July 31, 2025
Standing Firm: No Compromise with Darkness
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In this episode of Battleground, we delve into the critical lesson of standing firm against the encroaching darkness that seeks to compromise our spiritual integrity. We explore the biblical mandate to expose and resist the fruitless deeds of darkness, drawing from Ephesians 5:11 and 2 Corinthians 6:14 to emphasize the importance of clarity and unwavering conviction. Through a series of biblical examples, we contrast those who stood firm in their faith, like Joseph and Daniel, with those who faltered through negotiation with darkness, such as Eve and Samson. The episode underscores the necessity of being ruthless with shadows and maintaining spiritual precision to avoid the pitfalls of compromise.
We also discuss the concept of readiness for spiritual deployment, urging listeners to prepare their "spiritual go bag" by identifying and letting go of attachments that hinder their mission. This preparation is not just for the afterlife but for living a purposeful life today. By examining the story of Joseph in Genesis 39, we learn about integrity, character, and the silent but steady presence of God in our trials. The episode challenges us to cultivate internal standards, focus on what we can control, and practice consistent excellence, even in the face of unfairness. Join us as we navigate the metaphysical boot camp, training to hold our ground and walk in undivided light.
00:00 - The Battle Against Darkness
02:00 - Biblical Examples of Resistance and Compromise
06:27 - Drawing the Line: Personal Reflection and Action
09:30 - Lessons from Biblical Figures
23:27 - Metaphysical Boot Camp and Readiness
27:24 - Joseph's Integrity and Trials
30:12 - Applying Joseph's Lessons to Life
WEBVTT
NOTE
Transcription provided by Podhome.fm
Created: 7/28/2025 10:52:40 PM
Duration: 1932.173
Channels: 1
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Some of you have been negotiating,
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making deals,
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easing boundaries,
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softening conviction
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in the name of grace or growth.
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But I need to say this clearly.
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Darkness
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doesn't bargain.
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It waits.
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It watches.
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And the moment you lower your sword,
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it moves in.
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Welcome back, soldier.
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Today's lesson is critical
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because if you get this one wrong, you lose the war within.
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No compromise.
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Ephesians five eleven,
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have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness,
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but rather expose them.
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Not tolerate,
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not study,
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not coexist with.
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Expose,
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resist,
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flee.
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You don't defeat darkness by inviting it into a conversation.
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You defeat it by standing in the light without apology.
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Second Corinthians six fourteen,
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what fellowship can light have with darkness?
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The answer,
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none.
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This isn't about being judgmental.
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It's about being clear.
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Boot camp doesn't train you to be polite to your enemy.
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It trains you to know who your enemy is,
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where we negotiate
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without realizing it.
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Let's get honest. We're not always fighting demons.
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Sometimes,
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we're inviting them in with silence.
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Here's what modern
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negotiation with darkness looks like.
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It's just a show.
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I know it's toxic, but I'm used to it.
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It's not that serious.
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I can handle it. I'm strong enough.
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But here's the truth.
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Every compromise
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trains your soul to tolerate
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corruption,
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and tolerance
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becomes training in reverse.
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Biblical examples,
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who refused and who folded.
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Let's talk history.
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Who refused to negotiate?
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Joseph
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resisted Potiphar's wife
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even when it cost him prison,
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Genesis 39.
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Daniel
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refused to eat the king's food, trained in dietary holiness,
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Daniel one.
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Jesus
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said no to Satan's offers in the wilderness
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all three times,
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Matthew four,
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Shadrach,
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Meshach,
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Abednego
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refused to bow,
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faced the fire.
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Daniel three.
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They didn't win by being clever.
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They won by being clear.
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Who
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negotiated
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and fell?
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Eve.
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Listened just long enough to be convinced.
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Genesis three.
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Samson
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played with temptation until it shaved his strength,
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Judges 16.
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Judas
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traded loyalty for silver,
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Luke 22.
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Saul
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chose people's approval over God's command. First Samuel 15.
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They didn't fall from one big sin.
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They fell from a series of small compromises.
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Why we must be ruthless with shadows.
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Romans
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thirteen twelve.
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The night is far gone. The day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness
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and put on the armor of light.
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Light doesn't flirt.
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It casts off the dark.
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You must be ruthless with your shadows.
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If it tempts you, cut it off.
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If it lies to you, speak truth out loud.
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If it numbs you, replace it with something that sharpens.
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There is
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no neutral ground.
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How do you recognize darkness in disguise?
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Ask, does this make me more alert or more numb?
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Does this draw me towards truth or away from it?
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Is this forming the light in me or feeding the shadows?
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Discernment isn't paranoia,
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it's spiritual
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precision.
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Jesus on negotiation.
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Matthew six twenty four,
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no one can serve two masters.
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You cannot serve both God and money.
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Revelation three sixteen,
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because you are lukewarm, I will spit you out of my mouth.
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Lukewarm is untrained.
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Lukewarm is unarmed.
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Lukewarm
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is soft negotiation
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with darkness.
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But Jesus was not vague.
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Let your yes be yes and your no be no.
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Boot camp doesn't graduate
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double minded soul.
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Field briefing,
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you're lying in the sand.
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In this field briefing, it's time to take a hard look at where we might be compromising
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and identify
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the next steps for growth.
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First, consider your thought life. Are you allowing lies to shape your mind?
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If so, the next move is clear. Replace those lies with the truth of scripture.
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When it comes to relationships,
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ask yourself if boundaries need to be set or if there are idols that need to be released.
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In terms of habits,
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if you're engaging in actions that keep you trapped in the shadows, it's time to cut them off.
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For entertainment,
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if you're numbing your mind with distraction,
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a fast might be necessary to regain focus and clarity.
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Finally, assess your words.
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Are they filled with truth
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or are you relying on sarcasm?
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If it's the latter,
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the goal is to train in truth and speak with purpose.
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This is your line in the sand where decisive
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action can lead to real
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transformation.
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Draw your line.
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Hold it and don't look back.
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There is no version of formation where you make peace with poison.
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Darkness isn't playful.
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It's patient,
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but so is light.
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And every time you say no to the dark, you say yes to your true form.
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You're not just resisting evil, you're training your essence to shine.
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So stop negotiating.
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Start standing.
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Later, we'll talk about deployment.
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What happens
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after boot camp?
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Until then, hold the line,
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train in clarity,
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and walk in undivided
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light.
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This
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is metaphysical boot camp.
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Now for protocol nine,
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readiness for eternal assignment.
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The mission doesn't start after death.
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It starts after readiness.
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You've been training your mind,
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strengthening your essence,
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letting go of your comforts and illusions.
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Most wait for the moment when God will call them,
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but the awakened
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prepare
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as if it's already happened.
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The soul doesn't ask for permission.
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It moves when the mission is clear,
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objective.
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Be mentally,
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emotionally, and spiritually
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ready to be sent at any moment.
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Exercise.
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Imagine being called into the next life tonight.
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What attachments
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scream?
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What fears paralyze?
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What must be left behind?
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This isn't fear mongering. It's soul
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deployment.
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Imagine it's tonight, your call.
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No warnings. No applause.
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Only this question echoing through eternity.
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Were you ready?
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Ask,
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what do I still cling to as if it's eternal?
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Would I hesitate if God whispered, it's time?
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Who do I fear disappointing
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more than my creator?
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If I let go of my whole life, would I still be me?
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Be ready because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. Matthew twenty four forty four.
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Write your spiritual go bag list.
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What would you carry into eternity?
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List what you're ready to leave behind.
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Burn or bury that list.
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Reflect, am I living like someone who's been sent?
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Read Matthew 24.
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This was not a sermon. It was a summons.
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You're praying.
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You're awake.
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The gate is opening.
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Prepare for the call.
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Today, we're going to do a two sided list of the 20 biblical examples.
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This two sided list will see the
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contrast between spiritual compromise
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and spiritual
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courage.
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Some figures in scripture
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negotiated with darkness
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and paid the price.
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Others stood their ground or cut ties
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and gained freedom,
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clarity,
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or victory.
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Bible examples of those who negotiated
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with dark
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and paid for it.
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These individuals are groups who tried to reason with evil,
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compromise with sin, or tolerate
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corruption.
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The result was always loss
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of peace,
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power,
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destiny,
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or even life.
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Eve talks with a serpent. Genesis three one through six. She entertains
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Satan's questions
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instead of rejecting them.
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The fall of humanity
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begins
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with a conversation.
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Lots compromised with Sodom,
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Genesis thirteen and nineteen.
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Lot
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to live near and eventually inside Sodom.
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His family suffers spiritually and
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physically.
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Samson and Delilah.
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Judges 16.
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Samson flirts with a woman aligned with the enemies.
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She ends up blind,
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imprisoned
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and betrayed.
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King Saul spares King Agog,
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first Samuel 15.
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Saul disobeys God's command by partially
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obeying,
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negotiating with the enemy.
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He loses the throne.
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Solomon marries foreign wives and builds their temple.
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First Kings 11.
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In an attempt to please everyone,
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he compromises
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truth. His kingdom fractures after his death.
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Achan hides forbidden treasure.
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Joshua seven,
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one man's secret compromise with cursed treasure causes Israel to lose a battle and brings death to his family.
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The Israelites demand a king
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like other nations, first Samuel eight.
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They negotiate their identity for status.
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00:11:53.925 --> 00:11:57.160
God warns them, and their kingship begins
274
00:11:57.860 --> 00:11:58.680
in dysfunction.
275
00:12:00.180 --> 00:12:02.200
Pilate tries to please the crowd.
276
00:12:02.580 --> 00:12:06.600
Matthew twenty seven twenty four. He knows Jesus is innocent,
277
00:12:06.900 --> 00:12:07.880
but compromises
278
00:12:08.260 --> 00:12:10.120
truth to keep political
279
00:12:10.500 --> 00:12:11.000
peace.
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00:12:11.595 --> 00:12:14.095
He literally washes his hands,
281
00:12:14.635 --> 00:12:15.855
but not his soul.
282
00:12:17.035 --> 00:12:19.454
Judas negotiates with the religious leaders.
283
00:12:19.915 --> 00:12:22.735
Matthew twenty six fourteen through 16.
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00:12:23.529 --> 00:12:25.390
For 30 pieces of silver,
285
00:12:25.930 --> 00:12:27.310
he bargains with dark
286
00:12:28.170 --> 00:12:30.350
his life ends in regret
287
00:12:31.050 --> 00:12:31.870
and suicide.
288
00:12:34.170 --> 00:12:36.190
King Ahab marries Jezebel.
289
00:12:36.965 --> 00:12:39.865
First Kings sixteen thirty one through 33.
290
00:12:40.485 --> 00:12:43.465
He joins with a woman devoted to idol worship.
291
00:12:44.085 --> 00:12:47.705
She leads Israel into demonic bondage and violence.
292
00:12:48.645 --> 00:12:51.545
Ananias and Sapphira lie to appear generous.
293
00:12:52.130 --> 00:12:53.830
Acts five one through 11.
294
00:12:54.450 --> 00:12:56.950
They negotiate with image over integrity.
