Steadfastness in Victory: Embracing God's Promises

In today's gathering, we explored the profound theme of steadfastness in victory, emphasizing the importance of holding onto God's promises despite life's challenges. We began by acknowledging that our stories are not finished until God says they are, and there is always time to return to Him. This truth is a call to remain firm in our faith, trusting in the certainty of our victory through Christ's resurrection and His eventual return. We are reminded that our position in Christ is secure, and we are called to live in the hope of His resurrection and the assurance of our victory.

We delved into the concept of being steadfast in victory, which involves understanding that our current struggles do not define our ultimate victory. As believers, we are more than conquerors, seated with Christ in heavenly places. This victory is not just a future promise but a present reality that we must hold onto, even when it seems elusive. The resurrection of Christ is central to our faith, as it assures us of our victory over sin and death. We are called to live in the light of this truth, allowing it to shape our lives and guide our actions.

The sermon also highlighted the importance of endurance and perseverance. We are in a world that is in between the present age and the age to come, and we must hold onto the truth of what is to come to remain rooted in our current situations. This endurance is not just about surviving but thriving in the hope of Christ's return. We are encouraged to let the truth of God's Word guide our feelings and actions, resisting the temptation to let our emotions dictate our reality.

Finally, we were reminded of the ultimate victory that awaits us at Christ's return. This victory will culminate in the complete annihilation of our enemies, both external and internal. We will receive glorified bodies, free from sin and decay, and will dwell eternally in God's presence. This hope should inspire us to live lives of obedience and devotion, knowing that our labor is not in vain.

**Key Takeaways:**

1. **God's Word is Final:** Our stories are not over until God declares them so. His Word is the ultimate truth, and we must hold onto it, especially when facing challenges. This truth assures us that there is always time to return to Him and fulfill our calling. [52:36]

2. **Steadfast in Victory:** Being steadfast in victory means understanding that our current struggles do not define our ultimate victory. We are more than conquerors in Christ, and our position with Him is secure. This victory is both a present reality and a future promise. [01:00:56]

3. **Endurance and Perseverance:** We live in a world that is in between the present age and the age to come. We must hold onto the truth of what is to come to remain rooted in our current situations. Endurance is not just about surviving but thriving in the hope of Christ's return. [01:12:51]

4. **The Power of the Resurrection:** The resurrection of Christ is central to our faith, assuring us of our victory over sin and death. We are called to live in the light of this truth, allowing it to shape our lives and guide our actions. [01:03:34]

5. **Ultimate Victory at Christ's Return:** At Christ's return, we will receive glorified bodies, free from sin and decay, and dwell eternally in God's presence. This hope should inspire us to live lives of obedience and devotion, knowing that our labor is not in vain. [01:48:24]

**Youtube Chapters:**

[0:00] - Welcome
[52:36] - God's Word is Final
[53:43] - Affirming Our Position
[54:19] - Hope in Resurrection
[54:57] - Victory in Christ
[55:42] - Stories of Transformation
[58:49] - Series Introduction: Steadfast
[01:00:56] - Steadfast in Victory
[01:03:34] - The Resurrection Chapter
[01:04:50] - Paul's Gospel Revelation
[01:05:34] - Anchoring in Scripture
[01:07:17] - The Surety of Resurrection
[01:08:20] - The Power of Belief
[01:09:24] - The Messiah's Promise
[01:10:14] - Victory Over Death
[01:11:41] - Gifts Affirm Resurrection
[01:12:51] - Hope in Christ's Return
[01:14:33] - Living with Eternal Perspective
[01:15:55] - Firstfruits of Resurrection
[01:16:50] - Sharing in Christ's Victory
[01:18:04] - Overcoming Temptation
[01:19:37] - The Empty Tomb
[01:20:40] - Struggle and Victory
[01:21:49] - Truth Over Feelings
[01:22:51] - God's Ever-Present Truth
[01:23:41] - Defeat vs. Annihilation
[01:24:38] - Driving Out the Enemy
[01:26:11] - Guarding Against the Enemy
[01:27:55] - The Danger of Squatters
[01:28:32] - Avoiding Sin's Stronghold
[01:29:46] - Complete Annihilation
[01:30:59] - God's Wisdom in Annihilation
[01:32:12] - Awaiting Complete Victory
[01:32:50] - The Kingdom's Transformation
[01:34:45] - The Sound of Victory
[01:35:48] - Sharing Christ's Throne
[01:36:52] - Overcoming Through Endurance
[01:37:57] - The Path to Victory
[01:38:46] - Endurance Over Escape
[01:39:16] - The Culmination of Victory
[01:40:46] - The Enemy Within
[01:42:01] - The Perishable and Imperishable
[01:43:27] - The Reality of Aging
[01:45:04] - Conflict with the Flesh
[01:46:24] - The Promise of the Kingdom
[01:46:46] - The Mystery of Change
[01:48:24] - Glorification and Perfection
[01:49:44] - Wrestling with Kingdom Purpose
[01:50:40] - The Joy of the Kingdom
[01:51:55] - The Final Stage of Salvation
[01:52:56] - The Abolishing of Death
[01:54:11] - Eternal Presence with God
[01:55:16] - Death Swallowed in Victory
[01:56:46] - The Power of Sin and Law
[01:57:57] - The Promise of Salvation
[01:59:10] - The Return of Christ
[02:00:11] - The Call to Endurance
[02:01:11] - Steadfast in Belief
[02:01:58] - The Danger of Lip Service
[02:02:33] - Assurance in Christ
[02:03:16] - The Reality of Endurance
[02:04:03] - The Eternal Weight of Glory
[02:05:25] - The Separation of the Genuine
[02:06:17] - God's Protection and Glory
[02:07:33] - The Birth of the Church
[02:08:26] - The Call to Return
[02:09:05] - The Invitation to Salvation
[02:09:55] - A Moment of Reality
[02:10:53] - Praying for Restoration
[02:12:55] - The Father's Open Arms
[02:14:58] - The Joy of Restoration
[02:16:14] - The Power of Faithfulness
[02:17:27] - The Call to Firmness
[02:18:42] - Closing Doors to the Enemy
[02:19:49] - The Call to Be a Light
[02:22:10] - Fresh Fire and Restoration

**Bible Study Discussion Guide: Steadfast in Victory**

**Bible Reading:**
1. 1 Corinthians 15:3-8
2. 1 Corinthians 15:20-26
3. 2 Corinthians 4:17-18

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**Observation Questions:**

1. According to 1 Corinthians 15:3-8, what are the key elements of the gospel that Paul emphasizes? How does he support the truth of the resurrection?

2. In 1 Corinthians 15:20-26, what does Paul mean by referring to Christ as the "firstfruits"? How does this relate to the concept of victory over death?

3. How does 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 describe the relationship between present struggles and future glory? What does this suggest about the nature of our current challenges?

4. The sermon mentioned the importance of being steadfast in victory. What does it mean to be "steadfast" according to the pastor's explanation? [01:00:56]

---

**Interpretation Questions:**

1. How does the resurrection of Christ serve as a foundation for the believer's victory over sin and death, as discussed in 1 Corinthians 15? Why is this central to the Christian faith? [01:03:34]

2. The sermon highlighted the difference between defeat and annihilation. How does this distinction affect a believer's understanding of spiritual battles and victories? [01:23:41]

3. In what ways does the hope of Christ's return influence a believer's daily life and decisions, as suggested in the sermon? [01:12:51]

4. How does the concept of being "more than conquerors" in Christ (Romans 8:37) relate to the idea of being steadfast in victory? How can this perspective change one's approach to life's challenges? [01:00:56]

---

**Application Questions:**

1. Reflect on a current struggle in your life. How can the assurance of victory through Christ's resurrection help you remain steadfast in this situation? [01:00:56]

2. The sermon emphasized the importance of letting God's truth guide our feelings and actions. Identify a specific area where your emotions often dictate your reality. How can you allow God's Word to reshape your perspective? [01:21:49]

3. Consider the concept of endurance and perseverance in your spiritual journey. What practical steps can you take to thrive in the hope of Christ's return, rather than merely surviving? [01:12:51]

