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 Romans 8:1 – There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

 Romans 7:15, 18-20 – 15For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. 18For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 19For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. 20Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.

 Romans 7:24-25a – 24O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!

 Romans 8:1 – There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

If you have given your life to Christ, you are never lost and you can never lose. You are victors of the highest measure!

 Romans 8:37-39 – 37Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

OUR VICTORY IS INDESCRIBABLE

 Romans 8:35-36 – 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”

 Romans 8:37 – Yet in all these things we are MORE THAN CONQUERORS through Him who loved us.

We Are Ultimate Conquerors

 “more than conquerors” (hupernikao) – virtually untranslatable

- Root word (nikao) – to conquer, to come off victorious (“NIKE”)

- Prefix (huper) – over, beyond, more than (“SUPER”, “HYPER”)

What Holds Us Back From Making the Single Greatest Decision of Our Life?

His Position—A Pharisee and a Roman citizen—He possessed both religious standing within Judaism and legal standing within the Roman Empire (Acts 22).

· His Prestige—A Man of Reputation and Religious Achievement—He had an impressive religious pedigree and zeal.

Philippians 3:5-6 – 5Circumcised the eighth day of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; 6concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

· His Power—Authority to Persecute Christians—He exercised his power against the early church (Acts 9).

Acts 9:20 – Immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God.

Is It Evident Who We Worship with Our Lives?

Ephesians 4:1 – Therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called.

Hebrews 2:14-15 – 14Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

 I.     We Are ALL Going to Die

•      Death is certain.

Romans 5:12 – Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus DEATH SPREAD TO ALL MEN, because all sinned.

•      Life is shorter than we think.

James 4:14 – whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.

•      Death is not a natural part of life.

1 Corinthians 15:26 – The last enemy that will be destroyed is death.

II.       We AVOID Facing the Realities of Death

•      It has governed us for a lifetime.

•      We put off the planning for our INEVITABLE death.

Haggai 1:5-6 – 5Now therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: 'Consider your ways!' 6You have sown much, and bring in little; you eat, but do not have enough; you drink, but you are not filled with drink; you clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; and he who earns wages, earns wages to put into a bag with holes.

Luke 9:24 – For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.

I. THE FEAR OF CHANGE: Why Do We Resist What We Need?

• We prefer a known problem because it asks nothing new of us.

Proverbs 26:14 – As a door turns on its hinges, so does the lazy man on his bed.

• Familiarity feels like security.

Jeremiah 6:14 – They have also healed the hurt of My people slightly, saying, 'Peace, peace!' when there is no peace.

II. THE COST OF DELAY: What Happens While We Wait?

• We create a “change gap”: Time, Distance, and Deterioration.

Proverbs 24:33-34 – 33A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest; 34so shall your poverty come like a prowler, and your need like an armed man.

Luke 14:28-30 – 28For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it—29lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to MOCK HIM, 30saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ 

I.     The Fear of Failure Is a Slow Fade

•      It’s a Soulish Fear – a fear of mockery.

Luke 14:29b – All who see it begin to MOCK HIM,

The Fear of Failure: The fear of being mocked by others and by yourself as someone who began and couldn’t finish.

•      Mockery gets its power from your agreement.

Judges 6:12 – And the Angel of the LORD appeared to him, and said to him, “The LORD is with you, YOU MIGHTY MAN OF VALOR!”

 Judges 6:15 – So he said to Him, “O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and “I AM THE LEAST” in my father’s house.”

•      Mockery does more than hurt. IT MADE YOU QUIT.

Jeremiah 20:7 – O LORD, You induced me, and I was persuaded; You are stronger than I, and have prevailed. I am in derision daily; EVERYONE MOCKS ME.  

 Jeremiah 20:9 – Then I said, “I will not make mention of Him, nor speak anymore in His name.”  

 Luke 22:54 – Having arrested Jesus, they led Him and brought Him into the high priest’s house. BUT PETER FOLLOWED AT A DISTANCE.

I. The Fear of the Unknown Is Filled with the UNKNOWN

Genesis 22:2 – Then He said, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”

1. Not Enough Information – The unknown or lack of information ignites the IMAGINATION.

Genesis 22:2b – “Go to the land of Moriah…on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”

Proverbs 28:1 – The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion.

