Service Date: 12.02.18 11AM
[Music]
let’s just read the word so we’re gonna
look at first Kings
18 from verse 41 to 45 and it reads then
Elisha said to Ahab go up eat and drink
for there is the sound of abundance of
rain so Ahab went up to eat and drink
and Elijah went up to the top of Carmel
then he bowed down on the ground and put
his face between his knees and said to
his servant go up now look toward the
sea so he went up and looked and said
there is nothing and seven times he said
go again then it came to pass the
seventh time that he said there is a
cloud as small as a man’s hand rising
out of the sea so he said go up say to
ahab prepare your chariot and go down
before the rain stops you now it
happened in the meantime
that the sky became black with clouds
and wind and there was a heavy rain so
Ahab rode away and went to Jezreel a man
family maybe see that
[Music]
amen so interesting quick story
this past Thursday for most of us if not
all of us we saw or experienced the rain
but I remember I was with two of my
friends and we were in the car and so we
were just we were having a conversation
and easily we could have just moved it
you know just walked out of the car and
walked into the apartment but we’re just
in the car we were talking and all of a
sudden we see these you know just few
drops of rain and we thought there was
nothing you know because first of all it
was just clear skies a moment ago and so
these little drops was like always you
know just drizzling and you know we
thought it was nothing because we all
had hair that is not rain friendly and
so we stayed in the car we just kept
chatting and in less than a minute it
turned into a downpour and now we’re
looking for extra clothes and handbags
and I had my makeup bag I said whoo this
thing better you know so foxy you know
we’re trying to figure out all kinds of
ways to avoid rain such as our hair but
when I’m sharing this is because it
looked like nothing was happening until
that nothing became something and what
we’re going to see in this message is
that this is often how God moves that he
would use what may look insignificant
what may look like nothing and turn it
into a downpour of blessings and turned
into a downpour of the release of the
manifestation that we have been waiting
for you see when we read the scripture
were reading about Elijah the prophet
coming to King Ahab and saying that hey
there’s gonna be rain but to backtrack
what is what what had taken place is
that in at this time Israel was you know
the king was the King Ahab and this was
a king that in the Bible it says that he
was more evil than any other King before
him in the sight of the Lord and the
reason to this is because a hab had
built a temple for this false god bow
and no long so not only that he’s
building a temple now the people of the
Israelites
worship in this false god and so he’s
using the authority that God had given
him and he’s misleading people into
worshipping a god that is not real and
so this is going on and so the Lord
tells Elijah to go meet a hub and
release a word that is gonna be drought
in the land so up until this time the
drought had existed for three and a half
years but the drop was not just because
God just felt like you know the land
should have a drought the drought was
symbolic because their spiritual states
was in the drought they had rejected the
Spirit of the Lord in worship to this
false God and so as a result of where
their spiritual state was now the Lord
manifested that which mirrored where
they were spiritually so there was a
natural drought because of where they
were spiritually oftentimes in the Bible
we see this connection of water and
spirit we see where Jesus says I believe
this is in the book of I believe it’s um
I have a someone here I believe in John
7 okay in John 7 Jesus says if anyone
thirsts let him come to me and lecture
let me even read the scripture so I
don’t give you my version it says if
anyone thirsts let him come to me and
drink he who believes in me out of his
heart will flow and not and some
translation says out of his belly will
flow rivers of living water but this he
spoke concerning the spirit and so he’s
saying that and this was so fascinating
because when Jesus was speaking this he
just like yelled it to the people and
he’s like if anyone thirsts let him come
to me and I will give him water whoever
believes in me out of his belly was flow
rivers of living water so there’s this
connection to what when God is talking
about water with the spirit in the book
of Genesis we see how it when it talks
about that the Spirit of God was
hovering over the waters
it was positioned properly because I
believe that what water is for us in the
natural is what the Spirit of God is to
our spiritual state you see without
water the human body is made
mostly of water water is what allows our
organs our tissues to function without
water we would not be like we would we
cannot live without water we can live we
even you know when you’re doing a fast
it’s easier there were not no one we
even advise you to do like a forty day
no food no water you would die you know
no but you can do a forty day no food
but with water and you’ll be you know
you might faint a little bit but you’ll
be thriving because what we need water
to function and the same way with the
Spirit of God we thought the Spirit of
God we lose the very our very makeup it
is in God that we find our identity we
are connected to his source by his
spirit we’re connected to our source by
his Spirit the Bible says that in him I
live I move and I have my being without
the Spirit of God we are lost without
the Spirit of God we cannot function
without the Spirit of God we will lose a
sense of who we really are because that
is what that is what awakens us to why
we are here it awakens us to our
identity awakens us to our truth and so
when there is a natural drought it was
actually because there was a spiritual
drought you see and often times in our
lives sometimes God would allow things
to dry up around you to actually bring
your attention to what’s happening in
your spirit because it’s you know when
things are going really well we don’t
really sometimes seek God the way that
we do when we are praying for a
breakthrough and so sometimes God will
allow your natural state to dry up
because he’s saying I want to redirect
you that you have lost your first love
you have walked away from your first
love and maybe I just need to dry some
things around you I need to shake things
around you a little bit to remind you
that you’re actually really thirsty
so remind you that you’re actually not
the best that you can be and so this is
happening but the beautiful thing is
about the love of God is so reckless
that despite what is happening God did
not look at it and say I’m
