Talking with God - Part 5

All right, if you would take the Word of God with me and turn to Matthew chapter 6.

Matthew 6 · chapter mention

Matthew chapter 6. We've heard a word quite a bit today in songs that we have sung today.

Matthew 6 · chapter mention

It's tied closely to the events that we celebrate on Palm Sunday.

Can anybody tell me what that word is?

Thank you. I heard it down here. Hosanna. Hosanna.

What do we mean by Hosanna? What does that word mean?

Sometimes it's easy to come to church, and if you didn't maybe grow up in church,

or you're not used to some of the words you hear, there's a church lingo that you kind of have to learn.

And we want to try to avoid making it difficult, if possible, for those who maybe aren't familiar with all the terminology.

But along the way, it's helpful to pick up some of those terms.

And what we mean by Hosanna is, Lord, save us.

It's a term of praise.

And when Jesus came into the city of Jerusalem shortly before his crucifixion, Passion Week,

they shouted out the word Hosanna.

Crowds thronged the streets as he's riding in on the donkey accompanied by his disciples.

And the crowd thronged the streets because his reputation had preceded him.

And they saw him as their Messiah, as their deliverer, many of those people.

And so they were calling on him to deliver them.

Likely what those people were calling on him to do was deliver them from Rome.

Deliver them from Roman oppression.

Restore to them their great and mighty kingdom.

And that's what they were hoping their Messiah would do.

But Jesus came not to set up a kingdom on this earth, to set up a heavenly kingdom.

And to populate it with the souls of men.

Forgive them for their transgressions.

And that is what Jesus came to do.

But everyone saw him as the deliverer.

So they were asking him, Lord, save us.

Deliver us.

And that's what they meant by Hosanna.

If you're in Matthew chapter 6, and you're able and willing, would you join me in standing?

Matthew 6 · chapter mention

And let's read one verse today.

Verse 13.

Matthew chapter 6.

Matthew 6 · chapter mention

Do not bring us into temptation.

But deliver us from the evil one.

Would you say those two words with me?

Deliver us.

Ready?

Deliver us.

Isn't that interesting that on Palm Sunday, as we say the word Hosanna over and over,

and we've got it up here on our banners, Hosanna, God deliver us.

That coincides with the last verse of what we call the Lord's Prayer that we've been studying

for the last several weeks.

Lord, deliver us from evil.

Would you pray with me?

God, I pray that you would speak to us from your word this morning.

I pray that there's nothing that you have for someone that they would miss from your word.

I pray that it would be not my thinking, my words, but it would be your will that is imparted

unto every heart today.

For someone who does not know you, let them start that relationship with you today.

In Jesus' name we pray.

Amen.

You may be seated.

We've been in our series on the Lord's Prayer.

Carson, would you advance this for me?

It's not, there we go.

Got it.

I think we got it back.

I always want to remind you, some of the things you hear came from my mind.

Some of them came from different authors, and my kind of primary source is this Bible

exposition commentary by Warren Wiersbe.

We've been in Matthew chapter 6, verses 5 through 13.

Matthew 6:5–13

We've been talking about the Lord's Prayer.

Again, this is not a you must pray these words.

It's less of a prescription and more of a pattern.

The first section of the Lord's Prayer was God-focused petitions, and then this second section,

that we're concluding today, has been life-focused petitions.

So, as we read in Matthew 6, 13, Lord, deliver us from evil.

The theme for today is talking about temptation and deliverance.

Now, why are you looking at a picture of Hot Wheels cars right now?

To be fair, there's a matchbox in there, too.

All right?

Why are you looking at toy cars?

In case you couldn't tell, that's what that is.

Anybody want to take a guess what that store is?

Not my two boys up front.

Cadran, what do you think?

Oh, so close.

So close.

Aubrey?

There you go.

There you go.

Dollar Tree.

You got the dollar right.

That is a Dollar Tree.

Now, boys, why did I show a picture of Dollar Tree Hot Wheels?

Yes, right down front.

