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Amen. Happy Easter. Of course, we're celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ today. Matthew chapter 28 tells that story of the resurrection, but for now I want you to leave Matthew chapter 28 and go to Revelation chapter 1. This morning I want to talk to you about victory in Jesus. Victory in Jesus. We talked on Wednesday night about, you know, Christ and the abandonment that he felt and just the betrayal of Christ. Tonight or this morning we're going to talk about the victory in Christ. Turn to Revelation chapter 1 or look at the front of your bulletin. It is the verse of the week where the Bible reads in verse 18, it says, I am he that liveth and was dead and behold I am alive forevermore. Amen. And have the keys of hell and of death. So here Jesus is saying that, you know, as he has risen he has the keys of hell and the keys of death. He's basically defeated death and the devil. He's defeated Satan, which is, you know, the victory that we have in him. Turn to Romans chapter 6. So the first thing is through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, this is not new to any of you, we have, you know, spiritual victory in Jesus from that. Sin, the law, no longer has dominion over us because of the fact that Jesus has the keys of death and hell. You know, we no longer deserve, you know, we no longer get what we deserve because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Look at Romans chapter 6. You know, Romans chapter 6 talks about how, you know, that this has no more dominion over us. Look at verse 6 where the Bible says in Romans 6, knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ we believe that we shall also live with him, knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more. So this is matching Revelation 1.18 where it says, you know, I am alive forevermore. It says Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more, death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once, but in that he that liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise recognize, likewise reckon he also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. This of course spiritual victory is your salvation through Jesus Christ. This is your victory in Jesus that you have automatically won when you got saved. You automatically won. The reason that it was possible is it because it was through Jesus Christ, as Romans 6.23 says, that you have this victory, this opportunity to have this victory. Now this is all just by means of introduction. So this is a victory that you know you have, that is provided by Jesus Christ, that was accomplished through his resurrection. This is the victory that you all, if you're saved, I hope you all know that you have this victory this morning. You should have woken up in a good mood this morning. Easter is a great reminder of this victory that you have in your life. You're saved. There's nothing that is ever going to happen that is going to change that. You're saved. That victory is yours when you got saved, when you were sealed by the Holy Spirit. So you're saying, so what, what, what is the, you know, that's the sermon right there, the first three minutes, that's all introduction. What I want to talk about this morning is I want to talk about the second victory. I want to talk about the second victory in your life, the second victory through Christ. And it's unfortunately the second victory that most Christians, most saved people won't realize in their life. Turn to Colossians chapter two. So we know that we're saved. We have the victory. Happy Easter. He is risen. Wonderful news. It's wonderful. But look, there's a second victory that you could have, that you could have in your life on this earth, but most people will never achieve it. They will never get it. Look at Colossians chapter two and actually I'm going to read Colossians chapter two and let's look at verse number 13. Look at Colossians chapter two and let's start reading in verse 13. The Bible says, and you being dead in your sins, does this all sound familiar? You see how consistent the Bible is on this very simple doctrine and you being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, he hath quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses, blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to the cross. Put a little marker around those two verses. That's the first victory right there, that the law no longer has dominion over you. You can no longer be condemned by the law because of the victory of Jesus Christ, because you're saved. And once you're saved, the law has no more dominion over you. If you choose to willingly sin, you're putting yourself back in slavery under the law. You're putting yourself willingly back into slavery, but you still have that spiritual victory through Jesus Christ. But now, but now look at verse 15. Here's the victory I want to talk to you about this morning. Look at verse 15. Because the Bible says that not only do you have this spiritual victory through Jesus Christ, you're saved. You're going to be in heaven if you're saved because of Jesus. But look at verse 15. Something more. You say, what more could there possibly be? Look at something more. Verse 15. And having spoiled, and having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it. Look, you know what it means to spoil? It says that Jesus, he not only gave you this spiritual victory where the law no longer has dominion over you, but he also spoiled principalities and powers. He defeated the evil forces, the evil forces and the darkness in this world. Turn to Ephesians chapter six. He defeated the actual wickedness of this world by what he did. He spoiled them. Look at Ephesians chapter six. So I mean, there's evil forces in this world. That's the first thing that we learn here. There's evil forces that you and I just because we're saved, just because we're