This is “Don’t Tear Your Garments.” In the bible when people ripped apart their garments, it was a sign that there was no answer to their despair. But when Jesus hung on the cross for you and I, the ultimate garment was ripped. The veil separating us from the presence of God was ripped from top to bottom and now, by the grace of God, you will never be in a place so desperate that you cannot overcome. Don’t quit. Don’t back up. Don’t stop. Nothing is bigger than your God!
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Leviticus chapter 21 and verse 10 he who
is the high priest among his brother on
whose is hid the anointing oil was
poured and who is consecrated to wear
the garments is to not uncover his head
nor tear his clothes this is a
commandment that we don’t really
understand it doesn’t mean anything to
us and we would we would go right over
it in our day and time and think it’s
some kind of something that has no
relevance to our life but in Bible days
the greatest way that they would express
grief sorrow heartache pain was to rend
or tear their clothing they did it David
did it great Kings did it many people
did it in dire situations they would
tear their clothes all were allowed to
tear their clothes because it signaled
grief that was too heavy to bear sorrow
that was too deep to express desperation
that was beyond putting in words it was
a telltale sign listen carefully it was
a telltale sign if you ever saw and it
was very common that when bad news or
tragedy came one of the first things you
read over and over and over and over all
the way throughout the Bible is they
would rend or tear their clothes and it
was a telltale sign that something
greater then that man or woman had
overtaken them and they felt absolutely
overwhelmed the tearing of the garments
listen carefully represented a problem
for which there was no solution it’s so
torn apart it’s so messed up there is no
answer to this dilemma the tragedy that
defied resolution the trial that could
not be it could not be fixed it was the
you know
versal expression someone is being
completely overwhelmed and they’re
tearing their clothes in desperation
from Genesis to Revelation the Bible is
full to the brim of people tearing their
clothes in desperation and despair
I think of Jobe when he got news that
his ten children were dead the first
thing that your Bible says he did that
good and godly man is he tore his
clothes and he wept and he cried out and
he said the Lord gives the Lord takes
away and he tore his clothes there is a
king who was the king of Samaria and you
remember when Samaria was in famine and
the Bible said the famine was so severe
this is pretty bad that they were they
were eating they were eating doves dung
and donkeys heads and then it got even
worse
and something broke in the heart of the
king of Samaria because a woman took her
baby in desperation and bored it and ate
it and when the King heard the news the
Bible said his heart was so stricken
with grief by the siege that the city of
Samaria was under that he tore his
clothes just like Joe the Bible said
that when Joshua and Caleb were at the
intersection of opportunity when they
were there and they had seen the grapes
and they had seen the promised land and
ten of the spies were standing there
saying the Giants are too great and they
came with a report of victory saying
were well able to go into the Promised
Land let’s do this God’s with us God’s
force and the scripture said that the
ten talked the the the people of Israel
out of their promised land and when that
happened and Joshua and Caleb realized
we’re not going into the Promised Land
for another forty years until this
generation dies out your Bible said both
of them tore their clothes in
desperation
but this law said if you’re a priest if
you are a priest and I remind you of
Revelation we are called to be priests
and kings unto our God under the New
Covenant and this scripture said that if
you are a priest in Leviticus 21 the
high priest upon listen one upon whom
the anointing all has been poured he
shall not tear his garment everyone else
could but under the Old Covenant the
priest had something that everyone else
didn’t have to deal with his problems
everyone else who went through tragedy
had to deal with it outside of the Ark
outside of the presence outside of where
God was and where his anointing was
under the Old Covenant God dealt it
dwelt behind the Holy of Holies and and
only one man the high priest could go in
one day out of the year and God said
because the high priest has the
anointing of the Holy Spirit upon him
and because the high priest has access
to the presence of God who faces no
dilemma that he ever tears his clothes
over because you high priests have
access to the presence of God and you
have the anointing all of the Holy
Spirit upon you that you can dwell in
God’s presence I forbid the priest like
everybody else who responds by tearing
their clothes I forbid the priest to
never feel such despair that they tear
their clothes saying there’s no hope
this is this that this can never be
fixed we all experience pain we all
experience grief and frustration and
