I want you to turn to Genesis chapter 3, Genesis chapter 3.
Tonight is the Super Bowl and I'm excited that one I still
claim him as mine.
He apparently don't claim me anymore.
Chris Jones, defensive tackle for all pro defensive tackle for
Kansas City Chiefs and so I wear his colors today in honor of
him.
So went to Houston High School and a dear friend, so sweet and a
good guy.
But anyway, the Super Bowl and in preparation for the Super Bowl,
both teams have watched film.
They've spent time in preparation.
They do that on the college level.
They do that on the high school level.
They watch their game to see their strengths, to see their
weaknesses, to point those things out to the players, to allow
them to see those problems.
Then they also watch film of their opponent and see what their
tendencies are, what their strengths are, what their weaknesses
are.
And then you make a plan to combat that.
Whether on offense, to try to beat their defense.
Or whether you're on defense, trying to stop their offense.
They strategize and make plans for that.
So this morning I want us to watch a little film together.
It isn't a game.
And honestly, it isn't a film.
It's a narrative account.
But I want to help us picture some images in our minds.
More than that, I want you to understand strategy.
I want you to understand the strategy of the evil one.
And I also want you to understand how we can defend ourselves
against the evil one.
As I said a couple of weeks ago, Satan is a snake in the grass.
But he's a convincing one.
He's a slimy one.
He's a sneaky one.
And Adam and Eve were the first to fall for his schemes.
But there's no need for us to point fingers at them.
Because all of us have done the same thing.
We fell for the evil one's schemes.
So my prayer this morning is we can get a handle on that.
Get a better understanding of what we're dealing with.
Better know how to combat it.
But then another step that we won't know today,
we'll know in the coming days,
is do we carry out those combative strategies
to gain victory in our lives?
It's found in Genesis chapter 3, verse 1 through 6.
And I'll just tell you, I don't believe this is just a one-time occurrence.
I believe that this is a one-time occurrence
that explains what happens again and again and again in our lives.
A blueprint of sorts for what we deal with.
Genesis chapter 3 says this.
Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made.
He said to the woman,
did God actually say,
you shall not eat of any tree in the garden?
And the woman said to the serpent,
we may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden.
But God said,
you shall not eat the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden.
Neither shall you touch it lest you die.
But the serpent said to the woman,
you will not surely die.
For God knows that when you eat of it,
your eyes will be opened and you'll be like God,
knowing good and evil.
So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food
and that it was a delight to her eyes
and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise,
she took of its fruit and ate.
And she also gave some to her husband who was with her.
And he ate.
There was no need for her to sin.
She was placed in the garden of Eden.
She had everything she needed around her,
yet she wanted more.
Even the garden and all its beauty was not enough.
And the one place that she was forbidden to go,
the one thing that she was forbidden to do,
that's what she wanted to do.
That's where she went.
So often that is the case.
We often have so great an appetite
for the things that we need to stay away from,
the things that often lead us astray.
So I want you to be well aware this morning
that the devil is on attack.
He knows how to place things before us
that would most lead us to fall.
I told you a couple of weeks ago,
it's not because he's omniscient that he knows all things.
It's because he and his army of demons watch us
to see our tendencies,
to see what we look at,
to see how we respond and how we act and what we say.
And he leads us to fall in those areas,
just like he did with this first question
that he asked in verse one.
He said, did God actually say,
you shall not eat of any tree in the garden?
That's just a question.
That's not just a question.
It's a twisting, deceptive type question.
He did not question the love of God.
He did not deny the existence of God.
I'll tell you what he did.
He went after the word of God.
He attacked the word of God.
So I want you to notice this process.
First thing he does is he attacks God's word.
He asked the question, did God actually say,
and then he twists the question.
Did God say you shall not eat of any of these trees?
Now remember, it was the word of God
that gave Adam and Eve everything that they had.
As we talked about a few weeks ago,
God spoke and the sun and the moon were developed.
Stars in the sky were placed.
The land separated from the water.
All on the speaking of God.
Vegetation was created.
Animals were made.
All on the voice of God.
It all came from the word of God.
His instruction came by his word.
All that they knew was by the word of God.
And that's what the devil attacked.
We base all of our faith on the word of God.
