Freedom Through Righteousness - Pastor Kyle Self

[00:00:00] Welcome to the World Changers Church Gold Coast Podcast. Join us as we listen to today's message. [00:00:05] Father, we just thank you for your abundant grace. Lord, we thank you that you have met every need. You have went before us. But this morning, Lord, I feel like that sometimes when we come to church. It's a somber event, but I never sit on the sidelines of a winning team crying. I never cheered for a losing race car. I've never bet on a dead horse. Of course I don't bet. But Lord, help us to see we're winning. Help us to see we're winning in every area of our lives. We don't have to beg, we don't have to need, we don't have to cry, we don't have to pull on you to provide, but you have done it all in Jesus name. Amen and amen. Somebody give the Lord a hand clap of praise. This has got to be one of the most important messages a Christian and the New Testament could receive. And I want to title this message today. Freedom through Righteousness. We've been talking about freedom in Christ. We've been talking about freedom from sin, we've been talking about freedom from the law and slavery. And we need to talk about freedom through righteousness, being in right standing with God. [00:01:53] Amen. [00:01:55] A lot of times people get a desert mentality and they're still looking for what God's going to give next when they don't realize that God's already given everything they need. [00:02:04] Amen. [00:02:05] See, when you come from poverty, you. You're always chasing something. But when you come from wealth, you're being frugal or fruitful with what's been given. [00:02:19]Amen. [00:02:21] Now, if you come from poverty to wealth, you appreciate where you came from. But if you never left your poverty mindset, you will take it over into being wealthy. [00:02:34] Amen. [00:02:35] A lot of times people in Christianity get delivered. They get delivered from the desert, they get delivered from things and they don't realize they've not been saved from something, they've been saved for something. And they carry that old mentality of God, please give this to me or God, won't you help me or God, I need over into their salvation. Do you realize that? How many of you are parents? Okay, I'm gonna talk to parents first. If your child asks for something, are you gonna do everything you can to get it for them? Parents, yes or no? You spoil your children, don't you? All right, so brothers, everybody, everybody has family, right? Everybody got family. Yeah. You raise your hand on that let's get a little bit of movement. Y'all sleepy this morning, right? Everybody's got family. Now, if a family member comes to you, I'm not talking about no cousin. I'm talking about close family and says they need something, are you going to do everything you can to get it for them? Now, if you being a parent and a family member are going to do that, how much greater has God already done it for you? Through Christ Jesus. [00:03:48] Amen. [00:03:49] He is going to supply all your needs according to his riches and glory. So today I want to share a truth that doesn't change our status before God. It transforms every part of our lives. So we're talking about freedom through righteousness. Now, I want to explain that first sentence and my thought behind it. Well, if getting saved doesn't change anything, then why do I need to be saved? Saved reconnects you. Salvation reconnects you with God, frees you from the law. Is that correct? But did you know that before you came to Jesus, you were still God's creation? Did you know I'm gonna shock you that before you came to God, you were still a child of God, but a servant of Satan. Now that's messing folks up. Some religious folk will be like, what do you mean? You are a family member, but you're just outside of his house and you don't get the inheritance. [00:04:56] Amen. [00:04:57] The moment you accept Jesus, you have the inheritance of heaven, eternal life, and all that Jesus has to promise you. [00:05:06] Amen. [00:05:08] So when we tell people that God hates them, turn or burn, we're actually telling them the wrong story. We need to tell them God wants better for you. God has created better for you. God has provided better for you. And with your right standing through God, you will find freedom that will bring joy, peace, happiness, brotherly kindness, and all the fruits of the Spirit. [00:05:34] Amen. [00:05:35] Are we with each other so far? Okay, so the righteousness in Christ isn't a label. I'm the righteousness of God. We say that all the time. It's not a label, it's a lifestyle. When worship becomes a lifestyle, it produces peace. When righteousness becomes a lifestyle, you never go, oh, God, why is this happening to me? What did