Satan, Society, and the Savior

Harvest podcasts between Pastor Greg Laurie are brought to you by harvest partners to receive Pastor Greg free online daily devotions or to become a harvest partner, please visit us online@harvest.org look for a Lord know were thankful that our sins are washed away because of that we have access in your presence. We can talk to you right now and we can hear from you to any will speak to us from your word because all Scripture is breathed by God.

We know Lord that that we have an opponent of an enemy. We have an adversary identified in Scripture as the devil, who is a roaring lion walking the about looking whom he may devour helpless to know how to best overcome him and walk in the power of your spirit.

Today we pray in Jesus name, amen. All right you can be seated when it's you grab your Bible and turn it to Matthew chapter 8 the title of my message is Satan's society on the Savior and that based on Matthew away from our new follow me series here in the Gospel of Matthew and want to talk a little bit about power now we all like power in various forms if you're a guy you're probably into horsepower know to get a few guys together around the nice cars will be long until the conversation turns to horsepower and for guys. It's about bragging rights. You know, we may never need all that horsepower. We like to just say how much we have under the hood, how much horsepower does that. Have you know there's some pretty fast feet legal cars out there.

The Dodge Viper is 600 hp. The Ferrari is 612 hp the Bentley 621 hp Lamborghini 632 hp, but listen to this.

There's a new car that is just come out. They call it the world's fastest street legal car. It's the Maximus G4 who comes up with these names. 1600 hp that goes from 0 to 60 in two second in the event and that those are bragging rights there now. Maybe you're not in the cards. Let's say you're a nerd, then you are in the process or power with the gigahertz on the laptop. How many gigs of storage you have in there. You know it's always about power. Or maybe it's about doing the biggest ever. Or the fastest you know you're a cook, you might talk about the most insane thing ever made, actually read an article the other day about a bunch of chefs that got together for world egg day.

I didn't know there was a world egg day, but in over in Turkey. They made the world's largest online 80 chefs were involved to use 110,000 eggs created an omelette that way. 9702 pounds talk about too many cooks in the kitchen let her know why but you know an omelette that weighs 9000 pounds since Kelly grows to be entering the note. Would that be good. You know, that's crazy that are then you can look at some of the world records that are recorded by Guinness. The Guinness book of world records is an interesting things in there. For instance, most push-ups done in one hour were from a man from England.

He did 1900 read push-ups and in our that's insane. I went and got my physical recently and I did 50 push-ups.

I was so proud of myself because the time before I did like 30 so you know I thought maybe I can win a record. Most push-ups done by a bald pastor named Greg Laurie at this particular moment of time or something but then there's a more dubious distinctions are people that have done things in the Guinness Book of World Records for instance there is the heaviest car balanced on a person's head. Why would anyone balance a car on their head, but a guy from England with a car weighing 352 pounds balanced it on his head or the heaviest weight lifted with your ear not your arm, your ear, it's a guy from Pakistan with a record of 160. How gorgeous logos all the way down there now but why would you even do that. I don't know you really the history of mankind has been all about power using it and exploiting it sometimes. First there was manpower then there was steam powered. Now we have nuclear power but what we seem the lack is will power man is able to harness the powers of the universe, but he can't seem to control yourself, but there's good news. We serve a mighty God will give us all the power we need to live the Christian life. In a sentence, we will say no.

I think it's kind of hard to be a Christian.

You know what I would totally disagree with that.

I don't think it's hard to be a Christian. I think it's impossible to be a Christian without the help and the power of the Holy Spirit in my life, but fortunately I serve a God who has all power. The psalmist tells us in Psalms 6211 power belongs to God. Some 7911 speaks of the greatness of his power and Jesus said, all power is given and to be given to me in heaven and entered so all the power we need to live the Christian life is available to us through Christ.

Why do we bring this up will because we have an adversary and opponent in enemy known as the devil Satan or Lucifer that also has power that he wants to use against us now. This power is nowhere near the power of Christ.

