In this sermon from the "Descending in Power" series, Pastor Harry Pitts argues that the contemporary church is spiritually off‑track because it lacks true formation and sanctification. He defines sanctification as learning to live differently because we belong to God—a progressive, not perfect, process—and contrasts it with cultural conformity, which he describes as the "Kool‑Aid of the day" that shapes believers without the gospel’s authority. Using a series of biblical passages (1 Thessalonians 4:3, Romans 12:2, James 1:8, Psalms 95:10, 1 Corinthians 3:1, Revelation 3:16, Hebrews 13:17, Hebrews 10:24, 1 Peter 1:15‑16, Colossians 3:3), he illustrates how formation shapes thinking, love, choice, speech, and conduct. He then presents an AI‑generated “enemy playbook” that outlines modern tactics—capturing attention, confusing truth, dividing the church, diluting the gospel, destroying leaders, replacing embodied community with digital content, weaponizing identity, and normalizing compromise—to explain why believers feel spiritually disoriented. The sermon concludes with an urgent call to holiness, a prayer of repentance, and an invitation to contact 514 Grace Church for further discipleship.
Chapters
I won't be before you long, I promise you, but I will be real strong. I want to teach a message today from our series, Descending in Power. We've been teaching these series of messages and We need to share and to shed more light on what is taking place in the lives of believers, not only in the lives of believers but in the body of Christ as well, collectively. In order to achieve the power and potency that a believer wants and desires in their life, you have to operate and descending. Descending meaning that there has to be a spirit of humility. The pattern is in the Bible. The Bible says Jesus first ascended— excuse me, descended before he ascended. And after he, uh, once he descended, he ascended. And after he ascended, he was seated. But he couldn't get to the ascension until he descended first. Amen. I know many people want the glamour, they want the fame, they want the glitz, but are you willing to pay the price? Last week we talked about being cut, removing the flesh, those things that are in our lives that bring distraction, those things in our lives that stop us from moving in the presence and the glory of God. If you want the mantle of God, if you want the God of Elijah, you've got to be cut. You have to be circumcised. What does that mean? That means that the flesh has got to be removed. So this Sunday, if you're listening and you're watching us online, pull out your pen. or your pencil, your number 2 pencil, your paper, your pad, or even your iPad or your digital iPad or your laptop or your phone. And I want you to write this title down. This is from our series Descending in Power. The title of this message is Formed, Not Fooled, a callback To sanctification and formation. Formed, not fooled. A callback to sanctification and formation. Father, I thank you for your word. Let this word make us free. Let this word be clear. Speak through my vocal cords. Speak through my mind. All of you and none of me. And it's in Jesus' name I pray. And everyone said amen. Church, I want to speak with clarity. I want to speak with clarity this morning because clarity is, in fact, kindness. The church does not have a worship problem. Yes, church doesn't have a worship problem. The church does not have a creativity problem. There's no issues with being creative. The church has a formation problem. We have learned how to create moments people in joy, but we are struggling to shape lives that can withstand pressure, temptation, and deception. And if we do not change direction, if the church doesn't change direction, we will continue producing people who know how to attend church but do not know how to live holy lives. We need to talk about sanctification because sanctification is becoming a byword. It is becoming, um, a word that is an anomaly. Antiquated. Antiquated. Many people know what I'm talking about. Sanctification. Let me give you a definition and define this clearly. Let's define this term sanctification, because if the church does not define them or these words, guess what? Culture will. Write this down. Sanctification means learning how to live differently because you belong to God. Sanctification means learning how to live differently because you belong to God. Amen. Not perfection, but direction. Not overnight, but progressive, meaning over time. It takes time. If you would, turn your Bibles to 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, verse 3. I'm going to take my time today, so please bear with me. Sanctification— let me say this for those that are watching— simply means learning how to live differently because you belong to God. Not perfection, not overnight change. 1 Thessalonians chapter 4. I'm going to be reading from the King James Version of the Bible. First Thessalonians chapter four verse three. When you get there, someone shout, "I got it!" First Thessalonians chapter four verse three. Amen. I still hear pages turning. That means that you guys are searching for it. If you can't find it, look in your glossary. It'll give you your page number in your Bible. We'll get there. Amen. I I I. I got you. You got it. Amen. 