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Praise God in the sanctuary.

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Amen.

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Let's sing a little bit of that again.

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Hit that praise God in the sanctuary part.

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Go from there.

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I like that.

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Bless God in the sanctuary.

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Bless God in the fields of plenty.

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Bless God in the darkest hour of the evening.

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Every chance I get, I bless your name.

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Yeah.

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Bless God in the

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Empty.

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Bless God in the fields that cost me.

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Bless God in the light of the Lord.

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Nobody's watching.

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Every chance I get, I bless your name.

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I'm in the witness to the dream.

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Bless God when the walls are falling.

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Hey.

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Bless God when he goes before us.

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He goes before us.

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Every chance I get, I bless your name.

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I bless your name.

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Look.

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I'm in the witness to the dream.

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Holds the big tree.

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Bless God.

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He's always with you.

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He's with you.

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He's always worthy.

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I bless your name.

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I get.

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I get.

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I'm going to give you one more chance.

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One more chance.

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One more chance.

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Every chance you get, here's one more chance.

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Hallelujah.

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It's easy to bless his name when everything's going good.

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Right?

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But can you still bless him when your hand's empty?

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Can you still bless his name when the weapons are forming

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against you?

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When the fire's kindled up against you and the floods are

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rolling over you, can you stand up and bless him?

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Well, that's when we do bless him because he said he wouldn't

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let the fire consume you and the flood wash you away.

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Right?

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There is a standard that he raises up when the enemy comes

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in like a flood.

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I bless your name, Lord.

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I bless your name.

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If you have your Bibles, turn with me to the book of Hebrews

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in the fourth chapter.

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Hebrews 4.

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Well, glory.

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Thank you, folks, for leading us in today.

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Sounded wonderful.

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I like it when you don't miss a beat.

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Just flow.

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It just rolls.

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Right?

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I thank the Lord for his kindness toward us and his

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blessings on us.

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He is good and his mercy endures forever.

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Well, it's not hard to tell which side of the church

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building most of the younger people sit on.

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Is it?

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Yeah.

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Now, you put that other 40 over here and it looks balanced.

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So that means y'all are, I ain't even going to say it.

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There's a few sprinkles of youth's fountain among you.

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Be thankful they're sitting with you and not forsook you

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for the other side.

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Hallelujah.

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God's so good.

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Man, praise reports are going to flood in from this weekend.

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I kind of thought it humorous last night after the Winterfest

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service.

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I kind of wait for a report from the adults I got up there.

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I kind of wait for a report.

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So I texted, it was late, and I said report and about three or

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four question marks, you know.

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And then the next thing you know, Pastor Brian just sends

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about five or six fire emojis.

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That's all you get out of him.

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Then a little bit later, we get a report from Sister Erica who

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honestly confessed she might have had more to report had she

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not been out on the floor.

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So if our chaperones wouldn't fool around getting the spirit,

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then we may have more information to give this

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morning, but when they're slayed, then there you go.

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It's left to the kids.

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They're taking care of themselves.

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Isn't that wonderful though?

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Hallelujah.

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To know I was truly just tickled as they were loading up

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Friday.

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I always give them my pastor's speech.

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You've got to give them that.

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You're representing the Hope Well Church of God.

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You're representing Pastor Brian and Sister Erica, but most

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of all, you're representing Jesus.

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Amen.

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And then I give them the good part.

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But one I overheard a conversation.

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Pastor Brian was asking one of his younger teens, he said,

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man, are you expecting something this weekend?

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He said, yeah, I want the baptism of the Holy Ghost.

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So yeah.

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So that kind of set a little stirring out in the parking lot.

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So I've been excited about what God's doing among them.

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Amen.

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But it still would be better if your workers could stay up

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under the Spirit.

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Whatsoever, Lord.

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We'll get her when she gets back.

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Hallelujah.

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God's so good.

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And just to think, there's 12, 14,000 students and workers up

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there this week, and God has moved in the mountains.

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Amen.

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Some will go back transformed.

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Some saved.

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Hopefully many sanctified.

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Many filled with the spirit of empowerment to live a

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victorious life.

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Amen.

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And there are many that are going to be called.

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God's going to do some calling.

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The spirit's calling.

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He needs that generation.

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Amen.

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So he's going to be calling them out and up for his service.

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Amen.

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Hebrews chapter four.

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Look at verse 14 with me for a moment.

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Seeing then that we have a great high priest that is passed

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into the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our

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profession, for we have not in high priest, which cannot be

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touched with the feelings of our infirmities, but was in all

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points tempted like we are, yet without sin.

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Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may

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obtain mercy and find grace to help in the time of need.

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Just for a little bit this morning, I want to follow up on

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last week just a little bit.

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It was a little, like I said, it got a little rocky last

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week when you go to preaching on apathy and complacency and

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those sort of things.

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It's a stirring.

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Hopefully you were stirred by the word of God and the spirit

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of God to activate your faith.

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And so that's what we kind of want to follow up with this

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morning on is faith above all.

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Faith above all.

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Amen.

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I know the Lord's with us this morning for just about every

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song, just kindly just put a confirmation in my heart as to

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what I'm about to do.

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And the Lord is good that way.

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Amen.

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Every great once in a while I'll request a song.

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But I don't tell the folks that lead our worship what to sing.

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And I never have because I'm looking for something.

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I'm looking for folks who are in tune with the spirit.

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Amen.

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That's what I'm searching for.

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They've actually prayed about what they're doing and they've

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heard from the Lord and he's putting together a cohesive

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moment of time for his people.

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Right.

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And that's what I search for.

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And I look for that to know that, OK, I've heard from God

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and we've heard from God and he's going to do something

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great.

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And I'm looking forward to that for the rest of this morning.

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So if you'll pray with me, we'll try to be expedient with

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it.

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I doubt very seriously where it happens in 25 minutes or not.

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That's a stretch for me.

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I could try that, but we'll see.

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Lord, we love you again.

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We approach your throne.

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My spirit is full this morning, Lord.

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My heart is full of joy.

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I just feel so good in your house.

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Lord, and messages have been flooding in already of churches

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that are ghost towns because of the timing and the weekends and

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different things and events and pastors may be struggling this

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morning, but I'm not, Lord.

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Our people have come out.

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They're in your house because of what you're doing.

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Continue to move in our hearts and lives, Lord.

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I know some are tired.

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That hour that is lost, it is valuable.

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So I pray that you would increase their rest.

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Increase their rest for their bodies, Lord.

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They're tired.

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They've worked and the stress of life.

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Have your rest to your people in Jesus' name.

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Well, hallelujah.

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I just felt the Lord right there.

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Amen.

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You can be seated.

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Faith above all.

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Tell your neighbors, faith above all.

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Again, just to kindly, you know, catch up for some of you.

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It may not have been here last week.

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We're talking about advancing beyond the limits of complacency

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and that lack of desire, complacency of feeling,

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quite pleasurable that everything's fine and security

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and you're safe.

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And it's just a status quo when you're moving right along.

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And if we're not careful, we can get that way in our faith walk

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with walking with the Lord.

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You can get to a place where, man, this is comfortable.

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I've got the devil sort of at bay,

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and the spirit kind of is nudging me,

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but I've quenched him enough it doesn't hurt too bad anymore.

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And we grow complacent.

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And we get to a place where life is good.

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Amen.

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You ever been there?

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Whenever I get there, I get nervous.

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I set the trajectory.

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I thought, well, the Lord already had it set,

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but I really set the ball rolling one afternoon,

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one sunny spring afternoon.

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I had bought an old 79 Ford Bronco.

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I was going to turn that into my rabbit hunting mobile.

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And I was out there fooling with it and changing spark plugs.

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And I mean a beautiful spring afternoon

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out in the parsonage yard.

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And man, I stepped down off of that old thing.

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And away off in the distance, I heard an old gobbler just

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howl.

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And I thought, man, I said to myself, Lord, I've got it made.

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And I wish I had never, ever let those words come out

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from the tip of my tongue and roll over my lower lip.

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I wish I had never uttered those,

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because I truly believe when I said that, David,

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I set a chain of events into motion that's brought me

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to where we are today.

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I really do.

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I honestly thought, Sister Cassie,

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I thought we could have pastored that first little church

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up on top of the mountain for the rest of our lives.

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And God would have been good, and we

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would have been content.

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But you know, the Lord didn't have a desire for me

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to get really content and to grow complacent,

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because I would have gotten complacent,

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because they didn't care who preached on Sunday morning

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as long as we were the pastor.

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Anybody could come in as long as they

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know that we was coming back next Sunday.

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They were good to go with that.

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And I was good to go with that.

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But complacency began to set in.

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There was a danger right there that I had to really watch for.

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You can get comfortable in any situation.

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You can get very comfortable and grow complacent in any situa.

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You can get complacent in the midst of hardship.

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Even if it's not too hard, or you know,

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you can get to a place where you're

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satisfied with the status quo.

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But God is not satisfied with his people being in status quo.

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We look at the children of Israel.

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If you'll look above in this fourth chapter,

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and you go up to the first verse,

272
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and begin to read down, it talks about the rest of the Lord,

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about the children of God going into his rest,

274
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and the rest that he had prepared.

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Talk about Joshua leading them in,

276
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talking about how Christ was more perfect than Moses

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in chapter 3 and in chapter 4, here in this book of Hebrews.

278
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And that's what Hebrews is all about,

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the perfection of Christ, Christ better than,

280
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better than his blood, better than the blood of the goats

281
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and bulls, his sacrifice.

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All of this is in the book of Hebrews.

283
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But in this fourth chapter, he talks about the rest of God,

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the rest of the Lord, drawing you into his rest.

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The children of Israel finally, after wandering

286
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for 40 years in the wilderness, got to enter into the rest.

287
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And the rest was the promised land.

288
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Well, it wasn't very restful.

289
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They had to go in and drive the enemy out.

290
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Amen.

291
00:13:09,260 --> 00:13:10,260
They had to make war.

292
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But it was the rest.

293
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It was the fulfillment of the promise

294
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that God had made to them.

295
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Amen.

296
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Because there's no place to get complacent.

297
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You get into his rest when you get into his destination

298
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for your life.

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You move into his rest when the promise

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00:13:25,420 --> 00:13:28,340
that he has made to you is where you arrive.

301
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But it is there that he begins to equip you

302
00:13:30,540 --> 00:13:32,260
for the rest of the journey.

303
00:13:32,260 --> 00:13:32,860
Amen.

304
00:13:32,860 --> 00:13:34,980
God made a promise to them, and they made it

305
00:13:34,980 --> 00:13:36,180
to the promised land.

