TD Jakes - The Life That I Now Live
Now we’re going to delve into the Word, and we might hear what the Spirit of the Lord is saying to the church. I want you to turn to Galatians chapter 2, verses 20 and 21. These are very simple scriptures tonight: Galatians chapter 2, verses 20 through 21. I want you to find that scripture because we are going to teach from the Word of God tonight. «I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless, I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. And the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace of God; for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.»
Look at this: «I live by the faith of the Son of God.» The life that I now live— is there a difference between the life you now live and the life you previously lived? Or is there just a honey-covered glaze over the entirety of your life, with a little spirituality and a few scriptures mixed into the same continuation of the life you have lived? The life that you now live should be distinctly different. If so, in what way is it different? That’s something to think about. Please show me how you are different.
Let’s pray. Father, let the words speak in such a supernatural way that we are blessed, strengthened, and changed by the Word of God. I thank You for what You are going to do; I believe You will do it in Jesus' name. Amen.
Well, beloved, we are here in the book of Galatians, engaging in a study as we explore the Word of God. The Apostle Paul is wrestling with the church at Galatia. He is truly in a debate with them, struggling since he is not the only voice they are hearing. He is teaching them Christianity, imparting the faith, yet other voices are bombarding their process and affecting their outcome. Paul is having a tough time with them due to outside influences.
There were the Judaizers who were Christians; they accepted Christ but also incorporated certain aspects of Old Testament theology onto Christianity, particularly circumcision. The Judaizers did this largely because of the zealot Jews—another sect of the Jewish community in the early first century church. The zealot Jews were known as zealous Jews because they were politically motivated to overthrow Rome and reclaim what they believed was rightfully their land. They were traditionalists, and as such, they had significant problems with what the Apostle Paul was doing. Paul was mixing with Gentiles, treating them like Jews, eating with them, and interacting with them.
Consequently, immense pressure was placed on the Judaizers to distinguish themselves and appear righteous. You know how you sometimes want to fix things up so that people will like you? The Judaizers wanted to present themselves well before the zealous Jews. So, they kind of attached circumcision and legalism to Christianity, thinking, «If we are going to associate with Gentiles, at least let them be circumcised; it looks better.»
Religion always seeks to appear better—it’s not about being better; it’s about looking better. It’s about appeasing the flesh, the observers, and the critics. Many people today are so focused on appeasing critics that they neglect to delve into the things of God as they should. The book of Galatians is considered the Magna Carta of Christian liberty. You may remember the Magna Carta, in its original form, was a document written by King John that acknowledged certain rights and privileges given in England; it served as a sort of bill of rights in the U.S.
The Magna Carta is the foundation of freedom and liberty and represents the rights that England had. Later, people started calling the book of Galatians the Magna Carta of Christian liberty because it encapsulates the rights, freedoms, and privileges that Christ won for us at Calvary. Not only that, it was also called Luther’s book because Martin Luther, who nailed the 95 theses on the door of the Catholic Church and sparked the Protestant movement, largely preached his material from the book of Galatians, as it was liberating.
Martin Luther sought to liberate Protestant believers from Catholicism when he posted the theses and birthed the Protestant church, from which many variations emerged. When I say «Protestant,» it could refer to Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians—there’s a vast array of people within the context of Protestantism. They protested against Catholicism and separated from them. What I want you to see is that what occurred in the first-century church also happened later with Martin Luther, and it’s still happening today.
There are many different voices and variations, which can sometimes confuse recognition. These various perspectives exist, particularly among the Judaizers, who wanted circumcision as a requirement for Gentiles to be considered legitimate children of Abraham by faith in Jesus Christ. They added these works because they were trying to appease the zealot Jews, who did not embrace the freedom to interact with Gentiles. Remember, in the Old Testament, they wouldn’t even eat with Gentiles. The Samaritan woman said, «My people have no dealings with your people.» And when a Gentile woman sought healing from Jesus, He responded, «It is not meet to give the children’s bread to the dogs.»
All the separations, divisions, and tribalism that exist today were prevalent back then. It was so strong that the Judaizers doubted the authenticity of Apostle Paul’s apostleship—they did not believe he was a legitimate apostle. Here, Paul ministers and writes the Epistle to the Galatians amidst people who doubt his authenticity, and he fights for them to understand grace and not return to the law and works, which the Judaizers wanted them to do in order to appear more acceptable.
They wouldn’t accept the fact that they were accepted in Christ in the beloved; they desired them to conform. You know how people sometimes want to dress things up so others will like them? That was the attitude of the Judaizers, and they were against Paul because he didn’t want to conform excessively. He said grace is sufficient; grace is enough. They don’t need to perform any works or meet any orders to impress people.
