Fight Like A Man With Passion
The Warrior and His Cause
- The Warrior Who Abandons His Cause Becomes Passive. (Genesis 3:6, NLT2)
When men get their God-given order out of order it brings (Genesis 3:12-13, NKJV) When a man becomes passive, he no longer accepts his God-given role; he blames God and his wife for the problems. When men give up their God-given responsibility it effects their children. Their children will become abusive and will get confused. (Genesis 4:8, NKJV)
Passiveness can be a form of two types of abuse: Spiritual and physical.
When the father is passive the woman becomes controlling and the children become confused about their God-given role. (2 Timothy 3:1-3, TLB)
The Warrior Pursuing The Right Cause Becomes Passionate.
The Passionate Warrior has someone to Protect! (Nehemiah 4:14, NLT2) When battle comes – Fight with Surrender + Sword = Success. The Passionate Warrior has a Kingdom to Advance. (Matthew 11:12, NIV; Joel 3:9-10, NLT2; Matthew 6:33-34, NLT2)
Sermon Video Transcription
James Greer: 00:00 Hey man, welcome to round two of fight like a man. Exodus 15:3 says this, the Lord is our warrior, and another translation says, God is a fighter. Man, we want to teach you how to fight like a man. Amen? But see, a warrior or fighter who abandons his calls, becomes a passive pansy. Let’s look at the first passive pansy in the bible. It is in Genesis 3:6 and we’ll read it like this, and the woman, she was just convinced, Satan had convinced her that she saw that the tree, man it was so very beautiful and its fruit looked delicious and she wanted to be, she wanted the wisdom that it would give her. So, she took some of the fruit, she ate it, and she gave some to her passive pansy husband name Adam, and he was with her and he ate it too. So, he was the first passive pansy. Amen?
James Greer: 01:34 You see what happens when a man neglects his God given role as a warrior and a fighter for his family. He becomes not only a passive pansy, he’s no longer a powerful warrior. So, we’re gonna look at three or four things that happen when you’re no longer a warrior for your family and for God.
James Greer: 01:34 Number one. Number one, when men, yeah, give up their God given order or when they get their God given order out of order, it brings unbelievable disordered to the family. See, God ordered Adam to tend the garden. He said you have the freedom to eat from anything in the garden, except for one tree, the tree of good and evil. Everything else you can. See the reason that he did that, he was reminding me and you that God is the creator of everything, we’re just the managers. See, every good thing in your life came down from God. See and God said, he wants me to know and he wants you to know that he was the creator and we are the managers. He always sets apart certain things just for God to remind them that it’s His. And in the garden of Eden. He said, He set aside the tree.
James Greer: 02:31 In fact, in Genesis 2:5-17 he puts it this way, and then the Lord, he took the man and he put him in the garden with Eve to tend it and to keep it. What was he to do? To tend the garden and to keep it. He put him there and then he said this, and the Lord God commanded the man. Who did he command? Verse 16, the man. He commanded the man saying, of every tree in the garden you may freely eat. He didn’t just ask him, He’s giving him a command. He said, you are to tend the garden and now I’m going to give you a command, of every tree you can eat, but of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat. For the day you eat you shall surely die. Who did God give the commandment to? Who? He gave it to the man. Amen? He said, listen, you can eat of everything, but I’m going to give you a command. Don’t eat of this particular tree.
James Greer: 03:19 What should Adam have done when the serpent tempted the wife? He should have said, God said. Later on, we’re going to find out how do you fight back. How do you fight as a man. You say, God said, and even the very beginning, if Adam would have fought like a man, he would have said to the serpent, He was said to his wife, but God said we shall not eat from that tree, but instead being a passive pansy, he didn’t say anything. See, his wife could have eaten anyway. You can’t control what your mate does. You can’t control what your kids do. You can control whether you’re going to stand up and fight like a man. And all the men said? Amen. And all the passive pansies said, nothing.
