Hello, this is Brother Llewellyn. We greet you in the wonderful name of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is for us a great privilege to bring unto you the Word of God. It is our desire that your life will be blessed and changed by this message. This message has no copyright, so it may not be bought or sold. You are however welcome to make copies for your family and friends. If you would like additional messages, please go to our website at www.hiseklesia.com again www.hiseklesia.com This material is available to all without charge by the free will offerings of God's people. A special thank you to all who support this ministry. May God's gospel go out freely and unhindered. Yes, the Lamb can receive the reward of His suffering. In 1 John chapter 4 verse 16, we read these words, And we have known and believe the love that God hath to us. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love. God is love. God is love. And he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment. That we may have boldness in the day of judgment, because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love. There is no fear in love. But perfect love casteth out fear. perfect love casteth out fear, because fear hath torment. And he that feareth is not made perfect in love. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. There is no fear in love. But perfect love casteth out fear, because fear hath torment. He that feareth, he that feareth is not made perfect in love. In Romans 8, verse 15, we read, For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear. Ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear. In 2 Timothy 1 verse 7, For God hath not given unto us the spirit of fear, God hath not given to us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Now, if ever there was a chapter in the Bible that Christians should go on their knees to ponder over in our day and age, It is the chapter found in Romans 6, where Paul asks this staggering question to believers. And it is to believers that he asks this question. That's why it's staggering. He says, what shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin? Shall we? continue in sin, that grace may abound. God forbid! God forbid! How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein? Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death? Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death. But like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of His death, we should be also in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin now, If we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him, knowing that Christ, being raised from the dead, dieth no more, death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once, but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise, reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof, neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin. But yield yourselves unto God as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you. For ye are not under the law, but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid! Know ye not that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey? His servants ye are to whom ye obey. whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness. But God be thanked that ye were the servants of sin, that ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. I speak after the men of men because of the infirmity of your flesh. For as ye have yielded your members, servants, to uncleanness, unto iniquity, unto iniquity, even so now yield your members, servants, to righteousness, unto holiness. But when you were the servants of sin, you were free from righteousness. What fruit had ye then in those things, whereby ye are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now, being made free from sin and become servants of God, ye have your fruit unto holiness and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death. But the gift of God is eternal life. through Jesus Christ our Lord. Now, let's leave the sobering chapter. Let's leave the sobering chapter in Paul's great doctrinal work of Romans. Let's leave the sobering chapter in Paul's great doctrinal work of Romans to look at a portion of God's Word that for thousands of years has enthralled little children and young people and saints and warriors of God alike. The story of David and Goliath is found in 1 Samuel 17, verse 32. Here, in the valley of Elah, a large valley in the heart of Israel, the scene of many battles between the people of God, the Israelites and their enemies, the Philistines, here is about to take place One of the greatest battles ever known in the history of mankind. On the one side of the valley, about fourteen miles away, is Jerusalem. On that side of the valley, on the hill, stand all the armies of the people of God. The armies of the Israelites, the people of God, are standing with their armies. with King Saul at their head. The other side of this vast valley, on the hill overlooking them, about thirty miles to the north of the border of the land of the Philistines, and the other side of the valley on the hill facing God's people, with King Saul as their head, stand the enemy of the people of God, the Philistines, with Goliath as their champion. An instrument in the hand of the devil. An instrument in the hand of the devil to try and get God's people to take