punish this people he said no I’m going
to create a situation for them to
realize what they’re really hungry for
but that’s realize what they’re really
thirsty for and so before he tells
Elijah to go and see the King Ahab he
also gave him certain instructions about
gathering the profits of these this
false god bow and so when Elijah
presents himself to the King Ahab
because this was a king that had been
looking for him and could not find him
because he recognized that the drought
started when Elijah gave him the
prophetic word that there would be a
drought in this line and it would they
will not be there would be no rain
except by my word because that was the
authority that God had given the prophet
and so when he returns to the man he
tells him he says gather all the
prophets of your of this false god of
bow and let them meet me at Mount Carmel
so they all gather up it was about 450
of them and they met him there and so
what is happening is that Elijah is
setting the stage to restore worship in
Israel he said in this stage to awaken
the people that you know what you have
been deceived your worshipping of God
because this God that were worshipping
another he was also known to be the Lord
of rain so how can you worship a God who
is supposed to be the Lord of rain and
yet there is a drought by my word that
something is not making sense here so
the Lord has it strategically he there’s
a plan to bring the people back to the
truth back to their to their first love
and so they’re on their own this mount
and Elijah says give me two bulls you
guys take one I’ll take one and let us
present them to our God and on this
place though there was an altar for the
Lord that had been destroyed so Elijah
repairs the altar so everything he’s
doing is so symbolic that he’s restoring
worship in Israel and so they repaired
him press the altar he takes his bowl he
gives them a bowl and he says simply
that the God that answers by fire is the
Living God and so he gives them their
bull he’s like okay you know we’re
calling your God and let’s see if he
would consume if fire would come down
to consume this offering and so they
have their bowl they’re crying now they
are calling to their God nothing is
happening they even start cutting
themselves nothing is happening and this
image shows you the depth of their own
deception and so they’re doing all this
things nothing is happening to the point
that Elijah starts making fun of them
he’s like you know what maybe he’s on
the journey maybe he’s asleep
you know maybe in my own terms maybe he
just wanted Cheesecake Factory and the
Cheesecake was just that good and he
forgot that y’all were here trying to
call on him so nothing is happening and
then when it gets to Elijah’s turn he
says you know what not only am I about
to pray for fire to come down but he
even tells the people pour water on this
offering and just even pour extra water
so you know that it didn’t happen
accidentally like the land is just so
dry that you know by accident this thing
just came on fire and so they pour water
with it water on it and Elijah prays in
front of them and the moment he praised
fire is released and it’s and falls on
these Bulls on the bull so when the
people saw it they recognized the Bible
tells us that they bow down and they
said the Lord is God so in this moment
Elijah dealt with the spiritual drought
of the of the nation because he had
called all the people of the nation to
come and to come and see what is about
to happen and so this was God
demonstrating his power for his people
to recognize that look you have been
deceived following this God who is
supposed to even be the lord of rain and
yet cannot even make a rain with the
song or
and so in this moment it gives Elijah
this confidence that okay you know what
what was the real root of the drought
was this was this was a spiritual issue
I’ve dealt with that now now I can go
confidently to Ahab and let him know
like hey go up eat drink because I hear
the sound of the abundance of rain
his confidence allowed him to put
himself out there it allowed him to put
himself in a vulnerable position to
share with another what he heard even
though he had not seen it you see
oftentimes when when God gives us
instructions and says hey I want you to
move to this city I want you to start
this business I want you to start this
job I want you to to serve in this house
and in the beginning everything is just
working out so you were just encouraged
and confidence is to start sharing with
people the fullness of what God has
shown you even though you have not seen
it your confidence to put yourself out
that you’re confident to know that wow
look at God like I was able to just you
know everything came together for me to
get the paperwork done and I’m able to
start this business and you’re just you
put yourself out there in confidence of
what happened but you see what is
interesting is that even though Elijah
was confident to know that okay god I
just handled this this this matter in
the spirit so we’re good
the Bible does not tell us that Elijah
tells the King and then he sits down and
waits for God to do what he’s supposed
to do the Bible tells us that Elijah
tells the King and he goes back to the
place where God demonstrated his glory
and he praised therefore what God has
said to him that he did not find comfort
in just okay God you said something the
the last I was obedience just a few
minutes ago so that should handle
everything else that should just open
the door for me and we’re good to go
but you see Elijah was not trusting in
his works he put his trust in the Spirit
of God you see sometimes family
we put our trust in our last obedience
act that God you said you know you told
me to move to Los Angeles so I did and
so because I did tomorrow I should be
giving my Oscar speech and tomorrow I
went for an audition and I failed I
don’t understand how this is working out
what I’m saying family is rather than
Elijah looking at his last obedient act
to measure to be the sole thing that
measures his expectation he he looked at
it and used it to mark a spot of God’s
faithfulness and so rather than stopping
there he pressed in there he did not
look at it and say you know this should
be a that should be fine God you told me
to start that you know start this
business and everything came together to
start the business but the reality is
that God can tell you to start the
business and then you you you the
business put you in depth so do you look
at it and say but God
I was just obedient to you and you
provided a way we should be you know
rolling to Forbes I should see myself on
the cover and about a month by now
because you are all powerful nothing is
impossible for you but then a month
later and you don’t know if you should
lie on your taxes or not but please
