(MUSIC)
COME ON, CHURCH. WE'RE HERE ON A WEDNESDAY NIGHT. MY LOVELY WIFE
IS GOING TO PREACH TONIGHT, SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT. ARE YOU
EXCITED? WELL, LET'S LIFT HIS NAME UP TONIGHT, AMEN?
(MUSIC)
2:08 -COME ON, CHURCH. LET'S ENTER IN TONIGHT. YOU READY?
COME ON.
(MUSIC)
IF YOU'RE IN HERE TONIGHT, IF YOU'RE ONLINE, MAYBE
YOU HAVE A SITUATION THAT JUST CAME TO MY HEART. YOU NEED TO
TRUST GOD. SOMETIMES WE RELY ON OURSELVES FOR THE ANSWERS. AND
I'LL GIVE YOU A LITTLE SECRET. WE DON'T HAVE THEM, NOT THE
RIGHT ONES ANYWAY. WE THINK WE HAVE THE ANSWERS, BUT WE DON'T.
THAT'S WHY WE'VE GOT TO TURN OUR EYES TO THE ONE WHO SAVES US,
WHO DELIVERS US, WHO SETS US FREE, WHO GIVES US GOOD THINGS.
AND WE'VE GOT TO TRUST HIM. SO I WANT TO RE-SING THAT. BUT ON
THAT SECOND LINE, I WANT TO SAY, I WILL PRAY, I WILL TRUST YOU
FOR ALL OF MY DAYS. I WILL TRUST YOU FOR ALL OF MY DAYS.
YOU NEED TO TRUST ON THE LORD TONIGHT. I WANT YOU TO
DECLARE THAT TONIGHT.
(MUSIC)
PRAISE ISN'T WHAT YOU DO WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE IT. PRAISE IS
WHAT YOU DO WHEN YOU WANT TO UNITE WITH VICTORY. A WHILE
BACK, THE LORD GAVE ME THAT PHRASE, "WAR IN THE HEAVENLIES,
WAR IN THE HEAVENLIES, WAR IN THE HEAVENLIES,
PRAISE ON EARTH.”
THAT MEANS IF YOU WANT TO SEE THE POWER OF THE HEAVENLIES
CONTINUE TO TURN FOR YOUR FAVOR, PRAISE IS YOUR PART ON THE
EARTH. PRAISE IS A CHOICE. IT'S A DETERMINATION. IT'S A
DECISION. IT'S A DECISION YOU MAKE IN YOUR FLESH, IN YOUR
SOUL, AND IT CONNECTS WITH YOUR SPIRIT, WITH YOUR FLESH AND YOUR
SOUL, SO THAT THE DEVIL KNOWS HE'S LOSING CONTROL. SO GRAB
HOLD OF PRAISE WITH BOTH HANDS. AND WHEN YOU DON'T FEEL LIKE IT,
DO IT. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? JUMP UP AND DOWN? IF THAT'S WHAT YOU
CAN DO, DO IT. DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO PUT YOURSELF IN A PLACE
WHERE YOU'RE ENTERING INTO A PLACE WHERE HIS PRESENCE CAN
WORK ON YOUR BEHALF. WAR IN THE HEAVENLIES. WAR IN THE
HEAVENLIES. WAR IN THE HEAVENLIES, BUT PRAISE ON EARTH.
SING IT AGAIN.
(MUSIC)
YES. YES. YES. YES. YES. YES.
NOW I WANT TO SAY THIS TO YOU BECAUSE THIS IS A CHALLENGE.
AND IT'LL PROBABLY COME QUICKLY BECAUSE WHEN THE WORD OF TRUTH
COMES TO YOU, SATAN COMES IMMEDIATELY. BECAUSE THE NEXT
CHALLENGE IS YOU WON'T FEEL LIKE IT. YOU WON'T WANT TO. IT MIGHT
BE TOMORROW MORNING. IT MIGHT BE BEFORE YOU GO TO BED. IT MIGHT
BE NEXT WEEK, BUT WHENEVER IT IS, YOU LOOK UP, AND YOU THINK,
THERE'S WAR GOING ON IN THE HEAVENLIES. THERE'S WAR FOR ME
GOING ON IN THE HEAVENLIES. THERE'S WAR IN THE HEAVENLIES.
SO I'M GOING TO PRAISE ON THIS EARTH. AND YOU PRAISE WITH ALL
THAT'S IN YOU. YOU TURN TO SOMEONE AND TELL THEM,
"DON'T STOP PRAISING.”
(MUSIC)
GOOD EVENING, LORD OF HOSTS CHURCH.
YEAH, WOW, WOW. I DON'T NEED TO TAKE VERY LONG 'CAUSE I
FEEL LIKE WE ALREADY HAD CHURCH. PASTOR CHRISTY HAS A POWERFUL
WORD, SO I'M GONNA GET RIGHT TO THE POINT. THIS IS OFFERING
TIME. AND I'M GONNA GIVE YOU A C. THIS IS OFFERING TIME.
(AUDIENCE CHEERING)
HERE'S WHY YOU NEED TO GET EXCITED. IT'S NOT A QUESTION OF
SHOULD YOU OR SHOULD YOU NOT. THE QUESTION IS, WILL YOU OR
WON'T YOU ALLOW GOD TO BE GOD THROUGH YOU? PSALM 40, VERSE 6.
IT'S NOT SACRIFICES THAT REALLY MOVE YOUR HEART. BURNT
OFFERINGS, SIN OFFERINGS, THAT'S NOT WHAT BRINGS YOU JOY. BUT
WHEN YOU OPEN MY EARS AND SPEAK DEEPLY TO ME, I BECOME YOUR
WILLING SERVANT. WHAT WAS THAT? YOU BECOME HIS? YOU'RE A
PRISONER OF LOVE FOR LIFE. SO I SAID, HERE I AM. I'M COMING TO
YOU AS A SACRIFICE. FOLKS, PASTOR HANK HAS BEEN HITTING IT
HARD ABOUT ENTERING IN. WE'VE GOT TO STOP GOING THROUGH THE
MOTIONS. IT'S TIME TO SAY, HERE I AM AND MEAN IT. PASTOR KEITH
JUST TALKED ABOUT WAR IN THE HEAVENLIES AND PRAISE ON EARTH.
DO YOU KNOW HOW YOU GIVE PRAISE ON EARTH? WHEN YOU ALLOW GOD TO
BE GOD THROUGH YOU, IN THIS CASE, THROUGH YOUR TITHES AND
OFFERINGS. WELL, I DON'T KNOW IF I BELIEVE THAT. OH, REALLY? GO
BACK TO GENESIS WHEN GOD SAID THAT HE WAS GONNA MAKE US, AND
HE DID, IN HIS IMAGE, IN HIS LIKENESS. IF YOU LOOK UP THE
WORD IMAGE IN HEBREW, IT ACTUALLY MEANS SHADOW. NOW, HAVE
YOU EVER HAD YOUR SHADOW DO WHAT IT WANTS? IF YOU GO LIKE THIS
AND THE SUN IS SET, RIGHT, WHAT DOES YOUR SHADOW DO? OKAY, SO
WE'VE GOTTA STOP IMITATING AND START BEING. WHAT I MEAN BY THAT
IS IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT HOW IT LOOKS, BUT WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
ARE YOU ALLOWING GOD TO BE GOD THROUGH YOU? ARE YOU OPERATING
AS GOD'S SHADOW? ARE YOU MOVING THE WAY HE MOVES? ARE YOU
SPEAKING THE WAY HE SPEAKS? ARE YOU THINKING THE WAY HE THINKS?
ARE YOU GIVING THE WAY HE GIVES? GOD IS LOVE. THAT HEBREW WORD
LOVE MEANS TO GIVE. GOD IS THE EMBODIMENT OF GIVING. SO IF WE
ARE TO BE HIS SHADOW, HIS IMAGE, THEN WHAT ARE WE TO BE? OH, THAT
WAS REALLY QUIET. PASTOR CHRISTY, HOW QUIET WAS THAT?
DON'T BE MAD AT ME. I'M JUST THE MESSENGER. IT'S EASY TO GET
EXCITED ABOUT THE PROPHECIES AND SEE THAT ALL THAT GOD IS DOING
AND HEAR ABOUT IT. BUT THERE'S THIS PART WHERE WE GOTTA WALK
IT. THIS IS FOR OUR BENEFIT, FOLKS. GOD DOESN'T NEED YOUR
MONEY. HE NEEDS YOUR HEART. HE NEEDS YOUR AGREEMENT. HOW MANY
ARE WILLING TO AGREE TONIGHT? SEE, THAT WAS QUICK, I'M DONE.
IT'S THE QUICK INCISION, I'LL LET YOU DEAL WITH THAT. PUT THE
OFFERING, GIVING INFORMATION UP ON THE SCREEN. FOR YOU THAT ARE
WATCHING ONLINE, I HOPE THAT YOU TOOK THAT TO HEART. WE ARE IN
THE SEASON OF ENTERING IN. AND I PRAY THAT YOU ARE NOT JUST
SETTLING FOR THE 30, THE 60 FOLD, BUT YOU'RE SETTLING AND
STRIVING FOR THE 100 FOLD. HOW DO YOU GET THE 100 FOLD? IT'S
TIME TO ALLOW GOD TO BE GOD THROUGH YOU FULLY AND WHOLLY
WITHOUT ANY RESTRICTION OR SELF-IMPOSED LIMITATION. PASTOR,
I GOT BILLS. I GOT THINGS TO DO, THINGS TO PAY. WE ALL DO. BUT
ARE YOU GONNA ALLOW GOD TO BE GOD? AMEN. GO AHEAD AND SERVE
THE PEOPLE. AS THE USHERS ARE DOING THAT, I JUST WANNA GIVE
YOU GUYS A QUICK UPDATE. THINGS ARE GOING VERY WELL AT THE OMAHA
BASEBALL VILLAGE. WE'RE ALMOST SET UP AND READY TO ROCK. WE'VE
GOT SOME OF THE MERCH HERE, SO YOU GUYS SHOULD GO CHECK US OUT.
WE'LL BE THERE STARTING TOMORROW FROM 10 A.M. TO 10 P.M., SO WAY
PAST SOME OF OUR BEDTIMES. BUT PLEASE COME, SHOW YOUR PRESENCE.
PEOPLE NEED TO SEE WHAT GOD LOOKS LIKE. THAT'S YOU. WE HAVE
A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO MINISTER TO SOME PEOPLE IN A VERY UNIQUE
WAY. SO AGAIN, I WANNA SHOUT OUT PASTOR MATT, HE'S DOWN THERE, AS
WELL AS OTHERS, BOB, A WHOLE BUNCH OF OTHER PEOPLE. SO PLEASE
COME CHECK US OUT. WE'LL BE THERE FOR THE NEXT 12 DAYS.
PLEASE PRAY FOR US.
(LAUGHING)
ALL RIGHT, AND THE WEATHER. YES, THANK YOU, JANET. AND THANK YOU
FOR PRAYING FOR US AND THOSE THAT PRAYED FOR US ON MONDAY.
ALL RIGHT, LOOKS LIKE EVERYONE'S DONE SERVING. EVERYONE WROTE OUT
THEIR MILLION DOLLAR CHECKS. IF YOU COULD PLEASE STAND. JUST
PRAY A QUICK BLESSING AND THEN PASTOR CHRISTY IS GONNA COME TO
THE STAGE. HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS SEASON AND
TIME WHERE THE PEOPLE ARE RESPONDING TO THE FULLNESS OF
WHAT YOU HAVE ALREADY ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH THE CROSS
AND YOUR RESURRECTION. AND SO WE SAY, GOD, WE ALLOW YOU TO BE GOD
THROUGH US IN ALL THAT YOU SET OUT TO DO. LET YOUR KINGDOM COME
AND LET YOUR WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN, AMEN.
