Redeemed To Overcome 1

Praise the Lord, so glad you could tune in.

Yes, welcome to Glorious Way Church live stream.

Yes, and you're part of history tonight and we just welcome you.

I'm Pastor John Griner.

In case you don't know, this is my wife Gladys.

We pastor Glorious Way Church right here in Houston, texas, and we're projecting power, love and a sound mind here tonight, that's right.

And I'll tell you God is in control, no matter what it looks like outside, and we're so glad you could tune in.

We're going to cover a lot of great things tonight and before I get very far along in this live stream, I want to encourage people that we have a way of receiving your prayer requests.

So if you, you've got three ways to watch us tonight, one the best one I think is Facebook live, and that way you can either private message us if for a private prayer request, or you can publicly comment on what we're saying and publicly ask for prayer.

So Facebook live, I'd say, is number one.

And then number two is our website, and that's good too.

But you can't communicate and we don't know if you're watching.

We don't know who's watching.

On our website it's the gwccc, and then another one is YouTube.

You can watch on YouTube Same thing.

We don't know that you're watching, so it's not as interactive.

You can always email our staff and they're monitoring the emails with your prayer requests or comments, and that's staff at gwccc.

Right, we're ready to take them.

We're ready to take them.

And in just a little while we'll be praying over all of the ones that come in.

We have some other things to pray about tonight, as you might imagine, but I tell you, god is good and he's moving in the earth.

He's moving in America, jesus is Lord Over Houston, over the.

USA and over Houston, texas, over gwc.

Yes, and you know you.

You may wonder why I changed my mind.

You know just, we, last week we were determined to stay open all during the, the challenges that we're facing, and and so we did announce that and we were open on Sunday morning and Sunday night.

We had tremendous services, tremendous and, as a matter of fact, sunday night we were able to package 22,000 fortified rice meals for our children's home in Malawi.

So we got a lot.

Praise the Lord.

We just you know.

I want you to know, though, that if you're watching by live streaming, you're just watching your little frustrated you couldn't come to church.

Listen, we are all answering this, this virus.

We're in war.

Our president has declared war on this thing, and so we're all in warfare together.

We're answering, we are doing something and we're resisting this.

That's right, this virus, and so it's a valuable thing that we're doing.

So back to why I changed my mind.

I watched the president, of course, and you know when we voted for him.

If you did not, everybody did.

But he has the authority in this nation and I've been relying on him.

He's a straight shooter and you know fake news.

You can't depend on the news, you can't depend on certain segments of society to give you the truth.

But when he came out and said we need to have gatherings of 10 or less, it really struck home.

And the other thing was he declared a national emergency, and I got to thinking.

You know, I haven't in my lifetime, I have not seen that many times of national emergency.

The last one I remember is 9, 11.

We live through that.

You know, our church is 25.

This is our 25th year.

We've lived through a lot of things, amen.

And so we're not afraid of this thing.

God, god knows all about this, and.

But he did declare a national emergency and then he declared a national day of prayer for Sunday.

Let's pass Sunday, and we did pray for him.

Yes, we did.

But in case you didn't see his, his statement that he issued and signed.

I wanted to read through his statement because it's, frankly, it's the most powerful thing I've ever seen any president issue.

And this is our president.

And he said in our times of greatest need, americans have always tuned, turned to prayer to help guide us through trials and periods of uncertainty.

As we continue to face the unique challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic, millions of Americans are unable to gather in their churches, temples, synagogues, mosques and other houses of worship.

But in this time, we must not cease asking God for added wisdom, comfort and strength, and we must especially pray for those who have suffered harm or who have lost loved ones.

I ask you to join me in a day of prayer for all people who have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic and to pray for God's healing hand to be placed on the people of our nation.

Just think about that A sitting president is actually praying for healing.

And he didn't say if it be thy will, I mean.

That's pretty powerful.

Yes, it is.

And he said as your president, I ask you to pray for the health and well-being of your fellow Americans and to remember those that no problem is too big for God to handle.

That's right.

We should all take to heart the holy words found in 1 Peter 5, 7, casting all your care on him, for he cares for you.

That's right.

And let us pray that all those affected by the virus will feel the presence of our Lord's protection and love during this time.

With God's help, we will overcome this threat.

Isn't that powerful?

Yes, I mean.

How do we differ with him?

How do we say no, mr President, we're going to go ahead and have church as usual.

We are immune from well, I believe we are immune from these things.

I believe that we have healing.

But our president asked us to do something and stand against this pandemic, and we're doing it.

So then he said, on Friday I declared a national emergency.

I took other bold actions to help deploy the full power of the federal government, and so he did that.

He's talking about helping people that are hurting financially and turning out the full force of the national guard and other parts of the government to help treat this and testing and all of that.

You've read about that.

And then he said as we come to our father in prayer, we remember the words found in Psalm 91.

He is my refuge and my fortress, my God and him will.

I trust.

Him while I trust, and as we unite in prayer, we are reminded that there is no burden too heavy for God to lift or for this country to bear with his help.

