1 00:00:00,500 --> 00:00:02,600 The title of this message is How God 2 00:00:02,600 --> 00:00:04,400 Transforms Your Life. 3 00:00:04,660 --> 00:00:07,000 To me it is a very, very encouraging 4 00:00:07,000 --> 00:00:07,760 message. 5 00:00:08,480 --> 00:00:11,240 So many today are looking for a transformed 6 00:00:11,240 --> 00:00:13,540 life in the world in which we live. 7 00:00:14,540 --> 00:00:17,440 They go about this in a plethora of 8 00:00:17,440 --> 00:00:18,120 ways. 9 00:00:18,880 --> 00:00:23,080 Psychology in the last several decades has been 10 00:00:23,080 --> 00:00:27,100 thrust forth as an answer to change your 11 00:00:27,100 --> 00:00:27,520 life. 12 00:00:28,280 --> 00:00:33,900 The whole idea of psychology, the whole field 13 00:00:33,900 --> 00:00:40,320 of psychiatry has its benefits, but in the 14 00:00:40,320 --> 00:00:43,460 end there is one problem, and that is 15 00:00:43,460 --> 00:00:47,320 someone can analyze you, but they cannot change 16 00:00:47,320 --> 00:00:47,520 you. 17 00:00:48,400 --> 00:00:51,080 Only Jesus Christ can change a life. 18 00:00:52,160 --> 00:00:55,980 And there is, of course, a lot of 19 00:00:55,980 --> 00:00:57,640 change that happens with AA. 20 00:00:59,020 --> 00:01:02,700 Alcoholics find change in AA, but in the 21 00:01:02,700 --> 00:01:04,660 end when it's all said and done, and 22 00:01:04,660 --> 00:01:06,820 it's a good thing to get an alcoholic 23 00:01:06,820 --> 00:01:08,560 off of alcohol, but in the end when 24 00:01:08,560 --> 00:01:10,400 it's all said and done, what you have 25 00:01:10,400 --> 00:01:11,620 is a sober sinner. 26 00:01:12,640 --> 00:01:15,880 They still need to know the changing power 27 00:01:15,880 --> 00:01:17,600 of Jesus Christ in the depths of their 28 00:01:17,600 --> 00:01:17,940 life. 29 00:01:18,780 --> 00:01:21,120 In the last several decades the whole idea 30 00:01:21,120 --> 00:01:24,920 of the entire prison institution has gone toward 31 00:01:24,920 --> 00:01:28,160 the philosophy that what prisoners need is to 32 00:01:28,160 --> 00:01:28,900 be educated. 33 00:01:29,780 --> 00:01:31,680 And so now you have people in prison 34 00:01:31,680 --> 00:01:35,280 that educate themselves until they find loopholes in 35 00:01:35,280 --> 00:01:37,540 the law to educate themselves right out of 36 00:01:37,540 --> 00:01:37,920 prison. 37 00:01:38,160 --> 00:01:40,820 And now we have these people that were 38 00:01:40,820 --> 00:01:42,880 in prison because they were dangerous on the 39 00:01:42,880 --> 00:01:43,140 street. 40 00:01:43,240 --> 00:01:44,560 They're back out on the street and they're 41 00:01:44,560 --> 00:01:46,280 far more dangerous than they ever were because 42 00:01:46,280 --> 00:01:47,420 they're far more educated. 43 00:01:47,600 --> 00:01:49,200 So they're smarter at being criminals. 44 00:01:49,940 --> 00:01:51,840 And that doesn't work, obviously. 45 00:01:52,940 --> 00:01:57,240 Then there is the whole idea of positive 46 00:01:57,240 --> 00:01:57,800 thinking. 47 00:01:58,020 --> 00:01:59,960 It comes in many packages. 48 00:02:00,560 --> 00:02:04,040 It's called by many names, but positive thinking. 49 00:02:04,680 --> 00:02:07,620 In Jeremiah 13, 23, God said, Can the 50 00:02:07,620 --> 00:02:10,660 Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard it 51 00:02:10,660 --> 00:02:11,140 spots? 52 00:02:11,300 --> 00:02:14,140 Then may you also do good who are 53 00:02:14,140 --> 00:02:15,560 accustomed to doing evil. 54 00:02:16,120 --> 00:02:18,020 It is also in Jeremiah that God says 55 00:02:18,020 --> 00:02:19,740 the heart of man is deceitful and wicked 56 00:02:19,740 --> 00:02:21,760 above all things. 57 00:02:22,160 --> 00:02:23,100 Who can know it? 58 00:02:23,180 --> 00:02:25,200 The answer is not you, but God. 59 00:02:25,740 --> 00:02:28,660 In John 3, 4, Nicodemus came to Jesus 60 00:02:28,660 --> 00:02:30,900 Christ, the teacher in Israel. 61 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:34,640 The Bible says one translation says the teacher 62 00:02:34,640 --> 00:02:36,580 in Israel, perhaps the finest. 63 00:02:37,320 --> 00:02:39,580 He came to Jesus Christ by night, wanting 64 00:02:39,580 --> 00:02:40,740 the answers to life. 65 00:02:40,780 --> 00:02:43,620 And Jesus said to him, he went straight 66 00:02:43,620 --> 00:02:46,300 to his his need and he said, You 67 00:02:46,300 --> 00:02:47,840 must be born again. 68 00:02:48,340 --> 00:02:49,340 And that is the answer. 69 00:02:49,420 --> 00:02:50,440 You must be born again. 70 00:02:50,600 --> 00:02:53,060 That is where the transformation begins to take 71 00:02:53,060 --> 00:02:55,240 place, because it's the change on the inside, 72 00:02:55,420 --> 00:02:56,560 not on the outside. 73 00:02:57,400 --> 00:03:00,000 So we have that great transformation here in 74 00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:03,040 the life of Saul of Tarsus, one of 75 00:03:03,040 --> 00:03:06,060 the most unlikely individuals to ever undergo such 76 00:03:06,060 --> 00:03:06,680 a change. 77 00:03:06,700 --> 00:03:09,960 And it happened because Jesus Christ loved him, 78 00:03:10,440 --> 00:03:11,960 came to him and changed his life. 79 00:03:12,200 --> 00:03:14,560 Let's read in Acts chapter nine, verse 10. 80 00:03:15,160 --> 00:03:17,040 Pick up where we left off last time. 81 00:03:17,440 --> 00:03:19,640 Saul was converted and then led by the 82 00:03:19,640 --> 00:03:21,720 hand, blinded by the light of Jesus. 83 00:03:21,840 --> 00:03:23,580 He was led by the hand into Damascus, 84 00:03:23,860 --> 00:03:25,620 dropped off at a house where he sat 85 00:03:25,620 --> 00:03:28,020 there for three days, didn't eat and drink. 86 00:03:28,820 --> 00:03:30,800 Now, verse 10, chapter nine. 87 00:03:30,860 --> 00:03:32,660 Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus 88 00:03:32,660 --> 00:03:35,860 named Ananias and to him, the Lord said 89 00:03:35,860 --> 00:03:37,340 in a vision, Ananias. 90 00:03:38,080 --> 00:03:40,280 And he said, Here am I, Lord. 91 00:03:40,940 --> 00:03:43,960 So the Lord said to him, Arise and 92 00:03:43,960 --> 00:03:44,420 go. 93 00:03:45,300 --> 00:03:48,020 Just like he said to Paul, Saul on 94 00:03:48,020 --> 00:03:49,720 the road to Damascus, he said, Arise and 95 00:03:49,720 --> 00:03:50,020 go. 96 00:03:50,480 --> 00:03:51,820 Here he says, Arise and go. 97 00:03:52,220 --> 00:03:53,280 God says that a lot. 98 00:03:53,940 --> 00:03:58,400 Arise and go, he says to the street 99 00:03:58,400 --> 00:04:00,240 called straight and inquire at the house of 100 00:04:00,240 --> 00:04:03,560 Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for 101 00:04:03,560 --> 00:04:06,700 behold, he is praying and in a vision. 102 00:04:07,620 --> 00:04:08,240 This is amazing. 103 00:04:08,840 --> 00:04:10,300 Ananias is having his own vision. 104 00:04:10,980 --> 00:04:13,640 He says now Saul of Tarsus is praying 105 00:04:13,640 --> 00:04:16,320 and he's having a vision and in a 106 00:04:16,320 --> 00:04:19,420 vision he has seen a man named Ananias 107 00:04:19,420 --> 00:04:21,220 coming in and putting his hand on him 108 00:04:21,220 --> 00:04:23,020 so that he might receive his sight. 109 00:04:23,400 --> 00:04:25,080 Then in verse 13, Ananias answered. 110 00:04:25,180 --> 00:04:29,320 He said, Lord, I have heard from many 111 00:04:29,320 --> 00:04:30,380 about this man. 112 00:04:30,880 --> 00:04:33,000 How much harming is done to your saints 113 00:04:33,000 --> 00:04:34,220 in Jerusalem? 114 00:04:34,480 --> 00:04:35,020 It's late. 115 00:04:35,200 --> 00:04:37,780 Lord, do you know it's that whole attitude 116 00:04:37,780 --> 00:04:39,240 we sometimes bring to the Lord? 117 00:04:39,680 --> 00:04:40,520 Well, do you know? 118 00:04:41,180 --> 00:04:43,060 Have you heard about this man, Lord? 119 00:04:43,640 --> 00:04:45,100 How much harm he's done to your saints 120 00:04:45,100 --> 00:04:45,680 in Jerusalem? 121 00:04:45,820 --> 00:04:47,360 And do you know that he has authority 122 00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:48,980 from the chief priest to come here and 123 00:04:48,980 --> 00:04:50,400 bind all who call on your name? 124 00:04:51,180 --> 00:04:53,520 But the Lord said to him, Go. 125 00:04:54,260 --> 00:04:56,360 I'm sure there was a pause for he 126 00:04:56,360 --> 00:04:58,020 has a chosen vessel of mine to bear 127 00:04:58,020 --> 00:05:01,920 my name before the Gentiles, kings and the 128 00:05:01,920 --> 00:05:05,340 children of Israel, for I will show him 129 00:05:05,340 --> 00:05:10,040 how many things he must suffer for my 130 00:05:10,040 --> 00:05:10,960 name's sake. 131 00:05:11,960 --> 00:05:13,680 Verse 17 and Ananias went his way and 132 00:05:13,680 --> 00:05:16,240 entered the house, laying his hands on him. 133 00:05:16,280 --> 00:05:19,620 He said, Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who 134 00:05:19,620 --> 00:05:21,220 appeared to you on the road as you 135 00:05:21,220 --> 00:05:24,660 came, has sent me that you may receive 136 00:05:24,660 --> 00:05:27,180 your sight and be filled with the Holy 137 00:05:27,180 --> 00:05:27,680 Spirit. 138 00:05:27,800 --> 00:05:29,420 What a marvelous passage. 139 00:05:30,040 --> 00:05:31,980 Basically, four things I want to draw out 140 00:05:31,980 --> 00:05:34,140 from here, and they all have to do 141 00:05:34,140 --> 00:05:36,200 with how God transforms a life. 142 00:05:36,320 --> 00:05:38,740 It begins with faith in Jesus Christ. 