Service Date: 01.12.20 11:15 AM
[Music]
and we’re gonna continue I don’t want to
read a passage of Scripture it’s a song
it’s a song that King David wrote and it
was really part of his testimony of the
goodness of God and and there’s so much
in it it is it is poetic he is trying to
describe what must have transpired
between the time that he lifted up his
voice to God when he found himself in a
tight spot in a state of distress and
what must have happened between that
moment in the moment that God came
through and made everything okay and as
I was praying for you as we were
worshiping I really wanted to say and
these are words are very simple but
somebody needs to know everything is
going to be okay and in the spirit it’s
already okay I know it’s things simple
it’s elementary but it’s true sometimes
you need to know that it’s gonna be okay
because because you know David talked
about walking through the valley of the
shadow of death sometimes it is the
shadow of what might happen
it is the shadow of some potential
outcome that becomes distressful
distressing to us and it becomes
stressful and and it tries to wipe us
out and so so I’m just need to declare
to you right now no matter where you are
no matter where you’ve been no matter
what you’re going through I’m telling
you right now God has already seen the
end of it and and I’m bringing you a
report from the end of that thing and
telling you it’s gonna be okay if you
believe it praise God with me this
morning now I wouldn’t keep you alive to
make it worse
God God doesn’t keep you alive to seal
your doom he keeps you alive to bring
you into everything that he promised you
are you tracking with me that’s why you
have breath in your body you have breath
in your body because God hasn’t finished
revealing his goodness to you and God’s
gonna give you a nonprofit I’m supposed
to be teaching but God’s gonna give you
a new song so some of you you he’s gonna
give you a new song I wouldn’t be too
careful about writing the song now cuz
you’re right in the middle of it right
now if you wrote the song it would be a
sad song but I hear God’s saying I’m a
turn yours I’m gonna turn your mourning
into gladness I’m gonna turn your
confusion into praise so we’re gonna get
into this really quickly you know we
started last week in a conversation a
series about confidence and and there’s
gonna be a lot of here I’m just gonna
read it really quickly and and we’ll
talk about it and we’ll talk about what
I want to talk about today but this this
this psalm of David this song of David
this testimony of David this poem a poem
of David just stood out to me because it
is gonna reveal to us the characteristic
of God that sometimes we miss and I’ll
get into that but david says in psalm 18
beginning in verse 6 he says in my
distress I called upon the Lord that
word that was translated called is a
Hebrew word it’s a Hebrew word that it
can be better translated in my distress
I accosted the Lord so it wasn’t just
him calling on the Lord he called on the
Lord in such a way it was him
accosting God you ever been in a
situation where you didn’t have time to
to hope that God was listening or to
pray or to wonder or to wish to God but
you’re like God I need you right now and
if I have to arrest you come on to get
your attention I will do it see
sometimes there are different sounds and
different frequencies that come out of
our spirit as it relates to us engaging
God that touch God in different ways you
need to catch what I just said
see when you have made God your only
option there is a different frequency
that comes out of you
when you call upon him are you tracking
with me when you have multiple options
when you have eight or nine options and
one in your back pocket you call him God
in a way that doesn’t really move him
because he knows that you really haven’t
put your trust in him but when you have
made the Lord your confidence and when
you have made the Lord your trust and
you don’t have a plan B or a plan C or a
plan D when you call on him it’s
something different you accost God you
you you arrest his attention and
consequently watch this you earn God’s
focus how bad do you want it and so and
so it says in my distress I had costed
God I called upon the Lord and then it
says and I cried out to my god man this
is different this is different this is
not a cute little prayer I cried out to
God because I know when I cry out to God
I released a different type of sound you
know I’ve got my daughter my youngest
daughter before in just a couple of
weeks she’ll be four years old and and I
can tell when she’s just playing
she asks different types of cries
different levels of cry and there’s one
that I can hear crying and I’m like me
she’s just trying to play somebody to
try and get what she wants I won’t
really move I’ll listen but I won’t
really move right right but then there’s
a cry when something really happened and
I will drop whatever I am doing I will
run across the house if I have to I will
run across
because because there’s a different when
she’s calling for daddy daddy is one
thing to call for dad is another thing
to call for daddy and so he says not
only did I cost God but but I cried out
to my god and it says and he he heard my
voice from his temple and my my cry came
before him even to his ears it was how I
called on him it says and now he’s going
to begin to describe what had to have
transpired how how an omnipotent God how
an a mission God how how a you bid ik
was God how he could just come and get
involved and then comparatively my new
show of my life
what what he had to to come through how
he had to reduce himself and he just
talks about how literally the solar
systems and the universe has got shaken
up on his way to me I feel that for
somebody
God will shake up whatever he has to
shake up to come to you if he has to
create whatever he needs to create to
get to you that’s how much you matter to
him look at this look at how David
describes it in poetic form he says he
says then the earth shook and trembled
all because of you fill that for
somebody all because of you he’s not
doing this for a whole bunch he’s doing
this for one person I got to get this
then the earth shook and trembled the
foundations of the heels also quaked and
were shaken because he was angry he
wasn’t angry watch this he wasn’t angry
at David he was angry at that which was
attacking David I feel that for some of
you when your gods your enemies become
his enemies are you tracking with me and
I’m not even talking about human enemies
that’s a low-level thing I’m talking
about the enemy depression I’m talking
about the enemy of cats I’m talking I’m
talking about the illness in the enemy
of inadequacy self deprivation
you see your your haters aren’t what you
think we write about people no no you
got bigger haters than that all you got
to do is remove yourself from people no
problem
it’s it’s the haters that taught your
mind it’s the haters
it’s the hater of doubt it’s the hater
of fear and so he’s angry watch see we
don’t hear that about God much he’s just
loving no he’s angry at what angst you
he’s angry at it can I keep reading in
verse 8 it says spoke smoke went up from
