WEBVTT 00:00:00.460 --> 00:00:03.940 Amen. Why don't we get into the word, amen, if 00:00:03.940 --> 00:00:06.820 you have your Bibles. And why don't you read 00:00:06.820 --> 00:00:11.539 along with me in the book of 2 Kings, chapter 00:00:11.539 --> 00:00:17.519 3, verse 16 through 18. And then we will read 00:00:17.519 --> 00:00:24.640 verse 20. Amen. If you have it, say amen. Amen. 00:00:26.320 --> 00:00:29.620 So the word of the Lord reads like this. It says, 00:00:29.699 --> 00:00:33.840 And he said, Thus says the Lord, Make this valley 00:00:33.840 --> 00:00:37.719 full of ditches. For thus says the Lord, You 00:00:37.719 --> 00:00:41.460 shall not see wind, nor shall you see rain. Yet 00:00:41.460 --> 00:00:45.539 that valley shall be filled with water, so that 00:00:45.539 --> 00:00:49.259 you, your cattle, and your animals may drink. 00:00:50.020 --> 00:00:52.460 And this is a simple matter in the sight of the 00:00:52.460 --> 00:00:55.840 Lord. He will also deliver the Moabites into 00:00:55.840 --> 00:01:01.140 your hand. It reads, now it happened in the morning 00:01:01.140 --> 00:01:03.840 when the rain offering was offered that suddenly 00:01:03.840 --> 00:01:08.680 water came, water by way of Edom, excuse me, 00:01:08.700 --> 00:01:13.959 and the land was filled with water. Amen. Suddenly 00:01:13.959 --> 00:01:17.980 water came by way of Edom and the land was filled 00:01:17.980 --> 00:01:21.180 with water. Amen. Let us go before the Lord. 00:01:21.260 --> 00:01:23.079 Heavenly Father, we come before you today, God. 00:01:23.219 --> 00:01:26.019 We give you honor. We give you glory. Lord, we 00:01:26.019 --> 00:01:28.359 appreciate the move of your spirit today, God. 00:01:28.560 --> 00:01:30.680 We ask you, God, to speak to our hearts, God. 00:01:31.319 --> 00:01:33.640 Lord, hallelujah, that we would open up our minds 00:01:33.640 --> 00:01:35.819 and our hearts to the word and receive what you 00:01:35.819 --> 00:01:37.640 would have for us today, God. We would adhere, 00:01:37.939 --> 00:01:40.959 God, to what the Savior, the Lord. Hallelujah. 00:01:41.099 --> 00:01:45.560 Lord, hallelujah, have your way. Hallelujah, 00:01:45.680 --> 00:01:50.099 Lord. In the mighty name of Jesus, we pray. Amen. 00:01:50.599 --> 00:02:03.319 Amen. You may be seated. Hallelujah. Amen. As 00:02:03.319 --> 00:02:07.700 we ended last year, we prepare to, amen, look 00:02:07.700 --> 00:02:12.120 forward to a new year. Amen. We stand here in 00:02:12.120 --> 00:02:15.939 a new season together. At the start of the new 00:02:15.939 --> 00:02:20.080 year, amen, I want to tell someone today to keep 00:02:20.080 --> 00:02:24.919 digging. Amen. To keep digging. Amen. Continue. 00:02:25.740 --> 00:02:32.139 on, and keep digging. Amen. As we stand together 00:02:32.139 --> 00:02:35.780 with a heart of gratitude because the Lord brought 00:02:35.780 --> 00:02:39.659 us through another year. Amen. And we just didn't 00:02:39.659 --> 00:02:43.340 get through another year together. Amen. We endured 00:02:43.340 --> 00:02:49.039 another year. Amen. I know I did. Amen. And what 00:02:49.039 --> 00:02:52.319 does the Bible say or tell us about those who 00:02:52.319 --> 00:02:57.349 have endured and waited? On the Lord. Amen. Matthew 00:02:57.349 --> 00:03:01.189 24 it says. But he who endures to the end. Shall 00:03:01.189 --> 00:03:06.250 be saved. Amen. Isaiah 40 31. It reads. But those 00:03:06.250 --> 00:03:09.270 who wait on the Lord. Shall renew their strength. 