143 00:05:39,820 --> 00:05:41,900 Then you will find that God will always 144 00:05:41,900 --> 00:05:46,140 send those faithful disciples to you to help 145 00:05:46,140 --> 00:05:46,520 you. 146 00:05:46,860 --> 00:05:50,780 You will find fervent prayer always involved, faith 147 00:05:50,780 --> 00:05:53,420 in Christ, fervent prayer, faithful disciple. 148 00:05:54,200 --> 00:05:56,460 And then ultimately you will discover God has 149 00:05:56,460 --> 00:05:59,420 a fantastic plan for your life. 150 00:06:00,060 --> 00:06:02,320 These are the components of a transformed life. 151 00:06:02,380 --> 00:06:03,500 Let's take them one at a time. 152 00:06:04,040 --> 00:06:06,280 It all begins as it began with Saul 153 00:06:06,280 --> 00:06:08,080 here with faith in Christ. 154 00:06:08,320 --> 00:06:09,380 God met him. 155 00:06:09,500 --> 00:06:11,900 Jesus Christ met him on the Damascus Road, 156 00:06:12,500 --> 00:06:14,820 and it was Christ who converted him. 157 00:06:14,860 --> 00:06:18,700 Do you realize that Saul was converted by 158 00:06:18,700 --> 00:06:20,760 the glorified Christ himself? 159 00:06:20,900 --> 00:06:23,440 Do you know that he was traveling with 160 00:06:23,440 --> 00:06:26,420 an entourage of Christian persecutors? 161 00:06:26,720 --> 00:06:29,300 There wasn't anybody with him that loved the 162 00:06:29,300 --> 00:06:29,780 Lord. 163 00:06:30,320 --> 00:06:31,720 They were all the way down the road. 164 00:06:31,800 --> 00:06:33,460 Damascus was saying, Do you know that the 165 00:06:33,460 --> 00:06:35,060 Lord loves you and he wants to convert? 166 00:06:35,200 --> 00:06:38,220 You know, he was traveling to arrest and 167 00:06:38,220 --> 00:06:40,000 imprison and kill Christians. 168 00:06:40,640 --> 00:06:43,960 Jesus Christ appeared to him in his glory, 169 00:06:44,420 --> 00:06:48,380 risen from the dead, and he converted Saul 170 00:06:48,380 --> 00:06:51,140 to Christianity into a relationship with him. 171 00:06:51,860 --> 00:06:53,180 That is so encouraging to me. 172 00:06:53,860 --> 00:06:54,400 You know why? 173 00:06:54,900 --> 00:06:57,860 Because no believer was there to pray with 174 00:06:57,860 --> 00:06:58,020 him. 175 00:06:58,080 --> 00:06:59,160 It was Christ alone. 176 00:06:59,640 --> 00:07:03,660 What an encouraging thought, because the risen Christ, 177 00:07:03,740 --> 00:07:04,760 this is what it tells me. 178 00:07:05,840 --> 00:07:09,380 The risen Christ can save an individual directly 179 00:07:09,380 --> 00:07:12,240 himself anywhere on Earth. 180 00:07:12,400 --> 00:07:15,880 That is so encouraging to me because you 181 00:07:15,880 --> 00:07:20,800 wonder so much relationally about what about this 182 00:07:20,800 --> 00:07:22,700 loved one in my life that no one's 183 00:07:22,700 --> 00:07:24,860 ever had the opportunity to share Christ with. 184 00:07:25,060 --> 00:07:26,120 What's going to happen? 185 00:07:26,240 --> 00:07:27,060 Is it fair? 186 00:07:27,780 --> 00:07:29,560 What about those people out there? 187 00:07:29,620 --> 00:07:31,120 I have relatives on the other side of 188 00:07:31,120 --> 00:07:31,660 the world. 189 00:07:33,040 --> 00:07:36,780 Jesus Christ can come to a person and 190 00:07:36,780 --> 00:07:41,100 save them personally without anybody else's help. 191 00:07:41,180 --> 00:07:41,940 Isn't that great? 192 00:07:42,800 --> 00:07:44,360 It's right there in the passage. 193 00:07:44,520 --> 00:07:46,660 It's always been there in the passage. 194 00:07:46,740 --> 00:07:48,180 And I'll tell you the truth, it didn't 195 00:07:48,180 --> 00:07:50,400 really come to me that clear until last 196 00:07:50,400 --> 00:07:51,940 time when we were studying it. 197 00:07:53,360 --> 00:07:59,700 And theologically, it's comforting to me because, you 198 00:07:59,700 --> 00:08:02,120 know, in the world, China, the Philippines, Japan, 199 00:08:02,300 --> 00:08:06,020 etc., Japan is less than one percent born 200 00:08:06,020 --> 00:08:08,160 again Christian, less than one percent. 201 00:08:08,920 --> 00:08:12,080 You look at statistics like that, and as 202 00:08:12,080 --> 00:08:13,940 you begin to think about it, it troubles 203 00:08:13,940 --> 00:08:14,620 your soul. 204 00:08:15,380 --> 00:08:16,920 And then you begin to think about how 205 00:08:16,920 --> 00:08:19,760 many missionaries are there and how many people 206 00:08:19,760 --> 00:08:22,820 are in the churches there and how many 207 00:08:22,820 --> 00:08:24,940 missionaries are going out from America. 208 00:08:24,960 --> 00:08:27,280 And then you start to think about the 209 00:08:27,280 --> 00:08:29,080 state of the church in America. 210 00:08:29,500 --> 00:08:32,000 What kind of preaching comes from the pulpits 211 00:08:32,000 --> 00:08:32,659 in America? 212 00:08:33,280 --> 00:08:35,340 What kind of a gospel is given even 213 00:08:35,340 --> 00:08:37,080 when the gospel is given? 214 00:08:38,100 --> 00:08:41,020 And it becomes very encouraging to me theologically 215 00:08:41,020 --> 00:08:44,560 that Jesus Christ is, in the end, the 216 00:08:44,560 --> 00:08:46,080 one who saves souls. 217 00:08:46,340 --> 00:08:49,440 You realize you are given the gospel, but 218 00:08:49,440 --> 00:08:50,840 the gospel doesn't save you. 219 00:08:50,980 --> 00:08:54,320 In the end, it's Christ himself who saves 220 00:08:54,320 --> 00:08:54,480 you. 221 00:08:54,760 --> 00:08:56,320 He saves you. 222 00:08:56,960 --> 00:08:57,880 He rescues you. 223 00:08:58,580 --> 00:09:00,940 So theologically, as I as I survey the 224 00:09:00,940 --> 00:09:03,040 world, as I look at world history and 225 00:09:03,040 --> 00:09:05,240 I think, Lord, what about the poor people 226 00:09:05,240 --> 00:09:07,060 out there that never heard about you? 227 00:09:07,200 --> 00:09:09,060 And what about the children who died in 228 00:09:09,060 --> 00:09:10,020 the third world countries? 229 00:09:10,200 --> 00:09:12,620 Jesus Christ has it all covered. 230 00:09:12,660 --> 00:09:14,420 Isn't that comforting to your soul? 231 00:09:15,740 --> 00:09:17,580 Our God is a rescuing God and he's 232 00:09:17,580 --> 00:09:18,780 well able to do it. 233 00:09:19,380 --> 00:09:22,600 Saul was converted, converted by the glorified Christ 234 00:09:22,600 --> 00:09:23,160 himself. 235 00:09:23,500 --> 00:09:25,380 And then Saul came to believe. 236 00:09:25,760 --> 00:09:26,540 This is fascinating. 237 00:09:27,120 --> 00:09:29,700 Saul came to believe on the human Jesus, 238 00:09:30,080 --> 00:09:35,180 on the human Jesus, by first seeing the 239 00:09:35,180 --> 00:09:36,660 God Jesus. 240 00:09:37,900 --> 00:09:40,680 First, he saw the risen, glorified Christ. 241 00:09:41,500 --> 00:09:43,560 Then he came to believe that the human 242 00:09:43,560 --> 00:09:45,300 Jesus was indeed the Messiah. 243 00:09:45,480 --> 00:09:46,300 Isn't that fascinating? 244 00:09:46,840 --> 00:09:50,200 The disciples, the apostles, they spent three years 245 00:09:50,200 --> 00:09:52,040 with the human Jesus Christ. 246 00:09:52,200 --> 00:09:54,460 And during that time, they went through a 247 00:09:54,460 --> 00:09:57,200 whole process of change in their thinking to 248 00:09:57,200 --> 00:09:59,280 come to the point where finally Peter makes 249 00:09:59,280 --> 00:10:01,320 his declaration at Caesarea Philippi. 250 00:10:01,440 --> 00:10:03,800 He says, Jesus says, who do men say 251 00:10:03,800 --> 00:10:04,360 that I am? 252 00:10:05,960 --> 00:10:08,340 Peter said, they give him, you know, the 253 00:10:08,340 --> 00:10:10,180 disciples are spouting off some say, some say, 254 00:10:10,280 --> 00:10:10,540 some say. 255 00:10:10,680 --> 00:10:13,320 Peter says, you are the Christ, the son 256 00:10:13,320 --> 00:10:14,300 of the living God. 257 00:10:15,020 --> 00:10:17,520 And Jesus says, the father has revealed that 258 00:10:17,520 --> 00:10:18,460 to you. 259 00:10:18,460 --> 00:10:20,780 But it took them this whole period of 260 00:10:20,780 --> 00:10:24,420 time to believe that the human Jesus was 261 00:10:24,420 --> 00:10:28,140 in fact, God with Saul of Tarsus. 262 00:10:28,240 --> 00:10:30,180 It was exactly the opposite. 263 00:10:30,840 --> 00:10:34,400 The first encounter he had with Jesus Christ 264 00:10:34,400 --> 00:10:36,500 was face to face as God. 265 00:10:36,560 --> 00:10:37,300 Isn't that amazing? 266 00:10:37,700 --> 00:10:40,920 And then he came to believe that the 267 00:10:40,920 --> 00:10:45,720 human being, Jesus of Nazareth, was the Christ, 268 00:10:45,940 --> 00:10:48,620 the Messiah, the king of the Jews. 269 00:10:49,040 --> 00:10:51,940 All of that is to say this, make 270 00:10:51,940 --> 00:10:54,420 it your business from this day forth to 271 00:10:54,420 --> 00:10:58,300 never put God in a box again, never 272 00:10:58,300 --> 00:10:59,860 put God in a box again. 273 00:11:01,140 --> 00:11:03,520 And so the faith in Christ is where 274 00:11:03,520 --> 00:11:06,120 it all begins with the conversion experience, with 275 00:11:06,120 --> 00:11:07,820 Christ saving you himself. 276 00:11:07,940 --> 00:11:09,200 And then he begins to work in your 277 00:11:09,200 --> 00:11:09,440 life. 278 00:11:09,480 --> 00:11:10,640 It begins with faith. 279 00:11:12,300 --> 00:11:15,760 Now, anytime you mention faith and camp on 280 00:11:15,760 --> 00:11:18,200 it for a little bit, somebody begins to 281 00:11:18,200 --> 00:11:20,280 think, and it may be you, but you 282 00:11:20,280 --> 00:11:22,580 know, you're talking about transformation and change. 