Sermon
From Fear to Fullness | Pastor Jesse Jernigan | 2.4.26 (Sermon)
Publisher transcript
Transcript
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So tonight, um I the Lord, this message
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was birthed out of a challenge that I
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received from the word of God. Um so I I
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don't want you to think that as I bring
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this challenge to you that I'm just
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throwing it at you. I've had to chew on
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this for several days myself. Um and
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I'll be honest, I'm still navigating
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this myself. So I'm believing the Lord
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is going to continue to speak to me
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through the word of God on how to deal
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with this certain subject. Um because I
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feel like in the life of believers that
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there are certain things that God speaks
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to us. Um but then in the midst of his
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voice speaking, I believe that the enemy
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will come along the other side and start
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to rare his voice up and begin to just
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whisper in our ear on this side. Right?
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And and and it strikes something in our
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heart that we're going to talk about
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tonight. Uh but I've got a fresh
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perspective on it. And I I want you to
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understand that I feel like for where
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we're going as a church, uh for where
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the Lord is taking us, for the steps
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that he is ordering and the divine or
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sacred thresholds that he has ahead of
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this house, that the Lord is instructing
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me on these Wednesday nights to uh
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stretch our wines skins, if you will,
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get us prepared for what he has coming.
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Uh because we don't want to slip into a
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season and not be ready for what is
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coming. Now, we don't have to know all
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the information. Come on, somebody. Uh
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to trust the Lord.
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>> If if we had to know the whole story, we
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would never trust God.
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>> That's right.
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>> Uh because I'll be honest with you, you
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could take my brother Joseph from from
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Old Testament. Uh he he was able to
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trust God in every step. And bro was
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getting accused, getting lied about,
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come on. Getting beaten, left for dead,
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and wondering God, where are you at? But
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yet he chose to trust the Lord. And in
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the end, he was able to look at his
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brother and say, "Don't be angry that
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you sold me." Hey, come on. Don't be
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angry that you sold me because you meant
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it for evil, but God meant it to
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preserve life. And and so here's the
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beauty of it. As we take steps um in
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that obedience, it's going to take some
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stretching of our comfort zone, some
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stretching of our wine skin, if you
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will, because we're not called just to
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house old wine. And God is calling us to
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house new wine. And I believe God's
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going to pour that out on us. So, let me
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quickly at this is not in direct
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correlation to where I feel like the
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Holy Spirit would take us tonight, but
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in an attempt to stretch our wine skins
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to get prepared for the word of God, I
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want to run down three scriptures real
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quick. In Psalm 34, u, if you want to
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turn there, you can, or mark it down so
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you can look at it later. Psalm chapter
Psalms 34 chapter mention
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34. The writer said it like this. I will
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bless the Lord at all times. His praise
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shall continually be in my mouth. My
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soul shall make its boast in the Lord.
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The humble shall hear of it and be glad.
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And then he says something significant.
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Oh, magnify the Lord with me and let us
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exalt his name together. He he was
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saying, "Oh, magnify the Lord with me
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and let us exalt his name together." And
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here's the reason why. Because David
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knew the secret that if I take the
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magnifying glass of my perspective and I
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see the problem and I make it bigger in
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my perspective than God is. Watch this.
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It doesn't mean the problem's bigger
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than God.
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You can but you can shift the
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perspective of your life and you can
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view your problem as bigger than God.
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You can magnify your problem. So David
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was instructing the people. So he said,
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"We're going to praise God at all times.
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Always going to be a praise on my lips."
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So that means this to us that we have
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the choice tonight whether to magnify
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the problems or the things or the fear
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or the uh the assault, the hurt, the
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things we've been through, the abuse. We
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can magnify all of those things if we
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choose to. And in our perspective, it
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will seem like it's bigger than God. Or
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we can shift like David said, "Oh,
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magnify not the problem, but magnify the
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Lord with me." And so tonight, this
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message is an invitation to each one in
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this house to magnify the Lord more than
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you magnify the fear that the enemy
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tries to place on your life.
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So in that vein, I want to invite you
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into a moment to be able to see what the
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Holy Spirit is saying to you currently
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and what the Holy Spirit is saying to
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our church as we take these next steps
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towards sacred thresholds. So if you're
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ready for the word tonight, shout, "I'm
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ready."
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>> I'm ready.
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>> Now, I want you to stand to your feet.
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We're going to read some scripture
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together. 1 John chapter 4 and 2 Timothy
1 John 4 chapter mention 2 Timothy 1 chapter mention
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chapter 1. 1 John chapter number four.
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and and throughout the night I will be
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reading from uh the New King James
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Version. And I'm I think there's a
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couple spots in here where I inserted
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some other versions. Um I may have
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marked them in my notes. I may not have.
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So if it doesn't look exactly like it it
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does in your Bible. Just hey, just uh
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humor me for a few moments and let me
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get through that. Uh because I this is
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all fresh that the Lord put on me today
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as I was bringing this together through
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the power of the Holy Spirit. First John
1 John 4 chapter mention
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chapter 4. When you get there, say, "I
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got it."
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>> All right. Go to verse number uh 17 of
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that chapter. Bible says, "Love has been
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perfected among us in this that we may
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have boldness in the day of judgment
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because as he is, so are we in this
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world." The Bible says in verse 18,
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"There is no fear in love."
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Can we read that one more time? There is
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no fear in love. Watch this. But perfect
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love cast out fear.
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Or another way that is stated, perfected
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love cast out fear. He said because fear
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involves torment and our God is not
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about torment. Come on, somebody. But he
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who fears has not been made perfect in
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love. Woo. That's challenging right
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there. that and and if I can just be
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real honest, that's where I got hung up
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on this past week. That's that's where
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it's at. We love him because he first
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loved us. Now, go to second Timothy
2 Timothy 1 chapter mention
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chapter 1 verse number 7. I'm read one
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verse and I'm going to let you sit down
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and and I'll stand the rest of the time.
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Um unless I have a chair um but that's
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okay. 2 Timothy chapter 1 verse number
2 Timothy 1 chapter mention
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7. For God has not given us a spirit of
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fear, but of power and of love and of a
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sound mind.
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>> That's so good. I want to read that one
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more time. Even if I don't say nothing
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else good the rest of the night. That
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right there is good. Come on. That's
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good word. That's good bread right
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there. For God has not given us a spirit
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of fear, but of power and of love and of
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a sound mind.
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So tonight, I want to take us on a
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journey um through scripture and through
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through what the Lord revealed to me. Uh
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a journey from fear to fullness. From
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fear to fullness. Can we pray together?
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Father, thank you for your word. Thank
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you for your goodness, your mercy, your
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grace over our life. Uh, and God, I just
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ask that you would add anointing to this
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moment. Add your presence, add your seal
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to this, Lord. Let us hear your word.
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God, let us walk in your word. Let us
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get fresh revelation tonight from your
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word that will help us to walk this
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thing out. God, we give you praise. In
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Jesus name we pray. And everybody says,
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"Amen."
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>> Amen. Oh, look what the Lord has done.
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Look what the Lord has done.
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He gave me a chair so I can sit my honey
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down. Hallelujah.
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>> And it turned THE MESSAGE AROUND. OH,
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I'M GOING TO PRAISE his anyways. Okay,
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let's focus. From fear to fullness. Uh
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so here here's what I want you to
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understand. Fear has the ability to
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paralyze you and I uh any part of our
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life. I if you understand that, let me
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bring it down to context. Um, a good day
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and a bad day uh is only one phone call
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away.
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>> That's the truth.
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>> A smooth day and a bumpy day is one bad
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call away. Uh, you know, fear and joy is
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checking a bank account and if the
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numbers are black or red, can I get an
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amen?
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>> All right. Fear has the ability to
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paralyze you and I. And what is that
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fear's uh maybe end goal if you would
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tonight? It would be to stop us from
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moving forward in our godgiven
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assignments. Uh and I was challenged
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this past week as I was grappling with
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uh the challenge that the Holy Spirit
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brought to my life. And here here's
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really where the challenge laid into me
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out of verse number 18 where it talked
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about but he who fears has not been made
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perfect in love. The statement that was
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spoke to my heart was any area that I
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still have fear in is an area that I've
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not completely surrendered to the Lord.
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>> Hello somebody.
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>> Any area that I still have fear in is an
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area that I've not completely
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surrendered to the Lord.
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>> And I said, "Hold up.
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Wait a minute.
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Some may right. Come on, somebody.
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>> I said, "All right, Lord, work with me.
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Help me. Help me in this." Because I
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believe it or not, I I'll say this.
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Believe it or not, the enemy will try to
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place fears on your pastor's mind, too.
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>> I know people look at pastors and say,
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"Wow, they're superheroes. They never
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have a bad day."