00:03:09.530 --> 00:03:12.370 They shall mount up with wings like eagles. They 00:03:12.370 --> 00:03:16.289 shall run and not be weary. They shall walk and 00:03:16.289 --> 00:03:19.750 not faint. Amen. At the beginning of a new year. 00:03:19.849 --> 00:03:22.250 Amen. And as the church continues to move forward 00:03:22.250 --> 00:03:26.389 into 2026. We're reminded that new seasons require 00:03:26.389 --> 00:03:32.009 new faith, fresh obedience, and continued work. 00:03:32.650 --> 00:03:37.069 Someone say amen. Amen. 2025 might have looked 00:03:37.069 --> 00:03:41.009 different for some of us. Amen. And when we look 00:03:41.009 --> 00:03:45.389 back, amen, at times last year, we might remember 00:03:45.389 --> 00:03:48.849 that times might have not always been so great, 00:03:49.050 --> 00:04:00.620 that maybe our lands looked a little dry. Planted 00:04:00.620 --> 00:04:04.819 and sowed. We might not have seen anything. At 00:04:04.819 --> 00:04:09.180 first. But now hallelujah. We stand hallelujah 00:04:09.180 --> 00:04:12.740 on the other side. And in the new year. Amen. 00:04:12.759 --> 00:04:16.920 When we look back over our lives. Amen. And we 00:04:16.920 --> 00:04:19.319 look back at everything that we have gone through. 00:04:19.360 --> 00:04:21.980 And everything that we endured. We don't see 00:04:21.980 --> 00:04:26.939 dry lands. We don't see empty valleys. And we 00:04:26.939 --> 00:04:30.110 don't see a land that is barren. Amen. without 00:05:45.449 --> 00:05:47.629 and just hear the things, hallelujah, that carry 00:05:47.629 --> 00:06:30.290 some of us here today. Amen. Passed away. Amen. 00:06:30.310 --> 00:06:33.930 The king is running in and he's preparing for 00:06:33.930 --> 00:06:38.009 battle against Moab. The Bible says that he was 00:06:38.009 --> 00:06:41.430 unlike his father Ahab and unlike his mother 00:06:41.430 --> 00:06:45.230 Jezebel. Amen. Because he was the one who removed 00:06:45.230 --> 00:06:48.350 the official Baal pillar that his father had 00:06:48.350 --> 00:07:45.759 put up. We must obey him by, amen, the way in 00:07:45.759 --> 00:07:48.699 which God spoke, amen, in this context, in this 00:07:48.699 --> 00:07:51.339 scripture, in the fashion that he spoke, amen. 00:07:51.439 --> 00:07:54.180 I'm going to tell you that God is going to say 00:07:54.180 --> 00:07:57.120 amen to you, to you and I. He's going to give 00:07:57.120 --> 00:07:59.680 us a plan. He's going to give us direction that's 00:07:59.680 --> 00:08:03.180 going to make us feel uncomfortable. Because 00:08:03.180 --> 00:08:06.319 God is going to ask you to do some things that 00:08:06.319 --> 00:08:27.120 you've never done. amen without being uncomfortable 00:08:27.120 --> 00:08:33.279 we will not grow if we remain comfortable because 00:08:33.279 --> 00:08:36.000 that's where the devil wants you that's where 00:08:36.000 --> 00:08:39.860 the enemy wants you stay seated you don't got 00:08:39.860 --> 00:08:43.240 to move don't raise your hands don't lift your 00:08:43.240 --> 00:09:07.679 voice it's his will, not ours. Amen. One of the 00:09:07.679 --> 00:09:11.159 servants, when Jehoshaphat stands up and he calls 00:09:11.159 --> 00:09:13.659 out and he asks, amen, if there's anyone here 00:09:13.659 --> 00:09:16.120 that can go before the Lord, one of the servants 00:09:16.120 --> 00:09:19.679 stands up and he says, Elijah, the son of Shaphat 00:09:19.679 --> 00:09:23.320 is here who poured water on the hands of Elijah. 