Service Date: 12.02.18 11AM

[Music]

let’s just read the word so we’re gonna

look at first Kings

18 from verse 41 to 45 and it reads then

Elisha said to Ahab go up eat and drink

for there is the sound of abundance of

rain so Ahab went up to eat and drink

and Elijah went up to the top of Carmel

then he bowed down on the ground and put

his face between his knees and said to

his servant go up now look toward the

sea so he went up and looked and said

there is nothing and seven times he said

go again then it came to pass the

seventh time that he said there is a

cloud as small as a man’s hand rising

out of the sea so he said go up say to

ahab prepare your chariot and go down

before the rain stops you now it

happened in the meantime

that the sky became black with clouds

and wind and there was a heavy rain so

Ahab rode away and went to Jezreel a man

family maybe see that

[Music]

amen so interesting quick story

this past Thursday for most of us if not

all of us we saw or experienced the rain

but I remember I was with two of my

friends and we were in the car and so we

were just we were having a conversation

and easily we could have just moved it

you know just walked out of the car and

walked into the apartment but we’re just

in the car we were talking and all of a

sudden we see these you know just few

drops of rain and we thought there was

nothing you know because first of all it

was just clear skies a moment ago and so

these little drops was like always you

know just drizzling and you know we

thought it was nothing because we all

had hair that is not rain friendly and

so we stayed in the car we just kept

chatting and in less than a minute it

turned into a downpour and now we’re

looking for extra clothes and handbags

and I had my makeup bag I said whoo this

thing better you know so foxy you know

we’re trying to figure out all kinds of

ways to avoid rain such as our hair but

when I’m sharing this is because it

looked like nothing was happening until

that nothing became something and what

we’re going to see in this message is

that this is often how God moves that he

would use what may look insignificant

what may look like nothing and turn it

into a downpour of blessings and turned

into a downpour of the release of the

manifestation that we have been waiting

for you see when we read the scripture

were reading about Elijah the prophet

coming to King Ahab and saying that hey

there’s gonna be rain but to backtrack

what is what what had taken place is

that in at this time Israel was you know

the king was the King Ahab and this was

a king that in the Bible it says that he

was more evil than any other King before

him in the sight of the Lord and the

reason to this is because a hab had

built a temple for this false god bow

and no long so not only that he’s

building a temple now the people of the

Israelites

worship in this false god and so he’s

using the authority that God had given

him and he’s misleading people into

worshipping a god that is not real and

so this is going on and so the Lord

tells Elijah to go meet a hub and

release a word that is gonna be drought

in the land so up until this time the

drought had existed for three and a half

years but the drop was not just because

God just felt like you know the land

should have a drought the drought was

symbolic because their spiritual states

was in the drought they had rejected the

Spirit of the Lord in worship to this

false God and so as a result of where

their spiritual state was now the Lord

manifested that which mirrored where

they were spiritually so there was a

natural drought because of where they

were spiritually oftentimes in the Bible

we see this connection of water and

spirit we see where Jesus says I believe

this is in the book of I believe it’s um

I have a someone here I believe in John

7 okay in John 7 Jesus says if anyone

thirsts let him come to me and lecture

let me even read the scripture so I

don’t give you my version it says if

anyone thirsts let him come to me and

drink he who believes in me out of his

heart will flow and not and some

translation says out of his belly will

flow rivers of living water but this he

spoke concerning the spirit and so he’s

saying that and this was so fascinating

because when Jesus was speaking this he

just like yelled it to the people and

he’s like if anyone thirsts let him come

to me and I will give him water whoever

believes in me out of his belly was flow

rivers of living water so there’s this

connection to what when God is talking

about water with the spirit in the book

of Genesis we see how it when it talks

about that the Spirit of God was

hovering over the waters

it was positioned properly because I

believe that what water is for us in the

natural is what the Spirit of God is to

our spiritual state you see without

water the human body is made

mostly of water water is what allows our

organs our tissues to function without

water we would not be like we would we

cannot live without water we can live we

even you know when you’re doing a fast

it’s easier there were not no one we

even advise you to do like a forty day

no food no water you would die you know

no but you can do a forty day no food

but with water and you’ll be you know

you might faint a little bit but you’ll

be thriving because what we need water

to function and the same way with the

Spirit of God we thought the Spirit of

God we lose the very our very makeup it

is in God that we find our identity we

are connected to his source by his

spirit we’re connected to our source by

his Spirit the Bible says that in him I

live I move and I have my being without

the Spirit of God we are lost without

the Spirit of God we cannot function

without the Spirit of God we will lose a

sense of who we really are because that

is what that is what awakens us to why

we are here it awakens us to our

identity awakens us to our truth and so

when there is a natural drought it was

actually because there was a spiritual

drought you see and often times in our

lives sometimes God would allow things

to dry up around you to actually bring

your attention to what’s happening in

your spirit because it’s you know when

things are going really well we don’t

really sometimes seek God the way that

we do when we are praying for a

breakthrough and so sometimes God will

allow your natural state to dry up

because he’s saying I want to redirect

you that you have lost your first love

you have walked away from your first

love and maybe I just need to dry some

things around you I need to shake things

around you a little bit to remind you

that you’re actually really thirsty

so remind you that you’re actually not

the best that you can be and so this is

happening but the beautiful thing is

about the love of God is so reckless

that despite what is happening God did

not look at it and say I’m

punish this people he said no I’m going

to create a situation for them to

realize what they’re really hungry for

but that’s realize what they’re really

thirsty for and so before he tells

Elijah to go and see the King Ahab he

also gave him certain instructions about

gathering the profits of these this

false god bow and so when Elijah

presents himself to the King Ahab

because this was a king that had been

looking for him and could not find him

because he recognized that the drought

started when Elijah gave him the

prophetic word that there would be a

drought in this line and it would they

will not be there would be no rain

except by my word because that was the

