0:00:00.000,0:00:05.600
When you go where[br]you are not meant to be,

0:00:05.600,0:00:09.760
you will find what you [br]are not meant to see.

0:00:11.400,0:00:17.840
People of God, grace and peace [br]to you all in Jesus' mighty name.

0:00:17.840,0:00:26.880
Let us pray together right now and commit[br]this time into the mighty hands of God.

0:00:26.880,0:00:29.160
Let us pray.

0:00:29.160,0:00:42.520
Lord Jesus Christ, we thank You[br]from the depths of our hearts

0:00:42.520,0:00:55.080
for the precious blood You shed[br]for us on the cross of Calvary.

0:00:55.080,0:01:07.080
We acknowledge, we recognise[br]how undeserving we are

0:01:07.080,0:01:12.480
and we are grateful[br]for everything You are,

0:01:12.480,0:01:18.600
for everything You have done.

0:01:18.600,0:01:30.360
Lord Jesus Christ,[br]let the light of Your Word

0:01:30.360,0:01:39.960
shine bright in our hearts [br]today with understanding.

0:01:39.960,0:01:51.520
Let Your Word have its way in our hearts[br]and help us to apply this truth

0:01:51.520,0:02:02.960
to our daily lives,[br]in Jesus' mighty name, we pray.

0:02:02.960,0:02:07.840
And the children of God said, 'Amen!'

0:02:07.840,0:02:12.240
Thank You, Lord! [br]Thank You, Jesus Christ!

0:02:12.240,0:02:17.640
I want to share a message today that

0:02:17.640,0:02:23.000
I believe will encourage you,[br]but also challenge you.

0:02:23.000,0:02:31.720
I was speaking with someone recently and[br]the person asked a very good question

0:02:31.720,0:02:37.040
and I want to share the question asked.

0:02:37.040,0:02:42.760
The answer to that question gave birth to the message you're about to hear today.

0:02:42.760,0:02:50.760
So the person was asking me about something I had said in a previous message.

0:02:50.760,0:02:57.760
In that message, I had said, [br]'If God permits it,

0:02:57.760,0:03:00.200
He will prepare you for it,

0:03:00.200,0:03:05.880
He will give you peace in the midst of it,[br]and He will promote you through it.'

0:03:05.880,0:03:09.080
I hope you remember that message.[br]It's a word of encouragement.

0:03:09.080,0:03:14.720
Whatever we may be facing as [br]Christians, as children of God,

0:03:14.720,0:03:22.080
listen, if God permits you [br]to pass through it,

0:03:22.080,0:03:29.520
He will provide peace in the [br]process of seeing you through it.

0:03:29.520,0:03:31.520
That's a word of hope.

0:03:31.520,0:03:35.720
But the question this brother asked [br]me was very straightforward.

0:03:35.720,0:03:40.640
He said, 'Brother Chris, I'm [br]going through a difficult situation

0:03:40.640,0:03:45.160
right now and I don't have [br]any peace in the midst of it.

0:03:45.160,0:03:49.360
Does this mean God did not permit it?

0:03:49.360,0:03:53.160
I'm going through a terrible situation

0:03:53.160,0:03:58.320
and God did not prepare me for it.

0:03:58.320,0:04:02.640
I don't have peace in the midst of it.[br]I'm not seeing promotion coming from it.

0:04:02.640,0:04:05.680
So does that mean God was not aware,

0:04:05.680,0:04:09.000
God did not permit it,[br]God did not allow it?'

0:04:09.000,0:04:12.760
I said, 'This is a very good question.'

0:04:12.760,0:04:20.600
People of God, if you are going [br]through a difficult situation

0:04:20.600,0:04:29.560
and you don't have peace of heart[br]in the midst of that situation,

0:04:29.560,0:04:41.200
oftentimes it is because it is[br]self-inflicted, not divinely permitted.

0:04:41.200,0:04:47.320
Take note, I said, 'Oftentimes'.

0:04:47.320,0:04:53.040
Many times you're going [br]through a challenge, trial,

0:04:53.040,0:04:54.960
you don't have [br]peace in the midst of it.

0:04:54.960,0:05:01.000
You're filled with worry, anxiety, fear.

0:05:01.000,0:05:09.680
Oftentimes it's because it is [br]self-inflicted, not divinely permitted.

0:05:09.680,0:05:11.440
Not always.

0:05:11.440,0:05:18.480
There can be some situations where God [br]allows it, but maybe that situation

0:05:18.480,0:05:26.440
shifts our focus off God and we fall [br]into that trap of panic, fear, worry.

0:05:26.440,0:05:31.320
Remember our Lord Jesus Christ[br]when He called Simon Peter to come.

0:05:31.320,0:05:33.720
It was an instruction from Jesus, 'Come!'

0:05:33.720,0:05:39.400
Peter came, but when he saw the waves,[br]the winds, what happened?

0:05:39.400,0:05:44.120
His focus left the Saviour [br]and turned to the storm.

0:05:44.120,0:05:48.600
When he saw the waves and [br]the winds, fear stepped in.

0:05:48.600,0:05:50.640
He began to sink.

0:05:50.640,0:05:57.600
Sometimes our situation can feel[br]so overwhelming and our attention is taken

0:05:57.600,0:06:01.000
from our Saviour, from our Source.

0:06:01.000,0:06:04.160
That's true.

0:06:04.160,0:06:11.840
But today, I want to talk about

0:06:11.840,0:06:21.880
the challenges, the trials, the [br]difficulties that are self-inflicted.

0:06:21.880,0:06:30.880
Because when you face[br]a self-inflicted trial,

0:06:30.880,0:06:33.720
you will not be prepared for it,

0:06:33.720,0:06:37.800
you will not have peace in the [br]midst of it, and you will not be promoted

0:06:37.800,0:06:48.600
through it unless you turn to [br]God in the face of it, in repentance.

0:06:48.600,0:06:58.840
Now, what do I mean when I say a self-inflicted trouble, a self-inflicted trial?

0:06:58.840,0:07:05.000
Well, people of God,[br]take note of this.

0:07:05.000,0:07:08.760
Those of you who are connected today,[br]you brought your notebook,

0:07:08.760,0:07:13.960
you want to take note of something for further reflection, you can write this down.

0:07:13.960,0:07:24.800
A self-invited temptation leads[br]to a self-inflicted trouble.

0:07:24.800,0:07:26.200
I'll say it again.

0:07:26.200,0:07:40.040
A self-invited temptation leads[br]to a self-inflicted tribulation.

0:07:40.040,0:07:45.880
There are temptations that God allows.

0:07:45.880,0:07:51.240
There are temptations that we invite.

0:07:51.240,0:07:56.920
Let me just read [br]from 1 Corinthians 10:13.

0:07:56.920,0:08:01.120
This is a very popular Scripture[br]when talking on this subject matter.

0:08:01.120,0:08:04.120
But I want you to think [br]carefully about this.

0:08:04.120,0:08:07.480
1 Corinthians 10:13,

0:08:07.480,0:08:16.000
"No temptation has overtaken[br]you except such as is common to man;

0:08:16.000,0:08:25.200
but God is faithful, who will not allow you[br]to be tempted beyond what you are able,

0:08:25.200,0:08:27.000
but with the temptation

0:08:27.000,0:08:34.360
will also make the way of escape[br]that you may be able to bear it."

0:08:34.360,0:08:44.400
If you cannot find a way out,[br]you have shown the way in.

0:08:44.400,0:08:46.880
People of God, if you are with someone,

0:08:46.880,0:08:50.600
you can tell the person or [br]you can tell yourself,

0:08:50.600,0:08:58.880
“If you have not found the way out,

0:08:58.880,0:09:07.680
you have shown [br]the way in to sin.”

0:09:07.680,0:09:20.040
If you don't find an escape route,[br]you have let sin take root.

0:09:20.040,0:09:24.000
This is what the Scripture is saying here.

0:09:24.000,0:09:31.600
The temptation that God permits[br]is accompanied by a way out.

0:09:31.600,0:09:42.280
But the temptation we easily fall [br]into is the temptation we invite.

0:09:42.280,0:09:51.240
And if you open the door, don't [br]blame the devil for entering through it.

0:09:51.240,0:09:55.880
Don't blame the devil [br]for entering through

0:09:55.880,0:10:00.280
the door you leave[br]wide open for him.

0:10:00.280,0:10:04.680
I hope you follow what I’m [br]saying here, people of God.

0:10:04.680,0:10:15.840
If you invite temptation, don't assume [br]God will help you to fight temptation.

0:10:15.840,0:10:25.440
God will not see you through[br]the temptation invited by you.

0:10:25.440,0:10:33.000
If you invite it, you are [br]left alone to fight it.

0:10:33.000,0:10:43.000
This is the reason why many people [br]today are facing self-inflicted trials

0:10:43.000,0:10:49.080
in their marriage, in their [br]health, in their finances,

0:10:49.080,0:10:56.640
because they set themselves [br]up for temptation.

0:10:56.640,0:11:00.760
And when you set yourself [br]up for temptation,

0:11:00.760,0:11:09.160
temptation will soon be set up for [br]you and you will likely fall into it.

0:11:09.160,0:11:14.440
The consequences of falling [br]into that temptation

0:11:14.440,0:11:20.640
often lead to self-inflicted troubles.

0:11:20.640,0:11:26.520
I want to talk to you today[br]about two very common ways

0:11:26.520,0:11:32.440
we invite temptation so we can examine[br]ourselves in the light of God's Word.

0:11:32.440,0:11:36.360
Two ways that we invite temptation -

0:11:36.360,0:11:45.480
1. We go where we are not meant to go.

0:11:45.480,0:11:52.320
2. We do not go where we are meant to go.

0:11:52.320,0:11:56.400
Oh, thank You, Jesus.

0:11:56.400,0:12:00.120
I will say it again, people of God.[br]There are two common ways

0:12:00.120,0:12:08.520
we invite temptation, or two ways[br]in which we tempt the devil to tempt us.

0:12:08.520,0:12:18.600
1. We go where we are not meant to go -

0:12:18.600,0:12:23.360
being where we are not [br]meant to be as children of God.

0:12:23.360,0:12:30.600
2. We don't go where we are meant to go.

0:12:30.600,0:12:35.920
Now, if you are to look at these two common ways in which we invite temptation,

0:12:35.920,0:12:40.560
I think the first one is something[br]far easier to understand.

0:12:40.560,0:12:46.680
As a child of God, there are[br]certain places we should not go,

0:12:46.680,0:12:50.600
I should not go, you should not go.

0:12:50.600,0:12:55.600
You should not go to a place where [br]Jesus Christ would not be welcomed.

0:12:55.600,0:13:01.360
Don't expect God's grace,[br]God's protection, to cover you

0:13:01.360,0:13:08.480
when you go to a place, knowingly,[br]where sin is celebrated.

0:13:08.480,0:13:12.400
You are walking into the lion's den.

0:13:12.400,0:13:17.760
You are asking for temptation to come.

0:13:17.760,0:13:21.400
And when you go where you are [br]not meant to go, what happens?

0:13:21.400,0:13:24.120
You are on your own.

0:13:24.120,0:13:30.840
And this natural strength[br]cannot overcome sin's power.

