Dr. Creflo Dollar hosts Pastor Gregory Powe from Revealing Truth Ministries, Pastor Michael T. Smith from The Church Group Worldwide, Pastor Gregory Dickow from Life Changers International Church, Dr. Earl Johnson from Vision & Dreams Conferences International and music by Jeff Sparks, Ann Nesby and Sam Collier.
Closed captions
Show Timecode
Creflo Dollar | Creflo Dollar - Self-Effort vs. Redeeming Effort (Part 3) | June 30, 2026
- ...
- 00:00:00.633 --> 00:00:01.336
- Male announcer: this program is brought to in part by the
- 00:00:02.371 --> 00:00:04.440
- Partners and friends of creflo dollar ministries.
- 00:00:04.573 --> 00:00:09.044
- Announcer: coming up next on "changing your world."
- 00:00:09.178 --> 00:00:11.280
- Creflo dollar: imagine what it'll be like if you don't
- 00:00:12.448 --> 00:00:14.950
- Believe in the finished works of jesus christ enough to labor to
- 00:00:14.950 --> 00:00:19.488
- Stay in alignment.
- 00:00:19.488 --> 00:00:20.823
- So you don't see why it's necessary to pray.
- 00:00:20.823 --> 00:00:23.325
- You don't see why it's necessary to come to church and be fed.
- 00:00:23.325 --> 00:00:26.228
- You don't see why it's necessary to worship god.
- 00:00:26.228 --> 00:00:28.330
- You don't see why it's necessary to read because, after all, "i
- 00:00:28.330 --> 00:00:31.533
- Don't believe all the stuff he said he finished.
- 00:00:31.533 --> 00:00:33.802
- I don't believe it."
- 00:00:33.802 --> 00:00:35.270
- And so you fall, you fall from grace back into performance.
- 00:00:35.270 --> 00:00:44.313
- That's what it means to fall from grace.
- 00:00:44.313 --> 00:00:45.714
- To fall from grace means you fall from the finished works of
- 00:00:45.714 --> 00:00:50.252
- Jesus christ to you trying to finish the works
- 00:00:50.252 --> 00:00:54.756
- That jesus has already finished.
- 00:00:54.756 --> 00:00:56.091
- That's what it means to fall from grace.
- 00:00:56.091 --> 00:00:57.426
- To fall from grace doesn't mean to fall back into sin.
- 00:00:57.426 --> 00:01:00.028
- Female announcer: you can interact with
- 00:01:03.932 --> 00:01:05.334
- Creflo dollar ministries anytime, anywhere.
- 00:01:05.334 --> 00:01:07.503
- All of this is at your fingertips
- 00:01:07.503 --> 00:01:09.004
- With our state-of-the-art, custom-designed app.
- 00:01:09.004 --> 00:01:11.473
- With the broadcast feature, you can access
- 00:01:11.473 --> 00:01:13.675
- Your favorite messages, sermon series, and more.
- 00:01:13.675 --> 00:01:16.378
- Add events to your calendar, set reminders,
- 00:01:16.378 --> 00:01:18.914
- Get directions, share with friends,
- 00:01:18.914 --> 00:01:21.250
- And even give securely through this platform.
- 00:01:21.250 --> 00:01:23.952
- Visit creflodollarministries.org/app
- 00:01:23.952 --> 00:01:26.355
- Or text "app" to 51555 today.
- 00:01:26.355 --> 00:01:31.293
- ♪ this is your world, ♪
- 00:01:34.863 --> 00:01:37.699
- ♪ so let's vow to make it a better place. ♪
- 00:01:37.699 --> 00:01:42.804
- ♪ let every heart that needs to know, ♪
- 00:01:42.804 --> 00:01:47.910
- ♪ your love is here to stay. ♪
- 00:01:47.910 --> 00:01:50.245
- ♪ oh-oh, it's time we live a new life. ♪
- 00:01:50.245 --> 00:01:54.383
- ♪ oh-oh, let his love shine bright in you. ♪
- 00:01:54.383 --> 00:01:58.387
- ♪ oh-oh, we're saved by his grace, ♪
- 00:01:58.387 --> 00:02:01.757
- ♪ so we embrace your love today. ♪
- 00:02:01.757 --> 00:02:05.093
- ♪ we are changed. ♪♪
- 00:02:05.093 --> 00:02:08.797
- Creflo: galatians 3:3, that's god calling out the idea of
- 00:02:10.032 --> 00:02:15.103
- Starting with grace but then trying to finish things by human
- 00:02:15.103 --> 00:02:19.007
- Effort, trying to finish things by performance, trying to finish
- 00:02:19.007 --> 00:02:22.711
- Things by rule keeping, trying to finish things by striving to
- 00:02:22.711 --> 00:02:27.182
- Earn it.
- 00:02:27.182 --> 00:02:28.684
- God's good, but you keep working to earn his goodness.
- 00:02:28.684 --> 00:02:32.955
- God's faithful, but you're keeping to qualify for
- 00:02:32.955 --> 00:02:35.924
- His faithfulness.
- 00:02:35.924 --> 00:02:37.659
- God is a provider and cares for you, but you still feel like you
- 00:02:37.659 --> 00:02:41.430
- Gotta do something to earn the right.
- 00:02:41.430 --> 00:02:43.865
- I think it's a bit of control.
- 00:02:43.865 --> 00:02:45.234
- I never thought about that before now, but i think it's--i
- 00:02:45.234 --> 00:02:47.236
- Think christian people feel more comfortable feeling like they
- 00:02:47.236 --> 00:02:51.506
- Got some control.
- 00:02:51.506 --> 00:02:53.041
- And which is reason why a lot of people hate the message of
- 00:02:57.179 --> 00:02:59.881
- Grace, because it takes away from them control.
- 00:02:59.881 --> 00:03:04.119
- They hate me telling you that tithing is no longer a part of
- 00:03:04.119 --> 00:03:08.223
- The new covenant.
- 00:03:08.223 --> 00:03:09.558
- It is a shadow of generous giving in the new covenant.
