12+1 Core Values Series | Pr Matthew Chang

You're listening to a message to go from acts church.

We hope this message will light up your day.

How many of you actually believe in the importance of values?

Okay many, most of you will do. How many of

you actually write down your values? It's a lot of difference,

isn't it. Yeah, you're why who actually writes down their

values in that? But companies do that? Isn't it the

actually ask the company or why are you write? We

don't write there? But do you think it's important to

write down values? Yeah? Why why do you think it's important?

Why do you think it's important to write down the values?

What benefits can you see coming up from that alignment?

But a lot of times when you write what does

it do? Why? Why? Actually? When you go to education? Right?

What what do we teach our children to to read Disney?

To speak his Sney? But what's the hardest part to write?

Always the right? And actually you want to know how

good your English are? You write you're right? True or not?

How many English teachers heah, you actually right? And see

a lot of people who can know English for they

struggle to write an email. I tell you they will

take for every loaner to try an email just to

write a text message nowadays a we butcher English. You

know what's up yo? All all kinds of things. You know,

we can talk casually, but to write with structure, conciseness,

not repeating yourself and everything you see, Writing is about

putting order. It's the most what they call it minute

or basic form of creation that we inherited from God.

To write, to speak, you get, I mean right to

take whatever you have, the resources, which is the intangibles,

and then put it into a structure that can communicate

and someone can understand it. You know, you get. I'm

saying that creation is that might when increase something someone

can understand. But speech and write and everything it's about creation.

So writing is when you write something anything, whether there's

your thoughts. That's why we encourage people to journal. It

makes a very powerful thing. I actually find that one

of the pivot pevole to moments of my life when

they started to grow, was and I learned to write

a lot more actually when I do a lot of

materials right. Actually, my personal Bible growth grew when I wrote.

When I wrote, and atlast time when I studied dayaha,

but I really sunk in and then really a lot

of the a lot of things become concrete and semental.

When I started, I have to write notes and everything

so many it will teach you like nobody's business, because

what you write you have to be convinced exact and

you are able to articulate it forth and back, back

and forth as well. So when you write down your values,

there is this creative part, but there's this part of

order that comes into part as well. You know, when

God creates, you don't just create. There was order. You know,

the way the days are ordered, there's order as well,

the way the light separates from the darkness, the land

and the seas, the skies, you know, everything there was

an order to it. And most of the time when

you don't have order, what you have chaos and confusion.

You mean, when you're set, and a lot of times

people are not just said, people are lost and people

lost a lot of times because they are confused. And

you want to bring order, you want to bring a

bit of joy, but that you need order. It's a

very important thing as well. And so I mean that's

why when we go through this value it's not just

about understanding. So of like a corporate techline or a

corporate thing. But this is actually very personal as well.

So I hope that as we go through it, you

are able to catch some of these what they call

it personal gems as well and begin to apply some

of it. Try to begin to write down some of

these values, or begin to ask what are the important

values in your life? Don't just say that, oh I

am a godly person right down? What is it? The

cord leaders you believe in? Why what do you believe that?

You know? These are the things that we talk about.

Now let's go into it. Let's go to the first

slide that I have here. You know the lines up?

Oh yes, okay, So a vision tells you the destination

and the mission tells you the reason, but the values

are the feel how okay? What does that actually mean?

A lot of times, you know, when I started out,

I always don't really get the difference of the vision

and the mission. You know, Okay, let's type people like, hey,

oh aday the same thing. The way I think of

it is like, you know, how many of you like

have health goes? You know, you know, the health goes like, oh,

I don't just want to lose with you? Like I

when I start to write on goals, right, I was like, Okay,

I need to get healthy. And why healthy, you know,

I said, And I said that when I get to

fifty sixty, seventy eighty, right, I don't want to become

a health burden to my family. I don't want to

walk anyway and struggle. I don't want to cause my

family too much money. I want to be able to

do any activity with my children and my friends and

my church anything as much as I can as well,

because without that everything gets taken away. You know, I'm

saying no. And given my position right now, I have

the privilege and the responsibility to take care of my

health as much as I can, you know what I'm saying.

So I need to do that as well you can.

So I've seen family members, my person man who can't

do that because they don't do take care of their

health either. You know. It's way issue, a hard issue,

is a smoking issue, any kind of this issue as well.

So if you see a vision that Okay, in the future,

I want to be there or some people want to

look it's esthetical that you know, but if there's the vision,

then your mission is a different party. Oh, my mission

is to get to a way that it's healthy. Maybe

I need to lose five ten, twenty fifty. I need

to build more muscle, you know. Muscle helps me to

fight against immunity, what they call sickness is better. I

need to get my conditioning better. So you have a mission.

These are the specific missions that you actually do. But

then you realize that you can have the vision okay,

and then you have the mission to to to achieve.

But yet you must understand that these are all just plans.

