Service Date: 12.13.18 8PM

[Music]

family you may be seated we’re gonna go

on a journey with the Word of God today

my message for those I may be taking

notes is claim your freedom claim your

freedom and I’m gonna be speaking from

the passage of the scripture 2nd Timothy

1:7 and it says for God has not given us

a spirit of fear but of power and of

love and of a sound mind

you see family one thing that I’ve

understood about fear is that the

outcome of fear is always bondage

anytime fear has rulership in your life

it’s to limit your progress and so I

find this is one scripture that is one

of my favorite scriptures in the Bible

because I always find it so fascinating

the words that the Apostle Paul used to

almost show us what conquers fear and he

speaks of power he speaks of love and he

speaks of a sound mind but today in

particular I want us to focus really on

a sound mind you say a sound mind in the

scriptures is really referring to and

there are different layers to it but the

layers I want us to focus on is in the

area of discipline and self-control

you see family I’m learning that even

through my own life that the areas that

we like discipline are the areas will

experience some form of bondage and

bondage what bondage looks like a very

bondage could look like having a victim

mentality bondage could look like shame

and guilt bondage could look like

people-pleasing bondage could look like

a lack mentality all of this keeps us

from experiencing true freedom now in

our culture and in our society when we

talk about freedom we think about Yolo

you only live once so do everything you

want to do but freedom

honestly speaks to the real you

being set free that there is someone

that God spoke into existence that your

god-given identity being set free

freedom is not doing whatever you want

to do freedom is the ability for the

fullness of your god-given identity to

be manifested on the earth and so there

are four things that as I studied this

that the Lord spoke to me about four

areas that every believer that is like

almost like four identities to every

believer and how we have to claim our

freedom in these areas the first area

family is your identity as a conqueror

you see the Bible tells us that we are

more than conquerors through him and the

interesting thing about that passage is

through him you see oftentimes you can

tell how how invested a person is in the

secret place how invested a person is in

their time with God according to how

they respond to warfare the secret place

obviously that is our prayer time this

is the this is our time of devotion this

is the place where the battle really

begins and this is a place that we have

to be intentional about how we create

time with God because family you see

pray or what is fascinating about prayer

is that what happens in prayer is very

progressive and very powerful because

oftentimes when we come into the

presence of God

we start by conversations right we start

telling God about our day and what is

taking place but your prayer should not

end with conversations I mean we should

not end with you just talking to God it

should continue with you receiving from

God because conversational prayer is

really where you are making yourself

available for divine download and so in

that place of Prayer we’re not just me

okay we we talk to God about our day and

now it’s time to receive from God and

sometimes we have this difficulty about

how do we receive from God one of the

ways is to study the word because when

you begin to study the word the Holy

Spirit starts having a conversation with

you you say for example I remember when

I started studying about Joshua and when

I studied about him it opened different

layers to the character of God and when

you see the character of God in the life

of another person it starts speaking to

your circumstances and then as you

continue to study you begin to meditate

on the word the Bible tells are cemented

on the word day and night but what does

meditation really mean is it like

namaste with the Word of God yes finally

what I believe meditation is is that

meditation is when you build upon what

you study is when you add layers to what

you study you see for example I remember

when I studied about Joshua when he told

the Sun to stand still so that was one

layer I’m like wow God this is

fascinating that a man could tell the

Sun to stand still but meditation now

continues when you say but God why did

the why did the earth obey his command

why was his command effective and then

you go deeper and all of this is your

prayer time with God is your devotional

time and as you go deeper into this all

of a sudden you start to read I remember

when I started reading this and I found

that it was like wow in Joshua chapter

one there was a promise that God gave

him and he said no man would ever be

able to stand before you all the days of

your life and so when Joshua speaks to

the son and tells the Sun to stand still

the son had to obey Him because what he

was doing in that moment was to kill his

enemies and that was manifesting the

promise of God and so as I’m reading it

as a meditating on the Word of God all

of a sudden it’s speaking to me and the

Holy Spirit starts speaking to me

Stephanie you serve the same God that

Joshua served if you do what he did you

will get the same results if you stand

in the place of boldness and begin to

declare and decree that when something

is coming against you so not make

yourself the victim but to understand

that because God gave you a promise you

have authority to create opportunities

for that promise to happen but you see

family this is all good and it’s

exciting

but this place of living in the power of

God it has to be cultivated you have to

it you see we’ve all heard that prayer

is not a discipline and it’s not prayer

is an opportunity to invite God into

your into everything that concerns you

prayer is an opportunity to engage the

resources of heaven on the earth but

we’ve also heard that where if

opportunity does not make preparation

there is no success and so although

prayer is not a discipline but it’s an

opportunity if you do not prepare a

place to meet with God then you would

there it would almost be that you become

more reactive to life rather than

proactive you see we have to learn how

to set a time and maybe a place where we

meet with God maybe your closet maybe a