Tell me why.

Yeah, I did say that I would do that.

That's true.

I told you I was going to do this.

You're right.

It's because every time we go in a Dollar Tree, me and my boys, we are each going to buy at least one Hot Wheels car.

They used to be a dollar.

Now they're $1.25.

Stinking inflation.

Anyway.

But it's still the best price you can get on these Hot Wheels cars.

Unless maybe you can find a bulk price somewhere, but then you don't know what you're getting.

And, you know.

We have probably compiled just about every Batman-themed Hot Wheels car that they ever made.

And at least recently.

And every time we go in there, we cannot resist the temptation to buy these cars.

Okay?

Now, I've shut down other things usually.

Like we're not just going to go buy a bunch of random stuff for them to take home and use once and then it breaks and throw away.

But these cars, we cannot resist them.

And if you go to our house right now, you walk in the living room, there are three piles of cars waiting on us to play with when we get home.

Because you don't understand how many cars we have and how long this process takes.

Okay?

We've got to, like, play rock, paper, scissors to see who picks first and then who picks second.

And we go through and each select our favorite car.

And compile your armies and then you've got to create a whole scenario.

Anyway, it's a lot of fun.

All right?

If anybody wants to play cars, come to our house this afternoon.

We'll have a good time.

Don't take me up on that, please.

I'm a little under the weather.

You're not going to want to get sick.

All right.

So, we can't resist this particular temptation.

Now, I've never prayed for God to deliver me from this temptation, okay?

I'm perfectly fine with it.

As long as it doesn't completely get out of hand, I guess.

But how about this one?

Anybody ever been down this aisle in the store with little kids?

How many of y'all have purposefully avoided going down this aisle in the store with little kids?

I think that right there, parents avoiding taking their children down this aisle, I think it's biblical, okay?

It is.

It lines up with scripture.

Somehow, someway.

No, Psalm 131.

Watch this.

Lord, set up a guard for my mouth.

Keep watch at the door of my lips.

Do not let my heart turn to any evil thing or perform wicked acts with evildoers.

Wow, that just got dark really fast, didn't it?

Here's the tie-in.

Here's the application.

God, deliver us from evil.

Deliver us from the evil one.

Set a guard for my mouth.

Keep watch at the door of my lips.

In other words, don't take me down the candy aisle because I can't handle it.

Don't take me down the Hot Wheels section at Dollar Tree because I'm going to buy whatever I want there, okay?

There are certain things that tempt us more than we can handle.

And I believe that is why Jesus is teaching us to pray,

Lord, do not bring us into temptation.

Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Why would God lead us into temptation?

Why are we even asking that?

Why is Jesus telling us, teaching us, to pray in this way to God,

not to lead us into temptation?

Does God tempt people?

We're going to see in a few passages that he does not.

God absolutely does not bring temptation into our lives.

Does he allow us sometimes to experience temptation?

Yes.

But God is not the author of temptation.

So I really believe what he's teaching us here is that very simple principle that we exercise with our own kids and sometimes ourselves.

We know, you know, maybe you're trying to cut off caffeine or something and so you're not going to go to Starbucks.

Well, I swear I'll just get a hot tea that doesn't have caffeine in it.

No, you won't.

You'll get your favorite coffee drink.

There are certain things that we know are going to be too much for us to handle.

So we're praying, God, keep us from those things.

Don't lead us down the candy aisle.

I love this quote from the author of that commentary series I told you about earlier.

Temptation is Satan's weapon to defeat us.

But it can become God's tool to build us.

That's what the theme is about today.

Temptation and deliverance.

And temptation is going to be something that every single one of us experiences.

God does allow us to repeatedly experience temptation, sometimes in the same area.

And we can either see that as a negative or a positive.

It can be Satan's weapon to defeat us.

It is.

And sometimes he wins that battle.

But it can also become God's tool to build us, to form us, to shape us into his likeness.

So number one, temptation comes from the world, the flesh, and the devil.

Temptation comes from the world, the culture around us.

