In Touch Ministries

Dr. Charles Stanley: He says every ounce of energy that you have comes from God. The ability to make money comes from God. Your family, your friends, your health, your strength, every breath you take comes from God. He says, “He is working in you.”

Guest (Male): Many people are controlled by powerfully negative emotions. They feel unworthy, unloved, and insignificant. But today on In Touch, the teaching ministry of Dr. Charles Stanley, we will see that when we allow God's Word to take root and grow, we can live in peace and joy instead of in bondage to emotions. Here's part four of our series, How the Truth Can Set You Free.

Dr. Charles Stanley: If you will turn to John chapter 8, and we have been in a series on how the truth can set you free, and you will recall that Jesus is speaking to those who had begun to believe on Him, and He says in verse 31, “Jesus therefore was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, if you abide in My Word, that is conditional, that is if you are continuing, focusing your attention, absorbing, My Word,” He says, “Then you are truly disciples of Mine, and you shall know the truth, and the only way to know the truth is to be in God's Word. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. Set you free that is from the bondage that keeps us from becoming the person God wants us to be and achieving the goals that God would have us achieve.

And I will tell you, I do not know of anybody anymore to be pitied than a man or woman who gives their life day after day working at it, driving, pushing everything possible to achieve more, accomplish more, and to accumulate more, and at the end of all of that, be miserable. There are people out there who have so little comparatively, but who know what contentment and joy is.

So what we are doing in this series is digging down to find out why is it we can work so hard, achieve so much, and at the same time, never quite be able to enjoy. And have you met people who have so little and they are just tickled to death, just enjoying life, and they are just free and liberated and everything is just absolutely great with them? You think what is the deal with those folks?

Well, the deal is, real simple. They have discovered who they are in Christ Jesus. They are not hung up on guilt, a poor self-image, they do not feel inferior, inadequate, worthless, full of insecurities.

You see, you and I know that there is not anything in life that the world has to offer that can build security. It cannot do it. And you see, God does not want His children living on a lower level than He has provided. So, we have talked about what our position is in Christ. In His love He reached out in the love of Jesus Christ, reconciled us unto Himself, forgave us of our sins, redeemed us, made us a part of the family, a part of the kingdom. And He says He seated us in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Now, we are talking about who we are in Christ. That is He says by the Holy Spirit He baptized us into Christ, that is our position. We are in Him and He is in us. Now, who are we? Who are you now that you have been saved and placed in Christ?

Once you begin to see yourself as God sees you, not only are you going to be able to enjoy what you have, who you are, where you are headed, and what you are going to achieve, you are going to enjoy that more, but my friend, your life is going to be a tremendous influence in the lives of other people. So, He says who we are, we are saints, we are new creations in Him.

You are either going to see it from your viewpoint or somebody else's viewpoint. And sometimes we allow other people to program into our thinking what is not true. It is the truth that sets you free from the bondage of keeping you from achieving or becoming or enjoying the person God wants you to be.

So if you will turn to first of all Ephesians chapter 2. And there is a little passage here in this tenth verse that I want you to notice. The tenth verse, we know 8 and 9, that says, “For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast.” But look if you will in verse 10. He says, “Now, speaking of who we are in Christ Jesus. For we are, present tense now, we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for or unto good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

He says you are the workmanship. Now let me tell you what that word means in the Greek. That word in the Greek comes from the same word which means to make or to do. So when He says that you and I are the workmanship of Jesus Christ, He is referring to what God is doing with us. Notice He says, “We are His workmanship created where? In Christ Jesus.” It is because of our relationship to Him now.

The word means to do or to make, which means that God having saved us and placed us in Christ Jesus, He is still making something of us. When somebody says, “Why don't you grow up?” All you have got to say is, “Well, I am.” Because you see spiritually all of us are growing in the Lord. If we are not growing in the Lord, we are doing what? We are backsliding and growing away from Him so that you can only be doing two things. You cannot be stagnant. That is, you cannot stop. You are either growing or you are on the descending scale.