his nostrils look at that look at this
look at this this language look at this
imagery David is using his imagination
and devouring fire from his mouth coals
were kindled by it he bowed the heavens
also and came down with darkness under
his feet and he rode upon a cherub and
and flew he flew upon the wings of the
wind
he made darkness a secret place his
canopy around him was dark waters and
thick clouds of the skies from the
brightness before him his thick clouds
pass with hell stones and coals of fire
you understand the dynamic here God the
Almighty God is moving from the
heavenlies moving from his secret
chambers coming through all of this
these solar systems and galaxies to get
down into your situation to bring you
out and all of these things are
happening right verse 13 it says the
Lord thundered and from heaven and the
most high uttered his voice and he’ll
stones and coals of fire he sent out his
arrows and scattered the foe look at
this this the Calvary coming for you
Calvary coming for you sent out his
arrows and scattered the foe lightnings
and abundance and he vanquished them
then the channels of the sea were seen
the foundations of the world were
uncovered at your rebuke Oh Lord at the
blasts of the breath of your nostrils he
sent from above he took me he drew me
out of many waters he delivered me from
my strong enemy from
who hated me for they were too strong
for me they confronted me in the day of
my calamity but the Lord was my support
he also brought me out into a broad
place he delivered me because he
delighted in me
let’s pray a little bit father thank you
so much for your word it is a lamp into
our feet it is a light into our past at
the entrance of your word there is light
and what darkness can exist in the
presence of light and so father I pray
that you would light us up today light
up our hearts light up our minds light
up our souls light up our lives so much
so that it would drive away everything
that is dark and negative and evil evil
and inconsistent with the good plans
that you have for us plans to prosper us
and not to harm us plans to give us a
future and a hope let your life come in
let it shine let it shine let it shine
from the inside out God that we might
glow afresh God that we from the inside
out my glow so gloriously then we light
up everything around us the Father I
thank you for the spirit of wisdom and
revelation and insight knowledge that I
might be a blessing to your children who
are under the sound of my voice we love
you we claim it in advance in Jesus name
Amen amen amen
can we give God the praise of expect
can we give Him praise already for what
he’s gonna do come on
already come on I feel my joy coming
back already
I feel strength arising in me already if
that’s your testimony put your hands
together
[Music]
hallelujah
well god bless you you may be seated if
you’re able and just just greet somebody
on your way down I know you said hello
already but say say God bless you maybe
tell them you’re in the right place
tell them I’m praying for you and and if
they’re you got a seat next to you and
there’s somebody standing don’t be like
that don’t be like that
oh wow well my wife and I we were
supposed to take this vacation there’s a
little spot that we go to it’s not it’s
out of the country but not too far from
here and this place never disappoints
and we were supposed to go while we were
on our long sabbatical and then
something came up and we couldn’t go and
so we ended up going last week and and
as we were there last week you know one
of the things that I do when I get there
and when I get to other water spots that
I have like that spots of refueling and
refreshing is I ask God questions like
what now and I was in the middle of this
series a series on confidence if you
were here last week holler at me if you
weren’t here I I strongly encourage you
to get it and so we’re in this series
about confidence and you know it’s easy
for me to take the theme and take the
thought and to kind of run on and create
from that where we’re creative that’s
what we do we can create things but I
wanted to take a step back because I
realized that that the the time that
we’re in in our world is is it’s just a
little tricky right now you know and so
confidence on you know if it were six
months ago and I was talking about
confidence and how to be confident no
matter what the message doesn’t didn’t
necessarily have to be super deep you
know I could just talk about some basic
things but when you’ve got Australia on
fire when you’ve got literally wars and
rumors of wars right you got all these
things happen he got earthquakes but
re/code you just got hit with a series
of you know all these things going on I
realize that that may be the
conversation about instilling confidence
in God’s people is a slightly more
difficult conversation than I thought
because it’s one thing to be confident
when you know you got to pay your
mortgages you got to pay your rent or
you got to pay you
note and try to find some confidence
when times get tough it’s another thing
when the world seems to be shaking to
really truly be confident and so I
really took a step back at night and I
was praying oh my god like I don’t want
to talk about what I want to talk about
I don’t want to do what I want to do
because I recognize it got you have the
answers for Humanity you you know what
to say to people you know what to do you
understand times and seasons you know
how to give the best advice that
transcends time and season so I really
pulled back and I said God before I I
begin to to work on week 2 of this
message before you know I’m right in the
book right now before I even begin to
finish this book that I’m gonna put out
there which is basically thoughts that
God gives me you know before I do that
the call retreat and a couple of weeks
before we go on the woman evolved too
before I do anything before I really
step into this this season this new
decade and and and pour out God will you
please tell me what you want and God
said and I was waiting for some
multi-layer super deep you don’t I mean
you’re asking God what do you want
surely he’s gonna have you know this
just profound you know 30 minute
conversation I’m I’m like Moses on the
top of Mount Sinai and he you know any
right seat he pulls out the tablet and
he starts riding on it
it surely is gonna be multi-layered
multi-dimensional like that it wasn’t
you know what God said as I was asking
him about what do you want so that I can
give the people so they can be confident
so they can be prepared and equipped
because my mission my man that every
time I get up to speak is to do three
things it is to inform you it is to
enlighten you and it is to equip you
every single time I get up here that’s
what I’m after inform enlighten equipped
God you know everything what can I do to
make certain that all those that are
entrusting you know their their path to
my guide and some uncle’s others what do
you want and you know what God said
simple very very simple he says I want
to be known
and I was blown away i sat there look at
the sky talking to God he says I want I
want I want to be known because if I am