PLEASE GIVE A WARM WELCOME TO PASTOR CHRISTY.
(CONGREGATION APPLAUDING)
AMEN. WELL, YOU KNOW, I WANNA GIVE SOME HONOR TO OUR GAME
CHANGERS FOR THEIR, I GOTTA PUT THIS PULPIT WAY DOWN. THEY PUT
IT FOR A MUCH TALLER PERSON. OH, I JUST STUCK SOME WATERS UNDER
THERE TOO. OH, THERE WENT ONE. OKAY, WELL, GIVE ME A MINUTE TO
CLEAN UP AFTER MYSELF. ALL RIGHT, YEAH, NO, I DON'T DO THE
TALL PULPIT 'CAUSE I'M NOT VERY TALL. BUT YEAH, I WANNA GIVE IT
UP FOR OUR GAME CHANGERS. OH, YOU GUYS CAN BE SEATED.
YOU KNOW, THEY'RE DOWN THERE JUST SHOWING THE LOVE OF CHRIST.
YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T ALWAYS MEAN, AND I KNOW WE'RE
GONNA HAVE SOME OTHER TEAMS THAT AREN'T, YOU KNOW, THAT ARE
SEPARATE FROM OUR GAME CHANGERS. THEY'RE GONNA BE DOWN WALKING
THE STREETS AND DOING SOME EVANGELISM AND WITNESSING TO
PEOPLE. THAT ARE DOWN THERE JUST SHOWING WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TO
HAVE PEACE AND WHOLENESS IN YOUR LIFE. AND I'M THRILLED THAT WE
GET THE OPPORTUNITY JUST TO SHOW THE LOVE OF JESUS. SOMETIMES NOT
EVERYTHING HAS TO BE TURN OR BURN IN OUR APPROACH TO
EVANGELISM. SOMETIMES IT'S JUST SHOWING THE PEOPLE THAT WE CARRY
THE LOVE OF CHRIST AND MAN, WHAT IS DIFFERENT ABOUT YOU? AND WE
GET TO SHARE THAT WITH PEOPLE, AMEN. SO THAT'S EXCITING. AND SO
WE'RE SO THRILLED THAT WE'RE DOING THAT. AND YOU KNOW,
THERE'S SOME OTHER THINGS TOO, AND WE'RE GONNA BE TALKING A
LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THIS ON SUNDAY, BUT HOW MANY OF YOU WERE
HERE WHEN WE USED TO DO OUR BACK TO SCHOOL DRIVE MANY YEARS AGO?
AND THEN WE HAD TO KIND OF STOP BECAUSE WE HAD CONSTRUCTION AND
WE HAD NOWHERE TO PUT IT. AND NOW, THOUGH, AND EVEN THOUGH WE
HAD THE CONNECT CENTER, THEN THIS WAS A MESS, AND SO IT
WASN'T REALLY VERY SAFE TO COME TO. BUT NOW, LIKE THE BUILDING
IS DONE, SO WE'RE BRINGING BACK THE BACK TO SCHOOL, BACK TO
SCHOOL DRIVE. CHRIS WHIPPS, WAVE YOUR HAND AT EVERYBODY. HE HAS
BEEN, HE'S A LITTLE SHY. HE'S BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING US
GET THIS EVENT PLANNED, AND HE'S GOT SOME AMAZING THINGS COMING,
SO WE'RE GONNA TELL YOU MORE ABOUT IT, HOW YOU CAN DONATE IF
YOU WANNA DONATE SOME SCHOOL SUPPLIES TO SOME PEOPLE.
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, LISTEN, ONE OF OUR GREATEST JOYS IS BEING
ABLE TO GIVE BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY AND TO MINISTER TO
PEOPLE AND GIVE TO PEOPLE, SO AMEN. ALL RIGHT, WELL, WE'RE
GONNA TALK TONIGHT ABOUT, I HAVE FIVE KEYS TO ANSWERED PRAYER.
YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE SOMETIMES IN THIS DAY AND AGE, WE HAVE A
LOT OF TIMES, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WHIPPING PRAYERS INTO THE
HEAVENS, AND YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WE'RE NOT ALWAYS SEEING THE
RETURN AND THE ANSWER THAT WE WANT. AND THERE'S SOME KEYS THAT
WE HAVE TO HOLD ONTO IN ORDER TO HAVE THOSE PRAYERS ANSWERED. YOU
KNOW, ONE THING WE KNOW ABOUT GOD BECAUSE THE BIBLE SAYS IS
THAT WHEN WE CALL, HE ANSWERS. SO, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WHEN
WE'RE NOT SEEING THOSE ANSWERS, THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT WE CAN
DO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE KEEPING THE FOOT ON THE GAS WITH
OUR PRAYERS SO THAT WE CAN SEE THE GOD TURN SOME, SEE OUR GOD
TURN SOME THINGS AROUND FOR US, AMEN? ALL RIGHT, WELL, TURN IN
YOUR BIBLES OVER TO EXODUS CHAPTER THREE, VERSE 13. AND YOU
KNOW, THIS IS THE TIME, YOU KNOW, WHEN GOD, YOU KNOW, MOSES
GOES UP ONTO THE MOUNTAIN TO SEE THE BURNING BUSH AND GOD REVEALS
HIMSELF TO MOSES AND HE SAYS, "AND MOSES SAID UNTO GOD,
"BEHOLD, WHEN I AM COME UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL "AND SHALL
SAY UNTO THEM, "THE GOD OF YOUR FATHERS HAS SENT ME UNTO YOU
"AND THEY SHALL SAY TO ME, WHAT IS HIS NAME? "WHAT SHALL I SAY
TO THEM?" SO THEN IN VERSE 14, AND IT SAYS, "GOD SAID UNTO
MOSES, I AM THAT I AM. "AND HE SAID, SHALT THOU SAY UNTO THE
CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, "I AM HAS SENT ME UNTO YOU." NOW WHAT DOES
THAT MEAN? IT MEANS THAT GOD WAS SAYING, "LISTEN, I AM THE GOD
THAT EXISTS. "YOU MAY HAVE FORGOTTEN ME, BUT I AM. "I AM
LIVING, I AM ALIVE, I AM THAT I AM." BUT SEE, ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT WE SAW IS THAT THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL ONLY SAW HIM AS THE
GOD THAT EXISTS. SO THE FIRST KEY IN ANSWERED PRAYER IS TO
REMEMBER THE NAME OF THE LORD. BECAUSE IF YOU GO THROUGH AND
YOU READ THE ACCOUNT OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, THEY NEVER
EVER SAW GOD OTHER THAN THE POWERFUL ALMIGHTY GOD. THEY
NEVER SAW HIM AS A RELATIONAL FATHER. THEY NEVER, THEY ALL, AT
EVERY TURN, THEY WERE DOUBTING HIM. AT EVERY TURN, THEY WERE
MURMURING AGAINST HIM. AND THEN MOSES, NOW SEE, NOW MOSES HAD A
DIFFERENT RELATIONSHIP. NOW TURN OVER TO EXODUS 33, VERSE 18. AND
THIS IS MOSES. HE GOES INTO THE TENT OF MEETING 'CAUSE HE
CONSTRUCTED A TENT TO GO AND MEET WITH GOD. AND THAT'S ONE
THING THAT IS IMPORTANT IN OUR PRAYER LIFE IS THAT WE HAVE A
PLACE OF MEETING WITH GOD. NOW THAT'S NOT ONE OF THE KEYS,
THAT'S JUST A BONUS. BUT HE GOES AND HE SAYS, AND HE SAID, I
BESEECH THEE, SHOW ME THY GLORY. AND HE SAID, AND I WILL MAKE ALL
MY GOODNESS PASS BEFORE THEE, AND I WILL PROCLAIM THE NAME OF
THE LORD BEFORE THEE, AND I WILL BE GRACIOUS TO WHO I AM
GRACIOUS, AND I WILL SHOW MERCY UPON WHO I WILL SHOW MERCY. NOW,
GOD RESPONDS, HE SAYS, I'M GONNA MAKE MY GOODNESS PASS BEFORE
YOU, AND I'M GONNA PROCLAIM THE NAME OF THE LORD BEFORE YOU.
NOW, SEE, IN PSALM 25, VERSE EIGHT, IT SAYS THAT GOD IS GOOD
AND HE'S THE UPRIGHT JEHOVAH. IN OTHER WORDS, HE'S JEHOVAH THE
GOOD. SEE, GOD, IF WE KNOW WHAT THE NAME OF GOD IS, IT'S NOT
THAT GOD HAS ONE NAME. IT'S ONE GOD WITH MANY NAMES. BECAUSE HE
IS I AM, HE IS JEHOVAH, HE IS EL SHADDAI, HE IS EL ELYON, HE IS
THE LORD SABIOTH, HE IS ALL OF THOSE THINGS. AND ANYTIME WE GO
IN TO PRAY, WHEN WE'RE CALLING THE NAME OF THE LORD, WE'RE
CALLING ON ALL OF WHO GOD IS. SEE, I GUARANTEE YOU THERE IS
NOT ANYTHING THAT YOU COULD NAME. IF YOU GO IN TO ASK THE
LORD TO MEET YOUR NEEDS, IF YOU GO IN TO ASK GOD FOR SOMETHING,
THERE IS NOTHING THAT IS NOT IN THE CHARACTER OF GOD THAT CANNOT
ANSWER WHAT YOUR NEED IS. BECAUSE IF YOU'RE IN NEED OF
PROVISION, HE IS EL SHADDAI. IF YOU'RE IN NEED OF HEALING, HE IS
JEHOVAH RAPHA. IF YOU ARE IN NEED, AGAIN, OF PROVISION, IT
ALSO CALLS HIM JEHOVAH JIREH, THE LORD, OUR PROVIDER. IF
YOU'RE IN NEED OF DEFENSE, HE IS THE BANNER OVER US. IF YOU'RE IN
NEED OF FORGIVENESS, HE IS JEHOVAH TO SIDKENU, WHICH IS THE
LORD, OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. SO ONE OF THE BIGGEST KEYS TO HAVING
OUR PRAYERS ANSWERED IS JUST CALLING ON THE NAME OF THE LORD
OUR GOD. BECAUSE WHEN WE CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD OUR
GOD, WE'RE CALLING UPON ALL OF WHO GOD IS. NOW, AND YOU KNOW,
TURN YOUR BIBLES OVER TO PSALM 20 VERSE 1 AND SEE WHAT WOULD
HAVE HAPPENED IF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WOULD HAVE SEEN GOD AS
JEHOVAH THE GOOD. EVERY TIME THEY CAME FROM THING TO THING TO
THING, AND FROM, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY WOULD GO FROM ONE PLACE OF
HARDSHIP AND THEY WOULD ENTER INTO ANOTHER PLACE OF HARDSHIP,
IF THEY WOULD HAVE UNDERSTOOD THE GOODNESS AND THE CHARACTER
OF GOD, THEY WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN QUICK TO NOT BELIEVE IN HIM. BUT
BECAUSE THEY REFUSED TO, THEY ONLY WANTED TO SEE HIM AS I AM.
