(MUSIC)
(ROARING)
- GOOD EVENING, LORD OF HOSTS CHURCH. I SAID GOOD EVENING,
LORD OF HOSTS CHURCH. HOW MANY KNOW THAT MIRACLES DON'T JUST
HAPPEN ON SUNDAY? THEY HAPPEN ON MONDAY, TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY,
THURSDAY, FRIDAY, SATURDAY, EVERY DAY THAT YOU ARE IN THE
PRESENCE OF GOD AND WE'RE IN THE PRESENCE, SO LET'S GET READY TO
EXPECT GOD TO MOVE TONIGHT, AMEN? LET'S GO.
(MUSIC)
- COME ON. THIS IS THE WILD AND
DANGEROUS CROWD, WEDNESDAY NIGHT.
(MUSIC)
GOD IS FIGHTING FOR US, GOD IS ON OUR SIDE. HE HAS OVERCOME,
(MUSIC)
- HOW MANY OF YOU KNOW GOD IS FIGHTING FOR US?
HE'S FIGHTING FOR YOU, AND YOU, AND YOU, AND YOU. IF YOU KNOW
IT YOU NEED TO SHOW IT. COME ON! IS HE FIGHTING FOR YOU?
DO YOU BELIEVE IT? NO MATTER WHAT THAT DOCTOR REPORT SAID.
I KNOW WHAT THAT'S LIKE. YOU DON'T HAVE
TO BELIEVE IT. STEP IN! COME ON! OH GOD!
I WANT TO HEAR YOU SHOUT! I WANT TO HEAR YOU SHOUT!
COME ON, LIKE YOU'RE AT A NEBRASKA GAME.
SHOUT! YOU GOT TO GIVE HIM GLORY.
(MUSIC)
- WE WORSHIP YOU, JESUS. WE WORSHIP YOU, LORD. WE LIFT UP
OUR PRAISE AND WE GIVE THANKS TO YOU. FATHER, WE JUST WANNA TOUCH
YOUR HEART. WE WANNA TOUCH YOUR HEART, LORD. WE ARE LONGING FOR
YOU. WE ARE HUNGRY FOR YOU. FATHER, WE'RE ASKING FOR A
VISITATION. LET THE HEAVENS OPEN. LET THE HEAVENS OPEN!
(MUSIC)
- LET IT OPEN. LET IT OPEN. LET IT OPEN. LET IT OPEN.
(MUSIC)
LET THE HEAVENS OPEN.
- LET YOUR KINGDOM COME, LET YOUR WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS
IT IS IN HEAVEN. LET YOUR KINGDOM COME, LET YOUR WILL BE
DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.
LET YOUR KINGDOM COME, LET YOUR WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT
IS IN HEAVEN. LET YOUR KINGDOM COME, LET YOUR WILL BE DONE ON
EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN. COME ON! LET YOUR KINGDOM COME,
LET YOUR WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.
LET YOUR KINGDOM COME, LET YOUR WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS
IN HEAVEN. LET YOUR KINGDOM COME, LET YOUR WILL BE DONE
ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN. LET YOUR KINGDOM COME,
LET YOUR WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.
LET YOUR KINGDOM COME, LET YOUR WILL BE DONE
ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN. LET YOUR KINGDOM...
- HALLELUJAH, WE WORSHIP YOU TONIGHT IN THIS PLACE, FATHER.
WE SAY, LET YOUR KINGDOM COME. LET
YOUR WILL BE DONE ON EARTH. LET YOUR WILL BE
DONE IN OUR LIVES, FATHER. OH, WE WORSHIP YOU, JESUS. OH,
SUPREME KING OF THE EARTH, KING OF THE WORLD, KING OF THE
UNIVERSE, KING OF ALL CREATION, WE WORSHIP YOU. OH, WHEN WE
SPEAK YOUR NAME, JESUS, CHAINS ARE BROKEN. WHEN WE SPEAK YOUR
NAME, THE SICK ARE HEALED. WHEN WE SPEAK YOUR NAME, THE DEAD
COME TO LIFE. WHEN WE SPEAK YOUR NAME, RELATIONSHIPS ARE
RESTORED. WHEN WE SPEAK YOUR NAME, PROSPERITY COMES. WHEN WE
SPEAK YOUR NAME, ALL THINGS COME TO LIFE AND WE WORSHIP YOU. WE
WORSHIP YOU IN THIS PLACE. OH, HOLY ONE, WE WELCOME YOU. WE
WELCOME YOUR PRESENCE. WE THANK YOU FOR THE ANOINTING, FOR THE
ANOINTING BREAKS THE YOKE. HALLELUJAH, HALLELUJAH. WE LIFT
OUR HANDS TO YOU TONIGHT. WE TAKE A MOMENT JUST TO EXPRESS
OUR LOVE AND OUR WORSHIP AND OUR ADORATION. YOU'RE SO GOOD.
FATHER, YOU'RE SO GOOD. JESUS, YOU'RE SO GOOD. HOLY SPIRIT,
YOU'RE SO GOOD. OH, THANK YOU. THANK YOU, WE WORSHIP YOU
TONIGHT, LORD. OH, YOU'RE SO CONSIDERATE OF US, LORD. YOU
KNOW HOW MANY HAIRS ARE ON OUR HEAD. YOU'RE CONCERNED IF A
SPARROW DROPS TO THE GROUND. YOU KNOW IT. OH, WE WORSHIP YOU.
HALLELUJAH. WE WORSHIP YOU IN THIS PLACE. THANK YOU, JESUS.
THANK YOU, JESUS. HALLELUJAH. THANK YOU, JESUS. OH, PRAISE
GOD. PRAISE GOD. I'M JUST WAITING ON GOD
HERE FOR A MOMENT. THANK YOU, JESUS.
(SPEAKING IN TONGUES)
I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS SOMEONE THAT'S HERE OR SOMEONE ONLINE OR
BOTH OR WHATEVER, BUT HERE'S WHAT I FEEL IN MY SPIRIT. IS
THERE SOMEONE THAT YOU LOVE TO SEW? I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT, YES,
YOU DO LOVE TO SOW S-O-W INTO FINANCES, BUT YOU LOVE TO SEW
S-E-W, SEW MATERIAL TOGETHER, LIKE TO MAKE CLOTHES OR ARTICLES
OF CLOTHING OR WHATEVER. YOU LIKE TO SEW, BUT YOU'VE BEEN
FRUSTRATED BECAUSE YOU'VE BEEN SO, I WANNA SAY LIKE HEAVY LADEN
WITH THE CARES OF LIFE THAT YOU HAVEN'T EVEN BEEN ABLE TO ENJOY
THIS HOBBY OF YOURS WHICH IS SEWING. AND GOD HAS A WORD FOR
YOU TONIGHT. AND I DON'T KNOW, IS THAT ANYONE HERE BY CHANCE?
THAT'S YOU? OH, COME UP HERE QUICKLY. OKAY, COME UP HERE.
THANK YOU, JESUS. HALLELUJAH. THANK YOU, JESUS. HERE'S WHAT
GOD SHOWED ME WAS THAT AS YOU MOVE INTO MORE AND MORE TRUST IN
WHAT GOD HAS FOR YOU, HE'S GONNA TAKE, HE SAW THAT, THAT, I MEAN,
WE THINK, OH, THAT, IS THAT REALLY IMPORTANT, WHAT SOMEONE'S
HOBBY IS? YES, IT'S IMPORTANT TO GOD. LIKE I SAID, HE KNOWS HOW
MANY HAIRS WE HAVE ON OUR HEAD OR DON'T HAVE ON OUR HEAD,
RIGHT? AMEN. AND SO HE'S CONCERNED ABOUT EVEN THINGS LIKE
OUR HOBBIES. HE'S EVEN CONCERNED ABOUT PASTOR HANK'S TRAIN HOBBY.
HE WANTS HIM TO HAVE THE BEST. AND HE WANTS YOU TO HAVE THE
ABILITY TO ENJOY WHAT HE'S GIFTED YOU TO DO. AND SO WHAT
I'M HEARING THE HOLY GHOST SAY TONIGHT IS START MOVING INTO,
EVEN IF YOU THINK YOU DON'T HAVE TIME OR EVEN THE CARES OF THE
WORLD HAVE GOTTEN YOU CONSUMED WITH THINGS, YOU START MOVING
INTO THAT THING THAT YOU LOVE. AND WHAT THE LORD SAID TO ME, AS
YOU SOW, YOU WILL GO. AND THAT MEANS THIS, AS YOU DO MORE OF
YOUR HOBBY, THAT GOD IS GOING TO EVEN OPEN UP THINGS FOR YOU TO
DO MORE FOR HIM, AND YOU WILL SOW IN THE NATURAL, CLOTHING,
ARTICLES, AND THAT THINGS, BUT YOU'RE ALSO A SOWER INTO
PEOPLE'S LIVES OF S-O-W, SOWING, WHERE YOU'RE GIVING INTO
PEOPLE'S LIVES AND THE HEARTS AND MINISTRIES, AND YOU LOVE TO
DO THAT, AND GOD'S GONNA OPEN THAT UP FOR YOU, AND SO AS YOU
SEW, S-E-W, YOU'RE GOING TO DO MORE S-O-W-ING, SOWING INTO
PEOPLE'S LIVES AND HEARTS AND TOUCH PEOPLE, AND THEN THOSE
THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN HEAVY LADEN ON YOU, THAT YOU'VE BEEN
CARRYING, ARE GONNA JUST KINDA FLOAT AWAY AS YOU PURSUE THAT
WITH GOD. IN JESUS' NAME, AMEN. AND YOU BE BLESSED. YES,
HALLELUJAH, THANK YOU, JESUS. THANK YOU, JESUS, THANK YOU,
JESUS. THE OTHER THING I'M SEEING IS THERE'S SOMEONE AND
YOU HAVE A SON THAT YOU'RE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT. YOU HAVE A SON,
S-O-N, THAT YOU'RE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT. IT'S LIKE YOU
TRAINED YOUR SON, YOU NURTURED YOUR SON. YOU DID THE BEST AND
YOU'VE EVEN PRAYED THIS, "FATHER, I'VE DONE THE VERY BEST
THAT I COULD TO RAISE HIM." NOT THAT YOU HAVEN'T MADE MISTAKES,
WE ALL MAKE MISTAKES FOR RAISING CHILDREN, BUT YOU DID YOUR BEST
AT THE TIME, FROM THE TIME THE CHILD WAS BORN THROUGH WHEREVER
HE'S AT NOW, YOU DID YOUR BEST WHILE HE WAS UNDER YOUR CARE TO
NURTURE HIM, TO TRAIN HIM IN THE THINGS OF GOD, AS MUCH AS YOU
KNEW, THAT IS, BUT YOU PLANTED INTO HIM. BUT NOW HE'S CAUSED
SOME HEARTACHE AND SOME DISCOURAGEMENT, AND IT'S KEEPING
YOU AWAKE AT NIGHT TO WHERE YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT THIS. AND
GOD IS SAYING, DON'T WORRY, DON'T GET INTO FEAR, BECAUSE THE
WORD SAYS, TRAIN UP A CHILD AS THEY WILL GO, AND THEY WILL NOT
DEPART. I'M NOT GETTING THE WORDS JUST RIGHT, BUT YOU KNOW
WHAT THE SCRIPTURE IS. TRAIN UP A CHILD IN THE WAY THEY SHOULD
GO, AND THEY WILL NOT DEPART. SO WHAT I'M SAYING IS, GOD'S
SAYING, STAND ON THAT, AND FIND THREE OR FOUR OTHER SCRIPTURES
THAT YOU CAN STAND ON, AND WRITE 'EM OUT, AND BELIEVE GOD FOR
THEM, AND MOVE INTO FAITH, AND NOT INTO FEAR. AND I'M SPEAKING
TO SOMEONE, I KNOW THERE'S SOMEONE ONLINE I'M SPEAKING TO.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE THAT THAT'S KIND OF YOU? YOU DON'T HAVE TO
COME UP HERE TONIGHT. THERE'S SOMEONE IN THE BACK THERE, OKAY.