The book of Galatians was written to liberate the early Gentiles from the oppression of others who added burdens to the Gospel, making it increasingly difficult for them to be saved. It’s no wonder that the book has been likened to the Magna Carta; it is liberating, a bill of rights, empowering, and it clearly distinguishes between Christianity and the church.
In this environment, Paul comes and tells the church in Galatia, «Who has bewitched you, that you have moved away from the truth?» I left you steadfast, and while I was gone, you started picking up these extra doctrines and ideas. This is a problem we have today; too many people eat at too many different tables. They take a little from this preacher, a bit from that preaching, and after a while, too much learning can lead to confusion—you go off the deep end.
I know this may sound old-school and old-fashioned, but my mother taught us that you don’t eat at everyone’s house, and today, people often do things differently. Yet what mama was teaching us about physical food rings true for spiritual food. If you find a good teacher delivering the Word of God with an anointing in that house, you shouldn’t go around everywhere consuming everything.
After a while, you may end up with a little bit of this, a little bit of that, and a whole lot of nothing. You need to be clear and careful about who teaches you and what you study. You then have a responsibility not to rely solely on others but to search the scriptures for yourself, for in them, you think that you have eternal life, as the Bible says.
So that you may gain a clear understanding of the Word, I’d like for you to open your Bibles and follow me as we study the Word of God. I’m trying to grow your relationship with the scriptures so that you will be fully equipped to know the Word of God and understand what you believe and why you believe it. This way, you won’t be easily shaken from the truth because you have a firm foundation in the Word of God.
I shared all of that to place in context the atmosphere Paul is summarizing as he shares profound, powerful, and relevant things with you. Again, we are in the second chapter of Galatians, specifically verse 20 and verse 21. I have extracted seven points from that text that I wish to address. Paul says, «I am crucified with Christ.»
So, let’s discuss that a bit. Was Paul actually crucified? Is that how he died? No, according to historical records, that is not how Paul died. So, what is he talking about? What he means is that his will, his way, his plan for his life, and his intentions and goals—how he lived—are all crucified. He expresses that his flesh is crucified with Christ.
Crucifixion is a painful and restrictive place. On one hand, Paul teaches about the grace of God, but he also emphasizes the responsibility of living a crucified life. Those concepts may sound like they do not blend well, but they do fit quite nicely together. You will recall Romans 6:1: «Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid! How can we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?»
Thus, Paul’s contention is that the old man is crucified with Christ; he is nailed up. The old man, along with all his deeds, is crucified with Christ. With every nail that drove into that old life is the removal of every curse that was contrary—every generational curse, every bondage, all guilt and shame. That former person who did those things is nailed up, crucified with Christ.
So, it’s not just that Christ is crucified; I am crucified. My will is crucified. I don’t get to say everything I wanted to say; I don’t get to do everything I wanted to do; I don’t get to respond to you the way I might have responded in the past. I am crucified with Christ. He addresses the value of living a restricted life while the Gospel is liberating.
Every liberty carries a responsibility. Just because I have grace and am liberated doesn’t mean I get to do whatever I want or disregard God. I am crucified with Christ; I am restrained. The Spirit of the Lord constrains us. Have you ever been ready to really let someone have it, but the Holy Spirit restrained you? You knew you could express your emotions fully, but you didn’t do so.
No, I am crucified with Christ. I want you to visualize that, as it is essential to grasp the restraint. I am nailed up with Christ; where I go, how I live, and what I do serves as constant reminders. There’s always a nail somewhere holding me back from being who I used to be.
Remember when Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane? He said, «Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me.» Ultimately, He submitted, saying, «Not my will, but Thine be done.» When we forsake our will, we are crucified with Christ. Now, I believe this: Calvary was settled in the Garden of Gethsemane before they ever drove a nail into His hand or pierced Him in His side; when His will was crucified, it was over. After that, behold, as Isaiah said.
He goeth as a lamb to the shearers, and he opened not his mouth. The joke broke in the Garden of Gethsemane, where the struggle was. It was in the Garden of Gethsemane, where the place of surrender was. It was in the Garden of Gethsemane, where the pressing was, until Jesus sweated great drops of blood. It was in the Garden of Gethsemane, where his friends and the disciples fell asleep. It was in the Garden against him. All of that happened to bring him to a place of surrender. «I surrender to you; I am crucified with Christ.»
Have you ever surrendered fully to Jesus? To really surrender? Because a lot of Christians have never truly surrendered. Your plans, and you’re frustrated right now because God isn’t doing what you told Him to do. Hey baby, you’re not God’s boss; you’re not God’s God. It’s not God’s job to do what you tell Him to do; it’s your job to do what God told you to do. As soon as you understand that God is not some genie in your life to do whatever you want Him to do however you want Him to do it, you begin to understand that He’s the one telling you, and you have to live the crucified life. It doesn’t mean you can’t drive, can’t move, can’t have fun, can’t enjoy your life, can’t fraternize with people, can’t enjoy your life—none of that.
