The THREE Antidotes to Temptation
The three keys to a successful Christian life.
1. Integrity
2. Humility
3. Generosity
These three things that are an antidote to the greatest temptations against a man.
If you want the blessings of God in your life
If you want the power of God in your life
If you want to operate under the anointing of God through your life - you must build your life on three things…
7,000 promises of God
You do this… I’ll do that.
With every promise, there is a premise
More promises on generosity than any other promise.
- Are you a generous person?
· Generosity is love and action
God so love the world that… gave
· If you’re not a generous person, you’re not a loving person
Where do you set.
Where do you park.
Who picks up the check.
It’s not about receiving it’s about giving.
Some people that all they do in their life is judge it by what others do for them
That is not being generous.
Me – Me – Me
“The way you make me feel”
“You make me feel like a natural woman”
Important words in the Bible
- Believe - 272 times in the Bible
- Pray - 371 times
- Love - 714 times
- Giving - 2,152 times
If God was not generous, you wouldn’t have anything!!!

Introduction to Eschatology

John the Revelator
- John the Apostle, son of Zebedee, brother of James (Mark 3:17).
- One of the original Twelve Apostles chosen by Jesus (Matthew 4:21–22).
- Part of Jesus’ inner circle (with Peter and James)—present at the Transfiguration,
Gethsemane, and raising of Jairus’ daughter.
- Known as “the disciple whom Jesus loved” (John 13:23, John 19:26).
Credited with writing five books of the New Testament:

1. The Gospel of John – presenting Jesus as the Son of God.
2. 1 John – emphasizing love, truth, and assurance of salvation.
3. 2 John – warning against false teachers.
4. 3 John – encouragement in walking in truth.
5. Revelation – the prophetic vision of the end times.
- Became a leader in the early church, especially in Ephesus, where he ministered before
and after his exile.
- Church tradition says he cared for Mary, the mother of Jesus, after the crucifixion (John
19:26–27).
Exile on Patmos
Around A.D. 95, under Emperor Domitian’s persecution, John was exiled to the small rocky
island of Patmos in the Aegean Sea (Revelation 1:9).
There, he received the visions recorded in Revelation.
Unlike the other apostles who were martyred, John lived to old age (possibly into his 90s).
Tradition holds that he was the only apostle not martyred, though he suffered greatly.
** So here he is, boiled alive, eyes pocked out, left to die on Patmos. **
- The 7 churches are modern day Turkey
Revelation 1: 3  Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and
keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.
4  John, to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is
and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne,
  5  and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the
kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood,
  6  and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion
forever and ever. Amen.
7  Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And
all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.
8  “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who
was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

9 I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of
Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony
of Jesus Christ.
10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet,
11 saying,  “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,” and, “What you see, write
in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to
Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.”
12 Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden
lampstands,
13 and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment
down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band.
14 His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire;
15 His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many
waters;
16 He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and
His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.
17 And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to
me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last.
18 I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the
keys of Hades and of Death.
19 Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will
take place after this.
Part one: The church of Ephesus
Revelation 2:1 “To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, ‘These things says He who holds
the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands:
2  “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil.
And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars;
3  and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and
have not become weary.
  4  Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.
5  Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will
come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.
6  But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
7  “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
 Every church has a reputation. Some are known for their programs, some for their
preaching, some for their music, and others for their outreach.
- But the most important reputation a church can have is being known as a church that
loves Jesus above everything else.
- You can’t love Jesus, if you don’t love each other.
1. Christ’s Commendation for Their Works (vv. 2–3, 6)
“I know your works, your labor, your patience…”

