Service Date: 12.13.18 8PM
[Music]
family you may be seated we’re gonna go
on a journey with the Word of God today
my message for those I may be taking
notes is claim your freedom claim your
freedom and I’m gonna be speaking from
the passage of the scripture 2nd Timothy
1:7 and it says for God has not given us
a spirit of fear but of power and of
love and of a sound mind
you see family one thing that I’ve
understood about fear is that the
outcome of fear is always bondage
anytime fear has rulership in your life
it’s to limit your progress and so I
find this is one scripture that is one
of my favorite scriptures in the Bible
because I always find it so fascinating
the words that the Apostle Paul used to
almost show us what conquers fear and he
speaks of power he speaks of love and he
speaks of a sound mind but today in
particular I want us to focus really on
a sound mind you say a sound mind in the
scriptures is really referring to and
there are different layers to it but the
layers I want us to focus on is in the
area of discipline and self-control
you see family I’m learning that even
through my own life that the areas that
we like discipline are the areas will
experience some form of bondage and
bondage what bondage looks like a very
bondage could look like having a victim
mentality bondage could look like shame
and guilt bondage could look like
people-pleasing bondage could look like
a lack mentality all of this keeps us
from experiencing true freedom now in
our culture and in our society when we
talk about freedom we think about Yolo
you only live once so do everything you
want to do but freedom
honestly speaks to the real you
being set free that there is someone
that God spoke into existence that your
god-given identity being set free
freedom is not doing whatever you want
to do freedom is the ability for the
fullness of your god-given identity to
be manifested on the earth and so there
are four things that as I studied this
that the Lord spoke to me about four
areas that every believer that is like
almost like four identities to every
believer and how we have to claim our
freedom in these areas the first area
family is your identity as a conqueror
you see the Bible tells us that we are
more than conquerors through him and the
interesting thing about that passage is
through him you see oftentimes you can
tell how how invested a person is in the
secret place how invested a person is in
their time with God according to how
they respond to warfare the secret place
obviously that is our prayer time this
is the this is our time of devotion this
is the place where the battle really
begins and this is a place that we have
to be intentional about how we create
time with God because family you see
pray or what is fascinating about prayer
is that what happens in prayer is very
progressive and very powerful because
oftentimes when we come into the
presence of God
we start by conversations right we start
telling God about our day and what is
taking place but your prayer should not
end with conversations I mean we should
not end with you just talking to God it
should continue with you receiving from
God because conversational prayer is
really where you are making yourself
available for divine download and so in
that place of Prayer we’re not just me
okay we we talk to God about our day and
now it’s time to receive from God and
sometimes we have this difficulty about
how do we receive from God one of the
ways is to study the word because when
you begin to study the word the Holy
Spirit starts having a conversation with
you you say for example I remember when
I started studying about Joshua and when
I studied about him it opened different
layers to the character of God and when
you see the character of God in the life
of another person it starts speaking to
your circumstances and then as you
continue to study you begin to meditate
on the word the Bible tells are cemented
on the word day and night but what does
meditation really mean is it like
namaste with the Word of God yes finally
what I believe meditation is is that
meditation is when you build upon what
you study is when you add layers to what
you study you see for example I remember
when I studied about Joshua when he told
the Sun to stand still so that was one
layer I’m like wow God this is
fascinating that a man could tell the
Sun to stand still but meditation now
continues when you say but God why did
the why did the earth obey his command
why was his command effective and then
you go deeper and all of this is your
prayer time with God is your devotional
time and as you go deeper into this all
of a sudden you start to read I remember
when I started reading this and I found
that it was like wow in Joshua chapter
one there was a promise that God gave
him and he said no man would ever be
able to stand before you all the days of
your life and so when Joshua speaks to
the son and tells the Sun to stand still
the son had to obey Him because what he
was doing in that moment was to kill his
enemies and that was manifesting the
promise of God and so as I’m reading it
as a meditating on the Word of God all
of a sudden it’s speaking to me and the
Holy Spirit starts speaking to me
Stephanie you serve the same God that
Joshua served if you do what he did you
will get the same results if you stand
in the place of boldness and begin to
declare and decree that when something
is coming against you so not make
yourself the victim but to understand
that because God gave you a promise you
have authority to create opportunities
for that promise to happen but you see
family this is all good and it’s
exciting
but this place of living in the power of
God it has to be cultivated you have to
it you see we’ve all heard that prayer
is not a discipline and it’s not prayer
is an opportunity to invite God into
your into everything that concerns you
prayer is an opportunity to engage the
resources of heaven on the earth but
we’ve also heard that where if
opportunity does not make preparation
there is no success and so although
prayer is not a discipline but it’s an
opportunity if you do not prepare a
place to meet with God then you would
there it would almost be that you become
more reactive to life rather than
proactive you see we have to learn how
to set a time and maybe a place where we
meet with God maybe your closet maybe a
