Harvest with Pastor Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie - Don't Make Deals With The Devil

June 10, 2025 | 27:40

Join Pastor Greg Laurie for a time of encouragement, worship, and Bible study.

#WordofGod #Miracles #Immortality #Devil #Temptation #Hypocrisy #Prayer #Wicked

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Harvest with Pastor Greg Laurie | Greg Laurie - Don't Make Deals With The Devil | June 10, 2025

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Greg laurie: do you find yourself
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Under constant spiritual attack?
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Do you find yourself being tempted to sin constantly
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So much so you've begun to wonder if there's not
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Something wrong with you spiritually?
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"why is this happening to me?
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Why am i always getting tempted?"
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You may think it's because you're not doing well
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As a christian, but it might be the very opposite.
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It might be because you're doing extraordinarily well.
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Therefore, you've become a target for the devil.
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♪ this is the day, the day when life begins ♪
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♪ this is the day, the day when life begins ♪♪
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Greg: i read a story about a man that adopted a hippo,
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A hippopotamus, as a pet.
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He lived in south africa, and apparently he found it when
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It was still a calf, and he raised it.
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He said he would ride it around like a horse and even brush its
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Teeth, and he was quoted to say, "he's like a son to me."
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He also said in an interview, and i quote,
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"people think you can only have relationships with dogs and cats
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And domestic animals.
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I have a relationship with the most dangerous animal
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In africa."
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End quote.
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Famous last words.
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Have you heard of the little game "hungry hippos?"
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Unfortunately, this didn't turn out so well for this man because
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Humphrey the hippo grew from a calf to a menacing creature
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That ultimately killed him.
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So that's a very sad outcome.
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Takeaway truth, don't make hippos into pets.
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Right?
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But we can also do the same with sin.
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You know, maybe what--we have what we might describe
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As a little sin.
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It's not a problem.
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We have control of it, but then it grows larger and larger,
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And then your sin starts taking you over;
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And that's what i want to talk about today.
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You know, the bible doesn't compare the devil to a hippo.
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Though hippos do kill more people in africa than lions,
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Leopards, elephants, and water buffaloes combined,
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But still the bible compares the devil to a lion.
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1 peter 5:8 says, "stay alert.
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Watch out.
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Your great enemy, the devil, prowls around like
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A roaring lion looking for someone to devour."
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Now, the devil can take many forms.
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He can come to us as the devil of hell or a fiery dragon,
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But he can also masquerade as an angel of light.
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If you don't answer his call at the front door,
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He'll knock at the back door.
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And he might tunnel up through the floor.
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He's always looking for a way to get into our lives.
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Sometimes he'll slither in like a snake,
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And that is the case here in joshua chapter 9.
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I guess the devil operates by the old adage which says
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If you can't beat them join them.
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So we see now the story of the gibeonites.
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So the gibeonites from--the city of gibeon was about 25 miles
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From the camp of israel.
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These inhabitants knew they could not defeat israel.
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They had heard how god had done miracles on their behalf;
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Opening ultimately first the red sea,
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Later the jordan river, and then how they defeated the people of
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Jericho, and how they were defeated and then came back and
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Defeated the inhabitants of ai.
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So these gibeonites knew they were no match for israel,
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So they came up with a strategy.
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"let's get them to sign a deal with us.
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We'll pretend like we're coming from a long ways away.
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They're--we're not even in this land that they're told
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By god to conquer.
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And we can deceive them and they'll give us immunity."
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So that's how the story begins in joshua chapter 9 starting
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In verse 3.
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"but when the people of gibeon heard what joshua had done to
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Jericho and ai, they resorted to deception to save themselves.
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They sent ambassadors to joshua, loading their donkeys with
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Weathered saddlebags, old, patched wineskins.
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They put on worn-out, patched sandals and ragged clothes.
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And the bread they took with them was moldy and dry.
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And when they arrived at the camp of israel at gilgal,
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They told joshua and the men of israel,
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'we've come from a distant land, and we ask you to make
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A peace treaty with us.'"
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We'll stop there.
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Here's point number one, if you're taking notes.
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The spiritual battle never stops.
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I wish it would.
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I wish the devil would just take a day off;
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Better yet a month off, a year off.
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But he is always out there trying to destroy lives.
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The bible describes him as always active,
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Always working seeking to undermine the work of god.
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But let me ask you a question.
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Do you find yourself under constant spiritual attack?
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Do you find yourself being tempted to sin constantly
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So much so you've begun to wonder if there's not something
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Wrong with you spiritually?
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"why is this happening to me?
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Why am i always getting tempted?"
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You may think it's because you're not doing well
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As a christian, but it might be the very opposite.
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It might be because you're doing extraordinarily well.