4. The pastor mentioned the danger of giving the enemy a foothold in our lives. Are there any "open doors" in your life that need to be closed to prevent spiritual setbacks? What steps will you take to address these areas? [01:26:11]

5. How does the promise of receiving glorified bodies at Christ's return inspire you to live a life of obedience and devotion now? What changes might you need to make to align your life with this hope? [01:48:24]

6. The sermon called for a return to God for those who have strayed. If you feel distant from God, what specific actions can you take this week to draw closer to Him and reaffirm your commitment? [02:08:26]

7. Reflect on the idea that our labor in the Lord is not in vain. How can this truth motivate you to continue serving and trusting God, even when the results are not immediately visible? [02:00:11]

Day 1: The Finality of God's Word
In the journey of faith, believers are reminded that their stories are not concluded until God declares them so. This truth serves as a beacon of hope, especially during challenging times. God's Word is the ultimate authority, and it assures believers that there is always an opportunity to return to Him and fulfill their divine calling. This understanding encourages individuals to remain steadfast in their faith, trusting that God's promises are unwavering and His plans are perfect. The assurance that one's story is still being written by God provides comfort and motivation to persevere through life's trials. [52:36]

Isaiah 55:11 (ESV): "So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it."

Reflection: What is one promise from God’s Word that you need to hold onto today, especially in a challenging area of your life?


Day 2: Present and Future Victory in Christ
Understanding victory in Christ involves recognizing that current struggles do not define one's ultimate victory. Believers are more than conquerors, seated with Christ in heavenly places, and this victory is both a present reality and a future promise. The resurrection of Christ is central to this faith, assuring believers of their triumph over sin and death. This truth calls individuals to live in the light of their victory, allowing it to shape their lives and guide their actions. By embracing this perspective, believers can navigate life's challenges with confidence and hope. [01:00:56]

Ephesians 2:6 (ESV): "And raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus."

Reflection: How can you live today as if your victory in Christ is already a reality, despite any current struggles you face?


Day 3: Thriving Through Endurance
In a world caught between the present age and the age to come, believers are called to endure and persevere. This endurance is not merely about surviving but thriving in the hope of Christ's return. By holding onto the truth of what is to come, individuals can remain rooted in their current situations. This perspective encourages believers to let God's Word guide their feelings and actions, resisting the temptation to let emotions dictate their reality. Thriving through endurance involves embracing the hope of Christ's return and allowing it to inspire a life of faithfulness and resilience. [01:12:51]

Hebrews 10:36 (ESV): "For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised."

Reflection: What is one practical step you can take today to thrive in your current situation, rather than just survive?


Day 4: Living in the Light of the Resurrection
The resurrection of Christ is the cornerstone of the Christian faith, providing assurance of victory over sin and death. Believers are called to live in the light of this truth, allowing it to shape their lives and guide their actions. This involves embracing the power of the resurrection as a present reality that influences daily living. By focusing on the resurrection, individuals can find strength and hope to overcome challenges and live a life that reflects the transformative power of Christ. This perspective encourages believers to align their lives with the truth of the resurrection, experiencing its impact in every aspect of their existence. [01:03:34]

1 Peter 1:3-4 (ESV): "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you."

Reflection: How can the truth of Christ’s resurrection shape your actions and decisions today?


Day 5: The Hope of Ultimate Victory
Believers are reminded of the ultimate victory that awaits them at Christ's return. This victory will culminate in the complete annihilation of enemies, both external and internal, and the reception of glorified bodies free from sin and decay. Dwelling eternally in God's presence is the hope that should inspire lives of obedience and devotion. Knowing that their labor is not in vain, believers are encouraged to live with an eternal perspective, allowing the promise of ultimate victory to guide their daily lives. This hope serves as a powerful motivator to remain faithful and committed to God's purposes. [01:48:24]

1 Corinthians 15:54-55 (ESV): "When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: 'Death is swallowed up in victory.' 'O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?'"

Reflection: In what ways can the hope of ultimate victory at Christ’s return inspire you to live a life of obedience and devotion today?

Come on, put your hands together like this, come on. Make some noise again. Join in and praise. Somebody join in and praise with us right here. And we're going to thank him for his wondrous grace. Great job.

Father, we just thank you for the truth of those words, Lord, that they are not words that just have to be spoken in vain, Father, but they're words that we can hold on to. And no matter what we got going on, no matter what we've been through, no matter what we're facing, no matter what friends, family, the world has said, your word is final. And what you said is true. And when you said that my story is done, that is when my story is done.

And Father, we thank you, Lord, that until you crack the sky, you come back, Lord, our story is not done. There is still time for someone who has been away from you to return to you. There is still time for someone who has forsaken you to return to you. There is still time for someone who feels like they have not accomplished the things that you have called them to accomplish to do, Father.

Over everybody that is here today, Father, that they would be able to speak those words to themselves, over themselves, to themselves, when they're struggling, when they're struggling with me, when they want to quit, stronger than them, they feel like they don't have, on to the truth of your scripture and your word, Father. Help us to affirm, and to maintain our position with you. As your word says that we are safe and secure in you.

So there's no reason to run from the shadow of your wings. There's no reason to escape from your refuge. Let us be firmly planted in the hope of your resurrection, in the hope of your return, and in the certainty of our victory. It is in your name.

If y'all believe that, just go ahead and take a second to be the leader of your own worship. Praise God for the victory that you already have. For the victory that's to come. That he's all powerful. Your resurrection is a symbol of defeat of our enemies. Through his ascension, a reminder of our position with him in power.

Amen, amen, amen. I love y'all. I appreciate the authentic worship, man, as we just continue to press into this ministry. In these series to help us be people that really hold on to being steadfast in these truths.

Well, Natasha had shot me a message earlier this week. I won't share her message, but she shot me a message earlier this week. And then obviously I put in Church Center the other day the message from Dray. And one of the things, man, that really motivates me to stay steadfast in this call and church planting and the ebb and flows of ministry is those moments in scripture, or those moments in reality rather, where the testimony of someone who has grabbed hold of the words that have been shared, the labor, the work that has been put in, and they grab hold of it and apply it to their life and transformation takes place.

Those stories are literally the things that keep me up in a good way, that keep me pressing through different levels of discouragement. So I just want to encourage you guys, man, as we celebrated Elders Appreciation Month, before that we celebrated you guys, Members Appreciation Month, and I just really want to continue to remind you that, man, the greatest gift that you can give me is your fight and your genuine devotion to the Lord. That's literally all I need from y'all, because that's why I do what it is that I do. Amen?

And shout out to my wife, too, by the way. You know, one of the things that when we made the decision to shift to not doing Pastors Appreciation Month or Founders Appreciation Month, but to really do Elders Appreciation Month and just honor all of you. And I just want to thank my wife for the work that she puts in for us to plant this ministry, right, to start a ministry and to walk away from income and work and levels of security to go into the unknown to not know what it would look like.

And for my wife to have to weather all of the storms of my emotions. The ups and downs of ministry, some of the stresses, some of the sacrifices that we've had to make for certain dreams and things we desire to do for our family. I just thank you, babe, for continuing to trust me, continuing to be behind me, continuing to encourage me, speak life into me. I love you.

In conclusion, amen. Listen, guys, the clock is ticking. It's 12:30. You know I got at least two hours in me. Listen, man, we are going to be, I'm going to be all over the place for a little bit, but we're going to be in our series, mini series called Steadfast. Last week we looked at needing to be steadfast in trusting the Lord, right? And we talked about the importance of being steadfast and to be steadfast is to be what? Firm and secure, right?

And so if we are going to be people who are going to get out of our sin stupor, if we're going to be people that's going to wake up from our fleshly lusts, and our quit syndrome, right? We have to be individuals who learn what it means to actually be steadfast, more than just words to be steadfast, but actual practical tools in order to be steadfast. And that's what we're looking at, right?

And so last week we talked about that we need to pick up that tool of trust, right? That we really have to be able to be individuals who in the midst of whatever it is that we're going through, we can trust in the word of God, right? And we looked at that Psalm 57, and we looked at how at the end of the day, David had to trust in the Lord before his deliverance, right? And he was, but he said he was able to stay in the shadow of his wings.