your living room whatever it is but you
have to learn how to be disciplined with
a time and perhaps a place if you can
because if you live your prayer life up
to chance the enemy will distract you if
you live your prayer life up to chance
that you know what let me just get a few
things and I know isn’t able to pray the
enemy will distract you and the funny
thing is that he would distract you with
good things you would be like oh I’m
just you know I’m gonna I’ll be home and
I just need to spend some time with God
and someone calls you and they’re having
a crisis and you’re like god I’m over
here trying to do the right thing so
you’re not you don’t see it as a
distraction but it actually is I
remember one time in college this was
really funny well funny to me might not
be funny to you but I used to do I was I
was with a church and we were doing the
evangelism during the weekend so we will
go to the park and it will talk to
people like have you met the Lord Jesus
do you know the Lord Jesus would you
like to meet the Lord Jesus and I
thought I was doing the fantastic thing
I said God during the weekends you know
this was during the the the better times
in my life in college and I was more you
know following the will of the Lord and
so
and I thought I was like God this we’re
just on the road I’m on you know just
avenged you know just doing some
evangelism and I remember one day the
Lord said to me he said do not allow the
enemy to distract you with what you know
because although what you’re doing is
for me I have not called you to
evangelize in those places I need you
somewhere else actually and so if you
lift things up to chance if you live
randomly you would allow other people to
direct your time you had a lot of the
people to tell you when to do what you
need to do and the enemy will distract
you from cultivating a powerful prayer
life you see there was a man in the
scriptures by the name of Daniel Daniel
was a man known to have an excellent
spirit such an excellent spirit that the
king at the time wanted to promote him
to be so he wanted to set him over the
whole kingdom there were people that
didn’t like this plan they didn’t like
this idea and they wanted to find
something against Daniel and the Bible
tells us that they search for things
against Daniel and they could not find
anything and the only thing they could
use against him was his faith because
they know this and they had witness that
three times a day every single day
Daniel would be in the same position
praying to the Father and they said you
know what this is this is what we can
use against him and so they had the king
that the brother law before the king and
he told the King for thirty days let no
man seek petitions to any man or God
except to you and if somebody does that
throw him in the lion’s den the Kings
signed this petition the funny thing is
that in the Bible it tells us that when
Daniel heard this he did as he usually
had done he went back to his place and
he prayed three times a day as he
usually did you see the funny thing is
that the people did not realize that
what they were attacking Daniel from was
the place of his strength that the
moment perhaps the moment that Daniel
even heard about what was going on he
already fought the battle on his knees
he was not worried about what the people
were selling against him because you see
family
in a place when you cultivate a
consistent prayer time with God there is
intimacy that you begin to develop you
begin knowing things about God that
becomes so natural to you it’s not about
your reciting scriptures not the reality
of who God is becomes real in your life
and so when Daniel is unbothered he has
a v he’s not pretending to be unbothered
he has recognized certain things about
God that has become his norm he
understands that God is my deliverer God
will save me and even if he does and I’m
good I’m gonna meet with him anyway but
you see this speaks to we you have to we
have to examine our lives how do we
respond to warfare and we have to look
at that and look at what what our prayer
life looks like daniel was consistent
and the funny thing is that when they
threw him in the lion’s den and he came
out of the lion’s den he told the king
he said the Lord sends an angel that
shut the mouth of the lion but you see
when I read that Scripture I said this
is fascinating because it’s not that the
lion you know was fasting or was not
hungry but an angel has shut his mouth
and for an angel to have shut his mouth
that means even before Daniel guts in
the lion’s den that an angel went before
him to shut the mouth of the lion and
this family is proactivity he was not
reactive and made himself look like the
victim and say oh my gosh because you
because they see family these are the
times where a victim mentality would
would look like this God all I’m doing
is trying to serve you now look they’re
trying to show me in the Lions Den I’m
about to die because all I’m doing is
trying to serve you ain’t this your no
but you see that’s what a victim
mentality looks like and heaven does not
respond to frustrations heaven responds
to you identity
when Daniel is in the place of Prayer he
released an angel before he was even
sent there so he was not bothered about
it because he knew where the battle
starts and the battle starts in the
spiritual realm before I ever manifest
in a natural and so family if you’re
gonna live in the freedom of who God has
called you to be as a conqueror you have
to know how to cultivate a consistent
and committed prayer life you say I
remember one time the Lord had given me
a particular time to meet him every day
and one particular day I woke up and
then I looked at the time and I said wow
God it’s really early today
seems earlier than usual and I just feel
more tired than usual and it just seems
darker than usual so I went back to bed
and when I went back to bed I had a
dream and in the dream there was a table
that was in front of me and the table
had all kinds of food and there were
people sitting down and they were eating
and so I woke up to the table and I was
like oh you know almost like Oliver
Twist sir can I have some but I go to
the table and I’m trying to get some
food and a man comes up to me and he
says there’s no food for you and I said
but there are other people eating at the
table there’s obviously enough food for
everybody he said they came at their
