Flee Youthful Lusts

[0:00] Thank you for choosing to listen to today's message by Rev. Dr. David Entry. We know you will be blessed as you seek and serve God. We believe that this message will stir up a desire for more of God even as you listen.

[0:14] Be blessed. Let's pray. Father, thank you for the opportunity to gather around your word. Holy Spirit, reveal Jesus to us. Teach us your word. No one can teach us your word but you.

[0:27] Thank you for the power of your word. That saves, that convicts, that inspires, that heals, that gives hope. In Jesus' name. Amen.

[0:38] Hallelujah. Flee youthful lust. Flee youthful lust. 2 Timothy 2, verse 22. Flee also youthful lust, but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

[0:56] I read it again. Flee also youthful lusts. But follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. One of the characteristics of the early church and Christians in the early church that they called on the name of the Lord.

[1:10] So calling on the name of the Lord is a sign that there is a Christian there. It's throughout the New Testament. You could see Paul was going around killing those who were calling on the name of the Lord. Paul said, I write this thing to the Corinthians, to the saints that are in Corinth and to everywhere, all those who call on the name of the Lord.

[1:27] And then when he was finishing his letter to Timothy, he told Timothy to pursue righteousness, faith, peace, love and peace with those who call on the name of the Lord.

[1:40] Hallelujah. Out of a pure heart. So he said, flee youthful lusts. Before you pursue, flee youthful lusts. Now, what do we mean by youthful lusts?

[1:52] Lust. Lust is the internal inclinations of a person that produces ungodly works or that causes us to do things that are different from what God wants.

[2:06] Okay. So lust is not just when we say lust. Most people usually think it just mean sexual desires. No. Lust is not just sexual desires.

[2:17] Lust is anything from within a person. Okay. It's not necessarily from outside. It's from within you. That is an inclination.

[2:27] It's a desire. It's a strong desire from within you, which when carried out results in ungodliness or results in what does not project and promote the purpose of God.

[2:41] All right. So lust. We all have lusts. Lust. Because lust is in the flesh. It's called lust of the flesh. The Bible says that in Galatians 5.16.

[2:54] Walk in the spirit and watch this. And you will not fulfill the desires of the flesh. The lust of the flesh. The flesh has got its lust. As I told you, I taught it the other time.

[3:05] The flesh is original us in Adam. Outside of God and God's purpose. Okay. So anything that is outside of God and this us in our new manness is the flesh.

[3:18] And the flesh has been polluted by sin that checks into the flesh. He said, in me. That is in my. Romans chapter 7 verse 17 or 19.

[3:30] He said, in me. That is in my flesh. Nothing good dwells. So the flesh has not got anything good to offer. In Romans chapter 8 verse 8.

[3:41] He says that those that are in the flesh cannot please God. That's a very strong statement. Isn't that interesting? He said, he who. Romans 8 is that. So then they that are in the flesh cannot.

[3:55] Like there's no way you can please God in the flesh. Because the flesh has lusts. And the lusts of the flesh are always contrary. According to Galatians chapter 5 verse 17.

[4:08] He says the flesh lusts against the spirit. When you are born again, your spirit is renewed. You have a spirit that is connected to God. Which is, let me use this word.

[4:19] Indwelt by God. So when you are born again. Another word for born again is redeemed. Another word for born again is regenerated. Okay. When you are regenerated.

[4:29] That means that you have been given a new life in Christ. When you are regenerated. Your spirit is indwelt. By the spirit of God.

[4:40] So the indwelling spirit of God. Becomes one with your spirit. And you are supposed to live your Christian life from your spirit. But the flesh lusts against the spirit.

[4:54] Galatians chapter 5 verse 17. It says that for the flesh lusts against the spirit. And the spirit against the flesh. The spirit does not lust. But the spirit's work is always against the flesh.

[5:06] They are always in opposition. So if you are in the flesh. There's no way you can honor God. Because God only operates from your spirit. Through your spirit. So when you are in the spirit.

[5:17] That's when you can do the things of God. You can be godly. You can praise God. Or you can honor God. So it says that the flesh lusts against the spirit. The spirit against the flesh. And these are contrary one to another.

[5:29] So that you cannot do the things that you would. They are contrary. Contrary. So you can. If you are born again. There's no way you can sin comfortably. And you are sinning and you are sinning. That means maybe you have not repented. You are not born again.

[5:40] But if you are born again. Bible says that he who is born of God. Does not sin. Because the seed of God. First John chapter 3 verse 8 to 10. Because the seed of God is in him. He cannot sin.

[5:51] He just can't sin. Normally and then feel okay. The seed of God is in you. And because of that. There is always. When you are doing what is of the flesh. You are very uncomfortable.

[6:02] Because watch this. Even though physically. In the physical. It looks natural for you. Really. Because of who you are becoming. The spirit. It is unnatural. To sin comfortably. Because your spirit man.

[6:13] Has the life of God. Galatians chapter 4 verse 5. It says that. God has sent forth the spirit of his son. Into our hearts. Which cries. Abba father. So we. We have the spirit of sonship.

[6:25] Spirit of adoption. Romans chapter 8 verse 15. The spirit of adoption. It's not a spirit of bondage. But we have the spirit of adoption. That cries. Abba father. It actually moves us towards God.

[6:36] So when you are born again. There is this upward drive. That's when you can say. You are a God seeker. You follow after God. Because the seed of God is in you. And that's what draws you towards God.

[6:46] A regenerated heart. Is indwelt. By the Holy Spirit. Or a regenerated spirit. So when we become regenerated. The spirit of God. It dwells our spirit. And because of that.

[6:57] Now. The flesh. Will always have. You can't sin comfortably. Because why? There is something new in you. Something on your inner man. Something on your. Your. Your inside.

[7:08] Is working on your outside. That's why. You used to do some things comfortably. You know. Sin and. Comfort. Before you became born again. But after you became born. You just feel uncomfortable. Unless.

[7:19] You continue. And subdue. Your conscience. And keep doing it. And then now. It becomes. You. Your conscience. Is seared. So it's like. And you become. Desensitized. Even though you are born again.