known it will solve every problem that a
human being can have if if if they if
they know me and so when we start
talking about confidence having
confidence and the most challenging of
times comes when God’s children know him
so last week we talked about confidence
through covenant and if you weren’t here
last week I encourage you to get the
podcast watch it on YouTube whatever you
got to get that message in your life
because it was really it there’s some
stuff in there that every believer ought
to know right so confidence indeed we
talked about covenant or confidence
bringing covenant covenant bringing
confidence rather and I also realized
that as it relates to knowing God and
not only does this covenant bring
confidence but but knowing the character
and the characteristics of God takes
confidence to a whole nother level and
it brings you to a whole nother level of
reassurance and if we look back and we
look at all the people who did great
things for God they accomplished great
feats for God one thing that they all
had in common was that they knew God I
mean they knew God knew God they weren’t
acquainted with God let me show you
something really quickly this is
something that that job said you know
Joby’s the the the guy in the Bible that
nobody wants to be like hello somebody
you know you have your heroes in the
Bible I want to be like Abraham I want
to be like Moses I want to be like Jesus
I want to be like Peter no one says I
want to be like jovem because as you
know Joe went through a lot of things
but Jobe said something powerful at the
end of his ordeal by the way there is
always an end to your ordeal so if
you’re in a situation as I mentioned
earlier just know that there’s always an
end and the end is better than the
beginning are you tracking with me
that’s why you got to keep going that’s
why you can’t quit that’s why you can’t
give up because
you’re moving towards and end and I feel
this for some of you I hear God saying
the end is gonna be worth the middle and
the beginning I feel the Spirit of God
some of you feel like you missed out
with some stuff I can’t do this right
now
pull it in let me pull it in someone you
feel like you missed out on some stuff
right some of you like man I’m past my
prime I missed out on this I missed out
on that but you were counting the end in
the beginning or the middle the end of a
thing is what qualifies a thing it is
not how you started is how you finish
are you tracking with me where my
finishers at listen just to see what the
end is gonna be I’m gonna run on oh no
no okay
I can’t do it I gotta pull it in pull it
in pull it in uh-huh the end the end so
anyway job at the end of his day says
something in joke 42 and five and it’s
powerful he says I have heard of you by
the hearing of the ear but now my eyes
have seen you he’s talking about going
to another level in your relationship
and your knowledge of God because a lot
of times too many too large a percentage
of believers have a relationship with
God
via hearsay I’ve heard of you by the
hearing of the ear III yeah I know my
pastor says these things about you I
know my grandma says these things about
you and we are living we’re trying to
live vicariously through other people’s
faith are you tracking with me I mean if
this is the end of jobs testimony then
could it be that the only reason why he
went through what he went through is to
get from having a relationship with God
through hearsay versus having a
relationship with God watch this through
I say here’s what I mean here’s what I
mean when you’re growing in your
relationship with God there is a
dialogue that should be cultivated
between you and God here is how the
dialogue works first God comes to you
and God says I am then by the time he’s
finished with you God doesn’t have to
come to you and say I am you start
declaring he is he is my light and my
salvation he is my shepherd I shall not
want
he is right that takes time so so so
right now some of you are in a season
where you’re just hearing God say that I
am and that’s fine everybody’s got to
start somewhere but if you’re gonna walk
out your calling if you’re gonna be
everything that God has called you to be
if you’re gonna be a tree planted by the
rivers of water that brings forth its
fruit in every season you’ve got to go
from God saying who is to you saying who
God is are you tracking with me if you
know who God is not because he said it
but because you have found a testimony
and you can say it – come on and holla
at me this morning the Lord is my light
and my salvation whom shall I fear are
you tracking with me so we have to get
to this place where our relationship is
no longer here so let me show you what
hearsay means literally the definition
of hearsay is this is this unverified
unofficial information gained or
acquired from another and not a part of
one’s direct knowledge oh man is MC if
you’re taking notes write this down the
most important thing you can ever do in
life is to know God
it’s to know God now I’m gonna level
with you
knowing God the way that God wants you
to know him is a journey of evolution
fill the Lord Paul said something if
you’re taking notes for your own Bible
study Philippians 3:10 Paul says
something very interesting at a time in
his life where he already knew God he
says he’d already planted churches and
everything so so clearly he knew the
Lord but he says to know him this is
what I want
about first he lists all of his earthly
accomplishments and they were vast and
he says I count all of that as nothing
watch this that I might know God I’m
like bro you you you already know god
you’re you’re writing these powerful
letters and and you you’re planting
churches like but he’s saying no no no
no no no no I gotta I gotta stay with
this that there’s more to see there’s
more to know he later says that I forget
those things that are behind me and I
reach forward to those things which are
ahead I’m pressing toward the mark what
mark are you pressing toward it’s the
mark of knowing God and I’m a level with
you family knowing God the way that God
wants you to know him is not cheap God
is not a cheap thrill he is not an easy
date he don’t just drop them you don’t
you don’t you don’t he’ll probably gonna
use a better choice of words God just he
just don’t you you got it you got to
push up on God come on somebody you
you’re not gonna get it on the first
date sanding my wife ready to wheel me
in no no no you you got a court god you
gotta let God know that you recognize
how valuable God is are you tracking
with me God God is not your side thing
come on somebody and he knows also he
knows when you’re cheating he knows when
you’ve got option a B C a DS not you
gotta say God you are everything baby
what ain’t nobody but you I was made to
love you you got a Mac got down
got a Mac him down and he knows what you
lying so it can’t be no fake pimp stuff
[Applause]
you you gotta call him by his real name
hello somebody you’ve got to push up on
God and you got to stick with it if I’ve
got a fast to get to know you I will
fast if I’ve got to pray to get to know
you I will do it if I’ve got to let go
of some people in order to get close to
