Come on now.
You got to declare it over yourself.
Breaking
in my favor
there's a shifting
I like it.
In my
in my
there's a breaking
in my
in my favor
as I praise
hallelujah
the Lord inhabits and dwells within the praises of his people
sometimes we need some directional changes
sometimes we need some shifting
sometimes we need some affirmation
sometimes we need God to come in
into our situation
and make a difference
amen
many of you are sitting in here
with a very heavy heart this morning
but you're forcing your way into praise
you're forcing yourself
to pray, you don't feel like it
your heart isn't really into it
but you know if you can
if you can just muster
the strength, you know that he's
going to show up where you are
and so you know that there's a shifting
there's a breaking, there's favor
coming your way
because you know in whom you believe
and you know that the words of your mouth
are hearing and landing upon the ear
of the one who can change every
dilemma in every situation
and make a difference in it
amen, there's a breaking, there's a shifting
there's favor coming our way
because the Lord is faithful
and the Lord is true
amen, well hallelujah
give him another good praise in his house this morning
hallelujah
the Lord is good
his mercy endures forever
one of my favorite, let the redeemed
of the Lord say so
and that's where a lot of times we just
stop quoting that verse
let the redeemed of the Lord say so
but it goes on, he
that had been delivered out of the hand
of the enemy, amen
that's who is the redeemed, that's who
has a praise in their heart
amen, he never promised it's going to be easy
matter of fact he told us exactly
the opposite, tribulation's coming
your way
but be a good cheer
it's hard to be happy about tribulation isn't it
hard to be happy about hardship
and the only reason
you can get happy about it
is because he's overcoming
amen
and by virtue of his overcoming
he extends that grace to you and I
so that we too may be
overcomers by his grace
because he overcame the world
amen
hallelujah, if you have your Bibles
start turning with me to Mark's
Gospel the second chapter
Mark chapter two, it is good to have
brother Josh and sister Kelby
and their children, their family
with us this morning
I've known
I don't know what I didn't know
Josh before he was a
twinkle in his daddy's eye
may have been, I can't remember
your mom might have been
expecting you when we got there
I don't know, it's been a while back
and then Kelby
as we did ministry around
the Pipeville area
pastor of the New Martin Church of God
our girls grew up, they went to school
with Kelby and I coached the
fast-pitched softball team and Kelby was on
that team and to my
surprise here a few months ago
when I was
down doing the cams on
second and third row there they sat
and I said well isn't God good
amen
you've heard the term country's cornbread
he stands on the front row
crackling
crackling cornbread
that's even countryer than
cornbread, can I get a witness
but I
I'm loving his passion
passionate for the gospel
and what the Lord is calling
them too is not an easy task
but he
he supplies what we need
and I admire
him this morning for what God's calling them to
do and what they're going to step out and do
I told him I couldn't do that
because that's not what God's called me to do
matter of fact the place that he's
going to be stepping in is a place that I'm uncomfortable
at
but as the Lord opens doors
he calls the ones he wills doesn't he
amen
so we're believing God with them
and for them and their family for a
great harvest amen
and retention as he
gets ready to take this exam here
before too long
that's the one I had to take
twice by the way
yeah I wasn't
close enough for him to help me get through
you go down there they say
well we're not here to fail you and then they sent me home
study some
more I said okay
I got it the second
time through
when in doubt go with C
that credential does not have my
grade point average anywhere on it
I passed
amen
I'm right there with you
Mark's Gospel second chapter
beginning at verse one
again a very familiar text
the Lord's been taking us back to some familiar
territory
and again he entered into Capernaum
after some days and it was
noise that he was in the house
and straightway many
were gathered together in so
much that there was no room
to receive them no not
so much as about
the door
and he preached the word unto them
can you guess where we're going
and they came unto him bringing one sick
of the palsy which was born of four
and when they could not
come nigh unto him for the press
they uncovered the roof where he was
and when they had broken it up
they let down the bed wherein
the sick of the palsy lay
and when Jesus saw their
faith he said unto
the sick of the palsy son
thy sins be forgiven thee
but there were certain of the scribes sitting there
and reasoning in their hearts
what doth this man
speak blasphemies
who can forgive sins
but God only
and I like this and immediately
when Jesus perceived in his
spirit that they
so reasoned within themselves he
said unto them
why reason you these things in your heart
whether is it easier
to say the sick of the
the sick of the palsy thy sins be forgiven
thee or to say arise
and take up thy bed and walk
but that you may
know that the son of man hath power
on earth to forgive sins
he saith to the sick
of the palsy I say unto thee arise
take up thy bed
and go thy way
into thine house
