WEBVTT 01:39.300 --> 01:45.140 And now at this time, please turn your Bibles to 2 Timothy chapter 4. 01:45.940 --> 01:49.220 That is 2 Timothy chapter 4. 01:50.020 --> 01:54.100 And as we always do, follow along silently as we read. 01:57.500 --> 02:05.660 2 Timothy 4, the Bible reads, I charge thee therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, 02:05.660 --> 02:10.020 who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom. 02:10.020 --> 02:14.060 Preach the word, be instant in season, out of season. 02:14.060 --> 02:21.060 Reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine, and that all the Gentiles might 02:21.060 --> 02:24.900 hear, and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. 02:25.400 --> 02:26.100 Right. 02:26.300 --> 02:27.300 I'm sorry. 02:27.300 --> 02:31.500 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but after their own 02:31.500 --> 02:36.240 lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers having itching ears, and they shall turn away 02:36.240 --> 02:39.660 their ears from the truth and shall be turned unto fables. 02:39.660 --> 02:44.980 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof 02:44.980 --> 02:46.540 of the ministry. 02:46.540 --> 02:50.740 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. 02:50.740 --> 02:52.100 I have fought a good fight. 02:52.100 --> 02:53.580 I have finished my course. 02:53.580 --> 02:54.280 I have kept the 02:54.300 --> 02:59.940 faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, 02:59.940 --> 03:05.060 the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day, and not to me only, but unto all them 03:05.060 --> 03:12.500 also that love is appearing. Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me. For Demas hath forsaken 03:12.500 --> 03:17.660 me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica. 03:17.660 --> 03:18.980 Creations to Galatia. 03:19.400 --> 03:21.720 Titus unto Dalmatia. 03:21.720 --> 03:23.560 Only Luke is with me. 03:23.560 --> 03:28.080 Take Mark, and bring him with thee, for he is profitable to me for the ministry. 03:28.080 --> 03:30.960 And Tycheus have I sent to Ephesus. 03:30.960 --> 03:36.320 The cloak that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee, and the 03:36.320 --> 03:39.320 books, but especially the parchments. 03:39.320 --> 03:41.760 Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil. 03:42.100 --> 03:45.300 The Lord reward him according to his works. 03:45.300 --> 03:48.260 Of whom be thou aware also? 03:48.260 --> 03:51.500 For he hath greatly withstood our words. 03:51.500 --> 03:56.140 At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me. 03:56.140 --> 03:59.700 I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. 04:00.000 --> 04:07.440 notwithstanding the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, that by me the preachings might be fully known, 04:07.440 --> 04:11.600 and that all the Gentiles might hear, and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. 04:12.320 --> 04:18.400 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom, 04:18.400 --> 04:27.200 to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. Salute Prissa and Aquila and the household of Omnipciferous. 04:27.800 --> 04:34.320 Erastus abode at Corinth, but Trothimus have I left at Militum sick. 04:34.320 --> 04:36.960 Do thy diligence to come before winter. 04:36.960 --> 04:43.040 Eubolus greeteth thee, and Pudens, and Linus, and Claudia, and all the brethren. 04:43.040 --> 04:46.120 The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit. 04:46.120 --> 04:47.120 Grace be with you. 04:47.120 --> 04:48.120 Amen. 04:48.120 --> 04:50.400 And Brother Leo, would you pray for us? 05:05.400 --> 05:06.120 Amen. 05:07.100 --> 05:09.660 Good to be back at church. 05:09.660 --> 05:14.640 We just want to make sure we say a special prayer for Pastor Thompson because he's going 05:14.640 --> 05:17.060 through something serious with his mom. 05:17.060 --> 05:20.140 So just keep him in prayer. 05:20.140 --> 05:23.580 He asked me to preach last minute here. 05:23.580 --> 05:27.500 I'm re-preaching something I preached in Seattle and it does apply to something like 05:27.500 --> 05:31.100 today or something happening like this where you just have to kind of step in at last minute 05:31.100 --> 05:32.100 like this. 05:32.100 --> 05:35.100 So you're there in 2 Timothy, chapter 4, great chapter. 05:35.100 --> 05:41.420 of the Bible. Look there at verse number seven where Paul says, I have fought a good fight. 05:42.220 --> 05:49.580 I have finished my course. I have kept the faith. And the title of my sermon is just fight, fight. 05:49.800 --> 05:54.340 Let me pray real quick dear Heavenly Father. I just thank you Lord for this church. I thank you for a pastor 05:54.340 --> 05:58.600 I just pray you lift him up him and Mrs. Sherry and his mother as well and pray bless him 05:58.840 --> 06:03.060 And just bless this time in your word Lord. I pray you fill me with your spirit in Jesus name. Amen 06:03.700 --> 06:08.540 So, obviously, the Bible, you know, we heard a great sermon this morning and some people 06:08.540 --> 06:13.260 can kind of look at that sermon like, oh man, another sermon about a fight, you know, there's 06:13.260 --> 06:18.100 just so much fighting going on or, you know, the new IFB, they always like to fight, you 06:18.100 --> 06:21.700 know, but the Bible is filled with fights. 06:21.700 --> 06:26.940 God is a God that he appreciates a good fight, but it has to be a good fight. 06:26.940 --> 06:29.600 It can't just be a, just any kind of fight. 06:29.600 --> 06:31.700 And I actually got the idea originally to preach. 06:31.700 --> 06:36.500 this brother Anthony's not here but because he fought in an MMA fight and I 06:36.500 --> 06:39.460 thought that was pretty cool you know and you know that doesn't make you a 06:39.460 --> 06:44.220 brawler but I'm not here to preach about that but like it does take courage to do 06:44.220 --> 06:49.340 that right it takes courage to to even step in and do an amateur fight like 06:49.340 --> 06:54.020 that the but it actually said when I looked it up that two one thousandths of 06:54.020 --> 06:59.240 a percent of the population would actually step into a ring to compete in 06:59.240 --> 06:59.700 an amateur. 06:59.700 --> 07:04.060 or professional MMA fight. So I think that's pretty cool that you would have the courage 07:04.060 --> 07:09.220 to do that, right? And he fought a good fight too. He actually, I think he'd beat that guy 07:09.220 --> 07:12.520 best two out of three. I mean, he just has to tweak a couple things because he did lose 07:12.520 --> 07:16.780 the fight. But really, I think, you know, I know that it's not that that mentality of 07:16.780 --> 07:20.820 everyone gets a medal, but I do think you're a winner if you are willing to step in the 07:20.820 --> 07:25.380 ring like that, like he did, because again, not many people would be brave enough to do 07:25.380 --> 07:25.880 that. 07:26.200 --> 07:27.480 And so I think that's pretty cool. 07:27.480 --> 07:30.720 But really everything in our lives is a fight. 07:30.720 --> 07:33.400 I mean, we really have to fight for everything. 07:33.400 --> 07:35.040 It's a fight at the door. 07:35.040 --> 07:36.360 We got a salvation today, 07:36.360 --> 07:39.380 but you have to battle through, spiritually speaking, 07:39.380 --> 07:41.900 like multiple doors where you're rejected. 07:41.900 --> 07:44.320 You might not feel like going out, you know? 07:44.320 --> 07:46.000 You might be dealing with personal things 07:46.000 --> 07:48.200 where you're struggling, and it's a fight. 07:48.200 --> 07:49.720 It's a fight with your flesh. 07:49.720 --> 07:50.560 It's a fight. 07:50.560 --> 07:52.080 This whole life is a fight. 07:52.080 --> 07:54.200 And God is constantly proving us. 07:54.200 --> 07:59.800 in this life because that's what we're here to show God what we're made of, so to speak. 07:59.800 --> 08:04.440 Are we able to get through that fight and all the challenges and all the adversities 08:04.440 --> 08:09.800 and still step in the ring, so to speak? Spiritually speaking, I'm talking about. 08:12.100 --> 08:17.900 You know, brother Anthony, he also preached on, when he preached here actually about just 08:17.900 --> 08:19.640 man being strong and things like that. 08:19.640 --> 08:23.960 That's a different type of fight, but you know, it is good to be strong as a man. 08:23.960 --> 08:27.900 It's good to be able to, you know, stay in the battle physically because even your health 08:27.900 --> 08:29.420 is a fight right now. 08:29.420 --> 08:32.600 And you all young people will find that out as you get older. 08:32.600 --> 08:36.200 You know, no matter who you are, you know, time wins. 08:36.200 --> 08:40.040 So it's a fight just to stay healthy enough to. 08:40.100 --> 08:44.500 go on knock on these doors and go, you know, walk up the double deckers. 08:44.500 --> 08:49.140 So it is important to stay strong in that respect too. 08:49.140 --> 08:54.260 And you know, and you don't have to turn there, but it's 1 Timothy chapter 4 says, 08:54.260 --> 08:57.740 for bodily exercise profiteth little. 08:57.740 --> 09:01.180 And so a lot of people stop there and I know I've talked about this before because say, 09:01.180 --> 09:04.140 oh yeah, see, it doesn't really profit, it just profits a little. 09:04.140 --> 09:05.740 No, it explains why. 09:05.740 --> 09:07.020 It says, but. 09:07.900 --> 09:11.300 Godliness is profitable unto all things, right? 09:11.300 --> 09:15.900 Because obviously living a godly life and doing spiritual things is profitable unto 09:15.900 --> 09:17.340 all things, the Bible says. 09:17.340 --> 09:18.340 And why? 09:18.340 --> 09:21.220 Because it says it's having promise of the life that now is. 09:21.600 --> 09:24.500 and of the life which is to come. 09:24.500 --> 09:26.800 So obviously the life that now is, 09:26.800 --> 09:29.440 is where bodily exercise would profit. 09:29.440 --> 09:30.800 And how short is your life? 09:30.800 --> 09:31.760 It's short. 09:31.760 --> 09:32.680 It's a vapor. 09:32.680 --> 09:34.560 So it does just profit a little 09:34.560 --> 09:36.960 because it only profits in this life. 09:36.960 --> 09:38.980 It doesn't profit in the life to come. 09:38.980 --> 09:40.080 But it's still important. 09:40.080 --> 09:41.920 It's still important to stay healthy. 09:41.920 --> 09:43.720 It's important to stay strong as a man. 09:43.720 --> 09:45.240 I agree with that too. 09:45.240 --> 09:47.000 But that's not what this sermon is about. 