appointed time you did not there is no
food for you and immediately he said
that I woke up you see this is this is a
side of God that doesn’t really play
with great areas because the more you
grow in God the more he requires of you
because he recognizes that you’re not a
child anymore you’re not a child that
you can you know you know there’s a time
when you’re a child you can get away
with childish things but when the more
you mature in God he places a different
demand on you and so in that moment I
woke up and I was like god what kind of
dream is this i rebuked the devil
and he sang he said to me that because
the food on the table it was like
different like assortments of bread and
he said that bread represents the bread
of life the word that I was going to
give you concerning your day
you met me at the time that we appointed
you see what this taught me is that God
honors their point at times that if you
were willing to sacrifice and say Lauren
that on this day at this time
every day I want to meet with you God
would honor that time and he designers
what didn’t I’ve learnt about the Lord
is that He desires to give you
revelation he desires to show you things
concerning your day he desires to equip
you to get to make you powerful to
conquer your day because at the end of
the day heaven does not need all that
revelation we need it on the earth they
don’t need it they already know it up
that we need it on the earth but who is
willing to be in a position of sacrifice
to say Lord Here I am and the truth from
these are some days you might just feel
like ain’t nothing happening but
sometimes that is also God watching your
commitment that is God watching that
would you wait on me would you wait for
me would you would you be consistent
even if you study the word and you don’t
know a thing at say one day you might
just wake up in the middle of the night
and the Holy Spirit starts to download
and starts to bring to your memory
things that you studied and you have no
idea and I’m not speaking of religion
because we have to be very careful
there’s a very fine line but but we’re
doing things religiously I’m talking
about doing things with an understanding
I’m not talking about doing things
religiously to say God okay I’m here you
know
kumbaya no I’m talking about doing
things with understanding that God the
place of prayers the place of power and
because that is a place that the enemy
will always try to attack because that
is the place that you defeat him you
have to know okay God how do I start
building how does this become my hell
how does this become a natural desire of
mine sometimes you have to build that
muscle and you build that muscle through
discipline you see family the second
thing that a lot put in my heart is your
identity as a ruler you see there’s a
scripture in Genesis 1:26 the Bible
talks about that
let me truly read it because imma give
you my version and he says and God said
let us make man
in our image after our likeness and let
them rule let them have dominion
you see Dominion and rulership is about
this is the place where God begins to
give you authority and influence this is
what God desires of you because there is
a place that God has called you to
conquer there’s a place that God has
called you to have rulership over and in
order to it be effective you need
Authority and influence but one thing
I’m learning is that God is more
concerned about you have an inner
dominion before you have earthly
dominion because the one thing that
keeps people away from their authority
and the influence that God has called
them to is the inability to rule over
their own spirit to rule over their own
mind their own emotions their own will
you see the enemy is not worried about
you having leadership if you do not know
how to lead yourself you see there’s a
scripture I want us to look at two
scriptures in the book of Proverbs one
is in Proverbs 16:32 and it says he who
is slow to anger is better than the
mighty and he who rules his spirit then
he who takes a city and then proverbs 25
28 says whoever has no rule over his own
spirit it’s like a city broken down
without walls you see family when you
don’t have the ability to rule over your
spirit you become vulnerable to things
that could be destructive to you you
become vulnerable to the enemy the enemy
actually sometimes he wants you to have
Fame he doesn’t care if you have fame if
you don’t have this in check because he
wants you to be lifted so high so that
he can make a mockery of God through you
and so sometimes when God is keeping you
from things and you feel like God is
actually causing a delay no God is
concerned that you have inner dominion
before he gives you earthly dominion you
see Jesus
Jesus when he was in the wilderness when
we see that Jesus had rulership over his
will when he when he conquered every
temptation that the enemy tried to throw
his way but what is interesting about
that passage family is that the passage
tells us that when you know I believe
this is in Luke I know that it here for
those second notes this is in Luke 4:13
it talked about that when the devil was
done with every temptation that he
waited to come back and a opportune time
he said I need to find another
opportunity I need to find you again
maybe when you’re weak I need to see if
I can if I can get a hold of you because
if you don’t know how to rule your own
spirit and the enemy knows that I can
manipulate your emotions and have it
work against you then I could catch you
in the place of anger in the place of
pride in the place of lust and use that
against you to take away from you
everything that God has given you but
you see family for some of us in this
house or listening that might actually
speak to where we are that we were at a
place where we knew that God you were
bringing me to this high level and all
of a sudden a mistake stripped it all
away but a beautiful thing and the good
news which is the gospel is that God is
a redeemer and God is a restorer and
there is no good thing that he will not
withhold from you but you see family we
have to come to the place of saying lord
help me I recognize that maybe I’m a bit
hot-tempered help me in this area god I
recognize that maybe I’m dealing with
lust let me not be so focused on the
platform because I don’t want to get on
the platform and show something that
does not glorify you help me with this
