Faith, Foes and Family //DW// Pastor Terrance Richmond

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Love Quest International

Church podcast, where we seek to love all nations, equip the

church, mobilize the equipped, and serve all.

We're super glad you're joining us from whenever and wherever

you're at in the world. Welcome to the family to get

your Bibles ready, get some water, get some coffee, maybe

some tea and get ready to receive.

Let's get into it. A few weeks ago we started a

series mid-day, mid midweek called.

Anybody know what it's called? Oh, OK.

They put it up there for you. Amen.

Somebody say thanks a day. Thanks a day.

Really appreciate you. Amen.

There you go. All right, they gonna hand out

all the answers tonight, OK? Foes, faith and family or faith,

foes and family. And we've understood that your

your your family. Bible says that your family will

be your foes. Some of the hardest people to

please is going to be family. Some of the great offenses are

going to come through family and So what I understand is this

reason is because covenant is under attack.

Write it down. Covenant is under attack.

The the enemy don't want none of y'all to have real real God

centered covenantal relationships.

He want us to do relationship and love.

How the world does it. All feelings, all emotions, and

all transactional. And so family, the house, the

attack has to start at the house because whatever I can shape at

the house, I can bleed into the world.

So whatever you learn at the house, you're going you're going

to take it out into the world. And so we began to talk about

faith, foes and family because we started a series on Sunday

called What You Beat Day to it, Good Family Matters.

And then last week, anybody remember what we talked about?

What was the title subtitle to this Faith under Fire, Faith

under fire. And we looked at Shadrach,

Meshach and Abednego and hopefully you learned a few

things. And we're looking through the

lens. Anybody remember the three

lenses we're looking through when we preach?

Expose, equip and excite. Expose So you can look for that.

You can look for us to expose some things, equip you and

excite you. Tonight we're going to deal with

the same family, faith and foes, but from the subtitle of Faith

that refuses to bow, a faith that refuses to bow, the faith

that refuses to bow. Everybody got faith until they

get in the fiery furnace. Everybody love God till it's

actually time to represent Him. Everybody love you until it's

actually time to fight offense. A faith that refuses to bow.

Somebody say refuse. Come on, you got to have some

stubborn faith. Not pride, but stubborn faith.

You have to refuse to what? Bow, you have to refuse Bow we

we learned last week that the war that started in Eden or we

weren't born in the comfort, we were born into a war.

The war that started in Eden does not end in defeat.

So here in the beginning, I just want to give you all some good

news, OK, a few, few few bars of some good news.

The war that started in Eden, it does not end in defeat.

It ends in Dominion for the for those that don't understand what

dominion is it you, you domination is going to be

restored, right? There should come a point where

you dominate in your life. Your your soul is under

submission to the word of God. There comes a time where you

should be winning in every area of your life.

Your family may have battles. Your house may feel pressure,

your obedience may provoke tension, but the promise stands.

The promise still stands. God did not start this war to

lose it. That's a good word right there.

I speak over you that the enemy does not get our children, the

enemy does not get our marriages, the enemy does not

get our bloodline. It's not going to come up on the

TV and the enemy does not get our legacy.

I'll speak that again for those that was looking for it to pop

up on the screen instead of be printed on your heart.

The enemy does not get our children, the enemy does not get

our marriages, The enemy does not get our bloodline, and the

enemy does not get our legacy. In the name of Jesus, what's

interrupted today will not be stolen tomorrow.

There is enmity because there is destiny.

There is an enemy because there is a destiny.

There is enmity because you, God, has a plan for you.

There is a battle because you're a threat.

There is resistance because you are advancing.

There is conflict because there is a calling on your life and

there is resistance because there is an inheritance.

We are not shocked by warfare, no, but we are strengthened by

revelation. This is not about surviving the

fight, It is about winning the legacy.

You were not born into comfort, you were born into Covenant.

Covenant families fight different.

They fight just a little bit different.

Somebody say a little bit different.

Covenant families fight a little bit different.

We do not fight each other, we fight for each other.

We do not surrender at tension. We press into faith and we do

not fracture under pressure. We form legacy under pressure.

I think I'm going to read that one more time.

For a few people, For a few people.

Covenant families fight different.

We do not fight each other. We fight for each other.

We do not surrender at tension. We press into faith and we do

not fracture under pressure. We form legacy under pressure.

This is not about surviving the fight, you guys.

It is about winning the legacy. There's legacy on the line

Sunday and tonight go together like who's going to say enough

is enough and change things in their bloodline?

Who's going to say that? This may have ran in my family,

but it stops here, Stops here with me, right?

You got all kind of people that like to fight.

You got people that talk big mess, but don't talk big mess to

the enemy. Your, your, your mind is

unhealthy. Your, your, your, your thinking

is toxic. Your relationships suck, but you

think you tougher than everybody.

