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Dr. Robert Jeffress

Robert Jeffress - Knowing God's Will By Knowing Yours

September 19, 2025 | 29:0

Robert Jeffress - Knowing God's Will By Knowing Yours
Pathway to Victory offers a practical application of God’s Word to everyday life through the clear, biblical teaching of Pastor Jeffress.
#Victory #Pastors #Christianity #God'sWill #TrustGod #Bible #Grace #Faith

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Dr. Robert Jeffress | Robert Jeffress - Knowing God's Will By Knowing Yours | September 19, 2025
  • ♪♪♪
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  • Male announcer: from the pulpit of the first baptist church of
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  • Dallas, texas, this is "pathway to victory"
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  • With dr. robert jeffress.
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  • Dr. robert jeffress: hi, i'm robert jeffress, and welcome
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  • Again to "pathway to victory."
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  • In our series, "how to make wise decisions," we've identified two
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  • Practical steps.
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  • First, to discover god's will for you, look upward to god and
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  • His word.
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  • Second, look outward at your counselors and
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  • Your circumstances.
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  • And today we're going to talk about a third step, one that's
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  • Going to surprise you.
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  • The bible says we need to look inwardly at our desires to
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  • Determine god's will.
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  • My message today is titled, "knowing god's will by knowing
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  • Yours," on today's edition of "pathway to victory."
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  • Announcer: how do you know which path god wants you to take?
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  • In "how to make wise decisions," trusted author and bible teacher
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  • Dr. robert jeffress cuts through the confusion with time-tested
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  • Biblical wisdom.
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  • Whether you're facing career changes, relationship questions,
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  • Or ministry decisions, this practical guide reveals how god
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  • Speaks to his children today.
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  • Don't let uncertainty paralyze you.
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  • Request your copy of, "how to make wise decisions," when you
  • 00:01:23.806 --> 00:01:26.910
  • Give a generous gift to support the ministry of "pathway
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  • To victory."
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Jeffress: a few years ago, a friend of mine asked me perhaps
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  • The most penetrating question i've ever heard.
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  • He said, "what would you choose to do with the rest of your life
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  • If you had all of the time, money, and education necessary
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  • And you knew you would not fail?"
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  • I want you to think about that in terms of your own life for
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  • A moment.
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  • What would you choose to do with the rest of your life if you had
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  • All of the time, money, and education necessary and you knew
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  • Whatever you did, you would not fail?
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  • Your answer to that question, perhaps more than anything else,
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  • Could be the best way to know god's will for your life.
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  • In our series on "discovering god's will for our life," we've
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  • Been talking about the various ways that god communicates his
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  • Plan to us.
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  • Certainly god speaks through the scripture.
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  • Much of what we need to know about god's will is
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  • Already revealed.
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  • We talk about the way that god speaks to us through prayer.
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  • Prayer is not just talking to god, it's listening to god as
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  • Well, and sometimes in some mysterious ways he speaks to us
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  • Through prayer.
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  • We saw that occasionally god will use circumstances, even
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  • Supernatural revelation, to speak to us about his plan
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  • For us.
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  • Last time we looked at the role that other people play in
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  • Communicating god's will for our lives, authority
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  • Figures, counselors.
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  • But today we're going to look at perhaps the most overlooked
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  • Method by which god speaks to us, and that is through
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  • Our desires.
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  • Today we're going to discover that perhaps the best way to
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  • Discovering god's will is by discovering your will.
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  • We're gonna talk about some biblical principles about using
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  • Desires to discover god's will, but i think at the outset we
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  • Need to look and see what the bible says about our desires.
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  • And so for just a few minutes on your outline, we're gonna do
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  • Just a brief biblical theology of what the bible says about
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  • Our desires.
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  • Now, somebody would say, "well, robert, aren't our
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  • Desires evil?"
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  • Well, it's true.
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  • The bible says, first of all, our desires have been corrupted
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  • By sin.
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  • Our desires have been corrupted by sin.
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  • Perhaps the best diagnosis of the condition of your heart and
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  • My heart came from a man who lived 2000 years ago.
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  • His name was the apostle paul, and turn over to romans chapter
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  • 3 as he gives us an x-ray of the condition of the human heart.
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  • And by the way, the results are not encouraging.
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  • In romans chapter 3, verses 10 through 12, paul is quoting
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  • Psalm 14 and psalm 53, and look at what he says.
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  • Paul writes: "for there is none righteous, not even one: there
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  • Is none who understands, there is none who seeks for god; all
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  • Have turned aside.
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  • Together they have become useless; there is none who does
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  • Good, there is not even one."
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  • Pretty depressing, isn't it?
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  • When i was growing up, i remember one of our family
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  • Rituals, especially during the summertime, was making homemade
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  • Ice cream.
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  • You can probably tell by now ice cream was a real big part of our
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  • Family life, and we would make homemade ice cream
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  • Several times a week and--
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  • How many of you have made homemade ice cream before?
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  • You know what you do.