- 00:03:09.558 --> 00:03:14.096
- Somebody gotta cast a shadow.
- 00:03:14.096 --> 00:03:15.797
- Jesus is the shadow caster, which means every shadow in the
- 00:03:15.797 --> 00:03:19.935
- Old covenant came from jesus.
- 00:03:19.935 --> 00:03:21.837
- Everything they spoke of and every promise that god made with
- 00:03:21.837 --> 00:03:25.240
- Any prophet was fulfilled in jesus christ.
- 00:03:25.240 --> 00:03:29.211
- Jesus says, "i am the real, and you prefer living by
- 00:03:29.211 --> 00:03:32.114
- The shadow."
- 00:03:32.114 --> 00:03:34.716
- The shadow gotta come from somewhere, and jesus is the
- 00:03:34.716 --> 00:03:37.386
- Shadow caster.
- 00:03:37.386 --> 00:03:40.422
- But you still wanna--you know, you want to hold onto tithing.
- 00:03:40.422 --> 00:03:45.794
- And the old testament--the new testament, paul after jesus got
- 00:03:45.794 --> 00:03:49.998
- Back, he ain't said nothing about it.
- 00:03:49.998 --> 00:03:51.333
- He's just constantly talking about giving from the heart,
- 00:03:51.333 --> 00:03:53.201
- Giving generously, giving this.
- 00:03:53.201 --> 00:03:54.870
- But tradition that has been ingrained in a person, it's hard
- 00:03:54.870 --> 00:03:59.508
- For you to let go because it's sketched.
- 00:03:59.508 --> 00:04:03.445
- And then what you want to hear me say is, "oh, pastor said you
- 00:04:03.445 --> 00:04:05.914
- Ain't gotta give."
- 00:04:05.914 --> 00:04:07.249
- I ain't never said that.
- 00:04:07.249 --> 00:04:08.583
- I said you don't--you no longer give under obligation and duty.
- 00:04:08.583 --> 00:04:13.188
- There is now a greater way to give to jesus.
- 00:04:13.188 --> 00:04:15.824
- They compare jesus with melchizedek.
- 00:04:15.824 --> 00:04:18.226
- Under melchizedek, they bought the tithe.
- 00:04:18.226 --> 00:04:21.029
- But jesus--under jesus, we give out of our hearts, and we bring
- 00:04:21.029 --> 00:04:25.300
- Generously and generous offerings to him.
- 00:04:25.300 --> 00:04:30.038
- But they don't know what to do with it.
- 00:04:33.842 --> 00:04:36.445
- I'm at world changers, and they don't know what to do with it.
- 00:04:36.445 --> 00:04:38.914
- And if they're online, they're like, [gasps].
- 00:04:38.914 --> 00:04:43.785
- It's plain old religion--ooh-- that has been taught to you so
- 00:04:43.852 --> 00:04:51.927
- It can control you.
- 00:04:51.927 --> 00:04:54.429
- Man, i'm thinking the whole issue may be about control.
- 00:04:58.600 --> 00:05:03.205
- Let me control you with malachi 3.
- 00:05:03.205 --> 00:05:06.074
- You've been cursed with a curse.
- 00:05:06.074 --> 00:05:07.409
- Well, wait a minute, jesus said he delivered us from all
- 00:05:07.409 --> 00:05:09.778
- The curse.
- 00:05:09.778 --> 00:05:11.146
- Now you saying that i'm cursed again.
- 00:05:11.146 --> 00:05:12.481
- Which one is it, you know?
- 00:05:12.481 --> 00:05:14.249
- I'm a sinner saved by grace.
- 00:05:14.249 --> 00:05:15.684
- Which one?
- 00:05:15.684 --> 00:05:17.052
- Am i a sinner, or am i saved by grace?
- 00:05:17.052 --> 00:05:18.754
- Which one?
- 00:05:18.754 --> 00:05:20.455
- And it's making people to the point where, "i'm just--
- 00:05:24.593 --> 00:05:26.661
- I'm confused.
- 00:05:26.661 --> 00:05:28.029
- I'm just kinda over this stuff.
- 00:05:28.029 --> 00:05:29.364
- I don't even know what's going on."
- 00:05:29.364 --> 00:05:31.032
- And i'm like, "god, give us the simplicity of your gospel.
- 00:05:31.032 --> 00:05:34.136
- It cannot be that difficult."
- 00:05:34.136 --> 00:05:37.539
- It's just when smart people got in there, they got too smart
- 00:05:37.539 --> 00:05:41.543
- To--they just threw away the simplicity of the gospel.
- 00:05:41.543 --> 00:05:45.313
- How can i stand up here and boldly say this stuff?
- 00:05:45.313 --> 00:05:47.816
- Because this is the stuff me and taffi have been cooking.
- 00:05:47.816 --> 00:05:50.018
- We already know. we already know.
- 00:05:50.018 --> 00:05:52.387
- It'll blow your mind if you see what happened when we changed
- 00:05:52.387 --> 00:05:55.157
- And started just focusing on giving generously.
- 00:05:55.157 --> 00:05:57.926
- It'll blow your mind.
- 00:05:57.926 --> 00:05:59.261
- You couldn't take it.
- 00:05:59.261 --> 00:06:00.629
- You couldn't take what was going on when sickness attacked
- 00:06:00.629 --> 00:06:02.798
- My body.
- 00:06:02.798 --> 00:06:04.132
- Three different sicknesses attacked my body at one time,
- 00:06:04.132 --> 00:06:07.202
- And all we did was, "he's healed.
- 00:06:07.202 --> 00:06:08.904
- Oh, god, he's healed."
- 00:06:08.904 --> 00:06:10.839
- Oxygen level going down low.
- 00:06:10.839 --> 00:06:12.274
- "he's healed, he's healed, he's healed, he's healed."
- 00:06:12.274 --> 00:06:15.444
- Wasn't happening at that time, but i knew i wasn't gonna die.
- 00:06:15.444 --> 00:06:18.213
- And then when it happened, it happened.