I do wrong? [00:06:04] Amen. [00:06:05] You know what I'm talking about. Something. You ever hear people go, God, why you do this to me? I just don't understand God. Why God let this happen? God didn't let it happen. Life happened. And God is your source to overcome and break through what's happening in your life right now. [00:06:21] Amen. [00:06:22] And it is because of Jesus and your right standing with him that that is possible. [00:06:28] Amen. [00:06:30] Am I tracking down the right spot? Look at all my scholars. They sit to the right over here and over here. [00:06:36] Amen. [00:06:38] So when Jesus makes you righteous, he also makes you free. Free from fear, free from guilt, free from shame, and free from striving. Oh, my goodness. So many people just trying to be approved of in this world. I think people go to big churches just because of status. Well, I go over to there. We got a children's ministry, a singles ministry, a marriage ministry. We've got a playground in the middle. Coo coo ka chew. What are you doing for the kingdom lately? I'm not coming down at anybody. I'm not talking about a church that y'all know about. What I'm saying is it's not about the building, about the relationship that you have with Christ. It's not about status. [00:07:28] Amen. [00:07:30] John 8:36. So if the Son liberates you, makes you free men, then you are really unquestionably free. Hmm. And Galatians reminds us, I'm going to jump right to the next one. Did I give you that one? Freedom. Christ has made us free and completely liberate us. Stand fast. Another version says, stand firm and do not be hampered and held ensnared, and submit again to the yoke of slavery, which you have once put off. Let's go back to John. Let's read these both again so I can make a point. Jesus has made you free. It is unquestionable that you are free. Galatians says that we should hold firm, stand fast to that freedom. Now, what does that mean? Well, life will try and tell you that you ain't free. [00:08:31] Amen. [00:08:32] Your finances will try and tell you ain't free. Come on, Jesus, somebody talk to me now. [00:08:37] Amen. [00:08:38] Your car try and tell you ain't free. Your dog will try and tell you ain't free. Your children are trying to remind you you ain't free. When they're trying to tell you, mommy, why ain't you staying with. Freedom is not a place in the kingdom. It is a position in the heart. [00:08:54] Amen. [00:08:55] Speaker B: Is this good? Oh, hallelujah. I think y'all are just taking it in. So today we're gonna walk through righteousness that leads us into true daily freedom instead of just the theory of freedom, but the lifestyle of freedom. Would that be all right? [00:09:14] Speaker C: Amen. [00:09:15] Speaker B: I'm sorry I don't have a hallelujah message for you. Golden streets and God Will promise you some 30, some 60, a hundred fold. But why do you want a hundredfold when you got a Jesus fold? I mean, really, why limit what God can give you when God has opened heaven to you? And if you think that what you receive from God is by what you've given, you have limited God's hand. [00:09:37] Speaker C: Amen. [00:09:38] Speaker B: You will be blessed by what you give, but you're limited if you think God's going to move by the amount that you've given. [00:09:45] Speaker C: Amen. [00:09:46] Speaker B: Is this good? Freedom comes by being free from judgment. [00:09:53] Speaker C: Amen. [00:09:54] Speaker B: Before Christ, fear dominated the human race. In Genesis 3:10 tells us that Adam sinned and said this. He said, I heard a sound of you walking in the garden. And I was afraid because I was naked and I hid myself. God's response to that was funny. His response was, who told you that? Who told you that? You're naked. How did being naked become a problem? And it is because they had sinned and sin had entered the life where status, look and image became a thing. Vanity Fair, the magazine, started in the Garden of Eden. Vogue started in the Garden of Eden. Having a six pack started in the Garden of Eden. [00:10:50] Speaker C: Amen. [00:10:51] Speaker B: They started looking at their outward appearance instead of their relationship with God. They were afraid of the judgment. Now in the garden, God still judged because it was law and he is bound to his word. But through Christ, we've been made free. See, fear entered humanity through the garden. Fear of being found out. That's why we see Saul say, King Saul say, God help me hide my sins before the people find out where David said, which was after God's own heart. God searched me and tried me and put in me a right heart and spirit. He didn't care about his status. He cared more about his relationship with God. [00:11:36] Speaker C: Amen. [00:11:38] Speaker B: Fear