He was ever able to endure being on the run from Saul and still trust in the Lord because he was steadfast in his heart, which means he was firmly committed in his heart to be devoted to the Lord regardless of what was facing him. And so we have to work on being that, and that means we have to learn to trust what the Word of God says. We have to believe it before we experience it, right?

But today, another tool that we want to look at is that we need to learn how to be steadfast in victory. And being steadfast in victory, in one sense, it's simple. It's simple if I just got to continue to win, right? Anybody that's winning has no problem staying in the winning circle. I just got to keep winning, right?

What happens is, and some of you who are coaches, y'all understand it, right? It's like you win a couple games and everybody's excited, and then you stop winning. And all of a sudden, you forget about your ability to win, and you get down on yourself, and you start thinking it's the end of the world, and you start forgetting your position.

And as children of God, even in those moments, when the waves are beating against us, even in those moments when our sin has overtaken us, and we've played into temptation far longer than we desire to, and we went far further than we wanted to, we have to remember that just because of that does not mean we are defeated, because we are still more than conquerors in Christ. We have still been seated in the heavenly places with Christ now, which means we are victorious.

We are just in a state where we are allowing the enemy the appearance of a victory that he doesn't have. But on the other sense, being steadfast in victory means that we have to understand that we live in this world that is in between. So you have the age to come, and then you have the present age. And we are in the present age holding on to a truth that we haven't actualized in reality yet, meaning there is a victory to come that we are... that we know of that we haven't seen yet, or we have not laid hold of.

And so to be steadfast in victory means we have to hold on to the truth of what is to come to help us to stay rooted and planted in our current situation, not to walk away from the Lord, to forsake the Lord, believing on the victory that is to come, which goes back to the fact that we have to trust what the Word has said. And that's difficult. I get it. We go through stuff in this in-between. We deal with stuff in this in-between, even stuff that we don't even want to deal with. But we deal with it, and we go through it.

But we have to be people that endure. And my prayer and my hope today through this message is that, man, we will understand the future victory so much that there is no way in the world I will let these momentary light afflictions cause me to move away from the surpassing weight of glory that is to come, right? Because Sadatza kept saying it, so we...

All right, 2 Corinthians 4, 17 through 18, right? We got to hold on to that. But we got to really understand what's to come, and we got to believe in it. So we're going to jump around in chapter 15 of Corinthians for a second. I'm not going to go verse by verse because it's a lot of verses, but I want to play in 1 Corinthians 15 for a moment just to begin to help us understand what this victory really looks like.

And those of you who are familiar with 1 Corinthians 15, you may know this to be the resurrection chapter, right? This is the chapter that we go to, to defend the resurrection. And that's fine, I don't have no problem with that. But Paul is defending the resurrection for a reason. And he's not defending the resurrection simply to defend the resurrection because the resurrection doesn't need to be defended.

He's using the resurrection in his defense of the resurrection to speak to an eschatological victory that is to come that is rooted in the reality of Christ's resurrection. So it's not simply that Christ rose that he's defending, it's that Christ's resurrection is imperative if we're going to be people of victory. All right, man? You get what I'm saying?

All right, so we're going to walk through this thing. 1 Corinthians 15, starting at verse 3, verse 8, Paul says, "For I've handed down to you of first importance what I've also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day according to the scriptures."

Notice this, here's the cool thing. Paul, where did Paul get his gospel from? If you're on my teaching cohort, I need an answer. Where did Paul get his gospel from? Come on, somebody say it with some confidence, right? For when I got in, I can start no man, right? But I received this from... Christ, Galatians 1, come on now.

Hey, man, y'all caught up, but I'm about to say I'm kicking some of y'all out. The cohort, not the church. So Paul gets his revelation directly from Christ. But notice, though he got his revelation directly from Christ, where does he keep anchoring the church to? The scriptures. Because we ain't get our revelation directly from Christ.

But what Paul is saying is, the revelation that I got directly from Christ has been affirmed in the scriptures. And the scriptures are not out of agreement with what Christ said. And Paul says, and I'm not out of agreement with what the scripture says. So when anybody gets a revelation for you, make sure that it is not out of alignment with what the word of God says. Because they should always line up.

So Paul says, since you didn't get this revelation, here's where I need you to anchor the truth of what I'm saying in, the scriptures. Verse 6, after he appeared to more than 500 brothers and sisters at one time, whom remain until now. In other words, go check them. You can ask them. But some have fallen asleep and some aren't alive anymore.

Verse 7, then he appeared to James, then to all of the apostles. And last of all, as to one ultimately born, he also appeared to me. Amen? And so Paul jumps right away and he starts to make this defense of the gospel. And he says, listen, there were eyewitnesses. And then though there were eyewitnesses, he appeared. It wasn't just the 12.

Then for 40 days, right? Because we remember, like, we gloss over these things in the scriptures. But the scriptures are clear that Jesus didn't just resurrect and go meet with the disciples on a mountain and tell them I'm leaving. The scripture says, for 40 days, he went around Jerusalem. And so during those 40 days, many other people witnessed his resurrection. These are these other 500 that Paul is talking about.

And so he says, listen, the resurrection is sure. It is sure. Because the scriptures have confirmed it. It is sure because eyewitnesses have confirmed it. And on the account of two or three, what? Every account is what? Established. So he says, believe it or not, Christ rose. Period.

But then he says in verse 17, he says, and if Christ has not risen, so let's say you don't believe in this account, church. If Christ has not risen, then not. Even, I mean, if Christ has not been raised, your faith is what? Worthless, and you are still in your sin. So Paul begins to argue that the denial of the resurrection equals a worthless faith.

Why? Three reasons. Firstly, because unbelief on any part of the gospel is unbelief on all of the gospels. You don't get to say, I believe that Christ died, but I don't believe he rose. That's weird. That ain't true. You don't get to say, I believe that Christ rose, but I don't believe he died. That don't even, that's worse sense, right?

Here's something we miss when we love Romans 10, 9, and 10, as if that's the only place that tells us about the gospel. You don't get to believe that he died and rose, but deny that he's Lord. And many of us, we'll confirm and confess his resurrection, confess his death, but then deny him lordship in our life.

But to deny any part of the gospel is to deny the entire gospel. Secondly, Psalms 16 and 10, speaking of the Messiah, according to Peter in Acts 13, says that for I will not abandon my anointed one to Sheol. Right. You will not allow his holy one to see corruption or to undergo decay. In other words, Peter takes the same verse in Acts 13, and he says when the psalmist wrote this in Psalm 68, it was about Christ.

And so that means if Christ did not resurrect, then he is not the Messiah. And if he is not the Messiah, then we're in trouble. Can I mean there's no new covenant? That means Hebrews 10 does not apply. He has not once and for all perfected all who believe in him. And y'all better start going back to the temple, gathering up your lambs and your rams. And some of us, we just got to come with our little doves. Because we ain't got it like that.

And start making our sacrifices. Because there is no atonement for our sin if Christ is not the Messiah. So we got problems. But then the third reason why, and that more is connected to the point of this message, is if you believe in a dead man, you believe in a defeated man. If Christ did not rise, death won.

And we are placing the weight of our faith in a man who got defeated by death. Not only is that bad, it also once again will confirm that he cannot be the Messiah. Because that means if death was final in his life, that means he had to undergo a real genuine curse. He was literally wrong. That means he was not flawless. That means he was not perfect because he did not rise.

And so we got all of these problems. But the worst part is if we... When we deny the resurrection of Jesus, we literally place our hope in him being victorious and he's dead. Man, my wife was talking. I don't know what she's about to, you know, talk about next week. But man, my wife was talking. And, or not next week, but you know what I'm saying.

And we were talking about Ephesians 4. And we was kind of going through that text a little bit. And she was like, I'm just trying to understand why he even, what's the point of him saying that. And so I began to kind of talk with my wife about... How that psalm is connected when, you know, he ascended, right? But he descended and then he ascended, right? And then he gave gifts to leave, right?