fear we all experience pain and sorrow
and and here’s the thing if we avail
ourselves to the anointing of the Holy
Spirit
and we avail ourselves in make act take
advantage of the access that we have to
go into God’s presence there is nothing
that should ever make us think that it’s
bigger and greater than our God if we
tear our garments what God was saying
what God was saying to the priests is if
you tear your garments because you have
the anointing of the Holy Spirit and
because you have access to my presence
if you tear your garment you’re implying
something is bigger and greater than I
am and I forbid you to do that you don’t
have the luxury of despair priest you
can have a bad day you can go through
some tough times but when it’s all said
and done you walk into my presence throw
your hands up know that I’m for you know
that I’ll pour a fresh anointing on you
we experienced everything everybody else
in the world experiences as New
Testament priests and believers when you
get saved you do not get immune from
tremendous problems trials tribulations
sickness death tragedy in the family
divorce all kinds of things come that
won’t to destroy our lives and make us
spiritually tear our garments and say
what’s the use I can’t go on Paul was
honest when he recounted in detail I am
troubled on every side yet not
distressed I am perplexed but I am not
in despair I am cast down but I’m not
tearing my garment I’m not forsaken
thanks be unto God who always causes me
to triumph in every place I want you
listen carefully what I’m about to show
you and tell you you may have never
heard this but I believe it’s a
revelation that can change your life I
want you to listen lean in
Matthew 26 and verse 65 I think it is
said that when they brought Jesus in to
the high priest and they asked him are
you Lord are you you claim your God you
claim you’re God’s Son you claim these
amazing and mocking him and the Bible
said when Jesus when Jesus told them who
he was your Bible said that the high
priest rent his garment and here’s what
got me when I saw that the Bible said he
he tore his clothes the high priest was
forbidden to do this he’s still under
the law he was forbidden and what’s
interesting is he did it in the presence
of God the Waterwalker
the turning the wine water into wine guy
the that the raisin the dead the the
healing the leper God he’s in the
presence of the one who can do anything
and here’s a priest tearing his garment
now contrast that with John 19 and verse
24 Jesus is hanging on the cross and the
thieves are at the foot of the cross
gambling for his garments and one of
them said they started to tear his
garments the Bible said because then
they could gamble more you know more
pieces they can gamble on it and one of
them spoke up he didn’t even know what
he was doing and he said we cannot tear
his garments
let us not tear it they were going to
tear it the devil could not tear up the
garment of our high priest
he was staring Satan right in the face
on the cross and the devil could not
make him go into despair he was looking
at demons and devils and stabbings and
nail piercings and crowns of thorns and
mockery and cursing and spit in his face
and everything hail hit him with Jesus
said you won’t tear my garment my god
will raise me up in three days this
ain’t over just because it looks like
I’m in despair I’m not in despair so
what am I to do when I get in problems
that feel overwhelming battles that
leave me bloodied and battered and
broken and troubled I’m I can have a bad
day I can have a bad week but at some
point I am to obey the scriptures and
not tear my garment verbally by by
talking defeat I am NOT to set my heart
on my losses and focus on my problems I
am to focus on the promises and set my
heart on God and His goodness and His
faithfulness and somehow he’s going to
get glory out of my situation I don’t
understand it I don’t have to understand
it you won’t ever make me tear my
garment with questions of why is this
happening to me I may never know but
I’ll trust him till I die
come on and praise the Lord just a
minute so so here’s what I hear the Lord
saying in Joel 2 and verse 13 rend your
hearts not your garments that when you
go through something this tragic and
devastating and overwhelming and you
don’t feel like you can ever be fixed
and be right again and you it’s just
like a torn garment it’s torn up this is
just so messed up
he said don’t let it make you tear your
garments signifying implying this is
bigger and greater than you can deal
with God but he said on the other hand
let it he said he said tear your heart
not your garment let brokenness come let
it drive you back to your knees let it
drive you back to the only source of joy
in this life the Word of God hearing his
voice sitting at his feet now close with
this
they couldn’t tear his garment but there
was a veil that was so thick according
to Josephus the historian that it would
take 12 horses on both sides to pull
that veil apart and split it the veil
separated the people and anyone from the
presence of God where the Ark of the
Covenant was but when Jesus died the
Bible said the veil in the temple was
torn from top to bottom God reached down