Luke 1 37 promises that, for with God, nothing shall be impossible.

I'm just amazed, and those words are just as true today as they have ever been.

As one nation under God, we are greater than the hardships we face, and through prayer and acts of compassion and love, we will rise to this challenge and emerge stronger and more united than ever before.

May God bless each of you and may God bless the United States of America.

Hallelujah.

And he signed that proclamation, and so, as I began to see that, I thought you know, we've got to get in line and get an agreement with the one that we've been praying for, and and he's taken bold leadership and I believe that he loves the American people.

I mean, he's praying the right way, he's praying scripture and asking us to do the same.

So, church, I know it's a sacrifice to stay home and watch on Livestream.

We I know we'd all rather be here in purpose, you know, in in person, and after 25 years I can say we miss you, we miss seeing you and all of that.

But after reading what the president said, I just think that we're doing the right thing yes, the correct thing by obeying his proclamation and his order to prayer, and so we want to make sure that we continue to be in agreement.

So we've got people watching on live stream I'm looking here watching by Facebook Live.

We've got Sylvia Gray, we've got Tina Bedford, kim Lee, angelina the Coons, the Van Edd Anderson's watching Tara Bula's watching, yvonne Cornejo, bob Holstein, the.

Ores and others.

So welcome all of you.

Glad that you're watching and we're just going to play like you're here.

We're just to act like you're here.

Anyway, you are, you're here.

Yeah, but they're not.

Well, I know, but they really are, aren't they?

This is history.

We're still trying to figure out how to do this, but I do believe that the anointing is here to meet every need.

We're going to be praying over the needs that you have.

There's no distance.

There's no distance in the spirit.

Right, that's exactly right.

One of our favorite sayings.

It is true, it is very true, honey.

We had news about Stephen Hatcher, senior.

He had hurt his foot some months ago and he's been getting.

It was a terrible injury.

He's been getting over that, but infection has been discovered in his body and so his transplant team.

He has a kidney transplant.

His son gave him a kidney a number of years ago.

It's such a powerful testimony.

But they watch his body because of the transplant and they were concerned about an infection.

So he's going in the hospital and he's going to be treated for that infection.

And so he asked for prayer tonight.

So have we got any other prayer requests coming in?

If not, and if you haven't really typed it in or you haven't let us know, just touch the screen if you need prayer.

And let me just say this there are some of our members are already feeling the effects financially.

Some of our businesses are down quite substantially.

Some others have not been laid off, but they sent home on furlough and their hours have been cut and their wages have been cut as well.

One of them cut as well.

So we just need to pray over all of them and let's just believe God.

To where there's a lack in one area, god's going to supply in another area.

Honey, why don't you just go ahead and let's lift a hand for Stephen and all the rest of our members at Glorious Way Church?

Father, we thank you.

We thank you that when we pray, you hear us.

Thank you for it for tonight, father, and we thank you for our Stephen Hatcher, senior.

We love him, father, thank you for touching him and because he belongs to you, there is no infection that can stay in his body.

It doesn't belong there.

His body is a temple of the Holy Ghost and, father, we thank you that you are in him and he's in you.

And so, father, we thank you for Stephen tonight.

Steve, father, give him peace, that peace of God that passes all understanding.

Oh, father, god abide in him.

Father, thank you for this night, father, that it makes a difference to pray, father, help him to feel and know that you are with him.

And for Jackie as well, father.

We miss him being here.

So, father, we thank you that it's all cleaned up and they'll be back soon.

We give you all the praise and honoring the Lord and Father we also pray for all of our members that are or anyone else that's going through financial difficulty.

I rebuke insufficiency in.

Jesus' name.

We speak favor.

We speak supply.

Lord, they've sown their seed.

They shall reap a harvest.

I rebuke all fear.

Father, we thank you that we're rising above.

With God, all things are possible.

Yes, father and Father we thank you that you're moving on their behalf.

In the name of Jesus.

Thank you, Father, that they are givers and sowers.

Thank you, Lord, for intervening for Yvonne Cornejo.

Lord, we thank you that nothing's too hard for you.

Thank you, Father.

Lord, you turn this situation around and we give you praise for it.

Right now, Hallelujah Again.

Just touch the screen and receive from the anointing of God.

I feel the anointing going out right now.

It's just a point of contact.

Yes, that is.

Yes, we thank you, father, we thank you, lord, we thank you.

Hallelujah.

Praise God.

What will?

we do without that.

That's what it's all about, Well you know, God knew about this before it ever happened.

Now there's some other things.

I heard somebody say well, God is allowing.

No, God doesn't allow, God doesn't permit.

This is the devil.

It's not about God allowing and God permitting, it's God is the answer.

That's right.

And he's the deliverer and he's already provided deliverance.

He's already provided what we need, and so all we have to do is lay hold on it and resist all manner.

You know our president said cast all your care on him, See what a wonderful prayer he's already prayed over as president.

And so we just abide in that.

Yes, and there's a safety in being obedient and watching and obeying Romans 13,.