their eyes off from God. Because he knows that if he can do that, he's won the battle. He knows if he can get God's people to take their eyes off from God, whether individually or collectively, he's won the battle. And it worked! It worked! The instrument of the devil accomplished the purpose for which it was sent. Every single man had their eyes taken off from God. All eyes were on the instrument of the devil and not one man had faith. From the king to the last man in the army, all faith was gone. There was hopelessness. There were hearts full of fear. For all eyes were off from God and were on the instrument of the devil. It worked! It accomplished the purpose for which it was sent. But God knew that there was a youth, the Bible calls him. I'm so glad God said that. A boy, a young shepherd called David, who was tending his father's sheep on the hills just outside of Bethlehem. A youth, this young shepherd had cultivated, had nurtured, had developed a perfect trust in God, a perfect faith in God, a perfect love in God that cast out all fear, literally, that God could possibly fail him no matter what danger the devil brought upon his way. A youth that had nurtured a perfect love in God that cast out all fear that God could possibly fail him no matter what circumstances he was thrown into. And God brought this youth onto the scene of the battle before God's people before King Saul, before the enemy of the people of God, and before the instrument of the devil. And we read in verse 32, and David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him. Thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine. And Saul, said to David, thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth. And David said unto Saul, thy servant kept his father's sheep. And there came a lion and a bear and took a lamb out of the flock. And I went out after him and smote him and delivered it out of his mouth. And when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and smote him and slew him. Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God. David said, Moreover, the Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. said unto David, Go, and the Lord be with thee. And so armed David with his armor And he put a helmet of brass upon his head. Also he armed him with a coat of mail. And David girded his sword upon his armor and just said to go, for he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with thee, for I have not proved them. And David put them off him. And he took his staff in his hand and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook and put them in a shepherd's bag, which he had even in a script. And a sling was in his hand, and he drew near to the Philistines. And the Philistines came on and drew near unto David. And the man that bared the seal went before him. And when the Philistines looked about and saw David, he disdained him, for he was but a youth, and ruddy and of a fair countenance. And the Philistines said unto David, Am I a dog? The dog comest to me with staves. And the Philistines cursed David by his gods. And the Philistines said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air and to the beasts of the field. Then said David, to the Philistines, thou comest to me with a sword and with a spear and with a shield, but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand, and I will smite thee and take thine head from thee, and I will give the carcasses of the hosts of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. And all his assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear, for the battle is the Lord's, and he will give you into our hands." And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose and came near to meet David, that David hastened and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. And David put his hand in his bag and took thence a stone and slung it. and smote the Philistine in his forehead. But the stone sunk into his forehead and he fell upon his face. He fell down upon the earth upon his face. So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone and smote the Philistine and slew him. But there was no sword in the hand of David. Therefore David ran and stood upon the Philistine and took his sword and drew it out of the seat thereof and slew him and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled. And the men of Israel and Judah arose and shouted and pursued the Philistines. Oh, how faith spreads like fire amongst the people of God. Oh, how faith spreads like fire among the people of God if one person, even if it's a youth, dares to place in God a perfect trust, a perfect love that casts out all fear that God could possibly fail them. Amen? Oh, the Word of God thrills me, you know. The Word of God thrills me when I think that out of the heart of this young shepherd, out of the heart of this young shepherd came these words of perfect love that cast out all fear. The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want He maketh me to lie down in green pastures. He leadeth me beside the still waters. restoreth my soul. He leadeth me in the path of righteousness for his namesake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. Thou preparest the table before me in the presence of mine enemies. Thou anointest my head with oil, my cup with honey. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." It was a psalm of perfect love that cast out all fear. Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me. How can I fear God if Thou art with me? I will never leave Thee, nor forsake Thee, though I am with Thee. I am with Thee. I am with Thee. I am with thee even to the end of the world. You know, David knew this was not God's will. He knew this was not God's will. What was being suggested to the people of God by the enemy through the instrument of the devil, that the people of God yield themselves servants to obey the enemy. that the enemy have dominion over them, that the enemy reign over them. He knew this is not God's will. And therefore he had a perfect love and the holy obligation of God to honor his faith that the will of God would be accomplished. It was not God's will for what was being suggested there. He had no doubt. He had not the shadow of a doubt. He had a perfect love that cast out all fear because he knew this is not God's will. And God was obligated to honor his faith. knowing that this man wanted only God's will, which was not what that being suggested by the enemy to do to God's people. God had to honor his faith in delivering him. How many of us sitting here tonight, beloved, we know it's not God's will. What the devil, what our enemy suggests to us, Through instruments He places in our way, knowing our weaknesses, whether collectively or individually. And He suggests to us, ye, the members, how many of us we know it is not God's will. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lust thereof. Neither ye, ye are members as instruments of unrighteousness under sin. But yield yourselves unto God as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you. We know it is not God's will, but how many of us sit here tonight, and sin reigns in your mortal body? Sin has dominion over you. You know what it is to yield your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin, though you are the child of God. You know what it is to yield your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin. You know what it is to yield your eyes as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin. You know what it is daily to yield your ears as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin. You know what it is to yield your lips as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin. Do you know what it is to yield your hands as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin? And God knows what are the parts of your body and being. Do you know what it is to yield as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin? He knew it was not God's will and he placed in God a perfect love that God would deliver him from what the devil was suggesting through the instrument of the devil. How many of you will ever come to the place where you will place a perfect trust in God concerning the thing that the devil says to you? You will always yield yourself. I will always reign over you. Sin will always reign and have dominion over you, and you will always... And you listen, because your eyes are upon God. If only you had a perfect trust, not only in the work of the cross, for the penalty of sin, but for the full work of the cross to be embraced by faith to deliver you from the power of sin, to reckon yourself dead indeed unto sin because of the work of Calvary. because of the effect of the blood and the destruction to the power of the devil Christ brought on there, not only for you to be delivered from hell, but delivered from the power of sin and your faith in the cross, in the blood, in Christ. He destroyed the works of the devil on that cross, you know. I hope you do know that. And by faith, you reckon yourself dead. By the work of Christ, the full, finished work of the cross, to embrace it and to reckon yourself dead! Indeed, do you think God would look at your faith and say, no, I won't deliver you now that you're putting a perfect trust in me? Without fear? That I'll let you go out there and be staggered and find, oh, I'm failing again? No! God has a holy obligation! But he's waiting for your faith not only to be saved out of fear of hell, but saved from dominion, from yielding, from inconsistency and failure that takes away your testimony and the wind out of your whole being that you don't want to testify. Oh, beloved, how many of you need to come to God once and for all and to reckon yourself dead? Understand, how many of you need to yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God? I speak after the man of men because of the infirmity of your flesh, for as ye have yielded your members as instruments of uncleanness, unto iniquity, unto iniquity, even so now yield yourselves unto God. Yield your members as instruments of righteousness unto holiness. I beseech you, therefore, brethren, I beg you, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice. Yield yourselves unto God. I beseech you, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present at the moment that you present to God your body a living sacrifice, wholly acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service, and be not conformed to this world any longer, but be you transformed by the renewing of your mind. Tonight, by changing your mind about what you believe the devil should have his way about, that ye may prove what is that good and perfect and acceptable will of God that has to come a moment you yield yourselves to God in