Are You Fighting Against God?

How can we know when we are being led by God and walking in His will? Pastor Shane Idleman of Westside Christian Fellowship teaches us how to posture our hearts to walk with God instead of fighting against Him in this 45-minute sermon. The full video is two hours long, but you can find the sermon by moving the cursor at the bottom of the screen to the right if you’re strapped for time.

Editor’s Note: The transcript that follows was automatically generated and lightly edited, so please be aware there could be typos or other small errors. The Stream is working toward a transcription service that does fast, accurate, and reliable work; thank you in advance for your patience!

00:45:18:01 – 00:45:28:04
So the title this morning is are you fighting against God? Are you fighting against God? I don’t know, it’s still a little out for me.

00:45:28:04 – 00:45:45:28
I don’t know, you guys. Okay. Maybe the ushers can find like a three inch, a three inch PVC pipe or something, or stick right, and it will go right into the water and we wouldn’t even hear it. There might be some over there. Derek. Over by the shed, too. So. Okay. Are you fighting against God? Now, let’s recap a little bit.

00:45:46:00 – 00:46:14:02
The religious leaders put the apostles in prison, but an angel let them out. Help me remember that. Okay, so the apostles were in prison. An angel let them out and told them to go back and speak to the people. All the words of life. So when the guards returned, they told the leaders that the apostles were no longer there, but they found them in the temple and arrested them again and told them to stop speaking in Jesus’s name.

00:46:14:04 – 00:46:42:26
So what’s going on here? They’re speaking in Jesus’s name. They were arrested, and while they arrested, the angel let them out of jail, then went back to the temple and they preached again. And then they got arrested again. So now the religious leaders are a little upset. And that’s where we left off last week. Acts 529 But Peter and the other apostles answered and said, we ought to obey God rather than men.

00:46:42:28 – 00:47:11:12
We ought to obey God rather than men. And so instead of saying, okay, we’ll capitulate, we’ll stop preaching. We’re going to have to obey God rather than men. And why was last week’s topic obeying God over government so challenging? Think about this. Why is it so challenging to to tell people to obey God over government? Because there’s not a there’s not a cut, clear cut answer all the time.

00:47:11:17 – 00:47:37:00
Of course we’re supposed to do that, but there’s a lot of different scenarios. Any public school teachers, any government officials, any law enforcement, fire department. You know that sometimes it’s a little challenging. Now, obviously, if they’re asking you something to do that’s completely unethical. God’s word is clear. But there’s also a lot of gray areas. And there are many different situations, and people are led differently.

00:47:37:04 – 00:47:59:28
In some cases, God is teaching submission, but in other situation he wants the person to be bold. There are times to be silent and to wait, and there are other times to speak up. Does that make sense? So there’s different situations. We can’t say, okay, do this all the time. It really depends on what God is teaching you.

00:47:59:28 – 00:48:21:00
Is he teaching you submission? Is he teaching you to be bold? Does he want you to speak up so. But if you’re not a person of prayer, a person of faith, and a person of humility, filled and led by the spirit, you can become a bully or a coward. It’s one or the other. Folks often. So let’s talk about timing.

00:48:21:00 – 00:48:40:00
This is where I had to get cut off last week. When do you say something and when don’t you say something? Anybody ever struggle with that? Do I do I post this? Do I respond, do I challenge? What should I do? Well, this verse has been very helpful for me over the years. Matthew seven six. This is Jesus speaking.

00:48:40:03 – 00:49:08:24
Do not give what is holy to the dogs, nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet and turn and tear you in pieces. So Jesus Himself is saying, do not give what is holy to the dogs, and do not cast these great pearls. The pearls of the gospel, of course, before the pigs, because they will trample them under their feet, and they will tear you in pieces.

00:49:09:00 – 00:49:35:18
So that tells me that we need to be careful. It’s not an excuse to be silent, but a mandate to be careful. Now, wild hogs were, Do you ever. How many of you don’t know what a wild hog is? Any hunters out here? Have you ever came across a wild hog balcony? They’re ruthless. They’re fast. Little sneaky guys.

00:49:35:21 – 00:50:00:01
And they’re not little. Actually, they’re they’re they’re big with the little tusks. You know those Tusk? What’s that? That movie. Zim. Lion King. Okay, well, they’re not like that one. They’re they’re they’re mean. They’re mean and they will they will gouge you gorge and just trample even hunters, they carry a sidearm just in case the rifle can’t get up quick enough.

00:50:00:03 – 00:50:35:21
And they are. They are ruthless and so are the dogs, which are like cowards that would just go and devour. Now, here’s the key I want you to remember. The truth will offend. But are attitude shouldn’t. Okay. When you tell people the truth, it will offend them. But your attitude should not offend them. Barnes commenting on the on the section, said do not offer your doctrine to those violent and abusive people who would growl and curse you, nor to those especially debased who would perceive, who would not perceive its value, and they would trample it down.

