Knowing the enemy, Bible Study 05/21/09

Knowing the enemy
Synopsis of Bible Study 05.21.09
Delivered by Bishop Walker III
If we were asked to write down our enemies, most of us would ask for more paper. All of us have enemies. We need to however, understand the source of our enemy. 12 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. Eph 6:12 (KJV)-what this scripture is saying is the enemy is at another altitude. We also have to realize according to the scripture, that it is not a person or their flesh that we are fighting. The person that transgresses against you is not your enemy. It is the spirit inside them. 8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 1 Peter 5:8 (KJV)-What we have is a demonic opposition. We recognize that it is Satan himself that seeks to destroy the people of God and to derail us from our destiny. To really understand this, we have to look at how Satan gets in so many people? To find the answer to this, we have to look at the origin of Satin. We have to look at how he began, how he got into the earth realm, how he manifests in the life of other people, and how we overcome him. Satan is our enemy.
Satan’s origin and fall
1. Satan was an archangel. Before he was Satan, he was called Lucifer. To understand this better, we need to first look at the book of Ezekiel to get clear understanding of where Satan comes from. Satan was one of God’s archangels created by God. 12 Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. 13 Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. 14 Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Ezek 28:12-14 (KJV)-Satan was in the Garden of Eden and he was covered in precious stones and had tambourines and pipes inside of him. Within his whole being was music. God created Lucifer and he was created to give God the glory. God had a court of angels created just to worship him and Lucifer was one of them. Lucifer was in the very presence of God at his throne in the beginning. God created this beautiful angel and placed him over the music ministry if you will. In other words, he was placed over the cherubims that were there to give God the glory.
2. Lucifer was cast out of heaven because of sin. God had to cast him out because he allowed pride to rise up in him. 16 By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. 17 Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. Ezek 28:16-17 (KJV) – Lucifer had too much pride. His pride corrupted his wisdom. Lucifer was in heaven and got tired of the glory going to God. Lucifer allowed pride to grow up in him and as a result, was kicked out of heaven. God is not going to share his glory with anyone, so this led to Lucifer’s dismissal.
5 “I wills” that caused Lucifer’s fall
13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. 13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Isaiah 14:13-14 (KJV)
1. Lucifer wanted to be like God. He wanted to be a possessor of heaven and earth. Can you imagine being created by God and then telling God to get off the throne and submit to you. This doesn’t even sound right! Well this is what Satan tried to do. We have to realize that when we say we love God and we let Satan run through our life at will, we are saying the power of Satan is more powerful than the power of God inside of us. When we let Satan have control over our life, we have said that Satan is the greater authority.
2. Satan fell quickly from heaven. 18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Luke 10:18 (KJV) – Lucifer fell from the 3rd heaven when he got kicked out. Lucifer, prior to getting kicked out, resided in the 3rd heaven where God lives. Ex- Just to review the heavens, there are 3. There is the one where the birds fly, the 2nd is where the stars hang and the 3rd is where we believe God lives. Satan dwells in the second heaven and manifest in the earth as well. Satan enlists people to do what he can’t do in the earth realm. He enlists people to carry out his work. He knows when he gets into you, his work is complete.
3. If Satan is attempting to manipulate people in the earth realm for his agenda, then how did it happen? Satan not only fell, he convinced a third of the angels to go with him when he tried to overtake heaven. 4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. Rev 12:4 (KJV). When you look at this scripture, Satan is compared to a dragon and with his tail; the scripture says he took a third of the stars with him. The stars represent a third of the angels. Isn’t it amazing how many stars fall over some tail?
Who is Satan today?
1. He is a powerful angelic being with power to deceive. 14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. 2 Cor 11:14-15 (KJV)-Satan is a copy cat. He wants to copy God like he is the real thing, but he is not. Ex- God has angels and Satan has demons. Demons are real. They are the opposite of angels. God has ministers, but Satan has ministers too. You can’t get caught up in everything that looks like it might be God. You have to try the spirit by the spirit.
2. Satan is the God or prince of this world-30 Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me. John 14:30 (KJV)-Jesus told the disciples that the prince of this world was coming.
3. Satan came to blind your mind. 4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. 2 Cor 4:4 (KJV). Our minds are so blind; we can’t see the revelation of God’s word. The moment the cataracts came off of your mind and the moment your mind got open, your mind start seeing stuff your eyes hadn’t seen yet. This is why Satan wants to keep your mind blinded.