00:09:25.200 --> 00:09:29.759 And Elisha, he's the one that submitted before 00:09:29.759 --> 00:09:34.789 being elevated. He followed Elijah. He learned 00:09:34.789 --> 00:09:38.250 obedience. He absorbed spiritual discipline. 00:09:39.429 --> 00:09:45.970 Elisha also recognized a fellow servant in Jehoshaphat. 00:09:47.490 --> 00:09:51.110 Because Elisha stands up and he says, as the 00:09:51.110 --> 00:09:55.330 Lord of hosts lives. Before whom I stand, surely 00:09:55.330 --> 00:09:58.629 where not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat, 00:09:58.629 --> 00:10:02.690 king of Judah, I would not look at you nor see 00:10:02.690 --> 00:10:08.210 you. You know, sometimes when God asks you to 00:10:08.210 --> 00:10:10.169 do some uncomfortable things, you're the only 00:10:10.169 --> 00:10:14.950 one doing it. Sometimes you've got to stand out 00:10:14.950 --> 00:10:20.019 in the midst of the crowd. Sometimes God is going 00:10:20.019 --> 00:10:23.679 to do some things that is going to cause you, 00:10:23.720 --> 00:10:26.519 amen, to look around and say, well, am I the 00:10:26.519 --> 00:10:30.700 only one? Am I the only one who believes this 00:10:30.700 --> 00:10:33.179 way? Am I the only one who thinks this way? Am 00:10:33.179 --> 00:10:35.320 I the only one that is doing the things that 00:10:35.320 --> 00:10:39.480 I'm doing, amen? And it's important because when 00:10:39.480 --> 00:10:42.460 a man of God stands up, he looks out in the crowd 00:10:42.460 --> 00:10:46.740 and he said, oh, I see you. Amen. Because when 00:10:46.740 --> 00:10:49.639 we seek God and God sees us, amen, we seek God, 00:10:49.659 --> 00:10:53.659 God will see us. So he looks out and he says, 00:10:53.740 --> 00:10:56.039 you know what? If it wasn't for Jehoshaphat, 00:10:56.100 --> 00:10:58.620 if it wasn't for his righteousness, if it wasn't 00:10:58.620 --> 00:11:00.940 for his obedience, if it wasn't for him praying 00:11:00.940 --> 00:11:03.379 and seeking after God, if it wasn't for him, 00:11:03.399 --> 00:11:06.159 amen, having the mind of Christ, amen, if it 00:11:06.159 --> 00:11:08.659 wasn't for him and I being like -minded, I wouldn't 00:11:08.659 --> 00:11:11.899 even bother with you all. I wouldn't even look 00:11:11.899 --> 00:11:17.029 at you, he says. I have no business here with 00:11:17.029 --> 00:11:21.210 you. But because Jehoshaphat is here, I am going 00:11:21.210 --> 00:11:25.740 to go before the Lord. Amen. It's important, 00:11:25.799 --> 00:11:29.000 amen, that in this year, amen, we stand up, amen, 00:11:29.080 --> 00:11:32.639 not just as individuals but as a church, amen, 00:11:32.740 --> 00:11:35.919 that we stand up and we proudly proclaim the 00:11:35.919 --> 00:11:38.659 name of Jesus, amen, that whatever you might 00:11:38.659 --> 00:11:41.120 have been afraid of then and whatever doubt you 00:11:41.120 --> 00:11:43.360 might have had and whatever worries you might 00:11:43.360 --> 00:11:45.559 have had and whatever concern you might have 00:11:45.559 --> 00:11:48.600 had, amen, all things are passed away. All things 00:11:48.600 --> 00:11:52.179 become new, amen, that we stand up and we rise 00:11:52.179 --> 00:11:58.830 up, amen. So Elijah calls, Elisha, excuse me, 00:11:58.830 --> 00:12:02.750 calls the musician. Amen. And he goes before 00:12:02.750 --> 00:12:08.049 the Lord and he prepares to hear from God. Amen. 