If you’d like to know more about our ministry please visit us at transformchurch.us. And if you have a testimony of the amazing things that God is doing in your life through our ministry, please email it to [email protected].

we’ve been in a series called stride

everybody say stride and we’re on week

three of this awesome series talking

about finding the pace of grace get your

notepads out and your smartphone’s cuz

you’re gonna want to take notes today as

we start this series and this is our

vision month and so at the beginning of

every year we start talking about vision

and God gave me this vision all the way

back in August he told me Michael um

this past year you went beyond and God

did so many amazing things he said this

year I want you to stride and honestly I

was like that sucks

like that doesn’t sound exciting that

does not stop I’m a mover like I wanted

the word to be explosion or or takeover

a rampage or it’s something like strike

I was like what does that mean but what

I found is that there’s such a deep

revelation in this concept of striding

and let’s look at the definition of what

striding means and if you haven’t taken

it for everybody to catch up I want you

to get this cuz this is what everything

hinges on that word stride means to walk

with long decisive steps in a specific

direction God told me he said Michael

there’s so many of my people who are

striving trying hard using all their

energy and effort trying to keep up

their look and trying to keep up their

image and trying to do all they can do

use their connections use their

personality to do what I would do for

them if they would start striving if

they would start following me and walk

and let me set them in a direction and

they start intentionally walking in long

decisive steps towards where I’ve called

them to be and I don’t know what you’re

in here striving with today but

everybody has an area that we’ve been

striving where we’ve been trying to use

our own effort and energy to provide

what God said he would already give us

in his timing some of us are striving

for a bigger house some of us are

striving for a position some of us are

striving for love significance and God

said will you please stop reaching for

what I’ll give you like will you will

you please not lose your family trying

to provide an amazing house for them but

lose your daughter at what cost do you

want the things that you made up in your

mind that would make you significant at

what cost and God is saying that I want

my people in 2018 to stop striving I

want you to start striding everybody say

striding so when I came up to this it

really started working on me and I can’t

get up here and preach anything that God

doesn’t take me through because I just

believe that’s where you have to be

authentic I’m not up here as a perfect

man I’m up here as a progressing man and

if anybody needs to strive it’s your boy

because I’m a mover I’m my nature is if

ain’t nothing happening I’m gonna make

it happen you don’t want to help me get

out my way I’m going to like I don’t

need you I can make it like that’s my

nature and God says slow down and allow

me to work a miracle in your life allow

me to do the heavy lifting and what

happens with so many of us is that we

start using we’ve been taught from a

young age to work and to do all of these

things and what we end up is tired burnt

out used up and then we think God’s left

us and he said I’m back here and you’re

up there

I only provide for where I’m at so

you’re out here starting three

businesses and yeah I gave you the idea

but that was five years from now because

I wanted to work on your character right

here so I’m here you’re up there and

that’s why you lost all of that up there

cuz up there you have to sustain what I

did not give you in this season and many

of us are out here running and going

nowhere

tired frustrated striving and then we

get mad at God well God you left me he

said no no no you left me you got

outside of the pace of grace the steps

that I set out for you this is the thing

that I want you to realize what God

promised you is going to happen it’s

just not going to happen in the time you

want it to happen it’s gonna happen

where there is provision for it and you

don’t want anything out of season the

right thing in the wrong season

is a curse oh hear me say that woman

that was too good I’ll say that again

okay I’m gonna say it again the right

thing in the wrong season is a curse if

I if I walked up to a eight year old

right now and gave them the car that

they were supposed to have that 16 it

would damage others and damage them not

because they wouldn’t one day be able to

take that because they weren’t ready at

that moment many of us have walked into

relationships that we weren’t ready for

many of us have walked into businesses

that we weren’t ready for many of us

have set up dreams and planned without

consulting God and he said you gotta

sustain that

but if you would want in my pace and

stop striving and start striding he said

you’ll get it in the season that you can

enjoy it

and so I’m challenging us as a church

let’s check our pace is there things

that you’re doing right now to keep up

with people that you’re not even

supposed to be comparing yourself to are

there things that you you birthed out of

a pain when you were younger you said

I’ll never be broken so you work six

jobs but at the expense of never being

broke your children are exposed to all

kinds of stuff and you’re wondering why

they don’t like you and why they’re it’s

because you left a place that God would

provide and you decided to be Jehovah

Jireh he’s saying today my grace is so

good that no matter where you are you

can get back in the pace of grace you’re

not too late I heard it said like this

if the enemy can’t get in front of you

and stop you he’ll get behind you and

push you and many of us are being pushed

like you’ve missed something so some of

my seasoned Saints the enemy tries to

come to you and tell you you’re too old

that you lost time that look how far

those people are and all this other

stuff and the beautiful thing about the

grace of God is that he can take he

factored in your mess ups like he took

into account that you would disobey and

you do your own thing and he says Romans

8:28 that all things even yo jacked up

plan even that wrong relationship they

all work together for

the good of those who are called in that

love I came to encourage somebody today

it is not too late to find the pace of

grace it’s not too late for you to get

in the will of God I know you’ve been

