Living An Audacious Life | Apostle I.V. Hilliard

Amen. God bless you. You may be seated.

This is the day the Lord has made and I

will rejoice and be glad in it.

>> Amen and amen. I don't know where you

got that little picture from.

[laughter]

Can we celebrate this woman of faith and

woman of God again? Can we do that?

>> THIS REAL QUICK. GOD'S GETTING READY TO

DO Totally

amazing.

Everything that has been done has been

done first class which is a reflection

of who you are and reflection of what

you know you have meant to so many many

people. And so um uh we celebrate you

today. And can we celebrate this church

that has gone all out? [applause]

[music]

I mean, you you took you took retirement

to a whole another level today.

>> And Taurus is happy and the boys are

happy and their wives are happy.

[laughter]

Amen. Amen. Amen.

So, uh, we honor you today. It was my

joy to be here. And I know you've been

talking about it. You told me, "Don't

you put nothing on that date. Don't you

put nothing on that date." And so we're

here and we're so happy to be here. And

of course, uh, can you all just, uh,

celebrate, uh, my partner in ministry

for 50 years,

>> Lady Bal,

[music]

Hallelujah.

for all of the pastors and leaders,

especially pastors who took out their

time uh from their churches on Sunday

morning to come and be here. Um I'm

we're just all honored that you did that

and you made your sister in Christ feel

real good when she could look out and

see uh the the amazing sacrifice that

you made by being here today. Amen.

Amen.

>> And so, uh, I also want to just say

from, uh, New Light, New Life, uh, you

know, I have restructured. I didn't

retire. I restructured and I speak

restructure on you. You can't quit

preaching, lady.

>> Now, you can't know. So, we, we call

this retirement, but slashreststructure.

>> Amen. Amen. Praise the Lord.

And so uh um our pastor, my my daughter

is the pastor and she loves some Bishop

O'Neal.

>> She I mean she really loves Bishop

O'Neal and uh I want to thank you Bishop

on behalf of New Light and my daughter

for being there for us when we needed

you.

>> Y'all don't know about it.

[applause]

Bishop does. Thank you there. Uh our

family thanks you for being there for us

>> when we needed you.

>> Amen. And if I put a hashtag, I'd say

real daughter.

[applause]

>> So I think I've covered everything I

wanted to cover before we get into the

word. And I'm not going to hold y'all

long, but I do need my water.

>> Amen.

>> I think I started it. Yeah, I do need my

water. And um I'm going to pray. Would

you stand? I'm going to pray and then we

going to get into this.

>> Amen.

>> Thank you, Lord.

>> Now, let's have a smiling exercise.

Turn. Look at the person next to you.

Smile real big. Show them your pretty

whites, your 32s, 22s, tens, whatever

you got left. Amen.

Father, in the name of Jesus, want to

thank you for this time together as we

celebrate this woman of faith and this

church. And we celebrate, Father, we

thank you for the precious Holy Spirit

who is our teacher and our guide. And we

believe he will manifest himself today

as the teacher causing the complex to be

made simple. It is our prayer today,

Father, since you know us name by name

and situation by situation that you will

tailor this word for every individual.

That is our prayer. So in advance, we

give you alone the praise, the glory,

the honor, and the adoration for all

that shall be accomplished, all that

shall be revealed in Jesus' name. And

the people said,

>> "Amen."

>> And the people shouted,

>> "Amen."

>> Hallelujah. God bless you. You may be

seated there in the I think they will

use the screen and help me. But those of

you have your Bibles, we're going to

start off with Ephesians 3 and 20. And

then we have a dual text, Romans chapter

Romans 4 · chapter mention

4. And there now unto him that is able

to do exceeding abundantly above all

that we ask or think according to the

power that workketh in us. And then uh

our anchoring scripture is going to be

found there in Romans chapter 4. Who

Romans 4 · chapter mention

against hope believed in hope that he

might become the father of many nations

according to that which was spoken so

shall thy seed be. And being not weak in

faith, he considered not his own body

now dead,

>> which is about 100 years old. Neither

neither yet the deadness of Sarah's

womb.

He staggered not at the promise of God

through unbelief,

>> but was strong in faith, giving glory to

God, and being fully persuaded

>> that what he had promised, he was able

also to perform.

