Breastplate of Righteousness

let's say it together with faith. Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Amen. Sometimes the best time to remind yourself that verse is when you least feel like it. Sometimes the best time to say that verse is after you feel like you failed. And you got to remind yourself, no, I can still lead a life worthy of my calling because I'm still called by God. Well, we're in a series titled Spiritual Warfare. And this is week two, and it's based out of Ephesians chapter six, starting at verse 10. And so if you have a Bible, go there. Google it. Turn it on. I want to welcome everybody on our online campus, wherever you're watching from, wherever you're joining us from. I want to welcome everybody on our gated community campus. That's the people in prison. We partner with the organization called God Behind Bars, and it makes sure that we're able to give them the gospel. Even if you're in prison, you're free through Christ Jesus to make sure that you always remind yourself that even if you're a prisoner for whatever, now you're a prisoner for serving the Lord, and you're going to lead a life worthy of your calling because you're still called by God. No matter what community you're in or coming out of, you're still called by God. And we love you, and we're with you. And so welcome everybody else from Charlotte, North Carolina. Come on. Sharon Caves. Good morning, everyone. So Ephesians chapter 6, verse 10. This is what it says. A final word. Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on all of God's armor. Somebody say all. Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh and blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in the dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. We're partnering with our angels. Therefore, put on every piece of God's armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle. Somebody say after the battle. I know it feels like you've been fighting for a long time, but there's an after coming. And that's why he says, then after the battle, you will still be standing firm. That's what we're going for. We're trying to make sure that we're still standing after the battle. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God's righteousness. We're going to talk about that today. Holy Spirit, speak. Your servants are listening. Amen. You can be seated. I want to give you a disclaimer before we go in today. I am not just overly caffeinated and sleep deprived, but also I'm hyped up because yesterday I went and saw the Odyssey.

I saw it with some of my bros, and I'm him. I'm like, I'm ready. I think anybody can relate to a war movie or a soldier because you could be four foot nothing, but there's something in your life that like, I'll fight for that. You got to have that dog in you. It's in there. And as I was watching the movie, it made me think about, because I just love when scripture and culture just collide. And I'm like, man, God, you love me so much. You released the Odyssey in the middle of spiritual warfare. Lord is my shepherd. You know what I want. But I did want to ask you a question because your life, even though it may feel like a movie, it's very real. This is not a drill. And I want to ask you, what in your life is worth fighting for? Better question. What in your life is worth dying for? You see, you might fight for a career or for a role or for a house, but I pray you wouldn't die for it. I pray that there is something that resonates with eternity that has captivated your heart and captivated your attention and gave you a conviction for how you love, live, and lead your life to where there is something that you recognize this is worth fighting and dying for. Because here's the reality of the situation. The devil often sees your potential and purpose clearer than you do. And if you do not view your life and your legacy as something worth fighting and dying for, then you will unintentionally lose the battle that you didn't know you were in, and you will waste the life that Jesus died for you to have. This is what Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King said. He said, if a man hasn't discovered something that he will die for, then he isn't fit to live. And I love that Dr. King didn't just quote it, he lived it out. And I want to know, is the Bible, is the Word of God, is it something that is worth not just quoting occasionally, but living out consistently for you? Why? Because I hope whether you realize this or not, Jesus thought you were worth dying for. Matter of fact, in Hebrews chapter 12, it says, so for the joy set before him, he endured the cross, despising his shame, and is seated on the right hand of the throne of God. Well, what do you mean the joy set before him? You. You were the joy. He saw so much value, he saw so much purpose, he saw so much worth in your life that he said, you're worthy of dying for. And if you're worthy of dying for, then he must be worthy of living for. And so when Paul tells us to stand our ground and to put on the, you know, I asked for a Spartan

