"The Source of Truth" John 17:17 Introduction A navy captain was sailing and came upon a big light that he thought was a ship approaching him. He got on a bullhorn and said to the ship behind the light, “Move ten degrees south, or we’re going to crash!” The light responded, “I shall not move! You move ten degrees north, so you don’t crash! The captain was the highest-ranking officer in the US Navy at that particular time, and he got irritated by the response from the ship and repeated himself, adding, “Don’t you know who I am? I am captain of the US Navy!” However, the light responded again, “I shall not move! You move ten degrees north so that you don’t crash! I am the Lighthouse!” In the illustration above, Scripture is God’s lighthouse; it is the absolute authoritative all-sufficient revelation of truth to mankind. God has given us a record of what he wants us to know in the Word of God, which is truth. Scripture is our beacon of truth because its origins are perfect and come from God. This is affirmed by the testimony of Jesus Christ. Jesus makes it clear that if you are of truth, you will listen to Him, and the work of the Spirit only operates with truth. So if you are not operating with truth, then you can’t get divine assistance. When we are illuminated regarding the nature of Scripture as truth, we can put it in its proper place. We are able to understand that Scripture as authoritative truth that is powerful, binding, and perfect. It is the voice of God in print, which is without error, and always the final, comprehensive authority on any matter. God’s Word addresses every subject directly and indirectly, and when we respond to Scripture, we get the benefits of truth that is transformational and sufficient. As we navigate the tumultuous waters of our lives, God wants to remind us that there is a beacon, and it is His Word, which is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. (Ps 119:105) If we follow the light, we won’t crash! Getting Started How often do you typically read your Bible in any given week? When you read the Bible, do you read it from the lens of a book of instructions, a historical document, a love letter, and/or a divine, mystical book? Let's Get Personal What misconceptions do people often have about the Bible? What misconceptions have you had about the Bible that you need to reconcile with the truth? In what ways have we seen man attempt to thwart God’s powerful, perfect and binding truth in culture? In your group, share how the truth of scripture has been beneficial in the life of someone you know. How do you know what scriptures to apply and when to apply them in your life? Take the Next Step In what ways has the truth of God been transformational for you or someone in your life? In light of this message, how will you be conscious of using the Bible for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that you and your neighbor may be fully capable and equipped for every good work? How can your group hold one another accountable to root out lies that distract you from the truth? If you have not identified an accountability partner, ask your group to pray with you that you identify who will be right for you. Want to dig deeper? Take time to look at the following passages: Psalm 119:1-176; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Psalm 19:7-14; Hebrews 4:12-13; Matthew 4:4; Psalm 12:6; Psalm 30:5; Psalm 18:30; Psalm 33:6; Psalm 33:9; Isaiah 55:9-11; Matthew 5:18; John 10:34-36; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Peter 1:19-21 Renew Your Mind “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.” John 17:17 We must view all of life through the lens of God's truth in His Word. www.tonyevans.org.

I have a vivid memory from a few years ago that remains etched in my heart. We were on one of our frequent family getaways to the Oregon Coast, the air thick with that familiar, salty mist. I watched from the beach as my children raced across the cool, damp sand toward the Pacific, clutching their bright plastic buckets. Their mission was as simple as it was ambitious: put the ocean in their bucket! With all the fierce determination only a child can muster, they plunged their buckets into the churning, gray-blue surf, scooping up as much of the chilly water as they could carry. They heaved them back toward our spot, laughing as the saltwater sloshed over their toes, and proudly presented their "catch." Looking inside, they definitely had the ocean—I could smell the salt and see the tiny bits of agate and sand swirling at the bottom. But had they captured the Pacific? Of course not. The real ocean remained vast and untamable, stretching out toward a horizon hidden in the fog. Their little buckets only held a manageable, predictable piece of a much greater mystery. For years, I think I approached God in the same way. I brought my small bucket of logic, reason, and expectations to Him. I wanted to scoop Him up, study Him, and have Him all figured out. I thought that if I just read enough, prayed enough, or was good enough, I could finally understand Him completely. But life has a way of showing you the limits of your bucket. A difficult diagnosis, an unexpected job loss, or a relationship that falls apart can make you realize that the God you think you understand isn't big enough to handle the reality of your life. The Pressure to Have All the Answers Many of us grow up believing that a strong faith means having an answer for everything. We feel a pressure—from ourselves and sometimes from others—to defend God, explain His ways, and have a neat, tidy response for every difficult question. When someone asks why there is suffering in the world, we feel we need a perfect three-point answer. When we face a personal trial, we scramble to find the "reason" God allowed it to happen. This pursuit of complete understanding can be exhausting. It can lead to a faith that feels more like a final exam than a relationship. We become so focused on defending a God we think we have figured out that we miss the opportunity to rest in the arms of a God who holds us. The truth is, if you think you have God completely figured out, you are likely serving a god of your own creation. A God small enough to be fully understood by the human mind isn't the God who spoke galaxies into existence. He isn't the God who parted the Red Sea or rose from the grave. A manageable God is not a God who can bring Peace to your chaos or hope to your despair. An Invitation into the Mystery: The Trinity This is where one of the most profound and beautiful truths of Christianity comes in: the Trinity. The concept that God is one God, eternally existing in three distinct persons—the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit—is not a theological puzzle meant to confuse us. It is an invitation into the very nature of who God is. It's a mystery we can't fully comprehend, and that's the point. The Trinity shatters our small buckets. It reminds us that God is infinitely more complex, relational, and wonderful than we could ever imagine. God the Father: He is the loving creator, the protector, the one whose plans are perfect and whose love is unconditional. He is the solid foundation upon which we can build our lives, even when everything around us feels like shifting sand. God the Son, Jesus: He is God in the flesh, who walked among us, experienced our pain, and gave His life for us. He is our redeemer, our friend, and our bridge back to the Father. He shows us God's heart in a way we can see and touch. God the Holy Spirit: He is God with us and in us, our advocate, our comforter, and our guide. He empowers us to live out our faith, convicts us of sin, and leads us into truth. He is the constant presence of God in our daily lives. This isn't just abstract theology. Understanding this relationship changes everything. It means we are loved by a creative Father, saved by a sacrificial Son, and empowered by a present Spirit. It's a divine community of love that invites us in. Trading Frustration for Faith Embracing this mystery allows us to move from a place of frustration to a place of profound faith. It permits us to let go of the need for all the answers. When you accept that God is bigger than your understanding, you can: Find Peace in the Unknown: You no longer have to carry the burden of explaining God's every move. You can trust His character even when you can't trace His hand. You can find rest in knowing that He is in control, even when your life feels out of control. Deepen Your Trust: True intimacy in any relationship isn't built on knowing everything about the other person. It's built on trust. Letting go of our need to figure God out opens the door to trusting Him more deeply. We move from knowing about God to truly knowing God. Experience Awe and Wonder: When we stop trying to put God in a box, we can stand in awe of who He truly is. Like standing at the edge of the ocean, we can be humbled and amazed by His greatness, His power, and His beauty. This sense of wonder is the heart of worship.

"The Reception of Truth" 1 Thessalonians 2:13 Introduction Two men had the same vision of building a house. They had the same dream of having a home to call their own. One built his house on the rock, and one built his house on the sand. The true test came when the rain and the floods slammed against both houses. Only one house remained standing after the storm: the house built upon the rock (Matt 7:24-27). The difference between the two houses was simply the foundation. Only the house built upon the rock had a firm foundation. Truth—God’s absolute and authoritative standard by which reality is measured—is the only foundation that secures and sustains our lives. In our post-truth culture, people need stability and permanence more than ever. They desire it and they are searching for it, but as long as they avoid Scripture—the source of truth—they will not find the safety and assurance they seek. That is why the truth of Scripture must be proclaimed. People need to hear the truth in order to know it, to act on it and to experience its power. Hearing the truth, however, is not enough. We as believers must act on the truth for it to be activated in us. Acting on the Word starts with embracing the divine origin and divine authority of the truth. Once we embrace it, then we need to obey it. Paul thanks God that the Thessalonians not only heard the truth proclaimed, but they received it as the Word of God and it began to work in their hearts and minds (1 Thess 2:13). In his letter, James also urges us to be doers of the Word and not just hearers of it (Jas 1:22-25). Truth is not always what we want to hear, but it is always what we need. If we desire to see the power of truth transform us and those around us, then we must welcome the truth and wrap our lives around it. In order to experience blessings and see the Lord’s faithfulness, run to the truth, hold to it firmly and persevere even in the face of opposition (Luke 8:15). Getting Started Have you ever told your kids or a friend a truth, but they did not listen? What were the results? Is it a funny story you can laugh about now? What are examples of truths that make people uncomfortable? Can you think of times when people heard what they wanted to hear rather than listening to the truth? Let's Get Personal Do you find yourself hearing the truth in church but not embracing it throughout the week? What keeps you from soaking in the truth every day? Is proclaiming the truth part of your life? How can the proclamation of truth become a more important part of who you are? What stood out to you in this series on truth? What is the biggest takeaway for you? Take the Next Step What are practical ways that you can embrace God’s truth daily? How can your group hold one another accountable to see that the truth is actively working in your lives? In what areas of your life do you need prayer? Commit to starting a prayer journal to help you intentionally pursue the truth of God’s Word and witness the ways God answers your prayers. Want to go deeper? Take time to look at the following passages: Ezekiel 2:7; Jeremiah 5:30-31; Luke 8:4-15; Colossians 3:16; 2 Timothy 2:15; 4:1-5; Hebrews 4:12-13; 1 Peter 1:24-25; James 1:18-25. Renew Your Mind "For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe." 1 Thessalonians 2:13 God's truth must quicken your heart, be obeyed and take root in every part of your life. www.tonyevans.org .