[7:30] Now. You've messed up. And you are gone. You are off. That's why you are fornicating. Doesn't. You don't. It doesn't feel. Bad. You're okay now. You actually plan for it. You invite. And let's. Come on.

[7:40] Because. You were born again. But now you are off. You are off. You are backslided. Your spirit has become. Desensitized. You can't even hear. When God is. Is numb. You are. It's like.

[7:51] You have an anesthetized. Towards God. You have been deadened. Towards God. Even though. You still have the seed of God. In you. It has been so squashed.

[8:01] And so suppressed. That even when it's. Hello. Hello. It can't speak to you. All right. So. When we talk about. Lust of the flesh. That's.

[8:12] The products. The natural. Inclinations. The natural. Incline. Being. The natural. Inclines. Okay. Or inclinations. Of.

[8:23] Yourself. Outside of God. So if you allow you. To be. I want to be me. I want to be me. You only have you. You have you. And you know. Being you. Is not godly.

[8:34] Being you. Is not sweet. Being you. What have you got. In my. What have I got. In me. That can be a blessing. To people. It's from my spirit.

[8:44] Outflow of my spirit. That I can be a blessing. To people. So every Christian. Has to strive. To walk in the spirit. Other than that. The flesh. Will let you down. So. When we talk about.

[8:55] Flee. Youthful lust. We are talking about. The lust. So lust. Is not just. And everybody. Has gone lust. Everybody. Why? Because you are alive. And you have flesh. If you have flesh.

[9:05] That means you have lust. Don't mind those people. Who say. Why are you born again? Your flesh doesn't work again. They don't. They are not born again. That's why. But those of you. Who know. If you are born. You are born again. Your spirit loves God so much.

[9:16] But every now and day. You can tell that. There is this thing. Tendency. In you. To break God's law. To go away from God's purpose. To be derailed. Or to. To do things. That does not bring glory to God.

[9:27] That's why. Constantly. The Bible says that. Paul said. I die daily. Philippe. First Corinthians chapter 50. Verse 31. I die daily. In Galatians chapter. Watch this. Galatians chapter 5.

[9:39] Verse 16. It says. Walk in the spirit. And you will not fulfill the desires of the flesh. Because the flesh has its own desires. But Galatians chapter 5. Verse 24. It says that. Galatians 5. Verse 24. It says that.

[9:50] And that Christ. Have crucified the flesh. With its affections. And the lusts. The flesh has God. Because its last and affection. But if you belong to Christ.

[10:01] That means you have crucified it. And you have to keep it crucified. Stay on the cross. Rather than that. It will every now and then pop in. To interfere with your work. So. The flesh. The flesh has last.

[10:12] This is how I post it. In 1 John chapter 2. Verse 16. 1 John 2. 16. When it talks about. From verse 15. It talks about. Do not love the world. And all that are in the world.

[10:23] That's interesting. 1 John chapter 2. Verse 16. See how I post it. For all that are in the world. What are in the world. The lust of the flesh. For all that are in the world. The lust of the flesh. The lust of the pride of life.

[10:34] These are the things that are in the world. It's the lust of the flesh. So then. If you do not sort out. The lust of the flesh. You cannot please God. You cannot please God. And so.

[10:45] We can see from scripture. That. They that are in the flesh. Cannot please God. God. And if you stay in the flesh. That means that. You are going to. Severely.

[10:56] Disappoint yourself. And. You are left to. What your. Physical self can do. And. You won't be able to glorify God. The Bible says that. You have been. Bought with price.

[11:07] 1 Corinthians chapter 6. Verse 20. You have been bought with price. So. Therefore glorify God. In your members. In your members. So. And then. In James chapter.

[11:18] 1. Verse. Verse. 12. Blessed is the man that endures temptation. For when he is tried. He shall receive the crown of life. Which the Lord.

[11:29] Which the Lord has promised to them that love him. Watch this. Verse 13. Let no man say. When he is tempted. I am tempted of God. For God cannot tempt you with evil.

[11:40] God cannot be tempted with evil. Neither tempted. Tempted. He any man. Now here. He is talking about. God will not bring. Try and make you do wrong. Try and make you sin.

[11:51] No. When you are feeling like. I feel like sinning. I feel like doing this thing. Oh. It is not God. It is not God. Don't say God is tempting me. God is not tempting you. God can test your faith.

[12:01] Abraham was tested. God. When you go through trial. It can be testing of your faith. But temptation is not of God. Temptation is from the evil one. It is to make you fall off. It is to make you break the law of God.

[12:13] God will not try to make you break his law. All right. So he says that. So when you are. Something is this. There is internal pressures to break the law of God. So don't say it is God who is making it.

[12:23] God does not tempt anyone. He cannot be tempted with evil. Neither does he tempt anyone. So then pastor. Where is he coming from? I am born again. Where is this thing coming from? But verse 14. But every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and entice.

[12:37] So you have your lust. I have my lust. That brother has his lust. That sister has his lust. Even though they are born again. We are born again. You have your lust. And temptation comes when it is not initially from outside.

[12:48] The problem is not just outside. The problem is there is an ally of the world inside you. That is why you have to be careful what you develop in you. Because if you develop the worldliness.

[13:00] That is why I have a problem. When Christianity or church folks. Or a church is organized to look worldly. Or to fund the things of the world. Sometimes. Especially our type of churches.

[13:13] The charismatic churches. Can be so materialistic. So it is all about what you are wearing. What brand.

[13:24] What car. Where you live. What job. All these things might be good. They might not be bad in themselves. But any slight emphasis on them. Can create the ground.

[13:34] For the flesh to fulfill. Because before you became born again. Those things have always been the things you like. That is what has put you into trouble. You have always liked money. Now you come to church. The pastor is always preaching. Money, money, money, money.

[13:46] Get money. This is how you are going to. So actually. It is so natural. It is the natural inclinations of the unregenerated. The natural inclinations and desires of the fallen man. It is actually what. If we are not careful.

[13:57] In our kind of churches. That is what we might be constantly offering. And Christ gets silenced. Or muted. Or eclipsed. And every time. It is always. It can end up being materialistic move.