Remember when Preston up here said a little bit ago,

why do we continue to sin even though we're trying to be like Jesus?

Because, anybody remember?

Because we're used to it.

Yeah.

Because we're born into sin.

Because of our sin nature.

The culture around us is very sinful.

And then our own flesh, that sin nature within us,

undermines the Holy Spirit's working in our lives.

And then the devil, spiritual warfare is very real around us.

And sometimes he will shoot his arrows directly at us.

And so temptation can come from the world, the flesh, and the devil.

Let's look at James chapter 1.

James 1 · chapter mention

James chapter 1.

James 1 · chapter mention

You're going to be turning in your Bibles a little bit today.

So if you wouldn't mind heading toward the back of the book,

toward Revelation, and then turn a few pages back until you find James.

There's five chapters, and we're going to be in chapter 1, verses 12 through 16.

For sake of time, I'm going to go ahead and read while you catch up.

Blessed is the one who endures trials,

because when he has stood the test of time,

when he has stood that test,

he will receive the crown of life

that God has promised to those who love him.

Do you see that?

Blessed is the one who endures trials.

Verse 13.

No one undergoing a trial should say,

I am being tempted by God.

Since God is not tempted by evil,

here we go, ready?

And he himself doesn't tempt anyone.

God is not the one tempting you.

That's the world, the flesh, and the devil.

But each person is tempted when he is drawn away

and enticed by his own evil desire.

Then, after desire has conceived,

it gives birth to sin.

And when sin is fully grown,

it gives birth to death.

Don't be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters.

So that's what I hope we can take away from today.

Don't be deceived by temptation.

Don't be deceived into thinking

you are strong enough

to resist temptation on your own.

You might have resisted it in your mind,

but in reality, it took root in you,

and it will grow up into a kind of fruit

that you never wanted in your life.

So, temptation comes not from God,

but from the world, the flesh, and the devil,

and their goal is to trick you, to deceive you.

How does temptation deceive us?

I love this quote from Rick Warren.

Every temptation is an offer

to doubt God's love and wisdom.

Every kind of temptation that comes into your life,

whether it is sexual, whether it is power,

whether it is money,

whatever kind of temptation comes after you,

that is an offer to doubt God's love and wisdom for you,

saying, God is not enough.

You also need this.

You also need this.

God's word is not true in this area.

It is an offer to doubt God's love and wisdom.

What are the different types of temptation?

How are we tempted?

1 John 2 and verse 16 tells us everything in the world.

The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes,

and the pride of life.

We've got three different types right there.

The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes,

and the pride of life comes not from the Father,

but from the world.

Once again, God does not tempt us.

The world, the flesh, and the devil,

it appeals to our sin nature,

and we respond.

So the lust of the flesh,

the lust of the eyes,

and the pride of life.

I found this handy Venn diagram on the internet.

Anybody love a good Venn diagram?

It's awesome, right?

You can see it all kind of come together.

I don't know if this is completely comprehensive,

if this covers every area,

but I thought it was helpful to look at

and kind of get an idea of how this works.

So the lust of the eyes,

they're on the left.

What are we talking about?

What?

Envy, greed, wrath.

These are the things that appeal to our eyes.

We want what somebody else has.

What somebody else has.

We see something that makes us angry.

The lust of the flesh.

Laziness.

Kind of crosses over into that greed.

I want what appeals to me.

Gluttony.

How many of us struggle with gluttony?

Yeah, you and me both.

And then pride of life.

Pride.

Man, that gets every one of us, I think, in this room.

At some point, pride has led you down the wrong path.

Again, gluttony.

Getting everything that I have for myself.

Everything I want.

And then wrath.

And all of it combines into lust.

Lust of the flesh.

Lust of the eyes.

And pride of life.

It is elevating man above God.

That is the sin here.

You understand that God does not, and young people, I want to make sure y'all hear this.

God does not set up a bunch of rules just to have rules.

God is not trying to cramp our style.

Okay?

