Enemies, this changes everything

     1.      I'm so grateful that the gospel does not end on Good Friday.

     1.      I'm overwhelmingly thankful that it’s not finished on Easter Sunday.

2.      It’s not even finished a week after Easter when doubting Thomas sees the Lord and believes.

3.      It’s not finished at the Ascension, when Jesus ascends to the right hand of the Father as King of kings and Lord of lords.

1.      No, the gospel message we believe about Christ being crucified, raised from the dead, and now seated at the right hand of the Father praying strong prayers for us is inextricably tied to Pentecost, the moment when Jesus sends the Holy Spirit into the hearts of His people.

4.      “Just a sinner saved by grace” is only part of the gospel.

1.      It’s true that in Christ, God has wiped the slate clean and has forgiven us our sins.

2.      But let’s make sure we don’t leave out the flip side that not only does He forgive our sins, but He also regenerates us through the power of His Spirit, giving us a new and higher spiritual nature.

1.      God is restoring our relationship to Him.

2.      He is living within us.

3.      Constant restoration as if we were a historic building, automobile, or document.

4.      Making careful adjustments, design tweaks, and strength modifications.

5.      An eternal, continuation of restoration and then a preservation of what He has done in us.

5.      I've had people look me in the eye and tell me that they do not sin.

1.      Where it's then at that moment I have to look them back in the eye and speak truthfully to them when I say, "yes you do."

6.      Many say, "We are all just sinners saved by grace."

7.      A lot of people use this saying, "well I'm just a sinner saved by grace" so they can continue in their sin.

1.      I know my heart.

2.      I know my own wickedness!

3.      It's true that we’re saved by grace.

4.      Not by works. Salvation is of the Lord.

5.      We can’t do a thing to earn it.

1.      It’s the word ‘just' that gets to me.

2.      If I'm just a sinner saved by grace, how can I be a saint indwelled by the very Spirit of God?

Ephesians 2:1-10 NLT "[1] Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. [2] You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil-the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. [3] All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God's anger, just like everyone else. [4] But God is so rich in mercy, and He loved us so much, [5] that even though we were dead because of our sins, He gave us life when He raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God's grace that you have been saved!) [6] For He raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. [7] So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of His grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all He has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus. [8] God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God. [9] Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. [10] For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago."

8.      Vs. 8 God justifies the believing man, not for the worthiness of his belief, but for the worthiness of Him in whom he believes.

9.      Vs. 10 God decided in advance our paths, marked out for each in our purposes beforehand, the particular good works, the time and way which He sees best for us to perform them.

John 15:16 NLT [16] "You didn't choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name."

2 Timothy 2:21 NLT [21] "If you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honorable use. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work."

2.      That we should walk in them (good works) not "be saved" by them.

1.      Works do not justify, but the justified person works unto good works "for good works."

1.      For the greater cause of Christ, for the greater mission of the gospel, for the declaration of freedom from sin, it's turmoil, and destruction upon all mankind.

2.      We deliver good works for the greater good.

Matthew 5:16 KJV [16] "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

2.      We live out the good works for missional purpose, purifying purpose, worship purposes.

1.      That the lost will worship our God, so those without Christ will praise our God, so those bound by the enemy will meet our loving, kind, compassionate, Savior.

Galatians 5:22-26 NLT [22] "But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, [23] gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! [24] Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. [25] Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit's leading in every part of our lives. [26] Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another."

3.      Vs. 22 We receive then produce justification through the Spirit, through the word, through worship, through prayer, through service to others, through fasting, through giving, through faith, and through Jesus Christ.

1.      Constantly becoming alive, coming out of our sin filled nature into the nature of the Spirit.

2.      Becoming active participators of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

4.      Vs. 25 Follow the Spirits leading in every..part..of..our..lives.

5.      Vs. 26 Become conceited. Excessively proud of oneself, vain. Excessively high opinion of one's appearance, abilities, or worth.

1.      Spirituality and physically.

2.      My spiritual appearance to others, or my spiritual appearance unto God. My physical appearance to others, or unto God.

1.      These are hidden things in the heart to live out before our God.

6.      Vs. 26 Provoke one another. Stimulating or inciting someone to do or feel something especially by arousing anger in them.

1.      I'll push their buttons so hard they will have to change.

1.      I'll say everything about change, about hell, point out all their bad and sinful qualities then they will immediately, efficiently, abruptly be forced to change.

2.      News flash...never works!

2.      I've noticed the Holy Spirit is such a gentleman, He provokes me to change to be better by His love, by His goodness, by His favor, by His relationship to me, and by His blessing more than I have ever seen Him by pouring on the guilt trip.

3.      He will speak so strong but so loving, so powerful yet so respectful that I will run full speed ahead into the change.

