(EXPLOSION)
(ROARING)
- GOOD EVENING, LORD OF HOSTS CHURCH. ARE YOU READY TO GIVE
ALL GLORY, ALL HONOR, AND ALL PRAISE TO THE ONE WHO IS
SEATED ON THE THRONE? HOW MANY KNOW THERE IS NO OTHER
NAME? THERE IS NO OTHER NAME THAN THE KING OF KINGS.
LET'S RAISE IT UP TONIGHT.
- COME ON, EVERYBODY. OH, COME ON, YOU CAN DO BETTER
THAN THAT. COME ON.
WHEN I CALL ON THE NAME OF JESUS, WHEN I CALL ON
THE NAME OF JESUS, SEE HE HEARS YOU, HE HEARS
YOU WHEN YOU CALL. DON'T EVER DOUBT, HE ALWAYS HEARS YOU
WHEN YOU CALL. THE BIBLE SAYS, HE NEVER TURNS AWAY YOUR PRAYERS
NOR HIS MERCY FROM YOU. YOU GOTTA CALL, YOU GOTTA CALL, YOU
GOTTA CALL ON THE NAME OF JESUS. SEE, I DON'T CARE WHAT IT LOOKS
LIKE. I DON'T CARE WHAT IT FEELS LIKE. I DON'T CARE WHAT IT
SOUNDS LIKE. OH, SOMEBODY GOTTA GET EXCITED UP IN HERE. COME ON
NOW. THERE'S NOTHING LIKE THE NAME OF JESUS. NOTHING LIKE THE
NAME OF JESUS. ALL NATIONS PROCLAIM YOUR MAGNIFICENT NAME
KING OF ALL KINGS AND FOREVER YOU REIGN ALL NATIONS PROCLAIM
YOUR MAGNIFICENT NAME KING OF ALL KINGS AND FOREVER YOU REIGN
ALL NATIONS PROCLAIM YOUR MAGNIFICENT NAME KING OF ALL
KINGS AND FOREVER YOU REIGN ALL NATIONS PROCLAIM YOUR
MAGNIFICENT NAME KING OF ALL KINGS AND FOREVER YOU REIGN ALL
NATIONS PROCLAIM YOUR MAGNIFICENT NAME KING OF ALL
KINGS AND FOREVER YOU REIGN ALL NATIONS PROCLAIM YOUR
MAGNIFICENT NAME KING OF ALL KINGS AND FOREVER YOU REIGN
ALL NATIONS PROCLAIM YOUR MAGNIFICENT NAME. KING OF ALL
KINGS AND FOREVER YOU REIGN. ALL NATIONS PROCLAIM YOUR
MAGNIFICENT NAME. KING OF ALL KINGS AND FOREVER YOU REIGN.
ALL NATIONS PROCLAIM YOUR MAGNIFICENT NAME. KING OF
ALL KINGS AND FOREVER YOU REIGN. FOREVER YOU REIGN. ALL NATIONS
PROCLAIM YOUR MAGNIFICENT NAME. KING OF ALL KINGS AND FOREVER
YOU REIGN. YOU REIGN FOREVER. FOREVER YOU REIGN. LET EVERY
NAME FADE AWAY.
OH, HALLELUJAH. WE WORSHIP YOU IN THIS PLACE TONIGHT,
FATHER. YOUR NAME, YOUR NAME, YOUR NAME. WE EXALT YOU.
YOUR NAME IS HIGHER. YOUR NAME IS HIGHER. IT'S ABOVE. IT'S
ABOVE EVERYTHING. THERE'S NOTHING HIGHER THAN YOUR NAME.
AND TODAY WE GIVE YOU GLORY. TONIGHT WE GIVE YOU GLORY. WE
MAGNIFY YOUR NAME. WE'VE BEEN ADOPTED INTO YOUR FAMILY AND WE
CAN CRY ABBA FATHER. YOU'VE ADOPTED US IN. EVEN THOUGH WE
STARTED OUT AS SINNERS, WE BECAME RIGHTEOUS BECAUSE OF YOU
AND WHAT JESUS HAS DONE FOR US. YOU'VE ADOPTED US INTO THE
FAMILY SO WE CAN STAND BEFORE YOU AND YOU SEE US AS RIGHTEOUS
BEFORE YOU. WE'RE CLEAN BEFORE YOU. OH, THANK YOU, JESUS. THANK
YOU, JESUS. WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO CALL ON YOU AND RECEIVE YOUR
DIRECTION, YOUR WISDOM. THE WISDOM OF THE CREATOR DWELLS
WITHIN US. OH, HALLELUJAH. WE GIVE YOU GLORY, LORD. WE GIVE
YOU GLORY. THANK YOU, JESUS. JUST LIFT YOUR HANDS AND WORSHIP
HIM. JUST GIVE HIM ADORATION. HE DESERVES IT ALL. IF IT WASN'T
FOR HIM, WE'D ALL BE ON OUR WAY TO HELL WITH NO HOPE. BUT WE
HAVE A DESTINY. WE HAVE A FUTURE. THERE'S A GOOD PLAN FOR
US BECAUSE OF WHAT CHRIST JESUS HAS ACCOMPLISHED AND WHAT WE'VE
RECEIVED. THANK YOU, JESUS. OH, HALLELUJAH. THANK YOU, JESUS.
THANK YOU, JESUS. THERE'S A MAN WATCHING OUR BROADCAST, AND I
CAN SEE YOU, YOU'RE WEARING A BALL CAP. AND YOU'VE HAD SOME
HEALTH CHALLENGES IN YOUR LIFE, BUT YOU'VE ALSO HAD FINANCIAL
CHALLENGES. AND THE TWO TOGETHER HAVE CREATED DISTRESS. AND SO
NOW THE LORD WANTS YOU TO UNDERSTAND AND KNOW TONIGHT THAT
THIS IS TURNING AROUND FOR GOOD. WHAT YOU NEED TO DO RIGHT WHERE
YOU'RE AT IS START DECLARING AND CONFESSING GOD'S WORD OVER YOUR
SITUATION AND YOU'LL START TO SEE THESE THINGS TURN. DON'T
TALK ABOUT THE HEALTH CHALLENGES, DON'T TALK ABOUT
YOUR FINANCIAL SITUATION, TALK ABOUT GOD'S BLESSING AND HIS
HAND OF GOODNESS TOWARDS YOU AND YOU'RE GONNA START TO SEE THIS
REVERSE COURSE AND YOU'LL SEE A CHANGE. HERE'S WHAT I WANT YOU
TO DO. I WANT YOU TO RECEIVE PRAYER FOR THIS. IF CONTROL,
COULD YOU PUT UP THE PRAYER NUMBER FOR THE THE ONLINE
AUDIENCE TO SEE? I WANT THIS INDIVIDUAL TO CALL OUR PRAYER
LINE TONIGHT. WHENEVER YOU'RE WATCHING THIS, CALL THAT PRAYER
LINE. LET THEM KNOW YOU RECEIVED A WORD ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT, AND
YOU WANT THEM TO PRAY WITH YOU AND CONFIRM, BECAUSE THERE'S
POWER IN THE PRAYER OF AGREEMENT. AND I WANT YOU TO
HAVE THAT CONTACT. SO YOU CAN EMAIL US, OR YOU CAN COMMENT
TO US IF YOU WANT TO, BUT I REALLY WANT YOU TO TAKE TIME
TO MAKE A PHONE CALL TONIGHT AND LET THE PRAYER COUNSELOR KNOW
WHAT'S HAPPENED IN YOUR LIFE AND THAT YOU'RE STANDING IN
AGREEMENT WITH THE WORD OF THE LORD TONIGHT. IN JESUS'
NAME, AMEN. AMEN. HALLELUJAH. THANK YOU, JESUS. IS THERE
SOMEONE HERE, AND YOU HAVE JUST SAID TO THE LORD
WHAT YOU'RE BELIEVING FOR IN YOUR FUTURE? I THINK IT'S A
BUSINESS IS WHAT I'M BELIEVING, THAT THIS IS CONCERNING MAYBE A
BUSINESS IDEA THAT YOU HAVE. IT'S SOMETHING THAT GOD'S GIVEN
YOU, HE'S DROPPED IT IN YOUR HEART, IT'S SOMETHING YOU PLAN
TO DO, YOU WANT TO DO, YOU'VE EVEN MADE SOME INITIAL STEPS
TOWARDS IT, BUT IT HASN'T MANIFESTED AS QUICKLY AS YOU
HAVE PLANNED OR THOUGHT IT WOULD. AND GOD WANTS TO CONFIRM
THAT TONIGHT, THAT YOU'RE ON TRACK. IS THAT SOMEONE HERE, AND
YOU SAY, "I'VE HAD SOME TIMES WHERE DOUBT HAS TRIED TO CREEP
IN "AND KEEP ME FROM MOVING FORWARD IN THAT AREA "THAT I
KNOW IS MY DESTINY." IS THERE SOMEONE HERE TONIGHT? ANYONE
HERE IN THE CROWD? OKAY, COME UP HERE QUICKLY. HALLELUJAH, THANK
YOU, JESUS. I HAVE A SCRIPTURE THAT THE LORD'S DROPPED INTO MY
HEART. I THINK IT'S PROVERBS 418, AND I WANNA JUST MAKE SURE.
LET ME LOOK THIS UP HERE. YEAH, OKAY, PROVERBS 418. HERE'S THE
WORD OF THE LORD FOR YOU GUYS. PROVERBS 418. WRITE THIS DOWN,
KEEP IT IN YOUR MEMORY, BECAUSE IT SAYS, MAYBE I'M JUST GONNA
READ IT. "THE PATH OF THE JUST IS LIKE THE SHINING SUN "THAT
SHINES EVER BRIGHTER INTO THE PERFECT DAY." NOW, HERE'S WHAT
THAT'S SAYING. YOU'VE HAD A PERIOD OF NIGHTTIME. SOMETIMES
IT'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT OF DARKNESS THAT YOU'VE HAD TO WALK
THROUGH. IT'S BEEN A PERIOD OF TIME. BUT WHEN THE SUN STARTS TO
COME UP, IT COMES GRADUALLY AT SUNRISE. YOU START TO SEE THAT
PEAK OF SUNSHINE COMING, AND THEN IT MOVES IN OVER TIME TO
THAT PERFECT DAY, WHICH MEANS FULL SUNSHINE. SO GOD'S WANTING
YOU TO GET THAT IMAGE TONIGHT THAT YOU'RE PAST THE NIGHT
SEASON, AND YOU'RE MOVING INTO THAT SUNSHINE BRIGHTNESS OF THE
PATH THAT HE HAS FOR YOU, AND HE'S GONNA GIVE YOU NEW
DIRECTION, NEW GUIDANCE, AND ASSURANCE THROUGH TONIGHT THAT
THIS THING IS TURNING AND IT'S GONNA OPEN UP HIS SUNSHINE,
WHICH IS LIGHT. AND YOU KNOW WHAT? IF WE HAVE GOD'S LIGHT IN
THIS SITUATION, THAT'S ALL WE NEED. WHEN HE GIVES US GUIDANCE,
WHEN HE GIVES US WISDOM, THEN THAT'S ALL YOU NEED, BECAUSE YOU
CAN JUST WALK THROUGH IT, AND YOU CAN DO IT CONFIDENTLY.
