In 1 John, chapter 4, verse 16, we
read these words, And we have known and
believed the love that God hath to us.
And we have known and believed the love
that God hath to us.
God is love.
And he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in
God, and God in him.
Herein is our love made perfect.
Herein is our love made perfect, that we
may have boldness in the day of judgment.
That we may have boldness in the day
of judgment, because as he is, so are
we in this world.
There is no fear in love.
But perfect love casteth out fear.
Perfect love casteth out fear, because fear hath
torment.
And he that feareth is not made perfect
in love.
He that feareth is not made perfect in
love.
There is no fear in love.
But perfect love casteth out fear, because fear
hath torment.
He that feareth, he that feareth is not
made perfect in love.
In Romans 8, verse 15, we read, For
he hath not received the spirit of bondage
again to fear.
He hath not received the spirit of bondage
again to fear.
In 2 Timothy 1, verse 7, For God
hath not given unto us the spirit of
fear.
God hath not given to us the spirit
of fear, but of power, and of love,
and of a sound mind.
Now, if ever there was a chapter in
the Bible that Christians would go on their
knees to ponder over in our day and
age, it is a chapter found in Romans
6, where Paul asks this staggering question to
believers.
And it is to believers that he asks
this question.
That's why it's staggering.
He says, What shall we say then?
Shall we continue in sin?
Shall we continue in sin, that grace may
abound?
God forbid!
How shall we that are dead to sin
live any longer therein?
Know ye not that so many of us
who were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized
into his death?
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism
into death.
But like as Christ was raised up from
the dead by the glory of the Father,
even so we also should walk in newness
of life.
For if we have been planted together in
the likeness of his death, we shall be
also in the likeness of his resurrection.
Knowing this, that our old man is crucified
with him, that the body of sin might
be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve
sin.
For he that is dead is freed from
sin.
Now, if we be dead with Christ, we
believe that we shall also live with him.
Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead
dies no more, death has no more dominion
over him.
For in that he died, he died unto
sin once, but in that he liveth, he
liveth unto God.
Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead
indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through
Jesus Christ our Lord.
Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal
body, that ye should obey it in the
lusts thereof.
Neither yield ye your members as instruments of
unrighteousness unto sin, but yield yourselves unto God
as those that are alive from the dead,
and your members as instruments of righteousness unto
God.
For sin shall not have dominion over you,
for ye are not under the law, but
under grace.
What then shall we sin, because we are
not under the law, but under grace?
God forbid!
Know ye not that to whom ye yield
yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are
to whom ye obey, whether of sin unto
death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
Might God be thanked that ye were the
servants of sin, that ye have obeyed from
the heart that form of doctrine which has
delivered you.
Being then made free from sin, ye became
the servants of righteousness.
I speak after the men of men, because
of the infirmity of your flesh.
For as ye have yielded your members servants
to uncleanness, unto iniquity, unto iniquity, even so
now yield your members servants to righteousness, unto
holiness.
For when ye were the servants of sin,
ye were free from righteousness.
What fruit had ye then in those things,
whereof ye are now ashamed?
For the end of those things is death.
But now, being made free from sin, and
become servants to God, ye have your fruit
unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
For the wages of sin is death, but
the gift of God is eternal life, through
Jesus Christ our Lord.
Now let's leave this sobering chapter.
Let's leave this sobering chapter in Paul's great
doctrinal work of Romans.
Let's leave this sobering chapter in Paul's great
doctrinal work of Romans to look at a
portion of God's word, that for thousands of
years has enthralled little children, and young people,
and saints, and warriors of God alike.
The story of David and Goliath is found
in 1 Samuel 17, from verse 32.
Here, in the valley of Elah, a large
valley in the heart of Israel, the scene
of many battles between the people of God,
the Israelites, and their enemies, the Philistines.
Here is about to take place one of
the greatest battles ever known in the history
of mankind.
On the one side of the valley, about
14 miles away, is Jerusalem.
On that side of the valley, on the
hill, stand all the armies of the people
of God.
The armies of the Israelites, the people of
God, are standing with their armies, with King
Saul at their head.
The other side of this vast valley, on
the hill overlooking them, about 30 miles to
the north, is the border of the land
of the Philistines.
