Secret Place_1

Ready? Okay, guys, so we've been going down this trail of

waters made sweet and waters made bitter. And it's a very vast topic. But the intent of the topic is

that we be affected so much by the nature of God that our ability to relate to Him changes

because we see Him differently. And so here's where we were at and where we are going to.

We have, we started with the idea that God does not, not idea, we were trying to establish the

premise that God does not allow or permit evil. That's what we talked about, I think, two weeks

ago. God does not allow or permit evil because the moment you begin to think that this God who's

who's a good father allows evil or permits evil into your life, then He is absolutely untrustable

because you don't know what He's going to do next. And that's a common belief in every kind of church.

It doesn't matter whether you're Pentecostal, Baptist, Presbyterian, Methodist, everybody tries to

explain away our personal experiences by saying God is sovereign. Sometimes He allows things that

are evil to happen so that we may learn from it. Not true. That kind of father is a whimsical,

untrustable father. I was listening to a show on TV two days ago on a Christian channel where they

have to include other religions. And on one of the TV shows came a man who is an imam from a

mosque, grew up in Canada, speaks really well. And I listened to him speak and I thought to myself,

he sounds like a pastor from most churches because his contention was the same. That God,

in his case Allah, allows evil so that we may learn from it because at the end of the day,

He has different ways to bring out good. And one of the ways He does that is by bringing evil into

our lives. And the moment we go down that road, then this God is not a good father.

So we started with that premise that God does not allow or permit evil. And then,

and by the way, this is a vast topic. We won't finish it today. It might take a few more weeks

or even a couple of months if necessary. But hopefully at the end of the day, it's like

piecing a puzzle together. You know, I used to work for Joan's dad ages ago when I was young.

And whenever you would go to his office on the dining table, there would be this puzzle.

It had like 4,000 pieces. And over six months, they would build it painstakingly. And every time

I would look at it, I would shudder and go and work. But one day I saw it complete. The point is,

these things take time to put together. So you can't take what you hear today and come to a

conclusion. You can only move towards a conclusion. And the conclusion is already established.

God is always good. He does not do evil. He's a good father. That is a conclusion we are working

towards. But how do, how, how we get there is what we're talking about. Because if we can

actually begin to see that he is really good, we'll stop entertaining thoughts that come out of our

experience. So here's the second thing we established that God does not allow or permit evil. Well,

then one should ask the question, why is it that a God who has all power, why is it that this God

does not prevent evil?

That was the question we asked last week. That sure, let's begin to accept the fact that this

God does not allow evil. Well, then, because he's so powerful and because he's a good father,

like any good father, why isn't he preventing evil?

And so today we'll go one step further and ask the question,

is God using his power

to prevent evil?

Because this question is a question that humans ask and the intent of this question is to cast

suspicion on his nature. This question is not to cast suspicion on his nature, but to get an answer.

A very famous man have written books about this, say, why do bad things happen to good people and

they are much better Christians than me. But when it comes to this question,

Christians than me, but when it comes to this area, they messed up and yet there are finer people than me.

So these are, we finished these two questions, we're in this question now, is God

using his power to prevent evil? That's what we have to find out because when you ask the second

question, it's a nasty question. Why is it that this God does not prevent evil? Your kids come

and do that to you sometimes, eh? Your kids will come and say to you, why aren't you doing this? If

you loved me, you would. And that question carries in it a sense of suspicion. You may have legitimate

reasons to ask the second question. Please remember, I'm not dissing what has happened to you.

Your experience and my experience, our faces don't tell our stories, but if people really heard our

stories, would begin to weep because very few know what you and I have been through and it would almost

seem like, where was God when it happened? Why didn't he prevent it? So it's a valid question in

its asking, but the way you ask it either casts suspicion or wants to find the reason.

And so is God using his power to prevent evil things? Let's go to Psalm 91.

Psalm 91.

Even before I read it, I want to say that the answer is a resounding yes. He does so much to

prevent evil. Psalm 91. In an age where people are scared to breathe, Psalm 91 is refreshing.

Psalm 91. I'm going to read it from the NIRV, not because it changes anything, but because NIRV is a

far simpler version for people like you and I. Psalm 91. I'm reading.

The person who read it, he was a very good reader.

I'm reading.

The person who rests in the shadow of the most high God will be kept safe by the mighty one.

I will say about the Lord, he is my place of safety. He's like a fort to me. He's my God. I trust in him.

Are you guys reading the same version or NIRV? Same version? Okay. Otherwise I can go to the NIRV.

Now listen to verse three onwards. He will certainly save you from hidden traps

and from deadly sickness. He will cover you with his wings. Under the feathers of his wings,

you will find safety. I love the next one. He is faithful. He will keep you safe like a shield or a tower.

You won't have to be afraid of the terrors that come during the night.

You won't have to fear the arrows that come at you during the day.

You won't have to be afraid of the sickness that attacks in the darkness.

You won't have to fear the plague that destroys at noon.

A thousand may fall dead at your side. Ten thousand may fall near your right hand,

but no harm will come to you. You will see with your own eyes how God punishes sinful people.