PASTOR KEITH, I'M GONNA ASK YOU TO LAY HANDS ON THESE THREE
TONIGHT AND JUST BLESS THEM AND CONFIRM TO THEM THAT THEY'RE ON
THE RIGHT TRACK AND THE RIGHT PATH AND AGREE WITH THEM TONIGHT
THAT THEY'LL RECEIVE. AND I PRAY FOR SOMEONE WATCHING TONIGHT,
THAT MIGHT'VE BEEN YOU. GOD'S LIGHT, HIS BRIGHTNESS IS MOVING
TOWARDS YOU AND IN YOUR LIFE, AND YOU'RE GOING TO RECEIVE THE
DIRECTION AND THE WISDOM THAT YOU NEED TO MOVE FORWARD IN
EVERYTHING THAT GOD'S CALLED YOU TO DO, AND IT'S GONNA COME TO
PASS. WHEN GOD GIVES YOU A DREAM OR A VISION OR A HOPE, HE WILL
WORK WITH YOU UNTIL IT COMES TO PASS. IT MAY SEEM LIKE IT'S SLOW
IN COMING, BUT THAT NIGHT TURNS TO THE DAWN OF DAY AND SUNSHINE,
AND IT WILL HAPPEN IN YOUR LIFE. IN JESUS' MIGHTY NAME, WE AGREE
NOW. HALLELUJAH, THANK YOU, JESUS. THANK YOU, JESUS, PRAISE
GOD. HALLELUJAH. THANK YOU, JESUS. I'M JUST WAITING ON GOD
HERE. PASTOR KEITH, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING IN YOUR SPIRIT?
(SOFT MUSIC)
NOT RIGHT, OKAY. HALLELUJAH, THANK YOU, JESUS. JUST
WAITING HERE FOR A MOMENT HERE. THANK YOU, JESUS. LET'S
JUST PRAY IN THE SPIRIT. (SPEAKING IN TONGUES) IS THERE
SOMEONE HERE AND YOU'VE HAD, HOW DO I WORD THIS? THIS IS WHAT I'M
FEELING, LIKE A DISAGREEMENT OR A FALLING OUT OR MAYBE EVEN,
EVEN YOU COULD CALL IT STRIFE. AND I'M SEEING IT BETWEEN A
PARENT AND A CHILD OR A CHILD AND A PARENT. MAYBE IT'S YOUR
PARENTS OR MAYBE IT'S YOUR CHILDREN AND YOU ARE BELIEVING
FOR THIS THING TO BE RESTORED AND PUT BACK TOGETHER. AND IT'S
LIKE THE COMMUNICATIONS BEEN CUT OFF. IS THAT SOMEONE HERE THAT
YOU NEED THAT COMMUNICATION RESTORED? DO I SEE ANY HANDS?
OKAY, COME UP HERE. THANK YOU, JESUS. HERE'S WHAT I'M HEARING
GOD SAY IN THIS SITUATION. THIS IS CONFIRMATION THAT, WELL,
FIRST OF ALL, LET ME TELL YOU A STORY. I MIGHT HAVE TOLD THIS
BEFORE. I MIGHT HAVE TOLD YOU THIS STORY BEFORE, BUT IT JUST
IT MADE SUCH AN IMPRESSION ON ME. SOMEONE IN OUR CHURCH
FAMILY WAS DEALING WITH A LIFE
-THREATENING HEALTH CHALLENGE, AND THIS WAS A FEW WEEKS BEFORE
HE WENT ON TO HEAVEN, BUT HE WOKE UP THAT MORNING AND HE SAID
TO HIS WIFE, HE CAME KIND OF LIKE BOUNCING OUT OF, WHAT I
PICTURED WAS BOUNCING OUT OF HIS BEDROOM AND SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT?
I KNOW THIS. I KNOW I HAVE NO OUGHT WITH ANY MAN. AND HE HAD
THE FREEDOM OF KNOWING THAT THERE WAS NO OUGHT IN HIS HEART.
NO OFFENSE CARRIED. THAT'S SO IMPORTANT. JESUS TOLD US WE HAVE
TO FORGIVE SEVEN TIMES 70. AND WHAT THAT REALLY MEANT WAS
THERE'S NO LIMIT TO HOW MANY TIMES WE HAVE TO FORGIVE IF
WE'RE CARRYING SOMETHING. AND MAYBE YOU THREE, YOU'RE NOT,
YOU'RE SAYING, WELL, I'M NOT CARRYING ANY OFFENSE. MAYBE
YOU'RE NOT, BUT MAYBE THE OTHER PERSON FEELS THERE'S OFFENSE
THERE. AND SO THE HIGHER ROAD IS ALWAYS TO SAY, "I'M SORRY,
FORGIVE ME." THAT'S THE HIGH PATH. EVEN IF YOU DON'T THINK
YOU WRONGED THAT PERSON, IF THERE'S A CHANCE OF IT, DON'T
LET ANY OUGHT STAND IN THE WAY. BECAUSE HERE'S MATTHEW 6,
CHAPTER 14, I BELIEVE IT'S 14 AND 15, EXPLAIN THIS WELL. IT
SAYS THAT IF, BECAUSE GOD'S FORGIVEN US, BUT IF WE DO NOT
FORGIVE OTHERS, HE WILL NOT FORGIVE US. THAT'S VERY STRONG.
THAT'S A STRONG WORD. I MEAN, THAT MAKES ME SHUDDER TO THINK
OF THAT. WE COULD WALK IN A PLACE OF NOT HAVING GOD FORGIVE
US IF WE CARRY OFFENSE. SO THAT'S THE FIRST THING I WANTED
TO SAY TO YOU THREE AND ANYONE ELSE WATCHING OR ANYONE ELSE
HERE IS JUST MAKE SURE THAT YOU'VE FORGIVEN AND YOU'VE
COMMUNICATED THAT. AND THAT WILL OPEN THE DOOR, I BELIEVE, FOR
COMMUNICATION. IF YOU HUMBLE YOURSELF, THE BIBLE TALKS A LOT
ABOUT HUMILITY, AND IT'S NOT ALWAYS EASY TO DO. I UNDERSTAND
THAT. BUT HUMBLE YOURSELF BEFORE THE LORD AND BEFORE THAT PERSON
AND SAY, I'M SORRY. PLEASE FORGIVE ME FOR WHATEVER MY PART
WAS. AND THEN YOU GO ON FROM THERE AND OPEN THAT
COMMUNICATION UP. AND SO FATHER, I PRAY IN JESUS' NAME THAT THESE
THREE AND ANY OTHERS THAT THIS WOULD APPLY TO AND ANY WATCHING
ONLINE, THAT YOU GIVE THEM WISDOM AND DIRECTION ON HOW TO
APPROACH THIS SITUATION, THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE, AND
THAT COMMUNICATION IS RECEIVED BY THE OTHER PARTY, AND THERE IS
A REUNION, A REUNITING BETWEEN FAMILY MEMBERS, BECAUSE YOU
DESIRE NO OUGHT. AND LORD, I JUST PRAY THAT WOULD ALSO OPEN
OR PAVE THE WAY FOR A CLOSER RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU ON THE
PART OF THE OFFENDED PARTIES, WHOEVER THAT MAY BE. AND WE
THANK YOU FOR IT AND WE DECLARE IT SO NOW IN THE MIGHTY NAME OF
JESUS. AMEN, AMEN. YOU CAN BE SEATED. PRAISE GOD. THANK YOU,
JESUS. WE'LL DO THIS. TURN AROUND AND SHAKE HANDS
WITH A FEW PEOPLE TONIGHT AND SAY IT'S GOOD TO BE IN
THE HOUSE OF THE LORD ON A WEDNESDAY NIGHT. AMEN.
(GENTLE PIANO MUSIC)
- GLORY TO GOD, THANK YOU JESUS.
- IT IS OFFERING TIME HERE ON A WEDNESDAY NIGHT. AND I'M GONNA
STEP RIGHT INTO IT THIS EVENING BECAUSE THEY CAN PUT THE
SCRIPTURES UP ON THE SCREEN. FIRST, I'M GONNA LOOK AT HEBREWS
13, FIVE AND SIX. WE HAVE THAT? OKAY. WELL, IT SAYS, "MAKE SURE
THAT YOUR CHARACTER IS FREE FROM THE LOVE OF MONEY, BEING CONTENT
WITH WHAT YOU HAVE, FOR HE HIMSELF HAS SAID, 'I WILL NEVER
DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU.'" (SOFT PIANO
MUSIC) SO THAT WE CAN CONFIDENTLY SAY, "THE LORD IS MY
HELPER. I WILL NOT BE AFRAID. WHAT WILL MAN DO TO ME?" MY WIFE
WAS PRAYING OVER THIS SCRIPTURE RECENTLY IN A UNRELATED MATTER.
AND WHEN I HEARD HER READING IT ALOUD, IT JUST HIT MY SPIRIT AND
SURGED THROUGH MY ENTIRE BEING. SHE WAS READING IT IN THE
AMPLIFIED CLASSIC, AND THAT GOES LIKE THIS, "LET YOUR CHARACTER
OR MORAL DISPOSITION BE FREE FROM LOVE OF MONEY, INCLUDING
GREED, AVARICE, LUST, AND CRAVING FOR EARTHLY POSSESSIONS.
AND BE SATISFIED WITH YOUR PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES AND WITH
WHAT YOU HAVE. FOR HE, GOD HIMSELF, HAS SAID, I WILL NOT IN
ANY WAY FAIL YOU, NOR GIVE YOU UP, NOR LEAVE YOU WITHOUT
SUPPORT. I WILL NOT, I WILL NOT, I WILL NOT IN ANY DEGREE LEAVE
YOU HELPLESS, NOR FORSAKE YOU, NOR LET YOU DOWN. RELAX MY HOLD
ON YOU. ASSUREDLY NOT. SO WE CAN TAKE COMFORT AND ARE ENCOURAGED
AND CONFIDENTLY AND BOLDLY SAY, "THE LORD IS MY HELPER. I WILL
NOT BE SEIZED WITH ALARM. I WILL NOT FEAR OR DREAD OR BE
TERRIFIED. WHAT CAN MAN DO TO ME?" WELL, WE'VE BEEN LOOKING,
OR I'VE BEEN LOOKING, THE LAST COUPLE OF TIMES I'VE BEEN UP
HERE, AT WHY PEOPLE ARE HESITANT TO GIVE IN CHURCH. AND WE'VE
SEEN, I THINK, THAT ONE OF THE NUMBER ONE REASONS IS FEAR,
WHICH OF COURSE IS A LACK OF FAITH. AND IT'S BECAUSE THEIR
TRUST IS IN MATERIAL POSSESSIONS. IT'S IN PHYSICAL
WEALTH, RICHES, MAMMON, THAT WORLD SYSTEM THAT INFLUENCES
PEOPLE IN AN EVIL WAY AND DRIVES THEM TO THE LOVE OF MONEY,
GREED, COVETOUSNESS, THE LUST OF THE EYES, THE CRAVING MORE
POSSESSIONS. JUST AS THE WRITER OF HEBREWS IS TELLING US IN THIS
SCRIPTURE, THEIR TRUST IS NOT IN THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE, THE
KING OF KINGS, THE LORD OF LORDS, AND HIS ABILITY AND
WILLINGNESS TO PROVIDE FOR EVERY ONE OF OUR NEEDS. THE BOOK OF
HEBREWS IN SUMMARY IS AN EXHORTATION TO REMAIN STEADFAST
IN THE FAITH IN SPITE OF TRIALS AND PERSECUTIONS THAT ARE GOING
TO COME AND REMEMBER THAT JESUS IS ALL SUFFICIENT. HE'S SUPREME.
HE'S FULFILLED THE LAW. HE'S PROVIDED US A NEW COVENANT AND
THE WRITER HERE IS WARNING THE JEWISH CHRISTIANS OF THE DAY TO
NOT FALL AWAY FROM THE FAITH. HE REMINDS HIS AUDIENCE AND US AS
WE READ HERE THAT GOD HIMSELF HAS SAID, "I WILL NOT IN ANY WAY
FAIL YOU NOR GIVE YOU UP NOR LEAVE YOU WITHOUT SUPPORT. I
WILL NOT." NOW WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT WE CAN GIVE WITHOUT FEAR
OF NOT HAVING ENOUGH. WE DON'T HAVE TO DREAD LACK OR
INSUFFICIENCY. HE SAYS, "THE LORD IS MY HELPER. I WILL NOT BE
SEIZED WITH ALARM. I WILL NOT FEAR OR DREAD OR BE TERRIFIED.