On the other side of the valley, on
the hill facing God's people, with King Saul
at their head, stand the enemy of the
people of God, the Philistines, with Goliath as
their champion, an instrument in the hand of
the devil, an instrument in the hand of
the devil, to try and get God's people
to take their eyes off from God.
Because he knows that if he can do
that, he's won the battle.
He knows if he can get God's people
to take their eyes off from God, whether
individually or collectively, he's won the battle.
And it worked.
It worked.
The instrument of the devil accomplished the purpose
for which it was sent.
Every single man had their eyes taken off
from God.
All eyes were on the instrument of the
devil, and not one man had faith.
From the king to the last man in
the army, all faith was gone.
There was hopelessness.
They were harsh, full of fear.
For all eyes were off from God and
were on the instrument of the devil.
It worked.
It accomplished the purpose to which it was
sent.
But God knew that there was a youth,
the Bible calls him.
I'm so glad God says that.
A boy, a young shepherd called David, who
was tending his father's sheep on the hills
just outside of Bethlehem.
A youth, this young shepherd, had cultivated, had
nurtured, had developed a perfect trust in God,
a perfect faith in God, a perfect love
in God that cast out all fear, that
God could possibly fail him, no matter what
danger the devil brought upon his way.
A youth that had nurtured a perfect love
in God, that cast out all fear, that
God could possibly fail him, no matter what
circumstances he was thrown into.
And God brought this youth onto the scene
of the battle, before God's people, before King
Saul, before the enemy of the people of
God, and before the instrument of the devil.
And we read in verse 32, And David
said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail
because of him.
Thy servant will go and fight with this
Philistine.
And Saul said to David, Thou art not
able to go against this Philistine to fight
with him, for thou art but a youth,
and he a man of war from his
youth.
And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept
his father's sheep, and there came a lion
and a bear, and took a lamb out
of the flock.
And I went after him, and smote him,
and delivered it out of his mouth.
And when he arose against me, I caught
him by his beard, and smote him, and
flew him.
Thy servant flew both the lion and the
bear, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as
one of them, seeing he has defied the
armies of the living God.
David said moreover, The Lord that delivered me
out of the paw of the lion than
out of the paw of the bear, he
will deliver me out of the hand of
this Philistine.
And Saul said unto David, Go.
And Saul armed David with his armor, and
he put an helmet of brass upon his
head.
Also he armed him with a coat of
mail.
And David girded his sword upon his armor,
and just said to go, for he had
not proved it.
And David said unto Saul, I cannot go
with thee, for I have not proved them.
And David put them off him.
And he took his staff in his hand,
and chose him five smooth stones out of
the brook, and put them in a shepherd's
bag, which he had even in a script.
And a sling was in his hand, and
he drew near to the Philistine.
And the Philistine came on, and drew near
unto David.
And the man that bared the seal went
before him.
Philistine looked about, and saw David disdained, for
he was but a youth.
And Rodian of the bear's count, the Philistine
said unto David, Am I a dog?
The dog comest to me with stave.
And the Philistine cursed David by his God.
And the Philistine said to David, Come to
me, and I will give thy flesh unto
the fowls of the air, and to the
beasts of the fields.
Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest
to me with a sword, and with a
spear, and with a shield.
But I come to thee in the name
of the Lord of hosts, the God of
the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.
This day will the Lord deliver thee into
mine hand, and I will smite thee, and
take thine head from thee.
And I will give the carcasses of the
hosts of the Philistines this day unto the
fowls of the air, and to the wild
beasts of the earth, that all the earth
may know that there is a God in
Israel.
And all his assembly shall know that the
Lord saveth not with sword and spear, for
the battle is the Lord, and he will
give you into our hands.
And it came to pass, when the Philistine
arose and came to, and drew near to
meet David.
But David hastened and ran toward the armies
to meet the Philistine.
And David put his hand in his bag,
and took then to stone, and flung it,
and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that
the stone sunk into his forehead, and he
fell upon his face, and he fell down
upon the earth, upon his face.
So David prevailed over the Philistine with a
sling and with a stone, and smote the
Philistine and slew him.
But there was no sword in the hand
of David.
Therefore David ran and stood upon the Philistine
and ran and took his sword, and drew
it out of the seat thereof, and flew
him, and cut off his head therewith.