He says that you and I are His workmanship. We are the products of God. That is, He has saved us out of the kingdom of darkness, out of Adam, placed us into Christ Jesus, into the kingdom of light, and then, the moment He saved you, He began working on you. He calls it pruning. We say He sands us, He chisels us, He prunes us, He chastens us. He is in the process of growing so that no single person who is saved today can be expected to be mature tomorrow.

All of us are saved, and He says His newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the Word. So, here is the problem. The problem is that some people have been saved, and after 40 years, they are still babies. There are many of God's people who have been saved, but what are they doing? You see, they are not growing in the Lord.

He says we are His workmanship, which is an indication that He is still working on us. Now, He says the purpose for that is that you and I, you and I will accomplish something. Now look if you will in verse 10. “For we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for what? For or unto for the purpose of good works which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

Now I want you to listen very carefully. He says, “For we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto for the purpose of what? Good works.” That is that God has saved you and made you one of His children in order that through you, He may produce, He may bear the fruit of good works.

Now friend, the truth is, if there are not any spiritual works that are the overflow of your life, there is something disastrously and desperately wrong in your life. You can go to church for 40 years. He says created not under church going, created unto good works. And listen, He underlined that by saying, “Which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

He says He created us in Christ Jesus under good works, which God prepared. That is, listen, God has provided and prepared a work for you to do. He did that before you were ever saved. Imagine getting saved and saying, “Thanks God, I appreciate that. I am on my way. I know I am not going to hell. So, I have got everything made. I am eternally secure in Christ Jesus.” I am going to tell you, what a disgrace to God.

He says every ounce of energy that you have comes from God. The ability to make money comes from God. Your family, your friends, your health, your strength, every breath you take comes from God. He says, “He is working in you.” You are His workmanship. He has not finished. But let me ask you this.

Have we taken the gift of salvation? Have we received the Lord Jesus Christ? Are we absorbing His blessings? Are we just the receptacles of God's blessings, not understanding that before you were ever saved, He prepared a work for you to do, and He says that work was to be of the nature that we should walk around in them.

When He says that we should walk in them, the word there means this. It speaks of a lifestyle. That is, on the basis of what He has provided, God says, “That is the way you are to walk your life. That is the way you are to live your life. You are to live your life in the pattern that I have provided for you.” Christ Jesus being in you, My plan for your life, God's will for your life. He says, “You are to live out your life, and in living out your life in that style of life which He has provided,” He says, “Your life is the overflow of good works.”

And you see, unless we are attached and anchored to Jesus Christ and His will for our life, we are going to be swept with the world. If the world says this, we go that way. If the world says this, we go this way. But notice what He says in that verse. He says you are His workmanship. You know what that means? That means the master carpenter still has His hands in your life.

He says He predestinated us. Listen, Romans 8:29. He predestinated you to be conformed to the likeness of His Son. That is, that is His workmanship. I am talking about your life being the overflow of whatever God has called you to do. Whatever that is, have you ever stopped to ask yourself the question, “Is my life an expression of the living will of God in the human body, or am I just sort of floating along, doing my thing, making a living, having enough for my family, just so I have enough for me, myself, and I, and all the things that we want to do?” That is all that matters. That is the way the majority of people in this nation live.

Outside the will of God, tipped their hat to God once in a while, not understanding that He says before He ever saved you, He had already pre-prepared a lifestyle, and that lifestyle is good work unto the glory of God. What are you doing in the will of God? By the grace of God, by the power of God, in the name of Jesus Christ, to the glory of God that counts in this life now.

That is what it is all about. And He says that is who we are. And my friend, do not look at yourself as somebody who is not important, incapable, unworthy, inferior, insecure, when Almighty God says He has got only, He only has one you. He says we are His workmanship.

Another Scripture here I want you to notice in this passage, which is very important. Second Corinthians chapter 5. He says not only are we His workmanship, but He says we are something else. In this passage in verse 17, He says we are new creatures in Christ, and we have been reconciled unto Him in verse 18. And verse 19, He says that God was in Christ reconciling, bringing the world back to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them because He nailed them to the cross, and He has committed us to the word of reconciliation.