You don't know how to fight. You know how to be angry, you

know how to try to intimidate people, you know how to back

people up off of you, but you don't know how to fight for

what's really matters. And that's legacy.

That is the sanity of your bloodline.

That is the purity of your bloodline.

That is the wealth of your bloodline.

That is the faith of your bloodline.

Fight for something that matters We over there's a lot of people

in the church even in this room. You bicker over stuff every day.

When last time you bickered over the fact that some you need your

mental health. When you fought for your mental

health. When have you fought for your

friends mental health? When have you said we not going

to talk like that because that does not contribute to your

health. We know how to fight.

We know how to fight. Fighting ain't the issue.

We know how to fight. We just don't know what the

what's really worth the fight. Last week we stood in Babylon.

We we, we stood in the fiery furnace.

We watched three young men refuse to bow before the golden

image. The furnace was heated 7 times

hotter, but the fire revealed something powerful.

God does not always remove the fire.

Just recap, just a little recap. Is that OK?

God does not always remove the fire.

How many people be praying for the fire to leave?

Huh? Yeah.

I mean, even one, like two people, three people have

prayed. God removed the fire like Paul

removed the thorn in my side. Yeah, God does not always remove

the fire. Sometimes he just joins you in

it. All right?

He joins you in it. He joins you in it.

When's the last time you prayed? Lord, keep me in the fire.

Just join me. I mean, anybody ever pray that

prayer? But, but ain't that more

biblical? You know, I'm not talking about

let's model our prayer after someone who was afraid in the

Bible. What about modeling our prayer

about how God responded? He moves.

I love a good Wednesday crowd. Amen.

The fire burned their ropes. It did not burn their faith.

Well, let's go a little bit deeper.

Watch this. The furnace story did not happen

in isolation. It happened inside a very larger

story. It's a story about a man whose

faith formed the environment that produced those three men.

We often look at Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, but where

did they even learn to have such faith?

Anybody know that man name Daniel?

Three Hebrew boys were Daniel's companions.

They were raised in the same exile, formed under the same

covenant convictions, shaped by the same loyalty to Yahweh.

Daniel is not the furnace narrative.

He's not in it. Now we can see some prophetic

signs in the Old Testament. There are shadows and types.

So we can see as tight as Daniel and Shadrach, Meshach and

Abednego was, him not being there that day shows us

something like the disciples in Jesus.

There was a couple instances his boys was in trouble, He wasn't

there. But by walking with Jesus, they

should have known how to respond.

Number one, they should have known how to respond #2 He

wanted to join them and it is in that moment that you understand

who he is better than if he wasn't under pressure.

When is the last time you prayed for your furnace moment?

No, we don't pray for furnace moments.

We wanted as cool and comfy as possible.

Faith like that does not appear overnight.

It grows in houses and families where covenant loyalty is

normal. Covenant has to be normal, not

subscribe to when pressure comes.

You can't like and subscribe to the Kingdom when you're in

trouble. It was cultivated conviction.

Say it again, What we saw in the furnace was not spontaneous

bravery. It was cultivated conviction.

The same faith that stood in the furnace we're about to see it

will stand in the den. Daniel 6 verse 3 says Then this

Daniel 6:3

Daniel, because of the extraordinary spirit within him,

extraordinary spirit within him, began distinguishing himself

among the commissioners and the SAT traps, and the king planned

to anoint him over the entire realm.

Then the other two commissioners and the SAT traps began trying

to find a reason to bring a complaint against Daniel

concerning administration of the Kingdom.

Watch this. They tried to find a reason to

bring a complaint against him. Watch this very important.

But they could not find no reason for an accusation or

evidence of corruption because he was faithful or a faithful

man, a man of high moral character and personal

integrity, and no negligence or corruption of any kind was found

in him. Then these men said, watch this.

We will not find any basis for an accusation against this

Daniel unless we find something against him, connection with the

law of his God. We will not find anything to

accuse him for except connection with his God.

Please pay attention. They searched for dirt on

Daniel. They looked for corruption.

They looked for compromise. The only charge they could bring

was that he refused to break covenant with his God.

But the only charge they can bring on Daniel was he was

faithful and he wouldn't budget. The only charge that they can

bring on Daniel is he would not compromise.

A life aligned with God leaves very little for the enemy to

accuse. A life aligned with God leaves

very little for the enemy to accuse, he says.

But they could find no reason for an accusation or evidence of

corruption. They found no foothold, so they

created a loophole. This idea of thinking just

because you do everything right, the enemy will not bother you.

Daniel is not presented as sinless here, guys.

He is presented as faithful. Every human falls.

The Bible tells us every human falls short of the glory of God.

Is that is that not right? If not, you can see that at

Romans 323, Every human. So this is not a scripture that

is trying to show Daniel as sinless.

It is trying to show Daniel as faithful.

Daniel represents a life aligned with covenant.