The Lord is the one who keeps you safe, so let the Most High God be like a home to you.

Then no harm will come to you. No terrible plague will come near your tent.

The Lord will command his angels to take good care of you. They will lift you up in their hands.

Then you won't trip over a stone. You will walk all over lions and cobras.

You will crush mighty lions and poisonous snakes. The Lord says, I will save the one who loves me.

I will save the one who loves me. I will keep him safe because he trusts in me.

He will call out to me and I will answer him. I will be with him in times of trouble.

I will save him and honor him. I will give him a long life and I will save him.

What in this psalm seems to relate to any of us that God is not into absolute loving protection?

The question needs to be asked, is God using his power to prevent evil?

I want to say to you the answer is a resounding yes. That he is using his power to protect you from evil.

He is always using his power to protect you from evil.

If for a moment our spiritual lives would open to realities around us,

if we could do the minority report thing where you see a crime

or something that is going to happen before it happens, it would freak you out.

But since we can't do that, only Tom Cruise can do that, let's not even go there.

Psalm 91 says that he that dwells in the secret place of the Lord is safe in the shadow of the Almighty.

The shadow of the Almighty is basically this idea of God's wings.

When I was a kid, my dad used to raise chickens.

Strange, eh? No, I didn't grow up on a farm, it was just chickens.

One of the things that I'd be fascinated watching is how once the chicks were born,

my favorite thing was to go chasing them and watch them disappear under the wings of the mother hen.

And then you'd have to wait a while before they'd come up, come back again so you could chase them again.

But they'd go scurrying under the wings of this mother hen.

And there it was almost as if they were oblivious to the fact that I was around.

Because they could not see me anymore.

The strange thing with hiding under the shadow of the Almighty is you become oblivious to the threats around you.

It's not that the threats appear, you do not see them anymore.

There's an odd twist there, eh? It's not that his wings are mighty.

It is just that under the warmth and the safety of that place, you do not, you're not aware of what else is happening around you.

And so when you look at Psalm 91, you see that this idea of wings is very common to God.

Go to Psalm 17 verse 8, Psalm 17 verse 8, Psalm 17 verse 8.

Psalms 17:8 Psalms 17:8 Psalms 17:8

Psalm 17 verse 8. I love this line man, look at what it says.

Psalms 17:8

God uses such odd words, these are words coming from him.

Keep me as the apple of your eye, hide me in the shadow of your wings, keep me as the apple of your eye.

Keep me as the apple of your eye, watch this. The moment I come and do this his eyelid shuts.

Won't let me get anywhere near his iris or pupil. Keep me as the apple of your eye.

Hide me under the shadow of your wings. Where do you think these words came from?

David was inspired by God, he wrote these words prophetically.

Guys, we inhabit that which we believe. This is not positive thinking, it is just a fact of life.

You inhabit what you believe.

Keep me as the apple of the eye, of your eye, hide me under the shadow of your wings.

Let's go to Isaiah 2, 4 or 4, 2, I'm not too sure. Isaiah 2, 4.

No, Isaiah 4, 2. Yeah, Isaiah 4 verse 5, Isaiah 4 verse 5, Isaiah 4 verse 5.

Isaiah 4:5 Isaiah 4:5 Isaiah 4:5

Yeah, Isaiah 4 verse 5, Isaiah 4 verse 5, Isaiah 4 verse 5.

Isaiah 4:5 Isaiah 4:5 Isaiah 4:5

Here's this idea again of God hovering over and protecting. Isaiah 4 verse 5,

Isaiah 4:5

then the Lord will create over all Mount Zion. Mount Zion is the dwelling place of God.

What is the dwelling place of God now? A people. A people called what? A people who are called by

his name. And here's what it says, Isaiah 4 verse 5, then the Lord will create over all of Mount Zion

Isaiah 4:5

and over those who assemble there. A cloud of smoke by day and a glow of flaming fire by night.

Over all the glory will be a canopy. It will be a shelter and shade from the heat of the day

and a refuge and hiding place from the storm and the rain. Go to Isaiah 51, 18. Isaiah 51, 18.

Isaiah 51, 18.

Isaiah 51, 18.

Isaiah 51, nope, that's not the one. Where is it? Isaiah 51, it's about, oh yeah, Isaiah 51, 16.

Isaiah 51, 16. I have put my words in your mouth and covered you with the shadow of my hand.

I who set the heavens in place, who laid the foundations of the earth, who say to Zion,

you are my people. Let me read that again. I have put my words in your mouth and covered you with

the shadow of my hand. I who set the heavens in place, who laid the foundations of the earth,

and say to Acts 29, you are my people. Let's look at another one. We already did Psalm 91,

Psalms 91:3–10

verse 3 to 10. Guys, the point is, begin to read this and let it begin to settle in your heart,

eh? Because this is a God who's highly protective. Highly protective. And we'll talk about how do we

get into this place of protection? How do I rest under the shadow of his wings? So the question is,

how do I rest under the shadow of his wings? How do I rest under the shadow of his wings?