out there whiling I know you’ve been

doing your own thing I know you’ve been

texting people and had plans right after

service but God says today I came to

interrupt your plans and I came to give

you the opportunity to start straining

and get in the pace of grace and if

we’re honest many of us have bought into

the lie that bigger is better like the

more we have it equals meaning it equals

meaningful that faster is more fruitful

but that’s a lie

because when I look at Jesus’s life the

revelation that came to us in this

series as I studied description is that

Jesus was able to fulfill every

messianic prophecy everything that

people said about a Savior he was able

to fulfill all of that in three years

and you never hear about Jesus running

to his next appointment

he walked you you never hear in haste

the disciples they quickly went to the

next town never you can’t find it one

place and they dipped out because they

were late let you never hear that

there’s some people like dipped out

okay what I’m saying to you is the Bible

says and Jesus walked to confirm them

and Jesus walked to Jerusalem he

literally had a pace that other people

could keep up with him and that he

wouldn’t missed his miracles along the

way and many of us have started running

so fast I’m trying to be the artist I’m

I know I’m gonna be one day I want to be

the father or the husband or the wife

and I want to be the business owner and

God says if you would just find my pace

I would provide everything you need

because there’s provision where I’m at

there is problems where you’re at and so

I want to challenge you today that your

highest priority as we start 2018 is not

to get promotion it’s to find your pace

of grace and I want you to write that

down as the title today finding the pace

of grace psalm 37:23

it says the Lord directs the steps who

directs the steps the Lord directs the

steps of the godly and he delights in

every detail of their lives can I tell

you that God wants to direct

every detail if your if your life if you

let him he literally wants to say hey

don’t live in this neighborhood there’s

another neighborhood that I have for you

because there’s something there well god

it doesn’t make sense at the time don’t

live in this next okay me just listen

don’t date him well God now you made a

masterpiece and a car though and God I

really think this is your wheel for me

and Ricardo to make some babies Lord and

I and he said don’t marry him because he

hasn’t worked on his character yet and

and when you get into that you’re gonna

marry the generational curses

I got Ricky he three years away but you

want where I’ve provided not where you

can see that’s why the Bible says we

walk by faith and not by it’s easy to go

after what you can see it takes faith to

go after what God is trying to provide

for you

and so okay Pastor Mike we got to find

our pace of grace I want you to break

down these two words I want to break

them down for you pace and grace let’s

talk about the word grace for a second

grace is the unmerited unearned

undeserved favor and kindness of God it

is why we are able to experience

salvation and forgiveness like we didn’t

earn it there is nothing you have done

the Bible tells us it’s the free gift of

God when Jesus climbed up on that cross

and paid the final payment for all of

sin weep grace poured out on all of us

and it take into factor our mess-ups our

gender confusion are lying our

manipulate took in considering and all

we have to do is receive the grace of

God and so when you receive the grace

that is an amazing thing that starts

something in your life and there if you

study that word grace even deeper

there’s another definition and it goes

something like this grace is divine

enablement like God will allow you to

have the grace for things that other

people don’t have the grace for like I

have the grace to be the pastor of

transformation Church I don’t know what

happened I don’t have the qualifications

but God on February 1st 2015 I stepped

into the pastoring role at this church

and I can’t explain it except God gave

me grace

to study he gave me grace to be able to

love on people he gave me grace to

father people in wisdom it’s a divine

enablement anguy nothing to do with me

there is a grace that God wants to give

you to complete the purpose he’s called

you to he he wants you to give you grace

to be that mother grace to be that

business owner grace to be that

motivational speaker grace to be that

teacher he wants to give you grace and

this other word pace I love it because

it talks about movement pace is the rate

or movement especially when you’re

talking about stepping or walking it’s

the rate of activity or progress or

growth or performance it’s the tempo of

a thing so when you find your pace when

you find the tempo of a thing then other

people can get along with it and you can

be able to go longer distances and you

can be able to track where you’re going

let me put this together when I talk

about finding the pace

of grace right this definition down cuz

it’s gonna help us work the pace of

grace is the rate of movement progress

and growth that God sets and

supernaturally provides for there is a

pace that you should be growing in your

walk with God in your business in your

finances that God will set and he will

supernaturally provide for he wants to

give you a pace that you don’t have to

sustain he wants to give you a pace a

way of doing things that he will do for

you as you obey what he’s saying and

some of y’all like present like ah you

know I just don’t know about that I

didn’t you sing the song good good

father but I just feel like God’s left

me out there a couple times and I feel

like this may not be for me I promise

you it is and today I’m going to give

you three keys to finding the pace of

grace and I’m gonna use the story in

Joshua chapter 6 if you have your Bibles

I want you to turn there Joshua chapter

6 because we’re gonna find the children

of Israel led by Joshua for the first

time coming up against opposition and

God already promises them something but

they are now having to stand and begin

to do what God is saying so that they

can find the pace of grace to win the

victory and what I came to tell you

today is what God has shown you in your

heart the purpose that he adds for you

the destiny that you’re going to end up

at it’s gonna happen it’s gonna happen

but there may be a different pace than

what you’re trying to do right now and

God wants to help you with that let’s

look at Joshua chapter 6 and for