of facing punishment is where judgment comes in. When we fall into a sin consciousness and what we've done wrong, we actually begin to look more at how God's going to judge us instead of how he's going to redeem us. [00:11:55] Speaker C: Amen. [00:11:56] Speaker B: Is this making sense to y'all? Have y'all ever heard this in church? How many never heard this before? Raise your hand. Okay, good. And then fear came in through sin. Here in the garden of not measuring up to God's standards. And John 4:18 says, we should realize this. There is no fear in love. Dread does not exist. But full grown, complete, perfect love turns fear out the door and expels every trace of error. For fear brings with it thoughts of punishment. And so he who is Afraid, has not reached the full maturity of love, is not yet grown into love's complete perfection. I want to give you this today. Leave that up there, Timmy. John 3:16 says, For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son. And whosoever believeth in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life. [00:13:02] Speaker C: Amen. [00:13:04] Speaker B: That love gave everything and was mature. That is the love it is talking about. It is not talking about your ability to love. It is not talking about your lacking in love. It is talking about your revelation. Revelation of love. [00:13:22] Speaker C: Amen. [00:13:23] Speaker B: We need a revelation of love that brings freedom through righteousness by realizing that knowing how much God loves us throws all dread, fear, judgment, shame, guilt out the door. [00:13:37] Speaker C: Amen, man. [00:13:39] Speaker B: If there's anybody that needs to fear my past, it's me. [00:13:43] Speaker C: Amen. [00:13:45] Speaker B: If God held things against me from my past, Lord Jesus, have mercy now. There is consequences for people that do things, as you see all over the news. And that's why we don't just go around sinning. Cause sin still has its course. [00:13:59] Speaker C: Amen. [00:14:00] Speaker B: That's why God wants us to not sin. Because sin brings death and destruction. Sin will invite calamity into our lives. And as long as we understand how much God loves us, the. The less we're going to sin. Because see, when you're seeking approval or you have approval addiction, you will begin to just. I just can't live up to God's standard. I just might as well go back to drinking. I just can't live up to God's standard. I might as well go back to porn. It makes me feel good. You always be looking to feel good. When you don't have a mature understanding of love. You're looking for the instant gratification instead of the long term relationship that God provides. [00:14:42] Speaker C: Amen. [00:14:43] Speaker B: Am I making sense here? Oh, hallelujah. Maybe I should have preached another message. So when we trust Christ, somebody say I trust God. Ooh. Say I trust God. Fear is driven out. You don't have to say that. By perfect love we now have peace. Not terror. Fear of dread. Terror is a fear of dread. Romans 5 and 1 declares something even more to us. Therefore, since we are justified, acquitted, declared righteous, acquitted, Case closed. Could you imagine going into a courtroom, you guilty as sin. I mean guilty get to guilty. You just want you just standing up, waiting for the punishment. Yep, I know it's gonna be bad. 50 to life, maybe life sentence. I could get death row for this one. I don't know. You standing there just waiting on the Punishment. And the judge says, I'll take all the punishment on me. You're free to go. What would you do? How would you feel? You deserved everything and every judgment that was coming against you. And the judge says, take the punishment. How would you feel then? That's how we should feel towards Christ, because that's what he did. We were guilty and he took our place. We were yet in sin, not knowing him, and he loved us. How amazing is that? You are in right standing with God. [00:16:29] Speaker C: Amen. [00:16:32] Speaker B: I didn't even get through the rest of that verse. And given right standing with God through faith. Let us grasp the fact that we have the peace of reconciliation to hold and to enjoy peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the Anointed one. [00:16:48] Speaker C: Amen. [00:16:49] Speaker B: Come on. You don't have to live wondering if you're accepted, acceptable. You are fully accepted and beloved. Like Ephesians 1 and 6 says. Did we get that one, Timmy? Yes. No. No, we didn't. But Ephesians 1:6 tells us that we are accepted and loved of God. [00:17:09] Speaker C: Amen. [00:17:10] Speaker B: Another thing I want to look at is. Let's look at Romans 8:1. How sure are we? Therefore, there is now. No, there is some condemnation. There is some condemnation. There's