soldier, and this is what they gave me, but anyway. He said, put on the belt of truth. And then he said, put on the breastplate of righteousness. And, and he, and he says this in Ephesians 6 14, and, and it's really synonymous. He says this almost as just one flowing sentence, meaning that they coincide. You, you really can't have one without the other. And as he's saying this, he's not just visualizing something, he's seeing it. He's seeing a Roman soldier, because he literally is in a gated community, and he sees what the soldier is wearing, and the soldier is wearing a breastplate. And depending on what, what level of authority and influence that soldier had, it could have been a standard one like this. It could have been like the one I would have had, like the six-pack already built in. But, but he would have understood that the breastplate was not an aesthetic. It was necessary for survival, because it protected the most vulnerable part of the soldier's body. Not, you know, you get an arrow in the leg, you can keep walking. You get an arm hit, you can, you can use another one. But if your heart is pierced. And so the breastplate was designed to protect and guard the thing that was most vital to your existence. And it, and it didn't start with armor. Solomon, Solomon knew this. The wisest man who ever lived. He wrote this in Proverbs chapter 4. He said, guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. Now in Hebrew, when they said heart, they weren't just talking about the, the muscle, the organ. They weren't, they weren't just talking about your emotions. They understood that the heart encompassed your will, your motives, and your moral, your moral compass for decision-making. So it was both identity and integrity. And, and Solomon, the wisest man, is talking to his son. He says, hey, I'm gonna put you on game. You better guard your heart above all else. Hey, anybody ever heard the quote, follow your heart? Anybody ever lived that? And your heart got broke? By little Ashley or Jerome? And you blame them for breaking it, instead of blaming yourself for giving it. And, and, and I get it, because following our heart feels good. That's why the psalmist says, my mind's telling me no, but my body, but my body. That almost sounds spiritual, huh? And Solomon understands that you can follow

your heart straight to hell. And even if you don't end up there spiritually, you will live through it physically, emotionally, and mentally. Because the heart was not meant to be followed. It was meant to be guarded. It was meant to be led. And what Paul is instructing the church of Ephesus is that you need the belt of truth. If you were here last week, we spent an hour talking about truth. And I'll give you some of the highlights. Essentially, we understand a couple things when it comes to truth. Truth is an objective standard by which reality is measured. And, and we identified the fact that oftentimes we, we lower the standard of truth to fit our version of reality. Because no one wants to be the villain of their own story. And so once I recognize that there is a standard of truth that I don't measure up to, I'll then either change my interpretation of truth to fit my current or preferred reality, or I'll change my current reality to match the standard of truth. And so since truth is an objective standard through which we measure reality, the Bible says that Jesus Christ is the truth. The Bible says that the Word of God is the truth. Like that's that's the standard. And then we we recognized last week that that feelings are not facts. Well this is how I feel. Well that's tough because that's just not who you are. Remember that song? You make me feel like a natural. No, God says you're a woman or not. There is no ... That's the fact. But not only that, facts are not always full of truths. I saw a clip that made so much sense. They said, yeah we know the facts but they don't know the story, so let's just change the story and it won't matter what the facts are. And unfortunately that's what we do in our culture and our society is that if we don't like the facts, we'll just change the laws. We'll change the interpretations. We'll change the definitions. We'll just change the facts but here's the truth. Truth is not subjective or relative. It is already in all ways. That's truth. Truth is not relative. It is not subjective. It is already in all ways. Meaning once your feelings change, the truth doesn't. Once the facts change, the truth doesn't. Truth is eternal. So when it comes to righteousness, because that's what Paul

tells us to put on the belt of truth and the breastplate of righteousness, we have to be clear that we define righteousness with truth. And this is the true definition of righteousness. Describing a person or action that is virtuous and morally right. Now this is cool. This is just Google. Like this is just a standard definition. So do you see how off top, regardless of your religious beliefs, if there is no standard of truth then there's no standard of righteousness morality. Because if truth is relative to my experience, or my feelings, or my preference, then that means that morally I'm always in the right. Because I can always change the standard. I can always change how I describe morals. So this is the beauty of the Word of God. Is instead of us living in this hamster wheel of always changing, and always conforming, and always adapting, God's like, no, no. I'll set the standard. And I said this last week. I'll say it again because I love it. If you guys got kids to play sports, okay, okay. Let's imagine they play basketball, right? If you have your 15 year old in high school basketball playing on a Fisher-Price rim, and they're the best on the Fisher-Price rim, and you're hyping up. You're so good, little Andre. You're so, you're a bucket. No, you're an idiot. That's a lowered standard. That's not the real, put them on 10 feet. But that's what we do with our life, is we want to live on a, we lower the rim so we can feel good, and we can look good, and we don't recognize that the standard is 10 feet. If you can't score here, you ain't scoring. And that's what truth does. It makes sure that we're all aiming for the same standard. And here's why it protects us. Because then you can't tell me that I'm not good enough, because I don't have to perform to your standards. I just have to make it to His. And I'm not comparing my righteousness to you. I'm comparing it to the standard. So, righteousness, according to Scripture, involves right relation, living in a right relationship with God and your fellow human beings. Why does that matter? Because, again, it's not self-righteousness. It's the righteousness of Christ that is placed on us, which makes sure that if you're actually righteous, it's not just that you love God. It's that you love who God loves,

