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Dr. Robert Jeffress

Robert Jeffress - A Winning Church (Part 2)

May 12, 2025 | S25:E225

Robert Jeffress - A Winning Church (Part 2)
Pathway to Victory offers a practical application of God’s Word to everyday life through the clear, biblical teaching of Pastor Jeffress.
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Dr. Robert Jeffress | Robert Jeffress - A Winning Church (Part 2) | May 12, 2025
  • ...
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  • ♪♪♪
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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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  • Most christians understand that being involved
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  • In a local church is vital to their spiritual growth, but what
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  • Exactly happens in church that we can't do on our own?
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  • Well, last week, we started looking at a four-letter
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  • Acrostic: w-i-n-s.
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  • I use w-i-n-s, wins, to describe four characteristics of a
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  • Healthy church, and today i'll use those four ingredients to
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  • Form a checklist for the kind of church we ought to look for.
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  • My message is titled "a winning church" on today's edition of
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  • "pathway to victory."
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • ♪ who has laid the waters ♪
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  • ♪ and spread out the land. ♪
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  • ♪ give him thanks. ♪
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  • ♪ his love endures forever. ♪
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  • ♪ oh, his love endures forever. ♪
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  • ♪ give him thanks. ♪
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • ♪ who has conquered kingdoms, ♪
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  • ♪ crushed the enemy. ♪
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  • ♪ give him thanks. ♪
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  • ♪ who will fight our battles, ♪
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  • ♪ give us victory. ♪
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  • ♪ give him thanks. ♪
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  • ♪ give thanks. ♪
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  • ♪ give thanks to the lord, ♪
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  • ♪ for he is good. ♪
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  • ♪ give thanks to the god of all gods. ♪
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  • ♪ give thanks to the lord, for he is good. ♪
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  • ♪ give thanks to the god of all gods. ♪
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  • ♪ give thanks. ♪
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  • ♪ give him thanks. ♪
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  • ♪ thanks. ♪♪
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  • Announcer: god never intended for the holy spirit to be a
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  • Mystery to believers.
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  • In fact, if you're a follower of jesus, then god's spirit is
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  • Dwelling inside of you, and he's waiting to unleash his
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  • Supernatural power in your life.
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  • In his best-selling book "i want more," dr. robert jeffress
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  • Teaches what it means to be filled with the power of the
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  • Holy spirit.
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  • Looking to satisfy your spiritual cravings?
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  • Request the book "i want more" when you give a generous gift to
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  • "pathway to victory."
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Jeffress: he's saying when we get together as christians, we
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  • Ought to, in a positive way,
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  • Irritate, stimulate one another to produce
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  • Something good, and that is faith and good deeds.
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  • "how is it that being around other christians produces
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  • Something good in my life?"
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  • One reason god puts us in the church is to put us in contact
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  • With other christians who have gifts we don't have so that we
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  • Can start to exercise those qualities.
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  • For example, god wants us to be giving.
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  • He wants us to give of our personal resources.
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  • How does he challenge us to be more giving with our assets than
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  • We are now?
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  • He puts us in contact with other believers in the church who have
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  • That gift of giving, whose example can be an encouragement
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  • To us to be more giving.
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  • And god wants us to be merciful.
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  • How does he make us more merciful?
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  • He does so by putting us in contact with other believers who
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  • Have that gift of mercy, being able to identify with and
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  • Comfort those who are in distress.
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  • God wants us to be serving.
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  • He wants us to learn like jesus did to come not to be served but
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  • To serve and to give your life as a ransom for many.
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  • He wants us all to have a devoted servant's life.
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  • How do we become more servant?
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  • Well, i think about our own church.
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  • I mean, we've got a lot of people in our church with the
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  • Gifts of serving.
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  • I think about our member ron anderson, the ceo of
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  • Parkland hospital.
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  • And, you know, ron anderson has been under some fire lately in
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  • The paper, just like any of us who are in the public arena.
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  • But i wanna tell you something about ron that i know.
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  • I know from talking to other people who know what they're
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  • Talking about, they said ron anderson could make three times
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  • As much money as he's making at parkland in another hospital.
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  • But ron is at parkland hospital because his mission in life is
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  • To serve the poor.
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  • That is his calling, he says, in life.
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  • And, you know, i need to learn how to do that more.
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  • And the way i learned that more is by being around somebody like
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  • Ron anderson, and let me just say we are proud to have ron
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  • Anderson as a member of this church, and we are grateful to
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  • Have him as citizens of dallas from parkland hospital.
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  • He is a great man of god.
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  • But, you see, ron is in this church to help us become more
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  • Serving, just like other members are in this church to help us be
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  • More giving and merciful and prophetic, and on and on and on
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  • It goes.
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  • That is the idea here.
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  • We need to be around other christians who will provoke us,
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  • Who will stimulate us, to be more like christ.
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  • Did you know that even negative experiences in the church can
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  • Help us become more like christ?
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  • This last week, i've been in two hemispheres preaching the
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  • Same message.
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  • I was down in south america with the choir, preaching a message
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  • On forgiveness.
