Finding Strength in the Joy of the Lord

### Summary

In today's sermon, we explored the profound truth that the joy of the Lord is our strength. This joy is not derived from our circumstances, relationships, or material possessions, which are all subject to change. Instead, it comes from Jesus, who is constant and unchanging. We delved into Romans 15:13, which speaks of the God of hope filling us with joy and peace through the experience of our faith. This faith is not built in moments of ease but in trials and valleys, where we learn to trust in God's promises and see His faithfulness.

We also discussed the importance of taking ownership of our faith. This means actively engaging in our spiritual growth, not relying on others to maintain our relationship with God. We are called to be doers of the Word, not just hearers. This involves a commitment to attending church, giving generously, and serving passionately. True faith is a living, growing relationship with Jesus, requiring us to deny ourselves and follow Him wholeheartedly.

The essence of owning our faith is to actively engage in actions that produce spiritual growth and transformation. This is not a passive endeavor but a radical commitment. We are responsible for our spiritual maturity and must continually seek to deepen our relationship with God. This includes reading the Word, praying, and sharing our faith with others. By doing so, we not only transform our own lives but also impact those around us.

### Key Takeaways

1. **The Source of True Joy**: Our joy should not be dependent on our circumstances, relationships, or material possessions, which are all fleeting. True joy comes from Jesus, who is constant and unchanging. This joy strengthens us and sustains us through all of life's ups and downs. [17:18]

2. **Faith Grows in Trials**: Romans 15:13 teaches us that joy and peace come through the experience of our faith, especially in trials and valleys. It is in these challenging moments that our faith gains experience, and we learn to trust in God's promises, leading to a deeper hope and confidence in Him. [19:19]

3. **Taking Ownership of Our Faith**: We are called to take responsibility for our spiritual growth. This means actively engaging in our faith through reading the Word, praying, and living out our beliefs. We cannot rely on others to maintain our relationship with God; it is our personal responsibility. [49:15]

4. **Active Engagement in Faith**: Philippians 2:12-13 encourages us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. This involves actively engaging in actions that produce spiritual growth and transformation. It is God who works in us, giving us both the desire and the ability to grow in our faith. [01:02:49]

5. **Impacting Others Through Our Faith**: Owning our faith means sharing it with others. We are called to be the light of the world, boldly proclaiming the hope and joy we have in Jesus. By doing so, we can transform not only our lives but also the lives of those around us, leading them to a relationship with Christ. [01:18:11]

### YouTube Chapters

[0:00] - Welcome
[17:18] - The Source of True Joy
[18:08] - Joy in the Lord's Protection
[19:19] - Faith Grows in Trials
[20:35] - Hope and Confidence in God's Promises
[21:07] - Overflowing with Confidence
[22:22] - Building Faith in Worship
[23:12] - The Joy of the Lord is Our Strength
[23:44] - Invitation to Prayer
[24:24] - Speaking Joy and Peace
[25:09] - National Day of Praise and Worship
[40:54] - Welcome to Limitless Church
[46:04] - What It Means to Be a Follower of Jesus
[49:15] - Taking Ownership of Our Faith
[50:23] - Living Set Apart
[51:20] - Denying Ourselves to Follow Jesus
[57:08] - Selfish Christianity vs. True Faith
[01:02:49] - Working Out Our Salvation
[01:18:11] - Impacting Others Through Our Faith
[01:28:23] - Commitment to Own Our Faith
[01:35:52] - Invitation to Salvation and Baptism
[01:38:55] - Challenge to Own Your Faith

### Bible Reading
1. Romans 15:13 (NIV): "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."
2. Philippians 2:12-13 (NIV): "Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose."
3. James 1:22 (NIV): "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says."

### Observation Questions
1. According to Romans 15:13, what are the two things that God fills us with as we trust in Him? How does this filling affect us? [19:19]
2. In Philippians 2:12-13, what does Paul mean by "work out your salvation with fear and trembling"? What role does God play in this process? [01:02:49]
3. James 1:22 emphasizes the importance of being doers of the Word. What does it mean to be a "doer" rather than just a "listener"? [01:14:10]
4. The sermon mentioned that true joy comes from Jesus and not from our circumstances. What are some examples given in the sermon that illustrate this point? [17:18]

### Interpretation Questions
1. Romans 15:13 speaks of joy and peace coming through faith. How do trials and valleys contribute to the growth of our faith and the experience of joy and peace? [19:19]
2. Philippians 2:12-13 talks about working out our salvation. What are some practical ways we can actively engage in actions that produce spiritual growth and transformation? [01:02:49]
3. The sermon emphasized taking ownership of our faith. What does it mean to take personal responsibility for our spiritual growth, and why is this important? [49:15]
4. James 1:22 warns against merely listening to the Word. How can we ensure that we are actively applying God's Word in our daily lives? [01:14:10]

### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a recent trial or valley you have experienced. How did this situation impact your faith? Did you find joy and peace through trusting in God during this time? [19:19]
2. The sermon mentioned the importance of actively engaging in our faith through reading the Word, praying, and living out our beliefs. What specific steps can you take this week to deepen your relationship with God? [49:15]
3. Taking ownership of our faith involves a commitment to spiritual growth. What are some areas in your life where you need to take more responsibility for your spiritual maturity? How can you start making changes today? [49:15]
4. Philippians 2:12-13 encourages us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. What are some practical actions you can take to actively engage in your faith and produce spiritual growth? [01:02:49]
5. The sermon highlighted the importance of sharing our faith with others. Identify one person in your life who does not know Jesus. How can you share the hope and joy you have in Christ with them this week? [01:18:11]
6. Reflect on your current spiritual practices. Are there any areas where you have become passive or complacent? What changes can you make to become more active and intentional in your faith journey? [01:02:49]
7. The sermon mentioned that true faith is a living, growing relationship with Jesus. How can you cultivate this relationship in your daily life? What specific actions will you take to ensure that your faith is continually growing? [01:00:13]

### 5-Day Devotional

**Day 1: The Unchanging Source of Joy**
**Description:** True joy is not dependent on our ever-changing circumstances, relationships, or material possessions. Instead, it is rooted in Jesus, who is constant and unchanging. This joy, derived from our relationship with Him, provides us with strength and sustains us through life's ups and downs. When we focus on Jesus, we find a joy that transcends our temporary situations and gives us the resilience to face challenges with a hopeful heart. This joy is a gift from God, meant to uplift and empower us in every season of life. [17:18]

**Bible Passage:** "Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation." (Habakkuk 3:17-18, ESV)

**Reflection:** Think of a recent situation where your joy was challenged by difficult circumstances. How can you shift your focus to Jesus and find joy in Him despite those challenges?


**Day 2: Faith Strengthened Through Trials**
**Description:** Romans 15:13 teaches us that joy and peace come through the experience of our faith, especially in trials and valleys. It is in these challenging moments that our faith gains experience, and we learn to trust in God's promises, leading to a deeper hope and confidence in Him. Trials are not meant to break us but to build us up, refining our faith and drawing us closer to God. As we navigate through difficulties, we witness God's faithfulness and grow in our reliance on Him, which in turn strengthens our faith and fills us with His peace and joy. [19:19]

**Bible Passage:** "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." (James 1:2-4, ESV)

**Reflection:** Reflect on a recent trial you have faced. How did this experience help you grow in your faith and trust in God's promises?


**Day 3: Taking Ownership of Our Faith**
**Description:** We are called to take responsibility for our spiritual growth. This means actively engaging in our faith through reading the Word, praying, and living out our beliefs. We cannot rely on others to maintain our relationship with God; it is our personal responsibility. True faith is a living, growing relationship with Jesus, requiring us to deny ourselves and follow Him wholeheartedly. By taking ownership of our faith, we commit to a journey of continuous spiritual growth and transformation, ensuring that our relationship with God remains vibrant and strong. [49:15]

**Bible Passage:** "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like." (James 1:22-24, ESV)

**Reflection:** What specific steps can you take today to actively engage in your faith and take ownership of your spiritual growth?


**Day 4: Active Engagement in Faith**
**Description:** Philippians 2:12-13 encourages us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. This involves actively engaging in actions that produce spiritual growth and transformation. It is God who works in us, giving us both the desire and the ability to grow in our faith. Our spiritual journey is not passive but requires intentional effort and commitment. By actively participating in our faith, we allow God to work through us, shaping us into His likeness and enabling us to live out our faith in meaningful and impactful ways. [01:02:49]

**Bible Passage:** "Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure." (Philippians 2:12-13, ESV)

**Reflection:** Identify one area of your life where you can be more intentional in your spiritual growth. What practical steps can you take to actively engage in your faith in this area?


**Day 5: Impacting Others Through Our Faith**
**Description:** Owning our faith means sharing it with others. We are called to be the light of the world, boldly proclaiming the hope and joy we have in Jesus. By doing so, we can transform not only our lives but also the lives of those around us, leading them to a relationship with Christ. Our faith is not meant to be kept to ourselves but to be shared, impacting our communities and the world. As we live out our faith authentically and passionately, we become vessels of God's love and grace, drawing others to Him and making a lasting difference in their lives. [01:18:11]

**Bible Passage:** "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 5:14-16, ESV)

**Reflection:** Think of someone in your life who needs to hear about the hope and joy found in Jesus. How can you share your faith with them in a loving and impactful way today?

To the sun, come get us and tell the whole crew they can all come with us.

And we ain't gotta lock the doors, and we don't need cops, of course.

And we don't care about your skin; we just want an all-out win.

And kill me, it's illogical, but anything is possible.

If God be for us, we can overcome all obstacles.

They say love covers a multitude of sins, so I'm here to put some love in the wind.

The joy of the Lord is my strength.

It's this opportunity to say, you know what, God?

No matter what's going on in my situation, no matter where I'm at,

If I am on the mountaintop or if I am in the valley,

God, the joy of the Lord is my strength.

My joy is not coming from my circumstance.

It's not coming from my situation.

It's not coming from my bank account.

It's not coming from my relationship.

Because all of these things change.

My joy is coming from something that remains the same.

My joy is coming from something that is constant.

My joy is coming from Jesus.

Because these other things, they change.

These other things, my bank account may not be looking like I want it to.

But I can't heap my joy there.

Because on payday it might look good, but the next day it might not.

My joy can't be there.

My joy can't be in relationships.

My joy can't be in these things that are fleeting.