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Therefore, you've become a target for the devil because
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You are a threat to his kingdom.
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So here's my point.
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If you're getting attacked spiritually,
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That could be an indication you're on the right track.
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If you would say to me, "greg, i can't remember the last time
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I was even tempted," my response would be,
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"well, maybe you're not worth tempting.
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Maybe you're not a threat to the devil or his kingdom."
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As the old saying says, you don't kick a dead horse.
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The spiritual battle is always raging.
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Don't be surprised by that.
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Number two, don't make deals with the devil.
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These gibeonites were clever.
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They said they were from a distant land when in reality
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They were from a city that was around 25 miles away.
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And in the same way, we have people come in our ranks and
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They'll claim to be christians.
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"oh, i'm a christian, too."
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They'll sit next to us and sing the songs with us and carry
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A bible as well, and we think,
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"oh, they're believers."
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Well, i'm not sure.
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I don't believe you're a christian
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Just because you say you are.
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You should not believe i'm a christian
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Just because i say i am.
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The bible says by their fruit you shall know them.
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So i look res--for results or evidence in a person's life.
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Sometimes people come into the church and they say
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They are seekers, but in reality they're sneakers.
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They're not real believers at all.
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Here's an example.
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Judas iscariot, the hypocrite extraordinaire.
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The literal definition of the word hypocrite is
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Not a person who claims to be a christian and falls short.
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That's called humanity.
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That's called you and me because we all fall short all the time.
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A hypocrite is a person who is playing a role.
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They're an actor.
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They're pretending to be someone they are not.
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Judas was so effective at pretending to be a follower
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Of jesus that when our lord in the upper room said,
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"one of you is going to betray me,"
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No one thought it was judas.
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You would think they'd say, "it's judas, isn't it?
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We always suspected him.
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We all wear white robes and he wears a black one.
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In fact, it's a black leather robe.
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And he wears sunglasses and they haven't even been invented yet.
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Sinister character lurking in the shadows.
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It's judas."
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No.
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In fact, to the point they all said, "is it me?"
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No one thought judas would be the betrayer.
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I think they should have an award named after him.
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We have oscars for acting performances,
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Emmys for television performances,
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Grammys for musical performances.
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We could award the judas.
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"the judas this year goes to," and we give it to the person
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That fooled all of us into thinking they were a believer
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When they really were not.
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That's the gibeonites.
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They're pretending to be someone they really are not.
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They wanted israel to enter into a deal with them
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And it was effectively a deal with the devil,
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And god warned them to not make deals with the inhabitants
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Of the land.
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In fact, over in exodus 34:12 god warns israel,
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"be careful to not make a treaty with those who live
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In the land where you are going or they will be a snare to you."
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And indeed when we look forward historically,
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We find that this deal was problematic on many levels.
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Israel got into a war they didn't need to be in with--
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Into because they had made or built this alliance
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With the gibeonites and there were other problems to follow.
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So takeaway truth, don't make deals with the devil
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Because you will be the loser.
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The bible tells us in ephesians 4:27,
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"don't give place to the devil."
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Another translation of that is, "don't give the devil
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A foothold."
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Listen, the devil is wicked, but the devil is also cunning.
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He's been honing his craft for a long time.
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He generally will not try to take you down in one fell swoop,
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He'll take you a bite at a time.
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It's like death from 1,000 cuts.
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He doesn't come to a christian and say,
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"hey, you happy christian.
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Hi, i'm the devil.
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I hate you.
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I want to destroy you, so here's my offer.
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Why don't you forsake your god, abandon your faith?
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In fact, while you're at it, abandon your family too
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And become a drug addict or something else
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And just completely ruin your life.
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How does that sound?"
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There might be one take or somewhere.
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"okay, sure.
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Which way do i go?"
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No.
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But most of us are going to say, "get behind me, satan.
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I'm not going to listen to that."
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So, the devil's clever.
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He comes and says, "hey, i have something i want to say to you.
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Why don't you try this thought on for size?
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Why don't you take this little sample or a test drive
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And play this out and see how it goes for you?"
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Greg: you know, the bible tells us to not give
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The devil a foothold.
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What does that mean?
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It's sort of the idea of don't let something happen
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In your life that gives the devil an advantage over you.
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Here's what ephesians chapter 4, verse 25 says.
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"stop telling lies.
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Let us tell our neighbor the truth,
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For we're all parts of the same body.
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Don't sin by letting anger control you.
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Don't let the sun go down while you're still angry,
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For anger gives a foothold to the devil."
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Anger, bitterness,
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Resentment, these things give
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A foothold to the devil.
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You say, "but, greg, someone hurt me.
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I have a right to be angry."
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Well, listen.
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If you allow anger or resentment to control you,
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It can give the enemy a foothold in your life
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And then that separates you from the lord.