May the authorities so wonderful, this is great Hallelujah.

All right.

Well, I tell you, God is good.

Amen.

Irma are there?

any more.

I'm sorry, bianca Perez.

Pray for what now?

I'm sorry.

I can't hear you very well.

Her family, her family, lord.

We pray for Bianca's family.

Yes, father, in the name of Jesus, in the name of Jesus, thank you, father.

Put them on her heart.

And Lord, we just agree with her that you're turning the situation around.

In the name of Jesus, we praise you for it right now.

We thank you in the name of Jesus.

Hallelujah.

We give you praise and honor and glory for your goodness Father.

Thank you.

Amen.

Well, we can always touch back in a little while later before we dismiss.

It's not going to be for a while.

I've got a message for you.

We'll be preaching, but I wanted to encourage you.

We're going to receive the offering.

James has come in now to receive it and he's going to touch on some ways that you can stay connected financially and bring your tithes and offerings even though we're not having services.

You know the needs keep going on and you need to give your tithes and offerings, so we're going to show you how to do that.

And so, james, right now, go ahead.

Thank you, thank you.

All right, we're doing a set change.

Well, I'd say it's good to see you.

But I can't see you.

So I'll say it's good to be seen.

That means I'm still here.

I'm looking in Ephesians, chapter 5, verse 15.

Ephesians 5:15

It says see, then, that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time because the days are evil.

How many know that there's evil outside?

These are an evil time that we're in.

It says therefore, do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

Understand what the will of the Lord is.

It's important to understand that God does not have a plan for you to decrease, lack or fail.

God does not have a plan for you to go down.

He has a plan for you to increase, to prosper, to be healthy and to be an influence in these times.

It's God's plan and he has a way for us to do that, and tithing and sowing seed is a big part of that plan.

In Philippians 4, 19, it says and my God shall supply all your needs according to his riches and glory, by Christ Jesus.

It doesn't say and my government shall supply all your needs.

It doesn't say that my doctor shall supply all your needs.

The CDC will not supply all your needs.

The World Health Organization will not supply all your needs.

My God shall supply all your needs.

And so I found a place where it is written if you have a wallet or a billfold, pull it out and see what's inside.

I hope you have something in there.

I pulled a $20 bill out of mine and on that $20 bill, on the back, it says in God, we trust, In God, we trust.

So we don't trust in riches which fade away, but we trust in God and His heavenly riches, which will never fade away.

And so, as you sow your seed tonight, you have opportunity to sow.

It truly is an opportunity.

Every time we come before God, we have a chance to give.

We ought to give Every chance we have.

We ought to give.

God loves a cheerful giver whose heart is in His giving.

And so you have an opportunity to give tonight.

You can give through our website at gwccc.

We've made it easy for you.

We put it right there on the front page, that top slider.

When you go to gwccc you'll see the Give button right there in front.

You click on that and you don't have to be signed up and part of PayPal to give.

Just bypass that section.

There's a way for you to give, so you can give online.

You can also if you have our envelopes at home.

These are our regular tie-in-offering envelopes that we have in church.

You can take these home.

It has a place for your address, your return address and a stamp to be placed on here and you can drop it in the mail.

You can come by the church office and drop it off.

We're not closing the church office.

We're still open for business Monday through Friday, 9 am to 4 pm.

We'll be here If you need prayer, if you need to talk, if you need to run something past us, if you want to just check on us, if you want us to check on you, call the office, Make an appointment, come by.

We want to see you.

Let's stay connected during these times, but right now let's bring our ties and offerings.

I know you're doing that online, so I'm just gonna go ahead and pray.

Heavenly Father, I thank you that you give seed to the sower and bread to the eater.

Our every need is being met according to your abundant riches and glory.

By Christ Jesus In God.

We trust, Our whole trust is in you, and so tonight, Lord, we have the opportunity to give.

We present you with our ties, we present you with our offerings.

We want to see your kingdom come.

This truly is a great opportunity for the church, perhaps the greatest opportunity for the church to shine.

In these times, in these evil days, the light of your word will shine and prevail, and I thank you for it in Jesus' name, Amen.

Pastor.

Amen.

Amen, praise the Lord.

Thank you, james.

You know I was sitting there.

I was thinking about all of our students at home and a lot of you parents are having to be suddenly homeschool parents.

I do understand some of the schools are helping with lessons and so forth and some aren't.

I'm not sure which is which they're still trying to gear up for all of that, but I felt like we needed to pray.

Claire, would you come and pray for all the moms and dads?

There's dads, too, that are suddenly put into that, and you know the situations that families find themselves in.

Well, family is obviously.

This is affecting everybody, and our hearts are going out to kids who are seniors this year.

If they're missing their senior prom, all their graduation is on hold.

It's crazy time.

And then, and then, of course, our newly suddenly homeschool family.

So, lord, we just thank you that our trust is in you and our house is built on the rock Christ Jesus, and we shall not be moved.

And, lord, we choose just not to see these things as a bad thing against our lives.

