Understanding What God Wants | Elder Terence Atkinson

You're listening to a message to go from as church. We hope this message

will light up your day. Today's word is understanding what God wants. Understanding

what God wants? Do you know that God has desires? God has once

Do we give God what he wants? Or do we give God what we

want? You know this morning, I get up early in the morning to

pray for the service, pray for the message Lord will annoy. But I

did not set my alarm so bad. You know, I didn't set my

alarm. But who needs an alarm when God wants you to get up to

pray? So I usually set my alarm for three forty five am because I

go walking at four. I got up today at three forty four. Just

when I looked at the time, it changed from forty four to forty five.

And my first thought was, thank you God, you got me up

to pray. So I went. I changed into my walking clothes and I

prayed for three hours. So I walked for three hours. And it's the

anointing. So God is interested in you having anointing when you have His work

at hard. When you have His work at hard, you don't need alarm

clocks because God will be right there with you, ensuring that he gets his

time with you. So I was so grateful. And you know what,

it's because you need to know it. This is the third or full time

I'm sharing this message. That's because it's something God put in my heart.

God doesn't want us to give him what we want. God wants us to

start giving him what he wants. And there's a big difference, all right.

Do you know that understanding Understanding can either be a stumbling block or a

stepping stone. In fact, scripture says in Asia Josea four six, my

people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. So I actually went and I had

a look at this word, and I and and basically one of the itenerations

of this word is understanding. In fact, when God talks about knowledge,

he's talking about what you know with what you do. Whoh, it's experiential

knowledge. My people are destroyed for the lack of experiential knowledge. Knowledge in

the head is of no use. If you have the knowledge in the head,

it's of absolutely no use. Do you know that many people who know

how to drive knowledge in the hate and do you know they won't begin,

they won't get behind and steering wheel, So of what good is it for

them? Absolutely nothing. My mother has a driver's license. She got a

driver's license in nineteen sixty nine. She drove my father's car once and that

was it. She never drove again. So that license is of absolutely no

use. So we gotta understand. We gotta know that there is an understanding

that has use and that is a stepping stone. And we have an understanding

that is of no use, it becomes a stumbling block. The funny thing

about understanding is it can make us or it can break us. I remember

there was a young man who said God wants him to go to Australia.

God told him go to Australia. So what he did was he bought his

ticket and he and a friend flew to Australia. Except for one thing.

They didn't apply for a visa. So you see, they had the desire

to do God's way, but they didn't have the right understanding. Because if

you have understanding, you would realize that in order to go to Australia,

you must go to Australia. Australia's way, and Australia says, get her

visa. So he got to Australia got off the plane, got to immigration,

opened his passport. They said, no visa, close the door,

get back on the next plane. Come back to Militia. That was an

expensive round trip and Holly got to see was the inside of the airport immigration.

So did God tell him to go? Maybe? Did he have understanding?

No understanding can make us or break us. I had the head knowledge

that all your exercise you eat a little bit, well you okay, you

know? And my weight went up and up and up and up and up

until I went for her and the test showed, guy, it's time for

you to start getting your life together. So I started. That was two

months ago. So if you look at me two months from then till now,

God put in my heart understanding, the understanding that works. I have

come down from full excel to a single excel two months God. Yeah,

God, So you know what is God trying to tell us? Let's find

out. In Ephesians four eighteen, it says having their understanding darkened, being

alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them,

because of the blindness of their heart, Oh, blindness of the you know

what kind of world I'll be living in? Are you ware what's going on

in the world today. Many of us think we do right. Let me

break it down. Scripture says in Revelations that two hundred million kings in the

East, the red dragon will march from China, will march against Israel.

Who is the red dragon? Who are the kings of the east? The

red dragon China? And you know what Scripture said, I heard the number

two hundred million. Very recently, President G of China said, add a

moment's notice, China can raise an army off two one hundred million. Then

you think yourself, Ahi, it's kind of crazy, isn't it? To

match all the way from China to Israel. The Kara Korum Highway is a

highway that links China all the way to the doorstep of Israel. You know

when that highway was completed. He was completed in nineteen seventy nine. So

those of us that were just born again at that time constantly heard about the

second coming of Jesus Christ, And we were being taught about this all the

time. Be prepared, be prepared, Be prepared. Jesus is coming.

