 Hey, good morning once again. Thank you all for joining. I'm good to see you. I hope you all are doing well Nina, hi. You're doing well. Okay Great We've come to the last session a section of The chapter of the course holiness You can Turn in your notes to the last section called the overcoming life Or overcoming the flesh document the PDF that you have We concluded with The chapters on repentance and the last class So we again we've started with the content of the holiness of God understanding his holiness his desire to see has as holy And then as a passing Passing section to this main section the overcoming life. We looked at Repentance the importance of repentance. How do we repent? Etc. Etc. Right so all of that is God's desire To see as holy to walk in holiness Right. So this section overcoming the flesh is a more Practical way on how do we live a holy life? Right. How do we live a holy life and the importance of that? because from section one and section two especially in Including the topic on repentance. It is God expressing his desire To us and again, you see the beauty of God and this is that we see that he is holy and In the first section we saw that he wants us to be holy He desires us to be holy and he's expressed his desires through repentance But it's just and again, he doesn't stop at expressing his desire now a lot of us can express our desires saying, okay This is my desire for you And not do anything about it Right, but God is not like that. He said this is my desire for you and Here I have made so many ways for you to you know Walk in that walk in holiness And so he has made he has made it absolutely possible for us in is not like He's He said, okay live a holy life and not given us any You know pathway to live a holy life. So but that's what the section is all about. Okay. Are you all with me? Yeah, okay But today by the way will be the last lecture and most of the points that we look at today is very fundamental very basic Is like something that you would have all heard and been taught on you yourself would have taught About this thing. So it's that fundamental and that's it's that basic but I I think this has been added here as a reminder, you know and Sorry You want pen Okay And so there's a pastor's pastor Ashish also has a sermon series on Called the overcoming life From two years ago, I think if I'm not mistaken But you can just if so we are going to swift through these Chapters, okay, we're not necessarily going to go too deep into it But if you would like to go more much more deeper, please refer to the sermon notes That is available on the website and also the sermon series on Overcoming and there he addresses a lot more in depth in terms of overcoming anxiety overcoming emotions that destroy What do I mean by overcoming emotions that destroy for example like anger? Right those are anger without any control or unrighteous anger You know So he's spoken about topics like that and the sermon notes are much more in detail but But we are not going to go in depth of all those things, okay, but simply because it's it's very fundamental We all understand it And hence so okay, let's go the overcoming life the living victorious Lee over the flesh the world and the devil, okay the overcoming life I had written something down long back This is I thought I'd read it So it was birthed out of this question I have failed God Is this going to stop me from experiencing God? That was the question I have failed That means I have backslidden or I have sinned and You know, I have done something that does not please him. Is this going to stop me from experiencing? God, okay. Oh good Lord this much smoke okay, sorry, there's something being burnt outside and Okay, let's go on alright, so We do not come to God because we are worthy we come to God because he is worthy We do not come to God because we are perfect. We come to God because he perfects us His presence is not a gift for those who that are holy. It is a gift that makes us holy Coming to Jesus quickens us with love for him makes us able to hear him It makes us able to obey him Independence Independence is the root of all sin when man fell is because they lack the power to overcome Many times the desire to overcome both are symptoms of Independence it is not being dependent on God Abiding in Christ is the issue If we depend on him we will be free from the symptoms of independence Empowerment to love him our empowerment to obey him our desire to desire him our desire to want him and obey him comes from our dependency on him Language of dependency is adoration do not let the failure block you from coming to Jesus. I don't know why I wrote this I kept it but I Didn't know it would come in handy today, but anyways the point is Overcoming right overcoming life overcoming the flesh overcoming the world It's very important that we immediately understand that we need to be dependent on God Not independent Right, okay, I am going to try this by myself. I'm going to know in my own strength I'm going to overcome the issues of the flesh and the issues of the world or this temptation. I'm struggling with this addiction I'm going to you know Go, you know Seeking professional help is always advisable You know, you will never hear that, you know, any of the associate pastors at APC say, okay, don't go to doctor Don't go to professional You know therapy sessions and whatnot we advise that so all of that is good, but at the same time Strike a balance Never forget the importance of depending on who Jesus is right and who God is right. We have a medical condition Go to the doctor And continue taking the medicines that has been prescribed to you at the same time believing for a miracle Right believing that he is Jehovah Rafa that he's still our healer Understand what I'm saying, right? And so while we do what we can You know That doesn't mean we don't make an effort to overcome the flesh I want you to understand the difference