Turn back with me, if you would,
to Revelation 13. John is describing the war that's
going on. He's looking at the first of
two beasts, the second, which Lord willing, we'll look at next
week. In verse 3 of these seven heads, these seven areas of prominence
that this beast holds in its hands, clutches to its heart,
it says, And I saw one of its heads, as it were, wounded to
death, and his deadly wound was healed and all the world wondered
after the beast. Now, remember, please remember,
this nature resides within every man, every woman, converted or
unconverted, this nature is there. Because even after conversion,
this nature is not gone. It's still here. Paul said, I
see in me. These seven heads that are held
passionately by the beast of our flesh, these areas of importance
that demand equal attention and respect. I was watching 20-20
one day, maybe some of you saw this, an interview done of a
young, well, I'll say a young lady that had two heads. If you
saw it, you'll know what I'm talking about. One body, from
about here down, one body, two arms, two legs, a head and another
head. This young girl was being interviewed
and both heads spoke, you know, at different times, but one head,
the interviewer asked one of the girls She said, well, let
me ask you this. She says, what are the major
differences? Something to that effect. Well, she said, and name
the other girl. Two names. She said, well, she sees things
differently than I do, but, you know, we learned we have to compromise
because obviously we have, you know, a body, one body. They
even asked the young girl about dating. What type? She said, well, I think that
she would like a guy that's this way, And the other one would
speak back to her. If anybody saw this, I'm telling
you, there were two, you see that, Bob? Two girls. And both head had a personality. And this head didn't think that
this head was more important or vice versa. They had two heads. She had two heads. And she spoke
with her own personality, and this one liked this color, and
this one liked this color. And they wore different each
other's colors, different times, two personalities. The point
I'm wanting to make is both girls held in their mind the same prominence. Now you all have one head. Your head dictates what is important
to you. You like blue? Wear blue. You like Chevy truck? Drive a
Chevy truck. Do whatever is important to you. One head. This beast
has seven heads. Seven areas. Symbolically, seven
areas that are just as important as the other. Now, he says one
of them was as it were wounded. It wasn't wounded. It says it's
as it were or it appeared to be wounded. Our Lord Jesus Christ,
Isaiah 53 says, was wounded for our transgressions. Slaughtered. Slaughtered. He was wounded. He was bruised for our iniquities. And this is our area of hope. that our Lord Jesus Christ ever
won. He was, this one was as it were,
wounded. This area of importance, here
is an area of importance, here's the point I'm going to make.
The flesh is still religious. The flesh talks about one that
was slain. I've told you about the Mayan
Indians that we visited down in Mexico when we were there. There needed to be some bloodshed. They had sacrifices. They would
sacrifice captured warriors, maidens. Their god needed to
be appeased. They had a form of godliness. They had a religion. The flesh
is religious. Now, if you think it's not, you
look at the Pharisees. Look what the Scripture says
concerning false religion. Paul said, I was one of them,
zealous. There was one of these areas
to the flesh. One of them has a religious speech
to it. It talks like all men. But you
remember this. This so-called wounded, he had
one of them was as it were wounded and healed brought back but you
remember it was just one among seven heads and that area right
there is no more important than any other head to the flesh can I make good on that statement?
turn to Luke 14 let me show you something Luke 14, now this is
the way the flesh is. This is the way every person
in this room today, especially, let's start at the pulpit. Every
person has a nature, an old nature in him that's religious. I came
up in false religion, Pat. I know about this, but I'm going
to tell you something. Those of you that sat under Brother
Scott for years until God called you out of darkness, You thought
just like this. This is the way until the Lord
revealed His truth to you and gave you a heart fart. You may
have understood what He was saying in your head and gave a good
assent to it. But when God calls you out of
darkness, God gives you a heart fart and you love it. And you've
got one head, the Lord Jesus Christ. This is Ephesians 7. And let me show you how that to the flesh. Religion. Religion. That wounded head. It talks. It says. Before I was
converted, I talked about a slain Savior, Gary. He was as it were.