But it means that you’re living a restricted life, and there’s some level of restriction on your life. It means that you can’t quit whenever you just want to quit because you’re tired of those people, and you don’t feel like being bothered with them. «I’m just going to quit?» No, it’s God, «Can I, if you want me to suffer this, if you want me to stay here, if you want me to endure this, then yes, I will.» «I am crucified with Christ.» You don’t hear that much today. When I was growing up, you heard that a lot; you don’t hear many preachers preaching about that. That doesn’t get a lot of shout; it didn’t get a lot of dancing; it didn’t get a lot of it. «I am crucified with Christ.»
It’s so important—it includes our morality, it includes our integrity, but it also goes deeper than that; it goes down to a surrendered life. «Not my will, but Thine be done.» I surrender, I surrender, I surrender. I surrender my plans; I surrender what I had in mind for my life. I surrender what I was going to do; I surrender what I was going to say—all of that I nailed to the cross with Christ. So whatever you have for me, I’m now ready to do because the old me, with all of his ambitions and all of his proclivities and all of his insecurities and all of his uncertainties, I’m counting as dead.
«I am crucified with Christ.» That’s the first thing Paul says. And yet he’s writing a letter, and while he’s writing a letter to a church that he’s trying to keep on the straight and narrow path of a clear understanding of what it really means to be a Christian, he’s writing to them from a cross—not literally, but spiritually. He says, «I am crucified with Christ.» Okay, I want that to sink into your spirit because that’s my first point—that we are crucified with Christ so the accuser cannot say anything to us. He can’t persecute us anymore; he can’t prosecute us anymore. «I am crucified with Christ.» The old man and his deeds, the flesh, the world—all of it is crucified with Christ.
Number two, let’s talk about this: «Nevertheless, I live.» If Jesus said, «I come that you might have life and have it more abundantly,» He didn’t come to take away life from you; He wants to give life to you. «Nevertheless, I live.» I have restraints, but «nevertheless, I live.» I’m surrendered to His service. I will speak when He says speak; I will hush when He says hush; I will give when He says give; I will pray when He says pray. «Nevertheless, I live.» I’m still living. A lot of people stop living; they’re nailed up, they’re restrained, but they have no life, they have no joy, they have no peace; they’re sad, they look mad, they look frustrated.
But Paul says, «Nevertheless, I live.» What a powerful phrase! «Nevertheless, I live» in a pandemic; «nevertheless, I live» with no job; «nevertheless, I live» just left the funeral home; «nevertheless, I live.» It’s not how I wanted it to go, but «nevertheless, I live.» You have to make a decision to live; you have to be intentional about it. I’m not talking about breathing; I’m not talking about your pulse; I’m not talking about your heartbeat; I’m talking about living your life. Jesus says, «I come that you might have life, that you might have it more abundantly.»
You would be shocked at the people that are not living; they’re just existing—existing but not living, breathing but not living, a heartbeat but not living, not living—not living out of guilt, out of shame, out of anger, out of unforgiveness, out of pain, out of whatever it is. Paul says, «I can be crucified and yet still live.» «Nevertheless, I live.» Did you know that God wants you to live? To really have a life? That all those entanglements that are stopping you from living, as it relates to guilt or shame or anger or bitterness, that none of that is what God wants for you. You might do that, but that’s not what He wants for you. He wants all of that to be crucified so that you can live. «Nevertheless, I live.»
You need a good «nevertheless» in your life! «Nevertheless,» going through hard times, «nevertheless, I live.» Been rejected? «Nevertheless, I live.» Had to downsize? «Nevertheless, I live.» Went through a broken home? «Nevertheless, I live.» Been abused? «Nevertheless, I live.» Been ostracized? «Nevertheless, I live.» «Nevertheless,» you have to have a «nevertheless.» Say that with me: «Nevertheless!» Yes! Say it again: «Nevertheless!» You might have had a hard day, but «nevertheless, I live.» Somebody may have disappointed you, «nevertheless, I live.» Somebody might have forsaken you, «nevertheless, I live.» You have got to be purposeful about living and declare out of your mouth, «Nevertheless, I live.»
I don’t like how things went; I don’t like what happened on my job; I don’t like that I lost my friend; I don’t like that I lost my loved one. My heart is broken, my head is held down, «nevertheless, I live.» I’m going to pull myself up and step into life as best I can while God is healing me because «nevertheless, I live.» If you don’t have another «nevertheless,» you’re not going to have a life. Until you get a «nevertheless» attitude, you cannot live. People won’t let you live. The apostle, who is writing to us, is writing to us while people are talking about him, while people are doubting his authenticity, while they’re debating him, while they’re trying to destroy him, while they’re trying to belittle him. He said, «Nevertheless, I live.»