And the answer is very simple, actually. Anyone want to take a stab at it? How do I rest under

the shadow of his wings? Okay. Knowing its character. The word. I would suggest that we

go to the very first verse by dwelling in the secret place of the Most High. And in that is

included everything that all of you called out. Because the psalm starts this way. He that dwells

in the secret place of the Most High shall rest in the shadow of the Almighty. How do we rest in

the shadow of the Almighty? How do we rest in the shadow of his wings? By learning how to dwell or

reside or begin to live or live out of the secret place of the Most High. And so we'll begin the

process of finding out, so how does this work? Any questions? You know, if you've gotten from here to

here, you're already ahead of the game. If you've gotten from God does not allow or permit evil to,

why is it that God does not prevent evil? You've already made progress. And from that, if you can

go here, gosh, your God is suddenly becoming the Christian God. Because this God ain't Christian.

This God is like any other God. Like I said, when I watched him speak on TV, he believed,

he didn't believe in Jesus Christ, he believed in Allah. And I suddenly began to think, man,

put a robe on this guy, a white robe instead of a brown robe or a black robe, and he would sound

like any decent pastor. You can see why it is so difficult to trust God if the first or second

statement are part of our life. How do you trust a father who could perhaps allow, permit, whatever

semantic word you want to use? How could you ever trust him because he's so unpredictable? Because

you don't know when he may turn nasty. Even though there might be some great sovereign purpose behind

it, which you won't find out for the next 40 years. Terrible way to live, man.

And like I said two weeks ago, I have to take you back to some of the lines spoken two weeks ago.

If you think that this is Jacob's fancy notion, that he is creating a God with his own hands

molding a golden calf that is perhaps more palatable for us humans, then I say to you,

don't look at what I'm molding with my hands, look at Jesus Christ and show me in the four Gospels

and the life of Jesus Christ, where he behaved like this. And in looking at him, you will find

only that he was forsaken so that we may not be forsaken.

That he was handed over so that we may not be handed over.

That he was tormented by satanic forces so that we may find ways of overcoming satanic forces.

That Psalm 91 was written by Moses, who was a type of Jesus but lived in the old covenant.

So the first thing that we need to understand as we deal with the idea of is God using his

power to prevent evil, is this, you must understand the context that you were born into. Guys,

you have been born during wartime. You do not think so. I rarely used to think so.

I rarely used to think so. I rarely used to think so. I rarely used to think so.

But you need to understand that all of us have been born in a time of war.

Even as I say it, it doesn't register because we do not see it that way, right? We do not see that

there are just two sides. One is Christ and thousands and thousands of angels and the Kingdom

of God. And then there is another kingdom called the satanic kingdom with thousands and thousands

of fallen angels. And that every inch of land and every life from the moment it enters the earth

is being contested for. We do not think like this. We have always been born since the fall in times

of war. Your children are being born in times of war. And if Canada was in a time of war,

your response would be very different, eh?

We don't think like that.

We were born in times of war. Innocence and ignorance is not bliss. It's dulling and confusing.

Ignorance and innocence is not bliss. It's dulling and confusing. It is dulling. If you

don't realize the times we are born in, it is dulling. And my God, isn't there a dullness

and a confusion about this? I've mentioned this before, but it's worth having a look at again.

During this time of war, you need to see the kinds of things that happen to people.

And then begin to see and put in context this whole idea of does God prevent evil? And what

forms does evil take? Guys, most of the things that happen to you have fall, most of the things

that are evil that happen to you fall into these categories. We talked about this ages ago. One,

trials that have been inherited. As in, you didn't do anything to deserve it.

Maybe my dad messed up and I am left holding the bag. Maybe my spouse messed up, I'm left holding

the bag. Maybe my doctor messed up and I'm left holding the bag. Maybe my wife messed up and I'm

left holding the bag. Maybe my doctor messed up, I'm left holding the bag. Maybe my relatives

messed up. I'm not trying to put the blame on somebody else, but so many of us have suffered

because of the trials that we have inherited. So many of us have suffered. We do not like talking

ill of the dead, but my God, if they could actually look into our heads, they would know how much we

blame them. I hate funerals because nothing honest is ever said.

Pardon? Sorry, say that again.

Oh, Don, you're the first one, man. This is Don first using the mic to ask a question. Go ahead, Don.

Oh, no, no, I heard it. I just wanted him to use the mic.

Okay, guys, we're just going to skip this whole question thing.

You have to hold the green button down. It is on.

Hello? Yes. Hey, Jacob. Hey. What if you're born again?

As in I didn't understand how it connect the question. So you say that the things that you

inherit, right? But what if you're born again? Yeah. So let's assume my dad was a gambler,

and he gambled all the wealth away. I'm born again, but I'm still paying off his debts.

It's a trial that's inherited. It's physical. Sometimes it's even spiritual where stuff,

let's assume my dad was a Freemason or let's assume my dad was a practitioner of a cult. Now

I'm born again, but I may have to go through certain things that have to break of me

because he was a magician who dabbled in sorcery. So there are trials that I inherited. Two.