area of self-control you see ultimately
family the way that God helps us is by
recognizing okay
when I’m in this position I need to
learn how to listen to the Spirit of God
and the example is when Jesus I believe
that that went the opportune time that
the enemy was looking for in regards to
our Lord Jesus was when he was in the
Garden of Gethsemane because in the
Garden of Gethsemane we see him in a
moment of Prayer and he’s acts in the
Lord he’s he’s basically saying that
Lord if there is another way outside of
the cross give me that
but then he says but not my will but
yours be done you see this very
statement shows us that there was an
internal battle that perhaps in that
moment the enemy was taunting him that
there was a moment of weakness when he
recognized the fullness and maybe it was
we don’t know exactly what was going on
in his mind but when you read that
scripture you can see that he was
dealing with really high sorrow but the
beautiful thing is that he still comes
to say Lord not my will but yours be
done and that speaks that Jesus put his
weakness in the hand of the Father and
in the scripture in Luke we actually
read that an angel was sent to the Lord
Jesus to strengthen him in response to
him trusting God with his weakness the
Lord strengthened him you see I was
watching something that my friend posted
that it was a pastor my Todd and he was
speaking about worship and he was saying
that worship is actually a weapon
against pride worship is actually a
weapon against the very things that the
enemy could use to try to destroy you
that the moments that you come into this
place of maybe pride maybe lust maybe
anger maybe unforgiveness worship God
because when you worship God you invite
his presence and his presence cannot
live in the same place with pride he
cannot live in the same place with
offense it cannot live in that same
place and what I’ve learnt about worship
is that worship allows us to release
things the same way that when Jesus said
even though he’s he’s saying that if
there is another way when he still says
not my will but yours be done
he’s releasing his weakness and putting
it in the hands of the Father and in
that moment the Lord was able to send an
angel to strengthen him family we have
to be open to say God in this moment I
recognize that yes I’m offended and yes
I’m upset and there is something I feel
there’s and something that is trying to
push me to do something I feel an
impulse to do something that could be
very destructive both worship be
intentional about saying God it’s not
worth it
teach me how the rule over my spirit
teach me self-control and God will test
you and you want to be tested you want
those are the errors when you want to
say God test me in this and you know you
can test me in the hidden place but test
me test me in this because in this
process God will teach you that
sometimes you learn you need to learn
how to walk away some of some of us in
this house we may be struggling in areas
of anger in areas of lust in areas of
pride and that and it’s gonna come up
again but in that moment you have to
learn how to make a decision to walk
away and some of your conversations that
lead to something that could be
destructive learn how to not have the
final say because you when you when you
recognize yourself because mastery of
self begins with the awareness of self I
know the things that could round me up I
know the very things that I’m like it
would just it’s like it I mean it rarely
happens but when it does I know what’s
happening inside of me and I know what
my impulse wants me to do because and it
might be something that is very you know
not past oriole but in those moments if
I cannot walk or if it’s not that if
it’s hard for me to walk away then in
that moment I’m speaking to God about
that I got I need a release this because
I can feel I can feel something staring
up in me that is not a view and I start
speaking to him about it and even in
those moments of speaking to him about
it I’m asking him lord why did this why
did this person do this I’m seeking his
understanding that sometimes he doesn’t
have to explain anything but in that
moment I’m trusting God with pain I’m
trusting God with offense I’m trusting
God with with whatever could be to want
to stir up in me to make me stand
against my truth and so we have to be
aware of ourselves we have to be aware
of our triggers and when a trigger comes
Lord I’m going to release this in your
hand God will test you in this it’s
easier now because one thing one area
that the Lord really has trained me and
has been forgiveness and sometimes the
Lord will train you in the area
we’ll challenge you the most in the area
that will come that will come against
you the most where you have to deal with
people that you’re just like I really
don’t want to but I’m going through and
it’s gonna be from a genuine place
because it’s not worth it it’s not worth
it to walk around and angry it’s not
worth it to gossip about somebody then
smelling their face it’s not worth it
it’s not worth it because what that does
even though you’re smiling in their face
what that does it’s tears up hate in you
because there is a place that feeds that
hate there’s something that feeds it
every time you smile in the person’s
face and you walk away you gossip about
them you’re feeding what is none of God
and so even though you you might be a
good actress or an actor in your hearts
God is not pleased because there is
something that you’re doing and the
enemy’s cheering you on and you have no
idea because what that means is that you
are yet to have rulership over your
spirit because imagine imagine if some
of the conversations you had about
people you called your friends came out
what would your relationships look like
rulership over your spirit because you
want to make no room for the enemy in
your life no room for the enemy the
third thing that the Lord spoke to me
about is your identity as a giver your
identity as a giver and actually before
I speak into that there’s one particular
thing that just keeps coming up to me
you see even in rulership thank you
Jesus
even in rulership over your spirit Wow
Wow I’m trying to see if I just wait for
this so I should share this later
I was not expecting for this particular
thing thank you Jesus thank you Jesus
thank you Jesus
you see what I keep sensing that the