Jesus is coming, And we live our lives today like Jesus is coming.

By the youngsters these days have hardly heard that message. Jesus coming again?

Who said the Bible said? And we've closed the eyes to what's happening.

Do you know that the Bible also says that the bear will also rise up

against Israel. You know who's the bear? Russia? And how many of

us know that? Over the last one month to two months, Russia and

China have become such great friends. Are you aware Russia? Russia and China

good friends. They have one more in the party, Iran. Are you

aware that Iran is supplying Russia with the missiles? Are you also aware that

China has taken a hand in trying to resolve the Middle Eastern conflict? So

you ask yourself, why would China go against Israel? They're all the way

on the other side of the world. Well, now you have your answer.

They're getting involved in the conflict because they're friends with the greatest enemy of

Israel, who's dead. You ran, Hey, this is happening in the

world today. The one thing that prevented or prevents two hundred million people from

marching in to Israel is you know what the euphrates river. But scripture prophesied

a couple of thousand years ago, or more than that, a few thousand

years ago, that the river Euphrates would dry up. You know, that

sounded so crazy until last year when the river dried up. So now there

is no barrier for the crossing, and Scripture says that his people will be

outnumbered, out gunned, and won't stand a chance except for one thing.

The only one who can touch God's people is God himself. So when all

these nations rise up, Scripture says against that little country, it marks the

return of Jesus Christ, and Jesus will come down and he will defend his

people. You know how close we are. We are so close it's not

even a joke anymore. So you and I we better understand what God wants.

Because time is short, time is very short. We better give God

what he wants, not what we think he wants. The world has gone

a little bit, not a little bit. The world has gone totally crazy.

Are you aware that're Just about a month ago it was discovered in California

a secret society that is dealing with the children in kindergartens. It's called the

Rainbow Club. You know what it's there for. It's to teach boys to

love boys and girls to love girls. And I don't mean brotherly and sisterly

love. The thing about is when the parents found out, the parents said,

you require permission for my kids to go and learn gardening. But for

this society nothing was said. The LGBT people are invited in the school to

indoctrinate the children. Hey, the fight is on for your kids, men,

And here we are so wanting to send our kids over to Australia and

US and New Zealand and all these places. Hey, guys, if you're

gonna do that for the sake of education, you make sure you train them

here because when you go over there, you sign in your forms. Mister

missus and others. Guys, if anybody says they are a chair, that

is there insanity. It's not mine. So I will call a chair a

chair, I will call a he a he, and i'll call a sheep

she. But do you know how smart they have become. They have created

laws that if they say I want to be called a she and you call

the man a he, they'll put you in jail. Guys, wake up,

we all have to be aware. We all have to wake up.

Why because the understanding has been darkened. Why has their understanding been darkened?

Because now they live for the Almighty God. You know who's the almighty God

themselves. You see, when man gives up the worship of the True and

Living God, he goes crazy. And that's in the scripture. They have

been alienated from the life of God. Guys. Scriptures is because of the

ignorance that is in them. Do not train your kids up in ignorance.

You have to start speaking to them now because the fight is for your kids.

Do you know what scripture says in the last days, the children will

be trade parents and the parents will be trade children. How is that even

possible? It is possible because the children now will become the parents. Then

the children now are being trained in what the Almighty I am God myself.

So when the time comes, they will all live for themselves. There will

be no sacrifice. It will become very easy to betray, because what prevents

someone from betraying. It's loyalty, it's heart, it's love. When you

don't love someone else and you only love yourself, it's all fair and love

and war. You heard that one, guys. Do you know that wisdom

is the principal thing, Scripture says. In Proverbs four seven, it says,

wisdom is the principal thing. Get wisdom, and in all you're getting,

get understanding. Do you know that? Scripture says, if you have

to get something, get understanding. If you want to get this and get

that, Scripture says, get it by all means. But in all the

desire to get all those things, make sure you get understanding. So how

do we get understanding? How do we how do we receive it? In

Isaiah forty twenty eight, it says, have you not known and have you

not heard? The Everlasting God, the Lord, the creator of the ends

of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable.