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So don't give a place for the devil.
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He'll knock on the door of your mind with temptations.
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"oh, why don't you do this?
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Why don't you do that?"
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Don't listen to him. listen to this.
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It's not the bait that constitutes sin,
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It's the bite.
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By that i mean it's not a sin when the devil comes
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With a temptation or something to allure you.
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The problem is when you open the door and invite him in for tea.
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Right?
00:12:05.868 --> 00:12:07.269
So don't give the devil a foothold.
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What does the bible say?
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It says resist the devil and he will flee from you.
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♪♪♪
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Greg: don't make deals with the devil because you always
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Will if you do.
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More people have been brought down by the sin of compromise
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Than probably any other.
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That warning from god was, "they will be a snare to you."
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See, here's the thing.
00:12:31.460 --> 00:12:33.496
You can get into a relationship with a non-believer and
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It can hurt you spiritually.
00:12:36.766 --> 00:12:39.602
Now, look.
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We need to have relationships with all kinds of people,
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Including non-believers.
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How else will we evangelize them?
00:12:44.774 --> 00:12:47.143
But we have to be very careful, especially if it's
00:12:47.143 --> 00:12:49.812
A romantic entanglement.
00:12:49.812 --> 00:12:52.248
And here's why it's a problem.
00:12:52.248 --> 00:12:53.849
It's far easier for a non-believer to pull you down
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Than it is for you to pull them up because gravity is
00:12:57.486 --> 00:13:02.525
On their side.
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And in the same way you have an old nature,
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But the non-believer does not have a new nature
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So i can by--find myself going in the wrong direction.
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That's why the bible says, "don't be unequally yoked
00:13:12.134 --> 00:13:15.404
Together with non-believers.
00:13:15.404 --> 00:13:17.173
For what fellowship does light have with darkness?"
00:13:17.173 --> 00:13:19.742
As another translation puts it, "don't become partners
00:13:19.742 --> 00:13:22.678
With those who reject god.
00:13:22.678 --> 00:13:24.480
How can you make a partnership out of right and wrong?
00:13:24.480 --> 00:13:27.216
That's not partnership, that's war.
00:13:27.216 --> 00:13:29.785
Is light best friends with dark?
00:13:29.785 --> 00:13:32.021
Do christ--does christ go strolling with the devil?
00:13:32.021 --> 00:13:34.924
Do trust and mistrust hold hands?"
00:13:34.924 --> 00:13:38.727
Exactly.
00:13:38.727 --> 00:13:40.262
So we have to be careful of these entanglements.
00:13:40.262 --> 00:13:42.331
So israel was now entangling themselves with these
00:13:42.331 --> 00:13:45.734
Non-believers, these gibeonites.
00:13:45.734 --> 00:13:48.337
They were going to pull them in the wrong direction.
00:13:48.337 --> 00:13:51.140
But point number three, god can intervene even
00:13:51.140 --> 00:13:53.843
If we've made a bad decision.
00:13:53.843 --> 00:13:56.345
Right?
00:13:56.345 --> 00:13:57.980
We do make bad decisions.
00:13:57.980 --> 00:13:59.615
We do things we regret.
00:13:59.615 --> 00:14:01.383
Let's say that you weren't just romantically entangled with
00:14:01.383 --> 00:14:04.220
A non-believer, let's say you married them, and now
00:14:04.220 --> 00:14:07.890
You've been married for a little bit of time and you're saying,
00:14:07.890 --> 00:14:10.259
"oh, that was a big mistake."
00:14:10.259 --> 00:14:13.128
They don't want to go to church with you.
00:14:13.128 --> 00:14:14.864
They don't want to raise your children the way
00:14:14.864 --> 00:14:18.167
You believe they should be raised as a christian.
00:14:18.167 --> 00:14:20.736
They don't want to pray.
00:14:20.736 --> 00:14:22.571
They don't want to do anything you want to do.
00:14:22.571 --> 00:14:25.841
So you go to church alone and one day you say the lord
00:14:25.841 --> 00:14:29.979
Spoke to you and the lord said, "my child,
00:14:29.979 --> 00:14:34.583
Dump your heathen husband and marry the hot christian guy
00:14:34.583 --> 00:14:39.288
You just met at church."
00:14:39.288 --> 00:14:41.290
Telling you, "god said this to me."
00:14:41.290 --> 00:14:42.691
God didn't say that to you.
00:14:42.691 --> 00:14:44.994
Here's what god said.
00:14:44.994 --> 00:14:46.328
You may not like what he said, but he says
00:14:46.328 --> 00:14:48.764
In 1 corinthians 7:12,
00:14:48.764 --> 00:14:51.000
"if a fellow believer has a wife who's not a believer
00:14:51.000 --> 00:14:53.302
And she's willing to continue living with him,
00:14:53.302 --> 00:14:55.704
He must not leave her.