you I will do whatever I’ve got to do
because there’s nobody like you it’s
nobody like you I’m serious about you
I’m after you God early in the morning
will I seek you I won’t make a decision
with I want you involved in every area
of my life I won’t make a move without
you if your presence does it go with me
I am NOT going
[Applause]
got a push up on him
you got to stick with it God will play
hard to get on you uh-huh hard to get
there’s something in the pursuit
something about the pursuit change
happens in the pursuit in the pursuit
that’s why something just well we feel
like we have got figured out and we know
exactly where and when to find him
he moves they say in a marriage you
ought to keep the mystery hello somebody
now let me come back here I digress yeah
yeah yeah yeah yeah just you ever been
there I know that if I all I gotta do is
come to church and I’ll be connect to
God and you start doing you get in your
your rhythm your spiritual rhythm and it
works and then all of a sudden one day
you go back to your water spot watch
this after you were wiling out the night
before this thing can just look straight
ahead just yeah cuz it’s not for you I
can while out and then I can go here and
then you go there and and and you feel
nothing God move because it is a pursuit
and he plays hide and get I talked about
it a couple of weeks ago it is the glory
to the glory of God to conceal a thing
and it’s to your glory to search it out
to seek it out right there’s something I
meant to it came up when I was speaking
at the earlier service today but there’s
something really powerful it’s in one of
the epistles of Peter and you know you
gonna have to find it on your own and I
promise you it’s in there I read the
whole Bible and you’ll find that I trust
you you find it but he says that God has
given us everything that pertains to
life and godliness through the knowledge
of himself that’s heavy that’s heavy
so God is saying it’s not that I’m
giving you things
he’s saying that I’ve actually already
given you everything that pertains to
life and godliness the natural and the
supernatural the physical and the
spiritual everything that you will need
every resource that you will need I’ve
already given to you and he says but it
is hidden in the knowledge of God oh god
help me are you tracking with me so so
everything so now it makes sense as to
if I press into God and say God what do
you want now it makes sense to why he
said I want to be known because
everything that you need for this life
and the next life and any life is in
knowing him is in knowing him and you
can know him can we go a little further
and can we go a little deeper and so
let’s talk really quickly about the
characters characteristics of God and
there’s one in particular one that I
want to focus on but let me let’s just
talk about the characteristic God these
characters these are the things that
give me confidence first of all first of
all for me one thing that sets God apart
from anything and everything it makes
him worth me pursuing and wooing for the
rest of my life is his faithfulness oh
my god have you ever experienced when
you look back over your life and you see
the consistency of God even when you
were inconsistent God was always
consistent do I have anybody in here who
is so great
come on that song all of my life you
have been faithful we are here right now
we are here because of God’s
faithfulness your heart right now is
beating in your chest right now as
assigned to you of the faithfulness of
God he has consistently kept your heart
beating I mean just take a minute and
just think about your life think about
if you’re like me you got like nine life
right there like nine different two
arrays seven of them you didn’t know
anything about thank God are you
tracking with me but in each of those
seasons of my life God was faithful when
he could have just thrown everything
away when if I listened if I would reap
the harvest of my unfaithful years I
wouldn’t be standing here right now and
I’m not the only one if you know that
you’re only here by the grace of God and
by the faithfulness of God do me a favor
just about eight seconds can you just
thank him for being faithful for not
dealing with you the way he could have
dealt with you for blessing you for
providing you’re here
because of his faithfulness and he’s
worthy of worship for that nobody like
him faithful faithful favor come on just
think about it sometimes we get saved
and we forget who we use them
[Applause]
[Music]
[Applause]
faithfully it wasn’t always the way you
wanted it but he was always faithful you
just look back over your life there’s a
song we should sing an old church all in
my life God’s been good to me down
through the years and sometimes you
don’t have enough years under your belt
to really appreciate that but you just
keep living
you just keep living you’re gonna look
back and you’re gonna see the goodness
of God followed you Wow
step while you’re getting ready I feel
this for somebody’s prophetic some of
you you get ready to come into an
awakening of the goodness of God Wow and
it’s gonna change watch this it’s gonna
change your life because you’re gonna
realize see you thought it was because
you were smart and you thought it was
because you made all the right moves and
you thought it was because you weren’t
right no no no that was the faithfulness
of God because people that were smarter
than you people that made better
decisions than you are you tracking with
me people that were in better families
than you did not make it
it was the goodness of God it was the
faithfulness of God that has brought you
this far and that goodness is gonna see
you to the end I would serve him simply
because of his faithfulness the
faithfulness of God evokes loyalty it
invokes loyalty then the mercy of God is
something else that’s something I mean I
could talk about the characteristics of
God maybe I’ll do that one day I mean
the mercy of God that’s a completely
different thing the mercy of God that’s
like when when
[Laughter]
that’s like when that’s like when when
you should have can you recall a time
where you just completely disregarded
God and maybe even in your own way
cursed God I wish I had time I could
tell you stories I called myself getting
mad at God and was done and got my car
with the Vegas
do the math mad at God Vegas hey it’s
true call myself being mad at God i’ma
show him just how mad I am and what mad
people with people who are mad at God do
they go to Vegas I’m kidding kidding
bunch of lovely spirit filled believers
in Vegas I have a revival in Vegas come
on somebody that’s why I went I went
because I wanted to pray and it’s crazy
and I was getting ready to do something
stupid in Vegas I remember I was getting
ready something real stupid and God
showed up and said don’t play with me
[Applause]
have you ever been delivered from
yourself you you would like fully
committed to some foolishness
but the mercy of God reached in
interrupted your plans and pulled you
out of it if you just got a memory give
God praise real quick
oh there was so many moments oh man if I
had time to tell you all these stories
where I was on the cusp of death but
