Sermon
The Believer's Authority in Christ pt. 2
Publisher transcript
Transcript
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Welcome to NECF Sermons. Each message here is
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designed to uplift and strengthen you in your
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walk with God. Don't miss out. Stay with us until
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the end for a rewarding experience. Let's dive
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right in. Good evening, everybody. It's good
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to be here again this evening to teach the Word
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of God. and um we take it like i always say with
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utmost importance and care and we give our due
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diligence and attention to the word of god so
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that our faith will be standing firm not in the
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knowledge of men but in the power of god hallelujah
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so this evening we will continue from where we
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stopped on sunday uh still the believers authority
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in christ and um quickly clarify a few things
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that might have looked clumsy or that was not
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clearly explained. Then we progress into other
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areas that we should grow and know more about.
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So quickly, on Sunday, we started with believers
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authority and we explained that. The knowledge
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is important and a teacher is important to help
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us understand what we have in Christ and that
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by that our faith becomes effectual in that the
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circumference of Christ, the circumference of
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Christian faith is Christ and anything outside
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that is actually unbelief. And we said we have
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believed and therefore we are in Christ and we
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have the gift of faith. We have the faith of
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the Son of God. and Christ being the one who
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established our faith. And I also said that in
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the life of an unbeliever, it is difficult to
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find faith. Why? Because they are not in faith,
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so you cannot find faith in them. And I explained
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that when we preach the gospel, one of the things
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they do is to say that, men and brethren, what
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can we do? What can we do to be saved? And Acts
Acts 2 chapter mention
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chapter 2, you'll see. peter saying that you
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know they need to repent and be baptized which
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is to believe message of the gospel and they
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will be saved and all the people around them
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should do the same so we see that in telling
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someone who has not believed to believe the message
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you have just preached to them is actually handing
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them the ticket of faith they receive faith when
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the person receives it they are born again right
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When they don't receive it and they reject that
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faith, then they remain in their sin. So we can
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expect believing from them, but we offer them
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that this is what you need to do. You need to
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believe this message, right? So you cannot just
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preach the gospel and walk away, right? You've
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never taught people before, and they will tell
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you, actually, you gave a good talk. You gave
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a good talk. The gospel is not a good talk, okay?
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The gospel is not a good talk. some people like
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oh that was really very very emotional talking
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about the love of god and all of that it's not
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just a good talk the power of god right is the
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power of god so when you explain the power of
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god for salvation to them and you offer them
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the secret so we can find our faith in them except
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we offer we offer so we also quickly move in
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we try to explain uh what is authority Right?
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What is authority? And I took us to Genesis chapter
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1, verse 15, Genesis 26, verse 28. And we see
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the word radar, right? See the word radar, which
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means to have dominion, right? To have dominion.
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And it simply means that from there we establish,
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rather, we establish that the gospel, right?
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The gospel. Rather, authority is found in the
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premises of the gospel, right? Authority is found,
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right, in the context of the gospel. Sorry, it
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is found in the context, dominion is found in
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the context because Genesis 1 from verse 18,
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we can see, sorry, Genesis 1 from verse 26 to
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28, we can see there God saying, let's make man
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in our own image and likeness. uh that's god's
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intention for man what god wants to do in man
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right and that by doing that that is actually
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salvation by doing that man right man would have
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dominion and see that's what followed in verse
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28 that and god blessed them and said to them
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be fruitful and multiply fill the earth and subdue
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it and have dominion over the fish of the sea
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and over the birds of the heavens and over every
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living thing that moves on the earth so we see
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that the authority we are talking about is actually
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or the dominion we're talking about is actually
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in the context of what god is is doing in man
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or what god has done in man today in this context
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of what god would do in man so we saw that the
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second thing we saw is genesis 4 verse 1 to 7
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which is uh man over darkness god the voice of
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the lord one in king and saying you know sin
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is looking at your door right you should be the
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one to dominate it so god's desire is not that
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king should fall and ken should uh kill his brother
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that's not god's desire god's desire is that
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ken is able right to believe and enter into that
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dominion so in that context we see the world
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martial right which is very similar to radar
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uh just with an additional uh what do i call
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it additional meaning to Radha, which means to
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scrape out. So we see that dominion and authority
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in this context is actually over the works of
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darkness, which is sin, right? Which Cain was
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supposed to actually overcome. And we also see
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that it also reflects God's leadership in a man's
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life, right? We'll talk about God's reign, God's
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Radha, right? God Masal, which is related to
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God's leadership. in man's life also before the
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soul of course we see that god's leadership in
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a man's life god's leadership over israel and
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over what they're doing so we also saw it in
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the context of israel over the ungodly nations
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so deuteronomy 15 uh verse 6 we saw israel over
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the ungodly nations right and deuteronomy 24
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verse 19 saying israel would reign right which
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israel would dominate it means that the activities
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of the kingdoms around them right will not prevail
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over israel but israel prevail over the activities
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of those kingdom you know uh over them and you
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you realize that in that in that scripture he
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said they will lend you know they will lend to
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these people actually you know i was i was going
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through in my story and i saw that it's actually
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talking about that land is not like they would
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borrow them it's talking about they will offer
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them right the divine blessings of god that israel
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really have right they will offer them the divine
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blessings of god that is the nations around them
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right so they will not power israel uh for israel
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in its um might and knowledge of god would dominate
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that if you don't if you don't if you remember
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the the nations around them are actually godless
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right but israel is godly so that is what that
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means right uh also we saw that this authority
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also reflects as a godly king over israel talking
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about still god's leadership right still god's
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leadership because uh second psalm 23 verse 3
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and uh leviticus 25 verse 43 so we see that god's
