[0:00] I greet you in the name of Jesus this morning. It is good to be here today. And as we were, as our brother was sharing to the children and to all of us, we just had to think that we live in a day of grace.
[0:23] And, you know, the wages of sin is death. And Achan paid that penalty that day.
[0:35] But Jesus paid our penalty. And today is the day of salvation. And today, if we will hear his voice, harden not your heart.
[0:49] I appreciate that word. And so as we go on today, we will be seeing some of this again.
[1:02] But I've been preaching quite a few messages out of Ephesians chapter 6. And we'll start there again today. Ephesians chapter 6, talking about the whole armor of God.
[1:20] And I will say that what I will be preaching this morning, I believe the Lord has brought this to me in a new way, in a further way than what I've seen before.
[1:37] I don't believe I've ever really preached on this in this way. But I want to look at the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
[1:51] It's what I want to look at this morning. Let's start in verse 10. We'll read through this again. Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might.
[2:05] Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
[2:27] Wherefore, take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day. And having done all to stand, stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness, and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.
[2:51] Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
[3:07] Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.
[3:21] Now what I want to look at this morning is this little phrase, the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Now, you know, we've talked about truth, and we've talked about the word of God, but today I want to look at it in just a little different angle, and I want to look at it as the sword of the Spirit, the sword of God, the sword that is fighting against wickedness and against evil.
[3:53] And we will be looking at quite a few scriptures here this morning. And to start with...
[4:04] I'm not sure which direction we actually want to go first. Let's go to Hebrews chapter 4. Hebrews chapter 4, verse 12 and 13, or 12 at least.
[4:26] For the word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and the intents of the heart.
[4:48] Now, he says the word of God, this word, the Bible, the word of God, the word that God has spoken. You know, Timothy tells us that the word, this Bible, it is inspired, it is breathed of God, and it is inspired.
[5:10] That means inspired by God. It is the word of God. It is alive. It is alive. It is alive by the Spirit of God. The Spirit is the author of this book.
[5:24] And he is the one that speaks through it and brings it to life in our hearts. You know, without the Spirit of God, this book would be a dead book.
[5:38] But the Spirit of God comes to us when we read this book and makes it alive to us. Now, what does it do? It says here that the word of God, because the Spirit works through the word, because the word is the sword that the Spirit uses, so he is lifting up this word.
[6:03] You know, I... In Amos, he talks about how God was talking to Amos, and he said, I will set a plumb line in Israel.
[6:18] And the prophet was to prophesy the word of God. But let me say today, we have this book, and it is the plumb line that God has set in this world.
[6:30] You know what a plumb line is? It is a line that is fastened up top, and it has a weight on, and it hangs true. It will never hang on an angle.
[6:43] And so the word of God, it is straight, it is true. It will not change. The truth of the word of God, it stands forever. Remember, the truth of this word, it is the plumb line.
[6:58] The plumb line in the midst of humanity. It is here to divide asunder soul and spirit, that which is of ourselves, and that which is of God.
[7:12] It divides it. If you follow after something soulish or emotional instead of the word of God, it will divide it.
[7:27] It will show what is of self and what is of God, what is soulish and what is spiritual. The word of God, it is quick and it is powerful.
[7:42] It is sharper than any two-edged sword. And that sword that makes it so sharp is the spirit of God. As it works, you read this word, and if you allow the spirit, it will come, and it will show you what is amiss in your life, and what needs to change that you are more useful in the kingdom of God.
[8:07] It says, it is a discerner of the thoughts and the intents of the heart. You know, we can do things.
[8:19] We can... The things that we do, they show what is in our heart. In Proverbs, the word says that God ponders our steps.
[8:34] He ponders where we go. And God knows the thoughts and the intents of the heart. He knows why you do the things you do.
[8:47] It is that sharp sword of the spirit that cuts asunder and reveals what is true and reveals the true intentions and what is driving you to do the things that you do.
[9:09] Soul and spirit. This sword will divide. It will reveal. The word of God, by the spirit of God, is sharper than a two-edged sword.
[9:25] Now, in the gospel of John, chapter 16, Jesus talking here. He was telling the disciples that he was going to leave.
[9:37] He was trying to prepare them that he was actually going to leave. You know, they had walked with him these three years. And here he was preparing to give his life on the cross.
