Train My Hands For War - Part 4

This is the fourth part of the series, Clean My Hands for a Walk.

And just another quick announcement. 24th evening, 8 p.m., we meet here at the gym.

24th evening, 8 p.m. at the gym, because they have a service in here, and it might take a little longer, so we will be having the Christmas service in the gym, just down there.

It's much larger than this, I think. So that's 24th evening, 8 p.m.

Okay, you have to enter through the back door by the parking and not through these doors, because there will be people here.

So we'll send an email, but just so you know.

Okay, Clean My Hands for a Walk, Part 4.

Guys, so if there was a theme that we can go with for 2026, it would be anointed bride in army boots on assignment.

That sounds like a mouthful. I couldn't come up with something topper, shorter, more oomph, but that's basically the idea.

So this is the fourth part of the series we've been doing, and this kind of sets us up for 2026, right?

Because every year for the last 20 years, by the way, next year will be our 20th year, yeah?

So around the first or second week of Feb, we'll have a 20th year thingy.

I don't know what it looks like, so I can't tell you much, but over the last 20 years, every year towards the end of the year,

we set ourselves up for the next year based on what we sense God is saying about the year ahead.

And so how do we look at 2026 as an entire church, and therefore it applies to each individual too?

So we have two, anointed bride, as in yes, we are the bride, but anointed for certain tasks or assignments, in army boots.

Anointed bride in army boots on assignment.

You know, a friend in LA, hey, come up. I forgot you had gone for a surgery on Tuesday.

Wow. Driving around, eh?

I hope you have a license for that thing. Guys, stay out of his way, yeah?

Yeah, so anointed bride in army boots.

I have a friend in LA called Max, whose wife, when she got married, she actually wore army boots.

Just to fulfill a prophetic word that was spoken over her, when she got married, she got married with army boots on.

There's something else. But anyways, 2026, anointed bride in army boots on assignment.

And so we'll take each of those bits and break them down and see how far we can get today.

And thanks, Tuni, in advance for dinner.

For those who don't know, the wager was if I finished eating before 6.10, Tuni will take me out for dinner.

Today that's going to happen.

So we start with Isaiah 10, verse 27.

Isaiah 10:27

And here's what it says, if you went to the New King James or the King James, and I'm not insisting you go with any version,

but here's what it says in the New King James. It says, the anointing will break the yoke.

The anointing will break the yoke, as in God's anointing has the ability to fatten your neck to an extent where the yoke does not fit.

That's what it actually means. That's why in the NIV, the ESV, the message, it says you will grow so strong that it will be impossible for the yoke to sit on your neck.

That's what it says.

And so one of the things we begin to look forward to in 2026 is that the presence of God's Spirit in very specific ways will do a few things for us.

One, it'll break the burden of our shoulders first, as in the yokes that we have struggled under,

be they financial, be they relational, be they emotional, be they demonic, be they things that we have been unable to get out from under.

He'll break the burden off our shoulders first and then help us break them off others.

So what do you call a message like this? Let's assume that what I'm saying is actually true.

Let's assume this is from God. For a second, let's give what's being spoken as, let's give it the benefit of doubt that this is actually from God for us as a church,

in which case what we're talking about today is how God plans to have the year work out for all of us who want to be part of something that God is doing amongst these people.

Yeah. So think like that. Yeah.

Or in other words, I'm just avoiding saying it, or in other words, this is a teaching that could be prophetic or is prophetic.

I'm just hedging my bets because I don't want to be outright and say it. But why? Why be afraid?

This teaching is in a sense prophetic, trusting that it is from God, which means then when it's spoken to a people, it applies to individuals too. Yeah.

Yeah, that's the way to see it. So one, break the burden of our shoulders first and then help us break them off others.

See, it's true that we have the anointed one in us. Everybody who's a believer has the anointed one living in them. First, John talks about it. The anointed one is in us.

This is true.

And he is in us by the spirit. But when we talk about the word anointing, just so we know what we are trying to define, we are saying that anointing is being empowered or clothed, empowered or clothed by the spirit,

empowered by the spirit or clothed with the spirit to accomplish God's purpose, to accomplish God's purpose,

in perhaps a task that he has for us or in an area that he wants us to be supernatural or in a gifting that comes from the spirit of God or in the works of God where he chooses according to his discretion.

Any questions on that? Any questions on that?

First, John says the anointed one lives in all of us. So, and he lives in his fullness in us. He's not, there's no junior Holy Spirit. There's no female Holy Spirit. He's in us and he's fully in us.

That is established. When we talk about the anointing, we are talking about, hey, the spirit of God empowering us or clothing us to accomplish God's purpose.

The spirit of God empowering us or clothing us to accomplish God's purpose in a task or an assignment, in an area that he fancies, in a gifting that the spirit of God suddenly turns on through your life or with regard to the works of God that he chooses.

Was this true of Jesus? Yes. Acts 1038. And God anointed Jesus with the spirit and with power so that he went about doing good, delivering those that were harassed by the devil.

Was this true of the church? Yes. Acts chapter one, verse five. Acts chapter one, verse eight.

Terry, wait till the Holy Spirit clothes you with power so that you can bear witness to what I want done.

So, is an anointing real for the church or is this some charismatic term we've come up with? No, scripture proves it.

Acts 1038, Acts 1-8. Any questions?

Okay. So then, how do we, anointing takes process, eh? Anointing takes process to receive and release.

And so what's the process? One, through either the prophetic or through the practice or through practice or through passionate pursuit.

That's how you discover anointing. So let's talk about that first.

Hey guys, this is God's desire, eh? It's not something that he is grudging to give away. This is what he wants.

He wants Samson's who walk straight. He wants David's that walk well. He wants this. He wants this of everybody.

This is one of the things the Spirit of God enjoys. And so how do you, how do you discover an anointing? Three ways to find it.

Three ways to discover the clothes, clothing or the power of God upon you. Three ways to discover it.

One, often in the New Testament you'll find that prophetically people were told the task or the area or the gifting or the call upon their lives and the anointing upon their lives for that area.