2. No Precedent – Life rarely asks for something familiar.

Genesis 22:2c – “and offer him there as a burnt offering”

3. No Control – The future is the one place over which you have no hands-on control.

Genesis 22:2a – Then He said, “Take now your son,”

Genesis 16:2 – So Sarai said to Abram, “See now, the LORD has restrained me from bearing children. Please, go in to my maid; perhaps I shall obtain children by her.” And Abram heeded the voice of Sarai.

4. No Replacement – There is no spare.

Genesis 22:2b – “your ONLY son Isaac, whom you love,”

Hebrews 11:17 – By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,

II. Calculate the Cost of Giving in to Your Fear of the Unknown

2 Timothy 1:6-7 – 6Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

I. Exposure Is the First and Oldest Fear in the Book

‍ Genesis 2:25 – And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

• Man’s first invention was a covering.

Genesis 3:7 – Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.

‍Genesis 3:10 – So he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.”

‍ ‍• Your fig leaves are more sophisticated than theirs — but they do the same job.

II. What Concealment Costs You

1. It shrinks your assignment.

Exodus 4:10-12 – 10Then Moses said to the LORD, “O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.” 11So the LORD said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the LORD? 12Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say.”

‍ ‍2. It consumes you from the inside out.

‍Psalm 32:1-5 – 1Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. 2Blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. 3When I kept silent, my bones grew old through my groaning all the day long. 4For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my vitality was turned into the drought of summer. Selah. 5I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and You forgave THE INIQUITY OF MY SIN. Selah.

‍3. It hands down a Five Count Sentence.

IV. The Diagnostic Question

• The one question that cuts through every Groundless Fear

2 Corinthians 10:5 – Casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.

• The Question is this: “What is this actually going to DO to me?”

• Does this fear have 1) the AGENCY, 2) the CAPACITY, and 3) the WILL to actually perform this unwanted act against me?

1) IS IT TRUE?

2) IS IT NOW?

3) IS IT MINE?

Galatians 6:7 – Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.

John 10:10 – The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

I. The First Deception of Good – “The Road Seems Right”

Proverbs 22:3 – A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself, But the simple pass on and are punished.

GOOD FEAR…1) protects you, 2) keeps you safe, and 3) buys you a longer life most of the time.

• If you stay on it long enough, it builds a “Good Man.”

Mark 10:17-22 – 17Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” 18So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. 19You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Do not defraud,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’ ” 20And he answered and said to Him, “Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth.” 21Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.” 22But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

• The Deception – That Good Feels Like Enough

Proverbs 14:12 – There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.

− The word is right – not evil, filthy, or wicked – RIGHT.

‍ ‍The Obvious Hidden Truth: This world does not run on truth. It runs on deception!

Jeremiah 17:9 – The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; Who can know it?

Proverbs 3:5 – Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.

Proverbs 9:10 – The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

THE CHAIN: Dominion (Your choice) → God (Truth as Source) → God Fear (The Multiplier) → His Word → Knowledge → Understanding → Wisdom → Identity → Authority → Decision → Outcome → Reality → Readjustment → Corrective Decision → Life

I. Truth Is the Only Thing That Actually Governs Human Behavior

John 18:37-38 – 37Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?” Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” 38Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, “I find no fault in Him at all.”

• You follow the voice of whatever you are OF.

• "What is truth?" is not a philosophical question for the unbeliever.

II. God Is Not Just Truthful – He is Truth Itself

John 17:17 – Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.

• Jesus is not asking the Father to use truth – He is declaring that the Word IS truth.

• Truth is not a concept – It is a person.

John 1:1 – In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Truth has a text.

Matthew 10:28 – “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”

Matthew 7:21-23 – 21“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’”

Proverbs 9:10 – The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

I. God Fear Requires the One True God

John 17:3 – “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, THE ONLY TRUE GOD, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”

• Nobody is just afraid, and nobody just believes.

James 2:19 – You believe that there is ONE GOD. You do well. Demons also believe— and tremble!

• Your FEAR exposes the counterfeit nature of your God.

Genesis 3:9-10 – Then the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?” So he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was AFRAID because I was naked; and I hid myself.”

Hebrews 2:14-15 – Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through FEAR of death were ALL THEIR LIFETIME subject to BONDAGE.

(2 x 5 = 10)

(4 x 5 = 20)

WHATEVER YOU FEAR GOVERNS YOU.

1) GOD FEAR

2) GOOD FEAR

3) GROUNDLESS FEAR

I. Fear is a THRONE Issue; It Identifies Perceived Power

Proverbs 29:25 – The fear of man brings a snare, But whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe.

