Sermon

No More Dead-Ends

COTC Podcast

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  1. [SPEAKER_00]: Exodus chapter 14, verses 1 through 5, it says, then the Lord spoke to Moses, tell the Israelites to turn back, if I say, turn back.

    Exodus 14:1–5

  2. [SPEAKER_00]: In camp in front of Pai Harouth, however you say that, between

  3. [SPEAKER_00]: And the sea, you must camp in front of Bal, Safan, facing it by the sea.

  4. [SPEAKER_00]: Pharaoh will say of the Israelites.

  5. [SPEAKER_00]: They are wondering around the land and confusion.

  6. [SPEAKER_00]: The wilderness has boxed them in.

  7. [SPEAKER_00]: Come on, if you ever felt boxed in.

  8. [SPEAKER_00]: My Lord.

  9. [SPEAKER_00]: I will harden Pharaoh's heart so that he will pursue them.

  10. [SPEAKER_00]: Then I will receive glory by means of Pharaoh and all his army and the Egyptians will know that I am Yahweh.

  11. [SPEAKER_00]: So the Israelites did this, first five.

  12. [SPEAKER_00]: When the King of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds about the people and said, what have we done?

  13. [SPEAKER_00]: We have released Israel from serving us.

  14. [SPEAKER_00]: If you're taking notes this morning, I'm excited about today's message.

  15. [SPEAKER_00]: The title of today's message is, no more dead ends.

  16. [SPEAKER_00]: No more dead ends.

  17. [SPEAKER_00]: Come on, as you're writing that down, as you're taking notes this morning, I just want you to say it out loud, say no more dead ends.

  18. [SPEAKER_00]: Turn to the person next to you and say no more dead ends.

  19. [SPEAKER_00]: Find somebody else that looks real good today and tell them no more dead ends.

  20. [SPEAKER_00]: No more dead ends.

  21. [SPEAKER_00]: Father, we thank you, Lord, for your word this morning.

  22. [SPEAKER_00]: Thank you for teaching us something new.

  23. [SPEAKER_00]: We receive it, God.

  24. [SPEAKER_00]: We thank you, Lord, for what you're doing in this house, or we love you.

  25. [SPEAKER_00]: We thank you, Lord, in Jesus name, amen.

  26. [SPEAKER_00]: You know, Eric was closing worship.

  27. [SPEAKER_00]: I kind of had something come over me, and I wanted to almost run up here and say, Eric, hold on a second, you know, and grab the mic, but he was talking about stepping into the light.

  28. [SPEAKER_00]: And this kind of just this upbeat, just step into the light, step into the light.

  29. [SPEAKER_00]: Like I can hear it, and it was just like coming up, I'm like, man, like it was almost like, if in that moment, if I would have come up here and I would have started seeing that, and I would have told everybody to start marching around this room, just step into the light, baby, and I'll just step into the light.

  30. [SPEAKER_00]: I remember when I was growing up,

  31. [SPEAKER_00]: And in church, I could not tell you how many times.

  32. [SPEAKER_00]: And some of y'all were, remember this, I know Maria will remember this way.

  33. [SPEAKER_00]: I could not tell you how many times a praise came over the sanctuary and people started marching.

  34. [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, marching around the room, you know?

  35. [SPEAKER_00]: And I just kind of saw that this morning.

  36. [SPEAKER_00]: I'm like, man, I feel like we can just a march around this place.

  37. [SPEAKER_00]: And

  38. [SPEAKER_00]: start declaring things, but I say that for this as well, no more dead ends.

  39. [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, some of you have felt like every time you turn you're turning into another wall.

  40. [SPEAKER_00]: Another dead end, every time you feel like you're making some sort of progress, all of a sudden, it's another dead end.

  41. [SPEAKER_00]: And I heard the Lord say to me this week, there are no more dead ends.

  42. [SPEAKER_00]: Come on, do you believe that?

  43. [SPEAKER_00]: I know I haven't preached to you yet, but do you believe that this morning?

  44. [SPEAKER_00]: The days of dead ends are over.

  45. [SPEAKER_00]: We're not running into no more dead ends.

  46. [SPEAKER_00]: Hallelujah.

  47. [SPEAKER_00]: And so just to recap what we talked about three Sundays ago,

  48. [SPEAKER_00]: I preached a message to you, titled it's part of God's design.

  49. [SPEAKER_00]: Remember, it's part of God's design.

  50. [SPEAKER_00]: I shared with you that Moses, he had a really special relationship with God, and we see this powerful scripture in Psalms 103.

  51. [SPEAKER_00]: I want to put it up there again for us today.

  52. [SPEAKER_00]: Psalms 103 verse 7, there really highlights the connection that Moses have with God.

    Psalms 103:7

  53. [SPEAKER_00]: It says, he revealed his ways, who we talk about here God.

  54. [SPEAKER_00]: So God revealed his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel.

  55. [SPEAKER_00]: So the people knew the deeds of God, but it was Moses that knew the ways of God.

  56. [SPEAKER_00]: Or we can translate it to the heart of God.

