WEBVTT 00:00:01.530 --> 00:00:05.290 and we received Bible study requests. So we're 00:00:05.290 --> 00:00:07.469 grateful for what God is doing in our city, amen? 00:00:10.490 --> 00:00:13.130 Thank you for everybody that's been involved. 00:00:13.349 --> 00:00:16.410 Many have been a part of this outreach team off 00:00:16.410 --> 00:00:18.730 and on. So I encourage you to be a part of this. 00:00:20.010 --> 00:00:28.890 It'll change your life. And for that, we need 00:00:28.890 --> 00:00:32.060 Bible study teachers. We've got people saying 00:00:32.060 --> 00:00:36.320 at their door, I want a Bible study. So if that's 00:00:36.320 --> 00:00:38.579 you, if you feel a draw in your heart to sit 00:00:38.579 --> 00:00:41.179 down across the table with somebody, teach a 00:00:41.179 --> 00:00:43.820 Bible study, get with the church office, find 00:00:43.820 --> 00:00:46.399 me after service. We want to get people plugged 00:00:46.399 --> 00:00:50.060 in what God is doing in Winston -Salem because 00:00:50.060 --> 00:00:56.880 the harvest is ready. The harvest is ready. Amen. 00:00:57.960 --> 00:00:59.859 And let me encourage you before we go into our 00:00:59.859 --> 00:01:02.060 scripture, Matthew chapter 14, beginning at verse 00:01:02.060 --> 00:01:07.299 22. Expectation is the birthplace for the miraculous. 00:01:07.920 --> 00:01:10.579 So why don't you just go ahead and expect God's 00:01:10.579 --> 00:01:13.840 about to do something in your life today. Don't 00:01:13.840 --> 00:01:15.700 expect to leave here the same that you came. 00:01:15.780 --> 00:01:18.680 Go and say, Lord, I'm expecting that you're about 00:01:18.680 --> 00:01:21.519 to touch my body, that you're about to give me 00:01:21.519 --> 00:01:24.599 a victory like I've never had. Somebody go ahead 00:01:24.599 --> 00:01:27.500 and say that within yourself. I'm expecting God 00:01:27.500 --> 00:01:32.700 to move in my life. That's the birthplace of 00:01:32.700 --> 00:01:37.780 the miracle that God has for you, amen? Turning 00:01:37.780 --> 00:01:42.159 to Matthew chapter 14, beginning at verse 22 00:01:42.159 --> 00:01:44.700 through 24, some scripture reading, a little 00:01:44.700 --> 00:01:47.359 bit lengthy at the beginning, but we're going 00:01:47.359 --> 00:01:49.299 somewhere, amen? Look at somebody and say, he's 00:01:49.299 --> 00:01:52.590 going somewhere today. So thank you for your 00:01:52.590 --> 00:01:55.590 patience. But hey, we can't read too much of 00:01:55.590 --> 00:01:57.969 the word. I love the Bible. Amen. I love God's 00:01:57.969 --> 00:02:02.969 word. Matthew 14 verses 23 to 24. Immediately 00:02:02.969 --> 00:02:06.349 Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and 00:02:06.349 --> 00:02:09.449 go before him to the other side while he sent 00:02:09.449 --> 00:02:13.069 the multitudes away. And when he had sent the 00:02:13.069 --> 00:02:15.750 multitudes away, he went up in a mountain by 00:02:15.750 --> 00:02:20.189 himself to pray. Now when evening came, he was 00:02:20.189 --> 00:02:23.099 alone there. But the boat was now in the middle 00:02:23.099 --> 00:02:26.900 of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind 00:02:26.900 --> 00:02:31.419 was contrary. Going into the Old Testament, Psalms 00:02:31.419 --> 00:02:36.120 chapter 97 and verse 4. His lightnings light 00:02:36.120 --> 00:02:42.580 the world. The earth sees and trembles. I feel 00:02:42.580 --> 00:02:45.199 a heavy word from the Lord to minister today. 00:02:46.979 --> 00:02:49.400 Felt the enemy was really fighting back on this 00:02:49.400 --> 00:02:52.550 message. But I feel God's about to speak to somebody 00:02:52.550 --> 00:02:54.810 today, and I want to preach to you on this idea, 00:02:54.969 --> 00:03:00.669 the ministry of lightning. I believe God's about 00:03:00.669 --> 00:03:03.050 to speak into our lives. God spoke to me through 00:03:03.050 --> 00:03:05.090 this message, and my life's never the same. So 00:03:05.090 --> 00:03:07.449 I want to try to deliver that right now. Would 00:03:07.449 --> 00:03:10.270 you lift your hands, and would you just ask the 00:03:10.270 --> 00:03:15.210 Lord to give you a heart to receive? In the name 00:03:15.210 --> 00:03:19.810 of Jesus, God, we need you today. We need your 00:03:19.810 --> 00:03:24.349 voice. We need your presence. God, we need you 00:03:24.349 --> 00:03:27.789 more than we ever have. God, the days are dark. 00:03:27.810 --> 00:03:31.930 The battle's hard. The storms are loud. But God, 00:03:31.969 --> 00:03:35.969 your voice is ringing out today. Come on, would 00:03:35.969 --> 00:03:39.210 you just ask the Lord, would somebody break through 00:03:39.210 --> 00:03:42.469 like was preached this morning? Come on, somebody 00:03:42.469 --> 00:03:46.509 break through doubt. Break through unbelief right 00:03:46.509 --> 00:03:52.289 now. God's about to set somebody free. Chains 00:03:52.289 --> 00:03:58.289 are about to be broken. Come on, would you clap 00:03:58.289 --> 00:04:00.210 your hands before you're seated and would you 00:04:00.210 --> 00:04:11.889 shout with your voice? In Jesus' name, you can 00:04:11.889 --> 00:04:22.519 be seated. Jesus and his disciples are just coming 00:04:22.519 --> 00:04:25.459 out of the miracle of the five loaves and two 00:04:25.459 --> 00:04:29.680 fishes. Being divinely multiplied to feed thousands 00:04:29.680 --> 00:04:33.319 of people. They had just seen a great miracle 00:04:33.319 --> 00:04:36.500 of provision and blessing from the Lord. And 