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  • A couple of days ago, i was in another large church in another
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  • State, preaching the very same message, and i had the same
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  • Response in both situations.
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  • After i finished the message, people wanted to come up and
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  • Meet with me privately, and they shared the same story in the
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  • Southern hemisphere and in the northern hemisphere.
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  • They said, "pastor, we have been hurt, and we have been hurt
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  • Deeply in the church, but we know god wants us to forgive,
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  • And tonight, we're making the decision to forgive."
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  • Now, would they have had to learn to forgive if they had not
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  • Been wounded or hurt to begin with?
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  • No.
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  • No, it was that offense that challenged them to develop that
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  • Quality of forgiveness that god wants us all to have.
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  • And without offenses, nothing positive can come, and that's a
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  • Great reason to be a member of the church.
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  • There's no better place to get hurt anywhere than in the
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  • Church, okay?
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  • I mean, if you wanna learn how to be forgiving, if you wanna
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  • Have to learn how to be patient, if you wanna learn how to have
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  • To control your anger, if you wanna learn these things, be
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  • Around other people.
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  • And that's why god created the church.
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  • There are both positive and negative experiences that all
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  • Work together to make us like jesus christ.
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  • Secondly, the church offers us encouragement when we
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  • Are discouraged.
  • 00:08:00.970 --> 00:08:02.338
  • Look at verse 25.
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  • "not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the
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  • Habit of some, but encouraging one another."
  • 00:08:07.677 --> 00:08:11.814
  • That word "encouraging" means to build up.
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  • I bet you've heard this before.
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  • I have.
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  • Somebody in the church who has lost a loved one and-- or gone
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  • Through an illness, and the church members have rallied
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  • Around them to support them, and this person will say, "you know,
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  • I don't know how people make it who don't have a church to
  • 00:08:28.064 --> 00:08:31.334
  • Support them in times like this."
  • 00:08:31.334 --> 00:08:32.702
  • Haven't you heard people say that?
  • 00:08:32.702 --> 00:08:34.470
  • How do people make it who don't have a church?
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  • The answer is they don't make it most of the time.
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  • They crumble under the weight of life's problems.
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  • But how great it is that we have a church.
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  • We have sunday school classes and departments that rally
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  • Around people when they have times of need, and that's a
  • 00:08:50.820 --> 00:08:54.323
  • Great reason, by the way, to be involved in sunday school.
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  • You know, in this auditorium, you can't know one another.
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  • You can't have interaction with one another.
  • 00:09:01.530 --> 00:09:03.499
  • But in a small group fellowship, you get to know the needs of one
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  • Another and are able to minister to one another.
  • 00:09:06.969 --> 00:09:09.739
  • Unfortunately, too many christians allow the problems of
  • 00:09:09.739 --> 00:09:13.542
  • Life to drive them away from the church rather than into a closer
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  • Relationship with the church.
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  • I've actually had people who are going through a difficult storm
  • 00:09:20.750 --> 00:09:24.954
  • In their life say to me, "pastor, we don't want you to be
  • 00:09:24.954 --> 00:09:28.157
  • Alarmed now, but we're gonna take a little sabbatical from
  • 00:09:28.157 --> 00:09:30.726
  • Church for a while until we get through this problem, and once
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  • We get through this problem, we'll come back to church."
  • 00:09:34.163 --> 00:09:37.633
  • You know, i used to be a lot more diplomatic than i am now.
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  • I used to try to hide my reaction to such statements, but
  • 00:09:40.836 --> 00:09:44.674
  • Now i don't even try to hide it.
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  • I'll say to somebody who says that, "that is the dumbest idea
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  • I've ever heard.
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  • You're gonna take a vacation from church when you're going
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  • Through this storm?"
  • 00:09:54.316 --> 00:09:55.885
  • And my friend david jeremiah is much more diplomatic than i am.
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  • Listen to what he says about that.
  • 00:09:59.755 --> 00:10:02.058
  • He says, "our faith isn't a luxury intended for periods of
  • 00:10:02.058 --> 00:10:06.395
  • Smooth sailing, and neither is our fellowship.
  • 00:10:06.395 --> 00:10:10.332
  • When trouble comes along, that's when it's wonderful to be a part
  • 00:10:10.332 --> 00:10:13.836
  • Of a faithful, bible-believing body of people who will rally
  • 00:10:13.836 --> 00:10:17.907
  • Around you.
  • 00:10:17.907 --> 00:10:19.275
  • They'll pray for you, support you with their resources,
  • 00:10:19.275 --> 00:10:22.478
  • Encourage you, and counsel you in tough decisions."
  • 00:10:22.478 --> 00:10:26.549
  • Now get this: "the devil is the only one whose opinion is that
  • 00:10:26.549 --> 00:10:31.420
  • You should take a sabbatical from church during hard times."
  • 00:10:31.420 --> 00:10:36.425
  • The church offers us encouragement when
  • 00:10:36.425 --> 00:10:39.195
  • We're discouraged.
