Christian Life Church Sermons

01-22-12 PM - Testing of Our Faith, pt. 4

2012-01-22T18:30:00.000-05:00

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There are no sermon notes available.

01-22-12 AM - How to Make a Fresh Start, pt. 2

2012-01-22T10:00:00.000-05:00

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S- stop making excuses;
T- take inventory of what you have.

A – ACT IN FAITH
Matthew 9:29 “According to your faith it will be done to you.”

Acts 3:1-5 Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. 2 And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; 3 Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. 4And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. 5And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.

The more time we spend regretting our past, the more of our future is wasted.

"According to your faith it will be done unto you."

Proverbs 29:25 Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.

“ Fear of man is a dangerous trap, but to trust in God means safety.

R- REFOCUS

Proverbs 4:23 "Be careful how you think. Your life is shaped by your thoughts."

Romans 12:2 “ …Be transformed by the renewing of your mind... ”

· Confession.

· Focus on God’s word.
Psalm 1:3 “Happy are those who are always meditating on God’s word. They’re like trees along a river that do not dry up. They succeed in everything they do. ”

Meditating on God’s word simply means rehearsing God’s word in our minds as to what it means to our life.

T-TRUST

Zechariah 4:6 …'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the Lord Almighty.

· Stop making excuse
· Take an inventory of my life
· Act in faith
· Refocus my thoughts
· Trust God

01-15-12 AM - The Three Gifts of the Father

2012-01-15T10:00:00.000-05:00

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Pastor Nate Palisoc

There are no sermon notes available.

01-08-12 PM - Testing of our Faith, Part 3

2012-01-08T18:30:00.000-05:00

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01-08-12 AM - How to Make a Fresh Start, pt. 1

2012-01-08T10:00:00.000-05:00

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Isaiah 43:18-19 (NCV)

In John 10:10 Jesus said, “ I am come that you might have life and have it more abundantly.”

Isaiah 43:18 “The Lord says, `Forget about what has happened before. Do not think about the past. Instead, look at the new things I’m going to do.

God is more interested in your future than He is with your past.

S.T.A.R.T.

S – STOP MAKING EXCUSES

Proverbs 28:13 “A man who refuses to admit his mistakes can never be successful. But if he confesses and forsakes them he gets another chance.”

A. One of the biggest reason we fail in life is we don’t prepare ourselves for the problems that we will face.
The Bible say’s Proverbs 20:7 "A sensible man watches for problems and prepares to meet them but the fool never looks ahead and suffers the consequences."

Proverbs 15 “Plans fail without good advice.”

B. You need to get all the advice you can. Get good advice from people you know you can trust.

Ego stands for "Edging God Out."

C. We give up too soon.

Proverbs 24:10 "If you give up when troubles come, it just shows that you are weak."

T – TAKE AN INVENTORY OF YOUR LIFE

Galatians 3:4 "You have experienced many things. Were all those experiences wasted? I hope not." The

Living Bible say’s,“ You have suffered so much for the gospel. Now are you going to throw it all over board.” I can hardly believe it.

• He uses personal experiences.
• He uses vocational and educational experiences
• He uses spiritual experiences
• He uses painful experiences

Ask yourself three questions.
• What have I learned?
• What are my assets?
• Who can help me?

01-04-12 PM - 20/20 A Clearer Picture: God

2012-01-04T19:30:00.000-05:00

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City Youth Church Message. Pastor Nate Palisoc

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01-01-12 AM - Followers of Jesus Seek God's Kingdom First

2012-01-01T10:00:00.000-05:00

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12-24-11 PM - Surviving the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

2011-12-24T18:30:00.000-05:00

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18 This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. 20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" --which means, "God with us." 24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. 25 But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.

I. EXPECT YOUR PLANS TO BE INTERUPTED. (18)

(1) Erusim (engagement, betrothal): legally the couple was married, but not living together, have not consummated the relationship. The erusim could last as much as 12 months. Tested fidelity, integrity. In order to break the engagement you had to get divorced.

