WEBVTT 00:00:00.590 --> 00:00:07.690 Do you trust him this morning? Whoo! Hallelujah. 00:00:10.410 --> 00:00:14.050 Amen. If you have your Bibles, take hold of your 00:00:14.050 --> 00:00:17.329 sword by the hilt and open to the book of Judges, 00:00:17.329 --> 00:00:21.550 the eighth chapter, Judges 8. I want to say this 00:00:21.550 --> 00:00:24.550 morning how good it is to have with us Brother 00:00:24.550 --> 00:00:27.769 Caden Roberts, who is going through the MIP program. 00:00:28.719 --> 00:00:31.640 He's visiting with us today. It's his assignment. 00:00:32.039 --> 00:00:36.579 So y 'all be on your best behavior. Don't none 00:00:36.579 --> 00:00:38.759 of y 'all let the Holy Ghost run you down the 00:00:38.759 --> 00:00:45.240 aisle or nothing like that. We got company. We 00:00:45.240 --> 00:00:49.840 got company. Y 'all behave. That's about as dripping 00:00:49.840 --> 00:00:58.939 with sarcasm as I can get. Amen. Brother Caden, 00:00:59.000 --> 00:01:00.520 thank you for being here with us this morning. 00:01:00.640 --> 00:01:03.460 I trust you've already encountered the Spirit 00:01:03.460 --> 00:01:08.140 of the Lord. His Word enriches your heart. I 00:01:08.140 --> 00:01:10.079 pray that for each of us today, that we have 00:01:10.079 --> 00:01:14.379 encountered, I've already met the Lord. The Spirit 00:01:14.379 --> 00:01:17.260 of the Lord is truly in the house. Amen. And 00:01:17.260 --> 00:01:20.659 as it is obvious, we will be having water baptism 00:01:20.659 --> 00:01:24.780 as soon as I quit or get finished or whatever 00:01:24.780 --> 00:01:27.219 we end up doing here in a little bit. We have 00:01:27.219 --> 00:01:29.519 seven folks following in the footsteps of the 00:01:29.519 --> 00:01:33.719 Lord. Amen. Amen. Amen. Give them praise for 00:01:33.719 --> 00:01:39.799 that. They deserve it. Following in his footsteps. 00:01:39.939 --> 00:01:43.420 Amen. A little report from Men on the Mountain 00:01:43.420 --> 00:01:45.459 this past weekend. I think they ended up with 00:01:45.459 --> 00:01:48.280 nine salvations, first -time salvations, and 00:01:48.280 --> 00:01:52.400 ten rededications. Amen. So, amen. God's still 00:01:52.400 --> 00:01:57.629 saving. He's still saving. One particular. Report 00:01:57.629 --> 00:02:00.890 I got, testimony, his old boy had never been 00:02:00.890 --> 00:02:06.049 to church before. Was in Satan's something other 00:02:06.049 --> 00:02:11.370 motorcycle gang. And always wore the do -rag, 00:02:11.449 --> 00:02:13.909 the colors, and the whole deal. First time he'd 00:02:13.909 --> 00:02:17.110 ever been to church was Friday night. Give his 00:02:17.110 --> 00:02:22.229 heart to the Lord. Amen. Showed up Saturday morning 00:02:22.229 --> 00:02:26.669 without the do -rag. Pastor Caleb told me, he 00:02:26.669 --> 00:02:27.770 said, you're talking about a transformation. 00:02:28.530 --> 00:02:30.969 Man come on this mountain, never been in church 00:02:30.969 --> 00:02:33.870 before, and before he left, 24 hours later, had 00:02:33.870 --> 00:02:37.629 a broom in his hand serving. That's transformation. 00:02:38.569 --> 00:02:42.229 Amen? That's transformation. And so we just thank 00:02:42.229 --> 00:02:44.469 the Lord for that. If you have your Bibles, trust 00:02:44.469 --> 00:02:49.830 you do. Judges chapter 8. We're going to read 00:02:49.830 --> 00:02:54.460 verse 4 to us today. Let's see what the Spirit 00:02:54.460 --> 00:02:57.900 of the Lord has to deal in our hearts this morning. 00:03:00.000 --> 00:03:04.580 Judges 8, 4 reads, And Gideon came to Jordan, 00:03:04.699 --> 00:03:09.840 and he passed over, he and the three hundred 00:03:09.840 --> 00:03:24.680 men that were with him, faint yet pursuing. Faint, 00:03:24.680 --> 00:03:29.819 yet pursuing. I think that's just what we'll 00:03:29.819 --> 00:03:35.479 call it. Faint, but in hot pursuit. My Lord. 00:03:36.419 --> 00:03:40.780 Hallelujah. Might take me a spell right here, 00:03:40.819 --> 00:03:44.639 and we ain't even started yet. I'll pray for 00:03:44.639 --> 00:03:46.639 you if you pray for me, and hopefully we'll come 00:03:46.639 --> 00:03:48.659 out of this thing together. Lord, I love you. 00:03:48.740 --> 00:03:51.539 I thank you this morning so much for your... 00:03:52.099 --> 00:03:55.340 presence with us for truly thou art in this house 00:03:55.340 --> 00:03:59.099 Lord as we feel your glory touching our hearts 00:03:59.099 --> 00:04:02.219 and minds now as we have partaken from the loaf 00:04:02.219 --> 00:04:05.780 of life which is the bread the word the living 00:04:05.780 --> 00:04:08.699 God's voice I pray Lord that you would help us 00:04:08.699 --> 00:04:11.719 now help me to preach that which is pleasing 00:04:11.719 --> 00:04:15.400 to you but edifying to the body and that we leave 00:04:15.400 --> 00:04:18.120 this place Lord so much better than we came in 00:04:18.730 --> 00:04:20.790 And we'll be quick to praise you for it all in 00:04:20.790 --> 00:04:24.310 Christ's name. The church says? Amen. Ask your 00:04:24.310 --> 00:04:26.329 neighbor, are you in hot pursuit? I know you're 00:04:26.329 --> 00:04:37.290 faint. Someone once described the journey of 00:04:37.290 --> 00:04:42.110 life in this fashion. When as a child I laughed 00:04:42.110 --> 00:04:45.509 and wept and time crept. How many of you remember 00:04:45.509 --> 00:04:49.230 how long it took for Christmas to come? Right? 00:04:49.269 --> 00:04:52.110 Or the 4th of July so you could go buy your $3 00:04:52.110 --> 00:04:55.269 worth of firecrackers. That's about all we'd 00:04:55.269 --> 00:04:58.449 get. But you've got a lot more for $3 than you 00:04:58.449 --> 00:05:01.449 do for $20 these days. We've got enough to get 00:05:01.449 --> 00:05:03.149 in trouble. I'll just put it and leave it there. 