and immediately
I like that word
and immediately
he arose took up the bed
and went forth before
them all
I kind of get this impression in my mind
he just grabbed his bed in front of those smart
elix and just sashayed right on out there
you know the attitude I'm talking
about you've seen it
I could just see him looking at him with disdain
as he walks out the door
insomuch that they were all amazed
and glorified God
saying
that we never seen it like this before
right that's the water
parallel paraphrase
I ain't seen nothing like that
I want to preach to you with the help
of the Lord this morning
on a simple thought
he
makes the difference
he being Christ
he makes the difference
father I love you this morning
thank you for your goodness your mercy and your hope
wonderful power
of your presence that is in this room
for Lord I truly
truly discern your presence
now ask Lord you stir the unction
and the anointing that you placed
on my life and in my heart
stir it
I know that what we say today
will be edifying to the body
and glorifying to you
for I know we are here today
many who need you
to make a difference
you be praised forever in Christ's name
the church said
tell you neighbor he really does make a difference
there are times in our lives
when it seems as though
we are just spinning our wheels
going nowhere
and when those
times enter into our lives
we think to ourselves now what am I going to do
what am I supposed to do now
we talked last week
preached a little bit on that thought living in the holding
pattern
so when you are in that
and you are spinning your wheels and you ask
the question what do we do now
as we look at
where we are living in the age and culture
the times in which we live
we live in an age
where we feel we must always be busy
got to be occupied
got to be doing something
some of you couldn't sit down over 10 minutes
if you weren't taking it out for your life
depending on it
you just got to be in motion
got to be moving
be about doing something we are restless
we become easily bored
craving entertainment and action
and we wonder why
we are stressed beyond belief
and so overwhelmed with life
and that
for many they feel there is no relief
inside in this spinning cycle
just continues on and on
in our text today
you will notice that the Lord
is going to side, he is going to take a little time off
when we start to think about life itself
and where we are
and the change that we need
understand something this morning
religion doesn't change your situation
a relationship does
church isn't the cure for your crisis
Christ is
amen
so when we come in a symbol this morning
it's about a relationship that we have
that we are going to have
and when we come in a symbol this morning
it's about a relationship that we have with the Christ
and when we come to the church house
I'm sorry
for me it is about you
but it's not all about you
I understand my responsibility
towards you
and what God has placed on my heart
but my number one priority
is that I meet Jesus
my number one goal
for Pastor Cliff before he leaves here
is to know that I have entered into his presence
for me
for myself
because of my relationship
not my religion
for me coming as a part
of the body of Christ
not just to the church
but as being
the church in action
I've come to meet the head of my heart
and the head of my life
and the redeemer of my soul
I've come to be in his presence
first and foremost
and I feel that the spinning cycle
that I feel in my life
can come to a stop as well sometimes
you do know preachers feel like their life
is spinning out of control too
it's just cycles for us as well
so when I begin to realize
that it's not the church
and it's not religion
it brings me into focus that
ultimately it's his presence
that makes a difference in my life
it makes a difference
between death and victory
amen
his presence brings about
the difference for me in victory
and defeat
it brings about for myself being in his presence
the difference between joy and sadness
I understand
that joy is not determined
by circumstances as happiness
is in our life
because you can be unhappy but still
have a cup full of joy
hallelujah
many of you sitting in this room today are going through
circumstances that doesn't
cause happiness to be in your life
but when you look beyond those
circumstances you see in the depths of your heart
that the happiness that you can
redeem on is because of the
joy of the Lord that becomes
your strength and your living source
of everyday life it's the joy
and knowing that God is still on the
throne that his Christ is still
at the right hand and that the spirit
is still moving across the face of a
void deep world that seems to
be in chaos that the Holy Ghost
is still working and still moving
so in spite of my sadness
joy begins to well up within
inside of me because my voice begins
to lift up adoration to the
one who has redeemed me
and then in spite of my circumstances
joy begins to bubble up and
begins to spring forth because
of the crisis in my life I'm
confronted with the joy that causes
me to be the overcomer of every
situation that enters into
my life
it's your joy that you draw
from
we look at our text this morning
as we started here in the second
chapter verse one begins
with and again he enters Capernaum
so that
means he'd already been there
Capernaum becomes
his home base of ministry
after he comes out of the wilderness
Jesus has left Nazareth
and he's moving closer to