And when the Philistine saw their champion was
dead, they fled.
And the men of Israel and of Judah
arose, and shouted, and pursued the Philistine.
Oh, how faith spread like fire amongst the
people of God!
Oh, how faith spread like fire amongst the
people of God!
If one person, even if it's a youth,
dares to place in God a perfect trust,
a perfect love that casts out all fear
that God could possibly fail them.
Amen.
Oh, the word of God thrills me, you
know.
The word of God thrills me when I
think that out of the heart of this
young shepherd, out of the heart of this
young shepherd came these words of perfect love
that cast out all fear.
The Lord is my shepherd.
I shall not want He make of me
to lie down in green pastures.
He leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul.
He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness
for His namesake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of
the shadow of death, I will fear no
evil.
Thou art with me.
Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.
Thou preparest the table before me in the
presence of mine enemies.
Thou anointest my head with oil.
My cup's surely goodness and mercy shall follow
me all the days of my life, and
I will dwell in the house of the
Lord forever.
It was a psalm of perfect love that
cast out all fear.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of
the shadow of death, I will fear no
evil, for Thou art with me.
How can I fear God if Thou art
with me?
I will never leave Thee, nor forsake Thee,
Lo, I am with Thee.
I am with Thee.
I am with Thee, even to the end
of the world.
You know, David knew this was not God's
will.
He knew this was not God's will.
What was being suggested to the people of
God by the enemy through the instrument of
the devil, that the people of God yield
themselves servants to obey the enemy, that the
enemy have dominion over them, that the enemy
reign over them.
He knew this is not God's will.
And therefore he had a perfect love and
the holy obligation of God to honor his
faith that the will of God would be
accomplished.
It was not God's will for what was
being suggested there.
He had no doubt.
He had not the shadow of a doubt.
He had a perfect love that cast out
all fear because he knew this is not
God's will.
And God was obligated to honor his faith
knowing that this man wanted only God's will,
which was not what that's being suggested by
the enemy to do to God's people.
God had to honor his faith and deliver
him.
How many of us sitting here tonight, beloved,
we know it's not God's will.
What the devil, what our enemy suggests to
us through instruments he places in our way,
knowing our weaknesses, whether collectively or individually, and
he suggests to us here, the members.
How many of us, we know it's not
God's will.
Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal
body that ye should obey it and the
lust thereof.
Neither yield ye your members as instruments of
unrighteousness under sin, but yield yourselves unto God
as those that are alive from the dead,
and your members as instruments of righteousness under
God.
For sin shall not have dominion over you.
We know it's not God's will.
But how many of us could say tonight,
and sin reigns in your mortal body.
Sin has dominion over you.
You know what it is to yield your
members as instruments of unrighteousness under sin, though
you're the child of God.
You know what it is to yield your
members as instruments of unrighteousness under sin.
You know what it is to yield your
eyes as instruments of unrighteousness under sin.
You know what it is daily to yield
your ears as instruments of unrighteousness under sin.
You know what it is to yield your
lips.
You know what it is to yield your
hands as instruments of unrighteousness under sin.
And God knows what are the parts of
your body and being.
You know what it is to yield your
ears as instruments of unrighteousness under sin.
He knew it was not God's will, and
he placed in God a perfect love that
God would deliver him from what the devil
was suggesting to the instrument of the devil.
How many of you will ever come to
the place where you will place a perfect
trust in God concerning the thing that the
devil says to you, you will always yield
yourself.
I will always reign over you.
Sin will always reign and have dominion over
you, and you will always...
and you listen because your eyes are from
God.
If only you had a perfect trust, not
only in the work of the cross for
the penalty of sin, but for the full
work of the cross to be embraced by
faith to deliver you from the power of
sin, to reckon yourself dead indeed unto sin
because of the work of Calvary, because of
the effect of the blood and the destruction
to the power of the devil Christ brought
on there not only for you to be
delivered from hell, but delivered from the power
of sin and your faith in the cross,
in the blood, in Christ destroyed the works
of the devil on that cross.
I hope you do know that.
And by faith to reckon yourself dead by
the work of Christ, the full finished work
of the cross to embrace it and to
reckon yourself dead.
