No Name Under Heaven                                        2/25/23

Song / Medley: 

No Name Under Heaven / We Give Glory

No name under Heaven

No name in the Earth

I can call upon 

Who loves me heart and soul

And loves me more than I could ever know

Jesus, name above all names

You got your name 

Through what you’ve done for me

Jesus, You turned my captivity

You shed your Blood

That I might be redeemed

We give glory

We give honor

And with thanksgiving

We give praise

To the One 

That was raised the third day

Greetings in the name of Jesus! This is Rob Haymes. This is 15 Minutes With Jesus. Wherever two or three are gathered together in My name, Jesus said, there am I in the midst of them. To all of you who love Him in truth: Mercy unto you, and peace, and love be multiplied. 

Today Brother David Hickman is visiting with us again. You just heard him sing a medley of two of the many songs that God has given him, and now he is going to speak to us a message by the Holy Spirit that God has given him for this hour. Brother Dave:

Dave’s Message:  Amen, Amen!   Add; remove: get the curses; that’s what this is about. Now cursed is he who trusts in man. Jesus said, The Words that I speak will judge you on the last day. If you reject My Words, you reject Me. If you reject His Words, you reject Him. What else do you want to know man? You ought to fear and tremble. The scripture says, Tremble at His Word: because His Word is going to overtake you. His Word is going to overtake you! One day it will run over you; it will catch up with you: once to die, and then the judgment. What are you going to be judged according to? The Words I’ve spoken will judge you on the last day. If they speak not according to this Word, there is no light in them. God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. Those who follow Me, Jesus said, will not walk in darkness. Why? Why do you reject him? Because your deeds are evil, that’s why. Jesus said, They hate Me because I testify that their deeds are evil. What is evil? It is contrary to Christ’s Words. Jesus said, I have spoken everything which My Father has given Me to speak in the world. The Words of Jesus are going to judge you on the last day.  Do you know what Jesus spoke? If you are a disciple of Jesus, you ought to stay in those Words in red, until you know what He has spoken. 

And then when somebody speaks something to you, you’ll know whether it’s the truth or not; whether it’s the things that belong to Jesus Christ or not; whether they are speaking uprightly according to the truth of the Gospel. The truth is in Jesus. Amen. Jesus said, I am the truth. Amen. I’m the light of the world. Those who follow Me will not walk in darkness. That’s right. Amen!  

So your religion can be completely darkness. Did you know that? What is it built on? What’s the foundation of that religion you have? Is it separatist? Are you separating from the Body? The Bible says there is one Body. Did you know that we are all Holy Spirit baptized into the Body of Christ? Did you know that? 1Co 12:13  For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. We have fellowship, and can have fellowship,  only through the Spirit. The Spirit bears witness, one with another, whether things are of Christ or not, and we minister the measure of Christ one to another; we minister the gifts of God one to another. Grace is the gift of God. The very definition of grace is the gift of God. We can minister one to another through the Spirit, and the Spirit will bear witness whether it be of God or not. The Scripture says,  Try the spirit, whether it be of God or not. Are you trying the spirit? The Bible says, Prove all things. By the mouth of two or three witnesses let every word be established. That’s God’s own standard of proof. Are you proving all things with God’s own standard? Are you in the Word enough to even be able to judge according to that standard? Our fellowship should be in the Gospel from the first day until now; in the Gospel, and with the Holy Spirit sent down from Heaven. It’s the right Gospel: it’s the one with the Holy Spirit sent down from Heaven. That’s the Gospel you want. That’s the one you want.  There are many gospels out there; there are gospels all over the place out there. They talk like every word that comes out of their mouth is the Good News, but it’s not. There’s another gospel out there; there’s another Jesus out there; there’s another spirit, and the true Spirit of God does not bear witness to it. If you will abide in His Word, then you’ll be established in that Word, and the Spirit will bear witness, and you will know the truth, it says, and the truth will make you free. That’s the first thing God told me, one of the first things He taught me, when I got the baptism in the Holy Spirit, with evidence of speaking in tongues, He said, If the truth will set you free, what has you in bondage? It’s lies: He showed me, You’re in bondage through lies. Amen. And, if you continue in My Word, you’re my disciple indeed, and you’ll know the truth, and the truth will make you free.  

If the truth will make you free, what has you in bondage? Lies. The Scripture says, Let God be true and every man a liar, that you might be justified in your sayings, and you might overcome when you are judged. There are many Jesuses out there. What you better do is, you better be able to try the spirit, whether it be of God or not; whether it be the right Jesus; the right Spirit; the right Gospel. Amen.