The joy of the Lord.

The joy of the one who gave me the breath that woke me up this morning.

The joy in the one who continues to watch over me, to protect me, to keep me.

The joy of the Lord is my strength.

The joy of the Lord is my strength.

I was hearing that and went across the scripture I wanted to share with you.

Romans 15, chapter 15, verse 13.

It says, may the God of hope fill you with joy and peace in believing.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing.

Through the experience of your faith, that by the power of the Holy Spirit you will abound in hope and overflow with confidence in his promise.

The God of hope.

And it says, fill you with joy and peace in believing.

It says, you have access to joy.

You have access to this hope.

You have access to this in him, this peace in him.

But it tells you how.

Because we can get excited and be like, yes, God, fill me with all joy and peace.

But how do we get that?

It says, through the experience of your faith.

It is not in the high moments that your faith gains experience.

It's not when everything is going great and you're like, my life is amazing, that your faith is gaining experience.

It is in those trials.

It is in those valley moments.

It is in the midst of those storms, those things that seem insurmountable, that your faith gains experience.

And he says that you will have joy and peace in believing through the experience of your faith.

That by the power of the Holy Spirit, you will abound in hope and overflow in confidence in his promises.

Pastor, what does that mean?

That means because when I have an experience in my faith, when I have an experience that I'm walking through,

And I hold on to Jesus, and I hold on to what the word of God says,

When I see the other side of that, when I get to the other side of that,

There is a hope and a confidence that I have when the next thing comes.

Why?

Because I've seen him be faithful.

I've seen him do it time and time again.

I've seen him work it out.

And so now when I get into another valley, when I see another trial, I'm like, oh, yeah.

I'm ready now.

I got hope now.

I have confidence now.

I'm overflowing in his confidence, in his promise.

Why?

Because I saw him do it before.

And I know that he can do it again.

And that is where my joy and that is where my peace comes from.

And it overflows on the inside of me.

And so as we transition to this deeper time of worship, I don't know what you walked in with today.

Your week could have not gone the way that you saw it going.

You could be experiencing some trials right now that you're walking through—physical, financial, spiritual.

You could be walking through some things.

I pray that as we go into this next portion of our worship that you would begin to remember the promises that God has for you.

That you, maybe you're not at a point where you're overflowing in confidence.

Maybe it's this place where that thing just needs to start building up.

And this is your opportunity to do that.

To declare the goodness of God.

To declare the name of Jesus over your circumstance.

To declare the name of Jesus over the things that are happening.

As you begin to declare it, that thing starts building up on the inside of you.

Take this opportunity.

Why?

Because the enemy is going to still be beating your behind all week.

He's still going to be trying to attack you all week.

So while you got this moment, while you got this opportunity, while you got this time set aside,

Why don't you just take this opportunity to say, you know what God?

I am taking this moment to build my faith and my confidence in you.

I am reminding myself of your goodness.

I am reminding myself of your faithfulness.

I am reminding myself of who you are.

That you would begin to overflow on the inside of me.

And that the trials and the fiery darts of the enemy will be to no avail.

Why?

Because the joy of the Lord is my strength.

So I'm going to have my altar team come forward right now.

If you say, Pastor, hey, hey, you know what?

That's me.

That's me.

It's been a week.

It's going to be a week.

It has been a week.

I just need somebody to agree with me in prayer.

I'm believing God for healing.

I'm believing God for a breakthrough.

I'm believing God for this.

I just want somebody to stand in agreement with me.

If that's you, to my left, to your right, our prayer team will be there.

And as we engage deeper into this worship, I want you to come up.

And let's agree with you in prayer that God is going to do what he always does.

Let's take this moment to build ourselves up and begin to overflow.

Heavenly Father, I thank you for everyone that is in this room right now and those that are watching online.

God, we invite your presence to continue moving in this place.

God, I lift up everyone here that whatever it is, God, you know what's going on in each individual life, God.

But I speak joy.

And I speak peace.

In the midst of the experience of faith.

Right in the middle of it, I speak joy.

Right in the middle of it, I speak peace.

Right in the middle of it, I speak Jesus.

I thank you for visible victories in the lives of your people.

I thank you for visible breakthroughs in the lives of your people.

And as we pray today, as we move in worship, as we hear your word today,

That you would begin moving.

We would see it.

We declare that it is so.

Jesus' name we pray.

Hey, guys, Pastor Kenan here.

I want to invite you to the National Day of Praise and Worship celebration here at Limitless Church.

We're going to have some Christian hip-hop music, some praise music, some worship music.

It is going to be an amazing time, and we want you to celebrate with us.

The last Wednesday of September, September the 25th, we want you to join us.

We're going to start at 6:30 p.m., and we're going to go, and we're going to have a wonderful time.

I cannot wait for you to join us.

Don't just bring yourself.

Invite somebody you know.

Invite a family member.

Invite a neighbor.

Invite a friend.

We want to pack this place out as we celebrate National Day.

Say praise and worship.

See you there.

Well, good morning, Limitless Church.

How are we doing this morning?

Good, good, good.

Before I get started, I would like to welcome any of our first-time visitors.

I guess I should introduce myself.

My name is Kenan, along with my wife, Sonia, who's in kids' ministry today.