Ephesus was a hardworking church: laboring to exhaustion for the gospel.
 They were doctrinally sound: they tested false teachers and refused error.
 They were enduring: they stood strong under pressure and did not quit.
 They even hated the deeds of the Nicolaitans (false teachers promoting compromise).
- Just because you are busy, doesn’t mean you are Holy
2. Christ’s Correction of Their Heart (v. 4)
“Nevertheless, I have this against you: you have left your first love.”
 Despite all their strengths, they had drifted from their love for Christ.
 They were busy working for Him, but not walking with Him.
 Their service had become routine, their passion had cooled.
Illustration: A married couple can live together, pay bills, raise children, and function as a
household—but if love is gone, the marriage is hollow. So it is with the church.
3. Christ’s Command for Restoration (v. 5)
“Remember… Repent… and do the first works.”
a. Remember: Think back to when you first met Christ—your passion, your joy, your
hunger for His Word.
b. Repent: Turn away from cold religion and back to vibrant relationship.
c. Repeat: Do the works motivated by love—worship, prayer, witnessing, devotion.
Warning: If they refused, Christ said He would remove their lampstand (their effectiveness and
influence).
Application: The greatest danger for any church is not persecution from outside, but losing love
from the inside.
Jesus is asking:
- Do you still love Me the way you did when you first believed?
- Have you drifted into routine without relationship?
- Will you remember, repent, and return?
Closing Illustration
Imagine a candle. A candle can have the right shape, the right wick, and the right container, but
if there is no flame, it is useless. The church at Ephesus still had the form, but it had lost the
flame. Christ is calling us to reignite our first love for Him.
 Church, let’s not be known only for our works or our doctrine. Let’s be known as a
people who love Jesus with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.

The Power of Honor

Romans 12:10 – “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.”
Introduction
 Honor is a kingdom principle that brings blessing and order.
I. What is Honor?
1. Definition
o To honor means to show great respect, value, and worth to someone.
o Comes from the Greek word timē meaning value, price, or worth.

I want us to be able to go to the next level in what God has for us.
There are kingdom principles that we must understand and operate under.
We live in a very disrespectful culture.
 presidential debates
You don’t honor people because they’re honorable, you honor them because it’s your standard.
 
 Whether you agree with them or not.
 Churches (This is house of God)
 Racism
This is a Kingdom principle.
Every sin is a sin of dishonor.
10 Commandments
4 - honoring God
6 - honoring people.
* We have to honor God, people, and we must even respect ourselves.
- you say yourself, yes. You abuse, your body, you take drugs, you don’t take care of yourself,
there is no honor.
Honor
You cannot live above what you know.
What you don’t know - you can’t possess.
Honor is the seed for access
You cannot access what you do not respect.
 “those doctors.  Those lawyers”.
 Biden. Trump! No it’s “President”

I can see where you’re going in life by what and who you honor.
 - girls… how do they talk to their mom?
 If they’re always rubbing on you and trying to push you to do things, you don’t need to
do they’re trying to dishonor you honoring your body.
 If he will not honor you, and he’s always wanting to disobey his parents and he’s always
wanting to do things that you’re not supposed to do    R.  U.  N.!!!
Your life will be determined by who you choose to honor.
Honor is ADAPTING.
 I honored my wife because Leanna taught me very many things.
 Esther bathed in oil for a year she had to adapt to be the queen
 Joseph shaped his beard because the Egyptians hated facial hair
 Mark 6 Jesus was cleaning out. Hospitals
 He healed “All”
 The deaf, the dumb, the mute, the lepers, All
 But then he goes home
 but in His own town he had no honor.
 it had nothing to do with him. It had to do with whether they were honoring him or not.
 If you don’t have any honor and respect for me today, there’s no way I can help you.
 It’s not on me. It’s on you.
 They didn’t receive based on what he said, but based on how they saw him
 If you receive a prophet , you’ll receive the prophets reward.
Galatians 4:1 Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a
slave, though he is master of all,
2  but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father.
Honor is a reward and inheritance
Colossians 3: 23  And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men,
24  knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the
Lord Christ.
Your Inheritance is locked in other people.  
 Serving does not depend on if you like it or not.  
 If you are doing it for someone else:
You won’t do it well.  
You won’t do it long.  
 The Bible commands us to give honor where honor is due (Romans 13:7).
 In a culture that often celebrates dishonor, God calls His people to live differently.