James Greer: 04:14 The Bible says in James 4:7, submit yourself to God. In other words, you do what God said. Quote His word. Resist the devil and he shall flee. Let’s see. It was Adam’s responsibility to fight like a man. He was the first passive pansy. So, when our order gets out of order as a man, we have disorder in the home. Second of all, when we become passive pansies we blame others for our problems. Men Do. They start blaming other people in Genesis 3:12,13, God, he asked them why they did that. And the man said that men still do this. It was the woman God gave me. I mean, when we have problems in the house or we can’t pay the bills, it’s the woman’s problem. And she gave me the tree and I ate. So he blamed her and the Lord said to the woman, what is this that you’ve done? And the woman said, it was a serpent deceived me and I ate. So, when we don’t accept our part of the problem, and Adam didn’t. He blamed God for giving up his responsibility instead of taking the responsibility. Men today if you’re not careful, what you’ll do is, you’ll begin to blame your mate. You’ll begin to blame your boss instead of accepting your God given responsibility for providing and protecting for your family.
James Greer: 05:17 So first of all, he was to provide, he was to till the garden. Amen? And then he was to protect by quoting, God said not to do that, but instead when God said, why did you do that? He immediately started blaming and from that day until today, we still struggle with blaming each other for our problem instead of addressing the problem. See, when we have a problem that is not to blame each other, it is to explain to each other and address the problem. Amen? So we’ve got to learn to do that.
James Greer: 06:40 Third, this is really dangerous, when men give up their responsibilities. Not only does it get out of order, not only do they blame, it brings all kinds of confusion in the home, in the family, even with the kids. See, Abel and Cain were Adam and Eve’s kids. In Genesis chapter 4:4 you see the confusion taking place. Abel, also he brought the firstborn, it’s kind of the first fruits of the flock and of the fat, and the Lord, He accepted Abel and his offering. See it was time for them to bring an offering to God, and Abel brought the first fruit. God accepted that. But then after that, Cain came along and He didn’t accept Cains offering. And Cain was very angry in his countenance self. Now see what you’re going to do. Cain began to fight like a worldly man instead of a godly man. God didn’t accept his offerings. So the first thing he did is gotten mad. Instead of fighting like a man, acceptance, responsibility. Instead of doing what he should have done, instead of saying, God, what would you have me to do? No, he began to get angry and he began to get mad, his countenance self, and God addressed him and God said, why don’t you just do it right? In verse seven he said this, if you’ll do well, if you’ll just do what’s accepted, if you’ll just bring the right kind of offering, and if you do not, well, sin lies at the door and it desires you, but you should rule over.
James Greer: 07:21 And Cain was very angry in his countenance self. Now see what you’re going to do is, Cain began to fight like a worldly man instead of a godly man. God didn’t accept his offerings. So, first thing he did is got mad. Instead of fighting like a man, accept his responsibility. Instead of doing what he should have done, instead of saying, God, what would you have me to do? No, he began to get angry and he began to get mad, his countenance self and God addressed him and God said, why don’t you just do it right? In verse seven he said this, if you’ll do well, if you’ll just do what’s accepted, if you’ll just bring the right kind of offering, and if you do not, well, sin lies at the door and it desires you, but you should rule over.
James Greer: 08:14 You were created to rule over it.You were created to be a warrior. You are created to subdue it, you were created to have dominion, but if you don’t, sin lies at the door. Or do you, in other words, do you want to fight like a godly man or are you going to fight like a worldly man? See, a worldly man wants to get up and he wants to get angry. He wants to fist fight. He wants to say, I am the man. A godly man will say, God, what is my part of the responsibility? What can I do to get right with you? What can I do to make it right with my brother? No, Cain talked with Abel, his brother, as it came to pass when they were in the field. Cain rose up against Abel, his brother, and did what? Killed him. Probably the first murder in the bible. Because they were confusion about the first fruits. Why was Cain so angry? Because God didn’t accept the offering that he brought the God. He wanted God to accept what he brought, not what God told him to bring. This is so important. Cain was not accepting his God given responsibilities to bring the first fruit way back with Adam, the fruit that Adam ate in the garden of Eden was a type of the first fruits. It belonged to God. It was set apart. God said everything else in the garden you can have, but don’t eat this. It’s the first fruit, it’s set apart. It belongs to me. Woo.