But your values, or your character, or your greed is

the internal system that will actually pull you through. You

get what I'm saying. No, it is the feel. When

I say it is the feel, it is you on

the day today, you believe. Do you have the discipline,

do you have the perseverance, you have the toughness you

know to carry out through. But for the church we

are our goal is not just to be healthy. We

have a mission as well. We are not existing just

for ourselves. We as a collective, a community or believers.

There not on the head is Christ. And Christ has

saved us for a purpose, for not save us for

good works, save us to be a blessing to the world.

You know what's the true for mission of the church.

The true for mission of the church is to minister

to God, to minister to believe us, and to minister

to the world. Always given the truth for minister the

tree for purpostal church, to minister to God, to minister

to believe us in the minister to the world. And

it's has always been the basic foundation of any church

theology one, okay. And so the church is called to

have a vision, and we have the mission, and sometimes

we are created, you know, we have different roles, different responsibilities.

Some are the heads, some of the eyes, some of

the feet, but we can't. But we all have the

same mission to edify the entire body as well. And

so it's important for a church to articulate also to

communicate the values that we expouse that we believe they

are a bit bigger and not just what they call it,

what we feel like. Okay, it's very very very important.

That's why we want to go to the next like

that the values that we have are actually coming from scripture, okay,

and specifically coming mostly from X chapter two. Okay, X

chapter two, you know, the Book of X. You know,

a lot of times when we look at the Book

of X. People will say, what is it called the

Book of X. They say, it's the X of the Apostles. Yeah,

I mean right, that's why it's called the Book the

X of the Apostles. But the apostles are nothing without

the Holy Spirit. You know, the X of the Apostles

through the Holy Spirit. Youet what I'm saying. You know,

the power of the Holy Spirit is so so important

and involved and evident throughout the Book of X. Okay,

so let me just go to my Now, the goal,

as we cover through these core values is always to

build something that outlasts this founder and what it means.

You know, when they say the founder, it's you can

say that the Genesis. In our case, it's Pastor Kennon

who started X Church in obedience to the Holy Spirit,

and he also leads the church uh in prayer and

intercession and to download from God how to lead the

church as well. Now, it's not just about strategy, about

the vision and the mission, but it's about the values

because you know, as I don't think you'll be now,

but most of the speakers have already had access to

the twelve Core Values video, which we will release to

the rest of our partners suit and inside you will

see my face again inside the interviewing past the can

and we will actually go through the core values one

by one as well, and that that video will come

out eventually so that you guys can always revisit it

whenever you want as well. But I one of the

questions I asked, you know, Pastor, was there you know

what points of your ministry did you begin having this

urge and prompt to uh, whether you call it articulate

or to flesh out the twelve core values. And he

was saying, like, you know it was when you know,

there's one time when when past was uh praying and

then the God spoke to him or said that, you know,

you can't just leave the church with a person. You know,

you need to lead with values. The people cannot just

know only a person. They must know what you stand for,

you know, the values that you expouse. It is the

DNA in the DNA. It's not just a boogicir but

it's a spiritual DNA as well. And so when people

you know, you know, how do you know that? Uh?

You know, a person is a disciple, a son is

a son of another parent. You know because they carry

their DNA. Of course their face may look at it,

but sometimes you know, you may I don't know. Say,

for example, one day you see my daughter and my

son no no talking and se talking or you know, interacting,

and you say, oh, that guy and that girl just

talks like pasta matt, he works like paston man. Maybe

your children is really a sound like your dad and

your mom are not just exactly the same. Or the

way you're told, the way you're cheeky, the way you

joke is exactly like your parents. They caught the DNA.

Sometimes it's not. It's the way, you know, with our

demeanor as well, it's the DNA, you know what I'm saying, No,

and so the same way. So we break it down

why because they spend some time then they caught the value.

They caught the value, the character, the things that actually

when they trickle down, starts to manifest in the next generations.

Amen doesn't make sense. So our goal, our objective in

the church, it's not just to leave for the present season.

We want to build something that outlasts our present founder,

our leadership as well for the future. And we want

them to know that everything that we believe in is

actually anchored in the word of God. Okay, so that

our future generations and partners will be better than we

were before. There's always the case, isn't it. We always

tell our children. Now, I want to give my children,

my next generation something that we never had before. All

they get to step on our shoulder age, right, not

start from negative, you know, hopefully they get to start

step on our shoulder. What we learn so that you

can do better. That's why I'm always kind of like

a bit hard on my children. Don't make my same mistakes.

I always tell them, don't make my same mistakes. I'm

not asking you to be perfect. I'm asking you so

that you learn from me, you'd be better than me.

You know, I never ask them to be perfect. I

just said you need to be better than me. I'm

an example, but I want you to be better. That's

all better means you're always growing. You're not perfect, You're

just always growing. I need to be better than my yesterday,

all of us true. Now we need to be better. Yes,

of course we all make misake, but we just need

to be better. Okay, the next light, So these values

are non negotiables and must not be compromised. Okay, let

me just read here first again. It says, and we

all have different experiences in life. However, we must be

careful not to let experience become our values. Okay, so

this is a very very important thing. Now. Values are

not just you know, something that you feel like it.