Many Freemasons are unaware of the secret practices of their members, but the demonic implications are significant, and require warfare prayers. These "secret" upper levels are well-documented and should be avoided at all costs. Note: the occult areas are not practiced universally. RENOUNCING FFREEMASONARY I renounce the teaching of Free-masonry that: Its Deity the "Great Architect of the Universe", can be worshipped by all men, whether they be Buddhists, Christian, Muslims, or Hindus, without controversy. Refuses to acknowledge the unique Godhood of Jesus Christ or that He dies for our sins and rose from the dead. Denies the unique and inerrant character of the Holy Bible as the Word of God by saying that it is no different than any other holy book. Declares that man can be saved by his own labors without faith in Jesus' sacrifice on the cross. Blasphemes the name of God by associating it with pagan fertility gods such as Baal. Requires that men swear oaths on a Bible or the name of God involving mutilation and murder of human beings. Links its members in solemn, spiritual bondage to one another, irrespective of members religious beliefs. Insist on keeping its supposedly valuable truths bound under the most serious of secret oaths and available only to a very few. Demands that its members call its leaders titles like "Worshipful Master", and kneel before them. I announce and accept the Truth from Scripture that: Only through Jesus Christ can God be worshipped (John 14:6; 1 Timothy 2:5; 1 John 2:22-23) Jesus Christ is truly God Almighty who came in the flesh, died for our sins and rose from the dead (John 1:1-14; Colossians 2:9; 1 Corinthians 15:4) The Bible is truly the inspired Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16; Matthew 5:18; 1 Peter 1:25; Psalm 119:89; 12:6-7; 19:7-8) A person can be saved only by grace, through faith in Christ (Romans 10:9; Ephesians 2:8-9) Affirms the absolute holiness, separateness and majesty of God's names (Exodus 20:2-7; Deuteronomy 6:4-5; Psalm 8:1; 29:2) Forbids taking of oaths, taking God's name in vain and committing murder (Matthew 5:34-037; James 5:12; Exodus 20:7, 13) Forbids me from being unequally yoked with unbelievers (2 Corinthians 6:14-17; Revelation 18:1-4) Does not allow for such secrecy (Matthew 10:26-27; John 18:20; Acts 26:26) Commands me to call no one master save Jesus and to worship none save God (Matthew 6:24; 23:8-10; Acts 10:25-26; Revelation 22:8-9) Therefore, I __________, as a humble servant of Jesus Christ take a firm stand against the cult of Freemasonry. In the name and by the authority of my Lord Jesus Christ, I break and renounce all vows, oaths, covenants, assignments and curses that I have made or that others have made for me and my family. I here and now choose the Living God to love and serve. (I Kings 18:21) PRAYER OF RELEASE FOR FREEMASONS & THEIR DESCENDANTS If you were once a member of a Masonic organization or are a descendant of someone who was, we recommend that you pray through this prayer from your heart. Please don't be like the Masons who are given their obligations and oaths one line at a time and without prior knowledge of the requirements. Please read it through first so you know what is involved. It is best to pray this aloud with a Christian witness present. We suggest a brief pause following each paragraph to allow the Holy Spirit to show any related issues that may require attention. A significant number of people also reported having experienced physical and spiritual healings as diverse as long-term headaches and epilepsy as the result of praying through this prayer. Christian counselors and pastors in many countries have been using this prayer in counseling situations and seminars for several years, with real and significant results. There are differences between British Commonwealth Masonry and American & Prince Hall Masonry in the higher degrees. Degrees unique to Americans are marked with 3 stars at the beginning of each paragraph. Those of British & Commonwealth decent shouldn't need to pray through those paragraphs. "Father God, creator of heaven and earth, I come to you in the name of Jesus Christ your Son. I come as a sinner seeking forgiveness and cleansing from all sins committed against you, and others made in your image. I honor my earthly father and mother and all of my ancestors of flesh and blood, and of the spirit by adoption and godparents, but I utterly turn away from and renounce all their sins. I forgive all my ancestors for the effects of their sins on me and my children. I confess and renounce all of my own sins. I renounce and rebuke Satan and every spiritual power of his affecting me and my family. I renounce and forsake all involvement in Freemasonry and any other lodge or craft by my ancestors and myself. In the name of Jesus Christ, I renounce and cut off Witchcraft, the principal spirit behind Freemasonry, and I renounce and cut off Baphomet, the Spirit of Antichrist and the spirits of Death and Deception. I renounce the insecurity, the love of position and power, the love of money, avarice or greed, and the pride that would have led my ancestors into Masonry. I renounce all the fears that held them in Masonry, especially the fears of death, fears of men, and fears of rusting, in the name of Jesus Christ. I renounce every position held in the lodge by any of my ancestors or myself, including "Master," "Worshipful Master," or any other. I renounce the calling of any man "Master," for Jesus Christ is my only master and Lord, and He forbids anyone else having that title. I renounce the entrapping of others into Masonry, and observing the helplessness of others during the rituals, I renounce the effects of Masonry passed on to me through any female ancestor who felt distrusted and rejected by her husband as he entered and attended any lodge and refused to tell her of his secret activities. I also renounce all obligations, oaths and curses enacted by every female member of my family through any direct membership of all Women's Orders of Freemasonry, the Order of the Easter Star, or any other Masonic or occultic organization. 33rd & Supreme Degree In the name of Jesus Christ I renounce the oaths taken and the curses involved in the supreme Thirty-Third Degree of Freemasonry, the Grand Sovereign Inspector General. I renounce the secret passwords, DEMOLAY-HIRUM ABIFF, FREDERICK OF PRUSSIA, MICHA, MACH, BEALIM, and ADONAI and all they mean. I renounce all of the obligations of every Masonic degree, and all penalties invoked. I renounce and utterly forsake The Great Architect Of The Universe, who is revealed in this degree as Lucifer, and his false claim to be the universal fatherhood of God. I renounce the cable-tow around the neck. I renounce the death wish that the wine drunk from a human skull should turn to poison and the skeleton whose cold arms are invited if the oath of this degree is violated. I renounce the three infamous assassins of their grand master, law, property and religion, and the greed and witchcraft involved in the attempt to manipulate and control the rest of mankind. In the name of God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit, I renounce and break the curses involved in the idolatry, blasphemy, secrecy and deception of Freemasonry at every level, and I appropriate the Blood of Jesus Christ to cleanse all the consequences of these from my life. I now revoke all previous consent given by any of my ancestors or myself to be deceived. Blue Lodge In the name of Jesus Christ I renounce the oaths taken and the curses involved in the First or Entered Apprentice Degree, especially their effects on the throat and tongue. I renounce the Hoodwink blindfold and its effects on spirit, emotions and eyes, including all confusion, fear of the dark, fear of the light, and fear of sudden noises. I renounce the blinding of spiritual truth, the darkness of the soul, the false imagination, condescension and the spirit of poverty caused by the ritual of this degree. I also renounce the usurping of the marriage covenant by the removal of the wedding ring. I renounce the secret word, BOAZ, and all it means. I renounce the serpent clasp on the apron, and the spirit of Python that it brought to squeeze the spiritual life out of me. I renounce the ancient pagan teaching grom Babylon & Egypt and the symbolism of the First Tracing Board. I renounce the mixing and mingling of truth and error, the mythology, fabrications and lies taught as truth, and the dishonesty by leaders as to the rue understanding of the ritual, and the blasphemy of this degree of Freemasonry. I renounce the presentation to every compass direction, for all the Earth is the Lord's, and everything in it. I renounce the cable tow noose around the neck, the fear of choking and also every spirit causing asthma, hay fever, emphysema or any other breathing difficulty. I renounce the ritual dagger, or the compass point, sword or spear held against the breast, the fear of death by stabbing pain, and the fear of heart attack from this degree, and the absolute secrecy demanded under a witchcraft oath and sealed by kissing the Volume of the Sacred Law. I also renounce kneeling to the false deity known as the Great Architect of the Universe, and humbly ask the One True God to forgive me for this idolatry, in the name of Jesus Christ. I renounce the pride of proven character and good standing required prior to joining Freemasonry, and the resulting self-righteousness of being good enough to stand before God without the need of a savior. I now pray for healing of... (throat, vocal cords, nasal passages, sinus, bronchial tubes, etc.) for healing of the speech area, and the release of the Word of God to me and through me and my family. In the name of Jesus Christ I renounce the oaths taken and the curses involved in the Second or Fellow Craft Degree of Masonry, especially the curses on the heart and chest. I renounce the secret words SHIBBOLETH and JACHIN, and all that these mean. I renounce the ancient pagan teaching and symbolism of the Second Tracing Board. I renounce the Sign of Reverence to the Generative Principle. I cut off emotional hardness, apathy, indifference, unbelief, and deep anger from me and my family. In the name of Jesus' Christ I pray for the healing of ...