>> Here's what we're going to talk about.

Living an audacious life.

>> Living an audacious life. A life of

believing. a life of boldness and a life

of breakthrough. Now, I know that sounds

kind of arrogant.

But it's not really arrogance. It's

really assurance

>> because God wants us to be audacious.

Everybody say audacious.

>> Audacious.

>> And it's about having the courage to

buck the odds,

>> the courage to believe what God's word

says. You know, the choir just finished

singing believe. and it's like we got

together but we really didn't. It's the

Holy Spirit that's orchestrating it. But

when we talk about an audacious person,

audacious, we're saying a person who

will look at the odds and say that does

not define me. When you look into the

hall of faith, all of the people in the

hall of faith there in Hebrews are

people who were audacious.

>> Yeah.

>> Dared to believe, dared to act and got

results.

>> In the contemporary

hall of faith, Bishop Rosie is there.

But the odds,

>> dared to believe,

>> dared to take steps others would not

take and got results. Can we applaud our

audacious person today?

[applause]

Now we are here to celebrate HER BUT HER

LIFE IS LIKE an example even as the life

of those who are in the scripture uh

serves as an example for those who are

really saying can I make it

>> there are those who have

oh it's okay right here

>> [clears throat]

>> There are those people who are saying,

"Can I make it?

>> Can I do it?"

>> The kingdom of God does not need

cautious people.

The kingdom of God needs people who are

audacious with their faith,

>> who will dare to believe,

>> and who will dare to say God can do

exactly what he said he would do.

>> And that is what is the key to stepping

beyond your comfort zone. stepping

beyond the comparison you are you are

making with the status quo. And so we're

going to celebrate her, but we're going

to we're going to be inspired by her

when you look at everything she has

done. Oh my god, she is definitely

audacious.

>> Amen. And amen. And amen. Now, I'm not

going to be long. I only have two

points, but I got sub points under the

two points.

First point is noteworthy. What I call

the noteworthiness of audacious uh

living or the audacious life. And and

then we're going to talk about the

necessity of it.

>> Yeah.

>> All right. Now, in 1980, I'm uh 28 years

old. Praise the Lord.

>> Amen. 1980, I'm [clears throat] 28 years

old, and I'm in a little raggedy,

rundown building, and uh that's where I

got my start.

>> Yes, sir.

>> Yeah. And um I'm the laughingtock of the

community. I had gone through a church

fight and uh I was feeling pretty sad

about myself and my future. And the Lord

talked to me there. He told me he had

great things for me, but I had to be

bold. Now, he didn't give me the word

audacious back then, but he told me I

had to be bold and I wanted to go back

in industry, but he said no. He said,

"I'm going to teach you how to trust me.

I'm going to teach you how to live by

faith."

>> I didn't really want to be I didn't want

to do that. I want to go back in the

industry. I knew how to make these

monies

[laughter]

and and I and I didn't believe God could

take care of me at the level I wanted to

be taken care of because I did not know

any preachers that were where I wanted

to be.

Y'all can judge me if you want to. It

don't matter right now.

>> So, so, so, so, uh, I was a reluctant

student, uh, but I obeyed.

>> But I had to have this kind of faith.

God taught me to believe

um, beyond my circumstances, believe

beyond what I could figure out because

God is able. Yes.

>> And as a result of taking bold steps, we

went from one level to another. Now,

only reason I'm doing this because I'm

presenting to some my resume.

>> So, I'm not teaching audacious faith and

not being a representative of the

audacious faith community.

>> And and [clears throat and laughter] put

the next picture up there. So we move

from there. Uh now that's inside. No,

let's go to Jensen. We seen nothing.

Yeah. Now that's great. I thought I made

it then. And God said, "No, I've got

much more." Had I stopped then, it

required audacious spade from there. Put

the next f photo up there. Yes. Inside.

Because from the little raggedy building

to that building and on television

>> in less than three years.

Now, television back then wasn't like it

is now. You know, like you can go on

YouTube and all that. No, no, no, no,

no. You had to have you had to have

these monies.

Amen.

But in less than two years, from a

little raggedy rundown building to being

on television in a major city in America

because I had to be what's the word?

>> Oh, y'all got it. Y we are. Let's go to

the next prayer. Next. Next. Next photo.

