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and I’m excited to share it with you hey
listen if you’re watching online thank
you so much for watching we love you
you’re a part of this church I want you
to get your notes out and I want you to
get something to write with because I
think today is gonna be one of those
times where things change in your
Christian walk this this whole week the
Holy Spirit has been walking me through
a transition of my mind like I’ve
literally been transformed in my mind
this week preparing for this message
because we’re talking about being
fruitful and having the fruits of the
Spirit and I don’t know about you but I
I was raised in church and so when
anybody talked about the fruits of the
spirit I mean it was just kind of like a
cliche thing love joy peace like there’s
songs there’s dances we get to eat fruit
sometimes it was just kind of like a it
wasn’t something that had weight in my
life
this time when I’ve been we’ve been
going through these fruits of the spirit
there’s been just another level of
impact that the Lord has dropped and
revelation that he’s trying to share
that he doesn’t want the fruits of the
Spirit to be a nice song or a saying or
something that we act like we know he
wants them to be evident in our lives he
wants love like if they don’t know your
name they should be able to describe you
by love like like can people describe
the character of God do the fruits of
the spirit by the way you act even if
they don’t come in contact or ever hear
you speak with somebody look at your
accent and say man they’re patient there
they exhibit goodness and kindness wow
they have a lot of self-control does
anybody talk and I know for me there’s a
lot of those things that people would
not say about me there’s a lot of those
things can we be honest in this place
there’s a lot of those things they say
some other stuff about me but they
wouldn’t say those things in the Holy
Spirit said that’s why I need you to
allow me to work in your life and so I
want you to realize that this thing of
fruitful why it’s so important and you
may not realize this but it was the
first command of God ever not to pray
not to dance his first command to
humanity was be fruitful
over to you Genesis 1:28 it said then
God blessed them and said what does it
say be fruitful and multiply this has to
mean more because everybody use this
when you get married are you young and
they and they they want grandkids and so
they say stuff like baby now you’re
gonna be fruitful and you’re gonna
multiply this is way more than
population this is about purpose this
this is this scripture is not just
talking about being fertile it’s talking
about being fruitful and so I want you
to see that we have to take this as a
value in our lives to be fruitful and
God knew that we would need some more
explanation so in Galatians 5:22 it
tells us it says but this is what the
Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit
in our lives and I want you to say these
with me because we know them but I just
want to I want us all the same again
what kind of fruit does it produce love
joy peace patience kindness goodness
faithfulness gentleness and self there
is no law against these things today the
fruit that we’re gonna unpack is
probably one of the hardest ones to
understand but today we’re talking about
self-control you picked the wrong
service to come to if you want to live
your life the same because this one
thing has literally revolutionized my
thinking this week and I want to share
this with you you’re gonna have to stay
with me because we bout to go there
today okay and and I need you to really
say God open my heart because if we
could get this one thing together a lot
of stuff in our life that we deal with
would change somebody say self-control
and this for me I’m gonna just walk you
through my personal journey this took a
lot for me to understand because the
name really threw me off like
self-control and we’re talking about
this is supposed to be produced by the
Holy Spirit so who’s actually producing
it is it me my wheel-like me deciding to
be better or me deciding to do this is
it self control or is it like spirit
produced
and and and I want to help everybody
who’s thinking that because when I say
self-control most of us are thinking I
just need to stop doing that or I need
to stop talking like that or when I have
the urge to do that I just need to not
but listen if you could have done it you
would have done it if you if you could
have still stuck to that workout plan
you got what I’m saying if you could
stop having sex outside of marriage if
you could control your tongue you would
have done it but that’s why I begin to
say god this has to mean more than
Michael controlling me because I don’t I
don’t got too much control okay can we
be honest how many people have at least
two areas in your life that you know you
need self-control like come on some of
y’all need to have 200 areas but we’ll
just we’ll just start we’ll just start
with two so everybody’s on the same page
so when we talk about self-control it’s
something that has to be produced by the
spirit and I wrestled with this how can
the spirit produce self-control and God
said first off you need to understand
cuz you haven’t even valued you haven’t
even valued self-control you you don’t
even like it you think that when
somebody says control the word control
it means it’s taking away your freedom
and you can’t do anything it
and-and-and-and you’re being constricted
and God said you need to change that and
