It’s Impossible – Lies of the Enemy #14– Purity 1026

To see today's photo, go to mt4christ.org or follow me, M.t. Clark, on Facebook or Twitter. Good morning. Today's photo of an unmarked soccer field in the shadow of green mountains under a nearly cloudless blue sky comes to us from yours truly as I went back into the photo archives to retrieve this simple yet beautiful scene that I captured back on July 12th, 2019 while I was staying at an orphanage while on a vacation mission trip to Zacapa, Guatemala. According, uh, according to Warner and Corsi's new book, The Four Habits of Joy-Filled People, a few ways, uh, a few ways we can increase our capacity for joy and build up our emotional resilience is through gratitude, anticipation, memories, and the joy stories we can tell ourselves and others. Today I'm thankful for where the Lord has put me in terms of all the aspects of my life: my home, my health, my career, my ministry, my marriage, and my relationship with him. My daily practice of gratitude puts first things first by reminding me that I am alive and God has blessed me and God is with me. Hard to stay in a funk when you make a regular practice of appreciating all that the Lord has done for you, and speak to him to express your thanks. Uh, today's photo represents both the ways of anticipation and memories, uh, that can help us, uh, to experience joy. Before that mission trip back in 2019, I joyfully anticipated, uh, seeing a new country and serving the people in Guatemala in a community of believers with the common purpose to give glory to God. I anticipated the peace and joy of being with my brothers and sisters in Christ as we worshiped and worked together for God's kingdom. Anticipating going filled me with enthusiasm as I contemplated my faithful purpose. Guatemala didn't disappoint. The topography of the Guatemalan mountains was right out of Jurassic Park, and while the work was challenging at times and the things we did there At times, the things we did there as a mission team were worthwhile because we did them together and we did them in faith. And while there were times of uncertainty and frustration in Guatemala, the memories I have of that mission trip fill me with joy. As for joy stories, my journal from that trip, which is somewhere around here, could testify to our daily activities. But when I remember Guatemala and its beauty, I am reminded of the beauty that came from the interactions I had with the other people on the trip and how all of us grew closer to one another and individually because of our experience while there on vacation for God. I sort of got that backwards. There while— while there on vacation for God. And all of us Let's see. And all of this could have been taken from me. The anticipation, the memories, and the joy stories would not have been, uh, would not have been known, uh, if I had listened to the enemy's big lie that keeps so many people in chains of fear and inaction. Which brings us to our current series, which is an examination of some of the common lies that the enemy tells us to cause us to doubt our faith, steal our peace, or to influence us to choose not to follow the Lord with the way we live our lives. And today's lie is the one that keeps Christians from experiencing their freedom, and it is tragic because when this lie is believed, we voluntarily surrender to the enemy's bondages without a fight. Um, today's big lie is Lie #14: It's Impossible. The biggest lie that the enemy tells Christians to keep our— keep them from— them from our freedom in Christ and from experiencing new life that the Lord has for us is that something is impossible. Now, our minds may know intellectually that the goals that are beyond our reach are theoretically possible, but the enemy is quick to amend and personalize his lies to say 'impossible for you,' or better yet, to put it in the first person to make it 'it's impossible for me.' While other Christians and even non-Christians can accomplish what you want to accomplish, for you it's simply impossible. In my morning Bible study in Job, I came across one of Job's comments in the midst of his sufferings that echoed this impossible sentiment. Job 9:29 Job said, whatever happens, I will be found guilty, so what's the use of trying? Here Job was feeling sorry for himself and echoes the fall— the follow-up statement to cap off today's big lie: what's the use of trying? Satan's lie here is logically sound. It's impossible. I can't accomplish it because it's impossible, so there is no point in trying to accomplish it. It is impossible after all. But this is why we must take every thought captive and resist the devil, because if we examine reality and God's word, we will discover that we are believing a lie. Okay, some things are impossible, but not all things. Our experience can show us the truth sometimes. We look for examples of people doing what we feel or think is impossible. The good news is that many people have gone before us to inspire us to do the impossible in our lives. If they could do it, I could do it. However, the Word of God also indicates that Christians have a decided advantage in overcoming impossibilities. God is on our side, and he encourages us to trust in him and to try impossible things. Matthew 19— in Matthew, uh, well, Jesus said in Matthew 19:26, uh, with men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. That was all things. With God all things are possible. The Apostle Paul encourages that in Philippians 4:13: I can do all things through Christ who gives— who strengthens me. Now, to keep it real, some of the things that Paul was talking about included enduring suffering. But these scriptures should inspire us to have faith, trust in the Lord, and do what we can and leave the results up to God. Before coming to Christ, the idea of being a missionary, or just the idea of going to Africa or Guatemala, would have seemed impossible to me. Before Christ, I didn't have any reason to go there, and while not technically impossible, it would have been highly unlikely that I ever would have traveled to those countries for good. But God put it in my heart, and the seeming impossibility of being a missionary— granted, granted, a short-term missionary— was accomplished. Similarly, before Christ, I had no inclination to stop drinking. Alcohol was part of my culture and identity. I not only didn't think it was possible to stop drinking, I didn't want to. But God changed my heart and mind about that. And he gave me conviction to try and the strength and guidance to overcome what was nearly a lifelong habit. Not only did we work together to stop that behavior, the Lord helped me to change my mind and heart about drinking, to show me the truth of its darkness. And now it no longer really tempts me because I have knowledge of what a trap it is. Paradoxically, what I thought was impossible to give up now seems impossible to resume. The idea of drinking is almost completely foreign to me, and I am, and I am here to assure you that God did that impossible feat in me. So if there is a hurt habit or hang-up in your life that you think is impossible to overcome, or