It was told them. Paul talked about it in Timothy. In the book of Acts you see it happening. In Acts chapter 13 you see it happening.

Acts 13 · chapter mention

So that is one way. The second way was practicing it. Unless you practice it, you don't find out.

When you're sent somewhere and there are needs that have to be met, you'll find that suddenly in a situation, in a very unfamiliar situation,

the Spirit of God begins to flow through you doing what is impossible for people. And the intent is always very simple.

I have come to restore them. I have come to release them. I have come to make things new. These are the three things the Holy Spirit has been sent for.

The Holy Spirit has been sent for three things. To release people, to restore people, to make things new.

And so one of the ways we figure out if the Holy Spirit is active in our lives is by checking these three areas, guys.

One of the ways to measure the activity of the Spirit of God and measure your cooperation with the Holy Spirit is to ask these three questions.

Is there release happening in my life? Is there restoration happening in my life? And is there things being made new in my life?

And if that isn't the case, then you should question stagnancy in your life.

Because the Spirit of God is God himself. If he's active in my life, these three things must happen.

That should be the measure of a church, of a person.

Yeah?

Okay. So, any questions?

Yeah. So, prophetically, you can have, I mean, I'll take examples from my life because the only life I know well.

Yeah? So, I remember the first, shortly after I became a believer, there was this guy called Mike who came from Tulsa.

And he turns up in church and one day I'm in the service and he calls me out and he looks at me and he says, hey, Jacob, he didn't know my name.

He called me up, found out my name and then he began to prophesy over me.

One of the things he said is, Jacob, you have the gift of faith. What does that mean?

That I have the supernatural ability given by the Spirit to believe very easily for ridiculously impossible things.

It's not something that I have cultivated. It's a gift. It's a supernatural ability given by the Spirit.

And at that time, I'd been a believer for about four weeks, didn't know what it meant.

But when I look back at the last 35 years, I can see how easy at times it has been to believe for the impossible.

And unfortunately, I can't take credit for it because this guy exposed it way too long ago.

Or at least I could say I was a man of faith. I can't do that either.

So, that was a situation where prophetically something was revealed.

Then when it comes to practice, found out that and the guy didn't prophesy, but I found out that when I'd be put in places, I remember going to Sri Lanka.

That's where it happened the first time. I went to Sri Lanka and went with this pastor.

He had too long a line to pray for people. So he told me to start praying for people.

I start praying for people and I find out that I can begin to tell them what is about to either happen in the future or I can begin to tell them.

Things about their past that are facts that there's no way I would have known.

And suddenly you realize that in practice, you are beginning to discover the gift of the word of knowledge and the gift of prophecy.

And there are people here who can share the same experience. I'm not saying anything special.

There are at least 30 or 40 people sitting here that can have you listen to the same stories that I'm saying.

And then there's a passion.

One of the passions I have is for the Bride of Christ. I love raising up people.

And with that has come an anointing or an ability given by the Holy Spirit to raise people up well.

That's just an example. And there are people here I can call on the spot without warning and they can tell me the same thing.

So the first thing, how you discover your anointing is this ability to either get it through the prophetic through practice or through a passion you have for something.

It leads to discovery. Second, yieldedness, when you yield, yieldedness creates inflow.

Creates inflow. Every time you are yielded to the Holy Spirit, it creates inflow.

And all we have guys to show yieldedness first is our words.

Our words are important. When you sing a song which says I surrender and you actually mean it, yieldedness is real because God actually takes you at heart value and word value.

Yieldedness leads to the inflow or creates the inflow of the Spirit or inflow of the power of the Spirit.

Third, faithfulness, as in once you begin your task, even though you're a nobody, faithfulness creates capacity.

Creates capacity. When you stick with something and you're faithful and you refuse to back off, when you stick with something that God has asked you to do and you're faithful and you refuse to back off, what's happening?

Faithfulness creates capacity. As in God says here is a man who I have empowered or here is a woman I have empowered and she has been faithful regardless of whether I put her in charge of two people or 200.

And therefore I'll increase her capacity. Faithfulness increases capacity.

Next one.

Order creates a framework for God to work in. Order creates a framework, meaning God is not a God of confusion.

God is not a God who's chaotic. God is not a God who just dusts things willy-nilly.

He has an arrangement. He has order. And anointing thrives under order.

Guess, want to see a guy who had an anointing but didn't follow order? Samson.

Samson was a guy who was anointed from birth.

He died with his eyes gouged out.

And so order creates a framework for God to do what he wants to do.

The next one is a man who is anointed from birth.

He's anointed from birth.

He's anointed from birth.

He's anointed from birth.

He's anointed from birth.

He's anointed from birth.

He's anointed from birth.

He's anointed from birth.

He's anointed from birth.

So order creates a framework for God to do what he wants to do.

The next one is character.

Character creates usability.

Character creates usability.

character creates usability. That's why it says in 2nd Timothy 2.20,

in a wealthy home are vessels, some of gold and some of clay.

The good ones are used for guests, the bad ones are kept away.

And so it doesn't matter how anointed I am, if my character does not reflect Christ, I am not usable.

People chaff at that, you've got highly gifted people in churches that you sometimes cannot use

because their nature does not match up with that of Christ.

And finally, foolishness creates outflow. Foolishness creates outflow.

You have to be foolish with the things of God.

Whenever God anoints you, gives you power to act on his behalf,

he's going to be very illogical and unreasonable in what he asks of you.

Hold on to your dignity and you die a diplomat.

Surrender your dignity and you die as someone added to the book of Hebrews 11.

Hold on to your dignity and you die a diplomat.

Diplomacy is not a fruit of the spirit.

It's impossible to practice your anointing sent by God as long as you hold on to your dignity.

All of us have some level of dignity.

This is why for David as a king to wear just, all he had basically was his underwear, guys, really,

if you were to translate it into today's terms.

And the guy is jumping around, dancing in the streets and his wife despises him.

But it's that kind of foolishness that got him to become the man he became.

Any questions?