I always hear people say, The Lord is good all the time. Well, amen; the goodness of God leads you to repentance. So goodness for God is to lead you; goodness for you is to repent and believe the Gospel. If God is leading you, you’re getting mercy. The Scripture says, in Heaven the Gentiles will praise God forever for His mercy; for His mercy forever, praise God. We’re going to be thanking God and praising God for His mercy that He has had on us through Jesus. God is leading us to be part of His Body. In Ephesians chapter four it talks about endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. This is who we can have peace with. This is who the local church, the Body of Christ, can have peace with, when they come into your church, or in your town; they will agree with this. This is what the Spirit bears witness to, and it will bear witness in His people who He has given the Spirit to: that there is one body; there’s one Spirit; the body is the Body of Christ; one Spirit is the Holy Spirit; one hope of your calling for which you are called; one faith: faith in Jesus; the hope is our blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, amen, one hope of your calling for which you are called; one faith: that’s faith in Jesus; one baptism: we’re baptized into Jesus Christ; one God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all. God the Father: He’s in the Spirit; He’s through the Spirit; He’s in Christ; He’s through Christ. Jesus said, These are not My Words; these are the Words of My Father that I’m speaking. Jesus is the Word of God. He said I proceeded forth and came from God. The Holy Spirit proceeded forth from God. 

So there’s one Spirit, and the Scripture teaches, It’s not by might, not by power, but by My Spirit says the Lord, then there’s one power; there’s one anointing. The power in the Church is the power of the Holy Spirit; the power in the local church is the power of the Holy Spirit. There’s not another power; there’s not some special anointing. The anointing that all the prophets of old had was the same Holy Spirit. The anointing on Elijah’s mantle was the Holy Spirit. The anointing on the aprons and handkerchiefs that the Apostle Paul prayed over was the Holy Spirit. He was with that according to the will of God. He ministered that according to the will of God, and that’s why the Spirit was on it and with it. There’s one anointing; there’s one Spirit. Amen. So if you’re in some denomination, or in some religion that is contrary to this unity of the Spirit: I don’t have dominion over your faith, and I don’t know if you’re saved or not, but one thing I know: God knows those who are His, depart from sin. If you’re a Christian; if you’re in the true faith, you’re going to be departing from sin. Amen. All you have to do is: add a little bit here; remove a little bit there, and you’ve got yourself another gospel. If you’ve got another gospel, you’ve got another Jesus; if you’ve got another spirit, then you’ve got yourself another gospel. It’s as simple as that. 

 Follow On To Know The Lord                                    

Greetings in the name of Jesus! This is Rob Haymes. This is 15 Minutes With Jesus. You know, Jesus said, Wherever two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them. To those of you who can receive it: Mercy unto you, and peace, and love be multiplied.

Today we’re going to start off with a song. I learned this song when I was a baby Christian, back in Estes Park, CO. I was over at Paul and Evalyn Merkle’s house; they were having a prayer meeting, and Evalyn introduced the song by saying, ”This song is called, Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus”; she said,”but we like to say, Keep Your Eyes Upon Jesus”. I think it is a very appropriate song for the message that God has given me to share with you, so here we go:

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus

Turn your eyes upon Jesus. 

Look full in His wonderful face,

And the things of Earth will grow strangely dim

In the light of His glory and grace.

Keep your eyes upon Jesus.

Look full in His wonderful face,

And the things of Earth will grow strangely dim

In the light of His glory and grace.

Let’s turn to Eph 1:3-6, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. Do you know that you are accepted in the Beloved? If you believe in Jesus; if you believe in Him; if you believe what he’s done for you when He suffered for you on the Cross at Calvary, and you’ve confessed Him as your Lord, confessing your sins; calling upon Him; believing in Him; did you know that His righteousness is imputed to you because you believe in His sacrifice for your sins; because you believe that He rose from the dead? Do you know, that if you’ve done that, you are accepted, or when you do that, you are accepted in Him; you’re accepted in the Beloved. Jesus is called the Beloved Son of His Father, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Amen. So God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the Heavenly places in Christ. Let’s turn to verses 17-23, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. Praise God! Just going back to verse 17,  that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. 

Let’s move on to Eph 2:4-8, But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, Do you know that? Do you know the Father loves you? Do you know Jesus loves you? You know it says in John 3:16, that God so loved the world… That’s the truth; that’s not just a religious, famous scripture; that’s the truth: God so loved the whole world that He gave His only Beloved Son, that whosoever lives and believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Amen. Going back to Eph 2:4-8, But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God. God gave His Son: He so loved you that He gave His Son for you to die on the Cross for all of your sins.

Let’s turn to Hosea 6:1-3, KJV, Come, and let us return unto the Lord: for He hath torn, and He will heal us; He hath smitten, and He will bind us up. After two days will He revive us: in the third day He will raise us up, and we shall live in His sight.  Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: His going forth is prepared as the morning; and He shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth. Verses 2&3, After two days will He revive us: in the third day He will raise us up, and we shall live in His sight. Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord… This is so important! If you have come to know Jesus, or if you have known Jesus for a long time, and He is visiting you, and He is reviving you, and He is bringing you to repentance, and bringing you back to Himself, just like the prodigal son came back to his father, and his father ran and kissed him and embraced him and pulled him into his bosom, and he prepared a feast for him; if you are experiencing revival in your own life, I believe the Lord wants me to share with you: don’t set your heart on your revival, but set your heart on Him; keep your eyes upon Jesus; set your heart on Jesus and follow on to know Him.