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>> Well, you ain't look close enough.
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Hallelujah. There are days, there are
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moments, there are there are times, not
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just in ministry, not just in uh in in
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in the realm of the church, but in the
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realm of personal life, in the realm of
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business and all these different areas
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in just physical life and children and
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raising kids and all there. There are
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all kinds of fears that can attach
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themsel or weigh themsel on our life.
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And here's the thing, if that fear is
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controlling an area of my life, then I
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have not submitted that to the Lord
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completely.
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>> And so I had to grapple with that and
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say, "Lord, help me." And then the Lord
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began to work things out in my heart and
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give me a clear process between or
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taking us rather from fear to fullness
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tonight. So if you're ready to go on a
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journey with your pastor tonight, shout,
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"Bring it on.
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We're we're going somewhere. Okay. We
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must real or we must realize that in our
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life if fear is there then we have to
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release control of our life in that area
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to God. It all belongs to him anyways.
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>> Our entire life belongs to the Lord.
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Here's the fact though. We have to come
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back to the realization. Our life
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doesn't belong to us. We were bought
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with a price.
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We are only stewarding what God is
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allowing us to steward.
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>> We are just stewards. We don't own this
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thing. We don't control what we get to
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do as a believer. Matter of fact, the
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writer said that they exchanged that
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that sin and now I'm a bondervant to
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Christ. Okay? I don't belong to myself,
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but I've got to be willing to release
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control of my life in every area to him.
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When we realize our position as stewards
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only, watch this, it releases us from
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the pressure of having to perform to get
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God's grace.
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>> When we realize that our position is
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only to be a steward, it releases you
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and I from the pressure of having to
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perform to gain God's grace.
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>> Because if this thing's about
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performance, I can promise you, I will
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mess it up.
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>> But it's not about performance. It is by
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grace that you have been saved through
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faith in God. You can't earn it. You
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can't you can't diplomat it. You can't
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legislate your way into the kingdom. You
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have to accept the free grace and gift
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of God. And that only comes through the
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blood of Jesus Christ. Can I get a amen
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in the house for the word of God?
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The fact is that we have placed oursel
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in a position to feel like we have to
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perform to be able to outwork the fear
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that the enemy tries to place on our
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life. And here's why. Because we think
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we're in control.
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>> Yeah.
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>> Now, I'm not saying this to to to if if
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it's hitting hard, bro, sis, bro,
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whatever you want to call, I don't know.
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I just want to say it like this. I'm
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going be honest with you, it hit me like
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a ton of bricks this week.
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There was some people that are close to
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me that that the enemy has been has been
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uh just coming against them with fear
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and and I reached out to them and I
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said, "Look, God gave me a revelation. I
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got to give you this. I I got I got to I
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got to share this with you because I
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feel like it's a key to you getting
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free."
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>> And tonight, I feel like there's people
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in here that you want to do the will of
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God. You desire to do the will of God.
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You desire to walk in freedom and power
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and authority. But the enemy is laying
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fear on your life and making you feel
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reluctant to even take the next step
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because you're afraid you're going to
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fail. But here's what you need to
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understand. If God is calling you to
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that assignment, if God is calling you
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to that thing, no fear will be able to
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stop the plan of God from being
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accomplished. Because again, it's not
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your plan, it's his plan. And we've got
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to get to a place where we don't let
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fear paralyze us. But we let fear be a
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catalyst. That if there's fear trying TO
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COME OVER MY MIND, THAT MEANS the enemy
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is shaking his boots. Because the next
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step I take is about to wreak havoc on
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the kingdom of darkness. And if I can
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just get over fear for just a second,
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then I'm going to let the enemy know I'm
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coming at you with everything I've got.
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This church is coming at you WITH
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EVERYTHING WE'VE GOT. My family's come.
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Come on, SOMEBODY. MY BUSINESS IS coming
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at you BECAUSE I WILL NOT LET FEAR
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CONTROL MY LIFE.
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>> I won't let fear control me.
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>> Because then when I release those things
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and I realize I'm only a steward of
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God's grace, then complete dependency on
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the Lord becomes the order of my life
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and it becomes completely evident not
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just to me but to everybody around me.
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Amen. Are you with me so far?
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So I'm convinced that if we magnify the
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wrong thing,
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it will be all we speak about, all we
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think about
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and if it's all we speak about and think
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about by proxy it will control every
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area of our life.
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>> You can also you can always tell a
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person if they are a fe fearful person
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or a faithful a faithfilled person by
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their conversation. Yeah.
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>> You talk to them long enough, you will
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either hear their faith come out or
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you'll hear their fear come out.
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>> And so what I want to teach us tonight
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is for where we are going as a church,
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for where you are going as an
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individual, as a family, we cannot and
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we don't have the luxury of letting fear
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talk. We have to let faith talk. Amen.
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That means as a body, as a body of
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believers, when we step across these
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sacred thresholds, whether you feel it
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or not, praise God, this is the way
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we're going.
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>> Hello, spirit fingers. Everybody in the
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house,
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>> saying, "Pastor, you should preach this
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on Sunday. I'm gonna preach it on
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Wednesday."
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>> And then if I have to, I'll just take
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these notes and I'll repeat on Sunday. I
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ain't scared. Don't bother me one bit.
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The only difference between now and
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Sunday is I'll be standing up yelling.
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Come on, it's true. Y'all know it's
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true. And I'll tell Michael, "Get on
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that organ." And everybody be like, "Oh,
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hallelujah. Hallelujah."
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I don't know where that came from, but
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anyways.
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But I want us to be on the same page and
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have our wine skin renewed so we're able
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to hold what God is about to pour out in
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this house.
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I I just being honest. The the rich
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history that we have is going to be
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connected to the great destiny that God
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has for us. Thank God for everything he
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has done. We honor what God has done in
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this house. Amen.
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>> Because if none of that was done before,
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the foundations weren't laid, we would
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not be able to build upon that right
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now. That's why I, you know, that's why
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I'm super thankful for Pastor Johnson
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and Sister Johnson in the house. These
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are some of our great former pastors of
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this great house. And come on, can we
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take a moment and just give the go give
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God a hand for these precious folks
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right here. I love you so much. I love
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you so much. But if it had not been for
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their sacrifices, we wouldn't be in this
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building today.
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>> It's just the truth. They spearheaded
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that. They led that and said, "Hey,
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we're doing it." Whether it makes sense
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or not, we're doing it. Amen. Because
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they heard the voice of God. They said,
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"We're not gonna listen to fear talk.
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We're gonna let faith talk."
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Okay. So, watch this. If we if we're not
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careful, we will magnify the wrong thing
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and it'll be what we speak about, think
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about, and it will control our life. But
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after tonight, rather, what we're going
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to do is we're not going to focus only
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on fear tonight because a lot of times
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in these messages, we talk about fear,
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fear, fear, fear, fear. I'm not going to
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do that. I'm going to give us the the
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anecdote to fear and not allow fear to
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be what we magnify. I do have to address
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it, but that's not how we're going to
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get out of it.
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Amen. You got to have something when you
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walk out that door. I got something to
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chew on all week. So, we're going to
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focus on what the Lord desires to give
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us rather than what the enemy wants to
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give us. And so, let's look at part B of
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2 Timothy chapter 1 verse number 7 where
2 Timothy 1 chapter mention
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God said, watch this. He's not given us
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a spirit of fear, but of power. Somebody
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say power.
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>> Power,
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>> love.
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>> Love
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>> and a sound mind.
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So the enemy wants to give me fear. He
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wants to get that spirit of fear wants
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to come. But the spirit of God wants to
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give me power, love, and a sound mind or
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self-control.
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Okay? Now, because I believe if we can
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catch a glimpse of what God has for us
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when the enemy presents something
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different, we won't be swayed by it.
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We will know what God has for us and the
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fact that it is better than anything the
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enemy can bring against our life or
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bring to our life. And we won't be drawn
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away by the enemy's traps. And watch
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this. We won't self-sabotage.
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>> Come on.
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>> Okay. The enemy wants to make us fearful
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in the point that we will self-sabotage,
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but in the name of Jesus, not in this
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house.
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Now, part of the way we're going to
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accomplish this is by what Paul said to
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Timothy in 2 Timothy chapter 4:es 1-5.
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He said, "I charge you therefore before
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God and the Lord Jesus Christ who will
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judge the living and the dead and at his
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appearing and his kingdom." He said this
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to Timothy. He said, Timothy, he said,
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"Preach the word." Somebody shout,
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"Preach the word."