If Paul can say «nevertheless, I live» in spite of the zealots, if Paul can say «nevertheless, I live» in spite of the Judaizers, «nevertheless, I live» in spite of people, uh, what are they called, trolling my social media, «nevertheless, I live.» You can’t spend the rest of your life trying to convince people that you’re legitimate. They didn’t think Paul was an authentic apostle; he couldn’t spend all of his life arguing with them, trying to control what they thought about him. He had to get a «nevertheless.» You have to have a «nevertheless» down in your spirit. You cannot change victory from doing the will of God to changing the minds of your enemies.
That’s not a victory. You can’t make that the goal of your life. The substratum of why you exist is not to get them to change their mind. There’s always going to be somebody who doubts the authenticity of who you are, doubts that God called you, doubts that you’re saved, doubts that you have a right to have a position, doubts that you have a right to be loved, and doubts that you have a right to be made. There’s always somebody who doubts something about you. «Nevertheless, I live.»
Now, if Galatians is the Magna Carta of Christian liberty, it should not be the Magna Carta of Christian agony. Then reading and understanding the book of Galatians, if it was so provocative that Martin Luther rebelled against the traditional Catholic Church and tapped the 96 theses on the door and birthed out the Protestant movement, he went through all of that from reading Galatians. Much of his theology was built around justification by faith—not by joining a church, not by being in a church, not by catechism, and not by water baptism, but justification by faith was the impetus on which he laid out his case and tapped the 96 theses on the door, and the Holy Spirit slipped through the crack, and the Protestant Church was established.
Nevertheless, to be a leader, to be a thought leader, to be alive, to be breathing, to be functioning, you have to have a «nevertheless.» You have to put that in your children, a good old «nevertheless.» Don’t be so bent on breaking their spirit that you kill their «nevertheless.» They have to have a certain tenacity; everybody’s not going to like you. I remember being a little boy, and I was riding in the truck, and I was coloring or something in the car with my dad. My dad told me—I was about, I don’t know, maybe seven or eight years old—my father said, «Your problem is you think everybody’s going to like you.» He said, «I don’t care what you do; everybody’s not going to like you.»
I still remember it like it was yesterday. I’m a little boy sitting in the truck, coloring, listening to my dad talk to me about the attitude I have to have about life, the independence of your thinking, the freedom of your thoughts, and make up in your mind that you cannot make change in my mind about you. The goal and the substratum of your life—there’s too much power to give to anybody. So say with me tonight, «Nevertheless, I live.» Okay, so that’s the second thing that I wanted you to see. I’m going to get through this because I’ve got a lot to share. Point three: «Yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.» He says, «Nevertheless, I live,» and then he says, «Yet not I.» He says, «But Christ liveth in me.»
There’s a new spirit in me; there’s a new attitude in me; there’s a new personality down in me; there’s a stranger in my house walking around in this body—Christ lives in me. Paul was adamant throughout all of his writings: «Christ in you, the hope of glory.» Over and over again, he talked about Christ in you, the importance of understanding that Christ is in you right now, right at this moment, tonight, right in this situation, dealing with what you’re dealing with, going through what you’re going through—that Christ liveth in you. «Yet not I, but Christ that liveth in me.» You are not on the boat alone, Peter. Stop being hysterical!
If Jesus is asleep in the bottom of the boat, this boat is not going to go under. That’s why when Jesus woke up, He rebuked Peter and told him, «O ye of little faith.» He was frustrated with Peter’s faith. How could you think you were going to drown when I’m living in this boat? So how can you think that you’re going to drown when Christ is living in you? It might get tough; it might be changed; it might not be what you want it to be. You might have to make some adjustments, but you’re in a storm, but Christ is on the boat. Christ lives in you. You’re going to kill yourself? What? Christ lives in you! «Yet not I, but Christ that liveth in me.»
Now the Christ that lives in you and understanding that this is occupied territory, that there’s a presence of Christ that lives in you, that He dwells inside of you—that the battle is not yours; it belongs to God. He has a way of working things out that’s better than how you would normally work things out. That’s what I want you to get out of this word tonight. I want you to understand that you have a new personality, a new spirit, a new attitude—that you have love, joy, peace, meekness, and temperance, and all the fruits of the Spirit are evidenced in your life because Christ lives in you. That you gave a soft answer not because you’re weak, not because you’re limited, but because Christ lives in you.
Sometimes you wanted to answer them, and He got your tongue, and He answered them because you live. «Yet not I, but Christ that liveth in me.» I can’t tell you how many times the Christ that lives in me made me be nice to somebody who hurt me because I wasn’t going to do it. I’ll be honest; I wasn’t going to do it. It’s not my nature to do that; it’s His nature to do that. So His nature now resides in me; a divine nature resides in me, and so when I wasn’t going to go ahead and do anything nice, Christ constrained me and said, «Go ahead, do the right thing. It ain’t going to take anything away from you to be kind to them that despitefully use you.» It doesn’t matter what it looks like or what they think; they’re going to think I’m weak. They’re going to think that… shut up! Do what I told you to do! Do good to them that despitefully use you.