He wasn't really wounded for me. I talked like He was. But let me tell you something.
That false religious God, little g God that I created in my mind,
before God revealed Himself to me was no more important to me
than anything else. And I'll prove it. Luke 14, verse
15, And when one of them that sat at meat with him heard these
things, he said unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in
the kingdom of God. Then said he, the Lord, unto
him, He said, A certain man made a great supper and bade many. Here is the gospel as preached.
The Lord has a supper, the marriage supper of the Lamb. You come
eat of me, eat of my flesh, drink of my blood. It's preached. It's
preached into all the world. I'm preaching to everybody this
morning. Now all of you hear what I'm saying. If God gives
you an ear to hear, Mark, you'll hear. If God gives a man an ear
to hear, he'll hear. If God gives a man a sea, he'll...
But you hear what I'm saying. He said a certain man, made a
great supper, sent his servants at supper time to say to them
that were bidding, Come, for all things are now ready." God
sends preachers. They are preachers. And they
with all consent, now listen to this, those that heard, now
here is the mind of the flesh, this is the old nature. Come
eat, come to the supper. And one of them began to make
excuse. The first said unto him, Well, I bought a piece of ground.
Now here is a head, here is an area of importance. He bought
a piece of ground. I've got to go see it. Prove
it. I've got to, you know, need to
go and see it. Have me excused. I would come
to your supper. I bought a parcel of land over
here. Another said, I bought five yoke of oxen. I must go
prove them. Make sure that they're steady
and good. Just have me excused. There's
another area right there. Another said, I married a wife.
Therefore, I can't come. So that servant came and showed
his Lord these things when the master of the house, being angry,
said to his servant, Go out quickly in the streets and lanes of the
city and bring in the poor. Go to those that need, those
that are poor in spirit. Teach them. The lame, those that
are lame on both their feet, those that can't walk spiritually,
the halt, the blind, The servant said, Lord, it's done as thou
hast commanded. Yet there's room. And the Lord said unto the servant,
You go out into the highways and hedges and compel them to
come in. You constrain them to come in. All that my Father giveth
me, they shall come to me. No man can come to me unless
my Father draw him effectually. You compel them to come in. Give
them a heart. They'll come, but they come by
power. I say unto you that none of those
men which were bidden to taste shall taste of my supper." This
beast of this flesh says this. Oh, I think it's... I can see
where, you know, religion is important, but don't forget I've
got some oxen, and I've got a wife, and I've got some land, and I've
got this, and I've got that, and I've got the other, and I
will be there when I can, but let's keep everything in order.
Let's keep our priorities straight here. You don't think I'm going
to give up all of this. You don't think I'm going to
make God Almighty number one. Now come on. I've got to live
in this world. I've got to start. The nature of our flesh says,
I think, that the attendance and the worship of Almighty God
is important. But come on now. all my priorities
gotta be kept in order this is me this is me i see in
me paul said i see in me there dwells no good thing paul said
i see this nature in me that old nature the way i thought
before i still see the presence of that old nature seven heads Let me make good on it again.
Matthew 13. Matthew 13. Scripture bears out. I truly
believe what I'm saying is so. Scripture bears this out. Matthew
13. Talking about a sower that went
to sow. Some of it fell by the wayside.
Birds came and ate it up real quick. Made no impression whatsoever. Some of it fell among Stony ground
for many boys sprung up and you know for a while, but the heat
got on, you know, I don't know, persecution of some kind. They
were gone. They were here for a while. They
were gone. But here's the part that's most sobering. Some of
it fell, Matthew 13, 22. Some of it fell in thorny ground. And it says, He that receiveth
seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word, and the care
of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches. Choke the word, and
he becometh unfruitful." I looked up those words in that. That's a sobering thought to
me. This is my nature, that old nature
that's in me, in that flesh, that dwells no good thing, this
is the way this nature, this old nature thinks. He received
seed among the thorns is he that hears the word, and the care,
the distraction is what that word means, a care. The distraction
of this world and the deceitfulness of riches, the deception of riches
choke the word. You know what that word choke
means? Crowds it out. Crowds it out. Give me some room
too. Give me a little room. You don't
think you're going to have the first place. How do I know? How do I know? You know the scripture says,
Matthew 6, 19, Lay not up for yourself treasures on earth.