[9:53] And he was trying to prepare them and telling them. But he says here, he says, yes, your hearts are filled with sorrow because I've told you this.
[10:07] But verse 7, nevertheless, I tell you the truth. It is expedient for you that I go away. For if I go not away, the comforter will not come unto you.
[10:22] But if I depart, I will send him unto you. Now, he's talking about the comforter. He's talking about the Holy Ghost. And they, you know, they didn't know anything about the Holy Spirit yet.
[10:35] But he's trying to, he's been trying to, to teach them and to, and to show them. And when he is come, when the Holy Ghost is come, he will reprove the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment.
[10:57] The Holy Ghost, he will reprove three things, sin, righteousness, and judgment. That is, the sword of the Spirit.
[11:10] And what does the Spirit use to do these things? He uses the word of God. Of sin, because they believe not on me.
[11:24] Of righteousness, because I go to my Father and ye see me no more. Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
[11:38] I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. How be it when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth.
[11:54] For he shall not speak of himself, but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak. And he will show you things to come.
[12:06] When the Spirit of truth is come, what will he do? He will guide us into all truth. And he will, he will reprove the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment.
[12:21] and he comes to us believers and he divides asunder soul and spirit. He, he, he reveals to us where we are yet, where we are yet, uh, not fully following him, where there might be hindrances in our lives, where we have done something or said something that is of ourself and not of him.
[12:49] He, he, he does that. That's why he came. It's to draw us closer to him and to bring us to a place of more usefulness.
[13:01] And at the same time, he's reproving the world. And he uses believers to, to reprove the world and to show to them the righteousness of almighty God, to show to them that they are living a life of sin, to show to them that they are under the power of darkness.
[13:28] The soulish and the spiritual, he divides that. He shows what is right and what is wrong. He, he, he convicts, he convinces of unbelief, of sin, of self, of self-love, even, even exposing our very thoughts and intents, the motives of our hearts.
[13:53] The word is like a hammer. There's various things that the word of God is. It is like a hammer and it will come back time after time until we yield to him or until we have hardened our heart that he is grieved and turns away.
[14:11] The spirit brings life, this word will bring life if we will devour it and live by it. Where the spirit of God is, the fear of God will also be there.
[14:30] Yes. Now I want to turn to Revelation chapter 1. Revelation 1 issue. Rose when he's in she has one So here we have John on the Isle of Patmos.
[15:16] And he was there. And the Spirit of God spoke to him and spoke through him. But he brought him this revelation. And he says here, he writes here how this came to him.
[15:36] He says in verse 10, I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day and heard behind me a great voice as of a trumpet saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last.
[15:48] And what thou seest, write in a book. Send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia. And I turned to see the voice that spake with me.
[16:09] And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks. In the midst of the seven candlesticks, one like unto the Son of Man, clothes with a garment down to the foot, girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
[16:30] His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were as a flame of fire. His feet like undefined brass, as if they burned in a furnace.
[16:47] His voice as the sound of many waters. He had in his right hand seven stars, and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword.
[17:00] And his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead, and he laid his right hand upon me saying, Fear not, I am the first and the last.
[17:15] I am he that liveth and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And have the keys of hell and of death. Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter.
[17:35] The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.
[17:53] Under the angel of the church of Ephesus, he said, These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks.
[18:08] So here we have Jesus appearing under the apostle John. And he's appearing to him, and he's talking to him, and he's bringing this message to him.
[18:22] And when John saw him, he fell at his feet as dead. And he describes Jesus here. He says, His eyes as a flame of fire, his voice as the sound of many waters, and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword.
[18:39] Out of his mouth a sharp two-edged sword. That is the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God. It is that sword that comes to bring judgment to this world.
[18:52] It is that sword that convinces the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment. And we'll look at these things a little bit as we go along.
[19:03] But Jesus, if we can get this, if we can have this vision of our Lord Jesus, yes, he was the Savior of the world.
[19:15] He was the teacher of Galilee. He gave his life on the cross. But now, he is the risen Lord. He is the King of kings, and Lord of lords.
[19:25] And there's a sharp sword coming out of his mouth, convincing the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment. our Lord and our Savior.
[19:45] You know, in chapter 19, maybe we'll just read that verse. In chapter 19, in verse 15, it says, Out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations.