- 00:06:21.349 --> 00:06:25.287
- And i feel healthy.
- 00:06:25.287 --> 00:06:27.022
- I look healthy.
- 00:06:27.022 --> 00:06:28.390
- I looked in the mirror one time, 152 pounds.
- 00:06:28.390 --> 00:06:33.462
- And all that, what i saw in the mirror was trying to get me out
- 00:06:33.462 --> 00:06:35.764
- Of alignment.
- 00:06:35.764 --> 00:06:39.034
- And so i had to get some redeemed effort.
- 00:06:39.034 --> 00:06:44.606
- Yeah.
- 00:06:44.606 --> 00:06:45.974
- All i want to do and all i got to do for the rest of my life--
- 00:06:45.974 --> 00:06:49.344
- I did everything i wanna do.
- 00:06:49.344 --> 00:06:50.812
- I could go today and be completely satisfied.
- 00:06:50.812 --> 00:06:54.883
- Good life would arrive.
- 00:06:54.883 --> 00:06:57.619
- And then i think about y'all.
- 00:06:57.619 --> 00:07:01.022
- I ain't going nowhere until your great grandkids get this.
- 00:07:01.022 --> 00:07:05.527
- They gotta get it.
- 00:07:05.527 --> 00:07:08.530
- And what the world doesn't see, they don't see this grace
- 00:07:08.530 --> 00:07:11.166
- Gang rising.
- 00:07:11.166 --> 00:07:13.268
- And you can't stop them because they've been in their kitchen
- 00:07:13.268 --> 00:07:16.338
- Cooking too.
- 00:07:16.338 --> 00:07:19.174
- And now that they understand god and how he moves and how he
- 00:07:19.174 --> 00:07:22.077
- Work, there's great joy that comes when crazy stuff happens
- 00:07:22.077 --> 00:07:28.416
- Trying to hurt you and you say, "lord, i trust you."
- 00:07:28.416 --> 00:07:35.090
- I told you last week--i said my body was under attack, and i
- 00:07:35.090 --> 00:07:39.794
- Kept saying i'm healed, i kept saying i'm healed, i kept saying
- 00:07:39.794 --> 00:07:42.163
- I'm healed.
- 00:07:42.163 --> 00:07:43.498
- And i paused one time, and i spoke to the devil.
- 00:07:43.498 --> 00:07:45.367
- I said, "you think i'm gonna stop saying i'm healed?"
- 00:07:45.367 --> 00:07:49.471
- I ain't gonna stop saying i'm healed because that's the
- 00:07:49.471 --> 00:07:53.808
- Whole point.
- 00:07:53.808 --> 00:07:55.176
- You trying to move my satellite dish, and i'm not gonna
- 00:07:55.176 --> 00:07:59.281
- Let you.
- 00:07:59.281 --> 00:08:01.650
- Man.
- 00:08:04.886 --> 00:08:06.621
- And i'm wondering what--where we would have been had we known
- 00:08:06.621 --> 00:08:11.459
- This, rick, 35, 40 years ago?
- 00:08:11.459 --> 00:08:15.463
- Because we were doing the best we could under the law and we
- 00:08:15.463 --> 00:08:18.733
- Got some results.
- 00:08:18.733 --> 00:08:20.335
- And that's the thing about it.
- 00:08:20.335 --> 00:08:22.637
- Self-effort brings some results, but it doesn't associate all the
- 00:08:22.637 --> 00:08:28.476
- Things you need to associate with it, like peace,
- 00:08:28.476 --> 00:08:31.713
- Contentment, joy.
- 00:08:31.713 --> 00:08:35.784
- Yeah. all right.
- 00:08:35.784 --> 00:08:37.886
- Let's look at romans chapter 10, verse 3.
- 00:08:37.886 --> 00:08:39.988
- Let's look at another example of self-effort, romans 10 and 3.
- 00:08:39.988 --> 00:08:46.394
- "i tell you, i don't know why we go to that church and feel like
- 00:08:46.394 --> 00:08:49.698
- I'm in a classroom, and he just talks scripture and explains it.
- 00:08:49.698 --> 00:08:53.001
- I want to hear a little shouting.
- 00:08:53.001 --> 00:08:55.570
- I can't serve a god i can't feel sometimes."
- 00:08:55.570 --> 00:08:58.073
- You done felt enough.
- 00:08:58.073 --> 00:09:00.141
- It's time to understand how to live this life.
- 00:09:04.079 --> 00:09:09.217
- Quit feeling your way through life.
- 00:09:09.217 --> 00:09:14.356
- Let's go to nlt and then the mirror, romans 10:3 nlt and
- 00:09:18.526 --> 00:09:22.564
- The mirror.
- 00:09:22.564 --> 00:09:24.566
- "for they don't understand god's way of making people right
- 00:09:24.566 --> 00:09:28.536
- With himself.
- 00:09:28.536 --> 00:09:31.673
- Refusing to accept god's way, they cling to their own way of
- 00:09:31.673 --> 00:09:37.579
- Getting right with god by trying to keep the law."
- 00:09:37.579 --> 00:09:44.786
- See, it's scripture, everything we just just been talking about.
- 00:09:44.786 --> 00:09:48.156
- Now look at this in the mirror translation.
- 00:09:48.156 --> 00:09:50.659
- "they are tirelessly busy with their own efforts to justify
- 00:09:50.659 --> 00:09:57.065
- Themselves while blatantly ignoring the fact that god
- 00:09:57.065 --> 00:10:03.138
- Already justified them in christ."
- 00:10:03.138 --> 00:10:08.043
- It's already done.
- 00:10:08.043 --> 00:10:11.446
- It's already happened.
- 00:10:11.446 --> 00:10:14.549
- But somehow we feel more comfortable going back to
- 00:10:14.549 --> 00:10:19.587
- Performance, going back to the law, grabbing ahold of control,
- 00:10:19.587 --> 00:10:26.861
- Finding ourselves back in self-preservation, not god
- 00:10:26.861 --> 00:10:32.000
- Preserving us.