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  • You--but you mix up that wonderful mixture of eggs and
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  • Cream and sugar and you put it in that steel container and you
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  • Place it into that container and you fill it with ice and you
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  • Either crank the container or if you were upper middle class you
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  • Had an electric motor that would turn the container for you, but
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  • You would watch that whiz around in the packed ice, but there was
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  • One ingredient you had to add.
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  • You had to add the salt, the rock salt, in order to make the
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  • Ice melt more quickly and freeze the ice cream.
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  • Now, every maker of homemade ice cream knows that the one danger
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  • You have to be on guard against is allowing any of that salt
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  • Into that container, because it would just take a little bit of
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  • Salt, just perhaps one grain of that rock salt, to contaminate
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  • The entire batch of ice cream.
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  • I doubt paul ever made any homemade ice cream, but what he
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  • Did use was this image.
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  • He said it takes just a little bit of leaven to leaven the
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  • Whole lump of dough.
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  • It only takes a little bit of sin in our lives to contaminate
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  • Every part of our lives, and that's what he's talking about
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  • Here in romans 3.
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  • He says every part of our life, including our desires,
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  • Have been corrupted by sin.
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  • Now, that's the bad news.
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  • Here's the good news.
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  • Our desires can be transformed by the power of god.
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  • Simply put, corrupt desires don't have to remain corrupt.
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  • Turn over to romans chapter 8 for just a moment.
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  • Let's look at that passage we read just a moment ago, romans 8
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  • Beginning with verse 6.
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  • Paul says, "for the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind
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  • That is set on the spirit is life and peace.
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  • But the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward god.
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  • It does not subject itself to the law of god.
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  • It's not even able to do so; and those who are in the flesh
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  • Cannot please god."
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  • The flesh represents that part of our life that is opposed to
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  • The will of god.
  • 00:07:20.196 --> 00:07:21.731
  • And the bible says we have the flesh, we have these evil
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  • Desires we're born with, but when we become a christian, god
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  • Places a new set of desires in our life, the spiritual desires,
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  • And there's this constant battle going on between the flesh and
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  • The spirit, the spirit and the flesh.
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  • Now look at verse 9: "however, you are not in the flesh but in
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  • The spirit, if indeed the spirit of god dwells in you.
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  • But if anyone doesn't have the spirit, he does not belong
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  • To him."
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  • What paul was saying is, before you became a christian, you had
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  • No choice but to obey the desires of the flesh.
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  • But those desires have been transformed when you became
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  • A christian.
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  • There is a new set of desires, spiritual desires,
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  • Inside of you.
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  • Your desires can be transformed.
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  • Here's where it gets interesting.
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  • Number three: god can direct our
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  • Lives through our transformed desires.
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  • When we say that god directs us through our desires, we're
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  • Talking about those new desires that he places in our heart.
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  • Why can we rely on desires?
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  • Because they are transformed by the spirit of god.
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  • I want you to turn over to philippians chapter 2 for
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  • A moment.
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  • I want you to look at two verses we looked at last fall in our
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  • Study of philippians, but we're gonna look at them in just a
  • 00:08:38.207 --> 00:08:40.509
  • Little bit different way today.
  • 00:08:40.509 --> 00:08:42.345
  • Philippians 2, verse 12.
  • 00:08:42.345 --> 00:08:45.581
  • Paul writes: "so then, my
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  • Beloved, just as you have always
  • 00:08:46.916 --> 00:08:49.352
  • Obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my
  • 00:08:49.352 --> 00:08:54.056
  • Absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling."
  • 00:08:54.056 --> 00:09:00.529
  • And remember we said paul used the word "work out."
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  • He didn't say work for your salvation.
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  • There's nothing we can do to earn salvation.
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  • It is a gift of god.
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  • He doesn't say work for your salvation, but he does say work
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  • Out your salvation.
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  • That word "work out" refers to
  • 00:09:19.949 --> 00:09:22.118
  • The working of a field so that
  • 00:09:22.118 --> 00:09:24.754
  • It can yield the greatest possible result for a farmer:
  • 00:09:24.754 --> 00:09:28.591
  • Plowing it, sowing it with seed, making sure the underbrush
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  • Is cleared.
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  • It takes hard work to work a field.
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  • And paul says in the same way, it takes effort, effort, hard
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  • Work to live as a christian.
  • 00:09:41.804 --> 00:09:44.607
  • Not to become a christian, that's free.
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  • It's a gift of god.
  • 00:09:46.342 --> 00:09:47.677
  • But living as a christian requires a lot of discipline.
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  • It means setting your alarm clock early in the morning,
  • 00:09:51.380 --> 00:09:54.650
  • Getting some blanket victory so you can get out of bed and read
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  • God's word.
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  • It means staying up a little bit later than you would choose to
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  • So you can spend time praying.
  • 00:10:01.724 --> 00:10:03.959
  • It means saying no to that desire to do something you know
  • 00:10:03.959 --> 00:10:07.096
  • Is absolutely against god's will for your life.