WHAT CAN MAN DO TO ME?" WELL, WHERE WE LEAVE THAT OFF IS KIND
OF AN INTERESTING QUESTION. WHAT CAN MAN DO TO US? SO I ASK
MYSELF, WHAT CAN MAN DO TO ME? CAN HE TURN OFF MY ELECTRICITY?
CAN HE CANCEL MY CAR INSURANCE? CAN HE DECLINE MY CREDIT CARD
WHEN I'M AT THE GROCERY STORE? CAN HE SEND ME A MEDICAL BILL
FOR AN ASTRONOMICAL AMOUNT THAT I CAN'T AFFORD? CAN HE TELL ME I
HAVE TO TAKE A SALARY CUT? CAN HE LAY ME OFF FROM WORK? CAN HE
REPOSSESS MY AUTOMOBILE? CAN HE EVICT ME FROM MY HOME? WELL, IN
THE NATURAL, THESE ARE VERY REAL THINGS THAT CAN TRY TO COME
AGAINST US, RIGHT? AND I'M NOT GONNA ASK ANYONE IN HERE OR
ONLINE TO JUMP UP AND DOWN AND RAISE THEIR HANDS AND SAY,
"YEAH, I'VE BEEN THROUGH ALL THAT, BUT I KNOW THAT YOU'RE OUT
THERE." AND I'M GONNA BE PERFECTLY VULNERABLE HERE. I'M
GONNA BE TRANSPARENT. I'VE HAD TO FACE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF
THOSE THAT I JUST LISTED, BUT GOD. HE SAYS THAT IF WE ARE
FAITHFUL AND WE DON'T DRAW BACK OUT OF FEAR OR DREAD, HE WILL BE
FAITHFUL TO PROVIDE. HE WILL NEVER FAIL US. HE WILL NEVER
LEAVE US HELPLESS, NEVER LEAVE US WITHOUT SUPPORT. HE IS
JEHOVAH JIREH, GOD OUR PROVIDER. WE CAN TRUST HIM AND HE WILL
SUPPORT US AND HELP US OUT IN WAYS THAT WE SIMPLY CAN'T EVEN
IMAGINE AHEAD OF TIME. NOW I SAID A MOMENT AGO THAT I HAD
FACED THIS WHOLE LITANY OF SITUATIONS DESIGNED BY THE
ENEMY TO INDUCE FEAR. AND I'M NOT UP HERE TO READ MY ENTIRE
BOOK OF TESTIMONIES TO EVERYONE, BUT I AM GOING
TO SHARE JUST ONE. BACK 20-SOME YEARS AGO, WE
WERE IN SOME DIRE FINANCIAL STRAITS, BUT NO
MATTER WHAT, WE NEVER BACKED OFF FROM OUR REGULAR GIVING. AND ONE
MORNING WHEN I WAS ABOUT TO DEPART FOR WORK, A CONTRACTOR
PULLED UP OUTSIDE, SHUT OUR ELECTRICITY OFF. WELL, BACK IN
THE DAY, I WAS COMMUTING AN HOUR EACH WAY TO MY FULL
-TIME JOB. AND IF I JUST LEFT THAT SITUATION AS IT WAS, I'D BE
LEAVING MY WIFE AND MY SMALL SON WITH NO POWER ON A BLISTERING
HOT SUMMER DAY. SO I CHASED DOWN THE MAN FROM THE POWER COMPANY
AND I SAID, "HEY, YOU KNOW, IS THERE ANYTHING AT ALL?" I
APPEALED TO HIM, "IS THERE ANYTHING AT ALL WE CAN DO TO
WORK SOMETHING OUT HERE?" WELL, HE INFORMED ME THAT THE ONLY WAY
THAT THE ELECTRICITY COULD BE TURNED BACK ON IS IF I WERE TO
GO TO THE LOCAL OFFICE, PAY THE PAST DUE BALANCE IN FULL, AND
THEN THEY WOULD SCHEDULE SOMEBODY, PERHAPS WITHIN THE
NEXT THREE DAYS, TO COME BACK AND RE
-POWER EVERYTHING UP. WELL, I DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY I NEEDED
IN MY ACCOUNT. MY BALANCE WAS PROBABLY SOMEWHERE IN THE $20
RANGE AT THAT POINT. AND I SURE COULDN'T LEAVE THINGS THAT WAY.
I NEEDED THE POWER RESTORED RIGHT AWAY. I KNEW I HAD TO DO
SOMETHING. DISCLAIMER HERE, VERY IMPORTANT ONE. I'M NOT TELLING
ANYBODY TO DO WHAT I DID, OKAY? NO, DON'T WORRY, IT WASN'T
CRIMINAL OR UNETHICAL. I'M JUST GONNA SAY, I'M NOT SAYING THIS
TESTIMONY IS TRANSFERABLE TO ANYONE IN THIS ROOM OR ANYONE
THERE ONLINE. SO, DON'T TRY TO MAKE THIS YOUR OWN TESTIMONY.
JUST BASED ON WHAT I'M SAYING, BE LED OF GOD. I'M ONLY SHARING
THIS AS AN EXAMPLE OF SOME OF THE AMAZING, UNEXPECTED, UNIQUE
WAYS THAT GOD WILL ACT ON BEHALF OF THOSE THAT ARE FAITHFUL TO
HIM AND IN THEIR GIVING. SO, I NEEDED SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS
THAT WAS NOT IN MY BANK ACCOUNT, AND I NEEDED IT RIGHT AWAY. GOD
DIRECTED ME TO A LOCAL ATM, AND I THOUGHT, "WELL, THAT'S FUNNY."
BUT I PULLED UP, I ROLLED DOWN THE WINDOW, I INSERTED MY BANK
CARD, AND THEN I POINTED AT THAT ATM MACHINE, AND I SAID, "GIVE
ME X AMOUNT OF DOLLARS IN THE NAME OF JESUS." AND THANKFULLY,
THE ATM KINDLY OBLIGED. (AUDIENCE LAUGHING) ONE HURDLE
DOWN. SO NOW I'VE GOT CASH IN HAND, SO I NOW DRIVE TO THE
ELECTRIC COMPANY'S HEADQUARTERS, WHERE I ENCOUNTERED AN UNMANNED
SECURITY GATE THAT TYPICALLY OPENS ONLY IF YOU ARE AN
EMPLOYEE AND HAVE A REMOTE GATE OPENER. HOWEVER, IT WAS OPEN
JUST ENOUGH FOR ME TO DRIVE THROUGH. SO I PROCEEDED TO THE
OFFICE DOOR, WHICH AGAIN WAS SECURED, SUPPOSED TO BE OPEN
ONLY BY EMPLOYEES WITH BADGE READERS, BUT I ENTERED. THERE
WAS ONLY ONE EMPLOYEE IN THAT BUILDING. IT WAS AN HOUR BEFORE
THEY OPENED. IT WAS A WOMAN WHO HAD COME IN AN HOUR EARLY JUST
TO GET A LITTLE EXTRA WORK DONE. BOY, WASN'T SHE SHOCKED. SHE WAS
PRETTY STARTLED BY MY PRESENCE AND RELUCTANT TO TALK TO ME AT
ALL, OTHER THAN TO ASK, "HOW IN THE WORLD DID YOU EVER GET IN
HERE?" BEFORE SHE COULD CALL SECURITY, THOUGH, I QUICKLY
EXPLAINED THAT GOD LED ME THERE BECAUSE I NEEDED MY POWER
RESTORED RIGHT AWAY. WELL, SHE LOOKED AT ME QUIZZICALLY AND
PROCEEDED TO EXPLAIN THAT THEY NEVER PULL DRIVERS OFF THEIR
ROUTES AND TURN THEM ABOUT TO GO BACK TO ANY OTHER PREVIOUS STOP.
ONLY THE DISPATCHER COULD REDIRECT THE TRUCK TO DO SUCH A
THING. SO NATURALLY, I'M IN THERE AND I SAID, "WELL, HOW DO
I TALK TO THE DISPATCHER?" AND THEN SHE REVEALED TO ME THAT SHE
WAS THE DISPATCHER. OKAY, SO NOW AT THIS POINT, I THOUGHT, "WELL,
I'M MAKING PROGRESS HERE, BUT THERE'S STILL MORE HURDLES TO
COME." SO I WAS HOLDING CASH THAT HAD BEEN DISPENSED FROM THE
ATM. HOWEVER, THEY DON'T HAVE ANY WAY TO ACCEPT CASH. FURTHER,
THEY DON'T HAVE ANY WAY TO RECORD A TRANSACTION BECAUSE
THEY'RE NOT OPEN YET FOR ANOTHER HOUR AND NONE OF THE SYSTEMS ARE
UP. I SAID, "WELL, I CAN'T COME BACK IN AN HOUR. "IN AN HOUR, I
GOTTA BE AT WORK IN ANOTHER STATE. "BUT I KNOW THAT THERE
HAS TO BE A WAY TO ACCOMPLISH THIS "BECAUSE GOD LED ME IN HERE
TO TALK TO YOU." AND SHE PAUSED FOR A MOMENT AND THOUGHT ABOUT
THAT. AND THEN SHE HAD TO AGREE JUST BY VIRTUE OF THE FACT THAT
I WAS STANDING BEFORE HER, THAT I HAD GOTTEN IN THERE AND WE
WERE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION, "IT MUST BE THE LORD AT WORK IN
THIS SITUATION." SO, SHE DECIDED TO TAKE THE CASH, GIVE ME A
HANDWRITTEN RECEIPT, ENTER THE TRANSACTION IN THE SYSTEM LATER,
AND EVEN THOUGH IT WAS AGAINST CORPORATE POLICY, SHE RADIOED
THE DRIVER, INSTRUCTED HIM TO IMMEDIATELY TURN AROUND AND GO
BACK TO MY ADDRESS. POWER WAS RESTORED IN 10 MINUTES. 10
MINUTES, FOLKS. AND I WAS ULTIMATELY ABLE TO ARRIVE AT
WORK THAT MORNING ON TIME. NOW THAT IS A GOD THAT WON'T DESERT
YOU. HE WON'T ABANDON YOU. HE WON'T FAIL YOU. HE'LL SUPPORT
YOU IN WAYS UNIMAGINABLE TO MOST PEOPLE. SO WE NEED NOT FEAR WHAT
MAN CAN DO TO US, WHAT MAN IS GOING TO DO. WE ONLY NEED TO
REMAIN FAITHFUL, TRUST IN GOD, AND BELIEVE IN MIRACLES WHEN WE
NEED THEM. HE WILL NEVER LET US DOWN. HE WILL NOT, HE WILL NOT,
HE WILL NOT, ASSUREDLY NOT, AS THE SCRIPTURE SAID. LET'S PUT
THE GIVING INFORMATION UP ON THE SCREENS, PLEASE. THERE ARE
MULTIPLE WAYS TO GIVE. YOU CAN GET YOUR ENVELOPES IN HERE FROM
THESE KIND USHERS THIS EVENING. IF YOU DON'T LIKE THAT WAY,
WE'VE GOT OUR WEBSITE, LOHCHURCH.ORG, THE MOBILE APP,
MY PERSONAL FAVORITE, TEXT2GIVE. AND SCAN THE QR CODE IS ANOTHER
METHOD. AND THERE'S A MAILING ADDRESS UP THERE, BECAUSE WE
STILL ACCEPT CHECKS AND OTHER TYPES OF PAYMENT THROUGH THE
MAIL. SO SEND THOSE, KEEP THOSE COMING. NO MATTER WHICH WAY YOU
USE, HERE'S WHAT WE NEED TO DO. WE NEED TO SOW BIG TONIGHT,
TRUST IN GOD, AND BELIEVE FOR MIRACLES. AND SO IF EVERYONE IS
READY, IF YOU'LL STAND, HOLD YOUR OFFERINGS, AND WE'LL PRAY.
FATHER, IN THE NAME OF JESUS, I SPEAK BLESSING OVER ALL THAT
THESE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM AND ALL THOSE ONLINE ARE GIVING
TONIGHT. EVERYTHING THAT'S BEING SOWN INTO THIS MINISTRY TODAY.