authority that God had given the prophet

and so when he returns to the man he

tells him he says gather all the

prophets of your of this false god of

bow and let them meet me at Mount Carmel

so they all gather up it was about 450

of them and they met him there and so

what is happening is that Elijah is

setting the stage to restore worship in

Israel he said in this stage to awaken

the people that you know what you have

been deceived your worshipping of God

because this God that were worshipping

another he was also known to be the Lord

of rain so how can you worship a God who

is supposed to be the Lord of rain and

yet there is a drought by my word that

something is not making sense here so

the Lord has it strategically he there’s

a plan to bring the people back to the

truth back to their to their first love

and so they’re on their own this mount

and Elijah says give me two bulls you

guys take one I’ll take one and let us

present them to our God and on this

place though there was an altar for the

Lord that had been destroyed so Elijah

repairs the altar so everything he’s

doing is so symbolic that he’s restoring

worship in Israel and so they repaired

him press the altar he takes his bowl he

gives them a bowl and he says simply

that the God that answers by fire is the

Living God and so he gives them their

bull he’s like okay you know we’re

calling your God and let’s see if he

would consume if fire would come down

to consume this offering and so they

have their bowl they’re crying now they

are calling to their God nothing is

happening they even start cutting

themselves nothing is happening and this

image shows you the depth of their own

deception and so they’re doing all this

things nothing is happening to the point

that Elijah starts making fun of them

he’s like you know what maybe he’s on

the journey maybe he’s asleep

you know maybe in my own terms maybe he

just wanted Cheesecake Factory and the

Cheesecake was just that good and he

forgot that y’all were here trying to

call on him so nothing is happening and

then when it gets to Elijah’s turn he

says you know what not only am I about

to pray for fire to come down but he

even tells the people pour water on this

offering and just even pour extra water

so you know that it didn’t happen

accidentally like the land is just so

dry that you know by accident this thing

just came on fire and so they pour water

with it water on it and Elijah prays in

front of them and the moment he praised

fire is released and it’s and falls on

these Bulls on the bull so when the

people saw it they recognized the Bible

tells us that they bow down and they

said the Lord is God so in this moment

Elijah dealt with the spiritual drought

of the of the nation because he had

called all the people of the nation to

come and to come and see what is about

to happen and so this was God

demonstrating his power for his people

to recognize that look you have been

deceived following this God who is

supposed to even be the lord of rain and

yet cannot even make a rain with the

song or

and so in this moment it gives Elijah

this confidence that okay you know what

what was the real root of the drought

was this was this was a spiritual issue

I’ve dealt with that now now I can go

confidently to Ahab and let him know

like hey go up eat drink because I hear

the sound of the abundance of rain

his confidence allowed him to put

himself out there it allowed him to put

himself in a vulnerable position to

share with another what he heard even

though he had not seen it you see

oftentimes when when God gives us

instructions and says hey I want you to

move to this city I want you to start

this business I want you to start this

job I want you to to serve in this house

and in the beginning everything is just

working out so you were just encouraged

and confidence is to start sharing with

people the fullness of what God has

shown you even though you have not seen

it your confidence to put yourself out

that you’re confident to know that wow

look at God like I was able to just you

know everything came together for me to

get the paperwork done and I’m able to

start this business and you’re just you

put yourself out there in confidence of

what happened but you see what is

interesting is that even though Elijah

was confident to know that okay god I

just handled this this this matter in

the spirit so we’re good

the Bible does not tell us that Elijah

tells the King and then he sits down and

waits for God to do what he’s supposed

to do the Bible tells us that Elijah

tells the King and he goes back to the

place where God demonstrated his glory

and he praised therefore what God has

said to him that he did not find comfort

in just okay God you said something the

the last I was obedience just a few

minutes ago so that should handle

everything else that should just open

the door for me and we’re good to go

but you see Elijah was not trusting in

his works he put his trust in the Spirit

of God you see sometimes family

we put our trust in our last obedience

act that God you said you know you told

me to move to Los Angeles so I did and

so because I did tomorrow I should be

giving my Oscar speech and tomorrow I

went for an audition and I failed I

don’t understand how this is working out

what I’m saying family is rather than

Elijah looking at his last obedient act

to measure to be the sole thing that

measures his expectation he he looked at

it and used it to mark a spot of God’s

faithfulness and so rather than stopping

there he pressed in there he did not

look at it and say you know this should

be a that should be fine God you told me

to start that you know start this

business and everything came together to

start the business but the reality is

that God can tell you to start the

business and then you you you the

business put you in depth so do you look

at it and say but God

I was just obedient to you and you

provided a way we should be you know

rolling to Forbes I should see myself on

the cover and about a month by now

because you are all powerful nothing is

impossible for you but then a month

later and you don’t know if you should

lie on your taxes or not but please

don’t because the IRS could be watching

okay okay but what I’m trying to say

family is that oftentimes we do this we

look at our last obedient act as a

measure as the fullness of how we

measure what God is supposed to do and

the danger with this is that when it

doesn’t happen the way that we expect

because God I was just obedient to you

God I just we I mean we just killed the

prophets of Baal we just showed your

glory

the drops should be over because the

spiritual the problem was from a

spiritual place and I’ve dealt with that

and so the natural droughts it should

just be a breeze the more

but I just even before my words end the

rain should just begin but that’s not

that’s not the reality of how life

happens though and I believe that Elijah

understood that so rather than going up

with the King Ahab and eating and

drinking and laughing and say wow just

watch it right there that’s why it’s

about to start he went back to the place

that he saw the faithfulness of God and

he press he used that suppressant he

used that to say that God you see there

was a confidence that Elijah had there

was a confidence because the scripture

tells us that even when he’s on the

mountain and he’s praying he tells his

servants go now and check and look at

the clouds go now there was a sense of

urgency that tells us that Elijah had a

