WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.120 --> 00:00:02.960 Every year, I choose a Bible verse that I want 2 00:00:03.000 --> 00:00:05.320 to pray over our people for the year, and the 3 00:00:05.440 --> 00:00:08.279 verse that I've chosen for you is Ephesians three sixteen, 4 00:00:08.320 --> 00:00:10.320 and it says this in the New Living Translation. 5 00:00:11.640 --> 00:00:13.679 I pray that. 6 00:00:13.759 --> 00:00:20.079 From God's glorious unlimited resources, God will give you mighty 7 00:00:20.559 --> 00:00:26.079 inner strength through His Holy Spirit. Here's the question, do 8 00:00:26.160 --> 00:00:29.760 you really want to be stronger than last year? Do 9 00:00:29.800 --> 00:00:33.479 you want to be stronger physically, spiritually, mentally, socially, relationally, 10 00:00:33.880 --> 00:00:34.640 in every Do you. 11 00:00:34.719 --> 00:00:37.240 Really want to be stronger? Because it doesn't happen by accident. 12 00:00:38.240 --> 00:00:41.000 You can go on being weak, you can go on 13 00:00:41.159 --> 00:00:43.880 being average, or you can be stronger. You see, you 14 00:00:43.920 --> 00:00:47.280 don't grow stronger by accident. You grow stronger by intention. Now, 15 00:00:47.439 --> 00:00:49.679 this weekend, I want us to look at the life 16 00:00:49.719 --> 00:00:53.000 of Samson, who was known as the strongest man in 17 00:00:53.039 --> 00:00:57.399 the Bible, but he had glaring, glaring weaknesses. And in 18 00:00:57.439 --> 00:01:00.600 his life we see both the sources of strength and 19 00:01:00.640 --> 00:01:03.479 the sources of weakness. In the life of Samson, there 20 00:01:03.479 --> 00:01:06.760 are four chapters in the Bible about this guy named Samson. 21 00:01:07.120 --> 00:01:10.400 And we're going to look today at three attitudes that 22 00:01:10.480 --> 00:01:15.760 weaken your spirit and three habits that strengthen your spirit, 23 00:01:15.760 --> 00:01:17.959 to make you strong in spirit. You know, the Bible 24 00:01:17.959 --> 00:01:24.280 tells us that John the Baptist was called strong in spirit. 25 00:01:24.719 --> 00:01:27.079 He was strong in spirit, and that's what I want 26 00:01:27.120 --> 00:01:30.599 you to be. Now, what about the three attitudes that 27 00:01:30.640 --> 00:01:32.879 weaken my spirit? Well, we have these found in the 28 00:01:32.920 --> 00:01:38.319 life of Samson. You know, physically, Samson was a rambo, 29 00:01:39.079 --> 00:01:42.840 but spiritually he was a pee wee herman. He was 30 00:01:42.879 --> 00:01:46.079 a weakling. He was a whimp. He had everything going 31 00:01:46.079 --> 00:01:48.159 for him. He had talent, he had good looks, he 32 00:01:48.200 --> 00:01:51.120 had ability. God blessed him in every kind of way, 33 00:01:51.519 --> 00:01:53.200 and he started off grade. He had a lot of 34 00:01:53.239 --> 00:01:58.239 early successes. But one day he lost it all and 35 00:01:58.359 --> 00:02:00.079 he was a broken man. 36 00:02:00.200 --> 00:02:01.280 He became a failure. 37 00:02:01.879 --> 00:02:05.000 And one day he woke up and all his strength 38 00:02:06.040 --> 00:02:09.080 was gone. I don't want that to happen to you. 39 00:02:09.520 --> 00:02:11.360 I don't want someday for you to wake up and 40 00:02:11.400 --> 00:02:14.800 go all my spiritual strength is gone. I'm just not 41 00:02:15.120 --> 00:02:17.680 the man. I'm not the woman that I used to be. 42 00:02:18.280 --> 00:02:23.080 What happened, well, what happened with Samson is that he 43 00:02:23.360 --> 00:02:28.319 chose a lifestyle that sapped his spiritual strength. This is 44 00:02:28.360 --> 00:02:32.080 a very practical message. And he fell into three traps, 45 00:02:32.280 --> 00:02:36.599 and I want you to avoid these three traps. Number one, 46 00:02:36.960 --> 00:02:41.159 the first trap that will weaken your spirit is self indulgence. 47 00:02:41.639 --> 00:02:45.360 Self indulgence weakens my spirit. We find an example of 48 00:02:45.400 --> 00:02:49.360 this in chapter fourteen of the Book of Judges, Verses 49 00:02:49.360 --> 00:02:52.639 one to twenty. Sampson lived a very self indulgent life. 50 00:02:52.719 --> 00:02:56.520 He was very undisciplined. He lived only for his feelings. 