Can You Hear The Sound | Pastor Adrian Vega | Overflow Church

I know is that our life is telling a story.

Our days are telling a story.

And it's in these moments, man, that that God invites us to reflect, man, what is your story?

What are your days telling?

Because I tell you what, man, where everything where you put all your energy and all your emotions, that's your story.

Where you put your heart, that's your story.

Man, I've seen people, man, that it is success and it is work and it is the next thing, and we're we're building these kingdoms of thingdoms because enough is not enough, or more is not enough, and and and this is not enough success, or or man, I worked too hard, now I gotta take all the breaks, and man, I gotta but I owe myself this, and we're chasing and we're pursuing.

Our days are telling a story.

How is how are you doing the things requisite?

To say, man, God, God, I want you to be my story.

God, I want you to be the thing.

When when people see me, I want them to know, man, they see a person of faith, they see a person, man, that that that that that's showing who you are in their everyday life.

That, man, it's easy to tell, man, this guy's different, this girl is different.

Man, you know what?

Thank you for for inviting me to church the other day.

I'm not couldn't make it.

Why?

Because we're inviters, why because man, everything we're doing is telling a story that, hey, man, I pursue Jesus.

Come follow me.

Is that the story you're telling today?

Is that the highlight reel on your Instagram?

Is that the highlight reel that you're putting out there for people to see?

Is it, hey man, I came to church today, man.

God spoke to me today.

That's telling a story.

Or is it, man, I'm out here to lunch on a Sunday.

Check out my food.

What's the story?

We just came out of two days of an encounter, and and today's kind of that last day of an encounter, and I believe that God is gonna encounter us today, too.

Amen.

He's not done.

We wanted to take a few moments and and and beyond what I'm gonna share with you today.

We have a couple people that we wanted to invite up that have a really just a testimony to share how God ministered to them in these days, what God maybe has spoken to them in these days.

Uh, because I'll tell you what, man, the word of God says that they will be won by the word of their what?

Testimony.

It's not my story, it's their story.

Amen.

So we want to invite a couple people of those that got a testimony want to share.

Amen, amen.

Um, we're gonna invite everybody that uh went through the encounter and would like to share a testimony.

If you guys should just kind of lighten up here, this is just an opportunity to be able to encourage each other on the things that God is doing in our life.

You know, sharing yesterday that, you know, a lot of us are craving community and say we want community, but we often forget what it means to be a part of a community.

You know, the Church of Acts was characterized by so many different things, but one of the things that the Bible describes is that they had everything in common.

They had everything in common.

How can different people, diverse people, people that were coming from different areas, different backgrounds, have everything in common?

Well, the first thing that they had in common was the Lord and their faith in the Lord.

But the reason why they could have everything in common is because they chose to have everything in common.

Amen.

So, as a church community, as a family of faith, I was sharing yesterday that uh church is not a location you go to or a place that you are a fan of.

Or I like that church, or I like that pastor or that preacher, I like where it is.

This is close to my home or it's close to my job.

No, church is a body you belong to.

Yeah, come on now.

A body you belong to when the arm is missing, we miss it.

When the leg is missing, we miss it.

Why?

Because you belong to this body, and the body needs every member to function, and that member is a part of something what we're part of is bigger than what the part that we play.

So I'm gonna invite Vione and and uh come on over.

Um, and she's gonna share a little bit about her experience at the encounter this weekend.

Thank you.

Good morning, everyone.

Can you hear me?

Yes, okay.

Well, um, you know, I accepted the Lord when I was 15 years old, and I have steered away from this past twice.

This is my third time, so third time is the shock.

So it's been about a year.

I got really sick, and the Lord has taken me through the sanctification process and living a holy life.

And about maybe three weeks, two, a month ago, I had a really tough time at work, and I said, and I think a lot of people are familiar with this phrase that a lot of people say, either you said it or you've heard it, where you say, Oh my goodness, I hate people.

I just I can't stand, I need a break.

That moment came to my mind, that thought, and I said, I don't, that's not, that doesn't come from God.

That's not true.

And I said, Lord, if you want me to walk and do your work, I need a heart transplant.

And I've been praying for a heart transplant for the past month.

And yesterday when Pastor Jessica was speaking on session two, um, she was speaking about the heart and the posture, and she said the word heart transplant, and immediately it touched my heart, and the Holy Spirit started ministering me, and I felt that warm sensation in my chest, and I just fell right there, and I felt that God was giving me my heart transplant.

So this morning I woke up and you know, I think they have mentioned as well, it's it's it's a process.

I think you told me that.

You know, that was the day that you got it, but now you have to take care of it.

So God gave me, I think it's Proverbs 420, 428.

I took a picture of it.

Yeah, 423 where it says, above all else, and that was very specific, above everything else you're thinking about in this walk, guard your heart, for everything that you do flows from it.

So that to me was a sign that this is what I need to worry about right now.

Worry about anything else.

Everything will fall into place, but guard your heart because everything will come out of it.

Let's go.

Amen.

Amen.

I'm gonna ask Joshua to come on over.

And um he also wants to share a little bit more on some of the things that God did when we gathered together in the encounter this weekend.

Can you hear me?

Sorry, I'm a little nervous.

I didn't want to get I really didn't want to get up here this morning.

Um my wife asked me what I wanted for my birthday, and I told her I want to go to the encounter weekend.

And uh my wife made it happen, and uh and the closer I got to uh to to Friday, the more problems started coming up at work, and uh eventually led to our vehicle not working.

Um for for a moment I really doubted like really meant to go, like like doubt starts creeping up, and I felt like uh like the enemy was trying to be like, you know, trying to throw stuff my way, and uh and then I I I just stopped for a minute at work and uh I put on some worship music.

I I I got alone and I realized that it's God asking me how bad do I want it?