(the chest/lung/heart area) and also for the healing of my emotions, and ask to be made sensitive to the Holy Spirit of God. In the name of Jesus Christ I renounce the oaths taken and the curses involved in the Third or Master Mason Degree, especially the curses on the stomach and womb area. I renounce the secret works TUBAL CAIN and MAHA BONE, and all they mean. I renounce the ancient pagan teaching and symbolism of the Third Tracing Board used in the ritual. I renounce the Spirit of Death from the blows to the head enacted as ritual murder, the fear of death, false martyrdom, fear of violent gang attack, assault, or rape, and the helplessness of this degree. I renounce the falling into the coffin or stretcher involved in the ritual of murder. In the name of Jesus Christ I renounce Hiram Abiff, the false savior of Freemasons revealed in this degree. I renounce the false resurrection of this degree, because only Jesus Christ is the Resurrection and the Life! In the name of Jesus Christ I pray for the healing of ... (the stomach, gall bladder, womb, liver, and any other organs of my body affected by Masonry), and I ask for a release of compassion and understanding for me and my family. I renounce the pagan ritual of the "Point within a Circle" with all its bondages and phallus worship. I renounce the symbol "G" and its veiled pagan symbolism and bondages. I renounce the occultic mysticism of the black and white mosaic checkered floor with the tessellated boarder and five-pointed blazing star. I renounce the All-Seeing Third Eye of Freemasonry or Horus in the forehead and its pagan and occult symbolism. I now close that Third eye and all occult ability to see into the spiritual realm, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and put my trust in the Holy Spirit sent by Jesus Christ for all I need to know on spiritual matter. I renounce all false communions taken, all mockery of the redemptive work of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary, all unbelief, confusion and depression. I renounce and forsake the lie of Freemasonry that man is not sinful, but merely imperfect, and so can redeem himself through good works, I rejoice that the Bible states that I cannot do a single thing to earn my salvation, but that I can only be saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ and what He accomplished on the Cross of Calvary. I renounce all fear of insanity, anguish, death wishes, suicide and death in the name of Jesus Christ. Death was conquered by Jesus Christ, and He alone hold the keys of death and hell, and I rejoice that He holds my life in His hands now. He came to give me life abundantly and eternally, and I believe His promises. I renounce all anger, hatred, murderous thoughts, revenge, retaliation, spiritual apathy, false religion, all unbelief, especially unbelief in the Holy Bible as God's Word, and all compromise of God's Word. I renounce all spiritual searching into false religions, and all striving to please God. I rest in the knowledge that I have found my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and that He has found me. York Rite I renounce and forsake the oaths taken and the curses involved in the York Rite Degrees of Masonry. I renounce the Mark Lodge, and the mark in the form of squares and angles which marks the person for life. I also reject the jewel or occult talisman which may have been made from this mark sign and worn at lodge meetings; the Mark Master Degree with its secret word JOPPA, and its penalty of having the right ear smote off and the curse of permanent deafness, as well as the right hand being chopped off for being an imposter. I also renounce and forsake the oaths taken and the curses involved in the other York Rite Degrees, including Past Master, with the penalty of having my tongue split from tip to root; and of the Most Excellent Master Degree, in which the penalty is to have my breast torn open and my heart and vital organs removed and exposed to rot on the dung hill. Holy Royal Arch Degree In the mane of Jesus Christ, I renounce and forsake the oaths taken and the curses involved in the Holy Royal Arch Degree especially the oath regarding the removal of the head from the body and the exposing of the brains to the hot sun. I renounce the false secret name of God, JAHBULON, and declare total rejection of all worship of the false pagan gods, Bul or Baal, and On or Osiris, I also renounce the password, AMMI RUHAMAH and all it means. I renounce the false communion or Eucharist taken in this degree, and all the mockery, skepticism and unbelief about the redemptive work of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary. I cut off al these curses and their effects on me and my family in the name of Jesus Christ, and I pray for .. (healing of the brain, the mind, etc.) I renounce and forsake the oaths taken and the curses involved in the Royal Master Degree of the York Rite; the Select Master Degree with its penalty to have my hands chopped off to the stumps, to have my eyes plucked out from their sockets, and to have my body quartered and thrown among the rubbish of the Temple. I renounce and forsake the oaths taken and the curses involved in the Super Excellent Master Degree along with the penalty of having my thumbs cut off, my eyes put out, my body bound in fetters and brass, and conveyed captive to a strange land; and also of the Knights Order of the Red Cross, along with the penalty of having my house torn down and my being hanged on the exposed timbers. I renounce the Knights Templar Degree and the secret words of KEB RAIOTH, and also Knights of Malta Degree and the secret words MAHER-SHALAL-HASH-BAZ. I renounce the vows taken on a human skull, the crossed swords, and the curse and death wish of Judas of having the head cut off and places on top of a church spire. I renounce the unholy communion and especially of drinking from a human skull in many Rites. Ancient & Accepted or Scottish Rite (only the 18th, 30th, 31st, 32nd, & 33rd degree are operated in British Commonwealth countries.) *I renounce the oaths taken and the curses and penalties involved in the American and Grand Orient Lodges, including of the Secret Master Degree, its secret password of ADONAI, and its penalties; *of the Perfect Master Degree, its secret password of MAH-HAH-BONE, and its penalty of being smitten to the Earth with a setting maul; *of the Intimate Secretary Degree, its secret password of JEHOVAH used blasphemously, and its penalties of having my body dissected, and of having my vital organs cut into pieces and thrown to the beasts of the field; *of the Provost and Judge Degree, its secret password of HIRUM-TITO-CIVI-KY, and the penalty of having my nose cut off; *of the Intendant of the Building Degree, of its secret password AKAR-JAI-JAH, and the penalty of having my eyes put out, my body cut in two and exposing my bowels; *of the Elected Knights of the Nine Degree, its secret password NEKAM NAKAH, and its penalty of having my head cut off and stuck on the highest pole in the East; *of the Illustrious Elect of Fifteen Degree, with its secret password ELIGNAM, and its penalties of having my body opened perpendicularly and horizontally, the entrails exposed to the air for eight house so that flies may prey on them, and for my ear to be cut off and placed on a high pinnacle; *of the Sublime Knights elect of the Twelve Degree, its secret password STOLKIN-ADONAI, and its penalty of having my hand cut in twain; *of the Grand Master Architect Degree, its secret password RAB-BANAIM, and its penalties; *of the Knight of the Ninth Arch of Solomon Degree, its secret password JEHOVAH, and its penalty of having my body given to the beasts of the forest as prey; *of the Grand Elect, Perfect and Sublime Mason Degree, its secret password, and its penalty of having my body cut open and my bowels given to vultures for food; *Council of Princes of Jerusalem; *of the Knights of the East Degree, its secret password RAPH-O-DOM, and its penalties; *of the Prince of Jerusalem Degree, its secret password TEBET-ADAR, and its penalty of being stripped naked and having my heart pierced with a ritual dagger; *Chapter of the Rose Croix; *of the Knight of the East and West Degree, its secret password ABADDON, and its penalty of incurring the severe wrath of the Almighty Creator of Heaven and Earth; 18th Degree I renounce the oaths taken and the curses and penalties involved in the Eighteenth Degree of Masonry, the Most Wise Sovereign Knight of the Pelican and the Eagle and Sovereign Prince Rose Croix of Heredom. I renounce and reject eh Pelican witchcraft spirit, as well as the occultic influence of the Rosicrucians and the Kabala in this degree. I renounce the claim that the death of Jesus Christ was a "dire calamity," and also the deliberate mockery and twisting of the Christian doctrine of the Atonement. I renounce the blasphemy and rejection of the deity of Jesus Christ, and the secret words IGNE NATURA RENOVATUR INTEGRA and it's burning. I renounce the mockery of the communion taken in this degree, including a biscuit, salt and white wine. Council of Kadosh *I renounce the oaths taken and the curses and penalties involved in the Grand Pontiff Degree, its secret password EMMANUEL, and its penalties; *of the Grand Master of Symbolic Lodges Degree, its secret passwords JEKSON and STOLKIN, and the penalties; *of the Noachite of Prussian Knight Degree, its secret password PELEG, and its penalties; *of the Knight of the Royal Axe Degree, its secret password NOAH-BEZALEEL=SODONIAS, and its penalties; *of the Chief of the Tabernacle Degree, its secret password URIEL-JEHOVAH, and its penalty that I agree the Earth should open up and engulf me up to my neck so I perish; *of the Prince of the Tabernacle Degree, and its penalty that I should be stoned to death and my body left above ground to rot; *of the Knight of the Brazen Serpent Degree, its secret password MOSES-JOHANNES, and its penalty that I have my heart eaten by venomous serpents; *of the Prince of Mercy Degree, its secret password GOMEL, JEHOVAH-JACHIN, and its penalty of condemnation and spite by the entire universe; *of the Knight Commander of the Temple Degree, its secret password SOLOMON, and its penalty of receiving the severest wrath of Almighty God inflicted upon me; *of the Knight Commander of the Sun, or Prince Adept Degree, its secret password STIBIUM, and its penalties of having my tongue thrust through with a red-hot iron, of my eyes being plucked out, of my senses of smelling and hearing being removed, of having my hands cut off and in that condition to be left for voracious animals to devour me, or executed by lightening from heaven; *of the grand Scottish Knight of Saint Andrew Degree, its secret password NEKAMAH-FURLAC, and its penalties; *of the Council of Kadosh Grand Pontiff Degree, its secret password EMMANUEL, and its penalties; I renounce the oaths taken and the curses involved in the Thirtieth Degree of Masonry, the Grand Knight Kadosh and Knight of the Black and White Eagle. I renounce the secret passwords, STIBIUM ALKABAR, PHARASH-KOH and all they mean. Sublime Princes of the Royal Secret I renounce the oaths taken and the curses involved in the Thirty-First Degree of Masonry, the Grand Inspector Inquisitor Commander. I renounce all the gods and goddesses of Egypt that are honored in this degree, including Anubis with the ran's head, Osiris the Sun god, Isis the sister and wife of Osiris and also the moon goddess. I renounce the Soul of Cheres, the false symbol of immortality, the Chamber of the dead and the false teaching of reincarnation. I renounce the oaths taken and the curses involved in the Thirty-Second Degree of Masonry, the Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret. I renounce the secret passwords, PHAAL/PHARASH-KOL and all they mean. I renounce Masonry's false trinitarian deity AUM, and its parts; Brahma the creator, Vishnu the preserver and Shiva the destroyer. I renounce the deity of AHURA-MAZDA, the claimed spirit or source of all light, and the worship with fire, which is an abomination to God, and also the drinking from a human skull in many Rites. Shriners (Applies only in North America) *I renounce the oaths taken and the curses and penalties involved in the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. I renounce the piercing of the eyeballs with a three-edged blade, the flaying of the feet, the madness, and the worship of the false god Allah as the god of our fathers. I renounce the hoodwink, the mock hanging, the mock beheading, the mock drinking of the blood of the victim, the mock dog urinating on the initiate, and the offering of urine as a commemoration. All other degrees I renounce all the other oaths taken, the rituals of every other degree and the curses involved. These include the Allied Degrees, The Red Cross of Constantine, the Order of the Secret Monitor, and the Masonic Royal Order of Scotland. I renounce all other lodges and secret