10/07/26 Pastor Marc Loomis

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GOOD EVENING, LORD OF HOSTS CHURCH. STAND UP ON YOUR FEET.

LET'S GET READY TO WORSHIP AND PRAISE HIS NAME. GOOD EVENING,

ONLINE AUDIENCE. PUSH THE TABLE IN THE LIVING ROOM BACK.

ROLL UP THE RUG. LETS GIVE HIM PRAISE!

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YOU KNOW WE'RE GOING TO DO A PROPHETIC ACT RIGHT NOW.

WE'RE GOING TO LITERALLY—

YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE YOUR HANDS LIKE THIS, AND WHEN

WE SAY BREAK, BREAK, AND THEN CHAINS YOU'RE GOING TO GO BREAK

CHAINS. THINK ABOUT THAT THING THAT'S BEEN NAGGING AT

YOU.SATAN TRYING TO GET AT YOU.

WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT YOU NEED TO TELL HIM?

QUIT LOOKING BETWEEN MY TOES AND GET UNDER MY FEET. ARE WE READY

TO BREAK SOME CHAINS? COME ON, LET'S BREAK! COME ON.

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OKAY I WANNA HEAR YOU SAY IT. COME ON BREAK CHAINS! DO IT!

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I'VE GOT THE VICTORY! I'VE GOT IT! POINT TO YOURSELF, COME ON!

I'VE GOT THE VICTORY! NOW LOOK AT YOUR NEIGHBOR AND TELL YOUR

NEIGHBOR: JANET, YOU'VE GOT THE VICTORY! YOU'VE GOT THE VICTORY!

YOU'VE GOT THE VICTORY! COME ON! YOU'VE GOT THE VICTORY! WEE!

WEE! WE'VE GOT THE VICTORY! COME ON! WE'VE GOT THE VICTORY. DO

YOU BELIEVE IT? WE'VE GOT THE VICTORY. WE'VE GOT THE VICTORY.

DO YOU BELIEVE YOU'VE GOT THE VICTORY? DO YOU BELIEVE IT? OH,

YOU GOTTA ACT LIKE IT. YOU GOTTA SHOW THE DEVIL, I KNOW, I KNOW,

I KNOW THAT I'VE GOT THE VICTORY. BUT SEE, I SERVE A

KING, THE KING OF KINGS AND THE LORD OF LORDS. HALLELUJAH.

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NEEDS TO SAY HALLELUJAH TO THE KING OF KINGS AND THE LORD OF

LORDS. NOBODY NEEDS TO GIVE HIM GLORY IN THE HOUSE TONIGHT.

SOMEBODY NEEDS TO JUST LET THE WORLD KNOW THAT I KNOW WHO THE

KING IS. I KNOW WHO MY SAVIOR IS. I KNOW WHO MY LORD IS. I

KNOW THAT I KNOW THAT I KNOW THAT I KNOW. 'CAUSE DEATH COULD

NOT HOLD HIM DOWN. NO, DEATH COULD NOT HOLD HIM DOWN. NO

GRAVE COULD HOLD HIM DOWN. OH, DEATH COULD NOT HOLD HIM DOWN.

ALL RIGHT, EVERYBODY, WE NEED TO BE HAVING OUR HANDS UP IN THE

AIR, GIVING HIM PRAISE AND GIVING HIM GLORY. HE IS OUR

KING. HE IS OUR LORD. HE IS OUR SAVIOR. HE REDEEMED US FROM THE

CURSE. NOW YOU NEED TO LOOK AT ONE OF YOUR NEIGHBORS AND SAY,

I'VE BEEN REDEEMED. YOU'VE BEEN REDEEMED. WE'VE BEEN REDEEMED.

JUST GIVE HIM PRAISE AND GLORY. THANK YOU, LORD.

HE'S A GOOD GOD.

HE'S A GOOD GOD. WELL, THEY GIVE ME 10 MINUTES, SO I'M GOING

TO TAKE IT ALL. HE'S A GOOD GOD, AND HE'S WORTHY. SO

WORTHY. YOU CAN PUT UP THE PSALMS THAT I GAVE YOU. PSALMS

29. IT'S A VERY SIMPLE PHRASE, BUT I WANTED YOU TO HEAR THIS

BECAUSE SOMETIMES WE DON'T THINK OF THIS, I'M SURE, AS AN

OFFERING PSALM. BUT IT SAYS, “GIVE UNTO THE LORD, O YOU

ONES. GIVE UNTO THE LORD GLORY AND STRENGTH. VERSE 2, GIVE UNTO

THE LORD THE GLORY DUE HIS NAME. WORSHIP THE LORD IN THE BEAUTY

OF HOLINESS.” LISTEN, YOUR GIVING IS SACRED WORSHIP BECAUSE

SAID WHERE YOUR HEART IS THAT'S WHERE YOUR TREASURE'S AT. WHERE

YOUR TREASURE'S AT IS WHERE YOUR HEART IS. THEY'RE CONNECTED. SO

YOUR LEVEL OF DEDICATION TO GIVE DECLARES THE LEVEL OF YOUR

WORSHIP. AND IT DOESN'T START HERE, JUST LIKE YOUR WORSHIP

CAN'T START HERE. YOUR WORSHIP IS YOUR EVERYDAY LIFE. IT'S

EVERY PART OF YOUR LIFE, EVERY PART OF YOUR ACTIONS, EVERY PART

OF EVERYTHING YOU DO. YOUR WORSHIP IS YOU. IT'S YOUR HEART.

IT'S YOUR LOVE. IT'S WHERE YOU GET YOUR PEACE FROM. IT'S WHERE

YOU GET YOUR JOY FROM. IT'S WHERE YOU GET YOUR SATISFACTION

FROM. AND YOUR GIVING IS ATTACHED TO THAT. THEY GO HAND

IN HAND. SO EXAMINE YOURSELF, AND NOT JUST HERE. WHEN YOU GO

HOME, WHAT'S YOUR ATTITUDE TOWARDS YOUR GIVING? WHAT'S YOUR

ATTITUDE TOWARDS YOUR GIVING? DOES IT ENCOMPASS YOUR WHOLE

BEING? YOUR WHOLE PURPOSE? AND I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT JUST

FINANCIALLY. WHAT IS YOUR ATTITUDE ABOUT GIVING? WHEN YOU

WALK DOWN THE STREET AND SEE SOMEONE, IS THERE A SMILE ON

YOUR FACE? ARE YOU GIVING? THAT'S A PART OF YOUR WORSHIP.

NO, NOT REALLY. YES, REALLY. BECAUSE IF YOU'RE SUBMITTED TO

HIM, HIS LOVE IS WORKING IN YOU AND THROUGH YOU. SO GIVE UNTO

THE LORD. THE GLORY DUE HIS NAME. WORSHIP THE LORD IN THE

BEAUTY OF HIS HOLINESS. SO YOUR ATTITUDE ISN'T HERE. YOUR

ATTITUDE IS HERE. HERE, LORD. HERE'S MY HEART. HERE'S MY

HEART. RECEIVE IT. BECAUSE HIS ATTITUDE TOWARDS YOU IS, I GIVE

YOU EVERYTHING. I BLESS YOU WITH EVERY SPIRITUAL BLESSING IN

HEAVENLY PLACES. IN CHRIST JESUS, I GIVE YOU EVERYTHING.

AND YOUR WORSHIP IS YOUR ATTITUDE OF RECEIVING WHAT HE'S

ALREADY GIVEN. ARE YOU READY TO GIVE? IF YOU HAVE TO NEED AN

OFFERING ENVELOPE, YOU CAN RECEIVE ONE. IF YOU DON'T, PUT

UP THE INFORMATION MISSION. FOR THOSE WHO ARE WATCHING ONLINE,

DON'T FORGET WE PRAY FOR YOU, THAT YOUR WORSHIP IS EXTENDED TO

YOUR GOD AS YOU GIVE AND AS YOU MANIFEST THAT ATTITUDE TOWARDS

HIM, AND THAT RAISES THE ALTITUDE OF YOUR GIVING, BECAUSE

IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE AMOUNT, ABOUT THE PROCESS OF THE

ATTITUDE IN THE GIVING. JESUS SAID THAT ABOUT THE WOMAN WHO

GAVE TWO MITES. IT ISN'T JUST ABOUT THE AMOUNT. IT'S ABOUT THE

ATTITUDE OF THE HEART. SO ALWAYS MAKE SURE YOUR HEART IS IN YOUR

GIVING AND YOUR PURPOSE IS HIM. SO IF YOU'RE READY TO GIVE,

STAND UP WITH ME. FATHER, I DECLARE YOU EXAMINE OUR HEART.

HOLY SPIRIT, REVEAL TO US ANYTHING THAT WOULD BE OUT OF

LINE, ANY ATTITUDE OF SELFISHNESS OR ANY ATTITUDE OF

GREEDINESS. BREAK OVER US AND ALLOW US TO SEE YOU AS A SOURCE

OF ALL THE GOOD THAT HAS BEEN GIVEN TO US. AND SO WE GIVE AND

RELEASE OUR GIFT IN AN ATTITUDE OF WORSHIP AND YIELDING US TO

THE BEAUTY OF YOUR HOLINESS AND THE POWER OF YOUR NAME. MAY

YOU RECEIVE ALL THE GLORY AND ALL THE HONOR AND ALL THE PRAISE

FOREVER AND EVER. AMEN. YOU MAY GIVE AND BLESS HIS NAME AS

PASTOR MARK COMES.

THANK YOU, PASTOR KEITH.

ISN'T HE WONDERFUL? WE WERE HERE THE OTHER NIGHT AND WE

WERE TALKING TO SOME FOLKS THAT HAD BEEN FRIENDS OF HIS FOR A

LONG TIME, AND THEY WERE TELLING ME, "WE'VE BEEN FRIENDS FOR A

LONG TIME." AND I SAID, "WELL, OF COURSE. YOU'VE MET PASTOR

KEITH. YOU'RE GOING TO BE HIS FRIEND FOR A LONG TIME." WELL,

HALLELUJAH. HOW IS EVERYBODY DOING TONIGHT? ALL RIGHT,

AWESOME. HEY, I DON'T KNOW, HOW MANY OF YOU WERE IN HERE MONDAY

NIGHT WHEN WE HAD OUR VOTE YOUR VALUES EVENT? I THOUGHT THAT WAS

FANTASTIC. EVEN IF YOU WEREN'T HERE WERE HERE OR WATCHING

ONLINE, I COMMEND THAT TO YOU. PLEASE GO BACK INTO OVT AND LOOK

AT THE ARCHIVE. GREAT STUFF, AS ALWAYS, FROM OUR SPECIAL GUEST,

RICK GREEN, AS WELL AS APPEARANCES BY SEVERAL OF OUR

LOCAL CANDIDATES, BOTH ON CAMERA AND IN PERSON. AND I LEARNED

SOMETHING. IT'S NOT ONLY IMPORTANT IT'S NOT ONLY

IMPORTANT TO VOTE, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO VOTE FOR EVERY

POSITION ON THE BALLOT. AND THAT REALLY STUCK WITH ME. AND I JUST

WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY INVOLVED IN THAT, PARTICULARLY TERRI

BLACKBURN. I DON'T THINK SHE'S IN HERE RIGHT NOW, BUT SUCH A

FANTASTIC JOB GETTING THAT ALL ORGANIZED, MAKING CONTACTS,

CONNECTIONS, AND SO FORTH. BOB PETTIGREW HELPING WITH THAT,

PRESENTING ALL THE INFORMATION AND SO FORTH. GREAT. TONIGHT,

UM, I WANT TO TIE INTO THAT JUST A LITTLE BIT, BUT I WANT TO TALK

A LITTLE ABOUT OUR FAITH LIFE. WITH ALL THAT'S GOING ON IN THE

WORLD AROUND US TODAY, WE NEED MORE THAN EVER TO WALK BY FAITH

AND NOT BY SIGHT. SAYS THAT, RIGHT, IN 2 CORINTHIANS 5:7. SO

2 Corinthians 5:7

WE LOOK AROUND, WE'RE DEALING WITH AI, TRANSGENDERISM,

CONFUSION ABOUT WHAT GENDER WE ARE. THE LIST GOES ON AND ON.