didn’t know it watch this I was on the
cusp of death calling it fun I’m trying
to stir up some memories for some people
in here right now God has been good to
you maybe you’re not where you want to
be but thank God you’re not where you
could be I can recall I’m trying to stop
because I got ground to cover I can
recall not even knowing how I got home
I remember being wasted I remember
getting in the car and all our remembers
waking up the next morning how many of
us know all night and all day angels
God God will protect his purpose in you
even when you don’t know your value even
when you don’t know who you are
I could I could serve him forever simply
because of his mercy there were moments
family god I want to testify there were
moments where death was right there
right there
wish I could be even more transparent I
want to freak you out I mean like right
there and if I would have had all of the
instrumentation so I’m gonna give you to
go forward in that moment that I was in
I would be dead but God said no no no no
I’m not even gonna let your crazy wipe
you out I’ve got a plan for you there’s
a call on your life
[Music]
and here’s the thing there are things
that God has done for some of you that
you don’t even know because God doesn’t
have an ego he doesn’t have to make a
list of these things and put it in your
face you know we do something for
somebody who say well you know I loaned
you that five thousand dollars the other
day you know if it wasn’t for me God
doesn’t have that he can bless you he
can protect you he can cover you and not
even bring it up you’ll get to heaven
and say oh my god that was you there’s
things that you don’t even know about
that God did for you some of you just on
your way here God did something for you
God interrupted something there was a
weapon for him to get you and God says
no baby it’s not gonna prosper she
belongs to me he belongs to me
I could serve him and worship Him
forever just for that but there’s
another characteristic the God wanted
you wanted me to tell you about himself
and this is a characteristic of God that
isn’t popular this is a characteristic
of God that in our modern church culture
oftentimes we leave out we know that God
is a God of love we’ve got that figured
out but God is also a God of warfare see
but we don’t like that we don’t like
that we don’t like that no because that
seems to war against my positive outlook
I don’t want a god of war of warfare
I want a God of peace I could understand
that I don’t send it there’s only one
problem
if God is only a God of peace then that
means that he has to speak peace to your
depression that means that when he looks
at the issue of human trafficking when
he looks at the issue of injustice or or
poverty if he is only a God of peace he
has to look at poverty and say peace be
unto you he has to look at human
trafficking and say peace be unto you he
has to look at sexism and racism and say
peace be unto you God is a God of love
but even love has war in it
even peace let’s talk about peace
because it’s important for you to
understand that this existence whether
you like it or not I’m here to enlighten
you this existence is war I don’t talk
what peace is just say this exist in
watches nothing good comes out of this
existence without a contest or a fight
oh you know you don’t know the pastor
you’re warring against no everything is
positive I understand that and I
appreciate that but in order to have
positive you have to war against the
negative what’s this peace Trump’s chaos
so when you lean into peace what you are
doing is you’re warring against chaos
and confusion or you don’t get this you
get this the only thing that comes to us
in life without a fight or having to
come through fight is temptation another
thing that comes easy
the only thing worthwhile that comes
easy is temptation have you ever noticed
how easy temptation is temptation is
never like some difficult thing I’m
tempting you to swim seven miles then
ride a jet ski backwards do two
backflips off a whale’s back no it’s
always something that is easy the only
thing that comes without a fight is
temptation that’s how you know you can’t
trust in this existence is war when I go
to meditate what I’m doing what I’m
meditating is I’m bringing the power of
God to crush anxiety
I cannot pretend that anxiety doesn’t
exist the reason why mindfulness is so
popular now is because of the rise in
anxiety that’s war when I pray that’s
war when I meditate that’s war
everything in my life is at war my
business is at war if you look at it
prosperity is at war against poverty
happiness is at war against sadness
everything is war your marriage is war
some of your like you got that right
Betty not the way you mean but I’m
saying in order to keep your marriage
you have to war against inner and outer
contaminants you have got to fight for
every blessing that God brings in your
life let me tell you something if it
comes easy I do not trust it because
everything that is worthwhile will have
warfare and this is important because we
if we just embrace us that positive it
just doesn’t exist to me then win-win
when something when warfare comes you’re
gonna think something is wrong no baby
when warfare comes something is not
wrong something is right you were
created for war that’s why that’s why
when David is describing his
relationship with God he says God he’s
teaches my hands to war and my fingers
to fight a negative thought that becomes
oppression is war did you know that have
you ever been depressed
have you ever been down what do you
think was going on that was war raised
against you that’s why Paul says for the
weapons of our warfare are not carnal
but they’re mighty through God to the
pulling down of strongholds casting down
imaginations and every high thing that
exalts itself against the knowledge of
God so when you think war don’t think
people you missed it it’s not people
we’re talking about thoughts your
adversary is called the Prince of the
power of the air in the air right now
there are all these thoughts and if you
don’t understand that you’re in a war
which means that you can’t take
everything that comes your way then
you’re gonna be victimized by war
because you were just thinking
everything is positive it is not
positive everything is not positive
God is positive everything isn’t and
he’s a God of War and he will do warfare
against everything that does warfare
against you let me give you some more
examples of this you got to see it right
so that you’re not taken by the fact
that that war is breaking out right if
you think about it there’s even a war
inside of you what God wants to do and
what you want to do biblically it’s a
spirit versus the flesh so how can you
say there is no war if in order for you
to be who you’ve got a call to be you
have to subdue the part of you that is
lesser than who God wants you to be in
order for the real you to emerge that is
called war and this is very important to
understand that God is in to fighting
for you he’s in the fighting for you
let’s go deeper even your purpose is war
your purpose is war you always have to
fight for it
there’s always distraction from your
purpose there’s always the senseless