everybody who didn’t read their Bible

this morning we’re about to have Bible

reading time and this is a pretty

lengthy scripture so I want you to stay

with me and I want you to put yourself

in it so we can see what God has to say

about finding the pace of grace verse 1

it says now the gates of Jericho were

tightly shut because the people were

afraid of the Israelites

no one was allowed to go out or in but

the Lord said to Joshua

I have given you Jericho its king and

all its long warriors you and your

fighting men should march around the

town once a day for six days seven

priests will walk ahead of the art each

carrying a ram’s horn on the seventh day

you are to march around the town seven

times with the priests blowing that

horns when you hear the priest give one

long blast of the ram’s horn have all

the people shout a shout as loud as they

can then the walls of the town will

collapse and the people can charge

straight into the town so Joshua called

everybody together and he said y’all we

got

God gave us some directions take up the

art of the Lord’s covenant and for

everybody who doesn’t know what that is

the Ark of the Lord’s covenant all it

means is the presence of God in the

midst of his people so so when they took

the Ark of the Covenant that was the

place where God resided now because of

Jesus God can reside on the inside of us

but back then he resided in the Ark of

the Covenant so basically what they’re

saying is wherever they go they were

taking the presence of God okay so

anytime you see that they’re taking the

presence of God he says he says so

Joshua called together the priests and

said take up the Ark of the Covenant and

assign seven priests to walk in front of

it each carrying a ram’s horn then he

gave orders to the people march around

the town and the armed men will lead the

way in front of the Ark of the Lord or

the presence of God after Joshua spoke

to the people the seven priests with the

ram’s horn started marching in the

presence of the Lord blowing their horns

as they marched and the ark of the

Lord’s covenant followed behind them

some of the armed men marched in front

of the priests with the horns and and

some behind the ark which the priest

continually blowing their horns look at

verse 10 do not shout do not even talk

Joshua commanded not a single word from

any of you until I tell you to shout and

then you can show verse 11 so the Ark of

the Lord or the presence of God was

carried around the town once that day

and then everyone returned and spent the

night at camp Joshua got up early the

next morning and the priests again took

the presence of God

verse 14 it says on the second day they

did the exact same thing marches around

on once and and returned to the camp

look at this they followed this pattern

for six days they followed this pace for

six days they found a pace to do the

same exact thing for six days we’re

going somewhere with this on the seventh

day the Israelites got up at dawn and

marched around the town as they had done

before but the time but this time they

went around the town seven times the

seventh time around as the priest

sounded the long blasts on their horns

Joshua commanded the people shout for

the Lord has given you the town Jericho

and everything in it must be completely

destroyed as an offering to the Lord

only Rahab the prostitute and other

people in her house will be spared for

she protected our spies do not take any

of the things that are set apart for

destruction or you yourselves would be

completely destroyed and you will bring

trouble on the camp of Israel everything

made from silver and gold and bronze and

iron is sacred to the Lord and must be

brought into his Treasury verse 20 when

the people heard the sound of the ram’s

horn they shouted as loud as they could

and suddenly everybody say suddenly and

suddenly the walls of Jericho collapse

the thing that had been their obstacle

the place where they knew they were

supposed to be their promised land was

now accessible because they obeyed what

God said and the Israelites charged

straight into the town and captured it

go down to verse 27 this is my last

Scripture it says so the Lord was with

Joshua and his reputation spread

throughout the land

everybody say I’m finding the pace of

grace now perhaps I might why did you

read that entire story because many

times you need context when we’re about

to get a revelation from God and

revelation all that means is revealed

truth I want you to realize that God has

a pace of grace for everything

concerning your life he wants your

marriage to have a way that it moves to

progress and grow that he provides for

he wants your finances to grow at a pace

that

you your character can sustain so many

of us we live in this right now

generation this microwave generation we

want everything now we won’t even commit

to cellphone contracts we want something

that has no strings attached to it

because if you’re not doing it fast

enough we’re gonna find somebody else

here that can do it faster we want to be

on the platform now we want to have the

business now we want to do everything

that God has called us to do and we

don’t want to wait we want to do it now

JG weren’t worth 877 cash now what I’m

saying to you is that in the kingdom of

God there is a pace to your promised

land and if you don’t accept that

there’s a pace to your promised land you

will live your life frustrated and

providing for yourself and wondering why

things are not working it’s because God

says I want to develop you as I bring

you into what I have for you and so what

the children of Israel found out is that

they had to find their pace of grace so

I’m gonna give you three points how do

you find your pace of grace point number

one you have to keep the promise

preeminent you have to keep the promise

and this word preeminent means in front

of you you have to keep it first you

have to keep it out in front of you I

want you to see what God told Joshua

they come up to a land where they are

the first generation that actually gets

to see the promised land I want you to

remember the context of this story the

people that were there before them were

their grandmothers and grandfathers and

they were led by Moses and Moses brought

them out of slavery and they went into

this wilderness because God was trying

to work on their heart and they took an

eleven-day journey and turned it into a

40-year death because they wouldn’t stop

complaining about the process God had

them in it kind of sounds like us God

why am I at this job God why can’t I