where people are and where his ministry
is going to be and he makes his
center around Capernaum and he
begins to do ministry in the circumference
of the cities and towns
that are in the villages that are around
here where he's staying and as
he makes his way there out of
the wilderness he comes to meet John
the baptism takes place
and as he moves into the
wilderness comes out after being tempted these
forty days he goes to the
synagogue and begins to enact his
ministry to those who are there
he goes and he begins to talk
and he begins to teach he begins to
preach and as he's there there's
one has an unclean spirit
in him he cries out he rebukes
takes authority over that unclean
spirit from there after church
he makes his way to Peter's house
and his mother-in-law is there
she's sick with a fever
they come to him and say Lord she's sick
he goes in speaks to her
raises her up she's healed she's
delivered and the scripture says she
begins to serve them and minister to them
and from there there is a
testimony that begins to go out
can I tell you when you go to rebuke
devils and devils speaking out and devils
running out of folk that there is
a testimony that begins
to get spread and
when you see someone sick with a fever
and that fever is rebuked and they're
raised up and they don't even feel
bad and they're doing ministry
word begins to spread
word spread in chapter one so much so
that Jesus they brought
to them to the house there
they brought so many people who were sick
they were afflicted they were
oppressed with devils and he healed
many of them and his testimony
began to spread word began to go
out Jesus is able to
so much so that he looked at his disciples
said hey let's take this to some
other towns I need to go some other
places and preach to some other people
so he takes a short journey he's going
and doing ministry there's a leprous
man comes to him and I love that story
the leprous man comes to him and says
if you will I know you
can make me whole and I love the
words of Jesus he said I will
hallelujah and upon the declaration
of I will the
leprosy falls off
and he says go show yourself and he
gives him some instruction and the instruction
is if it's alright would you
please just keep this to yourself
go follow the law of Moses
go make the proper sacrifices
show yourself to the priest let him
know you're clean but I'm probably
like that oh boy I don't know
that I can keep it too quiet when
he left there my god he had a testimony
I met Jesus of Nazareth
y'all know that I was
a leper look at me now
look at me now he couldn't keep it
quiet and so people just kept
pouring out and then when the ministry
began to explode and begin to go
further he's now having to
go back to town he couldn't even go back to town
without sneaking back in town
because there's so many people waiting
for him to do something for
them my god we're heading
somewhere this morning and so we find
our text and again he comes
in to Capernaum I'm telling
you I think I'm ready for
an again moment at the Hopewell
Church of God I think that we're
ready for an again moment for
the United States of America
I think it's time for revival
I think it's time for Jesus
to show back up again I think
it's time that the church invite
him back into the house again
I think
I think it's time that we begin to move
under the anointing again
I think it's time that a people
I'm talking about a people get
excited about the presence of Jesus
Christ being in their house
and begin to go out and tell it
so much so that we can't keep
it to ourselves you oughta been
there Sunday morning you should
have seen what God did Sunday
morning people's lives were touched
people's lives were changed sinners
were saved converts were made
my lord he truly is
savior he truly is sanctifier
we had people baptized
in the Holy Ghost speaking
in other tongues as the spirit
give the other we had people
healed I just wonder all of
just come to me how many of you have been
touched and healed in body in
the last year or so how many
how many's ever been healed by a touch
would you stand up and give him praise
you know for a fact that you've been healed
amen well let me
just put a little contagion on
you this morning would you get like that
old leper and would you start telling
somebody what Jesus has done for
you don't keep it quiet
don't hold your peace tell somebody
you need to come where I go
the presence of the Lord
Jesus is meeting us
the Holy Ghost is showing up
look around you how many people
are standing testimonies
of the healing power
of Jesus Christ
he heals
again
do it again
Lord
we need him
back in the houses of worship
I remember
I tried to
look for it and I couldn't come up with it
but I found a
quote years ago I'd used
about a
British journalist who come to America
searching out to try
to find the greatness
of America
we're talking the late 1800's
early 1900's
as the revolution
of industrialism is getting started
what's making America
so great
so he comes and he begins to tour
he goes to our great
factories and couldn't find our greatness there
to the harbors and couldn't
find the greatness there to publications
and couldn't find the greatness there
and he said it wasn't
until I went into the churches
and I found those
flaming pulpits of fire
then I discovered
America's true
greatness can I rebuke
a nation real quickly
we have tried to put our greatness
into many other places
we've tried to make it that it's all about