0:13:30.840,0:13:38.320
Natural wisdom cannot [br]defeat the devil's cunning.

0:13:38.320,0:13:40.760
You say, 'I'm strong in myself.'

0:13:40.760,0:13:45.560
You go to a place where [br]Jesus will not be welcomed.

0:13:45.560,0:13:47.280
You go on your own.

0:13:47.280,0:13:51.360
The Spirit of God is not [br]there to protect you.

0:13:51.360,0:13:55.040
The Spirit of God is not there[br]to make a way out for you.

0:13:55.040,0:14:01.200
You're going to fall into the trap[br]you have set for yourself.

0:14:01.200,0:14:04.160
So I could give a very[br]simple example, right?

0:14:04.160,0:14:11.760
Let's say someone is praying,[br]'God, I want to stop drinking alcohol.

0:14:11.760,0:14:18.960
I know this is bad for my spiritual life,[br]physical life, financial life, marital life.

0:14:18.960,0:14:22.240
In every department, it is bad, sinful.

0:14:22.240,0:14:25.640
I want to stop drinking alcohol,'[br]and you receive prayer.

0:14:25.640,0:14:27.640
You join the Interactive Prayer Service

0:14:27.640,0:14:31.840
or you go to a living church to receive[br]prayer or you're seeking God on your own.

0:14:31.840,0:14:39.120
But after that prayer, you use [br]your own two legs to walk

0:14:39.120,0:14:45.440
to a bar, to a club, to a pub where[br]alcohol is being sold and celebrated.

0:14:45.440,0:14:51.560
You are walking into the trap[br]that you will fall into.

0:14:51.560,0:14:57.600
You're going to fall straight back[br]into that ungodly influence. Why?

0:14:57.600,0:15:04.680
Because you are going where [br]you are not meant to go.

0:15:04.680,0:15:08.200
What business does a child of God

0:15:08.200,0:15:16.600
have with a place that celebrates sin,[br]or a place that celebrates darkness?

0:15:16.600,0:15:23.760
So I think it is easier to understand[br]that particular example.

0:15:23.760,0:15:28.680
Hey, as a child of God,[br]some places are off-limits.

0:15:28.680,0:15:30.840
I should not go there.

0:15:30.840,0:15:34.280
There is no justification for going there.

0:15:34.280,0:15:37.320
But let's now look at the second one,

0:15:37.320,0:15:42.000
because it's not just about going[br]where you are not meant to go.

0:15:42.000,0:15:47.040
Do you know what is the cause[br]of many invited temptations?

0:15:47.040,0:15:52.000
We are not where we are meant to be.

0:15:52.000,0:15:58.280
I want to turn to the [br]Scriptures to read a story

0:15:58.280,0:16:03.920
in the Old Testament that [br]illustrates the danger of this,

0:16:03.920,0:16:10.640
and that is taken from[br]the Book of 2 Samuel.

0:16:10.640,0:16:17.040
Please turn with me in your [br]Bibles to 2 Samuel 11.

0:16:17.040,0:16:25.800
Now this is the account of [br]David, Bathsheba, and Uriah.

0:16:25.800,0:16:30.720
I believe you are familiar with [br]this story, David and Bathsheba.

0:16:30.720,0:16:33.280
It's a well-known story.

0:16:33.280,0:16:38.160
How could this man after [br]God's own heart, the king,

0:16:38.160,0:16:44.840
succumb to that temptation with Bathsheba?

0:16:44.840,0:16:50.680
Let us examine not just[br]the sinful action,

0:16:50.680,0:16:56.640
but what happened before[br]that led to that temptation.

0:16:56.640,0:17:00.440
So I want to read this account.

0:17:00.440,0:17:02.440
Let's start from verse one,

0:17:02.440,0:17:11.920
"It happened in the spring of the year,[br]at the time when kings go out to battle,

0:17:11.920,0:17:18.760
that David sent Joab and his [br]servants with him, and all Israel;

0:17:18.760,0:17:23.320
and they destroyed the people [br]of Ammon and besieged Rabbah.

0:17:23.320,0:17:34.800
But David remained at Jerusalem.

0:17:34.800,0:17:42.960
Then it happened one evening [br]that David arose from his bed

0:17:42.960,0:17:50.640
and walked on the [br]roof of the king's house.

0:17:50.640,0:17:56.960
And from the roof he saw a woman bathing,

0:17:56.960,0:18:00.600
and the woman was [br]very beautiful to behold.

0:18:00.600,0:18:03.920
So David sent and [br]inquired about the woman.

0:18:03.920,0:18:06.840
And someone said, [br]'Is this not Bathsheba,

0:18:06.840,0:18:10.720
the daughter of Eliam, the [br]wife of Uriah the Hittite?'

0:18:10.720,0:18:20.680
Then David sent messengers, and took her;[br]and she came to him, and he lay with her,

0:18:20.680,0:18:23.400
for she was cleansed from her impurity;

0:18:23.400,0:18:30.280
and she returned to her house.

0:18:30.280,0:18:32.320
And the woman conceived;

0:18:32.320,0:18:36.800
so she sent and told David, [br]and said, 'I am with child.'

0:18:36.800,0:18:43.800
Then David sent to Joab, saying,[br]'Send me Uriah the Hittite.'

0:18:43.800,0:18:46.600
And Joab sent Uriah to David.

0:18:46.600,0:18:51.280
When Uriah had come to him,[br]David asked how Joab was doing,

0:18:51.280,0:18:55.000
and how the people were doing,[br]and how the war prospered.

0:18:55.000,0:19:00.520
And David said to Uriah, 'Go down [br]to your house and wash your feet.'

0:19:00.520,0:19:03.000
So Uriah departed[br]from the king's house,

0:19:03.000,0:19:07.160
and a gift of food from the [br]king followed him.

0:19:07.160,0:19:12.560
But Uriah slept at the [br]door of the king's house

0:19:12.560,0:19:19.360
with all the servants of his lord,[br]and did not go down to his house.

0:19:19.360,0:19:24.280
So when they told David, saying,[br]'Uriah did not go down to his house,'

0:19:24.280,0:19:28.440
David said to Uriah, 'Did you [br]not come from a journey?

0:19:28.440,0:19:31.960
Why did you not go down to your house?'

0:19:31.960,0:19:41.920
And Uriah said to David, 'The ark and[br]Israel and Judah are dwelling in tents,

0:19:41.920,0:19:47.280
and my lord Joab and the servants of[br]my lord are encamped in the open fields.

0:19:47.280,0:19:54.320
Shall I then go to my house to eat[br]and drink, and to lie with my wife?

0:19:54.320,0:20:02.080
As you live and as your soul [br]lives, I will not do this thing."

0:20:02.080,0:20:07.120
I'm going to pause the reading here.

0:20:07.120,0:20:15.760
This is a very sad, sobering story,

0:20:15.760,0:20:21.800
and, although we will not [br]read the entire passage,

0:20:21.800,0:20:30.160
eventually, because Uriah does [br]not go back to meet his wife,

0:20:30.160,0:20:35.800
David sends him back to the [br]battle with a letter to Joab,

0:20:35.800,0:20:40.440
effectively arranging his murder,

0:20:40.440,0:20:46.120
and Uriah was killed on the battleground.

0:20:46.120,0:20:53.560
And afterwards David then [br]took Bathsheba to be his wife.

0:20:53.560,0:21:01.080
It is a seriously sad story -[br]how a man who loved God,

0:21:01.080,0:21:06.040
a man after God's heart, [br]could not only fall

0:21:06.040,0:21:13.120
into that trap of temptation,[br]but then go on this journey of cover-up

0:21:13.120,0:21:18.520
that led him to increasingly worse sins.

0:21:18.520,0:21:25.280
Before I go back to the beginning[br]of this chapter to examine what led

0:21:25.280,0:21:34.240
to David being in the place[br]where such a temptation struck,

0:21:34.240,0:21:38.840
I think it's worth saying [br]something important here -

0:21:38.840,0:21:50.360
sin always outstays its welcome.

0:21:50.360,0:22:04.200
It gives you far less than you desire[br]and takes far more than you realise.

0:22:04.200,0:22:16.280
Sin is like a wildfire that cannot [br]be contained once lit.

0:22:16.280,0:22:25.160
No human efforts to contain it [br]will succeed without repentance.

0:22:25.160,0:22:37.560
Sin will take you further than [br]you are prepared to stray,

0:22:37.560,0:22:44.680
will hold you longer than [br]you are willing to stay,

0:22:44.680,0:22:51.880
and will cost you more [br]than you are ready to pay.

0:22:51.880,0:23:01.480
This is the case of David and Bathsheba.

0:23:01.480,0:23:07.960
It's a big lesson, people[br]of God, a very big lesson.

0:23:07.960,0:23:14.800
David's attempt to cover up his sin

0:23:14.800,0:23:22.400
became a downward spiral [br]that led him increasingly

0:23:22.400,0:23:26.800
down into the depths of even more sin.

0:23:26.800,0:23:33.800
The more you attempt to cover up sin, [br]the tighter it increases its grip on you.

0:23:33.800,0:23:43.880
The wildfire of sin can only be [br]contained by a repentant heart.

0:23:43.880,0:23:46.800
Or let me say the wildfire of sin

0:23:46.800,0:23:51.920
can only be contained by [br]the blood of Jesus Christ,

0:23:51.920,0:24:02.200
which we have access to when [br]we repent genuinely, sincerely.

0:24:02.200,0:24:09.400
I know this is a serious subject, [br]people of God, but let's look into this.

0:24:09.400,0:24:12.880
What happened to David?

0:24:12.880,0:24:19.560
What happened that he fell headlong [br]into this trap of Bathsheba?

0:24:19.560,0:24:24.680
Okay, I want to read again [br]to you 2 Samuel 11:1.

0:24:24.680,0:24:31.000
Let's examine the scenario [br]before this encounter.

0:24:31.000,0:24:42.080
"It happened in the spring of the year,[br]at the time when kings go out to battle..."

0:24:42.080,0:24:46.440
David was a warrior.

0:24:46.440,0:24:51.440
He had been with his [br]army on the battleground,

0:24:51.440,0:24:57.400
but on this occasion,[br]the army went out to battle

0:24:57.400,0:25:02.280
but the king remained at Jerusalem.

0:25:02.280,0:25:08.280
I hope you see where I'm [br]going with this, people of God.

0:25:08.280,0:25:15.120
David was meant to be[br]with his men at the battle

0:25:15.120,0:25:20.080
but he remained in Jerusalem.

0:25:20.080,0:25:25.200
And because he was not [br]where he was meant to be,

0:25:25.200,0:25:38.240
the idleness that he fell into soon [br]led to the temptation that he invited.

0:25:38.240,0:25:43.880
Why do I say idleness? 2 Samuel 11:2, "Then it happened one evening..."

0:25:43.880,0:25:51.400
Take note - in the evening,[br]David arose from his bed.

0:25:51.400,0:26:00.520
His men are fighting on the field[br]while David was sleeping in his bed.

0:26:00.520,0:26:07.240
I hope you follow the lesson I'm painting [br]to everyone here, people of God.