You know, there's a famous saying, you know, a person

of no value with what a person of no value

will What a person of no value will fall for anything?

Makes sense? A person of no value will fall for anything. Okay,

it's not exactly okay, but when I when I reflect that,

she's quite true. It's not scripture. Okay, but that's quite

quite powerful saying, isn't it. What does that mean by that?

When you have no value? Okay, you can choose to

be honest, you know, with your feelings, but you're not

honest with you know, in your dealings with the world,

your one kind. You know you I don't know you

are hard working outside, but in your own life you

know you're don't invest in yourself. You know, you don't

take care of yourself. Be challenging on that. See you

can and then sometimes you you know, some moments you

are you have greed and perseverance. But one day, when

you don't feel like it, you don't choose to exhibit it.

What happens when you do that, you become the product,

or you become molded by your circumstances and by your environment.

That is why a lot of us when we you know,

in Chinese, we say we've taken a bit more salt,

we understand that it's how hard it is to keep

to your values. One because the world has a way

of making you, trying to make you fold and mold.

You get what I'm saying, No, And sometimes a lot

of the experiences and the way we responded may not

be true or not you know what I'm saying. Let's say,

for example, when you were young and you have friends,

and you trusted your friends, you share a secret with

your friend. Maybe you told your friend or actually I

secretly like this guy or this girl. And then the

next thing you know, everybody you go into the classroom

started laughing at you because everybody knew your secret now

and even told your little crush as well. You're so

embarrassed by how many of you come. I got this

corner for ministry. I got this corner for ministry. Actually

I had someone do that for me before. It's like, oh,

it's okay, I for given that guy ready. But it's true?

Is that? But and then because you take the experience,

you see a lot of this experience can really go

off tangent one no, no, can really change you in

a wrong way. And because of that, you stop trusting

people who are so hurtful, not just hurtful, that that

lasting hurt was the embarrassment you Now you don't there

to show up your face with anyone, and you maybe

for that season you said, I just want to change

my friends and circle. I can't wait to get out

of high school, of this school, you get me right,

you know all these things. And then when you start

to grow a bit older, and then maybe you found someone,

but you having a hard time to trust that PERSONA

wait what you say? Like that, are you trying to

embarrass me? Oh? You're like, why do I say that

something in my past is still cleaning on? Because there's

nothing more vivid than the embarrassment that you felt before.

You know what I'm saying, No, but it doesn't mean

that past experience is true. Does it going to does it?

Is it going to linger on to make you affect

your future relationship. To think of anyone trying to even

you know, trying to draw close to you, or maybe

they sometimes say wrong things. Are they trying to betray you?

So sometimes we can say things, are they are very

strong with you? But we don't say out, but we

displayed out. You know. Sometimes people can feel like they're

being betrayed, but we're not betraying you. Then they they're

off you. They you know of you know, they they

exit the group. You know, they want a non friend

you really, you know, you know, like what this? Why

this person like that? Because of that, all the things

are hurting them because their past is not properly processed.

You know what I'm saying. No, no, But it's like

you let's say, for example, last night, you ate something

and then you got stuck in your teeth and you

didn't brush your teeth for the next one month, and

that chunk of meat is still stuck there. Some of

us do there. You know. I was like, oh, and

then it's like it begins to rot, draws the cavity,

and you wonder why. You wonder why, you wonder why?

Because things are not processed, things get stuck in your life.

That you don't processedly and it's not meant to be.

It's at the wrong place, you know what I'm saying. No,

it happened, Yes it happened, but it's at the wrong place,

and you let it stuck there and it becomes you know, rot,

It rots you and it hurts. You can say that

everybody else. Bad things happen in your life, but you

allowed it also to rot. Things can happen, but we

can always draw something beautiful out of it, you know

what I'm saying. Not if I something happened like that,

I would say, Okay, I learned something like that, But

you or I have to learn forgiveness for that person.

It's not not easy for me to trust easier, but

I need to be wiser. Maybe part of the mistake

is because I simply trust orso and I never susted

out as well. You're gonna say so the things that

you have to understand and to process. So we must

be careful not to let our circumstances, our environments, and

our experience become our values. Our value. That's why we

have what the Bible isn't it? The Bible is the

correction you know, the ways you know when you took

the wrong highway on the wrong direction, heading to damansa

right instead of heading to KL All the ways, well,

tell your correct you or a bit longer, but at

least you're heading on the right direction. Okay. Now, this

very smart guy called Albert Einstein used to say, try

not to become a person of success, but rather try

to become a person of value. You know I'm saying now,

a lot everybody wants success. You can mean right, But

sometimes a lot of times success can betray you. And

you know what I mean, It can betray you. You

know what I mean by betray you. It means that

once you get what you want to, you think success

are you feel empty? You want to you can't say no,

let's betray you know you think it promises so much,

but yet you feel empty. It doesn't get what you

were and you're like, oh, what's next. It's it's kind

of like that. So don't try to chase success. Success

will come in a bit later, but try to expouse

I think what he says very true. Try to pursue

good values. Good values things you know they will never

betray you. Honesty, integrity, discipline, no discipline. You know there's

another always people always say this discipline by this guy

called Jocko Willings and he's a x I think a

military guy. And he said he used to discipline people.

