Transcription downloaded from https://yetanothersermon.host/_/kc/sermons/23507/holy-spirit-the-wisdom-of-god/. Disclaimer: this is an automatically generated machine transcription - there may be small errors or mistranscriptions. Please refer to the original audio if you are in any doubt. [0:00] Thank you for choosing to listen to today's message by Reverend 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. [0:13] Be blessed. The Holy Spirit. Last week I spoke about the post-Messonic Spirit. Jesus Christ died and went to heaven. [0:27] When he was on earth, he received the Holy Spirit. Before he was born, the Holy Spirit came. Before he started his ministry, the Holy Spirit came. And then when he died, he was able to save us, redeem us by the instrumentation of the Holy Spirit. [0:44] The Bible says that by the eternal spirit. Hebrews chapter 9, verse 12 to 14. By the eternal spirit, he was able to redeem us. [0:56] And then when he resurrected and went, the Bible actually says that God raised Jesus by his spirit from the dead. And then when Jesus went to heaven, he didn't end the Holy Spirit's work. [1:10] He actually received the Holy Spirit. Acts 2.33. He received the Holy Spirit and he didn't put him on us. He poured the Holy Spirit on us. [1:22] Because he had to pour the Spirit on us so that we can receive the Spirit just as he received the Spirit. Because he was the only one. The Spirit of God came on Moses. The Spirit of God came on Samson. [1:34] The Spirit of God came on Daniel. The Spirit of God came on Elijah, Elisha, David. All those great men of the Old Testament. The Spirit of God came upon them until the end of the Old Testament where the Spirit of God was not in active operation, working on people to bring prophetic words. [1:54] And then suddenly the Spirit of God comes back again after 400 years. He comes on a young lady called Mary. In Acts, in Luke chapter 1, verse 35, says the Holy Spirit shall come upon you and the power of the highest shall overshadow you. [2:09] And the Spirit of God came upon Mary. And then the Spirit of God came upon John the Baptist in the mother's womb. And the Spirit of God came upon John's mother. And the Spirit of God came upon John's father. And all those people the Spirit of God came upon, they opened their mouth and began to speak. [2:24] They prophesied. When the Spirit of God comes upon you, he's overflowing. When you are filled, you overflow. And when he overflows, he overflows through your vocal cords. So the Spirit of God came upon, came upon. [2:35] But when it comes to John chapter 3, verse 34, Bible talks about how Jesus Christ received, God gave him the Spirit without measure. [2:48] So the Spirit didn't come upon him by just available, kind of poured upon him. He was the first one to have the Spirit without any measure. No refinement or no confinement or no limitation. [2:58] Just uncontrollably, just poured because he was the unique Son of God. And the kind of work that he has to do on earth, he has to carry out. [3:09] After he came to live an earthly life, he went to heaven so that he can continue his work on earth, but now in a heavenly fashion. So he had to continue his heavenly ministry on earth through his agents or through his authorized agents and representatives. [3:27] And that could not be by the Spirit of God just coming upon individuals. But he now had to receive the Spirit of God and pour it so that it would be like without measure in his time, how the Spirit of God. [3:41] It would be different from when he came on Daniel. It would be different from when he came on Samson. It would be different from when he came on Joshua, on Moses, on David, and the rest. This time it's an outpour because he has prophesied that in the last day, I'll pour my Spirit upon all flesh. [3:56] It is a pour in all flesh. Both men and women are qualified once they are in the Lord to receive the outpouring of the Spirit. So before he went, he had to, oh, thank you, Jesus. [4:08] He had to do some preparatory work. He had to prepare them for this, what was coming. What was coming was not just his death, burial, and resurrection. Thank you, Jesus. [4:19] Because there was something bigger after his death, burial, and resurrection. Let me put it this way. After his death, burial, and resurrection, the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ was about to bring humanity into a new face. [4:33] So the death, burial, and resurrection was like the doorway. So the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ is not the end. [4:46] It was actually the beginning. So in John chapter 7, verse 37, Bible says that in the last day, the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood out with a loud voice and said, If any man thirst, let him come to me and drink. [5:01] It says that he that believes on me, as the scripture has said, out of his belly or his inner man. That belly doesn't mean your stomach. [5:12] It means your inner man. You are a human being made up of compartments. You have the outer man, the one we can see, the one you dress, the one you polish, the one you bathe. [5:24] That one we can see. That's the physical. That's called the outer man. And the inner man, according to Ephesians chapter 3, verse 15 and 16, or particular 16, he said, I'm praying for you that the Lord will strengthen you with might by his spirit. [5:39] Where? In your inner man. So there is an inner man and there's an outer man. And so that belly means the inner man. He says that anyone who believes in me, John chapter 7, verse 38, out of his belly, out of his inner man shall flow rivers of living waters. [5:56] That's very interesting. What is going to flow out of you? But believe in Jesus Christ. When you believe in him, something was going to flow out of you. So it's that he that believeth on me. [6:06] As the scriptures have said, the scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living waters. Now, the key point is that point, the next verse. He said, but this he speak. [6:17] So what he was talking about, New King James, what he was talking about, he was talking about the spirit. He said, this he spoke concerning the spirit. Everybody say the spirit. The spirit. [6:28] Say it louder. Say the spirit. So when he says that out of your inner man shall flow rivers, he was not talking about normal water. He was talking about a flow of rivers of living waters, which is more about the spirit. [6:40] He said, watch this. This he spoke concerning