00:04:36.500 --> 00:04:39.180 evidently their faith was at a high point from 00:04:39.180 --> 00:04:43.019 this never before seen miracle. Let's go to Matthew 00:04:43.019 --> 00:04:51.459 chapter 14 going on to verses 25. Now on the 00:04:51.459 --> 00:04:53.540 fourth watch of the night, Jesus went to them, 00:04:53.600 --> 00:04:56.000 walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw 00:04:56.000 --> 00:04:57.920 him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, 00:04:58.160 --> 00:05:02.220 It is a ghost. And they cried out for fear. But 00:05:02.220 --> 00:05:04.420 immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, Be of 00:05:04.420 --> 00:05:08.779 good cheer. It is I. Do not be afraid. And Peter 00:05:08.779 --> 00:05:12.339 answered and said, Lord, if it is you, command 00:05:12.339 --> 00:05:15.829 me to come on the water. So he said, Come. And 00:05:15.829 --> 00:05:18.089 when Peter had come down out of the boat, he 00:05:18.089 --> 00:05:21.209 walked on the water to Jesus. But when he saw 00:05:21.209 --> 00:05:23.829 that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid. 00:05:24.589 --> 00:05:27.689 And beginning to sink, he cried out, saying, 00:05:27.970 --> 00:05:32.790 Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched 00:05:32.790 --> 00:05:36.370 out his hand and caught him and said to him, 00:05:36.449 --> 00:05:40.810 O you of little faith, why did you doubt? And 00:05:40.810 --> 00:05:45.509 when they got to the boat, the wind ceased. If 00:05:45.509 --> 00:05:48.689 Peter would have kept his focus solely on Jesus, 00:05:48.829 --> 00:05:51.089 he would have never been intimidated by the storm 00:05:51.089 --> 00:05:55.689 around him. I firmly believe that Jesus would 00:05:55.689 --> 00:05:58.529 have walked on the water and got Peter by the 00:05:58.529 --> 00:06:00.930 hand, and they would have walked together if 00:06:00.930 --> 00:06:04.069 Peter would have just kept his focus only on 00:06:04.069 --> 00:06:08.449 Jesus. The boat being tossed in the sea and the 00:06:08.449 --> 00:06:11.430 turbulent wind was an open door to a miracle. 00:06:12.009 --> 00:06:16.730 The storm was ministering a divine moment. It's 00:06:16.730 --> 00:06:19.730 been said that we go through storms, and these 00:06:19.730 --> 00:06:22.970 storms have a tendency to either make your faith 00:06:22.970 --> 00:06:27.870 stronger or to destroy your faith. But I'm determined 00:06:27.870 --> 00:06:30.350 to decide today that the things that we're going 00:06:30.350 --> 00:06:32.449 through right now are not going to destroy us, 00:06:32.649 --> 00:06:35.949 but they are going to build us up in our faith 00:06:35.949 --> 00:06:41.290 to believe God for the impossible. How many knows 00:06:41.290 --> 00:06:43.949 that you've been through some stuff, but we're 00:06:43.949 --> 00:06:47.670 still here? I've been through some crazy situations, 00:06:47.829 --> 00:06:52.389 but I'm still here because he brought me through. 00:06:52.509 --> 00:06:56.389 Can somebody say thank you, Jesus, that you brought 00:06:56.389 --> 00:07:01.970 me through? In Mark chapter 4, verses 36 through 00:07:01.970 --> 00:07:03.949 39, we're not going to read through all of these, 00:07:04.069 --> 00:07:08.209 but we see that they're in another storm that 00:07:08.209 --> 00:07:11.269 could have been destroyed. That could have destroyed 00:07:11.269 --> 00:07:14.050 their life, but Jesus steps out and speaks with 00:07:14.050 --> 00:07:18.930 authority. Peace, be still. I feel there's someone 00:07:18.930 --> 00:07:21.889 here today, maybe two or three, that just need 00:07:21.889 --> 00:07:25.589 to receive this word right now. Peace, be still. 00:07:26.870 --> 00:07:29.870 Whatever's going on in your life, would you just 00:07:29.870 --> 00:07:33.490 receive that word right now? Peace, be still. 00:07:34.160 --> 00:07:37.319 It feels like things are stirred up so much in 00:07:37.319 --> 00:07:41.139 your life, and your mind seems so troubled, but 00:07:41.139 --> 00:07:45.379 the Lord is speaking to somebody. Peace, be still. 00:07:45.699 --> 00:07:48.019 And you may be in the middle of darkness and 00:07:48.019 --> 00:07:50.740 confusion, but let me speak a prophetic word 00:07:50.740 --> 00:07:57.660 to you. Let there be light in the darkness. Even 00:07:57.660 --> 00:08:00.439 through the darkness and even through the lightning, 00:08:00.519 --> 00:08:03.810 the Lord is speaking to somebody today. That 00:08:03.810 --> 00:08:07.430 there is ministry in the middle of your storm. 00:08:10.310 --> 00:08:12.730 If you'll bear with me for a second, let me give 00:08:12.730 --> 00:08:15.490 you some facts to help you understand what the 00:08:15.490 --> 00:08:19.110 ministry of lightning is. Can I give you some 00:08:19.110 --> 00:08:23.089 shocking benefits of lightning? No pun intended. 00:08:24.709 --> 00:08:27.850 The lightning can completely destroy things, 00:08:27.949 --> 00:08:31.470 or it can be a cleansing power in the atmosphere. 00:08:32.649 --> 00:08:36.169 The study estimates that somewhere between 2 00:08:36.169 --> 00:08:41.049 and 16 % of oxidizing or cleaning that happens 00:08:41.049 --> 00:08:44.789 naturally in the Earth's atmosphere is done by 00:08:44.789 --> 00:08:50.789 lightning. Why is this significant? The oxidization 00:08:50.789 --> 00:08:54.710 process helps to reduce chemicals like carbon 00:08:54.710 --> 00:08:58.409 monoxide and methane in the atmosphere. Many 00:08:58.409 --> 00:09:01.450 studies of cloud electrification have suggested 00:09:01.450 --> 00:09:04.809 that the presence of precipitation in the mixed 00:09:04.809 --> 00:09:09.049 phase region of the cloud is essential for charge 00:09:09.049 --> 00:09:12.029 separation and lightning initiating in the clouds. 