00:05:04.350 --> 00:05:09.370 When as a youth I dreamed and talked and time 00:05:09.370 --> 00:05:13.769 walked. When I became a full -grown man, time 00:05:13.769 --> 00:05:17.730 ran. Amen. Time's just running away from us, 00:05:17.769 --> 00:05:22.089 right? But it gets better. And later, as I grew 00:05:22.089 --> 00:05:25.810 older, time flew. Anybody in the fly zone? That's 00:05:25.810 --> 00:05:30.329 about where we're at. Soon I shall find, while 00:05:30.329 --> 00:05:36.889 traveling on, time gone. Let that sink in just 00:05:36.889 --> 00:05:41.810 a little bit. Time crept. Time ran. Time walks. 00:05:42.110 --> 00:05:47.990 Time flies. And before we know it, time is gone. 00:05:49.800 --> 00:05:53.240 We look into our text this morning, the statement 00:05:53.240 --> 00:05:57.000 at the end of that fourth verse. For Gideon, 00:05:57.019 --> 00:06:00.519 he was in that time running. He's a grown man, 00:06:00.660 --> 00:06:04.220 full grown. But in the time in which Gideon's 00:06:04.220 --> 00:06:07.899 living, Midian, the Midianites are ruling over 00:06:07.899 --> 00:06:13.959 them, terrorizing his people. And we find in 00:06:13.959 --> 00:06:17.319 the story, you'll find Gideon threshing wheat. 00:06:17.949 --> 00:06:20.670 By the wine press. That's two different operations. 00:06:22.069 --> 00:06:24.750 But Gideon is threshing his wheat by the wine 00:06:24.750 --> 00:06:28.730 press for fear of the Midianites coming to steal 00:06:28.730 --> 00:06:31.430 his harvest. My, my, my. Where are you hiding 00:06:31.430 --> 00:06:37.810 to hold on to your harvest? But what finds Gideon 00:06:37.810 --> 00:06:41.350 is the angel of the Lord. Now, a little sidebar, 00:06:41.389 --> 00:06:47.189 you can't hide from God. When he's on your trail, 00:06:47.290 --> 00:06:49.230 he's going to find you no matter where you are. 00:06:50.310 --> 00:06:53.069 So the angel of the Lord approaches Gideon, and 00:06:53.069 --> 00:06:57.329 he approaches him in a most odd way for Gideon. 00:06:58.370 --> 00:07:00.769 Gideon, thou mighty man of valor. He's thinking, 00:07:00.910 --> 00:07:06.449 who are you talking to? I'm hiding over here. 00:07:06.610 --> 00:07:09.990 I'm hiding from the enemy. But see, what God 00:07:09.990 --> 00:07:13.209 knows about you. is that when you surrender to 00:07:13.209 --> 00:07:17.029 Him, what He can do through you. Amen? What He 00:07:17.029 --> 00:07:19.670 can do through you and what God desires to do 00:07:19.670 --> 00:07:22.269 with you. You know the story. Hopefully you do. 00:07:22.310 --> 00:07:25.170 If not, you need to go read 6, 7, and 8 of Gideon's 00:07:25.170 --> 00:07:29.110 life. You need to read this story of how he proved 00:07:29.110 --> 00:07:32.730 it was God actually talking to him. I, you know, 00:07:32.730 --> 00:07:35.649 sometimes folks like to cast a little... little 00:07:35.649 --> 00:07:39.050 dark light toward Gideon for trying the spirit 00:07:39.050 --> 00:07:42.110 but I'm one of those I mean if he was in trouble 00:07:42.110 --> 00:07:44.389 I'm in big trouble because I put out fleeces 00:07:44.389 --> 00:07:47.250 I do all kind of stuff to know because simply 00:07:47.250 --> 00:07:49.209 you just want to know that you're in full obedience 00:07:49.209 --> 00:07:52.189 to the Lord right and that's what Gideon will 00:07:52.189 --> 00:07:53.610 know I don't want to step out into something 00:07:53.610 --> 00:07:56.350 God that you're not in and if it's true to you 00:07:56.350 --> 00:07:58.629 let me just hold if you'll wait a minute let 00:07:58.629 --> 00:08:00.790 me go let me go get something he said I'll be 00:08:00.790 --> 00:08:03.769 right here he goes in prepares the sacrifice 00:08:03.769 --> 00:08:06.550 and puts it before the angel of the Lord. He 00:08:06.550 --> 00:08:08.829 touches it with that staff. It's consumed. And 00:08:08.829 --> 00:08:12.110 then that wasn't just enough, so he had to go 00:08:12.110 --> 00:08:14.149 with a fleece route. Well, let it be wet on one 00:08:14.149 --> 00:08:15.990 side and dry on the other, right? Let it be dry 00:08:15.990 --> 00:08:18.069 on one side and wet on the other. And finally, 00:08:18.069 --> 00:08:21.029 after he got it, he finally knows that it's God, 00:08:21.149 --> 00:08:24.430 and he surrenders to the Lord. When you and I 00:08:24.430 --> 00:08:26.550 are living out this life, and we're going through 00:08:26.550 --> 00:08:29.029 this process and this journey of walking through, 00:08:29.269 --> 00:08:31.310 there's some things that begin to happen. We 00:08:31.310 --> 00:08:34.669 may find ourselves in hiding. We may... try to 00:08:34.669 --> 00:08:37.730 withdraw from the pressure. That's what he's 00:08:37.730 --> 00:08:40.789 doing. He's withdrawn from the pressure of the 00:08:40.789 --> 00:08:43.690 enemy. He's trying to maintain and keep what 00:08:43.690 --> 00:08:46.210 little he's got. But can I tell you, child of 00:08:46.210 --> 00:08:48.870 God, that's not where you and I need to be. We're 00:08:48.870 --> 00:08:51.629 not just trying to maintain what we have. I'm 00:08:51.629 --> 00:08:54.490 not just trying to keep what little I got of 00:08:54.490 --> 00:08:56.509 the Spirit of God and the power of God and the 00:08:56.509 --> 00:08:58.750 presence of God and the peace of God and the 00:08:58.750 --> 00:09:00.889 joy of the Lord. Are you hearing me? I'm not 00:09:00.889 --> 00:09:03.379 just trying to maintain what I have. because 00:09:03.379 --> 00:09:06.419 there is no maintaining because I use a little 00:09:06.419 --> 00:09:10.480 bit of it all every day. So I am after the fresh 00:09:10.480 --> 00:09:13.799 supply. I am with Gideon. I am in a hot pursuit. 