  • 00:10:39.195 --> 00:10:40.529
  • Thirdly, the church offers us correction when we stray.
  • 00:10:40.529 --> 00:10:45.601
  • Remember, this book of hebrews was written to a group of
  • 00:10:45.601 --> 00:10:47.937
  • Christians who are in danger of straying away from their
  • 00:10:47.937 --> 00:10:51.741
  • Spiritual life, falling back into their former way of life.
  • 00:10:51.741 --> 00:10:56.045
  • And so there are all of these warning passages in the book of
  • 00:10:56.045 --> 00:10:58.681
  • Hebrews about what happens to a christian who falls back into
  • 00:10:58.681 --> 00:11:02.985
  • His old way of life.
  • 00:11:02.985 --> 00:11:04.954
  • Frankly, the writer of hebrews: "the bible offers no hope for a
  • 00:11:04.954 --> 00:11:09.158
  • Christian who goes on willfully sinning after receiving the
  • 00:11:09.158 --> 00:11:13.095
  • Knowledge of the truth," hebrews 10 says.
  • 00:11:13.095 --> 00:11:15.765
  • He said, "there is no more sacrifice for sins, but a
  • 00:11:15.765 --> 00:11:19.602
  • Certain terrifying expectation of judgment to come."
  • 00:11:19.602 --> 00:11:23.105
  • There is no hope for a christian who leaves the faith and falls
  • 00:11:23.105 --> 00:11:27.510
  • Back into sin, but there is an antidote from falling away from
  • 00:11:27.510 --> 00:11:32.681
  • The faith.
  • 00:11:32.681 --> 00:11:34.016
  • And that antidote is given in verse 24: "do not forsake the
  • 00:11:34.016 --> 00:11:38.120
  • Assembling together of yourselves."
  • 00:11:38.120 --> 00:11:40.689
  • The way to keep from being attacked by the evil one,
  • 00:11:40.689 --> 00:11:44.093
  • Isolated from other christians, and then to have your faith
  • 00:11:44.093 --> 00:11:47.530
  • Destroyed, the antidote to that is to make sure you're assembled
  • 00:11:47.530 --> 00:11:51.801
  • Together with other believers on a regular basis.
  • 00:11:51.801 --> 00:11:55.004
  • You see, one of satan's oldest and best-used and most effective
  • 00:11:55.004 --> 00:11:59.542
  • Tactics against us is to isolate us from other christians, once
  • 00:11:59.542 --> 00:12:05.047
  • He has us isolated, then to attack us, and then, finally, to
  • 00:12:05.047 --> 00:12:09.084
  • Destroy us.
  • 00:12:09.084 --> 00:12:10.419
  • Listen to what dietrich bonhoeffer said.
  • 00:12:10.419 --> 00:12:12.955
  • He said, "sin demands to have a man by himself.
  • 00:12:12.955 --> 00:12:17.059
  • It withdraws him from the community.
  • 00:12:17.059 --> 00:12:19.395
  • The more isolated a person is, the more destructive will be the
  • 00:12:19.395 --> 00:12:23.532
  • Power of sin over him.
  • 00:12:23.532 --> 00:12:26.135
  • And the more deeply he becomes involved in it, the more
  • 00:12:26.135 --> 00:12:29.138
  • Disastrous is his isolation.
  • 00:12:29.138 --> 00:12:32.174
  • Sin wants to remain unknown.
  • 00:12:32.174 --> 00:12:35.010
  • It shuns the light.
  • 00:12:35.010 --> 00:12:36.879
  • In the darkness of the unexpressed, it poisons the
  • 00:12:36.879 --> 00:12:40.282
  • Whole being of a person."
  • 00:12:40.282 --> 00:12:43.919
  • We need to be around other christians who can watch out for
  • 00:12:43.919 --> 00:12:47.890
  • Us, and when they see us starting to drift in our
  • 00:12:47.890 --> 00:12:51.260
  • Relationship with god, will have the courage to lovingly
  • 00:12:51.260 --> 00:12:55.164
  • Confront us.
  • 00:12:55.164 --> 00:12:57.366
  • You know, i look back over my own life in ministry, and i can
  • 00:12:57.366 --> 00:13:01.370
  • Say with absolute sincerity how grateful i am for people in
  • 00:13:01.370 --> 00:13:05.908
  • Other churches, people in this church, who saw something that
  • 00:13:05.908 --> 00:13:09.612
  • Was wrong in my life or ministry and had the courage to tell me
  • 00:13:09.612 --> 00:13:14.283
  • Not what i wanted to hear but what i needed to hear.
  • 00:13:14.283 --> 00:13:17.953
  • And some of you know exactly who you are.
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  • Thank you.
  • 00:13:20.022 --> 00:13:21.657
  • Proverbs 27:6 says, "faithful are the wounds of a friend."
  • 00:13:21.657 --> 00:13:27.429
  • We need other believers to correct us if we begin to stray.
  • 00:13:27.429 --> 00:13:33.535
  • Notice the fourth ingredient of a church that generates
  • 00:13:33.535 --> 00:13:37.139
  • God's power.