NOW PSALM 20 VERSE ONE SAYS, THE LORD HEARS YOU IN THE DAY OF
TROUBLE AND THE NAME OF THE GOD OF JACOB WILL DEFEND YOU. IN
OTHER WORDS, GOD HEARS US WHEN YOU'RE IN TROUBLE. GOD HEARS US
AND THE GOD OF JACOB IS OUR DEFENSE. SO THE SAME, WHAT IS
THAT SAYING? THE SAME GOD THAT DEFENDED JACOB IS THE SAME GOD
THAT'S GONNA DEFEND US WHEN WE CALL ON HIM. IT'S NOT THAT HE IS
ONLY JACOB'S GOD. IT SAYS THAT THE NAME OF THE GOD OF JACOB,
BECAUSE THE VERY SAME GOD THAT WAS THE GOD OF JACOB IS THE GOD
THAT WE CALL UPON. AND HERE'S THE THING, DO YOU KNOW JOSHUA,
YOU KNOW, YOU REMEMBER THE STORY HOW THE THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL,
THEY GO UP, THEY HAVE THE LAND OF PROMISE AND SEE THAT'S, YOU
KNOW, THAT THEY HAVE THE LAND OF PROMISE, THAT GOD HAS PROMISED
TO THEM AND ALL THEY COULD SEE WERE THE OBSTACLES. BUT SEE,
JOSHUA HAD A DIFFERENT REVELATION OF WHO GOD WAS. WHY?
BECAUSE WHEN MOSES WOULD GO INTO THE TENT OF MEETING, JOSHUA
WOULD GO INTO THE TENT OF MEETING. AND THEN WHEN MOSES
WOULD LEAVE THE TENT OF MEETING, JOSHUA WOULD STAY IN THE TENT OF
MEETING. BECAUSE WHAT WAS JOSHUA DOING? GETTING HIS OWN
REVELATION OF THE LORD. SO WHEN THE TIME CAME AND MOSES DIES AND
GOD SHOWS UP TO JOSHUA AND SAYS, "LISTEN, MOSES, MY SERVANT IS
DEAD. NOW YOU'RE GOING TO GO IN AND YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE THE
LAND OF PROMISE." AND HE REVEALS TO JOSHUA THAT HE IS THE LORD OF
HOSTS. HE IS THE LORD OF ARMIES. GOD COULDN'T REVEAL HIMSELF TO
THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL THAT WAY BECAUSE THEY REFUSED TO SEE HIM
AS ANYTHING ELSE BUT THE GOD THAT EXISTS. AND IF IN OUR
PRAYER LIFE ALL WE SEE IS THAT HE'S THE GOD THAT EXISTS, THEN
WE'RE NOT GOING TO BELIEVE OR HAVE FAITH THAT HE'S GONNA
ANSWER OUR CALL, OUR CRY, OR OUR PRAYER BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW THE
CHARACTER OF WHO HE IS. SO THAT'S IMPORTANT, THAT'S WHY WE
NEED TO REMEMBER THE NAME OF THE LORD. AMEN? SO, I MEAN, YOU
KNOW, I WANNA HAVE MY OWN REVELATION OF GOD. I DON'T WANT
WHAT SOMEBODY ELSE SAID ABOUT HIM. BECAUSE IF I ONLY KNOW WHAT
SOMEBODY ELSE SAID ABOUT HIM, THEN WHEN IT COMES TIME TO CALL
ON HIM, I'M NOT GONNA KNOW THAT HE IS GOING TO ANSWER ME. THE
REASON OUR KIDS KNOW THAT WHEN THEY ASK US FOR SOMETHING THAT
THEY HAVE NO DOUBT THAT THEY'RE GONNA RECEIVE IS BECAUSE THEY
KNOW THE CHARACTER OF WHO THEIR PARENTS ARE. AND IF YOU DON'T
HAVE A REVELATION OF WHO GOD IS, THEN IT'S HARD TO GET YOUR
PRAYERS ANSWERED BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT TRULY BELIEVING IN THE NAME
OF THE LORD. 'CAUSE THE BIBLE SAYS THE RIGHT HAND OF THE LORD
DOES VALIANTLY. THE RIGHT HAND OF THE LORD IS EXALTED. WHEN THE
ENEMY COMES IN LIKE A FLOOD, THE LORD WILL RAISE UP A STANDARD
AGAINST HIM. OKAY, SO WE'VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO CALL, WE'VE GOTTA
REMEMBER THE NAME OF THE LORD OUR GOD WHEN IT COMES TIME FOR
US TO COME INTO A PLACE OF PRAYER. AND YOU KNOW, AND AGAIN,
EVEN REMEMBER WHEN JESUS, NOW YES, THIS IS, AND HERE'S THE
THING, THE NAME OF THE LORD IN WORSHIP GO HAND IN HAND. SO IF
YOU GO BACK OVER TO MATTHEW CHAPTER SIX WHERE JESUS TEACHES
THEM TO PRAY, HE SAYS, "OUR FATHER WHICH ART IN HEAVEN,"
WHAT IS THAT? AGAIN, IT'S A NAME FOR GOD, OUR FATHER, ABBA. "OUR
ABBA WHICH ART IN HEAVEN, HOLY IS YOUR NAME." HE COMES IN
BECAUSE HE'S, WHAT ARE WE DOING? GETTING A REVELATION, WE'RE
REMINDING OURSELVES WHO IS THE GOD THAT WE SERVE. AND THEN HE
GOES INTO SAYING, "THY KINGDOM COME," AND HE TEACHES THEM THE
REST OF THE WAY TO PRAY. SO THE NUMBER ONE KEY TO ANSWER PRAYER
IS REMEMBERING THE NAME OF THE LORD, OR REMEMBER THE NAME OF
THE LORD. NUMBER TWO, NOW THIS ONE'S FUN BECAUSE THE CULTURE
THAT WE LIVE IN SOMETIMES REALLY DRIVES US TO BEND THIS WAY. BUT
NUMBER TWO, ONE OF THE KEYS TO ANSWERED PRAYER IS DON'T BE A
VICTIM OF YOUR CIRCUMSTANCE. PRESENT OR PAST. PRESENT OR
PAST. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE NOW THAT THEY USE THE,
WELL, I'M TRIGGERED BY THAT. I'M SORRY, THAT'S A VICTIM
MENTALITY. IF YOU'RE TRIGGERED BY SOMETHING, THEN THAT MEANS
YOU'RE NOT WHOLE. IF SOMETHING IS TRIGGERING YOU, THEN
SOMEWHERE YOU'VE GOT SOME VICTIMHOOD THAT YOU'VE GOT TO
DEAL WITH. WAS THAT HARSH? I DIDN'T MEAN TO BE HARSH. BUT
HERE'S THE THING, A VICTIM, A VICTIM SEES LIFE THROUGH THE
LENS OF THEIR HURT, THEIR DEFEAT, THEIR ABUSE. THEY
STRUGGLE TO SEE FREEDOM AND VICTORY, AND USUALLY THEY'RE NOT
WILLING TO WORK FOR IT. YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WHEN PEOPLE HAVE
BEEN INGRAINED AS A VICTIM, THEY STRUGGLE TO COME INTO A PLACE OF
PRAYER AND BELIEVE THAT GOD IS GONNA MOVE ON THEIR BEHALF, OR
THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO STAND UP AND TRULY ASK GOD IN A PLACE OF
FAITH. BECAUSE AGAIN, AND YOU KNOW, THE DEVIL LOVES, HE LOVES
VICTIMS BECAUSE VICTIMS DON'T WIN. IF YOU START WINNING,
YOU'RE NO LONGER A VICTIM. YOU KNOW, I MEAN, AND IT'S FUNNY
BECAUSE WE HAVE THIS WHOLE THING THAT, YOU KNOW, SYSTEMIC RACISM,
SLAVERY, ALL OF THOSE THINGS. DO YOU KNOW WE DON'T, THAT SLAVERY
IS NOW ILLEGAL IN THE UNITED STATES? I MEAN, IS THAT A SHOCK
TO ANYBODY? YOU CANNOT OWN A SLAVE. LIKE, IT'S ILLEGAL. AND
IT WAS WIPED OUT A LONG, LONG TIME AGO. LIKE, CENTURY. PLUS,
IT WAS WIPED OUT. SO, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE I SAW A THING, YOU KNOW,
AND I CAN'T HELP BUT PREACH WITHOUT SOME OF THE CULTURAL
STUFF SEEPING IN, 'CAUSE THAT'S WHO I AM. BUT I SAW SOMEBODY
THAT SAID, WELL, THIS SYSTEMIC SLAVERY GOT US HERE. I'M LIKE,
IT'S NOT SYSTEMIC ANYMORE, WE DON'T ALLOW IT. SO, YOU KNOW,
WAKE UP IN THIS CENTURY AND MAYBE WE CAN GET SOMEWHERE.