  • 00:10:07.096 --> 00:10:10.299
  • He says, "work it out, work out your salvation with fear and
  • 00:10:10.299 --> 00:10:13.502
  • Trembling," but if that exhausts you to even think about, here's
  • 00:10:13.502 --> 00:10:17.339
  • Some good news, verse 13: "for it is god who is at work in you,
  • 00:10:17.339 --> 00:10:22.745
  • Both to will and to work for his
  • 00:10:22.745 --> 00:10:25.548
  • Good pleasure."
  • 00:10:25.548 --> 00:10:27.283
  • That is, while you're working out your spiritual maturity, god
  • 00:10:27.283 --> 00:10:31.620
  • Is working in your life, and he's doing two things.
  • 00:10:31.620 --> 00:10:36.258
  • I like the way the philips paraphrase says it.
  • 00:10:36.258 --> 00:10:38.360
  • It says: "for god is at work within you, giving you both the
  • 00:10:38.360 --> 00:10:41.630
  • Desire and the power to accomplish his purpose."
  • 00:10:41.630 --> 00:10:46.602
  • Now, again, there are all kind of warnings we need to give
  • 00:10:46.602 --> 00:10:50.906
  • About this.
  • 00:10:50.906 --> 00:10:52.274
  • So how can i know if my desires are really coming from god?
  • 00:10:52.274 --> 00:10:56.746
  • I want to share with you today five practical, but more
  • 00:10:56.746 --> 00:10:59.915
  • Importantly, biblical principles for using our desires to discern
  • 00:10:59.915 --> 00:11:04.720
  • The will of god.
  • 00:11:04.720 --> 00:11:06.856
  • First of all, if you're going to use your desires to discover
  • 00:11:06.856 --> 00:11:10.126
  • God's will for your life, first of all, we need to discover what
  • 00:11:10.126 --> 00:11:13.996
  • Our desires are.
  • 00:11:13.996 --> 00:11:16.265
  • If we're gonna use desires to discover god's will, we need to
  • 00:11:16.265 --> 00:11:19.568
  • Discover what our desires are.
  • 00:11:19.568 --> 00:11:22.538
  • And i'm not talking about spending hours contemplating
  • 00:11:22.538 --> 00:11:25.274
  • Your navel, okay?
  • 00:11:25.274 --> 00:11:26.642
  • I'm not talking about that kind of introspection, but i am
  • 00:11:26.642 --> 00:11:29.512
  • Saying there is something healthy about understanding who
  • 00:11:29.512 --> 00:11:32.882
  • You are and the way god made you and specifically about
  • 00:11:32.882 --> 00:11:36.085
  • Discovering what you really want in life.
  • 00:11:36.085 --> 00:11:39.155
  • Now, turn over to romans chapter 12, verse 3.
  • 00:11:39.155 --> 00:11:42.725
  • Paul is getting ready to talk about spiritual gifts to the
  • 00:11:42.725 --> 00:11:46.495
  • Roman christians, but notice how he prefaces his remarks
  • 00:11:46.495 --> 00:11:50.299
  • About spiritual gifts.
  • 00:11:50.299 --> 00:11:51.967
  • In romans 12, verse 3, he says: "for through the grace given to
  • 00:11:51.967 --> 00:11:55.771
  • Me i say that every man among you, don't think more highly of
  • 00:11:55.771 --> 00:12:00.376
  • Himself than he ought to think, but think so as to have sound
  • 00:12:00.376 --> 00:12:03.712
  • Judgment as god has allotted to each a measure of faith."
  • 00:12:03.712 --> 00:12:08.517
  • And then right after that, paul begins discussing
  • 00:12:08.517 --> 00:12:11.787
  • Spiritual gifts.
  • 00:12:11.787 --> 00:12:13.155
  • Did you know that when you became a christian, god gave you
  • 00:12:13.155 --> 00:12:17.159
  • A unique gift, a certain desire and a certain power to minister
  • 00:12:17.159 --> 00:12:23.566
  • In his name, and he talks about the different gifts, prophecy,
  • 00:12:23.566 --> 00:12:26.569
  • Service, giving, teaching, and so forth.
  • 00:12:26.569 --> 00:12:29.205
  • You'll never find real fulfillment in your life until
  • 00:12:29.205 --> 00:12:33.108
  • You discover what your gift is and you start using it in the
  • 00:12:33.108 --> 00:12:36.245
  • Body of christ.
  • 00:12:36.245 --> 00:12:38.013
  • But paul says in verse 3, before you know what your gift is, you
  • 00:12:38.013 --> 00:12:41.717
  • Need to think of yourself so as not--so as to have
  • 00:12:41.717 --> 00:12:44.920
  • Sound judgment.
  • 00:12:44.920 --> 00:12:46.288
  • He says, in other words, evaluate yourself properly.
  • 00:12:46.288 --> 00:12:49.992
  • Don't think more highly of yourself than you think--should
  • 00:12:49.992 --> 00:12:53.229
  • Think, but he says do understand yourself.