306
00:13:36,180 --> 00:13:40,300
They crossed over the Jordan, and they entered into his rest.

307
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They were dispatched.

308
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They got to go into all of their inheritance

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and receive their promise.

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And they entered into the rest of the Lord.

311
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But in his rest is often warfare,

312
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because the enemy, amen, is always present and always

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around.

314
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So we cannot grow complacent in the resting

315
00:13:58,020 --> 00:13:59,460
of the promise of God.

316
00:13:59,460 --> 00:14:03,220
And so therefore, we hear as the author begin to just bring us

317
00:14:03,220 --> 00:14:06,540
on through, seeing then that we have a great high priest that

318
00:14:06,540 --> 00:14:09,220
has passed into the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God,

319
00:14:09,220 --> 00:14:12,660
let us hold fast our profession.

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00:14:12,660 --> 00:14:15,420
When we begin to talk about this complacency,

321
00:14:15,420 --> 00:14:17,860
we talked about how it hinders the progression

322
00:14:17,860 --> 00:14:20,620
of our Christian faith and our walk with God.

323
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And we discussed the very fact of faith itself.

324
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Faith, we use this definition, suggests

325
00:14:25,740 --> 00:14:28,020
a reach that is above ourselves.

326
00:14:28,020 --> 00:14:32,220
It is man in his limited state, reaching out, reaching up,

327
00:14:32,220 --> 00:14:36,100
and reaching beyond into the goodness of the rest of God.

328
00:14:36,100 --> 00:14:38,420
That's what faith ends up with.

329
00:14:38,420 --> 00:14:41,380
We know that faith is the substance of things hoped for

330
00:14:41,380 --> 00:14:43,860
and the evidence of things not seen.

331
00:14:43,860 --> 00:14:47,260
But that is the entering in of the rest that we have of God.

332
00:14:47,260 --> 00:14:48,940
There is a promise, amen.

333
00:14:48,940 --> 00:14:51,860
In verse 12, he said, well, look at verse 11

334
00:14:51,860 --> 00:14:53,380
in our fourth chapter here.

335
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Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest.

336
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You've got to work.

337
00:14:58,540 --> 00:14:59,660
You've got to move in.

338
00:14:59,660 --> 00:15:00,580
You've got to move on.

339
00:15:00,580 --> 00:15:01,460
You've got to be about.

340
00:15:01,460 --> 00:15:02,620
You've got to accomplish.

341
00:15:02,620 --> 00:15:05,660
Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest,

342
00:15:05,660 --> 00:15:07,660
lest any man fail.

343
00:15:07,660 --> 00:15:11,020
He manned after the same example of unbelief.

344
00:15:11,020 --> 00:15:13,140
Many of the children of Israel failed

345
00:15:13,140 --> 00:15:16,620
to enter into the rest because of unbelief, right?

346
00:15:16,620 --> 00:15:18,220
When God brought them to the Jordan

347
00:15:18,220 --> 00:15:22,140
and they refused to cross over because of grasshopperitis,

348
00:15:22,140 --> 00:15:24,380
if you will, when the spies come back

349
00:15:24,380 --> 00:15:28,180
and they begin to give a false report that God's not able,

350
00:15:28,180 --> 00:15:29,100
that we're not.

351
00:15:29,100 --> 00:15:31,740
They've had it right when they said we are not able.

352
00:15:31,740 --> 00:15:34,300
But where they failed and where they come up short

353
00:15:34,300 --> 00:15:37,860
was not believing that God was able to take them

354
00:15:37,860 --> 00:15:38,980
into the rest.

355
00:15:38,980 --> 00:15:42,100
And they talked themselves out of the rest of God.

356
00:15:42,100 --> 00:15:44,980
They talked themselves out into achieving

357
00:15:44,980 --> 00:15:47,700
and accomplishing the promise that God had made them.

358
00:15:47,700 --> 00:15:48,900
So what did they do?

359
00:15:48,900 --> 00:15:50,540
They had to take a hard left turn.

360
00:15:50,540 --> 00:15:54,100
And then for 40 years, they wandered through the desert.

361
00:15:54,100 --> 00:15:54,940
Why?

362
00:15:54,940 --> 00:15:57,580
It wasn't very restful because every morning

363
00:15:57,580 --> 00:16:00,100
they had to get up and get their daily sustenance.

364
00:16:00,100 --> 00:16:01,980
Every day, there was no rest in that.

365
00:16:01,980 --> 00:16:04,820
You had to get up and gather every single day.

366
00:16:04,820 --> 00:16:08,380
And for 40 years, they walked outside of the promise of God

367
00:16:08,380 --> 00:16:11,820
until that whole generation that had no faith

368
00:16:11,820 --> 00:16:15,780
and was full of unbelief and refused to accept the power

369
00:16:15,780 --> 00:16:18,620
and the promise of God until they wasted away,

370
00:16:18,620 --> 00:16:20,660
until they all died in the wilderness.

371
00:16:20,660 --> 00:16:22,860
And then full circle, they come back around

372
00:16:22,860 --> 00:16:24,820
and Joshua hears from the Lord.

373
00:16:24,820 --> 00:16:26,900
Aren't you glad that there are those

374
00:16:26,900 --> 00:16:28,940
who still hear from the Lord

375
00:16:28,940 --> 00:16:32,420
and that the voice of God is still speaking among his people?

376
00:16:32,420 --> 00:16:35,260
Oh, the Lord stood before Joshua and declared in him,

377
00:16:35,260 --> 00:16:38,900
Moses, my servant is dead and you demand, you demand,

378
00:16:38,900 --> 00:16:39,740
you demand.

379
00:16:39,740 --> 00:16:41,100
That's what God was telling him.

380
00:16:41,100 --> 00:16:43,340
And he said, here's the thing that I'm gonna declare

381
00:16:43,340 --> 00:16:46,340
before you today, before we ever get started, Joshua.

382
00:16:46,340 --> 00:16:49,780
As I was with Moses, so shall I be with you.

383
00:16:49,780 --> 00:16:52,500
And there's nobody gonna be able to stand in front of you,

384
00:16:52,500 --> 00:16:54,540
that nobody that's gonna be able to hinder you.

385
00:16:54,540 --> 00:16:56,580
Somebody needs to hear that this morning.

386
00:16:56,580 --> 00:16:58,780
God was with a generation before you,

387
00:16:58,780 --> 00:17:01,940
but God is telling you they passed and they're gone.

388
00:17:01,940 --> 00:17:05,460
And as I was with them, so I will be with you.

389
00:17:05,460 --> 00:17:07,660
And nobody's gonna be able to stand, no enemies,

390
00:17:07,660 --> 00:17:09,260
gonna be able to turn you aside.

391
00:17:09,260 --> 00:17:13,140
For as I was with Moses, so I'm gonna be with you.

392
00:17:13,140 --> 00:17:15,780
And my God, remember what Moses said,

393
00:17:15,780 --> 00:17:18,860
if you don't go before us, then I don't wanna go.

394
00:17:18,860 --> 00:17:22,580
And if you're gonna go before us, show me your glory.

395
00:17:22,580 --> 00:17:25,180
Can I declare to you today when hungry hearts

396
00:17:25,180 --> 00:17:27,300
get ready to see the glory of God,

397
00:17:27,300 --> 00:17:30,580
that the glory of God will make himself revealed?

398
00:17:30,580 --> 00:17:33,220
I don't know about you, but I've heard enough testimony

399
00:17:33,220 --> 00:17:36,460
of yesteryear of how the power of God moved

400
00:17:36,460 --> 00:17:38,060
in the early days of Pentecost.

401
00:17:38,060 --> 00:17:40,380
Well, I'm here to tell you, I'm ready for the wind

402
00:17:40,380 --> 00:17:43,460
to blow again, and I want the wind of Pentecost

403
00:17:43,460 --> 00:17:46,180
to blow upon me and to blow upon you

404
00:17:46,180 --> 00:17:47,740
and to blow upon this house.

405
00:17:47,740 --> 00:17:50,180
For we got that promise from the Lord.

406
00:17:50,180 --> 00:17:53,380
As I was with them, so shall I be with you.

407
00:17:53,380 --> 00:17:57,580
And it is a desire of mine to enter into the rest

408
00:17:57,580 --> 00:17:59,980
that he has available.

409
00:18:01,180 --> 00:18:02,300
Hallelujah.

410
00:18:03,540 --> 00:18:04,540
Hallelujah.

411
00:18:05,660 --> 00:18:07,660
To enter into that rest, but you gotta grow

412
00:18:07,660 --> 00:18:09,860
beyond your complacency.

413
00:18:09,860 --> 00:18:12,340
Remember, you gotta grow beyond your status quo.

414
00:18:13,260 --> 00:18:15,340
You gotta grow beyond apathy, right?

415
00:18:16,380 --> 00:18:20,660
We've gotta fend off, and we gotta confront the obstacles

416
00:18:20,660 --> 00:18:22,940
that put themselves before us.

417
00:18:22,940 --> 00:18:25,300
Apathy, complacency, remember?

418
00:18:25,300 --> 00:18:27,780
We talked a little bit about ritualized religion.

419
00:18:27,780 --> 00:18:30,780
We gotta get past religion and move into a deep

420
00:18:30,780 --> 00:18:32,660
relationship with the Lord.

421
00:18:32,660 --> 00:18:36,500
That's why I loved what that young man, 13, 14 years old,

422
00:18:36,500 --> 00:18:39,460
what he said there Friday really just struck me deep

423
00:18:39,460 --> 00:18:43,460
when he told his pastor, what I want is the baptism

424
00:18:43,460 --> 00:18:45,140
of the Holy Ghost this weekend.

425
00:18:45,140 --> 00:18:47,700
My God, that's what we want.

426
00:18:47,700 --> 00:18:50,220
Some of you need the baptism of the Holy Ghost,

427
00:18:50,220 --> 00:18:51,940
but you don't have to worry about receiving him

428
00:18:51,940 --> 00:18:53,140
until you get hungry.

429
00:18:53,140 --> 00:18:56,020
And if you begin to get hungry for a deeper relationship

430
00:18:56,020 --> 00:18:58,220
with God, oh, it's scary, pastor.

431
00:18:58,220 --> 00:18:59,660
I don't know if I wanna do all that.

432
00:18:59,660 --> 00:19:01,580
Let me tell you, the Holy Ghost is a gentleman.

433
00:19:01,580 --> 00:19:02,700
He's not gonna hurt you.

