7/23/25 - The Power of Dependency on the Holy Spirit!

(EXPLOSION)

(ROARING)

- GOOD EVENING, LORD OF HOSTS CHURCH. ARE YOU READY TO GIVE

ALL GLORY, ALL HONOR, AND ALL PRAISE TO THE ONE WHO IS

SEATED ON THE THRONE? HOW MANY KNOW THERE IS NO OTHER

NAME? THERE IS NO OTHER NAME THAN THE KING OF KINGS.

LET'S RAISE IT UP TONIGHT.

- COME ON, EVERYBODY. OH, COME ON, YOU CAN DO BETTER

THAN THAT. COME ON.

WHEN I CALL ON THE NAME OF JESUS, WHEN I CALL ON

THE NAME OF JESUS, SEE HE HEARS YOU, HE HEARS

YOU WHEN YOU CALL. DON'T EVER DOUBT, HE ALWAYS HEARS YOU

WHEN YOU CALL. THE BIBLE SAYS, HE NEVER TURNS AWAY YOUR PRAYERS

NOR HIS MERCY FROM YOU. YOU GOTTA CALL, YOU GOTTA CALL, YOU

GOTTA CALL ON THE NAME OF JESUS. SEE, I DON'T CARE WHAT IT LOOKS

LIKE. I DON'T CARE WHAT IT FEELS LIKE. I DON'T CARE WHAT IT

SOUNDS LIKE. OH, SOMEBODY GOTTA GET EXCITED UP IN HERE. COME ON

NOW. THERE'S NOTHING LIKE THE NAME OF JESUS. NOTHING LIKE THE

NAME OF JESUS. ALL NATIONS PROCLAIM YOUR MAGNIFICENT NAME

KING OF ALL KINGS AND FOREVER YOU REIGN ALL NATIONS PROCLAIM

YOUR MAGNIFICENT NAME KING OF ALL KINGS AND FOREVER YOU REIGN

ALL NATIONS PROCLAIM YOUR MAGNIFICENT NAME KING OF ALL

KINGS AND FOREVER YOU REIGN ALL NATIONS PROCLAIM YOUR

MAGNIFICENT NAME KING OF ALL KINGS AND FOREVER YOU REIGN ALL

NATIONS PROCLAIM YOUR MAGNIFICENT NAME KING OF ALL

KINGS AND FOREVER YOU REIGN ALL NATIONS PROCLAIM YOUR

MAGNIFICENT NAME KING OF ALL KINGS AND FOREVER YOU REIGN

ALL NATIONS PROCLAIM YOUR MAGNIFICENT NAME. KING OF ALL

KINGS AND FOREVER YOU REIGN. ALL NATIONS PROCLAIM YOUR

MAGNIFICENT NAME. KING OF ALL KINGS AND FOREVER YOU REIGN.

ALL NATIONS PROCLAIM YOUR MAGNIFICENT NAME. KING OF

ALL KINGS AND FOREVER YOU REIGN. FOREVER YOU REIGN. ALL NATIONS

PROCLAIM YOUR MAGNIFICENT NAME. KING OF ALL KINGS AND FOREVER

YOU REIGN. YOU REIGN FOREVER. FOREVER YOU REIGN. LET EVERY

NAME FADE AWAY.

OH, HALLELUJAH. WE WORSHIP YOU IN THIS PLACE TONIGHT,

FATHER. YOUR NAME, YOUR NAME, YOUR NAME. WE EXALT YOU.

YOUR NAME IS HIGHER. YOUR NAME IS HIGHER. IT'S ABOVE. IT'S

ABOVE EVERYTHING. THERE'S NOTHING HIGHER THAN YOUR NAME.

AND TODAY WE GIVE YOU GLORY. TONIGHT WE GIVE YOU GLORY. WE

MAGNIFY YOUR NAME. WE'VE BEEN ADOPTED INTO YOUR FAMILY AND WE

CAN CRY ABBA FATHER. YOU'VE ADOPTED US IN. EVEN THOUGH WE

STARTED OUT AS SINNERS, WE BECAME RIGHTEOUS BECAUSE OF YOU

AND WHAT JESUS HAS DONE FOR US. YOU'VE ADOPTED US INTO THE

FAMILY SO WE CAN STAND BEFORE YOU AND YOU SEE US AS RIGHTEOUS

BEFORE YOU. WE'RE CLEAN BEFORE YOU. OH, THANK YOU, JESUS. THANK

YOU, JESUS. WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO CALL ON YOU AND RECEIVE YOUR

DIRECTION, YOUR WISDOM. THE WISDOM OF THE CREATOR DWELLS

WITHIN US. OH, HALLELUJAH. WE GIVE YOU GLORY, LORD. WE GIVE

YOU GLORY. THANK YOU, JESUS. JUST LIFT YOUR HANDS AND WORSHIP

HIM. JUST GIVE HIM ADORATION. HE DESERVES IT ALL. IF IT WASN'T

FOR HIM, WE'D ALL BE ON OUR WAY TO HELL WITH NO HOPE. BUT WE

HAVE A DESTINY. WE HAVE A FUTURE. THERE'S A GOOD PLAN FOR

US BECAUSE OF WHAT CHRIST JESUS HAS ACCOMPLISHED AND WHAT WE'VE

RECEIVED. THANK YOU, JESUS. OH, HALLELUJAH. THANK YOU, JESUS.

THANK YOU, JESUS. THERE'S A MAN WATCHING OUR BROADCAST, AND I

CAN SEE YOU, YOU'RE WEARING A BALL CAP. AND YOU'VE HAD SOME

HEALTH CHALLENGES IN YOUR LIFE, BUT YOU'VE ALSO HAD FINANCIAL

CHALLENGES. AND THE TWO TOGETHER HAVE CREATED DISTRESS. AND SO

NOW THE LORD WANTS YOU TO UNDERSTAND AND KNOW TONIGHT THAT

THIS IS TURNING AROUND FOR GOOD. WHAT YOU NEED TO DO RIGHT WHERE

YOU'RE AT IS START DECLARING AND CONFESSING GOD'S WORD OVER YOUR

SITUATION AND YOU'LL START TO SEE THESE THINGS TURN. DON'T

TALK ABOUT THE HEALTH CHALLENGES, DON'T TALK ABOUT

YOUR FINANCIAL SITUATION, TALK ABOUT GOD'S BLESSING AND HIS

HAND OF GOODNESS TOWARDS YOU AND YOU'RE GONNA START TO SEE THIS

REVERSE COURSE AND YOU'LL SEE A CHANGE. HERE'S WHAT I WANT YOU

TO DO. I WANT YOU TO RECEIVE PRAYER FOR THIS. IF CONTROL,

COULD YOU PUT UP THE PRAYER NUMBER FOR THE THE ONLINE

AUDIENCE TO SEE? I WANT THIS INDIVIDUAL TO CALL OUR PRAYER

LINE TONIGHT. WHENEVER YOU'RE WATCHING THIS, CALL THAT PRAYER

LINE. LET THEM KNOW YOU RECEIVED A WORD ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT, AND

YOU WANT THEM TO PRAY WITH YOU AND CONFIRM, BECAUSE THERE'S

POWER IN THE PRAYER OF AGREEMENT. AND I WANT YOU TO

HAVE THAT CONTACT. SO YOU CAN EMAIL US, OR YOU CAN COMMENT

TO US IF YOU WANT TO, BUT I REALLY WANT YOU TO TAKE TIME

TO MAKE A PHONE CALL TONIGHT AND LET THE PRAYER COUNSELOR KNOW

WHAT'S HAPPENED IN YOUR LIFE AND THAT YOU'RE STANDING IN

AGREEMENT WITH THE WORD OF THE LORD TONIGHT. IN JESUS'

NAME, AMEN. AMEN. HALLELUJAH. THANK YOU, JESUS. IS THERE

SOMEONE HERE, AND YOU HAVE JUST SAID TO THE LORD

WHAT YOU'RE BELIEVING FOR IN YOUR FUTURE? I THINK IT'S A

BUSINESS IS WHAT I'M BELIEVING, THAT THIS IS CONCERNING MAYBE A

BUSINESS IDEA THAT YOU HAVE. IT'S SOMETHING THAT GOD'S GIVEN

YOU, HE'S DROPPED IT IN YOUR HEART, IT'S SOMETHING YOU PLAN

TO DO, YOU WANT TO DO, YOU'VE EVEN MADE SOME INITIAL STEPS

TOWARDS IT, BUT IT HASN'T MANIFESTED AS QUICKLY AS YOU

HAVE PLANNED OR THOUGHT IT WOULD. AND GOD WANTS TO CONFIRM

THAT TONIGHT, THAT YOU'RE ON TRACK. IS THAT SOMEONE HERE, AND

YOU SAY, "I'VE HAD SOME TIMES WHERE DOUBT HAS TRIED TO CREEP

IN "AND KEEP ME FROM MOVING FORWARD IN THAT AREA "THAT I

KNOW IS MY DESTINY." IS THERE SOMEONE HERE TONIGHT? ANYONE

HERE IN THE CROWD? OKAY, COME UP HERE QUICKLY. HALLELUJAH, THANK

YOU, JESUS. I HAVE A SCRIPTURE THAT THE LORD'S DROPPED INTO MY

HEART. I THINK IT'S PROVERBS 418, AND I WANNA JUST MAKE SURE.

LET ME LOOK THIS UP HERE. YEAH, OKAY, PROVERBS 418. HERE'S THE

WORD OF THE LORD FOR YOU GUYS. PROVERBS 418. WRITE THIS DOWN,

KEEP IT IN YOUR MEMORY, BECAUSE IT SAYS, MAYBE I'M JUST GONNA

READ IT. "THE PATH OF THE JUST IS LIKE THE SHINING SUN "THAT

SHINES EVER BRIGHTER INTO THE PERFECT DAY." NOW, HERE'S WHAT

THAT'S SAYING. YOU'VE HAD A PERIOD OF NIGHTTIME. SOMETIMES

IT'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT OF DARKNESS THAT YOU'VE HAD TO WALK

THROUGH. IT'S BEEN A PERIOD OF TIME. BUT WHEN THE SUN STARTS TO

COME UP, IT COMES GRADUALLY AT SUNRISE. YOU START TO SEE THAT

PEAK OF SUNSHINE COMING, AND THEN IT MOVES IN OVER TIME TO

THAT PERFECT DAY, WHICH MEANS FULL SUNSHINE. SO GOD'S WANTING

YOU TO GET THAT IMAGE TONIGHT THAT YOU'RE PAST THE NIGHT

SEASON, AND YOU'RE MOVING INTO THAT SUNSHINE BRIGHTNESS OF THE

PATH THAT HE HAS FOR YOU, AND HE'S GONNA GIVE YOU NEW

DIRECTION, NEW GUIDANCE, AND ASSURANCE THROUGH TONIGHT THAT

THIS THING IS TURNING AND IT'S GONNA OPEN UP HIS SUNSHINE,

WHICH IS LIGHT. AND YOU KNOW WHAT? IF WE HAVE GOD'S LIGHT IN

THIS SITUATION, THAT'S ALL WE NEED. WHEN HE GIVES US GUIDANCE,

WHEN HE GIVES US WISDOM, THEN THAT'S ALL YOU NEED, BECAUSE YOU

CAN JUST WALK THROUGH IT, AND YOU CAN DO IT CONFIDENTLY.