00:09:14.019 --> 00:09:16.799 Amen. It's not that we don't get faint in life. 00:09:16.919 --> 00:09:20.659 Faint just simply means to grow weary, to grow 00:09:20.659 --> 00:09:24.860 thirsty, to grow exhausted. So we find here with 00:09:24.860 --> 00:09:28.379 Gideon some of us in the same fashion. Gideon 00:09:28.379 --> 00:09:30.440 went through, received the instruction from the 00:09:30.440 --> 00:09:33.799 Lord. He gets the picture. a clay jar. He lights 00:09:33.799 --> 00:09:36.580 a torch and he puts it inside it. He gets his 00:09:36.580 --> 00:09:39.840 sword. They get trumpets and he dispatches the 00:09:39.840 --> 00:09:41.960 men out. You have to go. I don't have time to 00:09:41.960 --> 00:09:44.299 preach the whole process of how he got from 35 00:09:44.299 --> 00:09:47.440 ,000 to 300. The process isn't a point. The fact 00:09:47.440 --> 00:09:51.639 is he went with 300 men selected by God to face 00:09:51.639 --> 00:09:56.519 the enemy and he followed obediently. Specifically 00:09:56.519 --> 00:09:58.740 the instructions that were laid out before him 00:09:58.740 --> 00:10:01.700 on how to get this victory. Amen. And so they 00:10:01.700 --> 00:10:03.480 get there. They're on the tops of the hill. They're 00:10:03.480 --> 00:10:06.039 in the midnight hour. He blows a trumpet. He 00:10:06.039 --> 00:10:08.899 breaks the jars. The light illuminates. Talks 00:10:08.899 --> 00:10:11.240 about the arm of God and the sword of Gideon. 00:10:11.340 --> 00:10:13.759 And then all of a sudden they jump to their feet 00:10:13.759 --> 00:10:15.460 and light everywhere. They feel as though they're 00:10:15.460 --> 00:10:18.220 surrounded. They turn on each other. And a great 00:10:18.220 --> 00:10:21.080 victory is won. The text that we're reading today 00:10:21.080 --> 00:10:24.399 is post -victory. Are you hearing me? It's post 00:10:24.399 --> 00:10:27.419 -victory. But he still has the same 300 men. 00:10:27.639 --> 00:10:30.179 They have battled all night. They are tired. 00:10:30.340 --> 00:10:33.419 They are weary. But there were some who escaped. 00:10:33.879 --> 00:10:37.220 And he's not going to stop with the escape of 00:10:37.220 --> 00:10:40.820 the enemy. So he begins to pursue after the two 00:10:40.820 --> 00:10:43.960 princes that were left. And he's in a hot pursuit 00:10:43.960 --> 00:10:47.000 after them. He's on their heels. And he comes 00:10:47.000 --> 00:10:50.240 to the Jordan. Now the Jordan has so much representation 00:10:50.240 --> 00:10:53.299 for us. We sing about crossing over old chilly 00:10:53.299 --> 00:10:57.059 Jordan. has so many references for the children 00:10:57.059 --> 00:11:00.419 of Israel. It's just on and on and on it goes 00:11:00.419 --> 00:11:03.100 with the power of God and the encounters at the 00:11:03.100 --> 00:11:06.179 Jordan. He passes over the Jordan, and he comes 00:11:06.179 --> 00:11:10.100 up, and he comes to the little place of Sukkoth, 00:11:10.200 --> 00:11:12.860 and he's wanting some refreshment. He's wanting 00:11:12.860 --> 00:11:15.799 some bread and some water and some food for his 00:11:15.799 --> 00:11:19.960 men, and they refuse him because of the two kings 00:11:19.960 --> 00:11:22.659 that he is in pursuit of. They said, well, do 00:11:22.659 --> 00:11:24.639 you have their heads? in your hand, we're not 00:11:24.639 --> 00:11:26.460 going to help you because if you're not here, 00:11:26.539 --> 00:11:28.200 they're going to come in and they'll find out 00:11:28.200 --> 00:11:30.320 that we helped you, yada, yada, yada, as the 00:11:30.320 --> 00:11:33.259 story goes. Sometimes, child of God, I want you 00:11:33.259 --> 00:11:35.419 to know something. When you may be surrounded 00:11:35.419 --> 00:11:38.299 by others who could help you, help may only come 00:11:38.299 --> 00:11:41.059 from the Lord. Others may not strengthen you, 00:11:41.159 --> 00:11:44.240 but one thing you can rely on is that God will 00:11:44.240 --> 00:11:46.759 strengthen you. But I love what old Gideon told 00:11:46.759 --> 00:11:49.159 him. He said, look here, if I survive this thing, 00:11:49.279 --> 00:11:51.559 I'm coming back here. And he said, I'm taking 00:11:51.559 --> 00:11:55.570 the brush of the wheel. If you go back and read 00:11:55.570 --> 00:11:58.389 it, in other words, when he comes back, he goes 00:11:58.389 --> 00:12:01.389 to them, he takes their leaders, he cuts a limb, 00:12:01.590 --> 00:12:05.769 and he disciplines them. My Lord, grown men got 00:12:05.769 --> 00:12:09.129 leg striped because of their failure to assist 00:12:09.129 --> 00:12:11.809 in the war. I thought, my Lord, that sounded 00:12:11.809 --> 00:12:14.190 like some of my youthful days when mama said, 00:12:14.269 --> 00:12:15.909 you get back here and I'm going to show you. 00:12:15.990 --> 00:12:18.730 When Gideon come back to town, son, he took a 00:12:18.730 --> 00:12:21.990 limb and striped them. You need to read that. 00:12:22.029 --> 00:12:25.149 If you don't read the Bible, there's some interesting 00:12:25.149 --> 00:12:28.509 things in the Word of God. But it lets us know 00:12:28.509 --> 00:12:31.490 this. When others may not come alongside you, 00:12:31.529 --> 00:12:34.850 God will still cause you to obtain the victory 00:12:34.850 --> 00:12:37.850 that you are in hot pursuit after. They go into 00:12:37.850 --> 00:12:40.330 Sukkoth and they said, we're faint, but we're 00:12:40.330 --> 00:12:43.289 still in pursuit. We're faint, but we're still 00:12:43.289 --> 00:12:46.029 following. We're faint, but we're still chasing 00:12:46.029 --> 00:12:48.929 after. That's where I'm at in my life right now. 00:12:49.070 --> 00:12:53.759 I am weary. I am exhausted. I am thirsty. I am 00:12:53.759 --> 00:12:58.059 hungry. But I am still in hot pursuit of the 00:12:58.059 --> 00:13:00.879 glory and the victory that has been promised. 00:13:01.059 --> 00:13:04.580 And each of us, we all are faint. You are weary, 00:13:04.820 --> 00:13:07.679 but God is still on your side. And the promise 00:13:07.679 --> 00:13:10.940 of victory is still proclaimed over each of our 00:13:10.940 --> 00:13:14.320 lives. And I am in hot pursuit. And devil, if 00:13:14.320 --> 00:13:16.779 you mess with me, I'll come back with a hickory 00:13:16.779 --> 00:13:32.149 switch. Gideon said, all right, have it your 00:13:32.149 --> 00:13:35.370 way, but I'll be back. That's long before MacArthur 00:13:35.370 --> 00:13:38.789 ever said it. You know, maybe he's a Bible reader. 