How to Overcome Lust and Protect Your Mind

Notes: How to Overcome Lust and Protect Your Mind
Greg Laurie
Thursday, July 19, 2018
Series: Salt and Light
Matthew 5
Music: Harvest Worship Band

https://www.harvest.org/watch-and-listen/webcast/watch/how-to-overcome-lust-and-protect-your-mind

We are all tempted.

Sin doesn’t always show itself as sin. It shows itself as an opportunity.

The devil will make a sin look as the best experience you will ever have.

The devil tries to tempt us, it is not a sin to be tempted.

If your under spiritual attack, that could indicate that you are on the right track. Where there is no desire, there is no temptation.

We play a role in temptation.

James 1:14-15 NLT
[14] Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. [15] These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.

5 Steps of Temptation:

We are all tempted.

1. The temptation itself

1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT
[13] The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.

It’s not the bait that constitutes temptation, it’s the bite.

2. You are under it’s desire and enjoying the experience.


3. You are almost hooked.

4. You are in sin.

Sin can be fun, other times there isn’t.

5. Then the ramifications come.

You are separating yourself from God.

You have to restore yourself with God.

1 John 1:9 NLT
[9] But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.

2 Corinthians 11:3 NLT
[3] But I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the cunning ways of the serpent.

2 Corinthians 10:4 NLT
[4] We use God's mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments.

What did Jesus say:
Matthew 5:27-28 NLT
[27] "You have heard the commandment that says, 'You must not commit adultery.' [28] But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

You have to keep your guard up at all times.

David experienced this with Bathsheba. David just kept doing more bad things. It all started with a thought.

Your sin will find you out. It all starts in your mind.

Take practical steps. If you are watching a movie and something comes on that you shouldn’t be watching, then turn it off or walk out of the room.

This includes conversations with the opposite sex, or even texting.

T.H.I.N.K. before you speak: Is it true, helpful, inspiring, necessary, kind

Matthew 5:29 NLT
[29] So if your eye-even your good eye-causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.

Jesus is not speaking literally. Even if you gauged out your right eye, you could still sin with your left eye.

He is saying, anything that morally or spiritually traps us or causes us to sin or stay in sin, it should be eliminated quickly and totally.

Do whatever it takes to eliminate the temptation and sin from your life.

The best defense we have is the word of God.

Psalm 119:11-12 NLT
[11] I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. [12] I praise you, O LORD; teach me your decrees.

Psalm 119:111-112 NLT
[111] Your laws are my treasure; they are my heart's delight. [112] I am determined to keep your decrees to the very end.

Memorize verses.

1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT
[13] The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.

Whenever you are tempted, there is always a way out.

“The expulsive power of a new affection.”

The new affection is Jesus Christ.

God, the Future and You!

Notes: God, the Future and You!
Greg Laurie
Series: End of Days
Sunday, July 8, 2018
Daniel 7, 2018

https://www.harvest.org/watch-and-listen/webcast/watch/god-the-future-and-you

We all forget things.

God never forgets anything.

We live in the moment. God lives in all times at all times.

Daniel 7 takes us back to King Belshazzar. We are in the prophetic section of the book of Daniel now.

The book of Daniel parallels the book of Revelation. If you want to understand these books, read them together.

We need to understand these books in this world today.

Revelation 1:3 NLT
[3] God blesses the one who reads the words of this prophecy to the church, and he blesses all who listen to its message and obey what it says, for the time is near.

What is true of revelation is true of studying Bible prophecy is general.

1. It helps you to remember God is in control of all events in the world today.

2. It gives you a heavenly perspective.

Daniel saw the future. Daniel saw the Lord. Daniel saw himself.

1st. He saw the future.

Daniel 7:1-4 NLT
[1] Earlier, during the first year of King Belshazzar's reign in Babylon, Daniel had a dream and saw visions as he lay in his bed. He wrote down the dream, and this is what he saw. [2] In my vision that night, I, Daniel, saw a great storm churning the surface of a great sea, with strong winds blowing from every direction. [3] Then four huge beasts came up out of the water, each different from the others. [4] The first beast was like a lion with eagles' wings. As I watched, its wings were pulled off, and it was left standing with its two hind feet on the ground, like a human being. And it was given a human mind.

