(UPBEAT MUSIC)
- GOOD EVENING, LORD OF HOSTS CHURCH.
ARE YOU READY TO PRAISE THE HOLIEST NAME ABOVE ALL NAMES,
THE PRINCE OF PEACE, THE KING OF KINGS, YOUR EVERYTHING?
ALL RIGHT Y'ALL, WE GOT TO GET INTO SOME MASSIVE PRAISE
AND WORSHIP TONIGHT, OKAY? YOU READY TO RAISE IT UP?
COME ON, I'M GONNA NEED Y'ALL TO MOVE A LITTLE BIT.
HOW MANY KNOW WE'RE COMING OUT OF AN OLD SEASON AND STEPPING
INTO THE NEVER-SO-SEEN? WE ARE SHIFT-CHANGING INTO THE FULLNESS
OF THE GOODNESS OF GOD. AMEN? WHO WILL AGREE WITH GOD TONIGHT?
COME ON.
♪ HEY, HEY, HEY, HEY ♪
(MUSIC)
SOME OF Y'ALL AREN'T CONVINCED ENOUGH. DO YOU KNOW WHO IT IS
THAT YOU SERVE? COME ON. WE'RE MARCHING INTO OUR PROMISED LAND.
COME ON, COME ON. SURRENDER THOSE OLD MINDSETS AND ACCEPT
THE PROMISES OF GOD AND WATCH BREAKTHROUGH AFTER BREAKTHROUGH
AFTER BREAKTHROUGH COME. COME ON.
(MUSIC)
WE'RE GONNA DO A PROPHETIC ACT. WE'RE STEPPING, COME ON.
STEP! COME ON. ♪OH YEAH. I'M STEPPING INTO A FRUITFUL SEASON♪
♪ HEY, HEY, YEAH. I'M STEPPING INTO A FRUITFUL SEASON. A ♪
♪DEFTLY FRUITFUL SEASON. I'M STEPPING INTO A FRUITFUL SEASON♪
♪PEOPLE OF GOD RISE. I'M STEPPING INTO A FRUITFUL SEASON♪
♪I TELL ME FRUITFUL SEASON. STEPPING INTO A FRUITFUL SEASON♪
♪PEOPLE OF GOD RISE. I'M STEPPING INTO A FRUITFUL SEASON♪
♪INTO A FRUITFUL SEASON. STEPPING INTO A FRUITFUL SEASON♪
♪PEOPLE OF GOD ARISE. I'M STEPPING INTO A FRUITFUL SEASON♪
♪INTO A FRUITFUL SEASON. STEPPING INTO A FRUITFUL SEASON♪
♪PEOPLE OF GOD ARISE. YOU TOOK THE KEYS OF DEATH, HELL AND THE♪
♪ GRAVE. JESUS, YOU'RE STRONG ENOUGH TO SAVE. YOU'RE ALIVE, ♪
(MUSIC)
♪STEPPING INTO A FRUITFUL SEASON. INTO A FRUITFUL SEASON♪
♪STEPPING INTO A FRUITFUL SEASON. PEOPLE OF GOD RISE♪
♪ STEPPING INTO A FRUITFUL SEASON INTO A FRUITFUL SEASON. ♪
♪ OHH, PEOPLE OF GOD ARISE (X2). WE SERVE A GOD WHO'S ♪
♪ NEVER LOST A RACE . BECAUSE HE WINS WE WIN. HALLELUJAH. OH ♪
♪ HAVE YOUR WAY. (X9). ♪
♪ HAVE YOUR WAY (X2). ♪
- COME ON, I WANT YOU TO SING THAT ONE MORE TIME. AND HOLY
SPIRIT, WELCOME HIM IN YOUR LIFE. COME ON, LET'S WORSHIP
HIM. SING IT ONE MORE TIME. LET'S WELCOME THE HOLY SPIRIT.
NOW THEY'RE GOING TO KEEP SINGING THAT FOR A MOMENT,
BUT I WANT YOU TO REACH ACROSS THE AISLES AND PUT YOUR HAND ON
SOMEONE'S SHOULDER. MAYBE GRAB THE HAND OF SOMEBODY BESIDE YOU
TONIGHT. MAYBE THEY NEED TO FEEL A SPECIAL TOUCH FROM THE HOLY
SPIRIT AND THEY NEED TO FEEL THE BOND OF THE BODY OF CHRIST
AROUND THEM. THOSE OF YOU ONLINE, I STRETCH MY HAND TOWARD
YOU THAT YOU WILL FEEL THE IMPACT AND THE ATMOSPHERE OF THE
HOLY SPIRIT. FILL YOUR ROOM. FILL THE PLACE WHERE YOU'RE
SEATED. TOUCH YOUR LIFE. TOUCH YOUR HEART. TOUCH YOUR MIND.
IN THE NAME OF JESUS. COME ON, SING IT. AS HANDS ARE JOINED,
PRAY FOR YOUR NEIGHBOR. PRAY FOR THAT PERSON, LET THEM FEEL THE
TOUCH OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
♪ GOD IS WHAT OUR HEARTS LONG FOR. TO BE OVERCOME BY YOUR ♪
♪ PRESENCE, LORD. HOLY SPIRIT, YOU ARE WELCOME. COME FLOOD ♪
♪ THIS PLACE AND FILL THE ATMOSPHERE. YOUR GLORY, GOD, ♪
♪ IS WHAT OUR HEARTS LONG FOR. TO BE OPENED UP BY YOUR ... ♪
- OH, WE WORSHIP YOU, HOLY SPIRIT. YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE NOT
EVEN FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT, MAYBE YOU DON'T SPEAK IN
TONGUES. YOU KNOW, YOU CAN SPEAK IN TONGUES RIGHT WHERE YOU'RE
STANDING. RIGHT WHERE YOU'RE STANDING, YOU CAN START SPEAKING
IN TONGUES, RIGHT? YOU CAN JUST SAY, "HOLY SPIRIT, FILL ME."
IF YOU'RE ONLINE TONIGHT AND YOU'VE NEVER BEEN
FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT, I SENSE THERE'S SOME PEOPLE
ONLINE AND YOU'VE BEEN BELIEVING TO BE FILLED WITH THE HOLY
SPIRIT AND SPEAK IN TONGUES. WELL, IT'S THAT EASY. YOU SAY,
"HOLY SPIRIT." COME ON, LET'S ALL SAY IT FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE
BELIEVING FOR THAT. HOLY SPIRIT, FILL ME RIGHT NOW. I FULLY
EXPECT WHEN I OPEN MY MOUTH, I'M GOING TO SPEAK OUT IN OTHER
TONGUES. NOW START SPEAKING IN TONGUES FOR THE PEOPLE AROUND
YOU. IF YOU NEED IT, IF THIS IS THE FIRST TIME YOU'VE
NEVER SPOKEN TONGUES BEFORE, WHEN YOU HEAR PEOPLE AROUND
YOU SPEAKING TONGUES, OPEN YOUR MOUTH WITH BOLDNESS.
GET NEAR SOMEBODY, LET IT RIP OFF ON YOU.
(SPEAKING IN TONGUES)
THOSE OF YOU ONLINE, JUST BEGIN TO OPEN YOUR MOUTH
AND MOVE YOUR TONGUE. (SPEAKING IN TONGUES)
BE FILLED WITH THE HOLY GHOST. BE FILLED WITH THE HOLY GHOST.
(SPEAKING IN TONGUES) AND BY THE WAY, I FEEL VERY
STRONG. THERE IS SOMEONE ONLINE. YOU KNOW NOBODY'S IN THAT ROOM
WITH YOU? JUST OPEN YOUR MOUTH. YOU THOUGHT, 'CAUSE I JUST HEARD
A THOUGHT, AND YOU SAID, "WELL, I MIGHT SOUND KINDA SILLY."
WELL, WHO'S GONNA HEAR YOU BUT YOU AND THE HOLY GHOST? AMEN.
(SPEAKING IN TONGUES) IT'S SO LOUD IN HERE. IF YOU'RE
IN HERE AND YOU'VE NEVER PRAYED IN TONGUES, JUST START TO MOVE
YOUR MOUTH. NOBODY'S GONNA THINK ANYTHING. THEY CAN'T HEAR YOU
ANYWAY. COME ON, LET'S ALL PRAY IN TONGUES.
(SPEAKING IN TONGUES)
OH, IN FACT, USE YOUR PRAYING IN TONGUES TO WORSHIP THE LORD.
WORSHIP THE HOLY SPIRIT. (SPEAKING IN TONGUES)
WHEN YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO WORSHIP HIM IN ENGLISH, WORSHIP
HIM IN OTHER TONGUES, IN THE HOLY GHOST. (SPEAKS IN TONGUES)
SOME OF YOU ARE IN SITUATIONS WHERE YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.
AND YOU KNOW THE BIBLE SAYS THAT WHEN WE DON'T KNOW HOW
TO PRAY AS WE OUGHT, THE HOLY SPIRIT MAKES
GROANINGS WITHIN US THROUGH UTTERANCES THAT WE CAN'T
EVEN ARTICULATE IN OUR NATURAL LANGUAGE, ROMANS 8:26.
(SPEAKING IN TONGUES)
IF YOU'RE IN A PLACE WHERE YOU HAVE SOME DECISIONS TO
MAKE TONIGHT. (SPEAKING IN TONGUES)
I JUST, I HAVE TO SPEAK THIS OUT. TERESA, I DON'T KNOW, YOU
WERE STANDING THERE WORSHIPING, LOOKING ALL BRIGHT. IT CAME IN
MY SPIRIT. I WANT TO BRING A DOUBLING TO YOUR CLIENTS.
AND THE LORD SAID, HAVE YOU EVER KNOWN WHAT GROWTH LOOKS LIKE
WHEN YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH IT? THE LORD SAID, BE
PREPARED. LET YOUR FAITH BE THAT THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE COMING INTO.
AND THE LORD SAID, MAKE ROOM FOR IT IN YOUR MIND.
BELIEVE FOR IT BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO DO.
I WANT TO BRING A DOUBLING TO YOUR CLIENTELE. AND
THERE'S SOME CLIENTS THAT I DON'T KNOW, AND WE HAVEN'T
TALKED. SHE DOES MY HAIR, AND WE TALK ABOUT HAIRDOS.
SO I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT YOUR CLIENTS. YOU HAVEN'T TOLD
ME THIS EVER. BUT I FEEL LIKE THERE'S SOME CLIENTS THAT WENT
AWAY. AND THE LORD SAYS, "I'M REPLACING THOSE, BUT I'M GOING
TO DOUBLE THE ONES THAT LEFT. AND YOU'RE GOING TO RECEIVE THE
DOUBLE PORTION. AND THE LORD SAYS, THE FINANCIAL STATE OF
YOUR BUSINESS, WHAT IT IS NOW IS NOT WHAT IT WILL BE.
SO GOD SAYS, GET READY FOR THE DOUBLING AND THE INCREASE. FOR
YOU'VE BEEN FAITHFUL, AND YOU'VE BEEN FAITHFUL
WHEN AT TIMES IT WAS HARD AND YOU WERE STILL SMILING.
AND NOBODY AROUND YOU KNEW THE TURMOIL AND THE
CHALLENGES AND THE THINGS THAT YOU WALKED THROUGH.
AND NOBODY KNEW IT BECAUSE YOU JUST KEPT JOY ON YOUR
FACE, BUT INSIDE YOU WERE FIGHTING THROUGH. AND THE LORD
SAYS, "WATCH WHAT I DO FOR YOU." BECAUSE YOU WERE FAITHFUL
AND YOU GAVE TO OTHERS, BELIEVING THAT I WOULD GIVE TO
YOU. AND WHEN YOU HANDED TO OTHERS YOUR TIME, YOUR TALENT,
YOUR ENERGY, YOUR LOVE, THE LORD SAYS, "WATCH, THERE IS
A REWARD SEASON COMING FOR YOU, AND I'M ABOUT TO DO
SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO BE SHOCKING TO YOU.
BUT JUST STAY IN THERE," SAYS THE LORD, "FOR EVEN THIS
SEASON THAT SEEMS SO LONG, AND IT'S BEEN CHALLENGING,
AND THERE ARE FAMILY MEMBERS YOU PRAYED FOR AND BELIEVED,
AND IT DIDN'T SEEM LIKE ANYTHING SHIFTED."
BUT GOD SAYS, "I AM THE LORD THAT DOES GOOD FOR MY CHILDREN.
AND AM I NOT THE LORD WHO IS GOOD?"
SO, THE DOUBLING, THE DOUBLING AND THE DOUBLING
OF THAT WHICH YOU HAVE BEEN FAITHFUL TO HOVER OVER,
GOD SAYS, "I'M GOING TO BRING IT TO YOU.
JUST HANG IN THERE, DAUGHTER OF GOD,
FOR IT IS ABOUT TO COME AND BREAK FORTH ON EVERY SIDE."
COME ON, HALLELUJAH. HALLELUJAH, HALLELUJAH.
I DIDN'T PLAN THAT, BUT BOB AND TASHA, I FEEL LIKE THE LORD
IS SAYING THESE WORDS OVER YOU, FOR THERE'S SOME MOMENTS THAT
YOU THOUGHT YOU LOST TIME. YOU TOOK STEPS BACK AND
YOU SAID, "LORD, HOW DID THAT EVEN HAPPEN? HOW DID
IT SEEM LIKE WE WENT FORWARD AND THEN TWO STEPS FORWARD AND
SOME BACK?" AND IF YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'VE BEEN ON THIS LITTLE BELT,
I DON'T KNOW, LIKE THEY HAVE THOSE BELTS IN THE AIRPORT
AND THEY GO ONE DIRECTION, BUT YOURS FEEL LIKE IT'S GOING BACK
AND FORTH. SOMETIMES IT'S FELT LIKE, "GOD, YOU KNOW, WHEN ARE
WE GOING TO CATAPULT TO THE NEXT PLACE AND THE NEXT LEVEL?"
BUT THE LORD SAYS, "YOU'RE DOING FINE. I'M JUST REWORKING SOME
THINGS. AND THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT I'M UNDOING IN
THE BOTH OF YOU. AND IT'S A GOOD THING FOR I'M A GOOD FATHER
AND I UNDO THINGS IN ALL OF MY CHILDREN.
SO THE LORD SAID, SO THAT YOU CAN STAND IN THE PLACE
THAT I'VE CALLED YOU TO STAND INTO, THE LORD SAID,
THERE ARE THINGS THAT I'M ROOTING OUT AND I'M PULLING OUT
FROM YOU. I'M TAKING OUT OF YOUR LIFE, NOT BAD THINGS,
NOT LIKE THEY'RE SINFUL THINGS, BUT JUST THINGS THAT I WANT
TO REMOVE SOME MINDSETS AND SOME PARADIGMS AND SOME WAYS
OF THINKING STEP INTO THE GREAT ANOINTING THAT I HAVE CALLED YOU
TO TOGETHER FROM THE BEGINNING OF YOUR MARRIAGE. AND SO THE
LORD SAYS IT'S NOT LOST TIME, IT'S BEEN INVESTED TIME. AND
SO GET READY FOR THERE IS A GRADUATION THAT YOU WILL BEGIN
TO STEP INTO. BUT THE LORD SAID, BE PATIENT, I WILL DO MY WORK.