saved, doesn't mean that we're not going to deal with these evil forces in this world today. They're still there. They're still going to be against us. Jesus taught that throughout his entire ministry. He's like, you are going to have tribulation, you will have persecution. The world hated Jesus, and they're going to hate you because they hated Jesus. So he was just telling people get ready for this. But the Bible says here in Colossians 215, that Jesus defeated these people. That Jesus, he not only defeated death and hell for you, but he defeated these people too. There's your second victory that most Christians will never realize. You say I've never heard about the second victory. I'm going to explain it to you this morning. I'm going to explain to you the second victory that and not only did he did he defeat these evil forces and these in the darkness in this world, but he teaches us how we can also defeat them. He teaches us look at Ephesians chapter six. I'm going to talk to you this morning about some decisions that you might have to make in your life. And some, you know, some ideas that you might have to think about, look, if you were coming to church to hear about Jesus risen, and you know, not having any pressure put on you in your life, wrong church. I want to talk to you about, you know, the actions forward that you need in order to be able to have this second victory. And then I want to talk to you about, you know, how important this second victory is in your life. Look at Ephesians six and verse 10. The Bible says, Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. So first of all, we see a call for strength here, we see a call for strength in your Christian life, put on the whole armor of God, that you that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Well, why do we need the whole armor of God? And I've heard so many sermons on the armor of God throughout my entire life. And and I think they were all wrong, except maybe the the Bible preaching Baptist sermons that I've heard, but I want to explain the armor of God and the purpose for it this morning. Look at verse 12. Why do we need it for we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world against spiritual wickedness in high places. But this is talking about actually people on the earth that are evil people. This is talking about evil forces that you're going to deal with in your physical life on this earth. Look, you're not going to deal with these people in heaven. You're going to deal with verse number 12 here on earth. But look, God didn't leave you unprepared. God is going to tell you how to successfully deal with that. Look at verse 13. Wherefore, take unto you the whole armor of God that you may be able that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand. And then he gives that he's going to start to give us what these weapons and these defense systems are. And we're going to look at that this morning. Let me just read the rest of them, and then we'll look at it. Look at verse 14. Therefore, stand therefore, having your loins gird about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness, and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. Like I said, these wicked people aren't in heaven, folks. They're here. They're here now. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. So these are your weapons. So these people, I mean, so here's the thing. Jesus has already spoiled these forces. He's already defeated these forces. What's interesting is that while we have salvation, and nothing can change the fact that we have salvation, Jesus tells us that he has also defeated these forces that we're currently dealing with now. These are the worldly forces that are operating a spiritual battle in this world. So we are supposed to fight this spiritual battle, and in Ephesians chapter 6 here, the Bible is telling us, Jesus is telling us what to fight it with, how to fight it. It's something different than salvation we're talking about here. It's what we're dealing with on this earth and preparing us for battle. So what are the weapons? Look at verse 14. The Bible says this, it says, stand therefore having your loins girt about with truth and having on the breastplate of righteousness. So here's talking about, you know, if you have the breastplate of righteousness, it means you're saved. We have Christ's righteousness through our salvation. We have our loins girt about with truth. Our truth, truth is what? Truth is what you believe. Truth is what we believe as saved Bible-believing Christians. The truth is what you know. That's a weapon, the Bible says. It's a defensive system. Look, being saved is going to give you some insight into what's true. Did you know that? Turn to 1 Corinthians chapter 2. At least, at least at the very least, the ability to understand truth. Look at 1 Corinthians chapter 2. Look at 1 Corinthians chapter 2. If you're not saved, you know, you're the natural man and you're just not going to understand the truth. Look at 1 Corinthians chapter 2 and verse 14, where the Bible says, but the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God. That's why God, that's why when you get saved, as Ephesians chapter 2 says, or Ephesians chapter 1 says, that you become, you become sealed with the Holy Spirit. God puts, he gives a down payment, he gives the earnest of the Holy Spirit to you and then you can understand truth through not yourself, not your flesh, not your natural man, but through the Holy Spirit that lives within you. Look at 1 Corinthians chapter 2 and verse 14, for they are foolishness unto him. So he's talking about the natural man, the Bible, the Spirit of God, the things of God are foolishness unto the unsaved man. Neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned. You need the Holy Spirit to figure this stuff out. You need the Holy Spirit to discern these things. So look, we see this weapon in play today