“The Most Important Thing” – Stephanie Ike
Service Date: 12.22.19 11:15AM
[Music]
[Applause]
[Music]
let’s just go into the word of god and
before we do that can we just take a
moment to honor our senior pastors
pastor – ray and pastor Sarah Jaques
Roberts Amen family we’re gonna be
reading from the book of Job if you have
encountered God for a period of time now
maybe that’s the book that you avoid if
you haven’t and that’s the book you look
for you read when you’re looking for
employment funny story
before we read the script everything
you’re standing we stand together okay
but funny story I had a friend of mine
when I met him he was Muslim at the time
and then he eventually gave his life to
Christ and they’re so hilarious he
shared with me one day and he was like
you know what he wanted he was looking
for he was praying to God to give him
the right job and he took his Bible and
he opened it and they fell into job and
that day he got a call for employment he
said oh I can’t wait to read this story
I said you might be surprised that it’s
not about employment but let us read
we’re gonna start from verse 1 ohm and
all the planes – OH – we’re back in my
mind um we’re gonna start from first 1
to 12 and it says there was a man in the
land of us whose name was Joe and that
man was blameless
he was morally upright he was a man of
integrity so he was blameless and
upright and one who feared God and
shunned evil and seven sons and three
daughters were born to him also his
possessions were seven thousand sheep
three thousand camels five hundred yoke
of oxen five hundred female donkeys
basically he was wealthy
and a very large household so that this
man was the greatest of all the people
of the East now that is very important
to take note of he was the greatest of
all the people of his region and his
sons would go and feast in their houses
each one on his appointed day and that
is believed to be perhaps their
birthdays and we’ll send an invite and
there are three sisters to eat and drink
with them so it was when the days of
feasting had run their course that job
was sent and sanctify them and he would
rise early in the morning and offer
burnt offerings according to the number
of them all for job said it might be
that my sons have sinned and cursed God
in their hearts
thus job did regularly so when he says
that they have cursed God is not that
they use profanity but that perhaps in
their hearts they turned their back from
God that in their enjoyment and there
are partying and you know just being lit
and whatnot that they felt like you know
what we don’t need God and so in jokes
panic on his fear that maybe in their
heart day they turned away from God I
want to offer a burnt burnt offering and
a burnt offering symbolized that which
would reconcile relationship with God in
the olden days now there was a day when
the sons of God came to present
themselves before the Lord and Satan
also came among them and the Lord said
to Satan from where do you come so Satan
answered the Lord and said from going to
and fro on the earth and from walking
back and forth on it then the Lord said
to Satan have you considered my servant
job that there is none like him on the
earth
a blameless and upright man one who
fears God and shuns evil so Satan
answered the Lord and said does job fear
God for nothing have you not made a
hedge around him have you not protected
him
have you not protected his household and
around all that he has on every side to
signal of that word every side that
Satan was aware that there was no way he
could penetrate job’s life oh this is so
good to me you have blessed the work of
his hands and his possessions have
increased in the land but now stretch
out your hand and such all that he has
and he will surely curse you to your
face he will surely turn his back on you
and the Lord said to Satan behold all
that he has is in your power only do not
lay a hand on his person
so Satan went out from the presence of
the Lord
family you may be seated Amen you see
when we read about the story of Joe for
anyone who’s familiar with the story it
always brings about this question of God
why would you nominate him to be
punished why would you offer him up for
to suffer why would you you know people
are trying to be nominated for Forbes 30
under 30 40 under 40 you know some God
elevate me to that nomination okay don’t
nominate me to the devil don’t tell me
that you know wow I just love you so
much that I told the devil to check you
out and I gave him permission over your
life that’s how much I love you it’s
always it’s very it’s confusing it’s
like God why would you do that why would
you have this conversation with Satan
and offer me up to him what is the point
because based on just their conversation
it would seem like the point was for
Satan to know that
job is a man who were not turned his
back in God but why do we need to prove
that to him if I’m already walking with
you God why do I need to prove a point
to the enemy if you’re covering me why
does he need to feel like oh if you take
down your protection over my life that
why does he need that information why
but you see the amazing thing is that
when oftentimes when we see when you see
a conversation between God and man or
even with Jesus when you see this
conversation with people that are not
intimate with him the Satanist does not
have intimacy with the father you see he
can be in the presence of God because
the thing is that when Satan lost his
when he was kicked out of heaven it’s
not that he cannot be around the
presence of God but is that he lost his
position in heaven so he can hang around
he can come and show up and say hey I’ve
been watching your people he can be in
the presence of God the presence of God
does not does not scare him what scares
him when it comes to the presence of God
is what you find out about yourself in
the presence but he’s not afraid of the
presence of God he can go and speak to
the Lord what he lost in heaven was his
position and so he goes before God and
they’re having this conversation but the
question has always been why would God
you know engage in this conversation and
offer job up but the answers is not in
what they’re talking about because when
Jesus speaks to people in parables when
he speaks to people that are not
intimate with him it’s not about what he
says most of the times about what he
doesn’t say and so you see this dialogue
you see them talking and Satan is like
hey God is like have you considered my
servant job and what I found so
fascinating about this is that when I
looked into that scripture it’s not that
God offered up job that word actually
meant target it was that he was telling
the enemy that you have been watching
job because he says to him where are you
me from what have you been doing how was
your day do you have lunch and
faithfulness like you’re not being
taking a stroll around the earth first
of all the beautiful thing there is that
we learned that he’s not omnipresent he
cannot be everywhere at once he can only
be one place at a time and so we catch
this understanding that he’s just
walking to and fro from the earth and
then God realized this God who is all
knowledge the devil is not all it does
not know everything he’s not all-knowing
all he knows is based on what he
observes and so God says I know you have
been considering my servant job I know
you have been watching him because you
see he Satan had all this information
about job he said you have covered him
on every side I’ve tried I’ve tried my
best based on whatever I could get I’m
nothing you have protected him I’ve
watched how you have blessed this man
and increased him but he says you know
what why don’t you give me a shot
because of course he fears you because
of all the things you’ve done for him
but it was never because Satan was
trying to attack job or Satan wanted to
prove a point to God that you know what
people are only serving you because of
what you do for them you see the