AND WHEN THE TIME IS THERE FOR YOU TO STEP FORWARD
IN THAT NEXT PIECE, THE LORD SAID, YOU'LL KNOW IT AND I'LL
KNOW IT AND EVERYBODY AROUND YOU WILL KNOW IT, YOU'LL COME
INTO IT. SO THE LORD SAYS, AND IT'LL BE A GOOD THING FOR YOU,
SAYS THE LORD, HALLELUJAH. COME ON, GIVE GOD A HAND.
(SPEAKING IN TONGUES)
OFFICER HARMON, I DON'T KNOW, I JUST SAW YOU STANDING THERE
WITH YOUR BIG OLD BRIGHT, I AM L-O-H.
THIS MAN AND HIS BEAUTIFUL WIFE, WAVE YOUR HAND, WAVE
YOUR HAND, BOTH OF YOU, SO EVERYBODY CAN SEE YOU.
ARE YOU RETIRED YET? DID YOU RETIRE YET? FULLY, SHE RETIRED.
HOW MANY YEARS WERE YOU A POLICE OFFICER?
HIS WIFE, THEY'RE BOTH COPS, YOU KNOW.
25 YEARS, THAT'S AMAZING. ON THE STREET, KEEPING US SAFE.
I TOLD HER WHEN THEY FIRST CAME TO LORD OF HOSTS,
I SAID, "YOU DO NOT LOOK LIKE A COP.
"YOUR HUSBAND DOES, BUT YOU DON'T." SO I'M JUST TEASING.
SHE'S SO PRETTY AND SHE'S SO CUTE.
BUT YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE THE LORD SAYS
THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SOME THINGS YOU HAVE BOTH PRAYED FOR
AND YOU'VE ASKED GOD TO DO, AND IT SEEMED LIKE THERE
HAVE BEEN SOME THINGS YOU'VE SEEN COME THROUGH,
BUT THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT FELT LIKE
THEY'RE JUST HELD BACK AND HELD UP,
AND THINGS THAT YOU'VE ASKED GOD.
YOU EACH KNOW INDIVIDUALLY THAT WHAT YOU'VE ASKED ME FOR,
BUT THE LORD SAYS THERE'S THINGS YOU'VE ASKED TOGETHER.
AND SO GOD SAYS, DON'T GIVE UP ON THOSE. DON'T
GIVE UP ON THOSE. THERE ARE SOME THINGS YOU THOUGHT,
"OH NO, THERE'S NO WAY THAT CAN HAPPEN NOW."
COME ON, ANYBODY EVER FELT LIKE THAT?
YOU'RE LIKE, "WELL, THAT SHIP HAS SAILED."
BUT THE LORD SAID, "THERE'S SOME SHIPS STILL IN THE DOCK
"AND THEY HAVE YET TO MANIFEST "AND COME OUT TO WHERE I WANT
THEM TO BE." BUT THE LORD SAID, "I NEED YOUR WORDS
TO COME IN A LINE WITH WHAT I WANT TO DO."
SO GOD SAID, "DON'T GIVE UP ON THOSE DREAMS,
THOSE THINGS THAT YOU'VE PRAYED FOR."
AND I JUST SEE AS IF IT WERE LIKE A LITTLE CLOUD
OF DISCOURAGEMENT THAT'S JUST TRYING TO HIT.
IT'S NOT LIKE YOU'RE DOWN AND OUT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
HOW MANY OF YOU EVER HAD MOMENTS WHEN YOU FELT LIKE
JUST THAT LITTLE THING JUST TRYING TO HIT YOU A LITTLE BIT?
BUT THE LORD SAYS, "I'M REBUKING THAT TONIGHT.
DON'T BE DISCOURAGED, FOR IT'S THE TIME OF ENCOURAGEMENT TO
COME UPON YOU." AND THE LORD SAYS, "EVEN IN THIS TIME,
FINANCES SHALL BE ALL RIGHT. IT'S GOING TO WORK OUT AND IT'LL
BE WELL FOR YOU." BUT THE LORD SAYS, "YOU HAVE BEEN FAITHFUL."
AND YOU STUCK IN THERE AND TOOK A STAND, OFFICER HARMON.
AND I KNOW THIS BY NATURAL KNOWLEDGE,
BUT YOU TOOK A STAND WHEN IT COULD HAVE MEANT A LOT OF
THINGS FOR YOU AND IT COULD HAVE GONE THE OTHER WAY.
BUT THE LORD SAYS, "THANK YOU," THIS COMES FROM THE
HOLY ONE, "FOR TAKING A STAND FOR THE SPIRIT OF GOD." AND THE
LORD SAYS, "DON'T THINK THAT I DON'T REWARD THOSE THAT STAND
FOR ME." FOR JESUS SAID, "IF YOU CONFESS ME BEFORE MEN, I'LL
CONFESS YOU BEFORE MY FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN." SO THE
LORD SAYS, "GET READY, FOR THE REWARD TIME FOR THAT STAND HAS
COME UNTO YOU." HALLELUJAH, HALLELUJAH.
(SPEAKING IN TONGUES)
FATHER, I STRETCH MY HAND TOWARD EVERY PERSON.
WE'RE GOING TO DO SOME PRAYING FOR PEOPLE AT THE END, BUT
I JUST HAD TO DELIVER THOSE SO FATHER, I STRETCH MY HAND
TOWARD EVERY PERSON HERE AND ONLINE, WHATEVER THEY'RE IN,
WHATEVER THEY FACE, FATHER, WHATEVER THEY'RE GOING THROUGH,
WHATEVER THEY'RE BATTLING AGAINST, I'M ASKING YOU, HOLY
SPIRIT, TO MOVE IN THEIR LIFE, TO MOVE IN THEIR CIRCUMSTANCE.
AND GOD, I PRAY TONIGHT THAT THERE WOULD JUST BE A BREAKING
OF ANYTHING IN THEIR THOUGHTS AND THEIR MIND
THAT SEES THAT IT JUST, THAT SEASON IS NEVER GONNA SHIFT,
THAT THEY'RE NOT GONNA CROSS OVER INTO THAT BREAKTHROUGH.
I JUST REBUKE THAT. I SAY THAT THEY SHALL SEE IT AND IT WILL
COME TO PASS. AND WE THANK YOU, GOD.
AND EVERY PERSON ONLINE THAT RECEIVES THAT AS WELL,
WE THANK YOU FOR IT IN JESUS' NAME, AMEN.
ALRIGHT, WELL, GIVE YOUR NEIGHBOR A HIGH FIVE.
TELL THEM IT IS SO GOOD TO BE HERE ON A WEDNESDAY NIGHT.
BEST PLACE TO BE IN ALL OF TOWN. LOVE ON SOMEBODY.
I'M GONNA SWITCH MICROPHONES AND PASTOR MATT'S GONNA BRING
ME UP ALL MY STUFF. ALL RIGHT. PASTOR HANK SENDS HIS LOVE.
HE'S BEEN GETTING CAUGHT UP. IN MR. GONE MOST NIGHTS,
FLASHPOINT, TRAVEL. HE IS IN THE MIDDLE OF SEVEN CHILDREN'S
BOOKS CONTRACTS. AND I'VE CONCLUDED SOMETHING. I THINK
IT'S HARDER TO WRITE CHILDREN'S BOOKS THAN IT IS GROWNUP
BOOKS NOW. AFTER LISTENING TO HIM AND NORRIS ON THE PHONE
CACKLING ABOUT WHATEVER THEY COME UP WITH, IT'S SUPER FUN.
BUT BEFORE WE GET INTO, SO HE SENDS HIS LOVE AND
EVERYBODY'S GETTING READY FOR OTH. SO, YOU
KNOW, EVERYBODY BUT PASTOR MATT, MY WHOLE FAMILY DESERTED ME. AND
I'M JUST KIDDING. I'M JUST KIDDING. LISTEN, I KNOW WHAT
IT'S LIKE. LAST MINUTE, PASTOR HANK, PROPHETIC PULSE,
AND I'VE BEEN HOME TRYING TO GET A MANUSCRIPT TURNED IN AND
IT'S ALL GOOD. BUT ANYWAY, WELL, WE'RE GONNA GET IN THE WORD
IN A FEW MOMENTS AND I'M DOING THE OFFERING, THE
PREACHING, EVERYTHING. I MEAN, HERE SHE IS AGAIN. SHE DOES
PRAYER AND THEN I KNOW, WHAT IS THAT? YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT
NORMAL HERE. BUT ANYWAY, I JUST WANTED TO KEEP THE OFFERING
SIMPLE TONIGHT. USHERS, GO AHEAD AND BE IN THE AISLE. AND THOSE
OF YOU ONLINE, THEY'RE GONNA PUT THE GIVING INFORMATION UP
ON THE SCREEN. AND REMEMBER, WHEN YOU GIVE, ALWAYS CLAIM
TITHERS' RIGHTS. AND BY THE WAY, IT'S NOT JUST TITHERS' RIGHTS,
IT'S TITHERS' AND OFFERINGS' RIGHTS.
OKAY, THAT SCRIPTURE WE QUOTE IN MALACHI
IS TITHES AND OFFERINGS. SO IT'S BOTH. SO ALWAYS DO THAT
EVERY TIME YOU GIVE AND YOU TITHE OR YOU GIVE AN OFFERING.
AND BY THE WAY, THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOU ONLINE THAT
HELPED US RAISE THIS PAST WEEKEND OVER $100,000.
WE'RE WELL TOWARD OUR GOAL TOWARDS KNOCKING OUT THAT
$400,000. I DON'T HAVE A TOTAL FOR THIS WEEK YET,
BUT I WILL ON SUNDAY. BUT THANK YOU FOR EVERYBODY.
AND BY THE WAY, THOSE OF YOU ONLINE, I KNOW SOME OF
YOU WILL BE HERE AT OPENING THE HEAVENS.
HOW MANY OF YOU ARE EXCITED FOR THE CONFERENCE? I'M PUMPED,
PUMPED. SO THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE GOING TO BE JOINING
ONLINE, THERE'S JUST NO WAY YOU CAN GET HERE. WE
HAVE A WAY FOR YOU TO GIVE INTO THE CONFERENCE IN ADVANCE. BY
THE WAY WE PAY FOR THE CONFERENCE AHEAD OF THE
CONFERENCE. DID YOU KNOW THAT? EVERYBODY WANTS THEIR MONEY
BEFORE. IT'S AMAZING HOW THAT WORKS. SO ALL OF THE VENDORS
AND THE VENUE. EVERYTHING, SO THANK YOU FOR GIVING INTO IT
AHEAD OF TIME. THERE'S A PLACE ONLINE WHERE YOU CAN SOW INTO
OPENING THE HEAVENS 2025. AND JUST DO THAT. LET'S GET IT DONE
FOR GOD. WOULDN'T IT BE AMAZING IF BEFORE IT EVEN STARTED WE
RAISED ALL THE MONEY? I WOULD LOVE THAT. WE WOULDN'T EVEN
WORRY ABOUT THE REST. WE WOULD JUST GET IT DONE AND NOT EVEN
THINK ABOUT IT. SO IT'D JUST BE SO GOOD. ALRIGHT, YOU GOT YOUR
OFFERING READY? TOLD YA IMMA BE QUICK. I HAVE A LONG PREACHING
TONIGHT, YES THE LONG-WINDED PREACHER IS HERE ON A WEDNESDAY.
I PROMISE THOUGH, SINCE SCHOOL HAS STARTED, WE'LL BE DONE
BEFORE TEN O'CLOCK. ALRIGHT IF YOU'VE GOT YOUR OFFERING READY
LET'S STAND. HOLD IT UP HIGH. HOLD IT UP LIKE YOU EXPECT
TITHER'S RIGHTS. AMEN. FATHER, I THANK YOU
FOR EVERY PERSON THAT'S GIVING TONIGHT. FATHER, WE
THANK YOU IN ADVANCE THAT FATHER, THE 400,000 WE
NEED, WE'VE KNOCKED DOWN 100. WE THANK YOU,
WE HAVE THE REST. IT'S ALL HERE AND THE CONFERENCE IS PAID FOR
AND IT'S DONE. SAY IT'S DONE. IN JESUS NAME.
NOW SAY THESE WORDS OVER YOURSELF.
SAY, "AND LORD, IT'S DONE OVER MY LIFE. IN JESUS NAME."
GIVE GOD A SHOUT AS YOU GIVE. USHERS, GO AHEAD AND BEGIN.
THANK YOU ONLINE FOR GIVING AS WELL.
I WANT TO GET INTO THE PREACHING TONIGHT
BECAUSE MY HOPE IS WE'LL HAVE A FEW MOMENTS TO PRAY
FOR SOME PEOPLE AT THE END PERTINENT TO WHAT I'M
GONNA PREACH ABOUT. AND I THINK IT'LL BE REALLY GOOD.
AND I WANT TO TALK ABOUT A FEW WEEKS AGO
WHEN WE WERE PLANNING OUT THE SCHEDULE FOR WEDNESDAY NIGHTS
IN AUGUST. I KNEW I WANTED TO PREACH ONE OF THESE.
AND ONE OF THE TOPICS THAT KEPT TURNING AROUND IN MY SPIRIT IS
I BELIEVE, WELL, IT'S CALLED THIS,
IT'S CALLED GOVERNING THE SOUL REALM. AND
I THINK IT'S SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE I REMEMBER, IN
FACT, WE WERE JUST IN THE BACK, I WAS WITH KATE,
AND WE WERE REMINISCING WHEN WE FIRST MET OR
INTERACTED DOWN IN FORT WORTH AT KENNETH COPELAND MINISTRIES.
HOW MANY OF YOU WATCHED OR REMEMBERED THAT EVENT
WHERE IT WAS 115 DEGREES AND WE WERE OUT ON THE FLIGHT LINE
IN 2020? ANYBODY REMEMBER THAT MOMENT AND PASTOR AND I FLEW
DOWN THERE? WAS ANYBODY AT THAT EVENT? ANYBODY GO DOWN?
I DON'T KNOW, SOME OF YOU ONLINE MAY HAVE,
BUT WE WERE THERE AND I DON'T KNOW,
IT WAS LIKE WE WERE STEPS AWAY FROM HADES, IT WAS SO HOT. AND
PASTOR HANK WAS LIKE, "I'M JUST GOING IN A
SHORT-SLEEVED T-SHIRT. "I CAN'T BE OUT THERE.
"I MEAN, I'M LIKE THE WHITE TD JAKES, I CAN'T."
AND THEN WE FOUND OUT BROTHER COPELAND'S WEARING A SUIT.
AND HE'S LIKE, "WELL, IF HE'S WEARING A SUIT, "HE'S IN
HIS 80S." AND HE GOES, "I GUESS I'M WEARING A SUIT.
"I CAN'T GO DOWN THERE AND BROTHER COPELAND BE IN A SUIT,
"AND I'M IN A T-SHIRT." SO OF COURSE WE WERE OUT THERE, BUT WE
WERE JUST REMINISCING ABOUT SOME OF THOSE TIMES.