OKAY, ANYWAY, SORRY, YOU KNOW, SEE, I CAN'T HELP IT. AND HERE'S
THE THING, WE'VE GOTTA BE CAREFUL WE DON'T FALL VICTIM TO
THE VICTIM CULTURE. 'CAUSE WE HAVE A VICTIM CULTURE WHERE WE
COME IN, OR NOT WE 'CAUSE I DON'T, BUT SOME PEOPLE COME IN
AND THEY BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE OWED A CERTAIN THING. DO YOU
KNOW, WE DON'T GO TO GOD AND SAY, "LISTEN, I'M OWED." BECAUSE
HE ALREADY PAID THE PRICE. AND WE'RE WALKING IN GRACE. BUT
HERE'S THE THING, IF YOU'RE COMING IN IN VICTIMHOOD AND YOU
CAN'T GET OUT OF YOUR PAST, THEN IT'S HARD TO COME IN AND PRAY TO
A GOD THAT IS LIVING IN YOUR PRESENT. A GOD THAT CALLED YOU
FROM YOUR MOTHER'S WOMB, THAT DIDN'T JUST, THAT JUST WASN'T
JEREMIAH. IF YOU WERE CONCEIVED AND A SPIRIT WAS CREATED, GOD
KNEW OF YOUR EXISTENCE AND HE HAD A PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE. SO WE
CAN'T LIVE IN VICTIMHOOD. NOW TURN OVER TO, AND PASTOR HANK
HIT ON THIS, ISAIAH CHAPTER 43, AND IF YOU WERE HERE ON SUNDAY,
THIS SHOULD BE A FAMILIAR SCRIPTURE TO YOU 'CAUSE HE JUST
TALKED ABOUT THIS. HE SAYS, "REMEMBER NOT THE FORMER THINGS,
"NEITHER CONSIDER THE THINGS OF OLD. "BEHOLD, I WILL DO A NEW
THING, "AND NOW IT SHALL SPRING FORTH, SHALL YOU NOT KNOW IT. "I
WILL EVEN MAKE A WAY IN THE WILDERNESS "AND RIVERS IN THE
DESERT." DO YOU KNOW THAT MAKING A ROAD IN THE WILDERNESS IS NOT
AN EASY TASK AND RIVERS IN THE DESERT IS NOT, HAVE YOU BEEN TO
THE DESERT? YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT KNOWN FOR BEING FULL OF
WATER. THEY'RE NOT KNOWN FOR BEING A FRUITFUL PLACE. BUT GOD
SAID, LISTEN, I, I'M GONNA MAKE RIVERS IN THE DESERT, I'M DOING
SOMETHING NEW. AND SO IN OTHER WORDS, GET YOUR MIND OFF THE
THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN THE THINGS OF THE PAST. BECAUSE VICTIMS
LIVE IN THE PAST. VICTIMS LIVE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ALWAYS HAVING
TO TALK ABOUT THEIR SCARS AND THEIR HURT BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT
ENCOUNTERING THE ONE THAT SAID I CAME TO BIND UP THE
BROKENHEARTED. AMEN? I KNOW, IT'S NOT A FUN MESSAGE. BUT YOU
KNOW, GOD, AND HERE'S THE THING, GOD DOES HEAR US IN OUR
STRUGGLE. PSALM 34:6, SAYS, THIS POOR MAN CRIED UNTO THE
LORD AND HE SAVED THEM OUT OF ALL OF HIS TROUBLE. SO IT'S NOT
THAT GOD DOESN'T HEAR US IN THE MOMENT OF OUR WEAKNESS OR IN OUR
BROKENNESS, BUT GOD WASN'T GONNA LEAVE US IN OUR BROKENNESS
BECAUSE GOD IS A GOD THAT'S ONGOING. TURN OVER TO EZEKIEL
CHAPTER 36, VERSE FOUR. AND IT SAYS, THEREFORE, YOU MOUNTAINS
OF ISRAEL, HEAR THE WORD OF THE LORD, OR HEAR THE WORD OF THE
LORD GOD, THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD TO THE MOUNTAINS, AND TO THE
HILLS, AND TO THE RIVERS, AND TO THE VALLEYS, TO THE DESOLATE
WASTE, AND TO THE CITIES THAT ARE FORSAKEN, WHICH BECAME A
PREY, AND DERISION, AND THE RESIDUE OF THE HEATHEN THAT ARE
ROUND ABOUT HIM. I DON'T THINK I GAVE YOU THE RIGHT SCRIPTURE FOR
THAT. SO LET'S MOVE ON FROM THAT, 'CAUSE I DON'T EVEN KNOW
WHAT I WROTE. LET'S GO TO PHILIPPIANS CHAPTER THREE. BUT
HERE'S THE THING. YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO LIVE IN A PLACE
WHERE I'M ALWAYS REHEARSING PAST HURTS. I WANNA BE A PERSON
THAT'S REHEARSING VICTORIES. YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THERE IS, THERE IS
OPPORTUNITY IN OUR LIFE TO GET HURT. THERE'S GONNA BE
OPPORTUNITIES IN OUR LIFE FOR US TO HAVE PEOPLE THAT DON'T LIKE
US. I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW WHY ANYBODY WOULDN'T LIKE ME. I'M
SUCH A SWEET PERSON. WELL, NO, I'M KINDA SALTY AND VINEGARY,
BUT YOU KNOW. BUT YOU KNOW, WE ARE WHO WE ARE. YOU KNOW, BUT
YOU'RE GONNA HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO GET HURT. YOU'RE GONNA HAVE
OPPORTUNITIES TO HAVE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, NOT LIKE YOU. YOU'RE
GONNA HAVE OPPORTUNITIES WHERE THE DEVIL IS GOING TO TRY TO
SABOTAGE YOUR CONFIDENCE. BUT THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS,
WE'VE GOT TO KEEP PRESSING FORWARD BECAUSE GOD'S NOT A GOD
THAT LIVES IN THE PAST. IF HE LIVED IN THE PAST, WE WOULDN'T
HAVE THE NEXT GENERATION. WHY DOES HE SAY FROM GENERATION TO
GENERATION, OR YOUR SEED IS GONNA BE BLESSED? 'CAUSE GOD'S
ALWAYS LOOKING INTO THE FUTURE. NOW, PHILIPPIANS 3:13 SAYS,
BRETHREN, I COUNT NOT MYSELF TO HAVE APPREHENDED, BUT THIS ONE
THING I DO, FORGETTING THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE BEHIND AND
REACHING FORTH UNTO THE THINGS WHICH ARE BEFORE. SO WHAT IS
THAT? THE THINGS THAT ARE AHEAD. AND IT SAYS, I PRESS TOWARD THE
MARK FOR THE PRIZE OF THE HIGH CALLING OF GOD IN CHRIST JESUS.
NOW, LISTEN, IF YOU DON'T WANNA BE A VICTIM, DON'T ADOPT THE
LANGUAGE OF VICTIMS. DON'T SAY TO SOMEBODY, LISTEN, YOU KNOW, I
WAS MAKING A JOKE ABOUT THE TRIGGER THING, BUT DON'T USE
THAT LANGUAGE, BECAUSE THAT'S THE LANGUAGE OF THE CULTURE. IF
SOMETHING BOTHERS ME, IT'S NOT SOMEBODY ELSE'S RESPONSIBILITY
TO MAKE ME FEEL GOOD. IT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO GET INTO MY
PRAYER CLOSET AND SAY, GOD, YOU NEED TO FIX WHAT IS GOING ON
WITH ME. IT'S NOT SOMEBODY, IT IS NOT JANET'S JOB TO MAKE ME
FEEL GOOD ABOUT MYSELF. IT IS NOT PASTOR ANTHONY'S JOB TO GIVE
ME A COMPLIMENT SO I STAY CONFIDENT IN WHAT GOD CALLED ME
TO DO. IT'S NOT THEIR JOB. DAVID SAID HE ENCOURAGED HIMSELF IN
THE LORD. IF HE WOULD HAVE LISTENED TO WHAT HIS MEN WERE
SAYING, THEY TALKED OF STONING HIM, HE COULD HAVE SAID, "OH,
YOU'RE TRIGGERING ME.”
(CONGREGATION LAUGHING)
WELL, THAT'S NOT THE LANGUAGE OF SOMEBODY THAT WALKS IN VICTORY,
THAT'S THE VICTIM. SEE, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
KEEPS US FROM HAVING ANSWERED PRAYER, IS SOMETIMES WE COME IN
AND WE CAN'T, WE SO CAN'T GET PAST OUR OWN HURT AND OUR OWN
THING THAT WE CAN'T EVEN HEAR, BECAUSE OUR EARS ARE DULL, WE
CAN'T EVEN HEAR THE VOICE OF THE LORD WHEN HE'S TRYING TO ANSWER
BECAUSE WE ONLY WANT THINGS THROUGH THE LENS OF OUR OWN
HURT. AND HERE'S THE THING, I'M NOT SAYING YOU CAN'T ASK GOD WHY
SOMETHING HAPPENED. YOU CAN, BUT IF HE DIDN'T ANSWER, DON'T STAY
THERE. AND SOMETIMES GOD DOESN'T ALWAYS GIVE US A WHY. AND
SOMETIMES THE WHY IS, IS BECAUSE THE ENEMY COMES IN AND IS TRYING
TO DISRUPT YOUR LIFE. YOU KNOW, AND VICTIMS THINK NOBODY
UNDERSTANDS THEIR STRUGGLES. HAVE YOU EVER BEEN THERE? NOBODY
UNDERSTANDS WHAT I'M GOING THROUGH. I MEAN, I HAVE. AND,
BUT THAT'S BECAUSE THEY CAN NEVER SEE SOMETHING NEW. THEY'VE
BEEN SO BUSY LOOKING AT THEIR PAST TRAUMA. AND YOU KNOW, IT'S
FUNNY, EVERYBODY'S GOT TRAUMA NOWADAYS. IT USED TO BE THAT,
YOU KNOW, IT WAS, AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT THERE'S NOT REAL
TRAUMAS. THERE ARE REAL TRAUMAS THAT HAPPEN TO PEOPLE. BUT NOW,
LIKE PEOPLE ARE TRAUMATIZED BECAUSE THEIR PARENTS DIDN'T LET
'EM HAVE SOMETHING, OR PEOPLE ARE TRAUMATIZED BECAUSE THEY
DIDN'T GET A PROMOTION AT WORK THAT MAYBE THEY DIDN'T EARN. OR,
ANYWAY. BUT SEE, THAT'S VICTIM. AND SOMETIMES, GOD CAN'T DO
SOMETHING NEW IN YOUR LIFE, AND IT'S HARD FOR HIM TO ANSWER YOUR
PRAYERS IF YOU'RE ONLY GONNA SEE YOURSELF THROUGH THE LENS OF
YOUR HURT AND ABUSE. NOW, YOU KNOW, LOT'S WIFE HAD SALVATION
FROM THE DESTRUCTION OF SODOM AND GOMORRAH, BUT SHE COULDN'T
GET PAST LOSING HER HOME. SO SHE LOOKED BACK AND NEVER ENTERED
INTO THE PROMISE. BECAUSE WHEN YOU LIVE IN THE PAST, GOD CAN'T
TAKE YOU INTO YOUR FUTURE. SO YOU CAN BE PRAYING FOR THINGS
THAT YOU'RE NOT GETTING TO BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT LOOKING PAST
WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU. YOU KNOW, AND HIS DAUGHTERS, LIKE THEY HAD
TO HEAR, EVEN IF THEY COULDN'T LOOK AT IT, THEY HAD TO HEAR
WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN SODOM AND GOMORRAH. AND INSTEAD OF SAYING,
OH MY LORD, YOU SAVED US, THEY WENT AND COMMITTED SIN BECAUSE
THEY COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT GOD COULD BRING THEM HUSBANDS AND
CHILDREN BECAUSE THEY LET THE PAST INFLUENCE THEIR DECISION
FOR THE FUTURE. SO THAT'S WHY WE CAN'T, ONE OF THE KEYS TO
ANSWERED PRAYER IS THAT WE HAVE TO SEE OURSELVES NOT AS A
VICTIM, BUT WE NEED TO SEE OURSELVES AS THE REDEEMED OF THE
LORD. TURN OVER TO HEBREWS CHAPTER FOUR, VERSE 15 AND 16.
AND IT SAYS, "FOR WE DON'T HAVE," AND SEE, THAT'S THE OTHER
THING. REMEMBER, WE JUST SAID THAT VICTIMS THINK NOBODY ELSE
UNDERSTANDS THEIR PLIGHT AND THEIR STRUGGLE. WELL, YOU KNOW
WHAT, I MAY NOT UNDERSTAND IT. MAYBE I DIDN'T GO THROUGH IT.