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leadership right uh a godly leadership right
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is also reflected as authority which is um mainly
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coming back to the fact that god is the one leading
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right god is one leading uh israel in the context
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of that so um we'll move further to the next
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thing which is a statement i made and i think
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we should do a little bit of further study on
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it a little bit right we should just do some
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further study on it of course in the first context
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of defining uh defining authority i would like
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to add this that uh psalms 8 verse 6 and hebrews
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2 verse 8 because that those two scriptures shows
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the dominion of christ shows everything under
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the feet of christ so we can add that to the
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explanations of what authority is psalms 8 verse
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6. Psalms 8 verses. Of course, further in the
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study, right, we're going to pay attention to
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that, but we'll just read it and to explain that
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it is not only places where they write Radha
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or Massau, right, that we see authority, but
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authority is also expressed, right, as an understanding
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in Psalms 8. and hebrews 2 verse 8. so in these
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two scriptures authorities expressed as an understand
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the word rather or marshall is not used there
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but we understood from the scripture that he
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was talking about the authority of christ so
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psalms 8 verse 6 he says you have given him dominion
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right okay if i didn't use it here you have given
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him dominion over the works of your hands and
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you have put all things under his feet so that's
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the understanding you have put all things under
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his feet so they use the word myself rather in
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that first line enough for that explain to put
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all things under his feet so um we can go through
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verse three say when i look to the heavens and
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the works of your hands the moon and the star
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which you have made verse four what is man that
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you are mindful of me of him or the son of man
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that you care for him Yet you have made him a
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little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned
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him with glory and honor. And you have given
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him dominion over the works of his hand. And
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the understanding there is that you have put
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all things right under his feet. So if you go
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to Hebrews 2, if you go to Hebrews 2, it's also
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there, more clearly stated and said, we have
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seen Christ. Hebrews 2, verse 8. Hebrews 2, verse
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8. Okay, so from verse 5, Hebrews 2 from verse
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5. in subjection under his feet so it's the same
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uh scripture right that you will find the same
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phrase putting everything under his feet putting
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everything under his control you find it in ephesians
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chapter one as well to put something under his
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feet talking about authority authority ephesians
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chapter one that add that to it ephesians chapter
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one verse verse 22. said he has put all things
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under his feet and gave him as head over all
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things right to the church which is the body
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the fullness of him who fits all in us so we
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see authority right in the context of christ
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being talked about from the old testament and
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we see the new testament uh confirming this but
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in subsequently in the sea or the deep part of
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the study we would be able to understand it much
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more so we have seen that all this authority
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context is in relation to what God will do in
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man, right? What God is doing through man, right?
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Through man's leadership on earth, right? What
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God is doing in Christ, what God is doing through
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a nation, okay? What God is doing through man,
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in man, right? What God is doing in man. What
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God is doing, leading man's life, right? When
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man is subject to God, what God is doing through
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a nation, a people, right? And what God, in the
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context of the Old Testament, will do through
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Christ, right? This is where we see authority.
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Maybe I should quickly rush and ask a question.
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Do we see Satan in the context of the authority
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that is expressed in God in all I've explained?
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No, that's the answer. You have not seen any
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of this authority accrued to Satan, right? You
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have not seen in all of this use of this word.
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So the question becomes, where does the devil
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get his authority from, right? Where does the
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devil get his authority from? But before we go
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into that. I would like to quickly touch upon
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something also that we talked about on Sunday.
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I'll come back to the question. You can write
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it down. Where does the devil get his authority
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from? You can write it down. Then I will touch
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upon it. If I teach and I don't, if you see me,
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you can touch on it anyway. So I'm definitely
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sure we'll be able to go through it. Now, the
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second aspect that we need to also eye on is
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that I said God does not give man, right, to
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rule over another man. God does not give man
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to rule over another man. Don't forget the context
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we saw of that God gave a leadership. You will
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see that it always says in the fear of God, which
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simply means that the leadership would rule according
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to what God is saying, according to the word
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of God. Whether it's a king, whether it's a prophet,
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whether it's a priest, right? So they don't rule
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over the people, right? They lead the people
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according to God. When we come to this B section,
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right, God does not give man rulership over another
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man, right? So I read Genesis 37 verse 8, 37
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verse 8, which is actually Joseph's brother talking
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about the, right, they were talking about the
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fear that, you know, definitely Joseph would
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be able to, will oppress them. right? He will
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oppress them since their father died, right?
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Since Jacob had died. So it's time for Joseph
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to oppress them, right? So from that verse 37,
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37 verse 8, he says that his brother said to
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him, are you indeed to reign over us? Or are
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you indeed to rule over us? So they hated him
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even more for his dreams. And when Jacob died,
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they began to, you know, think of ways to escape
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this thing that they themselves prophesied upon
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themselves. Let me say that, right? That Joseph
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will rule over them. So they began to prophesy.
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And in Genesis 50, verse 19, right? Joseph said
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to them, from verse 15. Genesis 50 verse 15.
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When Israel saw that their father was dead, they
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said, it may be that Joseph will hate us more
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and pay us back all the evil we did to him. So
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they sent a message to Joseph saying that your
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father gave this command, right, before he died.
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Say to Joseph, please forgive the transgression
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of your brothers and sin that they did evil to
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you. And now please forgive their transgression
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of the servants of the God of your father. Joseph
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wept and... Joseph wept when they spoke to him.
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His brother also came and fell down before him
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and said, Behold, we are your servants. But Joseph
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said to them, Do not fear, for am I in the place
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of God? As for you, you meant it for evil, but
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God meant it for good, to bring it about that
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many people should be kept alive as they are
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today. So they already said in their mind that
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we are going to be ruled, right? Ruled by God.