PASTOR KEITH, I'M GONNA ASK YOU TO LAY HANDS ON THESE THREE

TONIGHT AND JUST BLESS THEM AND CONFIRM TO THEM THAT THEY'RE ON

THE RIGHT TRACK AND THE RIGHT PATH AND AGREE WITH THEM TONIGHT

THAT THEY'LL RECEIVE. AND I PRAY FOR SOMEONE WATCHING TONIGHT,

THAT MIGHT'VE BEEN YOU. GOD'S LIGHT, HIS BRIGHTNESS IS MOVING

TOWARDS YOU AND IN YOUR LIFE, AND YOU'RE GOING TO RECEIVE THE

DIRECTION AND THE WISDOM THAT YOU NEED TO MOVE FORWARD IN

EVERYTHING THAT GOD'S CALLED YOU TO DO, AND IT'S GONNA COME TO

PASS. WHEN GOD GIVES YOU A DREAM OR A VISION OR A HOPE, HE WILL

WORK WITH YOU UNTIL IT COMES TO PASS. IT MAY SEEM LIKE IT'S SLOW

IN COMING, BUT THAT NIGHT TURNS TO THE DAWN OF DAY AND SUNSHINE,

AND IT WILL HAPPEN IN YOUR LIFE. IN JESUS' MIGHTY NAME, WE AGREE

NOW. HALLELUJAH, THANK YOU, JESUS. THANK YOU, JESUS, PRAISE

GOD. HALLELUJAH. THANK YOU, JESUS. I'M JUST WAITING ON GOD

HERE. PASTOR KEITH, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING IN YOUR SPIRIT?

(SOFT MUSIC)

NOT RIGHT, OKAY. HALLELUJAH, THANK YOU, JESUS. JUST

WAITING HERE FOR A MOMENT HERE. THANK YOU, JESUS. LET'S

JUST PRAY IN THE SPIRIT. (SPEAKING IN TONGUES) IS THERE

SOMEONE HERE AND YOU'VE HAD, HOW DO I WORD THIS? THIS IS WHAT I'M

FEELING, LIKE A DISAGREEMENT OR A FALLING OUT OR MAYBE EVEN,

EVEN YOU COULD CALL IT STRIFE. AND I'M SEEING IT BETWEEN A

PARENT AND A CHILD OR A CHILD AND A PARENT. MAYBE IT'S YOUR

PARENTS OR MAYBE IT'S YOUR CHILDREN AND YOU ARE BELIEVING

FOR THIS THING TO BE RESTORED AND PUT BACK TOGETHER. AND IT'S

LIKE THE COMMUNICATIONS BEEN CUT OFF. IS THAT SOMEONE HERE THAT

YOU NEED THAT COMMUNICATION RESTORED? DO I SEE ANY HANDS?

OKAY, COME UP HERE. THANK YOU, JESUS. HERE'S WHAT I'M HEARING

GOD SAY IN THIS SITUATION. THIS IS CONFIRMATION THAT, WELL,

FIRST OF ALL, LET ME TELL YOU A STORY. I MIGHT HAVE TOLD THIS

BEFORE. I MIGHT HAVE TOLD YOU THIS STORY BEFORE, BUT IT JUST

IT MADE SUCH AN IMPRESSION ON ME. SOMEONE IN OUR CHURCH

FAMILY WAS DEALING WITH A LIFE

-THREATENING HEALTH CHALLENGE, AND THIS WAS A FEW WEEKS BEFORE

HE WENT ON TO HEAVEN, BUT HE WOKE UP THAT MORNING AND HE SAID

TO HIS WIFE, HE CAME KIND OF LIKE BOUNCING OUT OF, WHAT I

PICTURED WAS BOUNCING OUT OF HIS BEDROOM AND SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT?

I KNOW THIS. I KNOW I HAVE NO OUGHT WITH ANY MAN. AND HE HAD

THE FREEDOM OF KNOWING THAT THERE WAS NO OUGHT IN HIS HEART.

NO OFFENSE CARRIED. THAT'S SO IMPORTANT. JESUS TOLD US WE HAVE

TO FORGIVE SEVEN TIMES 70. AND WHAT THAT REALLY MEANT WAS

THERE'S NO LIMIT TO HOW MANY TIMES WE HAVE TO FORGIVE IF

WE'RE CARRYING SOMETHING. AND MAYBE YOU THREE, YOU'RE NOT,

YOU'RE SAYING, WELL, I'M NOT CARRYING ANY OFFENSE. MAYBE

YOU'RE NOT, BUT MAYBE THE OTHER PERSON FEELS THERE'S OFFENSE

THERE. AND SO THE HIGHER ROAD IS ALWAYS TO SAY, "I'M SORRY,

FORGIVE ME." THAT'S THE HIGH PATH. EVEN IF YOU DON'T THINK

YOU WRONGED THAT PERSON, IF THERE'S A CHANCE OF IT, DON'T

LET ANY OUGHT STAND IN THE WAY. BECAUSE HERE'S MATTHEW 6,

CHAPTER 14, I BELIEVE IT'S 14 AND 15, EXPLAIN THIS WELL. IT

SAYS THAT IF, BECAUSE GOD'S FORGIVEN US, BUT IF WE DO NOT

FORGIVE OTHERS, HE WILL NOT FORGIVE US. THAT'S VERY STRONG.

THAT'S A STRONG WORD. I MEAN, THAT MAKES ME SHUDDER TO THINK

OF THAT. WE COULD WALK IN A PLACE OF NOT HAVING GOD FORGIVE

US IF WE CARRY OFFENSE. SO THAT'S THE FIRST THING I WANTED

TO SAY TO YOU THREE AND ANYONE ELSE WATCHING OR ANYONE ELSE

HERE IS JUST MAKE SURE THAT YOU'VE FORGIVEN AND YOU'VE

COMMUNICATED THAT. AND THAT WILL OPEN THE DOOR, I BELIEVE, FOR

COMMUNICATION. IF YOU HUMBLE YOURSELF, THE BIBLE TALKS A LOT

ABOUT HUMILITY, AND IT'S NOT ALWAYS EASY TO DO. I UNDERSTAND

THAT. BUT HUMBLE YOURSELF BEFORE THE LORD AND BEFORE THAT PERSON

AND SAY, I'M SORRY. PLEASE FORGIVE ME FOR WHATEVER MY PART

WAS. AND THEN YOU GO ON FROM THERE AND OPEN THAT

COMMUNICATION UP. AND SO FATHER, I PRAY IN JESUS' NAME THAT THESE

THREE AND ANY OTHERS THAT THIS WOULD APPLY TO AND ANY WATCHING

ONLINE, THAT YOU GIVE THEM WISDOM AND DIRECTION ON HOW TO

APPROACH THIS SITUATION, THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE, AND

THAT COMMUNICATION IS RECEIVED BY THE OTHER PARTY, AND THERE IS

A REUNION, A REUNITING BETWEEN FAMILY MEMBERS, BECAUSE YOU

DESIRE NO OUGHT. AND LORD, I JUST PRAY THAT WOULD ALSO OPEN

OR PAVE THE WAY FOR A CLOSER RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU ON THE

PART OF THE OFFENDED PARTIES, WHOEVER THAT MAY BE. AND WE

THANK YOU FOR IT AND WE DECLARE IT SO NOW IN THE MIGHTY NAME OF

JESUS. AMEN, AMEN. YOU CAN BE SEATED. PRAISE GOD. THANK YOU,

JESUS. WE'LL DO THIS. TURN AROUND AND SHAKE HANDS

WITH A FEW PEOPLE TONIGHT AND SAY IT'S GOOD TO BE IN

THE HOUSE OF THE LORD ON A WEDNESDAY NIGHT. AMEN.

(GENTLE PIANO MUSIC)

- GLORY TO GOD, THANK YOU JESUS.

- IT IS OFFERING TIME HERE ON A WEDNESDAY NIGHT. AND I'M GONNA

STEP RIGHT INTO IT THIS EVENING BECAUSE THEY CAN PUT THE

SCRIPTURES UP ON THE SCREEN. FIRST, I'M GONNA LOOK AT HEBREWS

13, FIVE AND SIX. WE HAVE THAT? OKAY. WELL, IT SAYS, "MAKE SURE

THAT YOUR CHARACTER IS FREE FROM THE LOVE OF MONEY, BEING CONTENT

WITH WHAT YOU HAVE, FOR HE HIMSELF HAS SAID, 'I WILL NEVER

DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU.'" (SOFT PIANO

MUSIC) SO THAT WE CAN CONFIDENTLY SAY, "THE LORD IS MY

HELPER. I WILL NOT BE AFRAID. WHAT WILL MAN DO TO ME?" MY WIFE

WAS PRAYING OVER THIS SCRIPTURE RECENTLY IN A UNRELATED MATTER.

AND WHEN I HEARD HER READING IT ALOUD, IT JUST HIT MY SPIRIT AND

SURGED THROUGH MY ENTIRE BEING. SHE WAS READING IT IN THE

AMPLIFIED CLASSIC, AND THAT GOES LIKE THIS, "LET YOUR CHARACTER

OR MORAL DISPOSITION BE FREE FROM LOVE OF MONEY, INCLUDING

GREED, AVARICE, LUST, AND CRAVING FOR EARTHLY POSSESSIONS.

AND BE SATISFIED WITH YOUR PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES AND WITH

WHAT YOU HAVE. FOR HE, GOD HIMSELF, HAS SAID, I WILL NOT IN

ANY WAY FAIL YOU, NOR GIVE YOU UP, NOR LEAVE YOU WITHOUT

SUPPORT. I WILL NOT, I WILL NOT, I WILL NOT IN ANY DEGREE LEAVE

YOU HELPLESS, NOR FORSAKE YOU, NOR LET YOU DOWN. RELAX MY HOLD

ON YOU. ASSUREDLY NOT. SO WE CAN TAKE COMFORT AND ARE ENCOURAGED

AND CONFIDENTLY AND BOLDLY SAY, "THE LORD IS MY HELPER. I WILL

NOT BE SEIZED WITH ALARM. I WILL NOT FEAR OR DREAD OR BE

TERRIFIED. WHAT CAN MAN DO TO ME?" WELL, WE'VE BEEN LOOKING,

OR I'VE BEEN LOOKING, THE LAST COUPLE OF TIMES I'VE BEEN UP

HERE, AT WHY PEOPLE ARE HESITANT TO GIVE IN CHURCH. AND WE'VE

SEEN, I THINK, THAT ONE OF THE NUMBER ONE REASONS IS FEAR,

WHICH OF COURSE IS A LACK OF FAITH. AND IT'S BECAUSE THEIR

TRUST IS IN MATERIAL POSSESSIONS. IT'S IN PHYSICAL

WEALTH, RICHES, MAMMON, THAT WORLD SYSTEM THAT INFLUENCES

PEOPLE IN AN EVIL WAY AND DRIVES THEM TO THE LOVE OF MONEY,

GREED, COVETOUSNESS, THE LUST OF THE EYES, THE CRAVING MORE

POSSESSIONS. JUST AS THE WRITER OF HEBREWS IS TELLING US IN THIS

SCRIPTURE, THEIR TRUST IS NOT IN THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE, THE

KING OF KINGS, THE LORD OF LORDS, AND HIS ABILITY AND

WILLINGNESS TO PROVIDE FOR EVERY ONE OF OUR NEEDS. THE BOOK OF

HEBREWS IN SUMMARY IS AN EXHORTATION TO REMAIN STEADFAST

IN THE FAITH IN SPITE OF TRIALS AND PERSECUTIONS THAT ARE GOING

TO COME AND REMEMBER THAT JESUS IS ALL SUFFICIENT. HE'S SUPREME.

HE'S FULFILLED THE LAW. HE'S PROVIDED US A NEW COVENANT AND

THE WRITER HERE IS WARNING THE JEWISH CHRISTIANS OF THE DAY TO

NOT FALL AWAY FROM THE FAITH. HE REMINDS HIS AUDIENCE AND US AS

WE READ HERE THAT GOD HIMSELF HAS SAID, "I WILL NOT IN ANY WAY

FAIL YOU NOR GIVE YOU UP NOR LEAVE YOU WITHOUT SUPPORT. I

WILL NOT." NOW WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT WE CAN GIVE WITHOUT FEAR

OF NOT HAVING ENOUGH. WE DON'T HAVE TO DREAD LACK OR

INSUFFICIENCY. HE SAYS, "THE LORD IS MY HELPER. I WILL NOT BE

SEIZED WITH ALARM. I WILL NOT FEAR OR DREAD OR BE TERRIFIED.