scripture tells us something so powerful
about gob says that job was the greatest
in all the east so in his region job was
a man of influence when you read about
the story of job and when job talks
about himself he talks about how he was
like a king amongst his people he said
of himself that when he would speak
about a matter no one else would speak
after him that was the influence and the
reference that job had amongst the
people when the enemy is walking on the
earth he’s not just walking because you
know he can put on his Instagram that he
likes long walks on the beach or long
walks on the earth he’s walking because
he’s trying to monitor the regions where
do I have dominion and what am I lose
where my losing territory where my
losing ground when he sees job he is
threatened by job because job has the
influence of the people and something
about influences that when you a lot of
times you know we may do things that we
see the people we like to we may be
dressed like them or whatever it is
whatever you know floats your boat you
may have their nail colors I don’t know
whatever floats your boat but when
someone has influence we tend to we are
attracted to their way of life we want
to know more about them and so when job
has influence in this region and now
he’s known as someone who walks who who
walks out the things of God
a man who fears God a man who lives
upright because of his fear of God and
so just by his lifestyle alone it will
cause people to be intrigued about him
and he tricked about the God that he
serves you see a lot of times people
don’t need you to speak to them about
the gospel that you become the gospel to
them the Bible calls us that we are a
written epistle that someone can look at
your life and they were it was feel like
well I want to know which God you serve
I want to know more about you
so when job is a person that has the
influence of his region and he’s a man
who fears God and then what it shows
that all of a sudden the people could be
drawn to God because of the Jude who job
is so when the enemy looks that job he’s
not after job he’s after job’s influence
he says you are a threat to me having
Authority and taking territory of this
region and if I can strike you and if I
can get you knocked off your boat there
was another boat there but let’s just
imagine you see there’s a scripture
where Jesus says that if you strike the
shepherd the sheep would flee and so the
enemy doesn’t go after the sheep he goes
after the shepherd and that is why
family is very important that you pray
for people that you also look up to that
you pray that God will keep the
because whatever Jew you to them is the
very thing that the enemy is working
overtime to break and so when it came to
job he’s like okay if I can get job to
fall then I could scatter the people
that follow him and perhaps I can gain
Authority and I can gain that territory
back so here’s the enemy’s agenda now
God’s agenda is different it’s not about
proving a point to Satan you what what
for God’s agenda would always be about
the benefit of the person that there is
something that God can use in that
process to build them you see something
that happens to job also happened was
very similar to Peter in the Bible when
Jesus was walking the earth when he was
about to go to the cross the enemy
realized something
if Jesus dies even if he okay he could
resurrect that’s a possibility maybe
I’ve heard this conversation some of
this enough eavesdropped or maybe he
doesn’t resurrect so maybe he doesn’t
choose the cross but if he does choose
the cross what would become a threat is
his disciples because they’re the ones
that now Jesus has given the command to
preach the gospel into all the earth and
so if he’s out of the picture okay you
know he empowers them the Holy Spirit
comes upon them but the disciples though
they’ve been with him they know the
mysteries that their secrets that Jesus
has revealed to them that if this
information gets to all the earth I’m in
trouble if people really find out about
the power of Jesus and the power of the
Holy Spirit I’m in trouble so what does
the enemy do the Bible tells us that
Jesus comes to Peter and says Peter
Satan has demanded you he has requested
to sift you as wheat very similar to job
job is that Satan is looking for job you
are threatened by this man the same way
the enemy was threatened by Peter Peter
was one who was bold for the Lord
I mean somebody tried to come up on
Jesus and he cut his ear he said now
next time i’ma cut all of you okay but
the problem is that Peter thought that
this was his own that by hit in his own
strength he was just this loyal person
and his own strength he was just this
person that will be righted died for the
Lord
Peters weakness is that he was
self-reliant he relied on his own stay
on his strength on his his own wisdom
about his ability to follow Christ he
didn’t realize that his ability to
follow Christ was because of the grace
of God not because of Peter and so you
have this moment where Jesus tells Peter
Peter Satan has requested you to sift
you as wheat but I have prayed for you
that your faith would not fail and so
what we see in that picture I gave them
an image of what it looks when you sift
wheat and right there look at that now
what is on the bottom is that which is
unprofitable that’s just the chaff is
what falls off and then what remains is
that which you know what it could be
edible what you can sow but what the
enemy is looking to do is that he wants
that to become Peters faith that if I
shake up Peter a little bit then maybe I
can get him that maybe he was begin to
think that Wow
if I don’t have the ability to follow
Christ like I think then maybe I
shouldn’t do this at all he was after
like how can i how can I get these
people away from their calling and their
purpose and he noticed I said you know
what Peter has this thing about him
stuff I’ve been watching him you see the
only thing that the enemy what the enemy
uses against you is what he observes
about your behavior that’s all he can do
is to watch you and he strategizes based
on the things you do so when he when he
observes Peter he’s like you know what
Peter really has this thing about
himself he thinks he’s all that in the
bag of Skittles and so now he’s he tries
to strike but the beautiful thing is
that Jesus said I prayed for you
I prayed that your faith would not feel
what that looks like is that Peter even
when you fail the test I’ve covered you
my grace would will empower you and my
grace will let you understand that Peter
I didn’t call you in the first place
because of your loyalty matter of fact I
also called someone named Judas and he
was never loyal to me I don’t call you
because of what you can offer me I call
you because of who I am and what I can
do in your life and so the same strategy
that the enemy thought he could use to
get Peter rid of his faith in God was
the same strategy that the father in his
wisdom said actually this would get rid
of Peters pride that this would allow
him to humble himself and recognize that
Peter without me you cannot even follow
me that even your desire for me cannot
be met without my grace upon your life
you see sometimes many of us in this
room maybe we’re dealing with something
we’re dealing with we’re struggling
there’s this thorn in our lives and
we’re wondering god I just helped me
please help me in this but we say that
but we’re not really opening ourselves
up to God we’re still trying in our own
strength to defeat it to overcome it and
God is like when will you just surrender
I don’t need your perfection I don’t
need you to have it all together matter
of fact I never needed you to have it
all together that’s why I went on the
cross for you because in me you will
have everything but without me you can
do nothing and so this is Peters story
so we get back to job and it’s like what
is God after when it comes to job what
is it that God wants to mature what is
it that God wants to build when it comes