MAYBE SOMEBODY ELSE DIDN'T GO THROUGH IT. BUT THE, AND SEE,
THAT'S THE THING. WE'VE GOTTA STAY WITH WHAT THE WORD OF GOD
SAYS. FOR WE DON'T HAVE A HIGH PRIEST WHICH CANNOT BE TOUCHED
WITH THE FEELINGS OF OUR INFIRMITIES. AND IT'S NOT JUST
MEANING INFIRMITIES, IT'S MEANING WHAT OUR TRIALS AND OUR
STRUGGLES WERE. BUT WAS IN ALL POINTS TEMPTED JUST LIKE WE
WERE, YET HE DID IT WITHOUT SIN. NOW GO TO VERSE 16. AND WHAT
DOES IT SAY? LET US THEREFORE COME BOLDLY TO THE THRONE OF
GRACE THAT WE MAY OBTAIN MERCY AND FIND GRACE TO HELP IN THE
TIME OF NEED. SO GOD'S SAYING, "DON'T COME AND SAY, 'WOE IS ME,
"'I AM LONELY,' AND GOD, IF YOU COULD JUST HEAR," HE SAID, "NO,
COME BOLDLY TO THE THRONE OF GRACE, "BECAUSE THE PRICE FOR US
TO GET TO THE THRONE ROOM "WAS ALREADY COVERED BY THE BLOOD OF
JESUS, "AND BECAUSE IT WAS COVERED BY THE BLOOD OF JESUS,
"WE DON'T HAVE TO LIVE IN VICTIMHOOD ANYMORE. "WE GET TO
LIVE IN THE VICTORY "THAT WAS BROUGHT TO US THROUGH CHRIST,
"AND COME BOLDLY TO THE THRONE OF GRACE SO THAT WE CAN OBTAIN
MERCY." AMEN? SO HERE'S THE THING. LIKE I SAID, WE'VE GOT TO
REHEARSE WHAT OUR VICTORIES ARE. AND I SAW THIS THING ON SOCIAL
MEDIA ABOUT SOMEBODY THAT THEY HAD GOTTEN A DIAGNOSIS. AND I
MEAN, I HAVE A LITTLE DIFFERENT TAKE ON IT, BUT SOMETIMES WE'RE
TOO QUICK IN THE BODY OF CHRIST OR ANYWHERE REALLY. BUT AGAIN,
SOMETIMES IT'S, WE GOTTA BE CAREFUL NOT TO LET THAT CULTURE
COME IN AND RAISE ITS HEAD IN OUR LIFE. BECAUSE IT TRIES. AND
IT TRIES ALL AROUND US. SO THEY HAD GOTTEN A PARTICULARLY POOR
DIAGNOSIS AND OUR RESPONSE A LOT OF TIMES TO THAT IS WHY ME? WHY
ME? SOMETHING BAD HAPPENS AND IT'S WHY ME? AND, YOU KNOW, BUT
THEY SAID, YOU KNOW, I DECIDED INSTEAD OF SAYING WHY ME, WHY
NOT ME? WHY AM I DIFFERENT THAN ANYBODY ELSE? WHICH, THAT'S
FINE. I MEAN, THAT'S BETTER THAN JUST CRYING AND SORROW OVER IT.
HOWEVER, I WANNA SAY WHY NOT ME RECEIVING A HEALING? WHY NOT ME
RECEIVING THE VICTORY? WHY NOT ME? WHY IS IT SOMEBODY ELSE?
AGAIN, WHAT DID PAUL SAY? I PRESS TOWARD THE MARK OF THE
HIGH CALL OF GOD IN CHRIST JESUS. WELL, I'M NOT GONNA
FULFILL THE HIGH CALL OF GOD IF I'M SICK AND BROKEN, DEPRESSED.
SO WHY NOT ME? WHY AM I NOT A CANDIDATE FOR GOD TO BLESS ME? I
AM A CANDIDATE BECAUSE OF THE BLOOD OF JESUS. I AM A CANDIDATE
BECAUSE OF THE PROMISES OF GOD.
(CONGREGATION APPLAUDING)
SO ANOTHER KEY TO ANSWERED PRAYER. SEE, THIS ISN'T JUST ALL
JUST FAITH AND PRAYING. I MEAN, WE'RE GONNA GET TO SOME OF THAT
TOO. BUT IT'S DON'T BE A VICTIM. BECAUSE WHEN YOU LIVE YOUR LIFE
THROUGH VICTIMHOOD, THEN YOU'RE NEVER GONNA GET INTO WHAT GOD
CALLED YOU. BECAUSE AGAIN, YOU KNOW WHAT? I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE
CALLED TO BE AN OVERCOMER. YOU'RE CALLED TO BE AN
OVERCOMER. LOOK AT YOUR NEIGHBOR AND SAY YOU'RE CALLED TO
OVERCOME. ALL RIGHT, NUMBER THREE. DON'T BE A GRIPER. THE
QUICKEST WAY TO TURN OFF THE EAR OF THE FATHER IS TO BE A GRIPER
AND A COMPLAINER. TURN OVER TO PSALM 100, VERSE 4. IT SAYS,
"ENTER INTO HIS GATES WITH," WHAT? THANKSGIVING. HE DIDN'T
SAY ENTER INTO HIS COURTS WITH THE, OH GOD, HERE I AM AGAIN AND
EVERYTHING'S GOING WRONG IN MY LIFE AND MY HUSBAND WAS MEAN TO
ME, MY KIDS DISRESPECTED ME, MY BOSS WASN'T NICE TO ME, MY
FAMILY MEMBERS, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE EXCOMMUNICATED ME. AND
WE, YOU KNOW, COME AND WE'RE GRIPING AT THE THRONE. WELL, I'M
GONNA ASK PARENTS, HOW MANY OF YOU PARENTS GET SUPER EXCITED TO
BLESS YOUR KIDS WHEN THEY'RE GRIPING AND COMPLAINING ABOUT
EVERYTHING IN THEIR LIFE? THAT'S NOT, IT DOESN'T PARTICULARLY
WORK THAT WELL FOR MY HUSBAND AND I. IF THEY'RE JUST GRIPING
AND COMPLAINING, THEN WE'RE NOT LIKE, HEY, LET ME BLESS YOU. I'M
LIKE, STRAIGHTEN UP YOUR ATTITUDE RIGHT NOW. DON'T YOU
SEE YOU HAVE THIS, THIS, THIS, AND THIS, AND THIS, AND THIS?
AND SO WE NEED TO COME IN WITH THANKSGIVING. AND YOU KNOW, THE
BIBLE RECORDS THAT THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL MURMURED AGAINST THE
LORD 15 TIMES. WHERE WAS THEIR GRATEFULNESS FOR THE CONTINUAL
MERCIES OF GOD? SOMETIMES IT'S HARD FOR US TO REMEMBER TO BE
THANKFUL WHEN WE'RE SO BUSY COMPLAINING. WE WERE LIVING IN A
HOUSE THAT, IT WAS A NICE HOUSE. I MEAN, I DIDN'T HATE THE HOUSE,
BUT I WANTED SOME THINGS IN ANOTHER HOUSE THAT I HAD JUST
BEEN PRAYING FOR. LIKE THEY WERE A BIG DESIRE OF MY HEART. AND
I'M LIKE, GOD, I REALLY, AND SOME PEOPLE ARE LIKE, OH NO, YOU
DON'T WANT THAT. THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, AND I WAS LIKE, NO
GOD, I REALLY WANT THIS. THIS IS WHAT I WANT. AND IT HAD BEEN A
BIG DESIRE OF MY HEART. BUT YOU KNOW, IN ALL OF THAT, I DIDN'T
CURSE THE RESIDENCE THAT I HAD. I FIXED IT UP, I MADE IT NICE. I
DECORATED IT FOR CHRISTMAS EVERY YEAR. I, YOU KNOW, I DECORATE
FOR ALL THE SEASONS. I MADE IT NICE, WE TOOK CARE OF THAT
HOUSE. AND I WOULD SIT DOWN THERE IN MY LIVING ROOM AND I
WOULD PRAY AND SAY, "GOD, I THANK YOU THAT YOU BLESSED ME
WITH THIS." I WASN'T JUST SO FOCUSED ON THE THING THAT I
WANTED. AND WHEN I WOULD TALK TO THE LORD ABOUT THE OTHER THING,
I WOULD SAY, "NOW GOD, YOU KNOW THAT'S A DESIRE OF MY HEART, BUT
YOU KNOW, IN THE MEANTIME, MAN, YOU GAVE ME SOMETHING NICE." AND
I DIDN'T SPEND TIME COMPLAINING OVER WHAT I DIDN'T HAVE. I WAS
THANKING GOD FOR WHAT HE HAD BLESSED ME WITH. SO WHAT DOES
THAT DO? THAT CREATES THE OPPORTUNITY FOR HIM TO GIVE US
MORE. AND YOU KNOW, AND WHEN GOD, AND THEN SUDDENLY GOD MADE
IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO GET A DIFFERENT HOUSE THAT HAD MORE
THAN EVEN WHAT I HAD ASKED HIM FOR. AND I WAS BLOWN AWAY. AND
YOU KNOW, AND THAT WAS THE THING, WE PRAYED ABOUT IT A LOT
BECAUSE, AND ESPECIALLY WHEN WE WENT TO GO MOVE, I WAS LOOKING
AT ALL THESE THINGS AND GOD KEPT GOING TO THIS ONE THING OVER
HERE AND I WAS LIKE, WELL, WHAT ABOUT THIS OVER HERE? AND GOD'S
LIKE, NO. ACTUALLY, THAT WAS THROUGH THE VOICE OF MY HUSBAND.
LADIES, LISTEN TO YOUR HUSBANDS. THEY HEAR FROM THE LORD. AND I
WAS LIKE, WELL, I DON'T KNOW, I WANT THIS. AND WE WERE LOOKING
IN THIS ONE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE COVENANT SAID THAT YOU HAVE TO
HAVE ALL THESE WROUGHT IRON FENCES. WELL, I HAVE FOUR DOGS.
THREE OF THEM ARE AUSTRALIAN SHEPHERDS. IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING
ABOUT DOGS, AUSTRALIAN SHEPHERDS ARE NOT KNOWN TO BE SUPER QUIET
DOGS. THEY LIKE TO BARK AT THINGS AND THEY WANT TO PROTECT
THEIR HOME. SO THEY'RE GOING TO LET YOU KNOW IF THEY THINK THAT
ANYBODY IS GONNA COME NEAR THEIR HOUSE AT ALL, A LOT. AND WE WERE
LOOKING IN THIS ONE AREA AND I WAS LIKE, ALL OF A SUDDEN I WAS
LAYING IN BED AND IT DAWNED ON ME, I'M LIKE, WITH A WROUGHT
IRON FENCE, I SAID, "HONEY, THERE IS NOT ENOUGH LANDSCAPING
IN ALL THE WORLD TO KEEP THOSE DOGS FROM SEEING THROUGH THAT
FENCE." I'M LIKE, "I DON'T WANNA LIVE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD." AND
HE'S LIKE, "I'M TELLING YOU, "WE NEED TO GO LOOK AT THIS HOUSE
OVER HERE." AND THE HOUSE THAT HE PICKED, NOT ONLY DID IT CHECK
ALL THE BOXES, IT HAD A PRIVACY FENCE. THE DOGS COULDN'T SEE
THROUGH IT, AND THEY COULDN'T SEE ANY NEIGHBORS ON THE
BACKSIDE 'CAUSE THERE WAS A LINE OF TREES. WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT?
GOD ANSWERED THE DESIRE OF MY HEART. BUT I WASN'T SPENDING
TIME JUST GRIPING ABOUT WHAT I DID NOT HAVE. I SPENT TIME
BLESSING THE LORD AND THANKING HIM. EVEN IN OUR FIRST HOUSE,
WHEN IT GOT REAL SMALL AND REAL TINY, AND OUR KIDS HAD STARTED
TO ENTER INTO THEIR PRETEEN YEARS, AND IT WAS, YOU KNOW, NOT
A LOT OF SQUARE FOOTAGE, WE JUST SPENT TIME BLESSING THE LORD FOR
WHAT HE HAD GIVEN US AND MAKING IT AS NICE AS WE COULD. WE
DIDN'T GO, OH, WELL, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT, AND THOSE PEOPLE OVER
THERE HAVE A NICER HOUSE THAN ME, AND THEY GET THIS, AND THEY
GET THAT. DON'T DO THAT. THANK GOD FOR WHAT HE'S BLESSED YOU
WITH, AND IF YOU THANK HIM FOR WHAT HE'S BLESSED YOU WITH, HE
MIGHT BE ABLE TO BLESS YOU WITH MORE, BUT IF YOU'RE SO BUSY
COVETING WHAT SOMEBODY ELSE HAS, THEN HE'S NOT GONNA ANSWER THAT
PRAYER. ALL RIGHT, SO THEN LET'S GO TO 1 THESSALONIANS 5:16-19.