I'm going to be honest with you. I work, you know, and I think
I'm going to retire. And I think most people have
some, you know, they've got something laid aside, you know, and there's
nothing wrong with that. Don't let me give you the impression
there's anything wrong with laying, you know, laying up, you know,
having some money. I don't have that. I got to check
an account and this that and the other. But Psalm 62 says,
If riches increase, don't set your heart on them. I got to thinking about that. How do I know if my heart is
set on riches? If riches increase, don't set
your heart on them. How do you know? Because I'm
going to tell you something, I guarantee you anybody in this
congregation that's worked for any amount of time, you've got
something. You've got some IRA or you've got something. You've
got something. I know you do. I'm not condemning that. But
how do you know if riches increase? How do you know if you've set
your heart on them? Listen to this Scripture. 1 John
3, 17, But whoso hath this world's good, And we all do. I mean, you know, if I were to
tell you that I don't have a penny to my name, I'm lying to you,
and you know I am. Whoso hath this world's good,
and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of
compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? Now,
do you want me to just get right down to brass tacks so you don't
have to wonder whether or not... I wonder if he's talking about...
Let me just tell you what I'm talking about. If providentially God Almighty
causes your path to cross with someone and they have need, I'm
not talking about if they have squandered away their stuff.
If they've squandered it off and they've just, you know, I'm
sorry. I'm sorry. But providentially
if someone has found themselves in need, it happens. They're hard-working,
they're honorable, they're doing the right thing, and they find
themselves between a rock and a hard place, providentially.
If you can meet it, and you know about it, and you don't, how
dwelleth the love of God in you? I'll tell you what it is. You
set your heart, well, I would help them, but you know what?
I may need that. I may, I may find myself, now
I'll be honest with you, I can't, you know, I understand, I understand,
I wish I could. If you say to them, well, Lord
bless you, go in peace, but I'm not going to help you. You know,
I mean, I've got my stuff to watch out for. What if I find
myself in need? You will. You will. You will. This flesh has this
thought. There's areas that are important
to me and the care of this world crowds it out. That's the way
the flesh thinks. That's the way the flesh and
all the world wondered after. That's what it said last part
of verse 3. Wondered after they admired that beast. Sounds good
to me. That's what they said. They admired
him and they rallied behind him. Verse 4, And they worshipped
the dragon, which gave power unto the beast. And they worshipped
the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? And who is able
to make war with him? Satan has always desired worship. When he brought the Lord up on
that high mountain over in Luke 4, and showed Him all His kingdoms. He said, You see all this stuff?