your living room whatever it is but you

have to learn how to be disciplined with

a time and perhaps a place if you can

because if you live your prayer life up

to chance the enemy will distract you if

you live your prayer life up to chance

that you know what let me just get a few

things and I know isn’t able to pray the

enemy will distract you and the funny

thing is that he would distract you with

good things you would be like oh I’m

just you know I’m gonna I’ll be home and

I just need to spend some time with God

and someone calls you and they’re having

a crisis and you’re like god I’m over

here trying to do the right thing so

you’re not you don’t see it as a

distraction but it actually is I

remember one time in college this was

really funny well funny to me might not

be funny to you but I used to do I was I

was with a church and we were doing the

evangelism during the weekend so we will

go to the park and it will talk to

people like have you met the Lord Jesus

do you know the Lord Jesus would you

like to meet the Lord Jesus and I

thought I was doing the fantastic thing

I said God during the weekends you know

this was during the the the better times

in my life in college and I was more you

know following the will of the Lord and

so

and I thought I was like God this we’re

just on the road I’m on you know just

avenged you know just doing some

evangelism and I remember one day the

Lord said to me he said do not allow the

enemy to distract you with what you know

because although what you’re doing is

for me I have not called you to

evangelize in those places I need you

somewhere else actually and so if you

lift things up to chance if you live

randomly you would allow other people to

direct your time you had a lot of the

people to tell you when to do what you

need to do and the enemy will distract

you from cultivating a powerful prayer

life you see there was a man in the

scriptures by the name of Daniel Daniel

was a man known to have an excellent

spirit such an excellent spirit that the

king at the time wanted to promote him

to be so he wanted to set him over the

whole kingdom there were people that

didn’t like this plan they didn’t like

this idea and they wanted to find

something against Daniel and the Bible

tells us that they search for things

against Daniel and they could not find

anything and the only thing they could

use against him was his faith because

they know this and they had witness that

three times a day every single day

Daniel would be in the same position

praying to the Father and they said you

know what this is this is what we can

use against him and so they had the king

that the brother law before the king and

he told the King for thirty days let no

man seek petitions to any man or God

except to you and if somebody does that

throw him in the lion’s den the Kings

signed this petition the funny thing is

that in the Bible it tells us that when

Daniel heard this he did as he usually

had done he went back to his place and

he prayed three times a day as he

usually did you see the funny thing is

that the people did not realize that

what they were attacking Daniel from was

the place of his strength that the

moment perhaps the moment that Daniel

even heard about what was going on he

already fought the battle on his knees

he was not worried about what the people

were selling against him because you see

family

in a place when you cultivate a

consistent prayer time with God there is

intimacy that you begin to develop you

begin knowing things about God that

becomes so natural to you it’s not about

your reciting scriptures not the reality

of who God is becomes real in your life

and so when Daniel is unbothered he has

a v he’s not pretending to be unbothered

he has recognized certain things about

God that has become his norm he

understands that God is my deliverer God

will save me and even if he does and I’m

good I’m gonna meet with him anyway but

you see this speaks to we you have to we

have to examine our lives how do we

respond to warfare and we have to look

at that and look at what what our prayer

life looks like daniel was consistent

and the funny thing is that when they

threw him in the lion’s den and he came

out of the lion’s den he told the king

he said the Lord sends an angel that

shut the mouth of the lion but you see

when I read that Scripture I said this

is fascinating because it’s not that the

lion you know was fasting or was not

hungry but an angel has shut his mouth

and for an angel to have shut his mouth

that means even before Daniel guts in

the lion’s den that an angel went before

him to shut the mouth of the lion and

this family is proactivity he was not

reactive and made himself look like the

victim and say oh my gosh because you

because they see family these are the

times where a victim mentality would

would look like this God all I’m doing

is trying to serve you now look they’re

trying to show me in the Lions Den I’m

about to die because all I’m doing is

trying to serve you ain’t this your no

but you see that’s what a victim

mentality looks like and heaven does not

respond to frustrations heaven responds

to you identity

when Daniel is in the place of Prayer he

released an angel before he was even

sent there so he was not bothered about

it because he knew where the battle

starts and the battle starts in the

spiritual realm before I ever manifest

in a natural and so family if you’re

gonna live in the freedom of who God has

called you to be as a conqueror you have

to know how to cultivate a consistent

and committed prayer life you say I

remember one time the Lord had given me

a particular time to meet him every day

and one particular day I woke up and

then I looked at the time and I said wow

God it’s really early today

seems earlier than usual and I just feel

more tired than usual and it just seems

darker than usual so I went back to bed

and when I went back to bed I had a

dream and in the dream there was a table

that was in front of me and the table

had all kinds of food and there were

people sitting down and they were eating

and so I woke up to the table and I was

like oh you know almost like Oliver

Twist sir can I have some but I go to

the table and I’m trying to get some

food and a man comes up to me and he

says there’s no food for you and I said

but there are other people eating at the