AND SO, ANOTHER ONE. SO, MOVE OUT OF WORRY AND FEAR, WHICH
OPENS A DOOR FOR THE DEVIL TO ATTACK, AND MOVE INTO FAITH, AND
JUST KEEP CONFESSING THE WORD OVER THIS SITUATION. AND I
BELIEVE WE'RE GONNA SEE DIVINE TURNAROUND, THE PRODIGALS ARE
COMING BACK IN JESUS' NAME, AMEN, AMEN, AMEN. MATTHEW, I
HATE TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, BUT WOULD YOU RUN UP HERE? NOW I
FEEL LED TO DO THIS. COME ON UP HERE, MATTHEW. GIVE MATTHEW A
HAND AS HE COMES. THIS MAN HAS SUCH A GREAT HEART AND HE'S
INSTANT IN SEASON AND OUT OF SEASON, SO THAT'S NOT WHY I KNOW
I CAN PULL ON HIM. HERE'S WHAT I'M FEELING IS THAT THE LORD
WOULD HAVE US PRAY TONIGHT AGAINST ATTACKS. I'M TALKING
ABOUT TERRORIST ATTACKS, SLEEPER CELLS, ANY OF THAT STUFF THAT
WOULD TRY AND MAKE ITS WAY. AND THEN THIS IS A COMBO PRAYER. I
ALSO WANT YOU TO PRAY AGAINST STORMS AND PRAY FOR THE PEOPLE
IN TEXAS. IF YOU COULD JUST KIND OF HIT THOSE
THREE THINGS IN SHORT AND POWERFUL. OKAY.
- ALL RIGHT. HALLELUJAH. LET'S JOIN OUR FAITH
TOGETHER. FATHER, WE THANK YOU THAT YOUR WORD SAYS
THAT WHERE TWO OR MORE GATHERED IN YOUR NAME. FATHER, THAT THERE
IS POWER, AND WE ARE SEATED IN THAT PLACE IN CHRIST JESUS, FAR
ABOVE ALL PRINCIPALITIES AND POWERS. AND SO WE TAKE OUR
HEAVENLY POSITION NOW IN THE REALM OF THE SPIRIT, AND WE
DECREE AND DECLARE THAT OVER THIS NATION, LORD, WHERE THE
SPIRIT OF TERROR WOULD TRY TO COME IN, WE BIND AND REBUKE THAT
IN THE NAME OF JESUS, EVEN OVER THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING
OVER THIS NATION, IN TEXAS, FATHER. WE DECREE AND DECLARE
NOW THAT PEACE COMES OVER THAT AREA. AND WHERE STORMS AND RAINS
HAD COME, WE SAY, PEACE NOW, BE STILL. THAT THESE THINGS
DISSIPATE, LORD, AND THAT THERE BEGINS TO BECOME A RESTORATION
OVER THIS REGION NOW. AS EVEN THE PEOPLE GATHER TOGETHER, LET
LOVE NOW OVERCOME EVERY TRAGEDY AND EVERY FEAR, BECAUSE YOUR
WORD SAYS THAT LOVE CONQUERS ALL. AND SO WE DECREE AND
DECLARE THAT THE LOVE OF GOD IS SHED ABROAD OVER THIS NATION
NOW, BECAUSE IT'S LIKE YOUR WORD SAYS, CAN A NATION BE SAVED IN A
DAY? AND WE THANK YOU, LORD, THAT YOU HAVE ALREADY PROVEN IT,
GOD, AND YOU'RE DOING THAT IN THIS VERY MOMENT. AND SO WE
THANK YOU, LORD, FOR YOUR FAITHFULNESS, FOR WHAT YOU HAVE
DONE IN THIS DAY AND THIS SEASON, THAT YOU HAVE DELIVERED
US OUT SO THAT YOU CAN DELIVER US IN. AND SO WE THANK YOU FOR
THAT, GOD. WE GIVE YOU GLORY AND PRAISE FOR IT, AND WE GIVE YOU
ALL HONOR AND THANKS FOR IT. BECAUSE EVEN AS YOUR WORD SAYS
IN PHILIPPIANS, "WITH ALL PRAYERS AND SUPPLICATIONS AND
THANKSGIVING, MAKE YOUR REQUESTS KNOWN TO GOD, AND THE PEACE OF
GOD WILL GUARD YOUR HEARTS AND MIND." SO WE THANK YOU
FOR THAT NOW IN JESUS NAME, AMEN.
(CONGREGATION APPLAUDING)
- GLORY, WELL, YOU CAN BE SEATED. I GET
TO, ANYONE KNOW WHAT TIME IT IS? HALLELUJAH. THAT'S RIGHT. SO
USHERS, YOU CAN HAND OUT IF ANYBODY WANTS ONE. OTHERWISE,
THEY'LL BE PUTTING THE INFORMATION UP SOON. I GET TO
GIVE THE OFFERING MESSAGE. AND I WAS JUST IMPRESSED OF THE LORD A
WHILE BACK. I READ A SCRIPTURE. AND WHAT WAS UNUSUAL ABOUT IT,
IT WAS A STORY ABOUT A THIEF WHO GOT HONORED. AND IT'S KIND OF
ONE OF THOSE STRANGE ONES. BUT HE ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, HE
FIGURED OUT A WAY TO PREPARE FOR HIS FUTURE. AND WHEN HE DID IT,
THE BOSS THAT HE STOLE FROM HONORED HIM. NOW, THIS IS A
SCRIPTURE, AND YOU CAN READ IT IN LUKE 16. AND JESUS HONORED
HIM. REALLY? YEAH. BECAUSE IN LUKE 16:8 IT SAYS, “AND THE LORD
COMMANDED THE UNJUST STEWARD,” OR THE BOSS, COMMANDED THE
UNJUST STEWARD, “BECAUSE HE HAD DONE WISELY," OR HE HAD BEEN
PROGRESSIVELY LOOKING AHEAD. FOR THE CHILDREN OF THIS WORLD ARE
IN THEIR GENERATION WISER THAN THE CHILDREN OF LIGHT. SO JESUS
HONORED THIS THIEF. YOU SAY, WELL, WHY WOULD HE DO THAT? HE
WASN'T HONORING HIM FOR HIS BEING A THIEF. HE WAS HONORING
HIM FOR THE FACT THAT HE WAS SMART ENOUGH TO USE HIS MONEY
AND HIS RESOURCES AND WHAT RESOURCES HE HAD TO PREPARE FOR
HIS FUTURE. AND YOU CAN READ ON IN THAT SCRIPTURE AND HE
EXPLAINS WHY. SAYS, "WE DON'T SERVE MAMMON, WE DON'T SERVE
MONEY. "WE HAVE TO CHOOSE WHO WE SERVE AND WE SERVE HIM. "SO WE
USE OUR MONEY TO PREPARE FOR OUR FUTURE. "WE USE OUR RESOURCES TO
PREPARE FOR OUR FUTURE." SO WHEN YOU'RE GIVING, YOU'RE NOT JUST
GIVING TO YOUR PRESENT TIME, YOU'RE GIVING TO YOUR FUTURE.
YOU'RE PREPARING FOR YOUR FUTURE. AND NOT, JESUS DOESN'T
LEAVE IT AT THAT, IT'S NOT JUST THE FUTURE HERE IN THIS TIME
PERIOD, BUT IT'S IN THE FOREVER LIFE. JESUS SAYS YOU CAN USE
YOUR MONEY TO PREPARE FOR YOUR FOREVER LIFE. NOW IF JESUS SAID
THAT, I GUESS I HAVE TO BELIEVE IT, DON'T I? EVERYONE WANNA
BELIEVE THAT? BECAUSE JESUS SAID IT. SO BE WISER THAN THE PEOPLE
OF THE WORLD. BE WISER THAN THIS THIEF. BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT JUST
PREPARING FOR THE HERE AND NOW, YOU'RE PREPARING FOR FOREVER.
AND SO AS YOU GIVE, YOU DO THAT. AS THEY PUT UP THE INFORMATION
AND PUT IT AND MAKE IT AVAILABLE, SO THOSE WHO ARE
ONLINE, YOU CAN GIVE AND YOU CAN BE A PART OF THE PROCESS OF
PREPARING FOR YOUR FUTURE FOREVER. WE THANK YOU FOR ALL
THE GIVING THAT YOU DO, ESPECIALLY EVERYONE HERE AND OUT
ONLINE, BECAUSE IT IS WHAT MAKES IT AVAILABLE FOR GOD TO USE US
IN THE KINGDOM. 'CAUSE HE USES US IN THE KINGDOM. AND EVERY ONE
OF US ARE A PART OF THAT. AND THAT'S HOW IT'S DONE, DAY BY
DAY, HOUR BY HOUR. SO AS YOU'RE GETTING YOUR GIFTS READY, LET'S
PRAY. FATHER, I THANK YOU FOR THE POWER OF YOUR PRESENCE TO
USE US, TO USE OUR WEALTH, THE WEALTH THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN US,
TO PREPARE OUR FUTURE, HERE ON EARTH AND FOREVER. AND
I THANK YOU, LORD, THAT IT'S DONE. IN
JESUS' NAME, AMEN. YOU CAN GIVE IN THE OFFERING.
(MUSIC)
- THANK YOU, PASTOR KEITH. HALLELUJAH. HOW MANY OF YOU ARE
THANKFUL FOR PASTOR KEITH? AMEN. PRAISE GOD. HALLELUJAH. CAN YOU
HEAR ME TONIGHT? OKAY, I'M DOING OKAY. HALLELUJAH. OH, WHILE THE
USHERS ARE RECEIVING TONIGHT, LET ME REMIND YOU IN CASE, SO I
DON'T FORGET, DR. RICHARD ROBERTS WILL BE IN THE HOUSE ON
SUNDAY. AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT AN HONOR. YOU KNOW, I WAS JUST
LISTENING TO SOMEONE THE OTHER DAY AND THEY WERE SAYING
PROBABLY IN THE LAST 100, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY YEARS THEY
WENT BACK AND THINKING THIS, BUT JUST SOME OF THE GREATEST MOVES
OF GOD HAPPENED AS FAR AS SOULS COMING IN WITH BILLY GRAHAM,
JIMMY SWAGGART, EARL ROBERTS, OF COURSE WE'VE GOT BROTHER KENNETH
HAGIN AND KENNETH COPELAND. I MEAN, WE COULD KEEP GOING, BUT
JUST SO MANY OF THOSE GENERALS ARE MOVING ON, BUT HERE WE HAVE
THE SON OF ONE OF THE GENERALS COMING SUNDAY, DR. EARL ROBERTS
WAS, I MEAN, IF YOU GO BACK, JUST GO TO YOUTUBE SOMETIME AND
START CHECKING OUT SOME OF HIS CRUSADES AND WATCH HIS TEACHING
AND YOU'LL GET INSPIRED. AND WE NEED TO HONOR
DR. EARL ROBERTS JUST BY HONORING HIS SON.
(CONGREGATION AGREEING)
- AND LET'S FILL THIS PLACE. AND I KNOW PASTOR HANK AND BRENDA
AND PASTOR SHANE AND CHRISTY ARE ON VACATION, BUT THEY WANT YOU
HERE TO SUPPORT THOSE THAT COME IN. AND THEY DON'T JUST THROW
OUT SOMETHING AND SAY, "HEY, WE'RE GONNA SEND SOME GUEST
SPEAKER IN TO MINISTER." THEY PRAY ABOUT IT AND BELIEVE THAT
THIS IS WHAT GOD'S WILL IS FOR THIS COMING SUNDAY. AND THEN WE
HAVE DR. GENE BAILEY THE FOLLOWING SUNDAY. SO WE ARE
BEING ROYALLY TREATED WHILE THEY ARE OUT. AND SO HONOR THAT, AND
I KNOW YOU WILL. BUT BRING A FRIEND, TOO. INVITE SOMEONE ELSE
TO COME IN THAT MAYBE HASN'T BEEN HERE BEFORE. AND IT'S A
GOOD OPPORTUNITY. WE HAVE A GUEST SPEAKER COMING. BY THE
WAY, IT'S DR. EARL ROBERTS' SON. MOST PEOPLE HAVE HEARD, I MEAN,
THERE'S SOME THAT MAYBE HAVEN'T HEARD OF EARL ROBERTS. ANYWAY.
