The Pure Heart #6 — Milton Green

Presenting the Body as a Living Sacrifice

The Lord has told us we're going to make our bodies a living sacrifice, holding acceptable unto Him, which is just a reasonable service of worship. We're no longer going to be conformed to the world. We're going to be transformed by the renewing of our mind that will not only know but prove what is the will of God.

And we're not going to know the will of God unless we make our bodies a living sacrifice, and that's what I want to share with you about today. And there's a lot to say about the will of God. And as we've already seen this week, that will can be perverted.

So we received the anointing, Lord. We received to prove the Spirit. We received the weapons of our warfare. We received the Word of God that performed its work in us. And Lord, we just received the Spirit here to minister.

And Lord, I plead the blood of Jesus against every work of darkness and every hindrance out there. Every stronghold, this religious stronghold, is separated and sealed by the blood and bound. All religious spirits, all spiritual pride, all heaviness, all gloom, all the works of religion are removed right now in the name of Jesus from this building right now in Jesus' name.

And now, Lord, we just received your grace and Spirit, and I speak your blessings, peace, grace, love, healing, deliverance over this meeting. Will you please hug one person before you sit down? Amen?

And smile. Well, before I forget it,.

Many of you are graduating and going to your homes. I'll tell you what, if you get on the mailing list that we have, I promise you one thing, we won't ask you for money. And I'll tell you something else.

We'll send you Bible studies regularly like those that's out there, and I wish, I really wish as many of you could, would really look those over. It's on the order of what we're sharing so much we have to leave out too.

And I wish you would, I wish you would get some of those tapes and the pure heart or the message to the church and love of, and take them back where you live at and copy them. And that way you won't sin.

Copy them and if the word changes your heart or you see any truth in what we're saying here and everything, and to pass them out to other people. Folks, I thought we, I misunderstood the schedule. Now, one day I was going to teach on Tuesday about how strongholds get in Christians.

And so I got my time mixed up there on Tuesday, so I didn't get to, but I do want to share it briefly. And I just want to point out something. You know in Ephesians 6, 11, we're told to put on the full armor of God.

The Schemes of Satan and Spiritual Strongholds

Why are we told to put on the full armor of God? That we may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. Now I want you to think about that just a minute because, see if you're not listening to what I said, don't let your mind drift off of what I'm saying right here because the strongholds, you that have strongholds there and they will try to get your mind off what I'm saying right now.

Now they are schemes against you. You know we've already seen in James 1, 14 through 16 that brethren, the powers of darkness are going to come to tempt you and entice you after the lust and that's the way they build the strongholds.

That's the way they build the fortress. We've already seen, this was speaking to brethren. We've also seen, brethren, in 1 Peter 5, 8, 9, the powers of darkness want to come to devour you. Satan wants to come to devour you, brethren.

Brethren, you better listen. They want to devour you. So brethren, you better have up that shield of faith just like Jesus has showed us in Luke 4 because all this suffering is going to be accomplished by all the brethren that's in the world.

So you better be serious. You better be on the alert. You better be not asleep but have your mind to take every thought all captive. So one of these schemes, if we move from the fruit of Satan, we walked in unforgiveness, then we come to make Jesus Christ Lord, we change direction because we got a change of heart.

We used to walk in unforgiveness, now we walk in forgiveness. Now, unforgiveness is a scheme of Satan. He wants to bring it back but no, I resist all unforgiveness because unforgiveness is not in the new covenant.

It doesn't say Jesus Christ is my Lord. I have a new master so I obey forgiveness. Is that correct? So unforgiveness, I'm going to take one scheme and then you'll see how strongholds are built in you.

We're going to take the scheme of unforgiveness because now I've made Jesus Christ Lord and now He's Lord. What is He Lord? He's Lord of my whole heart. There's no room for unforgiveness. There's no room for the schemes of the devil.

So what I do? What does the Lord say? Matthew 6, I won't turn to it, but 14 and 15, He said, when you forgive men, I'll forgive you and if you don't forgive men, I'm not going to forgive you your transgressions.