between independence and Making an effort Okay, I want you to clearly understand the difference between independence in the in independence It's there's a sense of arrogance there. I can do it by myself like I don't need you Right I'm financially independent. I don't need to ask my father money anymore This is like, why should I why should he give me money? I am earning now, you know But at the same time as a son You have this posture in your heart that there's a privilege and an honor in in knowing how to receive from the father Particle son understood that The old son was a little, you know, he he didn't quite get it You understand what I'm saying and so that's what this whole chapter the section is all about is that first thing We need to know is that overcoming a life we need to be dependent on God When I say God and all the trinity, right? The Holy Spirit empowers us and strengthens us to overcome life And so but that's what we're going to be looking at in this the section The first point you might see there is everyone who was born of God are over overcomes Everyone who is born of God over comes as simple as that first John chapter 5 Always remember this verse first John chapter 5 verse 1 and verse 4 it says whoever Believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God Right, if you could just take that first section whoever believes that Jesus is Christ Those first that that section has been used so many times in the scriptures in the New Testament, right? If you believe you're going to in Jesus Christ You're going to have eternal life if you believe in the Jesus Christ and believe in your heart and confess with your mouth You will be saved All right, you have salvation you've been justified by faith etc etc, right? And now here we see that who believes that Jesus is the Christ we are born of God Okay, and And everyone who loves him who begot also loves him Who has begotten of him verse 4 says for whatever is born of God? Overcomes the world and This is the victory that has overcome the world our faith Our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, okay, again, you see we are dependent on him Right, we are his heir right born of God with the children We are his children and and just by that fact by that truth We are overcomers of the world, okay? So overcome means to conquer to have victory over to gain mastery over. That's what overcome means to conquer Okay, another verse in another translation or version sorry in CEV and GMB says every child of God can defeat the world and Our faith is what gives us this Victory is so beautiful, isn't it every child of God can defeat the world and our faith It's so crucial right our faith is so fundamental to so many other aspects of Christian life right again Romans chapter 5 verse 1. We've been justified by faith, right? Ephesians chapter 2 verse 8 it is by faith again and grace that we are saved, right? And here we see it is our faith that gives us the victory It's just simply believing or a childlike faith GMB version because every child of God is able to defeat the world and we win the victory over the world by means of our Faith okay, so a very simple point to remember is that if you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ Do you guys believe in the Lord Jesus Christ? Okay, very nice Good otherwise we would have had to have a little bit of a discussion after class An or to call or something okay It simply says we are overcomers and you we need to realize that Right if Jesus with you in you and you know you are overcomers There is nothing impossible You know for you to that you cannot overcome Right, we are more than conquerors a greater is he that is who is in me than he that is in the world Right that means we are overcomers We are children of God and that should give us the courage to overcome the flesh the world our addictions our shortcomings Whatever it is that is not of God Are you with me? But okay, let's move on our salvation includes abundant life Our salvation Includes abundant life. Okay, so now we know we've realized and we've learned that if you're born of God, we are overcomers Right and so when we give your life to God We called it salvation right that moment, right? We've made that prayer and whatnot So at that moment you're accepting the Lord Jesus Christ into your heart and when you do that You are saying okay to abundant life that has been made available to us through Lord Jesus Christ Right John chapter 10 verse 10. It's a I will never forget this scripture not because it's easy to remember John 10 10 But it is one of the first scriptures that was I Was taught to me or emphasized during my teen. I used to attend the teens fellowship Eight standard nine standard 10th 11th, but I don't know what 14 or 15. I think I was The teens fellowship teacher. His name was a Rishi. I still remember John 10 10. He said, you know The thief comes to steal kill and destroy But he came to give life life in abundance and the word life that is used there is the Greek word is Zoe All right, that means God kind of life God kind of life that should mean something to us Every time we read those scriptures. We have to be very careful not to lose the significance and the wonder of these words It's absolutely fine to just pause and think God kind of life What does that mean? Right we Can we fathom something like that? But that's what the scripture says that he came to give life life in abundance life in abundance So one John chapter 5 verse 11 and 12 says and this is the testimony That God has given us eternal life and this life is in his son and He who has the son has Life and he who does not have the son of God does not have life simple as that right It's not complicated isn't it we have Jesus we have eternal life We have got kind of life through his son and if you don't you don't Okay, that's one John chapter 5 verse 11 and 12 We know this chapter of the verse in John chapter 1 verse 4 and 5 it