295
00:12:57.890 --> 00:12:58.870
Struck dead
296
00:12:59.250 --> 00:13:05.670
for deceiving the Holy Spirit, King Herod hears John the Baptist gladly, but does nothing,
297
00:13:06.395 --> 00:13:08.095
Mark six twenty.
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00:13:08.795 --> 00:13:09.295
Fascinated,
299
00:13:09.835 --> 00:13:10.735
but unchanged,
300
00:13:11.515 --> 00:13:13.535
eventually caves to peer pressure
301
00:13:13.915 --> 00:13:15.295
and kills a prophet.
302
00:13:16.395 --> 00:13:21.455
Esau sells his birthright for a meal. Genesis twenty five twenty nine to 34.
303
00:13:21.800 --> 00:13:23.100
A moment of hunger
304
00:13:23.560 --> 00:13:25.899
leads to permanent spiritual loss.
305
00:13:26.920 --> 00:13:30.699
The Israelites make a golden calf, Exodus 32.
306
00:13:30.920 --> 00:13:32.220
While waiting on God,
307
00:13:32.600 --> 00:13:33.500
they negotiate
308
00:13:33.880 --> 00:13:34.699
their patience
309
00:13:35.560 --> 00:13:37.339
and birth an idol.
310
00:13:37.985 --> 00:13:38.725
The Galatians
311
00:13:39.105 --> 00:13:40.805
add legalism to grace.
312
00:13:41.345 --> 00:13:43.445
Galatians one six through nine.
313
00:13:43.825 --> 00:13:46.644
Paul rebukes them for allowing a distorted
314
00:13:47.024 --> 00:13:47.524
gospel.
315
00:13:48.305 --> 00:13:50.485
Even if an angel preaches it,
316
00:13:50.865 --> 00:13:51.765
reject it.
317
00:13:52.800 --> 00:13:55.540
King Jehoshaphat joins with Ahab in battle.
318
00:13:56.080 --> 00:13:57.140
Second Chronicles
319
00:13:57.520 --> 00:13:58.020
18.
320
00:13:58.560 --> 00:14:05.620
He ignores prophetic warnings and nearly dies for joining forces with a corrupt king.
321
00:14:07.415 --> 00:14:09.675
Peter denies Jesus to stay safe.
322
00:14:10.135 --> 00:14:12.955
Luke twenty two fifty four through 62.
323
00:14:13.895 --> 00:14:16.315
He negotiates his faith out of fear.
324
00:14:16.775 --> 00:14:17.915
Later restored,
325
00:14:18.260 --> 00:14:19.160
but the regret
326
00:14:19.700 --> 00:14:20.520
is palpable.
327
00:14:22.100 --> 00:14:24.839
Simon the sorcerer wants to buy God's power,
328
00:14:25.220 --> 00:14:27.320
acts eight eighteen to 23.
329
00:14:28.020 --> 00:14:30.760
He tries to blend sorcery with the gospel.
330
00:14:31.220 --> 00:14:33.880
It is rebuked sharply by Peter.
331
00:14:34.714 --> 00:14:37.615
The Israelites failed to drive out all the Canaanites,
332
00:14:38.315 --> 00:14:40.175
Judges one through two.
333
00:14:40.634 --> 00:14:42.095
Instead of full obedience,
334
00:14:42.555 --> 00:14:44.255
they tolerate enemy.
335
00:14:44.954 --> 00:14:46.574
It leads to generations
336
00:14:47.550 --> 00:14:48.930
of spiritual decay.
337
00:14:49.950 --> 00:14:51.970
The Laodicean church's lukewarm
338
00:14:52.350 --> 00:14:52.850
compromise,
339
00:14:53.470 --> 00:14:55.970
Revelations three fourteen through 17.
340
00:14:56.830 --> 00:14:59.090
They try to live in both worlds.
341
00:14:59.550 --> 00:15:01.810
Jesus says, I will spit you out.
342
00:15:02.415 --> 00:15:05.635
Now the other 20 bible examples of those who refuse
343
00:15:06.175 --> 00:15:07.714
to negotiate with darkness
344
00:15:08.175 --> 00:15:08.995
and triumph
345
00:15:10.334 --> 00:15:14.515
are the spiritual warriors, those who chose truth over comfort,
346
00:15:15.295 --> 00:15:16.755
holiness over popularity,
347
00:15:17.500 --> 00:15:19.440
and obedience over appeasement.
348
00:15:20.060 --> 00:15:20.880
Their strength
349
00:15:21.260 --> 00:15:23.040
came not from what they tolerated,
350
00:15:23.500 --> 00:15:26.160
but what they walked away from.
351
00:15:27.660 --> 00:15:33.214
Jesus rebuked Satan in the wilderness. Matthew four one through 11. He doesn't argue.
352
00:15:33.595 --> 00:15:34.815
He quotes the
353
00:15:35.435 --> 00:15:36.255
no debate,
354
00:15:36.875 --> 00:15:37.774
no deal.
355
00:15:38.954 --> 00:15:42.975
Joseph flees Potiphar's wife, Genesis thirty nine six through 12.
356
00:15:43.435 --> 00:15:45.295
He doesn't entertain the temptation.
357
00:15:45.755 --> 00:15:46.654
He runs.
358
00:15:47.160 --> 00:15:47.899
His purity
359
00:15:48.200 --> 00:15:51.500
leads to prison, but also to power.
360
00:15:52.680 --> 00:15:54.700
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
361
00:15:55.560 --> 00:15:57.980
refused to bow, Daniel three.
362
00:15:58.839 --> 00:16:00.459
They don't worship the idol
363
00:16:01.125 --> 00:16:02.905
even if it costs them their lives.
364
00:16:03.765 --> 00:16:06.105
God needs them in the fire.
365
00:16:07.605 --> 00:16:13.625
Daniel prays despite the king's decree. Daniel six. No hiding. No compromise.
366
00:16:15.130 --> 00:16:18.830
His loyalty lands him in the lion's den where God
367
00:16:19.290 --> 00:16:20.350
shuts mouths.
368
00:16:21.610 --> 00:16:26.110
Moses confronts Pharaoh without fear, Exodus five through 12.
369
00:16:26.645 --> 00:16:28.985
He delivers God's demand without softening.
370
00:16:29.525 --> 00:16:31.225
Let my people go.
371
00:16:32.005 --> 00:16:32.825
No edit.
372
00:16:34.325 --> 00:16:36.665
Jesus flips the tables in the temple,
373
00:16:37.125 --> 00:16:39.305
John two thirteen through 17.
374
00:16:39.870 --> 00:16:42.290
He doesn't negotiate with corruption,
375
00:16:43.230 --> 00:16:44.210
drives it out.
376
00:16:44.910 --> 00:16:45.410
Zeal,
377
00:16:46.110 --> 00:16:47.250
not diplomacy.
378
00:16:49.310 --> 00:16:51.250
Paul rebukes Elyas, the sorcerer.
379
00:16:51.710 --> 00:16:53.890
Acts thirteen eight through 11.
380
00:16:54.615 --> 00:16:55.115
Direct
381
00:16:55.575 --> 00:16:56.075
confrontation.
382
00:16:57.255 --> 00:16:59.035
You are full of deceit.
383
00:16:59.735 --> 00:17:01.915
The hand of the Lord is against you.
384
00:17:02.615 --> 00:17:03.595
Peter and John,
385
00:17:03.895 --> 00:17:06.635
we must obey God rather than men.
386
00:17:06.935 --> 00:17:08.555
Acts five twenty nine.
387
00:17:09.150 --> 00:17:11.730
Forbidden to preach, they do it anyway.
388
00:17:12.430 --> 00:17:12.930
Obedience
389
00:17:13.550 --> 00:17:14.450
over orders.
390
00:17:15.310 --> 00:17:18.290
Noah builds the ark to spice culture's mockery.
391
00:17:18.830 --> 00:17:20.530
Genesis six through nine.
392
00:17:20.830 --> 00:17:22.850
He doesn't argue with skeptics.
393
00:17:23.470 --> 00:17:24.210
He obeys
394
00:17:24.875 --> 00:17:25.935
and survives.
395
00:17:27.515 --> 00:17:30.015
Elijah confronts the prophets of Baal.
396
00:17:30.475 --> 00:17:32.095
First Kings 18.
397
00:17:33.115 --> 00:17:35.935
Fire falls when he refuses to mix worship.
398
00:17:36.715 --> 00:17:37.615
One altar,
399
00:17:37.995 --> 00:17:38.895
one god.
400
00:17:39.800 --> 00:17:44.620
John the Baptist calls out Herod's sin. Mark six seventeen through 20.
401
00:17:45.080 --> 00:17:47.820
It costs him his head, but not his soul.
402
00:17:49.000 --> 00:17:50.700
Stephen speaks truth
403
00:17:51.080 --> 00:17:52.380
before being stoned.
404
00:17:52.760 --> 00:17:54.915
Acts seven. He doesn't shrink.
405
00:17:55.375 --> 00:17:56.595
His final words
406
00:17:56.895 --> 00:17:57.795
echo heaven.
407
00:17:58.495 --> 00:18:01.155
Nehemiah refuses to come down from the wall.
408
00:18:01.535 --> 00:18:07.635
Nehemiah six one to four. He says, I am doing a great work and cannot come down.
409
00:18:08.660 --> 00:18:09.799
Refuses distraction
410
00:18:10.419 --> 00:18:11.240
and sabotage.
411
00:18:12.660 --> 00:18:15.240
Jesus refuses to answer Pilate's manipulative
412
00:18:15.700 --> 00:18:16.200
questions.
413
00:18:16.820 --> 00:18:18.120
John nineteen nine,
414
00:18:18.820 --> 00:18:20.039
silence is strength
415
00:18:20.515 --> 00:18:22.934
when words would compromise truth.
416
00:18:23.715 --> 00:18:26.855
The apostle Paul refuses to circumcise Titus.
417
00:18:27.235 --> 00:18:29.495
Galatians two three through five
418
00:18:29.955 --> 00:18:31.415
refuses to give in
419
00:18:32.195 --> 00:18:34.215
for even a moment
420
00:18:34.730 --> 00:18:36.430
to legalistic pressure.
421
00:18:37.370 --> 00:18:39.870
Deborah leads without apology,
422
00:18:40.250 --> 00:18:41.710
judges four through five,
423
00:18:42.330 --> 00:18:43.790
doesn't step back
424
00:18:44.250 --> 00:18:46.830
or water down the call of God
425
00:18:47.365 --> 00:18:49.145
even in a patriarchal
426
00:18:49.765 --> 00:18:50.265
culture.
427
00:18:51.445 --> 00:18:53.705
Peter rebukes Ananias and Sapphira.
428
00:18:54.885 --> 00:18:56.904
Acts five three through 10.
429
00:18:57.765 --> 00:19:00.105
No tolerance for spiritual fakery.
430
00:19:00.889 --> 00:19:03.950
Confronts their lie with deadly clarity.
431
00:19:05.210 --> 00:19:08.429
The woman in the alabaster jar pushes past judgment.