Sometimes as simple as that, sometimes more complicated than that. It depends on

the degree to which people have dabbled in things. There's a teaching online that you can

listen to where we talked about every blooming thing that needs to be broken off. It was called

Trojan Horses because most things now come disguised and packaged well. So you never know

what you're doing until you realize that, ah shucks, this looks really attractive, but this is deep

mystical or Eastern or Western roots that aren't healthy. Two.

There is testing to prove metal. I won't even get halfway through this at this rate.

No meaning at the rate I'm going, not the rate you're asking questions. Testing to prove metal.

As in there are times when things are tough because God is testing you and God's tests

are not destructive. God's tests do not cause you to fail. Let me explain God's test to you.

Genesis chapter 16 or 21 and God tested Abraham. Abraham, take his son, go up the mountain and

Genesis 16 · chapter mention

sacrifice him. There was never any question of it going through, but God tests. God tests.

But his test is never destructive. His test never destroys. His test doesn't leave you damaged or

does not do you any harm. You may fail his test, but it doesn't mean that you're damaged, destroyed,

second class. But God tests. Third. These are categories of when we...

Okay, Emily asked what are these categories about and so here's my response.

We'll have to, I think the church will have to sign disclaimers before we do this.

So these are, what is this category about? There are so many things that happen in our lives that

we feel is not a God thing and they fall under these categories. We sometimes just lump everything

as evil that may be coming from God when often it ain't man. Not often it ain't. It never is.

Sorry. Free will and to prove our substance. That...

No, Sheldon, we'll see how it works. I feel bad for you, man. You're a willing,

you're a willing servant, but there are... Yeah. I'll just repeat it. Maybe that'll be better.

Yeah. Everyone said yeah.

And then the third one. Incitement towards evil.

Incitement towards evil. Where is the story of incitement towards evil? And so it says in

the first chronicles, Satan incited David to take a census. Incited David. As in provoked him to do

something that would eventually end up with him breaking a rule so that he could be meted out

just as that would harm his life. Where the enemy has an ability through people to provoke you to

do evil. Another example. Hey, why don't you curse this God and die rather than keep saying

that even though he slayed me, yet I will bless him. Sometimes incitement comes from once close to you.

And the intent is not to just incite you. The intent is can I incite you enough, Jacob,

so that you take a step that will cause you harm. And then the very one who incites says,

but you just did this and therefore you deserve this. Fourth. Temptation to sin.

Yeah. The person who's inciting is not usually the one who's gloating at the end.

Sometimes even that happens. Like I was, someone was telling me about this story of a

guy in a industrial office who told this Christian, hey, why don't you take these parts from the

air conditioner that are lying around, put it together to make your own air conditioner.

And so over a period of time, he put it together, made his own air conditioner.

Soon as it was done, the guy sends another note saying, don't you know it's company policy not

to take any parts from the office and make your own air conditioner. And so sometimes it's a setup,

man. This world sets you up really good.

I would disagree because in David's case, it was Satan inciting David and David knew the rules.

David knew he was not to take a census of anyone because God had clearly said, you do not win by

the might of chariots or horses. You win by my might. David went and did what the kings of the

other nations are doing. So, yeah, go ahead.

Okay. We shall answer this question over the next 14 weeks. I'm not avoiding the question because it has to be dealt with.

The question is, what about Job? Didn't God allow the devil to like ravage Job? So how do you put that in place?

Even today, as we go over what we're going over, you will begin to see how this plays out.

One of the intents of putting this down on the thing is to show you the presence of evil

and that there are ways today to stand where Job stood and overcome it instead of being taken over by it.

At the end of the day, Job is an example. It's strange how Job is only portrayed as an

example of a righteous man who persevered. They don't talk of him as the one who suffered greatly.

They talk of him as the one who persevered greatly. And what was his perseverance?

That I am righteous. You are a righteous God. Why, oh God? And then after 38 chapters of wise,

in four chapters of wise, God silences everything. So none of these questions are

not valid. You have a right, I have a right to ask these questions. But one must approach the

asking of this question not to cast suspicion but to get answers. That's the difference.

Our questioning is usually, well, if you're a good father and you have the power, why didn't you prevent it?

And that, while God gives us the freedom to do that, I'm saying there's a better way to go about it,

where you get answers. And we will have to deal with Job. You can't avoid it.

Yeah, I mean if you insulated your child like you want God to insulate you,

your child would die of a common cold. I'm sorry, maybe that's not a good reference at this time.

Your child would die of, your child would not die, forget the child. Let's just move on. Sorry,

it was just a bad example. But the point is, if we insulated our children like you want God to insulate

you, your children would have allergies to everything.

Yeah, ah, why didn't you come up with this about a minute ago?

Your children would not grow up the way they should.

Okay, the next one. Temptation to sin or compromise.

All these carry costs, eh? Next one. Persecution.

Persecution.

Which is something that happens to Christians in many other countries. Discipline.