WE KNOW THAT YOU ARE NO RESPECTER OF PERSONS, LORD.
YOU'RE THE SAME YESTERDAY, TODAY, AND FOREVER. AS THE
PEOPLE GIVE GENEROUSLY IN FAITH TONIGHT, YOU WILL NEVER DESERT
THEM. YOU WILL NEVER ABANDON THEM. YOU WILL NEVER LET THEM
DOWN. YOU WILL ALWAYS PRESERVE THEM, HOLD THEM UP IN YOUR
MIGHTY RIGHT HAND IN EVERY CIRCUMSTANCE AND IN EVERY TIME
OF NEED. AND WE THANK YOU FOR THIS, FATHER GOD, IN THE MIGHTY
NAME OF JESUS. AND ALL WHO AGREED SAID, AMEN. NOW LET'S
WELCOME PASTOR DOUG BACK TO THE PULPIT.
- AMEN. (CONGREGATION CHEERING)
- GOOD JOB. THAT WAS GREAT. HEY, YOU CAN BE SEATED.
THAT WAS A GOOD TESTIMONY. BUILDS OUR FAITH. YOU KNOW,
AND PASTOR MARK HAD TO HEAR GOD FOR DIRECTION TO KNOW
HOW TO DO THOSE THINGS, AND TO KNOW HOW TO PROCEED, AND WHAT
TO DO. SO HEARING THE VOICE OF GOD IS WHAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING
ABOUT, AND THE POWER OF THE DEPENDENCY ON THE HOLY SPIRIT.
AND WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE ALONG THOSE LINES. AND SPEAKING OF
HEARING, I WANTED TO SHARE A STORY WITH YOU. YOU'VE PROBABLY
HEARD THIS STORY BEFORE, BUT THERE WAS A MAN WHO FELT HE
COULD NO LONGER LIVE WITH HIS WIFE. HE WAS INCREDIBLY TIRED OF
HEARING HER VOICE. IT SEEMED IMPOSSIBLE FOR HIM TO GET AWAY
FROM HER VERBAL HARANGUES. SHE WAS ALWAYS SETTING HIM STRAIGHT,
CONTINUOUSLY SETTING HIM STRAIGHT. AND FINALLY, HE GOT SO
DESPERATE THAT HE DECIDED HE'D BE HAPPIER IN JAIL. SO HE
THOUGHT TO HIMSELF, I'LL ROB A BANK, AND THEN I'LL GO TO JAIL,
AND I'LL FINALLY HAVE SOME PEACE. WELL, HE ROBBED THE BANK.
HE WAS CAPTURED BY THE POLICE. AND THE JUDGE GAVE HIM SIX
MONTHS OF HOUSE ARREST. SO HE LEARNED A LESSON THERE. IT'S
BETTER TO WORK AT GETTING ALONG WITH YOUR SPOUSE. BUT THERE ARE
A LOT OF VOICES THAT SPEAK TODAY, AND IT'S MOST IMPORTANT
THAT WE HEAR GOD'S VOICE. TWO WEEKS AGO, WE DISCUSSED THE
VISION THAT ZACHARIAH HAD WHEN HE SPOKE TO ZERUBBABEL AND
TALKED ABOUT THE REBUILDING OF THE TEMPLE AND HE SAID IN
ZECHARIAH 4, VERSE 6, "IT'S NOT BY MIGHT NOR BY POWER, BUT BY MY
SPIRIT," SAYS THE LORD OF HOSTS. AND WE LEARNED THAT ANY WORK
ACCOMPLISHED THAT'S OF ETERNAL VALUE HAS TO BE DONE THROUGH THE
SPIRIT OF GOD AND NOT BY MANKIND OR HUMAN EFFORTS OR RESOURCES OR
STRENGTH. AND THEN LAST WEEK, WE WENT BACK TO SOME BASICS AND
TALKED ABOUT THE THREE PARTS OF MAN, HOW WE WERE CREATED, BODY,
SOUL, AND SPIRIT. WE TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT THE SPIRIT
MAN IS THE ETERNAL PART OF US, AND THE SPIRIT MAN COMES ALIVE
WHEN WE BECOME BELIEVERS, WHEN WE ACCEPT JESUS CHRIST AS LORD,
THAT SPIRIT MAN WITHIN US IS MADE ALIVE. AND THEN WE TALKED
ALSO ABOUT THE FACT THAT THE SOUL, THE MIND, WILL, AND
EMOTION PART OF US HAS TO BE RENEWED, AND THAT'S RENEWED BY
THE WORD OF GOD. IN FACT, WE USED HEBREWS 4.12, AND WE'RE
GOING TO USE IT AGAIN TONIGHT. IF YOU WOULD PUT THAT UP,
HEBREWS 4.12 SAYS, "FOR THE WORD OF GOD IS QUICK AND
POWERFUL AND SHARPER THAN ANY TWO-EDGED
SWORD, PIERCING EVEN TO THE DIVIDING ASUNDER OF SOUL AND
SPIRIT." LISTEN TO THAT, "DIVIDING ASUNDER OF SOUL AND
SPIRIT." THAT MEANS GOD'S WORD SEPARATES BETWEEN THE SOUL AND
THE SPIRIT, THE MIND, WILL, AND EMOTIONS, AND THE SPIRIT OF MAN.
AND IT'S THROUGH RECEIVING THE WORD OF GOD AND BEING RENEWED BY
THE WORD OF GOD THAT WE CAN SEPARATE AND UNDERSTAND, "IS
THAT GOD'S SPIRIT SPEAKING TO ME, OR IS IT JUST MY MIND, WILL,
AND EMOTIONS SPEAKING TO ME?" AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THE
DIFFERENCE. SO BIBLICAL REVELATION, OR THE WORD OF GOD,
RIGHTLY DIVIDES OUR SOUL AND OUR SPIRIT MAN. BY RENEWING OUR
MINDS WITH THE WORD OF GOD, WE CAN FOLLOW THE HOLY SPIRIT. AND
I'M KIND OF JUST GIVING YOU A LITTLE REVIEW IN CASE YOU
WEREN'T HERE THE LAST TWO WEEKS OR NEEDED THAT. SO I WANTED TO
TALK ABOUT THAT JUST FOR A MOMENT. BUT TONIGHT WE'RE GONNA
CONTINUE ON WITH HOW TO WALK IN THE SPIRIT AND HOW TO HEAR GOD'S
VOICE IN MAYBE A LITTLE DEEPER WAY, MAYBE SOMETHING THAT YOU
HADN'T THOUGHT ABOUT BEFORE OR MAYBE IT'S GONNA BE REHEARSING
THINGS THAT YOU ALREADY KNOW, BUT THAT'S ALWAYS GOOD TOO,
ISN'T IT, JANET? AMEN. SO GOD CREATED US TO BE DEPENDENT ON
HIM. WE ARE DEPENDENT UPON GOD AND HE WANTS TO GUIDE US EVERY
DAY. WE HAVE THE FREEDOM TO CHOOSE, WE CAN MAKE OUR OWN
DECISION. PASTOR MARK COULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN
FOOLISH TO GO SPEAK TO THAT ATM MACHINE. HE COULD HAVE JUST WENT
BACK TO KATE AND SAID, "YOU KNOW WHAT, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO GET
OUT OUR HAND FANS "HERE AND JUST FAN OURSELVES OR SOMETHING." HE
COULD HAVE DONE THAT, BUT HE STOOD ON FAITH AND WHAT HE
BELIEVED HE HEARD. YOU'RE NOT ALWAYS GONNA GET IT RIGHT.
SOMETIMES WE MISS IT. PASTOR MARK COULD TELL YOU THAT. HE'S
PROBABLY MISSED IT BEFORE, BUT WE ALL HAVE. BUT IT STILL
DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU DON'T STEP OUT IN OBEDIENCE WHEN YOU
BELIEVE YOU HEAR, AND THAT'S HOW YOU GET EXPERIENCE IN HEARING
AND TRUSTING THE VOICE OF GOD. WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THAT A
LITTLE BIT TONIGHT. BUT YOU DO HAVE THE FREEDOM TO CHOOSE AND
MAKE YOUR OWN DECISIONS, AND SOME PEOPLE DO THAT ONLY, HOW DO
I WANNA SAY THIS? THEY'LL HIT A WALL AND THEN THEY'LL DECIDE,
OKAY, NOW I NEED TO TURN TO GOD. IT'S MUCH BETTER TO TURN TO GOD
IN THE BEGINNING AND BE DEPENDENT UPON HEARING HIS
VOICE. KING SOLOMON WAS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THAT AND I'M NOT
GOING TO HAVE YOU TURN THERE TONIGHT OR WE'RE NOT GOING TO
READ THE SCRIPTURE, BUT IF YOU'RE TAKING NOTES, YOU CAN JOT
THIS DOWN. FIRST KINGS CHAPTER 3 VERSES 5 THROUGH 10 TELLS US THE
STORY ABOUT WHEN GOD OFFERED TO GIVE SOLOMON ANYTHING HE WANTED,
SOLOMON ASKED FOR WISDOM BECAUSE HE KNEW HE DIDN'T HAVE ALL THE
ANSWERS. AND AT THIS TIME SOLOMON WAS THE MOST POWERFUL
MAN IN THE KINGDOM AND YET HE ASKED GOD FOR WISDOM. HE
ADMITTED, IN OTHER WORDS, THAT HE NEEDED GOD'S HELP. AND THAT
HUMBLE REQUEST FOR WISDOM WAS SOMETHING THAT PLEASED GOD.
ISAIAH 30, VERSE 21 SAYS, "WE'LL HEAR A VOICE SAYING, "'THIS IS
THE WAY, WALK YE IN IT.'" THANK GOD FOR DIRECTION FROM THE HOLY
SPIRIT. THAT'S AN AMAZING VERSE. WE'RE GONNA HEAR A, THAT'S ONE
YOU CAN TAKE HOME WITH YOU TONIGHT. YOU'LL HEAR A VOICE
SAYING, THAT'S THE HOLY SPIRIT SAYING TO YOU, "THIS IS THE WAY,
WALK YE IN IT." THAT'S DIRECTION FROM GOD. WHEN YOU DON'T KNOW
WHICH PATH TO GO, HE TELLS YOU IF YOU'RE LISTENING. I WANNA
READ THAT VERSE TO YOU IN THE NEW LIVING TRANSLATION. IT SAYS,
"YOUR OWN EARS WILL HEAR HIM. "RIGHT BEHIND YOU A VOICE WILL
SAY, "THIS IS THE WAY YOU SHOULD GO, "WHETHER TO THE RIGHT OR TO
THE LEFT." SO WE HAVE TO LISTEN TO GOD'S GUIDANCE AND FOLLOW IT.
GOD HAS A PLAN FOR EACH OF US AND HE WANTS TO LEAD US THROUGH
THE CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE, THE GOOD TIMES, EVERYTHING THAT WE
GO THROUGH, HE WANTS TO BE THERE TO LEAD US. BY TRUSTING IN HIS
GUIDANCE, WE CAN NAVIGATE LIFE WITH PURPOSE AND WITH WISDOM.