  • 00:13:37.139 --> 00:13:38.474
  • That fourth ingredient, the s, stands for sharing.
  • 00:13:38.474 --> 00:13:41.610
  • Look at verse 47.
  • 00:13:41.610 --> 00:13:42.978
  • "they were praising god, and having favor with all
  • 00:13:42.978 --> 00:13:45.981
  • The people.
  • 00:13:45.981 --> 00:13:47.316
  • And the lord was adding to their number day by day those who were
  • 00:13:47.316 --> 00:13:52.154
  • Being saved."
  • 00:13:52.154 --> 00:13:53.589
  • These early christians, they were not content just to sit,
  • 00:13:53.589 --> 00:13:57.459
  • Soak, and sour on the word of god, as so many people do in
  • 00:13:57.459 --> 00:14:01.163
  • Other churches.
  • 00:14:01.163 --> 00:14:02.531
  • No, they realized that the reason they were worshiping and
  • 00:14:02.531 --> 00:14:05.601
  • Instructing-- receiving instruction from god's word and
  • 00:14:05.601 --> 00:14:08.837
  • Being nourished was so that they could take the gospel outside to
  • 00:14:08.837 --> 00:14:12.875
  • The unbelievers, and that's exactly what they did.
  • 00:14:12.875 --> 00:14:16.111
  • You see, god's plan is, for this church, any church, to be an
  • 00:14:16.111 --> 00:14:20.916
  • Equipping station.
  • 00:14:20.916 --> 00:14:22.251
  • Remember ephesians 4:12?
  • 00:14:22.251 --> 00:14:23.719
  • He gave apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers
  • 00:14:23.719 --> 00:14:26.355
  • To do what?
  • 00:14:26.355 --> 00:14:27.723
  • "to equip the saints," that's you, "for the work of ministry,
  • 00:14:27.723 --> 00:14:32.594
  • To the building up of the body of christ."
  • 00:14:32.594 --> 00:14:34.930
  • That word "equip" is the greek word kartatismos,
  • 00:14:34.930 --> 00:14:38.167
  • And it literally means to load up a ship with supplies
  • 00:14:38.167 --> 00:14:41.270
  • Before that ship sets out on a long journey.
  • 00:14:41.270 --> 00:14:44.306
  • Now, that's god's plan here.
  • 00:14:44.306 --> 00:14:46.141
  • God's plan is for us to meet on sundays, for me, the pastor, to
  • 00:14:46.141 --> 00:14:49.912
  • Give you the supplies you need so that you can go out and do
  • 00:14:49.912 --> 00:14:54.650
  • Ministry six days a week to equip the saints for the work of
  • 00:14:54.650 --> 00:14:59.788
  • Ministry, to the building up of the body of christ.
  • 00:14:59.788 --> 00:15:04.827
  • That word "building up," oikodome in greek, is a word
  • 00:15:04.827 --> 00:15:08.163
  • That refers to the physical building of a building.
  • 00:15:08.163 --> 00:15:12.301
  • But listen to this: while we're building the physical structure
  • 00:15:12.301 --> 00:15:15.571
  • Of the church, god is building the spiritual structure of
  • 00:15:15.571 --> 00:15:19.541
  • The church.
  • 00:15:19.541 --> 00:15:20.876
  • And he's not doing it beam upon beam or brick upon brick.
  • 00:15:20.876 --> 00:15:23.445
  • He's doing it life upon life.
  • 00:15:23.445 --> 00:15:26.582
  • See, the church, 1 peter says, is a spiritual temple, and it's
  • 00:15:26.582 --> 00:15:30.853
  • Composed of living stones, individual lives.
  • 00:15:30.853 --> 00:15:35.090
  • And every time there's a new convert into the kingdom of god,
  • 00:15:35.090 --> 00:15:38.160
  • They are added to the church.
  • 00:15:38.160 --> 00:15:39.795
  • And the church is getting larger and larger and larger.
  • 00:15:39.795 --> 00:15:43.232
  • That is god's plan.
  • 00:15:43.232 --> 00:15:44.833
  • He said we are to equip the saints for the work of service.
  • 00:15:44.833 --> 00:15:48.537
  • You're to go out so that we can build up, not just spiritually,
  • 00:15:48.537 --> 00:15:52.641
  • But numerically the body of christ.
  • 00:15:52.641 --> 00:15:55.177
  • How many people believe here that god would like to rescue as
  • 00:15:55.177 --> 00:15:58.080
  • Many people from hell as possible?
  • 00:15:58.080 --> 00:15:59.948
  • How many believe that about god?
  • 00:15:59.948 --> 00:16:01.950
  • That's what god wants to do.
  • 00:16:01.950 --> 00:16:03.318
  • He's not trying to save as few people as possible, like some
  • 00:16:03.318 --> 00:16:05.754
  • People teach.
  • 00:16:05.754 --> 00:16:07.089
  • He's trying to save as many people as possible, and he uses
  • 00:16:07.089 --> 00:16:09.925
  • You and me to do that.