what? No condemnation? No. A judging guilty of wrong for those who are in Christ Jesus, who live and walk not after the dictates of the flesh, but after the dictates of the Spirit. Now, hold on. Let's break this down. There's no judging for those that are in Christ who live and walk after the dictates of the flesh, but not after the dictates of the Spirit. So what does that tell us? Life will still have its consequences. [00:17:53] Speaker C: Amen. [00:17:55] Speaker B: You have. You. You have an affair, your partner gonna get mad with you. [00:18:00] Speaker C: Amen. [00:18:01] Speaker B: You get drunk and go driving, you might end up in jail. Now, God's gonna forgive you, but you might lose your license. [00:18:06] Speaker C: Amen. [00:18:07] Speaker B: You rob a bank, guess what? You might get shot, or you might go to jail for a very long time, but God will forgive you. That's the thing that most people don't understand. And the more you understand God's love and his forgiveness, the less you will act out of the flesh. And the more you will act in the Spirit, the more you take a righteousness consciousness, the more you look at your right standing with God, the more you will be free from thinking about sin and doing wrong. You won't need pornography, you won't need gambling, you won't need drinking. You won't need Netflix to Binge. You won't need Binge. You won't need Stan, you won't need Paramount. You won't need all your TV shows that you've watched. Just to be able to shut your mind down, to be able to stop thinking about your life. When you know you are in right standing with God, you will actually begin to stop. You will start spending time with God. I mean, I'm thinking JoJo's the most righteous person in my house here. Lately. He's walking around singing. Singing songs. He's reading the Bible. Look, look, dad, I've got this spreadsheet of all these Bible verses. I'm like, lord Jesus, what's gotten into you? Used to hate church. Now you just. You're the most righteous one in the house. Amen. Amen. [00:19:22] Speaker C: Amen. [00:19:24] Speaker B: It's because something touched him and the revelation of God's love for him touched his heart. And now he just eats it up like. Like sweet honey. [00:19:32] Speaker C: Amen. Amen. [00:19:36] Speaker B: Hallelujah. So now that fear is broken, something else powerful happens when fear, it truly leaves your life. The prison door of guilt. And shame swings wide open. See, shame and guilt will trap you where you are. I'm not good enough for my husband. I'm not good enough for my wife. I don't make enough money. We need a house. You know, if we just had a better car. All those status quo things are actually shaming guilt because you're comparing yourself something else. Me and Timmy were talking this morning about giving. And I said, what keeps people from giving, man? His response to me was excellent. He said, I believe people are living outside their means to try and show people how good their life is when their life really is hurting. They gotta have the nice car, the big house and all those things. They gotta have those things to show people they're on track. Who you living for? If you were trying to show everybody else what you have? Well, you're living for everybody else and not for God. [00:20:42] Speaker C: Amen. [00:20:44] Speaker B: So once fear is gone, those prison doors of acceptance swing open. Those prison doors of shame and fear and guilt of the past swing open. And righteousness opened those doors. Let's look at 2 Corinthians 5, 21. It says, for our sake, he made Christ virtually to be sent who knew no sin, so that in and through him we might become endued with, viewed as being in and examples of the righteousness of God, what we ought to be approved and acceptable in the right relationship with him by his goodness. All I can think about there is a little Bit of my old thuggish self saying, you better represent. [00:21:26] Speaker C: Amen. [00:21:27] Speaker B: You got to show it. You know, there's some mean Christians. They face just look so nasty. [00:21:33] Speaker C: Amen. [00:21:34] Speaker B: You can tell they thinking mean thoughts about you. Look at y'all. Half the time, I'm afraid of y'all. I'm glad these lights blind me sometimes. Man, y'all. Y'all look so bulldog. What you mad about? Ain't God good? I'm up here unshaved, needing a haircut, and on three hours of sleep. What you complaining about? I look ugly this morning. Amen. And I don't care because what's more important to me is Jesus. I haven't seen my wife in four months, minus two days. [00:22:08] Speaker C: Amen. [00:22:09] Speaker B: I miss my wife. I got something to be upset about. Caitlyn, you need to change your face. She look at me like, I know you're