51 00:02:56.960 --> 00:03:01.000 And his big weakness, of course, was women. You know, 52 00:03:01.080 --> 00:03:03.319 some people have wine, women and song. For Samson, it 53 00:03:03.360 --> 00:03:04.520 was women, women and women. 54 00:03:04.919 --> 00:03:05.879 In fact, in. 55 00:03:05.840 --> 00:03:10.680 Three chapters he falls for three different women, and he 56 00:03:10.759 --> 00:03:16.840 keeps running into relationships, running out of relationships, running front relationships. 57 00:03:17.240 --> 00:03:21.120 The Bible tells us in chapter fourteen, the first three verses, 58 00:03:21.319 --> 00:03:25.840 he sees Delilah, and it says she looked good. He said, 59 00:03:26.039 --> 00:03:28.599 she pleases me. He says, get her. 60 00:03:28.879 --> 00:03:29.120 Now. 61 00:03:29.240 --> 00:03:33.840 She wasn't Jewish, she wasn't even the right woman that 62 00:03:33.879 --> 00:03:37.240 God had chosen for him. But he says, she looks 63 00:03:37.240 --> 00:03:41.080 good for me. She lights my fire. Now, let's just 64 00:03:41.439 --> 00:03:44.240 be honest here. Sex is God's idea. There's nothing wrong 65 00:03:44.280 --> 00:03:47.960 with sex. But the point is anything good, even good things, 66 00:03:48.000 --> 00:03:53.599 become harmful if they are out of control. Food, money, sex, sleep, 67 00:03:53.680 --> 00:03:56.840 Anything out of control will weep weaken you. So the 68 00:03:56.879 --> 00:03:59.319 first trap that will weaken your spirit is when you 69 00:03:59.400 --> 00:04:04.599 make it this based on pleasure rather than principle, when 70 00:04:04.639 --> 00:04:08.080 you make a decision based on convenience rather than conviction. 71 00:04:08.800 --> 00:04:11.400 Samson sees a woman. He doesn't check her out. He 72 00:04:11.439 --> 00:04:13.680 doesn't find out is this a woman going to strengthen 73 00:04:13.759 --> 00:04:16.000 my spirit or is she going to tear me down? 74 00:04:16.079 --> 00:04:18.399 Is she going to build me up spiritually or is 75 00:04:18.439 --> 00:04:21.519 she going to pull me down spiritually? He just says she. 76 00:04:21.439 --> 00:04:23.560 Looks good, she's a looker. 77 00:04:23.639 --> 00:04:27.680 She pleases me, and so he ignores his plans and 78 00:04:27.720 --> 00:04:29.240 he says, I've got to have her. 79 00:04:29.319 --> 00:04:29.519 Now. 80 00:04:29.639 --> 00:04:32.079 Let me just stop right here. Does this sound vaguely 81 00:04:32.079 --> 00:04:35.279 familiar in our culture? Does our culture? Do we live 82 00:04:35.319 --> 00:04:38.000 in a culture that values if it feels good, do it? 83 00:04:38.120 --> 00:04:38.399 Yes? 84 00:04:38.800 --> 00:04:41.519 Do we live in a culture that says, whatever you 85 00:04:41.600 --> 00:04:44.240 feel like doing, you ought to do that. I owe 86 00:04:44.279 --> 00:04:48.240 it to myself that, you know, I should just give 87 00:04:48.279 --> 00:04:51.759 into whatever feels good. The Sampson excuse that we still 88 00:04:51.800 --> 00:04:53.120 here here today is this one? 89 00:04:53.399 --> 00:04:56.120 I owe it to myself? Now? 90 00:04:56.160 --> 00:04:58.879 My question is this what do you know in your 91 00:04:58.879 --> 00:05:01.800 life is wrong, but you just keep saying, I owe 92 00:05:01.839 --> 00:05:06.120 it to myself just this once it's okay, you're actually 93 00:05:07.279 --> 00:05:12.600 opening the door to this self indulgence and say I'm 94 00:05:12.600 --> 00:05:14.879 just going to indulge myself in this. You know, if 95 00:05:14.879 --> 00:05:17.800 you went on a cruise and the captain came in 96 00:05:17.920 --> 00:05:20.839 law a loudspeaker and said, hi, folks, we're on this 97 00:05:21.160 --> 00:05:24.040 two week cruise. We've we've developed a small leak, but 98 00:05:24.079 --> 00:05:27.120 I just want to tell you it's a small leak. Well, 99 00:05:27.120 --> 00:05:29.720 that wouldn't be any comfort to you, because whether it's 100 00:05:29.720 --> 00:05:31.439 a small leak or a big leak, leak as a 101 00:05:31.519 --> 00:05:34.319 leak as a leak, and a small equal sinkership just 102 00:05:35.480 --> 00:05:37.720 like a large leak will it just takes a little 103 00:05:37.720 --> 00:05:40.639 bit more time. The point is this, Any area that 104 00:05:40.680 --> 00:05:45.720 you're undisciplined in is going to weaken your spirit. Any 105 00:05:47.000 --> 00:05:50.600 area that you're undisciplined in will eventually catch up with you. 106 00:05:50.959 --> 00:05:54.839 To be strong in spirit, I must discipline my desires. 