00:09:12.649 --> 00:09:16.269 However, observations in the rain gush phenomenon, 00:09:16.750 --> 00:09:19.909 these are some big words, also suggest that lightning 00:09:19.909 --> 00:09:22.929 discharge can substantially enhance precipitation 00:09:22.929 --> 00:09:29.129 intensity at the ground. increases the output 00:09:29.129 --> 00:09:33.610 of the raindrops that come to earth. Let's look 00:09:33.610 --> 00:09:36.629 at scripture. Jeremiah chapter 10 and verse 13. 00:09:37.669 --> 00:09:41.149 When he uttered his voice, there is a multitude 00:09:41.149 --> 00:09:44.149 of waters in the heavens and he causes the vapors 00:09:44.149 --> 00:09:47.490 to ascend from the ends of the earth. He maketh 00:09:47.490 --> 00:09:51.429 lightnings with rain and bringeth forth the wind 00:09:51.429 --> 00:09:55.990 out of his treasures. Overhead lightning discharges 00:09:55.990 --> 00:09:59.769 can influence the surface rain intensity through 00:09:59.769 --> 00:10:03.309 electrical enhanced collision. The lightning 00:10:03.309 --> 00:10:06.690 is observed to precede the transient amplification 00:10:06.690 --> 00:10:11.149 of surface rain by two to four minutes. There's 00:10:11.149 --> 00:10:14.610 a delay from when the lightning happens and the 00:10:14.610 --> 00:10:18.450 rain begins. The lightning is a precursor to 00:10:18.450 --> 00:10:22.029 the rain. When you see the lightning, and you 00:10:22.029 --> 00:10:24.950 hear the thunder, you can rest assured that the 00:10:24.950 --> 00:10:30.889 rain is about to pour out. Hey, this is not just 00:10:30.889 --> 00:10:34.870 science. This is the Word of God. The rain comes 00:10:34.870 --> 00:10:39.590 from the storm. When you hear the lightning crashing 00:10:39.590 --> 00:10:42.409 and something that can be so terrifying, you 00:10:42.409 --> 00:10:45.690 just need to understand that the rain is about 00:10:45.690 --> 00:10:48.769 to be poured out in your life. Come on. Somebody 00:10:48.769 --> 00:10:53.759 receive this right now. Lightning is used to 00:10:53.759 --> 00:10:57.220 portray God's power and authority. It can symbolize 00:10:57.220 --> 00:11:00.720 his presence and his voice. The lightning isn't 00:11:00.720 --> 00:11:05.379 just there to be there. It has a purpose. Someone 00:11:05.379 --> 00:11:07.340 needs to take this into your heart right now. 00:11:07.539 --> 00:11:11.580 The ministry of lightning is this. When you see 00:11:11.580 --> 00:11:15.259 the lightning crashing and you hear the thunder 00:11:15.259 --> 00:11:18.820 quaking, when you see the storm shifting the 00:11:18.820 --> 00:11:23.799 things in your life, Take a minute. Put on your 00:11:23.799 --> 00:11:27.279 spiritual raincoat. Get out your umbrella and 00:11:27.279 --> 00:11:34.379 say, I hear the abundance of rain. I forgot my 00:11:34.379 --> 00:11:37.480 umbrella this morning. But somebody get out your 00:11:37.480 --> 00:11:41.919 invisible umbrella and say, I hear the rain is 00:11:41.919 --> 00:11:48.240 on its way. It's troubled right now, but I hear 00:11:48.240 --> 00:11:53.659 the rain. I double dog dare somebody to believe 00:11:53.659 --> 00:11:57.340 this right now. I dare you to declare this in 00:11:57.340 --> 00:12:04.659 yourself. I hear the rain. Oh, would somebody 00:12:04.659 --> 00:12:06.460 lift your hands right now and just say that? 00:12:07.019 --> 00:12:12.460 I hear the abundance of rain. I don't see it. 00:12:13.419 --> 00:12:17.440 There's no evidence of it. But I hear it in my 00:12:17.440 --> 00:12:20.879 life. I hear the rain. I hear the rain flowing 00:12:20.879 --> 00:12:24.460 to my family. I hear the rain washing in my home. 00:12:24.799 --> 00:12:27.340 There's peace coming to somebody's life right 00:12:27.340 --> 00:12:35.600 now because I'm expecting God to do it. And this 00:12:35.600 --> 00:12:38.340 is correct because there's a blessing in the 00:12:38.340 --> 00:12:41.440 burden. There's victory coming out of the vile 00:12:41.440 --> 00:12:44.200 attack. There's a fresh anointing coming out 00:12:44.200 --> 00:12:47.159 of the crushing. There's a new sensitivity coming 00:12:47.159 --> 00:12:49.899 out of the difficulty. There is a new faith coming 00:12:49.899 --> 00:12:52.500 out of the failure. There's a testimony coming 00:12:52.500 --> 00:12:55.360 out of the test. There is a new vision coming 00:12:55.360 --> 00:13:01.360 out of the violent storm. God's wanting us to 00:13:01.360 --> 00:13:04.259 understand that, yeah, you're going through something. 00:13:05.000 --> 00:13:08.340 But it's just a precursor to what God is about 00:13:08.340 --> 00:13:14.759 to do in your life. I've lived this just this 00:13:14.759 --> 00:13:18.019 past week, Brother Mark. There was a personal 00:13:18.019 --> 00:13:21.120 attack on my job against me. Caught me off guard 00:13:21.120 --> 00:13:25.000 out of nowhere. And it shook me so bad. I had 00:13:25.000 --> 00:13:27.000 to go somewhere. I had to find a place to sit 00:13:27.000 --> 00:13:29.299 down and pray. And when I was sat there and troubled 00:13:29.299 --> 00:13:34.110 about it, it hit me. This is not about me. God's 00:13:34.110 --> 00:13:37.129 using this. So sitting there in my cubicle, I 00:13:37.129 --> 00:13:42.809 said, I hear the rain. I couldn't see it. I was 00:13:42.809 --> 00:13:45.889 so confused. I had no idea what happened. But 00:13:45.889 --> 00:13:48.629 I just kept saying, God, I hear the rain from 00:13:48.629 --> 00:13:51.769 this. I hear the rain coming from this. And let 00:13:51.769 --> 00:13:53.970 me tell you, before I went home that day, God 00:13:53.970 --> 00:13:56.950 poured out the rain in my life. God showed me 00:13:56.950 --> 00:13:59.730 a blessing that I didn't know was even there. 