God's not trying to just make life as unenjoyable as possible for us.

God is making sure that we do not lift ourselves up above him.

And he knows that there is sin in the world.

Because Satan lifted himself up above God.

And he was cast out of heaven.

And so then, in the original sin in the Garden of Eden, that the kids talked about earlier,

that sin was lifting themselves up above God.

It was saying, I know this is what God told us,

but Lucifer appealed to their pride,

and they responded to that.

Because God gave us a choice.

Because he did not make us robots.

Because he gave us that free will,

then we could choose to lift ourselves up above God.

And that ultimately is the root of every sin.

It's saying, I know this is what God says,

but I'm going to go a different way.

There is a conscience in each one of us.

And so often, we resist that conscience.

We go against it.

Even if you haven't heard a teaching on the Word of God,

every man is responsible to obey his Creator.

And every man is born into sin.

And every man has resisted God.

At some point in his life.

Usually many times.

So that lust for life, for power, for pride,

for gaining everything we can possibly compile,

to get ahead, to lift ourselves up,

that does not come from God.

God can lift you up as high as he wants you to go.

But when you scrap and fight to get ahead,

often that comes from a place of pride.

I'm not saying don't work hard in your job.

I'm not saying don't try to do well in school.

I'm not saying don't try to be the best if you're an athlete, etc.

I'm not saying those things.

Certainly, everything that you find to do,

do it with all your might, do it with all your strength.

But what does the Bible teach us?

Do those things to bring glory to God, not yourself.

And that goes completely against the lust of the flesh,

the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.

Matthew, back in Matthew, but toward the end of the book,

Matthew 26, 41,

stay awake and pray so that you don't enter into temptation.

The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.

You see the setting here?

This is the Garden of Gethsemane,

right before Jesus is crucified,

and he's been praying all night,

and he goes to check on his disciples,

and they've all fallen asleep.

And this happens multiple times.

And Jesus tells Peter,

kind of the leader, so to speak, of the group,

he says, Peter, I'm disappointed in you.

Stay awake and pray so that you don't enter into temptation.

The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.

I love the last part of that.

And can I just make this application today?

Can I make this application for you?

There's one interpretation of Scripture.

Every passage, there's one incorrect interpretation of Scripture.

As you read through the original manuscript,

and you look at it, what is the Bible teaching here?

But there can be multiple applications

that you take away from a certain passage.

Because we're all different.

The Holy Spirit is working with us differently in every life.

So I want to make this particular application from this passage.

Some of us need to wake up.

Some of us are sleeping through our life with Jesus.

And the devil wants nothing more

than for a Christian to fall asleep.

And just go through life like everybody else.

The Bible tells us, wake up.

Now is the appointed time.

Now it is high time to awake out of sleep,

we read in the book of Romans.

For now, your redemption is nearer than when you first believed.

Jesus is coming back.

We are not promised forever on this earth.

We are promised a wonderful eternity in heaven with God.

But until that time comes,

you and I have a job to do,

and we can't do it if we're asleep.

I'm not talking about not getting your eight hours of sleep at night.

I'm talking about sleeping through your life,

not listening to the Holy Spirit of God,

not ever sharing the gospel with somebody else,

not ever resisting temptation,

just giving in to the lust of the flesh,

the lust of the eyes,

and the bride of life.

The Bible says, wake up!

Because it's time to listen to God

and let God change your life.

Let God change your thinking.

The Holy Spirit is not the problem.

The Spirit is willing,

but the flesh is weak.

But Jesus had to teach those guys

that walked with Him every day

on the most important night of His time on earth.

When He could not sleep,

He knew what was coming.

He had even given them clues of what was coming.

But they fell asleep.

How many of us fall asleep

when God needs us to pray?

How many of us fall asleep

when God needs us to stand strong?

How many of us fall asleep

when God needs us to resist?

How many of us fall asleep

when God needs us to help someone else?

So that's just an application there

that I hope we can take.

Now,

y'all, I think I took out,

I think I messed up one of my slides here

and I apologize for that.