107 00:05:55.680 --> 00:05:59.319 To be strong in spirit, I must discipline my desires. 108 00:05:59.360 --> 00:06:02.519 Desires are good, but they must be disciplined. The Bible 109 00:06:02.560 --> 00:06:07.199 says it like this. First Peter four wanted two strengthen 110 00:06:07.279 --> 00:06:11.800 yourselves with Christ's way of thinking, live your lives controlled 111 00:06:11.800 --> 00:06:16.199 by God's will, not by human desire. What is he 112 00:06:16.240 --> 00:06:18.879 saying there? Just because I want something doesn't mean I 113 00:06:18.879 --> 00:06:21.160 should have it. Just because it can afford it doesn't 114 00:06:21.160 --> 00:06:23.959 mean I should buy it. Just because it's pleasurable doesn't 115 00:06:24.000 --> 00:06:27.439 mean it's good. And just because everybody's doing it doesn't 116 00:06:27.480 --> 00:06:30.199 mean that I have to do it. I need to 117 00:06:30.240 --> 00:06:34.079 avoid the trap of self indulgence. And we live in 118 00:06:34.120 --> 00:06:38.480 a very self indulgent culture. The second trap that Samson 119 00:06:38.519 --> 00:06:40.600 fell into, and it will cause it to lose his strength, 120 00:06:40.839 --> 00:06:46.959 was resentment. Resentment will weaken you spiritually. It weakens your spirit. 121 00:06:47.000 --> 00:06:49.519 We find this in the next chapter, Judges, Chapter fifteen. 122 00:06:50.199 --> 00:06:54.439 Samson lived his entire life in a continual state of 123 00:06:54.519 --> 00:07:00.279 disappointment and anger and resentment and bitterness. He was a very, very, 124 00:07:00.399 --> 00:07:04.839 very angry man. He felt misunderstood, he felt disappointed. He 125 00:07:04.920 --> 00:07:10.639 reacts violently to everything. His primary motivation in life was 126 00:07:10.680 --> 00:07:13.560 to get even. He had a victim mentality. Do you 127 00:07:13.639 --> 00:07:16.839 have that the attitude that everybody's against you and you're 128 00:07:16.879 --> 00:07:19.600 a victim and the world's law that's going to cause 129 00:07:19.639 --> 00:07:21.160 you to not grow in spirit. 130 00:07:21.199 --> 00:07:22.720 It'll weaken your spirit. 131 00:07:23.360 --> 00:07:26.959 One time, Samson actually killed thirty men just to get 132 00:07:27.000 --> 00:07:31.759 even on a bet. He was a very resentful, very angry, 133 00:07:32.319 --> 00:07:36.560 very bitter person. And in Judges chapter fifteen, you always 134 00:07:36.560 --> 00:07:41.079 find his excuses this They hurt me first. Now let 135 00:07:41.079 --> 00:07:43.319 me ask you who has hurt you that you're holding 136 00:07:43.360 --> 00:07:45.639 on to that hurt. You need to let it go 137 00:07:46.040 --> 00:07:50.319 because that will sink your ship, That will sap your strength, 138 00:07:50.800 --> 00:07:53.879 that will shrivel your spirit. And if you're going to 139 00:07:53.920 --> 00:07:57.319 be spiritually strong, you not only have to avoid self 140 00:07:57.319 --> 00:08:02.759 indulgence by disciplining your desires, to avoid resentment. Now, every 141 00:08:02.759 --> 00:08:05.279 one of us are hurt in life. We all get 142 00:08:05.319 --> 00:08:08.600 hurt by what people say, of what people do, by 143 00:08:08.600 --> 00:08:11.680 what people think. You can't live in a broken world 144 00:08:11.959 --> 00:08:15.720 and not be hurt. But Sampson's second mistake is he 145 00:08:15.839 --> 00:08:21.240 reacts instead of acts. Resentment is always self defeating. It 146 00:08:21.279 --> 00:08:23.839 always hurts you more than it hurts the other person. 147 00:08:24.240 --> 00:08:28.839 Job chapter five, Verse two says, to worry yourself to 148 00:08:28.920 --> 00:08:30.639 death with resentment would. 