We are the pastors here at Limitless Church, and we are so excited that you chose to be here with us this Sunday.

A lot of people came this morning, and they just got up.

They got up this morning, and they were like, hey, you know what?

I'm going to church.

But the first-time visitors is a little something different.

Having that anxiety about walking into a church for the first time, meeting people, being in a new space, it's a little bit different.

And so we want to say thank you for choosing to be here.

And as great of a decision as it was for you to be here this Sunday, we hate to let you know that you got set up.

I'm sure you thought, hey, I'm just going to come this morning.

This is the Sunday that I'm going to be there.

And, you know, I'm finally going to do it.

But we believe actually here that the Holy Spirit has been working on you.

We believe that he has been working in your heart.

We believe that he has been working through the conversations that you've been having.

We even believe that he's been working in your schedule to make sure that you could be here today.

And we think and we're excited about that because we believe that for that purpose, there is something that God wants to do.

And we're just excited to be a part of the process.

Limitless family, could you do me a favor and make some noise for our visitors this morning?

Welcome, welcome, welcome.

And let's not forget those of you who are watching online.

We would like to welcome you as well.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you for tuning in.

We pray that you are blessed.

Show us some love in the comments.

If you can't say ouch, just type amen.

And we would love to connect with you as well.

Visitors, do me a favor.

You'll see there's a QR code right on that seat pocket in front of you.

They're also available around here.

We would love for you to just fill out the guest card that's associated with that QR code.

We would love to just find out how you found out about us.

To hear your story after service, I will be outside at the connect table.

Come and say hello to me.

I would love to find out, hey, you know, I had a great time.

I did have a great time.

I thought the message was a little, you know, it could only use some work, you know, whatever it might be.

Or, you know, I felt the presence of God.

Whatever that is, we would love to hear it.

I'll be outside afterwards.

I would love to connect with you.

Today, we are starting a new series.

We have just come out of a series called Empty to Overflow.

And that was a wonderful series.

But today, we are starting something new.

And it is called Limitless Edition.

Okay?

Limitless Edition.

Limitless Edition.

And basically, we're going to embark on a journey these next four weeks, diving in on what it means to be a Christian.

What it means to be a believer here at Limitless Church.

Okay?

We are a very diverse church.

If you look around, you will see it's a little bit of everybody in here.

And we are excited about that because it is our prayer that our church looks like heaven.

Amen?

We come from different diversities.

We come from diverse backgrounds.

We come from different ethnicities, different experiences.

But what unites us in this building is our shared faith in Jesus.

That is the thing that unites us and brings us together.

But being a believer at this church might be a little bit different than the other churches that you've been to.

So, I want to make it very clear what we mean when we say that we are a follower of Jesus.

It's a little different.

Maybe you come, I don't know your experience.

Maybe you come from a different denomination.

Maybe you come from a different religion.

Maybe you come from a different background altogether.

So, I want to make it very clear what it means in this church when we say that we are a follower of Jesus.

Okay?

Let's pray.

Heavenly Father, thank you for your word.

Thank you for this opportunity to hear from you.

God, your presence is already evident in this place.

Would you continue to speak?

God, your word is already anointed and it has been since its creation.

We ask today that you would anoint our ears to hear what you're saying.

That you would anoint our hearts to receive what you're saying.

And to go out and do what you said.

We honor you in Jesus' name.

Amen.

All right.

So, we're diving in on what it means to be a follower of Jesus here at Limitless Church.

Don't worry if this is your first time.

This still applies to you even though you might not have made the decision yet.

You already got—we just consider you family.

Okay?

What does it mean to say you're a follower here at Limitless?

Okay.

Let's go over what that means.

If you're a person that likes to take notes, this will be the moment to pop that pen out, pop that camera out, pop that journal out, whatever it is that you use so that we can have that.

Okay.

Because I don't want you to say I didn't tell you.

Okay?

All right.

Here we go.

What does it mean to be a follower of Jesus here at Limitless?

The first thing, at Limitless, we take ownership of our faith.

Okay?

We take ownership of our faith.

We are not just hearers of the word.

We are doers of the word.

Okay?

We take ownership of our faith.

The second thing, we are committed to attending when the doors are open.

Because we believe in the power of the assembly and what can happen when we are together in the room.

We're committed to attending.

The third thing is we give generously.

Why?

Because we are grateful for what we have received generously and we trust God to use us and to use our resources to fulfill his will and to build his kingdom.

We give generously.

And lastly, we serve passionately.

We serve passionately because we understand that God has given each one of us a gift.

And we are to use that gift to help serve the local body and the body of Christ.

So we take ownership of our faith.

We are committed to attending.

We give generously.

And we serve passionately.

This is limitless.

And this is who we are.

Throughout the scripture, God has called us to live set apart.

He says that we are the light of the world.

And those are not things that we just do passively.

Like he said it, but we do it if we feel like it.

We do it if, you know, if we're feeling it that day.

No, these are not things that we do passively here.

We are all in and there is no middle.

Because we understand here that this means everything.

This is not a game.

Eternity is on the line.

So we take these things seriously.

C.S. Lewis said it best.

He said, Christianity, if false, is of no importance.

If it is true, it is of infinite importance.

The only thing that it cannot be is moderately important.

There is no middle.