0:26:07.240,0:26:15.960
In the afternoon he was sleeping - [br]a time he was not meant to.

0:26:15.960,0:26:24.600
And then he got up in the [br]evening and went up to the roof.

0:26:24.600,0:26:29.920
When you go where[br]you are not meant to be,

0:26:29.920,0:26:34.280
you will find what you [br]are not meant to see.

0:26:34.280,0:26:38.440
If you are searching for [br]what is not missing,

0:26:38.440,0:26:43.560
you will soon locate[br]what you are not looking for.

0:26:43.560,0:26:49.600
David went up to the [br]roof in the evening

0:26:49.600,0:26:54.520
because he was on his [br]bed in the afternoon,

0:26:54.520,0:27:01.320
while his men were [br]fighting on the field of battle.

0:27:01.320,0:27:05.720
People of God, there's a big lesson here.

0:27:05.720,0:27:13.440
There is a very big lesson here[br]for all of you, for all of us.

0:27:13.440,0:27:18.520
If David was with his men[br]on the field of battle,

0:27:18.520,0:27:24.000
he would not have been at [br]that place, at that moment

0:27:24.000,0:27:31.040
where his eyes saw Bathsheba[br]and he fell into that temptation.

0:27:31.040,0:27:43.000
Do you know there are many testimonies[br]that your eyes may never see

0:27:43.000,0:27:51.040
because you are where [br]God wants you to be.

0:27:51.040,0:27:53.480
He has preserved you.

0:27:53.480,0:27:56.360
He has protected you.

0:27:56.360,0:28:01.520
He has seen you through battles[br]you didn't even know existed,

0:28:01.520,0:28:05.600
because you were in the right place.

0:28:05.600,0:28:12.560
There is no moment spent in God's[br]projects, God's assignments,

0:28:12.560,0:28:15.920
that is wasted,[br]that is missed, that is lost.

0:28:15.920,0:28:22.560
You have no idea how[br]God has rescued you

0:28:22.560,0:28:26.520
just by being in the right place [br]and doing the right thing -

0:28:26.520,0:28:30.720
being in your assignment.

0:28:30.720,0:28:35.120
What happened with David?

0:28:35.120,0:28:45.760
He stepped out of his duty, and [br]so he stepped into temptation.

0:28:45.760,0:28:49.800
People of God, think about this.

0:28:49.800,0:28:54.600
When you step out of [br]the path of your duty,

0:28:54.600,0:29:01.280
you will soon step into [br]the path of temptation.

0:29:01.280,0:29:12.240
If you neglect your assignments,[br]it will surely deflect your focus.

0:29:12.240,0:29:18.720
If you let down your guard, [br]idleness seeps in,

0:29:18.720,0:29:20.760
you can fall into that temptation.

0:29:20.760,0:29:27.440
David was not an idle man. He was a [br]warrior, a man of war. We know his exploits.

0:29:27.440,0:29:30.400
We have so many examples[br]in the Scriptures.

0:29:30.400,0:29:35.960
He was not an idle man,[br]but in a moment of idleness...

0:29:35.960,0:29:37.480
Or let me put it like this,

0:29:37.480,0:29:43.120
a moment of idleness turned [br]into a moment of madness.

0:29:43.120,0:29:53.080
And the man after God's own [br]heart fell to the sin of adultery.

0:29:53.080,0:29:55.880
This is a serious message,[br]once again, people of God.

0:29:55.880,0:30:00.880
We don't know how God [br]has been preserving us

0:30:00.880,0:30:04.000
simply by our presence in His presence,

0:30:04.000,0:30:08.160
by being in the right place[br]at the right time.

0:30:08.160,0:30:11.280
I used to hear some people say today,

0:30:11.280,0:30:14.400
'I was just in the wrong [br]place at the wrong time.'

0:30:14.400,0:30:17.000
People of God, let [br]me tell you a vital truth,

0:30:17.000,0:30:24.400
as a child of God, you will not be[br]in the wrong place at the wrong time. Why?

0:30:24.400,0:30:30.240
Because if you are in [br]the right place with God,

0:30:30.240,0:30:36.040
He will preserve you from being in [br]the wrong place at the wrong time.

0:30:36.040,0:30:39.440
Think about how many [br]troubles people enter today,

0:30:39.440,0:30:46.120
how many negative situations emerge today[br]because people are in the wrong place,

0:30:46.120,0:30:49.600
at the wrong time, with the wrong people.

0:30:49.600,0:30:52.360
Because if you are in the wrong [br]place, at the wrong time,

0:30:52.360,0:30:54.840
you will get connected[br]to the wrong people -

0:30:54.840,0:30:59.960
people that divide your life,[br]people that subtract from your life.

0:30:59.960,0:31:08.800
On the contrary, if you are [br]in the right place with God,

0:31:08.800,0:31:13.960
you will be moving at the right pace

0:31:13.960,0:31:18.000
and you will find yourself [br]surrounded by the right people -

0:31:18.000,0:31:24.160
people that will add to your life,[br]contribute to your spiritual growth,

0:31:24.160,0:31:26.520
multiply your life.

0:31:26.520,0:31:32.640
When you are committed to your assignment from God, He will connect you to those

0:31:32.640,0:31:36.840
who are equally committed [br]to the same cause.

0:31:36.840,0:31:41.120
Let me give you advice, because many[br]people reach out to us at God's Heart TV,

0:31:41.120,0:31:45.640
with this issue of marriage, 'I want to find my godly partner, the right person.

0:31:45.640,0:31:48.080
When will the right person come?'

0:31:48.080,0:31:53.200
People of God, you will not find[br]the right person in the wrong place.

0:31:53.200,0:31:59.080
You will not find the right [br]person in the wrong place.

0:31:59.080,0:32:03.520
If you stay in the right [br]place with God,

0:32:03.520,0:32:11.800
He will bring the right person[br]at His appointed time.

0:32:11.800,0:32:15.160
But we get desperate.[br]We look at our age.

0:32:15.160,0:32:20.800
We look at all these other circumstantial[br]factors, pressures from society, and we

0:32:20.800,0:32:28.760
go to the wrong place, at the wrong time,[br]and expect to meet the right person. No!

0:32:28.760,0:32:32.560
These are invited temptations.

0:32:32.560,0:32:40.880
And if you invite temptation,[br]don't expect spiritual benefits.

0:32:40.880,0:32:49.720
Don't assume a spiritual benefit[br]for a self-inflicted trial.

0:32:49.720,0:32:54.680
As I'm recounting this story [br]of David, you can just reflect

0:32:54.680,0:33:00.560
on your own life, your own journey of faith.

0:33:00.560,0:33:06.960
Let's contrast David's attitude [br]to Uriah's attitude.

0:33:06.960,0:33:12.680
Oh, there is a big difference.

0:33:12.680,0:33:17.960
Uriah left the battle, but the [br]battle did not leave him.

0:33:17.960,0:33:24.640
He physically left his assignment,[br]but his assignment did not leave him.

0:33:24.640,0:33:34.760
Even when he came back to see the [br]king, he refused to go and meet with

0:33:34.760,0:33:40.120
his wife or eat and drink[br]as the king wanted. Why?

0:33:40.120,0:33:47.840
Because he said, 'How can I do this [br]whilst those men are on the battlefield?'

0:33:47.840,0:33:51.080
Even though Uriah [br]left the battle in flesh,

0:33:51.080,0:33:53.680
he did not leave the battle in spirit.

0:33:53.680,0:33:56.520
The problem with David[br]is that he was neither

0:33:56.520,0:34:03.080
present in the battle [br]in flesh nor in spirit.

0:34:03.080,0:34:05.160
I hope you understand, people of God.

0:34:05.160,0:34:10.200
Even if David was not there physically,

0:34:10.200,0:34:14.760
if he was alert that a battle's going on,

0:34:14.760,0:34:19.240
there are people putting their lives[br]on the line to fight his enemies,

0:34:19.240,0:34:21.760
he would have joined them in spirit.

0:34:21.760,0:34:24.880
He would have stayed alert[br]to that assignment,

0:34:24.880,0:34:28.600
even if he was not physically[br]in the place of that assignment.

0:34:28.600,0:34:35.960
But whilst his men were busy[br]fighting his enemies on the field,

0:34:35.960,0:34:45.600
he was busy playing games [br]with the enemy on the roof.

0:34:45.600,0:34:48.440
Take note, I'm not saying [br]Bathsheba was his enemy.

0:34:48.440,0:34:58.240
The devil is our actual enemy.

0:34:58.240,0:35:01.400
He was not present in [br]the battle physically,

0:35:01.400,0:35:06.760
but equally, he was not [br]present in the battle spiritually.

0:35:06.760,0:35:10.320
Some people may say, [br]'David is a fighting man.

0:35:10.320,0:35:14.160
You know, he'd gone out to many [br]battles. He'd won many victories.

0:35:14.160,0:35:16.480
This was a time for him to rest.

0:35:16.480,0:35:19.520
It's not every time he had [br]to lead the men in battle.

0:35:19.520,0:35:21.760
He could have gone back to rest.'

0:35:21.760,0:35:27.480
Okay, people of God, I agree, there is a [br]time to work, there is a time to rest.

0:35:27.480,0:35:30.680
But when you rest when [br]you are meant to work,

0:35:30.680,0:35:34.840
it will only leave you more stressed.

0:35:34.840,0:35:38.320
If you relax at the time[br]you are not meant to,

0:35:38.320,0:35:43.840
it is far from relaxing because [br]it is accompanied by guilt.

0:35:43.840,0:35:52.360
There is no real pleasure in [br]ill-timed leisure, unearned leisure.

0:35:52.360,0:35:55.680
I hope you follow what [br]I'm saying, people of God.

0:35:55.680,0:36:00.400
It's a divine decree to rest. Yes,[br]there are times this body needs rest.

0:36:00.400,0:36:04.360
But if you rest in the body,[br]don't relent in the spirit.

0:36:04.360,0:36:09.400
Don't rest in the spirit.[br]This was the problem of David.

0:36:09.400,0:36:21.280
He not only left the battle naturally, [br]he was not there spiritually.

0:36:21.280,0:36:24.040
That's why idleness crept in.

0:36:24.040,0:36:26.920
Look, I'm not saying you should not rest.

0:36:26.920,0:36:29.560
Of course, this body needs rest.

0:36:29.560,0:36:41.400
But look, rest is an extension of your [br]assignment, not an escape from it.

0:36:41.400,0:36:48.600
Rest should be an expression [br]of faith, not an exception of faith.

0:36:48.600,0:36:50.360
What do I mean?

0:36:50.360,0:36:54.760
If you are to rest this flesh,[br]you must not rest your spirit.

0:36:54.760,0:36:57.360
You must stay alert.

0:36:57.360,0:37:00.880
Watch and pray.

0:37:00.880,0:37:02.920
Many of us today, what happens?

0:37:02.920,0:37:07.560
We say, 'I want to rest. I want to relax.'

0:37:07.560,0:37:11.720
But in the process of relaxing, [br]what are we doing?

0:37:11.720,0:37:17.240
We are where we are not meant to be.

0:37:17.240,0:37:23.240
We see what we are not meant to see.