what we are our military
might our military power
our technological advances but we're behind
the eight ball on a lot of things
anymore
America's greatness is not in those things
but the sad thing is
could that same reporter
enter into our churches across
America and still see
the success and the greatness
because of the fire that's burning
God help us
I think we need Jesus
back in the house again
he's coming back to Capernaum again
he's making his way back
he done great things when he was there before
oh my God
the great awakening the second great awakening
the Azusa street revival
many are claiming that we're about
to enter into a third great awakening
I say even so Lord
come quickly
let an awakening of the consciousness
of the United States of America
and our awareness that we're moving away
from you may it come closer
to realize that we need
the presence of Jesus Christ
back in our houses again
of worship oh my
he'll make his presence known
in our homes when we start making
his presence known in our churches
because what you see is this
we begin to bring him from home
to the house of worship because
we are the church and the
presence of the Lord should be in the
church at all times
in all demographics and every
place you should have the presence
of the Lord with you and when we
come corporately together
there should be a unifying of the presence
of the Lord in our hearts
and in our lives and we begin to echo
the praise of his goodness
he makes all the difference
we need his presence more
than we need social security
and I hope it lasts
I'm going to be needed here for long
I'm coming on to it
so y'all leave me some
hello
I don't want you to have to die to leave it
just leave us some
we need his presence more than we need health insurance
I get so many calls
and so many texts
good hearted people wanting to help me
find an insurance policy
I mean they must really care
they need his presence more than I need a policy
hello
and I think I'm just going to start
witnessing they'll stop calling
they'll put you on a black list
don't call me
if you want to do that
put you on a black list
don't call this number
if you want to call this
just start telling them about how good Jesus is
they'll always tell you
if you can understand them
they'll tell you what their name is
so and so
Juan, do you know
Ahmed, do you know
come on
that's who calls me
I don't know who's calling you
witnessed him to Achmed the next time he calls and I'm gonna ask Achmed, hey I've got a good health
insurance policy amen so far I hadn't had to use it because of the presence of the Lord that's in
my life hallelujah do you know Jesus Christ as your Lord and person of the earth sorry sorry we
have to go now sorry sorry no more we hang up now sorry sorry no more no bother you no more
I said we need the presence of Jesus in his house and when we get his presence alive and when you
fail to remember his declaration if I be lifted up if I be lifted up if I be lifted up I'll draw
all men unto me I'm about sick to death with superstar preachers superstar pastors and the
stardom of their ego my God according to John I must decrease that he must increase and weapon
I better slow down I'm gonna get in trouble I don't know if that's preaching or ranting
I just wonder what heaven thinks about it all let me get the next note we'll move on past that
mmm we need his presence more than we need the welfare of this age I just about said something
I would have regretted let me go on oh no it's just babies there don't do it I'm gonna try not to
but it's so funny and it's such a fact it was noise that he was in the house I'm just gonna stick
oh see them rabbit trails to get you in some trouble and I about about hit one we need the
presence of any many of you may have a so-called picture of Jesus in your homes anybody got one
of those anybody got a picture in your house throw that thing out that ain't him get shed of it
that's not him why you're not trust me it ain't him there's too many different pictures they all
can't be him I feel it this morning you won't have to worry about a picture if you've got his
presence you won't have to worry about an image on the wall if you have his presence in your heart
and in the threshold of your home you won't have to worry about hoping that that's him I'm telling
you it's not him and you feel like it'd be sacrilegious to throw it out huh I've been that
way before I thought I can't throw a picture Jesus away and then I realized one day well it's not him
chunk yeah that ain't him let me get to point number two point number one again he entered
after some days secondly and straightway many were gathered together in so much that they
were no room there was no room to receive them not even at the door usually you can get a seat at the
door usually you can stand at the door everybody's in the living room usually you can stand by the
door but not when Jesus is in the house makes me kind of wonder these places that say he's there
they just need a picture because if you got his presence there I'm telling you we're stirring it
up hallelujah why because folks are coming to see folks are coming to see why because it was
noised abroad it was noised abroad what does that mean somebody had been in the house where he was
at and when they left they told somebody else that Jesus was in the house would to God that the