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>> Preach the word. Be ready or in season
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and out of season. convince, rebuke,
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exhort with all longsuffering and
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teaching. For the time will come when
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they will not endure sound doctrine, but
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according to their own desires, watch
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this, because they have itching ears,
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they will heap up for themselves
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teachers, and they will turn their ears
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away from the truth, and be turned aside
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to fables, but you be watchful in all
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things, endure afflictions, do the work
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of an evangelist, and he said, fulfill
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your ministry. One of the tasks of that
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that we're going to use in this house to
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combat a spirit of fear is by preaching
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the word of God.
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>> Faith comes by hearing and hearing by
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the word of God. That means when we
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stand up here, whether it's me or one of
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the other ministers and they stand up
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here and preach, we're not going to come
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loaded with our opinions and our
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stories. We're going to come loaded with
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what the word of God says.
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We don't have time to to to to meander
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down story lane and all those different
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things when we have people's lives
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hanging in the balance. I want the word
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of God coming forward in power and
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authority
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>> because the gospel is what sets men
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free.
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>> The gospel confronts, right? It brings a
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sword. All right. Jesus said, "I didn't
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come to bring peace. I came to bring a
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sword." We're going to divide some
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things.
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>> I know that's contrary to what everybody
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the loveydovey Jesus. Come on.
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>> But Jesus said, "I'm bringing a sword.
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We're fixing to swing some things,
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right? We're fixing to cut some things.
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In other words, we're going to purify a
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church. He said, "I'm going to get my
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bride ready."
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Amen.
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>> So, in this vein, the way that we
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prepare the bride is we preach the word
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of God. All right? That's one side of
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things. Another side of things is this
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is that you and I will start taking
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ownership of our own faith.
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Okay,
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that's good preaching.
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>> How do I take ownership of my own faith?
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Read the word for yourself.
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>> Please,
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>> please read it. Because we have a
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because we don't because a generation
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has not taken the word of God seriously.
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We have a biblically illiterate
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generation coming up.
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because it's easier for them to get
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their scripture off of Tik Tok than it
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is to get to the word of God and see
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what God has to say.
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>> It's just the truth. I'm just being
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honest.
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>> And if we can be honest, we want things
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quick, fast, in a hurry. We We want the
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microwave thing rather than going with a
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slow cooker.
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>> Slow cooker takes more time, but it
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tastes better
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>> and it will sustain you better.
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Microwaves take all the good nutrients
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out of it.
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>> So, we have to get down to a point to
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where we read the word for ourselves.
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Say, "Well, I'm not sure what to do
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about that." Well, listen. If you watch
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our announcements, scroll by long
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enough, you can get on this thing called
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the Bible app. All right? And we
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actually have a place on the Bible app
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for our church to join up with different
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Bible studies and things like that. You
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can link up with that. But also, you can
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get on there and you can find a way to
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discover a Bible reading plan that will
-
help you have something that's
-
systematic to where you're not just like
-
you don't go old school and say, "All
-
right, power flip. What are we going to
-
read today?" You know what I'm saying?
-
You get you get systematic about it and
-
say, "Lord, teach me, show me things.
-
Let me go to this is practical things
-
how we drive the spirit of fear out and
-
we embrace what God wants to have in our
-
life." Because we we could get I can get
-
up here and I could stir you up, man. I
-
could go I could go find a really cool
-
Old Testament story of victory and and
-
judges. I could go back there and find I
-
could preach the one about where they
-
defend David and his men defended the
-
bean patch and baby we could preach
-
about fighting for your family and man I
-
can get up here and say hallelujah glory
-
to God. But if we don't walk out of here
-
and say we're going to go back to the
-
house and read the word for oursel all I
-
have done is entertain you.
-
>> Amen.
-
>> Inspiration's good. Come on. Challen
-
high challenge is good. But if there's
-
nothing hitting the road when we get
-
home, then we are still as messed up as
-
we were when we walked in.
-
>> And I refuse to pastor a church that
-
does not get in the word of God.
-
>> Get in the word. But I want to take it a
-
step further than that. Read the word,
-
but study the word.
-
>> Meditate on the word. Don't just read it
-
and say, "That was good. Now let's move
-
on to what we got to do." Read it.
-
Contemplate it. Pray about it. And say,
-
"Lord, speak to me."
-
Let him show you. Find resources that
-
will help you understand what the word
-
of God says. Trusted resources.
-
Come on. Not just crazy people.
-
>> We we going we're going to try our best
-
in the next um in the next several
-
weeks. We're going to we're going to do
-
something we ain't never done before.
-
We're going to launch a podcast from the
-
church that we're going to go on there
-
and we're going to we're going to
-
dissect scripture. We're going to talk
-
about that. Our messages will be
-
available on there um as far as the
-
preaching of the word goes, all those
-
things. But we're going to take deep
-
dives into scripture and we're going to
-
try to facilitate disciplehip on there
-
because I know people's life is
-
fast-paced. I get it. But I don't want
-
just any kind of information coming to
-
you. I want it to be the real deal.
-
>> Amen.
-
>> And so it takes some effort on our part
-
to study. Reading is one thing, but
-
studying is another thing.
-
It's okay to go back and find out who
-
wrote it, why they wrote it, when they
-
wrote it, what the culture was, where
-
they wrote it, what the economic
-
situation, what was the political
-
situation when they wrote it. Because I
-
promise you, it will open up a whole
-
another world of scripture.
-
>> It will let you see it for what it
-
really was in that moment. But here's
-
the beauty about the word of God. It
-
meant it for them, but it also translate
-
to us today.
-
It doesn't just skip us because it was
-
written to them.
-
Okay. All right. That's enough of that.
-
Read the word. Study the word. All
-
right. How else am I going to take my
-
take ownership of my faith? I'm going to
-
pray.
-
>> Spend time in prayer. Pray over your
-
children.
-
Pray over your children's rooms.
-
>> Anoint it. Pray over them. You don't
-
have to be spooky or mystical. Just be
-
believe the word of God.
-
Amen.
-
>> You pray. I'm gonna lay this one on you.
-
Fast.
-
>> Fast on your own.
-
>> Amen. That's what God has called us to
-
do as believers.
-
While the bridegroom is here, there was
-
no need of that. But he's gone now. And
-
so, we have to prepare oursel through
-
prayer, fasting, reading, and studying.
-
Fellowship with believers. Can I get a
-
witness in the house?
-
>> Take time to fellowship with other
-
people. You're going to have a great
-
opportunity in the next few several
-
weeks when we launch our liberty groups
-
to join up with folks that are leading
-
this and making sure that we have plenty
-
of time to fellowship and make sure that
-
we have time to fellowship around God's
-
word and it's going to be beautiful.
-
Here's another way that you can take
-
ownership of your faith. Step up and
-
serve.
-
>> Step up and serve. Find an area of
-
ministry that you can step up and serve
-
in. And I promise you that will take
-
your faith to another level. There is
-
nothing like serving. Remember when
-
Jesus said when the disciples said,
-
"Hey, let's go in the city and grab you
-
some food." And Jesus said, "Don't worry
-
about it. I got food you don't even know
-
about."
-
>> Remember him saying that? And of course,
-
they were sitting there thinking,
-
"Listen, who brought Jesus fish and
-
bread? How dare somebody else take my
-
position?" No. Jesus was feasting on the
-
will of God, serving in the kingdom
-
himself. Can I tell you, when you serve,
-
it takes your relationship to another
-
level. And you you get you get around
-
other people of like faith and you're
-
pushing the same direction for the same
-
purpose. Man, it becomes something
-
powerful. This p this past weekend,
-
right, you guys went for You've been
-
You've been coined. Was it this weekend?
-
It was this weekend. Yeah, it was this
-
weekend. You guys went for You've been
-
coined. And there was an encounter that
-
they had with a young man that gave his
-
life to Jesus. and they had the
-
opportunity to lead somebody to Christ
-
by paying, come on, paying for laundry
-
detergent and paying for somebody's
-
laundry to get done. Can I tell you? But
-
everybody that was in that circle,
-
everybody was there, they received
-
strength in that moment
-
>> because they were in the room. They were
-
in the position and they got strength.
-
Okay? So serve, evangelize, tell people
-
about Jesus. Tell people about Jesus. So
-
let's break down the scripture in 2
-
Timothy 1:7. For God has not given us a
-
spirit of fear, but of power and of love
-
and of a sound mind. That's what the New
-
King James Version says. This is I did
-
write this down. The the Passion
-
translation says it like this. For God
-
will never give you the spirit of fear.
-
That's good.
-
>> He will never give you the spirit of
-
fear. But watch this. He said, let me
-
let me read it in context. For God will
-
never give you the spirit of fear, but
-
the Holy Spirit
-
>> who gives you mighty power, love, and
-
self-control.
-
So, there's a statement I'll make at the
-
end, but I'll go and make it now. Why
-
would I want to take something that God
-
didn't give to me?