which is people. So you're not righteous because you can speak in tongues if you gossip in English. And you're not righteous if you make everybody feel loved, but you make God feel dishonored. So, He sets the standard. So it's not just avoiding sin. It's, it's active justice, active mercy, active faithfulness. And the beauty of this is that we don't have to create it. Christ, we don't manufacture it. Christ places it on us. And, and so here's what I want you to know. The standard of righteousness that Christ has given us must become standard of righteousness that we live out. Why do you say that? Well in 2nd Timothy chapter 4 verse 3 it says this. For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine and accurate instruction. Everybody say accurate. They won't tolerate sound doctrine and accurate instruction that challenges them with God's truth, but wanting to have their ears tickled with something pleasing, they will accumulate for themselves many teachers, one after another, chosen to satisfy their own desires and to support the errors they hold. And you read that, you're like, they got YouTube? Timothy on TikTok? How do we know? Because this is not a new issue. This is something that has been going on since the beginning of humanity. Like we are always trying to reshape the narrative to fit our preferences. My wife and I, we were talking on our podcast recently, we were saying like too many Christians don't actually want pastors, they just want preachers. They just want someone that will co-sign on what they already believe, feel, and want to do. And the moment that person doesn't do it, they'll just, you know, I just, I wasn't getting fed there. Yeah you were. You didn't want to eat. You didn't want to eat what was being served. You thought this was a buffet. This ain't a buffet. It's a steakhouse. Take it or leave it. And then, because again, we're not unique. This has been happening since the beginning. We just have amplified our resources to fit our a la carte version of Christianity. So now you can go on TikTok and find anybody to support your sinful views. You can find, you can find any united free something church that's accepting of everyone. Let me tell you something. The church was never designed to be inclusive. It was always designed to be exclusive. What do you mean by that? It is a church for anyone, but not everyone. Why? Because anyone that comes has to make a decision to die to who they were and be resurrected who God's called them to be. So the bar is non-negotiable. But the beauty is that all, none of us need it. So we all have to be willing. This is the problem

when people say, no Jesus meets me where I am. No he doesn't. He rescues you from where you are to bring you to where he's called you and created you to be. And the danger of finding a Jesus that meets you where you are is that it is stops looking like Jesus and starts just looking like us. And that's why I'm actually concerned if every sermon I preach you're like, that's so good, amen, amen, amen. That means either I'm failing or you're misinterpreting. There's a disconnect because there should also be every week where it's like, oh man, not amen. It should never be, oh I wish my baby daddy was here. He needs this. Oh man, I wish Ashley was here. She needs this. No, the Bible was not written to fix the people that irritate you. The Bible was written to transform your life. Not so people could end up more like you, but so that you could end up more like Jesus. But when we do what people have always done and we start to treat Jesus like an option or like an associate or like a homeboy, we will pick and choose. True story, I was with two women at a bar a couple weeks ago. Let me give you context, okay. I was sermon prepping at a restaurant. My laptop was dying and the only plugs were at the bar. So I had to, for your sake, because I love you, I had to take myself to the center of happy hour so that I could download what God was telling me and communicate it for you. I was suffering for the Lord, okay. So anyway, I'm working and these two ladies next to me were in conversation for whatever and I got my headphones on. I'm locked in and eventually they're like, what are you working on? I was like, I'm working on a sermon. She's like, are you a pastor? I was like, yeah. They're like, you look too young to be a pastor. I was like, thank you. I'm trying to make sure I Benjamin button this thing because they're trying to break me and I refuse to let them break me. But anyway, I was like, thank you. They're like, well, what are you preaching on? I was like, oh, I'm actually preaching about how the Bible is the ultimate standard and authority for truth. And this woman was like, oh, okay. And then her friend was like, I don't agree. I was like, oh, where'd you come from? And she says, you know, I love Jesus. I think Jesus is great and all those things. And the other friend was like, yeah, I grew up Mormon and I got out of that cult and I was like, well, praise God, you know, and then. Sorry, but not. And so she goes, the first one was like, yeah, yeah, I like Jesus too,