societies including Prince Hall Freemasonry, Grand Orient Lodges, Mormonism, The Order of Amaranth, the Royal Order of Jesters, the Manchester Unity Order of Oddfellows, Buffalos, Druids, Foresters, the Orange and Black Lodges, Elk, Moose, and Eagles Lodges, the Ku Klux Klan, The Grange, the Woodmen of the World, Riders of the Red Robe, the Knights of Pythias, the Mystic Order of the Veiled Prophets of the Enchanted Realm, the women's Orders of the Eastern Star, of the Ladies Oriental Shrine, and of the White Shrine of Jerusalem, the girls' order of the Daughters of the Eastern Star, the International Orders of Job's Daughters, and of the Rainbow, and the boys' Order of De Molay, and their effects on me and all my family. Lord Jesus, because you want me to be totally free from all occult bondages, I will burn all objects in my possession which connect me with all lodges and occultic organizations, including Masonry, Witchcraft and Mormonism, and all regalia, aprons, books of rituals, rings and other jewelry. I renounce the effects these or other objects of Masonry, including the compass and the square, have had on me or my family in the name of Jesus Christ. I renounce every evil spirit associated with Masonry and Witchcraft and all other sins, and I command in the name of Jesus Christ for Satan and every evil spirit to be bound and to leave me now, touching or harming no-one, and go to the place appointed for you by the Lord Jesus, never to return to me or my family. I call on the name of the Lord Jesus to be delivered of these spirits, in accordance with the many promises of the Bible. I ask to be delivered of every spirit of sickness, infirmity, curse, affliction, addiction, disease or allergy associated with these sins I have confessed and renounce. I surrender to God's Holy Spirit and to no other spirit all the places in my life where these sins have been. (All participants should now be invited to sincerely carry out in faith the following actions): Symbolically remove the blindfold (hoodwink) and give it to the Lord for disposal; In the same way, symbolically remove the veil of mourning; Symbolically cut and remove the noose from around the neck, gather it up with the cable tow running down the body and give it all to the Lord for His disposal; Renounce the false Freemasonry marriage covenant, removing from the 4th finger of the right hand the ring of this false marriage covenant, giving it to the Lord to dispose of it; Symbolically remove the chains and bondages of Freemasonry from your body; Symbolically remove all Freemasonry regalia and armor, especially the Apron; Invite participants to repent of and seek forgiveness for having walked on all unholy ground, including Freemasonry lodges and temples, including any Mormon or any other occultic/Masonic organizations. Symbolically remove the ball and chain from the ankles. Proclaim that Satan and his demons no longer have any legal rights to mislead and manipulate the person seeking help. Holy Spirit, I ask that you show me anything else that I need to do or to pray so that I and my family may be totally free from the consequences of the sins of Masonry, Witchcraft, Mormonism and all related Paganism and Occultism. (Pause, while listening to God, and pray as the Holy Spirit leads you.) "Now, dear Father God, I ask humbly for the blood of Jesus Christ, your Son and my Savior, to cleanse me from all these sins I have confesses and renounced, to cleanse my spirit, my soul, my minds, my emotions and every part of my body which has been affected by these sins, in the name of Jesus Christ. I also command every cell in my body to come into divine order now, and to be healed and made whole as they were designed to by my loving Creator, including restoring all chemical imbalances and neurological functions, controlling all cancerous cells, and reversing all degenerative diseases, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. I ask you, Lord, to baptize me in your Holy Spirit now according to the promises in your Word. I take to myself the whole armor of God in accordance with Ephesians Chapter Six, and rejoice in its protection as Jesus surrounds me and fills me with His Holy Spirit. I enthrone you, Lord Jesus, in my heart, for you are my Lord and my Savior, the source of eternal life. Thank you, Father God, for your mercy, your forgiveness and your love, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen." Since the above is what needs to renounced, why would anyone want to join? Copying of this prayer is both permitted and encouraged provided reference is made to where it comes from. Written testimonies of changed lives and healings are welcome. Additions to this prayer will be added to our Internet site was well as for lodges or secret or occultic organizations. These may be freely down-loaded for wider use. If additional prayer and ministry is required following the above prayer, please contact the JubileeResources who may refer you to someone closer to you. We have competent counselors in most countries around the world. For further information please contact Jubilee Resources PO Box 36-044, Wellington 6330, New Zealand email: jubilee@jubilee.org.nz

O God, you have taught me from my earliest childhood, and I constantly tell others about the wonderful things you do. O God. Let me proclaim your power to this new generation, your mighty miracles to all who come after me. Psalm 71:17-18. It is hard to imagine a generation that is: -Transgender -Spend less time with text -Transsexual -who have an attention span of 8 -Transracial seconds or an 8 second filter -Transglobal -Gender is no more -Transcommercial -curators of self, morality and -Never known life without the truth internet -Religion is outdated (too -who are the largest and most traditional) instant gratification diverse generation ever -More prone to suicide -Greater depression and loneliness Who are: -Dating less -Having less sex -Drinking and partying less -Mental health in great decline -Restructuring free speech -Vulnerable to sleep disruption Who are avoiding (at record rates): -alcohol -sex -driving “What were the main ethnic differences among Gen Z?” “Gen Z is the most diverse generation we’ve observed in American history.” “What were the differences between Christian and non Christian Gen Z?” “…the problem of evil is a major barrier to faith for non-Christian teens (29%). … Christians are hypocrites (23%), I believe science refutes too much of the Bible (20%), I don’t believe in fairy tales (19%), there are too many injustices in the history of Christianity (15%), … church … not important to me anymore (12%) I had a bad experience at church / with a Christian (6%).” “One of the biggest and most surprising shifts is that the family is not a major priority for GenZ.” “Gen Z’s emphasis on career presents an opportunity of vocational discipleship.” “Atheism doubles among Generation Z.” “The first truly ‘post-Christian’ generation.” (“Gen Z: Your Questions Answered”, Barna, February 6, 2018, https://www.barna.com/research/gen-z questions-answered/) ---- “…Gen Z, the next generational cohort in line after the much pursued millennials, is spending significantly less time with text based publishers.” “…Gen Z spends more time with video than their older counterparts…” “The biggest increase was seen in short-form digital video, with 57% of teens 13-17 saying they’re watching more bite-sized video content than a year ago.” (Erik Sass, “Gen Z Spends Less Time with Text”, Media Post, July 5, 2017, https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/303849/gen-z spends-less-time-with-text.html) ---- “…the life of the ‘Generation Z’— independent, stubborn, pragmatic and always in a rush.” “Numbering around two billion globally, these youngsters, born after 1995 and unaware of a world without Internet, live a life that seems a million miles removed from the hopes, dreams and morals of previous generations.” “Daily life”  “They want everything, everywhere and immediately.” “They surf on two screens simultaneously.” “They don't mind paying through the nose for the latest smart phone but turn up their nose at paying for a film or a song when you can get that for free online.” “Aged 13 to 20, they get all the latest trends from social media and find the morals of their elders out-of-date.” “Their fashions are those found worldwide over the web: they watch American blockbusters like ‘Hunger Games’ or ‘Divergent’, listen to Korean K-pop and, when they dance, they ‘twerk’.” “When they speak, their vocabulary is peppered with acronyms, incomprehensible to those not in the know. ‘Swag’ is the new ‘cool’.”  “And their new idols are Internet stars, like PewDiePie, who has the world's most subscribed YouTube channel.” “Easier to talk online than in person.” “Their friends on social media are as important to them as their friends in real life but sometimes they do actually meet up in person with these ‘virtual’ pals.”  “More than eight out of 10 are hooked on social networks and more than half of them think that this is where their real social life takes place.” “Even as young as they are, they have already seen so many technologies become obsolete.” “As for the web, violence, porn, they've already seen it all.”  “They can’t stand the idea of not being in the loop when something new and exciting comes out.”  “But they have a short attention span and tend to skim-read rather than read properly, which can lead to difficulty at school.” “This is a generation that wants to create their own company – between 50 percent and 72 percent want to run their own start-up.” “They want to succeed and achieve, with 76 percent aiming to make their hobby their job.” “These are children of the crisis and it shows in their outlook. Most of them say they are ‘stressed out’ by what they see as a bleak future, especially in terms of economy and environment.” “They want to change the world.” “Love the idea of volunteer work, which a quarter of Americans in their late teens are already doing.” (“Gen Z Doesn’t Really Believe in Gender”, Phys Org, February 11, 2016, http://phys.org/news/2015 02-born-digital-age.html) ---- “Youth today don’t acknowledge borders…feel that borders, whether physical or expectations and rules, are wrong.” “They ‘are looking for brands that are actively looking to change the world.’ From Oreo supporting gay rights to a taxi company educating about the signs of Ebola, companies that are doing the right thing in the world are supported by these generations.” (“Youth culture expert explains what types of messages attract attention of Gen Y and Gen Z”, Mobile Me, December 11, 2015, http://www.mobileme you.com/stories/2015/12/11/youth culture-expert-explains-what types-of-messages-attract attention-of-gen-y-and-gen-z-1) ---- “Members of this new generation also have an 8 second attention span, down from 12 seconds in 2000, and 11 percent of them are diagnosed with attention deficiency syndrome, compared to 7.8 percent in 2003.” “They prefer to communicate in symbols such as Emoji, rather than words: It's faster, less unnecessarily precise and more intuitive.” “A whopping 61 percent of U.S. high school students want to be entrepreneurs rather than employees” “37.8 percent hope to ‘invent something that will change the world.’” “GenZ is the most tolerant generation ever, color-blind and unconstrained by traditional gender roles.” (Leonid Bershidsky, “Here Comes Generation Z”, Bloomberg, June 18, 2014, https://www.bloomberg.com/view/ articles/2014-06-18/nailing generation-z) ----  “GenZ has no patience for racism, sexism, unfair treatment …” ( https://www.efrontlearning.c om/blog/2017/08/post millennials-are-here-the ultimate- tips-on-generation z-training.html) “Every generation has a defining cause that serves as the foundation for its behavior. For Boomers, it was anti-establishment. For Millennials, it was the environment. For GenZ , it is human equality.” "Gender is no more." “… 35 percent of Gen Z respondents consider themselves somewhat bisexual, with only 48 percent (A full 65 percent of millennials) identifying as completely straight … 44 percent said they always wore clothes designed for their gender.” “… the number of young women who have had sex with at least one other woman has nearly tripled since the early 1990s. More men now report having had a male sexual partner as well.” “… The percentage of adult Americans with bisexual experience during their lifetimes tripled between 1990 and 2016, from 3% to 11%.” (Jean M. Twenge. iGen. Simon & Schuster Inc. 2017) The Curated Self “Instead, they view their identity as a curated composition, not a revelation. Whether through their Instagram feed or by their gender expression, teens have the ability to decide who they want to be at any given point in time and how they want to share that image. All it takes to change their outward identity is a simple swipe and an upload to Instagram” “A recent study found that 80% of unmarried young adult evangelical Christians have had sex.” “For GenZ, instant gratification may trump any form of traditional loyalty program.” Teens are dating less.” “Teens are less likely to have sex.” “Teens are drinking and partying less.” 95% of Gen Z use YouTube and 50% say they can’t live without it.” “Which platform do you use for catching up on the news?” "23% Facebook" "23% YouTube" "12% Twitter" “…Some 13-year-olds check their social media accounts 100 times a day and are spending about nine hours a day using media for their enjoyment.” “Lack of sleep is a significant risk factor for depression.” “Some young men find that porn is enough to satisfy their sexual urges. Noah, 18, told the Washington Post he’d rather watch YouTube, play video games, or work than have sex. He’s a virgin, though he has watched a lot of porn. When asked if he was curious about actual sex, he said, “Not really. I’ve seen so much of it. . . . There isn’t really anything magical about it, right?” “iGen’ers are more likely to support restricting speech.” “More risk-adverse.” “Less confident in the current economic system.” “In the workplace, Generation Z expects greater flexibility and the capacity to work remotely, making a meaningful contribution to the world.” “Clinical-level depression jumped 67% among girls … compared to 20% of boys.” “In 10 years time: Suicide rate for 10-14 year hold boys has doubled. The rate for girls in this age range have TRIPLED.” “The suicide rate for girls ages 15-19 is now at its highest since 1975.” “The rise in smartphones and social media may be two reasons why teen mental health has suffered.” iGen teens spend less time with each other in person than previous generations did.” “In 2016, around 13% of U.S. Teenagers ages 12-17 had at least one major depressive episode in the past year, compared to almost 8% in 2006, … Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.” (Elizabeth Bernstein, “How to Spot Teenage Depression”, The Wall Street Journal, March 5, 2018, https://www.wsj.com/articles/is-your teen-depressed-or-just-moody 1520266550) “… the American Academy of Pediatrics issued updated guidelines – the … that pediatricians screen all those ages 12 and older for depression annually ...” (Elizabeth Bernstein, “How to Spot Teenage Depression”, The Wall Street Journal, March 5, 2018, https://www.wsj.com/articles/is-your teen-depressed-or-just-moody 1520266550) This comprehensive survey compiled in 2018 will inform how you relate to your children, your students and your church ministry. Don't miss it! www.josh.org

"The Choices of Judgment" Galatians 6:6-10 Introduction In Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Indiana was looking for the Holy Grail. When he and his team finally arrived onsite at its location, he had to go through a number of tests to get to the specific room. Indiana had to face a series of tests to advance toward his goal, but after successfully completing each challenge, he came into a room with an assortment of cups. This required Indiana to choose which one belonged to the carpenter from Nazareth. He was advised to “choose wisely” because there were consequences for making the incorrect choice. Selecting the wrong cup led to death. Choosing the right cup led to life. Did you know believers can influence the level of consequences and rewards by their choices? Choice involves the principle of sowing and reaping. What we decide to do or not do in obedience to God matters greatly. What we sow in our decisions and actions brings positive or negative consequences. We can choose the flesh, which is pleasing self, independent of God, or we can choose the Spirit, which is living to please God and depending on him to empower our daily walk. Based on our choices, we influence our consequences since we reap what we sow. So, what will you do with the responsibility of choice in your life? Will you choose to do good which is beneficial and pleasing to God, or will you choose that which benefits your flesh? When we make choices based on the Word of God that benefit others, we also choose kindness. Kindness benefits the household of God. When we first display love and compassion to our brethren and then extend this love and kindness to the world, we prioritize God in our choices. If up to this point, you haven't chosen wisely, it's not too late! Choose wisely starting today. God's grace is available, and you can move towards a future of reaping God's blessing despite the choices of your past. Getting Started When was the last time you had to make a hard choice? Do you have a hard time making choices? What standards do you use to arrive at a choice? Let's Get Personal What choice is God calling you to make in your life right now? How has the series affected your choices regarding eternal judgment? How can you realign your choices to be pleasing to God and aligned with His word? Take the Next Step Reflect on the time in your life when the principle of sowing and reaping applies. How did your choice affect the outcome? How can you make God known by choosing the concept of good works through kindness? Want to go deeper? Take time to look at the following passages: 2 Corinthians 5:9-11; 1 Corinthians 3:10-15; Romans 14:10-12; 1 Peter 1:17; Matthew 12:36-37; Matthew 10:42; Ecclesiastes 12:13-14; Mark 10:28-31; Romans 2:12; 1 Corinthians 4:2; Colossians 3:23-24; 2 Timothy 2:12; Matthew 16:27; Ephesians 2:8-10; Revelation 21:4; Ephesians 6:8; 1 Corinthians 10:31; Luke 19:17; 1 John 2:28; 1 Corinthians 15:58; Matthew 19:29; John 12:26; 2 Timothy 4:8; Revelation 22:16; Hebrews 1:14; Hebrews 10:35-36; Hebrews 9:15; Romans 8:17; 2 John 1:8; Matthew 25:14-30; Hebrews 10:29-31; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Galatians 5:19-21; Ephesians 5:5; Matthew 8:12; Matthew 13:38; Matthew 22:11-14; 2 Peter 3:1-14; Isaiah 30:15; Acts 3:19; Matthew 3:2; Matthew 3:8; 2 Corinthians 7:10-11; James 4:1-10; Matthew 12:41; Matthew 22:1 14; Colossians 3:1-11; Matthew 6:19-24; 2 Corinthians 5:1-8; 2 Corinthians 4:18; 1 John 4:17-21; 1 John 3:16-21; 1 John 4:1-6; Hebrews 10:35-39; 1 John 5:3-5; Galatians 6:10; 1 John 4:7-16; 1 John 3:13-18; James 1:26-27; Matthew 10:32; Luke 10:23-37; Matthew 25:31-46; James 2:8; James 2:13, 1 Timothy 6:12, 18-19; 1 Corinthians 9:6-8; Titus 2:7,14; 3:1,4,8,14; John 17:3; Deuteronomy 30:15-20 Renew Your Mind "But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life." Titus 3:4-7

“God and Church & State” Matthew 22:15-22 Introduction Thomas Jefferson famously articulated the concept of "separation of church and state" when discussing the first amendment right to freedom of religion in America. Many believed this means there should be a separation of God from government, but a Kingdom Voter knows this cannot be true since government is God's covenantal institution and political leaders are His ministers. Like a levy holding back a flood, the church was meant to be the protective mechanism God created to safeguard society through its influence on government. However, when the church fails to do what it was designed to do, the levee breaks, unleashing a destructive flood in the form of confusion and chaos within the church and culture. So, what are Kingdom-minded people to do to help restore the protective mechanism God provided through the body of Christ? In Matthew 22:15-22, the Pharisees attempted to trap Jesus with a trick question and create a false dichotomy when they asked whether Jesus thought it necessary to pay taxes to the Roman government. Jesus quickly shut down their malice or evil intentions by telling them to look at the coins in their pockets and tell Him whose face was on the money. When the Pharisees responded that it was Caesar's likeness, Jesus simply said, "Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's; and to God the things that are God's." Jesus' response implied, pay your taxes and include God in the conversation even when God is not invited by others. In other words, a Kingdom-minded person doesn't separate God from government, but unapologetically brings God into every decision concerning all matters, even governmental ones. A Kingdom Voter passes every question concerning rules and society through the filter of Scripture and God's policies. The issue we are facing as a generation is that many Christians have found themselves tossed by the winds of agendas and political alignments. Rather than maintaining independence from political parties, Christ-professing believers often have surrendered their influence and power as a protective levee for culture in exchange for political purposes. Many believers have failed to take the time to truly know God's Word and His will for us as ambassadors in culture. Rather than be salt and light as a source of healing and direction, many disciples of Jesus wield swords of division, declaring a political party's opinions rather than the truth of the Lord. Kingdom Voters take the time to know the Word of God so deeply that they can be beacons of truth and healing balms in a world swirling in confusion and pain. Kingdom Voters know the purposes of God so intently that they can boldly proclaim His righteous ways and influence the systems and institutions of this world. Ultimately, Kingdom Voters declare their independence from the man-made political agendas and declare their dependence on God alone. Getting Started What do you think of when you hear the phrase, "separation of church and state?" In what ways have you seen God separated from government? What have been some of the effects of that on our culture? What are some ways in which you have chosen to align more closely with an earthly kingdom instead of a heavenly one? In what ways have you chosen to stick close to party lines instead of godly ones? Take the Next Step What are some steps you can take to bring God into the conversations concerning our government? What are some ways you can be an ambassador for God when it comes to government? How can you bring life to your community? Make a plan to do something to bring life to your community this week. What are some specific areas of God's Word you may need to study more deeply? Who or what resources could help you find answers to the questions you may have? In what ways do you think our nation needs specific prayers about restoring God in our government? Take some time right now and pray with your group. Want to dig deeper? Take a look at the following passages: James 4:12; Psalm 22:28; 103:9; Daniel 4:25; 1 Samuel 8:10-18; John 19:9-11; Ezekiel 43:6-9; 2 Chronicles 15:3-6; Ephesians 1:21-23; 3:10; 1 Timothy 2:2; and Matthew 16:18-19. Renew Your Mind "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men." Matthew 5:13