AND I REMEMBER ALL OF THESE PROPHETIC WORDS
THAT PASTOR HAD HAD, AND I KINDA JUST NOTICED
THIS CONSISTENT THEME, IF YOU WILL, WHEN
HE TALKED SO OFTEN ABOUT IF THE PEOPLE WON'T GET IN FEAR. HOW
MANY OF YOU REMEMBER THAT? THAT WE CANNOT FEAR.
WE CAN'T LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE WORLD
AND HAVE FEAR OVER THE NEWS AND WHAT'S HAPPENING,
AND IF WE GET IN FEAR, WE'LL MISS GOD.
AND SO I KEPT HEARING THIS AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN.
AND I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, THE REASON WE GET IN FEAR
OR WE HAVE ANXIETY ABOUT THINGS, 'CAUSE WE'VE ALL BEEN THERE,
LET'S RAISE OUR HANDS. EVERY ONE OF US HAVE HAD MOMENTS WHERE,
WHETHER IT'S PERSONAL OR IT'S SOMETHING
THAT WE SEE ON THE NEWS OR WHATEVER,
IT'S WHY I TRY TO BE SO CAREFUL NOT TO,
YOU KNOW, I'M OPENING MY SOCIAL MEDIA LESS AND LESS,
BECAUSE I JUST DON'T WANT SOMETHING TO FLASH AT ME AND
TALK TO ME. HOW MANY OF YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING?
SO, BUT, AND YOU KNOW, JUST BEING CAREFUL
ABOUT WHAT WE SEE, WHAT WE LET COME INTO OUR SOUL REALM.
BUT I REALLY BELIEVE THE REASON SO MUCH OF US GET
INTO THIS PLACE OF FEAR AND ANXIETY AND CONCERN
IS WE DON'T GOVERN OUR SOUL. WE DON'T DEAL WITH IT. AND
SO THIS HAS BEEN THE CONSISTENT THEME. AND
SO I KNEW FROM THE LORD THAT I WANTED TO JUST DELVE
INTO THIS TOPIC AFRESH SO THAT WE PUT OUR MINDS IN CHECK.
AMEN, WE PUT OUR THOUGHTS, WE ARREST THOSE THOUGHTS.
SO LET'S JUST GET INTO A LITTLE BIT. I'M GONNA GO TO
LUKE 21:19. THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST, WELL, AT LEAST IT'S ONE
OF MY FAVORITE SCRIPTURES IN ALL OF THE BIBLE.
BUT IT SAYS IN THIS, NOW JESUS IN THE PASSAGE IS PREACHING.
HE'S PREACHING ON THE END TIMES, RIGHT?
AND HE SAYS THIS, HE SAYS, "IN YOUR PATIENCE,"
NOW THAT WORD PATIENCE, IT'S THE WORD COMMITTED ENDURANCE.
SO IF YOU CAN'T ENDURE ANY HARDSHIP,
LISTEN TO ME EVERYBODY, LOOK AT ME.
IF YOU CAN'T ENDURE ANY HARDSHIP,
YOUR STRENGTH IS SMALL, THE BIBLE SAYS, PROVERBS.
SO IN YOUR PATIENCE, IT'S GONNA TAKE ENDURANCE, RIGHT?
COMMITTED ENDURANCE IS THE WORD PATIENCE. POSSESS YE YOUR SOUL.
IN OTHER WORDS, THAT WORD POSSESS MEANS TO OWN WHAT
GOES ON UP HERE. OWN IT, BE IN CONTROL OF IT. DON'T
EVER USE A PHRASE LIKE, "WELL, I'M LOSING MY MIND. "I'M SO
CRAZY." YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THESE LITTLE CATCH WORDS
AND THINGS THAT PEOPLE SAY. DON'T PICK UP ON THOSE.
NO, BE IN CONTROL OF YOUR OWN MIND.
THERE IS NOTHING, NOT EVEN THE DEVIL,
HAS THE RIGHT TO CONTROL WHAT GOES ON UP HERE.
NOT PEOPLE, NOT, LISTEN, NOT PEOPLE, NOT FEAR, NOT NEWS
CHANNELS. NOTHING SHOULD HAVE CONTROL OF WHAT YOU THINK
ABOUT. "WELL, I CAN'T HELP IT, PASTOR BRENDA,"
BUT WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THAT. I'M SO GLAD YOU SAID THAT.
'CAUSE WE HAVE TO BE IN CHARGE OF OUR OWN MIND,
OUR CIRCUMSTANCES, DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO TALK TO WHAT
GOES ON UP HERE. WE ARE CONTROLLING OUR OWN THOUGHTS.
NOW, I'M NOT SAYING THAT'S ALWAYS EASY TO DO,
BUT WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT HOW TO DO IT TONIGHT.
BUT WE HAVE TO BE IN CONTROL OF YOUR OWN MIND.
TOUCH YOUR MIND RIGHT NOW AND SAY, MIND, I'M IN CHARGE OF YOU.
YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO JUST THINK ANYTHING.
YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT I TELL YOU TO THINK
AND WHAT GOD TELLS YOU TO THINK. IN JESUS' NAME, AMEN.
ALL RIGHT, SO IN YOUR PATIENCE, OWN OR BE IN CONTROL OF YOUR
OWN SOUL OR YOUR OWN THOUGHTS, YOUR OWN MIND. WE'RE GONNA BREAK
THIS DOWN. NOW THE REASON IS, HOW MANY OF YOU KNOW GALATIANS
TALKS ABOUT THE WORKS OF THE FLESH
AND THEN IT TALKS ABOUT THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT.
GO TO GALATIANS 3, I WANNA READ THIS TO YOU.
I THINK THIS WILL BE VERY HELPFUL FOR YOU.
GALATIANS 5, NOW I WANT YOU, JUST IN LIGHT OF
WHAT I JUST SAID ABOUT BEING IN CONTROL
OF OUR OWN THOUGHTS AND OUR OWN MIND AND WHAT
GOES THROUGH OUR BRAIN, LET'S LOOK AT THESE WORKS OF THE
FLESH. NOW, I READ THIS THINKING, MAN, THIS IS THE
EXAMPLE OF WHEN SOMEONE CANNOT CONTROL THEIR THINKING. THINK
ABOUT IT. LOOK AT THIS, VERSE 13. THIS IS THE KING JAMES.
"FOR BRETHREN, YOU HAVE BEEN CALLED UNTO LIBERTY,
"ONLY TO USE NOT YOUR LIBERTY FOR AN OCCASION
"OR AN OPPORTUNITY TO ACT IN THE FLESH.
"BUT BY LOVE, SERVE ONE ANOTHER."
NOW, THE REASON WE ACT OUT IN THE FLESH
IS 'CAUSE WE DON'T TAKE POSSESSION OF OUR MIND.
OKAY, SO WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, MOMENTARY FEELING
OR FLEETING FEELING PEOPLE HAVE, THEY ACT ON IT.
BECAUSE THEY DON'T CONTROL WHAT GOES THROUGH THEIR MIND.
I HEARD A PREACHER SAY ONE TIME, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE DON'T COMMIT
ADULTERY IN ONE MOMENT, THEY THOUGHT ABOUT IT A LOT.
OKAY, IT HAD TO GO AND PASS THROUGH THAT BRAIN
A WHOLE LOT OF TIMES BEFORE THEY FINALLY WENT OUT AND
ACTED ON WHAT THEY THOUGHT ON. THOUGHTS ARE VERY IMPORTANT.
VERSE 14, "FOR ALL THE LAWS FULFILLED IN ONE WORD,
"EVEN IN THIS, YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF. "BUT
IF YOU BITE AND DEVOUR ONE ANOTHER," SOUNDS LIKE SOCIAL
MEDIA, "TAKE HEED THAT YOU BE NOT CONSUMED OF ONE ANOTHER."
I'M TELLING YOU, THAT OUGHT TO BE AT THE HEAD
OF EVERY FACEBOOK PAGE IN AMERICA.
BUT THIS I SAY THEN, COME ON, WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT?
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OUR MINDS AND OUR THOUGHTS.
THIS I SAY THEN, WALK IN THE SPIRIT.
OR I LIKE TO SAY IT LIKE THIS, DO SPIRITUAL THINGS.
IF YOU DO SPIRITUAL THINGS, WATCH THIS,
YOU WILL NOT, SOMEBODY SAY WILL NOT, YOU WILL
NOT FULFILL THE LUSTS OF YOUR FLESH.
FOR THE FLESH LUSTS AGAINST THE SPIRIT
AND THE SPIRIT AGAINST THE FLESH,
AND THESE ARE CONTRARY TO ONE ANOTHER.
SO YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALWAYS THIS BATTLE GOING ON UP IN
OUR MIND THAT'S TRYING TO GET OUR FLESH TO BE FLESHY, RIGHT?
AND DO EVIL THINGS, AND THEN THERE'S THIS BATTLE
ALSO IN OUR MIND TO TRY TO PUSH US TOWARDS SPIRITUAL THINGS.
FOR THE FLESH LUSTS AGAINST THE SPIRIT,
AND THESE ARE CONTRARY TO ONE ANOTHER,
SO THAT YOU CANNOT DO THE THINGS THAT YOU WOULD,
OR THE THINGS THAT YOU WANNA DO, YOU FIND YOURSELF NOT DOING.
PAUL TALKED ABOUT THAT A LOT IN THE BOOK OF ROMANS.
BUT IF YOU BE LED OF THE SPIRIT, YOU ARE NOT UNDER THE LAW.
NOW, HERE'S THE PART I WANT YOU TO SEE.
NOW, SEE THIS IN LIGHT OF LUKE 21:19,
"FOR THE WORKS OF THE FLESH ARE MANIFEST" OR THEY'RE OBVIOUS.
YOU COULD SAY IT LIKE THAT, THEY'RE OBVIOUS. AND THEY ARE
THIS, OKAY? THIS IS, SEE THESE WORKS OF THE FLESH.
THESE ARE PEOPLE ACTING OUT WHAT WENT THROUGH THEIR MIND
FOR A LONG TIME, WOULD YOU NOT AGREE?
ADULTERY, I JUST USED THAT EXAMPLE. FORNICATION, OKAY?
PEOPLE THINK ABOUT FORNICATING, SO THEN THEY DO IT, RIGHT?
UNCLEANNESS, LASCIVIOUSNESS, IDOLATRY, WITCHCRAFT,
WHICH IS ALSO WHERE YOU GET ILLICIT DRUGS FROM.
WITCHCRAFT, THE WORD IS PHARMAKIA,
AND IT MEANS TO PARTAKE, AND IT'S NOT JUST
SPELLS AND THAT, IT MEANS POTIONS, IT
MEANS DRUGS, HATRED. YOU KNOW, HATRED IS A BIG DEAL.
WE SEE THAT BEING DISPLAYED ALL OVER THE INTERNET.
ALL THESE PEOPLE LASHING OUT THAT SAY,
"WELL, WE WANT PEACE, WE WANT PEACE."
AND I'M LIKE, "AND YOU'RE BURNING DOWN STUFF."
BUT THAT'S BECAUSE THEY LET HATRED GO THROUGH THEIR
BRAIN A LOT. YOU KNOW, THEY GET ONLINE AND THEY DON'T LIKE
SOMEBODY OF ANOTHER COLOR SO THEY WANNA GO KILL THOSE
PEOPLE, RIGHT? AND SO HATRED IS A FRUIT OF AN UNCONTROLLED
THOUGHT LIFE. VARIANCE, THAT WORD VARIANCE MEANS TO DEBATE.
NOW, LET ME JUST STOP AND SAY THIS.
I'M ALL FOR GOOD DIALOGUE. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE SHARE IDEAS
WITH EACH OTHER, BUT THE SCRIPTURE TALKS A LOT
ABOUT ARGUING OUT POINTS OF VIEW,
ESPECIALLY DOCTRINAL ONES, WHERE WE JUST ARGUE
AND ARGUE AND ARGUE. YOU KNOW, IT'S AMAZING.
PEOPLE WILL COME INTO A CHURCH SERVICE,
GOD COULD MOVE, POWER OF GOD'S THERE, IT'S AMAZING,
AND THEN ONE LITTLE THING THEY DON'T AGREE WITH,
AND THEY'LL THROW THE WHOLE THING OUT
AND MISS ALL THE GOOD THAT GOD DID. YOU THINK ABOUT THAT.
I REMEMBER I WAS INVITED TO A CONFERENCE MANY YEARS AGO,
AND A MINISTER, A LADY MINISTER THAT I KNEW PRETTY WELL
INVITED ME, IT WAS UP NEAR ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN.
AND SO I WENT THERE, AND ACTUALLY, PASTOR
LET ME FLY ALL BY MYSELF AND RENT A CAR AND DRIVE THERE. HE
WOULD NEVER DO THAT. HONEY, YOU WOULD NEVER DO THAT NOW.
HE'D BE LIKE, "SHE'LL GET LOST IN THE BATHROOM." SHE'D
NOT DO IT. SO I'M NOT THE MOST DIRECTIONALLY GOOD PERSON,
BUT I DID IT AND THAT WAS BEFORE I GOT A MAP OUT
AND READ IT AND STUDIED MY ROUTES. AND WE DIDN'T
HAVE CELL PHONE IN SYRIA AT THAT TIME. AND SO IT WAS A LONG
TIME AGO. AND I GOT TO THE MEETING AND IT WAS POWERFUL.
I MEAN, THE POWER OF GOD WAS THERE.
AND I HEARD THE PREACHER, YOU KNOW, I WAS A LITTLE
YOUNGER THEN. I'VE LEARNED TO, YOU KNOW, BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW,
CHEW THE CHICKEN AND SPIT OUT THE BONES.
AND I REMEMBER THIS LADY SAID SOMETHING
AND I THOUGHT THAT IS NOT BIBLICAL.
AND I STRUGGLED WITH IT AT THE WHOLE TIME. AND IT REALLY
WASN'T BIBLICAL. BUT I WAS JUST READY TO SAY, "WELL, THIS IS
A STUPID MEETING, I CAN'T EVEN BELIEVE."
AND THE REALITY WAS, RATHER THAN BE LIKE THE BEREANS,
WHO THEY RECEIVED THE WORD IN THE MOMENT. AND THEY THOUGHT,
"YEAH, MAYBE." BUT THERE ARE THINGS I HAVE FOUND OUT
THAT I DIDN'T AGREE WITH AT ONE POINT IN MY LIFE,
AND THEN I FOUND OUT LATER I DID.
(CONGREGATION LAUGHING) AMAZING! WE CAN GROW.
WE DON'T, I GOT A NEWS FLASH FOR YOU.
WE DON'T KNOW EVERYTHING. ISN'T THAT A SHOCK? SO
DEBATE, AND WE GOTTA BE CAREFUL
WITH THE ARGUING THAT GOES ON IN THE BODY OF CHRIST.