Am I gonna let a vehicle not working?

Am I gonna let my boss giving me extra work on Friday?

Am I gonna let these little things keep me from the blessing that God has for me?

Come on.

I'm like the duck on the water that you look at me and I I try to have it all together, and I'm paddling really fast underwater, and uh that's just just how I have to be every day, keep it together for my family, for my job, just day-to-day life, and this weekend the Lord really told me that it's okay not to have it together.

He has it for me.

Come on.

And that although I'm in the water, and although like he's smoothing out my rough edges, that he's the one that's doing it.

Not to give the devil the credit that belongs to him, don't keep little things from getting in the room.

Pastor Adrian's testimony on Saturday really spoke to my heart, and I know God meant for me to be there that week and nothing's gonna stop what he has for me and my family, what he's doing in my life.

I felt shackles come off this weekend.

Shackles I didn't even know I had.

I struggle with childhood trauma that I know leaving that place is not my struggle anymore.

Lord touched me.

Touch me in my heart.

I I'm responsible for doors that I've opened, but I know that like some of the stuff I was carrying was not my own.

And it's okay now.

Like, it's it's the Lord, his yoke is light.

So I'm thankful for the opportunity to come to the encounter weekend, and I and I implore anybody if it happens again, don't let nothing stop you from coming, don't let something small keep you from the blessing the Lord has for you.

Fight for it like Jacob did.

Come on.

Come on.

Can we give God some glory for what he is doing in and through our church family?

Oh come on, we can do a little bit better than that.

Let's give God some glory for what God is doing in and through our family.

Thank you for the courage to encourage us, both of you guys.

Your families are such a blessing.

And can I tell you, if you weren't there this weekend, that's okay, you're here right now.

And we're still going to finish out this encounter experience strong today.

So, what I would encourage you to do is to lean in a little bit closer to everything that the Lord may want to speak to you.

It doesn't take for you to possibly have been at our sessions.

Maybe this is the session and this is the appointment that the Lord has for you.

So let's lean into what the Lord has to say.

Let's put away distractions.

Hey, right there where you are, say, God, I put away every distraction.

My eyes are locked into you.

Speak to my heart, open my ears, give me fresh revelation.

Don't let me leave the same today.

Do you believe that?

Amen.

Let's give God one more round of applause.

Thank you, Lord.

Watch out.

I'll let her keep going.

She's going.

And I'm just I'm just gonna just hide out to the side out there.

Amen.

Yeah, guys, but it was an extremely powerful time at this encounter.

And uh man, I I think so many different things come into play.

Man, when you're believing for God to move in a mighty way.

I'll tell you what, I mean, I I can't go into every detail of of really just everything we've been experiencing the last few months, but can I tell you what?

Uh man, if that's what you experience in a week, multiply that times about 500, maybe.

That's what I've been going through.

But why?

Because man, when there's an assignment, when there's a purpose, and there's gonna be things that come into the middle of the road that will absolutely deter you, try to stop you.

And I remember in the testimony that uh Joshua was referring to that I shared yesterday, uh, was literally a few weeks ago.

I I just got to a point and said, Man, God, I don't know what's going on, but I need a word.

I need a word.

And I began to pray in my in my personal time, and and Pastor Michelle, she's praying some other stuff in her room.

I'm I'm praying some other stuff on my side.

But one of the words that I was praying, I said, God, I need a word and you're gonna speak, God.

I don't know if you're bringing a prophet from afar, but I'm gonna get a word and you're gonna bring a word to us.

We need a word in this season.

And every day praying, praying.

Why?

Because I'm petitioning.

Where does my solution come from?

And about what, a week and a half ago.

We have plans on a Wednesday.

Long week already.

Long week is already Wednesday.

I'm like, and uh, we we had already talked, and hey, we're gonna go to Disney tonight with the girls, and we're just gonna go have a good time and just relax and get away a little bit.

And I'm doing some work on the table and uh pastoral.

She gets up and she walks over and she's like, I know this is gonna sound crazy.

And it's okay if you say no.

There's a prophetic service happening tonight.

You want to go?

I was like, Yeah, let's go! Why?

Because I'm praying for the Lord.

What stops you?

What deters you from getting the answers that you want?

What's stopping you from getting into the rooms where God is at?

And she said, Oh, it's in Tampa.

I said, Okay, let's leave early.

Why?

I don't care how far I gotta go.

Because if there'sn't a word from me out there, I'm gonna go get that word.

Man, and sometimes man, church might be ten minutes from you, like, oh man, I kind of fart a day.

Hello.

And I showed up in a room which, you know, we we joked around about the best times to go to church is when you gotta do nothing.

So I showed up, I said, Oh man, I'm just here to attend.

And uh so so I get in the back and we're sitting all in the back, and and man, this is an intimate room, you know, worship is going to an intimate space, and you know, at some point uh this guy speaker was talking about the condition of our heart and the posture of our heart, and that's what God is looking at.

And at some point when we move into these different phases, and and at some point he just begins to do just ministry time and he begins to do literally just prophetic words.

I mean, this guy is just all over the room talking.

I mean, he God is giving him words about his word, and I'm all the way in the back.

I mean, like, right now the lights are up here, I'm like macro, and I'm just standing there and I was like, look God, if you got a word for me, you know where I'm at.

And I'm just worshiping.

I said, Man, God, thank you, God.

And I had already received, I mean, I felt like God would already minister to me.

But as as the night went on, and he's almost done.

I can see this guy pacing back and forth, like God's not done just yet.

And then at some point he just looks around and he's like, you, you get the you.

Have you ever gotten the you?

I got the you before.

A you and uh he's like you in the black shirt in the back, yeah, with the jacket you and this guy gets begins to I mean it's almost like he he was reading my biography.

