Let Freedom Reign

Last week, I preached to you, Let Freedom Ring,

R -I -N -G. Talked about how we are liberated

through Jesus Christ, amen? So today, I want

to share with you a little bit about Let Freedom

Rain. Let Freedom Rain. You can look to Psalm

33 and 12, and then you can look to Proverbs

14, 34. 33 and 12 declares, blessed is the nation

whose God is the Lord. You need to read the entirety

of that 33rd Psalm. And before you get to verse

12, it really lays you a wonderful foundation

for that declaration. That the nation whose God

is the Lord is blessed. Proverbs 14, 34 declares,

righteousness exalteth the nation. But sin is

a reproach or a disgrace to any people. This

week I was thinking as we are celebrating our

nation's 250th birthday. As nations goes, we're

very young. We're still the baby of the family.

And as I begin to think about this liberty that

we have. Not to overemphasize, but I don't know

how it affected you when we couldn't come to

church, when they said we could. We could have

and probably should have. But anyway, that left

a lasting effect upon my psyche. What are you

saying, Pastor? I'm saying it messed with my

head because it stirred from my heart. It moved

from within my being to my mind. I began to think

about and process how that they could just shut

us down and seemingly without recourse. And church,

we just kind of rolled over and took it. I think

because it was such a sudden move. It wasn't

like it had been planned. Like, you know, six

months, you've got to get ready. You're going

to close your doors in six months. No one's going

to church. No one's going to be allowed to be

at church. That wasn't the case. So it was just

all of a sudden, it was like we were shell -shocked.

That's kind of how I felt. And then how it affected

people and how people responded. Some people

have not gone back to church yet. probably will

never enter another church house again until

somebody wheels them in in a wood box. And so

all of that has kind of left a scar on me. I

don't know how it's a thing. You may have already

moved on and it just blip on the radar for you,

but not for me because I see the implications

for the church and for the body of Christ and

for the kingdom of God and how easily. that when

that old beast rises and everything, the Antichrist

begins to take over and do his thing, how easily

folks are just going to fall right in. I mean,

that's the reason we have the warning of Scripture

that we must take care for. Even the very elect

will be deceived. You think you're on solid ground

now, and we don't let much of anything shake

us. And keep us from being here. Let alone when

the decree comes again, the next time it will

be different. It will be jail time. So what are

we going to do? We must let freedom reign. With

global unrest the way that it is. And high tensions.

The anxiety of the world. The world is on edge.

For many, the only certain thing in their life

is the uncertainty that they feel themselves

surrounded by. Have you noticed that, that maybe

there's some kind of an uneasy feeling going

on inside of you? You just can't determine what

maybe that is. It could be a sense of uncertainty

because we're really not sure how things are

going to wind up. People of every nation are

looking to and looking for political solutions,

politicians to come up with solutions, education,

right? Technology. Well, AI is going to fix it

all. AI is going to make a bigger mess out of

stuff than the mess already is. Now, it's like

all things. It's like everything. It's a tool

if it's used properly and correctly. Amen? It

can have benefits. But what happens is... People,

human beings with brains supposedly, at least

gray matter, begin to turn over their thinking

to the machine and surrender their individuality

over to a machine. I forgot what the statistics

are, but you would be amazed at the percentage

of people who are okay with an AI pastor. That

they feel as though they can get the spiritual

encouragement that they need from AI. Well, I

guarantee you right now that ChatGPT didn't feel

on it what I felt on me a while ago. Or you,

as far as that matter goes. So, no. You need

some country bunking to a PhD and everywhere

in between. We need, humanity needs, an anointed

man or woman of God to stand under the unction.

and proclaimed thus saith the Lord. We need willing

spirit -filled vessels that will yield when they

feel the unction from on high to say this is

the Lord. I say to you, remember I am with you.

I haven't forsaken you. I am encouraging you

to trust in me. I know where you are. I know

what you're going through. So trust me. AI can't

do that. But the world is looking for technology.

They're looking for wealth. They're looking for

anything that will offer them some repose from

life's dilemma. They're looking for a respite.

They're just looking for a little relief. Come

on now. These may offer some sense. of relief

from time to time. Wealth can help a few things.