However, this power is considerable, and the moment we put our faith in Jesus, we entered into a spiritual battle. It's been said that conversion is made. Our hearts a battlefield. Ephesians 6 from the JB Phillips translation translation goes as follows. Our fight is not against any physical enemy. It's against organizations and powers that are spiritual. We are up against the unseen power that controls this dark world and spiritual agents from the very headquarters of evil is he, just as our God has his angels doing his bidding. We have Lucifer of fallen Angel that has his demons doing his dirty work.

Lucifer wants a high ranking angel rebelled against God in heaven and in the rebellion to one third of the angels with him, and those fallen Angels are now we know as demons today.

The purpose of demon seems to be twofold. They think they hinder the purpose of God and extend the power of Satan again. They want to hinder the purpose of God and extend the power of Satan and the reason I bring this up is before us here in Scripture is a story of two men that came under the power of the devil. They came under his control, and as you look at their situation.

There's no way imaginable. They can ever be free from this power of God himself did not intervene, or Guinness E3 forces at work in this story if you will.

We will see, Satan, society and the Savior will see what Satan did to these men will see what society attempted to do for these men and finally we'll see what the Savior did.

So let's look at it together. Matthew way starting in verse 28.

I will redound to Matthew nine verse one when Jesus had come to the other side. This would be the other side of the Sea of Galilee, the country of the Gadarenes or met him two demon possessed men, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly affairs so no one could pass that way and suddenly they cried out safe. What have we to do with you, Jesus used son of God. Have you come here to torment us before the time know a good way off from there. There was a grid of many swine or pig speeding and the demons begged him to see if you cast is not permitted to go away into the herd of swine and Jesus said, go and when they had come out.

They went into the herd of swine. And suddenly the whole herd of swine ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and perished in the water. Those who kept them fled and went away, and that the city had told everything, including what it happened to the demon possessed men, and behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus when they saw him, they begged him to depart from their region. So we gotta know about crossover came to his own setting is that not a crazy story. There's a lot of things we can learn from what we have just read. As our story begins. We learned about two pathetic, demented men that had come completely under the power of the devil in Luke's account of the story, he zeroes in on one of these men in particular because he probably was the more extreme of the two back. Luke writes about particular manner, looking 27. He wore no close he did not live in the house but he lived among the tombs. In addition to this we know this guy would beat and bruise himself and cut himself with sharp rocks. They change him up but was superhuman strength, he was able to break the chains up with this all together you have a pretty freaky scenario.

You have a guy that lives out of the graveyard breaking chains, screaming, streaking and howling and cutting himself a man was suicidal tendencies. One translation of what he used to do was night and day among the tombs. He was always shrieking and screaming and beating and bruising and cutting himself with the stones. What extracted situation.

How does this guy end up this way you know idea, but he had come under the complete control of the devil. This is sort of Satan's package deal. You know he comes with some very enticing offers upfront the things that he puts in front of us are very attractive. Once he gets us worry one says he effectively chooses substance to sell.

He takes SN Texas to the curb. Jesus summed it up when he said the thieves speaking of Satan comes only to steal, kill and destroy.

That's what he had done with this man's life. He was stealing his life and he was controlling that and ultimately wanted to destroy this guy, you could describe this man is that dead man walking. Sort of like a spiritual zombie. You know the Bible says when you are not a believer in Jesus Christ your dead in trespasses and sins. The Bible says of a woman who lives for pleasure.

She is dead, and pleasure. While she is still alive in the prison system in the old days when a person would be marched to their execution as they were going down the hallway. The prison guards would call out dead men walking. There's a lot of dead men and dead women walking today in the wrong direction. How do you reach a person like that. How do you see a person who cuts himself and is suicidal and is completely come under the power of devil change. While it only happens by the power of Jesus Christ. We did our crusade. A number of years ago in North Carolina on our youth that a girl named Jennifer came in she wrote me a letter this was mentioned in that video you watch a few moments ago because I read this at night as well. Agenda versus the night before harvest. I was depressed about everything I wanted to give up on life altogether.