But, lord, we're going to choose to take this time with our families, father, to enjoy them.

Lord, I just pray for the peace of God right now to wash over every person, lord, including me, and wash over us.

So, lord, that we have just a plan that we're going to use this time for you, that you're going to cause it to bring forth fruit in our own families.

Lord, give us wisdom going forward, that will, that will know what to put in our kids minds.

Lord, help the kids to have peace and not anxiety or anxiety or fear.

Lord, help them to be diligent.

Show us, father, how to lead and guide them and being diligent with their time.

And so, lord, and also Lord, for every child that's facing the loss of a big event or missing their friends or social time.

Lord, I just pray that you would fill every hole.

Fill every hole, lord.

This is not this.

We're not going down.

But, lord, this is our finest hour and I think you're keeping us connected in other ways and, lord, you're just building us, informing us into your image through this, in Jesus' name.

Amen, thank you, praise God.

You know, another strength about this is that since we had the prayer, the national day of prayer, and since the president, you know, declared that that we're one nation under God, you know, he started to get more agreement from people that have been his opponents.

So, for instance, the governor of New York state, the mayor of New York city, the governor of California are starting to compliment and cooperate.

It could be because they won't help from the feds, but still, I mean that's a better thing than what we've been seeing, and here's an opportunity for a lot of people that did not vote for the president to nevertheless obey his sentiments.

And so I believe that's strength, I believe that's going to be a way out for our nation and because we've been so divided in this season.

So praise God for that.

Let's pray for the rebellious ones that are still on spring break in Florida and thumbing their nose at the social distancing they're out there, and I think they don't.

You know, there's a couple of things.

Number one, I don't think they realize the danger they're in.

Number two, the problems they can create when they go back home and and then the signal they're sending the rest of the nation is is, is sacrificing, and they're not, and that's not good.

So, father, we just pray that you'll begin to move on them and they'll begin to go home and move on.

The people in Florida that allowing their beaches to be open, and all the Lord, they're, permitting it, they're, gave it, gave them a place to be.

And so, father, let let everybody in this nation begin to walk in lockstep with each other so that we can indeed defeat this enemy in Jesus name.

Amen, amen, amen, praise God, all right.

Well, I've got a message for you tonight and I want us to turn in our Bibles.

Revelation, chapter 12.

Revelation 12 · chapter mention

Familiar verses of Scripture.

Verse nine Revelation 12, nine and the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent called the devil and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world.

He was cast out into the earth and his angels were cast out with him, and I heard a loud voice saying in heaven now is come salvation and strength in the kingdom of our God and the power of his Christ, for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God, day and night.

And they, that is, the ones who are accused, that's us.

They overcame him, that is the devil, by the blood of the lamb and the word of their testimony, and they love not their lives unto the death.

And then it says in verse 12, therefore, rejoice you heavens, and you that dwell in them.

What are the inhabitants of the earth and the sea?

For the devil has come down unto you having great wrath because he knoweth that he hath but a short time, and so I wanted to just share a message entitled redeemed to overcome.

We've been redeemed by the precious blood of Christ when we're redeemed to overcome the enemy.

You know he has great wrath right now, and I think he's poured out this terrible pandemic on on the earth, and because he knows his time is short.

But I'm telling you there's a way for us to overcome, and it tells us right here we overcome by the blood of the lamb and the word of our testimony.

I mean, we've been bought, purchased and ransom has been paid and we're no longer under the heel of the enemy, we're no longer under Satan's dominion.

We are the overcomers.

Just think about it.

Every one of us has a testimony, and I have a testimony, you have a testimony, and we have other testimonies besides the testimony.

I, you know just our.

What's the testimony?

The testimony about how we got saved, but we've got testimonies all the time.

We've been having some great testimonies recently and we're going to have some more great testimonies after this is all over.

The greater one lives in us.

Amen, and we have no fear.

I can hear y'all all say it.

Amen In the, in the, in your living room.

You're enjoying your living room, like the.

Like the president said y'all go home and enjoy your living room.

And I got to thinking about how we have a testimony 25 years.

This church is a testimony.

It's a living testimony of what God has done, and I and I think a lot about where I began, many years ago.

In fact, my testimony, which I'm gonna share tonight because a lot of you haven't heard it and the ones that have heard it, it's been a long time, but I believe it bears on what we're all jointly going through, and it's been almost 40 years ago when events happened in my life that resulted in me getting saved, me being born again.

It was an amazing.

I have an amazing testimony.

I just don't mind telling you I haven't heard really much similar to it, and so I wanna share it with you tonight to encourage you, to strengthen you and also to let you know that we have a place of overcoming together that.

Out of that testimony almost 40 years ago, we're here today together and God uniquely hooked us up together and we have a joint testimony.

But you know, the time leading up to my testimony were similar to ones where we're in now.

I was a young businessman and things were coming unglued in my business world.

I mean, I had a 14 and three quarter percent mortgage on my home.

I was a home builder.

My business was practically non-existent.

