Let No Man Take Thy Crown | Evangelist Adrian Sanford

Born while you have a chance. We come to praise Him.

We come to praise Him. We come to praise Him.

Lift his holy name. Someone lift up the name of

Jesus. We love you, Lord.

Hallelujah, Amen. Look over your neighbor and say

welcome, Amen. Welcome to this first service of

revival. I was talking to some of our

leadership and I asked them when was the last time they've been

in five consecutive services. Some were mentioning camp

meeting their conference and others have been a while that of

course that don't go to can't meet in their conference, but

that's so we're starting today. Amen.

We're glad to have each one of you 2 our guests.

I I echoed all of the responses of my wife.

Welcome to the first Apostolic Church.

You're welcome here anytime, anytime.

It don't even have to be a special revival service.

You can come and we, we'd love to have you.

Some of these spokes course no doubt are a part of our

community, work in our community and you see them on a regular

basis if you shop at some of the places here within town.

Amen. We're honored to have them

today. We're also honored to have

Evangelist Adrian Sanford this morning from Walton,

Mississippi. He has been here on more than

one occasion. He has a wonderful wife,

Courtney, and he's got 3 honorary boys and one good girl.

He has Easton and Kade and Klein and then Heidi is his girl.

And back home from the state that he's at, they're having

their senior camp this week. And so there's some of them that

are attending that camp. And so he's he's here to to help

us with camp here at a local assembly camp for the next 5

services and that we honor him. We love brother, brother Sanford

and he's a student of the word. And I think I'm correct when

saying because it's been around enough that when I say one of

his hobbies includes just listening to preaching.

And so that's the reason why I like him.

That's the reason why I like him.

And so no, we appreciate him. We there was a sneaking

suspicion that he may have had a couple of his boys with him.

And so my wife made this basket with that in mind.

Yeah, nerd gummy clusters and some cars and like light up

football. And so he said he had a

wonderful time last night with himself as he played cars on the

floor and did all those wonderful things.

Amen. And so we're glad to have him.

Will you make him welcome this morning as we honor God as the

man of God comes today shares from the word.

Hey man, let's give the Lord that praise this morning, Amen?

Aren't you glad to be in the House of the Lord?

And what a great presence of the Lord that's in this house, Amen?

Aren't you glad that when you come to church, when you begin

to magnify the Lord and sing praises, it's not going to be

long until you feel His presence?

And I know that we don't serve Him off of feeling, but at the

same time, I'm glad that I serve a God that I can feel from time

to time. And I feel him in the house

this. Morning.

And what great singing and music we've heard.

And I know that you know this, but you're blessed with the

great music and talent and singing that you have here.

And it's not just talent, but it's anointed and that's what

makes the difference. And it's just an honor to be

here with you this morning. And I did have a good time last

night. I told him I just sat in the

floor and play with the cars myself.

And but it's an honor to be here with you.

And I've been looking forward to this for several weeks now.

And I give honor to all of you for being in the House of the

Lord today. And whether you're a St. or a

visitor, let's just have church together for the next few

minutes and let's just see what the Lord wants to do.

If you have your Bibles, I'll go to Revelation chapter 3.

Revelation 3 · chapter mention

And as you're finding Revelation 3 and verse 7 would like to give

honor today to your pastor and pastor's wife and family,

brother and sister McGee. And one of the great things I

love about this church is not only the music and the singing

and the talent, but this is a word church.

And I travel a little bit and you can tell when you're in a

word church and when you're not. And one, one of the things I

love about your pastor in this church is your Word church.

And I give them honor today and give honor to your Bishop and

his wife as well. And it's just an honor to be

here with you today. And I believe the Lord is going

to do great things this week, not because I'm here, but

because God honors His Word. And I want Him to honor His Word

this morning. So Revelation chapter 3 and

Revelation 3 · chapter mention

verse 7, and I'll go down to verse #13 and what I'm going to

attempt to preach this morning will be something that everybody

in this room can relate to. It'll be a cure for some of us

and it'll be a preventative for others, but everybody in this

room will be able to personally relate to what I'm going to talk

about. South Revelation chapter 3 and

Revelation 3 · chapter mention

verse #7 says into the Angel of the church in Philadelphia,

right? These things sayeth He that is

holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that

openeth. And no man shutteth and

shutteth. And no man openeth.

This is what? The Lord says, I know thy works.

Behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can

shut it, for thou hast a little. Strength and it's kept my word

and has not denied my name. Behold, I will make them of the

synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but

do lie. Behold, I will make them to come

and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee,

because that was kept the word of my patience.

I will also keep thee from the hour of temptation which shall

come upon all the world to try them that dwell upon the earth.

Behold, I come quickly, hold that fast which thou hast, that

no man take thy crown. Him that overcometh will I make

a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more

out. And I will write upon him the

name of my God, in the name of the city of my God, which is New

Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God.