church would get enough of Jesus on them when they came in that when we leave we start noising it
abroad the presence of the Lord is here the presence of the Lord is near do you have a need
when they start pouring their heart out you start telling them hey I know where you can go and be
like the four men come and go with me if you're not able I'll come get you I'll pick you up I'll
do whatever necessary I'll buy you lunch after church but you need in the presence of Jesus
that's what it's all about it's not about hearing a preacher we don't need another preacher we need
his presence it's not about seeing and hearing more beautiful singing it's about we need his
presence amen we don't need good teachers we need his presence because when his presence resulted
then the preaching of the word goes forth because it was noised abroad that he was in the house and
nobody could get in the room and when he did get him in the room he preached them the word hallelujah
I'm telling you the word will make a difference in people's lives I'm not talking about opinion I'm
not talking about popular fad literature I'm talking about let's get to the unadulterated
word of God which declares that he cast out devils that he has power over unclean spirits
that declares that he can cause a leper to become cleansed hallelujah he can cause a feverish woman
to stand up and walk when the house is full of his presence a house will become filled with hungry
people because no this is a reality people are still searching they are still needing and they
are still hungry for the authentic presence of God you know what I'm finding people are getting
tired of the Broadway shows on Sunday morning because Monday when the devil's knocking on their
door and crisis is arising the production isn't enough I said the production isn't enough the
four-step teaching they got on how to be a better you is not enough because the devil is breathing
down their neck that roaring line is going about seeking whom he may devour and he showed up on
their doorstep and four steps to a better you isn't enough when the devil's after you you need
the word of the living God so that you can declare to him it is written hey y'all doing all right people
are still seeking the presence and the power of Christ for their lives they're not seeking after
another form of religion are you hearing me not some other church name to add its nomenclature to
the list they're needing Jesus they just need an encounter with Jesus they really don't care about
the name it's on the sign when they show up they're hurting for the most you realize I forget what the
church is doing it's 80 to 90 some percent it is 80 to 90 some percent of people who had who come
to churches to visit do so because of a personal invitation from someone else not door-to-door
evangelism not mailing it out a card in the mail invitation they come because there's some validity
to the one who has invited them to come and they will come because you ask them to come it may take
you years but if you're consistent with the joy that is in your heart and the words about your
church are positive and not negative because of the presence of Christ then when you invite them
in their hour of need they'll come because they've tried everything else they've been everywhere else
they've heard every other voice but when you continually testify about the presence of Jesus
Christ and what God is doing in the lives of those around you they'll finally come to realization and
knowing that I will not be saved without him hallelujah I can't be delivered without him because
I've tried everything on myself and anyone else that can help me and I can't do it and they couldn't
do it can somebody point me to some relief and you show up and say I'll tell you how you spell
relief it's J-E-S-U-S he's better than a roll aid a lot of people got heartburned from sin well let
me move right on that he preached to them the word I know it sounds old-fashioned hey man I
know it sounds old-fashioned it may look the way I present it sometimes quite ridiculous but I can't
help it it's just the way it rolls off of me sometimes I don't know if I think the show that
have people come to watch what's he gonna do next it's not concerning these things it's not popular
but there's still a need for the gospel there's still a need for the proclamation loudly driven
by the unction of the Holy Ghost because simply put our lives our lives lived by faith faith is
the substance of things hoped for according to Hebrews 11 and 1 and the evidence of things not
seen and without faith it's impossible to please God but if you have faith he is a rewarder of
those who diligently seek after him how do I get more of this faith well you have been given
according to the scripture a measure of faith but that measure can be added to how so Romans 10 17
faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God so you're saying I can cause my faith to
grow yes I am and I've just given you the antidote for its growth amen not to stimulate it so it dies
out but to stimulate it so that it grows a man faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word
of God so the more I read the stronger my faith gets now you're starting to catch a hold because
you take the promises of God that are yay and a man by Christ Jesus and you apply those promises
through the faith that you have and God who has redeemed you let me tell you something if you've