faith, presenting your bodies a living sacrifice By renewing your mind that I'm not going on any longer like this and being conformed to anything the devil tells me I have to be conformed to that the world would do, the unsaved would do. And I reckon myself dead, but I'm alive! Unto God I yield my members to God once and for all. I come by faith and I reckon myself dead. God, the work on the cross was for me, not only for salvation, but for these things that I continually listen to the devil's instruments, and the devil telling me, my enemy telling me, I will have to let myself have dominion over through these things because of weakness. My eyes are up from God, if that's the truth. You know, David refused the armor of his king. He refused the armor of his king. Now, that was quite something to do in those days, because if the king gave a gallant soldier his armor, that was an honor. But you know, Saul was so pathetic. If you think of Saul, was there ever a more pathetic man in the whole scriptures as Saul? To think of what he was in God's eyes, in God's hopes and in man's hopes. He stooped so low to look at a young boy and expect this boy to have trust in his own armor. He had no trust in his armor. He had no faith of deliverance. A man, a king, comes to a boy and expects, no. David refused the armor of his king because he trusted only in his God. That's why Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, chapter 6, verse 10, says, Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might, put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. We have fortaken to you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness, and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel. Above all, above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked, and take the helmet of salvation." Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints. David had the above all that Paul speaks of here. Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench, to literally annul, just annul anything the devil is trying to do. Just destroy it. Just annul. He may as well not have tried. Why? You have faith in God. Oh, he had the above all that Paul speaks of here. Above all, taking the shield of faith, child of God. That's your armor. Above everything you dare to take, faith! Put faith in God! Put faith in God! Put faith in His promises! Put faith in the work of the cross, the finished work of the cross, for deliverance! Above all, take in the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all, all, all, all the fiery darts of the wicked. All, you say? No, wait a minute now. Some maybe, some days most maybe, but oh! Oh, beloveds, do you believe God or the devil? Answer God now, every one of you, in your hearts, not with your lips. Do you believe God or do you believe the devil that tells you that sin will always reign in your mortal body? Tell God he's looking at your heart. So is the devil looking at you. Tell God whether you believe you will always find that sin reigns and has dominion over you, and that you will always, no matter what God's done on the cross, no matter how more powerful Christ is than the devil, you will always yield your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin, as you have so often when the devil comes to you. Tell God whether you believe that if you take the shield of faith You will be able to quench, annihilate, as it were, annul any effect, all the devil could ever try and aim at you. Or is God exaggerating? No, God, that's a big exaggeration. Paul took a chance there, maybe with Paul, but not with me. Tell God whether you believe he's a liar and the cross, the risen, resurrected power of Christ, as you rise by faith to his risen power to deliver you. Tell God whether you believe Jesus can keep you from falling. He's able to keep you from falling. Tell God whether you believe that. I want you to answer God. If you're not here for God, what on earth are you doing here? If you're here for God, please answer God right now in your hearts. You tell God whether you believe Him or the devil. Resist the devil and he will flee from you, God says. You know why? You resist the devil, God is obliged to make the devil flee from you. But you have to resist. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation, not the man that gives in and says, oh, what's the point? Without any hope you just do what the devil tells you you've got to do. Blessed is the man that endureth. Do you resist the devil? There's a point God says he will never suffer you to be tempted above that you're able to bear. God's holy name is at stake. He has a holy obligation to make sure that if you believe that he can deliver you even if you're tempted. Temptation is not sin. Jesus was tempted. He had no sinful nature and no sin. You'll be tempted if Christ was tempted. But temptation is not sin. There's a point you yield and there's a point that God will make sure you don't have to yield. If you just resist the devil, God will make sure the devil flees from you. Hallelujah! Listen to these words. 1 John 2 verse 1, My little children. Now that's not speaking to little boys and girls sitting here. It's the age John now writing with great wisdom and compassion and love. My little children, to all the children of God. my little children. I write these things unto you that ye sin not. These things write I unto you that ye sin not. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. But that's only half of a verse. Now, we're not Jehovah Witnesses, you know. Jehovah's Witnesses can only quote half of the verse. They cannot quote the other half. It doesn't make sense what they are saying. So we got to be careful now. We holiness people. And I talk to the holiness groups now. You might cry it loud and clear that ye sin not, but don't be like a Jehovah's Witness that your doctrine crumbles by the next half of the verse. If you are going to quote the first half of the verse, for God's sake, quote the next half, because God needed to give them that too. My little children, these things write I unto you that ye sin not, but if Child, any man's sin, any Christian, while he's enduring, if somehow, while you're in victory, while you're sinning not, if on your road to the celestial city, having turned and God is keeping you, and you're walking with God, and you're walking in victory as your faith, if with all the powers of hell against you, somehow the devil gets you to fall, don't you give up now. Get up, God says. You don't dare give up. You have no right to give up. Because God says get up. You're defying Him if you don't get up. Get up! Get up! Get up! Don't you be down there! You've failed, yes, but we have not a high priest which cannot be moved with the feeling of our infirmities, with no points tempted, like as we, yet without sin. Therefore, you see, He understands. Let us come boldly to the throne of grace to obtain mercy. Don't you be down there." I said, come boldly, I'll give you mercy. I've been tempted too, and I'm a high priest that can make intercession because I know just what you went through, though I was God manifested in the flesh, and you are not. Oh, this high priest cries out to you to trust him with a perfect love that casts out all fear, you know. My little children, these things write unto you that ye sin not. Any man, any of you children, sin. If somehow the devil gets you to sin or fail, don't you give up. Get up! We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and He is the propitiation for our sins. Christians can have failure. God says it's possible. It's not the end of you. You have Jesus standing at the right hand of God making the indecision for you. We have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins. That word, propitiation, means the mercy seat. In the Old Testament, in the tabernacle, on the altar, there was the mercy seat, to come to God for mercy. Jesus is the mercy seat in heaven. He is literally the way to mercy for Christians, for God's people. We have an Advocate standing in a court of law, you know, You pay a man to stand and defend you from things that you've been accused of, and we have someone who paid the price for you to be totally forgiven, and he's there ever living to make intercession for you. Do you honestly have fear that he's going to throw you out if you fall? Oh, beloved, I don't know how many of you have heard of George Ferber. George Thurber was the man saved in Billy Graham's meetings many years ago, 1953, when God really used him in London. took up what we call operation mobilization. He took big ships, boats, whole vessels, ocean liners, trusted God for them, put printing presses on them, took youth from different countries of the world over the years, one nation after the other. They printed as they were going, millions of tracks in the language. And when they got there, those youth would go on to the lands and just, from the time they arrived, having open airs from the ship and going through. Well, he came to Cape Town with the ships, the old Jew loss and the Well, he had different ships. He came along. And the one meeting was just for young students, theological students or preachers, missionaries, full-time preachers in Southern Africa. No, that ship was full. Auditorium about this size on the ship. Full to hear this man. All people in full-time ministry. And he shook us, you know. He spoke to us like we were children. And some of the great theologians of South Africa were sitting there. There was a great major, Alice Smith, Captain G.S. Dobby, men whose names were disrevered. Well, he spoke to us like we're children. I'll never forget a young student as I listened to this man. And I looked around and these great theologians were gripped like a child is gripped when you speak to them. Oh, it was wonderful. You know what he told us about this thing of if you fail, the Christian sins? I'll never forget, I was a young Christian right there in theological seminary and I sat there listening and I never forgot what he said. He said, listen, concerning failure and God's compassion and what God has said concerning failure, he said, one day you look out of the window and you see this dark cloud building up and you hear rumbling and then lightning and you think, oh, there's about to break a terrible storm and as you see the rain starting, you see a man walking past your house He hasn't got a raincoat on. He hasn't got an umbrella. And he's looking up. He didn't expect to be in the storm. When he left home, he didn't know he was going to face a storm like this. Otherwise, he would have come prepared with a raincoat. He's taken by surprise being in this storm. Well, he panics. The rain just comes down like buckets. And he's like, oh, this poor man. So he starts running. What happens? He slips right