We believe his word that Christ is the only way.
We believe his word that we live by his instruction.
That his will and his way is what's best for our lives.
We believe his word that he walks with us in the valley.
That he will not leave us alone.
That the peace that he gives us is beyond any of our understanding.
We believe his word that he sent Christ to live as an example for us.
To die as a sacrifice for us.
To rise as an eternal hope for us.
To ascend to prepare a place for us.
And to return to take us with him that where he is we may also be.
We believe his word.
That upon that salvation we are empowered by the Holy Spirit.
We are sealed by his spirit.
We are guaranteed an eternal inheritance.
All because of his word.
We believe that we've been changed by salvation.
We've been challenged by his commission.
And that we've been empowered by his spirit.
To share with others the hope that God has granted to us.
And we believe all of that based upon the word of God.
All that we believe is the word of God.
These truths are not only printed on a page.
They are God breathed.
Into the writers of scripture.
And God indwelt within us.
When we give our hearts and lives to him.
All we know about God.
Is the word of God.
If you attack his word.
You attack him.
If you attack his word.
You attack his salvation.
If you attack his word.
You attack the hope that he has given to us.
The foundations of our belief.
Is found in the word of God.
Therefore the evil one attacks the word of God.
Notice how he attacks the word of God.
He questions what it says.
He said you shall not eat of any of the trees.
It's not what he said.
At all.
We believe his word.
And he attacks his word.
Now I'll tell you what he attacks when he attacks God's word.
He attacks that Christ is the only way.
A lot of philosophies about that today.
Christ is still the only way.
He attacks that we live by God's instruction.
That that's the best way for us.
We often question that.
I know God says this.
But what about my circumstances?
He attacks that.
He attacks the fact that we.
Is God really walking with me?
Does God really see my circumstances?
Does God understand where I am?
The word says God never leaves me alone.
I feel alone.
Can God really give me a peace in the midst of my circumstances?
He attacks the fact that our salvation.
Can come.
No better way to cripple a Christian.
Than make them question their salvation.
And so if you question your salvation.
Let's clear it up.
Before we leave here today.
I will take the time.
To meet with you.
And let's clear it up.
There's no need for you to doubt.
Your salvation.
Because it's the best way.
How are you going to share your faith with anybody?
If you're not even sure about it yourself.
How are.
How are you going to live.
In the power of the Holy Spirit.
If you struggle.
With your salvation.
No need for you to struggle.
With that at all.
But that's where he attacks.
He attacks the fact that we've been challenged by the commission of the Lord Jesus Christ.
That his last words told us to go and tell others.
And make disciples.
And baptize them.
Not only do we not want to travel the world to reach somebody.
We only want to walk across the street and share Christ with somebody.
You know.
He attacks that.
I've said before.
I've said recently.
That there's always going to be two tides against you.
When you try to do two things for the Lord.
One is to share your faith with somebody.
You're always going to be under attack when you do that.
And prayer.
There's always an attack for prayer.
You'll think of something else you need to do instead of pray.
So you'll get up and stop praying.
And the devil loves to get us not to evangelize people.
And not to pray.
Because that's where the power is.
So he attacks those things.
He attacks the fact that we're empowered by his spirit to share.
You'll say, well, I don't know what to say.
I don't know what to do.
He'll give you the words to say.
When he opens the door and you walk through it, you're empowered by the spirit of God.
But the devil's going to whisper in your ear, you ain't adequate.
You can't handle it.
He attacks the word of God.
Not only does he attack, but he also questions the word of God.
Satan is trying to bring doubt.
He says, did he really say that you could not eat of any fruit?
No, he didn't.
It's not what he said.
He said, you may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but this one.
But what God said and what the devil said is polar opposites.
And that's how he questions God's word.
The devil has convinced the world to ask us,
is God's plan really what's best for me?
I mean, if I know what the word of God says,
and I see how it tells me to live,
I mean, is that really the best plan for me?
I don't know that you ask that out loud.
But every time we're tempted to sin and we struggle with it,
that's exactly what we're asking.
Is God's plan what's best?
Maybe how about this question?
How can a loving God hate those who disagree with God's word?
How can he do that?
That's a question the devil loves to throw out.