Daniel represents a life aligned with covenants.

Very if if you read your words, you can already see our walk,

our covenant with Jesus, and when we are aligned with the

blood of Jesus and we can see what's possible for our walk.

Daniel represents a life aligned with covenant.

We see it says Daniel 6. Corruption could not be found in

Daniel. Daniel we see a shadow of

something greater, a life so aligned with God that the only

accusation possible is devotion. So now you have to attack my

devotion. See, you hear this in our church

in churches today. Not our church, but in churches

today. Oh, they do too much.

Oh now you persecuting because we do too much?

What does do too much mean? You mean we faithful?

Am I? Are we more faithful than

Daniel? Are we more faithful than Paul?

Isn't The whole point is to find men and women like Paul and find

men and women like the apostles and the disciples.

So when you are attacked because you serve too much, say thank

you that that's a star on your helmet.

That is a stripe. That is something to be proud of

because now you're being persecuted because you are

faithful. Watch this.

The people that are accusing you for being too busy for God

aren't asking you to be less busy.

They just want you to put your energy over there.

They want you to put your time into what they think is

important. So because they couldn't find

anything, they're attacking His devotion.

This is not perfection through effort, guys, but righteousness

through covenant. This is not perfection through

effort, but righteousness through covenant.

We way back in Daniel, but we are New Testament believers.

This is a model, a shadow, and a type.

This was speaking to today. Everything we're about to read

is because He is aligned with the righteousness of God, not

because He is sinless. What if I told you half of the

battle was won with alignment, not perfection?

A lot of people life is hell because they out of alignment,

not because they insane. It's because they're out of

alignment. And if your focus was alignment,

watch this. If your focus is alignment in

your car, you might go get a wheel alignment, you might get

new tires, you get it fixed the focus in.

If you need a new wheel in alignment in your car, the focus

is not to keep the steering wheel straight.

Your forearm's going to cramp up after a while.

You got to keep doing this. That's somebody say that's

ghetto. That is ghetto.

So instead of spending the money to get it straight, you just

going to keep it straight all the days of your life.

You going to keep and this is how people do their lives.

Your life get out of bounds. You just start trying to

straighten it yourself. You just straighten it yourself

and in the spirit realm, some of y'all forearm, one of your

forearms is way bigger than the other one because you just you

just keep on trying to do this. And when are you going to say

enough is enough? Like that's not how life's

supposed to be. That's called control.

That's called pride. That's called stubbornness.

You just the only way your life going to look straight is if you

hold the wheel. All right, so we're going to

expose somebody, say expose immature.

Faith collapses under pressure. Immature faith collapses under

pressure. Immature faith collapses under

pressure. Many believers love, promise.

Few embrace process. Pressure often comes because

faith is visible. Pressure often comes because

faith is visible. Watch this Daniel Bible says

Daniel distinguished himself. Daniel distinguished himself.

Did y'all read the same thing? If you haven't read it or

listened yet, it's right up there at the top on the on the

right hand corner. Daniel distinguished yourself.

Daniel said then this Daniel distinguished himself and he how

did he do it? An exceptional spirit was in

him. Exceptional spirit was in him.

He worked on that. How many people work on having

an exceptional spirit? His integrity was consistent.

It wasn't just he didn't just have integrity when he wanted a

job, right? You ever have integrity to get

something, but you lost integrity to keep it?

His loyalty to God was visible. His loyalty to God was visible.

Because of this, opposition had to become strategic.

Oh Lord, oh Lord, oh Lord. Watch this.

Alignment just makes the enemy have to be smarter.

Alignment does not, does not exempt you from warfare, but

alignment makes, makes makes the Harvard demons have to come up.

Then you can't. No, no, no, no, no.

Dumb demons can't mess with you because you're aligned and so

they got to be more strategic in their attack.

Watch this. Some of y'all got to be tired of

being easy to get out of alignment.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Some of y'all focus is so all

over the place. You are so easy to get mad, so

easy to get distracted. So like like the enemy.

The only sometimes the only thing that's covering you is who

you connected with. God said get aligned with the

elders until you can get aligned with me.

Come on, somebody talk. Sometimes you got to get aligned

with people who aligned until you know how to get aligned with

God and but the moment watch this, the moment that child or

that that that that that that protege gets from under

alignment. Any crazy how is horoscope it

start going wild because you like I'm ready to go out and be

in the world and do my own thing.

I'm ready to start my own church.

I'm ready to do you didn't realize how much blessing was on

you because who you was aligned with.

You thought you was ready because you got discipline.

You read your devotion every day.

No, reading your devotion don't mean your heart is aligned with

God. I've been there, done that

before. I've been there, done that

before. Sometimes you have to get

aligned with the right people that will show you how to be

aligned with the only God. This is why the enemy loves

getting you away from accountability and away from

people who align and love you hanging around trash because you

think the best thing for you is to get around people where you

can cuss with them. You can talk trash, you can talk

about the duck, you can talk about all kind of crazy stuff.