Lord is even speaking to me now is that
that there are some of us in this house
because as this word started to go forth
it began to challenge there’s some of
you and it’s challenging something in
you right now
there was Stuart certain words that
began to challenge you and what the Lord
is showing me is that you see family
relationships are one of your biggest
assets your relationships would always
be one of your biggest assets because
that is how God moves through your life
the Lord is not gonna come down on a
sleigh even though it’s Christmas and do
things personally for you he moves
through people but the way he moves
through people it would be so clear that
that was the what the Lord did not you
or the person but the thing is that
because the Lord is so big on
relationships because he uses
relationships in your lives the enemy
also wants to destroy the relationships
in your life and there’s some of you and
I just keep seeing where offense has
taken place and if it comes out the way
it is it will destroy I don’t know who
I’m speaking to in particular it will
destroy something very powerful that the
Lord is actually in and you know that
there are people in your life and you
know that actually God positioned these
people there and you are pretending
about how you feel you are pretending
the elder if I’m speaking to you please
stand up because this is really heavy on
my spirit and I will continue my message
as we go on you are pretending about
your emotions you are pretending in
front of them it’s almost like you are
living two lies because the moment you
walk away you are feeding
hate and the crazy thing is that family
this is actually keeping you from your
platform this is keeping you from where
God is sending you because God cannot
bless that and what the Lord is speaking
to me about now is that even before the
end of this day that even as we leave
that as we leave service because you
don’t want to text during the message
okay it’s a little rude okay but before
we leave the house of God you need to
contact that person and you need to be
open and say you know what there were
things that were in my heart that were
bid against you and perhaps I assumed
wrongly you see past the Philmont see
who gave a powerful message this past
Sunday there was something he said once
and nothing has stuck with me he said
the greatest respect you can give a
human is to listen to them and perhaps
some of you just needs to hear the other
person’s side out because if you
continue to harbor this offense and you
continue to pretend like everything is
good you’re going to miss out on what
God assigned them to do in your life
because if some of the things that you
have said comes out it would be more
destructive than good and so I just
sense that right now as the Lord is
interrupting this message that it is
time to release offense and family what
we’re going to do in a brief moment it’s
pray for that person right now whoever
the name is that came to your mind
whoever these people I want you to pray
for them right now speak a prayer speak
a blessing over them because you cannot
be against who you bless speak a
blessing over them because family let
this be a sign to you that it is not
what it looks like I understand that
something may have happened but it is
not what it looks like the enemy wants
to attack your relationships because
your relationships is how God purpose is
to bless you you see family there was
something interesting that happened in
Egypt when the Israelites have come out
of slavery
the Lord said to them to ask the
Egyptians for their gold he had caused
the Egyptians the very people that put
them in slavery to favor them with gold
if someone else carried offense and said
you know what I don’t want to talk to
these people I’m out of here I’m done
with all the nonsense they did to me I
don’t want one thing from them guess
what they would have missed out on a
place that would have bless them that
God said I have assigned favor and a
release unto you but it is your choice
because we don’t even know the full
story some of them could have done what
they did because that was how they were
raised
and so you need to hear the full story
out family in this moment I want to take
we want just a few minutes and begin to
pray for these people and I’m gonna join
you in prayer and every family everyone
sitting down just begin to pray for
anyone that may have it may even be
offended by you begins to pray just say
God touch their hearts father God we
thank you for this moment of
interruption because you are concerned
about your people you are concerned that
they will have inner dominion Lord God I
thank you that as they begin to release
prayers Lord God over the very people
that they may feel a certain way about
and they’re pretending like everything
is okay as they begin to release prayers
may the words of their mouth begin to
change their hearts I think you Lord
that no relationship that you have put
together whether in the form of a
business partnership whether in whatever
form that it may be Lord God it will not
be destroyed by the enemy I counsel
every attack and every assignment of the
enemy against your people in the very
realms that you have called them to
conquer in the very places that you have
called them to have rulership Lord God
that every divine every every destiny
advocate every divine appointment that
you have called them to and the people
that you have called to meet them there
Lord Jesus I cancel anything that would
stand against it I come I come against
the flesh
that if the flesh will try to stand
against it because of pride or ego Lord
in this moment begins to reveal it
revealed to your people why they’re
moving and pride whether you’re moving
from their ego and cancel it Lord God
made their prayers be a moment of
worship unto you and as they begin to
release it Lorie god I thank you Jesus
that you would move them forward you
would move them forward because some
even says that it seems like something
needs to happen and nothing is happening
but in their dominion is the answer and
so I thank you Jesus I thank you Jesus
I thank you Jesus change their hearts
change their hearts in Jesus name Amen
amen amen amen
[Applause]
beautiful family let’s continue as we
the few things that was put in my heart
actually before we go into your identity
as a GIF I want to speak about your