don’t because the IRS could be watching
okay okay but what I’m trying to say
family is that oftentimes we do this we
look at our last obedient act as a
measure as the fullness of how we
measure what God is supposed to do and
the danger with this is that when it
doesn’t happen the way that we expect
because God I was just obedient to you
God I just we I mean we just killed the
prophets of Baal we just showed your
glory
the drops should be over because the
spiritual the problem was from a
spiritual place and I’ve dealt with that
and so the natural droughts it should
just be a breeze the more
but I just even before my words end the
rain should just begin but that’s not
that’s not the reality of how life
happens though and I believe that Elijah
understood that so rather than going up
with the King Ahab and eating and
drinking and laughing and say wow just
watch it right there that’s why it’s
about to start he went back to the place
that he saw the faithfulness of God and
he press he used that suppressant he
used that to say that God you see there
was a confidence that Elijah had there
was a confidence because the scripture
tells us that even when he’s on the
mountain and he’s praying he tells his
servants go now and check and look at
the clouds go now there was a sense of
urgency that tells us that Elijah had a
confident expectation that was gonna
happen now
but even though he had a confident
expectation that this could happen right
now the Bible tells us that when the
servant comes back and says there’s
nothing that Elijah stayed in his
position he did not even go out to check
himself he stayed he was steadfast where
he said no I’m gonna I’m gonna remain in
the place that I saw the faithfulness of
God and I’m gonna keep telling you go
back go back check again check again
check again and what is happening here
family is that Elijah is confident
enough to know that this could happen at
any time now but he is also trusting
enough to know that not my time in Lord
but yours he’s trusting God enough to
know that if this doesn’t happen in my
time enough now because the beautiful
thing about now is that now it’s always
now now that I said now it’s not now
when I say now again because and so he
has this confidence to know that it
could always happen
now but he’s also trusting enough to
know that not my timing but yours not my
will but yours but because I don’t see
what I expect it does not mean I
quit you see when Eli just stays in his
position because I would think that
maybe you know because what maybe when
the the servant came back he would have
said you know we look by faith not by
sight let me go check so I can show you
you need to give me a good reports
because you’re telling me nothing but I
believe there’s something Elijah just
stayed in his position and that posture
of waiting sometimes we always have this
question what does it mean to wait on
God waiting it’s not inactivity waiting
does not mean that you just wake up you
know and you just you know relax in your
house and Netflix and chill and say god
I’m just waiting on you I’m just just
waiting on you to bring the breakthrough
waiting is actually it’s a posture of
faith waiting is a posture of trust
waiting waiting says that God despite
the circumstances I choose to be
consistent that despite what comes
against me I choose to stay steadfast
now yes you may have called me to this
job and I believe when you said that
this is a place that you would do some
mighty things you know through my career
but then what happens when it just looks
like I’m always on the edge what happens
when they feels like they’re always
about to fire me but guess what they
haven’t fired you so sometimes we get
busted because we’re like I’m just about
to quit before they fire me
but they haven’t fired you so even
though there are rumors going around
that or maybe your boss just doesn’t
like you but you’re still there so it’s
the ability to not give in to the the
character of people when people want to
start getting hateful or spiteful but
it’s the same Lord I’m gonna stay
consistent I’m not gonna allow my faith
to be shaken yes you called me to this
city and I know that when you called me
there was do you impressed on my heart
who you say I am and I’ve since I’ve
been here it seems like I’m even farther
away than even when I was back home and
it seems like there’s so much
questioning about what am I doing here
and age just you know time just keep
ticking but the Lord is saying when I
release when I allowed you to hear
something
you see the Bible tells us that what we
see
it’s created by that which was not seen
and so the enemy will try to make you
what will try to turn your insides we’ll
try that how do I even put this he would
try to make your insides mirror what you
see but the truth is what you hear is
what creates what you see and so your
ability because when God releases a word
to you
you see even Elijah’s ability to be
patient you see sometimes family we get
frustrated with God because we’re like
God you gave me a word and it’s been
months or years and that word has not
manifested but you see family for that
very reason God gave you a word because
patience has to be converted in
something your ability to be patient
means that there’s something to be
patient for if not God would just not
tell you and so he’s telling you because
he’s saying no I am about to do this in
your life and so the word should be your
anchor to know that
just stay be steadfast because I am
doing something in the midst of it
Elijah had the ability to be steadfast
because he did not look at his last
obedience as the launching pad for total
victory he was not trusting because that
is when we trust in our works he was
trusting in God he said God I’m gonna
wait on you I’m gonna stay steadfast I’m
not gonna easily just quit because I saw
nothing but we also have to be realistic
because I am sure that every time Elijah
tells his servant go check again he put
himself in a vulnerable position you see
this is a prophet
you know prophet shouldn’t you know what
time this thing should start I mean
because as a prophet that the very
nature of being a prophet is that you’re
hearing from God but you see the Bible
says Jesus said that times and seasons
belong to God times and Caesars does not
belong to us God will give us a word by
the time and the season of when it
to manifest it belongs to him and so
Elijah could have felt that how you know
am I making myself look inadequate to my
servant he could have felt like how
would my servant perceive me if every
time I’m telling him to check he’s like
there’s nothing and I’m sure the servant
felt a kind of way because even when the
servant saw something he said you know
something just showed up but it’s as
small as a man’s hand it could have been
as big as a man’s hand but his