00:12:08.090 --> 00:12:10.470 But I want to point something out really quick 00:12:10.470 --> 00:12:13.529 before I continue. Amen. The importance, amen, 00:12:13.629 --> 00:12:16.690 of Jehoshaphat, of his righteousness. Because, 00:12:16.730 --> 00:12:20.269 listen, your labor is not in vain. What you do 00:12:20.269 --> 00:12:22.950 for Christ, amen, it matters. It counts. From 00:12:22.950 --> 00:12:25.289 the smallest to the greatest, amen. From the 00:12:25.289 --> 00:12:27.629 back of the pew to the platform, everything and 00:12:27.629 --> 00:12:30.049 everything we do counts in God's kingdom, amen. 00:12:30.230 --> 00:12:33.509 No one here is less than the other. No one here 00:12:33.509 --> 00:12:36.250 has less than the other. No one here is smaller 00:12:36.250 --> 00:12:39.169 than the other. God sees us all the same, amen. 00:12:39.250 --> 00:12:41.870 Whether you're ministering on the platform, whether 00:12:41.870 --> 00:12:43.850 you're helping in the back, whether you're out 00:12:43.850 --> 00:12:46.509 in your community, whatever you are doing for 00:12:46.509 --> 00:12:50.620 God, it is not in vain. And because Jehoshaphat, 00:12:50.620 --> 00:12:53.379 because he kept his righteousness and his obedience 00:12:53.379 --> 00:12:57.059 to God, he created spiritual access for the other 00:12:57.059 --> 00:13:02.159 two who didn't. He brought mercy, amen, to others 00:13:02.159 --> 00:13:05.919 and a covering that positioned them to hear from 00:13:05.919 --> 00:13:11.740 God. Romans 5 .19, it says, for as one man's 00:13:11.740 --> 00:13:15.350 disobedience, many were made sinners. So also 00:13:15.350 --> 00:13:19.070 by a man's obedience, many will be made righteous. 00:13:19.450 --> 00:13:22.669 And this was Paul's contrasting two representatives 00:13:22.669 --> 00:13:26.779 of humanity, Adam and Jesus Christ. I want you 00:13:26.779 --> 00:13:29.580 to know today that your obedience can cover and 00:13:29.580 --> 00:13:32.879 save others. Your obedience to God when you're 00:13:32.879 --> 00:13:35.200 in the will of God and you're doing what God 00:13:35.200 --> 00:13:37.919 asked you to do. Those that are around you that 00:13:37.919 --> 00:13:40.299 need covering. Those that are around you that 00:13:40.299 --> 00:13:42.620 need to hear from God. Those that are around 00:13:42.620 --> 00:13:45.720 you that need to be saved. Your obedience will 00:13:45.720 --> 00:13:51.059 cover them. And this was the importance of Jehoshaphat. 00:13:51.370 --> 00:13:56.049 Amen. Being there, amen, in agreement in that 00:13:56.049 --> 00:14:00.070 crowd, amen, this was his importance. More so, 00:14:00.289 --> 00:14:06.909 amen, was his obedience to God. Now when Elisha 00:14:06.909 --> 00:14:09.909 goes and he comes back and he says, thus says 00:14:09.909 --> 00:14:13.330 the Lord, he brings back the word. And he says, 00:14:13.509 --> 00:14:17.509 amen, thus says the Lord, make this valley full 00:14:17.509 --> 00:14:21.860 of ditches. Thus saith the Lord, you shall not 00:14:21.860 --> 00:14:27.059 see wind, nor shall you see rain, yet that valley 00:14:27.059 --> 00:14:33.480 shall be filled with water. You won't see rain, 00:14:33.659 --> 00:14:38.379 you won't see wind, but you will see water. Oh, 00:14:38.419 --> 00:14:41.399 I feel that today. You won't see rain, you won't 00:14:41.399 --> 00:14:47.929 see wind, but you will see water. Enough water, 00:14:47.990 --> 00:14:52.129 hallelujah, amen, so