identity as a creator you see we are
creative beings one passage I love so
much is in the in the book of
Deuteronomy 28 12 and the word says that
the Lord will open to you his good
Treasury the heavens to give the rain to
your land in its season and to bless the
work of your hands I want to stop there
really quick you see the work of your
hands mean the things that you bring
abouts the things that you execute the
things that you can produce and want one
reason that I’ve noticed that often
times is the reason behind our excuses
has always been with time that I don’t
have enough time to get this done that
they’re desires that the Lord has put in
your heart and the reason that it you’ve
been holding it off for so long your
excuses about time but there was a quote
I heard recently and it was so
fascinating to me and he said that it is
that it is the lack of direction not the
lack of time that is a problem and why
that was fascinating to me is because he
mentioned we all have the same 24 hours
in the day and I know sometimes only
here
just like here but I’ll 24 hours a
difference okay you know your 24 hours
looks like vacation mine just listen but
what is fascinating about this family is
that time one thing in particular as I
studied is that the Lord spoke to me in
regards to time management and in
regards to producing the things that the
Lord has spoken to you because you need
time to actually do that but one thing
in particular was the fact that you see
sometimes if we are if Lissa for
instance you know something glamorous is
happening we have a we are more bold to
say no to someone’s invitation or
something that could be a distraction
when it is something that maybe our
friends or family recognizes as
remarkable you know like imagine if
Michelle Obama called you to go so
cycling with her and your friend is like
hey you know can you make it to my
birthday party
oh man Michelle Obama this actually to
go so slightly they’re like girl I
understand go ahead you know just do
that if you had to go to France for a
business trip everybody understands oh
go to France get a croissant and for the
accents in it you know if you had if you
had something that seems remarkable and
admirable you feel like you’re so bold
to say oh I can make it you know because
this is coming up I have to go to
Atlanta to shoot this movie and Denzel
is starring in it oh go ahead
but this is where the kicker is when
we’re doing something that other people
would not understand we’re more inclined
to hide it and say yeah I’ll be there
when we make time for the themes because
it’s still in a small stage you don’t
know how to tell your friends that hair
come I can make it because I have to
read tonight read for real you gotta
read
this is the only day you got to do some
reading and then you’re just like oh man
I don’t want them to feel like I’m not
there and did that you see the crazy
thing is that if you do not put value on
what you’re supposed to do other people
will direct your time for you you see
the fascinating about Jesus was that
when you study the walk of Jesus Jesus
had a sense of direction he had a sense
of direction about his day he was aware
about what he needed to do but I believe
that the power of his awareness was
coupled with understanding the value of
what he needed to do because when you
recognize the value you would recognize
that if what you want me to do may not
be that important and it conflicts with
something I need to do in this stage I
should on I should value it enough to
see the tree in seed form I should value
it enough to see what God is doing even
when it looks obscure to people I should
value it enough to know that yes it may
just sound like I’m reading but I need
to read to understand this very thing
that God is calling me into and maybe
this is the only time I have in the day
to allocate to this very thing we have
to place value on the things that God
has assigned to us you see because the
very word of God says do not despise
small beginnings because the Lord
rejoices to see a thing begins the Lord
finds pleasure when you start but if you
look at your small beginning as
something that is insignificant you will
allow other people to direct your time
and trust me sometimes there would be
they would not even have anything going
on but because really the enemies after
your time
all of a sudden song is calling you
about something insignificant
but because you have not placed value on
your thing you allow that to be directed
because now you become a slave to
people-pleasing and that has to be broke
enough if you are going to live in your
identity as a creator
because in order to produce something
you have to allocate time to do it you
see and lastly your identity as a giver
jesus said it is more blessed it is it
is more blessed to give than to receive
the beautiful thing about that is that
it is more blessed speaks to literally
identity that it is more of your
identity to give than it is to receive
and when I’m learning family is that God
desires us to prosper financially God
desires us to be financially stable and
financially just you know you know crazy
you know because if you see the temple
of God you would know what he’s talking
about
if the temple of God is layered in gold
if the streets of God is good I mean
this is what I’m walking on I mean child
if I’m walking on it I think it could be
on my arm
you’re not could put more value on it
that way but when I’m saying families
that God desires us to prosper and one
thing with prosperity is that sometimes
as believers we only invest in books
that deal with spiritual warfare and
it’s ok to invest in books that deal
with building wealth you see one thing I
love about our church is that we offer
different different programs and
different things that build us in every
area and we have to start taking
advantage of these things I know that
next month we have a debt cancellation
workshop coming up take advantage of it
and increase your wisdom in these areas
you see one thing that tithing has
taught me and as you as we all know
tithing and for some that don’t know
tithing is when we come in covenant with
God over our finances because we
recognize the source but one thing that
Titan has taught me because tithe is a
10% of your income is that I tied
faithfully and so because I do in good
times and in bad times I’m tithing but