James Greer: 09:49 See, many times a day, the passive pansy men, they want to give God a tip. Instead of the tithe. The tithe, the 10% was set apart for God. But when you try to tip God instead of tithe God, you bring financial disorder to your house. And then the man says, oh ho I am going to blame my wife. She should be doing no, no, Adam already tried that. That does not work. So my question to you men is this, are you a tipper or are you a tither? Are you accepting your God given responsibility? God said in Malachi 3:10, bring all the tithes into the storehouse, Huh, now that’s the church. That’s not some charity. Then if you’re not married, you should talk about that before you ever get married. In Ephesians 2 it says, the husband to be the head of the house, it means he is supposed to take the responsibility. He should be taking the initiative. I believe God held Adam responsible, not Eve. Eve was a seed he’d given Adam, the call. He’d given Adam the responsibility. And ladies if your husband, if he’s a passive pansy, you’d be a princess warrior and you tithe off of yours, and all of the ladies said Amen. And all the passive pansies, he will not say a word. It’s still true, financial disorder in the United States today, one of the main reasons is because men have not accepted their responsibility.
James Greer: 11:34 Fourth, Passive pansy men lose their power. God created you to be a fighter, a warrior, a worker. It said in Genesis 2:15, He put them in a garden to tend it and to keep it. Free insight, if you’re not married and you’re dating somebody, and if they’re not disabled and they don’t work, huh, urk! He created man first. He created, he tended the garden before he ever created woman. So man, let me tell you what, if you’re not married and he doesn’t work, wait till he gets a job before you marry him. And all people said, Amen. You were created to work. You were created to be a protector. You’re created to be a provider. And if you’re married to somebody, he doesn’t work, tell that sucker to get a job. Tell that sucker what? Get a job. Amen?
James Greer: 12:32 Because in Genesis 1:28 it says, God created them. He said, man, you’re just to do it. You’d have dominion. Romans 8:37, you’re more than conquerors through Christ. So you see, if you’re not careful, you lose your power, you lose your drive, you lose your passion. Let’s see, on the other hand, listen to this. A warrior pursuing the right calls becomes passionate. That’s what we want, we want passionate men and women pursuing the right calls. Passionate warriors have somebody to protect. The right purpose breeds passion. I love Nehemiah 4:14, I love, I love it. Nehemiah 4:14 says this, then as I looked over the situation, I called together all the nobles and the rest of the people and I said to them, don’t be afraid of the enemy. Everybody here, guess what? If you’re a Christian, you have Christ in you. He is greater than you that sees in the world. Don’t be afraid of the enemy. Remember, the Lord is with you and he’s for you. Who is greater and glorious and fight. Fight for your brothers. Fight for your sons. Fight for your dollars. Fight for your wife. Fight for your home. In other words, God said, listen, I want you to be fighters, but I want you to learn the fight for the right thing.
James Greer: 13:55 The Lord is with you. Fight for your sons, your daughters, your wives, your home. Men you are to be fighters. Amen? What you need to do is learn how to fight. Not like Cain. Cain fought like the world. He got angry. He’d scream. You can cuss, you can fist fight. That’s not how God wants you to fight. God wants you to fight for your home, fight for your family, fight for your sons. He wants you to know how to fight. First. way you fight is you learn to take up the sword. The sword is the word of God. Hebrews 4:12 says, the word of God is quick, it’s powerful, it’s sharper than a two edged sword. Take up the sword, the word of God. Ephesians 6:17 says, they’ve got the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God. So what is one of your weapons? The sword, which is what? The word of God.
James Greer: 14:42 Second of all, surrender. You’ve got to learn to surrender at the first sign of a problem surrender. Become preoccupied and completely dependent upon Christ. Let it reflect into your behavior. Surrender to God’s plan for your life. We take up the sword, we surrender, we get the seed of faith. Matthew 17:20 says this, so Jesus said to them, because of your unbelief, for surely I say to you if he had the faith of the grain of a mustard seed, I have mustard seeds in my car. They’re about this big and I also have a sword. I wanted to bring the sword in the seed, but I thought we had enough dramatic stuff today. But anyway, you’ll say to this mountain, you can speak it out loud, move from here to there and it’ll be moved and nothing will be impossible for you.
James Greer: 15:44 It’s a prescription on how to fight and have victory every time. But let me put it in the right order for you. At the first sign of a problem, surrender really should come first. And then you take the sword, which is the word of God. And then you add the seed of faith, and you’ll begin to have victory. Every single time, success and victory. At first sign of worry, surrender. At the first sign of fearfulness, surrender the first time you have need, surrender and just surrender because when it all comes, when you have a problem, what do you do? Surrender. You surrender. You become preoccupied with Christ. You start thinking about how great he is, how powerful He is. He is the creator of the heavens and the earth, nothing is too hard for him. You become dependent upon him, not yourself. Not your boss, not anything else. Then you take the sword, which is the word of God, and then start saying man, greater is he that is in me and is in the world. And then you get a seed of faith. You start believing that it can happen, and man, your faith just starts happening and you begin to have victory over anything and everything. You’re having, man, woman, boys and girls learn to fight. Amen? Fight right. Fight right.