  • 00:16:09.925 --> 00:16:12.127
  • God has commanded his church to be built, but we're the workmen
  • 00:16:12.127 --> 00:16:16.231
  • That go out, and we gather the bricks.
  • 00:16:16.231 --> 00:16:18.333
  • We gather the stones as god adds them to the church.
  • 00:16:18.333 --> 00:16:23.005
  • What happens to a church that's involved in worship and
  • 00:16:23.005 --> 00:16:26.108
  • Instruction and nourishment but fails to go out and share the
  • 00:16:26.108 --> 00:16:30.145
  • Message with unbelievers?
  • 00:16:30.145 --> 00:16:32.581
  • I know i've shared this with you before, but i'm gonna do it
  • 00:16:32.581 --> 00:16:34.983
  • Again because it's so effective.
  • 00:16:34.983 --> 00:16:37.219
  • Max lucado talks about a fishing trip that he took when he was in
  • 00:16:37.219 --> 00:16:41.123
  • High school with his dad and his best friend, mark.
  • 00:16:41.123 --> 00:16:44.693
  • Unfortunately, weather made them stay inside instead of going
  • 00:16:44.693 --> 00:16:49.498
  • Fishing, and this is what max writes.
  • 00:16:49.498 --> 00:16:52.067
  • "the inclement weather kept us from fishing.
  • 00:16:52.067 --> 00:16:55.237
  • Instead, we spent several days cooped up inside the cabin,
  • 00:16:55.237 --> 00:16:58.874
  • Perusing old copies of 'reader's digest' and playing endless
  • 00:16:58.874 --> 00:17:02.878
  • Rounds of monopoly.
  • 00:17:02.878 --> 00:17:05.114
  • I began to notice a few things i hadn't seen before.
  • 00:17:05.114 --> 00:17:08.450
  • I noticed that my friend mark had a few personality flaws.
  • 00:17:08.450 --> 00:17:14.756
  • He was a bit too cocky about his opinions.
  • 00:17:14.756 --> 00:17:17.459
  • He was easily irritated and constantly edgy, and he couldn't
  • 00:17:17.459 --> 00:17:22.231
  • Take any conservative criticism.
  • 00:17:22.231 --> 00:17:25.234
  • Even though his socks did stink, he didn't think it was my
  • 00:17:25.234 --> 00:17:28.437
  • Business to tell him.
  • 00:17:28.437 --> 00:17:30.405
  • And dad, well, he couldn't do anything right.
  • 00:17:30.405 --> 00:17:33.342
  • I wondered some-- i wondered how someone so irritable could have
  • 00:17:33.342 --> 00:17:37.179
  • Had such an even-tempered son like myself.
  • 00:17:37.179 --> 00:17:42.284
  • We sat in that cabin in misery the whole day.
  • 00:17:42.284 --> 00:17:46.722
  • I learned a hard lesson that week, not about fishing, but
  • 00:17:46.722 --> 00:17:51.293
  • About people.
  • 00:17:51.293 --> 00:17:52.928
  • When those who are called to fish don't fish, they fight.
  • 00:17:52.928 --> 00:17:59.368
  • When energy intended to be used outside is used inside, the
  • 00:17:59.368 --> 00:18:04.673
  • Result is explosive.
  • 00:18:04.673 --> 00:18:06.808
  • Instead of casting nets, we cast stones.
  • 00:18:06.808 --> 00:18:12.414
  • What a contrast to this first-century church.
  • 00:18:12.414 --> 00:18:15.417
  • They expended their energy casting nets for converts,
  • 00:18:15.417 --> 00:18:21.356
  • Fishing for men rather than fighting with congregants, and
  • 00:18:21.356 --> 00:18:25.527
  • The result was, "the lord," verse 42, "was adding to their
  • 00:18:25.527 --> 00:18:29.398
  • Number day by day those who were being saved."
  • 00:18:29.398 --> 00:18:34.536
  • What are the principles from this message?
  • 00:18:34.536 --> 00:18:36.138
  • Let me share two timeless truths from this passage with
  • 00:18:36.138 --> 00:18:39.141
  • You today.
  • 00:18:39.141 --> 00:18:40.509
  • First of all, principle number one: we should view the church
  • 00:18:40.509 --> 00:18:44.379
  • As god's creation, not our organization.
  • 00:18:44.379 --> 00:18:49.551
  • I'm amazed at how many christians fail to understand
  • 00:18:49.551 --> 00:18:52.854
  • That the church, the local church, is not our idea.
  • 00:18:52.854 --> 00:18:56.158
  • It was god's idea.
  • 00:18:56.158 --> 00:18:58.160
  • It wasn't a group of people sitting up at baptist
  • 00:18:58.160 --> 00:19:00.195
  • Headquarters in nashville saying, "hey, i've got an idea
  • 00:19:00.195 --> 00:19:02.598
  • For a new program.
  • 00:19:02.598 --> 00:19:03.932
  • Let's create something called the church, and we'll have a
  • 00:19:03.932 --> 00:19:06.034
  • Pastor, and we'll have deacons, and we'll do that."