00:13:40.350 --> 00:13:45.110 I'm coming back. When we think about this pursuit 00:13:45.110 --> 00:13:47.250 of life and this journey that we're going through, 00:13:47.769 --> 00:13:55.730 times get hard. Battles are difficult. And look, 00:13:55.889 --> 00:13:59.549 it's supposed to be. It is supposed to be difficult. 00:13:59.690 --> 00:14:01.629 Why? Because the devil's trying to kill you. 00:14:02.590 --> 00:14:04.789 Hello? I mean, do we understand the reality? 00:14:06.110 --> 00:14:09.269 The devil's trying to take you to hell with him. 00:14:09.769 --> 00:14:13.070 He knows his final destination, and he's trying 00:14:13.070 --> 00:14:17.750 to take as many as he can with him. And in opposition 00:14:17.750 --> 00:14:21.289 to that is the Lord of glory who's trying to 00:14:21.289 --> 00:14:25.059 usher you into his presence. And when we grow 00:14:25.059 --> 00:14:28.200 faint and we grow weary and we grow exhausted, 00:14:28.299 --> 00:14:33.360 we still must press on. Perseverance is a virtue 00:14:33.360 --> 00:14:37.100 for the child of God. We must persevere. And 00:14:37.100 --> 00:14:39.720 in my mind is echoing, and I know I've said it 00:14:39.720 --> 00:14:43.960 before, but I just heard it again. Endeavor to 00:14:43.960 --> 00:14:50.679 persevere. Who knows that reference? There you 00:14:50.679 --> 00:14:54.590 go. That's outlaw Joseph Wales, by the way. That's 00:14:54.590 --> 00:15:06.490 Chief Joseph. Well, it was. And never to persevere. 00:15:09.889 --> 00:15:16.970 Faint, but still in hot pursuit. I'm moving forward. 00:15:17.169 --> 00:15:22.289 Faint, yet pursuing. Yes. In this life, Jesus 00:15:22.289 --> 00:15:24.590 said, how many know the letters of red are the 00:15:24.590 --> 00:15:28.269 words of the Christ? In this life, you shall 00:15:28.269 --> 00:15:31.950 have tribulation. And he should have put a comma 00:15:31.950 --> 00:15:35.549 there and went on. Suck it up and get over it 00:15:35.549 --> 00:15:38.049 and look to me. But that's not what he said. 00:15:38.269 --> 00:15:41.009 He said, in this life, you shall have tribulation. 00:15:41.169 --> 00:15:44.070 But the Lord in his kindness said, be of good 00:15:44.070 --> 00:15:48.370 cheer. Why? Because I have overcome the world. 00:15:48.840 --> 00:15:51.240 And he began to declare, Peace I give unto you, 00:15:51.320 --> 00:15:53.799 not as the world gives peace, but my peace give 00:15:53.799 --> 00:15:57.179 I unto you, that your joy may be for when and 00:15:57.179 --> 00:16:00.279 where in the middle of the faint moments of life. 00:16:00.500 --> 00:16:04.039 We draw deep from the well of Isaiah when he 00:16:04.039 --> 00:16:06.799 declared it from the well of our salvation. We 00:16:06.799 --> 00:16:10.269 draw deep and we take in. In the moments that 00:16:10.269 --> 00:16:13.350 we are faint, when we can't find no other resolution 00:16:13.350 --> 00:16:15.769 and any other help from any other direction, 00:16:15.970 --> 00:16:18.570 we look toward the hills as the psalmist declared. 00:16:18.889 --> 00:16:22.389 My help comes from the Lord. You may be faint, 00:16:22.470 --> 00:16:31.490 but remain in pursuit. Weary, thirsty, exhausted, 00:16:31.809 --> 00:16:37.220 yet chasing following. Mark 15 or Matthew 15, 00:16:37.320 --> 00:16:39.620 32, the Lord said, then Jesus called his disciples 00:16:39.620 --> 00:16:42.659 unto him and he said, I have compassion on the 00:16:42.659 --> 00:16:46.240 multitude because they continue with me now three 00:16:46.240 --> 00:16:50.980 days and have nothing to eat and I will not listen 00:16:50.980 --> 00:16:55.000 and I will not send them away fasting lest they 00:16:55.000 --> 00:16:59.639 faint in the way. Gideon went to Saccoth and 00:16:59.639 --> 00:17:02.809 got no help. He went to the rulers and the leaders 00:17:02.809 --> 00:17:05.430 there and got no bread. He had no water offered 00:17:05.430 --> 00:17:08.670 him. Nothing was given to him. But you and I, 00:17:08.750 --> 00:17:11.410 we have the words of the Lord. You can be with 00:17:11.410 --> 00:17:14.670 him, but he'll not turn you away. He'll not send 00:17:14.670 --> 00:17:18.990 you away fasting. Why? Because he does not desire 00:17:18.990 --> 00:17:21.730 that we should faint along the way. What are 00:17:21.730 --> 00:17:24.069 you saying? If you abide in him and he abides 00:17:24.069 --> 00:17:27.130 with you and you are part of that true vine and 00:17:27.130 --> 00:17:29.529 you become part of that true branch and you're 00:17:29.529 --> 00:17:32.930 crafted in there and you abide in him, he will 00:17:32.930 --> 00:17:36.769 always, are you hearing me? He will always nurture 00:17:36.769 --> 00:17:40.450 you. He will always nourish you. Because he will 00:17:40.450 --> 00:17:42.930 not send you away. Because he does not want you 00:17:42.930 --> 00:17:45.470 to grow exhausted. He doesn't want you to grow 00:17:45.470 --> 00:17:47.769 weary. What are you saying, pastor? I'm saying 00:17:47.769 --> 00:17:51.410 that we remain in him. Though the world turn 00:17:51.410 --> 00:17:55.029 against you, you just remain faithful and persevere 00:17:55.029 --> 00:17:57.930 with the Lord. Because when the time comes and 00:17:57.930 --> 00:18:00.250 you feel like you can't go another mile, there's 00:18:00.250 --> 00:18:02.450 going to be an addition of grace into your life. 00:18:02.650 --> 00:18:05.170 There's going to be a fresh wind begin to blow 00:18:05.170 --> 00:18:07.650 in. And you're going to get your second wind. 00:18:07.890 --> 00:18:13.730 And you're going to remain. in pursuit. You can't 00:18:13.730 --> 00:18:18.190 grow faint in prayer. Don't grow weary and exhausted 00:18:18.190 --> 00:18:21.970 praying. You've got to pray on, child of God. 00:18:22.690 --> 00:18:26.470 Luke 18 and 1. And he spake a parable unto them 00:18:26.470 --> 00:18:30.730 to this end that men ought