BUT FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE TAKING NOTES, I'VE TITLED A
MESSAGE TONIGHT, THE POWER OF DEPENDENCY ON THE HOLY SPIRIT.
WE'RE SO DEPENDENT ON THE HOLY SPIRIT. AND I JUST WANNA BRING
OUT A FEW THINGS TONIGHT THAT I THINK ARE IMPORTANT. YOU KNOW,
AS LONG AS WE'RE ON THIS EARTH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TERRITORY TO
TAKE, WE'RE GONNA HAVE CHALLENGES TO FACE, AND THERE'LL
BE SOME PUSHBACK AS WE ADVANCE IN GOD'S PLAN AND WHAT HE WANTS
US TO DO, BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS HE HAS GIVEN US EVERY TOOL THAT
WE NEED TO DO IT. HE'S EQUIPPED US WELL, AND I HAVE A MESSAGE OF
ENCOURAGEMENT FOR YOU TONIGHT. YOU'RE NOT ALONE IN THIS
JOURNEY. THAT'S THE GOOD NEWS. YOU'RE NOT A LONE RANGER. NOT
ONLY DO YOU HAVE THE BODY OF CHRIST WITH YOU, BUT YOU HAVE
GOD, THE FATHER, JESUS, AND THE MIGHTY HOLY SPIRIT. AND WE'RE
GONNA TALK AND KIND OF CENTER ON SOME THINGS ABOUT THE HOLY
SPIRIT TONIGHT. BUT I WANNA FOCUS ON A SCRIPTURE IN A
PASSAGE THAT I'M GONNA READ IN A LITTLE BIT OUT OF THE BOOK OF
ZECHARIAH. IT'S A PERSONAL WORD TO US CONFIRMING THE POWER OF
THE HOLY SPIRIT IN OUR LIVES TO GUIDE US, DIRECT US, AND ASSIST
US AS WE DO GOD'S WORK ON THIS EARTH. AND WHEN WE'RE IN GOD'S
PLAN, HE'LL GIVE US THE VICTORY IN EVERY SITUATION, AMEN? NOW
MANY TIMES AS PENTECOSTALS, WE'VE HEARD AND QUOTED THE VERSE
FROM ZECHARIAH 4:6. YOU COULD PROBABLY QUOTE IT FROM MEMORY
TONIGHT. "NOT BY MIGHT NOR BY POWER, BUT BY MY SPIRIT," SAYS
THE LORD OF HOSTS. PENTECOSTALS LOVE THIS VERSE BECAUSE WE
UNDERSTAND THAT NOTHING ETERNALLY VALUABLE GETS
ACCOMPLISHED WITHOUT THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. BUT MANY OF
US, EVEN PENTECOSTALS, ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE CONTEXT OF
THAT VERSE AND WHAT IT HAS TO DO WITH, REALLY, OTHER THAN THE
FACT THAT IT'S ENCOURAGING TO KNOW THAT THE SPIRIT OF GOD IS
WITH US AND WILL GIVE US THE TOOLS WE NEED. BUT WE'RE GOING
TO DELVE INTO THAT A LITTLE CLOSER TONIGHT. AND I WANT TO
REMIND YOU AGAIN, I'M REPEATING MYSELF TONIGHT AND I'M DOING IT
ON PURPOSE, BUT THIS IS A PERSONAL WORD TO YOU. PAUL THE
APOSTLE WROTE IN 2 TIMOTHY 3:16-17, "ALL SCRIPTURE IS GIVEN
BY INSPIRATION OF GOD, AND IT'S PROFITABLE FOR DOCTRINE, FOR
REPROOF, AND FOR INSTRUCTION IN RIGHTEOUSNESS." SO THE WORD OF
GOD IS GIVEN TO ALL OF US TO HELP US IN OUR DAILY LIVING. AND
ORIGINALLY THIS MESSAGE WAS GIVEN FROM THE PROPHET ZECHARIAH
TO ANOTHER Z NAME, A MAN BY THE NAME OF ZERUBBABEL, TO ENCOURAGE
ZERUBBABEL IN WHAT HE WAS TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH FOR THE LORD. BUT
TONIGHT I WANT THIS TO BE A PERSONAL WORD TO YOU TO
ENCOURAGE YOU IN WHAT YOU'RE DOING. AMEN? ARE YOU WITH ME
TONIGHT? OKAY, OKAY. SO I WANT YOU TO SEE THIS MESSAGE AS GOD
SPEAKING THROUGH THE PROPHET ZECHARIAH DIRECTLY TO YOU. PUT
YOUR NAME IN THERE. IF IT'S SALLY, IF IT'S NANCY, IF IT'S
JIM, OR IT'S HENRY, PUT YOUR NAME IN THERE. ZECHARIAH IS
SPEAKING TO ME. SO LET ME GIVE YOU A LITTLE HISTORICAL
BACKGROUND BEFORE WE GO ANY FURTHER. AND THEN WE'LL READ
THAT PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE. AS YOU KNOW, THE ISRAELITES WERE
ENSLAVED IN EGYPT FOR ALMOST 400 YEARS UNTIL MOSES LED THEM OUT
OF BONDAGE. AND THEN CENTURIES LATER, AFTER THEY RETURNED TO
THE PROMISED LAND, THEY ESTABLISHED THEIR JEWISH
KINGDOM. AND THEN THE ISRAELITES WERE CONQUERED BY THE
BABYLONIANS, LED BY KING NEBUCHADNEZZAR II. THERE WAS A
DESTRUCTION OF SOLOMON'S TEMPLE AT THAT POINT IN TIME BY THE
BABYLONIAN ARMY. 587 BC, YOU'LL SEE SOLOMON'S TEMPLE WAS BEING
DESTROYED. THAT BEAUTIFUL TEMPLE CAME DOWN. IT WAS DURING THAT
BATTLE THAT THE BABYLONIANS DESTROYED THE FIRST JEWISH
TEMPLE, SOLOMON'S TEMPLE. AND AFTER THAT BATTLE, THE JEWISH
PEOPLE WERE DEPORTED TO BABYLON. JUST LIKE WE'RE DEPORTING SOME
ALIENS TODAY, THE JEWISH PEOPLE, THEY'VE BEEN DEPORTED A LOT OF
TIMES ALL AROUND THIS EARTH. AND YOU KNOW WHAT? GOD STILL
BREATHES ON THEM. GOD'S STILL WITH THEM. IT'S AMAZING. THERE'S
STILL JEWS ALIVE. IF YOU LOOK AT THE HISTORY, BUT THAT JUST TELLS
YOU THAT GOD'S WORD IS TRUE AND THAT THERE IS CHOSEN PEOPLE. I
MEAN, IT'S PROOF THAT THIS WORD IS TRUE. SO, BECAUSE THEY SHOULD
HAVE BEEN EXTINGUISHED FROM THE EARTH. AND THEN WHY WOULD, I
MEAN, I'M OFF MY SUBJECT ALREADY, BUT WHY WOULD SATAN
CHOOSE TO WIPE THIS LITTLE GROUP OF INSIGNIFICANT PEOPLE OFF IF
THEY WEREN'T IMPORTANT? I MEAN, WHY WOULD HE EVEN CARE ABOUT
THEM WHEN THERE'S ALL THESE OTHER PEOPLE AND CULTURES? OH,
WELL, WE COULD GO THAT PATH, BUT WE'RE NOT GONNA GO ANY FURTHER
THAN THAT ONE. BUT AFTER THAT BATTLE, THE JEWISH PEOPLE WERE
DEPORTED TO BABYLON, LIKE I SAID, AND THEN THE ISRAELITES
WERE CAPTIVE IN BABYLON UNTIL ANOTHER BATTLE OCCURRED, AND
THAT WAS WHEN THE PERSIANS CAME IN AND FREED THOSE ISRAELITES
FROM BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY. 48 YEARS AFTER THEY WERE DEPORTED
TO BABYLON AND HAD TO GO THROUGH THE HARDSHIP OF BEING IN THIS
BABYLONIAN TERRITORY OR KINGDOM, THEN THE JEWISH PEOPLE WERE
AGAIN MOVED BECAUSE THE PERSIANS CAME IN. BUT THE GOOD THING
ABOUT THE PERSIANS AND KING CYRUS WAS HE WAS KIND TO THE
JEWS. AND HE SAID, YOU CAN GO BACK TO JERUSALEM, AND YOU CAN
REBUILD YOUR TEMPLE. HE LET THEM GO. HE ALLOWED THEM TO RETURN TO
JERUSALEM. AND IF YOU'LL PUT UP THIS MAP THAT I WANT TO SHOW YOU
HERE, YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE RUINS OF BABYLON ARE. I DON'T
KNOW IF YOU CAN READ IT FROM WHERE YOU'RE SITTING, BUT IT'S
THAT AREA THAT'S MARKED IN YELLOW ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE OF
YOUR SCREEN. AND THEN THEY HAD TO TAKE A LONG TRIP ALL THE WAY
BACK TO JERUSALEM, AND THEY WERE LED BY ZERUBBABEL. AND THAT TRIP
WAS ABOUT 1,700 MILES. IT TOOK ABOUT, I BELIEVE IT WAS 40 DAYS
TO GET TO THAT NEW LOCATION. I'M SORRY, FOUR MONTHS. I WAS GOING
TO SAY 40 DAYS. THEY DIDN'T HAVE JEEPS BACK THEN, SO IT WAS FOUR
MONTHS. GETTING AHEAD OF MYSELF HERE. BUT ANYWAY, IT WAS A TREK
TO GET BACK. BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS THEY WERE EXCITED ABOUT GOING
BACK TO JERUSALEM TO REBUILD THIS TEMPLE. ZERUBBABEL LED THIS
FIRST GROUP OF JEWISH PEOPLE AND KING CYRUS AND THE PERSIANS WERE
STILL IN CONTROL. THEY WEREN'T COMPLETELY FREE PEOPLE. THEY
STILL WERE UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE PERSIANS, BUT AT LEAST THE
PERSIANS WERE KIND TO HIM AND SAID, "YOU CAN GO BACK AND DO
WHAT YOU NEED TO DO." ZERUBBABEL WAS THE RECOGNIZED PRINCE OF
JUDAH DURING THIS TIME AND HE ACTED AS THE GOVERNOR OF THOSE
JEWISH PEOPLE. NOW, ZECHARIAH 4 FOCUSES ON A VISION THAT THE
PROPHET ZECHARIAH HAD DURING THIS TIME AND HE'S SPEAKING A
MESSAGE TO ZERUBBABEL, THE PRINCE OR THE GOVERNOR OF JUDAH.
LIKE I SAID, I'M KIND OF REPEATING MYSELF BECAUSE THERE'S
SO MANY DIFFERENT DETAILS HERE. IT'S A LITTLE CONFUSING IF
YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE STORY. SO YOU MIGHT HEAR ME SAY
SOMETHING TWICE OR IN A DIFFERENT FASHION. AND I'M DOING
THAT ON PURPOSE. THE VISION THAT WE LOOK AT TONIGHT WILL REASSURE
ZERUBBABEL AND THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL THAT GOD WILL EMPOWER
THEM TO DO THE JOB THAT HE'S COMMISSIONED THEM TO DO. AND
THAT'S REBUILDING THE TEMPLE. HE'S GOING TO ASSIST THEM IN THE
COMPLETION OF THIS REBUILDING. AND THIS VISION DEPICTS A GOLDEN
LAMP STAND WITH TWO OLIVE TREES. AND YOU'LL SEE IT'S A VIVID
ILLUSTRATION OF HOW GOD SUPERNATURALLY PROVIDES FOR THE
WORK OF THE MINISTRY BY USING THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE
COMPLETION OF THE ASSIGNED WORK ON EARTH. NOW I WANT TO READ
THIS PASSAGE. WE'VE KIND OF GIVEN SOME HISTORY TO IT.