If you need understanding, go to the one who has it all. Scripture

says, go to the one who's got all the answers. Go to the

one who will never fail you. And I we will fail. We will

miss it so many times we will miss it. You know the other day

there was this guy, and he's dying of cancer, and I had in

my heart go and pray for him. Man, go and pray for him.

Then I said, Lord, this man said he will not receive you

unless he sees you. Whow What am I going to do? I went

to the one who has all the answers, and I prayed, say God,

what do I tell him? You know what is God's answer was badminton?

Uh, badminton? Yes, badminton. So I went to the hospital

and I saw this man and I said, are you aware you are dying?

Hey? Towards the end, there's no time for all the small chat.

You get down to business. Are you aware that you are dying?

He said yes. I said, I want you to know Jesus and I

shared Jesus with you the first time, because it's the second time I'm seeing

it. First time He said, no, second time i'm seeing him.

I said, I've already told you that Jesus loves you and it's very important

for you to meet him as a friend. But I heard you. He

said that you will not receive Jesus unless you see him. And I was

praying and as asking God, what do I talk with you? So I

said, do you play badminton? Say yeah, yah, yah, I

played badminton. I like to play bedmington. I used to play bedminton before.

Oh very good, I said, do you know that Jesus has served

the shuttle to you. He's waiting for you to heat it back to him

so he can return it to you. You are asking to see Jesus.

Jesus wondering, is shaking his head because he served the shuttle to you.

I died for you on the cross. I'm ready to save you. He's

waiting for you to serve the shuttle back to him, and you're asking him.

Show yourself to me. I said, you want to see the love

of Jesus. Look at all your family members around you. They're your distant

relatives, but they're looking after you. They are loving you. They have

rearranged your whole house to take care of you in a way no other person

has. That is Jesus. Do you want to receive Jesus? Yes,

I do. He received the Lord. Later on, I found out that

he saw a bright light in his room and the shadow of a man walking.

It was so bright he couldn't see the face glowing all around and his

heart. He knew it was Jesus. Jesus did come and touch him.

Later on, he said, a few days later, I saw two men

in my room, both dressed in white. They were glowing they came into

my room. They had a little discussion, and then they left. I

told the family member, get ready, he's going to see the Lord.

So what does Jesus want? You and I were so caught up with so

many things, so many things. What does Jesus want? You know?

Through your precepts? Psalms one one nine one four says, through your precepts,

I get understanding. It is through the word of God that I get

understanding. And we don't want to read the word of God. We're so

interested to read read books written by this person and by that person, and

every Tom, Dick and Harry. But scripture, Where does precepts come from?

Where does understanding come from? Psalms four says it is through your precepts,

I get understanding. Remember, understanding either make you understand right, it

makes you you understand wrong, it breaks you right in In in the n

I view version, it says, I gain understanding from your precepts. Therefore

I hate every wrong way? How many if you hit wrong ways? Okay,

the other day, I think I've told the story. Man, this

is a worthy story. Tell again. You know, La Mabel just bought

her mighty nice red red car. We were going to kneel I to share

the word of God. When you kneel, I right, how to get

their use waste man use waste killer. We put waste waste took us.

Was it got straight? Okay? I went straight and continue I continued.

Next thing I know, the grass started to grow taller on my left,

in my right and then I look. Someone, you ask her if this

is not exaggeration. The grass is over the car. And then the root

became narrower and narrower and narrower. Then it disappeared. It was now mane.

But we said, goes straight. Okay. I went straight. I

went straight. Then we said take a right. Okay. When I took

the right. Next thing I know, palmoil estate in front of me,

palml is straight, palmol estate on the right of me, palm all estate

behind me. But we said, goes straight. So I went straight.

As I went up further, there was this lazy cow, big cow almost,

if I'm not mistaken, not exaggerating, as big as the car,

sitting in the middle of the road. So I stopped the car. I

look at the cow. The cow look at me. I look at the

cow. Someone the cow look at me. Someone Then I pressed the horner,

and you know, my big editing on me. Me pressed the horn,

then the car. I can almost the cow grumbling, worry me get

up slowly and move to the side of the road. So I continue.