MISAPPROPRIATED PRONOUNS, MEN AND WOMEN'S SPORTS, ETC., ETC.

AND IT STRUCK ME WHEN I WAS LISTENING TO PASTOR BRENDA ON

SUNDAY AND AGAIN ON MONDAY EVENING AT THE EVENT WHEN SHE

WAS READING THAT POST FROM DAVE RAMSEY, AND I JUST KEPT THINKING

HOW UPSIDE DOWN THE WORLD WAS AND HE KEPT SAYING, TALKING

ABOUT HOW GOOD IS NOW EVIL AND EVIL IS NOW GOOD, AND I THOUGHT,

"HOW DO WE REMAIN STEADY IN SUCH A TOPSY-TURVY WORLD?" AND AS IT

SAYS AGAIN IN 2 CORINTHIANS 5:7 IN THE AMPLIFIED, IT SAYS, "FOR

2 Corinthians 5:7

WE WALK BY FAITH, WE REGULATE OUR LIVES AND CONDUCT OURSELVES

BY OUR CONVICTION OR BELIEF RESPECTING MAN'S RELATIONSHIP TO

GOD AND DIVINE THINGS WITH TRUST AND HOLY FERVOR. THUS WE WALK,

NOT BY SIGHT OR APPEARANCE. SO WE CAN'T ALLOW OURSELVES TO BE

INFLUENCED BY APPEARANCES. THINGS ARE NOT AS THEY SEEM.

THERE ARE MORE OF US THAN THERE ARE OF THEM. NOW, ON MONDAY

NIGHT, THERE WAS A LOT OF TALK ABOUT HOW WE NEED TO PLAY AN

ACTIVE ROLE IN THE POLITICAL REALM, POLITICS OF WE NEED TO

COOPERATE WITH PROPHECY, OF COURSE, AND WE NEED TO COOPERATE

WITH THE WILL OF GOD FOR OUR LIVES AND FOR THE COUNTRY TO GET

THINGS TO THE RIGHT END. BUT TO DO THAT, THERE'S ANOTHER

COMPONENT. WE'VE GOT TO REMAIN STEADFAST IN THE FAITH. AND I

THINK RICK GREEN SAID WE'VE GOT TO BE STABLE, AND WE'VE GOT TO

CONTINUE TO GROW IN THE FAITH. HOW DO WE DO THAT? HOW DO WE

BUILD FAITH? FAITH, AND WHAT WILL BE SOME OF THE BENEFITS IN

THE NATURAL FOR US DOING SO. I WANT TO TALK FIRST A LITTLE BIT

ABOUT SOME OF THE FUNDAMENTALS, AND I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU 4

STEPS TO BUILDING FAITH. NUMBER 1, STUDY GOD'S WORD. SEEMS

SIMPLE, RIGHT? 2 TIMOTHY 2:15 IN THE MEV HE SAYS, "STUDY TO SHOW

2 Timothy 2:15

YOURSELF APPROVED BY GOD, A WORKMAN WHO NEED NOT BE ASHAMED,

RIGHTLY DIVIDING THE WORD OF TRUTH." AND IN PSALM 119:10, HE

Psalms 119:10

SAYS, "WITH MY WHOLE HEART I SEEK YOU. LET ME NOT WANDER FROM

YOUR COMMANDMENTS. I'VE STORED UP YOUR WORD IN MY HEART THAT I

MIGHT NOT SIN AGAINST YOU." NOW THAT LAST POINT IS GOING TO BE

VERY IMPORTANT, AS WE'LL SEE HERE IN A FEW MOMENTS. WHEN WE

TALK ABOUT STUDYING THE WORD THOUGH, OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE

VARIOUS WAYS TO DO THAT. I LIKE PASTOR BRENDA'S ADVICE IN HER

LITTLE BIBLE BASICS MINI-BOOK, "KEEP IT SIMPLE." YOU KNOW, GET

YOURSELF AN OVERVIEW, LOOK AT YOUR VARIOUS TRANSLATIONS AND SO

FORTH. BOTH PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL IN BOTH PERSONAL

AND PROFESSIONAL LIFE, THAT'S GOOD ADVICE ANYWAY. AND IT IS IN

THIS CONTEXT, BUT IT IS IN OTHERS. AND WHAT WE NEED TO DO

IS WE NEED TO EAT OUR DAILY BREAD, IF YOU WILL. WE NEED TO

DIGEST YOUR SPIRITUAL MEAL IN SMALL BITES. TAKE YOUR

SCRIPTURAL MEDICINE IN SMALL DOSES, BUT TAKE IT REGULARLY.

IT'S IMPORTANT. AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE THIS LITTLE BOOK ALREADY, I

DO RECOMMEND YOU GET YOUR HANDS ON IT. I THINK IT'S OUT AT THE

INFO CENTER, THOSE INFO TABLES OUT THERE. SO THAT'S STEP 1,

READ THE BIBLE REGULARLY, STUDY GOD'S WORD, BUT WHY?

IMPORTANTLY, SO YOU WILL BELIEVE IT, AND THAT'S STEP 2, VERY

IMPORTANT, BELIEVE GOD'S WORD. NOW ABRAHAM IS THE MOST COMMONLY

MENTIONED IN THE BIBLE AS A MODEL OF THIS. PAUL SAYS IN

ROMANS 4:20-21, IN REFERENCE TO ABRAHAM, "HE DID NOT WAVER AT

Romans 4:20–21

THE PROMISE OF GOD THROUGH UNBELIEF, BUT WAS STRONG IN

FAITH, GIVING GLORY TO GOD, AND BEING FULLY PERSUADED WHAT GOD

HAD PROMISED HE WAS ABLE TO PERFORM." HE DIDN'T WAVER

THROUGH UNBELIEF, HE SAYS, SO HIS FAITH WAS STRONG. HE

BELIEVED. THE BATTLE IS AGAINST UNBELIEF THEN. SO HOW DO WE

FIGHT AGAINST UNBELIEF? WELL, ROMANS 10:17 TELLS US, "SO THEN

Romans 10:17

FAITH COMES BY HEARING, AND HEARING BY THE WORD OF GOD." SO

WE NEED TO HEAR WHAT GOD HAS TO SAY. WE NEED TO HEAR IT

PREACHED, AND WE NEED TO HEAR OURSELVES SPEAK IT OUT, DECLARE

IT. SO HEARING OURSELVES SPEAK IT INTO THE ATMOSPHERE IS

CLEARLY A FAITH BUILDER. NOW PASTOR BRENDA HAS PUBLISHED A

WHOLE SERIES OF DAILY DECREE BOOKS FOR THAT PURPOSE AND THAT

PURPOSE ALONE. THESE ARE FAITH BUILDERS. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF

THESE. READ THEM, SPEAK THEM. REPETITION IS THE KEY. LIKE WE

SAID IN PSALM 119, WE NEED TO STORE UP THE WORD, TREASURE IT,

HIDE IT IN OUR HEARTS. THAT WAY, WHEN WE NEED TO SPEAK TO A

PARTICULAR SITUATION, THAT WORD IS RIGHT THERE. IT'S READY TO

BUBBLE UP IN US. WE DON'T NEED TO GO LOOKING FOR IT. I DON'T

NEED TO TURN TO IT. I GOT IT. IT'S IN HERE. WHAT YOU SAY FLOWS

FROM WHAT'S IN YOUR HEART. IN LUKE 6:45, HE TELLS US THAT OUT

Luke 6:45

OF THE ABUNDANCE OF THE HEART, THE MOUTH SPEAKS. AND IN THE

NLT, IT READS LIKE THIS: A GOOD PERSON PRODUCES GOOD THINGS FROM

THE TREASURY OF A GOOD HEART. AND AN EVIL PERSON PRODUCES EVIL

THINGS FROM THE TREASURY OF AN EVIL HEART. WHAT'S IN HERE IS

WHAT'S GOING TO COME OUT WHEN YOU'RE SQUEEZED, RIGHT? AND I

FIRST GOT A REVELATION OF THIS PRINCIPLE ABOUT 22 YEARS AGO,

AND I SET ABOUT TO ASSEMBLE SOME SCRIPTURES TO MAKE A DAILY

DECLARATION FOR MY FAMILY THAT WOULD ADDRESS THE PROMISES OF

GOD IN THOSE AREAS THAT WE WERE SEEKING: DIVINE DELIVERANCE AND

PROTECTION, HEALING AND WHOLENESS, PROVISION AND

PROSPERITY. I KEPT IT SIMPLE AND FAIRLY SHORT. I WILL SAY THAT

YEARS LATER I ADDED SOME LAYERS OF COMPLEXITY, BUT FOR MANY,

MANY DAYS MY FAMILY DECLARED IT TOGETHER. AND LET ME JUST SAY,

THERE'S POWER IN A HUSBAND AND WIFE SPEAKING A

DECLARATION IN UNISON. THERE'S POWER WHEN YOUR CHILDREN JOIN

IN. IN FACT, WE WOULD SPEAK THIS AS A FAMILY ON A DAILY BASIS.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT BUILDS FAITH AND HELPS DEFEAT UNBELIEF. AND I

READ THIS JUST AS AN EXAMPLE. OBVIOUSLY, YOU SHOULD COMPOSE

YOUR OWN, TAILOR IT TO YOUR OWN SITUATION AND YOUR FAMILY'S OWN

NEEDS, BUT OURS WENT LIKE THIS. FATHER, WE THANK YOU THAT YOU

GIVE YOUR ANGELS CHARGE OVER US TO KEEP US IN ALL OUR WAYS. NO

EVIL AND NO SICKNESS CAN COME NEAR OUR HOUSEHOLD. BECAUSE WE

KNOW YOUR NAME AND SET OUR LOVE UPON YOU, YOU WILL DELIVER US

AND SET US ON HIGH. YOU WILL SATISFY US WITH LONG LIFE AND

SHOW US OUR SALVATION. JESUS HAS BORNE OUR GRIEFS BEARS OUR

GRIEFS AND CARRIED OUR SORROWS, AND BY HIS STRIPES WE WERE

HEALED. WE SHALL NOT BE OPPRESSED OR FEARFUL BECAUSE WE

ARE ESTABLISHED IN RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND TERROR CANNOT

COME NEAR US. NO WEAPON FORMED AGAINST US SHALL PROSPER. YOU

WILL SURROUND US, LORD, WITH YOUR GLORIOUS SHIELD OF FAVOR.