I even thought about suicide, I was feeling unloved and began to look for love in all the wrong places trying to fill the empty place in my heart but I went that night with friends. Another girl named Nikki a teenager. Also, suicidal went to our bed. She says my life is been in the slums. I've been having trouble at school boyfriend trouble. I've been cutting myself and it's just hurting me and I can't stop because I'm addicted so here you have two suicidal girls. One of them is cutting herself. How do you reach them will get to what happened to those girls in a few moments, but here's Jesus now arriving at the shore over this demon possessed man is the let's remember what happened the Lord crossed over the Sea of Galilee and a great storm came so bad in fact was a storm with overhead ways that the disciples began to panic.

They woke him up because he was asleep so Lord go to care that were perishing.

He comes up on death. He stopped the storm saying peace be still for a literal translation be muscle as though we were talking to a wild animal, because in effect he was he was talking to the power behind the storm that was Satan. The reason I bring this up.

If Satan did not want Jesus to get to this man but Jesus would not let hell or high water stopped him. There was a lonely tortured soul that needed help remind us of when the Lord went to Samaria. We read he needed to go to Samaria while because it was a burned out a moral woman who'd been married and divorced five times that would come to the well at 12 noon to draw water and there was Jesus waiting for her. He went to the town of Jericho and found the little sexiest up there in the tree and invited himself over to a meal whenever there was a hurting person in a room. It wouldn't be long until Jesus made his way to that person. So here he is not going to this tortured suicidal soul who roams a graveyard, looking for answers now. We learned some interesting things about the devil and demons in the statements that are recorded here. Number one demons, though wicked are actually quite Orthodox and some of their beliefs. Let me say that again demons, though wicked are actually quite Orthodox and some of their beliefs. They screen out a bizarre question. Verse 29.

What are we to do with you, Jesus used son of God. Have you come here to torment us before the time by addressing him as the son of God, they immediately acknowledge that they knew who he was.

Mark's version of the same story tells us that one of the demon possessed man ran up and down down before him and that word that is you therefore bow down is the Greek word processed Kineo which means to bow down and worship so the demon possessed guy comes and falls before Jesus ended up back the demon in the manner of the demons I should say worship the Lord and it just reminds us that demons hate unload everything about God with our powerless to do anything but worship.

I heats you with your God. You know I have to acknowledge it. Your power is greater. That's what was happening but were able to interview the devil which I would never want to do that we would be surprised at some of the things he would say can you imagine today I'm going to interview Satan hold your applause, was walking out, extending their little zipper questions do you believe in the existence of God, he would say yes I did because you see the devil is neither an agnostic nor an atheist.

He believes in God, then if I would ask, do you believe in the deity of Jesus Christ.

Again he would say yes I do all right. Do you believe that the Bible is the word of God, he would say he's every word of it, but I believe that do you believe that Jesus Christ is coming back again. Yes, I do.

Do you believe there is a final judgment for you and your demons up all you yes I do, he would say this is all shown in this story here and some other supporting passages you can effectively construct the statement of faith from the words of these demons.

They had it down, but of course the big problem was they didn't believe in the Lord just because you believe something is true doesn't mean you have submitted your life to it to see and so these demons were obviously in rebellion against God, but they knew it was true. In fact, the Bible tells us in James 219. The demons believe and grumble, or better translation. They believe in shutter have universe shuttered before my little granddaughter Lucy. We we have the soul can you know of nuts and when you open it up one of those little things springs out and lets out the subtle noise and for some reason this really bothers Lucy so Stella I got this little box of tricks for her last Christmas you little pranks playing and this is one of them so I'm training Stella in the way of being a prankster versus trainer in the way of the Lord. Teacher pranks to you and also I know that's what her dad would want me to do so.

So she really loves Poland, you know, and the promise. You know when she's taking them they know she's tricking them but she's so excited to see doesn't know that they know she's tricking them yet. Also she does it in and so she went up to Lucy nope existed Lucy when she saw the think about activities like that you can recall courthouse I want to do it again and again that shuttering back to the word shuttle prophetically translated to bristly conveys a picture of a horror causing the hair to stand on in have ever been so freaked out by something. Your hair stood on end.