0:37:23.240,0:37:30.160
If you want to rest, don't simply look for something that can entertain your flesh.

0:37:30.160,0:37:34.640
Look for something[br]that can edify your spirit

0:37:34.640,0:37:42.160
because the devil does not [br]respect your time of relaxation.

0:37:42.160,0:37:50.520
Look at David - if this could happen [br]to a man after God's own heart,

0:37:50.520,0:37:54.360
how much more so should we be careful?

0:37:54.360,0:37:59.800
Be careful, people of God.

0:37:59.800,0:38:05.840
Don't tempt the devil to tempt you. [br]Don't invite temptation.

0:38:05.840,0:38:10.760
Now, some of you may hear [br]this message today and say,

0:38:10.760,0:38:14.320
'Brother Chris, David was a man of war.

0:38:14.320,0:38:19.000
This was a clear-cut scenario. You know,[br]his soldiers were on the battleground.

0:38:19.000,0:38:21.640
Me, I am not working in the army.

0:38:21.640,0:38:25.160
I'm not going to fight a physical battle. What can I do?

0:38:25.160,0:38:29.680
What do you mean that I must stay[br]in the place where God wants me to be?

0:38:29.680,0:38:35.680
I must stay in my assignment.[br]What does that mean practically?'

0:38:35.680,0:38:47.080
People of God, if you take care[br]of your relationship with God,

0:38:47.080,0:38:56.080
you will know there are assignments [br]all around that He has given you.

0:38:56.080,0:39:04.720
There is no one connected here[br]whom God has not given an assignment.

0:39:04.720,0:39:09.640
If you drown out the noise of your [br]situation and listen to the prompting

0:39:09.640,0:39:15.000
of your conscience, you will [br]know what you need to do.

0:39:15.000,0:39:24.600
Your contribution to others[br]is an assignment from God.

0:39:24.600,0:39:27.040
I will say it again.

0:39:27.040,0:39:37.320
Your contribution to others[br]is an assignment from God.

0:39:37.320,0:39:47.120
Use what is in your hands to help [br]and watch what is in your hands grow.

0:39:47.120,0:39:52.760
If you have too much time for yourself,

0:39:52.760,0:40:01.480
you will soon find yourself spending [br]it on your wants, not your needs.

0:40:01.480,0:40:05.800
And man's wants are unlimited.

0:40:05.800,0:40:18.720
The confusion of needs with wants[br]is the cause of the crisis in contentment.

0:40:18.720,0:40:25.280
We are not content[br]and lack of contentment

0:40:25.280,0:40:32.280
makes you a candidate[br]for carnal comparison.

0:40:32.280,0:40:35.560
We're not content.

0:40:35.560,0:40:46.520
We're so busy looking at the lives of[br]others rather than living our own lives.

0:40:46.520,0:40:52.080
I remember an old saying that there are[br]three types of people in this world -

0:40:52.080,0:40:55.600
those who make things happen,

0:40:55.600,0:40:58.520
those who watch things happen,

0:40:58.520,0:41:03.320
and those who wonder what happened.

0:41:03.320,0:41:10.840
We're too busy comparing [br]ourselves with others,

0:41:10.840,0:41:15.560
focusing on what we want[br]rather than what we need.

0:41:15.560,0:41:22.480
God has promised as a good Father[br]to meet the needs of His children -

0:41:22.480,0:41:25.280
not necessarily our wants.

0:41:25.280,0:41:29.760
David had everything that he needed.

0:41:29.760,0:41:38.400
God had given him everything, even [br]more abundantly, more than he needed.

0:41:38.400,0:41:45.520
But because he neglected his [br]duty, his focus was deflected,

0:41:45.520,0:41:51.240
and he started focusing on what [br]he wanted, not what he needed.

0:41:51.240,0:41:59.880
And then he saw Bathsheba[br]and fell into the trap of the devil.

0:41:59.880,0:42:05.120
It's important, people of God, [br]that we address issues like this,

0:42:05.120,0:42:09.360
not to condemn you, no.

0:42:09.360,0:42:17.400
Look, even if you're watching this message[br]right now and you reflect and realise,

0:42:17.400,0:42:23.320
'My situation is self-inflicted[br]because I invited temptation' -

0:42:23.320,0:42:34.960
there is hope because the answer to a self-inflicted trial is repentance.

0:42:34.960,0:42:42.960
When you turn to God with all your heart,[br]He can still turn that situation around

0:42:42.960,0:42:47.040
and it can still lead to your [br]progress and promotion.

0:42:47.040,0:42:48.880
That's the mystery.

0:42:48.880,0:42:54.200
Even David, with what happened...

0:42:54.200,0:43:00.040
Do you know, people of God, that after this, when the prophet Nathan rebuked him

0:43:00.040,0:43:08.680
and he repented, do you know that this very scenario led him to write Psalm 51?

0:43:08.680,0:43:16.760
A Psalm, I believe so many of [br]us present here have read

0:43:16.760,0:43:19.920
and been touched by the Holy Spirit.

0:43:19.920,0:43:24.200
A message that resonates [br]through generations,

0:43:24.200,0:43:27.840
that came from a repentant heart.

0:43:27.840,0:43:34.560
And even though sin connected [br]David with Bathsheba,

0:43:34.560,0:43:39.640
we know that eventually their [br]union produced King Solomon,

0:43:39.640,0:43:45.640
a man who has provided such words [br]of wisdom through the Proverbs,

0:43:45.640,0:43:52.920
and someone who was even part[br]of the lineage of our Lord Jesus Christ.

0:43:52.920,0:43:54.880
What does this mean?

0:43:54.880,0:43:58.800
Even if your trial is self-inflicted,

0:43:58.800,0:44:02.160
and right now, you don't [br]have peace in the midst of it,

0:44:02.160,0:44:04.680
the answer is to repent.

0:44:04.680,0:44:12.040
Repentance comes when you [br]stop blaming and start changing.

0:44:12.040,0:44:14.920
Stop blaming.

0:44:14.920,0:44:18.160
‘I'm facing this because [br]of what they did to me.’

0:44:18.160,0:44:22.440
‘I'm going through this because [br]of my family background.’

0:44:22.440,0:44:28.440
‘I did this because everyone in my [br]workplace is doing it - it's okay.’

0:44:28.440,0:44:34.480
‘I'm going through this difficulty because[br]of the corruption in my government.’

0:44:34.480,0:44:40.400
‘I'm facing this because of that.’

0:44:40.400,0:44:45.880
Even if there is an element of [br]truth in that allegation,

0:44:45.880,0:44:51.640
spiritually, the answer [br]is not to blame.

0:44:51.640,0:44:58.680
Blaming will not produce change; [br]it will keep you in chains.

0:44:58.680,0:45:06.640
Repent, reconnect with God

0:45:06.640,0:45:10.600
and He can still provide[br]that peace in the midst of it

0:45:10.600,0:45:15.680
even if you face the [br]consequences of it.

0:45:15.680,0:45:19.480
Repentance does not [br]necessarily remove consequence,

0:45:19.480,0:45:27.840
but it enables you to put [br]the best construction on it.

0:45:27.840,0:45:39.520
May God bless His Word[br]in the midst of our hearts.

0:45:39.520,0:45:54.160
And may He help us to stay[br]on the path of our calling

0:45:54.160,0:46:00.840
that we avoid the road[br]that leads to our falling.

0:46:00.840,0:46:08.400
In Jesus' mighty name we pray, amen.

0:46:08.400,0:46:14.360
At this point, I would love [br]to hear from one or two of you,

0:46:14.360,0:46:20.720
if there's a lesson you have learnt from[br]this sermon, this word of encouragement,

0:46:20.720,0:46:26.320
or perhaps you have a question[br]to ask in the light of this message,

0:46:26.320,0:46:29.400
let's give some time right now for that.

0:46:35.200,0:46:36.360
I am Eliane.

0:46:36.360,0:46:41.800
I'm originally from Ivory Coast, but[br]I'm a Dutch citizen living in Amsterdam.

0:46:41.800,0:46:48.960
Brother Chris, I want to say thank you for the message about King David and Bathsheba.

0:46:48.960,0:46:55.320
This message really touched me[br]because it captured my own story.

0:46:55.320,0:46:58.840
I found myself where [br]I shouldn't have been

0:46:58.840,0:47:03.240
and I met a married man[br]and I had a child for him.

0:47:03.240,0:47:09.320
And the only child that I have[br]was born with sickle-cell anaemia.

0:47:09.320,0:47:15.880
So I know that what I did was very wrong.

0:47:15.880,0:47:22.200
And I'm always asking God to [br]forgive me because it's very bad.

0:47:22.200,0:47:25.280
And she's the only child I have.

0:47:25.280,0:47:28.800
Now she's doing fine because [br]I'm praying every day for her

0:47:28.800,0:47:33.000
and I have taken her to a[br]man of God to pray for her.

0:47:33.000,0:47:38.440
But sometimes I think that the [br]consequences are still there.

0:47:38.440,0:47:42.440
I think that maybe I may lose my [br]child and when I think about it

0:47:42.440,0:47:45.600
I'm always crying and I'm [br]always asking God for forgiveness.

0:47:45.600,0:47:48.280
This message really touched me.

0:47:48.280,0:47:51.360
It is my story.

0:47:51.360,0:47:53.520
I'm so sorry.

0:47:53.520,0:47:57.160
Please help me beg God.

0:47:57.160,0:47:59.760
This is just what I wanted [br]to say, it's a comment.

0:47:59.760,0:48:04.640
I don't have any question. I know [br]that what I've done is very bad.

0:48:04.640,0:48:10.280
I'm just asking God to help me, [br]to forgive me.

0:48:10.280,0:48:12.840
Because I even asked the woman,

0:48:12.840,0:48:17.800
the married woman, before[br]she got divorced with her husband,

0:48:17.800,0:48:20.800
I asked for forgiveness.

0:48:20.800,0:48:26.080
But my daughter, my only child, [br]she has sickle-cell anaemia.

0:48:26.080,0:48:29.280
Mama, so thank you very [br]much for being open.

0:48:29.280,0:48:31.000
We can see your tears.

0:48:31.000,0:48:36.200
We know to have a child[br]in a health challenge,

0:48:36.200,0:48:42.000
as a mother, we understand your heart.[br]So let me thank you for being open.

0:48:42.000,0:48:47.120
You know, that's why I said that this time[br]of question and answer is very important.

0:48:47.120,0:48:48.600
It makes it practical.

0:48:48.600,0:48:53.440
What our mother is saying is [br]a real situation that she's in.

0:48:53.440,0:48:58.560
But, mama, I want to [br]encourage you, first of all.

0:48:58.560,0:49:01.160
Our God is not someone that

0:49:01.160,0:49:11.680
you have to beg for forgiveness for many[br]months or years before it is released. No.

0:49:11.680,0:49:19.280
The devil who tries to incite [br]us to sin against God

0:49:19.280,0:49:25.920
is the same one who tries to twist our[br]understanding of who God is after we sin

0:49:25.920,0:49:29.720
so that we fall into [br]the trap of condemnation.

0:49:29.720,0:49:39.000
‘Because I've done this and I am facing a challenge, this is God punishing me.