00:50:35:21 – 00:51:02:12
They would abuse you. Although the swine and the dogs, such as the religious leaders, would hear their message from time to time. The main thrust of the disciples message was to the common people who were open. That’s the key. And Chuck Smith said, the dogs do not refer to family pets. It’s the wild scavenger dogs that ran in packs and was a menace to their livestock.

00:51:02:18 – 00:51:22:12
So the picture is kind of like this. You know, you just love people and you want to share the gospel, and and no matter where you go. But I think there are there’s a time and a place to also be careful. Do you ever get into disputes? Maybe on social media, especially when. Why did I even answer that?

00:51:22:15 – 00:51:47:05
Because most people aren’t genuinely asking questions. They’re wanting to fight and argue, and it wastes so much of your time. You get, you get really tired and you get, you get worn out by this. And even people that are searching for the truth and we love that. But if they’re constantly questioning and nagging and and trying to be a distraction, it needs to be called out from time to time.

00:51:47:07 – 00:52:07:01
And this is why I often tell contentious people, hey, when you’re ready to listen, contact me. So once you’ve done everything you can do, you planted the seed, you’ve shared your heart. If you feel that, and if they want to, just keep going back and forth at some point you have to let it go. And that’s why I love Paul’s prayer.

00:52:07:01 – 00:52:40:02
It needs to be our prayer today as well, in the opening of my mouth to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel for which I am an ambassador, and change that in proclaiming it. I may speak boldly as I ought to speak. Last week we talked about why people are upset about you challenging them. Well, light exposes their darkness, truth convicts their soul, and confrontation challenges their pride.

00:52:40:05 – 00:53:09:11
That’s why they don’t want to hear the truth. You ever hear that from your kids? I know, I know. I know, mom, I know dad. So where are we left off then? We’re now we’re in these the the section of acts 533. A man by the name of Gamaliel. Thank God for Gamaliel, not Gargamel, not Gandalf. Gamaliel. So they they went to the temple.

00:53:09:11 – 00:53:25:06
They got arrested. They went back to the temple, they got arrested. And if the religious leaders could have their way, they are going to kill the apostles. But this man steps up, and he said, because they were.

00:53:25:06 – 00:53:27:12
Furious.

00:53:27:15 – 00:53:45:03
When they heard this, when they, when they, when they said that God is over you, they got upset, they’re furious, and they plotted to kill them. Then one in the council stood up, a Pharisee who was very well known, Gamaliel. He was a teacher of the law. He was held in high respect, and he commanded to put the apostles outside for a minute.

00:53:45:03 – 00:54:10:05
So basically got them out of the room and said, hey, let me just talk to these guys for a minute. And so he opened up, he said to the the religious leaders, men of Israel, take heed to yourself what you intend to do regarding these men. In other words, don’t react. Let’s think this through. For some time ago, theaters rose up claiming to be somebody.

00:54:10:05 – 00:54:33:15
A number of men, about 400 joined him and he was killed. And and everyone who obeyed him was scattered. And then another man, Judas of Galilee, rose up in the days of the census and drew away many people after him. He also perished, and all who obeyed him were dispersed. And now I say to you, keep away these men, and leave them alone.

00:54:33:18 – 00:54:56:09
For if this plan or work is of men, it will come to nothing. But I think we have. But if this is of God, you cannot overthrow it, lest you even be found to fight against God. So I wonder if Gamaliel was wondering who Jesus was.

00:54:56:12 – 00:54:57:03
Like, oh.

00:54:57:03 – 00:55:17:15
We’d better see where this goes. I’ve been reading the Old Testament. I see, all these prophecies. And I don’t want to be guilty of this, but I don’t know for certain. Let, let let’s let’s see where this goes, because he made a true statement here is if this is of God, you cannot overthrow it. What encouragement to us.

00:55:17:21 – 00:55:48:06
If you’re aligned with God’s will, you’re following God’s way. You’re not perfect, but you’re obeying Him and His principles and seeking him. Who’s going to stop? God Almighty? The courthouse on Avenue M, they have the final say over your custody battle. The, the attorney, the government, LA County Board of directors, the mayor. Oh, boy. That’s it.

00:55:48:09 – 00:56:08:27
Who’s going to stop? God almighty. We’re going to cancel your church. We’re going to stop this or that. Who can stop it? So, I mean, looking back, I think you talked about this last week. Go back and listen to last week’s message. But when Covid hit, man, they thought that was going to be the that was going to close down the churches for good.

00:56:09:00 – 00:56:35:16
We’re going to get in a lot of a lot of them didn’t reopen. Some of the smaller ones who didn’t stay open and and kind of just followed the government’s advice. But instead, many churches grew and people came, came to support and and God’s work when I mean so many. We saw Jet Hook Stadium, we had like 152 baptisms just and while we were there in the summer, just on Saturdays and and how God was, was, nobody’s going to stop.