move out of this house and God said you

keep complaining you’ll die there I’m

trying to work something out of you and

work something into you but you keep

complaining about where I put you would

you please be quiet and work through

this process you do not have to

consult your feelings to move forward Oh

somebody came just for that no God

doesn’t care how you feel comfort and

growth do not go together and never will

and so he’s asking you will you obey me

and will you move forward and Joshua’s

parents and their descendants weren’t

able to and so now they’re standing in

the promised land that they’ve been

hearing about all of their life and they

come up to this fortified City a walk

back in the day the wall that was around

Jericho was their protection so they

literally come to their promise and it

is shut up it’s closed and I want you to

see what God says to Joshua when he

comes up to the place that he’s supposed

to live in and he’s supposed to concur

and it’s closed look at chapter 6 verse

2 he said but the Lord said and I came

to encourage somebody let me stop right

there cuz I know you tried before but

the Lord said and I know you tried to

have a baby before but what did the Lord

say and I know you tried to get into

that College before but what did the

Lord say literally look at what he gave

to Joshua said I have given you Jericho

I want you to understand the emphatic

language that God is using right there

he did not say I’m going to give you

Jericho he talked to him as if it was

past tense he said I know you’re looking

at an obstacle that is bigger than you

but it’s already yours do you have the

faith to believe me even when you’re

looking at a shut door and I came to

encourage somebody who’s been looking at

shut doors who’s been looking at

obstacles that are bigger than you God

is not saying if you do this I will give

it to you he said I’ve already given it

to you

I’ve already called you but you have to

remember the promise Joshua had to keep

that promise in front of him he had to

look at Jericho and say God said he’s

already giving me that some of y’all

need to go back to that home and say

God’s already given me that you need to

go back and speak to your family

relationship and he said our family’s

gonna be healed God has already given me

that your

needing healing for your body you need

to confess God has already given me that

but God said and many of us are looking

but they said and not but God said my

question to you is what is God said to

you what is he placed in your heart that

you need to bring preeminent in your

mind because Joshua would have not had

the faith to go after Jericho and follow

God’s instructions if he did not

remember oh no no no my family died

because they wouldn’t believe God I’m

the first one in my generation who’s

gonna see the Promised Land and that’s

some people in here you’ve been in

generation of generations and

generations of poverty and generations

and generations and generations of lack

and generations and generations and

generations of Loess and God said I’m

taken to your place your family didn’t

get to see they’re not even gonna

understand because you’re gonna speak to

things and I’m already telling you if

I’ll already giving it to you but what

happens when you have to go in faith

when it’s closed up you have to remember

what God has said can I tell you

something very practical many of us need

to stop focusing on the problem and

focus on the promise some of y’all keep

focusing on what happened and why they

didn’t know no what did he promise you

well I know I just lost this house but

God said that I was going to be able to

live and be and be one that would be a

philanthropist and give to other focus

on the promise well I know we’re

infertile right now but God said I would

have a son and I would focus on the

promise well I know that I just got

denied to this school but God said that

I would teach one focus on the planet

cuz when you focus on the promise it’ll

give you faith to face your obstacles

can I give you a practical step for

everybody in here if you want to

practically find your pace of grace what

you need to do is post your promise

somewhere I want you to know I’m like

literally this week I want you to find

something or a picture that represents

something that you’re believing God and

I want you to put it somewhere you can

see it all the time I want you to keep

that promise in front of you so that

when the walls look

their sons you need a happy marriage and

y’all are always fight like this post a

happiest picture of y’all no no do you

know what I’m saying to you

you got a post a promise and you got to

keep it in front of you

cuz as a man thinketh proverbs 27 tells

us so you’ve been focusing on the defeat

and it hasn’t come so Joshua had to look

at the past of what his parents didn’t

do and look at the future of what was in

front of him and still believe I’m

coming to tell you today that no matter

what’s behind you and no matter what’s

in front of you you have to somebody say

still believe so this is how he started

to find his pace of grace the second way

that you find your pace of grace you let

God set the pace you let God set the

pace so many of us are out here trying

to do what we see and what we think God

has for us but we’re making a plan on

our own so it’s like oh god you want me

to be a CEO so now I’m gonna strive and

I’m gonna make a plan and I’m gonna do

this stuff Joshua didn’t do that because

he could have gone in it’s like I got my

army these are some big strong dudes

what we gonna do is we gonna climb the

wall we’re gonna jump over we gonna yak

dad dad stabbed some people and then we

and then we’re gonna take over and what

he did was what all of us needed to do

he went and consulted God see because

many of us are struggling with plans

that we made right now plans that we

didn’t consult God with people to people

we didn’t even ask God now you ain’t and

now just calm down

we got counseling and all kinds of

things for you right now but hear me

we’ve made so many plans without letting

God set the pace look at it in verse 3

God set the pace for them he said now

what I want you to do and I can just see

Joshua like yeah God I’m ready boy

they’re the Promised Land we here we see

it Wow take our is that what you want us

to do God just tell me are you sure

you’re ready for the instructions I’m

about to give you cuz

you your training didn’t prepare you for

what I’m about to take you through the

pace I’m about to say is not going to

look like anything anybody