149 00:08:30.480 --> 00:08:33.080 Be a foolish, senseless thing to do. 150 00:08:33.519 --> 00:08:36.799 The Bible says, anytime I get resentful, anytime I hold 151 00:08:36.840 --> 00:08:39.960 a grudge, I'm a fool. It's just real clear. I'm 152 00:08:40.000 --> 00:08:43.960 a fool. I am foolish. Job eighteen four says, you're 153 00:08:44.039 --> 00:08:50.159 only hurting yourself with your anger. When you hold onto anger, 154 00:08:50.159 --> 00:08:52.240 it's like taking fire in your heart. You're the one 155 00:08:52.240 --> 00:08:55.120 who's gonna get burned. Resentment always hurts you more than 156 00:08:55.159 --> 00:08:59.399 it hurts somebody else. And Sampson lost his spiritual and 157 00:08:59.440 --> 00:09:03.399 physical strength not just because of self indulgent but because 158 00:09:03.399 --> 00:09:07.200 he never managed his anger. He never learned to let 159 00:09:07.240 --> 00:09:08.600 it go, He never. 160 00:09:08.480 --> 00:09:09.480 Learned to forgive. 161 00:09:09.840 --> 00:09:14.120 To be strong in spirit, I must control my reactions. 162 00:09:14.639 --> 00:09:16.919 I not only have to discipline my desires. I have 163 00:09:16.960 --> 00:09:20.000 to learn to control my reactions. The Bible says, the 164 00:09:20.000 --> 00:09:24.240 person who learns to control his reaction is stronger than 165 00:09:24.240 --> 00:09:26.879 a walled city, and the person who doesn't know how 166 00:09:26.879 --> 00:09:30.879 to control the reactions is as defenseless as a city 167 00:09:31.240 --> 00:09:34.919 without walls. Look at this verse Proverbs twenty nine to eleven. 168 00:09:35.840 --> 00:09:38.960 A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a 169 00:09:39.000 --> 00:09:43.759 wise man keeps himself under control. That was Samson's second mistake. 170 00:09:43.919 --> 00:09:46.080 And I don't want you to make this one. Self 171 00:09:46.080 --> 00:09:49.559 indulgence resentment to somebody who's hurt you in the past. 172 00:09:49.759 --> 00:09:51.799 And the third one, this is a big one because 173 00:09:52.000 --> 00:09:57.799 it catches a soft guard carelessness. Carelessness will sap your 174 00:09:57.879 --> 00:10:02.960 spiritual strength. It will shrivel your spirit, it will weaken 175 00:10:03.240 --> 00:10:05.720 your spirit. And we see this in the next chapter 176 00:10:06.080 --> 00:10:10.320 in Judges chapter sixteen, verses one to twenty. Anytime you 177 00:10:10.360 --> 00:10:14.039 get careless with your time, anytime you get careless with 178 00:10:14.080 --> 00:10:18.159 your health, anytime you get careless with your money, anytime 179 00:10:18.200 --> 00:10:22.200 you get careless with your words, you're headed. 180 00:10:21.960 --> 00:10:22.840 In the wrong direction. 181 00:10:23.399 --> 00:10:26.200 Anytime you get careless with your commitments. You make a 182 00:10:26.240 --> 00:10:31.000 commitment and then you don't keep it. Samson had amazing strength, 183 00:10:31.000 --> 00:10:33.200 and this strength was actually a gift from God. God 184 00:10:33.200 --> 00:10:36.279 had given it to him, and it was a result 185 00:10:36.519 --> 00:10:39.600 of a commitment that he had made. Samson made what 186 00:10:39.720 --> 00:10:43.600 was called in the Bible a Nazarite vow, and a 187 00:10:43.679 --> 00:10:48.200 Nazarite vow was a vow to live holy before God. 188 00:10:48.799 --> 00:10:52.360 And as a symbol of that vow, there were a 189 00:10:52.440 --> 00:10:55.159 number of things that you were not to do if 190 00:10:55.159 --> 00:10:57.879 you took the Nazarite vow. You were to be dedicated 191 00:10:57.919 --> 00:11:01.480 to God one hundred percent. You were to have no alcohol, 192 00:11:01.559 --> 00:11:03.759 you were to never drink any alcohol in your life. 193 00:11:04.200 --> 00:11:06.679 You were to eat a special diet. And the fourth 194 00:11:06.679 --> 00:11:08.559 thing that was most notable is you were to never 195 00:11:08.600 --> 00:11:12.639 cut your hair. That was the part of a nazarie val. 196 00:11:12.879 --> 00:11:15.480 You never cut your hair as a symbol of your 197 00:11:15.480 --> 00:11:19.519 commitment to God. And why didn't people make this nazaright 198 00:11:19.600 --> 00:11:22.679 valel Well, it was simply a way of saying that 199 00:11:22.759 --> 00:11:26.480 God's servant is to live differently. We're to be above reproach, 200 00:11:26.519 --> 00:11:30.639 We're to be different than the culture. Samson, however, was 201 00:11:30.759 --> 00:11:34.240 careless with his vow. He made a vow, but he 202 00:11:34.279 --> 00:11:39.639 didn't keep it. He