James Greer: 17:02 A passionate warrior needs to learn to advance the kingdom. That’s why you’re here. You’re here to advance the kingdom and you have to fight to do that. Matthew 11:12 puts it this way, from the days of John the Baptist until now, until today, the Kingdom of Heaven is being what? Forcefully advanced, and forceful men lay hold of it. Fight for it, advance the kingdom. Every man, woman and boy, girl, listen, you are saved to advance the Kingdom of God. That is your purpose.
James Greer: 17:11 Start inviting people, encouraging people. Every time you have somebody hurting and needs, hey man, why don’t you come to church? We should be constantly looking for people to help. Invite somebody. Ask God, Hey, put somebody on my heart. Let me ask him. Let me pray for them. Reach out and touch somebody. We’re asking every staff, every week at least touch five people. Ask God, who would you have me call? Who’d you hear me to touch? Who would you have me invite? But why not the whole church forcefully advance the kingdom of God. Amen? Invite somebody next Sunday.
James Greer: 18:13 Joel 3:9,10 man, I love this, say of the nations, say to Journey Church far and wide. Get ready for war. You do know we’re in a battle. Do you do know the devil’s out to steal and kill? You do know that he wants to destroy your job and your family and everybody around you, right? Call out your best warriors. Let all your fighting men advance for the attack. I love the next part, Hammer your plow sheers and swords in and you’re pruning hooks into spears. Look, and then train your weaklings. Even your pansies, it’s time to go to war. Amen? Time to step up. Maybe you’ve been a pansy. It’s time to start fighting back. How do you do that? Matthew 6:33 you began to seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, everything else will be added.
James Greer: 19:05 Man, it’s time to advance God’s kingdom. And he called every single one of us to do the same thing. Every one of us could fight the same way and everybody can go forward. Everybody at Journey Church, if you’ll apply these three principles, you can start having more victories today, this week, than you’ve ever had before. First sign of a problem. What are you going to do, surrender? Second, what are you going to do? I’m going to find a seed, I mean, the word of God, the sword, that will take it out, and then I’m going to apply my faith and I’m going to start having victory. Now, some of you all came today and I’m going to give a prayer in just a minute and you need to surrender your problem.
James Greer: 19:41 Why? There’s absolutely nothing too hard for God. Amen? Surrender to God’s plan for your life. Say, I want to be a part of furthering God’s kingdom. Let me ask you something, when is the last time you invited somebody even to come to church with you? One of the greatest evangelists and things you can do is invite somebody. Every single Sunday. We try to give the plan of salvation. Like right now, today, the first thing you need to do to have victory is to have the winner on your side. John 14 said, Jesus said, I’m the way, the truth of life. No man comes to the father, but by me. It’s not some way. It’s the only way to get to heaven it’s the only way to access the winner, it’s the only way to access the power it’s only way to have a fighter on your side. So, if you’re here today and you don’t have Jesus Christ on your side as your savior, you know you have sinned and I want you to come down in just a moment and say, hey man, Jesus said, I’m the way, the truth and the life. No man comes to the father by me, and you just step out and say, hey, I need Jesus as my savior. Maybe you came here today with unbelievable pressure and problem and you just need to surrender. Surrender your problems, surrender your worries, surrender your heartache. Take up the sword, the word of God. Let this increase your faith. This grain of a mustard seed, it’s not very big. Let it swell up inside of you. God said, then nothing’s impossible. Let it increase your faith. Believe God this morning.
James Greer: 21:15 Would you stand. Let me pray with you and pray for you. God, you’re such an awesome God. I pray today that you would increase our faith, increase our fight, increase our passion, increase our care for other people. God, help us to further your kingdom. Let it take forcefully God. Defeat the enemy, resisting where he has to flee. God, you’ve already defeating. You have dominion. God you’re with us, you’re for us God. Cast out fear. Cast out doubt. God, I pray that everyone of us here today could have your way in our life. It’s in the precious name of Jesus. I pray. Amen.
Recorded in Pineville, Louisiana.