YOU'LL SUPPLY ALL OF OUR NEEDS ACCORDING TO YOUR RICHES AND

GLORY. YOU'LL LEAD US THE WAY WE SHOULD GO, AND YOU'LL TEACH US

TO PROFIT. YOU GIVE US THE POWER TO GET WEALTH. YOU'LL CAUSE US

TO INHERIT WEALTH, AND YOU WILL FILL OUR TREASURY. WE WILL LEAVE

AN INHERITANCE TO OUR CHILDREN'S CHILDREN AND BENEFIT FROM THE

WEALTH THAT SINNERS HAVE STORED UP FOR US. WE ARE BLESSED, AND

OUR CHILDREN ARE MIGHTY ON THIS EARTH. WEALTH AND RICHES WILL BE

IN OUR HOME. WE WILL BRING FORTH FRUIT, AND WHATEVER WE DO SHALL

PROSPER. AND WE SHALL SPEND ALL OUR DAYS IN PROSPERITY AND ALL

OUR YEARS IN PLEASURE, TREASURES IN JESUS' MIGHTY NAME. AMEN. SO

I READ THAT JUST, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THROUGH THE PROCESS OF

READING, STUDYING, SPEAKING, REPEATING, YOU STORE UP MORE

TREASURE, MORE GOOD TREASURE TO USE AS A WEAPON WHEN YOU'RE

CONFRONTED WITH AN EVIL REPORT. THAT'S WHAT WE'VE GOT TO COMBAT

AGAINST. YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN APPLY. SO

THAT BRINGS ME TO STEP NUMBER 3, APPLY GOD'S WORD. SO WE'RE GOING

TO READ IT, WE'RE GOING TO BELIEVE IT, NOW WE'RE GOING TO

APPLY IT. JAMES 1:22 SAYS, "BE DOERS OF THE WORD AND NOT

James 1:22

HEARERS ONLY, DECEIVING YOURSELVES." IN THE NLT, IT

READS LIKE THIS, "BUT DON'T JUST LISTEN TO GOD'S WORD, YOU MUST

DO WHAT IT SAYS, OTHERWISE YOU'RE ONLY FOOLING YOURSELF."

SO DON'T JUST HEAR THE WORD IS WHAT HE'S SAYING. PUT IT TO USE.

DO IT. SPEAK IT. APPLY IT TO WHATEVER SITUATION, WHATEVER

CIRCUMSTANCE YOU'RE FACING. THERE'S A PRINCIPLE HERE THAT I

WANT TO SHARE, AND THAT IS THIS: YOU ARE YOUR OWN CONFIRMING

WITNESS. THINK ABOUT IT FOR A MINUTE. THE BIBLE TELLS US THE

LEGAL STANDARD WE'RE TO GO BY IN DEUTERONOMY 19:15, IT SAYS, "BY

Deuteronomy 19:15

THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES, THE MATTER WILL BE

ESTABLISHED." SO WHEN YOU'RE FACING A TRIAL, WHEN YOU'RE

CONFRONTED WITH A SERIOUS SITUATION, REQUIRES YOU TO MAKE

AN IMPORTANT DECISION, FOR EXAMPLE, MAYBE SOME UNEXPECTED

AND UNWELCOME NEWS CONCERNING A PARTICULAR MEDICAL EXAMINATION

OR A TEST YOU MIGHT HAVE HAD. MAYBE AN EMERGENCY THAT YOU

COULD HAVE NEVER IMAGINED THAT YOU'D BE FACING JUST MOMENTS

EARLIER. ANY SHOCKING NEGATIVE EVENT THAT REQUIRES AN ACTION OR

A REACTION ON YOUR PART THAT COMES TO YOU WITHOUT WARNING.

THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE TWO REPORTS THAT YOU CAN CHOOSE TO

BELIEVE. THERE'S AN EVIL REPORT, THAT ONE'S FROM THE ENEMY,

ENEMY, A LIE FROM THE DEVIL. THE OTHER IS THE REPORT OF THE LORD,

THE WORD OF GOD, WHAT IT SAYS IN THE BIBLE. AND YOU HAVE TO

DETERMINE IN THAT MOMENT WHOSE REPORT WILL YOU BELIEVE. AND

WHICHEVER YOU CHOOSE TO SPEAK FIRST, THE EVIL REPORT OR THE

REPORT OF THE LORD, THAT'S GOING TO DICTATE THE OUTCOME BECOME

THE RESULT IN THE SITUATION OR THE CIRCUMSTANCE THAT YOU'RE

FACING AT THAT MOMENT. WHEN YOU AGREE WITH ONE OR THE OTHER, YOU

BECOME THE SECOND OR THE CONFIRMING WITNESS IN THE CASE.

NOW, WHAT YOU SAY IS GOING TO CONFIRM AND ESTABLISH THE FACTS,

AND THE BIBLE SAYS THAT'S BECAUSE DEATH AND LIFE ARE IN

THE POWER OF THE TONGUE, PROVERBS 18:21. YOU'VE GOT A

Proverbs 18:21

CHOICE AND YOU CAN DICTATE YOUR OUTCOME ACCORDING TO WHAT YOU

SPEAK. JOB 22:28 SAYS, "YOU WILL ALSO DECREE A THING, AND IT WILL

Job 22:28

BE ESTABLISHED FOR YOU, AND LIGHT WILL SHINE ON YOUR WAYS."

SO YOU DECIDE, AND GOD WILL BACK YOU UP. A REAL-LIFE EXAMPLE OF

PUTTING THIS PRINCIPLE INTO PRACTICE OCCURRED IN MY FAMILY'S

LIVES ONE DAY WHEN OUR SON WAS ABOUT 6 YEARS OLD. I THINK HE'S

26 NOW, SO THAT'S ABOUT 20 YEARS AGO. BUT HE HAD, AT THE TIME, HE

HAD RECENTLY BELIEVED FOR AND RECEIVED A NEW BUNK BED, AND HE

WAS STANDING ON THE TOP BUNK OR BED OR WHATEVER YOU CALL THAT,

THE TOP LEVEL, RIGHT IN THE CENTER, PERFECTLY STILL, NOT

DOING A THING. MY WIFE AND I WERE MAYBE 5, 6 FEET AWAY, AND

WE'RE STANDING THERE, WE'RE ALL JUST STANDING THERE PRAISING THE

LORD, RIGHT WHERE WE'RE WORSHIPPING. WE'VE GOT WORSHIP

MUSIC ON, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH. ALL OF A SUDDEN, FROM A DEAD STOP,

TOTALLY STILL, HE COMES HURTLING THROUGH THE AIR JUST AS THOUGH

HE'D BEEN THROWN. HE WAS PROPELLED. NOW YOU CAN FIGURE

FOR YOURSELVES WHETHER THAT'S SOME DEMONIC INFLUENCE OR WHAT

THAT WAS, BUT THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED. AND HE LANDED RIGHT IN

FRONT OF US LIKE THIS, WITH HIS HEAD HITTING THE FLOOR, LIKE THE

CROWN OF HIS HEAD DOWN. SO WE HAD A CHOICE IN THAT MOMENT,

WHAT REPORT WERE WE GONNA BELIEVE, RIGHT? BECAUSE WHEN YOU

LOOKED AT THAT IN THE NATURAL, I MEAN, MY EYES AND MY WIFE'S EYES

MET, BUT WE DIDN'T SAY A WORD. WE KNEW, WE KNEW WHAT WE HAD TO

DO AT THAT MOMENT, BECAUSE THIS WAS ALL FRESH IN OUR MINDS. AND

THIS IS ANOTHER THING, YOU'VE GOTTA KEEP THIS AT THE FOREFRONT

OF YOUR MINDS ALL THE TIME. WHEN YOU'RE IN THE BATTLE, IT'S TOUGH

TO DO. IT'S THE TOUGHEST THING TO DO, I CAN TELL YOU. BUT AT

THAT MOMENT, WE LOOKED AT EACH OTHER AND WE SAID, I SAID,

"OKAY, WE'RE EITHER GOING TO BELIEVE A, WHAT THE DEVIL IS

TRYING TO TELL US, HIS NECK'S BROKEN, HE'S GOING TO BE

PARALYZED, HE'LL NEVER WALK AGAIN, OR HE'S HEALED IN THE

MIGHTY NAME OF JESUS." SO MY WIFE IMMEDIATELY GOT IN HIS EARS

AND STARTED PRAYING IN TONGUES, AND I IMMEDIATELY GOT IN FRONT

OF HIS FACE AND STARTED JUST DECLARING SCRIPTURES. FOR GOD

HAS NOT GIVEN US A SPIRIT OF FEAR, BUT OF POWER AND LOVE AND

A SOUND MIND. YOU SHALL NOT DIE, BUT LIVE AND DECLARE THE WORKS

OF THE LORD. YOU KNOW, BY HIS STRIPES YOU WERE HEALED. I'M THE

LORD YOUR GOD WHO HEALS ALL AFFLICTIONS, HEALS YOU. NO

WEAPON FORMED AGAINST YOU SHALL PROSPER, ON AND ON AND ON. SO IN

JUST A MATTER OF MOMENTS WITH THOSE TWO THINGS GOING ON IN THE

EAR GATE AND THE EYE GATE, MY SON'S STUNNED LOOK AND ALL OF

THE FEAR JUST WENT AWAY. I MEAN, HE TURNED FROM WHITE TO FULL

COLOR AGAIN AND GOT UP FULLY RESTORED, NO EVIDENCE THAT IT

HAD EVER HAPPENED. IF I DIDN'T KEEP TALKING ABOUT IT, NO ONE

WOULD EVER KNOW. SO BY DENYING THAT EVIL REPORT, WE

ALLOWED THE TRUTH TO ESTABLISH THE FACTS IN OUR CASE AND

DETERMINE THE OUTCOME. NOW, THE OUTCOME WAS DIVINE HEALING. WE

REALIZED ONE OF THE PROMISES OF GOD IN THAT MOMENT. AND THAT

THEN BRINGS ME TO STEP 4: REALIZE GOD'S PROMISES FROM HIS

WORD. NOW, THE BIBLE IS FULL OF THOSE PROMISES. HEALING,

DELIVERANCE, PROTECTION, PROSPERITY, SO ON AND SO ON. AND

MOST OF THESE ARE, OF COURSE, CONTINGENT UPON OR DEPENDENT

UPON US DOING THE WORD, LIKE WE SAID. BUT WE'VE ALREADY TALKED

ABOUT THAT. IT IS SAID THAT THERE ARE OVER 7,000 PROMISES

FROM GOD IN THE BIBLE. AND ROUGHLY 1,500 OF THESE, IT IS

SAID, RELATE TO HEALING. AND THERE ARE ALSO SOME 2,000 VERSES

IN THE BIBLE ABOUT MONEY, MANY OF WHICH TALK ABOUT PROSPERITY

OR DIVINE PROVISION. AND WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT EACH OF

THESE AS WE KIND OF MOVE ALONG FORWARD HERE TONIGHT, BUT YOU

REALIZE OR WITNESS THESE PROMISES IN YOUR LIFE BY READING

READING AND STUDYING THE WORD, BELIEVING THE WORD, SPEAKING IT,

AND APPLYING IT TO YOUR INDIVIDUAL SITUATIONS AND

CIRCUMSTANCES. AND WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU REALIZE A PROMISE OF

GOD? WHEN YOU SEE GOD WORK IN YOUR LIFE, YOU TESTIFY.

