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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