283 00:11:22,740 --> 00:11:24,840 I have faith, but my faith is so 284 00:11:24,840 --> 00:11:25,520 weak. 285 00:11:26,080 --> 00:11:28,080 I wonder if God will honor my faith 286 00:11:28,080 --> 00:11:29,380 because it's so weak. 287 00:11:29,380 --> 00:11:31,280 Then you need to hear these words from 288 00:11:31,280 --> 00:11:32,120 John Rogers. 289 00:11:32,700 --> 00:11:38,860 Weak faith is true faith as precious, though 290 00:11:38,860 --> 00:11:41,660 not so great as strong faith, but as 291 00:11:41,660 --> 00:11:46,820 precious for the same Holy Spirit, the author 292 00:11:47,360 --> 00:11:52,100 of the same gospel, the same instrument is 293 00:11:52,100 --> 00:11:53,800 the one who brings it about for it 294 00:11:53,800 --> 00:11:57,240 is not the strength of our faith that 295 00:11:57,240 --> 00:12:00,160 saves, but true faith. 296 00:12:01,360 --> 00:12:02,320 Isn't that great? 297 00:12:03,160 --> 00:12:06,220 So your faith may be little, but if 298 00:12:06,220 --> 00:12:07,560 it's true, it's precious. 299 00:12:08,320 --> 00:12:09,880 And that's what God looks at. 300 00:12:10,560 --> 00:12:12,400 You know what mustard seed faith is? 301 00:12:13,080 --> 00:12:15,520 Yes, mustard seed faith is this little tiny 302 00:12:15,520 --> 00:12:16,820 faith that moves mountains. 303 00:12:17,040 --> 00:12:18,360 When was the last time you moved one? 304 00:12:19,520 --> 00:12:21,780 Oh, man, don't condemn me, brother. 305 00:12:22,420 --> 00:12:24,140 I have never moved a mountain. 306 00:12:24,140 --> 00:12:25,960 Does that mean I don't even have faith 307 00:12:25,960 --> 00:12:27,700 the size of a mustard seed? 308 00:12:28,100 --> 00:12:30,000 It means you've never moved a mountain. 309 00:12:32,710 --> 00:12:34,490 What is mustard seed faith? 310 00:12:35,750 --> 00:12:37,790 Jesus came down from a mountain, the Mount 311 00:12:37,790 --> 00:12:40,130 of Transfiguration, he found the disciples, they could 312 00:12:40,130 --> 00:12:42,410 not cast out this demon that was throwing 313 00:12:42,410 --> 00:12:44,630 this boy into the into the fire and 314 00:12:44,630 --> 00:12:46,010 trying to drown him all the time. 315 00:12:46,130 --> 00:12:49,250 And so the father says to Jesus, help 316 00:12:49,250 --> 00:12:49,710 me. 317 00:12:50,210 --> 00:12:52,630 Your disciples can't cast this demon out. 318 00:12:52,750 --> 00:12:55,750 And Jesus says, if you had faith as 319 00:12:55,750 --> 00:12:57,410 a grain of mustard seed and so on, 320 00:12:57,430 --> 00:12:59,010 you'd say to this mountain and it's like 321 00:12:59,010 --> 00:13:01,190 everybody reads that we all go that I'm 322 00:13:01,190 --> 00:13:03,670 disqualified because I haven't moved any mountains lately. 323 00:13:03,870 --> 00:13:06,370 Lord, someday can I have mustard seed faith? 324 00:13:06,850 --> 00:13:08,890 I remember being a young Christian and practicing 325 00:13:08,890 --> 00:13:10,230 on moving mountains. 326 00:13:10,330 --> 00:13:12,730 I was commanding them to move and none 327 00:13:12,730 --> 00:13:13,230 of them moved. 328 00:13:13,290 --> 00:13:14,850 I was so condemned when I was all 329 00:13:14,850 --> 00:13:15,150 done. 330 00:13:15,550 --> 00:13:15,870 Then move. 331 00:13:16,010 --> 00:13:17,610 Then I tried a dirt clog, you know, 332 00:13:17,630 --> 00:13:19,010 because I didn't have any success with a 333 00:13:19,010 --> 00:13:19,610 big mountain. 334 00:13:20,510 --> 00:13:22,090 Jesus cast out the demon and then he 335 00:13:22,090 --> 00:13:24,090 went on to say this kind does not 336 00:13:24,090 --> 00:13:26,890 come out, but by prayer. 337 00:13:27,770 --> 00:13:29,530 Another translation says and fasting. 338 00:13:29,690 --> 00:13:31,750 You know what he was saying? 339 00:13:31,770 --> 00:13:32,710 He was saying this to them. 340 00:13:32,750 --> 00:13:33,810 You gave up too soon. 341 00:13:35,750 --> 00:13:37,630 Mustard seed faith, to put it simply and 342 00:13:37,630 --> 00:13:41,610 quickly, is faith that starts small and grows 343 00:13:41,610 --> 00:13:45,170 bigger and stronger in the face of opposition. 344 00:13:46,550 --> 00:13:47,650 That is mustard seed faith. 345 00:13:48,650 --> 00:13:51,130 Starts small and grows bigger and greater in 346 00:13:51,130 --> 00:13:53,910 the face of opposition and it grows stronger 347 00:13:53,910 --> 00:13:57,210 by the power of the Holy Spirit within 348 00:13:57,210 --> 00:13:57,490 you. 349 00:13:58,010 --> 00:14:00,030 Faith in Christ is where the transformed life 350 00:14:00,030 --> 00:14:00,450 begins. 351 00:14:01,210 --> 00:14:03,210 The next thing is fervent prayer. 352 00:14:03,930 --> 00:14:04,630 Fervent prayer. 353 00:14:05,470 --> 00:14:06,210 Acts 9 11. 354 00:14:06,350 --> 00:14:07,970 So the Lord said to him, arise and 355 00:14:07,970 --> 00:14:10,530 go to the street called straight. 356 00:14:12,210 --> 00:14:15,530 Inquire at the house of Judas or one 357 00:14:15,530 --> 00:14:19,870 called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is 358 00:14:19,870 --> 00:14:21,430 praying. 359 00:14:22,610 --> 00:14:24,390 Behold, he is praying. 360 00:14:25,150 --> 00:14:26,990 I know the street he's on, the house 361 00:14:26,990 --> 00:14:29,870 he's in, and I know that he's praying. 362 00:14:31,230 --> 00:14:33,410 Fervent prayer is such a big part of 363 00:14:33,410 --> 00:14:34,570 a transformed life. 364 00:14:34,670 --> 00:14:35,750 It really is. 365 00:14:36,990 --> 00:14:40,790 And I think that the foundational aspect of 366 00:14:40,790 --> 00:14:43,110 fervent prayer to keep it, to give it 367 00:14:43,110 --> 00:14:44,870 birth in the beginning and keep it going. 368 00:14:46,550 --> 00:14:48,230 Frankly, I think it's the blood of Jesus. 369 00:14:49,830 --> 00:14:50,610 I'll tell you why. 370 00:14:51,330 --> 00:14:53,210 Hold your place here and turn to James 371 00:14:53,210 --> 00:14:55,270 chapter 5 verse 16. 372 00:14:56,170 --> 00:14:58,490 James chapter 5 verse 16. 373 00:15:00,010 --> 00:15:03,590 James 5 16 says, confess your sins or 374 00:15:03,590 --> 00:15:06,070 trespasses to one another, pray for one another 375 00:15:06,070 --> 00:15:07,250 that you may be healed. 376 00:15:08,330 --> 00:15:14,430 Then this the effective fervent prayer of a 377 00:15:14,430 --> 00:15:16,010 righteous man avails much. 378 00:15:17,090 --> 00:15:19,310 Now we know that verse, right? 379 00:15:20,250 --> 00:15:22,510 We quote that verse, right? 380 00:15:23,490 --> 00:15:26,810 But how many of us really believe that 381 00:15:26,810 --> 00:15:27,830 it's for us? 382 00:15:29,070 --> 00:15:31,270 If the truth were known, I want you 383 00:15:31,270 --> 00:15:33,650 to say that many of you believe that 384 00:15:33,650 --> 00:15:39,430 it's true for righteous individuals and thus you 385 00:15:39,430 --> 00:15:41,630 just you just disqualify yourself. 386 00:15:42,470 --> 00:15:44,230 Well, we all know that the effect of 387 00:15:44,230 --> 00:15:47,050 fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. 388 00:15:47,170 --> 00:15:49,250 You know, prayer is so powerful. 389 00:15:50,290 --> 00:15:52,510 But in your heart, you're saying, oh, would 390 00:15:52,510 --> 00:15:55,470 to God that I was righteous so that 391 00:15:55,470 --> 00:15:57,150 I could have effective prayer, too. 392 00:15:57,250 --> 00:15:59,870 But until I am, I'm out. 393 00:16:00,810 --> 00:16:02,550 So I got to find some people like 394 00:16:02,550 --> 00:16:03,950 that to do some praying for me. 395 00:16:04,170 --> 00:16:05,190 Are you like that? 396 00:16:05,390 --> 00:16:07,810 You see, because the effect of fervent prayer 397 00:16:07,810 --> 00:16:09,190 of a righteous man avails much. 398 00:16:09,370 --> 00:16:10,110 Yes, that's true. 399 00:16:10,150 --> 00:16:11,030 It has to be true. 400 00:16:11,110 --> 00:16:11,950 It's in the Bible. 401 00:16:14,230 --> 00:16:15,190 Want to know the truth? 402 00:16:18,140 --> 00:16:22,800 How does God regard even your finest seasons 403 00:16:22,800 --> 00:16:23,620 of righteousness? 404 00:16:25,180 --> 00:16:27,220 Just as it stands alone with you as 405 00:16:27,220 --> 00:16:27,860 a human being. 406 00:16:28,640 --> 00:16:29,080 Yes. 407 00:16:29,980 --> 00:16:32,140 You know, what is it? 408 00:16:32,340 --> 00:16:33,500 Filthy rags. 409 00:16:34,020 --> 00:16:36,040 OK, so. 410 00:16:37,380 --> 00:16:39,720 What kind of righteousness is this? 411 00:16:41,980 --> 00:16:44,320 It has to be the righteousness based on 412 00:16:44,320 --> 00:16:45,720 the blood of Jesus Christ. 413 00:16:47,160 --> 00:16:49,360 Paul, writing to the Corinthians, says that we 414 00:16:49,360 --> 00:16:52,600 are given as a free gift in salvation 415 00:16:52,600 --> 00:16:56,500 by God in exchange for our sin. 416 00:16:57,600 --> 00:17:04,619 The righteousness of God in Jesus Christ, what 417 00:17:04,619 --> 00:17:07,099 kind of righteousness are you imputed in salvation 418 00:17:07,099 --> 00:17:07,960 and justification? 419 00:17:08,819 --> 00:17:11,579 You're justified in a moment of time. 420 00:17:12,720 --> 00:17:16,119 It is an act of God takes place 421 00:17:16,119 --> 00:17:17,720 in the mind and the heart of God, 422 00:17:17,780 --> 00:17:20,579 not in the emotion of the believer, but 423 00:17:20,579 --> 00:17:22,079 in the mind and the heart of God. 424 00:17:22,400 --> 00:17:24,440 When you are justified in a moment of 425 00:17:24,440 --> 00:17:26,140 time, he declares you righteous. 