perception is like dude there’s nothing
and even there’s something it’s I don’t
even know if it’s anything so each time
he put himself out there he made himself
vulnerable to the process he made
himself vulnerable you see when God
calls us to do things it seems difficult
to make ourselves vulnerable to
rejection time and time again it seems
difficult to make ourselves vulnerable
to not knowing God that this is gonna
work out to make us all vulnerable to
the uncertainties of life but it is the
Word of God that ought to be our anchor
you see because Elijah has solved the
drought in the land but anytime we face
a circumstance it is a time that we also
have we are also challenged because
anytime we face a circumstance that is
reoccurring that’s when the enemy starts
trying to create a narrative to us to
say maybe this is not gonna work out and
if we give in to that it creates a
drought within us because if any if we
ever make a decision from the place of
our pain from the place of our of our
hurts from the place of disappointment
in that moment we are shutting off the
Spirit of God because we’re saying that
God I know you said something but I’m
choosing this voice instead I’m choosing
the voice of my pain I’m choosing the
voice of my disappointment I’m choosing
the voice of my hurts and that now
starts to dry up any at the words that
God has given you you see the problem
with this is that in the Bible Jesus
tells us that unclean spirits evil
spirits that they find
rest in dry places Jesus was explained
you know he was talking about when an
unclean spirit comes out of a man he
says it goes looking it goes to the dry
places looking for rest he released a
mystery that a dry place is what
attracts the enemy it gives the enemy
legal rights to influence you it gives
the enemy because he said he’s looking
that he the place that he finds rest is
in a dry place because a dry place is
where you have shut off yourself from
the Spirit of God now many of us can say
that’s not true we’re in the house of
God we just worship we lifted up our
hands we know we almost did the hula
hoop but I’m sorry yeah my I’ll be
cracking myself up in my head but the
thing with the thing with our
relationship with the Spirit of God is
salvation when we give our lives to
Jesus it doesn’t mean that tomorrow we
enter perfection like wow you know today
someone is in the house of God and maybe
you have an addiction you’re struggling
with you come down to the altar you say
oh god I want to open my life to you and
in that moment you’re like this is about
to be on fire and then the next day you
find yourself still struggling with the
same the same problem it can be
different sometimes God can just break
it enough right there but what I’m
trying to explain is that relationship
with God your salvation is an invitation
it says God come into my house but come
into my house is not an immediate
invitation into every room in my house
and so the Spirit of God comes within us
in seed form but in order for him to
have access to all of us we have to open
those doors you see there’s a scripture
in the Bible that says that make that
your whole spirit should be blameless
before God and always found that
fascinating your whole spirit I’m like I
thought the moment we did this you
entered my whole life but when it says
make your whole spirit blameless before
the Lord
if you have to invite God into every
room because when someone comes into
your house the moment they step into
your house you know how sometimes we
have those closets that were just like
never ever would you see this closet
amen but the finish that unless we
invite people in because this is the
reason why we can be weak at our
convictions can be completely different
that someone could feel like man God was
speaking to me about this area of my
life and I need to change it another
person is like now you know I’m cool you
know I don’t think Jesus has a problem
of me doing that and we think that
because we don’t feel convicted because
we don’t feel this pulled by the spirit
that you know what we are actually all
right but the truth is you cannot be
convicted in the place that you have not
opened the door for God to step in and
this is why Jesus would say repent
repent means renew your mind and so in
order for even conviction to even start
there has to be an exchange of
information that you have and this is
why it is important to come in the house
of God is important to hear the word it
is important to meditate on the
scripture because you’re saying God I
want to know what you think about what
I’m doing I want to know your thoughts
about my way of life because you see
sometimes we can be doing something and
we have no convictions at all and it’s
not because the Spirit of God is pleased
oh that is just the contrary because if
you do not invite him in you will not
feel what he’s saying because if someone
is in your house if they’ve never seen
the room that’s messy they cannot tell
you how to organize it and so you cannot
assume you cannot assume because God did
not talk to you about that area it means
that he’s fine with it
the truth is have you opened yourself to
be to question if you are wrong about
what you’re doing because if you’ve
never questioned yourself you would
never even imagine that maybe God is not
actually even for this and this is why
so that it could be very deceptive
because there are other areas in your
life that you’re open to God about and
you guys are having conversations
and you’re chatting and you’re laughing
and you think because of that every
other thing is fine but you have to
allow him to enter every room and that
is why you can have a room of 10
believers and all of us walk our walk is
completely different
what convict me may not convict you what
what what you think is okay maybe just
you know wrong to me but that’s because
what areas have I opened to God and what
areas have you opened to God it doesn’t
mean that I don’t have a relationship
with him it just means that yes he’s in
my house but how many rooms does he
occupy and so what is happening here
family is that when we are confronted
with with circumstances and trials the
enemy wants to bring you to a dry place
and this is when all of a sudden you
lose the the very thing you had fire for
you lose it you came out here for one
reason now you’re doing something
completely different because you lose
the fire that God gave you the books
that you wanted to write maybe you
started with a few pages and then you
shelved it because so much was happening
in your life the script that you were
working on then you just put it in the
back burner and and this is the crazy
thing because whatever it looks like
maybe there was a program that you
wanted to get into and at the moment
things were difficult and so all of a