Let’s turn to Mat 11:28-30,  Jesus said, Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. So we come to Jesus; we take His yoke upon us, and we learn from Him. In the KJV it says, learn of Me: Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me. So that’s what we need to do: we need to follow on to know Him; take His yoke upon us and walk with Him. When you’re yoked together with Jesus, He’s leading you by the Holy Spirit, and you’re walking with Him, and you’re doing a work: you’re doing the work that He wants you to do, and you’re learning of Him, as you work together with Him. 

Let’s turn to Php 3:7-12, the Apostle Paul said, But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. This is what we need to do: we need to press on with Jesus and come to know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death. As we experience these things, as He leads us, we experience the fellowship of His sufferings. If you're a Christian and you love Jesus, and you follow Him, you’re going to experience the fellowship of his sufferings to whatever degree He has ordained for you. He’s not going to allow you to suffer more than you can bear with Him. But you’re going to have to trust Him as you go through those sufferings, and you are being conformed to His death. When you are conformed to His death, you will die to yourself, to your old, selfish, sinful ways; to your self-centered ways: the love of pleasure, the love of money, the love of self; you will be dying to those things, being conformed to His death, that you may be changed into His likeness: more and more like Jesus.  

In John chapter 8, Jesus was speaking with the Jews, and He said, in verses 31&32,  If you abide in My Word, you are My disciples indeed, in the KJV it says, If you continue in My Word, you will be My disciples indeed, and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. This is how we will follow on to know the Lord: if we continue in His Word, with the Holy Spirit guiding us into all truth; giving us understanding and teaching us. In 1 John 2:27&28, the Apostle John said, But the anointing which you have received from Him ( the Holy Spirit), abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him. And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. 

Let’s pray together:

Father, in Jesus’ name, thank you for this day. Thank you for every person that is reading this program; thank you for everyone who is able to receive your Word by your Spirit, and I just pray that you would establish the truth of your Word in their hearts, and that you would minister to their every need going forward; that everyone who is reading this, and everyone who is experiencing revival in their lives would continue; that that work would continue in their lives, and that they would follow on to know you. I just ask you to help everyone reading this to follow on, Lord, and to know you; to come to know you and the power of your resurrection, and the fellowship of your sufferings, and be conformed to your image, because you’re coming back for a spotless bride. We thank you Father in the name of Jesus. Amen.

 The Promise Of The Spirit

Greetings in the name of Jesus! This is Rob Haymes. This is 15 Minutes With Jesus. You can follow us on line at roberthaymes.com . Today’s program is called The Promise Of The Spirit. Let’s turn to Gal 3:13&14, Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us, for it is written, Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree,  that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Let’s turn to Isaiah 32:15-18, Until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, and the fruitful field is counted as a forest. Then justice will dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness remain in the fruitful field. The work of righteousness will be peace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever. My people will dwell in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places… Isa 44:3, For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, and floods on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, and My blessing on your offspring; Thank you Lord! Praise your name! Joel 2:28&29, And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions. And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days. In Acts 2:16&17, Peter said on the Day of Pentecost, when the Spirit was poured out, But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh… John 7:38&39, He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. Gal 3:29, And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. John 14:15-18, If you love Me, keep My commandments, and I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—the Spirit of truth, in the King James Version it says, another Comforter: the Holy Spirit is called the Comforter, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you comfortless; I will come to you. John 16:5-15, But now I go away to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, Where are You going? But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 

Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. 

I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. 

All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you. Notice, He is called the Spirit of Truth. Acts 1:4-8, And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, which, He said, you have heard from Me; 

for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now. Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? And He said to them, It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. Acts 2:1-4, When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.  Notice, it says that they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Verses 32&33, Peter was preaching on the same day, after the Holy Spirit was poured out, and he said, This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear. Verses 38&39, Then Peter said to them, Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, that’s the Gentiles, as many as the Lord our God will call. 

Let’s go to Rom 8:3&4, For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. Rom 7:6, But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter. Gal 3:29, And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.  Gal 5:16-25, I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 