And I will write upon him my new name, He that hath an ear.

Let him hear. What the Spirit saith unto the

churches, Behold I come quickly, hold what you have, that no man.

Take thy crown. I want to preach to you for a

few moments this morning from the subject.

Let no man take thy crown. Let no man take thy crown.

I feel the Holy Ghost in the house this morning.

Why don't we one more time lift our hands before we're seated?

And as our hands are lifted, I wonder if we could join our

voices together and ask the Lord to speak to all of our.

Hearts through His word. In Jesus name and why don't you

one more time give the Lord a great hang glap of praise all

over the house and you may be seated.

Thank you for standing. John is the last disciple alive.

He was boiled but survives. And so since he survives, he has

banished to the Isle of Patmos by a man named Domitian.

Historians suggest that John spent anywhere from 18 to 24

months on that small, rocky little island.

The name Patmos is a unique name because it means the place of my

killing, but it's there where John receives the revelation of

Jesus Christ. In fact, Revelation chapter one

verse one says the revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave unto

him. And can I just submit to you as

we begin this morning that the Book of Revelation is not about

a beast rising out of the sea and it's not about vials of

wrath or plagues being poured out, but it is the revelation or

the unveiling of Jesus Christ. And it was in John's isolation

where God gave give him this great revelation.

And I understand that it's another sermon for another day.

But sometimes the places that are meant to destroy us, the

places that are meant to kill us, becomes the very tool God

uses to give us a greater understanding of who he is.

In fact, 7 verses later the Lord tells John I am Alpha and Omega.

The beginning and the ending saith the Lord, which is, which

was and which is to come, the Almighty.

We then get into chapters 2 and three and we find John writing

to the seven churches in Asia Minor.

Now we understand that seven different times John takes his

time to write letters and address certain issues to these

congregations. He writes to the Church of

Ephesus and informs them. That.

Because they have left or forsaken their first love, it's

time to repent and remember from whence thou art fallen.

He writes to the Church of Smyrna and informs them that

they would suffer great persecution.

To the Church of Pergamus, he informs them that they need to

repent because they've allowed false doctrine in their midst.

To the Church of Thyatira they rebuke because they allowed a

false prophetess to have dominion over their

congregation. He writes to the Church of

Sardis and informs them that they are dead or they have no

moving of God's Spirit in their midst.

To the Church of Laodicea, he tells them because you are

increased with goods and have need of nothing, because you

become lukewarm in your approach, the Lord is going to

spew you out of his mouth. But then we get to the Church of

Philadelphia, the church that we're going to deal with for a

few moments this morning. And when you begin to read the

words of John to Philadelphia, you are quick to realize that

they were only one of two churches that John never

rebukes. John doesn't rebuke Smyrna and

he doesn't rebuke Philadelphia. Now we understand that when we

begin to read these 7 letters, they were not the words of John

himself. We understand that this was not

John's personal message to these believers.

But every time John address one of those churches, it came from

the Lord himself. This is while the Lord begins to

address himself in verse 7 as He that is holy, he that is true,

He that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man

shutteth, and shutteth and no man openeth.

The Lord is describing Himself and emphasizing His Holiness,

His sovereignty, and His authority.

The reference to the key of David is an allusion to the

prophecy Isaiah gave all the way back in Isaiah 22 when he said I

will place on his shoulder the key of the House of David.

He will open and none will shut. He will shut and none will open.

So the Lord is letting Philadelphia know from the very

beginning that I'm the only one that can open and shut doors,

and there's nothing anybody or anyone can do to change.

That. He then gets to verse #8 and he

says, I know thy works. Behold, I have sit before thee

an open door, and no man can shut it, for thou hast a little

strength, and has kept my word, and has not denied my name.

Now in verse 7, the Lord has already established that I'm the

one that open and shuts. Doors and then he tells them in

verse 8, because of thy works or because of thy labor, because

you remain faithful. For even when you had a little

bit of strength, I'm about to give you Philadelphia an open

door of blessings. And Brother McGee, when I read

this verse, he reminds me that it pays to labor in the Kingdom

of God. It pays to remain faithful,

ladies and gentlemen, even when you're weary.

And even when you're tired. You may feel like nobody else

notices that you may feel like nobody Pats you on the back when

you straighten the chairs or vacuum the floor, but God

noticed, and God keeps a perfect record.

And God says because of your labor and because of your

faithfulness, I'm about to open up a door of blessings.

And it's going to be a door that no man can.

Shut. In fact, Paul spoke of the same

door in First Corinthians 16 when he said a great door in

effectual is open unto me because laboring and remaining

faithful causes God to open doors no man can open, but he'll

also shut doors that no. Man can open.