on his face, you know, in the mud. He's really in trouble in this storm. He's fallen. So you run out. You've got an umbrella. Oh, sir, you've fallen. Come, let me help you up, sir. Please come, let me help. I'm so sorry you fell. You know what the man says while you're trying to help him up? No, I'm not getting up. I've fallen. No good trying again. I've fallen. I'm going to get up, you can't just lie there. I'm not getting up, I'm not going to go on, I've fallen. But this is mad. This is madness. I mean, you're shocked. I mean, this is, how can a man reason like that? Do you know how many Christians are doing that? Exactly the same words. Oh, they're going, they're walking with God and suddenly they fall, the devil gets them down and what's he got? He spits on them as they're in the mud and he keeps them down there. I've fallen. I'm not going to go on. It didn't work at all. That's it. The promises from this book that led you to Jesus Christ, the origin of deliverance as he did. Now you take your eyes off this book that gives you more promises. If you fall, Once you say, don't give up, child. Get up! For God's sake. Because He says get up. I'm not giving you up. I'm not giving you up, child. How can you give up, if I say get up, if you fall? Why don't you put faith in my promises further? Not just faith with salvation, but now before the same God promised that once you're saved, if some other devil gets you to really fail you. Get up! Confess! We confess our sins. He's faithful and just to forgive us our sins, to cleanse us. You know, Jenny and I, we have three boys. Remember your first child? My first born is not here tonight, but our Remember each one. There's little Samuel. Oh, I can't even see my own children. Isn't it terrible? Anyway, and there's Roy, but then there was... No, he was the firstborn. Now, when he was born, you cannot believe the joy I had and Jenny had. He couldn't crawl, by the way, let alone walk. I didn't expect him to walk. That would be a bit much to ask. But he couldn't crawl, but he was my child. He was mine. He was born. It was a birth that came from my wife and I. God did this miracle. He was my child. He was alive. He was living. He had been born into my home. Oh, I made sure that we couldn't crawl, diddle and walk. Nothing would hurt this. I carried him. Well, the only thing he knew, he didn't have to know a great vocabulary to know this. He didn't have to go to university to know this. He didn't need to talk and get language abilities to know that he knew when he wanted milk. He didn't say, milk, please. He just said, milk! And everybody knew, it's milk. Midnight. Well, if he didn't want milk, there would be troubles. But the one thing he knew he needed was milk. And he knew he'd get it when he said, milk time. Well, his newborn babe. God says, desire the sincere milk of the Word, that ye may grow thereby. You don't know what to do, but the one thing God puts in you, if you really are His child, is a desire. You cannot, people say, how do I know if I'm saved? I say, can you get through a day without the Word of God? That you're not desperate, and I doubt that you're saved. Oh, if you're saved and you're born again now, You become God's child. This is where you grow. You grow by one thing as a child of God. One thing God gives as newborn babes. My children who are born of God now. Born again. Not a child of your mother and father anymore. Now you become my child. You've been born again by grace through faith in the blood of Christ. Now, child, just as I... Oh, and we grow. We grow. Faith comes by the Word of God. Sanctify themselves. by thy truth, thy word is truth, this is what transforms us, this is what changes us, this is what God uses and we grow. You remember when you're five, when your child starts to stand, now you're getting excited, he's getting strong, the milk was enough, now he knows something. My little Noel, our firstborn, he stood there, you know, now he's standing, He never let go, he always stood, but he was so proud of himself. I'm standing, you know, shaking a bit, but anyway, he's standing and you're looking and you're more excited than him, I suppose. He's standing. He's about to walk. Now, you woo him on, you know, he doesn't have a great vocabulary, but he knows something about your eyes and something about what you're doing, that you want him to walk. So because of you, he does something he's never done before in his life, in faith in what you're calling him to do and wanting in your eyes. He dares, he dares because of you saying, walk, trust me. He lets go, and he takes a step, and there was no looking at me, believing me it's going to work. Another step, another step, and you, boom, he fell. Well, you're not going to the end of the world for a moment, but anyway, I didn't look at him and say, what? He fell! What sort of a child is this, you know? I don't want this child. I'm wiping my hands with him. He fell. What father would do that? Do you think God is any less than you? Oh, it doesn't matter. Come on, doesn't matter. Come. You're going to walk. I'm not going to stop until you walk. Come. Trust me. Come. Until you walk, I won't stop. Have faith now, trust me, you're going to walk. I'm going to teach you. Paul or not, do you honestly think that the Heavenly Father is less compassionate and patient than you? And He is your Father, you know. Do you honestly think you're