Yep.

Dignity is not a Christian virtue.

Preserving someone else's dignity is a Christian virtue.

Losing your dignity is a Christian virtue.

Holding on to your dignity is not a Christian virtue.

It's a tradition that sometimes stands in the way of what God wants to do with you.

Yeah.

Dignity is anything that I preserve for the sake of how I look in your eyes

and therefore in the process say no to something that God might be asking me to do.

It makes me honorable in your eyes.

Dignity is something that I hold on to.

Dignity is a form of self-preservation, guys.

Dignity is something that I hold on to.

It's a form of self-preservation, guys.

Dignity is self-preservation where I want to preserve how I appear in your eyes and what you think of me.

That becomes more important than anything else.

All of us have it at some degree or the other, eh?

Some have it more.

And it just opposes everything God wants to do.

And sometimes God won't move till you lose it.

I mean, God won't move through you till you lose it.

Not because you're not able, but because self-preservation becomes more important.

And because of these reasons, guys, unfortunately, even though God is the one who anoints,

even though God is the one who anoints, anointing has measure.

As in, you'll find that some have this ability to flow pretty much easily while others struggle.

And even though you might be anointed, you still need to use faith to place a demand on the anointing.

Or the gift.

You have to use faith.

You know, I know that I can teach well, eh?

I'm not even patting myself on the back.

I teach well.

But here's the crazy thing.

I can ask you to ask me questions, and I'm absolutely sure that I'll be able to answer them from Scripture.

But every time you ask a question, I'm sufficiently scared, and I place with faith a demand on the word and the ability to teach within me

so that when you ask a question, I can give you an answer from Scripture that will meet the question.

And another friend called Roland Tan, some of you know him.

What you don't know is Roland Tan died about a year ago.

I just found out a week ago that he died a year and a half ago, which was mind-boggling.

He just died in his sleep.

He was this 6'4 London cop who was 87 or 88 when he died, and he came to this church quite often.

And I'd known him for 35 years or so.

And he had this ability.

The guy was gifted at healing.

He had the gift of healing.

The number of healings that people in this church have seen is just nuts.

But it doesn't matter what came before him.

He would place a demand on the gift in him, and he would see results.

Anointing doesn't mean something automatic.

You still need to exert faith.

In Nuremberg, there was a guy who came up to him.

I don't know why I'm sharing this story, but perhaps it's important in some way.

In Nuremberg, a guy came up to him, and he had a withered left hand.

And he comes up and says, can you pray?

Because he had seen other people getting healed.

So he says, can you pray?

And God prompts Roland to ask the guy a question and says, was there any healing that you could do?

And the guy blurted out, yes, my brother, I had lent him my watch, which was a family heirloom.

And he had broken it and treated it callously.

And it was a precious heirloom that was lost.

And so Roland said, can you forgive him?

And the guy said, no, I can't forgive him.

And so Roland said, well, I can't forgive him.

And he said, well, I can't forgive him.

And he said, well, I can't forgive him.

And so Roland said, well, then I can't pray for you, even though he had the gift of healing.

And so the guy goes, sits down, and he's doing there, trying to figure out if he should forgive or not.

And at some point towards the close of the service, he comes up and he says, I've forgiven my brother.

Can you pray for me?

And Roland knew that if he prayed for him now, something would happen.

And before he can even go to pray for him, there's a loud crack and the withered hand shoots out home.

Joan saw things happen.

Heidi seen things happen.

How many here know Roland?

Sue knows Roland.

It is crazy how even though there's a gift, it doesn't mean that it happens till he plays a demand of faith on it.

And so what are we saying?

We are saying that 2026 is a year where the bride will be anointed along the lines of the marriage.

And what does Isaiah 61 basically say?

It says the same thing I said before.

Release, restore, make things new.

Open the eyes of the blind.

Set the captives free.

Open prison doors.

Proclaim the gospel to the poor.

Praise instead of mourning.

Praise instead of mourning.

Joy instead of sadness.

Isaiah 61 so clearly outlines why the Spirit of God is upon me.

Guys, at this point, either begin to laugh inside and don't show it on the outside so I don't realize what's happening or laugh outside.

But if this is a message for the year, then let it show in our hearts and on our faces.

Yeah.

Yeah.

A gentle grunt or amin will be enough.

It's more than encouraging.

Like I said, I know you guys are buffering, but occasionally it's fun when it shows.

The other thing anointing does, guys, is it brings out the boldness of a lion.

Anointing brings out the boldness of a lion.

Anointing brings out boldness.

What is boldness?

It's secure confidence.

It is secure confidence.

It's secure confidence.

And there's no turning back.

There's no turning back.

And this is something that God wants to give all of us.

And so what are we looking at?

And we've said this before.

We destroy the bondages.

We destroy the bondage of the five Ds.

What are the five Ds?

You remember?

Decay.

Death.

The demonic.

Disease.

What else?

Damage.

Just imagine a year where we begin to see these things being, people being released from it, people being restored, starting with us and then going outwards, and people being made new.

Imagine a year like that.

But Jacob, I've waited for this.

I haven't seen it yet.

Well, then, wait two more weeks.

Wait two more weeks.

Start praying into it.

Seek him every morning.

Tell him, Father, if this is what you're saying, then these are my expectations.

That's where I set my eyes on the horizon.

An anointed bride.

Can you imagine what it'll do to people when this begins to break loose?

Even today, we'll start, when we finish the service, we'll have a time of prayer just for people who have sicknesses, eh?

We act on what we speak, guys.

So if you have a disease or sickness, don't leave today.

Have someone lay hands on you and pray so that what we are saying, we act on.

Any questions?

I do have the gift of faith, it looks like.

Even though I don't see anything on your face, I just believe that you're listening and doing things that are happening inside.

So we await.

Thank God the guy prophesied it all those years ago.

So we await the outpouring of the Spirit, eh?

And I pray, God, that 2026 is a time when we see this more and more and more and more.

You know, there's a young kid, his name's Nathan.

He's in Charlotte, North Carolina.