WHAT CAN MAN DO TO ME?" WELL, WHERE WE LEAVE THAT OFF IS KIND

OF AN INTERESTING QUESTION. WHAT CAN MAN DO TO US? SO I ASK

MYSELF, WHAT CAN MAN DO TO ME? CAN HE TURN OFF MY ELECTRICITY?

CAN HE CANCEL MY CAR INSURANCE? CAN HE DECLINE MY CREDIT CARD

WHEN I'M AT THE GROCERY STORE? CAN HE SEND ME A MEDICAL BILL

FOR AN ASTRONOMICAL AMOUNT THAT I CAN'T AFFORD? CAN HE TELL ME I

HAVE TO TAKE A SALARY CUT? CAN HE LAY ME OFF FROM WORK? CAN HE

REPOSSESS MY AUTOMOBILE? CAN HE EVICT ME FROM MY HOME? WELL, IN

THE NATURAL, THESE ARE VERY REAL THINGS THAT CAN TRY TO COME

AGAINST US, RIGHT? AND I'M NOT GONNA ASK ANYONE IN HERE OR

ONLINE TO JUMP UP AND DOWN AND RAISE THEIR HANDS AND SAY,

"YEAH, I'VE BEEN THROUGH ALL THAT, BUT I KNOW THAT YOU'RE OUT

THERE." AND I'M GONNA BE PERFECTLY VULNERABLE HERE. I'M

GONNA BE TRANSPARENT. I'VE HAD TO FACE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF

THOSE THAT I JUST LISTED, BUT GOD. HE SAYS THAT IF WE ARE

FAITHFUL AND WE DON'T DRAW BACK OUT OF FEAR OR DREAD, HE WILL BE

FAITHFUL TO PROVIDE. HE WILL NEVER FAIL US. HE WILL NEVER

LEAVE US HELPLESS, NEVER LEAVE US WITHOUT SUPPORT. HE IS

JEHOVAH JIREH, GOD OUR PROVIDER. WE CAN TRUST HIM AND HE WILL

SUPPORT US AND HELP US OUT IN WAYS THAT WE SIMPLY CAN'T EVEN

IMAGINE AHEAD OF TIME. NOW I SAID A MOMENT AGO THAT I HAD

FACED THIS WHOLE LITANY OF SITUATIONS DESIGNED BY THE

ENEMY TO INDUCE FEAR. AND I'M NOT UP HERE TO READ MY ENTIRE

BOOK OF TESTIMONIES TO EVERYONE, BUT I AM GOING

TO SHARE JUST ONE. BACK 20-SOME YEARS AGO, WE

WERE IN SOME DIRE FINANCIAL STRAITS, BUT NO

MATTER WHAT, WE NEVER BACKED OFF FROM OUR REGULAR GIVING. AND ONE

MORNING WHEN I WAS ABOUT TO DEPART FOR WORK, A CONTRACTOR

PULLED UP OUTSIDE, SHUT OUR ELECTRICITY OFF. WELL, BACK IN

THE DAY, I WAS COMMUTING AN HOUR EACH WAY TO MY FULL

-TIME JOB. AND IF I JUST LEFT THAT SITUATION AS IT WAS, I'D BE

LEAVING MY WIFE AND MY SMALL SON WITH NO POWER ON A BLISTERING

HOT SUMMER DAY. SO I CHASED DOWN THE MAN FROM THE POWER COMPANY

AND I SAID, "HEY, YOU KNOW, IS THERE ANYTHING AT ALL?" I

APPEALED TO HIM, "IS THERE ANYTHING AT ALL WE CAN DO TO

WORK SOMETHING OUT HERE?" WELL, HE INFORMED ME THAT THE ONLY WAY

THAT THE ELECTRICITY COULD BE TURNED BACK ON IS IF I WERE TO

GO TO THE LOCAL OFFICE, PAY THE PAST DUE BALANCE IN FULL, AND

THEN THEY WOULD SCHEDULE SOMEBODY, PERHAPS WITHIN THE

NEXT THREE DAYS, TO COME BACK AND RE

-POWER EVERYTHING UP. WELL, I DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY I NEEDED

IN MY ACCOUNT. MY BALANCE WAS PROBABLY SOMEWHERE IN THE $20

RANGE AT THAT POINT. AND I SURE COULDN'T LEAVE THINGS THAT WAY.

I NEEDED THE POWER RESTORED RIGHT AWAY. I KNEW I HAD TO DO

SOMETHING. DISCLAIMER HERE, VERY IMPORTANT ONE. I'M NOT TELLING

ANYBODY TO DO WHAT I DID, OKAY? NO, DON'T WORRY, IT WASN'T

CRIMINAL OR UNETHICAL. I'M JUST GONNA SAY, I'M NOT SAYING THIS

TESTIMONY IS TRANSFERABLE TO ANYONE IN THIS ROOM OR ANYONE

THERE ONLINE. SO, DON'T TRY TO MAKE THIS YOUR OWN TESTIMONY.

JUST BASED ON WHAT I'M SAYING, BE LED OF GOD. I'M ONLY SHARING

THIS AS AN EXAMPLE OF SOME OF THE AMAZING, UNEXPECTED, UNIQUE

WAYS THAT GOD WILL ACT ON BEHALF OF THOSE THAT ARE FAITHFUL TO

HIM AND IN THEIR GIVING. SO, I NEEDED SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS

THAT WAS NOT IN MY BANK ACCOUNT, AND I NEEDED IT RIGHT AWAY. GOD

DIRECTED ME TO A LOCAL ATM, AND I THOUGHT, "WELL, THAT'S FUNNY."

BUT I PULLED UP, I ROLLED DOWN THE WINDOW, I INSERTED MY BANK

CARD, AND THEN I POINTED AT THAT ATM MACHINE, AND I SAID, "GIVE

ME X AMOUNT OF DOLLARS IN THE NAME OF JESUS." AND THANKFULLY,

THE ATM KINDLY OBLIGED. (AUDIENCE LAUGHING) ONE HURDLE

DOWN. SO NOW I'VE GOT CASH IN HAND, SO I NOW DRIVE TO THE

ELECTRIC COMPANY'S HEADQUARTERS, WHERE I ENCOUNTERED AN UNMANNED

SECURITY GATE THAT TYPICALLY OPENS ONLY IF YOU ARE AN

EMPLOYEE AND HAVE A REMOTE GATE OPENER. HOWEVER, IT WAS OPEN

JUST ENOUGH FOR ME TO DRIVE THROUGH. SO I PROCEEDED TO THE

OFFICE DOOR, WHICH AGAIN WAS SECURED, SUPPOSED TO BE OPEN

ONLY BY EMPLOYEES WITH BADGE READERS, BUT I ENTERED. THERE

WAS ONLY ONE EMPLOYEE IN THAT BUILDING. IT WAS AN HOUR BEFORE

THEY OPENED. IT WAS A WOMAN WHO HAD COME IN AN HOUR EARLY JUST

TO GET A LITTLE EXTRA WORK DONE. BOY, WASN'T SHE SHOCKED. SHE WAS

PRETTY STARTLED BY MY PRESENCE AND RELUCTANT TO TALK TO ME AT

ALL, OTHER THAN TO ASK, "HOW IN THE WORLD DID YOU EVER GET IN

HERE?" BEFORE SHE COULD CALL SECURITY, THOUGH, I QUICKLY

EXPLAINED THAT GOD LED ME THERE BECAUSE I NEEDED MY POWER

RESTORED RIGHT AWAY. WELL, SHE LOOKED AT ME QUIZZICALLY AND

PROCEEDED TO EXPLAIN THAT THEY NEVER PULL DRIVERS OFF THEIR

ROUTES AND TURN THEM ABOUT TO GO BACK TO ANY OTHER PREVIOUS STOP.

ONLY THE DISPATCHER COULD REDIRECT THE TRUCK TO DO SUCH A

THING. SO NATURALLY, I'M IN THERE AND I SAID, "WELL, HOW DO

I TALK TO THE DISPATCHER?" AND THEN SHE REVEALED TO ME THAT SHE

WAS THE DISPATCHER. OKAY, SO NOW AT THIS POINT, I THOUGHT, "WELL,

I'M MAKING PROGRESS HERE, BUT THERE'S STILL MORE HURDLES TO

COME." SO I WAS HOLDING CASH THAT HAD BEEN DISPENSED FROM THE

ATM. HOWEVER, THEY DON'T HAVE ANY WAY TO ACCEPT CASH. FURTHER,

THEY DON'T HAVE ANY WAY TO RECORD A TRANSACTION BECAUSE

THEY'RE NOT OPEN YET FOR ANOTHER HOUR AND NONE OF THE SYSTEMS ARE

UP. I SAID, "WELL, I CAN'T COME BACK IN AN HOUR. "IN AN HOUR, I

GOTTA BE AT WORK IN ANOTHER STATE. "BUT I KNOW THAT THERE

HAS TO BE A WAY TO ACCOMPLISH THIS "BECAUSE GOD LED ME IN HERE

TO TALK TO YOU." AND SHE PAUSED FOR A MOMENT AND THOUGHT ABOUT

THAT. AND THEN SHE HAD TO AGREE JUST BY VIRTUE OF THE FACT THAT

I WAS STANDING BEFORE HER, THAT I HAD GOTTEN IN THERE AND WE

WERE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION, "IT MUST BE THE LORD AT WORK IN

THIS SITUATION." SO, SHE DECIDED TO TAKE THE CASH, GIVE ME A

HANDWRITTEN RECEIPT, ENTER THE TRANSACTION IN THE SYSTEM LATER,

AND EVEN THOUGH IT WAS AGAINST CORPORATE POLICY, SHE RADIOED

THE DRIVER, INSTRUCTED HIM TO IMMEDIATELY TURN AROUND AND GO

BACK TO MY ADDRESS. POWER WAS RESTORED IN 10 MINUTES. 10

MINUTES, FOLKS. AND I WAS ULTIMATELY ABLE TO ARRIVE AT

WORK THAT MORNING ON TIME. NOW THAT IS A GOD THAT WON'T DESERT

YOU. HE WON'T ABANDON YOU. HE WON'T FAIL YOU. HE'LL SUPPORT

YOU IN WAYS UNIMAGINABLE TO MOST PEOPLE. SO WE NEED NOT FEAR WHAT

MAN CAN DO TO US, WHAT MAN IS GOING TO DO. WE ONLY NEED TO

REMAIN FAITHFUL, TRUST IN GOD, AND BELIEVE IN MIRACLES WHEN WE

NEED THEM. HE WILL NEVER LET US DOWN. HE WILL NOT, HE WILL NOT,

HE WILL NOT, ASSUREDLY NOT, AS THE SCRIPTURE SAID. LET'S PUT

THE GIVING INFORMATION UP ON THE SCREENS, PLEASE. THERE ARE

MULTIPLE WAYS TO GIVE. YOU CAN GET YOUR ENVELOPES IN HERE FROM

THESE KIND USHERS THIS EVENING. IF YOU DON'T LIKE THAT WAY,

WE'VE GOT OUR WEBSITE, LOHCHURCH.ORG, THE MOBILE APP,

MY PERSONAL FAVORITE, TEXT2GIVE. AND SCAN THE QR CODE IS ANOTHER

METHOD. AND THERE'S A MAILING ADDRESS UP THERE, BECAUSE WE

STILL ACCEPT CHECKS AND OTHER TYPES OF PAYMENT THROUGH THE

MAIL. SO SEND THOSE, KEEP THOSE COMING. NO MATTER WHICH WAY YOU

USE, HERE'S WHAT WE NEED TO DO. WE NEED TO SOW BIG TONIGHT,

TRUST IN GOD, AND BELIEVE FOR MIRACLES. AND SO IF EVERYONE IS

READY, IF YOU'LL STAND, HOLD YOUR OFFERINGS, AND WE'LL PRAY.

FATHER, IN THE NAME OF JESUS, I SPEAK BLESSING OVER ALL THAT

THESE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM AND ALL THOSE ONLINE ARE GIVING

TONIGHT. EVERYTHING THAT'S BEING SOWN INTO THIS MINISTRY TODAY.