always to pray and 00:18:30.730 --> 00:18:35.930 not to faint. Every believer needs to pray. I 00:18:35.930 --> 00:18:39.380 was kindly I was shocked this weekend in talking 00:18:39.380 --> 00:18:43.940 to a pastor about his congregation and a conversation 00:18:43.940 --> 00:18:49.099 he overheard between some folks. And I know these 00:18:49.099 --> 00:18:52.220 people very well. They were talking to each other 00:18:52.220 --> 00:18:54.460 saying, well, yeah, you're very busy. You got 00:18:54.460 --> 00:18:57.440 kids, yada, yada, yada. You got life. And I don't 00:18:57.440 --> 00:18:59.319 know that you have to read your Bible every day. 00:18:59.380 --> 00:19:01.579 I don't even know actually that you have to pray. 00:19:01.660 --> 00:19:03.539 Well, I don't think so either. We are so busy. 00:19:03.700 --> 00:19:07.970 Hello, folks. That just, that one thing it did 00:19:07.970 --> 00:19:11.390 is it made me mad because it made me feel like 00:19:11.390 --> 00:19:13.329 a failure for I'd pastored those folks for a 00:19:13.329 --> 00:19:16.170 few years and I thought, what did you do? And 00:19:16.170 --> 00:19:18.329 wanted to call them on the phone. What's coming 00:19:18.329 --> 00:19:24.150 out of your face? Would you tell me what possessed 00:19:24.150 --> 00:19:28.069 you to come to a conclusion that you're so busy 00:19:28.069 --> 00:19:30.869 that you don't have to pray? When the Word of 00:19:30.869 --> 00:19:34.250 God declares that men ought always to pray, that 00:19:34.250 --> 00:19:37.450 we faint not, because you will faint, you will 00:19:37.450 --> 00:19:40.130 get exhausted, and you will quit without the 00:19:40.130 --> 00:19:42.630 grace that is added to your life every single 00:19:42.630 --> 00:19:45.009 day, without the promise of the victory that 00:19:45.009 --> 00:19:47.250 has been declared over you, that the enemy shall 00:19:47.250 --> 00:19:49.769 flee before you. If you don't get in your word 00:19:49.769 --> 00:19:52.009 and you don't get on your knees, how can you 00:19:52.009 --> 00:19:55.390 sustain? You sure can't come back and take those 00:19:55.390 --> 00:20:00.519 who are against you with a switch. I got to keep 00:20:00.519 --> 00:20:05.680 going. We can't faint in our confidence. In our 00:20:05.680 --> 00:20:07.740 confidence. How many of you are confident in 00:20:07.740 --> 00:20:10.579 God? Let me tell you something. He's not always 00:20:10.579 --> 00:20:14.039 going to do what you tell him to do. I know how 00:20:14.039 --> 00:20:16.079 we pray. We do more telling than we do asking. 00:20:17.900 --> 00:20:19.339 How do you know that? Because that's the way 00:20:19.339 --> 00:20:25.819 I pray sometimes. And if he had listened to me, 00:20:25.960 --> 00:20:31.359 some of you would be in better shape. Because 00:20:31.359 --> 00:20:38.119 I pray for you. Amen. But he don't do what we 00:20:38.119 --> 00:20:39.779 tell him. Matter of fact, he don't even take 00:20:39.779 --> 00:20:45.839 my kind suggestions. I just quit. And I kindly 00:20:45.839 --> 00:20:49.279 fell back on, Father, your will be done. And 00:20:49.279 --> 00:20:52.539 I pour out my need. Let your prayer come before 00:20:52.539 --> 00:20:55.400 the Lord with supplication and intercession, 00:20:55.440 --> 00:20:58.380 with thanksgiving. Let your requests be made 00:20:58.380 --> 00:21:00.900 known unto God. So that's what I've got to where 00:21:00.900 --> 00:21:04.000 I do. I turn folks over. I turn problems over. 00:21:04.140 --> 00:21:08.059 I no longer offer suggestions or solutions. I 00:21:08.059 --> 00:21:10.960 just offer you up before the Lord. I offer me 00:21:10.960 --> 00:21:13.480 up before the Lord. And I declare it hallowed 00:21:13.480 --> 00:21:17.000 be thy name. Oh, thy kingdom come, thy will be 00:21:17.000 --> 00:21:20.519 done. do is put myself back on the wheel and 00:21:20.519 --> 00:21:23.980 mar me down one more time application of the 00:21:23.980 --> 00:21:26.799 water and of the spirit break me down keep me 00:21:26.799 --> 00:21:30.140 on the wheel your will be done and some of us 00:21:30.140 --> 00:21:33.099 ought to declare it's your will not my wishes 00:21:33.099 --> 00:21:36.839 but it's your will oh God that I faint not hallelujah 00:21:36.839 --> 00:21:39.839 that I don't grow exhausted and I don't quit 00:21:39.839 --> 00:21:47.710 and give up 2 Corinthians 4, 1, Therefore, seeing 00:21:47.710 --> 00:21:51.130 we have this ministry, for all you that have 00:21:51.130 --> 00:21:56.730 ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint 00:21:56.730 --> 00:22:02.390 not. As we have received mercy, we faint not. 00:22:03.650 --> 00:22:07.410 There's a reason that Jeremiah penned in that 00:22:07.410 --> 00:22:09.289 wonderful book of Lamentations that we are not 00:22:09.289 --> 00:22:12.650 consumed because of the Lord's mercies, and His 00:22:12.650 --> 00:22:17.240 mercies are new. Every morning. Why? Because 00:22:17.240 --> 00:22:20.259 some of you, like myself, we are reformed heathens. 00:22:24.460 --> 00:22:29.480 Transformed heathens. I'm not a heathen. I'm 00:22:29.480 --> 00:22:35.359 a transformed. I used to be. Try not to be these 00:22:35.359 --> 00:22:41.720 days. Not perfect in that attempt. But I'm doing 00:22:41.720 --> 00:22:48.509 my diligence to try not to be. Therefore, seeing 00:22:48.509 --> 00:22:52.789 we have this ministry, whether you realize it 00:22:52.789 --> 00:22:56.670 or not, each of us, each of you, we all have 00:22:56.670 --> 00:23:00.529 a ministry. You're a missionary whether you like 00:23:00.529 --> 00:23:06.329 it or not. By being a disciple of Christ as you 00:23:06.329 --> 00:23:10.490 go, as you go through life, as you are going, 00:23:10.690 --> 00:23:13.730 you are to witness of the goodness and the glory 00:23:13.730 --> 00:23:19.819 of God. To try and make other disciples. That's 00:23:19.819 --> 00:23:22.299 all of us. Doesn't matter what age. Doesn't matter 00:23:22.299 --> 00:23:27.700 where we're at. And we can't grow faint in doing 00:23:27.700 --> 00:23:32.440 that. We do not faint. Therefore, seeing we have 00:23:32.440 --> 00:23:35.079 this ministry, as we have received mercy, we 00:23:35.079 --> 00:23:38.240 faint not. God gives and grants his mercy every 00:23:38.240 --> 00:23:42.220 day. So you and I must never, ever give up. We 00:23:42.220 --> 00:23:45.599 must continue in the battle. We must keep fighting. 