Relatable with Allie Beth Stuckey - Ep 393 ｜ Lil Nas X’s Satan Shoes & Why Christians Should Rejoice

00:00:00.000 hey guys welcome to relatable happy monday hope everyone had a wonderful weekend so if you are

00:00:17.320 watching this on youtube you can see that i have a little bit different of a setup it's a temporary

00:00:22.140 setup you might know that i am about to give birth here in a few weeks i don't know exactly when it's

00:00:28.140 going to be but sometime in a few weeks and so um we have given me a temporary setup at home it's a

00:00:36.080 little bit more um convenient so i can spend a little bit more time at home before this baby

00:00:41.880 comes but thank you guys so much who have been following along and who have been praying and who

00:00:46.520 have been encouraging me um and our family i just really appreciate that so much i say all the time

00:00:52.100 that i have the best audience in the world the smartest and most thoughtful audience in the world

00:00:56.440 and i truly believe that that is that is true and so thank you guys for being as wonderful

00:01:01.840 as you are we're very um excited it's a it's a it's a fun time for our family so today we are going to

00:01:09.860 talk about something that i got a ton of messages about over the weekend and that is little nas x i

00:01:16.380 think i have to put the x at the end of it his shoes um that he designed along with the company that is

00:01:23.820 glorifying satan it apparently goes with a music video that is also glorifying satan and i try to

00:01:31.440 not be on social media over the weekends uh for the most part or that's something that i've recently

00:01:37.280 tried to do but when i got instagram or when i opened instagram on sunday night i had a ton of

00:01:43.540 messages from you guys asking me my thoughts on it and i know a lot of conservative commentators

00:01:48.120 have already given their thoughts on it and uh i'm going to not give you the standard analysis of

00:01:57.240 what i think about all of this this turned into a strictly theological episode i was preparing for

00:02:04.160 this last night and we were actually going to go a totally different direction with this episode

00:02:08.200 but then i ended up looking into this story and just thinking about it and thinking it through and

00:02:13.940 thinking about why or how i can make this encouraging and uplifting to talk about something so dark and

00:02:20.240 that's exactly what we're going to do and i don't have time to talk about any of the other stories that

00:02:24.760 i wanted to talk about like i want to talk about so much of the media hypocrisy that we're seeing um

00:02:30.300 when we are looking at a story about the border or the covid vaccine passport there is so much that i

00:02:39.360 want to talk about news wise but when i was preparing for this particular story it ended up

00:02:43.840 just being everything that i wanted to talk about because i truly actually think i know it sounds

00:02:49.340 crazy i actually think this is an encouraging story in light of scripture and something to rejoice over

00:02:55.260 and so that's the angle that we're going to take on it today let me back up in case you have no idea

00:03:00.820 what i'm talking about uh let me tell you how nbc report to this story to kind of set up what this is

00:03:07.800 and why we're talking about it so nbc news says this lil nass x the old town road artist so you

00:03:14.780 guys might remember that i think it was with billy ray cyrus you know old town road that one i won't

00:03:20.700 sing the whole thing for you i'll spare you but it was a very catchy song maybe last summer maybe two

00:03:26.000 summers ago i don't remember i'm old and so my memory is failing me i don't remember when it was but

00:03:31.580 he was singing on the song i think with billy ray cyrus it was really popular i didn't know him from

00:03:37.480 anything else and then a few months later he came out as gay which everyone's all is a big deal

00:03:41.420 because that's not very um that's not something that typically happens in the world of rap and so

00:03:48.260 he's kind of almost become this like representation for a lot of young people who um who like rap from

00:03:56.180 uh representation of lgbtq and their causes so just fyi some contacts there so anyway uh nbc reports

00:04:06.140 the old town road artist is collaborating with the streetwear company mschf on a pair of satan shoes

00:04:13.480 only 666 pairs of which will be on sale monday so i guess that's today the controversial kicks

00:04:20.520 apparently modified nike air max 97s are decorated with a pentagram pendant and a reference to luke 10 18

00:04:28.880 a bible verse about satan's fall from heaven they will be sold for 1018 dollars the sneakers also

00:04:36.580 contain a drop of human blood in the soul drawn from members of the mschf team the company told

00:04:43.960 nbc news on sunday nike was quick to distance itself from the shoes pointing out that their custom

00:04:48.940 adaptations of existing products uh quote we do not have a relationship with little nas x or mschf nike

00:04:57.240 said in a statement nike did not design or release these shoes and we do not endorse them so this

00:05:02.500 company apparently got the shoes they designed them independently and they just happen to be nike

00:05:07.580 shoes nike didn't actually have anything to do with this the release of the satan shoes coincides

00:05:12.640 with little nas x's latest single montero call me by your name and it's a company music video in the

00:05:18.740 video little little nas x is seduced out of what appears to be the garden of eden falls into hell and

00:05:24.180 gives the devil a lap dance the music video has been viewed more than 29 million times since its

00:05:29.760 release on friday um so that's what the deal is i haven't watched the music video i've heard

00:05:35.840 descriptions of it or i've i've read descriptions of it i don't think it's something that i necessarily