Is the Bible really relevant today?
Come on, thanks, 2,000 years old.
Is it really relevant today?
That's a question the devil loves to throw out.
And all of that is twisting.
All of it is a perversion of God's word.
I'll tell you what God said.
God said adulterers and perverts and liars and thieves and murderers
will not inherit the kingdom of God.
That's what he said.
If they come to Christ, he will wash away their sins.
He will remove their sins.
When people come to Christ, they are a new creation.
They are not the same.
Listen to me.
They don't do the same things they used to do.
Their minds are being transformed.
They're not perfect.
But the process begins of a mind transformation.
The will is empowered by the spirit of God.
Do we always listen to him?
No.
We're in the process of being transformed.
We are in the process of growing in the Lord.
The process for living that changes.
Our purpose for living changes.
All of that changes.
And when people remain in their sins
and do not come to Christ
or when they struggle in their walk with Christ,
God does not hate those folks.
God does not hate them.
When we speak against sin,
I want to be clear about something.
When we speak against sin,
I'm not telling us to hate the sinner.
I'm telling us to hate the sin.
And no matter what the sin may be,
we have a responsibility
to share the gospel with folks.
To not let them be brainwashed
by an evil world
in which it's led by the evil one.
to convince us that the sins of yesterday
are somehow not sins today.
It is a twisting
and a perversion of God's word.
God does not hate those folks.
God loves those folks.
God loves those enough
to send Christ to die for them.
That's how much he loves them.
The word of God is timeless.
It is always on time.
It is relevant.
It is God breathed.
It is spirit filled.
And it is a book
that reads us like a book.
I want you to listen
to what Hebrews says about it.
Hebrews 4, 12 and 13 says this.
For the word of God
is living and active,
sharper than any two-edged sword,
piercing to the division of soul
and of spirit and of joints
and of marrow,
and discerning the thoughts
and the intentions of the heart.
You know why it's such a struggle
for you to spend time
in God's word?
Because the devil don't want you
to read God's word
and to sense the spirit of God
discerning your thoughts
and the intentions of your heart.
We'd just soon stay distant from that.
And no creature
is hidden from his sight,
but all are naked and exposed
to the eyes of him
to whom we must give account.
So I don't want to be naked
and exposed,
so I'll just not spend time
in God's word.
That's why we don't like it.
That's why we struggle with it.
That's why the forces
of the evil one
come against you
and get you struggling.
Those of you who are trying
to be on a reading plan
and you get behind a little bit
and you get discouraged
and get overwhelmed by that
and say,
I'm just going to give it up.
Don't do it.
I don't know what
they're telling you to do.
Skip it and start today
fresh and new.
But you stay in God's word
every day.
If you can't handle
the chapters you got to do,
don't do them all.
I'm giving you permission.
Don't do them all.
But you be in God's word
every day.
You spend time
in God's word every day.
You need it.
You're going to be saturated
with this whole evil world
the rest of the day.
You better take time out
to hear from God.
I'm just telling you.
Don't tell me
you don't have time.
You don't have time not to.
You've got to take in God's word.
And if somebody asks you
if you believe
that only people
that believe like you
go to heaven,
you tell them no.
No.
Tell them this.
I believe Jesus.
I believe what Jesus says.
That's what I believe.
And you know what Jesus says?
Jesus says in John 14, 6,
I am the way,
the truth,
and the life.
And no man comes
unto the Father
except through me.
So I don't know
all the things that I believe.
I don't know
if all they're correct.
But I know one thing.
I believe in Jesus.
And I believe what Jesus said.
And Jesus said
you have to come through him.
You just point, folks,
to Jesus.
He's the one that said it.
You got an issue with it?
Take it up with him.
But take it up with him.
Get on your knees
and get before him
and take it up with him.
All of that
is questioning
the word of God.
And when Satan
questions God's word,
he wants us
to question his word.
He wants the,
he works hard on us
questioning
the word of God.
Not only that,
but he distorts
God's word.
He rephrases
this question
in a negative way.
He says,
did God
say
that you shall not
eat of any
tree
in the garden?
Well,
they'd starve to death.
That'd be the case.
He didn't say that at all.
What'd God
really say?