confident expectation that was gonna

happen now

but even though he had a confident

expectation that this could happen right

now the Bible tells us that when the

servant comes back and says there’s

nothing that Elijah stayed in his

position he did not even go out to check

himself he stayed he was steadfast where

he said no I’m gonna I’m gonna remain in

the place that I saw the faithfulness of

God and I’m gonna keep telling you go

back go back check again check again

check again and what is happening here

family is that Elijah is confident

enough to know that this could happen at

any time now but he is also trusting

enough to know that not my time in Lord

but yours he’s trusting God enough to

know that if this doesn’t happen in my

time enough now because the beautiful

thing about now is that now it’s always

now now that I said now it’s not now

when I say now again because and so he

has this confidence to know that it

could always happen

now but he’s also trusting enough to

know that not my timing but yours not my

will but yours but because I don’t see

what I expect it does not mean I

quit you see when Eli just stays in his

position because I would think that

maybe you know because what maybe when

the the servant came back he would have

said you know we look by faith not by

sight let me go check so I can show you

you need to give me a good reports

because you’re telling me nothing but I

believe there’s something Elijah just

stayed in his position and that posture

of waiting sometimes we always have this

question what does it mean to wait on

God waiting it’s not inactivity waiting

does not mean that you just wake up you

know and you just you know relax in your

house and Netflix and chill and say god

I’m just waiting on you I’m just just

waiting on you to bring the breakthrough

waiting is actually it’s a posture of

faith waiting is a posture of trust

waiting waiting says that God despite

the circumstances I choose to be

consistent that despite what comes

against me I choose to stay steadfast

now yes you may have called me to this

job and I believe when you said that

this is a place that you would do some

mighty things you know through my career

but then what happens when it just looks

like I’m always on the edge what happens

when they feels like they’re always

about to fire me but guess what they

haven’t fired you so sometimes we get

busted because we’re like I’m just about

to quit before they fire me

but they haven’t fired you so even

though there are rumors going around

that or maybe your boss just doesn’t

like you but you’re still there so it’s

the ability to not give in to the the

character of people when people want to

start getting hateful or spiteful but

it’s the same Lord I’m gonna stay

consistent I’m not gonna allow my faith

to be shaken yes you called me to this

city and I know that when you called me

there was do you impressed on my heart

who you say I am and I’ve since I’ve

been here it seems like I’m even farther

away than even when I was back home and

it seems like there’s so much

questioning about what am I doing here

and age just you know time just keep

ticking but the Lord is saying when I

release when I allowed you to hear

something

you see the Bible tells us that what we

see

it’s created by that which was not seen

and so the enemy will try to make you

what will try to turn your insides we’ll

try that how do I even put this he would

try to make your insides mirror what you

see but the truth is what you hear is

what creates what you see and so your

ability because when God releases a word

to you

you see even Elijah’s ability to be

patient you see sometimes family we get

frustrated with God because we’re like

God you gave me a word and it’s been

months or years and that word has not

manifested but you see family for that

very reason God gave you a word because

patience has to be converted in

something your ability to be patient

means that there’s something to be

patient for if not God would just not

tell you and so he’s telling you because

he’s saying no I am about to do this in

your life and so the word should be your

anchor to know that

just stay be steadfast because I am

doing something in the midst of it

Elijah had the ability to be steadfast

because he did not look at his last

obedience as the launching pad for total

victory he was not trusting because that

is when we trust in our works he was

trusting in God he said God I’m gonna

wait on you I’m gonna stay steadfast I’m

not gonna easily just quit because I saw

nothing but we also have to be realistic

because I am sure that every time Elijah

tells his servant go check again he put

himself in a vulnerable position you see

this is a prophet

you know prophet shouldn’t you know what

time this thing should start I mean

because as a prophet that the very

nature of being a prophet is that you’re

hearing from God but you see the Bible

says Jesus said that times and seasons

belong to God times and Caesars does not

belong to us God will give us a word by

the time and the season of when it

to manifest it belongs to him and so

Elijah could have felt that how you know

am I making myself look inadequate to my

servant he could have felt like how

would my servant perceive me if every

time I’m telling him to check he’s like

there’s nothing and I’m sure the servant

felt a kind of way because even when the

servant saw something he said you know

something just showed up but it’s as

small as a man’s hand it could have been

as big as a man’s hand but his

perception is like dude there’s nothing

and even there’s something it’s I don’t

even know if it’s anything so each time

he put himself out there he made himself

vulnerable to the process he made

himself vulnerable you see when God

calls us to do things it seems difficult

to make ourselves vulnerable to

rejection time and time again it seems

difficult to make ourselves vulnerable

to not knowing God that this is gonna

work out to make us all vulnerable to

the uncertainties of life but it is the

Word of God that ought to be our anchor

you see because Elijah has solved the

drought in the land but anytime we face

a circumstance it is a time that we also

have we are also challenged because

anytime we face a circumstance that is

reoccurring that’s when the enemy starts

trying to create a narrative to us to

say maybe this is not gonna work out and

if we give in to that it creates a

drought within us because if any if we

ever make a decision from the place of

our pain from the place of our of our

hurts from the place of disappointment

in that moment we are shutting off the

Spirit of God because we’re saying that

God I know you said something but I’m

choosing this voice instead I’m choosing

the voice of my pain I’m choosing the

voice of my disappointment I’m choosing

the voice of my hurts and that now

starts to dry up any at the words that

God has given you you see the problem

with this is that in the Bible Jesus

tells us that unclean spirits evil

spirits that they find

rest in dry places Jesus was explained

you know he was talking about when an

unclean spirit comes out of a man he

says it goes looking it goes to the dry

places looking for rest he released a

mystery that a dry place is what

attracts the enemy it gives the enemy

legal rights to influence you it gives

the enemy because he said he’s looking

that he the place that he finds rest is

in a dry place because a dry place is

where you have shut off yourself from

the Spirit of God now many of us can say