  • 00:12:53.229 --> 00:12:56.465
  • And i would say it's the same thing when it comes to using our
  • 00:12:56.465 --> 00:12:59.235
  • Desires to determine god's will.
  • 00:12:59.235 --> 00:13:01.403
  • We need to do a little bit of introspection and see exactly
  • 00:13:01.403 --> 00:13:05.074
  • What desires god has placed in our hearts.
  • 00:13:05.074 --> 00:13:08.410
  • We've got to discover what our desires are.
  • 00:13:08.410 --> 00:13:11.213
  • Secondly, our desires must be consistent with scripture.
  • 00:13:11.213 --> 00:13:15.184
  • If we're gonna use desires to determine god's will for our
  • 00:13:15.184 --> 00:13:17.887
  • Life, they always must be consistent with scripture.
  • 00:13:17.887 --> 00:13:21.023
  • God is never going to give you a desire to leave your mate, to
  • 00:13:21.023 --> 00:13:26.562
  • Engage in an extramarital or pre-marital relationship, he's
  • 00:13:26.562 --> 00:13:31.867
  • Never gonna give you a desire to disobey god-ordained authority.
  • 00:13:31.867 --> 00:13:35.838
  • He's never gonna plant a desire in your heart to engage in an
  • 00:13:35.838 --> 00:13:38.641
  • Illegal activity.
  • 00:13:38.641 --> 00:13:40.976
  • All of our desires have to be checked against scripture.
  • 00:13:40.976 --> 00:13:46.248
  • Number three: our desires should be checked by common sense.
  • 00:13:46.248 --> 00:13:51.253
  • Our desires need to be checked or measured against
  • 00:13:51.253 --> 00:13:54.323
  • Common sense.
  • 00:13:54.323 --> 00:13:55.658
  • Proverbs 4, verse 5 says: "acquire wisdom!
  • 00:13:55.658 --> 00:13:59.628
  • Acquire understanding!"
  • 00:13:59.628 --> 00:14:02.464
  • Let's suppose for a moment that you have a desire to start a new
  • 00:14:02.464 --> 00:14:07.236
  • Business, a new computer software business, and you
  • 00:14:07.236 --> 00:14:10.472
  • Search through the bible and there's nothing against starting
  • 00:14:10.472 --> 00:14:13.008
  • A computer software business in there, so you check that off.
  • 00:14:13.008 --> 00:14:16.612
  • How can you know if this desire is really coming from god?
  • 00:14:16.612 --> 00:14:20.516
  • Well, you need to get wisdom, the bible says.
  • 00:14:20.516 --> 00:14:22.651
  • You need to get understanding.
  • 00:14:22.651 --> 00:14:24.720
  • For example, you need to ask yourself, if i start this
  • 00:14:24.720 --> 00:14:27.690
  • Business, how will i provide financially for my family during
  • 00:14:27.690 --> 00:14:31.260
  • The startup phase?
  • 00:14:31.260 --> 00:14:32.628
  • After all, god wants me to take care of my family.
  • 00:14:32.628 --> 00:14:35.764
  • What are my chances of success in this business?
  • 00:14:35.764 --> 00:14:38.968
  • Do i have the temperament necessary to be a successful
  • 00:14:38.968 --> 00:14:42.805
  • Business person?
  • 00:14:42.805 --> 00:14:44.940
  • As i talk to other people who are in this business, what do
  • 00:14:44.940 --> 00:14:47.810
  • They say are my chances of success?
  • 00:14:47.810 --> 00:14:51.513
  • What is it that will make my business unique among all the
  • 00:14:51.513 --> 00:14:54.383
  • Other software businesses out there?
  • 00:14:54.383 --> 00:14:58.053
  • You say, "well, robert, why would you ask those kind of
  • 00:14:58.053 --> 00:14:59.955
  • Questions if you feel god is leading you to do something?"
  • 00:14:59.955 --> 00:15:02.791
  • Very simple.
  • 00:15:02.791 --> 00:15:04.526
  • Usually, god will not ask you to do something that violates
  • 00:15:04.526 --> 00:15:08.664
  • Common sense.
  • 00:15:08.664 --> 00:15:10.466
  • Most of the time, god is not going to lead you to do
  • 00:15:10.466 --> 00:15:13.535
  • Something that violates common sense.
  • 00:15:13.535 --> 00:15:15.738
  • That's why proverbs says: "acquire wisdom!
  • 00:15:15.738 --> 00:15:18.640
  • Acquire understanding!"
  • 00:15:18.640 --> 00:15:21.043
  • As we said a few weeks ago, obviously there are some
  • 00:15:21.043 --> 00:15:24.046
  • Exceptions to that.
  • 00:15:24.046 --> 00:15:25.914
  • Sometimes god does ask us to do things that doesn't make sense.
  • 00:15:25.914 --> 00:15:29.651
  • Usually god is going to lead you
  • 00:15:29.651 --> 00:15:31.920
  • In things that make sense.
