Keep Digging

Amen. Why don't we get into the word, amen, if

you have your Bibles. And why don't you read

along with me in the book of 2 Kings, chapter

2 Kings 3:16–18

3, verse 16 through 18. And then we will read

verse 20. Amen. If you have it, say amen. Amen.

So the word of the Lord reads like this. It says,

And he said, Thus says the Lord, Make this valley

full of ditches. For thus says the Lord, You

shall not see wind, nor shall you see rain. Yet

that valley shall be filled with water, so that

you, your cattle, and your animals may drink.

And this is a simple matter in the sight of the

Lord. He will also deliver the Moabites into

your hand. It reads, now it happened in the morning

when the rain offering was offered that suddenly

water came, water by way of Edom, excuse me,

and the land was filled with water. Amen. Suddenly

water came by way of Edom and the land was filled

with water. Amen. Let us go before the Lord.

Heavenly Father, we come before you today, God.

We give you honor. We give you glory. Lord, we

appreciate the move of your spirit today, God.

We ask you, God, to speak to our hearts, God.

Lord, hallelujah, that we would open up our minds

and our hearts to the word and receive what you

would have for us today, God. We would adhere,

God, to what the Savior, the Lord. Hallelujah.

Lord, hallelujah, have your way. Hallelujah,

Lord. In the mighty name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.

Amen. You may be seated. Hallelujah. Amen. As

we ended last year, we prepare to, amen, look

forward to a new year. Amen. We stand here in

a new season together. At the start of the new

year, amen, I want to tell someone today to keep

digging. Amen. To keep digging. Amen. Continue.

on, and keep digging. Amen. As we stand together

with a heart of gratitude because the Lord brought

us through another year. Amen. And we just didn't

get through another year together. Amen. We endured

another year. Amen. I know I did. Amen. And what

does the Bible say or tell us about those who

have endured and waited? On the Lord. Amen. Matthew

24 it says. But he who endures to the end. Shall

be saved. Amen. Isaiah 40 31. It reads. But those

who wait on the Lord. Shall renew their strength.

They shall mount up with wings like eagles. They

shall run and not be weary. They shall walk and

not faint. Amen. At the beginning of a new year.

Amen. And as the church continues to move forward

into 2026. We're reminded that new seasons require

new faith, fresh obedience, and continued work.

Someone say amen. Amen. 2025 might have looked

different for some of us. Amen. And when we look

back, amen, at times last year, we might remember

that times might have not always been so great,

that maybe our lands looked a little dry. Planted

and sowed. We might not have seen anything. At

first. But now hallelujah. We stand hallelujah

on the other side. And in the new year. Amen.

When we look back over our lives. Amen. And we

look back at everything that we have gone through.

And everything that we endured. We don't see

dry lands. We don't see empty valleys. And we

don't see a land that is barren. Amen. without

and just hear the things, hallelujah, that carry

some of us here today. Amen. Passed away. Amen.

The king is running in and he's preparing for

battle against Moab. The Bible says that he was

unlike his father Ahab and unlike his mother

Jezebel. Amen. Because he was the one who removed

the official Baal pillar that his father had

put up. We must obey him by, amen, the way in

which God spoke, amen, in this context, in this

scripture, in the fashion that he spoke, amen.

I'm going to tell you that God is going to say

amen to you, to you and I. He's going to give

us a plan. He's going to give us direction that's

going to make us feel uncomfortable. Because

God is going to ask you to do some things that

you've never done. amen without being uncomfortable

we will not grow if we remain comfortable because

that's where the devil wants you that's where

the enemy wants you stay seated you don't got

to move don't raise your hands don't lift your

voice it's his will, not ours. Amen. One of the

servants, when Jehoshaphat stands up and he calls

out and he asks, amen, if there's anyone here

that can go before the Lord, one of the servants

stands up and he says, Elijah, the son of Shaphat

is here who poured water on the hands of Elijah.

And Elisha, he's the one that submitted before

being elevated. He followed Elijah. He learned

obedience. He absorbed spiritual discipline.

Elisha also recognized a fellow servant in Jehoshaphat.