Why?

Because man, when you're praying, God meet me, when you're believing God meet me, he will meet you, and that's not to say obstacles are not gonna be in the way, things are not gonna be in the way, but man, what is deterring you from getting in that room?

What is stopping you from getting into that space?

Because this is the space where change happens, and I was undeterred, amen.

There's power in the room, amen.

Well, guys, I'll tell you what, man, we're excited for what God has been doing already.

And man, I'd be remiss if I didn't take a moment and just think our pastors from Chicago that came down to support us, and uh, there are spiritual cover with Pastor Daniel, Pastor Jennifer.

Uh, they brought one of their pastors from the team, Pastor Jessica, who shared yesterday.

Uh, guys, what an incredible two days that we had of just being poured into a minister to uh it was so powerful.

Uh man, I I can't just escape man when God is in the room, you don't gotta do anything.

There was just this moment, it was so powerful.

And uh Pastor Jessica's talking about the heart and this hard work.

He's just talking and at some point I just see people begin to weep.

Weep, weep, weep, weep, weep.

Wow, the Holy Spirit's moving.

God is moving, He's shifting the hearts, touching the hearts because that's what happens when you come with expectancy.

That's when you come and you're like, man, I don't know what's in the room for me, God, but I'm not leaving this place.

Amen.

Well, guys, man, good morning, man.

We're excited you guys are in the room.

You're visiting us for the first time.

I'll tell you what, you came to a real service today.

Uh it's a lot going on.

But we're excited you're in the room.

We're excited to have you here, man.

We know that finding a church home is not an easy thing to do.

It's a challenge sometimes.

It's like Cinderella trying to get the right slipper.

But today I want you to know that you're love, man.

We appreciate you being in the room.

And I pray you feel like family, and more importantly, I pray you feel the presence of God in this space today.

Amen.

I mean I like to start the service with the best thing I heard this week, and and I'm honestly, I gotta give this one too.

Pastor Daniel on Friday, he was dropping so many.

I might I'm taking notes.

No, no, no, no.

Um, I'll tell you what, you know, I I've been in church for a long time.

I mean, I know I look extremely young, but a long time, long time.

However, I can't hear it enough.

I can't hear his word enough.

I don't care how many times I hear it, man, it hits different, it lands different, it gives me something different.

That's why I get in the room, amen.

And he's sharing on the blood, and it was so powerful.

But there's this one statement he made.

And the moment he said, I was like, oh my goodness, this is so good.

He said, our biggest enemy, everybody say enemy isn't the devil around us, but the sin within us.

I'm gonna say that one again because somebody was like, What happened?

Our biggest enemy isn't the devil around us, but the sin within us.

I'm gonna let you sit on that one for a minute.

As we get into the word here, I'm just gonna pray for a moment.

Let's close our eyes.

Lord God, we thank you for this moment.

We thank you for the time that we're together, and I pray, Lord God, let this uh be a moment that we do encounter your word, do encounter your presence.

I pray the glory is filling the room.

Lord God, let the manifest presence of God be here.

Holy Spirit be here.

Holy Spirit begin to move, begin to convict, begin to stir up the heart today, Lord God.

I pray that this word is a seeking word.

I pray that this word would meet us, and I pray that I'm simply a vessel and a vehicle that you would work through today.

Let it not be my words, but your words today, Holy Spirit.

In Jesus' name we pray.

Amen and amen.

Let's go.

Uh guys, I'll tell you what, as I was preparing this message, man, uh I felt like God was just kind of speaking through me to me throughout the week for this Sunday.

And uh man, I remember this moment uh when I was growing up, my dad was in the military and uh he was in the Marines and he, you know, he used to get up just super early every day.

He just got up super early.

And I mean he would just I felt like he did a million things uh before anyone even got up.

And I remember at some point, you know, as I was a little bit older, you know, like maybe uh like 10, 9, 10, 11, somewhere on there.

Uh I I was like, man, I I want to get more things done in the morning before I get to school, right?

Um and uh, you know, I was an incredible child.

Uh because I was like, man, I want to clean my room, I want to make my breakfast, you know, I want to have time to chill, right?

I so I and my mom would wake up me and my brother up at the same time, okay?

Uh meaning like I had time to like maybe eat and you're running out the door to go catch the bus, right?

And so I had my dad said, Dad, I said one day, could you wake me up in the morning before you leave?

And he says, I leave, I leave really early.

I said, That's okay.

Whenever you leave, wake me up before you leave.

He said, Okay.

And so in the mornings, he would simply walk by my my my room, flip the light on, and keep walking.

That was it.

This before the hour, I was like, yo, put the alarm on your phone.

It was no phone.

Okay, guys, this is this.

I'm sorry, okay.

I I lied, I'm not that young.

Uh so it was like, if you don't got a clock, you ought to look.

But what happened?

He just flipped the light on.

And instantly I would like just jump out of bed.

And every day he would just flip the light on.

On and flip the light, and every once in a while he will flip the light on.

But if he didn't hear a movement, I get a little tap on the wall.

And he keeps walking out the door.

Because sometimes it's a light and sometimes it's a sound.

But what I can tell you is that just like my dad was trying to get my attention to wake up, God comes to get our attention.

God comes and he comes in the light.

And sometimes he's making a sound.

But he's trying to get our attention.

Amen.

We're going to pick up in the book of Ephesians today.

And I'm going to hopefully be brief and let this be powerful.

Well, I try to be brief.

I can't promise.

We're in church.

Let me tell the truth.

In Ephesians chapter 5, verse 14, we're reading from the New Living Translation.

Ephesians 5:14

I'm going to read from verse 14.

Again, Ephesians 5, 14, New Living Translation.

Like Pastor Jessica was talking about yesterday.

Get your physical Bible into church.