the spirit. Whom those who believe, those believing in him would receive. For the Holy Spirit was not yet given. [6:51] So at the time he was speaking, the Holy Spirit was not yet given. Who gives? God, the Father. The Holy Spirit was not. So that's why he had to go and receive the gift of the promise from the Father. [7:04] The Holy Spirit is called the promise. He had to go to the Father, receive and then pour on us. But the time he was speaking, he was preparing them. And at that time, the Holy Spirit had not yet been given. Why? Let him come. [7:15] No, he can't come. Why? Because Jesus was not yet glorified. So his glorification was not the end. He had to be glorified. [7:27] And after his glorification, now the floodgates are open for the spirit to be poured on us. So before his death, burial and resurrection, he had to do a thorough work on his disciples. [7:41] Last week, I mentioned to you that his disciples went, the first sermon was the sermon on the mount. He was telling them, when somebody slaps you on the left, turn the right. [7:52] When somebody takes your garment or your jacket, add your coat. When somebody despisefully or despisefully uses you, he said, bless them. [8:07] How many of you can just do that naturally? You can't just, you touch me, I'll catch you. Before I can later on think, oh, I was supposed to bless you. [8:18] Okay, now I'll let. Naturally. So it is not in human nature to do the things he was teaching. That love your neighbor as yourself. How many of us can genuinely say you have been treating everybody you meet like yourself? [8:32] Then you wouldn't be, when the cab is coming or you are trying to get on the bus, you just, oh, you, everybody go. You are going for the interview. Why is it that you got the job and you were happy that you got it, that somebody lost the job? Yeah, but if you are like your enemy, you should be happy they get the job. [8:46] You should be happy that you are the one thrown out of your house, not them. You should be happy that you are the one not getting married, but they are getting married. Because you should love them like yourself. So once you are happy, it should happen for them. [8:59] And maybe, yeah, yeah, then let me consider them first. It's not natural. But Jesus said we should do it. So he was trying to say the first sermon gave them the dictates and the standards of God. [9:09] The last sermon gave them how to get that done. And the last sermon was about the Holy Spirit. Because without the Holy Spirit, there's no way you can please God. There's no way. There's no way. There's no way you can stop that fornicating. [9:25] Your willpower will fail you. It gets better. Your willpower will say, sorry, I'm sorry, mate. Okay, Sarah, Sarah. [9:36] Whatever will help you, I'm tired. I need to give up. How many of you have had your willpower failing you before? It does. It does. It does. It's a sign that you are a man. [9:47] There have been a few times you determined you are not going to do that thing again. Some of you, what you did last night, it's the same thing you said Friday night you are not going to do. It's the same thing. It's the same thing. [9:58] It's the same thing. It's the same thing. It's the same thing. It's the same thing. That's why you're afraid to be born again. [10:10] You feel like you keep failing and this thing. And some of us are waiting to be able to overcome a particular behavior before you become a serious Christian. It is like waiting for all the lights to turn green, traffic lights to turn green before you go out. [10:25] You don't have to wait. Just take the step. And the truth is that don't depend on your own strength. Every one of us needs the Holy Spirit. So Jesus now taught them about the coming of the Holy Spirit. [10:38] Prepared them extensively. And this is what he said in John chapter 16. Thank you, Jesus. He said in John chapter 16, reading from verse 5. [10:53] Thank you, Holy Spirit. He said to them, He will reprove the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment. [11:29] Now, he began to tell us what the Holy Spirit will be doing. This is very important. That's what I want to talk about because I've been trying to talk about that for some time now. He will reprove that when he comes, verse 8, and when he comes, that's the spirit of truth, he will reprove the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. [11:46] Of sin because they believe not in me. Of righteousness because I go to my Father and ye see me no more. Of judgment because the prince of this world is judged. [11:58] The prince of this world is the devil. Okay? So the devil is known in Scripture as the prince of this world. So that's why being worldly is dangerous. [12:09] Because in 1 John chapter 5, verse 19, the Bible says that the whole world lies under the sway or the influence of the wicked. And we know, and we know that, we know that we are of God. [12:23] And then, verse 19, please. And the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one. That's the devil. So those of us who love worldliness, you are within the reach of the devil's influence. [12:40] Worldliness. Worldliness. Worldly pleasures. Let me enjoy my life. Tomorrow I die. I work hard for my money. Let me enjoy hard. [12:52] Hard core enjoyment. You are under the sway of the devil. So what most of us call enjoyment, it is actually satanic control over your life. [13:12] It's you are betraying your destiny. Handing yourself under the enemy to control your life and make sure that he caused a lot of mess as he plans to. [13:23] So the world is, verse 12, I have, oh, come on, this is it. He said, I have. So first of all, he said, when he comes, he will convict the world of sin. [13:34] Verse 8. When he comes, he will prove the world of sin, righteousness. So one, he's going to do something to the world. Right? Number two. What is the world? The world is the human systems outside of God's program or God's way of doing things. [13:49] Well, and then of sin. Let's go to the verse 12. I have many things. I have yet many things to say unto you, but you cannot bear them now. [14:01] That's a very interesting thing. I have so much to tell you. Jesus said, I have so much. I've got a lot to tell you. But the truth is you can't bear them now. It's just like you start year one. [14:14] You want to understand all the courses in the university. And you want to do three PhDs in year two. You can't understand it. [14:25] You have to get the fundamentals. He