sudden it’s not even in your it’s not
even in your thought process and then
this is what we say to cover it up and
we’re just like you know what I just
have peace about where things are right
now I’m okay with how things are but
where is that peace coming from and is
it really peace because if it is a dry
place first of all the peace is not
coming from the Spirit of God your
conviction is actually coming from the
enemy so your what is influencing you in
that area to just say I don’t think I
want to sing anymore I don’t think I
really want to pursue this like I used
to you know I just think that you know
God is just having me expand you know my
talents and let me learn how to dance
you know maybe whatever it is we start
finding excuses and we believe
and we’re not even challenged to
question what we believe because we have
this thing that we call peace and what
we call peace might actually be numbness
that we are so numb that we say it is oh
I just feel peace about that like the
peace of the Lord is just whoo all over
my spirit and family this is the way
because the question is how do we trace
how do we how do I identify what is
really the peace from God and what is
false peace because this is where you
have to trace your steps
this is why it’s important to sit and
and even meditate about your day and
meditate about your decisions with God
because if what influenced the decision
to stop was your pain and you have to be
honest with yourself you have to be
honest because sometimes you know for me
I remember isalways think I’m like God
how is it you know when you talk so much
about humility because I was like
humility is not something that can be
worn you know because someone can act
humble but if they don’t think humble
God does not look at what you do he
looks at your intentions and it’s always
wanted I’m like God so humility what
does that really stem from and one thing
that he showed me is that one of the
keys to humility is self-awareness when
you are fully aware of who you really
are
are you gonna be humble you’re gonna sit
down you would recognize oh Jesus I need
you when you’re fully aware of like oh
you know I’m a little messed up and I
don’t understand how you use me the way
you do you come to a posture of like God
I need you and so we have to be
self-aware and that’s why life and life
always wants us to be caught up with
what another person is doing anytime you
get in a fight with somebody you want to
focus on what they did never what you
did you you don’t even want to talk to
your friends about what you did the
first conversation is can you imagine
this you know this person
[Laughter]
we have been custom that when an issue
is at hand we don’t even look at
ourselves we don’t look at the role that
we played
I remember one thing that the Lord
taught me someone had someone said
someone lied to me about something and I
was actually irritated about it I was
like why would they lie though like that
that was just so dumb why would you lie
about that and I can’t I was talking to
God I’m like you know I don’t know if I
could really trust this person because
they just lied about something that was
just so dumb to me and he said to me he
said you’re looking at it one way
because for someone to lie to you
means that they are afraid to tell you
the truth it means that they may not
trust you with the truth they may not
trust how you would respond to the truth
and so what is your relationship really
like with that person do you guys really
understand each other are you guys
really who you say you are to each other
and so we can look at it one way and say
this person just oh my gosh
that’s horrible and then the Lord says
no no because the alternative to line it
will be easy to just say the truth but
why did they have to lie though why
unless they have a line probably that’s
a different ballgame you know like if
you’re just having issues I mean that’s
a whole different thing but in the
situation where it doesn’t even make
sense where it will be easier for you to
tell me the truth then I also have to
examine what is our relationship really
like what why is it that you may not
feel okay to just tell me like it is so
I’m saying this is because family we
have to be self-aware what what role
have I played in this what am i doing in
this because in our self-awareness we
can come before the Lord and say Lord
you know what maybe I maybe this this
disel does look like a struggle this
does look I don’t know like this is hard
for me
you see Elijah there’s a story about
Elijah and this is after this passage
and some of you may know the story about
after Elijah brings fire after he does
all these amazing things and there’s a
woman that he’s
he was so afraid of and he runs away and
he goes to God and he’s like God kill me
because you know I’ve done this for you
and I’ve done that for you and so often
we look at that story like Elijah was
weak and Elijah like Elijah like how
could you be scared about this woman
after you just brought fire down but
that was not Elijah quitting that was
because if he really wanted to die I
mean that he could think of the best he
could have done something stupid you
know but it was Elijah seeking
understanding it was an extreme way but
he was trying to seek understanding he
was frustrated but he brought his
frustration to God he was running to God
he was not running away from him because
if he was running away from him he would
have just ignored him the whole time he
would not tell the person he’s running
from take my life he was seeking some
kind of insight but the enemy wants you
to have a narrative that says just quit
it’s not gonna work out because a dry
place would attract him into it it would
give him Authority in your life in that
area while you are oblivious to what is
really going on you see the Lord when
when the Lord was speaking to me about
this message what he showed me is that
we have to trace our steps what what
what what what motivated our decisions
when we decided to stop what motivated
our decisions when we said no more what
motivated our decisions when we said God
I just want to do something else was it
the Spirit of God because the Spirit of
God will come with insights the Spirit
of God will come with understanding will
come with wisdom but if it was from your
pain if it was from your hurts yes it is
your heart may be valuable to you and
and it is valuable to God too but you
have to recognize the God that you are
serving and the God who who your life is
surrendered to because you’re talking
about a Jesus who while he was on the
cross was dying for the people who put
him there
and so yes God understands your pain but
he made an example for you to know that
even in the midst of your pain you can
make a decision
you can make a decision that speaks to
what I told you that echoes what I said