Next photo. Next photo. Yes. Audacious

faith

>> produced in 33 years.

>> A million square ft of property,

500 acres of land.

>> And we grew from 23 to 28,000.

>> But every step required

audacious faith. Believing beyond

statistics. Believing beyond what folks

said could be done.

>> Believing beyond prejudices.

>> Trusting God knowing that God's able.

>> Bible teaches us that be not slothful,

but followers of them who through faith

and patience inherited promises.

>> It is the order of God to teach us and

to train us by example. I got to keep my

[clears throat] time because I don't

want to go too over time because you

know Yes. I should have had Y'all don't

have a clock in here. You should have

had clock in here preaching like me. Got

to have a clock. Okay. Yeah. All right.

All right. All right. Watch. We good. We

good though. We good. If I can just get

my my phone.

Amen.

>> Now,

here's here's my point. Because it takes

some audaciousness,

living the audacious life to climb out

of whatever situation you're in.

>> Some of you are believing for homes.

Some of you are believing to send your

kids to school

>> and nobody in your co in your family has

gone to college. Some of you are

believing to to do that that you know to

to start that business and all of that.

But yet when you look at the statistics,

they are in your odds. They are against

you.

>> But I'm here today to tell you from the

from the word of God, as we will also

learn from the reflection of this uh

this this audacious person who's trying

to retire.

It's possible. Everybody say it's

possible.

>> It's possible.

>> All right. Number one, we're going to

look at what I call the traits of an a

of an audacious person. The audacious

life. Number one, it's a life of

defiance. Y'all put that up there. Yeah.

Yeah. It the traits. Yeah. Go to the

next one. Yes. Did y'all put them all

three of them? Y'all put put them up

there. Well, it's audacious faith. You

have to defy the odds. Abraham looked at

his situation, but he did not let that

define him. It's a life of defiance. He

hoped against hope.

>> Right? It is a life of um of

determination.

>> You have to determine that you're going

to win. What do you mean determine?

You're going to live in your future.

>> You might as well live in a future that

you plan.

>> Look at the person next to you and say,

"You're going to live in your future."

>> You might as well live in a future

>> that you plan.

>> The audacious life is a life of

durability. The Bible says he staggered

not at the promise of unbelief.

>> He staggered. HE DID NOT MAKE the

mistake that Thomas made. Thomas

staggered. Why did he staggered? Because

his criteria for believing was flawed.

>> He said, "If I can examine him, I will

believe. What's up?

>> If I can touch him, if I can put my

finger in that hole that was in his

hand, if I can put my hand in the hole

that was in his side, I will believe.

Believing is a matter of your will. You

can will to believe or you can will not

to believe. That's powerful because the

Bible says if you can believe all things

are possible to him that believeth. So

possibility for you is not defined by

what others have done or whether others

have not done. Possibility for you is

defined by your capacity to believe.

>> So if you can't believe things become

possible for you. Amen and amen. Now, so

what Thomas had, his flawed criteria

was, I got to touch him to believe.

Well, Bible says eight days later, Jesus

appeared. Come here, Thomas. Put your

hand in my side. Put your finger in the

hole in my hand. Thomas starts shouting.

Jesus shut him down. He said, "No, no,

no, no, Thomas." Uh uh uh. He said, "I'm

not going to stay around here long

enough. Everybody touch me and examine

me." And then he said, "Blessed are

those who will believe and have not

seen."

>> So he's saying here that believing is to

accept something as a fact even though

you have no sens.

The evidence we have is what the word of

God says.

>> So then now audaciousness, the audacious

life is a life of of determination. It's

a life of defying the odds. It's a life

of durability. And it is a life of

devotion. The Bible says in verse 20

there, "And giving glory to God."

>> See, you give glory while you're

waiting. You don't wait to give glory

until you see the results.

>> Audacious faith. Now let's go through

the hall of faith and just look at the

some of the testimonies. The Bible says

they overcame by the blood of the lamb

which is our covenant. But then he says

they overcame by the word of their

>> testimony. Testimonies are good. Amen.

Testimonies are good because every time

I hear a testimony of what God has done,

I understand he can do the same for me.

Amen and amen. So audacious faith

believes when everything around looks

hopeless. Believes when others quit.

Believes. And we have the God-given

capacity to believe.