In John 1:14 we read, And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.  The Father sent His beloved Son into this world to be our Savior and to die for our sins on the Cross at Calvary. Jesus was with His disciples, leading them every day to do the Father’s will, teaching them and preparing them for the work they were going to be doing preaching the Gospel. One day He told them that He was going to go back to be with the Father, but that He would not leave them alone. He said, When I go to be with the Father, I will pray to Him, and He will give you another Comforter, that He may be with you forever. He said, I will not leave you alone; I will come to you. This was fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was poured out upon the disciples. Following that day, the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the Word of God with boldness. The Lord was working with them by the Holy Spirit, doing mighty works and leading them in their ministries, with various gifts of the Spirit being ministered according to the will of the Father. They were walking in the Word of God with the Holy Spirit leading them. Jesus was with them by the Holy Spirit, working in them and through them. So has it been since those days, as it is taught in the Scriptures, the Gospel has been preached by the Holy Spirit, and people have repented and believed, and been baptized in water for the remission of their sins, both Jews and Gentiles, and they have received the gift of the Holy Spirit; been baptized in the Holy Spirit, and He has been with them, comforting them and guiding them into all truth; leading them into the works that the Lord has for them to do. Jesus has been with them, working in them and through them by the Holy Spirit. Jesus said, I will not leave you alone; I will come to you. When we have the Holy Spirit, Jesus is with us, leading us and guiding us by the Spirit. He said, My sheep hear My voice; they know My voice, and they follow Me. He also said, The voice of a stranger they will not follow. So we know His voice by the Spirit. He said, Take up your cross, denying yourself every day and follow Me; that’s how you will be My disciples. We hear His voice by the Holy Spirit and we follow Him by the Holy Spirit, just as in Acts 13, when the Holy Spirit said, Separate Me Barnabas and Saul for the work that I have called them to do. When they heard His voice, they obeyed Him, and He continued to lead them in their ministry, and so they were following Jesus, not relying on their own understanding, but in all their ways acknowledging Him, and He was directing their footsteps by the Holy Spirit. 

Jesus, in His body, cannot be with everyone in every place on the Earth. When He was on the Earth, He had about 120 people following Him. But when the Holy Spirit was poured out on the Day of Pentecost upon the disciples, He was able, and is able today, to be with every disciple who is loving Him and keeping His Word, by the Holy Spirit. Jesus is present with His true disciples now by the Holy Spirit, wherever they are upon the Earth. So you see that this is much more than praying in tongues. This is: Do you want Jesus in your life every day, denying yourself; taking up your cross and following Him to do the will of the Father by the Holy Spirit; to love Him and keep His Words, and bring Him glory as you obey Him to bear fruit in your life? This is: Will you yield to Him, for Him to be truly Lord of your life through the Holy Spirit, or will you harden your heart, not to yield to the Spirit, but to rely on your own understanding to do your own will: what you want to do, and find some false prophet to tell you everything is ok, when you are not even following Jesus? Humble yourself today, that you may find grace in His sight, if you are this way. Call upon the Lord, confessing your sins, and ask Him to baptize you with the Holy Spirit! It’s a blessing folks! Receive the Holy Spirit today!

God has not changed; He is the same yesterday, today, and forever! Jesus said, Shall not the Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him. Then you can truly follow Jesus. 

Remember, Jesus said, Not everyone who says, Lord, Lord, is going into the Kingdom of God, but he who does the will of My Father. How do you know the will of the Father? Well, you might say, It’s written in His Word. Yes, that’s true. But how do you know the will of the Father for you today? What you have to do, according to the Book of Jude, is you need to pray in the Holy Spirit and build yourself up on your most holy faith, and as you pray in the Holy Spirit, the Father will begin to move in your life for that day. As you deny yourself and take up your cross, not relying on your own understanding, He will lead you. Receive the Holy Spirit! Keep yielding to the Holy Spirit as He guides you in all truth and leads you to do His will; to do the Word of God. Then you will truly be following Jesus. We must all learn to walk in the Spirit every day, and not fulfill the lusts of our flesh. Ask God for His grace to help you to do this. Do you want this? Or do you just want to do your own will, pleasing yourself? Those that are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons and daughters of God. There is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. If you walk after the flesh, you will die, but if you, through the Spirit, do put to death the deeds of your body, you shall live. Choose life!

Interpretation of a message in tongues:

I am God Almighty. If you will listen to My servant Rob this day;  if you will hearken to these Words, which are My Words, it will go well with you. But if you refuse and reject My Words, you condemn yourself, says the Lord. Do not be surprised on that day, when I reject you because you have rejected My Words; rejected My will, and turned to do your will. Come to Me I say! Humble yourself now! Receive of everything I’ve given you, says the Lord, and you will prosper. 

 Who Are You Yielding To?

Greetings in the name of Jesus! This is Rob Haymes. This is 15 Minutes With Jesus. You can follow us on line at roberthaymes.com . Today’s program is called Who Are You Yielding To? The Lord spoke to me the other day and He said, Do not yield to the Devil. Yield to Me. The Lord has shown me that men yield to witchcraft in the Church through rebellion, fear, rejection, etc., and they operate; walk in spirits of witchcraft, manipulating, dominating, and controlling the people. When we yield to men, whether we know it or not, we are yielding to the spirit they are walking in, whether it be witchcraft, or whether it be the Spirit of God, we are yielding to one or the other. If it is the Devil, then he is defiling us and bringing us into bondage. When a person is sent by God and they are walking in the Holy Spirit, and we obey them, we are not yielding to a man, but to the Holy Spirit; to God, and He will be setting us free.  Jesus said, If you continue in My Word, then you will be My disciples indeed, and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free. He also said there, He whom the Son sets free shall be free indeed. In Rom 6:13 we read, Neither yield  your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. Verse 16, Do you not know that to whom you yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants you are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? Verse 19, …even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. 