[19:59] He shall rule them with a rod of iron, and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. You know, there's, today is a day of salvation, but there's a day coming when the wrath of God will come upon this world.
[20:16] The wrath of God will come upon the children of disobedience. The wrath of God, it will come. It will come. And it will bring judgment.
[20:26] Yes, our Lord Jesus, the one through whom grace came, the one through whom salvation came, the one through whom forgiveness came, the same one will bring judgment upon a rebellious and a sinful world.
[20:47] He hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords. And nothing, nothing can stand against him.
[20:59] Nothing can ever overcome him. He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. This sword of the Spirit, the Word, it is, it brings judgment in our life.
[21:18] It brings judgment in our life. It divides asunder, soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It divides that which is of God and what is of self, what is of God and what is of this world.
[21:34] It brings judgment to our heart. And he reveals what is wrong. He reveals what is hindering us. He reveals what we are hiding.
[21:46] You know, Achan was able to hide that until God revealed it. But the Holy Ghost, by the sword of the Spirit, by this Word, the plumb line of eternity, that he reveals what is wrong in our heart.
[22:01] And he offers us forgiveness. He brings us, he gives us this offer of salvation if we will accept it.
[22:13] Yes. Yes. I'm going to read a few verses in Psalm 45.
[22:26] Psalms 45. Or three to seven.
[22:41] Verse three to seven. Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty.
[22:53] In thy majesty ride prosperously because of truth and meekness and righteousness, and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things.
[23:05] Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the king's enemies, whereby the people fall under thee. Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever.
[23:18] The scepter of thy kingdom is a right scepter. Thou lovest righteousness and hatest wickedness.
[23:29] Therefore, God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. Yes. You know, and yes, this is a prophecy of our Lord Jesus.
[23:41] And in Hebrews, part of this is quoted. He loved righteousness and he hated iniquity. Do you love righteousness and hate iniquity today?
[23:53] The Spirit through the sword will bring the sword of the Spirit into your heart. And he will reveal what is right and what is wrong. And he will cut away what is wrong if we will allow him, if we will humble ourselves, if we will humble ourselves and allow him to cleanse us and to purify us.
[24:19] You know, when Israel, as they were standing there on the banks of Jordan and they were preparing to cross over Jordan, Joshua was out one morning, I believe it was, and he said, you know, he was out there and he was looking across and he was seeking God and here he met a man and he met this man and he asked him, are you for us or for our adversaries?
[24:51] What was the answer? He said, nay. What did he mean? He clarified that.
[25:02] I'm not for you or your enemy, but as captain of the army of the hosts of the Lord, I am come. If you are with the Lord, if you walk with him, if you will walk in step with our God, then he is on your side.
[25:28] It's not that he will come and join you, but you will go and join him. That's what he was saying that day. If you will follow my direction, if you will be a part of my army, then we will walk together and I will be against your enemies.
[25:51] Yes. Yes. But God will not change for you. His word will not change for you.
[26:02] His word stands forever and it will change us if we will allow it to. He is no respecter of persons or position, age or sex.
[26:21] It doesn't matter who you are. It doesn't matter if you're a man or a woman. It doesn't matter if you're 80 years old or if you're 20 years old.
[26:32] He is not a respecter of persons. But he demands obedience wherever he goes.
[26:43] When he comes into your heart and he inspects, just like he came there in Revelation, he came and he says, I walk in the midst of the candlesticks.
[26:57] I hold them in my hand and I walk in the midst of the seven churches. He's walking in our midst and he's inspecting your heart.
[27:09] That's what he's doing. And he will show us where we're at. He is not a respecter of persons.
[27:24] But he loves righteousness and he hates iniquity. And he brings judgment. He will convince the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment.
[27:38] He has come to bring judgment in the world. And what am I saying by that? I'm saying that he is coming. He has come to bring judgment, to show what is right and what is wrong.
[27:53] That's what he's here for. Let's just read a few verses. Here are prophecies of our Lord Jesus in Isaiah. In Isaiah, I believe it was written down here somewhere.
[28:09] in chapter 4, verse 3 and 4.
[28:28] It shall come to pass that he that is left in Zion, he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, even everyone that is written among the living in Jerusalem.