Indeed, do you think God would look at
your faith and say, no, I won't deliver
you now that you're putting a perfect trust
in me without fear that I'll let you
go out there and be staggered and find,
oh, I'm failing again.
No, God has a holy obligation that he's
waiting for your faith not only to be
saved out of fear of hell, but saved
from dominion, from yielding, from inconsistency and failure
that takes away your testimony and the wind
out of your whole being that you don't
want to testify.
Oh, beloved, how many of you need to
come to God once and for all and
to reckon yourself dead.
Indeed, understand how many of you need to
yield yourselves unto God as those that are
alive from the dead and your members as
instruments of righteousness unto God.
I speak after the man of men because
of the infirmity of your flesh for as
you have yielded your members as instruments of
uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity, even so
now, yield yourselves unto God.
Yield your members as instruments of righteousness unto
holiness.
I beseech you, therefore, brethren, I beg you,
brethren, by the mercies of God that you
present your bodies a living sacrifice.
Yield yourselves unto God.
I beseech you, brethren, by the mercies of
God that you present at the moment that
you present to God your body a living
sacrifice wholly acceptable unto God, which is your
reasonable service and be not conformed to this
world any longer, but be transformed by the
renewing of your mind tonight by changing your
mind about what you believe the devil should
have his way about that he may prove
what is that good and perfect and acceptable
will of God behest that come the moment
you yield yourself to God in faith presenting
your bodies a living sacrifice by renewing your
mind that I'm not going on any longer
like this and being conformed to anything the
devil tells me I have to be conformed
to that the world would do the unsaved
would do and I reckon myself dead but
I'm alive unto God I yield my members
to God once and for all I come
by faith and I reckon myself dead God,
the work on the cross was for me
not only for salvation but for these things
that I continually listen to the devil's instrument
and the devil telling me my enemy telling
me I will have to let myself have
dominion over to these things because of weakness
my eyes are up from God if that's
the truth you know David refused the armor
of his king he refused the armor of
his king now that was quite something to
do in those days because if the king
gave a gallant soldier his armor that was
an honor but you know Saul was so
pathetic if you think of Saul was there
ever a more pathetic man in the whole
scripture as Saul to think of what he
was in God's eyes in God's hopes and
in man's hopes he stooped so low to
look at a young boy and expect this
boy to have trusted his own armor he
had no trust in his armor he had
no faith of deliverance a man, a king
comes to a boy and expects no David
refused the armor of his king because he
trusted only in his God that's why Paul
in his letter to the Ephesians chapter six
verse ten says finally my brethren be strong
in the Lord and in the power of
his might put on the whole armor of
God that ye may be able to stand
against the wiles of the devil for we
wrestle not against flesh and blood but against
principalities against powers against the rulers of the
darkness of this world against spiritual wickedness in
high places wherefore take unto you the whole
armor of God that ye may be able
to withstand in the evil day and having
done all to stand stand therefore having your
loins gird about with truth and having on
the breastplate of righteousness and your feet sod
with the preparation of the gospel above all
above all taking the shield of faith wherewith
ye shall be able to quench all the
fiery dust of the wicked above all taking
the shield of faith wherewith ye shall be
able to quench all the fiery dust of
the wicked and take the helmet of salvation
take the helmet of salvation and the sword
of the spirit which is the word of
God praying always with all prayer and supplication
in the spirit and watching there unto with
all perseverance and supplication for all saints David
had the above all that Paul speaks of
here above all taking the shield of faith
wherewith ye shall be able to quench to
literally annul just annul anything the devil is
trying to do just destroy just annul he
may as well not have tried why?