We say continue, I continue. Next thing, I know, there's a

big drain in front of me. Wiz never told me about this big drain

at least ten feet wide. How am I going to cross? But I

promise you we're still blue line. Okay, blue line goes straight. What

did I do? I had to turn around. And when I turn around,

the cow was back in the middle of the road again. I look

at the cow, and the cow look at me again. I pressed the

horn, and the cow lazily got up and moved. So I told me

by I'm just going to drive. I'll find some road and then we'll see

how we go from there. And eventually we got to Kneelin. But the

red car was now no longer red. It was now brown, completely brown,

brand new car. Mud everywhere. How many you hate a wrong way?

That's what scripture says. And you know what, when we are not

following the Lord, there will be ways telling us to go here, go

there, go everywhere. But we will never get to where you need to

go because the precept is wrong. So what is the right path? What

is the right path? What is God telling us to do today? In

Matthew twenty eight nineteen, it says, go therefore and make disciples of all

nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and

of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded

you, and law I am with you even to the end of the age.

And you know how this description has ended a man. Let it be

so when you and I meet Jesus one day, He's not gonna ask us

how many friends we have. He is not gonna ask us how many contracts

did we win. He is not going to ask us how much of money

do we have in the bank. He is not interested in our business dealings.

He's not interested in the cars we drive. All that's not important.

But he will ask you one question. I am sure, did you live

your life as the Great Commission or the Great omission? What the scriptures say

we have Christians we call this the first priority. This is you know,

Christians referred this to this as the Great Commission. But how many of us

when we meet Jesus, will this turn out to be the great omission in

our lives? You know, I become acutely aware that the only thing that

really matters is reaching out to people so they get saved. I mean,

on the first of May, I let my parents again in the salvation prayer.

First time I did it was thirteen years ago, and I told them,

I want to be sure that you make it. I want to be

sure you understand to make it as make Jesus your friends, so that when

you see him in your life is over, he will receive you unto himself.

I wrote a letter to my dad and I explained scripture and I explained

everything to him, and I said, that is why it is important for

you to ask the Lord to forgive you of your sins and call him into

your life to be a lord and savior. You know, he read that

letter thirteen years ago, and I don't know whether he still had it,

but I found it after such a long time. I reprinted it and I

gave it to him, And the moment I gave it to him, you

couldn't pry him away from that letter. He read it, so I know

something special was taking place. Hey, how many of us have got family

members who are not saved? You know, it's a promise, you and

your household will be saved. It is a promise, man, That's something

you don't have to worry about. All you need to do is do what

God tells you to do. You and your household will be saved. So

some of you may not have a great relationship your mom and dad. With

your parents, I asked you a question, when was the last time you

told them you love them? You know it starts with that, Oh,

it's not my way. You know, in my family, nobody ever says

that. Be the first man break the chain, do it? Nope.

I never told my parents I love them until one day I told them,

Mom, dead, I want you to know I love you. Huh,

what's wrong? They thought I was going to die or something. So I

just told them, say, mom dead, while you're alive, you better

know I love you. What's the point when you're gone? I said,

you're graver you. I should have told them I loved them. I should

have told them. I tell you now, every time I see them,

I tell them I love you. Mom. In dead, I hug them,

I tell you I tell them I love I love them. You want

to know something. Today they hugged me and say I love you. That's

not all. They hugged my brothers and their wives and they say that they

love them. It started a movement in the family. It's broken down walls.