completely, I'm telling you, but we see it in play especially in the Bible in end times prophecy. Turn to Matthew chapter 24. We see that, you know, this spirit of truth that's in us and this idea that we can discern the truth, it comes into play in the end times. I'll show you a couple examples. Look at Matthew chapter 24. Look at Matthew chapter 24. Look at verse 23. The Bible says in the end time there's going to be many people that claim to be Christ. There's going to be many people. We've already seen that when we studied false religions. People are already claiming to be Christ. People are already claiming to be the Messiah. People claim that today. People are going to continue to claim that, but the Bible says that we will not believe it. Look at verse 23 of Matthew 24. Then if any man shall say unto you lo here is Christ or there believe it not for there shall arise false Christs and false prophets and shall show great signs and wonders. It's saying what these false prophets they may do amazing things especially in the end times with the false prophet in so much that if it were possible they shall deceive the very elect. But look, the Bible says that you will not be deceived by these false prophets and false Christs. Turn to 2 Corinthians chapter 11. Turn to 2 Corinthians chapter 11. Now this is something I think about a lot, but you know this is kind of the beauty of the design of the gospel. You know you look at how God designed salvation and how he designed you know how he was going to come here and save man and I mean it's brilliant. It's brilliant because you know look the design of the gospel. I mean in Matthew 24 the Bible is basically saying and we're going to learn in Galatians chapter 1 on Wednesday nights that there's all kinds of false Christs and guess what they're preaching? They're preaching a false gospel. They're preaching a false message. They're preaching a false way to heaven. They're going to teach you things that aren't true and they're going to send people to hell is what the Bible says. But here's the beauty of the design of the gospel. Look at 2 Corinthians chapter 11 in verse number three. But I fear lest by any means as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety. Subtlety is sneakiness, sneakiness, craftiness, being smart. People that you know if you ever had like you know think of a con man like a really good con man that can get you to just just give you all their money or they just you just rip people off for hundreds of thousands of dollars and you don't even know you think oh you think this is legitimate but it's really subtle the way they have their game set up that's how the devil is it's really subtle but look at the rest of this so your mind should be corrupted meaning meaning tricked meaning changed from the simplicity that is in Christ look here's the beauty of the gospel once you believe the gospel once you believe the gospel of the bible it is super simple to to recognize a false one it's so easy and you know why because the gospel is simple the gospel is simple you're saved how by just believing on by just trusting only in Jesus that's it it's super simple and it's designed that way because imagine imagine what god could have designed salvation however he wanted could he not have i mean he's god imagine if god made you know the gospel really complicated where you know you had to you had to you know believe in Jesus and then do all these different things and you had to repent of certain sins and not these you know in this and you had to do all these things and it was mixed in with all these complicated you know works based doctrines look it might be hard to recognize a false gospel if that was the true gospel i mean which one's true i mean they're all these complicated different ways to heaven but look the gospel is super simple it has nothing to do with works if you think it's of works it's not the gospel it's very simple it's very very simple i mean you'll find people that are so twisted around the axle with different you know works based gospels that it's almost impossible to get them saved so the gospel is simple folks it's believe on the lord Jesus Christ in a moment you're saved that's it nothing to do with works but if it was complicated it might be easy to be tricked but because it's so simple it's easy to recognize the truth so us as saved people our first weapon is the truth our first defensive mechanism is we will recognize the false christ we will recognize the false gospels but look it's not just false christ and not just false gospels look it's evil leaders turn to revelation chapter 13 evil leaders and evil plans we will recognize that too the bible says you say it sounds pretty good well you have this truth you have this truth look at revelation 13 look at verse 16 the bible says and he causeth all both small and great rich and poor free and bond to receive a mark in their right hand or in their foreheads that no man might buy or sell save that he have that mark or the name of the beast or the number of his name turn to revelation chapter 20 the bible tells us that no saved person will will take this mark the bible you know what that means it means they recognize what it is it means that they recognize the truth and you say you know how could this happen i mean we're on the you say how could this happen where somebody's forcing people to take a mark well i mean are you kidding me are you watching the news i mean we're on the verge of like vaccine transports you know passports or whatever they want to call them and lists uh people want you to get on and all this kind of stuff look it's not the mark of the beast i'm not saying that but it's preparation for it i'll tell you that right now it's preparation i mean this i mean look no one's saying that this whole mess with coronavirus is not real or anything like that but i mean there's evil people and principalities and powers that are