09/23/26 Pastor Brenda Kunneman

(MUSIC)

LORD OF HOSTS CHURCH, ARE THERE ANY CONQUERORS IN THE BUILDING

TONIGHT? I SAID, ARE THERE ANY CONQUERORS IN THE BUILDING

TONIGHT? WE THANK YOU, JESUS. WE THANK YOU THAT AS YOU ARE, SO WE

ARE IN THIS WORLD. AND WE THANK YOU, HEAVENLY FATHER, THAT WE

ARE MORE THAN CONQUERORS. LET'S GO. COME ON, PUT YOUR HANDS

TOGETHER LIKE THIS. HEY, IF THERE ARE ANY CONQUERORS IN THE

ROOM TONIGHT, CAN YOU MAKE A SHOUT UNTO GOD? HEY,

Y'ALL KNOW THIS, SAY!

(MUSIC)

DOES ANYBODY IN THE ROOM KNOW

THAT THE ENEMY IS UNDER YOUR FEET, AMEN?

(MUSIC)

EDDIE, DO SOMETHING RIGHT NOW. LET'S STRETCH OUR

HANDS, IF YOU WOULD, TOWARD ALL OF THESE PEOPLE. THAT PHRASE

CAME OUT FROM THE HOLY SPIRIT. LET'S PRAY OVER ALL THESE PEOPLE

IN THIS ROOM THAT EVERYTHING THAT THE DEVIL HAS STOLEN FROM

THEM IS GOING TO BE RECOVERED AND IT'S NOT GOING TO BE DELAYED

IN THE NAME OF JESUS. WOULD YOU PRAY OVER THESE PEOPLE? COME ON.

I WANT YOU TO GET IN AGREEMENT, THOSE OF YOU IN THE ROOM AND

THOSE OF YOU ONLINE, COME ON, EDDIE, SPEAK IT OVER THESE

FOLKS IN JESUS' NAME.

(SPEAKING IN TONGUES)

COME ON, JUST RECEIVE THIS PRAYER.

I DECLARE IN THE NAME OF JESUS WHAT WAS A PART OF YOUR COVENANT

AND IS STILL A PART OF YOUR COVENANT, I DECLARE NOW IT

RETURNS TO YOUR HANDS. WHAT THE THIEF HAS STOLEN, I DECLARE THAT

HE SHALL RETURN SEVENFOLD IN THE MIGHTY NAME OF JESUS. I DECLARE

NOW THAT WE SHALL THE LAND EVERYWHERE THAT WE PUT OUR FEET

BELONGS TO US ACCORDING TO DEUTERONOMY. I DECLARE THAT YOU

ARE BLESSED IN THE CITY, YOU ARE BLESSED IN THE FIELD, YOU ARE

BLESSED IN YOUR COMING, YOU ARE BLESSED IN YOUR GOING, YOU ARE

BLESSED IN YOUR WALLETS, YOU ARE BLESSED IN YOUR HOMES. I

DECLARE IN THE NAME OF JESUS ANY PEACE THAT THE ENEMY HAS TRIED

TO TAKE FROM YOUR HOMES, I DECLARE NOW PEACE BE STILL IN

THE MIGHTY NAME OF JESUS. OH, WE WORSHIP WE WORSHIP YOU, GOD,

AND WE THANK YOU THAT IT IS ALREADY DONE NOW, NOW, NOW IN

THE MIGHTY NAME OF JESUS. COME ON, I THINK YOU OUGHT TO GIVE

GOD A SHOUT OF AGREEMENT THAT EVERYTHING THE DEVIL HAS STOLEN

IS BEING RECOVERED. AND EVERYBODY ONLINE THAT HAS JOINED

TONIGHT, THE SAME GOES FOR YOU. THERE IS NO DISTANCE, NO TIME IN

THE REALM OF THE SPIRIT, THAT EVERYTHING— COME ON, THAT

PROPHETIC WORD, YOU TAKE IT AND YOU MAKE THAT YOURS IN JESUS'

NAME. AMEN, AND AMEN, AND AMEN. ALL RIGHT, WELL, TURN AROUND AND

GIVE A COUPLE PEOPLE A HIGH FIVE WHILE I CHANGE MICROPHONES AND

WE GET INTO THE WORD TONIGHT.

(PIANO MUSIC)

AMEN. WHOO! ARE YOU GLAD YOU

CAME TO CHURCH ON A WEDNESDAY NIGHT? BECAUSE WHATEVER THE

DEVIL TRIED TO STEAL FROM YOU, EVEN IF IT WAS THIS WEEK, YOU

JUST GOT IT BACK. PRAISE THE LORD. AMEN AND AMEN. ALL RIGHT,

WELL, LET'S PUT UP THE OFFERING INFORMATION TONIGHT. USHERS ARE

IN THE AISLES. AND I'M NOT PREACHING AN OFFERING MESSAGE.

YOU GUYS KNOW WHAT TO DO. RIGHT? AND BY THE WAY, FOR ANYBODY THAT

MISSED THE MEMO, WE MADE THE CONFERENCE BUDGET WITH A

SURPLUS. WE'RE SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THAT. AND YOU KNOW, WE

HAVE STUFF TO DO FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD. SO WE WANT TO BUILD THE

WAR CHEST AND HAVE OVERFLOW. AMEN. YOU NEED TO CLAIM THAT FOR

YOURSELF AND IN YOUR LIFE ON A REGULAR BASIS. OVERFLOW. COME

ON, LOOK AT YOUR NEIGHBOR. JUST SAY, "YOU GOT OVERFLOW." TELL 2

OR 3 MORE PEOPLE. REMIND THEM. AMEN. ALL THE WAYS TO GIVE

THERE, AND OF COURSE, TEXT TO GIVE. THANK YOU, EVERYBODY THAT

JOINS ONLINE, AND YOU ARE SUCH A BLESSING TO ALL OF US. AND BY

THE WAY, PASTOR HANK SENDS HIS GREETING, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT

HE'S WORKING ON TONIGHT. HE SAID, I GOT TO FINISH

MORE CHILDREN'S STORIES. SO THAT'S WHAT HE IS DOING. HE IS—

AREN'T YOU THANKFUL FOR YOUR PASTOR? HE'S LIKE— SO HE'S

WORKING ON THOSE. AND I'M EXCITED TO SEE— HOW MANY OF YOU

DID LOVE THE ZEPTO VIDEO? YOU KNOW, AND THESE ARE A GREAT

WITNESSING TOOL. YOU CAN GIVE THEM, YOU KNOW, TELL PEOPLE

ABOUT THEM. EVERYBODY THAT WE MEET, WE GIVE THEM BOOKS AND

COMICS AND ALL KINDS OF THINGS. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, EVEN IF

THEY'RE NOT SAVED, THEY'RE LIKE, "THESE ARE COOL." WE HAVE ONE

PARTICULAR PERSON THAT I KNOW WHO, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF

THEY CLAIM TO BE A CHRISTIAN OR NOT. I'M NOT EVEN SURE. BUT

THEY'RE LIKE, "MY KIDS ACT OUT CAPTAIN ZEPTO, AND THEY FIGHT

OVER WHO GETS TO BE ZEPTO, AND NOBODY WANTS TO BE ZORB." SO,

IT'S GOOD. THEY'RE A GOOD OUTREACH TOOL, AMEN? ALL RIGHT,

I ASSURED YOU IF YOU DIDN'T ALREADY SERVE THE PEOPLE, YOU

CAN SERVE THEM. WE'RE GONNA GET STRAIGHT UP INTO THE WORD

TONIGHT. AND AMEN. BY THE WAY, I WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY, VOTE

YOUR VALUES IS AROUND THE CORNER. SO BE TELLING PEOPLE. BY

THE WAY, GREAT JOB, PASTOR ANTHONY, ON THAT SITELET THAT

YOU PUT TOGETHER. THERE IS A SITELET. IS IT

VOTEYOURVALUES.INFO? OKAY, .INFO. I GOT THAT DOWN.

VOTEYOURVALUES.INFO. THERE'S LOTS OF INFORMATION OUT THERE

JUST TALKING ABOUT THE EVENT AND WAYS THAT WE CAN BE INVOLVED.

AND WE'VE GOT A SURPRISINGLY— I DON'T KNOW IF YOUR SISTER IS THE

ONE THAT'S JUST BEEN REALLY WORKING IT, BUT WE GOT A LOT OF

CANDIDATES ON THE BALLOT HERE IN NEBRASKA THAT ARE GOING TO BE

ATTENDING ALREADY. AND SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED. AND LET OTHER

BELIEVERS FROM OTHER CHURCHES KNOW, BECAUSE IT'S TIME FOR THE

BODY OF CHRIST TO LAY DOWN ALL OF THOSE CHURCH WALLS, THOSE

DENOMINATIONAL LINES, AND COME TOGETHER. AND LET'S GET THIS FOR

A GREAT PURPOSE. WE NEED TO HAVE SEATS IN THE CONSERVATIVE

CORNER. THAT'S WHAT REALLY MATTERS, NOT THE PRO-ABORTION

PEOPLE. WE NEED PRO-LIFE PEOPLE. WE NEED PEOPLE THAT BELIEVE MEN

ARE MEN AND WOMEN ARE WOMEN, RIGHT? AND YOU KNOW, MORE PEOPLE

OUT THERE REALLY BELIEVE THAT, AND THAT'S THE THING YOU'VE GOT

TO REMEMBER. I FEEL LIKE THERE'S MORE ON OUR SIDE FOR THOSE

THINGS THAN THERE IS PEOPLE ON THE OTHER THAT BELIEVE CRAZY

STUFF. AMEN? ALL RIGHT, WELL, USHERS, DID YOU USHER? THANK

YOU, INTERNET, FOR YOUR PARTICIPATING AS WELL. BUT WE'RE

GOING TO GET STRAIGHT INTO THE SCRIPTURE TONIGHT, AND I'M GOING

TO TRY TO GET YOU OUT OF HERE AT A REALLY GOOD TIME. HOW MANY

PARENTS OF YOUNG KIDS, YOUR KIDS ARE ACTING TO SCHOOL. AND YEAH,

THERE'S— THAT'S A THING. THAT'S A REAL THING, RIGHT? I REMEMBER

THOSE DAYS. LIKE, I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW, WEDNESDAY NIGHT

CHURCH, I LOVE IT, BUT YOU KNOW, THE KIDS WOULD GO TO BED LATE

AND NOBODY WANTED TO GET UP IN THE MORNING AND ALL OF THOSE

THINGS AND GETTING THE LUNCHES READY AND ALL THE STUFF. AND YOU

KNOW, THE SCHOOL THAT OUR KIDS WENT TO, THEY HAD HOT LUNCH, BUT

THEY NEVER WANTED HOT LUNCH. THEY SAID, WE WANT TO MAKE A

LUNCH. AND SO THEN THERE WAS THAT RESPONSIBILITY, RIGHT? AND

NOW PASTOR HANK MAKES HIS OWN LUNCH FOR LUNCH WITH HANK. THINK

ABOUT THAT. I HAVE NOT HELPED HIM. I JUST SAY, "HERE'S WHAT'S

IN THE FRIDGE. YOU COME UP WITH IT." HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE

ENJOYED THOSE? THOSE HAVE BEEN FUN TO WATCH. I'M LIKE, "HONEY,

ONLY YOU WOULD COME UP WITH—" AND I DON'T KNOW, WHAT IS THAT?

HE DOES THIS THING WHERE HE STICKS HIS WHOLE HEAD DOWN IN

THE— HAVE Y'ALL SEEN THAT? I'M LIKE, "WHAT IS THAT?" I DON'T

KNOW, THERE WAS SOME SESAME STREET CHARACTER THAT USED TO

GET DOWN IN. AND ANYWAY, I'M LIKE, ONLY A CARTOONIST COULD

COME UP WITH IT. ALL RIGHT, YOU READY TO GET IN THE SCRIPTURE?

SO I WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING TONIGHT THAT I FEEL

THAT HAS JUST— I DON'T KNOW, THIS HAS STIRRED IN MY SPIRIT A

LITTLE BIT. I WANT TO JUST KIND OF TEACH SOME PASSAGES FROM THE

WORD THAT I THINK ARE IMPORTANT THAT WE GO THROUGH. AND IT

REALLY RESONATED LAST NIGHT. HOW MANY OF YOU CAUGHT FLASHPOINT?