- 00:10:32.000 --> 00:10:33.435
- But i feel a little bit more comfortable in self-preservation
- 00:10:33.435 --> 00:10:38.173
- Because we don't trust god.
- 00:10:38.173 --> 00:10:40.642
- Wow.
- 00:10:40.642 --> 00:10:42.010
- Our own efforts we trust, not the effort to stay in alignment
- 00:10:42.010 --> 00:10:47.348
- But the effort to try to do what's already done, trying to
- 00:10:47.348 --> 00:10:53.488
- Be justified through your own effort.
- 00:10:53.488 --> 00:10:57.225
- So you put on a long sanctified-looking dress, and
- 00:10:57.225 --> 00:11:01.463
- Then you start acting weird with everybody come--you come in
- 00:11:01.463 --> 00:11:04.065
- Contact with.
- 00:11:04.065 --> 00:11:05.600
- Hey, so-and-so, how you doing?
- 00:11:05.600 --> 00:11:07.302
- [speaking in tongues]
- 00:11:07.302 --> 00:11:09.537
- I'm like, "what is that?
- 00:11:09.537 --> 00:11:10.905
- What's going on here?"
- 00:11:10.905 --> 00:11:12.273
- Our own efforts and then we make shows and we create fantasies,
- 00:11:15.410 --> 00:11:18.613
- And we do all of these little-- those little weird little things
- 00:11:18.613 --> 00:11:22.250
- And we call it church.
- 00:11:22.250 --> 00:11:23.618
- And we then have the mitigated gall to look at a person like
- 00:11:23.618 --> 00:11:25.987
- That and say, "now they're really good christians."
- 00:11:25.987 --> 00:11:28.923
- Well, how do you know that?
- 00:11:28.923 --> 00:11:30.258
- "well, i can tell."
- 00:11:30.258 --> 00:11:31.626
- Oh, by the show they put on?
- 00:11:31.626 --> 00:11:33.595
- Because i can't tell unless i go home with you and spend about a
- 00:11:33.595 --> 00:11:36.030
- Month with you so i can see how you really are when you ain't in
- 00:11:36.030 --> 00:11:38.800
- The pews.
- 00:11:38.800 --> 00:11:41.336
- I wanna see if you cuss when somebody get on your nerves.
- 00:11:41.336 --> 00:11:48.743
- I wanna see what you're watching on your computer.
- 00:11:48.743 --> 00:11:52.547
- Let's check that history out for a minute now.
- 00:11:52.547 --> 00:11:56.484
- Come talk to me about all that because none of us are good
- 00:11:56.484 --> 00:11:59.654
- Enough without jesus.
- 00:11:59.654 --> 00:12:02.023
- Nobody.
- 00:12:05.293 --> 00:12:06.628
- So i ain't no use you walking around here pretending.
- 00:12:06.628 --> 00:12:09.831
- Ain't no use for no preacher getting up in the pulpit and
- 00:12:09.831 --> 00:12:12.834
- Dogging you out.
- 00:12:12.834 --> 00:12:15.036
- Become vulnerable.
- 00:12:15.036 --> 00:12:17.038
- People will gravitate towards your message when you're willing
- 00:12:17.038 --> 00:12:21.442
- To become vulnerable because they know you're not perfect,
- 00:12:21.442 --> 00:12:26.047
- They know you're not flawless.
- 00:12:26.047 --> 00:12:27.448
- You just bought this story that you believe you're perfect and
- 00:12:27.448 --> 00:12:29.818
- Flawless, and it irks me.
- 00:12:29.818 --> 00:12:31.452
- I don't know how i'm gonna be able to follow you because
- 00:12:31.452 --> 00:12:33.354
- You're too--you're like the law, too perfect.
- 00:12:33.354 --> 00:12:37.392
- I don't know if i can follow you.
- 00:12:37.392 --> 00:12:39.394
- But when you come tell me, "you know, i did this and i made
- 00:12:39.394 --> 00:12:43.064
- These mistakes," i'm like, "oh."
- 00:12:43.064 --> 00:12:45.133
- "but what i learned was."
- 00:12:45.133 --> 00:12:46.467
- "oh, let me listen," because you're vulnerable enough.
- 00:12:46.467 --> 00:12:49.204
- And, see, vulnerability can become in some cases your most
- 00:12:49.204 --> 00:12:53.474
- Powerful witnessing tool because people, when they can't read the
- 00:12:53.474 --> 00:12:59.447
- Bible, they will read you.
- 00:12:59.447 --> 00:13:01.182
- They will read you as a living epistle, and you've got to be
- 00:13:01.182 --> 00:13:04.752
- Honest enough to be able to become vulnerable enough with
- 00:13:04.752 --> 00:13:07.822
- People to let them know if god helped me, honey, he can help
- 00:13:07.822 --> 00:13:12.126
- You by his grace.
- 00:13:12.126 --> 00:13:14.329
- But it don't do any good for us walking around acting like we--
- 00:13:14.329 --> 00:13:19.901
- We walking around acting like what we ain't: perfect.
- 00:13:19.901 --> 00:13:25.473
- And i'm not telling you to be, you know, crazy or nothing.
- 00:13:25.473 --> 00:13:28.910
- I'm just saying if you have some--something you can share
- 00:13:28.910 --> 00:13:32.947
- With somebody on a human level.
- 00:13:32.947 --> 00:13:36.651
- And, you know, it's all right with god for you to share it.
- 00:13:36.651 --> 00:13:39.721
- And that's another thing, now.
- 00:13:39.721 --> 00:13:41.055
- You gotta be careful who you choose to be vulnerable with.
- 00:13:41.055 --> 00:13:44.259
- You can't be vulnerable with just everybody because some
- 00:13:44.259 --> 00:13:48.529
- People, the lord say, "don't tell them that because they're
- 00:13:48.529 --> 00:13:51.633
- Looking for something to just-- you know, to use against you."
- 00:13:51.633 --> 00:13:55.570
- "don't listen to him.
- 00:13:55.570 --> 00:13:56.938
- He got such and so, such and so."