AND IT SAYS, "REJOICE EVERMORE." SO THAT MEANS ALL THE TIME.
"PRAY WITHOUT CEASING." THEN IT SAYS, "IN EVERYTHING,"
EVERYTHING, NOT JUST THE THINGS WE WANT TO GIVE THANKS IN. IT
SAYS, "IN EVERYTHING GIVE THANKS, FOR THIS IS THE WILL OF
GOD IN CHRIST JESUS CONCERNING YOU." AND THEN IT SAYS, "QUENCH
NOT THE SPIRIT," BECAUSE WHEN WE'RE QUENCHING THE SPIRIT, IT'S
BECAUSE WE HAVE AN UNGRATEFUL HEART. I MEAN, YEAH, WE CAN
QUENCH THE SPIRIT IN OTHER WAYS 'CAUSE WE GET RELIGIOUS, BUT IF
YOU WANNA QUENCH THE SPIRIT OF GOD IN YOUR LIFE, JUST TRY BEING
UNGRATEFUL. THE BIBLE SAYS JESUS WENT TO THE CROSS NOT BECAUSE HE
WAS EXCITED ABOUT IT, BUT FOR THE JOY THAT WAS SET BEFORE HIM.
SO, I MEAN, IF JESUS CAN DO THAT, WHAT CAN WE DO? ALL RIGHT,
LET'S GO TO PHILIPPIANS 4, VERSE 6. I ALWAYS HAVE LOTS OF
SCRIPTURES WHEN I PREACH. BUT IT SAYS, "BE CAREFUL FOR NOTHING
BUT IN EVERYTHING BY PRAYER AND SUPPLICATION," WITH WHAT? "WITH
THANKSGIVING, LET YOUR REQUESTS BE MADE KNOWN UNTO GOD." LET'S
READ THAT ONE MORE TIME. IT SAYS, "BE," LET'S GO BACK ONE,
"BE CAREFUL FOR NOTHING BUT IN EVERYTHING," BY WHAT? PRAYER AND
SUPPLICATION. IN OTHER WORDS, WE'RE ASKING GOD, "WITH
THANKSGIVING, LET YOUR REQUESTS BE MADE KNOWN UNTO GOD." LET'S
GO TO VERSE SEVEN. "AND THE PEACE OF GOD, WHICH PASSES ALL
UNDERSTANDING, SHALL KEEP YOUR HEARTS AND MINDS THROUGH CHRIST
JESUS." BECAUSE WHEN WE ENTER INTO THE COURTS OF OUR GOD WITH
THANKSGIVING ON OUR LIPS, AND WE ENTER INTO HIS COURTS WITH
PRAISE, WHAT ARE WE DOING? WE'RE TAKING OUR EYES OFF OF OUR
CIRCUMSTANCE. WE'RE PUTTING OUR EYES ON GOD. AND THEN WE'RE NOT
SITTING THERE JUST GRIPING AND COMPLAINING BECAUSE SOMETHING IS
GOING WRONG IN OUR LIFE. YOU KNOW, IS THIS HELPING ANYBODY?
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, AND I DON'T WANNA BE SOMEBODY THAT JUST
COMPLAINS AND SAYS, YOU KNOW, WELL, I'VE DONE THIS, THIS, AND
THIS, AND SEE, HERE'S THE THING. I WANNA BE SOWING SEED INTO THE
KINGDOM OF GOD, AND IF I STRUGGLE FOR SOME OF THE THINGS
THAT I HAVE TO STRUGGLE FOR, THEN I BELIEVE THAT WE'RE JUST
TILLING THE GROUND FOR A HARVEST. YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES IF
YOU START LOOKING AT SOME OF YOUR STRUGGLES AS PLOWING
GROUND, THEN YOU MIGHT START BEING MORE HARVEST-FOCUSED
EVENTUALLY. SOMETIMES WE'RE JUST TILLING UP THE GROUND SO THAT WE
CAN GET THE SEED. AMEN? ALL RIGHT, THE FOURTH ONE. ASK IN
FAITH. NOW, THIS ONE'S A NO-BRAINER. BUT IT'S ASK IN
FAITH. IF WE GO TO GOD AND WE'RE NOT ASKING IN FAITH, THEN HE
CAN'T ANSWER. GOD ANSWERS THE CRY OF FAITH. YES, HE'LL ANSWER
DESPERATION, BUT YOUR DESPERATION NEEDS TO TURN INTO
FAITH. HOW WE TURN OUR DESPERATION INTO FAITH IS BY
REMEMBERING THE NAME OF THE LORD, OUR GOD. TURN OVER TO
JAMES CHAPTER ONE, VERSE FIVE. AND YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHAT I
LOVE ABOUT THE LORD. IT SAYS, "IF ANY OF YOU LACK," WHAT?
“WISDOM, LET HIM ASK OF GOD." HAVE YOU EVER BEEN STUCK ON A
SITUATION BEFORE WHERE YOU DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO HANDLE
SOMETHING? YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WE'RE QUICK TO GO TO GOOGLE AND
AI AND GET ALL OF THE ANSWERS INSTEAD OF GOING, "MAN, HOLY
SPIRIT, WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE ME DO?" OR IF YOU'RE READING YOUR
BIBLE, SAY, YOU KNOW, JUST ENLIGHTEN THIS TO ME. AND IT
SAYS, SO IF YOU LACK WISDOM, LET HIM ASK OF GOD, THAT GIVES TO
ALL MEN, WHAT, LIBERALLY. THAT MEANS THAT HE'S NOT GIVING LIKE
WITH STINGINESS, HE'S GIVING IT OUT OF ABUNDANCE. AND HE
DOESN'T, AND IT SAYS HE ABRADES NOT. IN OTHER WORDS, HE'S NOT
SITTING THERE IN A PLACE OF CONDEMNATION, SAYING, WELL, YOU
SHOULD HAVE KNOWN. GOD'S SITTING THERE SAYING, LISTEN, I'M GONNA
GIVE IT TO YOU, I GIVE IT TO YOU LIBERALLY, AND I'M NOT FINDING
FAULT WITH YOU. HERE'S THE ANSWER. AND IT SAYS, IT SHALL BE
GIVEN TO HIM. NOW GO TO THE NEXT VERSE. BUT LET HIM ASK IN WHAT?
FAITH, NOTHING WAVERING. SEE, NOW THAT'S THE HARD PART.
SOMETIMES WE GO IN, WE GET IN THE PRAISE AND WORSHIP, AND
PASTOR SHANE'S SAYING, GREAT IS OUR GOD. WE'RE LIKE, YES, GREAT
IS OUR GOD. GREAT IS OUR GOD. AND THEN WE GO BACK OUT TO OUR
HOME ON MONDAY AND WE SEE THE BILLS. WE'RE LIKE, OH, GREAT IS
OUR GOD. MAN, GOD, THAT BILL'S REALLY BIG. BUT THAT'S NOT, BUT
THEN WE WAVERED. SOMETIMES THAT'S WHERE WE COME BACK IN TO
NOT WAVER. AND THEN WE IN OUR OWN HOMES ARE GOING, GREAT IS
OUR GOD 'CAUSE IT SAYS, "FOR HE THAT WAVERS IS LIKE THE WAVE OF
THE SEA, DRIVEN WITH THE WIND AND TOSSED." AND IT SAYS, "FOR
LET NOT," NOW I DIDN'T, I'M NOT SAYING THIS. I KNOW I SAID THE
TRIGGERED THING AND I'M SORRY. I'M NOT SORRY. BUT I MEAN, I
WASN'T SAYING THAT TO HURT SOMEBODY. BUT IT SAYS, "FOR LET
NOT THAT MAN THINK THAT HE SHALL RECEIVE ANYTHING OF THE LORD." I
MEAN, THAT KIND OF HURTS A LITTLE BIT, RIGHT? 'CAUSE HOW
MANY OF YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES BRINGING YOURSELF INTO FAITH IS
NOT ALWAYS, DOESN'T ALWAYS FEEL LIKE THE EASIEST THING TO DO.
BUT AGAIN, THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE TO TRAIN OURSELVES. AND THAT'S
WHERE, YOU KNOW, IN COLOSSIANS 3, VERSE 2, IT SAYS, "SET YOUR
AFFECTIONS ON THE THINGS THAT ARE ABOVE, NOT ON THE THINGS
THAT ARE BELOW." WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? IT MEANS THAT WE SET A
PATH, WE SET A COURSE. AND IF I SET A COURSE, I'M NOT GOING
HERE, I'M NOT GOING THERE, I'M STAYING STRAIGHT ON THE COURSE
BECAUSE I AM SET. YOU EVER HEARD OF A PERSON, WELL, THEY'RE JUST
SETTING THEIR WAYS. WELL, IF WE'RE GONNA ASK IN FAITH, WE
HAVE TO BE SET. YOU KNOW? AND YOU KNOW, YOU GET MORE AND MORE
SET BY THE MORE TIMES THAT YOU SPEAK TO YOURSELF, THE MORE
TIMES THAT YOU PROPHESY TO YOURSELF, AND AGAIN, GOING BACK
TO NUMBER ONE, WE'RE REMEMBERING THE NAME OF THE LORD. BECAUSE
THEN WE'RE JUST PUTTING OUR EYES, WHY DID PETER SINK WHEN
JESUS CALLED HIM OUT ONTO THE WATER? BECAUSE HE TOOK HIS EYES
OFF THE AUTHOR AND THE FINISHER OF HIS FAITH AND THEN HE WENT
DOWN, THEN HE HAD TO BE RESCUED. YOU KNOW, BUT THAT'S THE OTHER
THING, JESUS WILL STILL RESCUE US EVEN IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR
MESS UPS. THANK GOD FOR HIS MERCY. BUT I WAS REMINDED AS I
WAS STUDYING, JUST WHEN CECE WINANS IS SINGING, YOU SAID IT,
I BELIEVE IT SO WHEN THE FEAR STARTS HITTING US, INSTEAD OF
WAVERING, JUST START SAYING, YOU SAID IT, I BELIEVE IT KEEP
PROPHESYING TO YOURSELF. LIKE PASTOR KEITH SAID, YOU KNOW, YOU
DON'T PRAISE GOD WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE IT. YOU KNOW, PRAISE IS
SOMETHING WE HAVE TO DO. PRAISE GETS OUR EYES ON GOD. AND WHAT
DOES IT SAY IN ROMANS? IT SAYS THAT FAITH COMES BY WHAT?
HEARING, HEARING BY THE WORD OF GOD. IT ALSO SAYS PROPHESY TO
YOURSELF IN PSALMS, HYMNS, AND SPIRITUAL SONGS. WHAT IS THAT?
IT'S SINGING THE WORD OF THE LORD OVER YOURSELF, BUT IT'S
KEEPING YOURSELF IN THAT PLACE OF FAITH. AND I'M GONNA, THIS
ONE KINDA BLEW MY MIND. LET'S GO OVER TO JAMES CHAPTER FOUR REAL
QUICK. IN VERSE TWO, AND IT SAYS, "YOU LUST AND HAVE NOT,
YOU KILL AND DESIRE TO HAVE," SOUNDS A LOT LIKE THIS CULTURE,
AND CANNOT OBTAIN, YOU FIGHT MORE, AND YET YOU HAVE NOT
BECAUSE YOU ASK NOT." GO TO THE NEXT VERSE. AND IT SAYS, "YOU
ASK AND RECEIVE NOT BECAUSE YOU ASK AMISS THAT YOU MAY CONSUME
IT UPON YOUR LUST." DO YOU KNOW THAT IF YOU'RE ASKING OUT OF A
WRONG MOTIVE, YOU CAN'T ATTACH FAITH TO THAT? I'M GONNA SAY
THAT ONE MORE TIME. YOU CAN'T ATTACH FAITH TO A WRONG MOTIVE.