-
>> If the enemy is going to give me fear,
-
why why I don't want that? God did not
-
intend for me to have that.
-
Now, some people are thinking, "Well,
-
what about like whenever, you know, I
-
got to like run out to the mailbox in
-
the dark and like I start out walking
-
slow and then I take off running
-
faster."
-
What about that? Is that Is that Am I
-
being fearful? No, you're just being
-
human, man. There's boogie monsters out
-
there. Take off running.
-
I ain't walking in that mailbox and
-
back. The devil is a liar.
-
Shoot. Shoot. There might be a possum
-
out there that'll get me.
-
or knowing some of the crazy people I'm
-
around. There may be somebody in the
-
woods trying to scare me.
-
>> Or there may be people cutting off my my
-
my satellite during the middle of
-
football game. Ain't that right, Brother
-
Jack, Sister Mary. I don't know who
-
would do something crazy like that. My
-
Lord, right in the middle of Notre Dame
-
game.
-
It's all right. But I just that's those
-
kind of fears. Hey, you know what? Be
-
scared of the dark, scared of heights.
-
Man, I am terrified of heights.
-
My God of heaven.
-
Every time I get on a plane, I just get
-
so terrified. Like I don't I don't tell
-
nobody, but boy,
-
that seat, I'm surprised it don't have a
-
hole in it for my butt chewing it up.
-
Come on. I get nervous. I get so
-
nervous. I don't know if y'all do this,
-
but man, when turbulence starts
-
happening, I cannot sit still.
-
If if I like move, then I feel like I'm
-
the one moving the plane and it's not
-
all the crazy air pressure around. We
-
may go down at any second. I'm like,
-
well, that's just me. I'm just
-
stretching my legs. You know, the
-
plane's rocking a little bit. I Y'all,
-
it takes everything in my brain to focus
-
on the fact that I'm not 35,000 ft in
-
the air. Oh, when I start thinking about
-
it, start thinking about the goodness of
-
Jesus, maybe I'm closer to heaven than I
-
don't know.
-
>> Anyways, I'm a scaredy-cat, but I I
-
don't let on to it too much. I I do
-
okay. I do all right. See that? My
-
lady's learning something new right now.
-
She don't even know. I was terrified the
-
entire weekend.
-
I'll be honest with you. The one time I
-
was really scared
-
is when we were me and the girls were
-
leaving uh Jackson Hole. And if you ever
-
been to Jackson Hole, it's literally in
-
a horseshoe of the Tetons. Like the the
-
airport is down and there's no wind
-
really at the airport itself. But when
-
you take off and you hit the top of the
-
mountains, there's like this wind shear
-
that is there. Um, and it was me and
-
Bailey, Laya, and Tara. They were they
-
were on the other side of the aisle in
-
those three seats. I was here by a brand
-
new married couple. And man, we were
-
taking off and it was beautiful. But as
-
soon as we hit the top of those
-
mountains, I No kidding. the plane slid,
-
started sliding. And they Tara, God
-
bless her, she was younger, she had her
-
headphones in, eating popcorn, watching
-
movie, didn't even care. Laya, she kind
-
of looked at me in the big old eyes. And
-
then Bailey's like, "Dad, ARE WE GOING
-
TO DIE? WE'RE GOING TO DIE."
-
So she's doing that from that side. The
-
married couple, they join hands and
-
there is a prayer meeting going on the
-
left side of me and we are sliding and
-
bumping and going all kinds of crazy.
-
And I was like, "But it's fine, baby.
-
We're we're good. We're good. Daddy's
-
I am great. I'm doing great right now."
-
But that I was so terrified during that
-
moment. Didn't mean I didn't trust the
-
Lord. I was like, it's what we've always
-
said. I don't mind dying. I don't want
-
to die something stupid.
-
I mean, I guess that'd be all right way
-
to die. Go down with the plane, but I
-
just I don't really want to. But you
-
know, it just it there are some fears
-
that are natural occurring fears that
-
are not from the enemy. Okay? So, what
-
that's not what I'm talking about. I'm
-
talking about when the enemy tries to
-
inflict fear on top of your life, on top
-
of your family. Okay? So, he said this.
-
He said that that for God will not give
-
us the spirit. He will never give you
-
the spirit of fear, but the Holy Spirit
-
who gives you mighty power, love, and
-
self-control. This literally boils down
-
um to which of the two spirits we are
-
going to receive.
-
The one spirit is the spirit of fear,
-
but the one that we should receive is
-
the Holy Spirit. So, we have the choice.
-
Do we pick which one we pick? The spirit
-
of fear is an option that we could pick,
-
but it leads to destruction.
-
The Holy Spirit is the better option.
-
Can I get an amen?
-
>> Which brings mighty power, love, and
-
self-control.
-
So, for the fact of going to go and pick
-
for everybody in the house, we're
-
picking the Holy Spirit.
-
>> All right? And so, I was going to leave
-
it up to everybody, but I don't want
-
nobody be crazy and say, "Yeah, let's
-
give a spirit of fear." No. No. Shh. Be
-
quiet. We're going to go with the Holy
-
Spirit. Everybody say, "I pick the Holy
-
Spirit."
-
>> I
-
>> Okay. And he brings mighty power, love,
-
and self-control. So, let's talk about
-
those three things. All right? We're not
-
going to focus on fear anymore. Fear can
-
come whenever it wants to. But if I see
-
what God has for me when fear does come,
-
I will instantly reject fear.
-
>> Okay? So, he's going to give me and
-
bring me mighty power. Wow. Watch this.
-
We are not called to live and be
-
powerless.
-
We are called to be powerful in the
-
kingdom of God. How do you know that
-
pastor? I can go to the book of Acts
Acts 1 chapter mention
-
chapter 1 and verse number eight. He
-
said, "But you shall receive power when
-
the Holy Ghost has come upon you." Amen.
-
>> He said this in Romans chapter 8:37. He
-
said, "Yet in all these things we are
-
more than conquerors. We have g been
-
given power to conquer by him who loved
-
us who is Christ Jesus. We have been
-
called to be a powerful generation. Not
-
a broken generation, not a cursed
-
generation, not a not a cyclical
-
generation that is stuck in the cycles
-
of of destruction and and and and the
-
chaos and the anarchy of the enemy. No,
-
we are called to have power to break the
-
cycles of the enemy and let him know he
-
does not have power over us. But guess
-
what? We have power over you, enemy. My
-
marriage will not be broken because I
-
will have self-control. I will be mighty
-
in power and grace and I will not let
-
the enemy wreak havoc on my family
-
because I am a person and identified
-
with power that comes not from me but
-
from God himself. Can you say amen?
-
>> Now we have power that is God-given.
-
Okay. God-given power so that we cannot
-
have pride when we overcome the enemy.
-
>> Come on. Come on.
-
>> Because a lot of people they win a
-
victory. They say, "Woo, man. Look what
-
I did."
-
>> Can I tell you that's that's dangerous.
-
>> Pride comes before destruction
-
>> and a hotty spirit before a fall.
-
And so we got to be careful in our
-
hearts, in our lives to recognize our
-
position. Again, we're not in control.
-
We are only stewarding this.
-
>> So it's like, brother Jerry Paul, if I
-
just went out tomorrow and I bought you
-
I bought myself because that would make
-
more sense. I bought myself a Ferrari,
-
which would not fit any of my family in
-
it except for me and my wife, which
-
would be kind of fun. But if I bought
-
myself Ferrari, but I said, "Hey,
-
Jarpot, I'm going to loan this to you
-
for you to take care of for me,
-
right? You don't just put any regular
-
gas in there. You don't put regular oil
-
in there. You have to There's special
-
things you got to do to caress the
-
Ferrari. Come on. And take care of it."
-
But you're going to feel an immense
-
responsibility because it's not just
-
yours. You have been loaned this and you
-
have been called to be a steward of
-
that, right? And so it's the same thing
-
with us and this power that God has
-
given us. It is not our power. He is
-
loaning this power to us to operate in
-
to do his work.
-
>> And so does that give a fresh
-
perspective of it that that we receive
-
it, but I ain't in control of this
-
thing. He is the one that's in control
-
of it. I cannot manipulate the power of
-
God to do what I want it to do.
-
>> Let's go Star Wars. It is not the force.
-
The force be with no the force not be
-
with me. I want to be in line with the
-
power of God.
-
>> Okay, you're watching this now. We're
-
not called to be powerless. We're called
-
to be powerful. Now, we through this
-
power, we have mighty power over sin.
-
I want you to see this. These are things
-
that God gives us. Fear does not give us
-
the spirit of fear. Romans 6:18 or 6:14
-
rather says it like this. For sin shall
-
not have dominion or power over you,
-
>> but we have power and dominion over sin.