We then find him in verses 9 and 10 talking about them of the

synagogue of Satan who say they are Jews but are not, but do

lie. We hear him talking about

because of their patience, He's going to keep them from the hour

of temptation. But then we get to verse 11 and

it's. Almost like the Lord through

John pivots and goes in a complete 180 different

direction. Because in the midst of talking

about being faithful, in the midst of talking about open

doors of blessings, the Lord through John then says these

words, Behold, I come quickly. Can I remind everybody in this

room on the first service of revival, the Lord is coming

back. See, I remember going up by the

McGee, going to youth conferences and going to youth

camps and going to NYC's and NYC's or just get old fashioned

revival services. And at least one night or one

day somebody was going to get up and preach about the coming of

the Lord. And when they would preach about

the coming of the Lord, it wouldn't move us to an altar.

But when I say the Lord's coming back today, it doesn't affect us

anymore. But can I remind everybody in

this room it is still a cardinal truth, The Lord, he is coming

back. He's coming back after a bride

who's made herself ready. And we cannot forget it.

We cannot push it to the side and say, I've heard it all my

life. I've come to remind you from the

youngest to the oldest, the Lord, he is coming back.

Peter said there's going to be people in the last days who had

asked the question, where is the promise of thy coming?

They're going to make fun of us. They're going to be scoffers and

markers. But the words of Paul the

Thessalonians rings in my ear when he said the day of the Lord

so cometh as a thief in the night.

But ye, brethren, are not in darkness that that day should

overtake you as a thief. You are children of light and

children of the day. We are not of the night, nor of

the Therefore, let us not sleep as others do, but let us watch

and be sober. Can I tell everybody in this

room it's time to wake up out of sleep?

It's time to shake ourself, because our salvation.

Is nearer than when we first believed the Lord is coming

back. That's the backdrop of verse 11.

So everything else pause or John says is said with that in mind.

The Lord is coming back quickly. Hold fast to what you have

because the Lord is coming back. You better hold fast to what you

have. Those two words hold fast form

the word crateo in the Greek, and it simply means to seize or

to retain firmly. And it gives us the strong

implication of having an unwavering grip, having a

made-up mind that I'm not letting go.

Of what's gotten me to where I am.

You see, when John said hold fast to what you have, he's

talking about the truth, faith and commitments that got them to

where they are. And if there's ever been a time

when we need a grip on truth. And if, if there's ever been a

time when we need a grip on faith, and if there's ever been

a time we need to be committed, it is in 2025, because the Lord

is coming back. And I tell everybody in this

room, we need a grip on truth like never before.

We need to buy the truth and sell it, not we need to receive

a love of the truth. Jesus said I am the way, I am

the truth and I am the life. Sanctify them by the.

Truth. Thy word is truth.

We need a love of the Bible. We need to fall in love with

truth, but we need to get a hold of faith as well.

Faith that was once committed or delivered unto the Saints.

And ladies and gentlemen, can I tell you we need to hold on

truth. We need to hold on faith, but we

also need to be committed. It's not time to be less

committed. It's not time to do as least as

we can and still make. It if it got us to where we are,

it's going to take us to where we're going and we've got to

make up our mind. I'm holding on the faith and

truth. And my commitments because the

Lord is coming back. Paul one day told his protege

Timothy to fight the good fight of faith.

Lay hold. On eternal life, those words lay

hold as an active, intentional action because eternal life will

not be passively received, but it's going to be actively

pursued. In other words, if I'm going to

make it, and if you're going to make it, we've got to get a grip

on this thing. We've got to seize it, We've got

to retain it. Our minds have to be made-up.

Now more than ever. I'm not letting go of faith and

I'm not letting go of truth and I'm not turning loose.

Those are my commitments because the Lord is coming.

But then He says one more statement.

I'll be honest, it's something I've read multiple times in my

life. But on that Thursday morning

back in November, it struck A chord with me that it never had

up until that point. Behold, I come quickly.

Hold fast to what you have, that no man take thy crown.

The word crown comes from two different Greek words in the

Bible. It comes from the word diadema

and Stefanos. Diadema is unique because it

means to bind around a headband of jewels worn as a symbol of

royalty and power, whereas stefanos means to encircle, to

twine or a reward given to an individual for finishing a race.

You see the difference between a diadema and a stefanos is a

diadema was worn by a king, whereas A stefanos was worn by

an individual for finishing or accomplishing the race.

But the amazing thing about these two crowns is Jesus wore

them both. That same man John in the same

Book of Revelation tells us in Revelation 19.

I saw heavens opened, and behold a White Horse.

And he that sat upon him was called faithful and true.

And in righteousness he does judge and make war.

His eyes was a flame of fire, and on his head were.

Many crowns. It's the word diadema, and the

reason why John said he wears the diadema is because in verse

16 he said he hath on his. Fester and his style, your name

written, King of kings and Lord of Lords.

You see, Jesus wears the diadema because all power has been given

unto him in heaven and in earth. But he doesn't just wear the

diadema, He first wore the Stefanos.