00:56:35:16 – 00:57:03:15
God Almighty. But we see this. Everything has been against the gospel, beginning with Jesus’s birth. Harris said, go and kill all the little male children under two. That didn’t stop him. Rome couldn’t stop him. The Pharisees, the religious leaders couldn’t silence him. The enemy couldn’t even outwit God. I like I think it was Paul who said, had they known what they were doing, they would have never crucified Jesus.

00:57:03:18 – 00:57:24:16
Ha! Had they known they wouldn’t. But they they walked right into God’s plan. We got him. Now he’s up on the cross. We’re going to kill him. There’s nothing that we can stop us now. And then he’s raising from the dead. Oh, boy. There goes our plans. That’s why it says he conquered hell, death, sin and the grave.

00:57:24:18 – 00:57:48:15
All in that. That final blow to the enemy. The enemy can’t stop him. Nothing. What? Who’s going to stop God? Government’s leaders. Let’s just. Oh! Legislation that might stop God. All legislation is. It’s a group of people, legislators saying this is going to be right. This is going to be wrong. And a better line up with God’s Word.

00:57:48:18 – 00:58:13:00
Because remember, legal isn’t always lawful. Is that interesting? We can make something legal through the legislative body. Actually, California’s got a lot of stuff that’s not lawful, even though they say parental rights. Oh, that’s not that’s not legal. We don’t have to notify parents. What does God’s Word say? We are so out of order in our legislation. It’s not even funny.

00:58:13:03 – 00:58:40:16
And that’s what is so important is lining up with God’s Word. So realizing nothing can stop God Almighty. That should remove worry, that should remove fear, that should remove anxiety, that should remove doubt. Nothing can stop. And the Supreme Court, did you know the Supreme Court actually isn’t the Supreme Court? Who’s the Supreme Court?

00:58:40:18 – 00:58:46:01
God is all three branches of government. Amen.

00:58:46:04 – 00:59:13:27
All three branches of government. Fun fact, fun fact the Founding Fathers, I believe it was used, Ezra, to form our system of government because it says God will be your lawgiver, your judge and your king. You’ve got the three branches of government. They even quoted that verse while quoting the Bible. When forming a government. Unbelievable, unbelievable. And they agreed with him.

00:59:14:00 – 00:59:34:23
So they said, okay, Camellia, I think I got all these guys in my mind. I call them big G in the first service, so maybe we’ll stick with that. So okay, you make sense. Let’s invite the apostles in. Let’s apologize. And let’s just, you know, maybe give them some food on their way. Nope. They beat them. They had to get that last word in.

00:59:34:29 – 00:59:58:00
All right, we’ll let him go. But we’re going to kick him to the we’re going to beat them. They would get out. They would flog them. They would I mean, they left there. They didn’t leave. They’re feeling good. I mean they’ve got cut and bruises and scrapes. And what would most of us do, complain. Come on. Well let’s see what they did.

00:59:58:03 – 01:00:22:06
They probably didn’t smart off either, by the way, I don’t know. I might I might smart it off a little bit after, after I got whipped. So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for him. Wow. I mean, I guarantee you they’re heading out of Jerusalem now, aren’t they?

00:00:22:08 – 01:00:45:27
They’re going to go. They’re going to go to Asia minor. They’re going to get out of town when you. Nope. And back to the temple every day. And they went in every house. They did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as Christ. Think about how profound this is. They have to go. And now the guard pulls him out and the angel frees them.

00:00:45:27 – 01:01:11:16
And then they have to go. And then the guard pulls them out. A lot of stress now because God had Gamaliel there. He said they went to the temple every single day because he said, hey, let’s see if this is of God or not. If it’s not of God, it’s going to it’s going to die down. But if it’s of God, if it’s of God, you will find yourself fighting against God.

00:01:11:19 – 01:01:17:00
Isn’t that amazing?

00:01:17:03 – 01:01:43:01
Oh yeah, that’s a good I forgot all about that. That they, God will and I remember. I remember this too. I remember at the first, God will put people in places you don’t even know about. That’s why we trust in him. Because we don’t see the results. We don’t. We don’t know who’s on that jury. We don’t know who’s the secretary to that attorney.

00:01:43:04 – 01:02:05:00
We don’t know who else is in the legislative body. We don’t know we all we see is with our eyes. But God often has his strategic people. I mean, regardless of what you think of the current administration, God has put some people there. Trust me. If not, we be close to North Korea at some point. He’s he’s he’s pretty certain.

00:02:05:00 – 01:02:25:01
See, I didn’t say a name I didn’t support. I’m just saying certain people in positions of leadership. It’s a huge difference that Christians should be excited about. I just got a call from somebody who’s putting together a, And I hope I can say this, I think a Kim where they’re going to read the Bible, the whole Bible, just like Ezra announced.