>> Amen and amen. Well, Moses is on the

testimony block now. And Moses is

audacious because he believed he could

stretch out his rod and the water would

part.

>> Amen. David is on the testimony stand.

He's audacious because he's audacious in

his confrontation. He's willing to fight

a giant that never lost a battle.

>> And because he believed he won. Amen.

Then Esther, can we call Esther and let

Esther testify? Esther testifies because

she was audacious in her advocacy. What

do you mean? She was bold enough to

believe that even though it doesn't look

good, I can step forward and be the

advocate for the innocent and win. Peter

is on the testimony stand now and Peter

is audacious in his action

>> because on the words of Jesus while

others was in the boat he steps out of

the boat

>> and he walks on water. Now I don't think

you heard me.

>> Ezekiel was great but he never walked on

water.

>> Daniel was awesome but he never walked

on water. Three Hebrew boys never walked

on water. When you GO THROUGH THE TEXT,

NOBODY'S WALKING ON THE water but Jesus

and Peter because of audacious faith.

>> Joshua is on the stand. Why? Because he

had an audacious strategy.

>> Doesn't make sense. HIS STRATEGY THAT HE

GOT from God that was to just to walk

around the wall and God would give him

the victory. It takes audaciousness to

believe that I can walk around the world

and never raise my sword and get the

victory.

>> Elijah is on the stand and he's

audacious BECAUSE HE BELIEVED HE COULD

CALL DOWN fire

>> and fire would fall.

>> Three Hebrew boys are on the stand

because they were audacious to say,

"King, if you don't put us in THE FIRE,

WE STILL AIN'T going to bow." And even

though in the fire, they were audacious

enough to believe they would get out.

And Jesus visited them.

>> Yeah. Audacious faith. Audaciousness.

Yeah. The woman with the issue of blood.

Audacious in her pursuit. She pressed

THROUGH THE CROWD BELIEVING IF I CAN

JUST TOUCH THE HIM. [laughter] YEAH.

AUDACIOUSNESS. AMEN. And amen. You know,

I could go on, but for time's sake, just

let me stop here. I could talk about

Nehemiah, but I want to do that. I could

talk about Caleb in his old age being

audacious, but I don't want to do that.

I'm almost on my last point.

>> The last point is the necessity of the

audacious life.

H

>> yeah, it's on it's it's necessary

because God needs audacious believers

>> to inspire others.

>> Now, y'all think y'all missed it.

He needs audacious believers

>> in every generation

>> so they can inspire those who are

sitting on the sidelines saying, "I

don't know if I can do it."

>> Amen and amen. Amen. God depends on the

courageous faith of believers who will

partner with him so that they can see

him move supernaturally

>> because God just can't do anything he

wants to do. He has designed the system

where he needs human permission and

human participation.

>> Yeah. So what he's saying, what I'm

saying to you now is for you to be where

you want to be. God says he's ready. But

are you willing to be bold in your

believing? That's the key. Amen and

amen. All right. So the you need

audacity. Those of you who may be taking

[clears throat] notes, you need audacity

to defeat adversity.

>> You need audacity. I'm going to give

them to you and I go back. You need

audacity uh um uh I call it an audacious

resolve to develop you know uh uh to

yeah let me put it like this you you

need it so that you can have determined

action

under pressure.

>> Everybody say under pressure.

>> Under pressure.

>> You need to get audacious. Watch. Watch

this. So that you have this divine

assurance. You know a lot of times when

you have assurance when you have a

confidence people call you arrogant.

>> They do they call you arrogant but

that's all right. We know it's just our

assurance.

>> It's just our assurance. And so when we

look at these to defeat adversity,

>> first of all, situation adversity

when things don't look good.

>> Amen. Everybody say situation adversity.

>> Situation adversity.

>> David faces a giant never lost battle.

Everybody else is afraid. Those are not

good quote winning conditions,

>> right?

>> So I need to be audacious. That's what I

mean. I need to believe it's possible. I

need to believe God's with me. I believe

that whatever God said he'll do, he'll

do. Even if everybody else is doubting,

>> Jehoshaphat

adversity,

>> situational adversity,

>> three armies against him,

>> not knowing what to do. Paul and Silas,

situation adversity. God told him, "Go

start a church."