Who are you yielding to? Rom 8:14, For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God: those who deny themselves; their own desires, their own understanding, their own will, and take up their cross, the place of crucifixion, and follow Jesus every day. We follow Jesus by denying ourselves, refusing to yield to the Devil, and yielding to the Holy Spirit to be led by Him. Again, in John 8, Jesus said, Verily, verily I say unto you, whosoever commits sin is the servant of sin: continuing to yield to sin or practicing sin. If we continue in the Words of Jesus, with the Holy Spirit teaching us and leading us in doing them (loving Jesus), we will be His disciples indeed, and we will know the truth, and the truth will make us free. Verse 35&36, And the servant abides not in the house for ever: but the Son abides forever. If the Son therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed. This is how we’re going to overcome. James 1:25, But whoso looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. James 4:6&7,  But he gives more grace. Wherefore he says, God resists the proud, but gives grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God, resist the devil, (don’t yield to the Devil), and he will flee from you. Humble yourselves and yield to God and resist; do not yield to the Devil. So, pride is another reason why people yield to the Devil and not to God. Verse 10, Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

Let’s turn to Acts 13:1-4,  Now in the church that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them. Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away. So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus. Verse 2, As they ministered to the Lord and fasted: worshiped the Lord and humbled themselves, the Holy Spirit said, Separate Me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. 1 Cor 14:26, How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. Verse 40,  Let all things be done decently and in order. How was it then in Acts 13? They came together with fasting: humbling themselves, and ministering unto the Lord: worshiping Him, and one had a prophecy: the Holy Spirit said, Separate unto Mew Barnabas and Saul… So, we come together in humility unto the Lord, seeking Him; worshiping Him in Spirit and in truth: in the Holy Spirit and in true doctrine, He will manifest, according to the will of the Father in each one: one has a psalm, or a song. One has a song because he has yielded to God and He has given him a song, not because he chose a song of his own will. One has a doctrine: a teaching that he has received from the Lord for the edification of the Body of Christ. Whatever is done through the flesh, yielding to the wrong spirit, will not edify, but will bring bondage and corruption to the body. Everyone needs to understand that the only things that edify the Body are the things given by God. Jesus said, The Words I speak, they are Spirit and they are life. He said, I only say what I hear My Father saying. We worship the Father in Spirit and in truth. If the motive, the purpose, the cause is not to love the one who loved us and gave Himself for us, and to honor Him, and to love one another as He commanded us; if the motive is rooted in self love, love of money, love of pleasure, and seeking the preeminence, people will be yielding to the Devil instead of God, and the Church will be defiled. When you yield to the Devil, you are not yielding to God, and you will miss His will: what He wants you to do in the situation, in the meeting, etc. Submit yourselves to God. Jesus overcame Satan’s temptations; He did not yield to him, but He spoke the Word of God to him by the Holy Spirit. That is how we will overcome him as well: by the Blood of the Lamb and the Word of our testimony: faith in Jesus’ sacrifice; faith in His shed Blood; speaking the Word of our testimony: what Jesus did for us on the Cross; what took place when He rose from the dead. He was crucified for our transgressions and raised again for our justification.  

So what are the reasons why we yield to the Devil, or our own flesh, and not to God? One is pride. We must humble ourselves to yield to God; to resist the Devil and to yield to God; to resist our own flesh. In Romans 8 it says, Put to death the deeds of the body through the Spirit. If you live after the flesh you shall die, but if you through the Spirit do put to death the deeds of the body, you shall live. Another reason is rebellion. In 1 Samuel, Samuel said to King Saul, Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft. 1 Sam 15:22&23, So Samuel said: Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? I would say, Has the Lord as great delight in religious practices and all our religious doings as in obeying His voice? Samuel said, Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the Word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king. In verse 24, Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. Saul feared the people and yielded to them in rebellion against God, to fall upon the spoil, against the commandment of the Lord. It cost him the kingdom. Another reason is a desire to be accepted, or a fear of being rejected by a person, especially someone whom we consider important. God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of love: keeping His Words and obeying His voice, and of power, and of a sound mind. Jesus has reconciled us to His Father through His sacrifice of Himself on the Cross for our sins. We are accepted of the Father through faith in Him. We are accepted in the Beloved. We have no need, if we are in Jesus, to be accepted of any man, woman, or child! We need to be about loving our Lord and keeping His Words; fearing and obeying Him and loving one another. Jesus said, Love your enemies. He said, Overcome evil with good. Hallelujah! 

We have all kinds of religious activity in the Church. How much of it was initiated by the Lord? How much of it is obedience to His voice? He knows. In Acts 13 they humbled themselves and ministered to the Lord, and he spoke and said, Separate unto Me Barnabas and Saul for the work that I have called them to. They obeyed the voice of the Lord, and Barnabas and Saul were sent forth to the work. They were sent forth by the Holy Spirit, and they continued to obey Him as they went, and He was working with them, confirming their ministry. And what a fruitful work it was!