432
00:19:09.210 --> 00:19:11.630
Luke seven thirty six through 50,
433
00:19:12.330 --> 00:19:13.870
refuses to be silenced
434
00:19:14.330 --> 00:19:15.789
by religious scorn,
435
00:19:16.685 --> 00:19:17.185
worships
436
00:19:17.565 --> 00:19:18.065
boldly.
437
00:19:19.325 --> 00:19:20.785
Jesus tells the devil,
438
00:19:21.245 --> 00:19:22.625
away from me, Satan.
439
00:19:23.165 --> 00:19:24.625
Matthew four ten.
440
00:19:25.405 --> 00:19:26.625
Clear dismissal.
441
00:19:27.245 --> 00:19:28.065
No lingering.
442
00:19:28.620 --> 00:19:29.360
No hesitation.
443
00:19:31.100 --> 00:19:31.600
Revelation's
444
00:19:32.140 --> 00:19:32.640
overcomers
445
00:19:33.340 --> 00:19:35.760
did not love their lives until death.
446
00:19:36.140 --> 00:19:36.640
Revelation
447
00:19:36.940 --> 00:19:37.920
twelve eleven.
448
00:19:38.460 --> 00:19:39.360
They overcame
449
00:19:39.660 --> 00:19:40.640
not by negotiation,
450
00:19:41.655 --> 00:19:42.955
but by blood,
451
00:19:43.415 --> 00:19:46.075
word, and death defying loyalty.
452
00:19:47.575 --> 00:19:49.755
Darkness thrives in compromise.
453
00:19:50.535 --> 00:19:52.155
It dies in clarity.
454
00:19:53.335 --> 00:19:54.875
Refusal isn't rejection.
455
00:19:55.620 --> 00:19:56.120
It's
456
00:19:56.580 --> 00:19:57.080
redirection
457
00:19:57.940 --> 00:19:58.680
to the light.
458
00:19:59.540 --> 00:20:00.440
In the kingdom,
459
00:20:01.220 --> 00:20:04.120
some battles are won not by fighting,
460
00:20:04.500 --> 00:20:05.640
but by refusing
461
00:20:05.940 --> 00:20:07.880
to sit at the wrong table.
462
00:20:08.794 --> 00:20:12.095
As we close today's training, let us be clear.
463
00:20:12.635 --> 00:20:14.655
Darkness will never negotiate.
464
00:20:15.035 --> 00:20:17.855
It waits for the moment you lower your guard.
465
00:20:18.875 --> 00:20:19.934
Every compromise,
466
00:20:20.395 --> 00:20:21.695
no matter how small,
467
00:20:22.200 --> 00:20:24.220
opens the door to its influence.
468
00:20:24.840 --> 00:20:26.299
But the awakened soul,
469
00:20:27.240 --> 00:20:29.100
it draws clear lines.
470
00:20:29.720 --> 00:20:31.500
It resists with ruthless
471
00:20:31.880 --> 00:20:32.380
clarity.
472
00:20:33.240 --> 00:20:35.100
You're not called to coexist
473
00:20:35.640 --> 00:20:36.460
with shadows,
474
00:20:37.095 --> 00:20:39.515
to soften your convictions, or
475
00:20:39.895 --> 00:20:41.115
bargain with evil.
476
00:20:41.895 --> 00:20:42.395
Compromise
477
00:20:42.775 --> 00:20:43.995
kills formation.
478
00:20:44.375 --> 00:20:45.595
And make no mistake,
479
00:20:46.375 --> 00:20:47.275
every small
480
00:20:47.735 --> 00:20:48.235
concession,
481
00:20:48.855 --> 00:20:50.130
whether in your thoughts,
482
00:20:50.610 --> 00:20:51.110
habits,
483
00:20:51.410 --> 00:20:53.030
relationships, or words,
484
00:20:53.570 --> 00:20:54.070
compounds
485
00:20:54.370 --> 00:20:57.510
until your soul is shaped by darkness, not light.
486
00:20:58.050 --> 00:20:59.190
But here's the truth.
487
00:20:59.650 --> 00:21:02.710
The light always wins when it's undivided.
488
00:21:03.475 --> 00:21:05.174
It doesn't flirt with the shadows.
489
00:21:05.475 --> 00:21:06.855
It casts them off.
490
00:21:07.315 --> 00:21:08.695
So your responsibility,
491
00:21:09.794 --> 00:21:10.695
your mission
492
00:21:11.154 --> 00:21:16.134
is to draw your line in the sand and refuse to cross it.
493
00:21:16.870 --> 00:21:21.130
Every no to dark is a victory for your true form.
494
00:21:21.750 --> 00:21:24.010
Today, we've learned the importance of clarity.
495
00:21:24.390 --> 00:21:25.450
No compromise.
496
00:21:25.990 --> 00:21:27.610
You've been trained in precision,
497
00:21:28.070 --> 00:21:32.125
in the ability to spot the shadows and reject them without hesitation.
498
00:21:32.905 --> 00:21:34.445
But now we shift focus.
499
00:21:35.385 --> 00:21:37.085
The real question is not
500
00:21:37.385 --> 00:21:42.365
if you will resist evil, but how ready are you for deployment.
501
00:21:44.265 --> 00:21:45.325
Proko nine
502
00:21:45.929 --> 00:21:47.230
is about being spiritually,
503
00:21:47.610 --> 00:21:52.830
emotionally, and mentally ready at any given moment to step into the mission.
504
00:21:53.370 --> 00:22:00.029
It's not just about preparing for death. It's about preparing for the life you were created to live today.
505
00:22:03.015 --> 00:22:05.195
The soul doesn't wait for permission.
506
00:22:06.375 --> 00:22:08.554
It moves when the mission is clear.
507
00:22:09.495 --> 00:22:09.995
Readiness
508
00:22:10.535 --> 00:22:12.235
doesn't start after death.
509
00:22:12.615 --> 00:22:13.915
It starts now.
510
00:22:14.910 --> 00:22:17.410
So what do you need to let go of?
511
00:22:18.030 --> 00:22:19.010
What attachments
512
00:22:19.550 --> 00:22:21.650
still scream for your attention?
513
00:22:22.670 --> 00:22:24.850
This is not just soul searching.
514
00:22:25.230 --> 00:22:26.210
It's soul
515
00:22:26.590 --> 00:22:27.090
preparation.
516
00:22:27.855 --> 00:22:29.395
Because when the call comes,
517
00:22:29.775 --> 00:22:32.675
you'll either be ready or you'll find yourself
518
00:22:33.054 --> 00:22:33.554
paralyzed
519
00:22:33.855 --> 00:22:34.515
in hesitation.
520
00:22:35.934 --> 00:22:36.995
Here's your challenge.
521
00:22:37.455 --> 00:22:41.075
Take a moment today and write your spiritual go bag list.
522
00:22:41.610 --> 00:22:43.550
What will you carry into eternity?
523
00:22:44.170 --> 00:22:45.870
What do you need to leave behind?
524
00:22:46.490 --> 00:22:51.150
Burn or bury that list, symbolizing your willingness to surrender everything.
525
00:22:51.770 --> 00:22:53.150
And don't stop there.
526
00:22:53.625 --> 00:22:57.085
Think about the attachments you're holding on to, relationships,
527
00:22:57.625 --> 00:22:58.765
habits, fears.
528
00:22:59.785 --> 00:23:00.765
Would you hesitate
529
00:23:01.305 --> 00:23:03.485
if God whisper, it's time.
530
00:23:04.105 --> 00:23:10.500
Now's the time to let go of what's holding you back and prepare to be sent into your true purpose.
531
00:23:12.000 --> 00:23:13.940
Next time, we'll discuss deployment.
532
00:23:14.480 --> 00:23:18.419
How to step into your mission fully equipped without hesitation.
533
00:23:19.695 --> 00:23:21.075
Until then, remember,
534
00:23:21.455 --> 00:23:22.515
hold your ground,
535
00:23:22.894 --> 00:23:23.955
train in clarity,
536
00:23:24.575 --> 00:23:25.955
walk in undivided
537
00:23:26.335 --> 00:23:26.835
light.
538
00:23:27.215 --> 00:23:32.034
This is Metaphysical Boot Camp. I'm Merrill and this is Battle Ground.
539
00:23:32.480 --> 00:23:40.260
Thank you for joining me today. For those of you that are ready for another Bible chapter, stay tuned. Joseph in Potiphar's House.
540
00:23:40.880 --> 00:23:47.620
Now Joseph was brought down to Egypt and Potiphar, an Egyptian official of Pharaoh, the captain of the bodyguard,
541
00:23:48.335 --> 00:23:49.715
bought him from the Israelite
542
00:23:50.495 --> 00:23:52.275
who had brought him down there.
543
00:23:52.575 --> 00:23:59.875
And Yahweh was with Joseph, so he became a successful man. And he was in the house of his master, the Egyptian.
544
00:24:00.510 --> 00:24:07.410
Now his master saw that Yahweh was with him, and how Yahweh caused all that he did to succeed in his hand.
545
00:24:08.190 --> 00:24:14.690
So Joseph found favor in his sight and intended on him, and he appointed him overseer over his house.
546
00:24:15.055 --> 00:24:17.795
And all that he owned he gave in his hand.
547
00:24:18.175 --> 00:24:27.875
Now it happened that from the time he was appointed him overseer in his house and over all that he owned, Yahweh blessed the Egyptian's house on account of Joseph.
548
00:24:28.580 --> 00:24:32.280
Thus, the blessing of Yahweh was upon all that he owned,
549
00:24:32.660 --> 00:24:34.520
in the house and in the field.
550
00:24:34.900 --> 00:24:38.040
So he left everything he owned in Joseph's hand.
551
00:24:38.500 --> 00:24:43.560
And with him there, he did not concern himself with anything except the food which he ate.
552
00:24:43.975 --> 00:24:47.914
Now Joseph was beautiful in form and beautiful in appearance.
553
00:24:48.774 --> 00:24:51.754
It happened after these events that his master's wife
554
00:24:52.054 --> 00:24:54.315
set her eyes on Joseph and said,
555
00:24:54.774 --> 00:24:55.754
lie with me.
556
00:24:56.215 --> 00:24:59.274
But he refused and said to his master's wife,
557
00:25:00.040 --> 00:25:00.540
'Behold,
558
00:25:01.240 --> 00:25:08.860
with me here, my master does not concern himself with any house, and he has given all that he owns into my hand.
559
00:25:09.240 --> 00:25:16.265
There is no one greater in this house than I, and he has withheld nothing from me except you,
560
00:25:16.645 --> 00:25:18.745
because you are his wife.
561
00:25:19.445 --> 00:25:23.225
How then could I do this great evil and sin against God?
562
00:25:24.165 --> 00:25:38.670
So it happened that as she spoke to Joseph day after day, he did not listen to her to lie beside her or be with her. Now it happened one day that he went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the household was there inside.
563
00:25:39.210 --> 00:25:41.550
Then she seized him by his garment saying,
564
00:25:42.005 --> 00:25:42.985
lie with me.
565
00:25:43.445 --> 00:25:47.305
And he left his garment in her hand and fled and went outside.