IF YOUR MOTIVE FOR ASKING IS SO THAT YOU CAN STICK IT TO
SOMEBODY OR GET REVENGE, OR YOUR MOTIVE FOR ASKING IS JUST
BECAUSE YOU HAVE A LUSTFUL SPIRIT, A GIFT OF FAITH DOESN'T
COME THROUGH FOR THAT. BECAUSE FAITH IS SOMETHING, AND HERE'S
THE OTHER THING, FAITH COMES BY HEARING, HEARING BY THE WORD OF
GOD. WELL, THE MORE THAT YOU'RE IN THE WORD OF GOD, THE MORE
THAT IT, IN HEBREWS 4:12, IT SAYS THAT THE WORD OF GOD IS
QUICK AND IT'S POWERFUL, IT'S SHARPER THAN ANY TWO-EDGED
SWORD, IT DIVIDES US UNDER THE SOUL AND THE SPIRIT, THE JOINTS
AND THE MARROW. SO THE MORE THAT YOU'RE IN THE WORD OF GOD, THE
MORE THAT IT'S GONNA TAKE AWAY SOME OF THOSE THINGS WHERE MAYBE
YOUR FLESH WAS A LITTLE BIT OFF. YOU KNOW, AND THEN SOMETIMES
TOO, IT'S NOT JUST THAT WE ASK FOR THE WRONG THINGS. SOMETIMES
CERTAIN THINGS COME IN THE SEASON OF GOD'S TIMING. I
REMEMBER WHEN I WAS STILL SINGLE, I LIVED IN THIS
APARTMENT COMPLEX. RACHEL, YOU REMEMBER, YOU LIVED IN THE SAME
ONE BEFORE I DID. AND I JUST GOT, I'M LIKE, GOD, I WANT A
HOUSE. AND I WAS THERE AND I WAS LIKE, WELL, GOD, I JUST REALLY
WANT A HOUSE. AND I HEARD THE LORD SAY, WELL, DAUGHTER, IT'S
NOT THAT SEASON YOU'RE GONNA GET MARRIED SOON. I'M LIKE, I AM TO
WHO? 'CAUSE WE WEREN'T DATING YET. AND SO, BUT BECAUSE I JUST
LISTENED AND I WAITED AND I WAITED PATIENTLY, GOD BROUGHT ME
INTO THAT SEASON. AND THEN WE HAD AN APARTMENT FOR WHAT? WE
WERE THERE SIX MONTHS AND THEN WE BOUGHT A HOUSE AND WE MOVED.
AND, YOU KNOW, BUT GOD ANSWERED THE PRAYER. SOMETIMES CERTAIN
THINGS DO COME IN SEASON, SO THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE JUST
QUIT AND FORGET IT. THAT JUST MEANS SOMETIMES WE'RE SOWING
SEEDS TOWARDS IT. BUT DON'T LOSE YOUR FAITH 'CAUSE YOU HAVEN'T
HIT THE SEASON YET. SO AGAIN, NUMBER FOUR, ASK IN FAITH. AND
LISTEN, WHEN WE ASK IN FAITH, WE DON'T WAVER. THAT MEANS WE KEEP
PROPHESYING, WE KEEP WALKING IT OUT. YOU KNOW, WHEN WE WERE
BELIEVING FOR CHILDREN, WE DIDN'T QUIT EVERY SINGLE MONTH.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S THE OTHER THING. DON'T GET
YOURSELF, THIS GOES BACK TO THE VICTIMHOOD, YOU KNOW, AND I GET
IT, 'CAUSE I LIVED IT. WHEN YOU'RE BELIEVING GOD FOR KIDS
AND OTHER PEOPLE ARE GETTING PREGNANT AND YOU'RE STILL
SITTING THERE WAITING ON YOUR MOMENT, YOU CAN EITHER GET
BITTER OR YOU CAN HAVE THANKSGIVING FOR WHAT GOD HAS
GIVEN THEM AND SEE YOURSELF COMING INTO YOUR PROMISE. YOU
KNOW, SOMETIMES WHEN SOMEBODY ELSE COMES IN, WE SIT IN THE
SEAT OF THE JEALOUS INSTEAD OF SITTING IN THE SEAT OF
THANKFULNESS AND THANKING GOD AND SAY, NOPE, YOU KNOW, ABRAHAM
BELIEVED NOT HIS OWN BODY. WE DID IT, ABRAHAM BELIEVED NOT HIS
OWN BODY, NEITHER THE DEADNESS OF SARAH'S WOMB. WE DID IT, WE
DID IT EVERY OTHER DAY OR HOWEVER OFTEN THAT THAT CAME UP
AND WE KEPT PRAYING AND WE KEPT PRAYING AND YOU KNOW THE OTHER
THING IS, WE PRAYED IN THE HOLY GHOST AND WE DIDN'T KNOW HOW WE
WERE GONNA PRAY. WE JUST GOT IN THERE AND WE WORE IT IN THE HOLY
SPIRIT AND YOU KNOW IN ROMANS CHAPTER 8 IT SAYS, "WHEN YOU
DON'T KNOW HOW TO PRAY, PRAY IN THE HOLY SPIRIT." I REMEMBER ONE
TIME MY HUSBAND, HE WORKED FOR A COMPANY HERE IN TOWN THAT IT
WAS, AND THEY WERE A CALL CENTER. HE MANAGED A CALL CENTER
FOR THIS LARGE COMPANY. AND THE LADY THAT WAS THE REPRESENTATIVE
FOR THE COMPANY, SHE JUST DIDN'T LIKE HIM. HE COULDN'T DO
ANYTHING RIGHT IN HER SIGHT. AND IF YOU KNOW HIM, MY HUSBAND'S A
NICE GUY, HE'S A HARD WORKER. BUT SHE JUST, SHE WANTED EVERY
WAY TO GET HIM FIRED. THEN ON TOP OF THAT, HE HAD A GUY
UNDERNEATH HIM THAT WAS GUNNING FOR HIS JOB AND WAS GOING AND
TELLING LIES ABOUT HIM TO HIS SUPERVISOR. AND WE'RE LIKE, MAN,
GOD. AND AGAIN, WE DIDN'T GET BITTER. WE GOT IN THAT, AND WE
STILL LIVED IN THAT FIRST APARTMENT, REMEMBER? SO WE
HADN'T EVEN BEEN MARRIED THAT LONG. WE GOT INTO THE LIVING
ROOM OF OUR APARTMENT AND WE PACED AND PRAYED IN THE HOLY
SPIRIT. WE JUST PRAYED. WE PRAYED AND WE KEPT PRAYING. AND
THEN, I DON'T KNOW, WITHIN WHAT, TWO OR THREE WEEKS OF THAT TIME,
THE ONE GUY GOT MOVED OUT AND I THINK HE EVENTUALLY GOT FIRED. I
DON'T REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM, BUT GOD JUST BLEW HIM OUT
OF THE WAY. AND THEN THE LADY FOR THE COMPANY THAT DIDN'T LIKE
HIM, SHE GOT TRANSFERRED TO ANOTHER DEPARTMENT AT THAT
COMPANY. SO THEN EVERYTHING WAS SMOOTH SAILING. ABOUT THE TIME
SHE GOT TRANSFERRED BACK, WE'RE LIKE, OH GOD, HERE WE GO AGAIN.
THE CHURCH HIRED HIM. AND HE GOT A HAND IN HIS TWO WEEKS NOTICE.
LOOK AT GOD. BUT AGAIN, WE COULD HAVE GOTTEN BITTER AND SAID,
WELL GOD, IT'S NOT FAIR. OR WE COULD HAVE GOT OUT OF FAITH.
'CAUSE BACK THEN WE DIDN'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF ANYTHING. AND
WE'RE LIKE, WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO IF WE HAVE ONE INCOME? WE JUST
REFUSED TO LOOK AT THAT. WE STAYED IN FAITH. WE'RE LIKE, NO
GOD, YOU'RE GONNA ANSWER OUR PRAYERS. WE'RE TITHING, WE
BELIEVE YOU, WE TAKE YOU AT YOUR WORD AND WE'RE NOT GONNA QUIT.
ALL RIGHT, LET ME GIVE YOU THE LAST ONE. AND I JUST KIND OF
GAVE YOU A HINT ON THAT ONE. IT'S NUMBER FIVE, DON'T QUIT
PRAYING. WE READ IN PHILIPPIANS CHAPTER FOUR WHERE IT SAYS PRAY
WITHOUT CEASING. WELL, WHAT DOES IT SAY WHEN YOU'RE TAKING ON THE
WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD, IT SAYS PRAYING ALWAYS WITH ALL PRAYER
AND SUPPLICATION IN THE SPIRIT. DON'T QUIT. YOU KNOW, AGAIN,
SOMETIMES IF IT'S TAKING YOU A MINUTE TO GET INTO YOUR SEASON
OR WHERE YOU'RE GOING, DON'T QUIT BELIEVING GOD. JUST KEEP
PROPHESYING TO IT. SO LET'S TURN OVER TO LUKE CHAPTER 18, VERSE
ONE. AND IT SAYS, "AND HE SPOKE A PARABLE UNTO THEM," TO THIS
END, "THAT MEN OUGHT ALWAYS TO," WHAT? PRAY. AND NOT, WHAT?
FAINT, SO AGAIN, THERE'S THAT NOTHING WAVERING. BUT HE SAYS,
"MEN ARE ALWAYS TO PRAY AND NOT FAINT." AND HE SAYS, "SAYING,
THERE WAS IN A CITY A JUDGE WHICH FEARED NOT GOD, NEITHER
REGARDED MAN. AND THERE WAS A WIDOW IN THAT CITY, AND SHE CAME
UNTO HIM SAYING, 'AVENGE ME OF MINE ADVERSARY.'" NOW BY THE
WAY, YOU KNOW WE HAVE AN ADVERSARY, RIGHT? FIRST PETER
5:8 SAYS THAT OUR ADVERSARY, THE DEVIL WALKS AROUND AS A ROARING
LION SEEKING WHOM HE MAY DEVOUR. EPHESIANS CHAPTER SIX SAYS THAT
WE DON'T WRESTLE AGAINST FLESH AND BLOOD, BUT AGAINST
PRINCIPALITIES, POWERS, RULERS OF DARKNESS, AND SPIRITUAL
WICKEDNESS IN HIGH PLACES. AND IT SAYS, AND HE WOULD NOT FOR A
WHILE, BUT AFTERWARD HE SAID WITHIN HIMSELF, THOUGH I FEAR
NOT GOD, NOR REGARD MAN, YET BECAUSE THIS WIDOW TROUBLES ME,
I WILL AVENGE HER, LEST BY HER CONTINUALLY COMING, SHE WEARIES
ME. NOW GO TO VERSE SIX. AND THE LORD SAID, HEAR WHAT THE UNJUST
JUDGE SAID. SO IN OTHER WORDS, BY HER CONTINUALLY COMING, SHE'S
GONNA WEARY ME, SO I'M GONNA ANSWER HER REQUEST BECAUSE I
DON'T WANNA DEAL WITH THIS LADY. ALL RIGHT, GO TO VERSE SEVEN.