4. Satan’s major tactics and major works. Satan works through deception. He is a deceiver. 3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 2 Cor 11:3 (KJV)-Remember Lucifer was created before the beginning. In the bible, the devil didn’t’ show up until chapter 3(tape) in the book of Genesis, but we must know that Satan already existed. He wasn’t the snake, but he needed the snake to carry out his agenda. Satan used the snake because it already had his characteristics (low down, sneaky and subtle). Satan is looking at the characteristics in, because he is looking for someone to carry out his work. If Satan always tries to enlist you, then you should be concerned. Maybe it means you have some characteristics in you that Satan likes.
5. Satan caused Eve to question God’s word. Many of you have snakes in your house and on your job. They got close to you and you found out later that they weren’t the real thing. Many of us have too much sense for him to come at us like the Devil, so he has to approach us in a sneaky and deceptive way. 1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? Gen 3:1 (KJV)-he has to slide in under cover, like a snake. Ex- Before the recession, you were willing to give God all your time and all your money, but when you got laid off you questioned what the word told you to do. This is an example of the deception the Devil plants.
6. Satan quotes half truths-6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Matt 4:6 (KJV)-Satan likes to quote half truths to you. He knows the bible as well as you do, but twists it for his agenda.
7. Everything Satan says is a lie. 44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. John 8:44 (KJV).Ex-Bishop explains that he tries to teach the word with truth and in its proper context. People often lack context. Slavery, sexism, and racism can all be upheld by the bible if you take it out of context. You have to get to a point that you study to show yourself approved. Bishop explains that he is simply here to motivate you to study God’s word for yourself. You don’ eat twice a week, so why do you feed on the word twice a week. We are not impressed if a person says that they know the word either. The devil is in church and the devil knows the word as well as anyone. Many can testify that they met somebody that supposedly knew the word and their relationship started out like Little House on the Prairie only to end up like Nigh Mare on Elm St. Satan tries to transform himself into an angel of light.
8. Satan wants to cause you to stumble, so he lays snares in your path. 4 Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the violent man; who have purposed to overthrow my goings. 5 The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords; they have spread a net by the wayside; they have set gins for me. Selah. Psalms 140:4-5 (KJV)-God has great things in store for you. Destiny is where we are trying to go. Purpose is the path towards our destiny. Destination is the great things God has in store for your life. When you finally say you are going after these things, Satan tries to block you. He tells you can’t get it. Now that you are going for it, Satan sets traps, snares, and land mines to trip you up. Remember the steps of good man are ordered by the Lord. We need God to order our steps and help us around those traps. We have to recognize that we are supposed to lay aside every weight so that we may run our race. 1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Heb 12:1 (KJV)-We have to lay down the foolishness and sin that hinders us on our path to our destiny.
9. We look to God the finisher of our faith. 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Heb 12:2 (KJV) – we look to Jesus who both started it and finished our paths. The devil sets traps for us from the beginning. We have got to get saved so we can get around the traps. The Holy Ghost guides and directs us around the traps that Satan sets. The devil always has a trap. You have a choice whether to follow the Holy Spirit or your flesh, but no matter what, the traps are set.
10. Satan opposes & exalts himself above all that is God. The devil opposes anything God is doing. We could feed 500 people and house them (as a church) and the Devil will have somebody say “why wasn’t it 600?” There is always somebody that will have an issue with what we do for God. He will always try to exalt himself. People will ask how you know if a person is the right one for them, but all you have to do is look at how they worship. The devil can’t worship and bow down and say God is greater.
Tactics of the enemy:
1. He afflicts the righteous
2. He claims authority over the world.
3. He blinds the minds of unbelievers.
4. He slanders and accuses the saints.
5. He opposes the righteous and tries to keep us in our place.
6. He instigates sin and tempts us.
7. He contends with us in heavenly realms. The more you get closer to God, the more you have demonic agitation.
8. He places his people in the church to that defrauded. He plants people in church.
9. He steals, kills, and destroys.
Ex-Imagine the choir was at practice and they practiced the song Holy Holy Holy to sing for God. Imagine everyone would get in a worship mode when they heard this song and then they would start to worship God. Every Sunday the choir would sing this song and every Sunday God would get the glory. Imagine if at one practice one of the choir members decided that they would not sing this song anymore, because they were tired of God getting the glory for their hard work. Imagine if a 3rd of the choir members decided they were against singing the song too. Imagine as a result of this action, God decided that he would kick them all out of the church for what they had done. This is much like what happened when Lucifer (Satan) was kicked out of heaven. What were Lucifer and the angels doing before they were cast out of heaven? They were worshipping through music. Lucifer had music in him and he was over the music which was used to worship God. Since Satan had music in him from the beginning, what do you think is in him now? The answer is music. Although Satan was kicked out of heaven, his is still drawn to what he had at first which was the music. This is why he uses the music as a big tool to attack us now. Satan doesn’t want anything to go to God. Music controls a lot. It controls our mood, our attitude, and many other things. Ex2-Think about scary movies. You really ain’t scared of Jaws. What scares you is the music in the background before something happens. Without the music, he would just be a big fish in the water. You ain’t really scared of Jason either. It is the ch ch ch, hah hah hah sound before something happens that makes it scary. This mood is all set by the music. This is why hell in most churches, start in the choir. This is where our music comes from.