566
00:25:48.085 --> 00:25:51.785
Now it happened when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand
567
00:25:52.085 --> 00:25:53.465
and had fled outside,
568
00:25:54.005 --> 00:25:56.345
that she called to the men of her household
569
00:25:56.740 --> 00:25:58.279
and spoke to them saying,
570
00:25:58.899 --> 00:25:59.399
see,
571
00:25:59.779 --> 00:26:03.320
he has brought in a Hebrew to us to laugh at us.
572
00:26:03.700 --> 00:26:11.720
He came into me to lie with me, and I screamed. Now it happened that when he heard that I raised my voice and screamed,
573
00:26:12.315 --> 00:26:15.615
he left his garment beside me and fled and went outside.
574
00:26:16.235 --> 00:26:19.934
And she placed his garment beside her until his master came home.
575
00:26:20.394 --> 00:26:22.575
Then she spoke to him with these words,
576
00:26:22.875 --> 00:26:34.860
saying, the Hebrew slave, whom you brought to us, came in to me to laugh at me. And as I raised my voice and screamed, he left his garment beside me and fled outside.
577
00:26:35.640 --> 00:26:40.940
Now it happened that when his master heard the words of his wife, which he spoke to him saying,
578
00:26:41.265 --> 00:26:43.525
this is what your slave did to me.
579
00:26:43.825 --> 00:26:45.205
His anger burned.
580
00:26:45.585 --> 00:26:48.885
So Joseph's master took him and put him into jail,
581
00:26:49.505 --> 00:26:54.485
the place where the king's prisoners were confined, and he was there in the jail.
582
00:26:55.080 --> 00:27:02.460
But Yahweh was with Joseph and extended loving kindness to him and gave him favor in the sight of the chief jailer.
583
00:27:02.919 --> 00:27:10.375
So the chief jailer gave into the hand of Joseph all the prisoners who were in the jail, so that whatever was done there,
584
00:27:10.915 --> 00:27:12.775
he was the one who did it.
585
00:27:13.155 --> 00:27:22.535
The chief jailer did not supervise anything under Joseph's hand because Yahweh was with him. And whatever he did, Yahweh made to succeed.
586
00:27:24.140 --> 00:27:26.320
Lessons from Genesis 39.
587
00:27:27.020 --> 00:27:30.240
Joseph's story continues in Genesis 39,
588
00:27:30.460 --> 00:27:31.440
not with triumph,
589
00:27:31.900 --> 00:27:33.279
but with another test.
590
00:27:33.900 --> 00:27:35.039
Sold into slavery,
591
00:27:35.340 --> 00:27:36.960
he ends up in Egypt
592
00:27:37.304 --> 00:27:40.524
serving in the house of Potiphar, a high ranking official.
593
00:27:41.304 --> 00:27:45.725
Despite the betrayal and loss he suffered, Joseph doesn't wallow in bitterness.
594
00:27:46.184 --> 00:27:48.524
Instead, he chooses excellence.
595
00:27:49.065 --> 00:27:50.205
He works diligently,
596
00:27:51.059 --> 00:27:54.519
earns trust, and rises to a position of leadership
597
00:27:54.820 --> 00:27:56.120
in Potiphar's household.
598
00:27:56.899 --> 00:27:58.679
But then comes another trial.
599
00:27:59.059 --> 00:28:01.320
Potiphar's wife notices him.
600
00:28:01.860 --> 00:28:06.725
Day after day, she tries to seduce him, but Joseph refuses.
601
00:28:07.585 --> 00:28:10.005
Not just because of loyalty to Potiphar,
602
00:28:10.385 --> 00:28:12.565
but because, as he puts it,
603
00:28:12.945 --> 00:28:16.805
how then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?
604
00:28:17.280 --> 00:28:19.220
When he finally flees her advances,
605
00:28:19.840 --> 00:28:20.740
she retaliates.
606
00:28:21.440 --> 00:28:23.940
She falsely accuses him of assault,
607
00:28:24.400 --> 00:28:26.500
and Joseph is thrown into prison.
608
00:28:26.960 --> 00:28:27.700
But again,
609
00:28:28.240 --> 00:28:29.780
Joseph doesn't spiral.
610
00:28:30.405 --> 00:28:31.465
Even in confinement,
611
00:28:32.005 --> 00:28:35.865
he gains the trust of the prison warden and is put in charge.
612
00:28:36.405 --> 00:28:38.505
Whether in privilege or in prison,
613
00:28:39.125 --> 00:28:40.185
Joseph's integrity
614
00:28:40.565 --> 00:28:41.625
remains unshaken.
615
00:28:43.140 --> 00:28:45.880
So what concepts can we learn from this chapter?
616
00:28:46.580 --> 00:28:47.080
One,
617
00:28:47.540 --> 00:28:51.320
integrity is who you are when no one is watching.
618
00:28:51.940 --> 00:28:56.280
Joseph could have given in, especially when no one would have known,
619
00:28:56.695 --> 00:28:57.995
But he lived by
620
00:28:58.375 --> 00:28:59.275
higher standard.
621
00:28:59.735 --> 00:29:00.235
Integrity
622
00:29:00.535 --> 00:29:01.595
is internal.
623
00:29:02.295 --> 00:29:08.155
It's about who you choose to be even when the pressure is on, and escape looks easy.
624
00:29:09.015 --> 00:29:09.515
Two.
625
00:29:10.310 --> 00:29:12.650
Character matters more than circumstance.
626
00:29:13.670 --> 00:29:15.610
Joseph didn't let his suffering
627
00:29:15.990 --> 00:29:16.490
justify
628
00:29:16.950 --> 00:29:17.450
compromise,
629
00:29:18.310 --> 00:29:19.530
whether promoted
630
00:29:19.910 --> 00:29:20.810
or imprisoned.
631
00:29:22.390 --> 00:29:24.250
This shows the real character
632
00:29:24.915 --> 00:29:26.855
isn't dependent on environment.
633
00:29:27.395 --> 00:29:29.175
It's rooted in conviction.
634
00:29:30.195 --> 00:29:30.695
Three.
635
00:29:31.075 --> 00:29:33.095
Success can attract opposition.
636
00:29:33.955 --> 00:29:35.575
The more Joseph thrived,
637
00:29:36.035 --> 00:29:37.095
the more resistance
638
00:29:37.475 --> 00:29:38.295
he faced.
639
00:29:38.929 --> 00:29:40.549
This is a sobering truth.
640
00:29:41.090 --> 00:29:44.230
Doing right doesn't always lead to a plot.
641
00:29:44.850 --> 00:29:46.950
Sometimes, it leads to more hardship,
642
00:29:47.410 --> 00:29:49.350
but it's still worth doing.
643
00:29:50.210 --> 00:29:50.710
Four,
644
00:29:51.215 --> 00:29:53.235
God's present is often silent
645
00:29:53.535 --> 00:29:54.355
but steady.
646
00:29:55.135 --> 00:29:59.155
Twice in this chapter, we're told the Lord was with Joseph.
647
00:29:59.855 --> 00:30:01.635
He wasn't rescued immediately,
648
00:30:02.255 --> 00:30:03.555
but he wasn't abandoned.
649
00:30:04.810 --> 00:30:08.270
Divine present doesn't always mean instant escape.
650
00:30:08.890 --> 00:30:10.750
Sometimes it means drink
651
00:30:11.050 --> 00:30:11.710
to endure.
652
00:30:12.570 --> 00:30:15.790
Now, how can we turn this into problem solving techniques
653
00:30:16.170 --> 00:30:17.070
for our lives?
654
00:30:18.005 --> 00:30:21.625
Cultivate internal standards. Define your values clearly.
655
00:30:22.085 --> 00:30:25.065
Know in advance what lines you won't cross.
656
00:30:25.684 --> 00:30:30.264
When temptation comes, your decisions will be already made.
657
00:30:30.990 --> 00:30:33.330
Focus on what you can control.
658
00:30:34.190 --> 00:30:37.730
Joseph couldn't change his status as a slave or prisoner,
659
00:30:38.350 --> 00:30:40.210
but he could control his attitude,
660
00:30:40.670 --> 00:30:42.850
his work ethic, and his faithfulness.
661
00:30:44.625 --> 00:30:47.445
Invest your energy into what's in your hands,
662
00:30:47.905 --> 00:30:49.525
not what's out of reach.
663
00:30:50.625 --> 00:30:51.845
Practice consistent
664
00:30:52.225 --> 00:30:52.725
excellence.
665
00:30:53.425 --> 00:30:56.405
Whether you're in a role of influence or obscurity,
666
00:30:57.265 --> 00:30:59.845
show up with the same commitment and effort.
667
00:31:00.630 --> 00:31:02.330
Excellence in small things
668
00:31:02.870 --> 00:31:05.930
builds trust and opens bigger doors
669
00:31:06.390 --> 00:31:06.890
eventually.
670
00:31:08.470 --> 00:31:11.850
Be prepared for unfairness without giving up.
671
00:31:12.630 --> 00:31:15.850
Sometimes the right choice leads to short term pain.
672
00:31:16.605 --> 00:31:17.905
Don't confuse injustice
673
00:31:18.525 --> 00:31:19.345
with failure.
674
00:31:20.205 --> 00:31:23.585
Stay steady. You may be in a prison season now,
675
00:31:23.965 --> 00:31:25.985
but it could be preparation
676
00:31:26.605 --> 00:31:27.505
for a palace.
677
00:31:29.000 --> 00:31:32.539
Joseph teaches us that leadership isn't forged in comfort.
678
00:31:33.000 --> 00:31:34.860
It's shaped in hidden places.
679
00:31:35.320 --> 00:31:36.940
It's in resisting shortcut,
680
00:31:37.639 --> 00:31:41.100
staying faithful under pressure, and believing that integrity
681
00:31:41.639 --> 00:31:42.940
always has a return
682
00:31:43.515 --> 00:31:45.295
even when it looks like a loss.
683
00:31:45.915 --> 00:31:47.855
In a world full of compromise,
684
00:31:48.315 --> 00:31:49.615
Genesis 39
685
00:31:49.675 --> 00:31:51.455
calls us to stand firm,
686
00:31:52.075 --> 00:31:56.730
live clean, and trust that our story isn't over when it gets hard.
687
00:31:57.130 --> 00:31:59.070
It's just getting refined.
688
00:32:00.330 --> 00:32:02.110
I'm Merrill, and this is Battleground.
689
00:32:02.650 --> 00:32:07.390
Thank you for staying until the end. Click here to start with the first episode
690
00:32:07.770 --> 00:32:10.030
and here for the next episode.
691
00:32:11.130 --> 00:32:11.630
Goodbye.
NOTE
Transcription provided by Podhome.fm
Created: 7/28/2025 10:52:40 PM
Duration: 1932.173
Channels: 1
1
00:00:00.640 --> 00:00:02.580
2
00:00:03.520 --> 00:00:04.500
making deals,
3
00:00:05.120 --> 00:00:06.180
easing boundaries,
4
00:00:06.799 --> 00:00:07.779
softening conviction
5
00:00:08.400 --> 00:00:10.740
in the name of grace or growth.