I said okay how are we gonna change that
he said go to proverbs 25 28 and listen
to the wisest man who ever lived Solomon
and see what he said about self-control
he said a person without self-control
it’s like a city with broken down walls
god I messed me up because when in the
time that this was written the only way
that you were considered safe is if the
city that you had was surrounded by high
walls he said a person that does not
have self-control is like a city that is
vulnerable at every moment a city that
the treasures of that city can be stolen
and taken when you do not have
self-control you literally can be
plumaged and
wondered at any moment by people’s ideas
by people’s hurts by things that are
happening he said you got to get
self-control and then I went to proverbs
16:32
and it said this he made an analogy he
said it’s better to be patient than
powerful that’s a whole nother sermon by
itself and it’s better to have
self-control than conquer a city now
doesn’t that seem backwards from our
society today our society tells us
conquer everything beat up boss Diddy
run the city like it’s like like you’re
supposed to be in charge like the way
that you make it is by being over and
telling other people what to do and this
man is saying is better to have mastery
of yourself then be able to tell anybody
else what to do and I think in American
culture we live most of our life trying
to get to this boss status where nobody
tells me what to do but you have not
boss your self oh I’m coming to
somebody’s house today you haven’t
learned you can tell everybody else how
to talk to their spouse but you haven’t
bossed yourself you haven’t but mastered
that word in the Greek means mastery you
haven’t mastered yourself and he’s
saying it’s better for you to get this
under control
then to tell everybody else how to get
theirs under control and so when I begin
to look at this I said okay God you got
to work on my heart I need some more
self-control and he said and that’s
perfect that’s what I want for you
Michael but it’s not going to be
produced by you it’s gonna be produced
by my spirit I said okay you’re gonna
have to break that down a little more so
he said Michael look up control I’m just
walking you through my study today and I
think you’re gonna learn something today
look up control and this is what the
word control means to have power over
influence or to direct people’s behavior
or the course of events and this is the
question God asked me that I’m asking
you what’s controlling you
what is concern I know some of y’all
know I’m controlling me past like I’m a
grown man I’ll make my own decisions but
you’re 400 pounds so food
no no no food literally will have you
going to your house and turn around on
the highway with no gas and get
something to eat
what’s what’s controlling you is it sex
is it money come on let’s be honest is
it the opinions of others something
it’s what’s controlling you is it is it
the Word of God is it prayer is it the
spirit is it past relationships and
fears that are controlling you is it
popular culture that’s controlling you
what it’s tension and I’ll begin to ask
myself this question what’s controlling
you and it really made me think about my
childhood now this may date some people
in the building but I begin to think
about the evolution of video games and I
begin to think okay let me let me ask
this question how many of you actually
played Atari pong like the Atari pong
like you come on those are some seasoned
Saints in the room right now they got a
little lorries on them there they’re a
little older okay how many people played
Nintendo like the regular Nintendo okay
Sega Genesis anybody’s Sega Genesis okay
the PlayStation the original PlayStation
not this black thing I’m talking about
the gray one y’all know what I’m talking
about the original PlayStation Super
Nintendo did anybody have a Super
Nintendo Nintendo 64 did anybody now
that was my game system okay um and then
we go xbox and Weez and all these other
things somebody else in here look what
are they talking all wrong okay these
are video games now we can all agree
that from the Atari pong a very
pixelated analog visual very simple now
to the PlayStation 4 who has like
literally animated 3d worlds the
technology has upgraded and progressed
tremendously so we can all agree on that
but do you know the one thing that has
never changed about any of those game
system they always have a controller and
God began to tell me he said no matter
how much you upgrade in life
you’re gonna always have something
trying to control you and many of us
think that we lose that when we get
older like no I make my own Deneau
something’s controlling you and today I
want to tell you that there’s only two
things that control you in this life and
it’s my first point that I want
everybody to never forget and never ever
walk around thinking that you’re in
control of your own life there’s two
controls in your life and the fight of
your life is between sin control and
spirit control that’s it
person like that don’t even make sense
that seemed demonic I don’t even know
what you’re talking about no no no I
want to bring revelation to you today
there are two controllers that are
trying to fight for your life there’s
only two and it’s either being
controlled by sin and your sin nature
and what your flesh wants and it’s being
controlled by the spirit and what God
wants for your life I’ll prove it to you
I want you to go to Galatians 5:17 and
this begins to break it down it says the
sinful nature our sin control wants to
do evil which is just the opposite of