00:14:01.840 --> 00:14:04.639 Because I didn't stay so focused on the trouble, 00:14:04.720 --> 00:14:07.279 it could have ruined my entire week. But God 00:14:07.279 --> 00:14:10.799 said, there's a ministry in the lightning. There's 00:14:10.799 --> 00:14:14.539 a ministry in the storm. The rain's coming for 00:14:14.539 --> 00:14:19.159 somebody, but you've got to receive it. Whether 00:14:19.159 --> 00:14:22.259 I feel Jesus or I don't feel him right now, he 00:14:22.259 --> 00:14:25.500 is with me. I know there's an outpouring, a new 00:14:25.500 --> 00:14:28.700 authority coming to me. So if I can just praise 00:14:28.700 --> 00:14:32.360 in the peril and worship in the worry, the rain 00:14:32.360 --> 00:14:37.840 is right at the door. The rain symbolizes the 00:14:37.840 --> 00:14:41.240 presence of God. The rain symbolizes the blessing 00:14:41.240 --> 00:14:45.539 and answer to prayer. The rain symbolizes the 00:14:45.539 --> 00:14:49.399 blessing to flow. The rain that we're desiring 00:14:49.399 --> 00:14:53.350 symbolizes cleansing and refreshing. The rain 00:14:53.350 --> 00:14:55.809 indicates that there is about to be an outpouring 00:14:55.809 --> 00:15:01.370 for what only Jesus can do in our life. I feel 00:15:01.370 --> 00:15:04.289 the Lord's given me this word today to help us 00:15:04.289 --> 00:15:07.610 understand that we can't get so caught up in 00:15:07.610 --> 00:15:10.450 looking at the storm all the time. Because you 00:15:10.450 --> 00:15:13.289 can get blind to everything else when you just 00:15:13.289 --> 00:15:16.049 keep looking at the storm. But you've got to 00:15:16.049 --> 00:15:19.470 get your eyes on Jesus. You've got to get your 00:15:19.470 --> 00:15:23.529 eyes in faith and say, I hear. the rain through 00:15:23.529 --> 00:15:27.669 this mess. I hear the abundance of rain through 00:15:27.669 --> 00:15:33.830 this trouble. We may say, when's the storm going 00:15:33.830 --> 00:15:37.129 to end? Why did it come to me? I don't deserve 00:15:37.129 --> 00:15:40.370 this type of trouble. Why am I even in the storm? 00:15:40.690 --> 00:15:42.889 I didn't want to be here. I didn't ask to be 00:15:42.889 --> 00:15:45.610 here. Is this storm going to be the end of my 00:15:45.610 --> 00:15:50.419 life? Am I going to survive? But when the whole 00:15:50.419 --> 00:15:54.220 time we should be asking and saying, yes, I'm 00:15:54.220 --> 00:15:58.240 in a storm, but I hear the rain. There may be 00:15:58.240 --> 00:16:01.220 a delay in the natural, but I know the rain is 00:16:01.220 --> 00:16:06.299 coming. I just believe it's about to pour down 00:16:06.299 --> 00:16:10.019 in my life. The trouble started, but just a moment, 00:16:10.139 --> 00:16:16.620 the blessing is about to be poured out. The lightning 00:16:16.620 --> 00:16:20.029 can be so terrifying that you miss. The rainfall. 00:16:20.669 --> 00:16:24.129 The storm can be so intimidating that you miss 00:16:24.129 --> 00:16:27.590 the outpouring. The trouble can be so intense 00:16:27.590 --> 00:16:31.070 that you miss the lesson in the middle of the 00:16:31.070 --> 00:16:35.850 mess. Don't miss the voice of God in your storm. 00:16:37.230 --> 00:16:40.529 If you could just tune your ears to his voice, 00:16:40.629 --> 00:16:43.529 you could hear him saying a specific word in 00:16:43.529 --> 00:16:47.690 your life and for your situation. Somebody needs 00:16:47.690 --> 00:16:51.330 to hear the Lord saying, peace be still. Somebody 00:16:51.330 --> 00:16:53.350 needs to hear the Lord saying, there's a ministry 00:16:53.350 --> 00:16:55.850 in the mess right now, but you've got to wake 00:16:55.850 --> 00:17:00.190 up. Come on, somebody say, wake up. It's time 00:17:00.190 --> 00:17:02.809 to wake up and not be so focused on the issues 00:17:02.809 --> 00:17:08.529 and see what God is trying to do in our life. 00:17:10.269 --> 00:17:13.069 For we need to understand and live this out as 00:17:13.069 --> 00:17:17.890 Romans 12 and verse 2 declares. And be not conformed 00:17:17.890 --> 00:17:22.329 to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing 00:17:22.329 --> 00:17:25.630 of your mind that ye may prove what is that good 00:17:25.630 --> 00:17:29.329 and acceptable and perfect will of God. We need 00:17:29.329 --> 00:17:32.230 to change our mindset. The Lord is saying, let 00:17:32.230 --> 00:17:36.009 me give you a new way of thinking. This lightning 00:17:36.009 --> 00:17:39.089 and thunder in your life right now, it's not 00:17:39.089 --> 00:17:41.890 ideal, but I know that it's working to me for 00:17:41.890 --> 00:17:45.740 a benefit. Just as the natural lightning cleanses 00:17:45.740 --> 00:17:48.779 the atmosphere, the storm is removing some things 00:17:48.779 --> 00:17:53.799 out of me that God is not pleased with. There's 00:17:53.799 --> 00:17:55.740 some things in us that don't belong in our hearts. 