ZECHARIAH, YOU CAN READ ALONG, FOLLOW ME AS I READ THIS. I WANT
TO READ IT OUT OF THE AMPLIFIED TONIGHT BECAUSE IT IS A LITTLE
BIT COMPLICATED READING THESE VISIONS. I JUST WANT TO MAKE IT
AS CLEAR AS POSSIBLE. SO THIS IS ZECHARIAH 4:1-10 OUT OF THE
AMPLIFIED BIBLE. “AND THE ANGEL WHO WAS SPEAKING WITH ME CAME
BACK AND AWAKENED ME LIKE A MAN WHO IS AWAKENED OUT OF HIS
SLEEP. AND HE SAID TO ME, "WHAT DO YOU SEE?" I SAID, "I SEE AND
BEHOLD A LAMPSTAND ALL OF GOLD WITH ITS BOWL FOR OIL ON THE TOP
OF IT AND ITS SEVEN LAMPS ON IT WITH SEVEN SPOUTS BELONGING TO
EACH OF THE LAMPS WHICH ARE ON THE TOP OF IT. AND THERE ARE TWO
OLIVE TREES BY IT, ONE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE BOWL AND THE
OTHERS ON THE LEFT SIDE, SUPPLYING IT CONTINUOUSLY WITH
OIL. SO I ASKED THE ANGEL WHO WAS SPEAKING WITH ME, WHAT ARE
THESE, MY LORD? THEN THE ANGEL WHO WAS SPEAKING WITH ME
ANSWERED ME, DO YOU NOT KNOW WHAT THESE ARE? AND I SAID, NO,
MY LORD. THEN HE SAID TO ME, NOW LISTEN TO THIS. THIS CONTINUOUS
SUPPLY OF OIL IS THE WORD OF THE LORD TO ZERUBBABEL, THE PRINCE
OF JUDAS, SAYING, "NOT BY MIGHT, NOR BY POWER, BUT BY MY SPIRIT,
"OF WHOM THE OIL IS A SYMBOL," SAYS THE LORD OF HOSTS. WHAT ARE
YOU, O GREAT MOUNTAIN OF OBSTACLES, BEFORE ZERUBBABEL,
WHO WILL REBUILD THE TEMPLE? YOU WILL BECOME A PLAIN,
INSIGNIFICANT, IN OTHER WORDS, AND HE WILL BRING OUT THE
CAPSTONE OF THE NEW TEMPLE WITH LOUD SHOUTS OF GRACE, GRACE TO
IT. ALSO THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME TO ME SAYING, THE HANDS OF
ZERUBBABEL HAVE LAID THE FOUNDATIONS OF THIS HOUSE AND
HIS HANDS WILL FINISH IT. THEN YOU WILL KNOW AND YOU'LL
RECOGNIZE AND YOU'LL UNDERSTAND FULLY THAT THE LORD OF HOSTS HAS
SENT ME AS HIS MESSENGER TO YOU, "WHO WITH REASON DESPISES THE
DAY OF SMALL THINGS "OR SMALL BEGINNINGS. "FOR THESE SEVEN
EYES SHALL REJOICE "WHEN THEY SEE THE PLUMB LINE IN THE HAND
OF ZERUBBABEL. "THEY ARE THE EYES OF THE LORD, "WHICH ROAM
THROUGHOUT THE EARTH." AMEN. ZERUBBABEL WAS THE MAIN GUY IN
CHARGE OF LEADING THIS EFFORT TO REBUILD THE TEMPLE. AND THERE
WERE MANY, MANY OBSTACLES FOR ZERUBBABEL AND THE ISRAELI
PEOPLE AS THEY FACED THIS JOB. THEY HAD TO DEAL WITH OPPOSITION
FROM THE SAMARITANS AND OTHER GROUPS OF PEOPLE. THE JEWISH
PEOPLE THEMSELVES WERE A LITTLE BIT DISCOURAGED DUE TO THE LACK
OF RESOURCES THAT THEY HAD. AND THEY HAD A DILAPIDATED STATE OF
AFFAIRS IN JERUSALEM. I MEAN, YOU CAN IMAGINE THAT OLD TEMPLE
THAT YOU SAW THE PICTURE OF, SOLOMON'S TEMPLE, WAS LAYING IN
RUINS. I MEAN, THINK OF THE WORK JUST TO GET IT CLEARED SO THAT
THEY COULD BUILD A NEW TEMPLE. AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE MODERN DAY
BULLDOZERS LIKE WE HAVE TO WORK WITH. I MEAN, IT WAS WORK. THESE
JEWS HAD BEEN UNDER TREMENDOUS HARDSHIP IN BABYLON. AND NOW
THEY HAD A MESS TO CLEAN UP AND A GIANT TASK TO REBUILD THE
SECOND TEMPLE. THE PRIMARY OPPONENTS OF REBUILDING THE
TEMPLE WERE THESE SAMARITANS. THEY ACTIVELY SOUGHT TO HINDER
THE PROJECT, AND THEY TRIED TO HALT THE CONSTRUCTION. THESE
SAMARITANS INITIALLY OFFERED TO HELP REBUILD THE TEMPLE. THEY
OFFERED TO HELP ORIGINALLY, BUT THEN THEY TURNED HOSTILE TOWARDS
ZERUBBABEL WHEN HE REJECTED THEIR OFFER TO HELP. SAMARITANS
CAME TO ZERUBBABEL AND SAID, WE'LL HELP. ZERUBBABEL SAID, YOU
KNOW WHAT? I THINK WE'RE GOING TO DO IT WITHOUT YOUR HELP. AND
THEN THE SAMARITANS GOT MAD AND HOSTILE. ZERUBBABEL'S REFUSAL OF
ALLOWING THEM TO HELP LED TO HOSTILITY. AND THESE SAMARITANS
THEN DID EVERYTHING THEY COULD TO STOP THE CONSTRUCTION.
REBUILDING THE TEMPLE WAS A MASSIVE EFFORT, AND IT WOULD
HAVE BEEN TEMPTING FOR ZERUBBABEL TO ACCEPT ANY HELP HE
COULD GET, BUT HE HAD A REASON FOR REFUSING THEIR HELP. HE
WASN'T WILLING TO TAKE ANY SHORTCUTS AND ALLOW THOSE NOT
FULLY DEVOTED TO GOD TO BE PART OF IT. THERE'S A GREAT LESSON IN
THIS FOR US. THE SAMARITANS WERE NOT SERVING THE GOD OF ISRAEL.
THEY WERE BASICALLY WICKED PEOPLE, I GUESS YOU WOULD SAY.
THEY WEREN'T WORSHIPING THE GOD OF ISRAEL. THIS IS A GREAT
LESSON FOR US HERE. INTEGRITY AND OBEDIENCE TO GOD ALWAYS
PROVES TO BE THE BLESSED PATH. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN EASY FOR
ZERUBBABEL TO THINK, YOU KNOW WHAT, IF I GOT SOME FREE LABOR
HERE, I BETTER USE THEM AND JUST LET THEM WORK. IT'D BE SO MUCH
EASIER, A SHORTCUT. BUT HE KNEW THAT WAS NOT GOD'S PLAN. THE
IMMEDIATE CONSEQUENCES OF THIS DECISION WASN'T AN EASY THING
FOR ZERUBBABEL TO DEAL WITH. AND IN OUR OWN LIVES, WE'VE ALL HAD
TO FACE DECISIONS LIKE THAT, I'M SURE, WHERE IT'S EASY TO
SOMETIMES TAKE A SHORTCUT, BUT WE KNOW IT WOULDN'T BE PLEASING
TO GOD. SO WE HAVE TO TAKE THE OBEDIENT PATH OF BLESSING. AMEN?
COMPROMISING INTEGRITY OR TAKING A SHORTCUT FROM GOD'S DESIRED
PATH IS ALWAYS A BAD DECISION. SO WHAT WE SEE FROM THIS
SCRIPTURE PASSAGE TONIGHT IS IF WE FOLLOW GOD'S PLAN AND DO THE
THINGS GOD'S WAY, THERE WILL BE BLESSING. AND WHEN GOD HAS A
PLAN TO ACCOMPLISH, IT WILL GET DONE. SO GOD GIVES THE PROPHET
ZECHARIAH THIS VISION OF A LAMPSTAND CONNECTED TO TWO OLIVE
TREES. SO THERE YOU SEE A LAMPSTAND AND THERE'S AN OLIVE
TREE ON BOTH SIDES AND IT'S CONNECTED LIKE WITH TUBES RIGHT
TO THE LAMPSTAND. IT'S WHAT ZECHARIAH IS SEEING HERE IS A
SELF-FILLING LAMPSTAND BECAUSE THIS LAMPSTAND IS CONNECTED
DIRECTLY TO THE SOURCE, THE OLIVE TREES. LET ME READ VERSE 6
AGAIN TO YOU. YOU DON'T HAVE TO PUT IT UP UNLESS YOU GOT IT
RIGHT THERE BUT IT SAYS, "THEN HE SAID TO ME, "THIS CONTINUOUS
SUPPLY OF OIL "IS THE WORD OF THE LORD TO ZERUBBABEL, "SAYING,
NOT BY MIGHT NOR BY POWER, "BUT BY MY SPIRIT, OF WHOM THE OIL IS
A SYMBOL, "SAYS THE LORD OF HOSTS. "THE LAMPS WERE FILLED
WITH SPECIALLY PREPARED OLIVE OIL. "THE LAMPSTAND THAT
ZECHARIAH SAW IN THIS VISION "WAS FED DIRECTLY FROM THESE
TREES." AND THERE'S ANOTHER BEAUTIFUL ILLUSTRATION HERE THAT
I WANNA TALK ABOUT FOR A MINUTE. "FILLING THIS LAMPSTAND WAS
MANUAL LABOR "THAT HAD TO BE DONE AGAIN AND AGAIN, DAY IN AND
DAY OUT. "ONE OF THE MORE TEDIOUS DUTIES OF THE TEMPLE
SERVANTS "OR THE PRIESTS WAS THE CONSTANT CARE "OF THE LAMPSTAND
IN THE TEMPLE. "THEY HAD TO BE CONTINUALLY CLEANED OF SOOT.
"THEY HAD TO BE REFILLED WITH OIL, "AND THEIR WICKS HAD TO BE
MAINTAINED. BUT HERE GOD GIVES ZECHARIAH THIS PICTURE OF A
SELF-OPERATING, AUTOMATICALLY REFILLING, AUTOMATICALLY
REFILLING, THAT'S KIND OF HARD TO SAY, LAMP. IT'S CONSTANTLY
CONNECTED TO THIS SOURCE OF PURE OLIVE OIL. IT'S A CONFIRMING
MESSAGE FROM GOD TO ZERUBBABEL THAT THIS WORK WOULD BE EASY
IF THEY WOULD JUST TRUST IN HIM. NOW TO FULLY UNDERSTAND
THE MAGNITUDE OF WHAT GOD'S SHOWING ZECHARIAH, WE NEED TO
UNDERSTAND WHAT'S INVOLVED IN KEEPING THAT LAMPSTAND
OPERATING. THE LAMPSTAND, OR THE MENORAH, IN THE JEWISH TEMPLE
WAS INTENDED TO BE BURNED CONTINUOUSLY EVERY NIGHT. FROM
EVENING ALL THE WAY TO THE BREAK OF DAY, THAT LAMPSTAND WAS NOT
TO BE EXTINGUISHED. EXODUS 20:20-21 EXPLAINS, "THIS WAS
DONE AS A SYMBOL OF GOD'S PRESENCE "AND LIGHT AMONG HIS
PEOPLE. "THE PRIESTS WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING THE
LAMPS, "ENSURING THEY WERE FILLED WITH PURE OIL "AND THE
WICKS WERE PROPERLY TRIMMED. "AND THIS WORK WAS GRUELING AND
IT WAS EXPENSIVE WORK." DID YOU KNOW IT TAKES ABOUT 40 POUNDS OF
OLIVES JUST TO MAKE A HALF A GALLON OF OLIVE OIL? 40 POUNDS
OF OLIVES IS A LOT OF OLIVES. THAT'S A LOT OF OLIVES. OLIVES
AREN'T THAT HEAVY, SO YOU THINK ABOUT THE MASS BULK THAT IT
WOULD TAKE TO GET 40 POUNDS. AND THAT'S A WEEK'S WORTH OF
OPERATING THAT LAMP IN THE TEMPLE. THESE OLIVES WERE
HAND-PICKED AND ALLOWED TO FERMENT, AND THEN THEY WERE
CRUSHED TO MAKE THE OIL. SO THEY HAD TO GO THROUGH A PROCESS.