Matthew chapter 27 gives us the snapshot moments before he's LED

Matthew 27 · chapter mention

away to be crucified, and Matthew tells us that when they

had plated a Stefanos of thorns, they put it on his head.

We understand that when they put this crown of thorns on His

head, it was not to celebrate Him.

It was not to praise or give him worship.

But the Bible says they put a Reed in his right hand and they

bowed the knee and they mocked him, saying Hail King of the

Jews. When they begin to pull those

thorns out of that ground and begin to entwine and begin to

wreath, they done it as a mockery.

What's amazing to me is that those thorns came out of a

ground that had been cursed all the way back in Genesis.

Adam wasn't just cursed, even the serpent weren't the only

ones cursed. But God looked at the ground and

said everything that comes out of that ground is going to be

cursed. This is why when Cain brings his

offering before the Lord, the Lord rejects it because he's a

tiller of the ground and you can't bring something cursed and

give it to God. And so can I tell you when they

begin to pull those thorns out of the ground, it wasn't just

thorns coming out of the ground, but it represented my curse, and

it represented your curse. But you got to understand,

they've done it to mock him. They've done it to belittle him.

But what they failed to realize, Bishop, is this when they begin

to pull those thorns out of that cursed.

Ground they were fulfilling New Testament scripture because

Galatians teaches me that when Jesus went to the cross, he

wasn't just nailed to the cross, but my curses and your curses

were nailed. To that tree called Calvary.

It's amazing that before the cross, a Stephanos is looked at

as a curse. Because it came from a cursed

ground. But after the cross, it's no

longer looked as a curse, but now it represents a symbol of

victory. It means a victor's crown.

Because when Jesus said it is finished, he wasn't saying I'm

finished. He was saying it's accomplished.

I'll finish my race, I'll finish my course.

And now it's seen as a conquering crown.

It describes a victor's crown because it was given to people

who finished their race. But what's even more amazing

about the word Stefanos is that's where you and I get the

name Steven Stevens. Name means Stefanos, a victor's

crown or a crown of triumph. Now, why does Steven matter in

the scheme of what we're talking about?

You've got to understand that Stephen is the Bible's first

martyr. And you want to talk about

holding fast to what you have. You want to talk about having a

made-up mind that I'm not letting go of what got me to

where I am. That was summed up in the final

moments of Stephen's life. Drug out, stoned to death, but

he remained faithful. He had a hold on this thing.

And there's a day coming when Stephen's name is going to be

fulfilled. There's a.

Stay coming. When God is going to look at

Steven and said you held on, you persevered, I've got a crown of

victory that's got your name on it.

And can I tell everybody in this room, there's going to be a day

when you and I stand before God and hear him say well done.

But he's not just going to say well done.

There's a crown of triumph he's going to put on my head.

There's a crown of victory he's going to place on your head.

If we can hold on and I'll tell somebody in this room, there's a

day coming when it's going to be worth it.

There's a day coming that when we hear him say well done and a

crown is placed on our head. No, it wasn't easy.

And yes, there were challenges and yes, there were heartaches

and betrayals. There were.

Tears and misunderstandings, But when we're crowned with a crown

of victory, everything's going to be a distant memory because

the crown is going to be a testimony that I made it.

It's going to be a testimony that you held on.

That's why Corinthians teaches us that they which run a race

run all as one that receives a prize.

So run that you may obtain. We will hear him say well done,

but there's also a crown of glory he's going to put on my

head, in your head. If we can just hold on.

This is why when we get after the cross and into the epistles,

we begin to read of all the various crowns we can receive.

First Corinthians talks about a crown of incorruptible when the

Bible says every man, the striver for the mastery is

tempered in all things, they do it to obtain a corruptible

crown, but we an incorruptible. First Thessalonians talks about

a crown of rejoicing when the question is asked, what is our

hope? What is our joy?

What is our crown of rejoicing? Second Timothy 4 talks about a

crown of righteousness, when Paul said, Henceforth there is

laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord

will give me that day, but not to me only, but unto all of them

that love his appearing. James talks about the crown of

life, when he said, Blessed is the man that endureth

temptation, for when he has tried, he will receive a crown

of life which the Lord promised to them.

Peter talks about a crown of glory when he says when the

chief shepherd appears, you're going to receive a crown of

glory that fades, not away. And when you get into Revelation

Revelation 4 · chapter mention

chapter 4, we read about those 24 elders that fall before the

throne and they cast their crowns at his feet.

There's a day coming when we're going to hear those words.

Well done. But then there's going to be a

Stephanos. Put on our head.

And it's going to be a testimony that I finished my course, I

kept the faith. And it's in that context that

John says, let no man take thou Stephanos.