So for the next few weeks, we're going to press in on what it means to be limitless.

What it means to be a believer here.

And today we want to start taking a look at what it means to take ownership of our faith.

Taking ownership of our faith.

Okay, so when I turned 17, almost 18, my mother and I, who some of you have had the pleasure of meeting, we had a come to Jesus meeting.

Okay.

And in that come to Jesus meeting, we decided, well, yeah, yeah.

We decided, she decided it was time for me to go.

Amen.

It was time for me to get out her house.

Those of you who have sons who are grown, you understand having that moment.

Hey, you grown?

Good.

Be grown out my house.

Okay.

We had a come to Jesus moment.

And in that come to Jesus moment, I left and I went and I was, had just started doing music at the time.

Things were going well.

I got a car.

I got an apartment.

And I loved this apartment.

Let me tell you, when you 18, hallelujah.

And you got you a place to stay.

And a car, you are living on top of the world.

And I love this apartment.

First of all, pass the credit check, which was amazing to me.

Don't know how that happened, but pass the credit check, got in there, got my apartment.

Um, it was, it was, uh, I had, uh, it was all cream.

Um, and then I had this fireplace.

I had this fireplace and it was a dual fireplace.

So I had a fireplace in the living room and a fireplace in the bedroom.

And I said, look at God.

I mean, I don't know if it was God, but this right here, this, this going to get me in some trouble right here.

Cause I'm a romantic.

I was all, and for those of y'all know, my birthday is on Valentine's Day.

Obviously I was born to be a romantic.

I'm like, I got the fireplace.

It's about to get, no, it's not.

Cause I love Jesus.

I love Jesus.

I love Jesus.

I love Jesus.

All right.

So I got the apartment.

I'm having a great time.

I'm traveling.

I'm doing music.

All of these things are happening.

One day, my refrigerator breaks.

Now go to the, uh, to the office.

And I say, hey, do you know?

Cause obviously I'm not really grown, but I said, hey, do you know why I can buy a refrigerator?

She says, uh, why do you, why do you want to buy a refrigerator?

And I said, well, my refrigerator is broken.

So I want to eat and my food is don't get cold and I can't call my mama.

So, uh, I need to get a refrigerator.

She says, oh, oh no.

Um, sweetheart, uh, uh, bless your heart.

Uh, uh, you, you don't buy a refrigerator here.

You just, you just call somebody.

So here's a number.

I want you to call this number and they will come and either fix your refrigerator or bring you a new refrigerator.

I said, oh, I'm a like it here.

I'm a like it here, boy.

This is going to be good.

Yes.

Okay.

All right.

So I call them.

They come and they do that.

I said, okay, okay, okay.

I can do that now.

Um, a year has passed.

I meet my wife.

I moved to California, uh, moved to Woodland.

Uh, we, we get married.

We purchased a house.

Um, and the refrigerator breaks.

So I said, baby, um, hey, I think something sums up with the refrigerator.

Uh, who, who do we, who do we call?

Cause, uh, I was like, so do we call the people who we, who pay every, like the loan people?

Do they sit?

Is it, is it the people who used to live here?

Do they, do they bring a new one?

How, how does that work?

And she's like, no, we call you.

You're, you're the one.

Like, what you mean?

No, no, no.

We, we own the house.

So now you fix the things.

See, there's a difference in renting and owning.

Okay.

When you rent something, it's someone's responsibility to fix it.

It's someone else's responsibility to maintain it.

It's someone else's responsibility to keep it up.

But when you own something, it's your responsibility to take care of it.

You are held accountable for how it looks, how it smells.

You are held accountable for the upkeep.

What am I saying?

I'm saying that we are called to take ownership of our faith.

It is our responsibility to make sure that we, in our word, that we are growing as believers, that it's our, we take ownership.

We're called to take ownership of our faith, to take responsibility for our spiritual growth,

to be committed to living a life and making choices that align with our belief,

to be accountable for our actions and our growth as believers.

We are called not to sit back and just wait for heaven, not to continue to hear the word of the Lord and do nothing,

to see people in need and do nothing, to see the areas that God is constantly calling us to grow and do better in and do nothing.

That is selfish Christianity.

And it is Christianity that bears no fruit and is only looking to be satisfied in this world.

Matthew chapter 16 and verse 24 says,

Then Jesus said to his disciples,

If anyone wishes to follow me as my disciple, he must deny himself, set aside selfish interests and take up his cross,

expressing a willingness to endure whatever may come and follow me, believing in me, conforming to my example,

enduring whatever may come and living and if need be suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in me.

If anyone wishes to follow me, he must deny himself.

Jesus is having a conversation with the disciples and he has just told them, just told them,

hey, look, I got to go to Jerusalem.

I got to give myself over to be judged, to be crucified.

I got to die and then later to rise again.

Now, Peter, he says this and Peter cannot imagine this happening.

Peter loved Jesus.

He's excited about the Jews being set free.

He's excited about continuing in the healings and the teachings.

He's excited about the kingdom coming to the earth.

And he tells Jesus when he says that he must do this, he says, God forbid.

And Jesus rebukes Peter very strongly and begins talking to the disciples and opens this discussion with a very anti-passive message.

And he says, if anyone wishes to follow me, he must deny himself,

which means that we cannot be a follower of Jesus if there is no area in our life where we are denying ourselves.