My and since I would be one here just like alfalfa member alfalfa Sica or constitute anyway but that's how the demons feel around Jesus he's so powerful he's so great thanks shutter they bristle freaks them out, they could do nothing but fall before him and worship, affirming his authority back were ever Jesus went the demons constantly affirmed his authority Mark 311 says in the unclean spirits whenever they saw him fell down. The foreman cried out.

You are the son of God. Now this this demon possessed man or the demons and the man asked the question have you come to torment us before our time. You see the devil and his demons know that the day of judgment is coming, even if some liberal theologians don't believe that the devil believes that Jesus Christ is coming back again soon. It's true he knows it course. His agenda is a little different than ours. We know he's coming back.

How many of you believe Jesus Christ is coming back how he believe he could come back today razor.

Okay, will they go so you know, here's my follow-up question. How does that affect you. In reality, if you really believe that it should cause you to want to live a godly life to be as close to the Lord as you can and try to reach others forgive okay the devil believes that to but because he's in rebellion against God.

His agenda is different than ours.

He wants directives much havoc as he can until her before Jesus comes back again. Romans 1212 says he knows he has but a short time.

That is why the devil is pulling out all the stops doing as much damage as he possibly can. And he wants to stop us from reaching our world with these get-togethers do you get a base judgment from God. You might say to you, will God will never use you. You're just a sinner you're a failure. Here's my response. The next time the devil remind you of your past reminds him of his future.

He's going to be jots in the nose loose account of the story we read that Jesus asked him, what's your name's response was legion because many demons had entered him to this man so wrapped up in demon power. He can't even answer for himself, not what is this mean legion. What we know that a Roman legion consisted of 6000 soldiers. This man does this mean rather that this man was possessed by 6000 demons.

I don't know, but clearly there worldwide. Judging by the affect the demons when they were cast out of the man into the curd of pigs, grazing nearby. This guy was really under the power of Satan and and this can happen. You might as a questionable can people be demon possessed today. Sure, they can absolutely okay then, you might ask a question can Christians be demon possessed. Answer no, they can't be held tell you why would you put your faith in Jesus Christ assigned is effectively hung around your neck that says, under new management. Okay you will on the Lord now in Jesus is not into a timeshare program is nice to know it's not like he says okay no I got Greg for six months and W can him for the next six know the Lord comes in. He's the sole resident in this heart and live okay but can the devil affect us from the outside skin demons (since temp does can demons. A process can demons buffet us answer yes they can, even the apostle Paul after he had his vision seen the Lord in glory said, but there was sent a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure allowed by God and orchestrated by Satan. By the way, the word buffet means to get in the face so pulsing yeah I've come under some demon attack, but here's the good news. God will never give you more than you can handle, so you may allow the devil to tempt you or harass you in some way, but he won't give you more than you can take. So you say well you know what if you're not a Christian will the devil can take you over completely could even get to this date, so don't open your heart up to that duck don't play that crazy game because you're vulnerable.

Well, I know I'll keep the devil away. Really I going to do that.

I have a crucifix he's just terrified of the even watching too many movies too many vampire movies is a lot of those out right now you are just full of the crucifix and the doughnut will turn the line are now known, no, he functions in the lighting and the Knights.

He's an angel of light as a matter of fact the Bible says well that's okay because I have a silver bullet that you steal them from the Lone Ranger lesson that may work against werewolf but not the double problem is werewolves are real well. I have some holy water. I keep a flask of it nearby at all times.

These glasses no such thing as holy water. Well, I carry I have garlic around my neck.

Will that will keep your friends away but I won't keep the devil if you chop it up and put it on your pasta bill keep everyone away and none of those things.

Satan, the only thing that will stop Satan is the power of Jesus Christ is your only protection is the one we know.

Listen to this.

Number two demons so we can have some spiritual inside demon so we could have some spiritual insight verse 31.