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uh joseph and we read judges 8 22 -23 also gideon
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saying i'm not going to rule over you right but
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god will rule who lead us right god will be the
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one who will reign who will reign right god will
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be the one who lead right so um gideon said that
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and when we read the tronomy 15 verse 7 to 11
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i explained that the explanation that moses is
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giving them is that so that there will not be
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oppression, so that there will not be oppression,
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right, among the children of Israel. That is
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why he was explaining that, to give, to deliver
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after the seventh year, release people to go,
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right, so that there won't be oppression, right?
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So I think we can read Exodus 1 verse 13 now.
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Let's start adding the scriptures to it. Exodus
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1 verse 13. Exodus 1 verse 13. You can write
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it down. Exodus 1 verse 13 to 14. Leviticus 25
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verse 43 to 46. Leviticus 25. I think probably
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I gave that as well. Leviticus 25 verse 43 to
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46. He said, you shall not rule over him ruthlessly.
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Let's read from verse 42. For they are my servants
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whom I brought out of the land of Egypt. They
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shall not be sold as slaves. You shall not rule
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over him ruthlessly, but shall fear your God.
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Right? Shall fear. So he's talking about for
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a poor person now. Verse 39 says, if your brother
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becomes poor beside you and sells himself to
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you. You shall not make him serve as a slave.
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This is verse 39 of Leviticus 25. He shall be
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with you as a hired worker and as a sojourner.
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He will serve you until the year of jubilee.
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Then he shall go out from you and he and his
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children with him and go back to his own clan,
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return to the possession of his father, for they
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are my servants whom I brought out. of the land
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of Egypt. They shall not be sold as slaves. You
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shall not rule over him ruthlessly, but you shall
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fear your God. For as for male and female slaves
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whom you have bought, you may buy male and female
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slaves from among the nations that are around
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you. So we can see that within Israel, right,
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within Israel, within this quarter people, right,
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we can see that there's an instruction. of no
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oppression. Why? Because in Exodus 1 verse 13,
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right? Exodus 1 verse 13, that's where this context
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of oppression came. Exodus 1 verse 13. So they
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ruthlessly made the people of Israel to work
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as slaves and made their lives bitter with hard
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labor in mortar and brick and in all kinds of
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field. In all their work, they ruthlessly made
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them work as slaves. So this is what they were
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delivered from, right? So they were delivered
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from oppression. Therefore, no Israel, right,
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will put another Israel under oppression. So
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that is the context of what is happening here.
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God said, I bought them, I delivered them, they
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are saved, right? In context of what happened
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to Israel from Egypt, a picture of salvation
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that I bought them from. So you will not do to
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them what Egypt did to them. We see that. So
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we see that very clearly that it's not something
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that is allowed within Israel. Now, that word
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is similar to something. It's similar to something
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that we can find, right? We can find in Matthew
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8, 29. Matthew 8, 29. Matthew 8, verse 29. Matthew
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8. verse 29 from verse 28 and when he came to
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the other side of the country of the gadareans
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two demon possessed men met him coming out of
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tomb so fierce that no one could pass the way
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and bill they cried what have you to do with
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us oh son of god have you come to torment us
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right before time now he heard of many pigs we're
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feeding at some distance from them and the demons
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beg him saying if you cast us out right send
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us away into the herds of the pig so this is
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like uh this is similar to oppressing right so
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we see that torment here right torment what these
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demons are saying that jesus came to do right
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jesus came to do is actually to take them away
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from their position of oppression okay so have
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you come to torment us it means that to disturb
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us to shift them away to cast them out to stop
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their existence to restrain them right to bind
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them and constrain them from functioning in that
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man right so jesus cast them so they say you
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have come to torment us so when it comes to this
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uh rootlessness it is similar to what is happening
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in egypt that israel was treated as an outcast
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in egypt right israel was treated away from their
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position as people of god in egypt right therefore
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in leviticus says don't do the same you cannot
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do the same to your brother right you cannot
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make your brother you cannot take his position
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away as someone who has been bought out of Someone
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who has been brought out of slavery. So you cannot
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take your brother's position away. You must treat
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him as someone who is bought with a price. Do
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we see it there? So to torment this means to
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torment or to oppress is like to get someone,
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to treat someone away from their positions. So
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he says, no, you can't do that. And therefore
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we see that. A believer can actually torment
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a demon. You can take them out of their position.
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You can restrain them from functioning in their
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position because they are not the sons of God,
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right? They are not the sons of God. We can chase
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them. We can cast them out. So tormenting them
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and dealing ruthlessly with principalities and
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power is what we should do, is what we can do,
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as we see in Matthew 8, but not to a brother.
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You can't treat your brother as a demon. You
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can't treat your brother as a principality and
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power. You can't treat him in such a way. It
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means that we deal ruthlessly with those ones,
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those principalities and powers. Therefore, we
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don't rule over because that is actually ruling
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over the principalities and powers. Ruling over
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principalities and powers. So what do believers
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do to themselves? As an authority, as in this
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context, what do they do? We submit to one another.
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Ephesians 5 .21. and Hebrews 13, 17. Ephesians
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5, 21. So this is what, because as we are going,
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we must be balancing these things so that we
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can grow wholesomely. Ephesians 5, 21. Ephesians
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5, 21 says, submitting to one another out of
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reverence for Christ. So this is our job. Verse
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20, giving thanks always and... for everything
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to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus
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Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence
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for Christ. And now see what Hebrews 13 verse
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17 says. Hebrews 13 verse 17. It says, Obey your
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leaders, okay, and submit to them, for they are
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keeping watch over you. as those who will have
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to give an account, right? So they're keeping
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watch over you as those who would give an account.
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Let them do this with joy and not with groanings,
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for that will be of no advantage to you, right?