LET'S PUT THAT PICTURE UP THERE. THERE THEY ARE, CRUSHING OLIVES
JUST TO MAKE THE OLIVE OIL. THINK OF CRUSHING 40 POUNDS OF
OLIVES EVERY WEEK TO MAKE ENOUGH OIL JUST TO RUN THAT ONE LAMP
STAND IN THE TEMPLE. IN THIS VISION OF THE TWO OLIVE TREES
CONNECTED AND AUTOMATICALLY SUPPLYING OIL TO THE LAMP, ALL
OF THE HARD WORK OF PICKING THE OLIVES, LETTING THEM FERMENT,
CRUSHING THEM, GETTING THAT PURE OIL REFINED ENOUGH TO GO IN AND
THEN FILLING IT MANUALLY IN THOSE LAMPS, ALL THAT WAS
ELIMINATED BECAUSE THEY WERE CONNECTED TO THE TWO OLIVE
TREES. IT WAS AN AUTOMATIC PROCESS THAT GOD WAS GIVING THE
VISION OF. THINK ABOUT IT IN OUR TERMS TODAY. HAVING AN
AUTOMATICALLY REFILLED LAMP STAND COULD BE COMPARED TO HAND
WASHING CLOTHES LIKE THEY DID IN THE 1800S VERSUS HAVING AN
AUTOMATIC WASHING MACHINE TODAY. IN THE 1800S, HAND WASHING
CLOTHES WAS A LABORIOUS PROCESS AND IT INVOLVED A LOT OF STEPS.
CLOTHES WERE TYPICALLY SOAKED OVERNIGHT. THEY WERE SCRUBBED ON
A WASHBOARD, ONE PIECE OF CLOTHING AT A TIME, AND THEN
THEY WERE USUALLY BOILED IN A COPPER POT. THEN THEY HAD TO BE
RINSED, AND THEN THEY HAD TO BE WRUNG OUT. AND FINALLY, THEY
WOULD HANG THEM TO DRY ON A CLOTHESLINE. TODAY, IT'S MUCH
EASIER. WE CAN THROW OUR LOAD IN THE MACHINE, ADD SOME DETERGENT,
PRESS A BUTTON, AND IT DOES IT FOR US. IT SOAKS THEM IF YOU
WANT IT TO. IT SCRUBS THEM. IT RINSES. AND IT SPINS THE EXCESS
WATER OUT. THAT'S THE TYPE OF THING THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
HERE, JUST TO SEE IN YOUR TERMS WHAT ZERUBBABEL WAS SEEING IN
THIS VISION, OR NEEDED TO UNDERSTAND FROM THE VISION OF
ZECHARIAH, WAS THAT THIS WAS AN AUTOMATIC PROCESS, AND GOD WAS
TRYING TO DISPLAY IT IN TERMS THAT THEY WOULD UNDERSTAND TO
SAY, "IT'S GOING TO BE EASY WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT." IT'S AN
ENCOURAGING WORD TO GOD'S PEOPLE AND ZERUBBABEL CONCERNING THE
REBUILDING OF THE TEMPLE. "NOT BY MIGHT NOR BY POWER, BUT BY MY
SPIRIT," SAYS THE LORD OF HOSTS. THE VISIONS AND ASSURANCE THAT
DESPITE OBSTACLES AND TRIALS AND SETBACKS, WHICH ARE REFERRED TO
IN THAT PASSAGE AS A GREAT MOUNTAIN, THE TEMPLE WAS GOING
TO BE COMPLETED. THE PEOPLE OF GOD WERE FEELING HELPLESS TO
REBUILD THE TEMPLE, AND THIS VISION WAS A GREAT ENCOURAGEMENT
TO THEM THAT HIS POWER WOULD MAKE IT POSSIBLE. AND EVEN
THOUGH THE RESISTANCE FROM THE ENEMIES WAS EVIDENT, IT WOULD
COME TO PASS. AMEN? THE PASSAGE CONTAINS SO MUCH, BUT I WANT TO
BRING OUT FOUR POINTS TONIGHT THAT I THINK ARE ENCOURAGING TO
REMEMBER FROM THE PASSAGE. NUMBER ONE, GOD'S SPIRIT IS OUR
SOURCE OF POWER. SAY THAT WITH ME. GOD'S SPIRIT IS OUR SOURCE
OF POWER. NUMBER TWO, NO OBSTACLES WILL THWART GOD'S
PLAN. NO OBSTACLES WILL THWART GOD'S PLAN. AND THEN NUMBER
THREE, THE CAPSTONE AND COMPLETION IS EVIDENCE OF GOD'S
GRACE. AND NUMBER FOUR, DO NOT DESPISE SMALL BEGINNINGS. SO
NUMBER ONE, GOD'S SPIRIT IS OUR SOURCE OF POWER. THAT CENTRAL
VERSE THAT WE'VE LOOKED AT, IT'S ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH HIS SPIRIT,
NOT BY HUMAN STRENGTH OR HUMAN RESOURCES. THE WORK OF THE HOLY
SPIRIT IS HOW THE TEMPLE WAS REBUILT. ANY SIGNIFICANT
ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR GOD COMES BY AND THROUGH THE POWER OF THE
HOLY SPIRIT WORKING. NO AMOUNT OF PHYSICAL, MENTAL, OR MORAL
STRENGTH ON ITS OWN CAN ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING OF ETERNAL
VALUE. NOW, HOW OFTEN DO WE FIND OURSELVES TRYING TO DO THINGS
FOR OURSELVES OR LOOKING TO SEE WHAT OTHERS CAN DO TO HELP US?
IN EVERY AREA OF OUR LIVES, FROM DEALING WITH OUR ASSIGNMENTS
FROM HEAVEN, OR FOR DEALING WITH OUR OWN FAMILY AND FRIENDS, OR
OUR MEDICAL NEEDS, OUR HEALTH, OUR EDUCATION, MAYBE OUR JOB,
OUR WORK, YOU NAME IT, WE'VE ALL BEEN GUILTY OF TRYING TO HANDLE
PROBLEMS ON OUR OWN. THE BIBLE REMINDS US OVER AND OVER TO STOP
TRYING TO DO IT ON OUR OWN. PSALM 33:16, "THE BEST EQUIPPED
ARMY CANNOT SAVE A KING, NOR IS GREAT STRENGTH ENOUGH TO SAVE A
WARRIOR. DON'T COUNT ON YOUR WAR HORSE TO GIVE YOU VICTORY, FOR
IT'S ALL ITS STRENGTH, IT CANNOT SAVE YOU. BUT THE LORD WATCHES
OVER THOSE WHO FEAR HIM, THOSE WHO RELY ON HIS UNFAILING LOVE,
SAYING RELY ON GOD, NOT OUR OWN PHYSICAL STRENGTH OR OUR OWN
NATURAL ABILITY. GOD USES THAT, BUT WE CAN'T RELY AND TRUST IN
IT. NUMBER TWO, NO OBSTACLE WILL THWART GOD'S PLAN. THE GREAT
MOUNTAIN IN VERSE 7, IT SAYS, WHAT ARE YOU, GREAT MOUNTAIN?
THAT REPRESENTS THOSE SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES THAT
ZERUBBABEL FACED IN REBUILDING THE TEMPLE. GOD ASSURED HIM THAT
HE WOULD LEVEL THOSE OBSTACLES BY THE POWER OF HIS SPIRIT. AND
GOD'S LEVELED THE OBSTACLES TIME AND TIME AGAIN FOR LORD OF HOSTS
CHURCH. FOR PASTOR HANK AND BRENDA, WE'VE SEEN THAT TIME AND
TIME AGAIN IN THIS MINISTRY. THEY HAD OBSTACLES. THEY HAD
MOUNTAINS. THEY HAD THINGS THAT WERE BEFORE THEM THAT LOOKED
IMPOSSIBLE. BUT IT CAME TO PASS BECAUSE OF TRUSTING IN THE HOLY
SPIRIT AT WORK. AND THAT'S ANOTHER REASON FOR CONNECTION
AND JOINING IN THE VISION OF YOUR PASTOR. YOU RECEIVE AND YOU
COME UNDER A DIVINE COVERING IN THE SPIRIT WHEN YOU JOIN IN WITH
YOUR PASTOR AND SUPPORT HIM. WHEN YOU BECOME A MEMBER OR AN
E-MEMBER, YOU COME UNDER THAT COVERING BECAUSE THEY PRAY FOR
THOSE MEMBERS AND E-MEMBERS DAILY. AND THERE'S SOMETHING
ABOUT IT. PSALM 92:13 SAYS, "THOSE WHO ARE PLANTED "IN THE
HOUSE OF THE LORD SHALL FLOURISH "IN THE COURTS OF OUR GOD."
HALLELUJAH. IT'S CONNECTED TO LONG LIFE, BY THE WAY. NUMBER
THREE, THE CAPSTONE AND COMPLETION IS EVIDENCE OF GOD'S
GRACE. VERSE 7 SPEAKS OF THE HEADSTONE OR THE CAPSTONE, WHICH
SYMBOLIZES THE COMPLETION OF THE TEMPLE. IT SAYS, "AND HE WILL
BRING OUT THE CAPSTONE "OF THE NEW TEMPLE WITH LOUD SHOUTS OF
GRACE, GRACE TO IT." THIS SIGNIFIES THAT GOD WILL NOT ONLY
START A WORK, BUT HE CAN ALSO BRING IT TO A SUCCESSFUL
CONCLUSION BY HIS GRACE, AND HE'LL DO THAT AT LORD OF HOSTS
AND IN YOUR INDIVIDUAL LIVES. IT'LL ALL END WELL WHEN WE SERVE
GOD AND FOLLOW HIS PLAN, AMEN? AND THEN NUMBER FOUR, DO NOT
DESPISE SMALL BEGINNINGS. VERSE 10 READS, "WHO DESPISES THE DAY
OF SMALL THINGS "OR SMALL BEGINNINGS?" THAT'S AN
ENCOURAGEMENT NOT TO DESPISE THE DAY OF SMALL THINGS. IT'S A
REMINDER THAT EVEN SEEMINGLY INSIGNIFICANT BEGINNINGS CAN
LEAD TO GREAT THINGS WHEN WE'RE EMPOWERED BY GOD. YOU KNOW, YOU
MAY THINK THAT YOU DON'T HAVE THE TRAINING OR YOU DON'T HAVE
THE QUALIFICATIONS OR YOU DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY OR YOU DON'T
HAVE THE GIFTING TO DO WHAT GOD'S CALLED YOU TO DO, BUT
REMEMBER, HE'S THE GREAT EQUALIZER. WHAT YOU CAN'T DO, HE
CAN MAKE UP FOR YOU. HALLELUJAH. YOU MAY NOT BE UP TO THE TASK IN
YOUR NATURAL ABILITY, BUT GOD WILL INTERVENE AND MAKE YOU
EQUAL TO THE TASK THAT HE'S CALLED YOU TO ACHIEVE. TAKE
HEART. YOU MAY BE WORKING WITH SMALL BEGINNINGS, BUT LISTEN TO
ME, FRIENDS. THE GREATEST EVENT IN HUMAN HISTORY BEGAN WITH A
BABY BORN IN A BARN. THE GREATEST EVENT IN HUMAN HISTORY
BEGAN WITH A BABY THAT WAS BORN IN A BARN. WHO WOULD HAVE EVER
THOUGHT OF THAT? WHO COULD HAVE CONCEIVED THAT? GOD IS A MASTER
AT ACCOMPLISHING HIS PURPOSES WITH THE LITTLE THAT WE HAVE. HE
CAN TAKE THE LITTLE AND MAKE IT GREAT. BUT IT DOESN'T GET DONE
BY HUMAN STRENGTH AND HUMAN INGENUITY. IT GETS DONE BY THE
FLOW OF THE SPIRIT. JESUS IS OUR PERFECT EXAMPLE. EVERYTHING
JESUS DID WAS NOT BY HIS OWN POWER OR STRENGTH. THAT WAS
JESUS. THE WORD TELLS US THAT. DID YOU KNOW THAT? IT WASN'T BY
HIS POWER OR STRENGTH. JESUS DEPENDED ON THE SPIRIT. LET'S
LOOK AT LUKE 4:18-19. IT SAYS, "THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON
ME, FOR HE HAS ANOINTED ME TO BRING THE GOOD NEWS TO THE POOR.