00:02:25:07 – 01:02:46:06
They’re going to read the whole Bible for nine days. It’s going to take about 12 hours a day to read the whole Bible from the Bible Museum from Washington, DC and get senators there. I’ve been asked to read a portion of as well, and we’re going to, grumble and complain that really? That’s awesome. I mean, Christians should be excited about that.

00:02:46:14 – 01:03:11:12
I’m not going to let, these things dissuade me and make me negative again. I didn’t say one person’s name. I just said overall. Overall, there should be an excitement about what God is doing, not fear and and worry about is Elon Musk the next Antichrist? Is is this is it cloud seeding and chem trails and and this and this and this barrier face and God’s word.

00:03:11:12 – 01:03:35:16
And don’t worry about all these different things. I’m not going to be deceived. You won’t be deceived if you’re walking closely with your Savior. My sheep hear my voice is stranger. They will not follow you better. Well, you better worried about being deceived. If you’re already being deceived by the world and compromising and not living your life fully for God, but those in His word and filled the spirit, and and using that judgment, they’ll know what is right, what is wrong.

00:03:35:16 – 01:03:57:01
Because it’s going to be clear. Bow to this false God or follow the one true and living God is not going to be vague. I wonder, is this really Jesus? I don’t know, and people are even starting to send me, clips about that guy. Have you seen him? He’s he’s got that black beanie on and he says, I am the next pope, or I am before Abraham.

00:03:57:01 – 01:04:16:10
And it’s like, what do you think of this? I don’t, he’s got dudes lost his mind. What, you think I’m going to. I’m. I’m fearful that stuff. He could be a false prophet. Maybe prophecy is from what he’s saying. Hello? He could be. What do you mean, he could be? This guy is a false prophet. How far he’ll get?

00:04:16:10 – 01:04:39:03
I don’t know, but it should be so clear in your mind what is right and wrong. You’ve heard this analogy before. I don’t remember who gave. I think, Josh McDowell, that when they teach people like bank tellers, when they teach him about looking for counterfeit, they never look at counterfeit money.

00:04:39:06 – 01:05:05:12
Did you know that? They never look at counterfeit money. What in the world are they doing all day? Studying the original, studying the genuine. When you see the genuine, everything else, you know what is false. The problem is, many believers aren’t studying the genuine. They’re studying the false, and they’re being led astray. Oh, but I heard a voice.

00:05:05:12 – 01:05:30:07
I think it’s God. It’s not God if it’s leading you astray from his truth, you, a believer, cannot be led astray if they’re truly following God. Well, the Bible says some will be deceived if even the elect will quote it the right way. Actually says if it were possible, the deception is so strong that even the elect could be persuaded.

00:05:30:09 – 01:05:51:25
So, believers, if you’re filled, I mean, do you have accountability? I’m seeing a lot of people get some really weird stuff going on without any accountability. They don’t want to be accountable to anybody. They think they’re they’re hearing from God. And that’s good enough. Trust me, I need accountability. Every thought. We have an elders meeting after the service for that very reason.

00:05:51:27 – 01:06:18:11
Every thought I have might not be God’s thought. Amen. Hello. You guys here today? Yeah. I’m hoping you know that every thought you have isn’t necessarily God’s thought. Do you have accountability? Is there godly counsel? There’s a line up with his word. There’s so many things there that we can do. We can look to Scripture. Am I in God’s Word?

00:06:18:11 – 01:06:27:11
Is this lining up with Scripture to me? I don’t know, I maybe maybe there’s exceptions, but.

00:06:27:13 – 01:06:47:15
It’s not. Things aren’t really vague. Truth isn’t vague. I don’t know, I don’t know. I mean, I looked at all the Mormon doctrine. I looked at our doctrine. I don’t know, I don’t know. Here it’s crystal clear. Jehovah Witness read the book Kingdom over the coals. I mean, it’s not like, oh, this is kind of this is kind of close.

00:06:47:17 – 01:07:09:15
I don’t know, and I can’t I got some flack on what I said already about the Pope and I said, well, you know, that’s oh, but it’s really close. Not, it’s not really close. If you look at what he says, what the papacy teaches, the decrees, Immaculate conception of Mary, perpetual virginity of Mary, purgatory going to a priest, all it’s it’s it’s Mary’s co redeemer.

00:07:09:15 – 01:07:38:15
You can’t find Jesus. Look. Look for his mom. I mean, this is this is this is way off. Not even close. Now, there might be good people trapped in these different religions that that love the Lord. I mean, I’m that I’m not saying that. But if you look at the structure, the hierarchy of what different groups and faith believe, I have even had somebody say who you’re you’re you’re just the same in Buddhist and Hindu and, you know, you’re all trying to find God.

00:07:38:18 – 01:07:42:26
Well, but Jesus said, I am.

00:07:42:28 – 01:07:55:16
All right. Let love taking service. We’re gonna have to do a history test. Your. I am one of many ways.

00:07:55:18 – 01:08:02:07
Find me. You’ll find one door of many doors.