that your cattle, your animals 00:14:52.129 --> 00:14:56.210 may drink. And that this simple matter, someone 00:14:56.210 --> 00:15:00.370 say simple matter, in the sight of the Lord, 00:15:00.549 --> 00:15:04.850 he will also deliver the Moabites into your hand. 00:15:07.029 --> 00:15:11.429 They received the word of the Lord to make the 00:15:11.429 --> 00:15:17.940 valley full of ditches. No wind. No rain. But 00:15:17.940 --> 00:15:20.980 that those ditches will be filled with water 00:15:20.980 --> 00:15:27.759 to drink. How can this be so? How can they end 00:15:27.759 --> 00:15:32.620 up in such a place? No water. Nothing to sustain 00:15:32.620 --> 00:15:37.379 them. Planned, foiled, fell apart. Nothing that 00:15:37.379 --> 00:15:40.019 they had is going to work. Everything that they 00:15:40.019 --> 00:15:42.080 thought they had that was going to work is now 00:15:42.080 --> 00:15:45.450 working against them. Amen. And now they are 00:15:45.450 --> 00:15:48.110 standing there with their swords in their hand, 00:15:48.250 --> 00:15:51.990 ready and prepared for battle. And the Lord says, 00:15:52.250 --> 00:15:58.929 dig ditches. See, this is what happens when we 00:15:58.929 --> 00:16:03.690 step in, amen, into these plans without the mindset 00:16:03.690 --> 00:16:08.350 of God. When we are not connected, amen, and 00:16:08.350 --> 00:16:13.149 we are not, amen, amen, directed by God. They 00:16:13.149 --> 00:16:15.429 thought that they were preparing for battle. 00:16:15.710 --> 00:16:19.149 The Lord was preparing them to take ditches. 00:16:20.750 --> 00:16:23.690 So what they had to do was they had to lay down 00:16:23.690 --> 00:16:30.850 their swords. And pick up their shovels. Three 00:16:30.850 --> 00:16:35.350 armies. Seven days in the wilderness. No water. 00:16:35.509 --> 00:16:41.450 No strength. No options. Every instinct told 00:16:41.450 --> 00:16:45.519 them. They had to continue with their plan. Every 00:16:45.519 --> 00:16:48.860 idea told them they had to defend the little 00:16:48.860 --> 00:16:52.679 that they now had. Because the attack can come 00:16:52.679 --> 00:16:55.860 now from anywhere and now they are vulnerable. 00:16:57.659 --> 00:17:01.960 But God didn't say get ready to fight. God said 00:17:01.960 --> 00:17:07.319 get ready to dig. Not a trench for the enemy, 00:17:07.519 --> 00:17:12.660 but to dig a ditch for water. That they hadn't 00:17:12.660 --> 00:17:18.299 seen yet. No rain clouds. No promise. No timing. 00:17:18.839 --> 00:17:22.460 Just a word from God. And I'm going to tell you 00:17:22.460 --> 00:17:25.920 church today. That this is all that we need. 00:17:26.119 --> 00:17:31.519 Is simply a word from God. Amen. There is so 00:17:31.519 --> 00:17:35.319 much work to be done in this city. There is so 00:17:35.319 --> 00:17:39.359 much work to be done in our lives. God is saying, 00:17:39.480 --> 00:17:43.359 you fought all of last year. Amen. You fought 00:17:43.359 --> 00:17:46.480 battles that weren't even yours. But because 00:17:46.480 --> 00:17:49.460 you didn't listen and put your sword down, you 00:17:49.460 --> 00:17:52.380 fought wars that I had already given you the 00:17:52.380 --> 00:17:55.019 victory. You fought battles that I already... 