REVELATION 12:11 TELLS US THAT WE OVERCOME “BY THE BLOOD OF THE

Revelation 12:11

LAMB AND BY THE WORD OF OUR TESTIMONY.” WELL, OUR TESTIMONY,

OF COURSE, IS WE'RE SAVED. IT'S THE GOSPEL, RIGHT? BUT IT'S ALSO

HOW DID GOD WORK IN OUR PERSONAL LIVES? AND THAT'S THE THING THAT

WE NEED TO SHARE ONE WITH THE OTHER FOR ENCOURAGEMENT,

EXHORTATION, SO ON AND SO FORTH. AND I ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY, WRITE

DOWN YOUR TESTIMONIES. WE'VE ALL GOT THEM. I'M SURE NOT THE ONLY

ONE THAT'S GOT TESTIMONIES. SOMETIMES IT FEELS THAT WAY WHEN

I'M OUT TALKING TO PEOPLE, THEY SAY, "HEY, YOU DIDN'T GIVE US A

TESTIMONY WHEN YOU WERE UP THERE LAST TIME." RECORD THEM, CATALOG

THEM, REVIEW THEM, SHARE THEM. THEY'RE ALL FAITH-BUILDING

ACTIONS, RIGHT? AND OF COURSE, MANY OF YOU ALREADY KNOW HOW

MUCH I LIKE TESTIMONIES, AND I GET PRODDED ALL THE TIME WHILE

I'M SPEAKING, "HEY, SHARE MORE TESTIMONIES." I'M GOING TO DO A

LITTLE OF THAT ACTUALLY AS I TALK NEXT ABOUT SOME OF THE

DIFFERENT WAYS THAT GOD CAN SHOW UP IN YOUR LIFE. AND AGAIN, I'M

GOING TO DEAL WITH 4 OF THESE. FOR WHATEVER REASON, I'M STUCK

ON THAT NUMBER 4 TONIGHT. NUMBER 1— OH, SOMEONE REMEMBERS THE 14.

OKAY. OKAY. YEAH, THAT'S MY NUMBER. I SUBTRACTED A LITTLE

BIT FROM IT. I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT TONIGHT. NUMBER 1, YOU

KNOW YOUR AUTHORITY AND HOW TO EXERCISE IT. NOW THERE ARE

SEVERAL SCRIPTURES THAT RELATE TO AUTHORITY, THE AUTHORITY OF

THE BELIEVER, DOMINION. FOR EXAMPLE, IN LUKE 10:19, JESUS

Luke 10:19

SAYS, "BEHOLD, I GIVE UNTO YOU POWER TO TREAD ON SERPENTS AND

SCORPIONS, AND OVER ALL THE POWER OF THE ENEMY, AND NOTHING

"SHALL BY ANY MEANS HURT YOU." NOW SERPENTS AND SCORPIONS HERE,

I BELIEVE, ARE REPRESENTATIVE OF EVIL SPIRITS. AND IN MATTHEW

Matthew 10:1

10:1, JESUS CALLS HIS 12 DISCIPLES TOGETHER AND GAVE THEM

AUTHORITY TO CAST OUT EVIL SPIRITS AND TO HEAL EVERY KIND

OF DISEASE AND ILLNESS. AND OF COURSE, THERE'S THE VERY

FAMILIAR MARK 16:17 AND 18, AND THESE SIGNS WILL FOLLOW THOSE

Mark 16:17

WHO BELIEVE: IN MY NAME THEY WILL CAST OUT DEMONS; THEY WILL

SPEAK WITH NEW TONGUES; THEY WILL TAKE UP SERPENTS, AND IF

THEY DRINK ANYTHING DEADLY, IT WILL BY NO MEANS HURT THEM; THEY

WILL LAY HANDS ON THE SICK, AND THEY WILL RECOVER. ALL THE WAY

BACK IN GENESIS 1:26, GOD SAYS, SAYS, "LET US MAKE MAN IN OUR

Genesis 1:26

IMAGE, ACCORDING TO OUR LIKENESS. LET THEM HAVE DOMINION

OVER THE FISH OF THE SEA, OVER THE BIRDS OF THE AIR, AND OVER

THE CATTLE, OVER ALL THE EARTH, AND OVER EVERY CREEPING THING

THAT CREEPS ON EARTH." AND GENESIS 1:28 SAYS, "THEN GOD

Genesis 1:28

BLESSED THEM, AND GOD SAID TO THEM, 'BE FRUITFUL AND MULTIPLY,

FILL THE EARTH AND SUBDUE HAVE DOMINION OVER THE FISH OF THE

SEA, OVER THE BIRDS OF THE AIR, AND OVER EVERY LIVING THING THAT

MOVES ON THE EARTH. NOW, I DISCOVERED THAT ATTACK DOGS ARE

PART OF THAT CATEGORY, EVERY LIVING THING THAT MOVES ON THE

EARTH. YEARS AGO, I WAS MAKING SOME SALES CALLS FOR A TRADE

ASSOCIATION I WORKED FOR, AND I HAPPENED ON A HOME BUSINESS. I

CALLED UP ON EVERYONE. IT DIDN'T MATTER WHETHER THEY WERE

OPERATING OUT OF THEIR BASEMENT OR WHAT, I WENT TO SEE THEM. AND

I DISCOVERED A LITTLE LATE AFTER I GOT OUT OF THE CAR IN THIS

GUY'S DRIVEWAY THAT HIS PLACE WAS PROTECTED BY SEVERAL

ROTTWEILERS. SO I HAD 3 OF THEM GREET ME ALL AT ONCE. I HAD ONE

ON THIS HIP, ONE ON THIS HIP, AND ONE STANDING RIGHT HERE IN

FRONT OF ME FACING OFF WITH ME TRYING TO ESTABLISH HIS

DOMINANCE. HE WANTED THIS TO BE— HE WANTED TO TELL ME THIS WAS

HIS DOMINION. SO THEY BEGAN NUDGING ME AND PUSHING AT ME IN

AN EFFORT TO KIND OF GUIDE ME BACK TO MY AUTOMOBILE, BUT I

LOOKED THAT ONE DOG RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME IN THE EYE. WELL,

FIRST HE TRIED TO BITE ME IN A PLACE THAT NO ONE SHOULD, AND I

HAD TO FEED HIM A CORNER OF MY SALES KIT. BUT THEN I BACKED UP

AND I SAID, "IN THE MIGHTY NAME OF JESUS," I HAVE DOMINION AND

AUTHORITY OVER EVERY LIVING THING ON THIS EARTH. YOU ARE TO

BACK UP AND STAND DOWN IN JESUS' NAME. THEY STOOD DOWN, AND I WAS

FREE TO ROAM ABOUT THE CABIN FREELY. I DIDN'T GO BACK TO MY

CAR. I WENT TO THE FRONT DOOR. THEY SAT AND WATCHED ME. I WENT

TO THE FRONT DOOR, AND THEN I RETURNED WHEN I GOT NO ANSWER.

AND I GOT BACK IN MY CAR AND I DROVE AWAY, AND THEY DIDN'T MOVE

THE WHOLE TIME. LATER ON, I FOUND OUT THAT ANTS BELONG TO

THE CATEGORY OF EVERY CREEPING THING THAT CREEPS ON THE EARTH.

I GOT UP ONE MORNING AND WENT TO THE KITCHEN, AND THERE WAS A

PARADE OF ANTS INVADING MY HOME, AND IT WAS COMING FROM, YOU

KNOW, UNDERNEATH THE FLOORBOARD NEAR THE DINING ROOM WINDOW, AND

THEY WERE COMING STRAIGHT OUT TO THE KITCHEN. IN AND THEY FORMED

A NICE PATH, I MEAN BY THE HUNDREDS, AND THEY'RE JUST

MARCHING, RIGHT? AND I CAME OUT AND I SAID, "ANTS, I HAVE

DOMINION AND AUTHORITY OVER YOU ACCORDING TO THE WORD OF GOD.

YOU ARE A CREEPING THING. YOU'RE CREEPING ON MY EARTH. YOU MUST

GO. DEPART RIGHT NOW IN THE SAME MANNER AND BY THE SAME PATH THAT

YOU CAME." TURNED RIGHT AROUND AND WENT RIGHT STRAIGHT BACK

OUT, NEVER TO RETURN. I DIDN'T EVEN HAVE TO GO GET TARO OR ANY

OTHER THING LIKE THAT TO KILL THEM OFF. THAT'S A GOOD TRICK IF

THAT AUTHORITY THING DOESN'T WORK FOR YOU THOUGH. ANOTHER

TIME WE WERE VISITING CAPE HENRY IN VIRGINIA, AND SOME OF YOU

MIGHT BE FAMILIAR WITH THAT. IT'S LOCATED IN A NATIONAL PARK.

IT'S GOT ONE OF THE FIRST CROSSES, I GUESS, THAT WAS

ERECTED. IT'S ASSOCIATED WITH ONE OF THE FIRST SETTLEMENTS.

ANYWAY, WE WERE DOWN THERE AND WE WERE LOOKING AROUND FOR THE

DAY WHEN WE LIVED IN THAT AREA. WE WERE WALKING BACK THROUGH A

FIELD FROM ONE OF THE MEMORIALS, AND AS WE PASSED BY THIS SHORT

LINE OF TREES, A SWARM, A HUGE SWARM OF BEES CAME OUT, AND IT

WAS MY WIFE, MY SON, AND I. BY THE WAY, I GOT TO SAY, I GOT TO

GREET MY LOVELY WIFE. SHE'S NOT HERE WITH ME TONIGHT. BRENDA'S

IN NEW YORK WITH FAMILY. SHE'S DEALING WITH A FAMILY HEALTH

MATTER, BUT HELLO, BABE, WE MISS YOU. THESE GUYS WERE GETTING,

THESE BEES WERE LANDING ON US. THEY WERE GETTING ON OUR

CLOTHES. THEY WERE GETTING IN OUR HAIR. THEY WERE JUST BUZZING

ALL AROUND US AND EVERYTHING. AND FOR A MINUTE I WAS TAKEN

ABACK AND I WAS LIKE, MAN, SWATTING THESE THINGS AWAY AND

ALL THIS. AND THEN I REALIZED, HEY, THESE ARE JUST LIKE THE

BIRDS THAT FLY IN THE AIR. I'VE GOT DOMINION OVER THESE GUYS. SO

I SAID, "IN JESUS' NAME, YOU BEES ARE TO BACK OFF AND NOT GET

WITHIN A 20-FOOT RADIUS OF ME, MY WIFE, OR MY SON." AND THAT'S

EXACTLY WHAT OCCURRED. AND WE JUST CONTINUED OUR WALK

UNBOTHERED BOTHERED BY ANY MORE INSECTS. HAD TO COMMAND THEM TO

GO. AS BELIEVERS, WE ALSO— WE HAVE GOT AUTHORITY OVER

EVERYTHING, RIGHT? BUT WE'VE ALSO GOT AUTHORITY OVER THE

WEATHER. SO HE SAYS IN MARK 4:39, SPEAKING ABOUT JESUS, "AND

Mark 4:39

HE AWOKE AND REBUKED THE WIND AND SAID TO THE SEA, 'PEACE, BE

STILL!' AND THE WIND CEASED, AND THERE WAS GREAT CALM." AND IN

MARK 4:41, IT SAYS, "AND THEY WERE FILLED WITH GREAT FEAR AND

Mark 4:41

SAID TO ONE ANOTHER, 'WHO THEN IS THIS, THAT EVEN THE WIND AND

THE SEA OBEY HIM?'" WELL, THAT'S JESUS, AND WE'RE HIS FOLLOWERS.