a better Father than Him? With more mercy? He knows when to chase Him later on. He knows when to encourage. He knows when to give what you ask, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things. It's just a Father. He's got a Father heart, and you are the one He relates to. That's why your children can relate to God by what you were before they came to Christ, because He's a Father. Oh, God isn't going to give you up. You fall, get up now, come. I'm not giving you up. There's love in spite of failure. You tried to walk because I called you to walk. You fell, yes, but you tried and I love you for that. Millions don't, they want their sin. Do you honestly think that someone of the millions because only few of the billions do try for me, out of love for me? Do you honestly think that if you fail I'll throw you aside? How can you fear me like that, child? Is this whole book's cry. Romans 8 Romans 8 verse 31 What shall we then say to these things? What shall we then say to these things? That God before us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. 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 him to session for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword, as it is written, for thy sake we are killed all the day long. We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. I am persuaded. Do you know what that means, literally, the Greek? I have no shadow of a doubt. That means I won't allow even the smallest thought to come into my mind. If God knows I'm trying, even if a failure comes to affect, I try. I'm persuaded. I have no shadow of a doubt. Nothing shall separate me from the love of God. Nothing. Not any other creature. shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. We have known and believed the love that God hath to us. Isn't that lovely? Have you got this belief, this trust? I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day. Could you honestly say that from your heart? to the glory of God, I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day, the day of judgment. Are you persuaded? I am persuaded that neither death nor life nor all we have known, and believe the love that God hath to us. God is love, God is love, God is love, and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment. There is no condemnation to them which in Christ Jesus. We know with puss and death and delight Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment. Because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love, the love God wants you to have in Him. The love God demands and agonizes and is staggered that you don't on Him. Trust, faith. There is no fear in love, this love that God wants. Perfect love casteth out fear. Because fear has torment. He that feareth, he that feareth, he that feareth is not made perfect in love. God can't do for you what he would have been able to until you have a perfect love that casts out all fear. That doesn't make you a Calvinist. That just happens to make you believe. Don't brand yourself when you put faith in God and stop fearing. Don't be fearful of being branded. Just make sure nobody brands you like I'm being sure no one dares brand me to be something because I believe God more than any Calvinist. Trust me that I've done it. But I'm still not a Calvinist. God. will never be able to make you what he wants to until you stop fearing, and you place in him a perfect trust that casts out all fear. Because he that fears is not made perfect in love, God says. Oh, embrace the full work of Calvary by faith, to deal not only with the payment of sins but the power of sin. To all of you who live in defeat, though you name the name of Jesus, I ask you this question here tonight. What shall we say then? Shall we continue further than tonight in sin, that grace may abound? Or how shall we that are dead to sin? If only you could be, by faith, reckon yourself dead, accept the fact by a perfect love that cast out all fear, that the full work of the cross will have its effect on you. And here is the baptism into death. How shall we that are dead to sin then be longer therein? Reckon yourself dead indeed unto sin. Yield yourselves to God as those that are alive from the dead. There's this moment of absolute surrender, this moment of placing yourself on the altar, this moment as I beseech you, brethren, by the mercies of God to present your bodies as something of a dedication by faith for God to deliver you and deal That sin will no longer reign in your mortal body and have dominion over you. If you do not yield your members any longer as servants, or resist the devil, when will you resist the devil in such a way that he will flee from you because of your faith? And yield yourselves so to God and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. When will you obey that form of doctrine from the heart that is delivered to you in being come made free from a life of dominion? of sin dominion over you, having dominion over you. I speak after the manner of men, because of the infirmity of your flesh, you as if you yielded your members, servants to uncleanness and to iniquity. Now, oh, that's one thing, now yield yourselves to God. There's a moment, you know, when you renew your mind, you change your mind, and you turn and say, God, I believe. And no matter what happens, I believe thou wilt never ever leave me nor forsake me, because thou hast promised me that.