Discipline.

This is from God. To instruct, to stop from greater harm,

to make more fruitful. These are the three reasons you're disciplined.

These are the three reasons you're disciplined. God disciplines us to instruct us,

God disciplines us to stop from causing ourselves greater harm, and God disciplines us

so that we may be branches that produce more fruit. These are the three ways of discipline.

When we think discipline, we immediately think really bad things.

But these are the three ways of discipline. And discipline is unto God.

But these are the three ways of discipline. And discipline is unpleasant if you don't learn,

if I don't learn quickly. And then the last one is outright satanic attacks.

Outright satanic attacks. These are all veiled, eh? These are veiled satanic attacks.

But this one is outright. And may I suggest to you that because we have a tendency not to give the

devil too much credit and not to make much of the devil, that we've literally made him like not

important when one of his main jobs day and night, night and day, is to shoot fiery arrows. We talked

about this last week. We talked about what has made bitter. I went through a list of what the enemy does.

This then, why am I putting down this list? I just want us to be aware of the context we live in.

We have been born in a time of war. And this is what is actively happening on a daily basis.

It's brilliant that you and I are either not aware of it because we have learned how to overcome it,

but if you're not aware of it because we're just sitting here, you're not aware of it because we

have learned how to overcome it, but if you're not aware of it because we're just not aware of

what we're dealing with, then ignorance is not bliss because time will eventually catch up.

Any questions?

Discipline. Initially, it'll be, hey Nick, you need to change in this area so I'm going to send

you a message. You read it in the Bible. It ain't working. Hey Nick, let me send Jacob to you. He'll

help correct you. So I come with instruction for you and you don't listen. And so God says,

nuts Nick, if you keep going down this path, it may be harmful. So let me raise up some

obstacles so that you don't go down this crazy road. Nuts. Nick is still not listening. Hey Nick,

and so he has to amp up the volume so that you're here. So you can avoid a whole lot of

unpleasantness by just listening the first time. No parent enjoys discipline. My dad used to buy

me ice cream after every discipline. You can imagine why I put on weight. I needed a lot of discipline.

Sugarcane juice or ice cream. Go ahead.

As a father.

Yeah. The crazy thing is you good fathers got your fatherness from another father who was the first

father because you weren't born fathers. None of you guys came down from heaven as fathers.

All the good fatherness you have in you is the result of it being lent to you by someone who

was it forever. He didn't even discover it. He was it.

If he didn't do discipline and testing, he wouldn't be a good father to you.

Why is it that I don't ask Prashant to play the piano? Cause I've heard him and it's bad.

Why is it that I ask Sheldon? Cause he's proven his metal. There are tests to pass.

Okay.

As parents, you refuse to insulate your children from the above. You actively participate in this

process. And why is it that God should insulate you from all of this? Why should he insulate you

from incitement towards evil? If he insulates you from the inside, why should he insulate you from

if he insulates you from being incited towards evil, how will you ever combat evil?

The strange thing is with incitement and with temptation, here's what it says in second

Corinthians, that I will always give you a way out. Always. There has never been a time in my life

where I was incited to evil or where I was tempted that I did not always have. Just by the sheer

presence of Christ in my life, the power to overcome it, leave alone options to overcome it.

Just think of that. Not only do I have Christ living in me, which means that I do not need to

succumb to any temptation just because Christ lives in me. But that aside, he also provides

me options saying, hey Jacob, you can still get out of this.

You as parents don't do it and yet your children don't turn around and say,

why aren't you preventing evil? Man, if they didn't, you need to understand this. There's

nothing that you can do to change this. You are born in a time of war. You must come to grips with

that. To not live in that is to live in what is not real. You have been born in a time of war.

Please, I'm not exaggerating when you just have to look at Old Testament and New Testament,

Book of Acts and Gospels and Kings and Chronicles and you will see one thing very clearly that every

inch of land is contested and every life is contested. Every inch of land. If you are here

and you do not know Christ or if you are not aware of Christ, you will be in a state of

every inch of land. If you are here and you do not know Christ or if you are here and you

don't have a relationship with Christ or if you are here and you have a relationship with Christ

but you're not walking with Christ, how do you think that works? Sure, it's your own free will

but remember your own free will becomes your greatest enemy because it can be hijacked or

it can be given to the lordship of someone. Christ never hijacks it but there is one who hijacks it.

And if we don't understand the context we are born into, then we will not understand why evil exists

and we will not understand why God will not insulate you from it because if he insulates

you from it, you'll be shot the moment you step out of your house. That's what happens in wartime.

Any questions?

It's good news man. It ain't bad news. I'm glad I know the things that I know so I can deal with it.

We'll do just one more section. The sections I had for you are circumstances at training ground.

We'll cover that. Step back into the spirit man.

Step back into the spirit man. Step back into the spirit man. Step back into the spirit man.

Circumstances at training ground. We'll cover that. Step back into the spirit man.

The secret place of the most high. We'll do that next time. Where your treasure is.