[14:09] A move of materialism. That is what creates the platform for the flesh to fulfill his desires. Romans chapter 13 verse 14 says that. Put on Christ. Put on Christ.

[14:20] When people see you, they must see you are wearing Christ. Hallelujah. Put on Christ. And it says. And make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its last thereof. Or is this.

[14:30] The flesh is ready. So don't create opportunity. The way you've gone to sit alone with this lady. In the dark. In your car. Why are you trying to teach someone how to speak in tongues?

[14:42] At night. In the car. With you alone. Only you. Such a nice lady. Young man. Nice man. You are in the car. At night. Midnight. Straight. Teaching somebody how.

[14:53] Doing Bible studies. With the lady you're not married to. Oh come on. Don't. Maybe your intentions are right. But don't make room for the flesh to fulfill its desires. Don't make room.

[15:03] There are some parties when you attend. You are making room for the flesh to fulfill its desires. There are some things. Some movies when you start watching and giving yourself to it. You are making room for the flesh to fulfill its desires.

[15:15] There are some places when you go. You are making room for the flesh to fulfill its desires. There are some friends when you hang around. You are making room for the flesh. The flesh is trying. He's trying to find a way to come out and do what he wants.

[15:28] But because you are spiritual. You are born again. Your spirit. You are living by your spirit. If you allow the flesh to fulfill its desires. Ephesians chapter 4 verse 27. Give no footstool to the devil.

[15:40] Don't give him a place to put his feet. He will take over. So do not make. Church guys. Let us not make room for the flesh to fulfill its desires. Even the way we conduct ourselves.

[15:51] The way we handle our relationship. The way we dress. The way we present ourselves. Why are we making room for the flesh to fulfill its desires? Oh, you can't talk about that.

[16:03] It's just the person. Yes. You have provoked the flesh to fulfill its desires. Sister, stay away from that guy. Because you know you have a serious crash on him. You know it. Why are you still on the phone with him late at night?

[16:15] It's going to affect you. Bro, bro. I know you want to go for evangelism. Look for some, another sister to go out for this evangelism. This sister, you can tell. Now you are getting so weak. You are breaking down.

[16:25] Don't make room for. Your intentions are genuine. But you are making room for the flesh to fulfill its desires. And sister will take advantage of that and hurt you. Do not make room for the flesh to fulfill its desires.

[16:36] Some people say, oh, hey, me, I don't. It doesn't matter. Whatever I can do. It's not about it being, it matters or not. But you know you are making room for the flesh to fulfill its desires. So it says, let's make no room for the flesh to fulfill its desires.

[16:50] Let's look at the flesh still. Romans. So it said, don't say God is tempting you. The temptation is coming from inside you. The temptation that you are struggling with or that is bothering you is coming from inside of you.

[17:02] 1 Peter. 1 Peter 2, verse 11. It says that, Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lust.

[17:13] Did you see that? See? Abstain from fleshly lust. Abstain from fleshly lust. Abstain. Now, abstain us. Abstain us. It said abstain from fleshly lust.

[17:25] This lust is fleshly. It is creating the room for the flesh to fulfill its lust. Abstain from fleshly lust. Or abstain from letting the flesh do what it wants to. Sometimes you know that this conversation you are engaging yourself in, it will fuel your pain and your anger and your unforgiveness against this person.

[17:43] So sometimes you don't want to hear some things because it will let them. Because already you are struggling with bitterness. You are struggling with unforgiveness. And Christ has healed you. Or you are still in healing process. Why do you let this person come and talk to you about what they are saying about you?

[17:56] What they said? It will make you very angry and bitter against that person again. Against that sister of yours. That brother of yours. That person you don't want to harbor pain against. Don't hear some things.

[18:06] Don't hear some things. Because you are making room for the flesh to fulfill its desires. It's serious. 1 Peter 2 says, Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims.

[18:17] Abstain from fleshly lust. Which war against your soul? Listen, there is this rebels. You know, in the army. There are some rebels who are fighting main army. Yeah. Rebels inside you. Gorilla.

[18:28] Gorilla. You are in a gorilla warfare. There are gorillas inside you. Warring against your soul. That's where the struggle comes from. That's where the struggle comes from. Remember Romans chapter 7.

[18:40] Romans chapter 7 verse 19 to 23. Look at it. We know it already, but let's read it. It says that, For the good that I would do, the good that I would, I do not. But the evil which I would not, that I do.

[18:52] Now, if I do that which I would, I would not. It is no longer I that do it. But sin that dwells in me. That is the flesh. Sin living in the flesh. It lives in the flesh.

[19:03] Because look at verse 70. As I told you, Eliam verse 18 rather. It says that, For I know that in me, that is in my flesh, dwelleth nothing good. So the flesh, that's where the sin dwells. Sin dwells in the flesh.

[19:15] For the will is present with me, but how to perform what, that which is good, I cannot find. All right. So in my flesh. So it says that to, for verse 20 again. Now, if I do that, I would not.

[19:27] It is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells in me. I find then a law, a law that when I will do good, evil is present with me. That's the law. There's always, look at verse 23.

[19:38] But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin, which is in my members.

[19:49] So your members, that is talking about your natural self. Your members means that your body parts. Okay. Your human nature. Every aspect has different faculties of a human nature.

[20:00] It said sin lives in my members. Let me read it again. It says that, but I see another law in my members. Yes. So some of the things that sometimes your fingers want to go and hold and handle.

[20:11] Some of the things that your lips want to, your mouth want to eat. Some of the things that your eyes want to, these are all your members. And sin dwells in your members. And there's a law in your members that is fighting against the law of your mind.

[20:25] In your mind, you want to do what is right. But in your members, there's another law that is fighting against the law of your mind and bringing you under the law of sin. It's inside you.

[20:36] And so lust is already resident from Adam. Everybody is born with lust and you will die with lust. I didn't say you will die in lust, but with it. It stays with you because the flesh, as I keep saying, God never saved the flesh.

[20:49] Christ never died to save the flesh. He doesn't intend to save the flesh. The flesh is not redeemable. And so as long as you live in the body, the flesh will always fight against the spirit until you die.