  57. [SPEAKER_00]: It was Moses that had such a deep relationship with the Father that he knew the direction, the call, the voice of the Father, he knew the ways of God.

  58. [SPEAKER_00]: And as he knew the ways of God, he was able to communicate it to the Israelites and they saw him perform miracle after miracle, meaning God.

  59. [SPEAKER_00]: And so they knew the deeds of God because Moses knew the ways of God.

  60. [SPEAKER_00]: And I want us before we know anything to know God, and that we know God's heart, and we know His ways.

  61. [SPEAKER_00]: I don't want us to just know the things God can do.

  62. [SPEAKER_00]: And the things God is good at, and I don't want us to just know the testimonies of His goodness, and all of these kind of things, I want to know the ways of God.

  63. [SPEAKER_00]: I want to know the heart of God, amen?

  64. [SPEAKER_00]: That I'm so much in tune, like Moses was, with the voice of God, that when God says do this or when God says move or God says whatever it may be, there's an immediate yes in my spirit because I'm so connected to him that I don't have to question what God is saying or doing.

  65. [SPEAKER_00]: I just know that it's right because I know his ways.

  66. [SPEAKER_00]: So remember, I taught you really two facts about knowing about doing the things of God and doing them God's way and I told you number one that God's way requires waiting.

  67. [SPEAKER_00]: We don't like to hear about waiting, we don't like to think about waiting.

  68. [SPEAKER_00]: But it is definitely something that we have to partake in many times.

  69. [SPEAKER_00]: It's a part of God's process, it's a part of God's plan that we have to wait at times.

  70. [SPEAKER_00]: I shared with you that sometimes God will make you wait until the inconvenience of waiting no longer affects you.

  71. [SPEAKER_00]: We're all of a sudden instead of being bothered and confused now, you're at peace because I don't have to worry about it, right?

  72. [SPEAKER_00]: And we know that God will use a waiting time, he'll use a waiting season as part of his plan, and it's always for your benefit.

  73. [SPEAKER_00]: It's always for your good.

  74. [SPEAKER_00]: The second thing that I shared with you a couple weeks ago, number two, is that God's way requires God's heart.

  75. [SPEAKER_00]: You remember that if you want to know God's ways, you need to know God's heart, which is really important to us.

  76. [SPEAKER_00]: Moses had experienced God's voice.

  77. [SPEAKER_00]: He had witnessed the plagues of Egypt.

  78. [SPEAKER_00]: He dealt with Pharaoh.

  79. [SPEAKER_00]: He led the people out of Egypt and he says to the Lord, in Exodus 33, 13, he says,

  80. [SPEAKER_00]: After all of that time, an experience that Moses had with God in the whole journey that that he had been through all the way up to that point, his heart's cry, his prayer was still Lord, teach me your ways.

  81. [SPEAKER_00]: May that constantly be our prayer.

  82. [SPEAKER_00]: Lord, teach me your ways.

  83. [SPEAKER_00]: Not my way.

  84. [SPEAKER_00]: The way of the world, or the way of my family, or my best friend, or my spouse, or whatever it may be, but teach me your ways God.

  85. [SPEAKER_00]: The one who knew God, he knew his ways.

  86. [SPEAKER_00]: We know that from Psalm 103, that Moses knew his ways, but even though Moses knew his ways, Moses still said, God, teach me your ways.

  87. [SPEAKER_00]: In other words, I don't want to forsake it.

  88. [SPEAKER_00]: I don't want to give up on it.

  89. [SPEAKER_00]: I don't want to walk away from it.

  90. [SPEAKER_00]: I want to constantly be shown your way God.

  91. [SPEAKER_00]: And so now we go backwards in the story, okay?

  92. [SPEAKER_00]: Because we were in Exodus 33 and now we're going backwards into Exodus chapter 14.

    Exodus 14 chapter mention

  93. [SPEAKER_00]: And when we go back there into Exodus chapter 14, we begin to discover really some amazing things that were said and happened all the way back at that time that are definitely worth talking about this morning.

    Exodus 14 chapter mention

  94. [SPEAKER_00]: Now, we know that at this point, it is real story and history for 400 plus years.

  95. [SPEAKER_00]: That's a long time.

  96. [SPEAKER_00]: For 400 plus years, they have dealt with Pharaoh.

  97. [SPEAKER_00]: For 400 plus years, they have dealt with the Pharaoh who has hated them and has wanted to literally keep them in total bondage.

  98. [SPEAKER_00]: which is an exact description of what the enemy wants to do in our lives today.

  99. [SPEAKER_00]: He hates us and he wants to keep us in total bondage.

  100. [SPEAKER_00]: So the Pharaoh is a symbol of what the enemy wants to try to do in our lives.

  101. [SPEAKER_00]: Moses has an encounter with the Lord at the burning bush.

  102. [SPEAKER_00]: Remember the burning bush?

  103. [SPEAKER_00]: And the Lord tells Moses, he says,

  104. [SPEAKER_00]: And I'm going to use you to rescue them out of the hand of Pharaoh, Moses, probably thank him.

  105. [SPEAKER_00]: Me?

  106. [SPEAKER_00]: What in the world?

