The Time is Now | Ps. Keith Pittman

Welcome to the Celebration Church Orlando podcast.

Thank you so much for listening today.

We hope it encourages you and inspires you.

Here's today's message.

We thank you for what you're doing in here today, God, and we come with an expectation, Lord, that these are not just words that we sing, but these are promises that we stand on.

So, Father, I pray in the name of Jesus that you stir every one of our hearts, that you speak to every single one of us.

Holy Spirit, we invite you to invade our comfort zones, to challenge us to get outside of them and recognize that you're breathing on this moment, that you're that you're stirring us up, and that's some things you're calling us out of.

So, Father, I pray in the name of Jesus that you have your way.

Allow us to decrease so that you can increase.

It's in Jesus' name that we pray.

Amen.

Amen and amen.

Go ahead and turn to someone around you.

Welcome to Celebration Church as we prepare to get into this word today.

I want to thank every single one of you for creating some space to be with us tonight, adjusting and pivoting with us with an expectation and anticipation of what God is going to do.

We've been praying for um tonight since the beginning of this series.

In fact, as we were thinking about doing this sign series, we knew that this night was coming.

We knew that this is a moment that's coming in this text that we're going to be reaching, um preaching from was coming.

And so from that moment, I've been praying and fasting with an expectation that God is going to speak to us and deal with us.

And so if you have your Bibles, I want to invite you to join me in the Gospel of John chapter 11.

John 11 · chapter mention

If you've been following along in the journal, hopefully you you see that we have been leading to this very moment that we are in today.

We're going to create some space at the end of service for us to pray and believe God for some incredible things in our lives.

But I believe that this text is going to set up um the tone and set the expectations for every single one of us.

Beginning at verse number one in the Gospel of John, chapter 11, the Bible says this A man named Lazarus was sick.

John 11 · chapter mention

He lived in Bethany with his sisters Mary and Martha.

This is the Mary who later poured the expensive perfume on the Lord's feet and wiped them with her hair.

That takes place in the next chapter.

Her brother Lazarus was sick.

So the two sisters sent a message to Jesus telling him, Lord, your dear friend is very sick.

But when Jesus heard about it, he said, Lazarus' sickness will not end in death.

No, it happened for the glory of God, so that the Son of God will receive glory from this.

Verse number five.

So although Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, he stayed where he was for two more days.

From that moment forward, Jesus begins to talk to his disciples about him now going towards Judea, which is an environment that he was just virtually chased out of.

They tried to kill him while he was there.

So him going back there, they didn't understand it.

And he makes this statement that Lazarus has fallen asleep.

So them looking at what he said that this sickness would not end in death, they're thinking, Well, let's let him rest.

Let's just go ahead and let him sleep it off.

But then verse number 14, Jesus says to them plainly, Lazarus is dead.

And just a few short verses later, it says Lazarus is dead.

What do you do when there's moments when God's word and God's promises don't seem to reconcile with your reality?

How do you respond in those moments?

I believe that this text is going to give us some instructions on how we respond in these moments.

If you're taking notes, I hope that you write this message title down.

The time is now.

The time is now.

Let's dig into this word and see what it is that God wants to do.

Let me open us up in a quick prayer, and then we're going to see what God wants to speak.

Heavenly Father, we thank you.

We thank you so much, Lord, for the atmosphere that's been set for worship.

And now, God, we prepare ourselves to listen to the preaching of your word.

So, God, I pray for open eyes and we can see you.

I pray for open ears and we can hear you and open hearts to receive everything that you have for us.

It's in Jesus' name that we pray.

Amen.

And amen.

You know, church, I think that it is safe to say that we've all been able to look at the world we live in over the past two years or so, and we can recognize that there have been some very tangible differences that we all need to navigate around.

We can look around and we can see that there's those of us who are wearing masks, and we have different ways that we need to function in society in order for us to be able to get from one location to the next.

So we've all kind of adjusted to the reality that we kind of find ourselves living in in this day and age.

And some of it is going to require us to be creative.

It it requires us to be creative when it comes to seeing family and spending time with family.

It requires us to be creative when navigating around workspaces and doing things like that.

It requires us to be creative even with doing church.

We have many of our family that still participate and watch online.

And so we all understand that this season has ushered in this idea of us making adjustments for where we currently are.

However, I also recognize that the world is moving forward.

We have things that have begun to open back up.

And as we begin to open back up, now we're we're trying to make a distinction between the things that we engage in and the services that we were used to pre-pandemic versus what we get now.

Because if you've been out in society, you will recognize that things aren't all the same.

That if you've been to some places, that there's some things and some services that used to be provided that are no longer provided.

So I was introduced to this word that has really been messing with me since I came across it.

I want you guys to listen to this word.

It's called skimflation.

Skimflation.

Let me break it down for you so you guys can understand this emotional journey I've been on over the past two weeks.

You guys are familiar with the word skimp.

That's S-K-I-M-P.

Skimp.

That means to cheat.

That means to water down.

That's when something is skimpy, it's thin, it's not, it doesn't have the same sustenance.