426 00:17:26,339 --> 00:17:27,880 How righteous does he declare you? 427 00:17:28,340 --> 00:17:31,780 He gives you the righteousness of Jesus Christ. 428 00:17:32,920 --> 00:17:35,040 He takes your life and all that you 429 00:17:35,040 --> 00:17:38,540 have lived out and he takes it away 430 00:17:38,540 --> 00:17:42,160 and he imputes to you a righteousness as 431 00:17:42,160 --> 00:17:44,680 though you lived the life that Christ lived. 432 00:17:46,000 --> 00:17:48,540 The righteousness of God in Jesus Christ is 433 00:17:48,540 --> 00:17:50,660 given to you as a free gift because 434 00:17:50,660 --> 00:17:52,700 Christ bore your sin and mine on the 435 00:17:52,700 --> 00:17:54,520 cross and rose again. 436 00:17:55,040 --> 00:17:59,160 So positionally, I am in Christ, righteous in 437 00:17:59,160 --> 00:18:03,580 Christ clothed in the robes of his righteousness. 438 00:18:03,720 --> 00:18:04,960 If I could put it that way, when 439 00:18:04,960 --> 00:18:09,340 God looks at me, he sees me ever 440 00:18:09,340 --> 00:18:10,760 and always in Christ. 441 00:18:10,940 --> 00:18:13,120 If I am born again, I am always 442 00:18:13,120 --> 00:18:13,980 in Christ. 443 00:18:14,080 --> 00:18:16,160 I will always be in Christ. 444 00:18:16,300 --> 00:18:18,080 He will always see me in Christ. 445 00:18:18,180 --> 00:18:20,400 So he sees the righteousness of God in 446 00:18:20,400 --> 00:18:20,860 Christ. 447 00:18:22,520 --> 00:18:24,000 Oh, I love that. 448 00:18:25,080 --> 00:18:27,600 Now I can come back to James 516 449 00:18:27,600 --> 00:18:30,900 and start praying and believe that it will 450 00:18:30,900 --> 00:18:31,920 avail much. 451 00:18:33,160 --> 00:18:35,540 You say, well, wait, you're talking about positional 452 00:18:35,540 --> 00:18:36,000 righteousness. 453 00:18:36,300 --> 00:18:36,980 Yes, I am. 454 00:18:38,080 --> 00:18:39,440 Isn't there such a thing in the Christian 455 00:18:39,440 --> 00:18:40,120 life as. 456 00:18:41,420 --> 00:18:42,420 Practical righteousness. 457 00:18:43,700 --> 00:18:44,700 Yes, there is. 458 00:18:46,000 --> 00:18:47,800 So let me ask you, do you think 459 00:18:47,800 --> 00:18:51,440 God puts the heavy emphasis on practical righteousness, 460 00:18:51,440 --> 00:18:54,340 the way you live to answer your prayers, 461 00:18:54,400 --> 00:18:57,080 or does he put the heavy in on 462 00:18:57,080 --> 00:18:58,440 your positional righteousness? 463 00:18:59,540 --> 00:19:00,900 Let me just put it to you like 464 00:19:00,900 --> 00:19:01,320 this. 465 00:19:01,680 --> 00:19:04,720 God honors your prayers because he's honoring his 466 00:19:04,720 --> 00:19:05,180 son. 467 00:19:06,200 --> 00:19:09,380 That's why every prayer that was ever answered 468 00:19:09,380 --> 00:19:11,840 in the final sense that you prayed was 469 00:19:11,840 --> 00:19:15,820 because God honored the fact that you are 470 00:19:15,820 --> 00:19:20,940 in Christ and Christ is eternally righteous. 471 00:19:21,440 --> 00:19:25,320 The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man 472 00:19:25,320 --> 00:19:26,120 avails much. 473 00:19:26,740 --> 00:19:27,340 And guess what? 474 00:19:27,600 --> 00:19:30,440 As you continue to thank God that you're 475 00:19:30,440 --> 00:19:32,700 righteous by the blood of Christ and fervently 476 00:19:32,700 --> 00:19:34,920 pray, what's going to happen to you if 477 00:19:34,920 --> 00:19:36,460 you fervently pray a lot? 478 00:19:37,160 --> 00:19:39,060 You'll get more practically righteous. 479 00:19:40,420 --> 00:19:42,040 You will in the process. 480 00:19:42,660 --> 00:19:44,060 God is good the way he works things 481 00:19:44,060 --> 00:19:44,620 out, isn't he? 482 00:19:44,800 --> 00:19:45,740 I'm so glad. 483 00:19:47,160 --> 00:19:49,940 So fervent prayer begins with the blood of 484 00:19:49,940 --> 00:19:53,980 Christ and it presses on through the pauses 485 00:19:55,340 --> 00:19:56,560 of Christ. 486 00:19:57,920 --> 00:19:59,020 So what is that? 487 00:19:59,940 --> 00:20:01,100 That's what we have right here. 488 00:20:02,040 --> 00:20:04,140 Saul of Tarsus is converted on the road 489 00:20:04,140 --> 00:20:04,920 to Damascus. 490 00:20:05,120 --> 00:20:07,680 He is led by the hand into Damascus 491 00:20:07,680 --> 00:20:11,700 to the house of one called Judas, a 492 00:20:11,700 --> 00:20:14,520 different Judas, of course, and he's on a 493 00:20:14,520 --> 00:20:15,680 street called Straight. 494 00:20:17,400 --> 00:20:19,420 And he's there for three days. 495 00:20:20,100 --> 00:20:20,840 Now, look at this. 496 00:20:21,300 --> 00:20:21,860 Here he is. 497 00:20:21,940 --> 00:20:22,720 He's going along. 498 00:20:22,860 --> 00:20:26,820 God suddenly, dramatically works in his life and 499 00:20:26,820 --> 00:20:29,920 he does nothing for three days. 500 00:20:30,100 --> 00:20:33,180 By comparison, he's just sitting alone. 501 00:20:33,900 --> 00:20:34,660 He's not eating. 502 00:20:34,760 --> 00:20:35,520 He's not drinking. 503 00:20:36,420 --> 00:20:38,040 Listen, if you think that when he got 504 00:20:38,040 --> 00:20:42,000 to Damascus, born again, Christians ran out from 505 00:20:42,000 --> 00:20:46,880 behind buildings and embraced him, lifted, hoisted him 506 00:20:46,880 --> 00:20:49,840 to their shoulders and carried him through the 507 00:20:49,840 --> 00:20:52,120 streets to this house and sat him down, 508 00:20:52,180 --> 00:20:53,820 said, well, we're going to take care of 509 00:20:53,820 --> 00:20:54,260 you. 510 00:20:54,800 --> 00:20:57,080 Listen, if that's your picture, forget it. 511 00:20:57,820 --> 00:20:59,740 He was on his way to Damascus to 512 00:20:59,740 --> 00:21:02,540 arrest and take people away, drag them to 513 00:21:02,540 --> 00:21:04,640 Jerusalem, imprison them and see them put to 514 00:21:04,640 --> 00:21:05,560 death if he could. 515 00:21:06,400 --> 00:21:08,660 He's taken into Damascus by a bunch of 516 00:21:08,660 --> 00:21:11,080 Christ rejecters who aren't sure what happened. 517 00:21:11,200 --> 00:21:12,880 They dump him off at this place and 518 00:21:12,880 --> 00:21:13,560 they split. 519 00:21:15,540 --> 00:21:17,100 And he sits there for three days, that's 520 00:21:17,100 --> 00:21:17,700 a pause. 521 00:21:18,860 --> 00:21:21,460 This huge work of Christ on the Damascus 522 00:21:21,460 --> 00:21:23,100 Road and then for three days there's this 523 00:21:23,100 --> 00:21:25,480 pause on the part of Christ and he's 524 00:21:25,480 --> 00:21:26,160 just sitting there. 525 00:21:26,700 --> 00:21:30,800 And then Christ speaks to Ananias and then 526 00:21:30,800 --> 00:21:33,160 at the same time, Christ is revealing himself 527 00:21:33,160 --> 00:21:35,960 to Saul in a vision and speaking to 528 00:21:35,960 --> 00:21:36,140 him. 529 00:21:36,260 --> 00:21:37,320 But there is a pause. 530 00:21:38,360 --> 00:21:40,100 Have you found that he pauses in your 531 00:21:40,100 --> 00:21:40,460 life? 532 00:21:41,580 --> 00:21:43,740 He will act in such marvelous ways and 533 00:21:43,740 --> 00:21:46,520 then he'll pause and you're going, Lord, this 534 00:21:46,520 --> 00:21:48,200 the longest pause yet. 535 00:21:48,800 --> 00:21:50,280 You know, when are you going to act 536 00:21:50,280 --> 00:21:50,700 again? 537 00:21:51,840 --> 00:21:54,480 You see, fervent prayer presses on through the 538 00:21:54,480 --> 00:21:55,560 pauses of Christ. 539 00:21:57,580 --> 00:21:59,380 In the book of Revelation, we studied it 540 00:21:59,380 --> 00:22:02,940 recently, a hand came out from the throne 541 00:22:02,940 --> 00:22:05,380 holding a scroll and a voice came saying, 542 00:22:05,520 --> 00:22:07,680 who is worthy to take the scroll and 543 00:22:07,680 --> 00:22:08,580 loose its seals? 544 00:22:08,740 --> 00:22:11,400 And everybody was silent and nobody stepped forward. 545 00:22:11,560 --> 00:22:13,000 And there's a long pause. 546 00:22:14,140 --> 00:22:15,920 And in the long pause, John said, I 547 00:22:15,920 --> 00:22:19,820 began to weep and he wept and he 548 00:22:19,820 --> 00:22:20,480 wept. 549 00:22:21,480 --> 00:22:24,240 You see, what happens to us is very 550 00:22:24,240 --> 00:22:25,700 much like what happened to John. 551 00:22:26,660 --> 00:22:30,600 We get caught in a pause with Christ 552 00:22:30,600 --> 00:22:35,120 and nothing is happening and we start to 553 00:22:35,120 --> 00:22:35,760 weep. 554 00:22:36,260 --> 00:22:38,720 Lord, this the longest pause ever. 555 00:22:39,000 --> 00:22:42,480 In fact, I'm pretty sure you're not going 556 00:22:42,480 --> 00:22:45,040 to pick up where you left off and 557 00:22:45,040 --> 00:22:46,340 I'm going to be left here. 558 00:22:47,980 --> 00:22:50,100 Listen, let the Lord pause. 559 00:22:51,300 --> 00:22:56,320 Because in his pauses, he's still active and 560 00:22:56,320 --> 00:22:58,820 in his pauses, he's really wanting us to 561 00:22:58,820 --> 00:22:59,300 meditate. 562 00:23:01,040 --> 00:23:05,380 Meditation, let me tell you, meditation will bring 563 00:23:05,380 --> 00:23:08,400 application to your life from what you of 564 00:23:08,400 --> 00:23:08,980 what you know. 565 00:23:09,720 --> 00:23:12,120 It will be bring healing to your life 566 00:23:12,120 --> 00:23:14,060 as you reflect on your life with God 567 00:23:14,060 --> 00:23:15,700 and Christ and other people you know. 568 00:23:15,700 --> 00:23:19,440 And it will bring instruction to you as 569 00:23:19,440 --> 00:23:21,800 you digest the things you've learned. 