- 00:13:56.938 --> 00:13:58.273
- You thinking, "i was trying my best to help.
- 00:13:58.273 --> 00:14:00.275
- I was trying my best to help her out.
- 00:14:00.275 --> 00:14:02.176
- And she done--she using this to try to shame me."
- 00:14:02.176 --> 00:14:05.914
- So you pray about who you gonna be vulnerable with.
- 00:14:05.914 --> 00:14:08.483
- All right, let's move on.
- 00:14:11.819 --> 00:14:13.154
- So basically, romans 10, this is that self-effort in action,
- 00:14:13.154 --> 00:14:16.858
- Trying to prove you're right instead of receiving
- 00:14:16.858 --> 00:14:20.929
- Righteousness as a gift.
- 00:14:20.929 --> 00:14:22.263
- Now look at philippians 2:13.
- 00:14:22.263 --> 00:14:24.065
- We've already read this, but let's look at it in the nlt.
- 00:14:24.065 --> 00:14:26.834
- Now, this is permitted or redeemed effort.
- 00:14:26.834 --> 00:14:32.573
- This is the effort that is still necessary under the
- 00:14:32.573 --> 00:14:36.678
- New covenant.
- 00:14:36.678 --> 00:14:38.079
- Self-effort is all about trying to do what jesus has done.
- 00:14:38.079 --> 00:14:41.616
- This redeemed effort is doing what's necessary to stay in
- 00:14:41.616 --> 00:14:45.586
- Alignment with what jesus has done, all right?
- 00:14:45.586 --> 00:14:49.090
- So he says, "for god is working in you."
- 00:14:49.090 --> 00:14:52.093
- Say out loud, "god is working in me."
- 00:14:52.093 --> 00:14:53.561
- Congregation: god is working in me.
- 00:14:53.561 --> 00:14:55.563
- Creflo: he's given you the desire and the power to do what
- 00:14:55.563 --> 00:14:59.667
- Pleases him, so god's working on you to give you the desire and
- 00:14:59.667 --> 00:15:03.137
- The power to please him.
- 00:15:03.137 --> 00:15:04.672
- So that's effort, but it's spirit-powered effort.
- 00:15:04.672 --> 00:15:09.477
- It's the partnership with your effort to maintain your stance
- 00:15:09.477 --> 00:15:14.582
- In jesus christ.
- 00:15:14.582 --> 00:15:16.784
- And you're not trying to produce it, all right?
- 00:15:16.784 --> 00:15:21.189
- You're responding to what he is doing in you.
- 00:15:21.189 --> 00:15:25.393
- So he is working in me, all right?
- 00:15:25.393 --> 00:15:28.629
- He's doing his part.
- 00:15:28.629 --> 00:15:29.964
- I want to do my part to maintain my stance, right?
- 00:15:29.964 --> 00:15:34.302
- And so his part is to give me a desire and the power to do what
- 00:15:34.302 --> 00:15:39.073
- Pleases him.
- 00:15:39.073 --> 00:15:40.441
- My part is to respond and participate in maintaining the
- 00:15:40.441 --> 00:15:47.448
- Finished works of jesus christ through my prayer, through my
- 00:15:47.448 --> 00:15:51.019
- Intimacy building with the holy spirit, through sitting in his
- 00:15:51.019 --> 00:15:53.855
- Presence, all of those things.
- 00:15:53.855 --> 00:15:56.124
- That's my part to respond or to maintain what has already
- 00:15:56.124 --> 00:16:00.628
- Been done.
- 00:16:00.628 --> 00:16:01.963
- You understand that, say amen.
- 00:16:01.963 --> 00:16:03.331
- All right, let's go to the the next verse, hebrews chapter 4,
- 00:16:03.331 --> 00:16:07.802
- Verse 10 and 11.
- 00:16:07.802 --> 00:16:09.170
- Again, this is--let's look at this in the king james and then
- 00:16:09.170 --> 00:16:13.808
- The mirror.
- 00:16:13.808 --> 00:16:15.309
- This is redeemed effort now. hebrews 4 and 10 through 11.
- 00:16:15.309 --> 00:16:22.784
- Let's look in the king james.
- 00:16:22.784 --> 00:16:24.118
- Says, "for he that has entered into his rest, he has also--he
- 00:16:24.118 --> 00:16:27.188
- Also has ceased from his own work, as god did from his."
- 00:16:27.188 --> 00:16:32.160
- Notice what he's saying.
- 00:16:32.160 --> 00:16:33.494
- You've ceased from self-effort, you've ceased from self-effort.
- 00:16:33.494 --> 00:16:35.830
- You've ceased from work on your part to try to get
- 00:16:35.830 --> 00:16:39.333
- Something done.
- 00:16:39.333 --> 00:16:40.668
- It's already done.
- 00:16:40.668 --> 00:16:42.003
- Then he says, "let us labour therefore to enter into
- 00:16:42.003 --> 00:16:44.105
- That rest."
- 00:16:44.105 --> 00:16:45.473
- You understand what that labor is.
- 00:16:45.473 --> 00:16:46.808
- It is redeemed effort partnering with the holy spirit to enter
- 00:16:46.808 --> 00:16:50.845
- Into that rest or into that alignment of the finished works
- 00:16:50.845 --> 00:16:54.015
- Of jesus.
- 00:16:54.015 --> 00:16:55.349
- "lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief."
- 00:16:55.349 --> 00:17:01.656
- Unbelief.
- 00:17:01.656 --> 00:17:04.425
- Wow.
- 00:17:04.425 --> 00:17:06.360
- So this is an issue of i gotta believe it enough to want to
- 00:17:06.360 --> 00:17:11.699
- Labor to stay in alignment.
- 00:17:11.699 --> 00:17:14.402
- Imagine what it'll be like if you don't believe in the
- 00:17:14.402 --> 00:17:17.405
- Finished works of jesus christ enough to labor to stay
- 00:17:17.405 --> 00:17:21.509
- In alignment.
- 00:17:21.509 --> 00:17:22.844
- So you don't see why it's necessary to pray.