you had faith in God oh he had
the above all that Paul speaks of here
above all taking the shield of faith child
of God that's your armor above everything you
dare to take faith put faith in God
put faith in God put faith in his
promises put faith in the work of the
cross the finished work of the cross for
deliverance above all taking the shield of faith
wherewith ye shall be able to quench all
all all all the fiery dust of the
wicked all you say no wait a minute
now some may be some days most may
be but oh oh beloved do you believe
God or the devil answer God now every
one of you in your hearts now with
your lips do you believe God or do
you believe the devil that tells you that
sin will always reign in your mortal body
tell God he's looking at your heart so
is the devil looking at you tell God
whether you believe you will always find that
sin reigns and has dominion over you and
that you will always no matter what God's
done in the cross no matter how more
powerful Christ is than the devil you will
always yield your members as instruments of unrighteousness
unto sin as you have so often when
the devil comes to you tell God whether
you believe that if you take the shield
of faith you will be able to quench
annihilate as it were annihilate and now any
effect all the devil could ever try and
aim at you or is God exaggerating no
God that's a big exaggeration Paul took his
chance there maybe with Paul but not with
me tell God whether you believe he's a
liar and the cross the risen and resurrected
power of Christ as you rise by faith
with his risen power to deliver you Tell
God whether you believe Jesus can keep you
from falling.
He's able to keep you from falling.
Tell God whether you believe that.
I want you to answer God.
If you're not here for God, what on
earth are you doing here?
If you're here for God, please answer God
right now in your heart.
You tell God whether you believe Him or
the devil.
Resist the devil and he will flee from
you, God says.
You know why?
You resist the devil, God is obliged to
make the devil flee from you.
But you have to resist.
Blessed is the man that endures temptation, not
the man that gives in.
He says, ah, what's the point?
Without any hope, you just do what the
devil tells you you've got to do.
Blessed is the man that endures.
Do you resist the devil?
There's a point God says.
He will never suffer you to be tempted
above that you're able to bear.
God's holy name is at stake.
He has a holy obligation to make sure
that if you believe that He can deliver
you, even if you're tempted.
Temptation is not sin.
Jesus was tempted.
He had no sinful nature and no sin.
You'll be tempted if Christ was tempted.
But temptation is not sin.
There's a point you yield and there's a
point that God will make sure you don't
have to yield.
If you just resist the devil, God will
make sure the devil flees from you.
Hallelujah.
Listen to these words.
1 John 2 verse 1.
My little children.
Now that's not speaking to little boys and
girls sitting here.
It's the age John now writing with great
wisdom and compassion and love.
My little children, to all the children of
God.
My little children.
I write these things unto you that ye
sin not.
These things write I unto you that ye
sin not.
Hallelujah.
But that's only half of a verse.
Now we're not Jehovah's Witnesses, you know.
Jehovah's Witnesses can only quote half of a
verse.
If they did not quote the other half,
it doesn't make sense what they're saying.
So we've got to be careful now, we
holiness people.
And I talk to the holiness groups now.
You might cry it loud and clear that
ye sin not.
But don't be like a Jehovah's Witness that
your doctrine crumbles by the next half of
the verse.
If you're going to quote the first half
of the verse, for God's sake quote the
next half.
Because God needed to give them that too.
My little children, these things write I unto
you that ye sin not.
But if, child, any man sins, any Christian,
while he's enduring.
If somehow, while you're in victory, while you're
sinning not.
If, on your road to the celestial city,
having turned and God is keeping you.
And you're walking with God and you're walking
in victory as your faith.
If with all the powers of hell against
you, somehow the devil gets you to fall.
Don't you give up now.
Get up, God says.
You don't dare give up.
You have no right to give up.
Because God says get up.
You're defying him if you don't get up.
Get up.
Don't you be down there.
You've failed, yes.
But we have not a high priest which
cannot be moved with the feeling of our
infirmities.
Is in all points tempted, like as we,
yet without sin.
Wherefore, you see, he understands.
Let us come boldly to the throne of
grace to obtain mercy.
Don't you be down there.
I said come boldly.
I'll give you mercy.
I've been tempted too.
And I'm a high priest that can make
intercession.
Because I know just what you went through.
Though I was God manifested in the flesh.
And you are not.
Oh, this high priest cries out to you
to trust him with a perfect love that
casts out all fear, you know.
My little children, these things write unto you
that you sin not.
But if any man, any of you children
sin, if somehow the devil gets you to
sin or fail, don't you give up.
Get up.
We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus
Christ the righteous.
And he is the propitiation for our sins.
Christians can have failure.
God says it's possible.
It's not the end of you.
You have Jesus standing at the right hand
of God making intercession for you.
We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus
Christ the righteous.
He's the propitiation for our sins.
That word propitiation means the mercy seat.
In the Old Testament, in the tabernacle, on
the altar, there was the mercy seat.