He really said,
you may surely
eat of every tree
in the garden,
but of one.
I'll tell you
what the devil's
trying to do.
He's trying to cast
doubt on God's
motivation.
He's trying to cast
doubt on,
is God
holding me back
from opportunities?
I mean,
what looks like
out there in the world
looks like the best
thing to do.
That's the stuff
I want to do.
If I do what God
tells me to do,
I'll be held back
from those things.
I won't be able
to enjoy all those
things.
Somehow God
don't want you
to be happy.
No,
I'll tell you what.
He's trying to keep
you from getting
trapped.
That's what he's
trying to do.
He's trying to keep
you from getting
trapped.
We can get trapped
in habitual
lifestyles of
behaviors that we
were not designed
to be a part of.
God didn't make us
for that.
And when we go
outside of God's
purpose for our
lives,
we get hooked
on stuff we
don't need to be
hooked on.
Satan tempted
her by telling
her she would
in fact be
like God.
He was making
God out to be
so jealous that
he was holding
her back from
her potential.
I want to be
clear because
the Old Testament
is clear.
We serve a
jealous God.
We do.
I don't know
how that hits
you where you
are.
But I'm
sorry.
We serve a
jealous God.
But I want to
be clear about
something.
He's not
jealous of us.
He's jealous
for us.
He wants all
of us.
He wants all
of us.
He wants the
best for us.
And the devil
does not.
And so the devil
is going to
limit, try his
best to limit
our potential
because our
greatest potential
is found in
Christ.
And one way
the devil does
that, the one
way he works in
this world is
through distorting
God's word.
But that's not
the only thing
that happened
because this
wasn't all the
devil.
So let's turn to
Eve for just a
minute.
What did she
do?
She fell into
temptation.
Why did she
fall into
temptation?
I'll tell you
why.
She diminished
God's word.
She did.
When she
began to
think about
it and
continue to
look at
opportunity
before her,
God's word
got smaller.
The whispers
of that snake
got louder.
And if you
ignore God's
word, walk
away from
God's word, or
don't apply
God's word to
your life, it's
going to happen
every time.
I promise you.
I'll tell you
how the devil
does it.
He does it in
two different
ways.
One is he
works in our
world and the
world gets
so loud in
distorting the
word of God
that that's what
we hear, and
that's all we
hear.
I mean, listen
folks, it's
being shouted
all around us.
It's being
shouted in the
news we watch.
It's being
shouted in the
twisting of
science.
It's being
shouted in the
polarizing focus
on politics.
Tear God's
people up
through politics
instead of on
the power of
the gospel.
So he does
it loud like
that, but I'll
tell you how
else he does
it.
He does it by
whispering to
us individually.
Did God
really say,
do you really
think?
Does that
apply to you?
What about
your circumstances?
man, that is
easy to fall to.
We have an
inborn nature
within us that
pulls us toward
it.
And the first
one to face it
who didn't have
an inborn tendency
like we do
fell for it.
He fell for it.
Adam and Adam
just dumbly
following along
joined right in.
And we've been
dumbly following
along, joined
right in ever
since.
Every time.
Tell you what,
James 1 describes
what happens to us.
James 1.
I pray that
when I read
this passage
you'll see
if it applies
to your life
and what's
really happening
in your life.
But each
person
is tempted
when he's
lured and
enticed
by his own
desire.
Then desire
when it has
conceived,
gives birth
to sin.
And sin
when it is
fully grown
brings forth
death.
And I want
you to understand
the New Testament
concept of
death.
You say,
well preacher,
what I do,
I'm not going
to die doing
that.
Yeah,
you are.
Yeah,
you are.
My grandmother
went home to be
with the Lord
years ago
and I
didn't lose
her.
I know
where she's
at.
Okay?
And I
miss her.
And the
reality is
that she
never died.
Scripture
tells me
that when
she closed
her eyes
in death
here,
because of
her commitment
to the Lord
Jesus,
she opened
her eyes
in glory.
It was a
transition.
She left
the shell
behind.
I lived
away from
her.
I didn't
see her
in her last
days.
And when
I saw
her corpse,
it broke
my heart
that I
hadn't seen
her alive.
she died,
but she
still lives.