a goal that you always wanted to do but never did, don't believe the lie that it's impossible. Instead, trust the Lord, ask him for guidance and strength, and listen and obey to the way he directs you to see if overcoming is part of the purpose that he has for your life. So, uh, some of, some of, some of the, some of the bucket list items we have may not be in God's plans because they are silly or selfish. But if your impossible dream is to be set free and to be closer to God I would encourage you to pursue it with him, because if he did it for me, I have to believe he will help you too. It's not impossible. With God, all things are impossible— are, are possible. Um, even speaking correctly is possible. Anyway, we move along to today's Bible verse, which comes to us from the New Living Translation Bible, Promise Book for Men. And this morning's meditation verse is Psalm 54:7. And the word of God says, for you have rescued me from my troubles and helped me to triumph over my enemies. Today's verse is the, is the truth for all Christians, in that Jesus rescued us from God's wrath and has helped us to overcome the spiritual forces of darkness that were hell-bent on our destruction. The idea of rescue can bring me to tears when I think of my former darkness and how the Lord has delivered me. Through Christ, God delivered me from literal hell and the addiction— and the hell of addictions and broken relationships. Uh, he gave me a hope and a future, and I will praise the Lord all the days of my life because of who he is and what he has done for me. As for triumphing over enemies, I think living a life that is free in Christ is better than any revenge we could have over the people that had abused us. Besides, it is for God to avenge. He will repay everyone for the wicked deeds done. It is a dreadful thing to be in the hands of an angry God, and that is why we are to love our enemies and pray for them as Christ did, because they really don't know what they were doing and need mercy and grace just like we did. So rejoice over your rescue. Live free in Christ. And while we have triumphed over all our enemies, don't forget to say a prayer for God to rescue them too. As always, I invite all to go to mtforchrist.org, where I always share insights from prominent Christian theologians and counselors to assist my brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk. Today we continue from, uh, sharing from A.W. Pink's The Sovereignty of God, and we're in the back of the book. Because now we're on Appendix Number 3 and, uh, A.W. Pink's little, uh, disposition or examination of the meaning of cosmos, world, um, the word for world in John 3:16. You know, if he died for the world, what does that mean? Well, if you want to find out, um, there's like 7 points on what cosmos, uh, so if you like word studies, today's your day. Go to the bottom of the blog post at mtforchrist.org and you'll see 4 of the 7 uses of cosmos from the word of God in today's resource. We'll share the other 3 of the 7 tomorrow. As always, we invite everyone to check out our discipleship teachings that we did back in 2021 that are on the podcast in our YouTube channel. 'Victory Over the Darkness,' 'The Bondage Breaker,' and 'Freedom in Christ.' They're all based on the work of Dr. Neil Anderson and the Word of God, and they encourage you to know who you are in Christ, to overcome the spiritual forces of darkness, and to experience your freedom in Christ. As a reminder, I do offer the free Word documents that I handed out with the class if you want to actually, you know, do a real study. Of all those instead of just listening. But you can receive those by emailing me at mtforchrist247@gmail.com and asking me for the materials from whatever class you want to sit in. You know, I was greatly blessed by the material in these classes, and that's why I teach them, basically. And I'm more than willing to share the information with others in hopes that they can experience their freedom in Christ too. Another way to experience your freedom in Christ is to align yourself with the Word of God. So we encourage Bible study every day, and twice a day if you're me. Thanks to my wife Tammy Lynn, we actually do a chapter every night too. The word does say to meditate on the word day and night, and because of my wife, I can actually— I've actually started doing that. Um, started back in December. We're still going strong, and we're going through the New Testament together. So we encourage Bible study. Uh, one of the way we encourage Bible study is by doing a Bible study of our own, uh, with Arthur and Susanna Sincotti on the weekends. Each Sunday we do a topical Bible study. We did one just just this past week on Knowing You, Jesus. And, uh, so if you want to check that out, they're on the, uh, the podcast and YouTube channel as well. Well, it's another day at work. It's, uh, so let's pray. Lord God, Heavenly Father, thank you for another day in your kingdom. Lord, we thank you so much for all that you've done for us, for rescuing us and giving us a new life. Um, and Lord, we thank you for your encouragements that and, uh, you know, cause us to keep following you, keep seeking you and your purpose for our life, Lord. Lord, we pray for anyone who's listening or reading this message today, Lord, that they'd be blessed, that you come alongside them and their prayer request. Lord, we pray for the people who are hurting right now. We have some people with health issues and addiction issues, and, um, some people are grieving, and we just pray for you to be with them. We have people who have admitted to me, Christians who have admitted to me, that they felt that they have had years where they couldn't feel your presence. And Lord, we just pray for them to know you more and to experience your presence by drawing close to you. And we pray for you to help them in whatever repentance they might need to— repentance or revelation they need to understand that you're with them. Because, Lord, we know you're with us, and if we forget, we can read your word and hear your voice every day. Your creation's all around us to remind you that you're the Creator. The example of Christ inspires us, that shows that you sent him here to show us you love us. And, uh, you know, with Christ's creation and your word, um, you know, um, It's hard to not see you alive and well and living in the world, but you know, we also have you in our hearts through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit that guides us to do what's right and to guide us in the way we should go. So we thank you for our constant companion, the Holy Spirit. And Lord, we just pray for you to go before us today, open our eyes to the things you want us to see, and lead our steps in the way we should go. Lord, because all we want to do is represent you in your kingdom, um, because we know how good it is to be a part of it. And we want to be ambassadors for Christ to, uh, to bring more people in to your, to your, to your grace, Lord. So we thank you, we praise you, and we love you. And we pray all these things in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.