6
00:00:12.474 --> 00:00:14.655
7
00:00:15.514 --> 00:00:16.015
Darkness
8
00:00:16.634 --> 00:00:17.535
doesn't bargain.
9
00:00:18.474 --> 00:00:19.295
It waits.
10
00:00:19.994 --> 00:00:20.814
It watches.
11
00:00:21.675 --> 00:00:23.855
And the moment you lower your sword,
12
00:00:24.570 --> 00:00:25.550
it moves in.
13
00:00:26.490 --> 00:00:27.710
Welcome back, soldier.
14
00:00:28.890 --> 00:00:30.910
15
00:00:31.369 --> 00:00:35.230
because if you get this one wrong, you lose the war within.
16
00:00:36.330 --> 00:00:37.230
No compromise.
17
00:00:38.415 --> 00:00:39.875
Ephesians five eleven,
18
00:00:40.495 --> 00:00:43.875
have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness,
19
00:00:44.254 --> 00:00:46.114
but rather expose them.
20
00:00:46.735 --> 00:00:47.555
Not tolerate,
21
00:00:48.095 --> 00:00:48.915
not study,
22
00:00:49.295 --> 00:00:51.074
not coexist with.
23
00:00:51.695 --> 00:00:52.195
Expose,
24
00:00:53.055 --> 00:00:53.555
25
00:00:54.630 --> 00:00:55.130
flee.
26
00:00:56.790 --> 00:01:01.770
27
00:01:02.630 --> 00:01:06.570
You defeat it by standing in the light without apology.
28
00:01:08.255 --> 00:01:09.955
Second Corinthians six fourteen,
29
00:01:10.895 --> 00:01:13.955
what fellowship can light have with darkness?
30
00:01:14.975 --> 00:01:15.715
The answer,
31
00:01:16.495 --> 00:01:16.995
32
00:01:18.015 --> 00:01:19.795
This isn't about being judgmental.
33
00:01:20.255 --> 00:01:22.170
It's about being clear.
34
00:01:23.270 --> 00:01:26.410
35
00:01:26.870 --> 00:01:30.810
It trains you to know who your enemy is,
36
00:01:31.990 --> 00:01:33.050
where we negotiate
37
00:01:33.590 --> 00:01:35.130
without realizing it.
38
00:01:35.705 --> 00:01:38.845
Let's get honest. We're not always fighting demons.
39
00:01:39.625 --> 00:01:40.125
Sometimes,
40
00:01:40.425 --> 00:01:43.245
we're inviting them in with silence.
41
00:01:44.665 --> 00:01:45.965
Here's what modern
42
00:01:46.265 --> 00:01:48.390
negotiation with darkness looks like.
43
00:01:49.270 --> 00:01:50.330
It's just a show.
44
00:01:50.710 --> 00:01:53.770
I know it's toxic, but I'm used to it.
45
00:01:54.550 --> 00:01:56.250
It's not that serious.
46
00:01:57.270 --> 00:01:59.930
I can handle it. I'm strong enough.
47
00:02:00.745 --> 00:02:01.885
48
00:02:02.744 --> 00:02:03.885
Every compromise
49
00:02:04.585 --> 00:02:06.604
50
00:02:07.065 --> 00:02:07.565
corruption,
51
00:02:08.105 --> 00:02:08.925
and tolerance
52
00:02:09.385 --> 00:02:11.325
becomes training in reverse.
53
00:02:12.584 --> 00:02:13.725
Biblical examples,
54
00:02:14.260 --> 00:02:16.520
who refused and who folded.
55
00:02:17.220 --> 00:02:18.280
Let's talk history.
56
00:02:18.820 --> 00:02:20.600
Who refused to negotiate?
57
00:02:21.140 --> 00:02:21.640
Joseph
58
00:02:22.180 --> 00:02:23.960
resisted Potiphar's wife
59
00:02:24.580 --> 00:02:26.440
even when it cost him prison,
60
00:02:26.740 --> 00:02:28.120
Genesis 39.
61
00:02:29.565 --> 00:02:30.065
Daniel
62
00:02:30.925 --> 00:02:34.545
refused to eat the king's food, trained in dietary holiness,
63
00:02:34.925 --> 00:02:35.905
Daniel one.
64
00:02:36.925 --> 00:02:37.425
Jesus
65
00:02:37.885 --> 00:02:40.865
said no to Satan's offers in the wilderness
66
00:02:41.485 --> 00:02:42.945
67
00:02:43.560 --> 00:02:44.300
Matthew four,
68
00:02:45.000 --> 00:02:45.500
Shadrach,
69
00:02:46.120 --> 00:02:46.620
Meshach,
70
00:02:47.400 --> 00:02:47.900
Abednego
71
00:02:49.160 --> 00:02:50.300
72
00:02:51.000 --> 00:02:52.060
faced the fire.
73
00:02:52.440 --> 00:02:53.500
Daniel three.
74
00:02:54.120 --> 00:02:55.980
They didn't win by being clever.
75
00:02:56.315 --> 00:02:58.255
They won by being clear.
76
00:02:59.915 --> 00:03:00.415
Who
77
00:03:00.875 --> 00:03:01.375
negotiated
78
00:03:01.675 --> 00:03:02.575
and fell?
79
00:03:03.355 --> 00:03:03.855
Eve.
80
00:03:04.235 --> 00:03:07.375
Listened just long enough to be convinced.
81
00:03:07.835 --> 00:03:08.975
82
00:03:09.910 --> 00:03:10.410
Samson
83
00:03:11.190 --> 00:03:14.570
84
00:03:14.950 --> 00:03:15.930
Judges 16.
85
00:03:16.790 --> 00:03:17.290
Judas
86
00:03:17.830 --> 00:03:19.770
traded loyalty for silver,
87
00:03:20.230 --> 00:03:21.450
Luke 22.
88
00:03:22.870 --> 00:03:23.370
Saul
89
00:03:23.955 --> 00:03:27.974
chose people's approval over God's command. First Samuel 15.
90
00:03:28.995 --> 00:03:31.175
They didn't fall from one big sin.
91
00:03:31.635 --> 00:03:35.015
They fell from a series of small compromises.
92
00:03:36.595 --> 00:03:38.855
93
00:03:40.180 --> 00:03:40.680
Romans
94
00:03:41.060 --> 00:03:42.120
95
00:03:42.739 --> 00:03:48.920
The night is far gone. The day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness
96
00:03:49.300 --> 00:03:51.640
and put on the armor of light.
97
00:03:53.045 --> 00:03:54.425
Light doesn't flirt.
98
00:03:54.965 --> 00:03:56.985
It casts off the dark.
99
00:03:57.605 --> 00:04:00.185
You must be ruthless with your shadows.
100
00:04:01.285 --> 00:04:03.465
101
00:04:03.845 --> 00:04:07.650
102
00:04:08.590 --> 00:04:12.050
If it numbs you, replace it with something that sharpens.
103
00:04:13.230 --> 00:04:13.970
There is
104
00:04:14.270 --> 00:04:16.050
no neutral ground.
105
00:04:16.910 --> 00:04:19.250
How do you recognize darkness in disguise?
106
00:04:21.095 --> 00:04:24.395
Ask, does this make me more alert or more numb?
107
00:04:25.335 --> 00:04:29.195
Does this draw me towards truth or away from it?
108
00:04:29.735 --> 00:04:33.755
Is this forming the light in me or feeding the shadows?
109
00:04:35.490 --> 00:04:37.030
Discernment isn't paranoia,
110
00:04:37.570 --> 00:04:38.790
it's spiritual
111
00:04:39.490 --> 00:04:39.990
precision.
112
00:04:41.010 --> 00:04:42.310
Jesus on negotiation.
113
00:04:43.490 --> 00:04:45.350
Matthew six twenty four,
114
00:04:45.889 --> 00:04:48.070
no one can serve two masters.
115
00:04:48.705 --> 00:04:51.525
You cannot serve both God and money.
116
00:04:52.865 --> 00:04:54.324
Revelation three sixteen,
117
00:04:54.865 --> 00:04:58.324
because you are lukewarm, I will spit you out of my mouth.
118
00:04:59.345 --> 00:05:00.725
119
00:05:01.740 --> 00:05:03.280
Lukewarm is unarmed.
120
00:05:04.300 --> 00:05:04.800
Lukewarm
121
00:05:05.419 --> 00:05:06.960
is soft negotiation
122
00:05:07.500 --> 00:05:08.240
with darkness.
123
00:05:10.139 --> 00:05:12.319
124
00:05:13.275 --> 00:05:16.655
Let your yes be yes and your no be no.
125
00:05:17.675 --> 00:05:19.135
Boot camp doesn't graduate
126
00:05:19.595 --> 00:05:21.135
double minded soul.
127
00:05:21.995 --> 00:05:22.895
Field briefing,
128
00:05:23.435 --> 00:05:25.135
129
00:05:26.360 --> 00:05:31.500
130
00:05:31.960 --> 00:05:32.780
and identify
131
00:05:33.080 --> 00:05:34.700
the next steps for growth.
132
00:05:35.560 --> 00:05:40.620
First, consider your thought life. Are you allowing lies to shape your mind?
133
00:05:41.275 --> 00:05:46.655
If so, the next move is clear. Replace those lies with the truth of scripture.
134
00:05:47.275 --> 00:05:48.495
When it comes to relationships,
135
00:05:49.435 --> 00:05:55.135
ask yourself if boundaries need to be set or if there are idols that need to be released.
136
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In terms of habits,
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if you're engaging in actions that keep you trapped in the shadows, it's time to cut them off.
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if you're numbing your mind with distraction,
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141
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Finally, assess your words.
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Are they filled with truth
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or are you relying on sarcasm?
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If it's the latter,
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the goal is to train in truth and speak with purpose.
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This is your line in the sand where decisive
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action can lead to real
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transformation.
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Draw your line.
150
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Hold it and don't look back.
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There is no version of formation where you make peace with poison.
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Darkness isn't playful.
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It's patient,
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but so is light.
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And every time you say no to the dark, you say yes to your true form.
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You're not just resisting evil, you're training your essence to shine.
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So stop negotiating.
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Start standing.
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Later, we'll talk about deployment.
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What happens
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after boot camp?
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Until then, hold the line,
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train in clarity,
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and walk in undivided
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light.
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This
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is metaphysical boot camp.
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Now for protocol nine,
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readiness for eternal assignment.
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The mission doesn't start after death.
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It starts after readiness.
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You've been training your mind,
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strengthening your essence,
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letting go of your comforts and illusions.
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Most wait for the moment when God will call them,
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but the awakened
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prepare
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as if it's already happened.
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The soul doesn't ask for permission.
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It moves when the mission is clear,
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objective.
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Be mentally,
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emotionally, and spiritually
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ready to be sent at any moment.
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Exercise.
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Imagine being called into the next life tonight.
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What attachments
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scream?
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What fears paralyze?
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What must be left behind?
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This isn't fear mongering. It's soul
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deployment.
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Imagine it's tonight, your call.
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No warnings. No applause.
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Only this question echoing through eternity.
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Were you ready?
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Ask,
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what do I still cling to as if it's eternal?