00:14:55.704 --> 00:14:57.039
If a believing woman has a husband who is not a believer
00:14:57.039 --> 00:14:59.441
Yet he's willing to continue living with her,
00:14:59.441 --> 00:15:01.944
She must not leave him."
00:15:01.944 --> 00:15:04.013
So, now you have a new mission.
00:15:04.013 --> 00:15:06.215
No, you shouldn't have married the non-believer, but you did.
00:15:06.215 --> 00:15:09.318
So you built an alliance just like israel did
00:15:09.318 --> 00:15:11.820
With the gibeonites and you made this commitment.
00:15:11.820 --> 00:15:14.523
Now you've got to honor that commitment and make the best
00:15:14.523 --> 00:15:16.892
Of it, and your new mission is win your spouse to the lord.
00:15:16.892 --> 00:15:22.431
That's not going to happen overnight.
00:15:22.431 --> 00:15:24.533
That may take months.
00:15:24.533 --> 00:15:25.968
That may take years.
00:15:25.968 --> 00:15:27.303
Listen, it could even take decades,
00:15:27.303 --> 00:15:29.271
But you have to keep being a witness to them
00:15:29.271 --> 00:15:33.142
And praying for them.
00:15:33.142 --> 00:15:34.910
Paul gives the reason for staying with a non-believer
00:15:34.910 --> 00:15:37.746
In 1 corinthians 7:18.
00:15:37.746 --> 00:15:39.348
He says, "don't you realize that their--your husbands
00:15:39.348 --> 00:15:43.352
Might be saved because of you?
00:15:43.352 --> 00:15:44.920
Or don't you husbands realize your wife might be saved
00:15:44.920 --> 00:15:47.389
Because of you?"
00:15:47.389 --> 00:15:49.692
And i've seen this happen so many times where
00:15:49.692 --> 00:15:51.360
The person eventually comes around.
00:15:51.360 --> 00:15:53.996
Look, we don't control what hand is dealt to us in life,
00:15:53.996 --> 00:15:58.667
But we do control how we react to it.
00:15:58.667 --> 00:16:01.570
Point number four, this is my last point,
00:16:01.570 --> 00:16:03.672
We need to pray about things before we decide.
00:16:03.672 --> 00:16:07.443
We need to pray about things before we decide.
00:16:07.509 --> 00:16:10.412
Joshua 9:14 says the israelites examined their food.
00:16:10.412 --> 00:16:14.316
That would be the food of the gibeonites.
00:16:14.316 --> 00:16:16.585
They brought this moldy bread.
00:16:16.585 --> 00:16:18.187
"oh, this was fresh out of the oven when we left home
00:16:18.187 --> 00:16:19.989
And now it's all moldy."
00:16:19.989 --> 00:16:22.024
"oh, wow, okay.
00:16:22.024 --> 00:16:23.359
It looks good to me."
00:16:23.359 --> 00:16:24.693
So they looked at their food.
00:16:24.693 --> 00:16:26.028
But look at this.
00:16:26.028 --> 00:16:27.363
They did not consult the lord.
00:16:27.363 --> 00:16:29.465
In other words, they didn't pray about it.
00:16:29.465 --> 00:16:31.633
With jericho god gave to israel a battle plan and with ai the
00:16:31.633 --> 00:16:36.538
Same was true, but there was no battle plan with the gibeonites.
00:16:36.538 --> 00:16:40.175
In other words, they didn't pray,
00:16:40.175 --> 00:16:41.777
"hey, lord, is this a trap?
00:16:41.777 --> 00:16:43.879
Is this a good thing?
00:16:43.879 --> 00:16:45.414
Should we enter into this agreement with these people?"
00:16:45.414 --> 00:16:48.017
They didn't pray about it.
00:16:48.017 --> 00:16:49.885
You need to pray about everything.
00:16:49.885 --> 00:16:51.987
The bible says in the book of philippians,
00:16:51.987 --> 00:16:53.555
"in everything by prayer and supplication,
00:16:53.555 --> 00:16:55.691
With thanksgiving let your requests be made known to god."
00:16:55.691 --> 00:16:59.862
It doesn't say in only giant, big things, in everything.
00:16:59.862 --> 00:17:04.833
Nothing's too small to pray about.
00:17:04.833 --> 00:17:07.436
Nothing's too big to pray about.
00:17:07.436 --> 00:17:09.304
"lord, help me with this.
00:17:09.304 --> 00:17:11.006
I need wisdom."
00:17:11.006 --> 00:17:12.341
We're told in the book of james if any man lacks wisdom let him
00:17:12.341 --> 00:17:15.878
Ask of god who will give it generously and not hold it back.