00:05:41.100 need to see like i get the gist and honestly i hate that i'm even talking about this because

00:05:46.220 since this is obviously they're not trying to hide this like a marketing tactic for the video

00:05:52.780 they like the controversy like the pr company that's representing him this marketing company they

00:05:58.000 they like the controversy because it makes people talk about it i'm talking about it on this podcast

00:06:04.100 but the point of this episode certainly has nothing to do with the shoes themselves

00:06:08.800 but why we as christians can actually look at something like this and say um okay i'm i'm

00:06:16.840 actually i'm excited to see what comes of this and i know that sounds crazy but i've seen a lot of

00:06:22.460 people just say oh my gosh this just means the absolute degradation of our culture which that might be

00:06:29.900 true but it's not a reason for the christian to uh to despair so like i said a lot of people have

00:06:38.300 asked me what i think about this um and yes i i do agree with what a lot of conservative commentators

00:06:44.800 have said that this is certainly not a sign of culture progressing like this is not a sign that

00:06:50.620 we are doing well as a society thinking about what we don't tolerate and then what we do tolerate the

00:06:57.220 things that we glorify versus the things that we just can no longer allow to exist anymore um they're

00:07:03.480 not good like our priorities are obviously out of whack when it comes to the things that we elevate

00:07:09.280 and the things that we try to bring down that's absolutely true but it's honestly it's a little um

00:07:17.260 or i would say a lot comforting and the reasons why is because number one what satan means for evil god

00:07:25.520 can always use for good and really i say number one but really that's the whole point uh that's the

00:07:31.480 whole point of this episode that's everything that i'm going to explain and here's what i mean by that

00:07:35.940 that god has the power to work everything uh according to his will for his glory to draw people to himself

00:07:43.160 most of you probably know the story of joseph he was the favorite son of his father jacob who made him

00:07:49.200 this amazing uh colorful cloak joseph's brothers were super jealous of him uh they hated him because of

00:07:57.160 this and to make matters worse joseph had this dream that all of his brothers bundles of grain

00:08:02.900 were bowing down to his bundle of grain and he went and he told his brothers this and they were

00:08:07.760 like why are you telling us this this is really annoying you're such an annoying little brother

00:08:12.380 why are you telling us about this dream and then to make matters worse even worse he had another story

00:08:18.040 or he had another dream where the sun and the moon and then 11 stars were bowing down to him

00:08:22.840 and even his dad at this point was like what why are you really saying that we are going to all bow

00:08:30.300 down to you just stop but secretly his dad the bible says wondered if there was actually something

00:08:36.940 to this vision but his brothers did not even want to entertain the idea they were so mad about this that

00:08:42.520 they actually decided that they were going to kill him but then the older brother came along reuben and

00:08:49.060 was like no no no they he heard his the the other brother's plans and they were like don't kill him

00:08:54.300 just throw him into this pit when we see him coming this way um the other brothers did that they threw

00:09:00.900 joseph into the pit uh while reuben was gone they sold him as a slave to a caravan that was on its way

00:09:07.760 to egypt they ended up having to lie to their dad jacob and say that a wild animal killed joseph

00:09:12.760 and jacob was not okay he was like i'm never gonna get over this i am going to mourn the loss of my son

00:09:18.260 forever and ever these were not good people when you think about what i just described and just

00:09:23.820 went down like joseph's brothers were not good people and they had no care or affection apparently

00:09:29.780 for their dad who is now mourning this for the rest of his life but that's just an aside so joseph

00:09:36.140 goes to egypt and lots of things happen he goes through lots of ups lots of downs there are so many

00:09:41.360 good stories in joseph's life that you should read about if you haven't read it in genesis already but

00:09:47.180 through all of these ups and downs of joseph's uh joseph's life he remains faithful to god and god

00:09:52.840 remains faithful to him and ultimately the dreams that he told his family they got them so angry and

00:09:58.740 so annoyed uh come true joseph goes from servant to a leader in egypt and in that position he helps

00:10:06.580 ensure the land of egypt has abundance in the seven years of famine they had endured but it wasn't just

00:10:13.260 egypt who suffered in the famine the famine was worldwide so people were coming from all over to

00:10:18.620 buy grain from joseph in egypt including joseph's brothers and there's a lot that goes down after

00:10:25.360 joseph and his brothers see each other when his brothers come and say hey we need some grain from

00:10:30.540 you because joseph recognizes his brothers but his brothers don't recognize him they're just going to

00:10:35.060 this powerful guy in egypt to try to get food for their families um and then once it is revealed

00:10:42.760 that this is their brother that they're talking to um they are freaking out they're like oh my gosh

00:10:49.840 he's going to do something to us especially later after their father died um and they reunite in all

00:10:56.620 this stuff i don't want to get into all the details of it because it's going to take too much time but the

00:11:00.380 brothers are freaking out that joseph is going to exact some kind of revenge but joseph full of the

00:11:07.620 spirit of god refuses to hold his brothers sins against them and simply says as for you you meant