Who are you yielding to? Are you yielding to the Devil? Are you yielding to men walking in witchcraft; walking in rebellion; promising you liberty when they themselves are servants of corruption? Be not deceived: Of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought into bondage. Jesus paid your ransom on the Cross for you to be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. But you must choose who you will yield to. If you have been yielding to the Devil; yielding to deceivers; yielding to your own flesh, and you want to change, you can! Come to God! Acknowledge your sin to Him. He will forgive you and cleanse you. Yield yourself to Him, and commit to follow Jesus with all your heart. Ask Him for grace to help you in your time of need; in the time of temptation. He will grant you His grace; He will help you. But you must stay with Him, yielding to the Holy Spirit and resisting the Devil; letting the Spirit lead you to walk in the Word of God. If you will do this, you will bring forth fruit. The Word of God, as you continue in Jesus, will bring forth fruit in your life that will remain to God’s glory!, and you will be rewarded in the final day: eternal rewards; a treasure in the Heavens that fades not away! Is your heart there? Is that your home? Or do you love this present world: the honor of man and the pleasures of this life? Choose this day who you will serve! As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord, the one who loved us and gave Himself for us, that He might deliver us from every lawless deed, and purify unto Himself His own special people, zealous for good works, to live with Him forever with His Father and with all the children of God in His glorious Kingdom forever! Hallelujah!

Jesus struggled in the Garden of Gethsemane: He travailed greatly to overcome His own flesh and the powers of darkness to yield to the Father and to do His will. He said Father, all things are possible with you. If it be your will, take this cup from Me! Nevertheless, not My will, but yours be done. He said, If this cup will not pass away from Me except I drink it, your will be done. He overcame there, in the Garden of Gethsemane, to yield to His Father, and to go to the Cross for us: to endure all that suffering for us, that we might be delivered from all our sins and the great wrath of God that is coming on all the wicked. He loved the Father, and He yielded to Him. He loved us, and He washed us from our sins in His own Blood. Thank you Jesus. 

Interpretation of a message in tongues:

I am God Almighty. My children, listen to My servant Rob this day. I love you. I love you. I proved it: I sent My Son for you. He gave Himself; He proved His love for you on the Cross of Calvary. Turn to Me! Yield to Me and not the Devil! Turn to Me My children! Yield to Me! I have only good for you. Do not yield to the Devil! He seeks to destroy you and ruin you. I am with you. Turn to Me! I am for you! I will help you in your time of need, says the Lord. 

 The Importance of Water Baptism

Greetings in the name of Jesus! This is Rob Haymes. This is 15 Minutes With Jesus. You can follow us on line at roberthaymes.com . Today’s program is called The Importance Of Water Baptism. Let’s turn to Hos 6:1-3,  Come, and let us return to the Lord; for He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up. After two days He will revive us; On the third day He will raise us up, that we may live in His sight. Let us know, let us pursue the knowledge of the Lord. His going forth is established as the morning; He will come to us like the rain, like the latter and former rain to the earth. Verse 2, After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will raise us up, that we may live in His sight. We are crucified with Christ, and we are raised with Him.

Gal 2:20  I have been crucified with Christ; 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 for me. Gal 5:24  And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 

How was Paul crucified with Christ? How do we crucify our flesh? Let’s turn to Rom 6:1-19, What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. In the King James Version it says, that the body of sin might be destroyed.  For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. In John 8:34, Jesus said, Whosoever practices sin is the slave of sin. Rom 6:10-19, For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness. In the King James it says, yield your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness. In verse 19, Paul said, I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. Your flesh is weak, but your God is mighty. Jesus has destroyed the works of the Devil and the power of sin through His crucifixion and resurrection. Now, as you are in Christ, yield to Him and receive all that He has given you that you may stand; that you may overcome. It’s up to you: you must choose who you will yield to, whether of sin unto death, or of righteousness unto holiness, without which no man will see the Lord. 

On the day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit was poured out upon the disciples, and Peter preached a message. And in Acts 2:32-39, he said, This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear. For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself: The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit at My right hand until I make your enemies your footstool.

Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ. Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said to them, Repent, and let every one of you be baptized, notice: every one of you, be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call. The word remission means freedom, pardon, deliverance, forgiveness, and liberty. By submitting to water baptism we are delivered from the power of sin.

1 Cor 12:13, For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. Acts 10:48, And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.  That was when Peter was at Cornelius' house, and while he was preaching the Holy Spirit fell upon all those that were gathered together, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit before they were baptized. So, you don’t have to be baptized in water to receive the Holy Spirit, but Peter commanded them, right after that, to be baptized in the name of the Lord.  Act 2:42  And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. If you will not be baptized, then you are not continuing in the Apostles’ doctrine. Act 22:16  And now why are you waiting? Arise! Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord. Gal 3:27  For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Rom 13:14  But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.