[21:01] Once you are out of this body, you are free from the flesh. Okay. You are free. But when you are in Christ, even though the flesh is fighting, you have now your spirit is alive to be able to subdue the flesh and walk in the spirit.

[21:13] So you are able to handle it. But if you are not in Christ, you are not able to deal with the flesh. You don't have what it takes. You are a permanent slave to the flesh if you are not in Christ. But those of us in Christ, Bible says that the old man, Romans chapter 6, verse 6, the old man is dead.

[21:31] The old man, it says that now, sorry, knowing this, that the old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should no longer serve sin.

[21:44] But if you are not in Christ, the old man has not been crucified and the body of sin is not destroyed. So you end up serving sin. But pastor, okay, if the body of sin is destroyed, why am I still, you have to keep, you have to stay on the cross.

[21:58] So keep the crucifixion act exact. Now apply it. You have already been crucified in Christ, but now your job is to apply the crucifixion, stay on the cross, crucify, it says that, carry your cross so that the flesh will stay, the old man will stay crucified.

[22:13] The old man. Everyone has an old man. Yeah, I know you are a woman, but you have an old man. The old man is your old nature in Christ. Anyone who is not in Christ doesn't have an old nature. It's just all there is, is you.

[22:24] And you are, you are old, you're old you. But if any man be in Christ, hallelujah. Second Corinthians chapter five and 17 is a new creation. Praise God. So now I've taken my time to establish the fact that last, everyone has last.

[22:37] And when we talk about youthful last, youthful means youthfulness means strength. So there are some areas in your life where the strength, you have the strength, the body has the strength to fulfill a certain desire.

[22:48] There are, when you get to a certain age, there are certain aspects of your life that you don't have time for. You don't have strength for. You don't even can't do it. All right. You don't have the strength for it. So when we talk about youthful, it's not about young people, but it's talking about wherever there is strength to carry out the desires of the flesh.

[23:04] The flesh is always looking for where it can fulfill its desire. So you can be a 90 year old man and the flesh is trying to see where strength or where desire is still active so it can manifest through that area.

[23:15] So the youthful last means where there is strength. So the stronger the strength, the stronger the last. So when you are young and everything is strong in you, that means that that is why certain temptations are so high when you are young because you are fully, full fledged strength, strengthened person.

[23:32] Now, watch this. So if you, there are people who are born again, but they are living in the flesh, walking in the flesh, they can't please go. And there's a way you can be walking in the flesh and thinking that you are still spiritual.

[23:43] You are not spiritual. You are actually living a phantomic spirituality. It's a phantomic spirituality. It's a, I heard Bishop Daxi, phantom spiritual life. Phantom.

[23:54] You are a phantom of what you are. Phantom is something that is not real. It looks like it's a real one, but it's not real. So it looks like you look spiritual. But when you look at what is going on in your personal private life, you are a phantom, phantomic spirituality.

[24:11] Phantomic spirituality. Another way to put it is a hypocrite. In Matthew chapter 6 verse 5, he said, when you pray, don't do it like the hypocrites do. Jesus used to always talk one against hypocrisy.

[24:23] Don't do it like the hypocrites do. In Matthew chapter 7 verse 5, he said, you hypocrites, remove the lock, the beam that is in your eyes so you can see clearly to go and sort somebody else out.

[24:34] You haven't sorted out your own and you're always thinking about others. How about you? The things that are dealing inside, you are here, you have covered and you are practicing privately. Lust is so private. You can stay in lust for a long time, be walking in lust and even be doing praise and worship and still be walking in lust.

[24:49] You can be walking in lust and be preaching and still walking in lust because no one sees it. It's internal. It's very highly privatized. That is what makes people have this phantom spirituality because phantomic spirituality because it looks like they are spiritual.

[25:04] But really, spirituality is also from the inside. Lust is also from the inside. So you can be engaging in spiritual activities and actually not being spiritual. So Jesus said, hypocrites in Matthew 23, verse 13, he said, you hypocrites.

[25:20] Verse 14, you hypocrites. Verse 15, you hypocrites. Verse 23, you hypocrites. Verse 25, you hypocrites. Verse 27, you hypocrites. Verse 29, you hypocrites. He kept warning them, you hypocrites.

[25:32] You hypocrites. You hypocrites. So if you are not careful, even though you are born again, you can be living a phantom Christian life, a phantom spiritual life, which makes you a hypocrite.

[25:44] And so in 1 Peter chapter 1, chapter 2, verse 1, he said, lay aside all manliness and hypocrisy. All hypocrisy. You have to lay. If you don't do it, you'll be a phantom spiritual person.

[25:58] Your spirituality will be phantom. You'll be a phantom spiritual man. It's a phantom. Lay aside. It says, it tells us in the scriptures, James chapter 1, sorry, 1 Peter chapter 2, verse 1.

[26:11] It said, therefore, lay aside. 1 Peter chapter 2, verse 1. Let me read it. It's good to read it. Wherefore, laying aside all manliness and all guile and hypocrisy and envy.

[26:25] Hypocrisy are things. Envy. You have to lay envy aside. Guile. You have to lay it aside. Malice. You have to. But here, I want to focus on hypocrisy. If you don't lay aside hypocrisy, you can't have a thriving spiritual work and a godly life.

[26:39] Lay aside hypocrisy. Beware of hypocrisy. So he said, flee youthful lust. 2 Timothy chapter 2, verse 22. Flee youthful lust. Flee youthful lust.

[26:51] Flee youthful lust. Lust. Lust. Lust is internal inclinations. Internal drive. Which, when carried out, produces ungodliness.

[27:03] Lust is an internal drive. An internal inclinations. Which, when carried out, produces ungodliness. Sometimes it doesn't have to be physically acted on. But when it's entertained and accepted, it produces ungodliness.

[27:16] That's why Jesus said you don't have to commit the sin. Once you look and decide, it's already done. Lust. Okay. So now, when we say, the Bible says that flee youthful lust.

[27:26] How do you deal with this? How do you flee youthful lust? I think it's very important. Number one, how to flee youthful lust so you don't end up being a phantom, having a phantom spirituality.