AND THEY DID THAT LITTLE SEGMENT IN THERE WHERE PASTOR GENE

TALKED ABOUT OVERCOMING FEAR. NOW, I DON'T SO MUCH WANT TO

TALK ABOUT FEAR TONIGHT, BUT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT— EVEN THOUGH

IT'S A PART OF IT, I REALLY WANT TO TALK MORE ABOUT WHAT WE NEED

TO DO TO CAST OUT FEAR. AND I THOUGHT PASTOR HANK AND DUTCH,

THEY— I MEAN, THEY SAID AWESOME THINGS ABOUT THAT, BUT I FEEL

LIKE THERE ARE THINGS WE HAVE TO DO TO DEAL WITH THE THOUGHTS

THAT GO ON IN OUR HEAD ON A REGULAR BASIS. AND SO, LET ME

JUST SHOW THIS TO YOU. WE'RE GOING TO ACTUALLY, I GUESS IF I

WERE TO TITLE THIS, I DON'T REALLY HAVE A TITLE. I JUST

SCRATCHED OUT A FEW SCRIPTURES JUST BECAUSE I KNOW IN MY HEART

WHAT I WANT TO COMMUNICATE. IF I WERE TO TITLE IT, I WOULD TALK

ABOUT EMOTIONAL SELF-CONTROL. NOW, THIS IS REALLY A BIG DEAL

BECAUSE EVERYTHING STARTS UP HERE, RIGHT? WHAT GOES ON IN OUR

HEAD OFTEN DETERMINES HOW WE REACT. AND THEN IF WE ALLOW

THINGS TO GO ON IN OUR MIND IN AN UNDISCIPLINED WAY LONG

ENOUGH, THAT'S HOW OUR HABIT WILL BECOME, RIGHT? SO, LET'S

JUST LOOK AT SOME SCRIPTURES. THIS IS GALATIANS 5, AND I'M

GONNA GO TO THE NEW LIVING TONIGHT. GALATIANS 5:22, LET'S

Galatians 5:22

JUST READ A FEW DIFFERENT VERSES ON THIS. GALATIANS, IT SAYS,

"BUT THE HOLY SPIRIT PRODUCES THIS KIND OF FRUIT IN OUR LIVES.

LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS,

FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, AND WATCH THIS, AND SELF-CONTROL.

NOW THINK ABOUT THAT. THE KING JAMES DOESN'T USE THE WORD

SELF-CONTROL. IT USES THE WORD TEMPERANCE. BUT SELF-CONTROL,

LET'S LOOK AT ANOTHER ONE HERE. PROVERBS 25:28. THIS IS

Proverbs 25:28

ALSO THE NEW LIVING, IF THEY'LL PUT THAT UP. IT SAYS, "A PERSON

WITHOUT SELF-CONTROL IS LIKE A CITY WITH BROKEN-DOWN WALLS." IN

OTHER WORDS, ANYTHING CAN COME IN, RIGHT? ANYTHING CAN GO OUT.

THERE'S NO SECURITY IN THAT KIND OF ENVIRONMENT. SO, A PERSON

THAT DOESN'T DISCIPLINE THEMSELVES— NOW, THE FRUIT OF

THE SPIRIT THE SPIRIT, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY IT THIS WAY, THE

FRUIT OF THE MATURE CHRISTIAN, THE CHRISTIAN THAT LIVES A

DISCIPLINED CHRISTIAN LIFE, WILL HAVE THE FRUIT OF SELF-CONTROL

FLOWING. BUT IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, NOW, YOU KNOW, WE THINK

ABOUT SELF-CONTROL OFTEN JUST BEING SOMETHING THAT IS

CONNECTED TO, YOU KNOW, THE MOST EVIL OF SINS. PEOPLE WITH NO

SELF-CONTROL ARE SEXUALLY IMMORAL, THEY'RE ADDICTED,

THEY'RE ALCOHOLICS, THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT

THEY'RE LIVING IN A LACK OF SELF-CONTROL. BUT, YOU KNOW,

IT'S SO MUCH DEEPER THAN THAT. SELF-CONTROL STARTS WITH WHAT WE

DO WITH OUR HEAD. IT STARTS IN OUR EMOTIONS. AND EVERY ACTION

THAT WE TAKE, WE CONCEIVE OF IT. WE'LL SEE A LITTLE BIT OF THAT

TONIGHT. BUT EVERY ACTION THAT WE TAKE, IT STARTS WITH THE

THOUGHT, RIGHT? SO, IF YOU HAVE AN OUTBURST OF ANGER, YOU HAVE

TO THINK ABOUT IT FIRST. YOU KNOW, THEY SAY PEOPLE ACT

WITHOUT THINKING, NO, NOT REALLY. WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT

IT. REALLY, PEOPLE THAT ACT WITHOUT THINKING HAVE THOUGHT

ABOUT THAT TYPE OF THING OR HAD THAT HABIT FOR A WHILE, AND SO

THEN IT BECOMES A REFLEX, RIGHT? THEY START DOING IT

AUTOMATICALLY. BUT EMOTIONAL SELF-CONTROL, I BELIEVE WHEN WE

TALK ABOUT SELF-CONTROL, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WE CAN DO

IS CONTROL WHAT GOES ON UP HERE. HAPPEN HERE, WHETHER IT BE

THOUGHTS OF ANGER, WHETHER IT BE THOUGHTS OF FEAR. THEY TALKED

ABOUT THAT ON FLASHPOINT LAST NIGHT. WHETHER IT BE THOUGHTS OF

DEPRESSION, THOUGHTS OF FRUSTRATION, THOUGHTS OF

SELF-REJECTION, ALL OF THE THINGS, THOUGHTS OF SADNESS, ALL

OF THESE ARE THOUGHTS THAT IF WE DON'T CONTROL— ARE YOU TRACKING

WITH ME? WHAT WE THINK ABOUT, AND WE JUST LET THOSE THOUGHTS

GO. NOW, SAY, "OH, PASTOR BRENDA, YOU KNOW, THAT'S HARDER

SAID THAN DONE, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA HIT ON TONIGHT.

BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE ENEMY LOVES TO JUST HIT YOU WITH A

BARRAGE OF THOUGHTS AND FEAR. AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE HEAR

THESE THINGS THAT GO ON THE NEWS, YOU KNOW, REGARDING WHAT'S

GOING ON IN THE COUNTRY OR IN THE WORLD, WE, YOU KNOW, HAVE

THESE THOUGHTS THAT CAN HIT YOU. OR IF, YOU KNOW, YOU LOOK AT

THINGS REGARDING YOUR HEALTH, THOUGHTS THAT CAN HIT YOU. OR

THE DOCTOR SAID THIS, OR THE DOCTOR SAID THAT. I SAID THAT,

THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, YOUR HEAD CAN SAY, "WELL, THIS COULD

HAPPEN, AND THAT COULD HAPPEN." AND YOUR EMOTIONS WILL TELL YOU,

OR, YOU KNOW, "WHAT IF?" AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, NOW, WE HAVE NO

EMOTIONAL SELF-CONTROL. AND THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. AND A PERSON

THAT DOESN'T DISCIPLINE THEMSELVES WITH SELF-CONTROL,

THAT— AND I BELIEVE A LOT OF BELIEVERS, THIS IS A STRUGGLE

PLACE THAT CAUSES US TO GET OUT OF FAITH. THAT WE HAVE TO ARREST

THOSE THOUGHTS AND THOSE FEELINGS. YOU KNOW, THERE'S

NOTHING IN THE BIBLE THAT TELLS YOU, YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO FEEL OR

ACT A CERTAIN WAY. NOW, EMOTIONS ARE REAL. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE

THEM. BUT THERE IS NOTHING IN THE BIBLE THAT TELLS US TO

FOLLOW THEM OR JUST GO WITH IT BECAUSE WE FEEL IT. OKAY? DAVID

WAS A MAN THAT HAD A LOT OF EMOTIONS. IF YOU STUDY THE

PSALMS, HE HAD FEARFUL EMOTIONS OF FRUSTRATION WHEN HE

SAID, "LORD, HOW LONG ARE YOU JUST GOING TO LET THE ENEMY RUN

AROUND LIKE THIS?" BUT HE ALWAYS WOULD COME BACK TO BRINGING

THOSE EMOTIONAL RESPONSES INTO SUBJECTION. SO, A PERSON WITHOUT

SELF-CONTROL IS A PERSON THAT OFTEN IS— THEY JUST DO WHATEVER.

WHATEVER COMES TO MIND, THAT'S WHAT THEY DO. AND THE BIBLE

SAYS— NOW, HERE'S WHY I BELIEVE THIS IS SO IMPORTANT.

THE BIBLE SAYS IN THE LAST DAYS— HOW MANY OF YOU AGREE THIS IS

SOME CRAZY LAST DAYS THAT WE'RE LIVING IN RIGHT NOW? IT SAYS IN

2 TIMOTHY 3, YOU KNOW THE PASSAGE, IT TALKS ABOUT IN THE

LAST DAYS DANGEROUS TIMES WILL COME. BUT ONE OF THE THINGS IN

THERE IT SAYS IS PEOPLE— THE KING JAMES USES THE WORD

INCONTINENCE. IT DOESN'T MEAN THEY HAVE BLADDER PROBLEMS. IT

DOESN'T. IT ACTUALLY— THAT WORD IS A KING JAMES WORD THAT MEANS

THAT THEY LACK IN THE LAST DAYS. THEY'LL LACK SELF-CONTROL. OKAY,

THEY'LL BE RASH, RIGHT? THEY'LL JUST DO WHATEVER COMES TO MIND.

THAT'S WHY PEOPLE JUST GO OUT ON THE STREET AND THEY CAN BEAT UP

PEOPLE AND ATTACK POLICE OFFICERS AND DO ALL THESE CRAZY

THINGS BECAUSE THEY HAVE— THERE'S NO DISCIPLINE TO

SELF-CONTROL. AND THEY JUST ALLOW WHATEVER TO COME THROUGH

THEIR HEAD. AND THIS IS WHY I FEEL LIKE SOCIAL MEDIA IS SUCH A

SUICIDE A SEWAGE DUMP, 'CAUSE IT'S REALLY A LOT OF LACK OF

EMOTIONAL SELF-CONTROL JUST BEING PUT OUT THERE ON THE

INTERNET. AND PEOPLE DON'T THINK ABOUT IT. YOU KNOW, AND EVEN IF

YOU'RE DOING SOMETHING GOOD, YOU DON'T WANT TO DO IT OUT OF AN

EMOTIONAL LACK OF SELF-CONTROL MOMENT, OKAY? WE'VE GOT TO THINK

ABOUT WHAT WE SAY, AND WHEN TO SAY IT, AND WHEN TO DO IT, OKAY?

AND THAT IS THE EARMARK OF A MATURE CHRISTIAN. CAN YOU WALK

IN SELF-CONTROL? YOU COULD FEEL SOMETHING IN THE MOMENT. THIS IS

WHY A LOT OF MARRIAGES END UP IN DIVORCE COURT BECAUSE

PEOPLE, THROUGH A LACK OF SELF-CONTROL, CAN'T COMMUNICATE.

OKAY? THEY CAN'T SHUT UP LONG ENOUGH. THERE'S A FUNNY OLD

SAYING, "DON'T INTERRUPT YOUR ENEMY WHEN HE'S MAKING A

MISTAKE." JUST LET THEM TALK ON. SOMETIMES IT'S THE BEST THING.