continually compromised his commitment out of convenience, 203 00:11:40.240 --> 00:11:44.600 and he toyed with temptation. And his attitude was not 204 00:11:44.759 --> 00:11:47.200 how close to God can I get? His attitude was 205 00:11:47.279 --> 00:11:49.159 how close to the fire can I get and not 206 00:11:49.200 --> 00:11:52.639 get burned? A lot of people live their lives that way. 207 00:11:52.879 --> 00:11:55.879 They go, I'm a Christian, and I know this is wrong, 208 00:11:55.919 --> 00:11:58.360 but I wonder how much can I do and not 209 00:11:58.519 --> 00:12:02.200 get burned. Now, in chapter sixteen we have the story 210 00:12:02.399 --> 00:12:08.799 of Delilah, and Delilah is hired by Samson's enemies. Samson 211 00:12:08.879 --> 00:12:11.639 is an enemy because he represents the strength of God 212 00:12:11.679 --> 00:12:15.080 and the people who hated God wanted to destroy Samson, 213 00:12:15.399 --> 00:12:20.120 so they hire this woman, Delilah, to find his secret strength. 214 00:12:21.080 --> 00:12:25.960 And Samson knows exactly what's going on. He's aware of 215 00:12:25.960 --> 00:12:28.799 the game, and he knows that she's trying to find 216 00:12:28.840 --> 00:12:31.279 his secret of strength, and he actually toys with her. 217 00:12:31.440 --> 00:12:35.039 He teases her, and the first time when she comes says, oh, honey, 218 00:12:35.120 --> 00:12:38.159 please tell me what's the secret of your strength? He says, well, 219 00:12:38.200 --> 00:12:41.879 if you will tie seven bow strings around me, then 220 00:12:42.000 --> 00:12:44.759 I can't. I won't be able to break from him. 221 00:12:45.080 --> 00:12:47.679 So he goes to bed with this girl. He wakes 222 00:12:47.759 --> 00:12:49.879 up the next morning and he's tied up with seven 223 00:12:49.919 --> 00:12:54.039 bow strings. Duh, and there are men standing in the 224 00:12:54.120 --> 00:12:57.799 room waiting to kill him. He immediately breaks the bow 225 00:12:57.840 --> 00:13:02.600 strings and kills the guys. The next night, she does 226 00:13:02.639 --> 00:13:06.759 it again. She says, oh, honey, please tell me what's 227 00:13:07.000 --> 00:13:09.639 your secret of strength? And he says, well, you know, really, 228 00:13:09.679 --> 00:13:12.240 the secret of strength is if you'll just tie seven 229 00:13:12.360 --> 00:13:15.440 new ropes around me, then I won't be able to break. 230 00:13:15.679 --> 00:13:18.559 He knows what's going on. He goes asleep. The next morning, 231 00:13:18.639 --> 00:13:21.720 he wakes up, duh, He's tied up in seven ropes. 232 00:13:21.960 --> 00:13:24.399 And their men standing in the room waiting to kill him. 233 00:13:26.120 --> 00:13:29.919 He is toying with temptation. He's playing with the fire. 234 00:13:30.120 --> 00:13:36.480 He's flirting with sin. He breaks the ropes and kills 235 00:13:36.480 --> 00:13:40.240 all the guys. The next night, Delilah says, honey, you're 236 00:13:40.240 --> 00:13:44.440 really embarrassing me. You're making me look bad. It's pretty blatant. 237 00:13:44.679 --> 00:13:47.320 She's actually caring more about the money she's going to 238 00:13:47.320 --> 00:13:50.240 be paid than she cares about Samson. But he doesn't care. 239 00:13:50.279 --> 00:13:53.120 He's toying with her. He's teasing her. And this time 240 00:13:53.159 --> 00:13:57.000 he says, if you will braid my hair, I'll lose 241 00:13:57.240 --> 00:13:57.879 my strength. 242 00:13:58.480 --> 00:13:58.720 Now. 243 00:13:59.000 --> 00:14:02.679 Notice he's actually getting close to the real secret. The 244 00:14:02.720 --> 00:14:06.120 secret of it was in his hair, not that his 245 00:14:06.200 --> 00:14:09.240 hair made him strong. It was his commitment to God 246 00:14:09.279 --> 00:14:11.519 that made him strong, and the hair was the symbol 247 00:14:11.559 --> 00:14:13.519 of his commitment to God. He says, if you braid 248 00:14:13.600 --> 00:14:16.960 my hair, he's flirting with temptations. How close can I get? 249 00:14:17.320 --> 00:14:20.360 And let me just stop here? What are you flirting with? 250 00:14:22.440 --> 00:14:25.080 What do you know in your life is flat out wrong? 