434
00:19:02,700 --> 00:19:04,140
He's never gonna harm you.

435
00:19:04,140 --> 00:19:05,660
He knows how to touch you.

436
00:19:05,660 --> 00:19:07,060
He knows how to feel you.

437
00:19:07,060 --> 00:19:09,660
I've seen him roll and flop on a floor like fish

438
00:19:09,660 --> 00:19:12,740
out of water, but then I've also seen him stand

439
00:19:12,740 --> 00:19:15,420
and never move a muscle but the Spirit move,

440
00:19:15,420 --> 00:19:18,500
and they begin to speak in tongues as the Spirit gives you.

441
00:19:18,500 --> 00:19:19,860
He knows who you are.

442
00:19:19,860 --> 00:19:21,780
He knows how to baptize you.

443
00:19:21,780 --> 00:19:23,740
Let him be the baptizer.

444
00:19:23,740 --> 00:19:25,060
He knows how.

445
00:19:25,060 --> 00:19:26,060
Hallelujah.

446
00:19:26,060 --> 00:19:27,700
He's never gonna offend you.

447
00:19:27,700 --> 00:19:29,140
He's never gonna harm you.

448
00:19:29,140 --> 00:19:32,420
All he wants to do is enable you and empower you

449
00:19:32,420 --> 00:19:35,100
with that wonderful Spirit that enables you

450
00:19:35,100 --> 00:19:38,460
to be the victor and victorious in life.

451
00:19:39,980 --> 00:19:41,700
Oh, I don't know if I want all that.

452
00:19:41,700 --> 00:19:45,740
Well, I'm sorry I'm praying it for you.

453
00:19:45,740 --> 00:19:48,580
I'm sorry.

454
00:19:48,580 --> 00:19:50,940
I'm praying it for you.

455
00:19:50,940 --> 00:19:53,060
Because you need him.

456
00:19:53,060 --> 00:19:56,100
Remember, the Spirit's not a it.

457
00:19:56,100 --> 00:20:03,100
You need him in your life to enable you and to empower you

458
00:20:03,100 --> 00:20:06,700
that when the devil pops up and tries to hinder you

459
00:20:06,700 --> 00:20:09,900
from your rest, that you can look him in the eye

460
00:20:09,900 --> 00:20:11,900
and resist him.

461
00:20:11,900 --> 00:20:15,900
And he flee from you. Why?

462
00:20:15,900 --> 00:20:20,260
Because greater is he that is in you than he that is in this

463
00:20:20,260 --> 00:20:21,260
world.

464
00:20:21,260 --> 00:20:24,380
And if he's living within you who is Christ, the hope of

465
00:20:24,380 --> 00:20:27,900
glory, and he baptizes you in the power from on high,

466
00:20:27,900 --> 00:20:31,700
then the enemy knows he is no match for what is in you.

467
00:20:31,700 --> 00:20:32,700
It's not about you.

468
00:20:32,700 --> 00:20:34,140
It's not about me.

469
00:20:34,140 --> 00:20:37,740
It's about when we stand in his authority and we stand full of

470
00:20:37,740 --> 00:20:38,740
his power.

471
00:20:38,740 --> 00:20:42,740
The devil knows he is mocking orders.

472
00:20:42,740 --> 00:20:45,740
He knows when he has to go.

473
00:20:45,740 --> 00:20:48,740
Avoiding those pitfalls.

474
00:20:48,740 --> 00:20:51,740
Faith suggesting a reach that goes beyond.

475
00:20:51,740 --> 00:20:55,740
We moved our way to getting above and beyond and around

476
00:20:55,740 --> 00:20:56,740
those pitfalls through prayer.

477
00:20:56,740 --> 00:20:57,740
And I'm not going to get hung up here.

478
00:20:57,740 --> 00:21:00,740
I'm already hung up too long.

479
00:21:00,740 --> 00:21:02,740
We're going to begin to talk about overcoming through the

480
00:21:02,740 --> 00:21:06,740
power of prayer and how that prayer condition is going to

481
00:21:06,740 --> 00:21:08,740
change our heart.

482
00:21:08,740 --> 00:21:11,740
How that prayer conditions us for the will of God, not God for

483
00:21:11,740 --> 00:21:13,740
the will of our heart.

484
00:21:13,740 --> 00:21:16,740
How that prayer changes your and I perspective of what's going

485
00:21:16,740 --> 00:21:17,740
on in our life.

486
00:21:17,740 --> 00:21:21,740
And that God is able to perform the miraculous in our lives.

487
00:21:21,740 --> 00:21:22,740
Amen.

488
00:21:22,740 --> 00:21:25,740
Remember we talked and gave that little definition of what a

489
00:21:25,740 --> 00:21:26,740
miracle was.

490
00:21:26,740 --> 00:21:29,740
That which is caused by the direct intervention of

491
00:21:29,740 --> 00:21:30,740
supernatural power.

492
00:21:30,740 --> 00:21:32,740
That's what a miracle is.

493
00:21:32,740 --> 00:21:34,740
Prayer aligns our will with God's will.

494
00:21:34,740 --> 00:21:37,740
Prayer causes us to be mindful of his word.

495
00:21:37,740 --> 00:21:40,740
And prayer puts us forward in faith.

496
00:21:40,740 --> 00:21:43,740
Prayer puts us forward in faith.

497
00:21:43,740 --> 00:21:46,740
Because I'm going to tell you right now, I'm not going to call

498
00:21:46,740 --> 00:21:51,740
out and spend time lifting up a voice to an empty heaven.

499
00:21:51,740 --> 00:21:52,740
Hallelujah.

500
00:21:52,740 --> 00:21:55,740
I'm not going to lift my voice to an empty heaven.

501
00:21:55,740 --> 00:21:58,740
I'm not going to lift my voice to the glory realm where there

502
00:21:58,740 --> 00:22:03,740
is no one who sits upon the throne of all of the universes

503
00:22:03,740 --> 00:22:07,740
because I know when I go to God in prayer, I know that

504
00:22:07,740 --> 00:22:10,740
everything around me is because of his authority, his will,

505
00:22:10,740 --> 00:22:11,740
and his power.

506
00:22:11,740 --> 00:22:15,740
And when I begin to lift up my voice, I know I'm calling on

507
00:22:15,740 --> 00:22:17,740
something that's out of this world.

508
00:22:17,740 --> 00:22:20,740
I know I'm calling on a power that goes beyond the natural of

509
00:22:20,740 --> 00:22:22,740
the ability of humanity.

510
00:22:22,740 --> 00:22:25,740
I'm calling on the one who is the force of all forces.

511
00:22:25,740 --> 00:22:27,740
I'm calling on God himself.

512
00:22:27,740 --> 00:22:29,740
And so it enables me.

513
00:22:29,740 --> 00:22:32,740
My faith is built when I go to God in prayer.

514
00:22:32,740 --> 00:22:35,740
I have learned a long time ago that God doesn't answer

515
00:22:35,740 --> 00:22:39,740
everything I give to him in the way that I wish it would be

516
00:22:39,740 --> 00:22:40,740
answered.

517
00:22:40,740 --> 00:22:43,740
But I have discovered that he answers every prayer.

518
00:22:43,740 --> 00:22:47,740
The one I don't like the most is when he just flat out says no.

519
00:22:47,740 --> 00:22:49,740
I've learned to deal with weight.

520
00:22:49,740 --> 00:22:52,740
I've learned to deal with yes, and some I've got a yes too.

521
00:22:52,740 --> 00:22:55,740
I wish I had never offered up.

522
00:22:55,740 --> 00:22:58,740
But God in his infinite wisdom knew, hopefully, that my old

523
00:22:58,740 --> 00:23:02,740
country preacher, that boy would learn a lesson if I give him

524
00:23:02,740 --> 00:23:03,740
what he asked for.

525
00:23:03,740 --> 00:23:05,740
And I have learned a few.

526
00:23:05,740 --> 00:23:06,740
So I'm very careful now.

527
00:23:06,740 --> 00:23:07,740
I come boldly.

528
00:23:07,740 --> 00:23:10,740
But I am careful about what comes across my lip.

529
00:23:10,740 --> 00:23:15,740
I have never, ever, ever again said I've got it made because it

530
00:23:15,740 --> 00:23:17,740
unleashed the hounds of hell against me.

531
00:23:17,740 --> 00:23:22,740
And it set me in a trajectory to come from full frontal face

532
00:23:22,740 --> 00:23:25,740
with the devil and to put him in flight and to resist everything

533
00:23:25,740 --> 00:23:26,740
that he's brought against.

534
00:23:26,740 --> 00:23:31,740
But in the same sequence of events, it catapulted me into

535
00:23:31,740 --> 00:23:36,740
the glorious call of God like I'd never encountered and never

536
00:23:36,740 --> 00:23:41,740
experienced before to see God do the supernatural upon the

537
00:23:41,740 --> 00:23:42,740
natural.

538
00:23:42,740 --> 00:23:45,740
I've had people say, Pastor, why do people fall out at the

539
00:23:45,740 --> 00:23:46,740
church?

540
00:23:46,740 --> 00:23:49,740
I said, well, the only way I can explain it is this.

541
00:23:49,740 --> 00:23:52,740
When the natural is touched by the supernatural, something has

542
00:23:52,740 --> 00:23:57,740
to give, and the natural and the nature of flesh cannot stand up

543
00:23:57,740 --> 00:24:02,740
under a simple little breathing of the supernatural.

544
00:24:02,740 --> 00:24:04,740
We yield, we give.

545
00:24:04,740 --> 00:24:07,740
The flesh melts before his glory and the touch of his

546
00:24:07,740 --> 00:24:08,740
almighty hand.

547
00:24:08,740 --> 00:24:13,740
My God, I long to enter into his rest and the power that he has

548
00:24:13,740 --> 00:24:17,740
made available and his faith above all.

549
00:24:17,740 --> 00:24:23,740
Amen.

550
00:24:23,740 --> 00:24:25,740
Well, that button bad for about 18 minutes.

551
00:24:25,740 --> 00:24:27,740
I got through the introduction.

552
00:24:27,740 --> 00:24:30,740
Whew, I didn't know if I was going to get there.

553
00:24:30,740 --> 00:24:33,740
I'm trying to get over here.

554
00:24:33,740 --> 00:24:39,740
So I skipped some stuff.

555
00:24:39,740 --> 00:24:47,740
And you're starting to feel the effects of me getting skinnier.

556
00:24:47,740 --> 00:24:51,740
I'm not getting winded as quick as I was.