I THINK IT'S A MOCKERY, IT'S A TRAVESTY THAT
THERE'S PEOPLE ON THE LIBERAL LEFT THAT
CAN JOIN TOGETHER FOR THE DEVIL'S PURPOSES,
AND YET WE JUST HAVE TO ARGUE ABOUT EVERY LITTLE THING.
SO THAT'S NOT GOOD, RIGHT? SO VARIANCE, WATCH THAT.
THAT'S WHY WE TALK SO MUCH ABOUT ARGUING ON SOCIAL MEDIA. GOD,
IT JUST DOESN'T PLEASE GOD. OKAY, BUT THESE ARE ALL ACTIONS
OF A MIND THAT HAS NOT BEEN BROUGHT TO SUBJECTION.
EMULATIONS, WRATH OR ANGER, STRIFE, RIGHT? I JUST CAN'T
FORGIVE THAT PERSON. STRIFE, SEDITIONS, HERESIES, ENVYINGS,
MURDERS, DRUNKENNESS, REVELINGS, ALL OF THESE THINGS, AND ALL
THE THINGS THAT ARE LIKE IT, THE BIBLE SAYS, OF
WHICH I TELL YOU BEFORE, AS I HAVE ALSO TOLD
YOU IN TIME PAST, THAT THOSE WHO DO SUCH
THINGS, CHECK THIS OUT, SHALL NOT INHERIT
THE KINGDOM OF GOD. SO NOW THAT'S A SCARY STATEMENT.
BUT THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS, ALL OF THOSE THINGS
COULD BE PREVENTED IN THE LIFE OF ANY PERSON
IF THEY WOULD BRING THEIR MIND UNDER SUBJECTION,
IF THEY WOULD POSSESS AND OWN THEIR SOUL. SO LET'S TALK
ABOUT THAT, AMEN? LET ME GIVE YOU SOME MORE SCRIPTURE HERE.
OKAY, SO HOW DO WE TRANSFORM THE WAY WE THINK?
'CAUSE I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, WE ALL DIDN'T LIKE COME
FROM HOLIER THAN THOU ENVIRONMENTS, OKAY?
SOME OF THE PEOPLE LISTENING TO ME TONIGHT, EITHER HERE
OR ONLINE, YOU MIGHT HAVE BEEN RAISED IN A
DYSFUNCTIONAL HOUSEHOLD, SO YOU DIDN'T LEARN HOW TO ACT LIKE A
CHRISTIAN. IT'S AMAZING, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANNA KNOW HOW TO
ACT LIKE A CHRISTIAN, READ THE BIBLE.
IT'S AMAZING WHAT'S IN THERE THAT TELLS US HOW TO BEHAVE
AND HOW TO TALK AND HOW TO BE, RIGHT? IT'S AMAZING.
HOW DO WE BEGIN TO TRANSFORM THIS THING WE CALL OUR SOUL?
ALL RIGHT, LOOK AT ROMANS 12, AND THEN I'M GONNA BREAK THIS
DOWN A LITTLE BIT. ROMANS 12, AND THIS IS GOD'S WORD
TRANSLATION. I DON'T THINK YOU GUYS HAVE THAT.
DO YOU HAVE, OH, YOU DO HAVE THAT ONE?
I SEE IT UP THERE, OKAY. SO ROMANS 12:1.
SO THEN MY FRIENDS, BECAUSE GOD'S GREAT MERCY TO US,
BECAUSE OF GOD'S GREAT MERCY TO US, I APPEAL TO YOU.
OFFER YOURSELVES AS A LIVING SACRIFICE TO GOD. SO WE ARE
A LIVING SACRIFICE. THAT MEANS EVERY CHRISTIAN HERE AND ONLINE,
EVERYWHERE WE ARE TO LAY OURSELF ON OUR OWN CROSS OF CRUCIFIXION.
IT'S NOT MY WAY. COME ON, SOMEBODY. IT IS GOD'S WAY.
AND IF HE SAYS SOMETHING IS EVIL, THEN WE SAY IT'S EVIL.
IF HE SAID THAT'S NOT HOW YOU ACT,
THAT'S NOT HOW YOU TREAT PEOPLE, THAT'S NOT HOW YOU
GO ABOUT, OKAY? YOU DON'T GO ABOUT BEING ON THE INTERNET
WITH YOUR CLOTHES HALF OFF. OKAY, NO CHRISTIAN OUGHT TO BE
OUT THERE POSTING A BIKINI PHOTO. "WELL, BUT I LOST
WEIGHT." WELL, YAY, YOU, BUT WE DON'T WANT TO LOOK AT IT.
PUT SOME CLOTHES ON AND DO A BEFORE AND AFTER, BUT BE
DRESSED, BE DECENT. AND THAT, BY THE WAY, THAT'S NOT JUST FOR
THE GIRLS, THAT'S FOR THE GUYS TOO, WE DON'T WANT TO SEE EVERY
MAN OUT THERE WITH HIS SHIRT OFF.
AND I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, AND THERE'S SOME PREACHERS
THAT GOT TO GROW IN THAT TOO, THERE I SAID THAT. WE'RE A
LIVING SACRIFICE TO GOD, DEDICATED TO HIS SERVICE AND
PLEASING UNTO HIM, FOR THIS IS THE TRUE WORSHIP THAT YOU
SHOULD OFFER. DO NOT CONFORM, HERE WE GO, YOURSELVES TO THE
STANDARDS OF THIS WORLD, BUT LET GOD TRANSFORM YOU.
SOMEBODY SAY, "TRANSFORM ME, LORD." HOW DOES HE DO IT?
HERE'S WHAT IT SAYS, "INWARDLY, BY A COMPLETE CHANGE OF YOUR
MIND." SO THAT MEANS THERE'S A LOT OF IDEOLOGIES WE ALL TAKE
IN. COME ON, EVERY ONE OF US IN THIS ROOM
AND YOU THAT ARE WATCHING TONIGHT, WE GROW UP WITH BIASES.
OKAY, WE HAVE IDEAS ON EVERYTHING. OKAY, PEOPLE HAVE
BIASES. I MEAN, WOMEN HAVE BIASES ABOUT MEN. MEN HAVE
BIASES ABOUT WOMEN. THAT'S WHY WE SEE ALL THE JOKES, RIGHT?
OH, YOU KNOW, I SAW THIS ONE, PASTOR CHRISTY SENT ME A
FUNNY ONE FROM INSTAGRAM, AND IT HAS THIS GUY ON THERE
AND GOES, "GUYS, QUIT ACTING LIKE WOMEN ARE ALL GOLD
DIGGERS." HE GOES, "THEY'RE ALL EXPENSIVE.
(AUDIENCE LAUGHING)
"JUST PICK ONE IN YOUR BUDGET AND ROLL WITH IT."
(AUDIENCE LAUGHING)
OOH, AND THEN HE GOES ON TO SAY, HE GOES,
"YEAH, YEAH, AND ALL OF YOU THAT ARE SAYING,
"OH, MY WIFE'S LOW MAINTENANCE, "SHE DOESN'T WEAR A BUNCH
OF MAKEUP AND CREAMS "AND EXPENSIVE PERFUME AND JEWELRY."
HE GOES, "YEAH, BUT SHE'S THE ONE
"THAT WANTS TO GET THAT LAND ROVER."
(CONGREGATION LAUGHING)
"BRAND NEW, ALL DECKED OUT, SO NO, "JUST PICK ONE
IN YOUR BUDGET AND ROLL WITH IT." THAT'S WHAT HE SAID.
(LAUGHING) BUT WE HAVE BIASES, RIGHT? WE HAVE THESE IDEAS
ABOUT THINGS, AND SOME OF THEM ARE NOT CONFORMED TO CHRIST.
THERE IS STUFF, I PROMISE YOU, THAT GOD IN ALL OF US,
PASTOR'S BEEN PREACHING ON A SHIFT CHANGE.
WE CAN'T LOOK FOR EVERYBODY ELSE TO MAKE THE SHIFT.
WE'VE GOT TO MAKE THE SHIFT AND WE'VE GOT TO CHANGE.
WE'VE GOT TO ASK GOD TO GROW US.
AND YOU KNOW, IT'S AMAZING TO ME,
IT'S AMAZING TO ME HOW PEOPLE AROUND US
CAN SEE WHAT WE GOT TO GROW IN AND WE'RE THE LAST ONES TO KNOW.
COME ON ISN'T THAT WHAT MARITAL ARGUMENTS ARE ABOUT? YOU THINK
YOU KNOW MORE THAN YOUR MATE. I'M TELLING YA. "HOW DARE YOU
YOU AND I, AND I, BLAH BLAH, I FEEL." NO AND THAT'S NO. GOD,
WE HAVE TO GROW OURSELF. WE HAVE TO LOOK IN THE MIRROR AND
SAY "SELF, YOU GOTTA GROW." AND EVEN IF YOU DON'T THINK YOU HAVE
ANYTHING THAT'S GLARING AT YOU THAT YOU GOT TO FIX AND CHANGE
I PROMISE YOU IF YOU ASK THE HOLY SPIRIT TO SHOW IT TO YOU.
OH! I REMEMBER YEARS AGO WHEN WE WERE FIRST STARTING IN THE
MINISTRY AND I SAID, "LORD," WE WERE IN A CHURCH SERVICE.
THAT'S WHERE GOD WILL ALWAYS GET YOU.
THAT'S WHY YOU GOTTA GO TO CHURCH. GOD WILL GET YOU IN
CHURCH. AND I'M IN THE SERVICE AND THE WORSHIP IS GOING.
PEOPLE ARE PRAYING, THEY'RE ON THE FLOOR CRYING.
THERE'S PRAYING IN TONGUES AND PROPHESYING. I MEAN, THE ROOM
WAS THICK. AND I REMEMBER I SAID, "OH GOD, "ANYTHING YOU
WANNA DO IN MY LIFE, "ANYTHING YOU WANT,
"ANYTHING YOU SEE IN ME, LORD JESUS, "CHANGE ME."
OOH, I'M TELLING YOU, THAT IS A DANGEROUS PRAYER.
(AUDIENCE LAUGHING)
GOD WILL RIP THE RUG OUT FROM UNDER YOU
AND YOU WILL WONDER WHAT IN THE WORLD IS GOING ON UP IN
HERE. AND I'M TELLING YOU, THAT WAS THE YEARS,
PASTOR AND I, WE WENT THROUGH SOME OF THE HARDEST THINGS,
BUT THERE WERE THINGS GOD HAD TO UNDO.
SO TRANSFORM, A COMPLETE, UNDERLINE THIS OR WRITE IT,
IF YOU'RE READING FROM ANOTHER TRANSLATION,
ASK GOD, JUST PUT IN THERE, GOD HELP ME HAVE A COMPLETE
CHANGE OF MIND. SHOW ME THE AREAS WHERE I'VE GOT TO SHIFT
CHANGE. AND THEN WATCH WHAT IT SAYS HERE. ARE
YOU READY FOR THE NEXT PART? AND THEN, SOMEBODY SAY THEN.
YOU WILL BE ABLE TO KNOW, I JUST READ THIS TODAY
FOR THE FIRST TIME, I'M LIKE WHAT?
THEN YOU WILL BE ABLE TO KNOW THE WILL OF GOD.
HOW MANY OF YOU NEED TO KNOW GOD'S WILL ABOUT SOMETHING?
OH, ALL OF US, COME ON EVERYONE, ALL OF US IN HERE AND
ALL OF YOU WATCHING, WE ALL HAVE SOMETHING.
ALL RIGHT, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO KNOW THE WILL OF GOD
AND WHAT IS GOOD AND IS PLEASING TO HIM AND IS PERFECT.
SO HOW'S IT GONNA HAPPEN? WE GOTTA MAKE A CHANGE OF MIND.
ALL RIGHT, SO LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE AREAS OF
OUR SOUL. AND THEN I WANNA PRAY OVER OUR MINDS TONIGHT.
I FEEL VERY STRONGLY, PASTOR, JUST IN HIS
PREACHING ON SHIP CHANGE, I THINK WE OUGHT TO TAKE AUTHORITY
OVER SOME THINGS. SOME OF US IN THIS ROOM, MAYBE YOU'RE IN HERE
AND YOU'RE WATCHING AND YOU'RE IN A BATTLE GOING ON UP HERE.
MAYBE SOMEBODY KNOWS ABOUT IT AND OTHERS DON'T,
BUT LET'S DEAL WITH SOME STUFF TONIGHT. CAN WE DO THAT?
ALL RIGHT, THERE'S FIVE AREAS OF THE HUMAN SOUL.
AND I WANNA BREAK THESE DOWN SO THAT YOU CAN HONE IN ON THOSE
AND SHINE A SPOTLIGHT ON THESE AREAS.
BUT THE FIRST AREA OF THE HUMAN SOUL IS YOUR WILL. OKAY, YOUR
WILL. THIS IS THE AREA OF YOUR BRAIN WHERE YOU MAKE ALL THE
CHOICES, THE DECISIONS, RIGHT? YOU CHOOSE SOMETHING.
IT'S THE MOST DOMINANT FORCE OF THE HUMAN SOUL.
IT HAS THE FINAL SAY IN EVERY DECISION.
AND MANY PEOPLE, I WROTE THIS IN MY NOTES,
DON'T GO ANYWHERE IN LIFE BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW HOW
TO POSSESS THEIR SOUL IN THE AREA OF THEIR WILL.
THEY CAN'T MAKE A CHOICE AND STAY WITH IT. THEY
BOUNCE FROM JOB TO JOB, OKAY? THEY DON'T STICK INTO SOMETHING.
IF THEY COMMIT, THEY BOUNCE OFF TO THE NEXT THING. THEY'RE
UNSTABLE. THEY CAN'T JUST MAKE A DECISION.
ONLY YOU HAVE THE POWER OVER YOUR WILL.
YOU KNOW THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL NOT EVEN VIOLATE YOUR WILL?
HE WILL LET PEOPLE GO TO HELL. THINK ABOUT THAT.
BECAUSE THEY WILL TO DO IT. HE WILL
ALLOW THEM TO MAKE STUPID MISTAKES
THAT COULD BE LIFE-ALTERING FOREVER BECAUSE THEY WILL TO DO
IT. SO, GOD WON'T EVEN VIOLATE OUR WILL.
IF WE CHOOSE TO PUT OUR FOOT DOWN,
THAT'S WHAT GOD HAD THE PROBLEM WITH ISRAEL. THEY
WERE STIFF NECKED. THEY WERE NOT GONNA CHANGE THEIR WAYS
NO MATTER WHAT GOD DID FOR THEM. THEY WERE STIFF, THAT'S WHAT
THE BIBLE MEANS, STIFF NECKED. IT MEANS THAT THEY WEREN'T
GONNA MAKE ANY ADJUSTMENTS. WE ALL HAVE ADJUSTMENTS TO MAKE. IT
DOESN'T MEAN YOU'RE A TERRIBLE CHRISTIAN IF YOU EXAMINE
YOURSELF. THE BIBLE SAYS WHEN EVERY TIME WE TAKE THE COMMUNION
MEAL, WE SHOULD LOOK IN OURSELF AND ASK THE HOLY SPIRIT TO
REVEAL THINGS TO US. AMEN, THAT'S ONE OF THE BEST PRAYERS
WE CAN PRAY. THE DEVIL DOESN'T EVEN HAVE POWER OVER YOUR WILL,
BUT NOW HERE'S WHAT WILL HAPPEN. HE DOESN'T HAVE THE POWER
TO CHANGE YOUR WILL, OKAY, ANY MORE THAN GOD DOES, BUT
YOU KNOW, HE'LL TRY TO USE OTHER ATTRIBUTES OF YOUR SOUL TO
GET AT YOUR WILL. YOU THINK ABOUT EVE.