[28:44] When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of burning.
[29:01] Now in chapter 9, verse 6 and 7. For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful, Consular, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.
[29:33] Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end. Upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom to order it and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth, even forever, the zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
[29:57] Of the increase of his government, the government of our Lord Jesus, this everlasting kingdom, the kingdom of our God, and the peace thereof shall be no end.
[30:11] And he is on the throne of David to establish it. How? With judgment. You know, he brings judgment into the world.
[30:22] You know, not that like Achan, those that are wrong are not killed as we go along.
[30:33] No, but there is judgment in this world. This word of God, this word of God, it divides, it shows what is right and what is wrong.
[30:46] And the Spirit of God is convincing this world that they are wrong. It is convincing the world that they are living in sin.
[30:58] You know, we live in a day when the lines are being blurred. We're living in a day when good is being called evil and evil is being called good. But that does not change the word of God.
[31:11] That does not change the word of God. The darker it gets, the brighter the light shines. Are you shining today? Are we shining? Are we allowing the Spirit?
[31:25] Are we allowing the sword of the Spirit to cut through our heart and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness that we can be a spotless bride?
[31:37] God, this is the mark of the kingdom of God. If we will be a part of this kingdom, a part of this everlasting kingdom that Jesus came to establish, He establishes it in judgment and with justice from henceforth forevermore.
[32:03] And you know, sometimes we might despair, we might think that, oh, you know, it just gets worse and worse out there. Will it ever change?
[32:13] But this word says, the zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform it. There's a day coming when Jesus will come.
[32:24] We read about it in Revelation. He will come. Yes, He will. And He will come to bring judgment upon all the enemies of God.
[32:36] Are we cleansed by the spirit of judgment and the spirit of burning? Like it said here in these verses that we read in chapter 4, verse 4.
[32:54] It says, The Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion. And He has purged the blood of Jerusalem by the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of burning.
[33:16] The spirit of judgment and the spirit of burning. Remember that. Remember that as we go on. He will reprove the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment.
[33:30] There's a spirit of lawlessness taking over the world today. But there's a day coming when Jesus is going to return to bring judgment upon the lawlessness.
[33:44] People today, they hate judgment. They hate law. But our God is a God of order and a God of law and a God of judgment.
[33:59] And He rules. He rules in our hearts by the law of the spirit of God. Yes. Are we allowing the spirit of God to rule in our heart today?
[34:29] Let's go to Matthew chapter 3. Here we have John the Baptist talking about Jesus.
[34:48] And he says, I indeed, in verse 11, I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. But he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear.
[35:06] He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire, whose fan is in his hand. And he will thoroughly purge his floor and gather his wheat into the garner.
[35:20] But he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. You know, he will come. He will come to us. He will come into our lives. And when that power, when that Holy Ghost comes, he comes to cleanse us and to purify us, to burn up the chaff and to make us a firebrand for our Lord Jesus.
[35:47] Jesus, you know, hallelujah, are we allowing him to have his way, to reprove what is in our heart that is not right, to cleanse us and to burn out the dross.
[36:15] You know, there's a verse that admonishes us. It says, quench not the spirit. Grieve not the Holy Spirit of promise.
[36:27] You know, when he comes and he speaks to us, do we say yes? Or do we quench him and grieve him and send him on his way?
[36:39] The Holy Ghost, he comes to purge and to cleanse and to set us free, to remove all the worldly from our heart, from our lives, that we can be effective in this kingdom of God.
[36:57] Yes. Those tongues of fire, the sword of the spirit. You know, I'm going to read here in Hebrews, in Hebrews 1, there's this verse.
[37:14] There's this verse. He says in verse 7, Of the angels he saith, who maketh his angels spirits and his ministers a flame of fire.
[37:27] Are you his minister today? Are you allowing that flame of fire to rest upon you and to burn? And as you go out into this world, you know, people will look at you and they will say, What's wrong with that man?
[37:45] What's different about that man? There's a flame of fire upon him. Yes. You know, just like on the day of Pentecost, they saw that flame of fire and I believe if the Holy Ghost is upon us, the world will yet today see that we are different.
[38:06] The world will today, they will see that there's something different about that man. There's a flame of fire upon him. That is his desire.