It's Mine. You bow down and worship Me,
and I'll give you all this. You worship Me. You bow. You
humble yourself to Me. Satan has always desired what
he's always wanted. I will be like the Most High. I will ascend up. That's what
he said. And I say, I will, I will. That's what man says, I will. They worshipped the dragon which
gave power unto the beast. Listen, when man is governed
by that old nature, that is the unregenerate, the flesh. Man,
I wish I could put this off on you. but there dwells in me. This is the way I'm thinking. This is the way I think. This
is the way the old man thinks. That old regenerate who, according
to Ephesians 2, 2, walks according to the prince of the power of
the air. Paul says among whom we all had
our conversation, our manner of life, our thinking. It's the
way we all thought and think in that old flesh. in times past,
in the lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and
of the mind, and were by nature the children of wrath, even as
others." I've said before, God Almighty has never looked upon
His people in wrath. That is, answerable for their
guilt. Answerable for. Why? Well, Ephesians 1-4 said, He
hath chosen us. in Him that we should be holy
and without blame before Him in love. But there is an old
nature that is within me, that is, that walks just like everybody
else." That's what he's saying. Men who are left to themselves,
left to the dictates and desires of this old nature of sin, says
this, Who is like unto the beast? Boy, there ain't nobody like
him. Boy, he looks good to me. Who is like unto him? The believer
says, according to Exodus 15, verse 11, Who is like unto thee,
O Lord among the gods? Who is like unto thee, glorious
in holiness, and fearful in praise, doing wonders? The mind of the
flesh says, ìWhoís able to make war with you?î Thatís what the
last part says, ìWhoís able to make war with him?î In other
words, the flesh thinks itís invincible. Who can make war
with you? Who can conquer you? Youíre the
greatest! Youíre the best! All of you! All of your areas! Keep your
priorities straight. You know, I know that God says,
but don't forget, you know, don't just do this. Also, you've got
this. I've got this. I've got this. I've got this.
Care. You know, I've got a wife. Let me keep my priorities straight.
Let's don't get anything out of culture here. And there was given unto him
a mouth speaking great things, and blasphemies, and power was
given unto him to continue forty and two months. The beast of
our old nature has a language that speaks great things. There was given unto him that
word a mouth. That word mouth there means a
language. That's what it means. He's got
a language. It speaks of things that are
esteemed highly. for their importance, all areas,
keeping all things with equal attention in the forefront. But this speech, the Scripture
says, is blasphemous. It is blasphemy. Vile speech, blasphemous speech. There was given unto him a mouth
speaking great things, and blasphemies. You know, James 1.8 says, a double-minded
man is unstable in all of his ways. I looked up that word double-minded. It means divided interest. That's
what it means, divided interest. I've got a nature about me, one
man. I've got one nature that has
one interest. Paul says, for me to live is
Christ. The new man hungers after Christ,
thirsts after Christ, loves Christ, bows to Christ, worships Christ,
and doesn't sin. And does not sin. That's what
John said. Doesn't sin. One interest. For
me to live is Christ. But I've got a nature in me. that is double-minded. It's got
divided interest. And you do, too. You do, too.
And this battle power was given to him was to continue for 42
months. As I've told you before, that
42 months is the same as 1,260 days, time and times and half
a time. It is a specific number that
is never revealed. in Scripture as to its exact
meaning. Do you think that Almighty God
is going to come at an appointed time? Do you think that there's
a time for the Lord's return? That's my question. Sure you
do. Do you think it is an appointed time? Yes, I do. Do you know
what it is? No, I don't. Because I don't
know what it is, does that mean that there is no specific time?
No. But forty and two months right
here? is the number that we find over and over and over in the
book of Revelation that speaks of a specific number that's not
specifically revealed. I don't know when it is, but
I will tell you this. The power that is referred to as being
given by Satan unto the beast, unto the flesh, unto this flesh,
is for 42 months. As long as man's been in this
world, he fought it. Since the fall, this battle's
been going on. When's it going to end? At the
second return of Christ. What is that number? Forty-two
months? Twelve hundred and sixty days?
Time and times and half time? What is that? I don't know. But
it doesn't matter that I don't know. What matters is that God
knows. Unless Almighty God imparts a
new heart The beast of this old nature will speak to a man all
the way to hell. That's what he's saying. It was
given unto him a mouth speaking great things in blasphemy. Power
was given unto him to continue forty and two months. Verse 6,
And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his
name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. This is a continuation of the
last verse that was just spoken. A continuation of the speaking
of the beast of our flesh. Opened his mouth in blasphemy
against God. He opened his mouth in blasphemy
against God to blaspheme his character. That's what it means,
his name. That's what it means, to blaspheme
his You know what the flesh says? You are not sovereign. It says,
His name, all that shall call upon the name of the Lord, the
character of Almighty God. You are not God. That is, He
blasphemes His character, His name. You are not God. You are
not sovereign. You are not Almighty. You said you are. And I will
tell you another thing. Salvation is not of the Lord.