  107. [SPEAKER_00]: How am I?

  108. [SPEAKER_00]: For 400 years they've been at this point in bondage, and you're telling me, now I'm going to be the one to get them out of there.

  109. [SPEAKER_00]: And God decides to use the, well, we would know today as the ultimate stutter.

  110. [SPEAKER_00]: The one that could not communicate well, Moses, who could hardly communicate to anyone, who if you remember, Moses was actually a murderer.

  111. [SPEAKER_00]: People forget that Moses actually killed somebody.

  112. [SPEAKER_00]: And at this point at time in history, he had ran off into a land called Meridian, or

  113. [SPEAKER_00]: And he is, he is in hiding because he had killed someone, he had killed someone who was beating on a Hebrew, a fellow Hebrew of his.

  114. [SPEAKER_00]: And he saw that that was taking place and he didn't like it, Moses actually killed him.

  115. [SPEAKER_00]: So Moses had a flea, Moses had a runaway.

  116. [SPEAKER_00]: And Moses is in hiding when God comes and counters him.

  117. [SPEAKER_00]: Can you imagine, like,

  118. [SPEAKER_00]: That just goes to tell me, like, God can redeem anything.

  119. [SPEAKER_00]: Anybody, like, he goes to a murder.

  120. [SPEAKER_00]: Someone who just committed murder and says, hey, I'm going to use you to rescue the people out of Egypt.

  121. [SPEAKER_00]: Me, I'm trying to hide from you, God.

  122. [SPEAKER_00]: I'm trying to hide from everybody that's now trying to kill me.

  123. [SPEAKER_00]: Those Egyptian people, they're trying to kill me because I killed one of theirs.

  124. [SPEAKER_00]: And you're going to use me to go into Pharaoh's house to tell them to let my people go.

  125. [SPEAKER_00]: God says no, not if I'm in it.

  126. [SPEAKER_00]: Not if I call you to it.

  127. [SPEAKER_00]: So from the burning bush, that was on fire.

  128. [SPEAKER_00]: The Bible says the burning bush was on fire, but it was not consumed.

  129. [SPEAKER_00]: And out of that burning bush becomes a voice of God to a man in hiding.

  130. [SPEAKER_00]: And from there God would literally set Moses' life on fire from that day forward.

  131. [SPEAKER_00]: Moses would encounter God in the form of a burning bush that was not consumed.

  132. [SPEAKER_00]: Little did he know that from that burning bush that he himself would be set on fire, but not consumed.

  133. [SPEAKER_00]: Hallelujah.

  134. [SPEAKER_00]: Hallelujah.

  135. [SPEAKER_00]: So Moses is set on fire by the power of God and he's called to let the people go.

  136. [SPEAKER_00]: And Moses commands Pharaoh according to the Lord's leading and voicing,

  137. [SPEAKER_00]: Because listen, when you take what belongs to God, you don't just pick a fight with what's been taken, but you pick a fight with a God who owns what you've taken.

  138. [SPEAKER_00]: And it won't go very well for you.

  139. [SPEAKER_00]: And the children of God are not just anybody.

  140. [SPEAKER_00]: We don't just attract the attack of Satan, but we attract the favor in protection of Yahweh.

  141. [SPEAKER_00]: It irritated Pharaoh to his absolute core that these people were so favored, so protected, so loved by God.

  142. [SPEAKER_00]: It irritated him.

  143. [SPEAKER_00]: He said, I'm not gonna let these people go.

  144. [SPEAKER_00]: They're my slaves now.

  145. [SPEAKER_00]: So when you belong to God,

  146. [SPEAKER_00]: You need to know that you're not just a dormant for the enemy to run all over, but when you belong to God as a child of God, if the enemy tries to pick on you, he is actually picking on God himself.

  147. [SPEAKER_00]: Because you belong to God.

  148. [SPEAKER_00]: Hallelujah.

  149. [SPEAKER_00]: And so you need to know that when the enemy starts knocking at your door, when the enemy starts creeping in, when he starts coming and pounding you and trying to attack you, you need to know that he is invading space of something that doesn't belong to him.

  150. [SPEAKER_00]: And he is now touching one of God's.

  151. [SPEAKER_00]: So the enemy is playing games when he tries to come in and mess with you in your household, tries to come and mess with you in your finances, coming to mess with you in your family or whatever it may be.

  152. [SPEAKER_00]: The enemy thinks it's a game, it's something that he can accomplish something he can do, but he does not understand that he cannot touch you because you belong to God.

  153. [SPEAKER_00]: So the good news for us today is that even if you've been walking through some difficult seasons or times where your journey feels uneasy or out of control, I want to tell you today, it's not a dead end.

  154. [SPEAKER_00]: It's not a dead end.

  155. [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, it may be hard right now.

  156. [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, it may be chaos and confusing and all kinds of things take in place, I get it, but you need to know it's not a dead end.

  157. [SPEAKER_00]: It is not the end, as you know it.

  158. [SPEAKER_00]: But God is working behind the scenes.

  159. [SPEAKER_00]: And He's doing something far beyond what you can see right now.

