“The excellence of the power is of God and not of us.”

The Treasure in Earthen Vessels — Living From the Power Within

In this message, Chad Everett unpacks the biblical truth of the Treasure in Earthen Vessels. Throughout Luke 4, Luke 9, Philippians 2, and 2 Corinthians 4, he answers a critical question:

How did Jesus function when He walked the earth, and what does that mean for us today?

Although Jesus was fully God, He chose to lay aside divine privilege. Instead of operating independently, He humbled Himself and lived as a man anointed by the Holy Spirit. As a result, His authority flowed from relationship with the Father, not self-exaltation.

Understanding the Treasure in Earthen Vessels begins with understanding this pattern of dependence.

Dependence Defined His Ministry

Philippians 2 reveals that Christ emptied Himself and embraced the form of a servant. Rather than grasping equality, He chose obedience. Because of this humility, His life displayed strength through surrender.

In Luke 4, Scripture shows Jesus returning in the power of the Spirit. He taught with authority, rebuked demons, and healed the sick. Yet even in power, He declared, “I can of Myself do nothing.” Over and over, He aligned His words and actions with the Father.

Therefore, the Treasure in Earthen Vessels does not produce self-reliance. Instead, it calls believers into Spirit-dependence.

Authority That Is Given

Later, in Luke 9, Jesus gathered His disciples and gave them power and authority. He did not instruct them to generate it. Nor did He require them to earn it. Instead, He delegated it and then sent them to preach the kingdom and heal the sick.

Second Corinthians 4: 7 clarifies this reality: “We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.”

While the vessel remains ordinary, the source remains divine. Because of this, the Treasure in Earthen Vessels describes Christ dwelling within His people today.

Living From the Treasure

So what does this mean for us?

Many people measure life by talent, personality, or experience. However, Scripture teaches us to measure by Christ in us. When believers live from the Treasure in Earthen Vessels, pride loses influence and fear loses control. Instead of striving, we begin trusting. Instead of performing, we begin obeying.

Ultimately, the question does not concern whether the treasure exists. Scripture already confirms that. Rather, the real question asks whether we live from it.

The excellence of the power belongs to God — and that truth changes everything.

Key Scriptures

Luke 4: 14–19, Luke 9: 1–2, Philippians 2: 5–8, 2 Corinthians 4: 7, Ephesians 3: 20

“Are you going to return the same way you came, or are you going to return in the dunamis of God?”

In this message Return in the Power of the Spirit from the Spiritual Authority – Restored In Christ sermon series, Chad Everett walks through Luke 4 and confronts a powerful question: How will you return?

Jesus did not leave the wilderness unchanged. Instead, He returned in the power of the Spirit. Luke 4 reveals more than a historical moment. It reveals a pattern for every believer who desires to return to the life God has called them to live.

If we want to understand spiritual authority, we must look carefully at what Luke 4 shows us.

Jesus Returned in Dunamis and Exousia

Luke 4:14 tells us that Jesus “returned in the power of the Spirit.” The word dunamis means miraculous power and ability. Later in the chapter, we see exousia, which refers to authority, jurisdiction, and the right to act.

This means He did not return with confidence alone. Rather, He returned empowered by the Holy Spirit.

As a result, He taught with authority.
He rebuked unclean spirits.
He healed the sick.
He commanded—and demons obeyed.

In other words, Luke 4 does not present spiritual authority as theory. It presents authority in action. True authority flows from dependence on the Spirit—not from position, title, or personality.

Guard Against Familiarity and Religion

When Jesus returned to Nazareth, the place where He grew up, the people initially admired His words. However, admiration quickly shifted. Although they heard Him, they struggled to receive Him.

Familiarity dulled their hunger.

Chad challenges the Church to examine this same danger. We can attend services. We can hear truth. Yet we can resist transformation if familiarity replaces honor. Therefore, hunger determines where God moves. Because Nazareth resisted Him, Jesus moved on to places that received Him.

Spiritual authority grows where humility and hunger remain strong.

The Church Must Enter-Train, Not Entertain

Chad draws a clear distinction. The purpose of the local church is not to entertain. Instead, it is to enter-train.

Rather than gathering crowds for inspiration alone, Jesus equipped disciples. He trained them. Furthermore, He gave them both power (dunamis) and authority (exousia). Luke 9 and Luke 10 show Him sending them out to preach, heal, and confront darkness.

In this sermon, Return in the Power of the Spirit, we are reminded that we do not gather for information. Instead, we gather for transformation. We return to the world differently because the Holy Spirit empowers us.

How Will You Return?

You will return to school. You will return to work. You will return to your home and relationships.

The question remains simple.

Will you return the same?
Or will you return in the power of the Spirit?