HOW DID HE GET HER TO EAT THAT FRUIT?
OKAY, "OH, IT'S GOOD FOR FOOD." HER EMOTIONS NOW CAME INTO
PLAY. RIGHT? HER REASONING CAME INTO PLAY. WE'RE GOING TO
TALK ABOUT THAT. BUT HE DIDN'T HAVE THE, LIKE BE ABLE TO FORCE
HER TO DO THAT AND EAT THAT FRUIT. ANYMORE THAN HE CAN DO
THAT TO YOU. OKAY? BUT OUR WILL IS OUR DECISION MAKER.
WE'LL SAY, "PASTOR BRENDA, HOW DO WE KEEP THAT WILL "IN
LINE WITH GOD?" WELL, ONE OF THE BEST PRAYERS YOU CAN EVER PRAY,
BROTHER HAGIN TAUGHT THIS MANY YEARS AGO,
HE TALKED ABOUT THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF PRAYER,
AND HE SAID ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL PRAYERS,
AND EVERY CHRISTIAN SHOULD PRAY IT,
EVERY SINGLE DAY, HE SAID, "PRAY AND ASK GOD AND SAY,
"LORD, I SUBMIT MYSELF TO YOU. I SUBMIT MY PLANS. I SUBMIT MY
WILL. GOD, I'M NOT GONNA GO AGAINST WHAT YOU SAY. I'M
NOT GONNA RESIST YOU. I'M ASKING YOU, LORD, SHOW ME HOW TO BEND
MY WILL INTO YOUR HAND." YOU KNOW, YOU WON'T GO INTO
THE WRONG CAREER DOING THAT. THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE I
REMEMBER YEARS AGO, WHEN WE WERE FIRST STARTING THE MINISTRY,
I CAN TELL HIM MYSELF, I THOUGHT, "PASTOR HANK, YOU KNOW,
"I MEAN, HE'S SOME KIND OF PROPHET." AND HE'S
BEEN THIS WAY HIS WHOLE LIFE, BY THE WAY. I JUST WANNA TELL
YOU. I MEAN, CRAZY THINGS, HE WOULD GET PROPHETIC WORDS.
AND WE WERE JUST DATING, I'D BE LIKE,
"HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT ABOUT THOSE PEOPLE?"
I MEAN, IT JUST, YOU KNOW, DETAILS.
WE WERE PREACHING ON THE STREET ONE TIME AT A STREET THING,
AND THERE WAS THIS LADY THAT WAS THERE,
AND SHE WAS LIKE, "I DON'T WANNA HEAR ABOUT JESUS."
AND HE SAID, "WELL, I'M GONNA TELL YOU ABOUT JESUS."
AND SHE GOT MAD, AND HE GOES, "WELL, I JUST HEARD THE LORD
SAY TO ME "THAT YOU JUST HAD AN ABORTION." AND SHE SCREAMS,
AND FALLS TO THE GROUND CRYING. SHE GOES, "HOW DID YOU KNOW
THAT?" SHE GAVE HER HEART TO GOD AND HAD NO IDEA.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, HE'S ALWAYS HAD THESE UNCANNY KNOWS,
PROPHETIC KNOWS, LIKE NOBODY I'VE EVER KNOWN.
AND I'VE LIVED WITH HIM ALL MY LIFE. AND SO I WANTED TO
BE LIKE THAT. I'M LIKE, "GOD, HOW MANY OF YOU ARE PROPHETIC?"
I'M LIKE, "I WANNA HAVE WORDS LIKE THAT. "I WANNA PROPHESY
LIKE THAT." NOW, I PROPHESY, BUT I'M NOT APT TO PROPHESY LIKE
THAT. I MEAN, IT'S JUST THERE COMES A POINT.
YOU EVER SEE THOSE RACES WHEN YOU WERE IN SCHOOL
AND THERE WAS THE FRONT RUNNER THAT WAS ALWAYS WAY OUT AHEAD
OF EVERYBODY? I'M LIKE, "HE WAS THE HARE AND I WAS THE TURTLE.
"I'M TELLING YOU RIGHT NOW." AND I SAID, "LORD, HOW COME I?"
AND SO I WANTED TO BE IN THE PROPHET'S OFFICE. NOW, GOD
USED ME PROPHETICALLY. I'M NOT SAYING HE DOESN'T, BUT PRIMARILY
I'M A TEACHER. BUT I DIDN'T WANNA BE A TEACHER. IT'S
NOT EXCITING. IN FACT, THERE'S A LOT OF TEACHER PREACHERS,
THEY'RE BORING. OH MY GOD, YOU GAVE ME THE MOST BORING
ANOINTING IN ALL OF THE BIBLE.
BUT THERE CAME A POINT WHERE I HAD TO SUBMIT MY WILL.
AND THE LORD SAYS, "YOU CANNOT TRY TO BE SOMETHING YOU AREN'T.
AND YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO SUBMIT YOUR WILL."
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE DO THIS IN THE CHURCH ALL THE TIME.
THEY TRY TO BE SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE NOT GRACED FOR.
AND IT COMES OFF SQUIRRELLY. IT'S GOOFY, RIGHT?
SO, SUBMIT YOUR WILL AND ASK GOD.
SAY, GOD, IF THERE'S ANY AREA WHERE I'M STIFFENING UP
MY NECK AND MY BACK, THEN I'M ASKING YOU TO SHOW IT TO ME AND
REVEAL IT TO ME. AND IT MIGHT NOT BE EASY TO BEND, RIGHT?
REMEMBER GIVING THOSE BABIES A SPANKING WHEN THEY WERE LITTLE?
YOU KNOW, AND THEY'D BE LIKE. ALL RIGHT, I GOTTA
TELL ONE MORE STORY. STORIES COME TO ME WHEN I'M UP HERE.
BUT ANYWAY, I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS REAL LITTLE
AND MY MOM SAID I HAD A WILL, I HAD A WILL.
AND SO I WAS DETERMINED THAT ONE DAY
MY MOM WAS GONNA DISCIPLINE ME ABOUT SOMETHING.
SHE USED TO STAY HOME WITH PASTOR CHRISTY AND I
WHEN WE WERE LITTLE AND DAD WAS IN THE MILITARY.
HE WAS OFF AT THE BASE AND HE'D BE GONE ALL DAY
AND I DID SOMETHING, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS,
BUT SHE WAS GONNA SPANK ME. SO SHE TOOK ME IN THE ROOM.
AND I SAID, "MOTHER, I KNOW IF YOU'RE WATCHING TONIGHT,
"YOU WOULD REMEMBER THIS VERY WELL."
AND SHE TOOK ME OFF IN THE BEDROOM.
AND I WAS KIND OF STRONG FOR MY AGE, YOU KNOW,
WHEN I WAS LITTLE, I MUST HAVE BEEN ABOUT SEVEN YEARS OLD.
AND I JUST DECIDED I AIN'T GETTING NO SPANKING.
(CONGREGATION LAUGHING)
AND I TURNED AROUND AND FOUGHT MY MOTHER. I WAS SEVEN.
AND I'M LIKE, "UH-UH, YOU'RE NOT." AND I
DON'T REMEMBER HOW THAT HAPPENED. AND MY MOM AT THAT
TIME PROBABLY WEIGHED ALL BUT 105 POUNDS AND SHE COULDN'T HOLD
ME. AND I DON'T KNOW, I'VE HAD THE DEVIL CAST OUT OF ME SINCE.
(CONGREGATION LAUGHING)
BUT I WAS GONNA NOT GET THAT SPANKING.
AND UNFORTUNATELY FOR ME, IT WAS ABOUT 4:30.
AND I DIDN'T HAVE A GOOD SENSE OF TIME AT SEVEN AND DAD
WAS ABOUT TO COME HOME. AND THE DOOR OPENS IN
THE LITTLE APARTMENT WHERE WE LIVED, THE BASE APARTMENT.
AND MY MOTHER WAS LIKE, (PANTING)
HE'S LIKE, "WHAT IS A MATTER WITH YOU?
"I TRIED TO SPANK HER, AND SHE FOUGHT ME."
MY DAD'S LIKE, "OH." HE WAS ONLY 6'2", MILITARY FATIGUES,
COMBAT BOOTS, WALKS IN THAT HOUSE, I MEAN, HE WAS NO ONE
TO BE TRIFLED WITH, PICKED ME UP BY THE BACK OF MY NECK,
AND SAID, AND TOOK, HE HAD MADE A PADDLE BACK THEN. YOU
KNOW, THIS WAS BEFORE WOKE. HE HAD A PADDLE THAT HE CARVED,
PEOPLE. CARVED A PADDLE. MY DAD WAS A VERY GOOD DAD.
HE WAS NOT ABUSIVE IN ANY WAY, BUT DON'T MESS UP. AND IF YOU'RE
GONNA DO WRONG, YOU'RE GONNA GET DISCIPLINED ACCORDING TO
THE BIBLE. AND HE LISTENED TO TAPES ON HOW TO DISCIPLINE YOUR
CHILDREN ACCORDING TO GOD'S WORD.
AND HE TOOK THOSE SCRIPTURES LITERALLY, OKAY?
IF YOU DON'T SPANK YOUR CHILDREN,
DON'T GIVE UP BECAUSE THEY'RE SCREAMING AND THROWING A FIT.
THE BIBLE SAYS, "DON'T SPARE 'EM FOR THEIR CRYING."
SO HE PICKED ME UP BY THE BACK AND HE GRABBED THAT
PADDLE THAT HE MADE AND ON IT HE WROTE IN BLACK
MARKER, "MOM'S HELPER." (CONGREGATION LAUGHING)
HE SPANKED MY BACKSIDE AND I SCREAMED MY, (SCREAMING)
THERE WAS NO FIGHTING, DAD, OH NO. AND
MOTHERS, BY THE WAY, LET DAD'S DISCIPLINE.
IT'S IMPORTANT. MY MOTHER WAS CRYING TOO. "DON'T HURT
HER." IF DAD WOULD SPANK US, MOM WOULD BE IN THE LIVING
ROOM CRYING. AND SO, AND HE SPANKED ME THE FIRST THING,
HE GOES, "THAT IS WHAT, FOR WHAT YOU DID, WRONG."
WHATEVER IT WAS, HE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW.
WHATEVER IT WAS YOUR MOTHER SAID WAS WRONG, THAT'S FOR
DOING IT. AND I'M LIKE, "AH, I'M SCREAMING."
AND THE NEXT THING, HE PICKS ME UP AGAIN
AND GRABS MOM'S HELPER AND SPANKS ME A SECOND TIME,
THREE, FOUR, FIVE HARD WHACKS, AND HE SAID, "AND THAT'S FOR
FIGHTING YOUR MOTHER, AND DON'T YOU EVER FIGHT YOUR MOTHER
AGAIN." I'M TELLING YOU, GOD, THROUGH MY DAD THAT DAY,
BROKE MY WILL. (CONGREGATION APPLAUDING)
SO, DON'T LET GOD GET TO MOM'S HELPER WITH YOU.
(CONGREGATION LAUGHING)
'CAUSE THE BIBLE DOES SAY HE DISCIPLINES US.
SO HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH YOUR WILL? PRAYERS OF SUBMISSION.
THE SECOND AREA OF OUR WILL IS CALLED, OUR SOUL IS OUR
EMOTIONS. NOW EMOTIONS KIND OF DO GET A BAD RAP, BUT THEY
ARE BIBLICAL. THEY HELP US SEE THE COLOR OF LIFE.
THE BIBLE TALKS ABOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT BEING GRIEVED.
GOD HAS, GOD CREATED COLOR, RIGHT? BECAUSE THEY GIVE
US JOY. EMOTIONS, JOY IS AN EMOTION, RIGHT?
AND SO HAPPINESS IS AN EMOTION. SADNESS IS AN EMOTION.
AND THERE'S, YOU KNOW, GOD HAD SADNESS WHEN ISRAEL SINNED.
SO THERE'S SEVERAL PLACES WHERE EMOTIONS
HAVE EXAMPLES IN THE BIBLE, AND THOSE EMOTIONS ARE GIVEN
BY GOD. NOW HERE'S WHAT EMOTIONS CAN BE.
THEY CANNOT BE USED TO CONTROL YOU AND LEAD YOU.
THEY ARE NOT THE GUIDING VOICE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
OH, 'CAUSE I FEEL GOOD, IT MUST BE OKAY.
OKAY? AND SO EMOTIONS, LET ME READ IT,
PUT A COUPLE THINGS THAT I PUT IN MY NOTES HERE.
EMOTIONS ARE GOD-GIVEN, THEY ADD COLOR. THEY ADD
PERSONALITY. YOU KNOW, LOOK AT HOW WE'RE IN THIS ROOM,
WE'RE ALL DIFFERENT COLORS, GOD LIKES IT.
HE GETS GREAT JOY WHEN HE LOOKS AT ALL OF US, SOME MORE THAN
OTHERS. SOME OF US, HE JUST DOWNRIGHT LAUGHS AT US, BUT
THAT'S ALL RIGHT. BUT EMOTIONS CAN SHOW, IF THEY'RE LED BY
THE SPIRIT, THE JOY OF THE LORD. THEY CAN SHOW THE GRIEVANCE
OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. THEY CAN SHOW, COME ON, DON'T THINK GOD
DIDN'T HAVE EMOTION WHEN HE WAS ANGRY AT ISRAEL. OKAY, THE WRATH
OF GOD, THAT'S AN EMOTION. GOD HAS EMOTIONS. BUT HERE'S
WHAT EMOTIONS ARE. SO THERE'S A BIBLICAL SIDE OF EMOTIONS.
WHAT EMOTIONS ARE NOT IS THEY CAN'T BE USED TO FIND GOD'S
WILL, OKAY? REMEMBER, I REMEMBER YOU WERE HERE WITH SUNDAY,
PASTOR TALKED ABOUT THE STORY WHERE HE WANTED TO GO TAKE OVER
THIS BIG CHURCH. YOU KNOW, A MOTION WOULD HAVE SAID,
"MAN, THAT FRUIT'S GOOD TO EAT." OKAY, BUT WE COULDN'T BE LED
BY THAT. AND BY THE WAY, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, I REMEMBER
THIS. I HOPE, HONEY, I'M NOT SAYING THIS WRONG. I THINK
THEY NEEDED A PASTOR 'CAUSE THE PASTOR LIKE KILLED HIMSELF
OR SOMETHING. IF I REMEMBER THAT RIGHT, WE FOUND THAT OUT LATER.
I'M LIKE, BOY, I'M SO GLAD WE DIDN'T GO TO THAT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS WRONG WITH THAT CHURCH.