3 ways to defeat Satan
1. With Belief. 4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 1 John 5:4 (KJV)-the way to overcome is to believe. If you hold on to the word and trust God’s promise, you will always overcome.
2. With boldness- 12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. John 14:12 (KJV)-greater things than Jesus will we do. Before you got saved you know you could fight. When you get saved, you don’t’ quit fighting, you just change the way you fight. You got to be bold with the devil and declare the Devil can’t have your family or your life or anything else that God blessed you with.
3. By the blood-11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Rev 12:11 (KJV)-The children of Israel put blood on door post and where the blood was, the death angel had to Passover. Because Jesus shed his blood, we are covered by his blood. This means his blood protects us. That tells us that blood has significance. This is why we must plead the blood over our house, our family, and our situations. If we trust God, we must know there is power in the blood.
What the devil really wants-
17 And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit; 18 And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not. Mark 9:17-18 (KJV)-This scripture describes a father who brought his son to Jesus because he had a dumb spirit.
1. The devil wants to control you. The devil is violent. He has a nasty mouth. He has an attitude or chip on his shoulder. People with these attributes display a spirit of control. A spirit like this tries to control everything around it. Ex- If you leave and 3 mins later they are asking where you are, you got to take notice.
2. He wants to come in early and stay late. 21 And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child. Mark 9:21 (KJV). He wants to get you while you are young. Most of the struggle we struggle with now can be traced back to something that happened when we were kids. This is why we have to protect our children. We do realize however that some sprits are just inherited.
3. He wants to take you through many extremes. 22 And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us. Mark 9:22 (KJV)-He wants to take you from one extreme to the next. Ex – If fire won’t kill you, the water will and vice versa.
4. He wants to test the depth of your faith. 23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. Mark 9:22-23 (KJV). This is what he tried to do to Job. He knew he had faith, but how deep was it? You got to have the faith that is so strong that it can’t help but show. It was Job that gave the following soliloquy about his faith. . 1 Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. 2 He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not. Job 14:1-2 (KJV)
Any person born of a woman is destined to have problems. 1 Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. 2 He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not. Job 14:1-2 (KJV). Job says he sees himself like a tree. Even though God has blessed me and you see my fruit, don’t think this is all there is to me. 8 Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground; Job 14:8 (KJV)-the enemy wants to cut us down, but the enemy doesn’t know that we have roots that run deep in the earth. That is where our faith is. This means we can lose this and that, but it is just a matter of time until we will be on our way back up.
9 Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant. Job 14:9 (KJV)-We don’t have to wait for the rain, we just have to smell the rain. God is about to turn our situation around. It will bud first, and then brings forth the bough. The bud is the process and evidence the bough is on the way. Praise God for the bud.
25 When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him. Mark 9:25 (KJV)now lets go back to verse 17 17 And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit; Mark 9:17 (KJV). Can you say total deliverance? Now the boy showed up in verse 17 with a dumb spirit, but when Jesus got ready to cast it out in verse 25, it was a deaf and dumb spirit. This means there was more than one problem. He couldn’t talk, because he couldn’t here. Jesus noticed that there was more than one sprit in him. We have to learn to ask God for total deliverance. We need God to all of these spirits out of us. The enemy will not leave without a fight. In verse 26, the devil cried out as he was cast out. .
26 And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead. Mark 9:26 (KJV) The Devil left him for dead. Some people don’t want total deliverance because they don’t want the pain of the spirit coming out. Ex-They want to remove the spirit of cheating, when they have the spirit of insecurity that was place in them when they were younger. This insecurity caused the cheating spirit. Until this insecurity is addressed, the cheating spirit will come back. The devil wants to damage you on the way out so that you may be damaged and unable to be in another healthy relationship. God is going to restore the years the locust ate up.