concentrating. I'm kidding, I'm kidding, I'm kidding. But now it's like I haven't seen her forever, and I'm just. Am I walking around the house like a puppy dog? No, we ain't eating good. Eli comes up to me the other day. We got a can of salmon, and you want a salmon. Salmon burrito. I said, whoa, I need to get back to the grocery store. Amen. But for Christ's sake, we need to represent. We need to show our righteousness through our attitude, through our actions, through our conversations, through our giving. Man, if you worried about how much money is in your bank account and you can't give the church, and when Jeremy gave that partnership speech and you said $50 is too much, start tracking how much you spend through the week. [00:23:06] Speaker C: Amen. [00:23:08] Speaker B: Give to something good instead of a Snickers bar. I mean, just delete about seven Snickers bar and you'll be alright. [00:23:14] Speaker C: Amen. [00:23:15] Speaker B: You might even lose some weight. Look, I'm helping you out. God made us free, and we should show that right relationship with him by his goodness. We are examples of righteousness. And as long as we're complaining about how bad our lives is and what God's not doing and what the devil is doing, are we examples of righteousness? As long as we're speaking with a desert mentality, it was better when I was in the bar. It was better before I went to church. It was better before I came to Christ. As long as we're speaking with that mentality, are we actually showing the righteousness of God to the world? [00:23:55] Speaker C: Amen. [00:23:57] Speaker B: The cross wasn't about forgiveness. It was about exchange ashes for beauty, mourning. For dancing. [00:24:07] Speaker C: Amen. [00:24:08] Speaker B: We exchange all the pain for all the promises. John 8:32 says. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. When you realize what great exchange happened on the cross, you will be the most freest, happiest person there ever was in the world. [00:24:30] Speaker C: Amen. [00:24:32] Speaker B: That doesn't mean I'm going to invite y'all out of my house. And we're going to have a pool party every weekend. That doesn't mean we gonna get caught up with tea and crumpets every day. It just means that my attitude changes. [00:24:44] Speaker C: Amen. [00:24:45] Speaker B: Now, how many of you are happy this morning? [00:24:48] Speaker C: Amen. [00:24:49] Speaker B: How many got something to be happy about? Amen. That's because you have a revelation of the truth that is in Christ. You also have this truth. If trouble is in your life, this too shall pass. You also have this truth. If things aren't working out for you financially, God will supply all his needs according to his riches and glory. That means if you put in the applications, you go get the job. God will supply the rest. [00:25:15] Speaker C: Amen. [00:25:16] Speaker B: So what truth? That you are righteous, clean and free in Christ. Romans 8 and 2 says, because, ooh. For the law of the spirit of life, which is in Christ. The law of the new being has freed me from the law of sin and death. What freedom do I have? O Death, where is thy sting? I'm not afraid of dying. I'm not afraid of my last breath. Because I know there'll just be a transition from this body to glory. [00:25:51] Speaker C: Amen. [00:25:52] Speaker B: I'll feel for the people that I'm leaving behind. In those last moments. I'll cry with those that I'm leaving behind if I get the opportunity. But if all of a sudden I wake up in glory, don't think I'm up there crying. [00:26:05] Speaker C: Amen. [00:26:06] Speaker B: Because I am free from the fear, dominion and power of sin and death. [00:26:14] Speaker C: Amen. [00:26:15] Speaker B: So you don't have to live bound by guilt or past mistakes anymore. I remember a buddy of mine, he came back from Iraq, and he couldn't get his head screwed on right. He was in constant war. He feared every corner, every turn, and he just never was the same. And I asked him one day, and I'm gonna tell you a true story. He's asked me to tell this story in front of people many, many times. I've asked him one day, I said, what happened, buddy? He said, well, we were clearing houses. I was told to clear a house. We popped grenades and threw them in there because we were told insurgents were in there. When I went in, it was a family of people that we had just killed. And I could never get over that. I said, tim. Tim Hendricks was his name. Married now, got a kid, happy as a lark. I said, tim, what if I told you that God forgave you of that, that you were just following orders? What if I told you you're still in right standing with God? Ptsd, riddled with war syndrome, mind messed up, trauma. We got him in counseling, spent three months