Then my real friends, you don't understand.

Then my real friends. OK, OK, it's your real God too.

Because it is. Opposition had to become

strategic. I remember.

I don't even think the devil got me that it wasn't the devil

fault put me in the club. The devil didn't make me smoke

weed. I swear the devil didn't have to

do nothing. My trauma, my emotions was

leading my life. Some of the a lot of the stuff

we blame on the devil, it ain't him.

It's alignment. Watch this even some of your

little favorite pastors and, and, and YouTube people you

watch keeps you out of alignment because a lot of us don't we,

we, we, we treat YouTube like supplements, right?

I didn't hear what I want to hear.

Let me go find a pastor that's preaching what I want to hear.

Let me go find, let me go Google a message on this, because this

what I'm interested in, right? Watch this every time you leave

away. You don't want to listen to the,

the, the message God sent for you and you Google your message.

You're trying to take control over your destiny.

You're watch this and you're obeying a word that's out of

season for you and you think just because somebody preaching

it is for you. This is so dangerous.

And the, the, the social media platform has given us, it's

dangerous because it has watered down the local church.

It has watered down the voice of the prophet.

It has watered down our, our, our clarity of who God has sent.

He sends pastors after his own heart, his own heart, not yours.

Then we'll leave church. And then all week instead of

studying the message that was in our house, we go watch 100

different clips. There are no context.

Watch this every pastor you go watch he has a word for his

sheep. And if you think you want to his

sheep, guess where you should go his church because you in the

wrong pastor. We then, then these men said we

will not find any basis for an accusation against this Daniel

unless we find something against him in connection with the law

of his God. This is crazy.

They could not find corruption, so they targeted his devotion.

They watch this. They changed the law to trap his

faith. They could not accuse his

character, so they criminalized his faith and a decree was

issued. You like what decree, Pastor?

I'm about to read it all the commissioners of the Kingdom,

the prefects and the SAT traps, the counselors and the governors

have consulted and agreed together, right?

You always got to find agreement, right?

Wolves running packs and agreed together that the King should

establish a royal statue and enforce an injunction that

anyone who petitions or prays to any God or man beside you, O

King, during the next 30 days shall be thrown into the den of

lions. You see this, they took his

devotion and made a law around his devotion because they

couldn't find nothing on his character.

So they created a law. They were like this man like he

loves to pray. So we going to make a law around

prayer and anybody that prayed to any other God, bow to any

other God in the next 30 days they going to be thrown into the

lion's den. Watch this covenant.

Faith cannot pause allegiance. Watch this.

How many days did they say right?

Somebody now. Now when the enemy announced

itself in your life, you don't realize he only he only can be

he can only be on your head for a short amount of time.

OK, that's good news right there for somebody.

But but normally when the enemy comes into your life, doesn't it

feel like forever? And you watch this, you start

panicking, you start getting angsters, you start doing your

own thing, you start, you start getting out of alignment.

But this was just a small compromise.

They asked. Just temporary silence.

That's all they asked. I just need you to be quiet for

30 days. There's a group of people in

here who understand what I'm saying.

And there's a group of people in here who ain't never been

through nothing. Promise you, if you ain't never

been through nothing, good for you.

But you're going to go through something and you're going to

have an opportunity to work this out.

All of the devil's plans are very temporary.

He has, he has no, he has no right to keep the believer.

If you are a believer, he can only oppress you.

He cannot own you. So when you decide to get a

line, he got to let you go because he has no legal right to

hold on to you. OK.

You got to know your rights if you're going to win.

You got to know your rights if you're going to win.

Endurance is built before crisis.

Endurance is built before crisis.

Endurance is built before crisis.

This is what I tell you, young people.

This is what I tell, tell, tell, tell, tell you single people.

This is what I tell you people who this is.

I tell all you people, right? If you, if you are blessed to

not have to grow up fast, don't grow up fast.

Grow up in the Lord fast because promise you, it is waiting for

you. So what you should be doing in

the meantime, if it's not war right now, what you should be

doing in the meantime is building your muscle.

Because once you're in the furnace, promise you, you can't

build muscle in the furnace. You go in the furnace built.

You go in the storm built. Endurance is built before

crisis. Daniel 6 watch it now.

When Daniel knew that the document was signed.

Daniel knew that the document was signed.

Daniel knew they hate it. Daniel knew they made their

decision to try to find something wrong with him.

Daniel knew they was going to accuse him for something.

Daniel knew. Somebody say Daniel knew.

Once he knew it was signed, waited for it to be signed.

He went into his house. In his roof chamber.

His windows were open toward Jerusalem.

He continued to get down on his knees three times a day,

praying, giving thanks before his God.

Here it is, as he had been doing previously.

Watch this, he continued, as he had been doing previously.