00:08:02:10 – 01:08:20:22
I am oh, let me throw this word in there. The only I am the only way. That’s pretty arrogant. I didn’t say it. So you’re saying God’s arrogant? You have no problem with two plus two equals four. That’s it. I think when.

00:08:20:22 – 01:08:21:00
We think.

00:08:21:07 – 01:08:46:11
He’s doing. See, we have no problem with with numerical truth or gravity. But when it comes to spiritual truth, and like I said last week, I think it was Alastair big. Nobody cares when you’re searching for the truth. I could go to Hollywood right now, walk down Hollywood Boulevard. Hey, you know I’m searching for the truth. I’m just searching.

00:08:46:11 – 01:09:10:00
Okay, man, we’ll pray for you. Great. Can I get some? Harry Krishna, can I get some books? Can I? You know, I’m searching. What do you believe? And I’m searching, man, I got a shirt. A shirt that says I’m searching for the truth. But if I do like great comfort and I get that little egg carton and stand on it with the smile, Jesus is the only way, the only truth, the only life.

00:09:10:00 – 01:09:21:27
Nobody comes to the father except through him. Repent today or face the judgment of God.

00:09:21:29 – 01:09:46:27
How can I get out of there quick enough? For hopefully, God calls you who protect you. You know what I’m saying, though? There’s there’s it’s the problems with the truth because it is a spiritual battle, you know, that. You see you talking to people, they’re happy, they’re joyful, but you start to challenge your belief. It’s like there’s like a demon comes alive contorting.

00:09:46:27 – 01:10:13:19
Right? What did you say? That’s because at the name of Jesus, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that he is Lord. Let this mine be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider robbery to be equal with God. But he made himself of no reputation, and taking on the form of a man, a sinful man.

00:10:13:25 – 01:10:41:19
And he became obedient to the point of death, even death on a cursed tree. Therefore, at the name of Jesus, that name of Jesus, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that he is Lord. Amen. Praise God, praise God, and let me. Let me tell you something. This is just for a second. If you came in here with the wrong spirit, you’re not intimidating me.

00:10:41:21 – 01:11:02:02
I can tell people come in. They got the wrong spirit. They don’t want to hear this. They’re here to distract. They’re not really here to participate. You don’t intimidate us. This is a church of the living God. We bow our knee to Jesus Christ. We bow our need to Jesus Christ and him and him alone. This is this is a wake up call for you.

00:11:02:02 – 01:11:22:25
You need to make that decision and repent and believe and stop challenging God and fighting against God and resisting God. They did not cease. They did not cease preaching. And did you know, believer that challenges are meant to stop you?

00:11:22:27 – 01:11:28:18
We quit and give up when we’re going through the difficulty.

00:11:28:20 – 01:11:52:29
Come on, little amen on that one. You know, so I’ve mentioned it before and, God did I have there’s we did it really quickly, putting out a book this hopefully this week a free PDF. Morgan wrote a chapter two on the title is I Almost Quit. And, I’ve been there before, you know, and I never feel like that when things are going good.

00:11:53:02 – 01:12:17:22
When things are going great, we got this. No problem. But when the load comes and the friction is there and the discouragement that’s when we feel like bailing out. And the enemy will use challenges and discouragement. And that’s why you have to get to a point of Lord, no matter what the cost. I must say, like Jobe, though, he slay me, yet will I trust you.

00:12:17:24 – 01:12:43:09
And I must follow you with all my heart, all my strength. So this title fighting against God, what does that mean? Well, the word fighting means to be aggressive, to to resist or to struggle against. Now we know that an unbeliever, if a person is an unbeliever, they are aggressive towards the things of God. They are resisting the things of God and they are struggling spiritually.

00:12:43:12 – 01:12:54:08
But let me talk to the believer for a minute, because James four verse six was writing to.

00:12:54:10 – 01:13:21:03
Have you ever have you ever looked at the Bible and said, he’s writing that for me? It were really come alive because it says God resists the proud wait, wait, he must be talking about unbelievers. No church. God will resist the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Every day we are faced with proud choices.

00:13:21:06 – 01:13:37:11
Just driving somewhere. I’m going to rush. Can I get that parking spot? And then somebody takes it. What am I going to respond? Or in front of you in line? And they’re not hurrying up. Have you ever been there?

00:13:37:14 – 01:13:53:18
Oh, I have lots of sprouts stories, but I remember I just had a few things. I’m like, oh, she just the whole loaded. The whole thing was loaded.

00:13:53:21 – 01:13:56:26
Up.

00:13:56:29 – 01:14:01:17
I want to say, can I just.

00:14:01:19 – 01:14:11:24
And then do you guys take checks? Take checks? Do they still do that? Do they still take checks? It stores.

00:14:11:26 – 01:14:16:10
Such.