0:49:39.000,0:49:43.480
This is the consequences[br]and I cannot be forgiven.

0:49:43.480,0:49:51.000
Or I have to maybe do certain [br]sacrifices in order to be forgiven.’ No!

0:49:51.000,0:49:57.640
The blood of Jesus Christ[br]shed on the cross for you, mama,

0:49:57.640,0:50:03.440
for me, is so abundant, so sufficient

0:50:03.440,0:50:08.160
that when we turn to Him[br]with all of our hearts and repent -

0:50:08.160,0:50:13.680
we can see your tears [br]as you repent - it's over.

0:50:13.680,0:50:19.080
You are forgiven.

0:50:19.080,0:50:23.280
If there is a situation, in [br]this case with your daughter,

0:50:23.280,0:50:30.680
don't assume that the [br]challenge she's facing is

0:50:30.680,0:50:37.680
a retribution or a punishment [br]for what you did. No.

0:50:37.680,0:50:43.320
Situations come in life. The question is, what do we do about them?

0:50:43.320,0:50:47.160
Here you are today seeking God.

0:50:47.160,0:50:54.120
A child can be sick.[br]That doesn't mean that

0:50:54.120,0:50:57.960
because of that sickness,[br]they are limited from achieving

0:50:57.960,0:51:01.760
what God wants them to achieve[br]while they are here on earth.

0:51:01.760,0:51:05.600
And it doesn't mean that you as a [br]mother should move around laden

0:51:05.600,0:51:09.840
with guilt and condemnation[br]because of a mistake you made in the past.

0:51:09.840,0:51:15.840
That is the devil's intention to [br]rob you of joy, to rob you of peace.

0:51:15.840,0:51:19.120
Yes, we are not denying there [br]is a challenge with your daughter.

0:51:19.120,0:51:21.880
And I am happy you've [br]said you've taken her for prayer.

0:51:21.880,0:51:24.920
Prayer in the name [br]of Jesus Christ is powerful.

0:51:24.920,0:51:27.600
There is healing in [br]the name of Jesus Christ.

0:51:27.600,0:51:34.880
But for you, mama, don't go [br]through life thinking that God is

0:51:34.880,0:51:38.000
punishing you for your past mistakes

0:51:38.000,0:51:41.720
and that the only evidence [br]of His forgiveness,

0:51:41.720,0:51:44.520
is if that situation in your [br]daughter's life changes.

0:51:44.520,0:51:48.000
‘Oh, I am not forgiven until [br]that situation changes’ - no!

0:51:48.000,0:51:50.440
Situations may be there in life.

0:51:50.440,0:51:56.080
Even though the circumstance behind [br]her birth is what you have shared,

0:51:56.080,0:51:59.520
that doesn't mean it's the [br]cause of her having sickle-cell.

0:51:59.520,0:52:01.520
A child could be born with an affliction.

0:52:01.520,0:52:05.920
It doesn't necessarily mean it's because[br]of the circumstances behind their birth.

0:52:05.920,0:52:13.600
So don't have that mindset [br]that the only evidence of

0:52:13.600,0:52:17.520
God's forgiveness for me is a [br]change in my daughter's situation.

0:52:17.520,0:52:20.760
What must you do?[br]Take this to God in prayer.

0:52:20.760,0:52:22.960
As you've turned to Him, [br]you've recognised,

0:52:22.960,0:52:27.320
you were even open to say it publicly, [br]that you did this, it was wrong,

0:52:27.320,0:52:31.400
you've identified - as far as [br]you do that with your heart

0:52:31.400,0:52:34.880
and you acknowledge that, it's over.

0:52:34.880,0:52:41.080
Spiritually, the blood of Jesus [br]washes it clear, washes it clean.

0:52:41.080,0:52:43.280
You start afresh.

0:52:43.280,0:52:46.600
So, mama, please,[br]thank you for being open,

0:52:46.600,0:52:49.120
but I want you to dry your tears.

0:52:49.120,0:52:52.560
Our God is not one who is going to be

0:52:52.560,0:52:58.680
counting the magnitude of your wrong[br]and holding it against you. No.

0:52:58.680,0:53:00.720
Sin is sin.

0:53:00.720,0:53:04.560
All of us stand in helpless[br]need of His divine forgiveness,

0:53:04.560,0:53:07.360
and all of us can receive [br]that divine forgiveness

0:53:07.360,0:53:10.560
on the platform of faith and repentance.

0:53:10.560,0:53:15.840
So we will join you in [br]prayer for your daughter.

0:53:15.840,0:53:18.360
We know there is [br]healing in the name of Jesus.

0:53:18.360,0:53:21.760
Thank you for being open to [br]share that. We can see mama's tears.

0:53:21.760,0:53:25.560
And I know her words have [br]touched many of us as well today.

0:53:30.800,0:53:34.320
My name is Gabriel from Colombia.

0:53:34.320,0:53:41.040
My question is why is it that [br]the more I pray, the more I fast,

0:53:41.040,0:53:45.960
the more I read my Bible,[br]the more the temptation?

0:53:45.960,0:53:48.400
And sometimes I fall into it.

0:53:48.400,0:53:51.760
What our brother is talking about[br]is something I've heard many times.

0:53:51.760,0:53:56.720
People ask, 'I don't understand. [br]I'm trying to draw closer to God,

0:53:56.720,0:54:03.760
but it seems as if the temptations[br]and trials are increasing, not decreasing.

0:54:03.760,0:54:06.920
Am I doing something wrong?[br]What's going on here?'

0:54:06.920,0:54:12.360
And I would just encourage [br]you, my brother,

0:54:12.360,0:54:17.320
there is no prayer, no fasting,[br]no spiritual maturity in this world

0:54:17.320,0:54:20.120
that will remove the reality of temptation

0:54:20.120,0:54:31.880
because we are in a world which [br]is dominated by those in darkness.

0:54:31.880,0:54:37.200
I don't say that to cause [br]fear or apprehension,

0:54:37.200,0:54:40.720
but if we look at society,[br]we look at what's happening,

0:54:40.720,0:54:47.480
we are living in a world that people[br]have strayed so far from godly principles.

0:54:47.480,0:54:51.400
Sin has dominated so many hearts.

0:54:51.400,0:54:54.320
So as we navigate this [br]world, it's a reality.

0:54:54.320,0:54:56.960
There will be a lot of temptation.

0:54:56.960,0:55:02.800
And as you rightly said,[br]there are times you fall.

0:55:02.800,0:55:06.240
There's a big difference, though,[br]as I said in this message,

0:55:06.240,0:55:12.080
between the temptation God allows[br]and the temptation we invite.

0:55:12.080,0:55:18.520
If God allows temptation but you [br]still fall into it, because we are weak

0:55:18.520,0:55:22.760
and sometimes we succumb [br]to the flesh, what will happen?

0:55:22.760,0:55:27.840
You will repent and [br]learn from that situation.

0:55:27.840,0:55:30.600
‘Oh, what happened that I fell?

0:55:30.600,0:55:34.240
This is what happened [br]before I fell - I learn from it.’

0:55:34.240,0:55:37.720
You actually increase[br]your spiritual maturity

0:55:37.720,0:55:40.760
through the experience[br]of succumbing to temptation.

0:55:40.760,0:55:46.960
But if it's a temptation you invite - [br]when you fall into it,

0:55:46.960,0:55:52.240
you are not going to[br]have that spiritual benefit.

0:55:52.240,0:55:54.840
That's the difference.

0:55:54.840,0:56:00.240
Once again, I'm not saying you [br]cannot turn to God afterwards.

0:56:00.240,0:56:06.160
There's no situation, no matter [br]how bad, that stops us

0:56:06.160,0:56:08.080
from the decision of turning to God.

0:56:08.080,0:56:13.280
Even if a trial is self-inflicted,[br]even if temptation is self-invited,

0:56:13.280,0:56:15.360
you can still turn to God.

0:56:15.360,0:56:22.640
But if you are seeking Him, praying,[br]fasting, reading the Scriptures and yet

0:56:22.640,0:56:27.960
that temptation keeps coming [br]and perhaps you fall, that fall

0:56:27.960,0:56:32.400
will lead to your rising. What do I mean?[br]You will learn from that temptation.

0:56:32.400,0:56:35.640
You will increase your strategies[br]in how to deal with it.

0:56:35.640,0:56:39.880
You will be more sensitive to [br]the areas that, perhaps, led to it.

0:56:39.880,0:56:44.680
It will actually result [br]in your growth, spiritually.

0:56:44.680,0:56:47.000
This is a mystery.

0:56:47.000,0:56:51.040
Why is it that the path [br]to spiritual growth

0:56:51.040,0:56:56.920
is so often steeped in tests, [br]trials and temptations?

0:56:56.920,0:57:01.200
Well, God has to equip us [br]for the task He has for us.

0:57:01.200,0:57:04.880
You don't get equipped in the school.

0:57:04.880,0:57:10.680
You get equipped on the field.

0:57:10.680,0:57:13.600
I hope you understand, people of God.

0:57:13.600,0:57:19.960
You don't get equipped in ‘theory’;[br]you get equipped in ‘practical’.

0:57:19.960,0:57:26.400
This is life - the realities of life, [br]the temptations of life.

0:57:26.400,0:57:32.640
But if you repent, learn from it, [br]run back to God in the midst of it,

0:57:32.640,0:57:37.360
that temptation becomes [br]a source of your spiritual growth.

0:57:37.360,0:57:40.000
So don't be discouraged.

0:57:40.000,0:57:45.240
And as I said, don't assume that one day[br]you will reach a milestone spiritually

0:57:45.240,0:57:46.960
where temptation disappears.

0:57:46.960,0:57:56.080
‘Oh, I have overcome all of that.[br]I will never be tempted.’ No!

0:57:56.080,0:58:00.400
As far as we are in this world, [br]it will come but there is grace.

0:58:00.400,0:58:06.600
God has promised a way [br]of escape, a way out.

0:58:06.600,0:58:08.560
And it is important for me to emphasise

0:58:08.560,0:58:12.520
that the message I've [br]given today is for believers.

0:58:12.520,0:58:20.040
The understanding of a [br]self-inflicted trial, versus

0:58:20.040,0:58:25.960
a trial that God permits, is on the basis[br]of someone who has been delivered.

0:58:25.960,0:58:31.200
There are some challenges that are[br]as a result of demonic influence,

0:58:31.200,0:58:40.040
which is why prayer in the name of Jesus [br]Christ strikes at the root spiritually.

0:58:40.040,0:58:47.080
That's why sometimes you can[br]try and find every solution naturally.

0:58:47.080,0:58:52.080
But if something is spiritual,[br]it needs to be dealt with in prayer.

0:58:52.080,0:58:57.960
So I am not denying the reality that [br]there are some demonically influenced

0:58:57.960,0:59:03.320
situations that people face, maybe [br]as a result of generational curses,

0:59:03.320,0:59:07.960
not through something they themselves[br]have done to inflict themselves.

0:59:07.960,0:59:12.040
That's why we talk about deliverance[br]in the name of Jesus Christ.

0:59:12.040,0:59:17.360
But irrespective, this truth [br]remains valuable for everyone.