-
We have authority over sin. We have
-
mighty power, watch this, over demonic
-
spirits as well.
-
>> We have we have power over demonic
-
influences
-
and watch this. We have power over
-
rebellion and witchcraft.
-
All the operations of the enemy. For we
-
don't wrestle against flesh and blood,
-
but against power, principalities,
-
powers, rulers of darkness, spiritual
-
wickedness in high places, all these
-
things. We wrestle against those things.
-
But here's what you need to understand.
-
The power that God gave you gives you
-
power over those. You are not to fall
-
into a place where you fear the enemy.
-
You are to stand in a place that you
-
know that the power that God gave you is
-
greater than anything that could come
-
against your life.
-
>> Sickness that tries to revisit your
-
life. I am more powerful than that. Not
-
because of me, but because of the one
-
who lives inside of me.
-
>> So I will not walk in fear. I will not
-
operate in fear, but I will operate in
-
power and faith.
-
>> And then again, the danger is and I
-
preached about this on Sunday, the
-
disciples whenever they were brought
-
when this this dad brought this
-
demon-possessed child to them and said,
-
"We need you to cast this demon out."
-
Jesus and Peter, James, and John came
-
off the mountain of transfiguration and
-
brought they came down into a chaotic
-
situation. The disciples failed. People
-
were going crazy. The dad's crying. The
-
the son is flopping around the ground,
-
demonpossessed. And Jesus walks out of
-
the glory right into a chaotic situation
-
because the disciples, watch this, they
-
had already cast out demons before. But
-
what they did not realize is the way I
-
did it before is not the same way God's
-
going to use me the next time.
-
>> Okay? And a lot of times we will out of
-
fear we will try to replicate what
-
happened before thinking that's what God
-
called us to do now when God has called
-
us to go to a different pattern and not
-
rely on an old way of doing things and
-
say God I trust you more than I do my
-
traditions
-
>> I'm preaching good right now
-
>> because they got bound in that and
-
because they tried it the same way they
-
did IT BEFORE. GO BACK AGAIN. MARK
Mark 9 chapter mention
-
chapter 9 is where the story took place.
-
I think it's Mark chapter 6 toward the
Mark 6 chapter mention
-
end of it where they cast out demons.
-
They were given the power. So they HAD
-
THE POWER, BUT THEY WERE TRYING TO
-
REPLICATE something they did BEFORE
-
WITHOUT TRUSTING GOD TO GIVE THEM THE
-
power again.
-
>> And can I tell you the kingdom of God
-
does not it does not operate off of
-
replication. It operates off of faith.
-
>> Yes.
-
>> Faith, not fear. Jesus isn't here, so we
-
got to repeat the same thing we did last
-
time. No. Trust him. Look at the
-
situation. See the faith of the father
-
and say, "Yes, be free in Jesus name."
-
>> Come on.
-
>> It's not my word anyways. It's not my
-
power. I have to operate in that. Now, I
-
can get meddling into that all night.
-
I'm not going to. But we have power over
-
rebellion and witchcraft. How do you
-
know that we have power over that?
-
Because the self-samed spirit that
-
raised Christ from the dead lives in us.
-
>> That's all I need to know. His spirit
-
lives in me as a believer. Therefore, I
-
carry the same authority that Christ
-
carried on this earth.
-
Amen.
-
>> We'll teach about that later, too.
-
We are called to push back darkness. All
-
right? But watch this. Scripture also
-
instructs us to be careful in this
-
matter when it comes to demon spirits.
-
It comes to influences, comes to
-
witchcraft, rebellion, spiritual
-
wickedness in high places. Watch this.
-
Scripture instructs us not to rejoice
-
over this power.
-
Right? It is something that I am I am uh
-
cognizant of. I understand it. I know
-
it. Therefore, it it it allows me not to
-
operate in fear, but I'm not here to
-
rejoice over that. But he said rather
-
rejoice that your name is written in the
-
Lamb's book of life.
-
>> Come on, somebody. Is anybody's name
-
written in the lamb's book of life
-
tonight? Can we take a moment and just
-
obey God and rejoice right there for a
-
second?
-
Hallelujah.
-
>> I don't rejoice because I can go around
-
and I can cast out demons. I rejoice
-
because I'm on my way to heaven.
-
>> That's a powerful thing that we operate
-
and we walk in.
-
>> All right. Now, we also have mighty
-
power in the middle of our weaknesses.
-
God demonstrates his power through human
-
weaknesses.
-
And watch this. God deliberately works
-
through weak people to display his
-
spirit's power.
-
If we will stay humble, he will exalt
-
us. Right?
-
The scripture, if we'll stay humble
-
where we are, that's why I always tell
-
my team and anybody that I'm working
-
with, you better stay humble and hungry
-
because if you lose either one of those,
-
I can't track with you anymore.
-
Amen.
-
>> If you're gonna get if you're going to
-
get all hottie, I c I can't work around
-
that kind of thought.
-
>> I can't do it. If you're going to be if
-
you're not going to be hungry, if you're
-
going to be satisfied, I can't work with
-
that either.
-
>> Amen.
-
>> So, we're going to be humble and hungry.
-
In that same vein, I'm thankful that
-
God, even in spite of my weaknesses,
-
chooses to use me.
-
It's it's a beautiful thing, but also a
-
humbling thing. He doesn't have to
-
choose me, but he did.
-
He did choose us. God's power oftentimes
-
operates most effectively
-
within impossible circumstances.
-
When things don't even look like they're
-
supposed to look.
-
when you get to the doctor's office and
-
you said, "I didn't think it was going
-
to go like that."
-
Amen.
-
>> When when you're not sure what is going
-
on, that's when God's power can operate
-
most effectively because at that point,
-
it is out of your control to produce
-
results.
-
>> It's out of your control. Brother Ernie,
-
I remember I wasn't I wasn't here during
-
that time. It was right before I came in
-
2008 n that area right there uh when
-
everything happened and your colon and
-
all those different things. And I
-
remember pastor telling me the story of
-
how they would they were in the hospital
-
and squeezing their hand right squeezing
-
until literally their fists would just
-
like it was like cramped up because they
-
were praying so hard because in the
-
flesh it looked absolutely impossible
-
for you to even be here in 2026. That's
-
crazy that it's 2026 number one. But
-
thank God that even in the midst of an
-
impossible situation, he showed up. And
-
so what I say again is the same God that
-
showed up back then is the same God
-
that's showing up right now in Jesus
-
name. I believe that with all my heart.
-
If he did it then, he'll do it again.
-
Amen. So I speak that over you, sir.
-
>> Even in our weaknesses. Now watch this.
-
He operates most effectively within
-
impossible circumstances. Meaning this
-
that our limitations will not hinder his
-
power.
-
Our limitations will not hinder God's
-
power. But watch this. Our limitations
-
though become a canvas for God to paint
-
his miracle working grace on.
-
That's how he gets the most glory. If
-
you know how to fix it, it's hard really
-
to give God a lot of glory for that. But
-
if you get into a situation, you have no
-
answer and you have no recourse for
-
what's going on, but you say, "My trust
-
is in the Lord." And then he comes
-
through. Come on. Let me tell you,
-
that's where God paints his masterpiece
-
right there.
-
>> I got a report from one of my my best
-
buddies, Pastor Lee Tate from over in
-
Pensacola. He sent me a text. And let me
-
actually I'll just let me, if y'all
-
don't mind, can I just pull that text up
-
real quick? Let me see. He texted me
-
today, I think it was. Let me let me
-
just pull that up. Hold, please. Here we
-
go. Here. Here it is. He said, he texted
-
me yesterday afternoon around 4:30. He
-
said, "I just got off the phone with my
-
wife." He said, "My father-in-law was
-
given two years to live with treatment
-
with with stage four cancer last fall,
-
but he said today he is cancerree after
-
it had metastasized all over his body."
-
Come on. I I just can we just take a
-
moment and give God praise for that? I
-
just I felt that right there. That's an
-
impossible situation. But the canvas God
-
painted on. Oh my God. I feel the glory
-
of the Lord. CAN WE REJOICE WITH MY
-
BUDDY? I BELIEVE GOD SAY IF HE DID IT
-
THEN, HE'S GOING TO DO IT TONIGHT. IF
-
YOU NEED A MIRACLE, I DARE YOU TO GIVE
-
GOD PRAISE TONIGHT FOR HIS MIRACLE
-
working power. Hallelujah.
-
My God.
-
>> Yes, he do. He can do it.
-
>> Man, that's good, y'all.
-
He didn't even know he was going to be
-
part of my sermon tonight. I didn't know
-
it either.
-
>> I'm telling you, if God can do it like
-
that,
-
>> I tell you, he he wants to do that
-
>> all the time.