00:17:15.878 --> 00:17:20.682
See, god wants to give his wisdom generously to you.
00:17:20.682 --> 00:17:25.220
You need to reach out and take that wisdom
00:17:25.220 --> 00:17:27.623
Because it's there for you.
00:17:27.623 --> 00:17:29.591
And in the case of joshua, he could have gone
00:17:29.591 --> 00:17:32.061
To the high priest and asked for direction.
00:17:32.061 --> 00:17:34.396
"hey, should we make a deal with these guys?
00:17:34.396 --> 00:17:36.565
I'm not sure if this is a good thing."
00:17:36.565 --> 00:17:38.300
No, he didn't do any of that.
00:17:38.300 --> 00:17:39.868
So that's why it's always good to seek counsel.
00:17:39.868 --> 00:17:43.038
Seek counsel from godly people.
00:17:43.038 --> 00:17:45.307
Specifically, seek counsel from people that have been
00:17:45.307 --> 00:17:48.510
Around the block a few times.
00:17:48.510 --> 00:17:50.946
You know, when i was a brand new christian,
00:17:50.946 --> 00:17:52.815
I befriended a bunch of adults who were old enough
00:17:52.815 --> 00:17:56.285
To be my parents.
00:17:56.285 --> 00:17:58.187
I would, like, go hang around chuck smith.
00:17:58.187 --> 00:18:01.090
I would hang around others that really helped me;
00:18:01.090 --> 00:18:03.625
A pastor named romaine at calvary chapel of costa mesa,
00:18:03.625 --> 00:18:07.329
Another man named keith ritter that became very helpful
00:18:07.329 --> 00:18:10.365
And influential to me.
00:18:10.365 --> 00:18:12.134
And then later i met alan redpath
00:18:12.134 --> 00:18:14.136
Who was a great british preacher,
00:18:14.136 --> 00:18:16.572
And i became friends with billy graham and others.
00:18:16.572 --> 00:18:18.774
I would spend time with them.
00:18:18.774 --> 00:18:20.275
I would ask them questions.
00:18:20.275 --> 00:18:21.643
I think when we're young we want to hang around all
00:18:21.643 --> 00:18:23.512
The young kids, and that's fine.
00:18:23.512 --> 00:18:24.880
But i always felt like i could learn so much more
00:18:24.880 --> 00:18:27.649
From older, godly people, and there's wisdom there.
00:18:27.649 --> 00:18:31.687
You can ask some questions.
00:18:31.687 --> 00:18:33.021
It's like you're not the first generation experiencing
00:18:33.021 --> 00:18:36.058
What you're experiencing.
00:18:36.058 --> 00:18:38.093
I know it has a different name or a different look and i know
00:18:38.093 --> 00:18:41.063
There are many challenges young people are facing today that are
00:18:41.063 --> 00:18:43.966
Unique to their time, but at the same time there's a lot of
00:18:43.966 --> 00:18:48.270
Collective wisdom that is there for you if you'll seek it out
00:18:48.270 --> 00:18:52.141
From others.
00:18:52.141 --> 00:18:53.976
Proverbs 15:22 says, "plans go wrong for lack of advice.
00:18:53.976 --> 00:18:58.747
Many advisors bring success."
00:18:58.747 --> 00:19:00.916
To this day, i still seek out biblical counsel from a
00:19:00.916 --> 00:19:04.119
Lot of people that i look up to.
00:19:04.119 --> 00:19:06.622
I have something i need to decide about and i'll say,
00:19:06.622 --> 00:19:09.558
"what do you think about this?
00:19:09.558 --> 00:19:10.893
What's your opinion on that?"
00:19:10.893 --> 00:19:12.461
I found that really helps me make my decision.
00:19:12.461 --> 00:19:14.730
Another thing that helps me decide if something is
00:19:14.730 --> 00:19:17.132
The will of god or not is: do i have the peace of god about it?
00:19:17.132 --> 00:19:22.004
Colossians 3:5 says, "let the peace of god rule in your life."
00:19:22.004 --> 00:19:26.308
Or as another translation puts it,
00:19:26.308 --> 00:19:28.410
"let god's peace act as an umpire in your life settling
00:19:28.410 --> 00:19:32.915
With finality all matters that arise."
00:19:32.915 --> 00:19:36.585
Umpires are not very popular now, are they?
00:19:36.585 --> 00:19:39.521
'cause they've got to make that call.
00:19:39.521 --> 00:19:40.856
He's safe.
00:19:40.856 --> 00:19:42.191
He's out.
00:19:42.191 --> 00:19:43.525
Touchdown.
00:19:43.525 --> 00:19:44.860
No, there was a penalty.