that’s not true we’re in the house of

God we just worship we lifted up our

hands we know we almost did the hula

hoop but I’m sorry yeah my I’ll be

cracking myself up in my head but the

thing with the thing with our

relationship with the Spirit of God is

salvation when we give our lives to

Jesus it doesn’t mean that tomorrow we

enter perfection like wow you know today

someone is in the house of God and maybe

you have an addiction you’re struggling

with you come down to the altar you say

oh god I want to open my life to you and

in that moment you’re like this is about

to be on fire and then the next day you

find yourself still struggling with the

same the same problem it can be

different sometimes God can just break

it enough right there but what I’m

trying to explain is that relationship

with God your salvation is an invitation

it says God come into my house but come

into my house is not an immediate

invitation into every room in my house

and so the Spirit of God comes within us

in seed form but in order for him to

have access to all of us we have to open

those doors you see there’s a scripture

in the Bible that says that make that

your whole spirit should be blameless

before God and always found that

fascinating your whole spirit I’m like I

thought the moment we did this you

entered my whole life but when it says

make your whole spirit blameless before

the Lord

if you have to invite God into every

room because when someone comes into

your house the moment they step into

your house you know how sometimes we

have those closets that were just like

never ever would you see this closet

amen but the finish that unless we

invite people in because this is the

reason why we can be weak at our

convictions can be completely different

that someone could feel like man God was

speaking to me about this area of my

life and I need to change it another

person is like now you know I’m cool you

know I don’t think Jesus has a problem

of me doing that and we think that

because we don’t feel convicted because

we don’t feel this pulled by the spirit

that you know what we are actually all

right but the truth is you cannot be

convicted in the place that you have not

opened the door for God to step in and

this is why Jesus would say repent

repent means renew your mind and so in

order for even conviction to even start

there has to be an exchange of

information that you have and this is

why it is important to come in the house

of God is important to hear the word it

is important to meditate on the

scripture because you’re saying God I

want to know what you think about what

I’m doing I want to know your thoughts

about my way of life because you see

sometimes we can be doing something and

we have no convictions at all and it’s

not because the Spirit of God is pleased

oh that is just the contrary because if

you do not invite him in you will not

feel what he’s saying because if someone

is in your house if they’ve never seen

the room that’s messy they cannot tell

you how to organize it and so you cannot

assume you cannot assume because God did

not talk to you about that area it means

that he’s fine with it

the truth is have you opened yourself to

be to question if you are wrong about

what you’re doing because if you’ve

never questioned yourself you would

never even imagine that maybe God is not

actually even for this and this is why

so that it could be very deceptive

because there are other areas in your

life that you’re open to God about and

you guys are having conversations

and you’re chatting and you’re laughing

and you think because of that every

other thing is fine but you have to

allow him to enter every room and that

is why you can have a room of 10

believers and all of us walk our walk is

completely different

what convict me may not convict you what

what what you think is okay maybe just

you know wrong to me but that’s because

what areas have I opened to God and what

areas have you opened to God it doesn’t

mean that I don’t have a relationship

with him it just means that yes he’s in

my house but how many rooms does he

occupy and so what is happening here

family is that when we are confronted

with with circumstances and trials the

enemy wants to bring you to a dry place

and this is when all of a sudden you

lose the the very thing you had fire for

you lose it you came out here for one

reason now you’re doing something

completely different because you lose

the fire that God gave you the books

that you wanted to write maybe you

started with a few pages and then you

shelved it because so much was happening

in your life the script that you were

working on then you just put it in the

back burner and and this is the crazy

thing because whatever it looks like

maybe there was a program that you

wanted to get into and at the moment

things were difficult and so all of a

sudden it’s not even in your it’s not

even in your thought process and then

this is what we say to cover it up and

we’re just like you know what I just

have peace about where things are right

now I’m okay with how things are but

where is that peace coming from and is

it really peace because if it is a dry

place first of all the peace is not

coming from the Spirit of God your

conviction is actually coming from the

enemy so your what is influencing you in

that area to just say I don’t think I

want to sing anymore I don’t think I

really want to pursue this like I used

to you know I just think that you know

God is just having me expand you know my

talents and let me learn how to dance

you know maybe whatever it is we start

finding excuses and we believe

and we’re not even challenged to

question what we believe because we have

this thing that we call peace and what

we call peace might actually be numbness

that we are so numb that we say it is oh

I just feel peace about that like the

peace of the Lord is just whoo all over

my spirit and family this is the way

because the question is how do we trace

how do we how do I identify what is

really the peace from God and what is

false peace because this is where you

have to trace your steps

this is why it’s important to sit and

and even meditate about your day and

meditate about your decisions with God

because if what influenced the decision

to stop was your pain and you have to be

honest with yourself you have to be

honest because sometimes you know for me

I remember isalways think I’m like God

how is it you know when you talk so much

about humility because I was like

humility is not something that can be

worn you know because someone can act

humble but if they don’t think humble

God does not look at what you do he

looks at your intentions and it’s always

wanted I’m like God so humility what

does that really stem from and one thing

that he showed me is that one of the

keys to humility is self-awareness when

you are fully aware of who you really

are

are you gonna be humble you’re gonna sit

down you would recognize oh Jesus I need

you when you’re fully aware of like oh

you know I’m a little messed up and I

don’t understand how you use me the way

you do you come to a posture of like God

I need you and so we have to be

self-aware and that’s why life and life

always wants us to be caught up with

what another person is doing anytime you

get in a fight with somebody you want to

focus on what they did never what you

did you you don’t even want to talk to

your friends about what you did the

first conversation is can you imagine

this you know this person

[Laughter]