Salvations of me and God. Let's get our priorities right.
It's of me first. I will. I will. You're not sovereign. Turn to John 6. John chapter
6. Before you know a little bit
more of this, and I may get a hint of what Paul said when he said,
There is in me that in my flesh there dwells no good thing."
There's not a thing I can say, brother Scott, that's good about
the flesh. This is the way the flesh thinks. John 6, verse 51. John 6, verse 51. The Lord says,
He's preaching to a group of people. He says, I am the living
bread which came down from heaven. If any man eat of this bread,
he shall live forever, and the bread which I will give him is
my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." The Jews
therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give
us his flesh to eat? And Jesus said unto them, Verily,
verily, I say unto you, Except you eat, unless you ingest, unless
you have a heart to eat of the flesh, the life of Christ, that
he came into this world and lived before God Almighty, in absolute
obedience, the flesh, the walk. In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God, the Word was God, and the Word was
made flesh. He walked on this earth. If you
eat, unless you eat of My flesh by faith, say that what He did
before the law of God, He did for me, unless you eat of that
spiritually. You know God's people are not
cannibals. It's always talked about. Unless you eat of this
by faith, eat of the flesh of the Son of God and drink of His
blood, His death. And when He died, He died for
me. He put away my guilt. He was made my guilt. He was made the guiltiness, made
the source. Unless you eat of that, you eat
of my flesh and drink of my blood, you have no life. No life whatsoever
in you. Look over in verse 64. He said,
There are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the
beginning who they were that believed not, who should betray
Him. He said, Therefore said I unto
you, No man can. No man has the ability. That's
what the word can means. No man has the ability. to come
to me except it were given unto him of my father from that time."
You know what he just said? He said, I'm sovereign. I do what I will. Army of heaven,
inhabitants of the earth. I'm God. He just told them. He
said, I'm the bread of heaven. I'm the living bread. The true
bread. No man. can come to me except
it were given unto him of my father, salvations of the Lord."
That's what he said. That's what he said. Salvations
of the Lord. Verse 66, "...from that time
many of his disciples, those that walked with him for a while,
went back and walked no more with him." I'm not going to hear
that. That's what the flesh says. I'm not going to hear that. Then
said Jesus unto the twelve, Will you also go away? Then Simon
Peter answered and said, To whom shall we go? Thou hast the words
of eternal life. Let me ask you something. Salvation
is of the Lord. If you have no ability in yourself,
no man can come. You raise your hand in defiance
to Almighty God and say, I'm not going to hear that. They
didn't walk with him anymore. Where are we going to go, Peter said.
Where are we going? If no man can come and you raise
your hand against God's sovereign right to do what He will, where
are you going? Where are you going? Where are
we going to go? You have the words of eternal life. Where
are we going to go? Turn to John 10. John 10. John
10, 22. It was a feast of a dedication.
It was winter, John 10, 22. Jesus walked in the temple in
Solomon's port. Then came the Jews, ran to bite
him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If
thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. Jesus answered them, I told you,
and you believe not. The works that I do in my Father's
name, they bear witness of me. But look at verse 26. Sobering, sobering. But ye believe
not, because ye are not of My sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear My voice, and I
know them, and they follow Me, and I give unto them eternal
life. They don't earn it. I give it to them, and they shall
never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My Father's
hand. he told me that the reason you
don't believe is because you're not of my sheep if he would have
said you're not my sheep because you don't believe I could almost
grab hold of that one but when he says the reason you don't
believe is because you're not my sheep my sheep hear my voice
and they come they come the flesh hates God's sovereignty hates
it Right here, that's me. That's the flesh. It hates God's
right to be God. The flesh speaks evil of His
name, His character, His tabernacle, His church that is alive on this
earth right now. Know ye not that Christ dwells
in you? Ye are the temple of God. That's what Paul told them.