So what does the bowers of darkness want you to do? Look at me. They come and talk to you up here immediately when you're rejected or hurt. They're always there to build a case against a person. Do you understand how they tear down all relationships, your family, children, home, between you?

All the time the problems and suspicions that come to your mind, that's the powers of darkness talking to you all the time. They come to build this case against a person so if they can get your heart into unforgiveness there, then you're not getting your prayers answered and they've shut you down.

With one scheme and then they start building a fortress with it. Now, I want to show you this scheme right there. Please turn to me, to 2 Corinthians 2, please. 2 Corinthians 2. 2 Corinthians 2. Now, we're told by the covenant of Jesus Christ that we're to walk in forgiveness.

Now look with me in verse 10. But whom you forgive anything. The Lord said, I forgive also for indeed what I have forgiven. If I've forgiven anything, I did it for your sakes in the presence of Christ.

Now, why is the forgiveness? In order, you walk in forgiveness, in order that no advantage be taken of us of who? Satan, the powers of darkness, because we're not ignorant of their what? Schemes. They come to schemes.

They come to build unforgiveness in your heart when you're walking in forgiveness. Now, turn back to Matthew 18, please.

Matthew 18. Matthew 18.

Forgiveness and the Parable of the Unforgiving Slave

Once again, I'll repeat that in Jesus, we're walking in forgiveness. The scheme of Satan is to come to bring unforgiveness to our heart. Resentment, bitterness, criticism. He builds these into you, then he starts bringing diseases to your body.

Now, in Matthew 18, verse 21. Then Peter came and said to him, Lord, how often shall I forgive my brother's sin against me? And I forgive him up to seven times. Jesus said to him, I do not say to you up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.

In other words, you never stop forgiving. You always walk in love. Now, that's covenant. That's when Jesus Christ is Lord of your heart. This is the way you walk. Now, for this reason, we know the example is given of the kingdom of heaven that may be compared to a certain king.

We know that is Jesus. And this is a kingdom of heaven who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. And when he had begun to settle them, there was brought to him one who owed him ten thousand talents.

But since he did not have the means to repay, his Lord commanded him to be sold along with his wife and children and all that he had and repayment to be made. Now, the slave, therefore, he had fallen down.

He prostrated himself before him, saying, have patience with me and I'll repay you everything. And the Lord of that slave felt compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. Now, may I ask you something?

Is that exactly what happened to you and I? The Lord Jesus Christ, he had the king, he had compassion, he forgave us and released us of the debt. Is that right? And then when he does that, we walk in forgiveness to others.

Is that right? That's the covenant and that's agreement we've made. Well, let's see what this slave did in verse 28. But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves owed him a hundred denarii.

He seized him, began to choke him, saying, pay back what you owe. So his fellow slave fell down and began to entreat him, saying, have patience with me and I'll repay you. He was unwilling, however, but he went and threw him in prison until he should pay back what was owed.

Now, we see that this slave who was forgiven wouldn't forgive someone else. So when his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved and came and reported to their Lord all that had happened.

Then summoning him, his Lord said to him, what kind of slave did he say that he was that walked in unforgiveness right there? That's wickedness. That is a wicked slave. I forgave you all that debt because you entreated me, should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, even if I've had mercy on you.

Now, look at me just a moment, please. This is just what I'd like to repeat to you right now, that we do walk in forgiveness and that we're told that we'll go and forgive others or the Lord won't forgive us our transgressions.

And then this slave right here was forgiven and immediately he walked out into unforgiveness, didn't he? Is that right? He wouldn't and this compared to heaven and the king. Now, I want you to watch what happens and what happens to you and me.

Verse 34. And the Lord moved with anger. There's the wrath. Now, when you... If we come in here a little, I'd like to show you how the anger of God is Satan. The anger of God is when the hedge is removed.

I mean, you remove the hedge on yourself. You understand what I mean? In sin, you bring chastisement on yourself. And so, this is what lets Satan and gives ground Satan to work against you because you get in agreement with him in your heart.

And so, his Lord moved with anger. He handed him over to the who? I can't hear you. The tormentors and torturers. Do you have any idea who those are? That's the powers that are handed until he should repay all that was owed him.