taking full advantage of this situation i mean for sure these government people and these lower level people they're just tools for the for the principalities and the power that are powers that are exercising control here they're getting us used to it there's a plan in play folks i mean i never thought it would happen so fast i mean i was raised mostly amongst freedom type people you know second amendment people and all this and i'm i'm still shocked to see how fast this is moving but look by the time what it does show us what it does show us is by the time this mark actually starts getting implemented people will be used to it at that point but and people it won't even be strange for people at that point we can see that we couldn't see that a year and a half ago we can see that now but like it will be weird it will be strange for the saved the same and you know we see i mean we see some of the same people going along with this today but go back to go back to ephoeus chapter 6 and verse number 15 go back to ephoeus chapter 6 and verse number 15 what other tools what other weapons what other defensive mechanisms do we have to deal with these principalities and powers that jesus has defeated by the way look at verse 15 the bible says and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace above all taking the shield of faith wherewith you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked and take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit which is the word of god look verse 15 says your feet will be shod with the gospel of peace meaning you know you'll be taking it somewhere your feet will be shod with the gospel meaning you're going to be traveling with that thing somewhere look at verse 16 i mean that's an action by the way that's that's implying specific action that you know the gospel is put on your feet i mean that's not an accident look at verse 16 this shield of faith it supposedly gives you the ability to withstand these people to withstand evil how are you doing with that how are you withstanding how are you withstanding this will tell you how big your shield is by the way look at proverbs chapter 28 you say i'm concerned about everything everywhere all the time i'm just i'm one of these people that today i'm just worried about everything constantly look at proverbs chapter 28 we're talking about your shield of faith look at proverbs 28 look at verse one we're gonna look at verse one and verse two but the bible says it says the wicked flee when no man pursueth but the righteous underline this but the righteous are bold as a lion wow and boy if verse number one doesn't describe the unsaved today i don't know what verse in the bible does i mean the wicked flee when no man pursue it our country today people are afraid of their own shadow people are literally afraid of other people we see that every single week i mean look no one's chasing you the wicked flee when no one pursue it but the righteous are bold as a lion and then look what the bible says in the next verse this is super interesting for the transgression of the land many are the princes thereof but a man of understanding and knowledge the state thereof shall be prolonged look at look at that first part of that verse it says that that these wicked unsaved people it says these people you know what it says many the princes thereof you know what that means it means they'll need many rulers they'll need many rules it's like they're going to need a really intrusive governmental system to take control of them is what that means but then you know what confuses me though is you see saved people acting the same way that's what confuses me today you say you say how is it possible how is it possible for a saved person how is it possible for a saved person to flee when no one's chasing them how is it possible for a saved person to be afraid of everything well we're talking about the shield of faith here it's because their shield is like that big that's why their shield is like a lego guy shield where's your shield of faith that's why they're afraid of everybody and everything and everyone that's why look today we are talking about easter we are talking about this victory that we have in christ it's it's a great victory look there's churches named this there's ministries named this victory in jesus you hear it all the time it's it's a it's a good name but what i'm trying to get you to understand is that most people are only going to realize half this victory most people are going to you know they'll grab that salvation they'll grab that salvation and then that's it they're good that they got that first victory and they're good turn to second timothy chapter four but they will not achieve that victory that jesus told them that they would have to fight for that he prepared them for that he even said you know what i already defeated these people he said i defeated these people already i spoiled them i defeated them already here's all the weapons that i give to you i'm going to give you this sword of the spirit we have it it's right here i mean we have the word of god we have the sword of the spirit we have the shield of faith which is you know i guess what we make of it and we have you know this command which is the gospel that is shot on our feet but nobody's walking anywhere because no one you know look at you know i'm glad that paul wasn't this way turn to second timothy chapter four turn to second timothy chapter four this is what it's like when you've had the second victory right here this is what you'll say when you've had the second victory if you ever get to the second victory you'll be able to say this you say how do i know how will i know well if you could say this if you go outside and you get in your life ended right now but you could say this then you've had the second victory look at second timothy chapter four and verse six for i am now ready to be offered see i believe paul