says in him was life and the life was the light of Men and the light shines in darkness and the darkness did not Comprehend it. Okay in him was life and the life was the light of men very interesting See how life is likened or synonymous with light Okay, give me some of the scriptures That the Bible uses or tells us And how it defines God What are some of the scriptures used in the Bible to define God? Okay, not in the context of light some of the scriptures that says God is Where? Okay, where where? So, okay, let's do John chapter 4. We see that God is spirit Right in one John 1 8 we see that God is light One John 4 8 say God is love Actually, right God is true, right Okay, so things like that in one John 1 8 is a God is light And then also one of the I ams in from Gospel of John Jesus is I am the light of the world In other words, you could also be saying he is the life Right, so in him was life and that life was the light of Men, okay, can someone read probs chapter 16 verse 15, please 1615 The light of the things faces life Thank you in the light of the Kings face Is life Probs chapter 16 verse 15. Yeah in the light of the Kings face is life That's just the first half of the worst. I even like the second half. It talks about the latter rain, right? He will come like the latter rain, I think it says I'm not sure His favor is like the Loud of springs, right? Okay This awesome, but we look at that Later, okay, so but you see the first half it says in the light of the Kings face is Life again light and life. Okay, and then it goes on to say the favor, right? His favor Thank you, so in numbers chapter six ends the whole chapter ends with what is known as the Aaronic blessing May the Lord bless you and keep you and make his Face to shine upon you, right and give you and give you He's that ends with that. Okay. May his may lift up his countenance So you see again may is May is May's favor that and it goes on to say like that, right? So may the Lord bless you and keep you and cause his face to shine And because someone understood that in the light of the Kings face His life Okay You're with me. Okay. So here we go once we understood that if you're born of God, we are overcomers And because we're overcomers Abundant life has been made available to us through Jesus Christ, right? And then our salvation includes victory as we are still talking about salvation But our salvation also includes a life of victory. Okay, so Romans chapter five was 17 It says for if by one man's offense death rained through the one Much more those who receive abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness Will rain. Okay will rain. So that's the other word for Overcome and overcomer, right? He's he's a conqueror Conqueror simply means what he's raining. Okay, Alexander the great He conquered half the world they say right that means he had he was raining over Half of the known world back then right so that's what rain is Sovereign Sovereign is what? Sovereign Single rain That's what it means When we say God is sovereign that he is single rain That means there is no other rain after him. There was no other rain before him His kingdom reigns for ever and ever Right in Christology you'll learn more and beautifully about The throne of God right he will give he will give his son the throne of David and his kingdom will last forever and ever And ever right so beautiful and so and and you see that when it says that we've been given God kind of life And our salvation includes a life of victory in this abundant life that the scripture is talking about that has been made available to us There is this component of the gift of righteousness That helps us rain in life through the one that's very important through the one Jesus Christ right we're constantly dependent on him Okay, it's very interesting to in this in this version of the Bible and KJV for it says for it for if by one man's offense What is offense by one man's offense death rained Sorry Okay offense Have you been offended with someone so that's what I'm asking what does that mean Okay, so we all kind of understand what offense means in a ways that okay at some point in time in life we've been offended by someone Yeah, okay, so Or you took offense by what was said to you or what by what was done to you Right and and that led to bitterness and whatnot so the Hebrew word for offense is two words It is trap and trip Trap T. R. A. P. Like a trap like an animal trap or a mouse trap, you know what what does a trap do it Traps you it stops you from going anywhere like forward or escaping. It's that means you've been caught Okay, and it also means another word used for offenses trip Like if someone is running hasn't have you been tripped Has someone tripped you and then you fell down Right it causes what a sense of not just falling down in pain. It causes a sense of embarrassment Right, okay, no, oh his fellow fellow and everybody loves it like hey, he fell You know, it's not just hurt. It's the shame of falling down, right? And so when Peter tries to tempt Jesus says they don't go to the cross Jesus looks at him and says, you know, why do you offend me? That's the word used there. Why do you offend me in a sense? Why are you what what are you trying to do here Trapping and tripping me Are you with me? Okay So be careful with Satan's trap Okay So this is booked by John Biver called offense It's bait of Satan You know what a bait is b a i t bait is something that they when they were fishing In here we use a bait like worms, right? We put to the hook. That's a bait Is it like that mean you're learning the fish in and the fish also comes Thinking other like wow nice meal Little does the fish know it's a bait like a trap You're following. Okay. Let's move on In all of this In all of this living and overcoming the world overcoming the flesh or living a victorious life Jesus is our model Jesus is our model. It's it's wonderful to have role models in life