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Basically saying, submit to them. Don't be stubborn,
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right? Don't be stubborn. They are not rulers
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over you. They are guardians. They are watching
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over your soul. They are guardians, watchers,
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shepherds, right? Watching over. your soul and
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make the work easy for them by being submissive
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so we submit to one another you know is what
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we do right we clarify this and uh understanding
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that in the context of the authority of the church
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authority of the leader this is what the bible
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explains now let's go further so we've been able
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to clarify this let's go further how do The prophets
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of the Old Testament exercise authority. I started
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with Elijah on Sunday, and I think it's necessary
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to take it back a little bit and touch upon Moses.
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And Moses and Elijah are actually the only two
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prophets we are going to examine in the context
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of the authority that is exercised in the Old
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Testament. So let's go to Exodus 3. Exodus 3.
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Exodus chapter 3. From verse 7. Exodus chapter
Exodus 3 chapter mention Exodus 3:7
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3, verse 7. I was having a chat with Pastor Kostin
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on this part this afternoon. So thank you, sir.
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All right, so Exodus chapter 3, verse 7. The
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Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction
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of my people who are in Egypt, and I've heard
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their cry because of their taskmasters. I know
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their suffering, and I have come down to deliver
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them out of the hands of Egypt. Egyptians, and
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to bring them out of the land to a good and broad
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land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to
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the place of the Canaanites and the Hittites,
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the Amorites and the Perizzites, the Hivites,
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the Jebusites, and now behold, the pride of the
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people of Israel has come to me. I have also
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seen the oppression, you see, same word, oppression,
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the same word, to deal ruthlessly with a person,
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the same word, to oppress, to torment, right?
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I've seen the oppression with which Egyptians
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oppress them. come i will send you to pharaoh
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and you that you may bring my people and the
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children of israel out of egypt but moses said
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who am i that i should go to pharaoh and bring
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the children of israel out of egypt and he said
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i will be with you i will be with you and this
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shall be the sign that i have sent you when you
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have brought the people out of israel and you
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shall serve You shall serve God on this mountain.
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And Moses said, if I come to the people of Israel
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and say to them, the God of your father has sent
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me to you. And they asked, what is his name?
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What shall I say? God said to Moses, I am who
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I am. And he said, say this to the people of
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Israel. I am has sent you. God also said to Moses,
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say this to the people of Israel. The Lord, the
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God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God
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of... Isaac, the God of Jacob, has sent me to
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you. This is my name forever. Thus, I am to be
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remembered throughout generations. Now, what
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you will see here, right? What you will see here
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is that Moses will begin to exercise authority
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or that the foundation of the authority Moses
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exercise. Okay? upon the people of Israel is
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founded upon the deliverance that he will conduct.
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I say it again. The authority that Moses exercised
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on the people of Israel is founded upon the salvation,
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upon the deliverance he will bring to them by
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taking them out of Egypt. There's a reason why
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I'm saying that. So that we can understand the
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next scripture. God has said, I have seen my
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people's oppression. I have seen my people's
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oppression. I am sending you. So the authority
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of God is to deliver Israel from the hands of
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the Egyptians. And upon that, he begins to operate.
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The moment he assumes that office, he begins
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to operate. And thus, all the signs that followed,
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he had the authority to carry out those signs.
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Why? Those signs were unto that Pharaoh might
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let the people of Israel. So Moses gained the
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authority because of the assignment that was
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given to him. Still the same way of saying that
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authority is found in the context of the gospel.
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It's context of delivering a people. Authority
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is found there. So authority has been given to
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him to carry out a function of deliverance for
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God. Okay, so now let's see Numbers 20. verse
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four let's see numbers 20 verse two so his job
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is to deliver it deliver now he says then let's
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read from verse uh let's read from verse two
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i'll read it very quickly and there was no water
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for the congregation and they assembled themselves
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together against moses and against aaron and
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the people quarreled with moses and said would
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that we perish With that we have perished when
-
our brothers perished before the Lord. Why have
-
you brought the assembly of the Lord into this
-
wilderness, that we should die here, both we
-
and our cultures? And why have you made us come
-
out of Egypt to bring us to this evil place?
-
It is no place for grain or figs or vines or
-
primogranites, and there is no water to drink.
-
Then Moses and Aaron went from the presence of
-
the assembly to the entrance of the tent of the
-
meeting and fell on their faces. And the glory
-
of the Lord appeared to them. And the Lord spoke
-
to Moses, saying, take the staff and assemble
-
the congregation, and you and Aaron, your brother,
-
and tell the rock beside their eyes, right? He
-
said, tell the rock before their eyes, rather,
-
to yield its water. Tell this rock to yield its
-
water. So you shall bring out of the rock. You
-
shall bring water out of the rock for them and
-
give drink to the congregation and their cattle.
-
So I read again. Take the staff and assemble
-
the congregation, you and Aaron your brother,
-
and tell the rock before their eyes to yield
-
its water. So you shall bring water out of the
-
rock for them and give drink to the congregation
-
and their cattle. And Moses took the staff from
-
the Lord as he has commanded. Verse 10. Then
-
Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly. They gathered
-
the assembly before the rock. And he said to
-
them, here now, you rebels, shall we bring water
-
for you out of this rock? And Moses lifted up
-
his hand and struck the rock with his staff twice.
-
And water came out abundantly. And the congregation
-
drank and their livestock. And the Lord said
-
to Moses and Aaron, Because you did not believe
-
in me to uphold me as holy in the eyes of the
-
people of Israel, therefore you shall not bring
-
this assembly into the land that I have given
-
them. These are the waters of Meribah, where
-
the people of Israel quarreled with the Lord.
-
And through them he showed himself. Now, what
-
is the problem with this context as compared
-
was given an assignment to go and deliver God's
-
people. In Numbers 20, the assignment stopped.