was killed that's my opinion the bible doesn't say i believe that he was killed i believe that he was executed and i believe that when he wrote this he knew this was coming that's what i believe about paul now look at verse six for i am now ready to be offered and the time of my departure is at hand i mean he obviously didn't have heart disease or something you know i mean he knew he was going to die when he wrote this i have fought a good fight i have finished my course i have kept the faith henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the lord the righteous judge shall give me at that day and not to me only but unto all them that also love his appearing so look he knew that his end was coming but at that point at that point when he wrote this and he knew that his end was coming whether it be tomorrow or the next day or whenever that was scheduled to happen he knew that he won that victory already he knew that he had run he knew that he had run hard his feet were shod and he ran hard with that gospel of peace and you know what he carried a huge shield of faith paul i mean he had a shield of faith turn to acts 21 he carried it through thick and thin now look if you can't handle what's happening now without folding like a deck of cards i mean what in the world why do you think we have these examples in the bible you have no chance of gaining this victory if you can't handle this look there's a spectrum here folks and paul paul is the extreme end of the spectrum look at acts 21 look at verse 11 acts 21 paul was going to go to jerusalem and they're like they're going to kill you there they're going to imprison you there and when he was come out unto us he took paul's girdle and bound his own hands and feet and says thus saith the holy ghost so shall the jews at jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle it was paul's and shall deliver him into the hands of the gentiles and when he heard these things both we and they of that place besought him not to go up to jerusalem everyone's begging him not to go don't go don't go to jerusalem they're gonna they're gonna arrest you they're gonna put you in jail there they want you dead they want you dead verse 14 or verse 13 then paul answered okay i'll stay here thank you for warning me then paul answered what mean ye to weep and to break mine heart for i am ready not to be bound only but also to die at jerusalem for the name of the lord jesus and when he would not be persuaded we cease saying the will of the lord be done that's what they should have said at the beginning look look this victory look the victory is is ours to be had folks this second victory and paul knew you know what paul knew and i don't understand why christians today don't know this but paul knew god was on the throne i mean is god not on the throne or what is god still on the throne was it only here has god left the throne is god on a sabbatical god's on the throne i mean his will be done i mean the other side other side of the spectrum is you know so you got paul huge shield of faith god's will be done they're going to kill you god's will be done they're going to put you in prison he's like maybe they're going to kill me too god's will be done they did kill him they did kill him the other side of that spectrum is the anything to stay alive theory anything to live one more day anything for me to figure out a way to get one more minute out of my life look i am glad that the folks spreading the gospel for the last two thousand years have not had this theory i am glad that the folks who've been taking the gospel of jesus christ throughout europe throughout catholic you know dark ages throughout all these different you know points in history to the point of death horrible death that they did not have this anything to stay alive theory i'm glad that they had a huge massive shield of faith otherwise you know what maybe i wouldn't be holding this right now think of the danger turn to second corinthians chapter 11 go back there second corinthians chapter 11 just think of the danger and it wasn't only you know threat of danger it was actually physical harm coming to these people i mean paul went through many physical torments in his ministries in his missionary journeys look at second corinthians chapter 11 in verse number 23 the bible says are they ministers of christ i speak as a fool i am more boy he's arrogant he's arrogant in labors more abundant in stripes above measure in prisons more frequent in deaths off you know it's one of these things to to be a good leader you should never lead folks into situations that you would never be able to do you would never be willing to do yourself it doesn't work it's bad leadership if you're trying to lead people down a path and you know you just never would go and do those things like look if i've done all the worst jobs at this church look i've done way worse jobs at this church and any of you will ever do but i i that that's how you lead you do the worst and you show people that you're willing to do the worst and then people follow you that's how it works look at paul look at paul people are like oh you know they're gonna beat us up if we go to jerusalem they're gonna beat us up if we preach the gospel we preach the gospel they might they might uh throw us in prison he's like that's what he's saying here he's saying look he's like in prisons i've been in prisons more times than you'll ever be in prison in deaths off he's like i've been my life has been threatened more times than your life will ever be threatened of the jews five times then he gets into detail of the jews five times received by 40 stripes save one can you imagine that 39 stripes across your back five times there's 196 stripes 195 stripes anyone have a calculator thrice was i beaten with rods once i was stoned remember that one they thought he was actually dead i mean when you get stoned to the point where they think you're