else is doing he said this what I want

you to do Joshua is like I’m ready God

whatever you want me to do I want you to

march around the town once a day for six

days that’s funny guy I don’t think you

heard me I said I’m ready to take over

Jericho we’re ready to come on I got my

boys let’s go he said um so I want you

to walk around the city one time a day

for six days and then I got something

else okay and so this is where you want

us to come in and suplex somebody and be

able to make it happen on set right okay

he said no on the seventh day I want you

to walk around the wall seven times I

want you not to say a word and then on

the last time I want you to blow some

horns and after you blow horns

everybody shout at the top of their

lungs you really want me to go back and

tell the whole children of history that

we about to walk and blow horns but see

what you have to realize is God’s saying

the story I’m trying to write in your

life it’s a story that gives me glory if

it made natural sense then you could

take credit for it he said I’m so strong

and mighty that I will take the foolish

things and I will confound the one I

will take something that has nothing to

do what you think you’re doing and I

will make it fall at your feet but you

have to let me set the pace if you set

the place you sustain it but if I set

the pace I give you victory every time

some of us in this room need to go back

and consult God and say change my pace

because I’ve been making plans without

you I’ve been starting businesses

without you I’ve been doing things

without you and today I’m tired of

providing for myself I am tired I am

broken I am lost God set the pace for me

and see pace has to do with tempo it has

to do with the repetitive time we do it

how many people have hands put your

hands up in the

like this I need participation everybody

got hands okay everybody clapped for me

okay that was beautiful how many people

have an favorite song like you got a

favorite song like it’s your jam okay

this is what I need everybody to do I

want you to start clapping at the pace

of your favorite song on the count of

three and I want you to do it loud okay

I want us to act the fool in here your

favorite song sounds like oh my god

Miley Cyrus or Justin Bieber okay listen

figure it out here we go one two three

everybody start clapping stop that was a

hot mess why was it a hot mess because

all of us are trying to do our own pace

and what’s happening is we all have a

different race and a different pace so

if somebody was trying to figure out

what pace they were supposed to go at

looking at everybody else they would be

completely confused and that’s what we

look like when we’re scrolling through

Instagram and comparing ourselves with

our co-workers we’re trying to find a

pace that’s not ours what we’re trying

to look at how fast are they clapping it

oh they’re clapping slow oh no they’re

coming fast but what happens is when you

let God set the pace when there’s

somebody that’s higher than you setting

the pace you can be able to find the

pace the rhythm the tempo that you’re

supposed to be in so we’re gonna try

this I’m gonna set the pace for us and I

want everybody to help me DJ can you go

ahead and set the pace for us and y’all

follow me

hey we got a double time let’s go

okay tell me I look at you and the club

gets it down huzzah he was in the club

they spit flashback to last night

but watch what happened when a pace

watch what happened when there was a

pace set we were all able to get in

unison God was not just trying to take

Joshua into a Promised Land

he was trying to take an entire

generation into a promised land and

until we find the pace of grace we leave

our families our companies our churches

behind because we didn’t let God set the

tempo and if you let God set the pace he

said you’ll walk into everything I have

for you you’re not gonna miss anything

even though they’re doing it now I’ve

got a plan for you you’re I know the

desires of your heart I made you a

promise

I’ve set the pace for you and you have

to remember what God has done

see the thing about God God never is

slack on his promises like he’s not a

man that he should lie so when he gives

you a promise and he sets a pace you can

be sure that he’s gonna do it I have a

four-year-old daughter her name is

Isabella I talk about her often I messed

up and I made my daughter a promise when

I wasn’t thinking about it when she was

3 she came to me and she said daddy

when I turned five I want to go to

Disney World will you promise to me that

we can go to Disney World when I turn

five and I was watching a game or doing

something like that’s it baby sure we’re

going to Disney World when you turn fine

she said great so her father made her a

promise

so at her fourth birthday party she told

all of her friends she had faith enough

in what her father said to start saying

it out of her mouth y’all better help me

she told all of her friends he said when

I turned five

my daddy is taking me to Disney World

and all her friends looked at and I

looked up and my daughter reminds me

every week when she’s watching the

Disney Channel she says daddy that’s

where we’re gonna be next year for

my birthday she’s we go past the Disney

Store she says daddy that’s the dress

I’m gonna wear when we go to Disney

World

she’s understand that her father is

gonna make good on her promises and so

sheets are all y’all missing it

she’s already lining up her words her

speech her wardrobe all y’all better

hear me cuz she knows that her father

it’s gonna come through on the promise I

know that if I as Earth the Father can

give good gifts how much more your

father in heaven I feel it I feel that

I’ve been it he wants to bless you he

wants to change you he wants to teach

you some grace to Greg hey listen at the

moment she feels that maybe it’s not

gonna happen all she says is my daddy’s

saying what I’m telling you is that she

doesn’t worry about how much money me

and her mother have I want you to get

this she is not concerned about what’s

in our bank account she is not concerned

about airfare she don’t even have a

concept of what it will take to get us

to that place but all she knows is that

my father made me a promise and my daddy

has completed his promises before and so

he’s gonna complete the promises now we

already looking at tickets y’all pray

for us what I came to tell you is that

if you let God set the pace that he’s

gonna be the one to fulfill the promise

and so that’s why when we get on the

treadmill of life that God says okay I