So I'm just going to focus

on the latter part of this verse right here.

Jesus was praying for us

and He said,

I'm not praying that you would take us

out of this world,

but I'm praying that you would protect us,

you and I,

from the evil one.

So that's God's goal,

that's Jesus' goal for you and for me

is to protect us from the evil one.

That's, I think,

why God was,

Jesus was teaching us

in Matthew 6,

Lord,

don't lead us into temptation,

deliver us from the evil one.

Right here He says,

protect them,

Father,

from the evil one.

So that's God's goal for us.

Now,

that leads us into point number two.

Obedience to God's Spirit

can rescue us from temptation.

So that's the theme,

right?

We have temptation first

and then we have deliverance.

So this is the deliverance part.

This is the good part.

We're excited about this.

Obedience to God's Spirit

can rescue us

from temptation.

Let's go to 2 Peter.

2 Peter 2,

2 Peter 2:7

verse 7.

2 Peter 2, 7.

If He rescued righteous Lot,

Y'all remember the story of Lot?

He was a righteous man,

truly a righteous man,

followed God,

but he couldn't resist the flesh.

He couldn't resist

the pride of life,

the lust of the flesh,

the lust of the eyes.

So he kept going to places

where he shouldn't have gone

to set up his domain,

domain to set up

his little mini kingdom there

and eventually it culminated

in him finally begrudgingly

leaving Sodom and Gomorrah,

but his wife stopped

and looked back,

missing that life

she was leaving behind

to follow God

at God's command

and what happened?

Old Testament man,

there's nothing like it.

She was turned into

a pillar of salt.

I mean, just wild things

you can read about

in the Old Testament.

God's way of dealing

with his people back then

was incredible to watch.

So we read about this

reference to Lot

right here all the way

toward the end of the book

in 2 Peter 2,

2 Peter 2:7

verse 7.

If God rescued righteous Lot,

distressed by the depraved

behavior of the immoral.

Oh, he was distressed,

all right,

but he couldn't walk away from it.

Verse 8,

for as that righteous man

lived among them

day by day,

his righteous soul

was tormented

or vexed

by the lawless deeds

he saw and heard.

Verse 9,

so if he could do that

for Lot,

he could rescue Lot

almost against Lot's will,

then the Lord knows how

to rescue the godly

from trials

and to keep the unrighteous

under punishment

for the day of judgment.

God knows how to rescue us.

So that's the good news.

Obedience to God

can deliver us.

Obedience to God

can rescue us.

1 Corinthians 10, 13.

No temptation

has overtaken you

that's not common to man.

Remember that Jesus

was tempted?

Jesus was tempted

just like we are

in all three areas,

the lust of the flesh,

the lust of the eyes,

and the pride of life.

When Satan

led him up on that mountain,

he tempted him.

When Jesus was at

his weakest point

after starving

in the wilderness

for 40 days,

then Satan

pounced on him.

Of course,

he wasn't going to

get anywhere with Jesus,

but Jesus wanted to show us,

give us the template

for resisting temptation.

It's by the word of God.

Every time Satan

came at him

with temptation,

he quoted scripture

back to Satan.

The power is in

the word of God.

Jesus was the living

word of God.

But he quoted that word

right back to Satan,

and that's the word

that we have.

The power that Jesus

used to resist temptation

was the very same power

that you and I

have access to.

So no temptation

has overtaken you

or me

that is not already

common to man,

but God is faithful.

And he will not allow you

to be tempted

beyond your ability,

but with the temptation,

he will also provide

the way of escape.

Man, some of the

most reassuring words

in the Bible

that you can read

is this way of escape.

God will provide

a way of escape.

So every time

we are tempted,

number one,

we know it is not

coming from God.

Number two,

we know that God

has provided a way

of escape

so that you and I

can endure

that temptation.

2 Timothy 4.18,

the Lord will rescue me

from every evil work

and will bring me

safely into his

heavenly kingdom.

Amen.

What a powerful prayer.