II. Who Should We Honor?
1. Honor God Above All
 Proverbs 3:9 – “Honor the Lord with your wealth…”
 John 5:23 that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not
honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.
2. Honor Parents
 Exodus 20:12 – “Honor your father and mother…”
 Ephesians 6:2   “Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with
promise:  3  “that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.”
3. Honor Spiritual Leaders
 1 Timothy 5:17 – “The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of
double honor…”
4. Honor Authority
 Romans 13:1–7 – Honor governing authorities.
 Even David honored Saul’s position as king, though Saul was unjust.
5. Honor One Another
 Romans 12:10 –   Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor
giving preference to one another;
 Philippians 2:3 – Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in
lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.
III. The Rewards of Honor
1. Honor Opens the Door to Blessings
 1 Samuel 2:30 – “Those who honor me I will honor…”
 Honor attracts God’s favor.
2. Honor Releases Anointing
 Where there is honor, the power of God flows (Mark 6:5).
 Dishonor shuts down miracles.
3. Honor Brings Promotion
 Proverbs 22:4 – “Humility is the fear of the Lord; its wages are riches and honor and
life.”
 Joseph was promoted because he honored God in every circumstance.
IV. How Do We Live a Life of Honor?
1. With Our Words
 Speak life, encouragement, and respect.
 Proverbs 18:21 – Death and life are in the power of the tongue.
2. With Our Actions
 Serve with excellence, integrity, and respect.
 Colossians 3:23 – Work as unto the Lord.
3. With Our Attitude
 Honor is not flattery—it’s genuine. Do it from the heart, not for show (Matthew 15:8).
The people of JABASH GILEAD

1 Samuel 11:1 Then Nahash the Ammonite came up and encamped against Jabesh Gilead; and
all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Make a covenant with us, and we will serve you.”
2  And Nahash the Ammonite answered them, “On this condition I will make a covenant with you,
that I may put out all your right eyes, and bring reproach on all Israel.”
3  Then the elders of Jabesh said to him, “Hold off for seven days, that we may send messengers
to all the territory of Israel. And then, if there is no one to save us, we will come out to you.”
1 Samuel 11:11   So it was, on the next day, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they
came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch, and killed Ammonites until the heat of
the day. happened that those who survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left
together.
Fast forward to 1 Samuel 31
1 Samuel 31:1 Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled from before
the Philistines, and fell slain on Mount Gilboa.
2  Then the Philistines followed hard after Saul and his sons. And the Philistines killed Jonathan,
Abinadab, and Malchishua, Saul’s sons.
3  The battle became fierce against Saul. The archers hit him, and he was severely wounded by
the archers.
4  Then Saul said to his armorbearer, “Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these
uncircumcised men come and thrust me through and abuse me.”
But his armorbearer would not, for he was greatly afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword and fell
on it.
5  And when his armorbearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his sword, and died with
him.
6  So Saul, his three sons, his armorbearer, and all his men died together that same day
King Saul’s last battle was a massacre.
The anointed king of Israel had fallen by his own sword his son slaughtered beside him, his
armor stripped his body mutilated.
The Philistines were merciless. They cut off his head and nailed his body to the walls of Beth
Sean on public display, Mark filed a trophy of their triumph. The shame of Israel was now hung
like a banner, and no one dared move.
BUT SOMEONE REMEMBERED.
The men of Jabesh Gilead
These were not warrior seeking glory.
They were villagers, but they remembered something powerful decades earlier when they were
under siege,
when no one came to help, Saul had marched through the night and rescued them, he saved their
lives,

1 Samuel 31: 11  Now when the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead heard what the Philistines had done
to Saul,
12  all the valiant men arose and traveled all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of
his sons from the wall of Beth Shan; and they came to Jabesh and burned them there.
13  Then they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree at Jabesh, and fasted
seven days.
and now they would risk their honor him undercover of darkness. They traveled all night across
enemy lines. They scaled the walls of Beth, Sean, and they cut Saul broken body down not to
save him, but to give him dignity in death, they brought him home. They burn the remains,
buried the bones under a tree and fasted for seven days in morning a final act of honor from a
forgotten village for a fallen king. This story isn’t about military victory it’s about loyalty,
honor, and remembrance even in the midst of disgrace Saul‘s life ended in tragedy.
He disobeyed he fell from Grace, but to someone he was still worth remembering the men of
Jabesh Gilead didn’t race his failures, but they refuse to let his shame be the last word or other
saw corpse saw a of gratitude where others feared the philistines they feared, forgetting a king
who once saved them, their courage wasn’t for conquest it was for honor.
Honor
 "No person was ever honored for what he received. Honor has been the reward for what
he gave" — Calvin Coolidge.
 "The honor of a nation is its life" — Alexander Hamilton.
 "Winning without honor is worse than a loss".

