- FREE -
by Doug Reed
“The Truth will Set You FREE”
* Todays Topic: 5 Steps to Freedom from Addiction
* Todays References: Mark 5:1-20 (ESV & NLT) — Luke 8:26-39 (NIV)
*** Circling the Airport ILL. — EVENTUALLY YOU WILL CRASH! ***
*** Leash ILL. — What limits you? — What are you PULLING against? ***
* REAL CHAIN — Our CHAINS are STRONG — ***
*** My own BONDAGE to PORNOGRAPHY (my Testimony)
— The SELF WORTH “LOCK” I discovered at 25... Tell the story ***
Your IDENTITY and your ADDICTION are connected — You have to believe you are fully loved by GOD!!!
* KEY VERSE: John 8:36 (NIV) “If the Son sets you free — You will be free indeed”
—— What if you could be FREE INDEED? (ELAB)
— Today I want to JUMP right in and show you some STEPS to FREEDOM from the STORY of a man who was BOUND as you can be — This guy was beyond ADDICTED... He was POSSESSED by evil spirits (ELAB)
Mark 5:1-2 (ESV) They (Jesus and the Disciples) came to the other side
of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man (MSG “a madman”) with an unclean spirit (AMP - “He was under the power of an unclean spirit) (NLT - “He was possessed by an evil spirit) (PRAY)
The scene: JESUS himself crosses the SEA and steps off the boat - (He did for us too...) GRACE crosses the SEA that is separating this man from his
freedom — GRACE steps off the boat... into his broken life — We all have “SEA’S” separating us from the one who can set us FREE
** The SEA of PRIDE — The SEA of SHAME — The SEA of DOUBT — The SEA of SELF RELIANCE — The SEA of a PAINFUL PAST — The SEA of SIN **
* There is no BARRIER that GRACE cannot cross
— No one is so far away from JESUS that HE cannot find them
by Doug Reed
“The Truth will Set You FREE”
* Todays Topic: 5 Steps to Freedom from Addiction
* Todays References: Mark 5:1-20 (ESV & NLT) — Luke 8:26-39 (NIV)
*** Circling the Airport ILL. — EVENTUALLY YOU WILL CRASH! ***
*** Leash ILL. — What limits you? — What are you PULLING against? ***
* REAL CHAIN — Our CHAINS are STRONG — ***
*** My own BONDAGE to PORNOGRAPHY (my Testimony)
— The SELF WORTH “LOCK” I discovered at 25... Tell the story ***
Your IDENTITY and your ADDICTION are connected — You have to believe you are fully loved by GOD!!!
* KEY VERSE: John 8:36 (NIV) “If the Son sets you free — You will be free indeed”
—— What if you could be FREE INDEED? (ELAB)
— Today I want to JUMP right in and show you some STEPS to FREEDOM from the STORY of a man who was BOUND as you can be — This guy was beyond ADDICTED... He was POSSESSED by evil spirits (ELAB)
Mark 5:1-2 (ESV) They (Jesus and the Disciples) came to the other side
of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man (MSG “a madman”) with an unclean spirit (AMP - “He was under the power of an unclean spirit) (NLT - “He was possessed by an evil spirit) (PRAY)
The scene: JESUS himself crosses the SEA and steps off the boat - (He did for us too...) GRACE crosses the SEA that is separating this man from his
freedom — GRACE steps off the boat... into his broken life — We all have “SEA’S” separating us from the one who can set us FREE
** The SEA of PRIDE — The SEA of SHAME — The SEA of DOUBT — The SEA of SELF RELIANCE — The SEA of a PAINFUL PAST — The SEA of SIN **
* There is no BARRIER that GRACE cannot cross
— No one is so far away from JESUS that HE cannot find them
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** This is the GOSPEL — Grace came to EARTH — Crossing the SEA of
SIN that separated us from God (Christmas — Emanuel) Jesus came to us **