00:23:45.700 --> 00:23:49.619 Oh, from Friday night's message, Proverbs 24 00:23:49.619 --> 00:23:53.869 and 16. For a just man falleth seven times, and 00:23:53.869 --> 00:23:57.470 he riseth up. Pastor preached a message up there 00:23:57.470 --> 00:23:59.490 Friday night and said, you can't keep a good 00:23:59.490 --> 00:24:04.470 man down. Hey, Lord, even though sometimes the 00:24:04.470 --> 00:24:06.549 righteous were knocked down seven times, you 00:24:06.549 --> 00:24:09.349 can't keep a righteous one down. Not just a man, 00:24:09.450 --> 00:24:11.710 but you can't keep a righteous woman down. You 00:24:11.710 --> 00:24:13.710 can't keep a righteous child down. The enemy 00:24:13.710 --> 00:24:16.349 can do his very best. And we get, how many have 00:24:16.349 --> 00:24:19.950 seen, what was it, Captain America? Seen that? 00:24:21.319 --> 00:24:25.500 Little Steve Austin, real scrawny like. And then, 00:24:25.519 --> 00:24:28.799 what was his name? Steve somebody. Who? Rogers. 00:24:31.339 --> 00:24:40.940 Was he? No, he was the $6 million man. Huh? That's 00:24:40.940 --> 00:24:44.460 for your time, see. Steve Austin was the $6 million. 00:24:44.519 --> 00:24:48.839 Where you at, people? Come on, somebody. Majors. 00:24:50.149 --> 00:24:57.849 We'll have to go with Stone Cold then. It's my 00:24:57.849 --> 00:25:03.730 sermon, y 'all. Just along for the ride. Where 00:25:03.730 --> 00:25:12.349 was I at? No, we're going to pass that. No, we're 00:25:12.349 --> 00:25:16.509 looking at keeping a good man down. Though the 00:25:16.509 --> 00:25:22.180 righteous fall seven times, he riseth up. How 00:25:22.180 --> 00:25:25.140 many knows it's harder to get back up after you 00:25:25.140 --> 00:25:27.200 fail three? Number four is a little more difficult. 00:25:29.359 --> 00:25:31.339 Five is more difficult. Six is more difficult. 00:25:31.400 --> 00:25:34.299 Seven is more difficult to keep rising and keep 00:25:34.299 --> 00:25:36.819 getting back up. Don't you think you get faint 00:25:36.819 --> 00:25:39.480 after seven, eight, nine times? I've lost count. 00:25:39.599 --> 00:25:42.920 I quit counting. I quit counting. I don't count 00:25:42.920 --> 00:25:46.059 that anymore because I get knocked down regularly. 00:25:46.960 --> 00:25:53.440 But Steve, watch his face. Captain America. What's 00:25:53.440 --> 00:25:57.400 his name? Now we're back to Steve Rogers. Got 00:25:57.400 --> 00:26:03.559 back to where I was going, James. Every time 00:26:03.559 --> 00:26:06.359 he got knocked down, he'd say, I can do this 00:26:06.359 --> 00:26:09.400 all day. I mean, that was even before he got 00:26:09.400 --> 00:26:12.359 juiced up, you know. He said, I can do this all 00:26:12.359 --> 00:26:16.180 day. He in the fight, little scrawny thing. Sometimes 00:26:16.180 --> 00:26:20.839 it's, you know, not the size of the dog in the 00:26:20.839 --> 00:26:24.269 fight. It's the fight and the dog. You've heard 00:26:24.269 --> 00:26:29.490 that. I can do this all day because of my confidence. 00:26:31.300 --> 00:26:34.000 It's no longer in myself. My confidence is not 00:26:34.000 --> 00:26:38.400 in my strength. And so my resolve is in he that's 00:26:38.400 --> 00:26:40.559 in me. Because one of my favorite, and I quote 00:26:40.559 --> 00:26:43.140 it all the time, is John 4 and 4 back there, 00:26:43.200 --> 00:26:45.240 1 John 4 and 4. Greater is he that's in me than 00:26:45.240 --> 00:26:47.440 he that is in this world. I can do this all day, 00:26:47.559 --> 00:26:49.680 devil. I can do it because I'm not getting up 00:26:49.680 --> 00:26:51.720 on my own. I get knocked down and he picks me 00:26:51.720 --> 00:26:54.880 up. Isn't that what the psalmist said? He picks 00:26:54.880 --> 00:26:57.059 me up out of the pit. He takes me up out and 00:26:57.059 --> 00:27:00.140 washes my clay and he puts me on. I can do this 00:27:00.140 --> 00:27:02.579 all day. Why? Because I have become confident, 00:27:02.640 --> 00:27:05.779 and my mind is made up. There is no other choice 00:27:05.779 --> 00:27:09.079 but him, God, and God alone. So come on, devil. 00:27:09.240 --> 00:27:11.579 Give it your best shot, and he has, and he does, 00:27:11.839 --> 00:27:13.740 and I just keep getting back up looking at it. 00:27:13.799 --> 00:27:16.480 I wipe a little blood, blow a little snot, wipe 00:27:16.480 --> 00:27:20.000 a few tears, and say, I can do this all day because 00:27:20.000 --> 00:27:23.160 it's not me. It's he that lives in me, the power 00:27:23.160 --> 00:27:25.880 that I have, the hope that I have. Hear me, church. 00:27:26.039 --> 00:27:28.839 You may be faint, but keep getting back up. You 00:27:28.839 --> 00:27:31.519 may get knocked down. five, six, seven, ten, 00:27:31.599 --> 00:27:34.920 fifteen dozen, but he will help you back up. 00:27:36.059 --> 00:27:42.180 You'll rise up. Life, life, life, life. Whether 00:27:42.180 --> 00:27:43.880 you're running, whether you're walking, whether 00:27:43.880 --> 00:27:46.500 it's creeping by, whether it's flying by, or 00:27:46.500 --> 00:27:55.940 whether it's almost gone. Stay and remain in 00:27:55.940 --> 00:28:00.900 hot pursuit. Remain confident in him. Psalm 34, 00:28:01.000 --> 00:28:02.680 19, many are the afflictions of the righteous, 00:28:02.700 --> 00:28:07.460 but the Lord delivereth him out of them all. 00:28:10.480 --> 00:28:14.740 Don't grow faint in your hope. Don't let your 00:28:14.740 --> 00:28:18.940 hope become exhausted. Hope is a powerful thing. 