-
>> But what we have to do is get to a place
-
where we say, "God, I'm humble before
-
you. I don't have the answer, but I'm
-
trusting you to give me the answer." And
-
here's what here's the here's the
-
tendency. We can come to an altar and
-
and we do this a lot. We come and we
-
bring it to God and we lay it all down.
-
But as soon as we go back out, we get
-
back on WebMD and try to figure out how
-
to fix it.
-
>> Right?
-
>> Amen.
-
>> And I'm not knocking that. I'm not
-
knocking being wise. I'm not knocking
-
having a plan. But what I'm telling you
-
is don't try to take it away from God
-
and do it yourself. Let him fix it.
-
If you need God to come through in your
-
family uh financially, if you need God
-
to come through in your family uh with a
-
home, with housing, whatever it looks
-
like, can I tell you God can make all of
-
that happen if we just place our trust
-
in him
-
>> and let him let him do what he does best
-
and that's the miraculous.
-
>> It's so much better when he does it,
-
too. I'm just being honest.
-
>> You know, I look back over my life and
-
the times where I made it happen, it
-
didn't work out very good. But when he
-
came through, it was joyful. It was
-
sweet, and it was beautiful.
-
>> And it sustained. If I can just be real
-
honest, when God showed up, it was
-
sustainable.
-
Whenever we do it, then we have to keep
-
performing.
-
>> We got to keep performing. Okay. Am I
-
helping anybody tonight?
-
>> All right. So, the last scripture I want
-
to I want to bring in on that is 2
-
Corinthians uh 12:es 9-11. And I kind of
-
compressed it a little bit tonight just
-
to give you the front and back end of
-
it. He said, "My grace is sufficient for
-
you, for my power is made perfect in
-
weaknesses." And then he said at the end
-
of that verse number 11, he said, "For
-
when I am weak, then I am strong." Then
-
I'm strong. Isn't that beautiful? Isn't
-
that beautiful? So you can't tell me
-
that God doesn't have mighty power at
-
work in our life. He does. So that's the
-
that's the first thing that power mighty
-
power he gives us. The second thing it
-
gives us is love. Look at your neighbor
-
and say, "Love."
-
>> Love, love, love. And I'll say this at
-
the beginning of talking about love.
-
Don't be ashamed of truth.
-
Because truth and love, they they work
-
together.
-
A lot of times we feel like, well, if I
-
can just pacify somebody, that means I
-
love them. Pacifying somebody is not
-
loving them.
-
It's not.
-
You know, if that's what you're wanting
-
me to do, you're going to be gravely
-
disappointed.
-
Amen. Just go ahead and put that up
-
front because I I'm not I'm not here to
-
pacify you. I'm here to lead you. I'm
-
here to take this church where God wants
-
it to go. I'm here to lead you and your
-
family where God desires for us to go.
-
I'm not here to pacify you and hope help
-
you feel comfortable in an existence
-
that's not moving forward.
-
>> Okay?
-
>> All right. I don't know where that came
-
from either, but don't be ashamed of the
-
truth. Maybe it's the truth. Now, second
-
Timothy chapter 1
-
verse 8 through2 says it like this.
-
Therefore, do not be ashamed of the
-
testimony of our Lord. Don't don't be
-
ashamed of truth nor of me his prisoner
-
but share with me in the sufferings for
-
the gospel according to the power of
-
God. It says, "He who or who has saved
-
us and called us with a holy calling,
-
not according to our works, but
-
according to his own purpose and grace
-
which was given to us in Christ Jesus
-
before time began, but has now been
-
revealed by the appearing of our Lord of
-
our Savior Jesus Christ, who has
-
abolished death and brought life and
-
immortality to light through the gospel
-
to which I was appointed a preacher, an
-
apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.
-
For this reason, I also suffer these
-
things. Nevertheless, I am not ashamed.
-
Somebody say, "I'm not ashamed."
-
>> I'm not ashamed.
-
>> For I know whom I have believed, and I
-
am persuaded that he is able to keep
-
that which I've committed to him against
-
that day. Can I tell you, not being
-
ashamed of the truth of the gospel is
-
what love is really all about.
-
>> Because truth is love.
-
Truth is love.
-
>> Speaking the truth is love. Ephesians
-
4:15 says, "But instead we will remain
-
strong and always sincere in our love as
-
we express the truth."
-
>> So anywhere you see these two things
-
working together, you're seeing the will
-
of God come to pass and what the spirit
-
of God is giving us, not fear, but now
-
he's giving us love. And that love comes
-
hand in hand with truth. We as
-
believers, watch this, will not only
-
receive his love. We will become the
-
resting place of his love.
-
We will become that as we as we are
-
gifted this love and this truth. Because
-
Ephesians chapter 41 17-19 says, "Then
-
by constantly using your faith, the life
-
of Christ will be released deep inside
-
of you and the resting of his love will
-
become the very source and root of your
-
life." Wow. It will become the source
-
and the root of our life. And then it
-
says in 18 and 19, then you will be
-
empowered to discover what every holy
-
one experiences. The great magnitude and
-
the astonishing love of Christ in all
-
its dimensions. How deeply intimate and
-
farreaching his is his love. How
-
enduring and inclusive it is. Endless
-
love beyond measurement that transcends
-
our understanding. This extravagant love
-
pours into you until you are filled to
-
overflowing with the fullness of God.
-
Did you see all the all the descriptions
-
of his love? It will become a resting
-
place. The source and the root, the
-
great magnitude of his love, astonishing
-
love, intimate love, farreaching love,
-
enduring love, inclusive love, endless
-
love, beyond measurement, transcending
-
understanding, extravagant love. Can I
-
tell you that is the very definition of
-
being filled to overflowing with the
-
great love of our savior? I don't know
-
about you, but how many ready to receive
-
his love tonight? Anybody ready to
-
receive that? I I'm just telling you, I
-
want every bit of the love of God.
-
>> Because when I'm filled with the
-
fullness, watch this. Then I'm gonna
-
overflow on somebody else.
-
>> And that's what God's design is. Yes, it
-
is for you, sir. And yes, it is for you,
-
ma'am. His love is for you to enjoy, but
-
it's not for you to harbor only for
-
yourself.
-
>> It's to become a flowing well. Stagnant
-
water does nothing for anybody. But when
-
it becomes a flowing well, if you'll
-
give, watch this. The Bible says that he
-
would give seed to the sewer.
-
>> What does that mean, pastor? That means
-
if you're stingy, he ain't going to give
-
you none.
-
>> If you're stingy with your time, stingy
-
with your money, God's going to take
-
that away from you.
-
>> Hello.
-
>> But if you will say, I refuse to be
-
stingy. I want to produce what God has
-
called me to be. I will overflow on
-
somebody else. What you what you flow
-
out or what flows out of you, God will
-
put back in you. He will continue to put
-
it into you as you have an outflow. If
-
you're willing to be a good steward,
-
there it is. Of his love. We'll be a
-
steward of his power, but we have to be
-
a steward of his love as well. Bring
-
that other people. Now, let's talk about
-
the third part of that scripture, the
-
sound mind or or self-control, right?
-
One way or the other. It can go it can
-
go both sides. We're going to talk about
-
a little bit of both of those. A sound
-
mind represents stability and mental
-
health,
-
but it isn't something that can be
-
obtained through intellectual capacity.
-
A sound mind that he's talking about is
-
not something that you can get a degree
-
about
-
and you can talk through. This is a gift
-
from God.
-
Amen.
-
>> Can we agree upon that?
-
You got to pick that spirit. Spirit of
-
fear or the spirit of God. Holy Spirit.
-
And with the Holy Spirit comes power,
-
love, and sound mind. Now, I will say
-
this. There are godly, Holy Ghost fil
-
people that can help you get to a place
-
of stability. Amen.
-
>> But it is still a gift from God. He may
-
choose to use an instrument to bring
-
that to your life and help you get to
-
that point, but let me tell you
-
something. The gift that is coming to
-
you is from God. They are just a channel
-
that it flows through.
-
Now we possess it through God's power,
-
his mercy and his grace. If fear comes
-
into the picture, fear distorts our
-
thinking and derails believers from
-
God's will. Okay?
-
But making a renewed mind is essential
-
for discerning the purpose and the plan
-
and the will of God for our life. When
-
Paul references a a sound mind, watch
-
this. He points to the Holy Spirit's
-
work producing obedience in our life to
-
follow in the word of God and follow the
-
steps that he's laid out in his word. A
-
transformation
-
that reshapes identity from within
-
rather than from merely improving
-
external discipline. This is a inside
-
job.
-
It starts inside and then works its way
-
outside.
-
The word of God says in Isaiah 53 that
-
he was wounded for our transgressions
-
and he was bruised for our iniquities.