Deep calls are the deep. It's strange. I just want to touch on that

because it's a very small point. Psalm 91 verse 2.

Psalms 91:2

So the first verse is being said as he the first verse is a statement.

He that dwells in the secret place of the most high will abide in the shadow of

the almighty. Now look at the sudden change that happens.

Having made that statement, Moses, I'm assuming is a writer, goes immediately into I will say.

There is this idea of needing to speak the word because you actually believe it.

Or if you don't believe it, start speaking it till you believe it. Whichever

however it cuts. But it is strange how he makes a statement about God and then instead of leaving

at it even though he is a writer, he immediately, I mean these are revelatory prophetic psalms.

You're talking about he will not let angels, he will let angels carry you. You will tread

over the serpent and the lion. Who's he talking about? He's talking about one who is going to

come after him. Who they say is a type of Moses. And having prophetically spoken it, he is now

saying having heard it through a revelation that he that dwelleth in the secret place of the most

high will abide under the shadow of the almighty. Instead of leaving it there, Moses, the writer

begins to say I will say of the Lord that he is my refuge and my fortress. There is a need to

respond with words, with a voice to that which is spoken that you know is a revelation.

And the strange thing is that's what it says in revelations in Psalm 91 verse 2. Now go to the last

Psalms 91:2

three verses of the psalm. Suddenly the speaker now changes. It was Moses who was speaking. Moses

who was getting revelations from God and now he begins to hear the voice of God because in the last

three verses, verses 12 to 14, you find that God begins to speak and in his speaking he says four

things. Honor you, protect you, demonstrate my salvation. God begins to speak. So go towards the end

of Psalm 91 and the speaker changes. Deep calling to deep. Your voice calls out to him. His voice

begins to return in conversation. This is what prayer is. Psalm 91 verse 10 to 14.

Psalms 91:10–14

And here's what it says. After Moses has made the statements, now God begins to speak. Because he

loves me says the Lord. I will rescue him. I will protect him for he acknowledges my name. How did

Moses acknowledge his name? How did Moses acknowledge his name? Not by writing down this prophetic

psalm but by agreeing with the prophetic psalm. How did he agree with God? By putting into his

words what he heard. I will say of the Lord he is my refuge and my fortress. In him I will trust.

And now God in the last three verses turns around and says but because you have acknowledged me.

Deep calling to deep. Guys I will never tire of saying it that this must be done by you.

This is one of those things you can imitate me in and you will be imitating Christ.

It is life altering. I say it with absolute humility but with tremendous passion.

I'm fascinated by this man who hears a revelation from God and then begins to agree with it by

speaking it out. And then after he speaks it out God later on says you acknowledged me.

You didn't write down what I gave as a revelation. You acknowledged me in the revelation.

Then he goes on to say because he loves me says the Lord I will rescue him. I will protect him

for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me and I will answer him. I will be with him in

trouble. I will deliver him. Why? Because Moses said listen God I want you to know that having

revealed what you have revealed. You are my refuge and my fortress and you I will put my trust. And

then he says I will protect him. I will honor him. I will deliver him and with long life I will

satisfy him and show him my salvation. It's crazy man how these things work.

I just want to touch on circumstances being training ground for us and then we'll stop.

And then I'll continue on the 15th.

Maybe I'll have what's his name also go down this road. What's his name?

Jiwan.

So every believer guys this is again going back to the thing that you parents do with your children.

God will not insulate you from having to deal with the fact that there is a live active enemy

because you have been born into a time of war that will not conclude till Christ comes back.

And he will not insulate you from that. You will not be bubble boys and bubble girls wrapped up in

a plastic thing. So every believer has a small sphere of influence that God plans for you to

rule and reign over. So every believer every person who is born again I mean every person

to begin with was supposed to be made in the image of God and was supposed to deputize on

his behalf and steward things on his behalf here on earth. Every human being. But they don't know

it and we know it. So every believer has a sphere of influence that you are supposed to rule and

reign over. And God will train you for it. He will train you for it with all the evil that is around

because that will not end till he comes back and death will be the last enemy that is defeated.

And what are these spheres of influence? They're usually these spheres of influence

and they are home, work, church. And by church I mean not a service. This thing called the body of

Christ. These are the three spheres of influence. Every believer has it. Doesn't matter whether it's

Aaron who may be 12 or Sheldon who may be 20. At the end of the day everyone has a sphere of influence

and God intended it that way. How do we know God intended it that way? Because his intent for Adam

was that one day he would replenish the earth. And yet what does God do? He takes the entire earth

and takes a tiny corner called Eden and says start here. This is your sphere of influence.

And he does that with everybody.

And then he uses circumstances to train us. The three spheres I've written showed you.

The sphere of influence, your sphere of influence is where

your sphere of influence is where you learn your measure

of rule. Your sphere of influence is where you learn your present measure of rule,

your present measure of rule. Your sphere of influence is where you learn your

present measure of rule. This goes back to Matthew 25, the parable of the talents.

Well done good and faithful servant. You've been faithful over five, let me

give you ten. They had a sphere of influence. They were rewarded the same.