and said you couldn’t tear my son’s
garment devil but I will tear this veil
that has separated people from that
listen from access to my presence and
the holy anointing of the Holy Spirit
that’ll get them through anything I’ll
anoint them to deal with pressure I’ll
anoint him to deal with
I’ll anoint them that I’ll give them the
oil of joy for sorrow and grieving when
they go through loss when they bury a
loved one when they suffer heartache and
pain when they get news of cancer or any
tragedy
they won’t Rim their clothes they’ll
come running through the ripped veil
into my presence they have access
because they’re my children and I’ll
pour my healing all on them and there’s
nothing you can do to them if they get
in my presence that will destroy them
because they’re mine and what’s in my
hand no demon no devil can pluck it out
no matter what you’re going through no
matter how real the sorrow and the pain
you’re facing the disappointment the
despair the absolute despair that we
feel all of us at times as human beings
hit the wall now I know you didn’t come
to church to hear I’m this isn’t a
message of the thing this is just life
you know Amy is very happy I mean how
long you been around wait do you get a
few of these jesus said you must through
much tribulation put that one on your
refrigerator you through much
tribulation must enter the kingdom of
heaven that means nobody is going to get
there without going through not a little
much tribulation but when you go through
it we don’t we go through the same stuff
those people out there but we don’t act
like they act I don’t go to Jack Daniels
I don’t need a snort up my nose I don’t
have to shoot some heroin into my veins
I don’t have to go find me a lover to
get my mind off my problems I don’t turn
on pornography to escape
I don’t tear my garment that’s when you
stand strong and mighty that’s when you
say who is the Lord of glory he’s strong
and mighty mighty in battle and when
you’ve done all to stand you just put on
the garment of praise let the anointing
of the Holy Spirit come on you again and
when you can’t pray for yourself go to
somebody and say I don’t even feel like
praying I don’t even feel like reading
the Bible yeah I get that way too
I’ll read it but it don’t do nothing for
me sometimes pastor and I’m just telling
you now I will say this if I’ll read it
it’ll read me sooner or later but
there’s times when it’s just
ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba and I can’t
hear him and I keep feeling and I feel
numb and I feel cold and I feel unworthy
feel unqualified feel like running away
and not where I just opened my Bible by
the way have you not known have you not
heard the everlasting God the Lord the
creator of the ends of the earth
listen neither is he faint nor is he
weary his understanding is unsearchable
he gives power to the weak and to those
who have no might he increases strength
even even the youth will feign and be
weary and the young man that’s me
there’s my word shall utterly fall but
those who wait upon the Lord shall renew
their strength they shall mount up with
wings like eagles they shall run and not
be weary they shall walk and not tear
their garment a stand on our feet and
honor our King he’s here I didn’t plan
that it’s honest to god I just open that
up and the Lord says I want you to know
I give power to the faint
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the veil has been real from top to
bottom come boldly into the to the
throne of grace that you might obtain
help in the time of trouble and I’m
thankful for that glory to God
hallelujah lift your hands all over this
room open up your mouth and for the next
30 seconds get praise in your mouth and
begin to speak it forth don’t stand
there silent
don’t stand there silent rend your heart
not your garment tear your heart up not
your garment and and feel your mouth
with praise that’s it let’s worship Him
I don’t know what you’re going through I
don’t know why God’s leading me to
preach what I’m preaching right now why
I’m saying this but somebody needs this
message and God has interrupted special
programming just for you to give you a
fresh word to let you know I know
exactly where you are and what’s going
on in your life and I will not forsake
my own now I’ll reach over and lay your
hands on somebody because they shall
recover if you lay hands on them in
Jesus name they’ll recover from the
divorce they’ll recover from the heart a
they’ll recover from the slander they’ll
recover from it all they’ll recover from
the bankruptcy they’ll recover from the
cancer they’ll recover from the attack
they’ll recover from the family problem
they’ll recover you shall recover it all
I don’t know how I don’t know when I
can’t tell you that but I’m telling you
tonight stand on this word don’t tear
your garment
God’s not through with you right form
just another moment there’s healing in
your hands right now touch them and say
you be healed of that you be healed of
that mindset of depression you be healed
of that worry you be healed of that
mental fatigue you be healed of that
weariness you be healed of that struggle
you be healed of those dark clouds that