00:11:14.480 evil for me but god meant it for good to bring it about that many people should be kept alive as they

00:11:20.440 are today you've probably heard that verse if you grew up in the church let me read it to you again

00:11:24.780 so after all of this goes down many years later joseph is elevated to this uh position of leadership

00:11:31.320 under the pharaoh in the land of in the land of egypt his brothers come to him and they're like hey

00:11:36.780 we need food from you dude joseph is like oh my gosh these are my brothers they don't know long story

00:11:42.100 short they reveal that to each other they know each other brothers are scared that joseph is going to

00:11:46.760 do something so just wanted to re-summarize that for clarity and they're like please don't do anything

00:11:51.740 to us i know that we deserve all these bad things to happen to us because we did all these terrible

00:11:56.200 things to you we sold you into slavery and joseph simply responds as for you you meant evil against

00:12:01.120 me but god meant it for good to bring it about that many people should be kept alive as they are today

00:12:07.980 uh so he says you meant evil against me but god meant it for good jealousy is evil the hate that his

00:12:14.200 brothers felt is evil throwing your brother into a pit selling him into slavery lying to your dad about

00:12:20.400 it for years and years and then having the audacity to come to joseph after he graciously provides food

00:12:26.460 for you and your family and beg him not to punish you uh in return that's evil like that's the work

00:12:33.940 of satan to create rivalry and malice and deceit and cowardice but we see so often throughout scripture

00:12:40.960 that wickedness and sin are actually not satan's end game they're simply these tools that he uses to try

00:12:47.500 to take glory from god that is his goal that is satan's goal to try to take glory from god this

00:12:53.880 luke 10 18 verse uh that's on the satan themed shoes says this and he said to them i saw satan fall like

00:13:02.040 lightning from heaven that's jesus speaking and jesus said to them i saw satan fall like lightning

00:13:08.200 from heaven now here's the thing about this verse and this is going to tie back into the story of

00:13:14.100 joseph this is joseph this is going to tie back into the original point uh that we made that god

00:13:21.300 uses what satan means for evil what satan means for his own honor for his own honor and for the good of

00:13:28.240 those who love him so jesus is saying this in luke 10 18 in response to 72 messengers that he had sent

00:13:33.920 out to heal and preach the gospel those messengers were rejoicing to him that even the demons were

00:13:40.220 subject to them when they were going out and doing these miraculous works and jesus says look

00:13:44.720 i watched as their master was thrown from heaven which i take to mean this is my own subjective

00:13:50.620 interpretation duh you think that you gospel preachers empowered by me jesus don't have authority

00:13:56.680 over them of course you do and then he says that they're not even supposed to rejoice over that though

00:14:01.200 like that's not the most impressive thing the coolest thing he says about this is that these people

00:14:06.060 these 72 messengers are going to heaven so this verse is in the context of jesus telling believers

00:14:11.800 that they have authority over demons that that's a given that jesus has authority over satan and that

00:14:17.840 the real thing to rejoice over is not that as amazing as it is but that this actually means eternal victory

00:14:25.040 and salvation for all of those who believe and isaiah 55 10 through 11 tells us that the word of god does

00:14:31.720 not return void so god will use his word to do his bidding to accomplish that which he wills

00:14:40.060 this verse in particular is about satan's ultimate defeat and what a perfect representation these shoes

00:14:47.900 are of satan's desperate and pathetic attempt for relevance and power so much so that the verse used is

00:14:55.160 about him being an eternal loser and because the word of god does not return void

00:15:00.400 uh we understand that god is going to use this we know that god is going to use this in some way

00:15:08.000 to bring glory to himself and that is what satan hates and this in particular uh this story that we're

00:15:15.840 talking about to this vying for relevance this vying for power and for his own honor and fame and glory

00:15:22.680 is exactly what satan does he wants attention and cheap worship however he can get it isaiah 14

00:15:30.300 tells us that satan was once an angel whose pride whose desire to be like god got him cast out of hell

00:15:36.760 and we see throughout the bible that his goal since then has been to steal god's glory by stirring up as

00:15:43.500 much evil uh preventing as much redemption as possible here's what i mean if there's one thing that satan

00:15:51.940 probably hates i would guess more than anything it's redemption because he can't do it it's not in his

00:15:58.320 wheelhouse he can only destroy he can only tear down he can't rebuild he can't restore he can't

00:16:04.340 renew he can't redeem and what's frustrating for him i'm sure is that where he tries to tear down

00:16:10.640 god somehow manages to build up something good in something new and redemption is exactly what the

00:16:17.960 story of joseph is it's exactly what god is always up to and has always been up to it is god through his

00:16:24.620 great power redeeming that which sinful men tempted by satan try to destroy uh in the story of joseph

00:16:33.020 they meant harm and death and destruction for him they meant for him uh to no longer exist they

00:16:38.460 wanted murder exploitation ruin for him and god just says too bad like i've got plans of my own

00:16:45.080 and guess what i put this caravan god i'm paraphrasing god i put this caravan on its way to egypt

00:16:51.800 for you brothers even made your plot to sell him into slavery which means i was way ahead of you