00:17:56.140 --> 00:17:58.039 Maybe that's why the storm's happening in your 00:17:58.039 --> 00:18:02.180 life right now. God is using something to stir 00:18:02.180 --> 00:18:04.200 somebody up in your life right now, but you've 00:18:04.200 --> 00:18:06.740 got to wake up and understand that it's meant 00:18:06.740 --> 00:18:11.319 not to destroy you, but it's meant to edify you. 00:18:12.880 --> 00:18:15.799 We need to have this thought process. When an 00:18:15.799 --> 00:18:18.480 issue happens or a problem rises up in our life, 00:18:18.660 --> 00:18:20.740 we're going to speak in faith and say, oh, no, 00:18:20.779 --> 00:18:23.539 devil, you have no idea what you've just done. 00:18:24.720 --> 00:18:26.920 When an issue comes in your life, you've got 00:18:26.920 --> 00:18:30.559 to speak up and say, you have no idea what you 00:18:30.559 --> 00:18:32.779 have stirred up in my life. It's going to send 00:18:32.779 --> 00:18:35.319 me to prayer. It's going to send me to fasting. 00:18:35.700 --> 00:18:38.519 It's going to send me into a dedication and a 00:18:38.519 --> 00:18:43.079 deeper walk with God. Don't let your problem 00:18:43.079 --> 00:18:48.039 cause you to backslide. Don't let the storm cause 00:18:48.039 --> 00:18:52.119 you to leave church. Don't let the issue cause 00:18:52.119 --> 00:18:55.339 you to hate the things of God. No, you need to 00:18:55.339 --> 00:18:58.480 get it in your mind today that there is a ministry 00:18:58.480 --> 00:19:01.880 in the storm and I'm going to allow it to push 00:19:01.880 --> 00:19:08.619 me closer to God. Come on, would you lift your 00:19:08.619 --> 00:19:10.779 hands right now and would you just receive this? 00:19:12.339 --> 00:19:16.900 There is a ministry in the middle of the problem. 00:19:17.779 --> 00:19:20.420 You may have a sickness that you feel has destroyed 00:19:20.420 --> 00:19:22.640 your life, but God is saying, no, you've got 00:19:22.640 --> 00:19:25.359 to look beyond it. I'm trying to give you faith 00:19:25.359 --> 00:19:28.400 to pray. I'm trying to get you in a place to 00:19:28.400 --> 00:19:32.799 dedicate yourself to me. Come on, somebody, would 00:19:32.799 --> 00:19:34.539 you just go a little bit deeper in the presence 00:19:34.539 --> 00:19:41.660 of the Lord right now? God, there's a ministry 00:19:41.660 --> 00:19:45.920 through this mess that I'm going through. God, 00:19:46.079 --> 00:19:50.359 there is a purpose for everything that you let 00:19:50.359 --> 00:19:56.819 come through our life. There's a miracle coming 00:19:56.819 --> 00:19:59.700 out of your problem. There's a blessing coming 00:19:59.700 --> 00:20:02.599 out of your issue. There's a miracle coming out 00:20:02.599 --> 00:20:05.079 of your sickness. There's a provision coming 00:20:05.079 --> 00:20:08.039 out of this need. There's a fresh anointing coming 00:20:08.039 --> 00:20:11.769 out of this crushing. But you've got to receive 00:20:11.769 --> 00:20:15.150 it today and know that this is a new mindset 00:20:15.150 --> 00:20:18.769 that we've got to have in Christ. In the name 00:20:18.769 --> 00:20:21.950 of Jesus. Somebody needs to speak this over your 00:20:21.950 --> 00:20:25.430 life and say, if the enemy only knew what they've 00:20:25.430 --> 00:20:29.130 done when they attacked my family, it's just 00:20:29.130 --> 00:20:34.029 pushing me to pray more. The enemy has no idea. 00:20:34.029 --> 00:20:35.430 You would think the devil would be a little bit 00:20:35.430 --> 00:20:37.710 smarter than what he is. But he's really not 00:20:37.710 --> 00:20:40.440 that smart. He should be able to see that when 00:20:40.440 --> 00:20:43.400 you stir something up in a church, nah, the rain's 00:20:43.400 --> 00:20:47.960 about to pour out. Revival's about to come. That's 00:20:47.960 --> 00:20:51.140 just resistance. But if you could just push back 00:20:51.140 --> 00:20:53.960 on the enemy and say, no, there's a ministry 00:20:53.960 --> 00:20:58.079 in this storm. I hear the rain. I'm not going 00:20:58.079 --> 00:21:01.579 to give up. I'm not going to hear the naysayers. 00:21:01.839 --> 00:21:03.940 I'm not going to believe the negative report. 00:21:05.460 --> 00:21:08.650 We are going to have a new building. We are going 00:21:08.650 --> 00:21:11.069 to see this city reach for the name of Jesus. 00:21:12.170 --> 00:21:15.150 This storm is just getting us ready for the rain 00:21:15.150 --> 00:21:19.069 to fall. Come on, would somebody look up in faith 00:21:19.069 --> 00:21:23.269 and say, I see the rain. I see the rain pouring 00:21:23.269 --> 00:21:30.410 out in my church. I feel the rain. I feel the 00:21:30.410 --> 00:21:33.650 rain pouring out at our schools. I feel the rain 00:21:33.650 --> 00:21:36.750 pouring out at our job sites. I feel the rain 00:21:36.750 --> 00:21:45.210 pouring out in our streets. Come on, lift your 00:21:45.210 --> 00:21:47.170 hands one more time. Somebody's getting this 00:21:47.170 --> 00:21:52.869 right now. Somebody's catching this. There's 00:21:52.869 --> 00:21:56.509 a ministry in the mess. There's a ministry in 00:21:56.509 --> 00:22:04.849 the lightning. We've all got to understand that 00:22:04.849 --> 00:22:09.450 we're all in different stages of our life. You're 00:22:09.450 --> 00:22:12.869 either coming out of a storm. You're either about 00:22:12.869 --> 00:22:17.170 to go in one. Or you're about to go into a new 00:22:17.170 --> 00:22:21.630 one. There's different stages. But I'm telling 00:22:21.630 --> 00:22:24.009 you, the storm is going to come. But it is not 00:22:24.009 --> 00:22:29.190 to destroy you. It is to build you up. So please 00:22:29.190 --> 00:22:31.940 hear