557
00:24:51,740 --> 00:24:57,740
So every 10 pounds is good for about 10 minutes.

558
00:24:57,740 --> 00:25:01,740
Hey, law, and that's bad for you because I feel good and it

559
00:25:01,740 --> 00:25:04,740
just keeps flowing and I just want to keep going past your

560
00:25:04,740 --> 00:25:08,740
endurance.

561
00:25:08,740 --> 00:25:13,740
Prayer.

562
00:25:13,740 --> 00:25:15,740
It's prayer.

563
00:25:15,740 --> 00:25:18,740
And we know the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but they

564
00:25:18,740 --> 00:25:21,740
are mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds,

565
00:25:21,740 --> 00:25:27,740
casting down every imagination that exalts itself against the

566
00:25:27,740 --> 00:25:29,740
knowledge of God.

567
00:25:29,740 --> 00:25:32,740
And we do know that we war against powers and principalities,

568
00:25:32,740 --> 00:25:37,740
princes of darkness and of the air that sit in high places,

569
00:25:37,740 --> 00:25:39,740
right?

570
00:25:39,740 --> 00:25:42,740
But the weapons of our warfare are not carnal.

571
00:25:42,740 --> 00:25:44,740
So if you're trying, what's that mean?

572
00:25:44,740 --> 00:25:48,740
Physically, fleshly, carnal.

573
00:25:48,740 --> 00:25:53,740
It's not about engaging in hand-to-hand combat with a

574
00:25:53,740 --> 00:25:56,740
spirit being.

575
00:25:56,740 --> 00:26:02,740
It's about engaging in spiritual combat with a spiritual being.

576
00:26:02,740 --> 00:26:05,740
Now, I know there are times that the devil presents himself in

577
00:26:05,740 --> 00:26:08,740
physical flesh in front of you and the temptation is to slap

578
00:26:08,740 --> 00:26:11,740
him in the mouth.

579
00:26:11,740 --> 00:26:12,740
I'm aware of that.

580
00:26:12,740 --> 00:26:14,740
Try to resist that.

581
00:26:14,740 --> 00:26:16,740
Try to resist that.

582
00:26:16,740 --> 00:26:20,740
Try to resist that.

583
00:26:20,740 --> 00:26:23,740
Let sanctification ride up over you.

584
00:26:23,740 --> 00:26:27,740
But we engage our warfare in the spirit.

585
00:26:27,740 --> 00:26:32,740
And the greatest weapon is your faith.

586
00:26:32,740 --> 00:26:33,740
Your faith.

587
00:26:33,740 --> 00:26:37,740
Now, just above in our text today, you'll read that powerful

588
00:26:37,740 --> 00:26:39,740
scripture that talks about the Word of God,

589
00:26:39,740 --> 00:26:42,740
which is sharper than any two-edged sword.

590
00:26:42,740 --> 00:26:45,740
Divides us under, cutting through, getting to the morrow,

591
00:26:45,740 --> 00:26:48,740
very to the center of the core.

592
00:26:48,740 --> 00:26:52,740
But if you don't have faith, it's our faith released in the

593
00:26:52,740 --> 00:26:57,740
Word that releases the power of the Word in our life.

594
00:26:57,740 --> 00:26:58,740
Huh?

595
00:26:58,740 --> 00:27:02,740
There are theologians who don't even believe the Word,

596
00:27:02,740 --> 00:27:05,740
but they study the book.

597
00:27:05,740 --> 00:27:09,740
But they have no trust and no confidence and no belief in the

598
00:27:09,740 --> 00:27:12,740
power and the validity of it.

599
00:27:12,740 --> 00:27:19,740
They just study the literal side of it, the grammar, the intent,

600
00:27:19,740 --> 00:27:22,740
but yet have come to an encounter with the God of the

601
00:27:22,740 --> 00:27:27,740
Word or the Word of the Word.

602
00:27:27,740 --> 00:27:32,740
In the beginning, do I have to remind you of John, what is that,

603
00:27:32,740 --> 00:27:35,740
John 1 and 1, in the beginning was the Word and the Word was

604
00:27:35,740 --> 00:27:37,740
God, the Word is with God, and the same is in the beginning.

605
00:27:37,740 --> 00:27:38,740
God, right?

606
00:27:38,740 --> 00:27:41,740
And then you jump down to verse 14 and John writes in there,

607
00:27:41,740 --> 00:27:45,740
and we beheld him in his flesh, we handled him, and we saw him

608
00:27:45,740 --> 00:27:48,740
in his glory and his power here on earth.

609
00:27:48,740 --> 00:27:49,740
We saw the Word.

610
00:27:49,740 --> 00:27:52,740
We ate and fellowshiped with the Word.

611
00:27:52,740 --> 00:27:55,740
My God, let that saturate your heart this morning.

612
00:27:55,740 --> 00:27:59,740
We have to have faith and release our faith in Christ

613
00:27:59,740 --> 00:28:01,740
because he is the Word.

614
00:28:01,740 --> 00:28:04,740
That's the reason we hear the declaration, heaven and earth

615
00:28:04,740 --> 00:28:09,740
shall pass away, but my Word will never, ever, ever pass away

616
00:28:09,740 --> 00:28:10,740
because why?

617
00:28:10,740 --> 00:28:13,740
Christ was from the beginning, and he'll be all the way through

618
00:28:13,740 --> 00:28:15,740
to there is no ending.

619
00:28:15,740 --> 00:28:17,740
He was, he is, and he always will be.

620
00:28:17,740 --> 00:28:21,740
The Alpha, the Omega, come on somebody, the hyphen in the

621
00:28:21,740 --> 00:28:26,740
between, he is in all, and our faith is in Christ by virtue of

622
00:28:26,740 --> 00:28:30,740
his Word.

623
00:28:30,740 --> 00:28:35,740
Reading it without believing in it causes no transformation,

624
00:28:35,740 --> 00:28:39,740
but believing in his Word constitutes and sets you for

625
00:28:39,740 --> 00:28:45,740
miracles to be released in your life because of your faith.

626
00:28:45,740 --> 00:28:49,740
John 2 and 1, you see the miracle and read of the miracle

627
00:28:49,740 --> 00:28:55,740
of the transformation of the water into the wine.

628
00:28:55,740 --> 00:28:59,740
When they took the pots, they were still clay pots.

629
00:28:59,740 --> 00:29:01,740
When they dipped the water out of the well, out of the spring,

630
00:29:01,740 --> 00:29:04,740
or wherever they got it from, they poured it in the pot,

631
00:29:04,740 --> 00:29:07,740
it was still water.

632
00:29:07,740 --> 00:29:11,740
There was no transformation, no transformative power until

633
00:29:11,740 --> 00:29:14,740
there was belief in the Word that he spoke.

634
00:29:14,740 --> 00:29:16,740
His mother looked at him and said, they've got a problem,

635
00:29:16,740 --> 00:29:18,740
son, you're going to take care of it.

636
00:29:18,740 --> 00:29:21,740
And he tried to give her an excuse, well, it's not time yet,

637
00:29:21,740 --> 00:29:22,740
mama.

638
00:29:22,740 --> 00:29:27,740
Well, you don't tell mama nothing, even if you're Jesus.

639
00:29:27,740 --> 00:29:32,740
He tried that at about 12, remember?

640
00:29:32,740 --> 00:29:34,740
And the scripture says he was subject unto them from that

641
00:29:34,740 --> 00:29:37,740
point on, right?

642
00:29:37,740 --> 00:29:40,740
I'd say Joe cut him a piece of olive limb and got a hold of

643
00:29:40,740 --> 00:29:47,740
him, mine would have.

644
00:29:47,740 --> 00:29:50,740
But when she looked at the servants and said, whatsoever he

645
00:29:50,740 --> 00:29:55,740
says unto you, you do that.

646
00:29:55,740 --> 00:29:58,740
Well, mama, it ain't time for me to do all this stuff yet, son.

647
00:29:58,740 --> 00:30:00,740
She never said another word to him.

648
00:30:00,740 --> 00:30:04,740
He just, okay, y'all get the pots, you fill them with water

649
00:30:04,740 --> 00:30:09,740
and bring them back in here.

650
00:30:09,740 --> 00:30:14,740
I don't hear him say, turn water to wine.

651
00:30:14,740 --> 00:30:16,740
We don't read that.

652
00:30:16,740 --> 00:30:19,740
We don't read that he stuck his finger in it and stirred it and

653
00:30:19,740 --> 00:30:22,740
it turned to wine.

654
00:30:22,740 --> 00:30:25,740
We don't have any other indication other than the

655
00:30:25,740 --> 00:30:28,740
servants just started dipping.

656
00:30:28,740 --> 00:30:32,740
Their faith and his word caused a transformative act to take

657
00:30:32,740 --> 00:30:33,740
place.

658
00:30:33,740 --> 00:30:37,740
And when we begin to understand the human need and the need of

659
00:30:37,740 --> 00:30:42,740
humanity, we begin to understand and know this one thing, that we

660
00:30:42,740 --> 00:30:47,740
require a transformative work and it is instituted first of

661
00:30:47,740 --> 00:30:49,740
all through his word.

662
00:30:49,740 --> 00:30:52,740
So how shall they hear unless they be a preacher?

663
00:30:52,740 --> 00:30:55,740
How can they hear and even know that there's a Christ unless

664
00:30:55,740 --> 00:30:57,740
there is a preacher?

665
00:30:57,740 --> 00:30:58,740
Who's going to go and preach?

666
00:30:58,740 --> 00:30:59,740
Amen.

667
00:30:59,740 --> 00:31:02,740
What did Isaiah say when he declared woe is me for I'm

668
00:31:02,740 --> 00:31:04,740
undone, I'm a man of unclean lips.

669
00:31:04,740 --> 00:31:06,740
And he said, well, who's going to go for us?

670
00:31:06,740 --> 00:31:08,740
And he said, well, here I am.

671
00:31:08,740 --> 00:31:09,740
I'll go send me.

672
00:31:09,740 --> 00:31:12,740
I'll go forth and we hear that the ministers of the Lord,

673
00:31:12,740 --> 00:31:15,740
according to the word of God, become flaming swords of

674
00:31:15,740 --> 00:31:18,740
righteousness as they declare his word.

675
00:31:18,740 --> 00:31:21,740
How beautiful are the feet of them who share and spread the

676
00:31:21,740 --> 00:31:23,740
good news of the glorious gospel.

677
00:31:23,740 --> 00:31:28,740
How is this faith come by hearing and hearing by the what?

678
00:31:28,740 --> 00:31:30,740
By the word of God.