He gives you now the understanding that we're all

running a race. We're all doing our best to hear

him say well done. But the wording of John should

cause all of us to stop and consider what he's really

saying. Remember, Philadelphia wasn't

rebuked for anything. And yet John still warns them

you can lose your crown. They're preaching the right

doctrine. They have truth fast to his

word. And yet John says you can still

be lost. I'll be honest, when I begin to

have this kind of unfold to me back in November, I begin to

quickly take inventory because I believe the doctrine, I believe

truth. I'm holding fast to His name.

I stand on His word. And when I read the words of

John that I can do all of those things and still be lost, it

caused me to stop and take inventory.

How can Philadelphia still be lost?

How can we still be lost when we check all of those boxes?

John answers it. Let no man take that crown.

You see, John says it's possible to lose your crown, not because

of false doctrine and not because you walk away from truth

and become a reprobate. He said it's possible to lose

your crown over people. Let no man take the crown.

He didn't say don't let the devil take the crown.

He didn't say, don't let us try, you'll take your crown.

He said, let no man take thy crown.

And when the Lord begin to give me this, if I've ever heard the

Lord speak into my spirit. I heard him that Thursday

morning and I heard the Lord say there's going to be people lost

simply because of what somebody says to the ummah or because of

what something somebody does to the ummah.

And I asked the question, how can I lose my crown?

How can we lose our crown? And I heard one word.

By becoming offended, my mind then goes to Matthew 24 when the

question is asked, what are going to be, what's the signs of

the last days? What's going to be the spiritual

atmosphere? What is going to be the telltale

signs that you're about to make your return?

And the Lord begins to go through the list.

Wars and rumors of wars, pestilences in diverse places.

Nation's going to rise against nation, earthquakes and famines

and hurricanes. But then the Lord looks at those

people and said, if you want to know the telltale sign of my

coming, he said. And then shall many be offended.

Luke puts it this way. Offenses shall come.

It's inevitable. You live life long enough,

offenses will come. Somebody's going to say

something that hurts your feelings.

Somebody's going to do something you don't agree with.

Let me bring it down to where we're really living.

Somebody's going to mistreat your kids because offenses shall

come. You cannot bypass it.

It's not something that you can live your life and never

experience. You live life long enough,

you're going to be offended. But can I tell you the offense

is not really the issue because offenses?

Shall come. It's how I handle the offense

after it comes. That's what really matters

because I can't control what people say about me and I can't

control what people do to me. But I can't control my spirit.

I can't control my reaction after they say it and.

After they do it, that word offended is a very unique word

in the Greek language because it comes from the word scandal on

which is where you and I get the word scandal.

And I don't have time to preach all that this morning, but the

biblical definition is a removable stick or trigger of a

trap, a trap stick or a snare. Now I know that I'm in Eastern

Illinois and I'm from northeast Mississippi.

And when I read that definition, you probably get the same idea

that I do. That's hunting language because

it's a removable stick or trigger of a trap.

It is a trap stick. It is a snare.

We often think that being offended means will they make me

mad or they tick me off. But the biblical definition

means something deeper than that.

It means that when offense comes and I allow that offense to take

root in my spirit, I'm taking the bait and become trapped like

a prey. Why do you think Solomon said in

Proverbs 6 or 18? A brother offended.

It's harder to be 1 than a strong city.

We understand that fortified cities were known for their

strong defenses, surrounded by thick.

Walls. And guarded gates, making them

difficult to conquer. And so Solomon is teaching us

that when a person is offended, when a person is betrayed,

they're going to build up emotional defenses that are hard

to penetrate. And then he says their

contentions are like the bars of a castle.

In ancient times, castles were fortified structures with bars

that provided protection and safety and security.

Because he's letting us know that when disputes began to

arise and disagreements begin to flourish, we're going to build

up walls that prevent reconciliation between me and

the person that hurt me. Then it's going to foster

division. That's why it means a trigger or

a trap. But to add another interesting

layer to that word scandal on, at the root of scandal on is the

word canto, which means to bend, to bow, or to worship.

Worship anything we worship more than God is an idol.

And so I've come to learn that being offended is dangerous

because it can become an idol that I worship every day I live.

How does being offended become an idol?

It's easy. It's all I think about.

It's all I talk about. It's all I dream or Daydream

about. It somehow gets into every

conversation I have because at the root of offense, being

offended is a choice that I make to play something in worship

above God. We understand that word worship

means to ascribe worth to something.

And so in other words, when I let offense take root of my

spirit, when I allow that root of bitterness to spring up that

the Bible talks about, that many are defiled by, I've become in

that moment bowing down and idolize the thing that caused me

to be offended. It means a trap stick.

It means a snare because I'm spending more time in the

presence of my offence than I am in the presence of God.

That's why I can be heard and coming to church and it's hard

to worship and it's hard to involve myself in the altar call

because I'm living in a trap called offence.

And John says that we can live in that trap for so long that we

ultimately lose our crown and I'm lost simply because of

something somebody said or done. Paul looked at the Galatian

church and said ye did run well. It's the same language as in

running a race. You were doing so well, Paul

says. You were coming to church every

Sunday and Wednesday. You were there every prayer

meeting, every revival service. You are doing so good in your

pursuit of that crown. Who did hinder you?