00:16:58.200 so god foiled the plan before it was even thought about by these people so nothing satan and sinful

00:17:04.800 man plot is a surprise to god god alone is omniscient and omnipotent satan is not so he sees satan god

00:17:13.440 sees satan rubbing his hands together conspiring god already knows exactly how he is going to use satan's

00:17:20.180 wicked plans for the good of those who love him and for his own glory over and over again in scripture

00:17:26.740 we see god seemingly stack the odds against himself purposely using situations that look beyond hope

00:17:32.900 and then swoop in and show up and show off like let's think about some stories in the old testament

00:17:39.300 where this is true where it seems like god could have made things easier or more automatic than he did

00:17:46.460 god could have given abram and sarah for example kids in the prime of their youth he waited until

00:17:53.900 they were old and seemingly barren god could have figured out a way to free his people from egyptian

00:18:00.600 slavery easily but instead he hardened pharaoh's heart and he opened the red sea he could have just

00:18:07.440 handed canaan into joshua's hands but he fought his people's battles on their behalf instead god could

00:18:14.120 have stopped joseph from being thrown into the pit he could have stopped a lot of bad things from

00:18:19.060 happening to joseph throughout his life but instead he shows his grace and provision to the whole world

00:18:24.080 through joseph in a time of famine god could have protected shadrach meshach and abednego from punishment

00:18:30.240 entirely but instead he stood with them in the fiery furnace and shielded them from the flames to show his

00:18:37.760 own power he could have spared daniel from the king's edict but he allowed him to be thrown into

00:18:44.380 the pit of lions and come out unharmed he could have taken jesus off the cross but instead he watched as

00:18:51.200 his son died a death he didn't deserve to die on our behalf and then raised him from the dead to confirm

00:18:57.540 his power so what we see is that god is going to stop at nothing to bring about redemption for his own

00:19:05.100 glory and there is not a thing anyone can do about it so god is just as in charge right now as he has

00:19:12.880 ever been and his wrath is being stored up this is something we talked about last week his patience is

00:19:18.700 being steadied second peter 3 15 says that we must count the patience of god as salvation so it's not

00:19:25.780 god's apathy it's not god's absence he is being patient not because he doesn't care about evil but

00:19:32.800 because he like he always has is going to seemingly stack all odds against himself until the time is

00:19:39.520 right for him to exact justice once and for all and establish his glory forever and completely

00:19:45.300 galatians 6 7 is clear god will not be mocked in exodus 25 god describes himself as a jealous god

00:19:55.760 jealous for worship jealous for glory he's not going to let satan have the last word so you think

00:20:02.400 god is going to allow any bit of glory to be taken from him because of a pair of shoes and a music

00:20:08.700 video this rapper and everyone who is glorifying satan were already worshiping satan before these

00:20:16.100 shoes came out they're now just being overt about it but the worship was there before i mean the bible

00:20:22.480 is clear about that that everyone who is not in christ whether they know it or not is under the

00:20:27.740 influence of who ephesians 2 calls the prince of the power of the air the spirit that is now at work

00:20:33.620 in the sons of disobedience among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh carrying out the

00:20:39.800 desires of the body of the body and the mind and were by nature children of wrath like the rest of

00:20:47.000 mankind so they're children of wrath just like we once were who have now been made alive in christ

00:20:54.480 that ephesians 2 passage goes on to say but god being rich in mercy because of the great love with

00:21:02.120 which he loved us even while we were dead in our trespasses made us alive together with christ by grace

00:21:08.640 you have been saved so it is only by god's grace through jesus christ that you and i are not in the

00:21:14.760 exact same place doing the exact same things that someone like this rapper is there are two eternal

00:21:21.880 categories in all of the cosmos according to the bible when it comes to human beings those dead in

00:21:28.020 sin children of wrath following the prince of the power of the air and those alive in christ children

00:21:33.880 of light following the god who is rich in mercy and these categories and those who fall in them

00:21:40.260 will not be changed one iota because of these shoes in this music video ephesians 1 4 through 5 says this

00:21:48.320 even as god chose us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and blameless

00:21:56.380 before him in love he predestined us for adoption to himself as son through jesus christ according to

00:22:04.360 the purpose of his will to the praise of his glorious grace so if god wants to use this video

00:22:10.940 and these shoes to bring himself glory and to draw people to himself he will there is nothing no power

00:22:19.420 in heaven on earth or under the earth that can stop him he is going to claim his beloved he is going to

00:22:26.220 pursue the lost sheep he is going to find the lost coin he is going to run after the prodigal son

00:22:32.580 when god sets his sights on someone he will not stop until he has him until that slave to sin

00:22:39.540 becomes a son and an heir until that rebel becomes redeemed there is no obstacle too big for god no

00:22:47.840 sin too much for god to forgive no burden too much for god to carry no slate that he cannot wipe clean

00:22:55.020 nothing he cannot use to call his children to himself and give himself glory those of us who are

00:23:02.660 in christ know we can look back at our own lives and think of all the things satan meant for our