570 00:23:22,600 --> 00:23:24,960 Listen, how many things have you been taught 571 00:23:24,960 --> 00:23:26,660 from the Bible and how many of them 572 00:23:26,660 --> 00:23:27,720 do you really apply? 573 00:23:28,200 --> 00:23:29,560 It's a rhetorical question. 574 00:23:29,840 --> 00:23:31,120 You don't have to answer it. 575 00:23:31,440 --> 00:23:32,480 I'm not going to ask for a show 576 00:23:32,480 --> 00:23:32,880 of hands. 577 00:23:33,720 --> 00:23:35,620 We know a lot more than we apply 578 00:23:35,620 --> 00:23:37,800 because we meditate so little, right? 579 00:23:39,820 --> 00:23:40,380 So. 580 00:23:41,980 --> 00:23:44,200 Pauses on the part of God are good 581 00:23:44,200 --> 00:23:46,380 times to meditate. 582 00:23:47,700 --> 00:23:50,300 And to continue to pray, and that is 583 00:23:50,300 --> 00:23:51,840 why you find in the Bible it says 584 00:23:51,840 --> 00:23:56,700 it is good to wait on the Lord. 585 00:23:57,020 --> 00:24:00,780 It is good to wait on the Lord 586 00:24:00,780 --> 00:24:03,320 whenever he has acted and he pauses, he 587 00:24:03,320 --> 00:24:04,120 will act again. 588 00:24:04,200 --> 00:24:06,120 But in the meantime, he's acting behind the 589 00:24:06,120 --> 00:24:06,440 scenes. 590 00:24:06,580 --> 00:24:08,880 You just don't see it. 591 00:24:09,280 --> 00:24:11,200 So we continue on through the pauses. 592 00:24:11,560 --> 00:24:15,460 Do you know that when God rejected Saul 593 00:24:15,460 --> 00:24:18,120 as being king because he was so disobedient? 594 00:24:19,140 --> 00:24:21,680 He chose a man after his own heart, 595 00:24:21,740 --> 00:24:22,000 right? 596 00:24:23,660 --> 00:24:26,960 And Samuel was there and he brought in 597 00:24:26,960 --> 00:24:31,580 all the brothers of David, sons of Jesse. 598 00:24:31,780 --> 00:24:33,960 He brought them all in and he filed 599 00:24:33,960 --> 00:24:35,420 them by and he's going, nope, nope, nope, 600 00:24:35,440 --> 00:24:36,940 nope, nope, nope, nope, nope, not the one, 601 00:24:37,020 --> 00:24:37,820 not the one, not the one. 602 00:24:37,880 --> 00:24:39,480 And he goes, isn't there another one around 603 00:24:39,480 --> 00:24:40,020 here somewhere? 604 00:24:40,680 --> 00:24:42,120 Yeah, but he's young. 605 00:24:42,220 --> 00:24:42,980 He's little. 606 00:24:43,140 --> 00:24:44,420 He's a ruddy youth. 607 00:24:45,160 --> 00:24:46,500 You know, King James talk. 608 00:24:47,300 --> 00:24:49,760 And so they bring in David and Samuel 609 00:24:49,760 --> 00:24:51,100 goes, yeah, he's the one. 610 00:24:52,340 --> 00:24:52,700 Fantastic. 611 00:24:53,120 --> 00:24:54,540 And he takes out this big thing of 612 00:24:54,540 --> 00:24:56,000 oil and he dumps it all over his 613 00:24:56,000 --> 00:24:58,820 head and anoints him to be the king 614 00:24:58,820 --> 00:24:59,400 of Israel. 615 00:25:00,460 --> 00:25:04,760 And about 12 years later, if not more, 616 00:25:05,600 --> 00:25:06,920 he became the king of Israel. 617 00:25:07,880 --> 00:25:08,920 Long pause, huh? 618 00:25:09,920 --> 00:25:11,780 David goes out drenched in oil. 619 00:25:12,640 --> 00:25:15,820 Who feeling good, Lord, going to be king. 620 00:25:19,320 --> 00:25:20,000 Pause. 621 00:25:20,000 --> 00:25:23,260 Long time later, after over way over a 622 00:25:23,260 --> 00:25:27,100 decade, moving toward another decade, he finally becomes 623 00:25:27,100 --> 00:25:27,400 king. 624 00:25:27,500 --> 00:25:29,600 You know, Lord, that was the longest pause 625 00:25:29,600 --> 00:25:30,700 yet in my life. 626 00:25:31,880 --> 00:25:34,700 Yet you find in that time. 627 00:25:36,140 --> 00:25:38,420 If you read your psalms, what do you 628 00:25:38,420 --> 00:25:38,780 find? 629 00:25:39,780 --> 00:25:41,660 Saul persecutes David, doesn't he? 630 00:25:42,060 --> 00:25:43,240 All over the place. 631 00:25:43,980 --> 00:25:46,960 A psalm of David written in and getty 632 00:25:46,960 --> 00:25:48,740 as Saul was persecuting him. 633 00:25:49,140 --> 00:25:51,440 And they're full of prayers, aren't they? 634 00:25:52,260 --> 00:25:54,600 Fervent prayer presses on in the midst of 635 00:25:54,600 --> 00:25:55,720 the pauses of God. 636 00:25:56,100 --> 00:25:57,360 It's one of the greatest things we can 637 00:25:57,360 --> 00:25:58,820 ever learn in the Christian life. 638 00:25:59,900 --> 00:26:07,100 John Bunyan said John Bunyan, who wrote Pilgrim's 639 00:26:07,100 --> 00:26:11,380 Progress, he said, you can do more than 640 00:26:11,380 --> 00:26:17,750 pray after you have prayed, but you cannot 641 00:26:17,750 --> 00:26:21,630 do more than pray until you have prayed. 642 00:26:22,630 --> 00:26:23,170 Get it? 643 00:26:29,520 --> 00:26:31,960 You can do more than pray. 644 00:26:33,880 --> 00:26:37,680 After you have prayed, but you cannot do 645 00:26:37,680 --> 00:26:40,440 more than pray until you have prayed, because 646 00:26:40,440 --> 00:26:43,160 praying is the greatest thing you can ever 647 00:26:43,160 --> 00:26:43,660 do. 648 00:26:44,920 --> 00:26:48,660 Prayer sets in motion the omnipotent power of 649 00:26:48,660 --> 00:26:49,280 God. 650 00:26:50,180 --> 00:26:53,700 Because he has chosen and ordained that it 651 00:26:53,700 --> 00:26:56,000 should be so in your life, that's why. 652 00:26:56,440 --> 00:26:58,440 Now, because he's our genie, because he's not. 653 00:26:59,620 --> 00:27:02,760 He doesn't respond to formulas and, you know, 654 00:27:02,820 --> 00:27:05,300 naming and claiming and commanding him what to 655 00:27:05,300 --> 00:27:05,580 do. 656 00:27:06,640 --> 00:27:09,060 But he does respond to real faith in 657 00:27:09,060 --> 00:27:09,500 the heart. 658 00:27:10,100 --> 00:27:12,120 Lord, could you do this? 659 00:27:12,500 --> 00:27:13,440 Will you do this? 660 00:27:15,520 --> 00:27:16,960 And I love what John Trapp said. 661 00:27:17,100 --> 00:27:19,680 God never denied that soul anything that went 662 00:27:19,680 --> 00:27:22,960 as far as heaven to ask for it. 663 00:27:22,960 --> 00:27:25,200 Ooh, that is so good. 664 00:27:26,100 --> 00:27:27,740 So how is the life transformed? 665 00:27:28,400 --> 00:27:30,940 It is transformed by faith in Christ and 666 00:27:30,940 --> 00:27:33,620 by fervent prayer and then by God sending 667 00:27:33,620 --> 00:27:37,720 a faithful disciple to you, somebody who's ahead 668 00:27:37,720 --> 00:27:38,960 of you in the Christian life. 669 00:27:39,140 --> 00:27:40,640 So practical, so lovely. 670 00:27:41,660 --> 00:27:45,060 And Ananias is that man for Saul who 671 00:27:45,060 --> 00:27:46,140 becomes Paul. 672 00:27:47,300 --> 00:27:50,060 God will bring faithful disciples who are ahead 673 00:27:50,060 --> 00:27:51,520 of you to help you grow in the 674 00:27:51,520 --> 00:27:51,720 Lord. 675 00:27:51,800 --> 00:27:53,580 And I'm going to give you five words 676 00:27:53,580 --> 00:27:56,540 fairly quickly that I find that rise to 677 00:27:56,540 --> 00:27:57,080 my heart. 678 00:27:57,220 --> 00:27:58,560 They're not necessarily in the text, but it's 679 00:27:58,560 --> 00:27:59,620 what's going on here. 680 00:28:00,500 --> 00:28:03,900 Five words that describe this faithful disciple, Ananias, 681 00:28:03,980 --> 00:28:07,060 who was sent to Saul to help him 682 00:28:07,060 --> 00:28:08,400 go forward and grow in the Lord. 683 00:28:08,440 --> 00:28:09,780 First one is certainty. 684 00:28:10,820 --> 00:28:13,060 What you find about a faithful disciple is 685 00:28:13,060 --> 00:28:13,740 certainty. 686 00:28:15,940 --> 00:28:19,540 Acts 9, 10, now there was a certain 687 00:28:19,540 --> 00:28:22,120 disciple named Ananias. 688 00:28:22,800 --> 00:28:25,360 Do you realize that all disciples that are 689 00:28:25,360 --> 00:28:27,940 real disciples are known to God? 690 00:28:28,500 --> 00:28:31,560 They are all certain disciples to the Lord. 691 00:28:32,080 --> 00:28:35,520 This man is known in Damascus as a 692 00:28:35,520 --> 00:28:36,300 converted Jew. 693 00:28:36,400 --> 00:28:39,160 We find that out from Paul preaching later 694 00:28:39,160 --> 00:28:41,080 in the book of Acts, Acts chapter 22. 695 00:28:42,020 --> 00:28:44,700 He's known throughout Damascus as a converted Jew 696 00:28:44,700 --> 00:28:46,320 who really knew the Bible. 697 00:28:46,740 --> 00:28:49,420 He is, in fact, a certain disciple. 698 00:28:50,580 --> 00:28:52,080 You are a certain disciple. 699 00:28:52,240 --> 00:28:55,140 You're not just a number in the kingdom 700 00:28:55,140 --> 00:28:55,820 of God. 701 00:28:56,660 --> 00:28:57,660 Isn't that good to know? 702 00:28:58,040 --> 00:29:01,560 I mean, Jesus said God knows the very 703 00:29:01,560 --> 00:29:04,640 hairs, the number of the hairs on your 704 00:29:04,640 --> 00:29:05,020 head. 705 00:29:05,460 --> 00:29:07,940 Now I know how hair falls out every 706 00:29:07,940 --> 00:29:09,800 day when you wash and brush and stuff. 707 00:29:10,440 --> 00:29:12,520 I know that when God comes to recount 708 00:29:12,520 --> 00:29:17,840 on mine, he's like done, done really quick 709 00:29:17,840 --> 00:29:19,360 for some of you, takes longer. 710 00:29:20,420 --> 00:29:22,400 But isn't it good to know that you're 711 00:29:22,400 --> 00:29:23,780 not just a number in the kingdom of 712 00:29:23,780 --> 00:29:23,940 God? 713 00:29:24,000 --> 00:29:25,080 You are a certain there. 714 00:29:25,280 --> 00:29:27,320 Every disciple is a certain disciple. 715 00:29:29,120 --> 00:29:31,600 And this man is a certain disciple in 716 00:29:31,600 --> 00:29:32,180 Damascus. 