And he said, no, discipline will never betray you. That's

a lot of this wild betray That's a very powerful saying.

You know, you wake up every morning. You might not

feel like it, but what you do will never betray you.

That's a deep statement. So everybody wake up six o'clock.

Let's go for a run. Man. How many of you

are how many of you like athletes or like you

run in the morning. You know I always do that

youh benh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, don't be shy. He said,

true or no, discipline will never fail you. Huh, will

never betray you. True or not? You're true or not. Okay,

you look at your discipline. Guy. Ready? Okay? Ah start

not get fit? Okay, uh alkay. So I understand we're talking.

That's why we are going into core values because as

a church, we want not just just attend the church,

not just here, but to unpack the core values that

we espouse so that every one of us as well,

we understand and know where it comes from and why

we are believing in it as well. So now let's

go through the first value. Okay, and it is called

spirit fail. It can go okay, spirit fail. Now, some

people will say, hey, I thought you know, the right

and proper thing for a church is to be the

word of God. First, you're not wrong. Well, God, it's true,

it's very important. But what does the Bible say, Ah,

you say the word I caught you the Bible? Ah.

For God is seeking worshippers who will worshiping in his

spirit and in truth. He didn't look for scholars, you know,

he didn't look for the smartest guy, you know, just

all the knowledge you know, but in spirit and in truth.

Now I give you another thing. Okay, why it's important

we talk about spirit okay, And maybe ranking is one thing.

But let's talk about the importance when we teach about

people about the knowing God, right about theology or anything.

Let's say, God is strong, God is almighty, God is omnimportant,

God is everywhere. God is eternal. What is the first

thing that we always teach people about God? God is loveless? Yeah,

of course, can connect. One of the first thing that

we always teach, okay, is that God is spirit. She

is one of the most important things. You don't realize

that God is spirit and that will change you. Why

is so important because it begins to separate you know,

or give a proper category to our lives. The moment

that when you talk about God is spirit, you start

what is spirit? Is it something very very you know, abstract?

But God is spirit. And when they say that God

is spirit, he is a different in a different domain.

And the way that we are meant and not just

God is spirit. We are spiritual beings. You must understand

that we are spiritual being because God is spirit and

He made us in his image and in his image

that we are not shorter anything about we are actually

have We have a spirit wan and no and the

way that we are designed to connect with Him to

what they call it, to love him, to worship him,

and to interact for the rest of eternity. It's in

the spirit. Of course, call is spirit.

God.

I said, he is spirit. The things that we want

to do to please him, the things that we want

to hear from Him for our lives is spirit. You

make no mistake. It is spirit. And once you understand

that that God is spirit and what he pours into

us is spirit, and the benefits for us is in

the spirit. Then everything changes. It's a game change. Literally.

You can say God is love and everything, but but

God is spirit. It's a very very important thing. When

we say that God is spirit means say he has

no form, no body, no image, nothing like the creation

at all. You can saying enough, when you worship, you

cannot think of that object. That is why one of

the things that we are called to do. It is

not to create idol. You I'm saying, no, it cannot

create any idols. There is nothing like Kim, no one

like Kim. It cannot be molded in that sense. And

when God speaks, he speaks not in the material word,

he speaks in the spirit as well. And so it's

not when we realize that God is spirit, it is

not for him to change to become like us. We

are to change or become more spiritual. You can, I'm saying, en,

that's a very very very very important theology. Remember this

that God is spirit. When you come to church, when

you come to worship, remember this God is spirit. It's

a very very very important thing. Everybody understands so fine

on and now when we talk about when we speak

about that God is spirit. The problem, there is a problem,

you know, you realize that, Hey, past I talk about

God spirit, but it's very hard to identify, you know,

because it's in material about every day we live, the

moment we wake up, I open my eyes to material

and then you know, but God is spree is so

hard to connect because we are so moldered by environment,

and we have this big problem and this cancer called sin.

You know what I'm saying. No, this sin and this

this this cancer I called sin, and this cancer a

lot of times you cannot see it one, no, no,

until a bit later. How may if we can see

cancer a lot of times that we even spend so

much money just to detect cancer, you know, you know,

I'm going to be doing my health. Sure, we spend

so much money just to detect cancer. No, but cancer,

it doesn't have to be seen now to have its

effect money. No, you know I'm saying, No, it doesn't

have to be seen to have this fact. And sometimes

when you have it, it continues somewhere in your body

and on your blood, you know, and it has a problem.

My dad recently had a big cancer tumor removed from

his brain he has two tumors, one on the outside

and one on the inside. The one outside was ready

growing for months, so big until it's like pressing on

his brain. Right, he has lost he's lost some of

his what they call it basic functions. You know, he

can't even swallow. And sometimes he looked at my face

he recognized, but don't remember my name. He looked at

me as a stranger. Say, it's until they remove the tumor,

suddenly he's able to restore his function. You know what

I'm saying. No, And so cancer is the similar thing

as well. You don't realize it, but it has doubt,

it has numb. It has sort of stopped a lot

of our spiritual sensus in connection with God as well.