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, verse 3, and it reads thusly. It says, for this is the will of God. What, what do you mean? What is the writer saying? For this is the will of God. He's fit to tell us even what your sanctification, that you should abstain from fornication. That isn't a suggestion. That is not optional. That is God's will. Not just fornication, but sin, period. Sanctification is God shaping how you think, love, choose, speak and live. Sanctification is God shaping how you think, because some of us have a problem with our thinking. Not only how you think, but God is shaping how you love. God is shaping how you choose. Amen. Because some of us need to make better choices. We've got to do this simply. Head up. Some young folks say straight up, you gotta do this. You gotta make better choices. There are some adults that have to make better choices. There are young people that have got to make better choices. Not only God is shaping how you choose, but he's shaping how you speak. What comes out of your mouth. Not only how you speak, but how you live. So what does formation have to do with this? I'm glad you asked. Formation is what is shaping you. Formation is what shapes you when no one else is forcing you. Formation is what shapes you when no one is forcing you. Formation answers one honest question: what am I becoming because of what I repeatedly live under? Hmm, what am I becoming because of what I repeatedly live under? The Bible says in Romans chapter 12, verse 2— if you would turn your Bibles to Romans chapter 12, verse 2. I'm going to stay in the King James Version of the Bible because we need to be clear. I want you to see what the what the word of God says from the King James Version, because I think that this translation is appropriate for this particular lesson, this class that we're teaching today. When you get there, say amen. Romans chapter 12, verse 2. If you found it, say I got it. If you still looking, say Lord have mercy. Amen. Amen. The Bible says in Romans chapter 12, verse 2, and be not conformed to this world. Oh my goodness. But be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye should prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Hmm. Something is always forming you. If it's not the word, it will be the world or culture. If it's not truth, it will be trends. I'm gonna say that again. If it is not truth, it will be trends. will form you. Culture is the word of the day. It is the, the, the Kool-Aid of the day. You know how some people say, have you drank the Kool-Aid? That's a term that's really not good. That means that it could be some poison in there. It is the word that is very popular, Pastor Keith. It is a very popular word. Culture. What, what is culture? Define. I need to define this for this age and this generation. Culture is not vibes. V-I-B-E-S. It's not vibes. Culture is not music. Culture is not aesthetics. Culture is what you agree to live under. Culture is authority. It is the standards you accept. Culture is the behaviors you normalize, the truth you submit to. Culture is not what excites you when you visit. Culture is what shapes you when you stay. Culture is what shapes you when you stay. Why, why, why, why this spiritual warfare taking place in the church? The Bible says in John chapter 8:44, chapter 8, verse 44, ye are of your father the devil, for he is a liar And the father of it. Now, now I just threw a curveball just then. I knew I just dropped a pebble in the water. Now, Pastor, how do you shift gears and go from talking about this to this? Just stay with me, it's going to make sense to you here in a little bit. John chapter 8, verse 44 says, ye are of your father the devil. How did you do that, Pastor? Why, you were doing good all the way up to this point. Now you say— I know I'm not calling you a devil. Just hear me out. I'm not, I'm not saying— that's not what I said. Just stay with me. Ye are of your father the devil, for he is a liar and the father of it. Of what? Of lies. The enemy does not start with destruction. He starts with That's right. Amen. His goal is not to scare you. It is to confuse you. What happens when formation is missing from a church? People move from church to church, moment to moment, Platform to platform, not because they are rebellious, but because they are unformed. James chapter 1, verse 8. I'm reading from the King James Version. James chapter 1, verse 8 says this. James chapter 1, verse 8. When you get there, somebody say, I got it. James chapter 1, verse 8. I hear you out there turning your pages online right now. God bless you. James chapter 1, verse 8. Amen. It says this, a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways. Did you, did you hear this? It says a double-minded man, a man that has a split mind. It's almost like an emotional roller coaster. He's here this week or she's there this week, almost like it's saying you're a little bit bipolar. What does it mean, Pastor? I'm glad you asked. It means this: instability feels normal. Ah, that's what this writer is saying. He's saying instability feels normal when no one has taught you how to stay. Instability feels normal when no one has taught you how to stay. You go from church to church. Let me give you an illustration. Israel in Psalms 95:10, and I've got a I've got to play Speed Racer. I got to hit the gas for a moment. We're going to have to go about 95 miles an hour because I got to get to the, the key part. This is my introduction. This isn't even the message. I'm going to give you the message here shortly. Israel in Psalms chapter 95, verse 10 gives a beautiful