00:23:08.000 destruction the times that we were betrayed or hurt or mistreated or abandoned the sins we almost

00:23:14.120 allowed to consume us the harm and the hurt both inflicted by others and self-inflicted and think

00:23:19.660 that could have totally destroyed me my life could look completely different right now i could have

00:23:24.360 stayed on that path but god but god's redemption his relentless unstoppable commitment to redeeming that

00:23:33.900 which satan wants to use for harm to use instead for his own glory and our good that is the testimony of

00:23:41.460 believers and guess what this is like this is the really great i think encouraging news these testimonies that

00:23:49.400 we have as believers are exactly what god uses to declare victory over sin and satan i wish we had time to

00:23:56.980 dig into all of revelation 12 i think that would take us days and what it all means but let's just

00:24:02.720 look at verse 11 quotes and they believers in christ have conquered him satan by the blood of the lamb and

00:24:11.240 by the word of their testimony for they loved not their lives even unto death let me read that again

00:24:18.040 and they believers in christ have conquered him satan by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their

00:24:25.160 testimony for they loved not their lives even unto death i'm going to link in the description

00:24:32.260 of this podcast episode uh commentary on uh this particular verse from charles spurgeon that is so

00:24:41.100 good i wish i could read the entire thing so i'm going to link it and i encourage you to read it yourself

00:24:46.020 but i am going to read some of it because i think his analysis his application of this verse is so good

00:24:51.480 and so relevant to what we're talking about so this uh this is charles spurgeon they overcame him

00:24:58.960 my version says conquered i use esv but he is quoting from this verse charles spurgeon they overcame him

00:25:06.520 we are never to rest until it is said of us also they overcame him he is satan is a faux man worthy of

00:25:14.480 your steel do you refuse the conflict do you think of turning back you have no armor for your back

00:25:20.420 let me just stop right there because i was reading this last night and i my mind was blown he didn't

00:25:25.700 even cross reference this to ephesians fix six in this commentary but we're going to so let's pause

00:25:30.920 right there he says you have no armor for your back why are you turning around instead of engaging in the

00:25:36.960 fight against sin and the devil when that's what you are called to do you've got no armor for your back

00:25:42.780 what does he mean by that so if we look at ephesians 6 we're told that we are not at war with flesh

00:25:49.300 and blood we're certainly not at war with music videos or shoes we are at war christians with

00:25:55.040 spiritual forces of evil and therefore we are called to take up the whole spiritual armor of god

00:26:00.180 which includes again if you grew up in the church you probably know this already the belt of truth

00:26:05.700 the breastplate of righteousness the shoes of readiness the shield of faith and the helmet of

00:26:11.200 salvation there's no armor for your back you turn around and retreat now you're hit in the back with

00:26:16.500 the very arrows that you are afraid of extinguishing which is exactly why the thing that we're told in

00:26:22.520 ephesians 6 extinguishes the arrows is a shield of faith spurgeon goes on to say quote to cease to fight

00:26:31.060 is to be overcome you have your choice between the two either to gird up the loins of your minds for a

00:26:37.360 lifelong resistance or else be or else to be satan's slaves forever i pray god that you may awake arise

00:26:46.040 and give battle to the foe resolve once for all that by the grace of god you will be numbered with

00:26:53.540 those who overcome the arch enemy now what does this mean because we're not talking about a physical

00:26:59.760 war we're not even talking about a a culture or political war although unfortunately sin does

00:27:05.420 manifest itself in all of these ways but the real struggle the bible says that we're facing is one

00:27:11.220 that is spiritual and therefore the tools that we use are trump cards that we play are spiritual too

00:27:17.820 and what are those trump cards the things that satan just cannot withstand the blood of the lamb

00:27:24.420 the sacrifice of jesus christ which stands in the way of the accuser which is what satan is calling

00:27:30.440 revelation 12 um jesus stands there and says no your accusations are hollow here because my blood paid

00:27:37.860 for their guilt and they are completely forgiven forever god has got them my blood has made your

00:27:44.080 accusations absolutely powerless and meaningless and then to our testimony to jesus's intercession and

00:27:52.660 blood so spurgeon says this about this one trump card the blood of the lamb he says quote the death of

00:27:59.840 christ is the death of sin and the defeat of satan and hence it is the life of our hope and the

00:28:06.060 assurance of his victory so christians all those who have been called by god saved by grace through

00:28:11.400 faith in jesus are bought by the blood of christ and that is our final blow to satan and sin and death

00:28:18.260 let me read you some verses from romans 8 we um we as a group people who listen to this podcast memorized

00:28:26.120 romans 8 together i guess about a year ago now and so maybe if you did that with us these come to mind

00:28:33.220 easily so uh these are verses 28 through 38 and we know that for those who love god all things work

00:28:41.120 together for good for those who are called according to his purpose for those whom he foreknew he also

00:28:47.740 predestined to be conformed to the image of his son in order that he might be the firstborn among many

00:28:53.760 brothers and those whom he predestined he also called and those whom he called he also justified

00:28:59.160 and those whom he justified he also glorified what then shall we say to these things if god is for us