This is not a symbolic, religious, optional exercise. This is life or death. We are commanded to be baptized in water for the remission of our sins when we have believed on the Lord Jesus Christ. We are literally baptized into Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection through water baptism by immersion when we do so in faith and obedience. We are crucified with Him and we are buried with Him into His death and we are raised with Him into eternal life. We are made in the image of God. We have a spirit and a soul and a body. God’s salvation is for our complete person: our spirit, our soul, and our body. When we receive Christ and confess Him Lord and believe that He rose from the dead, His Spirit is sent into our hearts crying “Abba, Father”. When you are born of the Spirit your spirit is saved. If you were to die at that point, you would go to be with Him in Heaven. If you live, then you need to follow on to know the Lord, and He will go about saving your soul. The first step in following Jesus is water baptism. If you refuse to be baptized, you are in rebellion and sin and your soul will not be saved, and if you don’t repent and yield to the Lord in obedience to be baptized, you won’t make it. Mar 16:16  He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.  Many people say, “Are you saying that I have to be baptized in order to be saved? I thought we were saved when we received Jesus.” As I am saying, your spirit is saved when you receive Jesus: He comes to dwell in your heart by faith. Your spirit is made sound, but your soul needs to be saved. Alright, so  if your soul is not saved you won’t make it. Your soul has to be changed; it has to be conformed to the image of Jesus, and He does so over the duration of your life. If you are not baptized, your sin nature; your old man will continue to rule your life. You must be crucified and raised with Christ to become a new creature, and then you must receive the Holy Spirit to walk in obedience and be led by the Spirit. They that are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God. The only reason that you would not get baptized, or you would refuse to be baptized is because you refuse to die. You want to continue living your life according to your own will; you refuse to obey your Lord. It’s rebellion, and rebellion is sin. Unless you repent and submit to water baptism you won’t make it. If you have repented of your sins and believed on Jesus; you are born again; born from above, and you have not been baptized for a legitimate reason, and you die, that is a rare and different situation. You will go to be with the Lord, of course.

Eph 4:4-6, There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. That’s how important water baptism is: One Lord, one faith, one baptism. Col 2:9-15, For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;

and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses,

having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. Verse 12, buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. Through this faith and obedience you are crucified with Him and raised with Him and seated with Him in the Heavenly places at the right hand of the Father, far above all principality, power, and dominion. If you refuse water baptism you are in unbelief and rebellion and sin and you cannot overcome and have the victory in your life which Christ has given you.

So, to review:  Your spirit is saved when you receive Jesus and confess Him as your Lord, and He comes to dwell in your heart. Your soul begins to be saved when you take that first step in following Jesus, putting to death your old sinful nature through water baptism. The Lord then will continue to lead you to overcome your flesh and sin and the powers of darkness that have had you bound. You need to be baptized then in the Holy Spirit that you may receive power to overcome. As you continue to deny yourself, deny your flesh, deny your own will and yield to the Spirit, He will teach you the Word of God and lead you in doing it; He will reveal Jesus to you more and more and His servant, His slave you will be. You will be His and He will save your soul. Your body, then, will be saved, if you remain faithful to Jesus unto death, at the first resurrection, when He returns in the clouds, and all the dead in Christ shall be raised with glorified, incorruptible bodies, and those who are alive also will be so changed, and we shall be carried by the angels to meet the Lord in the air. And thus shall we ever be with the Lord. Hallelujah!

 Radio Announcement:

I am happy to announce that our weekly program, 15 Minutes With Jesus, is now airing live on radio station WKMM-FM in Kingwood, WV on Sunday mornings at 9:00 am Eastern and 8:00 am central time; also live streaming at that time at www.kcountryradio.com, click Tune In Live. Glory be to God!

 What Does It Mean To Be Holy?

Greetings in the Name of Jesus! This is Rob Haymes. This is 15 Minutes With Jesus. You can follow us on line at roberthaymes.com. Today’s program is called, What Does It Mean To Be Holy? Let’s turn to First Peter. You know, the scripture says, Holiness, without which no man will see the Lord. And also, God said, Be you holy, for I am Holy. So we should consider very seriously what it means, since God requires holiness from us, we need to know what it means to be holy. 1 Pet 1:15-25, but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, Be holy, for I am Holy. 

And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit (This is how we purify ourselves) in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the Word of God which lives and abides forever, because, all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, and it’s flower falls away, but the Word of the Lord endures forever. Now this is the Word which by the gospel was preached to you. Let’s turn to 1 John 1:1-10, That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life—the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us—that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you that your joy may be full. This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His Word is not in us. Chapter 2, verses 1&2, My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world. The Apostle Paul said, I exercise myself daily to have a conscience void of offense toward God and man. So if there is an offense; if we commit an offense against God, or against a brother, or a sister, if we are walking in the light, the light exposes that, and we deal with it right away; we go to God; we ask His forgiveness; we confess our sins; we don’t keep it quiet; we confess our sin to God; we confess our sin to our brother or sister, and they forgive us, and God forgives us, and He promised that He would cleanse us by the precious Blood; the Blood of His Son Jesus Christ washes us; through faith in His shed Blood, we are washed; we are cleansed of that sin. That is walking in holiness. Do you see that?