with him. Then one day he came to me and said, I want you to tell me about this righteousness again. He said, I've worked with the trauma counselor, I've worked with the military, I've worked with a vet, but there's something still missing here. He said, tell me about my right standing with God. I said, well, you can live forever eternally in heaven. That's the first step. You can be in relationship and at peace. That's the second step, if you want peace. And the third step is Christ has forgiven you. He said, I want that. And I watched a man that went through three months of counseling to get all the physical things, mental things right turn into one of the best Christians I'd ever seen in my life. Obedidum at the door, serving every Sunday at every event, greatest father and husband you'd ever seen. He went from screaming and yelling at his wife to caring for her like she was a queen. There is. It is a miracle what Jesus can do for you when you get in, right? Standing with him. I had another friend who went to prison. And, you know, he went to prison. He went to five years federal prison. And he called me up one day. I'd been saved for maybe a year. And he called me up after going to federal prison. I said, he goes, kyle, I gotta call you and ask you a question. I said, yeah, I want to know if you know Jesus now. This guy was in gangs with me. He ran and did things with me. He was one of the top people with me and one of the meanest men I'd ever met in my life. And Justin, who I was afraid when I got the phone call, calls me up with the sweetest, tenderest voice and says, do you know Jesus? I said, well, yes. What are you talking. You. You know Jesus? He goes, yeah, I got saved. And then everybody told me, oh, it's just prison salvation. He got out and became one of the top youth pastors in America. It is a miracle what Jesus can do when you realize your righteousness with him. [00:30:02] Speaker C: Amen. [00:30:04] Speaker B: So we are conditioned to these things. But we don't have to sit in our prison anymore because the door is open. We are freedom to approach God boldly. Hebrews 4:16 says, so let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. [00:30:32] Speaker C: Amen. [00:30:33] Speaker B: So I want to go back and show you something why I wanted to switch. So Timmy, go back to that Amplified. I want to teach him something here about different versions of the Bible. Now you see those things in brackets for our failures, appropriate help for well timed help coming just when we need it. Do you see those things? Those are translations of Greek in the Amplified. So those are actual translations. But do you see those things in parentheses? That is the translation of the writer. Now, me and a writer disagree. I'm not a sinner, I'm a saint. I no longer identify as a sinner just as much as I no longer identify as an addict or an alcoholic. [00:31:14] Speaker C: Amen. [00:31:15] Speaker B: So when you're reading certain versions of the Bible, that's why I say get a word for word translation, not by law, or it's gonna mess you up. If you're reading the message, go for it. If you're reading the niv, go. Okay, start there and then grow into things and start learning how to be a student of the word of God. [00:31:32] Speaker C: Amen. [00:31:33] Speaker B: Let's go back to the nlt. I just thought I'd take a moment to make that a teachable moment. So we have this boldness, this fearlessness to come through the throne. My kids, when they were younger, they would come to me, daddy, can I go? Can I go? Can I go? Can I go to Wet and Wild with so and so? Daddy, can I have 100 bucks? Because I want the new game. They knew the answer was going to be no. Nowadays they're like, dad, I'm going. This is when I'll be back. Because they done grown up, they know I trust them to go out and do they're mature. I trust them to go out and do they transition to being childish and putting off childish things to now being mature. [00:32:20] Speaker C: Amen. [00:32:21] Speaker B: So should we be in Christ, let us put off the former things and now put on the new. [00:32:26] Speaker C: Amen. [00:32:27] Speaker B: Because we can come boldly asking our Father whatever we need. You don't need to tiptoe into God's presence. You don't need to wonder if you're allowed to be there. You are welcomed like royalty at his table. [00:32:45] Speaker C: Amen. [00:32:50] Speaker B: Ephesians 3:12 says in him in whom, because of our faith in him, we dare to have boldness, courage and confidence, or free access, an undeserved approach to God. With freedom and without fear, we have free access. Romans 8:15 declares. Did I give you that one, Timmy? Yep. For the spirit which you have now received is not a spirit of slavery to put on once more the