LORD, HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM THAT CAPTIVES WILL BE RELEASED,
THAT THE BLIND WILL SEE, THAT THE OPPRESSED WILL BE SET FREE,
AND THAT THE TIME OF THE LORD'S FAVOR HAS COME. SO THE SPIRIT OF
GOD ANOINTED JESUS TO DO THOSE GREAT WORKS. AND HE CAN DO THE
SAME FOR US. HE DOES. AMEN? MOST OF OUR HEROES IN THE BIBLE HAD
SMALL, HUMBLE BEGINNINGS. MANY HAD NO, IN FACT, MOST OF THEM
HAD NO IDEA THAT THEY WOULD ACCOMPLISH THE GREAT THINGS FOR
GOD THAT THEY DID. THEY HAD NO IDEA. AND TODAY, JUST LIKE IT
WAS WHEN ISRAEL WAS REBUILDING THE TEMPLE, THERE ARE MANY
SUBSTITUTES THAT MAN ATTEMPTS TO USE. NOTHING IS A SUBSTITUTE FOR
THE POWER OF THE MIGHTY HOLY SPIRIT IN DOING THE WORK OF THE
MINISTRY. SOME TRUST IN THE POWER OF MONEY, SOME TRUST IN
EDUCATION, SOME TRUST IN GOVERNMENT, SOME TRUST IN THEIR
DENOMINATION. BUT NONE OF THOSE THINGS OR NATURAL ABILITIES
SHOULD BE DESPISED. GOD CAN USE THEM. HE CAN WORK THROUGH THEM.
HE CAN USE THE SKILLS. I MEAN, HE CREATED US WITH SKILLS AND
WISDOM, AND HE WANTS US TO USE OUR MINDS AND OUR ABILITIES AND
OUR TALENTS, BUT THEY'RE WORTHLESS UNLESS THEY'RE
ACCOMPANIED BY GOD'S POWER. MYLON LEFEVRE USED TO SAY, "TO
HAVE GOD'S SUPERNATURAL POWER OPERATE IN YOUR LIFE, YOU NEED
BOTH THE SUPER, WHICH IS GOD'S MIRACULOUSLY WORKING POWER IN
YOUR LIFE, PLUS THE NATURAL, WHICH IS US WORKING TOGETHER
WITH HIM. WE'RE WORKERS TOGETHER WITH HIM. AND THEN WHEN YOU
COMBINE THE SUPER AND THE NATURAL, YOU HAVE THE
SUPERNATURAL, WILLIE. THAT'S WHAT WE NEED WORKING IN OUR
LIVES, THE SUPERNATURAL. WE CAN'T JUST DO IT ALL ON OUR OWN.
HALLELUJAH. PRAISE GOD. THE HOLY SPIRIT'S THE THIRD PART OF THE
TRINITY AND HAS HAD DIRECT INVOLVEMENT IN THE CREATION AND
THE REDEMPTION OF ALL THINGS. ACCORDING TO GENESIS 1:21, “IT
WAS THE HOLY SPIRIT THAT BROODED UPON THE FACE OF THE DEEP, AND
AT THE COMMAND OF GOD, HE RESTORED THE EARTH TO A
CONDITION THAT WAS INHABITABLE FOR ALL OF CREATION.” LUKE 1:35
TELLS US “THE HOLY SPIRIT CAME UPON MARY, AND BY THE HOLY
SPIRIT, SHE CONCEIVED THE SON OF GOD.” HALLELUJAH. ONLY THE HOLY
SPIRIT CAN CONVICT THE WORLD OF SIN, OF RIGHTEOUSNESS AND
JUDGMENT. ONLY THE HOLY SPIRIT CAN QUICKEN A DEAD SOUL TO
NEWNESS OF LIFE. ONLY THE HOLY SPIRIT CAN BRING THE ANOINTING
OF GOD WITH THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPEL TO WIN SOULS FOR CHRIST.
ONLY THE HOLY SPIRIT CAN BE THE COMFORTER FOR A TROUBLED SPIRIT.
ONLY THE HOLY SPIRIT CAN MAKE INTERCESSION FOR US. ONLY THE
HOLY SPIRIT CAN HEAL A SICK BODY OR BRING THE DEAD BACK TO LIFE.
ONLY THE HOLY SPIRIT CAN GIVE SUPERNATURAL WISDOM TO US WHEN
WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND AND NAVIGATE SPIRITUAL TRUTHS OR WE
NEED TO DISCERN GOD'S WILL OR WE NEED TO EFFECTIVELY MINISTER TO
OTHERS. WE NEED GOD'S HELP TO DO THAT. THAT'S WHAT THE HOLY
SPIRIT DOES. THE ANOINTING BREAKS THE YOKE AND THE
ANOINTING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IS THE CHURCH'S POWER SOURCE.
ZECHARIAH 4:6, "NOT BY MIGHT NOR BY POWER, "BUT BY MY SPIRIT,"
SAYS THE LORD OF HOSTS. SO HOW DO WE DEPEND UPON THE SPIRIT? AS
I START TO WIND DOWN HERE, HOW DO WE DO THIS? HOW DO WE LET GO
AND LET GOD? WHAT DO YOU AND I NEED TO DO TO COME TO THE PLACE
THAT WE'RE FULLY RELIANT ON THE HOLY SPIRIT TO OPERATE IN AND
THROUGH OUR LIVES? HOW DO WE PUT ZECHARIAH 4.6 INTO PRACTICE IN
OUR DAILY LIVES? LET'S JUST LOOK AT THREE POINTS HERE. NUMBER
ONE, WELL, LET ME READ THE THREE TO YOU FIRST OF ALL HERE, AND
THEN WE'LL JUST LOOK AT THEM QUICKLY. ACTIVELY PURSUE
FELLOWSHIP AND COMMUNION WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT. ALLOW THE HOLY
SPIRIT ACCESS IN YOUR LIFE, AND THEN SEEK GOD'S WILL,
INVOLVEMENT OF HOLY SPIRIT, AND HOLY SPIRIT WISDOM CONTINUOUSLY.
NUMBER ONE, ACTIVELY PURSUE FELLOWSHIP AND COMMUNION WITH
THE HOLY SPIRIT. THE BIBLE STATES THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT
RESIDES WITHIN EVERY BELIEVER. IN OTHER WORDS, ONCE, WELL,
FIRST OF ALL, THE HOLY SPIRIT WORKS ON UNBELIEVERS. BUT WHEN A
PERSON GETS SAVED, THEY HAVE A MEASURE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, OR
THEY WOULDN'T BE SAVED. ALL BELIEVERS POSSESS THE HOLY
SPIRIT. IT'S JUST NOT THE FULLNESS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
ROMANS 8:9 TELLS US THAT. IF YOU WANT TO ARGUE WITH ME, I'LL
GIVE YOU A SCRIPTURE FOR IT. IT SAYS, "BUT YOU ARE
NOT CONTROLLED BY YOUR SINFUL NATURE. YOU ARE CONTROLLED BY
THE SPIRIT IF YOU HAVE THE SPIRIT OF GOD LIVING IN YOU.
THIS IS SPEAKING OF CHRISTIANS. AND THEN HE SAYS, "AND REMEMBER
THAT THOSE WHO DO NOT HAVE THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST LIVING IN THEM
DO NOT BELONG TO HIM AT ALL." SO YOU CANNOT BE A BELIEVER AND NOT
HAVE A MEASURE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. EVEN BAPTISTS HAVE A
MEASURE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, PASTOR KEITH.
(CONGREGATION LAUGHING)
THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IS A SUBSEQUENT
GIFT THAT BELIEVERS EXPERIENCE. THE
BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IS A DIRECT CONNECTION
TO THE POWER OF GOD. ACTS 1:8 TELLS US THAT, "BUT YOU
SHALL RECEIVE POWER. AFTER THAT, THE HOLY GHOST HAS COME UPON
YOU." IT'S A POWER GIFT, JANET. IT GIVES YOU POWER. IT CHANGES
YOUR LIFE WHEN YOU RECEIVE THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. THE
POWER GIFT COMES WITH AN EVIDENCE. WHEN YOU RECEIVE IT,
WE BELIEVE THE INITIAL EVIDENCE OF RECEIVING THE BAPTISM OF THE
HOLY SPIRIT IS SPEAKING IN OTHER TONGUES. EVERY BORN AGAIN CHILD
OF GOD IS ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
IF YOU'RE A CHRISTIAN, YOU'VE ACCEPTED JESUS CHRIST YOUR
SAVIOR, YOU'VE MADE HIM THE LORD OF YOUR LIFE, THEN YOU ARE
ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. HALLELUJAH.
RECEIVING THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IS THE TIME THAT YOU
CAN RECEIVE THAT TANGIBLE POWER OF GOD WORKING IN YOUR LIFE. AND
THEN THE GIFT OF TONGUES, THERE'S MANY THINGS THAT COME
ALONG WITH THAT, BUT IT'LL STRENGTHEN YOU SPIRITUALLY,
IT'LL BUILD YOUR FAITH, IT'LL HELP YOU PRAY THE WILL OF GOD,
AND IT OPENS THE DOOR TO OTHER GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT. NUMBER TWO,
ALLOW THE HOLY SPIRIT ACCESS IN YOUR LIFE. EPHESIANS 5:8 TELLS
US NOT TO BE DRUNK WITH ALCOHOL, BUT BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT.
AND AS BELIEVERS, WE NEVER WANT TO HINDER THE WORK OF THE HOLY
SPIRIT BY IGNORING HIS PROMPTINGS OR HIS INFLUENCE. WE
HAVE TO REALIZE THAT GOD NEVER OVERRIDES MAN'S FREE WILL. JUST
LIKE HE DIDN'T WHEN YOU DECIDED TO BECOME A CHRISTIAN. YOU HAD
TO MAKE THE DECISION TO BECOME A CHRISTIAN. GOD DIDN'T FORCE YOU
TO GET SAVED. YOU MADE THE DECISION WITH YOUR OWN WILL. AND
HE DOES THE SAME THING WITH CHRISTIANS. HE ALLOWS YOU TO BE
AS FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT AS YOU WANT TO BE. YOU HAVE A DECISION.
YOU CAN EVEN RECEIVE THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AND SPEAK
WITH TONGUES AND STILL NOT BE FILLED TO THE PLACE THAT GOD
WANTS YOU TO. YOU CAN STILL BE FILLED TO A GREATER EXTENT EVEN
AFTER RECEIVING THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. AS YOU DESIRE
MORE, HE GIVES YOU MORE. AS YOU WALK MORE IN HIS WILL, AS YOU
RECEIVE MORE, YOU HAVE ROOM TO RECEIVE MORE AND YOU CAN
CONTINUE TO GROW IN THAT AREA. SOMEONE THAT'S JUST NEWLY SAVED
AND THEN MAYBE NEWLY BAPTIZED IN THE HOLY SPIRIT IS NOT GONNA BE
AS STRONG IN THE SPIRIT AS SOMEONE THAT'S WALKED WITH GOD
FOR 50 YEARS AND BEEN FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT FOR 50 YEARS.
WE'RE ALL AT DIFFERENT LEVELS. BUT NEVER IGNORE HOLY SPIRIT
CONVICTION. WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT CONVICTS US OF A SIN,
IMMEDIATELY REPENT SO YOUR CONSCIENCE IS NOT HARDENED. MANY
PEOPLE THINK OF HARDENED CRIMINALS WHEN WE TALK ABOUT
SOMEONE WITH A HARDENED OR A SEARED CONSCIENCE. BUT EVEN
WELL-MEANING CHRISTIANS CAN SEAR THEIR CONSCIENCE OVER TIME.