we have been custom that when an issue

is at hand we don’t even look at

ourselves we don’t look at the role that

we played

I remember one thing that the Lord

taught me someone had someone said

someone lied to me about something and I

was actually irritated about it I was

like why would they lie though like that

that was just so dumb why would you lie

about that and I can’t I was talking to

God I’m like you know I don’t know if I

could really trust this person because

they just lied about something that was

just so dumb to me and he said to me he

said you’re looking at it one way

because for someone to lie to you

means that they are afraid to tell you

the truth it means that they may not

trust you with the truth they may not

trust how you would respond to the truth

and so what is your relationship really

like with that person do you guys really

understand each other are you guys

really who you say you are to each other

and so we can look at it one way and say

this person just oh my gosh

that’s horrible and then the Lord says

no no because the alternative to line it

will be easy to just say the truth but

why did they have to lie though why

unless they have a line probably that’s

a different ballgame you know like if

you’re just having issues I mean that’s

a whole different thing but in the

situation where it doesn’t even make

sense where it will be easier for you to

tell me the truth then I also have to

examine what is our relationship really

like what why is it that you may not

feel okay to just tell me like it is so

I’m saying this is because family we

have to be self-aware what what role

have I played in this what am i doing in

this because in our self-awareness we

can come before the Lord and say Lord

you know what maybe I maybe this this

disel does look like a struggle this

does look I don’t know like this is hard

for me

you see Elijah there’s a story about

Elijah and this is after this passage

and some of you may know the story about

after Elijah brings fire after he does

all these amazing things and there’s a

woman that he’s

he was so afraid of and he runs away and

he goes to God and he’s like God kill me

because you know I’ve done this for you

and I’ve done that for you and so often

we look at that story like Elijah was

weak and Elijah like Elijah like how

could you be scared about this woman

after you just brought fire down but

that was not Elijah quitting that was

because if he really wanted to die I

mean that he could think of the best he

could have done something stupid you

know but it was Elijah seeking

understanding it was an extreme way but

he was trying to seek understanding he

was frustrated but he brought his

frustration to God he was running to God

he was not running away from him because

if he was running away from him he would

have just ignored him the whole time he

would not tell the person he’s running

from take my life he was seeking some

kind of insight but the enemy wants you

to have a narrative that says just quit

it’s not gonna work out because a dry

place would attract him into it it would

give him Authority in your life in that

area while you are oblivious to what is

really going on you see the Lord when

when the Lord was speaking to me about

this message what he showed me is that

we have to trace our steps what what

what what what motivated our decisions

when we decided to stop what motivated

our decisions when we said no more what

motivated our decisions when we said God

I just want to do something else was it

the Spirit of God because the Spirit of

God will come with insights the Spirit

of God will come with understanding will

come with wisdom but if it was from your

pain if it was from your hurts yes it is

your heart may be valuable to you and

and it is valuable to God too but you

have to recognize the God that you are

serving and the God who who your life is

surrendered to because you’re talking

about a Jesus who while he was on the

cross was dying for the people who put

him there

and so yes God understands your pain but

he made an example for you to know that

even in the midst of your pain you can

make a decision

you can make a decision that speaks to

what I told you that echoes what I said

that what I said should create your

reality not your reality creating or

changing the voice that you are led by

and so this is happening family both the

beautiful thing in this scripture is

that we see that every time he’ll I just

said go again he overcame that voice

that would have said just stop it’s

never gonna happen just quit right here

family what is it what passions have you

lost what has burned out what are the

things you have shelved because you just

feel like this is never gonna happen for

me we have to be confident in knowing

that God can always do it now but even

in the midst of our confidence we have

to be surrendered enough to trust his

timing that even though it may not

happen now God you’re working this out

for my good that even though it doesn’t

happen now maybe now my mind now then

could have not been could have not had

the greatest impact if it happens in

your timing so there is a balance

there’s a balance of confidence and

there’s a balance of trust there’s a

balance that every time I wake up I know

that today is a day for miracles to

happen but even if the miracle I may be

expecting doesn’t happen there would be

another today and that today would be

the day for miracles to happen there is

a confidence in knowing that God you did

the very fact that I’m breathing tells

me that I have endless nails and now

will always be your time I just don’t

know which now it is and so we have to

bring ourselves to that place of

confidence and surrender I’m confident

in what she said Lord you see Elijah

does this seven times and on the seventh

time then all of a sudden something

appears you see God also there’s a lot

of you know there’s a play of numbers

all the time and God speaks through a

number

and so seven seven seven represents

perfection but this is not like a

formula to say that when you pray seven

times then boom this is gonna happen

seven I hear no I mean sometimes God

could lead you to do a seven-day fast or

whatever but it is not like a formula

that God you know I just need something

to happen and someone go there seven

times and I’m cool with that you know

people say no to me but the seven times

Wow something’s about to go down no you

know if God leaves you that that’s great

but what I’m trying to explain family

that it’s not like a formula that cuz

that will make it religious like you

know what just one two three four you

know and no that would that would make

it a religious activity with God you’re

always led by the Spirit of God and so

it is it represents more of a season