  • 00:15:31.920 --> 00:15:33.722
  • Desires should be checked by common sense.
  • 00:15:33.722 --> 00:15:37.493
  • Number four, and this is key.
  • 00:15:37.493 --> 00:15:39.328
  • Star this: the reliability of our desires is proportionate to
  • 00:15:39.328 --> 00:15:44.433
  • Our spiritual health.
  • 00:15:44.433 --> 00:15:46.902
  • The reliability of using our desires to know god's will is
  • 00:15:46.902 --> 00:15:51.173
  • Directly proportionate to our spiritual health.
  • 00:15:51.173 --> 00:15:54.043
  • Let me illustrate that for you.
  • 00:15:54.043 --> 00:15:55.511
  • When i go to have my annual physical, the nurse wants to
  • 00:15:55.511 --> 00:15:59.048
  • Know before she ever draws any blood, she wants to know, do i
  • 00:15:59.048 --> 00:16:02.051
  • Have a virus?
  • 00:16:02.051 --> 00:16:03.385
  • Do i have a fever?
  • 00:16:03.385 --> 00:16:05.354
  • Because she knows that any test results can be skewed if i am
  • 00:16:05.354 --> 00:16:10.559
  • Physically sick.
  • 00:16:10.559 --> 00:16:12.828
  • Now, it's the same way in our spiritual life.
  • 00:16:12.828 --> 00:16:16.398
  • The only way we can know whether our desires are trustworthy
  • 00:16:16.398 --> 00:16:20.169
  • Indicators of god's will is to know whether we're spiritually
  • 00:16:20.169 --> 00:16:23.739
  • Well or we're spiritually sick.
  • 00:16:23.739 --> 00:16:26.942
  • Godly desires do not flow out of an ungodly heart.
  • 00:16:26.942 --> 00:16:31.080
  • That's just a principle in scripture.
  • 00:16:31.080 --> 00:16:33.015
  • In fact, jesus said something very similar to that in matthew
  • 00:16:33.015 --> 00:16:36.151
  • Chapter 12, verses 34 and 35.
  • 00:16:36.151 --> 00:16:39.254
  • Look at what the lord said.
  • 00:16:39.254 --> 00:16:40.789
  • He said, 'for the mouth speaks out of that which fills
  • 00:16:40.789 --> 00:16:44.026
  • The heart.
  • 00:16:44.026 --> 00:16:45.394
  • The good man out of his good treasure brings forth that which
  • 00:16:45.394 --> 00:16:48.464
  • Is good; and the evil man out of his evil treasure brings forth
  • 00:16:48.464 --> 00:16:53.368
  • What is evil."
  • 00:16:53.368 --> 00:16:55.938
  • Jesus said our words are a good indicator of the condition of
  • 00:16:55.938 --> 00:16:59.475
  • Our spiritual heart.
  • 00:16:59.475 --> 00:17:01.243
  • If evil words flow out of our mouth, it means we have an
  • 00:17:01.243 --> 00:17:04.046
  • Evil heart.
  • 00:17:04.046 --> 00:17:05.380
  • An evil heart produces evil words.
  • 00:17:05.380 --> 00:17:07.416
  • In the same way, an ungodly heart will generate in us
  • 00:17:07.416 --> 00:17:12.354
  • Ungodly desires.
  • 00:17:12.354 --> 00:17:16.225
  • Many, many years ago, i was in ministry, and even though i was
  • 00:17:16.225 --> 00:17:22.064
  • Having what people would consider outwardly a successful
  • 00:17:22.064 --> 00:17:25.067
  • Ministry, inside i was deteriorating spiritually.
  • 00:17:25.067 --> 00:17:30.672
  • My relationship with god was not what it should be.
  • 00:17:30.672 --> 00:17:33.675
  • I wasn't reading my bible, i wasn't praying, and it was
  • 00:17:33.675 --> 00:17:37.913
  • During that period of time that, out of nowhere, i got this
  • 00:17:37.913 --> 00:17:41.550
  • Desire to do something else with my life, maybe not full-time,
  • 00:17:41.550 --> 00:17:47.322
  • But part-time, on the side, while i was in the ministry.
  • 00:17:47.322 --> 00:17:51.760
  • And so i started reading books about this particular vocation,
  • 00:17:51.760 --> 00:17:55.898
  • Went to a couple of seminars, started dabbling in it and began
  • 00:17:55.898 --> 00:17:59.635
  • To experience some success in this particular area.
  • 00:17:59.635 --> 00:18:04.072
  • I had a desire to do this, but it was a desire that was flowing
  • 00:18:04.072 --> 00:18:08.143
  • Out of a spiritually sick heart.
  • 00:18:08.143 --> 00:18:11.313
  • And only when i got right with the lord and my relationship
  • 00:18:11.313 --> 00:18:14.349
  • Became what it should be with the lord, as soon as that
  • 00:18:14.349 --> 00:18:16.485
  • Happened, those desires evaporated completely.