[27:40] Number one, or four points, just four points. First one is feed. Second one is flee. Third one is follow. Fourth one is fellowship. Flee, feed, follow, fellowship.

[27:53] So feed, flee, follow, fellowship. Feed, flee, follow, fellowship. Flee or feed. As I said earlier on, you can only do, you have to live the Christian life from your inner man.

[28:08] If you don't draw from, Bible says, when we turn to the Lord, you have to turn to your spirit. You cannot live a Christian life properly, effectively, other than that you are only phantomically.

[28:19] All right. So you have to turn to your spirit. The thing is the spiritual life. John chapter four, verse 24. The Bible says, God is a spirit. And there that worshiping must do what? It must be your spirit.

[28:30] So if your spirit is weak, you are in trouble. How can you walk in a spirit that is weak? How can you walk in a spirit when you are not able to? In Ephesians chapter three, I think verse 16, Paul said that, I pray that God will strengthen you with man, with might, by spirit in your inner man.

[28:46] So it's an inner issue. So your inner man, which is called also your spirit man, must be strengthened. You have to feed your inner man because you can't please God.

[28:56] You can't serve God. Bible talks, Romans chapter 12. Being fervent in the spirit, serving the Lord. You only do it in the spirit. Being fervent in the spirit. Romans chapter 12, verse 11. Revelation chapter, chapter one, verse 10.

[29:10] I was in the spirit. Four, verse one. I was in the spirit. You have to be in the spirit. 70, verse three. You carried me in the spirit. 20, verse 10. Revelation 20. I was in the spirit. So you have to be in the spirit to be able to have interactions.

[29:22] It says that I went up by revelation. It is a spiritual thing. I was in the spirit. Paul, Romans chapter one, verse nine. He said, I thank God who of my fathers, who I serve with my spirit.

[29:35] You can only serve God with your spirit. So in order to do well and not be a hypocrite, first of all, don't focus on what you have to sort out. The things you have to stop doing, the things you don't have to do, the last you don't have to fill.

[29:47] Don't focus on that, bro. Don't focus on the last first. Focus on your spirit first. Hallelujah. Because the strength comes from your inner man, from the spirit. So focus on building up yourself in the most holy faith.

[30:01] Building up yourself. Build your spirit man. Develop your spirit man. Hit the spiritual gym. It's called gymnasium. Hit the spiritual. Exercise yourself unto godliness.

[30:13] The more you do some exercises naturally or automatically, godliness begins to generate and be produced in your life. That means that the flesh is subdued. It says that exercise, bodily exercise, prophesies.

[30:25] Second Timothy chapter four, verse seven and eight. Verse seven and eight. Bodily exercise, prophesies by little. But spirit, godliness is if profitable to all things. So godliness.

[30:36] That's when you say bodily exercise. That means godly exercise. You have to exercise yourself unto godliness. It said exercise yourself unto godliness. Exercise yourself.

[30:47] Exercise. So you put, engage in some things that will make your spirit man become strong and very maturistic or strengthened. When your spirit man is strengthened, you can walk in the spirit easily.

[30:59] You are, pastor, why am I struggling with this? Why am I struggling because your spirit is so weak? It's because of your spirit is so emaciated. Your spirit is so weak. So if people see what you are doing, they'll believe that you are a hypocrite.

[31:10] Because actually Satan is convincing you that you are a hypocrite. In your spirit, you are trying to serve god, but your spirit is so weak. So your flesh keeps weaning. You keep walking in the flesh. And no one can please god.

[31:20] Romans 8.8. No one can please god in the flesh. No one can please god in the flesh. You cannot please god in the flesh. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. I see you receiving strength.

[31:30] I see you hitting the spiritual gym, building your spiritual life. Hallelujah. So it says that, so how do you develop your spirit man? How do you? Let me just give you two points.

[31:41] Point A is the word of God. Man must not live by bread alone, but by every word. Why do you eat? To be strengthened, isn't it? You eat for strength. Your soul. It says that the same way, the word of God brings strength to your spirit.

[31:53] So you have to live by the word of God. Matthew 4.4. Man must not live by bread alone, but by every word that you will live by his word. Right. We live. Bible says that he ate and was strengthened.

[32:04] After he had eaten, he was strengthened. I think Paul actually told them, eat something. When you're in a shipwreck, Acts 27, eat something and be strengthened. I think something like that. But when you eat, eating brings you strength.

[32:15] So spiritually, if you want to be strong spiritually, you have to feed. And what do you feed on? On the word of God. Remember Acts chapter 20, verse 28, he said, feed the flock of God. The pastors are responsible to feeding the flock of God.

[32:26] In 1 Peter chapter 5, I think verse 3, he said, feed the flock of God. So the flock of God are meant to be fed. How would you feed with this? Paul, 1 Corinthians chapter 3, verse 1 and 2, he said, brethren, when I came, I could not feed you with meat, but I had to feed you with milk because you are not.

[32:42] When I came to speak to you, let me read it. And I, brethren, could not speak, yeah, could not speak unto you as spiritual, but unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. Verse 2, he said, I have fed you with milk.

[32:54] So he's speaking. How was he feeding them? By speaking. So I'm feeding you as I speak, as I'm teaching the word of God. If it's the wholesome words of God, that's what feeds. So I'm feeding you with God's word.

[33:05] I'm feeding your spirit. That's why you can't afford not to be listening to wholesome preaching. You always have to give yourself to, not the nice things that you want to hear. Hey, God is blessing. Hallelujah. Amen. Those things can be encouraging.

[33:17] It's good. But some, some kind of preaching, they don't even build your spirit. You have to focus on what to build your spirit. So the man of God is feeding you. You are supposed to feed, but you have to take the personal responsibility of listening.

[33:28] Sometimes you have to keep listening. Faith comes by hearing and hearing. Listen to the word of God. And not just that. Read the word of God yourself. Listen, I normally tell people, if you realize that now in this you are getting so tempted, so lastful, you are struggling, it's because you are not spending time with the word of God.

[33:43] Pastor, sometimes read. No, no. Just read it religiously. Okay. Medical. Every day. Have a shadow. Read something. Read something. Keep reading. When you read, what happens is, you see, most of us judge our spirituality with our feelings.