but I feel like sometimes I go to like, I visit like a non-denominational church and they just, they just do too much with like the worship stuff. Like every song for so, it's like 30 minutes, it just sings. I don't think Jesus would need once all that. I don't, I think that's doing too much. And I was like, I'm so glad you said that. Half my church feels the same way. That's why they show up 30 minutes late. Cause they're like, I just need a word. I don't need, at least you have the balls to say it. And so do you want to know the story or not? I'm trying to be honest about what happened. Judgmental. So anyway, I go, well, what, what's your favorite band? She was like Aerosmith. I was like, okay, where do you live? Vegas, Sin City. Okay. Says, I sit, no, I'm just kidding. I was like, well, let's say Aerosmith is doing a reunion tour. Their last forever in California. Would you go? Absolutely. You buy tickets? Absolutely. You catch a flight?

Absolutely. You'd be singing every word to all of them? Yes, absolutely. I was like, then you're just worshiping people too. The difference is they don't know your name. Jesus knows mine. And on top of that, Jesus said that if you don't worship me, the rocks will cry out and do it. So I actually think he's into being honored for who he is and not being treated like he's common or like he's Aerosmith instead of being the creator of the universe who alone is worthy of all worship and honor and glory and praise. So that's why we go so long with worship because he's the only one that's actually worthy. But then the other friend was like, yeah, I like Jesus too, but I just don't think the Bible is the ultimate source of authority. So then I was like, oh, I'm so interested in that. How do you understand who Jesus is? Because the Bible has the most detailed, documented, and multifaceted descriptions of Jesus from multiple people all in one place. Matter of fact, even atheist historians use the Bible for a reference point when it comes to describing the person and activities and words of Jesus.

So if the Bible isn't your source for understanding who Jesus is, then who is your source? Well, and then she changed the subject a little bit, but here's what I think is interesting is she articulated that I feel like I'm a good person as long as I do good things, like I can follow the example of Jesus, then I'm a good person. She was describing her standard of righteousness. Here's the problem with that standard is that Jesus did not even use himself as a standard consistently. He used the scripture as a standard. He said, if you've seen me, you've seen the father. I only do what the father. So Jesus would reference people like Isaiah. And this is what the Bible says in Isaiah. This is what Jesus would have said. Isaiah 64, six says, "'We are all infected and impure with sin. "'When we display our righteous deeds, "'they are nothing but filthy rags. "'Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall, "'and our sins sweep us away like the wind.'" Now, I'm gonna assume you maybe haven't studied the Hebrew as much as I have. So I wanna make sure you understand, when Isaiah says our righteousness is like filthy rags, he's not talking about like you were cleaning your car

and it got a little dirty, and you're like, I need a new one. No, no, no. Every person who heard him say that would have heard him like, Isaiah, you nasty. Because what Isaiah was saying is, your righteousness is like the rag a woman uses on her menstrual cycle. It's nasty. Your righteousness is nasty in the eyes of God. So when you become the standard of self-righteous, well, I'm a good person compared to a dirty, used rag? I don't think so. Not only that, because that's Old Testament. We know we got TikTok theologians like, that's Old Testament, we didn't have the New Testament. Okay, well, Titus chapter three says this, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, not because you're a good person, not because you had good motives, not because, no, no, but because of his mercy, he washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. Not your spirit, not your culture spirit, but the Holy Spirit. That's the standard. Not only that, but Philippians chapter three says this, yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus, my Lord. Everybody say Lord.