To come to God for mercy.
Jesus is the mercy seat in heaven.
He's literally the way to mercy for Christians,
for God's people.
We have an advocate standing in a court
of law, you know.
You pay a man to stand and defend
you from things that you've been accused of.
And we have someone who paid the price
for you to be totally forgiven.
And he's there ever living to make intercession
for you.
Do you honestly have fear that he's going
to throw you out if you fall?
Oh beloved, I don't know how many of
you have heard of George Thurber.
George Thurber was the man saved in Billy
Graham's meetings many years ago.
1953 when God really used him in London.
And that man took up what we call
operation mobilization.
He took big ships, boats, whole vessels, ocean
liners, trusted God for them.
Put printing presses on them.
Took youth from different countries of the world
over the years.
One nation after the other.
They printed as they were going millions of
tracks in the language.
And when they got there, those youth would
go on to the land.
And just from the time they arrived, having
open airs from the ships and going through.
Well, he came to Cape Town with his
ships, the old dew lush.
And well, he had different ships.
He came along.
And the one meeting was just for young
students, theological students or preachers, missionaries.
Full time preachers in Southern Africa.
No, that ship was full of auditorium about
this size on the ship.
Full to hear this man.
All people in full time ministry.
And he took off, you know.
He spoke to us like we were children.
And some of the great theologians of South
Africa were sitting there.
There was a great major, Alistair Smith, Captain
G.S. Dobbie.
Men whose names were just revered.
Well, he spoke to us like we're children.
I'll never forget a young student as I
listened to this man.
And I looked around and these great theologians
were gripped.
Like a child is gripped when you speak
to them.
Oh, it was wonderful.
You know what he told us about this
thing of if you fail, the Christian sins.
I'll never forget.
I was a young Christian right there in
theological seminary.
And I sat there listening and I never
forgot what he said.
He said, listen, concerning failure and God's compassion.
And what God has said concerning failure.
He said, one day you look out of
the window and you see this dark cloud
building up.
And you hear rumbling and then lightning.
And you think, oh, there's about to break
a terrible storm.
And as you see the rain starting, you
see a man walking past your house.
He hasn't got a raincoat on.
He hasn't got an umbrella.
And he's looking up.
He didn't expect to be in the storm.
When he left home, he didn't know he
was going to face a storm like this.
Otherwise, he would have come prepared with a
raincoat.
He's taken by surprise being in this storm.
Well, he panics.
The rain just comes down like buckets.
He says, oh, this poor man.
So, he starts running.
What happens?
He slips right on his face in the
mud.
Oh, he slipped.
He's really in trouble in this storm.
He's fallen.
So, you run out.
You've got an umbrella.
Oh, sir, you've fallen.
Come, let me help you up, sir.
Please come, let me help.
I'm so sorry you fell.
You know what the man says?
Are you trying to help him up?
No.
I'm not getting up.
I've fallen.
No good trying again.
I've fallen.
But you've got to get up.
You can't just lie there.
I'm not getting up.
I'm not going to go on.
I've fallen.
But this is mad.
This is madness.
I mean, you're shocked.
I mean, this is...
How can a man reason like that?
Do you know how many Christians are doing
that?
Same words.
Oh, they're going.
They're walking with God.
And suddenly they fall.
The devil gets them down.
And what's he got?
He puts on them as they're in the
mud and he keeps them down there.
I've fallen.
I'm not going to go on.
It didn't work.
I've fallen.
That's it.
The promises from this book that led you
to Jesus Christ, the origin of deliverance, as
he did.
Now you take your eyes off this book
that gives you more promises.
If you fall, once you're safe, don't give
up, child.
Get up!
For God said it.
Because he says get up.
I'm not giving you up.
I'm not giving you up, child.
How can you give up?
If I say get up, if you fall,
why don't you put faith in my promises
further?
Not to say for salvation, but now if
you fall, the same God promised that once
you're safe, if some other devil gets you,
to really fail you.
Get up!
Confess!
We confess our sins and say to him,
just to forgive us our sins, to cleanse
us.
You know, Jenny and I, we have three
boys.
Remember your first child?
My first born is not here tonight, but
I'll remember each one.
There's little Samuel.
Oh, I can't even see my own children.
Isn't it terrible?