said, I have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. You can't handle it. But watch this. [14:37] Look at the text again. I have many things to say to you. In other words, I want you to know. There are things that you are supposed to know from me. [14:50] But the truth is you can't. So now we have a problem here. There's a problem on our hands. You are supposed to know the things of God in a certain dimension, but you can't. Because humanly, you don't have what it takes to know. [15:06] Humanly, you can't. It's just like trying to encourage a dog to enjoy grass. It doesn't have, or you want the goat to eat meat. [15:19] The goat doesn't have the digestive system to handle meat. Fresh meat. So Jesus said, I have so much to give you, but humanly speaking, you cannot take it. [15:36] Because it's not in the realm of humanity to grasp, to comprehend the things that I want to give to you. [15:47] So verse 12. It says that, I have yet many things to say unto you, but you cannot bear them. [15:59] The things I have to take. You cannot bear them when? Now. A time is coming when, and what's the time? Now look at the next verse. It said, however, how be it, when the spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth. [16:17] For he, not all feelings. Those of us who think Christianity is about how I feel, not fundamentally, just about how I feel. [16:29] Even when you are praising God and you are shouting, you must do it with understanding. You know what you are doing. It's not like because you feel happy you are jumping. [16:41] What about when you feel sad? When you feel sad, you can't praise them. Because your praising is predicated on getting a new job. When you are turned down at the interview, you can't praise God then. [16:52] Because your praising is based on feeling, not knowledge. So that's why it's called the spirit of truth. He will teach us. He will, into all truth, not all feelings. [17:05] Those of us whose Christianity is just based on feelings, you, the enemy can get an upper hand over your life. Or your, your Christian, your journey will be interfered with very easily. Because, you know, feelings are unstable. [17:17] Yeah, like the weather. And it takes one information, just one piece of information to destabilize your feeling. [17:28] Or to make you very excited. You can be so down at the moment when we close you. Somebody told you something. You are so happy. You are elated. Just feelings are not reliable. [17:39] Can I say that again? Human feelings can be so deceptive, but it's so sweet. It can, so, if your feelings are, your feeling is a bad master, good servant. [17:52] If your feelings lead you, you won't get a good job. Or you lose a job. Or you talk to the boss anyhow. Because most supervisors can be very, very difficult. [18:03] Some of you sitting here, you work with people who don't like you. Your boss doesn't like you at all, but his boss likes you. So it's a problem. And every time they are trying to pick on you, and sometimes you are really cross. [18:16] You actually sometimes don't like to go to work. But guess what? The car you are driving, they will collect it if you don't go to work. Feelings. [18:28] Well, he says that he will guide you. The Spirit of God is coming to guide you into the truth. So when a person is very well vested in the truth, their feelings can go up and down. [18:41] They are still stable. That's right. That's the difference between an adult and a child. You can make a child laugh right now, and you can make them cry. A child can be crying very seriously now. [18:53] He can switch it. It depends on what you do. But look, not an adult. I thought he was looking at you and said, what, my friend, please don't stop. He will lead you into all truth. [19:06] Watch this. For he shall not speak of himself, but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak. Now he, the Spirit, speak. And he will show you things to come. [19:18] So now, he has said three things, or two things first. One, what he will do to the world. When the Holy Spirit can, what he will do to you. [19:29] God, what he's going to do to you is more about the things that I have to say, but you can't bear them now. So it's his job to open you up into the plethora of revelations in God. [19:41] And then three, verse 14. He says that, verse 14 said, He shall glorify me, for he shall receive of mine and shall show it unto you. [19:52] One of the chief assignments of the Holy Spirit is to glorify Jesus. If you have the Holy Spirit inside you, Jesus becomes the object of glory. Amen. Any church service that is, that Holy Spirit is inside, Jesus ends up being glorified more. [20:11] Any praise and worship leading that is to glorify Jesus, or that Holy Spirit is behind, ends up glorifying Jesus, not the talent of a man. The Holy Spirit doesn't come to reveal himself. [20:27] He comes to reveal Jesus. You remember, persona incognito. He doesn't come to reveal himself. So one, what he will do to the world, what he will do to you, and what he will do to Jesus. [20:39] I spoke about the persona incognito, what he will do to Jesus. Last week, I touched on what he will do to the world. Today, I want to finish this thing about what he's going to do, and focus on what he's going to do to the church. [20:52] The Spirit of God is the Magister, Master, Veritatis, Truth. The Magister, Veritatis, the only teacher of the truth. [21:05] He is the one who can teach us truth. Is that true? But I was in school. I was taught a lot of things. Are you trying to say my lecturer who was a Buddhist had the Holy Spirit? [21:21] I'm glad you asked that question. Because when it comes to truth, or when it comes to actually wisdom, we have two types of wisdom. We have the godly wisdom and the natural wisdom. [21:35] The godly wisdom is, watch this, this is very interesting. The godly wisdom is, and the natural wisdom are opposed to each other. So anytime you do something based on godly wisdom, people who operate by natural wisdom will have a problem. [21:52] Why are you doing it like this? Anytime you do anything by natural wisdom, people who have godly wisdom will have a kind of a problem. That's why there are times that we in church will be operating by the godly wisdom, and somebody will say, you are judging me. [22:06] What you are saying makes a lot of sense to you. And it's true, it makes sense. But it makes natural sense, spiritually, godly wisdom, if it fails. The wisdom of God is contrary