table there’s obviously enough food for

everybody he said they came at their

appointed time you did not there is no

food for you and immediately he said

that I woke up you see this is this is a

side of God that doesn’t really play

with great areas because the more you

grow in God the more he requires of you

because he recognizes that you’re not a

child anymore you’re not a child that

you can you know you know there’s a time

when you’re a child you can get away

with childish things but when the more

you mature in God he places a different

demand on you and so in that moment I

woke up and I was like god what kind of

dream is this i rebuked the devil

and he sang he said to me that because

the food on the table it was like

different like assortments of bread and

he said that bread represents the bread

of life the word that I was going to

give you concerning your day

you met me at the time that we appointed

you see what this taught me is that God

honors their point at times that if you

were willing to sacrifice and say Lauren

that on this day at this time

every day I want to meet with you God

would honor that time and he designers

what didn’t I’ve learnt about the Lord

is that He desires to give you

revelation he desires to show you things

concerning your day he desires to equip

you to get to make you powerful to

conquer your day because at the end of

the day heaven does not need all that

revelation we need it on the earth they

don’t need it they already know it up

that we need it on the earth but who is

willing to be in a position of sacrifice

to say Lord Here I am and the truth from

these are some days you might just feel

like ain’t nothing happening but

sometimes that is also God watching your

commitment that is God watching that

would you wait on me would you wait for

me would you would you be consistent

even if you study the word and you don’t

know a thing at say one day you might

just wake up in the middle of the night

and the Holy Spirit starts to download

and starts to bring to your memory

things that you studied and you have no

idea and I’m not speaking of religion

because we have to be very careful

there’s a very fine line but but we’re

doing things religiously I’m talking

about doing things with an understanding

I’m not talking about doing things

religiously to say God okay I’m here you

know

kumbaya no I’m talking about doing

things with understanding that God the

place of prayers the place of power and

because that is a place that the enemy

will always try to attack because that

is the place that you defeat him you

have to know okay God how do I start

building how does this become my hell

how does this become a natural desire of

mine sometimes you have to build that

muscle and you build that muscle through

discipline you see family the second

thing that a lot put in my heart is your

identity as a ruler you see there’s a

scripture in Genesis 1:26 the Bible

talks about that

let me truly read it because imma give

you my version and he says and God said

let us make man

in our image after our likeness and let

them rule let them have dominion

you see Dominion and rulership is about

this is the place where God begins to

give you authority and influence this is

what God desires of you because there is

a place that God has called you to

conquer there’s a place that God has

called you to have rulership over and in

order to it be effective you need

Authority and influence but one thing

I’m learning is that God is more

concerned about you have an inner

dominion before you have earthly

dominion because the one thing that

keeps people away from their authority

and the influence that God has called

them to is the inability to rule over

their own spirit to rule over their own

mind their own emotions their own will

you see the enemy is not worried about

you having leadership if you do not know

how to lead yourself you see there’s a

scripture I want us to look at two

scriptures in the book of Proverbs one

is in Proverbs 16:32 and it says he who

is slow to anger is better than the

mighty and he who rules his spirit then

he who takes a city and then proverbs 25

28 says whoever has no rule over his own

spirit it’s like a city broken down

without walls you see family when you

don’t have the ability to rule over your

spirit you become vulnerable to things

that could be destructive to you you

become vulnerable to the enemy the enemy

actually sometimes he wants you to have

Fame he doesn’t care if you have fame if

you don’t have this in check because he

wants you to be lifted so high so that

he can make a mockery of God through you

and so sometimes when God is keeping you

from things and you feel like God is

actually causing a delay no God is

concerned that you have inner dominion

before he gives you earthly dominion you

see Jesus

Jesus when he was in the wilderness when

we see that Jesus had rulership over his

will when he when he conquered every

temptation that the enemy tried to throw

his way but what is interesting about

that passage family is that the passage

tells us that when you know I believe

this is in Luke I know that it here for

those second notes this is in Luke 4:13

it talked about that when the devil was

done with every temptation that he

waited to come back and a opportune time

he said I need to find another

opportunity I need to find you again

maybe when you’re weak I need to see if

I can if I can get a hold of you because

if you don’t know how to rule your own

spirit and the enemy knows that I can

manipulate your emotions and have it

work against you then I could catch you

in the place of anger in the place of

pride in the place of lust and use that

against you to take away from you

everything that God has given you but

you see family for some of us in this

house or listening that might actually

speak to where we are that we were at a

place where we knew that God you were

bringing me to this high level and all

of a sudden a mistake stripped it all

away but a beautiful thing and the good

news which is the gospel is that God is

a redeemer and God is a restorer and

there is no good thing that he will not

withhold from you but you see family we

have to come to the place of saying lord

help me I recognize that maybe I’m a bit

hot-tempered help me in this area god I

recognize that maybe I’m dealing with

lust let me not be so focused on the