Not my homeboy, not someone I go to when I feel like it, but Lord was indicative of submission. It's understanding who's in charge. He says, knowing Christ Jesus, my Lord, for his sake, I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law. Rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ, for God's way of making us right with himself depends on faith. So, I want you to understand, like, it's very easy to constantly pick and choose what version of Jesus you want, or what version of the Bible you want to believe, but you end up with this incomplete description and standard of what truth and righteousness actually is. And I'll be honest, I used to, when I would see people post crazy things, I'd be like, y'all are, I don't think the elevator's going all the way up. I just don't, I don't see it. I don't see it. And it wasn't until I myself experienced the reality of believing a lie that you thought was true, that I recognized how easy it is for the enemy to deceive us. Because I fell into this situation,

maybe you can relate, where I was in a vulnerable season of my life where all these things were happening externally, and I felt like the people I wanted or trusted or was relying on were not standing up for me or protecting me. So, if you're not gonna protect me, then I'm, if you're not gonna stand up for me, then I'll stand up for me. And then not only that, but then I felt like, well, if I don't stand up for those people, then they're just gonna leave me too. So, now I'm trying to stand up for everybody. And here's what I recognized in that season is you can stand up for someone or stand up for something and not be standing in the truth of who God says and what he says and what he wants. And the danger is, is because everyone else is hyping you up and you're like, well, I'm helping them. And you're not helping them, you're hurting them because you're building something on unsolid ground. And you're doing it because your heart is vulnerable and your heart has a need, but rather than guarding your heart, you're placating to it. Have you ever found yourself placating to what you thought your heart needed in a season? And by the end of it, you were like, what was I thinking, doing?

Because I stood up for them and they left anyway, so I might as well have just stayed seated in the first place. Bring out the props, please. I wanna show you what I mean. Here's what I want you to know. Your source of truth becomes your standard for righteousness. Write that down. Your source of truth becomes your standard for righteousness. What does that mean? It means what you believe is shaped by what voice you trust most and what source you most consume from. So when you're in a war, like me and Achilles and Odysseus have been in, you'll get thirsty. But Jesus understood that. That's why he said, I'm the living water. And Jesus sets a standard so you can understand that what is living water versus what is just water. And when you drink from the living water, it sustains you, it empowers you, it equips you to stand your ground and make it through the battle. The problem becomes though, sometimes you think you start off with the living water, but then you have a heartache or something goes wrong. Or you're just attracted to something financially,

relationally, it doesn't matter. You just see something else that you want. And even though that's the standard, someone tells you, yeah, but it really doesn't take all that. You can just, you can add this. And as long as you, you know, as long as it's still, that's your truth. This is acetone, just in case you're wondering. And they look the same from a distance. It's not until you taste them. Hey, this I have on back. Y'all was quiet, y'all just watched. Y'all just watched. They were like, how committed is he to the sermon? Like, is he really, is he really committed? He'll go to the bar, but will he drink the water? So, so I want you to see the enemy is brilliant. He's a genius, I can't lie. Because whether he was in the garden of Eden with Eve and said, did God say you can't eat from any tree? He's so good at misquoting God and making it sound like scripture. Eve was like, no, God said, I can eat. I can actually eat from any, except one. But if he gets us to fixate on the one, you can have any but that. And you're like, but that's all on one. He's all on one. She's all on.