I felt convicted this morning because I just had my phone.

Okay?

So your message stuck, Pastor Jessica.

I was like, man, you know what?

I'm missing out my assignment to get a physical Bible.

I just got all my notes and everything.

So let's get a physical Bible in the building.

Amen.

So are we going to read?

It says, uh for the light.

Everybody say the light makes everything visible.

That is why it said, awake, O sleeper.

Everybody say awake.

O sleeper.

Rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.

The light.

Who's the light?

In John 8, 12.

It says, Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, I am the light of the world.

I am the light.

If you follow me, you won't have to walk in darkness because you will have the light that leads to life.

So right here saying, for the light makes everything visible.

What is that?

Hey man, when you invite God in your life, he wants to make everything visible to you.

And just like my dad would flip on the light to wake me up.

Man, Paul is exhorting in this moment.

Hey man, there's a light that's coming to make all things visible.

Wake up, can you see?

Wake up.

Oh sleeper.

Rise up from the dead.

Isn't that funny?

Because he's talking about someone sleeping, but then he's also talking about waking up from the dead.

Why?

Because you're sleeping in one way, however, dead in another way.

And he's talking to both sides of you here.

You're asleep and how you're showing up, but you're dead because, man, you're not alive in Christ.

But he's saying, Man, there's a light that's come and is trying to lead you to the right place.

Amen.

Now, what I love about this, and the most powerful part of this, is Paul is not talking to an unbeliever.

He's not talking to a bunch of people that don't know who God is.

He's talking to the believers.

And he's saying, believers, he's saying, church, wake up.

The light is here, wake up.

The light is the alarm that is sounding.

There's a light that is sounding today.

And I don't know if if today is the light, maybe it is the tap.

But there's a sound today.

There's a light that God is shining today.

And He's waiting for our response.

You know, I think of how different lights get in, like can catch your attention.

And I don't know how this one came to me.

You know, it's it's not out of lack of experience.

It's not because of experience.

Uh better said.

Uh, but man, have you ever like at night, man?

Uh the police car show up.

I mean, not that they just show up for me.

However, uh, the police car show, yo, I don't know what's on them lights.

They're like super strobe lights, they're like the brightest things ever.

How many of them?

But sometimes God is trying to show up in your life in that way, and he's trying to get your attention.

And what I love it is is he's not coming like shaking you physically.

He's not coming like, hey, what's going on?

Come.

He's coming in a light.

Why a light?

Amen.

Because sometimes you gotta stop looking at other things and look at him.

He's just trying to get your attention.

If you're been in the dark and seen a light, and immediately you're like, what's going on?

The other day I woke up in the morning, and the first thing I noticed was, why is there a light on?

And that was not in the room.

And I'm like, I'm looking because usually I know who turns out all the lights in the morning.

So I'm like, who's up?

But you know, my other daughter, Alana,'s got the same gift of waking up early as me.

So she was up early.

But what happens when those lights capture our attention?

You know, and over the last few days, I keep hearing this word in my spirit, and it's clarion call.

There's a clarion call.

There's a clarion call.

And I'm like, God, what is what is the clarion call?

And some of you guys might be saying, Pastor, what's it not like that, but what's the clarion call?

Maybe you are talking like that.

I don't know.

But in my spirit, I feel urgency.

And what does this expression mean?

The clarion call is spiritually refers to a clear, urgent, and unmistakable message from God that demands attention, repentance, and action.

It's not a gentle whisper, but a wake-up call to awaken the heart.

Realign with God's will and respond with faith and obedience.

Man, can I tell you, I believe at the church at large, man, I believe there's a clarion call in this hour.

Man, guys, wake up.

Man, wake up.

Man, get it.

Man, we cannot continue to walk in these rooms of apathy.

Walk in these spaces of apathy.

And what is this apathy?

I mean, it's basically you're just lukewarm.

This term, just the term itself clarion, comes from the high-pitched trumpet, that's that trumpet sound that's used was used in ancient times to signal war, worship, or an important announcement.

And I believe, man, there is a spiritual war going on.

Man, I believe this is a call for worship, and I believe that there's an announcement.

And what is the announcement?

Wake up, O sleeper.

Wake up, oh sleeper.

Wake up, oh sleeper.

Hallelujah.

I remember growing up in church, and why even when I hear the word alarm, it always resonates with me because, you know, I've been in church a long time, my whole life.

I grew up in church.

I'm a church kid.

And uh, so I've been to a million services, and I remember back in the day uh there was this song that we used to sing, and I'm not gonna sing it because you know I don't want this to turn into a worship service.

But it said, sound the uh sound the trumpet in Zion, sound the alarm on my holy mountain.

Sound the alarm.

You guys remember?

Yeah, yeah.

And I said, sing that song, and and it, and I don't know why that particular song just always stuck in my spirit.

Why?

Because at some point we have to be those that sound the trumpet.

At some point we have to be the ones that get on the mountaintop and begin to declare, hey man, God is moving, God is here.

Come, come.

Can we get an amen?

But what happens?

God is wanting to shine the light to recapture our attention.

But why can't we hear it?

Why can't we see it?

And as I was thinking about this, I was remembering uh the movie.

Uh remember the movie The Matrix?

You guys remember the movie The Matrix?

A lot of holy people I know.

Uh but there was a movie The Matrix, and some of you guys I've never seen The Matrix.

Okay, it's okay, it's okay.

Uh but but The Matrix, you know The Matrix where you know that he was like, you know, like dodging the bullets, you know what I'm talking about.

Don't act like you don't know.

But in the movie The Matrix, man, there's this tension that people are struggling with.

Because there's people that have encountered freedom.

And uh this one character, man, he's like, man, I've experienced freedom, but I would rather live in the illusion of freedom.

Wow.