I mean, you don't have to really think about

going through chicken nuggets over here at Chick

-fil -A and getting a six or the 12. If you want

the 12, if you got wealth, you can get the 12.

I mean, if you got wealth, just tell them to

bring you that 30 count. Hello? Wealth can solve

a lot of life's issues and a lot of life's dilemmas.

I started to say Dalai Lamas, but it won't help

him either. He forsook it all. He's in a mountain

in Tibet somewhere in a robe ringing a bell.

But for you and I, the word of God offers and

gives to us the answers. That the world needs

and not just the world. Let's just narrow this

thing down. The word of God gives you what you

need. It gives me and provides for me what I

need to survive life's dilemmas. This is about

survival. Oh, I wish it were as many like to

think it is that when you come to Jesus, life

is all hunky -dory. Everything is fine. It's

roses without thorns. Amen? That's what a lot

of people think. They begin to point a finger.

Well, if you're going through that, it's like

Job's comforters. What did you do? Where have

you sinned? What's going on? No, no, sometimes

persecution comes because of your righteousness.

Sometimes tribulation comes your way. Because

you are a sold -out, blood -bought, sanctified,

spirit -filled child of the living God. Amen.

And tribulation comes your way. You don't have

to do anything wrong. Sometimes it's just about

what we're doing right, church. And what we're

doing right is serving the Lord with all our

heart, with all our soul, with all our mind,

with all our strength, and every fiber of being

that we have and all that we possess. And that

puts the devil on the edge. not going to sit

around without trying your faith. Well, my Lord,

it's time that we understand that the trial of

our faith, it worketh patience. And patience,

when she's had her perfect work and when it's

all said and done, I'm still standing rooted,

still standing firmly. I'm still girding up my

loins with truth. I got truth on me. I got my

shoes on my feet, my helmet on my head, my sword

in my hand, and my shield extended. before me

there's answers and the answer comes from Psalm

33 and 12 blessed is the nation whose God is

the Lord you may be sitting here saying well

pastor that's fine and dandy for a nation but

I'm really in need of something a little more

personal isn't that the way it is sometimes it's

okay for the nation but Lord I need something

a little more personal so how can I How can you,

how can we be blessed when the nation is a mess?

I heard a preacher say the other day that there

are no quote unquote Christian nations. No such

thing as a Christian. This is not a Christian

nation that you and I live in. No, no, no, no.

If it were, there'd be things a whole lot different

than what they are. But what there does exist

are some Christians in this nation. Amen. I know

what our Pledge of Allegiance says, one nation

under God, invisible with liberty and justice

for all. But you do know there's a bunch out

there trying to get that taken out, right? Why?

Because they don't want to be under God. But

we, I. I am under God. Amen. And the liberty

that I have comes from the freedom that he reigns

supreme. Amen. And freedom is ringing from the

highest rampart. Nations are the sum total of

the individuals which comprise their citizenship.

However, God also operates on a much more personal

level. He gets right personal. And this is how

we understand that we can be blessed. Amen. That

God will bless your life. Psalm 1 and 1. Here's

how you begin it. Blessed is the man that walketh

not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth

in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat

of the scornful. Psalm 34 and 8. O taste and

see that the Lord is good. Blessed, blessed is

the man that trusteth. Isn't that what the Lord's

been trying to tell us this morning over and

over and over? The Spirit again reiterated, reiterated,

trust me, trust me, trust me. I got you, I got

you, I got you. I've got you, I've got you. That

trust in the Lord, they're going to be blessed.

94 and 12, the psalmist said, blessed is the

man, blessed is the man whom thou chasteneth.

Amen. When we are open and will willingly receive

the correction of the Lord, you become blessed.

Why? Because you don't miss the mark the next

day. time. After you get them legs striped real

good, you don't do what you got striped for again,

especially if mama's close. Yeah, mama. Now think

about how much we should. Correct our actions

with he, the all -seeing eye, whose eye is always

earthward and ear turned toward the hearing,

who misses nothing. But if you align and allow

the correction, you're going to be blessed. Amen.