And so I was sharing with her that Paul is quoting a psalm. And so one in one sense, the psalm repeats, it's talking about God, right? But in another sense, it's identifying his authority. What is his authority? Because to descend, you had to be somewhere first, right? Which means he didn't come from earth. He came down, right?

But here's the beauty, though. Here's the beauty here. We know our gifts mean a lot. But here's the beauty of the gifts. The gifts follow his ascension. So that means every spiritual gift, every time you operate in your spiritual gift, every time you use your spiritual gift, you are affirming that Christ is alive.

Because he gave the gifts after he ascended. And so by nature of your gifts, some walking evidence of a resurrected Christ. But the point is, if Christ did not rise, it would mean that he did not conquer sin and death. For death did hold him.

But if you trust in the scriptures and the over 500 eyewitnesses, then we can hold to the account of Revelations 1:18, where he says, I am the living one. And I was dead. And behold, I am alive forevermore. And here it is. And I have the keys. Keys of death and Hades. And these keys represent authority.

He says, I have authority over death and Hades. Why? Because I conquered them. How did you conquer them? When I rose. And this is important and critical to understand if you're going to have any type of endurance and victory. Right? Because understanding these things will help demonstrate or determine how much endurance and how much pressure you will actually have.

Because if you believe that Christ didn't rise, then he ain't coming back. And if he ain't coming back, what is your hope in? There is no hope. But if he is coming back, you will place your hope in it. And here's how this hope being placed in his resurrection is so critical to our walk as followers of Christ.

First John 3:2-3 says, "Beloved, now we are children of God. And it has not appeared as yet what we will be. Yet know that when he appears, when he comes back, we will be like him because we will see him just as he is. But here it is. And everyone who has this hope set on him purifies himself just as he is pure."

He says everybody who is longing for this, everybody whose hope is in this, the response of their hope is they themselves purify. Themselves. In other words, this hope helps determine and dictate how we live our life. And so if you have no hope in his resurrection, if you have no hope in his return, then you lose your anchor to ethical living.

You lose your anchor to persevere. This is what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15, verse 32. He said, "For if we have battled with the wild beasts of Ephesus for nothing." In other words, he said. I have endured. We have went through hardships for the sake of the gospel. But if there is no resurrection, we have done it for nothing.

And so what does he say? "So go eat and drink for what? Tomorrow we die." In other words, stop enduring hardships. Stop sacrificing the fleshly desires of your heart. If Christ really has not rose, if there really is no hope of him coming back, then go live your life. Because the only thing that's left for you after this life is darkness. Literally meaning darkness. Non-existence. So live it up. YOLO. They write, you only live once.

But if Christ rose, and since Christ rose, then he is coming back. And therefore, we do not eat and drink, for tomorrow we die. But we posture our hearts to a place of obedience with him. For we will be with him. And our desire is to be with him. And so I said, my life and my actions based upon what he has called me to do in order to spend eternity with him.

The hope of Christ coming back has practical implications for our lives. It dictates our fight against temptation and our press in hard seasons. So what we believe about Christ's resurrection is important. Here's why. The promise of our victory is established on the reality of Christ's resurrection.

The promise of our victory is established on the reality of Christ's resurrection. I love it. What Paul says here in verse 20 and 3. So back to 1 Corinthians 15, verse 20. He says this. "But the fact is true. Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who are asleep." And the firstfruits just means, it means different things in different contexts. But here, it simply means the first one to do it.

Christ is the first one to resurrect from the grave. He's the firstfruit of those who are asleep. That means he died first. And of those who are asleep, which means they can follow. Just keep reading it. He said, "For since by a man death came, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead."

And so he starts to establish the reversal order of how he is the last Adam, right? He starts to establish how Christ undid the things that Adam done. I don't know if that's proper English, but it's what came out. Verse 22. "For as in Adam all die, and also in Christ all will be made alive."

But each, here it is. In his own order. Christ, the firstfruit, after that those who are in Christ win at his coming. Not after his coming. At his coming. We'll talk about that in a minute. But notice, Christ has been raised from the dead, right? He's the firstfruit, right? And Paul says, listen, we all got to die in Adam. But every one of us in Christ. We're made alive, right?

And what I love about this is because sometimes we hate this whole, how can one man condemn an entire people group? And it's frustrating. And it's annoying. And you don't like it. And I get it. I don't like it either. Why I got to, like, uh-uh. He did that. I would have did it too, but he did it. And I know I would have did it because I'm doing it.

See, we be like, why I got to be punished for what Adam did? Why I got to be punished for what Adam did? Because Adam gave you a nature. But you are still transgressing the law of God yourself. You doing, you following in your father's footsteps.

But here's what I love, though. That just as we all share in the consequence of Adam's sin, those of us who are in Christ all get to celebrate or share in the consequence, because consequences aren't always negative, of Christ's victory. What is his victory? Defeat over sin. Death, power, principalities, right?

For in the garden, right, Satan was over. He was able to overcome mankind and brought death to us all. So, yes, we were all born, and we were all shaped in iniquity. But then there was another garden. And in this garden, Christ, when Satan came and through temptation of thoughts to try to get him in the garden to forsake the plan of God as well, he, in this garden, overcame the enemy.

And he did not succumb to the negative thoughts or the lies, or the things that the enemy tried to plant into his mind. So when he was tempted to avoid death, when he was tempted to avoid going to the cross, he did not allow the enemy to cause him to forsake what it is that God had instructed for him to do.

But instead, he stayed, he fought, and he went to the cross for you and I. And he died. But that's not how this works. That's not how the story goes. What they say, the Baptist preachers, because early on Sunday morning. When they went to the tomb to see this empty tomb, and the angel looks at them and he says, he is not here, he is risen. He is resurrected.

Because he pressed, and he did not give in to his own desires and his temptations to forsake what it is that God had called him to do. And so Christ died first to be the first fruit. So first Christ wins. But then we get to share in that victory, all of us who are in him at his second coming.

But pay attention, that is at his second coming, right? The victory we have right now will not fully come. It will not culminate until Christ returns. And this is where I need us to remember. This is where I need us to lay hope. This is where endurance, this is where steadfastness kicks in.

Because there is a victory, but it does not culminate fully until he returns. And this is the struggle of the believer. Because you get all that victory stuff sound great. It's good, it's encouraging. We can shout, we can jump. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But at the end of the day, we still getting beat up. By the world.

At the end of the day, we still wrestling with the exhaustion of trying to overcome sin. Right? We still overcome with exhaustion from resisting. We still got these thoughts that keep coming into our mind, and we don't want them to come into our mind. But you keep telling me I'm victorious, but it don't feel like I'm victorious.

Because why am I still struggling with this if I have victory? And all of a sudden, what we feel starts to become our reality. It starts to become the truth instead of what God's word. That's why I don't get with this, I don't care, love it or list it, hate me or not. I don't rock with no form of this weird stuff that tell me to validate lies.

You can feel however you want to feel, you're right, it is your feeling. But at the end of the day, we have to let truth speak to what we feel. And where our feelings don't match what is true, we need to do the work to get them there. Not to be like, well, I'm not going to do this. Because what the world teaches.

So even when this truth don't match what you feel, you don't got to subject yourself to the truth. You just say, it's my truth. I don't mess with none of that stuff. It's a setup. Because we didn't grab that same thought process and came right into the word of God with it.

And so we start to feel defeated. We start to feel like we won't win. And the word of God is speaking truth to us. And we struggle with believing it because we like, but I feel this way. I feel this way. And God is like, but you are victorious. But I feel defeated.

And we will not let the truth of the word of God to correct our feelings. Yet we succumb to our feelings and we start to then act out of what we believe to be defeat. Well, since I won't ever overcome this thing, let me just give in to this thing. And God is like, let my truth determine what your feelings should be.

Yes, you may feel it. I get it. I wake up some days and I'm like, Lord, are you here? Are you here? And then the word of God says, I will never leave you. I will never forsake you. Where can I go to escape your presence? If I make my bed in Sheol, there you are with me. There's nowhere I can go. That's the truth of the scriptures.