So skimflation is when you are paying for the same product, but you're not getting the same quality.

Let me give you an example.

This is a true story.

A couple of weeks ago, my family and I, we decide that, you know what, I didn't get a chance to prepare the food that I could cook on my smoker, so we're gonna just pull up at a fast food restaurant and get something to eat really quick.

My expectation is connected to the name, fast food.

The name tells you what you should expect.

But when we got there, we were surprised to find the manager standing outside and said, Listen, it's gonna be a while.

No one showed up to work today.

I said, My God, like I can't imagine no one showing up at work today.

So he said, It's gonna it's gonna be a while.

And I said, Okay, so I'm at a fast food restaurant that can't give me the food fast.

So is there a discount?

Because I'm not getting what I'm paying for.

Skimflation.

I'm still paying the same price, but I'm not getting the services that I was expecting.

My my wife, she took me on my birthday, she took me to an all-inclusive resort.

She saved up for it.

It was a surprise.

I absolutely loved it.

I looked on a website and I was like, man, look at all these amazing amenities that it provides.

These are all inclusive.

It includes things such as valet parking.

We feel fancy right now.

We got valet parking, we got in-room dining, we got all these services that are available to us.

They even threw in an a day at the spa.

This is all built into the price.

You guys understand that?

But when we get there to check into this all-inclusive resort, they have a sign up telling me all those things that they no longer are including.

Sorry, sir, we don't provide valet parking, you know, because of COVID.

Sorry, sir, we we we don't have the spa open because, you know, COVID.

Sorry, sir, we can't do in-room dining.

Sorry, sir, COVID.

I understand that.

I truly understand that, but I'm still paying the same price, but I'm getting less of a product, skimflation.

But the one that I think has been messing with me the most here recently has been the unknown moment on when things are gonna get delivered to my house.

Because sometimes you pay for things and you're paying for an expectation that something is gonna be delivered, and you genuinely just don't know when something's gonna show up at your like it's just like prayer and fasting and hoping.

My wife and I, we decided it was time for us to upgrade our bedroom set.

We go to the store, we look around, we see the bedroom set that we want.

It is perfect.

We want this exact one.

They said, You're gonna love this.

They were so excited.

They they told us all the way to accessorize it.

It was a great moment that I was filled with so much joy.

We pay the price, we swipe the card, the money immediately comes out of my account.

And I said, So now when can I expect delivery?

And they said, You see what happened is here's the thing.

The bed is going to come in about four weeks, the nightstand three to four months, and then the dresser maybe around six months.

Now, I went to this particular facility because they're known for having an abundance of products.

They're known for having a lot of stuff.

But when I get there, I'm paying the price that builds in the convenience of things being delivered on time, but I'm not going to get it for the next six months.

You can't imagine the emotional roller coaster of coming home from work from one day to the next, and I see the delivery truck in my neighborhood.

And I'm filled with so much joy because I'm like, man, look, they they beat the deadline.

They told us that they weren't gonna be able to deliver it on time, but they did it.

They surprised us, man.

Christmas came early.

And going into Megan, but hey, was that was that our stuff?

And she's like, no, it's it's not our time.

You you can't imagine the the amount of time that I've that I've looked at the website and and seen when they would send me coupons for other items.

I'm like, man, can you just deliver the thing you told me you're gonna deliver?

Don't send me another product that you guys are trying to sell.

I just want you to finish what you said you're going to do, but but nonetheless, it wasn't our time yet.

I I remember Megan would always go and hit the refresh button to see if there's been any update on our status because I'm filled with so much expectation and anticipation.

I got the paper, I signed it, there was a contract, but I still don't know when it's going to be delivered.

Schimflation.

I'm part of a loyalty program, but that doesn't accelerate the delivery.

Schimflation.

I paid the same price, but I'm not getting the same results.

Schinflation.

It makes me wonder if Mary and Martha felt a little bit of schimflation in their hearts.

Because for them, you have to understand that they did their part.

That these are individuals who have a personal relationship with Jesus.

These are individuals that invested in his ministry, these are individuals that welcomed him into their homes.

They're part of the loyalty program.

They have access to Jesus, they they know him very well, which is why we even see in the text where it says, the one whom you love.

You love him, Jesus.

You got a relationship with him.

Y'all spend time together.

That one, he's the one that's not feeling well.

He's the one that's sick.

And I think every single one of us knows what it feels like.

Because Martha, she represents servant.

Mary represents worship.

So certainly, a part of this loyalty program is I'm I'm serving in your house and I'm I'm worshiping and putting you first.

So naturally, I'm a part of this loyalty program that's going to put me a little bit ahead of the curve.

And every day, as they're waiting for Jesus to show up, they're looking out their window and seeing other people getting breakthroughs.

They're hearing about other people getting delivered, they're hearing about what's happening around the corner, they're hearing about God sending people just one word and bringing breakthroughs, and now they're sitting there waiting and saying, When is it going to be our time?

Maybe you can relate to this just a little bit.

The Bible says that Jesus loved them, but he waited an additional two days.

And the text tells us that by the time he shows up, that Lazarus has been dead and entombed for four whole days.