09:47.300 --> 09:49.860 But a lot of people, they're opposed to fighting. 09:49.860 --> 09:52.180 They're opposed, you know, they get weary of the fight. 09:52.180 --> 09:55.980 And that's why we sing the hymns that we do, right? 09:55.980 --> 09:56.860 The fight is on. 09:56.860 --> 09:57.700 We sung that song. 09:57.700 --> 09:59.820 It says, he's soldiers, brave and true. 09:59.820 --> 10:01.180 Be not weary. 10:01.300 --> 10:04.300 And the Bible, this life will make you weary. 10:04.300 --> 10:06.700 And so that's why we sing these songs to encourage us, 10:06.700 --> 10:08.580 these hymns, these spiritual hymns, 10:08.580 --> 10:10.580 because God knows we need encouragement. 10:10.580 --> 10:13.780 And He was constantly pushing the people of Israel to fight. 10:13.780 --> 10:16.100 And that's why Paul, even in the New Testament said, 10:16.100 --> 10:18.620 I have fought a good fight. 10:18.620 --> 10:20.020 He still called it a fight 10:20.020 --> 10:22.220 because our faith we have to fight for. 10:22.220 --> 10:23.940 It's very easy to grow weary. 10:23.940 --> 10:28.060 It's very easy to let this life kind of get the best of you. 10:28.060 --> 10:28.900 Right? 10:29.300 --> 10:34.500 the life that you live and the challenges and the adversities that you face end up winning 10:34.500 --> 10:37.180 when it comes to the battle that you're in. 10:37.180 --> 10:41.300 And if you don't think you're a fighter, well, you're not preparing like Brother Anthony 10:41.300 --> 10:45.100 was for an opponent, well, you better start thinking that because the Bible says that 10:45.100 --> 10:48.940 the devil as a roaring lion is seeking whom he may devour. 10:48.940 --> 10:51.580 So you do have an adversary, right? 10:51.580 --> 10:54.000 actually saying another hymn that says 10:54.600 --> 11:01.800 Ye men that, your men that now that serve them against unnumbered foes, let courage rise with danger. 11:01.800 --> 11:07.480 Be never wanting there, right? Never wanting and just knowing that we serve. 11:07.800 --> 11:11.440 God that is going to protect us for one but there's unnumbered foes 11:11.440 --> 11:16.200 So you have to be courageous you have to live a life that is prepared for the fight 11:16.280 --> 11:21.880 You have to be prepared to fight and I know I'll try not to say fight so many times 11:21.880 --> 11:26.080 I don't I got I got called out for that saying it's but the thing is it's true though 11:26.080 --> 11:31.840 It is a battle to live in this life right now, and it is a short life turn to Psalm 144 11:34.600 --> 11:41.600 This is King David, a man of God, a man after God's own heart, right? 11:41.600 --> 11:43.980 And in Psalm 144, right there in verse 1, it says, 11:43.980 --> 11:50.980 Blessed be the Lord my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight. 11:51.400 --> 11:57.240 So King David, this man after God's own heart, he did know that it was the Lord that was his strength, 11:57.240 --> 12:01.400 because ultimately, especially when I'm talking about spiritual battles, 12:01.400 --> 12:04.520 you know, it's God is the one that you want to make sure is on your side. 12:04.520 --> 12:07.080 That's why you have to fight the right kind of battles. 12:07.080 --> 12:13.480 Not like what we heard this morning with McMurtry, Pastor McMurtry, where he's fighting the wrong fight. 12:13.480 --> 12:18.920 He's fighting against soul-winning churches. He's fighting against his brethren. He's fighting against... 12:19.400 --> 12:24.280 just even the Bible he's opposing because he's doing things that are contradictory to the Bible 12:24.280 --> 12:28.680 and it's very clear to see and you know whenever you're in that position you're just on the wrong 12:28.680 --> 12:33.880 side of things and that's why I I'm one of the ones that kind of agree I you never know somebody's 12:33.880 --> 12:38.920 heart but you can judge somebody by their actions and the way they live their life and and if God 12:38.920 --> 12:43.400 is never chastening them or they're bragging about how their life is just great yet they're 12:44.200 --> 12:47.320 attacking a man of God that has done so much 12:47.400 --> 12:51.720 much in this world spiritually speaking to the good and then you never get 12:51.720 --> 12:54.880 chasing for it that would make me wonder because the Bible says whom the Lord 12:54.880 --> 12:58.080 loveth he chastens it and scourges every son whom he receive it so either he 12:58.080 --> 13:01.280 better be worried that it's coming down the pike you know and maybe I'll change 13:01.280 --> 13:04.840 my mind if I see that happen but you know if he just lives it just you know 13:04.840 --> 13:09.000 fine and dandy the rest from here on out then I would I would definitely wonder 13:09.000 --> 13:12.400 and you know his spirit of false prophecy podcast you know he's always 13:12.400 --> 13:15.400 having false prophets on there he's always yoking up with people 13:15.400 --> 13:18.560 that have been divorced multiple times, 13:18.560 --> 13:20.920 yet he's going after Pastor Anderson's marriage, 13:20.920 --> 13:24.400 who's been married his whole life for 20 some odd years. 13:24.400 --> 13:26.920 It's the wrong kind of fight. 13:26.920 --> 13:27.900 And right now... 13:28.000 --> 13:30.720 Not a lot of men want to fight. 13:30.720 --> 13:32.240 Men are sleeping on the job. 13:32.240 --> 13:34.640 Men just don't want to fight. 13:34.640 --> 13:36.560 They don't want to fight the good fight. 13:36.560 --> 13:37.640 You know, they get weary. 13:37.640 --> 13:39.920 They let the world kind of bring them down. 13:39.920 --> 13:41.600 And you know, you can't be like that. 13:41.600 --> 13:43.040 You want to be like King David, 13:43.040 --> 13:44.400 where let the Lord be your strength, 13:44.400 --> 13:46.240 but He will teach your hands to war 13:46.240 --> 13:48.040 so that you can stay in the fight. 13:48.040 --> 13:50.680 You can be somebody that fights the good fight 13:50.680 --> 13:52.120 where at the end of your life, 13:52.120 --> 13:54.680 you could say you fought a good fight. 13:54.680 --> 13:55.920 That's all God wants, you know. 13:56.000 --> 13:59.000 But you know, you have the choice to do that. 13:59.000 --> 14:02.440 But I'm just here to encourage you to just not to grow weary. 14:02.440 --> 14:05.960 Not to grow weary of the fight, because that's really 14:05.960 --> 14:06.920 what it's all about. 14:06.920 --> 14:10.680 It's all about how can you get up off the ground when 14:10.680 --> 14:12.400 you've been knocked down. 14:12.400 --> 14:14.600 And it's hard sometimes. 14:14.600 --> 14:17.440 Sometimes like Brother Anthony dealt with a slippery, 14:17.440 --> 14:19.920 they didn't even mop up the floor the whole entire, 14:19.920 --> 14:22.200 like he was like the 14th fight in, 14:22.200 --> 14:24.000 and they hadn't mopped one bit of sweat up off. 14:24.000 --> 14:26.820 the floor so it's kind of hard to get up off the ground in that kind of a 14:26.820 --> 14:30.560 situation and that was a little bit of a struggle there when the guy took him 14:30.560 --> 14:34.440 down with some wrestling but you know it's hard for us too it's hard for us to 14:34.440 --> 14:39.100 sometimes get up off the ground when we've dealt with a fight 14:39.400 --> 14:45.800 But Brother Anthony, you know, I know I'm bringing him up a lot, but he, he, I, I admire him for 14:45.800 --> 14:51.000 staying in the fight, fighting for his family, you know, because the world is, the devil is after 14:51.000 --> 14:56.280 your family. They're after your relationship with your wife, with your kids, and, and it's a fight, 14:56.280 --> 15:01.080 you know, and you can grow weary, you know. I've got family that, you know, go to Faithful Word, 15:01.080 --> 15:05.400 and, and they, you know, they're dealing with struggles because of the fight. It can be fight 15:05.400 --> 15:07.400 with your family where your family is just 15:07.400 --> 15:13.000 They're completely against everything that we stand for because we stand on the Bible. 15:13.000 --> 15:17.440 They're caught up in the feminism that's been pushed into the world. 15:17.440 --> 15:22.720 And then, you know, he just is weary because, you know, they say he's in a cult. 15:22.720 --> 15:24.520 They don't really want to have anything to do with him. 15:24.520 --> 15:29.120 And he understands that he probably shouldn't have anything to do with them because they 15:29.120 --> 15:31.240 don't believe the Bible. 15:31.500 --> 15:37.460 And so it's a fight for us too, because we have to deal with these relationships, we 15:37.460 --> 15:42.340 have to deal with family, we have to deal with people of the world and in jobs, and 15:42.340 --> 15:43.340 it's tough. 15:43.340 --> 15:44.340 It's tough. 15:44.340 --> 15:47.740 It can make you grow weary of the fight. 15:47.740 --> 15:51.220 Turn to 2 Chronicles chapter 20. 15:58.000 --> 16:00.080 I'll read Deuteronomy 1.30 where it says, 16:00.080 --> 16:02.160 "'The Lord your God which goeth before you, 16:02.160 --> 16:07.280 he shall fight for you according to all that he did for you in Egypt before your eyes.'" 16:07.280 --> 16:08.480 And really, 16:08.700 --> 16:12.720 God will fight for you, but you should be your conversation 16:12.720 --> 16:17.060 The Bible calls it which is the way that you live your life should be in a way that is 16:17.780 --> 16:24.380 Seeking the best of your ability to seek after God to show God that you love him and and staying in the battle 16:24.380 --> 16:28.160 But God will go he will fight for you. He will be there for you 16:28.160 --> 16:33.560 You know, he might he might allow some setbacks because obviously time and chance happens to everybody 16:33.720 --> 16:36.440 But also sometimes God will still prove you 16:36.700 --> 16:40.100 by allowing some things to happen just to kind of see how you handle it. 16:40.100 --> 16:42.820 See how you do get up from the fight, right? 16:42.820 --> 16:47.300 But Exodus 14, 14 says, the Lord shall fight for you and you shall hold your peace. 16:47.300 --> 16:51.140 When they were in the Exodus, when they were just getting removed from Egypt out of the 16:51.140 --> 16:56.340 bondage of sin, that's a good picture of spiritually speaking of salvation because we don't have 16:56.340 --> 16:57.340 to fight for that. 16:57.340 --> 16:58.340 We don't have to strive. 16:58.340 --> 16:59.340 We don't have to work. 16:59.340 --> 17:00.940 We don't have to earn our salvation. 