In our culture you just say "let’s call it off."

(2) Nisuin (Marriage ceremony itself)

Joseph was planning on marrying his sweetheart, drawing up house plans, carving their marriage bed...BIG PLANS.

James 4:13-15 Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." [14] Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. [15] Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that."

Pro 19:21 Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails.

II GET GOD’S TAKE ON THE INTERUPTION

(1) He got to marry his sweetheart.

(2) He was honored to have been chosen to raise God’s only Son.

Consider God’s take Joseph did! Verse 20)

(1) PRAY:

I Thess. 5:17 pray continually; 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

James 5:13 Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray.

(2) PERSPECTIVE: Put the interruption in proper perspective.

Luke 12:22 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 25 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

Matt. 6:34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

(3) PROVIDENCE: God is in control. He still has your hairs numbered.

Duet.32:4 He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.

Is.55:8,9 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord.

9 "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Ps. 145:17 The Lord is righteous in all his ways and loving toward all he has made.

Prov. 5:21 For a man's ways are in full view of the Lord, and he examines all his paths.

Rom. 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

12-18-11 AM - Learning to Pray

2011-12-18T10:00:00.000-05:00

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12-11-11 PM - Testing of Our Faith, Pt. 2

2011-12-11T18:30:00.000-05:00

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02 TESTING OF OUR FAITH
1 John 2:7-11 7 Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning. 8 Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth. 9 He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. 10 He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. 11 But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.

Luke 10:30
1. What’s yours is mine. (Robbers vs. 30 they stripped him of everything he had)
2. What’s mine is mine. (Priest/Levite vs.31-32 saw him and passed by on the other side)
3. What’s mine is yours. (Samaritan vs.33-35bandaged the man took him to an Inn where he cared for him and then paid the innkeeper to care for him)

Jesus said which one of these was a neighbor to the man that fell?

When we get together as the body of Christ we should be able to say what’s mine is yours and what’s yours is mine.

1. THE SUPREME COMMANDMENT: (7-8) Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.
8 Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.

(1) It’s an old command-

(2) It’s a new command

Matt. 5:43-45 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

Matt. 5:45 says “that you may be the children of your father which is in heaven”

(3) True light shines and erases the darkness

2. THE PROFESSING MAN: (9) He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.

Matt. 7:21Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Titus 1:16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

3. THE OBEDIENT MAN: (10) He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.

The first is he abides in the light; that is in Christ.

The second thing said about this one abiding in the light is; there is no occasion of stumbling in him.

Romans 8:34-35 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

Romans 12:9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

4. THE BITTER AND HATING MAN: (11) But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.

- Walks in darkness- He is wrapped up in everything worldly.

- Has no direction and is blind- He is blind to the needs of others but very much aware of his own needs and what he wants.

2 Cor. 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

Eph. 4:18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:

12-11-12 AM - Followers of Jesus Love God and Love Others

2011-12-11T10:00:00.000-05:00

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12-7-11 PM - The Y and the What

2011-12-07T19:00:00.000-05:00

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City Youth Church; Pastor Nate Palisoc

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12-04-11 AM - Followers of Jesus Attract Others to Jesus

2011-12-04T10:00:00.000-05:00

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11-30-11 PM - The Interruption

2011-11-30T19:00:00.000-05:00

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Pastor Nate - City Youth Church

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11-27-11 PM - Testing of Our Faith

2011-11-27T18:30:00.000-05:00

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TESTING OF OUR FAITH
1John 2:3-6
3. And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 4. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. 6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

Seven Tests to Know if we Really Know God.

1. The Test: Do we keep God’s commands?

John 3:13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

John 8:42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

John 6:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

John 8:26 I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him.
(Vs. 3) And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

What are His commands?....
1John 3:23 helps us with that question. And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.