Pressure didn't did not produce devotion.

Pressure did not produce devotion.

Oh, there's a lot of people who are devoted to God.

When things go bad, you want to pray, you want to get back to

church, You want to start your devotion.

You want to turn on worship music.

You want to clean your eyes, Your, your, your, your playlist

out. You all of a sudden super

Christian now this was not pressure produced devotion.

Pressure came, Law was written, accusations was made.

He went right back to do what he'd been doing.

The enemy comes to try and provoke you to a point to switch

allegiance. Faith under pressure survives

because habits were formed before pressure.

Faith under pressure survives because habits were formed

before pressure. Endurance is not built in

crises. Endurance is built in

consistency. Prayer shaped his courage,

Worship shaped his loyalty and covenant shaped his identity.

Prayer shaped his courage. He was the the fervent and

effectual prayers of the righteous make tremendous power

available. You fainted under pressure

because you have no prayer life. No, you watch this some of y'all

pray sometime you don't have a prayer life when you actually

have a prayer life. Prayer consumes your life.

It does not mean a prayer life does not mean that you always

pull over the car and close your eyes and pray.

It does not mean you always get on your knees at work.

It does not mean that is not. This is a constant communication

with God, a constant availability to God.

I might be running late to work. Therefore watch this God.

If you running late for work, God will not mind if you skip

your 6:00 AM prayer time so you won't be late to work.

Wow, OK, I want you to try it this week.

If you running late to work, do your prayer time And then when

you get to work and you have to tell your your boss while you

was late, I want you to tell them because I have to pray.

I, I just want you to, I want, I want, I want to see how that

works for you. See in your mind you think, Oh

my, my one hour. No, you make room for God in

your life. And there's a lot of people who

got a prayer time, but not a prayer life.

No, we, we, we need prayer times.

We need a time set apart from God and we need consistency.

But let me tell you something I have been so freed from If I

don't pray first thing when I wake up, then God ain't

listening in the afternoon. God don't.

God don't do silent treatment. God don't ignore you when you

call later because you didn't call him earlier.

When you pray at 3:00 PM. God don't be like why you

didn't, why you didn't call alone me at six, because God

never says bye and God never clicks over.

God is always online. We don't want to disconnect.

He never gets disconnected. The den was meant to silence

faith. They threw him in the den to

silence him. Watch this more than kill him.

All they wanted to do is frighten him.

When we go through stuff sometime we like oh the devil is

a lie he trying to kill me. No, no, no.

He just trying to silence you. And sometimes watch this here

silence is not mute silence. Write it down is changing my

confession. He just trying to get you to

shut up faith so I switched what I'm I was believing for my

healing. Now I'm like Lord, well let it

be your will. What no, no, no, don't change

your confession. No, my family is coming out of

this all the enemy wants you to be like well Lord, if it be your

will, it is his will. It is is in his word.

It's in his word. It is his will stop the cop out

prayer. Well, Lord, if it's if it's

meant to be now show me, show me that and show me meant to be in

the word. Show me meant to be in the word.

So, so watch this. You can be talking, but the

enemies come to change your confession.

He's come to shut your faith up, not your mouth up.

Quite frankly, the enemy love you speaking, not faith.

He love Yabba dabba doers, he loved y'all he loved, he loved,

he loved the people and some of y'all in here.

He love you. When you go to church and you be

confessing everything the pastors say say and you be

coming here singing your worship songs and then watch this, watch

this, watch this. Even what you type came out your

heart. So don't think because you

didn't say it, it don't impact you.

Even what you type in your DMS came out your heart.

Even what you type in your text messages come out of your heart.

So don't think because you didn't say it, it don't got no

power because whatever you typed, you have to look at and

guess what your eyes are a gate. Oh, we crazy out here then the

den was meant to silence faith. Daniel 616 Then the king gave a

command. He gave a command and Daniel was

brought to the to brought and thrown into the den of lions.

So he saw him praying. This brother is being thrown in

the den because he prayed. The king said to Daniel, May

your God, whom you constantly serve, see.

The king knew what was up. You don't think people not

watching your devotion, whom you constantly serve, rescue you

himself. Don't mind if I do.

My God can. May your God, whom you

constantly serve, rescue you himself.

Say he will say, don't tempt my God.

Don't tempt my God. Don't try my God.

He will rescue me and my whole household.

Keep on messing with me and watch what God do.

Come on, try to say that. Keep on messing with me and

watch what God do. Yeah, See, that's that talk

right there. Lions were used to eliminate.

They were used to eliminate enemies of the state.

This wasn't like no no no, close and personal safari.

They put this brother in the lion's den to totally produce

fear and chaos in his mind. One simple intention here was

the silence, Covenant loyalty. I've been there.

I've done that. And once you understand that,

the enemy comes to discourage you.

He, he, he comes to silence you. He comes to accuse you.