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Would I hesitate if God whispered, it's time?
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Who do I fear disappointing
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more than my creator?
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If I let go of my whole life, would I still be me?
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Be ready because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. Matthew twenty four forty four.
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Write your spiritual go bag list.
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What would you carry into eternity?
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List what you're ready to leave behind.
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Read Matthew 24.
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This was not a sermon. It was a summons.
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You're awake.
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The gate is opening.
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Today, we're going to do a two sided list of the 20 biblical examples.
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This two sided list will see the
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contrast between spiritual compromise
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and spiritual
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courage.
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Some figures in scripture
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negotiated with darkness
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and paid the price.
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Others stood their ground or cut ties
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and gained freedom,
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clarity,
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or victory.
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Bible examples of those who negotiated
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with dark
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and paid for it.
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These individuals are groups who tried to reason with evil,
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compromise with sin, or tolerate
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233
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The result was always loss
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power,
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destiny,
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or even life.
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Eve talks with a serpent. Genesis three one through six. She entertains
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Satan's questions
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instead of rejecting them.
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The fall of humanity
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begins
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with a conversation.
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Lots compromised with Sodom,
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Genesis thirteen and nineteen.
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Lot
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to live near and eventually inside Sodom.
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His family suffers spiritually and
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physically.
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251
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Judges 16.
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253
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She ends up blind,
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imprisoned
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and betrayed.
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King Saul spares King Agog,
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first Samuel 15.
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Saul disobeys God's command by partially
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obeying,
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negotiating with the enemy.
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He loses the throne.
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Solomon marries foreign wives and builds their temple.
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First Kings 11.
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In an attempt to please everyone,
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he compromises
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truth. His kingdom fractures after his death.
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Achan hides forbidden treasure.
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Joshua seven,
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one man's secret compromise with cursed treasure causes Israel to lose a battle and brings death to his family.
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The Israelites demand a king
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like other nations, first Samuel eight.
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They negotiate their identity for status.
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God warns them, and their kingship begins
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in dysfunction.
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Pilate tries to please the crowd.
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Matthew twenty seven twenty four. He knows Jesus is innocent,
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but compromises
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truth to keep political
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peace.
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He literally washes his hands,
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but not his soul.
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Judas negotiates with the religious leaders.
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Matthew twenty six fourteen through 16.
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For 30 pieces of silver,
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he bargains with dark
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his life ends in regret
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and suicide.
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King Ahab marries Jezebel.
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First Kings sixteen thirty one through 33.
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He joins with a woman devoted to idol worship.
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She leads Israel into demonic bondage and violence.
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Ananias and Sapphira lie to appear generous.
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Acts five one through 11.
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They negotiate with image over integrity.
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Struck dead
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for deceiving the Holy Spirit, King Herod hears John the Baptist gladly, but does nothing,
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Mark six twenty.
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Fascinated,
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but unchanged,
300
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eventually caves to peer pressure
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and kills a prophet.
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Esau sells his birthright for a meal. Genesis twenty five twenty nine to 34.
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A moment of hunger
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leads to permanent spiritual loss.
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00:13:26.920 --> 00:13:30.699
The Israelites make a golden calf, Exodus 32.
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While waiting on God,
307
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they negotiate
308
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their patience
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00:13:35.560 --> 00:13:37.339
and birth an idol.
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The Galatians
311
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add legalism to grace.
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Galatians one six through nine.
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Paul rebukes them for allowing a distorted
314
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gospel.
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Even if an angel preaches it,
316
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reject it.
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King Jehoshaphat joins with Ahab in battle.
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Second Chronicles
319
00:13:57.520 --> 00:13:58.020
18.
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He ignores prophetic warnings and nearly dies for joining forces with a corrupt king.
321
00:14:07.415 --> 00:14:09.675
Peter denies Jesus to stay safe.
322
00:14:10.135 --> 00:14:12.955
Luke twenty two fifty four through 62.
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He negotiates his faith out of fear.
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Later restored,
325
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but the regret
326
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is palpable.
327
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Simon the sorcerer wants to buy God's power,
328
00:14:25.220 --> 00:14:27.320
acts eight eighteen to 23.
329
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He tries to blend sorcery with the gospel.
330
00:14:31.220 --> 00:14:33.880
It is rebuked sharply by Peter.
331
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The Israelites failed to drive out all the Canaanites,
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Judges one through two.
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00:14:40.634 --> 00:14:42.095
Instead of full obedience,
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00:14:42.555 --> 00:14:44.255
they tolerate enemy.
335
00:14:44.954 --> 00:14:46.574
It leads to generations
336
00:14:47.550 --> 00:14:48.930
of spiritual decay.
337
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The Laodicean church's lukewarm
338
00:14:52.350 --> 00:14:52.850
compromise,
339
00:14:53.470 --> 00:14:55.970
Revelations three fourteen through 17.
340
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They try to live in both worlds.
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00:14:59.550 --> 00:15:01.810
Jesus says, I will spit you out.
342
00:15:02.415 --> 00:15:05.635
Now the other 20 bible examples of those who refuse
343
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to negotiate with darkness
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00:15:08.175 --> 00:15:08.995
345
00:15:10.334 --> 00:15:14.515
346
00:15:15.295 --> 00:15:16.755
holiness over popularity,
347
00:15:17.500 --> 00:15:19.440
and obedience over appeasement.
348
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Their strength
349
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came not from what they tolerated,
350
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but what they walked away from.
351
00:15:27.660 --> 00:15:33.214
Jesus rebuked Satan in the wilderness. Matthew four one through 11. He doesn't argue.
352
00:15:33.595 --> 00:15:34.815
He quotes the
353
00:15:35.435 --> 00:15:36.255
no debate,
354
00:15:36.875 --> 00:15:37.774
no deal.
355
00:15:38.954 --> 00:15:42.975
Joseph flees Potiphar's wife, Genesis thirty nine six through 12.
356
00:15:43.435 --> 00:15:45.295
He doesn't entertain the temptation.
357
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He runs.
358
00:15:47.160 --> 00:15:47.899
His purity
359
00:15:48.200 --> 00:15:51.500
leads to prison, but also to power.
360
00:15:52.680 --> 00:15:54.700
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
361
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refused to bow, Daniel three.
362
00:15:58.839 --> 00:16:00.459
They don't worship the idol
363
00:16:01.125 --> 00:16:02.905
even if it costs them their lives.
364
00:16:03.765 --> 00:16:06.105
God needs them in the fire.
365
00:16:07.605 --> 00:16:13.625
Daniel prays despite the king's decree. Daniel six. No hiding. No compromise.
366
00:16:15.130 --> 00:16:18.830
His loyalty lands him in the lion's den where God
367
00:16:19.290 --> 00:16:20.350
shuts mouths.
368
00:16:21.610 --> 00:16:26.110
Moses confronts Pharaoh without fear, Exodus five through 12.
369
00:16:26.645 --> 00:16:28.985
He delivers God's demand without softening.
370
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Let my people go.
371
00:16:32.005 --> 00:16:32.825
No edit.
372
00:16:34.325 --> 00:16:36.665
Jesus flips the tables in the temple,
373
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John two thirteen through 17.
374
00:16:39.870 --> 00:16:42.290
He doesn't negotiate with corruption,
375
00:16:43.230 --> 00:16:44.210
drives it out.
376
00:16:44.910 --> 00:16:45.410
Zeal,
377
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not diplomacy.
378
00:16:49.310 --> 00:16:51.250
Paul rebukes Elyas, the sorcerer.
379
00:16:51.710 --> 00:16:53.890
Acts thirteen eight through 11.
380
00:16:54.615 --> 00:16:55.115
Direct
381
00:16:55.575 --> 00:16:56.075
confrontation.
382
00:16:57.255 --> 00:16:59.035
You are full of deceit.
383
00:16:59.735 --> 00:17:01.915
The hand of the Lord is against you.
384
00:17:02.615 --> 00:17:03.595
Peter and John,
385
00:17:03.895 --> 00:17:06.635
we must obey God rather than men.
386
00:17:06.935 --> 00:17:08.555
Acts five twenty nine.
387
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Forbidden to preach, they do it anyway.
388
00:17:12.430 --> 00:17:12.930
Obedience
389
00:17:13.550 --> 00:17:14.450
over orders.
390
00:17:15.310 --> 00:17:18.290
Noah builds the ark to spice culture's mockery.
391
00:17:18.830 --> 00:17:20.530
Genesis six through nine.
392
00:17:20.830 --> 00:17:22.850
He doesn't argue with skeptics.
393
00:17:23.470 --> 00:17:24.210
He obeys
394
00:17:24.875 --> 00:17:25.935
and survives.
395
00:17:27.515 --> 00:17:30.015
Elijah confronts the prophets of Baal.
396
00:17:30.475 --> 00:17:32.095
First Kings 18.
397
00:17:33.115 --> 00:17:35.935
Fire falls when he refuses to mix worship.
398
00:17:36.715 --> 00:17:37.615
One altar,
399
00:17:37.995 --> 00:17:38.895
one god.
400
00:17:39.800 --> 00:17:44.620
John the Baptist calls out Herod's sin. Mark six seventeen through 20.
401
00:17:45.080 --> 00:17:47.820
It costs him his head, but not his soul.
402
00:17:49.000 --> 00:17:50.700
Stephen speaks truth
403
00:17:51.080 --> 00:17:52.380
before being stoned.
404
00:17:52.760 --> 00:17:54.915
Acts seven. He doesn't shrink.
405
00:17:55.375 --> 00:17:56.595
His final words
406
00:17:56.895 --> 00:17:57.795
echo heaven.
407
00:17:58.495 --> 00:18:01.155
Nehemiah refuses to come down from the wall.
408
00:18:01.535 --> 00:18:07.635
Nehemiah six one to four. He says, I am doing a great work and cannot come down.
409
00:18:08.660 --> 00:18:09.799
Refuses distraction
410
00:18:10.419 --> 00:18:11.240
and sabotage.
411
00:18:12.660 --> 00:18:15.240
Jesus refuses to answer Pilate's manipulative
412
00:18:15.700 --> 00:18:16.200
questions.
413
00:18:16.820 --> 00:18:18.120
John nineteen nine,
414
00:18:18.820 --> 00:18:20.039
silence is strength
415
00:18:20.515 --> 00:18:22.934
when words would compromise truth.
416
00:18:23.715 --> 00:18:26.855
The apostle Paul refuses to circumcise Titus.
417
00:18:27.235 --> 00:18:29.495
Galatians two three through five
418
00:18:29.955 --> 00:18:31.415
refuses to give in
419
00:18:32.195 --> 00:18:34.215
for even a moment
420
00:18:34.730 --> 00:18:36.430
to legalistic pressure.
421
00:18:37.370 --> 00:18:39.870
Deborah leads without apology,
422
00:18:40.250 --> 00:18:41.710
judges four through five,
423
00:18:42.330 --> 00:18:43.790
doesn't step back
424
00:18:44.250 --> 00:18:46.830
or water down the call of God
425
00:18:47.365 --> 00:18:49.145
even in a patriarchal
426
00:18:49.765 --> 00:18:50.265
culture.