17:00.940 --> 17:02.780 It's 100% paid for by Jesus. 17:02.780 --> 17:04.700 That's why they cross through the red sea. 17:04.700 --> 17:09.180 but those are times where we don't have to fight because that point the point 17:09.180 --> 17:13.460 I'm making here is that you don't God will fight for you some of the time you 17:13.460 --> 17:16.280 don't always have to fight and you always know that you're not going to be 17:16.280 --> 17:17.500 alone in the fight 17:18.500 --> 17:24.900 So, 2 Chronicles chapter 20, here you have King Jehoshaphat about to face a vast army, 17:24.900 --> 17:25.900 right? 17:25.900 --> 17:26.900 And that's another hymn. 17:26.900 --> 17:29.260 He pulled out all the fight songs today. 17:29.260 --> 17:34.300 Fierce and long the battle rages, the hymn we sang, but our help is near. 17:34.300 --> 17:38.420 And here King Jehoshaphat, he's praying, he's fasting, he's seeking God. 17:38.420 --> 17:39.420 Look at verse 3. 17:39.420 --> 17:43.700 It says, In Jehoshaphat, who was a godly king, feared. 17:43.900 --> 17:48.140 because it is important to fear God, right? And set himself to seek the Lord. 17:48.500 --> 17:53.220 and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah, and Judah gathered themselves together to ask help of 17:53.220 --> 17:59.220 the Lord. Even out of all the cities of Judah, they came to seek the Lord." And that's the key 17:59.220 --> 18:06.180 there. Seek the Lord. You know, sometimes a fast is a good thing. You know, spiritually, a fast for 18:06.180 --> 18:11.460 spiritual reasons is, it can do a number of wonderful things for really for you. You know, 18:11.460 --> 18:16.340 when you do it for the right reason and you seek God, it is a good thing too. 18:16.500 --> 18:18.820 But it says to seek the Lord. 18:18.820 --> 18:21.820 And a lot of people, they don't want to seek the Lord, 18:21.820 --> 18:24.300 or at least they don't show that they love God 18:24.300 --> 18:26.700 with all their heart, mind, soul, and strength, right? 18:26.700 --> 18:29.380 You know, they kind of, you know, and hey, 18:29.380 --> 18:31.020 sometimes we go through ups and downs 18:31.020 --> 18:34.260 and seasons of maybe being zealous and not, 18:34.260 --> 18:36.060 but the encouragement here is still 18:36.060 --> 18:37.680 to just stay in the fight. 18:37.680 --> 18:39.300 You know, still to stay in the fight. 18:39.300 --> 18:42.540 If you skip forward to verse 13, 18:42.540 --> 18:44.180 it says in all Judah, 18:44.500 --> 18:46.200 stood before the Lord. 18:46.400 --> 18:49.200 with their little ones, their wives, and their children. 18:49.200 --> 18:51.840 And this is a key to why it's important. 18:51.840 --> 18:53.920 It says with their little ones, with their wives, 18:53.920 --> 18:55.920 you got to be willing to fight for your wife. 18:57.040 --> 19:00.480 This world is trying to destroy relationships, right? 19:00.480 --> 19:04.880 But if you can get past that and deal with the adversity of it 19:04.880 --> 19:07.040 and still get up and stay in the fight, 19:07.040 --> 19:08.800 there's a lot of blessings in that. 19:08.800 --> 19:09.840 There's a lot of blessings. 19:09.840 --> 19:14.240 I mean, I've been through a lot with Bobby and our relationship. 19:14.400 --> 19:18.840 is stronger than ever because I think it's sort of like when pastors brought 19:18.840 --> 19:23.900 up how when a kid gets spanked sometimes it just draws them closer to you you 19:23.900 --> 19:28.200 know because they know it's just kind of got through a spiritual battle almost 19:28.200 --> 19:31.660 right and they know you're doing it because you love them not because you're 19:31.660 --> 19:35.440 just trying to spank them right well sometimes God will spank us even through 19:35.440 --> 19:39.720 a relationship but if you can get past that there's a lot of blessing in that 19:39.720 --> 19:42.400 too and you could just be bonded more closely to one another 19:42.400 --> 19:47.460 So, you know, if you deal with those struggles even in your marriage, it will get better, 19:47.460 --> 19:49.100 but you do have to seek the Lord. 19:49.100 --> 19:51.240 You do have to get on your knees and pray sometimes. 19:51.240 --> 19:56.140 You do have to still stay in that fight even with that and fight for your little ones. 19:56.140 --> 20:00.120 Here they were standing before the Lord, which I always think that's an amazing time back 20:00.120 --> 20:04.180 in the Old Testament, but with their little ones, their wives and their children. 20:04.180 --> 20:08.740 It says, Dan upon Jehazi El, the son of Zechariah, the son of Baniah, the son of Jeel, the son 20:08.740 --> 20:10.340 of Matanaya, Levi de... 20:10.400 --> 20:16.480 the sons of Asaph came the spirit of the Lord in the midst of the congregation. 20:16.480 --> 20:21.960 So a time when God was presenting himself to the children of Israel had to be an incredible 20:21.960 --> 20:22.960 time. 20:22.960 --> 20:28.900 And he said, Harken ye all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou King Josephat, thus 20:28.900 --> 20:35.200 saith the Lord unto you, be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude. 20:35.500 --> 20:41.420 For the battle is not yours, but God's." And again, like it reminds me of that hymn where it's just 20:41.420 --> 20:47.340 there's unnumbered foes, right? But there's a great multitude, but God will fight for you, 20:47.340 --> 20:52.620 but you still have to like, you put forth some effort too. You know, the people that just, 20:52.620 --> 20:57.420 it shocks me when Christians just live in such a way that's contrary to the Bible, 20:57.420 --> 21:03.340 or they attack like churches like ours, or they're just super feminist, you know, or they're... 21:03.500 --> 21:06.540 And then they wonder when something happens to them too. 21:06.540 --> 21:11.940 You know, hey, God is gonna, there's gonna be things that happen to you, but you know, 21:11.940 --> 21:16.500 on a whole you should try to live, your conversation and your way of life should be seeking to 21:16.500 --> 21:18.380 be pleasing to God. 21:18.380 --> 21:23.340 And God fights, He expects you to fight, and He expects you to fight aggressively too. 21:23.340 --> 21:27.020 Turn to 2 Kings chapter 9. 21:27.020 --> 21:28.400 Kings chapter 9. 21:29.400 --> 21:33.400 Because again, you see these posts of these people that are against the new IFB? 21:33.500 --> 21:39.360 And you know, they just they think we're not Christian like because they feel like we fight and a lot of times 21:39.360 --> 21:44.900 It's more of a defensive, you know pressure anyways, it's not like we're initiating the fight 21:44.900 --> 21:49.200 It's a lot most of the time it feels like we're defending these attacks and you know 21:49.200 --> 21:56.000 They're like all the damage control is gonna be coming like on epic proportions is what McMurtry said and I'm just like well 21:56.000 --> 21:59.540 Yeah, what are you supposed to just let somebody lie and rail about you and not say anything about it 21:59.540 --> 22:01.500 No, you should you should there are time 22:01.500 --> 22:05.180 where you should fight. You shouldn't just let people, even in the chapter we 22:05.180 --> 22:09.500 read, it said Demas have forsaken me. God calls out names too, right? 22:13.000 --> 22:17.800 And you know, the pastor said he still gets calls for preaching that sermon against Billy Graham. 22:17.800 --> 22:24.520 You preach against John MacArthur, right? It's people just, they like false prophets nowadays, 22:24.520 --> 22:30.360 right? And I agree with Brother Alex. He's like, the older I get, the more I hate false prophets, 22:30.360 --> 22:34.520 right? And you definitely shouldn't have them on your podcast and yoke up with them and just, 22:34.520 --> 22:39.960 oh no, we just will talk to everybody. No, they used to kill them in the Old Testament, you know? 22:41.000 --> 22:42.040 You shouldn't be their buddy. 22:42.040 --> 22:42.960 You shouldn't be their friend. 22:42.960 --> 22:46.680 You shouldn't be, you know, and God was constantly sending them out to fight 22:47.000 --> 22:50.560 constantly. And you look up just fight alone in the Bible is over 100 times. 22:50.560 --> 22:52.840 They were just the word fight is in there. Right. 22:53.520 --> 22:56.680 Second Kings, chapter nine, look at verse six. 22:57.960 --> 23:02.440 Says, and he arose and went into the house and he poured the oil on his head 23:02.440 --> 23:03.400 and said unto him. 23:03.900 --> 23:08.100 Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I have anointed thee king over the people of the 23:08.100 --> 23:09.340 Lord, even over Israel. 23:09.340 --> 23:12.540 And this is when Jehu is being anointed king. 23:12.540 --> 23:17.340 And thou shalt smite the house of Ahab thy master, that I may avenge the blood of my 23:17.340 --> 23:22.200 servants the prophets and the blood of all the servants of the Lord at the hand of Jezebel. 23:22.200 --> 23:26.700 For the whole house of Ahab shall perish, and I will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth 23:26.700 --> 23:29.940 against the wall and him that is shut up and left in Israel. 23:30.500 --> 23:34.420 So this is God speaking and that's pretty gnarly right there. 23:34.420 --> 23:41.300 God does not play. God fights aggressively. God's saying his whole entire household is going to be 23:41.300 --> 23:48.180 cut off and just every man, that's him that pisses against the wall. I mean, God doesn't play 23:48.180 --> 23:52.900 and neither should we. And again, I'm not talking about like physical battling. I'm talking about 23:52.900 --> 23:58.260 spiritually speaking, we should be of this same type of a mindset. And a lot of people are really... 23:58.500 --> 24:03.960 weak right now. Men are really weak right now. They talk about how it's a battle just 24:03.960 --> 24:08.980 for your health and eating good food because something they're doing is affecting the world. 24:08.980 --> 24:14.900 It's just a worldwide population of men that are losing their testosterone. This is not 24:14.900 --> 24:20.700 just in the United States. It's all over the world. And that's why young men, they're acting 24:20.700 --> 24:26.460 like they're old men right now. I mean, because they probably are lacking in testosterone. 24:26.500 --> 24:28.700 You can do things to combat that. 24:28.700 --> 24:29.980 You know, there's foods you can eat. 24:29.980 --> 24:30.940 You can be healthy. 