06/10/26 Pastor Christy Hair

(MUSIC)

COME ON, CHURCH. WE'RE HERE ON A WEDNESDAY NIGHT. MY LOVELY WIFE

IS GOING TO PREACH TONIGHT, SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT. ARE YOU

EXCITED? WELL, LET'S LIFT HIS NAME UP TONIGHT, AMEN?

(MUSIC)

2:08 -COME ON, CHURCH. LET'S ENTER IN TONIGHT. YOU READY?

COME ON.

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IF YOU'RE IN HERE TONIGHT, IF YOU'RE ONLINE, MAYBE

YOU HAVE A SITUATION THAT JUST CAME TO MY HEART. YOU NEED TO

TRUST GOD. SOMETIMES WE RELY ON OURSELVES FOR THE ANSWERS. AND

I'LL GIVE YOU A LITTLE SECRET. WE DON'T HAVE THEM, NOT THE

RIGHT ONES ANYWAY. WE THINK WE HAVE THE ANSWERS, BUT WE DON'T.

THAT'S WHY WE'VE GOT TO TURN OUR EYES TO THE ONE WHO SAVES US,

WHO DELIVERS US, WHO SETS US FREE, WHO GIVES US GOOD THINGS.

AND WE'VE GOT TO TRUST HIM. SO I WANT TO RE-SING THAT. BUT ON

THAT SECOND LINE, I WANT TO SAY, I WILL PRAY, I WILL TRUST YOU

FOR ALL OF MY DAYS. I WILL TRUST YOU FOR ALL OF MY DAYS.

YOU NEED TO TRUST ON THE LORD TONIGHT. I WANT YOU TO

DECLARE THAT TONIGHT.

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PRAISE ISN'T WHAT YOU DO WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE IT. PRAISE IS

WHAT YOU DO WHEN YOU WANT TO UNITE WITH VICTORY. A WHILE

BACK, THE LORD GAVE ME THAT PHRASE, "WAR IN THE HEAVENLIES,

WAR IN THE HEAVENLIES, WAR IN THE HEAVENLIES,

PRAISE ON EARTH.”

THAT MEANS IF YOU WANT TO SEE THE POWER OF THE HEAVENLIES

CONTINUE TO TURN FOR YOUR FAVOR, PRAISE IS YOUR PART ON THE

EARTH. PRAISE IS A CHOICE. IT'S A DETERMINATION. IT'S A

DECISION. IT'S A DECISION YOU MAKE IN YOUR FLESH, IN YOUR

SOUL, AND IT CONNECTS WITH YOUR SPIRIT, WITH YOUR FLESH AND YOUR

SOUL, SO THAT THE DEVIL KNOWS HE'S LOSING CONTROL. SO GRAB

HOLD OF PRAISE WITH BOTH HANDS. AND WHEN YOU DON'T FEEL LIKE IT,

DO IT. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? JUMP UP AND DOWN? IF THAT'S WHAT YOU

CAN DO, DO IT. DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO PUT YOURSELF IN A PLACE

WHERE YOU'RE ENTERING INTO A PLACE WHERE HIS PRESENCE CAN

WORK ON YOUR BEHALF. WAR IN THE HEAVENLIES. WAR IN THE

HEAVENLIES. WAR IN THE HEAVENLIES, BUT PRAISE ON EARTH.

SING IT AGAIN.

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YES. YES. YES. YES. YES. YES.

NOW I WANT TO SAY THIS TO YOU BECAUSE THIS IS A CHALLENGE.

AND IT'LL PROBABLY COME QUICKLY BECAUSE WHEN THE WORD OF TRUTH

COMES TO YOU, SATAN COMES IMMEDIATELY. BECAUSE THE NEXT

CHALLENGE IS YOU WON'T FEEL LIKE IT. YOU WON'T WANT TO. IT MIGHT

BE TOMORROW MORNING. IT MIGHT BE BEFORE YOU GO TO BED. IT MIGHT

BE NEXT WEEK, BUT WHENEVER IT IS, YOU LOOK UP, AND YOU THINK,

THERE'S WAR GOING ON IN THE HEAVENLIES. THERE'S WAR FOR ME

GOING ON IN THE HEAVENLIES. THERE'S WAR IN THE HEAVENLIES.

SO I'M GOING TO PRAISE ON THIS EARTH. AND YOU PRAISE WITH ALL

THAT'S IN YOU. YOU TURN TO SOMEONE AND TELL THEM,

"DON'T STOP PRAISING.”

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GOOD EVENING, LORD OF HOSTS CHURCH.

YEAH, WOW, WOW. I DON'T NEED TO TAKE VERY LONG 'CAUSE I

FEEL LIKE WE ALREADY HAD CHURCH. PASTOR CHRISTY HAS A POWERFUL

WORD, SO I'M GONNA GET RIGHT TO THE POINT. THIS IS OFFERING

TIME. AND I'M GONNA GIVE YOU A C. THIS IS OFFERING TIME.

(AUDIENCE CHEERING)

HERE'S WHY YOU NEED TO GET EXCITED. IT'S NOT A QUESTION OF

SHOULD YOU OR SHOULD YOU NOT. THE QUESTION IS, WILL YOU OR

WON'T YOU ALLOW GOD TO BE GOD THROUGH YOU? PSALM 40, VERSE 6.

Psalms 40:6

IT'S NOT SACRIFICES THAT REALLY MOVE YOUR HEART. BURNT

OFFERINGS, SIN OFFERINGS, THAT'S NOT WHAT BRINGS YOU JOY. BUT

WHEN YOU OPEN MY EARS AND SPEAK DEEPLY TO ME, I BECOME YOUR

WILLING SERVANT. WHAT WAS THAT? YOU BECOME HIS? YOU'RE A

PRISONER OF LOVE FOR LIFE. SO I SAID, HERE I AM. I'M COMING TO

YOU AS A SACRIFICE. FOLKS, PASTOR HANK HAS BEEN HITTING IT

HARD ABOUT ENTERING IN. WE'VE GOT TO STOP GOING THROUGH THE

MOTIONS. IT'S TIME TO SAY, HERE I AM AND MEAN IT. PASTOR KEITH

JUST TALKED ABOUT WAR IN THE HEAVENLIES AND PRAISE ON EARTH.

DO YOU KNOW HOW YOU GIVE PRAISE ON EARTH? WHEN YOU ALLOW GOD TO

BE GOD THROUGH YOU, IN THIS CASE, THROUGH YOUR TITHES AND

OFFERINGS. WELL, I DON'T KNOW IF I BELIEVE THAT. OH, REALLY? GO

BACK TO GENESIS WHEN GOD SAID THAT HE WAS GONNA MAKE US, AND

HE DID, IN HIS IMAGE, IN HIS LIKENESS. IF YOU LOOK UP THE

WORD IMAGE IN HEBREW, IT ACTUALLY MEANS SHADOW. NOW, HAVE

YOU EVER HAD YOUR SHADOW DO WHAT IT WANTS? IF YOU GO LIKE THIS

AND THE SUN IS SET, RIGHT, WHAT DOES YOUR SHADOW DO? OKAY, SO

WE'VE GOTTA STOP IMITATING AND START BEING. WHAT I MEAN BY THAT

IS IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT HOW IT LOOKS, BUT WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

ARE YOU ALLOWING GOD TO BE GOD THROUGH YOU? ARE YOU OPERATING

AS GOD'S SHADOW? ARE YOU MOVING THE WAY HE MOVES? ARE YOU

SPEAKING THE WAY HE SPEAKS? ARE YOU THINKING THE WAY HE THINKS?

ARE YOU GIVING THE WAY HE GIVES? GOD IS LOVE. THAT HEBREW WORD

LOVE MEANS TO GIVE. GOD IS THE EMBODIMENT OF GIVING. SO IF WE

ARE TO BE HIS SHADOW, HIS IMAGE, THEN WHAT ARE WE TO BE? OH, THAT

WAS REALLY QUIET. PASTOR CHRISTY, HOW QUIET WAS THAT?

DON'T BE MAD AT ME. I'M JUST THE MESSENGER. IT'S EASY TO GET

EXCITED ABOUT THE PROPHECIES AND SEE THAT ALL THAT GOD IS DOING

AND HEAR ABOUT IT. BUT THERE'S THIS PART WHERE WE GOTTA WALK

IT. THIS IS FOR OUR BENEFIT, FOLKS. GOD DOESN'T NEED YOUR

MONEY. HE NEEDS YOUR HEART. HE NEEDS YOUR AGREEMENT. HOW MANY

ARE WILLING TO AGREE TONIGHT? SEE, THAT WAS QUICK, I'M DONE.

IT'S THE QUICK INCISION, I'LL LET YOU DEAL WITH THAT. PUT THE

OFFERING, GIVING INFORMATION UP ON THE SCREEN. FOR YOU THAT ARE

WATCHING ONLINE, I HOPE THAT YOU TOOK THAT TO HEART. WE ARE IN

THE SEASON OF ENTERING IN. AND I PRAY THAT YOU ARE NOT JUST

SETTLING FOR THE 30, THE 60 FOLD, BUT YOU'RE SETTLING AND

STRIVING FOR THE 100 FOLD. HOW DO YOU GET THE 100 FOLD? IT'S

TIME TO ALLOW GOD TO BE GOD THROUGH YOU FULLY AND WHOLLY

WITHOUT ANY RESTRICTION OR SELF-IMPOSED LIMITATION. PASTOR,

I GOT BILLS. I GOT THINGS TO DO, THINGS TO PAY. WE ALL DO. BUT

ARE YOU GONNA ALLOW GOD TO BE GOD? AMEN. GO AHEAD AND SERVE

THE PEOPLE. AS THE USHERS ARE DOING THAT, I JUST WANNA GIVE

YOU GUYS A QUICK UPDATE. THINGS ARE GOING VERY WELL AT THE OMAHA

BASEBALL VILLAGE. WE'RE ALMOST SET UP AND READY TO ROCK. WE'VE

GOT SOME OF THE MERCH HERE, SO YOU GUYS SHOULD GO CHECK US OUT.

WE'LL BE THERE STARTING TOMORROW FROM 10 A.M. TO 10 P.M., SO WAY

PAST SOME OF OUR BEDTIMES. BUT PLEASE COME, SHOW YOUR PRESENCE.

PEOPLE NEED TO SEE WHAT GOD LOOKS LIKE. THAT'S YOU. WE HAVE

A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO MINISTER TO SOME PEOPLE IN A VERY UNIQUE

WAY. SO AGAIN, I WANNA SHOUT OUT PASTOR MATT, HE'S DOWN THERE, AS

WELL AS OTHERS, BOB, A WHOLE BUNCH OF OTHER PEOPLE. SO PLEASE

COME CHECK US OUT. WE'LL BE THERE FOR THE NEXT 12 DAYS.

PLEASE PRAY FOR US.

(LAUGHING)

ALL RIGHT, AND THE WEATHER. YES, THANK YOU, JANET. AND THANK YOU

FOR PRAYING FOR US AND THOSE THAT PRAYED FOR US ON MONDAY.

ALL RIGHT, LOOKS LIKE EVERYONE'S DONE SERVING. EVERYONE WROTE OUT

THEIR MILLION DOLLAR CHECKS. IF YOU COULD PLEASE STAND. JUST

PRAY A QUICK BLESSING AND THEN PASTOR CHRISTY IS GONNA COME TO

THE STAGE. HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS SEASON AND

TIME WHERE THE PEOPLE ARE RESPONDING TO THE FULLNESS OF

WHAT YOU HAVE ALREADY ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH THE CROSS

AND YOUR RESURRECTION. AND SO WE SAY, GOD, WE ALLOW YOU TO BE GOD

THROUGH US IN ALL THAT YOU SET OUT TO DO. LET YOUR KINGDOM COME

AND LET YOUR WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN, AMEN.