(THE MAN) The BIBLE says that IMMEDIATELY a man came out from — “AMONG THE TOMBS” * PIC 1 then 2 & met JESUS
This guys was literally living in TOMBS where they stored dead bodies
—— He lived among DEATH and his own BONDAGE was killing him
— THE TOMBS here represent “ISOLATION” — That is what bondage and addiction does — You have to HIDE — It forces you into ISOLATION (ELAB) —— ISOLATION comes in many forms (That distance between you & others)
So... This guy is HOMELESS — He is the “MADMAN who lives among the TOMBS” — He is DYING in his addictions and hanging with DEATH
And... (This is recorded in 3 of 4 Gospels) — Mathew’s account (MT. 8) says that there were TWO of them (both possessed) ... (One did the all the talking)
* BONDAGE always loves PARTNERSHIP — DARKNESS hates LIGHT because LIGHT reveals what DARKNESS hides (ELAB)
AND... He was POSSESSED — Under the control of — INVADED by an Evil Spirit - We find out later... He was controlled by MANY spirits
*** Mark 5:9 — “My name is legion for there are many of us inside of this man” — A LEGION in ROME could be as many as 6000 soldiers ***
NOW... The EPICENTER of this mans BONDAGE was DEMONIC POSSESSION — His ISSUES were driven by a MULTITUDE
of EVIL forces that were far more powerful than HE was
— Have you ever had SOMETHING take control of you? Something EVIL
& STRONG? Something of MULTIPLICITY? — Something MASSIVE & COMPLICATED? — It takes over your very being — Your PERSONALITY
& even your ACTIONS are dominated by a FORCE far bigger than you
*** CHRISTIANS — POSSESSION verse OPPRESSION (A fine line) ***
(THE MAN) The BIBLE says that IMMEDIATELY a man came out from — “AMONG THE TOMBS” * PIC 1 then 2 & met JESUS
This guys was literally living in TOMBS where they stored dead bodies
—— He lived among DEATH and his own BONDAGE was killing him
— THE TOMBS here represent “ISOLATION” — That is what bondage and addiction does — You have to HIDE — It forces you into ISOLATION (ELAB) —— ISOLATION comes in many forms (That distance between you & others)
So... This guy is HOMELESS — He is the “MADMAN who lives among the TOMBS” — He is DYING in his addictions and hanging with DEATH
And... (This is recorded in 3 of 4 Gospels) — Mathew’s account (MT. 8) says that there were TWO of them (both possessed) ... (One did the all the talking)
* BONDAGE always loves PARTNERSHIP — DARKNESS hates LIGHT because LIGHT reveals what DARKNESS hides (ELAB)
AND... He was POSSESSED — Under the control of — INVADED by an Evil Spirit - We find out later... He was controlled by MANY spirits
*** Mark 5:9 — “My name is legion for there are many of us inside of this man” — A LEGION in ROME could be as many as 6000 soldiers ***
NOW... The EPICENTER of this mans BONDAGE was DEMONIC POSSESSION — His ISSUES were driven by a MULTITUDE
of EVIL forces that were far more powerful than HE was
— Have you ever had SOMETHING take control of you? Something EVIL
& STRONG? Something of MULTIPLICITY? — Something MASSIVE & COMPLICATED? — It takes over your very being — Your PERSONALITY
& even your ACTIONS are dominated by a FORCE far bigger than you
*** CHRISTIANS — POSSESSION verse OPPRESSION (A fine line) ***
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Mark 5:3-5 (NLT) This man lived among the burial caves and could no
longer be restrained, even with a chain. Whenever he was put into chains
and shackles—as he often was—he snapped the chains from his wrists and smashed the shackles. No one was strong enough to subdue him. Day and night he wandered among the burial caves and in the hills, howling and cutting himself with sharp stones.