  • 00:19:06.034 --> 00:19:08.070
  • That's not how the church was instituted.
  • 00:19:08.070 --> 00:19:10.672
  • It was god's plan.
  • 00:19:10.672 --> 00:19:12.975
  • God created the church to fulfill his purpose, but listen
  • 00:19:12.975 --> 00:19:16.044
  • To this: he also created the church to provide the things he
  • 00:19:16.044 --> 00:19:19.615
  • Wants to give to you, the things you most need in your spiritual
  • 00:19:19.615 --> 00:19:22.884
  • Life: challenge, encouragement, correction.
  • 00:19:22.884 --> 00:19:26.755
  • The church is his instrument for pouring those things into
  • 00:19:26.755 --> 00:19:31.159
  • Your life.
  • 00:19:31.159 --> 00:19:32.494
  • Yes, the church is filled with sinful people,
  • 00:19:32.494 --> 00:19:36.064
  • Just like you and i.
  • 00:19:36.064 --> 00:19:38.934
  • The church is filled with sinful people who create all
  • 00:19:38.934 --> 00:19:42.070
  • Kind of messes.
  • 00:19:42.070 --> 00:19:43.972
  • But i remember what my friend and mentor howard hendricks used
  • 00:19:43.972 --> 00:19:46.642
  • To say.
  • 00:19:46.642 --> 00:19:47.976
  • He said, "the church is a lot like noah's ark.
  • 00:19:47.976 --> 00:19:50.412
  • If it weren't for the storm on the outside, you couldn't stand
  • 00:19:50.412 --> 00:19:54.616
  • The stench on the inside."
  • 00:19:54.616 --> 00:19:58.153
  • That's true.
  • 00:19:58.153 --> 00:19:59.721
  • Yes, we do need the church.
  • 00:19:59.721 --> 00:20:02.724
  • It is god's creation, not our own organization.
  • 00:20:02.724 --> 00:20:07.162
  • Secondly, we should choose a church that is based on god's
  • 00:20:07.162 --> 00:20:10.966
  • Principles, not our preferences.
  • 00:20:10.966 --> 00:20:14.369
  • We should choose a church based on god's principles, not
  • 00:20:14.369 --> 00:20:18.440
  • Our preferences.
  • 00:20:18.440 --> 00:20:20.475
  • You know that i'm speaking to some of you who are guests
  • 00:20:20.475 --> 00:20:22.911
  • Today, some of you on television, radio, and you're in
  • 00:20:22.911 --> 00:20:25.714
  • The process of looking for a church.
  • 00:20:25.714 --> 00:20:27.749
  • Hopefully none of our members are looking for a church
  • 00:20:27.749 --> 00:20:29.851
  • Right now.
  • 00:20:29.851 --> 00:20:31.219
  • But some of you are looking for a church, or god may put you in
  • 00:20:31.219 --> 00:20:33.455
  • A situation where one day you're in a different city and you have
  • 00:20:33.455 --> 00:20:36.224
  • To choose a new church.
  • 00:20:36.224 --> 00:20:38.694
  • Let me suggest that these four ingredients of a winning church
  • 00:20:38.694 --> 00:20:41.830
  • Really form a checklist for the kind of church we ought to look
  • 00:20:41.830 --> 00:20:44.800
  • For-- worship, instruction, nourishment, sharing.
  • 00:20:44.800 --> 00:20:48.136
  • For example, is the bible the-- is the bible the foundation of
  • 00:20:48.136 --> 00:20:52.741
  • The pastor's message and all the teaching in the church?
  • 00:20:52.741 --> 00:20:56.645
  • Does the music-- regardless of whether it's contemporary or
  • 00:20:56.645 --> 00:20:59.648
  • Traditional, does the music direct our attention toward god?
  • 00:20:59.648 --> 00:21:04.152
  • Does the church offer small group opportunities like sunday
  • 00:21:04.152 --> 00:21:07.723
  • School or other small groups that enhance our fellowship with
  • 00:21:07.723 --> 00:21:11.526
  • Other believers?
  • 00:21:11.526 --> 00:21:13.028
  • Does the church care for and pray for the physical,
  • 00:21:13.028 --> 00:21:17.599
  • Emotional, and spiritual needs of all of its members?
  • 00:21:17.599 --> 00:21:21.803
  • Is there an active evangelism and missions program that takes
  • 00:21:21.803 --> 00:21:25.607
  • The gospel outside the four walls of the church into the
  • 00:21:25.607 --> 00:21:28.710
  • City and into the world?
  • 00:21:28.710 --> 00:21:30.612
  • And is there something supernatural that is happening
  • 00:21:30.612 --> 00:21:33.882
  • In that church that cannot be explained any other way than
  • 00:21:33.882 --> 00:21:37.319
  • Through the working of the holy spirit of god?
  • 00:21:37.319 --> 00:21:40.756
  • That's how to choose a church-- based on god's principles, not
  • 00:21:40.756 --> 00:21:45.827
  • On our preferences.