He comes to try and make you justify yourself, prove

yourself. So if I can get you trying to

communicate your worth to me because I've somehow made you,

made you feel insecure because I don't validate you, then I've

silenced your faith about you. I've silenced your confidence

about you. The king recognized Daniel's

pattern. He recognized that it was not an

occasional devotion, it was continual devotion.

The enemy recognizes continual devotion.

The enemy recognizes continual devotion.

And guess what else? He recognized flaky devotion.

He recognized folks that come to church and you just be a big

talking Christian. You just a talker.

You are just a talker. A demon.

Come on your porch. You going to run?

Hey man, Hallelujah. Shouldn't no demons come on say

this with me? Shouldn't no demon feel

comfortable around me now? How many of y'all can really say

that with faith? God defends covenant loyalty.

You got to get it. God defends covenant loyalty.

Daniel 619 Then the king arose at dawn at the break of day, and

hurried to the den of lions. When he had come near the den,

he called out to Daniel with a troubled voice.

The king said to Daniel, Oh, Daniel, servant of the living

God, has your God, whom you constantly serve, been able to

rescue you from the lions? He had look, he had a vision

after this dream. Watch this.

And he panicked and he came and he said, you still in there

because I think I messed with the wrong one.

See, see, see. Your faithfulness to God will

cause your enemies to tremble. Been able to rescue you from the

lions. My God has watched Daniel's

response. My God has sent his Angel and

has shut the mouths of the lions so that they have not hurt me,

because I was found innocent before him and also before you,

O King, I have committed no crime.

Watch this. He was found innocent before

man, but the first thing he says he rescued me because I was

found innocent before him. He did not say I was sinless.

This is pointing to a day and time that we're in.

The enemy actually has no power. Every lion's mouth got to be

shut. Why?

Because of the blood of Jesus before God.

We have been found innocent before God.

This is the good news, right? I was found innocent before God

because I am a New Testament believer.

So no matter how many times I fail, no matter how bad I fail,

I do not have to wait in line again.

The moment I get realigned, I am right back where I was found.

I was found innocent before Him. So God shut the lion's mouth.

Let him talk. He going to shut they mouth.

Let them talk. I've seen it.

People put your mouth on you and all of a sudden they lose their

peace. Oh, I've seen it.

Stressed out mental health shot. Keep talking about me.

Keep talking about my mom. Keep talking about my my family.

Keep talking about my Turkey on talking.

God, go shut your mouth because I've been found innocent before

him. Yeah.

See, we've been trying to prove ourselves versus staying

aligned. Faithfulness talks for you.

Faithfulness fights for you. Some people are busy trying to

prove their self because they're not faithful, so they got to let

their mouths do the work. But when you are found faithful,

the Lord says vengeance is mines.

Watch this. When you're calm, the enemy is

anxious. You, you want to make the enemy

anxious, Be calm. Be calm.

Be calm. You want to make the enemy

anxious, Be calm. Somebody say be calm.

You want to make you want to make the enemy anxious, Be calm.

Watch this. There are religions who practice

calm. Why Christians?

Why are we so anxious? And so why are we so ghetto?

Why are we so? Why are we just so all over the

place? Why are we the emotional

religion? And there's whole religions that

can sit quiet. Watch this.

Not quiet and distracted because we get a lot of people here

quiet, but they twiddling their thumbs, they text, and in church

they're doing all kinds of stuff.

Now, I'm not talking about that quiet because I got to be quiet.

No, I'm talking about they can keep focus in meditating for an

hour. Thousands of people in one room

quiet, still watch this crisscross applesauce for hours.

Are we anxious? Can you can feel it in the room

when you come to church Sunday. I just want you to watch the

anxiety in the room. We can't sit still.

We got to talk to our we got to talk.

We got to move. We just all and then we leave

church supposed to be the place of peace.

Look at us online. We we all over the place.

We watch 1000 sermon clips. No sermon context.

Watch this. If you can watch one sermon a

day, you probably wouldn't be able to watch 100 clips because

you actually paused in one sermon taking notes.

Oh, what that word mean? But we just like, oh, that was

that was fire. But you have no context, which

is all over the place. And what threatens the enemy the

most is a child of God that harnesses peace.

We talked about that in the Peace series.

Look at that. I don't know which one you are.

I know in my life, I just want to this is the enemy right here

in my life. But if you was honest with

yourself, which one is you? Watch this.

This is not saying I don't care. This is not passive aggressive.

This is faith in the spirit realm.

God did not remove Daniel from the den.

He preserved him inside the den. Come on, He He preserved Daniel

inside the den. Here's the thing about

anxiousness. Anxiousness will run us out of

where God wants to deal with our enemies.

And I remember I had somebody one time that wanted deliverance

and they was trying to schedule their deliverance.

And I remember, OK, we're going. That was fine.