  • 00:18:16.485 --> 00:18:20.055
  • And never since that time, the last 20 years, have i ever had
  • 00:18:20.055 --> 00:18:22.658
  • Any desire to even think about doing that full-time or
  • 00:18:22.658 --> 00:18:26.562
  • Even part-time.
  • 00:18:26.562 --> 00:18:28.564
  • You see, godly desires only come out of a heart that is
  • 00:18:28.564 --> 00:18:32.467
  • Spiritually well.
  • 00:18:32.467 --> 00:18:34.336
  • Well, how do we make sure that our heart is
  • 00:18:34.336 --> 00:18:36.405
  • Spiritually in tune with god?
  • 00:18:36.405 --> 00:18:37.839
  • Turn back to philippians chapter 2 for just a moment.
  • 00:18:37.839 --> 00:18:41.176
  • Philippians chapter 2: "for it is god who is at work in you."
  • 00:18:41.176 --> 00:18:46.415
  • The word "work" is the word that we get energized.
  • 00:18:46.415 --> 00:18:49.651
  • It is god who is energizing you both to will and to work his
  • 00:18:49.651 --> 00:18:55.023
  • Good pleasure.
  • 00:18:55.023 --> 00:18:56.358
  • Listen to 1 thessalonians 2:13: "and for this reason we also
  • 00:18:56.358 --> 00:19:01.363
  • Constantly thank god when you received from us the word of
  • 00:19:01.363 --> 00:19:05.200
  • God's message for you accepted it not just as the word of men,
  • 00:19:05.200 --> 00:19:09.204
  • But for what it really is, the word of god, which performs its
  • 00:19:09.204 --> 00:19:13.575
  • Work in those of you who believe."
  • 00:19:13.575 --> 00:19:16.645
  • The second conductor through which god's power flows into our
  • 00:19:16.645 --> 00:19:20.249
  • Life is, of course, prayer.
  • 00:19:20.249 --> 00:19:22.317
  • Romans chapter 8, verses 26 to 27: "and in the same way the
  • 00:19:22.317 --> 00:19:27.189
  • Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray
  • 00:19:27.189 --> 00:19:30.559
  • As we should, but the spirit himself intercedes for us with
  • 00:19:30.559 --> 00:19:34.896
  • Groaning too deep for words."
  • 00:19:34.896 --> 00:19:39.901
  • God's word, prayer, flow into our hearts in such a way that
  • 00:19:39.901 --> 00:19:45.474
  • Our desires and god's desires become one river that you
  • 00:19:45.474 --> 00:19:49.978
  • Can't distinguish.
  • 00:19:49.978 --> 00:19:51.680
  • As god's word flows into our life, our desires flow out.
  • 00:19:51.680 --> 00:19:57.986
  • His desires become our desires and our desires become
  • 00:19:57.986 --> 00:20:01.757
  • His desires.
  • 00:20:01.757 --> 00:20:03.992
  • Principle number five, and perhaps the most important: our
  • 00:20:03.992 --> 00:20:08.263
  • Desires are subject to god's sovereign plan.
  • 00:20:08.263 --> 00:20:12.534
  • Our desires are subject to god's sovereign plan.
  • 00:20:12.534 --> 00:20:16.138
  • Sometimes the desires we have may correspond to scripture,
  • 00:20:16.138 --> 00:20:19.274
  • They may make good sense.
  • 00:20:19.274 --> 00:20:21.310
  • They may follow the counsel of other people, and yet as good as
  • 00:20:21.310 --> 00:20:25.047
  • Our desires are, they are in conflict with god's specific
  • 00:20:25.047 --> 00:20:29.484
  • Plan for us.
  • 00:20:29.484 --> 00:20:31.620
  • Consider the example of king david.
  • 00:20:31.620 --> 00:20:34.056
  • Turn over to 1 kings chapter 8, verse 17.
  • 00:20:34.056 --> 00:20:38.093
  • These were actually solomon's words about his father david.
  • 00:20:38.093 --> 00:20:42.264
  • 1 kings chapter 8, verse 17.
  • 00:20:42.264 --> 00:20:44.599
  • Solomon said, "now it was in the heart of my father david to
  • 00:20:44.599 --> 00:20:49.204
  • Build a house for the name of the lord, the god of israel.
  • 00:20:49.204 --> 00:20:53.075
  • But the lord said to my father david, 'because it was in your
  • 00:20:53.075 --> 00:20:56.445
  • Heart to build a house for my name, you did
  • 00:20:56.445 --> 00:20:58.980
  • Well that it was in your heart.
  • 00:20:58.980 --> 00:21:01.116
  • Nevertheless,'" god said, "'you shall not build the house, but
  • 00:21:01.116 --> 00:21:05.287
  • Your son who shall be born to you, he shall build the house
  • 00:21:05.287 --> 00:21:09.524
  • For my name.'"
  • 00:21:09.524 --> 00:21:12.027
  • David was a man who loved god.