I don't think it's wrong

to pray scripture.

I don't think it's

inappropriate to read

things in the word of God

and pray them word for word.

I think that's just fine

if you in your quiet time

want to pray that to God.

God, rescue me

from every evil work

and bring me safely

into your heavenly kingdom.

Amen.

We know that he's

promised to do that.

He will do that.

So how do we resist?

It's through the power

of his word.

2 Thessalonians 3.3,

kind of the same thing.

I love how many times

he put this in the scriptures

so he can drive

that point home with us.

The Lord is faithful.

He will strengthen you

and guard you

from the evil one.

That's God's desire.

He prayed it to his

father in heaven.

And he wants us

to do that now.

John 17.

This is the passage

we quoted just a minute ago.

And I had these slides

out of order

and I apologize.

This should have been

back there

to kind of help us

transition in

but that's okay.

John 17.

Let's turn there anyway

real quick.

John 17 in verse 6.

Jesus is praying

for his disciples.

We can jump in

and be included

on this prayer.

I have revealed your name,

Jesus says.

I have revealed your name,

Father,

to the people you gave me

from the world.

They were yours

and you gave them to me.

They have kept your word.

Now they know

that everything you have

given is from you

because I have given them

the words you gave me.

They have received them

and they know for certain

that I came from you.

They believe that you sent me.

I pray for them.

And what a powerful thought

that Jesus is praying for us.

This isn't the only time

in scripture

that Jesus assures us

that he is praying for us.

He says,

I pray for them.

I'm not praying for the world

but for those

that you have given me

because they are yours.

Everything I have is yours.

Everything you have is mine

and I am glorified in them.

I am no longer in the world

but they are in the world

and I am coming to you.

By the way,

you want a little clue

as to why we believe

in the Trinity?

A three-part God,

Father, Son,

and Holy Spirit?

Right here we believe

that the Father and Son

are co-equal

because right here

did you see in verse 10?

Everything I have is yours.

Everything you have is mine.

They are on equal footing

with one another.

Equally God,

all three parts.

Different roles,

different personalities sometimes

as they express themselves

but they are all one God.

All co-equal with one another.

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

So, let's jump back in.

Verse 11.

I'm no longer in the world

but they are in the world

and I am coming to you.

Holy Father,

protect them by your name

that you have given me

so that they may be one

as we are one.

Just as the Father and Son

are united,

are one,

God wants his people

to be united

and one

and he wants to protect us

from Satan trying to mess that up.

Satan trying to get in between us

and drive us apart.

So, he's praying for us

that God would protect us.

Jump down, if you would,

to verse 15.

I'm not praying

that you take them out of the world.

We read it just a moment ago.

But that you protect them

from the evil one.

They're not of the world

just as I am not of the world.

Sanctify them by the truth.

Your truth,

your word,

is truth.

As you sent me into the world,

I also have sent them into the world.

That's us, y'all.

He sent us into this world.

I sanctify myself for them

so that they also

may be sanctified

by the truth.

God wants to protect us

from the evil one

because we are here

for a great purpose.

He has sent us

into the world

as his light.

If the light

is extinguished

by the power of darkness,

if the light is hidden

by the power of darkness

and us giving in

to temptation,

it extinguishes that light.

It hides that light

and nobody can see

that light anymore

because all they see

is us giving in

repeatedly,

continually

to the same temptations

that they give in to.

And there's no difference.

There's no change.

There's nothing special

about the power of God

in our lives.

So there's much at stake.

There's much at stake.

That's why, once again,

we're going back to it.

Can we read this together, please?

Don't copy the behavior

and customs of this world.

Here we go.

Ready?

But let God transform you

into a new person

by changing the way you think.

This is my prayer for you.

It's my prayer for me

and my family

on a daily basis

that God would change

the way we think

so that we would not

so easily give in

to the sins

that easily

pull us off track,

the sins that easily

beset us,

that we wouldn't give in

to temptation.

So that's the takeaway.