  160. [SPEAKER_00]: He is working all things out the Bible says, for your good.

  161. [SPEAKER_00]: Come on, somebody.

  162. [SPEAKER_00]: He's working all things out for your good.

  163. [SPEAKER_00]: Why?

  164. [SPEAKER_00]: Because you love the Lord and you are called to His purpose.

  165. [SPEAKER_00]: Bible says, if that's you, that he's working all things out.

  166. [SPEAKER_00]: Hallelujah.

  167. [SPEAKER_00]: So with the enemy begins to stir up a mess, God will allow us to walk through some things, but then God will stretch forth his hand and he'll say, let my people go.

  168. [SPEAKER_00]: Hallelujah.

  169. [SPEAKER_00]: So if that's you today,

  170. [SPEAKER_00]: You feel, oh, man, I'm like being attacked left and right or I'm at a dead end or I feel like all hell is breaking loose in my house or whatever it may be.

  171. [SPEAKER_00]: You need to know today that it is not a dead end.

  172. [SPEAKER_00]: That God is certainly doing something on your behalf.

  173. [SPEAKER_00]: He's working all things out for your good.

  174. [SPEAKER_00]: Even when you don't see him, even when you can't quite explain it, when you don't know if he's there, he is there.

  175. [SPEAKER_00]: The Bible says, He's our ever-present help in the time of need.

  176. [SPEAKER_00]: Our ever-present help.

  177. [SPEAKER_00]: In other words, is that all times?

  178. [SPEAKER_00]: Doesn't go away.

  179. [SPEAKER_00]: It's not for some days and not for the other days.

  180. [SPEAKER_00]: No, he's our ever-present help.

  181. [SPEAKER_00]: Hallelujah.

  182. [SPEAKER_00]: And when God says, let my people go, you need to know that God is able to review automatic power and destroy every work of the devil

  183. [SPEAKER_00]: Hallelujah, and a lot of people say, well, I'm just being attacked left and right by the devil.

  184. [SPEAKER_00]: He's just got me.

  185. [SPEAKER_00]: No, he don't got you.

  186. [SPEAKER_00]: Hello.

  187. [SPEAKER_00]: No, he don't got you.

  188. [SPEAKER_00]: Now if that's the way you're going to talk about or watch your mouth because he will get you that way.

  189. [SPEAKER_00]: But as a child of God, he don't get you.

  190. [SPEAKER_00]: No, he don't take you out.

  191. [SPEAKER_00]: He doesn't control your life.

  192. [SPEAKER_00]: He has no power and authority over you.

  193. [SPEAKER_00]: Come on, somebody.

  194. [SPEAKER_00]: I want to remind you this morning that the devil is a defeated foe.

  195. [SPEAKER_00]: Hallelujah.

  196. [SPEAKER_00]: Come on, he is already defeated.

  197. [SPEAKER_00]: And we have victory through Christ Jesus.

  198. [SPEAKER_00]: Hallelujah, because just like Eric said this morning during prayer, we are seated in heavenly places.

  199. [SPEAKER_00]: Whoo, Hallelujah, that is good news this morning.

  200. [SPEAKER_00]: Yes it is, Hallelujah, so not only will God deliver you and he'll get you out of whatever mess you might be in, but he will also make sure that you come into a season of total payback.

  201. [SPEAKER_00]: The enemy attacks.

  202. [SPEAKER_00]: God steps in.

  203. [SPEAKER_00]: He provides the release, the freedom, the victory, whatever it may be.

  204. [SPEAKER_00]: And then he says, don't you worry about that rotten devil.

  205. [SPEAKER_00]: Don't you worry about your enemies.

  206. [SPEAKER_00]: I'm going to take care of them.

  207. [SPEAKER_00]: And he says, he will repay.

  208. [SPEAKER_00]: And he will have to return everything that was stolen from you.

  209. [SPEAKER_00]: Hallelujah.

  210. [SPEAKER_00]: Glory to God.

  211. [SPEAKER_00]: It was the Lord that knew I was going to lose my job that day.

  212. [SPEAKER_00]: That's why he gave us a check and he gave us that money through her job.

  213. [SPEAKER_00]: The Lord is not caught off guard by these things, folks.

  214. [SPEAKER_00]: He takes care of you when the enemy comes in, seeking who he can devour.

  215. [SPEAKER_00]: It's the Lord, come on somebody.

  216. [SPEAKER_00]: That raises up a standard, come on.

  217. [SPEAKER_00]: He raises up a banner and he begins to go to war on your behalf.

  218. [SPEAKER_00]: And he will take care of your enemy.

  219. [SPEAKER_00]: Every single time, every time, I'm a little excited this morning.

  220. [SPEAKER_00]: Hallelujah, but I feel a victory in the room today.

  221. [SPEAKER_00]: I really feel a victory in the room today.

  222. [SPEAKER_00]: You might not feel it yet, but I feel a victory in the room today.

  223. [SPEAKER_00]: And I believe that people are going to get super naturally set free from literally a spirit of dead ends.

  224. [SPEAKER_00]: And you feel like you've been constantly facing a wall.