to the life of job and as I studied this
book I recognized that God was after
job’s heart you see the Bible tells us
many things about job but there are some
things it doesn’t mention which was very
almost alarming to me because it tells
us that job was an upright man was a
blameless man
that on paper job was perfect job feared
the Lord and shunt evil but you see
there was another man that was described
in a very similar way to job his name
was Noah Noah was a man that God called
to build an ark in the time that there
was they had never seen rain and God has
given him a message that there’s gonna
be a flood and this is gonna protect
your family this is gonna protect the
animals but Noah was a man when in
Genesis 6:9 and if they have it don’t
show it up here the scripture tells us
that Noah was a just and perfect man in
his generation very similar to job all
of this has to do with their integrity
there were men of integrity but then it
says something and Noah walked with God
that it is possible that you can be
blameless and perfect in your generation
without relationship with God and Noah
walked with God the Bible tells us that
job feared the Lord and he shunned evil
and all these things but as I studied
the life of Jobe I recognized that job’s
job lived a life out of fear of loss not
out of relationship with the love of
love and father you see when you study
his life when he when calamity fell upon
him listen we’ll start there when God
gave the enemy permission he said you
know what go after him
it’s that’s alright just keep his life
the first thing the enemy attacks was
his wealth and his children all his
children died at the same time all his
resources went away and a servant comes
to job to tell him what has happened and
this is what job says naked I came from
my mother’s womb and naked shall I
return the Lord gave and the Lord has
taken away blessed be the name of the
Lord now that’s beautiful
very moving but
but it’s very unrealistic you just lost
10 of your kids you just lost all your
resources and you just have this poetic
speech naked I can’t make it I will
return no God it was so perfect then you
know that you know job is just doing the
thing the enemy looks at him is watching
him it’s like Oh job did not steal and
then he didn’t shake nothing he says you
know what God let me affect let me touch
his health because in the enemies study
of humanity he recognized something
about humanity that we would do anything
to live we will do anything for our
health we will do anything like when it
comes to our body I mean when I have a
cold I value when I could just walk
around and free them I’m like oh my god
this is really something so jump so the
enemy says you know what let me touch
his health and he says skin for skin he
says mom will do anything for his life
if I affect him in his body he will turn
against you again it had nothing to do
it whatever the dialogue seems like God
says go ahead but only spare his life
the enemy inflicts him with a serious
disease and job’s wife comes to him and
she says you know what just curse God
and die job says to her o foolish woman
he says shall we receive good from God
and shall we not receive evil he’s like
you know what it’s all good I know I
have boils all over my body the script
rebel tells us how there’s a point where
even warms were attracted like it was
bad and job is just there Wow shall we
receive good and not evil from the Lord
almost like he has a posture he’s doing
open mic night
and all of it it sounds so moving but it
was not his truth
you see when he said the second
statement the Bible tells us that in all
these things job did not sin with his
lips it emphasized on where sin did not
come through but it doesn’t speak
anything about his heart you see when he
was tortured by the enemy and when job
had lost everything now after all his
moving speeches that he probably would
say one day if he won the Oscar his
friends come over to his house and when
they see him they are so moved by his
pain that for seven days they all sat in
silence they had no words they had
literally no words from everything they
knew about job now they see a man they
can barely recognize so for seven days
no one said anything and this is where
we begin to reveal who job really is and
what is really in his heart you see when
we worship it’s a powerful time when we
worship we receive we know we get the
knowledge of who God is the Bible tells
us that job worshiped so what he said is
in fact true are we gonna receive good
and not expect to receive evil but the
way he says it that is it’s there layers
to a statement like that so when you
worship you receive you become aware I
would even use that you become aware of
of the knowledge of who God is but it is
until we are still that an exchange can
happen because there’s one thing with
becoming aware and there’s one thing
with receiving what you are aware of job
was aware of who God is he was aware
that you know what in life are we gonna
receive good and not evil he was aware
that Lord naked I came naked I would go
he was aware that yes your name should
be praised and blessed be the name of
the Lord but until he comes to a point
of stillness because what stillness does
is that it begins to reveal
who we are after job was silent for
seven days he was trying to do
everything he wanted to make sure look I
don’t want to say the wrong cleaver in
my mouth but nothing changes his
condition is still the same the first
thing that comes out of job’s mouth it’s
not the Lord is my keeper in silence
it’s not that the first thing that comes
out of job’s mouth is cursed be the day
I was born this is now the most honest
thing that job has ever said so all
along when he when he lost his children
when he lost his Goods when he got sick
job was not happy about it and God is
not looking for who you’re pretending to
be God is looking for what you really
feel because until that comes to the
surface God cannot help you God cannot
walk with you God cannot do anything
with the person we want to pretend to be
because we think that God if I say or do
the wrong thing that maybe I would lose
everything you see when the enemy study
job the enemy recognized something about
job that job was actually afraid of loss
every moment that I mean his kids will
just they will have a party job is so
afraid that if they do the wrong thing I
might lose it all that immediately he’s
like okay seven days they’re feasting
for seven days on the eighth day first
in the morning I need to go sacrifice to
the Lord to make sure my kids are in the
right so I don’t lose it all job
operated from this place of fear he
moves from a works mentality he thought
that it was the things that he did that
made him who he is
and the reason I know this is because
when you study about job in you and you
read his dialogue amongst his friends
you read the things that he says job
would say things like how can I a
righteous and just man the one who
clothing the naked and fed the poor and
took care of the widow he starts listing
all the good deeds that he has done and
he says how can this person go through
what evil people should go through god
I’m not evil I’m righteous I’m a just
person how can I be good
he kept defending his righteousness when
the enemy studied him he recognized job
you obey God quite all riots you do all
the things the book tells you to do but
you have no intimacy because when I
watch you I don’t see peace when I watch
you I don’t see someone who operates
from the place of peace that you only
receive when you have relationship with
the God that you serve he recognized
that job you you panic a lot and so let
me attack you from that point maybe if
you lose everything you would be you
will lose all hope and think that you
know what is done and for a moment he
had job because for a moment job will
say things that like I long for death as
though I search for hidden treasures job
wanted to die as for him he had no
understanding that how is it that what