[33:57] Oh, today I feel. I feel. No, there are times you may not feel, but your spirit is actually in a better position. So don't only look for feelings when you read the word of God. Go for the feeding.

[34:08] When you feed, you'll be fine. So feed. That's read the word of God. Just read it. Be patient. Focus. Don't be distracted. Some people say, Pastor, I've been listening to the Bible until it's good, but it's not as effective as actually reading.

[34:19] Okay. So feed. When you go to the word of God, don't look. Don't look for feeling. Look for feeding. Go and feed on God's word. Once your spirit is fed, whether you're a pastor, you're a pope, you're a bishop, you're a newly new believer.

[34:33] If you don't feed, the flesh will have its way. That's why I've been to heard about church leaders who have been caught or have done some things so bad that, you know, this guy's genuine. What happened?

[34:44] He was not feeding. That's why. He wasn't. Sometimes as a pastor, you only read to go and feed people, but you're not feeding. And that's why you can be, you can be vulnerable as a pastor or as a church leader.

[34:55] You must have your own time where you always feed your spirit. So now how do you develop your spirit? Feed on the word of God. Feed on the word of God. It says that putting first Peter again, first Peter chapter two, verse one, laying aside all malice, all guile and hypocrisy and envy.

[35:12] Then verse two says that desire the sincere milk of the word. You see, but when you read the verses before chapter in chapter one, towards the end of chapter one, it talks about how we are born again by the incorruptible seed of God's word.

[35:23] And then verse 25 says that by the word of God that abides forever. Then the next verse, he says that therefore, because this word of God that abides forever is in us, lay aside hypocrisy and all those things, all the things mentioned, and malice, guile, hypocrisy, envy, evil speakings.

[35:40] And then it says that and desire the milk of the word. So go for it. You have to, God can do it for you. You have to go for it. So desire the sincere milk of the word that he may grow thereby.

[35:51] So number one, you have to feed, feed. Psalm 119 verse 11. It says your word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against you.

[36:04] You are, you want to deal with the flesh. You want to deal with the last. Keep loading your, your spirit with God's word on a daily basis. Sometimes not many chapters, just make it regular and consistent.

[36:15] It will keep you safe. It's just like your medication. The more you, if you take it the way the doctors prescribe it, you'll be okay. But if you are not taking it, you are supposed to take twice a day and you are taking it once every two days.

[36:26] It won't work. It won't work properly. Okay. So feed on the word of God consistently. Be on a spiritual diet, on a wet diet. It's better than keto diet and all those other ones.

[36:36] They might be all good in themselves, but this is the ultimate. Okay. So feed on the word. And then it says, Psalm 119 verse 11. That word have I hid in my heart. But look, verse nine. It said, how can a young man cleanse his way?

[36:49] By taking heed to your word. You see. So you want to walk pure, keep your eye on God's word. Number two, prayer. Jesus said in Matthew. So number A on number one, how to feed your spirit.

[37:00] A is the word. B is prayer. Jesus said in Matthew chapter 26 verse 41. Watch and pray that you not fall into temptation. Now, sometimes people can make it sound like pray that.

[37:12] So your prayer topic is that you don't fall into temptation. No, that's not what he's saying. He said, pray so that you will not fall into temptation. So if for the flesh not to be able to fill its desires, someone must be able to give themselves to prayer.

[37:25] In 1 Peter chapter 4 verse 7. 1 Peter chapter 4 verse 7 said, but the end of all things is at hand. Be ye therefore sober and watch unto prayer. After reading your Bible, pray.

[37:35] What I'm talking about is a private, personal private time with God. If you can have a personal private, most of us, your Christian life is just only corporate private, corporate life.

[37:48] So corporate reading your Bible, corporate fasting, corporate praying. But you don't have a personal prayer time. Personal scheduled, you have not even scheduled personal times of fasting and regular personal reading of your word.

[38:00] You only read your Bible when you say, oh, let's turn to Matthew. Don't do it because everybody is doing it. It's good. You have to be part of, oh, when the saints go marching, oh Lord, I want to be in the numbers. However, you must have your, be instant in season and out of season.

[38:15] Have your own personal schedule as well, where you feed, you meet God. Every day, every day, you have a time with God. It's called quiet time. You have a daily time with God.

[38:25] It's a necessity. It's a daily necessity. A personal time. Pastor. Pastor. Pastor. Oh, thank you, Jesus. Pastor. Please. Please. Have a daily time with God.

[38:36] Please. Have a daily. You look like you are powerful. You look like you are so spiritual, but it's a phantom. It's a phantom. Pastor. Look at the way things are struggling in your life. So long as last is constant.

[38:47] Pastor. Church leader. Have a personal daily time with God. That's how you feed your spirit. So feed your spirit. So number one, feed. After you are fed, number two, flee.

[38:59] Flee. It says that flee youthful lust. You see the lust is coming. Romans 13, 14 says that put on Christ and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lust.

[39:09] Every way you can avoid the temptation from being carried out, avoid it. Okay. So flee youthful. Flee youthful lust. In 2 Timothy 2, verse 16, it says that shun.

[39:21] Shun. So sometimes it said shun. Flee. 1 Timothy 6, verse 11, it says that, but thou, O man of God, flee these things. So flee first.

[39:32] So strengthen yourself down when you are strong in the spirit. You are able. Flee. Flee. You are not free until you flee. You are not free until you flee.

[39:44] Flee. Flee to be free. Flee and be free. Feed. When you feed, you can flee and be free. Brother, sister, feed.

[39:57] Feed your spirit to be able to have the strength to flee from sin and from lust. To be free from satanic setbacks.

[40:09] Feed. To flee. To be free. Feed and flee. So sometimes the Bible says shun. Other times in Titus chapter 3, verse 9, it said avoid.

[40:20] It talks about avoid. Avoid foolish questions and genealogies. That's an interesting one. And other times it said turn away from. There are some people you have to turn away from.

[40:31] You know your old guys. Those friends who have been hanging around, they are not a good influence on you. They also say they go to church, but you know they are not a good influence on you. You know that relation with that guy is not a good influence on you. He's not a plus.