And he was already free, but he said, Man, you know what?

Um I this is great, but this is not convenient, this is not easy, this is costing me too much, and you know what?

I'd rather live in the illusion and feel like I'm free than actually be free.

Wow.

And what happens?

This guy's trying to negotiate how to get back into the illusion.

And sometimes I believe that's where we we land in this daily living.

We're trying to negotiate.

Man, God, I want you, but man, I still want that.

Man, God, like this is nice, but this is not, you know, exactly convenient.

Why does Sunday got to keep falling on Sunday?

Man, last time I checked, every week Sunday falls on the same day, Sunday.

So what does this mean?

Man, we're in this tension because we're always trying to negotiate.

And and Jesus is one of the most negotiated things that we put on the table.

Oh man, I want to go and do, man, it's my hard week.

Oh my goodness.

Man, I owe myself a little extra sleep today.

The Lord knows my heart.

Man, this is the only time that I have.

The Lord knows my heart.

Why?

Because it's easy to negotiate.

But but the the funny thing is, is that the moment stuff gets real and it starts getting real hard, we're like, yo, man, was he addressed to church again?

I gotta get in the building.

I don't know what's going on in my world.

But what happens?

It's because, man, the more we pull away, the farther we are from the grace that's been trying to cover us.

The farther we are from the truth that's keep that's trying to set us free.

But why?

Because we stand in this negotiation.

Well, as it's convenient, I'll get there.

As I can, I will see.

I don't know.

I mean, I've ever heard an I don't know in my life.

I've heard too many.

Hey, man, when it comes to you, well, I don't know.

Let me look at my schedule.

I'm like, look, I know your schedule.

You off on Sunday.

But what happens is uh where God has called us to walk in the light.

You know, I remember uh a long time ago, uh what one of the the first houses that I can recall, uh, I I want to say this is like uh maybe in Louisiana.

We used to live in Louisiana, and uh my dad um installed a mood switch in the on the wall.

The mood lighting.

You know the mood lighting, then I got you don't know the mood lighting.

Some of you guys, what's the mood lighting?

The mood lighting.

Well you would you could kind of turn down the volume of light, right?

It's a dimmer.

And and and you would kind of bring it down.

Oh, I'm gonna set the mood to watch TV, guys.

So I said, settle down, settle down.

Settle down.

And I dim the light.

But what happens?

That's what we do in our faith.

We we we we just dim the light a little bit.

Hey, it's still enough light.

I'm Christian enough.

I have faith enough.

I can't, it's not dark.

I can still see some things.

And it's like these moments, I like you know, uh Alana, our youngest man, she she's a reader, and and sometimes I walk by her room and and it, I mean, it looks like kind of dark in the room.

I'm like, and I'll pop in my head, like, yo, what you doing?

And she's like, I'm reading.

I'm like, where's the light?

But what happens?

She's got like the these like Christmas tree lights that she's got all around the room, and and it's kind of dim lighting, but it's enough.

So in her she's like, oh no.

What happens?

Because she's used to that light.

It's enough.

And what happens is we we we we we set that dimmer down, we set that mood lighting down, and what happens?

We get to this place in our faith where, oh, you know what?

This is a comfortable place, and in the beginning it probably didn't feel as comfortable, but you're like, oh, you know, I missed a Sunday.

Oh man, I feel kind of bad.

I miss a couple Sunday, oh not too bad.

Oh, you know what?

Jesus still loves me.

I still love Jesus.

Oh, we're nice.

And what happens now?

What in one point seemed dim seems bright.

Because you've accustomed yourself to that light.

You your your eyes adjust.

And oh man, I can see, I can see clear as day.

However, anyone else walks in the room, they know it's dim.

Everyone that looks at your life can see it's dim.

And that's why people tell you, hey man, are you good?

Why do you get an eye?

Am I good?

Because you look dim.

Hey, man, I haven't seen you in a minute.

You know why I'm asking you that?

Because you look a little dim.

Because you've been walking around in this low light setting of life.

And God is saying, hey man, you got to turn that light on.

Hallelujah.

But what happens?

We have uh now a place, of course, not here, other churches, uh, and not in Faith World, uh in other churches, um, where we have a lot of sleepwalkers.

Not moonwalkers, okay?

I know a lot of Michael fans out there.

Uh I said sleepwalker.

If I say sleepwalker, okay, stay with me.

And when I looked it up, man, I looked up the definition of someone who sleepwalks.

It's also known as another term called parasomnia, where a person performs routine or even complex activities while in a state of combined sleep and wakefulness.

It's derived from habits, right?

We have these muscle memories.

And I love this because this is exactly, oh, thank you, Lord, what Paul was speaking about.

Man, there's a there's a state of combined sleep and awakefulness.

But he's saying, no, there's a combined, you're dead and you're wakeful.

You're spiritually dead, but you're awake, and you're just going through enough routines that it makes you feel like you're right.

It makes you feel like you're doing the right things.

Like, no, no, I'm good, man.

I show up to church, you know, and you know, when I can.

I says possible.

But when we get into the building, it's not with expectancy, it's not with expectation, it's a muscle memory.

We show up to church.

I I can I can't can I testify?

I was a sleepwalker for a long time.

Because growing up, I just told you guys I was an incredible child when I was growing up.

Mom said get to church on Sunday.

You know where I was at?

On church on Sunday.

I might have been in the club on Saturday, might have been doing some other things I shouldn't be doing.

But you know what?

On Sunday morning, man, praise, and I can say it all.

I was that I had my Christianese down.

But I was so far from him.

Why?

Because I knew the right routines.

I love this definition complex activities.

What does that look like for us?

Why not?

Man, I can shot them down with the best of them, but my heart is far away.

I can say hallelujah at the right time.

I can say amen.

That's good.