They begged him, saying, if you cast us out, permit us to go under the curd of swine so you there are 2000 demons here and there's a look. We know you have power over us. We know what day of judgment is coming all man.

Don't send is there now all just let us go to the herd of pigs, but they recognize these things are true. Jesus, we know your compassionate and you're not going to allow this man to continue to be under the power of us, so give us a break and that brings us to why number three, though not as powerful as God demons do have considerable power because when the demons are cast into the swine. The pigs they go over the side of a cliff and commit mass take aside or maybe I should say thanks Elise I try is not how you call the pigs to some like that.

Yeah, the devil's power. Don't underestimate. Don't take it lightly. He's not a joke story told in the book of Daniel of how the prophet prayed a prayer and an answer was dispatched from heaven by an angel.

But apparently as a senior, was on his way to bring Daniel his answer. He was stopped via powerful demonic force of fallen Angel identified as the Prince of Persia and so he couldn't overcome so the Lord then dispatched the heavyweight angel Michael the Archangel to overcome the Prince of Persia, thereby releasing the other arrangement of the other into his little old thinking you know what Rafe Randy no member I used to be a cartoonist.

Okay, so get off he goes that the answer to Daniel's prayer, so you never know what's going on behind the scenes when you pray, I want to. Prayer is not answered as quickly as you would like it to be but it just goes to show that there are rankings among the Angels and so forth and that's what can happen, but every data point number four. Jesus Christ is power over the devil and his demons. Jesus Christ has power over the devil and his demons. They must gobble forum Philippians 2 says Christ is been raised raised up to the heights of heaven. He has a name that is above every name, so at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ the Lord to the glory of God the father. Now we see three forces at work in the story Satan society and the Savior. First, we see what Satan did he control these men he will ruin their lives.

He drove them to despair. One society view. Not much cheating them up in a society doesn't really have answers for all the problems were facing in our country today and then ironically society seems to do everything it can to undermine the one thing that can help us, which is Christ himself. You know your people that are caught in our our legal system breaking the law been sent to jail getting out been sent to prison getting out repeat offenders you have underpaid police officers that are overworked view of liberal, sometimes activism judges that make the wrong decisions you of the breakdown of the family and all of these elements combined together to produce a society they could do very little to change a person's heart if anything at all.

Rehabilitation efforts largely fail. In fact, the only real programs that seem to have long-lasting effects are those that are eight basic more specifically those that are being operated by evangelical Christians are calling people to faith in Jesus Christ. Society doesn't have the answers chain about that's also cited it in order to change that said, so here's what Satan did with society attempted to do enter the Savior. Jesus, what did he do, he sought them out of their spooky little graveyard and offered them home back Luke's account of the same story tells us what happened of the Manor was delivered after the demons going to the pigs and they go over the side of the clip.

This man is change in Luke says they went out to see what it happened and they came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had departed sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. Afraid why afraid they didn't know what to make of it. Wow, look at this guy, you know, it's such a glorious thing when Christ so transforms a life you can't even imagine that person being what they used to be, you know, sometimes of Dr. Christians and they did this looked so together and other you know there hard-working the of their family and their living a godly life and they have the joy of the Lord is say so, how did you come to Christ anyway and you're expecting them to say they were raised in a Christian home. You don't know and they tell you this insane story in your reactions are getting used to do what used to be what yeah this is the way I was with Jesus change me and you realize such as the power of a changed life and that what happened to this guy. He was so transform it frightened the people they couldn't even imagine a guy like him could be changed in such a way to mention those two girls a little bit earlier became darker save Nikki suicidal cutting herself unable to change finishes her story I heard the Christ saves lives.

I decided to give it a chance. My life is made a complete turn around and give them my life to Jesus and I never thought God would forgive me for the things I've done to myself and the sins that committed but after hearing what Greg had to say it open my eyes, I know living as a Christian. Jennifer also suicidal finishes her story. She says she was looking for love in all the wrong places, but she went to our crusade with her friend she heard the message she was change on the inside it's something I've never felt before. I don't feel empty anymore. She says it's like being able to see for the first time that God can do.