Grace of God Part II, Bible Study 5.6.09

Grace of God Part II
“The power of living in the fullness of God’s Grace “
Synopsis of Bible Study 5/6/09
Delivered by Bishop Walker III

We start out by raising some rhetorical questions. If you only had only one month to live, how would you prepare yourself to meet the Lord in that month? Would you pray harder, would you memorize more scripture, would you read your bible more, would you be involved in more spiritual work, would you catch up your tithes, or would you repent of sins you are guilty of? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you could be characterized as a performance based Christian. A performance based Christian tries to gain Gods favor by works. Remember that it is the grace of God that we live under. We are saved by Grace and grace alone. Make no mistake, the things we mentioned previously are good things to do; the problem is most people are doing these things based on a condition. The condition mentioned earlier was that it was assuming that they were going to die in 30 days or a month. We try to do good works with conditions attached to them. What happens if the condition is not met? What if we don’t have a month to live? Would you still say yes to every question? Are our works tied to a condition or the proper appropriation of grace in our life? There is no amount of work that we can do to earn God’s favor. The truth is his favor has been granted to us through the free gift of grace and so Paul rebukes the church by declaring: 1 Oh, foolish Galatians! What magician has cast an evil spell on you? For you used to see the meaning of Jesus Christ’s death as clearly as though I had shown you a signboard with a picture of Christ dying on the cross. 2 Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by keeping the law? Of course not, for the Holy Spirit came upon you only after you believed the message you heard about Christ. 3 Have you lost your senses? After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort? Gal 3:1-3 (NLT)-Paul explained to them that previously they understood in the spirit, spiritual things, but now they were trying to be perfect by the works of the flesh. Like the Galatians, we are trying to do good deeds to get brownie points with God. This is not about the accumulation of brownie points. It is about understanding how to walk in the fullness of God’s grace.
I. The issue is how do I understand the fullness of God’s grace?
1. We have to understand the fullness of our foolishness, before we met God. Our need for God’s grace has to be understood. Let’s look at our condition prior to salvation. 10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Romans 3:10-12 (KJV) – Before we got saved nobody was reaching for God and nobody was trying to do right. Everyone was doing their own thing. This means everyone in this place had a season in their life where they didn’t worry about pleasing God.
2. We once rebelled against God. 6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. Isaiah 64:6 (KJV)-this scripture speaks of the rebellion of God’s people. This scripture reminds us that we are all as filthy rags.
3. All of us have sinned. 23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Romans 3:23 (KJV) –all of us have sinned and come short of the glory of God. We looked it up in every language, but at the end of the day all simply means “all”. When we look at how far out there we were, it helps us understand God’s answer to our need.
4. We needed God, but what did he do? 8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 (KJV)-God commended his love towards us why we were yet sinners. He didn’t wait until we got our self together; his grace is so awesome he initiated his grace towards us. This is what makes Christianity so amazing and makes it so different in comparison to other faiths. Christianity is God reaching for us, instead of us reaching for God. God knew our nature and we were so rebellious, God came in spite of our nature. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Eph 2:8-10 (KJV)-We should walk in the fullness of grace because we recognize that we are only here by grace.
5. Grace by definition-it is Gods free and unmerited favor shown to guilty sinners who deserve only judgment. It is the love of God shown to the unlovely. Have you ever had an active feud where you didn’t speak to someone or didn’t want to be around them? It takes some people 20 yrs to recover from of feud. The truth is we know how to distance people that we have a beef with. We had beef with God when we were sinners. This is why God said to Paul, why are you persecuting me? When you are persecuting God’s people (including yourself), you are persecuting him. Just like this we have learned how to distance ourselves from God when we have beef with him. Even when you say don’t let me have this hangover, God heard you or when you said don’t let me have this disease when you knew you did all you could to catch the disease, God heard you (your prayer). This is what grace does. It helps you understand how messed up you really are.
II. How do I live in the kingdom by grace?
1. If we came in by grace, we have to live in God’s kingdom by grace. If we did not come in this kingdom by works, then we can’t live in this kingdom by works. Grace is the only thing that can sustain us in the kingdom. 6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: Phil 1:6 (KJV)-God made a divine deposit in our life. It is our purpose.
2. There are things that God does that we don’t understand. God deposited things in us before our parents knew us and before we were born. God knew we would have a sin nature.
3. Our flesh tries to keep our purpose from coming to past. Before coming to Christ, we were our own worst enemy. Despite all of that, God would not let us blow it. God was waiting for us to come back home to him. We had seasons that we purposely tried not to develop ourselves, but God refused to let our foolishness blow it. Some people can testify that God is still creating works in them despite what they have done. People call back into remembrance things you done, but God can still use you no matter what you have done, because of his grace.
4. Because of grace, we fall but we get up. 16 For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief. Prov 24:16 (KJV) – This scripture simply appropriates grace, because God knows what is in us. Just because you are saved, doesn’t mean that you will not fall. Everyone saved has had a moment where they have fallen. The difference is the righteous understand grace. They get up and dust themselves off and try again. The wicked keep falling because they don’t understand grace. Ex- A kid tries to learn to ride his bicycle. The child keeps falling off his bicycle, because the training wheels have just been taken off. Likewise, this is what we do when we first get saved. At first we can ride life well when we first get saved. It is new and God gives us extra support. Eventually the Lord will take the training wheels of so that you can learn to maneuver on your own. The father says it time for you to really step out and he takes the training wheels off and you fall. All you know to do when you fall is call to your daddy and he recognizing that riding the bike is greater than him pacifying the pain, allows you to there for a minute to try and figure this thing out. He wants you to keep trying while learning from your experience.
III. Our works is a result of walking in God’s grace.