The sea is symbolically describing humanity. The animals represent nations.

We may see powerful nations with great armies,  God may just see us as wild animals attacking one another.

1. The winged lion or head of gold: represents Babylon. 

636 to 539 b.c. Is when Babylon ruled the world.

2. The Bear is the Medes and Persians. They defeated Babylon.

Daniel 7:5 NLT
[5] Then I saw a second beast, and it looked like a bear. It was rearing up on one side, and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. And I heard a voice saying to it, "Get up! Devour the flesh of many people!"

They were like ferocious bears.

3. The leopard with four wings would be the Greeks. They defeated the Medes and Persians.

Daniel 7:6 NLT
[6] Then the third of these strange beasts appeared, and it looked like a leopard. It had four bird's wings on its back, and it had four heads. Great authority was given to this beast.

4. The powerful beast is the mighty power of Rome. They defeated Greece.

Daniel 7:7 NLT
[7] Then in my vision that night, I saw a fourth beast-terrifying, dreadful, and very strong. It devoured and crushed its victims with huge iron teeth and trampled their remains beneath its feet. It was different from any of the other beasts, and it had ten horns.

No one ever over through Rome.

5. The final beast has 10 horns.

Daniel 7:8 NLT
[8] As I was looking at the horns, suddenly another small horn appeared among them. Three of the first horns were torn out by the roots to make room for it. This little horn had eyes like human eyes and a mouth that was boasting arrogantly.

2nd. Daniel saw God.

Daniel 7:9-10 NLT
[9] I watched as thrones were put in place and the Ancient One sat down to judge. His clothing was as white as snow, his hair like purest wool. He sat on a fiery throne with wheels of blazing fire, [10] and a river of fire was pouring out, flowing from his presence. Millions of angels ministered to him; many millions stood to attend him. Then the court began its session, and the books were opened.

Ancient of Days is a name for God to describe His eternal nature.

Church will seem to miss the message from God. In the past they didn’t effectively describe God’s love, now many seem to only speak of God’s love.

We should be living a lifestyle of worship.

Romans 12:1-2 NLT
[1] And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice-the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. [2] Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Giving your life and body to God is a spiritual type of worship.

Worship is not letting culture influence you, it is you influencing culture.

Worship is not being conformed but to be transformed.

Learning the Word of God is worship.

Amos 5:23-24 NLT
[23] Away with your noisy hymns of praise! I will not listen to the music of your harps. [24] Instead, I want to see a mighty flood of justice, an endless river of righteous living.

We serve a holy God.

Jesus appears in the Old Testament 

Daniel 7:13-14 NLT
[13] As my vision continued that night, I saw someone like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient One and was led into his presence. [14] He was given authority, honor, and sovereignty over all the nations of the world, so that people of every race and nation and language would obey him. His rule is eternal-it will never end. His kingdom will never be destroyed.

Jesus referred to Himself as the Son of Man on several occasions.

3rd. Daniel saw himself.

Daniel 7:15-18 NLT
[15] I, Daniel, was troubled by all I had seen, and my visions terrified me. [16] So I approached one of those standing beside the throne and asked him what it all meant. He explained it to me like this: [17] "These four huge beasts represent four kingdoms that will arise from the earth. [18] But in the end, the holy people of the Most High will be given the kingdom, and they will rule forever and ever."

God will preserve and save His people. 

We win in the end!

1. God keeps records in His book of every faithful deed done by His people.

Malachi 3:16 NLT
[16] Then those who feared the LORD spoke with each other, and the LORD listened to what they said. In his presence, a scroll of remembrance was written to record the names of those who feared him and always thought about the honor of his name.

We will be rewarded for every act of service, too!

Galatians 6:9-10 NLT
[9] So let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up. [10] Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone-especially to those in the family of faith.

2. God has a book that records your sorrows.

Psalm 56:8 NLT
[8] You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.

Sometimes people don’t want to acknowledge your pain. The Lord sees is all and one day He will restore all you have lost.

3. The most important of all these books is the Book of Life.

Once your name is written there, it will always stay.

Revelation 3:5 NLT
[5] All who are victorious will be clothed in white. I will never erase their names from the Book of Life, but I will announce before my Father and his angels that they are mine.