thought of inadequacy what do you think
that comes from you are in hostile
territory yeah and if I know I’m in a
war i navigate differently I don’t I’m
careful over my time I’m careful over
what I put in my spirit and what I put
in my mind because I’ve got to be fit
right I’m not always looking back
talking about shoulda woulda coulda will
regret I’m looking forward because I
realize there’s a reason why God put
eyes on the front of my face
because the battle is in front of me not
behind me are you tracking with me
somebody needed that regret has been
haunting some of you let me just stop
even if it’s just three or you imma take
about two seconds and just talk to you
for a second regret regret that’s
warfare regret is warfare wishing that
you could go back when you can’t go back
how is that ever productive how is
desiring to do something that you can
never do you can’t go back to 20 you
can’t go back to 15 you can’t go back to
it how can that be God you know what it
is
warfare because as long as I am longing
for what is not there I am living in
la-la land I am delusional and it is
keeping me from the thing that’s in
front of me that’s why Paul said I
forget what’s behind me it doesn’t exist
anymore it doesn’t mean anything anymore
if I’m still alive the best is yet
that’s warfare feeling sorry for
yourself
it’s warfare see sometimes your
adversary doesn’t have to wipe you out
all he has to do is distract you
disallowing you to be present in the
moment because when you’re present in
the moment you have the power that’s in
the moment somebody ought to catch that
every moment is loaded with power every
moment is loaded with the ability not
just for that moment before the next
series of moments and if I am
at the moment because regret has got me
she didn’t would have could has got me
self inadequacy has got me then I can’t
walk in the power of the moment but when
I’m in that moment and I’m trusting God
in that moment awesome things can happen
[Music]
it’s funny sometimes b-boy
he seems so angry no I’m fighting for
you I’m fighting for you
I get this the word came to me I live
this I’m fighting for you cuz sometimes
you won’t fight for you see when I’m
here and I’m sweating and I’m working
out and I don’t have to go to gym later
I don’t do that now because I’m here
with you you know what I’m doing I’m
fighting against thoughts I’m fighting
against your doubt I’m fighting against
you saying is this for me
could this be from me I’m fighting
against what’s fighting against you
because I want to see you be everything
that God has created you to be
that’s my purpose and I want to tear
down every lie and I want to tear down
every doubt and I want to tear down all
the fear and I want to tear down all the
inadequacy I want to tear this sucker
down so that you can be who you were
created to me no I’m not mad I’m just
gonna fight I’m gonna fight and I won’t
stop I love you too much just my God
won’t stop just like God how he came
from the heavens when he heard your cry
when he heard that situation and he
vanquished the phone
you’re in a fight this the people in
here you got to get your fight back you
got to get your fight back life brought
it to you you got to bring it to life
are you tracking with me
if life brought it to you that means
that God has already qualified you to
knock it out I hear God saying stand up
I hear God saying put your dukes back up
get back in the ring
start swinging at
[Music]
he’s the god of warfare he’s a god of
warfare that’s warfare for you see it’s
important that you notice because we
don’t understand it this is this
existence has a an aspect of war in it
and the God will war on your behalf if
you don’t know that you’re gonna leave
victories on the table victories on the
table you just you just accept things
you don’t believe me that they existence
is war you don’t think cancer is war
it’s war that’s why you hear people say
I’m fighting it’s war you don’t watch
this you don’t get to choose to not
enlist in a natural situation you’ve got
that option maybe hopefully but not in
the spirit realm you were birthed into
chaos your birth the de chaos yeah sorry
sorry but it’s true but God wouldn’t
birth you went to chaos if you didn’t
have something set up for you
there’s a name for God I’m almost done
there’s a name for God that that we
don’t we don’t hear about a lot we hear
about Jehovah Jireh my God will provide
for me we’re here about Jehovah Shalom
God who is my peace we got all beat we
know all the cute names right come on
somebody you know I’m telling my Jehovah
Nissi is my victory there you got all
the names right yeah all this stuff but
there’s another name for God and it’s
the name Adonai is vote and it literally
means the Lord of heavens armies oh yes
he’s a God of love but how many’s no
love fights for what it loves my one of
my children came home recently and said
to me that someone had said something
awful off base to her some guy said
something inappropriate and
disrespectful I picked up the phone I
tracked his number down we do we’re not
in relationship with each other I don’t
I don’t have his number I tracked him
down I got on the phone and said if you
ever ever even think about forming your
lips to say anything remotely close to
being disrespectful to my daughter
you’re gonna have a problem like you
don’t want to have now that’s in a
natural that’s in a natural because I
wasn’t saying that I was gonna pray
dismemberment in my spirit but I yes
y’all just pray for me only mess with my
kids but that was because I love her I
love her I am I am I am I love her so
much that anything that threatens her
that anything that’s not God’s absolute
best for her than anything that
does not present to her on the level of
the royal queen that she is anything
that does not look like what I
envisioned for her I am vehemently
opposed to and I’m human
so can you imagine a perfect sovereign
father who knew you before he even puts
you in your mother’s womb can you
imagine what he will do for you yeah
he’s a God of love
he’s got love but he’s also a god of
warfare and when you understand that
about him
it also helps you to understand you you
were created to fight when things come
easy from just by done when things come
easy to me I don’t trust it because I
have a warfare mentality does it not it
does not mean that I’m cantankerous I go
out looking for a fight
I want nice people you can ever meet but
I’m watching uh-huh I’m watching because
I know that I can’t get there without a
battle let me look at something real
quick make sure I’ll cover my bases yeah
I’m almost done want you to play bruno
said that don’t know I’m almost done
here
here is the truth guys god is love but
sometimes I don’t need a hug sometimes I
don’t that’s not what I need from God
sometimes I do need to go hug from God
but when I’m in the heat of the battle I
don’t want a hug I want a warrior in my
distress I called upon the Lord and he
heard me I want I want that God I want
that God that that when he hears me pray
and he hears me call out to God that he
hears what I hear when my baby girl
cries I want a God that will disengage
all the happenings of heaven on my