have been on you you you come up into
the sunshine above the clouds I speak it
into you tonight speak it into your soul
he leads me beside still waters he
restores my soul
praise God
I know today that there are many who are
facing storms in their life where you
just feel hopeless and you feel like
tearing the garment but I want to preach
to people today a message of hope and I
think I have I want to say thank you for
helping us be a blessing to people in
Houston in the whole Gulf Coast
Louisiana we’re sewing tens of thousands
of dollars we’re believing God for
hundreds of thousands that we can pour
two ministries on the ground ministers
and pastors and churches that are
sheltering hundreds of people that are
feeding them on a daily basis that are
reaching out in love and compassion in
making a difference they just need
resources and so you know us you trust
us we give everything we say we give to
who we say we give it to and when you
give to this cause we’re going to make
sure that every penny that you sin is
going right back out to minister to the
needs of so many hurting people so we
decided to partner with many ministries
and we’ve been through the rescue phase
now we’re into the relief phase and
ultimately we want to go to the
restoration phase of seeing homes
rebuilt seeing churches rebuilt who’s
going to rebuild hundreds of churches
many of them
churches of maybe a hundred or 200
people they matter just as much as a big
mega church they need financial help I
promise you that if you help us we’re
going to funnel that money into the
hands of real people in those
communities who have who will pastor the
people and reach the people and rebuild
these churches and these lives thank you
so much remember to pray pray and do
what you can do to make a difference for
hurting people Lord we pray today for
our nation we pray today for those who
are still their lives are so disrupted
and in disarray but you see them you
know where they are they don’t have to
tear their garment you you’ve got people
who are going to help them and we
believe that we’re part of that people
in Jesus mighty name I want you to help
me help them we’ll do it together
thank you Pastor Jentezen Franklin free
chapel you guys blow my mind you guys
reached out on day one of this horrific
hurricane and said we’re not just
waiting to give we’re giving now and
then we’re going to give more later and
there’s more where that’s coming from so
thank you for your consistent commitment
to helping us rebuild our city and
though the Sun is out right now it is
hot it is humid because of all the water
that we’ve got and even though the sun’s
out the storm is far from over because
right now what we’re dealing with is a
timed release of reservoirs and bayous
around the city people who don’t think
that they’re gonna get flooded they’re
getting flood and that’s gonna happen
for the next 30 days
Adam Russ is an usher at our church and
now he’s running a fleet of airboats in
fact he’s got six moats going today and
they’re out rescuing people and they’ve
gone from Houston all the way down to
the port whenever I talked to Adam on
Monday I said tell you what Hope said
he’s gonna come alongside you we’re
gonna give you five thousand dollars to
gas the boats and it’s been unbelievable
to hear the stories in fact there was a
a guy who was a paraplegic there was no
way that he was going to get out of his
house he was covered in some of some of
the debris that had kind of floated
around his house and
the guys went in and got him out and
took him to higher ground and got him
into a shelter my favorite part about
this whole thing is people who don’t
believe in Christ being rescued by
Christians we’re literally holding out
our hands picking them up and saving
their lives and we’re watching people
give their lives to Jesus and rescue
boats nothing shows the heart of God
more than what Zak did for a lady in
Kingwood just northeast of the city Zak
is in a boat and he looks out across but
he sees a lady and she’s just zipping
down through the water and hitting trees
and she finally grabs on and his Zak
thinks really fast ties a rope around
his waist and dives into the water he
grabs her says you’re gonna be all right
and swims her back to dry land she can’t
stop crying
we didn’t even get her name Zak is a
volunteer to church it’s when ordinary
people ordinary people of God say we
will not go quietly into this storm we
will not sit silently we will jump into
the waters and we will put ourselves at
peril to save lives because that’s what
we do that’s what we do as a church and
that’s what you’ve done for us you’ve
thrown us a lifeline so thank you
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we appreciate it we don’t know what to
do right now other than just keep doing
what we’re doing pull people out of the
water and and get their feet on a solid
safe ground keep praying for us we love
you and we thank God for you we hope
you’ve enjoyed this teaching by Jensen
Franklin and thank you for your
continued support of this ministry your
prayers and financial support make these
programs possible
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