PLEASE GIVE A WARM WELCOME TO PASTOR CHRISTY.

(CONGREGATION APPLAUDING)

AMEN. WELL, YOU KNOW, I WANNA GIVE SOME HONOR TO OUR GAME

CHANGERS FOR THEIR, I GOTTA PUT THIS PULPIT WAY DOWN. THEY PUT

IT FOR A MUCH TALLER PERSON. OH, I JUST STUCK SOME WATERS UNDER

THERE TOO. OH, THERE WENT ONE. OKAY, WELL, GIVE ME A MINUTE TO

CLEAN UP AFTER MYSELF. ALL RIGHT, YEAH, NO, I DON'T DO THE

TALL PULPIT 'CAUSE I'M NOT VERY TALL. BUT YEAH, I WANNA GIVE IT

UP FOR OUR GAME CHANGERS. OH, YOU GUYS CAN BE SEATED.

YOU KNOW, THEY'RE DOWN THERE JUST SHOWING THE LOVE OF CHRIST.

YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T ALWAYS MEAN, AND I KNOW WE'RE

GONNA HAVE SOME OTHER TEAMS THAT AREN'T, YOU KNOW, THAT ARE

SEPARATE FROM OUR GAME CHANGERS. THEY'RE GONNA BE DOWN WALKING

THE STREETS AND DOING SOME EVANGELISM AND WITNESSING TO

PEOPLE. THAT ARE DOWN THERE JUST SHOWING WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TO

HAVE PEACE AND WHOLENESS IN YOUR LIFE. AND I'M THRILLED THAT WE

GET THE OPPORTUNITY JUST TO SHOW THE LOVE OF JESUS. SOMETIMES NOT

EVERYTHING HAS TO BE TURN OR BURN IN OUR APPROACH TO

EVANGELISM. SOMETIMES IT'S JUST SHOWING THE PEOPLE THAT WE CARRY

THE LOVE OF CHRIST AND MAN, WHAT IS DIFFERENT ABOUT YOU? AND WE

GET TO SHARE THAT WITH PEOPLE, AMEN. SO THAT'S EXCITING. AND SO

WE'RE SO THRILLED THAT WE'RE DOING THAT. AND YOU KNOW,

THERE'S SOME OTHER THINGS TOO, AND WE'RE GONNA BE TALKING A

LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THIS ON SUNDAY, BUT HOW MANY OF YOU WERE

HERE WHEN WE USED TO DO OUR BACK TO SCHOOL DRIVE MANY YEARS AGO?

AND THEN WE HAD TO KIND OF STOP BECAUSE WE HAD CONSTRUCTION AND

WE HAD NOWHERE TO PUT IT. AND NOW, THOUGH, AND EVEN THOUGH WE

HAD THE CONNECT CENTER, THEN THIS WAS A MESS, AND SO IT

WASN'T REALLY VERY SAFE TO COME TO. BUT NOW, LIKE THE BUILDING

IS DONE, SO WE'RE BRINGING BACK THE BACK TO SCHOOL, BACK TO

SCHOOL DRIVE. CHRIS WHIPPS, WAVE YOUR HAND AT EVERYBODY. HE HAS

BEEN, HE'S A LITTLE SHY. HE'S BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING US

GET THIS EVENT PLANNED, AND HE'S GOT SOME AMAZING THINGS COMING,

SO WE'RE GONNA TELL YOU MORE ABOUT IT, HOW YOU CAN DONATE IF

YOU WANNA DONATE SOME SCHOOL SUPPLIES TO SOME PEOPLE.

BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, LISTEN, ONE OF OUR GREATEST JOYS IS BEING

ABLE TO GIVE BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY AND TO MINISTER TO

PEOPLE AND GIVE TO PEOPLE, SO AMEN. ALL RIGHT, WELL, WE'RE

GONNA TALK TONIGHT ABOUT, I HAVE FIVE KEYS TO ANSWERED PRAYER.

YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE SOMETIMES IN THIS DAY AND AGE, WE HAVE A

LOT OF TIMES, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WHIPPING PRAYERS INTO THE

HEAVENS, AND YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WE'RE NOT ALWAYS SEEING THE

RETURN AND THE ANSWER THAT WE WANT. AND THERE'S SOME KEYS THAT

WE HAVE TO HOLD ONTO IN ORDER TO HAVE THOSE PRAYERS ANSWERED. YOU

KNOW, ONE THING WE KNOW ABOUT GOD BECAUSE THE BIBLE SAYS IS

THAT WHEN WE CALL, HE ANSWERS. SO, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WHEN

WE'RE NOT SEEING THOSE ANSWERS, THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT WE CAN

DO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE KEEPING THE FOOT ON THE GAS WITH

OUR PRAYERS SO THAT WE CAN SEE THE GOD TURN SOME, SEE OUR GOD

TURN SOME THINGS AROUND FOR US, AMEN? ALL RIGHT, WELL, TURN IN

YOUR BIBLES OVER TO EXODUS CHAPTER THREE, VERSE 13. AND YOU

KNOW, THIS IS THE TIME, YOU KNOW, WHEN GOD, YOU KNOW, MOSES

GOES UP ONTO THE MOUNTAIN TO SEE THE BURNING BUSH AND GOD REVEALS

HIMSELF TO MOSES AND HE SAYS, "AND MOSES SAID UNTO GOD,

"BEHOLD, WHEN I AM COME UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL "AND SHALL

SAY UNTO THEM, "THE GOD OF YOUR FATHERS HAS SENT ME UNTO YOU

"AND THEY SHALL SAY TO ME, WHAT IS HIS NAME? "WHAT SHALL I SAY

TO THEM?" SO THEN IN VERSE 14, AND IT SAYS, "GOD SAID UNTO

MOSES, I AM THAT I AM. "AND HE SAID, SHALT THOU SAY UNTO THE

CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, "I AM HAS SENT ME UNTO YOU." NOW WHAT DOES

THAT MEAN? IT MEANS THAT GOD WAS SAYING, "LISTEN, I AM THE GOD

THAT EXISTS. "YOU MAY HAVE FORGOTTEN ME, BUT I AM. "I AM

LIVING, I AM ALIVE, I AM THAT I AM." BUT SEE, ONE OF THE THINGS

THAT WE SAW IS THAT THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL ONLY SAW HIM AS THE

GOD THAT EXISTS. SO THE FIRST KEY IN ANSWERED PRAYER IS TO

REMEMBER THE NAME OF THE LORD. BECAUSE IF YOU GO THROUGH AND

YOU READ THE ACCOUNT OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, THEY NEVER

EVER SAW GOD OTHER THAN THE POWERFUL ALMIGHTY GOD. THEY

NEVER SAW HIM AS A RELATIONAL FATHER. THEY NEVER, THEY ALL, AT

EVERY TURN, THEY WERE DOUBTING HIM. AT EVERY TURN, THEY WERE

MURMURING AGAINST HIM. AND THEN MOSES, NOW SEE, NOW MOSES HAD A

DIFFERENT RELATIONSHIP. NOW TURN OVER TO EXODUS 33, VERSE 18. AND

Exodus 33:18

THIS IS MOSES. HE GOES INTO THE TENT OF MEETING 'CAUSE HE

CONSTRUCTED A TENT TO GO AND MEET WITH GOD. AND THAT'S ONE

THING THAT IS IMPORTANT IN OUR PRAYER LIFE IS THAT WE HAVE A

PLACE OF MEETING WITH GOD. NOW THAT'S NOT ONE OF THE KEYS,

THAT'S JUST A BONUS. BUT HE GOES AND HE SAYS, AND HE SAID, I

BESEECH THEE, SHOW ME THY GLORY. AND HE SAID, AND I WILL MAKE ALL

MY GOODNESS PASS BEFORE THEE, AND I WILL PROCLAIM THE NAME OF

THE LORD BEFORE THEE, AND I WILL BE GRACIOUS TO WHO I AM

GRACIOUS, AND I WILL SHOW MERCY UPON WHO I WILL SHOW MERCY. NOW,

GOD RESPONDS, HE SAYS, I'M GONNA MAKE MY GOODNESS PASS BEFORE

YOU, AND I'M GONNA PROCLAIM THE NAME OF THE LORD BEFORE YOU.

NOW, SEE, IN PSALM 25, VERSE EIGHT, IT SAYS THAT GOD IS GOOD

AND HE'S THE UPRIGHT JEHOVAH. IN OTHER WORDS, HE'S JEHOVAH THE

GOOD. SEE, GOD, IF WE KNOW WHAT THE NAME OF GOD IS, IT'S NOT

THAT GOD HAS ONE NAME. IT'S ONE GOD WITH MANY NAMES. BECAUSE HE

IS I AM, HE IS JEHOVAH, HE IS EL SHADDAI, HE IS EL ELYON, HE IS

THE LORD SABIOTH, HE IS ALL OF THOSE THINGS. AND ANYTIME WE GO

IN TO PRAY, WHEN WE'RE CALLING THE NAME OF THE LORD, WE'RE

CALLING ON ALL OF WHO GOD IS. SEE, I GUARANTEE YOU THERE IS

NOT ANYTHING THAT YOU COULD NAME. IF YOU GO IN TO ASK THE

LORD TO MEET YOUR NEEDS, IF YOU GO IN TO ASK GOD FOR SOMETHING,

THERE IS NOTHING THAT IS NOT IN THE CHARACTER OF GOD THAT CANNOT

ANSWER WHAT YOUR NEED IS. BECAUSE IF YOU'RE IN NEED OF

PROVISION, HE IS EL SHADDAI. IF YOU'RE IN NEED OF HEALING, HE IS

JEHOVAH RAPHA. IF YOU ARE IN NEED, AGAIN, OF PROVISION, IT

ALSO CALLS HIM JEHOVAH JIREH, THE LORD, OUR PROVIDER. IF

YOU'RE IN NEED OF DEFENSE, HE IS THE BANNER OVER US. IF YOU'RE IN

NEED OF FORGIVENESS, HE IS JEHOVAH TO SIDKENU, WHICH IS THE

LORD, OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. SO ONE OF THE BIGGEST KEYS TO HAVING

OUR PRAYERS ANSWERED IS JUST CALLING ON THE NAME OF THE LORD

OUR GOD. BECAUSE WHEN WE CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD OUR

GOD, WE'RE CALLING UPON ALL OF WHO GOD IS. NOW, AND YOU KNOW,

TURN YOUR BIBLES OVER TO PSALM 20 VERSE 1 AND SEE WHAT WOULD

Psalms 20:1

HAVE HAPPENED IF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WOULD HAVE SEEN GOD AS

JEHOVAH THE GOOD. EVERY TIME THEY CAME FROM THING TO THING TO

THING, AND FROM, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY WOULD GO FROM ONE PLACE OF

HARDSHIP AND THEY WOULD ENTER INTO ANOTHER PLACE OF HARDSHIP,

IF THEY WOULD HAVE UNDERSTOOD THE GOODNESS AND THE CHARACTER

OF GOD, THEY WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN QUICK TO NOT BELIEVE IN HIM. BUT

BECAUSE THEY REFUSED TO, THEY ONLY WANTED TO SEE HIM AS I AM.