-
We can say that it was transferred to somebody
-
else from this point. So it would not be the
-
one to take them into the land. Someone else
-
will do. Why? Because Scripture says, because
-
he did not believe in me to uphold me as holy
-
in the eyes of the people of Israel. Therefore,
-
you shall not bring this assembly. Now, sometimes
-
we quickly look at, okay, he struck the rock,
-
right? And hitting that rock was the offense,
-
right? So we say he hit the rock and that was
-
the offense. And the moment he hit that rock,
-
some people will even say, probably he hit christ
-
because we know that when we move to first corinthians
-
10 we understood that that rock was christ right
-
was was a pointer to christ a provision of deliverance
-
right so so he hit christ and that was you know
-
probably that was why god was offended now let's
-
go to first corinthians 10. i'll come back to
-
explain this just put your hand in Numbers 20,
-
I'll go to verse 20. Therefore, I do not want
-
you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers
-
were all under the cloud. They passed through
-
the sea and they were all baptized into Moses
-
in the cloud, in the sea, and all ate the same
-
spiritual food and all drank the same spiritual
-
drink. For they drank from that rock, that spiritual
-
rock, that followed them. And that rock was who?
-
Was Christ, right? See, that rock was Christ.
-
Nevertheless, With most of them, God was not
-
pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
-
So we know that that rock was Christ. It was
-
a picture of a provision. And we know that although
-
they drank from that rock, they did not believe
-
in drinking. They did not believe. Despite drinking,
-
they did not believe that. They did not believe
-
the salvation of God. They did not believe the
-
message of God. They still did not believe what
-
Moses was saying to them, despite drinking from
-
that rock. But that rock was actually a pointer
-
to life. It was a pointer to life that they would
-
receive. It was a pointer to life. Now, if we
-
come to Exodus 20, since we know that that rock
-
was a picture of life, the picture of salvation,
-
the picture of Christ himself, providing, giving
-
them life. Now, see what Moses said in verse
-
10. Then Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly
-
before the rock and said to them, Here now, you
-
rebels, shall we bring water for you out of this
-
rock? Right? I don't know if there's any version
-
that puts it in a very much interesting way.
-
What Moses is saying is that you guys are rebels,
-
right? Is it the most? Must you drink from Christ?
-
That's the way we can say it. Is it the most
-
you people drink from Christ? Because since we
-
know that that rock represents Christ, right?
-
We can now say that, is it the most? You are
-
stubborn, you are hard -hearted, must you drink
-
from Christ? So what would that mean? What would
-
that mean? It means that Moses at that point
-
began to question, should these people be saved
-
at all? Right? Should they be saved because of
-
their hard -hearted? Is it a must that we must
-
deliver them? You know, in a way, talking to
-
the people, but in another way, talking to God.
-
That you called me to deliver those people. But
-
is it a must that these people must drink from
-
Christ? It's not a must. Let them, you know,
-
let them just perish, more or less. Right? Is
-
it a must for them to be saved? And that is when
-
God said, it's authority that I've given you.
-
to carry these people out, right? At this point,
-
we can stop here, right? So it was not that Moses
-
knew Christ. Moses understood the rock was Christ.
-
Moses understood all the gospel and all the message
-
that God was communicating, right? But in this,
-
right, he doubted, you know, he had a double
-
-minded on... That's why he said, you did not
-
believe in me to uphold me as holy. He wasn't
-
talking about Moses did not believe the gospel.
-
No, that verse 22 was not Moses not believing
-
the gospel. I say it again. Verse 22, verse 12
-
rather, is not Moses not believing the gospel,
-
but double -minded over these people he called
-
rebels, and he said they must, that they must
-
drink from Christ. But this is what God said
-
he will do. This is what God said. So at this
-
point in time, we just saw that the authority
-
to take them into the land was put at a stop
-
and someone else had to lead Israel into that.
-
I hope we get that clear. So we see that the
-
authority therefore is also within the context
-
of God's salvation and it only stays within the
-
circumference of God's salvation. Circumference
-
of what God would do. would do. So, we can also
-
see Elijah's case, which I already explained
-
on Sunday, right, in just an addition, that he
-
operated, right, in many things, exercising.
-
Don't forget, Moses hit the rock and water came
-
out. Water still came out, right? That's an authority
-
as well. It means that, you know, he hit the
-
rock, right, after making such a statement. Still
-
hit the rock and it came out. So, he still exercised
-
a will of his own, which is to hit rather than
-
speak. to the rock, right? But the parameters,
-
the concrete part of it is that he doubted if
-
these people, right, should be saved in the first
-
place and he exercised a will and water still
-
came out, right, because he had authority. And
-
we saw that everything was wrapped up in that
-
context. Elijah, the same thing. We see exercising
-
many authorities within the context of saving
-
people, delivering people, healing, and all of
-
that. And we also see that he also exercised
-
a will, right? uh exercise the will uh in in
-
in making people to uh you see him calling down
-
fire and all of that and i said that because
-
that is not the context of salvation we can say
-
that the man of god is exercising authority on
-
his own right within his within his own will
-
in his own view right so uh that is just to also
-
show that the exercising of authority that god
-
is talking about from genesis right over the
-
kingdom of darkness over overseeing over unbelief
-
right authority over unbelief authority over
-
dark places which is the heart of men authority
-
over idolatry on godliness and sin that we are
-
able to establish right the kingdom of god right
-
wherever uh we find that we bring to bear we
-
bring to manifestation the kingdom of god now
-
let's go into the old testament i'm sorry the
-
new testament text a little bit right luke 10
-
from verse from verse one right luke 10 verse
-
one after this the lord appointed 72 others and
-
sent them on ahead of him two by two, into every
-
town and place where himself was about to go.
-
And he said to them, The harvest is plentiful,
-
but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly
-
to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers
-
into his vineyard. Go your way. Behold, I am
-
sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.