You are. It speaks evil of God's character. His tabernacle and them that
dwell in heaven, that is, the church victorious that has died
in the faith hates them all. Verse 7, And it was given unto
him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them. And power
was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. Now,
as I said, there is without a doubt, there is a war going on. There
is a battle going on. between the flesh and the spirit."
Now, that's scriptural. You know that. The flesh lusteth
against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh. This war,
providentially allowed by God Almighty, though God Almighty
is never said to be the author of sin, there is a battle that's
going on. You know, when Satan came to
the Lord and said, the Lord said, what about my servant Job? If
you considered my service, Job, God gave him permission to do
what he did. Satan is not all-powerful. He
is not all-powerful. All power is given, heaven and
earth, unto the Son, as one all-powerful God Almighty. But the Scripture
says here, it was given unto him to make war with the saints
and to overcome them. Now, obviously, I know that the
Scripture speaks of believers as saying that we're more than
conquerors through Him that loved us. Now, that's so. You know
that's so. We're more than conquerors. 1 Corinthians 15, 57, "...but
thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord
Jesus." We're more than conquerors. We're
victorious. So what does it mean when the
Scripture reveals concerning this war, it was given unto him,
verse 7, to make war with the saints and to overcome them? What does it mean? Turn back
to Romans 7, 23. I'm going to try to... Let's go through verse 10 and
I'll wrap it up. We'll just stop for today. But look at Romans 7, 23. It was given unto him to overcome
them. Listen to what Paul the Apostle
says in Romans 7, 23. But I see another law in my members,
warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity
to the law of sin which is in my members." Do you think Paul
the Apostle said that under the inspiration of the Spirit of
God? Yes, he did. All Scripture is given by inspiration
of God. Paul said, there is a law in
my members, in that flesh, that wars against my new mind, the
law of my mind, bringing me into captivity Well, back in Revelation,
it just said that it was given unto them to overcome them. Same
thought right here. Bringing me into captivity, Paul
says, to that law of my mind. What does it mean? It's not,
I will tell you this, it's not that the believer, the believer
is a willing servant. The believer is not a willing
servant of sin. Paul says, in my mind, I serve
the law of God. But he says, in my flesh, I serve
the law of sin. I'm captive to the law of sin,
bringing me to captivity to the law of sin. That old flesh that
is within us, now here's what it means, bringing me into captivity.
I am helpless. to escape it. I'm helpless. 1 John 3 verse 9 says, Whosoever
is born of God does not commit sin. That which is born of God
does not commit sin. There's a new mind, a new nature
that does not sin. Listen to this. Whosoever is
born of God Now, that's what the Lord was talking to Nicodemus
about. You must be born again. You're born one time with an
old nature. You've got to be born again.
Whosoever is born of God does not commit sin. There is a nature
in a believer that does not sin. You say, can you back that up?
Listen to the rest of the Scripture. Whosoever is born of God does
not commit sin, for his seed remaineth in him, and he cannot
sin. because he's born of God. There's two natures. One sins
without question, has a divided interest, a double standard,
multiple loves, and it's the world and the stuff, and I don't
mind worshiping God or coming every once in a while, but I've
got other stuff I've got to do. Then there's a nature that has
one life, one hope, one peace, one head. The believer is not a willing
servant of sin. But we are miserable, miserably,
let me say it like that, held captive in this body, and I can't
get away from it. I don't like it. I despise it. What I do, I don't agree with.
Romans 7.20, Now if I do that which I would not, it is no more
I, the new man, that doeth, but sin that dwelleth in me. There's
two me's here. One of them loves God and serves
Him and hungers after Him, and the other one right now just
ain't going to do it. And I'm captive to that. Can
you escape your old nature? That's what Paul says. He says,
bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my
members. I cannot get away. Power was given him to make war
with the saints and to overcome them. That's what it means, captive,
you know. Not, you know this, not eternally.