>> And now here they are in jail.

So, I'm saying you may be in a bad

situation,

>> but that's all right.

>> THAT'S THE SETUP FOR MIRACLES.

>> That's the setup for your breakthrough.

[applause]

Amen. And the Bible teaches us on the

ever on the other side. Everybody say

other side.

>> Other side.

>> THE ON THE OTHER SIDE of adverse

situations

>> is a victory.

>> Watch this. and you always come out

better.

>> Well, see, see, some of y'all, you got

to believe that. See, you you got to

believe in the midst of your struggle,

in the midst of the situation, I'm

coming out better.

>> It's all throughout the scripture. It

says, "NOW FOR YOUR SHAME, YOU'LL GET

DOUBLE."

>> But that's not what people see, the will

of God, though expressed in the word of

God does not automatically come to pass.

>> Right?

So what most people do is they get

through it and go, "Praise the Lord."

And the Lord is over HERE SAYING, "COME

ON, GET YOUR DOUBLE."

>> STAY IN FAITH FOR YOUR DOUBLE.

>> HALLELUJAH.

>> So now, not only do you need faith uh

that this audaciousness for um uh uh

situational adversity, but also to face

uh spiritual adversaries.

>> Amen.

Everybody say spiritual adversary.

>> Spiritual adversary.

>> WE DON'T BACK down from the devil's

fight.

>> The gates of

>> hell can't stop us.

>> But do you believe it?

>> Look at the person and say he I believe

it. Come on. Tell my brother.

And then we need audacious faith and

audacious living when it comes to

defeating self-imposed limitations.

>> Oh, that's good.

>> Every person, well, not every most of

the people in the Bible had this this

self-imposed limitation. Moses talking

about he I can't talk. Are you talking

to God?

>> Gideon says I you CAN'T USE ME. MY

FAMILY IS THE WORST FAMILY AROUND.

Jeremiah said, "Oh, I'm I'm nothing but

a child." All throughout the Bible,

>> people had to overcome

>> their own

>> selfimposed

limitation.

>> That's right.

>> And so there you are. I I can't do it

because this I can't do IT CUZ I DROPPED

OUT of school. I can't do it cuz I got

all these children. I can't do it. You

got all of these self-imposed. But

here's why the audacious life works.

Because it's not dependent on you.

>> It's dependent on him.

>> You got to have the conict [laughter]

the conviction. The conviction, watch

this, of God's ability to work.

Everybody say, "God's ability."

>> God's ability.

>> You have to have the conviction of the

accuracy of the word. THE WORD SAYS IT.

THE word [laughter]

and his he honors his word. Abraham said

he was ABLE TO PERFORM WHAT HE PROMISED.

>> You got to have the conviction uh

believing the accounts of the witnesses.

>> Oh my.

>> Are you getting this?

>> The ability of God to work.

>> Accuracy of his word, accounts of his

witnesses, AND ANGELS DOING GOD'S WILL.

>> Everybody say, "Angels."

>> Angels

>> doing God's will.

>> Doing God's will. You got to believe in

angels. They You got one. Amen. Some of

you got more than one in in certain

situations. And watch this. The

accuracy. Watch it. No. The assurance of

God's will. Now, what do you mean by

that? God's willingness.

>> I discovered

>> God wants to.

>> Oh, y'all didn't even get that.

>> You ain't got to begging.

He wants to

>> He wants to.

>> I found out that he wants to. I grew up

in a church setting where they begged

him, "Oh, please. Oh, please. Oh, but

but I found out he's ready,

>> willing,

>> and able."

>> Amen. And amen.

>> I'm I'm just about ready to to wrap this

up because all I wanted to do today was

to inspire you. that hey yes we are

seeing and we are seeing a contemporary

example of audacious living.

>> I I've watched the progression of her

ministry.

>> What a great celebration it is today.

>> But I want you to be able to say so can

I. No not necessarily building ministry

but my dreams can come to pass.

that what God promised me in the word

>> and watch this stepping forward. Watch

this. Denying circumstances. The Bible

says he considered not he he was not in

denial but he did not let circumstances

shut off his faith

>> and define his future.

>> Amen and amen.

>> You got to choose to believe.

>> May I start my closing?

A story is told.

>> The story is told of

two trees

growing in the forest.

