Live Free! Part 2

Are you living in bondage to sin or addiction? If so, stay with us now as Pastor Paul Shepherd shares his destined-for-victory message, Live Free. But before we get started, he's been kind enough to join me from his studio in California to talk about his brand-new book, Lessons from the Vineyard. This book can help us finish financially strong, which of course assists us in properly planning and maximizing this ministry.

So please consider doing that today. But now, Pastor, tell us about this book and why you believe everyone should get a copy of it. I'm happy to be able to offer this particular resource because it allows you to understand that growing in the area of character is what makes us people whose lives are really making a difference for both time and for eternity. I don't have to tell you that we have a world that is unconvinced about the reality of Jesus, the reality of the need for salvation and things like that. The best way we can witness these days is not only with our words, but with our lives. And if we will become people who have ripe fruit of the Spirit in operation in us, if we are loving, joyful, have the peace that passes understanding, have temperance and patience and all of those things that are the fruit of the Spirit, if we are mature in those areas, I think that helps us be much better witnesses than if all we're doing is yapping.

The world really isn't impressed that much with what we have to say anymore. They'll be more impressed by the way we live out our faith. And so this book is written with the hope and prayer that it will help each of us really grow and mature in the area of developing Christian godly character. That's what it's all about.

At the end of the day, it's not what we say, but it's how we live that's going to impress the world around us. I'm reminded of how many people responded to Jesus when he lived on earth, not merely because of his teachings, but because of the way he lived to serve all those around him. Again, that brand new book from Pastor Paul is called Lessons from the Vineyard. And it's our gift to you for your generous donation of $25 or more to Destined for Victory. Call 855-339-5500 or visit pastorpaul.net to make a safe and secure donation online. You can also mail your gift to Destined for Victory, Post Office Box 1767, Fremont, CA 94538.

Once again, that's Destined for Victory, Box 1767, Fremont, CA 94538. If there's any area where there is bondage, where you do things that are against your will, you wish you were free to not always practice a certain thing or not always have something that is addictive in your life. I got good news. Jesus came to make sure nothing could be an addiction in your life except glorifying and praising his name. Not even the Apostle Paul was immune to bondage.

In Romans 15 verse 7 he says, For what I'm doing I do not understand, for what I will to do that I do not practice, but what I hate that I do. All of us have felt that way at one time or another, but God has a plan to help us break free from bondage and today Pastor Paul Shepherd tells us how. Without delay now, let's join him for his message, Live Free. Isaiah 61 verse 1, The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor. He has sent me to heal the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to those who are bound.

That's what I want you to focus on, those phrases. To proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to those who are bound. And in the last message I talked about the fact that Jesus came to not only give us life, not only give us hope, but he came to give us freedom.

And we shared about the importance of walking in the authority and the power he gives us to live in freedom. As I continue to unpack that theme, this business of Jesus giving us freedom, and I've called this message, Live Free, I want you to know that in calling us to freedom, he calls us to overcome bondage. And so as I want to continue unpacking this theme, I want to talk to you about five keys to overcoming bondage in your life. If there's any area where there is bondage, where you do things that are against your will, you wish you were free to not always practice a certain thing or not always have something that is addictive in your life, I got good news, Jesus came to make sure nothing could be an addiction in your life except glorifying and praising his name.

That's the only thing you ought to be addicted to. I am addicted to loving God, I'm addicted to praising God, I'm addicted to doing his will, but nothing else has a hold on me that will prevent me from experiencing his plan and purpose for my life. And so I want you to claim your freedom.

Use your power and authority and claim your freedom in Christ. Now, we church folk love talking about helping alcoholics get free from alcohol, and we should, because that is something that definitely is not to characterize your life. You shouldn't be bound by a bottle. You shouldn't be bound by drugs. Drugs, when they are properly used, help us get better. Drugs, when they are abused in bondage and addiction, take us downward. You shouldn't be bound by alcohol or drugs or cigarettes. Nicotine will kill you. You can go to heaven smoking cigarettes, but you're going to get there much sooner. And so you want to be free from anything that will take you out of here too soon, if you can help it.