to the wisdom of the world. [22:21] God's wisdom gives us a foolish message through which we'll be saved. The message that brings salvation in the eyes of the world is foolishness. [22:35] They say, excuse me, don't tell me this nonsense. Don't tell me this nonsense. Let's go into the text. 1 Corinthians chapter 1. I want to show you something. And I'll end. [22:46] You will like this. Verse 18. For we preach the cross. Sorry. For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness. Uh-uh. But unto us which are saved, it is the power of God. [22:57] Uh-uh. One same preaching. But to certain people is foolishness. To others is the power. Uh-uh. To others is the power of God. To others. [23:10] So what's the defining factor? What changes what it is? It's the recipients that determine what the message is. So you are saved. Your friend is not. How many of you have been in an environment, maybe you're a Christian, and you told your friend, let's go and listen to this amazing. [23:25] And you went afterwards, your friend is wondering, well, what's the big deal about this? We will not all receive at the same level. When it comes to natural knowledge, when it comes to natural knowledge, if you are patient and you have a good teacher, you can get it. [23:41] Hello? Hi. I'll repeat it. When it comes to natural knowledge, which brings the worldly wisdom, when you are patient and you have a good teacher, you will get it. [23:53] But when it comes to spiritual knowledge, it cannot be communicated to you by man. So when you look at, in fact, someone said this, there's a difference between being clever and being wise. [24:07] Our world is clever. We are making a lot of discoveries. Can you imagine, it's, in fact, I heard a certain, somebody say, when America went to the moon, those few years ago, man was able to go, break the orbits, go into the moon, discoveries, amazing scientific feat. [24:26] Around the same time, it was announced in New York, at New York, please, it's not safe to work alone in certain places on the street. Man is so developed, but the wisdom, you see, cleverness, being clever, or the wisdom of the world, when you have it, you know how to make a living. [24:48] But when you have the wisdom of God, you know how to live. Two different things. When you have the wisdom of the world, you know how to make a living. When you have the wisdom of God, you know how to live. When you have the wisdom of the world, you know how to make profits. [25:04] You can do transactions and make a lot of profit, because you understand the system. When you have the wisdom of the world, you know what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul. The wisdom of God, but the wisdom of God is not just, it doesn't come through human communication, bare human communication. [25:25] When it comes to the wisdom of the world, you can be taught. Now, it is usually said sin is believing. It's not true. Sin is receiving. This is a Bible, isn't it? [25:39] Is this not a Bible? This is a Bible. Once you see it, you receive it. It's actually, you accept it. Sin is accepting. You have received it, because you know, you have seen it. You can't doubt it. [25:50] It's foolishness to doubt evidence. You can't doubt evidence. When the evidence is right, for this is a Bible, you open it. It's not an iPad. It's clear. It's Bible. [26:00] You can't say it's not. So, sin is receiving. Because once you see it, you already believe it. Once you see it, you already believe it. And so, watch this. [26:11] You see two ways in life. Naturally, we have two ways of seeing. With your eyes and with your heart. Or with your mind. You can either see with your eyes or see with your mind. [26:25] Understanding. And the Jews like to see with their eyes. The Greeks like to see with their mind. Those people are intellectual. And the religious people want to always see signs. See signs. See signs. [26:35] So, the Jews were religious. Whilst the Greeks were intellectual. They want to understand what you are saying. Does it make sense to me? I'm well educated. I'm well trained. I want to understand it. [26:47] So, the more of the wisdom of the world you have. The more it sometimes can be difficult to appreciate the wisdom of God. So, that's why there are not many intellectuals saved. [26:59] It doesn't mean there are not any. There are a lot more people who believe they know so much. They are top researchers. Top scientists. They miss God. [27:11] Because the more you are naturally wise. The more you are likely to use your natural wisdom to pursue God. Because that's how you get things done. [27:23] So, you are using your natural. But the more you use your natural wisdom to pursue God. The more you are missing God. You can't find God through research. There are things that scientists cannot discover which we know. [27:38] They can't discover. We know it. Because it's beyond the realm of the senses to discover. Am I communicating something? That is why the involvement of the Holy Spirit becomes cardinal and paramount. [27:54] It becomes essential. Because else, we are left to the mercy of the elements. Whatever the life teaches us. [28:06] That's what we can only abide by. But there is a higher truth in God. Which life, you can't just know physically. Just by observing. By observing. [28:17] Science is about observations. Observation. And so, the Bible says in verse 9. I'm just going ahead because of my time. In verse 9 of 1 Corinthians chapter 2. [28:27] He says, No eye has seen, no ear heard. This is talking about natural senses. No eye has seen, no ear heard. Neither has it entered into the heart. [28:39] Do you see that? Or neither has it entered into the heart of man. Internal knowledge or external knowledge. He said, Those human internal knowledge, external knowledge, is false shots of assessing the wisdom of God. [28:55] Is that what you get what I'm saying? Yes. Yeah. It's beyond our reach. I'll come back to that. So, first, let me just show you something again. 