  • 00:21:12.027 --> 00:21:14.363
  • He was a man who walked after god.
  • 00:21:14.363 --> 00:21:17.833
  • He was a man who was faithful to god except for a few notable
  • 00:21:17.833 --> 00:21:21.169
  • Lapses like the bathsheba fiasco, but for the most part he
  • 00:21:21.169 --> 00:21:25.574
  • Was a man after god's own heart, and david had this burning
  • 00:21:25.574 --> 00:21:29.444
  • Desire in his heart to build a temple for the lord.
  • 00:21:29.444 --> 00:21:32.514
  • He didn't think it was right to wander around with this portable
  • 00:21:32.514 --> 00:21:36.084
  • Temple, the tabernacle.
  • 00:21:36.084 --> 00:21:37.452
  • He said, "we ought to build the most magnificent temple we could
  • 00:21:37.452 --> 00:21:40.389
  • That would glorify god throughout the whole land."
  • 00:21:40.389 --> 00:21:42.758
  • You know what god said about that?
  • 00:21:42.758 --> 00:21:44.092
  • He said, "david, that's a great idea.
  • 00:21:44.092 --> 00:21:46.395
  • That's a wonderful plan, and i am gonna have that temple built,
  • 00:21:46.395 --> 00:21:50.832
  • But you're not the one who's going to do it.
  • 00:21:50.832 --> 00:21:53.235
  • Your son is the one who's going to do it."
  • 00:21:53.235 --> 00:21:57.506
  • We need to realize, no matter how good our plans are,
  • 00:21:57.506 --> 00:22:00.909
  • Ultimately, god has the final say.
  • 00:22:00.909 --> 00:22:05.847
  • Our desires are always to be superseded by god's decrees.
  • 00:22:05.847 --> 00:22:12.120
  • Are desires a way god speaks to us?
  • 00:22:12.120 --> 00:22:15.390
  • Absolutely.
  • 00:22:15.390 --> 00:22:17.192
  • But paul is saying ultimately the only desires that we can
  • 00:22:17.192 --> 00:22:20.996
  • Trust are those desires of ours that have been transformed by
  • 00:22:20.996 --> 00:22:25.967
  • The power of god and those desires which have been
  • 00:22:25.967 --> 00:22:30.505
  • Sacrificed on the altar of god.
  • 00:22:30.505 --> 00:22:34.810
  • Jeffress: no matter how good our plans may be, ultimately god has
  • 00:22:39.047 --> 00:22:43.185
  • The final say.
  • 00:22:43.185 --> 00:22:45.020
  • Our desires are subject to god's sovereignty.
  • 00:22:45.020 --> 00:22:49.057
  • Now in closing, i want to share a note i received from clay.
  • 00:22:49.057 --> 00:22:52.627
  • He wrote: "pastor jeffress, i was raised in the church, but
  • 00:22:52.627 --> 00:22:56.364
  • Drifted away because i felt disconnected from what i was
  • 00:22:56.364 --> 00:22:59.968
  • Hearing on sunday.
  • 00:22:59.968 --> 00:23:01.536
  • It didn't match the reality of my daily life.
  • 00:23:01.536 --> 00:23:05.006
  • Then my mother introduced me to 'pathway to victory,' and i have
  • 00:23:05.006 --> 00:23:08.810
  • Never stopped listening.
  • 00:23:08.810 --> 00:23:10.645
  • 'pathway to victory' has made a real difference in my spiritual
  • 00:23:10.645 --> 00:23:13.915
  • Walk, so much so that i now serve on the board of my
  • 00:23:13.915 --> 00:23:17.486
  • Local church.
  • 00:23:17.486 --> 00:23:18.954
  • Listening gives me peace, comfort, and guidance.
  • 00:23:18.954 --> 00:23:22.524
  • Thanks for all you do."
  • 00:23:22.524 --> 00:23:24.693
  • Well, thank you, clay, for those words of encouragement.
  • 00:23:24.693 --> 00:23:28.196
  • And friends, when you partner with "pathway to victory,"
  • 00:23:28.196 --> 00:23:31.333
  • You're the one who's reaching men and women like clay and so
  • 00:23:31.333 --> 00:23:34.870
  • Many others.
  • 00:23:34.870 --> 00:23:36.204
  • So thanks for linking arms with us to pierce the darkness with
  • 00:23:36.204 --> 00:23:40.342
  • The light of god's word.
  • 00:23:40.342 --> 00:23:42.244
  • Stay right there.
  • 00:23:42.244 --> 00:23:43.612
  • I'll be back with more "pathway to victory" in just a moment.
  • 00:23:43.612 --> 00:23:49.050
  • Announcer: life's most important crossroads often arrive
  • 00:23:49.117 --> 00:23:51.853
  • Without warning.
  • 00:23:51.853 --> 00:23:53.321
  • When the stakes are high and the path forward isn't clear, how
  • 00:23:53.321 --> 00:23:56.791
  • Can you be confident you're following god's will?
