30 uh 36. One of the Pharisees was requesting him to dine with him. And uh he entered the Pharisees house and reclined at the table and there was a woman in the city who was a sinner. When she learned that Jesus was reclining at the table in 1:08:46 Pharisees house she brought an alabaster vial of perfume and standing behind him at his feet weeping and she began to wet his feet his tears. I believe Simon would have prepared a a great dish, something very good because he 1:09:06 invited Jesus for to dine with him and but the act but what touched Jesus was this woman and uh what this woman did it touched Jesus and she could he could notice it and uh but Simon didn't 1:09:23 understand this. Simon thought Jesus is a fake. Uh he's not a prophet. He's some kind of cult. But uh Jesus could see through and he said verse 44. Uh Luke 7:44. He said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your 1:09:42 house. You gave me no water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss but she since the time I came in has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil but she 1:09:57 anointed my feet with perfume. So it was an act of love. It touched Jesus's heart. You know I the one which all of us brothers and sisters in the church is we have clear understanding of the gospel different doctrine we can 1:10:13 explain. I can explain many things because we heard from the church and many of us can explain but but it is the love in our heart which the Lord is looking for. It is the same thing which Jesus asked uh Peter. Peter do you love 1:10:28 me? Peter do you love me? This is how Peter ordained Jesus ordained Peter because uh the one thing which Jesus wanted to know Peter do you love me? So may the Lord find in our hearts that pure love and faith. uh when the Lord 1:10:43 comes may the Lord give us grace to endure in this uh simple pure devotion till the end. Amen. We'll hear brother Renjit after that brother Suresh will conclude we'll sing a song after that 1:11:01 you'll hear brother Njit [Music] 1:11:47 Because the sinless savior died, my sinful soul is counted free. For God the just is [Music] satisfied to look on him and pardon me. Let's sing the song Before the 1:12:05 Throne of God above. Before the throne of God above, I have a strong and 1:12:21 perfect. The great high priest whose name is love, whoever lives and pleads for me. [Music] My name is 1:12:37 Raven on his hands. My name is Ren on his heart. I know that while he stands, no tongue can bend me. Bended me. 1:13:04 When Satan tempts me to despair and tells me of the gills within a word I look and see him there 1:13:19 who made an end to all my sin because the sinless savior die. My soul's soul is counted free. For 1:13:38 God that just is satisfied to look on him and pardon me. To look on him and pardon me. Behold in there the risen lamb, my 1:14:01 perfect sparkless righteousness, the great unchange of I am the king of glory and of grace. One with himself I cannot die. My 1:14:25 soul is purchased by his blood. My life is hid with Christ on high. With Christ my savior and my 1:14:39 God. With Christ my savior and my God. [Music] Praise God for what you heard this 1:15:16 morning. One godly man said like this Christian life is not a playground but it is a battleground. Yes brothers and sisters from the time we are born again till the end of our life the Lord has called us 1:15:35 to fight the battle which is against Satan. We have to continually continuously fight against the devil so that we can grow spiritually. We hear many promises in the uh two chapters that is revelation chapter 2 and verse three for those who 1:15:54 overcomers. Jesus said those who he who overcomes I'll give this I'll his name will be written in the book of life. There are many promises. We can just turn there. Revelation 3 verse 21. This is Jesus himself saying Revelation 1:16:13 3:21, "He who he who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with me on my throne as I also overcame and sat down with my father on his throne." Jesus telling that I have overcome and I have seated on my father's throne and if you also 1:16:32 overcome, I will give you you the same privilege. You can also come and sit along with me. So what did Jesus overcome? You can just see in John 16:33 Jesus said take courage I have overcome the world. The first part it says in the world you will 1:16:52 have tribulation but take courage I have overcome the world. Yes brothers and sisters in our day-to-day life we have lot of tribulations trials temptations through various uh surroundings and circumstances but the lord is telling I 1:17:05 have overcome the world so what the lord has Jesus has overcome he has overcome the world we try to overcome the people in the world but Jesus overcome the world it says in John 2:16 what is this world the lust of the flesh the lust of 1:17:21 the eyes and the boastful pride of life. We read in Ephesians 6, our battle is not against flesh and blood, against the rulers, authorities, the principalities in the heavenly places. All these rulers, the authorities, the 1:17:38 four evil forces in the darkness comes under these