WE KNOW THAT YOU ARE NO RESPECTER OF PERSONS, LORD.

YOU'RE THE SAME YESTERDAY, TODAY, AND FOREVER. AS THE

PEOPLE GIVE GENEROUSLY IN FAITH TONIGHT, YOU WILL NEVER DESERT

THEM. YOU WILL NEVER ABANDON THEM. YOU WILL NEVER LET THEM

DOWN. YOU WILL ALWAYS PRESERVE THEM, HOLD THEM UP IN YOUR

MIGHTY RIGHT HAND IN EVERY CIRCUMSTANCE AND IN EVERY TIME

OF NEED. AND WE THANK YOU FOR THIS, FATHER GOD, IN THE MIGHTY

NAME OF JESUS. AND ALL WHO AGREED SAID, AMEN. NOW LET'S

WELCOME PASTOR DOUG BACK TO THE PULPIT.

- AMEN. (CONGREGATION CHEERING)

- GOOD JOB. THAT WAS GREAT. HEY, YOU CAN BE SEATED.

THAT WAS A GOOD TESTIMONY. BUILDS OUR FAITH. YOU KNOW,

AND PASTOR MARK HAD TO HEAR GOD FOR DIRECTION TO KNOW

HOW TO DO THOSE THINGS, AND TO KNOW HOW TO PROCEED, AND WHAT

TO DO. SO HEARING THE VOICE OF GOD IS WHAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING

ABOUT, AND THE POWER OF THE DEPENDENCY ON THE HOLY SPIRIT.

AND WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE ALONG THOSE LINES. AND SPEAKING OF

HEARING, I WANTED TO SHARE A STORY WITH YOU. YOU'VE PROBABLY

HEARD THIS STORY BEFORE, BUT THERE WAS A MAN WHO FELT HE

COULD NO LONGER LIVE WITH HIS WIFE. HE WAS INCREDIBLY TIRED OF

HEARING HER VOICE. IT SEEMED IMPOSSIBLE FOR HIM TO GET AWAY

FROM HER VERBAL HARANGUES. SHE WAS ALWAYS SETTING HIM STRAIGHT,

CONTINUOUSLY SETTING HIM STRAIGHT. AND FINALLY, HE GOT SO

DESPERATE THAT HE DECIDED HE'D BE HAPPIER IN JAIL. SO HE

THOUGHT TO HIMSELF, I'LL ROB A BANK, AND THEN I'LL GO TO JAIL,

AND I'LL FINALLY HAVE SOME PEACE. WELL, HE ROBBED THE BANK.

HE WAS CAPTURED BY THE POLICE. AND THE JUDGE GAVE HIM SIX

MONTHS OF HOUSE ARREST. SO HE LEARNED A LESSON THERE. IT'S

BETTER TO WORK AT GETTING ALONG WITH YOUR SPOUSE. BUT THERE ARE

A LOT OF VOICES THAT SPEAK TODAY, AND IT'S MOST IMPORTANT

THAT WE HEAR GOD'S VOICE. TWO WEEKS AGO, WE DISCUSSED THE

VISION THAT ZACHARIAH HAD WHEN HE SPOKE TO ZERUBBABEL AND

TALKED ABOUT THE REBUILDING OF THE TEMPLE AND HE SAID IN

ZECHARIAH 4, VERSE 6, "IT'S NOT BY MIGHT NOR BY POWER, BUT BY MY

Zechariah 4:6

SPIRIT," SAYS THE LORD OF HOSTS. AND WE LEARNED THAT ANY WORK

ACCOMPLISHED THAT'S OF ETERNAL VALUE HAS TO BE DONE THROUGH THE

SPIRIT OF GOD AND NOT BY MANKIND OR HUMAN EFFORTS OR RESOURCES OR

STRENGTH. AND THEN LAST WEEK, WE WENT BACK TO SOME BASICS AND

TALKED ABOUT THE THREE PARTS OF MAN, HOW WE WERE CREATED, BODY,

SOUL, AND SPIRIT. WE TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT THE SPIRIT

MAN IS THE ETERNAL PART OF US, AND THE SPIRIT MAN COMES ALIVE

WHEN WE BECOME BELIEVERS, WHEN WE ACCEPT JESUS CHRIST AS LORD,

THAT SPIRIT MAN WITHIN US IS MADE ALIVE. AND THEN WE TALKED

ALSO ABOUT THE FACT THAT THE SOUL, THE MIND, WILL, AND

EMOTION PART OF US HAS TO BE RENEWED, AND THAT'S RENEWED BY

THE WORD OF GOD. IN FACT, WE USED HEBREWS 4.12, AND WE'RE

GOING TO USE IT AGAIN TONIGHT. IF YOU WOULD PUT THAT UP,

HEBREWS 4.12 SAYS, "FOR THE WORD OF GOD IS QUICK AND

POWERFUL AND SHARPER THAN ANY TWO-EDGED

SWORD, PIERCING EVEN TO THE DIVIDING ASUNDER OF SOUL AND

SPIRIT." LISTEN TO THAT, "DIVIDING ASUNDER OF SOUL AND

SPIRIT." THAT MEANS GOD'S WORD SEPARATES BETWEEN THE SOUL AND

THE SPIRIT, THE MIND, WILL, AND EMOTIONS, AND THE SPIRIT OF MAN.

AND IT'S THROUGH RECEIVING THE WORD OF GOD AND BEING RENEWED BY

THE WORD OF GOD THAT WE CAN SEPARATE AND UNDERSTAND, "IS

THAT GOD'S SPIRIT SPEAKING TO ME, OR IS IT JUST MY MIND, WILL,

AND EMOTIONS SPEAKING TO ME?" AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THE

DIFFERENCE. SO BIBLICAL REVELATION, OR THE WORD OF GOD,

RIGHTLY DIVIDES OUR SOUL AND OUR SPIRIT MAN. BY RENEWING OUR

MINDS WITH THE WORD OF GOD, WE CAN FOLLOW THE HOLY SPIRIT. AND

I'M KIND OF JUST GIVING YOU A LITTLE REVIEW IN CASE YOU

WEREN'T HERE THE LAST TWO WEEKS OR NEEDED THAT. SO I WANTED TO

TALK ABOUT THAT JUST FOR A MOMENT. BUT TONIGHT WE'RE GONNA

CONTINUE ON WITH HOW TO WALK IN THE SPIRIT AND HOW TO HEAR GOD'S

VOICE IN MAYBE A LITTLE DEEPER WAY, MAYBE SOMETHING THAT YOU

HADN'T THOUGHT ABOUT BEFORE OR MAYBE IT'S GONNA BE REHEARSING

THINGS THAT YOU ALREADY KNOW, BUT THAT'S ALWAYS GOOD TOO,

ISN'T IT, JANET? AMEN. SO GOD CREATED US TO BE DEPENDENT ON

HIM. WE ARE DEPENDENT UPON GOD AND HE WANTS TO GUIDE US EVERY

DAY. WE HAVE THE FREEDOM TO CHOOSE, WE CAN MAKE OUR OWN

DECISION. PASTOR MARK COULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN

FOOLISH TO GO SPEAK TO THAT ATM MACHINE. HE COULD HAVE JUST WENT

BACK TO KATE AND SAID, "YOU KNOW WHAT, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO GET

OUT OUR HAND FANS "HERE AND JUST FAN OURSELVES OR SOMETHING." HE

COULD HAVE DONE THAT, BUT HE STOOD ON FAITH AND WHAT HE

BELIEVED HE HEARD. YOU'RE NOT ALWAYS GONNA GET IT RIGHT.

SOMETIMES WE MISS IT. PASTOR MARK COULD TELL YOU THAT. HE'S

PROBABLY MISSED IT BEFORE, BUT WE ALL HAVE. BUT IT STILL

DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU DON'T STEP OUT IN OBEDIENCE WHEN YOU

BELIEVE YOU HEAR, AND THAT'S HOW YOU GET EXPERIENCE IN HEARING

AND TRUSTING THE VOICE OF GOD. WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THAT A

LITTLE BIT TONIGHT. BUT YOU DO HAVE THE FREEDOM TO CHOOSE AND

MAKE YOUR OWN DECISIONS, AND SOME PEOPLE DO THAT ONLY, HOW DO

I WANNA SAY THIS? THEY'LL HIT A WALL AND THEN THEY'LL DECIDE,

OKAY, NOW I NEED TO TURN TO GOD. IT'S MUCH BETTER TO TURN TO GOD

IN THE BEGINNING AND BE DEPENDENT UPON HEARING HIS

VOICE. KING SOLOMON WAS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THAT AND I'M NOT

GOING TO HAVE YOU TURN THERE TONIGHT OR WE'RE NOT GOING TO

READ THE SCRIPTURE, BUT IF YOU'RE TAKING NOTES, YOU CAN JOT

THIS DOWN. FIRST KINGS CHAPTER 3 VERSES 5 THROUGH 10 TELLS US THE

1 Kings 3:5–10

STORY ABOUT WHEN GOD OFFERED TO GIVE SOLOMON ANYTHING HE WANTED,

SOLOMON ASKED FOR WISDOM BECAUSE HE KNEW HE DIDN'T HAVE ALL THE

ANSWERS. AND AT THIS TIME SOLOMON WAS THE MOST POWERFUL

MAN IN THE KINGDOM AND YET HE ASKED GOD FOR WISDOM. HE

ADMITTED, IN OTHER WORDS, THAT HE NEEDED GOD'S HELP. AND THAT

HUMBLE REQUEST FOR WISDOM WAS SOMETHING THAT PLEASED GOD.

ISAIAH 30, VERSE 21 SAYS, "WE'LL HEAR A VOICE SAYING, "'THIS IS

Isaiah 30:21

THE WAY, WALK YE IN IT.'" THANK GOD FOR DIRECTION FROM THE HOLY

SPIRIT. THAT'S AN AMAZING VERSE. WE'RE GONNA HEAR A, THAT'S ONE

YOU CAN TAKE HOME WITH YOU TONIGHT. YOU'LL HEAR A VOICE

SAYING, THAT'S THE HOLY SPIRIT SAYING TO YOU, "THIS IS THE WAY,

WALK YE IN IT." THAT'S DIRECTION FROM GOD. WHEN YOU DON'T KNOW

WHICH PATH TO GO, HE TELLS YOU IF YOU'RE LISTENING. I WANNA

READ THAT VERSE TO YOU IN THE NEW LIVING TRANSLATION. IT SAYS,

"YOUR OWN EARS WILL HEAR HIM. "RIGHT BEHIND YOU A VOICE WILL

SAY, "THIS IS THE WAY YOU SHOULD GO, "WHETHER TO THE RIGHT OR TO

THE LEFT." SO WE HAVE TO LISTEN TO GOD'S GUIDANCE AND FOLLOW IT.

GOD HAS A PLAN FOR EACH OF US AND HE WANTS TO LEAD US THROUGH

THE CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE, THE GOOD TIMES, EVERYTHING THAT WE

GO THROUGH, HE WANTS TO BE THERE TO LEAD US. BY TRUSTING IN HIS

GUIDANCE, WE CAN NAVIGATE LIFE WITH PURPOSE AND WITH WISDOM.