(The MENTAL illness and SPIRITUAL oppression
we face as a CHURCH — Some of what we deal with)
MY HEART: * It is only when we receive the UNCLEAN and the UNPROCESSED that we see what JESUS is capable of doing
NOTE: Never stop IN-VISIONING where people CAN BE as opposed to WHERE they ARE (If we lose THIS then we should close the doors)
— There is no “INSANITY” that JESUS cannot cannot restore back to “CLARITY” —— There is no force of HELL that does not have to BOW
and COWER at the MATCHLESS name of JESUS
Mark 5:6-8 (NLT) When Jesus was still some distance away, the man saw him, ran to meet him, and bowed low before him. With a shriek, he screamed, “Why are you interfering with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In the name of God, I beg you, don’t torture me!” — For Jesus had already said to the spirit — “Come out of the man, you evil spirit.”
JESUS then SETS THE MAN FREE - He casts the DEMONS into a herd of PIGS
(Brief ELAB) (I believe this was to DRAW a crowd — highlight the power of God in this mans life —— The PIGS made this guy FAMOUS!)
(Last Week) ** LOUIS GIGLIO — “Our FREEDOM and God’s GLORY are forever interwoven into ONE STORY”
God wants the GLORY of your FREEDOM STORY (Celebration of your Liberation) Verse 14 says.... That people from everywhere heard what had
happened and began coming from all the sounding areas
Mark 5:15 (NLT) A crowd soon gathered around Jesus, and they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons. He was sitting there fully clothed and perfectly sane, and they were all afraid.
longer be restrained, even with a chain. Whenever he was put into chains
and shackles—as he often was—he snapped the chains from his wrists and smashed the shackles. No one was strong enough to subdue him. Day and night he wandered among the burial caves and in the hills, howling and cutting himself with sharp stones.
(The MENTAL illness and SPIRITUAL oppression
we face as a CHURCH — Some of what we deal with)
MY HEART: * It is only when we receive the UNCLEAN and the UNPROCESSED that we see what JESUS is capable of doing
NOTE: Never stop IN-VISIONING where people CAN BE as opposed to WHERE they ARE (If we lose THIS then we should close the doors)
— There is no “INSANITY” that JESUS cannot cannot restore back to “CLARITY” —— There is no force of HELL that does not have to BOW
and COWER at the MATCHLESS name of JESUS
Mark 5:6-8 (NLT) When Jesus was still some distance away, the man saw him, ran to meet him, and bowed low before him. With a shriek, he screamed, “Why are you interfering with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In the name of God, I beg you, don’t torture me!” — For Jesus had already said to the spirit — “Come out of the man, you evil spirit.”
JESUS then SETS THE MAN FREE - He casts the DEMONS into a herd of PIGS
(Brief ELAB) (I believe this was to DRAW a crowd — highlight the power of God in this mans life —— The PIGS made this guy FAMOUS!)
(Last Week) ** LOUIS GIGLIO — “Our FREEDOM and God’s GLORY are forever interwoven into ONE STORY”
God wants the GLORY of your FREEDOM STORY (Celebration of your Liberation) Verse 14 says.... That people from everywhere heard what had
happened and began coming from all the sounding areas
Mark 5:15 (NLT) A crowd soon gathered around Jesus, and they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons. He was sitting there fully clothed and perfectly sane, and they were all afraid.
3
— I love that last statement: “They were all afraid” — God wants to
CHANGE you so much that it SCARES everyone around you (ELAB)
SAD... The people were so shocked by this event that they began to beg JESUS to leave (Two reasons: MONEY and SAMENESS) — It costs $ to reach
people and... We cant stay the same if we are going to reach them
(Finish the story) As JESUS is leaving the MAN begs JESUS to go with him — Jesus says NO —— Instead Jesus gives him a MISSION
- He tells him to go and proclaim his STORY to his family and everyone else
Look at verse 20... Mark 5:20 (NLT) So the man started off to visit the Ten Towns of that region and began to proclaim the great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed at what he told them.
(FINAL TRANSITION) There is so MUCH here!!! I want to break this down for you into * 5 CLEAR steps toward FREEDOM (VERY FAST)
#1 - When your BOUND and your ADDICTIONS are dominating you — When EVIL forces are in CONTROL of you....