So it don't matter how I feel. I know he's there. My feelings need to catch up to him. Experience be lying. So, yeah. What was I at? Oh. I was like, transition.

So what do we do in those moments where we know the Bible says we got victory, but we're like, but I just don't feel. Well, here's the thing I think we need to understand. There is a difference between victory or defeat and annihilation. There is a difference between defeat and annihilation, and we missed that.

And so in our head, having the victory means our enemies are gone. But if you look at the Bible, right, there's times in the Word of God, in the history of Israel, where God, as they're driving out these nations in these lands, God instructs them to what? Drive out the nations. Right?

But some of these nations, he just simply said, drive out. They didn't annihilate them. They didn't completely wipe them off. They just drove them out. That's it. And sometimes, because they wasn't annihilated, they become a problem again. Because they were defeated, but they weren't annihilated.

And so all that means in the defeat is that God removed them from the territory that they were taking up space in. But he did not remove them from the face of the earth. And because they were not removed. And because they were removed from the face of the earth, they can try to come back to retake this authority or retake this territory that they've been displaced from.

It's like in sports. You win the championship. You're the champion. You defeated everybody. Then next year, you got to defeat them again. Why? Because they ain't annihilated, so they come back trying to take the title.

And it's so interesting. Because in our lives, this is how it works the same way. The enemy is defeated. But all the enemy is trying to do, because he has not been annihilated yet, because sin has not been eradicated yet, is though we displaced it from its territory in our life.

When the Holy Spirit, through confession of faith in Christ Jesus, came into us and cleaned house, swept it clean, and then inhabited our body, we displaced the enemy's territory from our life. We made him. He had to move out. This is no longer your body. You no longer have authority over here.

But because he has not been annihilated, he keeps on coming back, trying to regain access to territory that he's been removed from. And this is why Ephesians tells us, don't let the sun go down on your anger and give an opportunity, topos, in the Greek, which means literally a place for the enemy.

Because the enemy is gone. He has no authority. He has no place. He's been expelled from the territories of your life. But he's constantly trying to come back to regain access, to regain access. And God says, don't give him access.

And some of us, like the Israelites, I forgot who was the dang old nation. He told them to get him up out of there. And they came and they deceived them. And they tried to act like they didn't come from so far. They came from a way far away, but they was real close.

And so they didn't do what God told them to do. And they let him in the camp. And they became a problem. A little problem. Then they stopped being a problem. But that's how we do. We'd be like, well, I'm just going to let him come back a little bit and think that it ain't going to be a problem.

Because we think that as long as we let the Holy Spirit occupy more space than we let the enemy, we'll be good. I can play with this thing. And because I got the Holy Spirit, I can remove this thing when I want to. But God says, give no opportunity for the enemy.

Why? Because once he get in, squatters. Y'all remember what a squatter is? Anybody ever had a squatter in their house? Anybody had a property and they got a squatter get in there? So you know. Could you kick the squatter out? You had to do what? Had to evict the person that didn't live there.

You know. You can't just say, leave. They in my house, they don't belong here, officer. Hold on. Did they improve the property? You know how crazy it is? Like, they can paint my house, cut my grass, and all of a sudden, I got to kick them out.

Well, that's what the enemy does. We open up the door in our life. He get in, and then we think it'll just be real easy to say, leave. He say, hey, you got to evict me. You got to go through a whole process to get me out, because you let me in.

But we got to remember not to, because he is defeated. But we got to stop opening up doors, because we want to make things palatable, or we want to make with the cross. Because the world say it's cool, you want to keep touching yourself every night and watching flicks, you ain't got no business watching, and think that it don't matter.

No. It does. It's sin. It's a stronghold. Quit playing with this stuff. You know you sad and depressed and going through things, but you like, I'm just going to take one drink, and I can handle it. Like, no, no, it, no, no. It's your coping mechanism. You're going to keep going back to it. Quit playing with it.

Because every time we do, we just keep giving the enemy authority and territory that he has been removed from. But, but, but, but, but, there's another day that's coming, when it's no longer just a defeated enemy that we got to deal with, right?

And if you know, if you like, this is what it is. It's in there, come right there. There is an age to come when Christ returns, where we won't have foes at all, for he will culminate our victory with complete destruction. Our enemies are defeated right now, but there's an age to come when you won't even have foes to fight against, because there will be complete elimination and complete destruction of our enemies.

There will be complete destruction of our enemies. This is the annihilation. And if you read your Bible, there were some nations that God said, and people, you know, the atheists really grab hold of this, but let them grab hold of it. God don't need to be defended, he God. He said, kill them all. Women, children, animals, cattle, burn it, kill everybody.

Remove them completely away from the face of the earth. And we hate that type of stuff, and that's okay. I'm not here to defend God. God's smarter than me. And the Israelites thought they were smarter than him, just like we think we're smarter than him. And they never actually drove the people out completely like he told them to.

And they became a thorn in their sides in the kingdom. I mean, in Jerusalem. A thorn in their side. God said, get them up out of there. Dang, get them up out of there. Because they thought they knew better than God. God, that's just mean. God said, bro, I'm trying to help you.

Okay, bet. You don't want to do it? Okay, Joshua, this is your problem now. Forever. We'll see you when I come back. Second time. But he said it because he understands that some things just got to be completely gone away with.

And what's going to happen? At the end of the day, when Christ returns, he is not coming to simply defeat his enemies. He is coming to annihilate them, completely remove them from the face of the earth. There will be no sin to them. Think about it. There will be no devil to wrestle with. There will be no rulers. There will be no principality. There will be nothing. Nothing.

Verse 24 and 25. Then comes the end when he hands over the kingdom to our God. This is Corinthians. Where he has the kingdom of our God and Father. And he has abolished every rule of authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.

You see that word abolish? It's annihilate. Right? There's an age to come where we won't need to be conquerors because there won't be an enemy to overcome. And I don't know about you, but I'm waiting on that day. Because while I'm thankful that God keeps giving me strength, I'm tired of fighting.

Thank you for helping me get over this, but I just don't even want to deal with it no more. Take it. And we all pray that. Lord, just take this from me. And he was like, one day. I don't know why his voice was high, but you know. One day.

He's come with thunder one day. I'm just trying to encourage you this morning. Paul says when the end comes, at Christ's return, he will abolish all his enemies who are our enemies. Also, check this out. Revelations 11, 15, and 18. I want to read it here, though. Revelations 11. Uh, 15 through 18.

If you don't know what Revelations is, just go to the very back of your Bible. Start moving backwards from there. 11. Revelations 11. Uh, 15 through 18. It says, "Then the seventh angel sounded, and there was a loud voice in heaven saying, The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord."

You understand what that means? The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord. That means the dominion, the temporary dominion that the enemy has had as the prince in power and ruler of this era, according to Ephesians 2, comes to an end. And the kingdom of the world becomes now the kingdom of our Lord because Christ takes dominion back.

When he defeats him. So he says, "When the seventh trumpet blows, the kingdom of the world becomes the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign forever and ever." And the 24 elders who sit on the throne before God fell on their faces, and they worshiped God, saying, "We give you thanks, Lord God, the Almighty, the one who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign."

You've taken back all authority. You are now reigning. You are now the one in control. And then he says, "And the nations were enraged, and your wrath came, and the time came for the dead to be judged, and the time to reward your bondservants and the prophets and the saints and those who fear your name, the small and the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth."

Paul says, "This temple, this trumpet is going to blow. And when it blows, the beginning of Christ's everlasting reign takes place." And who's mad? The nations. Everybody that thought they had power. Everybody that thought they was in authority. They're mad.

Why? Because when Christ comes, it becomes clear. We was placeholders. So what's the sound of the trumpet? Victory. The kingdom of the world becomes the kingdom of our God. And here's the beauty, though. It says, "When he comes, what did he say? When he comes, he will judge, he will judge the dead, and he will reward the bondservants, the prophets, and the..."