24:30.940 --> 24:32.580 There's ways that you can live your life. 24:32.580 --> 24:34.580 But ultimately, it's a fight just for that. 24:34.580 --> 24:37.900 They're battling the powers that be, the principalities, 24:37.900 --> 24:40.780 and the things of this world are battling against us 24:40.780 --> 24:42.500 in every different category. 24:42.500 --> 24:45.100 But you don't want to be weak as a man, especially, 24:45.100 --> 24:48.220 because, again, your wives and your children, 24:48.220 --> 24:50.380 and they're all standing before the Lord 24:50.380 --> 24:51.660 because he's looking at you to see 24:51.660 --> 24:53.020 how you're going to do things. 24:53.020 --> 24:54.340 And again, you can't control. 24:54.500 --> 24:57.940 what other people do because everybody has free will. 24:57.940 --> 25:02.580 And a lot of us have come from, we didn't just grow up saved at five years old. 25:02.580 --> 25:04.580 Some of us got saved later in life, right? 25:04.580 --> 25:08.640 Where we have things that we regret that were happened in our past, right? 25:08.640 --> 25:09.740 You have to move on. 25:09.740 --> 25:13.100 You have to just be able to move on and stay in the fight and don't let that even make 25:13.100 --> 25:18.500 you weary because there's, there's consequence to sin that you can't take back, but you can 25:18.500 --> 25:20.620 control the things that you do as you move forward. 25:22.100 --> 25:23.100 And really... 25:23.600 --> 25:27.920 Some of these pastors that attack our churches, you know, and I'm just shocked. 25:27.920 --> 25:31.360 I'm glad that God is long-suffering, though, and merciful. 25:31.360 --> 25:36.160 But again, it's like you just wonder when the hammer is going to get dropped because you know, 25:36.160 --> 25:38.720 God does not let you get away with things. 25:38.720 --> 25:44.240 And I do think sometimes for people, they might wake up and it's too late. 25:44.240 --> 25:46.960 You know, they might all of a sudden change their mind and say, you know what, 25:46.960 --> 25:49.120 I think I was on the wrong side of things here. 25:49.120 --> 25:51.040 But it might be too late, right? 25:51.040 --> 25:51.600 There's time. 25:51.600 --> 25:55.040 where God takes his candlestick out of churches, there's times where God can 25:55.040 --> 25:59.280 cause things to happen to Christians. Turn to Deuteronomy chapter 1, you know, 25:59.280 --> 26:02.480 maybe they're going attacking soul-winning churches, maybe they stopped 26:02.480 --> 26:07.840 soul-winning themselves, right? Maybe, you know, you got to wonder when 26:07.840 --> 26:12.360 somebody's, their greatest fight is fighting against godly churches like 26:12.360 --> 26:17.000 what I think churches of the new IP are, where they are good people, right? Yeah, I 26:17.000 --> 26:19.520 know they'll probably zoom in, you know, they like to watch our 26:19.600 --> 26:23.160 sermon so they could find things. Oh, that says Faithful Word Baptist Church. It's like, 26:23.160 --> 26:28.440 ooh, who cares? There's a lot of good loving people, godly people that love the Lord, that 26:28.440 --> 26:33.640 are zealous to fight. Hey, I'm more than happy to have a sticker like that. I mean, I like 26:33.640 --> 26:37.820 our Sure Foundation sticker too, but it's a little tiny one and it fell off. But hey, 26:37.820 --> 26:43.640 you know, pastors got to get us some new stickers. I like that too. But hey, we should love the 26:43.640 --> 26:47.560 brethren. We should love godly churches that are doing the work of God, right? 26:47.600 --> 26:51.540 You don't want to be on the wrong side of the fight. 26:51.540 --> 26:57.600 Don't want to be fighting so hard against godly churches or like Joseph Bell Jones over 26:57.600 --> 27:01.720 there where he's telling people you don't have to tithe, you don't have to, you know, 27:01.720 --> 27:05.780 certain things people are teaching you shouldn't spank your kids at all, right? 27:05.780 --> 27:09.580 You know, be a feminist, don't be manly. 27:09.580 --> 27:10.780 It's a really tough world. 27:10.780 --> 27:11.540 It's a tough fight. 27:13.300 --> 27:21.900 You know, the Israelites, they rebelled, you know, and to fight and to take the promise line, the spies, they brought an evil report, right? 27:21.900 --> 27:30.200 When they were told, and then when they were told the ramifications of that evil report, then all of a sudden they were trying to change their minds a little bit, weren't they? 27:30.200 --> 27:32.400 Look at verse 41. 27:32.400 --> 27:32.900 It says, 27:32.900 --> 27:35.060 Then he answered unto me, 27:35.400 --> 27:37.400 We have sinned against the Lord. 27:37.400 --> 27:39.400 So they recognize it, but it's a little late. 27:39.400 --> 27:42.600 They already heard what the punishment coming down the pike was. 27:42.600 --> 27:46.700 We will go up and fight according to all that the Lord our God commanded us. 27:46.700 --> 27:49.800 And when ye had girded on every man his weapons of war, 27:49.800 --> 27:52.600 you were ready to go up into the hill. 27:52.800 --> 27:57.560 But here's what God said, And the LORD said unto me, Say unto them, Go not up, neither 27:57.560 --> 28:02.400 fight, for I am not among you, lest ye be smitten before your enemies. 28:02.400 --> 28:06.160 So I spake unto you, and ye would not hear, but rebelled against the commandment of the 28:06.160 --> 28:09.600 LORD, and went presumptuously up into the hill. 28:09.900 --> 28:13.500 And the Amorites which dwelt in that mountain came out against you and chased you as bees 28:13.500 --> 28:16.800 do and destroyed you and seer even unto Hormah. 28:16.800 --> 28:20.620 And you returned and wept before the LORD, but the LORD would not hearken to your voice 28:20.620 --> 28:22.480 nor give ear unto you. 28:22.480 --> 28:26.460 So ye abode in Kadesh many days according unto the days that ye abode there." 28:27.100 --> 28:29.800 Now, what a scary place would that be? 28:29.800 --> 28:34.260 To be in that place where, you know, you all of a sudden realize maybe I made a mistake, 28:34.260 --> 28:35.260 right? 28:35.260 --> 28:38.880 Especially if people tend to do that when they find out what the consequences are. 28:38.880 --> 28:39.880 But you know what? 28:39.880 --> 28:42.820 We should always just be humble before God. 28:42.820 --> 28:47.620 We shouldn't ever be attacking godly churches because I think in some cases for some of 28:47.620 --> 28:50.900 these people doing that, it's going to be too late for them too. 28:50.900 --> 28:52.740 Because we can quench the spirit. 28:52.740 --> 28:54.980 We can live in a way that's not pleasing to God. 28:55.100 --> 29:00.220 We can just start to shirk him so much that all of a sudden we just have no desire to serve him anymore. 29:00.220 --> 29:03.340 Right? And again, you see that in the churches in Revelation. 29:03.340 --> 29:08.940 You see it in people that all the time that can be backslidden and they start going into a different direction. 29:08.940 --> 29:16.220 And once you do that, it's really easy to just let the world sort of take over where you're just living a life that's mainly really for yourself. 29:16.220 --> 29:22.700 Because really, the life that now is, it should be a spiritual life that we're seeking like eternal things. 29:22.700 --> 29:23.100 We're seeing. 29:23.100 --> 29:28.940 seeking to do things that are eternally minded and that would be seeking to please God. 29:28.940 --> 29:31.180 And God can send us home early too. 29:31.180 --> 29:34.060 Turn to Hebrews chapter 13. 29:34.060 --> 29:38.340 Hebrews chapter 13 and of course we know that this is a book for Christians not for Christ 29:38.340 --> 29:39.340 rejecting Jews. 29:44.600 --> 29:48.920 Hebrews chapter 13 actually I don't have one of these verses in there. 29:52.600 --> 29:54.200 Look at verse 5. 29:57.500 --> 30:00.540 Because we know that God's never going to leave us nor forsake us, right? 30:00.540 --> 30:02.620 That's what the Bible says and we believe that. 30:02.900 --> 30:06.220 But it is in the context of how you live your life. 30:06.220 --> 30:11.180 Look at verse five, it says, let your conversation be without covetousness. 30:11.180 --> 30:14.940 Conversation being the way that you live your life and be content with such things as you 30:14.940 --> 30:15.940 have. 30:15.940 --> 30:18.260 This is a country where it's not very content with what they have. 30:18.260 --> 30:19.580 They always want more. 30:19.580 --> 30:23.780 They want to just keep up with the Joneses, you know, and it can make that part of the 30:23.780 --> 30:24.980 battle a fight too. 30:24.980 --> 30:29.100 When you go to a neighborhood that you look at out the door and you're like, oh no, this 30:29.100 --> 30:30.620 is going to be a tough place to go soul winning. 30:30.900 --> 30:37.180 You know, because they're people that are like this, that they aren't living a way that is without covetousness. 30:37.180 --> 30:39.180 They're not content with what they have. 30:39.180 --> 30:41.580 It says, be content with such things as you have. 30:41.580 --> 30:48.500 For he hath said, and see, it says to live your godly life and not be covetous and be content. 30:48.500 --> 30:49.700 And why? 30:49.700 --> 30:51.620 It says, for he has said. 30:52.100 --> 30:54.100 I will never leave thee nor forsake thee." 30:54.100 --> 30:57.100 So God has an expectation that we live a certain way. 30:57.100 --> 31:00.620 And that's where it's saying, He will not leave you nor forsake thee because there could 31:00.620 --> 31:04.460 be a time just like in Deuteronomy there where God's like, you know what, you kind of came 31:04.460 --> 31:07.040 around a little too late, you know? 31:07.040 --> 31:08.060 And God knows our heart. 31:08.060 --> 31:09.580 He knows why we do things. 31:09.580 --> 31:14.880 Sometimes maybe they might have just been doing it because, surely because of the consequence. 31:14.880 --> 31:18.820 Don't let it get to that point in your life where you're just like backtracking and backpedaling 31:18.820 --> 31:20.060 because the hammers are... 31:20.100 --> 31:21.860 even dropped, so to speak, right? 31:22.300 --> 31:26.380 It says, Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word 31:26.380 --> 31:31.740 of God, whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation. 31:31.740 --> 31:36.260 So instead of judging people without the facts, you know, look at their lives. 31:36.260 --> 31:37.700 Look at the way they live their lives. 31:37.700 --> 31:41.820 And like Paul, he said he got to the end of his life and said, I have fought a good fight. 