Nobody wanted to buy houses.

I had no income.

I was living off of savings.

Thank God we had a little savings, but it was almost down to nothing.

I could see the end and in a couple of months it looked like, if we still were spending at that rate, looked like we were gonna be broke.

And I had a great amount of fear at that time and a great amount of I had depression.

I didn't know I was depressed, but that's what it was.

Depression, I tell you.

Depression is the devil, it's horrible.

And of course I wasn't saved.

So I didn't have the weaponry and the tools to overcome that and I couldn't sleep at night and I had this pit of fear in my stomach all the time, and the only thing that would blunt it was a lot of beer.

I drank a lot of beer but I didn't leave home.

I mean, I would come home and I didn't go out bars and all of that.

I just drank a lot of beer and then I'd get sleepy and finally sleep a two or three hours, wake up in fear again, and just like that for months.

But I heard through my brother-in-law and my sister about a couple that lived in our subdivision and they kept saying you need to meet with them, you need to meet with them, let them pray over you.

And I thought pray over me.

And so, anyway, it's something about that.

I tried everything else and I was desperate and so I made an appointment.

Then I canceled it, I chickened out and then finally, on a Friday afternoon, I made another appointment, sat down with them and they're home, they live down the street and they sat me down in an easy chair and told me to shut my eyes, relax.

And then the lady of the house, the wife, the husband was a co-worker of my brother-in-law and she began to say John, I see you walking on a beach and I see Jesus coming up to you.

And so I just in my mind's eye, I just imagined that, thought about that and thought about Jesus coming up to me.

And from then on it was everything else that she said sounded and I knew it was my mind's.

I knew it was my imagination, but it was like Jesus talking to me.

He came right up to me, looked at me right in the eyes and he took me by the hand and he said and she's saying this, but I'm hearing Jesus and she said my beloved brother, come and walk with me where you think you cannot walk.

And he turned and he took me by the hand and we walked out on the water, into the ocean.

And I remember thinking when he said my beloved brother.

I said to myself, brother, he called me his brother, doesn't he know I'm a sinner?

I think that's the first time I ever admitted to myself or anybody else that I was indeed a sinner.

But I did say it to myself.

And then he began to take me come and walk with me where you think you cannot walk.

And I'm gonna read to you this amazing, amazing, amazing, amazing, amazing, amazing to you.

This amazing, which I found out later, was a prophecy.

I didn't know it was a prophecy.

It had contained words of knowledge and words of wisdom, gifts of the Spirit.

I didn't know anything about that.

I knew nothing of it, in fact, I just thought.

I'd had a crazy imagination later.

But I was shaken to the core, and so he said I have a way for you which is beyond your understanding.

Your sense of adventure will be satisfied as you go where I go, as you think what I think, as you do what I do, and I thought I'm gonna do what Jesus does.

I mean, I was just kind of blown away.

Do not think that you're here by coincidence.

I've chosen you, my brother.

I have chosen you to stand tall, and this day my power will be imparted with you so that as you lay hands on the sick, they too shall recover.

Well, I just thought that was crazy.

I thought, god Lee, I had seen someone lay hands on the sick and I'd seen healing, a year or two before that, father Ralph DiOrio, in the Houston Coliseum back in the late 70s.

He came to town and happened to be there, so I had seen that.

So that's why I had said you too, and I thought about this priest that I'd seen do that.

You see, I was Catholic, I had everything had to be Catholic.

You know they too shall recover.

You shall mend the brokenhearted.

You shall preach the gospel to the poor.

You shall preach deliverance to the captives.

You shall set it liberty to them that are bruised.

You have wondered what I've been calling you for and you felt confused, but that is because my voice was from afar and you could not hear it clearly.

I never banish the thought that you were called to the priesthood, but I am calling you to the ministry, and this ministry that I and you shall put together.

You will feel the joy and the happiness as you walk in my light, and this light shall so shine forth through you that those in darkness shall see your light, shall draw to you people as a light draws moths.

These people shall be brought to you by me, and they shall become your flock, over which you shall be their shepherd.

Do not feel overwhelmed, for you are not unprepared for this, as you may think For what I have prepared you over the years, and you have been a willing, obedient student, and now I have greater things for you to do, things which I have done, you shall do, and greater than these shall you do.

Walk in the light which I have provided for you.

And as you walk in this light, you shall fear no evil, for the power that is in you will clear the way before you.

And now, my brother, walk in joy, walk in peace, walk in my name, which is above all names.

And now, my peace I give unto you, not the peace the world gives, but my peace I give unto you.

Walk in peace.

Well, I don't think I'd ever really read the entire prophecy before, but I thought tonight would be appropriate time to share all of it.

And therefore, almost 40 years ago and I'm a lost person when this prophecy was prophesied over me, I didn't know the Lord personally, I had not asked Him to come into my life, I hadn't made Him the Lord of my life.

This came before Somebody said well, that can't be, that's only for believers.

Well, how about Cornelius?

He got a prophecy to sin for Peter.