00:14:16:13 – 01:14:40:18
But pride can can. It’s there. And if. But if you live there it’s not going to be healthy. Anybody want to want to shoot back something you you hear from people or with family members or. I mean, there’s so many things about, if you get if you get challenged by something, you know, you get you get challenged by some, do you want to do you want to try?

00:14:40:21 – 01:14:56:17
You want to jump in with pride. And I mean, as a speaker, I have to deal with this a lot. You know, pastor, you’re too political.

00:14:56:20 – 01:15:03:03
Can you unpack that? Can you explain that so I can grow?

00:15:03:06 – 01:15:24:20
Or this or that, or you’re to this and go back and listen. The first service, I talk a lot more about things that I can’t remember this morning, but one of those things is we never preach a perfect sermon. I don’t care what pastor it is. His emotions get in there. Or maybe they’re too bold. Maybe they’re too passive.

00:15:24:22 – 01:15:50:11
I won’t name names, but I know some guys that are way too passive right over that mountain, way too passive. And then there’s other guys that might be a little too snarky, a little too bold. When I came to know the Lord, my German and Irish did not leave. Maybe a little bit of that. You know, part of that, that DNA still in you, you know, certain communities, Hispanics are known for this by communities, known for this Asian community, for doing this.

00:15:50:11 – 01:16:17:28
And that’s not racism. Just what we’re what we’re how we’re wired sometimes. And that comes out even as a believer. That’s why we have to work on things. Amen. Have a if you are if you if you’ve mastered humility, I’d love to meet you after the service. If you haven’t had pride in you in a long time, I mean, I’m probably give you I’ll let you share testimony how you’ve been so humble for years and.

00:16:18:00 – 01:16:29:01
Don’t you wish that it could just. We could say, Lord, light us up like a Christmas tree. If we’re prideful. And then we could just look around.

00:16:29:03 – 01:16:34:25
How many Christmas trees would we have in this audience?

00:16:34:27 – 01:16:36:07

00:16:36:10 – 01:16:59:06
That’s why he says God resists the proud. So here’s the good news, Lord, I’m being proud. I’m being proud in my marriage. I’m being proud as a leader. I’m being proud. Maybe as a parent. I’m being. I’m being proud. At work. What does the examples can we think of? I’m being proud. Anybody coach sports?

00:16:59:09 – 01:17:16:24
If you guys remember my story from the league, we have a tradition. My dad, my grandpa built a little league field in the court cell. And then we built the second field and family tradition. My dad was an all stars, and, like, we’re, you know, just. I’m going to coach a team and we’re going to all stars. I’m gonna be the all star coach, and we’re going to win.

00:17:16:26 – 01:17:28:20
And three games in, I knew we actually had first practice. I knew we were going to win.

00:17:28:23 – 01:17:50:06
But they played dirty. And all these other coaches know who their travel ball players are. And they told their travel players not to play too good during tryouts. And then they cherry picked and they got all these and I’m like, oh man, I’m I’m ticked. And I can tell them taking on the kids of parents not mean. Just like, come on, you got to.

00:17:50:08 – 01:18:10:00
And then I had to go, here’s the I did, I had to go preach after the game on Saturday night and I had to coach Saturday game. And then I had to go and leave the church and I was follow here, I don’t remember she was it the first year she said, I love when you walk in on red face because you’re in the sun all day and you just let us have it.

00:18:10:00 – 01:18:32:10
And I’m like, I don’t know. I don’t know if that’s a good, good example of that. But, I’m telling you, you want you want to be humble. You want God to really work on humility. Do this. Yeah. You know, tell. Volunteer to be an umpire.

00:18:32:12 – 01:18:41:23
At Little League, I’ll never forget. And I hear this guy. I don’t know if he’s been drinking. He’s like, come on. But come on, blue. That was a terrible call me. Oh, gosh.

00:18:42:08 – 01:19:06:18
And were you there? I don’t know if you, but I walked over there right to the gate. I said, hey, we need volunteers if you want to volunteer and come umpire in the future, great. Let them know. But I’m not going to keep, you know, listen to that pressure. And said that last part I don’t remember exact, but but God will use these situations to humbly as a believer, as a believer to you get challenged by certain things.

00:19:06:18 – 01:19:26:11
And will you will you humble yourself or will you get upset and fight back? And that night, a couple well, I don’t know. Was it maybe five, six games in the season? I said, okay, we’re just going to have fun. All right? Lord, I got it, I got it. Yep. That’s it. And White Sox go from last place like second or third.

00:19:26:11 – 01:19:43:19
We did pretty good. But just helping the kids. And once you let all that go it’s like, I don’t care. And he probably gets in there with coaches. One of the coaches used to be a catcher. He’s a professional catcher for the, White Sox. And so I had some guys that knew what they were doing, and they were just on the rules and stuff.