31:41.820 --> 31:46.260 Well, and we see our pastor going through so much adversity too in his life. 31:46.260 --> 31:49.340 He's been attacked multiple times by multiple people. 31:49.340 --> 31:50.300 and look how he's still f- 31:50.300 --> 31:54.380 fighting in the fight. Look at the end of their conversation when they've said, 31:54.380 --> 31:57.260 I fought a good fight. When you're ready to get home, God, you know, 31:57.580 --> 32:01.780 maybe known of all of us that we have fought the good fight that we can carry 32:01.780 --> 32:05.020 on into old age, still fighting this fight because eternity, 32:05.020 --> 32:06.860 we all know is going to be so much better. 32:07.220 --> 32:11.340 It's going to be better than we could even understand. Right. 32:12.600 --> 32:16.600 And then it says, like I said, it says, remember them that have the rule over you. 32:16.600 --> 32:20.600 You know, we remember our pastor. We should be praying for him all the time. 32:20.600 --> 32:24.600 Because man, they have the toughest job in the world, I think. 32:24.600 --> 32:27.600 You know, because it is work. It's work to do the ministry. 32:27.600 --> 32:32.600 The Bible calls it work. And you know, people think that the God of the Old Testament, 32:32.600 --> 32:37.600 who is fighting constantly, pushing the Israelites to fight, telling them they're going to fight, 32:37.600 --> 32:40.560 Tell them to go battle. 32:40.600 --> 32:45.580 false prophets left and right, right? That's the God that we still serve because the next 32:45.580 --> 32:50.880 verse says Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and today, and forever. So it's the 32:50.880 --> 32:55.860 same God. It's the same God that wants us and expects us to fight. Be not carried away 32:55.860 --> 33:00.100 with diverse and strange doctrines, for it is a good thing that the heart be established 33:00.100 --> 33:05.520 with grace, not with meats which have not profited them that have been occupied therein. 33:06.800 --> 33:11.560 Again, I think God will defend you more if you're fighting if you're staying in the fight even when it's tough 33:11.560 --> 33:14.780 And it's a fight for everybody right turn to Jeremiah chapter 1 33:16.000 --> 33:17.800 men women and children 33:17.800 --> 33:22.800 I remember even unsaved in our household, it was tougher. 33:22.800 --> 33:27.100 The toughest day was getting ready to go to church on a Sunday, you know, because it's 33:27.100 --> 33:30.400 you battle and you have all these kids and I'm sure it was really tough for our parents, 33:30.400 --> 33:34.900 but it was tough for us too because we didn't understand what, you know, this spiritual 33:34.900 --> 33:38.800 aspects of a fight, but it probably could be like that in a lot of households where 33:38.800 --> 33:42.600 it's a tough, it can be tough to just make it to church. 33:42.600 --> 33:44.960 Clearly it's the case sometimes, right? 33:44.960 --> 33:45.800 Is the attendance? 33:45.800 --> 33:50.480 does go up and down but you have to be willing to stay in the fight God is 33:50.480 --> 33:54.400 looking at how what we're doing and and don't think that you know that you're 33:54.400 --> 33:59.920 somebody who can't be in the fight or that you're too weak right because God 33:59.920 --> 34:07.600 is there to defend us. Did I say to turn to Jeremiah chapter 1? So look at verse 4. 34:09.500 --> 34:13.940 Remember, we've got to ask God for the things that we need to know that you're fearfully 34:13.940 --> 34:14.940 and wonderfully made. 34:14.940 --> 34:15.940 Verse 4 says, 34:15.940 --> 34:20.500 Then the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Before I formed thee in the belly, I knew 34:20.500 --> 34:21.500 thee. 34:21.500 --> 34:26.220 And before thou camest forth out of the womb, I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet 34:26.220 --> 34:27.340 unto the nations. 34:27.700 --> 34:32.740 Then said I, Ah, Lord God, behold, I cannot speak, for I am a child. 34:32.740 --> 34:37.760 But the Lord said unto me, Say not, I am a child, for thou shalt go to all that I shall 34:37.760 --> 34:41.760 send thee, and whatsoever I command thee, thou shalt speak. 34:41.760 --> 34:46.020 Be not afraid of their faces, for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the Lord. 34:46.400 --> 34:51.080 And that's important because sometimes you can get people that can affect you and make 34:51.080 --> 34:54.880 you not want to stay in the fight simply because of the faces that they give you. 34:54.880 --> 34:55.880 Right? 34:55.880 --> 35:00.660 But I tell you what, you know what, when you realize that they look uglier than you do, 35:00.660 --> 35:05.200 you know, in those situations because they have the wrong fight that they're fighting, 35:05.200 --> 35:09.160 then it just go right over you just like a duck, you know, water off a duck. 35:09.160 --> 35:10.160 Right? 35:10.160 --> 35:14.400 Don't be afraid of people's faces, whether it be family, friends, you know, God forbid. 35:14.400 --> 35:18.140 it would be brethren because you know what that's how that's how God shows 35:18.140 --> 35:22.180 other people that we're his disciples is our love for one another but you know 35:22.180 --> 35:26.660 you know God said not to be afraid of their faith faces and it's a spiritual 35:26.660 --> 35:32.600 battle I brought up I don't know if I'll skip this part but the 35:32.800 --> 35:39.200 I've brought up the Bob, I don't know, only I think Brother Mikey might know, but it's called the body opponent bag. 35:39.200 --> 35:42.640 I don't know if you've ever, any of you have seen one of these. It's just like a, 35:43.440 --> 35:49.080 the bust of this kind of guy that just looks really punchable. And it's just basically is a punching bag. 35:49.080 --> 35:54.480 It's like, it's, but it's shaped like a muscular kind of mean looking criminal looking dude or whatever. 35:54.480 --> 36:00.760 I don't know what, they're trying to make it look like somebody punchable. And you know, I brought that up only because this 36:00.800 --> 36:04.560 spiritual battle can make you want to be in the flesh and we shouldn't go there. 36:04.560 --> 36:09.120 You know I swear I have wanted to put like a picture of Mcmercy's face on 36:09.120 --> 36:13.340 there and I know that's wrong and I ask God to forgive me for that but he does 36:13.340 --> 36:18.360 have a punchable face and and the thing is but we we just know that God is gonna 36:18.360 --> 36:21.740 fight that kind of a battle for us and we you know we I know we got to be 36:21.740 --> 36:26.560 careful because you don't ever touch the Lord's anointed but again sometimes I 36:26.560 --> 36:28.800 wonder about some of those guys but you know we'll let God 36:28.800 --> 36:30.160 God be the judge of that. 36:30.160 --> 36:31.960 Go to Judges Chapter 18. 36:31.960 --> 36:33.400 But it just reminded me of that when it said, 36:33.400 --> 36:34.640 be not afraid of their faces, 36:34.640 --> 36:38.320 because they literally have an opponent bag 36:38.320 --> 36:41.320 that you can punch that's just designed to look like a face 36:41.320 --> 36:42.680 that you would want to punch. 36:47.300 --> 36:52.500 And we have it too good in this country, I think sometimes. I know Pastor Shelley put up a video 36:52.500 --> 36:57.460 because he recently went to, I think they went to Germany, but somewhere in Europe, and he's just 36:57.460 --> 37:02.900 like, man, I couldn't wait to get back to America. God bless Texas. And just like, and we don't 37:02.900 --> 37:07.460 realize how good we have it even in a city like Vancouver, which is spiritually dark, it's hard 37:07.460 --> 37:11.620 to go soul winning. You get rejected all the time. But look at that, we had two salvations today. 37:11.620 --> 37:15.140 We had a young man, Brendan, that I preach the gospel to that he 37:15.300 --> 37:17.700 He was seeking God. 37:17.700 --> 37:22.280 There's still people here that are seeking God and you need the laborers to get out there 37:22.280 --> 37:24.440 and preach the gospel to them. 37:24.440 --> 37:26.540 We need more people, not less people. 37:26.540 --> 37:29.100 So you still have to stay in the fight for that. 37:29.100 --> 37:30.780 He was so grateful that we came. 37:31.200 --> 37:34.240 He was 100% sure it was works, faith in works. 37:34.240 --> 37:37.680 He said faith, but he's like, oh no, no, yeah, but you have to have the works. 37:37.680 --> 37:41.360 And when he saw what the Bible said, he was low hanging fruit. 37:41.360 --> 37:42.640 He changed his mind quickly. 37:42.640 --> 37:45.760 And it's such a beautiful thing to see that. 37:45.760 --> 37:50.160 It's such a blessing to be part of that ministry of reconciliation 37:50.160 --> 37:54.560 where we just bring people back from death to life. 37:54.560 --> 37:55.200 Amen. 37:55.200 --> 37:56.160 It's amazing. 37:57.700 --> 38:02.260 But you know, you don't want to just get lazy and apathetic, right? 38:02.600 --> 38:06.600 Because as bad as this world is, this country is still the place to be. 38:06.600 --> 38:08.720 Judges 18, look at verse 7. 38:08.720 --> 38:11.800 This is when the five spies from Dan came, right? 38:11.800 --> 38:17.760 It says, then the five men departed and came to Laish and saw the people that were therein, 38:17.760 --> 38:19.200 how they dwelt careless. 38:19.200 --> 38:23.320 They didn't have a care in the world, just like a lot of Americans right now. 38:23.320 --> 38:27.840 After the manner of the Zidonians, quiet and secure, and there was no magistrate in the 38:27.840 --> 38:30.600 land that might put them to shame in any way. 38:30.600 --> 38:35.120 And that and that's the problem with the world today is you can't put anybody to shame for anything 38:35.240 --> 38:41.800 You know people need to get feel some shame sometimes when they're doing something that's wicked when they're doing something that's wrong 38:41.920 --> 38:46.820 You see you know don't ever teach your kids that is just okay to just do something that's wrong 38:46.820 --> 38:51.440 You don't make them. You know you don't make them make it right. You know you you don't make things right 38:51.440 --> 38:56.600 You got to be a good example to your kids too, and and we should be a good example to one another 38:57.200 --> 39:00.840 People should feel some shame in this world and they don't. 39:00.840 --> 39:05.280 It says, and they were far from the Zidonians and had no business with any man. 39:05.280 --> 39:08.280 Skip to verse 10. 