got faith enough for him to save you then you can have faith enough for him to do any and every
other thing in your life because that is the greatest challenge of humanity and that is the
redeeming of our sin it costs the greatest price so if he can save you he can do anything for you
and he is the only one that can save you thirdly they came unto him bringing one seek of the
palsy which was born of four oh boy had four close enough friends or acquaintances who cared
enough about him I don't know if it was their idea the Bible doesn't say I don't know if it
was their idea to bring him or it was his idea to get somebody to take him I don't know but either
way somebody had enough faith if they could just get there a difference would be made somebody had
enough faith to know if they could just get there if he in himself if I can just get there I know
he'll make a difference I don't know why I know other than he may have heard something from one
of those other communities and towns where Jesus had been away ministering for a little
while could be that he might have known the leopard we don't know but what we do know is is some of
those five one of those five at least had enough faith to know that if I can get in the presence
or we can get him in his presence then there is a difference that can be made in his life lo and
behold a difference can be made if you make your way into his presence this man has a condition of
palsy palsy is a paralyzing condition it restricts one is somehow disconnects the strength of muscle
and nerve from the brain the mind still says to move but the body can't respond don't know where
the disconnect happens but it happens sometimes in our life don't we get disconnected don't our
thought process from our action process get disconnected and we need a reconnection sometimes
in our faith do we not get disconnected doesn't the enemy come in like a flood so strongly that
somehow it washes in a seed grain of doubt and we let that seed grain of doubt begin to build like
an oyster on a pearl and doubt gets bigger and bigger and bigger and larger and larger and larger
to the point the devil begins to whisper God doesn't love you oh he doesn't care about you
Jesus who he hadn't visited you he had done anything for you but I'm here to tell us this
morning that he is able to overcome the voices of darkness amen and let his light so shine in the
darkness of the clam of your situation and the palsy and the paralysis of your life and the
paralysis in your situation he is able to speak life and speak a connection back together what
happened to the old boy they got there I got to make a long story way short when they arrive
there's a bigger crowd than they thought you ever showed up at church like that before oh
these more people here today and I thought they're gonna be I bet you somebody got my seat I love it
when somebody gets here and gets your seat and I watch for the cross-eyed look for somebody to
get tore up enough to ask somebody to move I'm looking for that so don't even think about it
hello matter of fact I encouraged a few people I thought be brave enough to sit in your seat just
because now you front row folk are pretty good you don't have to worry about it much and back
row folk ain't coming down I don't know how we get the balcony people down here have no clue so
some of your seats are safe but for others you in the middle you might have to find another one
across the room start sitting in different places get a different perspective hey man make me have
to hunt for you and look for you because I miss you if I can't find you and then when we start
going over the list somebody said yeah I'm actually they was there this over so I didn't
see him over they couldn't get in because of the testimony that had already been given he was in
the house Jesus is back hey running across town Jesus is back he's back over Peter's house he's
over there that's where he done all that other stuff a few weeks ago he's back my god leave out
here saying hey he's back in Hopewell what he used to do years ago he's doing greater that Oh
his presence sometimes like that man with the palsy we become powerless to help ourselves he
couldn't get there reminds me of that man by the pool but there's this pool when the Lord said
will that be made holy said well I would but I just can't get there right this man would have
been there on his own if he could have got there I think once somebody had to have enough faith to
get him there but he was powerless to do it on himself on his own sometimes we become paralyzed
by circumstance and we become unable to do it for ourselves sometimes we get to where we can't even
believe for ourselves it's not that you don't have faith you don't believe it's like that man that
brought his son to the disciples to cast that spirit out of him to heal his son to deliver his
son they couldn't do it but thank the Lord he hung around town till Jesus got back in town there's
something about it when he gets back in town there's something about it when he's in the house he
approaches him Lord I need you to heal my son do you believe well yeah but I need some help with
some unbelief right now isn't that the way we get sometimes with our faith you know I've been there
it's not that I don't believe God I don't trust God I do but sometimes old Pastor Cliff needs a
little help in his faith we need help in our faith we can't do it for ourselves