You can have any but that. But that's the dream job. You can have any but the one that's gonna lay you off in six months anyway. So why not just? But you put all your identity, all your hopes. Well the universe is saying so you're mixing the universe with Bible which now is toxic. Well my sign says so you're missing signs with Scripture which is demonic. Well that podcast said but that's not the truth of God. You need to know the truth of God not just what some 20 nothing year old said because they got a microphone. Well that one pastor said he's not even living that out. You know it'll mess you up. You really you really want to get deep in this thing. Some of the pastors you think are bold because they're they're putting on this unrealistic standard of righteousness. They're the same pastors that are sending DMS to 20 something year old saying don't show this to nobody. I've seen it. Some of the people with the biggest platforms and like this is how you need to have your relationship. They got an open marriage and her husband's sleeping with half the choir. I've seen it. Somebody was hurt. What is my point? What is my point? What is my point? Truth and lies look similar on the surface but the result of them is what proves the difference. That's why the Bible says the wages of sin is death. Meaning the feeling of sin is in death. Sin feels good a lot of the time. That's why it's sin. It wouldn't be a deterrent if it didn't scare you away. If it didn't feel like like the devil only tempts you with things he knows you would like. And he only says things that he knows can infect your heart because he knows what you really want. And so he'll say things like well you know what the scriptures say you can turn this stone into bread and that's why you need to know but the scriptures also say man can't live on bread alone. But by every word that comes out of the mouth of God was by truth. And here's my struggle. I know in our society we're all big on like you got to be authentic and be authentic to your true self. Here's my love-hate relationship with authenticity. You can be authentically wrong and not realize it. And how clever of the enemy to make your truth which is really just your sinful nature, how clever of him to make you

feel free to express your truth not realizing you're actually a slave to your sin. Because you could be in a gated community long enough to where you get comfortable and don't even realize you're actually in prison. And then what happens is that if you read the the label on what happens when you drink things like this, it causes you, it messes with your with your vision, it messes with your reality, it messes with your senses to where you misinterpret things. So then you hear someone in a in an oversized t-shirt saying like hey there is only one standard of truth and you're like he's judgmental. So you view your friends as the enemy and the enemy as your friend. Because you've now recreated a version of Jesus that looks more like you than him. That's why Isaiah 64 8 says this, and yet O Lord you are our father. We are the clay and you are the potter. We all are formed by your hand. You know why that matters? Because we live in a society where the pottery is trying to correct the potter. Well I don't feel like this is who I am so I'm gonna just do what feels true to me. And you don't recognize that you've changed your reality. That's not even, that's you've changed the standard. You're not even accurately measuring the reality. And the enemy has been so clever to where you don't even realize that you're drinking poison and poison mixed with truth is toxic. Just because that, just because he can quote a scripture don't mean he's saved. The devil can quote scriptures. The difference is not can I quote the scripture am I submitted to the truth of it. Because just because I can quote it doesn't mean I know it. Doesn't mean I'm living it. Doesn't mean I'm surrendered to it. It just means it's in my Instagram bio. And let me tell you also the danger of this. Because it's not always in extreme things that you see. It's in the subtle things. It's the subtle lie that says if you were really a Christian you wouldn't still be struggling with this. It's the thing that tries to make you question the reality of your salvation. Makes you question the reality of your righteousness. Well if I was doing right thing. Why is everything going wrong? Because hell is coming against soldiers that stand for righteousness. You're in a war. This

ain't a drill. You believe the lie that you were going to get through this unscathed. He said after the battle. You know what you have? You know you've been through a battle? You got scars. You're trying to avoid every scar. No. Like it's it's okay if you do everything right and everything goes wrong. Don't lower the standard. Keep drinking. Like like stay faithful. Jesus was talking to some people and he said uh in John chapter 8 he says Jesus said to the people who believed in him you are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free but we are descendants of Abraham they said we have never been slaves to anyone what do you mean we will you will be set free Jesus replied I tell you the truth everyone who sins is a slave of sin a slave is not a permanent member of the family but a son is a part of the family forever so if the son sets you free you are truly free here's what's crazy about this scripture first of all Jesus is talking to people during a Jewish festival where they are having meals and and going through this long uh uh festival period where they remember their exodus from Egypt so he's like hey you'll truly be free if you stay faithful to my teaching they're like who you calling a slave we ain't ever been slaves anybody we sons of Abraham he was like the reason we're all at this dinner is because we're honoring the fact that we escaped slavery what are we talking about right now what did they do they changed the narrative of their reality it's crazy how quickly you forget where you were and then they say we've never been slaves to anyone so not only are they doing saying this at the exact time