251 00:14:25.279 --> 00:14:29.679 Pornography and you're flirting with it. Cheating on your income 252 00:14:29.759 --> 00:14:33.480 tax and you're flirting with it, flirting with a man 253 00:14:33.600 --> 00:14:36.600 or woman at work, and you know it's wrong, and 254 00:14:36.639 --> 00:14:38.919 you say, I can handle it. I can handle this, 255 00:14:39.000 --> 00:14:41.279 I can get away with it. And you're getting closer 256 00:14:41.320 --> 00:14:44.320 and closer. You have already been set up for the fail. 257 00:14:45.799 --> 00:14:49.919 Satan has already seduced you. He's already lied to you, 258 00:14:50.000 --> 00:14:52.759 and you've bought that lie. Every morning there are men 259 00:14:52.919 --> 00:14:55.480 standing in his room. He knows what's going on here, 260 00:14:56.159 --> 00:15:00.440 he knows exactly what he's doing. And in Judge's chapter sixteen, 261 00:15:00.480 --> 00:15:04.320 verse fifteen sixteen, he's careless once too often, and he 262 00:15:04.360 --> 00:15:05.120 finally tells her. 263 00:15:05.159 --> 00:15:05.919 He says, if you. 264 00:15:05.960 --> 00:15:09.840 Cut my hair, then I'll lose my strength. He finally 265 00:15:09.879 --> 00:15:13.639 gives in, and his lifestyle had become so weakened from 266 00:15:13.799 --> 00:15:18.519 compromise after compromise after compromise. He had said, it'll be 267 00:15:18.600 --> 00:15:21.879 different for me. I can handle it. When you say 268 00:15:21.919 --> 00:15:25.039 those words, you're being set up by Satan. Nobody ever 269 00:15:25.120 --> 00:15:30.120 plans to fail spiritually. Nobody ever plans to have their 270 00:15:30.159 --> 00:15:34.759 marriage fail, their life fail, their business fail, their health fail, 271 00:15:35.320 --> 00:15:39.799 their finances fail. Nobody ever plans a bankruptcy. But it's 272 00:15:39.840 --> 00:15:43.440 one little decision after another. People don't fall off a 273 00:15:43.480 --> 00:15:47.919 cliff overnight. It begins with small slippages. I start to 274 00:15:48.039 --> 00:15:50.639 let things slide, and then they wake up one day 275 00:15:50.679 --> 00:15:53.519 and they go what happened? What happened, And all of 276 00:15:53.519 --> 00:15:57.360 a sudden, they've lost their credibility, or they've lost their reputation, 277 00:15:58.080 --> 00:16:01.879 or they've lost their ministry, or they've lost their finances. 278 00:16:02.879 --> 00:16:06.120 The fact is a chain is only as strong as 279 00:16:06.159 --> 00:16:09.320 its weakest link. What's the weak link in your life? 280 00:16:10.000 --> 00:16:12.480 You see, you are only as strong as what you're 281 00:16:12.480 --> 00:16:16.399 committed to, and if you're chipping away at that commitment, 282 00:16:16.799 --> 00:16:19.240 you're getting weaker and weaker every day. The Bible is 283 00:16:19.320 --> 00:16:23.320 very blunt. Look at this verse Proverbs eighteen twenty. You 284 00:16:23.360 --> 00:16:27.279 will have to live with the consequences of everything you say. 285 00:16:27.919 --> 00:16:28.080 Now. 286 00:16:28.120 --> 00:16:30.159 Not only will you have to live with the consequences 287 00:16:30.159 --> 00:16:32.120 of everything you say, you will have to live with 288 00:16:32.159 --> 00:16:33.759 the consequences of everything you do. 289 00:16:34.559 --> 00:16:35.360 You will have to live with. 290 00:16:35.320 --> 00:16:38.080 The consequences of everything you think. And when you say 291 00:16:38.120 --> 00:16:40.320 I can get away with this it's just a small thing, 292 00:16:40.799 --> 00:16:44.120 you are setting yourself up for failure. So let me, 293 00:16:44.240 --> 00:16:46.919 before we go to the solution, ask you, what's the 294 00:16:46.960 --> 00:16:52.480 weak link in your life? What is the area that 295 00:16:52.519 --> 00:16:56.639 you're most likely is it self indulgence in some area? 296 00:16:58.080 --> 00:17:02.000 Is it carelessness in some area? Is it resentment against 297 00:17:02.039 --> 00:17:03.600 someone that you just won't. 298 00:17:03.440 --> 00:17:04.000 Let it go? 299 00:17:04.960 --> 00:17:09.480 You're being set up, You're allowing that slippage, and you 300 00:17:09.519 --> 00:17:12.599 can say I can handle it. Here's the second question 301 00:17:12.640 --> 00:17:13.960 I want to ask you, when are you going to 302 00:17:14.000 --> 00:17:16.519 do something about it? This is the day to do 303 00:17:16.559 --> 00:17:20.359 something about that slippage in your life. And the solution 304 00:17:20.759 --> 00:17:25.680 is to be strong spiritually. I must develop good habits. 