00:17:55.039 --> 00:17:58.180 handed the enemy over to you and now the word 00:17:58.180 --> 00:18:01.180 goes out unto amen the generals and the kings 00:18:01.180 --> 00:18:05.460 and God is saying put your swords down and dig 00:18:05.460 --> 00:18:11.160 this messes with our theology our mythology our 00:18:11.160 --> 00:18:16.609 ideology all the ologies Because what we thought 00:18:16.609 --> 00:18:19.390 that we had planned and what we thought was going 00:18:19.390 --> 00:18:22.369 to succeed and what we thought was going to work 00:18:22.369 --> 00:18:25.710 out, God said no. Because your thoughts are not 00:18:25.710 --> 00:18:28.289 my thoughts and your plans are not my plans. 00:18:28.410 --> 00:18:31.170 The Bible says that his plans are higher than 00:18:31.170 --> 00:18:33.950 our plans. Amen. That little thing that you're 00:18:33.950 --> 00:18:37.309 asking me for is so little to me. Why don't you 00:18:37.309 --> 00:18:40.190 get on your knees and ask me for something greater 00:18:40.190 --> 00:18:44.660 and ask me for something bigger? Greater is he 00:18:44.660 --> 00:18:47.619 that is in me than he that is in the world. This 00:18:47.619 --> 00:18:50.599 is a God that I am referring to. This is a God 00:18:50.599 --> 00:19:02.720 that I am talking about today. All we need is 00:19:02.720 --> 00:19:09.890 a word. And the word was to dig. Now I'm going 00:19:09.890 --> 00:19:11.809 to tell you something, and you all know this, 00:19:11.829 --> 00:19:13.970 there is nothing glamorous or glorious about 00:19:13.970 --> 00:19:18.049 digging. I guarantee you that most of those soldiers 00:19:18.049 --> 00:19:20.569 would have just stood there holding their sword 00:19:20.569 --> 00:19:22.630 and their shield because then at least they would 00:19:22.630 --> 00:19:26.740 look dignified. At least they would look strong. 00:19:27.019 --> 00:19:29.819 At least they would look, amen, like a warrior, 00:19:29.859 --> 00:19:32.559 like a soldier, amen. At least they would have 00:19:32.559 --> 00:19:35.400 their dignity. But the Lord is saying, amen, 00:19:35.680 --> 00:19:38.480 that you've got to humble yourself before me, 00:19:38.559 --> 00:19:41.319 hallelujah, that if you want me to move, it's 00:19:41.319 --> 00:19:45.000 my way or it's no way, hallelujah. Put your swords 00:19:45.000 --> 00:19:49.380 down and dig. So the Bible says that they listened 00:19:49.380 --> 00:19:52.630 and they obeyed and they began to dig. They began 00:19:52.630 --> 00:19:56.849 to dig and they dug and they dug and they dug. 00:19:57.670 --> 00:20:00.430 God didn't reward their strength. God is not 00:20:00.430 --> 00:20:02.750 going to reward our intellect. He's not going 00:20:02.750 --> 00:20:05.089 to reward our strength. He's not going to reward 00:20:05.089 --> 00:20:07.670 how much you know. He's not going to reward the 00:20:07.670 --> 00:20:09.809 plaques on your wall. He's not going to reward, 00:20:10.069 --> 00:20:12.009 amen, the things that you think you know, amen. 00:20:12.230 --> 00:20:17.089 God is going to reward your obedience. And this 00:20:17.089 --> 00:20:20.990 is what he did. He honored their obedience. And 00:20:20.990 --> 00:20:23.529 I'm telling you today church, there are valleys 00:20:23.529 --> 00:20:27.160 that have to be dug in your life. There are valleys, 00:20:27.259 --> 00:20:30.200 amen, there is a valley, excuse me, where trenches 00:20:30.200 --> 00:20:33.700 must be dug, amen. There are parts of your life 00:20:33.700 --> 00:20:37.000 where God is saying, continue to dig, continue 00:20:37.000 --> 00:20:40.559 to dig. I know you're tired. You might be worried. 