ANYWAY, WOO HOO HOO. DON'T GO BY EMOTIONS, PEOPLE.
EMOTIONS ARE NOT PROOF OF THE WORKING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
JUST 'CAUSE SOMETHING MAKES YOU HAPPY DOESN'T MEAN IT'S
GOD, RIGHT? EMOTIONS ARE NOT A BASIS FOR TRUE LOVE OR LACK
THEREOF. THIS IS WHY PEOPLE GET INTO CRAZY RELATIONSHIPS.
OKAY, THEY'LL FEEL EMOTIONAL ABOUT SOMETHING OR SOMEONE
AND THEN THEY GO CONNECT TO THE WRONG THING.
OKAY, AND THAT'S NOT JUST ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIPS,
PEOPLE DO IT WITH FRIENDS ALL THE TIME.
OKAY, I LIKE THAT PERSON, THEY LIKE THE SAME FOOTBALL TEAM I
DO. AND THEN WE MAKE ALLIANCES WITH PEOPLE
WE SHOULD HAVE NO BUSINESS BEING WITH, RIGHT? AT LEAST ON
THAT LEVEL. OKAY? EMOTIONS ARE NOT A BASIS FOR TRUE LOVE OR
LACK THEREOF. THEY'RE NOT MEANT TO BE USED TO CONTROL AND
MANIPULATE OTHERS. THAT'S ANOTHER BIG ONE.
YOU CAN RECOGNIZE, NOW HERE, LET ME HELP YOU WITH THIS.
HOW DO YOU RECOGNIZE WRONG EMOTIONS?
THIS IS WHY WE GOTTA BE IN THE WORD.
WRONG EMOTIONS ALWAYS FEEL OPPOSITE THE WORD OF GOD.
OKAY? SO, THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT 'EM.
YOU KNOW, HOW MANY OF YOU EVER KNOW
THAT YOU'RE ACTING IN THE FLESH BEFORE? YOU KNEW IT.
OKAY, IF YOU SPEND ENOUGH TIME WITH GOD
AND YOU ACT OUT IN THE FLESH, GOD WILL TALK TO YOU.
HE'LL GO, "STOP SAYING THAT. "STOP ACTING LIKE THAT."
WELL, HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH EMOTIONS WHEN THEY'RE OUT
OF CONTROL? STUDY GOD'S WORD. THE BIBLE SAYS, "STUDY."
STUDY TO SHOW YOURSELF WHAT? APPROVED UNTO GOD, RIGHT?
A WORKMAN THAT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE ASHAMED,
WHO CAN RIGHTLY DIVIDE THE WORD OF TRUTH.
AMEN. ALL RIGHT, HERE'S THE THIRD ONE. THAT'S EMOTIONS.
I MEAN, WE COULD SPEND A WHOLE NIGHT
TALKING ABOUT THOSE CRAZY THINGS.
AMEN. DRINK WATER, IT'LL HELP YOUR EMOTIONS.
THE THIRD ONE IS THE INTELLECT. GODLY, THIS IS YOUR
INTELLIGENCE. YOU KNOW, WHEN PEOPLE SAY USE YOUR BRAIN,
GODLY INTELLIGENCE IS DESIGNED TO WORK ALONG
WITH YOUR SPIRIT TO CAUSE UNDERSTANDING AND HELP YOU USE
WISDOM, RIGHT? IT HELPS YOU KNOW THAT DRIVING 90 MILES AN HOUR IN
A 45 IS NOT SMART, RIGHT? IT'LL HELP YOU KNOW HOW TO DO
THE RIGHT THINGS. NATURAL INTELLIGENCE CAN HELP US.
NOW, THIS IS OUR INTELLIGENCE THAT GOD GIVES US HELPS US TO
KNOW GOD. CAN I TELL YOU WHAT I BELIEVE IS ONE OF THE MOST
IMPORTANT THINGS WE CAN DO IN TOUGH TIMES THAT ARE GOING ON
IN THE WORLD IS KNOW GOD'S CHARACTER. OKAY, GET TO KNOW
GOD. THAT'S ANOTHER THING I LOVE ABOUT PASTOR HANK.
HE KNOWS GOD. HE TALKS TO GOD.
OKAY, HE SITS AND HAS CONVERSATIONS WITH GOD.
HE SAID BY GETTING TO KNOW GOD, YOU KNOW HIS WAYS.
YOU KNOW WHAT HE'LL DO AND WHEN YOU HIT A TOUGH SPOT,
YOU KNOW THAT NOW THIS IS THE WAY GOD DOES THINGS.
AND YOU CAN HAVE THAT CONFIDENCE. WELL, THAT'S YOUR
INTELLECT. IT'S DECIPHERING THROUGH THE WORD.
CAN I TELL YOU, BE A STUDENT OF THE SCRIPTURES. IT IS
SO IMPORTANT. I SEE MORE AND MORE YOUNG PEOPLE,
I WOULD SAY MILLENNIALS, MAYBE, AND BACKWARDS.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT ALL THE NEW ONES ARE NOW,
Z AND O AND ALL THESE NEW GEN Z, WHATEVER THEY ARE.
MILLENNIAL AND YOUNGER. LET'S KNOW NOW HOW TO STUDY THE BIBLE.
IN FACT, I WROTE A LITTLE MINI BOOK. DID WE PRINT THAT YET?
I DON'T KNOW. THE LITTLE MINI BOOK.
PASTOR MATT ASKED ME TO WRITE IT.
IT'S A LITTLE MINI BOOK ON HOW TO STUDY GOD'S WORD.
IS THAT PRINTED OR DONE? IT'S NOT DONE?
OH, LET'S GET IT DONE. WE GOTTA GET THAT DONE.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S GET THAT IN PRINT.
LET'S GET IT FINISHED IF WE CAN. SOON, IT'S SMALL.
3,000 WORDS, 4,000, I DON'T KNOW.
BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE NOW DON'T KNOW HOW TO STUDY THE BIBLE.
THEY DON'T KNOW ANY BASICS FOR READING THE WORD.
AND SO I WOULD SAY, BECOME A STUDENT OF THE SCRIPTURES.
IF YOU WANT TO GET YOUR INTELLECT STRAIGHTENED OUT,
YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE NOW
BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW THE BIBLE
AND THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT GOD THINKS ABOUT THINGS.
THEY DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT BIBLICAL WORLDVIEW.
THAT'S WHY THERE'S PEOPLE THAT THINK IT'S OKAY FOR A
MAN TO MARRY A MAN, BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW THE WORD.
NOW, SOME PEOPLE WANNA JUST CHANGE THE WORD,
BUT THEY DON'T KNOW THE SCRIPTURES.
SO IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO STUDY THE WORD OF GOD.
SO YOUR INTELLECT, NATURAL INTELLIGENCE, HOWEVER,
HAS A RESISTANCE FOR GOD BECAUSE IT EXALTS ITSELF OVER HIM.
THAT'S WHERE HUMANISM COMES FROM.
IT BELIEVES ITSELF WISER THAN GOD
AND CREATES THEORIES AND RULES TO PROVE IT.
A WRONG INTELLECT USUALLY NEEDS AN INTELLECTUAL ANSWER
FOR EVERYTHING, RIGHT? THAT'S WHERE RELIGIOUS SPIRITS COME
FROM. RELIGIOUS RITUALS COME FROM THAT. IT'S AN INTELLECT
GONE AWRY. YOU KNOW WHEN YOUR INTELLECT IS UNDER ATTACK
BECAUSE YOUR LOGIC BEGINS TO OVERRIDE THAT INWARD WITNESS.
OKAY, YOU'LL SAY, THIS IS WHAT EVE DID.
SHE SAID, OH NO, THAT FRUIT'S GOOD.
IT'S GOOD, MAN, IT'S GONNA MAKE, WELL, THINK ABOUT IT, IT'S GONNA
MAKE US LIKE GOD. I SAW A FUNNY MEME THAT SAID, YOU KNOW,
WHEN THE SERPENT CAME UP TO EVE AND HE SAID,
YEAH, THAT FRUIT WILL MAKE YOU LIKE GOD.
SHE SHOULD HAVE SAID, REALLY, REALLY?
WELL, IF SO, WHY DON'T YOU EAT IT FIRST?
EVE, WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY THAT? THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN SO GOOD.
OH, THAT'S A GOOD ANSWER, 2020, MAN.
LET ME THINK OF IT AFTER THE FACT. SO LET'S GO BACK HERE.
RELIGIOUS RITUALS COME FROM AN INTELLECT GONE AWRY.
YOU KNOW WHEN YOUR INTELLECT'S UNDER ATTACK
BECAUSE YOUR LOGIC OVERRIDES YOUR INWARD WITNESS.
YOU KNOW DOWN HERE SOMETHING'S WRONG, BUT YOU REASON WHY IT'S
OKAY. SOMETHING DOWN, COME ON, HOW MANY OF YOU EVER HAD IT?
YOU KNOW, YOU JUST KNEW, DON'T DO THAT. DON'T GO TO THAT PLACE.
I KNEW A PREACHER FRIEND OF MINE,
HE SAID HE WENT TO A CAR LOT AND HE WAS GONNA BUY THIS
VEHICLE. AND HE THOUGHT, "OH, IT'S A GOOD CAR."
AND TEST DROVE IT AND WENT IN ALL THESE THINGS
AND EVERYTHING DOWN IN HIS GUT IS SAYING,
"DON'T BUY THAT CAR, DON'T BUY THAT CAR."
AND HE HAD LOGIC, HE REASONED HIMSELF INTO IT.
AND HE FINALLY TOLD THE GUY, "I'M GONNA BUY THE CAR, I'M
GONNA BUY THE CAR." AND WELL, BEFORE HE EVEN GOT TO THAT, HE
SAID, "WELL, I DON'T THINK I'LL WAIT ON IT,
BUT I'LL COME BACK AND BUY IT TOMORROW."
THAT'S WHAT HE TOLD HIM. HE SAID, "I'LL BUY IT TOMORROW."
AND HE SAID, "WELL, BECAUSE I COMMITTED TO THE GUY
"THAT I'D COME BACK AND BUY IT TOMORROW,
"ALL NIGHT LONG, THE HOLY SPIRIT WAS ALL OVER ME,
"DON'T BUY THAT CAR, DON'T BUY THAT, IT'S NOT A GOOD CAR."
I SAID, "LORD, IT'S BLUE." (CONGREGATION LAUGHING)
"IT'S A GOOD CAR." AND HE SAID, "AND BECAUSE AS A CHRISTIAN,
"I COMMITTED MY WORD, I WENT BACK AND BOUGHT THAT STUPID CAR.
"THAT THING WAS A LEMON, IT PRACTICALLY FELL APART "BEFORE I
GOT RID OF IT." AND HE SAID, "HAD I JUST LISTENED DOWN HERE
"AND NOT JUST USED ALL MY LOGIC."
COME ON SOMEBODY, OOH, LORD TALK TO US.
"ALL OF MY LOGIC TO TALK ME INTO STUPID THINGS." WELL, HOW DO
YOU DEAL? HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH YOUR INTELLECT?
WELL, AGAIN, YOU GOTTA GO BACK TO THE WORD,
BUT IT SAYS HERE IN PSALM, PSALM 111, 10 SAYS,
"FOR THE FEAR OF THE LORD IS THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM.
AND A GOOD UNDERSTANDING HAVE ALL THOSE THAT DO HIS
COMMANDMENTS." SO THE WAY WE DEAL WITH OUR INTELLECT
ON A RIDE, WE KNOW THE WORD, WE KNOW THE TRUTH. WE KNOW WHAT'S
TRUE FROM A LIE. SAME WAY WITH OUR EMOTIONS, YOU DEAL WITH THE
EMOTIONS AND THE WORD. BY THE WAY, LET ME GET BACK
TO SOMETHING ON EMOTIONS I JUST THOUGHT OF AGAIN.
DAVID WAS A VERY EMOTIONAL MAN, BY THE WAY. IF YOU LOOK
AT THE PSALMS, HIS EMOTIONS AT TIMES WERE ALL OVER THE
PLACE. HE WAS A MAN THAT WENT THROUGH A LOT AND HE
CRIED IT OUT IN MUSIC. BUT YOU KNOW, HE TURNED THAT AROUND
AND ALWAYS BROUGHT IT BACK TO HIS MEDITATION BEING ON GOD.
YOU KNOW, WHEN YOUR EMOTIONS ARE GOING CRAZY, QUIT JUST
LETTING THEM RUN. WOMEN HEAR ME.
YOU CAN SIT THERE ALL DAY LONG, OH YEAH.
AND WOMEN ARE WORSE AT THAT THAN MEN, I THINK.
BUT MEN CAN HAVE OTHER KINDS OF EMOTIONS.
SO I'M NOT, DON'T BE EXCUSED, GUYS.
I'M JUST SAYING, WE CAN SIT THERE
AND LET OUR HEAD CHURN AND GO, AND I'M SO HURT.
STOP IT. WE GOTTA STOP THAT. YEAH, MAYBE YOU WERE HURT.
GET UP, PUT ON YOUR BIG GIRL BREECHES,
GO COMB YOUR HAIR, AND GET OVER IT.
AMEN. BUT PASTOR BRENDA, YOU DON'T KNOW HOW HARD IT'S BEEN.
OH, BELIEVE ME, EVERYBODY BEEN THROUGH SOMETHING HARD.
PUT THE CHOCOLATE CHIPS BACK IN THE CABINET, AND LET'S GO.
(CONGREGATION LAUGHING)
HEY, LISTEN, THAT'S HOW GOD DEALS WITH ME.
SOMETIMES WHEN I AM VERY EMOTIONAL
AND I JUST WANT TO SIT THERE AND DWELL,
COME ON, DWELL. HOW MANY OF YOU EVER BEEN THERE?
YOU WANT TO DWELL, I FEEL LIKE THIS.
THEN THAT'S WHEN GOD SAID, GET UP AND STOP
FEELING LIKE THIS. WE CAN POSSESS OUR OWN SOUL.
IN YOUR COMMITTED ENDURANCE, OWN WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT.
IF YOU'RE UPSET, GO DO SOME CHORES.
I PROMISE YOU, YOU GET OVER YOUR HURT EMOTIONS,
YOU RUN A VACUUM, IT'S NOT HARD. YOU CAN DO IT.
JUST VACUUM, I'M SUCKING UP ALL THOSE EMOTIONS,
I'LL BE OKAY. AND IN MY HOUSE, IT'S EASY TO DO,
'CAUSE THERE'S DOG HAIR ROLLING EVERYWHERE.
I JUST GET OVER WHERE THERE'S A BIG PILE,
AND WATCH IT GO, AND I'M LIKE, AH, THAT FELT BETTER.
IT'S ALL GOOD. INTELLECT, THE NEXT ONE, LET ME GO QUICKLY,
AND THEN WE'RE GONNA PRAY FOR SOME PEOPLE.
THE IMAGINATION, NOW THIS IS A BIG ONE.
GODLY IMAGINATIONS HAVE THE ABILITY TO CREATE, RIGHT?
COME ON, SOMEBODY HAD TO IMAGINE THIS TABERNACLE, RIGHT?