But let me tell church folk, not only should we believe God for freedom from bondage like alcohol and cigarettes and drugs, we should also be free from anything that binds us, anything you do that is just you are driven to do it. You don't have full control. That can be your attitude. That can be the way you speak to people improperly. You can be bound to cussing.

Come on, somebody. You can be bound to saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. You can be bound to anger.

You can be bound to fits of rage. You shouldn't be one of these folk out here on the road. They call it road rage. No child of God should be on the road raging. On the road you're supposed to drive, you're not supposed to rage.

Amen. We got folk out here shooting other people just because they cut them off or whatever. You ought to walk in freedom so you're not bound by that guy. I'm not going to let anybody disrespect me. And you out there showing out, making sure nobody can get it. Some of you all, that's your witness for Jesus. Somebody trying to cut in. You ain't getting in front of them.

That's no testimony for Jesus. You're not in that much of a hurry. Slow down and wave them on in. Come on in. They'll say, what in the world is wrong with you?

It's Jesus in you. Helping you to keep from acting crazy out on the road. And when you wave them in, let them see all five of your fingers.

Make sure they know you're not throwing gang signs behind the wheel. Come on somebody, I'm trying to help you. We need to learn to live in freedom. Freedom from anger.

Freedom from anything that will bind you up. And some of you all got a drinking problem. You just don't call it a drinking problem.

Because while the other folk you believing for deliverance have a problem with great goose or something alcoholic. Some of you all got a Starbucks drinking problem. And you're bound.

You can't act right till you get your Starbucks fix. You need to believe God for freedom from that. You ought to enjoy it but it shouldn't control you. Everybody know leave you alone till you had your fix.

Something is wrong. We need to walk in freedom. And so I want to talk to you about five keys to overcoming bondage in your life. This will apply to any bondage in your life. These five principles from the word of God will help you get free.

The first is this. Recognize every bondage as your enemy because it is. Recognize every bondage as your enemy because it is. What do you mean by that?

I mean you've got to learn that if you want to be delivered. You have to see the thing that is binding you against your will. The thing that has you doing what you don't want to do or as often as you do it.

You want to be in control of that practice of that habit whatever it is. But you want to see it as an enemy. Why is it an enemy? Starbucks isn't an enemy.

No Starbucks isn't but if you are addicted to it. That's the enemy. The addiction is the enemy.

The thing that has you doing what you need to be free and you shouldn't have to do it. So treat it like an enemy. Anything that's keeping you from freedom is an enemy.

Why is that important? It's important because if you have an enemy in your life but you treat it like a friend you'll never get free from it. See a lot of folk have bondages but they're cute bondages in their minds. It's a no big deal bondage in their mind. Some folk are bound to anger but they actually enjoy it.

So I've heard people brag not you but somebody I know has bragged about their anger. Some of them say well this is my family. This is just the way we do.

You make us mad you're going to hear about it. We get you up off of us in a hurry. You come for us if you want.

You bring a knife we're bringing a gun. And there are some people that brag that their family is nasty. If you're bragging about it you can't get free from it. Because you like the fact that you all get people up off of you. You like the fact that nobody messes with us who knows us. Because see we'll come seven, eight thick.

We roll up on you in two cars. Well all you're doing is bragging about something you ought to see as an enemy. If you have explosive anger and you don't know how to control it or explosive need for revenge you can't glorify God when you're controlled by vengeance and anger. So you got to learn to see it as an enemy.

That's not your friend. Don't worry about me you should see my mama in them. No you're bragging and you'll never get free. If you want to be free from something that controls you. If you're one of those people who says when I get mad. Honest to goodness I don't even know what I'm going to do.