He didn't say what hindered you. Who hindered you?

It's a strong statement to make, but it's true.

There will be multitude people lost, not because of a devil and

not because of a trial. But they're going to be lost

because they couldn't let things go.

That was said and done years in the past.

That's why John said you got every box checked.

You believe the truth. You're holding fast to His name.

You stand on His word. But you better not let a spirit

of offense creep in. And cause you to lose your

crown. Listen, you want to talk about

the predominant spirit of the end time.

I'm preaching about it this morning because I'm not worried

about turning away from truth and I'm not worried about

embracing some of the doctrine. I'm.

Holding on the truth. I'm holding on to commitments

and faith, but I've got to guard myself because if I'm not

careful, and if we're not careful, we can let something

that somebody said or done creep into our spirit.

And if we don't deal with it, it'll fester and that root of

bitterness will grow. And it's going to.

Be the very thing that defiles me.

You want to talk about a spirit the Apostolic Church better

guard itself against? I'm not talking about walking

away from truth, because we can preach truth and still harbor

resentment. We can preach Acts 238 till

we're blue in the face and still be bitter against the person

across town. That's what John said.

You've got the truth, you've got faith, you've got commitment,

but you better never allow something to get in your spirit

that causes you to be lost. That's why you know the

definition of the word offense means to stumble or to fall

away. Because the picture that that

word paints is if I allow it to take root in my life and I don't

deal with it, it won't be long until I stumble and fall away.

We all know people this morning who used to be in church who are

faithful, committed, but they're no longer running the race

because of what I'm preaching about this, because they let

something somebody say or do block them and caused them to

walk away. I had a conversation sometime

back, somebody that I'm very close to, somebody that was

battling the very thing that I'm preaching about this.

At one time, Pastor, they were in every service, they were

involved in different ministries in the church.

Something happened, somebody said something, somebody done

something and they didn't deal with it correctly and they

allowed it to fester. And it's all they could think

about. It's all they could talk about.

They didn't even have to be talking about the church.

But somehow that incident got woven into that conversation and

it become an idol that they worshipped and they could not

let it go until they started missing church and they started

missing more church and now they hardly even go.

And I'm talking to this individual in the living room

just some time back. And I looked at him and I said,

are we friends? And that individual said yes.

And I said, did you ask for this conversation?

And they said yes. And I said, can I be honest with

you? And they said yes.

I looked at that individual and I said, here's truth.

You're going to be lost because you can't let this go.

And they looked at me the way some of you are looking at me

right now. I said you're letting something

that was said months ago calls you to stop coming to church.

And I said it's no longer just affecting you.

You're no longer bringing your kids to church.

I said you're making the decision for them.

As long as you live in my house, you're not going to church.

I said you're putting them at a disadvantage because you can't

let this go because you just can't walk away from the offense

and the hurt. And they said you don't know how

bad it hurt me. You don't know what it done to

me. They said I should never go to

church and be hurt. And I said you're 100% right.

You want to know why church hurt has got the steam that it's got,

the why it's got the notoriety that it's got to?

It's because church is the last place you expect to get hurt in.

Nobody comes to this church and say, man, I want to go there and

be offended. Nobody goes to church on any

Sunday morning, say, man, I want somebody to say something I

don't like. I want them to do something that

hurts my Nobody does that. You go to church as a safe

haven. You go to church as a place of

security. And they said church is the last

place that should happen. And I said you're exactly right.

But the last time I checked, everybody that goes to church is

still human. And I looked down when I said,

you want to talk about church church, I said, nobody's been

hurt more than the church by the church than Jesus.

And I could tell the conversation started to shift

because I looked at that individual and I said, look, the

lady caught in the door tree didn't crucify him.

The man with the withered hand didn't crucify him.

The lepers who were outcasting crucify him.

I said the church killed him. The church turned on him.

The very people he came to seek and to save.

They were saying hosanna one week and screaming crucify him

the next week. I said nobody's been hurt.

More. By the church than Jesus.

I said, but here's the thing about Jesus, He still shows up

every Sunday morning. He still shows up every Sunday

night. He still comes every Wednesday

night Bible study. And I said, you've got a choice

to make right now. You can harbor this or you can

let it go, but you've got to make a decision.

I don't know about you, ladies and gentlemen, but I made-up my

mind. No man is going to steal my

crown. I made-up my mind a long time

ago. People can't run me down enough.

They can't hurt me enough. They can't betray me enough

because I've got a hold on this thing.

I will not go to hell and be lost because somebody said.

Something I didn't agree with. I'm going to tell you why it's

getting a little tight right now.

It's because it's where we're living.