what the spirit wants do you see the two
opponents right there and the spirit
gives us desires that are the exact
opposite of what our sinful nature
desires these two forces are constantly
fighting each other so that you are not
free to carry out your good intentions
ding ding ding in this corner fighting
for your life your future your purpose
and your destiny is sin control he’s
undefeated with people in your family
line
he’s ravaged generations from being
everything that he called them to be and
made them be able to live in doubt and
in fear and in sexual perversion and an
incest and he is coming after your life
and in this corner is the Challenger
spirit control and he has purposes and
plans for you that are good that were
formed in you before you were even in
your mother’s
he wants to make your name great lift
you up and make you be an spectacle
spectacle for the glory of God and in
the middle is you and every day you wake
up there are two controls fighting for
your mouth for your eyes for your ears
for your body like as soon as you wake
up Bing Bing you can some of y’all need
to change your alarm to a no I’m serious
change your alarm to a boxing Bell ding
ding because at that moment you are
making a decision of who is going to
control your life that day this is good
teaching this sin control let me explain
this to you a little more because I want
to give you some definitions sin control
it’s making decisions based on what
feels natural to your flesh see we have
to stop listening to our feelings now I
need I need to help somebody today I
just don’t feel I get past them right I
just felt that it was the right thing to
do oh my god they had me feeling so low
any time you say the word feeling it’s
your flesh this sin infused body suit is
you is the thing that’s telling you what
you want but it’s going against your
purpose so so let me be practical every
time I Drive past Krispy Kreme Doughnuts
and the light is on I feel like it’s a
sign from heaven I don’t know about
y’all but I think he’s shined on me you
understand what I’m saying
and when Krispy Kremes first I don’t
know if y’all remember but Krispy Kings
wasn’t always in Oklahoma so when it
first came to Oklahoma I mean I would
drive down 71st and I ain’t lived
nowhere near it just to see if the Lord
was speaking and if that red light was
gonna be on can I get anybody who’s the
witness with me ok thank you
and what ended up happening is my
midsection begin to expand and and and I
begin to have to make a decision am I
going to be let every there’s not one
time I have not felt like getting a
doughnut not one time but if I only
listen to my feelings I will be led to a
path of destruction and many of you are
in this room being sin controlled
because you do what feels right you do
what feels natural you do what your
flesh is telling you and that
description in Galatians 5:17 it says
the sinful nature wants to do evil for
you it has a nature that gives you
desires and that that sinful nature is
fighting for control but then there’s
another nature that’s being spirit
controlled and being spirit controlled
right this definition down because it
literally changed my life it’s making
decisions against yourself let that sit
being spirit controlled in the most
practical term is making decisions
against my natural self my natural self
wants to be selfish so the opposite of
being selfish is being generous and so I
make decisions again what Caleb told his
story that was his sin nature and his
flesh nature he wanted to keep the shoes
because he wanted them that was about
him and God said I want you to do the
opposite because I want you to be led by
my spirit do you understand what I’m
saying
so it’s making decisions against
yourself I heard this poem one time it
said to nature’s beat within my breasts
one is foul and one is blessed what I
love and one I hate that when our feed
will dominate
what are you feeding when you listen to
it when you’re looking when you’re
scrolling when you’re doing this thing
what are you feeding because you’re
giving priority to who’s gonna control
your life that day who are you around
all cuz this is dad Matt and I smashed
her and I did this and I’m blob blob and
I’m being this and I got that and I know
because when I’m sitting there and I’m
in that place I’m exposing myself to
proclivities that will feed either my
nature that is sinful or my spirit man
who wants to be everything God has
called me to be and so I don’t want you
to ever forget that these two beasts are
warring for your life every single day
every single hour every single moment
and who gets to decide who wins you or
can I say it a different way
self gets to decide who’s in control see
self control and I want you to
understand this concept self control is
not actually you being in control
point number two self control is the
opportunity for you to choose who you
will let control you I’m gonna say it
again slow cuz some of y’all just
blinking at me okay so self control is
not you being in control you how many of
us have tried to do something like tried
like it was our goal that we’re gonna do
this but somehow we were not able to
complete it you understand what I’m
saying whether that stop cussin stop
drawing can’t stop we I mean we were
done I’m done I think of that I’m sick
of this I’m done drinking the next day
I’m done drinking girl I can’t do that
no more I’m done the next weekend I
don’t drink no more the weekend after
that I don’t even like that I don’t even
like it your birthday weekend what show
me party over here