That kind of message, that kind of energy, that kind of word, that kind of teaching, where Christ really gets to be Lord in your life, and not just Savior—not just a paramedic, not just somebody who rescues you when you get into trouble and you put him back on the shelf until you need to call 9-1-1 again. That’s not what he wants to do; he wants to live with you every day, walk with you, talk with you, guide you, protect you, lead you, restrict you, push you, drive you, and move you forward. He wants you to have courage. Christ, you have a personality; you have the very personality of God living inside of you. Tap into that thing.
Don’t just let that power lie dormant and not tap into it. Don’t let that grace be inside of you without tapping into it. You mean you’re going to have peace and not tap into it? You’re going to have joy and not tap into it? You know you’re going to have grace and not tap into it, and you’re going to live your own life? Why did you get saved if you’re going to live your whole life as you did before? If you’re going to flip out on everybody and do just like your aunties did, and your grandmother did, and everybody else, if you’re going to beat them, then why did you come to Christ in the first place? Paul says, «Yet not I, but Christ that dwells in me.» That personality of Christ, letting it live in you, has to mature and develop.
In the same book, Paul says, «My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you.» Christ has to be formed like an embryo; Christ has to be formed in you. He’s being formed in me; he’s not finished yet. Lord, no, not even close. But he’s being formed in me like a baby being formed in the womb of his mother. First, we hear the heartbeat; now the lungs are developing, and by the second trimester, they say, «Oh, they’re getting past the danger zone.» That is happening in you the way a baby is formed in a womb. Christ is being formed in you, my little children, in whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you.
What a mighty word Paul wrote! He wrote this with power and clarity, and he lets us know that this new personality has to be formed in you. Just like any pregnant mother would have to eat for two, you have to feed Christ in you. That’s why you’re watching this Bible class tonight; that’s why you’re studying, because you’re trying to nourish that holy part. The flesh you don’t have to worry about; that will take care of itself. That spiritual part has to be fed for Christ to be formed in you until all of a sudden you have a peace that doesn’t even make any sense, what the Bible calls peace that passes all understanding. Yeah, I know this can’t be my peace; it’s another level of peace that lives in me. A peace that passes all understanding is crazy peace—a peace that makes no sense!
How do I get that peace? Can I buy it at the store? No. Can you lay hands on me to give it? No, I can’t. It doesn’t confer by the laying on of hands; it has to be formed in you. It has to be formed in you. So, as you eat this Word and receive this Word and begin to grow in this Word, there’s a peace that comes into you. How many times have you had a situation happen to you when you know how you normally would react, and all of a sudden, you don’t react the way you usually would? You walk away and think, «Well, I can’t believe what just happened!» They might think whatever they want to think, but you know that Christ is being formed in you. «Yet not I, but Christ that lives in me.»
Let’s go deeper in this Word. I want to get through this verse because I think this is good. He says, «The life that I now live in the flesh.» The life that I now live in the flesh—that’s going to be my fourth point. The life that I now live in the flesh. Now he’s already told you that Christ is living in him, and yet he says, «The life that I now live,» which is the life of Christ, the life of a Christian, the life of a believer, the life that’s being transformed by the renewing of its mind. I live in the flesh. I live it—the life that I now live—I live in the flesh. He’s not been glorified; he hasn’t been changed; he still has some flesh. So, what part is being transformed? I have been completely transformed in my spirit. I am being transformed in my mind, and my soul is real. I shall be transformed in my body—that is the blessed hope of the believer.
So, while my spirit is new, my mind is being renewed. The Bible says in Romans to be transformed by the renewing of your mind. By the renewing of your mind, be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. There’s a renewing; it suggests— I think it’s a matter of metamorphosis, where we get metamorphosis. It’s a process; it’s a process; it’s a process until all of a sudden, a divine nature and a divine response begin to come out of you. A divine peace begins to come out of you. A divine confidence, a divine boldness begins to come out of you. Who is that? It’s Christ living in the house. He’s in the house, he’s in the house!
Tell every devil he’s in the house; tell every sickness he’s in the house; tell every storm he’s in the house; tell every worry he’s in the house; tell every trouble he’s in the house; tell depression he’s in the house. You can’t sink me; he’s in the house. He’s on this ship with me; it’s tossing to and fro—I admit it, water is going everywhere, and all the stuff is falling all over the boat. But the reason I’m not frantic is that Christ lives in me. The life that I now live in the flesh, I live it in the flesh. I’m walking it out in the flesh. My flesh has not been changed; my flesh has not been changed. You know how, when I grew up, we used to sing these old songs: «I looked at my hands, and my hands looked new; I looked at my feet, and they did too. I started to walk, and then I had a new walk; I started to talk, and then I had a new talk.»