that what I said should create your
reality not your reality creating or
changing the voice that you are led by
and so this is happening family both the
beautiful thing in this scripture is
that we see that every time he’ll I just
said go again he overcame that voice
that would have said just stop it’s
never gonna happen just quit right here
family what is it what passions have you
lost what has burned out what are the
things you have shelved because you just
feel like this is never gonna happen for
me we have to be confident in knowing
that God can always do it now but even
in the midst of our confidence we have
to be surrendered enough to trust his
timing that even though it may not
happen now God you’re working this out
for my good that even though it doesn’t
happen now maybe now my mind now then
could have not been could have not had
the greatest impact if it happens in
your timing so there is a balance
there’s a balance of confidence and
there’s a balance of trust there’s a
balance that every time I wake up I know
that today is a day for miracles to
happen but even if the miracle I may be
expecting doesn’t happen there would be
another today and that today would be
the day for miracles to happen there is
a confidence in knowing that God you did
the very fact that I’m breathing tells
me that I have endless nails and now
will always be your time I just don’t
know which now it is and so we have to
bring ourselves to that place of
confidence and surrender I’m confident
in what she said Lord you see Elijah
does this seven times and on the seventh
time then all of a sudden something
appears you see God also there’s a lot
of you know there’s a play of numbers
all the time and God speaks through a
number
and so seven seven seven represents
perfection but this is not like a
formula to say that when you pray seven
times then boom this is gonna happen
seven I hear no I mean sometimes God
could lead you to do a seven-day fast or
whatever but it is not like a formula
that God you know I just need something
to happen and someone go there seven
times and I’m cool with that you know
people say no to me but the seven times
Wow something’s about to go down no you
know if God leaves you that that’s great
but what I’m trying to explain family
that it’s not like a formula that cuz
that will make it religious like you
know what just one two three four you
know and no that would that would make
it a religious activity with God you’re
always led by the Spirit of God and so
it is it represents more of a season
that this is a season of perfecting this
is a season of being perfected that God
was perfecting his trust and a lie
Elijah’s ability to trust what he heard
that you would know that because every
the most of the very fact that you
stayed there and you did not move said
that you what you heard is more of a
reality to you than what you’re seeing
that even though all I see around me is
dry ground but I am not allowing what I
see to change what I heard and so
sometimes God needs to establish you in
the word because we’re even the more you
go forward there are things that would
challenge you that would challenge that
word but when you are established in it
knowing that God no weapon formed
against me shall prosper and so yes
things may come against me but I heard
something I heard you say something and
I’m not going to allow the lies of the
enemy to change what I heard I’m not
gonna submit to a different voice
because they’re voices that want to tell
us all kinds of stories fear has a voice
disappointment has a voice pain has a
voice because it’s the thing that tells
you what to do when you’re hurt that’s
that’s the voice that is speaking but
faith also has a voice because faith is
what God said to you and if the reminder
of know there was something that was
thing that God told me and that should
be what leads my life you see family the
scripture then tells us that then it
came to pass the seventh time that he
said there is a cloud as small as a
man’s hand you see it went from there
being nothing to something that also
seems like nothing
it went from there’s nothing but now
what is showing up seems insignificant
what is showing that seems like it can’t
really do much but Elijah he did not say
okay let me pray again some more and
wait for it the whole place to be dark
he said with this insignificant thing
tell the king to prepare with this thing
that looks like it could be also nothing
tell the king to prepare Elijah paid
attention to a sign from God he said I
don’t need the whole cloud to be dark I
just need a sign from God I just need a
reminder from God that maybe now is
actually now that may be mine now is
your now I just need God to give me a
sign you see family what the Lord showed
me in this word is that there are going
to be signs that are released to you and
these signs will seem insignificant it
would seem like I mean God if you know
what I’m already a little frustrated if
you want to show up please you know make
it make it epic
but it’s going to be something that
looks for some of you is gonna be you’re
gonna hear God through your friends that
someone is just gonna remind you someone
random and say hey what about that book
you are working on hey didn’t you what
was that scripture working on manchild
that stuff was funny you should do
something with it
it would be random someone will send you
a link for something you will see
billboards with the names of things that
God has spoken to you about it would be
random and significant what looks like
an insignificant sign because we’re
waiting for God to just you know release
like God if you want me
do this thing I need about $10,000 right
about now and God would give you the
tide of it as a sign and say just start
just start that’s all you need to do and
family what I want my prayer with this
word is that we would take time to sit
with God because for some of us there
are already signs that have been
released for some of us but we have been
pushing it in the in the in the back of
our minds but by the Spirit of God he is
going to bring to your memory because it
would seem so random the next movie idea
will come up from the mouth of a
stranger
the next thing you’ve been wondering God
I’ve been trying to write and I just
can’t figure it out and someone will
just say something so random to you like
hey what do you think you I think you
should work on this someone will give
you such a random idea you know what I
think you should have you ever thought
about this business before have you ever
thought about flying to this place
before it would be the most random
things that seem insignificant but God
is going to use them to release a
downpour of his blessings on your life
and so we have to be sensitive in this
times you see during the end of the year