JOHN 16, VERSE 13 SAYS, "WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE

John 16:13

WILL GUIDE YOU INTO ALL TRUTH. HE WILL NOT SPEAK ON HIS OWN,

BUT HE WILL TELL YOU WHAT HE HAS HEARD. HE WILL TELL YOU ABOUT

THE FUTURE. HIS WISDOM IS INFINITE. HE SEES BEYOND OUR

LIMITATIONS. HE CAN SEE FURTHER THAN WE CAN SEE. AND HE PREPARES

US FOR WHAT'S AHEAD." YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY BENEFICIAL TO KNOW

WHAT'S COMING. AND GOD WILL SHOW YOU THAT IF YOU SEEK HIM AND

LISTEN. THAT'S THE ADVANTAGE OF HEARING GOD'S VOICE. THE HOLY

SPIRIT'S HERE TO GUIDE US AND SHOW US WHAT'S AHEAD AND THEN

PROVIDE THAT DIVINE DIRECTION TO US. NOW, IMAGINE WITH ME WHAT IT

WOULD BE LIKE IF I PLACED A BLINDFOLD OVER YOUR EYES TONIGHT

AND I ORDERED 200 BLINDFOLDS. I WAS GONNA PASS THEM OUT AND DO

THIS, BUT THEN WHEN I TALKED TO PASTOR MARK, HE SAYS, "NO,

THAT'S PROBABLY NOT WISE TO BLINDFOLD YOU "AND TELL YOU TO

LEAVE THE AUDITORIUM. "YOU'D BE STUMBLING OVER EACH OTHER,

"YOU'D FALL OVER FURNITURE, "AND SOME OF YOU MIGHT GET HURT." I

DIDN'T REALLY DO THAT, BUT I THOUGHT ABOUT IT. BUT IMAGINE

WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE IF WE PUT BLINDFOLDS OVER EACH OF YOU

TONIGHT, AND THEN I ASKED YOU JUST TO GO AHEAD AND EXIT THE

AUDITORIUM. IT COULD BE TOUGH TO DO. YOU MIGHT TRIP OVER

SOMETHING AND STUMBLE AROUND. YOU MIGHT RUN INTO ANOTHER

PERSON. IT'S A VIVID PICTURE OF WHAT IT'S LIKE WHEN WE DON'T

HEAR GOD'S VOICE. SOME CHRISTIANS ARE LIKE A PERSON

WALKING AROUND BLINDFOLDED. THEY'RE SAVED AND THEY LOVE GOD,

BUT THEY STRUGGLE TO HEAR HIS VOICE. THEY GO THROUGH LIFE

BUMPING INTO OBSTACLES, REACTING TO A CRISIS, OR MAKING DECISIONS

BASED ON TRIAL AND ERROR RATHER THAN DIVINE INSIGHT. THE

CHRISTIAN LIFE ISN'T MEANT TO BE A SERIES OF RANDOM MISTAKES AND

CORRECTIONS. WE'RE NOT MEANT TO WANDER AIMLESSLY AND THEN JUST

SEEK GOD'S HELP WHEN WE GET INTO A JAM. GOD WANTS US TO LISTEN TO

HIM DAILY AS HE GUIDES US CLEARLY AND GENTLY. SO THE

QUESTION IS, HOW DO WE GET BETTER AT LISTENING TO THE HOLY

SPIRIT? WE ALL WANT TO IMPROVE THAT. AND THERE ARE A FEW

PRACTICAL STEPS WE CAN TAKE THAT CAN KEEP US ON TRACK AND

FOLLOWING THE GUIDANCE FROM GOD THAT HE WANTS US TO HAVE. FIRST

OF ALL, LET'S TALK ABOUT THIS. THERE'S TWO SOURCES OF

KNOWLEDGE. NUMBER ONE, THERE'S RATIONAL KNOWLEDGE THAT'S

RECEIVED IN OUR MIND. AND THEN THERE'S SECONDLY, REVELATION

KNOWLEDGE THAT'S RECEIVED IN OUR SPIRIT. SO OUR SOUL, WHICH WE

TALKED ABOUT LAST WEEK, OUR MIND, WILL, AND EMOTIONS HAS THE

CAPACITY TO SEE AND HEAR AND KNOW INFORMATION THROUGH THE

FIVE SENSES THAT GOD CREATED WITHIN US. AND LEARNING AND

THINKING ARE A SOURCE OF KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING. WE

CAN TAKE IN DATA AND WE CAN PROCESS IT AND WE CAN DRAW

CONCLUSIONS. WE ALL HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH THAT. THAT'S OUR

MIND KNOWLEDGE, OUR CARNAL KNOWLEDGE. OUR MIND WILL AND

EMOTIONS RECEIVING THAT. THEN SECONDLY, REVELATION KNOWLEDGE

IS RECEIVED BY OUR SPIRIT MAN. FIRST CORINTHIANS 2.14, PAUL

TALKS ABOUT KNOWLEDGE THAT MUST BE SPIRITUALLY DISCERNED. LET'S

PUT UP FIRST CORINTHIANS 2.14 IF YOU WOULD. BUT THE NATURAL MAN

DOES NOT RECEIVE THE THINGS OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD, FOR THEY ARE

FOOLISHNESS TO HIM, NOR CAN HE KNOW THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE

SPIRITUALLY DISCERNED. THE NATURAL MAN, IN OTHER WORDS,

THAT MEANS AN UNBELIEVER CANNOT KNOW OR RECEIVE THE TRUTH THAT

YOU CAN RECEIVE AS A BELIEVER. THAT'S BECAUSE NATURAL MEN ONLY

RECEIVE KNOWLEDGE THROUGH THOSE FIVE SENSES. UNBELIEVERS COME

ALIVE IN THEIR SPIRIT WHEN THEY RECEIVE CHRIST. AND YOU SAY,

"PASTOR DOUG, HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT?" WELL, THE WORD TELLS US

THAT. I'M GONNA PROVE IT TO YOU RIGHT NOW. EPHESIANS 2, WE

LOOKED AT THIS LAST WEEK, BUT WE'LL DO IT AGAIN. EPHESIANS 2,

VERSES ONE THROUGH TWO, I WANT TO READ IT IN THE AMPLIFIED, AND

IT SAYS, "AND YOU, HE MADE ALIVE WHEN YOU WERE SPIRITUALLY DEAD

"AND SEPARATED FROM HIM BECAUSE OF TRANSGRESSIONS AND SINS "IN

WHICH YOU ONCE WALKED. "YOU WERE FOLLOWING THE WAYS OF THIS

WORLD, "INFLUENCED BY THE PRESENT AGE IN ACCORDANCE "WITH

THE PRINCE OF THE POWER OF THE AIR, SATAN, "THE SPIRIT WHO IS

NOW AT WORK IN THE DISOBEDIENT, THE UNBELIEVING, TO FIGHT

AGAINST THE PURPOSES OF GOD." ONCE OUR SPIRIT MAN CAME ALIVE

WITHIN US, GOD WAS ABLE TO REVEAL THINGS TO OUR SPIRIT THAT

WE COULDN'T RECEIVE PREVIOUSLY IN OUR MINDS OR THROUGH OUR FIVE

SENSES. NOW, MOST PENTECOSTAL INDIVIDUALS HAVE EXPERIENCED

THIS PERSONALLY. YOU UNDERSTAND RECEIVING THROUGH THE SPIRIT.

YOU'VE BEEN AROUND THAT ENOUGH. BUT WE WANT TO BETTER UNDERSTAND

HOW THAT WORKS IN RELATIONSHIP TO OUR SOUL AND SPIRIT AND

BECOME MORE SENSITIVE TO IT. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING A CHRISTIAN

CAN DO IN THE LIMITED TIME THAT WE HAVE ON THIS EARTH IS TO BE

ABLE TO UNDERSTAND AND DISCERN GOD'S VOICE SPEAKING TO US SO

THAT WE CAN LINE UP WITH HIS PLAN FOR OUR LIVES. SO THAT WE

CAN ACCOMPLISH WHAT HE WANTS TO ACCOMPLISH BEFORE WE MOVE ON. WE

CAN DEVELOP OUR SPIRITUAL EARS THROUGH EXPERIENCE. WE CAN TUNE

OUR EARS JUST LIKE A HORSE PRICKS UP HIS EARS TO LISTEN. WE

NEED TO FOCUS OUR ATTENTION ON GOD'S VOICE. PROVERBS 4:20 SAYS,

Proverbs 4:20

"MY SON, ATTEND TO MY WORDS, INCLINE THINE EAR UNTO MY

SAYINGS." THAT'S WHAT THAT HORSE DOES. HE PRICKS UP HIS EARS WHEN

HE HEARS A SOUND. HE'S ATTENTIVE. WE NEED TO PRICK OUR

EARS AND LISTEN TO GOD. WE NEED TO BE ATTENTIVE AND INTENTIONAL

ABOUT HEARING GOD'S VOICE. MUSICIANS DEVELOP AN EAR FOR

MUSIC AND THEY HAVE A SENSITIVITY TO DISTINGUISH ONE

KEY FROM ANOTHER. THEIR ABILITY TO HEAR NOTES MORE PRECISELY IS

DEVELOPED BY THE REASON OF USAGE. OF COURSE, THEY MIGHT BE

GIFTED TO DO THAT. MOST ARE. BUT A GOOD MUSICIAN DEVELOPS HIS

SENSITIVITY TO THE SOUNDS OF THE NOTES IN THE SAME WAY WE CAN

DEVELOP OUR SENSITIVITY TO THE SOUND OF GOD'S VOICE IN OUR

SPIRIT. THAT WAY WE CAN MORE PRECISELY DISTINGUISH THAT FROM

OUR OWN THOUGHTS OR ANOTHER VOICE THAT WE MIGHT HEAR.

SOMETIMES WE HEAR GOD IN OUR SPIRIT BUT WE DON'T TRUST OUR

ABILITY TO HEAR ENOUGH TO FOLLOW THROUGH ON WHAT GOD IS ACTUALLY

SAYING AND THAT ISSUE CAN ONLY BE ADDRESSED THROUGH EXPERIENCE.

WHEN PASTOR MARK HAD THAT EXPERIENCE AND WALKED THROUGH

WHAT HE DID AS GOD LED HIM STEP BY STEP THROUGH THOSE THINGS,

THAT BUILT HIS FAITH SO THAT HE COULD LISTEN MORE KEENLY THE

NEXT TIME. IF I FAIL TO ACT ON WHAT GOD IS REVEALING TO ME IN

MY SPIRIT, THEN I'M DEPRIVING MYSELF OF NEEDED EXPERIENCE. HOW

DID YOU LEARN TO RIDE A BICYCLE? YOU MIGHT HAVE WATCHED OTHERS DO

IT. MAYBE YOUR PARENTS OR YOUR SIBLINGS GAVE YOU SOME

INSTRUCTION ON HOW TO DO IT. BUT TO DEVELOP THE BALANCE AND THE

SKILL TO RIDE THAT BIKE, YOU HAD TO DO WHAT? YOU HAD TO RIDE IT

YOURSELF. YOU HAD TO ACTUALLY GET ON THE BIKE. WATCHING

SOMEONE ELSE DO IT DOESN'T TEACH YOU HOW TO RIDE A BIKE. WHEN YOU

FIRST STARTED, YOU PROBABLY HAD SOME INITIAL FEAR OF FALLING OFF

THAT BIKE OR FALLING OVER, BUT YOU DIDN'T LET THOSE FEARS STOP

YOU FROM TRYING. THE MORE YOU TRIED, THE MORE SKILLED YOU

BECAME IN DOING IT. SO BECOMING SEASONED IN SPIRITUAL MATTERS

REQUIRES STEPPING OUT AND THE HUMILITY TO RISK A MISTAKE. WHEN

THE LORD SPEAKS A WORD OF KNOWLEDGE IN MY SPIRIT,

SOMETIMES I THINK OR QUESTION, "IS THAT JUST ME? IS THE VOICE

THAT I HEARD IN MY SPIRIT TRULY THE HOLY SPIRIT?" I'M CONFRONTED

WITH A DECISION AT THAT POINT. I CAN CHOOSE TO NOT ACT ON WHAT I

BELIEVE I'M HEARING OR I CAN STEP OUT IN FAITH AND SHARE IT.