SO IF HE CAN SAY, "PEACE, BE STILL," AND THE WIND AND THE

WAVES WILL STOP, WE CAN SAY, "PEACE, BE STILL," AND THE WIND

AND THE WAVES WILL STOP. AND HAVING LIVED BOTH IN TEXAS AND

NEBRASKA AT THIS POINT. MY SON AND I HAVE ACTUALLY STOOD ON

SEVERAL PORCHES, SEVERAL DECKS, AND HAD TO COMMAND AWAY STORMS

THAT WERE BEARING RIGHT DOWN ON US BY SAYING, "HEY, WE HAVE

DOMINION AND AUTHORITY IN THIS GEOGRAPHIC AREA. YOU CANNOT COME

NEAR US. PEACE, BE STILL. TURN ABOUT AND GO THE OTHER WAY," AND

THEY WILL DO IT EVERY TIME, DO IT EVERY TIME. IN MARK 11:23,

Mark 11:23

JESUS SAYS, "FOR ASSUREDLY I SAY TO YOU, WHOEVER SAYS TO THIS

MOUNTAIN, 'BE REMOVED AND BE CAST INTO THE SEA,' AND DOES NOT

DOUBT IN HIS HEART BUT BELIEVES THAT THOSE THINGS HE SAYS WILL

BE DONE, HE WILL HAVE WHATEVER HE SAYS." OKAY, SO THE KEY HERE

IS NOT WHETHER THEY'RE TALKING, HE'S TALKING ABOUT A

LITERAL MOUNTAIN OR A FIGURATIVE ONE, RIGHT? IT CAN BE EITHER

ONE. BOTH OF THEM WILL MOVE. THE LESSON HERE IS IF WE KNOW OUR

AUTHORITY IN CHRIST AND WE DON'T DOUBT IT, WE DON'T ALLOW

UNBELIEF TO CREEP IN, IN OTHER WORDS, WE CAN HAVE WHATEVER WE

SAY. SO LET ME TALK JUST A SECOND HERE ABOUT USING YOUR

AUTHORITY TO GET WHAT YOU SAY, TO GET ONE OF THOSE SO-CALLED

MOUNTAINS TO MOVE, WE HAD A SITUATION, AND I PROBABLY SHARED

THIS BEFORE, BUT IT'S ALWAYS FUN. WE HAD A SITUATION YEARS

BACK WHEN WE WERE IN SOME FAIRLY DIRE FINANCIAL STRAITS, AND AS

IT TURNED OUT, ONE MORNING I GOT UP TO GO TO WORK, AND I HAD AN

HOUR'S DRIVE TO WORK AT THAT POINT IN TIME, AND GOT UP ONE

MORNING TO LEAVE, AND I LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW AND MY

ELECTRICITY WAS BEING SHUT OFF. BY A CONTRACTOR. SO I SAID, HMM.

SO I CHASED HIM DOWN THE ROAD AND I SAID, HEY, I NEED YOU TO

TURN THAT POWER BACK ON. I CAN GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF CASH. I

GOT A LITTLE CASH. PROBABLY HAD $20. BACK IN THAT DAY, THAT WAS

PROBABLY MY FULL BANK BALANCE. AND HE SAYS, WELL, NO, YOU HAVE

TO PAY THE ENTIRE PAST DUE BALANCE. AND YOU HAVE TO PAY

THAT BACK AT THE OFFICE. AND THEN, OF COURSE, THEY'LL HAVE TO

SCHEDULE SOMEBODY TO COME BACK OUT. SO THIS GUY'S TALKING LIKE

DAYS, NOT LIKE MINUTES. AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S GOING TO BE A HOT

SUMMER DAY. I NEED THE HEAT ON. MY WIFE'S THERE WITH, YOU KNOW,

A YOUNG CHILD AND EVERYTHING. I SAID, HEY, WE CAN'T DO THIS. SO

I DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY I NEEDED. I NEEDED SEVERAL HUNDRED

DOLLARS BECAUSE THE BALANCE WAS HIGH AND ELECTRICITY DIDN'T EVEN

COST AS MUCH THEN AS IT DOES NOW. IMAGINE HOW MANY HUNDREDS

IT WOULD BE NOW. IT'S CRAZY. BUT I KNEW I HAD TO DO SOMETHING, SO

I— AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THIS BEFORE I GET STARTED NOW, DON'T

TRY THIS AT HOME. THIS IS MY TESTIMONY. DON'T JUST GO OUT AND

IMMEDIATELY TRY TO MAKE IT YOURS. ONE LADY DID, AND

ACTUALLY IT WORKED OUT FOR HER, BUT SHE'S THE ONLY OTHER ONE I

KNOW THAT EVER COULD DO THIS, SO I DON'T VIEW THIS AS A

TRANSFERABLE TESTIMONY, JUST SO YOU'RE AWARE. BUT I WENT TO— GOD

DIRECTED ME TO A LOCAL ATM. AND SO I PULLED UP, ROLLED DOWN

THE WINDOW, PUT MY BANK CARD IN THE SLOT, AND THEN I POINTED AT

THAT THING. I POINTED AT THAT ATM MACHINE AND I SAID, "IN THE

NAME OF JESUS, I COMMAND YOU TO GIVE ME X NUMBER OF HUNDRED OF

DOLLARS," WHATEVER IT WAS. I THINK IT WAS $400 OR SOMETHING.

AND I DIDN'T HAVE $20 IN THAT ACCOUNT, I'M GOING TO TELL YOU

RIGHT NOW. THERE WAS NOT $400 I HAD $100 IN THERE. THAT MACHINE

GAVE ME 4 CRISP $100 BILLS, AND I DROVE AWAY. OF COURSE, I'M

PROBABLY GOING TO PAY FOR THIS LATER, RIGHT? BECAUSE IT IS MY

BANK CARD. BUT AT THAT MOMENT, I NEEDED TO HAVE THAT MONEY, AND I

NEEDED TO GIVE IT IN THAT OFFICE BECAUSE I NEEDED TO HAVE MY

POWER TURNED BACK ON. SO THESE WERE THE THINGS THAT I WAS

DECLARING. THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN. HAPPEN IN JESUS' MIGHTY

NAME. AND SO I DROVE TO THE ELECTRIC COMPANY, AND IT WASN'T

OPEN YET FOR ABOUT ANOTHER HOUR, BUT THERE WAS THIS ELECTRONIC

GATE THAT GOES BACK AND FORTH IN THE BACK OF IT WHERE THE

EMPLOYEES GO, THE TRUCKS GO, AND IT WAS OPEN JUST ENOUGH SO THAT

I COULD DRIVE THROUGH IT. IT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO BE. IT'S GOT AN

ELECTRONIC LOCK ON IT. IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE SECURE, BUT I

DROVE THROUGH IT. AND I SAID, "OKAY, WELL, HOW DO I GET IN

THIS BUILDING?" AND THERE'S ONE DOOR IN THE BACK, AND IT'S OPEN

ABOUT YAY FAR. IT ALSO HAS AN ELECTRONIC LOCK ON IT, AND IT'S

GOT A CARD READER. YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO HAVE AN ELECTRIC

COMPANY BADGE TO WALK IN. I DIDN'T HAVE ONE, BUT I WALKED IN

ANYWAY. AND I FOUND THE ONE EMPLOYEE, ONLY ONE EMPLOYEE, IN

THERE. AND IT WAS A WOMAN, I KIND OF STARTLED HER, BUT I

SAID, "HEY, I NEED TO TALK TO YOU. GOD LED ME HERE AND I NEED

TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT TURNING MY POWER BACK ON." SHE'S THINKING,

"WHAT KIND OF LUNATIC IS THIS GUY?" BUT SHE SAYS TO ME, SHE

EXPLAINS THE PROCESS, YOU KNOW, ONLY THE DISPATCHER CAN DO THAT.

TURN A TRUCK AROUND, SEND THEM BACK TO TURN YOUR POWER BACK ON

LIKE YOU'RE ASKING ME TO DO. AND I SAID, WELL, WHO'S THE

DISPATCHER? SHE SAYS, WELL, ACTUALLY IT'S ME. BUT THEN OF

COURSE WE HAVE ANOTHER PROBLEM BECAUSE THE SYSTEM'S NOT UP YET.

JARED WASN'T IN YET, SO THE IT SYSTEMS WEREN'T WORKING YET. AND

SO SHE SAYS, "IT'S GOING TO BE AN HOUR BEFORE I CAN DO

ANYTHING, AND YOU'RE STANDING THERE HOLDING CASH. I CAN'T TAKE

CASH ANYWAY." I SAID, "WELL, OKAY, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT. JUST

BY VIRTUE OF THE FACT THAT I'M IN HERE, I THINK IT'S PRETTY

CLEAR THAT GOD WANTS THIS DONE BECAUSE HE LED ME IN HERE, AND

NOW I'M STANDING HERE TALKING TO YOU, AND YOU'RE THE ONE THAT CAN

DO THIS. AND SO HOW DO WE FIGURE THIS OUT?" WHAT WE WOUND UP

DOING IS SHE WROTE A HAND RECEIPT, SHE TOOK THE CASH,

WROTE ME A HAND RECEIPT, AND EVEN THOUGH SHE WASN'T SUPPOSED

TO DO THIS, IT WAS AGAINST POLICY, SHE CALLED THAT DRIVER

ON THE RADIO AND SAID, "YOU NEED TO TURN AROUND AND GO BACK THERE

AND TURN THIS MAN'S POWER ON." AND 10 MINUTES LATER, THE POWER

WAS BACK ON, AND I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE TO WORK, AND I STILL GOT

THERE IN TIME. I WAS AN HOUR AWAY. SO THE POINT OF ALL OF

THAT IS GOD IS IN THE MIX. HE CARES ABOUT EVERY DETAIL. HE'S

WITH YOU ALL THE WAY. HE'LL BACK YOU UP IF YOU MAKE THE DECISION,

IF YOU DECLARE IT AND YOU DON'T QUIT AND YOU GO AFTER IT AND YOU

SPEAK IT AND YOU SAY IT, THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT, THAT'S WHAT

YOU'RE GOING TO GET. ALL RIGHT, ON TO NUMBER 2 FOR TONIGHT.

HEALING AND MIRACLES ARE MANIFESTED IN YOUR LIFE. WELL, A

LOT OF INTERESTING THINGS HAVE HAPPENED TO US IN THAT REGARD.

AND AGAIN, I HOPE NOBODY TAKES THIS AS, HEY, THIS IS ALL ABOUT

PASTOR MARK, BECAUSE IT'S NOT. THESE ARE JUST THE THINGS THAT I

HAVE THE PERSONAL EXPERIENCE IN. I SAY THESE THINGS IN

EXHORTATION AND ENCOURAGEMENT, AND THEY'RE JUST

EXAMPLES OF HOW THINGS CAN GO. I KNOW YOU ALL HAVE YOUR OWN

TESTIMONIES, AND AGAIN, MAKE SURE YOU RECORD THOSE, SHARE

THEM, KEEP THEM BEFORE YOUR EYES, REPEAT THEM, AND ALL OF

THAT, BECAUSE IT BUILDS THE FAITH. BUT BACK ABOUT 25 YEARS

AGO OR SO, I WAS UNDER SOME HEAVY PRESSURE ON AND OFF THE

JOB THAT I HAD BACK THEN, AND IT WAS AFFECTING MY DIGESTIVE

SYSTEM LIKE I COULDN'T EVEN BELIEVE, I MEAN EXTREME WAYS. I

HAD ALL KINDS OF REFLUX, OTHER ISSUES, MAKING IT DIFFICULT FOR

ME TO FUNCTION BOTH ON THE JOB AND AT HOME. AND I WENT IN FOR

SOME TESTS AND THEY DID AN ENDOSCOPY AND A COLONOSCOPY AT

THE SAME TIME, SO I GOT ONE OF THE BEST NAPS I'VE EVER HAD IN

MY ENTIRE LIFE. AND THEY CAME BACK WITH A DIAGNOSIS OF ALL

THESE DIFFERENT GASTROINTESTINAL ISSUES, BLEEDING ULCERS, IBS,

SEVERE ACID REFLUX, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, THE LIST GOES ON. AND SO