somehow I’m still okay whether it was in
the bad time so if God was able to keep
me if I’m giving away 10% of my income
when I when I felt like I didn’t even
have much what that taught me is that
God I can come in covenant with you
about my ability to start investing
knowing that I can take a percentage of
my income and
times and in bad times and invested
knowing that you would keep me because
I’ve seen you do it with the time and I
believed that you would you would bless
this very agreement because Lord it is
your will that I prosper it is your
promise to me that I prosper and so I
can come boldly before you and start me
I say the Lord I’m presenting this to
you but can you would you bless it
because it is already your will and so
sometimes we have to start taking
initiative and understanding the
promises of God that God you have called
me to be a giver and so I want to start
cultivating you see a like mentality is
not the result of lack alike mentalities
there is really honestly the inability
to manage your resources at whatever
level you are on I heard a man say
something that I found so profound he
said that if you did not save when you
have a dollar you will not save when you
make a billion dollars and so there are
disciplines that we have to start
incorporating that maybe you have to be
more aware of where your money is going
to know how you can turn things around
that if you if you were to ask yourself
last you know I wonder how much I what
range is I spend on eating out for
example there should be a number of
figure and idea so you know okay lord
help me in this area and family I found
this so fascinating that these were the
things that the Lord put on my heart
because family I believe that God is and
not even I believe it’s a fact God is
interested and invested in every area of
our lives because even in being a giver
you can push the things of the kingdom
forward this is actually it’s actually
for God to not just for about us it’s
for God because you get to push kingdom
agendas Kingdom ideas Kingdom movies
these that show the kingdom you get to
push it forward it is God’s desire for
you to prosper you see I’m so excited
our pastor released the word for 2019
and you see he’s released that is going
to be the year who knows it come on
somebody up in on social media the year
of perspective
and what I love about that I’m so
excited
ain’t man sister I’m so excited to hear
the message behind this word because I
believe that these very things that the
Lord has highlighted today see when the
Lord starts speaking to me about this
I’m not just here to give you a word he
was speaking to me too
there were areas that he showed me that
oh you need to okay all right now check
yourself out okay
it spoke to me too and I understood that
God oh these are areas that you know
what this is all of us all three of us
are in here
and so what is fascinating family that
as we’re looking into a year of
perspective that I believe that we ought
to put all these areas into perspective
we are to look into our prayer life we
are to look into how we deal with
conflict how we’ll deal with offense how
we deal with unforgiveness we ought to
look into every single everywhere to
look out the very things that God has
called us to create is really is time
our issue or is the lack of managing our
time that’s the issue we also look at
our our finances let’s put everything
into perspective amen
family stand with me thank you Jesus
thank you Jesus thank you Jesus
I just keep sensing that there is a
shift coming
there is a shift got purposes there’s a
there’s a there’s elevation coming and
if you become intentional about these
areas in your life if you become
intentional about the very things that
God is highlighting you see what I love
about this house and what I love about
being under the leadership that among
there is that literally we we do not say
anything except is what the Lord has
said I will not come before you if I was
gonna preach to you my message I will
not do it I would rather we have a
worship like if the Lord has not given
me a word to speak I would honestly just
say I don’t know what’s happening I
would it’s not like we have like a
reservoir to say oh wow what is in here
I’m gonna pick this for tonight
no because oftentimes if not every time
when the Lord releases a message I’m
receiving that – it’s like a fresh word
for me and so if we pay attention to
what the Spirit of God is saying and
what I’m sharing this is because under
our leadership anytime that our pastors
have spoken a word and I’ve taken that
word and I’ve run with it and I’m like
Lord I go home I just don’t make take
notes just to take notes I go home and I
sit with the Lord Lord how does this
speak to me and I’ve built on that I
have seen how it changed my life I have
seen how it opened doors that I would
not have thought would be open because
I’m not just coming here just to this is
this is not religion this is not because
our life is hidden in Christ we need his
word for tomorrow we need his word to
understand the very things that he’s
called us to do and so sometimes when
the word is released family I’m telling
you if you begin to be intentional about
these areas and for some of you God will
reveal more areas to you but if you
begin to exercise discipline because
nothing just happens randomly
nothing just happens just because like
you know Kapow no it’s not if you begin
to exercise discipline if you begin
because see there was a quote I heard
and I love that so much and it says that
discipline is when you plan your pain
and your pleasure
we are so used to planning pleasure that
we don’t plan pain and pain does not
mean something that is against you it
just means it’s it’s sacrifice it’s what
your flesh does not like because you you
like to do whatever you want to do and
in order for you to really start moving
in the things of God when God wants to
give you authority and Dominion you
think Abraham wanted to kill his son you
think God told Abraham Abraham kill your
only son and he’s like wow god I’ve been
waiting all day for you to tell me that
it’s about time you told me to put a
knife to my son’s neck no it’s not it’s
really not do you think that David
wanted to be on the run for years of his
life but these are the times where God
begins to cultivate us and so if we
begin to be disciplined about these
areas of our lives we start to recognize