We cannot be, we cannot call out.

Well, you can call yourself anything.

You cannot be a follower of Jesus if there is no area in your life where you are denying yourself.

Passive Christianity, Christianity that sees Jesus as a part of your life and not the foundation of your life is not Christianity at all.

It is not Christianity at all.

Listen, I love you.

I love your, your, your, your family.

You cannot leave your faith up to your parents.

My grandma came to church and my mama came to church.

Now I come to church.

So, so I'm, I'm saved.

No, that's not how it works.

I love it.

I love the story.

I love that for you.

That's not how it works.

Attendance doesn't equal salvation.

We cannot leave our faith up to our spouses.

Whew.

So my husband's not going to church, so I'm not going to church, but he's supposed to be the leader.

So I guess he's, I guess we're leading at home today.

Yeah, you get your butt up and go to church.

We cannot leave our faith up to our spouses and even more so.

You cannot leave your faith up to your pastor.

Don't leave it up to me.

I am human.

I am flesh and blood, and I will pursue Jesus with all my heart.

But guess what?

I can't get you in this.

I ain't got VIP seats.

That's not how this works.

That's not how salvation works.

You cannot leave it up to other people.

We have to own our own faith.

We are responsible for our relationship with Jesus and no one else.

The greatest enemy to the human soul is the self-righteous spirit, which makes people content with where they are at in their faith.

I'm content with where I am in my faith.

True faith is a living and it is a growing thing.

It is not mere.

It is not merely a belief, but it is a life commitment to Jesus.

It is a life commitment to follow Jesus.

That's what true faith is.

Philippians 2 verse 12 says,

So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence,

work out your salvation with fear and love.

For it is God who is at work in you, both to desire to work for his and to work for his good pleasure.

Paul is talking to this church in Philippi and said not to work for your salvation.

Okay, there is nothing that you can do to deserve heaven.

There is nothing that you can do to deserve Jesus.

There is nothing.

There is no amount of penance you can do.

There is nothing.

There is no works that you can do to get salvation.

Salvation is by faith, not by works.

Okay, so he is not saying to work for your salvation.

He is saying to work out your salvation.

Work out your salvation.

This phrase work out.

Y'all know how I am.

I like to look stuff up because I want to be sure.

This phrase work out is translated in the Greek as the word katergazomai.

Okay, katergazomai.

And it means actively engaging in actions that will produce an outcome.

Actively engaging in actions that will produce an outcome.

I said that makes sense because for those of you that go to the gym, every time y'all post these pictures, you say I am going to the gym to do what?

Work out.

Right?

That.

Look, you got a light bill, dude.

Ain't got a gas bill, too.

Work it out.

Remember that song?

All the old saints laugh.

They're like, hey.

Telephone, disconnect.

Work it out.

Wait on your next paycheck.

Work it out.

Work out.

When you go to the gym, what are you doing?

You're working out.

You're stretching.

You're losing weight.

You're building muscle.

What are you doing?

It looks like you are actively engaging in actions that will produce an outcome.

He says work out your salvation.

Paul is telling us today, just as he told the church in Philippi, that we have to take ownership of our salvation.

He is saying that we have to actively engage in things that will produce a deeper relationship with God and a transformation in our life.

And we are to do so with a deep reverence and honor for God.

I shared this scripture with my son yesterday, and he said, Dad.

Fear.

Are we supposed to be afraid of God?

He says, because it says fear and trembling.

And does that mean we're supposed to?

And I said, no, son.

This is a different definition.

He says, I said, this means that we are to have respect and a deep reverence and honor for God.

So that means that we are to engage in actions that produce an outcome in our salvation.

And we are to do so with a deep honor.

Honor, reverence, and respect for God.

That's what it means to take ownership of your faith.

That's what it means to work out your salvation.

We are to work it out.

Work it out.

Now, I know for those of you who may be new, maybe this is your first time, maybe you haven't.

You're still trying to figure out this whole Jesus thing.

That can sound like a lot.

Right?

You're like, I don't even go to the gym in my own life.

I ain't trying to go to the gym for Jesus.

That can sound like a lot.

That can sound heavy.

Like, I'm still trying to figure out how to read the Bible.

How do I work out my salvation?

And the great thing I love, yeah, it is.

The great thing I love about the scripture is he answers it right.

This is the very next words.

He answers, how do we do this?

How do we do this?

Let's go back.

Philippians 2.12.

It says, work out your salvation with fear and trembling.

How?

For it is God who is at work in you.

Look at this.

Both to desire and to work for his good pleasure.

How do I get the desire to establish a deeper relationship with God?

It is God.

It is God who is at work on the inside of you.

The Holy Spirit that is already inside of you, that comes on the inside of you at the day of salvation.

He is on the inside of you.

And it says here that it is him who is at work in you to both have a desire and to work it out.

He gives you the want to and the how to.

And it says it is for his good pleasure.

He is the one.

It is not in our own strength.

It is not in our own ability.

It is not in our own willpower.

But it is through his power that is already working in us.

Here's the thing.

If we ask, God, give me a desire to grow in you.

You think God is going to be like, nope, I ain't going to do it.

Like, I wish you would.

I wish you would ask me.