Okay, okay, okay. What's that mean? That's when it get good for us. Because I always tell people, Everybody's talking about the last days, the last days. I said, the last days, it's complicated. Because we look forward to the last days, those who are in Christ Jesus. But those who ain't, it ain't a good day for them.

Because some is getting judged, unto death. Some is getting judged, unto righteousness. Which side we want to be on? Well, here's the beauty. Because we're talking about victory. And we're talking about how we need to understand, and be grounded and rooted, in the fact that there is a victory to come.

So what does Christ say? We go, Revelations 3, 21. He says, "The one who overcomes, this is dope. The one who over..." Okay, just in case y'all don't know, if you're a visitor, hi, I'm Tank. And I'm post-trib. Which means I don't believe in no secret rapture that's taking us up out of here to avoid. And I don't think the Bible teach it. That doctrine didn't come into the 18th century. There is no church father and no biblical author who taught that.

I know it became popular in the 18th century, but it ain't there. We can walk through the scripture. This ain't a class on eschatology, but I teach it, and I show me. It ain't there. We ain't escaping nothing. We gotta press through and endure it.

And Christ says, "To the one who endures, I will grant him to what? Sit with me on my throne." Do you understand that Christ says, I will share my throne with those who overcome, to those who endure, to those who press on. His throne.

Then he says, "The same throne that my father sat on." Do you understand this? Guess what that means? Power, authority, victory. If we sitting on a throne, ain't nobody else got no power. That means the power, the victory that he has. He says, every last one of you who press, I'm gonna give it to you. Just as it was given to me for my endurance.

And then it get better, because in Revelations 12, 11, just in case you don't know that you can be the overcomer. He says, "And they overcame how? By the blood of the lamb. And because of the word of his testimony. And they did not love their life, even when faced with death."

Even when it got to the hardest point of walking with Christ. He says they became overcomers because they did not love their comfort more. They did not love their sin more. They did not love their life more, but they laid it all down, pressing, pressing.

He says, those are the overcomers who will sit on the throne with me in my kingdom. The overcomers are those who endure through the trials and tribulations. That's in times and that's now. Because I can promise you this, escaping isn't the path to victory. Endurance is.

And I know we don't like that. You're like, some of y'all just got culture shocked real quick. Y'all was like, whoa, wait, what you mean? What, what, what you mean? What's the movies we was watching back in the day? What's the movies? No, what's they called?

Yeah, yeah, yeah, man, what you mean? Hey, man, listen, people, hey, listen, here's the thing. It's not a heaven or hell issue, so you can hold to it if you want to, but you're going to be upset. You're going to be upset when you like, and you misdirect. That's the reality of how Revelations is coming to life today.

Because some of y'all keep waiting on a bowl. I'm like, you better check where we at. We better check the bowl judgments first half of the tribulation period. Right, right. You better check where we at. Them bowls been pouring. And we miss it. It's right in front of our face.

And we just be like, well, that doesn't mean anything because, you know, I'm still here. Yep, you are. And you will still be here. Until you ain't here. Or is. But here we go. We're at 19 minutes. Okay, this is how we guarantee that we can get the culmination of our victory that we desire.

We got to endure. We got to press. We got to hold on to the truth, right? We got to keep going. We got to keep going, right? And then what Paul says, I love it. Here's what Paul says. I love what he says in verse 26. He says, "And the last enemy will be abolished is death."

No, no, no, no, this is where we park at. Well, we're not going to park in verse 26. Just go ahead, jump ahead to verse 50. That's where we're going to park at. Why? Because Paul just makes this little loose statement in verse 26. And then he just keep on going as if he ain't said.

But in verse 50, he starts to expound on what he means by when he says death will be abolished. Because the question has to be, how is death going to be abolished? And why is it the last enemy to be abolished? And one of the reasons that this is important is because when we talk about hardships and temptations of the enemy, right?

Right, right. We can talk about the hardships and the temptations that come. But here's the other thing. Okay, God, you're going to do away with all the powers and rulers and principalities and the God of this age. That's great. But hold on. There's still another enemy. It's the enemy in me.

Because what does Paul say? Remember, in Romans chapter 7, we read it. When I want to be good, do good, there is what? Evil present with who? Me. So that's fine if you do away with all of the rulers and the principalities and the devil and the enemy and all of the nations. But there's another problem. And it's me. The sin nation. The sin nature that is in me.

And so, God, how are you going to remedy that problem? Because if I had nobody tempting me, I would rebel against you on my own. Because of the sin nature that is in me. And so I love it because God promises that even that will be annihilated.

Look at verse 50. He says, "Now I say this, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable." Let's walk this down. Paul says the flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. Why?

First, because flesh and blood is perishable. And it does not have what is needed to endure life everlasting. In other words, this body is forever decomposing. The kingdom is eternal. The reason this flesh and blood can't enter the kingdom of God is because think about living forever in your forever decaying body.

I'm about to be 40 in April. And I'm falling apart. I am. I'm just falling apart. You know what I'm saying? I am the strongest pastor in the city. Let's be clear about that. But I'm getting weak. I'm getting weak. People are catching up to me. Catching up to me. I'm getting, I'm injuring myself with stuff I shouldn't be injuring myself with.

Man, we did. We had, so on my powerlifter team, we had a power. A power. A power day of a bench. Right? I'm killing it. Oh, I'm killing it. You know what I'm saying? Big reps. Big reps, bro. Big reps. You're going to be proud of me. Because that's the strongest.

He's just the strongest person in the city. Anyway, so big reps. Big reps. And I'm repping them. Pow. Pow. And I'm feeling good about myself. And now I'm just doing auxiliary stuff. Because you got to do a little auxiliary. So I just say, let me just throw 135 pounds on and just do some shrugs.

Now, I ain't boasting. I'm just doing auxiliary stuff. But I can shrug 500 or so. They're like, what? Yeah. But I ain't. It's just here. This right here. That's a shrug. Okay. So I just said, let me just do 135. And I throw a little 135 on it. I'm just doing it.

And next thing I know, I said, oh. Uh oh. Anybody that lifts weights know when you feel, uh oh. I said, how did I stretch? I'm getting old. I'm getting old. And I need to stretch. I need to stretch. I just talked to. Me and my guy was talking on Tuesday at class. We was training. We was talking, and I was like, bro, because he's 42.

I said, man, I'm getting to the age where I'm realizing that I need to stretch, and I try to stretch, but then I do the first 10 seconds, and I'm like, I'm not doing this. This is stupid. I do one little thing like this. One, two, three. I'm like, man, I'm not about to sit here and do this for 30 minutes. This is boring, but I'm old, and I need to stretch, but ain't no stretching going to stop your body from decomposing in the kingdom, and so he says, that body can't enter.

That body come in the kingdom for us. The kingdom supposed to be beautiful. That's miserable. Walking around just hurt all the time in the kingdom, forever hurt. Like, Lord, my back hurt forever, forever, ever. Like, this is what I, sciatica forever? It's not. You're lying. You're lying to me, God. This is not how this was supposed to work.

He said, but if that body come in the kingdom, that's exactly how it would work, so it can't. But here's the other reason flesh and blood cannot enter the kingdom of God, because sin cannot enter the kingdom of God. Flesh and blood is just the physical vulnerability.

Let me be clear. By flesh and blood not entering the kingdom of God, I am not saying we're going to be floating around in some spirits up in the kingdom. No, no, no. We're not going to be running around here floating around like this, just floating around in the kingdom. That's not what we're doing.

We will be flesh and blood in the kingdom. We will have physical bodies in the kingdom, okay? We just won't have this body in the kingdom, because it is vulnerable and weak physically and spiritually. Romans 8, 7, and 8, the mind set in the flesh is what? Hostile to God, for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able.

Let that get stuck on skip. Remind yourself every time you think that you can follow your flesh and honor God. No part of your flesh ever will honor God, for it is not even able to do so. And those who are in the flesh cannot please God. That's why we got to walk according to the what?

But this is also why we're in constant conflict with ourselves. Right? We got a self-will that is against God, and it creates this inner conflict. So the reason flesh and blood cannot enter the kingdom of God is because to do so will allow there to be room for rebellion in the kingdom.