THEY PRESCRIBED ALL SORTS OF VARIOUS MEDICATIONS AND

EVERYTHING AND SENT ME HOME WITH THAT. SO A COUPLE WEEKS LATER,

I'M AT CHURCH AND I'M WORSHIPING AT THE ALTAR, AND ONE OF THE

PASTORAL TEAM COMES. I'M OVER HERE PROBABLY AT THIS ANGLE DOWN

HERE IN THE IN THE FRONT, ONE OF THE PASTORAL TEAM COMES FROM

ROUGHLY ABOUT WHERE THE DRUM SET, DRUM KIT IS, AND HE COMES

WALKING ACROSS THE PLATFORM LIKE THIS, AND HE'S LOOKING MY WAY,

AND I'M LIKE, IS THAT GUY LOOKING AT ME? AND HE'S JUST

GOING, HEY, THERE'S SOMEBODY IN HERE THAT'S GOT THIS ISSUE, THAT

ISSUE, THIS, HE NAMED OFF LITERALLY EVERYTHING THAT THE

PHYSICIANS HAD TOLD ME WAS WRONG WITH ME, AND HE SAID, AND IT'S

ALL DUE TO STRESS FROM YOUR JOB, WHO'S THAT? AND I WENT LIKE

THIS. I STARTED TO RAISE MY HAND AND GO, "THAT'S ME." I COULDN'T

EVEN GET THE WORDS OUT OF MY MOUTH, AND I HIT THE FLOOR. I

WAS SLAIN IN THE SPIRIT. I WAS DOWN FOR LIKE 20 MINUTES, BUT

WHEN I CAME BACK UP, I WAS TOTALLY HEALED OF ALL OF THAT

AND NEVER HAD ANOTHER SYMPTOM ABOUT ANY OF IT, AND WENT HOME,

LAID ALL THAT MEDICATION OUT, THREW IT IN THE TRASH, NEVER

TOOK ANOTHER PILL. AND AROUND THE SAME TIME, AT THAT TIME, MY

WIFE HAD SUFFERED A FREAK ACCIDENT IN OUR HOME AND SHE

BROKE HER FOOT IN TWO DIFFERENT PLACES. THERE WERE TWO DIFFERENT

BONES IN HER FOOT BROKEN. SHE WAS ON CRUTCHES AND SHE WAS

WEARING JUST A PROTECTIVE BOOT AND EVERYTHING. ONE NIGHT WE

WENT TO A WEDNESDAY NIGHT SERVICE, AND SOME OF THE ELDERS

OF THE CHURCH SAW HER, YOU KNOW, KIND OF HOBBLING IN AND GOING

DOWN TO THE FRONT ROW AND EVERYTHING. SO THEY CAME DOWN,

THEY GATHERED AROUND HER, THEY GOT OUT THE OIL AND THE PRAYER

CLOTHS AND EVERYTHING EVERYBODY JUST PRAYED OVER IT, RIGHT?

WELL, IT WASN'T VERY LONG, WE'RE ABOUT 2 SONGS INTO WORSHIP,

SHE'S TAKEN THE BOOT OFF, THROWING IT AWAY, THE CRUTCHES

ARE GONE. YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF THE SERVICE, WE WALKED OUT OF

THE PLACE ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE PARKING LOT. SHE WOULDN'T LET ME

PULL THE CAR UP. SHE WENT THE WHOLE WAY OUT. WENT BACK TO THE

DOCTOR ON MONDAY MORNING, AND HE SAID, "WELL, THAT ONE FRACTURE

HAS COMPLETELY DISAPPEARED. I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE THAT IS."

AND HE GOES, "THE OTHER ONE IS SO MINOR AT THIS POINT, THERE'S

REALLY NOTHING TO DO. IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO HEAL ON ITS

OWN IN ANOTHER FEW DAYS." SO GLORY TO GOD. I MEAN, JUST, CAN

YOU SAY HALLELUJAH TO SOME OF THIS STUFF? I MEAN, SERIOUSLY,

PRAISE GOD. AND SO NOT LONG AFTER THAT, WE HAD ANOTHER EVIL

REPORT. AND THEY TOLD MY WIFE, "WELL, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT THIS

MASS ON YOUR LUNG AND IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S MALIGNANT, AND YOU

KNOW, WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS, LIKE, VERY QUICKLY."

AND YOU KNOW, I'M GETTING THIS NEWS AS I'M PREPARING TO GO ON A

BUSINESS TRIP. SO I'M LEAVING, I'VE GOT TO GO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE

IN VIRGINIA, I'VE GOT TO GO TO MASSACHUSETTS. AND SO SHE SAYS,

SHE SAYS, "WELL, I REFUSE TO BELIEVE THE NEGATIVE REPORT."

SHE SAYS, "I REJECT CANCER. I REBUKE THIS REPORT IN JESUS'

NAME." AND SHE PROMPTLY JUST CAME HOME AND TOOK A NAP. SO I

HAD TO LEAVE, AND SHE STARTED SLEEPING WITH THIS ANOINTED

PRAYER CLOTH. SO WE HAD A FEW DAYS IN BETWEEN. SO MONDAY

MORNING COMES, AND SHE WOKE UP, SHE GOT UP AND SHE WENT IN THE

BATHROOM AND SHE JUST CHOKED THIS THING UP. SHE CALLS IT

VOMITING. I'M SAYING CHOKING TO BE A LITTLE LESS GRAPHIC, BUT

THIS THING JUST CAME UP OUT OF HER AND WENT IN THE SINK. WE

DIDN'T SAVE IT AS A SOUVENIR, BY THE WAY. BUT SHE WENT BACK THE

FOLLOWING DAY, THAT TUESDAY, AND THEY DID ANOTHER X-RAY AND THE

DOCTOR WAS JUST ABSOLUTELY AMAZED. FUDDLED. YOU KNOW, HE

JUST SAID, I CAN'T EXPLAIN THIS FROM A MEDICAL STANDPOINT, BUT

CLEARLY THERE ARE NO MORE CANCEROUS CELLS VISIBLE ON THIS

X-RAY. IT'S GONE. WELL, YOU KNOW, IT CAN'T BE EXPLAINED BY A

PRACTICING PHYSICIAN, ONLY BY THE GREAT PHYSICIAN, RIGHT? AND

I'LL GIVE YOU ONE MORE REAL QUICK ON HEALING. I'M NOT TRYING

TO PICK ON MY WIFE. SORRY, KATE. BUT A FEW YEARS LATER, I DON'T

KNOW, PROBABLY ABOUT 10 OR SO, SHE HAD— I'D GONE OFF TO WORK

ONE MORNING AND SHE STARTED EXPERIENCING INTENSE PAIN TO THE

POINT WHERE IN HER SIDE, TO THE POINT WHERE I WAS JUST DOUBLING

OVER. WELL, I WORKED IN D.C. AT THAT TIME, SO I WAS AN HOUR AND

A HALF FROM HOME, YOU KNOW, TAKING THE COMMUTER TRAIN. I

WASN'T JUST GOING TO COME RIGHT BACK. BACK. AND SO SHE MADE HER

WAY OVER TO THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE OR URGENT CARE HOSPITAL OR

WHATEVER IT WAS. I GUESS SHE WENT TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM, AND

THEY DID A SCAN OF SOME SORT, I THINK AN ULTRASOUND MAYBE, AND

THEY CAME BACK SAYING THAT THE PROBLEM WAS A VERY LARGE KIDNEY

STONE, ONE OF THE MAGNITUDE THAT YOU COULDN'T JUST LASER OUT

OF THERE. THAT WOULDN'T WORK. SO THAT MEANT THE ONLY ALTERNATIVE

THAT THEY WOULD RECOMMEND WAS AN ACTUAL SURGERY TO REMOVE THAT

KIDNEY STONE. AND SO THEY WANTED TO DO IT RIGHT AWAY, LIKE THAT

AFTERNOON. SO I'M TRAVELING HOME. SHE GOES BACK HOME. I GOT

ABOUT 90 MINUTES TO GET BACK FROM D.C. AND WHEN I GOT BACK,

SHE'S WAITING, AND WE'RE GETTING READY TO GO OUT THE

DOOR. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE HER OVER TO HAVE THE THING REMOVED

SURGICALLY. SHE SAYS, "WELL, WAIT. BEFORE WE GO, LET ME JUST

USE THE BATHROOM ONE MORE TIME." OKAY. SHE GOES IN, AND OF COURSE

THEY GOT THIS LITTLE CUP THAT THEY GIVE YOU JUST IN CASE

ANYTHING COMES OUT, RIGHT? SHE GOES IN THERE, SHE COMES BACK

OUT AND SHOWS ME THE GIFT. SHE PASSED THIS THING THAT WAS

SUPPOSEDLY UNPASSABLE, AND SHE TOOK IT OVER. WE WENT OVER TO

THE OPERATING AND WE PRESENTED IT TO THE SURGICAL TEAM. YOU

KNOW, KIND OF LIKE, "WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THIS, GUYS?" AND WE

EXPLAINED TO THEM WHAT HAPPENED, AND SHE GAVE IT TO THEM IN THE

CUP AND EVERYTHING. I'M SURPRISED SHE DIDN'T PUT A BOW

ON IT. BUT THEY SAID, "YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO GO AND TEST THIS IN

OUR ON-SITE LAB JUST TO MAKE SURE." SO THEY DID THAT. WE SAT

THERE FOR ABOUT HALF AN HOUR. SHE'S TALKING AND MINISTERING TO

THE TEAM AND EVERYTHING. AND GETTING THESE LADIES SAVED. AND

THEN THE GUY COMES BACK DOWN FROM THE LAB, AND SO THE DOCTOR

COMES OVER AND TALKS TO US, AND HE SAYS, "WELL, YOU KNOW, IT'S

CONFIRMED, AND IT'S MIRACULOUS. LIKE, WE'VE NEVER SEEN ANYBODY

JUST PASS A STONE OF THAT MAGNITUDE. WE DIDN'T THINK THAT

WAS POSSIBLE. WE DON'T KNOW HOW THAT HAPPENED." AND OF COURSE,

THEY ALL LOOKED AT KATE, YOU KNOW, JUST IN THEIR AMAZEMENT.

JUST ASKED A QUESTION LIKE, YOU KNOW, "WHAT DO YOU THINK?" AND

SHE JUST SAID, "WELL, THAT'S MY JESUS," AND THEN OFF WE WENT. SO

WE WENT BACK HOME INSTEAD OF GOING INTO THE OPERATING ROOM.

PRAISE THE LORD FOR THAT. AND NOW WITH THAT, I WANT TO MOVE ON

REAL QUICK NOW TO NUMBER 3. I DON'T WANT TO KEEP YOU GUYS HERE

ALL NIGHT. I BROUGHT ENOUGH NOTES SO WE COULD GO TO 11, BUT

THAT WOULD BE MIDNIGHT ON THE EAST COAST WHERE MY WIFE IS, AND

I PROMISED HER I'D GET HER TO BED BEFORE MIDNIGHT. DIVINE

PROTECTION AND PRESERVATION, NUMBER 3. THOSE ARE EVIDENCED IN

YOUR LIFE, DIVINE PROTECTION AND PRESERVATION. AND I KNOW I

SHARED THIS IN HERE ONCE BEFORE, BUT THIS IS JUST AN AMAZING

STORY TO ME, AND SO I HOPE YOU'LL INDULGE ME ONE MORE TIME.