illustration of what I'm talking about. Experience without obedience produced immaturity. Experience without obedience produced immaturity. These illustrations— Psalms 95:10, write that down. I won't read all of these. I want to give you this for your understanding and your spiritual growth so you can go back and study these. I'm going to give you The body of what's taking place with these illustrations. The church at Corinth, 1 Corinthians chapter 3, verse 1. Hear this: the church at Corinth in 1 Corinthians chapter 3, verse 1. Gifted does not mean that you are grounded. They were gifted, but they were not grounded. Ah, beautiful illustrations. The church in Laodicea. Revelations chapter 3, verse 16. Revelations chapter 3, verse 16. The church at Laodicea. Comfort without conviction produces complacency. Let me give you these illustrations again. Israel is a perfect illustration of this in Psalms 95, verse 10. Experience without obedience produces immaturity. You can have all the experience and knowledge and the degrees all you want to have, but if you do not have obedience, it produces immaturity. The church in Corinth, in 1 Corinthians chapter 3, verse 1, this church was gifted. Multi-gifted. Gifted does not mean that you're grounded. Amen, that's right. Out of control. Gifted but out of control. Gifted but running from place to place. Gifted but does not understand submission to apostolic order. Gifted but not grounded. Hmm, what happens when a car is not grounded to the battery? The car won't start. Many of you are wondering why things don't work for me, because you're not grounded. Amen. Church in Laodicea, Revelation chapter 3, verse 16. Comfort without conviction, no conviction. about what you're doing is wrong, guess what it does? It produces complacency. That's right. You say, Pastor, why do I have to be committed? Because it matters. You do not grow from what you sample. Right. Ah, man, that was something right there, man. Somebody need to write me a check for $1 million on that statement. You do not grow from what you sample. You grow from what you submit to. Hebrews chapter 13, verse 17 says this, obey them that have the rule over you and submit yourselves. Why is this important? Formation requires staying long enough to be shaped. Yes. Some folks say, man, this is old school preaching. No, it's not. It just means that you gotta hit the mute button, turn it off so you can hear the volume. Turn up the volume, turn down the noise. There's nothing old school about this. This is foundational teaching. Formation requires staying long enough to be shaped into God's image. And with formation comes this provoking to righteousness, provoking one another to righteousness. The Bible says in Hebrews chapter 10, verse 24, Hebrews chapter 10, verse 24, when you get there, say, I got it. We're gonna work those fingernails today. We're gonna work those fingers today. When you get there, Hebrews chapter 10, verse 24. When you get there, say, I got it, man of God. Hebrews chapter 10, verse 24. Amen. I'm going to be reading from the KJV. Hebrews 10:24 says, and, and let us consider one another to provoke unto love. And to what? Good works. This is not condemnation. This is an awakening for the church to provoke to righteousness, to provoke to good works. And let us consider one another to do what? To provoke unto love and good works. I'm not condemning anyone. I'm saying that there needs to be an awakening in the church because we Have gotten off the beaten path. Has to be a call to holiness. First Peter chapter one verse fifteen through sixteen says, "Be ye holy, for I am holy." Holiness is not outdated. Holiness is not extreme. Holiness is God's design. God has a plan for every single one of His children. We're living in a time where social media has now become the appetite of so many people in the age that we're living in. We cannot afford to play games with our lives, play these religious musical chairs. God has to form the church into his image. There has to be sanctification in the church, and leadership have Got to live a standard of holiness. We can't play these games. The Word of God has to be amplified, and I need everyone to pray like never before. There is an onslaught taking place. We've got to have commitment in the church. We've got to have holiness in the church. I know that those words are— they seem old. Some people say old school. Sanctification, justification. Ah yes, formation. No, they're not old school. We've got to stop listening to the hype, people of God. Amen. We got to hear God clearly. Now I'm going to— I want you to hear me out on this one. I did something that was a little bit different. I went to— I went to AI and I asked AI a question. I asked this question. I asked AI this question. I said, if I— if you were the enemy, how would you map out strategy in this era? How would you attack the church? I asked AI technology this. Listen at what it— listen at the response that it gave me. AI said this, if I were mapping out the enemy strategy in this era, I would not start with witchcraft, horror movies, or open Satanism. I would start with what already has the attention of the secular world and the church. I will start with emotions and habits and quietly bend all of that just enough away from Jesus. Let me walk you through this playbook so you can understand how I would attack. The first strategy I would use, and given the tools that are present at this age, culture would definitely be a tool that I would use. Culture right now is the aim that I would focus on. One, I would capture attention so we— so that The people no longer have margin for God. 2, confuse truth so nothing feels solid, including scripture. Number 3, I would divide the church so their witness is weakened. 