See, this is such a big deal because in that in that context, the superstition in the Jewish world was that the spirit would hover over the body for about three days.

There was a chance that they could possibly come back to life.

But that fourth day was critical because that meant that the body began to decompose and there's no chance of resurrection.

There's no chance of it coming back.

So the fourth day is the day that you accepted it for what it was.

And on this day, Jesus decides to show up.

On this day, the day where there's decomposition, Jesus shows up.

On this day, when it seems that it's at its absolute worst, Jesus shows up.

It seems to me that an answer prayer after the fact is often not an answer prayer.

The Bible says that Martha hears that Jesus is in the vicinity and she runs up to him and she says, Lord, if if you just would have been here, my brother wouldn't be dead.

I want you to picture the emotion, the angst inside of her.

If you just would have been here, we we wouldn't be dealing with this pain right now.

I'm not sure if you've ever been at a place in your life where it seemed as if Jesus showed up a little bit too late.

That we begin to reverse engineer our lives and say, God, if you just would have spoken to me sooner, then I wouldn't have taken this job that that led me astray.

Lord, if you if you just would have spoken to me sooner, I I would have got out of this relationship which was toxic and now I'm I'm tied into this mess.

Lord, if you just would have done something sooner, then I wouldn't have been here.

The Bible tells us that for Martha and Mary, that that they they don't have any representation anymore.

That the death of their brother was also the death of hope.

Because for the women in that culture, it was very oppressive.

It was an environment that if you didn't have a man that could go into the marketplace, a man that could negotiate on your behalf, that you were really just given the short end of the stick, which is why so much of Jesus' ministry was focused on taking care of the widows.

We see this all throughout the birth of the New Testament church, making sure we take care of the widows because those were the ones who were often the least of these.

So now we're hearing, now we're hearing them say, Lord, if you just would have been here, I would still have hope.

Lord, if you if you just would have been here, I would still have a future.

Lord, if you if you just would have been here, I could see myself better than where I'm at.

Lord, if you just if you just would have been here, I could potentially believe that that what you have for me is is better than where I'm at right now, but you're here and it's a little bit too late.

Because my brother is gone, my hope is gone, my my anticipation of anything better is gone.

Everything inside of me has died, and and you could have done something about it.

Jesus, he looks at her and he says, like, death is the problem, and you're talking to life.

Sickness is the issue, and the healer has arrived.

He begins to recalibrate her focus and to help her understand that your problem isn't the problem when Jesus shows up.

That no matter what situation you may find yourself in, that Jesus doesn't show up to lament over our problem, he shows up to be the solution.

And when Jesus shows up, he says, I am the resurrection and the life.

Do you believe it?

Do you believe it, church?

He says, Because I want to do something, but but do you believe it?

I I want to do a miracle in your life, but but do you believe it?

I I want to provide a breakthrough for you, but but do you believe it?

He's saying that our belief unlocks the miracle that is for us.

Do you believe it?

The Bible speaks about Jesus and it says that because of their unbelief, he could not perform the miracles that he wanted to perform.

It goes to show us the importance of the way that we believe and activate our faith when recognizing that Jesus is who he says he is, that Jesus is the resurrection, but do you believe it?

That Jesus does have something for you, but do you believe it?

That your best days are still ahead of you, but do you believe it?

That he's not done with you yet, but do you believe it?

Jesus is positioning himself in every area of discomfort and he's saying, I want to do a new thing in your life, but do you believe it?

Do you believe it?

This this moment where Jesus is talking to Martha, who had been who had been waiting.

He says, I need you.

I need you to grab a hold of this that I am who I say I am.

Do you believe it?

Because that's going to set the tone of everything that takes place next.

The Bible says that then Martha leaves and she goes and she finds Mary.

Mary is Mary is back and she's been in the room and she's been been grieving, and so she steps into the room and says, Hey, the the master's here, and he's asking for you.

Now, now Mary, she's she's the one that is the worshiper.

She's been sitting at the feet of Jesus and she's been waiting all this time.

I I often wonder why she didn't get up when her sister got up, why she didn't rush out to see Jesus.

And I believe that, I believe there was a little bit of frustration.

I believe there's a little bit of disappointment because what do you do when you've when you've prayed the prayers but you don't see the breakthrough, but you still have been worshiping God?

What do you do when you when you've been asking for you've been you've been spending time in God's word and you've been expecting that God is going to do a new thing, but you're still standing in the old thing?

For some of us, that's where we are right now.

We've prayed the prayer, we we sang the songs, we we went through the sign series, we haven't seen any signs in our own lives.

We we highlighted the Bible, we we declared it, we named it, we claimed it, and yet we still find ourselves there.

What do you do when you haven't seen it yet?

See, the Bible says, having done all to stand, we stand.

Having done all to stand, we stand.

That means that even if I don't see it, doesn't mean that he's not working.

Even because I don't hear him doesn't mean that he's not speaking.

I'm trying to encourage somebody right now that maybe there's some of us who are in a season where we're being seasoned.

Somebody didn't catch that.