  • 00:21:45.827 --> 00:21:48.497
  • In 2002, cnn carried a story entitled "the miracle
  • 00:21:48.497 --> 00:21:52.167
  • Of quecreek."
  • 00:21:52.167 --> 00:21:53.535
  • It was about nine miners who were trapped three days in an
  • 00:21:53.535 --> 00:21:57.038
  • Underground, water-filled mine.
  • 00:21:57.038 --> 00:22:00.041
  • The story said the miners decided early on that they were
  • 00:22:00.041 --> 00:22:02.911
  • Going to live or die as a group.
  • 00:22:02.911 --> 00:22:06.381
  • The 55-degree water threatened to kill them slowly, according
  • 00:22:06.381 --> 00:22:09.751
  • To the report.
  • 00:22:09.751 --> 00:22:11.353
  • When one would get cold, the other eight would huddle around
  • 00:22:11.353 --> 00:22:14.689
  • The person and warm that person.
  • 00:22:14.689 --> 00:22:17.125
  • And when another person got cold, the favor was returned.
  • 00:22:17.125 --> 00:22:21.029
  • One miner, harry mayhugh, said, "everybody had strong moments.
  • 00:22:21.029 --> 00:22:25.834
  • But any certain time, maybe one guy got down and the rest pulled
  • 00:22:25.834 --> 00:22:29.771
  • Together, and then that guy would get back up, and maybe
  • 00:22:29.771 --> 00:22:32.541
  • Somebody else would feel a little weaker.
  • 00:22:32.541 --> 00:22:35.076
  • But it was a team effort.
  • 00:22:35.076 --> 00:22:37.279
  • That's the only way we could have ever survived."
  • 00:22:37.279 --> 00:22:42.250
  • What a great picture of what god meant for the church to be-- our
  • 00:22:42.250 --> 00:22:48.023
  • Lifting up one person who has fallen so that they can renew
  • 00:22:48.023 --> 00:22:53.428
  • Their strength, so that they can be encouraged in the faith.
  • 00:22:53.428 --> 00:22:57.499
  • You know, to paraphrase john dunn's word, no christian is an
  • 00:22:57.499 --> 00:23:02.070
  • Island unto himself.
  • 00:23:02.070 --> 00:23:03.872
  • We're like those porcupines.
  • 00:23:03.872 --> 00:23:05.340
  • We need one another even though we occasionally needle
  • 00:23:05.340 --> 00:23:08.710
  • One another.
  • 00:23:08.710 --> 00:23:10.212
  • The church is not some necessary evil.
  • 00:23:10.212 --> 00:23:13.114
  • It is god's provision in your life for worship, for
  • 00:23:13.114 --> 00:23:17.586
  • Instruction, and for nourishment, so that you can
  • 00:23:17.586 --> 00:23:21.690
  • Experience the incredible power of the holy spirit.
  • 00:23:21.690 --> 00:23:25.193
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:23:25.794 --> 00:23:31.066
  • Jeffress: even though the pandemic has made attendance for
  • 00:23:31.066 --> 00:23:33.768
  • Some a real challenge, the church remains god's chosen
  • 00:23:33.768 --> 00:23:37.839
  • Instrument for our spiritual nourishment.
  • 00:23:37.839 --> 00:23:40.909
  • Whether you connect with your church online or you're able to
  • 00:23:40.909 --> 00:23:43.912
  • Fellowship with your friends in person, i hope today's study has
  • 00:23:43.912 --> 00:23:47.883
  • Convinced you that engaging with a church family will truly
  • 00:23:47.883 --> 00:23:52.053
  • Help you.
  • 00:23:52.053 --> 00:23:53.388
  • In closing, i'd like to say a word of thanks to our
  • 00:23:53.388 --> 00:23:55.857
  • Financial partners.
  • 00:23:55.857 --> 00:23:57.492
  • When you give a generous gift to support the ministry of "pathway
  • 00:23:57.492 --> 00:24:00.862
  • To victory," your generosity will help us encourage many
  • 00:24:00.862 --> 00:24:05.267
  • People just like you while speaking biblical truth and hope
  • 00:24:05.267 --> 00:24:09.371
  • With boldness to men and women all across our great country and
  • 00:24:09.371 --> 00:24:13.842
  • Around our world.
  • 00:24:13.842 --> 00:24:15.277
  • I can report to you that your gifts are truly making a
  • 00:24:15.277 --> 00:24:18.747
  • Difference, so thank you so much for your generous financial
  • 00:24:18.747 --> 00:24:23.385
  • Support, as together we pierce the darkness with the light of
  • 00:24:23.385 --> 00:24:27.856
  • God's word.
  • 00:24:27.856 --> 00:24:29.224
  • Now, stay right there.
  • 00:24:29.224 --> 00:24:30.592
  • I'll be back with what's coming up next on "pathway to victory"
  • 00:24:30.592 --> 00:24:34.296
  • In just a moment.