No one is beyond the reach of God. I don't care how wicked they are, they may be the most vocal lately as they made the most radical person you've ever seen.

I'm telling you beneath that exterior is a person that God could change so we need to pray for them so our story comes to an end with a fascinating conclusion. You would think that after such a miracle.

The people what is said Jesus you're the man we love what you did know we can go back to the cemetery and pay our respects to our loved ones and put flowers in their graves and we would even go near there before the guy was scary breaking chains, cutting himself running around naked, O Lord, thank you for coming to our community. No, that's not what happened. Here's what happened. Verse 24 Tuesday 34, the whole city came out to meet Jesus when they saw him, they begged him to depart from their region. What the whole city came out in did what thank Jesus for what he did know they wanted him to go away.

Why does Jesus was bad for business to these guys are making some money off the halls, the other white pattern of these guys were Jewish because if they were. This is a very uncultured thing they were doing raising our herd of swine, but now Jesus came and cast the demons into the pigs and all the pigs went over the side of the cliff that was no more bringing home the bacon for their the end of that story so they tell you know we don't like this. This is bad for our economy go away. Listen, if Jesus is bad for your business. Get another job and is bad for some people's business is a kind of business therein. It preys on human suffering even contributes to it now.

Jesus wasn't good for what they did and they wanted him to go away, depart from us.

And guess what Jesus did he laugh see Jesus won't force his way in anyone's life as you come to the end of the story we find that there are three prayers in this event is the prayer of the demons is the prayer of the people and there's a prayer of the matter was delivered from demons first father was the prayer of the demons if you will chassis into the pigs answer their prayer. Given what they wanted. Then there was the prayer of the people leave us don't stay in our city any longer.

He effectively answered their prayer and one away. Finally the zipper of the demon possessed man who asked if he could join Jesus T Cal want to follow you, I would be when your disciples and here's what Jesus said to them, in Mark 518.

He said no go home to your friends and tell them the wonderful things the Lord has done for you and all merciful is been ironically Jesus answered the prayers of the demons and the hardened people but not this newly minted follower. Sometimes God does not answer our prayers. The way we want him to Lord this is what I want to do. God says I know but here's what I want to do instead.

And Jesus wasn't rejecting this guy with a look. I have a special task for these men that are with me now live a special job for you to want to go home or to the tell your family wanted to tell your friends I want you to let them see what I have done for you that your job description so you go do that, but hasn't come to the end of the story really were in the same place as the people in this town we can either say that Jesus stay with us or go away and by the way those of the only two choices you have in life, you either say Jesus come into my life and take control. You say Jesus stay out of my life. I don't want any of your control. There are no other options. Sadly, many people are like this.

I don't want to hear and I don't want to talk about it. I don't want anything to do with it. So they keep their distance. But then there are those that open our life up and see Jesus come inside the historian, the gospel of Luke where Jesus joined the two disheartened disciples on the Emmaus Road. They walked together they did not know was Jesus. He was incognito, but he opened them the word of God when they came to the end of their journey. The Bible says he acted as though he would go further note that means it means he acted like he was just going to keep going but they constrained him, saying, Lord, stay with us if you were done that you wanted to hang out with some people, but you weren't sure if they really wanted you there so you said you know what I have to be going the city by bullet the door hits on the way out while Casey which one of the seas owner. No stay longer stay for dinner. Then once you do so, they don't say that to Jesus. Okay guys, see you all on you know gone gone gone. We want to hang out with them.

Oho okay all right what he do that because he doesn't want to be where he isn't wanted. When these people said Lee Tony said okay only walk away from you right now he's looking to force his way in. But listen, having invited Jesus into your life. Here's my second question is he at home there. The reason I bring that up as Paul makes an interesting statement to the believers.

One of his epistles.