  • 00:23:56.791 --> 00:23:59.494
  • In "how to make wise decisions," trusted author and bible teacher
  • 00:23:59.494 --> 00:24:03.732
  • Dr. robert jeffress offers you practical advice on how you can
  • 00:24:03.732 --> 00:24:07.536
  • Know with certainty the will of god in any situation.
  • 00:24:07.536 --> 00:24:11.206
  • Jeffress: one of the most frequently asked questions i
  • 00:24:11.206 --> 00:24:13.909
  • Receive as a pastor is: how can i know god's will for my life?
  • 00:24:13.909 --> 00:24:18.847
  • Too many believers are paralyzed by fear of making the wrong
  • 00:24:18.847 --> 00:24:22.350
  • Choice, but god hasn't left us guessing.
  • 00:24:22.350 --> 00:24:25.487
  • In my book, i reveal the biblical principles for
  • 00:24:25.487 --> 00:24:28.623
  • Recognizing god's voice and discerning god's will.
  • 00:24:28.623 --> 00:24:32.594
  • Announcer: request your copy of, "how to make wise decisions,"
  • 00:24:32.594 --> 00:24:35.363
  • When you give a generous gift to "pathway to victory"
  • 00:24:35.363 --> 00:24:38.366
  • Or when you become a pathway partner.
  • 00:24:38.366 --> 00:24:40.635
  • And with your ministry gift of $75 or more, we'll also include
  • 00:24:40.635 --> 00:24:45.040
  • The complete "how to make wise decisions" teaching series on
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  • Both cd and dvd.
  • 00:24:48.443 --> 00:24:50.378
  • Jeffress: when god speaks to us, he does so more than just to
  • 00:24:50.378 --> 00:24:53.014
  • Give us courage and comfort to face our present situation.
  • 00:24:53.014 --> 00:24:56.985
  • He actually promises guidance, direction,
  • 00:24:56.985 --> 00:25:00.055
  • To those who trust in him.
  • 00:25:00.055 --> 00:25:02.357
  • Announcer: thank you for partnering with us to share
  • 00:25:02.357 --> 00:25:04.626
  • God's life-transforming word with a world in need.
  • 00:25:04.626 --> 00:25:08.163
  • Your generosity will empower "pathway to victory" to speak
  • 00:25:08.163 --> 00:25:11.499
  • Bold biblical truth into your life and the lives of millions
  • 00:25:11.499 --> 00:25:15.370
  • Across the country and around the world.
  • 00:25:15.370 --> 00:25:20.208
  • Jeffress: god speaks to us through the desires he places in
  • 00:25:20.275 --> 00:25:23.311
  • Our heart and, with the help of these five guiding principles, i
  • 00:25:23.311 --> 00:25:27.549
  • Believe you can confidently use your desires to discern the will
  • 00:25:27.549 --> 00:25:31.753
  • Of god.
  • 00:25:31.753 --> 00:25:33.088
  • Next time i wanna move our discussion about god's will from
  • 00:25:33.088 --> 00:25:36.524
  • The philosophical to the practical, and i'll start by
  • 00:25:36.524 --> 00:25:40.695
  • Applying the principles we have learned to an especially
  • 00:25:40.695 --> 00:25:44.032
  • Important area of life: how to choose a mate.
  • 00:25:44.032 --> 00:25:47.969
  • Stay tuned for a preview of what's coming up next in our
  • 00:25:47.969 --> 00:25:50.639
  • Series, "how to make wise decisions."
  • 00:25:50.639 --> 00:25:54.909
  • Jeffress: where are the single men and women?
  • 00:25:54.976 --> 00:25:57.012
  • Where is the best place to find them?
  • 00:25:57.012 --> 00:25:58.813
  • The best place to find them is at the local watering hole, and
  • 00:25:58.813 --> 00:26:02.917
  • I'm not talking about the bar.
  • 00:26:02.917 --> 00:26:05.253
  • I'm talking about the spiritual watering hole, the church, where
  • 00:26:05.253 --> 00:26:09.758
  • The water of life is poured out.
  • 00:26:09.758 --> 00:26:12.127
  • Announcer: set your dvr and join us next time for the message,
  • 00:26:12.127 --> 00:26:15.363
  • "how to choose a mate," here on "pathway to victory."
  • 00:26:15.363 --> 00:26:18.366
  • Announcer: experience the beauty of alaska with the "pathway to
  • 00:26:21.603 --> 00:26:24.673
  • Victory" family, june 13 through 20, 2026.
  • 00:26:24.673 --> 00:26:28.410
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:26:28.410 --> 00:27:10.185
  • Announcer: don't wait.
  • 00:26:38.353 --> 00:27:11.519
  • Our best cabins are going fast.
  • 00:27:11.519 --> 00:27:12.887
  • Secure your alaska adventure now.
  • 00:27:12.887 --> 00:27:14.989
  • Call...
  • 00:27:14.989 --> 00:27:18.059
  • Or visit ptv.org.
  • 00:27:18.059 --> 00:27:27.235