I knew all the songs to the worship.

I even lifted up my hands.

And not the teeth.

I would I would lift up.

Why?

Because I knew the right routines.

I knew what it's supposed to look like.

But the word comes again and says, awake, O sleeper.

Everybody say awake.

O sleeper.

This is a clarion call, a trumpet blast to those who may be spiritually inactive or living in the patterns of sin.

This is the wake-up call to turn from darkness, spiritual apathy or sin, and turn to Christ.

God's not looking for the part-timer, He's looking for the full-timer.

He's looking for those that are saying, Hey, man, I'm committed.

Man, I'm gonna commit my heart to the Lord.

Man, I want to commit my ways to the Lord.

God is not just a part of my life, He's the center of my life.

And we talk a lot about that.

But we'll say it again.

What does it mean for God to be the center?

It means God is here, and everything that I plan in my life is around this.

I look at my calendar for the year, and the first thing I'm writing on, I'm blocking all my Sundays.

Oh, that's God's day.

Not to say you can't go on vacation.

Uh however, man, I'm making that time first.

Okay, cool.

And then I'm putting in the other important days I gotta put in there.

Man, make sure you got that anniversary in there.

Uh uh and birthday.

Hallelujah.

Uh, and and what happens?

But God is the first.

Hey, what activities do I got going on that you know for for church this year?

Hey, well, what do we have going on?

Let me mark those in my calendar.

Why Jesus is first, and everything else flows from that.

But what do we do?

We plan our life.

And then I think, man, where can I squeeze in God?

Well, there's four Sundays I gotta play with.

Uh, let me see if I can work them in.

Maybe that first one.

Well, let's start there at the first one.

Because sometimes, you know, the scary thing is the church average of attendance in the nation is one Sunday a month.

The church average in America is one Sunday a month.

What is that telling me?

There's a lot of sleepwalkers that say, Man, how do I fit God in my life as is convenient?

I know it's something I should do.

And what does that mean?

That one time that they're showing up in the room, it's so that everybody can see them.

Hey, I was at church on Sunday.

I showed up in the room.

And while I'm sitting there, I'm trying to figure out where I'm going to brunch after we're done.

Hallelujah.

It got kind of quiet in here.

Yeah, we all we always shower.

God, bring down the walls of Jericho.

Yeah, bring He brings those down too.

But He's like, Yo, I use you to bring down the walls of Jericho.

But if you're not there, you can't bring them down.

Oh, come on now.

Why does this matter?

In Romans, everybody say Romans chapter 1, verse 28.

Romans 1:28

I'm gonna read 28.

I'm reading from the New Living Translation.

It says, since they, everybody say they.

Everybody say they thought it was foolish to acknowledge.

What is acknowledgement?

It's a response.

Since they thought it was foolish to respond to God, acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things they should never be doing.

What does that look like?

God is like, oh, oh, okay.

Why?

Because God's gonna look for you, man.

God's gonna do his part, but at some point, God's not, oh, oh, you got this.

You, oh, okay, well, show me.

Have you ever done that?

Uh I got kids.

They're awesome.

But what happens?

Man, there's moments when they were growing up that I've been trying to help them do something, and they're like, no, no, no, I got it, I got it, I got it.

I said, no, but let me help you do that.

No, no, no, no, no, but I got it.

And at some point, have you ever been the parent that says, okay, well then do it?

Go ahead.

And of course, they don't got it.

But what does God do?

God's like, oh, okay.

Oh, you don't you don't want to respond?

Oh, you you got this.

Okay, oh, you figured all your life.

Okay, cool, cool.

Oh, the job was enough.

Okay, okay.

Oh, well, that was enough, or or the other thing was enough.

Oh, okay, that's nice, that's nice.

That light's not for you.

Okay, the alarm wasn't for you, okay.

It's for somebody else, clearly.

And so, what does he do?

He delivers you to your own understanding, and that's what that scripture is telling us.

He said, Oh, you don't want to get it?

Okay, cool.

Well, then figure it on your own.

Let's see how that goes.

Yes, have mercy.

And I'll tell you what, that's scary.

I actually I literally pray, God never deliver me to my own understanding.

God never delivered me to my own understanding.

Everything I do, man, I got be done with you and through you.

Amen.

However, how many hear the sound and see the light and respond?

Where we have others that take a look around.

Like that we always make take a look around.

We're in the church building and we're taking a look around.

And you know what?

You're like, oh well you know what?

Things aren't too bad.

I'm okay.

And then we begin to speak to ourselves.

How many we speak to ourselves things.

Oh that's too much.

Oh they're doing too much.

Oh that's extra.

An encounter?

I already know Jesus.

I'm good.

Oh I love Jesus.

He knows my heart that's an expression I'll tell you what.

Hallelujah.

Scariest expression I know he knows my heart.

The same heart that he says man you know what your heart is treacherous.

It's wicked above all things.

That's why he keeps telling you guard that thing.

Why?

Because what you think is oh God knows my heart is really the lies of the enemy that says oh no it's okay.

You're okay.

You'll be alright what's a Sunday take a couple off you owe yourself.

You're man you're tired.

Rest.

Don't doesn't God want you to rest oh we can justify things all day oh I'm busy oh man oh they hurt me oh man they offended me though.

Oh man you know you know pastor cool and everything because I'm cool.

But but man sometimes he be talking about some stuff and you know I don't know I don't know why because I'm not here to entertain you.

I'm not here for you to just feel good.

I'm not here to give you a motivational speech and we're here to challenge you.

Why?

Because man there's something on the line amen.

Why because warm at some point feels hot enough just like dim will feel bright enough.

But what happened man in the last two days as we were in this encounter we're just unpacking truth and I love this you know Pastor Daniel shared this on Friday we says you know God can show up in a moment and and do an immediate work and God will set you free man God will heal you God will do a thing but it's through his word that you stay the course that you stay healed that you walk out all the things that go in alignment with what God just did.