Because when this old body, when this old body is put off, We're
freed. Who shall deliver me from the
body of this death? That old nature. Who shall? God
will. God will. And I'm telling you,
the saints departed. They're not held captive anymore.
They're not held captive anymore. As I said a while ago, they don't
see by faith anymore. They see with perfect sight.
John says, or Paul says, will seem as it is and we'll know
Him and be like Him. But right now I'm held captive,
captive, bondage. Let's get through these next
couple of verses. And all that dwell on the earth,
verse 8, shall worship Him whose names were not written in the
book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
These that reverence, adore, and worship the beast of this
flesh that dwell on the earth." You say, well, don't we all dwell
on the earth? Yeah. Oh, absolutely. And all
that dwell on the earth shall worship Him. Ah, but it qualifies
a statement whose names are not written in the book of life.
There's a distinction made between some dwellers and other dwellers.
We are all here. I know that. But some of the
dwellers' names were written in the Lamb's Book of Life, slain
from or since the foundation of the world and in time. The Spirit of God shall call
them out of spiritual darkness, and by faith they will see Him. There was a time When I, in trespasses
and sins and darkness and unbelief, I worship the God of His flesh."
I worshiped. It was important, but it ain't
that important. It ain't that big a deal. But I'll tell you
this, all that dwell on the earth are going to worship Him except
when God Almighty is pleased to call them out. When it pleased
God, Paul said, who separated me from my mother's womb. When
God calls a man, He calls him in power. He said to you, Chuck
Powers, you come to me. You came. Whose names were not written
in the book of life. Those who were everlastingly
loved, chosen in Christ, justified, forgiven, adopted, In an everlasting
covenant of grace and mercy and compassion, they will not die
in rebellion and worship of this beast, of this flesh. They will
not. All that my Father giveth me,
they're going to come. You're not going to die in unbelief.
Why? Because I had mercy on you. I
had compassion on you. If any man, verse 9, have an
ear, let him hear. He that leadeth into captivity
shall go into captivity. He that killeth with the sword
must be killed with the sword. Here's the patience and the faith
of the saints. Is there any hope? It's been
one of those real sobering messages, you know, because basically what
I'm doing is I'm talking about me. If I talk about you and,
you know, And that's not as hard. But if I start talking about
me, as Paul says, I see in me, it's kind of humbling. Well, to the flesh it's not,
but to the Spirit it makes me realize that I am like that in
that old flesh. To those that God Almighty has
given an ear, a new ear, an ear of faith, Here's a word of comfort
to those that have been overcome by the flesh, held captive, bringing
me into captivity. Those of you that realize that
you can't escape this old nature, I've got some comfort for you,
and we'll close here. He that leadeth into captivity. He that leadeth into captivity. Look at 2 Corinthians 4. He that leadeth into captivity
is going to be captured, what he says. 2 Corinthians 4, 3 and
4. If our gospel be hid, it's hid
to them that are lost, in whom the God of this world hath blinded
the minds of them that believe not, lest the light of the glorious
gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto
them." The Scripture says, "...he that leadeth into captivity."
Those that have been blinded by the God of this world are
going to go into captivity. God Almighty is going to capture
that which has captured what He is saying. The life and death
of our obedient Savior, the Scripture says, led captivity captive. That which was captive by the
God of this world is going to go into captivity. Satan is bound
in his ability to prevent God from regenerating his own. Every
man, every woman born in this world came forth captive to the
God of this world, blinded by the God of this world. What is
God going to do about it? Look at Matthew 12, 29. Matthew
12, 29. I'll tell you exactly what He
does about it. Matthew 12, verse 29. Or else how can one enter into
a strong man's house? I'm going to tell you something.