I’m going through is connected to
anything about my life because I am self
righteous job this should not be my
portion and that was what God was after
God understood that I will let the enemy
have his way but he won’t take your life
yes he touched everything around you
because you see family at the end of the
day everything that we are able to have
access to anything that the Lord puts in
our hands we’re only stewards over it
and we don’t own it
even our even when you have children a
spouse family members you don’t own
anything you’re simply a steward over it
and the thing in life is that guy
if or if you’re taking note I titled
this message the most important thing
what is most important to God concern in
your life is not what you do for him
it’s who you become and God was not
interested in what job did for him job
did a lot in the name of God but when
God looked at him he looked at someone
who was only doing and he had not become
the person that God formed he had not
become the he had not walked in the call
the true call of his identity job was
just doing the right things and he was
his motivation really was fear of loss
because when you read about job you see
that he truly believed that everything
he had was sustained by good works when
God saw job he saw someone who was a
slave to good works that as long as I do
this right as long as I pray this way as
long as I’m reading at this time as long
as I’m doing the things that the Bible
tells me to do who got me you who Wow
we’re good but you see one thing I
learned is that obedience without
relationship obedience without intimacy
is religion
you can obey every single word from God
but if you do it from a place of fear
its religion it’s not the it’s not the
truth of the gospel you see there were
people that came to Jesus and they said
to Jesus they said we have held in your
name we casted out demons in your name
we did all these things in your name
they were obedience to the general call
of God they were obedient to when the
Lord says go out and cast out demonic
spirits raise the dead they were
obedient to the Word of God but Jesus
says to them get away from me I do not
know you because God is not interested
if what you’re doing is not from a place
of relationship it is relationship that
should always be the driving force of
your life your intimacy
with God and so when it came to job God
knew that I can use this very thing to
bring you to the place of humility and
to the place that we can actually walk
together because right now you’re just
doing what you believe is right before
my eyes and before my eyes it is right
but I know I God does not only look out
the outside he looks at the hearts but
job when I see you I don’t see who I
called when I see what you do you know
what check mark but I want to mature you
in my love and so he allows what seems
chaotic and what seems like Joe can not
put his finger on he had no control of
anything he could not control the lives
of his children being taken away taking
away nothing like that and so Joe begins
to go on this rant and he’s talking
about just the different disease he has
all these questions for God and he has
all these questions because he’s
wondering God why why why why a
righteous man like me
and finally when God responds to him God
responds and says you know what come out
to me like a man I have questions for
you God responds to him with questions
but in the midst of the quite the
questions actually bring the answer that
job is looking for because the first
thing that comes out of the mouth of job
is cursed be the day I was born because
I cannot understand how this has
anything to do with me being the person
you’ve called me to be the first thing
that comes out of the mouth of God
is where were you when I laid the
foundations of the earth God says you
know what you want to curse your
creation let me let me talk to you about
the creation of the earth and you tell
me if you were present when I was
forming the earth you’d let me know what
materials did I use you let me know how
I decided to do what I did you see what
God was showing Joe one of the things
that God was showing job is that in the
same way
there you are not aware of how I built
and how I create you are not aware that
I can use pain and suffering to mold you
into the person you need to become that
you only think that suffering happens to
those that are evil know there are many
things that I can use the Bible tells us
that the ways of God are not our ways
and these thoughts are not our thoughts
and so God is saying that it as you walk
with me you will begin to mature into
the level of the person who may who
could start understanding my ways but
job where were you
he says since you have wisdom you let me
know and he begins to act show up all
kinds of questions about the sea about
the Sun about the stars about animals
all types of questions question after
question after question and there was a
moment when he pauses for job to
response and it’s responding job is like
you know I will put my hand on my mouth
he was silent he said he literally had
no words and God continued he continued
asking job more questions and in the
midst of that job realized he talked he
talked about how the purposes of God
will stand and then he said lord I
repent because he recognized that God
your ways are not really mine and he
began to see that job you have this
self-righteous behavior about you and
that was what God desired to break
because God recognized that if I’m gonna
do what I have called you to do and this
is what happens in each and every one of
our lives when God is taking you anytime
God is preparing something new for you
there has to be a breaking point you see
there’s a scripture that talks about how
God will make streams in the wilderness
but what is amazing about that is the
location God is saying okay I will turn
this wilderness into a place you see the
wilderness is a dry land that
lives there but God says I will turn
this and make streams there so it’s
almost as though God is saying that I
put you in the wilderness and in
becoming who you’re called so I can
transform this to what it truly is
supposed to be but in order for you to
properly steward what I’m giving you I
have to focus on who you become God was
invested in who job would become and
oftentimes God will use things in our
lives that we have no understanding of
the loss of a job the loss of a contract
the loss of a loved one a heartbreak
molestation there are things that will
wonder God where were you you see the
name of Jobe actually can be translated
to enemy and so they’re very dear
various theories about was this his real
name I was a surname that he gave
himself because in many ways even in his
language he referred to himself as the
as an enemy to God another way that you
can translate that is where is your
father you see there are many times in
our lives that we’ve wondered God where
were you when this happened where were
you because the same way that how is it
how is it possible that it is God that
would give the command for all jobs
children to be killed that is a question
you will say God must not be here God
where are you you have abandoned me you
have forsaken me but God in His wisdom
says look you are a steward over what
I’ve given you and when I decide to take
it back I have a plan for that – when I
decide to put it somewhere else I have a
plan for that – but I’m focused on you
when I look at you I’m not looking
immediately at what I gave you I’m
looking at who you must become because
that is the person that can steward my
resources properly
and so job his very name meaning enemy
God am I your enemy but when God reveals
himself to job job is humbled what is it
that may have been happening in your
life what is it that you feel like it’s
out of control and you’re wondering God
are you in there you see in job 38 verse
1 when God encounters him the Bible
tells us that God spoke to him out of
the whirlwind we don’t know what the