  225. [SPEAKER_00]: You've been constantly running into a wall that there is no way looking forward and it is constant resistance, constant resistance.

  226. [SPEAKER_00]: And today is the day.

  227. [SPEAKER_00]: Come on, somebody.

  228. [SPEAKER_00]: Today is the day that you understand your victory in Jesus and that you move past all of that.

  229. [SPEAKER_00]: That's why I'm excited today.

  230. [SPEAKER_00]: Because I hear the voice of the Lord saying, watch what I'm about to do.

  231. [SPEAKER_00]: Watch what I'm about to do.

  232. [SPEAKER_00]: Watch how I'm about to open a door that no man can shut.

  233. [SPEAKER_00]: Come on, watch how I'm about to close a door that no man can open.

  234. [SPEAKER_00]: Watch how I'm about to take care of that fine, that financial situation.

  235. [SPEAKER_00]: Watch how I'm about to take care of that person who keeps harming you and attacking you and saying,

  236. [SPEAKER_00]: If things against you watch how I take care of your family in this season watch how I take care of your finances I know it's a struggle right now, but watch how I take care of you.

  237. [SPEAKER_00]: It's no longer a dead end Oh, Hallelujah Thank you Lord

  238. [SPEAKER_00]: Thank you, Lord.

  239. [SPEAKER_00]: Come on, I came to declare to you this morning that your season of dead ends are over.

  240. [SPEAKER_00]: Your season of dead ends are over.

  241. [SPEAKER_00]: Come on, you either believe that and take that by faith or you don't.

  242. [SPEAKER_00]: But I believe that right now, and Jesus' name.

  243. [SPEAKER_00]: Glory to God.

  244. [SPEAKER_00]: Glory to God.

  245. [SPEAKER_00]: Glory to God.

  246. [SPEAKER_00]: Hallelujah.

  247. [SPEAKER_00]: Hallelujah.

  248. [SPEAKER_00]: If you're taking notes this morning, there's two keys that I want to give you today.

  249. [SPEAKER_00]: There's two keys of doing things God's way.

  250. [SPEAKER_00]: I know I gave you some facts about God's way three weeks ago, but there's two keys.

  251. [SPEAKER_00]: There's two very important elements that we have got to understand if we're going to do things God's way that we have to understand about how God operates and the first one

  252. [SPEAKER_00]: I know sometimes we don't, we, things are going really well and we're moving forward.

  253. [SPEAKER_00]: The last thing that we want to hear or know is God tell us, hold on way to second turn.

  254. [SPEAKER_00]: Well, hold on, everything was going really good.

  255. [SPEAKER_00]: God, I'm going down this path and you're moving and you're working and you're operating and things are happening.

  256. [SPEAKER_00]: I'm excited right now.

  257. [SPEAKER_00]: God, I can see you at work and God says, hold on.

  258. [SPEAKER_00]: Turn.

  259. [SPEAKER_00]: Wait a second, Laura, that don't make no sense.

  260. [SPEAKER_00]: And I want to tell you this morning that he is the God of the turn.

  261. [SPEAKER_00]: as much as he is the God of your forward moment, some in your forward progression and the things that are yet ahead of you, he is also the God of the turn.

  262. [SPEAKER_00]: So Moses rescues the people out of Egypt after all these back and forth and after all these plagues and dealing with Pharaoh and now they're heading to the Promised Land and the Bible makes this really unique

  263. [SPEAKER_00]: thing, just highlight to me this week in Exodus chapter 14 verse 2, he said, now turn back and camp.

    Exodus 14:2

  264. [SPEAKER_00]: Wait a second, they're on their way to the promised land.

  265. [SPEAKER_00]: They've done walked away from Egypt at this point.

  266. [SPEAKER_00]: They're no longer under the possession of Pharaoh, and God tells Moses

  267. [SPEAKER_00]: Wait a second, that don't make no sense.

  268. [SPEAKER_00]: Why would I turn to the one that I'm running from?

  269. [SPEAKER_00]: Why would I not keep moving forward and keep torqued closer to the promised land?

  270. [SPEAKER_00]: Why are you telling me that now I have to go back in the direction that I just came from and set up camp?

  271. [SPEAKER_00]: I want to ask you something today.

  272. [SPEAKER_00]: And God says, to turn back, are you willing?

  273. [SPEAKER_00]: If God were to say, turn around, are you willing?

  274. [SPEAKER_00]: If God would say now, turn this way, even though you don't like that direction or that direction doesn't make sense or that's the direction that you just came from, would you have a yes in your spirit that says, God, if that's the way you're leading me, I will follow.

  275. [SPEAKER_00]: Why would God who rescued them out of Egypt say to them after some time of their exit?

  276. [SPEAKER_00]: Turn back.

  277. [SPEAKER_00]: Now God wasn't, I believe going to lead them back into Egypt.

  278. [SPEAKER_00]: We know that, but I believe this turn was to demonstrate the power of God to the people all the more.

  279. [SPEAKER_00]: God says to turn around and camp in front of this unique name

  280. [SPEAKER_00]: Hi, Harry Oath, or however you want to say it, something like that, not an expert, which look at the screen, which literally translates to the mouth of Egypt.