[38:18] He wants to make you a flame of fire that the Holy Ghost can use as a sword of the spirit to cut and to bring judgment into this world.
[38:34] Here's that verse again, quoting from the Old Testament. Thou hast loved righteousness and hated iniquity.
[38:47] Therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. You know, today, is that you?
[38:59] Is that me? Do we love righteousness? Do we hate iniquity? Are we allowing the Spirit of God to cleanse us and to set us free?
[39:11] Are we hanging on to those things that contaminate? Are we hanging on to those things that hinder us? Are we hanging on to things that bring dishonor to our Lord Jesus?
[39:22] Do we love righteousness? Do we hate iniquity? You know, if we do, I believe His anointing can come and it can come in an ever greater way as we allow Him to have His way in us and through us and to cleanse us, to set us free, to use us, to make us more useful in the kingdom of God.
[39:58] You know, Peter, on the day of Pentecost, he preached that powerful message. The sword of the Spirit was flowing through, was working through Peter as he preached that word.
[40:13] He preached the word of God that day and that sword went out. That sword went out into the crowd. And what does it say in Acts 2, 37?
[40:25] It says, They were pricked in their hearts as that sword of the Spirit it cut in their hearts. They were pricked in their hearts and they said, What shall we do?
[40:38] Men and brethren, what shall we do? How can we make this wrong right? How can we come into right standing with God? The answer, repent and be baptized.
[40:53] Every one of you, in the name of our Lord Jesus. Hallelujah. And you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. You know, Moses, and it's quoted in Acts 3, 23.
[41:11] Moses had given a prophecy that there's a prophet coming. There's a prophet coming like unto him. And he was talking about Jesus.
[41:22] And he said, Those that do not listen to him will be destroyed. That's what we're talking about today. If we will hear his voice, if we will listen, if we will accept the word of God, if we will allow the word of God to change us, then we will be saved and we will be built up.
[41:45] But if we reject it, we will eventually be destroyed. It's that plumb line, that plumb line of eternity, life and death.
[42:01] it's the choice that humanity is making every day. The Spirit of God is working today to bring judgment into the hearts and lives of people.
[42:18] Just like there on the day of Pentecost, as Peter preached, they were pricked in their heart. The judgment of God hit them and showed them that they were sinners, that they had rejected God.
[42:37] It convicted them. That's the sword of the Spirit and that sword is still today bringing judgment into this world.
[42:49] Yes, the sword of the Spirit, it brings judgment. It brings judgment. You know, Amos, I mentioned him before, but God, God told Amos, I will set a plumb line in Israel.
[43:16] I believe that Amos, as he prophesied, he was representing that plumb line. He was representing that plumb line.
[43:29] And it set, it hung straight. And it showed the people of Israel that they were wrong. They were worshiping idols.
[43:40] They were following other gods. They were, they were, they were in apostasy. That plumb line, it showed them where they were at.
[43:53] And it's still today, the word of God is the plumb line that will show you where you're at. It will show you what is right and what is wrong.
[44:05] It will cut asunder soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It will, it will expose the very intents and the very thoughts of your heart.
[44:17] But it will change us if we allow it to. well, the people in Amos' day, they rejected what Amos had to say.
[44:31] They rejected that plumb line. They told him, you go away, you go over, you go over to Judah to prophesy. You, you, you know, the land here can't bear your words.
[44:44] We don't want to hear what you have to say. what did God say? God said, because you reject this word, there will be a famine in the land, not a famine of water and food, but a famine of the word of God.
[45:06] a famine of hearing the words of the Lord.
[45:24] Are we there yet in this land? A famine of hearing the word of the Lord.
[45:34] You know, today, today, many people, just like in Amos' day, they don't like to hear the truth. They don't want to hear this word of God.
[45:47] They, they, they, they want to hear something that, that, that pacifies the flesh, something that is easy, an easy gospel. You know, so many times, you know, how do we respond when we hear the word?
[46:07] Do we think in our heart, how much of God's word can I obey without it affecting my lifestyle? How much of this word can I listen to without experiencing pain?
[46:25] How will it impact my desires? Are those things we consider? Or do we just say, yes, Lord?
[46:37] Do we say, yes, Lord? Yes, Lord? What is our focus? Is it on the word of God and what God is saying?