4.      Into His mission, His purpose, His guidance though I was at first reluctant.

5.      He is my ever present help in time of trouble, He is the Strength, the Source, the Power, the Provision, the Forgiveness I needed and the Love that laid His life down for me.

1.      I WAS a sinner saved by grace but now a disciple, now a follower, now a model of that grace, filled with His Spirit.

3.      Ephesians 2:8-9 So we know that Faith does not save us, but rather Grace.

1.      We know that Faith is the conduit in which we are saved. 

1.      It is as if you were standing on top of a 10 story building that is on Fire.

2.      There are firemen below with a net ready to catch you.

3.      The step off of the building is faith, but the net is what saves you, which is grace. 

1.      The question that arises is are we still sinners?

4.      The term sinner was used before grace transformed them. 

1.      That means that the term "sinner" is past tense, and should be substituted with the term "righteous" after the transformation of justification. 

1.      The term justification is a legal term that simply means: "No Guilt Found."

1.      We have been found not guilty of our sins, as Jesus took them upon Himself over 2000 years ago. 

2.      It's as if God is saying, "If you accept my Son as you on the cross, then I will accept my Son as dying for you on the cross." 

3.      We have to surrender and sacrifice our flesh and independence in order to accept the free gift of grace.

2.      This is not to say that we do not still sin, but we are no longer sinners. 

1.      WOW...That means that we do not posses or claim that stinking rotten flesh any longer, but rather we have been transformed into Children of the Most High God.

3.      We no longer choose to walk after the destructive desires of the flesh but after the life giving guidance and leading of the Spirit man.

Romans 8:5-8 NLT "[5] Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. [6] So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. [7] For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God's laws, and it never will. [8] That's why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God."

4.      Through grace we take on the Royal lineage and birthright of Christ.

1.      He wants to clothe you with garments of white, but He will not put that over a sin filled heart. 

2 Corinthians 5:17-21 NLT [17] This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! [18] And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to Himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to Him. [19] For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, no longer counting people's sins against them. And He gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. [20] So we are Christ's ambassadors; God is making His appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, "Come back to God!" [21] For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ."

James 4:17 NLT [17] "Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it."

2.      Knowledge without practice represents us in great and bold sin.

1.      Nothing more injures the soul than wasted impressions.

1.      Feelings exhaust themselves and evaporate, if not embodied in practice.

1.      Good intentions are not Godly intentions.

2.      We have a very real enemy who's goal, mission, and desire has nothing to do with you or I succeeding.

1.      This changes everything.

Illustrate here: jaguar pouncing on a caiman crocodile.

3.      You think you're good to go, you're in the grace zone, you're bad to the bone, you got Jesus on your side, you're invincible, and you think nothing of the enemy slipping up behind you to pounce.

1.      But before you know it he's crept up on you and it's only a matter of moments that he's dragging you across the river to devour you.

4.      Ever notice he sneaks up on you?

1.      That's cause he's a thief, a liar, a coward, refusing to fight you face to face.

2.      Mano e Mano-which in its Spanish origin means hand to hand referring to combat.

5.      He'll show up to taunt you about your past, your insecurities, your sin, your doubt, your thoughts, your upbringing, your lack, and your faith.

6.      He constantly says, "Go ahead question the grace, question the forgiveness, question heaven."

1.      His goal to get you distracted, get you reasoning, get you justifying your sin instead of hating it.

2.      He is a criminal, he's a self proclaimed vigilante, a ruthless murderer, preying on our marriages, preying on our children, preying on our unity, preying on us for one reason and one reason only, to bring total destruction.

1.      Total loss and devastation.

7.      You've got the pounce mentality then you've got the safety mentality.

1.      I grew up around all of this and it'll never attack me.

2.      Sin won't get me.

8.      Say what you will, wild animals are dangerous.

1.      They are unable to comprehend how to behave and interact with humans because they were born to fend for themselves, it is in their natural instinct to be dangerous.

1.      It's sins natural instinct to destroy.

1.      This changes everything.

John 10:9-13 NLT [9] "Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. [10] The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. [11] "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep. [12] A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will abandon the sheep because they don't belong to him and he isn't their shepherd. And so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock. [13] The hired hand runs away because he's working only for the money and doesn't really care about the sheep."

5.      Vs. 12 There is power in unity.

1.      When we are attacked we must band together.

2.      Don't scatter and become a lonely islander.

3.      Stand in unity.

1.      God's mission is far too important to be left to missionaries alone, mission is the responsibility of all Christian Believers. 

2.      We have an undone assignment.

3.      We have a generation who desperately needs the modeling of Christianity in truth lived out before them.

4.      We must walk in grace, walk in mercy, walk in His Spirit, walk in His forgiveness, and offer that forgiveness to others.

1.      It WILL be difficult.

2.      It WILL take time.

3.      It WILL require sacrifice.

4.      It WILL be worth it.