categories. Lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life. Jesus overcome that world. And he's challenging us and he's he's calling us to overcome in the 1:17:52 same manner. So Jesus overcome the world. So how did he overcome? We read in Hebrews 5:7. We all know know that passage very well. Hebrews 5:7. In the days of his flesh, he offered up both prayers and supplication with loud 1:18:08 crying and tears. Jesus never fought with anyone human beings on this earth. He always took everything all his battles, trials, temptations in the heavenly places by offering up prayers and supplication. Many of many of us would have seen or 1:18:27 heard the fight between eagle and snake. A eagle will never fight with a snake which is on the ground because the snake which is on the ground has more power, strength and grip and comfortable fighting against his enemies. So the 1:18:43 eagle always takes the snakes in the air. So the eagle knows that when the snake is lifted up in the air, it doesn't have strength. It doesn't have any grip. It doesn't is it will be not able to be comfortably attack the enemy. 1:18:59 So the eagle always lift the snake in the air and it attacks and it kills. And we heard that 2 Corinthians 11 uh 11:3 that serpent with all craftiness he tried to tempt Eve. So Jesus he always whenever he was tempted he never tried 1:19:17 to fight with any human being. He cried to the Lord and he took all his temptations, trials, problems in the heavenly places. So this serpent, the Satan with all craftiness, he comes to us and says, "So whatever struggle 1:19:32 you're going through, it is because of this person, your husband or wife or this neighbor or this irritating person in the office or somebody in the traffic." He says that you fight with them, you defend, you justify. He he says that he he pulls us 1:19:48 down to come to his level on the ground where he can have advantage on us and attack us. But like that eagle like Jesus in Hebrews 5:7, we have to always take our troubles and problems in the heavenly places by the power of the Holy 1:20:00 Spirit so that we can defeat the Satan and we can fight against all the schemes and craftiness of the devil. Zechariah 4:6 it says, "Not by might, not by power, but by my spirit." By the power of the Holy Spirit, we can really uh 1:20:17 fight against the devil, brothers and sisters. That's what we have called John 1:4 mentioned that uh Jesus says that the ruler of the world is coming. So we might think oh I thought the ruler of the world is Jesus but Jesus himself 1:20:30 said the ruler of the world is Satan. The devil is coming but he doesn't have anything in me. But the greater news is 1 John 4:4 he who is in us is greater than the who is in the world. So that's the hope brothers and sisters. And 1 1:20:43 John 3:8 he says son of god uh son of god came to destroy the works of the devil. Brothers and sisters we have to believe this verse. We have to tell to the Satan Satan you are defeated on the cross by my savior and soon you will be 1:20:58 crushed under my feet. So whoever see in my day-to-day life they are they are not my enemies. I don't want to fight with flesh and blood. I want to I don't want to fight with any human beings. I want to fight against the pass of darkness. 1:21:11 you are my enemy and I know that you are already defeated in uh short very soon the Lord will help me to crush you under my feet. We have to tell it to Satan. We have to say you don't have any authority over me. You don't have you don't have 1:21:24 any authority over my children. You don't have any authority on my uh family life. We can boldly tell to the devil so that we can uh like Jesus follow that not to fight with flesh and blood, not to fight with human beings but to fight 1:21:39 against the principalities, the forces of darkness. May the Holy Spirit help us that we will always try to pursue in this way of uh uh Jesus that Lord I never want to fight with human beings. I never want to fight with flesh and blood 1:21:52 but I want to fight with the devil, the darkness, my own flesh so that I can live a glorious life. May the Holy Spirit remind these words and help us to live this life. Amen. Brothers and sisters, we can think 1:22:22 about what we heard now. Satan has so many schemes and tactics. He's a defeated foe. One of the things he tries to do is to just snatch the word away so that 1:22:41 we forget what we heard. It's our privilege brothers and sisters. We may be, you know, the youngest child of God, weak, helpless, but it's our privilege to resist him in 1:22:59 the name of Jesus Christ. What a glorious privilege that is to stand against the enemy, trusting in our Lord and Savior, in his perfect love for us, in his complete justification. that God looks at me as 1:23:17 though I did everything perfectly. Like Peter said, you disowned the Christ. He didn't say that to accuse them. He said that so that their eyes could be opened. And just as he had resisted the the the evil one with the 1:23:36 word of God, that they would come into that love and acceptance that Jesus had for them. I I believe we've heard many things today about taking this