717 00:29:32,300 --> 00:29:34,640 He is a certain disciple because he is 718 00:29:34,640 --> 00:29:37,540 known there as one who really knows the 719 00:29:37,540 --> 00:29:38,220 word of God. 720 00:29:38,500 --> 00:29:40,780 And he is a certain disciple because he 721 00:29:40,780 --> 00:29:43,800 is certainly chosen by God to go and 722 00:29:43,800 --> 00:29:44,780 to help Saul. 723 00:29:45,140 --> 00:29:46,900 It's not a random choice. 724 00:29:47,780 --> 00:29:49,980 It is a certain precise choice on the 725 00:29:49,980 --> 00:29:50,800 part of God. 726 00:29:52,540 --> 00:29:54,900 Because of the man's background. 727 00:29:56,300 --> 00:29:58,480 We find out in Acts 22, as I 728 00:29:58,480 --> 00:30:01,400 said, that he knew the law. 729 00:30:01,520 --> 00:30:03,240 He was a converted Jew who knew the 730 00:30:03,240 --> 00:30:03,460 law. 731 00:30:03,580 --> 00:30:05,100 He is the perfect one to go and 732 00:30:05,100 --> 00:30:06,980 talk to Saul. 733 00:30:07,120 --> 00:30:09,160 And in fact, Acts 22, 14, when he 734 00:30:09,160 --> 00:30:11,440 goes to him, Paul's recounting the story and 735 00:30:11,440 --> 00:30:13,740 he says, then he said, the God of 736 00:30:13,740 --> 00:30:15,900 our fathers has chosen you. 737 00:30:17,200 --> 00:30:19,400 He's the perfect one to go and relate 738 00:30:19,400 --> 00:30:20,320 to this man. 739 00:30:21,680 --> 00:30:24,020 I've I've often seen him as just some 740 00:30:24,020 --> 00:30:26,260 random guy who's praying and gets a vision 741 00:30:26,260 --> 00:30:28,380 and then he gets to go be the 742 00:30:28,380 --> 00:30:29,200 one to pray for him. 743 00:30:29,980 --> 00:30:32,220 No, it's because of his background, because of 744 00:30:32,220 --> 00:30:33,720 what he knew, because of the way he 745 00:30:33,720 --> 00:30:35,580 was converted and because of how he could 746 00:30:35,580 --> 00:30:36,780 relate to this man. 747 00:30:36,880 --> 00:30:40,060 He is sent by design, precise and certain. 748 00:30:40,700 --> 00:30:42,420 Another thing is that it's not only a 749 00:30:42,420 --> 00:30:46,440 certainty, but his availability in Acts chapter nine, 750 00:30:46,540 --> 00:30:47,060 verse 10. 751 00:30:47,140 --> 00:30:49,000 Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus 752 00:30:49,000 --> 00:30:51,660 named Ananias and to him, the Lord said 753 00:30:51,660 --> 00:30:53,060 in a vision, Ananias. 754 00:30:53,560 --> 00:30:54,920 And watch this. 755 00:30:54,960 --> 00:30:56,240 He said, here I am, Lord. 756 00:30:57,860 --> 00:30:59,940 You know what it literally means in the 757 00:30:59,940 --> 00:31:00,240 original. 758 00:31:02,220 --> 00:31:04,280 I am all here, Lord. 759 00:31:05,100 --> 00:31:07,100 Oh, I love that. 760 00:31:07,800 --> 00:31:10,680 Ananias, I'm all here, Lord. 761 00:31:11,360 --> 00:31:12,440 What do you want me to do? 762 00:31:13,040 --> 00:31:14,020 I'm all yours. 763 00:31:14,540 --> 00:31:15,860 That's exactly what he said. 764 00:31:16,940 --> 00:31:18,760 It isn't just here present. 765 00:31:20,920 --> 00:31:22,580 No, I'm all here, Lord. 766 00:31:22,700 --> 00:31:23,540 I'm all yours. 767 00:31:24,820 --> 00:31:25,560 That's so great. 768 00:31:26,720 --> 00:31:28,140 Certainty, availability. 769 00:31:28,780 --> 00:31:29,780 I'm all here. 770 00:31:30,020 --> 00:31:30,420 Clarity. 771 00:31:31,500 --> 00:31:33,840 Those that God uses to take you forward 772 00:31:33,840 --> 00:31:36,320 have clear direction from the Lord. 773 00:31:36,520 --> 00:31:38,460 Clarity in verse 11. 774 00:31:38,580 --> 00:31:40,460 So the Lord said to him, this is 775 00:31:40,460 --> 00:31:40,800 clarity. 776 00:31:40,980 --> 00:31:44,800 Arise and go to the street called straight 777 00:31:44,800 --> 00:31:47,300 and inquire at the house of Judas for 778 00:31:47,300 --> 00:31:50,040 one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he 779 00:31:50,040 --> 00:31:51,220 is praying. 780 00:31:52,840 --> 00:31:54,660 And in a vision he has seen a 781 00:31:54,660 --> 00:31:56,800 man named Ananias coming in and putting his 782 00:31:56,800 --> 00:31:59,200 hand on him so that he might receive 783 00:31:59,200 --> 00:32:00,200 his sight. 784 00:32:00,960 --> 00:32:02,020 Clear direction. 785 00:32:03,580 --> 00:32:06,520 God loves to give clear direction by the 786 00:32:06,520 --> 00:32:07,780 work of his Holy Spirit. 787 00:32:09,140 --> 00:32:12,200 In Jeremiah 33, verse three, God says, call 788 00:32:12,200 --> 00:32:17,620 to me and I will answer you and 789 00:32:17,620 --> 00:32:22,960 I will show you great and mighty things 790 00:32:22,960 --> 00:32:25,780 that you do not know. 791 00:32:27,000 --> 00:32:27,900 Do you realize? 792 00:32:28,320 --> 00:32:31,480 Do you realize there are Christians walking around 793 00:32:31,480 --> 00:32:33,380 that are learning great and mighty things they 794 00:32:33,380 --> 00:32:34,180 didn't know before? 795 00:32:35,660 --> 00:32:38,840 Those are the ones that we call on 796 00:32:38,840 --> 00:32:39,260 fire. 797 00:32:40,580 --> 00:32:42,960 Because they are seeing great and mighty things 798 00:32:42,960 --> 00:32:44,060 they did not see before. 799 00:32:45,120 --> 00:32:48,540 Believe me, the Bible broadens and deepens with 800 00:32:48,540 --> 00:32:50,760 years, and there are so many great and 801 00:32:50,760 --> 00:32:53,000 mighty things there that we have not seen 802 00:32:53,000 --> 00:32:54,660 before that he wants to open up to 803 00:32:54,660 --> 00:32:57,200 our souls and then apply them to our 804 00:32:57,200 --> 00:32:58,780 hearts and come to us by the spirit 805 00:32:58,780 --> 00:32:59,900 and speak to us. 806 00:33:00,660 --> 00:33:02,380 When you read that word in Jeremiah 33, 807 00:33:02,540 --> 00:33:05,580 three mighty, it could be rendered fenced in, 808 00:33:05,780 --> 00:33:07,240 cut off or inaccessible. 809 00:33:08,140 --> 00:33:09,460 Those things that are in the heart of 810 00:33:09,460 --> 00:33:12,420 God, not only to God, he makes known 811 00:33:12,420 --> 00:33:15,440 to us at just the right time. 812 00:33:16,860 --> 00:33:18,680 Certainty, availability, clarity. 813 00:33:19,940 --> 00:33:21,140 Then comes the difficulty. 814 00:33:21,860 --> 00:33:23,340 What he's asking him to do is not 815 00:33:23,340 --> 00:33:23,700 easy. 816 00:33:24,480 --> 00:33:26,980 He is as Ananias is going along in 817 00:33:26,980 --> 00:33:27,340 his life. 818 00:33:27,400 --> 00:33:28,280 He's loving the Lord. 819 00:33:28,360 --> 00:33:29,800 He's known around town as a guy who 820 00:33:29,800 --> 00:33:31,280 loves the Lord, knows the word. 821 00:33:32,180 --> 00:33:34,240 Suddenly God comes to him with the greatest 822 00:33:34,240 --> 00:33:37,760 difficulty market, the greatest difficulty of his life. 823 00:33:38,900 --> 00:33:42,500 He says in verse 13, I have heard 824 00:33:42,500 --> 00:33:45,220 from many about he calls him this man, 825 00:33:45,940 --> 00:33:46,660 this man. 826 00:33:48,200 --> 00:33:49,720 Which you don't get in the Bible, you 827 00:33:49,720 --> 00:33:51,320 read the words, this tone of voice. 828 00:33:51,880 --> 00:33:53,920 I have heard from many about this man, 829 00:33:54,860 --> 00:33:56,700 how much harm he has done to the 830 00:33:56,700 --> 00:33:59,540 saints in Jerusalem and how here he has 831 00:33:59,540 --> 00:34:01,400 authority of the chief priest to bind all 832 00:34:01,400 --> 00:34:02,540 who call upon his name. 833 00:34:02,760 --> 00:34:05,540 It's difficulty because of who Saul was. 834 00:34:06,180 --> 00:34:09,080 Further, it's difficulty because of how fast he 835 00:34:09,080 --> 00:34:12,620 had to obey Ananias, arise and go. 836 00:34:14,360 --> 00:34:16,880 How fast he had to obey verse 17, 837 00:34:17,020 --> 00:34:19,400 it says, and Ananias went his way. 838 00:34:20,219 --> 00:34:24,300 He went further, it's difficult because of get 839 00:34:24,300 --> 00:34:26,400 this, how much he had to forgive. 840 00:34:28,080 --> 00:34:31,620 You know, it's possible that this Ananias, he's 841 00:34:31,620 --> 00:34:34,080 a Jew, it's possibly is driven to Damascus 842 00:34:34,080 --> 00:34:37,340 because of the persecution of Saul. 843 00:34:38,040 --> 00:34:40,179 It's possible he lost a brother or a 844 00:34:40,179 --> 00:34:42,400 sister or a wife or a mother or 845 00:34:42,400 --> 00:34:44,560 a father or an uncle or a cousin 846 00:34:44,560 --> 00:34:46,300 to Saul's persecution. 847 00:34:46,500 --> 00:34:47,679 That is very possible. 848 00:34:48,159 --> 00:34:50,199 And because there was such close people, it 849 00:34:50,199 --> 00:34:53,060 is highly possible that he lost someone who 850 00:34:53,060 --> 00:34:55,520 died, was dead because of this man. 851 00:34:56,240 --> 00:34:58,360 Now he is to go in and of 852 00:34:58,360 --> 00:34:59,780 all things, lay hands on him. 853 00:34:59,800 --> 00:35:01,200 You mean I have to touch him? 854 00:35:02,600 --> 00:35:04,260 Do you realize how hard that would be? 855 00:35:05,500 --> 00:35:07,280 And so it's difficult because of who Saul 856 00:35:07,280 --> 00:35:09,080 was, of how fast he had to obey 857 00:35:09,080 --> 00:35:11,020 and because how much he had to forgive. 858 00:35:12,640 --> 00:35:14,520 And in verse 17, we find that he 859 00:35:14,520 --> 00:35:15,340 did forgive. 860 00:35:16,400 --> 00:35:19,180 Ananias went his way and laying his hands 861 00:35:19,180 --> 00:35:22,360 on him, he said, what does it say? 862 00:35:22,800 --> 00:35:23,860 Acts 9, 17. 