-
Carry no bag, no knapsack, nor sandals, and greet
-
no one on the road. Whatever house you enter
-
first, first say, Peace be to this house. And
-
if a son of peace is dead, your peace will rest
-
upon him. But if not, it will return to you and
-
remain in the same house, eating and drinking
-
what they provide for the laborers deserve wages.
-
Do not go from house to house. Whenever you enter
-
a town and they receive you, it's what is set
-
before you. Heal the sick in it and say to them,
-
the kingdom of God has come near to you. So,
-
heal the sick and the kingdom of God has come
-
near to you. Whenever you enter a town and they
-
do not receive you, go into the street and say,
-
even the dust of your own towns that cling to
-
your feet will wipe off against you. So, if you
-
go to verse 17, verse 17, it's that the 72 returned
-
with joy, saying, Lord, even the demons are subject
-
to us in your name. And he said to them, So,
-
we see that similarly in the context of preaching
-
the gospel, right? disciples exercise authority
-
so he gave them right he gave them authority
-
so go right go and function go and in my name
-
right in my anointed name go and preach that
-
the kingdom of god is here the same thing is
-
uh recorded in matthew 10 it's recorded in matthew
-
10 preaching the gospel and the authority that
-
is given uh along with it matthew 10 then he
-
called the disciples matthew 10 verse 1. And
-
he called to him, his 12 disciples, and gave
-
them. So this one started with the parable first.
-
Let's say that, right? He gave them authority
-
over unclean spirits to cast them out and to
-
heal every disease and every affliction. The
-
names of the 12 and they named them. And in verse
-
5, the 12 Jesus sent out, instructing them, go
-
nowhere, right? among the Gentiles. Enter through
-
no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the
-
lost sheep of Israel, the house of Israel, and
-
proclaim as it goes, saying, The kingdom of God
-
is at hand. Then you heal the sick, raise the
-
dead, cleanse the leper, cast out demons you
-
have received without pain, give without pay,
-
acquire no gold or silver or copper. So we see
-
here also that authority was given to them. And
-
again, they... manifested uh the kingdom of god
-
and you can see that they will also come back
-
rejoicing right rejoicing that these uh demons
-
were subject to them so we see that this authority
-
that is being talked about right is within uh
-
the gospel within the message of what god however
-
this is actually a pre -resurrection what we
-
can call the pre -resurrection uh kind of authority
-
that was given to them right that was given to
-
them so it just made me marvel It just made me
-
marvel because when we go to Matthew 17, verse
-
19. When we go to Matthew 17, verse 19. I want
-
you to believe we are learning. Matthew 17, verse
-
19. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately
-
and said, why could we not cast it out? And he
-
said to them, because of your little faith. For
-
truly I say to you, If you have a faith like
-
a grain of mustard seed, you would say to this
-
mountain, move from here to there, I need to
-
move, and nothing would be impossible. So what
-
is the difference between Matthew 10 and Matthew
-
17? Can we see faith in action? What's more to
-
it is to understand, right, is to understand
-
that what is happening in the pre -resurrection
-
time before Jesus was resurrected, was giving
-
them authority, right? Giving them authority.
-
It means that he gave them the authority and
-
they can go. It looks like a delegated authority
-
granted unto them, right? So a delegated authority
-
granted unto them that they can go preaching
-
the gospel by the kingdom of God is at hand and
-
healing the sick. So we can say that it is on
-
the basis of Christ's identity. It is on the
-
basis of Christ's identity that they are doing
-
what they were doing. I say it again. It is on
-
the basis of Christ's identity that the disciples
-
were doing what... He said God anointed Christ,
-
Acts 10 .38, anointed Jesus of Nazareth, right?
-
And he was going about healing all manner of
-
diseases. So it is that anointed Jesus authority
-
of that identity that they went about. preaching
-
the gospel and they were healing. So therefore,
-
it's therefore understandable that they would
-
doubt that their faith might fail, right? It's
-
therefore understandable that their faith might
-
fail. Therefore, understandable that they would
-
doubt, you know, at some point in time, it's
-
therefore understandable that they might want
-
to cast out demons and they would not be, you
-
know, they would be faithless like Jesus would
-
call them because it is on the basis of Christ's
-
identity. Now, let me now say this, which I'm
-
still going to check other scriptures and will
-
teach it. On the basis of the identity that the
-
believer identifies with Christ, it is on that
-
basis today, in the post -resurrection time,
-
that we carry out the manifestation of the authority
-
that is given to us. I say it again. Today, which
-
is not a pre -requisition right this is a post
-
-requisition time right christ has risen and
-
is alive on what identity it is upon our identity
-
that we carry out what we carry out but our identity
-
is in identifying with christ do we get it so
-
it's not we are saying we come to you in the
-
name of right we come to you we we are here the
-
demons and the principalities and power we the
-
believer we are here Right? So, in such, we carry
-
more authority, we carry more faith, because
-
we know that it's not just in Christ, but it
-
is in us. So, the disciples, at this time, their
-
functioning, right, could be challenging because
-
they were functioning based on the anointed Christ
-
and the permission and the authority the anointed
-
Christ has delegated unto them to go out and
-
function. So we can say that doubts can arise.
-
But today, the believer functions from his identity.
-
And his identity is found in Christ. So he doesn't
-
need to say, oh, Jesus is coming to cast you
-
out. We will cast out demons. We will heal the
-
sick. We will exercise faith in God. And mountains
-
will move because we, the believer, we are here.
-
We are here. The believer is here. So, how do
-
we come into this, right? How do we come into
-
this? Matthew 16, verse 18. He said, I will give
-
you the keys, right? I will give you the keys.