That's not a testimony that's a prayer request. If you get so mad you don't even know what you're going to do about it. We need to lay hands on you. You need to break that bondage.

You need to be in control. Don't go away we're only about halfway through today's Destined for Victory message with Pastor Paul Shepherd, Senior Pastor of Destiny Christian Fellowship in Fremont, California. If you love Destined for Victory we know you'll enjoy seeing some of Pastor Paul's best video clips. Subscribe at YouTube or visit pastorpaul.net for links to all of our social media.

That's pastorpaul.net or you can also listen on demand and find a variety of resources at our online store including this month's special offer. Now here's Pastor Paul again with the rest of today's message, Live Free. I've said it before you can be angry the Bible says but don't sin while you're angry. And that means you've got to see it as an enemy because God promises to deliver us from our enemies. Nowhere in the Bible does he promise to deliver you from your friends.

I will say that again he promises to deliver us from our enemies. Nowhere in scripture does he promise to deliver us from our friends. So if something is your friend and you use it as a nice warm blanket on a cold day, if your anger, if your addiction to alcohol, to drugs, to cigarettes, to anything, to Starbucks, any practice that you really need to give up, any activity you really need to be free from but you can't you find yourself going back to it again and again and again you've got to declare it as an enemy of God's purpose in your life.

Sometimes the thing itself is not a sin but the fact that you can't control it is the problem. And so we must learn that if you want to experience this freedom and overcome bondage you must recognize every bondage as your enemy. Because the Bible says the Lord will help you get rid of your enemies.

For instance Psalm 18 3 says I will call upon the Lord who is worthy to be praised. So shall I be saved from what? From my enemies. Notice he didn't say he'd save you from your friends.

You can't be friend, you can't feel good about something you need to get rid of. If you have an affair with your addiction, affair with your propensity to go off, if you have a love relationship with something that does not glorify God, you have got to declare it as an enemy. You've got to renounce it. I will not let this control my life.

And you've got to make it an enemy instead of a friend. Because Psalm 18 3 says he'll save you from your enemies. So does Psalm 25 2.

Oh my God I trust in you. Let me not be ashamed, let not my enemies triumph over me. You can say that like David if it's your enemy but you can't say don't let my friends triumph over me.

He can't fulfill that request because it's not supposed to be your friend if you need to get rid of it. So make sure you're not having an affair with or an affinity to something that needs to be brought under the power of your controlled mind by the Holy Spirit. Let me go to the New Testament. Luke 1 and verse 71 says that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us.

But plug that into the point I'm making. You be saved from your enemies but it didn't say you'll be saved from the hand of everything you love. You can't be saved from what you love. You don't want to be saved from what you love. And so you must declare it an enemy. If you want to break a bondage in your life, if you want to make something that you are too driven by, it always has its way and you don't have your way, then you've got to declare it to be a bondage and an enemy and break it in the name of Jesus.

That's number one. Number two is replace Satan's lies with God's truth. If you want to get free from an addiction, from a bondage in your life, you want to overcome a bondage, you must replace Satan's lies with God's truth.

Why? Because Jesus said in John 8-32, you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free. If you know the truth of God for any area of your life, that truth, if you apply it, will make you free. Now truth from God has the power to free you. If that's true, then what do lies do? If truth of God frees me, the lies bind me.

That's why you have to invest in truth in your life. You want to live a better life? People talk a lot these days about living your best self, being your best self, living your best life. All right, that's fine. You want to be your best self and live your best life?

Here's how you do it. You invest in truth. In fact, Proverbs 23 says this, buy the truth and do not sell it. Also, wisdom and instruction and understanding.

What does Proverbs say? Buy the truth, invest in truth, and when you get it, do not sell it under any circumstances. Truth is something that when you get it, this is not for sale. You can't say, oh no, can I buy that off of you?