Message 1: The Invisible Hand SUGGESTED PASSAGE: ESTHER 1:1—2:23 Esther is unique in all the Bible because it is the only book in Scripture that does not mention the name of God directly. This is because Esther is a book God wanted to use to show how His providence, His invisible hand, works behind the scene to bring about His purposes in history. So even though God is not on the front page of Esther, His fingerprints are all through the book. So even though God is not named in the book of Esther, look for His covert hand at work. This book wants us to know that God is in control, but His methods vary. MESSAGE GOAL: The goal of this message is to help people discern the invisible hand of God’s providence at work in their circumstances—even when they cannot detect His presence—to bring about His sovereign, perfect plan in their lives. INTRODUCTION: One day, a very lonely frog went to a fortune-teller to see what his fortune would be. The fortune-teller told the frog, “Don’t worry because soon you’re going to meet a girl who will want to know everything about you.” The frog was understandably excited, so he asked the fortune teller, “When will I meet this girl?” “Oh, you’re going to meet her next semester in biology class!” Sometimes, things look good one minute, but then go south very fast. Sometimes, if the truth be told, dreams take place in one moment, and disaster seems to come the next. Sometimes, it even looks like God doesn’t know what He is doing. The biblical book of Esther is a lot like that. It’s actually a Cinderella story—and much like Cinderella, before Esther becomes “the belle of the ball,” things become very dark and seemingly hopeless for her and her people. This plot alone makes Esther unique in Scripture. Esther is also unique among the sixty-six books of the Bible because it is the only book in God’s Word that does not contain the name of God. God’s presence is on every page of Esther, but His name is nowhere to be found, which raises the question of why God would include in His Word a book that never mentions His name. The reason is that God wanted to use this “Cinderella story” to teach us something about Himself that is critical for your life and mine, which is this: there are many times in our lives when God is nowhere to be found. There are many times in our circumstances when we look for God, but He cannot be located. There are many times when it seems that God is letting things happen to us that He wouldn’t allow if He loved us and cared about us. And He doesn’t seem to be present when these painful circumstances are happening to us. But there is a term for God’s invisibility, when He cannot be located. It is referred to in biblical theology as the doctrine of His providence: God’s unseen hand at work. Esther is probably the classic example of God’s unseen hand at work as He providentially rules and overrules when circumstances seems to be taking shape that would result in the destruction of His people, the Jews. In fact, Esther is so permeated with God’s providence that without knowing the reason it was included in the canon, the book makes no sense, other than it being a great story. But Esther was put in the Bible to teach you and me something about God that all of us face at one time or another, which is that He is present and at work even when our circumstances are falling apart and God seems nowhere to be found. But when you understand the truth that God is providentially at work, you’re able to move through life even when it’s quiet spiritually in your life because you know even though you can’t see, feel or hear God, He is pulling the strings behind the scenes as the great puppet-master. The providence of God is a subset of another doctrine, His sovereignty, which refers to God’s absolute power and rule over all of His creation. The sovereign God whose name does not appear in the book of Esther is present and working on every page. So, we must get our theology straight first before we can appreciate the message of Esther. SERMON POINTS: 1. GOD WANTS US TO KNOW THAT HE IS FIRMLY AND SOVEREIGNLY IN CONTROL OF ALL OUR CIRCUMSTANCES. Sovereignty is one of God’s chief attributes, stated clearly by Paul in Ephesians 1:11. Nothing that happens to us escapes God’s careful attention because He is shaping our lives to bring Him glory (Romans 11:36). 2. PROVIDENCE IS GOD AT WORK BEHIND THE SCENES TO CONTROL SITUATIONS. God’s providence is the miraculous and often mysterious way He intersects and interconnects people and events to bring about His sovereign will and purposes—what He wants to happen. The Scriptures abound with the truth of God’ providence, even though the word is not used: Psalm 33:10-11; Proverbs 16:9; 19:21; 21:30; Isaiah 45:15. God grants human beings freedom, but He will not allow that freedom to thwart His sovereignty. Providence is often mysterious. We may not see God’s hand at work, but He is the puppet-master, pulling the strings and controlling the action by either causing or allowing things to happen. 3. GOD ARRANGES CIRCUMSTANCES AND PEOPLE TO ACCOMPLISH HIS SOVEREIGN WILL. Esther’s story reveals that God will providentially either cause or allow things to happen that may be in contradiction to what He wants in order to achieve His ultimate, sovereign plan. When these things happen, God overrules even the evil that people do to accomplish His goal. When you begin to understand God’s sovereignty and His providential ways of achieving His will, you can be conscious of God’s fingerprints even when He seems absent. Because of this, we can trust God even when we cannot trace His hand at work in our lives. 4. WHEN WE CAN’T SEE GOD IN OUR CIRCUMSTANCES, WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT THERE IS FAR MORE HAPPENING THAN WHAT WE CAN SEE. God recorded the story of Esther so you can apply its truths to your circumstances as you grow to understand and appreciate God’s sovereignty and respond correctly to it. Look at God’s providence at work in Esther: a family conflict, a cultural battle between the sexes, a law in a secular culture that can’t be changed, and a beauty contest—none of which has anything to do with God’s will being accomplished—or does it? God uses Esther’s circumstances to achieve His greater purpose. He is the puppet-master, pulling the strings behind the scenes to work all things according to “the counsel of His will” (Ephesians 1:11). 5. GOD CAN EVEN ORCHESTRATE A COMPLETELY SEPARATE “SUBPLOT” BEHIND THE MAIN SCENES OF THE STORY TO LINE UP CIRCUMSTANCES FOR THE BLESSING AND DELIVERANCE OF HIS PEOPLE. Esther relays the plot to the king in Mordecai’s name. Ahasuerus is going to be very grateful to Mordecai the Jew. SERMON ILLUSTRATIONS: COOKING UP A GREAT RECIPE The story in the book of Esther is put together in much the same way a cake is baked. The baker takes butter, eggs, perhaps nutmeg, flour and sugar—ingredients that by themselves are not very enjoyable. You do not put a tablespoon of flour or nutmeg or even sugar in your mouth by themselves. But when the baker blends these ingredients together, pours the mix into a cake pan, and puts the fire of an oven underneath it—umm, umm good! You wind up with a cake, something delightful. That’s because what is produced is bigger and better than the individual ingredients that make it up. What this means for your life is that God in His providence can take the nutmeg of your situation, the butter of your circumstances, the flour of your failure and the sugar of your successes, mix them together in His sovereign blender, and come out with a “cake” that tastes great, because His sovereignty is achieved through His providence. BACKGROUND BIBLICAL HISTORY AND CULTURE: The Medo-Persian empire forms the backdrop for the unfolding of God’s providential salvation of His people from annihilation. One feature of this empire is that any law the king made could never be reversed, which seemed to seal the Jews’ fate. But the decree by which King Ahasuerus made provision for the Jews’ slaughter was just another string in the Puppet-Master’s hands. QUOTES BY DR. TONY EVANS: “There are many times in our lives when God is nowhere to be found. There are many times when we look for God, but He cannot be located. There are many times when it seems like God is letting things happen to you and me that He wouldn’t allow if He loved us and cared about us. But there is a term for God’s invisibility, when He cannot be located. That term is His providence, His unseen hand at work.” “When you know the truth of God’s sovereign control, and how He providentially works in history, you’ll be able to move through life successfully even when it’s quiet spiritually. That’s because you know even though you don’t see, feel, or hear from God, you know He is pulling the strings behind the scenes.” “Because God is the Puppet-Master, from now on you should no longer say the devil is in the details. Once you know about the providence of God, you need to now say God is in the details."

THE SIGN OF THE PROPHET JONAH MATTHEW 12:38-42 JESUS GAVE ALL SORTS OF SIGNS (Matthew 11:2-6; 12:13-15,22) GOD LOVES TO GIVE SIGNS TO PEOPLE. To encourage His leaders and to validate their call from God (Exodus 4:2-9; 16:38) To encourage God’s leaders when they need to test His will (Judges 6:17) To lead people to God (Deut. 4:34; 1 Kings 18:16-23; Isa. 7:14; Luke 2:12; 2:34; Gen. 1:14) To remind of God’s provision (Genesis 9:12-17; Joshua 4:6) To warn of coming judgment (Daniel 4:1; Matthew 16:1-4; 24:3) JESUS PROMISES A SIGN FOR A WICKED AND ADULTEROUS GENERATION (Matthew 12:39). THE SIGN OF JONAH IS PROOF TO THE SKEPTIC (Jonah 1:1-3,17). JESUS OFFERED MANY CLAIMS OF HIS IMPENDING RESURRECTION. “From that time Jesus Christ began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day” (Matthew 16:21). He claimed His future resurrection at least seven other times (Matthew 17:9; 22-23; 20:18,19; 26:32; Mark 9:10; Luke 9:22; John 2:18-22). “Christ staked his whole claim to the credit of men upon his resurrection. When asked for a sign he pointed to this sign as His single and sufficient credential.” (B.B. Warfield) THE SIGN OF JONAH IS THE MOST POWERFUL SIGN HE COULD EVER GIVE (Jonah 3:4-10). What caused the turn around in this city? Jonah was no ordinary man. Not now anyway. NOT EVERYONE BELIEVES WHEN THEY SEE A SIGN. SOME BELIEVED. 1. They were desperate 2. They were honest. 3. They were helpless. 4. They were lonely. 5. They were scared. AND SOME DID NOT. 1. They were self-satisfied “know it alls.” 2. They were selfish and without mercy. 3. They were self-righteous skeptics. PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS WILL CONVICT UNBELIEVERS AT A TRIAL BEFORE THE THRONE. Nineveh will testify against our cynicism because Christ is greater than Jonah. The Queen of Sheba will testify because she came from the ends of the earth to hear about God from Solomon and yet one greater than Solomon is here. REMEMBER, NO ONE INHERITS FAITH AND RIGHTEOUSNESS BEFORE GOD (Matthew 12:46-50). THE SIGN OF JONAH IS THE ACID TEST FOR EVERY MAN. Some of us are waiting for a sign from God regarding our commitment to Him. Three days and three nights is a picture of Christ’s resurrection. That is all the sign anyone is guaranteed to receive. We had best take it.