And we've all got to deal with this, including the man holding

the microphone. And I'll just be honest, there's

been times in my life that I was resentful and I was mad and I

don't want to talk about it. I wanted to go to their door and

kick the door in. I'll just be honest.

But I understood a long time ago, you can't harbor these

feelings. You can't live like that.

Because here's the tragedy about being offended.

It affects you more. Than it does anybody else.

The people that said to the people that done it, they don't

think twice about it, but I'm the one that suffers and I'm the

one that lives in a place called hurt and I'm the one that just

has trouble letting it go. Can I tell you it's called a

trap? Because when those animals are

trapped, they understand that I can stay here and die or.

I've got to do everything I can to get out of this.

And if I've got any hunters in the house, you know that there's

times that those animals will chew their arms off.

They'll chew their leg off because they understand it's

life for Liam. I can either live here and die

or I can live away from this and live another day.

I think that's why Jesus said in Matthew, if thou right I offend

you, pluck it out. If thou right hand offends you,

cut it off. I know he's talking about

adultery, but the principle? Remains if there's anything

causing me to live an offence. I've got to take inventory and

pluck it out or cut it off because my salvation is tied to

how I react when people hurt me. Because in the very next chapter

in Matthew 6, the Lord says in that same context, if you

forgive me in their trespasses, your heavenly Father will

forgive you. Man, if we put a period right

there, we can shout all day. But if you forgive, not mend

their trespasses, neither will your heavenly Father forgive you

of yours. When I read that, I understand

the severity of my decision because if I forgive and walk

away and let it go, I mess up and I need forgiveness.

He'll forgive me. But if I can't forgive you and

you've hurt me and do me wrong, he's no longer obligated to

forgive me when I do something wrong.

Because how can I say I love God whom I haven't seen, and yet I

can't love my brother who I do see?

John said in his epistle that if I hold bitterness and anger in

my heart, I don't walk in the light, I walk in darkness.

Because being offended clouds your judgment and it clouds your

vision and you don't know where you are, where you're going.

Because when I live in a fence, everything offends me.

When I live in a fence, everything rubs me the wrong way

and makes me feel like, well, they're talking about me or

they're running me. That's the danger, living in a

fence. When I begin to talk to my

friend about this, Cody Mayo and the Lord begin to give me this.

I said, Cody, I'm going to be honest with you.

I said, I've made-up my mind. I'm not going to let anything

get between me, the crown God has for me, because I don't need

thick skin to run this race. I've been told to have thick

skin. I've told other people, man,

just have thick skin. I've learned I don't need thick

skin to run this race. I need dead flesh because if my

flesh is dead, you can't hurt me.

If my flesh is crucified, it'll be like water and ducks back and

it'll just roll off. Yeah, well, it's sting in the

moment. Of course it will.

But it's not going to cause me to live in that place the rest

of my life. How do we guard ourselves

against the spirit of offense? Because offenses will come.

I told you. It'll be a cure for some.

It'll be a preventative to others because we're all at

different places in life. But it's something we all can

relate to because we've all been there or we are there or we'll

be there again. So how do I guard myself?

I think This is why the psalmist said great peace have they which

love thy law. Nothing will offend them.

The psalmist son Solomon said the discretion of a man defers

his anger and it's his glory to Passover a transgression but.

Then my mind. Went to Job and if anybody had a

legitimate excuse to get mad, if anybody had a pass to get

offended, it could have been Job because this is how the book of

Job describes Job. There was a man that lived in

the east and he feared God and a shoot evil and there was no more

of an upright man than Job. He sacrifices every day.

He checks all the boxes. The sons of God came before the

Lord, and the devil came also. The Lord looked at the devil and

said, what are you doing? He said, I've been going to and

fro throughout the earth looking for somebody to attack.

You want to talk about verses I have trouble with?

The devil did not ask for Job. God offered Job, What are you

doing? I'm looking for somebody.

Have you considered old Job? Now I'd get it if Job never

sacrificed, if Job was an evil. Man.

If he done everybody wrong, but no, he's the exact opposite.

He issues evil, walks uprightly, and God says, what about that

guy? And the devil said, I thought

about it, but you've got a hedge around him.

Here's another verse I got trouble with.

God says I'll take the hedge down.

Now Proverbs teaches us that if you remove a hedge, a serpent

will bite you. But what do you do when God?

Removes the hedge. God says you can have him, I'll

remove the hedge. The only thing you cannot do is

kill him. And I think by the time it was

all over Job would have probably rather died then go through what

he went through. He loses his wealth, he loses

his cattle, he loses his kids, everything is gone.

He's sitting in sackcloth and ash, taking broken pottery and

scraping the balls on his body. And his wife says, why don't you

just curse God and die? And after that conversation

comes the three friends of Job. And instead of helping Job,

instead of giving words of comfort like you're going to

make this or you're going to pull through this, they begin to

berate him. They begin to talk down to him

because you want to know what the book of Job's about.