Matthew 5 and 3, it keeps going. Blessed are

the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom

of God. I know there's some poor in here, poor

in finances, but yet there are those who may

be poor in spirit as well. But I'm here to tell

you, if you're... You're poor in your spirit

if you're weak and you're drawn or if you're

withdrawn in spirit. I want you to know the Lord

has a mind towards you and he's going to determine

his blessings to be poured out on your life.

Blessed are those who are poor in spirit. Why,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. I don't

know about you, but that really starts to get

me to thinking. I want to be blessed. Amen. I

want God's favor. Luke 10 and 30. And Jesus answering

said, a certain man went down. from Jerusalem

to Jericho and fell among thieves which stripped

him of all his raiment and wounded him and departed

leaving him half dead. Dead. Now, if you want

to get down to some personal stuff, this is where

we're headed. The man can be blessed who walks

in the way of the Lord and lives out the trust

of the Lord and does all the Lord's commandments.

And he that is poor will be blessed. But you

also got to hear this. God gets very personal

with your personal situations. There was a certain

man. He could have just said a man, but he wanted

it pinpointed. There was a certain man who went

down to Jericho, and when he got there, Got down

there. The thieves set on him. They beat him

and stripped him and left him for half dead.

Now, you can't just go past the half dead. You

got to hold on to being half dead. Don't give

up if you're feeling like you're half dead. Half

dead is still half alive. You're as much alive

as you are dead. Hallelujah. And when the Lord

finds you in your condition, he is able, he is

able, he is able, he is able to cause you to

arise. Arise, there was a good Samaritan. This

is the story. A priest crossed over. A Levite

went around him. But there was, my Lord, there

was a Samaritan that went by his way, felt sorry

for him, had compassion on him, picked him up,

took him to the hotel, cleaned him up, wiped

him up, bought him some clothes, and left money

on the counter and said, if there's any more,

keep up with it, and I'll catch up when I come

back to town. That's the way God is. You may

feel like you're half dead. but he's got to stop

along your way. There's provision about to come

into your life. There's an anointing, an anointment

that is about to come your way. God ain't going

to leave you half dead. He's not going to leave

you half dead. A certain man. My God, I felt

like I'd been wrung out and hung on the line.

Huh? Life will leave you wrung out. Toss you

aside, as the old saying, like a limp dish rag.

Everybody knows what that is. We use sponges

with a little scrubber on the side of them now.

You get a pack of six, and when it gets dirtiest,

throw it away and grab you another. You don't

have to wash the wash rag. Simplicity of life.

God's not going to leave you half dead. Somebody

in here, the Holy Ghost done moved in here. This

is just affirmation. This is just affirmation.

See what he's telling you? I told you I wouldn't

leave you half dead. You just drug yourself in

here barely. Come on now. You know what I'm talking

about. You didn't even really want to be here

today. You could have been anywhere else but

here. But something in the back of your mind

said, I think I can drag myself down. It better

be good today. That's the reason I'm preaching.

I want you to leave here, amen, with more than

just a goose bump. Amen. Because some of you

are sitting there, it's like the horseshoe effect.

Some of us, we don't get the full heat. We just

kind of sit around the edge. So I'm trying to

leave something with you too. Everybody that

jumped in the middle, I'm trying to take care

of the edges. It's like Sister Dolores stopped

by the office this morning and was telling me

about their fourth yesterday. And them grand

youngins, big youngins, son -in -laws, they're

doing cannonballs in the pool. And she said,

we just had our regular clothes on and they're

just doing all they can do to get us soaking

wet. That's what I'm trying to do to you. You

didn't jump in this morning. I'm just trying

to splash one big enough to get you wet that

lets you know that you may feel half dead and

couldn't get in, but he's not going to leave

you. He's dispatching help to pick you up. Now

you see why I wanted to preach it so bad. Why?

Because I've been on the side of the road needing

to pick me up. Felt half dead, wrung out. I'm

like the psalmist now. I feel like I can run

through a troop and leap over a wall. Hallelujah.