00:19:44.860 --> 00:19:46.195
People turn on the umpires.
00:19:46.195 --> 00:19:47.529
Let the peace of god act as an umpire in your life.
00:19:47.529 --> 00:19:50.465
You say, "i don't know what you're talking about."
00:19:50.465 --> 00:19:52.134
There might be something that looks good on the outside.
00:19:52.134 --> 00:19:56.104
You say, "i think this is god's will for me."
00:19:56.104 --> 00:19:58.674
Circumstantially, everything's fallen into place.
00:19:58.674 --> 00:20:01.710
This is a good investment.
00:20:01.710 --> 00:20:03.745
This is a good relationship.
00:20:03.745 --> 00:20:05.948
This is a good business opportunity.
00:20:05.948 --> 00:20:08.317
This is an open door for ministry.
00:20:08.317 --> 00:20:10.619
Pray about it because inside you might have sort
00:20:10.619 --> 00:20:13.922
Of a lack of peace.
00:20:13.922 --> 00:20:15.958
There's something about it that isn't sitting right.
00:20:15.958 --> 00:20:18.660
That's why i like to have time to think about things
00:20:18.660 --> 00:20:21.230
Before i say yes.
00:20:21.230 --> 00:20:22.998
"let me just think about that for a while.
00:20:22.998 --> 00:20:24.600
Let me pray about that for a while."
00:20:24.600 --> 00:20:27.069
'cause i want the peace of god.
00:20:27.069 --> 00:20:29.671
The bible says you'll go out with joy and you'll be led forth
00:20:29.671 --> 00:20:32.908
With peace in isaiah 55.
00:20:32.908 --> 00:20:35.911
I try not to make rushed decisions.
00:20:35.911 --> 00:20:38.380
So in closing, the gibeonites, they didn't have to do this.
00:20:38.380 --> 00:20:42.618
They could have just come, "hey, we're the gibeonites.
00:20:42.618 --> 00:20:45.654
Our city, 25 miles away.
00:20:45.654 --> 00:20:47.990
We know that you are blessed by god.
00:20:47.990 --> 00:20:51.026
We've heard the miracle story.
00:20:51.026 --> 00:20:52.394
So, how about this?
00:20:52.394 --> 00:20:54.329
We want to repent of our sins.
00:20:54.329 --> 00:20:56.632
We want to turn from our wickedness.
00:20:56.632 --> 00:20:59.301
We want to stop sacrificing our babies on the altars
00:20:59.301 --> 00:21:03.939
Of pagan gods and we want to follow the god of abraham,
00:21:03.939 --> 00:21:07.809
Isaac, and jacob.
00:21:07.809 --> 00:21:09.378
We want to become believers."
00:21:09.378 --> 00:21:11.280
They could have been.
00:21:11.280 --> 00:21:13.315
They could have been.
00:21:13.382 --> 00:21:14.716
Did god not spare rahab the harlot?
00:21:14.716 --> 00:21:17.886
Did he not give her a second chance
00:21:17.886 --> 00:21:19.454
When she took the spies in and hid them in her home,
00:21:19.454 --> 00:21:22.691
And then when israel came into the land?
00:21:22.691 --> 00:21:24.626
Hey, they didn't kill her, they said,
00:21:24.626 --> 00:21:28.263
"oh, you're part of us now."
00:21:28.263 --> 00:21:31.099
But no, these gibeonites didn't want to believe.
00:21:31.099 --> 00:21:33.168
They wanted to live in their sin and they tricked israel.
00:21:33.168 --> 00:21:37.072
But here's the thing.
00:21:37.072 --> 00:21:38.473
We serve a god of second chances.
00:21:38.473 --> 00:21:41.076
I can't change my past, nor can you,
00:21:41.076 --> 00:21:43.478
Any more than i can unscramble an egg.
00:21:43.478 --> 00:21:46.248
All i can do with my past is learn from it.
00:21:46.248 --> 00:21:49.985
And if i've sinned, admit i've sinned,
00:21:49.985 --> 00:21:52.921
Repent of my sin, accept the forgiveness of god,
00:21:52.921 --> 00:21:57.025
And move forward.
00:21:57.025 --> 00:21:59.795
The title of this message is, "don't make deals
00:21:59.795 --> 00:22:02.230
With the devil."
00:22:02.230 --> 00:22:04.599
I think some people think they've made a deal with
00:22:04.599 --> 00:22:07.035
The devil that's unbreakable.
00:22:07.035 --> 00:22:09.004
I've heard people say, "they made a deal with the devil.
00:22:09.004 --> 00:22:11.606
They sold their soul to satan."
00:22:11.606 --> 00:22:14.242
How would you know?