So I
want you to
understand
that there
are deaths
that happen
in our lives
spiritually
that don't
stop our
heart from
beating.
Our brains
keeps going,
but we
find out
that our
relationships
with others
become very
strained
because of
our sin
patterns.
We find
out that our
honesty with
others becomes
very strained.
There's a death
that takes
place, a
separation that
takes place, a
chasm between
us and others.
There's a chasm
that happens
between us and
God.
As we
continue in sin
patterns,
and don't
acknowledge
them.
If you
fail to
spend time
with the
Lord in
the morning
or in
tomorrow
evening or
whenever you
do it,
if you
fail to
spend time
with him
tomorrow,
Tuesday it's
going to be
easier to
not spend
time with
God.
Wednesday it's
going to be
easier not to
spend time
with God.
Thursday you're
going to start
getting good
at it.
Friday you're
going to be
that much
worse shape.
By next
Sunday you're
going to be
putting on a
fake smile when
you come to
church trying
to hide the
fact that you
ain't seen
hide or hair of
the Lord in
the last week.
That's a death
that's taking
place.
You understand
that?
Because we have
an ongoing
relationship.
Okay?
If I live with
my family for
the next week
and I never
speak to any
of them, I
hope I make it
to church next
week.
But that's a
death that's
taking place.
And that's the
kind of death he's
talking about.
Now, stupid
sin patterns that
lead to habits,
that lead to
degradation, will
lead to death as
well.
And we all
know cases where
people got too
caught in sinful
patterns and they
lost their life
because of that.
But I want you to
understand, there's
death that can
happen before your
heart stops and
your brain stops
functioning.
And God wants to
protect us from
that by doing the
baby steps of
living out our
faith for the
Lord on a
consistent basis.
Eve considered the
temptation, just
like James 1, 14,
15 tells us.
Eve considered the
temptation.
She grew an
appetite for the
fruit of temptation
and her perspective
changed.
When you entertain
the options the
devil throws out, be
careful, it'll change
her perspective.
You'll see it
differently.
Now she saw it was
good for food.
What started as a
question to consider
became a temptation.
And I'm going to
tell you, those
questions can be
subtle.
They really can be.
And that's the
problem.
The subtle nature of
the questions that
he asks us sometimes.
Before you know it,
the thought begins,
if God really loves
me, why would he
deprive me from
that?
I mean, that looks
like the best tree in
the whole garden.
Why shouldn't I do
that?
If he really cares for
me, why would he
deny that?
You see the twisting
of the truth there?
The psalmist tells us
how to combat it.
All of Psalm 119 tells
us how to combat it.
But Psalm 119, 11 says,
I have hidden your
word in my heart that
I might not sin against
God.
The best combat you
have toward the evil
one is to know the
word of God, to spend
time in the word of
God.
It is when these
questions come that
the word must not be
diminished in our mind
but be amplified in our
mind.
Because I'm telling you,
you'll go in a hole if
you are not careful.
When we open our mind
to consideration, when we
begin to dialogue with
temptation, we're in
trouble, folks.
You're in trouble.
I like what scripture
says, snatch them from
the fire.
I tell those men on
Tuesday morning sometimes,
the reason why we meet
at 6 a.m. on Tuesday
and the reason why we
meet at 9 a.m. on
Tuesday and the reason
why we read through
books together to talk
about how to live out
our faith for the Lord
and the reason we
discuss that is I'm
hoping, dear God, I can
snatch some old boy from
the fire, keep him from
doing something stupid in
his life.
God, wake us up.
Wake us up before we
go too far.
The steps of temptation
are there's a reflective
question.
As Barney Fife says,
nip it in the bud when
that comes, okay?
There's a reflective
question.
The second thing is
there's a desire.
There's a desire.
And then the third thing
is where the sin comes in
and that's a sinful
action.
And the answer to walk
away from temptation is
don't focus your attention
on the question.
Get back to the word of
God.
Instead of considering the
temptation, consider this.
And if you don't know this
scripture, you need to
write it down.
If you don't write nothing
else down, you need to
write this down and live by
it.
It's 1 Corinthians 10, 13.
It'll pull you out of a
hole.
No temptation has
overtaken you.
That's not common to man.
You're not an exception to
the rule.