Spiritual authority looks like something in real life. The same Spirit who empowered Jesus now dwells in believers. Therefore, the same power remains available today.

Ultimately, this message calls the Church to walk in that authority—not in human strength, but in the dunamis of God.

Key Scriptures
Luke 4: 14–22, Luke 4: 23–39, Luke 9: 1–2, Luke 10: 1–9, Luke 10: 17–20

Alive in Christ: Not a Spectator Sport

In this powerful message from Romans 5–6, Justin Younger calls believers to examine what it truly means to live alive in Christ—not as spectators, but through a surrendered and obedient life shaped by real relationship with Jesus. This sermon confronts passive Christianity and invites listeners into a deeper understanding of identity, freedom, and transformation in Christ.

Romans teaches that righteousness is received, not earned. Justin reminds us that when someone is born again, their identity fundamentally changes. We are no longer defined as sinners trying to do better. Instead, we are sons and daughters who have died with Christ and been raised to walk in newness of life. To live alive in Christ begins with trusting what Scripture says about who we are in Him.

Righteousness Received, Not Earned

A central theme of this message is the biblical truth that righteousness cannot be achieved through effort, discipline, or religious performance. Instead, Jesus gives righteousness as a gift. While believers do grow in obedience and maturity over time, no one becomes more righteous by striving harder. Growth flows from relationship, not pressure or performance.

Because of this foundation, believers are freed from guilt-driven faith. As a result, they are reoriented toward living alive in Christ with confidence, rooted in grace rather than fear.

Beyond Sunday: A Daily Relationship With Jesus

This sermon challenges the idea that church attendance alone sustains spiritual life. Justin speaks clearly about the danger of living spiritually empty throughout the week and relying on Sunday gatherings to feel close to God again. God desires daily fellowship with His people through Scripture, prayer, and obedience.

For this reason, to live alive in Christ means cultivating a personal relationship with Jesus that extends into everyday life—not just moments of worship or teaching.

Filling the Void After Sin Is Removed

Justin teaches that when sin is repented of and removed, it leaves a space that must be filled. If that space remains empty, old habits and patterns often return. Drawing from Jesus’ teaching about the empty house, this message emphasizes that freedom is sustained when believers replace sin with devotion to Christ and the planting of God’s Word.

Scripture is described as seed. When believers plant it, nurture it, and protect it, growth follows. To live alive in Christ requires intentionally filling life with truth, not simply removing what does not belong.

Conviction as an Invitation, Not Condemnation

Another key emphasis of this sermon is the difference between conviction and condemnation. Conviction comes from the Holy Spirit and draws believers closer to Jesus. Condemnation leads to shame, hiding, and defeat. Justin encourages listeners to respond quickly and humbly when conviction comes, because it trains the heart and produces spiritual growth.

Those who want to live alive in Christ learn to respond to God’s voice instead of resisting it.

Not a Spectator Sport: A Call to Obedience

Ultimately, this message makes one thing clear: following Jesus is not passive. Christianity is not something to observe from the sidelines. It is something to live. Justin challenges believers to get off the bench, stop pretending, and step fully into obedience, even when it costs comfort or familiarity.

To live alive in Christ means surrendering control, saying yes to God’s leading, and allowing Jesus to shape every part of life. This sermon invites listeners into real freedom, real growth, and real discipleship in Christ.

Key Scriptures
Romans 5: 18–21, Romans 6: 1–4, Romans 6: 6–7, 2 Corinthians 5: 17, John 15: 4

When the Greatest Battle Is Within

What if the greatest threat to spiritual authority isn’t opposition from the enemy—but independence from God?

In this message, Chad Everett continues the Spiritual Authority — Restored in Christ series by directly confronting one of the most subtle and destructive issues believers face: Overcoming the Pride of Life. Rather than focusing on obvious sin, this teaching presses deeper, calling us to examine self-rule—living by our own understanding while still expecting God to bless our choices.

Instead of pointing outward, this message turns our attention inward and asks a clear, necessary question: Who is really leading my life?

Jesus’ Model for True Spiritual Authority

Luke 4 provides the foundation for this message as Chad walks through Jesus’ time in the wilderness. Jesus lived filled with the Holy Spirit, followed the leading of the Spirit, and submitted to training through prayer, fasting, and temptation. This progression shows that spiritual authority does not appear automatically. It grows through surrender, obedience, and dependence on the Father.

Overcoming the Pride of Life begins when we reject self-confidence as our source of authority and choose submission instead. Jesus refused shortcuts. He embraced training, trusted the Father fully, and demonstrated the pathway God designed for every disciple.