PASTOR HANK EVEN TALKED ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT. HE REFERRED
TO IT, MAYBE HE DIDN'T CALL IT THAT, BUT HE TALKED ABOUT THE
THINGS THAT YOU LET INTO YOUR LIFE AND LISTENING TO SECULAR
THINGS ALL THE TIME AND JUST FILLING YOUR LIFE WITH SECULAR
THINGS AND SPENDING ALL THE TIME ON FACEBOOK AND SOCIAL MEDIA AND
FILLING YOUR LIFE WITH THAT INSTEAD OF FILLING IT WITH THE
THINGS OF GOD, THAT CAN SEAR YOUR CONSCIENCE. IT CAN CAUSE
YOU TO WALK THE WRONG WAY AND GET INVOLVED IN THINGS THAT YOU
SHOULDN'T INSTEAD OF PULLING TOWARDS GOD AND THE THINGS THAT
HE WANTS US TO BE INVOLVED IN. PAUL SPOKE OF THOSE THAT WERE
SEARED IN THEIR OWN CONSCIENCE AS WITH A BRANDING IRON IN 1
TIMOTHY 4:2, "AND THOSE WHO, BECAUSE OF THE HARDNESS OF THEIR
HEART, HAVE BECOME CALLOUS," EPHESIANS 4:18-19. SO THE SEARED
CONSCIENCE AND THE HARDENED CALLOUS HEART BOTH DESCRIBE THE
SAME CONDITION. WE WERE CREATED BY GOD WITH UNIQUE AND INTRINSIC
FACULTY THAT GIVES US A KIND OF THIRD-PERSON PERSPECTIVE ON THE
RIGHT OR WRONG ACTIONS THAT WE TAKE. IT'S A SECRET INNER VOICE
OF THE LORD SPEAKING TO US. IN THE PHYSICAL REALM, THE
CONSCIENCE IS COMPARED TO THE HUMAN NERVOUS SYSTEM. IF I TAKE
A KNIFE AND CUT MY ARM, I'LL FEEL PAIN. AND THAT'S A GOOD
THING BECAUSE THAT PAIN TELLS ME, OH, THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG
WITH MY ARM, AS IF I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT I'D CUT MYSELF.
THAT WASN'T THE BEST ILLUSTRATION, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT
I'M SAYING. WHEN YOU GET HURT AND YOU FEEL PAIN, THAT'S YOUR
BODY'S ALARM SYSTEM TO YOU SAYING THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG,
YOU NEED TO TEND TO IT, YOU NEED TO TAKE CARE OF IT. THERE'S SOME
THROBBING PAIN THERE. LIKEWISE, WHEN A PERSON SINS, THE HUMAN
SOUL HAS A WARNING SYSTEM THAT SOUNDS AN ALARM BECAUSE OF OUR
ACTIONS. THE SOUL ALARM SOUNDS OUT, MAYDAY, MAYDAY, THERE'S
SOMETHING WRONG HERE. YOU DID SOMETHING THAT'S GRIEVING THE
HOLY SPIRIT. AND YOU DON'T WANT TO DISREGARD THAT BECAUSE THE
MORE YOU DISREGARD IT, YOU BECOME MORE HARDENED TO IT. AND
THE NEXT TIME IT HAPPENS, YOU MAY NOT EVEN HEAR THE VOICE. SO
STAY SENSITIVE TO THE HOLY SPIRIT. HOW DO YOU DO THAT? YOU
JUST ASK GOD TO HELP YOU TO BE SENSITIVE, TO RECEIVE, THAT YOU
HAVE EARS TO HEAR AND NEVER OFFEND HIM. HALLELUJAH. THE HOLY
SPIRIT IS SO PRECIOUS. THE GOOD NEWS IS THIS, IF WE LISTEN AND
TAKE HEED TO THE ALARM, WE CAN REPENT, WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH
A CLEAR CONSCIENCE. YOU KNOW, IT MIGHT JUST BE THAT YOU SAID A
HARSH WORD TO YOUR WIFE OR YOUR HUSBAND, AND THEN YOU FEEL KIND
OF BAD ABOUT IT, AND YOU THINK, "OH, I SHOULDN'T HAVE DONE
THAT." WELL, YOU CAN REPENT AND ASK FOR HER FORGIVENESS OR HIS
FORGIVENESS AND MOVE FORWARD. BUT THEN YOU'VE LEARNED
SOMETHING, AND THE NEXT TIME YOU PROBABLY WON'T DO IT AS QUICKLY.
BUT IF YOU JUST HARDEN YOURSELF AND SAY, "WELL, SHE DESERVED
THAT. "I KNOW THAT I FEEL KIND OF GUILTY FOR DOING IT, "BUT SHE
DESERVED ME YELLING AT HER." THAT DOESN'T SOLVE ANYTHING. IT
JUST MAKES YOU MORE HEARTENED. THAT WASN'T IN MY MESSAGE, BY
THE WAY, PASTOR ANTHONY, BUT IT CAME OUT. IF THE SPIRIT LEADS
YOU TO DO SOMETHING SUCH AS REACHING OUT TO SOMEONE OR
TAKING A STEP OF FAITH, MOVE OUT ON THAT UNCTION. YOU FEEL AN
UNCTION TO DO IT, BUT YOU'RE KIND OF AFRAID TO DO IT. I
SHOULD TALK TO THIS WAITRESS AS SHE'S COMING TO GIVE ME MY CHECK
OR I'M PAYING OR WHATEVER. I KIND OF NEED TO INVITE, I THINK
I FEEL LIKE I NEED TO INVITE HER TO CHURCH OR ASK HER IF SHE HAS
A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD OR ASK, YOU KNOW, YOU FEEL LIKE YOU
HAVE, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE ELSE MIGHT HEAR ME AROUND, I BETTER
NOT. MOVE OUT ON THE UNCTION BECAUSE EVERY TIME YOU QUENCH
THAT, IT'S HARDER TO HEAR THE NEXT TIME. IF YOU, IF YOU, AND
I'M AS GUILTY AS ANYONE, IF YOU QUENCH THE SPIRIT AND DON'T DO
WHAT YOU'RE CALLED TO DO, THEN IT'S HARDER TO HEAR THE
INSTRUCTION THE NEXT TIME. GO BACK TO THE LAST THING THAT THE
HOLY SPIRIT TOLD YOU TO DO AND DO THAT AND THEN IT OPENS THE
DOOR FOR THE NEXT THING. IF YOU'RE STUCK, GO BACK TO THE
LAST THING. FOLLOW GOD'S LEAD OR REPENT, SAY, "LORD, I MISSED THE
BOAT ON THAT ONE. PLEASE SPEAK TO ME AGAIN AND I'LL LISTEN THIS
TIME." AND THEN AS HE STARTS LEADING YOU, YOU'LL DEVELOP MORE
STRENGTH, YOU'LL DEVELOP MORE FAITH, AND YOU'LL DEVELOP, YOU
WON'T HAVE THE FEAR, I GUESS, OF STEPPING OUT AS MUCH. YOU KNOW,
I'VE TOLD THIS STORY BEFORE, BUT SOME OF YOU HAVE NEVER HEARD IT.
THE THING THAT I DETESTED AND WAS MORE FEARFUL OF, MORE THAN
ANYTHING IN MY LIFE, WAS SPEAKING IN FRONT OF A GROUP OF
PEOPLE. THAT WAS THE THING I HATED TO DO. I HATED SPEECH
CLASS IN HIGH SCHOOL. I HAD TO GET UP IN FRONT OF 20 KIDS AND
GIVE A SPEECH. AND THEN I GOT IN TROUBLE BECAUSE I USED THE BIBLE
ON MY FIRST ONE. AND THE TEACHER SAID AT THAT TIME, SHE SAID,
YOU'D NEVER USE THAT BIBLE AGAIN. AND THAT WAS BACK IN THE,
WHAT THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN IN THE '70S. SHE TOLD ME THAT. SHE
SAID, "I DON'T WANT YOU TO EVER USE ANYTHING FROM THE BIBLE
AGAIN." SO I JUST KINDA, I WENT A LITTLE DIFFERENT DIRECTION,
BUT I STILL TALKED ABOUT BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES THE NEXT
TIME. BUT I DON'T THINK SHE LIKED ME, AND I THINK I ENDED UP
WITH A C IN THAT CLASS. ANYWAY. BUT I HATE, I WOULD RATHER HOLD
A SNAKE IN MY HAND THAN TO SPEAK IN FRONT OF PEOPLE. THAT'S THE
WAY I WAS. AND THE FIRST TIME I DID AN OFFERING AT CHURCH, MY
WIFE SAID, "THAT WAS TERRIBLE." SHE SAID SHE ALMOST WENT UNDER
THE SEAT, IT WAS SO BAD. I DON'T KNOW
IF I'VE GOTTEN ANY BETTER, BUT WHATEVER.
(CONGREGATION APPLAUDING)
I'M HERE. THAT WASN'T IN MY NOTES EITHER, THAT WAS FREE
TONIGHT. I GOTTA GET MOVING HERE, IT'S 8:10. WE GOTTA KEEP
MOVING, I WANNA GET YOU OUT EARLY TONIGHT. BUT SEEK GOD'S
WILL, NUMBER THREE, THE INVOLVEMENT OF HOLY SPIRIT AND
HOLY SPIRIT WISDOM CONTINUOUSLY. ACTIVELY SEEK GOD'S GUIDANCE
THROUGH PRAYER, BIBLE STUDY, AND LISTENING FOR THAT STILL, SMALL
VOICE. AND THEN YOU'LL DRAW CLOSER TO HIM, YOU'LL HAVE MORE
COMMUNION WITH HIM. YOU KNOW, THAT'S HOW PASTOR HANK IS AT, I
MEAN, HE HAS A GIFT THAT NOT EVERYONE HAS. SO NOT EVERYONE IS
GOING TO SPEAK TO NATIONS JUST BECAUSE THEY SPEND TIME
COMMUTING WITH GOD. AND WE CAN'T QUESTION WHY GOD USES ONE PERSON
AND NOT ANOTHER. THAT'S NONE OF OUR BUSINESS. WE DON'T KNOW.
THERE'S MANY THINGS WE DON'T KNOW ON THIS EARTH. AND WE'LL
FIND OUT ANSWERS IN HEAVEN. WHY HE CHOSE ONE AND NOT ANOTHER,
WHY HE CHOSE PASTOR HANK TO BE A NATIONAL PROPHET AND NOT JUST BE
A LOCAL PASTOR, WHICH I'M NOT PUTTING THAT DOWN. I'M JUST
SAYING WHY DID HE CHOOSE HIM TO DO MORE THAN BE A LOCAL PASTOR?