JOHN 16, VERSE 13 SAYS, "WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE
WILL GUIDE YOU INTO ALL TRUTH. HE WILL NOT SPEAK ON HIS OWN,
BUT HE WILL TELL YOU WHAT HE HAS HEARD. HE WILL TELL YOU ABOUT
THE FUTURE. HIS WISDOM IS INFINITE. HE SEES BEYOND OUR
LIMITATIONS. HE CAN SEE FURTHER THAN WE CAN SEE. AND HE PREPARES
US FOR WHAT'S AHEAD." YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY BENEFICIAL TO KNOW
WHAT'S COMING. AND GOD WILL SHOW YOU THAT IF YOU SEEK HIM AND
LISTEN. THAT'S THE ADVANTAGE OF HEARING GOD'S VOICE. THE HOLY
SPIRIT'S HERE TO GUIDE US AND SHOW US WHAT'S AHEAD AND THEN
PROVIDE THAT DIVINE DIRECTION TO US. NOW, IMAGINE WITH ME WHAT IT
WOULD BE LIKE IF I PLACED A BLINDFOLD OVER YOUR EYES TONIGHT
AND I ORDERED 200 BLINDFOLDS. I WAS GONNA PASS THEM OUT AND DO
THIS, BUT THEN WHEN I TALKED TO PASTOR MARK, HE SAYS, "NO,
THAT'S PROBABLY NOT WISE TO BLINDFOLD YOU "AND TELL YOU TO
LEAVE THE AUDITORIUM. "YOU'D BE STUMBLING OVER EACH OTHER,
"YOU'D FALL OVER FURNITURE, "AND SOME OF YOU MIGHT GET HURT." I
DIDN'T REALLY DO THAT, BUT I THOUGHT ABOUT IT. BUT IMAGINE
WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE IF WE PUT BLINDFOLDS OVER EACH OF YOU
TONIGHT, AND THEN I ASKED YOU JUST TO GO AHEAD AND EXIT THE
AUDITORIUM. IT COULD BE TOUGH TO DO. YOU MIGHT TRIP OVER
SOMETHING AND STUMBLE AROUND. YOU MIGHT RUN INTO ANOTHER
PERSON. IT'S A VIVID PICTURE OF WHAT IT'S LIKE WHEN WE DON'T
HEAR GOD'S VOICE. SOME CHRISTIANS ARE LIKE A PERSON
WALKING AROUND BLINDFOLDED. THEY'RE SAVED AND THEY LOVE GOD,
BUT THEY STRUGGLE TO HEAR HIS VOICE. THEY GO THROUGH LIFE
BUMPING INTO OBSTACLES, REACTING TO A CRISIS, OR MAKING DECISIONS
BASED ON TRIAL AND ERROR RATHER THAN DIVINE INSIGHT. THE
CHRISTIAN LIFE ISN'T MEANT TO BE A SERIES OF RANDOM MISTAKES AND
CORRECTIONS. WE'RE NOT MEANT TO WANDER AIMLESSLY AND THEN JUST
SEEK GOD'S HELP WHEN WE GET INTO A JAM. GOD WANTS US TO LISTEN TO
HIM DAILY AS HE GUIDES US CLEARLY AND GENTLY. SO THE
QUESTION IS, HOW DO WE GET BETTER AT LISTENING TO THE HOLY
SPIRIT? WE ALL WANT TO IMPROVE THAT. AND THERE ARE A FEW
PRACTICAL STEPS WE CAN TAKE THAT CAN KEEP US ON TRACK AND
FOLLOWING THE GUIDANCE FROM GOD THAT HE WANTS US TO HAVE. FIRST
OF ALL, LET'S TALK ABOUT THIS. THERE'S TWO SOURCES OF
KNOWLEDGE. NUMBER ONE, THERE'S RATIONAL KNOWLEDGE THAT'S
RECEIVED IN OUR MIND. AND THEN THERE'S SECONDLY, REVELATION
KNOWLEDGE THAT'S RECEIVED IN OUR SPIRIT. SO OUR SOUL, WHICH WE
TALKED ABOUT LAST WEEK, OUR MIND, WILL, AND EMOTIONS HAS THE
CAPACITY TO SEE AND HEAR AND KNOW INFORMATION THROUGH THE
FIVE SENSES THAT GOD CREATED WITHIN US. AND LEARNING AND
THINKING ARE A SOURCE OF KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING. WE
CAN TAKE IN DATA AND WE CAN PROCESS IT AND WE CAN DRAW
CONCLUSIONS. WE ALL HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH THAT. THAT'S OUR
MIND KNOWLEDGE, OUR CARNAL KNOWLEDGE. OUR MIND WILL AND
EMOTIONS RECEIVING THAT. THEN SECONDLY, REVELATION KNOWLEDGE
IS RECEIVED BY OUR SPIRIT MAN. FIRST CORINTHIANS 2.14, PAUL
TALKS ABOUT KNOWLEDGE THAT MUST BE SPIRITUALLY DISCERNED. LET'S
PUT UP FIRST CORINTHIANS 2.14 IF YOU WOULD. BUT THE NATURAL MAN
DOES NOT RECEIVE THE THINGS OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD, FOR THEY ARE
FOOLISHNESS TO HIM, NOR CAN HE KNOW THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE
SPIRITUALLY DISCERNED. THE NATURAL MAN, IN OTHER WORDS,
THAT MEANS AN UNBELIEVER CANNOT KNOW OR RECEIVE THE TRUTH THAT
YOU CAN RECEIVE AS A BELIEVER. THAT'S BECAUSE NATURAL MEN ONLY
RECEIVE KNOWLEDGE THROUGH THOSE FIVE SENSES. UNBELIEVERS COME
ALIVE IN THEIR SPIRIT WHEN THEY RECEIVE CHRIST. AND YOU SAY,
"PASTOR DOUG, HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT?" WELL, THE WORD TELLS US
THAT. I'M GONNA PROVE IT TO YOU RIGHT NOW. EPHESIANS 2, WE
LOOKED AT THIS LAST WEEK, BUT WE'LL DO IT AGAIN. EPHESIANS 2,
VERSES ONE THROUGH TWO, I WANT TO READ IT IN THE AMPLIFIED, AND
IT SAYS, "AND YOU, HE MADE ALIVE WHEN YOU WERE SPIRITUALLY DEAD
"AND SEPARATED FROM HIM BECAUSE OF TRANSGRESSIONS AND SINS "IN
WHICH YOU ONCE WALKED. "YOU WERE FOLLOWING THE WAYS OF THIS
WORLD, "INFLUENCED BY THE PRESENT AGE IN ACCORDANCE "WITH
THE PRINCE OF THE POWER OF THE AIR, SATAN, "THE SPIRIT WHO IS
NOW AT WORK IN THE DISOBEDIENT, THE UNBELIEVING, TO FIGHT
AGAINST THE PURPOSES OF GOD." ONCE OUR SPIRIT MAN CAME ALIVE
WITHIN US, GOD WAS ABLE TO REVEAL THINGS TO OUR SPIRIT THAT
WE COULDN'T RECEIVE PREVIOUSLY IN OUR MINDS OR THROUGH OUR FIVE
SENSES. NOW, MOST PENTECOSTAL INDIVIDUALS HAVE EXPERIENCED
THIS PERSONALLY. YOU UNDERSTAND RECEIVING THROUGH THE SPIRIT.
YOU'VE BEEN AROUND THAT ENOUGH. BUT WE WANT TO BETTER UNDERSTAND
HOW THAT WORKS IN RELATIONSHIP TO OUR SOUL AND SPIRIT AND
BECOME MORE SENSITIVE TO IT. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING A CHRISTIAN
CAN DO IN THE LIMITED TIME THAT WE HAVE ON THIS EARTH IS TO BE
ABLE TO UNDERSTAND AND DISCERN GOD'S VOICE SPEAKING TO US SO
THAT WE CAN LINE UP WITH HIS PLAN FOR OUR LIVES. SO THAT WE
CAN ACCOMPLISH WHAT HE WANTS TO ACCOMPLISH BEFORE WE MOVE ON. WE
CAN DEVELOP OUR SPIRITUAL EARS THROUGH EXPERIENCE. WE CAN TUNE
OUR EARS JUST LIKE A HORSE PRICKS UP HIS EARS TO LISTEN. WE
NEED TO FOCUS OUR ATTENTION ON GOD'S VOICE. PROVERBS 4:20 SAYS,
"MY SON, ATTEND TO MY WORDS, INCLINE THINE EAR UNTO MY
SAYINGS." THAT'S WHAT THAT HORSE DOES. HE PRICKS UP HIS EARS WHEN
HE HEARS A SOUND. HE'S ATTENTIVE. WE NEED TO PRICK OUR
EARS AND LISTEN TO GOD. WE NEED TO BE ATTENTIVE AND INTENTIONAL
ABOUT HEARING GOD'S VOICE. MUSICIANS DEVELOP AN EAR FOR
MUSIC AND THEY HAVE A SENSITIVITY TO DISTINGUISH ONE
KEY FROM ANOTHER. THEIR ABILITY TO HEAR NOTES MORE PRECISELY IS
DEVELOPED BY THE REASON OF USAGE. OF COURSE, THEY MIGHT BE
GIFTED TO DO THAT. MOST ARE. BUT A GOOD MUSICIAN DEVELOPS HIS
SENSITIVITY TO THE SOUNDS OF THE NOTES IN THE SAME WAY WE CAN
DEVELOP OUR SENSITIVITY TO THE SOUND OF GOD'S VOICE IN OUR
SPIRIT. THAT WAY WE CAN MORE PRECISELY DISTINGUISH THAT FROM
OUR OWN THOUGHTS OR ANOTHER VOICE THAT WE MIGHT HEAR.
SOMETIMES WE HEAR GOD IN OUR SPIRIT BUT WE DON'T TRUST OUR
ABILITY TO HEAR ENOUGH TO FOLLOW THROUGH ON WHAT GOD IS ACTUALLY
SAYING AND THAT ISSUE CAN ONLY BE ADDRESSED THROUGH EXPERIENCE.
WHEN PASTOR MARK HAD THAT EXPERIENCE AND WALKED THROUGH
WHAT HE DID AS GOD LED HIM STEP BY STEP THROUGH THOSE THINGS,
THAT BUILT HIS FAITH SO THAT HE COULD LISTEN MORE KEENLY THE
NEXT TIME. IF I FAIL TO ACT ON WHAT GOD IS REVEALING TO ME IN
MY SPIRIT, THEN I'M DEPRIVING MYSELF OF NEEDED EXPERIENCE. HOW
DID YOU LEARN TO RIDE A BICYCLE? YOU MIGHT HAVE WATCHED OTHERS DO
IT. MAYBE YOUR PARENTS OR YOUR SIBLINGS GAVE YOU SOME
INSTRUCTION ON HOW TO DO IT. BUT TO DEVELOP THE BALANCE AND THE
SKILL TO RIDE THAT BIKE, YOU HAD TO DO WHAT? YOU HAD TO RIDE IT
YOURSELF. YOU HAD TO ACTUALLY GET ON THE BIKE. WATCHING
SOMEONE ELSE DO IT DOESN'T TEACH YOU HOW TO RIDE A BIKE. WHEN YOU
FIRST STARTED, YOU PROBABLY HAD SOME INITIAL FEAR OF FALLING OFF
THAT BIKE OR FALLING OVER, BUT YOU DIDN'T LET THOSE FEARS STOP
YOU FROM TRYING. THE MORE YOU TRIED, THE MORE SKILLED YOU
BECAME IN DOING IT. SO BECOMING SEASONED IN SPIRITUAL MATTERS
REQUIRES STEPPING OUT AND THE HUMILITY TO RISK A MISTAKE. WHEN
THE LORD SPEAKS A WORD OF KNOWLEDGE IN MY SPIRIT,
SOMETIMES I THINK OR QUESTION, "IS THAT JUST ME? IS THE VOICE
THAT I HEARD IN MY SPIRIT TRULY THE HOLY SPIRIT?" I'M CONFRONTED
WITH A DECISION AT THAT POINT. I CAN CHOOSE TO NOT ACT ON WHAT I
BELIEVE I'M HEARING OR I CAN STEP OUT IN FAITH AND SHARE IT.