And I know his folks and I knew them from New York.

And so he's been attacked spiritually.

And medically, there's nothing wrong with him, but spiritually he's being attacked.

And one of the things I desire is to see him in the world.

And I know that there's nothing wrong with him, but spiritually he's being attacked.

And one of the things I desire is between now and the 31st, go to Charlotte, visit him, pray for him.

And when I do, I'll just send an email to the church saying, guys, could you pray?

When I send that email, guys, pray like crazy.

Take time off whatever you're doing.

Pull your face away from the turkey and begin to pray.

And I pray that Nathan will be free before this year ends.

Because the thing about evil is it has no respect for innocence or ignorance.

He's an eight or nine year old boy.

Anointed bride, we'll skip the bride for now.

We'll go to anointed bride in army boots.

Let's talk about the word army. Go to Isaiah chapter 13.

Isaiah 13 · chapter mention

Isaiah 13.

Let's read it from the message.

Isaiah 13.

Isaiah 13.

Isaiah.

I didn't hear you say yes, Isaiah.

Okay, good.

As you get older, your jokes become like your granddad, Isaiah.

Isaiah 13.

Isaiah 13, verse two to four.

Here's what it says.

Run up a flag on an open hill.

Yell loud.

Get their attention.

Wave them into formation.

Direct them to the nerve center of power.

I have taken charge of my special forces.

Called up my crack troops.

They're bursting with pride and passion to carry out my angry judgment.

Thunder rolls off the mountains like a mob huge and noisy.

Thunder of kingdoms in an uproar.

Nations assembling for war.

God of the angel armies is calling his army into battle formation.

So that's the scripture that I want to look up.

It's Isaiah 13, verse two to four.

I was reading from the message.

So the first bit says run up a flag.

Run up a flag on an open hill.

On an open hill.

Yell loud.

Get their attention.

Yeah.

The idea is, guys, that let's assume again that this is something that God wants us to become.

Then he's saying, listen, I want it to be so obvious to you.

I want it to be so obvious to you.

That your minds shift.

Together.

So I can form you into a crack troop.

And so here's what he's saying.

Hey Jane.

Hey Diana.

Hey Nellie.

Hey Tooney.

Hey Nitin.

Hey Sade.

Hey Jod.

Hey Sue.

Hey Kamal.

Hey Emmanuel.

Hey Vignesh.

Joan.

Jacob.

May.

Fuyo.

Aaron.

Nick.

Emily K.

George.

Vidisha.

Everyone.

Can I set this up so strong on a mountain?

He says I'll set up a flag on a barren hill so that nobody misses it.

So that nobody can claim that they were blind, deaf, or dull to what I want to do.

He's not setting it up on a hill that has trees.

He's not setting it up on a hill that has a fortress.

He's setting it up on a barren hill so that for miles you can see his intent.

What does he want to do?

He doesn't want to leave anybody with an excuse for not having heard or seen.

This is a great thing about God.

Obedience is something he demands only after making it sufficiently clear so that one can't

claim ignorance.

One can only choose after partial obedience, full obedience, or rejection.

So that's the first thing he does.

I want to make it so obvious that this is my intent.

Can I have you shift your minds together so I can form you into a crack troop?

Pay attention.

And then he goes on to say, wave them into formation.

I love it.

Wave them into formation.

He waves them into formation.

And he directs them to the nerve center of power.

Crazy, eh?

Directs them to the nerve center of power.

The idea is, listen, I'll teach you how to do this together.

I'm not interested in an occasional soldier who breaks out and is a superstar.

I want to teach you how to work in formation, which then means that there is an order.

That God arranges and that man supervises.

And if either one chaffs, then you'll have to be a mercenary on hire because you can't be part of this.

Any questions on that one?

You know, if you look at Numbers Chapter 2, Verse 2, you look at Numbers 10, you'll find that God brought

Numbers 2:2

Israel into the desert, and then he would say to them, listen, I want you to camp by your own two feet.

You camp by your standard, your flag, and your family and your clan.

And then once you do, I'll tell you when to go out.

Numbers 2 talks about that.

The arrangement in the desert with the tent of the meeting in the center and the camps distributed,

each one had to camp by his standard, camp by his family, camp under his flag.

And then when they would go out for battle, it would be the same again.

They would lead you out by your standard, by your flag.

And so they asked, who shall go first?

And in Numbers 10, God replies saying, Judah will go first.

And once he says Judah will go first, there's no question of Zebulun or Reuben saying, but I'm the oldest, why can't I go first?

It ain't up to you.

You know, every time we talk like this, it seems to smack of authority.

And the fact is, that's exactly right.

It is exactly right.

Those were exactly the words you should have used.

It smacks of authority.

It doesn't smack of hierarchy.

It smacks of authority.

It smacks of authority.

It smacks of authority.

It doesn't smack of hierarchy.

It smacks of authority.

There's a difference.

If it smacks of hierarchy, then you have a problem.

Because Jesus said, the masters on earth laud it over their servants, but you are not like that.

You are not to laud it over your servants.

You are to be servant-like.

But is there authority?

Yes.

Is there hierarchy?

No.

And it chaps only because my sinful nature loves being rebellious.

Any questions?

Yep.

And when one takes power without being given authority, you know what that's called?

That's called being an authority unto oneself or rebellion.

And you know what that is akin to?

Witchcraft.

But we won't go there today.

Any questions, guys?

So he tells them, teach them how to camp.

Move by your flag.

Move according to rank and command.

Numbers two, words two.

Numbers 10, verse 14.

Numbers 10:14

Then he says, I've taken charge.

I've taken charge.

I've taken charge of my crack troops.

I've taken charge of my special forces.

My special forces.

I so look forward to this, guys.

That's why we've been going down this series during Christmas.

Called up my crack troops.

You can only preach so many times about Joseph and Mary, guys.

Go ahead.

Crack troops are troops that are so cutting edge.

So it's a Gen Z word.

Or we'll make it a Gen Z word.

Yeah.

It's a Gen Z word.

It's like these are sigma Rizla troops.