that this is a season of perfecting this

is a season of being perfected that God

was perfecting his trust and a lie

Elijah’s ability to trust what he heard

that you would know that because every

the most of the very fact that you

stayed there and you did not move said

that you what you heard is more of a

reality to you than what you’re seeing

that even though all I see around me is

dry ground but I am not allowing what I

see to change what I heard and so

sometimes God needs to establish you in

the word because we’re even the more you

go forward there are things that would

challenge you that would challenge that

word but when you are established in it

knowing that God no weapon formed

against me shall prosper and so yes

things may come against me but I heard

something I heard you say something and

I’m not going to allow the lies of the

enemy to change what I heard I’m not

gonna submit to a different voice

because they’re voices that want to tell

us all kinds of stories fear has a voice

disappointment has a voice pain has a

voice because it’s the thing that tells

you what to do when you’re hurt that’s

that’s the voice that is speaking but

faith also has a voice because faith is

what God said to you and if the reminder

of know there was something that was

thing that God told me and that should

be what leads my life you see family the

scripture then tells us that then it

came to pass the seventh time that he

said there is a cloud as small as a

man’s hand you see it went from there

being nothing to something that also

seems like nothing

it went from there’s nothing but now

what is showing up seems insignificant

what is showing that seems like it can’t

really do much but Elijah he did not say

okay let me pray again some more and

wait for it the whole place to be dark

he said with this insignificant thing

tell the king to prepare with this thing

that looks like it could be also nothing

tell the king to prepare Elijah paid

attention to a sign from God he said I

don’t need the whole cloud to be dark I

just need a sign from God I just need a

reminder from God that maybe now is

actually now that may be mine now is

your now I just need God to give me a

sign you see family what the Lord showed

me in this word is that there are going

to be signs that are released to you and

these signs will seem insignificant it

would seem like I mean God if you know

what I’m already a little frustrated if

you want to show up please you know make

it make it epic

but it’s going to be something that

looks for some of you is gonna be you’re

gonna hear God through your friends that

someone is just gonna remind you someone

random and say hey what about that book

you are working on hey didn’t you what

was that scripture working on manchild

that stuff was funny you should do

something with it

it would be random someone will send you

a link for something you will see

billboards with the names of things that

God has spoken to you about it would be

random and significant what looks like

an insignificant sign because we’re

waiting for God to just you know release

like God if you want me

do this thing I need about $10,000 right

about now and God would give you the

tide of it as a sign and say just start

just start that’s all you need to do and

family what I want my prayer with this

word is that we would take time to sit

with God because for some of us there

are already signs that have been

released for some of us but we have been

pushing it in the in the in the back of

our minds but by the Spirit of God he is

going to bring to your memory because it

would seem so random the next movie idea

will come up from the mouth of a

stranger

the next thing you’ve been wondering God

I’ve been trying to write and I just

can’t figure it out and someone will

just say something so random to you like

hey what do you think you I think you

should work on this someone will give

you such a random idea you know what I

think you should have you ever thought

about this business before have you ever

thought about flying to this place

before it would be the most random

things that seem insignificant but God

is going to use them to release a

downpour of his blessings on your life

and so we have to be sensitive in this

times you see during the end of the year

especially when we come into December

our focus is already on 2019

vision board for 2019 goals for 2019

Lord you know what I’m just gonna close

this year if it was great it was who I’m

comfortable in it if it was bad let’s

just wash it away for 2019

but these are the times where God is

also God never stops releasing his

creativity and so we should not get so

comfortable in the routines of life and

just say oh you know what when I’m home

by Christmas time comes I’m just

chilling with my family Christmas you

could be with your family under a tree

however you do and someone says

something random and you need to catch

it it’s not just a time where you where

you should just you know disconnect from

the reality of your identity but it’s a

time where you have to be sensitive and

pay attention to the

signs around you one of the things that

people bring up that remind you of

things that God once said to you that

you dropped because God is saying and

this time pick it back up pick it back

up because if you pick it up I will show

you my power with that very thing and so

family this is the question I have for

you because when when Elijah tells the

servant to tell a how to prepare it said

now it happened in the meantime it was

almost as if God was waiting for Elijah

so if he was waiting for Elijah to

recognize that this sign is what you

have been waiting for all along that the

moment he released the word tell him to

prepare while he’s speaking now the

clouds are really forming that maybe God

is waiting for your preparation that he

has released a sign and it could seem

insignificant but if you take that and

you run with it that all of a sudden it

would be an outpour you would be so

confused not even confused in a bad way

but like God am I dreaming like how is

all this favor coming to me but the

favor came in the place of preparation

that God may even do it didn’t make

sense because I started a business that

was costing me more than it was actually

feeding me but I’m not going to quit and

every idea that you put in my head Lord

I’m gonna run with it I’m gonna prepare

like I know what she said about where

I’m going and in the midst of that

preparation because family you see the

first step is always great and that’s

why in the beginning of the year you

have when you when you compare the

beginning and the end of the year so how

many people became entrepreneurs it goes

by maybe more than half in the beginning

everybody wants to start something but

at the end it’s like

[Music]