It makes a nice song; it rhymes real well. The problem is my hands didn’t look new; my feet didn’t look new. But I’ve got to say, if I had a bunion on my foot when I got saved, I had a bunion on my foot after I got saved. Because, you know what? My body has not been changed. The reason I have this gray hair is that my body has not been changed; it is aging because I have not been transformed. If my body had been changed, I would not age. So, I’m living the Christ life in a flesh house, in a clay house.
Paul said, «We have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency may be of God and not of us.» If you did anything, it was of God; it’s not of us. The treasure that you have, the gift that you have, the love that you have, the faith that you have, the courage that you have—that’s the treasure of God living in this earthly house. The life that I now live, I live in the flesh. Don’t let the flesh fool you, devil—the Holy One lives in here. Look at the things that try to overthrow you. Look at the things that could have made you lose your mind, blow your brains out. Look at the things that threaten to take care of you. Look at the storms you’ve been through, and yet there’s a buoyancy that keeps bringing you back up again, bringing you back up again, bringing you back up again.
Do you think that’s coming from you? No. It’s because Christ—the life that you now live—you live in the flesh. You are in the flesh, but you’re not of the flesh. You’re in the flesh, but you’re not of the flesh. There are certain vulnerabilities that come along with just being in this place. I get tired; I get weak; I get mad; I get depressed; I get frustrated. All of that comes along with being in the flesh. I live—I am in the flesh, but the life that I now live is not the old person. So, here there is a contradiction, or better still, a conflict between the content and the container. The content is Christ; the container is human. We have this treasure, again, in earthen vessels that the excellency may be of God and not of us.
He wants there to be a clear distinction between what is TD and what is Jesus, and there it is—a huge distinction. The vessel is clay; the content is all classy. The vessel is human; the content is all divine. The vessel is weak; the content is strong. If you know that, then in times of trouble, you have to draw from your inner strength—the God-man in you, the Christ in you. You cannot just depend on your willpower and tenacity in times like these. In times like these, you have to draw from a deeper place inside of yourself and say, «Though He slay me, yet shall I trust Him; for me, to live is Christ; to die is gain.»
I’m not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ. You have to pull from that inner self, that inner life right now if you’re going to be able to persevere through the times we are in right now. The life that you now live is in the flesh, to be sure, but the life that you now live is not just in the flesh. The life that you now live is the Christ life—the Christ life in you. Are there struggles sometimes? Absolutely. Are there failures sometimes? More than I can count. But when everything is said and done, there’s still a buoyancy that keeps pushing me back up to try again, pushing me back up to cry out again, pushing me back up to persevere again. Because the life that I now live, in the flesh, let’s go on because I’m about to get to the good part. Wait a minute, wait a minute! I want to get to this good part; I want you to see it.
It is point five: I live by the faith of the Son of God. When I read that, my head almost came off my neck. I didn’t know that I could live off of the faith of the Son. There’s another verse that says, when our faith fails, His faith continues on. And when my faith has reached its extremity and collapsed, His faith kicks in like an eight-cylinder car. You’re going up the hill; you’re using six cylinders. All of a sudden, you hear that transmission shift, and all of a sudden, those other two cylinders click in. The faith of the Son of God comes in and pushes you on when you thought you couldn’t make it—the faith of the Son, the faith of the Son.
This is not just faith in the Son; this is the faith of the Son! Did you know that you could walk into a realm of faith that is not even human faith, but divine faith? That you can hope against hope, that you can believe against all the odds? There’s a faith that you can draw from that you don’t even understand why you’re standing. But you’ve got a conviction that it is the faith of the Son of God—God’s faith down inside of you. God’s faith continues at the point of your faith. When Jesus comes to Mary and Martha, and they have sent word to Him that Lazarus is dead, and He delayed—they sent word that Lazarus was sick, and He delayed until Lazarus died. Then here He comes walking in the door, and they are ready for Him. They live, «If you would have been here, my brother would not have died.»
Finally, one of the sisters says, «Even now, you have the power to raise him up again.» And Jesus said something I want you to think аbout: «Show me where you laid him down.» Tonight, Jesus is saying, «Take me to the place where you gave up. Take me to the spot where you said, 'This is not worth it; I quit.' Take me to the place where your faith failed.» And they brought Him down to the tomb. «Show me where you laid him down. This is where we did—that’s as far as we could go.» He stands at the point of their limitation and says, «Roll the stone away.» What stones does God need to roll away in your life for you to continue thriving in the kingdom of God? What happened to you? Will you show Him where you laid your faith down, where you gave up? Take Him to the spot.