Because Elisha stands up and he says, as the

Lord of hosts lives. Before whom I stand, surely

where not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat,

king of Judah, I would not look at you nor see

you. You know, sometimes when God asks you to

do some uncomfortable things, you're the only

one doing it. Sometimes you've got to stand out

in the midst of the crowd. Sometimes God is going

to do some things that is going to cause you,

amen, to look around and say, well, am I the

only one? Am I the only one who believes this

way? Am I the only one who thinks this way? Am

I the only one that is doing the things that

I'm doing, amen? And it's important because when

a man of God stands up, he looks out in the crowd

and he said, oh, I see you. Amen. Because when

we seek God and God sees us, amen, we seek God,

God will see us. So he looks out and he says,

you know what? If it wasn't for Jehoshaphat,

if it wasn't for his righteousness, if it wasn't

for his obedience, if it wasn't for him praying

and seeking after God, if it wasn't for him,

amen, having the mind of Christ, amen, if it

wasn't for him and I being like -minded, I wouldn't

even bother with you all. I wouldn't even look

at you, he says. I have no business here with

you. But because Jehoshaphat is here, I am going

to go before the Lord. Amen. It's important,

amen, that in this year, amen, we stand up, amen,

not just as individuals but as a church, amen,

that we stand up and we proudly proclaim the

name of Jesus, amen, that whatever you might

have been afraid of then and whatever doubt you

might have had and whatever worries you might

have had and whatever concern you might have

had, amen, all things are passed away. All things

become new, amen, that we stand up and we rise

up, amen. So Elijah calls, Elisha, excuse me,

calls the musician. Amen. And he goes before

the Lord and he prepares to hear from God. Amen.

But I want to point something out really quick

before I continue. Amen. The importance, amen,

of Jehoshaphat, of his righteousness. Because,

listen, your labor is not in vain. What you do

for Christ, amen, it matters. It counts. From

the smallest to the greatest, amen. From the

back of the pew to the platform, everything and

everything we do counts in God's kingdom, amen.

No one here is less than the other. No one here

has less than the other. No one here is smaller

than the other. God sees us all the same, amen.

Whether you're ministering on the platform, whether

you're helping in the back, whether you're out

in your community, whatever you are doing for

God, it is not in vain. And because Jehoshaphat,

because he kept his righteousness and his obedience

to God, he created spiritual access for the other

two who didn't. He brought mercy, amen, to others

and a covering that positioned them to hear from

God. Romans 5 .19, it says, for as one man's

disobedience, many were made sinners. So also

by a man's obedience, many will be made righteous.

And this was Paul's contrasting two representatives

of humanity, Adam and Jesus Christ. I want you

to know today that your obedience can cover and

save others. Your obedience to God when you're

in the will of God and you're doing what God

asked you to do. Those that are around you that

need covering. Those that are around you that

need to hear from God. Those that are around

you that need to be saved. Your obedience will

cover them. And this was the importance of Jehoshaphat.

Amen. Being there, amen, in agreement in that

crowd, amen, this was his importance. More so,

amen, was his obedience to God. Now when Elisha

goes and he comes back and he says, thus says

the Lord, he brings back the word. And he says,

amen, thus says the Lord, make this valley full

of ditches. Thus saith the Lord, you shall not

see wind, nor shall you see rain, yet that valley

shall be filled with water. You won't see rain,

you won't see wind, but you will see water. Oh,

I feel that today. You won't see rain, you won't

see wind, but you will see water. Enough water,

hallelujah, amen, so that your cattle, your animals

may drink. And that this simple matter, someone

say simple matter, in the sight of the Lord,

he will also deliver the Moabites into your hand.

They received the word of the Lord to make the

valley full of ditches. No wind. No rain. But

that those ditches will be filled with water

to drink. How can this be so? How can they end

up in such a place? No water. Nothing to sustain

them. Planned, foiled, fell apart. Nothing that

they had is going to work. Everything that they

thought they had that was going to work is now

working against them. Amen. And now they are

standing there with their swords in their hand,

ready and prepared for battle. And the Lord says,

dig ditches. See, this is what happens when we

step in, amen, into these plans without the mindset

of God. When we are not connected, amen, and

we are not, amen, amen, directed by God. They

thought that they were preparing for battle.

The Lord was preparing them to take ditches.

So what they had to do was they had to lay down

their swords. And pick up their shovels. Three

armies. Seven days in the wilderness. No water.

No strength. No options. Every instinct told

them. They had to continue with their plan. Every

idea told them they had to defend the little

that they now had. Because the attack can come

now from anywhere and now they are vulnerable.

But God didn't say get ready to fight. God said

get ready to dig. Not a trench for the enemy,

but to dig a ditch for water. That they hadn't

seen yet. No rain clouds. No promise. No timing.

Just a word from God. And I'm going to tell you

church today. That this is all that we need.

Is simply a word from God. Amen. There is so

much work to be done in this city. There is so

much work to be done in our lives. God is saying,

you fought all of last year. Amen. You fought

battles that weren't even yours. But because

you didn't listen and put your sword down, you

fought wars that I had already given you the

victory. You fought battles that I already...

handed the enemy over to you and now the word

goes out unto amen the generals and the kings

and God is saying put your swords down and dig

this messes with our theology our mythology our

ideology all the ologies Because what we thought

that we had planned and what we thought was going

to succeed and what we thought was going to work

out, God said no. Because your thoughts are not

my thoughts and your plans are not my plans.