An angel appeared to Cornelius when he was lost, told him how to get saved.

And so God can do pretty much what he wants to, except lie.

And I think about this prophetic word and how it has been fulfilled in most places, there are some parts in here that I think have yet to be fulfilled.

I have greater things for you to do.

I keep looking at that because I think there are some other things besides this church that God wants me to do.

Haven't gotten there yet, but I'm on my way.

But this shook me to my core.

I just missed the eye.

I came home.

I tried to explain the gladness I had a cassette tape of it.

I tried to pray it for, but the cassette tape was real hard to hear.

Later on, a couple of days later, I played and I transcribed every word of that tape.

And that's where I got this written down from the cassette tape.

And then my brother-in-law and sister came by and they weren't expecting.

Well, you've always been the spiritual head of this house, of this family.

We're not surprised that you're called into the ministry.

And I'm like what person are you talking about?

I'm the guy that makes his own beer, but anyway.

So I was shaken and didn't really know what to do with it.

And so I had gone to a Bible study the week before and the Catholic church.

Something was urging me that I needed to learn how to read the Bible and everything had to be in the Catholic church.

You see, I wasn't comfortable other places, and so they had this particular Bible teacher and he was doing a class and I had a list of 20 scriptures I was supposed to read and look at in a week, and then we're gonna come back the next week and look at those 20 scriptures.

So after Gladys went to bed, houses quiet, it's about 10 o'clock at night.

I'm in my den, sitting on the couch and I'm thinking about this, and I didn't even have this written down, so I had forgotten a lot of what he said, of what Jesus told me.

I'd forgotten all the little details, but I remembered the big ones and I said, lord, I just don't know what to think about this.

Everything I've done in my life is falling apart.

I'm at my wit's end.

My business is failing.

I'm failing as a dad and a husband.

And here you are with all these words that you spoke over me.

I don't know that I can really believe it, that it's really from you.

I need to know if it's really you, and I've got a list of 20 scriptures here.

Surely in this list of 20 scriptures there'll be some kind of sign that it was you really talking to me today.

It wasn't just somebody saying these words over me, and so I had this list in my lap, I closed my eyes and looked away from it and I just stuck my index finger in the middle of the page and looked up and my finger was over Matthew 14.

And I looked it up with trembling hands, and it's Peter walking on the water to meet Jesus.

Well, my heart starts pounding and I'm thinking, oh, my goodness.

And that's the first thing.

That was on the prophecy.

Again, I didn't know it was a prophecy, and so then I said, all right, well, let me do this again, let me do this again.

So I don't know, I doubt her, but this is just too overwhelming.

So I did it again, I looked away, stuck my finger down, looked away.

Then I looked down at the paper Mark, chapter 16.

Mark 16 · chapter mention

They shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover.

Well, now tears are running down my face.

And I did it one more time, the third time, and it was Luke 418.

You shall preach the gospel to the poor.

You'll preach deliverance to the captives, luke 418.

In order, randomly by me, but in order of where they were uttered to me earlier.

And so I said to the Lord.

I said, lord, it's you talking to me.

You've got a plan for my life.

But I said there's a problem.

I'm not the man.

I'm not the man You're gonna have to make me this kind of person.

I'm not that kind of person at all.

I haven't lived this kind of life.

I haven't prepared.

You said you had prepared me over the years.

I don't feel I'm not worthy, much less prepared.

I just pray right now.

I didn't know how to pray the sinner's prayer.

I just said, lord, I just pray right now.

You make me the kind of man that you're looking for.

Just remake me.

You're gonna have to remake me.

I give you my life.

That's all I said.

And then I closed my Bible and closed those papers up and I walked upstairs and I had such a peace.

I went right to sleep, and I mean just slept all night long.

And of course, the next morning the phone rang.

A couple invited us all and the rest of the family to go to a full gospel business men's meeting.

That night I saw my wife healed, my mother healed, and the next morning they invited us to go to their church, which was Lakewood Church.

I heard Brother Osteen preach for the very first time in my life.

Never heard of him, never heard of Lakewood, never heard of Doty, never heard of anybody like that.

And so by the time Monday got there, I realized that I'd been born again and I confessed Jesus as my Lord to my best friend and told him what had happened all weekend.

Oh, hallelujah, I'm so glad I got saved and I know Gladys is glad to took her a while to really accept that.

She lived with me, you know, a long time, saw things that she realized.

When I quit cussing, I think that was the first thing.

Then, when I quit drinking, she knew, she knew.

I would really say 40 years later, the same God that visited me then has visited me all these 25 years of this church.

He's visited me over and over again.

He visited us together on Rosh Hashanah night September the 29th 2019, and said that 2020, we'll look back and say this is the greatest year of our lives.

The same God I said, the same God that said those things to me, that has guided me all these years and guided this church and provided for it in every way.

And so I wanna encourage you and he's still on the throne.

This difficulty we're facing we've got to resist fear, we've got to resist panic, and some of the fear and panic is not just of the disease but of the economic shaking.

I mean, I realize that stock market's gone down.