  281. [SPEAKER_00]: He says, I want you to turn around and camp at this location, which is the mouth of Egypt.

  282. [SPEAKER_00]: Amazing.

  283. [SPEAKER_00]: So I believe the Lord is making a statement to the people.

  284. [SPEAKER_00]: And He's saying, I'm going to lead you into the promise land.

  285. [SPEAKER_00]: But you need to make a decision today, whose voice will you follow?

  286. [SPEAKER_00]: But you can stay right here in the mouth of Egypt and listen to the voice of Egypt or you can move forward and listen to the voice of Yahweh, your God,

  287. [SPEAKER_00]: I believe God had to show them that for a reason.

  288. [SPEAKER_00]: I believe God had to get their attention and demonstrate his power one more time to them.

  289. [SPEAKER_00]: Because if you remember, there came a point of time in the Israelites' journey.

  290. [SPEAKER_00]: When they said, we got no food.

  291. [SPEAKER_00]: We got no water.

  292. [SPEAKER_00]: I'd rather be back in Egypt.

  293. [SPEAKER_00]: He said, I'll put you back in the mouth of Egypt then.

  294. [SPEAKER_00]: You want to listen to that voice or do you want to listen to my voice?

  295. [SPEAKER_00]: Because if you listen to my voice, I will take you into the Promised Land.

  296. [SPEAKER_00]: Here's the key.

  297. [SPEAKER_00]: We know that one path will lead to a promise, but one path will lead to a dead end.

  298. [SPEAKER_00]: Now, obviously, the path away from the sea, now they're now facing the red sea, the path away from the sea, would take them back to Egypt, literally through the mouth of Egypt and into Egypt.

  299. [SPEAKER_00]: The other option, the only other option that they have at this point of time, based on where they're camped and based on where they're located, is either the mouth of Egypt or the Red Sea.

  300. [SPEAKER_00]: So one would say that it would make more sense for them to turn around and follow the voice of Egypt, instead of following the voice of God who

  301. [SPEAKER_00]: But that doesn't make sense, and hear me church, some people are good at following God when it makes sense.

  302. [SPEAKER_00]: But now everyone is good at following God when he says to go into a direction that you don't like, or that you don't understand.

  303. [SPEAKER_00]: Go through the red sea, that's a death trap.

  304. [SPEAKER_00]: No, going back to Egypt is a dead end.

  305. [SPEAKER_00]: The Red Sea is not a death trap.

  306. [SPEAKER_00]: The Red Sea is an open door to get you on the other side and into your promise.

  307. [SPEAKER_00]: Hello.

  308. [SPEAKER_00]: But what may look like a dead end?

  309. [SPEAKER_00]: Let me tell you, is often redirection because the Lord has a way of opening doors.

  310. [SPEAKER_00]: An opening up path that we cannot do, that we cannot make up.

  311. [SPEAKER_00]: We cannot even try to make it happen or make do of it.

  312. [SPEAKER_00]: And so while the red sea appeared to be the wrong direction, the wrong choice, it was God's choice.

  313. [SPEAKER_00]: It was God's direction.

  314. [SPEAKER_00]: And God, as he leads us, does it make mistakes?

  315. [SPEAKER_00]: We don't serve a God that makes mistakes on the direction that he's leading.

  316. [SPEAKER_00]: He knows exactly where he's going.

  317. [SPEAKER_00]: So he knows exactly where he's leading you and where he's taking you.

  318. [SPEAKER_00]: Listen church, we don't serve a God who is finding things out as you find them out.

  319. [SPEAKER_00]: But our God knows what's ahead.

  320. [SPEAKER_00]: It cannot tell you this way.

  321. [SPEAKER_00]: He knows what's down the street, but he also knows what's around the corner.

  322. [SPEAKER_00]: Hello, come on somebody.

  323. [SPEAKER_00]: He doesn't just see a few miles up ahead of you, but he sees a few miles around the corner.

  324. [SPEAKER_00]: Hang a left, make a right.

  325. [SPEAKER_00]: Go that way for another couple miles.

  326. [SPEAKER_00]: He sees way beyond what you can see right now.

  327. [SPEAKER_00]: And so I have to trust in the God who knows the right direction.

  328. [SPEAKER_00]: That's who we got a trust, praise the Lord.

  329. [SPEAKER_00]: So my question for us today is, are we willing to make a turn or to turn back when God says it without really knowing what comes next?

  330. [SPEAKER_00]: I wanna tell you today that you can make the turn.

  331. [SPEAKER_00]: You can make the turn, why?

  332. [SPEAKER_00]: Because God will give you the grace and the strength

  333. [SPEAKER_00]: Hallelujah, little did they know, little did they know that as they faced the Red Sea and they had the choice, we can either trust God that's saying, go this way and they'll make no sense, we're about to drown, but whatever, go this way or turn back into the mouth of Egypt itself.

  334. [SPEAKER_00]: But if I turn around there is already an Egyptian army that's chasing after us, they're coming to get us.