Is your name written in the Book of Life?

Angels in the Life of the Believer

Notes: Angels in the Life of the Believer
Greg Laurie
End of Days
Sunday, July 1, 2018
Daniel 6

https://www.harvest.org/watch-and-listen/webcast/watch/angels-in-the-life-of-the-believer

In Daniels time, a law was passed that said he could not pray.

1. Daniel was a man of prayer.

Daniel 6:10 NLT
[10] But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God.

Daniel had a habit of prayer. When anxiety came he would pray.

2. Daniel had an attitude of gratitude.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 NLT
[18] Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

We give thanks, not for adversity, but that God is in control.

Daniel 6:16-22 NLT
[16] So at last the king gave orders for Daniel to be arrested and thrown into the den of lions. The king said to him, "May your God, whom you serve so faithfully, rescue you." [17] A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den. The king sealed the stone with his own royal seal and the seals of his nobles, so that no one could rescue Daniel. [18] Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night fasting. He refused his usual entertainment and couldn't sleep at all that night. [19] Very early the next morning, the king got up and hurried out to the lions' den. [20] When he got there, he called out in anguish, "Daniel, servant of the living God! Was your God, whom you serve so faithfully, able to rescue you from the lions?" [21] Daniel answered, "Long live the king! [22] My God sent his angel to shut the lions' mouths so that they would not hurt me, for I have been found innocent in his sight. And I have not wronged you, Your Majesty."

3. Daniel chose to trust God no matter the circumstance.

Better to be in a lions den with God, then anywhere else without Him.

Daniel 6:22 NLT
[22] My God sent his angel to shut the lions' mouths so that they would not hurt me, for I have been found innocent in his sight. And I have not wronged you, Your Majesty."

The lions saw and had reverence for the angels.

Sometimes animals have more sense then people.

Numbers 22:28-34 NLT
[28] Then the LORD gave the donkey the ability to speak. "What have I done to you that deserves your beating me three times?" it asked Balaam. [29] "You have made me look like a fool!" Balaam shouted. "If I had a sword with me, I would kill you!" [30] "But I am the same donkey you have ridden all your life," the donkey answered. "Have I ever done anything like this before?" "No," Balaam admitted. [31] Then the LORD opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the roadway with a drawn sword in his hand. Balaam bowed his head and fell face down on the ground before him. [32] "Why did you beat your donkey those three times?" the angel of the LORD demanded. "Look, I have come to block your way because you are stubbornly resisting me. [33] Three times the donkey saw me and shied away; otherwise, I would certainly have killed you by now and spared the donkey." [34] Then Balaam confessed to the angel of the LORD, "I have sinned. I didn't realize you were standing in the road to block my way. I will return home if you are against my going."

Psalm 34:7 NLT
[7] For the angel of the LORD is a guard; he surrounds and defends all who fear him.

Acts 12:6-9 NLT
[6] The night before Peter was to be placed on trial, he was asleep, fastened with two chains between two soldiers. Others stood guard at the prison gate. [7] Suddenly, there was a bright light in the cell, and an angel of the Lord stood before Peter. The angel struck him on the side to awaken him and said, "Quick! Get up!" And the chains fell off his wrists. [8] Then the angel told him, "Get dressed and put on your sandals." And he did. "Now put on your coat and follow me," the angel ordered. [9] So Peter left the cell, following the angel. But all the time he thought it was a vision. He didn't realize it was actually happening.

Sometimes angels could be helping us. Angels are mentioned in the Bible over 300 times.

Hebrews 1:14 NLT
[14] Therefore, angels are only servants-spirits sent to care for people who will inherit salvation.

Hebrews 13:2 NLT
[2] Don't forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!

Angels always appear as men.

Children may have guardian angels.

Matthew 18:10-11 NLT
[10-11] "Beware that you don't look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels are always in the presence of my heavenly Father.

Psalm 91:1-3 NLT
[1] Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. [2] This I declare about the LORD: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him. [3] For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease.

You are indestructible until God is done with you.

1 Peter 5:8 NLT
[8] Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.

The only thing that can protect you from the devil is Jesus Christ.

Demons and the devil are fallen angels.

Angels rejoice every time a believer comes to Christ.