Unwanted Guest

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Communion, Memorial Day

Memorial Day- Tommorrow is the day that we remember those that have paid the ultimate price and gave their lives so that we might live free. I don’t know how well many of you know me, but let me tell you one thing about myself, I love this country. I love our soldiers, and i am thankful for the men and women thst had the strength, courage and fortitude to stand up in the face of evil and pay the ultimate price. Because they were willing to go there, wherever there was it allowed us to be here. Here without fear of tyrannical goverments kicking in our front doors and hauling us away for our faith in Christ. its not like that everywhere just ask the Chinese.

Linards Testimony

This week I have been feeling God birthing a message inside of me. one of those that were so deep, that applied to our little body here at Relevant but I didn’t know where to start. As a pastor God gives me a sense, a feeling, about what is going on in His flock. Some times its hard for me to articulate, and certainly harder to get it out into words where it makes sense for you. But my wife has started reading this book by Louie Giglio, called “Dont give the Enemy a seat at your table”. And she said CJ you need to read this book. And I started it, and when I began to read it, I said this is what I am feeling inside. So I crafted a message taken from this book.... and I entitled the message Unwanted Guest.

There are seasons when God is working or making his work known in a body that are more evident than at other times. We have seen a lot of people finding freedom in Christ. We are seeing God add to our numbers. But in my years of ministry I have learned one thing, and that is when God is at work, so is the enemy. And so God is revealing himself to people in new and fresh ways, but so is the enemy. lately I have seen the demonic manifest itself and come at people in blatant, out in the open type ways. I feel like God is wanting to do a work and there is a very real possibility that when it breaks out no one or nothing will be able to contain it, But the enemy also reenforces his military, and he attacks churches that are a threat to Him. He wants to Kill it before it ever breaks out, because he knows something about God, God does His work through his people. He can do things without us but chooses not to. he is always looking for people that are faithful too him, that will stand in the gap to see the lost saved and the Blind see

Psalm 14:2 ESV

2 The Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God.

Numbers 25:1 ESV

1 While Israel lived in Shittim, the people began to whore with the daughters of Moab.

In The Stock Market, whenever there is a stock that is about to break out

Psalm 23 ESV

A Psalm of David. 1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. 3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Prepare a table before Mine enemies

Story about the enemy sitting at our seat

a little sexual immpurity

A little vice and corrupted entertainment

And before we know it we can allow the enemy to have a seat at our table.

We start to talk like him, we befin to act like him. And when we are allowin gthe devil a seat at our table we grow spiritually dull. We lose the sensitivity pf the holy Spirit to the things of God.

Our hearts get weighed down with sin, temptation eventually turns into commonplace habits.

And there is the devil sitting at our seat, Sitting, having fellowship with us, wooing us with his corrupted wisdom, infecting us with his ungodly philosophies

And all the while he is giving things that the flesh desires, his corrupted wisdom begins to poison our hearts

We dont have to let the voice of the enemy control us.

Most people have given in to the battle, they have given in to the lies

HE MAKES US BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE NO OTHER CHOICE, but that is not the truth for the born again Christian. In jesus name we can be free from his spider web of lies and deceit.

THE VALLEY- Im in the Valley of the Shadow

will stay in the valley

God didn't answer me here. He didn’t come through for me. Or I gave some money and I didn’t see any return on it. He didn’t restore my marriage, he hasn’t saved my son.

Don’t let the enemy rob you of the truth and promises that God has given you. When God speaks to you in the light, don’t let the enemy rob you of that when you are walking in the dark, When you are in the valley of the shadow of death

THE Devil is not only the Father of lies, but disquises himself

The enemy will set at your table very swiftly, and before you know it he is helping himself to your napkin, to your refreshments. And before you can get reoriented to what is going on, He will make it seems like he is a friend, like he is on your side

2 Corinthians 11:14 ESV

14 And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

He doesn’t come showing his true colors

Takes the form of someone how is a friend, someone who has your best interest in mind.

Story of Shawn and Heather Samply

I had a couple in our church a couple of years ago, that started coming to the church and before long they both gave their lives to jesus. And the Lord started moving in their lives. It actually took a lot for the wife to get saved. She

Psalm 23:4 ESV

4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

The Lies WE Believe

John 8:44 ESV

44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

Jesus gave the Devil the Title “Father of Lies”.. In giving him that Title he is not using it to describe a rank, but using it to describe Satan's character… Per

Now many of us have heard or read that scripture and I think most people take that lightly.

They view lies as something that is really of no danger.... But I want to help you refocus this morning and put lies up there with murder.... Because it is with lies that He destroys nations… it is with lies that the devil has caused by this point in human history, billions of people to die and go to an eternal hell

How does the devil gain access to our table?