So there are two important things in this verse what are they?
1. To know God we must believe on the name of Jesus Christ. And by believing on Jesus Christy we keep His commands.

2. To know God we must love one another. Love covers all the commandments of God. If we love one another we will not hurt or cause pain for one another; we will not offend or sin against one another. And this is exactly what scripture declares.

Romans 13:8-14 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. 9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. 11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. 12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. 13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. 14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

Luke 6:32 If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them.

2.THE PROFESSING MAN: Says he knows God but does not keep His commands. (4)
4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

The Amplified Bible says the word believe means to: trust in adhere to rely on. So making a verbal commitment without a working commitment is a faulty view of the things of God and certainly is not the way the Kingdom works.

Matt. 7:21 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

3. THE OBEDIENT MAN: Keeps Gods word.
5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.

Romans 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,

1 Cor. 2:12- We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. 14 The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment: 16 "For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ.

4.    THE RESPONSIBLE MAN: Lives up to his profession.
6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

The word “walk” means a continuous walk.
The word “ought” means debt, constraint, and obligation. So the one that claims to know Jesus Christ is obligated to walk as He would walk.

How did Jesus walk?
– Believing and trusting God.
– Worshipping and praying to God.
– Fellowshipping and communing with God.
– Giving and sacrificing all He had and was to God.
– Seeking and following after God.
– Teaching and telling others about God.
– Loving and caring for others as God said to do.
– Obeying and keeping all of God’s commands.
– Rom. 6:4; Gal. 5:16; Eph. 5:2; 1 Peter 2:21.

11-27-11 AM - Following Jesus makes Anything Possible

2011-11-27T10:00:00.000-05:00

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11-20-11 AM - Following Jesus Means Listening to God

2011-11-20T10:00:00.000-05:00

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11-16-11 PM - Artist of Your Happiness

2011-11-16T19:00:00.000-05:00

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Pastor Nate Palisoc - CYC Youth Church

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11-13-11 PM - Can't Nobody Do Me Like Jesus

2011-11-13T18:30:00.000-05:00

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1John 1:10- 2:1-2 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. 1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

1. THE SELF SUFFICIENT (10) If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

1. Religious Perfectionist-
2. Social Perfectionist-

If we say that “we have not sinned”, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

James 4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

Eccl. 7:20 For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.

Titus 3:3 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.

2. THE STRUGGLE (2:1) My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. Phil. 2:12.

Isaiah.1:16-19 Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; 17 Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. 18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. 19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:

John 5:14 After healing the man at the pool of Bethesda Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.

Eph. 4:22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;

1 Peter 2:11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

3. THE PROVISION (2:1) My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

4. THE PROPITIATION (2:2) And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

Propitiation – An act whereby sin is covered and remitted (set aside or released from the guilt of) a payment or appeasement for sin.

Psalm 89:14 Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face.

Young’s Literal Translation - Righteousness and judgment Are the fixed place of Thy throne, Kindness and truth go before Thy face.

Because of the death of Christ God accepts His death as:
-the sacrifice for our sins,
-the covering of our sins,
-the satisfaction of our sins,
-the payment of the penalty of our sins,
-and the appeasement of His wrath against sin.

All who call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Four thoughts on Propitiation:
1. God is the one who has to be appeased.

2. Jesus Christ is the propitiation.

3. Propitiation means coverage.

Rom. 3:25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

4. Propitiation is a type of the mercy seat; in particular the lid of the ark.

11-13-11 - Following Jesus Pt. 2

2011-11-13T10:00:00.000-05:00

Click here (or right click and select "save as") to download "Being with Jesus is our Highest Calling."