We're in a season where we're being seasoned, where God is allowing us to marinate in some things so that the flavor and the texture of what does it mean to be a true, devout follower of Christ goes down so deep that when we face opposition, that we don't lose our flavor.

Jesus said that the importance of making sure that we don't lose our flavor as followers of Christ.

I believe that there are moments that God brings us to environments where he wants us to marinate in his goodness, but we got to stand still and see the salvation of God because there's moments where I believe that we feel so frustrated, we feel so disappointed that we think that we got to get out of way to help God along.

But if you can just stand in the spot where he told you to be, if you can just be in the environment that he told you to be, I can't imagine what would have happened if Mary and Martha would have left Bethany trying to find a solution outside of Jesus.

That means that when Jesus showed up, they wouldn't have been in position.

But those who wait on the Lord, he shall renew their strength.

I believe that God is encouraging somebody right now that's in the valley of decision.

You're feeling tempted right now to get up, to run away because you haven't seen the breakthrough.

You prayed the prayer, but the marriage still isn't good.

You've been asking, you've been asking, you've been knocking, you've been seeking, and you still haven't found him.

And everything inside of you is saying, Well, let me help God along.

But I want to encourage you, stand still, stand still and see the salvation of God.

Don't allow your circumstance to move you from the place that God has planted you and called you to be.

You stand still and be rooted in what God has called you to do.

We cast our cares, and sometimes the things we care about still cast a shadow.

But we still have to position ourselves and say, But I'm gonna wait.

And by waiting on him, I'm gonna put my weight on him.

Somebody caught that because you know how it is when we're in the middle of a worship service, it can go long and we can stand on our own feet for a little bit of time and it can get a little exhausting because we were shifting our weight.

But what would it look like if we began to wait and put our weight on Jesus?

Because I'm not leaning on my own understanding, I'm putting my weight and always acknowledging him.

I believe that God is saying, get out of your own thoughts, stop leaning on your own understanding, stop leaning on your feelings.

You can wait on him if you put your weight on him, because he will then sustain you and give you the strength that you need to be in the position that he called you to be in.

Don't you move, stand still and see the salvation of God.

The Bible says that Mary shows up, and when Mary shows up, she comes with that same energy.

Lord, if you just would have been here, if you if you just would have been here, things would be different.

If you if you just would have been here, man.

I prayed those prayers.

I've had those emotional moments.

I've experienced the loss of family members.

Lord, if he if he if he just didn't get in the car, he wouldn't have got killed in the car and said, Lord, if he if you if you just if he if if you could have just did one little thing that could have changed everything.

And Jesus looks at Mary and he doesn't recount what he told Martha.

He looks at her and he says, Where have you laid him?

Where have you laid him?

Where have you laid the things that you've given up on?

Where have you laid the dreams that didn't come to fruition?

Where have you laid the hopes?

Where have you buried the things that you don't want to deal with?

The things that make you uncomfortable?

Because it's our willingness to engage those uncomfortable things is the thing that brings us to a place of healing.

He's the great physician, but I realize that he can't heal what we don't reveal.

And there's some things that I believe that God wants to do in every single one of us, but we have them buried away without any access.

He wants to know are you willing to take him on a tour down the boulevard of your pain and point out where it hurts?

Are you willing to allow him to know where it's uncomfortable?

Because when we engage the pain, it brings us to a place of stability.

Megan, you remember this about four years ago when I when I broke my ankle.

And I remember that process of being made whole.

You know, that that that in that that injury that I sustained while checking the mailbox.

There's nothing more embarrassing than that, but I own it.

And when I broke my ankle, I had one of those Mary and Martha prayers.

Lord, if you just would have made sure I didn't fall.

Lord, if you just would have I I had all those prayers because I'm thinking to myself, with that injury, it was literally just losing my balance and breaking my ankle.

And I'm thinking of a million different ways it could have gone right, but the one way that it went wrong, it's just that easy.

But I remember when I broke my ankle and I went to the doctor and I got the surgery.

Okay, now I have a plate in my ankle.

I have these screws in my ankle, but now I have to begin the process of going through physical therapy.

Come on, Joel.

And so now I have to learn how to put weight on a thing that was once broken.

I gotta learn how to stabilize on that thing that's uncomfortable.

But I learned a valuable lesson.

If I don't learn to engage the pain, I will never be made whole.

And so even though there were days when it was uncomfortable, I still would show up and stand.

When they would try to flex my ankle in different directions in order to try to give it the strength and stability that it needed, it was uncomfortable, but I knew it was going to make me better.

I believe that there are things in our lives that once we get to a point where we give up on them, we bury them and walk away from it, not recognizing that God wants to deliver us from it.

Jesus says, Where have you laid him?

As he utters these words, he begins to follow Mary and Martha and the entire funeral procession to the place where they laid Lazarus' body.

As they're going there, Jesus sees the amount of emotion, the pain, and and then literally the shortest verse in the Bible is then presented to us.

Jesus wept.

You don't memorize any other scripture.

You got one.

Not only because it's short, but I believe it's a profound impact.

Jesus wept.