00:20:40.779 --> 00:20:43.559 I know your back might be hurting, amen. I know 00:20:43.559 --> 00:20:46.380 you might got that ache in your neck, but keep 00:20:46.380 --> 00:20:49.420 digging, but keep digging. I know it might look 00:20:49.420 --> 00:20:52.359 strange. I know it might look awkward. I know 00:20:52.359 --> 00:20:55.460 you might feel out of place and out of the ordinary. 00:20:55.529 --> 00:20:58.269 But remember, you don't serve an ordinary God. 00:20:58.450 --> 00:21:04.630 Remember, you serve an extraordinary God. So 00:21:04.630 --> 00:21:14.190 he says to dig and to dig. Stand with me. Obedience 00:21:14.190 --> 00:21:19.470 is better than sacrifice. We all say this, right? 00:21:19.869 --> 00:21:23.230 Amen. We all read this. But believe me, when 00:21:23.230 --> 00:21:30.990 we don't obey. It's going to cost you. Deuteronomy 00:21:30.990 --> 00:21:34.630 28, 1 through 2, it says, Now it came to pass 00:21:34.630 --> 00:21:37.529 that if you diligently obey the voice of the 00:21:37.529 --> 00:21:41.190 Lord your God, to observe carefully all his commandments, 00:21:41.329 --> 00:21:44.690 which I have commanded you today, that the Lord 00:21:44.690 --> 00:21:47.190 your God will set you high above all nations 00:21:47.190 --> 00:21:51.349 of the earth, and all these blessings shall come 00:21:51.349 --> 00:21:56.339 upon you and overtake you. Because you obey the 00:21:56.339 --> 00:22:02.000 voice of the Lord, your God. If there was ever 00:22:02.000 --> 00:22:06.680 a time in my life that I want the Lord, amen, 00:22:06.720 --> 00:22:11.759 his blessings, his plans to overtake my life, 00:22:11.799 --> 00:22:23.059 the time is now. But I must obey. Obedience doesn't 00:22:23.059 --> 00:22:27.680 create. Your blessing. It positions us to walk 00:22:27.680 --> 00:22:33.240 in what God has already promised. Because the 00:22:33.240 --> 00:22:36.200 Bible says in verse 20, it says, now it happened 00:22:36.200 --> 00:22:39.920 in the morning when the grain offering was offered 00:22:39.920 --> 00:22:45.519 that suddenly, someone say suddenly, water came 00:22:45.519 --> 00:22:51.240 by way of Edom and the land was filled with water. 00:22:53.839 --> 00:22:56.460 You know those ditches that you dug last year? 00:22:58.000 --> 00:23:00.460 God is going to fill them with water this year. 00:23:01.819 --> 00:23:04.200 You know those promises that you were holding 00:23:04.200 --> 00:23:07.920 on to last year? God is going to fulfill those 00:23:07.920 --> 00:23:13.339 promises this year. You know that answer, hallelujah, 00:23:13.339 --> 00:23:16.660 that you were seeking for last year? God is going 00:23:16.660 --> 00:23:19.940 to answer those, amen, this year, hallelujah. 00:23:20.119 --> 00:23:31.200 But you've got to keep digging. Amen. This year, 00:23:31.299 --> 00:23:36.420 church, we got to lay down our swords. We got 00:23:36.420 --> 00:23:40.779 to put our swords down at the altar. Right here. 00:23:44.740 --> 00:23:51.059 We got to pick up our shovels. Keep digging. 00:23:52.039 --> 00:23:55.680 Keep digging. Somebody says, Brother David, but 00:23:55.680 --> 00:23:59.799 for how long? I don't know. Keep digging. When 00:23:59.799 --> 00:24:02.279 is it going to come? I don't know. Keep digging. 