679
00:31:30,740 --> 00:31:33,740
So when the word is proclaimed, then our hearts are hearing the

680
00:31:33,740 --> 00:31:36,740
word and we begin to receive.

681
00:31:36,740 --> 00:31:40,740
And when we understand the human need, it is the power of the

682
00:31:40,740 --> 00:31:44,740
word of God and the inward working of Christ himself that

683
00:31:44,740 --> 00:31:47,740
causes a transformation in our lives.

684
00:31:47,740 --> 00:31:49,740
That's when it happened.

685
00:31:49,740 --> 00:31:52,740
When the servants dipped it out according to his word, what he

686
00:31:52,740 --> 00:31:56,740
said, when they begin to dip and pour, the transformation took

687
00:31:56,740 --> 00:31:57,740
place.

688
00:31:57,740 --> 00:32:00,740
Can I tell you this morning, when you begin to dip in and

689
00:32:00,740 --> 00:32:03,740
begin to pour, there's a transformation that takes place.

690
00:32:03,740 --> 00:32:10,740
When you understand your need, faith above all, those servants

691
00:32:10,740 --> 00:32:13,740
had to believe something was going to happen.

692
00:32:13,740 --> 00:32:19,740
They had to believe that what he said, they had to do.

693
00:32:19,740 --> 00:32:22,740
Some of us are not fully convinced that what it says is

694
00:32:22,740 --> 00:32:26,740
what we have to do.

695
00:32:26,740 --> 00:32:30,740
We'll skip that section for another Sunday.

696
00:32:30,740 --> 00:32:33,740
Somebody say amen.

697
00:32:33,740 --> 00:32:34,740
Thank you, pastor.

698
00:32:34,740 --> 00:32:37,740
So we won't even get into that.

699
00:32:37,740 --> 00:32:38,740
We'll get bogged down.

700
00:32:38,740 --> 00:32:44,740
Oh, it's after 12.

701
00:32:44,740 --> 00:32:59,740
For too long, the law of Moses, the law of God, the sacrificial

702
00:32:59,740 --> 00:33:10,740
system had proven inadequate for man's condition.

703
00:33:10,740 --> 00:33:15,740
It required more than a covering.

704
00:33:15,740 --> 00:33:19,740
Humanity required more than a cover.

705
00:33:19,740 --> 00:33:26,740
Humanity requires a transformation.

706
00:33:26,740 --> 00:33:34,740
We, you, I, we require a transformation.

707
00:33:34,740 --> 00:33:37,740
That's the reason the law was inadequate.

708
00:33:37,740 --> 00:33:40,740
They kept trying to come up with more rules and more

709
00:33:40,740 --> 00:33:43,740
regulations to make them feel more holy.

710
00:33:43,740 --> 00:33:53,740
You don't feel more holy until you're transformed to be holy.

711
00:33:53,740 --> 00:34:00,740
Well, you don't feel worthy.

712
00:34:00,740 --> 00:34:02,740
I've heard so many say, well, I'm just not worthy.

713
00:34:02,740 --> 00:34:06,740
Not yet.

714
00:34:06,740 --> 00:34:10,740
No, not yet, but you're about to be.

715
00:34:10,740 --> 00:34:14,740
If you let him transform you, there comes a comprehension of

716
00:34:14,740 --> 00:34:18,740
your worthiness because of his death, as one author said,

717
00:34:18,740 --> 00:34:22,740
the vicarious death of Christ.

718
00:34:22,740 --> 00:34:25,740
When you understand the heart of the Father and why he sent

719
00:34:25,740 --> 00:34:30,740
his Son, you begin to realize, yes, you are worthy.

720
00:34:30,740 --> 00:34:32,740
You're more than worthy.

721
00:34:32,740 --> 00:34:37,740
You are special in his eyes and in his sight.

722
00:34:37,740 --> 00:34:41,740
He's not, you're just not someone that just gets looped

723
00:34:41,740 --> 00:34:49,740
into the lasso and drug in, but he has chosen, he picked you.

724
00:34:49,740 --> 00:34:53,740
How many, how many ever, when you're young, growing up, you

725
00:34:53,740 --> 00:34:57,740
weren't the best at the sports and all the neighborhood games.

726
00:34:57,740 --> 00:35:00,740
You weren't the best and you never got picked first.

727
00:35:00,740 --> 00:35:02,740
Anybody?

728
00:35:02,740 --> 00:35:06,740
Anybody ever get so far last that nobody wants you?

729
00:35:06,740 --> 00:35:09,740
You're the last pick.

730
00:35:09,740 --> 00:35:11,740
Well, that's the reason we have that wonderful promise in his

731
00:35:11,740 --> 00:35:14,740
word, the last shall be first.

732
00:35:14,740 --> 00:35:16,740
Doesn't matter if you're as good at kickball, softball,

733
00:35:16,740 --> 00:35:19,740
football or basketball, he's chosen you.

734
00:35:19,740 --> 00:35:20,740
Right?

735
00:35:20,740 --> 00:35:23,740
And for you all, you people who got picked first, there you go.

736
00:35:23,740 --> 00:35:32,740
You'll be last.

737
00:35:32,740 --> 00:35:35,740
The human need is that of transformation.

738
00:35:35,740 --> 00:35:38,740
And that transformation comes by faith.

739
00:35:38,740 --> 00:35:43,740
Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.

740
00:35:43,740 --> 00:35:50,740
And we acquiesce the wonderful favor of God by faith.

741
00:35:50,740 --> 00:35:52,740
That's why it's faith above all.

742
00:35:52,740 --> 00:35:56,740
When we see Paul's listing of the armament of the army and the

743
00:35:56,740 --> 00:35:59,740
soldier of God, what does he say?

744
00:35:59,740 --> 00:36:03,740
And above all, what does he say above all?

745
00:36:03,740 --> 00:36:05,740
Taking what?

746
00:36:05,740 --> 00:36:10,740
The shield of faith.

747
00:36:10,740 --> 00:36:13,740
Above all, you got your helmet on firm.

748
00:36:13,740 --> 00:36:16,740
You got your chest guarded with that blessed plate of

749
00:36:16,740 --> 00:36:17,740
righteousness.

750
00:36:17,740 --> 00:36:19,740
You got your shields on, your shins.

751
00:36:19,740 --> 00:36:22,740
How many of you knows walking around a truck in a parking lot

752
00:36:22,740 --> 00:36:25,740
and you bark your shin, you're just about laying down.

753
00:36:25,740 --> 00:36:27,740
It doesn't matter what's on the ground.

754
00:36:27,740 --> 00:36:29,740
You're down.

755
00:36:29,740 --> 00:36:34,740
How would you like to be on a battlefield and some little short

756
00:36:34,740 --> 00:36:37,740
guy out there knows if I can hit him in the knee, I'll get him.

757
00:36:37,740 --> 00:36:39,740
And he's going around hitting everybody in the shin and in the

758
00:36:39,740 --> 00:36:40,740
knee.

759
00:36:40,740 --> 00:36:42,740
And you're on the ground and he takes your life.

760
00:36:42,740 --> 00:36:44,740
You got the shin guards on.

761
00:36:44,740 --> 00:36:45,740
You've got protection.

762
00:36:45,740 --> 00:36:46,740
Amen.

763
00:36:46,740 --> 00:36:49,740
You got your feet shod with the preparation of the what?

764
00:36:49,740 --> 00:36:50,740
Of the gospel.

765
00:36:50,740 --> 00:36:51,740
Amen.

766
00:36:51,740 --> 00:36:55,740
And then in one hand you got the sword, right, of the

767
00:36:55,740 --> 00:36:56,740
Spirit.

768
00:36:56,740 --> 00:36:57,740
You got the word of God.

769
00:36:57,740 --> 00:36:58,740
You will that thing around.

770
00:36:58,740 --> 00:36:59,740
Amen.

771
00:36:59,740 --> 00:37:07,740
But you know how hard it is to fend off arrows with a sword?

772
00:37:07,740 --> 00:37:12,740
You might get one if you're lucky.

773
00:37:12,740 --> 00:37:18,740
But if you get behind that above all, you know, you got that

774
00:37:18,740 --> 00:37:20,740
girdled truth around you.

775
00:37:20,740 --> 00:37:21,740
You're walking in it.

776
00:37:21,740 --> 00:37:22,740
You're living in it.

777
00:37:22,740 --> 00:37:23,740
You're loving it.

778
00:37:23,740 --> 00:37:24,740
Amen.

779
00:37:24,740 --> 00:37:26,740
And the enemy's coming at you and arrows are flying and you

780
00:37:26,740 --> 00:37:30,740
can only get one maybe and you're going to get struck by

781
00:37:30,740 --> 00:37:32,740
whatever if they've loosed 50.

782
00:37:32,740 --> 00:37:35,740
You've got 149 may hit their mark.

783
00:37:35,740 --> 00:37:39,740
And above all, if you lift up the shield of faith and you get

784
00:37:39,740 --> 00:37:42,740
behind your faith because then you know that it is truly

785
00:37:42,740 --> 00:37:44,740
greater than he that's in you and not you.

786
00:37:44,740 --> 00:37:48,740
And you know that if God be for you then who can be against

787
00:37:48,740 --> 00:37:49,740
you?

788
00:37:49,740 --> 00:37:52,740
Then you begin to get that sword going and saying I resist

789
00:37:52,740 --> 00:37:57,740
you in the name of Jesus and I'm quenching all the fiery darts

790
00:37:57,740 --> 00:37:58,740
of the enemy.

791
00:37:58,740 --> 00:38:01,740
It gives me, how many of you have ever seen these old war

792
00:38:01,740 --> 00:38:03,740
movies or Indian movies where they're shooting arrows and

793
00:38:03,740 --> 00:38:04,740
they've got fire on the tip?

794
00:38:04,740 --> 00:38:05,740
That's what comes to my mind.

795
00:38:05,740 --> 00:38:09,740
The devil not only wants to inflict harm but he wants to

796
00:38:09,740 --> 00:38:11,740
inflict as much harm as possible.

797
00:38:11,740 --> 00:38:13,740
So they come in blazing.

798
00:38:13,740 --> 00:38:14,740
They come in fiery.

799
00:38:14,740 --> 00:38:17,740
But that's all right because they become quenched when I

800
00:38:17,740 --> 00:38:19,740
lift up my shield of faith.

801
00:38:19,740 --> 00:38:23,740
Above all, I'm going to pray but I'm going to lift up my

802
00:38:23,740 --> 00:38:26,740
shield of faith because I know in whom I believe.