863 00:35:24,860 --> 00:35:28,240 Brother Saul, you imagine how comforting that was 864 00:35:28,240 --> 00:35:29,040 to Saul's heart. 865 00:35:29,920 --> 00:35:33,200 Oh my, for three days he's been blinded 866 00:35:33,200 --> 00:35:34,420 by the light of Christ. 867 00:35:35,040 --> 00:35:37,000 He's not eating, he's not drinking, he's not 868 00:35:37,000 --> 00:35:40,200 doing anything but meditating and thinking about his 869 00:35:40,200 --> 00:35:42,120 life, where he's been and what he's done. 870 00:35:42,940 --> 00:35:46,080 And you imagine how bad he felt because 871 00:35:46,080 --> 00:35:49,280 now he knows how wrong he was, how 872 00:35:49,280 --> 00:35:51,740 many people he killed, he murdered them. 873 00:35:51,960 --> 00:35:54,940 He was inhaling murder, we saw last time. 874 00:35:55,340 --> 00:35:58,320 He had to be feeling as bad as 875 00:35:58,320 --> 00:35:59,880 a human being can felt. 876 00:36:00,000 --> 00:36:02,060 I know it's true because at the end 877 00:36:02,060 --> 00:36:04,560 of his life, he said, Jesus Christ, 2nd 878 00:36:04,560 --> 00:36:07,680 Timothy, he wrote, Jesus Christ came into the 879 00:36:07,680 --> 00:36:12,100 world to save sinners of whom I was 880 00:36:12,100 --> 00:36:12,540 chief. 881 00:36:12,600 --> 00:36:15,460 No, I'm chief, I'm chief. 882 00:36:16,340 --> 00:36:16,580 Why? 883 00:36:17,240 --> 00:36:20,040 Because he persecuted the church and he did 884 00:36:20,040 --> 00:36:21,460 irreparable damage. 885 00:36:21,560 --> 00:36:23,920 Listen, when someone's dead, it's final, isn't it? 886 00:36:24,680 --> 00:36:26,620 So Ananias had to go to this man 887 00:36:26,620 --> 00:36:29,060 and say, brother, Saul, he went with the 888 00:36:29,060 --> 00:36:30,940 forgiving heart of Jesus Christ. 889 00:36:31,820 --> 00:36:33,260 Can you imagine the comfort? 890 00:36:33,520 --> 00:36:35,160 But you see, that is our Christ. 891 00:36:36,560 --> 00:36:38,920 No matter how much you have sinned, no 892 00:36:38,920 --> 00:36:41,300 matter how far you've gone into the darkness, 893 00:36:41,580 --> 00:36:46,940 there is still forgiveness for you in Jesus 894 00:36:46,940 --> 00:36:47,920 Christ. 895 00:36:48,060 --> 00:36:52,020 And you need to know that today and 896 00:36:52,020 --> 00:36:55,280 come to him today and receive that forgiveness. 897 00:36:56,000 --> 00:36:59,080 Brother Saul, the Lord has sent me, the 898 00:36:59,080 --> 00:37:01,780 Lord Jesus, who you saw on the road 899 00:37:01,780 --> 00:37:02,720 to Damascus. 900 00:37:03,460 --> 00:37:06,680 He has sent me one more confirmation that 901 00:37:06,680 --> 00:37:08,320 what happened was true. 902 00:37:08,580 --> 00:37:09,940 And the Lord does that in your life. 903 00:37:10,020 --> 00:37:11,920 He'll convert you and then he'll send others 904 00:37:11,920 --> 00:37:14,100 to confirm to you that it's real. 905 00:37:14,440 --> 00:37:15,420 It really has happened. 906 00:37:16,160 --> 00:37:18,820 So the certainty, the availability, the clarity, the 907 00:37:18,820 --> 00:37:21,220 difficulty you see being used of God to 908 00:37:21,220 --> 00:37:23,780 lead others and disciple them is not easy, 909 00:37:23,860 --> 00:37:25,120 but it sure is rewarding. 910 00:37:27,410 --> 00:37:32,970 Finally, when that fifth word nobility, I guarantee 911 00:37:32,970 --> 00:37:33,450 you. 912 00:37:34,350 --> 00:37:36,510 Though this was the most difficult thing he 913 00:37:36,510 --> 00:37:39,110 ever had to do, it was the noblest 914 00:37:39,110 --> 00:37:39,890 thing he ever did. 915 00:37:41,070 --> 00:37:43,450 Can you imagine being the one to lay 916 00:37:43,450 --> 00:37:46,910 hands on the man who becomes the greatest 917 00:37:46,910 --> 00:37:47,830 man who ever lived? 918 00:37:47,930 --> 00:37:50,310 Saul of Tarsus became the apostle Paul. 919 00:37:50,710 --> 00:37:54,050 Other than Christ, he's the greatest man who 920 00:37:54,050 --> 00:37:54,690 ever lived. 921 00:37:55,230 --> 00:37:57,890 Can you imagine being the one to go 922 00:37:57,890 --> 00:37:59,910 and pray for him so his eyes are 923 00:37:59,910 --> 00:38:02,130 open and then the life of God, the 924 00:38:02,130 --> 00:38:04,330 Holy Spirit comes upon him to empower him, 925 00:38:04,610 --> 00:38:07,250 the one who effectively launches him? 926 00:38:07,370 --> 00:38:09,230 Can you imagine how many times he told 927 00:38:09,230 --> 00:38:11,010 that story later in his life that I 928 00:38:11,010 --> 00:38:14,650 ever tell you about the time I was 929 00:38:14,650 --> 00:38:16,910 there praying and God appeared to me and 930 00:38:16,910 --> 00:38:18,170 he said, I want you to go down 931 00:38:18,170 --> 00:38:20,730 a straight street and lay hands. 932 00:38:20,850 --> 00:38:22,150 Did I ever tell you? 933 00:38:22,410 --> 00:38:24,170 Did I ever tell you that he became? 934 00:38:24,170 --> 00:38:26,470 Well, you know, he became the greatest apostle 935 00:38:26,470 --> 00:38:27,230 of them all. 936 00:38:27,310 --> 00:38:29,230 He wrote into the letter to the Corinthians. 937 00:38:29,650 --> 00:38:32,510 I labored more abundantly than them all, though 938 00:38:32,510 --> 00:38:34,130 it wasn't me, but the grace of God 939 00:38:34,130 --> 00:38:34,550 within me. 940 00:38:34,610 --> 00:38:36,330 By the grace of God, I am what 941 00:38:36,330 --> 00:38:36,630 I am. 942 00:38:36,690 --> 00:38:38,650 Can you imagine being the one to do 943 00:38:38,650 --> 00:38:38,950 that? 944 00:38:40,190 --> 00:38:43,210 God is so good at surprising us with 945 00:38:43,210 --> 00:38:45,610 blessings that are above and beyond what we 946 00:38:45,610 --> 00:38:48,610 would ever imagine he would do with us. 947 00:38:49,630 --> 00:38:54,570 And sometimes between that great blessing and where 948 00:38:54,570 --> 00:38:57,450 we are is the biggest difficulty of our 949 00:38:57,450 --> 00:38:57,830 life. 950 00:38:58,310 --> 00:39:00,330 And we have to step out and faith 951 00:39:00,330 --> 00:39:02,830 and believe in the sufficiency of Christ to 952 00:39:02,830 --> 00:39:04,630 see us through it, to get us to 953 00:39:04,630 --> 00:39:05,890 the blessing he wants to give. 954 00:39:06,850 --> 00:39:08,110 And finally, we come. 955 00:39:08,170 --> 00:39:09,410 How is the life transformed? 956 00:39:09,610 --> 00:39:11,810 We'll end with this by faith in Christ, 957 00:39:11,910 --> 00:39:15,190 by fervent prayer, by faithful, forgiving disciples who 958 00:39:15,190 --> 00:39:15,710 lead us. 959 00:39:15,910 --> 00:39:17,730 Some of the greatest people who have ever 960 00:39:17,730 --> 00:39:19,870 helped me in my life have been the 961 00:39:19,870 --> 00:39:21,550 greatest forgivers I've ever known. 962 00:39:21,810 --> 00:39:23,470 And I have learned more about the love 963 00:39:23,470 --> 00:39:26,070 of Jesus Christ through those people than almost 964 00:39:26,070 --> 00:39:27,110 any other source. 965 00:39:27,890 --> 00:39:29,110 So faithful disciple. 966 00:39:29,310 --> 00:39:31,450 And finally, the fantastic plan God has for 967 00:39:31,450 --> 00:39:31,990 your life. 968 00:39:32,630 --> 00:39:34,870 Ananias was commissioned by God to lay out 969 00:39:34,870 --> 00:39:37,290 his plan for Paul's life. 970 00:39:38,290 --> 00:39:40,950 And I want you to see basically this 971 00:39:40,950 --> 00:39:44,270 before we end that the plan included the 972 00:39:44,270 --> 00:39:46,110 positive as well as the negative. 973 00:39:47,590 --> 00:39:52,430 I wish somebody would have told me before 974 00:39:52,430 --> 00:39:54,970 I came to Christ, it wasn't going to 975 00:39:54,970 --> 00:39:57,830 be just all answers to my problems. 976 00:39:59,190 --> 00:40:00,530 And my felt needs. 977 00:40:01,910 --> 00:40:04,210 But rather that there would be difficulties as 978 00:40:04,210 --> 00:40:04,570 well. 979 00:40:06,170 --> 00:40:07,210 And all they would have had to say, 980 00:40:07,330 --> 00:40:08,630 you know, you're going to really suffer. 981 00:40:09,750 --> 00:40:11,550 But you'll suffer anyway, whether you know Christ 982 00:40:11,550 --> 00:40:12,050 or not. 983 00:40:12,150 --> 00:40:13,730 So at least it'll be suffering. 984 00:40:13,830 --> 00:40:15,570 It'll be used for your good. 985 00:40:16,410 --> 00:40:19,010 And when God sends this man, he gives 986 00:40:19,010 --> 00:40:20,770 him the negative and the positive. 987 00:40:21,310 --> 00:40:22,970 He goes to him and he tells him 988 00:40:22,970 --> 00:40:25,010 in verse 15, the Lord sent me. 989 00:40:25,460 --> 00:40:27,670 The Lord said to him, go and tell 990 00:40:27,670 --> 00:40:29,810 him he is a chosen vessel of mine. 991 00:40:32,110 --> 00:40:35,450 Vessel elected is literally what the original language 992 00:40:35,450 --> 00:40:35,870 says. 993 00:40:35,970 --> 00:40:36,850 Vessel elected. 994 00:40:37,170 --> 00:40:39,670 And how much in keeping that is with 995 00:40:39,670 --> 00:40:40,890 his ministry and his teaching. 996 00:40:40,990 --> 00:40:43,390 He taught so much about election, didn't he? 997 00:40:44,270 --> 00:40:47,170 No wonder he is a chosen vessel. 998 00:40:47,650 --> 00:40:49,330 Go tell him he is to bear my 999 00:40:49,330 --> 00:40:49,570 name. 1000 00:40:49,670 --> 00:40:51,990 Verse 15, a chosen vessel to bear my 1001 00:40:51,990 --> 00:40:54,930 name before Gentiles, kings and the children of 1002 00:40:54,930 --> 00:40:55,330 Israel. 