4, I would dilute the gospel so Believers, young, old, and the babies in the church would retain religious language but lose transformative power. Number 5, I would destroy leaders quietly so the flock is scattered. And then it Gives the verse. It says, "Lest Satan should get an advantage of us, for we are not ignorant of his devices." I would lead the church away from second Corinthians chapter two verse eleven. Then it says, "Here are more tools. We are not done." Number two, I would attention. I would. Use the digital world to make God seem boring. If I were confusion, the first battle would be the attention span of every believer. How would that look? Said, I would use infinite scroll, TikTok, IG Reels, YouTube Shorts to train minds for constant novelty. He said, I would keep you busy. I would make the brain crave dopamine hits every 5 to 15 seconds. So prayer feels too slow, Bible reading feels too dense, silence feels uncomfortable. Normalize multitasking worship. Watching sermons while texting, scrolling, answering emails is popular, while listening to and watching sermons are boring. I would make preachers boring. I would make preachers Entertainers, but not anointed. I would turn quiet time into content time. More Christian content than communion with Christ. Did you hear that? He said I would give more content than communion with Christ. The result of what I just gave you is a church that believes in God but has no attention left for God. And he goes on and said, another tool from the playbook is I will use confusion to flood the church with truth mixing. And I'll confuse the source and standard of truth. How would that look? Said, I would use algorithms to feed believers Bible-ish clips from TikTok prophets, New Age teachers, and pseudo-theologians. I would mix motivational talk Therapy language and a verse ripped out of context. I would use AI technology and content overload to produce endless Christian-sounding quotes with no doctrinal anchor. I would make it feel like everyone has a mic So all takes are equal. I will turn personal feelings into the highest authority. I would turn personal feelings into the highest authority. Personal feelings, my truth, my peace, my boundaries, even when they contradict God's Word. Your personal feelings will be the highest authority above God's Word. I will lead the church away from sanctification and lead them into their own ideologies. I will lead the church away from formation And I would constantly tell them, culture is the language of the day. What is the result? Believers who feel spiritual but cannot tell heresy from holiness. This is a result and the impact of what I can render if I were the enemy. Amen. Then he goes on and says, oh, there's more. He said, I would use division. Amen. I would weaponize outrage, politics, and identity. If I were confusion, I will not need to destroy the church. I would just need to turn her against herself. If I were confusion, I would not need to destroy the church. I would just need to turn her against herself. How would it look if I were confusion? I would use social media to amplify outrage clips from pastors and Christians attacking each other. Hmm. I would use anger and rage to control The gifted that God has called and to make them ineffective. I would make disagreement equal to betrayal. I would turn secondary issues into ultimatums. If you don't say it my way, you're a false teacher. If you don't vote like me, you aren't saved. I would politicize everything, make the church right-wing, make the church a right-wing mascot or a left-wing mascot instead of a kingdom witness for Jesus Christ. I would keep the church locked up in race wars. Gender wars, denominational wars, just to name a few. The result is a church that preaches reconciliation but lives in tribal warfare, thereby incapacitating the church and making the church useless. This is how I would attack. Oh, we're not done. AI went on to further say, I would also use identity. I would redefine the self around everything but Christ. I would redefine the self around everything but Christ. If I were the enemy, this era's main battlefield would be identity formation. How it would look. I would rebuild identity around sexuality, trauma, race or politics, personality labels, Enneagrams, MBTIs, brands, and aesthetics. I would turn self-discovery into a religion. Lord have mercy. I would say things like, be true to yourself over anyone else, but don't be transformed in Christ's image. Be true to yourself, love yourself, create a better you. You be the center focus, but not Jesus. I would say to them, follow your heart over anyone. Do not deny yourself. I would say to them, do the exact opposite of what the word says. Don't deny yourself. Follow your heart. Make people more fluent in therapy talk than scripture. Therapy is helpful, but if it becomes scripture's replacement, it becomes an idol. The result is people say, I'm a Christian, But their primary identity is everything else. Teach. The Bible says in Colossians 3:3, for ye are dead and your life is hidden with Christ in God. I'm gonna hasten to a close. Number 6, it says that I will make compromise comfortable. I