bondage of fear, but you have received the spirit of adoption, the spirit producing sonship in the bliss of which we cry. Abba, Father. [00:33:31] Speaker C: Amen. [00:33:34] Speaker B: You know the difference in the Bible between abba and. Between abba and father? The actual English word. Hmm. Say it again. Daddy. Daddy. There's a difference between someone that created you and someone that cares for you. I've had three parents in my life. A father that left when I was 18 months old, a stepfather that stepped in as a Vietnam vet, and my mama. And if you count the fourth, my brother. He did his best, but I've had three parents in my life and they took care of me, but they didn't care for me. When I met Jesus, I began to see what real care is from. From. From God. [00:34:23] Speaker C: Amen. [00:34:23] Speaker B: Are you in right standing with the Lord. [00:34:26] Speaker C: Amen. [00:34:27] Speaker B: You are not a stranger to God. You are his child. No matter what your week look like, his arms are always open to you. It's like, I just don't know if we could not hear those kids up there doing that right now. And this boldness fuels something even deeper. Freedom to live victoriously over sin. We have freedom to live victoriously over sin. Romans 6:14 says, for sin shall not any longer exert dominion over you, since now you are not under the law as slaves, but under grace as subject of God's favor and mercy. The devil can't make you do it, but life's pressure can. The Bible says that the enemy is like a roaring lion seeking out who he may devour. Now, see, in Africa, they have these sheep dens and they build this tall teepee looking thing with a light in the middle and it's got just a little gap around the bottom. And they close it up at night so that the sheep can graze at night and be protected. Lions will come and begin to grumble and roar around it to unsettle the sheep, because they know one of them will try and escape out from under its protection. And by its own submission it gives unto the fear and is devoured. We have to stay in the hands of the Father. We need to have this revelation of righteousness so that we're no longer seeing our lives Twisted and turned and flipped and flopped. We're in the light, folks. We're winning. So whoever's making your life hard on the job, whoever's making your life hard in the marriage, you're not responsible for what they do to you. You're responsible for how you treat them. Stay at peace with yourself. [00:36:30] Speaker C: Amen. [00:36:33] Speaker B: That same grace that forgives us also empowers us. Ooh, I gotta read some scriptures to y'all first. Corinthians 15:57 says, but thanks to God, who gives us victory, making us conquerors through the Lord Jesus Christ, Galatians 5 and 16 urges us so. But I say, walk and live with habit in the Holy Spirit, responsive to a controlled and guided by the Spirit, then you will certainly not gratify the cravings and desires of the flesh. [00:37:07] Speaker C: Amen. [00:37:08] Speaker B: Romans 8 and 37 says, yet amid all these things, we are more than conquerors and gain a surpassing victory through him who loved us. We have freedom. Church. Hear it again. You are no longer slaves. You are no longer under condemnation. You are no longer under law, which is sin and death. You are under God's favor. [00:37:37] Speaker C: Amen. [00:37:38] Speaker B: You are the righteousness of God and you are free. Colossians 1 and 22 says. Skip to that one. But now, yet now, Christ reconciled you to God in the body of his own flesh through death, in order to present you holy and flawless, irreproachable in his presence. Walk boldly, love fully, serve joyfully. Live free through this righteousness that we have in Christ. You know, this morning a lot of us may have came tired to church, and I can sense that. But can I ask you, have you taken a day off? What are you working so hard for? Really? I got bills to pay, okay? He promised that the same wells that they dug before will produce water. Do you think you working harder than the last guy is going to produce any more fruit? No. You just gonna get burned up and burn out, and they're gonna find somebody else to replace you. What are you working so hard for? Why do you need that house? Why do you want that car? Why do your kids need to go to that school? Really, why? What is the sum of most of your decisions based upon? Is it because of the righteousness of God and you're right with him and you've prayed and God has said yes? Or is it because of status? And I want my kids to go with their kids. And you know, if they go to that church, if they go. If they go to that. That school, let me tell you, if you send them to a Christian school. They. They might be finding more problem there than they