Wouldn't I be right in saying that?

Yeah.

Yeah.

So these are like crack troops, troops that are like cutting edge.

Like you can't, these are like the SWAT team.

This is like Chuck Norris if you're over 50.

Tom Cruise if you're under 50.

Yeah.

So I've taken charge of my special forces.

I've called up my crack troops.

So the idea is that they are trained.

They are trained.

You know what I'm scared of, guys?

Here's what I'm scared of.

I'm scared of people in the churchperoys.

I'm scared of people in the church.

I'm scared of people in the church.

I'm scared of people in the church.

I'm scared of people in the church.

I'm scared of people in the church.

People in this church.

Oi, Joey.

How's it going?

Oh, you outran your mom.

I'm glad she caught you.

Aaron, take care of your son.

One of my fears in this church is what if you're highly gifted?

What if you are like a powerful war horse but you refuse to be trained?

I'm scared of that.

You know why I'm scared of that?

Because I'd hate to say no to you, but I will.

I'm going to call on your friends if they're not here.

Don is not well.

That's why he's not here.

If he's watching, hey, Don.

And Brielle is not well.

Brielle.

Yeah.

Okay.

So, what if God wants to create a trained unit out of this church?

Not enthusiastic unit.

Because enthusiasm without knowledge is dangerous.

Proverbs 19.2.

Enthusiasm without knowledge is dangerous.

Proverbs 19.2.

He's not looking for an enthusiastic unit.

He's looking for a trained unit.

And he wants a unit that will discipline themselves like Paul says in 1 Corinthians 9.27 where he says, I discipline my body.

I don't go around shadow boxing.

I discipline my body so that I may not be disqualified at the end.

Meaning I learn how to train myself.

I'm going to say in the next verse, they're bursting with pride.

They are bursting with pride.

With pride and passion.

They're bursting with pride and passion.

These are the guys God is putting together as a military unit.

They're bursting with pride and passion to carry out judgment.

Three things he looks for in people that follow him.

First one is a word we don't often use nowadays.

It's fealty.

The second word is a word we think is dirty.

Jealousy.

And the third word is a word that we don't know.

Jehu-like focus.

Jehu-like focus.

Fealty is this allegiance that God has put on us.

It's an old fashioned word.

Which is why it doesn't exist anymore.

An allegiance that will do anything.

That will pay any cost.

In 2 Samuel 23, there are these three guys.

And they hear David just expressing a desire.

And here was David's desire.

Ah!

And they hear David's desire.

And they hear David's desire.

And they hear David's desire.

And they hear David's desire.

And they hear David's desire.

Ah!

Running through the caves, being a refugee, he says,

My God, if I could only, once again, taste the water

drawn out of the wells of Jerusalem.

He just mentions that.

And you know what these three guys do?

They get up in the middle of the night, leave their camp,

go through enemy territory.

Because the enemy is the one that at present rules Jerusalem.

Goes through enemy territory, gets water from the well,

breaks back through enemy territory, and gives it to David.

That's fealty.

That's allegiance.

But it doesn't matter what God asks.

But it doesn't matter what the cost is.

One is ready to pay it.

This is what he means when he says,

They are bursting with pride and passion.

Hey, what would it take to be a man or a woman like that?

What does it take?

Until one goes down this road, one can't even taste what it feels like.

Or what about jealousy?

Oprah was put off when she read a scripture that said,

Our God is a jealous God.

If only she had spent half the time she spends on her programs

researching what jealous means.

When we talk about a jealous God,

we're not talking about a God who is jealous.

He actually calls himself that.

He says, My name is jealous.

I am only, and I will not be anyone else's.

Allegiance to him matters.

Any husband who says that he's okay with his wife sleeping around

does not love his wife.

Ah, darling, it's okay.

You can't be jealous.

You can't be jealous.

Ah, darling, it's okay.

You can go sleep around some more.

That guy doesn't love his wife.

He better be jealous over his wife.

God is jealous over my allegiance to him.

And it is jealousy that drives a guy like Phinehas in Numbers 17.

It says, Phinehas saw God being dissed by a guy called Zimri and Cosby.

And he takes a javelin and he thrusts it through them both.

And here's what God says.

He was jealous for my name and he will be remembered forever.

And then there's Jehu.

Jehu was anointed to be king and his task was very simple.

I want you to make sure that Ahab's house is completely destroyed.

Ahab was an evil king that did great harm to Israel with his wife Jezebel.

And Jehu fulfills what he's told to the point where God,

even though there were things Ahab did wrong, God says to Ahab,

Ahab, well done.

He actually says, well done, Ahab.

What I tasked you to do, you have done and you have completed what you were asked.

That's what it looks like to have pride and passion for him.

When it comes to judgment.

And I said already, our war is not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual forces.

If it takes, if it's required that I fly tomorrow morning to Charlotte and come back day after, then so be it.

If it is required that it costs a lot, so be it.

Why? Because there's a nine-year-old that is being ravaged every night by demons.

And should he be free or should he not?

What if it was your daughter or your son?

What if it was your wife or your husband?

Would you want it or not?

And if that is the case, then what cost is too little or too big?

Hey, guys, if you need to leave in between, don't feel bad.

I'll just say something loud like you're leaving the building.

I'm kidding.

I won't say anything.

I won't say anything.

If you have to leave, you must just gather your courage and say, I got to get out.

See, I even gave you permission.

You better leave now.

Aaron, not you.

Those are just the scriptural notes for what I said.

Tuni, I've got one hour, 10 minutes left.

I'm kidding. I'm kidding.

I'm going to stop now.

Finally, God says in the next verse, he says, I am the one calling this army.

I am the one calling this army.

Into battle formation.

I am the one calling this army into battle formation.

He's the one.

I am the one calling this army into battle formation.

He's the one.

He's the one assembling.

So guys, what if, and the reason I'm shutting my eyes is just to kind of grasp the enormity of the moment.

What if what I'm saying is, what if I'm calling this army into battle formation?

Kind of grasp the enormity of the moment.