Do you believe in coincidence?
Proverbs 16:9 – “A man’s heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps..”
⸻
Introduction:
• People often say, “Wow, what a coincidence!”
• But for the believer, there is no such thing as coincidence — only divine appointments.
• Waiting on the Lord often positions us for what the world calls “luck,” but what God calls His timing.
• Coincidence is man’s way of explaining what they can’t see; providence is God’s way of arranging what we can’t understand.
⸻
Point 1 – The Myth of Coincidence
• Proverbs 16:9 – “A man’s heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps..”
• What feels random is often God’s orchestration.
• Saul on the road to Damascus
The young boy with  loaves and fish
Naaman dipping in the river
Gideons victory with 300 men
Elijah coming to the widows house
• We don’t stumble into blessings — God leads us into them.
⸻
Point 2 – Waiting is Not Wasting
• Waiting on the Lord is active trust, not passive boredom.
• Psalm 27:14 – “Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart.”
• Waiting changes us before God changes our situation.
• Like a seed underground — growth is happening before it is visible.
Illustration:

Joseph spent years in prison before being elevated to the palace — he wasn’t forgotten; God was arranging the exact timing.
Isaiah 40:31 – “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”
⸻
Point 3 – God’s Timing is Always Right
Story of the Pastor and the little kitten 
• Ecclesiastes 3:11 – “He has made everything beautiful in its time.”
• What looks like a delay may be God lining up the perfect sequence.
• Coincidences happen when our obedience meets God’s timing.
• The disciples casting the net to the right side of the boat (John 21:6) — one act of obedience led to an overwhelming catch.
⸻
Point 4 – How to Wait Well
1. Pray – Philippians 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
2. Praise – Psalm 34:1 I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
3. Prepare – Matthew 25:1-13 (Parable of the Virgins) 1“Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
 2 Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
 3 Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, 
4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 
5 But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.
6 “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’
 7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. 
8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 
9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ 
10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.
11 “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’
 12 But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’
13 “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.
4. Persist – Galatians 6:9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.
Reminder: Waiting without preparation is just wishing — waiting with faith is expectation
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Closing Thought:
• There are no accidents in the life of a believer.
• What the world calls “chance” is God’s perfect choreography.
WHAT ABOUT YOU BEING HERE TODAY?
• Psalm 37:23 – “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.”
• Your job: Trust, wait, and obey. God’s job: Direct, provide, and reveal.

Are you happy?
Happiness is gauged by a meter.

Hebrews 12:2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

? I. What is Joy to a Believer?
• Joy is not the same as happiness. Happiness is based on what happens to me; joy is based on what Christ has done in me.
• Joy is a deep-rooted confidence in God, regardless of outward circumstances.
• Romans 15:13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
• Galatians 5:22 – But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
HAPPINESS is not a Fruit of the Spirit.
• A believer’s joy flows from relationship, not results.
• We are not joyful for trials, but we can be joyful in trials because God is at work.
⸻
? II. “Count it All Joy” – Joy in Trials (James 1:2-4)
James 1: 2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
Key Phrase: “Count it all joy…”
Meaning:
• “Count” = to evaluate or consider.
• Temptations and trials are tools, not torture.
“Count it all joy”
When you lose everything.
When you’re left for dead.
When you fall flat on your face.
My joy isn’t based on your circumstances
My joy is not based on man’s approval.
• Jesus wasn’t happy on the cross, but He had joy, because He saw the outcome.
Why Joy?
• Trials develop patience, character, and spiritual maturity.
• Joy doesn’t come from the trial, but from trusting God in it.
What about being pregnant if fun?    - But the result is amazing.