[40:42] That's what is causing you. So flee or turn away. In 2 Timothy chapter 3, verse 5, it says that having these people who have a form of godliness but deny its power to help.

[40:54] It says from such turn away. You have to, in order to avoid phantom Christian or spiritual life or spirituality, to avoid phantom spirituality, you have to learn how to turn away from some stuff and from some people.

[41:09] That's what it means to flee. So flee. Flee. Turn away. Avoid. Shun. Shun it. Shun it. You say they bring, oh no, no, this is not for me. God, no, no, no, I don't. I'm not interested.

[41:20] This is not for me. Shun some things. Shun some invitations to go to some places. Some invitations to go to some places. Certain type of raving is not for you anymore. It's not for you. It's not for you. No, it's not for me.

[41:30] No, no, no. No, no. It's not for me. It's not for me. It's not for me. You must learn how to say some things are not for me. This is not for me. This invitation will not work with me. I'm not coming again.

[41:41] That guy who is now beginning to send you texts, your ex, is beginning to send you all kinds of texts. Because, you know, let you know, no, this is not for me. Block him. Block him. Block him. Block him. Block him.

[41:51] Block him. Block her. It will do you good. Block him. Or ask, change your name to don't answer. Don't answer. There are quite a few people who you know when their phone rings.

[42:02] Don't answer. You don't have to know who it is. But because if you delete the number, you might not know the number in package. So, it's better you change the number to don't answer. Number one. Don't answer. Number two. So, when they come, these are all don't answer categories.

[42:15] You don't have to even store their name. You don't know who it is. Just don't. It's a don't answer person. Flee and shun. Shun. Flee. Turn away from. Hallelujah. So, number one, feed.

[42:27] Number two, flee. Number three, follow. No. Let's read it again. The main text. It says that flee youthful lusts. Flee also youthful lusts.

[42:39] 2 Timothy 2 verse 22 says that flee also youthful lusts, but follow righteousness. Follow. I think the New King James says pursue.

[42:49] Let's see if I've opened it already. New King James says that, but pursue. Follow. So, flee youthful lusts, but pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace.

[43:00] Pursue. That means it becomes your focus, your objective. This is what I'm aiming towards. This is what I'm working towards. I'm working towards this. You know, everyone in your life must have something you're working towards.

[43:11] But once you become a believer, you must always, besides other things, maybe your career, your project, and your marriage, and you must be working towards this. So, flee and then pursue.

[43:22] Work towards righteousness. Hallelujah. Work towards love. Work towards peace, faith, and peace. So, righteousness, faith, love, and peace. Work towards these things.

[43:33] Work towards it. Work, pursue. In 1 Timothy chapter 6, again, verse 11, it says flee these things and pursue. Pursue love. Pursue charity.

[43:43] Pursue charity, righteousness, godliness. All right? Pursue these things. Give yourself to it. Focus it. In Philippians chapter 3, verse 12, Paul said that I press. That's what it means to pursue.

[43:54] I press. Or whatever things were gained to me, I count them as lost. And I press. You are pressing towards something. Pursue. Pursue. Make it your focus and work towards it.

[44:05] Paul said I press. 1 Philippians 3, 12. Philippians 3, 14. Again, he says that I press towards the mark of the price of the high calling. I press. I press.

[44:16] Come on. Don't be tired. Press on. Press on. Finish hard. Press on. Press on. Beat your body. He said I bring my body under subjection. And I press on. Press. Press.

[44:27] Press. Follow. Pursue. Hallelujah. So it says follow or pursue. The same way. It means to pursue. It means to follow.

[44:38] It means to focus on. Pursue these things. Hallelujah. So after you flee, don't say, oh, I've now cut ties with all those things. It doesn't help me. It doesn't affect me again.

[44:48] If you don't replace a habit with new, old habits with new habits, you'll go back to the old habits. Those friends that have now finally left your life, you have to replace them with some godly people.

[45:00] Other than that, they'll come back. You can't just be by yourself. You can never pursue God privately, personally, isolatedly. It doesn't work. Jesus sent them two by two.

[45:12] We are made. We are born into a community. So that's why the church is, the church can never be one person. It said, where two or three are gathered in my name? It doesn't say where you go in my name.

[45:23] Where two. It takes two to have a church, to have the body, because we are a corporate body. All of us. Bible says that in Romans chapter, sorry, 1 Corinthians 12, 12. It says that even though we are many, we are one body.

[45:36] We are many but one. So you need to pursue God, pursue righteousness, pursue faith, pursue love, and pursue peace. I don't have time to go into those details.

[45:48] But then watch this. So number one, feed. Number two, flee. Number three, follow. And then number four, fellowship. Okay. That is your company. Who are you pursuing God with?

[46:00] The people you are pursuing God with will determine how your Christian life will turn out to be. Oh, yeah, he's a Christian. No, if you work with weak Christians, you'll be a weak Christian. If you work with weak Christians or phantomic Christians with phantomic spiritual life, you also have phantomic spirituality.

[46:14] Yes. Yes. That's how it is. So you have to pursue God. This is not my idea. Please, please, please. It's not my idea. Look. Verse 22, 2 Timothy chapter 2. Flee also youthful lusts, but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace.

[46:28] Watch this. You can't do it alone. With them, that, you see that, that call on the name of the Lord, out of the pure heart. So you have to do it with some people, but not with everybody. With a certain type of people. That is your company.

[46:40] In 1 Corinthians chapter 15, 1 Corinthians chapter 15 verse 33, it says that evil communication corrupts good manners. Don't be deceived. Evil company corrupts good habits.

[46:52] Don't be deceived. Don't go. I can hang around with anybody and be fine. Don't be deceived. You are living in deception. Don't be deceived. Because evil, let me read it from the Amplified. Amplified says that, do not be so deceived and misled.

[47:06] Evil companionship, communication, associations, corrupt and depraved good manners and morals and character. Just your association is affecting you.

[47:17] But Proverbs chapter 13, 13 verse 20 or so said, he who works with the wise shall be wise, but the companions of fools shall be destroyed. It's not, it's not what you are doing that destroys you, but who you are with. That will determine how long you do well.