“That isn’t a toy!” parents warn a child playing with a knife or a hammer. Pharaoh thought he could play a game with God and win. He lost. Your heart is not a toy. The story of God’s battle with Pharaoh in the book of Exodus is the story of the consequences of a hardened heart. It’s the story of someone who thought they could toy with God and with their heart. We cannot. In the first five plagues, Pharaoh’s hardens his heart three times and his heart “is hardened” (it’s ambiguous who is doing the hardening) twice. Over the course of the final five plagues, Pharaoh actively hardens his heart once, his heart “is hardened” once, and three times God hardens his heart (see chart below). Pharaoh thinks he is in control of his circumstances and his heart. He isn’t. The consequences are disastrous. The result of his hardness of heart is the loss of his son’s life, his own life, and the devastation of his nation. The stakes over the hardness of our own hearts are (spiritually speaking) no less. We might chalk up Pharaoh’s hardness of heart to his pagan worship. Pharaoh worships false gods, after all. But right beliefs do not prevent us from the dangers of a hardened heart. We can care about religious things but be calloused to God. Our religious convictions can even multiply the hardening of our hearts. When those at the synagogue were trying to catch Jesus healing on the Sabbath “so they might accuse him,” Jesus asked, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” Those listening couldn’t get past their religious convictions that the answer was no, even with a man with a withered hand right in front of them. They met Jesus’ question with silence. Jesus “looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart” (Mark 3:5). I’ve learned that one’s religious beliefs have little bearing in the counseling room. I’ve witnessed hearts as hard as stone with atheists, agnostics, those who are spiritual, and those who are devout Christians. And I’ve met members of all of those groups with soft hearts. Pharaoh refused to release control. He rejects the voice of God speaking to him through Moses and Aaron. He denies the power of the Almighty on display through the plagues. When his servants cry out, “Do you not yet understand that Egypt is ruined?” (Ex. 10:7), Pharaoh clings to his pride even in the face of the destruction of his nation. He will not turn to God. Here is a sobering thought that ought to humble us: God will receive glory either through our soft hearts or our hard hearts. Again and again in the Exodus narrative, God reminds Israel and Egypt that he is sovereign over the events and even Pharaoh’s heart, and it is all for his glory. Before the climactic events where God leads Israel through the Red Sea and destroys the Pharaoh and his armies, God says, “And I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they shall go in after them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, his chariots, and his horsemen. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gotten glory over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen” (Ex. 14:17-18). Paul reiterates this as he reflects on God’s sovereignty in Romans 9. He says, “For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth” (Rom. 9:17). God is not playing a game. Every moment is an opportunity to have your heart grow softer or harder. No matter what, God will receive glory through us. I pray that he receives glory through my softened heart. During the reign of Josiah, the Book of the Law was discovered. Hearing God’s word, Josiah and the people repented. In response, God sent Huldah the prophetess to speak on his behalf, “Regarding the words that you have heard, because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before God when you heard his words against this place and its inhabitants, and you have humbled yourself before me and have torn your clothes and wept before me, I also have heard you, declares the Lord” (2 Chron. 34:26b-27). A soft heart is revealed and developed through repentance. My heart grows in Christ-likeness when I hear God’s word and respond like Josiah, not Pharaoh. When I own my sin, not when I minimize and bargain. Our hearts are not to be toyed with. And neither is our God. May our tender and humble hearts be instruments for his glory. 9 plagues: the story of a hardened heart: 1. Blood: “remained hardened” 7:22: ambiguous 2. Frogs: Pharaoh “hardened his heart” (8:15): self 3. Gnats: Pharaoh’s heart “was hardened” (8:19): ambiguous 4. Flies: “Pharaoh hardened his heart” (8:32): self 5. Livestock die: Pharaoh’s heart “was hard” (9:7): ambiguous. Shift and danger: last five plagues: four of them God hardens Pharaoh’s heart. 6. Boils: “But the Lord hardened…” (9:12): self 7. Hail: Pharaoh “hardened his heart” (9:34): self 8. Locusts: God “hardened the heart of Pharaoh” (10:20): God 9. Darkness: God “hardened the heart of Pharaoh” (10:27) 10. Firstborn: 11:9-10: God hardened. Covering of blood.

As I’ve considered my last year of life and ministry, I look ahead to what is to come. At this stage of my life I know there are fewer days ahead of me than there are behind. I want my life to count for something. So in the last few years I’ve done something to deepen my spiritual life and make me more effective in my ministry and witness. I’ve increased my time in scripture and in prayer. As I’ve done this it has occurred to me that I’ve never met a person who regretted spending more time in scripture and in prayer. It is like a marriage. The more time you spend with your spouse, the better you get to know and appreciate one another. It’s all about intimacy. Are you intimate with God? What does that even mean? When the Bible refers to sexual intimacy between two people it uses the term “know.” So and so “knew” someone. The use of the word, “know” when referring to physical intimacy and knowing God was experiential. Consider I John 2:14. “I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning.” By saying, “from the beginning,” John is noting that spiritual fathers have been intimate with God for a long time. How is your time with the Lord? There are two things we can do to increase our intimacy with the Lord. Spend more time in scripture. Spend more time in prayer. Imagine a marriage where you only spend a few minutes a day with your spouse. You wouldn’t be very close or intimate, would you? Nothing beats time in a relationship. The same is true in your relationship with the Lord. Prayer and intimacy are related. In physical intimacy we bare ourselves to our partner in the most vulnerable way. So too, prayer bares ourselves to God in an even more intimate way. Reading or studying the Bible isn’t enough. Prayer is the key to personal intimacy with God. And prayer isn’t enough. Scripture is the key to knowing God’s heart. So, let me share with you my favorite passages of scripture to help you along in your journey of intimacy with God. My favorite passage is Deuteronomy 32:47. Speaking of itself, the scripture says, “This is not an idle word for you. Indeed, it is your life.” Is the scripture your everyday priority? How do you know what takes priority in your life? You can determine that by analyzing what you spend your attention on. Aside from work, which takes up so much of our time, where does scripture fit into your day? If you’re spending more time on social media than on God’s word, you may have a problem. If prayer is only a few minutes a day or less, then you have an intimacy problem. Consider this passage as well. Jeremiah 9:24. “Let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things.” Did you catch that? You can not only “know” the Lord (that’s intimacy), but you can “understand” him. Can you say you understand the Lord? Why does he do the things he does? What motivates him? What does he take pleasure in? Do I take pleasure in the things that please him? The only way to learn these things is to prioritize scripture and prayer. God never reveals the deep things of the spirit to the person who just drops by for a little chat. Consider your friendships. Chances are you are closer to the people you spend the most time with. Remember Daniel. The angel called him, “Man greatly loved.” Daniel prayed three times a day. Remember the apostle John. He was “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” John was closest to Jesus in his ministry and suffering. Making Christ your chief affection in life doesn’t have to be complicated. It’s simply a matter of time. You already have a Bible. You already have time. You have everything you need to become intimate with God. I have a daughter that has nine children. She home schools them. She cares for their daily needs. She grows her own food. She leads worship in church. She prepares three meals a day for her family. She serves her husband’s needs. I know of no one busier than her. Yet she finds daily time for intimacy with God. How? Because Jesus is her priority. He is the chief affection of her life. Consider all of the spiritual resources at your disposal. Deuteronomy 30:11-14 tells us what we have. “For this commandment which I command you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it out of reach. It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will go up to heaven for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?’ Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will cross the sea for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?’ But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may observe it.” If you want to be a truly spiritual man or woman, if you really want to know God intimately, if you want the abundant life Jesus talked about, then nothing beats spending daily time in scripture and prayer and doing so over a lifetime. And it’s never too late to start. Spending more time in study and prayer has changed me. It will change you too. Make Jesus Christ and the scripture your DAILY priority. Seek God daily and really know him. It will transform your life, I promise. You will never regret it. www.guywithabible.com.