IF IT'S CONFIRMED TO BE TRUE, THEN I'VE LEARNED MORE ABOUT
WHAT A TRUE WORD FROM THE SPIRIT SOUNDS LIKE. BUT WHAT IF I MISS
IT? THAT'S A HUMBLING EXPERIENCE, BUT IT'S OKAY TO BE
WRONG. IF WE RESPOND TO OUR MISTAKES IN HUMILITY, THAT'S
OKAY. EVEN WHEN I MISS IT, I'VE INCREASED MY UNDERSTANDING OF
HEARING GOD. I'LL KNOW BETTER THE NEXT TIME WHAT TO DO OR NOT
TO DO. IF I NEVER STEP OUT AND TEST WHAT I'M HEARING IN MY
SPIRIT, THEN I DON'T HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP AND HONE
IN ON THE ABILITY TO DISTINGUISH GOD'S VOICE FROM MY VOICE OR
WHAT I'M HEARING IN MY HEAD. HUMILITY IS VERY IMPORTANT IN
WALKING IN THE SPIRIT. MEN, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO LISTEN TO YOUR
WIVES. WOMEN HAVE A NATURAL ABILITY TO BE MORE SENSITIVE TO
GOD IN MANY CASES. THEY HAVE THAT EXTRA SENSITIVE ANTENNA TO
HEAR THE VOICE OF GOD. WHEN EILEEN TELLS ME THAT SHE SENSES
SOMETHING OR HAS AN UNCTION OR DIRECTION THAT SHE BELIEVES IS
FROM GOD, I HAVE LEARNED TO LISTEN. BECAUSE THERE WAS A TIME
WHEN I WAS A SLOW LEARNER AND I DIDN'T LISTEN, AND THEN I PAID
THE PRICE. IT TOOK ME A WHILE. BUT MOST OFTEN, SHE WAS RIGHT.
AND SHE COMMUNICATED IT WITH HUMILITY, AND HOPEFULLY I'M
LEARNING MORE TO RECEIVE THAT. AND THAT'S WHY I BELIEVE
HUSBANDS AND WIVES CAN WORK WELL TOGETHER IN THAT CASE. AND IT'S
IMPORTANT TO DO THAT. AND WIVES, THERE'S TIMES YOU NEED TO LISTEN
TO YOUR HUSBANDS TOO. I'M NOT SAYING THAT IT ONLY GOES ONE
WAY. I'M JUST SAYING THAT IT SEEMS THOUGH, AND I GUESS I
CAN'T REALLY PROVE THIS FROM SCRIPTURE, THAT IT SEEMS LIKE
WOMEN HAVE THAT SENSITIVITY THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO RECEIVE AND HEAR
THE VOICE OF GOD SOMETIMES EASIER THAN SOME MEN CAN FOR
WHATEVER REASON. THAT'S JUST MY PERSONAL OBSERVATION, OKAY?
DON'T SAY THAT'S NECESSARILY BIBLE. RICK'S LAUGHING AT ME.
YEAH. EILEEN SAYS, "THAT'S BIBLE." I NEED A VERSE FOR THAT.
AS WE HEAR GOD AND LEARN TO REACT IN OBEDIENCE, WE BECOME
MORE ACCURATE. THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY IN OUR ABILITY TO
HEAR. BUT LET'S LOOK AT TWO TESTS TONIGHT THAT I BELIEVE
WILL HELP US IDENTIFY WHAT GOD IS SAYING AND ALSO IDENTIFY IF
IT'S FLESH THAT WE'RE ATTEMPTING TO HEAR. TEST NUMBER ONE, DOES
IT AGREE WITH SCRIPTURE? THAT'S ALWAYS THE FIRST TEST. DOES IT
AGREE WITH SCRIPTURE? AND THEN TEST NUMBER TWO WE'RE GONNA TALK
ABOUT IS WHAT IS THE SPIRITUAL IMPACT OF WHAT I'M HEARING? THE
FIRST TEST, DOES IT AGREE WITH SCRIPTURE? HEARING IN OUR SPIRIT
IS SUBJECTIVE AND WE ALWAYS TEST IT WITH THE REVEALED SCRIPTURE
IN LIGHT OF SCRIPTURE. ISAIAH 820 SAYS, "LOOK TO GOD'S
INSTRUCTIONS AND TEACHINGS. PEOPLE WHO CONTRADICT HIS WORD
ARE COMPLETELY IN THE DARK." SO IF SOMEONE TRIES TO TELL YOU
SOMETHING THAT IS NOT SCRIPTURAL AND SAYS IT'S FROM GOD, YOU HAVE
THE ANSWER FOR THAT IMMEDIATELY. IF WHAT WE'RE HEARING IS NOT
CONSISTENT WITH GOD'S WORD, WE'RE NOT HEARING THE HOLY
SPIRIT. YOU KNOW, I'VE HEARD THESE STORIES OF SO
-CALLED MEN OF GOD THAT HAVE TOLD SOMEONE TO GO DIVORCE THEIR
WIFE AND MARRY SOMEONE ELSE OR THINGS LIKE THAT. WELL, WE KNOW
THAT'S NOT THE HOLY SPIRIT BECAUSE IT'S NOT SCRIPTURAL.
SO IF THERE'S A GOD-GIVEN PROTECTION FOR DISCERNING
THE LEADINGS OF THE LORD, LET'S LOOK AT 2 PETER 1, 20
AND 21, VERSE 20 AND 21. IT SAYS, "ABOVE ALL, YOU MUST
REALIZE "THAT NO PROPHECY IN SCRIPTURE EVER CAME
"FROM THE PROPHET'S OWN UNDERSTANDING." AND CONTINUE ON
IF YOU WOULD. OKAY, I'LL LOOK AT MY NOTES. "OR FROM THE HUMAN
INITIATIVE. "NO, THOSE PROPHETS WERE MOVED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT
"AND THEY SPOKE FROM GOD." YES, AMEN. "INCREASING OUR KNOWLEDGE
OF THE SCRIPTURE "WILL HELP US DISCERN IF THE LEADING'S "FROM
THE HOLY SPIRIT OR FLESH." AND WE TALKED ABOUT THAT, I'M GONNA
READ IT AGAIN BECAUSE THIS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT SCRIPTURE.
HEBREWS 4, 12, WE'LL PUT THAT UP AGAIN. "FOR THE WORD OF GOD IS
QUICK AND POWERFUL AND SHARPER "THAN ANY TWO
-EDGED SWORD, PIERCING EVEN TO THE DIVIDING "ASUNDER OF SOUL
AND SPIRIT AND OF JOINTS AND MARROW, AND IS A DISCERNER OF
THE THOUGHTS AND INTENTS OF THE HEART." SO BIBLICAL REVELATION,
AGAIN, THE WORD OF GOD RIGHTLY DIVIDES OR SHOWS US WHAT IS SOUL
AND WHAT IS SPIRIT. IF WE'RE NOT GROUNDED IN THE WORD OF GOD,
IT'S GOING TO BE HARD TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SOUL AND
SPIRIT MANY TIMES. SO THE MORE YOU CAN STUDY THE WORD, THE MORE
YOU CAN HEAR THE WORD, THE MORE YOU DECLARE THE WORD, THE MORE
YOU'RE AROUND THE WORD, YOU'LL GET SHARPER IN YOUR HEARING.
WHEN WE'RE WALKING IN THE SPIRIT, WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO
SEPARATE OUR SOUL FROM THE SPIRIT. AND BY RENEWING OUR
MINDS WITH THE WORD OF GOD, WE CAN LEARN TO FOLLOW THE HOLY
SPIRIT'S LEADING. ROMANS 12, 2, "BE NOT CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD,
BUT BE YE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND THAT YOU
MAY PROVE WHAT IS THAT GOOD, ACCEPTABLE, AND PERFECT WILL OF
GOD. YOU'LL WALK OUT THE WILL OF GOD AS YOU RENEW YOUR MIND WITH
THE WORD. THERE AGAIN, YOUR SPIRIT MAN BECOMES ALIVE WHEN
YOU GET SAVED. IT'S MADE NEW AND FRESH, COMMUNICATING WITH GOD.
BUT THE MIND, THE WILL AND THE EMOTION HAS TO BE RENEWED.
THAT'S THE SOUL PART OF MAN. IT TAKES TIME TO DO THAT. IT'S DONE
OVER A PERIOD OF TIME. SOMEONE THAT'S BEEN SAVED FOR 50 YEARS,
HOPEFULLY WOULD HAVE MORE OF A RENEWED MIND THAN SOMEONE THAT
GOT SAVED SIX MONTHS AGO. THAT'S WHY WE'RE ALL WALKING AT
DIFFERENT STAGES OF MATURITY AND WE HAVE TO HAVE GRACE AND MERCY
WITH ONE ANOTHER BECAUSE SOMEONE THAT YOU LOVE AND MAY BE SITTING
NEXT TO TONIGHT MAY NOT BE IN THE EXACT SAME PLACE SPIRITUALLY
THAT YOU ARE. SO WE ALL HAVE TO HAVE PATIENCE WITH ONE ANOTHER
AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE THINGS THAT WE'RE MOVING THROUGH IN
THIS LIFE. THE TRUTH THAT WE HAVE HIDDEN IN OUR HEARTS IS
WHAT WE CAN USE TO PULL ON TO TEST OUR LEADINGS. YOU CAN PULL
ON THAT KNOWLEDGE. THEN WE CAN MORE EASILY DETERMINE IF GOD'S
SPEAKING TO OUR SPIRIT MAN. PSALM 119, VERSE 11. YOUR WORD
HAVE I HIDDEN IN MY HEART THAT I MAY NOT SIN AGAINST YOU. THE
MORE THE WORD'S HIDDEN IN OUR HEART, THE BETTER EQUIPPED WE
ARE TO DISCERN THAT VOICE AND WALK IN THE SPIRIT. REMEMBER
WHEN SATAN WAS TRYING TO MISLEAD JESUS. LUKE CHAPTER FOUR TALKS
ABOUT THAT. SATAN ATTEMPTED TO QUOTE SCRIPTURE TO JESUS, BUT IT
WAS THE WORD THAT WAS HIDDEN IN JESUS' HEART THAT WAS ABLE TO
DEFEAT THE DECEIVER. LET'S LOOK AT THAT SCRIPTURE. LUKE FOUR,
VERSES FIVE THROUGH EIGHT. "THEN THE DEVIL, TAKING HIM, JESUS, UP
ON A HIGH MOUNTAIN, "SHOWED JESUS ALL THE KINGDOMS OF THE
WORLD "IN A MOMENT OF TIME. AND THE DEVIL SAID TO JESUS, 'ALL
THIS AUTHORITY I WILL GIVE YOU AND THEIR GLORY, FOR THIS HAS
BEEN DELIVERED TO ME, AND I GIVE IT TO WHOMEVER I WISH.