He felt what they were feeling.

He understood their discomfort.

When you break down what it says that Jesus wept, the language actually says that he gasped.

When he saw the effects of death on the people that he loved so deeply.

And that gasp was a gasp of surprise, but also a gasp of frustration.

That gasp that made him aware that death is no longer going to have the final say.

That gasp that led him to a place of activity.

The Bible says that as he's standing there, and there's a tomb that Lazarus is inside of.

They believe it was cut out into a wall.

The tomb was sealed with a stone, and there were probably about four bodies on the inside of it.

Jesus walks up and he says, Remove the stone.

The thing that's been buried, the thing that's been secluded, that thing that's been isolated, that thing you don't want to deal with, the thing you don't want to talk about.

Remove the stone.

See, Jesus was about to do something, but he understood that as long as that stone was there, it was a barricade for what he was about to speak.

Because you realize that we live in a world where we can build up some calluses and some stony parts in our heart.

And then when God is trying to speak to us, he can't get through.

Because the stone is there and it's obstructing his voice and we can't hear it that clearly.

See, see, Jesus knew that he was about to speak a word, but as as long as the voice of his as long as his voice was going to be muffled, that that Lazarus wouldn't that he wouldn't hear it.

So he said, I need you to begin to remove the stone.

I know it's not comfortable.

I I know that it's going to be a little bit challenging.

I know we're going to have to get a bunch of people involved, but I need to remove the stone because when I'm about to speak, I need Lazarus to hear it clearly.

I don't want to get, I don't want it to get muffled behind the walls of unforgiveness.

I don't want it to get muffled behind the walls of despair.

I don't want it to get muffled behind the walls of the lack of hope.

But if we can just remove the stone, then what I'm about to speak is going to be the thing that activates and innovates life on the inside of us.

And I believe that there's some areas of our lives where we have allowed the stones to build up.

I'm never going to talk to that person again.

I'm never going to let anybody deal that again.

And we are building up these walls.

And every Sunday we come in, we worship, but we're not getting the breakthrough.

It's not because God's not speaking, but He's challenging us with every worship set.

It's removing the stone a little bit.

That every time we read His Word, it's removing the stone a little bit.

And then we finally get to a place where the stone has been removed and we can hear the words Lazarus come out.

I believe that God is speaking to some of us right now, and He's saying it is time to remove the stone.

Remove the barriers, remove the things that you have built up that has prevented you from hearing God so clearly.

He says, Let's remove it, because I'm about to do something, and I need it to be heard very clearly.

That every time we show up, it's a part of removing the stone.

That when we get connected to community, it's a part of removing the stone.

Every time we we serve, every time we give, it's removing the stone.

And so when God shows up and he wants to speak to us, we can hear it ever so clearly.

Remove the stone, remove the barriers, remove the obstacles, the things that we've been running from, the things that we've been burying, the things we've been staying away from, let's remove it.

Scripture says that they said, Lord, he's been dead for four days.

It's gonna be uh an atrocious aroma.

His body is decomposing.

We we we don't we don't want to deal with that.

We could probably even see his body from here.

We we'd rather we'd rather not see that.

Jesus didn't even respond to it.

Imagine that.

Them knowing that this foul aroma was on the other side of that, and Jesus was still willing to engage it, even though he knew it didn't smell good.

He was willing to engage it even though there was an aroma, the stench of death, the stench of the past, but it didn't scare Jesus away.

I've I've learned a very valuable lesson as it relates to my marriage.

After being with my incredible bride for 26 years now, I am happy to say that our love knows no boundaries.

We are best friends, we are super close.

I mean, it is this is my rider die, it's my rib.

However, the one moment where I recognize that there's a little bit of distinction is if one of us comes home from the gym and we haven't hit that shower yet, don't try to come up and get all cozy and snuggly, man.

You need to go handle that.

And then we can get a little bit cuddly.

Somebody knows what I'm talking about.

That means that even though we love each other, we spend time together, she knows my deepest and innermost thoughts.

She says, Listen, you can have whatever you want to say, we can have access to everything.

However, I need to hit that shower first.

There are boundaries to love, but somehow, when it comes to Jesus, no matter how much we stink, he doesn't run away.

No matter what we smell like, he's not trying to back away from us, but he says, I'll run to you no matter what the aroma is.

The Bible says that they said there will be a stench, but it didn't scare Jesus away.

Jesus looks up into the heavens and he says, Lord, I'm so glad that you hear me.

And I've I already know this, but this is for them to understand that the things that can happen through me, that he looks over at this tomb that has now been removed, and he says, Lazarus, come out.

Lazarus, come forth.

Lazarus, it's time to get up.

I want that to resonate inside of somebody's soul right now, because the power that emanates from Jesus, if he just would have said, get up, then every dead thing would have got up in the vicinity.

But he spoke a specific word and said, Lazarus, it's time for you to come up.

I want you to insert your name into that place and believe that God is saying by name, it is time for you to get up.

It is time for you to rise up, it is time for you to rise to your full potential, it is time for you to come out.

The Bible says that Lazarus would have been wrapped up like a mummy.