platform because I don’t want to get on

the platform and show something that

does not glorify you help me with this

area of self-control you see ultimately

family the way that God helps us is by

recognizing okay

when I’m in this position I need to

learn how to listen to the Spirit of God

and the example is when Jesus I believe

that that went the opportune time that

the enemy was looking for in regards to

our Lord Jesus was when he was in the

Garden of Gethsemane because in the

Garden of Gethsemane we see him in a

moment of Prayer and he’s acts in the

Lord he’s he’s basically saying that

Lord if there is another way outside of

the cross give me that

but then he says but not my will but

yours be done you see this very

statement shows us that there was an

internal battle that perhaps in that

moment the enemy was taunting him that

there was a moment of weakness when he

recognized the fullness and maybe it was

we don’t know exactly what was going on

in his mind but when you read that

scripture you can see that he was

dealing with really high sorrow but the

beautiful thing is that he still comes

to say Lord not my will but yours be

done and that speaks that Jesus put his

weakness in the hand of the Father and

in the scripture in Luke we actually

read that an angel was sent to the Lord

Jesus to strengthen him in response to

him trusting God with his weakness the

Lord strengthened him you see I was

watching something that my friend posted

that it was a pastor my Todd and he was

speaking about worship and he was saying

that worship is actually a weapon

against pride worship is actually a

weapon against the very things that the

enemy could use to try to destroy you

that the moments that you come into this

place of maybe pride maybe lust maybe

anger maybe unforgiveness worship God

because when you worship God you invite

his presence and his presence cannot

live in the same place with pride he

cannot live in the same place with

offense it cannot live in that same

place and what I’ve learnt about worship

is that worship allows us to release

things the same way that when Jesus said

even though he’s he’s saying that if

there is another way when he still says

not my will but yours be done

he’s releasing his weakness and putting

it in the hands of the Father and in

that moment the Lord was able to send an

angel to strengthen him family we have

to be open to say God in this moment I

recognize that yes I’m offended and yes

I’m upset and there is something I feel

there’s and something that is trying to

push me to do something I feel an

impulse to do something that could be

very destructive both worship be

intentional about saying God it’s not

worth it

teach me how the rule over my spirit

teach me self-control and God will test

you and you want to be tested you want

those are the errors when you want to

say God test me in this and you know you

can test me in the hidden place but test

me test me in this because in this

process God will teach you that

sometimes you learn you need to learn

how to walk away some of some of us in

this house we may be struggling in areas

of anger in areas of lust in areas of

pride and that and it’s gonna come up

again but in that moment you have to

learn how to make a decision to walk

away and some of your conversations that

lead to something that could be

destructive learn how to not have the

final say because you when you when you

recognize yourself because mastery of

self begins with the awareness of self I

know the things that could round me up I

know the very things that I’m like it

would just it’s like it I mean it rarely

happens but when it does I know what’s

happening inside of me and I know what

my impulse wants me to do because and it

might be something that is very you know

not past oriole but in those moments if

I cannot walk or if it’s not that if

it’s hard for me to walk away then in

that moment I’m speaking to God about

that I got I need a release this because

I can feel I can feel something staring

up in me that is not a view and I start

speaking to him about it and even in

those moments of speaking to him about

it I’m asking him lord why did this why

did this person do this I’m seeking his

understanding that sometimes he doesn’t

have to explain anything but in that

moment I’m trusting God with pain I’m

trusting God with offense I’m trusting

God with with whatever could be to want

to stir up in me to make me stand

against my truth and so we have to be

aware of ourselves we have to be aware

of our triggers and when a trigger comes

Lord I’m going to release this in your

hand God will test you in this it’s

easier now because one thing one area

that the Lord really has trained me and

has been forgiveness and sometimes the

Lord will train you in the area

we’ll challenge you the most in the area

that will come that will come against

you the most where you have to deal with

people that you’re just like I really

don’t want to but I’m going through and

it’s gonna be from a genuine place

because it’s not worth it it’s not worth

it to walk around and angry it’s not

worth it to gossip about somebody then

smelling their face it’s not worth it

it’s not worth it because what that does

even though you’re smiling in their face

what that does it’s tears up hate in you

because there is a place that feeds that

hate there’s something that feeds it

every time you smile in the person’s

face and you walk away you gossip about

them you’re feeding what is none of God

and so even though you you might be a

good actress or an actor in your hearts

God is not pleased because there is

something that you’re doing and the

enemy’s cheering you on and you have no

idea because what that means is that you

are yet to have rulership over your

spirit because imagine imagine if some

of the conversations you had about

people you called your friends came out

what would your relationships look like

rulership over your spirit because you

want to make no room for the enemy in

your life no room for the enemy the

third thing that the Lord spoke to me

about is your identity as a giver your

identity as a giver and actually before

I speak into that there’s one particular

thing that just keeps coming up to me

you see even in rulership thank you

Jesus

even in rulership over your spirit Wow

Wow I’m trying to see if I just wait for

this so I should share this later