oh all i’m saying i’m using a wild
analogy but yours may be lying yours may
be being prideful and judgmental your
that’s all led by the sinful nature
trying to work within yourself some of
you are so judgmental you’re sitting
here judging me right now and that’s the
sin nature god’s trying to get out of
you
you’re being controlled you can’t even
walk into a church without saying what
is this and what is that and he said
would you sit and receive would you
would you be controlled by my spirit oh
I’m coming to somebody’s house this
morning because God does not want you to
be controlled by this nature who seems
to be winning in you so self-control is
the opportunity for you to choose who
you will let control you can I help you
when you are born nobody starts this is
where most people think if this is
self-control people think you start off
in the middle but the Bible tells us
this is where every body is born they’re
born into the flesh they’re born with
their sin nature controlling them that’s
why you don’t got to teach a baby to be
bad you don’t got to teach him to say no
in mine it’s our nature when Adam and
Eve sinned the Bible tells us that it
produced sin for all mankind so this is
where everybody starts off and the sad
thing about it is we don’t have a choice
see see when we’re and we’re led by this
before you know Jesus this is all that I
can do all I am trying to do is be
greedy and be prideful and look out for
myself and try to find satisfaction for
my flesh that’s why I can go through
three and four and five people that’s
why I can do bad business deals that’s
why I can manipulate that’s why I can
because I’m looking out for me it’s me
centered it’s based on the flesh and it
leads to death some of y’all don’t even
believe it’s time I give you scripture
for it just so that your heart will be
too content romans 6:23 it says for the
wages of the payments of sin is what
death but the free gift of God is
eternal life in Christ Jesus see this is
the power of the gospel unto salvation
right here look at this picture
when you accept Jesus Christ as your
personal Lord and Savior you get the
opportunity to now to choose because
another nature has been presented to you
for the first time so so all I could do
was choose the flesh before Jesus but
when he sent his son he said now I’m
gonna give them freedom you remember we
are piercing where the Spirit of the
Lord is there is freedom get real
context for this when you are lost and
in darkness and before you accept Jesus
you didn’t have a choice and freedom is
the ability to choose that’s the
definition of freedom and many believers
now every day when they wake up get to
choose will I be flesh controlled or
will I be spirit controlled and this is
the funny thing that most believers feel
like when you get saved you go from here
and you go to here and that never
happens have you ever been one of those
who receive Jesus but some of the
desires that you knew that were bad for
you they didn’t just go away now if it
was me you know sometimes I you know I’d
like to talk to God about his design
flaws and and some of the things that I
wish he could have done differently
because if it was me like once you
accept just let us live a spirit control
life and he said no no that’s why I
still put the tree of the knowledge of
good and evil in a garden because it’s
slavery if you don’t have a choice
[Applause]
and he said love is a choice so the only
reason that you can know that somebody
loves you are you’re loved if they have
the choice and an option that is not the
same present so this is the battle now
for your life every single day and some
of you are in here and your flesh
controlled and your controlled by your
desires and then you’re controlled by
exploring things and you’re controlled
and it becomes your habit and you just
stay on this fear of being flesh
controlled and every day I’m waking up
and I’m listening the things that are
feeding my desires lay your body down I
wanna touch your body if that’s on your
playlist going to work what do you think
I gotta get home I can’t go serve I
gotta watch scandal now I’m not coming
at any TV show or any what I am saying
is what you put in its what leads to the
life and remember what being led by your
flesh leads to dead death of your
purpose death of your plans death of the
call of God on your life and do you know
how many people are walking around on
Instagram showing all the vacations and
everything they’re doing but they’re
dead because their flesh control they
are led by their flesh whatever feels
good whatever I desire whatever I
explore whatever habits that I have and
it keeps me but that’s not the only way
that you have an opportunity to live
there is a better option for you and it
is being spirit control but you get to
choose everyday look what the Bible
tells us and Deuteronomy 30:19 see
because freedom is you having the
ability to choose and so that’s why God
says stuff like this today I’ve given
you the choice between life and between
blessings and between curses
and I call upon heaven and earth to
witness the choice that who makes you
make that self who you’re gonna let
control you and it says oh god please oh
please choose life oh god if you could
see what death has for you but if you
could see what like he’s literally
begging choose life not just for you not
just for y’all you’re right now so that
your descendants might have an
opportunity to see somebody who lived
the spirit empowered life and can have
the opportunity to live in this crazy
world I came to let everybody know and