1 Corinthians chapter 1. [29:06] Thank you, Jesus. Somebody say, Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus. Woo! For it is rich. I'll destroy the wisdom of the wise. And will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. [29:17] Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Now, it is believed that every 10 years, knowledge amongst human beings, intellectual knowledge doubles. [29:29] Okay. That's why there's always discoveries. Can you imagine 10 years ago the phones you had? Oh, yeah. Twice better. [29:40] Next 10 years, it will be something else. So, human knowledge has increased so much now, we can't even keep it. We need computers to keep them for us. But the more we are increasing in knowledge, does not mean the more we are knowing God. [29:57] You can increase in knowledge. That's why, listen to this. The Bible says, watch this. It took the wise men longer to find the baby Jesus than the shepherds. [30:11] The wise men have to travel further to find the baby. The shepherds, they just, if you walk, they went there. Human wisdom does not give you access to God. [30:29] Why must God do it that way? He has to do it that way. Other than that, you have to pass the 11 plus to go to heaven. Heaven is not like the grammar school for certain people who have certain level of acumen or mental prowess. [30:47] It is available to all. You don't need to be mentally astute. It's available to all. And it's not based on your natural wisdom, it's based on your belief. [31:01] If you can believe that what believing is, whether you are intelligent, you are not intelligent, it's available to all. So it says that, let me show you, let me show you. And this is all the function of the Holy Spirit. [31:14] Somebody say hallelujah. Hallelujah. Look at verse 21. For after the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God. It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save those who believe. [31:29] You see that? So it's the believing that determines the salvation. The believing. But the truth, the natural man's wisdom couldn't access God. [31:40] And God was happy that he would use a foolish message in his wisdom. He would use a foolish message to save those who believe. So those who only depend on wisdom, natural wisdom, will always miss God. [31:52] Because when you apply natural, when you are only operating by natural wisdom, you miss the wisdom of God. The Bible says that, watch this, look at this. Verse, what verse? [32:03] Verse 22. For Jews require a sign. I want to see. I want to see so I can believe. For Jews require a sign. For Jews require a sign. [32:15] And Greeks after wisdom. But we preach Christ crucified and they'll tell you no nonsense. Somebody who came and died, how can you say he's the savior of the world? He came, he couldn't even save himself, they killed him. [32:27] How many of you have attempted telling somebody about the gospel and they say, please, this nonsense, I can't tell you, this nonsense, this nonsense, this nonsense. Yeah, Bible says God is happy through the nonsense of that preaching of the cross to save those who believe. [32:41] So you will call it nonsense, but those who believe, it's the power of God. Salvation. So that's what Bible says that, my brethren, look at your calling. He said, not many noble. [32:53] Because somebody will tell you now, if the professors in Oxford, if we can get them to believe, UK will easily change to become, God said, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. [33:03] I do not want to use that means. I want to make it accessible to anybody. God is not going to use celebrities to reach out to the world. [33:13] He uses basic preachers, fishermen. When you look at church, cross-section of church, people in church, not many noble. [33:26] How many of us are royalty here? How many of us have millions, millions is even too much, thousands, thousands of men in your account? [33:39] Do you understand? But it's God who calls us into the church. So God looks like God, I think someone said, Abraham Lincoln once said that God seems to like common people more, so he created more common people. [33:52] Wow. It will come across like insult, but really, when you look at the church, God doesn't have a problem with your status, your financial status, your educational status. [34:05] What he has, what concerns him is your belief. But watch this, the point I'm trying to make here is, you can't believe by yourself it will take the spirit. [34:17] That's where this thing is leading to now. Now look at verse 26. It says that, or verse 25, it says, because the foolishness of God is wiser than men and the weakness of God is stronger than men. [34:29] For ye, ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, nor many mighty, nor many noble are called. [34:40] But God has chosen the foolish things of, God has chosen the foolish things of this world to confound the wise. God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty. [34:52] And the best things of the world and the things that are despised has God chosen, yea, the things which are not to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in his presence. [35:05] So when you come to church, you can't say, it's because of my education, that's why I'm now in church. No, it's not because of your smartness, but it's because of your belief, your faith. The wisdom of God. [35:15] Look at chapter 2. Verse 1. I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with the excellence of speech, of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. [35:27] For I determined to know nothing, not to know anything amongst you, among you, save Jesus and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling. [35:38] Because in Corinth, they used to, like, speaker's corner, high pack, yeah, intellectuals who come and stand there and give speech. [35:49] Orators were the winners of the day. And Paul comes and God chooses just a basic creature who, and those times, the guys who go and do the oration and stuff like that, physically, they were tall, thick, handsome, and maybe blonde or whatever, and they look amazing, well-kept. [36:07] And when you see them, even looking at them will make you little. And then there comes this short man, Paul, who didn't have designer wares. He didn't have anything exceptional. [36:18] You don't even want. And so, he was not accepted, yet he was carrying God's message. Isn't it interesting how God will use an unacceptable vessel amongst men to carry his acceptable message? [36:34] Yeah. Yeah. Be careful who you despise. Amen. Be careful. Be careful who you despise. So, the Bible says that, watch this. [36:46] It said, I did not come to you with enticing words of man's wisdom. The things that, when people speak, say, wow, this guy is good. He knows his stuff. This guy. He said, I didn't come with that. I didn't come with that. [36:57] I'm not interested in knowing any other thing. I didn't come with names. I didn't come with