| ‘ THE DEVILS PLAYGROUND’ Philippians 2:1 If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, 2 Fulfill ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. 4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. 5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: ( Hey Muslims, Mormons, Jehovah’s witness etc. don’t have the mind of Christ) ( Here in these verses we have the keys to victorious living, keys to house cleaning if you will.. ) Colossians 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. Before we go into the message I’d like to ask the Church to reflect on a few questions or thoughts If I may: I’d like to ask you to reflect on these questions as we go through our bible study TODAY. 1.Where and what’s the condition of your playground? 2.Anybody know where the devils playground is located? 3. Is the devil a guest in your playground? 4. Where are your affections? ( Share a personal experience... feel so unqualified, yet Perhaps there is something I can share, can show you, can encourage you in. I pray you will never have to experience my pain, my trial, my hurt.. The last few years have been a literal Hell. Mainly because that is the way I perceived it in my mind and heart, hence the theme of my message today: The devils playground!) What we need is the mind of Christ. We’ve been alienated for to long from the promises and the power of God, by our stinking thinking. By our foolish lust, by our selfish ambitions. Hey the devils been playing in some of our playgrounds for to long. The devil has separated and hindered us from the promises and presence of God for much to long. He’s been messing with our marriages, messen with our homes, our hearts, our children, our jobs, and our Church way to long. Now it’s time to tell him to get out of Dodge! get out of my playground! Get out of my marriage! Get out of my children’s life! Get out of my Church! Colossians 1:21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled.. 27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: James 1:14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Why do you suppose Jesus said in; Matt 5:28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. (This last verse in the Greek is in the Articular construction in the indicative case.) Meaning or saying something like this: IN VIEW OF THE FACT THAT YOU CHOOSE TO ALLOW SINFUL THOUGHTS TO LODGE IN YOUR HEART AND MIND (notice the ending letters ETH in looketh which implies continuously doing something ), YOU WILL THUS CONSEQUENTLY ACT UPON THEM WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY PRESENTS ITSELF AND AS A RESULT SUFFER DEATH! You see it’s a serious thing to give yourself over to entertaining sin if even for a moment. The battle is in the mind. And the mind thus becomes the devils playground. The first thing we need to do is stop blaming God, people or circumstances for our sinful behavior. Realize that sin begins with us, begins with our thoughts, in our minds and in our hearts. Ephesians 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.. 12. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. It’s time to realize where the battle really is. Time to get up and fight! Quit fighting your brother or your sister, Your pastor or your parents, your children or your church. Recognize your enemy for who he is. A liar and deceiver! Recognize where he is and how he works? He’s at your steps, and in your face. In your marriage, in your home or God forbid even in some of your hearts? Hey somebody its time to clean up your playground, and take back your mind, take back your home, take back your marriage!. Make your stand, hold your ground... Reach over and tell your neighbor I’m taken back my mind, my playground, my marriage, my home, my joy etc. Hey when the devil reminds you of your past just remind him of his future! When he emphasizes your sins of the past you remind him " 2 Corinthians 5:17 saids Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 18 ..and he hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Hey you were never meant to be a servant to sin, My bible saids he " came that you might have life and life more abundantly " He came " to set the captive free" Somebody needs to speak to that spirit of alcoholism and say this ain’t your home anymore. Speak to that spirit of drug abuse and say get out! get out! This ain’t your home anymore, Somebody speak to that spirit of gossip, hatred, depression, doubt and despair and say GET OUT! GET OUT! AND STAY OUT! This ain’t your playground! THIS AIN’T YOUR CHURCH! AND NEVER WAS SO AGAIN I SAY GET OUT! Someone say! This house belongs to Jesus! This mind belongs to Jesus! This Church belongs to Jesus! Somebody speak to that spirit of defeatism and say get out of my way cuz I’m following Jesus! I got the VICTORY! I GOT JOY! Joy unspeakable and full of GLORY! Hey devil get out of my way, cuz I’m taking the narrow path... I found out it’s the highway or his way not my way. Church, what we need to do is learn to put the mess and garbage of our past behind us! Let me explain it this way, we need to quit fretting about our past, our future or the present. What will be will be! what has been has been! You see time is irrelevant to God. Hear me, Time you see is simply the agent whereby God reveals what he has already decided and determined to be, from eternity. Hence why worry about what’s going to happen in time. God has it all planned out, God has your future figured out. " before thou was in the belly I knew thee and ordained thee. "Faithful is he who hath called you who also will do it" ( here’s another scripture for you) Philippians 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: Do you find yourself stressed out lately? find yourself filled with worry and woe? Can’t handle the storms of life, the winds of adversity knocking you down and around? What you need is transformation! What you need is Change! Get up! Get up and tell that devil to shut up! Get up and get your mind on Jesus! get your mind outta the gutter, get your mind outta the dirt, get your mind outta of hell? let me try to explain that last statement. but first a verse for you. Isaiah 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Now notice I said get your mind outta hell? Did you know that you can perceive your own Hell or heaven for that matter. By how you look at and perceive things, by how you see life? By how you act or react to certain things and circumstances, events, troubles or trials. How you see and imagine things, is how your going live things. It’s all in the mind, If you feel like your in hell then your going to live in that same spirit and mentality. You will create a personal hell in your mind that will eventually manifest itself in the physical. From the fantasy world to your real world. What you need is transformation! in ur thinking process. Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. (In the original Greek the word used for living implies to be a bond slave, and the word used for sacrifice stipulates to be the victim of a sacrifice? To yield oneself, Hence Jesus doesn‘t want your gifts he wants you! He doesn‘t want your vocal acknowledgements he wants your physical service. ) 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. 3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. Transformation comes through Holiness ! Did anybody know that? What is holiness? Holiness is how we live... how we treat others. How we talk. How we act. How we dress, etc. Holiness brings change! Brings transformation! We need transformation. The bible saids you are the temple of the living God. ( the word used for temple here in the Greek does not mean an edifice or outward structure, but it means or implies a sacred place, a holy of holies, a sanctified place ) Oh yes we want and like for God to live in and through us. We want him in us, but some of us still want to keep our same old ways and attitudes. Our same friends and lovers. But he said come out from among them! So you see a Pure and undefiled God cannot live in a filthy sin infested temple. HELLO God wants change! To many people want to continue with their same old life style even after coming to the knowledge of the Lord. But God said " be ye transformed by the renewing of you mind, by the reading of the washing of the word..." We need to allow Gods word to convict us, instruct us, reprove us. We need the preaching and teaching of the word. If you find yourself struggling with certain vices or thoughts what you need is a washing of your mind, your heart, your marriage, your home, with Gods word! By Gods word. That’s why Jesus was so insistent on teaching us to keep our minds clean and focused. Set your affection on things above! Think on these things he said..." Whatsoever things are pure.." Phil 4:8 You see you cannot speak what has not been first conceived ( thought of ) in the mind first. Now follow me, Jesus said in James: the spoken word is powerful, the tongue can literally speak life or death. So imagine if we were to think and speak in the heavenly realm, we can indeed speak to the storms of life and say PEACE be still! The power lies in us through the Holy Spirit to change our stinking thinking into clean thinking.. It starts by setting : "your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. Colossians 3:2 The Greek word for affection is Phroneo (fron-eh-o) It implies to be mentally deposed in a certain direction, to be like, to be careful, to be the same as, to interest oneself with concern or obedience! So you see if we can focus and set ourselves on the things of God, we can then know God more intimately. And if we know God we can then access him and his power! " they that do know their God shall be strong and do exploits" You see if we can get our minds on God and heavenly things above. For then the potential for revival and revelation becomes unlimited! The vision becomes empowered! And the power becomes envisioned & thus unlimited! Hear me again. The things you can do and accomplish for the glory of God. Are not limited by God, your Church, or your position. The only thing hindering you, stopping you, limiting you is your thinking. Your potential is unlimited in God.. But when God sends a season of struggle and trial your way to prepare you? 9 times out of 10 we try to escape and hide from the trials and seasons of life. God has had great plans for some of you. But many you have been blinded to his purpose for you by the enemy. And you have denied Gods power and providence to work on your behalf, and to work through you mightily. Hence God has had to raise up another man or woman of god to stand in the gap. Hey! If you can get your mind and affection out of this worldly realm and dimension there is no restraining to what you can do and accomplish for the glory of God! And the devil knows that. But do you? Be careful of always trying to figure things out. Reason always attacks faith! What we tend to do is constrain or restrain faith by the use of our reasoning faculties. And that is a futile mistake. Reason blinds us! Hey don’t let the devil blind you, my bible saids "we are not ignorant of his devises.." Don’t let him fool you, He’d like to confuse you with condemnation, and cloud your mind with woe and worry. Hey come on get your mind back. Don’t worry or fret, quit stressing, quit your complaining, your are complete in God. Don’t faint! Don’t give up! Don’t turn back! Don’t look back! Look what he said in 2 Corinthians 4:1 Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; 2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. 3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. Hey did anybody notice when we come to Christ were suppose to quit lying, cheating, gossiping and stealing. Hey if this message is hid to anyone its not to us. Were not suppose to be blind to the devils work and agenda. Were believers! If you know someone who is blind, You know what removes the blindness? Gods word! The reason some of us cannot tap in to the power and presence of almighty God. Is simply because we been to busy taping into the lies of the enemy. Tapping into world of the devil, TO THE WORD OF THE DEVIL, Sometimes we give the devil to much credit and attention. Some of us been to busy trying to make a living that we haven’t taken the time to live, and to live for Christ at that! We go around criticizing and condemning, complaining and doubting and we don’t even k now we’ve played right into the devils hands. We’ve invited that O scoundrel right into our playground. Where he’s succeeds in blinding us to our promises and power. To our potential and providence! Well its time to clean house! Time to lock him out and shut him down! CLOSING: So you see my friends and family. The devil blinds those who reject and refuse the gospel. He deceives and destroys! Because once you have rejected and refused the gospel and Jesus Christ. It has serious consequences! Please every ear opened and every head bowed! Hear me... Once you turn away from God’s love, from Gods message and Gods messenger. You then open yourself up to the attacks of Satan, to his lies, to his deception, to his destruction! To his efforts to blind you and bind you. And when he does that he takes total control, has no mercy. Takes no prisoners, his ultimate aim is your death and destruction. He will convince you that everything is alright and that you don’t need god or religion. He’ll convince you that your lifestyle is ok. He’ll tell you that sin isn’t that bad and that you can enjoy it and even get away with it! But its a lie! God said: " for the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life" IF HE CAN BLIND YOUR MIND he knows your defeated and hopeless! But I’ve come to pull his covers and remove the blinders. Jesus said I am come that you might have life and have it more abundantly! Jesus said that you must be born again! Of spirit and of water. Jesus said God is faithful and just to forgive if we confess! |
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