Anyway, and there's Roy, but then there was
Noah.
He was the first born.
Now, when he was born, you cannot believe
the joy I had and Jenny had.
He couldn't crawl, by the way.
Let alone walk.
I didn't expect him to walk.
That would be a bit much to ask.
But he couldn't crawl.
But he was my child.
He was mine.
He was born.
There was a birth that came from my
wife and I.
God did this miracle.
He was mine.
Living as he was born into my home.
Oh, I made sure that we couldn't crawl,
little, and walk.
Nothing would hurt this I can.
Well, the only thing he knew, he didn't
have to know a great vocabulary to know
this.
He didn't have to go to university to
know this.
He didn't need to talk and get language
abilities to know this.
He knew when he wanted milk.
He didn't say, milk, please.
He said, yeah!
And everybody knew, it's milk.
Midnight.
Oh!
Well, if he didn't want milk, there would
be trouble.
But the one thing he knew he needed
was milk.
And he knew he'd get it when he
said, milk time.
Well, as you born babe, God said, desire
the sincere milk of the word that ye
may grow thereby.
You don't know what to do, but the
one thing God puts in you if you
really are his child is a desire.
You cannot.
People say, how do I know if I'm
saved?
I say, can you get through a day
without the word of God?
If you're not desperate, then I doubt that
you're saved.
Oh, if you're saved and you're born again
now, you become God's child.
This is where you grow.
You grow by one thing as a child
of God.
One thing God gives as newborn babes, my
children who are born of God now, born
again.
Not a child of your mother and father
anymore.
Now you become my child.
You've been born again by grace through faith
in the blood of Christ.
Now, child, this is, oh, and we grow.
We grow.
Faith comes by the word of God.
Sanctify themselves by thy truth.
Thy word is truth.
This is what transforms us.
This is what changes us.
This is what God gives us and we
grow.
You remember when your child starts to stand.
Oh, now you're getting excited.
He's getting strong.
The milk was enough.
Ha ha.
Now he knows something.
My little Noel, our firstborn, he stood there,
you know.
Now he's standing.
He never let go.
He always stood, but he was so proud
of himself.
I'm standing, you know.
This is taking a bit, but anyway, he's
standing, and you're looking, and you're more excited
than him, I suppose.
He's standing.
He's about to walk.
Now, you woo him on, you know.
He doesn't have a great vocabulary, but he
knows something about your eyes and something about
what you're doing, that you want him to
walk.
So because of you, he does something he's
never done before in his life, in faith
in what you're calling him to do and
wanting in your eyes.
He dared.
He dared because of you saying walk, and
there was no looking at me, believing me
it's going to work.
Another step.
Another step, and you, boom, he fell.
Well, you're not the end of the world
for a moment, but anyway, I didn't look
at him and say, what?
He fell.
What sort of a child is this, you
know?
Well, I don't want this child.
I'm wiping my hands with him.
He fell.
What father would do that?
Do you think God's any less than you?
Oh, it doesn't matter.
Come on, it doesn't matter.
Come.
You're going to walk.
I'm not going to stop until you walk.
Come.
Trust me.
Come.
Until you walk, I won't stop.
Have faith now.
Trust me.
You're going to walk.
I'm going to teach.
Fall or not, do you honestly think that
the Heavenly Father is less compassionate and patient
than you?
And he is your father, you know.
Do you honestly think you're a better father
than him?
With more mercy?
He knows when to chase him later on.
He knows when to encourage.
He knows when to give what you ask.
How much more shall your Father, which is
in Heaven, give good things?
It's just a father.
He's got a father heart and you are
the one he relates to.
That's why your children can relate to God
by what you were before they came to
Christ because he's a father.
Oh.
God isn't going to give you up.
You fall, get up now.
Come.
I'm not giving you up.
There's love in spite of failure.
You tried to walk because I called you
to walk.
You fell, yes.
But you tried and I love you for
that.
Millions don't.
They want their sins.
Do you honestly think that someone of the
millions because only few of the billions do
try for me, out of love for me?
Do you honestly think that if you fail
I'll throw you aside?
How can you fear me like that child?
Is this whole book's cry.
Romans 8.
Romans 8 verse 31.
What shall we then say to these things?