the hot political topics of the day. Preachers, don't have to preach what everybody's thinking. [37:10] They have to preach that says the Lord. So, they point people into the future, what God is about to do. That's very important. But in those days, they, so there is, there was the challenge to try and speak nice things to appeal to intellectuals. [37:22] That's the problem of our generation where people are trying to embellish the message. They are trying to alter the message so that everybody can find it acceptable. There are pastors who actually believe that I want my preaching to be like, to be so nice that even Buddhists, Muslims, and people of different faiths will enjoy listening to me. [37:42] I don't want that. I don't want them to enjoy it. I want them to be convicted listening to me. Yes, yes, yes. I want to be convicted and listen to me. We, we have to, so there are things that you can't say. [37:55] Preachers don't want to say because, you know, that guy who has just come to the church, he's a professor in that top university. His friends are coming. So, you know, he said, not everything we can say because they don't like things like this. [38:06] So, we have to alter the message. We have to, you know, change the message to not to say some things. But Paul said, I just didn't come with enticing words of man's wisdom. [38:18] I'm going to show you why. He said, I did not come to you with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in the, oh, did you see the Spirit showing up? He said, I came in demonstration of what? [38:30] The Spirit and the power. The Spirit must be the center, the main object behind the preaching. If your preaching is void of the influence of the Spirit, you are killing people. [38:48] So, Jesus said, I have a lot to say which will be a function of the Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit that can communicate at this thing. We want, we want, we want it to be the demonstration of the Spirit and power. [39:05] He said, watch this, watch this. He said, and my speech and preaching was not with enticing sweet words. That sounds so politically correct. [39:18] Everybody in the society hears this, they'll clap. Preachers who are looking for likes. He wants more likes. No, never make that your target. [39:31] That's right. Your job is to be faithful. Yes. Yes. Well done. That good and well liked servant. No. Have many likes on Facebook, many likes on Instagram. [39:45] I'm not saying it's bad, but that cannot, certainly can be your target as a Christian. That's right. because what generally people would be attracted to is likely to be influenced by the wisdom of man. [39:58] And the wisdom of man is always contrary to the wisdom of God. And if you are going to deliver the wisdom of God, they will frown on the wisdom of God you have preached, you are delivering. That is why when you are even a celebrity and you make it clear that you are a Christian, definitely he will influence many. [40:14] But God doesn't want to use that means to influence, but he needs, he will use noble people, he will use commoners, but he uses more commoners than noble ones. [40:25] He said not many are noble. So that means that there may be one or two few noble ones. There may be one or two few, but not many. Are you guys hearing what I'm saying? Now, watch this. [40:36] He said my preaching was not with, my teaching and my preaching, my speech and preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but demonstration of the spirit and power. Why do you think, look at verse four, verse five, that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. [40:53] The power of God, it will only take the Holy Spirit. Other than that, we will come to church and we will just be focused on the nice things that preachers will say. Nice things that men have got to say, but not what the Holy Spirit has got to say. [41:07] And you are listening and you feel, one of the things, sir, one of the things I've discovered as I'm growing in the Lord is that you can preach a powerful message about that shall not fornicate. [41:18] And everybody says, yes, amen. And section of the congregation will finish and they will go and fornicate. Not because you didn't believe what you are saying, but your preaching lacks power in the spirit. [41:30] Lacks power in the spirit. So they are listening to you, but they lack the ability, the energy matter, the dynamics to be able to put it into practice. Because the preaching is void. [41:43] A pastor who likes worldliness will produce worldly, worldly believers in spite of whatever he preaches. There is a worldly spirit behind your preaching. [41:56] You may never mention anything worldly, but the spirit behind your words is worldly. And there may be times I may never mention fornication, but someone can come to church without hearing fornication, and afterwards, the spirit of power has already come. [42:10] Because the preaching is full of the Holy Ghost and power. So people's faith will not rest in the wisdom, the nice things we are saying. I can teach you all about marriage and still you will fail in your marriage if it's void of the Holy Ghost. [42:31] Jesus said, I have a lot of things to say, but this thing I have to say to you is not based on human thinking. Now, watch this. Let me finish by saying this. There are three categories of people God speaks about in 1 Corinthians that can receive the spiritual things of God. [42:47] Three categories of people. Only one out of the three can receive the things of God. The first category is the spiritual man. The spiritual man. The spiritual man. [42:58] Let's all say the spiritual man. The second category is the natural man. And the third category is the carnal man. The spiritual man is the one the Holy Spirit is on and the Holy Spirit you are having interaction. [43:16] So I'm preaching but because your heart is open to the Holy Spirit you are hearing what others are not hearing. Sometimes I can preach and you will hear what I didn't say but by the Holy Spirit in the line of the teaching. [43:28] I can't teach you without the Holy Spirit. That would be just education. Natural education. Bible says that and he opened their understanding that they may understand the scripture. [43:40] So I can be telling you by your understanding it's locked. It's blocked. You can't get it. So do not wish that everybody understands spiritual things. The fact that your uncle the fact that your your sister your aunt your friend