Those that are held captive by the God of this world, you are
without power to escape from Him by yourself. How can one
enter into a strong man's house and spoil his goods? You see,
born dead in trespasses and sins, I was just like anybody else.
held captive by the God of this world, blinded by the God of
this world. How can one enter in and spoil
his goods except he come and bind the strong man? Then he'll
spoil his house. What did he just say? I'll tell
you exactly what he said. When Almighty God is pleased
to call out those that He's everlastingly loved, those that are held by
nature in trespasses and sins, blinded by the God of this world,
when God's ready to call them out of darkness, No devil, no
demon, no nothing is going to keep God Almighty from coming
in and calling His out of darkness. He's bound. That, back in Revelation
13, 10, "...he that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity. And he that killeth with the
sword must be killed with the sword." Who are those that are
killeth with the sword? Psalm 55, 21. says this, speaking
of the Satan and the Satanic-empowered nature of this old flesh. Psalm 55, verse 21 says this,
"...the words of his mouth..." You can say Satan. You can say
Satan's preachers. You can say the flesh. "...the
words of his mouth, smoother than butter, But war was in his
heart. His words were softer than oil,
yet they were drawn swords. Let me tell you something. Satan
and his ministers, those liars on God that stand up and say,
You're not sovereign. You're not God. You're not this. But we love you. God's got a good plan for you. God wants to do all He's got
so much. Won't you let Him? Won't you
let Him? Smoother than butter. Sounds
good. God wants to save you if you'll
let Him. That's a drawn sword. Like that
dart that went through the heart of that man that was held captive
in Proverbs chapter 7 of the evil woman that stood on the
corner. False religion. Didn't know what was happening
until a dart went right through his heart and killed him. He,
the Scripture says, that killeth with the sword. The lives of
this world must be killed with the sword. When is He going to
get His just reward? What's going to happen? I'll
tell you exactly what it is. Look over at Revelation 19, 19-21.
I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war
against him that sat on the horse and against his army. There is
a war. And the beast was taken, and
with him the false prophet. That is who we will look at,
Lord willing, next week. The beast with two horns. The
beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought
miracles before him, which he deceived them that had received
the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. Both
were cast alive into a lake of fire burning, with brimstone,
and the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon
the horse, which sword proceedeth out of his mouth, and all the
fowls were filled with their flesh." Now back in Revelation
13, the last part of that tenth verse says, here is the patience,
here is the cheerful endurance, and the faith, the persuasion
of the saints. I know, I see, in me, there dwells
no good thing. I've got a nature about me that
hates God, that has divided interest, that wants to talk religion,
but let's don't get anything out of culture. There's seven
heads, and they're all victorious, the flesh says. It's a liar against
God. lies against God, blasphemes
God's name, despises Him, has no interest whatsoever, cares
of this world. That's what the flesh thinks.
I worship God when it's convenient. That's what it's saying. I've
got some other stuff I've got to take care of too. But there's
a new nature that has one head. the Lord Jesus Christ. And these
two natures I see in me. That's what Paul said, I see
in me. There dwells no good thing. This old nature holds me captive,
meaning I can't get away from it. And I go through this life
held captive. But one of these days, One of
these days, that which has held me captive is going to be captive. And that which has come to me
with a sword to slay my life, God Almighty with the sword of
His power, the sword of His Word, is going to put that in hell,
into the lake of fire. Now there's the confidence. There's
the faith. There's the endurance. There's
the peace that I've got. I know this. A battle's going
on right now in my life. I can't tell you all the areas
of rebellion in my life, but I'll tell you this, they're there.
And there's areas in my life that rears its head up and says
this. Let's don't get too serious about
this thing with God. And I hate it. But I know this,
it's there. But I know this. Almighty God
is never going to leave me. He's never going to forsake me.
And one day, it'll all be over. And in that day, we'll do as
the twenty and four elders, four and twenty elders, cast their
crowns at the feet of Him who was slain, and say, You're worthy. You're worthy to receive all
honor, power, glory. For You, Yourself, You saved
us by Your grace. All right, Gary.