Forgiveness from the Heart and the Narrow Gate

Now, here's one for your refrigerator right there in 35. You can just mark that with a big pencil. So shall my heavenly Father also do to you. There's a promise for you. Front row, back row, platform, pulpit.

So shall my heavenly Father also do to you. If each of you does not forgive his brother from the what? Forgive him from the heart. You get him. Now, today, I don't know... There are strongholds here. There are a lot of strongholds.

And we're going to deal with them today. I have just a little more I'm going to share. And the ones that want to stay here and deal with these things, we're just going to... You've been receiving the Word, the Word before me.

If you have a repentant heart, we want you to stay directly. When I finish a few more scriptures, and the rest of you that have other things to do or feel like you need to go, I'll let you go. But the rest of you just stay here.

And I guarantee you that many of you are going to know a freedom like you've never known in your whole life. Since the day you was born. Today. And we're going to do it again tomorrow. In case we miss something.

Now, Matthew 7. We won't keep you here a real long time. It won't be necessary to do that, I don't believe. It's the only thing that's necessary. If you have a repentant heart and come to the Lord with all your heart, we won't have to get any running start or anything.

It's just going to be very simple. Things that you've not been aware of is going to be leaving you. Now, verse 13. We're talking about entering the narrow gate to heaven. And do you believe that way is narrow?

Do you believe this gate is a lot smaller and narrower than what we've been taught it is? Isn't that right? We're told then, few of those are going to find it. Is that correct? But in a day of popular religion, you know, everybody goes.

You know, when somebody dies immediately, find out what church house did he walk in front of. He's bound to, oh my. Then, in verse 15. Beware of the false teachers and preachers. Is that right? They're going to come to you with the credentials, but their problem is inwardly.

It's their heart. And so you're going to know them by the fruit because what's in their heart is going to come out their mouth. Is that correct? Is that right? Okay. And now, so then, we know in Seventy, every good tree bears good fruit.

If you become a good tree, you obey the Lord Jesus Christ, you're going to bear the fruit of the Spirit. Is that right? Is that plain? If you're led by the Spirit of God, will you put to death the deeds of rebellion?

Is that what we've seen? Now, the opposite of that is a bad tree bears bad fruit. Is that right? A bad tree will probably follow after a blind teacher. A blind lead to blind. And he's a hearer of the Word, but he's not a factual doer because he's already got a security.

And he's building on the wrong foundation. Now, so we see in verse 21, not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord's going to enter the kingdom of heaven. Who's not going to enter the kingdom of heaven? The one that are not holy and blameless that have walked before the Lord to bear good fruit.

They're not led by the Spirit of God. They say they're led by the Spirit of God, but they've got a form of godliness. They've got a false security. Then we see the ones who is going to enter in the kingdom of heaven, that's a good scripture in 21, is the ones who do the will of my Father is in heaven.

That is the one who's going to enter into heaven. So, it's not the will of some doctrine or the will of some men. The will is the will of God. Is that what your Bible says if you're going in? So, there's a difference in being a doer of the Word instead of a hearer of the Word.

Now, we see in verse 22 that many are going to say, Lord, Lord, we prophesied in the name of Jesus. We cast out demons in the name of Jesus. We did miracles in the name of Jesus. What about that? And he said, I don't know you because you never did leave this.

Do you hear me? Look at me. He said, I never did know you because you never did bear good fruit. I hope you remember that. That everything that's done in the name of Jesus is certainly not Jesus, not in 25 miles a lot of things is being done.

That's not to say everything is wrong. All right, now, we're talking about the will of God, the one that goes to heaven. Now, I want you to remember something in 1 Peter 4, 1 and 2. Like Jesus, we're told that we will suffer in the flesh.

How are you going to suffer in the flesh? Because when you put it to death, you put to death all the deeds of rebellion, but then you're going to cease from sin because you no longer live. Right in that verse 2, you no longer live for the lust of men, but for the what?