when they're celebrating their exodus out of slavery but on top of that when they look around they see Roman soldiers reminding them that you were oppressed by Rome right now but they got so used to their gated community and their standard of self-righteousness that they disassociate it from the truth have you have you believed the lies the enemy's been telling you for so long that it feels comforting like it's truth you know depression is a lie that starts in your mind and then gets into your heart inadequacy anxiety all those things are are lies that try to shape your reality and then go from your mind into your heart the feeling of i'm just i'm done with this marriage i'm done i just can't do this anymore no you're not burnt out you've been believed in a lie for so long that now it's coming out of your mouth why because whatever you consume will consume you and and this is why we have to be on the same page that righteousness is not just something we believe truth and righteousness is someone we follow and depend on daily and it is a protection that we must choose to put on listen you don't need armor to be saved you need armor because you're saved but still standing in a war zone and and and i don't want us to understand like this is not something we ever draw out of like every season of your life the enemy will just wait and and wait out until you you you slack off i don't need that day i know i'm good no no no no he said put on the armor so that when the enemy you don't know when it's coming you don't know when and you got to ask yourself like what is forming me like what is forming my mind what is forming my heart we took our kids back to california a couple weeks ago just to be on vacation and go to our hometown and see things and and i do it for a couple reasons one

i want them to know where we came from because they be acting bougie sometimes and i also want them to you know stay connected with like their culture and like their you know their their family and their relatives and understand you know like just because you doing that stuff like hey this is where you came from but i'm intentional because i want them to be aware of their culture i want them to be aware of of their personality but i don't want to be formed by it i don't want my culture shaping my kids i want the word of god shaping my kids i want the potter to form the clay i don't want the trauma i don't want the norms i don't want politics i don't want culture i don't want their personality i don't want their preferences i don't want their sexuality none of those things can form you those those things some of those things can be with you but only christ's word can be in you and i think a lot of us have a reverse and where there's so many things that are forming us that we can't even tell what we're following anymore. And that's why we're constantly confused. And that's why we're constantly feeling inadequate. Because the enemy knows how to poke at you where you're vulnerable in your heart. And that's why, am I really, am I really, am I righteous? Am I, am I a Christian? Am I, am I, am I, am I? Did God really say? Tighten your belt and cover yourself in the righteousness of Christ. Meaning even when you fall short. We're not talking about justification. We're not talking about just righteous. Meaning you don't have to be perfect. You put on the one who is. And when you really understand the grace that is given to you through the blood and the body of Jesus, you'll understand grace is not a license to sin. It's actually, it's actually a license to walk in holiness and righteousness. Because it takes the pressure off of me and allows me to just put who he is onto me. But I have to make that decision every single day. Here's what I want you to take away from this. Write this down. God's word is the only reliable source and standard of truth and righteousness and seasons of success, failure, and unpredictability. Don't allow success to become a stronghold of sin. What do I mean by that? Sometimes we think

because things are going right, that we're right. No. The devil can give, uh, tumu, uh, timu blessings too. He can, he can leave you so comfortable that you don't recognize that you actually need Christ because you believe the lie that I'm good now. No, you're not good. You're right where he wants you to be, apart from the will of God. But also don't let failure shape your perspective. You haven't failed as a parent just because your kids are walling out right now. Read the prodigal son. Sometimes you got to stay faithful as a father. Sometimes you got to stay faithful as a father. Like, hey, go. And you should stay at the door praying, fasting, worshiping. You stay ready for them to come home. You keep believing that they're coming home, but you got to build a foundation for them to come back home to. But if you are, if you're, if you're a freaking, uh, uh, a trailer park Christian, where wherever they want to go, that's where we'll go. And we'll just move according to whatever their standard, whatever their feelings are. I don't want to force my kids to do nothing. So you let the enemy force them into confusion. Let the enemy force them and shape them and form them because you won't set a standard of righteousness and godliness. Like somebody's going to lead them. So why not say, Hey, as for me and my house, this is, this is truth. This is righteousness. You, you don't, that doesn't mean you don't love unrighteous people just because you commit to righteousness. It actually helps you guard your heart, but still be the hands and feet of Jesus. How do I do this? Three things. Number one, everybody say, stay rooted. Stay rooted in the word of God. Not in quotes, not in podcasts, not in videos. Stay rooted in the word of God. Number two, stay planted. Everybody say, stay planted. Stay planted in godly community. What does that look like? I went to see Odyssey yesterday. I said that, huh? Okay. But, uh, I didn't go alone because, you know, so, so you got to go. It's your bros. So I drove Jonathan along. I told him it was his birthday present, but I made him do it anyway. But, uh, that morning I woke him up like, we got to go lift first. We got to like get right. You know what I mean? So we go, we got to do a chest workout so we can do it. And then we're like, we got to, we got to walk there. We're going to walk in the rain till we don't go on an odyssey to this. So we're, you know, we, we got a little pump in, we walk there, we come in there dripping, you know, our boys that met us there, they drove there all bougie and stuff like that. We're like, nah, we, we got it out the mud. We go watch this movie in IMAX, you know, just like, oh my gosh, she's right. And then after I go home, I'm on my way home and I get a text from one of my boys who was there and he was like, Hey bro, out of love, I just want you to know you smell like you