IF IT'S CONFIRMED TO BE TRUE, THEN I'VE LEARNED MORE ABOUT

WHAT A TRUE WORD FROM THE SPIRIT SOUNDS LIKE. BUT WHAT IF I MISS

IT? THAT'S A HUMBLING EXPERIENCE, BUT IT'S OKAY TO BE

WRONG. IF WE RESPOND TO OUR MISTAKES IN HUMILITY, THAT'S

OKAY. EVEN WHEN I MISS IT, I'VE INCREASED MY UNDERSTANDING OF

HEARING GOD. I'LL KNOW BETTER THE NEXT TIME WHAT TO DO OR NOT

TO DO. IF I NEVER STEP OUT AND TEST WHAT I'M HEARING IN MY

SPIRIT, THEN I DON'T HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP AND HONE

IN ON THE ABILITY TO DISTINGUISH GOD'S VOICE FROM MY VOICE OR

WHAT I'M HEARING IN MY HEAD. HUMILITY IS VERY IMPORTANT IN

WALKING IN THE SPIRIT. MEN, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO LISTEN TO YOUR

WIVES. WOMEN HAVE A NATURAL ABILITY TO BE MORE SENSITIVE TO

GOD IN MANY CASES. THEY HAVE THAT EXTRA SENSITIVE ANTENNA TO

HEAR THE VOICE OF GOD. WHEN EILEEN TELLS ME THAT SHE SENSES

SOMETHING OR HAS AN UNCTION OR DIRECTION THAT SHE BELIEVES IS

FROM GOD, I HAVE LEARNED TO LISTEN. BECAUSE THERE WAS A TIME

WHEN I WAS A SLOW LEARNER AND I DIDN'T LISTEN, AND THEN I PAID

THE PRICE. IT TOOK ME A WHILE. BUT MOST OFTEN, SHE WAS RIGHT.

AND SHE COMMUNICATED IT WITH HUMILITY, AND HOPEFULLY I'M

LEARNING MORE TO RECEIVE THAT. AND THAT'S WHY I BELIEVE

HUSBANDS AND WIVES CAN WORK WELL TOGETHER IN THAT CASE. AND IT'S

IMPORTANT TO DO THAT. AND WIVES, THERE'S TIMES YOU NEED TO LISTEN

TO YOUR HUSBANDS TOO. I'M NOT SAYING THAT IT ONLY GOES ONE

WAY. I'M JUST SAYING THAT IT SEEMS THOUGH, AND I GUESS I

CAN'T REALLY PROVE THIS FROM SCRIPTURE, THAT IT SEEMS LIKE

WOMEN HAVE THAT SENSITIVITY THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO RECEIVE AND HEAR

THE VOICE OF GOD SOMETIMES EASIER THAN SOME MEN CAN FOR

WHATEVER REASON. THAT'S JUST MY PERSONAL OBSERVATION, OKAY?

DON'T SAY THAT'S NECESSARILY BIBLE. RICK'S LAUGHING AT ME.

YEAH. EILEEN SAYS, "THAT'S BIBLE." I NEED A VERSE FOR THAT.

AS WE HEAR GOD AND LEARN TO REACT IN OBEDIENCE, WE BECOME

MORE ACCURATE. THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY IN OUR ABILITY TO

HEAR. BUT LET'S LOOK AT TWO TESTS TONIGHT THAT I BELIEVE

WILL HELP US IDENTIFY WHAT GOD IS SAYING AND ALSO IDENTIFY IF

IT'S FLESH THAT WE'RE ATTEMPTING TO HEAR. TEST NUMBER ONE, DOES

IT AGREE WITH SCRIPTURE? THAT'S ALWAYS THE FIRST TEST. DOES IT

AGREE WITH SCRIPTURE? AND THEN TEST NUMBER TWO WE'RE GONNA TALK

ABOUT IS WHAT IS THE SPIRITUAL IMPACT OF WHAT I'M HEARING? THE

FIRST TEST, DOES IT AGREE WITH SCRIPTURE? HEARING IN OUR SPIRIT

IS SUBJECTIVE AND WE ALWAYS TEST IT WITH THE REVEALED SCRIPTURE

IN LIGHT OF SCRIPTURE. ISAIAH 820 SAYS, "LOOK TO GOD'S

INSTRUCTIONS AND TEACHINGS. PEOPLE WHO CONTRADICT HIS WORD

ARE COMPLETELY IN THE DARK." SO IF SOMEONE TRIES TO TELL YOU

SOMETHING THAT IS NOT SCRIPTURAL AND SAYS IT'S FROM GOD, YOU HAVE

THE ANSWER FOR THAT IMMEDIATELY. IF WHAT WE'RE HEARING IS NOT

CONSISTENT WITH GOD'S WORD, WE'RE NOT HEARING THE HOLY

SPIRIT. YOU KNOW, I'VE HEARD THESE STORIES OF SO

-CALLED MEN OF GOD THAT HAVE TOLD SOMEONE TO GO DIVORCE THEIR

WIFE AND MARRY SOMEONE ELSE OR THINGS LIKE THAT. WELL, WE KNOW

THAT'S NOT THE HOLY SPIRIT BECAUSE IT'S NOT SCRIPTURAL.

SO IF THERE'S A GOD-GIVEN PROTECTION FOR DISCERNING

THE LEADINGS OF THE LORD, LET'S LOOK AT 2 PETER 1, 20

AND 21, VERSE 20 AND 21. IT SAYS, "ABOVE ALL, YOU MUST

REALIZE "THAT NO PROPHECY IN SCRIPTURE EVER CAME

"FROM THE PROPHET'S OWN UNDERSTANDING." AND CONTINUE ON

IF YOU WOULD. OKAY, I'LL LOOK AT MY NOTES. "OR FROM THE HUMAN

INITIATIVE. "NO, THOSE PROPHETS WERE MOVED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT

"AND THEY SPOKE FROM GOD." YES, AMEN. "INCREASING OUR KNOWLEDGE

OF THE SCRIPTURE "WILL HELP US DISCERN IF THE LEADING'S "FROM

THE HOLY SPIRIT OR FLESH." AND WE TALKED ABOUT THAT, I'M GONNA

READ IT AGAIN BECAUSE THIS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT SCRIPTURE.

HEBREWS 4, 12, WE'LL PUT THAT UP AGAIN. "FOR THE WORD OF GOD IS

QUICK AND POWERFUL AND SHARPER "THAN ANY TWO

-EDGED SWORD, PIERCING EVEN TO THE DIVIDING "ASUNDER OF SOUL

AND SPIRIT AND OF JOINTS AND MARROW, AND IS A DISCERNER OF

THE THOUGHTS AND INTENTS OF THE HEART." SO BIBLICAL REVELATION,

AGAIN, THE WORD OF GOD RIGHTLY DIVIDES OR SHOWS US WHAT IS SOUL

AND WHAT IS SPIRIT. IF WE'RE NOT GROUNDED IN THE WORD OF GOD,

IT'S GOING TO BE HARD TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SOUL AND

SPIRIT MANY TIMES. SO THE MORE YOU CAN STUDY THE WORD, THE MORE

YOU CAN HEAR THE WORD, THE MORE YOU DECLARE THE WORD, THE MORE

YOU'RE AROUND THE WORD, YOU'LL GET SHARPER IN YOUR HEARING.

WHEN WE'RE WALKING IN THE SPIRIT, WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO

SEPARATE OUR SOUL FROM THE SPIRIT. AND BY RENEWING OUR

MINDS WITH THE WORD OF GOD, WE CAN LEARN TO FOLLOW THE HOLY

SPIRIT'S LEADING. ROMANS 12, 2, "BE NOT CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD,

BUT BE YE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND THAT YOU

MAY PROVE WHAT IS THAT GOOD, ACCEPTABLE, AND PERFECT WILL OF

GOD. YOU'LL WALK OUT THE WILL OF GOD AS YOU RENEW YOUR MIND WITH

THE WORD. THERE AGAIN, YOUR SPIRIT MAN BECOMES ALIVE WHEN

YOU GET SAVED. IT'S MADE NEW AND FRESH, COMMUNICATING WITH GOD.

BUT THE MIND, THE WILL AND THE EMOTION HAS TO BE RENEWED.

THAT'S THE SOUL PART OF MAN. IT TAKES TIME TO DO THAT. IT'S DONE

OVER A PERIOD OF TIME. SOMEONE THAT'S BEEN SAVED FOR 50 YEARS,

HOPEFULLY WOULD HAVE MORE OF A RENEWED MIND THAN SOMEONE THAT

GOT SAVED SIX MONTHS AGO. THAT'S WHY WE'RE ALL WALKING AT

DIFFERENT STAGES OF MATURITY AND WE HAVE TO HAVE GRACE AND MERCY

WITH ONE ANOTHER BECAUSE SOMEONE THAT YOU LOVE AND MAY BE SITTING

NEXT TO TONIGHT MAY NOT BE IN THE EXACT SAME PLACE SPIRITUALLY

THAT YOU ARE. SO WE ALL HAVE TO HAVE PATIENCE WITH ONE ANOTHER

AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE THINGS THAT WE'RE MOVING THROUGH IN

THIS LIFE. THE TRUTH THAT WE HAVE HIDDEN IN OUR HEARTS IS

WHAT WE CAN USE TO PULL ON TO TEST OUR LEADINGS. YOU CAN PULL

ON THAT KNOWLEDGE. THEN WE CAN MORE EASILY DETERMINE IF GOD'S

SPEAKING TO OUR SPIRIT MAN. PSALM 119, VERSE 11. YOUR WORD

Psalms 119:11

HAVE I HIDDEN IN MY HEART THAT I MAY NOT SIN AGAINST YOU. THE

MORE THE WORD'S HIDDEN IN OUR HEART, THE BETTER EQUIPPED WE

ARE TO DISCERN THAT VOICE AND WALK IN THE SPIRIT. REMEMBER

WHEN SATAN WAS TRYING TO MISLEAD JESUS. LUKE CHAPTER FOUR TALKS

ABOUT THAT. SATAN ATTEMPTED TO QUOTE SCRIPTURE TO JESUS, BUT IT

WAS THE WORD THAT WAS HIDDEN IN JESUS' HEART THAT WAS ABLE TO

DEFEAT THE DECEIVER. LET'S LOOK AT THAT SCRIPTURE. LUKE FOUR,

VERSES FIVE THROUGH EIGHT. "THEN THE DEVIL, TAKING HIM, JESUS, UP

ON A HIGH MOUNTAIN, "SHOWED JESUS ALL THE KINGDOMS OF THE

WORLD "IN A MOMENT OF TIME. AND THE DEVIL SAID TO JESUS, 'ALL

THIS AUTHORITY I WILL GIVE YOU AND THEIR GLORY, FOR THIS HAS

BEEN DELIVERED TO ME, AND I GIVE IT TO WHOMEVER I WISH.