  335. [SPEAKER_00]: They're coming to take us back into bondage.

  336. [SPEAKER_00]: Pharaoh has come to his senses and realize what the heck did I do letting those people go?

  337. [SPEAKER_00]: We just read the scripture.

  338. [SPEAKER_00]: He said, what are we doing?

  339. [SPEAKER_00]: We let them go.

  340. [SPEAKER_00]: And so now he sent the army of Egyptians to go to swoop up.

  341. [SPEAKER_00]: The people of God, and God says, now watch what I do if you follow my voice.

  342. [SPEAKER_00]: If you follow my lead, if you trust in the direction that I am leading you, I will make away.

  343. [SPEAKER_00]: And He splits the red sea.

  344. [SPEAKER_00]: And the Israelites begin to march through.

  345. [SPEAKER_00]: The Bible shows us and tells us that as they were marching through to get on the other side, the Egyptian army advanced, and as they advanced into the path that the Lord had carved out into the Red Sea, the Bible says that the Lord shut the sea up.

  346. [SPEAKER_00]: It is swallowed the Egyptian army and not one Israelite was harmed.

  347. [SPEAKER_00]: Come on somebody, but they all got on the other side of the sea and the Lord protected them because his ways are not our ways.

  348. [SPEAKER_00]: His ways are greater than our ways.

  349. [SPEAKER_00]: Come on somebody.

  350. [SPEAKER_00]: God has a way of doing things that don't make sense to us.

  351. [SPEAKER_00]: I don't want to swim through this red sea right now.

  352. [SPEAKER_00]: Don't worry, you ain't gonna have to swim.

  353. [SPEAKER_00]: You're gonna walk.

  354. [SPEAKER_00]: Walk, I can't walk on water.

  355. [SPEAKER_00]: Don't worry, you ain't gonna be walking on water.

  356. [SPEAKER_00]: You want the heck am I walking on?

  357. [SPEAKER_00]: You're walking on dry ground, baby.

  358. [SPEAKER_00]: And ain't nothing gonna harm you ain't nothing gonna take you out.

  359. [SPEAKER_00]: Ain't no water's going to drown you or wash you away.

  360. [SPEAKER_00]: But you will see how I take care of your enemy.

  361. [SPEAKER_00]: Come on now.

  362. [SPEAKER_00]: Hallelujah.

  363. [SPEAKER_00]: Hallelujah.

  364. [SPEAKER_00]: So turn to your neighbor and say, take the turn.

  365. [SPEAKER_00]: Take the turn.

  366. [SPEAKER_00]: So number one, sometimes God's way requires a turn.

  367. [SPEAKER_00]: And number two is this.

  368. [SPEAKER_00]: God's way will reveal God's power.

  369. [SPEAKER_00]: God's way will reveal God's power.

  370. [SPEAKER_00]: I want us to read Exodus chapter 14 verse 4 again.

    Exodus 14:4

  371. [SPEAKER_00]: We read it earlier, but I want to read verse 4 again.

  372. [SPEAKER_00]: It'll be on the screen.

  373. [SPEAKER_00]: Look at what Scripture says here.

  374. [SPEAKER_00]: It says, I will harden Pharaoh's heart so that he will pursue them.

  375. [SPEAKER_00]: Then look at what this says right here.

  376. [SPEAKER_00]: Then I, God, y'all way, will receive glory by means of Pharaoh and all his army.

  377. [SPEAKER_00]: in the Egyptians will know that I am your way.

  378. [SPEAKER_00]: Woo!

  379. [SPEAKER_00]: Come on now!

  380. [SPEAKER_00]: Hallelujah!

  381. [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, come on.

  382. [SPEAKER_00]: God, look at God.

  383. [SPEAKER_00]: He says, I'm going to get the glory out of this.

  384. [SPEAKER_00]: And I'm going to get so much glory that even the ones that are trying to kill you are going to start calling on my name.

  385. [SPEAKER_00]: Come on, even the ones that are trying to harm you and take you out, they will call on the name of your way.

  386. [SPEAKER_00]: Come on, somebody, they will see that God is good, that God is real, that God is true, that God is alive, he is active, come on, that it is He who has the victory and even the enemy will call out to the name of the Lord.

  387. [SPEAKER_00]: Hallelujah, come on, can I tell you this morning, you don't have to worry about your enemy.

  388. [SPEAKER_00]: God's got them taking care of.

  389. [SPEAKER_00]: God's got them taking care of.

  390. [SPEAKER_00]: And God will get the glory.

  391. [SPEAKER_00]: When they talk about you, God will get the glory.

  392. [SPEAKER_00]: When they say harmful things to you, God will get the glory.

  393. [SPEAKER_00]: Come on now.

  394. [SPEAKER_00]: Hallelujah.

  395. [SPEAKER_00]: Come on, when they curse you, God.

  396. [SPEAKER_00]: God will get the glory.

  397. [SPEAKER_00]: Hallelujah.

  398. [SPEAKER_00]: Thank you, Jesus.

  399. [SPEAKER_00]: Is it an amazing that God would reveal His glory, His strength, and His power, not just for your sake, but also for the sake of your enemy?