especially when we come into December
our focus is already on 2019
vision board for 2019 goals for 2019
Lord you know what I’m just gonna close
this year if it was great it was who I’m
comfortable in it if it was bad let’s
just wash it away for 2019
but these are the times where God is
also God never stops releasing his
creativity and so we should not get so
comfortable in the routines of life and
just say oh you know what when I’m home
by Christmas time comes I’m just
chilling with my family Christmas you
could be with your family under a tree
however you do and someone says
something random and you need to catch
it it’s not just a time where you where
you should just you know disconnect from
the reality of your identity but it’s a
time where you have to be sensitive and
pay attention to the
signs around you one of the things that
people bring up that remind you of
things that God once said to you that
you dropped because God is saying and
this time pick it back up pick it back
up because if you pick it up I will show
you my power with that very thing and so
family this is the question I have for
you because when when Elijah tells the
servant to tell a how to prepare it said
now it happened in the meantime it was
almost as if God was waiting for Elijah
so if he was waiting for Elijah to
recognize that this sign is what you
have been waiting for all along that the
moment he released the word tell him to
prepare while he’s speaking now the
clouds are really forming that maybe God
is waiting for your preparation that he
has released a sign and it could seem
insignificant but if you take that and
you run with it that all of a sudden it
would be an outpour you would be so
confused not even confused in a bad way
but like God am I dreaming like how is
all this favor coming to me but the
favor came in the place of preparation
that God may even do it didn’t make
sense because I started a business that
was costing me more than it was actually
feeding me but I’m not going to quit and
every idea that you put in my head Lord
I’m gonna run with it I’m gonna prepare
like I know what she said about where
I’m going and in the midst of that
preparation because family you see the
first step is always great and that’s
why in the beginning of the year you
have when you when you compare the
beginning and the end of the year so how
many people became entrepreneurs it goes
by maybe more than half in the beginning
everybody wants to start something but
at the end it’s like
[Music]
you know I might just go to the fish
market or something but but when I’m
saying family that it’s always easy to
start but we serve a God who says that
he is the beginning and the end his
glory is not when you start a thing the
glory goes to him when you finish a
thing and so yes there are things that
we’re gonna start it’s very easy that’s
why Elijah doing the spiritual the the
spiritual battle he was starting
something but can you see it through and
that is where we are tested yes you
started something yes you came to Los
Angeles yes you started the business yes
you you you started the job yes you
started going for auditions but can you
see it through because then seeing it
tour is where God shows up yes you said
yes but would your yes be would you
would you be faithful with your yes
would you be faithful to what you said
you would also do because God you know
one thing that learnt about God is that
when God gives a word all I’m doing is
looking for the finish line I’m not
starting something because he’s already
laid the path for me I’m only looking
like a guy where where’s the
manifestation so I’m not gonna quit even
if I make a wrong turn I should just
make a u-turn
even if someone here rejected me no that
does not stop me because God when you
gave a word you already have the end
creative and I just have to be faithful
family stand with me thank you Jesus
thank you Jesus thank you Jesus
thank you lord
as I prayed concerning this war there
were a few things that the Lord spoke
that he would do as a sign even unto you
and so there are some of you here and as
this word was was was being spoken it
literally felt like your hearts wildfire
it felt like something deep down in you
was burning if that is you I want you to
come down here thank you lord
[Applause]
thank you Jesus
thank you Jesus
some of you as the word was going on the
Holy Spirit brought to your memory
the things that you have dropped he
brought to your memory that these were
decisions that were not made from the
place of wisdom these were decisions
that were made from the place of your
pain he brought to your memory signs
that already that God has already sent
to you that you may have ignored if that
is you I want you to come down to this
altar
thank you lord thank you lord have your
way God
[Music]
have your wig
you see family the reason I’m calling
you down to the assaulter is because
your step you your ability to even step
out should remind you that no God even
if because for some that that burn in
your hearts you may not even know what
the thing is yet but it gives you the
ability to know that there’s something
you need to search out that God there is
something because what he showed me was
that this this burned that he’s gonna
literally because what he’s doing is
starting back afire rekindling your
passion and so you might not even know
God what exactly like why am I feeling
this way but it’s for you to search it
out the Bible said that it is the glory
of kings to search out the matter and
it’s to the glory of God to conceal it
and it’s not that God wants to hide
something from you but he wants you to
be his friend he wants you to come
before him and search something with him
and that is what puts you in the
category of a king because his friends
are given authority the things that God
brought to your memory that you dropped
because you are hurt because you were
disappointed family pick it up because
you don’t know when you’re now with
matric gods now and so pick it up
because literally there is that there
are resources assigned
and so if you drop it you would not even
recognize it or it would not recognize
you and so pick it up it’s okay to make
yourself vulnerable against a rejection
it’s okay because it’s not really
rejection we just call it rejection what
we’re trying to do because you see
family alignments does not mean that
when we say that we’re coming into
alignment it doesn’t mean that we you
know ooh
this spot right here is alignment it
means that we’re trying to search the
spot Lord is it like are we are we good
is he here it’s just have you ever tried
to be framed for something like when
they are trying to you know take a
picture of you and you’re liking the
move to the left move to the right my
great friend Anthony when I’m taking
pictures in these I just move shift a