39:08.280 --> 39:14.400 It says, when ye go, ye shall come unto a people secure, into a large land, for God 39:14.400 --> 39:18.760 hath given it into your hands, a place where there is no want of anything that is in the 39:18.760 --> 39:19.080 earth. 39:19.400 --> 39:23.740 And these are those people that are the ones just keeping up with the Joneses, the ones 39:23.740 --> 39:28.200 we don't want to see when we go soul hunting, or even they say they're Christians, but they're 39:28.200 --> 39:32.360 phony Christians and they literally hate when you're there. 39:32.360 --> 39:36.720 Bobby, we had somebody when we came, we're coming up to the door, she had her daughter, 39:36.720 --> 39:39.000 their plan, her daughter seemed happy to see us. 39:39.000 --> 39:40.480 Bobby's like, hey, how you doing? 39:40.480 --> 39:44.600 We're Baptist from, oh God, no, oh no, oh no, no, God, no. 39:44.600 --> 39:45.880 And she just was so dramatic. 39:45.880 --> 39:47.240 I'm just like, whoa. 39:47.400 --> 39:52.480 But a lot of these people will tell you that they're a Christian, and yet they hate you 39:52.480 --> 39:53.760 being at the door, right? 39:53.760 --> 39:55.840 They hate you out preaching the gospel. 39:57.100 --> 40:04.620 And these are these people that they make the world and living for themselves far more important than the things of God 40:04.780 --> 40:11.460 They they're completely out of the battle and they don't realize it, you know, and and if they're saved I'm glad for that 40:11.460 --> 40:13.320 I'm I'm glad for people that are saved 40:13.320 --> 40:17.800 But oftentimes these people believe like you have to repent of your sins and work your way to heaven yet 40:17.860 --> 40:21.340 They hate you being at the door. So you see really contradiction 40:21.340 --> 40:24.660 That is pretty interesting that you only know if you go out soul-winning 40:25.100 --> 40:31.020 right? But, you know, we're pretty secure in this country, and this country needs to get a little 40:31.020 --> 40:36.940 fight in it. And that happens through us staying in the fight, us supporting our pastor, us being at 40:36.940 --> 40:45.260 churches like this that are in the fight. You can skip to verse 27. It says, 40:45.260 --> 40:50.140 And he says, and they took the things which Micah had made and the priests which he had 40:50.140 --> 40:52.820 and came unto Laish, unto a people that were... 40:53.200 --> 40:58.800 at quiet and secure, and they smote them with the edge of the sword and burnt the city with fire. 40:58.800 --> 41:03.100 And there was no deliverer because it was far from Zidon, 41:03.100 --> 41:06.300 and they had no business with any man, and it was in the valley that lieth by 41:06.300 --> 41:09.300 Beth Rehab, and they built the city and dwelt therein. 41:10.200 --> 41:12.400 And then they just changed the name to Dan. 41:12.400 --> 41:14.160 And they called the name of the city Dan 41:14.160 --> 41:17.040 after the name of Dan, their father, who was born into Israel. 41:17.040 --> 41:20.040 Habeah, the name of the city, was Laish at the first. 41:20.040 --> 41:22.080 So here these people just get smoked. 41:22.080 --> 41:25.880 They think everything's fine and dandy and living secure. 41:25.880 --> 41:27.100 And it just, you know? 41:28.300 --> 41:33.700 Things go bad when you just get a little too complacent, a little too lackadaisical, 41:33.700 --> 41:37.100 and you know, because God loves us. He wants us to do the right thing. 41:37.100 --> 41:41.900 Go to 2nd Timothy chapter 4, where we started, 41:41.900 --> 41:46.100 and I'll read 1st Corinthians 9, 26, where Paul said, 41:46.100 --> 41:49.620 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly. 41:50.200 --> 41:55.840 So, fight I, again, he's saying he fights, not as one that beateth the air. 41:55.840 --> 41:58.200 So, we have to be certain too. 41:58.200 --> 42:04.440 We have to know what we're doing and why, and we're just not doing things for no reason. 42:04.440 --> 42:08.420 Coming to church is not just so you scratch it off the list, you know, you're just here 42:08.420 --> 42:11.520 and you seem like you don't even want to be here really. 42:11.520 --> 42:16.040 Sometimes it's like, hey, we should be here certainly and know why. 42:16.040 --> 42:17.480 We're here to encourage one another. 42:17.480 --> 42:18.200 It's not encouraging. 42:18.200 --> 42:20.200 if you're not being an encouragement. 42:20.200 --> 42:22.200 You know, you should seek to be an encouragement. 42:22.200 --> 42:24.200 I'm speaking to myself too. 42:24.200 --> 42:26.200 We all have to be that way. 42:26.200 --> 42:28.200 We all have to be an encouragement to one another 42:28.200 --> 42:30.200 because that is why we fight. 42:30.200 --> 42:32.200 That's how we stay in the fight anyway 42:32.200 --> 42:34.200 is because we have other people with us. 42:34.200 --> 42:38.200 2 Timothy 4, look at verse 6. 42:38.200 --> 42:40.200 It says, 42:40.200 --> 42:42.200 For I am now ready to be offered 42:42.200 --> 42:45.600 and the time of my departure is at hand. 42:45.800 --> 42:50.960 And you know, it is, we all have that time where we're going to be ready to be offered 42:50.960 --> 42:52.840 because this life is very short. 42:52.840 --> 42:56.480 And Paul's talking about his departure being at hand, right? 42:56.480 --> 42:58.880 And I think we are supposed to number our days. 42:58.880 --> 43:01.320 We're supposed to, you know, and it's for a reason. 43:01.320 --> 43:05.720 It's because this life is very short and God has more of an expectation on what we do with 43:05.720 --> 43:08.840 our time, I think, than people really understand. 43:08.840 --> 43:11.160 And it really blows my mind. 43:11.160 --> 43:13.760 I mean, I know that I think we all can. 43:13.800 --> 43:20.060 can deal with times where we feel like we're not doing enough for God, but it still baffles me when somebody who says they're a Christian 43:20.060 --> 43:21.800 I have a lot of people like this in my family 43:21.800 --> 43:26.860 but then they say that that we're a cult because we're supposedly misogynistic or 43:27.180 --> 43:29.540 You know too hard on the homos, right? 43:29.540 --> 43:35.620 Or but you know when your departure is at hand, it's only gonna matter what God thought about things 43:35.700 --> 43:41.580 It's not gonna matter what the world thinks, you know, and people get out of the fight because they just have this fleshly 43:41.800 --> 43:45.780 desire to just serve themselves, to not be persecuted, right? 43:45.780 --> 43:47.680 To go with the status quo. 43:47.680 --> 43:51.440 Everybody, you know, when everybody's jumping on a bandwagon, you don't want to be the one 43:51.440 --> 43:52.440 that's over here. 43:52.440 --> 43:53.440 But you know what? 43:53.440 --> 43:56.180 We still have Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever. 43:56.180 --> 43:58.220 We still have to stay on Jesus' side. 43:58.220 --> 44:02.440 We still have to be willing to fight and don't get in a position where you don't want to 44:02.440 --> 44:03.320 fight, right? 44:04.600 --> 44:11.600 When I was growing up, the things that they were fighting for, it was that song by, oh man, I forget their names, 44:11.600 --> 44:14.200 you gotta fight for your right to party. 44:14.200 --> 44:16.300 That's what we were fighting for, right? 44:16.300 --> 44:23.500 And that's what people, I think even Christians still today, are just fighting for their right to live their own life any which way they want. 44:23.500 --> 44:26.200 Living for their right to party. 44:26.200 --> 44:32.600 That's maybe when that mindset started to come to Christianity as well. 44:32.600 --> 44:38.600 And they'll say they love God, but yet they'll think that what they should do with their 44:38.600 --> 44:44.640 short time that they have on this earth is load up their money in their own bank's accounts, 44:44.640 --> 44:49.680 seek to just do things for themselves and not even do things for other people. 44:49.680 --> 44:54.280 Those just seek to live a life that is only for themselves. 44:54.280 --> 44:55.600 I mean 44:55.700 --> 45:00.900 All that stuff, if Solomon, who was the richest man that ever lived, called it all vanity 45:00.900 --> 45:06.380 when he had tons of gold and he had everything you could ever imagine wanting probably on 45:06.380 --> 45:11.520 this earth, if he just at the end of his life said, he wasn't saying I fought a good fight, 45:11.520 --> 45:12.520 he knew he blew it. 45:12.520 --> 45:14.200 He's like, this is all vanity. 45:14.200 --> 45:16.900 This was all worthless. 45:16.900 --> 45:21.140 Probably regretting a lot of the things that he actually lived his life for. 45:21.800 --> 45:24.080 You see a lot of Christians that do the same thing. 45:24.080 --> 45:25.800 Not on the level, obviously, of Solomon, 45:25.800 --> 45:29.040 but they're just seeking to live for themselves. 45:29.040 --> 45:31.520 Stock up a bunch of junk. 45:31.520 --> 45:34.960 We're trying to get rid of junk because we have so much junk. 45:34.960 --> 45:37.440 You can get caught up in this mentality 45:37.440 --> 45:39.480 in the world of just buying stuff. 45:39.480 --> 45:41.840 And it's that dopamine rush they say 45:41.840 --> 45:44.640 you get when you're buying stuff, even if it's cheap, 45:44.640 --> 45:46.880 even if you get a sale, even if it's from the goodwill, 45:46.880 --> 45:48.280 even if it's free. 45:48.280 --> 45:49.800 My dad used to say, if it's free, I'll tell you. 45:49.800 --> 45:53.640 take three and I kind of took on that mindset you know and next thing you know 45:53.640 --> 45:57.960 you got like three house house loads worth of junk that you got to try to get 45:57.960 --> 46:02.640 rid of no you don't want to lay up a bunch of junk on this earth you want to 46:02.640 --> 46:07.480 live your life in a way that's pleasing to God not live totally totally for 46:07.480 --> 46:09.000 yourself you know 46:09.200 --> 46:14.540 Because when you go to heaven and when you die and you stand before God the regret isn't going to be that you 46:14.820 --> 46:16.820 You know didn't do more for yourself 46:17.060 --> 46:22.180 Didn't take more vacations didn't earn more money didn't work more over time 46:22.460 --> 46:25.400 Didn't you know spend less time at church, right? 46:25.540 --> 46:31.280 It's gonna be the things you the things are gonna regret is that you didn't do more things that were actually eternally minded 46:31.300 --> 46:37.100 Right you're in second Timothy chapter 4 still look at when he said verse in verse 7. He says I 46:37.200 --> 46:38.200 fought a good fight. 