dead you've been hitting you've been hit with a few rocks at that point i mean i saw thrice three times i suffered shipwreck a night and day i've been in the deep in journeyings often in perils of waters in perils of robbers in perils of my own countrymen everybody has turned on me my own people that i thought were with me turned on me he's like people have robbed me in perils by the heathen in perils in the city in perils in the wilderness in perils in the sea in perils among false brethren in weariness and painfulness in watchings often that reminds me of you know stories you know you hear about like you know soldiers who have been to war especially like the vietnam war they're just constantly you know they were constantly in worry about being killed that's what he's talking in watchings offed you never knew who was going to come and try to get you that's why that war was so hard on people because they were there was so many days and and and weeks that the average soldier in vietnam was constantly under threat of attack by everybody but that's what paul's saying in watchings off he's like i'm just like he's sleeping with one eye open in hunger and thirst fastings often in cold and nakedness he's like there's no comfort there was no comfort i was it was constantly it was constant turmoil beside those things that are without that which cometh upon me daily the care of all the churches that's how paul could reach the end of his life and say i have fought a good fight because nothing stopped him nothing stopped him look not many people will attain that under that kind of threat that kind of pressure that kind of physical torture not many people will ever attain that because people today will fold at the slightest thought of anyone maybe possibly chasing them and they will fold before that even happens look i mean the problem is we see way too many christians on the stay alive forever end of the spectrum they'll have no chance at fighting the good fight because you know they're fighting nothing they're fighting nothing i mean my theory is this here's my theory i'd like to give god a reason to keep me around you know what i'm saying i mean god's looking down on me he's looking down on you and i'd like to have you know whatever dangers that we're in this is just my thoughts take it or leave it you know whatever dangers we're in if we just keep doing what we're supposed to do look it's really easy right we don't have to make all these decisions should we or shouldn't we what about now you know no just do what you're supposed to do and then when god looks down because guess what god is on the throne guess what god is still in control god can god can let me live another 40 years or another five minutes it's totally up to him it's totally up to him if god kills me tomorrow he obviously didn't want me running this ministry here and you know what if that happens and he didn't want that god's on the throne who am i who am i but you know what i'd like to do personally i'd like to get out there i'd like to take my shield however big it is i'd like to put that the gospel on my feet i'd like to take it as far as i can go with it in my life and you know maybe god looks down on me and maybe god looks down on you and he's like you know maybe i'll keep that guy around for another year how's that for a theory instead of this try to control everything yourself you know i used to be that type of person i used to be this type of person i had everything figured out when i was 28 years old i had everything figured out folks i had the business figured out i had the jobs figured out i had it all figured out look i had nothing figured out our plans are nothing we need to get on god's program and just have faith you know the faith is the faith is that just get on god's program and just take those defensive measures and take that shield and put that gospel on your feet get on god's program and just have that faith that god's on the throne does that take a lot of faith to think that god's on the throne is a saved person we're talking about saved people for a saved person to think you know what god is in control of my life man is that is that a leap what in the world that's what that's what you have to have that's your shield the spiritual victory is yours if you're saved that's a free gift it's a free gift and and you know what we're going to celebrate that today we're going to celebrate that free gift that was accomplished by the resurrection of our lord jesus christ we're going to celebrate that but the victorious christian life there's one to shoot for and let me just give you one more thought you say i've never heard of this this doctrine of the second victory well here's the thing here's another beauty of the design of the gospel and let me just leave you with this the victory that you have in christ whether or not that first victory that you have folks look other people's first victory will depend on whether or not you get your second does that make sense whether or not people hear the gospel is up to you it's up to us it's been that ministry was laid in our charge to go out and tell people the truth so they can now have the helmet of salvation this ministry was put on the the saved people on this earth your first victory and you're carrying out your victorious christian life or not and this is a sad thing most people will not most people will not which means many people will not get the first victory and they will not end up getting saved yes it will matter for people's eternal destination whether or not you what whatever side of the spectrum you're on will depend on how many people get that first victory that we celebrate today on easter remember what you were given folks remember the resurrection today remember what you were given and str I mean strive strive to to give back and be a prophet to others so others can get that first victory let's bow our heads and have a word of prayer