Whoo! My Lord. That's a certain man. John 5,

5, a certain man was there which had an infirmity

38 years. What's that mean for me? Well, maybe

you've had your problem a long time. Maybe you've

been dealing with it and dealing with it and

you just got accustomed to it. He gave up hope

many years prior to being healed when he got

to the pool. You know, this is the story where

the waters troubled and the first one in received

healing. That's this story. And this man done

gave up a long time ago. If you ever go over

there and see where that pool's at, you'll say,

oh. No wonder a lame man or whatever had so much

trouble. A blind man can stumble around and fall

in. I mean, he got that going for him. You know

what they say about the blind hog? He'll root

up an acre every now and then. But a lame man,

he ain't stumbling anywhere. And so when Jesus

comes by and finds this certain man, now there's

a multitude of people there. A multitude. And

only one has the potential of getting any help.

One. So here comes Jesus walking through this

multitude of people laid around. It's probably

like some of y 'all. How many of you got your

favorite spot? You like to go watch those fireworks?

Anybody? You got your spot. You know where to

go? Yeah, it's okay. I'm not going, you know.

It's good. It's a good thing. This old boy had

his favorite spot by the pool. He knew he wasn't

getting in. He just tried not to get in anybody's

way. How do you know he knew he wasn't getting

in? Jesus came walking by, and he stopped in

front of this certain man, personal. Now, you

can go read through Scripture, and you'll see

through the Gospels that sometimes he went through.

He went through the crowd looking for one person,

and he found this certain man who'd been laying

there for 38 years. You better grab hold of that

volume because this is about to get right. Feels

good, though. He comes to the man. He says, Wilt

thou be made whole? Well, you see, it's like

this. When that water starts rippling, you know,

it's just me. I have no man to help me in the

pool. That's not what I asked you. I didn't ask

you where was your help at. I asked you, do you

want to be made whole? Sometimes you got to be

honest with yourself and answer the question.

Do you or don't you? Do you want to be whole

or not? If you want to be whole, when he approaches

you, you seize the moment. It's got nothing to

do with the water when Jesus comes in. If there

was an angel, see it. It come with his approval.

Ha! I got to get on here. I stayed too long.

Sorry. Mark 5, 25. I mean, I don't want to leave

the ladies out. I'm trying to get, you know,

because all you've covered up, blessed is the

man, and a certain man, a certain man. Well,

here's a certain woman. In Mark 5, 25, a certain

woman which had an issue of blood for 12 years.

Now, some of you, you see how we got these time

frame, these time periods going. Got the old

boy for 38 years lugging his load. Now we got

this woman who'd been walking around weak and

anemic for 12. She'd been in that condition.

She had that issue for 12 years. How long have

you had your issue? How long have you been dealing

with your issue? Hers was an issue of blood.

What is your issue? What is it that's holding

you? What is it that's hindering you? What is

it that is causing life paralysis? In your life.

And how long have you been dealing with it? A

certain woman. Ladies, there you go. Oh, there's

more. Luke 7, 37. And behold, a woman in the

city, which was a sinner. He didn't call her

by name, but he called her action. When she knew

Jesus sat at meet in the Pharisee's house, brought.

Box of ointment. You can feel so obscured in

life, nobody knows your name. No one even knows

who you are. It doesn't matter if anyone knows

who you are so long as Jesus knows who you are.

And when the religious folks in the house started,

my Lord, why don't we take that and sell it?

That's a month's worth of wages. Yeah, yeah,

yeah, that's the way they are. The religious.

This ain't got nothing to do with religion. It's

got all to do with relationship. This woman was

desperate and needed a relationship. So she spent

a year's wages and brought in some oil and broke

that box out and poured it on his feet. That

made them even more indignant because most of

it ended up in the dirt floor or on that old

cobblestone floor of that Pharisee's house. And

right there it poured out. My Lord, thank you,

Lord. Thank you, Lord. Never thought of what

just come through my mind, but it came through

like a F -16. Milton, I don't know if you ever

have those moments. I just had one. 30 years

I've been preaching this. And that just thought

occurred. That anointing, that oil, the aroma

was on Jesus. But you know what? I don't know

how long that expensive perfume, they say the

more it costs, the longer it lasts. A little

dab of doogie, well, she poured out a little

box full. Every time old hypocrite went to the

store and come back in the house. Guess what

went through his mind? That Jesus smell still

in his eye. He takes notice, folks. And there's

a residue left behind after he touches you. When

he touches you and you leave, wherever you were

touched at, there's some leftover. If you don't

believe me, get the key to tomorrow. Somebody

come by here and let you in. You stroll through

here with no lights on in this house. You come

and you walk right down through here, and I guarantee

you every hair on the back of your neck is going

to stand up. How do you know, pastor? Because

I come and walk through it quite frequently.