whirlwind came from but that was what
God chose to use to speak to job you see
the very nature of a world with is it’s
created because there is instability so
what it represents and what it’s
symbolic to is instability and chaos
that very whirlwind represented job’s
life and when God spoke through it he
was showing job that God job I am in
this thing you see there are times in
life that you will see where Jesus was
silence a storm when a storm will come
against the disciples and Jesus would
tell the storm to be quiet but there are
times in life when God is your storm and
he only becomes your storm because he
knows that that is what you need in this
moment for who you truly are to be born
therefore your identity in him to come
forth what is it that you have gone
through and what if I told you that God
ordered it that he orchestrated it he
sounds very hesitant to share this story
about one of my best friends and she’s
in the house but I spoke to her got her
blessing you know a few a couple days
ago I kept having and i stoled spoke to
her about it
I kept having these visions and and in
the vision it was like God was telling
me something is gonna happen something
was gonna happen concerning her and it’s
something that will shake it something
that it would look like it’s supposed to
shake her up but he said I’m the one
that ordered it and when I saw it I’m
like God we need to change the plan okay
that’s my friend okay and he said no I’m
not informing you because you can do
anything I’m informing you to inform her
that when something comes and it seems
like it’s gonna shake her that I’m in it
and it will work for her good we’re on
the phone now my god you know we’re
trying to brainstorm what could it be
and I’m like you know this you know God
be funny sometimes I really don’t know
where how far he’s trying to go and two
days after that she had an accident and
it was like an impact like her car is
totaled and so the glory of God like
just it did not shake her the way the
enemy thought maybe it could because
there was the knowledge that God is in
it and even with pains in her body she
was on the stage worshiping your worship
pastor Dana Brown can we honor her
because there is a strength that comes
when you know that even what seems like
your calamity is in the hand of God
there is a strength when you know that
what seems to be out of your control is
not out of his sight that God even what
seems unstable in my life you are the
foundation and so even though I can
control it God you have me you see if
you look at if you look I think about
what seems to be out of your control
right now understand that it is in the
hand of God you know I wondered even
this morning it was funny because this
morning in prayer and I’m like I was
just thinking about that I said God what
is the point huh why do you tell me that
and that still happens I’m like we know
it was just so interesting to me and one
thing he said to me this morning it’s
one that she would know without a doubt
that I’m in it but he said sue is
connected to what I’ve called you to
speak on that you would use that as an
example to tell my people that whatever
seems chaotic and what seems to be
unstable that I’m in it you see as I
began to see that and I knew the sign of
this because then I see her I have a
vision where she’s on the stage as she’s
worshiping I’m like nah bruh you know
she should be arrested and she’s here
today and she’s worshiping and so I knew
that this was what God is speaking to
each and every one of you that whatever
seems chaotic in your life that I have a
plan for it that accident I had a plan
for it that cancer I have a plan for it
that molestation I have a plan for it
that heartbreak I have a plan for it you
see when it comes to God there is no
loss that that feeling of wondering god
I watched people I watch people with
their parents to parent home that
single-parent home I had a plan for
watching your mother or your father on
drugs I had a plan for it feeling like
you were unloved as a child I had a plan
for it that what I used to build your
life is outside of what you would think
I should use joke did not think that a
man like him should suffer he said no no
no this is for the evil folks but God
said you don’t think like I think
because God understands that there was
something about pain that begins to
reveal the layers of who you are and
until God gets to the core of you then
he can walk with you you see we know
about a man named the Apostle Paul
before he was the Apostle Paul his name
was Saul and he was a terrorist but it
was his truth what he walked in was his
truth and it was in that place of truth
and authenticity that Christ encountered
him and says I’m now calling you I’m
gonna flip this thing around
you see God does not need you to do
anything for him he just needs your
heart and when he has that the both of
you together can shake up this world
see whatever it is you know I have this
I’ll share with a friend I have this
faces sometimes in my life where anytime
it feels like God is about to to and I
start to notice it more when I started
tracking it but any time I felt like God
was about to ship something in my life I
would just I have these moments where
it’s in my prayer time it’s just me
crying literally it’s just a bunch of
tears and it feels disconnected with my
thoughts because I’m crying but I have
no understanding why and so my spirit is
very aware of something that has not
come to my knowledge in the natural and
then the Lord began to reveal and I was
like God why like the moment I just hear
the sound of worship oh my god and I was
like God what is happening and he began
to speak to me you’re mourning something
you just haven’t come to the knowledge
of it your spirit is mourning a version
of you that was stand in the way of what
I’m calling you to do and that version
of you you loved it and in the process
of time it begins to come to my natural
understanding what God is calling me to
kill and so he prepares me in my spirit
to give me the strength to mourn it
properly when it comes time in the
natural you see some of you may have
experienced that where for no reason
you just feel like I might like to
somebody like did I lose somebody that
you just there’s this morning in your
spirit and it’s not because you’re
actually Mourning
but God is strengthening your spirit so
when it comes to your natural
understanding it is the grace of God
that gives you the ability to kill what
was stand in your way
and so when we’re looking at job and we
look at job and we think that job is
just this crazy story of God just
feeling wild job is a very powerful
story of relationship and what God is
after God is after our hearts whatever
seems to be to have been a negative or
anything like that one of the things
I’ve learnt about God is that there is
absolutely no loss in God
every single thing connects you see job
said something that really moved me
after he had encountered God and he
repented he said I have heard of you
with the hearing of the ear but now I
see you that was the moment where
intimacy began that was the moment where
relationship began even job testifies he
said you know what all I’ve done is
based on what I’ve heard I’ve heard that
you know what if you do this things God
will bless it if you do this you know so
I thought I had to work for your for
your love I thought I had to work for
your hand upon my life I thought I had
to work for it
I didn’t know I had to just receive it
you see the Bible calls Grace a gift you
don’t pay for a gift you don’t work for
a gift you receive gifts and all you
have to do is receive the kindness of
God that we never earned all you have to
do is just say God I’m open whatever it
is you want to do with me I recognize
that I’m not worried me because of what
I do I’m worried because of who you are
you see what’s so powerful is that there
are two things that happen in the end of
the story of job one of them we see that