* 1. RUN TO JESUS — (Mark 5:1 & 6)
Two Times in our text it tells us that the man CAME TO or RAN TO Jesus
— When he SAW JESUS — He RAN TO JESUS (REPEAT)
See... This man had NOTHING left in his FACULTIES that could
could help him (He could not join a support group or start a program)
The people around him were out of answers — They had finally resorted to just CHAINING him up * PIC 3 & 4 — But even that would not work!!!
— We know that he had a FAMILY (verse 19) but they could not help him No... In a way... The SEVERITY of his CONDITION was a blessing because he
only had one OPTION — There was only one who could set him FREE This man RAN TO JESUS — So many of us do not — Instead we search
everyplace else for a FREEDOM that only He can give — “Free Indeed”
4
SAD... The people were so shocked by this event that they began to beg JESUS to leave (Two reasons: MONEY and SAMENESS) — It costs $ to reach
people and... We cant stay the same if we are going to reach them
(Finish the story) As JESUS is leaving the MAN begs JESUS to go with him — Jesus says NO —— Instead Jesus gives him a MISSION
- He tells him to go and proclaim his STORY to his family and everyone else
Look at verse 20... Mark 5:20 (NLT) So the man started off to visit the Ten Towns of that region and began to proclaim the great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed at what he told them.
(FINAL TRANSITION) There is so MUCH here!!! I want to break this down for you into * 5 CLEAR steps toward FREEDOM (VERY FAST)
#1 - When your BOUND and your ADDICTIONS are dominating you — When EVIL forces are in CONTROL of you....
* 1. RUN TO JESUS — (Mark 5:1 & 6)
Two Times in our text it tells us that the man CAME TO or RAN TO Jesus
— When he SAW JESUS — He RAN TO JESUS (REPEAT)
See... This man had NOTHING left in his FACULTIES that could
could help him (He could not join a support group or start a program)
The people around him were out of answers — They had finally resorted to just CHAINING him up * PIC 3 & 4 — But even that would not work!!!
— We know that he had a FAMILY (verse 19) but they could not help him No... In a way... The SEVERITY of his CONDITION was a blessing because he
only had one OPTION — There was only one who could set him FREE This man RAN TO JESUS — So many of us do not — Instead we search
everyplace else for a FREEDOM that only He can give — “Free Indeed”
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— JESUS came for one purpose: “TO SET THE CAPTIVES FREE”
Luke 4:18 (NIV) says this about Jesus... “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free”
— You want to get in business with Jesus because Jesus is in the FREEDOM business *** Very brief ... The testimonies of addicts in our Church!!! ***
* 2. BE HONEST ABOUT YOUR CONDITION (Luke 8:30)
* Freedom and truth cannot be separated - Truth will set you free * Luke 8:30 (NIV) Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” “Legion,”
he replied, because many demons had gone into him
(Note: That Mark says the demon spoke — Luke says the man spoke)
** He would not want to give a name that revealed his demons... But he does... “I
am full of so many demons” (JACOB wrestling with God... saying his name **
— You can always tell when someone really wants to be FREE because they get REALLY HONEST — SCARY TRUTHFUL —— (ELAB)
— On the other hand... When someone is playing around you know it...
... Because the HONESTY FACTOR is LOW — They are self deceived
“I’m not smoking that much CRACK” — “I only drink when I am at a party or something... after all Pastor it is the Holidays”
—— (Jesus “loves” it when we get wasted in celebration of Him...NOT)
“It’s everyone else's fault” — “Look at the way this or that person hurt me”
—— “I’m not ADDICTED Pastor... I can quit anytime I want”
—— “I only watch a little PORN” — “I only “CHEAT” on my wife some”
—— NO... If you want to BE FREE you have to GET REAL!!! (ELAB) (From week 1) Proverbs 28:13 (NLT) People who conceal their sins will not prosper
— but if they confess & turn from them, they will receive mercy
*** PROSPERING and CONFESSION go together — “AND TURN” ***
Luke 4:18 (NIV) says this about Jesus... “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free”
— You want to get in business with Jesus because Jesus is in the FREEDOM business *** Very brief ... The testimonies of addicts in our Church!!! ***
* 2. BE HONEST ABOUT YOUR CONDITION (Luke 8:30)
* Freedom and truth cannot be separated - Truth will set you free * Luke 8:30 (NIV) Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” “Legion,”
he replied, because many demons had gone into him
(Note: That Mark says the demon spoke — Luke says the man spoke)
** He would not want to give a name that revealed his demons... But he does... “I
am full of so many demons” (JACOB wrestling with God... saying his name **
— You can always tell when someone really wants to be FREE because they get REALLY HONEST — SCARY TRUTHFUL —— (ELAB)
— On the other hand... When someone is playing around you know it...