He is ready and willing.

God, give me the desire to grow.

Give me the desire to pray.

Give me the desire to read your word.

I can't tell you.

And watch this.

How many of us have said, God, give me a desire.

I just want to be.

I just want to pray.

And God, wake you up in the middle of the night.

Raise your hand.

I just want the people.

Now look around you.

Look around you right now.

Why?

Because he's like, oh, that's what you want?

Oh, I can do that.

You might not like it.

But I can do that.

I can do that.

You're like, oh, I'm going to get a good sleep tonight.

3:30.

Bing.

Bing.

Why?

Because, look at this, it is God who is at work in you both to desire and to work.

You ain't waking yourself up at 3:30.

Hallelujah.

No.

But he's like, if you ask me, I will do it.

I can give you the want to and I can give you the how to.

It is what I do.

It is who I am.

I desire for you to grow in me.

I desire for you to know who I am.

I desire for you to do what?

To own your faith.

This is what he's saying.

Galatians 2 puts it like this.

He says, he says, I have been crucified with Christ.

He said, it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.

And the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the son of God who loved me and gave himself up for me.

He said, this life that I live, the old me is dead.

I have been, I have been crucified with Christ.

The eye that does what it wants to do when it wants to do.

The eye that is looking to fulfill the desires of the flesh.

The desires of the eyes, the lust of life.

The eye that will cuss you out.

The eye have been crucified.

Crucified with Christ.

It is no longer I who live, but Christ now lives in me.

And the life which I now live, I live by faith in the son of God who loved me and gave himself up for me.

The essence of the Christian faith is not just a set of beliefs in a book.

It is a personal relationship with Jesus.

And to own your faith is to actively engage in that relationship every single day.

Limitless, we are called to own our faith.

We are called to pursue a relationship with Christ and to continually grow in him.

None of us, I don't care how long you've been saved—50 years, 60 years, you could have been saved a hundred years.

None of us have arrived at a place to where we are fully grown in Christ.

None of us have gotten to that place.

And those of us who act like it, I'm going to let that go.

You'll catch that at the light.

But none of us have gotten to a place to where we are fully matured in Christ.

Because every day, Christ is revealing his love.

He is revealing his character.

He is revealing his grace to us more and more and more.

Every day.

We are not to be spiritual babies forever.

I'm going to say that again.

We are not called to be spiritual babies forever.

We have to grow up.

If our prayer life is the same as when we first met Christ, we got to grow up.

If the time we spend in the word is the same as the day we met Christ, we got to grow up.

If our language, the way that we speak, how we speak to people, our response and our actions,

are not the same as when we first met Christ, we got to grow up.

If our words are the same as when we first met Christ, we must grow up.

We are not to be spiritual babies forever.

We have to take responsibility for our growth.

We have to be committed to living a life and making choices that align with our belief and be accountable for our actions.

This is ownership.

And at Limitless, we have been called to own our faith.

James chapter 1 verse 22 says this.

Verse 22 says, but prove yourselves doers of the word, actively, actively, actively,

and continually, continually obeying God's precepts, and not merely listeners who hear the word,

but fail to internalize its meaning, deluding yourselves by unsound reasoning contrary to the truth.

Prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely listeners of the word.

Doers of the word.

When we refuse to live a comfortable, passive, faith-filled life, or faithless life, everything changes.

When you make a decision to go deep, everything changes.

There's something significant that happens when we begin to own our faith and grow as believers.

When you read the word, when you read in the scripture, and God begins to reveal himself to you,

he begins to show you what's going on in the scripture.

You begin to get understanding that you didn't have before, and insight on what is going on in the scripture.

And you begin to get it saying.

When you're praying, and you're in your prayer time, and you begin to hear the word of the voice of the Lord speaking to you.

When you're tested, and you can feel the Lord sustaining you when people are trying you, and you would have popped off before.

When all of hell is breaking loose around you, and you have a peace that you can't explain,

this is a sign someone who has begun to take ownership of their faith.

And you begin to hear the word of the Lord speaking to their faith.

This is the sign of a growing, maturing believer.

And these are the fruits of that life.

These are the fruits of that life.

It is our responsibility to read the word.

Say it loud.

Every day.

It's our responsibility.

It's our responsibility to pray over our spouses and to pray over our kids.

It is our responsibility.

When things are going wrong, to dive deep in the word.

It is our responsibility when our kids ain't acting right, to confess the word of God over them.

It is our responsibility when our marriage is on the rocks, to begin to confess the word of God, to pray the word of God, to believe the word of God.

It is our responsibility when the enemy is attacking us, to get into worship, and to see God for who he is, to begin confessing those things.

It is our responsibility to grow as a believer.

It is our responsibility to do this.

We have to put in the work.

It is our responsibility to know what's in this book.

So when the enemy begins to bring things and say things that are contrary to it, we already know where the lies coming from.

Possibility to own our faith.

This is what we are called to do.

This is what we are commanded to do in scripture, to own our faith.

Do you know what would happen if all of us made the decision to continually take actions that allowed us to grow in our faith and in our belief?

Do you know what that would look like if we all said, hey, you know what?

Enough of this comfortable stuff.

Enough of this just come on Sunday stuff.

What it would look like if we all said, hey, you know what?