1003 00:40:55,330 --> 00:40:57,650 And I might add in that order, that's 1004 00:40:57,650 --> 00:40:58,470 how he did it. 1005 00:40:58,950 --> 00:41:01,010 Do you realize that in the process, what 1006 00:41:01,010 --> 00:41:01,990 happened to this man? 1007 00:41:03,230 --> 00:41:05,170 Never put God in a box because you 1008 00:41:05,170 --> 00:41:06,790 don't know how much he can do with 1009 00:41:06,790 --> 00:41:08,210 you or will do with you. 1010 00:41:08,350 --> 00:41:09,430 What happened to him? 1011 00:41:09,530 --> 00:41:11,070 Well, just to give you a brief list, 1012 00:41:11,110 --> 00:41:12,270 he became a great preacher. 1013 00:41:13,770 --> 00:41:16,790 He immediately goes forth and preaching right in 1014 00:41:16,790 --> 00:41:19,730 Damascus that Christ is the son of God. 1015 00:41:20,110 --> 00:41:21,290 He became a great preacher. 1016 00:41:21,390 --> 00:41:22,890 He became a great soul winner. 1017 00:41:23,890 --> 00:41:25,570 He became a pastor. 1018 00:41:26,510 --> 00:41:28,350 He became a traveler. 1019 00:41:29,370 --> 00:41:31,730 Those of you like to travel, the Lord 1020 00:41:31,730 --> 00:41:32,530 may have you travel. 1021 00:41:33,170 --> 00:41:35,850 I'll tell you what, I didn't travel hardly 1022 00:41:35,850 --> 00:41:36,330 at all. 1023 00:41:36,550 --> 00:41:38,190 I don't think I went anywhere except Wyoming 1024 00:41:38,190 --> 00:41:40,330 and back to California before I knew Christ. 1025 00:41:41,130 --> 00:41:43,250 And after since I've come to know Christ, 1026 00:41:43,310 --> 00:41:45,010 I've traveled all over the world and I 1027 00:41:45,010 --> 00:41:45,890 wasn't looking for. 1028 00:41:45,970 --> 00:41:46,490 He led me. 1029 00:41:47,490 --> 00:41:50,950 He became a traveler and an author. 1030 00:41:53,170 --> 00:41:54,250 What do we know most about? 1031 00:41:54,270 --> 00:41:54,650 Paul. 1032 00:41:55,670 --> 00:42:00,210 Well, we've read his books, but there was 1033 00:42:00,210 --> 00:42:01,670 also the suffering wasn't there. 1034 00:42:03,030 --> 00:42:04,610 Where did he write most of his epistles? 1035 00:42:05,850 --> 00:42:07,890 Prison, the prison epistles. 1036 00:42:08,970 --> 00:42:09,630 Oh, he suffered. 1037 00:42:09,750 --> 00:42:10,410 He was a prisoner. 1038 00:42:10,590 --> 00:42:11,350 He was persecuted. 1039 00:42:12,830 --> 00:42:13,810 He had heartbreak. 1040 00:42:13,910 --> 00:42:15,090 Do you realize that as soon as he 1041 00:42:15,090 --> 00:42:16,810 came to Christ, he was an outcast to 1042 00:42:16,810 --> 00:42:18,750 the Jewish people, that it was family, friends 1043 00:42:18,750 --> 00:42:19,350 and relatives. 1044 00:42:21,250 --> 00:42:23,110 They would even have a burial service. 1045 00:42:23,570 --> 00:42:26,150 The family that were not converted to Christ, 1046 00:42:26,270 --> 00:42:27,830 they would have a burial service for you. 1047 00:42:29,800 --> 00:42:31,780 If you were married, your spouse would be 1048 00:42:31,780 --> 00:42:33,220 part of that burial service and that'd be 1049 00:42:33,220 --> 00:42:33,600 the end. 1050 00:42:35,400 --> 00:42:37,200 So he had heartbreak, that's for sure. 1051 00:42:38,560 --> 00:42:40,560 He saw wolves in sheep's clothing come into 1052 00:42:40,560 --> 00:42:42,800 the churches he founded and bring in false 1053 00:42:42,800 --> 00:42:44,060 doctrine and everything else. 1054 00:42:44,620 --> 00:42:46,420 A lot of heartbreak in this man's life 1055 00:42:46,420 --> 00:42:49,220 and a lot of physical affliction, a lot 1056 00:42:49,220 --> 00:42:50,960 of blessings, preaching the name of Jesus Christ, 1057 00:42:50,960 --> 00:42:51,060 preaching the name of Jesus Christ, preaching the 1058 00:42:51,060 --> 00:42:51,160 name of Jesus Christ, preaching the name of 1059 00:42:51,160 --> 00:42:51,260 Jesus Christ, preaching the name of Jesus Christ, 1060 00:42:51,260 --> 00:42:51,360 preaching the name of Jesus Christ, preaching the 1061 00:42:51,360 --> 00:42:51,460 name of Jesus Christ, preaching the name of 1062 00:42:51,460 --> 00:42:51,560 Jesus Christ, preaching the name of Jesus Christ, 1063 00:42:51,560 --> 00:42:51,660 preaching the name of Jesus Christ, preaching the 1064 00:42:51,660 --> 00:42:51,760 name of Jesus Christ, preaching the name of 1065 00:42:51,760 --> 00:42:51,860 Jesus Christ, preaching the name of Jesus Christ, 1066 00:42:51,860 --> 00:42:51,960 preaching the name of Jesus Christ, preaching the 1067 00:42:51,960 --> 00:42:52,060 name of Jesus Christ, preaching the name of 1068 00:42:52,060 --> 00:42:52,160 Jesus Christ, preaching the name of Jesus Christ 1069 00:42:52,160 --> 00:42:52,480 and a lot of suffering. 1070 00:42:53,540 --> 00:42:55,660 And that's the truth about walking with Jesus 1071 00:42:55,660 --> 00:42:56,160 Christ. 1072 00:42:56,360 --> 00:42:58,500 There are many, many blessings and there are 1073 00:42:58,500 --> 00:43:01,920 many, many sufferings, but the blessings outweigh the 1074 00:43:01,920 --> 00:43:02,320 suffering. 1075 00:43:03,940 --> 00:43:05,580 And in the end, when you look at 1076 00:43:05,580 --> 00:43:07,360 his list, he has a long list. 1077 00:43:07,640 --> 00:43:10,460 Second Corinthians 11, that he lists off all 1078 00:43:10,460 --> 00:43:11,260 the things he suffered. 1079 00:43:12,580 --> 00:43:13,600 And in the end, he sums it up 1080 00:43:13,600 --> 00:43:19,080 by saying this, you know, this light affliction, 1081 00:43:19,920 --> 00:43:23,900 light affliction is working for me and for 1082 00:43:23,900 --> 00:43:31,020 you, an eternal weight of glory, light affliction 1083 00:43:31,020 --> 00:43:33,400 working for you. 1084 00:43:34,120 --> 00:43:37,700 Your affliction, because of the way God's Holy 1085 00:43:37,700 --> 00:43:39,700 Spirit works in your life and the plan 1086 00:43:39,700 --> 00:43:41,740 he has for you, your affliction is working 1087 00:43:41,740 --> 00:43:42,240 for you. 1088 00:43:43,320 --> 00:43:46,200 Once you see that, it'll change the way 1089 00:43:46,200 --> 00:43:48,380 you face your affliction. 1090 00:43:49,860 --> 00:43:52,700 George said a sanctified person like a silver 1091 00:43:52,700 --> 00:43:55,060 bell, the harder he is smitten, the better 1092 00:43:55,060 --> 00:43:55,940 he sounds. 1093 00:43:56,860 --> 00:43:57,760 That is rich. 1094 00:43:58,380 --> 00:43:59,400 That is rich. 1095 00:44:00,260 --> 00:44:02,900 Do you realize that when Job? 1096 00:44:04,140 --> 00:44:05,740 Lost everything. 1097 00:44:07,280 --> 00:44:09,580 He fell down on his face and the 1098 00:44:09,580 --> 00:44:12,240 Bible says he worshiped. 1099 00:44:12,240 --> 00:44:15,920 And he said, the Lord gives and Satan 1100 00:44:15,920 --> 00:44:18,080 takes away that we said. 1101 00:44:19,620 --> 00:44:22,540 He did not say that he said the 1102 00:44:22,540 --> 00:44:23,380 Lord gives. 1103 00:44:24,720 --> 00:44:26,300 And the Lord takes away. 1104 00:44:27,700 --> 00:44:30,160 Blessed be the name of the Lord. 1105 00:44:31,220 --> 00:44:34,820 Because he saw God is all sovereign, all 1106 00:44:34,820 --> 00:44:35,440 powerful. 1107 00:44:36,940 --> 00:44:40,900 And he knew that he used affliction to 1108 00:44:40,900 --> 00:44:43,300 refine him in his life. 1109 00:44:44,340 --> 00:44:49,120 All things work together for good for those 1110 00:44:49,120 --> 00:44:51,240 who are the called of God. 1111 00:44:52,060 --> 00:44:53,740 And they work together for you. 1112 00:44:53,900 --> 00:44:54,500 You're good. 1113 00:44:54,660 --> 00:44:57,680 Romans 8, 29 says to conform you into 1114 00:44:57,680 --> 00:45:00,960 the image of Jesus Christ. 1115 00:45:01,440 --> 00:45:02,960 It's the refiners fire. 1116 00:45:05,040 --> 00:45:05,860 Refiners fire. 1117 00:45:07,800 --> 00:45:08,800 God's good, isn't he? 1118 00:45:10,840 --> 00:45:12,760 And he's going to keep on showing you 1119 00:45:12,760 --> 00:45:13,340 that he's good. 1120 00:45:13,660 --> 00:45:16,100 And if you're in a pause, you'll come 1121 00:45:16,100 --> 00:45:16,860 out of the pause. 1122 00:45:17,880 --> 00:45:19,600 And you'll find out he's been working on 1123 00:45:19,600 --> 00:45:19,920 a long. 1124 00:45:19,980 --> 00:45:20,820 Let's pray, shall we? 1125 00:45:21,580 --> 00:45:24,300 Father, thank you for your goodness to us 1126 00:45:24,300 --> 00:45:26,620 that you do change our lives and you 1127 00:45:26,620 --> 00:45:28,620 do such a good job of it. 1128 00:45:29,560 --> 00:45:31,520 When you make us free, we are free 1129 00:45:31,520 --> 00:45:32,100 indeed. 1130 00:45:32,600 --> 00:45:33,820 And thank you, Lord, that. 1131 00:45:35,260 --> 00:45:37,720 You, Lord Jesus, ever live to make intercession 1132 00:45:37,720 --> 00:45:39,880 for us, and even when we don't feel 1133 00:45:39,880 --> 00:45:42,020 you or see you or hear you, you 1134 00:45:42,020 --> 00:45:43,080 are still working. 1135 00:45:44,180 --> 00:45:45,480 And we bless you and we praise your 1136 00:45:45,480 --> 00:45:47,940 holy name, that there's new life in Christ 1137 00:45:47,940 --> 00:45:52,300 and there is always, ever and always, forgiveness 1138 00:45:52,300 --> 00:45:53,680 in the blood of Jesus. 1139 00:45:53,940 --> 00:45:56,620 Forgive us, Lord, for our sins this day. 1140 00:45:57,560 --> 00:45:59,900 Wash us clean as the driven snow, and 1141 00:45:59,900 --> 00:46:01,900 may we rejoice in that forgiveness. 1142 00:46:03,560 --> 00:46:05,960 May we go out with great joy this 1143 00:46:05,960 --> 00:46:07,760 day from this time with you, and we 1144 00:46:07,760 --> 00:46:09,460 ask it in Jesus' name. 1145 00:46:09,560 --> 00:46:09,980 Amen.