If God before us, who can be against
us?
He that spared not His own Son, but
delivered Him up for us all, how shall
He not with Him also freely give us
all things?
Who shall lay anything to the charge of
God's elect?
It is God that justifies us.
Who is He that condemns us?
It is Christ that died, yea rather that
is risen again, who is even at the
right hand of God, who also maketh Him
the Cessan for us.
Who shall separate us from the love of
Christ without tribulation or distress or persecution or
famine or nakedness or peril or sword as
it is written, For thy sake we are
killed all the day long.
We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Nay, in all these things we are more
than conquerors through Him that loved us.
For I am persuaded that neither death nor
life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor
things present nor things to come nor heights
nor depths nor any other creature shall be
able to separate us from the love of
God which is in me.
I am persuaded.
Do you know what that means?
Literally the Greek.
I have no shadow of a doubt.
That means I won't allow even the smallest
thought to come into my mind if God
knows I am trying.
I am persuaded.
I have no shadow of a doubt.
God.
Nothing.
Nor any other creature shall be able to
separate us from the love of God which
is in Christ.
He is our Lord.
We have known and believed the love that
God has to us.
Isn't that lovely?
Have you got this belief?
I know whom I have believed and am
persuaded that He is able to keep that
which I have committed unto Him against that
day.
Could you honestly say that from your heart
to the glory of God?
I know whom I have believed and am
persuaded that He is able to keep that
which I have committed unto Him against that
day, the day of judgment.
Are you persuaded?
I am persuaded that neither death nor life,
nor all we have known and believed the
love that God has to us.
And He that dwelleth in love dwelleth in
God and God in Him.
Herein is our love made perfect that we
may have boldness in the day of judgment
for condemnation to them which are in Christ
Jesus.
We know with puss and death and delight.
Herein is our love made perfect that we
may have boldness in the day of judgment
because as He is so are we in
this world.
There is no fear in love, the love
God wants you to have in Him.
The love God demands and agonizes and is
staggered that you don't on Him.
Trust, faith.
There is no fear in love, this love
that God wants.
Perfect love casteth out fear because fear hath
torment.
is not made perfect in love.
God can't do for you what He would
have been able to until you have a
perfect love that casteth out all fear.
That doesn't make you a Calvinist.
That just happens to make you.
Don't brand yourself when you put faith in
God and stop searing.
Don't be fearful of being branded.
Just make sure nobody brands you like I'm
being sure no one dares brand me to
be of something because I believe God more
than any Calvinist trusts me that I've ever
met.
But I'm still not a Calvinist.
God will never be able to make you
what He wants you to until you stop
searing and you place in Him a perfect
trust that casteth out all fear because He
that seareth is not made perfect in love.
God says Oh, embrace the full work of
Calvary by faith to deal not only with
the payment of sin but the power of
sin.
To all of you who live in defeat
though you name the name of Jesus I
ask you this question here tonight.
What shall we say then?
Shall we continue further than tonight in sin
that grace may abound?
Oh, how shall we that are dead to
sin?
If only you could be by faith reckon
yourself dead accept the fact by a perfect
love that casteth out all fear that the
full work of the cross will have its
effect on you.
And here is a baptism into death.
How shall we that are dead to sin
any longer therein?
Reckon yourself dead indeed unto sin.
Yield yourselves to God as those that are
alive from the dead.
There's this moment of absolute surrender this moment
of placing yourself on the altar this moment
as I beseech you brethren by the mercies
of God to present your bodies as something
of a dedication by faith for God to
deliver you and deal that sin will no
longer reign in your mortal body and have
dominion over you.
Do not yield your members any longer as
servants or resist the devil.
When will you resist the devil in such
a way that he will flee from you
because of your faith?
And yield yourselves so to God and your
members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
When will you obey that form of doctrine
from the heart that's delivered to you in
being come made free from a life of
dominion of sin dominion over you having dominion
over you?
I speak after the men as men because
of the infirmity of your flesh as you
yield your members servants to uncleanness and to
iniquity.
Now!
Oh that's something now yield yourselves to God.
There's a moment you know when you renew
your mind you change your mind and you
turn and say God I believe and no
matter what happens I believe thou wilt never
ever leave me nor forsake me because thou
hast promised me this.