00:19:43:19 – 01:20:06:03
They would they would just humble me. Like, I’m like, no, we get last ops. Nope. Sorry. Little league time rules. And you got this manual memorized. What’s going on. So as a believer, they’ll all at work. Are you ever humbled you get people coming in to try to tell you how to do your job. And they’ve only been there a month, and you’re like 12 years.

00:20:06:03 – 01:20:40:02
They’re God will you situation. So the good thing is we don’t come in guns blazing. We come in guns empty because God will resists the proud. But then he gives grace to the humble. So in other words, if you’re humble and you, you kind of messed up or you’re this God gives you grace and grace and grace because also I believe that pride can bring some punishment.

00:20:40:05 – 01:21:05:15
Have you ever had a spanking from the Holy Spirit because of pride? But being courage, God will use your struggle to strengthen you, and he’ll use your stronghold to weaken pride. So the very thing that you’re struggling with, that very thing, God can use that to keep you humble. Can you imagine if we never had anything to work on?

00:21:05:18 – 01:21:23:24
Oh, I’m not that prideful. I don’t need it. There’s. We would be so prideful because the less we have to work on, the more spiritual we are, the more holy we become. Tendency to have a tendency to get very prideful, and God will use those things to break you in, to humble you. So I want to ask some questions this morning.

00:21:23:24 – 01:21:53:01
Men, are you fighting men? Are you fighting against God? Pride and anger go hand in hand. Pride and anger go hand in hand. And we are not happy when we are back to eating with the pigs. Remember the prodigal son who left the father? He’s eating with the pigs and men. A lot of men are dealing with anger today, and in all of our lives it’s often related to pride.

00:21:53:03 – 01:22:21:25
Think about it. If we’re if we’re humble, just going with the flow. Your wife changes the schedule on you last minute. The calendar’s full packed. Do you humble yourself or do you get upset? It’s a process, and anger often comes from us plans not going our way. This is not what I thought. Humble yourself before God does. And now let’s talk to the women briefly and I’ll be done here shortly.

00:22:21:27 – 01:22:58:06
Are you fighting against God as a believer? Is there a contentious spirit? Is there a controlling and manipulating spirit? We are not the Holy Spirit for our spouse. Ouch! I heard that ouch! But we’re good, Holy Spirit, aren’t we? Are you good Holy Spirit, Morgan, are you good, Holy Spirit to I am, you know those little nudges, like little nudges helping it, wanting us to do things and and pushing things out there.

00:22:58:06 – 01:23:03:00
And, you know, I love when I walk out and I see all the trash is by the front door. It’s a little.

00:23:03:02 – 01:23:04:27
Like.

00:23:05:00 – 01:23:11:02
You just open the door and go out to the trash. Can. I.

00:23:11:04 – 01:23:38:14
Know it’s the guy’s job. Now it’s my son’s job. But it’s. But we do that. Women and men, there are things that we should. Because as soon as you humble yourself. Here’s the beautiful thing. God’s grace is on you. And you know, if you’ve been fighting against things and resisting against things, it brings in anger. It brings in frustration.

00:23:38:16 – 01:24:00:05
And I do believe life is more challenging when God’s fighting us, when God’s that car that won’t stop breaking down the washer and dryer. Now it’s the refrigerator. Now this just happened. Now this is happening. Work now. Wells Fargo just doubled my now. And you just there’s just not this grace of God upon your life. I’m not saying everything goes great.

00:24:00:08 – 01:24:13:09
We know that. But God’s grace is upon you. What about teenagers and young adults? Are you fighting against God? Are you rebelling against parents or authority?

00:24:13:11 – 01:24:19:12
Okay, pin drop time.

00:24:19:15 – 01:24:41:23
So I want to leave you with this view of God. God is not trying to smite you. He’s fighting for you. And I’m not just saying that to to be encouraging. That’s the truth. The judgment. Things like that come later. If we fail to repent and believe, then we can face God’s judgment. But right now, it’s not God’s going to smite you.

00:24:41:23 – 01:25:05:18
If he was, he was. He would do it. He’s fighting for you. He’s not judging you yet. He’s encouraging you to turn to him. He’s not condemning you. He’s convicting you, and he’s not destroying you. He’s trying to rebuild you. How many of you know God? The God who rebuilds and renews and revise and restores and rekindles and refills you?

00:25:05:18 – 01:25:16:07
He rearranges and he recovers that which was lost.

00:25:16:09 – 01:25:20:27
Now, water sounds nice, doesn’t it?

00:25:21:00 – 01:25:41:13
I want to leave you with this thought. Many of you know that the the thought of the prodigal son. Remember the prodigal son? He left and went and spent all his money on righteous living? The Bible said, I think King James is righteous living. And the father, it says he was waiting for him. He saw him coming from afar.

00:25:41:15 – 01:25:59:28
But I’ve wondered a lot. Like, why didn’t he go look for him? Any parents? Can you relate? Your son left. Why? Why don’t you go look for him? Why didn’t you run? To go to Samaria and see if he could find him? Pull and pull him out of the the barred the saloon. Pull him out of the brothel.