THEREFORE, IF YOU WILL WORSHIP ME, OR WORSHIP BEFORE ME, ALL

WILL BE YOURS.' AND JESUS ANSWERED HIM AND SAID TO HIM,

'GET BEHIND ME, SATAN, FOR IT IS WRITTEN, YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE

LORD YOUR GOD, AND HIM ONLY SHALL YOU SERVE.' SO JESUS

RESPONDED TO SATAN'S TWISTING OF SCRIPTURE WITH THE TRUTH OF

SCRIPTURE. WHEN SATAN CLAIMED, 'IF YOU'LL JUST WORSHIP ME, ALL

WILL BE YOURS,' JESUS RESPONDED FROM SCRIPTURE AND SAID, 'IT'S

WRITTEN, YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND HIM ONLY

SHALL YOU SERVE.' JESUS' USE OF SCRIPTURE WAS CRUCIAL AT THAT

POINT. HE HAD THE WORD IN HIS HEART AND HE USED IT TO EXPOSE

THE MISUSE OF SCRIPTURE BY SATAN. JESUS USED IT AS A

DEFENSE BUT IT ALSO WAS A MEANS OF HIM ALIGNING HIS OWN ACTIONS

WITH THE WILL OF GOD AND GOD'S PURPOSES. SO TIME SPENT GETTING

GOD'S WORD IN YOUR HEART CAN MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN A

CRUCIAL TEST THAT YOU MIGHT ENTER INTO. IT'S CRITICAL FOR US

TO BE ABLE TO DISCERN AND HEAR THE VOICE OF GOD IN OUR SPIRIT

MAN. YOU MIGHT BE DRIVING SOMEDAY, HEADING SOMEWHERE,

MAYBE TO WORK, MAYBE YOU'VE GOT AN ASSIGNMENT YOU'RE GOING TO,

AND YOU HEAR THAT INWARD VOICE SAY, "TURN HERE." "BUT LORD,

THAT'S NOT THE NORMAL ROUTE THAT I TAKE." WELL, YOU HAVE A

DECISION TO MAKE AT THAT POINT. ARE YOU GOING TO FOLLOW THE HOLY

GHOST AND TURN? MAYBE YOU'LL AVOID AN ACCIDENT JUST BY MAKING

THAT TURN. BUT THAT'S ANOTHER WAY THAT YOU CAN EXPERIENCE AND

LEARN TO HEAR THE VOICE OF GOD. IF YOU'RE OBEDIENT TO WHAT HE

SAYS AND YOU DO IT, THEN YOU CAN LEARN FROM THAT. BACK IN 2002, I

WAS AN ASSOCIATE PASTOR AT A CHURCH IN SIOUX CITY, IOWA, AND

I THINK I MIGHT HAVE MENTIONED THIS ILLUSTRATION ANOTHER TIME,

I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG AGO EVEN IT WAS, BUT JUST FOR

ILLUSTRATION PURPOSES, I'LL TELL IT AGAIN. IF YOU'VE HEARD IT

BEFORE, FORGIVE ME. BUT THE SENIOR PASTORS AT THIS CHURCH

HAD RECEIVED A SMALL INHERITANCE FROM THE PASSING OF ONE OF THE

PASTOR'S PARENTS. AND IT WAS ABOUT A $10,000 AMOUNT OF MONEY

THAT THEY HAD TO INVEST. AND THEY ASKED ME ABOUT INVESTING IT

INTO SOME PRECIOUS METALS, SOME SILVER AND GOLD COINS. AND I

HELPED THEM DO THAT. WE GOT THE COINS SECURED. AND AT THAT TIME,

THE CHURCH HAD A LARGE SAFE IN THE CHURCH THAT WAS...

IT WAS A HEAVY VAULT, KIND OF LIKE YOU'D SEE IN A BANK ALMOST.

IT HAD A THICK DOOR ON IT. AND I MEAN, IT WAS HEAVY TO OPEN. AND

WE JUST MARKED THAT AMOUNT OF PRECIOUS METALS IN A CONTAINER

THAT IT WAS THEIR PERSONAL PROPERTY. AND WE WRAPPED IT UP

GOOD, AND WE MARKED IT THAT IT WAS NOT THE CHURCH'S PROPERTY SO

THAT WE KNEW THAT IT WOULD BE IDENTIFIABLE IF EVER NEEDED.

- IF SOMEONE NEEDED TO KNOW WHOSE IT WAS. IT WAS MARKED. AND

SO WE PUT THOSE COINS IN THAT SAFE. AND ABOUT A YEAR LATER, I

WAS GETTING OUT OF MY CAR. I CAN SEE MYSELF DOING IT NOW. IT WAS

ON THE GRAVEL PARKING LOT ON THE WEST SIDE OF THAT CHURCH. AND I

PUT MY FOOT ON THE GRAVEL, AND AT THAT MOMENT, THE LORD SPOKE

TO ME AND SAID, "GET PASTOR'S COINS OUT OF THAT SAFE." AND I

THOUGHT, IT KIND OF TOOK ME BACK. IT WAS KIND OF STRANGE

BECAUSE I HAD NO THOUGHT OF THAT. THAT I WAS COMING BACK

FROM LUNCH THINKING ABOUT THE THINGS THAT I HAD TO DO THE REST

OF THE DAY. AND WHEN GOD REVEALED THAT TO ME, I THOUGHT,

"WHY? WHY AM I HEARING THIS?" AND THAT'S AN... I DON'T KNOW IF

THIS WILL APPLY TO ANYONE ELSE, BUT IT HELPS ME. MANY TIMES WHEN

GOD SPEAKS TO ME, IT'S SOMETHING THAT I AM NOT AT ALL THINKING

ABOUT IN MY NATURAL MIND. IT BOILS UP IN ME AND IT CAN ALMOST

CATCH ME OFF GUARD. IF I'M THINKING ABOUT SOMETHING AND

TRYING TO RATIONALIZE IT IN MY MIND, MANY TIMES IT'S NOT GOD.

BUT WHEN IT JUST COMES UP OUT OF NOWHERE, DOES THAT MAKE SENSE?

YEAH, THAT'S WHEN I A LOT OF TIMES KNOW THAT, OKAY, THAT'S

GOD SPEAKING TO ME. SO I HAD A DECISION TO MAKE AT THAT POINT.

DO I BOTHER THESE PASTORS, GIVE THEM A CALL AND TELL THEM THAT

THEY NEED TO MAKE AN EFFORT TO GET THESE COINS OUT OF THE SAFE?

OR DO I NEED TO JUST WAIT ON THIS FOR A WHILE AND MAYBE IT'LL

BE CONFIRMED? BUT I FELT AN URGENCY AND I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW,

THEY MIGHT THINK I'M NUTS, BUT I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND CALL

THEM AND TELL THEM WHAT I HEARD. SO I MOVED FORWARD BELIEVING

THAT I'D HEARD GOD. I CALLED THEM AND THEY WERE VERY

RECEPTIVE TO THAT. THEY SAID, "OKAY." SO THE NEXT MORNING WE

WENT TO THE LOCAL BANK. WE OPENED A SAFE DEPOSIT BOX IN

THEIR NAME AND WE MOVED THOSE COINS OUT OF THAT CHURCH SAFE,

GOT THEM SECURED. THEY HAD THE KEYS. WE WERE FINE. I DIDN'T

THINK ANY MORE ABOUT IT. AND ABOUT A WEEK OR MAYBE IT WAS TWO

WEEKS LATER, I GOT A CALL ON A SUNDAY MORNING. THE CHURCH HAD

BEEN BROKEN INTO. THERE WAS A PERKINS RESTAURANT RIGHT ACROSS

THE STREET FROM THIS CHURCH AND THE THIEVES HAD BROKEN INTO THAT

PERKINS RESTAURANT THAT NIGHT AND THEY'D ALSO BROKEN INTO THIS

CHURCH. WELL, THE INTERESTING THING WAS THEY KNOCKED DOWN THE

DOOR, THE WOODEN DOOR THAT WAS THE OFFICE WHERE THE ACCOUNTING

WAS AND WHERE THE SAFE WAS. THEY KNOCKED THAT DOOR DOWN, GOT

THROUGH THERE, AND THEY USED EXPLOSIVES TO BREAK INTO THAT

SAFE. THEY BLEW THE DOOR OFF THAT SAFE. WELL, EVIDENTLY,

THESE THIEVES WERE NOT SAVED PROTESTANTS THAT WENT TO CHURCH

BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T THINK ABOUT THE FACT THAT DOING THIS ON A

SATURDAY NIGHT DIDN'T MAKE SENSE BECAUSE OUR OFFERINGS ARE GONE

AFTER SUNDAY. WHAT WE WOULD DO IS WE'D PUT THE SUNDAY OFFERINGS

IN THE SAFE AND THEN MONDAYS WE WOULD GET THEM SECURELY TO THE

BANK. AND THAT SAFE JUST HELD THEM FROM SUNDAY NIGHT TILL

MONDAY MORNING. OR SUNDAY, YEAH, SUNDAY NIGHT TILL MONDAY

MORNING. THOSE THIEVES DIDN'T KNOW THAT. SO THE ONLY THING IN

THAT SAFE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF PETTY CASH, WHICH I DON'T KNOW,

A FEW HUNDRED DOLLARS MAYBE, AND THEN A BUNCH OF LEGAL DOCUMENTS

AND PAPERS. AND THERE WERE PAPERS STREWN ALL OVER THAT

HALLWAY IN THAT AREA, 'CAUSE YOU COULD TELL THEY HAD JUST DUG

THROUGH TRYING TO FIND ANYTHING THEY COULD FIND IN THAT SAFE.

WELL, THEY DIDN'T GET ANYTHING EXCEPT A LITTLE BIT OF PETTY

CASH, AND THEY MADE A MESS. AT THAT POINT, I WAS THINKING, "OH,

I'M REALLY GLAD THAT I LISTENED TO THAT AND THAT PASTORS WERE

WILLING TO GET THAT MOVED," BECAUSE IT WAS A PRETTY GOOD SUM

OF MONEY BACK THEN IN 2002. I MEAN, $10,000 IS STILL A GOOD

SUM OF MONEY. BUT TODAY, IT WOULD PROBABLY BE $25,000. SO OF

COURSE, THE DESTRUCTION THAT WAS TAKING PLACE THERE WAS COVERED

BY INSURANCE. AND THERE WAS NO INSURANCE ON THE PRECIOUS

METALS. THEY'RE VERY DIFFICULT TO INSURE BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT

SERIAL NUMBERED. THERE'S NO WAY TO TRACK THEM, REALLY. IT'S VERY

DIFFICULT TO INSURE THOSE. SO THEY WOULD HAVE JUST SPENT OUT

THAT MONEY. SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO HEAR, BUT IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO

OBEY WHEN YOU HEAR. PROVERBS 3, VERSES 5 AND 6, I DON'T THINK WE

Proverbs 3:5

HAVE IT ON THE SCREEN TONIGHT, BUT IT'S A SCRIPTURE YOU'RE VERY

FAMILIAR WITH, BUT IT FITS. "TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL

THINE HEART, AND LEAN NOT TO YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING. IN ALL

THE WAYS, ACKNOWLEDGE HIM, AND HE SHALL DIRECT YOUR PATHS. IF

WE ACKNOWLEDGE HIM CONTINUOUSLY, ALLOW HIM TO SPEAK, HE'LL DIRECT

YOUR PATHS. SO WE HAVE TO LEARN TO LEAN ON GOD'S WISDOM RATHER

THAN OUR OWN LIMITED PERSPECTIVES. TO BE ABLE TO HEAR

GOD'S VOICE, WE HAVE TO SET ASIDE TIME AND WAIT IN HIS

PRESENCE AND ALLOW HIM TO TALK TO US. AND IT'S WHEN WE'RE QUIET

BEFORE GOD THAT WE CAN HEAR HIM MOST CLEARLY. AND SOMETIMES

HE'LL JUST SPEAK TO YOU WHEN YOU'RE ON A MISSION, LIKE THAT

DAY THAT I GOT OUT OF MY CAR, I WAS ON A MISSION TO GO INSIDE

AND DO SOME WORK. I WASN'T SITTING THERE MEDITATING OR

TRYING TO LISTEN, IT JUST CAME. AND THANK GOD FOR THAT BECAUSE

SOMETIMES WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY DAY AND WE NEED DIRECTION

NOW. WE DON'T HAVE-- I MEAN, YOU CAN'T SIT AND PRAY ALL DAY

YOU CAN'T SIT AND LISTEN TO HEAR GOD'S VOICE ALL DAY.

YOU'D NEVER GET ANYTHING DONE OR ACCOMPLISHED IF

THAT'S ALL YOU DID. THAT'S NOT GOD EITHER BECAUSE

HE EXPECTS US TO WORK. HE EXPECTS US TO MOVE FORWARD

AND ACCOMPLISH SOMETHING. SO THERE'S BALANCE IN OUR

LIVES. THAT'S A WHOLE OTHER SUBJECT. YOU CAN PREACH ON THAT

ONE SOMEDAY, BOB. OKAY. HALLELUJAH. BUT WE CAN ASK HIM,

"WHAT ARE YOU SAYING TO ME NOW?" SCRIPTURE TELLS US HOW THE

PROPHET ELIJAH LEARNED TO HEAR THE VOICE OF THE LORD. IN 1

KINGS 19, 11 THROUGH 13, GOD TOLD ELIJAH TO STAND BEFORE HIM

ON THE MOUNTAIN, AND A GREAT WIND BEGAN TO BLOW. BUT THE

LORD'S VOICE WAS NOT IN THE WIND. THEN AN EARTHQUAKE SHOOK

THE MOUNTAIN, BUT THE LORD WAS NOT SPEAKING THROUGH THE

EARTHQUAKE. AND THEN A FIRE BEGAN TO BLAZE AND ROAR, BUT

GOD'S VOICE WAS NOT IN THE FIRE. AND AT LAST, ELIJAH HEARD A

STILL, SMALL VOICE. THE VOICE OF THE LORD WAS SPEAKING TO HIM.