It it's nice. It's important. I think To to look up to an individual or a man of God and whatnot, but not so much in a That you put them in a pedestal that you worship them and that you think that they cannot fall Right. It can happen to anyone Yes How many great men and women of God that we know of and so well So they're successful in their ministries Right is I haven't had a great fall to say the least Yes, but Jesus Very clearly says I have overcome the world And so there's nothing can go wrong Looking up to Jesus and keeping and making him our role model Right. He walked in absolute mastery Right and in command over the world and the flesh and John 14 30 He says I will no longer talk much with you for the ruler of the world is coming and he has nothing in me and simply means to say that He has nothing against me. He has no offense against me. He can't trap me or trap me because I have overcome the world One John 2 6 says he who says abides in him ought to himself also walk just as he Walk in that means if you say that Jesus is your Lord and savior you ought to talk and walk like him Okay, I'm always reminded of this very old Sunday school song, which I'm not sure if you will know but Says your walk talks and your talk talks, but your walk talks louder than your talk talks There was no lyrics. There was nothing that was available, but it's just the message Learned the song and six standard my first youth camp or teens camp that I ever went Sources your walk talks and your talk talks, but your walk talks louder than your talk talks It simply says accent means it speaks louder than words. That's what it is. Isn't it? Okay, so let's move on to keep so in this section we've learned that we are born of God if we are born of God We are overcomers and then we also in at salvation. We've been given this abundant life this God kind of life Right and in that we see that Jesus has overcome the world and that is the kind of life we have and we accept him That we've been offered we've been given and so we've been encouraged to live a God kind of life That means a life that is overcome the world or good Following any questions? Let's move on to the second chapter So we have established that every believer can live an overcoming victorious life over the flesh the world and the devil And what is the basis to live that life off? Okay, now again, I keep emphasizing this so many times. So forgive me for being repetitive. Okay So salvation we've been justified Our legal position has been changed from a sinner to been set free We are set free. We are no longer under the bondage. Yes But we have to continue to live this life We're living in this body So I still have the capacity to commit the acts of sin. I still have the capacity to murder To commit adultery to be unfaithful to lie to gossip to to offend someone out of bitterness jealousy Not you get what I'm saying But how do we live a life of overcoming what on what basis You know, can we live a life of holiness or an overcoming life The very simple thing is the cross of Jesus Christ Okay Again, these are all points that are so basic so fundamental. So don't go to sleep. Okay, like okay How many times I've heard about the cross of Jesus Christ? Why do I need to learn about it again? You know, on the time I was born in a Christian family. I know there's one cross in my church I cross in my ears is a cross on my neck You know, why do we have to talk about it? But the cross of Jesus Christ The old rugged cross Not to not too long ago. We celebrated good Friday, right? Yeah, I mean We talk about the cross so much we we we again, I'm not sure how many of us actually pondered about it What did it take Jesus a man who was absolutely flogged He was ripped he was flogged right and if you've seen the movie passion of Christ, they show like to a certain extent The accuracy of the flogging and that the equipments that was used Where the end of the hooks it had nails that can pull the flesh apart And and and most of our crosses that we have in our churches are very very nicely smooth and with polish And you know that like okay, there's no flaw at all But if you've worked with wood a little bit of an old wood as well if any of those small quick goes in It's very painful and it takes a long time for you to remove just a small piece of wood Right and we don't know I don't think the cross that Jesus carries was so smooth It will have been very very heavy right and and him being dehydrated from everything from the flogging the pain and what not To know that that is what Jesus went through so that you and I can have a God kind of life This fundamental thing can never get boring it can never get outdated No wonder that there is power in the cross of Jesus Christ They are with me right just if we could just understand what it what was accomplished on the cross You know we can spend time talking about just those three words it is finished The Greek word for that I want you to actually explore that I want you to actually explore that in the Greek word again has three meanings to it Okay, which we're not going to look into it now yeah it starts with T so the cross of Jesus Christ So there are two important basis that is established or two things that I emphasize on the cross of Jesus Christ Is our identity in Christ right and the who we are so what what is the power of the cross and and our identity in him So very quickly on the cross the power of sin was broken I want you to write this down or highlight it okay on the cross the power of sin was broken Satan was defeated and we were redeemed three things Okay on the cross the power of sin was broken sin where are your shackles death where is your sting right the power of sin over us was broken Satan was defeated and we were redeemed okay redeemed that's what that word is again Deemed is simply bought redeemed is we bought again redeemed right he's a redeemer if you read about the story of if you read the book