BUT THE FACT IS, IT'S A REASON A LOT OF CHRISTIANS LEAVE GOOD

CHURCHES OR CAN'T GET SETTLED OR CAN'T GET ALONG WITH THEIR

FELLOW PERSON WORKING IN THE CHILDREN'S DEPARTMENT OR

WHATEVER IT IS. IT'S BECAUSE BECAUSE PEOPLE LACK A

DISCIPLINE. THEY CAN'T BE IN A MOMENT OF HARDSHIP WITHOUT A

REACTION. THINK ABOUT THIS, REALLY IMPORTANT. WE DO THIS

SOMETIMES WHEN IT COMES TO OUR OWN FAITH. WE TORPEDO OUR FAITH

BECAUSE WE CAN'T CONTROL WHAT GOES THROUGH OUR HEAD. SO, I

WANNA JUST REALLY BREAK THIS DOWN TONIGHT. SO, THE BIBLE SAYS

THE WHOLE WORLD IN THE LAST DAYS WILL BE FILLED WITH PEOPLE THAT

ARE RASH, OKAY? THEY LACK SELF-CONTROL. CONTROL. AND THE

CULTURE IS JUST SATURATED WITH THIS KIND OF BEHAVIOR. AND IF

WE'RE NOT CAREFUL AS BELIEVERS, RIGHT, WE CAN GET CAUGHT UP IN

THAT SORT OF THING AND NOT REALIZE— BECAUSE ESPECIALLY WITH

THE INTERNET, I FEEL LIKE I, YOU KNOW, I HARP ON THAT KIND OF A

LOT. BUT IN FACT, I WROTE A WHOLE SECTION ON COMMANDING

PEACE. DID ANYBODY READ ABOUT THAT? YOU KNOW, THERE'S

SOMETHING ABOUT JUST NOT BEING ALWAYS ONLINE THAT HELPS YOU.

THAT'S A GOOD PLACE FOR A GREAT WEDNESDAY NIGHT. AMEN. SOMETIMES

JUST NOT LOOKING, YOU KNOW, NOT CHECKING, NOT SEEING. YOU DON'T

NEED TO SCROLL. WHO CARES WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING? YOU KNOW,

THEY'RE GONNA SAY, THEY'RE GONNA DO. AND SO SOMETIMES THERE'S

PEACE. I'M LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHY DO I NEED TO KNOW WHAT THE

LATEST AND GREATEST— WHAT'S TRENDING ON, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT

TWITTER, ON TWITTER ANYMORE. X. I'M LIKE, "SEE, THAT SHOWS YOU.

THAT'S HOW FAR REMOVED I'VE BECOME." BUT SO, THIS IS VERY

IMPORTANT. THE WHOLE CULTURE IS SATURATED BY A LACK OF

SELF-CONTROL. SO, AS CHRISTIANS, WE'RE CALLED TO— BUT WE ARE NOT

ONLY CALLED, WE'RE COMMANDED OF THE BIBLE TO CARRY IN OUR LIVES

THE FRUIT— IT'S A FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT TO HAVE SELF-CONTROL. AND

SELF-CONTROL IN OUR EMOTIONS, WILL DISCIPLINE OUR

MOUTH, OKAY? SELF-CONTROL IN OUR EMOTIONS WILL DISCIPLINE US ON

HOW WE MANAGE OUR BUSINESS. ALL OF THOSE, IT'LL TEACH US HOW TO

REACT TO PEOPLE BECAUSE LET'S BE HONEST, PEOPLE DON'T ALWAYS ACT

NICE, OKAY? BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE'RE GOING TO ACT BAD

BACK. WE HAVE TO RESPOND A CERTAIN WAY WITH A DISCIPLINE

AND A SELF-CONTROL. EVERYTHING THE CHRISTIAN DOES, YOU KNOW, WE

USE THE PHRASE A LOT, WELL, LET ME "LET ME PRAY ABOUT IT. I'M

GONNA PRAY ABOUT IT." AND SOMETIMES I THINK, "WELL, DO WE

PRAY ABOUT IT?" OR WHEN IT REALLY MATTERS, DO WE TAKE THE

SELF-DISCIPLINE TO SAY, "I'M GONNA PAUSE ON RESPONDING TO

THAT, AND I'M GONNA TAKE THAT UP TO PRAYER, AND GOD, YOU SHOW

ME." YOU KNOW, THE BIBLE SAYS, "IF WE LACK WISDOM, ASK OF GOD."

"YOU SHOW ME, LORD, THEN, HOW I'M SUPPOSED TO REACT, OR

RESPOND, OR, YOU KNOW, REPLY TO THAT EMAIL, OR REPLY TO THAT

TEXT." IF AT ALL. YOU SHOW ME. YOU TELL ME. YOU TEACH ME WHAT

TO DO. THAT IS A DISCIPLINED LIFE OF SELF-CONTROL. AND YOU

KNOW, PEOPLE DON'T ALWAYS LIKE IT IF YOU WALK IN IT. YOU KNOW,

THEY CAN'T UNDERSTAND. "WELL, WHY AREN'T YOU GETTING UPSET

ABOUT THAT? YOU KNOW, WHY AREN'T YOU MAD LIKE EVERYBODY'S MAD?"

I'M LIKE, "WELL, YOU KNOW, I JUST NEED TO HAVE MY OWN DEAL

HERE." I REMEMBER WHEN— A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THAT IS I REMEMBER

WHEN— HOW MANY REMEMBER WHEN THE GEORGE FLOYD THING CAME OUT?

OUT, AND THE INTERNET JUST ERUPTED WITH INSANITY. AND

EVERYBODY WAS JUST TRIPPING OUT ON ALL THAT WENT ON THERE,

EVERYTHING FROM ALL SIDES. AND PEOPLE IMMEDIATELY WENT OUT, AND

THEY WERE POSTING THEIR BLACK SQUARES. AND I THOUGHT, WELL, I

UNDERSTAND. A LOT OF THEM HAD THE RIGHT HEART BEHIND IT. THEY

WANTED TO BE DEFENDING OF BLACK PEOPLE. THAT WAS THEIR HEART.

GOOD INTENT. BUT I THINK THE THING OF IT IS, PEOPLE DON'T

SAY, "WELL, GOD, WHAT ARE YOU TELLING ME TO DO?" AND I TOLD

PASTOR HANK, I SAID, "WELL, I CERTAINLY DON'T FEEL CALLED,

SOMETHING IN MY SPIRIT, TO JUST JUMP IN THE BANDWAGON BECAUSE

EVERYBODY'S POSTING IT, TO GO PUT OUT A SQUARE BECAUSE I'M

SUPPOSED TO." OKAY, THIS IS— AND I'M JUST USING THAT AS ONE OF

COUNTLESS EXAMPLES THAT WE FEEL THE PRESSURE IN A IN A CULTURE

THAT HAS LITTLE TO NO SELF-CONTROL TO JUST DO THINGS

BECAUSE THAT'S THE TREND, OKAY? AND SO, A SELF-CONTROLLED

CHRISTIAN WOULD SAY, "YOU KNOW WHAT?" WATCH THIS CLICHÉ PHRASE,

"I GO PRAY ABOUT IT AND SEE WHAT THE HOLY SPIRIT TELLS ME TO DO."

AND SO, EMOTIONAL SELF-CONTROL, LET ME JUST GIVE YOU A FEW MORE

THINGS ON THIS, SOME OTHER SCRIPTURES, BECAUSE THIS IS AN

AREA THAT I FEEL LIKE THE LORD HAS REALLY REMINDED ME IN MY

LIFE, THAT HAVING EMOTIONAL SELF-CONTROL IS IMPORTANT, AND

IT STARTS HERE. LUKE 21:19, LOOK AT THIS SCRIPTURE. IT SAYS, IN

Luke 21:19

YOUR PATIENCE— NOW, THAT IN THE KING JAMES, IN YOUR PATIENCE,

REALLY IT MEANS THROUGH COMMITTED ENDURANCE— POSSESS OR

OWN YOUR SOUL. NOW, WE KNOW OUR SOUL HERE, HERE BIBLICALLY IN

THE CONTEXT OF THIS PASSAGE IS TALKING ABOUT THE TALKING ABOUT

THE END TIMES. IT'S TALKING ABOUT THROUGH COMMITTED

ENDURANCE, MAKE SURE YOU KEEP YOUR SOUL OR YOUR LIFE ON THE

TRACK TO SALVATION. BUT WE KNOW THAT OUR EMOTIONS, RIGHT? OUR

MIND, OUR SOUL IS OUR MIND. COME ON, OUR WILL, OUR EMOTIONS. BUT

THERE'S MORE TO THE MIND. I'D LIKE TO DO A TEACHING AT SOME

POINT ON THE BATTLEFIELD OF THE MIND. THIS IS MAYBE A LITTLE

PRECURSOR TO THAT, BUT IT'S ALSO OUR INTELLECT, RIGHT? IT'S

OUR SOUL IS OUR IMAGINATION. WHAT DO YOU ALLOW TO GO THROUGH

THERE? YOU KNOW, DO YOU IMAGINE YOURSELF LIVING LONG AND STRONG

AND HEALTHY ALL YOUR LIFE? OR DO YOU IMAGINE YOURSELF, YOUR LIFE

BEING CUT SHORT OR CONTRACTING SOME AGE DISEASE? WHAT DO WE

PICTURE IN OUR MINDS? WHAT DO WE ALLOW TO GO THROUGH? BECAUSE,

YOU KNOW, LET'S BE REAL. I MEAN, EDDIE, WOW, POWERFUL TONIGHT.

OUR WORSHIP TEAM, AMAZING. BUT THEY'RE NOT ALWAYS THERE WITH

YOU MONDAY TO FRIDAY, RIGHT? YOU KNOW, PUMPING US UP AND TAKE IT

BACK. IT'S EASY TO SAY THAT WHEN THEY'RE SINGING IT, RIGHT? IT'S

ANOTHER THING WHEN YOU'RE UNDER PRESSURE AT WORK, OR STUFF'S

GOING DOWN WITH YOUR KIDS, OR YOU'RE FIGHTING THROUGH

FINANCIAL DIFFICULTY TO SHOUT THOSE WORDS. BECAUSE YOUR HEAD

WILL TELL YOU TO BE AFRAID. YOUR HEAD WILL TELL YOU TO BE

FRUSTRATED. YOUR HEAD WILL TELL YOU, "BE ANGRY." YOUR HEAD WILL

TELL YOU, "OH, BE DEPRESSED." "IN YOUR COMMITTED ENDURANCE."

NOW, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW, WHEN I WAS IN SCHOOL, I USED TO

LIKE TO RUN TRACK, AND A LITTLE BIT, YOU KNOW. I WENT TO A SMALL

CHRISTIAN SCHOOL. DON'T GET BIG IDEAS. WE HAD A GRADUATING CLASS

OF 10. 10 PEOPLE. AND SO IT WAS A SMALL LITTLE SCHOOL, BUT I

USED TO LIKE TO, YOU KNOW, RUN SOME TRACK. AND I HATED— I DON'T

KNOW, I JUST HATED THE LONG-DISTANCE STUFF. I DON'T

KNOW WHAT WOULD POSSESS ANYONE BUT THE DEVIL TO WANT TO RUN 5

MILES. I HAVE NO DESIRE. I MEAN, HAVE YOU EVER TRIED 5 MILES ON

THE TREADMILL? THAT IS THE SLOWEST CLOSE DIAL AS YOU ARE

STANDING THERE DOING THIS FOR HOURS ON END. AND I DON'T KNOW,

I JUST HATED LONG-DISTANCE RUNNING. I DIDN'T MIND A GOOD

50-YARD SPRINT, AND THAT WAS ALL GOOD BECAUSE IT WAS OVER IN A

MINUTE. I JUST DIDN'T HAVE THAT KIND OF ENDURANCE FOR THESE

PEOPLE THAT GET OUT THERE AND JUST JOG FOREVER. I'M LIKE,

"WHAT IN THE WORLD IS WRONG WITH YOU TO THINK THAT THAT'S FUN?"

YOU KNOW, I WATCH THESE PEOPLE OUT THERE WHEN YOU'RE DRIVING—

JUST TONIGHT, DRIVING TO CHURCH, THERE'S PEOPLE OUT THERE

SWEATING IT AND GUTTING IT OUT AND I'M LIKE, "JUST GO HOME." I

DON'T KNOW WHAT— ANYWAY, BUT LET'S GIVE IT A LITTLE CREDIT.

"IN YOUR COMMITTED ENDURANCE." THIS IS ENDURANCE RUNNING. FOR

THE CHRISTIAN, WE ARE TO BE SELF-DISCIPLINED FOR THE LONG

HAUL UP HERE. "IN YOUR COMMITTED ENDURANCE." OWN, OWN YOUR OWN

SOUL. OWN YOUR THOUGHTS. THOUGHTS. DON'T JUST LET

ANYTHING GO ON UP THERE, BECAUSE TRUST ME, THE DEVIL— IF YOU

ALLOW YOURSELF TO SIT AROUND AND FEEL SAD, THE DEVIL WILL BE

HAPPY TO DISH UP PLENTY OF SADNESS. AMEN. IF YOU ALLOW

YOURSELF TO SIT AROUND AND BE UNFORGIVING TO SOMEBODY, YOU

KNOW, I JUST WISH I COULD I'M GOING TO TELL THEM WHAT I THINK.

HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT THAT? I WAS MAD AT SOMEBODY ONE TIME AND

I THOUGHT, OKAY, I WAS FIXING MY HAIR TO GO TO CHURCH. CHECK THIS

OUT. ISN'T THAT AMAZING? THE DEVIL CAN WORK ON YOU WHILE

YOU'RE GOING TO BE ANOINTED. AND I'M THINKING THIS PERSON HAD

JUST, I DON'T KNOW, IT GOT UNDER MY SKIN. THIS IS A LOT OF YEARS

AGO. I'M PICTURING THE BATHROOM ALL THOSE YEARS AGO WITH ME

STANDING IN THERE. AND I REMEMBER THINKING, AND I WOULD

JUST SAY, AND I'D CALL THEIR NAME, AND I WOULD SAY, "YOU

KNOW, WHAT YOU REALLY NEED TO KNOW, AND WHAT YOU NEED TO DO,

AND HAVE YOU EVER—" AND I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH THAT PERSON UP

HERE. ARE YOU WITH ME NOW? I'M UP HERE TELLING THEM WHAT I

THINK THEY NEED TO KNOW. AND IT JUST FESTERED MORE OFFENSE, MORE

FRUSTRATION. YOU KNOW, WE CAN SIT THERE AND PUT OUR HEAD ON

SOMEBODY AND THINK, "AH, I'M GOING TO THINK ABOUT THAT PERSON

AND WHAT THEY DID AND HOW THEY WRONGED. AND ALL IT'S DOING IS

IT'S AN UNDISCIPLINED MIND THAT'S ALLOWING YOURSELF TO GO

SOMEPLACE THAT IT SHOULDN'T. IN YOUR COMMITTED ENDURANCE— YOU

KNOW HOW WE'RE GOING TO SURVIVE THE LAST DAYS? I'M CONVINCED OF

IT. IT'S WHEN WE LEARN HOW TO WIN THE BATTLEFIELD OF OUR SOUL.

WE HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO CONTROL OUR EMOTIONS. YOU KNOW, YOUR

HOME WOULD BE HAPPIER IF THERE WEREN'T EMOTIONAL OUTBURSTS.

HELPERS, RIGHT? YOU THINK ABOUT THAT. WE'RE BETTER IF WE CAN

COMMUNICATE WITH ONE ANOTHER. AND BELIEVE ME, THAT'S TOUGH FOR

PASTOR BRENDA WHEN SHE'S TIRED. YOU KNOW, MY HUSBAND, I LOVE

HIM. HE WAKES UP TALKING. I'M LIKE, HOW DO YOU DO THAT? HOW DO

YOU DO THAT? I DON'T GET IT. HE GETS UP AND HE'S LIKE A FARMER

IN THE MORNING. I DON'T GET IT. HE'S LIKE, FED THE DOGS, OPENED

THE BLINDS, WALKED OVER, WENT OUTSIDE, PICKED UP ALL THE DOG

POOP. HE'S DONE THE— AND I'M STILL DRAGGING OUT TO THE LIVING

ROOM, FINDING THE COFFEE POT. AND I DON'T KNOW, EVERYBODY'S

DIFFERENT. EVERYBODY'S DIFFERENT, RIGHT? THAT'S THE

THING. BUT THE REALITY IS, YOU KNOW, AND SO, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT

SAYING I'M A GRUMP IN THE MORNING, BUT I JUST DON'T COME

TOGETHER AS FAST. AND SO, I ALWAYS THINK, IF WE JUST CHILL

FOR A MINUTE, GET OUR WITS ABOUT US. AND I THOUGHT, WELL, YOU

KNOW, THAT'S NOT ALL A BAD THING. YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SAYING

BE A GRUMP AND A GROUCH AND A DRAG IN THE MORNING. BUT WHAT I

AM SAYING IS WE DO NEED TO BE PEOPLE THAT LEARN HOW TO HAVE

EMOTIONAL CHECK. WE DON'T NEED TO OUTBURST, REACT. JUST CHILL,

OKAY? NOT EVERYTHING NEEDS AN ANSWER. THAT'S HARD COMING FROM

A KUNNEMAN, I TELL YOU. I'M TELLING YOU RIGHT NOW. OKAY, IN

MY LIFE, THERE'S AN ANSWER FOR EVERYTHING. OKAY, THERE'S AN

ANSWER FOR HOW THE GRAVY GETS MADE ON THANKSGIVING. THERE'S AN

ANSWER FOR EVERYTHING. BUT, YOU KNOW, I'M REMINDING MYSELF IN MY

LIFE, IN A WORLD OF LACK OF SELF-CONTROL, I THINK SOMETIMES

WE OVER-COMMUNICATE RATHER THAN DISCIPLINE OURSELVES. IT TAKES

COMMITTED ENDURANCE TO OWN AND POSSESS YOUR THOUGHTS. I'M

TELLING YOU, IT'S A BIBLICAL. IT'S ACTUALLY, IT'S A SIGN OF

BIBLICAL MATURITY. AND IF YOU LEARN TO DO THAT, THEN YOU'LL DO

WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS IN JAMES 3, YOU WILL CONTROL YOUR MOUTH. THE

BIBLE SAYS THAT A PERSON THAT COULD CONTROL THEIR TONGUE CAN

CONTROL THEIR MOUTH, CAN DISCIPLINE OR BRIDLE THEIR

ENTIRE BODY. THINK ABOUT THAT. AND SO THAT MEANS MAYBE SPEAK

LESS, RIGHT? AND JUST HAVE A DISCIPLINE ABOUT US. SO IN YOUR

PATIENCE, IN COMMITTED ENDURANCE. IT'S A LIFELONG

THING. IT'S A LONG-DISTANCE RUN. IT'S NOT A SPRINT. IT'S

SOMETHING WE HAVE TO DO FOR THE LONG HAUL. IN YOUR— THROUGH

COMMITTED ENDURANCE, WE ARE TAUGHT TO DISCIPLINE OUR

THOUGHTS. LOOK AT PROVERBS 4:23. IT SAYS, "GUARD YOUR HEART." IN

Proverbs 4:23

OTHER WORDS, THAT'S YOUR THOUGHTS. THAT'S WHAT YOU THINK

ABOUT. THE KING JAMES SAYS, "KEEP THY HEART." ANOTHER

TRANSLATION SAYS, "GUARD YOUR HEART." YOUR HEART WITH ALL

EFFORT. IN OTHER WORDS, EVERY LITTLE THOUGHT THAT COMES UP.

NOW, HERE'S A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THIS. YOU KNOW, I DID THE SMALL

TEACHING ON DIVINE HEALING IN THE BOOK DAILY DECREES FOR

HEALING. AND I THINK DIVINE HEALING IS A GREAT ONE TO TALK

ABOUT OWNING OR CONTROLLING THE THOUGHTS OF OUR MIND. AND I'VE

SHARED THIS BEFORE IN THIS CHURCH. I REMEMBER WE WENT

THROUGH A SEASON MANY, MANY YEARS AGO. MY DAD IS IN HEAVEN

NOW, BUT AT THAT TIME HE WAS YOUNGER AND HE WAS GOING THROUGH

A SERIOUS HEALTH BATTLE. SOME OF SOME OF YOU HAVE HEARD THAT

STORY. AND, YOU KNOW, HE WAS YOUNGER THAN I AM NOW. HE WAS

54-ISH YEARS OLD. AND THE DOC— YOU KNOW, HIS BOWEL HAD EXPLODED

AND THROUGH DIVERTICULITIS, AND HE WENT INTO RENAL FAILURE, AND

HIS WHOLE BODY WAS INFECTED, AND EVERYTHING WAS SHUTTING DOWN.

AND, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, WE HAD TWO— JONATHAN, AT THAT TIME, WAS

JUST A TINY BABY. HE WASN'T EVEN A YEAR OLD. THIS WAS BACK, I

WANT TO SAY, 1990. 1999. AND I REMEMBER THE DOCTORS SAYING

EVERY IMAGINABLE EVIL THING. AND YOU KNOW, YOUR HEAD— HOW MANY OF

YOU EVER BEEN THERE? YOUR HEAD IS SCREAMING, "HE'S GOING TO

DIE." AND THEN IT'S NOT EVEN YOUR HEAD. MY STOMACH HAD

FEELINGS OF ANXIETY. HAVE YOU EVER BEEN THERE? THEY CALL IT

BUTTERFLIES IN YOUR STOMACH. I COULD NOT SHUT THOSE OFF. I

REMEMBER JUST LIKE YOU "STOP THAT. STOP THAT." AND IT JUST

KEPT COMING, AND IT KEPT COMING. AND SO, THESE THOUGHTS, AND WE'D

GO ALL NIGHT, AND THE DOCTOR SAID, "WELL, YOU KNOW, HE'S

PROBABLY NOT GOING TO MAKE IT." THAT'S WHAT THEY SAID. AND WE

WERE IN THE HOTEL. WE WENT AND STAYED IN THE HOTEL BECAUSE THEY

HAD TO LIFE FLIGHT HIM OUT OF TOWN. AND WE WERE IN A HOTEL.

THIS WAS IN IOWA. WE WERE IN A HOTEL ACROSS FROM THE HOSPITAL.

THIS WAS IN DES MOINES. AND SITTING THERE WAS MY MOTHER, AND

PASTOR CHRISTY, AND MYSELF. PASTOR HANK WAS AT HOME WITH THE

KIDS. HE SAID, "WELL, I'LL STAY HERE AND PRAY." AND WE WOULD

JUST PRAY. I MEAN, JUST— I MEAN, WE'D PRAY, BUT THOSE FEELINGS—

COME ON, ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME? THAT WOULD JUST TRY TO HIT

MY HEAD, THAT I WOULD WALK INTO THAT HOSPITAL ROOM, AND THEY

WOULD HAVE A SHEET OVER MY FATHER. AND THIS IS WHAT WOULD

HAPPEN. AND THE DEVIL— YOU KNOW, SEE, THE DEVIL WILL HE WILL COME

AT YOU. HE'S MERCILESS. HE WILL HIT YOU, AND HIT YOU, AND HIT

YOU THAT THE OUTCOME IS GOING TO BE A CERTAIN WAY. AND HE'LL TRY

TO GET YOU TO PICTURE THINGS THAT ARE CONTRARY TO FAITH AND

CONTRARY TO WHAT YOU PRAY. AND YOU HAVE TO DISCIPLINE YOURSELF.

COME ON. THERE'S A REASON THEY CALL IN THE BIBLE, IT SAYS IN

PSALM 91, "THOU SHALT NOT BE AFRAID OF THE TERROR BY NIGHT."