00:28:20.259 --> 00:28:27.819 Amen? Hope is a life -giving source. Hope causes 00:28:27.819 --> 00:28:33.349 us to keep going. Amen. Don't faint in your hope. 00:28:33.410 --> 00:28:36.410 2 Corinthians 4 verse 16. For which cause we 00:28:36.410 --> 00:28:40.430 faint not. But though our outward man perish, 00:28:40.589 --> 00:28:46.730 yet the inward man is renewed day by day. Hope 00:28:46.730 --> 00:28:52.109 keeps going and hope keeps us going. Our bodies 00:28:52.109 --> 00:28:58.210 are perishing. Amen. At best, what we can do 00:28:58.210 --> 00:29:00.150 is try to keep them in shape and they still fall 00:29:00.150 --> 00:29:05.369 apart. Amen? Even with new parts. Some of you 00:29:05.369 --> 00:29:11.210 got new parts. Stainless, titanium. Probably 00:29:11.210 --> 00:29:32.680 some plastic. Our bodies perish. We have to renew 00:29:32.680 --> 00:29:43.039 ourselves every day. Y 'all quit. Faint not. 00:29:44.859 --> 00:29:46.720 Don't let your hope be despaired for the hope 00:29:46.720 --> 00:29:49.339 that we have is not in this world. Paul told 00:29:49.339 --> 00:29:54.299 Timothy, he said, our hope is Jesus Christ. That's 00:29:54.299 --> 00:29:57.000 why when we walk through the dilemma of life, 00:29:57.240 --> 00:29:59.559 whether it's creeping, flying, you heard it. 00:30:00.000 --> 00:30:02.220 Doesn't matter at what point of life you're at. 00:30:02.759 --> 00:30:05.579 Hope is what gets me to the next step in life. 00:30:06.720 --> 00:30:09.279 But I found myself praying more lately, even 00:30:09.279 --> 00:30:15.740 so, Lord, come. Even so, Lord, come. And my hope 00:30:15.740 --> 00:30:19.019 is not growing faint in the return of the Lord. 00:30:19.160 --> 00:30:22.039 My hope in the return of the Lord is increasing. 00:30:22.339 --> 00:30:27.059 I'm looking for Jesus to come any day. Any day. 00:30:27.279 --> 00:30:29.920 day the Lord could come. The signs of the times 00:30:29.920 --> 00:30:32.200 are aligning. I don't know how much persecution 00:30:32.200 --> 00:30:34.700 we'll have to endure. I don't know how much trial, 00:30:34.779 --> 00:30:37.259 how much tribulation we'll have to endure. But 00:30:37.259 --> 00:30:39.700 one thing I know we won't have to endure is the 00:30:39.700 --> 00:30:43.039 wrath of God when he comes back with his wrath. 00:30:43.220 --> 00:30:46.019 When he unpours the cork and he just lets his 00:30:46.019 --> 00:30:48.960 power reign across us. We won't have to indulge 00:30:48.960 --> 00:30:51.640 the wrath of God. We'll be removed. Hallelujah. 00:30:51.759 --> 00:30:55.259 And I am looking and yearning for the expediency 00:30:55.259 --> 00:30:58.549 of the removal. I'm looking for the trumpet to 00:30:58.549 --> 00:31:01.509 sound and the skies to part and look toward the 00:31:01.509 --> 00:31:04.470 east of the rising of the sun and see a glory 00:31:04.470 --> 00:31:07.910 that far causes a shadow to be cast upon the 00:31:07.910 --> 00:31:10.230 blazing of the sun. And that is the glory of 00:31:10.230 --> 00:31:13.390 the Son of God standing to receive us. My hope 00:31:13.390 --> 00:31:22.990 is firm. Don't faint in doing work. Galatians 00:31:22.990 --> 00:31:27.009 6 and 9, let us. Not be weary in well -doing. 00:31:27.950 --> 00:31:33.829 For in due season we shall reap if we faint not. 00:31:35.890 --> 00:31:39.890 Yes, weariness creeps on the flesh. Yes, even 00:31:39.890 --> 00:31:45.369 weariness creeps into the soul. Because of the 00:31:45.369 --> 00:31:48.990 tribulations and persecutions and the afflictions 00:31:48.990 --> 00:31:53.910 that accompany this life. At some point, we all 00:31:53.910 --> 00:31:57.190 must realize that, hey, we're not saved just 00:31:57.190 --> 00:32:00.410 so things get better. Sometimes we get saved 00:32:00.410 --> 00:32:05.829 and turn to the Lord and things get worse. They 00:32:05.829 --> 00:32:10.390 do. Circumstances worsen. But even though circumstances 00:32:10.390 --> 00:32:16.250 grow worse, grace increases. People think, well, 00:32:16.289 --> 00:32:18.529 I've started trying to serve the Lord and everything's 00:32:18.529 --> 00:32:22.079 falling apart. Well, it's supposed to. Well, 00:32:22.099 --> 00:32:24.140 I thought it was the other way around. You'll 00:32:24.140 --> 00:32:30.119 get there. Push on. There has to be a level of 00:32:30.119 --> 00:32:35.240 commitment. Anybody can serve the Lord in a lily 00:32:35.240 --> 00:32:39.680 valley. There's no thorns. But you walk through 00:32:39.680 --> 00:32:41.619 where the roses bloom, you're going to get pricked 00:32:41.619 --> 00:32:46.960 along the way. So don't just start looking for 00:32:46.960 --> 00:32:51.279 an... I don't know why I'm saying this. Don't 00:32:51.279 --> 00:32:56.119 just start looking for an instant relief. The 00:32:56.119 --> 00:32:59.579 instant relief comes to your soul. The weight 00:32:59.579 --> 00:33:03.160 and the burden of sin is lifted. But then the 00:33:03.160 --> 00:33:05.980 enemy assures to you that the burden and the 00:33:05.980 --> 00:33:10.859 weight of this life increases. Why, pastor? Because 00:33:10.859 --> 00:33:19.000 he wants you to go to hell with him. Don't grow 00:33:19.000 --> 00:33:23.599 weary. You'll reap. You'll reap in due season 00:33:23.599 --> 00:33:31.000 when the time comes if you faint not. In trusting. 00:33:31.420 --> 00:33:33.200 Don't grow faint in trusting the Lord. We sung 00:33:33.200 --> 00:33:36.279 that just a minute ago. Ephesians 3, 13. Wherefore, 00:33:36.279 --> 00:33:39.380 I desire that you faint not at my tribulations 00:33:39.380 --> 00:33:46.819 for you, which is your glory. Paul said, don't 00:33:46.819 --> 00:33:49.019 you get exhausted for what I'm going through. 00:33:49.579 --> 00:33:52.240 On your behalf, are you hearing pastor today? 00:33:54.460 --> 00:33:58.220 Don't get exhausted for what I may be going through. 