GOD IMAGINED THE TABERNACLE IN THE WILDERNESS. GOD IMAGINED
AND USED SOLOMON TO IMAGINE THE TEMPLE, RIGHT? IMAGINATIONS
ARE AMAZING. GOD GIVES US THE CREATIVE ABILITY TO DO ANYTHING
FOR HIM. EVIL IMAGINATIONS CREATED THE TOWER OF BABEL.
OUR IMAGINATION CAN BUILD VISIONS AND DREAMS,
BUT IMAGINATIONS HAVE TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE PLAN OF GOD.
THERE'S NO SELF-EXALTATION IN IMAGINATIONS.
OKAY, WE CAN HAVE ASPIRATIONS THAT EXALT SELF,
WE CAN IMAGINE, THIS IS WHY PEOPLE GET IN PRIDE,
IT'S WHAT, YOU KNOW, LUCIFER DID. HE WAS IMAGINING THAT
HE WAS ON GOD'S THRONE AHEAD OF GOD. WHERE DID THAT GET HIM?
EVIL IMAGINATIONS GET US TO EXALT AND GRATIFY SELF.
YOU KNOW, THE FIRST BOOK I EVER PUBLISHED,
SEE GOD HAD TO HUMBLE US IN OUR PUBLISHING.
I DON'T KNOW, WE PUBLISHED, I DON'T KNOW HOW
MANY BOOKS WE HAVE. RACHEL, I NEED A LIST NOW.
SOMEBODY ASKED ME, HOW MANY BOOKS HAVE YOU PUBLISHED,
SELF-PRINTED AND PUBLISHED? I THOUGHT, I DON'T EVEN KNOW.
PASTOR WRITES A CHILDREN'S BOOK EVERY NIGHT IN HIS SLEEP.
SO, AND HE LOVES DOING THAT, BY THE WAY. AND SO,
BUT YOU KNOW, SO MY FIRST BOOK THAT I PUBLISHED, I HANDED TO
THE PUBLISHER AND I WANTED TO WRITE IT ON SPEAKING IN TONGUES.
IN FACT, IT'S CALLED "LIVING FROM THE WELL OF YOUR SPIRIT,
"THE SUPERNATURAL YOU." AND WHEN THEY FIRST SAID IT, THEY SAID,
"YOU KNOW, YOU'RE A FIRST-TIME AUTHOR,"
AND THAT'S NO CRITICISM TO THE PUBLISHER, THEY
JUST SAID, "WE JUST DON'T THINK "THAT'S GONNA GO OVER VERY WELL.
"NOBODY KNOWS YOU, AND MAYBE YOU SHOULD WRITE SOMETHING "A
LITTLE LESS PENTECOSTAL." OKAY, SO I WROTE A BOOK,
"WHEN YOUR LIFE'S BEEN TAMPERED WITH."
THAT WAS THE FIRST BOOK THAT CAME OUT,
AND THEN IT WAS "THE SUPERNATURAL YOU,"
AND I MEAN, IT WAS A DISMAL SALES, I MEAN DISMAL.
I'M LIKE, YOU KNOW, AND SO LATER I CAME BACK OUT
AND I SAID, "CAN WE PUBLISH THE SUPERNATURAL?"
AND THEY SAID, "YEAH, ALL RIGHT, "BUT YOU GOTTA BUY
THE FIRST 3,000 COPIES "'CAUSE WE DON'T THINK IT'LL SELL." AND
YOU KNOW, IT SOLD CIRCLES AROUND THE OTHER ONE THAT DIDN'T SELL
AT ALL. BUT WHEN I WENT THROUGH THAT, I REMEMBER JUST CRYING
MY EYES OUT. I SAID, "LORD, I WROTE 140,000 WORDS "AND NOBODY
BOUGHT IT!" RIGHT? AND THE HOLY SPIRIT
CAME AND HE SAID, "WHO DID YOU WRITE
IT FOR, YOURSELF?" "WELL, I DON'T KNOW.
I WANTED PEOPLE TO LIKE IT." LORD SAID, "WELL, I LIKED IT.
SO IF THAT'S ALL THAT MATTERS, YOU DON'T DO ANYTHING FOR YOU."
AND YOU KNOW, EVERY YEAR I THINK, "OH, I'M GONNA GET A
BESTSELLER. I'M GONNA GET A BESTSELLER. I'M
GONNA HAVE A BESTSELLING BOOK." AND
EVERY BOOK, BUT THEY DID ALL RIGHT,
BUT THEY WEREN'T BESTSELLING BOOK
'CAUSE THERE WAS STILL SELF IN THERE.
AND I THOUGHT, "WELL, LORD, I JUST, I DON'T CARE.
I'LL WRITE IT FOR FIVE PEOPLE. NOBODY LIKES IT AND YOU LIKE IT.
I LIKE IT 'CAUSE I MADE IT. I'LL JUST, I'LL WRITE IT."
YOU KNOW, WHEN I QUIT CARING, I WROTE,
I THOUGHT, "I'M GONNA WRITE THESE DECREES." 'CAUSE WE HAD
SOME ONLINE. I USED TO BE THE SOCIAL MEDIA BACK THEN.
(AUDIENCE LAUGHING)
AND SO I WROTE ALL THESE LITTLE DECREES,
"WE DECREE, WE DECREE," AND I PUT 'EM ON FACEBOOK.
AND SO FINALLY THE PUBLISHER SAID,
"YEAH, I THINK WE OUGHT TO PUT THIS IN A BOOK."
WE STARTED DOING 'EM ON THE INTERNET.
I THOUGHT, "WE OUGHT TO PUT THESE IN A BOOK. "LET'S DO SOME
WE DECREES." AND I WROTE THE DAILY DECREE, AND I DIDN'T CARE
IF IT SOLD FIVE COPIES. YOU KNOW, THAT BOOK BECAME MY
FIRST BESTSELLER WHEN I DIDN'T CARE, IT WASN'T ABOUT ME.
IMAGINATION'S GONE AWRY, YOU KNOW WHEN THEY'RE WRONG WHEN
IT'S ABOUT YOU. AND GOD WILL JUST LET YOU SIT THERE AND GO
IN CIRCLES. HE SAID, "WELL, EIGHT BOOKS LATER IS WHEN IT'S
NOT ABOUT YOU." COME ON SOMEBODY, I'M PREACHING TO
SOMEBODY IN THE ROOM. (AUDIENCE APPLAUDING)
SO WHAT DO WE DO ABOUT THESE THINGS?
IMAGINATIONS, LET ME READ THIS LAST PART
AND IF THE BAND COULD COME AND THEN WE'RE GONNA PRAY FOR
SOME PEOPLE. THE DEVIL ALWAYS TRIES TO USE OUR IMAGINATION
IN THE AREA OF FANTASY, OKAY, FANTASIZING,
YOU KNOW, THOSE HALLMARK CHANNELS,
EVERYBODY HAS A PERFECT RELATIONSHIP.
BY THE WAY, OKAY, CAN I TELL ONE MORE STORY? I
PROMISE I WON'T BE LATE. I WAS AT THE NAIL SHOP THE OTHER DAY
AND THEY WERE PLAYING THE SOAPS AND I DON'T WATCH SOAPS, I
PROMISE YOU. AND YOU KNOW, IT'S AMAZING HOW THESE PEOPLE ARGUE.
HAVE YOU EVER NOTICED THAT I'M SITTING THERE,
SHE'S DOING MY NAILS, I'M LIKE. I HAVEN'T SEEN ONE IN YEARS.
I COULD HARDLY HEAR IT, THEY JUST HAD 'EM
PLAYING UP ON THE SCREEN. MY HANDS ARE UP THERE.
AND I THOUGHT, SO THIS LADY GETS MAD AT THIS GUY
AND THEY'RE ARGUING AND SHE'S LIKE,
AND YOU JUST, AND HE'S JUST STANDING THERE.
I'M LIKE, YEAH, PEOPLE IN TV ARGUE
WITHOUT INTERRUPTING EACH OTHER, YOU EVER NOTICE THAT?
THEY ACTUALLY LET PEOPLE FINISH THEIR SENTENCE.
IF I'M GONNA BE IN AN ARGUMENT, I'M LIKE,
NO, YOU KNOW, YOU DIDN'T SAY THAT.
ALL SOMEBODY HAS TO DO IS GET OUT THE HALF OF A SENTENCE
AND THEN SOMEBODY'S THERE TO CUT IT OFF.
I'M LIKE, THAT'S THE PROBLEM WITH THE MOVIES.
THEY'RE NOT REAL. PEOPLE ALWAYS FIGHT FAIR.
IN REAL LIFE, THEY GET OUT THE FRYING PAN
AND THE ROLLING PIN. COME ON. OH, LORDY, LORDY.
FANTASY, THE MOVIES, THAT WAS THE WHOLE POINT OF THAT.
THE WORLD USES FANTASY AS AN ESCAPE TO THE PRESSURES OF LIFE.
OKAY, ALL FORMS OF ENTERTAINMENT OFFERED ARE FILLED WITH IT.
OKAY, IT'S NOT REAL. IT HAS THE ABILITY TO TAINT A GODLY
IMAGINATION. THE DEVIL WILL ENCOURAGE YOU TO USE IT AS A WAY
OF ESCAPE. YEAH, IT'S OKAY TO HAVE FUN, BUT WE HAVE TO BE
REAL, RIGHT? 2 TIMOTHY 4, 4 IN THE AMPLIFIED SAYS,
"AND TURN ASIDE, THEY WILL TURN ASIDE FROM HEARING THE TRUTH
AND WANDER OFF INTO MYTHS AND MAN-MADE FICTIONS."
SO WE HAVE TO KEEP OUR IMAGINATIONS IN CHECK
BY KEEPING OUR HEART RIGHT, RIGHT?
SO HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THOSE, PASTOR BRENDA?
WHAT DO YOU DEAL WITH THOSE IMAGINATIONS?
COME ON, MAYBE FOR YOU, IT'S A WORST CASE SCENARIO.
YOU THINK, WELL, I'M GONNA LOSE MY HOUSE
OR I'M GONNA LOSE MY JOB. WHAT DO WE DO?
WELL, THE BIBLE SAYS IN 2 CORINTHIANS 10:4, CAST DOWN,
RIGHT? OK, I HAVE ANOTHER STORY. I CAN'T HELP IT.
YEARS AGO, BEFORE I MET PASTOR HANK, I WAS WORKING IN A BANK.
I WAS A TELLER. AND IT WAS MY FIRST BIG JOB.
I FELT REALLY IMPORTANT. I GOT TO DRESS UP TO GO TO WORK.
AND I MADE A WHOPPING $4 AN HOUR.
AND THAT WAS ABOVE MINIMUM WAGE. THAT WAS SUCCESSFUL.
AND I FELT PRETTY GOOD ABOUT MYSELF.
AND SO I WAS AT WORK AND I WAS A PRETTY GOOD TELLER,
AND I'M PRETTY DETERMINED TO DO A GOOD JOB.
AND YOU KNOW, THE TELLERS, IF THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVE BEEN
IN BANKING WILL KNOW THIS, BALANCE OUR TELLER
DRAWERS EVERY DAY. NOW THIS WAS BEFORE COMPUTERS.
ALL WE HAD WAS AN ADDING MACHINE.
OKAY. AND WE WROTE EVERYTHING BY HAND.
AND AT THE END OF MY WORK DAY, I GOT OFF AT SIX O'CLOCK,
THE BANK WAS GETTING READY TO CLOSE. IT WAS
A FRIDAY NIGHT, AND I CAME UP SHORT IN MY DRAWER $5,000. NOW
THAT'S TWO STRAPS OF FIVES, I GUESS I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT THE
STRAPS ARE NOW. AND I'M LIKE, OH, IT'S NOT A BIG DEAL,
IT'S AN EVEN AMOUNT. SURELY I MISWROTE SOMETHING OR WHATEVER.
AND MADE A MISTAKE AND I DIDN'T THINK TOO MUCH OF IT.
$5,000, THAT'S LIKE 15,000 A DAY. SO THAT WAS A CHUNK OF
MONEY. AND THEY WENT DOWN, SO MY SUPERVISOR CAME OVER, WE
RECOUNTED THE DRAWER TWO OR THREE MORE TIMES, AND STILL
5,000 SHORT. AND THEY SAID, "WELL, WE'LL GET DOWN TO THE
PROOF DEPARTMENT, "SEE IF THEY CAN RUN ALL THE WORK
PILE THROUGH PROOF." ANYWAY, BANK TALK. AND STILL CAME UP
5,000 SHORT. AND I'M LIKE, "I'M GONNA GO TO CHURCH NOW."
BY THEN, EVERYBODY'S LOOKING AT ME KIND OF FUNNY. AND I'M
THINKING, I MEAN, AND MY BRAIN AT THIS POINT, I'M LIKE,
"THEY'RE GONNA FIRE ME." AND I WAS JUST TERRIFIED.
AND I'M THINKING, THEY PROBABLY THINK I EITHER STOLE IT,
BUT THEN I THOUGHT, "WELL, THE CAMERA'S RIGHT
"ON THE TELLER WINDOWS, SURELY THEY'LL SEE SOMETHING."
AND THE CAMERAS WERE A LITTLE ROUGH BACK THEN.
AND I'M JUST LIKE, LORD, WHAT IS GOING ON? AND I HAD A
LUMP IN MY THROAT. AND I THOUGHT, WELL, MAYBE I TURNED MY
BACK AND SOMEBODY IN THE WINDOW SWIPED TWO STRAPS.
EVERYTHING IS RUNNING THROUGH MY BRAIN.
AND I HAD JUST WATCHED BROTHER HAGIN
DO A TEACHING ON CASTING ALL YOUR CARE ON THE LORD.
AND I WENT HOME, DROVE HOME FROM WORK.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF I TOLD MY PARENTS.
I STILL LIVED AT HOME AT THAT TIME, AND I DON'T REMEMBER.
AND I HEARD THE LORD SAY TO ME ON THE WAY HOME, PUT IT OUT OF
YOUR HEAD. "LORD, I'M GONNA LOSE MY JOB ON MONDAY."
I HAD TO LIVE WITH THAT ALL WEEKEND.
YOU KNOW, COULDN'T IT HAVE BEEN TUESDAY?
AND I WENT HOME, AND I SAID, OKAY.
AND I OPENED THE SCRIPTURE, 1 PETER 5:7,
CASTING, CASTING ALL YOUR CARE, WHICH IS WHERE THAT
IMAGINATION COMES IN. OKAY, I AM PICTURING MONDAY.
I MEAN, I HAVE KNOTS IN MY STOMACH.
AND I THOUGHT, WELL, I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW
IF THEY'LL REPORT ME, IF THEY THINK I STOLE IT,
I COULD GO TO JAIL. I WAS JUST TERRIFIED.
AND I WENT AND I KEPT SAYING, NO, OKAY, LORD,
YOU SAID CAST THE CARE. I KNEW I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING WRONG,
AT LEAST NOT INTENTIONALLY, AND CAST THE CARE,
CAST THE CARE, CAST THE CARE, CAST THE CARE.