1. Your works are an indicator of how you respond out of God’s love and grace. 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Eph 2:9-10 (KJV)-Your works are an indicator of how you respond out of God’s love and grace. If we do it for any other reason, it is performance based. Think about leaders or those who serve in ministry. For example: choir members. If there wasn’t bible study or a service going on, would you still be singing at this very moment? If you weren’t’ on program, would you still be here? What is your motivation for being here or at any service? Is it brownie points or because you want to be there? Ex-Bishop Walker explains that he is in a new season involving his training Pastors (which is a Bishop’s job). He explains that he is training Pastors who are older than he has been in the world. He explains that because of their age, he has to challenge them in the area of shifts in the church. We have to get away from work based religion such as tithes? Often Pastors come from perspective where if you tithe, God will open the windows in heaven and pour out blessings that are more than we have room enough to receive. The problem with this is what if you lose your job or what if he doesn’t open the windows of heaven and bless you immediately? You ought to give, because you love God and nothing else. What if things don’t turn out like you think they ought to, and then you become angry for tithing and for what you did in the name of God? This still makes you performance based. The worst person to be around is someone that reminds you of what they did for you all the time? This is how we come across with to the Lord with this performance based approach. We are saying to the Lord, “I paid my tithes, why did you let this happen?” This is equivalent to your kids saying, “Well I made up my bed!” Our response would be, “You don’t pay any bills here and you are supposed to make up your bed!” Making up the bed is a kid’s duty or reasonable sacrifice. Just like this, tithing is one of those things we should think God owes us for. As a child of God, this is something we are simply supposed to do. This is our reasonable service. We should do the things that God ask simply because we love him.
2. It is important to understand that God’s blessing flow through grace not performance. 6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. Eph 2:6-7 (KJV)-God still wants to show his grace in the days to come.
3. We do those things that are pleasing in God’s sight.22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. 1 John 3:22 (KJV)
4. There are some powerful things we can learn from parables. They are earthly lessons with spiritual implications. One of the most powerful is found in Math 20:1-16. Here is a contemporary summary. The Kingdom of Heaven is like brother that had a business. Early one morning the business owner went to the corner to get people to work for him. He said he would give them a penny for their work for the day. This meant the contract was set. In the 3rd hour he asked some more people to come work for them and told them at the end of the day he would pay them whatever is right. They agreed and they too went to work for him. At the 6th, 9rd , and the 11th hour, he did the same thing. He told all of them that he would pay them what was fair at the end of the workday. When the day was over, the business owner told his Forman bring the workers in so that he could pay them. He calls them from the last to the beginning. He started with the ones that came in last and he paid them a penny. He gave the group that came in just before them and so on all a penny or a day’s wages. The ones that the business owner called first were offended. They felt they should have gotten more, because they were there all day long. They started murmuring and then they asked why the business owner paid the workers that came in later the same amount as he did them that had worked all day long. He answered to them that he didn’t do any wrong them. He asked them did they remember what he promised he would pay them. That was the contract. He asks can’t he do what he wants with his own money? In God’s kingdom, the last shall be first and the first last. It is up to God how he awards his grace.
5. Many are called, but few are chosen. You have always heard this all your life, but most of the time it was out of context. Ex-Someone has been in an organization for 5yrs. Another person comes aboard and 5wks later they are placed over the person that has been there 5yrs. The one that has been there 5yrs is cool with the fact that somebody has been placed ahead of them with less tenure. The one with 5yrs of tenure represents the chosen. You think God gives brownie points for your work. You think God is a God that gives benefits based on tenure. Grace has nothing to do with tenure. What is for you is for you. Are you one of the chosen ones?
IV. It is about humility
Humility brings about life. 4 True humility and fear of the LORD lead to riches, honor, and long life. Prov 22:4 (NLT).
There will come a day where the Lord will try your work by fire. 13 But there is going to come a time of testing at the judgment day to see what kind of work each builder has done. Everyone’s work will be put through the fire to see whether or not it keeps its value.1 Cor 3:13 (NLT). Peter calls this the fiery trial. God will send fire to try your work to see what your real motivation is and to see where your heart is. Ex-God tried Bishops work by fire. One was the Death of a his spouse. This fire was so intense, Bishop explains that he asked God to fire him from his assignment. He just wanted the hurt to be over. God said this is the fire to see what Bishop is really preaching for. When the fire was sent, if Bishop was able to still come to the church and tell people that was a healer, then God would know for sure that Bishop Walker was for real. Because we are a part of this ministry, there is such an anointing that we under. This anointing comes with the privilege of not being able to do some things. That privilege is that we don’t have the privilege of being on a pitty party. If the head of this ministry (Bishop Walker) was experiencing death while yet still preaching God is a healer, then we are not allowed to bury our head in the sand. We are under too much anointing. Bishop admits that he has to ask for strength and patience concerning people that stop showing up at the least little thing that happens in their life. We show up, because we know it ain’t nothing but the grace of God that allows most of us to get and face the world day to day. How dare you roll over and fall over into depression. All of us are here by grace. You belong to a church that doesn’t allow you the option to quit. Be steadfast, unmovable, always abiding in his word. Your labor is not in vain.
6 examples of God’s grace
1. Saving grace- 15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:15-16 (KJV)-The love is the grace. God loved us when we didn’t love ourselves. God gave the best that he had all in the name of grace. 11 For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. Titus 2:11 (NLT)-We thank God for saving us. Ex-Bishop admits he still gets emotional when people get saved. He says he doesn’t want to get to far from remembering when God saved him.
2. Sanctifying grace-this is growing in grace 18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen. 2 Peter 3:18 (KJV)-when we get saved, we need help growing in this walk. First we want to grow in word, because of what I have read. Then we come to church to hear the word. Through what we hear, we develop faith, now we need a corresponding action. God then tries the word in us so we can put it into action. Now we know God for ourselves.
3. Sustaining grace- 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and my Father are one. 31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. John 10:27-31 (KJV)-Imagine if you are in hands of father. He says nothing can pluck you out. When the enemy tries to take your mind, God keeps your mind intact.
4. Sovereign grace-while in God’s hand we are saying to God that he can do what he will with us. 36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen. Romans 11:36 (KJV)-God can do what he wants to do , but whatever he does is for his glory. We have to get like Job. In the midst of losing everything we recognize that the Lord gives and he takes away, but blessed be the name of the Lord.
5. Sufficient grace. 7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. 2 Cor 12:7 (KJV) – It is all about the throne. Paul asked God three times for the thorn to be removed, but God reminded Paul that his grace was enough sustain him. God gave grace for you to sustain what you never thought you could endure
6. Shielding grace-you can be vulnerable when you have a thorn in your flesh. 8 He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints. Prov 2:8 (KJV)-God will your preserve your path. 8 I will lie down in peace and sleep, for you alone, O LORD, will keep me safe. Psalms 4:8 (NLT)-God only allows you to deal in a realm of safety. We are so sure that we of our safety, we can sleep at night, because we know God has this thing. 2 Put on your armor, and take up your shield. Prepare for battle, and come to my aid. Psalms 35:2 (NLT) – All the apparatus you have is for safety, yet God still has it in control. This doesn’t mean you don’t have to wear a seat belt, but at the end of the day it was the grace that got you through. Why are you here tonight after all the attacks, and all the times you went wrong instead of right? Why are you here? Were you lucky? Did you have control over all that happened to you? No it was God’s grace.