OKAY, THERE'S A THING CALLED A NIGHT TERROR THAT WILL GET YOU

TO PICTURE A NEGATIVE OUTCOME. COME ON, ANYBODY BEEN THERE? OR

IS IT JUST ME? AND I REMEMBER OPENING TO SOME SCRIPTURES THAT

I WAS STANDING ON FOR THAT. AND I'VE DONE THIS MANY OTHER TIMES

IN MY LIFE. AND STANDING ON THESE VERSES, I TOOK A HANDFUL

OF VERSES. AND THIS IS WHY IT'S GOOD TO KNOW YOUR BIBLE AND BE

ABLE TO QUOTE SCRIPTURE, OKAY? AND WE CARRIED— I MEAN, I

CARRIED BIBLES. I CARRIED THE BIBLE AROUND. AND I'LL BE HONEST

WITH YOU, TWO THINGS I WILL TELL. AND THIS IS JUST A LITTLE

SIDE NOTE, A TIDBIT THAT I'VE USED MANY, MANY TIMES. A, KNOW

THE SCRIPTURE, BECAUSE WHEN YOU KNOW SCRIPTURES THAT COUNTER

WHAT YOU'RE FACING, YOU CAN USE THOSE TO CONTROL THE THOUGHTS

THAT GO ON UP HERE. OKAY, YOU CAN USE THOSE. AND I WILL TELL

YOU, SO KNOW THEM BY HEART SO YOU CAN TURN TO IT. AND I DON'T

CARE IF IT'S SCRIPTURE YOU'VE READ 100 TIMES. AND THEN THE

SECOND PART THAT WILL HELP YOU IN THAT IS GO AND OPEN A

PHYSICAL BIBLE. THIS IS WHY I THINK IT'S SO GOOD THAT PASTOR

HANK SAID THAT, BECAUSE YOU'RE OPENING A PHYSICAL BIBLE,

YOU DON'T GET THE INTERRUPTIONS OF THE NOTIFICATIONS THAT YOU DO

ON YOUR PHONE. HAVING A PHYSICAL SCRIPTURE OPEN TO THOSE VERSES

AND LOOK AT THEM. THERE WAS ONE NIGHT I WAS GOING THROUGH

SOMETHING REALLY HARD. WE WERE FACING A FEW THINGS, AND I WAS

LIKE, OH LORD, YOU KNOW, I'M LAYING THERE IN THE MIDDLE OF

THE NIGHT AND THE DEVIL'S JUST, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S WHEN THE

ENEMY ALWAYS LIKES TO COME. YOU KNOW, THAT'S THAT MIDDLE OF THE

NIGHT WITCHING HOUR THEY USED TO CALL IT, WHERE THE DEMONS SEEM

TO BE ACTIVE, AND THAT NIGHT TERROR SEEMS TO TRY TO HIT YOU,

THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS WILL HAPPEN OR THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. AND I

WENT TO SCRIPTURE AND I OPENED TO IT, AND I'M LIKE, PUT MY EYES

ON THE WORD, AND IT BROUGHT THOSE THOUGHTS BACK INTO

CONTROL. NOW, DID IT ALL GO AWAY INSTANTLY? NO, BUT I WAS ABLE TO

GO BACK TO BED AND GET A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP. AND SO WHEN WE

WENT THROUGH THIS THING WITH MY DAD, I LITERALLY WAS QUOTING THE

WORD OUT LOUD ALMOST NONSTOP. I SAID TO THE LORD, FATHER, YOU

SAID WHATSOEVER THINGS WE DESIRE WHEN WE PRAY, BELIEVE WE

RECEIVE. COME ON, WE LEARNED THAT FROM BROTHER HAGIN 45 YEARS

AGO. WHATEVER YOU BELIEVE, BELIEVE YOU RECEIVE IT AND

YOU'LL HAVE IT. WELL, I QUOTED THAT SCRIPTURE AND IF I WOULD

STOP, I WOULD QUOTE IT. I'D LAY IN THE BED, IN MY HEAD ALL

NIGHT. FATHER, I THANK YOU WHATSOEVER THINGS WE DESIRE WHEN

WE PRAY, BELIEVE WE RECEIVE THEM, WE'LL HAVE THEM. THAT MY

FATHER'S GOING TO LIVE AND HE'S NOT GOING TO DIE. AND IF I WOULD

STOP QUOTING IT, MY HEAD WOULD TRY TO RETURN BACK TO THAT

ANXIETY AND THAT FEAR. SO I'D GO BACK TO DO IT AGAIN. I ALMOST

HAD TO DO IT NONSTOP. IT WAS SO— WE WERE SO COMMITTED TO QUOTING

AND SPEAKING THE WORD, NOT JUST BECAUSE WE WERE TRYING TO PUT

SOME MAGICAL THING OUT IN THE ATMOSPHERE. THAT'S PART OF IT.

WORDS, THAT'S PART OF WHAT WE DO. WE PUT WORDS IN THE

ATMOSPHERE. THAT'S WHY I WROTE THE BOOKS ON DECREES. THAT'S

IMPORTANT. BUT WE QUOTE THE WORD TO CONTROL US. COME ON, WHAT IS

ALLOWED TO GO ON IN OUR MIND. COME ON, YOU'VE HEARD IT SAID

MANY TIMES THAT YOUR HEAD CAN'T THINK DIFFERENT FROM WHAT YOUR

MOUTH GOD SAYS. RIGHT? YOU REMEMBER THE OLD LITTLE THING

THAT WE USED TO DO? LET'S JUST DO IT. ALL RIGHT, IT'S WEDNESDAY

NIGHT. OKAY, SO CLOSE YOUR EYES. LET'S DO A LITTLE DRILL. YOU

READY? CLOSE YOUR EYES. AND I WANT YOU TO START COUNTING TO 10

IN YOUR MIND. DON'T LOOK AT ME. JUST— NOW OUT LOUD, SAY YOUR

NAME. DID YOU HAVE TO STOP COUNTING TO SAY YOUR NAME?

BECAUSE YOUR MIND CANNOT KEEP THINKING ON SOMETHING WHEN YOUR

MOUTH IS TALKING SOMETHING ELSE. THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT

THING, IS TO DISCIPLINE OUR THOUGHTS. SELF-CONTROL.

SELF-CONTROL THOSE EMOTIONS. SO, AND I'VE DONE THIS MANY, MANY

TIMES IN MY LIFE WHERE I WILL SAY, OKAY, WHEN— COME ON, WHEN

WE'RE HEADLONG IN A BATTLE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE FEET TO THE PEDAL

AND WE'RE FACING AND DEALING WITH SOMETHING. AND BELIEVE ME,

YOU KNOW, PEOPLE THINK PASTORS DON'T GO THROUGH ANYTHING.

THAT'S A JOKE. THEY DO. RIGHT? WE'RE HUMAN JUST LIKE YOU. SO WE

HAVE TO TAKE THAT SAME WORD AND WE HAVE TO MAKE IT WORK FOR US.

AND I'M DETERMINED THAT I'LL MAKE THAT WORD WORK FOR ME JUST

LIKE I WOULD PREACH TO YOU UP HERE IS IF I'M FACING A

DIFFICULT TIME, YOU KNOW, MAYBE YOU'RE DEALING WITH YOU'RE

DEALING WITH GRIEF. YOU HAVE A LOSS, OKAY? AND THOSE THOUGHTS

OF GRIEF COME AND THEY TRY TO FLOOD YOUR LIFE BECAUSE, "WELL,

WHY DIDN'T IT HAPPEN? WHY THIS WORKED OUT THIS WAY?" AND YOU'RE

STRUGGLING WITH PAIN, FEELINGS OF REAL PAIN. COME ON, EMOTIONS

GIVE REAL FEELINGS, OKAY? THEY CAN HAVE FEELINGS OF HURT AND

FRUSTRATION. WE USE THE WORD TRAUMA. IT'S ONE OF THE REASONS

I WROTE THE BOOK COMMANDING PEACE. YOU'VE GOT TO SPEAK PEACE

TO THOSE STORMS. BUT THAT STORM IS OFTEN HERE, RIGHT? YES, IT'S

OUT THERE, BUT THE REAL BATTLE— THAT'S WHY JESUS SAID TO THE

DISCIPLES, "WHY WERE YOU SO FEARFUL?" LIKE, I'VE READ THAT

STORY. I WROTE A LOT OF THINGS ABOUT THAT IN THE BOOK,

COMMANDING PEACE. "WHY WERE YOU SO FEARFUL?" I'M LIKE, "JESUS,

DID YOU CHECK OUT WHAT'S GOING ON UP IN HERE? YOU'RE BACK

SLEEPING ON A PILLOW, AND WE'RE OUT I'M OUT HERE, LIKE, TRYING

TO CLEAR THE BOAT, MAN. AND— BUT THE POINT WAS, IS WHAT HE WAS

TRYING TO TEACH THEM IS THERE HAS TO BE A DISCIPLINE TO WHAT

GOES ON IN YOUR THOUGHTS. AND SOMETIMES THAT DISCIPLINE WILL

BE IN THE MIDDLE OF MOMENTS WHERE EVERYTHING HAS TURNED INTO

PANDEMONIUM AND CHAOS. EXACTLY. THAT'S WHY THE STORY OF THEM IN

THE BOAT WITH THE STORM IS SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE THEY WERE TO

BE DISCIPLINED. SAME WAY, ANOTHER GOOD EXAMPLE IS THE

MATTHEW CHAPTER 17. THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE CHAPTERS IN ALL

Matthew 17 · chapter mention

THE BIBLE, THAT THEY BRING TO THE DISCIPLES THIS

DEMON-POSSESSED BOY AND THEY COULDN'T CAST HIM OUT. REMEMBER

THAT? WELL, PUT YOURSELF IN THEIR SHOES. THIS GUY'S ON THE

GROUND FOAMING AT THE MOUTH, RAGING, SCREAMING, SPEAKING WITH

A DEMON, YOU KNOW, SWEATING, LOOKS LIKE HE'S GONNA DIE. HE'S

IN A TOTAL SEIZURE AT THIS POINT. AND, YOU KNOW, HUMAN

NATURE WANTS TO BE LIKE— YOU KNOW, WE REACT IN PANIC MODE.

AND JESUS, IMMEDIATELY HE COMES, AND THEY SAID, WELL, WHY

COULDN'T WE CAST HIM OUT? HE SAID, BECAUSE OF YOUR UNBELIEF.

AND I BELIEVE THAT UNBELIEF, THAT HABIT, STARTS WHEN WE DON'T

DISCIPLINE THESE THOUGHTS THAT COME INTO OUR MIND IN

MOMENTS OF TRIAL, MOMENTS OF HARDSHIP, IN OUR PATIENCE. SO,

"GUARD YOUR HEART WITH ALL DILIGENCE." UNDERLINE THAT PART,

"ALL DILIGENCE." I MEAN, IT SHOULD BE ONE OF THE GREATEST

EFFORTS THAT EVERY CHRISTIAN WORKS ON IS WITH ALL DILIGENCE.

NO, MIND, STOP THINKING THAT WAY. NOW, I'LL BE HONEST WITH

YOU, IT TAKES SOME EFFORT TO STOP— WHEN YOU'VE HAD A HABIT

OF THINKING A CERTAIN WAY, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE THAT DEAL WITH

SEVERE DEPRESSION, THEY HAVE A HABIT OF LETTING THAT DEPRESSION

KEEP GOING AND GOING AND GOING AND GOING AND NEVER PUT A STOP

TO IT. PEOPLE THAT DEAL WITH WORRY, THIS IS A CONSTANT THING.

THEY'LL JUST CONTINUE TO WRING THEIR HANDS BECAUSE THEY'RE

NEVER PUTTING— DOUSING THE FIRE OF THOSE THOUGHTS THAT KEEP

COMING AT THEIR MIND. BUT HERE IT SAYS YOU'VE GOT TO DO IT WITH

WITH ALL DILIGENCE. I'M GOING TO BE REAL. LIKE THAT DAY IN THE

HOSPITAL, EVERY MOMENT I WAS QUOTING THAT WORD, NOT BECAUSE I

WAS TRYING TO PROVE ANYTHING TO THE DOCTORS THAT WERE STANDING

THERE IN THE HALLWAY WITH THEIR TABLETS AND THEIR WHITE COATS. I

WASN'T TRYING TO PROVE IT TO THEM. I WAS PROVING IT TO

MYSELF. MY MIND, MY MIND NEEDED TO COME UNDER SUBJECTION. AND I

WASN'T GOING TO ALLOW JUST ANY CONTINUAL THOUGHT TO COME

THROUGH THERE. AND I REMEMBER MANY TIMES THE DOCTORS WOULD

COME RIGHT IN THE HOSPITAL ROOM AND THEY WOULD GIVE ALL THESE

EVIL PROGNOSIS AND SAY ALL OF THESE THINGS. AND HE LOOKED

TERRIBLE. MY DAD WAS LAYING THERE IN A MEDICAL COMA AND ON

100% OXYGEN ON A VENTILATOR. IT JUST LOOKED AWFUL. AND, YOU

KNOW, SO IN THE NATURAL, EVERYTHING WAS TERRIBLE. AND OF

COURSE, YOU KNOW, MATT AT THAT TIME, HE WAS 6. AND HE SAT

THERE, AND HE WOULD COLOR. YOU KNOW, FINALLY PASTOR HANK CAME

AND BROUGHT THE WHOLE FAMILY, AND JONATHAN WAS A LITTLE TINY

THING, AND BROUGHT THE WHOLE FAMILY TO THE HOSPITAL. AND SO,

WE WOULD PUT MATT DOWN AND MAKE HIM COLOR PICTURES JUST TO KEEP

HIM BUSY. AND HERE WE ARE IN THE ICU WITH MY DAD LAYING THERE IN

THE TUBES, AND HE WAS COLORING ON THE TABLE. AND I SAID TO HIM

ONE DAY, I SAID, "WELL, WHAT ARE YOU COLORING?" HE SAID, "WELL,

I'M COLORING THE GUY THAT THEY PUT DOWN THROUGH THE TUBE."