... Because the HONESTY FACTOR is LOW — They are self deceived
“I’m not smoking that much CRACK” — “I only drink when I am at a party or something... after all Pastor it is the Holidays”
—— (Jesus “loves” it when we get wasted in celebration of Him...NOT)
“It’s everyone else's fault” — “Look at the way this or that person hurt me”
—— “I’m not ADDICTED Pastor... I can quit anytime I want”
—— “I only watch a little PORN” — “I only “CHEAT” on my wife some”
—— NO... If you want to BE FREE you have to GET REAL!!! (ELAB) (From week 1) Proverbs 28:13 (NLT) People who conceal their sins will not prosper
— but if they confess & turn from them, they will receive mercy
*** PROSPERING and CONFESSION go together — “AND TURN” ***
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* 3. LEAVE THE TOMBS BEHIND (Luke 8:35)
—— We have solid evidence that this guy left the “GRAVEYARD of his ADDICTION” in his REARVIEW mirror
— The DEMONS were GONE and He did not CHASE them (ELAB)
*** He went the other way... THE OTHER WAY — The KEY to defeating
SIN can come down to ONE WORD —— “RUN” (Forest Gump joke) ***
Amos 5:14-15 (NLT) Do what is good & RUN FROM EVIL so that you may live!
Then the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies will be your helper — just as you have claimed. Hate evil & love what is good
— He DEVELOPED some new HABITS (MARK 5:15 - “Fully Clothed”) ** This guy had a habit of running around NAKED... That changed! **
*** Every harmful ADDICTION needs to be replaced with a healthy OBSESSION — Porn site for a Bible site — Saturday Partying for Sunday Church — Life for Death — Bondage for Jesus ***
* MY ROOM (God Culture Series) —— A place of BONDAGE became a place of FREEDOM —— A place depression became a place of WORSHIP *
— He developed new RELATIONSHIPS (I talk about that In a minute)
— He started a REGIONAL MINISTRY (The keys to set others free)
— He began LIVING SAINLY and PRODUCTIVELY
2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV) God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of POWER
and of LOVE and of a SOUND MIND
*** God can restore your SANITY —— Minister to Mental Illness ***
So... Are you ready to LEAVE THE TOMBS BEHIND??? The TOMBS of your ADDICTION have no DOORS — You have to want to LEAVE!!!
—— Do whatever it takes... (Eye poke out / Cut hand off verses)
* 4. SURROUND YOURSELF WITH THE RIGHT PEOPLE (Luke 8:35)
— This guy literally went from hanging out with a person in as deep of bondage as he was... To sitting at the feet of Jesus with the Disciples
—— We have solid evidence that this guy left the “GRAVEYARD of his ADDICTION” in his REARVIEW mirror
— The DEMONS were GONE and He did not CHASE them (ELAB)
*** He went the other way... THE OTHER WAY — The KEY to defeating
SIN can come down to ONE WORD —— “RUN” (Forest Gump joke) ***
Amos 5:14-15 (NLT) Do what is good & RUN FROM EVIL so that you may live!