will normalize quiet sin through entertainment. If I were confusion, I will not start with witchcraft. I would start with Netflix. I will start with music and porn. How would it look? Use streaming and social platforms to normalize sexual immorality, the occult themes, and blasphemy as just simple entertainment. I would make believers laugh at what crucified Christ. I would call profane behavior entertainment. I would make them feel comfortable looking at porn as if it was art. I would use private devices such as phones, tablets, iPads. I would give them 24/7 access to pornography and hookup culture. I'll make sin easy, instant, and secret. I would slowly desensitize consciousness. It's just a show. It's just entertainment. I would make the lyrics Feel good to your soul and not edify your spirit. I will confuse truth, and I would say to you, the lyrics don't affect me. At least I'm not doing what they're doing. I would repeatedly say this in your mind as an echo. At least I'm not doing what they're doing. What are they doing? Doing? Oh, this is what it said about leaders. I would target pastors and really hammer down on their families strategically. If I were the enemy, I would invest heavily in taking out leaders. How would it look? I would use burnout Overwork, no Sabbath, constant crisis, isolation, pastors with no real friends, only fans or critics. I would use digital comparison. Why aren't we growing like them? I would attack pastors in the area of temptations, uh, in the DMs, emotional affairs that turn In the finances, little compromises that become scandals. In the ego, narcissism masked as calling. I would attack the marriage and the children so the leader ministers from constant internal pain. The result, what do we have? A broken church. Ah, we have leaders that are exhausted, cynical leaders. We create scandals that create disillusion for the flock, scatter the sheep, the sheep that no longer trust shepherds. This is how I would win the battle. And finally, I would attack community, replace embodied church with digital illusions. I would tell them to sit home and watch service on a live stream without any formation, without any connection. If I were confusion, I would replace embodied church with endless Christian content. How would it look? Convenience people. I don't need a local church. I have a podcast and a stream. I don't need accountability. I have my YouTube Pastor, I would create, uh, parasocial relationships. People who feel connected to famous teachers they will never meet while ignoring real saints they sit beside. I would turn livestream from a supplement into a substitute for the gathering of the body of Christ that is spoken of in the book of Hebrews. The result is I have a generation that feels overfed with content and yet are underformed in character. The Bible says in Hebrews 10:24, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is, Give me a few more minutes. I would attack hope. I would use anxiety, Minister Tracy. I would use anxiety, comparison, and doom scrolling to erode the faith of believers and destroy the foundation of the church. If I were confusion, I would exploit Mental health vulnerabilities. How would it look? I would use constant bad news, war, disaster, and political chaos to generate chronic anxiety and a sense of futility. Use body image culture, curated feeds, and highlight reels to stir envy, shame, inferiority. I would whisper constantly in their mind, it's not going to get You're behind. Your life is small and meaningless. The result is I would produce a people who confess hope with their mouths but live with deep internal despair, defeated, thereby rendering the church incapacitated. And finally, since you ask, Sir, I've now delivered you a death certificate that says I've won. I defeated the church, and I've given you the tools to destroy every part. There is no formation. There is no sanctification. I've given you stimulation and victory. Use this playbook, and I guarantee 100,000% that you will win against the body of Christ every single time. Your friend, AI. Father, I thank you for your word. Touch our hearts, save us in Jesus' name. For those of you that don't know the Lord Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, and those of you that are in the church that are lukewarm, on the fringes, that go from church to church but not being formed, not being shaped, but following culture. I just read to you the enemy's playbook, and I believe that you'll give your life to Jesus and be seated in a real ministry that will feed and teach you and your family. Hear this word so that it'll change your life. Remove the religious mask so that you'll give your life to Jesus. Pray this prayer with me. Father, I thank you for saving me. Redeem me. I confess my sins to you publicly. I've sinned and I ask for your forgiveness. Save me in the name of Jesus. I believe that he died, rose on the 3rd day. I commit my life, heart, soul to you, Jesus. Save me in Jesus' name I pray. Amen. If you prayed that prayer with me, call us, reach out to us, look us up on, on social media, look us up on our webpage, www.514gracechurch.org. Call us, 770-398-6232. Reach out to us and let us know that you gave your life to Jesus. God bless you. We'd love to see you and meet you in person. My wife and I, Tracy, and the leadership team, we'd love to meet you. We'd love to meet you in person, shake your hand. And I want to say this, be blessed in Jesus' name.