AND SHALL NOT GOD AVENGE HIS OWN ELECT, WHICH CRY UNTO HIM, NOT
ONCE, NOT JUST, I SAID THE PRAYER, AND LISTEN, YES, WE CAN
CONFESS SOME THINGS, BUT GOD WANTS US TO CONTINUE TO CRY OUT
TO HIM. WHY DO WE CONTINUE TO CRY OUT? NOT BECAUSE WE'RE JUST
IN A PLACE OF DESPERATION, LORD GOD, I'M BRINGING THIS TO YOUR
REMEMBRANCE. I'M REMINDING YOU WHAT I AM ASKING YOU FOR, THAT
I'M CALLING ON THE NAME OF THE LORD, THAT YOU ARE THE GOD THAT
ANSWERS. AND BECAUSE YOU'RE REMINDING YOURSELF OF WHAT GOD
DID. SOMETIMES, LISTEN, CONFESSION IS NOT ENOUGH,
ESPECIALLY IF THE ACTIONS OF YOUR HEART DON'T GO WITH IT.
IT'S EMPTY WORDS. IT CAN SOUND GREAT. BUT IF YOUR HEART IS NOT
ATTACHED TO IT, THEN IT DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING. YOU CAN SAY, OH,
I'M BELIEVING. WELL, AS LONG AS YOU ARE. BUT I'VE SAID THINGS
LIKE THAT BEFORE. OH, I'M BELIEVING, AND I WASN'T
BELIEVING ONE LITTLE WIT. ACTUALLY, I WAS MORE DOUBTING
THAN BELIEVING. AND IT SAYS, "SHALL NOT GOD ELECT OR AVENGE
HIS OWN ELECT, WHICH CRY UNTO HIM DAY AND NIGHT, THOUGH HE
BEAR LONG WITH THEM." SO HOW MUCH GREATER OR HOW GOOD IS OUR
FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN, SO IF WE CALL ON HIM DAY AND NIGHT,
WHAT WAS HE TEACHING US? IT'S LIKE, DON'T JUST QUIT PRAYING,
KEEP PRAYING ABOUT IT. KEEP IT BEFORE YOURSELF. DON'T JUST PUT
SOMETHING ON THE SHELF. IF YOU HAVE A DREAM, IF YOU HAVE A CALL
FROM GOD, DON'T JUST PUT IT ON THE SHELF AND JUST HOPE IT'S
GONNA HAPPEN. LISTEN, FAITH IS NOT HOPING SOMETHING'S GONNA
HAPPEN AND JUST SAYING SOMETHING THAT YOU DON'T REALLY BELIEVE IN
YOUR HEART OF HEARTS. YOU KNOW? YOU CAN SAY, OH MAN, YES, THE
RAIN IS GONNA HELP MY HARVEST, BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE SEED IN
THE GROUND, ALL IT'S GONNA MAKE IS MUD. YOU GOTTA KEEP PUTTING
SEED TOWARDS WHAT YOU'RE BELIEVING. YOU PUT SEED IN BY
YOUR PRAYERS. YOU PUT SEED IN BY REMEMBERING WHO GOD IS. YOU PUT
SEED BY SOWING YOUR FINANCES. YOU PUT SEED BY CONTINUING TO
BELIEVE GOD AND DOING WHAT IS RIGHT BECAUSE GOD SAID. AMEN,
ALL RIGHT, STAND TO YOUR FEET. IS THAT HELPING ANYBODY TONIGHT?
AMEN. AMEN. BUT I WANNA ENTER INTO A
PLACE WHERE WE SEE GOD ANSWERING SOME PRAYERS, AND I DON'T WANNA
STAND IN A PLACE WHERE I'M HINDERING WHAT GOD WANTS TO DO,
BECAUSE EITHER I'VE NOT BEEN CONTINUAL IN IT, YOU KNOW, AND
THAT'S THE OTHER THING, DON'T BE LAZY WITH YOUR PRAYERS. IF
YOU'RE NOT PRAYING, START. IF YOU'RE NOT READING YOUR BIBLE,
START. WHEN BOB ROGERS WAS HERE, HE SAID, "LISTEN, YOU START
READING YOUR BIBLE, AND IT STARTS CHANGING YOUR THINKING."
YOU KNOW, AND WHY DIDN'T THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL GET TO LIVE
OFF OF THE OLD MANNA? BECAUSE YESTERDAY'S BREAD IS NOT THE
BREAD THAT SUSTAINS US FOR TODAY. YESTERDAY'S REVELATION IS
NOT WHAT PUSHES US FORWARD INTO WHAT GOD IS CALLING US TO DO
NOW. AMEN? SO I WANNA CHALLENGE YOU IN YOUR PRAYERS, LISTEN,
REMEMBER WHO HE IS. PEOPLE ARE GONNA HURT YOU, SOMETIMES WE'RE
GONNA HAVE TO FORGIVE. THAT'S WHY, ACTUALLY, THAT'S WHY IN
MATTHEW CHAPTER SIX, WHEN HE SAYS, "OUR FATHER, WHICH ART IN
HEAVEN, HALLOWED BE YOUR NAME. THY KINGDOM COME, THY WILL BE
DONE, ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN." THEN HE SAYS, "GIVE US
THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD." I MEAN, YES, THAT'S OUR PROVISION,
BUT THAT'S ALSO DAILY REVELATION. AND THEN HE SAYS,
"FORGIVE US OUR SINS AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESPASS
AGAINST US." 'CAUSE WHAT ARE WE DOING? I REFUSE TO BE A VICTIM.
I REFUSE TO LIVE SUBJECT TO WHAT ANYBODY ELSE SAYS ABOUT ME, DOES
TO ME. 'CAUSE IF I DON'T WALK IN FORGIVENESS, I CAN BE TRIGGERED.
I MEAN, IT'S FUNNY, BUT IT'S KINDA NOT FUNNY. BECAUSE WHEN
PEOPLE ARE SAYING THAT, WHAT ARE THEY SAYING? THAT THE DEVIL GETS
TO WIN EVERY SINGLE TIME YOU GET TRIGGERED BY SOMETHING. BECAUSE
WE'RE NOT CHANGING WHAT'S ON THE INSIDE OF US. WE'RE NOT LIVING
IN A PLACE OF FORGIVENESS. SEE, WHY COULD, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S
WHY, SEE, WE'RE TOO BUSY SOMETIMES BOWING DOWN TO THE
LOUDNESS OF THIS CULTURE. AND YOU KNOW, THIS PAST SUNDAY, WE
SANG THIS PHRASE, AND I HAD JUST STARTED SINGING IT WHEN I WAS
GETTING READY IN THE MORNING. AND IT WAS, "THE VOICE OF THIS
CULTURE MIGHT BE LOUD, BUT THE VOICE OF OUR GOD IS LOUDER,"
HOWEVER THAT WENT. AND WE JUST HAVE TO REMEMBER, LISTEN, I
DON'T CARE HOW THIS CULTURE WANTS TO GO. I KNOW THE ONE IN
WHOM I HAVE BELIEVED AND THAT HE IS ABLE TO DELIVER ME. WHEN I
CALL UPON HIM, HE WILL ANSWER ME AND HE'LL DELIVER ME OUT OF ALL
OF MY TRIALS. PSALM 91 SAYS THAT WHEN YOU CALL UPON ME, I WILL
ANSWER YOU. THAT I WILL DELIVER YOU. YOU KNOW, AND WITH LONG
LIFE, HE'S GONNA SATISFY ME AND SHOW ME. LISTEN, IF YOU'RE
BELIEVING GOD FOR HEALING, WITH LONG LIFE, HE'S GONNA SATISFY
YOU AND SHOW YOU HIS SALVATION. AND LISTEN, READ THAT OVER AND
OVER AND OVER AGAIN UNTIL THAT, AND YOU KNOW, MICHAEL CLARK WAS
TELLING ME, HE'S NOT HERE TONIGHT, BUT HE WAS TELLING ME
HE WAS LISTENING TO AN OLD KENNETH HAGIN PREACHING. AND
KENNETH HAGIN SAID, "YOU DON'T NEED 10 SCRIPTURES, YOU NEED ONE
WORD FROM GOD." WE NEED ONE WORD FROM GOD. AND WE KEEP WATERING
AND PLANTING THAT SEED ON THE INSIDE OF US, IT'S GONNA GROW
FAITH. AND AGAIN, YOU CAN'T STAY IN THE WORD OF GOD. AND YOU
KNOW, IT'S FUNNY. I'VE HAD PEOPLE SAY ICKY THINGS ABOUT ME.
YOU'VE PROBABLY HAD THE SAME. SHOOT, I'VE HAD 'EM TYPE IT ON
SOCIAL MEDIA. YOU KNOW? AND YOU COULD WALK AROUND AND YOU COULD
BE LIKE, WELL, OH MAN, YOU KNOW, THAT HURT. WELL, THE PROBLEM IS
IF I DON'T WALK IN FORGIVENESS, I'M HINDERING MY OWN PRAYER. SO
YOU BE WARMED, YOU BE FILLED. I FORGIVE YOU. I'VE GOT TO MOVE ON
WITH MY DESTINY. I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR YOU
TO HOLD ME BACK, BABY.
(CONGREGATION APPLAUDING)
AMEN? AMEN. ALL RIGHT, WELL, LIFT YOUR HANDS TO HEAVEN.
FATHER, WE COME BEFORE YOU IN THE MIGHTY NAME OF JESUS. AND
FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR WHO YOU ARE. WE THANK YOU FOR WHAT
YOU'VE DONE. WE THANK YOU THAT YOU ARE JEHOVAH THE GOOD. YOU
ARE GOOD TO US. YOU'VE NUMBERED THE VERY HAIRS OF OUR HEAD,
WHICH MEANS YOU NUMBER 'EM DAILY, GOD, BECAUSE SOMETIMES WE
LOSE SOME. AMEN, BRUSH YOUR HAIR, YOU'RE GONNA KNOW. SO GOD,
WE THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND YOU KNOW THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE
NEED OF, BUT YOU TOLD US TO COME AND ASK ANYWAY, SO THAT YOU
COULD REVEAL TO US YOUR GOODNESS, YOUR FAITHFULNESS,
YOUR KINDNESS, YOUR EVERLASTING MERCY, THE MERCY THAT'S NEW
EVERY MORNING. SO WE BLESS YOU. WE BLESS YOU, LORD GOD. 'CAUSE
THERE'S NOBODY LIKE YOU.
(MUSIC)
WE WORSHIP YOU. WE WORSHIP YOU. JEHOVAH THE GOOD.
JEHOVAH THE GOOD. YOU ARE GOOD. YOU ARE GOOD. HALLELUJAH. WE
WORSHIP YOU, LORD. IN THE MIGHTY NAME OF JESUS. AMEN. ALL RIGHT.
WELL, LISTEN, COLLEGE WORLD SERIES COMING THIS WEEK. IF
YOU'RE GONNA BE DOWN THERE, WE JUST BLESS YOU. WE DECLARE THE
HEDGE OF PROTECTION AROUND YOU, THE ANGELS OF THE LORD ENCAMP
AROUND ALL OF OUR PEOPLE AS THEY WALK DOWN AND THEY'RE BEING
MINISTERING SERVANTS OF THE LORD. AND GOD, WE THANK YOU THAT
YOU WALK WITH THEM AND YOU GUIDE THEM. AND WE THANK YOU FOR A
MIGHTY HARVEST IN JESUS' NAME. WALK OUT OF HERE AND TELL
SOMEBODY, GOD IS GOOD TO ME. AMEN!
(MUSIC)