Killer Sex Part IV – Bible Study 04/22/09

Killer Sex Part IV
How to stay Holy when you are horny“
Bible Study 04/22/09
Delivered by Bishop Walker III

Today we explore the issue of “How to stay holy when you are horny”. There is this tension in all of us when we are saved. Although it might sound odd, it is just a reality. Some try to pretend that they don’t have these thoughts, because they are saved, but for the most part, this is not true. How do you reconcile this issue of being horny? The truth is this is real stuff and the church needs to talk about it.

8 And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein. 9 No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there: 10 And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. Isaiah 35:8-10 (KJV)-Where is this place, this scripture is talking about? Is it a physical place? No it is a spiritual place. How do we arrive at this place called holiness? The true way to deal with this is to adapt to a lifestyle of holiness. In the past, many people tried to achieve holiness through clothing, for example long skirts, women not wearing pants, no makeup, no jewelry and etc… The problem with this was despite what people wore or didn’t wear, people still ended up pregnant, drunk, and on drugs. It was obvious that this was not the key to holiness.

It is important to know what holiness means. Holiness is tied to sanctification which means to be separated or set apart unto God. Birds of a feather flock together so naturally a person trying to achieve holiness would not hang around with crowds of people that are not trying to live Holy.

God knows that we do not often have the power to separate ourselves from things. 26 And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the LORD am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine. Lev 20:26 (KJV)-God severed some relationships on purpose, because they would be unfruitful for you. We don’t have the power to sever these relationships on our own, because we are emotional and loyal. Some people are still kicking and screaming over people God severed out of their lives, but they should be rejoicing over this. These things that God removed were hindrances to where God was taking them. There are some people you can’t simple be in relationship with when you are trying to live for God.