305 00:17:26.519 --> 00:17:30.359 I must develop good habits. You with a sum total 306 00:17:30.440 --> 00:17:34.200 of your habits, Your character is your habits. What you 307 00:17:34.319 --> 00:17:37.559 do habitually is what you is your character. If you 308 00:17:37.599 --> 00:17:43.000 are habitually friendly, if you're habitually kind, if you're habitually honest, 309 00:17:43.039 --> 00:17:47.599 if you are habitually courageous, then that's your character. If 310 00:17:47.640 --> 00:17:51.160 it's not a habit, it's not your character. So I 311 00:17:51.240 --> 00:17:55.559 want to close now very quickly, with three habits that. 312 00:17:55.559 --> 00:17:56.480 Will change your life. 313 00:17:57.319 --> 00:18:02.160 I've been following these habits almost all my life, and 314 00:18:02.200 --> 00:18:05.200 they are the secret of my own spiritual strength. And 315 00:18:05.319 --> 00:18:08.319 every man or woman of God that has been used 316 00:18:08.359 --> 00:18:12.920 in history has developed these habits. And if you will 317 00:18:12.920 --> 00:18:17.160 develop these habits, you will start building a strong spirit. 318 00:18:17.319 --> 00:18:20.400 By the way the Bible says this in Ephesians chapter six, 319 00:18:20.480 --> 00:18:26.440 verse ten, build up your strength. Notice that's something you do, 320 00:18:26.920 --> 00:18:31.079 build up your strength. How in union with the Lord 321 00:18:31.799 --> 00:18:35.400 and by means of his mighty power, you have a 322 00:18:35.440 --> 00:18:37.759 part in building your strength, and God has a part. 323 00:18:38.039 --> 00:18:40.279 God says you build up your strength by being in 324 00:18:40.400 --> 00:18:43.720 union with Christ, and then he puts his power in you. 325 00:18:44.200 --> 00:18:47.480 How does that happen? Three ways? Number one first habit 326 00:18:47.519 --> 00:18:53.920 for spiritual strength. Get time with God every day. Get 327 00:18:54.000 --> 00:18:57.559 time with God every single day of your life. 328 00:18:57.680 --> 00:18:58.200 If you're not. 329 00:18:58.200 --> 00:19:01.000 Doing that, you're not growing spiritually. If you're not doing that, 330 00:19:01.279 --> 00:19:04.240 you're getting weaker every day. We call this a daily 331 00:19:04.319 --> 00:19:06.519 quiet time. And each of these three habits, I want 332 00:19:06.559 --> 00:19:10.160 to give you the reason, the routine, and the result. First, 333 00:19:10.160 --> 00:19:12.759 the reason why should I have a daily quiet time? 334 00:19:13.119 --> 00:19:15.920 Psalm twenty five, verse four. Show me the path where 335 00:19:15.960 --> 00:19:18.759 I should go? Oh Lord, point out the right road 336 00:19:18.960 --> 00:19:21.720 for me to walk. You need a daily quiet time 337 00:19:21.759 --> 00:19:24.480 for guidance. If you're not having a daily quiet time, 338 00:19:24.519 --> 00:19:26.559 you're not getting guidance from God. You're out there on 339 00:19:26.599 --> 00:19:28.920 your own. You're going your own way, your own path, 340 00:19:28.960 --> 00:19:32.000 at your own pace. In your own direction because you're 341 00:19:32.000 --> 00:19:34.759 not getting daily guidance from God. That's the reason to 342 00:19:34.839 --> 00:19:38.599 get guidance from God. What's the routine, Well, it is 343 00:19:38.880 --> 00:19:41.119 to get a loan by yourself. The Bible says to 344 00:19:41.200 --> 00:19:45.119 Luke five point sixteen, Jesus often withdrew to a lonely 345 00:19:45.240 --> 00:19:46.839 place and prayed. 346 00:19:47.039 --> 00:19:50.960 That means it was habitual. It was his habit. 347 00:19:51.240 --> 00:19:52.960 In some of the verses of the Bible, it says, 348 00:19:53.160 --> 00:19:56.559 and Jesus withdrew to a lonely place as was his custom. 349 00:19:56.839 --> 00:19:57.839 It was his habit. 