0:59:17.360,0:59:22.120
Because it’s far easier to...[br]Let me put it like this.

0:59:22.120,0:59:29.440
Some people today are very fond of finding[br]a scapegoat to make them feel better

0:59:29.440,0:59:33.080
in the midst of their problem,[br]and it's easy to blame the devil.

0:59:33.080,0:59:35.320
‘Oh, the devil is behind this!’

0:59:35.320,0:59:40.720
Even though the works of darkness[br]may be behind what you are facing,

0:59:40.720,0:59:45.480
don't agree with the mindset that [br]quickly points the finger in blame.

0:59:45.480,0:59:50.480
Because even if the devil is kicked [br]out, you have a role to play.

0:59:50.480,0:59:54.360
It's not good for us to [br]propagate the mindset of blame.

0:59:54.360,0:59:57.320
I hope you understand what [br]I'm saying, people of God.

0:59:57.320,1:00:02.080
It's very easy for us to say,[br]'Because of my family background,

1:00:02.080,1:00:06.080
this is why I'm facing this.' And there [br]may be truth in that statement.

1:00:06.080,1:00:09.000
Maybe there's a curse in the family[br]that needs to be broken,

1:00:09.000,1:00:15.040
but don't have that mindset[br]that quickly attaches blame to something

1:00:15.040,1:00:22.160
beyond your control, because it doesn't[br]encourage stewardship and responsibility.

1:00:22.160,1:00:27.680
After your deliverance,[br]after your freedom,

1:00:27.680,1:00:32.000
you must use what is in your hands today.

1:00:37.520,1:00:41.520
Grace and peace be unto you.

1:00:41.520,1:00:46.480
Brother Chris, thank you for [br]allowing yourself to be used

1:00:46.480,1:00:48.360
by the Lord God Almighty.

1:00:48.360,1:00:56.320
I am Donald, watching from Frankfurt, Germany. I'm originally from Cameroon.

1:00:56.320,1:01:01.600
This story concerning Bathsheba[br]and King David...

1:01:01.600,1:01:07.680
As Christians, most of us have our favourite [br]Bible figures in the Bible.

1:01:07.680,1:01:12.960
David has always been my favourite.

1:01:12.960,1:01:16.920
I have been asking myself,[br]that this same David, who

1:01:16.920,1:01:21.440
I learnt from in Psalm 119, who said[br]"Thy Word have I hidden in my heart

1:01:21.440,1:01:23.360
that I may not sin against you,"

1:01:23.360,1:01:25.640
how could he fall into such temptation?

1:01:25.640,1:01:31.000
But today, I have understood[br]that there was a time when kings

1:01:31.000,1:01:35.720
usually go to battle, and he [br]stayed home and fell into temptation.

1:01:35.720,1:01:40.440
And I was always asking [br]myself this question because,

1:01:40.440,1:01:43.080
as the man of God,[br]Brother Chris, rightly said,

1:01:43.080,1:01:48.040
because of this, [br]David had to write Psalm 51.

1:01:48.040,1:01:50.280
I saw that he repented,

1:01:50.280,1:01:56.200
but during the course of it[br]he fasted for almost a week.

1:01:56.200,1:02:01.560
David didn't eat anything, and when [br]Nathan the prophet came to him,

1:02:01.560,1:02:07.200
Nathan the prophet said God [br]had declared that the child

1:02:07.200,1:02:09.760
Bathsheba was carrying [br]wasn't going to live.

1:02:09.760,1:02:14.400
I was asking myself, ‘Why is [br]it that God forgave David

1:02:14.400,1:02:21.480
but the child could not live? [br]But still He gave David Solomon.’

1:02:21.480,1:02:25.080
But today I've understood that,

1:02:25.080,1:02:30.080
even when we sin against God and [br]we have been corrected or punished,

1:02:30.080,1:02:33.680
the consequences - we have to pay for.

1:02:33.680,1:02:36.000
That's what I've learnt today.

1:02:36.000,1:02:41.400
Because I have been asking myself, [br]‘Why is it that David prayed and fasted,

1:02:41.400,1:02:45.120
but the child couldn't live,[br]knowing God forgave him?’

1:02:45.120,1:02:48.760
Thank you so much[br]for the revelation.

1:02:48.760,1:02:54.800
I'm happy. That's my [br]contribution and what I've learnt.

1:02:54.800,1:03:00.480
You touched on a point which we didn't[br]cover today in the aftermath of David's

1:03:00.480,1:03:07.800
sin with Bathsheba, where [br]the first child she bore grew sick.

1:03:07.800,1:03:13.800
As you rightly said, David was fasting[br]and praying for the child to be restored.

1:03:13.800,1:03:19.240
In 2 Samuel 12, [br]I'll read from verse 19.

1:03:19.240,1:03:23.200
I want to emphasise a point[br]with what my brother said now.

1:03:23.200,1:03:25.560
"When David saw that his [br]servants were whispering,

1:03:25.560,1:03:28.080
David perceived that the child was dead.

1:03:28.080,1:03:30.920
Therefore David said to his [br]servants, 'Is the child dead?'

1:03:30.920,1:03:33.840
And they said, 'He is dead.'

1:03:33.840,1:03:36.760
So David arose from the ground, [br]washed and anointed himself,

1:03:36.760,1:03:42.360
and changed his clothes; and he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped.

1:03:42.360,1:03:44.480
Then he went to his own house [br]and when he requested,

1:03:44.480,1:03:46.440
they set food before him, and he ate.

1:03:46.440,1:03:49.400
Then his servant said to him,[br]'What is this that you have done?

1:03:49.400,1:03:52.280
You fasted and wept for the [br]child while he was alive,

1:03:52.280,1:03:55.320
but when the child died, [br]you arose and ate food.'

1:03:55.320,1:03:59.800
And he said, 'While the child was [br]alive, I fasted and wept;

1:03:59.800,1:04:04.680
for I said, 'Who can tell whether [br]the Lord will be gracious to me,

1:04:04.680,1:04:06.360
that the child may live?'

1:04:06.360,1:04:10.600
But now he is dead; why should I fast?[br]Can I bring him back again?

1:04:10.600,1:04:13.800
I shall go to him, but he [br]shall not return to me."

1:04:13.800,1:04:17.600
This is a very deep[br]statement from David.

1:04:17.600,1:04:20.920
We could preach an [br]entirely different message

1:04:20.920,1:04:23.400
just on this response from David.

1:04:23.400,1:04:27.000
But the point that I want[br]to make to our brother to

1:04:27.000,1:04:33.480
emphasise the area he is sharing is that

1:04:33.480,1:04:38.240
even though this account is[br]before the coming of Christ

1:04:38.240,1:04:41.200
and the blood shed on the cross,

1:04:41.200,1:04:50.720
we know that ultimately judgement[br]and justice are in the hands of God.

1:04:50.720,1:04:58.720
We cannot determine or dictate the way[br]and manner the consequence of sin strikes.

1:04:58.720,1:05:06.360
Definitely, we know our God is merciful.

1:05:06.360,1:05:13.920
But we should not view God's mercy as a

1:05:13.920,1:05:20.880
justification for continuing[br]knowingly in sin.

1:05:20.880,1:05:26.720
Some people today prepare [br]their prayers for forgiveness

1:05:26.720,1:05:30.240
even before they have sinned.

1:05:30.240,1:05:35.280
‘I know this is wrong, but God is merciful,

1:05:35.280,1:05:43.800
so before I sin, I'm already ready [br]to ask for forgiveness afterwards.’

1:05:43.800,1:05:51.560
This is trying, naturally, [br]to turn God's mercy,

1:05:51.560,1:05:58.400
God's grace, into an avenue [br]of enablement for sin.

1:05:58.400,1:06:02.400
‘Because of God's mercy,[br]because of God's grace -

1:06:02.400,1:06:06.480
I'm His child. If I sin, God will forgive me.

1:06:06.480,1:06:10.400
God will not allow the [br]consequences to strike.’

1:06:10.400,1:06:16.480
If we do what is wrong, repentance does not necessarily mean

1:06:16.480,1:06:20.760
there are no consequences.

1:06:20.760,1:06:24.960
We cannot dictate or determine[br]how that happens.

1:06:24.960,1:06:30.120
David's words in these verses[br]clearly reveal his understanding of

1:06:30.120,1:06:32.120
God's position and his own position.

1:06:32.120,1:06:35.520
‘I can just seek God for mercy,[br]but I don't have the power

1:06:35.520,1:06:39.120
to bring the child back to life[br]or restore the child to health.

1:06:39.120,1:06:43.360
So far as the child is still alive[br]let me plead before God for mercy,

1:06:43.360,1:06:48.360
but I cannot dictate the way and [br]manner that mercy manifests.’

1:06:48.360,1:06:52.560
I think our concern should be

1:06:52.560,1:06:59.280
to run from sin, to depart[br]from sin, to disconnect from sin.

1:06:59.280,1:07:07.360
If you play with a fire and don't get burnt, [br]it does not mean you should enter that fire.

1:07:07.360,1:07:10.000
‘I did this, there didn't [br]seem to be a consequence.

1:07:10.000,1:07:14.160
Maybe it means[br]I can do it, I can go ahead.

1:07:14.160,1:07:16.960
If I pray extra hard,[br]God's grace will cover me.

1:07:16.960,1:07:23.640
I will give a larger offering[br]in church this Sunday,

1:07:23.640,1:07:29.160
I will increase the amount I'm giving[br]in church - that will cover me.

1:07:29.160,1:07:32.840
But I can be doing this in secret.’

1:07:32.840,1:07:46.280
Don't mistake God's mercy unto repentance as God's approval of transgression.

1:07:51.480,1:07:56.280
My name is Audrey.[br]I'm originally from Zimbabwe.

1:07:56.280,1:07:59.960
Right now I'm in Northern Ireland.

1:07:59.960,1:08:03.480
Thank you, Brother Chris, for the word.

1:08:03.480,1:08:09.880
I think when you read the word[br]from the Book of 2 Samuel,

1:08:09.880,1:08:14.000
I had to reflect as you were[br]reading the story of King David.

1:08:14.000,1:08:21.400
I had to reflect to myself, and I was [br]also picturing myself being at

1:08:21.400,1:08:27.800
a place where I was not supposed[br]to be, when looking at my past.

1:08:27.800,1:08:33.280
Then I realised when this was[br]happening, it was not a good thing.

1:08:33.280,1:08:37.840
So now my question is about repentance.

1:08:37.840,1:08:42.880
How do I know that now[br]my relationship with God is good?

1:08:42.880,1:08:45.560
Yes, I know, I pray, [br]I do all those things.

1:08:45.560,1:08:50.960
I see that God is working in my life - [br]these are good things,

1:08:50.960,1:08:52.640
these are breakthroughs.

1:08:52.640,1:08:59.320
But I want to know, how do I know[br]that my relationship with God is good,

1:08:59.320,1:09:02.640
especially concerning[br]this issue of repentance?

1:09:02.640,1:09:10.320
Your attitude to sin is a [br]far clearer indication

1:09:10.320,1:09:15.280
of your spiritual life than [br]your current situation.

1:09:15.280,1:09:20.800
The truth within that statement[br]is the answer to the question.