Guys, there's a start. That's the start. You know. The

other day I told my mom, Mom, if I've never said this before,

I want you to know how sorry. I am sorry about what I

said. I must have been a rotten kid. All I wanted, you

know, it was all about I want this, I need that, I

want this I wanted and I never thought what you went through. I am

so sorry. You know they appreciate that. Have any of you ever told

your parents that maybe you should, because I'm sure all of us as kids

are quite demanded. I'm sure as kids we are quite demanding. You want

to see change happen, Be different, don't be the same. God will

give you the courage, just like how he gives you the courage to now

go to strangers and tell them you need Jesus. The other day I met

an old colleague. You know, I've been trying to get dinner, dinner,

a dinner appointment with her for so long, colleague. Really we are

good friends, but I have not seen her in ye and we text,

but I've not seen her in so long. Oh you're texting with a woman

my wife knows. Okay, nothing is hidden, all right. As a

team in the office, we could do million dollar projects and get it done

like that, so perfect that everybody thinks, you know, it was second

to none. I met up with her this week and I told her,

I say, you and I we've had a friendship for twelve years, and

I don't want you to ever face God and say, why didn't Terence tell

me? So I shared my testimony with her. I said, this is

how I came to know Jesus. This is the miracle he's done in my

life, and these are the miracles he's done in the lives of others.

And a lot of people that I've shared with throughout my years are now pastors

today. Why is that? And she was very appreciative, and I told

her this, if ever you run into trouble, call on the name of

Jesus and he will come and he will help you. This is the same

thing that I wrote in the autograph to my rich friend when I left school

in nineteen eighty two and he was on his yacht. That's how rich he

was. He was on his own yacht. I found out later on he

became a pastor. I said, how did this happen? I say,

He said, you are responsible. Ah, I'm responsible. How is that?

Say? You remember what you wrote in my autograph book? I say,

you're crazy. You think I can remember all that? He says,

you wrote this the very statement I just made. He says, when I

was dying out there in sea. In the sea, I was alone,

and I called on the name of Jesus, and he came on the water

and he helped me. The moment I got to show, I gave up

everything, and today I serve you he gave up millions. By the way,

so is it difficult to witness? What does God want? God wants

us to witness? I'm making it clear right now. So what does God

want? He wants us to witness? Go into the world, you know

where as the world. The world is not your home, because you and

your household will be safe. So anywhere out of your house, that's the

world. In Psalms one, my nine thirty four says, give me understanding,

and I shall keep your law. Indeed, I shall observe it with

my whole heart. Give me understanding, you one understanding? Ask God.

In Isaiah eleventh two, it says the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon

him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might,

the spirit of knowledge and of fear of the Lord. Did you ask

God for wisdom? Ask him also for understanding? Hey, you and I

we got the Holy Spirit. Man, What does the Holy Spirit do?

Gives you understanding? You know, I was praying for this guy demon possessed

case. This is when I was studying. All right. Every night after

school, I go to church and we're praying for all these people that are

possessed deliverance ministry. All right, and I'll be praying until four in the

morning. Five in the morning. This time you were very tired past and

said, go back, go back, have a rest. Whatever the Lord

reveals to you, come and tell me. I went asleep two hours sleep.

In that sleep, I had a dream. In the dream, I

was on the fourth floor, which I was in a hostel. I washed

my clothes, hang it out to dry. The second uniform fell all the

way it pants all the way from the fourth floor to the ground below.

So I thought in my dream that was pretty strange. So in the morning

I told Pasta, Pasta, this is the dream I had, and I

found it very strange. And the second one should fall because that was the

one on the inside, But the closest to the railing did not fall.

So I don't know what this means. You asked me to share with you.

I share with you. I went to school, I came back.

I went and Pastor called me and said, you know what happened. I

went to this guy's house because the demon somehow wouldn't come out. I went

to his house. I was searching through his things, and when I found

his things, there was uniforms, a batchel of uniforms. The second one

fell to the ground, and I remembered what you said. We checked the

second uniform. You know what we found. We found a charm inside,

charmed by one of his friends, so called friends. We removed it in

the name of Jesus. We threw it into the fire, and the moment

we did that, the demon came out. Understanding, God will help you

to understand. In Proverbs three five to six, he said, trust in

the Lord with all your heart, not some of your heart, not a

little bit of your heart. Scripture says, trust in the Lord with all

of your heart, and lean on your own understanding. Hey, you're understanding.

It doesn't have what it takes. The scriptures makes it very clear.

Do not lean on your own you know is the word lean? Lean is

You're tireder you just you know, lean against the wall. You support yourself

on the wall. It says, do not support yourself with your understanding in

all your ways. You know you want understanding. This is how it comes.