• Fear is not emotion, it’s slavery.

1 Samuel 15:24 – Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.”

• You fear what you believe has the ability to affect your future.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 – He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.

Psalm 90:10, 12 – 10The days of our lives are seventy years; and if by reason of strength they are eighty years, yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away. 12So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

I. The Sobering Reality — Life Continues Without You

Genesis 8:21-22 – 21And the LORD smelled a soothing aroma. Then the LORD said in His heart, “I will never again curse the ground for man’s sake, although the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; nor will I again destroy every living thing as I have done. 22WHILE THE EARTH REMAINS, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, and day and night shall not cease.”

Ecclesiastes 1:4 – One generation passes away, and another generation comes; But the earth abides forever.

II. The Seed Principle — What Survives You Must Leave You

John 12:23-25 – 23But Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come that the Sonof Man should be glorified. 24Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. 25He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

• The Cost of Preservation: A seed kept safe stays alone forever. It multiplies by dying, not by hiding.

• Two Different Questions: Self-preservation asks what you can keep. Eternal thinking asks what will still be producing after you're gone.

Mark 4:29 – “But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, BECAUSE THE HARVEST HAS COME.”

Leviticus 19:9-10 – 9“When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field, nor shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. 10And you shall not glean your vineyard, nor shall you gather every grape of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the stranger: I am the LORD your God.”

I. The WINNOWING Process

Your First Instinct Says, “KEEP IT”; But God Says, “LET IT GO”.

Matthew 3:12 – “His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

• Stop calling loss what God calls chaff.

What are you calling loss right now that God has already labeled chaff?

• Don't blame the wind when it’s God holding the fan.

Matthew 3:12a – His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor

Are you angry or struggling with the circumstances that God personally authorized?

• Stop exhausting yourself fighting for chaff.

What are you still fighinng for that God has already let go of?

Revelation 19:6-9 “Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns.  Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”—for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.”

Matthew 25:1-13

1 “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.‍ ‍2-3 Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish.  Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.5 But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.‍ ‍6 “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. 11 “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ 12 But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’‍ ‍13“Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

1. THE REALITY OF HIS COMING

Rev 1:7 Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.

Mark 4:26-29— 26 And He said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, 27 and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how. 28 For the earth yields crops by itself: first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head. 29 But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”

Genesis 1:28—Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

I. Process #1: REAPING — Release from the Field

• The Sickle Announces That Your Season Has Changed

• The Sickle Separates You from the Place that Produced You

Genesis 12:1—Now the LORD had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you.”

THE 1ST DECISION OF THE HARVEST: You must release what God has finished using in your growth.

John 15:1-2 – 1“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.”

John 15:8 – “By this My Father is GLORIFIED, that you bear MUCH FRUIT; so you will be My disciples.”

John 10:10 – “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it MORE ABUNDANTLY.”

John 15:2 – “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear MORE FRUIT.”

Psalm 90:12 – So, teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

I. What You Refuse to CONFRONT You Choose to CARRY – Don’t Complain

• Most of what you must Confront was UNCHOSEN and RANDOM.

Ecclesiastes 9:11 – I returned and saw under the sun that— The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to men of understanding, nor favor to men of skill; but Tme and chance happen to them all.

1. PEOPLE God is trying to cut from your life

Mark 4:26-29 – 26And He said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, 27and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how. 28For the earth yields crops by itself: first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head. 29But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”

I. TIME — THE WAITING PROCESS

James 5:7 – “Therefore, be patient brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain.”

Genesis 8:22 – “While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, and day and night shall not cease.”

Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 – 1“To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven: 2a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck what is planted.”

• How to Wait: PATIENTLY

Jeremiah 17:7-8 – 7“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is the LORD. 8For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green,and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit.

• Cutting the wait short can cost you the thing itself, not just time

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are

endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are

Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, DERIVING

THEIR JUST POWERS “FROM THE CONSENT OF THE GOVERNED.”

1. The loss of God as The Moral Center

2. Extremism, Polarization, and the Destruction of the Reasonable Center

3. The replacement of Personal Responsibility with Government Dependence

I. We failed to learn the lesson from the Garden — The Pattern is Established.

• Authority – Dominion: not muscle, power, or a throne — The Right to Decide.

Genesis 1:26 – Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, OVER ALL THE EARTH and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”