>> One was a giant oak tree.

>> Uhhuh.

>> And the other tree was a young tree.

Young oak tree.

growing next to him.

>> Oak trees are known for their

durability,

>> their stamina,

>> so this young oak tree, while he's

growing, he's asking the question to the

old oak tree.

>> Year after year, am I an oak tree?

>> Looked at him and said, not yet.

>> Not yet. [clears throat]

>> Years went by. The young oak tree then

says again,

"Am I an oak tree?"

>> The old oak tree says,

>> "Not yet."

>> Not yet.

>> He argues with him. He says, "I'm as

tall as you are."

>> God.

>> But the old priest says,

"Not yet." He said, "No, no, no. My

limbs are as broad as yours."

Yes sir. Yes sir.

>> And the old oak old tree says

>> not yet.

>> Not yet.

>> HE AUGUST I PROVIDE SHADE JUST LIKE YOU

DO. But he says

>> not yet.

>> Not yet.

>> Then a storm comes

>> and knock trees down all over the forest

>> causes even the old oak tree to bend

under the weight of the storm.

The young oak tree is also bent under

the weight of the storm.

>> But after the storm passes,

>> the old oak tree straighten himself out.

>> Shook its limb. Yes, sir. [cheering]

>> Stood tall.

>> And looked down

>> at the old at the young oak tree.

He watched the young oak tree struggle

>> stand

>> and stretch his limbs.

>> And then he looked

>> and he said, "Today

>> you are

>> AN OAK TREE."

>> [applause]

>> I WANT TO CLOSE WITH this

>> because Rosie sir,

>> I've watched you

>> and I want to say today,

>> you are an oak tree. [cheering]

>> Can I get a witness in the house?

In the area of teaching,

>> you are

>> an oak tree.

>> In the area of preaching, yes, sir,

>> you are an oak tree.

>> In the area of family,

>> yes, sir,

>> you are

>> an oak tree.

>> Yes, sir.

>> In the area of leadership,

>> sir.

>> You are an oak tree.

>> I'm here to announce

>> Yes, sir. In the area of boldness,

>> you are an oak tree.

>> In the area of a worshipper,

>> you are an oak tree.

>> In the area of overcoming,

>> can I get a witness?

>> You are an oak tree.

>> I'm here to tell you today.

>> Can I celebrate just a little bit?

I'm here to tell you today

>> you stand as an oak tree

>> and I'm happy to announce

>> that you are an oak tree.

>> You know I I start preaching when I was

young.

>> And I wish when I was young I could

close like the old guys clothes.

>> Here's how they would close. Hallelujah.

>> I lived long enough. Yes, sir.

>> But I was only 12 years old,

>> but I've been around a little bit. Yes,

sir.

>> I'm 73 now.

>> I think I've earned the right

>> Yes, sir.

>> to make this testimony.

>> I've lived

>> long enough

>> to know that God will. [cheering]

>> He will make a way.

I've lived [screaming]

>> long enough

>> and I can tell you

>> with conviction

>> with coniction.

>> There is

>> there is

>> no shadow

>> he won't light up.

>> There is

no mountain

>> that he won't climb up.

coming after you.

There is

>> no wall

>> he won't kick down

>> and no lie

>> that he won't tear down

coming after you.

>> IT IS NO SECRET

>> all

what God can do.

What he's done for us, he will

>> do for you. I'm out of time.

[music]

>> Has thou not known?

>> Had thou not heard? God the everlasting

father.

>> Creator of the ends of the earth

>> faintth not,

>> neither is he weary.

>> And there is no searching of his

understanding. Yes, sir.

>> He giveth power

>> to the faint.

>> And to them who have no might,

>> Yes, sir.

>> He increasth strength.

>> Even the youth shall faint

>> and be weary.

>> Yes, sir.

>> And the young men shall utterly fall.

But they that wait,

>> they that wait

upon the Lord.

>> Yeah. [music]

>> Hallelujah.

Father, we thank you for this word is

falling on good ground

>> and it produces fruit and we thank you

for the boldness to move forward

>> in Jesus name pursuing our dreams

>> using this example before us.

>> Thank you Jesus

>> knowing that it is no secret

>> what you can do

>> in Jesus name.

>> Amen.

And

>> amen.