THEREFORE, IF YOU WILL WORSHIP ME, OR WORSHIP BEFORE ME, ALL
WILL BE YOURS.' AND JESUS ANSWERED HIM AND SAID TO HIM,
'GET BEHIND ME, SATAN, FOR IT IS WRITTEN, YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE
LORD YOUR GOD, AND HIM ONLY SHALL YOU SERVE.' SO JESUS
RESPONDED TO SATAN'S TWISTING OF SCRIPTURE WITH THE TRUTH OF
SCRIPTURE. WHEN SATAN CLAIMED, 'IF YOU'LL JUST WORSHIP ME, ALL
WILL BE YOURS,' JESUS RESPONDED FROM SCRIPTURE AND SAID, 'IT'S
WRITTEN, YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND HIM ONLY
SHALL YOU SERVE.' JESUS' USE OF SCRIPTURE WAS CRUCIAL AT THAT
POINT. HE HAD THE WORD IN HIS HEART AND HE USED IT TO EXPOSE
THE MISUSE OF SCRIPTURE BY SATAN. JESUS USED IT AS A
DEFENSE BUT IT ALSO WAS A MEANS OF HIM ALIGNING HIS OWN ACTIONS
WITH THE WILL OF GOD AND GOD'S PURPOSES. SO TIME SPENT GETTING
GOD'S WORD IN YOUR HEART CAN MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN A
CRUCIAL TEST THAT YOU MIGHT ENTER INTO. IT'S CRITICAL FOR US
TO BE ABLE TO DISCERN AND HEAR THE VOICE OF GOD IN OUR SPIRIT
MAN. YOU MIGHT BE DRIVING SOMEDAY, HEADING SOMEWHERE,
MAYBE TO WORK, MAYBE YOU'VE GOT AN ASSIGNMENT YOU'RE GOING TO,
AND YOU HEAR THAT INWARD VOICE SAY, "TURN HERE." "BUT LORD,
THAT'S NOT THE NORMAL ROUTE THAT I TAKE." WELL, YOU HAVE A
DECISION TO MAKE AT THAT POINT. ARE YOU GOING TO FOLLOW THE HOLY
GHOST AND TURN? MAYBE YOU'LL AVOID AN ACCIDENT JUST BY MAKING
THAT TURN. BUT THAT'S ANOTHER WAY THAT YOU CAN EXPERIENCE AND
LEARN TO HEAR THE VOICE OF GOD. IF YOU'RE OBEDIENT TO WHAT HE
SAYS AND YOU DO IT, THEN YOU CAN LEARN FROM THAT. BACK IN 2002, I
WAS AN ASSOCIATE PASTOR AT A CHURCH IN SIOUX CITY, IOWA, AND
I THINK I MIGHT HAVE MENTIONED THIS ILLUSTRATION ANOTHER TIME,
I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG AGO EVEN IT WAS, BUT JUST FOR
ILLUSTRATION PURPOSES, I'LL TELL IT AGAIN. IF YOU'VE HEARD IT
BEFORE, FORGIVE ME. BUT THE SENIOR PASTORS AT THIS CHURCH
HAD RECEIVED A SMALL INHERITANCE FROM THE PASSING OF ONE OF THE
PASTOR'S PARENTS. AND IT WAS ABOUT A $10,000 AMOUNT OF MONEY
THAT THEY HAD TO INVEST. AND THEY ASKED ME ABOUT INVESTING IT
INTO SOME PRECIOUS METALS, SOME SILVER AND GOLD COINS. AND I
HELPED THEM DO THAT. WE GOT THE COINS SECURED. AND AT THAT TIME,
THE CHURCH HAD A LARGE SAFE IN THE CHURCH THAT WAS...
IT WAS A HEAVY VAULT, KIND OF LIKE YOU'D SEE IN A BANK ALMOST.
IT HAD A THICK DOOR ON IT. AND I MEAN, IT WAS HEAVY TO OPEN. AND
WE JUST MARKED THAT AMOUNT OF PRECIOUS METALS IN A CONTAINER
THAT IT WAS THEIR PERSONAL PROPERTY. AND WE WRAPPED IT UP
GOOD, AND WE MARKED IT THAT IT WAS NOT THE CHURCH'S PROPERTY SO
THAT WE KNEW THAT IT WOULD BE IDENTIFIABLE IF EVER NEEDED.
- IF SOMEONE NEEDED TO KNOW WHOSE IT WAS. IT WAS MARKED. AND
SO WE PUT THOSE COINS IN THAT SAFE. AND ABOUT A YEAR LATER, I
WAS GETTING OUT OF MY CAR. I CAN SEE MYSELF DOING IT NOW. IT WAS
ON THE GRAVEL PARKING LOT ON THE WEST SIDE OF THAT CHURCH. AND I
PUT MY FOOT ON THE GRAVEL, AND AT THAT MOMENT, THE LORD SPOKE
TO ME AND SAID, "GET PASTOR'S COINS OUT OF THAT SAFE." AND I
THOUGHT, IT KIND OF TOOK ME BACK. IT WAS KIND OF STRANGE
BECAUSE I HAD NO THOUGHT OF THAT. THAT I WAS COMING BACK
FROM LUNCH THINKING ABOUT THE THINGS THAT I HAD TO DO THE REST
OF THE DAY. AND WHEN GOD REVEALED THAT TO ME, I THOUGHT,
"WHY? WHY AM I HEARING THIS?" AND THAT'S AN... I DON'T KNOW IF
THIS WILL APPLY TO ANYONE ELSE, BUT IT HELPS ME. MANY TIMES WHEN
GOD SPEAKS TO ME, IT'S SOMETHING THAT I AM NOT AT ALL THINKING
ABOUT IN MY NATURAL MIND. IT BOILS UP IN ME AND IT CAN ALMOST
CATCH ME OFF GUARD. IF I'M THINKING ABOUT SOMETHING AND
TRYING TO RATIONALIZE IT IN MY MIND, MANY TIMES IT'S NOT GOD.
BUT WHEN IT JUST COMES UP OUT OF NOWHERE, DOES THAT MAKE SENSE?
YEAH, THAT'S WHEN I A LOT OF TIMES KNOW THAT, OKAY, THAT'S
GOD SPEAKING TO ME. SO I HAD A DECISION TO MAKE AT THAT POINT.
DO I BOTHER THESE PASTORS, GIVE THEM A CALL AND TELL THEM THAT
THEY NEED TO MAKE AN EFFORT TO GET THESE COINS OUT OF THE SAFE?
OR DO I NEED TO JUST WAIT ON THIS FOR A WHILE AND MAYBE IT'LL
BE CONFIRMED? BUT I FELT AN URGENCY AND I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW,
THEY MIGHT THINK I'M NUTS, BUT I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND CALL
THEM AND TELL THEM WHAT I HEARD. SO I MOVED FORWARD BELIEVING
THAT I'D HEARD GOD. I CALLED THEM AND THEY WERE VERY
RECEPTIVE TO THAT. THEY SAID, "OKAY." SO THE NEXT MORNING WE
WENT TO THE LOCAL BANK. WE OPENED A SAFE DEPOSIT BOX IN
THEIR NAME AND WE MOVED THOSE COINS OUT OF THAT CHURCH SAFE,
GOT THEM SECURED. THEY HAD THE KEYS. WE WERE FINE. I DIDN'T
THINK ANY MORE ABOUT IT. AND ABOUT A WEEK OR MAYBE IT WAS TWO
WEEKS LATER, I GOT A CALL ON A SUNDAY MORNING. THE CHURCH HAD
BEEN BROKEN INTO. THERE WAS A PERKINS RESTAURANT RIGHT ACROSS
THE STREET FROM THIS CHURCH AND THE THIEVES HAD BROKEN INTO THAT
PERKINS RESTAURANT THAT NIGHT AND THEY'D ALSO BROKEN INTO THIS
CHURCH. WELL, THE INTERESTING THING WAS THEY KNOCKED DOWN THE
DOOR, THE WOODEN DOOR THAT WAS THE OFFICE WHERE THE ACCOUNTING
WAS AND WHERE THE SAFE WAS. THEY KNOCKED THAT DOOR DOWN, GOT
THROUGH THERE, AND THEY USED EXPLOSIVES TO BREAK INTO THAT
SAFE. THEY BLEW THE DOOR OFF THAT SAFE. WELL, EVIDENTLY,
THESE THIEVES WERE NOT SAVED PROTESTANTS THAT WENT TO CHURCH
BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T THINK ABOUT THE FACT THAT DOING THIS ON A
SATURDAY NIGHT DIDN'T MAKE SENSE BECAUSE OUR OFFERINGS ARE GONE
AFTER SUNDAY. WHAT WE WOULD DO IS WE'D PUT THE SUNDAY OFFERINGS
IN THE SAFE AND THEN MONDAYS WE WOULD GET THEM SECURELY TO THE
BANK. AND THAT SAFE JUST HELD THEM FROM SUNDAY NIGHT TILL
MONDAY MORNING. OR SUNDAY, YEAH, SUNDAY NIGHT TILL MONDAY
MORNING. THOSE THIEVES DIDN'T KNOW THAT. SO THE ONLY THING IN
THAT SAFE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF PETTY CASH, WHICH I DON'T KNOW,
A FEW HUNDRED DOLLARS MAYBE, AND THEN A BUNCH OF LEGAL DOCUMENTS
AND PAPERS. AND THERE WERE PAPERS STREWN ALL OVER THAT
HALLWAY IN THAT AREA, 'CAUSE YOU COULD TELL THEY HAD JUST DUG
THROUGH TRYING TO FIND ANYTHING THEY COULD FIND IN THAT SAFE.
WELL, THEY DIDN'T GET ANYTHING EXCEPT A LITTLE BIT OF PETTY
CASH, AND THEY MADE A MESS. AT THAT POINT, I WAS THINKING, "OH,
I'M REALLY GLAD THAT I LISTENED TO THAT AND THAT PASTORS WERE
WILLING TO GET THAT MOVED," BECAUSE IT WAS A PRETTY GOOD SUM
OF MONEY BACK THEN IN 2002. I MEAN, $10,000 IS STILL A GOOD
SUM OF MONEY. BUT TODAY, IT WOULD PROBABLY BE $25,000. SO OF
COURSE, THE DESTRUCTION THAT WAS TAKING PLACE THERE WAS COVERED
BY INSURANCE. AND THERE WAS NO INSURANCE ON THE PRECIOUS
METALS. THEY'RE VERY DIFFICULT TO INSURE BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT
SERIAL NUMBERED. THERE'S NO WAY TO TRACK THEM, REALLY. IT'S VERY
DIFFICULT TO INSURE THOSE. SO THEY WOULD HAVE JUST SPENT OUT
THAT MONEY. SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO HEAR, BUT IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO
OBEY WHEN YOU HEAR. PROVERBS 3, VERSES 5 AND 6, I DON'T THINK WE
HAVE IT ON THE SCREEN TONIGHT, BUT IT'S A SCRIPTURE YOU'RE VERY
FAMILIAR WITH, BUT IT FITS. "TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL
THINE HEART, AND LEAN NOT TO YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING. IN ALL
THE WAYS, ACKNOWLEDGE HIM, AND HE SHALL DIRECT YOUR PATHS. IF
WE ACKNOWLEDGE HIM CONTINUOUSLY, ALLOW HIM TO SPEAK, HE'LL DIRECT
YOUR PATHS. SO WE HAVE TO LEARN TO LEAN ON GOD'S WISDOM RATHER
THAN OUR OWN LIMITED PERSPECTIVES. TO BE ABLE TO HEAR
GOD'S VOICE, WE HAVE TO SET ASIDE TIME AND WAIT IN HIS
PRESENCE AND ALLOW HIM TO TALK TO US. AND IT'S WHEN WE'RE QUIET
BEFORE GOD THAT WE CAN HEAR HIM MOST CLEARLY. AND SOMETIMES
HE'LL JUST SPEAK TO YOU WHEN YOU'RE ON A MISSION, LIKE THAT
DAY THAT I GOT OUT OF MY CAR, I WAS ON A MISSION TO GO INSIDE
AND DO SOME WORK. I WASN'T SITTING THERE MEDITATING OR
TRYING TO LISTEN, IT JUST CAME. AND THANK GOD FOR THAT BECAUSE
SOMETIMES WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY DAY AND WE NEED DIRECTION
NOW. WE DON'T HAVE-- I MEAN, YOU CAN'T SIT AND PRAY ALL DAY
YOU CAN'T SIT AND LISTEN TO HEAR GOD'S VOICE ALL DAY.
YOU'D NEVER GET ANYTHING DONE OR ACCOMPLISHED IF
THAT'S ALL YOU DID. THAT'S NOT GOD EITHER BECAUSE
HE EXPECTS US TO WORK. HE EXPECTS US TO MOVE FORWARD
AND ACCOMPLISH SOMETHING. SO THERE'S BALANCE IN OUR
LIVES. THAT'S A WHOLE OTHER SUBJECT. YOU CAN PREACH ON THAT
ONE SOMEDAY, BOB. OKAY. HALLELUJAH. BUT WE CAN ASK HIM,
"WHAT ARE YOU SAYING TO ME NOW?" SCRIPTURE TELLS US HOW THE
PROPHET ELIJAH LEARNED TO HEAR THE VOICE OF THE LORD. IN 1
KINGS 19, 11 THROUGH 13, GOD TOLD ELIJAH TO STAND BEFORE HIM
ON THE MOUNTAIN, AND A GREAT WIND BEGAN TO BLOW. BUT THE
LORD'S VOICE WAS NOT IN THE WIND. THEN AN EARTHQUAKE SHOOK
THE MOUNTAIN, BUT THE LORD WAS NOT SPEAKING THROUGH THE
EARTHQUAKE. AND THEN A FIRE BEGAN TO BLAZE AND ROAR, BUT
GOD'S VOICE WAS NOT IN THE FIRE. AND AT LAST, ELIJAH HEARD A
STILL, SMALL VOICE. THE VOICE OF THE LORD WAS SPEAKING TO HIM.
