Sermon Tone Analysis

·      How many really want to be led by the spirit?

·      This will mean that we have to decide to obey what the spirit leads us to do, don’t we?

·      What is the opposite of being led by the spirit?

I want, I think, I feel….

I constantly confuse my feelings with the will and the moving of God.

·      Knowing the will of God is not the same as doing it.

·      Being led by the spirit in all areas of our lives.

Being led by the spirit will lead you into developing the fruit of the spirit.

He will also lead us into the blessings that he has prepared for us.

(1Cor.2:9-10)

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1.    *You must be willing to die to yourself*:

2.    *You must be Willing to make an investment:*

*3.    **Free from the fear of Man.*

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*Luke 5:1-7*

1 One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, with the people crowding round him and listening to the word of God, 2 he saw at the water's edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets.

3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore.

Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.

4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "*Put out into deep water*, and let down the nets for a catch." 5 Simon answered, "*Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything*.

But *because you say so*, *I will* let down the nets."

6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.

7 So they signalled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.

1.

*You must be willing to die to yourself*: I want I think I feel….

Our flesh dominating our desires.

My flesh wants to convince God that our will is his will.

·      Submitting: is being willing not to get your own way.

·      Going from Teenager to adult.

Learning to be truthful and take responsibility.. no word games… growing up spiritually and naturally are very similar.

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*Gal 5:16-17*

16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

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*2 Pet 2:15-16*

15 Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following *the way of Balaam* the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; 16 But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet.

*Num 22:5-38*

5 He sent messengers therefore unto Balaam the son of Beor to Pethor, which is by the river of the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide over against me: 6 Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me: peradventure I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land: for I wot that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed.

7 And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came unto Balaam, and spake unto him the words of Balak.

8 And he said unto them, Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the LORD shall speak unto me: and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam.

9 And God came unto Balaam, and said, What men are these with thee?

10 And Balaam said unto God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent unto me, saying,

11 Behold, there is a people come out of Egypt, which covereth the face of the earth: come now, curse me them; peradventure I shall be able to overcome them, and drive them out.

·      *God speaks to Balaam his will:* 12 And *God said unto Balaam, *

·      *(1)Thou shalt not go with them; (2)thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed.*

13 And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said unto the princes of Balak, Get you into your land: *for the LORD* refuseth to give me leave to go with you.

14 And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went unto Balak, and said, Balaam refuseth to come with us.

15 And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honourable than they.

16 And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me: 17 For I will promote thee unto very great honour, and I will do whatsoever *thou sayest unto me*: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people.

18 And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak,

 

·      *Religious sounding commitment: *If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more.

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·      *Here Balaam seeks the Lord with the intention of changing his Will:* 19 Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, *that I may know what the LORD will say unto me more.*

·      MORE?

What more was there to say?

 

·       *God tells Balaam something different, Why?: *20 And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him*, If the men come to call thee, rise up, and go with them;* but yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do.

·      People do what they want to no matter what God says.

If we are intent on doing something we will find a way to do it.

We will talk ourselves into it and others and God.

Ie.. you see I think.. and God must have meant.. and you know over here I the Bible it says…..

·      That is why there is a difference between a surrendered will and a submitted will.

When we surrender we give up because we cannot win, till we have a chance to fight again, but when we submit we  have  "a voluntary attitude of giving in, cooperating, assuming responsibility, and carrying a burden".

Submitting: is *being willing* not to get your own way.

·      *God became angry at him and was against him:* 21 And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.

22 *And God's anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against him.*

Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him.

23 And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way.

24 But the angel of the LORD stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side.

25 And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall: and he smote her again.

26 And the angel of the LORD went further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.

27 And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff.

28 And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?

29 And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee.

30 And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day?

was I ever wont to do so unto thee?

And he said, Nay.

*(I am willing to be this Donkey today)*

 

*Balaam finally sees right:* 31 Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face.

32 And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times?

*behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me:*

33 And the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times: unless she had turned from me, surely now also I had slain thee, and saved her alive.

34 And Balaam said unto the angel of the LORD, I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease thee, I will get me back again.

35 And the angel of the LORD said unto Balaam, *Go with the men: but only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that thou shalt speak.*

So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.

36 And when Balak heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him unto a city of Moab, which is in the border of Arnon, which is in the utmost coast.

37 And Balak said unto Balaam, Did I not earnestly send unto thee to call thee?

wherefore camest thou not unto me? am I not able indeed to promote thee to honour?

38 And Balaam said unto Balak, Lo, I am come unto thee: have I now any power at all to say any thing?

the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak.

*Num 23:3-**8*

3 And Balaam said unto Balak, Stand by thy burnt offering, and I will go: peradventure the LORD will come to meet me: and whatsoever he sheweth me I will tell thee.

And he went to an high place.

4 And God met Balaam: and he said unto him, I have prepared seven altars, and I have offered upon every altar a bullock and a ram. 5 And the LORD put a word in Balaam's mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus thou shalt speak.

6 And he returned unto him, and, lo, he stood by his burnt sacrifice, he, and all the princes of Moab.

7 And he took up his parable, and said, Balak the king of Moab hath brought me from Aram, out of the mountains of the east, saying, Come, curse me Jacob, and come, defy Israel.

8 *How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed?

or how shall I defy, whom the LORD hath not defied?*

11 And Balak said unto Balaam, What hast thou done unto me?

I took thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast blessed them altogether.

12 And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD hath put in my mouth?

13 And Balak said unto him,

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·      *Balak took him to to three different places to tempt him to change his mind*: Come, I pray thee, with me unto another place, from whence thou mayest see them: thou shalt see but the utmost part of them, and shalt not see them all: and curse me them from thence.

(KJV)

 

*Prov 14:14* The backslider in heart will be filled with his own ways, but a good man will be satisfied from above.

*Isa 58:13-14*