00:22:14.242 --> 00:22:16.445
Newsflash, you can't sell your soul to satan,
00:22:16.445 --> 00:22:20.349
And i'll tell you why.
00:22:20.349 --> 00:22:21.783
Your soul is not yours to sell.
00:22:21.783 --> 00:22:24.286
God says, "all souls are mine, the soul of the father
00:22:24.286 --> 00:22:28.590
And the son."
00:22:28.590 --> 00:22:30.025
So i can't sell my soul to the devil or broker
00:22:30.025 --> 00:22:33.428
Some deal with lucifer.
00:22:33.428 --> 00:22:35.731
Or if he gives me this, then he controls me
00:22:35.731 --> 00:22:38.834
For the rest of my life.
00:22:38.834 --> 00:22:40.168
Nonsense.
00:22:40.168 --> 00:22:41.503
All deals are off ever since jesus christ died on the cross
00:22:41.503 --> 00:22:44.673
And broke the power of satan.
00:22:44.673 --> 00:22:47.576
Because in the book of colossians and--it says,
00:22:51.513 --> 00:22:53.715
"christ disarmed powers and authorities,"
00:22:53.715 --> 00:22:57.586
Speaking of satanic powers, "and made a public spectacle of them,
00:22:57.586 --> 00:23:02.023
Triumphing over them by the cross."
00:23:02.023 --> 00:23:04.659
So when jesus said one word from calvary, "tetelestai",
00:23:04.659 --> 00:23:10.766
Which is translated, "it is," what?
00:23:10.766 --> 00:23:14.369
Finished.
00:23:14.369 --> 00:23:15.704
You're right.
00:23:15.704 --> 00:23:17.038
It's finished. what's finished?
00:23:17.038 --> 00:23:18.373
The power of satan in your life, the stranglehold of the devil.
00:23:18.373 --> 00:23:22.010
Any addiction that has a grip on you right now,
00:23:22.010 --> 00:23:25.814
Any lifestyle you can't break free from, it is finished.
00:23:25.814 --> 00:23:29.785
Christ broke that power, not that you want that power broken.
00:23:29.785 --> 00:23:33.789
See, the problem is sometimes we still want to live
00:23:33.789 --> 00:23:35.991
In that old life.
00:23:35.991 --> 00:23:37.325
We don't want to be free.
00:23:37.325 --> 00:23:39.528
But if you want to be free, if you want to be forgiven,
00:23:39.528 --> 00:23:42.097
If you want a second chance, it's there for you.
00:23:42.097 --> 00:23:45.901
All you need to say to satan is, "all deals are off.
00:23:45.901 --> 00:23:50.105
We're done here.
00:23:50.105 --> 00:23:51.573
You get nothing.
00:23:51.573 --> 00:23:52.974
Not a hoof will be left behind.
00:23:52.974 --> 00:23:55.043
You can't have any area of my life at all."
00:23:55.043 --> 00:23:57.979
The bible says submit to god, resist the devil
00:23:57.979 --> 00:24:03.285
And he will flee from you.
00:24:03.285 --> 00:24:05.287
See, the problem is, we don't resist the devil,
00:24:05.287 --> 00:24:08.056
We have conversations with the devil.
00:24:08.056 --> 00:24:10.525
You say, "what do you mean?"
00:24:10.525 --> 00:24:11.860
Well, we check out what he's offering.
00:24:11.860 --> 00:24:13.295
"hey, i'd never do it, but just for my knowledge,
00:24:13.295 --> 00:24:17.199
What is it you're offering?"
00:24:17.199 --> 00:24:18.867
No, no, don't let him do that.
00:24:18.867 --> 00:24:21.002
Here's the thing.
00:24:21.002 --> 00:24:22.537
When you're a christian, you don't have to be afraid
00:24:22.537 --> 00:24:24.439
Of the devil anymore.
00:24:24.439 --> 00:24:26.475
But if you're not a christian, you should be really scared
00:24:26.475 --> 00:24:29.945
Of the devil 'cause he's real.
00:24:29.945 --> 00:24:32.714
He's powerful, far more powerful than you or me.
00:24:32.714 --> 00:24:36.384
I'm no match for him.
00:24:36.384 --> 00:24:38.520
There's nothing i can do that can keep him away from me.
00:24:38.520 --> 00:24:42.090
The only force or power out there greater than that of satan
00:24:42.090 --> 00:24:46.695
Is the power of god himself.
00:24:46.695 --> 00:24:48.964
Now, when christ comes to live in your life,
00:24:48.964 --> 00:24:50.999
You no longer have to be afraid of the devil.
00:24:50.999 --> 00:24:53.168
When the devil comes knocking at your front door,
00:24:53.168 --> 00:24:55.170
You just say, "jesus, would you mind getting that?"