He would have been dead for four days.

His soul was nowhere to be found, but here is something inside of him that compelled him to respond to the word of God.

There was something inside of him that compelled him to respond when his name was called.

So even though he was tied up, even though he didn't have clarity, even though he didn't have vision, even though there were other dead bodies inside of the tomb, he would have likely had to stoop over, tied up, bumping into things.

And if we can personify this for a moment, the other dead things around would have been like, where do you think you're going?

You think you're better than us?

I didn't say that, but all I do know is that Jesus called me and I gotta respond to him.

I don't know where I'm going.

I may stumble a little bit, I may step on some toes, but Jesus called me and I gotta respond to it.

Jesus called me and I'm gonna get up.

Jesus called me and I'm gonna follow his voice.

Jesus called me and I'm just calling me and I'm gonna walk into what he's calling me to do.

Jesus has called me and said I'm gonna follow him all the days of my life.

Jesus has called me and I'm gonna do what he called me to do.

The Bible says that Lazarus got up.

He stumbled on the outside, knocking some things over, still fully wrapped up, but he responded to the voice of God.

I wonder if we're a church full of people that are willing to respond to the voice of God because Jesus is calling you by name and he's saying, It is time for you to come out.

He tells them that it's time for him to come out.

Lazarus is still tied up, and he says these words, remove the grave clothes.

Because there was a moment when wearing the grave clothes was appropriate when he was dead.

But now that he's alive, it makes no sense to wear the garments of the past.

I'm firmly believing that some of us we are so dressing in last season, and God is saying it is time for a wardrobe change.

It is time for you to stop wearing the bondage of the past so that you can have the freedom to wear the new drip that he has for you in the future because he got some new things for you.

He got some new things he wants you to walk into, and he's saying that you can't wear the newness that I have for you as long as you're still wearing the garments of your past.

It is time to remove the grave clothes.

What are the grave clothes that we're still wearing?

What are the items that we still think are still in season, but they're so in our past?

I believe that Jesus is challenging every single one of us to come up, but to also come out and change some things in our environment so that we can wear the newness that he has for us.

I'm gonna invite the worship team to come back up and join me at this time.

He says, Lazarus, come out.

And in one moment, a funeral turned into a party.

In one moment, everyone that was there to lament and to grieve, we're now amazed at a move of God.

It's amazing how when Jesus shows up, he can radically change the atmosphere.

See, the Bible has this really interesting statement as it relates to this narrative.

It says that Jesus never went into the village initially.

What the text actually says is it says that Jesus stood on the outside of the village, and that Martha had heard that Jesus was in town, and she ran out of the village and met him there.

Lord, if you just would have been here, things will be better.

Went back into the village to get her sister.

Mary comes back out.

Lord, if you if you just would have been here.

And after Mary and Martha both went out of the village, then Jesus went into the village.

I want you to see this.

This village of Bethany, then the name means misery, depression, and despair.

So watch this.

In many instances, we want Jesus to step into our situation, but we gotta first be willing to step out of it.

When they stepped out of their misery, when they stepped out of their pain, then that ushered Jesus to come in.

I think for some of us, we're waiting for a move of God, but God is waiting for a move from us.

He's wondering, are you willing to come out?

Are you willing to step out?

Are you willing to step out of your comfort zone?

Are you willing to pursue him?

Because I believe that when we pursue him, it makes room for him to bring restoration and healing to every single one of us.

But I'll pose the same question that Jesus did to Martha.

Do you believe it?

Do you believe that your best days are truly ahead?

Do you believe that your current situation doesn't define you?

Do you believe that that God is not done with you yet?

Do you believe that what you're in is not meant to be the place that you begin to pick up your mail from?

That you're not you're just passing through.

Don't allow that to be your fording address.

Do you believe it?

Mary and Martha, this worshiper and this person who served, they pursued Jesus and they waited for Jesus, but they finally got their breakthrough.

I remember being at home and hearing Megan yell out, and in my household, that could be one of two things.

It could be a burglar has broken in or she saw a funny video on TikTok.

You just never know.

So each one requires the same response.

I come downstairs and I say, hey, what's going on?

And she's like, I just got an update.

Our furniture is about to be delivered.

You would have thought we just hit the lottery.

After six months of waiting, after six months of frustration, we finally had a delivery date in time for our item to be delivered.

We've been waiting for the delivery.

It wasn't our time, but our time finally arrived.

I believe that there's some of us that have been here right now that we've been just waiting.

We've been waiting.

We've been waiting.

I believe your time is now.

I believe the thing that you've been waiting for, the time is now.

I believe the breakthrough that you're looking for, the time is now.

I believe the prayer you've been praying, the answer is now.

But we gotta believe it.

I want to ask everyone to stand on their feet.

And we're gonna go back into uh a moment of worship.

But before we do, I believe that every single one of us has uh a step to take.

Something that God wants us to step into, something that God wants us to do.

In a moment, we're gonna open up this altar.

And I believe that there's some of us that we know that we need a touch from God.

We we know that we came here with an anticipation.