just came out of a sauna and ran. You was musty. Like literally, I was like, well, for your information, I did. No, no, no, no. I said, thank you. I, well, actually I did say that. I was like, actually I did. I did. I had to flex. I got a quick workout in, so I didn't have time to shower and change. But, but you know what I love? I love that I have a godly friend who loves me enough to tell me, Hey bro, you musty. You know what you need sometimes? Some godly friends that tell you, Hey, Hey sis, Hey bro, you musty. The way you speak to your wife, you musty. The way you treat your kids, you musty. The way, the way you don't prioritize the house of God, but you keep praying for God to bless your house, you musty. The way, the way you have no problem sitting in a service or experience, but you want to help other people experience God by serving, you musty. Like the way you, my wife, you need to submit. No, no. The way you're not submitted to godly authority to the standard of God, but you want everybody to submit to you and you don't even know where you're going and that's why they're resisting following you, you musty. The way that, you know, your house feels like a war zone because all you do is complain and critique and you don't ever pray and speak life, like you must, like you need godly friends to tell you that you're musty, but that only happens when you're planted in a godly community. Here's the last thing. Stay fruitful. Everybody say stay fruitful. Stay fruitful by allowing the Word to shape and prune you. Don't be so good at reciting the Word but not living it out. You know why that's why we put a big deal on serving? Because it allows you to stop being a, treating God like a buffet. It also eliminates the pandemic of Christian obesity where all we do is, I just want to get fed. I just want to get fed. How about you exercise your faith by serving someone else? How about you go beyond what's just comfortable and be fruitful? Hey, if you're still watching at this point, I believe that it's not an accident. I believe that if you're feeling something in your spirit, that is God trying to get your attention and invite you into a deeper relationship with Him.

And so if you're ready to take that step, I want to walk you through what that looks like. It's simple. We're going to say a prayer together, and it's just you acknowledging that you believe that Jesus is who He says He is and that you're willing to commit your life to following Him and learning what it means to be a son or daughter of God. So repeat after me if you can, Jesus, here I am. I believe that you love me, that you died for me, and that you want a relationship with me. I acknowledge that I'm a sinner and I need a Savior, and I'm committing to learning what it means to be a follower of Jesus. If I mess up, I will not quit because you've never quit on me. I invite your Holy Spirit to lead me and guide me in your truth from today on. In Jesus' name, amen. Hey, we're proud of you. That's a huge decision, and we don't want you to feel like you have to figure it all out on your own from this point. We have a value at Legacy that says we follow Jesus for ourselves, but not by ourselves. So I would invite you to text the number below, follow the instructions, and we're going to send you resources so you can learn what it means to be a follower of Jesus and be on this journey of faith. Congratulations. Your life will never be the same. Thank you for watching. Hope you enjoyed the online experience. Hey, if this message impacted you, make sure you like, comment, subscribe, and share it with a friend so we can continue to share the gospel. Hey, here at Legacy, prayer is our priority. If you have any prayer needs, you can send them to prayer at legacyaz.church. If you'd like to financially partner with Legacy, you can text any dollar amount to

84321. You can also download the Church Center app, visit our website at legacyaz.church, click on ways to give. You'll find links to support Legacy Church. You can find us on social media, otherwise, go out and love, live, and be like Jesus. We'll see you next week. Bye.