00:24:55.170 --> 00:24:58.907
And when the devil says, "oh, okay.
00:24:58.907 --> 00:25:01.409
I'm--never mind."
00:25:01.409 --> 00:25:03.044
He'll move on.
00:25:03.044 --> 00:25:04.513
And here's my question.
00:25:04.513 --> 00:25:05.847
Is christ living in your life?
00:25:05.847 --> 00:25:07.315
Maybe i'm talking to somebody today that needs a second
00:25:07.315 --> 00:25:09.851
Chance, somebody today that is trapped by sin or some kind
00:25:09.851 --> 00:25:14.222
Of an addiction, someone today that has just made a mess
00:25:14.222 --> 00:25:17.692
Of their life and you've tried to fix it and
00:25:17.692 --> 00:25:20.195
You've only made it worse.
00:25:20.195 --> 00:25:21.730
Well, you need to turn to the lord.
00:25:21.730 --> 00:25:23.398
I love the testimony of dennis quaid.
00:25:23.398 --> 00:25:25.734
You know, dennis made a lot of mistakes in life
00:25:25.734 --> 00:25:27.903
And he admits it, and god forgave him of his sin
00:25:27.903 --> 00:25:31.106
And gave him a second chance.
00:25:31.106 --> 00:25:33.542
And god will do the same for you as well,
00:25:33.542 --> 00:25:35.877
But you must admit your sin and turn from it and ask christ
00:25:35.877 --> 00:25:39.147
To come into your life.
00:25:39.147 --> 00:25:41.716
Jesus died on that cross for you,
00:25:41.716 --> 00:25:44.152
And he's standing at the door of your life right now and
00:25:44.152 --> 00:25:47.589
He's knocking and he's saying if you'll hear his voice and
00:25:47.589 --> 00:25:50.492
Open the door he will come in.
00:25:50.492 --> 00:25:53.028
Greg: do you ever feel like you're all alone and
00:25:56.898 --> 00:25:58.667
No one cares about you?
00:25:58.667 --> 00:26:00.368
I want you to know something.
00:26:00.368 --> 00:26:02.337
You're not alone.
00:26:02.337 --> 00:26:03.838
God cares about you.
00:26:03.838 --> 00:26:05.941
God loves you, and you don't have to ever be lonely again
00:26:05.941 --> 00:26:10.612
Because jesus christ can come and live inside of your heart
00:26:10.612 --> 00:26:15.016
And be your savior and your lord.
00:26:15.016 --> 00:26:17.218
I'm not talking about religion, i'm talking about
00:26:17.218 --> 00:26:20.088
A relationship with god.
00:26:20.088 --> 00:26:22.424
He's just a prayer away.
00:26:22.424 --> 00:26:23.758
You can just pray a prayer like this: "jesus,
00:26:23.758 --> 00:26:26.795
I want you to come into my life.
00:26:26.795 --> 00:26:29.130
Forgive me of my sin.
00:26:29.130 --> 00:26:30.932
I want to start this relationship with you now."
00:26:30.932 --> 00:26:34.469
If you'll pray a prayer like that,
00:26:34.469 --> 00:26:36.271
God will hear it and answer it.
00:26:36.271 --> 00:26:38.340
And you can know that you'll have purpose in this life
00:26:38.340 --> 00:26:41.109
And hope in the life to come.
00:26:41.109 --> 00:26:43.211
And if you prayed that prayer, let me send you a bible
00:26:43.211 --> 00:26:46.414
At no charge to help you get started
00:26:46.414 --> 00:26:49.150
In your relationship with god.
00:26:49.150 --> 00:26:51.186
♪♪♪
00:26:51.252 --> 00:26:56.758
Greg: i'm excited to announce that here at harvest
00:26:56.825 --> 00:26:59.461
We've partnered with our friends at freewill.
00:26:59.461 --> 00:27:02.831
Freewill is an easy to use estate planning tool
00:27:02.831 --> 00:27:05.700
That allows you to make planned gifts to organizations
00:27:05.700 --> 00:27:08.970
Of your choice.
00:27:08.970 --> 00:27:10.372
It's a creative opportunity to support the work
00:27:10.372 --> 00:27:13.074
We're doing here at harvest ministries.
00:27:13.074 --> 00:27:15.210
So as you make your plans, i hope you'll consider
00:27:15.210 --> 00:27:18.179
Investing in this ministry so we can continue
00:27:18.179 --> 00:27:21.216
To preach the gospel and teach the word of god
00:27:21.216 --> 00:27:23.818
For years to come.
00:27:23.818 --> 00:27:25.153
You can learn more at freewill.com/harvest.
00:27:25.153 --> 00:27:29.010

Greg Laurie - Don't Make Deals With The Devil

June 10, 2025 | 27:40

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