NOW PSALM 20 VERSE ONE SAYS, THE LORD HEARS YOU IN THE DAY OF

TROUBLE AND THE NAME OF THE GOD OF JACOB WILL DEFEND YOU. IN

OTHER WORDS, GOD HEARS US WHEN YOU'RE IN TROUBLE. GOD HEARS US

AND THE GOD OF JACOB IS OUR DEFENSE. SO THE SAME, WHAT IS

THAT SAYING? THE SAME GOD THAT DEFENDED JACOB IS THE SAME GOD

THAT'S GONNA DEFEND US WHEN WE CALL ON HIM. IT'S NOT THAT HE IS

ONLY JACOB'S GOD. IT SAYS THAT THE NAME OF THE GOD OF JACOB,

BECAUSE THE VERY SAME GOD THAT WAS THE GOD OF JACOB IS THE GOD

THAT WE CALL UPON. AND HERE'S THE THING, DO YOU KNOW JOSHUA,

YOU KNOW, YOU REMEMBER THE STORY HOW THE THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL,

THEY GO UP, THEY HAVE THE LAND OF PROMISE AND SEE THAT'S, YOU

KNOW, THAT THEY HAVE THE LAND OF PROMISE, THAT GOD HAS PROMISED

TO THEM AND ALL THEY COULD SEE WERE THE OBSTACLES. BUT SEE,

JOSHUA HAD A DIFFERENT REVELATION OF WHO GOD WAS. WHY?

BECAUSE WHEN MOSES WOULD GO INTO THE TENT OF MEETING, JOSHUA

WOULD GO INTO THE TENT OF MEETING. AND THEN WHEN MOSES

WOULD LEAVE THE TENT OF MEETING, JOSHUA WOULD STAY IN THE TENT OF

MEETING. BECAUSE WHAT WAS JOSHUA DOING? GETTING HIS OWN

REVELATION OF THE LORD. SO WHEN THE TIME CAME AND MOSES DIES AND

GOD SHOWS UP TO JOSHUA AND SAYS, "LISTEN, MOSES, MY SERVANT IS

DEAD. NOW YOU'RE GOING TO GO IN AND YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE THE

LAND OF PROMISE." AND HE REVEALS TO JOSHUA THAT HE IS THE LORD OF

HOSTS. HE IS THE LORD OF ARMIES. GOD COULDN'T REVEAL HIMSELF TO

THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL THAT WAY BECAUSE THEY REFUSED TO SEE HIM

AS ANYTHING ELSE BUT THE GOD THAT EXISTS. AND IF IN OUR

PRAYER LIFE ALL WE SEE IS THAT HE'S THE GOD THAT EXISTS, THEN

WE'RE NOT GOING TO BELIEVE OR HAVE FAITH THAT HE'S GONNA

ANSWER OUR CALL, OUR CRY, OR OUR PRAYER BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW THE

CHARACTER OF WHO HE IS. SO THAT'S IMPORTANT, THAT'S WHY WE

NEED TO REMEMBER THE NAME OF THE LORD. AMEN? SO, I MEAN, YOU

KNOW, I WANNA HAVE MY OWN REVELATION OF GOD. I DON'T WANT

WHAT SOMEBODY ELSE SAID ABOUT HIM. BECAUSE IF I ONLY KNOW WHAT

SOMEBODY ELSE SAID ABOUT HIM, THEN WHEN IT COMES TIME TO CALL

ON HIM, I'M NOT GONNA KNOW THAT HE IS GOING TO ANSWER ME. THE

REASON OUR KIDS KNOW THAT WHEN THEY ASK US FOR SOMETHING THAT

THEY HAVE NO DOUBT THAT THEY'RE GONNA RECEIVE IS BECAUSE THEY

KNOW THE CHARACTER OF WHO THEIR PARENTS ARE. AND IF YOU DON'T

HAVE A REVELATION OF WHO GOD IS, THEN IT'S HARD TO GET YOUR

PRAYERS ANSWERED BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT TRULY BELIEVING IN THE NAME

OF THE LORD. 'CAUSE THE BIBLE SAYS THE RIGHT HAND OF THE LORD

DOES VALIANTLY. THE RIGHT HAND OF THE LORD IS EXALTED. WHEN THE

ENEMY COMES IN LIKE A FLOOD, THE LORD WILL RAISE UP A STANDARD

AGAINST HIM. OKAY, SO WE'VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO CALL, WE'VE GOTTA

REMEMBER THE NAME OF THE LORD OUR GOD WHEN IT COMES TIME FOR

US TO COME INTO A PLACE OF PRAYER. AND YOU KNOW, AND AGAIN,

EVEN REMEMBER WHEN JESUS, NOW YES, THIS IS, AND HERE'S THE

THING, THE NAME OF THE LORD IN WORSHIP GO HAND IN HAND. SO IF

YOU GO BACK OVER TO MATTHEW CHAPTER SIX WHERE JESUS TEACHES

THEM TO PRAY, HE SAYS, "OUR FATHER WHICH ART IN HEAVEN,"

WHAT IS THAT? AGAIN, IT'S A NAME FOR GOD, OUR FATHER, ABBA. "OUR

ABBA WHICH ART IN HEAVEN, HOLY IS YOUR NAME." HE COMES IN

BECAUSE HE'S, WHAT ARE WE DOING? GETTING A REVELATION, WE'RE

REMINDING OURSELVES WHO IS THE GOD THAT WE SERVE. AND THEN HE

GOES INTO SAYING, "THY KINGDOM COME," AND HE TEACHES THEM THE

REST OF THE WAY TO PRAY. SO THE NUMBER ONE KEY TO ANSWER PRAYER

IS REMEMBERING THE NAME OF THE LORD, OR REMEMBER THE NAME OF

THE LORD. NUMBER TWO, NOW THIS ONE'S FUN BECAUSE THE CULTURE

THAT WE LIVE IN SOMETIMES REALLY DRIVES US TO BEND THIS WAY. BUT

NUMBER TWO, ONE OF THE KEYS TO ANSWERED PRAYER IS DON'T BE A

VICTIM OF YOUR CIRCUMSTANCE. PRESENT OR PAST. PRESENT OR

PAST. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE NOW THAT THEY USE THE,

WELL, I'M TRIGGERED BY THAT. I'M SORRY, THAT'S A VICTIM

MENTALITY. IF YOU'RE TRIGGERED BY SOMETHING, THEN THAT MEANS

YOU'RE NOT WHOLE. IF SOMETHING IS TRIGGERING YOU, THEN

SOMEWHERE YOU'VE GOT SOME VICTIMHOOD THAT YOU'VE GOT TO

DEAL WITH. WAS THAT HARSH? I DIDN'T MEAN TO BE HARSH. BUT

HERE'S THE THING, A VICTIM, A VICTIM SEES LIFE THROUGH THE

LENS OF THEIR HURT, THEIR DEFEAT, THEIR ABUSE. THEY

STRUGGLE TO SEE FREEDOM AND VICTORY, AND USUALLY THEY'RE NOT

WILLING TO WORK FOR IT. YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WHEN PEOPLE HAVE

BEEN INGRAINED AS A VICTIM, THEY STRUGGLE TO COME INTO A PLACE OF

PRAYER AND BELIEVE THAT GOD IS GONNA MOVE ON THEIR BEHALF, OR

THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO STAND UP AND TRULY ASK GOD IN A PLACE OF

FAITH. BECAUSE AGAIN, AND YOU KNOW, THE DEVIL LOVES, HE LOVES

VICTIMS BECAUSE VICTIMS DON'T WIN. IF YOU START WINNING,

YOU'RE NO LONGER A VICTIM. YOU KNOW, I MEAN, AND IT'S FUNNY

BECAUSE WE HAVE THIS WHOLE THING THAT, YOU KNOW, SYSTEMIC RACISM,

SLAVERY, ALL OF THOSE THINGS. DO YOU KNOW WE DON'T, THAT SLAVERY

IS NOW ILLEGAL IN THE UNITED STATES? I MEAN, IS THAT A SHOCK

TO ANYBODY? YOU CANNOT OWN A SLAVE. LIKE, IT'S ILLEGAL. AND

IT WAS WIPED OUT A LONG, LONG TIME AGO. LIKE, CENTURY. PLUS,

IT WAS WIPED OUT. SO, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE I SAW A THING, YOU KNOW,

AND I CAN'T HELP BUT PREACH WITHOUT SOME OF THE CULTURAL

STUFF SEEPING IN, 'CAUSE THAT'S WHO I AM. BUT I SAW SOMEBODY

THAT SAID, WELL, THIS SYSTEMIC SLAVERY GOT US HERE. I'M LIKE,

IT'S NOT SYSTEMIC ANYMORE, WE DON'T ALLOW IT. SO, YOU KNOW,

WAKE UP IN THIS CENTURY AND MAYBE WE CAN GET SOMEWHERE.

OKAY, ANYWAY, SORRY, YOU KNOW, SEE, I CAN'T HELP IT. AND HERE'S

THE THING, WE'VE GOTTA BE CAREFUL WE DON'T FALL VICTIM TO

THE VICTIM CULTURE. 'CAUSE WE HAVE A VICTIM CULTURE WHERE WE

COME IN, OR NOT WE 'CAUSE I DON'T, BUT SOME PEOPLE COME IN

AND THEY BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE OWED A CERTAIN THING. DO YOU

KNOW, WE DON'T GO TO GOD AND SAY, "LISTEN, I'M OWED." BECAUSE

HE ALREADY PAID THE PRICE. AND WE'RE WALKING IN GRACE. BUT

HERE'S THE THING, IF YOU'RE COMING IN IN VICTIMHOOD AND YOU

CAN'T GET OUT OF YOUR PAST, THEN IT'S HARD TO COME IN AND PRAY TO

A GOD THAT IS LIVING IN YOUR PRESENT. A GOD THAT CALLED YOU

FROM YOUR MOTHER'S WOMB, THAT DIDN'T JUST, THAT JUST WASN'T

JEREMIAH. IF YOU WERE CONCEIVED AND A SPIRIT WAS CREATED, GOD

KNEW OF YOUR EXISTENCE AND HE HAD A PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE. SO WE

CAN'T LIVE IN VICTIMHOOD. NOW TURN OVER TO, AND PASTOR HANK

HIT ON THIS, ISAIAH CHAPTER 43, AND IF YOU WERE HERE ON SUNDAY,

Isaiah 43 · chapter mention

THIS SHOULD BE A FAMILIAR SCRIPTURE TO YOU 'CAUSE HE JUST

TALKED ABOUT THIS. HE SAYS, "REMEMBER NOT THE FORMER THINGS,

"NEITHER CONSIDER THE THINGS OF OLD. "BEHOLD, I WILL DO A NEW

THING, "AND NOW IT SHALL SPRING FORTH, SHALL YOU NOT KNOW IT. "I

WILL EVEN MAKE A WAY IN THE WILDERNESS "AND RIVERS IN THE

DESERT." DO YOU KNOW THAT MAKING A ROAD IN THE WILDERNESS IS NOT

AN EASY TASK AND RIVERS IN THE DESERT IS NOT, HAVE YOU BEEN TO

THE DESERT? YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT KNOWN FOR BEING FULL OF

WATER. THEY'RE NOT KNOWN FOR BEING A FRUITFUL PLACE. BUT GOD

SAID, LISTEN, I, I'M GONNA MAKE RIVERS IN THE DESERT, I'M DOING

SOMETHING NEW. AND SO IN OTHER WORDS, GET YOUR MIND OFF THE

THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN THE THINGS OF THE PAST. BECAUSE VICTIMS

LIVE IN THE PAST. VICTIMS LIVE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ALWAYS HAVING

TO TALK ABOUT THEIR SCARS AND THEIR HURT BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT

ENCOUNTERING THE ONE THAT SAID I CAME TO BIND UP THE

BROKENHEARTED. AMEN? I KNOW, IT'S NOT A FUN MESSAGE. BUT YOU

KNOW, GOD, AND HERE'S THE THING, GOD DOES HEAR US IN OUR

STRUGGLE. PSALM 34:6, SAYS, THIS POOR MAN CRIED UNTO THE

Psalms 34:6

LORD AND HE SAVED THEM OUT OF ALL OF HIS TROUBLE. SO IT'S NOT

THAT GOD DOESN'T HEAR US IN THE MOMENT OF OUR WEAKNESS OR IN OUR

BROKENNESS, BUT GOD WASN'T GONNA LEAVE US IN OUR BROKENNESS

BECAUSE GOD IS A GOD THAT'S ONGOING. TURN OVER TO EZEKIEL

Ezekiel 36 · chapter mention

CHAPTER 36, VERSE FOUR. AND IT SAYS, THEREFORE, YOU MOUNTAINS

OF ISRAEL, HEAR THE WORD OF THE LORD, OR HEAR THE WORD OF THE

LORD GOD, THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD TO THE MOUNTAINS, AND TO THE

HILLS, AND TO THE RIVERS, AND TO THE VALLEYS, TO THE DESOLATE

WASTE, AND TO THE CITIES THAT ARE FORSAKEN, WHICH BECAME A

PREY, AND DERISION, AND THE RESIDUE OF THE HEATHEN THAT ARE

ROUND ABOUT HIM. I DON'T THINK I GAVE YOU THE RIGHT SCRIPTURE FOR

THAT. SO LET'S MOVE ON FROM THAT, 'CAUSE I DON'T EVEN KNOW

WHAT I WROTE. LET'S GO TO PHILIPPIANS CHAPTER THREE. BUT

HERE'S THE THING. YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO LIVE IN A PLACE

WHERE I'M ALWAYS REHEARSING PAST HURTS. I WANNA BE A PERSON

THAT'S REHEARSING VICTORIES. YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THERE IS, THERE IS

OPPORTUNITY IN OUR LIFE TO GET HURT. THERE'S GONNA BE

OPPORTUNITIES IN OUR LIFE FOR US TO HAVE PEOPLE THAT DON'T LIKE

US. I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW WHY ANYBODY WOULDN'T LIKE ME. I'M

SUCH A SWEET PERSON. WELL, NO, I'M KINDA SALTY AND VINEGARY,

BUT YOU KNOW. BUT YOU KNOW, WE ARE WHO WE ARE. YOU KNOW, BUT

YOU'RE GONNA HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO GET HURT. YOU'RE GONNA HAVE

OPPORTUNITIES TO HAVE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, NOT LIKE YOU. YOU'RE

GONNA HAVE OPPORTUNITIES WHERE THE DEVIL IS GOING TO TRY TO

SABOTAGE YOUR CONFIDENCE. BUT THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS,

WE'VE GOT TO KEEP PRESSING FORWARD BECAUSE GOD'S NOT A GOD

THAT LIVES IN THE PAST. IF HE LIVED IN THE PAST, WE WOULDN'T

HAVE THE NEXT GENERATION. WHY DOES HE SAY FROM GENERATION TO

GENERATION, OR YOUR SEED IS GONNA BE BLESSED? 'CAUSE GOD'S

ALWAYS LOOKING INTO THE FUTURE. NOW, PHILIPPIANS 3:13 SAYS,

Philippians 3:13

BRETHREN, I COUNT NOT MYSELF TO HAVE APPREHENDED, BUT THIS ONE

THING I DO, FORGETTING THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE BEHIND AND

REACHING FORTH UNTO THE THINGS WHICH ARE BEFORE. SO WHAT IS

THAT? THE THINGS THAT ARE AHEAD. AND IT SAYS, I PRESS TOWARD THE

MARK FOR THE PRIZE OF THE HIGH CALLING OF GOD IN CHRIST JESUS.

NOW, LISTEN, IF YOU DON'T WANNA BE A VICTIM, DON'T ADOPT THE

LANGUAGE OF VICTIMS. DON'T SAY TO SOMEBODY, LISTEN, YOU KNOW, I

WAS MAKING A JOKE ABOUT THE TRIGGER THING, BUT DON'T USE

THAT LANGUAGE, BECAUSE THAT'S THE LANGUAGE OF THE CULTURE. IF

SOMETHING BOTHERS ME, IT'S NOT SOMEBODY ELSE'S RESPONSIBILITY

TO MAKE ME FEEL GOOD. IT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO GET INTO MY

PRAYER CLOSET AND SAY, GOD, YOU NEED TO FIX WHAT IS GOING ON

WITH ME. IT'S NOT SOMEBODY, IT IS NOT JANET'S JOB TO MAKE ME

FEEL GOOD ABOUT MYSELF. IT IS NOT PASTOR ANTHONY'S JOB TO GIVE

ME A COMPLIMENT SO I STAY CONFIDENT IN WHAT GOD CALLED ME

TO DO. IT'S NOT THEIR JOB. DAVID SAID HE ENCOURAGED HIMSELF IN

THE LORD. IF HE WOULD HAVE LISTENED TO WHAT HIS MEN WERE

SAYING, THEY TALKED OF STONING HIM, HE COULD HAVE SAID, "OH,

YOU'RE TRIGGERING ME.”

(CONGREGATION LAUGHING)

WELL, THAT'S NOT THE LANGUAGE OF SOMEBODY THAT WALKS IN VICTORY,

THAT'S THE VICTIM. SEE, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT

KEEPS US FROM HAVING ANSWERED PRAYER, IS SOMETIMES WE COME IN

AND WE CAN'T, WE SO CAN'T GET PAST OUR OWN HURT AND OUR OWN

THING THAT WE CAN'T EVEN HEAR, BECAUSE OUR EARS ARE DULL, WE

CAN'T EVEN HEAR THE VOICE OF THE LORD WHEN HE'S TRYING TO ANSWER

BECAUSE WE ONLY WANT THINGS THROUGH THE LENS OF OUR OWN

HURT. AND HERE'S THE THING, I'M NOT SAYING YOU CAN'T ASK GOD WHY

SOMETHING HAPPENED. YOU CAN, BUT IF HE DIDN'T ANSWER, DON'T STAY

THERE. AND SOMETIMES GOD DOESN'T ALWAYS GIVE US A WHY. AND

SOMETIMES THE WHY IS, IS BECAUSE THE ENEMY COMES IN AND IS TRYING

TO DISRUPT YOUR LIFE. YOU KNOW, AND VICTIMS THINK NOBODY

UNDERSTANDS THEIR STRUGGLES. HAVE YOU EVER BEEN THERE? NOBODY

UNDERSTANDS WHAT I'M GOING THROUGH. I MEAN, I HAVE. AND,

BUT THAT'S BECAUSE THEY CAN NEVER SEE SOMETHING NEW. THEY'VE

BEEN SO BUSY LOOKING AT THEIR PAST TRAUMA. AND YOU KNOW, IT'S

FUNNY, EVERYBODY'S GOT TRAUMA NOWADAYS. IT USED TO BE THAT,

YOU KNOW, IT WAS, AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT THERE'S NOT REAL

TRAUMAS. THERE ARE REAL TRAUMAS THAT HAPPEN TO PEOPLE. BUT NOW,

LIKE PEOPLE ARE TRAUMATIZED BECAUSE THEIR PARENTS DIDN'T LET

'EM HAVE SOMETHING, OR PEOPLE ARE TRAUMATIZED BECAUSE THEY

DIDN'T GET A PROMOTION AT WORK THAT MAYBE THEY DIDN'T EARN. OR,

ANYWAY. BUT SEE, THAT'S VICTIM. AND SOMETIMES, GOD CAN'T DO

SOMETHING NEW IN YOUR LIFE, AND IT'S HARD FOR HIM TO ANSWER YOUR

PRAYERS IF YOU'RE ONLY GONNA SEE YOURSELF THROUGH THE LENS OF

YOUR HURT AND ABUSE. NOW, YOU KNOW, LOT'S WIFE HAD SALVATION

FROM THE DESTRUCTION OF SODOM AND GOMORRAH, BUT SHE COULDN'T

GET PAST LOSING HER HOME. SO SHE LOOKED BACK AND NEVER ENTERED

INTO THE PROMISE. BECAUSE WHEN YOU LIVE IN THE PAST, GOD CAN'T

TAKE YOU INTO YOUR FUTURE. SO YOU CAN BE PRAYING FOR THINGS

THAT YOU'RE NOT GETTING TO BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT LOOKING PAST

WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU. YOU KNOW, AND HIS DAUGHTERS, LIKE THEY HAD

TO HEAR, EVEN IF THEY COULDN'T LOOK AT IT, THEY HAD TO HEAR

WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN SODOM AND GOMORRAH. AND INSTEAD OF SAYING,

OH MY LORD, YOU SAVED US, THEY WENT AND COMMITTED SIN BECAUSE

THEY COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT GOD COULD BRING THEM HUSBANDS AND

CHILDREN BECAUSE THEY LET THE PAST INFLUENCE THEIR DECISION

FOR THE FUTURE. SO THAT'S WHY WE CAN'T, ONE OF THE KEYS TO

ANSWERED PRAYER IS THAT WE HAVE TO SEE OURSELVES NOT AS A

VICTIM, BUT WE NEED TO SEE OURSELVES AS THE REDEEMED OF THE

LORD. TURN OVER TO HEBREWS CHAPTER FOUR, VERSE 15 AND 16.

AND IT SAYS, "FOR WE DON'T HAVE," AND SEE, THAT'S THE OTHER

THING. REMEMBER, WE JUST SAID THAT VICTIMS THINK NOBODY ELSE

UNDERSTANDS THEIR PLIGHT AND THEIR STRUGGLE. WELL, YOU KNOW

WHAT, I MAY NOT UNDERSTAND IT. MAYBE I DIDN'T GO THROUGH IT.