I’m gonna keep saying it self control is
your opportunity to choose who’s gonna
control you and I know some of you are
still dealing with this self like but
it’s self control right the Holy Spirit
loves you cuz he gave me an analogy
that’s gonna help you so good this is
what self control looks like go ahead
and put that on the screen for me real
quick take the acronym self you have the
opportunity every day to be self
controlled to live a spirit empowered
life of freed of freedom and faith this
is what I want everybody to realize this
is what God offers you to be self
controlled spirit empowered life of
faith and that will produce the control
in your life but there’s another option
you can either live self controlled
which is sin empowered life of the flesh
so when you think about self control you
need to decide with this looking right
here every day what’s going to empower
me to live think think about it for just
a second because it begins to now play
in your head by the conversations you
have the text message you make the
emojis you use everything is floating
one of these ways because there’s only
two and there’s only two people fighting
for control of your life and self gets
too
gets to choose am I going to be
spirit-empowered living a life of faith
or am I going to be sin empowered living
a life of the flesh look what Galatians
5:19 21 says I can prove it to you
because when you follow the desires of
your sinful nature the results are very
clear and I’m gonna read this from the
message version because it just hit me
in a whole another way Galatians 5:19 21
it says it’s obvious what kind of life
develops out of trying to get your own
weight all the time
living a flesh filled living a life that
is empowered by your flesh your life is
repetitive loveless you settle for cheap
sex a stinking accumulation of mental
and emotional garbage frenzied and
joyless grabs for happiness you would
rather drink at God’s and magic show
religion paranoid loneliness cutthroat
competition all consuming yet never
satisfying once a brutal temper and
impotence to love or to be loved divided
homes and divided lives doesn’t that
seem like America small-minded and
lopsided pursuits the vicious habit of D
personalizing everyone into a rival
uncontrolled and uncontrollable
addictions ugly parodies of Communion
and I of community and I could go on
this isn’t the first time I’ve warned
you you know if you use your freedom
this way you will not inherit the
kingdom of God when you get saved you go
from living a life that is only led by
the flesh to having the choice of
freedom and it says if you use your
freedom to go back this way and be led
by your flesh you’ll never inherit the
kingdom of God or the abundant life that
God has created for you to live here on
earth so you gotta choose being self
controlled is not saying I’m gonna do
better and I’m just gonna be better in
saying you know what imma let the spirit
leave me today is imma do what’s not
natural imma make decisions against
myself I’m going to tail my natural
flesh that does not want to do anything
it is enmity against God I’m gonna tell
it no and I must say spirit control me
and when you start doing that it changes
the dynamic of your life you get to live
the life that God has called for you
that’s when there’s another option
Galatians 5:22 it says but the holy
spirit produces this kind of fruit in
our lives this comes right after that
horrible list that we just read this is
the other option
remember there’s only two options flesh
can’t code or spirit control now this is
what it says what is the spirit offer it
produces love joy peace patience
kindness goodness everything we want to
be in our facebook bio do you understand
what I’m saying it like faithfulness
gentleness and self-control there is no
law against these things this hit me a
whole different way you know why there’s
no law against these things because you
never need a law where the right thing
is already being done see so many
Christians flirt with where’s the line
what’s in and what’s in I want to be so
far away from my flesh that it does not
matter what see me is anymore it doesn’t
matter what the line it I don’t even
care I don’t need a law cuz I’m nowhere
near the line I don’t need the law
because I’m nowhere near the line what
does your Christianity look like is it
near the line Christianity or is it
being spirited or where I don’t I don’t
need you to tell me what I can and can’t
do cuz I’m so focused on the cross and
so focused on sharing God’s love and so
focus on helping people become who
they’re supposed to be and so focused on
being my best version and so focus on
making sure that when they put a dash on
my name when I died that it meant
something right there I’m so focused I
don’t need to know where this is but
that takes you either being flesh
control or being spirit control so
passing like you telling all us this
self live a spirit empower life of faith
so how do I do that
how how do I actually
take this from a ethereal sermon and
make it practical in my life well I’m
glad you came this morning because
that’s the only reason I’m here is to
help you make your life transform look
at this
Paul tells us in Galatians 5:16 he
basically tells us my third point to
flip the switch he says you’re gonna
wake up one day Wow
you’re gonna be here and you’re gonna be
controlled by your flesh he said but I’m
gonna send people into your life to
invite you to church to show you myself
I may even visit some of you guys in
dreams and I’m gonna put you in really
hard situations so that I can rescue out