Now look at this 20th verse. “Therefore, we are what? Ambassadors for Christ as though God were entreating through us, we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” Now think about this for just a moment. He says that every single believer is an ambassador. Now what is an ambassador? An ambassador is someone who represents a foreign country. An ambassador speaks His original tongue is a different language more than likely. An ambassador does not speak His own message. He delivers the message of the one to whom He must pay respects and authorities, the King or the president. He is a representative in a foreign country. He is to deliver a message that was given to him. He is on assignment. He has been commissioned. He has a specific task.

Here is what He says. You and I who are in Christ are ambassadors for Jesus Christ. Listen, think about this for a moment. You and I are the representatives of Jesus Christ. We speak another language this world does not understand. They do not understand reconciliation, being drawn back to Christ, justification, having been pardoned. Sanctification, being set apart under the like other holy things of God. They do not understand redemption, having been bought by the blood of Jesus Christ from our sinful life. They do not understand being filled with the Holy Spirit, being anointed with the Spirit. They do not understand the things that you and I can speak of on a day-to-day basis of our position in Christ, who we are and what we have in Him. They do not understand. We speak a whole different language. Oh, they may talk about being born again because they have heard it, but they do not understand it.

We have a different language. We represent the King of Kings. We are here on assignment, having been saved. We were appointed ambassadors to a foreign land. He says we are pilgrims on our way to glory. We are only here temporarily. And the message that we are to share in this foreign land is the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ that God is in Christ, reconciling, loving, accepting, redeeming, justifying, and glorifying those who will receive Him. We are here on behalf of Jesus Christ. He says, “It is expedient for you that I go away. I will send the Holy Spirit. He will be in you, with you, and upon you. He will speak of me. He will equip you. He will enable you. He will empower you to do what? To share the truth to the world.” You and I are on assignment, appointed ambassadors for Jesus Christ. We have only one message, and that is the cross. That is the only message we have. Everything is wrapped up in the cross. That is our only message.

We are here on assignment with a commission, and we are here to represent the person of Jesus Christ in our conversation and in our conduct. God saved you, listen, to raise you up, for you to give yourself to Him and to say, “Lord, what will You have me to do?” While you are in the process of conforming me and shaping me.

And listen to me, friend, with all of my heart, listen to me. Let me tell you what happens. I have seen it happen over and over. I have seen it happen to some of my friends. That breaks my heart. I have seen it happen to other people. I have seen people listen and listen and listen to sermons. And they come right up to the truth and they get a glimpse of what God wants, and all of a sudden they start backing off, afraid of what God is going to require. And so they just back right on off.

Then you know what happens? They get under conviction, they come right back up to it again, and they look at it again. They think, “No.” And you know what the real problem is? And I have seen this. I have seen some of the finest, most qualified, gifted people I know keep coming up to the line of commitment and back right off.

And I want to tell you something, my friend, I have watched this. You will keep telling God what you want for years, and you will keep rationalizing for years. And one of these days you are going to lie down to die, and you will have settled for a life of excuses, rationalization because you were unwilling to commit yourself totally without any reservation to Jesus Christ.

And I want to tell you, listen, if it does not do anything to you, can you imagine how God's heart must be grieved? When He has invested so much in you and He has so little return. You see, He says the truth will set you free, but listen, it will only set me free if I am willing to abide by the truth that I know.

You have so much to give to God. And you keep bumping the point of commitment and backing off. And you come up and you bump the point of commitment and you keep backing off because you see there are those who do not love God enough to say, “Lord, it is my time. Whatever You want, Lord, here am I.”

And you see the reason I kept saying to you, insecurity, inadequacy, inferiority, that is not the real issue. You see, if these things are there, they are going to make you back off, but listen to me. He says the truth sets you free. And I am simply asking you, do you believe what He said about you? That you are His workmanship, His workmanship. That you are His ambassadors, His ambassadors. That you belong to Him, and that the natural, normal life of the believer is for you to be pouring out your lives into other people's lives. In your vocation, in your worship, in your devotion to Him, that somebody's life ought to be different because you cross their path.