00:29:06.000 who can be against us he who did not spare his own son but gave him up for us all how will he not also

00:29:12.320 with him graciously give us all things who shall bring any charge against god's elect it is god who

00:29:19.060 justifies who is to condemn christ jesus is the one who died more than that who was raised who is at

00:29:26.240 the right hand of god who indeed is interceding from for us uh who shall separate us from the love

00:29:33.980 of christ shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword

00:29:38.960 no in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us for i am sure that neither

00:29:44.520 death nor life nor angels nor rulers nor things present nor things to come nor powers nor height

00:29:49.460 nor depth nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of god in

00:29:54.840 christ jesus our lord when i was writing this last night i was thinking about all the different places

00:29:59.420 where i could try to cut this passage off to make it a little bit shorter so i wouldn't have to read all

00:30:03.380 of it but everything is exactly relevant to what we are talking about so the blood of the lamb has got us

00:30:10.420 covered there is nothing no power that can change that that is the trump card but that's not all

00:30:17.080 revelation 12 11 also says it's the blood of the lamb by which we conquer satan and the power of our

00:30:24.480 testimony to that blood they go hand in hand here's how charles spurgeon explains that saints overcome

00:30:32.140 through the blood of the lamb by their testimony to that blood every believer is to bear witness to the

00:30:38.740 atoning sacrifice and its power to save he has to tell out the doctrine he has to emphasize it by

00:30:44.980 earnest faith in it and he has to support it and prove it by his experience of the effect of it you

00:30:51.420 cannot all speak from the pulpit but you can all speak for jesus's opportunity is given you our main

00:30:58.160 business is to bear witness with the blood in the power of the spirit to this point we can all testify

00:31:04.140 you cannot go into all manner of deep doctrines or curious points but you can tell to all those

00:31:10.940 round about you that there is life in a look at the crucified one you can bear witness to the power

00:31:18.380 of the blood of jesus in your own soul and are you ready for this part this part is super convicting or

00:31:25.060 at least i found it super convicting quote it is written they loved not their lives unto death that's

00:31:31.500 still in that revelation 12 11 verse he says spurgeon says we shall not overcome satan if we are fine

00:31:39.000 gentlemen fond of ease and honor as long as christian people must enjoy the world the devil will suffer

00:31:45.920 little at their hands some of you hardly dare speak about the blood of christ in any way but the most

00:31:52.800 but in the most godly company and scarcely there you are very retiring you love yourselves too much

00:32:00.620 to get into trouble through your religion surely you cannot be of that noble band that love not their

00:32:08.020 own lives unto death many dare not hold the old doctrine nowadays because they would be thought

00:32:14.680 narrow and bigoted and this would be too galling i mean this is in the 19th century he's saying this

00:32:20.940 they call us old fools it is very likely we are but we are not ashamed to be fools for christ's sake

00:32:28.180 and the truth's sake we shall never give up the doctrine of atoning sacrifice to please modern

00:32:34.060 culture what little reputation we have is as dear to us as another man's character is to him

00:32:39.520 but we will cheerfully let it go in this struggle for the central truth of revelation it will be sweet

00:32:46.960 to be forgotten and lost sight of or to be vilified and abused if the old faith in the substitutionary

00:32:54.600 sacrifice can be kept alive this much we are resolved on we will be true to our convictions concerning the

00:33:02.700 sacrifice of our lord jesus for if we give up this what is there left so how do we push back against

00:33:12.160 darkness how do we and and will believers defeat satan through nothing of our own accord but through

00:33:20.080 the blood of christ and our testimony to that blood so can you testify to how the gospel has transformed

00:33:27.880 your life how god used what was meant for harm for his glory and your good how his sacrifice rescued you

00:33:35.160 a child of wrath and made you a new creation a child of light the bible says that's unbelievably powerful

00:33:42.120 maybe you don't have a platform maybe you feel like there's not much difference you can make as a

00:33:47.880 christian you're unsure of what you've got to bring to the table or you're scared you won't know

00:33:52.620 all of the answers that you're asked when pressed let me remind you that you are chosen as god's

00:33:59.700 redeemed because of what he brings to the table not because of what you bring first corinthians 1 is one

00:34:05.680 of my favorite passages in scripture it tells us that god specifically and purposely chooses that which

00:34:11.960 the world scoffs at and rejects or belittles what seems dumb or lowly or insignificant to the world

00:34:18.700 to display his wisdom and righteousness and power in order that those that the world deems wise and

00:34:25.740 powerful would be made low would be shamed remember romans 8 he equips you you don't equip yourself

00:34:32.380 he equips you remember ephesians 6 he gives you the tools and armor that you need so you were not chosen

00:34:39.780 because you're special and because you're talented you were chosen because god is gracious and he is

00:34:45.620 absolutely committed to your salvation to your sanctification and to using you and your testimony

00:34:52.500 for his glory you don't have to have a platform or a particular skill set or a personality type

00:35:00.660 to be effective for the kingdom of god god says that the blood of the lamb and your testimony to that