behalf that he would just say hold on
hold on he’s up there with Moses and all
them and as I hold away oh no wait wait
wait
that’s tour a meeting adjourned
ties I don’t want to I want you to fight
for me and he will and he will look at
these last two verses in that and that
Psalm 18 in his last two verses look at
how that portion ends it says
in verse 18 it says they comfort makes
cuter they confronted me and the day of
my calamity they they what what is they
what are they they are anything you ever
find yourself in a moment and your
calamity it might seem like a calamity
but oftentimes you’re just in a
situation that God is working out so
here’s what happens sometimes you find
yourself in a situation that god is
working out and because you’re in a war
and because a breakthrough is imminent
they confront you what are they those
thoughts inadequacy I’m not enough fear
doubt comparison that leaves you feeling
less than they think they surround you
wow I need to say this right because
here’s the thing that some of you and
your you’re in at your you’re in the
middle right you know I talked earlier
about the beginning the middle and the
end and the end is always better than
the beginning and and one of the the
most tricky times in life is when you’re
in the middle when it’s not done yet
for some reason we we only have security
in the end when we have in possession
would got promised and that’s when we
feel the most secure which means that
consequently
when we feel the most insecure is when
we are in the middle which means that in
the middle is your most vulnerable place
it’s your most vulnerable time and
because we’re in a war there is an enemy
and then enemy comes and he becomes a
part of the they that confront you in
the moment that you’re perceiving as a
calamity and God doesn’t like that God
doesn’t like that cuz that’s not fair
here’s God saying I I got you on my will
I’m spinning you I’m shaping you and
you’re on your way to becoming something
that if you can just get through this
spin cycle
hello somebody what you’re gonna be
presented as when I finish spinning you
so wonderful
and here comes they it’s negative
thoughts god I can’t believe that after
all we’ve been through you’re gonna
leave me now gotta I can’t believe that
this is the end of my journey I can’t
believe that’s they that’s a day that’s
negativity that’s that’s they that’s the
evil one David said they confronted me
in the day of my calamity in the day of
my calamity not the year in the day of
my clam in other words when God flips
the switch when he turns it around it’s
gonna be so quick it’s gonna seem like
it was only a day I feel that for
somebody I gotta save that right it felt
like a year it felt like a decade but
when he turns it it’s gonna be like it
was simply a day if that’s your word
holla at me if that’s your world
I don’t care how long it felt like when
it’s over it’s gonna feel like one day
Oh God I want to say la in that it’s
gonna feel like one day felt like all
your life I felt like all of your 20s
hey I felt like for like May in my
thirties whoo my time in LA well and
it’s because they were surrounding you
and when they surround you it always
feels longer and less hopeful see God is
not against people he’s against they do
they the high things that exalt
themselves against God’s knowledge
that’s the day that he’s after and
that’s why when you’re in the midst of
the battle and you’re fighting fighting
depression and you’re fighting
inadequacy and you’re fighting guilt and
you’re fighting shame you got to open
your mouth because they are trying to
take you under they it says they
confronted me in the day of my calamity
and then in verse 19 but it says in the
day Michael a calamity it says but the
Lord was my support
and then in verse 19 it says he also
brought me out into a broad place a
broad place it’s not so tight anymore
right when they get around you man I
feel this I’m trying to stop it’s ready
when they get around you your options
seem little to none Oh God
your creativity is shut down if I’m
talking like you just just stand up and
receive it your creativity is shut down
I just want you to know is that if I’m
not don’t don’t but if but if this is
hitting you I want you to stand up and
receive change your position when they
are around you
you feel trapped you can’t hustle up on
a positive thought and even when you
hear a positive thought or a positive
word it has to fight through the prison
doors of a to get to you and by the time
you leave the environment with that
positive word was spoken to you when
that word was spoken to you
they have choked out that word again and
you are under the atmosphere of the
consciousness of they trying to say this
right I’m trying to move but this is for
somebody and in the midst of that God
says I’m gonna be your support I’m gonna
come down and I’m gonna scatter all the
Vaes in your life if you call on me and
you understand that that vein is warfare
against you
it’s warfare against you man can I just
prophesy
[Music]
see sometimes that they are too much for
you to be honest with you as it passes
in Ecclesiastes where Solomon says if
one is overpowered by another to can
withstand them and a 3/4 clue 3/4 but
what that tells me is that sometimes I
know you’re strong no you’re tough no
you don’t want to bother anybody but
sometimes you got to open your mouth and
cry out to God and sometimes you got to
cry out to somebody else I’ve got a cry
out to your therapist you got a cry out
to your pastors you got a cry out here
at the altar in prayer you’re gonna cry
out to people that love you because
sometimes if he isolates you they can
get you and while I just I’m trying to
quit
I feel like vain
have been trying to isolate you I’ve
been trying to take you to a dark place
this is what David was he felt himself
shrinking and going into this this place
and he’s like no any a caustic God if
you are I just feel this just let me
just let me do this unorthodox but if
you’re here and they they have been all
over you you get down to this altar as
fast as you can I want to pray for you
they they they have been messing with
your creativity they have been trying to
tell you that it’s not going to happen
they have been telling you your pastor
time they has been saying you’ve missed
your moment they have been saying you’re
not enough you’re not good enough you
don’t have what it takes they and see
God wants to deal with your they because
they is saying the opposite of what God
is saying about you
God is saying for I know the plans that
I have for you plans to prosper you and
not to harm you to give you a future and
a hope so the reason why God is against
your day is because your they is
exalting itself against the knowledge of
God and so God says that I got weapons
for that and if you cry out to me if you
come and you pray and you seek my face
I’m gonna scatter the phone it says it
says in the day they confronted me in
the day of my calamity but the Lord was
my support put that scripture back up
there please and then it says and he he
sent me in a broad place he brought me
God also brought me he delivered me from
they and he brought me out into a large