-
I will give you access. So, you can write it
-
down. Matthew 16, verse 18. We're talking about
-
when he will build his church, which he has built
-
now, right? He said, I will give you access to
-
bind and lose, right? Matthew 16, verse 18. So,
-
maybe you're through. From verse 18. And I tell
-
you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build
-
my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail.
-
Verse 19. I will give you the keys of the kingdom
-
of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall
-
be bound in heaven, and whatever you lose on
-
earth shall be loosed in heaven. Authority. He's
-
saying what he will do, right, when he establishes
-
the church. And at resurrection, he establishes
-
the church. Therefore, that authority. is giving
-
to us. I don't want to use the word giving because
-
there's something that we need to explain. There's
-
something that we need to explain, especially
-
with Ephesians. There's something that we need
-
to explain. Giving, delegated, giving to them,
-
right? It is giving to the disciples. Let's go
-
to Ephesians 1. Let's see something there. Ephesians
Ephesians 1 chapter mention
-
chapter 1. Ephesians chapter 1, let's write it
Ephesians 1 chapter mention
-
down. Ephesians chapter 1, verse 19 to 20. John,
-
Gospel of John. John 1, verse 12. Ephesians chapter
-
1, verse 19 to 20. John 1, verse 12. Matthew
-
28, verse 18. These three scriptures. The reason
-
why I said to say give, right, would be a little
-
bit challenging. It can be explained using Ephesians
-
1. Ephesians chapter 1. There's a reason that
Ephesians 1 chapter mention
-
we don't understand it as delegated authority.
-
Ephesians chapter 1. Now Ephesians chapter 1,
Ephesians 1 chapter mention Ephesians 1 chapter mention
-
let's go to verse 19. He said, and what is the
-
immeasurable greatness of his power towards us
-
who believed? Right? According to the walkings.
-
of his great might that he walked in christ when
-
he raised him from the dead we can read from
-
verse 18 let's take it back a little bit having
-
the eyes of our hearts enlightened that you may
-
know what is the hope for which he has called
-
you and the riches of his glorious inheritance
-
in the saints and what is the immeasurable are
-
you saying immeasurable greatness of his power
-
towards us who believe according to the working
-
of his great might that he walked in Christ when
-
he raised him from the dead. So it means that
-
when God was raising Christ from the dead, something
-
was happening to all of us, the believers. Okay?
-
So immeasurable greatness of his power, right,
-
was taking place. We were gaining, he's saying
-
that we were having authority as Christ was resurrecting,
-
right, we were receiving authority alongside.
-
Right? We're receiving authority with Christ.
-
Right? So, it's not like he resurrected and he
-
gave birth. He said, as we have been raised with
-
him. Right? As we have been raised with Christ,
-
we are raised. It means that being born again,
-
coming into Christ, it came with authority. Right?
-
It came with authority. So, he's saying that
-
there's something he has worked in the believer
-
that he worked when he raised him from the dead.
-
So, at the resurrection, Right? At resurrection,
-
the believer had authority. Right? The believer
-
received authority. As Christ has been lifted
-
high, the believer received authority. Right?
-
So he therefore not need to tell us that I'm
-
giving you. Right? That's where I'm going. That
-
is therefore not saying that I give you. But
-
since we identify in that resurrection, we have
-
received authority. That is why John verse...
-
John 1 verse 12 and Matthew 28 verse 18 will
-
combine them together. John actually said he
-
gave them part to become the sons of God. John
-
1 verse 12. But all who receive and believe him,
-
he gave the rights, right? He gave them exosia,
-
the authority, right? To become the sons of God.
-
It is... This thing that is taking place in Ephesians,
-
right, Ephesians explains it more clearly, that
-
that power, that authority, right, it took place
-
simultaneously as Christ is being raised. Okay,
-
so John used the word give. Ephesians explains
-
in detail, saying that when Christ was raised,
-
that is when all that workings of God in us took
-
place. Okay, then Matthew, Matthew 28 now. tries
-
to explain some other things there, why Jesus
-
would say some things in a certain way. Matthew
-
28. Why Jesus would speak in a certain way. Matthew
-
28, Mark 16, as we know. In Matthew 28, it says
-
that, verse 19, Go therefore and make disciples
-
of all nations, baptizing them in the name of
-
the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
-
teaching them to observe all that I have commanded
-
you. And behold, I am with you to the end of
-
the age. Now, verse 16 says, Now the eleven disciples
-
went to Galilee, to the mount to which Jesus
-
had directed them. And when they saw him, they
-
worshipped him. But some doubted, and Jesus came
-
and said to them, All authority in heaven and
-
earth is given to me. It's given to me, right?
-
Go, therefore. and make disciples of all nations
-
right baptizing them in the name of the father
-
and son of the spirit teaching them to observe
-
all that i've commanded you and behold i am with
-
you to the end of this matthew 16 sorry max 16
-
verse 15 go into the world and proclaim the gospel
-
to all creation. Whoever believes is baptized
-
and is baptized is saved. But whosoever does
-
not believe will be condemned. And these signs
-
shall accompany those who believe. In my name,
-
right, they will cast out demons. They will speak
-
in new tongues. They will pick up serpents with
-
their hands. And if they drink any deadly poison,
-
it will not hurt them. They will lay their hands
-
on the sick and they will recover. Now see verse
-
17. He said, in my name. In my accomplishments.
-
In what I have done. In my resurrection. All
-
that I have done. In all of this that I have
-
done. They will do what? They will cast out demons.
-
It's different from I give you authority now.
-
Go and act on my behalf. It's different. I give
-
you authority. Go and act on my behalf. This
-
one is in my name. In all that I have accomplished.