? III. “The Joy of the Lord Is Your Strength”
Nehemiah 8:10 “Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
People say to me all the time “You are the strongest man I’ve ever known”
No!  I’m weak, I’m broken, I’m lost BUT THE JOY of the Lord is my strength!

? IV. “Restore to Me the Joy of Your Salvation”
Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.
• David is repenting after sin with Bathsheba.
• He didn’t lose salvation—he lost the joy that comes from walking in righteousness.
Meaning:
• Joy is tied to closeness with God.
• Unrepentant sin robs us of joy, but restoration is possible through repentance.
• If you’ve lost joy, you don’t need a new life—you need to reconnect with the Giver of life.
⸻
? V. Walking in Joy Daily
Practical Habits That Fuel Joy:
1. Stay in the Word – Joy is found in the truth (John 15:11).
2. Stay in Worship – Worship lifts your eyes from your pain to His promises.
3. Stay in Community – Joy multiplies when shared with others (Philippians 2:2).
4. Stay in Prayer – Prayer aligns your heart with God’s, and joy flows from intimacy
Happiness is a moment. Joy is a mindset.
You might cry and still have joy.
You might feel weary and still have joy.
You might lose everything—and still have joy—because joy is Jesus.
There is a difference in “Pain with purpose” and “Pain without purpose”.
Joy is a focus before it’s a feeling.
Your refrigerator can be full and you not be happy
You’re A/C might be blowing colder than ever, you not be happy
The older brother in the story of the prodigal son wasn’t in the pit, wasn’t eating pig slop, he was home, but he wasn’t happy.
What is your normal?
Negative, chaos, drama
The joy of the Lord is your strength
People say I love you with all my heart.
The heart is deceitfully wicked. According to Jeremiah.

Jeremiah 6:16 Thus says the Lord: “Stand in the ways and see, And ask for the old paths,
where the good way is, And walk in it; Then you will find rest for your souls. But they said,
‘We will not walk in it.’

The Monuments Men  (2014) True Story

• Director & Co–writer: George Clooney
• Genre: Historical war drama
• Rating: PG-13  
• Cast: George Clooney as Frank Stokes Matt Damon, Bill Murray, John Goodman

Premise:
The film tells the true story of a small group—museum directors, curators, art historians, and
architects—who were sent into Nazioccupied Europe toward the end of WWII. Their mission:
recover masterpieces stolen by the Nazis and return them to their rightful owners, all while
racing time before destruction.

1.  Restoration of What Was Stolen
Biblical Comparison: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may
have life and have it abundantly.” – John 10:10

• Just as the Nazis stole great cultural treasures, Satan seeks to rob people of their spiritual identity, purpose, and destiny.
• The Monuments Men risked everything to restore what was taken—
•  WHAT HAVE WE SET BACK, and let the enemy trance right in and STEAL

- Your marriage
- Your children
- Your ministry

2. Fighting for Things That Seem Forgotten
2 Samuel 21: 10  Now Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it for herself on the rock, from the beginning of harvest until the late rains poured on them from heaven. And she did not allow the birds of the air to rest on them by day nor the beasts of the field by night.

3. Every Piece Matters
Biblical Comparison: “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is
forgotten by God.” – Luke 12:6
YOU MATTER!

• They didn’t just recover major masterpieces—they cared about each piece, knowing each told a story and mattered to someone.
• Spiritually, this reflects how God values each life, each soul, each broken story, and seeks to restore it.

In the movie – They found a treasure in a wall.
- The tanks came to tare it down, and one of the monuments men’s stood in front of the
tank and said STOP!
There are some things with fighting for!

• Men – Pride, Stubbornness, Porn, WORK
• Women – 50 shades of stupidity, Gossip
• Family – Travel ball, Jobs, Values

The miracle is not in what you have lost, It’s what you have left.
- What you have right now !

Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

 
Peter had to get to the point he surrendered, and it was by answering the question, do you love me?

• Abraham leaves his father and mother and has specific instructions, but yet he had to have a - knife in his head and a son of an alter and he had to experience God as Jehovah Jireh before he surrendered.