want you to walk he’s God walking is

weak god there’s so many people doing

better than me

there’s so many people father God that

are doing the right thing and I just

feel like I’m behind I feel like you’re

telling me to walk and not

trihard in my own strength but obey you

and do what you told me to do and I’m

walking these stupid laps and it just

look no God I don’t think you said for

me to walk I think your words said I can

do all things through Christ who

strengthens me so god I’m gonna go

against everything that you’ve been

providing for me and I may look stupid

and I may almost fall and then I get off

because I was never meant to run at that

pace and I walk away from God and I

start making dumb decisions and I start

taking on relationships that were never

meant for me that give me a moment of

relief because I was never meant to walk

and many of us walk away so that that

Christ life wasn’t for me

and God said yes it was I just didn’t

want you to run into the blessings I

wanted you to walk into him I wanted you

to know that I’m gonna use the foolish

things what other people are running and

expending all their energy and stunting

on Instagram and doing all that other

stuff I’m gonna build you in the pastor

I’m gonna do you like David nobody even

gonna see you coming and and then when

and then you’re not gonna have to

position yourself they’ll call for you

and you’ll be ready when it’s time see

most of us we get away from God and we

start running we start striving but the

thing is when God sets the pace he

doesn’t change the pace he wants to pace

that sustainable so even if I like i’ma

run back to God i’ma run back to him

even when I get on the pace is still

this thing I can’t speed up what God is

doing so what happens is we get up here

and even I’m trying to start running and

i’ma hurt myself trying to run when God

told me to walk and I’m trying to ask

you what area of your life are you

running in and God saying well it’s

gonna happen you’re gonna get to seven

miles you’re gonna get but every lap I

want you to obey me every lap yeah I’m

you want your husband but I he he’s your

26 and you said I’d never be 26 and not

be married he said yeah if you walk at

this pace I’m gonna work everything out

of you that hurts all this stuff

it’ll be 36 when you get married but do

you want to set the pace or do you want

me to set it because you can get married

and get divorced and my plan will still

come to pass by 36 you’ll just be more

scarred and more broken and more hurt he

said but I don’t want you to go through

that so if you let me set the pace well

guy he is fine he said please let me set

the pace today please don’t please don’t

compare yourself to other people let me

do it yeah you’re gonna be that CEO but

what if he wants to work on your

character for five years well what what

if what if he wants to build a

foundation in your family that is strong

enough to take wealth I thought about

this the other day so many people lose

their health trying to get money and

they have to pay for their health like

the money you made to try you you work

yourself into something that’s gonna

take the money you had to work for it

cuz saying I came to give you life and

life to the floor I don’t I don’t want

you I came to give you life and no

sorrow with it but you gotta go at the

pace of grace and God told me personally

he said Michael I want you to stop

striving because if you start striding

walking in the direction you’ll get

there he said but at this speed he said

you’ll be able to do it for a long time

see sprint runners hundred yard dash two

hundred yards but a marathon runner they

find their stride and God’s saying will

you just serve me and will you just do

it for six laps around whatever I’ve

caused you to do I’m just a stay-at-home

mom God’s got you there for six laps

stay there

love those kids serve them well I’m just

low clerk and you’ve called me to the

platform stay there serve do it well god

I just this feels so uncomfortable it’s

okay

don’t stop on lap four don’t stop on lap

two

don’t step on lap 6 god says because at

some moment I’m gonna change the pace

and on lap 7 I’m saying I want you to

run I just want you to obey me this is

why you have to listen that’s why in

this time of fasting and prayer we’re

not just losing it Oh God gave me

instructions some of us get instructions

and we just run away from the presence

of God and he was like oh I was trying

to tell you one more thing on lap 7 I

want you to speed up the pace and I want

you to go around seven times in one day

I want you to listen to what I’m saying

and what he was doing is trying to see

if they would obey all the way through

see for many of us we do partial

obedience and partial obedience is

disobedience and when we are trying to

follow God he needs complete obedience

so he says walk this race and he says

then when you shout I will give you the

victory it cannot help you when you let

God set the pace it will change

everything in your life because God has

already been there before and wherever

God is he provides how do you know you

might be striving and you might be out

of the pace of grace one thing it said

about the children of Israel is they

were going out of pace they were walking

at a pace where they never war without

the presence of God let me help you you

may be striving and you may be out of

the pace of great grace if you don’t

have time to spend time in the presence

when you stay the little stuff like this

man I just can’t find time to read my

word you’re going too fast when you say

stuff like man I just I forgot to pray

today you’re going too fast see the

children of Israel had to carry the Ark

of the Covenant so they had to walk slow

enough around this thing to make sure

the presence of God was with them at all

time because without the presence of God

they know they would lose the battle and

that’s why Moses who would stay stuff

like this if you don’t go I’m not going

don’t let your spirit go and let me have

to go where your spirit is not at and so

what I’m telling you is if you’re too

busy to pray

and you’re too busy to worship and

you’re too busy to read your word you’re

probably going too fast and you’re

getting tired and you’re sustaining

yourself and you are trying to figure

out how to get out of it and God’s

saying would you please find the pace of

grace I’m back here you’re up there I’ll

take you there if you come back here so

what’s the last thing to us finding our

pace of grace you have to know the

promise and the pace won’t match let me