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11-06-11 AM - Following Jesus, Pt. 1

2011-11-06T10:00:00.000-05:00

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11-02-11 PM - Youth Rally

2011-11-02T19:30:00.000-04:00

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Youth Rally with South Carolina School of Leadership

10-30-11 AM - The Power of Brokenness

2011-10-30T10:15:00.000-04:00

Click here (or right click and select "save as") to download "The Power of Brokenness" by Pastor Peter Guadalupe

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10-23-11 PM - Bad to the Bone

2011-10-23T18:30:00.000-04:00

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1John 1:8-9 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1. Man is totally depraved (8)

“we have no sin”

There is not a person on the planet that can keep from sinning.

-The person that thinks he can control sin in order to come to God has a low estimation of God and to high of an estimation of himself.

-Rom. 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

-Rom. 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

-Prov. 20:9 Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?

2. Confession is necessary (9)

it includes “ALL” our sins.

-To forgive us of our sins means that God forgives the guilt of sin.

-To cleanse us from all unrighteousness means that God cleanses us from all the dirt filth and pollution of sin.

-God is perfectly just or righteous therefore He must condemn and punish sin.

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Isaiah.44:22 I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.
do we know that do we know do we know

10-23-11 AM - How to Know the Voice of the Spirit

2011-10-23T10:00:00.000-04:00

Click here (or right click and select "save as") to download "How to Know the Voice of the Spirit"

Galatians 5: 13-26

13 You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. 14 The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." 15 If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. 16 So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17 For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law. 19 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Some have mistaken this freedom from dead religious acts as a license to commit sinful acts, as though they are no longer responsible for their own actions.

I. Learn to recognize your own inner voice. (vs. 19-21)
19 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

1. Acts that drown out the voice of God.
-Sexual immorality is sexual behavior that is not in step with Scriptural principles.
-Impurity are acts that are "dirty", unclean. Things done that defile the body to get a "rush" of pleasure.
-Sensuality (debauchery) are acts done to arouse the body. Pornography is such an act, or even leering at women (or men).

2. Acts that manipulate the spirit realm for your own good.
–Idolatry is the worship of another God or the extreme devotion to a person or organization that you hope will grant you desires.
-Sorcery (witchcraft) is the act of using supernatural means to gain power over people.

3. Acts that are meant to manipulate people.
-Enmity (hatred) is taking a position of antagonism or hostility toward someone.
-Strife (discord) is to compete against someone to win some "prize" that they may be able to get, but you want.
- Jealousy is when you guard what is rightfully yours; including the loyalty from people that you feel you are owed.
-Fits of rage is how you back people off who threaten you, your way of intimidating them into treating you with respect.
-Rivalries (selfish ambition) are when you compete against someone to get something that someone else has.
-Dissensions are when you quarrel with someone else to get your way.
-Divisions (factions) are when you actually organize opposition against those who won’t follow you.
-Envy is the ill-will you feel toward others advantages.

4. Acts that cause others to become or remain separated from God.
-Drunkenness (intoxication) cause people to become dependent on the source of the high.
-Orgies and the like a wild celebration, partying, often, but not always, including sexual activity.

1. Develop a habit of prayer and Bible study on your own.
2. Remain in godly relationships with people who will tell you the truth about yourself, or at least will ask the kinds of questions that make you think.
3. When you fail, confess your sin and repent.

II. Secondly, you need to know the Holy Spirits voice.

"stay out of the winner-takes-all conflict"

"be patient, that is, wait for your opportunity without complaining or manipulating".

"be sympathetic with people, consider them to be friends."

"your goal is to produce favorable results for everyone, not just yourself

"be dutiful to what I have called you."
"be gentle with them, I am not done with them, or you, yet."

"Reign in your horses, bubba."

How do you overcome the flesh to listen to the Holy Spirit?
May I suggest...
1. Pray until you are willing. Even Jesus had to pray until he was able to make his body go through an actual crucifixion. "Not my will, but yours be done" Jesus repeated.
2. Grieve. You may not get your way, maybe never. You live at the pleasure of the Lord Jesus Christ. He has better things for you.
3. Find joy in serving the Lord. Fake it until you make it, as the saying goes. But you will make it, and you will find new joy in serving.