 
Surrender must take place

• Surrender – yielding your will, desires, plans, and control to God, trusting in His wisdom, power, and goodness.

 
Our being comes from 3 levels: Mind spirit and Will
 
People that truly affect the kingdom have to surrender all three
 
Why did Jesus go to pray?

• Why did his sweat become his great drops of blood?
• Why did he go to the place where he said if it be, I will let this cup pass.
• Even though he was God in the flesh, Jesus had to surrender .

 
The young ruler comes and asks Him “how can I receive eternal life?” Jesus says, lose everything

• Was Jesus really talking about material things? no.
•  It was talking about surrender.

 
You come to the altar. You give your heart to God. That’s your spirit.

• But you hang onto your filthy ungodly habits that’s not surrendering your mind

 
Or you come to the altar, and you quit smoking pot, you quit having pre-marital sex, you quit watching porn.

• But as soon as something, does not go your way you’re right back in the filth you were in before

 
The mind you dealt with the spirit. But you never surrendered the will

• I’ll serve you God as long as I get what I want
• I’ll serve you God it’s long as my kids are healthy and there’s money in the bank

 
But what happens when you go bankrupt?

• What happens when your kids start making horrible decisions
• What happens when you pull a rose off the casket of the love of your life

 
Mind, Spirit, Will
 
I’m going to call some of you out this morning.

• You’ve never finished anything you’ve ever started
• Your relationship is all great. You’re holding hands. You’re open the doors and just as soon as something doesn’t go your way.  Boom, you run.
• Somebody doesn’t do something you like in the church, even though you’ve been taught,
• We could say we’re loyal all we want, but until we have adversity, we can’t prove loyalty
• Just as soon as something, ruffles your feathers boom you run.

 
You can blame it on your childhood,

• you can blame it on the one who molested you,
• you can blame it on your childhood,
• you can blame it on your teachers,
• and you can go through life, living the life of an EXCUSE

 
But then there’s David, sins with Bathsheba

• Has Uriah murdered… God; says at one point don’t count how large your military is because you’ll think it’s about you, he counts them anyway.
• And there has to come a time in his life where he rents his clothes, and he falls on his face and he takes clothes and ash is a dump it on his head as one of the richest men in the whole world, that’s one of the most powerful people, as a great warrior , his mind and body begins to scream

“Create me a new heart, body
Renew a right spirit in me “
And then there’s the surrender… “cast me not away from your presence ,
Restore onto me the joy of salvation .”
 
That was surrender
 
Some of you surrender some things in your life,

• you’re surrender the drugs, but you won’t surrender your checkbook,

 
Or someone will come to church, even pay their tithe, but then there’s that sin you never surrender your will
 
No matter how God blesses you it’s all about you. It’s all about your desire. It’s all about what you want.
 

Over the last few weeks
I had plenty of time to reflect
The good times, the bad times, the fear of the unknown, the brokenness of my heart
 
I have surrendered
 
Said God, I don’t know why!

• God, how in the world could you take something so precious?
• How could you leave my kids and grandkids without their mom and Nannie
• How could you leave our church without their first lady?
• How could you leave me without the love of my life?

 
Laying flat on my back looking at the clouds roll by - in the blueness of the sky
I whispered to Heaven , “God,  I trust you.”
Surrender
 
Where are you this morning?
Spirit Mind and Will
 
Sometimes you need to understand that your marriage is never going to be what it needs to be until both of you, do you hear me both of you surrender.

• You can have all the money you want in the bank, you can look in the mirror and think you look so good, you can have that $800 a month truck payment, and wear your $200 pair of tennis shoes, but you will never have peace until you surrender

 
Come to the altar when it’s out of control, come to the altar when you have nowhere to turn, but why do you have to wait for the chaos, what would happen if you would just surrender
 

1. Surrender requires Trust
2. Surrender is not a one time thing
3. Surrender does not mean weakness
4. Surrender brings freedom
5. Surrender invites power

 
Luke 9: 23 Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross]daily, and follow Me.24 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. Proverbs 3: 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. Philippians 3: 7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ
Matthew 11: 28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” 

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