00:35:08.640 blood are the most powerful things in every single realm when it comes to claiming victory in christ

00:35:15.280 and a point that charles spurgeon makes and ephesians 6 makes is that that starts now we push back by

00:35:21.580 waging against sin in our own lives constantly relying on the lord for strength for righteousness

00:35:28.340 for holiness for love to live lives that are completely dedicated to the two great commandments

00:35:34.520 loving god with all of our heart soul mind and strength and loving others as ourselves now i have a little

00:35:43.420 bit more about the application and the practicality of this

00:35:47.900 so what we see through these shoes and this music video is simply this that some who follow satan are not

00:36:00.820 hiding it and while some christians are too afraid to talk about hell and the devil the devil's

00:36:07.320 worshipers are apparently not while christians are too scared to talk about holiness the world is not

00:36:13.540 too scared to flaunt wickedness and the bible says that satan hides himself as an angel of light but in

00:36:18.820 this case he's just out there in the open people aren't scared at all to glorify it that means that

00:36:25.120 christians need to be all the more confident all the more bold in glorifying our god john 8 is a

00:36:32.180 remarkable passage jesus is talking to people specifically jewish people in this case who

00:36:37.860 don't believe that he is the messiah so while they insist that they are children of abraham and

00:36:44.660 therefore um israelites that they are uh children of god himself jesus insists that the people that he's

00:36:52.220 talking to you actually are not children of god because even though they're technically from the

00:36:56.380 line of abraham and are ethnically a part of god's people their actions he is arguing show that they're

00:37:02.460 actually slaves to sin not sons of god his audience is super confused about this it seems like they're

00:37:10.140 like jesus what the heck are you talking about god is our father we're a part of god's chosen people

00:37:15.320 well jesus responds to that argument this way in verses 42 through 47 if god were your father you

00:37:22.220 would love me for i came from god and i am here i came not of my own accord but he sent me you are of

00:37:28.600 your father the devil and your will is to do your father's desires he was a murderer from the beginning

00:37:34.580 and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him when he lies he speaks out of his

00:37:40.620 own character for he is a liar and the father of lies but because i tell the truth you do not believe

00:37:47.380 me which one of you convicts me of sin if i tell the truth why do you not believe me whoever is of god

00:37:54.300 hears the words of god the reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of god this message was

00:38:02.480 spoken to jewish people but this applies to all of those who don't know christ whoever loves christ

00:38:10.440 loves god is his child and hears his words and knows his voice those who do not love christ hate god

00:38:18.260 are satan's children listen to his words know his voice which only spews lies all day every day

00:38:26.180 now that does not mean that everyone who is not a christian by the way is the worst that they could

00:38:32.680 possibly be i think that we can all say that we know lots of people who are not christians who are

00:38:38.160 generous and loving and hospitable and kind and we unfortunately know people who say that they're

00:38:44.240 christians who are none of these things this is not about the severity or the overt wickedness of

00:38:50.400 people's behavior but rather according to the bible the state of our souls apart from christ

00:38:55.920 but there are some who do not know christ who emulate exactly what we would expect to see from people

00:39:02.760 who follow someone jesus calls the father of lies and we should not be surprised when they become

00:39:08.480 bolder in their worship as culture allows it is absolutely without a doubt disturbing and scary this

00:39:15.840 is real stuff it's been moving in this direction in this country for a while through the glorification

00:39:20.960 of witchcraft and psychics and mediums for a long time all things that god very clearly tells us in his

00:39:27.120 word or abominations that we should take no part in they are darkness we have to be on the watch for

00:39:33.180 these things in our own lives and the lives of our kids we don't mess around with darkness ephesians 5 8

00:39:39.040 through 16 is very clear about this quote for at one time you were darkness but now you are light in

00:39:45.780 the lord walk as children of light for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true

00:39:51.840 and try to discern what is pleasing to the lord take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness but

00:39:58.320 instead expose them for it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret but when

00:40:04.000 anything is exposed by the light it becomes visible for anything that becomes visible is light

00:40:09.720 therefore it says awake oh sleeper and arise from the dead and christ will shine on you look carefully

00:40:16.660 then how you walk not as why not as unwise but as wise making the best use of the time because the days

00:40:24.180 are evil so why are we talking about this some people might critique this episode saying why are you even

00:40:31.620 bringing attention to this well i think if this is an opportunity to share the gospel if something

00:40:36.700 that's happening in culture is opportunity to point to god's wisdom is an opportunity to show

00:40:42.240 uh light in the midst of darkness to contrast light with darkness and if we're told to expose these

00:40:48.320 things and anything that is made visible can become light then i think that we have a responsibility

00:40:53.200 to look at the darkness in our culture and to compare it to god's goodness and his light and his gospel

00:41:00.880 so we expose darkness not to just to say hey this is dark but to actually show people the light when

00:41:08.660 you've been in darkness and someone turns on the light suddenly that's super annoying like if you're

00:41:13.960 sleeping like this for example this says awake oh sleeper and arise from the dead and christ will

00:41:19.320 shine on you so if you're in darkness and you are in like a dead sleep and someone comes in your room