IN OUR FAST-PACED WORLD, WE OFTEN DON'T GET QUIET ENOUGH

TO HEAR THAT STILL SMALL VOICE. WE DON'T SPEND ENOUGH TIME

COMMUNING WITH THE LORD TO BE ABLE TO HEAR

HIM SPEAK. IT'S EASY TO GET IMPATIENT IN OUR PRAYER TIMES

AND MAKE UP THE ANSWERS OURSELVES, AND THEN DECIDE

THAT THAT'S GOD'S ANSWER. WE HEAD IN A CERTAIN DIRECTION,

AND THEN WE WONDER WHY THINGS DON'T GO AS WELL

AS THEY COULD HAVE. SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE DO SPEND TIME

EVERY DAY HEARING GOD'S VOICE, QUALITY TIME WITH HIM. TEST

NUMBER TWO, WHAT IS THE SPIRITUAL IMPACT OF WHAT YOU'RE

HEARING? THAT'S THE SECOND TEST. DOES IT UPLIFT AND MINISTER

LIFE, OR DOES IT HAVE A HEAVY DEADENING EFFECT? WE APPLY THIS

TEST TO WHEN WE HEAR WORDS SPOKEN BY OTHERS, BUT WE ALSO

NEED TO APPLY IT TO WHAT WE'RE HEARING IN OUR HEARTS. WE SAW IN

LUKE 4 THAT THE DEVIL CAN QUOTE THE WORD OF GOD, EVEN THOUGH IT

WAS TWISTED. HE TRIED TO QUOTE IT. HE WAS QUOTING TO JESUS

SOMETHING THAT WAS MISAPPLIED AND HAD TO BE COUNTERED BY

ANOTHER PASSAGE THAT CORRECTED THE MISAPPLICATION. AND GOD'S

PLAN FOR US IS NOT DEFEAT. GOD'S WILL FOR US IS VICTORY IN JESUS.

WE'RE MORE THAN CONQUERORS THROUGH HIM WHO LOVED US. AND WE

NEED TO DISCERN WHETHER THE BIBLICAL TRUTH THAT WE'RE

BELIEVING WE'RE HEARING IS BEING PROPERLY APPLIED IN THE LIGHT OF

SCRIPTURE AND WHAT THE IMPACT IT'S HAVING ON OUR INNER MAN.

AND I SAY INNER MAN BECAUSE SOMETIMES A TRUE WORD CAN BE

CORRECTIVE OR EMOTIONALLY TOUGH ON THE NATURAL MAN. IT DOESN'T

MEAN THAT EVERYTHING YOU HEAR IS GOING TO BE FLUFF AND HOW

WONDERFUL YOU ARE. YOU MAY GET A CORRECTIVE WORD IN YOUR SPIRIT.

THAT'S OKAY. BUT IT STILL SHOULD LEAD YOU TO A PATH OF LIFE. A

TRUE WORD WILL NOT DEPLETE YOUR INNER SPIRIT. IT WON'T DRAIN

LIFE FROM YOUR SPIRIT. EDDIE, YOU CAN COME. WE'RE JUST ABOUT

READY TO CLOSE TONIGHT. A TRUE WORD FROM GOD WILL STRENGTHEN

YOU WITHIN. IT'LL BRING LIFE AND VITALITY TO YOUR SPIRIT.

JESUS SAID IN JOHN 6:63, "THE WORDS THAT I SPEAK TO YOU

John 6:63

ARE SPIRIT, THEY ARE LIFE." HIS WORDS ARE LIFE-GIVING

TO OUR SPIRITS. THEY STRENGTHEN OUR INNER MAN. SO MY

POINT IS THAT WE TEST WHAT WE'RE HEARING IN OUR SPIRIT. THE

TESTING CAN HAPPEN VERY QUICKLY. JESUS' RESPONSE TO THE VOICE

THAT HE HEARD IN LUKE CHAPTER 4 PROBABLY HAPPENED WITHIN

Luke 4 · chapter mention

SECONDS. HE DIDN'T SAY, WELL, NOW, SATAN, I NEED A LITTLE TIME

TO GO DO A BIBLE STUDY HERE. AND WHEN I FIGURE OUT GOD'S ANSWER

TO THIS AND FIND SOME SCRIPTURE, THEN WE'LL COME BACK AND HAVE A

DISCUSSION. HE RESPONDED OUT OF GOD'S WORD THAT WAS WRITTEN IN

HIS HEART. AND IF WE APPLY THESE TESTS, WE CAN MORE ACCURATELY

FILTER OUT DECEPTIVE THOUGHTS OR THOUGHTS THAT ORIGINATE IN OUR

OWN MINDS. AND AS WE DO THAT, WE'LL BUILD CONFIDENCE TO FOLLOW

THE PROMPTINGS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. WE HAVE TO OBEY THE

VOICE OF THE SPIRIT. IF WE BACK OFF FROM THAT OBEDIENCE AND

SIMPLY DO WHAT OUR REASON AND EMOTIONS TELL US TO DO, THEN WE

WON'T GROW IN THAT THING THAT WE'RE CALLING WALKING IN THE

SPIRIT. WE WANT TO GROW IN THAT. WE WANT TO GET MORE RECEPTIVE TO

HEARING GOD'S VOICE. AND THAT'S WHY 1 THESSALONIANS 5, 19

THROUGH 21, INSTRUCTS US IN THIS WAY. IT SAYS, "DO NOT QUENCH,

SUBDUE, OR BE UNRESPONSIVE TO THE WORKING AND GUIDANCE OF THE

HOLY SPIRIT. DO NOT SCORN OR REJECT GIFTS OF PROPHECY OR

PROPHECIES, SPOKEN REVELATIONS, WORDS OF INSTRUCTION, OR

EXHORTATION, OR WARNING. BUT TEST ALL THINGS CAREFULLY SO

THAT YOU CAN RECOGNIZE WHAT IS GOOD. HOLD FIRMLY TO THAT WHICH

IS GOOD. SO HEARING GOD'S VOICE IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF WALKING

IN THE SPIRIT AND LIVING A FULFILLED CHRISTIAN LIFE AND

ACCOMPLISHING WHAT GOD HAS FOR US. IT DOES REQUIRE SOME

PATIENCE, PRACTICE, AND FAITH ON OUR PART. BUT AS YOU START TO

HEAR GOD'S STILL SMALL VOICE, RESPOND TO THAT. BECAUSE YOU CAN

QUENCH THE SPIRIT ALSO, AND YOU CAN NOT RESPOND, NOT DO WHAT

GOD'S TOLD YOU TO DO, AND MANY TIMES YOU WON'T RECEIVE

ADDITIONAL DIRECTION AS QUICKLY WHEN YOU DO THAT. SO IF YOU'RE

STUCK, GO BACK TO THE LAST THING THAT GOD TOLD YOU TO DO AND

FULFILL THAT. AND THEN YOU'LL OPEN UP THAT CHANNEL AGAIN FOR

HIM TO CONTINUE SPEAKING. MAKE TIME EVERY DAY TO LISTEN TO THE

VOICE OF GOD. IT'LL TRANSFORM YOUR LIFE. SOME OF YOU THAT ARE

HERE TONIGHT OR YOU MIGHT BE WATCHING, YOU DESIRE TO PRESS IN

MORE, BUT YOU HAVE TO MAKE THAT DECISION THAT YOU'RE GOING TO

LISTEN TO GOD'S VOICE, YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE TIME, AND YOU'RE

GOING TO BE GROUNDED IN THE WORD. AND AS YOU DO THAT, YOU

CAN UNDERSTAND THERE'S A GRAVITY, A GRAVITY TO THIS ISSUE

OF GREAT IMPORTANCE. IT'S SO IMPORTANT. I DON'T KNOW HOW TO

STATE IT ANY CLEARER THAN THAT. IF YOU DON'T LEARN TO HEAR THE

VOICE OF GOD, YOU CAN STUMBLE THROUGH LIFE AND NOT ACCOMPLISH

YOUR DESTINY. SO ONCE YOU BECOME A BELIEVER, YOU GET FILLED WITH

THE HOLY SPIRIT, THERE'S NOTHING MORE IMPORTANT THAN LEARNING TO

HEAR THE VOICE OF GOD. AND YOU CAN DO LIKE SOLOMON, WHO HAD

EVERYTHING. HE HAD RICHES, HE HAD POWER. HE JUST SAID, "GOD, I

NEED WISDOM." THERE'S NOTHING MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE WISDOM

OF GOD IN OUR LIVES, THE DIRECTION THAT HE'LL GIVE YOU,

BECAUSE IT ANSWERS EVERYTHING. WELL, WHY DON'T YOU STAND WITH

ME? LET'S DO THIS TONIGHT. I'M JUST GONNA PRAY. YOU JUST STAND

THERE FOR A MOMENT AND RECEIVE FROM HIM. IN YOUR OWN WORDS,

JUST ASK GOD TONIGHT. UNDER YOUR OWN BREATH, JUST ASK HIM, LORD,

GIVE ME THE DIRECTION THAT I NEED. HELP ME TO BE SENSITIVE TO

YOUR SPIRIT. HELP ME TO RECEIVE ALL THAT YOU WOULD HAVE FOR ME.

AND THEN HELP ME TO BE OBEDIENT, LORD, IN EVERY AREA OF MY LIFE.

HELP ME TO BE OBEDIENT AND TO QUICKLY RESPOND TO WHAT YOU

WOULD HAVE FOR ME. FATHER, I PRAY FOR THOSE WATCHING ONLINE

AND THOSE HERE TONIGHT, AND WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORD. I THANK

YOU, LORD, THAT YOUR WORD IS A SURE FOUNDATION. AND AS WE CLING

TO YOU, YOUR WORD, WE BECOME MORE GROUNDED IN YOUR WORD, AND

YOU DIRECT US BY YOUR SPIRIT. I BELIEVE, LORD, THAT YOU'LL OPEN

OUR EARS TO HEAR YOUR VOICE IN A GREATER WAY THAN WE EVER HAVE

BEFORE. TONIGHT WE COME TOGETHER IN FAITH, BELIEVING FOR THAT,

THAT WE WILL RECEIVE THE IMPARTATION, THE ANOINTING, AND

THE GIFTINGS THAT WE NEED TO ACCOMPLISH EVERYTHING THAT

YOU'VE CALLED US TO DO. WE WILL REACT APPROPRIATELY AND WE'LL

RESPOND TO THOSE SO THAT WE CAN GET EVERYTHING DONE THAT YOU

WOULD HAVE SET BEFORE US, AND WE DO IT TO YOUR GLORY. IN THE

MIGHTY NAME OF JESUS, AMEN, AMEN. WELL, THANK YOU FOR COMING

TONIGHT. DON'T MISS SUNDAY BECAUSE PASTORS WILL BE BACK IN

THE HOUSE. THEY HAD A GREAT VACATION, AND NOW WE'RE GONNA BE

EXCITED TO HAVE THEM BACK, AND IT'LL BE ANOINTED. SUNDAY

MORNING, 9 O'CLOCK, WITH A REPEAT BROADCAST AT 1130. AND OF

COURSE, YOU THAT ARE HERE, BE HERE. BRING SOMEONE WITH YOU TO

THE HOUSE OF THE LORD. LET'S FILL THIS PLACE UP, PACK IT OUT.

THANK YOU FOR COMING TONIGHT. GOD BLESS YOU. WE'LL SEE YOU

SUNDAY MORNING. [APPLAUSE]