I was not expecting for this particular

thing thank you Jesus thank you Jesus

thank you Jesus

you see what I keep sensing that the

Lord is even speaking to me now is that

that there are some of us in this house

because as this word started to go forth

it began to challenge there’s some of

you and it’s challenging something in

you right now

there was Stuart certain words that

began to challenge you and what the Lord

is showing me is that you see family

relationships are one of your biggest

assets your relationships would always

be one of your biggest assets because

that is how God moves through your life

the Lord is not gonna come down on a

sleigh even though it’s Christmas and do

things personally for you he moves

through people but the way he moves

through people it would be so clear that

that was the what the Lord did not you

or the person but the thing is that

because the Lord is so big on

relationships because he uses

relationships in your lives the enemy

also wants to destroy the relationships

in your life and there’s some of you and

I just keep seeing where offense has

taken place and if it comes out the way

it is it will destroy I don’t know who

I’m speaking to in particular it will

destroy something very powerful that the

Lord is actually in and you know that

there are people in your life and you

know that actually God positioned these

people there and you are pretending

about how you feel you are pretending

the elder if I’m speaking to you please

stand up because this is really heavy on

my spirit and I will continue my message

as we go on you are pretending about

your emotions you are pretending in

front of them it’s almost like you are

living two lies because the moment you

walk away you are feeding

hate and the crazy thing is that family

this is actually keeping you from your

platform this is keeping you from where

God is sending you because God cannot

bless that and what the Lord is speaking

to me about now is that even before the

end of this day that even as we leave

that as we leave service because you

don’t want to text during the message

okay it’s a little rude okay but before

we leave the house of God you need to

contact that person and you need to be

open and say you know what there were

things that were in my heart that were

bid against you and perhaps I assumed

wrongly you see past the Philmont see

who gave a powerful message this past

Sunday there was something he said once

and nothing has stuck with me he said

the greatest respect you can give a

human is to listen to them and perhaps

some of you just needs to hear the other

person’s side out because if you

continue to harbor this offense and you

continue to pretend like everything is

good you’re going to miss out on what

God assigned them to do in your life

because if some of the things that you

have said comes out it would be more

destructive than good and so I just

sense that right now as the Lord is

interrupting this message that it is

time to release offense and family what

we’re going to do in a brief moment it’s

pray for that person right now whoever

the name is that came to your mind

whoever these people I want you to pray

for them right now speak a prayer speak

a blessing over them because you cannot

be against who you bless speak a

blessing over them because family let

this be a sign to you that it is not

what it looks like I understand that

something may have happened but it is

not what it looks like the enemy wants

to attack your relationships because

your relationships is how God purpose is

to bless you you see family there was

something interesting that happened in

Egypt when the Israelites have come out

of slavery

the Lord said to them to ask the

Egyptians for their gold he had caused

the Egyptians the very people that put

them in slavery to favor them with gold

if someone else carried offense and said

you know what I don’t want to talk to

these people I’m out of here I’m done

with all the nonsense they did to me I

don’t want one thing from them guess

what they would have missed out on a

place that would have bless them that

God said I have assigned favor and a

release unto you but it is your choice

because we don’t even know the full

story some of them could have done what

they did because that was how they were

raised

and so you need to hear the full story

out family in this moment I want to take

we want just a few minutes and begin to

pray for these people and I’m gonna join

you in prayer and every family everyone

sitting down just begin to pray for

anyone that may have it may even be

offended by you begins to pray just say

God touch their hearts father God we

thank you for this moment of

interruption because you are concerned

about your people you are concerned that

they will have inner dominion Lord God I

thank you that as they begin to release

prayers Lord God over the very people

that they may feel a certain way about

and they’re pretending like everything

is okay as they begin to release prayers

may the words of their mouth begin to

change their hearts I think you Lord

that no relationship that you have put

together whether in the form of a

business partnership whether in whatever

form that it may be Lord God it will not

be destroyed by the enemy I counsel

every attack and every assignment of the

enemy against your people in the very

realms that you have called them to

conquer in the very places that you have

called them to have rulership Lord God

that every divine every every destiny

advocate every divine appointment that

you have called them to and the people

that you have called to meet them there

Lord Jesus I cancel anything that would

stand against it I come I come against

the flesh

that if the flesh will try to stand

against it because of pride or ego Lord

in this moment begins to reveal it

revealed to your people why they’re

moving and pride whether you’re moving

from their ego and cancel it Lord God

made their prayers be a moment of

worship unto you and as they begin to

release it Lorie god I thank you Jesus

that you would move them forward you

would move them forward because some

even says that it seems like something

needs to happen and nothing is happening

but in their dominion is the answer and

so I thank you Jesus I thank you Jesus

I thank you Jesus change their hearts

change their hearts in Jesus name Amen

amen amen amen

[Applause]