[46:52] Or is it on myself and on my desires and the things that I might need to lay aside?
[47:08] You know, I believe humanism is the greatest God in this world. It's the God that we, that people want to bow to and reject the word of God.
[47:29] Do we allow this word to change us? Do we allow this word to make us into the people that God would have us to be?
[47:44] In 1 Corinthians, Paul says here, he says, Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach. Verse 18, for the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness.
[48:04] To those that perish, this word of the cross of Christ and the sword of the spirit cutting out the world lay out of our heart.
[48:18] To those that perish, this word is foolishness. but to us which are saved, it is the power of God. As we yield to him, as we surrender our hearts to him, it brings the power of God into our lives.
[48:35] Yes, it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent, the foolishness of, where is that verse, the foolish things of God, that the wisdom of the world is foolishness in the sight of God.
[49:01] not quoting that exactly right. Where is the wise, where is the scribe, where is the disputer of this world?
[49:16] Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? It says he will destroy the wisdom of the wise. He will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
[49:32] Verse 21, for after that in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
[49:48] Yes, we preach Christ crucified to the Jews a stumbling block, to the Greeks foolishness.
[49:59] But unto who? Unto us who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
[50:11] Here we go. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For you see your calling, brethren, how there are not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called, but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things that are mighty.
[50:42] Yes, God. You know, God said, when he looked at Jesus here on this earth, he said, this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased.
[50:58] Today he is still looking for Jesus in your heart, in your life. That is the part of your life that will be pleasing to God.
[51:10] Yes, men devise a religion to fit their own desires and comforts, but it is outside the realm of God, the realm of the Spirit of God.
[51:27] We must love the world if we, we must love the Word if we will not compromise. You know, if we do not love this Word more than our own life, we will compromise.
[51:44] realize. What is our attitude toward the Word? What is our attitude toward other people?
[51:57] What is our attitude? How do we look at each other? Allow this plumb line to come and to change you.
[52:10] change us more and more into the image of our Lord Jesus. Jesus came to establish His kingdom in righteousness and with judgment and with justice forevermore.
[52:33] in Jeremiah. God called Jeremiah and what did He, how did He charge Jeremiah?
[52:46] He told Jeremiah that I set you up to destroy and to tear down and to bring to naught and after you've done all of that, then to build up and to build again.
[53:05] You know, God by the sword of the Spirit, He comes to destroy and to tear down that which is not of Him. But after He's torn down, He will build again what is of God.
[53:22] And He will do that in your heart if you will allow Him, if you will yield to Him and allow Him to do it. 2 Timothy.
[53:39] A couple verses yet. In 2 Timothy 3 verse 16 and 17.
[53:57] all Scripture is given by inspiration of God. I think it's the ESV says all Scripture is God free.
[54:12] It is free by God. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God. It is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, truly furnished unto all good works.
[54:39] This Word of God, it is all we need. It is what we need.
[54:50] God, it will never change. And by the Spirit of God, it will work in us and through us the very work of our Lord Jesus to bring His kingdom into this world.
[55:12] Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done. That is what He desires to do, and that is what He is doing through the people, the church of Jesus Christ.
[55:24] That is what He is doing today. Are we a part of it? Are we allowing Him to use us fully and completely as He desires?
[55:39] Amen. Let's just give ourselves to Him again. Let's pray, Heavenly Father. We thank You for the Spirit of God.
[55:50] We thank You for the sword of the Spirit. Lord, I thank You for Your revelation. Lord, and I pray that You will bring Your revelation to every heart today.
[56:03] Lord, might this word become a reality in our hearts today, Lord, that we will allow You through the sword of the Spirit to cleanse us and to set us free and then to take us and to use us in this world to bring judgment upon this world through that plumb line, the word of God, the sword of the Spirit.
[56:34] Lord, might we be surrendered to You, and might we be Your men and Your women, Your servants in this last day, that You can use us to Your honor and glory as You desire.
[56:55] Lord, if there's any hindrances, show us and help us, Lord, to surrender to You today and allow You to have Your way.
[57:11] We pray in Jesus' name. Amen. He has come.
[57:24] He has come to bring judgment to this world. And He wills to use us.
[57:37] Do we will to yield to Him. him. Amen. Amen.
[57:54] Amen. Amen. Hur Torres