We all face temptation.
It might be slightly
customized.
But I got news for you.
If we were to stand up this
morning, and we're not
going to, if we were to
stand up this morning and
confess all our sins to
each other, and I had a
big board up here, there
ain't a board big enough to
cover Pickens County to
cover all our sins, okay?
And I were to write them
up there, you know what
you'd see?
You'd just see four or five
categories.
You wouldn't see that
many different things.
I mean, there's nuances,
and I know you're
different than the rest
of us.
See how he does it?
Somehow you're different.
The reality is, no
temptation sees you except
what's common.
God is faithful.
I want you to hear me.
You've got to hang your
hat on this.
He will not let you be
tempted beyond your
ability.
But with the temptation, he
will also provide the way
of escape.
That you may be able to
endure it.
God will provide a way out.
The way to sin may be this
big old wide open door right
in front of you.
That's so easy.
And you feel this sucking
feeling that you're just going
into.
Like a vacuum.
Take a second look.
Look around a little bit.
God's provided another way
out.
And when you fail to amplify
God's word in your life,
that's a key passage.
Psalm 119, 11 is another key
passage.
Memorize them.
Say them.
When you fail to amplify God's
word in the midst of your
temptation and instead
diminish God's word, you're
going to fall to it.
You're going to fall to it.
She also added to God's word.
I want you to notice what
happens once she starts having
a conversation with Satan.
I hope that raised a red flag
when I said that.
When she starts having a
conversation with Satan.
She said that God said not to
touch the tree.
He said neither shall you
touch it.
That's not true.
He didn't say that.
We need to stick to God's
word.
And we don't need to be
conversing with Satan.
Converse with God.
Call out to God.
We don't take away from God's
word because we don't like that
part.
We don't need to add to God's
word.
God said enough.
He said all we need.
Let's just follow what he
said.
Don't add to God's word.
Not only that, she ignored
God's word.
When she saw that the tree was
to be desired to make one
wise, she's on a slide at this
point.
You're in a mess at this point
because you're already
reaching for the tree.
First John 2 verse 16 tells
us how we sin.
It says, for all that is in the
world, the desires of the flesh
and the desires of the eyes and
pride of life is not from the
father but is of the world.
All three aspects of sin is
mentioned in that scripture and
all three aspects of sin happen in
her life.
I want you to see this.
It's kind of like diagramming sentences in
English.
What a God forsaken activity.
But anyway.
But I remember having to make those
little things.
I don't think kids know what I'm
talking about now.
But diagram sentences, you know.
Break it down.
Well, let's diagram our sin and our
temptation.
Let's see what that's about.
It says the desires of the flesh, the
desires of the eyes, the pride of
life.
The desires of the eyes, she saw what
she's looking for.
Okay.
The desires of the flesh was that she
wanted it.
And the pride of life was that she
could become like God if she did it.
She'd call her own shots.
She'd do it her way.
Temptation got loud.
Her attention got distracted.
Desire got strong.
And the word of God got ignored.
And sin comes when we do things our
way.
Every time we sin, we try to become
our own God.
We try to run our own life.
And when our appetite gets wet for
worldly opportunities, and when we
look at the things that God has told
us not to, when we seek to do it our
way, we sin against God.
And the ramifications are huge.
They're much bigger than they appear.
It's kind of like the message that
used to be in those side view
mirrors.
The things you're looking at are much
bigger than they appear.
Don't back into it.
And I'm just telling you, the
ramifications of our sin are much
bigger than they appear.
And we will look at those in the
days ahead.
But I want you to see it for what it
is.
Whereas salvation comes when we stop
doing it our way, sin comes when we
start doing it our way.
And when we do, it's an attack on the
word of God.
It's an attack on the truth of God.
It's an attack on the character of
God.
The apostle Paul said this, and I
relate to it so well, I know you do
too, whether you admit it or not.
Romans 7, verse 15 and 17 through 20.
I'll read it and I'll get close to
closing.
For I don't understand my own actions.
For what I do not do, for I do not do
what I want, but I do the very thing I
hate.
You've been there?
So now, it is no longer I who do it,
but sin that dwells in me.
For I know that nothing good dwells in
me that's in my flesh.