The one who had one got two, the one who had three got six, the one who had five

got ten. The multiplication was the same. And God won't take away all the things

that are happening around you in the midst of it. Man what would be the point

if Daniel opened the door of his room and prayed five times a day in the

Vatican. He had to do it in Babylon man. Do it in Rome, what's a big deal? The Pope

does it anyways five times a day. So he won't take away the opposition because

at the end of the day his hope is that you will learn your present measure of

rule. And what do you mean learn your present measure of rule? What do you

mean by that? How to receive from God what his promises are. How to overcome

evil. How to stand. How to exert faith. How to multiply what's in your hand. How

faithful under pressure. This is how you increase in your measure. You think that

any of us will get anywhere without this? You think a degree will get you this? You

think being someone's son will get you this? Not in the kingdom of God. Do you

know how many ministries are ruined because the sons don't pay the cost and

so they're handed over things that they never had the character to handle. Go

ahead. What a mess. How do we learn to increase? How do you learn your present

measure of rule in the three spheres that you are given? Because all of us have

these spheres even if you don't have a spouse you still have this sphere. How do

you get to learn your measure of rule? Here's how. How to receive from God. What

do I need for homework church? How do I handle my baby? How do I handle my spouse?

Now that I've come into this new land how do I handle the future? How do I handle

Acts 29? What do I do as Acts 29 begins to grow? How do I handle New York? How do

I handle this? How do I handle that? Next, what are the promises that God has given

me? It's the first thing you do when you get your job. When they give you a job

and they sign the paper what's it called? It's called a contract but you have been

on probation so I can understand. Job offer or contract. The first thing you

do when you get a contract is you look at the promises that the company is

giving you. How much leave? How much money for the leave? You look over all that but

not when it comes to the kingdom. What are the promises? How do I overcome evil?

Because it's a reality. How do I stand in the day of evil? How do I exert faith? How

do I multiply what's in my hand? How do I walk faithfully under pressure? Man, you

should, your heart should thrill at this. How do you, where am I? How do you multiply

what's in your hand? One of the things God asks, see what is in your hand? He

asks that of Moses. What's in your hand? A rod. Throw it down. Turns into a

serpent. Pick it up. Turns back into a rod. What's in your hand? Just a tiny bit

of oil. Well, give it to me. Make me a cake of cake and we'll see what happens

with that. What's in your hand? How do you multiply it? And then the last one is

faithfulness under pressure. Your heart should thrill at this because we serve

at the pleasure of just one who is the king of the universe. We serve at his

pleasure and to serve at his pleasure. I don't want to, I don't want to spend the

next 40 years sweeping the foyer. Sure, David said I would rather be a janitor

in the foyer of your temple than be elsewhere but David didn't mean I want

to be that for the next 40 years. David wanted to increase in God. One of my

favorite lines in Psalm 119 is, Oh God, enlarge my heart that I might run after

you. He's begging God, I have loved you all I can, I can't love you anymore so

would you enlarge my heart so I could love you more?

This is how you increase by thinking right, by worshipping and as you do this

guys, God will start expanding your sphere and give you a greater measure,

greater influence, greater anointing, greater power. Anointing doesn't come

because you went up and someone laid hands on you. Anointing and power and

influence and measure comes because in these things you are being faithful and

God says let me now increase your measure and in the process of increasing

your measure let me give you a greater sphere and in the process of giving you

a greater sphere you will now need from me greater anointing and power and then

he expands you out of your present place into the next place and when you fill

that place he'll expand you further. Isn't this your desire for your children?

Isn't this your desire for your children and will you insulate them from

opposition, from bullies, from teachers who are not good, from falling and

hurting their knees? Will you insulate them? How are you going to raise the next

messy if every time your kid falls and scratches his knee you go and say right

you're not playing anymore. No, you let them fall, you let them get up, you let

them fall and you take care of them every time. Man, we got to do the same

thing. Ouch that hurt.

These can be calibrated.

These must be displayed.

This cannot be, yeah, yeah, internally it's happening. Really?

Show me you're pregnant.

It has to manifest and these do not manifest in isolation. I love what Eddie

used to say, a guy used to come to Eddie's father and used to tell Eddie's

father, you know I'm very spiritual and Eddie's father would always ask who are

you spiritual with? Because when you're not spiritual you're not going to be

able to manifest.

And Eddie's father would always ask who are you spiritual with? Because the

guy would always be on his own, never connect with the body, just be in and out,

perhaps a Sunday thing and but he would he would keep saying you know I'm really

spiritual and the question is well who are you spiritual with? And you can't be

spiritual with someone two hours sitting on a pew way. You're being spiritual with

a pew. As I do God expands my sphere, gives me greater measure, greater

influence. Guys, he expands you out of your present place into the next place.