But what happens we only want the first part oh well I want this part I want the healing God but you know let me see you know what let me see how my schedule works out that's not what God is looking for.

And we talked about in these days man the seven sheddings of God's blood right just as we did communion today man what why what what did the blood mean to us and we began to break that down it was so powerful and guys I've heard this so many times and I'm sure I will share it many times and I'll hear it again many times and I cannot hear it enough.

I never want to get to a place where I forget any bit of it we talked about repentance and surrender yielding to the Lord.

We talked about healing how God wants to come and heal your heart heal you it's about freedom how God wants to break chains off of your life some of them you didn't even ask for they're chains that you out of the womb you just they were there with you the imaginary friend that was not a friend we talked about the power of the Holy Spirit and here we are today and in one essence yes man I I would love to say hey man let's go out there and let's fulfill the Great Commission.

Man let's go out there and do the work of ministry but man how we can't do the work of ministry if we're still living in spaces of apathy in our life we can't respond what is what is the great commission the great commission man go out into all the world and preach the good news and man yeah we're gonna do some different things in the next few months and we're gonna facilitate some some different things because we want to get you guys not only equipped but in these places to be the spreaders of the gospel can I tell you it's not just my work you guys are commissioned everybody raise your hand you want to make it official I commission you in the name of the Lord go and spread the good news but what happens we get into these spaces and God wants to commission but God sees hey man how can I commission but I love this if you if you read that scripture where God is giving the commission he's talking to this and there's a part that says even though some doubted he released the commission why man because sometimes man am I ready can I I don't know we have questions everybody say I got questions that's okay me too welcome to the club but we show up and I say God I'm I don't know but I'm ready and I'm willing give me right words God in Romans chapter 13 verse 11 in the Amplified it says do this.

Romans 13:11

Everybody say do this knowing that this is a critical time I say critical time it is already the hour for you to awaken from your sleep again Paul speaking and he's saying hey man we're at a critical time I don't want you guys man turn the news on once in a while get off of Instagram get some news on man this is crazy out there it's fair to say it's a critical time can I tell you the church age man is coming to a wrap it's a critical hour where are we everyone's playing like they got time everybody's playing now we good but here Paul saying man it's a critical time it is already the hour for you to awaken meaning hey man you might have been playing some games for before today but man this is the hour wake up everybody say wake up tell your neighbor wake up out of spiritual complacency for our salvation again is nearer to us than we have first believed than we first believed Paul is talking to the believer again he's talking not to an unbeliever he's talking to a believer he's talking to the church think about these things Paul Paul Paul one of the greatest uh uh apostles of all time in the in the scripture he's got to go to the churches and tell them hey church wake up wake up why man because we just get so complacent and and in this space I was talking and I'm going a little bit long but I was talking the other day to uh someone from missions that you know they're a missionary and they do missions trips and and I was saying hey man you know what what was crazy is is I you know I've been I've been on missions before and uh man you go out there and and you come into contact with people that are so desperate for Jesus and they're not new to church but every day they go with excitement to share to church man literally this is seen not heard seen people walking miles to get to church happy as all get out people living in like some of the I mean it's thirwell country I mean tin roof open air out house and outside I know because I stayed there I lived there about two weeks in a little bunk bed I mean this little enclosure space was probably the size of their house this is my this might be big there might have been a luxury condo here uh no it probably maybe a little bit less than this I'm not even joking Eggie stay with me in that in that in that space Eggie was me in the room what a joy what a joy those people had and I remember coming back here and the first time I went we landed in Miami International Airport man I went to to the bathroom and I went to the faucet and hot water poured out and I said it's a miracle of Jesus why because what I'm saying is that man it everything is just so easy here it's so easy that it becomes just a throwaway for them man getting to the church man it's a joy man they're there every as many times they have service man I will see pat rooms here man there's some Sundays I I get here can I be real I get here and I love everybody's here today amen there's some Sundays I think did we change the address online because I'm like yo I be looking and if you guys know sometimes I'm coming out the back room over there why because I say you know what I'm just gonna go pray so somebody figures out to get to church on Sunday we show up and we get in the room amen Paul again talking to the to the believer not the unbeliever why does this matter for some people like no I'm good for some people man pastor's doing too much for some people oh the the encounters are too much and and oh man but serving is a lot and oh man but you know man you know Sunday's a tricky day for me uh man you know it's a scary time when we think man you know what man service time runs a little bit later and and people want to watch NFL games at noon what are we talking about here let's see how those NFL games work out for you when you're standing before him be like man God but it was a good game anyways but what happens there will be a day everybody say there will be a day that's upon us in Matthew 7 21 through 23 it says not everyone who calls out to me Lord Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter everybody say only those that's a disclaimer man they're gonna call out Lord Lord what does that mean?

Have you ever seen somebody like you know somebody or you haven't seen in the man yo yo hey hey what's up and they just act like they don't know you I mean he's not gonna act like he doesn't know you but at the same time he's like do I know you because only those ever say only those who actually do the will they're gonna get in what does that mean only those who do it means that live continual obedient who live continually in obedience and alignment with God's revealed will man how do I do that you know one part you show up in the room man you start praying you start seeking the Lord man you you start allowing the Holy Spirit to give you wisdom and guidance and life.

Amen what is Jesus saying to us it's not enough to just be labeled the apple tree you gotta produce fruit and there's a lot of people walking around like no I'm an apple tree I'm a Christian I'm a believer honestly like I I've gotten to a point I have these conversations with with Pastor Michelle in the car I'm like yo I'm tired of people telling me they're Christian.

What does that even mean?