plane
large place in other words they keep you
limited and restricted and you can’t
even buy a good thought I feel like
there’s no way to go your options are
limited your creativity is shut down
but then when God gets finished with you
because he’s a god of warfare and when
he comes in and he begins to deal with
today so if you study that it says he
scatters the foe fill that we’re gonna
pray today and I feel like God’s gonna
put his fist down and he’s gonna scatter
every lie that has been tormenting you
every lie about who you are every lie
about your life I feel like God’s gonna
pull and they are gonna scatter who and
life is gonna come back to you again and
creativity is gonna come back to you
again and optimism is gonna come back to
you again and you’re gonna you’re gonna
find yourself again come on if you’re
here and they have been messing with you
get as close to this altar as you can it
says he also brought me out into a broad
place he delivered me because he
delighted in me watch this so my love
for you and my war over you go hand in
hand
out and I as vote is on your side yes he
is a God of love yes he will hug you yes
he will affirm you yes he will identify
with you but he will also fight for you
if you’re here and you don’t know god oh
my god if you’re here and you don’t know
God and you want to know him you know I
started off earlier today saying that
God wants to be known this means that in
order to get you to where you need to be
God will break all of the religious
rules that you’ve come to know if you do
this
then God will do this God says let me
tell you something what I will do is I
will reveal myself to you if you study
the scripture he went out of his way he
didn’t wait for people to come into
quote/unquote the institution I’m
thinking about the woman at the well he
went to her revealed himself to her made
himself known to her and that did the
trick
so if you’re here and maybe you say man
I’ve got to here say relationship with
God I my relationship with God through
my grandma through my pastor through my
my friend but I wanna I need to convert
that because I need real confidence if
you hear and you say pastor I want I
want I want to know God like for real I
wanna I want to know the voice of God I
wanna I don’t want to be guessing I
don’t want to I got all these questions
and and I need guidance and I I wanna I
wanna I want to know if that’s you I
want you to come to coz I want to pray
for you as well what we’re done we just
got to pray
confidence is when you know the
character of God look at that imagery
man David cried out he didn’t have to be
tough right I always taught me I’ll be
tough no sometimes you gotta just cry
sometimes the toughest thing you can do
is say God help the same way I run to
the other side of the house why you’re
my daughter scream and it’s a real cry
how much more well God come through for
you he’s I feel God God is waiting to
pick on what’s been bullying you he’s
waiting he can’t wait
he cannot wait angels waiting to support
you
odd no knives volt got to know that
about him he’s the Lord of heavens
armies you’re not in some little cute
little cute little kingdom you everybody
passing out flowers and lollipops and
stuff like that that’s cute whatever
that moves you fine this is the kingdom
of heaven kingdom of heaven the kingdom
of heaven you remember dad remember when
Jesus was on his way to the cross and
they were laughing at him we got you
yeah heal yourself I he’ll look you’re
not all bad tough now and Jesus said let
me just correct you for a second on cuz
you get a little beside yourself he said
don’t you know that I could summon
legions of angels right now that would
completely turn Jerusalem upside down
right now you say but I’m not
don’t get it twisted I’m only doing this
because this is part of my plan to bring
Redemption but don’t you ever think for
a second that I am NOT Who I am
I could summon lenses of angels one of
which can turn can flip this whole thing
upside down I want you to know what
you’re a part of Father I thank you so
much for your sons and daughters who are
here under the sound of my voice
many Lord hundreds have come to the
altar right now to respond to you
acknowledging that sometimes they get
the best of them but God just as David
cried out to you with his voice in
earnest he accosted you because you love
him
wera costing you right now I thank you
that something is breaking even right
now I saw it in this spirit you were
putting the gavel down and and I saw
judgment oof it was like the judges
gavel and just putting it down and I saw
justice because those negative thoughts
are injustice those thoughts that lie to
you about you those are spiritual and
justices and God is bringing the gavel
down boom says God that is a lie
says God let that brick off of her says
God let that brick off of them since God
let that break off of them by my name
and so I pray God that you would move
through every circumstance right now
every circumstance every circumstance
and break every lie every lie about self
every lie about God himself may it be
broken right now and in God there’s some
here today who say I want to know you
Lauren you asked when I asked you what
you wanted and you could have said
anything you said I want to be known if
you care about people then make me known
to them and that will be the greatest
thing you can ever do the father you
said that that how can they hear without
a preacher and therefore I preached
which means that they have heard and
faith comes by hearing so faith than you
comes by hearing so I thank you right
now in this moment in this moment a
knowing is taking place right now seal
when the hearts of the hungry right now
not here say but I say but unknowing
that it would no longer be you saying I
am or other people saying that you are
but that this knowing will be solidified
in the hearts and the minds of those
under the sound of my voice right now
what they will be able to say the Lord
is my light and my salvation whom shall
I fear the Lord is the strength of my
life of whom shall I be afraid the Lord
is my shepherd I shall not want he makes
me to lie down and greet that they will
say
out of their own mouths that the Lord is
still it now I just want you to Pete
after me Heavenly Father I thank you for
your word I receive it I thank you for
your love I embrace it thank you for
being not only a God of love but a God
of warfare you will fight for me against
everything that fights against me
I am the apple of your eye and I’m
grateful I thank you for Jesus thank you
for making him who had no sin all of
mine all of my weakness all of my
limitations you placed in his body
nailed it to the cross and put it to
death and when he was what raised free
victorious and without limits because
I’m in him I’m on my way there too I am
raised up darkness is beneath me and
glory is in front of me my past is gone
[Music]
I won’t seek it anymore my eyes are set
on the future that you have promised me
I embrace it
I believe it and I will no longer be a
slave to they anymore in Jesus name Amen
amen
can we celebrate God in this moment come
on God is doing something glorious in
this house