Let’s go right back to the scene of the crime, to the place where you gave up on living for God, walking with God, living in His peace and His power. He said, «Take me to the spot.» No, no, no, no, no—don’t hide the spot from me. Take me right to the place that stinks by now—it stinks! Take me right to this place where it stinks, where it’s bad, where you were hurt, where you were going to take me—take me to the spot where your husband walked out! Take me to the spot wherever your faith stopped. He said, «Bring me right there. I want to be where you quit; I want to pick up where you let down; I want to take over where you fell out. Take me to the place you laid him down.» Paul said, «The life that I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God.»
The faith of the Son of God—Lazarus did not get up because of Martha’s faith. He did not get up because of Mary’s faith. He got up, but he did not rise due to his own faith; he got up through the faith of the Son of God. I speak to you now in the name of Jesus and command you to come out of your grave clothes, come out of your depression, come out of your anger, come out of your hostility. Whatever tomb you’re in, we’re going to roll that stone away tonight until you can stand in the faith of the Son of God. That’s an amazing thing to me—that his faith could kick in where my faith falls short, that his faith could activate and give me the extra boost I need to get through times like these. That’s an extraordinary thing to realize.
Can you get your head around that? Can you even comprehend that you could tap into the faith of the Son of God? That stubborn faith, that tenacious faith—I call it «grandma faith.» That relentless faith, the faith of the Son of God—that’s what we want to walk in. That’s what we need to walk in right now. I’ll be honest with you, that’s what we need to walk in right now because we are living through some times that are unlike anything anyone has ever seen in this world. You need more than church faith; you need more than superficial faith; you need more than gospel music faith. You need the faith of the Son of God to keep you going, to keep you motivated, to keep you uplifted, to keep you praying, to maintain your buoyancy in a world that is in a hurricane.
You may feel that your ship is rocking to and fro—your life is going crazy, your friends are going crazy, your marriage is going crazy, your finances are going crazy—but in the midst of all that crisis, sleep on the boat, just letting you know, «I’m here, I’m here. Tap into me.» That’s what Peter did—he tapped into Jesus' character. «Why are we perishing?» He wakes him up. «My faith is failing; I need you, Jesus.» «Oh ye of little faith"—it was a faith matter; it wasn’t a storm matter. It was a faith matter. Whatever that is you believe in God for, it’s a faith matter; it’s not a storm issue. It’s not about the winds; it’s not about the waves; it’s not about the turbulence in the middle of the sea; it’s not about the nauseating feeling that you’ve been having—it’s a matter of your faith.
«Oh ye of little faith,» Jesus said, getting up out of bed and walking to the bottom of the ship. «How am I going to deal with the winds and the waves?» But you didn’t even have to wake me up because my presence should have been enough to let you know that we were going to arrive safely. I’m with you; I’m in the fight with you. When you pass through the waters, I’m with you; when you go through the flood, I’m with you; when you go through the fire, I’ll be there with you. I’m not going to abandon you. A thousand may fall at your right side, ten thousand may fall at your left, but it shall not come near your dwelling. Pray. I am with you—He that dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say, «Oh my God, He is my refuge, my fortress, my strength; in Him will I trust.»
Not in them, in Him will I trust. I am with you. The life that I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God. My prayer tonight, if you don’t get anything else out of this, is that you would tap into the faith of the Son of God; and having tapped into that faith of the Son of God—the resurrecting faith, the grave-opening faith, the devil-chasing faith, the water-walking faith, the mind-renewing faith—that if you would tap into that faith tonight, having received that faith from God, Paul says this: I love this scripture, «Having received help from God, I continued on.»
Yes, I continued to announce because I was strong, but having received help from God, I continued on. I can’t believe I’ve been preaching for 44 years—amazing 44 years. How did you do that? «Having received help from God, I continued on.» I didn’t do it; I received help from God. Paul here talks about you living in the faith of the Son of God, raising your children, living your life, continuing your business because you’re tapping into something bigger than yourself. Tapping into that is essential right now for your mental health, for your emotional health, for your physical health, for your spiritual health. You have got to tap into something bigger than what naturally comes with you—that is the faith of the Son of God.
And then he says this, and this is my next point I want to get to; I hope you’re getting something out of this tonight. I wrote down point six: Giving is the evidence of love. How did you get that? He said the faith that I now have is the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. See, «gave himself» explains love. Let me go at this again. I want you to understand: Giving is the evidence of loving. Who loved me and gave himself for me? Giving is evidence of loving. That’s why children draw little crayon pictures and give them to their mothers; they pin them up on the refrigerator because the thing about love is that it always wants to give. It will always want to express itself.
If you truly love Christ, you’re going to be a Christ-giver. Love has to express itself. If you love your mother, you’re going to give to her. Be wary of people who say they love you but never give you anything. Giving is evidence of loving—it proves that love is authentic in your life. Love cannot be kept secret; it will show itself somehow. It will express itself in some way, and if you understand that, you begin to grasp the power of this sixth point: Giving is the evidence of loving. «Oh preacher, I don’t believe it.»