The will of God. The will of God is opposite of the lust. And that's the two different trees we're talking about there in Matthew 7. Now, folks, this is in there to do. To do the will of God is opposite than walking after the lust of men.

Amen? We also saw in 1 John 2, 15 through 17, do not love the world, the things in the world, unless you've got yourself another gospel and another Jesus. You don't let these things have your heart. For all that's in the world is a lust of the flesh, a lust of the eyes, and a boastful pride of life.

This is the way the world is programmed, and that tries to get your heart, get between you and the Lord. The world and its things are passing away, but who, the next verse, but whoever does the will of God's own is going to remain forever.

Once again, you see that the opposite of lust rebellion is the will of God. That's the opposite of the two trees. That's going to be the difference. That's who the body of Christ is, the one that bears good fruit.

And that's how you're going to know one another, by their fruit, and they'll come to the light, they'll repent always, what we saw in John 3. Now, I want you to say, well, what is the will of God? Turn with me to 1 Thessalonians 4, please.

Sanctification as the Will of God

1 Thessalonians 4. I certainly don't want to leave out how the Lord has blessed me, and I hope you this week, because I sure do bless him and thank him for his grace. Now, we find out what the will of God is.

Why is it important to know the will of God? Because if you don't know the will of God, you're not going to heaven. Amen? Let me tell you another way to put this. A lot of people will say, you know, some of that, they just, you know, just real nice, just look over them, and they went on to be of the Lord.

They went to hell. If they didn't do the will of God, you hear me? Hey, folks, listen, this is not being cute or smart. Let's call the things what the Bible calls them, amen? Let's quit pleasing folks.

Let's please God, let's say what he says, and then we get God in on some things, amen? Once again, let God be true and every man be a liar. Let's please God and just throw fits over God. I like the way you do it here.

Hope you mean it in your heart. Praise the Lord. All right, now, don't get puffed up. 1 Thessalonians 4. The ones that do the will of God's going to heaven, is that correct? 1 Thessalonians 3, 4 and 3, I'm sorry.

For this is the will of God. Good, I want to see what it is. I want to go to heaven, your sanctification. Uh-oh. All right, now, verse 4, that each of you, you got a know-how, know-how, know-how, please circle.

You got a know-how. You got a know-how to do what? You're going to possess your own vessel in what? Sanctification and honor. Now, what is sanctification? It's purifying your heart. Hey, is that what the will of God's supposed to do?

Did Jesus say, I'm going to give you a new heart? How's he going to give you a new heart? He's going to put his spirit in there to lead you to the will of God, that the will of God's going to wash your heart from all rebellion, and then you're going to be holy and blameless before him in love.

That's sanctification. That's being reconciled back to God, amen? Now, that's the gospel. I sure do recommend that one. I sure do recommend you go to heaven by doing the will of God. Now, verse 5, you're not in lustful passion.

You're not in lustful passion. You're not in lustful passion. You died this lustful rebellion. You're not like the world out there, Gentiles, who do not know God. Look in verse 7. For God has not called us for the purpose of what?

That impurity don't go to heaven. Is that plain? Have you already seen it? They don't enter in the kingdom of God. Do you remember what we saw in Galatians 5, 19 through 21? We saw it in Ephesians 5, 5 through 8.

And over and over, impurity don't get there. It's a pure heart. God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in what? Sanctification, that is the will. Sanctification is opposite of impurity.

Sanctification is a pure heart. Do you see that? Now listen, folks. I'm going to tell you something, folks. As you see these things, you better guard against slumber and sleeping and say, well, you know, and look over at the rest of the bunch.

You better line your heart up with the yardstick right here. You better see that you have a pure heart instead of looking at other folks and justifying it. That's what the Pharisees did that went to hell.

Unless you're right to exceed that to Pharisees, you'll not see the kingdom of God. Amen? Now in verse 8. I'm telling you what, there's some good times ahead, folks. We're getting our hearts cleaned up.

Verse 8, consequently, he, the man who rejects this, the one who rejects this, he's not rejecting, man. Here's who you're rejecting. You're rejecting God who gave you the Holy Spirit here to lead you to put to death all that rebellion.