00:24:03.539 --> 00:24:06.200 Hey, I'm going to wake up every morning and I'm 00:24:06.200 --> 00:24:08.500 going to pray about it. Keep digging. I'm going 00:24:08.500 --> 00:24:10.440 to keep coming to church. I'm going to remain 00:24:10.440 --> 00:24:13.460 faithful in my tithing. Keep digging. I'm going 00:24:13.460 --> 00:24:16.400 to call pastors and say, Pastor, what is out 00:24:16.400 --> 00:24:18.880 there? What else is there that I can do for the 00:24:18.880 --> 00:24:22.240 church? Keep digging. Hey, is there another ministry 00:24:22.240 --> 00:24:37.400 that I can get involved in? Keep digging. You 00:24:37.400 --> 00:24:43.720 know why the fight is so hard? It's so tough. 00:24:44.900 --> 00:24:53.720 The restriction, the friction, it's hard. It's 00:24:53.720 --> 00:24:59.359 tough. Because the devil knows that at any time, 00:24:59.460 --> 00:25:08.339 those trenches are going to be filled. So if 00:25:08.339 --> 00:25:11.779 he can get you to slow down, if he can get you 00:25:11.779 --> 00:25:14.440 to just put your shovel down for a moment, come 00:25:14.440 --> 00:25:18.940 on, you deserve that break. I know I'm talking 00:25:18.940 --> 00:25:21.299 to someone today. Hey, you know what? You're 00:25:21.299 --> 00:25:24.640 tired today. Don't go to church. It's okay. It'll 00:25:24.640 --> 00:25:28.490 be all right. It's just another Sunday. Don't 00:25:28.490 --> 00:25:30.630 sign on the Bible study. It's okay. It's fine. 00:25:30.930 --> 00:25:33.589 Why don't you sleep in today? You deserve it. 00:25:33.630 --> 00:25:36.089 You worked hard yesterday. Even your boss came 00:25:36.089 --> 00:25:38.130 over and tapped you on the shoulder. He never 00:25:38.130 --> 00:25:43.890 does that. Everything he needs to do to convince 00:25:43.890 --> 00:25:48.990 you not to obey what thus saith the Lord. You 00:25:48.990 --> 00:25:50.670 know, the Bible says that weeping may endure 00:25:50.670 --> 00:25:52.809 for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. Right? 00:25:53.150 --> 00:25:59.839 What happens at night? The struggle. Kids are 00:25:59.839 --> 00:26:03.680 fine all day. As soon as the sun goes down, fever 00:26:03.680 --> 00:26:09.799 goes up. Coughing starts. Aching starts. Why? 00:26:10.099 --> 00:26:12.640 Because the devil is going to try to do anything 00:26:12.640 --> 00:26:16.880 he can to keep the morning from coming. Because 00:26:16.880 --> 00:26:19.079 the Bible says what we just read, once morning 00:26:19.079 --> 00:26:22.680 comes, those ditches were filled with water. 00:26:23.400 --> 00:26:27.579 Morning is going to come. 2026 is your morning. 00:26:29.549 --> 00:26:32.609 I want to know, amen, if there's anybody else 00:26:32.609 --> 00:26:35.589 here with me today. Because I was going to bring 00:26:35.589 --> 00:26:38.430 a literal shovel. But I couldn't find enough 00:26:38.430 --> 00:26:41.990 on Amazon to get one for all of y 'all. So I 00:26:41.990 --> 00:26:45.849 brought my imaginary shovel with me. And I found 00:26:45.849 --> 00:26:49.150 the biggest imaginary shovel I could in my imaginary 00:26:49.150 --> 00:26:55.049 shack. And I brought it with me. And I want to 00:26:55.049 --> 00:26:57.789 know if there's anybody else who's willing. To 00:26:57.789 --> 00:27:01.150 pick up their shovels with me. And start off, 00:27:01.150 --> 00:27:06.490 amen, this year. Amen. Continuing in our redigging. 00:27:07.869 --> 00:27:12.309 Dig those trenches. Dig those ditches. Obey God. 00:27:12.589 --> 00:27:15.450 No matter how foolish you might feel. No matter 00:27:15.450 --> 00:27:20.170 how uncomfortable you might be. Obey the word 00:27:20.170 --> 00:27:20.569 of God.