Then the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies will be your helper — just as you have claimed. Hate evil & love what is good
— He DEVELOPED some new HABITS (MARK 5:15 - “Fully Clothed”) ** This guy had a habit of running around NAKED... That changed! **
*** Every harmful ADDICTION needs to be replaced with a healthy OBSESSION — Porn site for a Bible site — Saturday Partying for Sunday Church — Life for Death — Bondage for Jesus ***
* MY ROOM (God Culture Series) —— A place of BONDAGE became a place of FREEDOM —— A place depression became a place of WORSHIP *
— He developed new RELATIONSHIPS (I talk about that In a minute)
— He started a REGIONAL MINISTRY (The keys to set others free)
— He began LIVING SAINLY and PRODUCTIVELY
2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV) God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of POWER
and of LOVE and of a SOUND MIND
*** God can restore your SANITY —— Minister to Mental Illness ***
So... Are you ready to LEAVE THE TOMBS BEHIND??? The TOMBS of your ADDICTION have no DOORS — You have to want to LEAVE!!!
—— Do whatever it takes... (Eye poke out / Cut hand off verses)
* 4. SURROUND YOURSELF WITH THE RIGHT PEOPLE (Luke 8:35)
— This guy literally went from hanging out with a person in as deep of bondage as he was... To sitting at the feet of Jesus with the Disciples
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He was hanging out with BOUND PEOPLE — DEAD PEOPLE & DEMONS
QUESTION: IF this guy had not changed his relationships do you think he
would have been FREE for long??? (Of course not....) (1 Corinthians 15:33 — Bad company corrupts good character”)
YET... People try this all the time. They never change the PEOPLE or the PLACES of influence in their life and they try to be FREE too...
* Your ASSOCIATION will determine the length of your LIBERATION We see this clearly in the Bible... *** Galatians — The LAW ***
Galatians 5:1 (NIV) It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm,
then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
*** CHAIR ILL. (Use 2 people) — Laws of PHYSICS — The WRONG people have a better chance of PULLING you DOWN than you have of PULLING them UP ***
A Great Rule: “Don’t SURROUND yourself with people who are where you are — Surround yourself with people who are where you want to be”
*** THE BEN STORY —— My first decision of FAITH
was one of ASSOCIATION ***
* 5. TELL EVERYONE WHAT JESUS HAS DONE FOR YOU (Mark 5:20) — PROCLAMATION is a the BEST way to make a DECLARATION
Every-time this man told his story he was holding himself accountable to others and himself for the FREEDOM that JESUS had placed in his life
*** ARE YOU ALL IN??? Chips Illustration —— Power of your TESTIMONY verse (Revelation 12:11) *** * PIC 5 - (LEAVE UP)
Become as BOLD about your FREEDOM as the world is about their BONDAGE
—— God wants to turn your MESS into a MESSAGE!!! ——
*** REVIEW my TESTIMONY... Hit on my life now!! MY continual STORY is for GODS continual GLORY ***
would have been FREE for long??? (Of course not....) (1 Corinthians 15:33 — Bad company corrupts good character”)
YET... People try this all the time. They never change the PEOPLE or the PLACES of influence in their life and they try to be FREE too...
* Your ASSOCIATION will determine the length of your LIBERATION We see this clearly in the Bible... *** Galatians — The LAW ***
Galatians 5:1 (NIV) It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm,
then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
*** CHAIR ILL. (Use 2 people) — Laws of PHYSICS — The WRONG people have a better chance of PULLING you DOWN than you have of PULLING them UP ***
A Great Rule: “Don’t SURROUND yourself with people who are where you are — Surround yourself with people who are where you want to be”
*** THE BEN STORY —— My first decision of FAITH
was one of ASSOCIATION ***
* 5. TELL EVERYONE WHAT JESUS HAS DONE FOR YOU (Mark 5:20) — PROCLAMATION is a the BEST way to make a DECLARATION
Every-time this man told his story he was holding himself accountable to others and himself for the FREEDOM that JESUS had placed in his life
*** ARE YOU ALL IN??? Chips Illustration —— Power of your TESTIMONY verse (Revelation 12:11) *** * PIC 5 - (LEAVE UP)
Become as BOLD about your FREEDOM as the world is about their BONDAGE
—— God wants to turn your MESS into a MESSAGE!!! ——
*** REVIEW my TESTIMONY... Hit on my life now!! MY continual STORY is for GODS continual GLORY ***
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