803
00:38:26,740 --> 00:38:32,740
I know that if I can just believe him, his promises are

804
00:38:32,740 --> 00:38:34,740
yea and amen in Christ.

805
00:38:34,740 --> 00:38:36,740
He's not going to fail me.

806
00:38:36,740 --> 00:38:38,740
He's not going to forsake me.

807
00:38:38,740 --> 00:38:42,740
Every word that he promised over me he will keep and I have

808
00:38:42,740 --> 00:38:47,740
faith in that.

809
00:38:47,740 --> 00:38:49,740
Without faith it's impossible to please God.

810
00:38:49,740 --> 00:38:51,740
Hebrews 11 and 6.

811
00:38:51,740 --> 00:38:53,740
Mark 11 and 22 have faith in God.

812
00:38:53,740 --> 00:39:01,740
Mark 9 and 23 all things are possible to him that believes.

813
00:39:01,740 --> 00:39:02,740
Hebrews 11 and 1.

814
00:39:02,740 --> 00:39:07,740
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for and the

815
00:39:07,740 --> 00:39:10,740
evidence of things not seen.

816
00:39:10,740 --> 00:39:11,740
Amen.

817
00:39:11,740 --> 00:39:13,740
What have others said about faith?

818
00:39:13,740 --> 00:39:16,740
Faith sees the invisible, believes the incredible, and

819
00:39:16,740 --> 00:39:19,740
receives the impossible.

820
00:39:19,740 --> 00:39:24,740
Move the immovable, break the unbreakable.

821
00:39:24,740 --> 00:39:25,740
Right?

822
00:39:25,740 --> 00:39:26,740
God we believe.

823
00:39:26,740 --> 00:39:29,740
God we believe in you.

824
00:39:29,740 --> 00:39:31,740
He said it.

825
00:39:31,740 --> 00:39:34,740
Now you see why I've been so excited to get here.

826
00:39:34,740 --> 00:39:35,740
He said it.

827
00:39:35,740 --> 00:39:36,740
It is done.

828
00:39:36,740 --> 00:39:37,740
He said it.

829
00:39:37,740 --> 00:39:38,740
I believe it.

830
00:39:38,740 --> 00:39:39,740
He said it.

831
00:39:39,740 --> 00:39:40,740
It is done.

832
00:39:40,740 --> 00:39:44,740
Do you believe because he said it that it is done?

833
00:39:44,740 --> 00:39:46,740
The authority of the voice of God.

834
00:39:46,740 --> 00:39:52,740
Go ahead and stand up.

835
00:39:52,740 --> 00:39:54,740
I'm going to shut up here in just a few minutes.

836
00:39:54,740 --> 00:39:59,740
If you're standing I'll be sure not to keep you over 20.

837
00:39:59,740 --> 00:40:05,740
A little faith, I like this one, a little faith will bring

838
00:40:05,740 --> 00:40:07,740
your soul to heaven.

839
00:40:07,740 --> 00:40:11,740
Great faith will bring a little heaven to your soul.

840
00:40:11,740 --> 00:40:20,740
I need a little heaven to my soul on occasion.

841
00:40:20,740 --> 00:40:23,740
Amen.

842
00:40:23,740 --> 00:40:28,740
My faith is going to get me to heaven.

843
00:40:28,740 --> 00:40:31,740
I trust God.

844
00:40:31,740 --> 00:40:35,740
I trust the vicarious death of Christ.

845
00:40:35,740 --> 00:40:38,740
Amen.

846
00:40:38,740 --> 00:40:40,740
We're going to talk about that here in just a few weeks,

847
00:40:40,740 --> 00:40:42,740
aren't we?

848
00:40:42,740 --> 00:40:46,740
I believe that he died.

849
00:40:46,740 --> 00:40:49,740
Not fell asleep.

850
00:40:49,740 --> 00:40:53,740
Wasn't just unconscious.

851
00:40:53,740 --> 00:40:57,740
When he gave up the ghost, he gave up his life, the breath

852
00:40:57,740 --> 00:41:01,740
of life, his flesh.

853
00:41:01,740 --> 00:41:05,740
I believe Joseph got him down.

854
00:41:05,740 --> 00:41:08,740
The ladies put as much smell good on him as they could get

855
00:41:08,740 --> 00:41:11,740
and anointed his body for the burial that had to be done

856
00:41:11,740 --> 00:41:16,740
very quickly and they put him in that tomb.

857
00:41:16,740 --> 00:41:19,740
I believe that that Roman soldier stood as the garrison

858
00:41:19,740 --> 00:41:23,740
rolled the stone in front of the door and the seal was

859
00:41:23,740 --> 00:41:27,740
placed on it.

860
00:41:27,740 --> 00:41:34,740
And I believe he was there three days and nights.

861
00:41:34,740 --> 00:41:38,740
Just like he said.

862
00:41:38,740 --> 00:41:41,740
Matter of fact, this is how he put it, as Jonah was in the

863
00:41:41,740 --> 00:41:45,740
belly of the whale, three days, three nights, soul must

864
00:41:45,740 --> 00:41:52,740
the son of man be in the heart of the earth.

865
00:41:52,740 --> 00:41:58,740
I believe that before he ascended, he first descended.

866
00:41:58,740 --> 00:42:00,740
And I love what he did while he was there.

867
00:42:00,740 --> 00:42:07,740
He took the keys to death, hell, and the grave.

868
00:42:07,740 --> 00:42:15,740
And he made an open spout of Lucifer before all of his

869
00:42:15,740 --> 00:42:18,740
minions.

870
00:42:18,740 --> 00:42:21,740
I believe he did that.

871
00:42:21,740 --> 00:42:27,740
And he ain't even got back to the throne room yet.

872
00:42:27,740 --> 00:42:32,740
I believe on the third day as he proclaimed, that stone

873
00:42:32,740 --> 00:42:36,740
rolled away.

874
00:42:36,740 --> 00:42:40,740
I believe he presented himself to the Father in that

875
00:42:40,740 --> 00:42:43,740
temple in glory.

876
00:42:43,740 --> 00:42:50,740
He gave himself ransom.

877
00:42:50,740 --> 00:42:53,740
And I believe on that third day when they come running to

878
00:42:53,740 --> 00:43:03,740
the tomb, Mary and the others, that he was standing there.

879
00:43:03,740 --> 00:43:06,740
Don't touch me yet, I'm on my way.

880
00:43:06,740 --> 00:43:11,740
This stopped in between.

881
00:43:11,740 --> 00:43:13,740
But I'll be back in a day or two.

882
00:43:13,740 --> 00:43:18,740
Oh, my Lord.

883
00:43:18,740 --> 00:43:25,740
I believe for 40 days he showed himself openly.

884
00:43:25,740 --> 00:43:28,740
I believe he told Peter when he said, Lord, is that you

885
00:43:28,740 --> 00:43:30,740
over there?

886
00:43:30,740 --> 00:43:32,740
I smell some bread and some fish fried.

887
00:43:32,740 --> 00:43:34,740
It's me, come on.

888
00:43:34,740 --> 00:43:37,740
Come and dine.

889
00:43:37,740 --> 00:43:41,740
There's just too many loaded points in this.

890
00:43:41,740 --> 00:43:47,740
How do you pass up come and dine?

891
00:43:47,740 --> 00:43:51,740
Faith above all.

892
00:43:51,740 --> 00:44:00,740
Your confession in believing that Christ is who he is.

893
00:44:00,740 --> 00:44:08,740
Confession and faith merge together to incite the

894
00:44:08,740 --> 00:44:14,740
miraculous.

895
00:44:14,740 --> 00:44:18,740
Without a confession, there is no salvation.

896
00:44:18,740 --> 00:44:22,740
With the mouth, confession is made.

897
00:44:22,740 --> 00:44:27,740
We believe in our heart.

898
00:44:27,740 --> 00:44:33,740
Confession and faith merge to work salvation.

899
00:44:33,740 --> 00:44:42,740
The acceptance of the wonderful gift of Christ.

900
00:44:42,740 --> 00:44:46,740
Job's confession, I know my Redeemer lives.

901
00:44:46,740 --> 00:44:49,740
I know he does.

902
00:44:49,740 --> 00:44:54,740
And though the skinworms may devour this old body, yet

903
00:44:54,740 --> 00:44:59,740
with my own eyes, I shall see him.

904
00:44:59,740 --> 00:45:04,740
For I know my Redeemer lives.

905
00:45:04,740 --> 00:45:07,740
Right?

906
00:45:07,740 --> 00:45:11,740
David's confession is this, the Lord is my shepherd.

907
00:45:11,740 --> 00:45:15,740
I shall not want.

908
00:45:15,740 --> 00:45:17,740
He goes from there to the places where he leads him and

909
00:45:17,740 --> 00:45:21,740
guides him beside the waters and the green pastures.

910
00:45:21,740 --> 00:45:24,740
He goes on and let his faith be released in the Lord, his

911
00:45:24,740 --> 00:45:29,740
shepherd, and he says he anoints my head with oil.

912
00:45:29,740 --> 00:45:31,740
Now you've got to know the shepherd understanding what

913
00:45:31,740 --> 00:45:33,740
anointing some oil is all about.

914
00:45:33,740 --> 00:45:35,740
It's just rich.

915
00:45:35,740 --> 00:45:39,740
He anoints my head with oil.

916
00:45:39,740 --> 00:45:48,740
He prepares a table for me in the presence of my enemies.

917
00:45:48,740 --> 00:45:52,740
Even though my enemies are raging around me, I can sit

918
00:45:52,740 --> 00:45:56,740
at the table.

919
00:45:56,740 --> 00:45:59,740
Now is that not a confession?

920
00:45:59,740 --> 00:46:00,740
Here's another one.

921
00:46:00,740 --> 00:46:07,740
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days

922
00:46:07,740 --> 00:46:08,740
of my life.

923
00:46:08,740 --> 00:46:10,740
Well, there may be a Goliath in between, a lion in

924
00:46:10,740 --> 00:46:17,740
between, a bear in between, a rebellious son in between.

925
00:46:17,740 --> 00:46:21,740
His own mistakes, his own sin in between.

926
00:46:21,740 --> 00:46:25,740
But God's goodness and mercy followed old David all the

927
00:46:25,740 --> 00:46:29,740
days of his life.

928
00:46:29,740 --> 00:46:31,740
And then Jesus made that confession.

929
00:46:31,740 --> 00:46:35,740
He said, when the Lord said that my Lord shall sit down

930
00:46:35,740 --> 00:46:40,740
at my right hand, I'm going to sit down at his, for he will

931
00:46:40,740 --> 00:46:44,740
not see my soul destroyed.