of it and tell you that I’m the only one
and you’re gonna make a decision to flip
the switch and you’re gonna get saved
and now when you flip the switch one
time I’m not asking you just to be
satisfied with eternity I’m asking you
not to be satisfied with just a ticket
into heaven a coach seat for the rest of
your life into heaven he said I want you
to make a difference and so I want you
to flip the switch again I want you to
move the dial every day to living a
spirit-empowered life so you now have to
flip the switch and Paul gives us the
remedy in this scripture Galatians 5:16
he says so I say let everybody say let
that word means you have to allow so
this is the one thing that I found out
about God in the Holy Spirit that he’s a
gentleman
and he won’t do what you won’t let him
do so that area your life you’d be
asking God changed me from the
surrounding and then when he says hey
defriend them or stop going there or
stop doing business with them and you
won’t let that go you’re telling God
that I’m not ready to let you lead come
on let’s be honest he gives instructions
or tell us to do something or tell us to
join that church or serve there or be
here and when we don’t do that and we’re
God I don’t want to deal with this
anymore he said I would have took it
five years ago if you’d let me but many
times we’re holding on to things that
God says let it go let this let that let
it go and so he says let the Holy Spirit
put that up there Galatians 5:16 so let
everybody say let
let the Holy Spirit guide your lives
then you won’t be doing what your sinful
nature craves he literally just gave us
the formula if you let him start pushing
you this way this can never happen again
if you let him start changing your
desires to get what the first thing is
accountability all about they help you
today because I want to give you
practical steps to how to let the spirit
lead you need accountability yeah look
at it right here if you’re gonna split
the spirit lead you have to do two
things you have to tell somebody where
you are and where you want to be that’s
all accountability is and so many people
are scared of it because over here
everything’s in the dark over here
nobody knows what’s really going on I
got secrets lots to cellphones secret
accounts I got all kinds of stuff over
here because what’s done in the dark is
where the enemy is able to rule because
it’s the flesh that’s reading it so you
don’t tell nobody when you’re doing
wrong they don’t tell nobody when you
flirting with somebody at your work and
you marry you don’t tell somebody when
you taking money from your employer you
don’t tell something you don’t tell
nobody that cuz it’s the opposite of
what the spirit wants you to do I hope
y’all get this the spirit wants you to
be accountable and it’s so simple tell
somebody where you are now and where you
want to be
we’re gonna play a countability game I
want you to be my accountability and I’m
gonna show you how simple this is you’re
gonna say to two phrases to me you’re
gonna say where are you and then you’re
gonna say where do you want to be and
I’m gonna answer you so let’s practice
you’re gonna say oh and then I’m gonna
say it and then you’re gonna say where
do you want to be I’m about to tell you
how accountability looks like okay you
ready I don’t value my wife with her
words with my words
I want to be the place of her greatest
encouragement that’s all accountability
is its telling someone not everyone not
a Facebook post telling someone where
you really are and where you want to be
let’s do it again everybody I’m angry
with my children so I punish them I want
to be a place that my children can get
patiently disciplined so they can reach
purpose see there’s no problem with
where you’re at right now if you have a
vision of where you want to be and the
only way that you can get there is if
you have accountability that somebody
knows that and they’re holding you
accountable how many of us have made a
decision to do something and went back
on the decision and nobody even knew
because we didn’t tell nobody come on
some of yall already know I’ll do that
every Thursday you understand what I’m
saying okay come on one more
everybody say I consume things in excess
and I’m out of priority like clothes
food and sex I want to be free to see
clothes that I like and not buy them I
want to be free to be emotional and not
overeat
I want to be free to have an attraction
to someone that catches my eye but it
doesn’t end up that night as my new soul
time that’s all accountability is and if
you want to live a life of the Spirit
you’ve got to get accountability that’s
why James 5:16 says confess your sins
one to another and pray for each other
so that you may be healed can I help you
you’re telling God your sins for healing
but you really need to tell your friend
your sins for healing this is the
prescription that he gave but pride fear
it keeps us on this side nobody needs to
know that and God’s saying all I need
you to do if you want to live a
spirit-empowered life as I need you to
get accountability I need you to find
someone this week and I need you to
write a list down where am i and where
do I want to be and I need you to go
down it and then I need you to take them
to coffee call them on FaceTime do
whatever you want to say hey listen I’m
trying to live a spirit empowered life
this
maybe the most prophetic thing you do
all year I’m trying to live a spirit
empower life so I need to tell you where
I am at right now I don’t need you to
judge me I don’t need you to try to fix