Out and told people because a part of owning your faith is communicating your faith to those who don't know him.

Because when I get a new car and it's mine, I can't wait to tell somebody about it.

I'm speaking that into existence.

Well, when I get in a, hallelujah, I can't wait to tell somebody about it.

Look, look, hey, hey, hey, y'all come look at this.

Come look at this.

Come look at this.

See that?

Why?

Because I'm proud of it.

It's mine.

I'm excited about it.

I own it.

When you get in, you know, you get out your parent's house and you got your own spot.

This is mine.

Who gonna tell me what to do in here?

I own it.

I'm taking ownership of it.

What if we owned our faith like that?

What if we owned our faith like that?

Why?

Because the world is owning everything.

Oh, they owning their stuff, buddy.

They are owning it.

This is who I am.

Take me as, I don't care.

This is who I am.

I own it.

This is, this is me.

I own, I'm owning it and I will tell the world.

But you know what we do?

We don't want to step on nobody's toes.

I don't want to step on anybody's toes.

I don't want to make anyone feel uncomfortable.

I'm watching the television and they're mad.

I'm mad.

I'm mad.

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I'm mad.

I'm mad.

I'm mad.

I'm mad.

I'm mad.

I'm mad.

I'm mad.

1. "The joy of the Lord is my strength. It's this opportunity to say, you know what, God? No matter what's going on in my situation. No matter where I'm at. If I am on the mountain top or if I am in the valley. God, the joy of the Lord is my strength. My joy is not coming from my circumstance. It's not coming from my situation. It's not coming from my bank account. It's not coming from my relationship. Because all of these things change." [17:18] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)




2. "My joy is coming from something that remains the same. My joy is coming from something that is constant. My joy is coming from Jesus. Because these other things, they change. These other things, my bank account may not be looking like I want it to. But I can't heap my joy there. Because on payday it might look good, but the next day it might not. My joy can't be there. My joy can't be in relationships. My joy can't be in these things that are fleeting." [18:08] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)




3. "It is not in the high moments that your faith gains experience. It's not when everything is going great and you're like, my life is amazing, that your faith is gaining experience. It is in those trials. It is in those valley moments. It is in the midst of those storms, those things that seem insurmountable, that your faith gains experience. And he says that you will have joy and peace in believing through the experience of your faith." [19:19] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)




4. "When I have an experience that I'm walking through. And I hold on to Jesus. And I hold on to what the word of God says. When I see the other side of that. When I get to the other side of that. There is a hope and a confidence that I have when the next thing comes. Why? Because I've seen him be faithful. I've seen him do it time and time again. I've seen him work it out. And so now when I get into another valley. When I see another trial, I'm like, oh, yeah. I'm ready now. I got hope now." [20:35] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)




5. "I pray that as we go into this next portion of our worship that you would begin to remember the promises that God has for you. That you, maybe you're not at a point where you're overflowing in confidence. Maybe it's this place where that thing just needs to start building up. And this is your opportunity to do that. To declare the goodness of God. To declare the name of Jesus over your circumstance. To declare the name of Jesus over the things that are happening. As you begin to declare it, that thing starts building up on the inside of you." [22:22] (46 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)




6. "We are not just hearers of the word. We are doers of the word. We take ownership of our faith. The second thing, we are committed to attending when the doors are open. Because we believe in the power of the assembly and what can happen when we are together in the room. We're committed to attending. The third thing is we give generously. Why? Because we are grateful for what we have received generously and we trust God to use us and to use our resources to fulfill his will and to build his kingdom." [49:15] (46 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)




7. "We are called to take ownership of our faith. It is our responsibility to make sure that we, in our word, that we are growing as believers, that it's our, we take ownership. We're called to take ownership of our faith, to take responsibility for our spiritual growth, to be committed to living a life and making choices that align with our belief, to be accountable for our actions and our growth as believers. We are called not to sit back. And just wait for heaven, not to continue to hear the word of the Lord and do nothing to see people in need and do nothing to see the areas that God is constantly calling us to grow and do better in and do nothing." [55:54] (56 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)




8. "Passive Christianity, Christianity that sees Jesus as a part of your life and not the foundation of your life is not Christianity at all. It is not Christianity at all. Listen, I love you. I love your, your, your, your family. You cannot leave your faith up to your parents. My grandma came to church and my mama came to church. Now I come to church. So, so I'm, I'm saved. No, that's not how it works. I love it. I love the story. I love that for you. That's not how it works. Attendance doesn't equal salvation." [01:00:13] (42 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)




9. "True faith is a living and it is a growing thing. It is not mere. It is not merely a belief, but it is a life commitment to Jesus. It is a life commitment to follow Jesus. That's what true faith is. Philippians 2 verse 12 says, So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and love. For it is God who is at work in you, both to desire to work for his and to work for his good pleasure." [01:02:49] (47 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)




10. "The essence of the Christian faith is not just a set of beliefs in a book. It is a personal relationship with Jesus. And to own your faith is to actively engage in that relationship every single day. Limitless, we are called to own our faith. We are called to pursue a relationship with Christ and to continually grow in him. None of us, I don't care how long you've been saved. 50 years, 60 years, you could have been saved a hundred years. None of us have arrived at a place to where we are fully grown in Christ." [01:11:22] (42 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)