The Bible says that his plans are higher than

our plans. Amen. That little thing that you're

asking me for is so little to me. Why don't you

get on your knees and ask me for something greater

and ask me for something bigger? Greater is he

that is in me than he that is in the world. This

is a God that I am referring to. This is a God

that I am talking about today. All we need is

a word. And the word was to dig. Now I'm going

to tell you something, and you all know this,

there is nothing glamorous or glorious about

digging. I guarantee you that most of those soldiers

would have just stood there holding their sword

and their shield because then at least they would

look dignified. At least they would look strong.

At least they would look, amen, like a warrior,

like a soldier, amen. At least they would have

their dignity. But the Lord is saying, amen,

that you've got to humble yourself before me,

hallelujah, that if you want me to move, it's

my way or it's no way, hallelujah. Put your swords

down and dig. So the Bible says that they listened

and they obeyed and they began to dig. They began

to dig and they dug and they dug and they dug.

God didn't reward their strength. God is not

going to reward our intellect. He's not going

to reward our strength. He's not going to reward

how much you know. He's not going to reward the

plaques on your wall. He's not going to reward,

amen, the things that you think you know, amen.

God is going to reward your obedience. And this

is what he did. He honored their obedience. And

I'm telling you today church, there are valleys

that have to be dug in your life. There are valleys,

amen, there is a valley, excuse me, where trenches

must be dug, amen. There are parts of your life

where God is saying, continue to dig, continue

to dig. I know you're tired. You might be worried.

I know your back might be hurting, amen. I know

you might got that ache in your neck, but keep

digging, but keep digging. I know it might look

strange. I know it might look awkward. I know

you might feel out of place and out of the ordinary.

But remember, you don't serve an ordinary God.

Remember, you serve an extraordinary God. So

he says to dig and to dig. Stand with me. Obedience

is better than sacrifice. We all say this, right?

Amen. We all read this. But believe me, when

we don't obey. It's going to cost you. Deuteronomy

28, 1 through 2, it says, Now it came to pass

that if you diligently obey the voice of the

Lord your God, to observe carefully all his commandments,

which I have commanded you today, that the Lord

your God will set you high above all nations

of the earth, and all these blessings shall come

upon you and overtake you. Because you obey the

voice of the Lord, your God. If there was ever

a time in my life that I want the Lord, amen,

his blessings, his plans to overtake my life,

the time is now. But I must obey. Obedience doesn't

create. Your blessing. It positions us to walk

in what God has already promised. Because the

Bible says in verse 20, it says, now it happened

in the morning when the grain offering was offered

that suddenly, someone say suddenly, water came

by way of Edom and the land was filled with water.

You know those ditches that you dug last year?

God is going to fill them with water this year.

You know those promises that you were holding

on to last year? God is going to fulfill those

promises this year. You know that answer, hallelujah,

that you were seeking for last year? God is going

to answer those, amen, this year, hallelujah.

But you've got to keep digging. Amen. This year,

church, we got to lay down our swords. We got

to put our swords down at the altar. Right here.

We got to pick up our shovels. Keep digging.

Keep digging. Somebody says, Brother David, but

for how long? I don't know. Keep digging. When

is it going to come? I don't know. Keep digging.

Hey, I'm going to wake up every morning and I'm

going to pray about it. Keep digging. I'm going

to keep coming to church. I'm going to remain

faithful in my tithing. Keep digging. I'm going

to call pastors and say, Pastor, what is out

there? What else is there that I can do for the

church? Keep digging. Hey, is there another ministry

that I can get involved in? Keep digging. You

know why the fight is so hard? It's so tough.

The restriction, the friction, it's hard. It's

tough. Because the devil knows that at any time,

those trenches are going to be filled. So if

he can get you to slow down, if he can get you

to just put your shovel down for a moment, come

on, you deserve that break. I know I'm talking

to someone today. Hey, you know what? You're

tired today. Don't go to church. It's okay. It'll

be all right. It's just another Sunday. Don't

sign on the Bible study. It's okay. It's fine.

Why don't you sleep in today? You deserve it.

You worked hard yesterday. Even your boss came

over and tapped you on the shoulder. He never

does that. Everything he needs to do to convince

you not to obey what thus saith the Lord. You

know, the Bible says that weeping may endure

for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. Right?

What happens at night? The struggle. Kids are

fine all day. As soon as the sun goes down, fever

goes up. Coughing starts. Aching starts. Why?

Because the devil is going to try to do anything

he can to keep the morning from coming. Because

the Bible says what we just read, once morning

comes, those ditches were filled with water.

Morning is going to come. 2026 is your morning.

I want to know, amen, if there's anybody else

here with me today. Because I was going to bring

a literal shovel. But I couldn't find enough

on Amazon to get one for all of y 'all. So I

brought my imaginary shovel with me. And I found

the biggest imaginary shovel I could in my imaginary

shack. And I brought it with me. And I want to

know if there's anybody else who's willing. To

pick up their shovels with me. And start off,

amen, this year. Amen. Continuing in our redigging.

Dig those trenches. Dig those ditches. Obey God.

No matter how foolish you might feel. No matter

how uncomfortable you might be. Obey the word

of God.