-
Okay? If you understand what a bruise
-
is, bruise is an outward sign of
-
bleeding on the inside.
-
Can I tell you, God didn't do anything
-
by accident and he didn't put in his
-
word by accident. I'm not here and I'm
-
not naive to think that there's not some
-
people in here that are struggling with
-
a sound mind tonight because the enemy
-
has tried to put fear on you. But can I
-
tell you that our savior was bruised for
-
your iniquities. He was bruised for
-
those places inside of you that are
-
hurting. The bleeding that was on the
-
inside, it was for that hurt that's on
-
the inside of you tonight.
-
>> And so I say this, the blood that he
-
bled on the outside, oh, we saw that and
-
we received that for forgiveness. But
-
the blood that was on the inside that
-
was flowing on the inside of his body
-
was to touch the very soul of our being
-
so that we don't have to suffer in
-
silence.
-
TOO MANY TIMES WE SHOUT ABOUT IT AND WE
-
MISS THE FACT THAT SOMEBODY needs
-
healing on the inside of their life.
-
>> They're broken. They are bruised. They
-
have been battered by the enemy and they
-
don't know which WAY IS UP AND EVEN
-
WHICH WAY IS DOWN. AND THEY DON'T EVEN
-
KNOW how they made it in the house. BUT
-
CAN I TELL YOU, I SERVE A GOD WHO CAN
-
RESTORE YOU IN AN INSTANT. AND YOU CAN
-
WALK OUT AND SAY, "I'VE GOT PEACE IN MY
-
SPIRIT LIKE I'VE NEVER HAD BEFORE."
-
THAT'S THE KIND OF GOD WE SERVE.
-
>> That's the kind of savior we serve. It's
-
not so much exterior things, but it
-
starts on the inside.
-
This inward renewal enables believers to
-
move beyond anxiety and confusion to
-
clarity and peace.
-
It is not God's will for you to live in
-
anxiety.
-
It is not God's will for you to be stuck
-
on medication for that all your life.
-
>> Amen. I'm not here to knock you if
-
you're on it. I'm just here to tell you
-
that my God can set you free from that.
-
He can touch you right where the enemy
-
hurt you.
-
>> You've been carrying it for years, but
-
in the name of Jesus, it can stop
-
tonight.
-
>> You don't have to leave here the same
-
way.
-
>> And I'm going to yield time in a minute
-
because I feel that in my spirit that we
-
can lay hands on people and people can
-
be transformed tonight. But somebody's
-
moving from anxiety, confusion to
-
clarity, and to peace tonight.
-
>> You going to do it?
-
H how do we how do we bring this thing
-
around to prevent a maintenance pastor
-
when it comes to when it comes to a spot
-
of a sound mind and and self uh
-
self-disipline or self-control? It's
-
very simple. There are times in our life
-
that we come up against concerns
-
and we see something that's concerning
-
in our life and if it's left unchecked
-
that concern can lead to fear.
-
We're concerned about this. It's it's
-
something I I see it's not really going
-
the way I should it should be going. I
-
what I feel and hear and what I see with
-
my eyes is two different things. And if
-
I'm not careful, if it's unchecked by
-
the word of God, it can I'm not saying
-
it will. It can lead to a fearful state
-
of mind.
-
Okay? Because fear arises when
-
situations exceed our control.
-
That's when fear shows up. When you say,
-
"I can't fix this. I don't know what to
-
do. It's out of my control." you start
-
to get fearful immediately.
-
And if you're not careful, that spirit
-
of fear will come in. But I'm giving you
-
tools tonight to say, "No, God gave me a
-
sound mind."
-
>> Right?
-
>> God, hey, whoa. Hey, that fear, that's
-
not for that don't belong to me. I did
-
not accept that gift. In Jesus name, I
-
refute that gift and I accept the sound
-
mind that God gave me.
-
>> I may not know how to get out of this,
-
but I'm gonna have peace while I figure
-
it out.
-
>> Amen.
-
I'm going have peace. Now listen, the
-
only control we need to be reaching for
-
is self-control.
-
>> Don't be reaching for the steering wheel
-
and this thing called Christianity in
-
our journey. Don't be reaching for that.
-
Reach for self-control. God, how am I
-
supposed to conduct myself today? Amen.
-
How am I supposed to conduct myself?
-
Because watch this. Self-control comes
-
when our mind is anchored to God and his
-
kingdom rather than being consumed by
-
worldly concerns.
-
That's when self-control comes while
-
also on the other side maintaining an a
-
a focus on eternal hope that is only
-
found in Jesus Christ.
-
Because it can't just be an exterior
-
thing. It's got to be an interior anchor
-
in my heart. This enables believers to
-
make wise decisions without depending on
-
mystical guidance.
-
Amen.
-
>> I don't again I'm not knocking therapy.
-
I'm not knocking a psychiatrist. But I
-
don't have to search for that if I can
-
open the word of God and hear his voice.
-
>> Amen. That will be a supplement. That
-
will not be my source.
-
Amen.
-
And again, thank God for Christian
-
counselors. Thank God for those that can
-
help us get through that because I
-
believe God anointed them for that
-
moment. But even they know they are not
-
the source
-
>> if they're doing it right.
-
>> If they try to get you to latch on to
-
them, you just say, "Listen, I'll take
-
my leave and I'll go somewhere else.
-
Thank you, Jesus."
-
>> Amen.
-
>> Because it's going to be for their
-
selfish gain at some point at that
-
point. So maybe I helped somebody right
-
there. But I don't have to wait and
-
depend on mystical guidance. This type
-
of renewed mind also recognizes one's
-
identity in Christ rather than relying
-
on human wisdom and strength. Sound
-
thinking on the other side of this is
-
just as vital and matters equally. A
-
sound mind rejects negative and impure
-
thoughts while embracing positive and
-
wholesome thoughts.
-
How do we do that? I'm going to give you
-
something real real easy and practical.
-
If you want a sound mind and you want
-
self-control,
-
meditate on God's word,
-
I I don't mean to be overly simplistic
-
tonight, but meditate on God's word.
-
Meditate on it. He will keep those in
-
his mind in perfect peace. Those who
-
keep their mind on the Lord, they
-
meditate on his word. Okay. Now, another
-
way is memorizing scripture.
-
memorizing scripture. Believe it or not,
-
this is gonna probably date me, but
-
there's an app for that.
-
You can grab apps and they'll teach you
-
how to memorize scripture. All right?
-
Rather than scrolling mindlessly through
-
social media, memorize scripture.
-
>> Because what you're doing is you are
-
equipping your mind to combat the enemy.
-
I had a one one young man, I was going
-
to buy him a Bible and uh such a sweet
-
guy. We were looking at different
-
versions and all this different stuff
-
and I had I had my preference. I was
-
like, "Hey, I think you should probably
-
get this, you know, whatever." And uh I
-
said, "This would be a good one, a good
-
one to study, memorize." And he kept
-
looking through them and he he flipped
-
to one page, one certain scripture, look
-
at it, and then put it back. And flipped
-
to one certain day. Finally, I was like,
-
"Man, what about this one?" He grabbed
-
he said he read it. He said, he said,
-
"Pastor, that just won't do in the heat
-
of battle."
-
And I was like, "What did you just say?"
-
I said, "Bro, you teaching me right
-
now." He said, "That won't do in the
-
heat of battle. I can't memorize that."
-
He said, "But I can memorize this
-
version and then I can throw that right
-
at the enemy and tell him to back off."
-
I said, "You get whatever version you
-
feel led to get, son. It's perfectly
-
fine. You go right ahead. You You just
-
get up in there." And I said, "Praise
-
God." And and so we memorize scriptures,
-
but watch this. Pray scriptures. Pray
-
them over yourself. Pray them over your
-
family. Because when that happens, that
-
becomes the central state to maintaining
-
your mental state of clarity in every
-
season of life. Because the word of God
-
doesn't change. Our circumstances may
-
change. It may be chaotic and tomorrow
-
the stock market may be up. The next day
-
it may crash. We may take Greenland.
-
They may take us. I don't know what's
-
going to happen. It's just chaotic OUT
-
THERE. THERE'S ALL KINDS OF THINGS GOING
-
ON. I DON'T WHAT HAPPENS OUT THERE
-
CANNOT disturb what is happening in me
-
if I've got the word of God in me.
-
>> Amen.
-
>> There's a lot of, you know, biblical
-
prophecy in line with all that. We could
-
talk about that later. I don't have
-
time. I want to, but I don't have time
-
to do it. But here's what I'm going to
-
tell you. The things going on exteriorly
-
cannot affect my relationship with the
-
Lord.
-
>> They can't when I have his word in my
-
heart.