has been to theological seminary and has PhD doesn't mean you can understand the things of God. [44:02] Because the things of God are spiritually designed. So Jesus said you need the Holy Ghost because when he comes I have so much to tell you but you can't take it to the human level. [44:14] It will take the instrumental work of the Holy Spirit. Now look chapter look at verse 6 the same chapter 1 Corinthians 2 verse 6 this is lovely. He says that just for you to know when we say we don't speak wisdom it doesn't mean we are stupid. [44:27] He said however we speak wisdom among them that are perfect. So when we say your faith will not rest in the wisdom of men it doesn't mean we don't have wisdom. What we say is wise just that it's different from the natural wisdom. [44:40] We speak wisdom among them that are perfect. Perfect that means that are maturing. I shall grow in the things of God you understand it more. Yet the wisdom yet not the wisdom of this world nor of the princes of this world that come to naught. [44:55] Look at the next verse verse 7. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery. Let's go to verse 8 because of my time. Verse 8. Which none of the princes of this world do for if they had known they wouldn't have crucified the Lord of glory. [45:06] They were killing Jesus because they thought that was a smart thing to do but rather it was fulfilling the wisdom of God. You see how the wisdom of God is very contrary to so the worldly wisdom is let's get rid of him but the wisdom of God is by killing him you're actually fulfilling God's wisdom. [45:20] The wisdom of the world tells you don't give. Hold. The wisdom of God said give. It's more blessed to give than to receive. Look, naturally speaking it's more beneficial to receive than to give. [45:36] But spiritually speaking it's more blessed to give than to receive. So me who has done the giving I am actually have benefited more spiritually. [45:48] You can't imagine. So somebody will tell you that oh I can't afford to give to the to the things of God. You can't. You can have a lot of bills. You have bills. [46:01] Bills. Mobile means more bills. Oh yes. You have bills. So you can't give. I tell people me I can't afford not to give in a service. [46:17] and I can't afford to give like everybody something that doesn't cost me because I believe I am I am I am making progress and courage is making progress because of our our belief in giving. [46:33] The mystery of giving. There's something about the mystery of giving. I keep saying you are believing God to marry and you have seen somebody going to marry and this person is a genuine Christian is committed to the things of God. [46:46] What I think about what can I even buy that just to also support their wedding. Our church one of the secrets behind the growth of our church is every Sunday morning when I'm praying for church services I just remember our church then I start mentioning every church I know and the pastor in London. [47:07] I keep praying for them. I'm talking about this has been a practice over 10 years. Pray for them as I'm praying as I'm giving our church is receiving as I'm giving our church is receiving as I'm giving our church is receiving as I'm giving our church is receiving with the wisdom of God when you are doing it sometimes it looks like you are on the losing end. [47:29] That's why it doesn't take just knowledge it takes faith. Don't let somebody who is not spiritual advise you on spiritual matters. [47:41] Say that again because I will show you in the scriptures the people who are not spiritual they can't make spiritual judgments. At best they can make natural judgments. Oh yes it's in the scriptures just that many believers are not open to the scriptures so they don't realize how come your best friends are advising you when to go to church and this your best friend is tells you I have my church but most of the time doesn't go. [48:07] He does your sister doesn't go to church but he's telling you this church thing you have to be careful this church can you advise me on church when you yourself you are not in church. You don't understand. [48:21] You don't have the working knowledge to advise me on the pursuit I am on when you don't have a clue about what the pursuit is about. Spiritual things are designed spiritually. [48:33] So spiritual man it takes a spiritual person that means that the Holy Spirit must be involved in your listening in your pursuit to be able to grasp what is being said. Other than that at best you are just looking with your natural eyes. [48:48] He said eyes have not seen nor ear heard. There are things that are beyond natural research but it will take oh best night again. Okay that's where we are. [49:00] Well we are in verse 8 isn't it? We got to verse 8 okay so let's just but as it's written eye has not seen nor ear heard neither has entered the heart of any man the thing that God has prepared for those who love. [49:10] But look at the next verse. Look at the next verse. But God has revealed them to us how? By His Spirit. How? By His Spirit. How? By His Spirit. You can't get into the wisdom of God without the Spirit of God. [49:25] He said I've got a lot to tell you how be it when the Spirit of truth comes. I have a lot to tell but you can't be it because you need the Spirit to get into that level. There are some basic things you can just understand but when it comes to the actual things of God it takes the Spirit because it takes spiritual men to get the wisdom of God. [49:44] And He says that for instance as I'm preacher I don't know what this gentleman is thinking but his Spirit inside him knows what he's thinking. The ones sitting near you you don't know what they are thinking. You don't know what they are thinking but their Spirit knows. [49:56] So the Spirit of that person knows what is in the heart of a person. So in the same way that's the Scripture in the same way the things of God knows no man but the Spirit of God knows the things of God and it is the Spirit of God who takes the things of God and communicates it to us. [50:12] Not the pastor. It's the Spirit. It's there. for no one knows what things of a man saith the Spirit of a man that is in him. Even so the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God. [50:25] And this Spirit is what we have received. Verse 12. And it says that now we have received not the Spirit of the world but the Spirit which is of God that we might know not feel. We have received the