And I always say that God is spirit, but because

of sin, and sin brings shame, Sin brings guilt, Sin

brings all sorts of fleshly guilty pleasures and desires and everything,

all the things that do not connect with God as well,

you know what I'm saying, not totally foreign. That's why

we feel we come to God, we feel so foreign.

He's like, I cannot connect with God and I cannot

identity with what he wants. From my life. Well I

want it. It's so different from it you cannot connect.

So that's why sin really separates us from God. You

got I'm saying, we have that problem of spin. And

that is why one of the things that God does

for us is that what he did not wait for you,

he gives us his holy spirit. He gives us his

holy spirit. You notice that, you know in the Book

of Acts, when Jesus rose from the death, he didn't

tell his disciples, Hey, after I go up, you need

to study a lot more for the Okay, you get

a plus only you score your tests and the exam

you submit, and then they got back your certificate. Then

you go into Jerusalem. What did Jesus do it? Even

you wait? Wait for what? Wait further? Or the spirit?

They spain with three years readia with Jesus. Are they've

been through? You talk about work experience? Are I think

they have more than qualified ready, They've been through the work,

seeing Jesus die on the cross radio. I think what experienced?

They qualified already, not the internship, anymore more than qualified ready.

But all this did not prepare them for the work

to come. Jesus said, wait for the spirit. Terry and

the waiting for the whole spirit was actually a test,

a test, not because if they went, they could have

gone by their own strength. Oh, Jesus is alive. I'm thinking,

if I go into a temple of Jerusalem, I call

on Jesus, and Jesus will come out and do it again.

All sorts of you know self, you know, I know

what they call it, attempt self effort will probably come in.

Jesus taught their way before I'm going to teach it

that way. You probably do a lot of things out

of your own strength, you know. And in the Old Testament,

you know the Israelites when they were at Mount Sinai

with Moses. Now Moses went up to the mountain and

where he received the Tan commandments in it. Okay, how

long did he went up there? For? For quite some time?

Isn't it for a long time? So long the people

thought he put ready? They thought, wait so long? Hey,

what happened to him? Like my grap never arrived? He know,

the wait, wait, hold long? And the people, these people

have seen God, have seen God do great things. Are

ten plagues are part of the Red Sea into the

wilderness brought manna. Okay, now these things are, pillar of cloud,

everything are. But yet they struggled to wait for God.

They struggled, you know, they struggled while they were waiting.

They couldn't anymore. Then they talked to Aaron and said,

that make us a God that we can follow. They

couldn't wait. You see, when you are spiritual, even though

you are called by God, okay, and if you do

not have the Holy Spirit, and if you do not

wait for the Holy Spirit power to come. When you

do it out of your own strength, you become to

You create an idol in your life. You create an

idol or a God that works with my strength, that

works in my creation, that works in my hands. Scary.

You know, you still look like Christian, but you create

an idol. And God will not tolerate this thing. What now,

let's see the Old Testament. They waited. Okay, that's right.

They waited. They failed, And in the New Testament, the

new Chosen people waited, one created an idol, One received

the Holy Spirit on Penticosts. Actually that's where the Penticost

comes one and all. But it got five to fifteen

penticost My day waited fifty days. They failed, three thousand

died the disciples waited fifty days. Holy Spirit came three thousand,

God saved. It's not a coincidence, and it is exactly

the parallel. It tells us. Even the entire nation that

was saved by God needed or Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit.

So the Holy Spirit is the key, okay. And God

told us told him to wait for the Holy Spirit. Okay.

So I wrote here we cannot do God's work in

our own human strength. Zachara chapter four, verse six says,

not by mine nor by power, but by my spirit.

Say it's a lot of hosts, and we need the

Holy Spirit even as we are saved that we believe

in Jesus. Thank you for your love to follow after

his commands to do His will to overcome. Also the

daily thing challenges as a believer. We need the Holy Spirit. Okay,

we need the Holy Spirit. Okay. John chapter fourteen, verse

six says, he says, but the helper, the Holy Spirit,

whom the Father will say in my name, he will

teach you all things. Even you want to know the truth,

you need the Holy Spirit. You can know the scripture,

but without the revelation, the understanding, the opening of the

Holy Spirit, you'll be understanding through your that's your mind.

And some of the wise things will seem foolish to you,

and God will make the foolish wise. So you know

what I'm saying. No, we need the Holy Spirit. Okay.

He will teach you all things and bring you to

remembrance all things that I said to you. Remember, these

disciples are not scholars. Are the way they are able

to understand the scripture and to preach. It's all in

demonstration of the power of the Holy Spirit. Okay. Next, okay,

being spirit feeled and okay, it means that we are

constantly filled with the spirit. You know, it's not just

you know some of you know. I'm not sure about you,

but I always believe that conversion, it's a scriptural conversion

is not just by by the way things. Conversion is

a supernatural event. I mean, if you believe what I'm saying,

it's not just you merely saying it. Actually, some of

I will say this, sir, some of us here, when

we think that we've been converted, we may not have

been fully converted yet or very powerful. Why I said that,

because I've been through it before. I said, I thought

I was a Christian for two times until the third

time I realized I was really a Christian. When someone

say that a Christian eadia, I'm not denying their experience.