me. Hear this message for you. Get your 00:22:31.940 --> 00:22:36.339 umbrella ready. The rain's coming. The storm 00:22:36.339 --> 00:22:39.079 that you're coming out of, or you're in right 00:22:39.079 --> 00:22:43.140 now, or you're about to go into, there is a treasure 00:22:43.140 --> 00:22:46.720 in the lightning and in the thunder that you 00:22:46.720 --> 00:22:50.940 can't miss. For first and foremost, Jesus is 00:22:50.940 --> 00:22:54.960 with you. He will never leave you. He will never 00:22:54.960 --> 00:22:59.319 forsake you. The lightning is ministering. That 00:22:59.319 --> 00:23:01.259 there is an abundance of blessing that's about 00:23:01.259 --> 00:23:03.680 to be poured out. Come on, you need to look at 00:23:03.680 --> 00:23:05.200 your trouble a little bit different than what 00:23:05.200 --> 00:23:09.700 you have. There is a ministry in this. Come on, 00:23:09.700 --> 00:23:12.759 somebody, would you hear the abundance of rain 00:23:12.759 --> 00:23:15.359 in your life? You've got to get your eyes off 00:23:15.359 --> 00:23:19.140 the storm and say, I see Jesus in the middle 00:23:19.140 --> 00:23:22.900 of this mess. Come on, would you say that one 00:23:22.900 --> 00:23:28.390 more time? I hear the abundance of rain. I hear 00:23:28.390 --> 00:23:32.309 the abundance of rain. Come on, say it out of 00:23:32.309 --> 00:23:36.329 faith right now. I hear it. I may not even know 00:23:36.329 --> 00:23:38.970 when it's going to come, but I know that it is 00:23:38.970 --> 00:23:44.650 on its way. In the name of Jesus, I hear the 00:23:44.650 --> 00:23:51.269 rain. I hear the rain. In Matthew chapter 14, 00:23:51.509 --> 00:23:57.109 looking at verse 29 through 30, another storm. 00:23:58.029 --> 00:24:01.910 So he said, come. And when Peter had come down 00:24:01.910 --> 00:24:03.769 out of the boat, he walked on the water to go 00:24:03.769 --> 00:24:08.029 to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, 00:24:08.029 --> 00:24:10.390 he was afraid. How many has ever been afraid? 00:24:11.089 --> 00:24:14.150 There's been some bad storms. But it's okay. 00:24:15.430 --> 00:24:17.750 Because Jesus is coming out on somebody's storm 00:24:17.750 --> 00:24:22.049 right now. And beginning to sink, Peter said, 00:24:22.309 --> 00:24:27.619 he cried out, Lord, save me. How many has ever 00:24:27.619 --> 00:24:30.380 been there in your life to where you don't know 00:24:30.380 --> 00:24:33.579 what to do anymore by yourself? Somebody just 00:24:33.579 --> 00:24:36.099 needs to cry out with a loud voice and say, Lord, 00:24:36.259 --> 00:24:40.960 save me. Lord, there's nobody else that can do 00:24:40.960 --> 00:24:45.099 what I need in my life. Peter was looking at 00:24:45.099 --> 00:24:47.799 the wind blowing, and it caused him to sink. 00:24:48.579 --> 00:24:51.200 But we've got to understand, when my eyes are 00:24:51.200 --> 00:24:55.750 on the master, they're not on the elements. When 00:24:55.750 --> 00:24:58.710 my eyes are on Jesus, this is the true place 00:24:58.710 --> 00:25:01.829 of peace. When you're lost and focusing on the 00:25:01.829 --> 00:25:04.430 storm, you can't see the master of the storm. 00:25:04.670 --> 00:25:07.670 All you can see is the mess. All you can see 00:25:07.670 --> 00:25:10.289 is the storm. But let's get a new visual and 00:25:10.289 --> 00:25:14.349 a new perspective today. And let's look back 00:25:14.349 --> 00:25:17.150 at one of our original verses in Psalms 97 and 00:25:17.150 --> 00:25:23.170 verse 4. His lightnings light the earth. The 00:25:23.170 --> 00:25:29.119 earth sees. and trembles. We can't see the lightning 00:25:29.119 --> 00:25:32.380 as the world does because they're terrified. 00:25:33.319 --> 00:25:36.380 They're trembling. The lightning that comes from 00:25:36.380 --> 00:25:39.640 God, it's not to scare you. It's to illuminate 00:25:39.640 --> 00:25:42.599 what's happening in your life. It's not meant 00:25:42.599 --> 00:25:45.140 to shake you to where you fall down in pieces. 00:25:45.579 --> 00:25:49.619 It's meant for you to be able to see. Peter looked 00:25:49.619 --> 00:25:53.200 at it with the wrong perspective. Which is so 00:25:53.200 --> 00:25:56.819 natural for us to do. And this is what we've 00:25:56.819 --> 00:25:59.640 got to understand. Don't believe your flesh. 00:26:00.819 --> 00:26:04.039 Don't believe the lies of the enemy. Don't miss 00:26:04.039 --> 00:26:07.079 what the Lord is saying in the storm. Don't overlook 00:26:07.079 --> 00:26:10.220 his presence in the middle of the pressure. When 00:26:10.220 --> 00:26:13.440 your eyes are on Jesus, the same storm that would 00:26:13.440 --> 00:26:16.200 normally shake your life is just going to stir 00:26:16.200 --> 00:26:19.299 you up to pray more. It's going to stir you up 00:26:19.299 --> 00:26:24.130 to fight more. If you'll lift your faith to a 00:26:24.130 --> 00:26:26.670 new level, there's a new anointing coming to 00:26:26.670 --> 00:26:30.089 somebody today. If you'll lift your faith to 00:26:30.089 --> 00:26:32.769 a new level, there's a new blessing being dispensed 00:26:32.769 --> 00:26:35.750 on somebody today. But you've got to receive 00:26:35.750 --> 00:26:38.650 it. Because the lightning in your life is to 00:26:38.650 --> 00:26:42.039 bring light. so that you can overcome frustration. 00:26:42.539 --> 00:26:45.480 And as your frustration turns to anticipation, 00:26:45.859 --> 00:26:50.319 Jesus receives adoration in your storm. You thought 00:26:50.319 --> 00:26:53.259 it was tribulation, but Jesus is bringing a graduation. 