AND IT WOULD TRY TO COME UP IN MY MIND
AND I WOULD PICTURE MYSELF WALKING OUT WITH A PINK SLIP.
AND I'D PICTURE, SEE THIS IS THE IMAGINATION,
THIS IS HOW THE DEVIL WORKS SOMETIMES. HE GETS
YOU TO PICTURE A WORST CASE SCENARIO. COME ON, THAT
DIAGNOSIS. HE'LL BE THROWING PICTURES OF COFFINS UP ON
THE SCREEN TO SHOW YOU, "AH, YOU'RE NOT GONNA MAKE IT."
OKAY? PICTURES OF YOUR CHILDREN AND THINGS HAPPENING AND THE
WORST CASE SCENARIO. COME ON, THE DEVIL'S THE MASTER OF THE
WORST CASE SCENARIO. AND I SAID, "WELL, NO, I'M NOT GONNA
THINK ABOUT THIS." ALL WEEKEND, MY PARENTS HAD SOME FUN
THINGS PLANNED. I DON'T KNOW, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO GO TO THE
ZOO OR SOMETHING. AND I THOUGHT, "NO, I'M NOT
GONNA THINK ABOUT IT. I AM NOT THINKING ABOUT THIS."
CAN I TELL YOU, I HAD TO SAY THAT TO MYSELF LIKE
40 TIMES ALL WEEKEND. IT WOULD COME UP IN MY SPIRIT. I REMEMBER
DOING THAT IN THE ICU WHEN MY DAD, THEY SAID HE WAS GONNA
DIE. AND THEY PAINTED THE WORST EVERYTHING.
AND I SAID, "NOPE, I'M NOT THINKING ABOUT IT."
I'D LAY IN THE BED, KNOTS IN MY STOMACH.
"NOPE, NOPE, THE BIBLE SAYS WHATSOEVER THINGS I DESIRE, WHEN
I PRAY, BELIEVE I RECEIVE THEM AND I SHALL HAVE THEM."
I'M TELLING YOU, I DIDN'T FEEL IT.
I DIDN'T FEEL IT, BUT I WAS SAYING IT.
I SAID, "MIND, I'M IN CONTROL OF YOU.
"YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO IMAGINE YOUR FATHER DYING.
"BRENDA, YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO IMAGINE YOURSELF "BEING FIRED
FROM THE BANK. "YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO IMAGINE IT.
"YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED. "BRAIN, NO."
AND EVERY TIME THAT THOUGHT WOULD COME UP, "NOPE, GET OUT."
ALL WEEKEND, THAT THOUGHT WOULD COME, "NOPE, GET OUT."
THOUGHT WOULD COME UP, "NOPE, GET OUT, OUT, OUT, OUT, OUT."
AND I WOULD CHANGE WHAT I WAS DOING.
I'M TELLING YOU, THIS IS HOW TO GET VICTORY
OVER POSSESSING YOUR SOUL. "NOPE, NOPE."
COME ON, THAT PERSON THAT OFFENDED YOU,
I'M GONNA IMAGINE, HAVE YOU EVER DONE THIS?
I'M GONNA IMAGINE WHAT I'M GONNA SAY TO THEM.
AND YOU KNOW, IT'S A HABIT, WE CAN GET INTO IT.
AND THINK, I'M GONNA SAY, I'M GONNA DO, I'M GONNA PLAN. "NOPE,
GET OUT." YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO THINK ABOUT IT. SUNDAY NIGHT,
I GO TO BED, AND I'M STILL SAYING, "NOPE, GET OUT OF
MY BRAIN. "GOD'S GOT THIS, CAST ALL YOUR CARE."
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, IT CAME UP IN MY SPIRIT.
THIS IS BANK TALK, YOU WON'T GET IT.
YOU SOLD TWO STRAPS OF FIVES TO THE ATM.
NOW, ATMS WERE NEW BACK THEN, AND THE WAY THEY DID IT,
IT WAS ON A DIFFERENT BANK DAY, AND I COULDN'T WRITE
A TICKET FOR IT. I DON'T NEED TO EXPLAIN ALL THAT. IT WAS A
REAL THING. AND I'M LIKE, "OH, THE ATM IS $5,000 OVER." AND
IT HIT ME. I'M LIKE, "SEE, GOD IS LAST MINUTE, SUNDAY NIGHT."
I'M LIKE, "GOD, YOU COULD TOLD ME THAT ON FRIDAY. YOU CAN'T
TOLD ME THAT." HE GOES, "I COULDN'T HAVE TOLD YOU IF YOU
WERE IN FEAR." IF YOU DIDN'T TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR EMOTIONS,
IF YOU DIDN'T TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR THOUGHTS,
COME ON, IF YOU DID NOT POSSESS YOUR SOUL, I CAN'T TALK TO YOU.
I RAN INTO THE BANK, I'M LIKE, "HI!"
8:30, THE DOOR, I TOOK MY KEY, I WENT IN THERE, I WAS
STILL LOOKING AT ME, I'M LIKE, "I KNOW WHAT
IT IS, BALANCE THE ATM, HERE'S $5,000 OVER THERE." I'M LIKE,
"OKAY." WENT OUT THERE, SURE ENOUGH. IT WAS ALL FINE.
WHAT IF I WOULD HAVE WENT THE OTHER WAY?
THERE WAS REALLY NEVER ANYTHING WRONG, PEOPLE.
THAT WOULD HAVE EVENTUALLY BEEN DISCOVERED. I COULD
HAVE GONE THE OTHER WAY, CAUSED STRESS, ANXIETY,
HEALTH ISSUES. COME ON, THE DOCTORS WILL TELL YOU
THAT MANY HEALTH ISSUES ARE THE RESULT OF PEOPLE
THAT CAN'T GET THEIR HEAD STRAIGHT.
(CONGREGATION MURMURS)
OUR IMAGINATION. THE LAST ONE, STAND TO YOUR FEET.
I'M GONNA PRAY FOR YOU. IS OUR MEMORY. HOO.
THE MEMORY IS THE ARCHIVES OF THE SOUL. OH, I REMEMBER WHAT
THEY DID. OR YOU REMEMBER THAT ABUSE OR THAT PERSON THAT HURT
YOU. OKAY, PASTOR TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS
WE WENT THROUGH IN THE START OF THE MINISTRY
AND SOME OF THOSE HARD TIMES AND HAVING TO,
YOU KNOW, HARD TIMES HAVE COME TO EVERYBODY.
THAT'S A NEWSFLASH FOR YOU. SO WHAT DO WE DO WITH IT? OKAY,
YOU COULD CHURN IT OVER. THE BIBLE SAYS, "REMEMBER NOT THE
FORMER THINGS." OKAY, YEAH, IT MIGHT'VE HAPPENED YESTERDAY.
IT MIGHT BE REAL. YEAH, BUT PASTOR BRENDA, I FEEL IT THOUGH.
IT'S SO REAL. SO THE LORD TOLD ME ONE TIME, HE GOES,
YOU KNOW, WE HAD HAD SOMEBODY THAT PRETTY MUCH STABBED US
IN THE BACK ONCE. I REMEMBER, WELL, PROBABLY A FEW,
BUT THIS IS ONE PARTICULAR ONE THAT STOOD OUT AND IT WAS
VERY PAINFUL. AND I THOUGHT, LORD, AND I REMEMBER.
AND SO FINALLY GOD SAID ONE DAY, HE SAID, THE MORE YOU
KEEP GOING OVER WHAT HAPPENED, THE MORE I CAN'T HEAL YOU.
IF YOU KEEP PICKING THAT BANDAID OFF AND THAT SCAB,
GOD SAID, "I GAVE THE HUMAN BODY SCABS FOR A REASON."
YOU KNOW I GAVE SCABS TO THE HEART. AND
I'M TRYING TO SCAB THAT OVER, BUT YOU KEEP PICKING AT IT.
IF YOU KEEP TALKING ABOUT IT, IT WILL NEVER GO AWAY.
AND THEN THE SCRIPTURE HIT ME. JESUS SAID IT LIKE THIS.
HE SAYS, "WHOSOEVER SINS YOU RETAIN, THEY'RE RETAINED."
NOT TO THEM, THEY'RE RETAINED TO YOU.
YOU HOLD THEM UNTIL YOU'RE NOT FREE. I MEAN, WHAT GOOD
IS IT? GO TO YOUR GRAVE BITTER AND ANGRY? SO I
SAID, "ALL RIGHT, LORD, I PROMISE I WON'T TALK ABOUT IT
ANYMORE." SOME OF THESE MEMORIES THAT WE HAVE IN OUR LIFE, GOD
IS SAYING, "GET RID OF THEM. QUIT GOING OVER IT AND PLAYING
THE TAPE AGAIN AND AGAIN." OKAY, I PROMISE YOU, HAD PASTOR
AND I NOT RELEASED SOME OF THOSE HURTS IN THE EARLY YEARS, WE
WOULD NOT BE STANDING IN THIS BUILDING RIGHT NOW. I PROMISE
YOU, I PROMISE YOU. AND THE LORD TOLD ME, HE SAID, "YOU KNOW
WHAT? "I CAN TAKE MEMORIES THAT DO CAUSE PAIN,
"AND YOU'LL REMEMBER THE EVENT, RIGHT?
"BUT IT WON'T STING ON YOU LIKE, "IT'LL ALMOST BE LIKE IT
HAPPENED TO SOMEBODY ELSE." AND YOU KNOW, THAT'S TRUE.
I'VE SEEN THAT HAPPEN. SO HOW DO WE DEAL WITH A MEMORY?
WELL, GOD SAID IT. HESAID, "REMEMBER NOT THE FORMER
THINGS." QUIT TALKING ABOUT IT, QUIT THINKING ABOUT IT, OKAY?
IF YOU SEE THAT PERSON'S PICTURE ON FACEBOOK, JUST
LAUGH AND GO, "HA, HA, HA." FACEBOOK HAS A WAY TO BRING UP
THE ARCHIVES, LET ME TELL YOU. I'M LIKE, "I HAVEN'T SEEN THAT
PERSON SINCE HIGH SCHOOL. "WHY IN THE WORLD ARE THEY COMING?
"HOW DOES FACEBOOK KNOW I EVEN KNEW THEM?
"I DIDN'T EVEN TELL THEM, "I FORGOT I KNEW THEM
UNTIL THEY CAME." GET FREE FROM IT.
THAT MEMORY, QUIT PLAYING THE TAPE.
QUIT GOING OVER IT. GOD'S TRYING TO HEAL IT.
HE'S TRYING TO GET RID OF IT IN YOUR LIFE. IN YOUR PATIENCE,
POSSESS, OWN WHAT GOES THROUGH THIS NOGGIN OF YOURS AND MINE.
LIFT YOUR HANDS TO HEAVEN, LET ME PRAY FOR YOU.
IF YOU'RE IN HERE AND YOU NEED YOUR SOUL HEALED,
JESUS CAME TO HEAL THE BROKEN HEARTED, NOT GOING
TO CALL YOU OUT. I BELIEVE THE WORD DID ITS WORK TONIGHT.
HEAVENLY FATHER, I PRAY FOR EVERY PERSON,
THE BAND, EVERYBODY BEHIND ME, EVERYBODY IN
HERE, EVERYBODY IN THE BACK, THOSE ONLINE, CHILDREN,
EVERYBODY THAT'S GOING THROUGH SOMETHING IN THE AREA OF THEIR
SOUL. WHETHER IT'S THATWILL, THAT DETERMINATION, AND THEY'RE
NOT SUBMITTED OR FATHER, THEIR EMOTIONS ARE ALL OUT OF WHACK.
THEIR INTELLECT IS CONFUSED, NEEDS SOME ADJUSTMENTS, SOME
TEACHING, SOME TRAINING. FATHER, THAT IMAGINATION THAT JUST
CAN'T QUIT SEEING THE PICTURES OF THE WORST OR THOSE MEMORIES
THAT HURT SO MUCH. GOD, WE PRAY NOW THAT THE HEALING OIL OF YOUR
HANDS TOUCH EVERY MIND UNDER THE SOUND OF MY VOICE. FATHER,
GIVE THEM THE STRENGTH. IN FACT, LAY YOUR HAND ON YOUR MIND
IF THAT APPLIES TO YOU RIGHT NOW.
THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE STILL WITH US ONLINE, YOU DO THE SAME
THING. THOSE THOUGHTS THAT JUST KEEP WANTING TO COME UP
AND UP AGAIN AND AGAIN, I PRAY A HOLY SPIRIT DISTRACTION
FROM THAT, THAT IT'LL COME AND IT'LL SHIFT YOU,
IT'LL CHANGE YOU, IT'LL TURN YOU IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION.
AND I'M ASKING, FATHER, NOW, GIVE SOME MEMORY,
FATHER, NOT IN A PHYSICAL SENSE, BUT IN A SPIRITUAL WAY,
A MEMORY ERASING, A RESETTING OF ALL THAT IS DEMONIC IN EVERY
PERSON'S MIND. EVERYTHING THAT DOESN'T PLEASE YOU, EVERYTHING
THAT THE ENEMY JUST KEEPS DRIVING AND HAMMERING AND
PUSHING. FATHER, I'M ASKING YOU TO HEAL MINDS TONIGHT.
I BREAK THE POWER OF EVERY MIND-BINDING SPIRIT.
I COMMAND THE CLAMP ON YOUR THOUGHTS,
THE CLAMP ON YOUR EMOTIONS, THE CLAMP ON YOUR FEELINGS.
I BREAK THE POWER OF EVERYTHING THAT WOULD RESIST GOD IN YOU
AND I SAY YOUR MIND IS WIPED CLEAN BY THE POWER OF THE
LIVING GOD IN JESUS NAME. WE THANK YOU FOR IT LORD
NOW TOUCH YOURSELF AND SAY LORD TEACH ME
HOW TO POSSESS MY SOUL IN EVERY AREA OF MY LIFE.
I SAY THIS NOW SAY THIS LORD. I CAST MY CARE UPON YOU. YOU'RE
GONNA FIND THE STRAPS OF FIVES. DO IT GOD!
COME ON, YOU NAME YOUR OWN THING.
YOU NAME YOUR OWN AREA UNDER YOUR BREATH.
GOD, YOU'RE GONNA TAKE CARE OF IT.
NOW TOUCH YOURSELF AND SAY YOUR NAME.
YOU CAN SAY IT QUIET, SAY "SO AND SO."
BRENDA, YOU'RE GONNA LOOK BACK ON THIS ONE DAY. YOU'RE
GONNA LAUGH. DON'T GET UPSET ABOUT IT NOW.
OWN YOUR SOUL. GOD'S GOT IT. IN JESUS' NAME.
GIVE JESUS A GREAT BIG HAND. TELL HIM YOU LOVE HIM.
DID YOU GET SOMETHING OUT OF THAT TONIGHT? GOD BLESS YOU.
THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY WHO JOINED US ONLINE.
WE LOVE YOU. OWN AND POSSESS YOUR SOUL IN JESUS' NAME.
GOD BLESS YOU EVERYBODY. GOOD NIGHT.
(PIANO MUSIC)