-
Anyone who comes into that. right, can perform
-
all this that I've said, right? Can heal the
-
sick, can speak in tongues, can pick. So he's
-
simply saying that if anyone comes and believes
-
in my name, in my reputation, in all that I've
-
done, they can do it. That is why in Matthew
-
28, I don't think it would be necessary to say,
-
I give you, you know, authority. No, he's saying
-
that in all that Christ has done, the believer
-
has authority. right in all so you are not waiting
-
that oh i have to receive authority right you
-
get born again that you receive authority no
-
you get born again there's authority already
-
it comes with it right so it comes with it authority
-
in the context of salvation in the context of
-
preaching the gospel in his name in all that
-
he has done the believer In all that he has done,
-
the believer would operate. So we see that in
-
the post -resurrection, the believer would operate
-
based on all the things that Christ has achieved.
-
In Ephesians, he revealed that in raising him
-
up, something happened to us. In raising Christ's
-
hope, something happened to the believer. And
-
therefore, we have authority. we have authority.
-
So, preservation is not a delegated, it's not
-
a given authority. It's authority that we came
-
into as we come into salvation. We came into
-
it as we come into salvation. So, that's a more
-
clear explanation of John chapter 1 verse 12.
-
Now, I'll just conclude in five minutes with
-
just four statements. Right? I'll conclude in
-
five minutes with four statements. Therefore,
-
first, Because Adam did not believe, he did not
-
walk in this authority that is found in the message
-
of God. So it was supposed to be created in the
-
image of God by believing, right? Genesis chapter
Genesis 3 chapter mention
-
3. But by disbelieving the message, he could
-
not walk in this dominion. That is the first
-
thing. So why did I say this? Because there's
-
a doctrine that says Adam lost an authority and
-
passed it to the devil. He did not pass it to
-
the devil. The devil cannot work in the authority
-
and dominion that God is talking about. The devil
-
cannot work in it. First of all, the authority
-
and dominion God is talking about is in the context
-
of salvation. How can the devil work in that
-
context where God is creating man in his spirit?
-
So man did not... lose any authority right because
-
he never worked in any authority right so the
-
devil right what the devil did right is so this
-
is what i'm saying where does the devil's authority
-
come from the devil gains access through unbelief
-
the devil became the ruler of this world through
-
unbelief ephesians chapter 2 through the disobedience
Ephesians 2 chapter mention
-
of men the devil became the ruler of this world
-
Through the unbelief of men, the devil became
-
the ruler. That's where the devil capitalized.
-
That's where the devil became powerful. He said,
-
the spirit that is at work in the children of
-
disobedience, Ephesians 2. So the devil does
-
not have any dominion within the authority, within
-
the context of God's dominion and authority.
-
Rather, the devil gained his dominion through
-
men's disobedience. How does the devil function
-
today? He functions through the disobedience
-
of men. That is the authority and the dominion
-
of disobedience. Unbelief, rejecting of the gospel.
-
That is where the devil functions through. Okay?
-
So the devil functions through the unbelief of
-
men, the disobedience of men, the rejection of
-
the gospel, right? That is where you can find,
-
that's where, that's the dark places. That is
-
the heart of men. That is the principalities
-
and power. Those are where they function through.
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So the devil does not have any authority. Adam
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did not have any authority. He did not pass anything
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to the devil. The devil operated, started his
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operation. I mean, yes, we can say that the devil
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started his operation when Adam disbelieved.
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He started his operation when Adam disbelieved.
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Now, also, Jesus did not come to collect anything
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from authority from the Satan and give back to
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man. These are not correct doctrines, okay? He
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did not come to collect anything from the devil.
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and say i'm giving it back to man right no not
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going to collect anything rather right jesus
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came to deliver man from the dominion of darkness
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that authority that devil is operating he delivered
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man from that and gave man right sonship so we
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became sons a new identity in him right in him
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So what we see is that Jesus did not come, he
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did not come and collect anything from the devil,
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right? The devil had nothing. He's a man that
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God came to collect from the devil. Let's put
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it that way, right? He came to deliver us from
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the kingdom of darkness and brought us into the
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kingdom of his beloved son, right? So that is
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the deliverance that's happened. That's why he
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said he made it in Colossians. He said he made
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an open show of us, the believers, right? He
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displayed us to the world to see. Hallelujah.
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So Jesus came to deliver a man. A man can have
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an identity in him and have authority. Adam never
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had a dominion. The devil uses the unbelief of
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men as his authority. So let's walk in believing.
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The more we walk in believing, the more we can
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oppress the kingdom of darkness. The more we
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can bring down the kingdom of darkness, the more
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we can walk. in casting out demons, healing and,
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you know, tormenting and oppressing, taking them
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out of their places, the more we work in belief,
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not in unbelief. Hallelujah. We can read Hebrews
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2, verse 5 to 14, which explain much more what
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Jesus came to do. Not to collect any authority
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from him, but to deliver us. And to deliver us
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through fear of death. right saying that devil
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right is the one who has the power of death but
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he has come to the devils who through the fear
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of death have lived in lifelong bondage that's
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what jesus came to do so we have authority we
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have authority we have it is in us we the moment
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we believe the authority of god the authority
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to walk in in power to work in order christ has
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done became effective in our lives so we are
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not like moses right we are not like elijah right
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we are not like the disciples before resurrection
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right because the authority is from the identity
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that we receive in christ so your identity carries
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authority the identity of a believer carries
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authority that is why i said we are here we must
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have this mindset that we are here and we can
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Therefore, manifest the kingdom of God wherever
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we find ourselves. Glory to God. Can we just
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give thanks? Thank you Jesus for your word. We
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appreciate you being here today. We hope you
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carry this word with you throughout your week.
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Don't forget to check the show notes for additional
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insights. Stay connected with us through our
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website or follow us on social media. If you
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are encouraged, share this message with someone
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you care about. Until next time, stay blessed.