I'm just saying, what with them, Show them the Bible,

talk with them, minister with them, make sure they really

are converted, because it is something we cannot take for granted.

Conversion is a supernatural thing in all people to be

converted to believe in just is the work of God.

It is not the work of man. The Bible says

God does the salvation. We are mainly just messengers. You know.

It is not because of my persuasive teaching, of my

persuasive work, or my persuasive testimony, or the music. Nothing

to do with that. It is God's work. It's really

really God's work. Salvation belongs to the Lord. Okay. And

when I say, and when we talk about you know, conversion, right,

you know, we need to make sure that people really

understand and that it's a supernatural thing. Why because if

you look at the story of Zakias, it is a

supernatural event for someone who has been a text collector

for so long suddenly wants to give half his goods away. Hey,

I tell you, some of you I want to give

you know, a bit more, just to treat lunch at

your struggle with you. I think it's a supernatural thing,

ah you, but this fella is giving half. It's a

change of a heart, a surgery that no doctor can

do one and all. And suddenly when you get safe.

You know when I when I when I was younger

in secondary, I said yes to Jesus two times. I

thought I was a Christian ready, but then I was

still so empty, and you I really experienced, I was like,

oh that's what it meant. The moment when I experienced

Christ as he was as it was meant to be,

my eyes open. You know what changed everything around me?

I realized one thing that the first thing I realized,

remember this, when I really accepted Him and he came

into my life, I saw God everywhere. I realized I

am surrounded by Him. That's the first thing you experienced

on you know why you're there, because your spirit is

made alive. You become aware it's not just loving know,

it's just like He's everywhere. He's all around me, over

me come completely. I am surrounded by God. And that

is why you have this amazing assurance and love and

peace and joy. When we say joy, joy is not

just a happiness. Joy can only be given by some one.

You know. That's why I always saying no. Joy is

the difference between joy and happiness. That joy must be

given by someone, and it means it can only be

taken by the person who gives you. Even if I fail,

even if I'm suffering and anything, but this joy did

in my fact. I cannot contain it. Goddess putting me

and he stayed there. You got I'm saying not. The

joy is not like poe and silence in the prisoners. Well, oh,

put mounting change, but the joy in him remains to

allow him to see. For the joy of there was

in Christ Jesus, even though he was near on the cross,

the joy that was in him let him there to

the cross. And I would do it until the very end.

Every single cent pay for us. There's a joy because

God has put in you. So everything changed. Okay, So

it makes sense or not. Salvation is a supernatural event.

Don't let if you say if you after this, it's like, oh, pastor,

I've said yes, but I've never explained. Come and talk

to us. We'll be more than have I been more

than happy to guide you walk through. That is why

when we say supernaturally, it means that you need to

go deeper and by faith, ask, by faith receive you

can mean right, you cannot You cannot say oh you

already let the label. No. I want to make sure

you ask by faith and you received by faith, that

you get filled to the full with the spirit of God,

that you know and know that you are a child

of God. There until the day you know you lay

down on the casket, you know you're a child of God.

You I mean right, that's the one, that's the that's

the reward, that's the gift that He has given you.

Nothing less than that, nothing less than then, Okay, everybody, Okay,

So far am I doing full time? Okay? So walking

in the spirit okay, being in the spain mean field.

We're constantly filled with the spirit, otherwise we will be

filled with other things. Okay, let's read the scripture. Here

he says Galations five sixteen. I say, then walk in

the spirit, and you shall not be filled, but you

shall not fulfill the last of the flesh. Okay, For

the flesh lasts against the spirit, and the spirit against

the flesh. And these are contrary to one another, so

that you do not do the things that you wish. Okay,

so we must be feeled. You know. One of the

compt is talking about being filed is because if we

do not fill ourselves with the spirit, something else will

feel it. That is why I talked about again. One

of the first things we learn is that God is spirit.

God is spirit, and the things that we do that

only the only things that we do that is will

really pleasing is by the spirit. And you realize that

a lot of things in the spirit must be done

in faith. But without faith it is impossible to please

God makes sense on our it's the spiritual things. And

so if we don't do the spirit, everything will start

to you know, in the world, what you started doing, scrolling,

what you saw on the Netflix. You know, all these

things will start to feel your minds, everything, and you

will feel like once you get filled with these things

and you still call a creer Christian, you're like, Hey,

I think God wants me to do this. I think

God wants me to do that. I think this is

the word of God. This is a sign from God.

But God said, oh no, I didn't say anything. Oh

I didn't do anything at all, nothing of that sort

and not. But we use his name in vain so

that we get approval to do the things in the flesh,

isn't it? Ah? I know, not the children and not this.