Holiness does not make you a self-righteous, holier than thou person. God wants you to be yourself. He just wants to take out of your life those things that are evil; those things that destroy you, and give you things that will bless you and make you a blessing to others, like love, joy, peace, kindness, gentleness, and faithfulness. That does not mean you can’t do anything you enjoy anymore. That’s what some of you think. You think, Oh, if I’m going to be a holy person, I’m just going to be religious, and I can’t do anything I enjoy. No, that’s not right. You can do anything God wants or allows in your life. But the day will come, when you want to have some beer, I’m just making an example here, the day will come when you want to have some beer and He might say, Skip the beer this time. Or you want to watch a football game, and He says, Not this time. I want you to read My Word today, and, instead of rebelling, because of the wonderful work He’s done in your heart, you obey Him with joy and you are blessed, and others are too. Another time, He may have you watch a football game with a friend, and one of the players may give his testimony after the game, and your friend will be blessed. Do you see what I’m saying? That doesn’t mean that some people won’t think you are crazy. Jesus’ own family thought He had lost His mind. But you won’t be crazy; you will be the son or daughter that God created you to be, and they will see God's blessing and power in your life, and He will be glorified. Jesus came to deliver us from evil; from the Devil; from sin; from the things that destroy us, to give us life, because He loves us: righteousness, peace, and joy, and a good reward in that day. You’ll still have fun; you’ll still laugh, and cry, and mourn, and rejoice, but you will be God’s, and no longer your own! You will be His servant, and He will direct your life. He will bless you and make you a blessing!

Some people, however, deceive themselves to continue to walk in the flesh and to justify it, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and mind, and saying, “God told me”, or “The Lord is leading me to do this”, when it is really rebellion and deceit in their hearts.

When you start out with the Lord, you’re walking in the flesh, but as you continue with Him in repentance and faith in the Cross: faith in His sacrifice; what Jesus did for you on the Cross, you will learn to deny yourself every day, take up your cross and follow Him. You will learn to walk in the Spirit; to walk as Jesus walked. If you love Him, you will want to please Him and keep His Words, and He will teach you His Word by His Spirit, and lead you to walk in it, and be led by His Spirit in all things. You will not be content with false grace, but He will teach you true grace and the fear of the Lord, and all the promises He has made to those who fear Him will be yours, if you continue with Him. It will not be easy, as He will be leading you in righteous pathways to try you and purge you and cleanse you and break you so that you may be changed; so that you may become holy! Jesus feared and loved His Father in Heaven, and He obeyed Him, even unto death. You will have the joy of the Lord. The joy of the Lord is far more than happiness and fun. The joy of the Lord is your strength. In your presence, it says in Psalm 16, is fullness of joy. Let’s go there. Ps 16:7-11, I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel; My heart also instructs me in the night seasons. I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope. For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption (referring to Jesus). You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. 

Heb 11:23-26, This is the chapter on faith: the roll-call of faith, as we call it. By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king's command. By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. If you want to hang on to the pleasures of sin, you won’t make it. 

If you would rather have the cheap, shallow pleasure of sin over the joy of the Lord in His presence and glory, you won’t be with Him, but you will perish forever. Choose you this day whom you will serve. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. We may have the fellowship of His sufferings now, but we will have pleasures forevermore in His glorious Kingdom, in His presence, serving Him who died for us and loved us and washed us from our sins in His own Blood. Even now, through the Holy Spirit, we have joy and pleasures in His presence. Hallelujah! 

So, what can we do? Let’s turn to Rom 8:1-14, There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. 

And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. That’s referring to water baptism: once we have received Christ and we are born of the Spirit, we are baptized in water; baptized into His death, burial, and resurrection. We are crucified with Him and raised with Him. We are the servants of sin no more but we serve Him in newness of life. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. (Referring to the First Resurrection of the dead in Christ when He shall return in the clouds of Heaven.) Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. Verse 4, The righteous requirement of the Law is fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. There you have holiness: learning to be led by the Holy Spirit to do the will of God every day, denying yourself, taking up your cross, and following Jesus. How can you follow Jesus? by being led by the Holy Spirit. We must receive the Holy Spirit; be baptized in the Holy Spirit, and then He is going to lead us. He is going to lead us in the Word of God; He’s going to teach us the Word of God; He’s going to lead us in doing it, and as we are led by the Spirit; as we are yielding to the Spirit, we are walking in holiness. Do you see that? He’s not going to lead us to sin. Amen! Thank you Lord. Walk in the Spirit and you will not fulfill the desires of the flesh. Walking in self-righteous religion of man does not work; it does not accomplish the righteousness of God. Jesus drank wine, but He never got drunk. Jesus ate with sinners and conversed with them, but He never sinned. Jesus always did the will of His Father. Jesus walked in love. Love does no ill to his neighbor, therefore love is the fulfilling of the Law. This is the key. If you love God, you’re going to want to keep His Words; you’re going to want to follow Jesus. The righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. The wages of sin: transgression of the Law, is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus. 

John 8:31-36, Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, If you continue in My Word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. They answered Him, We are Abraham's descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, You will be made free? Jesus answered them, Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.