What if what I'm saying to you right now is what God has for us for 366 days.

365 days in 2026.

What if this is our inheritance for the 20th year of our existence?

What if it is he who is saying, consecrate yourself as in set yourself apart.

Get ready.

Do whatever is necessary.

What if he's saying it to every one of us?

What if he's saying it to Isaiah?

What if he's saying it to Maya?

What if he's saying it to Shereen?

What if he's saying it to Kamala Nan?

What if he's saying it to that family unit?

What are they going to do now?

What if he's saying it to me?

What are you going to do with the enormity of an inheritance that he wants to give a group of people in a church for the 20th year?

A church for a year that will affect for years on end different people groups, different individuals and almost guaranteed different nations.

What are you going to do?

I pray God that you feel the pressure of it, the weight of it on your heart, on your mind.

It must be difficult to carry beings.

If you feel the pressure of it, you go to the only person who can help you carry it.

Do I know how to make this happen?

No.

Do I know someone who is in you and in me who can make this happen?

Yes.

How do we go about it?

Weekly direction.

That's what training looks like.

What do you think you should do in your research in 2026?

If this is not your cup of tea, start drinking.

Any questions?

I think it's a good idea to start with the people who are in the church.

I think it's a good idea to start with the people who are in the church.

I think it's a good idea to start with the people who are in the church.

I think it's a good idea to start with the people who are in the church.

I think it's a good idea to start with the people who are in the church.

I think it's a good idea to start with the people who are in the church.

I think it's a good idea to start with the people who are in the church.

I think it's a good idea to start with the people who are in the church.

I think it's a good idea to start with the people who are in the church.

I think it's a good idea to start with the people who are in the church.

I think it's a good idea to start with the people who are in the church.

I think it's a good idea to start with the people who are in the church.

I think it's a good idea to start with the people who are in the church.

I think it's a good idea to start with the people who are in the church.

I think it's a good idea to start with the people who are in the church.

I think it's a good idea to start with the people who are in the church.

I think it's a good idea to start with the people who are in the church.

I think it's a good idea to start with the people who are in the church.

I think it's a good idea to start with the people who are in the church.

I think it's a good idea to start with the people who are in the church.

I think it's a good idea to start with the people who are in the church.

I think it's a good idea to start with the people who are in the church.

Intent is the purpose that you may have for yourself or God may have for you.

Intentionality is the steps that you take to fulfill the intent of the purpose.

Intent is the purpose that you may have for yourself or God may have for you.

Intentionality is the steps that you take to fulfill the intent of the purpose.

Intentionality is the steps that you take to fulfill the intent of the purpose.

And therein lies the gap.

The road to hell is not, it may be paved with whatever.

The road to hell is not, it may be paved with whatever.

The road to heaven is paved with a whole lot of good intent and very little intentionality.

The road to heaven is paved with a whole lot of good intent and very little intentionality.

That's why it becomes really difficult.

It's easy to say this.

It's so hard to now begin to walk in this.

So what's that family unit going to do?

The one that I mentioned.

How's Isaiah, Kamal, Anne, and Maya, and Shereen going to react?

How's Isaiah, Kamal, Anne, and Maya, and Shereen going to react?

How do they take this intent and turn it into intentionality?

How's Tunni and Anil going to do it?

How's Tunni and Anil going to do it?

And for each of us it will be different.

And you'll have to come and ask for help.

Help from others, help from me, help from the scriptures.

Help from others, help from me, help from the scriptures.

How does Andrei, who's been here for four weeks, decide?

How does Andrei, who's been here for four weeks, decide?

His first decision is, should I still stick around with this bunch of crazy people?

Then if he says yes to that, then he has to decide what he's going to do.

Then if he says yes to that, then he has to decide what he's going to do.

Which part?

Intent is you saying, I want to finish

Which part?

Intent is you saying, I want to finish

A doctorate in political science.

it in political science. Intentionality is what are the steps that you will take to get a PhD

in political science. That's the difference. And so you can keep saying I want to become a doctor

in political science for the next three years, but if I were to check the steps you take,

will I see the steps that you intentionally take to get from I want to be a doctor to becoming a

doctor to be struggling with it for years. One of these days he'll surprise us. I mean,

his wife did it in record time. Last bit. Hey, go to revelations 12 7 to 11. I want to show

your scripture. Then we'll go and conclude revelations 12 7 to 11. Revelation 12 7 to 11.

I love this passage. War broke out in heaven.

Michael and his angels fought the dragon. The dragon and his angels fought back. We started

this whole series with a simple premise that the moment you say the word kingdom, kingdom implies

warfare. The kingdom will not advance in Richmond without spiritual warfare. We said that. So once

again, war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought the dragon. The dragon and his angels

fought back. But there were no match for Michael. They were cleared out of heaven, not a sign of them

left. The great dragon, ancient serpent, the one called devil and Satan, the one who led the whole

earth astray, thrown out and all his angels thrown out with him, thrown down to the earth. And then I

heard a strong voice out of heaven saying salvation and power are established. Kingdom of our God,

authority of his Messiah, the accuser of our brothers and sisters thrown out who accused them

day and night before God. I love the next verse, which should become like a pillar in our lives.

They defeated him through the blood of the lamb, as in the death of Christ, and the bold word of

their witness, as in what we witness to now, what we pledge allegiance to. They weren't in love with

themselves. They were willing to die for Christ. They weren't in love with themselves. They were

willing to die for Christ. That's what we're talking about, guys. Once we start walking down this path,

which we will, doesn't matter whether it's just two people or all of us, once you start walking down

this path, you'll find that you'll have assignments. These are assignments that the Spirit of God will

give. They will be forerunner in nature or apostolic in nature. But God will call out one of you and say,

hey, I know you're training, but listen, here's what I have for you. Or he'll call out a couple and

say, I know you've been training and want to walk like the army that I'm waving into formation.

But while you're doing that, Sheldon and Jane, here's what I want you to do. And he sends them out.

He calls Joan, saying, Joan, you've been faithful for years on end. Here's what I want you to do.

