Don’t walk away from what you love.

There are times when the challenge of responsibility will make

you walk away from something that you actually love. And

people will judge you in that moment. And they will

think you're walking away because you're lazy. But you're not

walking away because you're lazy. You're walking away because deep

down inside, I don't know if I have what it takes.

And this is the danger of disengagement. It is when

you find yourself in a state of shame or fear

or trauma or exhaustion and you walk away from what

God gave you because you don't know how to manage it.

It is the danger of disengagement. It is the danger

of showing up in body and not in mind. I've

learned that there's a big difference between coming to church.

And being in church.

I've learned that there is a big difference between coming

home and being home. Y'all ain't gonna say nothing to

me all year. Is that how it's gonna be? You're

gonna look at me crazy all year like that? There

is a big difference between having a child and being

a mom. And sometimes the temptation is not to exactly

run away. but to just disengage. I'm disengaged not because

I don't care, but just because I'm afraid. I don't

know if I have what it takes. David was shaken.

The death of Absalom represented his own failure. If only,

did you hear him? If only I had died instead

of you.

It's my fault. It's my fault. I didn't give you

what you.

Needed and it's my fault you're dead.

And now it's caught up with him and he's shaken.

And he's disengaged.

He's not defeated. He's disengaged. He has the victory, but

he's not acting like it. He's the king, but he's

not where the king is supposed to be. He's lost

his sense of passion because he's moved from his position.

In ancient times, the cities were well guarded by gates. Now,

David is in Mahanaim, which is not Jerusalem, the capital city.

Absalom is there, and he's going to drive him out,

but not yet. The first thing he has to do

is relocate himself. Around the city are two gates. Everybody say,

two gates. Our theme for the new year is gates.

I want you to pay great attention right now. This

is very important. In each city, there would be an

outer gate that everybody saw.

We all have one of those.

We all have the outer gate that people see. It's

our personality that we project into the world so people

won't judge us, so we will appear successful. Then there

is the inner gate. It's the second line of defense.

We all have one of those too.

It's our actions. Two gates. Two gates. Two gates. Two gates.

Two gates.

And the action happens, watch this, between the gates. The

Bible does not say, put my verse up again, it's

my theme verse, that David took his seat, it's verse 8,

at the gate. It says that he got up and

took his seat.

What?

Where?

Now up until this point, he's been near the gate,

but he wasn't in it.

He was in.

Isolation above the gate like a lot of us live

our lives. Watching events unfold but not taking responsibility for

our outcomes. When we live online in an ecosystem of

pretension and narcissism and opinions. but don't really make a

commitment to make a difference in the world. And we

show up in the places that are most convenient to

our ego, but refuse to confront the issues that sabotage

our soul. The action happened between the gates, not outside

and not inside, but often between the gates, transactions would

be made. It was like a marketplace of the day,

but between the gates of the city, there would be

buying and selling and negotiation. Between the gates, prophets like

Amos would prophesy to maintain justice in the gates.

In the gates.

When Ruth, if you.

Remember the Old Testament story, was claimed by Boaz, her

kinsman redeemer, he did the deal in the presence of

ten witnesses in the gate. When Abraham bought the burial

ground for Sarah in the Old Testament, he bought it

in the presence of witnesses in the gate. It's where

the witnesses were. It's where the judges would sit. It's

where negotiations happen. It's where the conscience of the nation

was developed.

It's where Absalom would stand at.

The gate and before people could go through.

Turn them back.

After he had promoted his own agenda.

And everything changed for David when he did something so simple.

The Bible says that after all he had lost and

after all the tears he had cried and after all

the mistakes he had made, He did something so simple

and so profound. The king got up, left his chamber,

and took.

His seat in the gate.

In other words, I hear David saying, like Arnold Schwarzenegger.

My heart is broken, but I'm back.

I made some mistakes, but I'm back. I wish I

could go back and change some things, but I can't,

but I'm back. I'm devastated about what happened. I'm uncertain

about the future. I don't know where it's going to

go from here. I'm a long way from home, but

I'm back. Now, what I picture in my mind is

today thousands of people who have gathered to hear this

message online or in person at every location. And I

see you getting up from the failure and the shame

and the regret that has kept you paralyzed and taking

your stand in the gate of praise and entering.

His gates with thanksgiving.

I wish 70 people would jump up on your feet

right now and shout at the top of your lungs,

I'm back.

Let the devil know I'm back. Let condemnation know I'm back.

Let my past know I'm back.

I'm not perfect, but I'm back.

I don't have it planned out yet, but I'm back.

I don't know what.

Tomorrow's going to bring.

But I'm back. High five, everybody.

You can reach.

I'm back.

I'm back in it. I'm back in it.

I'm not going to stand over my life blaming people

for the next 20 years because of the last 20.

Get thee behind me, Satan.

I'm back.

And when the enemy comes with his accusations, and his

excuses i want you to look him square in the

eye before the year even gets started good and tell

him devil this seat is taken i said this seat

is taken no room for you.

To run my life.

Because I am seated. In heavenly places. With Christ. I'm back.

I'm back in position.

I'm back in purpose.

Get back in the gate get back in the gate

you cannot change what you tolerate get back in the

gate you cannot change what you won't face get back

in the game you can't change it by complaining you

can't change it by if only but now if you

will take your seat God has prepared a place for

you in the presence of your enemies.

He might not rid you of your problems, but he

has given you his presence.

Get back! Hey, thanks for watching. Make sure to click

the subscribe.

Button on your screen so we can notify you whenever

we release new content. Go ahead and subscribe now.

I'll see you next time.