you know I might just go to the fish

market or something but but when I’m

saying family that it’s always easy to

start but we serve a God who says that

he is the beginning and the end his

glory is not when you start a thing the

glory goes to him when you finish a

thing and so yes there are things that

we’re gonna start it’s very easy that’s

why Elijah doing the spiritual the the

spiritual battle he was starting

something but can you see it through and

that is where we are tested yes you

started something yes you came to Los

Angeles yes you started the business yes

you you you started the job yes you

started going for auditions but can you

see it through because then seeing it

tour is where God shows up yes you said

yes but would your yes be would you

would you be faithful with your yes

would you be faithful to what you said

you would also do because God you know

one thing that learnt about God is that

when God gives a word all I’m doing is

looking for the finish line I’m not

starting something because he’s already

laid the path for me I’m only looking

like a guy where where’s the

manifestation so I’m not gonna quit even

if I make a wrong turn I should just

make a u-turn

even if someone here rejected me no that

does not stop me because God when you

gave a word you already have the end

creative and I just have to be faithful

family stand with me thank you Jesus

thank you Jesus thank you Jesus

thank you lord

as I prayed concerning this war there

were a few things that the Lord spoke

that he would do as a sign even unto you

and so there are some of you here and as

this word was was was being spoken it

literally felt like your hearts wildfire

it felt like something deep down in you

was burning if that is you I want you to

come down here thank you lord

[Applause]

thank you Jesus

thank you Jesus

some of you as the word was going on the

Holy Spirit brought to your memory

the things that you have dropped he

brought to your memory that these were

decisions that were not made from the

place of wisdom these were decisions

that were made from the place of your

pain he brought to your memory signs

that already that God has already sent

to you that you may have ignored if that

is you I want you to come down to this

altar

thank you lord thank you lord have your

way God

[Music]