00:33:59.880 --> 00:34:02.359 Don't get exhausted for what those around you 00:34:02.359 --> 00:34:04.680 are going through. Don't grow weary. Don't faint 00:34:04.680 --> 00:34:07.039 because of the afflictions and the trials of 00:34:07.039 --> 00:34:11.739 others which we endure for your glory. Why? Because 00:34:11.739 --> 00:34:14.420 the words of our testimony cause us to become 00:34:14.420 --> 00:34:18.739 overcomers through the blood of the Lamb. When 00:34:18.739 --> 00:34:22.219 I overcome, you are increased in your overcoming 00:34:22.219 --> 00:34:25.119 ability. Why? Because of the testimony that I've 00:34:25.119 --> 00:34:28.239 just lived through and declared to your life. 00:34:28.320 --> 00:34:34.300 Well, if they can make it, so can I. Because 00:34:34.300 --> 00:34:39.440 God is no respecter of person. Entrust him. Trust 00:34:39.440 --> 00:34:42.280 the Lord. Trust God in everything, every trial, 00:34:42.320 --> 00:34:45.840 every test, every temptation, every affliction. 00:34:47.690 --> 00:34:50.829 In well -doing, 2 Thessalonians 3, 13. But you, 00:34:51.010 --> 00:34:56.150 brethren, be not weary in well -doing. Sometimes 00:34:56.150 --> 00:35:10.750 people exhaust you. Don't they? Don't weep and 00:35:10.750 --> 00:35:15.730 howl and moan and groan. Just trust and pray. 00:35:18.639 --> 00:35:25.760 Quit griping. Stop whining. Quit belly aching. 00:35:30.480 --> 00:35:33.019 Start looking at more than who you are and what 00:35:33.019 --> 00:35:37.780 you are and the situation around you. Elevate 00:35:37.780 --> 00:35:47.199 your vision to see where God is at. We love to 00:35:47.199 --> 00:35:54.210 whine. What have we got to whine about? I'm redeemed 00:35:54.210 --> 00:36:00.590 by love divine. People declare, well, don't you 00:36:00.590 --> 00:36:06.489 ever ask why? No, we don't. Pose the question, 00:36:06.590 --> 00:36:16.150 why not sometimes? I mean, why not? He's my God 00:36:16.150 --> 00:36:19.050 too, just like yours. And the promises that we 00:36:19.050 --> 00:36:24.659 have for each of us. So we persevere, we push 00:36:24.659 --> 00:36:28.019 through. Isaiah 40, 29, he giveth power to the 00:36:28.019 --> 00:36:32.280 faint. Whoa. And to them that have no might, 00:36:32.360 --> 00:36:38.619 he increases strength. Even the youth shall faint 00:36:38.619 --> 00:36:43.239 and be weary, and the young men shall utterly 00:36:43.239 --> 00:36:47.019 fall. But they that wait upon the Lord, you know 00:36:47.019 --> 00:36:50.750 this one. Shall renew their strength. And they 00:36:50.750 --> 00:36:53.329 shall mount up with wings as eagles. And they 00:36:53.329 --> 00:36:57.210 shall run and not be weary. And they shall walk. 00:36:57.789 --> 00:37:10.030 And not. Faint. I'm still in hot pursuit. What 00:37:10.030 --> 00:37:11.869 are you saying pastor? I'm encouraging you to 00:37:11.869 --> 00:37:16.829 remain. In hot pursuit. In whatever situation. 00:37:16.929 --> 00:37:23.280 Whatever dilemma. You may be facing. God's got 00:37:23.280 --> 00:37:28.739 you. Do you have him? He don't let you go. Have 00:37:28.739 --> 00:37:31.199 you turned him loose? Where's your confidence 00:37:31.199 --> 00:37:34.360 in God? Where's your ability to trust God? Are 00:37:34.360 --> 00:37:41.099 you praying? Are you in his word? Are you still 00:37:41.099 --> 00:37:45.119 doing the work? Are you still plowing through 00:37:45.119 --> 00:37:53.389 with the ministry that God's given you? If you 00:37:53.389 --> 00:37:57.369 don't think, he's going to increase your strength. 00:37:59.090 --> 00:38:02.170 He's going to cause us all to be victorious. 00:38:04.090 --> 00:38:09.909 We all become overcomers if we remain in hot 00:38:09.909 --> 00:38:18.969 pursuit. Stand with me this morning. Remain in 00:38:18.969 --> 00:38:24.610 hot pursuit. We're going to have baptism here 00:38:24.610 --> 00:38:27.510 in just a little bit, but we're not rushing this 00:38:27.510 --> 00:38:31.409 next portion of this service. Because this is 00:38:31.409 --> 00:38:37.650 why we've come. That if we faint, if we're weary, 00:38:37.769 --> 00:38:41.309 if we're exhausted, if we're thirsty, if we're 00:38:41.309 --> 00:38:46.710 hungry, we hear the words of the Lord that he's 00:38:46.710 --> 00:38:51.800 not going to send us away fasting. Unless we 00:38:51.800 --> 00:38:57.559 faint along the way. I don't believe in accidents. 00:39:02.559 --> 00:39:05.219 Don't believe in luck. No such thing as luck. 00:39:09.599 --> 00:39:13.260 You have to be superstitious to believe in luck. 00:39:16.139 --> 00:39:18.260 You can give me a nine -leaf clover and it ain't 00:39:18.260 --> 00:39:25.730 going to do no good. I believe in God. I believe 00:39:25.730 --> 00:39:33.590 in the favor of God. And if I don't faint when 00:39:33.590 --> 00:39:40.489 my time gets up, I'm going to get a reward in 00:39:40.489 --> 00:39:43.130 due season if I don't faint, if I don't stop 00:39:43.130 --> 00:39:51.829 short. So I'm remaining in hot pursuit. And I 00:39:51.829 --> 00:40:00.730 know I'm not the only one that's faint. I know 00:40:00.730 --> 00:40:07.750 that. We've all got our battles. You either just 00:40:07.750 --> 00:40:10.829 come out of one, you're about to go in one, or 00:40:10.829 --> 00:40:12.489 you're standing flat -footed in the middle of 00:40:12.489 --> 00:40:23.769 one. But I'm not going to faint. I'm going to 00:40:23.769 --> 00:40:28.369 adjust. Where's these hoorah boys at? Any Marines 00:40:28.369 --> 00:40:32.449 in the house? Adapt and overcome. That's about 00:40:32.449 --> 00:40:37.389 what we're about to do. And I'm staying in hot 00:40:37.389 --> 00:40:47.630 pursuit. Remaining in hot pursuit. So with that, 00:40:47.630 --> 00:40:51.130 how many of you need a refresher this morning? 00:40:51.369 --> 00:40:54.119 Come on down. We're going to have to get on each 00:40:54.119 --> 00:40:57.480 side of the baptistry. If you need a refresher, 00:40:57.480 --> 00:41:00.460 just come on down this morning. If you're feeling 00:41:00.460 --> 00:41:01.559 faint, you're feeling weird.