there's some things that we can do and many things that we cannot do for ourselves that only the power
of God can do for us amen for the one they could not come not for the press
you know there's some things that you're not going to acquire this you will in the fight for
when they couldn't come not because of the press the only other option they had was the roof
now you're laying there with the palsy maybe you know these four guys really good and maybe you
don't and one of them said hey we're gonna take you up on the roof you're afraid of heights already
and you're powerless to catch yourself not sure if they're gonna catch you or catch themselves
and you just gonna hit the ground we're going up we're going where you're taking me where well we
can't get the door and the windows are crowded the only way in is the roof okay let's go there's some
things you're only going to acquire in faith and by faith only if you're willing to fight for them
you got to be willing to put forth some effort to keep it or to claim it there's got to be a
faith it's got to rise up in you and come out of you that'll cause you to go beyond the normal
circumstances to acquire it Matthew 11 and 12 since the days of John the Baptist the kingdom of
heaven severance violence and the violent take it by force second Corinthians 10 I think around verse
3 begins with this we may walk in the flesh but we don't war after the flesh for the weapons of our
warfare are not carnal but they are mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds and casting
down every imagination that decides to exalt itself against the knowledge of God and bringing
into captivity come on somebody bringing into captivity every thought that tries to rise up
against the goodness of God isn't that where we live I'm not this battle that we're in it's not
a fleshly battle sometimes you want to slap the devil out of somebody but you really can't do that
it's a spiritual thing hey man sometimes you have to pray I preach into some people who face a devil
every day I have to go to their job have to go into their homes and the devil walks right in and
acts like you can't do anything about it well I'm here to serve notice on that devil and to
serve notice on you again one more time greater is he that's in you then he that is in this world
and it's time you rise up and to stand in accordance to faith stand having yourself battled
armored and ready get the help and a salvation secured when you haven't done all to stand stand
anyway be willing to go beyond the ordinary to acquire what it is you need sometimes you got to
be willing to get on the roof sometimes you got to be like a Zacchaeus and be willing to go out on
a limb you may have to be like a Peter get out of the security of the boat I'm gonna tell you
something right now at least he had four men and get on the roof with him Zacchaeus had to get out
on limb by his self Peter had at least 11 others watching him go over the rail hello there's always
going to be donkey tenders and boat watchers Abraham made his way to Mariah you remember that
story he's got Isaac his son he makes his way to the foothills of Mariah and he receives his
instruction there's where I want you to go and he has some of the servants with him and he left
them with the donkeys I'm telling you there's some places that you're going to have to go by
yourself there's some places that that only folks can get you so far and there's always
going to be donkey tenders but when God gives you a word don't you stay with the donkey tenders when
you ask him Lord if that be thou that be you bid me to come out and walk on the water to you and
you hear the invitation to come then you better have enough nerd to bell over the side huh amen
because there's going to be 11 looking then hey he wasn't talking to me but if you have faith to
ask him any answers make your way to the mountain where the sacrifice is to be offered Abraham went
with everything but what Isaac thought they needed but Abraham had what he was told to take
I guess it's one way to put it like this everybody don't belong with you where you're going
there's there's some pathways of faith that we have to walk alone Abraham had to live
out his faith and take Isaac to the mountaintop that old hymn says they coming up the rough side
of the mountain I'm climbing up the rough side of the mountain as Abraham but something you've
always you and I know the rest of the story while you're going up the rough side the sacrifice is
coming up the backside provision is making its way up there's a hole about to be made in the roof
they didn't go down with him he was let down by himself my god I don't have time to preach before
you can go up you got to go down oh you can't get up without going down Naaman had to go down to
Jordan and dipped seven times how can he hear me now Elijah had to go to Zarephath Elijah had to
go to the brook called Cherub he had to go down before he ever had to come up and see the fire fall
on top of the mountain you and I have to go down many times before we can come up but what I love
about God I may go down but he don't leave me down there's always an up hallelujah they let the man
down through the roof but he didn't have to go back up through the roof because he made a difference
in his life when he let him down he didn't only heal what was obvious to everybody he took care
of the greatest need of that man's life and it baffled the mind of every Pharisee and religious