Spirit that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. [50:43] It takes a spiritual man to get the things of God. It takes a spiritual man. Look at verse 12. Verse 13 sorry. Which things we also speak not with words which man's wisdom teaches you. [50:56] Man's wisdom can teach you some words you use but with which the Holy Ghost teaches comparing spiritual things to spiritual. Now look at verse 14. It's amazing. Verse 14 is an amazing one. But the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit. [51:09] So can you see the natural man here? He mentions the spiritual man now he has mentioned the natural man. The natural man cannot. Cannot. Cannot. Cannot. [51:19] Who is the natural man? The one the natural a person who just uses his natural inclinations to make judgments and he can do a research based on his natural the natural man can search and search but cannot receive. [51:32] It's a natural cannot receive but natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God. Why? For they are foolishness to him. Now you can imagine you are a spiritual person. [51:43] Your cousin is a natural person and you are on a spiritual journey and your cousin is a natural person advising you on a spiritual journey because then you fail and there will be a problem because Bible says the spiritual things are foolishness. [51:57] No wonder some of you your friends coming to church is foolishness to your friends. your neighbors think you are foolish why are you going to church? Why are you going to church? And they have explanations all these boys all these people this is what they do this is what they are about they have their own flimsy funny uninformed explanations based on some wrong examples. [52:19] He said the spiritual things are foolishness to their natural mind it is there he says that for their foolishness unto him neither can he know them why? Because it takes the spirit to desire to extract wow so when I'm telling you that going out with somebody who is not a Christian and you are a Christian is not a thing of God the natural person says that's nonsense but it's the wisdom of God yeah it's the wisdom of God hanging out with people you can be in church and some people should even be your friends in church because they are not serious about God they shouldn't be your child but we are all the children of God nobody is worshipping idols no no no one says somebody is worshipping but their heartbeat is different you hang around them it will affect you it will affect you people who pass negative comments about everything in church get up don't sit near them don't sit near them social things you can't you know the natural sense that you can't say that the boy [53:28] I don't understand those girls who say he hasn't done me anything wrong so I can't leave he is damaging your destiny he says he hasn't done you anything wrong you are compromising on your future he hasn't done you anything wrong what else should he do wrong he is a wrong person in your life I mean the whole person is a wrong institution in your life that woman is wrong she is just wrong in your life she is wrong wrong something wrong she is wrong she is wrong in your life oh my man says my baby mother she is still wrong she is my baby father she is still wrong and you know that her influence or his influence over you is dangerous already you can tell you are likely to get into prison because of this person already you can see that you are you know God has called you you know God has given you a mandate but you can't do it because of the affiliation of this person chop him off like cancer remove him remove her this is spiritual wisdom in conclusion so he says that the natural man does not receive the things of God then look at what he says in verse 15 he said but the spiritual man judges all things but himself no one can judge you wow [54:52] I am sharing some interesting things does it make sense when when Jesus says that you need the Holy Spirit when he calls him God into all truth these things are spiritual and then the third category of people that the Bible talks about carnal man chapter 3 verse 1 he said I couldn't feed you I said I came oh he said I brethren could not speak to you as unto spiritual but as unto carnal see the carnal there even as unto babies in Christ you are in Christ the natural man is not in Christ but the carnal person is in Christ by his instincts are still based on pediatric spiritual understanding spiritual understanding you are joining the choir you think that you are the one everybody must be clapping for you you are the one always to be leading you see you know you are doing the right thing but now you are childish in your understanding spiritual carnaman babies some of us need to put the baby food away he said he said [56:00] I could not feed you he said I'm not telling my own story he said I have fed you with milk baby food carnaman carnaman only accept baby food baby food baby food not with meat for hitherto you are not able to bear neither are you able to why verse 3 verse 3 says that for ye are yet carnaman for ye are yet carnaman for ye are yet carnaman for ye are yet carnaman for ye are yet carnaman you are in the church but you are carnaman you are in the choir yet carnaman you are in the ashes yet you are giving your tithe yet you are giving offerings yet You are shouting and clapping. [56:50] Yes, you are enjoying church. Yes, you are in the church. And yes, Hallelujah. Hallelujah. [57:05] Spiritual man, natural man, carnal man. Natural man, they can't receive the things of God. But carnal man, they have to receive the baby level. So you always have to do management meetings to encourage them because someone stepped on their toe. [57:22] I didn't like the way they spoke to me. I didn't like the way they did this. I didn't like the way the pastor said this. The other pastor was preaching. It's me. He was talking about your heart carnal. Your heart carnal. [57:33] I pray that the Holy Spirit will help us to grow in our work with Jesus. To get closer to Jesus. To grow in our knowledge and our understanding of the spiritual wisdom of God. [57:46] Amen. We thank God for using his 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 caris.org. [57:59] Remember to stay connected with us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter for regular updates on what God is doing here at Caris Ministries. Stay blessed. Amen. Amen. Amen. [58:09] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.