WHEN WE WERE LIVING IN NEW YORK AND I WAS WORKING OVER THE

BORDER IN PENNSYLVANIA YEARS AGO, I HAD TO DRIVE BACK AND

FORTH IN THE WINTER, AND IT WAS ABOUT AN HOUR-LONG COMMUTE, AND

IT WAS THROUGH A MOUNTAINOUS AREA. AREA. AND I WAS, UH, ON MY

WAY TO WORK ONE MORNING IN JANUARY, AND I WAS— THERE WAS A—

THERE'S AN EXIT RAMP THAT GOES FROM ONE HIGHWAY TO ANOTHER

WHERE I CONNECTED, AND IT WAS A TWO-WAY RAMP. THERE'S TRAFFIC

GOING BOTH WAYS. WELL, I'M GOING DOWN THIS THING, I'M GOING

DOWNHILL, RIGHT? AND I HIT BLACK ICE, AND THE CAR TURNS

PERPENDICULAR TO THE LANE. SO I'M LIKE— I'M SKIDDING LIKE THIS

SIDEWAYS. SO I'M LOOKING OUT IN OUT MY FRONT PASSENGER WINDOW

LIKE THIS, AND I SEE THESE TWO LARGE CLUB CABS COMING AT ME AT

A PRETTY GOOD RATE OF SPEED DIRECTLY FOR THAT SIDE OF THE

VEHICLE. AND I COULD NOT REGAIN CONTROL OF THE AUTOMOBILE. I

HAVE SOME PRACTICE IN DOING THIS, BY THE WAY. I USED TO

DRIVE ON WINTER ROADS A LOT, AND I USED TO HAVE TO REGAIN CONTROL

WHEN I GOT INTO SKIDS LIKE THAT. BUT I COULDN'T GET A GRIP ON

THIS ONE. SO I'M GOING RIGHT FOR THESE GUYS. I CAN SEE THEM

COMING. AND SO ALL OF A SUDDEN I JUST SAID, "I'VE GOT TO CALL ON

JESUS." YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE THOUGHT I HAD. "JESUS!" AND

SUDDENLY, JUST LIKE GOD REACHED DOWN AND PUT HIS HAND ON THAT

VEHICLE, IT WENT STRAIGHT BACK THIS WAY, CLEARED THAT TRAFFIC,

CAME TO REST AGAINST THE GUARDRAIL IN THE BACK. IT TOOK

OUT EVERY BIT OF THAT AUTOMOBILE ALL THE WAY UP TO THE BACK OF

THE SEAT THAT I WAS I WAS SITTING IN. THE ENTIRE HALF OF

THE CAR WAS GONE. THE CLUB CLABS WENT BY, AND I JUST OPENED THE

DOOR AND GOT OUT WITHOUT A SCRATCH. THAT'S DIVINE

PROTECTION. THAT'S PRESERVATION OF MY LIFE. PRESERVED MY LIFE

AND PROTECTED ME FROM HARM. THANK YOU, JESUS. I'VE GOT TO

THANK YOU EVERY TIME I THINK ABOUT THAT. I'M OUT DRIVING. I

USED TO DRIVE ABOUT 60,000 MILES A YEAR WHEN I WAS DOING

OVER-THE-ROAD SALES, AND I'M OUT DRIVING ONE NIGHT IN

PENNSYLVANIA, AND IT'S DARK. IT'S GETTING DARK. IT'S GETTING

BORING. IT'S BEEN A LONG DAY. I MEAN, I'M DRAINED. YOU KNOW,

I'VE BEEN OUT ALL DAY. IT'S WINTERTIME, AND I FELL ASLEEP AT

THE WHEEL. AND WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THIS AUDIBLE VOICE SAYS

TO ME, TO ME, "MARK, ARE YOU OKAY?" AND IT SHOOK ME AND

STARTLED ME, AND I WOKE UP, AND I'M LOOKING AT A TRACTOR-TRAILER

COMING RIGHT AT ME. THAT'S BASICALLY WHERE JANET AND PASTOR

KEITH ARE SITTING AT THIS POINT. I GOT JUST ENOUGH TIME, QUICK

REACTION, TO GET OUT OF THE WAY. OTHERWISE, THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN

A HEAD-ON. AGAIN, GOD DOESN'T— BUT GOD DOESN'T ALWAYS— HE

DOESN'T ONLY SAVE US FROM SERIOUS AUTO LIFE-THREATENING

THINGS LIKE THAT. HE ALSO WILL HELP YOU TO PRESERVE YOUR

INCOME, SAVE YOUR JOB FOR YOU IF YOU GET INTO A BIND. I FOUND

THAT OUT. THIS WAS ABOUT 20 YEARS AGO, AND I WAS WORKING IN

SALES MANAGEMENT, AND I HAD A LARGE AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY AT

THAT TIME. I HAD TERRITORY UP AND DOWN THE MID-ATLANTIC. I HAD

ABOUT 25 DIFFERENT TERRITORIES THAT I HAD TO STAFF. AND I WAS

CRUISING ALONG PRETTY WELL IN MY CAREER AT THE TIME, BUT THEN THE

CEO DECIDED TO BRING IN A NEW GUY, AND HE WAS FROM OUTSIDE THE

SALES ORGANIZATION, AND HIS KNOWLEDGE FROM HIS PRIOR

EXPERIENCE DIDN'T EXACTLY TRANSLATE TO THE ARENA WE WERE

PLAYING IN. AND SO HE WAS ESSENTIALLY JUST DRIVING PEOPLE

AWAY. I MEAN, WE JUST STARTED BLEEDING PROFUSELY, THE

PEOPLE WERE JUST GOING. TURNOVER WAS HIGHER THAN HIGH AT THAT

MOMENT. I GOT TO THE POINT WHERE I HAD LIKE 10 VACANT TERRITORIES

OUT OF 25. SO THEN HE BRINGS THIS OTHER GUY IN, ALSO FROM

ANOTHER INDUSTRY, NO IDEA WHAT WE'RE DOING, AND HIS JOB WAS

BASICALLY TO COME AND TELL ME THAT I HAD TO HAVE I HAVE EVERY

ONE OF MY TERRITORIES FULL. SO WE'RE 2 WEEKS FROM THANKSGIVING,

AND THEY GIVE ME AN ULTIMATUM AND SAY, YOU WILL HAVE ALL 10 OF

THESE TERRITORIES FILLED BY THANKSGIVING DAY, OR THAT WILL

BE YOUR LAST DAY OF EMPLOYMENT. HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO YOU. AND

SO AT THAT TIME, IF YOU LOOKED AT THAT, TO RECRUIT SOMEONE, GET

THEM ON, YOU KNOW, DO THE ONBOARDING, GET THEM OUT IN THE

FIELD, AND ACTUALLY HAVE WHAT THEY CONSIDERED A TERRITORY

FILL, THAT WAS A 4-WEEK PROCESS TO GET ONE PERSON, AND YOU

BASICALLY HAD TO BE TENDING TO IT AT ALL TIMES BECAUSE YOU'RE

CHECKING IN WITH THEM ALL THE TIME, THEY'RE LEARNING THEIR

PRESENTATION, SO ON AND SO FORTH. SO WHEN YOU LOOKED AT

THAT IN THE NATURAL, THAT LOOKED IMPOSSIBLE, AND IT HAD NEVER

BEEN DONE IN 92 YEARS OF HISTORY IN THAT ORGANIZATION. AND SO I

HAD TO MAKE A DECISION. WAS I GOING TO TRY TO DO SHOULD WE DO

THAT? AND WITH THE LORD'S HELP, HE SAID TO ME, "YEP, STAY THE

COURSE." AND SO WE DID THAT. AND THE HOLY SPIRIT THANKFULLY HAD

LED ME A COUPLE OF WEEKS EARLIER TO TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT IN

TERMS OF RECRUITING BECAUSE THE CORPORATE RECRUITING RESPONSE

WAS NOT REALLY— NOT EXACTLY BRINGING IN A LOT OF PEOPLE AT

THAT TIME. AND SO I POSTED SOME ADS, AND BACK IN THE DAY, I

WROTE SOME ADS AND POSTED LISTED THEM ON THE CAREER SITES. BACK

IN THE DAY, THAT WAS MONSTER AND CAREERBUILDER, LONG BEFORE

INDEED AND ZIPRECRUITER AND LINKEDIN AND ALL THE STUFF WE

WOULD USE TODAY. SO ANYWAY, I SET UP A CAREER FAIR WHERE I

COULD STAND BEFORE PEOPLE LIKE THIS AND TALK TO HOWEVER MANY OF

THEM I WAS ABLE TO GARNER, AND THERE WERE QUITE A FEW THAT CAME

ALONG. IT WAS IN D.C., SO I WAS ABLE TO DRAW FROM CITIES IN LIKE

3 DIFFERENT, 4 DIFFERENT STATES AROUND. AND SO I BROUGHT THEM

ALL IN AND TALKED WITH THEM, AND THROUGH THAT I WAS ACTUALLY ABLE

TO LINE UP 9 OUT OF THE 10 PEOPLE PRIOR TO THANKSGIVING. I

HAD TO TAKE SOME SHORTCUTS TO GET THE HIRING PAPERWORK IN AND

ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF, BUT HEY, WHEN YOU'RE AGAINST THE WALL,

THAT'S WHAT YOU DO, RIGHT? YOU LOOK FOR, YOU KNOW, HOW CAN WE

DO HOW DO YOU DO THIS? AND YOU FOLLOW THE LEADING OF THE HOLY

SPIRIT, AND HE'LL HELP YOU GET IT DONE. SO ANYWAY, THE DAY

BEFORE THANKSGIVING, WE'RE ALL LEAVING FROM VIRGINIA. WE'RE

DRIVING TO NEW YORK TO SEE FAMILY FOR THANKSGIVING, AND I

STILL GOT TO HAVE ONE MORE PERSON. I'M LIKE, WHY? I'M

RACKING MY BRAIN. I'M GOING THROUGH ALL THESE PAPERS. I'M

LIKE, WELL, THERE WAS THIS ONE GUY THAT WAS SORT OF ON THE

FENCE. SO I CALLED HIM UP, AND I SAID, HEY, JUST IN CASE YOU GET

WITH YOUR FAMILY OVER THANKSGIVING AND CONSIDER THIS A

GOOD OPPORTUNITY AND YOU THINK YOU MIGHT WANT TO TRY IT, LET'S

JUST GO AHEAD. I'M COMING BY. I'LL BE IN MARYLAND. I'LL BE

NEAR YOU. WE'RE DRIVING BY. I SAID, LET ME MEET YOU IN THIS

HAMPTON INN AND WE'LL JUST DO THE PAPERWORK AND JUST SO THAT

YOU GOT IT COMPLETED. I'LL GET IT INTO HR. IF YOU DECIDE YOU

DON'T WANT TO DO IT, I'LL JUST TELL THEM ON MONDAY, RIGHT? SO

HE DID IT. AND SO I FAXED FROM THE HOTEL, BEFORE I LEFT THE

HOTEL, I FAXED THE PAPERWORK IN. AND ABOUT AN HOUR LATER, I GOT A

CALL I GET A CALL FROM MY BOSS WHO REPORTED DIRECTLY TO THIS

OTHER GUY GIVING THE ULTIMATUM, AND HE SAYS, "YOU DID IT." HE

GOES, "I CAN'T BELIEVE IT." I SAID, "I DIDN'T DO IT. ONLY GOD

COULD DO THAT." I SAID, "ALL THE GLORY IS HIS." NOW, THIS GUY

WASN'T SAVED, BUT AFTER WE CHATTED ANOTHER MINUTE, HE'S

LIKE, "WELL, I HAVE TO BELIEVE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. GOD BLESS

YOU, AND GOD BLESS YOUR FAMILY THIS THANKSGIVING, AND THANK YOU

FOR ALL YOUR EFFORTS." SO I'M LIKE, "HEY, THAT'S GOOD. I'LL

TAKE IT." THAT WAS A BETTER HAPPY THANKSGIVING THAN THE

FIRST ONE I HAD. SO ANYWAY, I THANK THE LORD FOR DELIVERANCE,

PROTECTION, AND PRESERVATION IN A SITUATION LIKE THAT. AND HE'S

NO RESPECTER OF PERSONS. HE'S GOING TO DO THIS FOR YOU TOO,

RIGHT? THESE ARE JUST MY STORIES. NUMBER 4, JUST TO KIND

OF WRAP US UP HERE PRETTY I DON'T WANT TO KEEP YOU ALL

NIGHT, BUT THE OTHER ONE I HAD WAS GOD'S BLESSING AND FAVOR ARE

EVIDENCED IN YOUR LIFE. AND PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST

ASTOUNDING THINGS THAT EVER HAPPENED TO US IN OUR LIFE IS WE

HAD TO SUDDENLY MOVE FROM VIRGINIA TO NEW YORK. THAT'S A

BROTHER COPELAND MOVE. THAT'S AN ALARM TELLING ME I'VE GOT TO

SHUT UP SOON. BUT ONE MORE REAL QUICK. WE HAD TO SUDDENLY MOVE

FROM VIRGINIA TO NEW YORK AND DIDN'T HAVE THE FUNDS TO DO IT.