932
00:46:44,740 --> 00:46:50,740
Now there's your confession.

933
00:46:50,740 --> 00:46:53,740
Abraham confessed his faith in that my God shall provide

934
00:46:53,740 --> 00:46:57,740
for himself.

935
00:46:57,740 --> 00:46:59,740
Right?

936
00:46:59,740 --> 00:47:02,740
God will provide for himself.

937
00:47:02,740 --> 00:47:04,740
Son, we don't have to do anything.

938
00:47:04,740 --> 00:47:08,740
We just got to obey what we've been told.

939
00:47:08,740 --> 00:47:11,740
We got to do what he said.

940
00:47:11,740 --> 00:47:16,740
And he said, go up there and sacrifice.

941
00:47:16,740 --> 00:47:19,740
You carry your load, I'll carry my part, and we'll get there

942
00:47:19,740 --> 00:47:23,740
together, and God will do his part.

943
00:47:23,740 --> 00:47:26,740
Father, I love you this morning.

944
00:47:26,740 --> 00:47:28,740
So grateful and thankful for you willing to do your part

945
00:47:28,740 --> 00:47:31,740
this morning.

946
00:47:31,740 --> 00:47:35,740
And for us, it's faith above all.

947
00:47:35,740 --> 00:47:38,740
That we may enter into your rest, enter into the promise

948
00:47:38,740 --> 00:47:44,740
that you've made, enter into the grace that you have provided.

949
00:47:44,740 --> 00:47:47,740
The just shall live by faith.

950
00:47:47,740 --> 00:47:59,740
It's faith to faith, glory to glory, grace to grace.

951
00:47:59,740 --> 00:48:01,740
You need to work on your confession and your belief

952
00:48:01,740 --> 00:48:04,740
this morning.

953
00:48:04,740 --> 00:48:05,740
We're going to close out with prayer.

954
00:48:05,740 --> 00:48:07,740
I want everyone that would just come around the altar.

955
00:48:07,740 --> 00:48:09,740
If you need prayer, I want you to stand right here.

956
00:48:09,740 --> 00:48:12,740
Sister Jackie, you come and make yourself ready to close out

957
00:48:12,740 --> 00:48:13,740
in our prayer today.

958
00:48:13,740 --> 00:48:15,740
Remember, we've got a prayer, a special prayer we're going

959
00:48:15,740 --> 00:48:16,740
to close out with.

960
00:48:16,740 --> 00:48:17,740
Everybody come on at wood.

961
00:48:17,740 --> 00:48:19,740
Let's close out in a season of prayer.

962
00:48:19,740 --> 00:48:22,740
It's faith above all.

963
00:48:22,740 --> 00:48:25,740
It's faith above all.

964
00:48:25,740 --> 00:48:28,740
We all need a little lift in our faith, don't we?

965
00:48:28,740 --> 00:48:30,740
I do from time to time.

966
00:48:30,740 --> 00:48:33,740
I need a little encouragement in my faith.

967
00:48:33,740 --> 00:48:36,740
Because of all the fiery darts, anybody getting shot at lately

968
00:48:36,740 --> 00:48:38,740
besides me?

969
00:48:38,740 --> 00:48:39,740
Come on.

970
00:48:39,740 --> 00:48:41,740
They're just flying in, aren't they?

971
00:48:41,740 --> 00:48:43,740
Well, let's lift our faith up.

972
00:48:43,740 --> 00:48:45,740
I had to encourage my own self the other day.

973
00:48:45,740 --> 00:48:47,740
They said, where's your shield?

974
00:48:47,740 --> 00:48:49,740
What have you done with your shield?

975
00:48:49,740 --> 00:48:51,740
Where did I lay my faith?

976
00:48:51,740 --> 00:48:54,740
I can't lay my faith and trust in God aside.

977
00:48:54,740 --> 00:48:58,740
That's the one thing I need, that I can hold it up when I

978
00:48:58,740 --> 00:49:02,740
can't lift up a sword.

979
00:49:02,740 --> 00:49:06,740
If I forgot my helmet, I can at least duck my head under my

980
00:49:06,740 --> 00:49:08,740
faith.

981
00:49:08,740 --> 00:49:12,740
Father, in the name of Jesus, we pray right now over the

982
00:49:12,740 --> 00:49:15,740
household of believers today.

983
00:49:15,740 --> 00:49:17,740
Lord, I know the enemy.

984
00:49:17,740 --> 00:49:19,740
I know how he's working.

985
00:49:19,740 --> 00:49:21,740
I know how he's launching.

986
00:49:21,740 --> 00:49:24,740
I know how he's sending arrows our way.

987
00:49:24,740 --> 00:49:26,740
I know how he's moving.

988
00:49:26,740 --> 00:49:30,740
Lord, it's not just one arrow of this, but it's a dozen arrows

989
00:49:30,740 --> 00:49:32,740
of this and that.

990
00:49:32,740 --> 00:49:35,740
Lord, it's coming at us from all sides, but we're surrounded

991
00:49:35,740 --> 00:49:43,740
with a shield of faith, trust, trust, confidence, faith,

992
00:49:43,740 --> 00:49:47,740
believing in who you are and what your word is declared over

993
00:49:47,740 --> 00:49:52,740
our life, knowing that you're able to do abundantly above all

994
00:49:52,740 --> 00:49:54,740
that we ask or think.

995
00:49:54,740 --> 00:49:57,740
We know it's according to the power of God that works in us.

996
00:49:57,740 --> 00:49:59,740
We ask God that you increase our level of faith.

997
00:49:59,740 --> 00:50:02,740
Lord, I read where your disciples ask you to teach them

998
00:50:02,740 --> 00:50:03,740
how to pray.

999
00:50:03,740 --> 00:50:07,740
Lord, I need us to learn more about how to keep on believing,

1000
00:50:07,740 --> 00:50:11,740
how that we can keep on trusting and knowing that you're good

1001
00:50:11,740 --> 00:50:15,740
and your mercy endures forever, that your grace abounds in our

1002
00:50:15,740 --> 00:50:16,740
life.

1003
00:50:16,740 --> 00:50:19,740
Lord, watch over the household of faith this morning.

1004
00:50:19,740 --> 00:50:23,740
Lord, they need a touching body, soul, mind, and spirit today.

1005
00:50:23,740 --> 00:50:25,740
Need a little bit of healing.

1006
00:50:25,740 --> 00:50:27,740
Need a little bit of healing.

1007
00:50:27,740 --> 00:50:28,740
Lord, need recovery.

1008
00:50:28,740 --> 00:50:32,740
Lord, we thank you for watching over and keeping and guiding the

1009
00:50:32,740 --> 00:50:35,740
hand, Lord, of the surgeons who performed last week.

1010
00:50:35,740 --> 00:50:39,740
But God, now we need your hand upon this body, Lord, upon this

1011
00:50:39,740 --> 00:50:41,740
flesh for a healing.

1012
00:50:41,740 --> 00:50:43,740
Lord, recovery full with strength.

1013
00:50:43,740 --> 00:50:48,740
Lord, full, Lord, full and robust strength, God.

1014
00:50:48,740 --> 00:50:50,740
Allow your grace, Lord, allow your grace.

1015
00:50:50,740 --> 00:50:52,740
That is all sufficient.

1016
00:50:52,740 --> 00:50:55,740
Lord, your abundant grace, hallelujah.

1017
00:50:55,740 --> 00:50:57,740
Touch and heal today, Lord.

1018
00:50:57,740 --> 00:51:00,740
Touch and heal, touch and deliver this morning, mighty God.

1019
00:51:00,740 --> 00:51:02,740
Touch and deliver today, Lord.

1020
00:51:02,740 --> 00:51:06,740
Lord, for everybody in here that needs a healing, for every mind

1021
00:51:06,740 --> 00:51:10,740
that needs peace, Lord, we're going to keep our mind on you

1022
00:51:10,740 --> 00:51:13,740
because your word declares, as you spoke it through your prophet

1023
00:51:13,740 --> 00:51:17,740
Isaiah, thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is

1024
00:51:17,740 --> 00:51:18,740
stayed on thee.

1025
00:51:18,740 --> 00:51:20,740
Lord, let us keep our mind on you.

1026
00:51:20,740 --> 00:51:22,740
Let's keep that helmet secure.

1027
00:51:22,740 --> 00:51:24,740
Hallelujah, hallelujah.

1028
00:51:24,740 --> 00:51:26,740
And above all, we're going to keep on believing.

1029
00:51:26,740 --> 00:51:29,740
Every word that you said, every promise that you've made, you are

1030
00:51:29,740 --> 00:51:33,740
not a man like us that you should lie, and not one promise

1031
00:51:33,740 --> 00:51:36,740
that you've ever made has ever failed.

1032
00:51:36,740 --> 00:51:39,740
So if you spoke it to your people, if you spoke it to your

1033
00:51:39,740 --> 00:51:41,740
people, Lord, it's coming to pass.

1034
00:51:41,740 --> 00:51:42,740
It's going to happen.

1035
00:51:42,740 --> 00:51:43,740
It's going to happen.

1036
00:51:43,740 --> 00:51:45,740
It's going to be revealed.

1037
00:51:45,740 --> 00:51:47,740
It's going to be released in hearts and lives.

1038
00:51:47,740 --> 00:51:49,740
It's going to come to fulfillment, Lord.

1039
00:51:49,740 --> 00:51:52,740
Lord, I thank you for our church and this church body.

1040
00:51:52,740 --> 00:51:55,740
Lord, I thank you for our fellow brothers and sisters and all

1041
00:51:55,740 --> 00:51:58,740
who assemble here to worship you in spirit and truth.

1042
00:51:58,740 --> 00:52:01,740
Lord, I pray over each one, your divine grace.

1043
00:52:01,740 --> 00:52:06,740
Let the supernatural, your supernatural, your glory, your

1044
00:52:06,740 --> 00:52:11,740
divinity move into their situations, their hearts and

1045
00:52:11,740 --> 00:52:14,740
their minds and into their lives.

1046
00:52:14,740 --> 00:52:18,740
Give grace and strength, Father, in the name of Jesus, Sister

1047
00:52:18,740 --> 00:52:20,740
Jack.

1048
00:52:20,740 --> 00:52:21,740
You're going to try to come up here.

1049
00:52:21,740 --> 00:52:23,740
You're going to pray down there.

1050
00:52:23,740 --> 00:52:25,740
Here, have your hand.