- 00:17:22.844 --> 00:17:25.246
- You don't see why it's necessary to come to church and be fed.
- 00:17:25.246 --> 00:17:28.149
- You don't see why it's necessary to worship god.
- 00:17:28.149 --> 00:17:30.218
- You don't see why it's necessary to read because, after all, "i
- 00:17:30.218 --> 00:17:33.454
- Don't believe all the stuff he said he finished.
- 00:17:33.454 --> 00:17:35.723
- I don't believe it."
- 00:17:35.723 --> 00:17:37.425
- And so you fall, you fall from grace back into performance.
- 00:17:37.425 --> 00:17:46.467
- That's what it means to fall from grace.
- 00:17:46.467 --> 00:17:47.869
- To fall from grace means you fall from the finished works of
- 00:17:47.869 --> 00:17:52.406
- Jesus christ to you trying to finish the works that jesus has
- 00:17:52.406 --> 00:17:57.845
- Already finished.
- 00:17:57.845 --> 00:17:59.213
- That's what it means to fall from grace.
- 00:17:59.213 --> 00:18:00.548
- To fall from grace doesn't mean to fall back into sin.
- 00:18:00.548 --> 00:18:02.550
- To fall from grace means to fall back into performance and to
- 00:18:02.550 --> 00:18:05.987
- Fall back into self-effort, trying to now do only what jesus
- 00:18:05.987 --> 00:18:11.425
- Can do.
- 00:18:11.425 --> 00:18:12.760
- That's what it is.
- 00:18:12.760 --> 00:18:14.128
- And what happens is if it doesn't come quick enough and if
- 00:18:14.128 --> 00:18:16.864
- For some reason you're not believing it because it didn't
- 00:18:16.864 --> 00:18:19.033
- Happen how you want it to happen, it didn't happen when
- 00:18:19.033 --> 00:18:22.136
- You want it to happen, then you just--you fall in unbelief.
- 00:18:22.136 --> 00:18:29.911
- Now, we--nonbelief, there's no such thing as nonbelief.
- 00:18:29.911 --> 00:18:32.680
- You believe something, okay?
- 00:18:32.680 --> 00:18:35.516
- And you fall in unbelief.
- 00:18:35.516 --> 00:18:37.585
- "lest us--let us labor therefore to enter into
- 00:18:37.585 --> 00:18:41.556
- That rest."
- 00:18:41.556 --> 00:18:42.890
- And that's what i want you to see.
- 00:18:42.890 --> 00:18:44.258
- I want you to--i don't want you to be the grace person who
- 00:18:44.258 --> 00:18:46.227
- Thinks, well, under grace i ain't got to do nothing.
- 00:18:46.227 --> 00:18:48.696
- I can just sit there and just say to the holy ghost, "hit me,
- 00:18:48.696 --> 00:18:52.200
- Uh, uh, hit me."
- 00:18:52.200 --> 00:18:55.269
- And he's like, "i don't even know you because you hadn't
- 00:18:55.269 --> 00:18:59.640
- Spent any time with me, and you're not even standing
- 00:18:59.640 --> 00:19:04.478
- In line.
- 00:19:04.478 --> 00:19:05.813
- See, if you really knew me, then you would know that i already
- 00:19:05.813 --> 00:19:08.816
- Hit you."
- 00:19:08.816 --> 00:19:10.184
- Uh, uh.
- 00:19:10.184 --> 00:19:13.387
- You already know that, because when you deal with god
- 00:19:13.387 --> 00:19:16.123
- From this perspective, it's already done.
- 00:19:16.123 --> 00:19:19.293
- So what are we really dealing with?
- 00:19:19.293 --> 00:19:23.297
- We're dealing with--what a strange phrase i'm about to say,
- 00:19:23.297 --> 00:19:26.801
- But i heard it.
- 00:19:26.801 --> 00:19:28.169
- But we're dealing with religious propaganda.
- 00:19:28.169 --> 00:19:30.037
- It's a big trick.
- 00:19:33.507 --> 00:19:36.577
- It's no different than when a drug pusher gives his customers
- 00:19:36.577 --> 00:19:44.885
- Just a little taste, just enough for him to keep coming back.
- 00:19:44.885 --> 00:19:48.990
- Unfortunately, you know what we've been pushing in
- 00:19:52.360 --> 00:19:54.362
- The church?
- 00:19:54.362 --> 00:19:55.930
- Fear.
- 00:19:55.930 --> 00:19:57.298
- Think about it.
- 00:20:00.668 --> 00:20:02.036
- Fear.
- 00:20:02.036 --> 00:20:03.371
- It starts off with, "you better get saved.
- 00:20:03.371 --> 00:20:04.772
- You don't, you going to hell."
- 00:20:04.772 --> 00:20:07.975
- And most of us got saved through the door of hell, not because of
- 00:20:07.975 --> 00:20:12.013
- The goodness of god, not because of what he's done for us, not
- 00:20:12.013 --> 00:20:14.915
- Because we loved him.
- 00:20:14.915 --> 00:20:16.284
- "i got saved 'cause i don't wanna go to hell.
- 00:20:16.284 --> 00:20:18.486
- I heard it was a hot place.
- 00:20:18.486 --> 00:20:19.854
- I don't wanna go to hell.
- 00:20:19.854 --> 00:20:21.188
- I can't stand heat."
- 00:20:21.188 --> 00:20:22.957
- Most people started giving their tithe because of the threat of
- 00:20:27.161 --> 00:20:30.998
- Hell and poverty.
- 00:20:30.998 --> 00:20:35.436
- Most people who got divorced and won't get married again because
- 00:20:39.674 --> 00:20:45.846
- It's fear.
- 00:20:45.846 --> 00:20:47.348
- The preacher said if you marry again and you've been married
- 00:20:47.348 --> 00:20:50.217
- Before, you're an adulterer all the rest of your life.
- 00:20:50.217 --> 00:20:53.954
- I think i told you this story when we first started mini--
- 00:20:53.954 --> 00:20:56.324
- Our ministry.