This body just comes in the kingdom. Then we got the same problem all over again. Iniquity will be found within us, and then this whole thing starts all over again. That's not how it's supposed to be. And so God says, no, that can't come.

But we got a problem, though. Because I'm flesh and blood, and I love Jesus. And you promised me the kingdom. So we got a problem. Because if flesh and blood can't come into the kingdom, and you promised me the kingdom, and I'm flesh and blood, God, what you about to do about this?

Verse 51 and 53. "Behold, I'm telling you a mystery. We will not all sleep." That means we will not all die. "But we will be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet." That's that Revelation 11. When Christ comes back for victory, at that last trumpet, we will be changed in the twinkling of an eye.

For the trumpet will sound. But just so you know, you that are living when he comes back are not the only ones that will be changed. Because when the trumpet sounds, the dead, too, will be raised imperishable. And they will be changed also.

"For this perishable must put on the imperishable. And this mortal must put on the immortality." He says, when Christ comes back, you who are alive when I come back, you who may have died in the same hope, believing that I am coming back, all of you will be changed.

All of you will get a new body, because that one can't come. It's corrupt, so I need to give you an imperishable body. That one can't come. It's sinful, so I got to give you a new nature. I can't have you have any ability to rebel against me in the kingdom. I can't have you have an ability.

If I don't know what God talking to us about in the kingdom, but if he tell me to do it, I just want to do it. So with joy and gladness. But if I got a sin nature in me, now God said, go do it. We bow down to worship, and we like, I don't feel like it today.

Because the self-willing me don't want to do it. He said, I ain't got time for that. Y'all said, why can't I just make y'all love me? I will in the kingdom. I take all your will away. You won't have one in the kingdom. The only will in the kingdom is a will to follow me. The will to do what I say. The will to worship me. There will be no ability to sin.

You're going to be changed. And we call this glorification. Glorification is the final stage in the process of salvation in which the righteous in Christ resurrect to a new spiritual yet physical body. And this body is free from decomposition, sin, and sickness. That's why there's none of that no more. Perfect bodies don't get sick. Perfect bodies don't sin.

There's nothing to mourn in the kingdom. So we don't need to cry. There's no love. There's no lament. It's perfect. Everything is great. I don't know what we're going to be doing. I'll be thinking about it. I had to repent when I was writing the sermon. I'm in my office writing the sermon.

And I'm writing these truths like, oh, this is good, Lord. Come on. Yeah. Yeah. And then I started being like, all of a sudden, this is what that sin in me do. All of a sudden, I'm glorifying God on this truth. And all of a sudden, a thought creeps in my head. What are we going to be doing forever?

Like, literally. I'm like, that's a long time, man. Like, what are we doing? All of a sudden, I stopped. I froze for about a good 10 minutes. I'm just sitting in my chair like, what are we doing? Like, all right. I ain't going to have my wife, so I ain't going to be doing that.

So that's gone. I'm like, man, I ain't going to have no ambitions to start a business because I don't need it. I ain't going to be preaching because. You here. And this is where it gets serious, though. Because all of a sudden, if all your significance is in all of those things, the kingdom ain't good enough for you.

And the Lord started hitting me. I was like, oh. I'm really wrestling. I'm really wrestling with the kingdom because I'm like, none of the stuff that gives me purpose, I'm going to be doing. So who am I in the kingdom? And God said, nobody. I'm in the kingdom.

I am in the kingdom. You talking about who are you? Tank. Lucky. That's who you are. Thankful. Gracious. How about all of those adjectives? Be that. And I was like, Lord. I was like, Lord, I'm so sorry because I for a whole second, I almost started to scorn, scoff at the kingdom.

Like, because I'd be thinking every now and then. I'd just be like, what are we doing? Because somebody told me we're going to be bowing down all day long saying holy. I ain't going to lie. I was like, Lord, Lord, Lord. Now, now, Lord. Now, Lord.

Okay. I don't need to be one of them elders. They got that. They got that. I want the mansion and the gold rose that you told me about now. But if that is my fate, I will do it with joy and gladness because there is no sin nature in me to not be satisfied with what God tells me to do.

That's why he has to get rid of it. Because everything I just said right now will be us in the kingdom if he don't do something. Now he and now we're in the kingdom. And he. Like, I got to do this all over again because they got to go. They got to go.

These jokers, God, they about to rebel again. That is wrong. God, like, I just, I quit. This is going to be me, my son, and the spirit. I'm done with y'all. Final stage. Six minutes. Oh, Jesus. Six minutes. Final stage.

Okay. Well, y'all know what it is. All right. All right. So listen, listen. Final stage. It's the final stage. Switch to first stage. Justification. When we believe we were saved from what? The penalty of sin. Right? That's what our. And then with our confession comes the Holy Spirit and he gives us power.

So we are saved from what? The power of sin. That's sanctification. Right? Then when Christ returns, salvation comes in full to those who are in him. And we are saved for what? From the very presence of sin forever. That's our what? Glorification. Right? Right?

The reward of enduring is a body that never has to again. Made perfect. And so the abolishing of death happens through the eradication of sin. How is it that sin, I mean, how is it that death will be lastly fully annihilated and abolished? Because there is no sin for death to anchor itself to.

For the wages of sin is death. But where there is no sin, there is nothing for death to lay hold of. There is nothing for death to anchor itself to, to resurrect itself back to life. So it is completely and forever done away with. This means we'll never, ever, ever, and this is the beauty, right?

Because there's the physical death and then there's the spiritual death, right? And the spiritual death means what? From? Spiritual death means what? Physical death means what? Physical death means separation from the body. Spiritual death means what?

But there's no more death. It's completely abolished. So, so, so, so, it's not just that we'll never have to do it again. It's not just that we'll never have to do it again. It's not just that we'll never have to die again. We'll never, ever in our life ever have to experience being separated from the presence of our Father again.

We will forever dwell, dwell, dwell in His presence. You heard it. You got it. Sometimes. I'll be in it sometimes. There's ginger tea kicking too. I ain't caught, I ain't caught once, bro. You understand what I'm saying? It's not once, bro.

And I've been yelling ginger on fleek. All right, so, now I feel like I'm coming. All right. All right, God, I heard you. So, listen. Four minutes. All right, right, right, right now. All right, so right now we'll get tempted. And it's frustrating.

All right, here you go. Check it out. Verse 54. "But when the perishable puts on the imperishable and this mortal puts on the immortality, here it is, here it is, here it is, then will come about the saying, death has been swallowed up in victory."

And this metaphor of swallowing up is the image of an overwhelming. Whoever watched Marvel? Whoever watched Captain Marvel? Remember the cat? The little tiny cat? The little tiny little cute cat? Then all of a sudden, when it recognizes enemy, turns this big old massive thing and it just swallows up the people?

That's what, that's the image. It's when a more overwhelming force. But here's the beauty, though, about being swallowed up. It leaves no trace of an existence. Death will be swallowed up. There will be no trace of there ever being death. There will be no remnant of sin sprinkles anywhere. It will be completely annihilated.

And then Paul does the death taunt. In verse 55 and 56, he says, "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law." This is a taunt, because death has no victory, because it has no sting, which is sin, right?

And sin having its power in the law, all it means is that, here we go, all it means is what Paul said in Romans chapter 7. What shall we say then? Verse 7, is the law sin? Far from it. On the contrary, I would not have known what sin is except through the law, for I would not have known about covenant if the law had not said, you shall not covet.

But sin, taking an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me a covetous, produced in me coveting of every kind. For apart from the law, sin is dead. The reason the law or instruction of God is power to sin now is because our sin nature always desires to rebel against God.

So when he says that the power of sin is the law, all he's saying is that the sin in us, the moment God says, don't do it, the sin in us says, oh, that's what God wants, I need to rebel against that. And then it begins to entice us to rebel against that. When there is no sin in us, there's no desire to rebel against what God says.

And so, so, so, so, sin loses its power. Now, we got to close. I won't be there. All right. So what happens then? What is all that communicating? That when Christ returns, he'll give us a new body. He'll destroy all of our enemies, but then he'll give us a new body, a glorified body.