46:38.700 --> 46:42.700 I finished my course, I have kept the faith, because that's what it is. 46:42.700 --> 46:46.540 It's a fight for your faith, because the Bible says it's the substance of things hoped for, 46:46.540 --> 46:47.820 the evidence of things not seen. 46:47.820 --> 46:51.580 And so you don't see certain things, you don't see God personally. 46:51.580 --> 46:56.460 Like in some of these cases where the angel of the Lord was in the midst of them in the Old Testament, 46:56.460 --> 46:58.460 and even they had lapses of faith. 46:58.460 --> 47:03.180 Well, we have struggle of faith of the things that, you know, that we can't see. 47:03.180 --> 47:05.340 We're all visual people sometimes, right? 47:05.340 --> 47:06.620 And, but you have to. 47:06.700 --> 47:09.740 still stay in the fight to where you could say, 47:09.740 --> 47:11.100 I have fought a good faith. 47:11.100 --> 47:13.640 And why it says, henceforth there is laid up for me 47:13.640 --> 47:16.180 a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, 47:16.180 --> 47:18.940 the righteous judge shall give me at that day. 47:18.940 --> 47:22.220 And not to me only, but unto all them also 47:22.220 --> 47:23.820 that love his appearing. 47:24.820 --> 47:27.360 Skip a few chapters ahead to chapter six. 47:32.800 --> 47:36.440 Chapter 6 and verse 12 it says fight the good fight of faith 47:37.600 --> 47:39.240 Lay hold on eternal life 47:39.240 --> 47:45.880 You'll grab a hold of it know that what you do that eternally is more important than anything because it's good unto all things 47:46.160 --> 47:53.860 Weren't you thou are also called because again it is a calling for us and has professed a good profession before many 47:54.520 --> 47:55.500 witnesses 47:55.700 --> 47:59.260 And Pastor brought this up when he's preaching about Revelation, how he thinks we'll be able 47:59.260 --> 48:05.420 to see some of the things going on and maybe the people that are in heaven now are seeing 48:05.420 --> 48:06.620 things that are going on now. 48:06.620 --> 48:07.620 He brought that up. 48:07.620 --> 48:11.960 And, you know, obviously we know God could see everything we're doing, but it'd be kind 48:11.960 --> 48:16.340 of crazy if other, you know, saved people are kind of seeing some of the action down 48:16.340 --> 48:18.780 here too, right? 48:18.780 --> 48:19.780 Turn to Hebrews chapter 12. 48:19.780 --> 48:22.300 I think he used this verse actually. 48:25.100 --> 48:26.100 Yeah, he did. 48:26.100 --> 48:27.100 Actually, I'll just read it. 48:27.100 --> 48:28.100 He said, 48:28.100 --> 48:32.140 Wherefore, seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us 48:32.140 --> 48:38.500 lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience 48:38.500 --> 48:40.140 the race that is set before you. 48:41.300 --> 48:44.540 And again, it says, like I said, I already brought up, 48:44.540 --> 48:47.340 we fight against unnumbered foes. 48:47.340 --> 48:49.780 We can't see the spiritual realm, 48:49.780 --> 48:53.460 but the devil's after us, he's got his minions after us, 48:53.460 --> 48:55.880 and it's probably good we can't see the spiritual realm. 48:55.880 --> 48:58.100 But there's, no matter what, 48:58.100 --> 49:00.140 there's watchings of what's going on. 49:00.140 --> 49:02.980 If the angels in heaven rejoice when one person gets saved, 49:02.980 --> 49:05.260 here we got two people saved today, right? 49:05.260 --> 49:06.940 Angels in heaven are rejoicing. 49:06.940 --> 49:08.580 They're obviously seeing what we're doing. 49:08.580 --> 49:09.300 They're seeing the things. 49:09.300 --> 49:12.520 that are happening here on this earth. 49:12.520 --> 49:17.340 And that will be crazy to be seeing some of the things that happen when Christ comes back. 49:17.340 --> 49:21.960 And this verse is right after the faith chapter, right? 49:21.960 --> 49:27.820 Where we just read where we fought the good fight of faith in chapter 11 of Hebrews. 49:27.820 --> 49:31.920 And since I didn't have you turn there, I'll just read this. 49:31.920 --> 49:33.800 Actually turn to Hebrews chapter 11, sorry. 49:37.500 --> 49:39.820 This is like what they call the faith chapter. 49:42.700 --> 49:47.020 And here it's running through some names if you look at verse 32. 49:47.020 --> 49:50.300 Because again, people will get weary of the fight or people will say, 49:50.300 --> 49:53.900 I'm not in the fight or I don't want to fight. 49:53.900 --> 49:57.660 I just don't like to fight. Oh, I just I can't be associated with 49:57.660 --> 50:01.820 Pastor Anderson. It's just too much fights, you know, too much of this or that. 50:01.820 --> 50:05.580 It's like that's reasons people have left even our church. 50:06.300 --> 50:08.060 But you know, we fight for God. 50:08.060 --> 50:12.860 We don't fight for other people anyway, but we should be willing to stick up for our brethren. 50:12.860 --> 50:16.220 We should be able to we should be I would stick up for pastor. 50:17.180 --> 50:18.780 Any of you and in a fight? 50:18.780 --> 50:22.060 I mean, it's it's a spiritual fight out there. 50:22.100 --> 50:25.700 Verse 32 says and what shall I what shall I more say? 50:25.980 --> 50:31.980 For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and of Barak and of Samson and of Jephthah and 50:32.180 --> 50:35.700 Of David also and Samuel and of the prophets 50:35.700 --> 50:40.100 So there's a lot of people there, but the names here when you look at it closely 50:40.100 --> 50:47.780 I mean a lot of these these men had humble beginnings or they had a they didn't have this prideful view of themselves 50:47.780 --> 50:50.020 They didn't necessarily think oh, I'm the greatest fighter 50:50.100 --> 50:52.700 in the world, but we're all called to fight. 50:52.700 --> 50:54.740 All of us are fighters. 50:54.740 --> 50:56.720 They say we're all part of the Lord's army, right? 50:56.720 --> 51:01.940 Because we are in part of his spiritual special forces, so to speak. 51:01.940 --> 51:07.180 But Gideon here, he fought the 300 and defeated thousands of enemy forces. 51:07.180 --> 51:12.580 But in Judges 6.15, he says, you don't have to turn there, he says, and he said unto him, 51:12.580 --> 51:15.340 O my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? 51:15.340 --> 51:18.100 Behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I 51:18.100 --> 51:20.300 I am the least in my father's house. 51:20.400 --> 51:25.440 So here he come from humble beginnings. It doesn't matter where you come from. 51:25.440 --> 51:30.480 It doesn't matter if you were poor, if you were the least in your family, right? It doesn't matter. 51:30.480 --> 51:34.320 You look at Barack, they brought him up, you know, and it wasn't just them throwing a bone here, 51:34.320 --> 51:38.640 I don't think, because yeah, he needed Deborah to kind of go with him and be his good luck charm, 51:38.640 --> 51:44.800 so to speak. But he still fought. He still did go. And even, you know, a weak man can, 51:44.800 --> 51:48.160 you know, be known as a fighter because ultimately he did win some battles. 51:48.400 --> 51:50.040 He won against the Canaanites. 51:50.040 --> 51:51.040 You had Samson. 51:51.040 --> 51:54.480 Samson battled with living a worldly life, right? 51:54.480 --> 51:55.520 He was a womanizer. 51:55.520 --> 51:58.480 He had a lot of problems, but he was a fighter. 51:58.480 --> 52:00.000 He's known as being a tough guy. 52:00.000 --> 52:03.480 Killed 1,000 Philistines with the jawbone of an ass. 52:03.480 --> 52:05.480 Samson, we just heard from Pastor, right? 52:05.480 --> 52:10.400 Samson, even into old age, had people fearing his presence. 52:10.400 --> 52:12.720 He hewed up agag, and he was probably in his 80s 52:12.720 --> 52:14.400 when that happened. 52:14.400 --> 52:15.400 He was a tough dude. 52:15.700 --> 52:16.700 Right? 52:16.700 --> 52:18.340 And it's a... 52:19.000 --> 52:24.440 These these but these people all had different personalities and traits just like we do as part of the body of christ 52:24.760 --> 52:28.360 But the bible doesn't leave room for us to make any kind of excuses 52:28.760 --> 52:34.760 We all should be fighters. We all should have that fighting mentality and every child of god should be ready to fight 52:34.760 --> 52:37.240 You never know when you're going to be called on to fight 52:37.640 --> 52:42.920 You never know that even in those times when you're knocking doors when you're going to get that door that it's going to be a bit 52:43.000 --> 52:47.000 Of a spiritual fight. So you always got to be prepared. You always have to be 52:47.000 --> 52:51.600 be reading your Bible. You always have to be, you know, praying and asking God for 52:51.600 --> 52:55.680 help. Jephthah, he was a mighty man of valor, but he was also the son of a 52:55.680 --> 53:00.360 harlot. You know, maybe you came from poor, poor family. It doesn't matter. God 53:00.360 --> 53:05.960 doesn't leave any sort of excuse you can give about your upbringing, or maybe 53:05.960 --> 53:10.000 you were kicked out of the house like Jephthah was. You know, and what happens 53:10.000 --> 53:14.680 though? He went from zero to hero, right? They called him back and he 53:14.680 --> 53:15.000 you 53:15.000 --> 53:19.600 wisely negotiated to rule over them if he won the battle. 53:19.600 --> 53:23.200 But his mom was a harlot. 53:23.200 --> 53:24.880 It doesn't matter where you come from. 53:24.880 --> 53:26.720 King David, man after God's own heart, 53:26.720 --> 53:28.840 we know him for defeating Goliath. 53:28.840 --> 53:32.320 But he also had a humble start as well. 53:34.880 --> 53:37.440 If you're in Hebrews, turn to 1 Samuel chapter 16, 53:37.440 --> 53:40.920 but keep your spot in Hebrews. 53:40.920 --> 53:41.720 Chapter 11 there. 53:43.700 --> 53:50.500 King David, you know, he is just an amazing man, but he had the mighty man with him, right? 53:50.500 --> 53:55.620 Another group of tough men. He's known as a fighter. He had his fair share of mistakes, 53:55.620 --> 54:01.060 but he's a man after God's own heart for a reason. But it wasn't because he was head and 54:01.060 --> 54:03.380 shoulders above everybody else like Saul. 54:05.100 --> 54:07.180 Look at 1 Samuel 16,6, it says, 54:29.900 --> 54:35.660 So again, even King David, he wasn't somebody that looked like the biggest, toughest dude in the room, 54:35.660 --> 54:38.220 but his heart was right before God. 54:38.220 --> 54:41.660 And that's what we have to prepare is our heart for the fight, 54:41.660 --> 54:47.580 because that's what can grow weary and cause us to not stay in the fight is just mentally. 