I get it. There's people who do do quiet,

they do private little whatever. But then when you go on and tell

me how you want to be delivered, watch this.

I had a young, I had, I had, I had a person, I had a person.

They didn't just do it to me. They did it to my wife.

They did it to the elders. I remember.

I remember. You remember the time they told

that? No, No, no, no.

Nobody. No, no, nobody.

No. What?

Don't text my wife either. Don't text my wife either.

Here. They told you what?

What song to play? But.

But watch. Watch this.

I am not laughing. I'm putting demons on blast.

Look, watch this Now. Elder John can sing, OK?

He can sing OK. But when?

When someone is asking for deliverance and they tell you

what song to sing. Does someone ask you to deliver

them and they tell you to be aggressive with them?

What they're trying to do, what they're trying to do is they're

trying to build something where the enemy has his way.

They're trying to get you into manipulation.

They're trying to get you out of the spirit into manipulation.

God often proves his power within the threat, not by

eliminating the threat. Somebody say in the threat.

Yeah, He often proves. He often proves.

He often proves his power in the threat.

In the storm in the middle of the Red Sea, in the lion's den.

Right, right there, right there, right in the middle of it.

He will step in here. It is just like them furnace

boys. Fire did not destroy them Boys

watch this. And the lions did not devour.

Daniel Little artwork up there for you.

Little cute, cute. Let's see 3 cute boys watch

this. Watch this.

Here's the crazy part. Here's the here's the enemy.

But here's what you see in all you hear.

You don't realize Behind the lion's roar is a nervous devil.

Watch this. Daniel's piece put the lions to

sleep. It's almost like the lion said

I'm tired of I'm tired of trying to scare you.

This boring. Watch this.

Sometimes the kids will mess with mess with my wife and

they'll do stuff because they like her response.

Hey, watch this. What if I told you that the

enemy knows he can't have your family, but he loved your

response because your response is a witness.

People watching you be anxious people, people listening to how

you respond verbally to that situation.

Yeah, I know I can't have your family.

I know I'm defeated. But let me stir you up and get

that response. I love when you, when you, when

you talk back. I love when you get spicy.

I love when you cuss people. I love it.

So let me get your response and let me use you to turn people

away from him. Nah, Nah, Nah.

I know I can't have your family. I know it's only a matter of

time before I completely have to let you alone.

So let me get you be a gossiper. Let me let me get you to be

messy. Let me let me do that.

I'm going to dictate your responses in life.

Because what you don't realize is that that is witnessing to

somebody and keeping them further away from God, just like

them furnace boys. And the devil won't take you out

either. The devil cannot take you out

either. God proves His faithfulness in

the place designed to destroy His people.

God proves His faithfulness in the exact place that was

designed for your destruction. The miracle did not create

Daniel's witness. You got to get it.

The miracle did not create Daniel's witness.

His consistent devotion created the expectation for a miracle.

The miracle did not create Daniel's witness.

Daniel did not become faithful because God was faithful.

Watch this. Daniel did not become faithful

because God rescued him. That's transactional faith.

I remember that prayer, Lord of you, because I thought I smoked

too. I thought I was way too high.

So I thought I got so high. I was like, whoa, I want to wake

up tomorrow. Lord, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.

Lord, forgive me, Lord, Lord, forgive me, sober me up.

Make help me make it through the night.

I'm talking about I threw the I threw the weed away.

I threw the bong away in the trash can.

I was like, I'm done. Looked up to the sky, did all

the stuff to me and you got this Sunday, I'm going back to

church. I'm returning to the Lord.

And a week later, after I found out, oh, I was just really high,

started smoking yourself. I'm going to smoke a little less

and you get right back into heaven.

Once you found out that you wasn't going to hell, you was

like, let me sleep with him again.

Let me, let me, let me, let me do that again.

Because grace. No, the miracle did not create

Daniel's witness. His consistent devotion created

the expectation or miracle. Daniel did not suddenly become

spiritual in crisis. He had a pattern of loyalty long

before the lions appeared. Biblically, watch this, this is

this is this. Bless you.

Biblically, miracles often follow consistent, consistent

obedience, not occasional desperation.

God governs creation through both direct power and delegated

agents. Angels often appear in scripture

to watch. This is so important.

Angels appear to protect covenant purpose.

They don't appear because you spiritual.

They don't appear because you want us.

You're interested in angels. Angels appear to protect

covenant. So when you ask him for divine

rescue and you are where you are because of your choice, God will

use your pig pen to call you back to realignment.

Watch this. He will use purpose.

He will he will delegate angelic assistance when you're doing

purpose. Let's look in the New Testament

to see that proof. Second Timothy 4 says, But the

Lord stood by me and strengthen and empowered me, so that

through me the gospel message might be fully proclaimed, and

that all the Gentiles might hear it.

And I was rescued from the mouth of the lion.

I don't know who this is for, but what did God rescue you

from? For what?