For I have the desire to do what is
right, but not the ability to carry it
out.
For I do not do the good I want, but
the evil I do not want is what I keep
on doing.
Now, if I do what I don't want, it's no
longer I who do it, but sin that dwells
within me.
There is a way that is right.
And Jesus said, I am the way.
Any other way interrupts our relationship
with God.
And the ramifications of that sin is
great.
And we'll study that soon.
However, let's make a commitment today
to walk away from our sin.
Carlos Villas was a Spanish monk who
lived in India and wrote a book about
living in India.
And he talks about a bicycle ride that
he took across the Indian countryside.
And as he was riding, he noticed an
unusual silence that came across nature.
The birds stopped singing.
Crickets mum their calls.
Everything got still.
With no clear explanation.
And then off to the side, he looked and
the mystery was solved because what he
saw there, not that far away, was a
snake.
That snake had his head raised up and he
was waving it back and forth with his
eyes fixed on something.
And Carlos looked to see what the snake was
looking at and he saw a bird not far away.
And the bird was transfixed.
It was glued on the snake.
It was paralyzed like a deer in the
headlights, like a mule at a new gate.
And in reality, mentally, he was because
some snakes have the ability to do that and
it leads to their domination.
Vilas just braced for the impact in
anticipation of what was going to happen.
And then he thought, maybe I have time.
And so immediately, Carlos threw his bike
down, started screaming at the bird, waving
his arms and yelling at the bird until the
bird stopped staring at the snake.
Looked at this crazy man and flew off.
I've come today, folks, to throw down my
bicycle, to raise my hands and to scream if I
have to, to tell you, don't get caught in the
stare of the snake.
Let's break it today.
That habit in your life.
That pattern that you're leading to.
That thought that you're entertaining.
That that you're already caught up with.
Whatever it is, today's the day to stop it.
Today's the day to realize what the evil one's doing to you.
Today, will you tell the Lord, Lord, give me the power and
strength to walk away from what displeases you.
Help me to live in a way that honors you.
Answer my questions.
Give me the faith to trust you.
Guide me, oh God, all the way.
Now listen, you may be here this morning and you've never
surrendered your life to the Lord Jesus Christ.
There's never been a time when you've asked him to forgive
you and to cleanse you of your sin.
There's never been a time when you've committed your life to
Christ.
It's never happened in you.
And I'm going to tell you, the power that I speak of, the way
out that I speak of, is not available to you outside of
Christ.
It's not.
Scripture says you are a slave to sin.
A servant to follow his leadings.
And so I'm telling you today that if you'll call upon the name
of the Lord, you shall be saved.
And if you'll ask him to forgive your sins and to come into your
life and change you, he'll empower you with the spirit of
God and he'll enable you to walk away from the patterns in your
lives that have been so destructive in the past.
And I am thankful that you don't do that alone.
Not only does the Holy Spirit come to dwell within you, but you've got a
church body that would love to come alongside of you and support you in
your struggle to help us all become stronger in the Lord.
That's what this is about, folks, is growing in the Lord.
If you've never done that, I'd love to guide you in that process.
I really would.
You come as we stand and sing in just a moment.
I mean, maybe you're here and you have done that, but there's that sin
pattern in your life.
You can't get a handle on it.
Can we confess it before the Lord today?
Can we see it for what God sees it and commit ourselves to follow him from
this day forward?
To trust him with the unanswered questions?
To trust him with the uncertainty of tomorrow?
To know that what he knows is best for us?
To just leave it with him?
I want you to know all week I prayed for you to walk away from the stuff
that so encumbers you and live freely for the Lord.
Maybe you're here and God's drawing you to this church.
You know this is the place that you'd join us.
We're not perfect, nor are you.
So we'll join each other along in the journey and struggle till Jesus
comes for his sake.
You come and obey God.
Maybe you've made a private decision for the Lord.
You've never made that public.
Today, you come.
We'll baptize you.
Not today.
We'll line it up.
You come and obey God as he speaks to your heart and life.
Stand together if you will.
Obey the Lord as he speaks to you.
Lord Jesus, I ask today that you'll move and you'll work in our lives as only
you can, oh God, I pray.
In Jesus' precious name, amen.
Amen.