of Ruth Kinsman redeemer we see that right okay he comes and redeems and so yeah he is a redeemer when we say the Lord is our shepherd We are also saying that he is a redeemer why because a sheep was an asset okay a sheep was an asset that means it's a property And if property is not given to you freely unless you get it from the next the you know they're a descendant or you're inherited You have to go and purchase it right and so a sheep was purchased and here when we say the Lord is our shepherd that means we are also saying I'm his sheep That means I have been purchased brought at a price redeemed right so those are the three things that happened a few scriptures that's been highlighted About the cross where the power of sin is broken as Romans chapter 6 verse 6 to 7 and 14 it says knowing this that our old man was crucified with him That the body of sin might be done away with that we should no longer be slaves of sin For he who has died has been freed from sin verse 14 for sin shall not have dominion over you for you are not under law but under grace Okay we are no longer we are no longer under law but under grace Okay so once again that that scripture that verse that the last second half of that verse is so important Now in the old covenant as we know it we were given the law Right it was a bunch of the do's and don'ts Okay what started off with 10 commandments in Exodus chapter 20 and Deuteronomy chapter 5 it's a repetition right then commandments was given At the end of it by the end of doing Malachi times there were about 613 laws did you know it right 613 that's all inclusive of mosaic laws as they would call it it just kept building and building and building 613 laws and the laws was simply to say that more than to just tell people that not to do these things It was to show that how it is impossible for you to attain righteousness by yourself It's said that okay you're going to be dependent on you for you to do certain things On your works but grace comes and says like no work is finished it has been done for you on your behalf And so you we don't earn salvation it but it is a gift right of grace that has been that's been given to us so The power of sin is broken our old man is crucified with him Okay Satan is defeated Hebrew chapter 2 verse 14 in as much then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood He himself likewise shared in the shame that through death he might destroy him who had the power of death that is the devil He himself likewise shared in the same that through death he might destroy who had the power of death that is the devil So on the cross the power of sin was broken Satan was defeated we've been redeemed Colossians chapter 1 verse 13 and 14 He has delivered us from the powers of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the son of his love In whom we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins Right and the word redeemed is elaborated in the notes it goes on to say that a ransom was paid for the purchase of our complete freedom Okay that means someone came and paid a ransom or your debt and that you are set free My wife she's a she's a Hindu convert and you know first her sister got saved and then you know she started going to church because the sister started going to church But then she always tells me that how the song Lord I lift your name on high You know made her think and caused her to actually give her life to God And the Lord I lift your name on high is a song that I've been listening I've heard from my childhood like third standard fourth standard But again it's like a to a normal person who was born into this Christian family who's her worth There's so many songs that we lose the wonder we lose the significance And the value of those songs or the message of the cross is sometimes most often seen by those who've lacked it all their life The chorus of the song says you came from heaven to earth to show the way from the earth to the cross My debts to pay from the cross to the grave and grave to the sky And Lord I lift your name on high you know it's such a simple message of the gospel and we see that in Romans chapter 1 verse 16 You know the gospel doesn't need any help it is the power of God and Paul says I am not ashamed of the gospel but it is the power of God Of salvation Yeah, we don't need to spice things up. We don't need to add anything Right it is it is what it is and that has brought us our freedom our redemption Forgiveness through his blood and forgiveness of sin, right? So we have been So this is the basis the cross of Jesus Christ is our basis to living an overcoming life to know just to know that sin has no power over us The devil has no power over us. He's been defeated We got to live out of that an identity in that way from the place knowing that he has no right over me No, right over me. I don't care what people say about okay generational curses this or that no it's been defeated It's been dealt with the price has been paid on the cross Jesus took that And so you have to live from that from the place knowing that it's been all taken care of and that you have been redeemed Right why because it carries the power of the gospel and that that that empowers us to live a holy life Are you all with me? Right, okay And finally the last section of that chapter emphasizes on our identity right our new life in Christ So second Corinthians chapter 5 or 17 says therefore if anyone is in Christ He is a new creation all things have passed away behold all things have been come new That is our identity We are no longer subject to sins right we are no longer subject to any bondage or any addiction All of that is a lie. It's an offense. Remember it's a trap and trip Okay that the devil uses So we don't have to live our lives of false identity So this is one of the keys these are the keys to living an overcoming life Okay, I will pause here. We'll take a break and we'll resume the next hour Thank you