MAYBE SOMEBODY ELSE DIDN'T GO THROUGH IT. BUT THE, AND SEE,

THAT'S THE THING. WE'VE GOTTA STAY WITH WHAT THE WORD OF GOD

SAYS. FOR WE DON'T HAVE A HIGH PRIEST WHICH CANNOT BE TOUCHED

WITH THE FEELINGS OF OUR INFIRMITIES. AND IT'S NOT JUST

MEANING INFIRMITIES, IT'S MEANING WHAT OUR TRIALS AND OUR

STRUGGLES WERE. BUT WAS IN ALL POINTS TEMPTED JUST LIKE WE

WERE, YET HE DID IT WITHOUT SIN. NOW GO TO VERSE 16. AND WHAT

DOES IT SAY? LET US THEREFORE COME BOLDLY TO THE THRONE OF

GRACE THAT WE MAY OBTAIN MERCY AND FIND GRACE TO HELP IN THE

TIME OF NEED. SO GOD'S SAYING, "DON'T COME AND SAY, 'WOE IS ME,

"'I AM LONELY,' AND GOD, IF YOU COULD JUST HEAR," HE SAID, "NO,

COME BOLDLY TO THE THRONE OF GRACE, "BECAUSE THE PRICE FOR US

TO GET TO THE THRONE ROOM "WAS ALREADY COVERED BY THE BLOOD OF

JESUS, "AND BECAUSE IT WAS COVERED BY THE BLOOD OF JESUS,

"WE DON'T HAVE TO LIVE IN VICTIMHOOD ANYMORE. "WE GET TO

LIVE IN THE VICTORY "THAT WAS BROUGHT TO US THROUGH CHRIST,

"AND COME BOLDLY TO THE THRONE OF GRACE SO THAT WE CAN OBTAIN

MERCY." AMEN? SO HERE'S THE THING. LIKE I SAID, WE'VE GOT TO

REHEARSE WHAT OUR VICTORIES ARE. AND I SAW THIS THING ON SOCIAL

MEDIA ABOUT SOMEBODY THAT THEY HAD GOTTEN A DIAGNOSIS. AND I

MEAN, I HAVE A LITTLE DIFFERENT TAKE ON IT, BUT SOMETIMES WE'RE

TOO QUICK IN THE BODY OF CHRIST OR ANYWHERE REALLY. BUT AGAIN,

SOMETIMES IT'S, WE GOTTA BE CAREFUL NOT TO LET THAT CULTURE

COME IN AND RAISE ITS HEAD IN OUR LIFE. BECAUSE IT TRIES. AND

IT TRIES ALL AROUND US. SO THEY HAD GOTTEN A PARTICULARLY POOR

DIAGNOSIS AND OUR RESPONSE A LOT OF TIMES TO THAT IS WHY ME? WHY

ME? SOMETHING BAD HAPPENS AND IT'S WHY ME? AND, YOU KNOW, BUT

THEY SAID, YOU KNOW, I DECIDED INSTEAD OF SAYING WHY ME, WHY

NOT ME? WHY AM I DIFFERENT THAN ANYBODY ELSE? WHICH, THAT'S

FINE. I MEAN, THAT'S BETTER THAN JUST CRYING AND SORROW OVER IT.

HOWEVER, I WANNA SAY WHY NOT ME RECEIVING A HEALING? WHY NOT ME

RECEIVING THE VICTORY? WHY NOT ME? WHY IS IT SOMEBODY ELSE?

AGAIN, WHAT DID PAUL SAY? I PRESS TOWARD THE MARK OF THE

HIGH CALL OF GOD IN CHRIST JESUS. WELL, I'M NOT GONNA

FULFILL THE HIGH CALL OF GOD IF I'M SICK AND BROKEN, DEPRESSED.

SO WHY NOT ME? WHY AM I NOT A CANDIDATE FOR GOD TO BLESS ME? I

AM A CANDIDATE BECAUSE OF THE BLOOD OF JESUS. I AM A CANDIDATE

BECAUSE OF THE PROMISES OF GOD.

(CONGREGATION APPLAUDING)

SO ANOTHER KEY TO ANSWERED PRAYER. SEE, THIS ISN'T JUST ALL

JUST FAITH AND PRAYING. I MEAN, WE'RE GONNA GET TO SOME OF THAT

TOO. BUT IT'S DON'T BE A VICTIM. BECAUSE WHEN YOU LIVE YOUR LIFE

THROUGH VICTIMHOOD, THEN YOU'RE NEVER GONNA GET INTO WHAT GOD

CALLED YOU. BECAUSE AGAIN, YOU KNOW WHAT? I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE

CALLED TO BE AN OVERCOMER. YOU'RE CALLED TO BE AN

OVERCOMER. LOOK AT YOUR NEIGHBOR AND SAY YOU'RE CALLED TO

OVERCOME. ALL RIGHT, NUMBER THREE. DON'T BE A GRIPER. THE

QUICKEST WAY TO TURN OFF THE EAR OF THE FATHER IS TO BE A GRIPER

AND A COMPLAINER. TURN OVER TO PSALM 100, VERSE 4. IT SAYS,

Psalms 100:4

"ENTER INTO HIS GATES WITH," WHAT? THANKSGIVING. HE DIDN'T

SAY ENTER INTO HIS COURTS WITH THE, OH GOD, HERE I AM AGAIN AND

EVERYTHING'S GOING WRONG IN MY LIFE AND MY HUSBAND WAS MEAN TO

ME, MY KIDS DISRESPECTED ME, MY BOSS WASN'T NICE TO ME, MY

FAMILY MEMBERS, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE EXCOMMUNICATED ME. AND

WE, YOU KNOW, COME AND WE'RE GRIPING AT THE THRONE. WELL, I'M

GONNA ASK PARENTS, HOW MANY OF YOU PARENTS GET SUPER EXCITED TO

BLESS YOUR KIDS WHEN THEY'RE GRIPING AND COMPLAINING ABOUT

EVERYTHING IN THEIR LIFE? THAT'S NOT, IT DOESN'T PARTICULARLY

WORK THAT WELL FOR MY HUSBAND AND I. IF THEY'RE JUST GRIPING

AND COMPLAINING, THEN WE'RE NOT LIKE, HEY, LET ME BLESS YOU. I'M

LIKE, STRAIGHTEN UP YOUR ATTITUDE RIGHT NOW. DON'T YOU

SEE YOU HAVE THIS, THIS, THIS, AND THIS, AND THIS, AND THIS?

AND SO WE NEED TO COME IN WITH THANKSGIVING. AND YOU KNOW, THE

BIBLE RECORDS THAT THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL MURMURED AGAINST THE

LORD 15 TIMES. WHERE WAS THEIR GRATEFULNESS FOR THE CONTINUAL

MERCIES OF GOD? SOMETIMES IT'S HARD FOR US TO REMEMBER TO BE

THANKFUL WHEN WE'RE SO BUSY COMPLAINING. WE WERE LIVING IN A

HOUSE THAT, IT WAS A NICE HOUSE. I MEAN, I DIDN'T HATE THE HOUSE,

BUT I WANTED SOME THINGS IN ANOTHER HOUSE THAT I HAD JUST

BEEN PRAYING FOR. LIKE THEY WERE A BIG DESIRE OF MY HEART. AND

I'M LIKE, GOD, I REALLY, AND SOME PEOPLE ARE LIKE, OH NO, YOU

DON'T WANT THAT. THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, AND I WAS LIKE, NO

GOD, I REALLY WANT THIS. THIS IS WHAT I WANT. AND IT HAD BEEN A

BIG DESIRE OF MY HEART. BUT YOU KNOW, IN ALL OF THAT, I DIDN'T

CURSE THE RESIDENCE THAT I HAD. I FIXED IT UP, I MADE IT NICE. I

DECORATED IT FOR CHRISTMAS EVERY YEAR. I, YOU KNOW, I DECORATE

FOR ALL THE SEASONS. I MADE IT NICE, WE TOOK CARE OF THAT

HOUSE. AND I WOULD SIT DOWN THERE IN MY LIVING ROOM AND I

WOULD PRAY AND SAY, "GOD, I THANK YOU THAT YOU BLESSED ME

WITH THIS." I WASN'T JUST SO FOCUSED ON THE THING THAT I

WANTED. AND WHEN I WOULD TALK TO THE LORD ABOUT THE OTHER THING,

I WOULD SAY, "NOW GOD, YOU KNOW THAT'S A DESIRE OF MY HEART, BUT

YOU KNOW, IN THE MEANTIME, MAN, YOU GAVE ME SOMETHING NICE." AND

I DIDN'T SPEND TIME COMPLAINING OVER WHAT I DIDN'T HAVE. I WAS

THANKING GOD FOR WHAT HE HAD BLESSED ME WITH. SO WHAT DOES

THAT DO? THAT CREATES THE OPPORTUNITY FOR HIM TO GIVE US

MORE. AND YOU KNOW, AND WHEN GOD, AND THEN SUDDENLY GOD MADE

IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO GET A DIFFERENT HOUSE THAT HAD MORE

THAN EVEN WHAT I HAD ASKED HIM FOR. AND I WAS BLOWN AWAY. AND

YOU KNOW, AND THAT WAS THE THING, WE PRAYED ABOUT IT A LOT

BECAUSE, AND ESPECIALLY WHEN WE WENT TO GO MOVE, I WAS LOOKING

AT ALL THESE THINGS AND GOD KEPT GOING TO THIS ONE THING OVER

HERE AND I WAS LIKE, WELL, WHAT ABOUT THIS OVER HERE? AND GOD'S

LIKE, NO. ACTUALLY, THAT WAS THROUGH THE VOICE OF MY HUSBAND.

LADIES, LISTEN TO YOUR HUSBANDS. THEY HEAR FROM THE LORD. AND I

WAS LIKE, WELL, I DON'T KNOW, I WANT THIS. AND WE WERE LOOKING

IN THIS ONE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE COVENANT SAID THAT YOU HAVE TO

HAVE ALL THESE WROUGHT IRON FENCES. WELL, I HAVE FOUR DOGS.

THREE OF THEM ARE AUSTRALIAN SHEPHERDS. IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING

ABOUT DOGS, AUSTRALIAN SHEPHERDS ARE NOT KNOWN TO BE SUPER QUIET

DOGS. THEY LIKE TO BARK AT THINGS AND THEY WANT TO PROTECT

THEIR HOME. SO THEY'RE GOING TO LET YOU KNOW IF THEY THINK THAT

ANYBODY IS GONNA COME NEAR THEIR HOUSE AT ALL, A LOT. AND WE WERE

LOOKING IN THIS ONE AREA AND I WAS LIKE, ALL OF A SUDDEN I WAS

LAYING IN BED AND IT DAWNED ON ME, I'M LIKE, WITH A WROUGHT

IRON FENCE, I SAID, "HONEY, THERE IS NOT ENOUGH LANDSCAPING

IN ALL THE WORLD TO KEEP THOSE DOGS FROM SEEING THROUGH THAT

FENCE." I'M LIKE, "I DON'T WANNA LIVE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD." AND

HE'S LIKE, "I'M TELLING YOU, "WE NEED TO GO LOOK AT THIS HOUSE

OVER HERE." AND THE HOUSE THAT HE PICKED, NOT ONLY DID IT CHECK

ALL THE BOXES, IT HAD A PRIVACY FENCE. THE DOGS COULDN'T SEE

THROUGH IT, AND THEY COULDN'T SEE ANY NEIGHBORS ON THE

BACKSIDE 'CAUSE THERE WAS A LINE OF TREES. WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT?

GOD ANSWERED THE DESIRE OF MY HEART. BUT I WASN'T SPENDING

TIME JUST GRIPING ABOUT WHAT I DID NOT HAVE. I SPENT TIME

BLESSING THE LORD AND THANKING HIM. EVEN IN OUR FIRST HOUSE,

WHEN IT GOT REAL SMALL AND REAL TINY, AND OUR KIDS HAD STARTED

TO ENTER INTO THEIR PRETEEN YEARS, AND IT WAS, YOU KNOW, NOT

A LOT OF SQUARE FOOTAGE, WE JUST SPENT TIME BLESSING THE LORD FOR

WHAT HE HAD GIVEN US AND MAKING IT AS NICE AS WE COULD. WE

DIDN'T GO, OH, WELL, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT, AND THOSE PEOPLE OVER

THERE HAVE A NICER HOUSE THAN ME, AND THEY GET THIS, AND THEY

GET THAT. DON'T DO THAT. THANK GOD FOR WHAT HE'S BLESSED YOU

WITH, AND IF YOU THANK HIM FOR WHAT HE'S BLESSED YOU WITH, HE

MIGHT BE ABLE TO BLESS YOU WITH MORE, BUT IF YOU'RE SO BUSY

COVETING WHAT SOMEBODY ELSE HAS, THEN HE'S NOT GONNA ANSWER THAT

PRAYER. ALL RIGHT, SO THEN LET'S GO TO 1 THESSALONIANS 5:16-19.