  400. [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.

  401. [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, if it was just for me, whoa, glory to God, but He takes in another step further.

  402. [SPEAKER_00]: And I'm telling you that this is not a season.

  403. [SPEAKER_00]: We're God has got you taking care of, but I'm here to declare you this morning that in this season God has taken care of you, and he's also taking care of your enemy.

  404. [SPEAKER_00]: So don't you dare sit back and allow the enemy to beat you up to rob you of your peace, to rob you of your joy, but it's time that you stand up, come on somebody, and see the hand of the Lord at full work,

  405. [SPEAKER_00]: No more dead ends.

  406. [SPEAKER_00]: We're doing things.

  407. [SPEAKER_00]: God's way.

  408. [SPEAKER_00]: Come on, there are no more dead ends, why?

  409. [SPEAKER_00]: Because we're doing things.

  410. [SPEAKER_00]: God's way.

  411. [SPEAKER_00]: God's way.

  412. [SPEAKER_00]: Listen, your miracle is not.

  413. [SPEAKER_00]: in you just sitting back and allowing the enemy to to reign all over you and prevent that miracle from taking place.

  414. [SPEAKER_00]: No, you're miracle and you're moving forward and in your progression and you're yes to God in the direction that He is leading you in the call that the enemy cannot rob you of that miracle.

  415. [SPEAKER_00]: He cannot take away that miracle.

  416. [SPEAKER_00]: Come on, if it belongs to you, if it's been given to you, it's for you.

  417. [SPEAKER_00]: Enemy will try to do whatever he can to take it away, but he can't take it away.

  418. [SPEAKER_00]: He can't take it away.

  419. [SPEAKER_00]: Come on, I just, I just feel a freedom in that this morning that there are people that have been so bothered by who they would call their enemy or their enemies.

  420. [SPEAKER_00]: He's been so bothered, so frustrated, so concerned about them.

  421. [SPEAKER_00]: I'm going to tell you it's not your concern.

  422. [SPEAKER_00]: It's the Lord's, it's the Lord's, it's the Lord's.

  423. [SPEAKER_00]: How is that pastor?

  424. [SPEAKER_00]: Because the Scripture said, the Egyptians will know that I am Yahweh.

  425. [SPEAKER_00]: It's not your concern to tell them, God's got it.

  426. [SPEAKER_00]: Hello.

  427. [SPEAKER_00]: Hear me loud and clear church, we're coming into a season.

  428. [SPEAKER_00]: We're all believed that we won't be moved by the moves or the strategies of the evil one.

  429. [SPEAKER_00]: No, no, no, no.

  430. [SPEAKER_00]: When the enemy makes a move, let him make a move, but I'm not gonna be moved by his move.

  431. [SPEAKER_00]: No, I'm not gonna be moved by his strategy and his plan.

  432. [SPEAKER_00]: No, let him do what he wants.

  433. [SPEAKER_00]: I cannot be shaken, I cannot be moved.

  434. [SPEAKER_00]: Hallelujah, I believe we're coming into the full revelation that he has already defeated and that he has no power over our lives.

  435. [SPEAKER_00]: Well, when are we finally going to believe that church?

  436. [SPEAKER_00]: When are we finally going to get into the place where we understand that he has no power, no authority, no dominion, no access into our lives?

  437. [SPEAKER_00]: No, no, no, no, no.

  438. [SPEAKER_00]: He is at the feet of foe, he is under your feet.

  439. [SPEAKER_00]: Come on, somebody.

  440. [SPEAKER_00]: He is under your feet.

  441. [SPEAKER_00]: Hallelujah.

  442. [SPEAKER_00]: He is under your feet.

  443. [SPEAKER_00]: For far too long, we've been looking back and allowing Pharaoh in his army to catch back up to us and put us back into a place of bondage.

  444. [SPEAKER_00]: But I hear the Lord saying right now that that season of dead ends are over for you.

  445. [SPEAKER_00]: You won't look back looking for where your enemy is at, but you'll keep moving forward knowing that it's the Lord who's got the enemy taken care of.

  446. [SPEAKER_00]: It is the Lord who has got your back, come on somebody.

  447. [SPEAKER_00]: It's the Lord who's got your back.

  448. [SPEAKER_00]: It's the Lord who's got your back.

  449. [SPEAKER_00]: Stand to your feet and as you're standing to your feet, tell your neighbor, it's the Lord who's got your back.

  450. [SPEAKER_00]: It's the Lord who's got your back.

  451. [SPEAKER_00]: Hallelujah.

  452. [SPEAKER_01]: Thank you for listening to today's message.

  453. [SPEAKER_01]: We pray you were inspired, challenged, and marked by the word you heard.

  454. [SPEAKER_01]: If this message blessed you today, we encourage you to subscribe to the Church of the City Podcast.

  455. [SPEAKER_01]: There you can find more faith-filled messages to uplift you and help you on your journey of faith.

  456. [SPEAKER_01]: For more information about Church of the City, head on over to www.cotcdfw.com.

  457. [SPEAKER_01]: And until next time, remember this, the best is yet to come.