do in public. [00:39:24] Speaker C: Amen. [00:39:27] Speaker B: I want to ask you why you do, what is driving you and what is guiding you? Because when you have the righteousness of God guiding you, you live fully for him. [00:39:37] Speaker C: Amen. [00:39:38] Speaker B: This makes sense. [00:39:39] Speaker C: Amen. [00:39:40] Speaker B: Have you received something today? Raise your hand if you have. [00:39:46] Speaker C: Amen. [00:39:48] Speaker B: Now, the reality is that we go live it, we encourage and cheerlead each other on how to do it. And next week, we're going to have an exciting, jumpy hallelujah message for you. No, you're not. No, we're not. We're not here to entertain you. We worship God. [00:40:04] Speaker C: Amen. [00:40:05] Speaker B: We don't preach these messages so that you come and say, wow, what a good message by our pastor. We minister these messages so that you're heaven ready. [00:40:13] Speaker C: Amen. Amen. [00:40:15] Speaker B: That your eternity prepared. [00:40:17] Speaker C: Amen. [00:40:18] Speaker B: And that life and its problems doesn't overtake you. That's why we ministered these messages to you. [00:40:24] Speaker C: Amen. [00:40:26] Speaker B: So every head bowed, every eye closed. If you're here today and righteousness has a new revelation to you, can you lift your hand right where you are? [00:40:43] Speaker C: Amen. [00:40:45] Speaker B: Thank you. Thank you for the hands. Thank you for the hands. Thank you for the hands. If you're here today, then righteousness is a revelation to you. You had that revelation, but you can't say you've been living it fully, can you? Raise your hand? Thank you for the hands. Thank you for the hands. I remind you that all that raised your hand, there is no condemnation in Christ. Freely cast off every weight that so easily beset you, sin that so easily beset you, and all those burdens that are dragging you down and run with patience, perseverance to the author and the finisher of your faith, which is Christ Jesus. If you're here today and you don't know Jesus and would like to receive him into your heart, can you lift your hand? I want to give that opportunity for everyone. I'm not gonna make you come up. I'm not gonna highlight you. Every head bowed, every eye closed. Just raise your hand right where you are if you wanna receive Jesus in your heart. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. So, Father, we thank you for those that have raised their hand for both that righteousness and that revelation that they can live free, and for those that raise their hand for salvation. This is the one and final time. He is the final sacrifice. Once you have accepted him into your heart and confessed that he is your Lord and Savior, you do not have to Repeat this step. All you have to do is continue to grow in him, get with other believers, be discipled and know who he is. So, Father, we thank you. It's in Jesus name. Let's pray all together. Can you do this with me? For the ones that raise their hand for salvation, Father, I thank you. And I receive Jesus, my Lord and Savior, in my heart. I confess I have done things wrong, but you have washed them away. I want to live with you and I want to live for you. I am now saved in Jesus name. Amen. Give the Lord a hand clap of praise. Nah, man. Somebody receive salvation today. Give the Lord a hand clap of praise. [00:42:53] Speaker C: All right. Amen. [00:42:58] Speaker B: And heaven, I'm sure, is so much louder for somebody else coming home. It's a birthday party up there right now. [00:43:04] Speaker C: Amen. [00:43:05] Speaker B: It is a birthday party up in heaven right now. [00:43:08] Speaker C: Amen. [00:43:09] Speaker B: I want to say something to you. I want to say something real to you. As a family, we want to grow this church. And to do that, what Jeremy said earlier is necessary. We need partners now. This will be the last time we ask. We're not going to get up here every Sunday and talk about money. That's what kills the church. But staying in this building, getting a new building is dependent on your giving. We can minister without the building. We can do this without the lights, the cameras and all the subscriptions. We do this because we want to come together and celebrate every week. And we want to give people the opportunity for salvation. If you want to partner in that, you can see Patty and Claire at the desk and sign up for your weekly giving. [00:43:58] Speaker C: Amen. Amen. [00:44:00] Speaker A: Thank you for tuning in to today's message. To connect or find out more, you can reach us online at worldchangers Life. Remember to subscribe for more uplifting messages from our pastoral team. And may you continue to walk in faith and transformation until we meet again.