Do I resist temptation

through prayer

or through my own strength?

Do I resist temptation

on my knees?

You don't always have to be

on your knees.

You could be driving

in your car,

you could be at work,

you could be engaged

in another activity,

but God

is just a moment away.

He's always there.

Do I resist temptation

through His power

or through my power?

I want to leave you

with the words

to this song

by Phil Wickham,

great Christian songwriter

out there.

He said,

so when I fight,

I'll fight on my knees

with my hands lifted high.

Oh God,

the battle belongs to you.

Whether you're fighting

against someone else

trying to hurt you

or you're fighting

against temptation

trying to pull you off track,

fight that battle

on your knees.

I can personally testify,

when I try to resist temptation

with my own strength,

I don't win.

Now you can put your name

in the middle of that too.

When you resist temptation

on your own,

you don't win,

do you?

But when we fight

through the power of God,

He wins.

He always wins.

So if we want

to defeat temptation,

let's go to the book.

Let's go to our knees

in prayer.

And let's ask

for God's help

He wants to help us.

And He says

to come to Him

and ask Him for help.

God, deliver us from this.

Would you pray with me?

God, I pray that

You would deliver us

from sin.

I know beyond

a shadow of doubt

there is sin

in our church, God.

Because any time

you get a group of people

together in this world,

there's going to be

plenty of sin

represented there.

We are all sinners.

We all have our

pet sins

that we can't seem

to shake.

Whether it's pride,

whether it's lust

of the flesh,

whether it's lust

of the eyes,

the pride of life,

whatever category

really trips us up

the most,

there's something

in there that just

maybe multiple things

that we just can't seem

to get victory over.

God, reveal to us

how much

You want to give us

the victory.

Change the way

we think

by submitting

to Your Spirit,

by actually

spending time

in Your Word,

by actually

going to You

in prayer

and not just

talking about it,

but actually

taking the time

to re-center

ourselves

on You.

We'll give You

all the glory, God.

We're not going to say,

man, I finally

kicked this habit

that I've been

trying to kick.

No, it was Jesus.

It was Your power.

You did a transforming

work in us.

Let that be

our testimony here.

God, if there's

someone who needs

You to deliver

them from sin,

someone needs

to put their faith

in You

for the first time.

Just last week,

we had someone

raise their hand

and You've been

working on them,

You've been drawing

them, and they've

placed their faith

in You

for the first time.

We want to see

that happen

as often as

you're willing

to let us

see that.

So right now,

I'll ask again

with our heads

bowed,

if there's

somebody else

who'd like

to slip

your hand

up and say,

I want to

place my faith

in Jesus.

I want to

turn from my

sin and turn

to Jesus.

Thank You.

Thank You.

I want to

pray for that one,

God, that You

would give them

understanding

to how much

they need You.

Give them

full understanding

of what it means

to be a child

of God.

For the rest

of us, God,

I pray that You

would continue

to work in our

hearts.

How many of you

would slip your

hand up and just

say, pray for me?

I'm working on

something, God's

convicted me of

something, and I

just need prayer.

I'll pray for You.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

All over.

God, You see the

hands.

You know what's

going on, Lord.

You know what's

going on in every

heart.

You've been with

us every step of

this journey.

I pray that we

would fight this

battle on our

knees, not in

our own strength.

It's in Jesus' name

I pray.

Amen.

Brother Greg's

going to lead us

through a song.

I'm going to be

down front if you'd

like to meet me

down here for

prayer, if you'd

like to come pray

quietly by yourself,

that's what these

steps are for.

If you'd like to go

to the back and

find a quiet room,

our campus is here

for you to pray.

Stay out of the

children's area because

that's where they're

going, but y'all just

use a few minutes to

pray here.

Whatever's going on in

your heart, why

don't you keep your

seat for now?

Just remain

comfortable.

Just stay sitting

down and let's all

spend this time with

our heads bowed.

You can sing along

to the song if you'd

like, but let's spend

just a couple of

minutes dedicated to

prayer.