his friends cuz this friends that he was
around when you read about when they
speak to him his friends would say they
accused they falsely accused them
because they assumed that what he was
going to was because job was just you
know doing evil things
and it makes sense because if if that’s
his friend and those are his friends and
job actually thought that’s odd he had a
similar mindset because he also looked
at himself and his like only an evil
person should be going through this and
so his friends were like-minded with him
so when they saw him in his pain they
falsely accused him and said you know
what job if you put iniquity far from
you then the Lord would restore you if
you and one of them even goes as far as
saying that you know what job you’re
very unjust man you’ve abandoned the
poor which was a lie because job was
actually a very giving and and you know
just a great guy you know joke but his
friends falsely accused him and God says
something God rebukes his friends and
tells them go and meet job that he would
pray for you and when job prays for you
I would accept his prayer but that was a
powerful moment for job because this way
is this this reveals the fruit of
relationship with God you see job has
always performed for God in a high place
he has done things for God when he was
stable when he had all his you know
ducks in the row he was wealthy he had
influence he did the right things from
that place he performed for God I was
because it was kind of like a
performance but from a low place God now
tells him to pray for people and not
just pray for them not just any random
prayer God says if Joe prays for you I
would accept it that is a language of
friendship it says job is my friend and
now he is my friend not because he can
do anything for me he is my friend
because of who I am when Joe prays for
them job also receives the friendship of
God he recognizes that God in my pain in
my boils in my loss I can serve you that
serving you is not what I do when
everything is working out for me
serving you is not what I do when I when
I feel the best serving use no one I do
all things are just you know I see that
all things are working for my good
sometimes I can’t see it but in that
moment job recognized that God I can
serve you in my pain I can serve you
like wow this is friendship and the
moment job tapped into that the moment
he prayed for his friends it wasn’t just
about his friends it was about him
because the Bible tells us that right
after is where his restoration began he
said but after Joe know when Joe prayed
for his friends God restored him and
there was not just a restoration God
multiplied him it was said that job
received double of everything that he
had you see I want what moved me about
this is that the restoration you know
some of you may have heard the saying of
double for your trouble and I personally
don’t like that saying because it almost
sounds like you know God is like hey you
know thank you for you know taking a you
know just taking that for me you know
but hey let’s get even okay no beef I’m
gonna give you double alright because I
know you went through all this trouble
in my name so I got you it’s not that is
that there was someone he needed to
become that the double was always his
portion that that was always a sign to
him from God but in order for him to
walk it out he needed to become someone
that it wasn’t God just saying that hey
I got you thanks for hanging in there
thanks for sticking through it I got
your job it was God looking at job and
saying now you look like what I know and
I would assign to you what always
belonged to you you see in this increase
I believe it also increases influence it
gave him more territories to conquer for
the glory of God more people followed
him because now they have seen the
testimony of his life everything that
comes our way God is in it if it got to
you
gun allowed it to get to you and just
because of that it’s not for us to look
at it like we are the victims God what
are you teaching me what are you trying
to show me what is it that you want to
mold me into through this pain through
this process what is it that I need some
mourn in my flesh God show me I don’t
want to rely on my wisdom because my
ways and your ways huh it’s a whole
bridge you know it’s a whole flight it’s
like going to China then Nigeria but
it’s so there it’s just your ways are so
much higher than mine and so god I want
to humble myself
I know I’ve mourned some things this
year I know I lost some things that I
thought I wanted I know I went through
some things that I felt like man I
didn’t think I will survive it but God
who are you forming in the process
because you are more invested and you
are more concerned about who I become
and now what I do family stand with me
[Applause]
you see one of the things I wanted us to
do with this message so that we also see
ourselves and we’re accountable to
ourselves our creative team they created
a wallpaper and you if you’re following
us so now that they have it oh yeah
right there
or not right there something else if you
follow us on social media
TP hla then you will see the wallpaper
on our I G story and the wallpaper
basically says in 2019 or what I learned
in 2019 something like that and the goal
of this is to look at what seemed like a
loss this year and look at it through
the eyes of a loving God what did God
teach you through it and we just we want
to hear from you to share it to write it
out and share it and you can tag us but
what is it what is it that you in from
your perspective you saw it as
as pain no what is it that now God is
teaching you through it because
sometimes if we don’t bring these things
to our memory that is what works against
us because we quickly forget how God
gave us the victory true things that we
thought we would never survive we
quickly forget that oh my gosh God this
very thing that I complained about this
very thing that I thought that you could
never use me after this it could never
work out you still called me some of you
maybe you feel unworthy for what God has
called you to because you’re still
looking at what you think is needed the
look you’re supposed to have the things
you’re supposed to have what what needs
to be in your life before you move on
the thing that God has given you because
you’re thinking that worthiness comes
the way Society sees it and God says
worthiness has nothing to do with what
you can do for me
worthiness has everything to do with
what I did for you and because you’re in
covenant with me you live in that
reality that when I see you I see the
sacrifice of my son Jesus and when I see
that Wow you all are so worthy before
God
it’s crazy you know when God begins to
teach you about the Holy Spirit being
your strength those are the moments
where when you feel least capable of
doing something that’s when the Holy
Spirit whispers now all the moments you
were ready you were just waiting who God
can’t wait
and he waits until all strength is gone
and he says now is the time because he
doesn’t want you to fall into the trap
of thinking that it is what you do for
him that because you know you know
what’s so amazing funny about God I
remember there was a time I was doing
this fast and at that moment the fast
didn’t really it was really from the
flesh to be honest because in my mind I
believed that when I fast ah God has to
answer me like I just I said you know a
guy I’m in this fast and I’m about to
get an answer right on day seven because
that’s when it ends and I was fast and I
was so proud of myself I said Who
Wow somebody’s right again an answer you
know day seven came I was so happy to go
to bed that day I said Lord surely he
would speak to me my dream I woke up
there’s nothing there I forced myself
back to sleep I said maybe I need to
take a nap so the Lord can speak again
it was dry and I went in prayer I was
like let me just close my eyes and God
would give me a vision oh I saw nothing
again so let me just be still it’s a lot