00:41:24.980 and they turn on the light your reaction is not going to be thank you so much that's exactly how i wanted

00:41:31.460 to be woken up this is really fun and this feels great on my eyes that's not going to be the response

00:41:37.220 you're going to be super annoyed you're going to be like what are you doing you're probably going to

00:41:40.020 be really angry maybe like you'll even throw a pillow or something like that when you're in the

00:41:44.080 darkness for a long time when you're dead asleep and someone turns on the light and wakes you up

00:41:49.140 it hurts so you can't be surprised when people who love darkness and have been in darkness sleeping

00:41:54.820 for so long want to stay in it it's really comfortable the light is annoying it's it's exposing

00:42:00.380 it exposes everything that you don't want to see but once you're there you realize it's so much

00:42:06.940 better to have the lights on it's so much better to be awake truth is so much better than a lie

00:42:11.840 so how do we deal with this we how do we deal with the darkness that we see around us how do we deal

00:42:18.880 with worship and glorification of satan being so overt right in our faces we just double down on the

00:42:27.720 gospel we double down on loving god and loving our neighbor we are all the more outright about what we

00:42:35.480 believe as christians and why we hate darkness and we love the light we don't fear darkness

00:42:42.320 is a lamp afraid of the dark no because it is it's antithesis darkness fails around it it's it's

00:42:49.840 impossible for darkness to stay around light darkness scatters when the light is turned on

00:42:54.820 remember what jesus says in matthew 5 14 through 16 you believers are the light of the world a city set

00:43:02.740 on a hill cannot be hidden nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket but on a stand

00:43:08.500 and it gives light to all in the house in the same way let your light shine before others so that they

00:43:15.540 may see your good works and give glory to your father who is in heaven that's what god is about

00:43:20.900 giving himself glory through us and you and i and our children were placed on this planet at the exact

00:43:28.920 time and the exact place to face exactly what we're facing according to god's perfect purpose for his

00:43:38.200 specific reasons so that means we don't have to worry about um am i equipped or am i prepared for

00:43:46.580 what's to come or i'm scared to have kids in this time those are all understandable fears that i have

00:43:51.540 felt and wrestled with too sometimes i i look at twitter and i turn on the news and i just want to

00:43:57.000 despair at the darkness that seems to be winning but we go back again and again to psalm 37 for example

00:44:04.460 that says do not fret when it seems like evil doers are getting their way when it seems like wickedness

00:44:10.600 is overcoming because one day evil and wickedness will no longer exist and god tells us until then i'm

00:44:18.440 giving you all the equipment that you need i have given you a trump card that is the blood of christ

00:44:23.060 your testimony to that blood and there is nothing that happens here on earth as much as satan tries

00:44:28.380 to use bad things for his glory i am going to take it redeem it something he cannot do and turn it into

00:44:34.820 something for my glory and the good of those who love me even something as small and as petty as what

00:44:42.060 we're seeing with these crazy shoes and music video so that means that we're bold we're happy we're joyful

00:44:48.960 we are thankful we redouble our efforts to through the holy spirit walk closely with the lord and

00:44:56.140 disciple those around us to do the same so try not to despair when we see things like this like the bible

00:45:03.400 thank the lord for giving us so much clarity and so much equipment and so much encouragement through his

00:45:09.380 word and forgiving us as jesus says the holy spirit has our helper jesus actually says it's better that i go

00:45:17.120 that the holy spirit come so all believers can be equipped can be empowered and god is so gracious

00:45:22.180 that he hasn't left us alone for one second that yes jesus says i think it's matthew 10 that i'm sending

00:45:28.180 you out as sheep among wolves or actually it might be the other passage that i was talking about in

00:45:34.360 matthew earlier it might be both passages but i'm having a hard time remembering jesus does say that i'm

00:45:40.340 sending you out as sheep among wolves that we expect persecution that we expect pushback that

00:45:47.320 we expect to be slandered and accused that's what satan does but he says no matter i've got you like

00:45:57.140 my perfect purposes and perfect plans are going to roll out without a hitch and those whom i have chosen

00:46:03.560 to be a part of it will be a part of it and so we are fully equipped to engage with whatever comes our

00:46:09.920 way and we continue to point to god and give him glory knowing knowing that he is going to redeem and

00:46:16.220 restore and to continue to draw people to himself through whatever means he possibly can all right

00:46:21.760 that's all i've got for today like i said i've got a bunch of news to get through but i just i just

00:46:27.900 couldn't resist talking about um talking about the biblical encouragement that i think actually comes

00:46:34.800 from something as demonic satanic and discouraging um as these shoes and uh as this music video so i

00:46:43.120 hope that you leave feeling actually uplifted by all of this and remembering that you've got everything

00:46:49.920 that you could possibly need to face what is ahead of you through christ all right thank you guys so much

00:46:55.500 for listening i'll be back here tomorrow

00:46:56.880 you

Relatable with Allie Beth Stuckey - March 29, 2021

Ep 393 ｜ Lil Nas X’s Satan Shoes & Why Christians Should Rejoice

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