I MEAN, JUST HAD NO RESOURCES. HOUSES, AND MY WIFE AND I LOOKED

AT EACH OTHER AND WE'RE LIKE, I DON'T KNOW HOW WE'RE GOING TO

GET THIS DONE. LIKE, WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE WE GOING TO DO? AND IF

WE EVER NEEDED BLESSING, FAVOR, AND PROVISION TO SIMPLY RAIN

DOWN ON US, IT WAS DEFINITELY IN THAT MOMENT. AND BOY, DID GOD

DELIVER. I MEAN, IT WAS REALLY COOL. I WAS LOOKING AT SECURING

A MOVING TRUCK, AND I'M LIKE, I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY FOR THIS.

AND I MEAN, WE WERE PINCHING THE PENNIES BACK THEN. I MEAN, WE

JUST DIDN'T HAVE 2 NICKELS TO RUB TOGETHER. AND I THOUGHT,

WELL, I'M NOT SURE HOW I'M GOING TO DO THIS. SO I STAYED ONLINE,

I KEPT LOOKING AT IT, LOOKING AT IT, AND THIS DEAL COMES UP AND

SAYS, BEFORE MIDNIGHT YOU CAN GET IT FOR THIS AMOUNT. WELL, I

HAD GOTTEN A CHECK UNEXPECTEDLY IN THE MAIL EARLIER THAT DAY,

AND IT WASN'T A LOT, BUT I THOUGHT, WELL, IF I CAN FIND A

GOOD ENOUGH DEAL, I MIGHT BE ABLE TO COVER IT WITH THIS

CHECK. SO THIS THING COMES AROUND, I DON'T KNOW, 11 O'CLOCK

AT NIGHT OR SOMETHING, SAYS DO THIS BEFORE MIDNIGHT. AND I

SAID, WELL, OKAY. SO I HAD PROBLEMS PUTTING IT IN. IT KEPT,

YOU KNOW, THE SYSTEM KEPT CRASHING ON ME AND EVERYTHING.

AND SO FINALLY AT 11:58 IT GOES DOWN ENTIRELY. AND I'M LIKE, AH.

SO I SAT THERE STILL. I WAS DETERMINED. I SAT THERE FOR LIKE

2 HOURS, SO ROUGHLY 2 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING, THIS THING COMES

BACK UP AND THERE'S A BETTER DEAL, AND IT WORKED. AND SO WE

GOT THE TRUCK, SECURED IT. I DIDN'T GET MUCH SLEEP THAT

NIGHT. I HAD TO GET UP EARLY THE NEXT MORNING AND GO GET THE

TRUCK. AND SO WE'RE THINKING ABOUT HOW ARE WE GOING TO PACK

EVERYTHING THAT WE OWN IN THIS TRUCK TODAY AND MAKE THIS DRIVE

TODAY. WE'RE ALREADY EXHAUSTED. WE HAVE NOTHING. WELL, ALL THESE

WOMEN FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD STARTED JUST SHOWING UP AT THE

DOOR, SOME THAT KNEW MY WIFE AND SOME THAT DIDN'T. AND ONE,

THEY'RE BRINGING BREAKFAST, AND, YOU KNOW, LUNCHTIME COMES,

THEY'RE BRINGING LUNCH. THEY'RE PACKING ALL THIS STUFF UP IN

BOXES. NEXT THING I KNOW, THEIR KIDS ARE THERE AND THEY'RE

HELPING TO MOVE STUFF. AND I WALKED OUTSIDE AND THERE'S THIS

GUY THAT I HAD ONLY PROBABLY JUST GREETED ONCE OR TWICE. I

NEVER SAW THIS GUY, HE LIVED IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND

HE WALKS BY AND GOES, "OH, SO YOU'RE MOVING TODAY?" HE SEES

THE TRUCK, RIGHT? HE GOES, "OH, SO YOU'RE MOVING TODAY?" AND I

SAID, "WELL, YEAH, WE HOPE TO." AND HE GOES, "WELL," HE GOES, "I

GOT TO RUN OVER TO THE STORE." HE SAYS, "I'LL BE BACK BY TO SAY

SOMETHING TO YOU IN A LITTLE WHILE." I SAID, "OKAY, WELL,

WHATEVER." THAT DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING TO ME AT ALL. SO HE

COMES BACK ABOUT HALF AN HOUR LATER, AND HE'S GOT ALL THESE

SUPPLIES, ROPE AND EVERYTHING ELSE. AND I LEARNED THEN THAT

HE'S A LOGISTICS EXPERT FOR THE ARMY BASE LOCALLY. SO HE STANDS

IN THE TRUCK AND HE DIRECTS ALL THESE KIDS THAT CAME OVER TO

HELP MOVE BOXES AND EVERYTHING EXACTLY HOW TO PUT THEM IN,

EXACTLY HOW TO TIE EVERYTHING UP, TAPE THIS, TIE THAT,

LA-DEE-DA. THIS THING'S PROFESSIONALLY PACKED, RIGHT? WE

DIDN'T LIFT A FINGER. SO WE GET DOWN IN THE

EVENING TO THE POINT WHERE, OKAY, IT LOOKS LIKE THIS IS

GOING TO HAPPEN, BUT WE'VE GOT JUST A VACANT HOME NOW TO STAY

IN WITH 2 AIR MATTRESSES. SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.

WE'RE GOING TO WAIT UNTIL TOMORROW MORNING TO LEAVE,

RIGHT? NO, WE'RE NOT, BECAUSE MY LOGISTICS FRIEND COMES BACK TO

THE DOOR AFTER ALL OF THIS, AND HE GOES, "HEY, I'M GOING TO BE

STAYING WITH MY FRIEND TONIGHT OVER TOWN." HE GOES, "WHY DON'T

YOU TAKE MY PLACE?" HE GOES, "DON'T DO THIS. WE'LL THROW

THESE ON THE TRUCK. JUST STAY IN MY PLACE." SO WE'RE SLEEPING

THERE IN NICE, WARM, COMFY, MADE-UP BEDS, AND HE'S GOT

COFFEE AND HOT CHOCOLATE, AND HE BRINGS OVER DONUTS IN THE

MORNING AND EVERY OTHER THING, YOU KNOW. AND SO WE HAVE THIS

GIANT CHESS SET, SO WE'RE PLAYING CHESS AT NIGHT AND

EVERYTHING ELSE, YOU KNOW. SO WE GET UP THE NEXT DAY, HE COMES TO

THE DOOR AGAIN, HE'S GOT COFFEE AND DONUTS, AND SENDS US

OFF. AND WE GO DOWN AND SAY GOODBYE TO THE LAST NEIGHBOR

WE'RE GOING TO SAY GOODBYE TO. WE'RE STILL THINKING, "OKAY, I'M

STILL NOT SURE HOW WE'RE DOING THIS BECAUSE WE'VE GOT THIS

DRIVE AHEAD OF US," RIGHT? AND SO THE GUY GIVES ME THE OLD

PENTECOSTAL HANDSHAKE, AND HE GOES, "BOY, I'M GOING TO MISS

YOU." AND SO HE LAYS ALL THIS MONEY IN MY HAND. HE GOES, "I

DID NOT KNOW WHEN I WENT TO THE ATM MACHINE LAST NIGHT WHAT THIS

WAS FOR," HE GOES, "BUT NOW THAT I KNOW THAT YOU'RE MOVING, I

KNOW THIS IS FOR YOU TO TAKE CARE OF YOU GUYS, ALL YOUR FOOD

AND EVERYTHING ELSE YOU NEED ON THE ROAD. I JUST SAY PRAISE

JESUS. NOW THAT IS GOD'S FAVOR, GOD'S BLESSING IN YOUR LIFE. AND

I HAVE MORE, BUT I'M NOT GOING TO KEEP MY WIFE UP TILL

MIDNIGHT, AND I'M NOT GOING TO KEEP YOU HERE TILL 11:00. BUT I

JUST DID WANT TO SAY I WANT TO SAY A COUPLE MORE THINGS JUST

REAL QUICK. FIRST OF ALL, DID ANYBODY GET ANYTHING OUT OF

THIS? I MEAN, DOES THIS MEAN ANYTHING TO ANYBODY? IS IT

ENCOURAGING? IT'S MY HOPE THAT IT'S GOING TO BE INSPIRING, AT

LEAST IN SOME WAY. GOD IS ALWAYS ON THE JOB, AND HE'S NO

RESPECTER OF PERSONS. HE DID THESE THINGS FOR ME AND MY

FAMILY, BUT HE'S GOT MUCH GREATER THINGS EVEN FOR A LOT OF

YOU AND YOU OUT THERE ALSO ONLINE. I BELIEVE THAT AS WE

CONTINUE TO GROW IN OUR FAITH AND WE APPLY WHAT WE'VE LEARNED

AND WE'RE OPEN TO SEEING WHAT GOD IS DOING AND WE'LL SHARE OUR

TESTIMONIES WITH ONE ANOTHER, WE'LL ALL BE STIRRED UP, WE'LL

ALL BE ENCOURAGED. ENCOURAGED. I JUST WANT TO BLESS YOU ALL.

THANK YOU FOR COMING. THIS IS A GOOD GROUP TONIGHT, GREAT GROUP.

I APPRECIATE YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING IN, FOR LISTENING, AND

YOU OUT THERE ONLINE FOR TUNING IN. I JUST WANT TO SAY, FATHER,

BLESS THEM ALL. IMMENSELY, ABUNDANTLY, ABOVE ALL THAT THEY

CAN ASK OR THINK. LET THEM HAVE TESTIMONIES, MARVELOUS

TESTIMONIES, GREAT THINGS YOU WILL DO FOR THEM, FATHER GOD.

LET THEM KNOW THEIR AUTHORITY AS BELIEVERS SO THAT THEY CAN

COMMAND THE THINGS TO BE DONE. THAT THEY NEED DONE SO THAT THEY

CAN REALIZE THEIR MISSIONS, THEIR CALLINGS. THEY CAN DO FOR

YOU WHAT YOU NEED THEM TO DO. AND WE THANK YOU FOR IT, GOD, IN

JESUS' MIGHTY NAME, AMEN. GOD BLESS YOU ALL. THANKS AGAIN FOR

COMING, AND YOU ARE DISMISSED. HAVE A GREAT NIGHT.