When you fill that he pushes you out further. In the end you end up carrying a

family, a city, a church. Just think of it, eh? You know I was thinking of this,

that, Blessy knows this. I was 22 or something, had this deep desire to do

something for the youth in Bahrain. Used to play table tennis with them, began to

influence many of them from Muslim and Hindu backgrounds, used to gather with

them, little knowing that these things that I learned in the process would now

expand my sphere further. And then I've watched the greatest advantage of

getting old is you've got tons of hindsight. I feel bad for you

20 somethings. When you look back at your life you only see baby pictures. I meant

that as a not a compliment. But the point is this, that it began there with a bunch

of kids in a little room that was super hot in 45 degree heat and then from there

it began happening. And as I watch now nations opening up I rarely think that it

is because of some great grifting, anointing or anything. I think it is

because of faithfulness at different phases. And when I see the demonic that I

deal with now, and when I look back 20 years and look at the demonic that I dealt

with then, I can see a difference even in terms of authority. And so when I read

this line out it really resonates with me and I pray that it resonates with

everybody in this church, if not tomorrow then day after tomorrow, that you can

end up not just carrying your family because that's the sphere you begin that.

You can end up not just carrying your family, you can end up carrying a church,

you can end up carrying a city. And God will deliberately send you to dry places.

Why? Because you have suddenly become a well digger. You have the ability to go

into dry places, dry nations, dig up wells and out of that well begin to pour out

water. Now you can understand Isaiah 35. Now you can understand spring up all

wells. You know what it says about that song spring up all wells, splash, splash?

It says call your nobles, call your kings and tell them to use their sceptres,

Judah, so that you can dig up wells, so that out of those wells can spring

living water. This is what we are talking about, man. Your circumstances will train

you. Your circumstances will train you. I'll finish in two minutes. Your

circumstances will train you so that you can carry a family, carry a city,

carry a church. Guys, you don't have to be a preacher for this. You can be

whatever you are, a guitarist, a businessman, environmental, whatever you are,

software, whatever. You can be a mom who's just taking care of her kids and

cities and churches and nations you begin to water. Why? Because you were

faithful in these things and you began with your home, work and church and you

will not be insulated from the enemy. We will overcome. We will overcome. Do you

know that the book of Revelation is continuously, at least three churches, the

last line of every letter that Jesus writes to the churches ends this way, to

him who overcomes. To him who overcomes. And then it says this is the reward. He

earned the right, man that offers because he overcame and the one who

overcame dwells in our midst. Your character can only handle the anointing

prophesied over you if your character is proven in handling circumstances. Your

character can only handle the anointing that is prophesied over you if your

character is proven under circumstances. I was trying to chat two days ago. I'll

end here. I'm not going any further. I was trying to chat a few days ago and I

was, maybe I said this last time I was here, and I've realized that when I take

people with me to different places, especially to deal with some of the

principalities that rule over nations, that at some point or the other many of

them are being affected. And when I was trying to chat about it, I said Jacob

unfortunately there is no other way to do this than to take someone into a

battle because you can train them all you want in a classroom, but till you

actually fly an aircraft in combat with real enemies who can shoot you down at

40,000 feet, traveling at twice the speed of sound, you really don't know if

you've got it. And so it's a natural rite of passage. And so in our discussion,

one of the things I realized is you cannot insulate. You can protect, you can

lift up, you can help recover, but you cannot insulate. I'm done. Any questions?

Go ahead. You want to ask something, Don? Okay. Any questions, guys? Your

character can only handle the anointing that has been prophesied over you if your

character has been proven under circumstances. Because many of you have

received prophetic words, but your character can only handle the anointing

prophesied over you if your character has been proven under circumstances. And if

your character has not proven itself worthy of the anointing that you require

for the next phase, then God will not allow you to go further because he would

hate for you to be trampled under Goliath's boot. And so he'll keep you where

you are, which is why sometimes you find like life is on Groundhog Day repeats.

That nothing is breaking forth. It's circular. See, problem with God is he doesn't

live in time, so he's not very concerned with time that it takes for me to change.

Let's pray. Gosh, Lord, there's so much to talk. And the intent is to prove your nature.

We've really warped it. Today we go with this understanding that we were born in a

time of war, where every inch of land is contested and every life is contested.

Even though the enemy knows that he has been defeated, it does not prevent him

from contesting. Revelations 12 or 13 talks about how the woman gave birth to a

man-child and that when the enemy saw that he was cast out, he raged after the

child of the woman. There's a rage more so against the children of God. But we are

not afraid of it. I'm not saying it in a way that frightens us. I'm just saying,

Father, that we are born in a time of war and we refuse to have our children

insulated. They shall become ones that will grow from...

Yeah. Don't want to get too dramatic, Father. All I'm saying, Father, is as we

go home now, could you make us aware that there is evil around us, but there is the

righteous, holy one who overcame evil within us. I pray that we would go home

and explore the world. Greater is he that is in me than he that is in the world.

How absurd if you lived in me and then allowed evil to happen to you. I remember

what you said, oh God, when Paul was persecuting Christians. He said, Jesus,

you said to Paul, why are you persecuting me? You take this very personally.

I'll end on that note, Father. Don't want to sing or anything. Just want to go

soberly. In Jesus' name, Amen.