THROUGH THE ROOF WITH JESUS. AND HE WROTE ON THERE, HE COULD

BARELY WRITE, AND HE SAID, YOU KNOW WHERE IT SAYS IN THE BIBLE,

IT SAYS IN THE BIBLE THAT JESUS SAYS TO THE MAN, GET UP AND GO

HOME TO YOUR HOUSE. SO HE GOES, I WANT TO WRITE ON MY PICTURE,

GRANDPA, TAKE UP YOUR BED AND GO HOME TO YOUR HOUSE. NOW, HE HUNG

THAT, YOU KNOW, BUT I USE THAT TO DISCIPLINE MY THOUGHTS.

THOUGHTS AT THAT TIME. AND SO HE COLORED THE LITTLE PICTURE. HE'S

IN FIRST GRADE. HE COLORED THE LITTLE PICTURE, AND THEN WE

STUCK IT UP ON THE LITTLE BULLETIN BOARD THAT WAS IN THE

ICU ROOM, AND IT SAID, "GRANDPA, TAKE UP YOUR BED AND GO HOME TO

YOUR HOUSE." AND SO PASTOR CHRISTY AND I AND MY MOTHER, WE

WOULD WALK IN THERE EVERY DAY, SAY, "GRANDPA, PICK UP YOUR BED

AND GO HOME TO YOUR HOUSE." BUT I USED THAT AS A WAY TO GUARD MY

HEART WITH ALL DILIGENCE. ALL DILIGENCE. IN OTHER WORDS,

YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PUT MORE OUR EFFORT INTO PUSHING BACK ON

THOSE WORRISOME THOUGHTS, FEARFUL THOUGHTS. "WELL, PASTOR

BRENDA, IT LOOKS LIKE I MIGHT LOSE MY HOUSE." LISTEN, OKAY,

LET ME TELL YOU. "I CAN'T PAY MY MORTGAGE. I MIGHT LOSE MY

HOUSE." WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I'LL SAY, IF YOU ENDED UP LOSING IT,

GOD WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU, OKAY? THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT I

SAW AT THE TIME AS A LOSS THAT ENDED UP BEING A SETUP UP FOR A

BLESSING. SO, BUT THE KEY IS, IS FIGHT AGAINST THAT. I WOULDN'T

ALLOW THE THOUGHTS OF SETBACK TO CONTROL MY THOUGHTS. GOD, I'M

NOT GOING TO LOSE MY HOUSE. AND THE ONLY WAY THAT THIS CAN

HAPPEN IS IF YOU ARE UPROOTING ME FOR A REASON. SO I'M NOT

GOING TO SIT AROUND AND WORRY ABOUT IT. HERE'S ANOTHER STORY

I'LL TELL YOU. I REMEMBER WHEN— THIS IS BEFORE I MARRIED PASTOR,

AND I WAS A TELLER AT A BANK. I WORKED IN BANKING, AND THAT'S

HOW I GOT MY SCHOOL TO GO TO SCHOOL FOR ACCOUNTING. AND I

REMEMBER, SO ONE DAY I WAS— HERE I AM, THE LOWLY TELLER AT THE

BANK. AND YOU KNOW, BACK IN THAT DAY, YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T HAVE

COMPUTERS. WE HAD AN ADDING MACHINE AND OUR FINGERS TO COUNT

THE MONEY. AND THESE BANKS— I MEAN, AND THIS WAS ON A MONDAY.

NO, IT WAS ON A FRIDAY. SO THE BUSIEST TIMES FOR THE

BUSINESSES, YOU KNOW, NOT EVERYBODY WAS SWIPING CARDS BACK

THEN, PAYING ONLINE. PEOPLE BOUGHT EVERYTHING IN CASH. YOU

COULDN'T, AT THAT TIME— HOW MANY OF YOU REMEMBER THIS? YOU COULD

NOT— IF YOU WENT TO BURGER KING, YOU HAD TO PAY CASH. THEY DIDN'T

TAKE CREDIT CARDS AT FAST FOOD. YOU DIDN'T WRITE CHECKS.

EVERYBODY DID EVERYTHING WITH CASH. SO OUR TELLER DRAWERS

WOULD JUST BE PACKED WITH MONEY ON BUSY BUSINESS DAYS, JUST

PACKED WITH STRAPS AND STRAPS, SOMETIMES $100,000 IN CASH IN

OUR TELLER DRAWER. AND ON A BUSY DAY, YOU DIDN'T HAVE TIME. YOU

BECAME GOOD AT COUNTING, RIGHT? AND GOOD AT A 10-KEY ADDING

MACHINE. AND WE WROTE— ANYBODY THAT UNDERSTANDS BANKING WOULD

KNOW— WE WROTE ALL OF OUR CASH-INS BY HAND AND OUR

CASH-OUTS BY HAND. AND SO— AND THERE WOULD BE LINES WITH THESE

BUSINESS CLIENTS THAT WOULD COME IN TO MAKE THEIR DEPOSITS ON

MONDAY, AND THEN THEY WOULD GET THEM IN ON A FRIDAY. AND SO ONE

FRIDAY, IT WAS A VERY— ONE OF THOSE BUSY DAYS, AND MY DRAWER

WAS STACKED WITH MONEY. AND IF IT GOT TOO FULL, YOU KNOW, WE

COULD SELL IT OUT TO THE VAULT. AND I WAS THERE, AND I CAME UP

AT THE END OF THE DAY, AND I WAS— I THINK IT WAS $5,000 OR

$10,000, WHATEVER IT WAS, STRAPS OF— 2 STRAPS OF $5,000. I GUESS

THEY WERE $5,000. I WAS $5,000 SHORT. $1 SHORT IN MY DRAWER,

EVEN. NOW, THAT'S JUST— BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T WRITE IT WRONG. AND I

THOUGHT, WELL, OK. SO REBALANCED THE DRAWER. PRETTY SOON I CAN'T

FIND IT. I RAN EVERYTHING AGAIN, COUNTED ALL MY INS, COUNTED MY

OUTS. NOTHING CAME UP. AND AT THIS POINT, IT WAS LIKE 5:00 IN

THE AFTERNOON. THE BANK CLOSED AT 6:00. AND I'M STARTING TO GET

A LITTLE FLUSTERED. THEY WENT DOWN TO THE PROOF DEPARTMENT,

CHECKED EVERYTHING. NOTHING CHECKED. EVERYTHING CHECKED OUT.

I'M LIKE, I AM $5,000 IN CASH SHORT. AND I'M LIKE, YOU KNOW,

AND SO MY MIND IS STARTING TO GET RACED NOW. AND THEN, YOU

KNOW, THE SUPERVISOR— NEXT THING YOU KNOW, MY SUPERVISOR'S OVER

THERE, EVERYBODY'S STANDING IN MY WINDOW, I'M $5,000 SHORT. NOW

THEY'RE STARTING TO LOOK AT ME A LITTLE FUNNY. AND I'M THINKING,

OH GOD, YOU KNOW, AND MY HEAD STARTS GOING, YOU'RE GOING TO

I'M GONNA BE FIRED. MY IMAGINATION IS TELLING ME ALL

KINDS OF THINGS. YOU TURNED YOUR BACK FOR ONE MINUTE AND SOMEBODY

SWIPED TWO STRAPS OF FIVES OFF YOUR COUNTER AND YOU DIDN'T SEE

IT. AND THEN I SAID, WELL, CAN WE LOOK AT THE CAMERAS? CAN WE

DO ANYTHING? AND YOU KNOW WHAT THEY ALWAYS SAY, OH, THE CAMERAS

DON'T WORK THAT GOOD. AND THAT'S EXACTLY— I'M LIKE, WHAT WE GOT

THESE THINGS FOR? I DON'T UNDERSTAND IT. THE CAMERAS

ALWAYS NEVER WORK WELL. ANYWAY, SO I HAD TO GO HOME. 6 O'CLOCK

COMES AND THEY SAID, WELL, WE'LL HAVE TO LOOK YOU CAN LOOK FOR IT

ON MONDAY. AND I MEAN, I WENT HOME THINKING, "I AM FIRED. I'M

ARRESTED." I'M PICTURING MYSELF BEHIND BARS. I'M LIKE, THEY'RE

GOING— I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS, YOU KNOW, AND I'M AT THE RIPE OLD

AGE OF 21 YEARS OLD. I'M LIKE, "I AM FINISHED." I'M THINKING,

"WHAT IS GOING ON RIGHT NOW? HOW DID I DO THAT?" AND I THOUGHT,

YOU KNOW, MY HEAD WAS TELLING ME, "YOU MADE A TERRIBLE,

TERRIBLE MISTAKE." AND SO, I WENT HOME, AND I WENT TO GOD,

AND I SAID, "YOU KNOW, LORD, I DON'T KNOW IF I DID MAKE A

MISTAKE AT THIS POINT, IF SOMEBODY STOLE THAT MONEY OFF MY

COUNTER." OR, YOU KNOW, AND THEN WE WERE ALWAYS TAUGHT, "LOCK

YOUR DRAWER, 'CAUSE ANOTHER EMPLOYEE COULD GO BEHIND YOUR

DRAWER, OPEN IT UP, AND TAKE MONEY." SO, I MEAN, I WAS

DISCIPLINED. I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, "GOD, WHAT DID I DO?" AND

SO, I REMEMBER MY HEAD JUST THINKING, "YOU'LL NEVER GET A

JOB ANYWHERE AGAIN WHEN SOMEBODY'S TAKEN YOUR MONEY."

AGENCIES THAT YOU'RE FIRED FOR LIKE STEALING OR LOSING 5 GRAND.

YOU KNOW, THAT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE— IT'S STILL A LOT NOW. BACK

THEN, THAT WAS LIKE $20,000 IS WHAT IT'D BE TODAY. I DON'T KNOW

IF THAT'S THE RIGHT MATH, BUT PRETTY CLOSE. AND SO, I WENT

HOME, AND I WENT TO GOD, AND I SAID, YOU KNOW, LORD, MY HEAD,

IT'S JUST— I'M PICTURING MYSELF FIRED. I'M PICTURING MYSELF IN

PRISON. I'M THINKING ALL OF THESE THINGS COULD HAPPEN. AND I

SAID, BUT LORD, I'M GONNA GO TO YOUR WORD. THIS IS ONE OF

THE SCRIPTURES THAT I WANT TO SHOW YOU TONIGHT. TALK ABOUT

KEEPING YOUR HEART WITH ALL DILIGENCE. I SAID, GOD, I'M

GONNA JUST MAKE MYSELF— BECAUSE I HAD TO GO THROUGH A LONG

WEEKEND. AND BY THE WAY, MY GRANDPARENTS WERE IN TOWN. WE

WERE SUPPOSED TO GO TO THE ZOO AND HAVE FUN. I'M THINKING, THIS

AIN'T FUN. I'M NOT HAVING NO FUN. AND I DON'T REMEMBER IF I

SAID IT TO MY PARENTS AT THAT TIME OR NOT. I DON'T REMEMBER,

BUT I WAS JUST I WAS IN A HEAP OF DEVASTATION. AND, YOU KNOW,

AND BY THE WAY, BY THE TIME I HAD LEFT, THE BANK EXECUTIVES

ARE LOOKING AT ME FUNNY, LIKE— SO I SAID, LORD, I DON'T KNOW IF

I'M REALLY MESSED UP OR WHAT'S GOING ON HERE. AND ALL I KNOW IS

I'M GOING TO KEEP MY MIND ON YOU, OKAY? I'M GOING TO FOCUS ON

YOU, AND I'M GOING TO ASK YOU TO DEAL WITH THIS AND LET WHATEVER

THE OUTCOME IS OR WHATEVER HAPPENED, EITHER WE FIND I'LL BE

FIRED OR IT'LL BE EXPOSED. I SAID, LORD, IF I LOST THAT

MONEY, I NEED YOUR HELP. I NEED YOUR HELP. AND GOD KNEW I DIDN'T

STEAL IT, BUT I SAID, IF I LOST IT, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST AS FIRED

AS IF I STOLE IT. SO I SAID, LORD, I'M JUST ASKING YOU. AND I

WENT TO THE SCRIPTURE, 1 PETER 5:7, AND SAYS, CAST ALL OF YOUR

1 Peter 5:7

WORRIES ON HIM. CAST IT. AND I SAID, NOW, LORD, THIS IS THE

HARDEST THING FOR ME TO DO RIGHT NOW IS THINKING ABOUT IT. NOW,

I'M TELLING YOU, SELF-CONTROL OF YOUR MIND MEANS YOU'VE GOT TO

STOP LETTING YOUR HEAD THINK ABOUT IT. IT TAKES DISCIPLINE TO

DO THAT. I'M TELLING YOU. SO THAT WEEKEND I SAID, I'M GOING

TO HAVE FUN. I TOLD MYSELF THAT. I SAID, LORD, THE WORD SAYS,

CAST YOUR CARE, ALL YOUR CARE. SOME TRANSLATIONS READ ANXIETY.