have your wig

you see family the reason I’m calling

you down to the assaulter is because

your step you your ability to even step

out should remind you that no God even

if because for some that that burn in

your hearts you may not even know what

the thing is yet but it gives you the

ability to know that there’s something

you need to search out that God there is

something because what he showed me was

that this this burned that he’s gonna

literally because what he’s doing is

starting back afire rekindling your

passion and so you might not even know

God what exactly like why am I feeling

this way but it’s for you to search it

out the Bible said that it is the glory

of kings to search out the matter and

it’s to the glory of God to conceal it

and it’s not that God wants to hide

something from you but he wants you to

be his friend he wants you to come

before him and search something with him

and that is what puts you in the

category of a king because his friends

are given authority the things that God

brought to your memory that you dropped

because you are hurt because you were

disappointed family pick it up because

you don’t know when you’re now with

matric gods now and so pick it up

because literally there is that there

are resources assigned

and so if you drop it you would not even

recognize it or it would not recognize

you and so pick it up it’s okay to make

yourself vulnerable against a rejection

it’s okay because it’s not really

rejection we just call it rejection what

we’re trying to do because you see

family alignments does not mean that

when we say that we’re coming into

alignment it doesn’t mean that we you

know ooh

this spot right here is alignment it

means that we’re trying to search the

spot Lord is it like are we are we good

is he here it’s just have you ever tried

to be framed for something like when

they are trying to you know take a

picture of you and you’re liking the

move to the left move to the right my

great friend Anthony when I’m taking

pictures in these I just move shift a

little bit I’m like right there okay

just make step I said this is like two

steps but when we’re trying to find

alignment it’s it’s but it’s something

that we’re like okay god is this the

right spot and so when you say something

is rejection it’s not it’s just Lord I’m

just trying to find where are we going I

may not know because you see the Bible

says times and seasons belong to God and

sometimes he may choose to reveal it and

sometimes he may not and that’s why even

the Prophet did not know at what points

would we see something he had a word

from God but he did not know it would

have been it could have been the seventh

it could have been the fourth year time

he had no clue all he knew was that

because God I trust you I will be

steadfast because everything went when

ever the my servant says no it doesn’t

mean that you disappointed me it means

I’m just trying to search where you’re

now is and while I’m searching I will be

faithful because yes I may have thought

that last year starting things should

that happen from my life and it didn’t

but what if this year is the year that

it will make the most impact

so yes Lord maybe my expectation was not

met but I’m just let me search for where

where we meet Lord where is our meeting

point where is the place that we come in

agreement where is the place that this

is a spot that heaven says now and so

while I’m trying to figure that out Lord

I want to be steadfast pick it back up

what God said to you pick it back up

disappointment and frustration that is

the it is how the enemy was himself into

your life because when he sees a dry

place they say oh we can find rest there

and so another for him to have access he

needs a drought in you and so we may

think that God I’m disappointed and I’m

hurt and the enemy’s like yes yes yes

give up and we and yes God understands

what we have to remember the Jesus that

we serve because he was hurt too but he

still made a decision for the people

that hurt him and so we should still

decide to keep moving forward and be

willing to renew our minds be willing to

invite God that may be the way I even

perceive what his pain is not pain maybe

my perception of disappointment is

actually not disappointment so we have

to start asking ourself challenging

questions you see many of us who are

raised in it raised almost thinking that

we cannot question we cannot ask

questions together we it’s it’s just the

way the person said it no acts questions

because that is how you learn that is

how you grow ask questions God it is

this really why would you cry why did

this happen but don’t ask questions from

a place of having of concluding an

answer in your mind because you will

never hear what God has to say be open

God I know this happened and it hurt me

but can you explain to me why

ask questions trust in the person you’re

asking because if you ask questions that

you don’t trust who you’re asking that

you’re gonna conclude in your own

opinion God is moving God is moving and

the greatest moves of God’s family is

gonna come through what is insignificant

what seems insignificant the first

service he showed me something that and

I was like wow because all along when I

was when I was studying this word with

him I was seeing how he was gonna reveal

things to you that may seem

insignificant he was gonna use that

greatly but in addition to that he

showed me that there are also people

that seemed like the one that is

insignificant that seemed like the one

that has been abandoned and forgotten

because everything they’ve done in their

family they’ve been rejected in their

environments they’ve been rejected and

God says you see the Bible says that the

stone the builders rejected became the

cornerstone it became the thing that so

family if you are in this house and you

feel like that one you’re not even

thinking about an idea you feel like you

are the one that seems insignificant I

want you to come down to this altar

because God is gonna do things in your

life that you would have never thought

possible because where we think that the

measure at which God could use us is how

we look at other people and so we’re

looking at people with their resources

and everything that they have and we

think that okay this is how you become

influential but God is the one who all

authority belongs to he can raise you up

at any time he said to David I took you

from being a shepherd boy to be king

over my people he did not say your

resources took you he did not say your

relationships took you he said I took

you and this is a word that I believe is

for a lot of us in this house that God

will take you himself to where he

promised you that you will go

and so if you feel like you’re in this

house and you feel like you’re the one

who just thinks that it can never happen

for me I feel like the insignificant one

come down to this altar because God is

about to show himself in ways that the

earth has never seen and it’s going to

come through that which seems

insignificant

it will come through that which people

have said now can anything good come out

from Nazareth can anything good but the

Lord is gonna do some great and mighty

things in your lives family let us pray

Lord God we thank you for meeting us in

this house we thank you for your word

that has brought transformation we thank

you for your word that has renewed our

minds we thank you for the word that has

brought activation that the very things

that we thought that no I can’t it’s not

me I’m not the one for the job you’ve

reminded us Lord that all we need is you

by our side we thank you Jesus for the

work that you’re doing at this altar I

thank you Lord because you you showed me

that you will cause a burning in the

hearts of your people to remind them

of where their fire was once put out

and you will ignite their passion back

many will come back to their first love

which is you many will pick up the

things that they dropped because they

move their decisions were motivated by

disappointment but there were no Lord

God our expectation not being met does

not mean you disappointed us it means

that we’re trying to find where you are

at Lord I declare that this is a house

of people that would be confident while

being surrendered they will be confident

to know that Lord anytime now you can

move while being surrendered to no God

we’re gonna trust in your timing and so

father I thank you that the stench of

their past is removed that the stench of

failure and disappointment and

heartbreak is removed and Lord they will

see you clearly they will know that you

are for them they would know Lord God

and I thank you Jesus that your people

will be sensitive to the signs that you

would heighten their discernment to know

when you were speaking to know that

while when that person said that

actually it was not them speaking the

Lord was speaking to me the Lord was

reminding me where is that project what

happened to your ambitions to go back to

school what happened to completing that

program what have you done with that we

thank you Lord that you are having your

way in this house in the hearts of your

people in the minds of your people Lord

Jesus and that you are gonna manifest

your word thank you Lord we thank you

that even some of us

we we thank you Lord that even some of

us in this house thank you see here some

of us in this house that we have given

up on people and you’re showing us even

now we’ve given up on people we’ve given

up on people who have given up on

certain people that you have actually

called to be a major part of our lives

but we are looking we’re not seeing them

properly and so we cannot even invest in

them properly we have given up on people

because of their mistakes but lord I

pray that even as we spend time with you

as we spend time with you Lord you would

give us the wisdom to know how to move

in our relationships you will give us

the wisdom Lord thank you Jesus you will

give us the wisdom Lord to know how to

identify our relationships

because I’m reminded even now about how

Jesus picked his disciples it looked

like people that were insignificant and

some of us have been praying for God to

help us build our team and he’s showing

me now that your team has always been in

front of you you just have not seen them

and so Lord I agree in this house that

you would open our eyes you would open

the eyes of our understanding then Lord

we will see like YouTube we would move

like you to give us your eyes Lord Jesus

that we will not overlook the very

blessing that we have been praying for

thank you Jesus

have your way Lord have your way still

this word in our hearts and in our minds

Lord God we thank you that this moment

doesn’t end here this moment is a

starting point this is a starting point

of us going back to say Lord

I’m gonna be committed again and this

commitment I’m not gonna waver because

the Lord was in his faithfulness he will

always pursue you this word is pursuing

you this word was sent as water to dry

places because this word has opened you

up for the spirit to be invited in

and so Holy Spirit as your people are

opening rooms that have been shut to you

I thank you that you would give them

wisdom and understanding about how to

move forward thank you Lord in Jesus

name Amen

[Applause]

[Music]