I don’t care if you believe it. I really don’t! God so loved the world that He…what? Gave! He so loved that He gave. He evidenced His love by the magnitude of His giving. You can’t have great love and small giving. If you have great love, you’re going to have great giving. I don’t mean it has to be a great check written; it might be the widow’s mite, but it was a big gift because it was all she had. But if you have great love, you’re going to have some great giving—serving, giving time, giving energy, giving talent. We shouldn’t have to beg you to sing if you really love God. We should not have to plead with you to preach if you really love God. «I don’t feel like preaching tonight.»
It’s not about how you feel. Giving is evidence of loving. Paul said he loved me and gave himself for me. The connection between loving and giving does not just go back to the Apostle Paul, but it goes back to Christ Himself, who said, «For God, the infinite being, in an infinite degree, loved the chaotic world, and so He gave the infinite gift—His only begotten Son.» That whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. Why did He give His Son? Because He so loved. Why do you give? Because you so love. Stop resenting that you’re a giver; stop hating that you’re a lover. Those two things go together.
I know there’s always somebody in your ear saying, «Oh, they’re taking advantage of you.» Don’t worry about that; keep on doing what God told you to do because giving is evidence of loving. They go together; they live together, they work together, they are hand in hand. And then I want to read this last verse; I’m almost finished: «I do not frustrate the grace of God, for if righteousness comes by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.» I do not frustrate the grace of God, trying to add to what God has required. He says if righteousness is accomplished by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
My God! Seven is the way to righteousness. The way to righteousness is only through Christ. It is not through you; it is not through your works; it is not through your abstinence; it is not through your pride; it is not through your holiness; it is not through your purity. It is not in how long your skirt is; it is not in how long your hair is; it is not in any of the things that you do. Do all of that; do all of it if you want to, but that’s not how righteousness is attained. And for you to think that makes Christ’s dying in vain—His death was enough! His death was enough! His death was enough! Say that with me: His death was enough! The life that I now live, I pray tonight that it has not come to the end of this Bible class—that you would get into this new life.
The life that I now live, that you would walk in the newness of life. If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Behold, all things are passed away, and all things have become new. The life that I now live is a new life—it’s waiting for you! Some of you have it, but you’re not tapping into it; some of you have religion, and you’ve never really had it. You’ve had a lot of church but never really a relationship with Christ. God has allowed churches all across the country to be empty so that you would be forced into getting on your knees and praying for yourself, and opening up your Bible, and having that encounter with God.
God wants you to seek Him; He wants you to chase after Him. He wants to play hide and seek with you. He’s not far away; He’s not forgotten you. Seek the Lord while He may be found; call upon Him while He’s still near. Let the wicked forsake his ways and the unrighteous his thoughts. The Lord is in His holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before Him. Seek Him while He may be found. Time may come when He cannot be found, but it’s not today.
So I want you to take this word and live off of it, feed off of it, grow from it. I want you to take this word and sow into it, stand on it. I want you to take this word and let it open up your calloused heart—the area in your life that has become hardened and resistant against God—and let it have full control in you. I want you to walk in the wisdom of God; not my will, but Thine be done. I want you to surrender. Surrender right now all of your burdens and give them to God. Surrender it to God right now; say, «God, I turn it over to You.» If you’ll do that, you’ll see a change on the inside where it matters most—in your spirit, in your life, in your heart. It’s been a real pleasure to share the Word of God with you tonight.
I hope something we shared in these just two verses, just two little simple Bible verses, has ignited passion in you. I pray that it leaves you on your knees, hungry to tap into the faith of the Son of God. I want that faith! I don’t want my faith; my faith is sometimes moody, my faith is bipolar, my faith is schizo! I want His faith because His faith abides faithfully to the end: «Great is Thy faithfulness, oh God our Father.» That’s the faith I want to tap into—great faith, hell-shaking faith, devil-chasing faith. That faith right there is available to you right now! Why don’t you allow that faith to engulf all these emotions you’ve been having and give you peace? If you do that, it will be well with your soul.
Can I pray for you before we go tonight? I want to pray for you; I want to pray over the seeds you sow. Not just your financial seeds—I’m going to pray over those too—but I’m also praying over more than that. I’m praying over the sacrifices you make; I’m praying over the things that you could have said but didn’t say. I’m praying over your mind and your emotions; I’m praying over the sacrifices you’ve made to walk in the Christ life. I’m praying that God will receive all of that before Him. I’m praying that you’ll become a giver and not just a taker, a lover and not just a lecher. I mean, lust takes, love gives. Lust takes, love gives. Which one are you? I’m praying for you tonight that you would free the better part of yourself and nail to the cross the part that is at enmity against God.