Sometimes I catch my kids. No I think they said this. No,

then something happened. No I didn't say this. I don't

said it. No, no, no, it was like what happened.

It's almost simply used God's name in vain. Okay, Okay,

let's come to the last part here. Now we talk

about spirit fiory Okay, but there's one important gap that

we need to feel. Okay, one very important gap. No,

we understand why now what it's being spirit the importance,

But how how do I get spirit feel? Okay? So

instead of just then you just received that, okay, I

want to give you a step, series of steps that

you can begin to reflect and different ones if you

could be in different parts of the step here, you know.

And it's a good reflection. And this is what the

things that will appear in home snot as well because

I prepare the home snorts okay, but by giving you

a preview, okay, So it's good to talk about it.

And some of these things will constantly appear again. So

let's go through it. The first one simple, Have you

ask you want to be filled with the spirit? Have

you asked? The Bible says this, and a who of you?

If your son asked for a fish, will you give

a stone? Ask for a bread? Give snakes? I'm paraphrasing, hella,

how much more will the Father give the Holy Spirit

to those who ask from him? Okay, I'm paraphrasing. I'm

if I'm saying no. What is the Bible? Why is

the scripture trying to tell us? He said? He said, saying,

you know, you don't have to pray long prayer or

pray like John the Baptist. This happened. The key to

prayer is to ask for the Holy Spirit, and the

Holy Spirit it will guide you to pray spiritual things

to your spiritual Father. You don't use the worldly spirit.

You use you know you you will depend on the

Holy Spirit, which the Father will give you to fulfilled

spiritual things. I'm saying not, and so you have to

simply ask. But the question begs a bit. I ask

a bit. We'll also ask deeper questions. Why have you

not asked? Why have you not asked? And geely, a

lot of people don't ask now, and then you ask

why people don't ask? If it's so simple, like I said,

I go back to the first thing. A lot of us,

we have a lot of back what they call it backlogs.

You know, I'm processed things? You know? Do you not

ask this because you feel God doesn't care? God doesn't bother?

Surely God knows all my needs. Surely God knows I

don't have to bother asking ma. Or maybe God knows

my needs. He knows, but he doesn't get it because

he's upset with me. He feels I'm dirty. Maybe this

is my one thousand time, two thousand times, million million

times asking, you know, And God must be seen with

me already, you know, not fed out with me ready.

Maybe God's love for me has changed already. That's why

when I ask, I feel shame and guilt. I feel

it's repetitive anymore. You see what I'm saying. No, people

don't ask for a reason one and not for no

random reason or not. There is a cause behind it, you,

I'm saying, No, That is why we talk about sin

and everything. It's very powerful to separate us. Why not?

But you must understand that our minds must be transformed

to ask by faith. You have to ask him faith.

God loves you. He really loves you more than you

love yourself. You know, you don't love yourself that much,

to be honest, a lot of us don't really love

us that much because the things we tell ourselves. We

don't deserve this and there you're too shameful. God loves

you more than you love yourself. And you know why

I say that He died on the cross for you.

He was willing to pay that price. He loves you

more than you love yourself. To be honest, you know

what I'm saying. He redeemed you for the preciousness because

He created you, and he paid for you. And so

we have to ask. Have you ask for the Holy Spirit?

Have you asked to be feeled? Sometimes sometimes that's the

simplest but the hardest thing to do. God, I want

to be feeled. I just want to be feeled. You're not.

I'm not asking to be feeled, because this is the

end of worship, is asking for people to respond, you know.

But I'm asking to be feeled because I need you,

I need you. I want I don't want to follow

I come to a point where I really don't trust myself,

and I feel that you know that Lord, that you

are a good God, that your goodness overwhelms me, and

there is no other good I can find, not even

my own good, but You're good. That is the good

that I want for my life. You know what I'm saying. No,

So the first is have you asked? The second is,

if you have asked, have you surrendered? Or is there

an area you're still holding back? Because the God is

a gentleman. You know he will not force you. You

know he will only give what you yield back as well.

You know what you will only give what you are

willing to yield, what you are what, only the room

that you are willing to give. He won't force himself

to sit on the softa space unless you make space working.

Thank God, you can see here you can take the

hope so far, you can take the whole room as well.

You know what I'm saying, not so have you surrendered?

And that I said it's not. It sounds simple but

not easy. You know, do you want God started ministry

and having a voice in certain areas of your life?

The third thing asking surrendering, but have you received, have

you received by faith? Or are you still waiting to

feel something? And so more of us are we put

a qualification to God or not? I only receive when

I feel something, when I see a sign. You know,

do you take communion and wait for assignment? Huh? Huh?

Do you do you wait for a sign to decide?

Latin or American Norman people? Some of the things you

do just have liberty to do. One and all come

saying in a communion, we take this based on the

truth of what God has done and his commanded as

we partake by faith, believing in it. But yeah, when

we come to receiving with oh, faith doesn't work anymore,

it start operating. It's not looking for a signing all

you look, the reason you ask for faith is this

this one main understanding. God is good. He doesn't need

to prove to me anymore. It's not based on my word.