That's who you're rejecting. Is that plain? Now, do you remember in Hebrews 12? I won't turn to it, 14 and 15. I'd like you to write it down. That without this sanctification, you shall not see. No one's going to see the Lord.

Is that what your Bible's saying? Isn't it amazing that a lot of people look at that and act like it's not there? Just like in Galatians 5, 19 through 21, you practice the deeds of rebellion. You won't turn from them.

You won't repent from them. You're not going to enter in the kingdom of God. Just act like it's not there. Why? You act like it's not there when you've got another gospel. I mean, it says plain, we're warned not to be deceived.

Without the sanctification, no one will see the Lord. You're going to have it. I mean, you are going to be, if you have a pure heart, holy and blameless. And I'm going to tell you something, folks. If that ever registers in your heart, you're going to learn the fear of God right then.

When you ever see that, you've got the fear of God. You've got it. Do you remember what it said in verse 15? See to it that no root of bitterness spring up and it's going to defile many. How does a root of bitterness defile many?

It's very simple. If I'm bitter, I'll go tell one of you. And you know I'll just pour it out. You can get unforgiveness and critical with me. Then what's happening? You two, the two of us go to four more, two more.

Then those go to four, go to eight. Then those eight will go to 16. And that's raising that first Corinthians 5. See, that little leaven leavens a whole lump. That's the reason Paul said, kick a wicked man out, but today's church he was saved.

In the same chapter, he's called a so-called brother. Dear me, a so-called brother. And so a little leaven, what does it do? A little leaven in a body, that's the reason you're not supposed to be unevilly yoked, it's going to spread to everyone else and everybody's going to have defiled hearts.

And we found out that wasn't good yesterday, didn't we? Because you're worshiping the Lord in vain if you're walking rebellion and won't turn back and deal with sin, amen? So church discipline is left out of the Word just like a lot of other things, right?

Deception and the Unrighteous Who Will Not Inherit the Kingdom

Okay, now without sanctification, no one's going to see the Lord. Let's just look over there at 1 Corinthians 6, please. 1 Corinthians 6. 1 Corinthians 6. We're going to see some scripture once again.

God, isn't it becoming interesting at the places that God tells us do not be deceived? Those are the very places where people are deceived. Isn't that interesting? You know why? They're not listening to God.

They're not doing the will of God. Verse 9, Or do you not know that the unrighteous, please circle unrighteous, the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? They will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Do not be deceived unless you're smarter than God. Do not be deceived, neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor ephema, nor homosexuals. That settles the homosexual question right there.

They go to hell if they don't repent and turn from it. You're going to see this. And so does adulterers, immoral persons. Read the last two chapters of Revelation, how it all ends. Nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor violators, nor swindlers shall inherit the kingdom of God with this gospel right here, this one right here, that one in your lap.

They don't go. Now look very plainly why, in verse 11. And such, what's that word? Were, the body of Christ, that's where you were. You were. Such were some of you, but you've been what? You've come to the Lord Jesus Christ.

He's Lord of your whole heart. And so in this manner, your heart is what? You're washed from all rebellion. You're led by the Spirit of God to put to death the deeds of rebellion. And in this manner, you are sanctified.

And that's how you get to heaven. You are sanctified. And then when you're sanctified, you're justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God. Isn't that plain? Turn to Romans 6.

Dying to Sin and Becoming Slaves of Righteousness

Romans 6, verse 1.

And we're going to see something about this love and grace I talked about earlier this week. We're going to see what the grace of God is. What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin? Now, I want you to just, are you to practice sin?

Are you to practice sin or continue in sin that grace might increase? What's the answer? God forbid. May it never be. Can I put a little footnote in there? Unless you've got another gospel and another Jesus.

It's all right if you've got another gospel, another Jesus, but you don't follow this Jesus right here. May it never be. How shall you who died to sin, died to the old man, repented and turned from it, go back to the pig pen and like a dog returns to his vomit?

That's what 2 Peter 2 said. How are you to repent and turn from sin? Now, verse 6. You know this. You know this. You know this, that our old man, you were married to the old man, was crucified with him, and that you put it to death, that our body of sin might be done away, that we should no longer be slaves to rebellion, to God, slaves to sin.