There's some things that we've been praying about, some things that we've been thinking about, some things that we've been struggling with, some people we've been interceding for, some healings that we want to experience, and we've been waiting, and we've been waiting.

Listen to me prophetically, your time is now.

There's there's been some of us that have been struggling with with sickness and and the lack of clarity, but the healer is healed and and and the time is now.

There's been some that have been struggling with addiction and and and bondage and and other things, but I believe that the deliverance, the time is now.

I believe that whatever you're looking for, that the time is now.

But we got to be willing to step out.

This altar is gonna be open, and I want to pray for as many of you that would love to come forward.

But in addition to that, maybe somebody in here right now, you know, man.

My my next step is I I know I need to go public with my faith and I need to get baptized.

Look, there's water.

Imagine that.

Plot twist, you can get baptized tonight.

The time is now.

Hey Keith, I didn't come prepared for that.

I don't have no shirt.

I got these dope J's on.

That's cool.

We got shorts and shirts for you.

The time is now.

What I'm saying is don't allow your excuses to keep you from getting your blessing.

Our obedience is the active ingredient for our miracles.

Us responding to the voice of God is the thing that allows us to experience the will of God.

What is it that God is asking you to step into?

If you're in here with us tonight and if you're joining us online, I want you to go ahead and put whatever it is that you're praying for in the chat.

We're gonna pray for you and we're gonna circle back with you.

But if you're in here right now and you know that you need prayer for something, I want you to come down to this altar right now.

I don't wanna I don't wanna drag this out, I wanna, I don't wanna beg anybody, but I'm gonna ask you to come down to this altar right now because I'm believing that that the time is now.

I'm believing that the breakthrough is now, I'm believing that the healing is now, I'm believing that the miracle is now.

You can come on down and we can we can give it up for everybody that's taken a step of faith.

We got some space up here.

You can you can come on in here and it's coming with an expectation.

We can come on in a little bit here, a little bit more.

If you're in here with us, and and I mean it's from the depths of my soul, when you know that your next step is to get baptized.

I don't care if it's one, I don't care if it's 20, the time is now.

We have an amazing team that would love to serve you if you go to the back.

We got Pastor Nate back there in the back corner.

We got hope in here.

We would love to instruct you and set you up so that we can baptize you tonight.

The time is now.

I want you all to be encouraged that the time is now, that the breakthrough is now.

With every hand lifted up, I want to pray for us in here today with a belief that that he's gonna meet us at the place of our expectation.

If we have any prayer partners or any teams, I'm gonna ask them to come and to lay hands after I finish prayer.

I'm gonna come through and lay hands and and and we're gonna believe God for a miracle.

But I want everyone in this room to begin to stir up your faith.

Maybe maybe you're not waiting for a breakthrough, maybe you're not waiting for a miracle, but but there's others in here that are.

And and I believe that this environment is perfectly set for people to have their breakthrough in here tonight.

Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus, God, we we reach out with the expectation that Megan was talking about, with the desire to touch the hem of your garment.

Father, we believe that you will do what you say that you're going to do and that you are who you say that you are.

So, Father, it's with that expectation and it's with that belief that Father, we're saying that we're responding to your word.

I pray in the name of Jesus for every individual that took that step of faith, that stepped out of their Bethany to make sure that they can usher in the presence of Christ.

So, Father, in the name of Jesus, I pray for every individual in here that is struggling with sickness in their body.

God, I declare in the name of Jesus that they be healed in the name of Jesus, that they be made whole in the name of Jesus.

We bind and rebuke every sickness that is sent from the pits of hell, and we command for healing and breakthrough to be established right now in the name of Jesus.

We command for a testimony to be burnt, we command for doctors to be surprised at the radical, miraculous healing that takes place.

Father, the time is now.

We believe it and we have an expectation that we're going to see it and we're going to experience it.

The time is now.

Heal your people, God, in the name of Jesus, Father.

I pray for those who are wrestling with pain in their bodies, God, discomfort in their back, Father.

I pray for healing right now.

Diabetes, God, cancer, Father.

I pray that you heal it in the name of Jesus, Father.

God, I pray for those who are struggling with mental health issues, God.

I pray that you bring wholeness and clarity and a sound mind, God.

We're simply standing on your word and on your promises with an expectation that you're going to do it, Father.

I pray that your spirit begins to pour down right now, Father, and immediately that they're be made.

Oh, Father.

I pray for those who are struggling with financial permanents and struggles, God.

I pray, Father, for resources to come in.

I pray for businesses to be birthed.

I pray for ideas to be birthed, God.

I pray for resources to come flowing in, Father.

In the name of Jesus, Father, you are able to provide efficient loads, Father.

So, God, I pray that you can add increase to every single person that has been dedicated and put you first, Father.

I pray for resources to be released in the name of Jesus, Father.

I pray for an outpouring of your spirit.

I pray for every person in here that has a desire to be filled with the Spirit of God.

And Father, your word declares out from their belly shall flow rivers of living water.

So, Father, I pray for a touch.

I pray for a fresh fire from heaven, God, to stir hearts, God, and for your spirit and your anointing to flow through the Father.