me the Holy Spirit is gonna do this work
it’s not by might it’s not my power but
it’s by the it’s by the Spirit of God
but I need accountability to help me get
to this so this is where I am and this
is where I wanna be and I need you to
help hold me accountable you want to
live a spirit and power life you want
practical steps get accountability but
let’s turn the dial let’s turn it just a
little more oh the d-word how do you let
the Holy Spirit control your life or
lead you down the right path you have to
commit to discipline you got to commit
to discipline think about the word
disciple that’s what this is all about
anyway this is about becoming
disciplined followers of Jesus Christ
that’s how the world will know that we
are here that we’re connected to the
true vine and that we produce much fruit
like this is all about discipline and so
we’re gonna have to commit to discipline
and many of us hate discipline okay
can we take a poll we are a hot church
humble open and transparent okay how
many people dislike discipline okay just
in areas of your life okay hear me but
it’s necessary for you to become
everything God’s called you to be I
don’t care who you are and what you do
and how many zeros you have in your
account God wants to help you by his
Spirit commit to discipline see it’s
being spirit controlled it’s making
decisions against yourself
that’s what discipline is nobody wants
to get up and read the Bible every day
nobody wants to do that but when you
become disciplined to do it the fruit of
that begins to producing your life and
you have peace and situations and joy
and situations and strengthened
situations that you didn’t even know was
there how in the world am I still sane
after he just left me and I just left my
job and I’m you committed to discipline
and something that’s developing the
fruit of the Spirit in you
I’m trying to tell you that
self-discipline is the key to all of
this and I know what some of you were
thinking right now what passing like you
can have self-discipline without being
sin controlled you can have
self-discipline without being all while
and then stuff and I’ll give it to you
you can have a version of
self-discipline or you can have a
version of self-control like everybody
with abs in this place I hate you first
off and and and and second off you do
have a version of self-control remember
you deny certain things to see the
results you want people with PhDs
doctorates you have a version of
self-control to you you you literally
chose to not have a life for eight years
and do school work and do other you you
denied yourself something to get
something else world-class athletes they
have a version of self control they’ve
denied themselves and become proficient
at skills and stuff like that but it
can’t be the self control that God’s
talking about because they have self
control in an area of their life that’s
why you can have a superstar athlete
that is self controlled on this front
but then goes home and and anger beats
his wife he doesn’t have self control in
his life he has self control in an area
and you cannot have self control in your
life unless it’s empowered by the holy
spirit that’s why you can have a doctor
who knows all the facts about eating
right and he can die of obesity can I
help you understand something that God
challenged me with he said Michael
information-only will not produce the
change you want to see in your life he
said it’s Holy Spirit inspiration that
will allow you to live a life that is
fruitful that’s why you have pastors
this morning standing up in front of
congregations who know the word but are
leaving a secret homosexual life behind
the scene it’s because information can’t
change you you know every scripture you
know what to do you’ve seen the
consequences it’s the Holy Spirit
inspiration that will make you committed
discipline that will change your life I
know this word is challenging for many
of us but until we commit to
self-control in our life living a spirit
empowered life of faith we will always
be controlled by this thing that always
leads us to stuff we can’t stand the
altars would be less full of people
talking about I messed up this weekend I
did if we got into a place where we
believe that you know what there’s a
better option than living like this God
wants me to live spirit and power this
is the beautiful thing about living this
type of life is that after you get
accountability and after you commit to
discipline something almost magical
happens discipline turns into desire
see most people want to desire at first
and then become discipline in it that’s
why you buy all the workout clothes you
get new Nikes you you you you get
headphones beats and everything you warm
enough and you doing all your stuff and
then you go run one time for the year
because you’re trying to get something
to give you a desire that only can be
formed by discipline see if you start
reading the word every day and you start
praying every day and you commit to
being planted in the house of God and
you join small groups that you start
serving and you give and you tithe and
what ends up happening is your
discipline will turn into a design and
see when it gets to a desire we on
autopilot now I wake up and there’s not
even a thought am I gonna be led by my
flesh but I desire a life that leads me
to life
oh that’s powerful I desire a life that
leads me to life and some of you are
living a life that leads you to
existence not a life that leads me to
life
and so what I’m challenging you is those
three practical steps
begin to change your life and so you