1:09:20.800,1:09:25.280
Because it's common today for people to

1:09:25.280,1:09:31.520
use external yardsticks to try and [br]gauge where they are spiritually.

1:09:31.520,1:09:37.360
‘Maybe I've had a testimony, I've [br]received a blessing or a breakthrough.

1:09:37.360,1:09:40.200
Oh, that means God has [br]favoured me, I'm a child of God.

1:09:40.200,1:09:42.000
I'm in the right place with God.

1:09:42.000,1:09:47.160
I've been healed of a sickness and my health is good, so I’m a child of God.’

1:09:47.160,1:09:52.360
But these are not measurements [br]that we should use

1:09:52.360,1:09:55.560
to determine where we are spiritually.

1:09:55.560,1:10:00.480
Our attitude to sin is a much [br]clearer indication. Why?

1:10:00.480,1:10:04.960
Because what does sin ultimately do?

1:10:04.960,1:10:10.360
Sin separates us from God.

1:10:10.360,1:10:14.880
And you talked about repentance,[br]and I talked in this message

1:10:14.880,1:10:16.440
today about repentance.

1:10:16.440,1:10:20.520
And it's a very common theme[br]we talk about because what is repentance?

1:10:20.520,1:10:25.800
Repentance is the recognition of that

1:10:25.800,1:10:33.400
and returning to God, running back[br]to God to ask for forgiveness,

1:10:33.400,1:10:36.880
knowing that His blood shed on[br]the cross of Calvary

1:10:36.880,1:10:43.360
is the only thing that can contain[br]the wildfire that's caused by sin.

1:10:43.360,1:10:54.120
Look, people of God, we're not here to[br]just use spiritual language loosely.

1:10:54.120,1:10:56.960
We are talking about real life[br]and real situations.

1:10:56.960,1:11:02.280
There's no one present here, including[br]myself, who can claim perfection.

1:11:02.280,1:11:05.720
No one is perfect.

1:11:05.720,1:11:11.560
When I talk about attitude to sin,[br]I'm not talking about absence of wrong.

1:11:11.560,1:11:15.400
It doesn't mean you are [br]not going to make a mistake.

1:11:15.400,1:11:18.600
But what do you do when you realise?

1:11:18.600,1:11:22.200
That's a clearer reflection[br]of your relationship with God.

1:11:22.200,1:11:30.400
Because I can know, the Spirit [br]of God prompts my conscience.

1:11:30.400,1:11:35.920
I can know when I do the wrong thing.[br]I can know when I take the wrong step.

1:11:35.920,1:11:39.040
I can know when I see[br]what I'm not supposed to see.

1:11:39.040,1:11:43.600
I can know when I go[br]where I'm not supposed to go.

1:11:43.600,1:11:52.240
You can know. How? The Spirit [br]of God prompts your conscience

1:11:52.240,1:11:56.160
through the Word stored in your heart.

1:11:56.160,1:12:00.120
Now, what do you do when [br]your conscience is prompted?

1:12:00.120,1:12:04.360
Do you blame or do you change?

1:12:04.360,1:12:08.040
Do you realise, recognise, [br]repent, run back to God?

1:12:08.040,1:12:11.800
That's the reflection of [br]a healthy relationship with God,

1:12:11.800,1:12:13.720
not the absence of wrong,

1:12:13.720,1:12:18.600
but the speed at which you [br]recognise and get back on track.

1:12:18.600,1:12:28.200
If we justify sin, if we [br]downplay sin, if we minimise sin,

1:12:28.200,1:12:33.200
it is a sign we are not [br]in the right place spiritually.

1:12:33.200,1:12:39.880
It's not about blessings.[br]It's not about material progress.

1:12:39.880,1:12:44.640
'A man can be sick in body [br]yet be a friend of God,'

1:12:44.640,1:12:47.160
to quote Prophet T.B. Joshua.

1:12:47.160,1:12:59.960
A man can be poor yet richer in spirit [br]than the billionaires of this world.

1:12:59.960,1:13:06.680
So we don't measure spiritual [br]things by material yardsticks,

1:13:06.680,1:13:13.840
my sister, but by [br]our attitude to sin.

1:13:13.840,1:13:25.240
This is why we must feed our [br]conscience with the Word of God.

1:13:25.240,1:13:29.240
We must feed our souls[br]with the Word of God

1:13:29.240,1:13:31.400
because the Word of God reveals

1:13:31.400,1:13:35.760
the standard of God[br]for what is right and wrong.

1:13:35.760,1:13:43.520
Today's world is trying to flip[br]that standard, not just shift it.

1:13:43.520,1:13:46.240
I hope you understand,[br]it's not just to shift the standard;

1:13:46.240,1:13:48.160
it's trying to flip the standard.

1:13:48.160,1:13:53.720
Right becomes wrong, wrong [br]becomes right. That is the work of satan.

1:13:53.720,1:13:56.440
There are many things [br]that happen in society today

1:13:56.440,1:14:02.040
that people say, 'It's okay, it's fine.'

1:14:02.040,1:14:07.360
But if you go to the Bible as the standard, [br]it is wrong. It is sin.

1:14:07.360,1:14:11.200
Just because others do it [br]doesn't make it right.

1:14:11.200,1:14:15.160
Just because you see someone [br]sinning without consequence,

1:14:15.160,1:14:19.240
does not mean that you,[br]with the knowledge of truth,

1:14:19.240,1:14:23.160
can take the same course[br]and expect the same result.

1:14:23.160,1:14:27.800
Anyway, the deception that one sins[br]without consequence is a lie.

1:14:27.800,1:14:31.560
If you sin without immediate [br]consequence, it is just preparing you

1:14:31.560,1:14:34.640
for the more significant [br]consequence that is coming.

1:14:34.640,1:14:39.080
God may give - perhaps there [br]is time for repentance,

1:14:39.080,1:14:41.440
but it's not a sign of His approval.

1:14:41.440,1:14:44.320
If you see someone, maybe [br]they even claim to be a Christian,

1:14:44.320,1:14:46.960
but you know they[br]are living an ungodly life,

1:14:46.960,1:14:49.160
and they don't seem [br]to see the repercussions,

1:14:49.160,1:14:52.240
don't think that God's[br]favour is on that person -

1:14:52.240,1:14:57.240
they can sin without consequence. [br]It's not a sign of God's approval.

1:14:57.240,1:15:01.840
It's a sign of God's patience[br]to encourage them to repentance.

1:15:01.840,1:15:09.280
But if you don't repent, [br]my brothers and sisters in Christ,

1:15:09.280,1:15:12.600
the wildfire will spread.

1:15:12.600,1:15:19.600
The beautiful thing about repentance[br]is that it doesn't require your money,

1:15:19.600,1:15:25.000
your position, wealth.

1:15:25.000,1:15:26.880
It doesn't require connections.

1:15:26.880,1:15:32.240
It doesn't require you to meet a[br]very holy man of God for you to repent.

1:15:32.240,1:15:35.320
‘If this man of God prays for me,[br]then I will be able to repent.’

1:15:35.320,1:15:40.760
No - repentance is [br]a decision of the heart.

1:15:40.760,1:15:44.920
And as you are listening to [br]this message right now,

1:15:44.920,1:15:48.400
the blood of Jesus is more than enough.

1:15:48.400,1:16:00.000
No past is too bad, no sin is too deep that the blood of Jesus cannot wash away.

1:16:00.000,1:16:07.720
But remember what I said,[br]Jesus died to free us from sin

1:16:07.720,1:16:17.840
and its consequences,[br]not to sin without consequence.

1:16:23.080,1:16:27.880
Yes, good day Brother Chris,[br]and the members of God's Heart TV.

1:16:27.880,1:16:33.240
I have listened to your [br]sermons on WhatsApp.

1:16:33.240,1:16:42.600
My question is, how do we go to God, [br]reading our Bibles and by meditation?

1:16:42.600,1:16:48.800
Can Brother Chris, just give us[br]maybe two examples or an example of

1:16:48.800,1:16:52.000
how to meditate on the Word of God,

1:16:52.000,1:16:58.120
so we may know God better,[br]or know God's presence

1:16:58.120,1:17:04.040
because there're a lot of us that [br]don't know the presence of God.

1:17:04.040,1:17:05.320
Thank you, Brother Chris.

1:17:05.320,1:17:07.680
Our brother was talking[br]about practical examples.

1:17:07.680,1:17:09.760
I like that! It's good [br]to be practical here.

1:17:09.760,1:17:11.880
So one thing is clear,

1:17:11.880,1:17:17.120
if we recognise the Word of God[br]is not merely meant for our minds,

1:17:17.120,1:17:19.720
or these ears, it's meant for our hearts,

1:17:19.720,1:17:24.960
it means that for us to meditate[br]on the Word, to read the Word effectively,

1:17:24.960,1:17:27.160
our heart has to be settled.

1:17:27.160,1:17:29.240
Our heart has to be right with God.

1:17:29.240,1:17:32.240
So when it's time to read the Bible,

1:17:32.240,1:17:36.480
you don't just pick up the [br]Bible and turn to your Scripture.

1:17:36.480,1:17:40.640
You first of all settle [br]your accounts with God.

1:17:40.640,1:17:43.720
So let's say you as husband and wife,

1:17:43.720,1:17:47.880
maybe you have had a clash, you've [br]had a disagreement over something,

1:17:47.880,1:17:49.960
and you are angry with your wife or

1:17:49.960,1:17:54.160
she's angry at you and [br]maybe some wrong words

1:17:54.160,1:17:56.000
have been spoken[br]and you now say,

1:17:56.000,1:17:57.520
'Let me go and read my Bible.'

1:17:57.520,1:18:02.400
And you open the Bible and start reading. [br]What you are reading will not enter.

1:18:02.400,1:18:04.560
You are just reading [br]for the sake of reading

1:18:04.560,1:18:10.640
because your heart is disturbed,[br]your heart is troubled, your heart is angry.

1:18:10.640,1:18:14.240
You need to first of all go and settle.

1:18:14.240,1:18:17.760
Settle with God and settle with your wife.

1:18:17.760,1:18:24.560
Once your heart is settled,[br]when you read the Bible,

1:18:24.560,1:18:28.840
you can give full attention to it.

1:18:28.840,1:18:41.080
Meditation is all about an [br]undivided focus on the Word of God.

1:18:41.080,1:18:44.840
So let's say that you [br]read a passage of Scripture.

1:18:44.840,1:18:49.360
You don't just read and [br]then jump to the next verse.

1:18:49.360,1:18:51.960
You read and pause.

1:18:51.960,1:18:55.600
Think about it.[br]What does this mean for me?

1:18:55.600,1:19:00.720
Do I understand this?[br]Maybe you need to read it aloud.

1:19:00.720,1:19:03.560
How does this message apply to me?

1:19:03.560,1:19:07.080
As you think about it, it's [br]something you even write down.

1:19:07.080,1:19:09.280
You have it in a notepad[br]or even on your hand.

1:19:09.280,1:19:13.360
During the day, you remember [br]it as you are working.

1:19:13.360,1:19:16.200
You give attention,[br]you think about it.

