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Today, we are going to take a posture of peace

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by keeping first love first.

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Posture is a short, audible fist bump

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to remind you God is with you in everything.

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Together, we're going to be emboldened

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to take a daily posture of perfect peace.

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Earlier this week, in episode 92,

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I shared Jesus's prayer for all believers

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that we find in John chapter 17.

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In that episode, we started reading in verse 20,

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and today, I want to read more of that prayer from verse 24.

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So in John 17, verse 24, Jesus prays,

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Father, I want those you have given me

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to be with me where I am and to see my glory,

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the glory you have given me

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because you loved me before the creation of the world.

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In the beginning of scripture, in the book of Genesis,

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we see in the garden the enemy

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separating people from first love.

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Now, what is first love?

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Maybe you're familiar with that term

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because you've read Revelation chapter two.

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First love is the love of the father

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to his beloved son, Jesus.

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It's the first love that existed before creation

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between the father and Jesus, and in Christ,

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you and I now have a sacred intimacy

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of sharing in that first love experience.

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Let that sink in.

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This is what it means to be alive in God.

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Think of it this way.

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As the father and Jesus delight in each other,

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as they delight in their love for one another,

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we are included in the delightful relationship they share.

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And it's in the secret place where we engage

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in this beautiful, delightful, intimate fellowship with God.

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And remember, it's because of Jesus,

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because of Jesus's perfect performance,

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because of Jesus's finished work,

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the secret place, the dwelling place of God's presence

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is now within you.

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It is where the spirit of Christ lives in you.

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It is where the oneness and unity of the father,

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son, and Holy Spirit engage you

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in the victorious life of fullness.

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Now, we live in a world that believes

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it is the self-achievement of performance

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that is the real source of power, and they chase after it.

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I mean, self-empowerment is some of the most popular content

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out there in the world today.

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But we are people of the kingdom,

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so we know the truth and the truth has set us free.

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The truth is that it is intimacy with God

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that is the real source of power.

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I have said it many times, maybe you've heard me say this

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on some of my past episodes, you are not powerless,

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not in any circumstance, not in any global crisis,

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not in any national unrest, you are never without power

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because you are never without access to the source of power

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which is intimacy with God.

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We must keep this first love first.

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Now, I mentioned Revelation 2.

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In Revelation 2, we see the church in Ephesus

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is performing really well.

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They are doing a very good job in the external effect

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of their ministry to other people,

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but it came at the expense of their first love relationship

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and that was a source of grief to God.

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Look, it's no secret, we live in a world that needs power.

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We live in a world that needs ministry.

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There are people in real need facing real pain.

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Above all of that, you are first a worshiper

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and a true worshiper knows that intimacy with God

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is non-negotiable.

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Our prime ministry is to the Lord.

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When he is our first love, our capacity to move in power

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is hugely increased and from our place of intimacy with God,

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overflows genuine, lasting love and service to other people,

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but it is never the other way around.

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The other way around only causes heartbreak and burnout

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and eventually hopelessness.

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We do not perform to gain a close relationship with our God.

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We do not perform to gain his presence in our lives.

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We do not perform for power.

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Jesus performed a perfect.

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finished work, and he gifted us his victory.

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He gifted us access to his first love with the Father.

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So now, his presence is always with us,

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never leaving us, never forsaking us,

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and by engaging with his presence,

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by keeping intimacy with him, our priority,

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we receive power.

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Do you wanna change the world?

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Do you wanna make a difference?

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Keep first love first.

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The promise of perfect peace is found in Isaiah 26.3.

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In Hebrew, it is shalom, shalom, meaning complete wholeness,

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nothing missing, nothing broken.

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This is who you are in Jesus because of Jesus.

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You are a living testimony of Jesus's ultimate win

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with every step you take today,

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you're putting Jesus's victory on display

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and Satan's defeat on replay.