What does that even mean the Christ means separated that's saying I'm a separated one I'm a Christian I'm a separated one are you or is that just a good tagline that you put on whatever or am I living as a separated one amen 22 on judgment day many will say to me Lord Lord we prophesied in your name amen we cast out demons in your name and we perform many miracles in your name and again Jesus is clearly speaking to believers in this moment and what does that look like for us man God I showed up on Sundays when it's convenient man God I read the word when it's convenient man I got I served on Sundays as it was convenient.

And Jesus is giving us this moment right now to check our heart.

Tell your neighbor check your heart that was how everyone's like that would hit a little bit right there.

This is a word that to those caught in bondage of apathy this lukewarmness and lukewarmness is is really same thing different font as apathy both terms point to a state of spiritual indifference where a person is neither fully passionate nor fully uh disengaged but somewhere in the in-between leading to stagnation and danger and God is saying man yeah maybe you did some things maybe you showed up on a but I never knew you who are you like to know someone is different than like just because we said hi don't make us friends and that's like oh you came to a Sunday that's nice but do I know you in Revelation 3 15 it says and he told again the church here everyone say church I know all that you do and I know that you are neither frozen nor in apathy nor fervent with passion how I wish you were either one or the other and this is to the the church of Laodicea and that church was in this hey man you're not you're not frozen you're you're in this apathy you're in this yeah you're not hot you're not cold man I wish you were one or the other why it would be easier to stomach a decision that's we really what that means I wish you were one or the other because worse is to be in the in-between meaning man I got the knowledge but I have chosen deliberately to stay in the in-between I want a little bit of this and I feel like I should have a little bit of this and the Bible tells man it'd be better if you just picked a side though in 23 but he says I never knew you get away from me you who break God's laws I never knew you I'm trying I'm not trying to get that that that conversation church the question is not that I hear the alarm the question today is what am I gonna do because I heard the alarm amen let's stand to our feet let's just close our eyes and we're just gonna as we're closing out this morning I know we went a little over but I believe that God is speaking today.

Amen with eyes closed man I just want to begin to speak some things man the beautiful thing is that the light is still shining today there's an alarm that's still sounding today and Christ is still calling his church wake up I'm saying in this room wake up wake up wake up man I just begin to speak Holy Spirit begin to stir spirits right now wake up wake up it's almost like someone shaking you in a bed man wake up wake up from complacency wake up from compromise wake up from habitual sin wake up from simply going through motions wake up today God didn't shine his light to condemn you he shined his light to awaken you God loves you and let the spirit of love come into this place let his love meet us here this is not a word to condemn this is a word of love this is a word that's coming to convict this is a word that's coming to simply say God loves you enough to remind you hey I'm still calling your name I haven't forgotten you somehow you've forgotten me we need to respond to the messages in a different way not just messages but man what have we already heard today that you know man you know what God was calling me like two weeks ago man it was a message I heard a month ago man God was speaking to me but you know what the good thing is man there's an echo and there's a word and it's still moving it's still active and today we're saying hey grab that word for you today if there's something that God has put his finger on today in your life man let's surrender it.

If it is apathy today if it's indifference today whatever it is maybe it's just hey man God I got I gotta figure out man making how how do I make you a priority in every area of my life then that's you today.

What I can tell you is man God wants you God desires you and God loves you today.

If there's patterns that you need to break man let's renounce that today if you become spiritually just comfortable in where you are man let's wake up today because the goal isn't to look alive it's to be alive in Christ with your eyes closed just whisper to yourself God why are you shining your light on me today what are you asking me to surrender God would you wake me up man this morning we just begin to pray right now Lord God and I just speak over this room today Lord God that your word would come to convict heal restore renew refresh Lord God I thank you today Lord God for this weekend I thank you for the word today and I thank you that you're not done today God I thank you that you are faithful to meet us where we are Lord God and I pray right now Lord God that your anointing that the love of God and but I just felt that earlier today man the love of God is in this room for somebody today man the love of God is here to meet you today the love of God is here to see you today man if you're if you're here in this room today and you say man God I want more I need more man just lift up your hands where you are today lift up your hands in the room there you go I got some people in the room that are gonna be honest with themselves get honest with yourself guys I don't care who's around you man get honest with yourself because at some point I just said hey there's gonna be a conversation what's the the story you're gonna tell on that day man Lord God I pray right now in the name of Jesus let your spirit come and move over every heart let your spirit begin to stir up Lord God and move today Lord God an awakening move today a stirring of the spirit move today right now in the name of Jesus with power Lord God begin to move over every heart and every mind today Lord God apprehend our heart apprehend our heart today apprehend our mind today Lord God but I pray right now that you would move in power move in all authority Lord God and move Lord God in the love of God that only you can bring to us the love that heals the love that restores Lord God the love that comforts us today Lord God oh we thank you today Lord God if you're in the room this morning and you're like man I don't know the Jesus that this guy's talking about man I've been here a long time already and this is this is just different.

This is I'm not expecting any of this or maybe you're in the room you say man you know what man I have been one of those that have just kind of let this thing slip to the waist and I have been one of those just living this indifferent life today man let's get it right today let's rededicate ourselves amen Jesus said in Luke 9 23 if anyone wants to follow me deny yourself deny your desires and not deny those things that keep pulling you away following Jesus always is gonna begin with surrender in Romans 10 23 it says whoever calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved if that's you this morning we're gonna pray this prayer let's repeat it together so no one's alone amen first and foremost if that's you today I want you to raise your hand today if you say God I want to rededicate my heart my God I need to receive you today amen amen there's some some people in the room being being real today amen amen let's repeat after me Father God I come to you in Jesus name I confess my sin I need your grace I believe Jesus died for me he rose again forgive me make me new be Lord of my life in Jesus' name we pray amen and amen