00:25:59:28 – 01:26:23:04
Pull! Pull it! Pull him out of that! Why didn’t he go get him? Because he wasn’t ready yet. The Bible says it wasn’t until he came to himself. It wasn’t until he came to himself that he ran back home. And so same with many of you today. Maybe that’s for parents. Let God do his work. He’s doing a deep work.

00:26:23:04 – 01:26:48:23
It doesn’t mean you shouldn’t help. If you need help and God’s convict you, you do it. But we have to be careful because there’s a fine line between helping and enabling. You know the difference? I don’t know either. But God does something because it’s the heart to help. But if we’re if there’s if they don’t get to that point of coming to themselves, we could be we could be slowing down the process.

00:26:48:26 – 01:27:07:06
So what we’re going to do, I’m have the worship team come up and we’re going to go into, I’m going to do the baptism. If you want to get baptized men, you can just go on this side, women on this side. And I would love to baptize you. Be prepared. It’s like the Jordan River. It’s a little cold, but that’s okay.

00:27:07:06 – 01:27:26:06
Shock treatment for God. So we’re going to go into closing worship. I will, do the baptism and then open up for more. Also, if you don’t know God, if you if you came in here and you’re kind of searching, you’re kind of seeking. The Bible’s clear that you must repent and believe in the gospel. Repent. What is repent?

00:27:26:06 – 01:27:51:02
I acknowledge, basically, I acknowledge that I need God because without repentance, there’s no acknowledgment of our sinful condition. If I just say yes, I believe in God. Well, even the demons believe. How many of you didn’t know that the Bible says even the demons believe and tremble, so believe must be backed with repentance. I have faith that Jesus died for me.

00:27:51:02 – 01:28:12:00
I’m repenting of my sinful condition, and I’m trusting in God as my Lord and Savior. And as a result, communion is going to be available. So I’m not going to come back up. We’re not going to go into a communion message, take both elements, both both cups at the same time. And remember the body that was broken. Remember the blood that was shed as believers.

00:28:12:02 – 01:28:28:00
And you can do that this morning. And if you need prayer, the prayer team is actually going to move into the prayer room when we all stand and they’re going to be over there. If you need prayer, this is where people are being healed and set free and delivered and praying for marriages and and anger. Anybody have anger, problems, uncontrolled lust and things like that?

00:28:28:00 – 01:28:47:02
You don’t have to be specific, but let let the prayer team, pray with you balcony. You can even come down right there to the side door because, guys, what’s it going to take? You realize, right? I hope you realize just the idea of coming to church, at least a church like this is not to come and hear a message and leave.

00:28:47:04 – 01:29:03:26
It’s to be challenge is to take a step of faith. It’s to say, you know what? I need prayer. You know what? I need to get baptized. You know what I need to get my my life right with the Lord. Light my life right with the Lord. There’s got it. There’s there’s a decision. There’s a there’s a seeking after God.

00:29:03:26 – 01:29:23:16
There’s a yearning for more of him. Church is never I can show you in the Bible. It’s never just to go and listen. It’s actually to be filled with the spirit and to go out and be the hands and feet of Jesus.

00:29:23:19 – 01:29:41:12
And mainly this is even for the guys like, I know you come to the Tuesday study, which is good. There’s another group you go to on Thursday studies, but why aren’t a lot more of you invested in discipling some of the younger guys? Because often it can be all about look, feed me, feed me, feed me, feed me, feed me, feed me, feed me.

00:29:41:14 – 01:30:05:25
But you were designed not only to take in, but to give out. Give out some hope. When we get a half dozen calls to the office saying, I want to disciple some of these younger guys, I need it. And we got marriage issues and things. We can’t handle all of it. But yet we go and get fed and get fed and get fed and get fed that you know what happens if you eat too much physically?

00:30:05:28 – 01:30:26:06
Or you don’t you don’t gain weight. Just me. Did you know that’s all it is? Is I’ve consumed more energy than my body is burning. And so if we do that spiritually as well, if we do that spiritually, then we can actually become very unhealthy. So think about that. What does God want you to do? So let’s go ahead and stand.

00:30:26:06 – 01:30:34:11
I’m going to close out in prayer that we’re going to baptism. Lord, I pray, God, I pray that this new life that this gentleman God will find in. You.

00:30:34:14 – 01:30:54:06
And be and just receive a mighty work in your Holy Spirit. As hard as I come against any of that darkness, any of that type of oppression, to flee in Jesus name, even if there’s any in here right now, those who came in with the wrong spirit, they’re bound by iniquity and they’re poisoned by bitterness. And they’re rejecting the God of the Bible, God, that you will convict them, bring them to your knees.

00:30:54:06 – 01:31:01:13
Holy spirit, you’re welcome in this place. Push out the darkness. In Jesus precious. Name. Amen. Amen.