God severs us of:
1. Our possessions: God separates our possessions. 14 And when a man shall sanctify his house to be holy unto the LORD, then the priest shall estimate it, whether it be good or bad: as the priest shall estimate it, so shall it stand. 15 And if he that sanctified it will redeem his house, then he shall add the fifth part of the money of thy estimation unto it, and it shall be his. Lev 27:14-15 (KJV)-In the Old Testament we find that whenever what priest would sanctify would be valued more. You could have an expensive house, but it could be cheap as it relates to a house of equal value that had been sanctified. Just like this, everything that comes into our hands, we must bless or sanctify. We have to ask God to bless everything we posses so that spirits do not try and take it over. On your job, bless your space and any money you make you need to bless. There are spirits out there looking for access.
2. Our place: 16 For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may be there for ever: and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually. 2 Chron 7:16 (KJV)-God establishes the places that he wants you to dwell. God wants you to be where he is. God wants you to be in his will. When you understand holiness, you understand that God wants you to be around the right people and in the right place. We have to ask God to bless where we go and the money that comes into our hands. If Satan can get you around the right people, he knows that he can get you to spend the money you made in the wrong places for the wrong reasons.
• Sanctification is not only being separated from sin, it is being separated from the world. Sanctification is not a denomination as some people think. It is part of the process of salvation. 1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: Romans 5:1 (KJV). God is everyday saving us from things that hinder us from being close to him.
• When we are burdened and oppressed, you are vulnerable to sin 1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Heb 12:1 (KJV)-in past sermons, we tied sin and weight together as one thing. We identified it as that which has burdened or oppressed us. When we are burdened and oppressed, you are vulnerable to sin. When you are burdened down, you need something to hook you up. You are looking for something to minister to you, but Satan that only builds you up temporary.
• Jesus tells us to bring our burdens to him and he will give us rest. Whatever is burdening us down, God says bring to him and he will give you what you need without exploiting you (unlike Satan). We not only need to lay aside the weight, we need to be freed of the behavior the weight caused.
• Since God is Holy, this should be our aim also. 7 Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God. Lev 20:7 (KJV) -We must understand that without holiness we can’t see God. 14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Heb 12:14 (KJV) –Without holiness, we can’t see the Lord. If God is Holy, we must be holy when we come to him. The closer we get to God, the clearer we become. The Enemy is trying to pull us away from God. All of us have challenges in our flesh. Sometimes we struggle within ourselves, because we don’t understand why despite how good we try to be, we still have sexual issues. Ex-Let’s just assume that everyone reading this deep down in their heart wants to be a Christian. Assuming that this is right we can bet that you still get horny despite your desire to be a good Christian. If you are not horny ever, we are concerned about you, because this is something that is natural. Knowing this, the question becomes, “How do we manage it?” Remember being horny is not the sin. Acting on it is.

Do you know one of the most vulnerable moments you will have is right after church?
• We worship God, but it is the most vulnerable thing you do. When you worship, you step outside of your flesh. When you worship, your spirit abandons your flesh. If it is just a worship experience for you, then you will fall back into your flesh when the worship is over. A true worshipper doesn’t do this. Because your flesh is neglected during worship, your flesh is hyper needy. Ex-Remember when Jesus was baptized (a great event), he was led to the garden to fast. After his body had been neglected from the fast, Satan came in to tempt Jesus. When we get back in the flesh, we have to get back living in the spirit. We have to keep crucifying our flesh daily so this can be achieved. It is more than a worship experience. It should be a worship lifestyle
• The plot of sin is to get us further away from God. 1 Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: 2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. Isaiah 59:1-2 (KJV) -not that God is not there, your iniquities cause distance between you and God. 5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Eph 5:5 (KJV).
• When you got saved, you signed up for sanctification. 13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: 2 Thess 2:13 (KJV) -there is no salvation without sanctification. Ex-You get saved, but you don’t yield to process of sanctification. You think rejoining the church 50 times will do it. Sanctification is an eternal reality. Whatever is in us, we have to ask the Lord to take it out. We open ourselves up to Devine Scrutiny.
• Our vessel must be clean. 20 And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the LORD out of all nations upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, saith the LORD, as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the LORD.Isaiah 66:20 (KJV) -We are talking about what we offer to God, for example our gifts, our talents, and our worship. It must be bought in clean vessels. Ex-If we lick the rim of a cup and we offer to someone, they would not drink from the glass. Nothing is wrong with water inside, but there is a vessel problem. People will not receive what is in the vessel, because the vessel is tainted. With the water symbolizing blessings, we must know that blessings are hindered because of the mess found on some people’s vessel. People don’t look for perfection, but they want to see people that are at least a trying as carriers of their blessings. The thing that makes us tainted is our habits or being repeat offenders. 4 For it is impossible to restore to repentance those who were once enlightened—those who have experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the power of the age to come— 6 and who then turn away from God. It is impossible to bring such people to repentance again because they are nailing the Son of God to the cross again by rejecting him, holding him up to public shame. Heb 6:4-6 (NLT) – We keep becoming repeat offenders, making it hard for others to repent.