beautiful family let’s continue as we

the few things that was put in my heart

actually before we go into your identity

as a GIF I want to speak about your

identity as a creator you see we are

creative beings one passage I love so

much is in the in the book of

Deuteronomy 28 12 and the word says that

the Lord will open to you his good

Treasury the heavens to give the rain to

your land in its season and to bless the

work of your hands I want to stop there

really quick you see the work of your

hands mean the things that you bring

abouts the things that you execute the

things that you can produce and want one

reason that I’ve noticed that often

times is the reason behind our excuses

has always been with time that I don’t

have enough time to get this done that

they’re desires that the Lord has put in

your heart and the reason that it you’ve

been holding it off for so long your

excuses about time but there was a quote

I heard recently and it was so

fascinating to me and he said that it is

that it is the lack of direction not the

lack of time that is a problem and why

that was fascinating to me is because he

mentioned we all have the same 24 hours

in the day and I know sometimes only

here

just like here but I’ll 24 hours a

difference okay you know your 24 hours

looks like vacation mine just listen but

what is fascinating about this family is

that time one thing in particular as I

studied is that the Lord spoke to me in

regards to time management and in

regards to producing the things that the

Lord has spoken to you because you need

time to actually do that but one thing

in particular was the fact that you see

sometimes if we are if Lissa for

instance you know something glamorous is

happening we have a we are more bold to

say no to someone’s invitation or

something that could be a distraction

when it is something that maybe our

friends or family recognizes as

remarkable you know like imagine if

Michelle Obama called you to go so

cycling with her and your friend is like

hey you know can you make it to my

birthday party

oh man Michelle Obama this actually to

go so slightly they’re like girl I

understand go ahead you know just do

that if you had to go to France for a

business trip everybody understands oh

go to France get a croissant and for the

accents in it you know if you had if you

had something that seems remarkable and

admirable you feel like you’re so bold

to say oh I can make it you know because

this is coming up I have to go to

Atlanta to shoot this movie and Denzel

is starring in it oh go ahead

but this is where the kicker is when

we’re doing something that other people

would not understand we’re more inclined

to hide it and say yeah I’ll be there

when we make time for the themes because

it’s still in a small stage you don’t

know how to tell your friends that hair

come I can make it because I have to

read tonight read for real you gotta

read

this is the only day you got to do some

reading and then you’re just like oh man

I don’t want them to feel like I’m not

there and did that you see the crazy

thing is that if you do not put value on

what you’re supposed to do other people

will direct your time for you you see

the fascinating about Jesus was that

when you study the walk of Jesus Jesus

had a sense of direction he had a sense

of direction about his day he was aware

about what he needed to do but I believe

that the power of his awareness was

coupled with understanding the value of

what he needed to do because when you

recognize the value you would recognize

that if what you want me to do may not

be that important and it conflicts with

something I need to do in this stage I

should on I should value it enough to

see the tree in seed form I should value

it enough to see what God is doing even

when it looks obscure to people I should

value it enough to know that yes it may

just sound like I’m reading but I need

to read to understand this very thing

that God is calling me into and maybe

this is the only time I have in the day

to allocate to this very thing we have

to place value on the things that God

has assigned to us you see because the

very word of God says do not despise

small beginnings because the Lord

rejoices to see a thing begins the Lord

finds pleasure when you start but if you

look at your small beginning as

something that is insignificant you will

allow other people to direct your time

and trust me sometimes there would be

they would not even have anything going

on but because really the enemies after

your time

all of a sudden song is calling you

about something insignificant

but because you have not placed value on

your thing you allow that to be directed

because now you become a slave to

people-pleasing and that has to be broke

enough if you are going to live in your

identity as a creator

because in order to produce something

you have to allocate time to do it you

see and lastly your identity as a giver

jesus said it is more blessed it is it

is more blessed to give than to receive

the beautiful thing about that is that

it is more blessed speaks to literally

identity that it is more of your

identity to give than it is to receive

and when I’m learning family is that God

desires us to prosper financially God

desires us to be financially stable and

financially just you know you know crazy

you know because if you see the temple

of God you would know what he’s talking

about

if the temple of God is layered in gold

if the streets of God is good I mean

this is what I’m walking on I mean child

if I’m walking on it I think it could be

on my arm

you’re not could put more value on it

that way but when I’m saying families

that God desires us to prosper and one

thing with prosperity is that sometimes

as believers we only invest in books

that deal with spiritual warfare and

it’s ok to invest in books that deal

with building wealth you see one thing I

love about our church is that we offer

different different programs and

different things that build us in every

area and we have to start taking

advantage of these things I know that

next month we have a debt cancellation

workshop coming up take advantage of it

and increase your wisdom in these areas

you see one thing that tithing has

taught me and as you as we all know

tithing and for some that don’t know

tithing is when we come in covenant with

God over our finances because we

recognize the source but one thing that

Titan has taught me because tithe is a

10% of your income is that I tied