-
And if you do this, if you hide his word
-
in your heart, you will not sin against
-
God. Right? That's beautiful if we get
-
it in there. Now, I'm going to give you
-
two scriptures and I'm going to let you
-
go. These are going to be good ones for
-
you to memorize. All right, you ready?
-
Write these down. Philippians chapter
-
4:es 6-9. If you want to have a state a
-
a a pure mind and you want to have a a a
-
self-control and a a a heart that is
-
lined up with the word of God and you
-
want to be able to look the enemy right
-
in the face with a sound mind. Here's a
-
good one. Philippians 4:es 6-9. It says
-
this, "Don't be pulled in different
-
directions or worry worried about a
-
thing. Be saturated in prayer throughout
-
each day offering your faithfilled
-
requests before God with overflowing
-
gratitude. Tell him every detail of your
-
life. Then God's wonderful peace that
-
transcends human understanding will
-
guard your heart and mind through Jesus
-
Christ. He said, "Keep your thoughts
-
continually fixed on all that is
-
authentic and real, honorable and
-
admirable, beautiful and respectable,
-
respectful rather, pure and holy,
-
merciful and kind. And fasten your
-
thoughts on every glorious work of God,
-
praising him always. put into practice
-
the example of all that you have heard
-
from me and seen in my life and the God
-
of peace will be with you in all things.
-
Man, if you can get that scripture going
-
on in your brain every day and and man,
-
we'll go old school on it. Whatsoever
-
things are pure and whatsoever things
-
are lovely, whatsoever things are of a
-
good report, think on these things. If
-
you got to go King, go King James. I
-
don't care. Get in there. That's
-
beautiful. But however you get it in
-
you, get that scripture in you. So when
-
the enemy brings fear, you can say, "No,
-
I don't think about the fact that
-
everything can fall apart, whatsoever
-
things are pure, whatsoever things are
-
lovely, if they're of good report. I
-
know that everything may be falling
-
apart. Oh, but I choose to believe the
-
report of the Lord, and I'll put the
-
word of God right in the enemy's face."
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And can I tell you, he cannot stop the
-
word of God from doing what it's sent to
-
do, cuz that's what it said. It will
-
accomplish what it was sent to do. and I
-
trust his word above anything else. Can
-
you say amen?
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>> That's one of them. Here's another one.
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Romans 12:2.
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This is the last one I'm going to give
-
you. I can give you a bunch more, but
-
I'm out of time. Romans 12:2. It says
-
this, and this this is a different
-
version. Um, so you just have to bear
-
with me and I'll go ahead and do this.
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It's a different version and emphasis
-
added. I don't know what that means, but
-
that gives me liberty to put a little
-
extra in there. Okay, so that's where
-
we're going to go. Stop imitating the
-
ideals and opinions of the culture
-
around you.
-
>> Sweet mercy of God. That right there
-
will preach.
-
I got to preach to some young people in
-
a couple weeks. That may be what I start
-
with. They just going to be like, man,
-
he ain't never coming back.
-
And that that that part of it right
-
there, that culture around you means
-
don't be squeezed into the mold of this
-
world system that is falling apart.
-
Don't allow the enemy by fear to squeeze
-
you into a mold you are not destined to
-
fit in.
-
>> My mind will be renewed. Okay. He said,
-
"But be inwardly transformed by the Holy
-
Spirit
-
through a total transformation of how
-
you think."
-
Okay. This will empower you to discern
-
God's will as you live in a beautiful
-
life. satisfying and perfect, not in my
-
eyes, but in his eyes.
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>> Ain't that beautiful? I'll say this.
-
Fear will not be our portion.
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>> And I speak that prophetically over each
-
one of you in this house. Fear will not
-
be your family's portion.
-
>> Amen.
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>> We will not be controlled by fear. We
-
will be driven by faith.
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And I say it I said it at the beginning.
-
I'll say it one more time. The question
-
I always have when I read this scripture
-
first or 2 Timothy chapter 1:7. For God
-
has not given us a spirit of fear, but a
-
power, love, and a sound mind. If God
-
didn't give it to me, why in the world
-
would I take it?
-
>> Why would I take it? I refuse to take
-
the bait. Maybe it's a fear of failure.
-
Understand? I get that. Hey, I'm with
-
you. I've made some dumb decisions
-
before really. And if I keep living,
-
I'll probably make some more. I hope
-
not.
-
I try not to. But here's what I'm going
-
to tell you. Don't be afraid that
-
because the last time you did that, it
-
messed up. Don't be afraid to step out
-
and listen to the voice of God this time
-
and trust him with it.
-
Get guidance. Get wisdom. There's there,
-
hey, there's wisdom and much counsel.
-
There's nothing wrong with that. That's
-
biblical. But understand, I'm not going
-
to take the fear side of that and let
-
that run my decisions.
-
It may make me aware, but it's not going
-
to run my life. But on the other side of
-
that, I'm going to say, God, if this is
-
what you have for me, if my portion is
-
mighty power and it is love that is
-
perfected and it is a sound mind and
-
self-control, God, I want to land here
-
and I want to receive what you have for
-
me. And so, the fact is tonight, many of
-
us have been trapped before in fear. And
-
if we could if we could testify, I'm
-
going to say this, but I can testify. I
-
have been there. And when this when that
-
statement, let me read it one more time.
-
The statement at the beginning,
-
if there is an area of my life that
-
still has fear,
-
then in that area, I have not completely
-
surrendered to the Lord. When I heard
-
that, it rocked me to my core. And I
-
said, "God, forgive me if I've ever
-
operated in fear before.
-
Forgive me of the times that I know I
-
operated in fear.
-
Forgive me where I have I have said
-
faith take a backseat because I don't
-
see it.
-
That's scary.
-
It doesn't mean we go around willy-nilly
-
and don't operate in wisdom. I'm not
-
saying that. Doesn't mean you go out and
-
just like spend all your money tomorrow.
-
I No, don't do that. Don't do that.
-
Operate in wisdom.
-
But when God says to move,
-
am I willing to say fear? You will not
-
control this conversation. God's already
-
given me power to overcome. He's given
-
me power that even in my weaknesses,
-
he's going to show up. He's given me
-
love that is perfected and I'm going to
-
steward it with all my might. And watch
-
this. He's given me a sound mind that I
-
can walk through chaos. It can be
-
exploding around me and I could just be
-
saying, "Thank you, Jesus."
-
That's crazy. I know that's crazy to
-
think. It's so true, though. Can you get
-
a picture of it? CHAOS IS IS ERUPTING
-
ALL AROUND ME. But I've got confidence
-
that God's going to bring me through.
-
Hallelujah. I I want to ask you in this
-
house, is anybody in the house would
-
say, "I'm thankful for a journey from
-
fear to fullness tonight." Can we jump
-
to our feet and give God some praise in
-
the house? Come on, just for a moment.
-
Just raise those hands and just tell
-
him, "Thank you for his goodness, his
-
mercy, his power." where Lord we stand
-
here in this house and we say thank you
-
Lord for taking us from fear to fullness
-
God I refuse God to drift. I refuse to
-
be dismantled by fear but my mind is
-
made up tonight that I will give you
-
everything that I have. I will stand
-
flatfooted God even if it costs me
-
everything. And I will not operate in
-
fear but I will operate in the gift that
-
you've given me. and that is power,
-
love, and a sound mind.
-
>> And Lord, tonight, Lord, specifically
-
over people's minds and their souls
-
tonight where the enemy has wounded
-
things and they have been bruised and
-
they have been beaten and they have been
-
busted. And Lord, they're even walking
-
in here. They are limping their way into
-
the house of God tonight because they
-
just barely made it. Lord, I speak peace
-
over their mind. I speak healing over
-
their mind. I declare that the enemy
-
will not win this. The fear that the
-
enemy is putting on them that things
-
will never change. The devil is a liar.
-
And I speak the peace of God. I speak
-
the blood of Jesus. And I declare right
-
now that the bruises that you received
-
inside of your body that showed up
-
through that outside mark, God, I
-
declare that was for my inner healing.
-
And I'm going to walk out of here with
-
peace that passes all understanding.
-
Even when I don't understand it, God, I
-
know you're bringing peace to my life.
-
And Lord, tonight I speak power. I speak
-
love. And I speak a sound mind over your
-
people tonight. That your power and
-
grace would be evident in their life
-
above anything else, God. that when the
-
enemy may bring in fear and the enemy
-
may try to bring things in and the enemy
-
may try to speak negativity over my
-
life, I do not receive that. But I
-
choose to believe the report of the Lord
-
tonight. God, we thank you and we give
-
you praise. In Jesus name we pray. And
-
everybody all over the house said amen.
-
Come on, can we put our hands together
-
one more time and give Jesus a hand of
-
praise?
-
Hallelujah.