If we know we have struggles in the flesh, and we desire holiness, how do we achieve holiness? After all, we are not wired to be holy. By nature we were naughty.
• It is the work of the Holy Spirit. You can’t do it cognitively or in your head. You can’t mentally overcome everything, because you can be talked out of stuff in your head. Ex-Bishop explains that he hasn’t had dessert in about 2 yrs. He explains that while trying to refrain from what he felt was harmful, people have tried to push him into the temptation of eating desserts. He admits that though he tries to stay strong, there are times the mind tries to play tricks on him. For example, “As hard as you worked, you deserve it” or “One scoop is not going to hurt you”. It is the power of the Holy Ghost that sustains you. The Holy Ghost brings back to memory what you have been taught. He is there to help us.
• Through chastening us-God can get us to holiness by whipping us. 10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. 11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. Heb 12:10-11 (KJV) -No one is joyous through a spanking, but afterwards it produces righteousness. Righteousness is exercised by those that got whippings. God sometime whips us to prevent us from walking outside holiness. Ex-When we were kids, sometimes we got the privilege of watching others get whipped for something we should have gotten whipped for. Sometimes God will allow you to see others get whipped. After seeing this, why would you do something that God whipped another person for? God will let you see what should have happened to you. God chastens us because he loves us, but the whole time we are being whipped; his hands are still on us.
• By the word of God. 9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. Psalms 119:9 (KJV) -How can someone get their life together? By taking heed to God’s word. God sent his word, because it is his word that shuts you down. God’s word will convict you sometimes before you do what you are planning to do. All you got to do is take head of this word. Obedience is better than sacrifice. 3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. John 15:3 (KJV)-You are made whole or purified by the word. God talks about the word in portion of the Bible by using milk and meet as symbols. If we use this same analogy, when we get full of word, we won’t want to be filled by something else.
• By faith. 24 For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord. Acts 11:24 (KJV)
• By prayer. 12 And may the Lord make your love grow and overflow to each other and to everyone else, just as our love overflows toward you. 13 As a result, Christ will make your hearts strong, blameless, and holy when you stand before God our Father on that day when our Lord Jesus comes with all those who belong to him. 1 Thess 3:12-13 (NLT)-We must pray for humility and the ability to make right decision.
• Heat of struggle. Paul says that the things he don’t want to, he keeps doing. In other words, we try to do right and we keep slipping up. In all of our lives, there is a struggle going on. It is a struggle between the flesh and spirit. The more you neglect your flesh, the louder your flesh will holler.

You got to recognize these 5 things to put things in perspective
• Know your purpose- 6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: Phil 1:5-6 (KJV) -God dropped something in you. God is not going to let you mess up that deposit. He will keep reminding you that he put it there. Isn’t it amazing when you do something and that small voice inside you tells you that you know better? This is why we try to hide our church peripheral when we are doing wrong. We try to shut that voice up, but it doesn’t work. You end up with God pulling you back continuously.
• Put your past in perspective- 13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Phil 3:13-14 (KJV)-Stop beating yourself up over mistakes made in your past. Everybody has some skeletons of some kind in their closet. Let it go, don’t hold yourself hostage. 1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Romans 8:1 (KJV) – You can’t go to your destination by holding on to the past.
• You might experience some pain. Why did God allow us to get hurt? Our hurt was about creating dependence on God. He wanted to develop us to know where to go when we are hurting. 6 For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me. 7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. 8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 2 Cor 12:6-8 (KJV) -God says whenever he allows pain, you have a choice. You can allow it to get exploited or allow his grace to sustain you. God wants us to choose to draw close to him. 7 For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease. Job 14:7 (KJV-Even though we made some mistakes, we have some roots. This is what makes us come back. There is more to us than can be seen. Who we really are is like roots, buried into the earth.
• There will be some Purging- 7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Psalms 51:7 (KJV) -We want to be purified.
• God will purify us. 14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. Titus 2:14 (KJV) – we are suppose to be different and excited by doing good works.

In closing
We are horny, but we are supposed to be holy. How do we deal with this? How do we get this out of us? Imagine that there is a towel. This towel has purpose. This towel will do what it was designed to do. If the towel is dirty, we won’t use it. This is what our life is like. We have been in some low places, kicked around, stepped on, and passed around by people that didn’t know our purpose. Instead of wiping their face with us (representative of our purpose) they whipped something else with us. We got dirty and stained. Now we are just over here alone. We are at the altar and everybody says, ‘ewwhh what you going do with that?” We ask the lord the same thing. What can he possibly do with us?” How do we get these stains out of us? We would like for it to be instantaneous change. We won’t to be made whole quickly. One thing is for sure, we have to realize that it took years for these stains to get on us. We can’t settle for looking good from a distance, we want the real thing. We want our spirit man to be greater than our issue. We ask God to help us, but know that removing the stains ain’t going to feel good. God has to cause some friction, pain, and tumbling and more friction. There is more friction allowed and as a result, more things fall off. There are people in your life that meant you no good, but hung on. The friction, was so they would fall off. God fixed it so you wouldn’t be able to give anymore and so others fell off. When you get done, you will thank God for the journey. The good thing about it is when he is done; there will be no evidence of what you have gone through. You are so close to a miracle, all you have to do is look at your neighbor to see how close you are. They have been passed around and abused, but look at them. You can’t even tell. If it is your desire to be purified and it is in your heart, God can do it.

Bishop Lester Love putting twist on love songs