of noise I think I was ready to go I
need to go to the beach because who you
are gonna speak nothing absolutely
nothing and then one day I’m having a
very unhealthy meal
and the Lord begins to speak to me and
I’m very confused I said God I came in
fasting and prayer and you speak to me
and not just was I having an unhealthy
meal at that moment it was actually just
it was a dysfunctional moment for me and
I was using food to hide my pain and I
was just eating and I was upset about
something and that was the moment God
says oh I got something to tell you
because he says Stephanie it’s not I’m
not there are things I would do yes
based on how you seek me but it’s
because when you’re seeking me in those
moments is coming from relationship is
that you’re seeking after my hearts but
if you think that this is a formula oh
you missed it it’s not a formula it’s
not a plus B equals C he says as when
it’s from your heart oh my daughter I
will meet with you but when you think
that oh I have a problem o child and
know what to do okay Monday looks like
my schedule is clear its inserts and
fasting in there God says do it from
your heart do it anytime anything you do
for me or when you’re seeking me let it
be because your heart is after me not
just after what you can get from me
because if I if I and this is the thin
family it’s not that God cannot answer
you in those moments but his answer
means he’s affirming something that is
not him he’s affirming that this is the
formula and if he affirms it then you
believe that oh I figured it out
no one can have God in the corner so
sometimes your things that God will
purposely not respond to because his
response will be his validation on what
just did and it would validate the
posture you did it from and so unless it
is coming from your heart that God I
want to know this thing I’m seeking
about it’s not it’s not from a selfish
place it’s just from a place that desire
is Lord how do I walk out the fullness
of who you’ve called me to be these are
the things that would help me in who
you’ve called me to be and from that
place
God sees a pure heart and God says I
would I can I can answer that I can
speak to that I can respond to that
because every time God speaks he’s
validating something and so his words
will not just be you know Jesus said do
not cast your pearls before the swine
he’s not gonna just throw his words out
there that it will be trampled upon he
treasures his words because the Word of
God is life and so whatever it is
whatever it seems like it’s chaotic in
your life God is in it and he’s gonna
see you through it and he’s using it to
build you he’s using it to prepare you
for what he has for you what already
belongs to you restoration double for
your trouble all of that already belongs
to you he just said I just need you to
look like the person who can steward it
properly that’s all and how God does
things it’s I mean it’s above me now
how God moves some things we will never
understand but in relationship though he
begins to reveal mysteries and his
secrets the Bible tells us that he
reveals his secrets to his friends and
so as we mature in relationship God
begins to unfold the reasons why he did
this and why he did that
him and some things who you find out
when you you know get to heaven but the
beautiful thing that in the midst of
your questions there’s a peace because
of your relationship with God that there
will be a peace that comes upon you and
the grace of God that comes upon you
that gives you rest even in uncertainty
because that’s what relationship does
because some things we may not have the
capacity to receive and so if God gives
you the word and you don’t have the
capacity for it it could destroy you but
in the midst of it he says you’re not
ready yet for what you think you’re
asking for but I will put my peace upon
you I will give you the grace to keep
moving forward and when we come to that
level where I can reveal this to you I
will but that’s what trust and surrender
does but everything starts with saying
God I surrender God I do not know god
I’m not gonna conclude on my way of life
I’m not gonna conclude and believe that
because I did a B and C then you know
certainly it should be D God would just
you know take you back to a or move on
to F you never know but surrender means
God I let it go god I’m open for you to
be my teacher
I don’t understand certain things and
god I’m on and I want you to know this
I’m upset I really wondered where were
you but I’m open to understanding you
don’t end in your frustration you don’t
end you don’t put a period in pain you
don’t say you know what God you never
showed up I’m done God where were you
I’m never gonna revisit that again
you don’t put a period in it you
acknowledge your pain but you open up
your heart to God to give you
understanding and all of a sudden it is
the work of the Holy Spirit it’s not
anything anybody can say the Holy Spirit
will begin to do a work in your heart
that all of a sudden the very thing that
you thought would separate you from mook
from from having a relationship with God
that will separate you from intimacy all
of a sudden it draws you even closer to
him there are things in my life that I
never wanted to revisit I never wanted
to think about because the father of it
made me feel like a would it would stare
up a pain and resentment that I didn’t
want to address I didn’t want to be the
person who was like God I’m mad at you
oh god no I just love you you know
blessed be the name of the Lord but God
had a point forced me in the corner
where it was just me and my pain and I
had to look at it and I had to question
God about it but I also had to be open
to say God where were you when this
actually happened
and in that place he began to speak and
gave me peace and an understanding that
all of it was always working together to
who he called me to be and so family if
you’re in this house and you know there
are things in your life that you have
been fighting against you’ve been
running away from because you didn’t
want to acknowledge the pain and cost
and didn’t want to acknowledge that
maybe I am resentful a little bit God
where are you and when you can just open
your heart and say god this is my
reality but what is your perspective
healing starts there and if you know
there are things that you just need to
open up before the Lord meet me at this
altar thank you Jesus
[Applause]
thank you lord
thank you
[Applause]
[Music]
thank you lord thank you Jesus
[Music]
thank you
[Music]
if you’re willing to surrender before
the Lord and say God there are many
things I don’t understand if you know
that you have put a pain you’ve put a
period in your pain meet me at this
altar if you’re saying God I’m open I
know just going be visiting this in my
mind alone it takes me to a place I
don’t wanna be but God I’m open to your
understanding I’m open to your
perspective but this is my truth but at
the same time you want to surrender that
before God
and lastly family if you’ve been dealing
with unworthiness feeling as though that
God I can only do this if I’m in this
state of mind or if this is what my life
looks like there are things that God has
spoken to you about and you’ve delayed
on it because you’re waiting to look
like what seems to be worthy you see I
just sends this even now and this is
very crazy but there’s about someone in
this house and God is calling you a
little funny but God is called
God is calling you to ministry and your
hesitation is because you do you are
quite frankly you smoke marijuana and
you’re hesitant because you’re saying
that God there is no way you want me to
be preaching to people and doing the
thing that they would be against there
is absolutely no way and the truth is
you love it
and God has been asking you to let it go
and you’re like haha bruh but the funny
thing is I just sends this so strongly
it’s not that you would be a hypocrite
but that in the journey you would
receive strength to kill what will be
against you and so and this is even