God in ways that it becomes our norm how
we respond to warfare is not like a
child anymore we see it coming and we
laugh yes it may be difficult because
we’re human and you know we still got
emotions but you were not moved like you
would normally be moved and even in
moments of weakness
you can put your weakness in the hand of
the father you could say god I just
don’t understand but I’m not I’m not
gonna let my weakness rule my life I’m
gonna put it in your hands you lead me
you be my strength in every area of our
lives family I just see that God is is I
just kept seeing as I studied this word
I kept seeing elevation
but when we are stewards with what we’re
we’re faithful over a little God will
make us ruler over munch
when we are faithful yes we may not have
enough time that we would like to have
but then can you if even if all you have
is 30 minutes that you have free time
can you give God 20 can you give God
some of that whatever it is that may
seem small God will honor it it’s not
about doing something it’s not about
killing yourself but if you can
sacrifice God will honor it
I remember I was asking the Lord I said
why is it that sacrifice it’s often the
key to greater because when I think of
fast and fast and it is really a
sacrifice nobody wakes up in the morning
saying wow just can’t wait to not eat
for the rest of the day no no no and if
you do you know come over after service
but there’s a lot of things that release
is a different die Medina a different
dimension of power it’s really connected
to sacrifice and always wonder God why
is it that on the other side of
sacrifice
it’s where power is released but what I
understood too is that it’s not just
random sacrifices sacrificing obedience
to God but one of the things that I
understood about that is that it was the
very sacrifice of Jesus that released
the Holy Spirit and so when we are
willing to obey God even in the place of
sacrifice it releases even a greater
dimension of his power in your life
because the way it was released is the
way it would increase and so we made
their hard yeses that we may have to
give to God but I believe family that we
have grown from there are things that
were like you know we did as a child in
the faith and God has called us higher
and the higher God keeps calling you the
more he’s gonna require of you and the
harder the yeses might be but every
heart yes leads to more of him and at
least some more of who you are
and the lie that the enemy tries to tell
us is that our heart yes means loss it
does not mean loss cuz God is not a
waster God is not God God would not keep
things from you he doesn’t need it in
heaven he wants you to have every good
thing but he doesn’t want those things
to have you and so he wants to its pace
by pace thank you Jesus thank you Jesus
thank you Jesus
I just want to I just want us to have a
moment of just personal intimate time
with the Holy Spirit because I just keep
sensing that for many of you the Lord is
speaking to you about specific areas in
your life and some of those areas
actually are coupled with instruction
and I just want us to all have a moment
if we could just bow our heads just to
avoid distraction and let the Lord speak
to you
[Music]
family that peace that joy that Center
is what the holy spirit desires to
always have with us I just sense that
there are some people in this house and
even as we pray and as we close out as
we there are some people you you’re
believing for healing and it seems that
whatever the illness has been has felt
like it has put you in some form of
bondage to certain things that you
believe that you need to do and whatever
that illness is or if you are believing
that for someone in your family I just
want you to touch that part in your body
or touch that part that represents the
party in their body if it’s in multiple
places I just want you to place your
hand on your head as we close out as we
pray father God I thank you for your
spirit is here and we thank you Lord for
that which you have purposed to do have
your way Lord God have your way Lord
we thank you for your word that has
spoken into the hearts of your people
and I thank you Laurie God that even in
this very moment that healing is flowing
Lord that healing is flowing in the
bodies of your people healing is flowing
I thank you for testimonies that will
spring forth glory God because healing
is flowing I thank you Jesus I thank you
Jesus
I thank you Jesus that what is
impossible with man is possible with you
and I thank you lord
I thank you Lord I even stay kind of who
thought I thank you Wow
I don’t know who may be standing in the
gap for a young girl who is dealing who
has been battling with cancer and has
been feeling a certain well now if
you’re here or you’re watching because
of the loss of her hair and this may
speak to other people in different ways
but because of the loss of her hair the
little girl has been it’s almost like
she’s been questioning her beauty and
she’s been questioning and I just see
the Lord placing his hand on her chest
and he’s healing her of anything and he
lied the enemy wants to speak into her
life if that is you know if you’re in
this house but if you’re in this house I
would love for you to come to the altar
if you’re watching this because I just
see the Lord placed in his hand
there’s his hand is on her chest and his
hand is on her head and every lie that
the enemy has been trying to speak to
her not only is he healing her but he’s
also healing her sense of identity
and so Lord God we thank you for this
little child we thank you Lord for what
you’re doing in your life and lord I use
her as a point of contact to everyone
here who is believing you for healing
and believe in you whether healing and
their lives are healing in the life of a
family member or a loved one I thank you
Lord that you are moving and you would
heal her God not just their physical
body but any emotional trauma Lord God
you would heal it in the name of Jesus
and I thank you that you would restore
like it was never there
you would restore Lord God he was
strengthened you give them courage
you’ll give them boldness and Lord God
you will give them their sense of
identity back that they would know
they’re not identified just by the
natural org I didn’t know they are
identified by you have your way Lord God
in Jesus name Amen
amen
[Music]
you