1 Thessalonians 5:16–19

AND IT SAYS, "REJOICE EVERMORE." SO THAT MEANS ALL THE TIME.

"PRAY WITHOUT CEASING." THEN IT SAYS, "IN EVERYTHING,"

EVERYTHING, NOT JUST THE THINGS WE WANT TO GIVE THANKS IN. IT

SAYS, "IN EVERYTHING GIVE THANKS, FOR THIS IS THE WILL OF

GOD IN CHRIST JESUS CONCERNING YOU." AND THEN IT SAYS, "QUENCH

NOT THE SPIRIT," BECAUSE WHEN WE'RE QUENCHING THE SPIRIT, IT'S

BECAUSE WE HAVE AN UNGRATEFUL HEART. I MEAN, YEAH, WE CAN

QUENCH THE SPIRIT IN OTHER WAYS 'CAUSE WE GET RELIGIOUS, BUT IF

YOU WANNA QUENCH THE SPIRIT OF GOD IN YOUR LIFE, JUST TRY BEING

UNGRATEFUL. THE BIBLE SAYS JESUS WENT TO THE CROSS NOT BECAUSE HE

WAS EXCITED ABOUT IT, BUT FOR THE JOY THAT WAS SET BEFORE HIM.

SO, I MEAN, IF JESUS CAN DO THAT, WHAT CAN WE DO? ALL RIGHT,

LET'S GO TO PHILIPPIANS 4, VERSE 6. I ALWAYS HAVE LOTS OF

Philippians 4:6

SCRIPTURES WHEN I PREACH. BUT IT SAYS, "BE CAREFUL FOR NOTHING

BUT IN EVERYTHING BY PRAYER AND SUPPLICATION," WITH WHAT? "WITH

THANKSGIVING, LET YOUR REQUESTS BE MADE KNOWN UNTO GOD." LET'S

READ THAT ONE MORE TIME. IT SAYS, "BE," LET'S GO BACK ONE,

"BE CAREFUL FOR NOTHING BUT IN EVERYTHING," BY WHAT? PRAYER AND

SUPPLICATION. IN OTHER WORDS, WE'RE ASKING GOD, "WITH

THANKSGIVING, LET YOUR REQUESTS BE MADE KNOWN UNTO GOD." LET'S

GO TO VERSE SEVEN. "AND THE PEACE OF GOD, WHICH PASSES ALL

UNDERSTANDING, SHALL KEEP YOUR HEARTS AND MINDS THROUGH CHRIST

JESUS." BECAUSE WHEN WE ENTER INTO THE COURTS OF OUR GOD WITH

THANKSGIVING ON OUR LIPS, AND WE ENTER INTO HIS COURTS WITH

PRAISE, WHAT ARE WE DOING? WE'RE TAKING OUR EYES OFF OF OUR

CIRCUMSTANCE. WE'RE PUTTING OUR EYES ON GOD. AND THEN WE'RE NOT

SITTING THERE JUST GRIPING AND COMPLAINING BECAUSE SOMETHING IS

GOING WRONG IN OUR LIFE. YOU KNOW, IS THIS HELPING ANYBODY?

BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, AND I DON'T WANNA BE SOMEBODY THAT JUST

COMPLAINS AND SAYS, YOU KNOW, WELL, I'VE DONE THIS, THIS, AND

THIS, AND SEE, HERE'S THE THING. I WANNA BE SOWING SEED INTO THE

KINGDOM OF GOD, AND IF I STRUGGLE FOR SOME OF THE THINGS

THAT I HAVE TO STRUGGLE FOR, THEN I BELIEVE THAT WE'RE JUST

TILLING THE GROUND FOR A HARVEST. YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES IF

YOU START LOOKING AT SOME OF YOUR STRUGGLES AS PLOWING

GROUND, THEN YOU MIGHT START BEING MORE HARVEST-FOCUSED

EVENTUALLY. SOMETIMES WE'RE JUST TILLING UP THE GROUND SO THAT WE

CAN GET THE SEED. AMEN? ALL RIGHT, THE FOURTH ONE. ASK IN

FAITH. NOW, THIS ONE'S A NO-BRAINER. BUT IT'S ASK IN

FAITH. IF WE GO TO GOD AND WE'RE NOT ASKING IN FAITH, THEN HE

CAN'T ANSWER. GOD ANSWERS THE CRY OF FAITH. YES, HE'LL ANSWER

DESPERATION, BUT YOUR DESPERATION NEEDS TO TURN INTO

FAITH. HOW WE TURN OUR DESPERATION INTO FAITH IS BY

REMEMBERING THE NAME OF THE LORD, OUR GOD. TURN OVER TO

JAMES CHAPTER ONE, VERSE FIVE. AND YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHAT I

LOVE ABOUT THE LORD. IT SAYS, "IF ANY OF YOU LACK," WHAT?

“WISDOM, LET HIM ASK OF GOD." HAVE YOU EVER BEEN STUCK ON A

SITUATION BEFORE WHERE YOU DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO HANDLE

SOMETHING? YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WE'RE QUICK TO GO TO GOOGLE AND

AI AND GET ALL OF THE ANSWERS INSTEAD OF GOING, "MAN, HOLY

SPIRIT, WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE ME DO?" OR IF YOU'RE READING YOUR

BIBLE, SAY, YOU KNOW, JUST ENLIGHTEN THIS TO ME. AND IT

SAYS, SO IF YOU LACK WISDOM, LET HIM ASK OF GOD, THAT GIVES TO

ALL MEN, WHAT, LIBERALLY. THAT MEANS THAT HE'S NOT GIVING LIKE

WITH STINGINESS, HE'S GIVING IT OUT OF ABUNDANCE. AND HE

DOESN'T, AND IT SAYS HE ABRADES NOT. IN OTHER WORDS, HE'S NOT

SITTING THERE IN A PLACE OF CONDEMNATION, SAYING, WELL, YOU

SHOULD HAVE KNOWN. GOD'S SITTING THERE SAYING, LISTEN, I'M GONNA

GIVE IT TO YOU, I GIVE IT TO YOU LIBERALLY, AND I'M NOT FINDING

FAULT WITH YOU. HERE'S THE ANSWER. AND IT SAYS, IT SHALL BE

GIVEN TO HIM. NOW GO TO THE NEXT VERSE. BUT LET HIM ASK IN WHAT?

FAITH, NOTHING WAVERING. SEE, NOW THAT'S THE HARD PART.

SOMETIMES WE GO IN, WE GET IN THE PRAISE AND WORSHIP, AND

PASTOR SHANE'S SAYING, GREAT IS OUR GOD. WE'RE LIKE, YES, GREAT

IS OUR GOD. GREAT IS OUR GOD. AND THEN WE GO BACK OUT TO OUR

HOME ON MONDAY AND WE SEE THE BILLS. WE'RE LIKE, OH, GREAT IS

OUR GOD. MAN, GOD, THAT BILL'S REALLY BIG. BUT THAT'S NOT, BUT

THEN WE WAVERED. SOMETIMES THAT'S WHERE WE COME BACK IN TO

NOT WAVER. AND THEN WE IN OUR OWN HOMES ARE GOING, GREAT IS

OUR GOD 'CAUSE IT SAYS, "FOR HE THAT WAVERS IS LIKE THE WAVE OF

THE SEA, DRIVEN WITH THE WIND AND TOSSED." AND IT SAYS, "FOR

LET NOT," NOW I DIDN'T, I'M NOT SAYING THIS. I KNOW I SAID THE

TRIGGERED THING AND I'M SORRY. I'M NOT SORRY. BUT I MEAN, I

WASN'T SAYING THAT TO HURT SOMEBODY. BUT IT SAYS, "FOR LET

NOT THAT MAN THINK THAT HE SHALL RECEIVE ANYTHING OF THE LORD." I

MEAN, THAT KIND OF HURTS A LITTLE BIT, RIGHT? 'CAUSE HOW

MANY OF YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES BRINGING YOURSELF INTO FAITH IS

NOT ALWAYS, DOESN'T ALWAYS FEEL LIKE THE EASIEST THING TO DO.

BUT AGAIN, THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE TO TRAIN OURSELVES. AND THAT'S

WHERE, YOU KNOW, IN COLOSSIANS 3, VERSE 2, IT SAYS, "SET YOUR

Colossians 3:2

AFFECTIONS ON THE THINGS THAT ARE ABOVE, NOT ON THE THINGS

THAT ARE BELOW." WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? IT MEANS THAT WE SET A

PATH, WE SET A COURSE. AND IF I SET A COURSE, I'M NOT GOING

HERE, I'M NOT GOING THERE, I'M STAYING STRAIGHT ON THE COURSE

BECAUSE I AM SET. YOU EVER HEARD OF A PERSON, WELL, THEY'RE JUST

SETTING THEIR WAYS. WELL, IF WE'RE GONNA ASK IN FAITH, WE

HAVE TO BE SET. YOU KNOW? AND YOU KNOW, YOU GET MORE AND MORE

SET BY THE MORE TIMES THAT YOU SPEAK TO YOURSELF, THE MORE

TIMES THAT YOU PROPHESY TO YOURSELF, AND AGAIN, GOING BACK

TO NUMBER ONE, WE'RE REMEMBERING THE NAME OF THE LORD. BECAUSE

THEN WE'RE JUST PUTTING OUR EYES, WHY DID PETER SINK WHEN

JESUS CALLED HIM OUT ONTO THE WATER? BECAUSE HE TOOK HIS EYES

OFF THE AUTHOR AND THE FINISHER OF HIS FAITH AND THEN HE WENT

DOWN, THEN HE HAD TO BE RESCUED. YOU KNOW, BUT THAT'S THE OTHER

THING, JESUS WILL STILL RESCUE US EVEN IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR

MESS UPS. THANK GOD FOR HIS MERCY. BUT I WAS REMINDED AS I

WAS STUDYING, JUST WHEN CECE WINANS IS SINGING, YOU SAID IT,

I BELIEVE IT SO WHEN THE FEAR STARTS HITTING US, INSTEAD OF

WAVERING, JUST START SAYING, YOU SAID IT, I BELIEVE IT KEEP

PROPHESYING TO YOURSELF. LIKE PASTOR KEITH SAID, YOU KNOW, YOU

DON'T PRAISE GOD WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE IT. YOU KNOW, PRAISE IS

SOMETHING WE HAVE TO DO. PRAISE GETS OUR EYES ON GOD. AND WHAT

DOES IT SAY IN ROMANS? IT SAYS THAT FAITH COMES BY WHAT?

HEARING, HEARING BY THE WORD OF GOD. IT ALSO SAYS PROPHESY TO

YOURSELF IN PSALMS, HYMNS, AND SPIRITUAL SONGS. WHAT IS THAT?

IT'S SINGING THE WORD OF THE LORD OVER YOURSELF, BUT IT'S

KEEPING YOURSELF IN THAT PLACE OF FAITH. AND I'M GONNA, THIS

ONE KINDA BLEW MY MIND. LET'S GO OVER TO JAMES CHAPTER FOUR REAL

QUICK. IN VERSE TWO, AND IT SAYS, "YOU LUST AND HAVE NOT,

YOU KILL AND DESIRE TO HAVE," SOUNDS A LOT LIKE THIS CULTURE,

AND CANNOT OBTAIN, YOU FIGHT MORE, AND YET YOU HAVE NOT

BECAUSE YOU ASK NOT." GO TO THE NEXT VERSE. AND IT SAYS, "YOU

ASK AND RECEIVE NOT BECAUSE YOU ASK AMISS THAT YOU MAY CONSUME

IT UPON YOUR LUST." DO YOU KNOW THAT IF YOU'RE ASKING OUT OF A

WRONG MOTIVE, YOU CAN'T ATTACH FAITH TO THAT? I'M GONNA SAY

THAT ONE MORE TIME. YOU CAN'T ATTACH FAITH TO A WRONG MOTIVE.