In the name of Jesus, Father, I pray for every relationship that is under attack of the adversary, Father, every marriage.

God, I pray that your word stands true.

That when God has joined together, let no man be put asunder.

We bind and rebuke the attacks of the adversary and we stand on the promises of God.

So, Father, I pray that you give us clarity.

I pray that you give us next steps.

I pray that you give us resources.

But, Father, I pray for every marriage and every relationship that you are glorified and honored in them, Father.

We need a move from you, God.

In our own strengths, we can't do it.

But Father, we know that you are here now.

We're not gonna live in the past, we're not gonna process the past.

We're gonna stand in your presence and recognize it that you're leading us to a better future, Father.

I pray for the chains of addiction to be broken in the name of Jesus.

Father, I pray for every bondage, whether it be pornography, whether it be drugs, whether it be alcohol, God, we bind it and rebuke it in the name of Jesus.

We wrestle out against flesh and blood.

But against principalities, and we declare the name of Jesus, the name above every name.

We command victory, we command healing, we command hope in Jesus' name, Father.

We need a move from your spirit, God.

We can't do it in our own strength, but we trust you.

We know that you're moving, Father.

So immediately, God, we're asking, God, Lazarus, come out.

We're asking for ideas to come out.

We're asking for hope to come out.

We're asking for strength to come out.

Father, we need you in Jesus' name.

In Jesus' name.

In Jesus' name.

In Jesus' name.

We declare the name of Jesus over every situation, over every household, over every burden, over every stronghold, over every bondage, over every diction.

We command the name of Jesus.

Father, we're declaring it.

We declare victory.

So we go from having a funeral to having a party.

So we celebrate the finished work of Christ on the cross.

We're walking in deliverance.

And just like Lazarus, we may need to have some things unwrapped.

We may need to figure out what this looks like.

But God, we have been raised up that there's a newness of life that's taken place, and we're going to walk it out.

We're going to believe it, God.

We're going to walk it out.

We're not going to allow the enemy to steal our testimony.

We're going to walk it out.

We're not going to allow the discomfort to remind us of the past and allow us to go back to muscle memory of the past.

We're going to walk it out.

So, Father, in the name of Jesus, I'm praying, God, for every person that has a doctor visit coming up.

I believe that God is telling me there's some who has a doctor visit coming up, and you're expecting to get some results.

But I'm commanding in the name of Jesus that you're going to get a response that's different than what you've been anticipating.

You're going to get a response that's different than what you've been expecting.

You're going to actually begin to hear the doctors mystified at what God is doing, and they're not going to understand it.

They're going to, but you're going to be able to say, it is a miracle.

It has been a move of God.

This is what we've been leading up to.

These are the signs and miracles we're believing for.

There's people that have got addictions that I believe that the taste is going to be removed right now in the name of Jesus.

You're going to wonder where that temptation is, but you've been delivered.

Set some boundaries in your life, and you're going to walk in the wholeness of what God has for you.

There's going to be some tension in marriages that have now dissolved, and you're going to wonder why we don't argue about the things that we used to argue about.

Why am I not emotionally committed to the things I used to be emotionally committed to?

That's Jesus refocusing you and getting you to recognize the bigger picture.

I'm commanding a blessing on every single household.

Whether you're watching online, whether you're in here with us in person, Father, we need a move from you, God, and we count it as done.

We are victorious.

We are healed.

We are delivered.

We're going to walk it out in the fullness of your word in the name of Jesus.

If you believe in church, can you give him some praise?

If you believe that he's moving, can you give him some praise?

Can we celebrate what God is doing in here in the name of Jesus?

I want us to stay in the atmosphere of worship.

We're going to go into a song of worship and we're going to continue to praise God.

But I want those of us that that came to the altar, you can stay here.

You can kneel.

I'm going to come through and touch and agree with every single one of us that God will allow.

But I want us to continue to have that posture of expectation.

Because what God did here tonight is not meant to stay here.

It is meant to spark something that is meant to go with us where we go.

See, the Bible talks about on the day of Pentecost that there was roughly about 120 people that were all in one room.

And the Holy Spirit came down and it transformed an entire environment.

And that became the building blocks that sparked the birth of the church and initiated revival.

I'm not sure what the numbers are, but I'm going to just say that there's 120 people in this room.

And I'm believing that we're reenacting a power of a move of God.

That what happened in here tonight is not going to stay in here tonight.

You're going to take it back to your homes.

You're going to take it to your workplaces.

You're going to take it everywhere that God has given you authority and dominion.

And there's going to be a newness that people are going to see in your life, but you got to walk it out.

You gotta believe it.

You gotta walk it out.

You gotta believe it.

You gotta unwrap some things, you gotta walk it out.

You gotta remove the stones, you gotta walk it out.

You gotta respond when he calls your name, you gotta walk it out.

You gotta keep doing what he tells you to do, and you will see the wholeness that God has for you.

Do you believe it, church?

Do you believe it, church?

Do you believe it, church?

If you do, let's give him some praise and let's worship God a little bit more.

Thanks again for listening.

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