- 00:20:56.324 --> 00:20:57.825
- It was just me and my assistant in the office, and i got a
- 00:20:57.825 --> 00:21:01.662
- Phone call.
- 00:21:01.662 --> 00:21:02.997
- We had a little radio broadcast that came on, and after the
- 00:21:02.997 --> 00:21:04.832
- Radio broadcast, we sit by the phone to answer questions.
- 00:21:04.832 --> 00:21:08.469
- And i could tell she was an elderly lady.
- 00:21:08.469 --> 00:21:10.304
- I think she was about in her late 60s or 70s.
- 00:21:10.304 --> 00:21:14.375
- And she said, "pastor dollar, i just want to know this.
- 00:21:14.375 --> 00:21:16.844
- I have divorced my husband."
- 00:21:16.844 --> 00:21:19.714
- She got very graphic.
- 00:21:19.714 --> 00:21:21.048
- "he was no good, and i left him, got tired of him, and i'm glad
- 00:21:21.048 --> 00:21:26.387
- I did."
- 00:21:26.387 --> 00:21:29.990
- I said, "yes, ma'am."
- 00:21:29.990 --> 00:21:31.859
- She says, "so what i want to know is can i get
- 00:21:31.859 --> 00:21:36.530
- Married again?"
- 00:21:36.530 --> 00:21:38.232
- And i took her through all of the scriptures that were said in
- 00:21:38.232 --> 00:21:40.968
- The old covenant, and i took her over in the new covenant and
- 00:21:40.968 --> 00:21:43.637
- Said something to her.
- 00:21:43.637 --> 00:21:44.972
- And she said, "so--" she says, "so what all that mean?"
- 00:21:44.972 --> 00:21:49.410
- I said, "yes, ma'am.
- 00:21:52.913 --> 00:21:55.249
- If you find somebody you wanna be with and, you know, you do
- 00:21:55.249 --> 00:21:58.319
- All the things right, you can get married again."
- 00:21:58.319 --> 00:21:59.887
- She said, "bye," and hung the phone up real--like she had
- 00:21:59.887 --> 00:22:03.791
- Somebody ready to go and they was getting ready to make it
- 00:22:03.791 --> 00:22:05.659
- Happen right now.
- 00:22:05.659 --> 00:22:07.027
- Well, i don't know how long she lived in that bondage because of
- 00:22:10.765 --> 00:22:15.569
- This religious propaganda that--through fear.
- 00:22:15.569 --> 00:22:22.977
- We raise our children with fear.
- 00:22:22.977 --> 00:22:27.214
- "you ain't gonna embarrass me."
- 00:22:27.214 --> 00:22:28.582
- It wasn't even about them. it was you.
- 00:22:28.582 --> 00:22:33.020
- "you don't say nothing.
- 00:22:33.020 --> 00:22:35.856
- You don't comment.
- 00:22:35.856 --> 00:22:37.191
- You be quiet.
- 00:22:37.191 --> 00:22:38.559
- I tell you what to do and you better do it."
- 00:22:38.559 --> 00:22:40.127
- That--what you call that, taffi?
- 00:22:40.127 --> 00:22:41.495
- Well, when you just-- you close them up.
- 00:22:41.495 --> 00:22:44.498
- They don't have a right to express themselves.
- 00:22:44.498 --> 00:22:47.368
- You don't let them express themselves.
- 00:22:47.368 --> 00:22:48.803
- "you--no, you ain't gonna be expressing yourself.
- 00:22:48.803 --> 00:22:51.639
- You too young.
- 00:22:51.639 --> 00:22:53.007
- You better just do what i tell you to do and that's all.
- 00:22:53.007 --> 00:22:54.809
- No questions asked and no comments.
- 00:22:54.809 --> 00:22:56.944
- And any comments, you talking back, and i will knock your
- 00:22:56.944 --> 00:23:01.682
- Teeth out your mouth."
- 00:23:01.682 --> 00:23:05.753
- Now, how many of y'all remember that your teeth got knocked out?
- 00:23:05.753 --> 00:23:07.822
- Mine almost got knocked out for real, though.
- 00:23:07.822 --> 00:23:11.258
- No, i'm serious.
- 00:23:11.258 --> 00:23:12.593
- I was getting ready to go to school and i had my report card.
- 00:23:12.593 --> 00:23:14.528
- My dad had to look at the report card, and i had a c or something
- 00:23:14.528 --> 00:23:17.865
- On something.
- 00:23:17.865 --> 00:23:19.200
- He said, "you ought to be--you should--you could do better
- 00:23:19.200 --> 00:23:20.801
- Than that on that."
- 00:23:20.801 --> 00:23:22.136
- And i said, "well, you probably couldn't did no better."
- 00:23:22.136 --> 00:23:23.471
- And that's all i remember.
- 00:23:23.471 --> 00:23:25.072
- I entered into darkness, and i heard sounds like humming.
- 00:23:25.072 --> 00:23:30.010
- Hmm.
- 00:23:30.010 --> 00:23:31.345
- And i realized i had been knocked out.
- 00:23:31.345 --> 00:23:37.451
- Announcer: are you always striving to get god's approval?
- 00:23:41.589 --> 00:23:44.091
- In "self-effort versus redeemed effort,"
- 00:23:44.091 --> 00:23:47.161
- Creflo dollar reveals how jesus's finished work has freed
- 00:23:47.161 --> 00:23:50.831
- Believers from the exhausting cycle of performance.
- 00:23:50.831 --> 00:23:54.001
- This powerful three-message series will help you stop
- 00:23:54.001 --> 00:23:57.037
- Working for righteousness and start living from it.
- 00:23:57.037 --> 00:23:59.940
- Creflo: any effort on your part to try to achieve the finished
- 00:23:59.940 --> 00:24:03.511
- Works of jesus is self-effort.
- 00:24:03.511 --> 00:24:05.846
- Effort still exists.
- 00:24:05.846 --> 00:24:07.748
- It exists in participation.
- 00:24:07.748 --> 00:24:10.184
- Jesus is not gonna come down and make you pray.