427
00:18:51.445 --> 00:18:53.705
Peter rebukes Ananias and Sapphira.
428
00:18:54.885 --> 00:18:56.904
Acts five three through 10.
429
00:18:57.765 --> 00:19:00.105
No tolerance for spiritual fakery.
430
00:19:00.889 --> 00:19:03.950
Confronts their lie with deadly clarity.
431
00:19:05.210 --> 00:19:08.429
The woman in the alabaster jar pushes past judgment.
432
00:19:09.210 --> 00:19:11.630
Luke seven thirty six through 50,
433
00:19:12.330 --> 00:19:13.870
refuses to be silenced
434
00:19:14.330 --> 00:19:15.789
by religious scorn,
435
00:19:16.685 --> 00:19:17.185
worships
436
00:19:17.565 --> 00:19:18.065
boldly.
437
00:19:19.325 --> 00:19:20.785
Jesus tells the devil,
438
00:19:21.245 --> 00:19:22.625
away from me, Satan.
439
00:19:23.165 --> 00:19:24.625
Matthew four ten.
440
00:19:25.405 --> 00:19:26.625
Clear dismissal.
441
00:19:27.245 --> 00:19:28.065
No lingering.
442
00:19:28.620 --> 00:19:29.360
No hesitation.
443
00:19:31.100 --> 00:19:31.600
Revelation's
444
00:19:32.140 --> 00:19:32.640
overcomers
445
00:19:33.340 --> 00:19:35.760
did not love their lives until death.
446
00:19:36.140 --> 00:19:36.640
Revelation
447
00:19:36.940 --> 00:19:37.920
twelve eleven.
448
00:19:38.460 --> 00:19:39.360
They overcame
449
00:19:39.660 --> 00:19:40.640
not by negotiation,
450
00:19:41.655 --> 00:19:42.955
but by blood,
451
00:19:43.415 --> 00:19:46.075
word, and death defying loyalty.
452
00:19:47.575 --> 00:19:49.755
Darkness thrives in compromise.
453
00:19:50.535 --> 00:19:52.155
It dies in clarity.
454
00:19:53.335 --> 00:19:54.875
Refusal isn't rejection.
455
00:19:55.620 --> 00:19:56.120
It's
456
00:19:56.580 --> 00:19:57.080
redirection
457
00:19:57.940 --> 00:19:58.680
458
00:19:59.540 --> 00:20:00.440
In the kingdom,
459
00:20:01.220 --> 00:20:04.120
460
00:20:04.500 --> 00:20:05.640
but by refusing
461
00:20:05.940 --> 00:20:07.880
to sit at the wrong table.
462
00:20:08.794 --> 00:20:12.095
As we close today's training, let us be clear.
463
00:20:12.635 --> 00:20:14.655
Darkness will never negotiate.
464
00:20:15.035 --> 00:20:17.855
It waits for the moment you lower your guard.
465
00:20:18.875 --> 00:20:19.934
Every compromise,
466
00:20:20.395 --> 00:20:21.695
no matter how small,
467
00:20:22.200 --> 00:20:24.220
opens the door to its influence.
468
00:20:24.840 --> 00:20:26.299
But the awakened soul,
469
00:20:27.240 --> 00:20:29.100
it draws clear lines.
470
00:20:29.720 --> 00:20:31.500
It resists with ruthless
471
00:20:31.880 --> 00:20:32.380
clarity.
472
00:20:33.240 --> 00:20:35.100
You're not called to coexist
473
00:20:35.640 --> 00:20:36.460
with shadows,
474
00:20:37.095 --> 00:20:39.515
to soften your convictions, or
475
00:20:39.895 --> 00:20:41.115
bargain with evil.
476
00:20:41.895 --> 00:20:42.395
Compromise
477
00:20:42.775 --> 00:20:43.995
kills formation.
478
00:20:44.375 --> 00:20:45.595
And make no mistake,
479
00:20:46.375 --> 00:20:47.275
every small
480
00:20:47.735 --> 00:20:48.235
concession,
481
00:20:48.855 --> 00:20:50.130
whether in your thoughts,
482
00:20:50.610 --> 00:20:51.110
habits,
483
00:20:51.410 --> 00:20:53.030
relationships, or words,
484
00:20:53.570 --> 00:20:54.070
compounds
485
00:20:54.370 --> 00:20:57.510
until your soul is shaped by darkness, not light.
486
00:20:58.050 --> 00:20:59.190
But here's the truth.
487
00:20:59.650 --> 00:21:02.710
The light always wins when it's undivided.
488
00:21:03.475 --> 00:21:05.174
It doesn't flirt with the shadows.
489
00:21:05.475 --> 00:21:06.855
It casts them off.
490
00:21:07.315 --> 00:21:08.695
So your responsibility,
491
00:21:09.794 --> 00:21:10.695
your mission
492
00:21:11.154 --> 00:21:16.134
is to draw your line in the sand and refuse to cross it.
493
00:21:16.870 --> 00:21:21.130
Every no to dark is a victory for your true form.
494
00:21:21.750 --> 00:21:24.010
Today, we've learned the importance of clarity.
495
00:21:24.390 --> 00:21:25.450
No compromise.
496
00:21:25.990 --> 00:21:27.610
You've been trained in precision,
497
00:21:28.070 --> 00:21:32.125
in the ability to spot the shadows and reject them without hesitation.
498
00:21:32.905 --> 00:21:34.445
But now we shift focus.
499
00:21:35.385 --> 00:21:37.085
The real question is not
500
00:21:37.385 --> 00:21:42.365
if you will resist evil, but how ready are you for deployment.
501
00:21:44.265 --> 00:21:45.325
Proko nine
502
00:21:45.929 --> 00:21:47.230
is about being spiritually,
503
00:21:47.610 --> 00:21:52.830
emotionally, and mentally ready at any given moment to step into the mission.
504
00:21:53.370 --> 00:22:00.029
It's not just about preparing for death. It's about preparing for the life you were created to live today.
505
00:22:03.015 --> 00:22:05.195
The soul doesn't wait for permission.
506
00:22:06.375 --> 00:22:08.554
It moves when the mission is clear.
507
00:22:09.495 --> 00:22:09.995
Readiness
508
00:22:10.535 --> 00:22:12.235
doesn't start after death.
509
00:22:12.615 --> 00:22:13.915
It starts now.
510
00:22:14.910 --> 00:22:17.410
So what do you need to let go of?
511
00:22:18.030 --> 00:22:19.010
What attachments
512
00:22:19.550 --> 00:22:21.650
still scream for your attention?
513
00:22:22.670 --> 00:22:24.850
This is not just soul searching.
514
00:22:25.230 --> 00:22:26.210
It's soul
515
00:22:26.590 --> 00:22:27.090
preparation.
516
00:22:27.855 --> 00:22:29.395
Because when the call comes,
517
00:22:29.775 --> 00:22:32.675
you'll either be ready or you'll find yourself
518
00:22:33.054 --> 00:22:33.554
paralyzed
519
00:22:33.855 --> 00:22:34.515
in hesitation.
520
00:22:35.934 --> 00:22:36.995
Here's your challenge.
521
00:22:37.455 --> 00:22:41.075
Take a moment today and write your spiritual go bag list.
522
00:22:41.610 --> 00:22:43.550
What will you carry into eternity?
523
00:22:44.170 --> 00:22:45.870
What do you need to leave behind?
524
00:22:46.490 --> 00:22:51.150
Burn or bury that list, symbolizing your willingness to surrender everything.
525
00:22:51.770 --> 00:22:53.150
And don't stop there.
526
00:22:53.625 --> 00:22:57.085
Think about the attachments you're holding on to, relationships,
527
00:22:57.625 --> 00:22:58.765
habits, fears.
528
00:22:59.785 --> 00:23:00.765
Would you hesitate
529
00:23:01.305 --> 00:23:03.485
if God whisper, it's time.
530
00:23:04.105 --> 00:23:10.500
Now's the time to let go of what's holding you back and prepare to be sent into your true purpose.
531
00:23:12.000 --> 00:23:13.940
Next time, we'll discuss deployment.
532
00:23:14.480 --> 00:23:18.419
How to step into your mission fully equipped without hesitation.
533
00:23:19.695 --> 00:23:21.075
Until then, remember,
534
00:23:21.455 --> 00:23:22.515
hold your ground,
535
00:23:22.894 --> 00:23:23.955
train in clarity,
536
00:23:24.575 --> 00:23:25.955
walk in undivided
537
00:23:26.335 --> 00:23:26.835
light.
538
00:23:27.215 --> 00:23:32.034
This is Metaphysical Boot Camp. I'm Merrill and this is Battle Ground.
539
00:23:32.480 --> 00:23:40.260
Thank you for joining me today. For those of you that are ready for another Bible chapter, stay tuned. Joseph in Potiphar's House.
540
00:23:40.880 --> 00:23:47.620
Now Joseph was brought down to Egypt and Potiphar, an Egyptian official of Pharaoh, the captain of the bodyguard,
541
00:23:48.335 --> 00:23:49.715
bought him from the Israelite
542
00:23:50.495 --> 00:23:52.275
who had brought him down there.
543
00:23:52.575 --> 00:23:59.875
And Yahweh was with Joseph, so he became a successful man. And he was in the house of his master, the Egyptian.
544
00:24:00.510 --> 00:24:07.410
Now his master saw that Yahweh was with him, and how Yahweh caused all that he did to succeed in his hand.
545
00:24:08.190 --> 00:24:14.690
So Joseph found favor in his sight and intended on him, and he appointed him overseer over his house.
546
00:24:15.055 --> 00:24:17.795
And all that he owned he gave in his hand.
547
00:24:18.175 --> 00:24:27.875
Now it happened that from the time he was appointed him overseer in his house and over all that he owned, Yahweh blessed the Egyptian's house on account of Joseph.
548
00:24:28.580 --> 00:24:32.280
Thus, the blessing of Yahweh was upon all that he owned,
549
00:24:32.660 --> 00:24:34.520
in the house and in the field.
550
00:24:34.900 --> 00:24:38.040
So he left everything he owned in Joseph's hand.
551
00:24:38.500 --> 00:24:43.560
And with him there, he did not concern himself with anything except the food which he ate.
552
00:24:43.975 --> 00:24:47.914
Now Joseph was beautiful in form and beautiful in appearance.
553
00:24:48.774 --> 00:24:51.754
It happened after these events that his master's wife
554
00:24:52.054 --> 00:24:54.315
set her eyes on Joseph and said,
555
00:24:54.774 --> 00:24:55.754
lie with me.
556
00:24:56.215 --> 00:24:59.274
But he refused and said to his master's wife,
557
00:25:00.040 --> 00:25:00.540
'Behold,
558
00:25:01.240 --> 00:25:08.860
with me here, my master does not concern himself with any house, and he has given all that he owns into my hand.
559
00:25:09.240 --> 00:25:16.265
There is no one greater in this house than I, and he has withheld nothing from me except you,
560
00:25:16.645 --> 00:25:18.745
because you are his wife.
561
00:25:19.445 --> 00:25:23.225
How then could I do this great evil and sin against God?