IF YOUR MOTIVE FOR ASKING IS SO THAT YOU CAN STICK IT TO

SOMEBODY OR GET REVENGE, OR YOUR MOTIVE FOR ASKING IS JUST

BECAUSE YOU HAVE A LUSTFUL SPIRIT, A GIFT OF FAITH DOESN'T

COME THROUGH FOR THAT. BECAUSE FAITH IS SOMETHING, AND HERE'S

THE OTHER THING, FAITH COMES BY HEARING, HEARING BY THE WORD OF

GOD. WELL, THE MORE THAT YOU'RE IN THE WORD OF GOD, THE MORE

THAT IT, IN HEBREWS 4:12, IT SAYS THAT THE WORD OF GOD IS

Hebrews 4:12

QUICK AND IT'S POWERFUL, IT'S SHARPER THAN ANY TWO-EDGED

SWORD, IT DIVIDES US UNDER THE SOUL AND THE SPIRIT, THE JOINTS

AND THE MARROW. SO THE MORE THAT YOU'RE IN THE WORD OF GOD, THE

MORE THAT IT'S GONNA TAKE AWAY SOME OF THOSE THINGS WHERE MAYBE

YOUR FLESH WAS A LITTLE BIT OFF. YOU KNOW, AND THEN SOMETIMES

TOO, IT'S NOT JUST THAT WE ASK FOR THE WRONG THINGS. SOMETIMES

CERTAIN THINGS COME IN THE SEASON OF GOD'S TIMING. I

REMEMBER WHEN I WAS STILL SINGLE, I LIVED IN THIS

APARTMENT COMPLEX. RACHEL, YOU REMEMBER, YOU LIVED IN THE SAME

ONE BEFORE I DID. AND I JUST GOT, I'M LIKE, GOD, I WANT A

HOUSE. AND I WAS THERE AND I WAS LIKE, WELL, GOD, I JUST REALLY

WANT A HOUSE. AND I HEARD THE LORD SAY, WELL, DAUGHTER, IT'S

NOT THAT SEASON YOU'RE GONNA GET MARRIED SOON. I'M LIKE, I AM TO

WHO? 'CAUSE WE WEREN'T DATING YET. AND SO, BUT BECAUSE I JUST

LISTENED AND I WAITED AND I WAITED PATIENTLY, GOD BROUGHT ME

INTO THAT SEASON. AND THEN WE HAD AN APARTMENT FOR WHAT? WE

WERE THERE SIX MONTHS AND THEN WE BOUGHT A HOUSE AND WE MOVED.

AND, YOU KNOW, BUT GOD ANSWERED THE PRAYER. SOMETIMES CERTAIN

THINGS DO COME IN SEASON, SO THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE JUST

QUIT AND FORGET IT. THAT JUST MEANS SOMETIMES WE'RE SOWING

SEEDS TOWARDS IT. BUT DON'T LOSE YOUR FAITH 'CAUSE YOU HAVEN'T

HIT THE SEASON YET. SO AGAIN, NUMBER FOUR, ASK IN FAITH. AND

LISTEN, WHEN WE ASK IN FAITH, WE DON'T WAVER. THAT MEANS WE KEEP

PROPHESYING, WE KEEP WALKING IT OUT. YOU KNOW, WHEN WE WERE

BELIEVING FOR CHILDREN, WE DIDN'T QUIT EVERY SINGLE MONTH.

AND THEN, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S THE OTHER THING. DON'T GET

YOURSELF, THIS GOES BACK TO THE VICTIMHOOD, YOU KNOW, AND I GET

IT, 'CAUSE I LIVED IT. WHEN YOU'RE BELIEVING GOD FOR KIDS

AND OTHER PEOPLE ARE GETTING PREGNANT AND YOU'RE STILL

SITTING THERE WAITING ON YOUR MOMENT, YOU CAN EITHER GET

BITTER OR YOU CAN HAVE THANKSGIVING FOR WHAT GOD HAS

GIVEN THEM AND SEE YOURSELF COMING INTO YOUR PROMISE. YOU

KNOW, SOMETIMES WHEN SOMEBODY ELSE COMES IN, WE SIT IN THE

SEAT OF THE JEALOUS INSTEAD OF SITTING IN THE SEAT OF

THANKFULNESS AND THANKING GOD AND SAY, NOPE, YOU KNOW, ABRAHAM

BELIEVED NOT HIS OWN BODY. WE DID IT, ABRAHAM BELIEVED NOT HIS

OWN BODY, NEITHER THE DEADNESS OF SARAH'S WOMB. WE DID IT, WE

DID IT EVERY OTHER DAY OR HOWEVER OFTEN THAT THAT CAME UP

AND WE KEPT PRAYING AND WE KEPT PRAYING AND YOU KNOW THE OTHER

THING IS, WE PRAYED IN THE HOLY GHOST AND WE DIDN'T KNOW HOW WE

WERE GONNA PRAY. WE JUST GOT IN THERE AND WE WORE IT IN THE HOLY

SPIRIT AND YOU KNOW IN ROMANS CHAPTER 8 IT SAYS, "WHEN YOU

Romans 8 · chapter mention

DON'T KNOW HOW TO PRAY, PRAY IN THE HOLY SPIRIT." I REMEMBER ONE

TIME MY HUSBAND, HE WORKED FOR A COMPANY HERE IN TOWN THAT IT

WAS, AND THEY WERE A CALL CENTER. HE MANAGED A CALL CENTER

FOR THIS LARGE COMPANY. AND THE LADY THAT WAS THE REPRESENTATIVE

FOR THE COMPANY, SHE JUST DIDN'T LIKE HIM. HE COULDN'T DO

ANYTHING RIGHT IN HER SIGHT. AND IF YOU KNOW HIM, MY HUSBAND'S A

NICE GUY, HE'S A HARD WORKER. BUT SHE JUST, SHE WANTED EVERY

WAY TO GET HIM FIRED. THEN ON TOP OF THAT, HE HAD A GUY

UNDERNEATH HIM THAT WAS GUNNING FOR HIS JOB AND WAS GOING AND

TELLING LIES ABOUT HIM TO HIS SUPERVISOR. AND WE'RE LIKE, MAN,

GOD. AND AGAIN, WE DIDN'T GET BITTER. WE GOT IN THAT, AND WE

STILL LIVED IN THAT FIRST APARTMENT, REMEMBER? SO WE

HADN'T EVEN BEEN MARRIED THAT LONG. WE GOT INTO THE LIVING

ROOM OF OUR APARTMENT AND WE PACED AND PRAYED IN THE HOLY

SPIRIT. WE JUST PRAYED. WE PRAYED AND WE KEPT PRAYING. AND

THEN, I DON'T KNOW, WITHIN WHAT, TWO OR THREE WEEKS OF THAT TIME,

THE ONE GUY GOT MOVED OUT AND I THINK HE EVENTUALLY GOT FIRED. I

DON'T REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM, BUT GOD JUST BLEW HIM OUT

OF THE WAY. AND THEN THE LADY FOR THE COMPANY THAT DIDN'T LIKE

HIM, SHE GOT TRANSFERRED TO ANOTHER DEPARTMENT AT THAT

COMPANY. SO THEN EVERYTHING WAS SMOOTH SAILING. ABOUT THE TIME

SHE GOT TRANSFERRED BACK, WE'RE LIKE, OH GOD, HERE WE GO AGAIN.

THE CHURCH HIRED HIM. AND HE GOT A HAND IN HIS TWO WEEKS NOTICE.

LOOK AT GOD. BUT AGAIN, WE COULD HAVE GOTTEN BITTER AND SAID,

WELL GOD, IT'S NOT FAIR. OR WE COULD HAVE GOT OUT OF FAITH.

'CAUSE BACK THEN WE DIDN'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF ANYTHING. AND

WE'RE LIKE, WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO IF WE HAVE ONE INCOME? WE JUST

REFUSED TO LOOK AT THAT. WE STAYED IN FAITH. WE'RE LIKE, NO

GOD, YOU'RE GONNA ANSWER OUR PRAYERS. WE'RE TITHING, WE

BELIEVE YOU, WE TAKE YOU AT YOUR WORD AND WE'RE NOT GONNA QUIT.

ALL RIGHT, LET ME GIVE YOU THE LAST ONE. AND I JUST KIND OF

GAVE YOU A HINT ON THAT ONE. IT'S NUMBER FIVE, DON'T QUIT

PRAYING. WE READ IN PHILIPPIANS CHAPTER FOUR WHERE IT SAYS PRAY

WITHOUT CEASING. WELL, WHAT DOES IT SAY WHEN YOU'RE TAKING ON THE

WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD, IT SAYS PRAYING ALWAYS WITH ALL PRAYER

AND SUPPLICATION IN THE SPIRIT. DON'T QUIT. YOU KNOW, AGAIN,

SOMETIMES IF IT'S TAKING YOU A MINUTE TO GET INTO YOUR SEASON

OR WHERE YOU'RE GOING, DON'T QUIT BELIEVING GOD. JUST KEEP

PROPHESYING TO IT. SO LET'S TURN OVER TO LUKE CHAPTER 18, VERSE

Luke 18 · chapter mention

ONE. AND IT SAYS, "AND HE SPOKE A PARABLE UNTO THEM," TO THIS

END, "THAT MEN OUGHT ALWAYS TO," WHAT? PRAY. AND NOT, WHAT?

FAINT, SO AGAIN, THERE'S THAT NOTHING WAVERING. BUT HE SAYS,

"MEN ARE ALWAYS TO PRAY AND NOT FAINT." AND HE SAYS, "SAYING,

THERE WAS IN A CITY A JUDGE WHICH FEARED NOT GOD, NEITHER

REGARDED MAN. AND THERE WAS A WIDOW IN THAT CITY, AND SHE CAME

UNTO HIM SAYING, 'AVENGE ME OF MINE ADVERSARY.'" NOW BY THE

WAY, YOU KNOW WE HAVE AN ADVERSARY, RIGHT? FIRST PETER

1 Peter 5:8

5:8 SAYS THAT OUR ADVERSARY, THE DEVIL WALKS AROUND AS A ROARING

LION SEEKING WHOM HE MAY DEVOUR. EPHESIANS CHAPTER SIX SAYS THAT

WE DON'T WRESTLE AGAINST FLESH AND BLOOD, BUT AGAINST

PRINCIPALITIES, POWERS, RULERS OF DARKNESS, AND SPIRITUAL

WICKEDNESS IN HIGH PLACES. AND IT SAYS, AND HE WOULD NOT FOR A

WHILE, BUT AFTERWARD HE SAID WITHIN HIMSELF, THOUGH I FEAR

NOT GOD, NOR REGARD MAN, YET BECAUSE THIS WIDOW TROUBLES ME,

I WILL AVENGE HER, LEST BY HER CONTINUALLY COMING, SHE WEARIES

ME. NOW GO TO VERSE SIX. AND THE LORD SAID, HEAR WHAT THE UNJUST

JUDGE SAID. SO IN OTHER WORDS, BY HER CONTINUALLY COMING, SHE'S

GONNA WEARY ME, SO I'M GONNA ANSWER HER REQUEST BECAUSE I

DON'T WANNA DEAL WITH THIS LADY. ALL RIGHT, GO TO VERSE SEVEN.