IN OUR FAST-PACED WORLD, WE OFTEN DON'T GET QUIET ENOUGH
TO HEAR THAT STILL SMALL VOICE. WE DON'T SPEND ENOUGH TIME
COMMUNING WITH THE LORD TO BE ABLE TO HEAR
HIM SPEAK. IT'S EASY TO GET IMPATIENT IN OUR PRAYER TIMES
AND MAKE UP THE ANSWERS OURSELVES, AND THEN DECIDE
THAT THAT'S GOD'S ANSWER. WE HEAD IN A CERTAIN DIRECTION,
AND THEN WE WONDER WHY THINGS DON'T GO AS WELL
AS THEY COULD HAVE. SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE DO SPEND TIME
EVERY DAY HEARING GOD'S VOICE, QUALITY TIME WITH HIM. TEST
NUMBER TWO, WHAT IS THE SPIRITUAL IMPACT OF WHAT YOU'RE
HEARING? THAT'S THE SECOND TEST. DOES IT UPLIFT AND MINISTER
LIFE, OR DOES IT HAVE A HEAVY DEADENING EFFECT? WE APPLY THIS
TEST TO WHEN WE HEAR WORDS SPOKEN BY OTHERS, BUT WE ALSO
NEED TO APPLY IT TO WHAT WE'RE HEARING IN OUR HEARTS. WE SAW IN
LUKE 4 THAT THE DEVIL CAN QUOTE THE WORD OF GOD, EVEN THOUGH IT
WAS TWISTED. HE TRIED TO QUOTE IT. HE WAS QUOTING TO JESUS
SOMETHING THAT WAS MISAPPLIED AND HAD TO BE COUNTERED BY
ANOTHER PASSAGE THAT CORRECTED THE MISAPPLICATION. AND GOD'S
PLAN FOR US IS NOT DEFEAT. GOD'S WILL FOR US IS VICTORY IN JESUS.
WE'RE MORE THAN CONQUERORS THROUGH HIM WHO LOVED US. AND WE
NEED TO DISCERN WHETHER THE BIBLICAL TRUTH THAT WE'RE
BELIEVING WE'RE HEARING IS BEING PROPERLY APPLIED IN THE LIGHT OF
SCRIPTURE AND WHAT THE IMPACT IT'S HAVING ON OUR INNER MAN.
AND I SAY INNER MAN BECAUSE SOMETIMES A TRUE WORD CAN BE
CORRECTIVE OR EMOTIONALLY TOUGH ON THE NATURAL MAN. IT DOESN'T
MEAN THAT EVERYTHING YOU HEAR IS GOING TO BE FLUFF AND HOW
WONDERFUL YOU ARE. YOU MAY GET A CORRECTIVE WORD IN YOUR SPIRIT.
THAT'S OKAY. BUT IT STILL SHOULD LEAD YOU TO A PATH OF LIFE. A
TRUE WORD WILL NOT DEPLETE YOUR INNER SPIRIT. IT WON'T DRAIN
LIFE FROM YOUR SPIRIT. EDDIE, YOU CAN COME. WE'RE JUST ABOUT
READY TO CLOSE TONIGHT. A TRUE WORD FROM GOD WILL STRENGTHEN
YOU WITHIN. IT'LL BRING LIFE AND VITALITY TO YOUR SPIRIT.
JESUS SAID IN JOHN 6:63, "THE WORDS THAT I SPEAK TO YOU
ARE SPIRIT, THEY ARE LIFE." HIS WORDS ARE LIFE-GIVING
TO OUR SPIRITS. THEY STRENGTHEN OUR INNER MAN. SO MY
POINT IS THAT WE TEST WHAT WE'RE HEARING IN OUR SPIRIT. THE
TESTING CAN HAPPEN VERY QUICKLY. JESUS' RESPONSE TO THE VOICE
THAT HE HEARD IN LUKE CHAPTER 4 PROBABLY HAPPENED WITHIN
SECONDS. HE DIDN'T SAY, WELL, NOW, SATAN, I NEED A LITTLE TIME
TO GO DO A BIBLE STUDY HERE. AND WHEN I FIGURE OUT GOD'S ANSWER
TO THIS AND FIND SOME SCRIPTURE, THEN WE'LL COME BACK AND HAVE A
DISCUSSION. HE RESPONDED OUT OF GOD'S WORD THAT WAS WRITTEN IN
HIS HEART. AND IF WE APPLY THESE TESTS, WE CAN MORE ACCURATELY
FILTER OUT DECEPTIVE THOUGHTS OR THOUGHTS THAT ORIGINATE IN OUR
OWN MINDS. AND AS WE DO THAT, WE'LL BUILD CONFIDENCE TO FOLLOW
THE PROMPTINGS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. WE HAVE TO OBEY THE
VOICE OF THE SPIRIT. IF WE BACK OFF FROM THAT OBEDIENCE AND
SIMPLY DO WHAT OUR REASON AND EMOTIONS TELL US TO DO, THEN WE
WON'T GROW IN THAT THING THAT WE'RE CALLING WALKING IN THE
SPIRIT. WE WANT TO GROW IN THAT. WE WANT TO GET MORE RECEPTIVE TO
HEARING GOD'S VOICE. AND THAT'S WHY 1 THESSALONIANS 5, 19
THROUGH 21, INSTRUCTS US IN THIS WAY. IT SAYS, "DO NOT QUENCH,
SUBDUE, OR BE UNRESPONSIVE TO THE WORKING AND GUIDANCE OF THE
HOLY SPIRIT. DO NOT SCORN OR REJECT GIFTS OF PROPHECY OR
PROPHECIES, SPOKEN REVELATIONS, WORDS OF INSTRUCTION, OR
EXHORTATION, OR WARNING. BUT TEST ALL THINGS CAREFULLY SO
THAT YOU CAN RECOGNIZE WHAT IS GOOD. HOLD FIRMLY TO THAT WHICH
IS GOOD. SO HEARING GOD'S VOICE IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF WALKING
IN THE SPIRIT AND LIVING A FULFILLED CHRISTIAN LIFE AND
ACCOMPLISHING WHAT GOD HAS FOR US. IT DOES REQUIRE SOME
PATIENCE, PRACTICE, AND FAITH ON OUR PART. BUT AS YOU START TO
HEAR GOD'S STILL SMALL VOICE, RESPOND TO THAT. BECAUSE YOU CAN
QUENCH THE SPIRIT ALSO, AND YOU CAN NOT RESPOND, NOT DO WHAT
GOD'S TOLD YOU TO DO, AND MANY TIMES YOU WON'T RECEIVE
ADDITIONAL DIRECTION AS QUICKLY WHEN YOU DO THAT. SO IF YOU'RE
STUCK, GO BACK TO THE LAST THING THAT GOD TOLD YOU TO DO AND
FULFILL THAT. AND THEN YOU'LL OPEN UP THAT CHANNEL AGAIN FOR
HIM TO CONTINUE SPEAKING. MAKE TIME EVERY DAY TO LISTEN TO THE
VOICE OF GOD. IT'LL TRANSFORM YOUR LIFE. SOME OF YOU THAT ARE
HERE TONIGHT OR YOU MIGHT BE WATCHING, YOU DESIRE TO PRESS IN
MORE, BUT YOU HAVE TO MAKE THAT DECISION THAT YOU'RE GOING TO
LISTEN TO GOD'S VOICE, YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE TIME, AND YOU'RE
GOING TO BE GROUNDED IN THE WORD. AND AS YOU DO THAT, YOU
CAN UNDERSTAND THERE'S A GRAVITY, A GRAVITY TO THIS ISSUE
OF GREAT IMPORTANCE. IT'S SO IMPORTANT. I DON'T KNOW HOW TO
STATE IT ANY CLEARER THAN THAT. IF YOU DON'T LEARN TO HEAR THE
VOICE OF GOD, YOU CAN STUMBLE THROUGH LIFE AND NOT ACCOMPLISH
YOUR DESTINY. SO ONCE YOU BECOME A BELIEVER, YOU GET FILLED WITH
THE HOLY SPIRIT, THERE'S NOTHING MORE IMPORTANT THAN LEARNING TO
HEAR THE VOICE OF GOD. AND YOU CAN DO LIKE SOLOMON, WHO HAD
EVERYTHING. HE HAD RICHES, HE HAD POWER. HE JUST SAID, "GOD, I
NEED WISDOM." THERE'S NOTHING MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE WISDOM
OF GOD IN OUR LIVES, THE DIRECTION THAT HE'LL GIVE YOU,
BECAUSE IT ANSWERS EVERYTHING. WELL, WHY DON'T YOU STAND WITH
ME? LET'S DO THIS TONIGHT. I'M JUST GONNA PRAY. YOU JUST STAND
THERE FOR A MOMENT AND RECEIVE FROM HIM. IN YOUR OWN WORDS,
JUST ASK GOD TONIGHT. UNDER YOUR OWN BREATH, JUST ASK HIM, LORD,
GIVE ME THE DIRECTION THAT I NEED. HELP ME TO BE SENSITIVE TO
YOUR SPIRIT. HELP ME TO RECEIVE ALL THAT YOU WOULD HAVE FOR ME.
AND THEN HELP ME TO BE OBEDIENT, LORD, IN EVERY AREA OF MY LIFE.
HELP ME TO BE OBEDIENT AND TO QUICKLY RESPOND TO WHAT YOU
WOULD HAVE FOR ME. FATHER, I PRAY FOR THOSE WATCHING ONLINE
AND THOSE HERE TONIGHT, AND WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORD. I THANK
YOU, LORD, THAT YOUR WORD IS A SURE FOUNDATION. AND AS WE CLING
TO YOU, YOUR WORD, WE BECOME MORE GROUNDED IN YOUR WORD, AND
YOU DIRECT US BY YOUR SPIRIT. I BELIEVE, LORD, THAT YOU'LL OPEN
OUR EARS TO HEAR YOUR VOICE IN A GREATER WAY THAN WE EVER HAVE
BEFORE. TONIGHT WE COME TOGETHER IN FAITH, BELIEVING FOR THAT,
THAT WE WILL RECEIVE THE IMPARTATION, THE ANOINTING, AND
THE GIFTINGS THAT WE NEED TO ACCOMPLISH EVERYTHING THAT
YOU'VE CALLED US TO DO. WE WILL REACT APPROPRIATELY AND WE'LL
RESPOND TO THOSE SO THAT WE CAN GET EVERYTHING DONE THAT YOU
WOULD HAVE SET BEFORE US, AND WE DO IT TO YOUR GLORY. IN THE
MIGHTY NAME OF JESUS, AMEN, AMEN. WELL, THANK YOU FOR COMING
TONIGHT. DON'T MISS SUNDAY BECAUSE PASTORS WILL BE BACK IN
THE HOUSE. THEY HAD A GREAT VACATION, AND NOW WE'RE GONNA BE
EXCITED TO HAVE THEM BACK, AND IT'LL BE ANOINTED. SUNDAY
MORNING, 9 O'CLOCK, WITH A REPEAT BROADCAST AT 1130. AND OF
COURSE, YOU THAT ARE HERE, BE HERE. BRING SOMEONE WITH YOU TO
THE HOUSE OF THE LORD. LET'S FILL THIS PLACE UP, PACK IT OUT.
THANK YOU FOR COMING TONIGHT. GOD BLESS YOU. WE'LL SEE YOU
SUNDAY MORNING. [APPLAUSE]