help you these guys were warriors so

they knew how to kill people

they walked as a preliminary to kill

people like it wasn’t like oh let’s walk

today it’s like let’s walk to kill him

you understand and God told him to do

something beneath their training beneath

their rank beneath what they have been

positioned to do and he asked them to

walk but he was going to tear a wall

down by their walking that doesn’t make

any sense that doesn’t make any sense

God that you’re telling me to serve in

the children’s area and somehow you’re

gonna develop a book out of me like the

children’s area has nothing to do with

my book and God says I am writing a

story that will give me glory if you

planned it then you would take the

credit I just want you to obey and I’ll

still give you what you can’t make

happen for yourself so God tells you to

start saving money you’re like I’m only

saving $50 a month

like what’s $50 gonna do for the promise

he said just be consistent and do what I

said to do he said cuz you don’t even

know there’s a settlement up ahead but

I’m just waiting for you to obey me in

six laps and do what I say on the 7th

flap and I’m gonna give you the victory

what are you saying to me Pastor Mike

your position right now does not have a

lot to do with where you’re going it has

to do everything with what God’s doing

in you he wants to build your character

he wants to see if you obey he wants to

see if you serve because again the

generation before them they did not obey

God and what God told me through this he

said Michael I’m trying to break

generational curses this was there

Egypt they went to the promised land but

had seven days for God to take the

character that they had grown up in out

of their life their parents had 11 they

turned it into 40 years these people had

six and obeyed God and saw the Promised

Land what I came to tell you today is

keep serving keep giving keep loving

keep sacrificing keep doing the last

thing God told you and finding your pace

of grace what God what does this have to

do what you place inside of me he said

it said it has everything to do because

if you realize and don’t get tripped up

that where you’re at and where you’re

gonna be they don’t have to be

synonymous because I’m supernatural I

can qualify people for stuff y’all I’ve

never preached a day in my life until

seven years ago didn’t go to seminary

didn’t do any of those things I was in

the music industry and God said be

faithful where I’ve planted you and I

will produce the promise in your life

God has not caught up in hierarchies and

credentials he will surpass every Ops

every wall that is in your way to put

you where you’re supposed to be but he’s

saying will you realize that where you

are right now

and where you’re gonna be it doesn’t

have to be the same thing and I see many

young people in this place like I just

want to work in my field God said work

well I’ll change you work well I’ll make

you who you’re supposed to be something

I’m like dang I gotta stay at this job

another year what I’m saying for you is

that maybe the place that God gives you

the greatest breakthrough and you look

up and God says shout cuz I’ve given you

the victory and you look up and you say

this didn’t even take nothing out of me

we just been walking I mean it was the

same thing we was doing last we just

been walking we just been praying and we

just been faithful and then God says

give me praise glory to God in the

obstacle that was in your way that you

were walking around

literally crumbles I’m telling you what

the enemy wants you to work for God will

give to you if you find the pace of

grace what are you saying pastor Michael

there’s some things you’re gonna have to

stop doing that seem like they make

complete sense like yeah cuz I’m gonna

do this and I’ll do this and do anything

and God in prayer and then it’s time of

fasting he’s gonna say do something

different and you can’t partially obey

you’re gonna have to fully obey some of

you he’s gonna ask you to give a large

gift some of you he’s gonna ask you to

go on a date with your wife every week

well God we don’t like each other he

said I want you to rock around this wall

for six times you’ve been praying for a

better marriage and every date is gonna

suck the first six dates at least and on

that seventh time and whatever number it

is God there’s gonna be a breakthrough

all I’m saying to you is don’t get

caught up and where you’re at right now

cuz the walls are coming down if you

obey and stay in the pace of grace can I

give you a personal testimony I’ve been

walking this out in my life God kept

telling me Michael less is more you’re

gonna do less I’m gonna do more cuz I

would rather you be able to be the

benefactor of my blessing and I get the

glory then you get the glory and you

throw me a little blessing you know how

people go up to the wars show and be

like I just want to thank God but if

everybody

oh my click and they always but like

they just throw in and I thank God God

said I’m tired of pity praise I want to

get the glory out of somebody’s whole

life that means I’m gonna take you down

past that don’t make sense but you’ll

end up in the promise so what he said to

me when I took over this church he said

Michael

I want you to be quiet like you told the

children of Israel so I want you to be

quiet and I want you to stop trying to

make ways for yourself I have a

personality I feel like anybody like me

if I have enough time with you in the

right situation like I’m gonna make you

like me and I’ll move myself into where

I feel like I need to be God told me

when I became the pastor you said you

will not try to make relationship with

anybody you come in contact with I’ll

bring you every relationship you need

when you need it dang that’s hard God

cuz I’m at all these conferences and I’m

going to these places and there’s men

and women of God that really inspired me

and I want to ask them questions cuz I’m

a mover and I’m gonna help God’s plan

come to pass and he said you can’t help

my pain come to pass you can get in the

way of my plan

but I’m gonna do what I’ve already

called you to do if you work with me and

I was like nah God but you ain’t hooked

me up with them and I just wanted to

move it forward

and God said you’d be quiet and you

March around these walls don’t you say a

word until I tell you the shell said

okay one of my biggest influences in

this time has been Steven Furtick and

some of you guys know who that is he’s

one of the leading preachers in our

generation is making a huge impact and