But Lord, I, who is it that made you? And then he sends her off. Forerunner, apostolic, Spirit-led

assignments.

This is when living for God becomes life. A Christian who is not, who hasn't tasted or

experienced a Spirit of God assignment is a Christian who hasn't discovered God.

Till you taste of this, you've got nothing.

Our religion is experiential. It is truth that must be experienced and lived out. The word must

become flesh. The word must become flesh. It has to be lived out. And anyone who doesn't taste that

has an experienced God. All you experience is a service.

And then you have these assignments. You know, I love the word that the message uses for Paul and

Peter. Colossians 1.1. I am Paul, an apostle of Christ, sent on an assignment. First Peter 1.1.

I am Peter, a servant of Christ, sent on an assignment. This idea of God sending you on

assignments isn't new. Acts chapter 13, verse 4. Again, set aside for me Paul and Barnabas,

Acts 13:4

because I have an assignment for them. And when it comes to assignments, what you have in your

pocket, what your marital status is, what your yesterday looked like, or how bleak your tomorrow

looks like doesn't count. In fact, it's usually qualifications for assignments.

Because he loves showing off with the little that you are.

What is God's expectation? God's expectation is, hey, Ezekiel 22, verse 30. I looked for a man

Ezekiel 22:30

to stand in the gap. I looked for a man who could stand in the gap and rescue this nation. I looked

for a man who could stand in the gap and rescue this nation, but I found nobody. That's Ezekiel

Ezekiel 22:30

22, verse 30. And then that second Chronicle 16, verse 9. My eyes are roaming to and fro, looking

for one person who is loyal to me and who I can be faithful to.

Guys, one of the things you have to decide in 2026 that you won't do is look at your present

circumstances and say, the conditions are not right. Ecclesiastes 11, a man who keeps looking

at the wind, trying to see when it'll blow and cause the tree to fall is a man who will never cut

down the tree. Please don't use your circumstance as a reason. It's not fair.

Because when I do that, my God is about as small as me.

I can't solve my situation either, can he? He becomes as small as me.

Don't look at your status. Don't look at your marital status. Don't look at whether you're

doing extremely well or not. Guys, there's something to purpose. You know what purpose does?

Purpose gives meaning. Purpose gives priority. Purpose creates time. Purpose puts a fire in your

belly. And when that purpose is provided by him, the Christ, the creator of the universe,

that can set a man alight.

Assignments are sometimes given to individuals. It'll be one individual, one echo, one annihilator

saying, okay, go. I mean, imagine that scene in numbers. There's an old man. He's almost as old

as Moses, or slightly older than Moses. He's got a censor in his hand, and he's running up and down.

One man, and the censor is sending out incense. People are dying of the plague, and there's one

man who becomes a dividing line between life and death. And he's running up and down.

Life and death.

You got one man like David. He takes on a territorial power called Goliath.

It's an old trick of the enemy. Send guys like Nimrod. Send guys like Herod. Send guys like

Pharaoh to undo nations. And here is this 10-foot tall giant standing, saying, I will humble Israel.

You think you're a people of God? Let me show you what I can do. And there's one young boy who decides

that he is on assignment. What was his initial assignment? His initial assignment was very simple.

It was to deliver curds, honey, bread, and raisin cakes to his brothers who are soldiers on the

front line. That was his assignment. What's the secret here? What starts as an ordinary

little task that you are faithful to brings you into places where you begin to ruin the enemy and

exalt God. Everybody wants big assignments. Nobody wants to supply raisin cakes. You know,

Andrea Agassi, he won the Wimbledon. You know what he used to do? He used to fetch tennis balls,

running two and four, picking up balls. That's what he did. Till one day, he won the Wimbledon,

and then he married Steffi Graf. Life can't get better.

At some point, he came to the senses that he doesn't need to wear a wig. He's got a beautiful bald head.

Enough about Andrea Agassi. I'm sorry I went down that road. I like the guy, though.

Numbers 25, verse 7 to 9. The Aaron story is from number 16. Numbers 25, 7 to 9. A man called

Numbers 25:7–9

Phinehas takes a javelin and just thrusts it through people that are dishonoring God.

And once again, people are saved because he has the zeal to disable compromise. He disables

compromise because he has a zeal for it. One man. First Kings 18, 24. 450 prophets of Baal and just

me. So why don't you call out to your gods and let's have a power encounter? Let's have a power

encounter. Let's have a power encounter. Let's have a power encounter. Let's have a power encounter.

And let's have a power encounter. And let me show you who God is. It is because of people like

Elijah that you have people like Martin Luther. It is because of people like Elijah that you have

a William Wilberforce who comes up with the demolition of slavery. It is because of guys

like Elijah that you have a David Wilkerson that changes the streets of New York.

Come on man. When is it your turn and my turn?

2026 is a year that's waiting for people that can rise up so that God can take one man out of a

group that's being trained as an army and say here's your assignment Oliver. Go.

You're going to turn back? No way.

You look at your job situation, your wallet, your marriage and you think you're going to turn back?

No way. Because your God ain't your size.

Isaiah 51 verse 2. I love it. It says look at where you came from. Look at that one man Abraham.

Isaiah 51:2

Look at the quarry that you were cut out of. One man Abraham and one woman.

They're loins shriveled up but out of those two I have brought forth a nation. I can birth an agenda

through anybody in this church who's willing to step up. I can birth an agenda for nations.

Hey if you don't believe that think of anybody in the last 50 years who made an impact

upon the world and who you know was a believer and you check their pedigree and you will find

that none of them came from good stock. None of them were handed over riches.

None of them had any theological background. None of them had mega churches.

And those are the kind of guys you will see. You'll see someone like Emily Kay who sits there quietly

and I went and said that to her yesterday but buffers like crazy and knows the word.

Jumping up and down to a song is just enthusiasm.

That's the easy part. Do that too. Enthusiasm is the easy part.

Do that too. Enthusiasm is good as I'm discovering.