Reversing Demonic Consequences Dr. Tony Evans Mark 5:1-20 If you feel tortured by sin and demonic activity, the consequences of them can be completely reversed once you submit to the authority of Jesus Christ. Now, throughout Jesus's life in ministry, he had to deal with demons. When you read the four Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, he is constantly confronting physical realities with spiritual causation, demonic influence, oppression, or possession; where demons that infiltrated a situation, bringing destruction to a life or to a community because they were undetected or unaddressed. One of the more famous encounters of Jesus with demons is in Mark chapter 5, and that I want to use to bring this to your attention; so that in case you are dealing with a demon in your life and did not know it, you can become both aware and acquainted and seek to address that undiagnosed cause of everything else that may be wrong. Jesus has crossed the sea in verse 1 of chapter 5 of Mark. "He gets into the boat, and immediately a man from the tombs with an unclean spirit met him. He had been dwelling among the tombs. No one was able to bind him anymore, even with a chain, because he had often been bound with shackles and chains, and the chains had been torn apart by him and the shackles broken in pieces. And no one was strong enough to subdue him. Constantly, day and night he was screaming among the tombs and in the mountains and gashing himself with stones". And the reality is, something is graphically wrong with him, but the root of his problem, it says, was an unclean spirit. The behind the craziness that we were looking at, that people observed was something that you could not see. It was a spirit that was unclean. Now, it's not that folk didn't try to help this guy. We're told they tried to shackle him. They tried to chain him. They tried to control him. They tried to manage him. And every time they tried to do something to control the anger, the outburst, the craziness, he shook it off. In other words, society couldn't help him, people couldn't help him, programs couldn't help him because the demons were so much in control. When you see yourself or others living an out-of-control life, this is not an out-of-control moment. This says day after day, night after night. In other words, Now, the demon is described with his nickname, an unclean spirit. He's going to be called a demon later, but right now he's just called an unclean spirit. And with that one phrase, we are introduced to the root of this man's problem. You see, demons go where dirt exist. So they look for unclean mess to make themselves at home. And when they come and infuse themselves through either influence, oppression, or domination and possession, they amplify what is already unclean. So it is unfortunate today that even though we're in church, we regularly have meals with the devil, and we don't even know he's being invited to dinner. Paul goes on to say in 1 Timothy chapter 4, verses 1 to 5, that the demonic world feeds on lies. See, the Scripture says Satan is the father of lies. He is a liar from the beginning and he's the father of lies, and any father has childrens. The demons, the ones who followed Satan's rebellion against God, or the unclean spirits gravitate towards lie. That's why it is in their interest to keep you from the truth because they feed on lies. So this demon thing is real. The problem is, it's unseen. It's invisible because it's spiritual. And this man's life has been taken over by the demonic, and he is now out of control. He's gotten worse and worse and worse. And I would like to submit to you, things in our lives that are dirt, that go unaddressed, ongoingly unrepented of invites demons, the demons come, make themselves at home and begin to reorganize the furniture in our lives so that we are carrying out their bidding not even knowing that it's them, and the way we know it is, it's getting worse and worse and worse even while we're taking over the-counter solutions. But because it's unseen and unfelt in terms of the spiritual nature of it, it goes unrecognized, unaddressed while we come to church because there's something else going on. This man, however, sees Jesus in verse 6 from a distance. He ran up and bowed down before him. So this man who's demon-possessed sees Jesus, and he comes down and he falls down on his knees in a posture of worship and submission. He bows down before Jesus in worship and submission, which creates a problem. Notice verse 7. "And shouting with a loud voice he said, 'What business do we have with each other, Jesus, Son of the most high God? I employ you, by God, do not torment me.'" Okay, this now is getting very confusing. This is very confusing. The man runs and drops down in a posture of worship, but then the man says, "What do we have to do with you"? Wait a minute. I don't know if you follow that. The man that's a singular, that's a he dropped down in worship, but then the man says, "What do we have to do with you, oh Son of God"? So what the man does is he drags his demons to Jesus 'cause the demons are inside of him. They're controlling him. But he brings his demons to Jesus, and so, the question now is a group question. "What do we have to do with you, oh Son of God? Do not torment me". We did go back to singular. So we did go from singular to plural back to singular again because the man is battling with himself. When demons take over but Jesus is brought into the equation, there is going to be an internal conflict between what you want Jesus to do and what the demons want to do. He says, "Do not torment me". And it is in this tormenting phrase that this man drags his demons to Jesus, and he is now wrestling because the demons want to know, "Why you bring us here? We don't want this. Don't you torment us". What is the torment? Here it is. The spiritual is meeting the spiritual. For he had been saying to him, "Come out of the man, you unclean spirit". Jesus asked him in verse 9, "What is your name? What is your name? Tell me your name". He's asking the man, him, "What is your name"? "My name is Legion for we are many, and we don't want to be tormented by you". Jesus is saying, "Come out of him". And he began to employ him. The man began to employ Jesus earnestly not to send them out of the country. "Now there was a large herd of swine feeding nearby on the mountain. The demons employed him, saying, 'Send us into the swine so that we may eat them.' Jesus gave them permission, and coming out of the unclean spirits entered the swine. The herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea, about 2.000 of them, and they were drowned in the sea". Oh, there's so much here. Number one, the demons asked for permission. That's 'cause even the devil can't do anything without God allowing it. They asked for permission, and what they asked for is, "If you're going to make us leave this man, give us another place to go". Because as you see in the movies, demons need host. They need something alive in order for them to express themselves because they are spirit. They're invisible although they are persons. They have intellect, emotion, and will. So they are persons, but they are invisible. So Luke chapter 11, verses 24 to 26 says that when they're in waterless places; that is, places without life, where there's no water, there's no life, when they're in waterless places, no life, they're looking for a place. They've got to express themselves. And so when they see dirt in our lives unaddressed, then they come upon us so that they can express their uncleanness in our uncleanness, making our uncleanness worse than the uncleanness it was before they arrived. And so they express themselves in us. Jesus says, "Come out". They say, "Well, will you allow us to go to the pigs"? Why? Why did Jesus say, "You can go to the pigs"? Simple. They're unclean animals. So he lets them leave an unclean man for an unclean animal because they can only flow where there's uncleanness that goes unaddressed. When they enter the swine, they go hog wild in pig-slop crazy. It says they run downhill and drown themselves because the goal of demons, one, is to always take you downhill. It is to div of your life, defeat your life, ravel up and tie up your life, destroy your life. Demons have one goal; that is, you go down, and their ultimate goal is suicide. It says that the pigs went out down the hill and drowned themselves. The difference between the pig and the man is that the pig doesn't have a soul and the man does. So there was some resistance in the man that does not exist in the pig. So when they went to the unclean pig, the unclean pig committed suicide. Jesus comes along and he addresses it because he addresses the spiritual cause, not merely the physical symptoms. The enemy looks for spaces, and we've all given him some at some time or another. He doesn't need a lot of space, he just needs it to be open and dirty. And if it is, he will seek to enter that space, bring his family behind him in order to bring demonic downturn into our lives. "The herdsmen," verse 14, "ran away and reported it to the city and in the country, and the people came to see what had happened. And when they came to Jesus, they observed the man who had been demon-possessed sitting down, clothed, and in his right mind, the very man who had had legion, and became frightened". Do you see what happened? It looks like a U-turn to me, looks like a reversal to me. He now has clothes on. He was naked. He was not in the tomb. He's out of the tomb. He was cutting himself. He's now in his right mind all because Jesus overruled the demonic, the spiritual. And when he overruled the spiritual, sanity came to the insane. Now, this man is way off 'cause he's had 2.000 demons. How many demons do you have, or do I have? Maybe you only have 2, maybe you have 200, or maybe 2.000. But the more the demon, the more the oppression, influence, and possession. Let's look at the herdsmen. Verse 17, "And they began to employ him to leave the region". They told Jesus, "Get out of here. We don't want you here". You would have thought they would have been grateful. You would have thought, "Boy, this man has a power to get rid of demons, to make insane people listen to him so he can work with everybody". You would have thought they would have been glad. They said, "Get him out of here". Why? "Get him out of here 'cause he costing us money". See, the pigs went and committed suicide. They were pigs' herdsmen. So when their pigs drowned, their money got funny. They said no more pork chop, no more pig feed, no more chitlins, no more ham hock. Sweet Georgia Brown got to shut down 'cause there is no more pig. "This man is costing us money. Get rid of Jesus. Let's keep the business coming even if we've got to keep the folk hooked". The man wanted to get in the boat with Jesus, in verse 18, who was demon possessed, employing him, Jesus, that he might accompany him. And Jesus said to him, "You go home to your people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you". That tells me right there the man needed mercy 'cause of how unclean he was. "And he went away and began to proclaim in Decapolis what great things Jesus had done for him, and everyone was amazed". I want to make two observations. When they told Jesus, "Get out of here," he left, 'cause Jesus doesn't want to be where he's not wanted. "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If any man opens the door, I will come in and sup with him". But if you do not open the door for him, he will not stay where he's not welcome. He has to be welcomed in order for him to stay. But the second thing is, he told the man, "No, don't come at me. I want you to go to Decapolis". That's made of two words. Polis meaning city, decap meaning ten. "Go to the ten city region. You go home first, then you go to the ten cities in your community, and I want you to talk about what I did for you". So here's the deal. I challenge you to approach the downward hill of your life spiritually first. Do that first. Let's get to the right question first, the whole first, and see if there's a demonic thing by throwing yourself at the feet of Jesus in worship and submission. And yes, it may be tough at first because if it's demonically influenced they don't want to come out. They want to hold on to you as long as they can, but you keep throwing yourself at the face of Jesus. And like Jacob say, "I will wrestle with you till my change come". "But I am going to throw my face and submission to you, Jesus. That's what I am going to do". And then when he delivers you from your demonic infestation, you bet not keep that to yourself. You go to all the communities around and you let it be known, from family and friends and everybody you know in the surrounding neighborhoods. You go to Frisco and Plano and you let it be known, "Jesus Christ has delivered me, and I'm not keeping this to myself. Anybody who can deliver me from what I could not deliver myself from, I'm going to tell it, I'm going to tell it, and then I'm going to tell it again 'cause I am not ashamed of anybody who can deliver me at no charge". Demons are real. These are rebellious angels who have been removed from God and whose job it is to serve Satan by bringing spiritual death and consequences into our lives. Demons want to possess us. They want to influence us. I remember the adage, "Ain't nothing but the devil". Well, that's not too far off. It may not be the devil directly, but it could be one of his posses, the demons. They wreak havoc in our lives and in our circumstances, and it's easy to snuff them off as just bad people, bad problems, bad timing, bad days, when it's really bad demons. But because we don't take demons seriously, we don't identify things as demonic, even though we wrestle not against flesh and blood but principalities and powers that are in heavenly places, demonic forces. But as long as you can discard them and not recognize them, then you won't treat them for who they really are. And so you'll be dealing with symptoms and not causal powers behind the symptoms that you and I are facing. You know what you do with demons? You don't pet them like a pet. You must exercise them, remove them, and only Jesus Christ can do that. The closer you are to Christ, the more power you have over demonic influence. The further you are from Christ, the more controlled you will be by demonic influences. So if you're tired of demons influencing your thinking, influencing your walking, your talking, your acting, oh, then let's get Jesus. He's the ultimate Ghostbuster. He's the ultimate demon discarder. Recognize where there is spiritual influence and let the Spirit of God, 'cause greater is he that's in you than he that's in the world, begin the process of releasing you from demonic influence and, if necessary, demonic possession.