that man has made a huge impact on my

ministry and on my life and the way I

think and I’ve been in rooms with him

probably eight or nine times in the past

three years and every time I’m in a room

I’m like okay God is this cool if I you

know just say what up do you know I said

what up Stevie you know just just tryna

and God said don’t you dare I’ve already

given you the instruction not to make

any relationship cut out bring whoever

you need when you need it so I’d be

places and the last time it was that

victory he was at Victory in August

forward explosion and I was sitting

right behind him and Paul is my boy so

if I wanted to meet him I could have

been like Paul let me go back and meet

Stevie you understand just want to tell

him he’s been a blessing encourage him

let him know how much he’s blessed me

you know I’m saying and I was just

thinking of all these things and he’s

sitting right behind me and then Paul

says hey why don’t you turn around and

greet your neighbor and let them know

who you are and started to die

hello how you doing jack nice to meet

you like I turned right around and I

meant because God said don’t you dare

come out of the pace that I’ve set for

you so I left that night me and Natalie

went home and I said well God okay I

guess I’m just used to this pace just

I’ll be the loser and tall so that

nobody knows but remember this was

coming from a place of meeting

significance and God said I already

called you like I don’t need any man to

tell you what I’ve already told you if

anybody says anything it should be

confirmation to what you already know

and if they never clap and if they never

say anything if they never invite you

you steal who I caused you to be so he’s

working that in my heart two months

later I was studying at the library and

that’s where I go to study on Wednesdays

and I was studying there and I get a DM

message from a girl on Instagram from

Elevation Church and she said check your

diems now with the exclamation and I was

scared cuz you know I don’t usually be

sliding in the deals when girls being on

saying but I knew her character you know

so I went in there and she said hey I

saw you at the conference I thought we

exchanged information but I need to get

your number right now pastor Stephens

trying to get in contact with you I said

they must have some more Stevens at the

church I said that can’t be these Steve

and you know what I’m saying and so she

said text me your number I’ll text her

my number and and and five minutes later

I got a text message from a number I’ve

never seen him before in my life and I

was not going to share this but God told

me to share it to let you know that when

you stop striving will you stop reaching

this is already God what you desire and

stuff you don’t even need but I know the

desires of your heart and so I do that

too but when I made it up in my heart to

stop going after what God said I didn’t

need he didn’t blew my mind this is the

message that I got and I want to share

it with my church family can you play

that real quick

hey Mike what’s up man this is Steven

Furtick and Charlotte I just wanted to

reach out to you real quick I was able

to see something that you preach I’m not

sure when it was preached but found a

message that you did on capacity I was

uh I came across your YouTube sermon I

was actually looking to remember

remember what I preached when I preached

that that text and your yourse came up I

put it in YouTube to find my old sermon

and I just thoroughly enjoyed your setup

and approach and your demeanor in your

your aptitude in the word and your

chemistry with the people and it’s

really refreshing so I just wanted to

reach out to you and I’m sure you know

that you’re doing a great job in God’s

hand is on your life but sometimes it’s

nice to hear it so I just thought I

would say hello and thank God for what

you’re building and I pray that that

your day is blessed and your week is

blessed and the people of your church

transformation Church you know their

change are our extremely fortunate

favorite to have you as their pastor so

keep fighting the good fight my friend

and good to know there’s a soldier like

you throwing punches and and preaching

God’s Word accurately I’m faithfully and

passionately it’s a great thing to see

so much love from the Carolinas my

friend god bless you I hope that we have

the opportunity to meet one day

[Music]

[Applause]

[Applause]

see what you don’t realize is that meant

why are we clapping for a man and Donna

it’s not about him it’s about God when

when my heart was to stop trying to do

my own pace but allow him to set the

pace that God said I’ll do this was just

the mi ni a mini miracle to let you know

I can do ma NY many miracles I was just

gonna be a fanboy telling him how much

he meant to me this man knows who I am

he knows who there’s churches he watched

a 45-minute message that I preached then

I encouraged him I was just trying to

encourage him but what God says is when

you stop striving when you stop trying

to set the pace for yourself he said I

got this whole thing figured out guys I

just want to encourage you I know this

is a different paradigm and while we’re

pushing this in cuz God’s really saying

if you do less of what you do I’ll do

more of what I do

and there is a level of movement and

growth that I will set and

supernaturally provide for you working 6

jobs and God says change your pace go

down to 2 well God um I have to cut

cable trust him

we’ll god that means yeah rearranging

it’s bet your obedience is better than

sex some of y’all have to go break up

with them cuz you knew that was wrong

when you started it he said cuz husband

is on the way but he won’t recognize

damage to you like like let let me set a

pace of grace cuz I’ve already been

there before I’m the guy who was the God

who is and the God who is to come

Wow he why he told Joshua at the

beginning I’ve already given you the

victory is cuz God is the author and the

finisher of our faith that means he

don’t start nothin daddy ain’t gonna

finish so why are we gonna end this

service shouting unto God with the voice

of triumph cuz whatever the wall is that

is in your life as you set the pace of

grace is gonna come down I dare you to

end this service in victory and shout

unto God with the voice of triumph

because the walls are coming that God we

worship you

oh yeah God we praise your name father

you don’t start anything that you don’t

finish you’re gonna see us do this we

are moving forward and we will find the

pace of grace somebody shout hallelujah