54:47.580 --> 54:49.660 You know, mentally we get out of it, right? 54:50.540 --> 54:54.300 Samuel, like I already said, he was hewing up agag into old age. 54:55.200 --> 54:58.240 So go back to Hebrews chapter 11, and we're almost done too. 55:02.400 --> 55:04.300 Hebrews chapter 11 and 55:05.400 --> 55:11.320 You know, again, I like that Samuel was just tough into old age because really that's what I think 55:12.200 --> 55:17.000 the only reason to stay in shape and to try to stay in the battle so that you're not in your 50s 55:17.000 --> 55:22.680 and 60s and you can't really serve God anymore, or your 70s even, 80s. I mean, who knows? I mean, 55:22.680 --> 55:28.120 it's up to God, but hey, it'd be nice if you're somebody that can stay in the spiritual battle 55:28.120 --> 55:32.680 into old age too, and maybe if you can't, you're just a prayer warrior. Prayer is very important. 55:33.200 --> 55:38.560 But, you know, try to keep yourself healthy and be ready for that kind of fight too. 55:38.560 --> 55:41.500 But be spiritually ready in your heart. 55:41.500 --> 55:42.840 Verse 33, it says, 55:43.200 --> 55:50.840 To finish some some of these verses it says who through faith subdued kingdoms wrought righteousness obtained promises 55:51.240 --> 55:57.140 Stopped the mouths of lions. So these are all the exploits that these people did quench the violence of fire 55:57.880 --> 56:04.220 Escaped the edge of the sword out of weakness were made strong. So you can't say that you're weak, right? 56:04.220 --> 56:07.120 Got with God were strong with God all things are possible 56:07.360 --> 56:11.060 If God before us who could be against us says they waxed 56:11.200 --> 56:13.200 violent valiant and fight 56:13.720 --> 56:19.280 They and you know and they became brave and courageous and bold in the fight 56:19.280 --> 56:25.960 They didn't just back down or become cowards or weak or apathetic. It says they turned to flight the armies of the aliens 56:27.000 --> 56:31.820 Women receive their dead raised to life and no it's not like actual aliens 56:31.820 --> 56:35.100 I know that there's this push to get people to believe that aliens are real 56:35.100 --> 56:41.940 It's just like ridiculous, but they're just trying to distract you because there's this is the agenda is always that there isn't to God 56:42.180 --> 56:45.840 So they're just trying to get us to believe things that you know 56:45.840 --> 56:50.380 And they have got things to kind of trick people that are already being talked about out there 56:50.560 --> 56:55.000 Where they're gonna try to trick people into thinking there's aliens, but that's a whole different stuff 56:55.000 --> 57:00.000 It says, and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance. 57:00.000 --> 57:03.000 They didn't even try to get saved, right? 57:03.000 --> 57:06.000 That they might obtain a better resurrection. 57:06.000 --> 57:09.000 So, you know, they were just martyrs. 57:09.000 --> 57:12.000 You know, and we mentioned Barak too, right? 57:12.000 --> 57:15.000 And the Song of Deborah gives a little bit more details. 57:15.000 --> 57:17.000 Turn to Judges chapter 5. 57:17.000 --> 57:19.000 Judges chapter 5. 57:21.500 --> 57:23.420 Again, we have to just stand the fight. 57:23.420 --> 57:26.620 We have to, we need the, our sword is the word of God. 57:26.620 --> 57:32.020 So you study and read your Bible, you know, love your Bible, pray. 57:32.020 --> 57:33.900 But he does want you to fight. 57:33.900 --> 57:38.740 All of us, women, save children, they're out there preaching the gospel and getting people 57:38.740 --> 57:41.580 saved, right? 57:41.580 --> 57:42.660 Even the women fight. 57:42.660 --> 57:44.940 The women battle a lot. 57:44.940 --> 57:45.940 I mean... 57:46.700 --> 57:51.740 I brought it up before, but it's incredible the women that can get out there and, you know, 57:51.740 --> 57:56.220 they're taking care of all these kids and they're, or even on the times when they have to bring them 57:56.220 --> 58:02.300 soul winning, that just, to me, it just blows my mind, right? But God does expect women to fight, 58:02.300 --> 58:06.540 right? They fight too, you know, and it's not physical. I don't think women should fight and 58:06.540 --> 58:11.900 go to war and do all those things. I hate women MMA fighting. It's the worst thing to watch ever, 58:11.900 --> 58:13.340 But you know, hey. 58:14.300 --> 58:21.260 Women are in this battle. We have some incredibly incredible fighters as women because you have to 58:21.260 --> 58:24.700 put up with way more than we do because you know 58:25.200 --> 58:27.840 They're saying the men are misogynistic. 58:27.840 --> 58:29.620 They're saying God is misogynistic. 58:29.620 --> 58:32.480 That's what atheist Richard Dawkins said, right? 58:32.480 --> 58:34.120 And we believe the Bible, right? 58:34.120 --> 58:37.880 So they say, they call us a cult for being supposedly misogynistic. 58:37.880 --> 58:38.880 They call us a cult. 58:38.880 --> 58:43.880 Yet, they do understand that God is the one who says these things that we believe. 58:43.880 --> 58:47.500 So they're calling God misogynistic is what they're doing, right? 58:47.500 --> 58:51.880 And they're calling people that believe God part of a cult. 58:51.880 --> 58:53.200 And you women have to deal with. 58:53.200 --> 58:58.200 with it even more because you're the ones that they come after the most. 58:58.200 --> 59:02.200 And they do that because the Bible says you're the weaker vessel and it's just true. 59:02.200 --> 59:04.840 It's just what God says but you see it. 59:04.840 --> 59:08.880 It's easier for you to emotionally get kind of bogged down. 59:08.880 --> 59:13.560 That's why the men have to step up in this world and just blow past some of these things 59:13.560 --> 59:17.360 they're doing to make us weak and pathetic and pitiful men. 59:17.360 --> 59:19.160 And we have to just stand up. 59:19.160 --> 59:21.160 Women in these are church. 59:21.200 --> 59:26.200 they deal with more than any woman in any Christian church in the world. 59:26.200 --> 59:31.200 So I give you all much kudos for being here and believing God. 59:31.200 --> 59:36.200 Because really it's not that you're believing what the men say behind the pulpit, 59:36.200 --> 59:41.200 because it comes from God, because it's what the words of God say. 59:41.200 --> 59:43.200 It's not that you're just believing our opinions, 59:43.200 --> 59:45.200 and you're believing Pastor Thompson's opinion, 59:45.200 --> 59:47.200 or any of the other pastors that we listen to. 59:47.200 --> 59:49.200 to. 59:49.200 --> 59:50.800 There's going to be great blessings in that. 59:50.800 --> 59:55.180 I think that the women are going to get great blessings for being able to withstand the 59:55.180 --> 59:58.800 pressures of a society that's just so sickeningly feminist. 59:58.800 --> 59:59.600 It's disgusting. 01:00:01.200 --> 01:00:05.200 Look at verse 24 because you look in this song of Deborah. We're going to just finish here. 01:00:05.200 --> 01:00:10.240 But it says that she's blessed above women shall jail the house of Heber the Kenite be. 01:00:10.240 --> 01:00:16.480 This isn't Deborah specifically. This is the person who did some pretty gnarly things here. 01:00:16.480 --> 01:00:20.960 Blessed shall she be above women in the tent. He asked water and she gave him milk. 01:00:20.960 --> 01:00:25.360 She brought forth butter and a lordly dish. She put her hand to the nail and her right hand to 01:00:25.360 --> 01:00:29.200 the workman's hammer. And with the hammer she smote Sisera. She said, 01:00:29.200 --> 01:00:33.880 smote off his head when she had pierced and stricken through his temples. 01:00:33.880 --> 01:00:39.960 At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay down at her feet, he bowed, he fell where he bowed, 01:00:39.960 --> 01:00:41.640 there he fell down dead. 01:00:42.000 --> 01:00:45.300 And that's what I mean, this is the toughness. 01:00:45.300 --> 01:00:48.300 This was a physical killing and this is pretty gnarly, 01:00:48.300 --> 01:00:50.400 but this is the toughness I see in the women 01:00:50.400 --> 01:00:53.100 that are in our churches, that still come to churches 01:00:53.100 --> 01:00:56.500 faithfully, that are preaching the whole council of God 01:00:56.500 --> 01:00:58.060 in season out of season. 01:00:58.060 --> 01:01:00.320 They know that the Lord doesn't change. 01:01:00.320 --> 01:01:02.640 He's the same yesterday, today and forever. 01:01:02.640 --> 01:01:03.900 They're encouraging. 01:01:03.900 --> 01:01:06.940 It's encouraging, it shows the support. 01:01:06.940 --> 01:01:10.000 It shows that hey, you're not gonna let the world. 01:01:10.000 --> 01:01:15.160 pressure you. You're gonna be pressured, not pressured even, but you're gonna just 01:01:15.160 --> 01:01:19.160 seek to please God and let your conversation and way of life be seeking 01:01:19.160 --> 01:01:22.720 to please God because you love God and you're putting God first and foremost 01:01:22.720 --> 01:01:28.280 above everybody. So all of us are fighters, men, women, children, you know, 01:01:28.280 --> 01:01:32.600 and we have to fight for them. We have to fight for one another and don't get 01:01:32.600 --> 01:01:36.120 weary of the fight because our whole life until we die is gonna be a fight. 01:01:36.120 --> 01:01:38.000 So you gotta always just be prepared. 01:01:38.000 --> 01:01:43.800 prepared for the fight. You might be asked to preach an hour before the sermon starts. 01:01:43.800 --> 01:01:49.040 Hey, that's part of the fight. Just be ready, be willing and say, here am I Lord, send me. 01:01:49.040 --> 01:01:53.880 Be ready to fight. Support your church, support your pastor and make sure you keep him in 01:01:53.880 --> 01:01:57.360 prayer. Let's pray. Dear Heavenly Father, thank you Lord for the Word of God. I thank you 01:01:57.360 --> 01:02:00.040 Lord that you made us all able to fight. 01:02:00.500 --> 01:02:05.220 And I pray that you would help us with our lives and just the adversity that we face 01:02:05.220 --> 01:02:09.180 and the trials that we face Lord and protect us from the devil and his wiles. 01:02:09.180 --> 01:02:13.900 And I just pray that you would bless pastor again Lord and just help him in the situation 01:02:13.900 --> 01:02:17.540 he's going through and just bless the evening in Jesus name. 01:02:17.540 --> 01:02:17.860 Amen.