It's about the three friends of Job, and I say friends.

They are doing nothing but berating him and talking down to

him and saying you've done something to 'cause this, You've

got iniquity in your life. You've made God angry.

You deserve this. Instead of their words healing

him, their words wound him. They Pierce him, they hurt him

at the moment he needed hit them the most.

Chapter after chapter after chapter after chapter after

chapter after chapter. That's all it is.

His three friends hurting him. And we always get to chapter 42

and talk about in the end God gave Job twice as.

Much as he did in the beginning, but you overlook a very

important verse because the only way God could give Job twice as

much in the end as he had the beginning.

As the Bible says, God turned the captivity of Job when he

prayed for his friends. And it came to my mind as

vividly as anything has ever come to my mind.

It's hard to hate people that you pray for every day.

It's hard to hold resentment and bitterness against people that

you pray for God to bless and for God to save.

I think This is why Jesus said in Matthew to love your enemies,

bless them that curse you, do good to them that hates you, and

pray for them which despitefully use you.

That word used means to insult or to slander.

Or to falsely accuse God is saying that when people begin to

insult you and when they begin to slander your name and accuse

you of things that you didn't do, don't render evil for evil.

Don't go back and retaliate. He said the best thing you you

can do for yourself is find a prayer closet to get on your

knees and pray for me to save them.

Even Steven looked up. Stones are being thrown at him

and he said, Lord, don't even put this on their record.

Don't put this on their. What is he saying?

He's saying God when they stand before you at judgment.

Don't bring this up. You want to talk about a spirit

of forgiveness because our flesh as God get them.

Our flesh is God. Pay them back for what they've

done to me. Our flesh is God.

They've been running me down. I want them to see how it feels.

I want them to go through what I've been through.

But you know what Stephen said? Stephen said, Lord, when they

stand before you at judgement and you begin to go through

their life, I don't want you to bring this up.

I don't want you to hold this against them.

That is a spirit. Of what I'm talking about, how

do I combat a spirit of offense? I've got to have a spirit of

humility. I've got to have a spirit of

forgiveness, even. The last thing Jesus did on the

cross, we'll say, Father, forgive them because they don't

even know what they're doing. Pray for them that they

spitefully use. You and persecute you.

What are we supposed to do when offenses come?

We're supposed to do the very thing we don't want to do, and

that's pray for them. I'll be honest, there's been

times I had to force myself. I'm going to tell you when you

can muster up the courage to pray for them, there is a

release that begins to come over you.

I'll be honest, I've preached this more than once this year.

I was preaching in Georgia just a couple weeks ago about this

very thing. And the pastor came up to me and

I said, if you didn't preach to nobody else, you preached to me

because there was a time in my life that I would go to prayer

and I didn't pray for God to save him.

I said, God, I hate him, I want you to do this and this and

this. He said, But when I got to that

place in my life that I couldn't carry it no more.

I don't want to feel this way anymore.

He said, I begin to do what you told me to do, pray for him,

pray for God to save him. And he said it was like a load.

Lifted off my shoulder, he said. It was like a root being pulled

out of my spirit, because the only remedy for somebody

offending you is that you've got to turn around and not give evil

for evil, but you've got to be willing to pray.

For them, why don't we lift our hands right now and just talk to

the Lord? I feel the Holy Ghost in this

house this morning in Jesus name.

Let's just talk to the Lord for a moment.

We're about to transition, but I feel a ministering presence of

the Lord in this house. I feel healing balm of Gilead in

this room. Right now, ah.

Those wounds that if we carried around for years, God can mend

them this morning. Brother McGee, I had a man asked

me just some time ago, when I'm done, we can all stand.

Had an individual asked me some time ago, how do I know that I'm

over it? How do I know that it's no

longer an issue? I said it's very simple, how do

you respond or how do you react when you hear their name?

And I said, when you hear their name and all those feelings are

coming back, there's still some things you got to let go.

I'll be honest, there's been times in my life that when I

heard a name, I wanted to take matters in my own.

But now I can hear that name. And I pray God to bless them,

save their kids, bless the church, because I will not live

in a place will cause me to lose my crown.

I'm trying to close, but I just feel a pulley of the spirit in

this house right now. I'm not talking about things

that happened days or weeks ago. I'm talking about things that

happened years ago. We've all been there, we've all

had to deal with it, but there will be a liberty that comes to

every individual. Find a place and say, Lord,

instead of doing to them what they've done to me, I want you

to save them. I want you to bless them.

I wonder right now they're going to play, sing, whatever they

feel to do. You want to stay where you are

in prayer. If you want to step out and come

to the front. There is a prompting of the Holy

Ghost in this house in the first service of revival that there

needs to be some things that we walk away from.

There needs to be healing balm that comes in this room right

now. Come on, let's allow the Holy

Ghost to touch us this morning. It's something we all have to

deal with. It's something we'll all face

and face again. Let no man.