battle seriously. How Satan wants 1:23:57 to distract us from love and devotion for Jesus. And he distracts us by, you know, getting us to blame others or think of them as our enemies or getting us to feel sorry for 1:24:14 ourselves or just, you know, some something that dims Calvary. I was uh remembering a story that brother Victor shared once about a very godly man who you know was unwell 1:24:31 and and uh he was on on his bed because of a sickness for many years and one other godly man said I always go and visit him because he strengthens me. Uh and uh so he he went and visited this godly 1:24:49 man and the man was saying you know how how do you how are you like this? How are you having so much joy and victory and such an overcoming life though you have struggles? And he says, you know, sometimes Satan comes and says, "Oh, God 1:25:06 doesn't love you. Look at your life. You're unwell. You're lying on the bed like this for so long." And he says, "Ah, you've come. Come. Let's go. Let's look at Calvary. You want to come? Come with me. Let's look at Calvary together." 1:25:22 Oh, Satan can't can't stand there. He runs. He flees. We turn our eyes back to the cross of Jesus and see all his great love for us, the great cost price that he paid and nothing stopped 1:25:44 him. And and we know that we can overcome this world. Yeah, we have to resist the lies of Satan. And it's our privilege to do that and rejoice in the great great love of Jesus for us. From all that dims thy 1:26:01 Calvary, oh lamb of God, deliver me. Wash my eyes. Let me see. What a wonderful, enormous, all all satisfying love that you have poured out. and let me hear your call to come up and live in the 1:26:20 heavenly places. Live this overcoming life. Stand against the schemes of of of Satan by your grace and by your power. And sisters, let's bow our heads in prayer. Loving father, Lord, we really 1:26:41 thank you and praise you for what we heard. There are many things We don't understand and we cannot explain clearly Lord. But uh you have truly touched our hearts and opened our eyes to see something of this battle 1:27:00 Lord that you won and you defeated Satan and you and you brought him low Lord and all he has is lies that we can face by holding on to your truth. Prepare us Lord for the days to come. Stand in the day of strife, to stand in 1:27:20 the day of temptation, to stand against the lies, the accusations of Satan. And uh to be weak and helpless, Lord, in our own strength, but to be strong and mighty in your strength, Lord. Fill us, Lord, with the Holy Spirit, with your power, your 1:27:40 revelation. You're able to do this. your great longing Lord much more than we want you desire Lord to give us the Holy Spirit that we might stand against all the schemes of Satan. Lord, especially if there's anyone, anyone that 1:27:58 uh you bring to anyone's mind, Lord, right now who they have not forgiven, where they holding any unforgiveness, Lord, we pray that Lord, you give them grace even now, Lord, to just forgive and let go. We do not fight against flesh and blood, Lord. 1:28:16 We are not here to judge. We're here to love and forgive and trust you. And you will take care of everything, Lord. will take care of all of our needs. We thank you. We praise you. We don't want anything standing between us and you, 1:28:28 Lord. We stand in the strength of your might. We commit these things and we commit ourselves into your hands. We pray in your mighty name, Jesus name. Amen. And sisters, we'll have the 1:28:45 announcements. [Music] 1:29:11 Christendom is filled today with believers who are seeking for God's material blessings. Very few seek for God's approval over the way they live. It is one thing to be accepted by God. It is 1:29:28 quite another thing to be approved by him. In this book, we read about how God tested Adam and Eve, Job, Abraham and Lot, 1:29:48 Moses, Saul and David, Elisha and Gazi, and Peter and Judas. We also read about how Jesus was tested and how we will be tested. It is in the ordinary things of 1:30:09 life that God tests us in our attitude to money, pleasure, earthly honor and comfort. Many are called, few are chosen, but few are still are faithful. These are the disciples of 1:30:29 Jesus who have not only been accepted by God, but who have been tested by him through many circumstances and who have been approved by him. [Music] When we stand before the Lord in the final day, we will discover that the 1:30:48 wisest people on earth were those who sought to gain God's approval more than his blessing. Then it will become clear to everyone that it was worth it all to be utterly true and faithful to God in all 1:31:05 things, both big and small. May this book help you to seek to gain God's approval upon your life. You can read this book free online at cfcindia.com/books/aining God's 1:31:25 approval. 1:31:26 [Music] 1:32:02 Dear family, we'll now have the announcements. After the main meeting and coffee break, there will be a teens and youth meeting today at 12:30 p.m. on the first floor. All teens and youth are encouraged to attend this meeting. 1:32:17 We have noticed that many are sitting