He wants you to be overtaken with wickedness

We cant keep him from prowling but we can keep him from sitting at our table

the devils voice in in yur head ‘

Te Lust of the flesh lust of the eyes and the pride of life scriptures

We must learn to spot the lies and then you can overcome them

The Lie of Comparison

If you have heard the lie that there is a better seat at another table.

When the devil sits there at your table he often, after wooing you with late night conversations, points to another table and says there is a better table over there.

But the other table is a table of killing, stealing and destruction. He will woo you and make you think you will be more fullfilled at this other table. At this other table there

You deserve it after all. Where is God, whaht has he done for you lately. if god really loved you do you think he woul

he is the worse kind of saleman

He tells you what you want to hear

wants you to compare

theres a better church ‘

woe is me. god is blessing

He wants me to move away, about to bail on something

About to jump ship because you believe there is something better somewhere else

If so the enemy is at your table. dont give the enemy a seat at the table

LIE THAT YOU ARE DOOMED

Lie of Worthlessness

no one really likes you, no matter how hard you try no matter how much you do it is never enough

And if you feel that way, surely everyone around you feels that way as well

When He attacks with this lie of worthlessness, you become easy pray for ruined relationships

Ive seen this lie work itself inside the body of Christ time after time. It will come in the form of why is the pastor paying more attention to this person or this family. is he playing favorites

Or you see a post on social media of some people from the church hanging out together And then the the second gut shot comes, why didn’t they invite you?

Then the second gut shot comes, no one ever invites me to anything from the church

I need to find another church. I just don’t connect with anybody there anymore

First you need to identify the lie, you have to recognize that it is an attack on your heart.

Second you must resist the enemy, and say shut up devil, just your lying face. Then you must overcome evil with good. You resist, the you arrest, and then you initiate.

Resist, arrest, and initiate

You resist the lying demon that is coming against you, You arrest the thoughts that he has fired at you, then you initiate project friend. Find someone that you can call and say, hey I just need some time with you. Can we grab lunch one day?

You overcome evil that is trying to paralyze you, and then you initiate project, im going to be a friend, and I must show myself friendly

Steal kill and destroy

The not enough broken recorder isn’t coming from the shepherd

if the devil can’t disqualify you, he will discourage you

And if you are constantly bombarded with thoughts of worthlessness or inadequacy, you need to understand you have an enemy at your table

-Here is a second tool that lines up with this, another angle if you will. People that struggle with the lie of worthlessness, but are somewhat outgoing, will reach out and form friendships, but it becomes a thing of possession, they will constantly recruit people to their circle, and when someone in that circle begins to form relationships with someone out of that circle, they will resort to control and manipulation. They will engage in slander of someone outside the circle. They will attempt to bring that person down however they can. They engage in asymmetrical warfare, a covert gorilla warfare. They will be cold, dismissive, and sometimes just plain mean to someone in the church and try to push that person out.

This is how clicks are formed within the body of Christ, and how most of the church hurt happens.

Story of Mellissa

A couple of weeks ago a lady that went here for a brief time called me and wanted to apologize. She was very involved and then one day she was just gone. And she wanted to apologize for things that she had been harboring agaisnt me, and I wasn’t even aware of it. But the bulk stemmed from another woman at the time that was going here and she began to share with me how nasty this woman was towards her. And looking back I could now see it. This other lady was always being pissy to her, and it wasn’t just one big thing, it was a lot of little things

Listen if you ever get it in your head that I as your pastor am playing favorites, Or I somehow have lost respect for you. Listen there is an enemy at your table. And he is flooding you with lies

THE LIE OF “ME AGAINST THE WORLD”

STORY OF GUY THAT LOST HIS JOB- EVERYBODY WAS AGAINST ME.

Stacey story

When you believe the lie that everyone is against you, you are also believing the lie that everybody hates you. Everyone at your job, your church and even your family. When this lie ingrains itself inside of a marriage, there is very little chance that that marriage will stand. You will think that your in-laws hate you, that your spouse hates you, that even your kids hate you. And guess what it will become a self fulfilling prophecy… You will be so guarded, so sensitive to things that people say that you will find yourself always, always misinterpreting things, situations that happen,

And here’s the most devastating part, you will believe whole heartily that you are right. That that is how things really are. And your insecurity will go on fool display and you will act out. You will quite another job, you will go to another church, you will try to find another spouce.

When the enmy speaks his lies, look up and lock eyes with the king

There is no where wlse I would tather be. His voice drowns out every vicious lie of the enemy and say you are my beloved