Genesis 45 verse 7. One man Joseph sent ahead off a famine to preserve Israel. One man.

Genesis 45:7

And you should read. I know you know these stories but read 2 Samuel 23, 8 to 12.

2 Samuel 23, 8 to 12. Do not name your children after the guys you find there.

It's a disservice to your children. Yeah 2 Samuel 23, 8 to 12. Look at the guys in that chapter man.

These are what I'm hoping I will get next year out of us.

I pray God that I'll have the courage to do whatever it takes including offending you to get you there.

2 Samuel 23, 8 to 12.

2 Samuel 23, 8 to 12. This is the listing of David's top men. Like I said don't name your children this.

Joseph the Tackemonite. He was the chief of the three. He once put a spear to work against 800.

Killed them all in a day. Eliezer the son of Dodai the Ahohite was next of the elite three.

He was with David when the Philistines poked fun at them at Pasdameim. When the Philistines drew up for battle Israel retreated.

But Eliezer stood his ground and killed Philistines right and left until he was exhausted.

But he never let go of his sword. A big win for God that day. The army then rejoined Eliezer.

But all that was left to do was the cleanup or collecting the spoils. That's crazy.

Where God will send you in an assignment and say hey Joy, hey Sen, hey Vignesh I want you to go do this.

You go and do that. The rest of us are waiting. We didn't collect the spoils because when you were sent to the army.

You did well.

You are doing well today and the church is where it is today because people in the last 20 years stood up and did what they were supposed to do.

We are beneficiaries of the people whose shoulders we are presently standing on.

Who paid a much higher cost.

Here is a simple rule that God follows and that leaders must follow.

God will not ask you to do anything that he hasn't done himself.

And leaders should not ask you to do anything that they haven't done themselves.

It gives you the right to demand of people what they must do.

Not for the sake of man but because his is a kingdom of power and the glory.

When assignments come guys, here is a beautiful thing.

When assignments come your way and they will.

You have a degree of autonomy and you have permission from God.

And you will begin to enjoy it.

You will walk with him, you will talk with him, you will figure out how to do things.

Why do you do things?

Because you are the leader of the people.

You are the leader of the people.

You are the leader of the people.

You are the leader of the people.

You are the leader of the people.

You will walk with him, you will talk with him, you will figure out how to do things.

Why does God give autonomy and permission?

Because he wants you to push past where he was and contend for what he, what and where he is calling you to.

When you locate your permission, when you locate your place of permission, you will hear God laughing.

I will explain this.

You will hear God laughing and you will hear the enemy gasp.

You know occasionally when God says, hey, I have got this for you to do.

I know you are training well, I have got this for you to do.

You know what you should do?

You should begin to ask God for things that you have read in the Word.

For things that you have heard of that you have never really experienced.

One of the guys who did that was Joshua.

In Joshua chapter 10 verse 13, here is what Joshua does.

Joshua 10:13

He is at plenty of victories.

He is doing well.

And then he realizes that the enemy is on the run.

But that is not enough because if the enemy is on the run, tomorrow they can gather back together and come back against him.

So he asks for what no man has asked before.

But he wouldn't have asked it if God wouldn't have prompted it.

And here is what he asks.

He says, hey God, is it possible that you cause the sun to stand still in the sky so that I can complete my victory over the enemy so that none of them are left to gather and come back against me tomorrow.

And the Bible says God heard this prayer of a man and the sun stood still for an entire 24 hours till the enemy was completely routed.

If you were to follow how the solar system works, it should have spun the entire galaxy out of sync.

It did not.

This is why your marital status, my financial status, does not allow you to have a full life.

Your marital status does not matter because this God is so ridiculously humongous that he can do anything he wants sometimes.

Anything he wants.

And so the sun stands still and it says in Joshua chapter 10 verse 13 or thereabouts, never has a man prayed something like this.

Joshua 10:13

Never has God done this before.

But this is what I mean by when you begin to walk with God.

You begin to have a degree of autonomy and a degree of permission that you have.

To begin to try out things with God that God planned before the earth was founded but he's waiting for one man to show himself loyal and willing to take on the mind of God.

Is this your expectation Jacob for Acts 29?

It is God's expectation and I better align mine to his.

Last couple of sentences.

With permission will come promise.

Whenever there's permission given, there is a promise given.

Whenever there's permission given, there is a promise given.

A promise is basically permission put into words.

A promise is basically permission from God put into words.

Genesis 28 verse 15.

Genesis 28:15

Jacob wakes up.

He's been sleeping on a pillar.

He's been sleeping on a stone.

He wakes up.

He says, this is the gateway of heaven.

This is the house of God and that God gives him both permission but it's in the form of a promise.

What does he say to Jacob?

Jacob, here's what I'll do for you.

I'll make sure that I watch over you.

Take care of you.

I'll be with you wherever you go.

And here's what I guarantee.

You will go different places and I'll bring you back.

I'll bring you back.

I'll bring you back through this land, back to the land of your fathers.

Jacob had that promise.

Then it didn't matter.

It didn't matter whether he confronted Laban.

It didn't matter that he confronted Abimelech.

It didn't matter who he confronted.

He had a promise and in that promise, permission was put into words.

This is what I'm permitting.

Here is the promise.

I am faithful.

I will watch over you.

I will bring you back and take you back to the land of your fathers.

And then with permission comes provision.

You know why we are so scared to step into what God gives permission for?

Because we are scared of provision.

We are so scared of provision.

I am so scared of provision.

To step into things of God, we are so scared.

We'll talk about the bride next week.

What are we looking at?

Looking at?

We're looking at anointed bride in army boots on assignment.

Now as we go down this road, it'll get clearer and clearer.

Can we, can you just humor me and say it together?

Anointed bride in army boots on assignment.

One more time.

Anointed bride in army boots on assignment.

And it just be written on your heart, written on your head.

One last time just to humor me because you didn't humor me throughout the last one hour.

Anointed bride.

If you could only be like this throughout the sermon.

Okay, all good.

I'm mic'd.

Okay, so the kids have one more song to do.

Thank you.