1:19:16.200,1:19:18.960
This is where we talk about meditation

1:19:18.960,1:19:24.240
because it's deep engagement [br]of the heart with His Word.

1:19:24.240,1:19:30.600
The problem today is that we try to jump[br]to meditation without settling our hearts.

1:19:30.600,1:19:35.880
I want to meditate, but I am holding[br]unforgiveness towards someone.

1:19:35.880,1:19:40.200
I want to meditate, but I have [br]just watched something lustful.

1:19:40.200,1:19:45.520
I want to meditate, but I've just [br]used bad words to someone at work.

1:19:45.520,1:19:47.520
And you say, 'Let me[br]just read the Bible.'

1:19:47.520,1:19:50.200
No, there's a process.

1:19:50.200,1:19:58.880
That is why it's important [br]that we have daily time with God,

1:19:58.880,1:20:06.880
so that we can have daily reckoning with [br]sin and daily settlement of the heart.

1:20:06.880,1:20:12.360
Because the longer you take to settle[br]your heart, the more blocks are built up.

1:20:12.360,1:20:15.480
We take too long to settle issues.

1:20:15.480,1:20:19.080
You know, I used the example of [br]marriage because it's a common thing.

1:20:19.080,1:20:21.360
It's a common problem in homes today.

1:20:21.360,1:20:26.400
There are clashes - that's normal,[br]but we don't settle them quickly.

1:20:26.400,1:20:27.960
We allow them to continue.

1:20:27.960,1:20:32.000
We go to sleep with our [br]hearts still in anger.

1:20:32.000,1:20:35.000
We go to bed without settling [br]an issue. And what happens?

1:20:35.000,1:20:37.720
You just build it up[br]because you now carry over

1:20:37.720,1:20:41.040
the next day's issues on[br]top of the one of yesterday,

1:20:41.040,1:20:45.600
and then how can you read your Bible?[br]How can you pray? How can you meditate?

1:20:45.600,1:20:48.240
So we've got to go back to the basics.

1:20:48.240,1:20:52.800
If I'm to pick up my Bible [br]and read, even if it's just a verse,

1:20:52.800,1:20:56.840
I need to recognise my [br]heart is the instrument through

1:20:56.840,1:21:00.640
which the Holy Spirit will [br]bring understanding of this verse.

1:21:00.640,1:21:06.760
So is my heart right? [br]Is my heart settled?

1:21:06.760,1:21:11.600
If the answer is no, what must I do[br]to settle it? Perhaps I need to repent.

1:21:11.600,1:21:14.280
Perhaps there's someone[br]I need to say, 'I forgive you.'

1:21:14.280,1:21:17.400
Perhaps there's someone I need [br]to say, 'Will you forgive me?'

1:21:17.400,1:21:21.480
Perhaps I need to call my wife [br]and say, 'Please, it's over, sorry.'

1:21:21.480,1:21:23.560
And then you read the Bible.

1:21:23.560,1:21:28.120
I believe, my brother, it's [br]not so simple as a mechanism.

1:21:28.120,1:21:32.200
Like in school, if you are [br]studying for an exam,

1:21:32.200,1:21:37.040
maybe you could memorise this or people have certain ways of studying.

1:21:37.040,1:21:41.440
When it comes to the Word of God, it's not the brain that is ultimately required.

1:21:41.440,1:21:45.920
You employ the brain, but it is [br]ultimately the heart that will receive it.

1:21:45.920,1:21:49.440
So the most important [br]thing is to settle your heart.

1:21:49.440,1:21:52.240
No one knows the state [br]of your heart better than you.

1:21:52.240,1:21:55.160
So if your heart is not settled,[br]you can know.

1:21:55.160,1:22:00.800
Then when it's time, if the heart is settled and it's time to read the Word, give your best.

1:22:00.800,1:22:02.200
I can't emphasise that enough.

1:22:02.200,1:22:04.680
Give your best![br]Give quality time.

1:22:04.680,1:22:08.920
Give your best attention. It is [br]not, like I said, to tick a box that

1:22:08.920,1:22:13.280
after a long day of work, let [br]me just read a verse before sleeping.

1:22:13.280,1:22:14.760
Even if your heart is settled,

1:22:14.760,1:22:18.120
you are likely not going to receive[br]any revelation from that verse

1:22:18.120,1:22:22.080
because you are coming to receive it[br]at the time that you are disturbed.

1:22:22.080,1:22:26.400
Look at this case of David and Bathsheba.

1:22:26.400,1:22:31.080
Look at the understanding, the revelation[br]that came about what led to that sin.

1:22:31.080,1:22:34.440
That is not merely by reading[br]that verse once.

1:22:34.440,1:22:38.160
It's reading the verse, reflecting on it.[br]What does this mean?

1:22:38.160,1:22:41.280
What happened to David [br]that he fell into this trap?

1:22:41.280,1:22:44.920
How can I learn from this?[br]How do I apply this into my life?

1:22:44.920,1:22:47.640
It goes deeper than just reading.

1:22:47.640,1:22:51.480
It calls for the full [br]attention of the heart.

1:22:51.480,1:22:54.600
So, this is my encouragement [br]to you, my brother.

1:22:54.600,1:22:56.880
I hope you understand.

1:22:56.880,1:22:58.120
Thank You, Jesus.

1:23:04.000,1:23:09.920
Hello, my name is Otis,[br]originally from Liberia.

1:23:09.920,1:23:14.520
I live in Florida, USA.

1:23:14.520,1:23:19.240
So my question goes [br]back to one of the sermons

1:23:19.240,1:23:25.440
that you preached about [br]being focused on the Word of God.

1:23:25.440,1:23:31.560
My question is, if we are praying[br]or reading the Word of God,

1:23:31.560,1:23:36.200
to be sincere, when I'm praying,[br]sometimes I get distracted.

1:23:36.200,1:23:39.000
Sometimes thoughts come to mind.

1:23:39.000,1:23:42.600
Sometimes I will just focus[br]on some negative things,

1:23:42.600,1:23:45.000
or sometimes positive things.

1:23:45.000,1:23:49.360
Different thoughts will just come in [br]while I'm praying or reading.

1:23:49.360,1:23:52.120
This has been bothering me for years.

1:23:52.120,1:23:56.000
Even up to today's date, even [br]if I'm listening to a sermon,

1:23:56.000,1:23:58.920
sometimes my mind gets [br]distracted and thinks of other things.

1:23:58.920,1:24:00.960
This has been bothering me.

1:24:00.960,1:24:03.880
I wanted to ask this [br]question for a very long time.

1:24:03.880,1:24:08.280
First of all, the fact [br]that there is a battle

1:24:08.280,1:24:13.160
when you want to read the Word of God[br]shows that you are doing the right thing.

1:24:13.160,1:24:17.360
If it was easy, smooth, simple, no battle,

1:24:17.360,1:24:22.560
no distraction, no negative [br]thoughts, then it's questionable

1:24:22.560,1:24:25.800
whether it is truly going [br]to enrich you spiritually.

1:24:25.800,1:24:29.320
So don't be discouraged by that -

1:24:29.320,1:24:33.480
‘Anytime I want to read the Bible, [br]negative thoughts come, why is this?’

1:24:33.480,1:24:35.160
No, it's a good thing.

1:24:35.160,1:24:41.120
But one thing is clear,[br]thoughts will come,

1:24:41.120,1:24:48.880
but you determine what [br]you feed your heart with.

1:24:48.880,1:24:53.200
As soon as you recognise[br]the negative thought,

1:24:53.200,1:25:01.760
don't give attention to it by [br]agreeing with it or taking it further.

1:25:01.760,1:25:08.160
You must immediately[br]rebuke it and reconnect.

1:25:08.160,1:25:15.680
It doesn't mean that in the journey[br]of faith, such thoughts will not come.

1:25:15.680,1:25:23.040
But if you are quick to recognise it, [br]like what you are saying now,

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as far as you recognise it, God has given you the power to overcome it.

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You are not a slave to your senses.[br]You are not a slave to your thoughts.

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One of the biggest lies the devil has championed is that we are a slave to this flesh.

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‘Oh, that thought comes, I cannot control it.

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I just must do it. I am distracted. [br]I must do that.’

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No, you have the power of choice.

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You have the power of discretion.

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That is what makes us humans -

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that spark of divinity that differentiates[br]us from all other animal species.

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We have the discretion to [br]choose between right and wrong.

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So don't cede that [br]power to the lies of the devil

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by concluding, when a thought [br]comes that you must succumb to it.

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‘I will just get distracted’. No!

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If you identify a distraction,[br]rebuke it in the name of Jesus.

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The Scripture says, "Do not be overcome[br]by evil, but overcome evil with good."

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No matter the lie the devil [br]may try to paint in our minds,

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the truth in the living Word [br]of God is far more powerful.

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As far as we stand in Truth, [br]we are more than conquerors.

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But it doesn't mean there will not be a battle.

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That is why we talk about alertness.

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Watch and pray.

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This is a reality, my brother.

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And of course, as well as identifying [br]a distraction, we need to also identify

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if there is any action we must take[br]to disconnect from that distraction.

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Because Jesus said, "If your right [br]hand causes you to sin, cut it off."

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So sometimes you may say, [br]'Something is distracting me,'

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but the very thing [br]distracting us is still with us.

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Last time, I talked about the phone.

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The phone is a device that we are to use.

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We are not to be [br]used by it. It is to use.

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It is not for us be used by it,

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that if we pick up our phone,[br]we get so engrossed in what we are

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seeing that it steals our [br]time meant for other things.

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So for example, read a physical Bible,

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don't read the Bible app on your phone.

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I'm not saying a Bible app is bad,

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I'm just saying the [br]phone is a source of distraction.

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So if you are reading the [br]Bible on your app and suddenly

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a notification comes, a message [br]comes, you are tempting yourself.

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Let's say you are inviting the [br]temptation of distraction by that.

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So you also identify - is there anything around me that is also causing distraction

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that I need to take [br]an action to deal with?

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But as far as we are in this [br]world, there will be that battle.

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Don't think that the [br]closer you draw to God,

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the intensity of the battle reduces, no,[br]but your ability to identify the devil's

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tricks and traps, the sensitivity to [br]the things of the Spirit increases.

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And that's why you find [br]yourself easily overcoming.

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But as far as we're in this [br]world, the battle will persist.

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The battle will continue.[br]So don't be discouraged

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that you get distracted[br]or negative thoughts come,

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but as soon as you identify it, [br]get back on track, reconnect.

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It's a very good question because we are talking about something very practical.

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And I think some people feel [br]that, if I'm reading the Bible,

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there will be zero negative [br]thoughts or zero distractions.

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And that is not a realistic perception.

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You can play a role to reduce

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certain elements around you[br]that could cause distraction,

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but ultimately this is a thing of the Spirit.

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The Bible is the only [br]Book that can transform us.

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If you want to watch football, you're[br]not going to have that kind of problem.

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If you want to just read the news[br]it's not going to be a problem.

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If you want to study for school,[br]it's not going to be the same problem.

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But once you pick up the Bible[br]or you're going to read something

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that will spiritually edify you,[br]definitely, a battle is taking place.

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So we are not afraid of that. [br]We are alert to it.