[47:29] In Hebrews chapter 14 verse, chapter 12 verse 14, it says that follow holiness. Follow holiness. The things you should be pursuing anyway.

[47:39] But 1 Corinthians chapter 15 verse 33, it says that do not be misled. Bad company corrupts good character. Don't be misled. Don't be deceived. It doesn't matter who you are.

[47:51] It's all about you. If you are strong. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. Bible says don't be misled and don't be deceived. Evil communication. Evil companionship. Evil fellowship.

[48:01] Who are you associating with? So now, it says that, so you have to pursue God with certain type of people. The people you pursue God with matters. That's why I'm about to say something very strong. That's why what church you attend matters.

[48:14] What church? Who your pastor is matters. If your pastor is teaching you worldliness, there's no way you can escape worldliness. Laodicea, Titeria, Church of Laodicea is their pastor. So when Jesus wrote the letter, he said, write it to the angel of the church, to the messenger of the church.

[48:28] Write it to them and let them tell the church. So if your pastor is refusing or is failing to teach you something, they're not teaching you the whole counsel of God. Or there's just materialistic environment.

[48:38] Some churches start to say, we all must be careful we don't create excessively and unduly, fleshly, fleshy, materialistic, worldly environments in our churches.

[48:51] Where people come and rather they become more worldly. Just that we have put a footnote, Christ, in Jesus, we believe in Christ. But really, our environment does not gender and foster godliness.

[49:04] Bible talks about in Jude chapter 1 verse, I think verse 18, it says that these people, they are ungodly. From verse 16, it talks about their ungodly acts in which they have ungodly done, in an ungodly manner, ungodly deeds, and ungodly people.

[49:17] About four times used in one verse, ungodly, ungodly, ungodly, ungodly. And it says that the wrath of God comes on these ungodly people. So we have to be careful that we pursue with some people.

[49:28] And who are we supposed to pursue with? It says that pursue righteousness with all those, with those, pursue righteousness, and pursue with them that call on the name of the Lord out of a pure heart.

[49:42] So some people, some people, you need them more than they need you. You know this guy, if I become a, you have to force to become some people's friends. You have to be friends with some people because the way they pursue righteousness, you want that.

[49:52] So force yourself. Sometimes you pick them, they may not call. You say, can I come around? So I'm busy. Push yourself towards them. You say, well, I may not call. It doesn't mean. You need him. You need that. With the way your spiritual life has become phantomic.

[50:03] You need this, this actual, someone who is, you know, this guy is pursuing Christian life. Pursuing faith, pursuing Godliness, pursuing righteousness, pursuing love, pursuing peace, pursuing holiness, without which no one can see God.

[50:19] You know this guy is pursuing. You have to pursue that person. Pursue a relationship with that person. He said, because you can't do it alone. You can't do it unilaterally. You can't do it unilaterally.

[50:30] You can't do it isolatedly, insulatedly. You can't do it. You have to do it with people and with the kind of people that you need. They are doing what you are pursuing already. He said, pursue God or pursue righteousness with those who call on the name of God, Lord, out of a pure heart.

[50:46] Matthew chapter 5 verse 8, blessed are those the pure in heart. Pure heart. Purity of heart matters. In Psalm 24 verse 4, it says, who shall ascend to the holy hills of God.

[50:57] Then verse 4 says that he who has a pure heart, clean hands and a pure heart. Purity of heart matters. First Timothy chapter 1 verse 5, it talks about the end of the law is godliness.

[51:10] First Timothy chapter 1 verse 5. Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart. Love out of a pure heart. That's the end of the commandment. If you have this, you're fine. And he said, pursue God with people who have pure hearts.

[51:22] 73 verse 1, it says that God is good to them, those that are of a pure heart. Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as of a clean heart. And some other translations said, are of a pure heart.

[51:33] God is good. So pursue God with such people. Pursue God with such people. And it will end up being to your advantage. Last scripture is 2 Peter chapter 1 verse 22.

[51:45] 1 Peter chapter 1 verse 22 says, God requires pure hearts.

[52:00] Do not pursue God with people who don't have a pure heart, who are not doing it with a pure heart. What does it mean to do it with a pure heart? That means that it's not a mixture of we want some God, we want some other things. God is not their sole aim.

[52:12] The sole objective is not God. They are in church, but it's because of a boy. They are in church because of a girl. They are doing the praise of God because they want to be seen. They are doing that because they are doing this. No, do it with a pure heart.

[52:23] Pursue people who, it's like God is their goal. Okay, to have a pure heart means that God is your sole goal. Other things are secondary. Whether you get it or you don't get it, you don't. But God is your objective.

[52:35] God, pursue faith with people who have God as their sole goal. It's not a mixture of expectation and intentions. A mixture of agenda. It's God, it's only God.

[52:46] The agenda is, you can tell, it's clearly God. Pursue God with such people. They need to be a blessing. So how do you flee youthful lust? You have to flee. You don't have a choice because lust is permanently with you. So you have to subdue it by walking in the spirit.

[52:58] But how can you walk in the spirit if your spirit is immatiated? Build your spirit. How do you build your spirit? By feeding your spirit. Now, after you have fed your spirit, what should you do? You have to flee. Shun. Avoid. Turn away from some things.

[53:10] Because with the strength from the spirit, ask now. Don't postpone it. And then after you turn away, don't just turn away and be dead. Turn away and turn to something. Pursue. So we have turned away from something, but you are also on a mission for something.

[53:22] Pursue. And then after you pursue what you do, you make sure you are not pursuing alone, but you look for people who you can do it together with. You'll be always strong in your own backslide.

[53:33] But this is a master key to be able to have a real and a true spiritual life. The true worshippers shall worship him in spirit and in truth. Not a phantomic spirituality, but true spirituality.

[53:47] We thank God for using the servant Reverend Dr. David Entry to share this awesome word. If this message has blessed you in any way, please spread the word by sharing it and send us an email to amen at karis.org.

[54:01] Remember to stay connected with us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter for regular updates on what God is doing here at Karis Ministries. Stay blessed. Thank you.