faithfully and so because I do in good

times and in bad times I’m tithing but

somehow I’m still okay whether it was in

the bad time so if God was able to keep

me if I’m giving away 10% of my income

when I when I felt like I didn’t even

have much what that taught me is that

God I can come in covenant with you

about my ability to start investing

knowing that I can take a percentage of

my income and

times and in bad times and invested

knowing that you would keep me because

I’ve seen you do it with the time and I

believed that you would you would bless

this very agreement because Lord it is

your will that I prosper it is your

promise to me that I prosper and so I

can come boldly before you and start me

I say the Lord I’m presenting this to

you but can you would you bless it

because it is already your will and so

sometimes we have to start taking

initiative and understanding the

promises of God that God you have called

me to be a giver and so I want to start

cultivating you see a like mentality is

not the result of lack alike mentalities

there is really honestly the inability

to manage your resources at whatever

level you are on I heard a man say

something that I found so profound he

said that if you did not save when you

have a dollar you will not save when you

make a billion dollars and so there are

disciplines that we have to start

incorporating that maybe you have to be

more aware of where your money is going

to know how you can turn things around

that if you if you were to ask yourself

last you know I wonder how much I what

range is I spend on eating out for

example there should be a number of

figure and idea so you know okay lord

help me in this area and family I found

this so fascinating that these were the

things that the Lord put on my heart

because family I believe that God is and

not even I believe it’s a fact God is

interested and invested in every area of

our lives because even in being a giver

you can push the things of the kingdom

forward this is actually it’s actually

for God to not just for about us it’s

for God because you get to push kingdom

agendas Kingdom ideas Kingdom movies

these that show the kingdom you get to

push it forward it is God’s desire for

you to prosper you see I’m so excited

our pastor released the word for 2019

and you see he’s released that is going

to be the year who knows it come on

somebody up in on social media the year

of perspective

and what I love about that I’m so

excited

ain’t man sister I’m so excited to hear

the message behind this word because I

believe that these very things that the

Lord has highlighted today see when the

Lord starts speaking to me about this

I’m not just here to give you a word he

was speaking to me too

there were areas that he showed me that

oh you need to okay all right now check

yourself out okay

it spoke to me too and I understood that

God oh these are areas that you know

what this is all of us all three of us

are in here

and so what is fascinating family that

as we’re looking into a year of

perspective that I believe that we ought

to put all these areas into perspective

we are to look into our prayer life we

are to look into how we deal with

conflict how we’ll deal with offense how

we deal with unforgiveness we ought to

look into every single everywhere to

look out the very things that God has

called us to create is really is time

our issue or is the lack of managing our

time that’s the issue we also look at

our our finances let’s put everything

into perspective amen

family stand with me thank you Jesus

thank you Jesus thank you Jesus

I just keep sensing that there is a

shift coming

there is a shift got purposes there’s a

there’s a there’s elevation coming and

if you become intentional about these

areas in your life if you become

intentional about the very things that

God is highlighting you see what I love

about this house and what I love about

being under the leadership that among

there is that literally we we do not say

anything except is what the Lord has

said I will not come before you if I was

gonna preach to you my message I will

not do it I would rather we have a

worship like if the Lord has not given

me a word to speak I would honestly just

say I don’t know what’s happening I

would it’s not like we have like a

reservoir to say oh wow what is in here

I’m gonna pick this for tonight

no because oftentimes if not every time

when the Lord releases a message I’m

receiving that – it’s like a fresh word

for me and so if we pay attention to

what the Spirit of God is saying and

what I’m sharing this is because under

our leadership anytime that our pastors

have spoken a word and I’ve taken that

word and I’ve run with it and I’m like

Lord I go home I just don’t make take

notes just to take notes I go home and I

sit with the Lord Lord how does this

speak to me and I’ve built on that I

have seen how it changed my life I have

seen how it opened doors that I would

not have thought would be open because

I’m not just coming here just to this is

this is not religion this is not because

our life is hidden in Christ we need his

word for tomorrow we need his word to

understand the very things that he’s

called us to do and so sometimes when

the word is released family I’m telling

you if you begin to be intentional about

these areas and for some of you God will

reveal more areas to you but if you

begin to exercise discipline because

nothing just happens randomly

nothing just happens just because like

you know Kapow no it’s not if you begin

to exercise discipline if you begin

because see there was a quote I heard

and I love that so much and it says that

discipline is when you plan your pain

and your pleasure

we are so used to planning pleasure that

we don’t plan pain and pain does not

mean something that is against you it

just means it’s it’s sacrifice it’s what

your flesh does not like because you you

like to do whatever you want to do and

in order for you to really start moving

in the things of God when God wants to

give you authority and Dominion you

think Abraham wanted to kill his son you

think God told Abraham Abraham kill your

only son and he’s like wow god I’ve been

waiting all day for you to tell me that

it’s about time you told me to put a

knife to my son’s neck no it’s not it’s

really not do you think that David

wanted to be on the run for years of his

life but these are the times where God

begins to cultivate us and so if we