1051
00:52:25,740 --> 00:52:27,740
Come right on up.

1052
00:52:27,740 --> 00:52:29,740
Remember our prayer emphasis.

1053
00:52:29,740 --> 00:52:32,740
Sister Jackie's prayer is going to be out in the front.

1054
00:52:32,740 --> 00:52:34,740
It's over family.

1055
00:52:34,740 --> 00:52:37,740
We need prayers for our families, amen.

1056
00:52:37,740 --> 00:52:39,740
It'll be out in the front.

1057
00:52:39,740 --> 00:52:43,740
Also, next Sunday morning from 10 to 1030, this room right back

1058
00:52:43,740 --> 00:52:46,740
here on my left, your right, it's going to be designated

1059
00:52:46,740 --> 00:52:47,740
prayer time.

1060
00:52:47,740 --> 00:52:49,740
I know you're going to be in Sunday school, but if you want

1061
00:52:49,740 --> 00:52:52,740
to slide and you want to pray for the service for just a few

1062
00:52:52,740 --> 00:52:55,740
minutes, maybe take some turns and come in and out.

1063
00:52:55,740 --> 00:52:57,740
You don't have to stand there the whole 30.

1064
00:52:57,740 --> 00:52:59,740
You can get in there and pray for a little bit and get on, but

1065
00:52:59,740 --> 00:53:02,740
from 10 to 1030, this room's going to be open.

1066
00:53:02,740 --> 00:53:05,740
We'll have it set up for pre-service prayer.

1067
00:53:05,740 --> 00:53:06,740
I'm serious.

1068
00:53:06,740 --> 00:53:07,740
We've got to pray, amen.

1069
00:53:07,740 --> 00:53:09,740
Prayer's going to open up.

1070
00:53:09,740 --> 00:53:11,740
It's going to build our faith that we can keep trusting God.

1071
00:53:11,740 --> 00:53:14,740
Listen to this and let it stir your heart and pick your copy up

1072
00:53:14,740 --> 00:53:17,740
and pray it this week.

1073
00:53:17,740 --> 00:53:19,740
Hallelujah.

1074
00:53:19,740 --> 00:53:24,740
Father, we come to you with hungry hearts to be instruments

1075
00:53:24,740 --> 00:53:26,740
of your grace and love.

1076
00:53:26,740 --> 00:53:32,740
In times of broken homes, blended families, abusive

1077
00:53:32,740 --> 00:53:37,740
relationships, and fractured marriages holding on by a thread,

1078
00:53:37,740 --> 00:53:40,740
we ask God for your guidance.

1079
00:53:40,740 --> 00:53:46,740
From your creation diary, beginning at day one through day

1080
00:53:46,740 --> 00:53:51,740
five, Lord, you were preparing a home for your first family.

1081
00:53:51,740 --> 00:53:58,740
May our homes today be that place of refuge, shelter, and

1082
00:53:58,740 --> 00:54:02,740
protection, and nourishment from the storms of life as you,

1083
00:54:02,740 --> 00:54:07,740
mighty God, hide us in the cleft of the rock.

1084
00:54:07,740 --> 00:54:09,740
Hallelujah.

1085
00:54:09,740 --> 00:54:14,740
May our families brought together by blood, whom we put

1086
00:54:14,740 --> 00:54:19,740
our greatest trust and confidence in, know as they run to us,

1087
00:54:19,740 --> 00:54:22,740
we, oh God, will run to you.

1088
00:54:22,740 --> 00:54:29,740
Hallelujah for you, oh God, are our greatest shield against

1089
00:54:29,740 --> 00:54:31,740
the attacks of the enemy.

1090
00:54:31,740 --> 00:54:37,740
May we live by example, and when culture changes around us,

1091
00:54:37,740 --> 00:54:41,740
may we know your standards, Lord, never changes.

1092
00:54:41,740 --> 00:54:46,740
May we not just go through the motions, nor take our families

1093
00:54:46,740 --> 00:54:51,740
for granted, but embrace the responsibility as parents to

1094
00:54:51,740 --> 00:54:55,740
live by example in our walk and our talk.

1095
00:54:55,740 --> 00:54:59,740
Hallelujah.

1096
00:54:59,740 --> 00:55:03,740
Lord, that we may lead our children into a relationship

1097
00:55:03,740 --> 00:55:05,740
with Jesus.

1098
00:55:05,740 --> 00:55:11,740
We know that parenting is a journey.

1099
00:55:11,740 --> 00:55:16,740
It's one of the most unsung, unpraised, unnoticed, and yet

1100
00:55:16,740 --> 00:55:22,740
one of the most valuable assets in our society.

1101
00:55:22,740 --> 00:55:28,740
May our homes be a lighthouse shining forth a beacon of life

1102
00:55:28,740 --> 00:55:32,740
for our families to run home to, knowing our arms are always

1103
00:55:32,740 --> 00:55:42,740
open with love, forgiveness, and security as oil runs an engine.

1104
00:55:42,740 --> 00:55:48,740
We apply the oil of the Holy Spirit to our families and in

1105
00:55:48,740 --> 00:55:50,740
our homes.

1106
00:55:50,740 --> 00:55:55,740
Father God, go in places, Lord, that only you can go.

1107
00:55:55,740 --> 00:56:00,740
We ask you to heal the fragments of our hearts that are shattered

1108
00:56:00,740 --> 00:56:05,740
and broken that only you can see the scars.

1109
00:56:05,740 --> 00:56:11,740
Lord, we are all on different paths of life's journey, be it

1110
00:56:11,740 --> 00:56:16,740
young parents overwhelmed by everyday demands, but Lord,

1111
00:56:16,740 --> 00:56:23,740
Psalms 127 and forth says that children are a gift from you.

1112
00:56:23,740 --> 00:56:27,740
Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are the children of

1113
00:56:27,740 --> 00:56:32,740
one's youth, a responsibility meant to be raised and sent to

1114
00:56:32,740 --> 00:56:38,740
the world with purpose just like arrows launched by a warrior.

1115
00:56:38,740 --> 00:56:41,740
We pray for the grandparents stepping back into the role as

1116
00:56:41,740 --> 00:56:48,740
parents due to circumstances beyond their control.

1117
00:56:48,740 --> 00:56:52,740
Give them strength for the task, Lord.

1118
00:56:52,740 --> 00:56:59,740
We pray for parents of adult children making poor choices.

1119
00:56:59,740 --> 00:57:05,740
We pray for barren couples who long to be a family and for the

1120
00:57:05,740 --> 00:57:14,740
overloaded, financially unstable and unappreciated parents who

1121
00:57:14,740 --> 00:57:16,740
wonder where they went wrong.

1122
00:57:16,740 --> 00:57:23,740
We ask you, O God, be that balm of Gilead to them.

1123
00:57:23,740 --> 00:57:25,740
Hallelujah.

1124
00:57:25,740 --> 00:57:28,740
For Lord, your sources are unlimited.

1125
00:57:28,740 --> 00:57:34,740
And lastly, Father, we, may we be mothers of women who like the

1126
00:57:34,740 --> 00:57:39,740
widow of Zarephath willing to give the last of her oil or as

1127
00:57:39,740 --> 00:57:45,740
Hannah who gave her son back to God or as Jochabed who made

1128
00:57:45,740 --> 00:57:51,740
a basket of pompous wreaths for Moses, who led Israel out of

1129
00:57:51,740 --> 00:57:54,740
Egypt's bondage.

1130
00:57:54,740 --> 00:57:57,740
May we stand in the gap and not be afraid to touch the hem of

1131
00:57:57,740 --> 00:58:00,740
your garment.

1132
00:58:00,740 --> 00:58:04,740
Father, we women in this room who have stood beside men of

1133
00:58:04,740 --> 00:58:09,740
God, warriors of the faith, for many years who at times were

1134
00:58:09,740 --> 00:58:12,740
their armor bearers and encouragers, pushing them

1135
00:58:12,740 --> 00:58:17,740
forward to pursue their callings, many of whom have

1136
00:58:17,740 --> 00:58:20,740
endured unbelievable hardships.

1137
00:58:20,740 --> 00:58:25,740
I ask you to remind them their sacrifices have not gone

1138
00:58:25,740 --> 00:58:31,740
unnoticed, that you have prepared a place, our eternal

1139
00:58:31,740 --> 00:58:35,740
home, where no tears will ever stay in the streets of that

1140
00:58:35,740 --> 00:58:44,740
city. And we will finally hear as that welcome home, as family

1141
00:58:44,740 --> 00:58:49,740
reunions gather all over heaven, welcome home, welcome home,

1142
00:58:49,740 --> 00:58:51,740
welcome home.

1143
00:58:51,740 --> 00:58:52,740
Hallelujah.

1144
00:58:52,740 --> 00:58:54,740
Hallelujah.

1145
00:58:54,740 --> 00:58:57,740
Take you a copy of that and pray that this week.

1146
00:58:57,740 --> 00:59:01,740
Don't neglect the one that you took home last week.

1147
00:59:01,740 --> 00:59:07,740
This is about cultivating a habit of prayer.

1148
00:59:07,740 --> 00:59:10,740
You remember the average Christian only prays five

1149
00:59:10,740 --> 00:59:13,740
minutes, and if we're below average, I'm trying to increase

1150
00:59:13,740 --> 00:59:18,740
your average and increase your time in the presence and before

1151
00:59:18,740 --> 00:59:20,740
the throne of God.

1152
00:59:20,740 --> 00:59:24,740
And plus, do something effective for the kingdom.

1153
00:59:24,740 --> 00:59:26,740
So pray these prayers.

1154
00:59:26,740 --> 00:59:28,740
Remember, no service this Wednesday.

1155
00:59:28,740 --> 00:59:29,740
It's spring break.

1156
00:59:29,740 --> 00:59:31,740
You're going to be traveling.

1157
00:59:31,740 --> 00:59:32,740
Be safe.

1158
00:59:32,740 --> 00:59:34,740
Have a wonderful time.

1159
00:59:34,740 --> 00:59:36,740
Get rested and enjoy the rest of the Lord.

1160
00:59:36,740 --> 00:59:37,740
Amen.

1161
00:59:37,740 --> 00:59:38,740
God bless you.

1162
00:59:38,740 --> 00:59:40,740
Thank you for being here today.

1163
00:59:40,740 --> 00:59:43,740
If you're visiting, stop by the booth out to my left out there.

1164
00:59:43,740 --> 00:59:45,740
They have something special for you.

1165
00:59:45,740 --> 00:59:47,740
Going grace, going peace.