Hey, why? Because I know there's been a visitation.

I know that the anointing and the ointment of

his presence has showed up. And what are you

saying? I want to come and sit in it a little

bit longer. Down on my knees in that floor yesterday,

it was there when I knelt down. It was there

when I got up. He was here when I walked out.

He met me when I come back in this morning. Oh,

I'm trying to quit. That's just the end of point

number one. Secondly, righteous living positions

you for his blessings. You can live righteous

even in a nation of heathens. How so? Because

Christians are being martyred around this world.

Somewhere. This very day, a precious man or woman

or child of God has breathed their last breath

by not denying the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

And we want to come in, be comfortable, not kept

too long, not sing too much. We're talking. We're

talking about the God of heaven who deserves

every ounce of our breath. We have security.

We've got cameras everywhere now, but we're not

looking for soldiers to come marching in. That's

not what we're looking for. We're looking for

some misbeguided idiot that might wander upon

the property driven by a spirit of evil to do

harm. But many nations in this world, people...

Those in whom are protecting them or should be

protecting them are the very ones that are taking

their lives because of their faith. Righteousness,

righteous living positions you for blessings.

Somebody's wanting to know where you at. I got

a table. Tell them preacher's still preaching

and it don't look like he's letting up. If I

can slip out, I will. If that's you, go ahead.

I'll take a second for you to text them. Tell

them. And if you need to slip out, I'll wait

on you. If you do that, you got more nerve, I'm

telling you, than a rodeo clown. My eyes are

as red as a bull, I can guarantee you right now.

For a nation to be favored by God, righteousness

is a must. Righteousness exalts a nation, but

sin is a reproach to any people. There's a...

ten -stage life cycle of civilizations throughout

history. All nations go through it. I'm going

to run through it real quick and try not to preach

it just to let you know what they are. The first

stage, people move from bondage to spiritual

faith. Secondly, from spiritual faith to great

courage. You've got to have faith to have courage.

That's the reason in the Roman Colosseums they

could stand back to back and sing the hymns as

they loosed the lions. From great courage to

liberty. Because courage begins to stand up against

tyranny. Begins to stand up against it. Then

from liberty to abundance. That's what we celebrated

250 years of yesterday. Liberty. Move from liberty

to abundance. Oh, my, my, my. We're starting

to get where we're living now. Move from abundance

to selfishness. It progressed through from selfishness

to complacency. From complacency to apathy. From

apathy to moral decay. From moral decay to dependence.

From dependence back into bondage. It's a cycle.

Look at the nations around this world. Look at

great empires. They all went by this same cycle.

And if this country, this nation, doesn't recognize

the failure of all others throughout history

and determine not to follow in said way, we are

in abundance. We are in the courts of complacency.

You cannot deny the fact that moral decay runs

rampant in this nation. People do some of the

sickest things, and I wonder how in this world

does your mind function to do that? It ain't

nothing but evil. That moral decay feeds its

way to dependence. Isn't that what we hear? Gimme,

gimme, gimme, gimme. How far from liberty and

freedom do you have to fall to cheer in the streets

when you elect socialism? I'm trying not to be

political. But in the realm of the moral decay,

that all comes from this dependence from that

form. And then from there, simply back to bondage.

Every nation. But thankfully, there is an answer.

There's an answer that can stop and reverse the

cycle. 2 Chronicles 7, 14. If my people... which

are called by my name, shall humble themselves

and pray and seek my face and turn from their

wicked ways. Then will I hear from heaven and

will forgive their sin and will heal. Their land.

Humility. You want to be blessed of God? Then

be humble. The scripture says, Humble yourself

unto the mighty hand of God that he may exalt

you in due season. Don't have time to get on

that. God resists the proud. Doesn't he? Pride

and haughty spirit go before fall and destruction.