Some of you have a portfolio that's worth less now than it was just a week ago or two weeks ago.

It's alarming to see the balance in where it's at.

But I just encourage you to realize that God's your source and he's gonna see us through this thing.

And just the short time after I was born again, the next month, I got filled with the Holy Ghost.

God began to get ahold of my business.

He began to show me how to operate in kingdom finances.

I learned how to tithe and give over and above the tithe, and one year later my tithe was greater than my whole income was the year I got saved.

One year later, my tithe was bigger.

My tithing and giving was bigger than my entire income the year before I got saved.

So God knows how to turn things around.

He's gonna turn this around.

He's gonna turn your situation around, whatever it is, however it is.

And so I just wanna encourage you just three things tonight to keep in mind In the coming weeks.

We don't know how long this thing is gonna play out.

You're hearing all kinds of predictions.

I predict that they don't know.

That's what I predict, but God knows, and God's gonna keep us.

I think the word keep is a really good word, and so there's three keeps I want you to do Keep connected to us, since we can't meet together right now, and I don't know how long that's gonna take I don't wanna make commitments yet, but we can continue to do this if we have to, however long it takes, but it's gonna be imperative for you to keep connected to your spiritual source.

You know I'm your pastor and it's my job to watch after your soul as one that gives an account.

Well, how can I do that when we're not getting together?

Well, I can preach and teach to you and I can watch after your way of thinking.

I can help inform your thinking about how to think about certain things.

And again, if you need help, if you need to bounce something off, even if I'm not here, I mean we've got tremendous staff, so just avail yourself of email, the telephone or even coming by if you need to.

It'd be nice if you let us know so we'll know you're coming.

But you can call, you can write, you can email, you can Facebook, you can all of the ways that you follow us on Livestream is another way you can do.

As far as just keeping in contact with us, we are in agreement with you.

I tell you, there's power in agreement, and if you're facing something that you need agreement with, we'll just let us know and we will agree with you.

We're stretching out our rod over you.

Glad us and I are spending more time in prayer and we're coming against everything that you're facing, and so keep connected to us.

Number two keep contending for what is yours.

Keep contending for what is yours.

Everything is yours.

Everything Jesus bought and paid for is yours.

No coronavirus, no financial reversal, no stock market crash, no recession.

No, anything can stop you from possessing what belongs to you.

Only you can stop it through unbelief or through fear.

I tell you, if you just keep believing what you were believing two weeks ago and keep confessing what you were confessing for all this came to light, no matter what it looks like, the things that you know to do, you'll have to listen.

This attack is illegal.

Don't let anybody start planting the seed in you that God somehow has permitted this.

He's allowing this.

Would you permit something like this on your children?

Would you permit them to be in some horrible pandemic to teach him some kind of lesson.

No, no, you know better.

No, God didn't have anything to do with this.

This is an illegal attack on you and me, and so we have every right to kick the devil off of our property, off of our inheritance.

We've been talking about this now for weeks and weeks, so he can't have what he.

You know what our land and what's on it.

It's our greatest year yet period.

It's all we're gonna believe.

And then the third one is this one keep on rejoicing.

Just keep on rejoicing.

I mean, you know what, If you're at home and it's kind of boring, well, just start lasting, start rejoicing.

I mean, just rejoice, wrap yourselves in the promises of God.

You know, the battle is the Lord's, but the victory is ours.

We have every reason to laugh.

We have every reason to praise God and rejoice, every reason.

You know, I was reminded of that testimony that Brother Hagin talks about in some of his books, way back in 1932, you know, they had airships back then, helium balloons that they transported people in duragibles they called them, and one of them was a USS Akron and it was coming in to be docked in San Diego Harbor and suddenly, as it was getting close, a big rope was dangling from the ship and 200 sailors.

They would grab those four ropes and finish pulling the craft down to where it could hook up with the metal dock.

And suddenly a blast of air came in from the Pacific Ocean and up went the durageable.

And the sailors didn't let loose of the line quick enough and before they knew it some of them were 150, 200 feet up off the ground and the wind was so strong the pilot couldn't get it back down again and some of the guys didn't have a good grip on the rope and some of them started falling to their injury and some died.

And it was up for an hour and 45 minutes.

And of course, news media were there, photographers, and everybody was horrified.

And after the longest time there was one sailor and he was dangling up underneath that dirigible and everybody was wondering how in the world?

How in the world can he stay there?

And so finally they got control of it, they finally got it down to the ground and they interviewed this young man.

What happened?

How did you stay?

Everybody else was falling.

He said well, once I got up there I felt like I realized that I had about four foot of rope, you know, below me, and I just took that spare rope and I wrapped it around my waist and tied it off and I just swung free enjoying the view While everybody else is freaking out.

He was enjoying the view from way up there.

So listen, let's enjoy the view from victory.

I tell you, god has got victory in mind for you, no matter what it looks like.

So we want you to keep encouraged, be keep rejoicing and know the battle is the Lord's, but the victory is ours.

Amen, is that good?