gonna speak to some other people because
there are things in your life that you
love to do but this oh wow this is
beautiful there are things in your life
you love to do but even that person I
actually would need to pray with you if
you know speaking to you about marijuana
this is not the time trust me you puttin
your hand up does not mean that anybody
is watching you to judge you this is the
house of God this is the house of
freedom but there is a call on your life
for ministry and you’re running away
from it because of this very thing but
the crazy thing is that the urgency
about this is because the call that God
has placed would answer things in your
family and so when you’re running away
from it it’s not that you are running
from the call you are running from being
the answer that God has called so if I’m
speaking to you I see who I’m speaking
to and I’m gonna pray with you about
shaking
thank you Jesus thank you Jesus
because you’re gonna receive you’re
going to receive a power there’s a power
that is gonna come upon you and it’s
gonna break is gonna set you free
because you know the call of God God has
been speaking to you about what is
calling you itsu and you’ve been running
the way by God but God is gonna give you
where you would recognize that it was
never your strength that sets you free
but it’s the power of God that sets you
free and he’s telling you to step into
it now not when everything looks good
around you he says step into it now
because you will be the answer to your
family and your family would represent
the faces that God will call you to in
the world but it was starting your home
and we’re gonna pray right after this
and that probably speaks to many of you
in this room there’s an urgency
concerning her but for many of you in
this room you don’t want to delay you
don’t want to delay when God has called
your name because you have no clue what
it’s connected to
and so there are things there they’re
words that God has spoken over your life
and you’re pushing it back
because you’re waiting for it to look
like this or look like that or you’re
waiting to look like the person that is
worthy and God is saying I don’t need
you to do anything right or wrong I just
need your heart and when I have your
heart or we can do something I would
build you it is my love that will set
you free
it is not fear that will set you free it
is the love of God
that frees us is the love of God that
empowers us it is the moments when we
feel the most unworthy and we see the
power of God it does something to you
it lets you understand that Holy Spirit
you are really with me and you will
never leave me and you truly will never
forsake me because you see the Bible
tells us that the darkness is alight
before God that the darkness is not dark
to him sometimes it seems dark to us but
when God sees you in that dark place
he’s not seeing what is happening around
you he’s seen who he called and he will
keep calling you by name he will keep
calling you by name until you rise up
into whom he has called you to be from
the start and it’s not something where
we should walk in shame or we should
walk in in guilt or anything like that
because if I scream and call the person
right in the back it takes them a while
before they get to me I don’t imagine
them to teleport themselves but you see
that journey of walking to the stage
that journey when I did an altar call
and I said if this is you come to the
front it no one is knowing that me you
know no one is thinking that you should
just like who jump from your seat and
land right here but that journey of
walking is what happens when God calls
us by name by the identity on our lives
it takes us a while to actually arrive
but the journey is where God is holding
your hand he says I got you I know
you’re not there yet but I got you and
I’m walking this they’re not with you
you have the things that you struggle
with that’s okay I can use you even in
the midst of that and I can break it out
of you I can set you free and I can set
you loose
but trust that you are in my hand trust
that I have you and so worried in us has
nothing to do with what we do it has
everything to do with who God is and
it’s from that place family we become we
become we become who he called us to be
and that is the best place to do
anything for God because it’s coming
from a place that is authentic and it’s
coming from a place that is in
partnership with the Lord if you’re in
this house and maybe you just stumbled
in here a friend brought you but you
haven’t given your life to Christ you
see something that is interesting is
that in the story of job
when Satan said have you not protected
him on every side even though job had
not arrived but he had given himself to
a covenant he didn’t understand it yet
but he was in a covenant relationship he
just hadn’t realized it yet and that
covenant brought protection you see the
scripture tells us that Satan is the
ruler over darkness over ignorant
there are things that why was it that he
recognized that job was protected why
did he recognize that why is it that he
recognized that I have no access to this
man that means he tried something but he
was protected because of his covenant
relationship the best place I would the
calamity or or whatever comes my way
what gives me the ability to not be
shaken by it is because I recognize that
in the midst of anything any storm I’m
in the hands of God so it can only go as
far as he lets it but if you’re in this
house and you are not confident about
whose hands you’re in are you in the
hands of God or are you being ruled by
darkness if you’re not confident and you
want the confidence and the peace that
comes with relationship with God
you want to know this Jesus you want to
say yes to him you want to give him a
try you want to say God I don’t know
really what I’m signing up for but I
want to know you this is you saying that
God I want to open my heart to you if
that is you and you want to know him for
yourself the beautiful thing is that God
would reveal himself to you all we do is
to help guide you but we’re not the ones
to make the decision or cause you to
stay where you made the decision because
God will step in and he would make
himself know and if that is you just
lift up your hands with boldness that
God I choose you
thank you Jesus thank you Jesus thank
you Jesus family let us pray just by
your heads with me Heavenly Father we
thank you we thank you for your love oh
God and we thank you for your healing
power right now
healing the minds of your children I
think you Lord that in this moment they
are letting go they are letting go and
they are opening up their arms to you
and their hearts to you and their minds
to you and their will to you saying God
you show me
I know I put a period in this but I
believe that there is something there’s
a way you see that I don’t see it yet
and I am open Lord show me Lord you
guide me you’ve called me and yet I
second-guess myself because I still
think that I need to be this person for
you but Lord right now kind of a shame
your worthiness the affirmation that
comes with them being your sons and
daughters is resting upon them now that
even in the low place they are worthy
that even in the midst of their
dysfunction and their pain you’ve called
them to a high calling and it is your
love that will bring transformation and
so lord I thank you that everyone here
is open to your love
and that you are growing us and maturing
us in your love oh thank you Jesus thank
you Jesus
thank you lord thank you Jesus
[Music]
have your way Oh God
touch their hearts as you are doing
right now
for those that decided to give their
lives to Christ today I just want you to
repeat after me
Lord Jesus I confess with my mouth as I
have believed in my heart that you are
my lord you are my Savior I open my
heart to you guide me on this journey
reveal yourself even deeper to me I am
yours in Jesus name Amen
family let us lift up a praise to God
[Music]