Humility invites the presence of God. Let freedom

reign. Prayer, revival never comes through talent.

It always comes by prayer. It's birth. Revival

don't just happen. Revival is birth through the

pains of prayer. Seeking. God's face. You want

to be blessed? Seek His face. Many desire His

hand and His miracles. But God blesses relationship.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after

righteousness and turn from the wicked ways.

Repentance opens the doorway. For God's blessings.

Sin is a reproach, remember? Thirdly, now I'm

quitting. Our greatest blessing is God's abiding

presence. You want to be blessed? Be in a house

of worship where God's presence abides. That's

why I harp so much and side gig and jig and poke

and have fun with you about being here. I poke

and have fun because if I really got serious,

some of you really wouldn't come back. So I just

try to shame you into being here, kid you into

coming along. Because, here's the because. Because

I know. When the presence of the Lord is in this

house as he has been these last couple weeks,

whatever you're dealing with can be rectified.

And I know that. And I think, Lord, I just got

to get them here. I know what you're doing in

this season. I don't know if anybody else is

scratching their head like I scratch my head

because I'm saying, God, how in this world? You

are helping me. He is helping me, folk. I am

telling you. And therefore, he's helping us together.

His presence is near. Moses understood the value

of God's presence. Stand, and while you're standing,

I won't throw down and preach, and Simone, come

on to the piano. Exodus 33, 14 says this. My

presence shall go with thee. The Lord speaking

to Moses about the promised land. My presence

shall go with thee. Hear this. We miss this one

sometimes. And I will give thee rest. I just

wonder. Who's in the exhausted line? I'm talking

more than just physical. Not less than, but a

little bit more than. You wouldn't be as physically

exhausted if you weren't as emotionally and spiritually

exhausted. You've been in the war zone. You've

been in the battle. You own the battlefield for

the Lord. And you're in that exhausted line,

but yet, Reveille sounds every morning, and you've

got to roll out. If thy presence, Moses, in response

to God, if thy presence go not with me, well,

just carry us not up hence. If you ain't going,

we ain't going. I know that's beautiful southern

language, adequate. But you know what I said,

didn't you? If you ain't going, we ain't going.

That's what Moses told God. We'll just rest right

here. In other words, God, wherever you are,

that's where I want to be. We've got the ark.

We've got a cloud today and some fire at night,

and I know you're here. So if you don't go, we

sure ain't going. Moses knew that without God's

presence, there's no victory to begin with, right?

Without God's presence in the church programs,

without God's presence are just simply powerless.

Success without the presence of God is emptiness.

How many wealthy people you know are empty, void?

I like this one. I like this one. I really did.

This stirred me. Music without God's presence

is simply enticing entertainment and performance.

Preaching without his presence is simple flattery.

And as Paul would say, enticing words of men's

wisdom. But with his presence, programs turn

into evangelistic movements. Victory is prominent

because greater is he that's in us than he that

is in this world. And the victory we have is

because of the victory of Jesus Christ himself.

And music's turned from entertainment to humbling

worship. Preaching under the anointing turns

to a life -giving resource. Convicting. Encouraging.

Correcting. But with the Holy Ghost on it, with

the presence of God on it, families are healed.

Sinners repent. The sick recover. The discouraged

folk receive strength. The church storms the

gates of hell. 2 Corinthians 3, 17 says, Where

the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

Like that place called there. Wherever the Spirit

of the Lord is, right there is liberty. That's

why we have encountered what we have today. Because

the Spirit of the Lord, the presence of God has

been here. Right there. Father, I love you today.

As far as an altar call goes, if you need one,

if you're lost without God, I invite you to come

and let me pray with you to accept Jesus Christ

as your Lord and Savior before you leave this

place today. Don't leave lost. Don't leave here

backslidden. What's that mean? You once knew

the Lord and you're back out in sin, living a

sinner's life. Father, in the name of Jesus,

over every ear in this room, may we hear and

receive what the Spirit has said to the church

today. As we go from this house, fully touched

by your presence. Watch over your people. All

those who are absent today, Lord, keep them in

your grace. Touch those who are sick and afflicted.

Deliver those who are in battle with victory.

Until you be praised forever and ever. Christ

Jesus, amen and amen.