  • 00:24:34.296 --> 00:24:35.897
  • Announcer: the bible promises that when we put our faith in
  • 00:24:35.964 --> 00:24:38.700
  • Jesus christ, our lives will be changed from the inside-out, and
  • 00:24:38.700 --> 00:24:42.904
  • Yet many christians feel discouraged and defeated in
  • 00:24:42.904 --> 00:24:45.640
  • Their daily walk.
  • 00:24:45.640 --> 00:24:46.975
  • Jeffress: if you're longing for something more in your
  • 00:24:46.975 --> 00:24:49.110
  • Relationship with god, you're not alone.
  • 00:24:49.110 --> 00:24:51.580
  • At one time, i felt dissatisfied and powerless to change it, but
  • 00:24:51.580 --> 00:24:56.117
  • By god's grace, i discovered how to deploy the power of the holy
  • 00:24:56.117 --> 00:25:00.355
  • Spirit in my life.
  • 00:25:00.355 --> 00:25:02.023
  • And today, i wanna help you discover that as well in my
  • 00:25:02.023 --> 00:25:05.760
  • Best-selling book "i want more."
  • 00:25:05.760 --> 00:25:08.897
  • Announcer: the book "i want more" was written to help you
  • 00:25:08.897 --> 00:25:11.466
  • Build spiritual strength as you pursue a fresh way to unleash
  • 00:25:11.466 --> 00:25:15.136
  • God's supernatural power in every area of your life.
  • 00:25:15.136 --> 00:25:18.907
  • You're invited to request a copy of "i want more" when you give a
  • 00:25:18.907 --> 00:25:22.210
  • Generous gift to support the ministry of "pathway to victory"
  • 00:25:22.210 --> 00:25:25.513
  • Or when you become a pathway partner.
  • 00:25:25.513 --> 00:25:27.816
  • And when you give $75 or more, we'll also send you the complete
  • 00:25:27.816 --> 00:25:31.953
  • "unleashed" teaching series on dvd and audio disc.
  • 00:25:31.953 --> 00:25:35.724
  • Jeffress: god has granted to you everything you need to lead a
  • 00:25:35.724 --> 00:25:41.029
  • Fulfilling existence while here on earth, and everything he has
  • 00:25:41.029 --> 00:25:44.532
  • Given you is all wrapped up in the holy spirit of god.
  • 00:25:44.532 --> 00:25:49.638
  • Announcer: your generous giving will help us encourage and equip
  • 00:25:49.638 --> 00:25:52.574
  • Viewers like you with biblical truth and hope.
  • 00:25:52.574 --> 00:25:55.610
  • Thank you so much for your support as we continue to impact
  • 00:25:55.610 --> 00:25:58.913
  • You, your family, and our nation with the transforming truth of
  • 00:25:58.913 --> 00:26:02.817
  • God's word.
  • 00:26:02.817 --> 00:26:04.185
  • Jeffress: other christians are like a transmission line that
  • 00:26:05.620 --> 00:26:09.024
  • Carries god's power into your life.
  • 00:26:09.024 --> 00:26:11.960
  • And not only did god use the early church to generate power
  • 00:26:11.960 --> 00:26:15.930
  • Into individual lives of believers, he wants to do the
  • 00:26:15.930 --> 00:26:20.235
  • Same in your life today.
  • 00:26:20.235 --> 00:26:23.104
  • Well, in this series on the holy spirit, we've been learning how
  • 00:26:23.104 --> 00:26:26.741
  • To unleash the power of the holy spirit in our lives, and
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  • Tomorrow, we'll look at the fourth and final channel:
  • 00:26:31.312 --> 00:26:34.883
  • Obedience to god.
  • 00:26:34.883 --> 00:26:36.985
  • If you want to keep the power of the holy spirit burning brightly
  • 00:26:36.985 --> 00:26:41.189
  • In your life, you'll need to avoid the four spirit quenchers
  • 00:26:41.189 --> 00:26:45.527
  • I'll talk about next time.
  • 00:26:45.527 --> 00:26:47.629
  • I'll describe those four spirit quenchers and how to avoid them
  • 00:26:47.629 --> 00:26:51.866
  • In your christian life.
  • 00:26:51.866 --> 00:26:53.635
  • Stay tuned for a preview of what's coming up next on
  • 00:26:53.635 --> 00:26:56.638
  • "pathway to victory."
  • 00:26:56.638 --> 00:26:59.274
  • Jeffress: and yet here we work with god to put this fire, to
  • 00:26:59.340 --> 00:27:02.911
  • Get this fire of his power and his spirit going on inside of
  • 00:27:02.911 --> 00:27:06.581
  • Us, and then we, who are the ones who start the fire, many
  • 00:27:06.581 --> 00:27:10.919
  • Times we're the very ones who extinguish the fire by our own
  • 00:27:10.919 --> 00:27:15.490
  • Disobedience to god.
  • 00:27:15.490 --> 00:27:17.592
  • Announcer: set your dvr and join us next time for the message
  • 00:27:17.659 --> 00:27:20.695
  • "flamethrowers vs. fire extinguishers,"
  • 00:27:20.695 --> 00:27:23.832
  • Here on "pathway to victory."
  • 00:27:23.832 --> 00:27:23.832