I HAD ANXIETY, RIGHT? AND I FELT BUTTERFLIES IN MY STOMACH. COME

ON, HAVE YOU EVER BEEN THERE? MY HEAD IS TELLING ME ALL THE

THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO GO WRONG, OKAY? AND YOU KNOW, THE

DEVIL LOVES TO JUST TORTURE YOU, TO TORTURE YOU, TO TORTURE YOU.

AND YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT LIKE I WAS GOING TO BE OUT ON THE

STREET. I STILL LIVED AT HOME WITH MY PARENTS, BUT I THOUGHT

MY JOB RESUME WAS GOING TO BE DESTROYED. MY FUTURE WOULD JUST

BE RUINED. AND SO, ALL WEEK THAT THOUGHT WOULD TRY TO COME UP,

"YOU'RE GOING TO BE YOU'RE GONNA BE FIRED. THAT'S GONNA BE A

BLACK MARK. YOU CAN NEVER GET A GOOD REVIEW FROM THESE PEOPLE

AGAIN. YOU'LL NEVER WORK IN ANOTHER BANK. AND I WOULD SAY,

NO, FATHER, I CAST THIS CARE. THAT MEANS I AM NOT— WATCH THIS,

FOLKS— I'M NOT ALLOWED TO THINK ABOUT IT. TOUCH YOURSELF. SAY,

I'M NOT ALLOWED TO THINK THOSE THOUGHTS. THOSE THOUGHTS. OKAY,

THAT'S WHEN THE BIBLE TALKS ABOUT WE HAVE TO CAST DOWN EVIL

IMAGINATIONS, 2 CORINTHIANS 10:5. NOW PAUL WAS TEACHING THAT

2 Corinthians 10:5

ABOUT HIS APOSTOLIC MINISTRY, BUT THE PRINCIPLE IS THE SAME.

WE HAVE TO TELL OURSELF, I'M NOT ALLOWED TO DWELL ON THAT OR

THINK ON THAT. THIS CAN APPLY TO OUR HEALTH. THIS CAN APPLY TO

UNFORGIVENESS. THIS CAN APPLY TO DEPRESSION. OKAY, THAT'S WHY I

LIKE WHAT THEY TALKED ABOUT ON FLASHPOINT LAST NIGHT. IT CAN

APPLY TO FEAR OVER THE NATION. COME ON, FEAR OVER OUR FUTURE,

FEAR OVER OUR CHILDREN AND OUR GRANDCHILDREN. COME ON, FEAR

OVER OUR SPOUSE. COME ON, ANY OF THESE AREAS IN OUR LIFE. COME

ON, ALL THE COMMON THINGS. FEAR OVER OUR MONEY, ALL OF THE AREAS

OF OUR LIFE. AND SO I TOLD MYSELF, 21 YEARS OLD, I'M NOT

ALLOWED TO THINK ABOUT THAT. I'M NOT. I'M NOT. WE'RE NOT GOING

THERE. PASTOR AND I HAVE DONE THIS MANY TIMES IN OUR LIFE WHEN

WE WENT THROUGH HARD TIMES IN THIS MINISTRY. YOU KNOW, YOU GO

THROUGH SOME THINGS WHEN YOU PASTOR FOR 30 YEARS, AND WE

FACED SOME HARD MOMENTS. I'M TELLING YOU, AT TIMES WE THOUGHT

WE'RE NOT GOING TO MAKE IT AND STOOD THERE AND DOUBLED DOWN. I

HAVE THIS PICTURE. HOW MANY— ANYBODY GOT A FRAME TV? YOU

KNOW, WE HAVE A TV IN HERE. I MEAN, IT'S LIKE PEOPLE— IT'S A

TV WITH PICTURE ON IT AND IT HAS A FRAME AROUND IT. SAMSUNG MAKES

IT. WE HAVE ONE. AND THEY GIVE YOU A BUNCH OF ARTWORK YOU CAN

BUY AND PUT IT UP. ANYBODY KNOW WHAT THOSE ARE? COME ON, TECHIE

WORLD, MAN. I'M AS, LIKE, NOT AS TECHIE AS THEY COME. AND I FOUND

THEY HAD THIS PICTURE OF THIS MALE AND FEMALE LION UP THERE.

AND WHEN WE'VE GONE THROUGH A HARD TIME, I PUT THAT UP ON THE

FRAME AND REMIND THEM, "WE ARE MR. AND MRS. APOSTLE, AND BY

GOD, DEVIL, YOU'RE GOING DOWN TODAY." AND WE MADE THAT

AGREEMENT A LONG TIME AGO AS A MARRIED COUPLE THAT WHEN WE'RE

GOING TO DIG DEEP, WE'RE GOING TO DIG DOWN AND WE'RE GOING TO

DO AND WE'RE GOING TO CAST OUT THOUGHTS THAT WOULD KEEP US FROM

SEEING THE FULL VICTORY THAT GOD WANTS. AND I BELIEVE THIS IS THE

REASON THE INABILITY FOR PEOPLE TO DO THAT IS THE REASON A LOT

OF PEOPLE STRUGGLE TO SEE RESULTS IN THEIR LIFE BECAUSE WE

ALLOW OUR THOUGHTS TO ALLOW OUR THOUGHTS TO JUST GO ON LIKE THIS

SLOT MACHINE SPINNING AND SPINNING, AND THEN WE SPEAK

ACCORDING TO IT BECAUSE WE FEEL IT. SO THAT WEEKEND, I GOT UP ON

SATURDAY, "MIND," I SAID MY NAME, "BRENDA, YOU'RE NOT

ALLOWED TO THINK ABOUT THAT $5,000." AND OF COURSE, MY

STOMACH IS TELLING ME SOMETHING ELSE, OKAY? THE FEAR IS TELLING

ME SOMETHING ELSE. "NOPE." AND EVERY TIME IT WOULD TRY TO COME

BACK, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO THINK ON IT. YOU'RE NOT GOING TO THINK

ON IT. I CAST YOU OUT. I WOULD SAY THAT. I CAST OUT THAT

THOUGHT. I CAST IT OUT. COME SUNDAY, WE GO TO CHURCH. I DON'T

KNOW, THE CHURCH WE WENT TO DIDN'T PREACH A LOT OF FAITH AND

VICTORY, SO I DIDN'T GET ANY HELP THERE. AND BUT WE WENT TO

CHURCH. AT LEAST SOMETIMES YOU CAN COME TO LORD OF HOSTS AND

EDDIE CAN SING, I'M TAKING BACK WHAT THE DEVIL STOLE, THE

$5,000, GOD. I'M GETTING BACK MY $5,000. AND SO SUNDAY CAME, WENT

HOME, AND STILL, YOU KNOW, THOSE THOUGHTS. AND I'M LIKE, NOPE, I

CAST IT DOWN, I CAST IT OUT, KNOWING MONDAY IS ON ITS WAY. I

HAVE TO GO BACK, AND I'M GOING TO FACE MY JOB AGAIN. AND I'M

EXPECTING THEM TO STAND IN THERE AND EVERYBODY MEET ME AT THE

DOOR AND, YOU KNOW, WITH THE HANDCUFFS OR SOMETHING. AND I

DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M THINKING. BUT I JUST— AND SO ALL OF A

SUDDEN I'M LAYING IN BED THAT NIGHT. IT MUST HAVE BEEN 5 OR 6

IN THE MORNING. YOU KNOW HOW GOD IS JUST LAST MINUTE. AND I THINK

IT'S BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT HE WANTS TO TEACH US. IT'S NOT THAT

THE OUTCOME IS NOT GOING TO WORK OUT. IT'S THAT WE HAVE TO BE

DISCIPLINED IN THE PROCESS. I CAN TRULY SAY I DISCIPLINE

MYSELF NOT TO ALLOW THOUGHTS OF FEAR. WHEN THEY TRIED, I WOULD

REJECT IT. I'M LAYING THERE, 5 OR 6 IN THE MORNING, MY ALARM IS

ABOUT TO GO OFF. I'M HAVING TO GET UP FOR WORK. AND I DID SLEEP

THAT WEEKEND, AMAZINGLY. GOD WILL HELP YOU DO THAT. AND ALL

OF A SUDDEN— NOW, THIS IS GOING TO BE LIKE TALKING GREEK TO

PEOPLE THAT AREN'T IN BANKING, BUT BACK IN THE DAY, I WAS THE

ATM TELLER ALSO. AND THE ATM, THEY WOULD BALANCE AT 2 O'CLOCK

IN THE AFTERNOON WITH THE CLOSE THE TELLER DRAWERS AT 4, RIGHT?

AND 4 O'CLOCK. SO I WOULD SELL $5,000 TO THE ATM, BUT I

COULDN'T PUT THE OUT IN MY DRAWER. NOW WE KNEW THIS.

EVERYBODY FORGOT, INCLUDING ME. AND THE LORD SAID, YOU SOLD

$5,000 TO THE ATM. TELL THEM TO GO BALANCE THE ATM IN THE

MORNING. IT'LL BE $5,000 OVER. I RAN IN, THE ATM IS $5,000 OVER,

THE ATM IS $5,000 OVER, AND THEY RAN IT. SURE ENOUGH, IT WAS A

TRANSACTION ISSUE. NOW WHAT IF— I'M JUST SAYING NOW, THAT WAS

GOING TO HAPPEN NO MATTER WHAT. OKAY, THAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN

REGARDLESS. BUT THE LORD TAUGHT ME SOMETHING. THE LORD TAUGHT ME

THIS. HE TAUGHT ME THAT IF YOU DON'T DISCIPLINE YOUR

THOUGHTS, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HELP YOUR HEALTH, OKAY? YOU'RE

GOING TO RUIN YOUR WEEKEND. YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE THINGS OUT

ON YOUR SPOUSE. YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE THINGS OUT ON YOUR

CHILDREN. YOU WON'T BEHAVE RIGHT, OKAY? YOU'LL TALK WRONG.