What did God rescue you from for?

What did he heal your body from for?

Guess we do. Sunday the lion den becomes a

courtroom right before our eyes. Daniel was accused, but God

issued A verdict. Endurance produces Kingdom

witness. Endurance produces Kingdom

witness. And what we see here at the end

is the king makes a new decree. The king says, I issue a decree

that in all dominion of my Kingdom, men are to reverently

fear and tremble before the God of Daniel, for he is the living

God. Our our idols are dead, but

Daniel serves the one and true living God.

Do do people look at your life and say, whoa, they God is

alive, they God doing something. They God is running things.

Their God is powerful, enduring His steadfastness forever, and

His Kingdom is 1 which will not be destroyed, and His dominion

will be forever. Faithfulness under pressure

becomes public testimony. Faithfulness under pressure

becomes public testimony. Legacy expands because one man

refused to bow. Legacy expanded because one man

refused to bow. Same God covered Daniel, same

God dispatch angels is the same God that's going to intervene in

your life. Somebody shout out same God,

Hebrews tells us. By one offering, the one

offering he has perfected forever and completely cleanse

those who are being sanctified. Bringing each believer to

spiritual completion and maturity by one offering.

So we understand covenant calls us forward again, New Testament

believer, through Christ, we become people whose lives

increasingly align with the Kingdom of God.

So the real question is, will you walk in alignment with the

righteousness that has been prescribed for you, with the

Kingdom that is yours, with the God that has saved you?

Is alignment a priority for you? So you might say, well, when do

I get aligned today? Watch this.

Picking up your cross daily is making sure you stay aligned

daily. The cross is there daily to make

sure you stay aligned daily. It's a choice and every person

watch this, I came I can't align for you like I can't do your

alignment right. If you driving down the street

and somebody cars keep going across the lines because they

cars alignment. My car going straight is for my

car. Me going straight ain't

necessarily going to help your car go straight.

You got to go put your car in the shop.

In order to put your car in the shop, guess what you got to do?

You got to stop for a few days. Realignment costs just like

getting out of alignment costs. Laura, we thank you.

We bless you, Lord. I know there's a few people that

are determined to make sure that as they become the interruption

in areas in their bloodline, that they model a legacy of

faith that does not bow, a faith that does not quit, a faith that

does not give up. A heart that exemplifies the

fruit of repentance. Always moving forward, always

growing. A life led by the Spirit, a life

who is really grateful for the grace that you have shown us,

the grace that you have given us.

Lord Jesus, we say build your church.

And may your church respond to your hands.

May your church respond to your word.

Lord, build your church. And whatever part I play,

whatever part we play, Lord. Not by my, not by power, but by

your spirit. We say yes, Lord, build your

church. Lord, we're where we are tired

and weary. We thank you for a second wind.

Yeah. Who are these crazy people that

come week after week and week after week?

Who are these people that come to do church saying listen to

word, take notes? Who does that every week?

Well, those that are aligned, those that believe that this is

the only way, the truth and the life.

It is by your spirit, Lord, that what we will do, We will do all

that you've called us to do. Lord.

Lastly, I pray that we do our part to kill the familiar spirit

in our church, Those that just show up on Wednesdays and it's

just casual and the hunger is bland and thirst is dry.

Lord, I ask that you will help us help ourselves kill that.

That we don't waste a night without leaning in with

expectation. That understanding, every time

we gather together, it is an opportunity to shift everything.

Every time we gather together, Lord God, it is contributing to

a great harvest that you have planned to send.

Every time we gather together, it is a sacrifice, an

opportunity to see revival in families.

So may we kill the familiarity. Lord Godfather, we get together

in your house, we get together in your temple.

We get to sing worship songs with clean lips.

Lord God, we get to no matter how much we have fallen.

Lord, you are a gracious God and when we sing in this fallen

state, Lord, we are your children and you still hear us.

May we not take grace for granted, May we not take mercy

for granted. Lord God, may we not take being

able to worship you and read your word in public without

being killed. Lord God, we thank you for the

opportunity and we get to worship in a safe place.

Daniel's life was threatened because someone saw him.

Pray. Lord, thank you that we don't

have to be put in prison because we somebody saw us pray.

Watch this. Everybody lift your heads up

really quickly. This country, somebody say this

country, it's not crazy public. But right now there is a policy

on the table in your government that certain, soon, certain,

certain scriptures cannot be read or they will be called hate

speech. And that pastor or that preacher

or that teacher, or you, if you brave enough, can be put in

prison because you read a scripture.

Oh, Canada, old Canada, watch this.

And the government doesn't mind because Canada has not proven as

a church we can unite and fight for anything except open the

doors during COVID. And so you see, in other

countries, they know how to unite in injustice.

They know how to come together. But the church, the church we so

divided and so passive. There's this law that's being

passed right up under our nose.