00:26:55.140 --> 00:26:59.680 Somebody's graduating today from fear to faith. 00:27:00.579 --> 00:27:04.339 Somebody's graduating today from backsliding 00:27:04.339 --> 00:27:09.630 to stepping up in your walk with God. Yes, the 00:27:09.630 --> 00:27:12.069 lightning is crashing, but it's also preaching 00:27:12.069 --> 00:27:16.190 something to us today. The rain is right behind 00:27:16.190 --> 00:27:20.710 the lightning. The storm in your life is preaching 00:27:20.710 --> 00:27:24.250 a message to you that you almost missed, but 00:27:24.250 --> 00:27:26.670 the Lord gave me this message to help you understand 00:27:26.670 --> 00:27:31.970 that this storm will not destroy you as long 00:27:31.970 --> 00:27:36.730 as you don't lose focus on Jesus. Don't look 00:27:36.730 --> 00:27:39.519 at the right. And don't look to the left. And 00:27:39.519 --> 00:27:44.180 God forbid, don't look back. Somebody's got to 00:27:44.180 --> 00:27:47.960 look forward. You've got to move forward and 00:27:47.960 --> 00:27:52.599 keep your eyes on Jesus. No longer focusing on 00:27:52.599 --> 00:27:56.200 the storm. No longer just focusing on the lightning. 00:27:56.519 --> 00:27:59.480 But I see Jesus in the middle of this issue. 00:27:59.759 --> 00:28:03.200 I see Jesus reaching for me through this issue. 00:28:07.720 --> 00:28:09.680 Would somebody just look up and would you see 00:28:09.680 --> 00:28:14.240 God blessing you right now? Expectation is the 00:28:14.240 --> 00:28:17.200 birthplace of the miraculous. Come on, would 00:28:17.200 --> 00:28:18.980 you lift your hands one more time? The Lord is 00:28:18.980 --> 00:28:21.299 really wanting to give us a revelation right 00:28:21.299 --> 00:28:24.420 now, but you've got to anticipate and expect 00:28:24.420 --> 00:28:27.619 that God is about to do it. You don't have to 00:28:27.619 --> 00:28:30.019 leave here the same that you came. That's just 00:28:30.019 --> 00:28:32.420 not another word. That's a fact. You don't have 00:28:32.420 --> 00:28:35.099 to leave here with the same problem. You can 00:28:35.099 --> 00:28:42.079 leave here. With faith and victory. Somebody 00:28:42.079 --> 00:28:44.240 needs to declare that no matter what come my 00:28:44.240 --> 00:28:48.339 way, my life is in his hands. That no matter 00:28:48.339 --> 00:28:51.819 what happens in my life, I give it to you, Jesus. 00:28:52.579 --> 00:28:56.039 Because when I try to fix it, I mess it up. How 00:28:56.039 --> 00:28:57.880 many knows that when you try to fix the problem, 00:28:58.019 --> 00:29:00.660 it's just a bigger mess? But I found out when 00:29:00.660 --> 00:29:03.980 I give it to him. He's able to heal it. He's 00:29:03.980 --> 00:29:06.859 able to move the pieces around. He's able to 00:29:06.859 --> 00:29:10.539 bless. He's able to promote. He's able to take 00:29:10.539 --> 00:29:13.960 that situation and shape it into a blessing. 00:29:14.940 --> 00:29:18.980 Because there is a ministry in the lightning. 00:29:21.640 --> 00:29:26.220 There's a story as I'm coming to a close of a 00:29:26.220 --> 00:29:29.410 long time ago, a widow lady. was going to an 00:29:29.410 --> 00:29:31.509 apostolic church, and the church lost everybody 00:29:31.509 --> 00:29:34.349 for some reason, and the church shut down over 00:29:34.349 --> 00:29:37.890 time. But she was searching around for a new 00:29:37.890 --> 00:29:39.970 church in the area, and she was trying out this 00:29:39.970 --> 00:29:42.549 church and this. So she went to this one church. 00:29:42.890 --> 00:29:46.029 It was a little cold, a little dry. And the preacher 00:29:46.029 --> 00:29:48.049 hit a little hard, a good note, and she said, 00:29:48.190 --> 00:29:52.670 Amen! And people looked at her. And the preacher 00:29:52.670 --> 00:29:55.190 kept preaching, and he said another good point, 00:29:55.250 --> 00:29:58.470 and she said, Hallelujah! And everybody turned 00:29:58.470 --> 00:30:00.470 around and at her and just gave her a bad look. 00:30:01.230 --> 00:30:03.150 And the preacher hit another good point. And 00:30:03.150 --> 00:30:06.589 she said, thank you, Jesus. And an usher came 00:30:06.589 --> 00:30:08.309 to her and said, ma 'am, you can't do that here. 00:30:09.390 --> 00:30:12.130 We don't do that here in our church. You got 00:30:12.130 --> 00:30:13.670 to keep quieter. We're going to take you out 00:30:13.670 --> 00:30:18.150 the back door. And she said, oh, I'm sorry. I've 00:30:18.150 --> 00:30:23.529 got a condition. He brought me out. Somebody's 00:30:23.529 --> 00:30:26.569 leaving here today with a condition. He brought 00:30:26.569 --> 00:30:30.410 me out of the miry clay. He set my feet on a 00:30:30.410 --> 00:30:34.710 rock to stay. He put a song in my mouth. Even 00:30:34.710 --> 00:30:40.369 praise to the Lord. I'm sorry. You might look 00:30:40.369 --> 00:30:43.710 at me crazy, but I've got a condition. He took 00:30:43.710 --> 00:30:48.009 me out of sin. He healed my body. He touched 00:30:48.009 --> 00:30:54.730 my mind. He saved me just in time. Come on, everybody 00:30:54.730 --> 00:30:58.730 stand right now. I'm going to praise his name 00:30:58.730 --> 00:31:03.069 because he brought me out. I've got a condition 00:31:03.069 --> 00:31:07.569 because I see that there is a ministry in the 00:31:07.569 --> 00:31:10.390 lightning. I'm not going to see the issue in 00:31:10.390 --> 00:31:14.910 my life the same ever again. Come on, would you 00:31:14.910 --> 00:31:17.569 lift your hands one more time? The Lord's speaking 00:31:17.569 --> 00:31:22.059 to somebody right now. There is a victory. In 00:31:22.059 --> 00:31:27.619 the middle of your sickness, there is a healing 00:31:27.619 --> 00:31:30.299 that's flowing in the middle of that problem. 