There you know, God is good. Sometimes I might have

done bad things, but I still go back to my

parents' house knowing there will still be dinner for me.

You know what I'm saying. You know I don't. Sometimes, Yeah,

you wait for a time, but a true son will

go back. Yes, my dad might be upset, but I

see their mommy, you know, put under the basket or

still got food, oh my favorite food. Some more, he said, love,

you might not be pleased, but he'll still his son,

he still his daughter. People. And so when you receive,

you gotta take away this mindset. And yes we all

have mistakes in side, but you come by faith as

a son and daughter. Lord. I know I'm but I

receive this by faith. And I say it by fair,

not by my mind, not by my own strength, and

by faith because I am found in you, And I said,

and I and SI, and I receive it. I'm coming

to the table and communing with you, Lord, no matter

how how dirty and how nonsense I am. There is

no place I rather run to if I owe money.

If I do this and that, I still come back

to my home. On you come saying you know, so

you got to receive it by faith, ask by faith,

received by faith. Without faith, it's impossible to please God.

That is, it's so simple. But yet these are the

reasons we don't get filled with her Holy spirit. Okay,

See that the enemy messes with us our mindset, our

identity to stop us being filled with the Holy Spirit.

And then after we receive, do we listen? Ah? You listen?

Do you make space to hear? You know we talk

about surrendering, but do you listen? Or Okay, it's your

life too noisy or too busy? Ta, So once you receive,

you to ask, you know, oh, have I decluttered my life?

Or I just feel myself with so many things? How

to be felled when you got no space? How to be?

How to hear when your life is so noisy? So

it's a good reflection when we say being spirital is

the church being too noisy and too busy? Sometimes? Is

your own life too busy and too noisy? Is your

own family too busy and too noisy? As well? These

are things we're you gotta ask. Have you trusted? Do

you follow his leading when it doesn't make sense? Or

lean on your own understanding? When God speaks or he

you know he shows you the right path? Do you

need more evidence? Do you need more convincing? Would you follow?

And would you trust even though sometimes even though sometimes

you cannot see it? Yeah, I'm saying not. Sometimes you

know you're waiting, but no, God said follow, Just do it,

do the right thing. Do what I've told you to do,

then everything else will follow. But when we don't trust,

it's like a relationship. You know, It's like my wife

speaking to me, but then I don't trust her. Know

how many of you they say the wife say yes,

I know what I totally know already, and then you

look at your husband yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah yeah yeah,

say hey, you want to go on time? I better

follow this road use waste and say no, I know

my way. You know. That's why I ask you, how

are you there to use waste? So I know the

way already. I know the way. You wane and then

you take a wrong turn and your wife will get you.

Just kidding, Okay, what I said? Do you trust? You know?

It's the children. You know, parents, You know a parents

can tell you, children can listen, But do you trust

what your parents say? Ah? Truy not. It's very very true.

Do we trust? If we obey? God gives the spirit

to those who obey him. The all have scriptures right now,

so obedience allows what when you obey, when you begin

to wowk and you trust, God gives more. It takes

intentional swing. So you you know why not because people

are not looking you to be romantic. People are saying

you are devoted. Makes sense or not. You're not looking

for romanticis and you're looking for devotion. Okay, sorry, not

every time you know, you worship God, you will have

the perfect someplay in the background, Okay, don't like you

look at your wife, got perfect someone. Sometimes when it touch,

they are honesties too much. You know, I used to

cringe over that song. Oh my sp just send the

score up. No, no, no, no, don't tell pass Sandra.

I'm not laying on handside that. Sometimes when we touch,

it's so wrong. Anyway, anyway, come back, come back, come back,

come back. It must be spirit you people. This is

this is the world, man, last one. We must be surrounded. Yeah,

you must be more encouraging, surrounded by people with good

and godly influencers. Yeah, what you're encouraging me about and askidding?

We are surrounded. So it's like, are you surrounded with

good and godly influencers? You know that your environment plays

a role with you. You know that. So now that

you are like you say that you're being filled with

the Holy Spirit, you begin not to be molded by mPire.

You begin to infect and influence your environment. And one

of it, of course, is to bless them, but one

of it is to intentionally surround your environment as well.

You come saying it's a very very important thing that

you do so that you continuely put yourself in a

a in a state envenment that you will not be

tempted or be caught easily caught of God to make

unwise and ungodly decisions as well. Okay, so we kept again,

have you asked? Okay? Have you surrendered? Oh no? Are

you still holding back? Have you received by faith? Have

you been listening? Have you trusted? Have you obeyed? Have

you worshiped? Have you devoted yourself? And have you surrounded

yourself as well? Okay, I'm let's stand together as the

closest pass good questions. Is it being spirit filled? Being

all the things that is important in your life as well?

Have you have you if you go through this list

as well? It's so important.

We hope you've been blessed by this message. For more

information on our church, please visit axchurch Do org. We

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this week is going to be a good week, a

hit for you. God bless