And with that, we receive full, victory once and for all. We have no external enemies and we have no internal enemies. This is how when Christ returns, all of our enemies will be annihilated and we will receive the fullness of our salvation. But those victory accounts do not belong to everyone.

This is our closing points. They don't belong to everyone. They belong to those who are in Christ. Verse 57, "But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." This means you have to be in Christ when he returns.

This means you have to endure until either you die in that hope or you see him. And here's the beauty, because that whole death being swallowed up is Paul quoting from Isaiah 28, 8 and 9, where he says this, "He will swallow up death for all time. And the Lord God will wipe tears away from all faces."

That sounds like the kingdom. "And he will remove the disgrace of his people from all the earth for the Lord has spoken. And it will be said on that day, behold, this is our God for whom we have spoken. And it will be said on that day, behold, this is our God for whom we have waited."

For whom we have waited. That's the key word. That he might save us. And pay attention. This is the Lord for whom we have waited. So let's rejoice and be glad in his salvation. He says this whole death being swallowed up, it's for those who have waited, say waited, waited, endured, pressed on, fought through, ain't no forsaken him.

And then when the cross cracks, you get to bow to repentance. Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord, but that is not unto salvation. That is an acknowledgement. But some of them are going to acknowledge it unto hell. And others will acknowledge it unto the kingdom.

Matthew 24, 30 and 31. "And then the sign of the Son of God will appear. And then the sign of the Son of God will appear. And then the sign of the Son of God will appear in the sky. And then all the tribes of the earth will mourn. And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with great power and glory.

And he will send forth his angels with a great trumpet blast. And they will gather together his elect from the four winds from one end of the sky and another." When the sky cracks, he sends out his reapers. Go get my children. Not go give another message. Go get my children.

Go get my children. Go get my children. Not given of an offer of salvation. Go get my children. For when I come back, whatever state you are in, that is the state you are locked and sealed in. You will confess him as Lord, but it will not save you.

We got to wait. We got to be people who are willing to endure, who are willing to hang on when it's rough, when it's hard, when it feels like everything is drowning and coming around us and we don't know. What are we going to be able to do? We have to be people who want to see the salvation of the Lord.

So we wait. And Paul says this in verse 58, where he says, "Therefore, in light of all this, my beloved brothers and sisters, be firm." That's our word, steadfast. "Be firm and movable. Always excelling in the work of the Lord. Knowing that your labor is not in vain."

While it will be, it will get hard on this side of earth. While waiting on the return of Christ. Enduring is the path to experience the desired victory. You got to keep believing. No part of the gospel, not part of the gospel, but all of it. Right?

You got to keep pressing through. Through whatever attacks you are feeling. Whatever tribulation you go through. Whatever hardships you have to endure. You got to keep believing in the gospel. Because that's what the enemy is after.

Being steadfast in victory begins with being steadfast in believing. Believing the truth of the gospel. Believing the truth of the word. But just not believing in word. Because Titus 1:16 says, "They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him. Being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed."

We got to be able to endure in word and deed. People keep deceiving themselves thinking they love God. But they do everything against Him. But they keep saying I love God. But they do everything against Him. He says you deny me by what you do. No matter what you say.

And unless we repent and the church stops playing church and starts following Christ, people are going to find out that it's too late. And that Christ never knew them. So if you've been playing church, today is the day to make a real confession of Christ.

To repent of your lip service and say, I'm fully returning back to you. Fill me with your spirit. That I may worship. That I may follow. That I may obey. But we have a divine assurance that we will appropriate the victory of Christ. If we are in Christ.

And being steadfast and immovable is how we get it. Knowing that our labor is not in vain. Knowing that your endurance of persecution is not in vain. Knowing that your resistance of sin is not in vain. Knowing that your resistance to do your own will over what it is that God has called you to do is not in vain.

It ain't always sin and hardship. Sometimes it's just job selections. Sometimes it's choosing to be single over dealing with the nonsense that's out here. Sometimes it's not cheating on your taxes. Sometimes it's small stuff that we got to endure it.

But whatever your press is, whatever your endurance is, whatever the hard choices and decisions that you make are, and it's not easy. I'm not playing y'all like it's easy. My wife said up here, it's real. I weigh decisions every day and I make decisions not to do stuff I desire to do because I'm like, it doesn't matter.

It does not benefit the people that God has called me to lead and serve. And sometimes I'm sorry about it. I'm just being honest. Sometimes I'm like, that's crazy, God. It ain't even wrong. Why can't I do this? But my labor is not in vain.

If the truth of scriptures is true and it is that Christ rose and that he is coming back for victory. And so we finished. That quote was 2 Corinthians 4, 17 and 18. And as I said, there's so many times for our momentary light afflictions is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond comparison.

While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal. But the things which are not seen are eternal. It's momentary in passing the temptations you resist, the trials and tribulations you endure.

But what is received is far beyond comparison to what we face now and it's eternal. So be steadfast and be immovable. The victory we desire will come when we stand fully transformed at Christ's second coming. And we will share in that victory if we stay committed, faithful and devoted to our Lord and our God.

And can I tell you something, church? We are in these last days. And in these last days, there is a separation. And that is happening. It's happening. We read the scriptures of the separating of the wheat and the tares. And we're waiting to see this type thing take place.

But I offer to you this morning that the separation has begun. And hardships and tribulations and temptations, they are the tools in which God's people from false converts are being sepa

1) "And when you said that my story is done, that is when my story is done. And Father, we thank you, Lord, that until you crack the sky, you come back, Lord, our story is not done. There is still time for someone who has been away from you to return to you. There is still time for someone who has forsaken you to return to you. There is still time for someone who feels like they have not accomplished the things that you have called them to accomplish to do, Father." [52:36] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


2) "And as children of God, even in those moments, when the waves are beating against us, even in those moments when our sin has overtaken us, and we've played into temptation far longer than we desire to, and we went far further than we wanted to, we have to remember that just because of that does not mean we are defeated, because we are still more than conquerors in Christ." [01:00:56] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


3) "But if you trust in the scriptures and the over 500 eyewitnesses, then we can hold to the account of Revelations 118, where he says, I am the living one. And I was dead. And behold, I am alive forevermore. And here it is. And I have the keys. Keys of death and Hades. And these keys represent authority. He says, I have authority over death and Hades. Why? Because I conquered them. How did you conquer them? When I rose." [01:11:41] (27 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


4) "The promise of our victory is established on the reality of Christ's resurrection. The promise of our victory is established on the reality of Christ's resurrection." [01:14:33] (9 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


5) "And this is why Ephesians tells us, don't let the sun go down on your anger and give an opportunity, topos, in the Greek, which means literally a place for the enemy. Because the enemy is gone. He has no authority. He has no place. He's been expelled from the territories of your life. But he's constantly trying to come back to regain access, to regain access. And God says, don't give him access." [01:26:11] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


6) "There is an age to come when Christ returns, where we won't have foes at all, for he will culminate our victory with complete destruction. Our enemies are defeated right now, but there's an age to come when you won't even have foes to fight against, because there will be complete elimination and complete destruction of our enemies." [01:29:46] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


7) "And so God says, no, that can't come. But we got a problem, though. Because I'm flesh and blood, and I love Jesus. And you promised me the kingdom. So we got a problem. Because if flesh and blood can't come into the kingdom, and you promised me the kingdom, and I'm flesh and blood, God, what you about to do about this?" [01:46:24] (19 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


8) "And so the abolishing of death happens through the eradication of sin. How is it that sin, I mean, how is it that death will be lastly fully annihilated and abolished? Because there is no sin for death to anchor itself to. For the wages of sin is death. But where there is no sin, there is nothing for death to lay hold of." [01:52:56] (20 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


9) "And so we have to be people that hold firmly to what we say we love and who we say we love. So that we will be on the side of right when Christ returns." [02:05:25] (16 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


10) "And so if you've been playing church, today is the day to make a real confession of Christ. To repent of your lip service and say, I'm fully returning back to you. Fill me with your spirit. That I may worship. That I may follow. That I may obey." [02:02:33] (20 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)