Amen? For he who has died, when you've died to yourself, that's covenant. Then you're freed from sin. You suffer as he suffered. You take up your cross and you follow him and you deny yourself. Amen? Because why?

In verse 5. For if we become united with him in the likeness of his death, certainly we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection because that's the reason when you see him you're going to be just like him.

Amen? Holy and blameless. And you're going to be eagerly awaiting because your heart's not living for the world of things in the world. Your heart's living for that holy heaven. Amen? And for Jesus. Now, verse 12.

Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body that you should be its lusts. For sin shall not be master over you. For you're not under the law, but you're under grace. Now, let me tell you something.

If you're under grace, you're led by the Spirit of God. If you're not under grace and led by the Spirit of God, you're under the law. Front row, back row, wherever. And that law, what'd that law do? The law has all pointed us to Jesus.

And this law is to show us that we're in rebellion to God and judgment. The law is to show us the judgment today. Is that right? But we're to follow Jesus with a whole heart. Is that right? So, if you're not led by the Spirit of God, can I plainly tell you that you're practicing rebellion to God, which you're still under judgment and still under the law.

That's plain, isn't it? All right? Verse 16. No, verse 15. What then shall we sin? Because we are not under the law, but under grace may it never be. Make yourself a footnote to read I John all over again.

You might find something different in it. Do you not know when you present yourself to someone as slaves for obedience, your slaves are the one whom you obey either of sin, that's rebellion, and lust.

Just put lust right there. If you're obeying lust, it's going to result in your death. But if it's in obedience, and this is what people... Look, folks. Do you understand when you come and teach this part of the message and start talking about obedience that people call that works?

When you start talking about obedience to the Spirit of God, to the Word of God, how can your heart be worth your rebellion if you're not obedient and if you don't love Jesus with all your heart, if you're not led by him?

Obedience resulting in righteousness. Now, look at verse 17. But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, now you've come obedient from where? Heart to the Lord Jesus Christ. You've come obedient from your heart.

Now, what have you come obedient to? The Gospel. There it is, this form of teaching of which you're committed. You've become obedient to the Gospel. Amen? And so, and now you have been freed from sin, sin and death, and now you have become slaves of righteousness.

That's a slave of the Lord. And I'm speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh for just as you presented your members as slaves to what? Impurity. You used to present your body as slaves to impurity, but now you have a new master.

You have turned totally from it. Amen? Folks, is this plain? You've turned totally from it unless you've got another Gospel or you like to listen to the powers of darkness and get your heart in agreement with them.

You've turned, you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness. Now, that's what that man did. It was casting out demons. He was doing miracles. And I'm going to tell you something.

Wonder where this fellow led, folks? If it wasn't the Spirit of God leading him, who was leading him? Where was he leading, folks? Reggedy was leading people to come to the Lord with the whole heart of leading them to the world.

Tell me. The world, absolutely. Disobedience. See, that's different than people's heart going to men, signs and wonders and everything, and still going to the Word of God. People get wise in their eyes.

You know, they like a little excitement because they like to have their soul ministered to. They want things of their spirit. They like to be entertained because they don't want to die to it. Now, so now, verse 19, present your members as slaves to righteousness resulting in sanctification.

Did we find out sanctification is the will of God? Did we find out if you're going to heaven, that's where you're going? Now, one more verse. For now, having been freed from sin, you are now enslaved to God.

You derive your benefit, which is resulting in sanctification, purifying your heart. And what's the outcome of sanctification? Eternal life. Now, tell me something. Tell me how you go to heaven without dealing with rebellion.

Tell me. Unless you've got another gospel. See, folks, the powers of darkness that are our ancestors, they didn't oppose, they did not understand fully what they were doing. They knew a few things. They didn't expose them, and we have got some light today.

And I want you to know, folks, don't gather around nothing because there's a whole lot more light if you'll gather around Jesus and walk in what light we have. Amen? Amen? There's a whole lot of light.