No, sorry, I got to keep this. Buy the truth, invest in truth, and don't sell it. And Proverbs 23, 23 says also, you want to invest in three other things. You want to invest in wisdom and you want to invest in knowledge and understanding. Knowledge, wisdom, and understanding, three components that are key for your life. Knowledge says, I know it, and you want knowledge of truth.

But wisdom says, I not only know it, I know how to apply it. Because, you know, a lot of folks have knowledge and don't have wisdom. Have you ever met some of them? Folk who have a lot of smarts, but they don't have a lot of common sense.

You ever met any? I know folk who have a lot of degrees and they just as stupid in the way they live their lives, in the decisions they make. And you wonder, how can you be smart and dumb simultaneously? But the truth is, we can be, because wisdom is what determines how you live. Knowledge is, I know the truth. Wisdom is, I know how to apply the truth.

And you want to walk in wisdom. I know how to apply it. And then understanding is, I know it, I know how to apply it, and I'm living in it.

It has characterized my life. I live by my understanding. If you live by understanding, you will live your highest life. I am doing it as a matter of lifestyle.

I am living in the wisdom and the blessings of God. And so I want you to know it's important to replace Satan's lies with God's truth. You've got to invest in truth. Invest in spending your time with truth-telling people. Don't spend your time with liars.

You'll get good at it. Don't spend your time with folk who lie routinely. You ever met people who, when they open in their mouth, you know a lie is about to come? How you know is a lie, because he said it.

Some folk, that's what they do. They lie. You ever met any, not you, not you, I'm not talking about you, but somebody on your row. Look down the row, see if you can figure out who the liar is. Just a routine liar, lie every chance they talk. You've got to spend your time with people who love truth. I want the truth, even if it hurts, I want the truth. Even if it's not pretty, I want the truth. Even if it's going to hurt my feelings, I want the truth. Anybody got to the place in your life where I'd rather you tell me the truth and I get upset than for you to lie and flatter me with a lie?

We're moving along in life. We're getting too old to love lies. At this point, you've got to invest in truth and in truth-tellers. Tell the people in your sphere of influence, especially your inner circle, do me a favor, never lie to me. That's what you've got to tell the people who are going to speak into your life. Do not lie to me. I don't care if you're scared how I'm going to react. Because I'm learning how to get control of my life, I'm not going to come at you too hard. So go on and tell me the truth. And by the way, if folks do resent you because you told them the truth and they go on, they're not going to speak to you for a while, all right, you'll see them in a few days.

That's what you've got to decide. Fine, when you're done with your attitude, we can go to lunch. In the meantime, you'll never find me guilty of telling you something other than the truth. And so we have to invest in truth and in truth-telling people.

Because if you hang out with liars, you'll get used to them. And you can't afford to do that. And so you want to invest in truth by replacing Satan's lies with God's truth. Now, here's number three. Number three is you must release those who have wronged you. We're talking about how to overcome bondage in your life. You've got to release those who have wronged you. Now, this point isn't going to get a whole lot of rousing amens.

I know that. I've been preaching for decades. So you've got to understand, never feel sorry for me when folk go quiet. Oh, Lord, I hope he's all right. I'm fine. I'm fine.

You know why? Because I've been preaching long enough to know that not every point makes folks feel wonderful. Pastor, go ahead. Oh, Lord, that man is preaching. Some points will get that and other points get mm.

And I want you to know I'm good with mm. Because that means the word is hitting home where it's supposed to hit. That's all the time we have today. For more information about Destined for Victory or to request your copy of Pastor Paul Shepherd's brand-new book, Lessons from the Vineyard, visit pastorpaul.net. That's pastorpaul.net. You can hold someone in unforgiveness and be blessed. Your feelings want you to, your flesh wants you to, but Jesus said it doesn't work that way. See, we have to learn you can't grab a promise out the Scripture and leave off the condition. That's tomorrow in Pastor Paul Shepherd's message, Live Free. Until then, remember, he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion. In Christ, you are destined for victory.