- 00:24:10.184 --> 00:24:12.753
- Jesus is not gonna come down and make you get an intimate
- 00:24:12.753 --> 00:24:16.023
- Relationship with god.
- 00:24:16.023 --> 00:24:17.391
- Jesus is not gonna come down and make you worship him.
- 00:24:17.391 --> 00:24:20.461
- That requires effort.
- 00:24:20.461 --> 00:24:22.363
- Your effort has been redeemed.
- 00:24:22.363 --> 00:24:24.865
- Announcer: simply call 844-30-grace, scan the qr code,
- 00:24:24.865 --> 00:24:28.802
- Or visit creflodollar.org and click e-store
- 00:24:28.802 --> 00:24:31.906
- To get this eye opening three-message series.
- 00:24:31.906 --> 00:24:35.209
- It's available for a love gift of $20 usd or more.
- 00:24:35.209 --> 00:24:38.879
- Announcer: columbia and the midlands, prepare for a powerful
- 00:24:41.515 --> 00:24:44.084
- Encounter with the message of grace.
- 00:24:44.084 --> 00:24:46.587
- Friday, july 24th, the spirit and grace tour with creflo
- 00:24:46.587 --> 00:24:50.224
- Dollar is coming to columbia, south carolina.
- 00:24:50.224 --> 00:24:53.260
- From blythewood in the north to cayce in the south, from sumter
- 00:24:53.260 --> 00:24:56.697
- To lexington, this is your invitation to gather for
- 00:24:56.697 --> 00:24:59.833
- A life-changing experience centered on faith, identity,
- 00:24:59.833 --> 00:25:03.504
- And truth.
- 00:25:03.504 --> 00:25:04.838
- Come hear grace explained in a clear, practical, and
- 00:25:04.838 --> 00:25:07.808
- Personal way.
- 00:25:07.808 --> 00:25:09.176
- Receive answers about the finished work of jesus, who you
- 00:25:09.176 --> 00:25:12.246
- Are in christ, and how to live strengthened by grace every day.
- 00:25:12.246 --> 00:25:16.183
- Female: since the message of grace has been instilled into me
- 00:25:16.183 --> 00:25:20.554
- By dr. dollar, it has helped me to look at things differently.
- 00:25:20.554 --> 00:25:24.925
- Male: these meetings have greatly impacted my life.
- 00:25:24.925 --> 00:25:27.995
- We're standing in grace, walking in faith.
- 00:25:27.995 --> 00:25:30.264
- Announcer: register today.
- 00:25:30.264 --> 00:25:31.699
- Text spiritgrace to 51555 or visit spiritandgracetour.com.
- 00:25:31.699 --> 00:25:39.740
- Female announcer: download and stay connected with the
- 00:25:40.975 --> 00:25:43.010
- "changing your world" podcast with creflo dollar.
- 00:25:43.010 --> 00:25:45.546
- Keep the word of god at the forefront of your mind with
- 00:25:45.546 --> 00:25:48.048
- These powerful and uplifting messages.
- 00:25:48.048 --> 00:25:50.484
- Taffi dollar: i don't care what the doctor says, i don't care
- 00:25:50.484 --> 00:25:53.954
- What the mortgage person says.
- 00:25:53.954 --> 00:25:56.457
- Have faith in god.
- 00:25:56.457 --> 00:25:59.593
- If you can see the invisible, he can do the impossible.
- 00:25:59.593 --> 00:26:05.165
- Announcer: with each message that you download and stream,
- 00:26:05.165 --> 00:26:07.568
- You gain revelation of the fullness of god's grace.
- 00:26:07.568 --> 00:26:10.204
- Creflo: when you think about "what could have happened to
- 00:26:10.204 --> 00:26:12.806
- Me, what should have happened to me, and now look at what's
- 00:26:12.806 --> 00:26:16.977
- Available to me," that's enough for me to tear something up
- 00:26:16.977 --> 00:26:20.247
- Right now all by itself.
- 00:26:20.247 --> 00:26:22.216
- I got to give him the glory. he saved us.
- 00:26:22.216 --> 00:26:25.386
- Announcer: the "changing your world" podcast brings you
- 00:26:25.386 --> 00:26:27.755
- Life-changing wisdom right at your fingertips,
- 00:26:27.755 --> 00:26:30.958
- No matter where you are.
- 00:26:30.958 --> 00:26:32.526
- Subscribe today on apple podcasts, spotify,
- 00:26:32.526 --> 00:26:35.996
- Or your preferred podcast platform.
- 00:26:35.996 --> 00:26:38.198
- Creflo: by the grace of god we feed and clothe people, provide
- 00:26:40.234 --> 00:26:44.538
- Houses, visit hospitals and prisons, and do so, so
- 00:26:44.538 --> 00:26:49.476
- Much more.
- 00:26:49.476 --> 00:26:50.811
- Every time you make a financial donation to support us, you do
- 00:26:50.811 --> 00:26:54.281
- These things as well.
- 00:26:54.281 --> 00:26:56.483
- The tangible relief we provide to god's precious people is only
- 00:26:56.483 --> 00:27:00.988
- Possible because of your faithful support.
- 00:27:00.988 --> 00:27:04.324
- Thank you for supporting us as we strive to reach a lost and
- 00:27:04.324 --> 00:27:07.828
- Dying world for the lord jesus christ.
- 00:27:07.828 --> 00:27:10.464
- Announcer: if god has placed it on to your heart to support the
- 00:27:10.464 --> 00:27:13.033
- Vision of this ministry to reach the world with the gospel of
- 00:27:13.033 --> 00:27:16.103
- Grace, you may call in to make your financial donations or log
- 00:27:16.103 --> 00:27:19.473
- On to creflodollarministries.org.
- 00:27:19.473 --> 00:27:22.109
- God bless you.
- 00:27:22.109 --> 00:27:23.477
- Announcer: the preceding program was brought to you in part by
- 00:27:25.145 --> 00:27:27.514
- The partners and friends of creflo dollar ministries.
- 00:27:27.514 --> 00:27:29.999