AND SHALL NOT GOD AVENGE HIS OWN ELECT, WHICH CRY UNTO HIM, NOT

ONCE, NOT JUST, I SAID THE PRAYER, AND LISTEN, YES, WE CAN

CONFESS SOME THINGS, BUT GOD WANTS US TO CONTINUE TO CRY OUT

TO HIM. WHY DO WE CONTINUE TO CRY OUT? NOT BECAUSE WE'RE JUST

IN A PLACE OF DESPERATION, LORD GOD, I'M BRINGING THIS TO YOUR

REMEMBRANCE. I'M REMINDING YOU WHAT I AM ASKING YOU FOR, THAT

I'M CALLING ON THE NAME OF THE LORD, THAT YOU ARE THE GOD THAT

ANSWERS. AND BECAUSE YOU'RE REMINDING YOURSELF OF WHAT GOD

DID. SOMETIMES, LISTEN, CONFESSION IS NOT ENOUGH,

ESPECIALLY IF THE ACTIONS OF YOUR HEART DON'T GO WITH IT.

IT'S EMPTY WORDS. IT CAN SOUND GREAT. BUT IF YOUR HEART IS NOT

ATTACHED TO IT, THEN IT DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING. YOU CAN SAY, OH,

I'M BELIEVING. WELL, AS LONG AS YOU ARE. BUT I'VE SAID THINGS

LIKE THAT BEFORE. OH, I'M BELIEVING, AND I WASN'T

BELIEVING ONE LITTLE WIT. ACTUALLY, I WAS MORE DOUBTING

THAN BELIEVING. AND IT SAYS, "SHALL NOT GOD ELECT OR AVENGE

HIS OWN ELECT, WHICH CRY UNTO HIM DAY AND NIGHT, THOUGH HE

BEAR LONG WITH THEM." SO HOW MUCH GREATER OR HOW GOOD IS OUR

FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN, SO IF WE CALL ON HIM DAY AND NIGHT,

WHAT WAS HE TEACHING US? IT'S LIKE, DON'T JUST QUIT PRAYING,

KEEP PRAYING ABOUT IT. KEEP IT BEFORE YOURSELF. DON'T JUST PUT

SOMETHING ON THE SHELF. IF YOU HAVE A DREAM, IF YOU HAVE A CALL

FROM GOD, DON'T JUST PUT IT ON THE SHELF AND JUST HOPE IT'S

GONNA HAPPEN. LISTEN, FAITH IS NOT HOPING SOMETHING'S GONNA

HAPPEN AND JUST SAYING SOMETHING THAT YOU DON'T REALLY BELIEVE IN

YOUR HEART OF HEARTS. YOU KNOW? YOU CAN SAY, OH MAN, YES, THE

RAIN IS GONNA HELP MY HARVEST, BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE SEED IN

THE GROUND, ALL IT'S GONNA MAKE IS MUD. YOU GOTTA KEEP PUTTING

SEED TOWARDS WHAT YOU'RE BELIEVING. YOU PUT SEED IN BY

YOUR PRAYERS. YOU PUT SEED IN BY REMEMBERING WHO GOD IS. YOU PUT

SEED BY SOWING YOUR FINANCES. YOU PUT SEED BY CONTINUING TO

BELIEVE GOD AND DOING WHAT IS RIGHT BECAUSE GOD SAID. AMEN,

ALL RIGHT, STAND TO YOUR FEET. IS THAT HELPING ANYBODY TONIGHT?

AMEN. AMEN. BUT I WANNA ENTER INTO A

PLACE WHERE WE SEE GOD ANSWERING SOME PRAYERS, AND I DON'T WANNA

STAND IN A PLACE WHERE I'M HINDERING WHAT GOD WANTS TO DO,

BECAUSE EITHER I'VE NOT BEEN CONTINUAL IN IT, YOU KNOW, AND

THAT'S THE OTHER THING, DON'T BE LAZY WITH YOUR PRAYERS. IF

YOU'RE NOT PRAYING, START. IF YOU'RE NOT READING YOUR BIBLE,

START. WHEN BOB ROGERS WAS HERE, HE SAID, "LISTEN, YOU START

READING YOUR BIBLE, AND IT STARTS CHANGING YOUR THINKING."

YOU KNOW, AND WHY DIDN'T THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL GET TO LIVE

OFF OF THE OLD MANNA? BECAUSE YESTERDAY'S BREAD IS NOT THE

BREAD THAT SUSTAINS US FOR TODAY. YESTERDAY'S REVELATION IS

NOT WHAT PUSHES US FORWARD INTO WHAT GOD IS CALLING US TO DO

NOW. AMEN? SO I WANNA CHALLENGE YOU IN YOUR PRAYERS, LISTEN,

REMEMBER WHO HE IS. PEOPLE ARE GONNA HURT YOU, SOMETIMES WE'RE

GONNA HAVE TO FORGIVE. THAT'S WHY, ACTUALLY, THAT'S WHY IN

MATTHEW CHAPTER SIX, WHEN HE SAYS, "OUR FATHER, WHICH ART IN

HEAVEN, HALLOWED BE YOUR NAME. THY KINGDOM COME, THY WILL BE

DONE, ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN." THEN HE SAYS, "GIVE US

THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD." I MEAN, YES, THAT'S OUR PROVISION,

BUT THAT'S ALSO DAILY REVELATION. AND THEN HE SAYS,

"FORGIVE US OUR SINS AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESPASS

AGAINST US." 'CAUSE WHAT ARE WE DOING? I REFUSE TO BE A VICTIM.

I REFUSE TO LIVE SUBJECT TO WHAT ANYBODY ELSE SAYS ABOUT ME, DOES

TO ME. 'CAUSE IF I DON'T WALK IN FORGIVENESS, I CAN BE TRIGGERED.

I MEAN, IT'S FUNNY, BUT IT'S KINDA NOT FUNNY. BECAUSE WHEN

PEOPLE ARE SAYING THAT, WHAT ARE THEY SAYING? THAT THE DEVIL GETS

TO WIN EVERY SINGLE TIME YOU GET TRIGGERED BY SOMETHING. BECAUSE

WE'RE NOT CHANGING WHAT'S ON THE INSIDE OF US. WE'RE NOT LIVING

IN A PLACE OF FORGIVENESS. SEE, WHY COULD, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S

WHY, SEE, WE'RE TOO BUSY SOMETIMES BOWING DOWN TO THE

LOUDNESS OF THIS CULTURE. AND YOU KNOW, THIS PAST SUNDAY, WE

SANG THIS PHRASE, AND I HAD JUST STARTED SINGING IT WHEN I WAS

GETTING READY IN THE MORNING. AND IT WAS, "THE VOICE OF THIS

CULTURE MIGHT BE LOUD, BUT THE VOICE OF OUR GOD IS LOUDER,"

HOWEVER THAT WENT. AND WE JUST HAVE TO REMEMBER, LISTEN, I

DON'T CARE HOW THIS CULTURE WANTS TO GO. I KNOW THE ONE IN

WHOM I HAVE BELIEVED AND THAT HE IS ABLE TO DELIVER ME. WHEN I

CALL UPON HIM, HE WILL ANSWER ME AND HE'LL DELIVER ME OUT OF ALL

OF MY TRIALS. PSALM 91 SAYS THAT WHEN YOU CALL UPON ME, I WILL

ANSWER YOU. THAT I WILL DELIVER YOU. YOU KNOW, AND WITH LONG

LIFE, HE'S GONNA SATISFY ME AND SHOW ME. LISTEN, IF YOU'RE

BELIEVING GOD FOR HEALING, WITH LONG LIFE, HE'S GONNA SATISFY

YOU AND SHOW YOU HIS SALVATION. AND LISTEN, READ THAT OVER AND

OVER AND OVER AGAIN UNTIL THAT, AND YOU KNOW, MICHAEL CLARK WAS

TELLING ME, HE'S NOT HERE TONIGHT, BUT HE WAS TELLING ME

HE WAS LISTENING TO AN OLD KENNETH HAGIN PREACHING. AND

KENNETH HAGIN SAID, "YOU DON'T NEED 10 SCRIPTURES, YOU NEED ONE

WORD FROM GOD." WE NEED ONE WORD FROM GOD. AND WE KEEP WATERING

AND PLANTING THAT SEED ON THE INSIDE OF US, IT'S GONNA GROW

FAITH. AND AGAIN, YOU CAN'T STAY IN THE WORD OF GOD. AND YOU

KNOW, IT'S FUNNY. I'VE HAD PEOPLE SAY ICKY THINGS ABOUT ME.

YOU'VE PROBABLY HAD THE SAME. SHOOT, I'VE HAD 'EM TYPE IT ON

SOCIAL MEDIA. YOU KNOW? AND YOU COULD WALK AROUND AND YOU COULD

BE LIKE, WELL, OH MAN, YOU KNOW, THAT HURT. WELL, THE PROBLEM IS

IF I DON'T WALK IN FORGIVENESS, I'M HINDERING MY OWN PRAYER. SO

YOU BE WARMED, YOU BE FILLED. I FORGIVE YOU. I'VE GOT TO MOVE ON

WITH MY DESTINY. I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR YOU

TO HOLD ME BACK, BABY.

(CONGREGATION APPLAUDING)

AMEN? AMEN. ALL RIGHT, WELL, LIFT YOUR HANDS TO HEAVEN.

FATHER, WE COME BEFORE YOU IN THE MIGHTY NAME OF JESUS. AND

FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR WHO YOU ARE. WE THANK YOU FOR WHAT

YOU'VE DONE. WE THANK YOU THAT YOU ARE JEHOVAH THE GOOD. YOU

ARE GOOD TO US. YOU'VE NUMBERED THE VERY HAIRS OF OUR HEAD,

WHICH MEANS YOU NUMBER 'EM DAILY, GOD, BECAUSE SOMETIMES WE

LOSE SOME. AMEN, BRUSH YOUR HAIR, YOU'RE GONNA KNOW. SO GOD,

WE THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND YOU KNOW THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE

NEED OF, BUT YOU TOLD US TO COME AND ASK ANYWAY, SO THAT YOU

COULD REVEAL TO US YOUR GOODNESS, YOUR FAITHFULNESS,

YOUR KINDNESS, YOUR EVERLASTING MERCY, THE MERCY THAT'S NEW

EVERY MORNING. SO WE BLESS YOU. WE BLESS YOU, LORD GOD. 'CAUSE

THERE'S NOBODY LIKE YOU.

(MUSIC)

WE WORSHIP YOU. WE WORSHIP YOU. JEHOVAH THE GOOD.

JEHOVAH THE GOOD. YOU ARE GOOD. YOU ARE GOOD. HALLELUJAH. WE

WORSHIP YOU, LORD. IN THE MIGHTY NAME OF JESUS. AMEN. ALL RIGHT.

WELL, LISTEN, COLLEGE WORLD SERIES COMING THIS WEEK. IF

YOU'RE GONNA BE DOWN THERE, WE JUST BLESS YOU. WE DECLARE THE

HEDGE OF PROTECTION AROUND YOU, THE ANGELS OF THE LORD ENCAMP

AROUND ALL OF OUR PEOPLE AS THEY WALK DOWN AND THEY'RE BEING

MINISTERING SERVANTS OF THE LORD. AND GOD, WE THANK YOU THAT

YOU WALK WITH THEM AND YOU GUIDE THEM. AND WE THANK YOU FOR A

MIGHTY HARVEST IN JESUS' NAME. WALK OUT OF HERE AND TELL

SOMEBODY, GOD IS GOOD TO ME. AMEN!

(MUSIC)