Understanding the Pride of Life

Many believers misunderstand the pride of life. Pride does not only appear as arrogance or self-promotion. At its core, the pride of life shows up as independence from God—making decisions without seeking Him, relying on personal wisdom, and turning to God only in moments of crisis.

Chad clearly exposes how this mindset surfaces in everyday choices involving work, finances, relationships, and personal goals. Overcoming the Pride of Life requires more than adjusting behavior. It demands a change in leadership—from self to Christ.

Psalm 91 and the Danger of Scripture Without Submission

This sermon places special emphasis on Psalm 91 and the temptation of Jesus at the temple. Satan quoted Scripture but intentionally removed the condition of relationship and obedience. That moment reveals a sobering truth: people can quote God’s Word and still resist God’s authority.

Chad challenges listeners to examine whether they use Scripture to justify personal plans or allow God’s Word to shape their obedience. Overcoming the Pride of Life means pursuing the person of God, not simply claiming the promises of God.

Provider or Provision?

Chad also contrasts trusting God as our Provider with treating Him like a resource. Drawing from Israel’s wilderness experience and Jesus’ warning in Luke 18, this message exposes how self-sufficiency quietly replaces faith.

When we rely on our own provision, we stop depending on God. Overcoming the Pride of Life restores humility, daily reliance, and trust in God’s care.

An Invitation to Respond

This sermon does not aim to condemn; it invites reflection and response. God confronts pride because He desires something better for His people. Spiritual authority grows when Jesus leads and we follow.

As you listen, consider where self-leadership may have taken root. Reflect on what freedom might come through deeper trust in Christ.

If you feel ready to move beyond transactional faith and step into true dependence, this message will challenge and encourage you to begin Overcoming the Pride of Life—and to rediscover the authority that flows from surrender.

Key Scriptures
Luke 4: 1–13, 1 John 2: 15–16, Psalm 91: 1–13, John 15: 5, Deuteronomy 6: 16

What is the purpose of the local church?
Not entertainment—but training.

Church attendance is the door. But once you step inside, there is training that must take place. In this message, Chad Everett clearly defines the biblical mission of the church: Training Warrior Disciples, not producing spectators or casual attenders. The church exists to enter people into the fullness of Christ and equip them to live out their faith with spiritual authority.

This sermon confronts a common misunderstanding in modern Christianity—that gathering is the goal. Instead, Chad reminds us that gathering is only the beginning. Discipleship is what happens after you walk through the door. The call of the church is formation, maturity, and preparation for spiritual responsibility.

Luke 4: A Masterclass in Training Warrior Disciples

Using Luke 4 as a masterclass example from the life of Jesus, this message unpacks how spiritual authority is trained, strengthened, and activated. Jesus did not walk in authority by accident. He was filled with the Holy Spirit, led by the Holy Spirit, and anchored in the Word of God.

This pattern matters because Training Warrior Disciples requires more than inspiration. It requires formation. Jesus models what it looks like to follow the Spirit instead of the flesh and to respond to pressure with obedience rather than compromise. His time in the wilderness reveals that authority is forged before it is exercised.

Why Biblical Fasting Is Part of Discipleship Training

One of the clearest markers of Training Warrior Disciples is discipline over the flesh. This message explains why biblical fasting is not religious hype, legalism, or church tradition—but normal discipleship. Fasting is a time of consecration where physical food is temporarily replaced with spiritual food: prayer and the Word of God.

Fasting trains believers to say no to the flesh so they can say yes to God. It teaches that authority flows from surrender, not strength. When the flesh is crucified, the spirit is free to lead. This is essential for anyone who wants to walk in spiritual authority rather than spiritual cycles.

Identity, Deception, and Spiritual Authority

This message also exposes the enemy’s primary strategy. The enemy does not overpower believers—he deceives them. His first attack is always identity. If he can confuse who you are in Christ, he can limit your authority.

Training Warrior Disciples means grounding believers in truth: who Christ is in us and who we are in Him. Jesus shows us how to respond when identity is questioned, when counterfeit shortcuts are offered, and when offense tries to trap us and stop forward movement. Authority is not activated by arguing with the enemy, but by responding with truth and obedience.

A Call to Become, Not Just Attend

This sermon is a call to move beyond attendance into transformation. The church is not meant to be a show to watch, but a training ground that equips believers to live on mission every day. Training Warrior Disciples requires intentional discipleship, spiritual discipline, and a willingness to follow Jesus fully—not partially.

If you are ready to move forward in your faith, this message will challenge you to examine what is shaping your decisions, what voices you are following, and where God is calling you to grow. The goal is not simply to come—but to become.

Key Scriptures
Luke 4: 1–8, Galatians 5: 24, 1 John 2: 16, John 12: 31–32, Philippians 3: 13–14