He says my prayer is that Christ may dwell in your heart know why would you pray for Christ to dwell in the heart of a Christian doesn't Christ dwell in the heart of every believer. Yes he does. So why would Paul pray a prayer like that because the word dwell has more meaning. The word dwell could be translated settle down with finality be at home in so Paul says my prayer for you Christians is that Christ may settle down and be at home in your heart with finality. Here's my question not is Jesus living inside of you that is Jesus settle down and at home in your heart you know there are some homes it's hard to be comfortable in. You know the invite you in the don't really want to commend visitors below 20 dead cats. I don't know what what what is it to know it was a row LOL that's okay bye-bye but then there are other homes a moment you wanted it feels like home even if it is in your own fuel cycle.

Usually food has something to do with this and everybody makes a way to what room in the house. The kitchen one of even make front rooms anymore. The most worthless room ever created. Just have one big giant kitchen is not for everyone hangs out his chosen even if there's no room everybody's in the kitchen leaning against things like clothes catching on fire. You know, but on the stove and hated the kitchen why will because there's food there.

That's why. And it's even fun to watch food, get don't you think I love the watch food prepared. I have no cooking skills whatsoever, but I watched the blue channel with my wife but I hate to watch it late at night as I get hungry.

See, so she'll turn it lets you know what time it makes me hungry will watch it later, but there's something about it and so inviting. Here's my question. Is Jesus at home in your life if you would walk around from room to room with these two things there that with.

Oh what's that already have that what sat on the wall or what what these magazines what what is on your computer screen. What is it over there what are you reading what are you doing what's is what why she would almost make him a bit ill at ease, so to speak, we should live our lives in such a way where Jesus would be at home in every room of our heart and we he would have the master key to every law with the Lord you just make yourself at home. You go when you want to go you want to look in that closet you look in the closet you want to go pure down there anywhere you want to go that's all yours because you are a permanent resident.

Now let me ask you this is Jesus living inside of all, I think so. Listen, if he's there you'll know it and if you don't know it. Maybe he isn't there yet Jesus says behold I stand at the door and knock it if you will hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in if you've never asked Jesus to come into your life to be your Savior and Lord. I urge you to do it now you know why because you are no match for the devil and the devil can come to you as a nonbeliever and say you know what I would actually just take more control of your life and make more trouble for you. I guess what there's not much you can do what of Jesus Christ is living inside of you, the devil approaches he sees that new management sign and he backs off look for another life to ruin. You need Christ living inside so you can have your sins forgiven and know that when you die, you go to heaven if you've never asked him to come in your life when and to do it now as we close in prayer out of our heads and father we pray for any that have joined us who may not yet know you, Lord, help them to see these words, we have shared today are true God can be known. Sin can be forgiven and we can have the hope of heaven because we put our faith in Jesus, who died on a cross for our sin and rose again from the dead three days later. Help us to believe in you. Now, Lord, know what I heads of God in our eyes are closed and were praying. How many of you would say today. Greg, I want Jesus Christ to come in to my life. I want my sin forgiven.

I want to know with certainty that when I die I will go to heaven. I'm not going to say go away Jesus, the sea come in Jesus that your desire. If you want Jesus to come in your life right now and forgive you of your sin. I would ask you to stand your feet wherever you are, to stand your feet here in the sanctuary up in the Buckley stand up, lead you in a prayer of commitment to Jesus Christ is stand up bless you guys stand up you that are outside in the courtyard. You stand your feet as well. If you're up in our court building.

You stand up to watching the screen stand up nominal lead you in a prayer of commitment to Jesus. Anybody else you want Christ to come in your life you want to go to heaven when you die, you want your sin forgiven. Stand your feet.

Now, lead you in a prayer. Anybody else stand up there in the balcony got bless you, this final moment stand outcome bless you anybody else stand now. I will pray together, bless bless you. Are you that are sending nominal lead you in a prayer, ask you to pray this prayer out loud after me again as I pray pray this prayer out loud after me now were ever you are Lord Jesus, I know that I'm a sinner, but she died on the cross and shed your blood for every sin I've ever committed. I turned from that sin.

Now I ask you to come in my life be at home in my life.

I choose to follow you now Jesus name I pray. Amen. God bless each one of you to say that prayer