begin to be disciplined about these

areas of our lives we start to recognize

God in ways that it becomes our norm how

we respond to warfare is not like a

child anymore we see it coming and we

laugh yes it may be difficult because

we’re human and you know we still got

emotions but you were not moved like you

would normally be moved and even in

moments of weakness

you can put your weakness in the hand of

the father you could say god I just

don’t understand but I’m not I’m not

gonna let my weakness rule my life I’m

gonna put it in your hands you lead me

you be my strength in every area of our

lives family I just see that God is is I

just kept seeing as I studied this word

I kept seeing elevation

but when we are stewards with what we’re

we’re faithful over a little God will

make us ruler over munch

when we are faithful yes we may not have

enough time that we would like to have

but then can you if even if all you have

is 30 minutes that you have free time

can you give God 20 can you give God

some of that whatever it is that may

seem small God will honor it it’s not

about doing something it’s not about

killing yourself but if you can

sacrifice God will honor it

I remember I was asking the Lord I said

why is it that sacrifice it’s often the

key to greater because when I think of

fast and fast and it is really a

sacrifice nobody wakes up in the morning

saying wow just can’t wait to not eat

for the rest of the day no no no and if

you do you know come over after service

but there’s a lot of things that release

is a different die Medina a different

dimension of power it’s really connected

to sacrifice and always wonder God why

is it that on the other side of

sacrifice

it’s where power is released but what I

understood too is that it’s not just

random sacrifices sacrificing obedience

to God but one of the things that I

understood about that is that it was the

very sacrifice of Jesus that released

the Holy Spirit and so when we are

willing to obey God even in the place of

sacrifice it releases even a greater

dimension of his power in your life

because the way it was released is the

way it would increase and so we made

their hard yeses that we may have to

give to God but I believe family that we

have grown from there are things that

were like you know we did as a child in

the faith and God has called us higher

and the higher God keeps calling you the

more he’s gonna require of you and the

harder the yeses might be but every

heart yes leads to more of him and at

least some more of who you are

and the lie that the enemy tries to tell

us is that our heart yes means loss it

does not mean loss cuz God is not a

waster God is not God God would not keep

things from you he doesn’t need it in

heaven he wants you to have every good

thing but he doesn’t want those things

to have you and so he wants to its pace

by pace thank you Jesus thank you Jesus

thank you Jesus

I just want to I just want us to have a

moment of just personal intimate time

with the Holy Spirit because I just keep

sensing that for many of you the Lord is

speaking to you about specific areas in

your life and some of those areas

actually are coupled with instruction

and I just want us to all have a moment

if we could just bow our heads just to

avoid distraction and let the Lord speak

to you

[Music]

family that peace that joy that Center

is what the holy spirit desires to

always have with us I just sense that

there are some people in this house and

even as we pray and as we close out as

we there are some people you you’re

believing for healing and it seems that

whatever the illness has been has felt

like it has put you in some form of

bondage to certain things that you

believe that you need to do and whatever

that illness is or if you are believing

that for someone in your family I just

want you to touch that part in your body

or touch that part that represents the

party in their body if it’s in multiple

places I just want you to place your

hand on your head as we close out as we

pray father God I thank you for your

spirit is here and we thank you Lord for

that which you have purposed to do have

your way Lord God have your way Lord

we thank you for your word that has

spoken into the hearts of your people

and I thank you Laurie God that even in

this very moment that healing is flowing

Lord that healing is flowing in the

bodies of your people healing is flowing

I thank you for testimonies that will

spring forth glory God because healing

is flowing I thank you Jesus I thank you

Jesus

I thank you Jesus that what is

impossible with man is possible with you

and I thank you lord

I thank you Lord I even stay kind of who

thought I thank you Wow

I don’t know who may be standing in the

gap for a young girl who is dealing who

has been battling with cancer and has

been feeling a certain well now if

you’re here or you’re watching because

of the loss of her hair and this may

speak to other people in different ways

but because of the loss of her hair the

little girl has been it’s almost like

she’s been questioning her beauty and

she’s been questioning and I just see

the Lord placing his hand on her chest

and he’s healing her of anything and he

lied the enemy wants to speak into her

life if that is you know if you’re in

this house but if you’re in this house I

would love for you to come to the altar

if you’re watching this because I just

see the Lord placed in his hand

there’s his hand is on her chest and his

hand is on her head and every lie that

the enemy has been trying to speak to

her not only is he healing her but he’s

also healing her sense of identity

and so Lord God we thank you for this

little child we thank you Lord for what

you’re doing in your life and lord I use

her as a point of contact to everyone

here who is believing you for healing

and believe in you whether healing and

their lives are healing in the life of a

family member or a loved one I thank you

Lord that you are moving and you would

heal her God not just their physical

body but any emotional trauma Lord God

you would heal it in the name of Jesus

and I thank you that you would restore

like it was never there

you would restore Lord God he was

strengthened you give them courage

you’ll give them boldness and Lord God

you will give them their sense of

identity back that they would know

they’re not identified just by the

natural org I didn’t know they are

identified by you have your way Lord God

in Jesus name Amen

amen

[Music]

you