We just pray. Just now, brother, listen to what it says,

in all your ways, acknowledge him, and he shall make your parts

straight. You want understanding. Scripture says, acknowledge him. You know what

is the heart? The heart is the inner man. I'm rushing here,

I know because I don't have very much time. The heart is the inner

man. It's the mind, it's the will, It's who makes you who

you are. Trust in the Lord with all of your being, not some

of it. You don't hold anything back. You give it all, just

like you know. I'm laying it out all today, just out there.

You know everything that is in me I'm pouring out. By the time I'm

finished today, I will be gone ha the inner man. And it says

lean not on your own. Saying lean means to lean to support yourself.

Do not support yourself on your understanding. So now you need God's understanding.

I told you ask God. And then it says with all. You know

what Scripture means. By the word all, it means the whole, the

complete, everything that's about you, every fiber of your being complete. You

trust in the Lord with completeness. Again, it says leanness to support yourself.

And then it says acknowledge the Lord. To know acknowledge, You got

to know the Lord. Scripture says I said in Hoseiah four six, My

people are destroyed for the lack of knowledge, experiential understanding. Experiential knowledge,

not just hate knowledge, every fiber of your being. To know him,

and He will make your path straight. I want you to notice is a

wonderful word. This word's straight. You know what it means. It means

smooth. He will make your part smooth. How many will like a smooth

road? How many of you when you're driving your card, the road is

smooth. It's very comfortable. Thanks and not. But our roads are like

roller coasters. How many of you when you're going the planer you want a

smooth flight. We just heard what a horrible experience turbulence can be. Always

wear your seatbelt. Okay, now you know why you have to, so

he will make your part smooth. And I want to end with this scripture.

You know this scripture has rarely talked about in this context, but I

think you and I we need to understand it. In Acts sixteen, verses

twenty eight to days. But Paul called out with a loud voice, saying,

do yourself no harm, for we are all here. Then he called

for a light, ran in and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas.

And he brought them out and said, sir, what must I do to

be saved? This is the time when Paul and Silas were thrown into prison

for preaching the word. They were thrown into prison, they worshiped the Lord.

The prison shook, the doors opened, the chains fell off. And

what did the jailer want to do? He wanted to kill himself. And

Paul called out and said, do yourself no harm, for we are all

here. How could Paul possibly know them? There were no lights. Right,

how could the jailer know that Paul was telling the truth. He couldn't

see. He ran in and brought a light. Do yourself no harm.

We are all here. This is the second such incident where Paul is talking

about all being there. What was the other incident the shipwreck? Remember the

shipwreck? When Paul was involved in the shipwreck, he lost nobody. We

are all here, So now the jailer, here's the word of Paul.

And when Paul says, do yourself no harm, we are all here.

When you and I have the understanding before the Lord and live our life to

save others, to share with others, to be involved with others, you

know that people will recognize your sincerity and they will believe your word. They

will believe your word even without seeing. The jailer ran in with the light

and he didn't kill himself. Means he believed what Paul said. And then

he asks the right question. How did he know what question to ask?

Sir? What must I do to be saved? When you and I start

living our life, to go into the world and preach the gospel, and

we make it a livelihood, We make it a life's work. People will

come up to us and say, sir, what must I do to be

saved? And you and I were so worried about our face, so worried

that people will say no to us. Hey, they're not saying no to

you. You know you didn't die for their sins. I didn't die for

their sins. Jesus died for their sins. I'm sharing something good to you.

You want to receive it, Praise the Lord you want? You don't

want to receive it. One day when you meet Jesus, you cannot say

nobody told me. Guys, what does Jesus want? When was the last

time we witnessed to somebody? Let's not wait any longer. Let's start going

and share. Nobody asks you to talk theology. Okay, leave the theology

to the theologians. You know what you're asked to do. Witness. What

is witness? Witness is just tell what happened to you, How did you

get saved? How has God helped you? That's all you need to say.

So pick that stranger and say, you know what, I want to

tell you what God did for me, and they will listen because you're not

telling them what God what they should do. You're telling what God did for

me, Share with them, make it something you do all the time.

We hope you've been blessed by this message. For more information on our church,

please visit axchurch dot org. We are also active on Facebook and Instagram.

We're believing that this week is going to be a good week, a

hit for you. God bless