350 00:19:58.559 --> 00:20:00.519 You get a place where you could be alone with 351 00:20:00.599 --> 00:20:02.839 God and be quiet, where you can pray and read 352 00:20:02.880 --> 00:20:05.920 the Bible. And what's the results. Jesus says this in 353 00:20:06.000 --> 00:20:09.519 John fifteen seven. If you re made in Me and 354 00:20:09.599 --> 00:20:12.720 my words remain in you, that's quiet time. Then you 355 00:20:12.759 --> 00:20:16.000 will ask for anything you wish and you shall have it. 356 00:20:16.640 --> 00:20:18.400 Did you know that one of the keys for answered 357 00:20:18.400 --> 00:20:22.000 prayer is to spend time alone with God. That's the 358 00:20:22.160 --> 00:20:25.000 number one habit you need to develop. And I pray 359 00:20:25.079 --> 00:20:27.319 that right now as you're listening to this, you go, Okay, 360 00:20:27.359 --> 00:20:29.480 I'm going to do it, even if it's just five minutes. 361 00:20:30.160 --> 00:20:31.839 Then you go to ten. Then you go to fifteen 362 00:20:32.279 --> 00:20:34.400 and you get time to listen to God through his 363 00:20:34.440 --> 00:20:37.880 word and talk to him in prayer. That's the number 364 00:20:37.920 --> 00:20:41.440 one habit for spiritual strength. You know it, but you're 365 00:20:41.480 --> 00:20:45.079 not doing it. So let's make a change. Let's be 366 00:20:45.160 --> 00:20:48.920 stronger in spirit this year. Get time with God every day. 367 00:20:49.240 --> 00:20:53.880 Here's habit number two. Get together with believers every week. 368 00:20:55.599 --> 00:20:58.839 These aren't rocket science, folks, we know what they are, 369 00:20:59.119 --> 00:21:03.720 but we just don't get together with believers every single week. 370 00:21:04.039 --> 00:21:07.279 Now we call this a weekly small group. Here's the 371 00:21:07.319 --> 00:21:11.599 reason Hebrews ten twenty five. Let us not give up 372 00:21:11.640 --> 00:21:15.559 the habit of meeting together. Instead, let us encourage each other. 373 00:21:15.960 --> 00:21:20.119 Notice the habit of meeting the other. It's like this fire. 374 00:21:20.720 --> 00:21:23.519 These coals are all hot. If I were to take 375 00:21:23.599 --> 00:21:26.119 one of the coals out of the fire and set 376 00:21:26.119 --> 00:21:29.079 it off here by itself, it would grow cold and 377 00:21:29.119 --> 00:21:31.119 it would lose its heat. But if I take that 378 00:21:31.200 --> 00:21:33.559 cold and put it in that coal back in the fire, 379 00:21:33.839 --> 00:21:37.799 it gets hot again. This is what fellowship does. You 380 00:21:37.920 --> 00:21:40.960 by yourself, you're gonna grow cold, You're gonna grow weak, 381 00:21:41.160 --> 00:21:43.839 you're gonna grow wimpy. You're not gonna have the spiritual 382 00:21:43.839 --> 00:21:46.799 strength you need. You must be in a small group 383 00:21:47.039 --> 00:21:50.640 where iron sharpens iron and the fire helps each other 384 00:21:51.000 --> 00:21:54.359 stay warm. What is the routine, Well, we find the 385 00:21:54.440 --> 00:21:57.200 routine for small groups in Acts chapter five forty two. 386 00:21:58.000 --> 00:21:59.960 It says they met day after day in the temple 387 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:03.240 courts and from house to house. We've covered this verse 388 00:22:03.279 --> 00:22:08.240 many times. Temple courts is large group worship and house 389 00:22:08.279 --> 00:22:11.519 to house is small group fellowship. You need both of 390 00:22:11.519 --> 00:22:15.319 these to be spiritually strong. You're right now in the 391 00:22:15.359 --> 00:22:19.519 temple courts. You're in a large group celebration of worship, 392 00:22:19.880 --> 00:22:21.880 and that's a good thing. But you also need the 393 00:22:21.880 --> 00:22:25.880 small group fellowship. And what's the result of getting together 394 00:22:25.920 --> 00:22:30.559 with believers every week? The Bible says in Aclesiastes four, nine, 395 00:22:30.599 --> 00:22:34.440 and ten two are better off than one because together 396 00:22:34.519 --> 00:22:38.400 they're more effective. If one falls down, the other can 397 00:22:38.440 --> 00:22:40.960 help him up. There are going to be times when 398 00:22:40.960 --> 00:22:43.799 you need somebody else to be there for you. Do 399 00:22:43.880 --> 00:22:48.400 you have that safety net in place? The crisis, the 400 00:22:48.519 --> 00:22:51.480 rogue winds, the terrible storm, those are going to come 401 00:22:51.519 --> 00:22:54.079