I DON'T KNOW. IT MAYBE HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH OBEDIENCE
AND CHARACTER AND INTEGRITY AND PUSHING AND PULLING AND BEING
ABLE TO STICK WITH IT. ALL THOSE THINGS ARE IMPORTANT, BUT ALSO
THERE'S A SUPERNATURAL CHOICE THAT GOD MAKES TO PUT THAT ON
SOMEONE THAT'S WILLING TO ACCEPT THE RESPONSIBILITY AND FOLLOW
THROUGH. SO, THERE'S MANY THINGS THAT WE DON'T ALWAYS KNOW, BUT I
DO KNOW THIS, AS YOU DRAW CLOSER TO GOD, AS YOU COMMUNE WITH HIM,
AS YOU PRAY MORE, AND AS YOU SEEK HIM AND YOU STUDY THE WORD
AND YOU'RE DOING DILIGENT IN WHAT YOU CAN DO IN THE NATURAL,
GOD WILL FILL IN WITH THE SUPERNATURAL. AND HE'LL HELP YOU
TO ACHIEVE EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE CALLED TO DO. AND WHAT
YOU'RE CALLED TO DO MAY NOT BE STANDING ON A PULPIT OR ON A
PLATFORM OR IN SPEAKING NATIONALLY LIKE PASTOR HANK
DOES, BUT WHAT YOU'RE CALLED TO DO AND YOU ACHIEVING THAT
PURPOSE THAT GOD HAS FOR YOU IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS WHAT PASTOR
HANK DOES. IT'S JUST AS IMPORTANT. YOU JUST HAVE TO FIND
THAT THAT YOU'RE CALLED TO DO BECAUSE THEN WHEN YOU GET TO
HEAVEN, YOU'LL GET THE SAME REWARD AS PASTOR HANK BEING A
NATIONAL PROPHET AND HAVING ALL THAT THAT HE DID. YOU'LL GET THE
SAME REWARD BECAUSE YOU WERE FAITHFUL IN YOUR CALLING. OBEY
THE PROMPTINGS. WHEN HOLY SPIRIT LEADS YOU TO DO SOMETHING,
WHETHER IT'S SHARING YOUR FAITH, OFFERING HELP, OR MAKING A
DIFFICULT DECISION, OBEDIENCE IS THE KEY. HOLY SPIRIT WORKS TO
TRANSFORM BELIEVERS INTO THE LIKENESS OF CHRIST, RENEWING OUR
MINDS AND CHANGING OUR BEHAVIOR. EDDIE, ARE YOU UP? NO, EDDIE'S
NOT UP. EDDIE, YOU CAN COME ON UP. I NEED TO QUIT HERE. AS WE
SEEK WISDOM AND DISCERNMENT, WE CAN ASK THE HOLY SPIRIT TO GUIDE
OUR DECISIONS AND HELP US UNDERSTAND GOD'S WILL FOR OUR
LIVES, AND THEN STEP OUT IN FAITH AND DO IT. AND YOU'LL MAKE
SOME MISTAKES, WE ALL HAVE. I MADE MISTAKES THE FIRST TIME I
DID AN OFFERING, AN OFFERTORY. I DIDN'T DO NEARLY AS GOOD AS
PASTOR KEITH DID TONIGHT. I WAS TERRIBLE. BUT FORTUNATELY, THAT
PASTOR DIDN'T FIRE ME. HE SAID, "I'LL GIVE HIM ANOTHER CHANCE."
AND THEN I GOT A LITTLE BETTER AS TIME WENT ON, I THINK, DIDN'T
I, EILEEN? OKAY, YEAH. OKAY. EPHESIANS 1:17, I WANNA READ
THAT AGAIN OUT OF THE AMPLIFIED TONIGHT. IT SAYS, "I ALWAYS PRAY
THAT THE GOD "OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, THE FATHER OF GLORY,
"MAY GRANT YOU A SPIRIT OF WISDOM "AND A REVELATION THAT
GIVES YOU A DEEP AND PERSONAL "AND INTIMATE INSIGHT INTO THE
TRUE KNOWLEDGE OF HIM, "FOR WE KNOW THE FATHER THROUGH THE
SON." HALLELUJAH. AS WE RESPOND IN FAITH AND SEEK HIS WISDOM,
HE'LL GIVE US EXACTLY WHAT WE NEED. TAKING STEPS OF FAITH,
EVEN WHEN YOU DON'T FULLY UNDERSTAND THEM, AND TRUSTING
THE HOLY SPIRIT IS LEADING YOU AND GUIDING YOU, IS WHAT WILL
GIVE YOU CONFIDENCE TO TRUST HIM MORE. AND LET'S MAKE IT A GOAL
THIS YEAR TO LIVE IN SUCH A WAY AS TO UNWRAP THE PACKAGE OF THE
HOLY SPIRIT IN OUR LIFE SO THAT WE RECEIVE EVERYTHING HE HAS FOR
US. WE HAVE THAT POWER GIFT WORKING IN OUR LIVES TO ACHIEVE
AND ACCOMPLISH EVERYTHING THAT WE NEED TO DO FOR HIM. "REPEAT
AFTER ME, 'NOT BY MIGHT, NOR BY POWER, BUT BY MY SPIRIT,' SAYS
THE LORD OF HOSTS." NOW I KNOW SOME OF YOU ARE PROBABLY DEALING
WITH CIRCUMSTANCES THAT YOU FEEL LIKE ARE ALMOST OUT OF CONTROL
IN YOUR LIFE. YOU DON'T SEE THAT HOPE THAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT
TONIGHT. THE ONLY LIGHT THAT YOU SEE AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL IS
A TRAIN. BUT GOD HAS AN ANSWER FOR YOU. IF YOU'RE WATCHING
ONLINE AND YOU'RE DISCOURAGED, TAKE HOPE IN THE FACT THAT THE
HOLY SPIRIT IS THERE AS AN INTIMATE GUIDE, AS AN INTIMATE
GOD THAT WILL DIRECT YOU AND GIVE YOU THE PEACE THAT YOU
NEVER KNEW IN ANY OTHER FORM OR FASHION AS YOU SEEK HIM, AS YOU
MOVE TOWARDS THE PLAN THAT HE HAS FOR YOUR LIFE. YOU ARE NOT
INSIGNIFICANT TO GOD. YOU ARE PRECIOUS TO HIM, AND HE HAS A
PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE. YOU HAVE TO TAKE STEPS IN THE NATURAL,
THOUGH, TO RECEIVE IT AND TO MOVE INTO IT AND WALK IN IT. IT
DOESN'T JUST AUTOMATICALLY COME. IT'S SOMETHING YOU HAVE TO TAKE
A STEP TOWARDS. WHY DON'T YOU BOW YOUR HEADS WITH ME TONIGHT?
ACTUALLY STAND WITH ME IF YOU WOULD. IF THERE'S SOMEONE HERE
AND THAT'S YOU, YOU NEED PRAYER TONIGHT, YOU SAY, "I'M
DISCOURAGED. I NEED THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WORKING IN MY
LIFE." MAYBE YOU'VE NEVER RECEIVED THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY
SPIRIT. MAYBE THAT'S, TONIGHT'S YOUR NIGHT FOR THAT. IF THERE'S
SOMEONE HERE AND YOU HAVEN'T, YOU CAN RECEIVE IT TONIGHT. IF
WE HAVE A FEW OF OUR ALTAR TEAM MEMBERS IN THE HOUSE TONIGHT, IF
YOU JUST COME UP HERE AND STAND, I WANT YOU TO BE ABLE TO PRAY
WITH ANYONE THAT NEEDS IT TONIGHT. AND IF YOU'RE WATCHING
ONLINE TONIGHT, YOU NEED THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. YOU
NEED TO HAVE SOMEONE PRAY WITH YOU JUST IN REGARDING YOUR WALK
THAT YOU WOULD PRESS IN. YOU WANT SOMEONE TO AGREE WITH YOU
TO OVERCOME THE THINGS THAT THE DEVIL'S BEEN THROWING AT YOU.
YOU CAN CALL OUR PRAYER LINE. THEY HAVE IT UP THERE,
855-777-7907. 24 HOURS A DAY, WE HAVE LICENSED PRAYER COUNSELORS
AVAILABLE TO HELP YOU, WALK WITH YOU, SEND YOU LITERATURE, DO
WHAT WE CAN TO HELP YOU BECAUSE WE'RE HERE FOR YOU. WE WANT TO
AND TONIGHT IF YOU'RE HERE OR IN THIS PLACE AND YOU WANT PRAYER,
I'M GOING TO ASK YOU NOT TO WAIT UNTIL EVERYONE'S DISMISSED, BUT
JUST COME UP HERE RIGHT NOW IF YOU SAY, I NEED PRAYER. I NEED
THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, OR I JUST NEED SOMEONE TO AGREE
WITH ME SO THAT I CAN MOVE FURTHER INTO THE THINGS OF GOD.
OR MAYBE YOU'RE NOT IN A BAD PLACE, BUT YOU JUST SAY, I WANT
SOMEONE TO AGREE WITH ME THAT I CAN JUST STEP INTO EVERYTHING
THAT GOD HAS FOR ME. IF THAT'S YOU, COME ON UP HERE. LET'S GET
PRAYER TONIGHT. BE BOLD. DON'T LET FEAR, DON'T LET WHAT PEOPLE
MAY THINK HOLD YOU BACK. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT PEOPLE
THINK. IT ONLY MATTERS WHAT GOD THINKS OF WHAT WE'RE DOING. JUST
BE OPEN TO RECEIVE WHAT HE WOULD HAVE FOR YOU. THANK YOU, JESUS.
THANK YOU, JESUS. FATHER, I THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORD, SHARPER
THAN A TWO-EDGED SWORD. I THANK YOU, LORD, FOR YOUR WORD THAT
DIVIDES AND CUTS AND SHOWS US A PATH TO MOVE FORWARD ON SO THAT
WE CAN DO EVERYTHING WE'RE CALLED TO DO. AND I PRAY OVER
OUR ONLINE AUDIENCE AND EVERYONE HERE THAT FATHER, YOU'LL DIRECT
US NOW. YOU'LL SHOW US BY THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT HOW YOU
WOULD HAVE US MOVE THE NEXT STEP IN OUR LIVES, WHAT WE'RE TO DO
FOR YOU. GIVE US YOUR THOUGHTS, LORD, AND YOUR DESIRES. WE WANT
YOUR THOUGHTS, YOUR DESIRES, YOUR WISHES TO BE OURS, THAT YOU
WOULD JUST SHOW US. IF YOU HAVE TO GIVE US A DREAM OR A VISION,
JUST LIKE YOU DID THE PROPHET ZECHARIAH, WE'LL RECEIVE IT,
LORD. WHATEVER TOOL YOU WOULD HAVE TO SHOW US THE NEXT STEP,
JUST AS WE'RE STUDYING THE WORD, MAYBE, YOU SPEAK TO US. MAYBE WE
CLICK ON THE RADIO AND WE HEAR SOMEONE PREACHING, AND IT'S A
WORD FOR US. THAT'S HAPPENED TO ME BEFORE. I REMEMBER I TURNED
ON THE TELEVISION ONCE ABOUT 20 YEARS AGO. I WAS SEARCHING FOR
AN ANSWER TO SOMETHING, AND THERE WAS A GUY SPEAKING TO A
GROUP OF TEENAGERS, AND THE WORD THAT HE HAD WAS EXACTLY WHAT I
NEEDED AT THE VERY MOMENT THAT I TUNED IT IN. GOD USES MANY
THINGS IN OUR LIVES TO SPEAK TO US. IT MIGHT BE YOU'RE LISTENING
TO KAYLA OF MUSIC, AND A SONG COMES ON THAT MINISTERS TO YOU
THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT. IT'S HAPPENED TO EVERYONE HERE, I'M
SURE. YOU'VE HAD THINGS LIKE THAT HAPPEN WHERE GOD SPEAKS IN
DIFFERENT WAYS, OR MAYBE SOMEONE WALKS UP TO YOU AND HAS A WORD
FOR YOU. I DON'T KNOW, BUT BE OPEN TO RECEIVE WHAT GOD HAS FOR
YOU. HE GIVES US WHAT WE ASK FOR, WHAT WE'RE BELIEVING FOR.
STAND IN FAITH FOR IT. SO WE THANK YOU FOR IT IN JESUS' NAME.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW ELSE TO END THIS SERVICE TONIGHT. I'M
JUST THANKFUL YOU'RE ALL HERE. BAPTIZED IN THE HOLY SPIRIT, IS
THERE ANYONE HERE WHO NEEDS TO BE BAPTIZED IN THE HOLY SPIRIT?
I THINK I ASKED YOU TO COME UP IF YOU'RE HERE, BUT YOU ALL HAVE
BEEN BAPTIZED IN THE HOLY SPIRIT, RIGHT? OK. AND IF YOU'RE
ONLINE, YOU CAN CALL OUR PRAYER LINE, AND THEY'LL BELIEVE WITH
YOU FOR THAT AND PRAY WITH YOU, AND YOU CAN RECEIVE THAT WAY. IF
THERE'S ANYONE ELSE HERE, YOU NEED SOMETHING, THE ALTAR TEAM
WILL BE HERE. DON'T FORGET TO BE BACK IN THE HOUSE SUNDAY FOR DR.
RICHARD ROBERTS. AND GO HOME AND BE BLESSED. YOU STILL HAVE TIME
TO GET ICE CREAM. IT'S ONLY 8:20. THANK YOU
FOR COMING TONIGHT. GOD BLESS YOU.
(CONGREGATION APPLAUDING)
(MUSIC)