spirit setting there son thy sins be forgiven thee I can see them sitting there the older men
Pharisees probably some Sadducees in the room they're just trying to find out what's going on
they went there to meet him there's just there to see what the uproar was about because see they begin
to talk and whisper among themselves and said in their heart well who does he think he is to forgive
sins why he's blasphemous but let me just tell you something you can't get anything by him nothing gets
by him are you hearing me sin don't get by him well look out now you may get by you think you sneaking
it by others but it doesn't get by him I just remember that joke about that guy with that big
dogs and the parrot in his home the burglar breaks in and the parrot begins to say Jesus is watching
you the thief startled just kind of went about his pilfering he hears again Jesus is watching you
he's not worried about no parakeet or Jesus until they happen to be Jesus and it was a
Rottweiler and the bird was just mispronouncing Jesus is watching you and it ain't Jesus Jesus
is watching you you can't get it by him they didn't get it by him he perceived what was going
on in their hearts you don't have to say it we think if we don't say it we good no no he knows
the intents of our hearts I would have put a said it something like yes you boys need to hush over
you don't even know what you're talking about y'all need to shut up but I'm not Jesus he said why
you perceive these things in your heart but I'm gonna prove a point to you which is easier to say
he had him didn't that sins be forgiven thee or to say a rise and walk don't answer that don't
answer that I won't prove a point to you son get up enough said mic drop leave the room if I can do
that in your eyes then the other should not be a problem you can't make him walk I got to y'all
stand women I'll be sure to go to page two you think I'm kidding but I'm not they uncovered the
roof where he was when they let the bed down at principal remember you may have to go down to
get up but you'll get up he's not gonna leave you down
maybe a sinner but when you meet him he'll make a difference in your life and you'll leave
saved from your sin you may be feeling like you have a emotional palsy there's different
types of palsy little survey how many of you have ever felt paralyzed in your mind just paralyzed
not know this nothing's coming you can't decide anything you just he alone is able to heal that
paralysis but I'm so glad that he is able you may have to be down before you get up but Naaman he
went down to Jordan and he dipped seven times he took even but when he obeyed he came up clean
Peter belt out of the boat he jumped down out of the boat yes he did start to sink but never
forget we are not told how far he walked on water before his attention was diverted to the size of
the wave I don't know how far he got knowing Peter he hit the water running before ever looked
because he done so many other things without looking or thinking reminds me an old boy I know
I was saying asking for a friend you know sometimes you have to go down I don't know
how far he went but he had went far enough to know on whom to cry for help sometimes you have
to go again and again second Kings 18 Elijah that we've mentioned is on top of that mountain now
he's entered into a prayer position he's got his face between his knees and he's praying
that's a good selection greater see this in he looks to serve it says go to the edge and look over
and see he runs back says I don't see anything and the scripture says he said go again seven times
there's just something about going again he makes the difference next time the devil tries to get you
to go to church and you're not going to go to church and you're not going to stay at home and not go to
church just go again it could be that day that have that same report when you leave you what I saw
might not have been much to anybody else Elijah way out over there I see a cloud looks about like that
and I love to get off the hill the rains come and the man of God gets up off the ground
he outran he helps chariots that's you right there folks you may have to go again but when you come
up when you get up the race is on how many need him to make a difference you need you need a
difference in your situation your circumstance if that's you make your way to the front come on
I'm gonna pray with you I'm gonna pray for you I'm not gonna carry too long I mean I've done been
at it for nearly an hour so if you ain't got it by now there's no there's no alter manipulation
I could conjure up to get you down here I've never been good at that I either I just you either want
it or you don't with me but I know what I've witnessed this morning as I've been preaching
as the spirit of the reveals some faces to me he's seen his word for you today there's nothing
else gonna make a difference in your crisis in your situation but him his presence is here to make
a difference y'all come on in step a little tighter I'm gonna get some prayer warriors behind
you won't get some folks to pray with us you know who you are folks come on let's build a wall of
faith let's get behind these brothers and sisters they needing something from the Lord today they
need Jesus to make a difference they need him to make a difference this morning amen
he's in the house for you this morning he's here to make a difference in your situation