Let me ask you this. Let us be honest. How many of you would have to say in your heart, “The real truth is, I know that I am not committed to you. I am committed to convenience, whatever suits me.” But let me ask you this. How many of you have ever told Jesus Christ with all of your heart, all of your heart, you have ever told Him, “Lord, whatever You want me to do, here am I. Yes, Lord. Yes, Lord. Yes, Lord, now what is that you want me to do?”

No, you have told Him, “I want to be obedient. I want to be,” that is not it. No. Not I want to God, here is my life. The truth will only set me free if I am willing to yield to the truth that requires of me and enables me and equips me to be what God wants me to be.

You know what we need? We need some good old, down to earth, old time, religious repentance, and my plea to you today is to ask God to show you what you are on the inside. The way He sees you, the things that are keeping you from becoming, yielding, and applying the truth.

What are you holding on to that is allowing you to listen to the sermons and enjoy them maybe, or at least understand them, but somehow they do not get that hook in you? I will tell you what it is. If you are holding on to one or more things that you have no intention of giving up, I want to tell you, my friend, you cancel out the power of God's message in your life, and that is the most dangerous thing you can do. I plead with you to examine your heart and ask God, what is He trying to say to you in these messages? I can tell you this, He wants to free you so your life will be a beautiful expression of His life.

Guest (Male): God has a plan for you, but if you choose to live in bondage to sin, you will not reach your full potential. Dr. Stanley's message today on In Touch urged you not to respond to life based on feelings, but to live in the truth of God's Word. Are you gaining some momentum as the Holy Spirit helps you understand who you are in Christ? Well, continue studying at our website intouch.org and go back over what you just heard by clicking on the link to Today on Radio. And if you would like a copy of today's message, it is included in Dr. Stanley's set of ten sermons titled, How the Truth Can Set You Free. Again, you will find these resources at intouch.org. To call or text the number is 1-800-IN TOUCH. And to write to us, address your letter to In Touch, Post Office Box 7900, Atlanta, Georgia 30357. Again, our toll-free number, 1-800-IN TOUCH. Is it your practice to serve God by serving others? We will wrap up today's program with a prayer, just ahead in today's moment with Charles Stanley.

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Guest (Male): You do not need to be perfect to be a man of God.

Guest (Male): Kick it over this way. That is it.

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Guest (Male): You can be a patient example, a generous leader, a joyful provider. In his book, Man of God, Dr. Charles Stanley looks at what it takes to grow into a man after God's own heart. Order your copy at intouch.org or 1-800-IN TOUCH.

Guest (Male): You are listening to In Touch. God equips His followers to serve Him. With a prayer for you, here is a moment with Charles Stanley.

Dr. Charles Stanley: Father, we ask you in Jesus' name, would you speak to every one of us, Lord, and help us to understand that life at the very longest is so very short. And you said we are your workmanship and you have a pre-prepared work for us to do. And whatever earthly vocation it may call for, in the process of fulfilling that responsibility, we will be making a contribution to the Kingdom of God, the family of God, as your workmanship and your ambassadors.

Oh God, would you sting the hard heart until it begins to soften. Would you begin to peel off the crust of indifference until it gets mellow? Would you bring about confession and repentance and submission that a life that is covered can begin to blossom? And my Father, in Jesus' name, would you let it sink deep enough that the end result would be the beautiful life of commitment that you desired and that you provided for all of us is my prayer in Jesus' name.

Guest (Male): Learn more about the hope you can have through faith in Jesus Christ at intouch.org. And if today's program encouraged you to invest more deeply in your relationship with Jesus Christ, we would love to hear from you. Up coming on In Touch, the Holy Spirit remains with believers in Christ forever, enabling them to live as children of God. I hope to join us to continue being encouraged by the truth that sets us free on In Touch, the teaching ministry of Dr. Charles Stanley. This program is a presentation of In Touch Ministries, Atlanta, Georgia, and remains on this station through the grace of God and your faithful prayers and gifts.