Well, come on right where you're at, let's go ahead and rejoice, praise God, hallelujah, thank God, amen, amen, amen, all right.

Well, that's what I've got for you tonight.

Just be encouraged and and again, stay, stay connected to us.

We've got some more prayer requests.

We said we would pray before we dismiss, so let's know about those.

Claire, come on up.

What do you got?

Hallelujah, hallelujah.

Well, we did get a private request from Cindy Kate, so, since it was private, but we're just standing with Cindy Kate, lord, I just thank you.

She is healed, she knows she's healed, but this infliction against her has to go and, lord, she's going to immediately.

Right now we send the power of God to her and she has to, lord, she has to feel better, starting right now.

Her body is responding to the word of God that's been sown into her in the name of Jesus.

Thank you, pastor, and you did want to say a sinner's prayer.

Yes, I do.

But first let me just do it.

And so hold with us.

I know, as he said his testimony, this doesn't have to be just for him.

God has an adventure that he wants you to go on, and maybe you came to us tonight because of all of the new.

You just wanted to some good news tonight, and the good news is that Jesus loves you.

He gave himself for you.

You are not going down with the rest of the world, but he has a plan to help you to go up, and it looks like everything's.

I'm telling you, it's just God separating the sheep from the goats, and he's drawing you to himself, to his heart, where he can keep you safe, amen.

And so, pastor, why don't you go ahead and lead us in a sinner's prayer right now?

All right.

Well, just lift your hand to heaven.

We don't know who's watching.

We can have people that are watching that we haven't ever met and, just like me, god saved me in spite of myself.

He'll save you the same ways, no respecter of persons.

Just lift your hand to heaven and say this from your heart and mean it from your heart.

Say, oh God, I know, without Jesus, I'm lost.

Without Jesus, I'll die and go to hell.

But oh God, I want to be saved.

I want to go to heaven.

Jesus, I believe you're the Son of God.

I believe you died for my sins, but God raised you from the dead.

Jesus, come into my heart, make me the kind of person you want me to be.

I give you my life and I make you my Lord.

Devil, get out of my life.

You're not my Lord.

Jesus is my Lord.

And now, god, you're more than just my God.

You're my very own Heavenly Father and I am your very own child.

Thank God, I'm saved.

I count myself saved tonight as of March 18th 2020.

I am born again, amen.

Now, if you prayed that prayer for the first time, please get in contact with us in the ways that we have said and let us know so we can rejoice with you, and then, if you need some material, we'll be glad to mail it to you.

We have some things we can mail to help you.

Ok, all right, we'll sanitize it first.

We'll sanitize it first.

I just want to encourage you, to those of you who are watching, if you know someone who does not have internet access and you don't mind socially inviting them into your home, we would love for you to invite them to come over and watch with you and so you can sanitize all you want, but it would really help somebody.

So reach out to those people, especially in the church, that you know, that don't have internet access, invite them or just call them and check on them a lot Because a lot of the things.

So we have another plan that we haven't shared, but things are so influx every day, but we want to get you a daily contact of some sort, and so one of the main ways we can do that is by Facebook.

That's the easiest way.

Watch our Facebook posts.

Just today, rachel and Selena worked on a kids devotional that had something for your kids to do some scriptures for them to study.

But beyond that, we're going to release one every day just for your kids, but then also for you.

We have different members of our staff that are going to be doing videos and releasing those just to keep your faith built up during this time.

I'm telling you we're not going down.

It's our finest hour.

Do not listen to the news media all the time.

Do not let that voice be the thing that drowns out all the good news that God has.

So we want to help you, even though we can't do it in person.

We're going to burn the internet up and so be watching for those things from us.

All right, and pray for.

We're praying for you, pray for us for wisdom.

Our live stream services every day of the week we will have some kind of resource for you, but definitely our live stream services are during the service times Wednesday night 7 30,.

Sunday morning 10 AM.

Sunday night 6 30 PM.

So those will definitely be live streaming.

Those services and all these other videos might just be pre-recorded, but we'll put them up on Facebook.

During our live stream you can hit Watch Party.

Do you know Facebook has something called Watch Party?

Oh, watch Party.

There's no disco party.

Party down, party down.

Dance lessons that's going to be on there.

So the Watch Party.

You can hit the Watch Party button and it'll send a notice to every single person on your friend list inviting them to watch with you.

So you can always hit that button.

We'll be nice, we'll be on our best manners, but God's power is moving through the church.

Amen, Amen.

You want to close us out in prayer?

We're going to close us out.

Well, till we meet again on Facebook Live or whatever platform you choose.

Father, we thank you for all that you've watched tonight.

We thank you for what you've accomplished tonight.

Thank you, lord, that we're getting more skillful in this new platform, in this new way.

And, father, let it what the enemy has meant for evil.

Lord, let us turn around for good and we're going to reach even more people through this new platform, in this new way.

And, father, we just thank you for all the good things that are happening right now.

In Jesus' name, Amen, farewell, till we meet again.

We love you, amen.