AND IF WE CAN'T DO IT IN THE THINGS THAT— LIKE THAT, THAT ARE

BOUND TO WORK OUT, WHAT ABOUT THE VARIABLES THAT DON'T LOOK

LIKE THEY'RE GOING TO WORK OUT? LIKE WHEN THEY GIVE YOU A

TERMINAL DIAGNOSIS, OR THEY TELL YOU THIS IS THE WAY IT'S GOING

BE, OR SOMETHING IS GOING ON WITH SOMEBODY THAT YOU LOVE, OR

ANY OF THOSE AREAS WHERE THERE COULD BE MULTIPLE OUTCOMES RIGHT

THERE. IF WE DON'T DISCIPLINE OUR THOUGHTS IN THE SMALL

THINGS— SO GUARD YOUR HEART WITH ALL DILIGENCE, CASTING DOWN

IMAGINATIONS. GO BACK TO 1 PETER 5:7, CASTING ALL YOUR CARE ON

1 Peter 5:7

HIM, FOR HE CARES FOR YOU. AND I HAD HE HAD TO LEARN THAT. AND

I'M TELLING YOU, I BELIEVE WE'RE LIVING IN A TIME WHEN WE HAVE TO

LEARN THE SELF-DISCIPLINE OF OUR THOUGHTS, THAT THE ENEMY DOESN'T

GET TO CONTROL WHAT WE THINK. SO WHEN A THOUGHT COMES UP THAT'S

FEARFUL, RIGHT, ABOUT AMERICA, OKAY, ABOUT THE MIDTERMS, ABOUT

ELECTIONS— OH MAN, YOU THINK I DIDN'T HAVE SOME FEAR TRYING TO

HIT ME ABOUT 2024? I MEAN, I OH MY GOODNESS, MY HUSBAND, HE, YOU

KNOW, HE JUST DOUBLES DOWN. I'M LIKE, HONEY, YOU KNOW, I MEAN,

WHEN YOU HAVE THE MOMENT TO BACK UP, YOU DOUBLE DOWN. WE CAME

HOME ON A PLANE IN 2020, AND HE'D BEEN PROPHESYING, TRUMP'S

GONNA GET A SECOND TERM, TRUMP'S GONNA GET A SECOND TERM. WHEN WE

COME HOME FROM 2020, THAT ELECTION WENT SIDEWAYS, AND I

JUST REMEMBER SITTING ON THE PLANE, AND I SAID, SO, WHAT ARE

YOU GONNA DO? HE GOES, I'M GONNA GO ON FACEBOOK, FACEBOOK LIVE.

HOW MANY OF YOU WERE HERE FOR THAT? AND NEXT THING YOU KNOW,

HE'S ON FACEBOOK LIVE, AND I THOUGHT, "OKAY, DEVIL, YOU GOT A

FIGHT ON YOUR HANDS." AND HE SAID, "I'M NOT GOING THERE. I

KNOW WHAT GOD SAID. I KNOW WHAT THE LORD SPOKE TO ME. I KNOW,"

HE GOES, "AND I'M GONNA GET HEAT FOR IT. I DO NOT CARE. I'M GONNA

STAND BECAUSE TRUMP IS GETTING A SECOND TERM." I'M TELLING YOU,

WE HAD PHONE CALLS FROM BIG MINISTRIES THAT SAID, "PASTOR

HANK, GIVE IT UP. TRUMP'S NEVER COMING BACK. YOU ARE WASTING

YOUR TIME. YOU ARE OUT OF LINE. YOU ARE RUINING PEOPLE. YOU ARE

DECEIVING PEOPLE." I MEAN, I CAN'T EVEN BEGIN TO TELL YOU.

AND HE SAID, "NO, THE LORD TOLD ME." SO HE SAID, "MANY NIGHTS I

GOT UP AND PRAYED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, AND I SAID, 'NOW

GOD, WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?'" HE SAID, "THE LORD SAID, 'I SAID

STAY WITH THE STORY. I SAID STICK WITH WHAT I'VE TOLD YOU.'"

WHAT IF WE DID THAT? THAT'S REGARDING THE PROPHETIC WORD.

WHAT IF WE DID THAT WITH THE WORD AND SAID, "ALL RIGHT, STICK

WITH THE STORY. STICK WITH YOUR COVENANT. STICK WITH WHAT I TOLD

YOU. STAY WITH IT." AND IT TOOK SOME DISCIPLINE OF THE MIND,

RIGHT? IT TOOK SOME DISCIPLINE OF OUR THOUGHTS. AND NOW, WE'RE

CIRCLING BACK AROUND 2024. HERE WE GO AGAIN. AND YOU KNOW, I

KNEW ENOUGH TO KNOW AT THAT TIME, I'M NOT GONNA— I'M NOT, I

AM NOT GONNA ALLOW MY MIND TO GO DOWN THE WRONG PATH. AND SO, I

WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU, CAST YOUR CARE. WHEN YOU CAST IT, YOU'RE

NOT HOLDING IT ANYMORE. IT IS NOT ALLOWED TO HAVE A SPOT IN

YOUR THINKING. I DON'T CARE WHO OFFENDED YOU. I DON'T CARE WHAT

THE DOCTOR TOLD YOU. DON'T DWELL ON IT. IF YOU DWELL ON IT, IT'S

GONNA HAVE A FOOTHOLD TO MANIFEST FRUIT. SO SELF-CONTROL—

CAN I GIVE YOU ONE MORE SCRIPTURE? ALL RIGHT, AND THEN

WE'LL GO. LET'S GO TO— WE'LL CLOSE WITH THIS. JAMES 1:14: BUT

EVERY MAN IS TEMPTED. COME ON, I WAS TEMPTED THAT WEEKEND TO

THINK ALL KIND OF CRAZY STUFF, RIGHT? SAME WAY WITH MY DAD,

WHICH HE ENDED UP GETTING HEALED, BY THE WAY. AND THE LONG

SHORT OF IT, SO MANY THINGS HAPPENED THROUGH THAT, BUT HE

GOT COMPLETELY HEALED. IN FACT, ONE NURSE HAD

GONE ON VACATION. WHEN SHE CAME BACK, HE WAS SITTING UP IN A

CHAIR. AND THEY SAID, "IS THAT THE MAN FROM ROOM 10?" THEY

COULDN'T EVEN BELIEVE HE WAS STILL ALIVE. THEY SAID, "WELL,

YOU KNOW." BUT IT TOOK SOME DISCIPLINE TO BELIEVE FOR

HEALING. I'M TELLING YOU, EVERY MAN IS TESTED. YOU CAN STAND ON

THIS PART. EVERY MAN IS TESTED WHEN HE'S DRAWN AWAY OF HIS OWN

LUST. NOW, WE READ THAT WORD LUST LIKE SEXUAL IMPROPRIETY,

SEXUAL DESIRE. THAT'S NOT THE FULL OF IT. NOW, IT CAN APPLY,

OKAY? WE'RE DRAWN AWAY INTO THINGS BY OUR OWN DESIRE. BUT

YOU KNOW, SOME OF THOSE DESIRES— AND THEN IT SAYS, "AND ENTICE."

SOME OF THOSE DESIRES ARE THE DESIRE TO WORRY, ARE THE DESIRE

TO TELL OFF SO-AND-SO IN OUR MIND, ARE THE DESIRE TO IMAGINE

HOW IT WOULD FEEL TO GET EVEN, THE DESIRE OF WHAT IT

WOULD FEEL LIKE TO THINK OR ACT A CERTAIN WAY. WE'VE GOT TO

BRING IT BACK OUT OF WHAT WE CALL THE BIG SIN THINGS. EVERY

MAN IS TEMPTED WHEN HE'S DRAWN AWAY. COME ON, DRAWN AWAY FROM

WHAT? DRAWN AWAY FROM FAITH BY OUR OWN HEAD, THE LUSTS OF OUR

MIND. YOU KNOW, YOUR MIND LUSTS TO THINK ALL ON THE WRONG

THINGS. IT'S TRUE. OUR MIND WILL LUST TO THINK ON FEAR. THAT'S

WHY THE WORLD IS FULL OF FEAR RIGHT NOW. OUR MIND LUSTS TO DO

IT. IT LUSTS TO THINK ON FEARFUL THOUGHTS. DRAWN AWAY OF THEIR

OWN LUST AND ENTICED BY IT. COME ON, I'VE BEEN ENTICED. YOU KNOW,

THE ENEMY WILL ENTICE YOU TO THINK BAD. HE'LL ENTICE YOU TO

THINK FEARFUL. LOOK AT THE NEXT SCRIPTURE. THEN WHEN LUST HAS

CONCEIVED— SEE, THIS LUST IN OUR MIND THAT WANTS TO THINK A

CERTAIN WAY AND LET THESE UNDESIRABLES— I'M GOING TO

CHALLENGE YOU ALL THIS WEEK, AND THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE WATCHING,

IS GO ON A QUEST TO DETERMINE TO WALK IN THE SELF-DISCIPLINE OR

THE SELF-CONTROL OF YOUR THOUGHTS AND YOUR EMOTIONS. I'M

TELLING YOU, IT'LL BE THE GREATEST WAY TO WALK IN VICTORY,

AND YOUR LIFE WILL CHANGE BECAUSE OF IT. OKAY, IF YOU HAVE

A HABIT OR THERE'S SOMEBODY YOU HAVEN'T FORGIVEN, QUIT THINKING

ABOUT THAT PERSON. YOU KNOW, THE BEST WAY TO FORGIVE SOMEBODY IS

STOP THINKING ABOUT THEM, RIGHT? MOVE ON. THEY'RE PROBABLY NOT

THINKING ABOUT YOU, SO DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT. WHEN THAT LUST

OF THOSE THOUGHTS IS CONCEIVED, IT WILL BRING FORTH SIN. WELL,

PASTOR BRENDA, AM I SINNING BECAUSE I'M IN FEAR OVER THE

DOCTOR'S REPORT? WELL, THE BIBLE SAYS ANYTHING THAT'S NOT A FAITH

FAITH IS SIN. SO WHEN THAT LUST IS CONCEIVED, IT'LL BRING FORTH

SIN, AND WHEN SIN IS FINISHED, IT WILL BRING FORTH DEATH. SO IT

ALL STARTS WHEN WE LEARN HOW TO POSSESS THE THOUGHTS OF OUR

SOUL. SO MY ENCOURAGEMENT TO YOU TONIGHT IS TO PRACTICE WITH

DETERMINATION AND DILIGENCE, LIKE PROVERBS SAYS, WITH

DETERMINATION AND DILIGENCE, PRACTICE THE SELF- DISCIPLINE OF

YOUR MIND AND YOUR EMOTIONS. AND I PROMISE YOU, IT— YEAH, IT

WON'T BE EASY. IT WON'T. IT WON'T. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? WHEN

YOUR HEAD'S GOING A CERTAIN WAY, YOUR HEAD'S THINKING A CERTAIN

WAY, YOU KNOW, COME UP WITH A SAYING, YOU KNOW, PASS THE

POTATOES. WHO CARES? I'M GONNA QUIT THINKING ABOUT IT. OKAY,

TIME TO DO THE DISHES. I'M NOT GONNA SIT HERE AND WRING MY

HANDS AND GO OVER THAT. WHAT IF, PASTOR BRENDA? WHAT IF? I'M NOT

THINKING ABOUT WHAT IF. WHY AM I? IF I'M DISCIPLINING MY MIND,

I'M NOT THINKING, WHAT IF, PASTOR KEITH? I'M NOT GOING

THERE. I'M NOT THINKING, WHAT IF? WHAT IF THAT— WHAT IF IS

JUST THE DEVIL'S SMOKESCREEN TO TRY TO GET ME TO BITE THAT LUST

OF THOSE THOUGHTS. AND IT BRINGS FORTH— JUST QUIT THINKING ABOUT

IT. SO THAT'S WHAT I'M GOING TO PROPHESY OVER YOU TONIGHT.

YOU'RE GOING TO STOP THINKING ABOUT THOSE THINGS AND YOU'RE

GOING TO SET YOUR MIND. THE BIBLE SAYS GOD WILL KEEP YOU,

HIM, IN PERFECT PEACE WHOSE MIND IS STAYED ON HIM. SO FATHER,

WE THANK YOU TONIGHT THAT EACH ONE OF THESE PEOPLE UNDER THE

SOUND OF MY VOICE, I THANK YOU THAT YOU GIVE THEM THE

SELF-CONTROL OF THEIR THOUGHTS, THEIR WILL, THEIR EMOTIONS, ALL

THE THINGS THAT RUN THROUGH OUR MIND. YOU GIVE THEM THE

SELF-DISCIPLINE, LORD, TO THINK ABOUT THOSE THINGS, AND THEY'LL

REPLACE THOSE THOUGHTS WITH YOU, AND YOU WILL HELP THEM THROUGH

IT, LORD. YOU WILL HELP THEM. WE DON'T HAVE ANY REASON TO BE

DISMAYED, FOR YOU'RE YOU'RE OUR GOD AND YOU'RE WITH US. AND WE

THANK YOU ACCORDING TO THE WORD THAT SAYS YOU CARE FOR US. SO WE

HONOR YOU AND WE THANK YOU. HELP US TO DO IT WELL, LORD, THE

FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT OF EMOTIONAL SELF-CONTROL, IN JESUS' NAME.

HUG SOMEBODY AS YOU GO. DID YOU GET SOMETHING OUT OF THAT? ALL

RIGHT, I LOVE YOU. WE'LL SEE YOU.