562
00:25:24.165 --> 00:25:38.670
So it happened that as she spoke to Joseph day after day, he did not listen to her to lie beside her or be with her. Now it happened one day that he went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the household was there inside.
563
00:25:39.210 --> 00:25:41.550
Then she seized him by his garment saying,
564
00:25:42.005 --> 00:25:42.985
lie with me.
565
00:25:43.445 --> 00:25:47.305
And he left his garment in her hand and fled and went outside.
566
00:25:48.085 --> 00:25:51.785
Now it happened when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand
567
00:25:52.085 --> 00:25:53.465
and had fled outside,
568
00:25:54.005 --> 00:25:56.345
that she called to the men of her household
569
00:25:56.740 --> 00:25:58.279
and spoke to them saying,
570
00:25:58.899 --> 00:25:59.399
see,
571
00:25:59.779 --> 00:26:03.320
he has brought in a Hebrew to us to laugh at us.
572
00:26:03.700 --> 00:26:11.720
He came into me to lie with me, and I screamed. Now it happened that when he heard that I raised my voice and screamed,
573
00:26:12.315 --> 00:26:15.615
he left his garment beside me and fled and went outside.
574
00:26:16.235 --> 00:26:19.934
And she placed his garment beside her until his master came home.
575
00:26:20.394 --> 00:26:22.575
Then she spoke to him with these words,
576
00:26:22.875 --> 00:26:34.860
saying, the Hebrew slave, whom you brought to us, came in to me to laugh at me. And as I raised my voice and screamed, he left his garment beside me and fled outside.
577
00:26:35.640 --> 00:26:40.940
Now it happened that when his master heard the words of his wife, which he spoke to him saying,
578
00:26:41.265 --> 00:26:43.525
this is what your slave did to me.
579
00:26:43.825 --> 00:26:45.205
His anger burned.
580
00:26:45.585 --> 00:26:48.885
So Joseph's master took him and put him into jail,
581
00:26:49.505 --> 00:26:54.485
the place where the king's prisoners were confined, and he was there in the jail.
582
00:26:55.080 --> 00:27:02.460
But Yahweh was with Joseph and extended loving kindness to him and gave him favor in the sight of the chief jailer.
583
00:27:02.919 --> 00:27:10.375
So the chief jailer gave into the hand of Joseph all the prisoners who were in the jail, so that whatever was done there,
584
00:27:10.915 --> 00:27:12.775
he was the one who did it.
585
00:27:13.155 --> 00:27:22.535
The chief jailer did not supervise anything under Joseph's hand because Yahweh was with him. And whatever he did, Yahweh made to succeed.
586
00:27:24.140 --> 00:27:26.320
Lessons from Genesis 39.
587
00:27:27.020 --> 00:27:30.240
Joseph's story continues in Genesis 39,
588
00:27:30.460 --> 00:27:31.440
not with triumph,
589
00:27:31.900 --> 00:27:33.279
but with another test.
590
00:27:33.900 --> 00:27:35.039
Sold into slavery,
591
00:27:35.340 --> 00:27:36.960
he ends up in Egypt
592
00:27:37.304 --> 00:27:40.524
serving in the house of Potiphar, a high ranking official.
593
00:27:41.304 --> 00:27:45.725
Despite the betrayal and loss he suffered, Joseph doesn't wallow in bitterness.
594
00:27:46.184 --> 00:27:48.524
Instead, he chooses excellence.
595
00:27:49.065 --> 00:27:50.205
He works diligently,
596
00:27:51.059 --> 00:27:54.519
earns trust, and rises to a position of leadership
597
00:27:54.820 --> 00:27:56.120
in Potiphar's household.
598
00:27:56.899 --> 00:27:58.679
But then comes another trial.
599
00:27:59.059 --> 00:28:01.320
Potiphar's wife notices him.
600
00:28:01.860 --> 00:28:06.725
Day after day, she tries to seduce him, but Joseph refuses.
601
00:28:07.585 --> 00:28:10.005
Not just because of loyalty to Potiphar,
602
00:28:10.385 --> 00:28:12.565
but because, as he puts it,
603
00:28:12.945 --> 00:28:16.805
how then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?
604
00:28:17.280 --> 00:28:19.220
When he finally flees her advances,
605
00:28:19.840 --> 00:28:20.740
she retaliates.
606
00:28:21.440 --> 00:28:23.940
She falsely accuses him of assault,
607
00:28:24.400 --> 00:28:26.500
and Joseph is thrown into prison.
608
00:28:26.960 --> 00:28:27.700
But again,
609
00:28:28.240 --> 00:28:29.780
Joseph doesn't spiral.
610
00:28:30.405 --> 00:28:31.465
Even in confinement,
611
00:28:32.005 --> 00:28:35.865
he gains the trust of the prison warden and is put in charge.
612
00:28:36.405 --> 00:28:38.505
Whether in privilege or in prison,
613
00:28:39.125 --> 00:28:40.185
Joseph's integrity
614
00:28:40.565 --> 00:28:41.625
remains unshaken.
615
00:28:43.140 --> 00:28:45.880
So what concepts can we learn from this chapter?
616
00:28:46.580 --> 00:28:47.080
One,
617
00:28:47.540 --> 00:28:51.320
integrity is who you are when no one is watching.
618
00:28:51.940 --> 00:28:56.280
Joseph could have given in, especially when no one would have known,
619
00:28:56.695 --> 00:28:57.995
But he lived by
620
00:28:58.375 --> 00:28:59.275
higher standard.
621
00:28:59.735 --> 00:29:00.235
Integrity
622
00:29:00.535 --> 00:29:01.595
is internal.
623
00:29:02.295 --> 00:29:08.155
It's about who you choose to be even when the pressure is on, and escape looks easy.
624
00:29:09.015 --> 00:29:09.515
Two.
625
00:29:10.310 --> 00:29:12.650
Character matters more than circumstance.
626
00:29:13.670 --> 00:29:15.610
Joseph didn't let his suffering
627
00:29:15.990 --> 00:29:16.490
justify
628
00:29:16.950 --> 00:29:17.450
compromise,
629
00:29:18.310 --> 00:29:19.530
whether promoted
630
00:29:19.910 --> 00:29:20.810
or imprisoned.
631
00:29:22.390 --> 00:29:24.250
This shows the real character
632
00:29:24.915 --> 00:29:26.855
isn't dependent on environment.
633
00:29:27.395 --> 00:29:29.175
It's rooted in conviction.
634
00:29:30.195 --> 00:29:30.695
Three.
635
00:29:31.075 --> 00:29:33.095
Success can attract opposition.
636
00:29:33.955 --> 00:29:35.575
The more Joseph thrived,
637
00:29:36.035 --> 00:29:37.095
the more resistance
638
00:29:37.475 --> 00:29:38.295
he faced.
639
00:29:38.929 --> 00:29:40.549
This is a sobering truth.
640
00:29:41.090 --> 00:29:44.230
Doing right doesn't always lead to a plot.
641
00:29:44.850 --> 00:29:46.950
Sometimes, it leads to more hardship,
642
00:29:47.410 --> 00:29:49.350
but it's still worth doing.
643
00:29:50.210 --> 00:29:50.710
Four,
644
00:29:51.215 --> 00:29:53.235
God's present is often silent
645
00:29:53.535 --> 00:29:54.355
but steady.
646
00:29:55.135 --> 00:29:59.155
Twice in this chapter, we're told the Lord was with Joseph.
647
00:29:59.855 --> 00:30:01.635
He wasn't rescued immediately,
648
00:30:02.255 --> 00:30:03.555
but he wasn't abandoned.
649
00:30:04.810 --> 00:30:08.270
Divine present doesn't always mean instant escape.
650
00:30:08.890 --> 00:30:10.750
Sometimes it means drink
651
00:30:11.050 --> 00:30:11.710
to endure.
652
00:30:12.570 --> 00:30:15.790
Now, how can we turn this into problem solving techniques
653
00:30:16.170 --> 00:30:17.070
for our lives?
654
00:30:18.005 --> 00:30:21.625
Cultivate internal standards. Define your values clearly.
655
00:30:22.085 --> 00:30:25.065
Know in advance what lines you won't cross.
656
00:30:25.684 --> 00:30:30.264
When temptation comes, your decisions will be already made.
657
00:30:30.990 --> 00:30:33.330
Focus on what you can control.
658
00:30:34.190 --> 00:30:37.730
Joseph couldn't change his status as a slave or prisoner,
659
00:30:38.350 --> 00:30:40.210
but he could control his attitude,
660
00:30:40.670 --> 00:30:42.850
his work ethic, and his faithfulness.
661
00:30:44.625 --> 00:30:47.445
Invest your energy into what's in your hands,
662
00:30:47.905 --> 00:30:49.525
not what's out of reach.
663
00:30:50.625 --> 00:30:51.845
Practice consistent
664
00:30:52.225 --> 00:30:52.725
excellence.
665
00:30:53.425 --> 00:30:56.405
Whether you're in a role of influence or obscurity,
666
00:30:57.265 --> 00:30:59.845
show up with the same commitment and effort.
667
00:31:00.630 --> 00:31:02.330
Excellence in small things
668
00:31:02.870 --> 00:31:05.930
builds trust and opens bigger doors
669
00:31:06.390 --> 00:31:06.890
eventually.
670
00:31:08.470 --> 00:31:11.850
Be prepared for unfairness without giving up.
671
00:31:12.630 --> 00:31:15.850
Sometimes the right choice leads to short term pain.
672
00:31:16.605 --> 00:31:17.905
Don't confuse injustice
673
00:31:18.525 --> 00:31:19.345
with failure.
674
00:31:20.205 --> 00:31:23.585
Stay steady. You may be in a prison season now,
675
00:31:23.965 --> 00:31:25.985
but it could be preparation
676
00:31:26.605 --> 00:31:27.505
for a palace.
677
00:31:29.000 --> 00:31:32.539
Joseph teaches us that leadership isn't forged in comfort.
678
00:31:33.000 --> 00:31:34.860
It's shaped in hidden places.
679
00:31:35.320 --> 00:31:36.940
It's in resisting shortcut,
680
00:31:37.639 --> 00:31:41.100
staying faithful under pressure, and believing that integrity
681
00:31:41.639 --> 00:31:42.940
always has a return
682
00:31:43.515 --> 00:31:45.295
even when it looks like a loss.
683
00:31:45.915 --> 00:31:47.855
In a world full of compromise,
684
00:31:48.315 --> 00:31:49.615
Genesis 39
685
00:31:49.675 --> 00:31:51.455
calls us to stand firm,
686
00:31:52.075 --> 00:31:56.730
live clean, and trust that our story isn't over when it gets hard.
687
00:31:57.130 --> 00:31:59.070
It's just getting refined.
688
00:32:00.330 --> 00:32:02.110
I'm Merrill, and this is Battleground.
689
00:32:02.650 --> 00:32:07.390
Thank you for staying until the end. Click here to start with the first episode
690
00:32:07.770 --> 00:32:10.030
and here for the next episode.
691
00:32:11.130 --> 00:32:11.630
Goodbye.