00:31:32.400 --> 00:31:36.359 Come on, somebody, receive it right now. Receive 00:31:36.359 --> 00:31:42.059 it right now. Your storm is the very place you're 00:31:42.059 --> 00:31:46.460 going to discover your testimony. And it's going 00:31:46.460 --> 00:31:49.980 to better enable you to be a witness to Jesus. 00:31:51.279 --> 00:31:53.819 Come on, somebody's leaving here with a testimony. 00:31:54.279 --> 00:31:58.960 He brought me out. He healed my body. He touched 00:31:58.960 --> 00:32:02.400 my mind. He made a way when there seemed to be 00:32:02.400 --> 00:32:06.440 no way. I thought I was going to be in this problem 00:32:06.440 --> 00:32:09.019 the rest of my life, but Jesus has turned it 00:32:09.019 --> 00:32:12.220 for good with the enemy thought that was going 00:32:12.220 --> 00:32:16.200 to take me out. God took me back in and gave 00:32:16.200 --> 00:32:38.440 me a testimony. I dare somebody to say that you've 00:32:38.440 --> 00:32:42.099 tried everything else and nothing has brought 00:32:42.099 --> 00:32:45.500 fulfillment in your life. You may be desperate. 00:32:46.740 --> 00:32:50.240 That's why you're here today. You may have tried 00:32:50.240 --> 00:32:53.799 everything else. You may have looked at every 00:32:53.799 --> 00:32:58.519 other way but have come to a dead end. But God 00:32:58.519 --> 00:33:01.559 is ready to do something in your life. And you 00:33:01.559 --> 00:33:05.940 may not even know what that something is. I know 00:33:05.940 --> 00:33:08.700 that if God doesn't do it, it won't get done. 00:33:08.900 --> 00:33:11.779 Has anybody ever said that before? If God doesn't 00:33:11.779 --> 00:33:14.700 do it, you realize that if something doesn't 00:33:14.700 --> 00:33:17.039 change, you don't know where you're going to 00:33:17.039 --> 00:33:22.859 turn next. God is allowing the storm and the 00:33:22.859 --> 00:33:28.319 trouble to disturb you into your destiny. You 00:33:28.319 --> 00:33:30.539 might feel disturbed in your life, but hold on 00:33:30.539 --> 00:33:35.519 for a second. The rain is coming. Your destiny 00:33:35.519 --> 00:33:39.980 is right at the door. God is using the problem 00:33:39.980 --> 00:33:46.740 for his glory to edify you, to lift you up. For 00:33:46.740 --> 00:33:50.660 the trials and the testing are not to destroy 00:33:50.660 --> 00:33:55.960 you. They are to edify you and to build you up 00:33:55.960 --> 00:34:00.839 in the most holy faith. Let me give you a word 00:34:00.839 --> 00:34:03.990 today before we come to this altar. I know what 00:34:03.990 --> 00:34:07.210 I was looking for years ago. And I know many 00:34:07.210 --> 00:34:09.510 here can say what you were looking for you found 00:34:09.510 --> 00:34:13.110 in Jesus. That was the outpouring of the Holy 00:34:13.110 --> 00:34:17.090 Ghost in your life. And no doubt that there are 00:34:17.090 --> 00:34:20.190 people here today that you have not been filled 00:34:20.190 --> 00:34:22.530 with the Holy Ghost. This is what you've been 00:34:22.530 --> 00:34:26.449 looking for your whole life. I was praying with 00:34:26.449 --> 00:34:29.130 a lady in Philadelphia. And she was praying for 00:34:29.130 --> 00:34:31.449 the Holy Ghost, praying, praying, seeking God. 00:34:31.769 --> 00:34:34.530 And I just felt to give her that word. I said, 00:34:34.570 --> 00:34:36.369 this is what you've been looking for your whole 00:34:36.369 --> 00:34:39.710 life. And when I said that, she broke through 00:34:39.710 --> 00:34:42.789 and she received the baptism of the Holy Ghost. 00:34:43.050 --> 00:34:45.349 I just want to give that word to somebody else. 00:34:47.329 --> 00:34:52.050 This is what you've been looking for. This new 00:34:52.050 --> 00:34:55.570 mindset to see that God is using the trouble. 00:34:56.460 --> 00:35:01.579 to turn your life around to him. Because the 00:35:01.579 --> 00:35:05.780 Holy Ghost, it gives peace. It brings joy. It 00:35:05.780 --> 00:35:09.739 brings healing. It supplies every need. It is 00:35:09.739 --> 00:35:14.460 the very presence of Jesus desiring to fill our 00:35:14.460 --> 00:35:19.880 lives today. And it's been said that you should 00:35:19.880 --> 00:35:22.059 never make a life -changing decision when you're 00:35:22.059 --> 00:35:25.420 in the middle of a trouble. But I'm here to encourage 00:35:25.420 --> 00:35:28.449 you. This is the right time to make a life -changing 00:35:28.449 --> 00:35:32.170 decision in the middle of your storm. Make the 00:35:32.170 --> 00:35:35.289 decision. I'm not looking at it like this ever 00:35:35.289 --> 00:35:38.710 again. I hear the rain. Would you come to this 00:35:38.710 --> 00:35:41.130 altar right now, and would you not come begging 00:35:41.130 --> 00:35:44.769 God for victory? Would you come receiving the 00:35:44.769 --> 00:35:48.590 rain right now? Don't come to this altar pleading 00:35:48.590 --> 00:35:51.789 God to change things. But would you come saying, 00:35:51.869 --> 00:35:57.690 God, I receive a downpour of rain. Would you 00:35:57.690 --> 00:36:02.809 come expecting the miracle to happen? Would you 00:36:02.809 --> 00:36:07.030 come expecting that God is about to turn it for 00:36:07.030 --> 00:36:21.380 your good? It's about to go away.