want to live a spirit-empowered life of
faith
practically you need to tell somebody
where you are and where you want to be
you need to commit to discipline get a
devotional Regent word every day you
look us back up on YouTube sit go join a
small group start serving start giving
start doing it down care if you’re a
college student give what you got if
you’re tithe there’s $1 give it because
God’s not concerned about amounts he’s
never has been he’s concerned about
hearts stop making excuses God said I’m
trying to get you somewhere I’m trying
to live did I help you live this life
that’s more abundant than anything you
could ever imagine but you got to commit
to discipline if you commit to
discipline I’ll tell you what that
discipline is don’t turn into a desire
and you’re gonna want me in your life
you’re not gonna want to make a decision
without me you’re gonna know that my
setup me being in your life is better
than anything in the world and then we
can say stuff like David said in Psalms
42 as the deer panteth for as he panted
for the water oh my soul Long’s acting
that’s desire and I told God I didn’t
want to live a puny existence of this
Christianity life that is fueled by only
what I want I want the life you intended
for me like I’m sick of seeing my family
members and everybody lived these life’s
and at the end of it all we can say this
they were a good person like they were
good gonna miss them three weeks later
nobody remembers cuz they didn’t live a
spit we’re talking about people right
now Paul and David that live
spirit-empowered lies we talking about
them centuries later
not because they were special it’s cuz
they decided that when salvation came
with Jesus came into their life they
were going to flip the switch and I’m
challenging you today that you would
live a controlled life by self not sin
empowered life of faith and for the sin
empowered life of fear or the sin
empowered life of your flesh
but I want you to live a spirit
empowered life of faith that will
produce freedom and you can desire God
like that I don’t care yo some of y’all
are in this room right now and you’re so
far over here and you’re saying there’s
no way you don’t know what I did this
week you or know who I’m talking to
that was me to like like seven years ago
that was me too and I made a decision to
give Jesus a real try and then I got the
option everyday cuz it’s still fighting
like like don’t get it twisted every day
I come up here it’s like mmm am I going
to live a spirit empowered life or am I
gonna live a sin empowered life but I’ve
chosen nope I’m gonna get accountability
I got dudes in this room that I call a
bro my wife been pregnant long time bro
we got six weeks after the c-section
that I can’t have sex help me Oh y’all
want to be faith but see that’s when the
enemy comes remember people without
self-control is like a city with their
walls torn down and so if I don’t tell
somebody that
that’s why I’ll end up on the website
trying to preach to you about joy the
next week but I’m over here didn’t happy
on myself uh-oh and if if you find that
out that’s why you live to leave the
church because you don’t know that I’m
still up here struggling and fighting
every day with the two spirits that are
trying to control my life but I said no
no no I’m gonna get accountability and
matter of fact I’m gonna read this
devotional about staying safe why your
wife is pregnant and I thank you Lord
that you’re changing my desire and that
I can live a spirit and power life of
faith
self-control is not you controlling
yourself because you can’t self-control
is you choosing who you allow to control
you either your sin nature or your
spirit nature Galatians 5:26 it says
since we are living by the spirit
there’s that word again let let us
follow let’s flip the switch let us
follow the spirits leading not in just
some parts of our life but in every part
of our life so guess what you get
tomorrow you get an opportunity to flip
the switch alarm goes off ding ding ding
Who am I going to let control myself
will it be a sin empowered life of the
flesh not for transformation Church
we’re gonna be a bunch of believers that
flip the switch and live a spirit and
powered life and I want to pray for you
everybody who wants to live that life I
know it’s hard right now but if you want
to live that life want you to lift your
hands I want you to I want to pray for
you you watching online father I thank
you for this church who is learning the
fruit that is produced by the spirit
father self-control a spirit empowered
life of faith God I’m thanking you that
you’re moving us further and further
away from our sin desires our sin
exploration our sin habits and you’re
moving us father God to a place that we
choose you every day father I know that
some of us are gonna mess up and we’re
gonna choose things father that maybe
are more familiar or we’ve had more time
with but God I thank you that you’re
building in us accountability through
small groups and this church for other
God and people that are around us and
you’re building in us father God the
ability to get committed to discipline
we will in 2017 strong father God
knowing that 2018 has promised for us as
we discipline father and I thank you
that our discipline turns into zyre and
our desire is to please you God and we
will live spirit in parallel
bless these people cuz they’re choosing
life today we trust you we believe you
and we thank you for it in Jesus name
come on if you’re gonna live a
spirit-empowered life can we give God a
shout of praise in this place
[Applause]