little bit I’m like right there okay
just make step I said this is like two
steps but when we’re trying to find
alignment it’s it’s but it’s something
that we’re like okay god is this the
right spot and so when you say something
is rejection it’s not it’s just Lord I’m
just trying to find where are we going I
may not know because you see the Bible
says times and seasons belong to God and
sometimes he may choose to reveal it and
sometimes he may not and that’s why even
the Prophet did not know at what points
would we see something he had a word
from God but he did not know it would
have been it could have been the seventh
it could have been the fourth year time
he had no clue all he knew was that
because God I trust you I will be
steadfast because everything went when
ever the my servant says no it doesn’t
mean that you disappointed me it means
I’m just trying to search where you’re
now is and while I’m searching I will be
faithful because yes I may have thought
that last year starting things should
that happen from my life and it didn’t
but what if this year is the year that
it will make the most impact
so yes Lord maybe my expectation was not
met but I’m just let me search for where
where we meet Lord where is our meeting
point where is the place that we come in
agreement where is the place that this
is a spot that heaven says now and so
while I’m trying to figure that out Lord
I want to be steadfast pick it back up
what God said to you pick it back up
disappointment and frustration that is
the it is how the enemy was himself into
your life because when he sees a dry
place they say oh we can find rest there
and so another for him to have access he
needs a drought in you and so we may
think that God I’m disappointed and I’m
hurt and the enemy’s like yes yes yes
give up and we and yes God understands
what we have to remember the Jesus that
we serve because he was hurt too but he
still made a decision for the people
that hurt him and so we should still
decide to keep moving forward and be
willing to renew our minds be willing to
invite God that may be the way I even
perceive what his pain is not pain maybe
my perception of disappointment is
actually not disappointment so we have
to start asking ourself challenging
questions you see many of us who are
raised in it raised almost thinking that
we cannot question we cannot ask
questions together we it’s it’s just the
way the person said it no acts questions
because that is how you learn that is
how you grow ask questions God it is
this really why would you cry why did
this happen but don’t ask questions from
a place of having of concluding an
answer in your mind because you will
never hear what God has to say be open
God I know this happened and it hurt me
but can you explain to me why
ask questions trust in the person you’re
asking because if you ask questions that
you don’t trust who you’re asking that
you’re gonna conclude in your own
opinion God is moving God is moving and
the greatest moves of God’s family is
gonna come through what is insignificant
what seems insignificant the first
service he showed me something that and
I was like wow because all along when I
was when I was studying this word with
him I was seeing how he was gonna reveal
things to you that may seem
insignificant he was gonna use that
greatly but in addition to that he
showed me that there are also people
that seemed like the one that is
insignificant that seemed like the one
that has been abandoned and forgotten
because everything they’ve done in their
family they’ve been rejected in their
environments they’ve been rejected and
God says you see the Bible says that the
stone the builders rejected became the
cornerstone it became the thing that so
family if you are in this house and you
feel like that one you’re not even
thinking about an idea you feel like you
are the one that seems insignificant I
want you to come down to this altar
because God is gonna do things in your
life that you would have never thought
possible because where we think that the
measure at which God could use us is how
we look at other people and so we’re
looking at people with their resources
and everything that they have and we
think that okay this is how you become
influential but God is the one who all
authority belongs to he can raise you up
at any time he said to David I took you
from being a shepherd boy to be king
over my people he did not say your
resources took you he did not say your
relationships took you he said I took
you and this is a word that I believe is
for a lot of us in this house that God
will take you himself to where he
promised you that you will go
and so if you feel like you’re in this
house and you feel like you’re the one
who just thinks that it can never happen
for me I feel like the insignificant one
come down to this altar because God is
about to show himself in ways that the
earth has never seen and it’s going to
come through that which seems
insignificant
it will come through that which people
have said now can anything good come out
from Nazareth can anything good but the
Lord is gonna do some great and mighty
things in your lives family let us pray
Lord God we thank you for meeting us in
this house we thank you for your word
that has brought transformation we thank
you for your word that has renewed our
minds we thank you for the word that has
brought activation that the very things
that we thought that no I can’t it’s not
me I’m not the one for the job you’ve
reminded us Lord that all we need is you
by our side we thank you Jesus for the
work that you’re doing at this altar I
thank you Lord because you you showed me
that you will cause a burning in the
hearts of your people to remind them
of where their fire was once put out
and you will ignite their passion back
many will come back to their first love
which is you many will pick up the
things that they dropped because they
move their decisions were motivated by
disappointment but there were no Lord
God our expectation not being met does
not mean you disappointed us it means
that we’re trying to find where you are
at Lord I declare that this is a house
of people that would be confident while
being surrendered they will be confident
to know that Lord anytime now you can
move while being surrendered to no God
we’re gonna trust in your timing and so
father I thank you that the stench of
their past is removed that the stench of
failure and disappointment and
heartbreak is removed and Lord they will
see you clearly they will know that you
are for them they would know Lord God
and I thank you Jesus that your people
will be sensitive to the signs that you
would heighten their discernment to know
when you were speaking to know that
while when that person said that
actually it was not them speaking the
Lord was speaking to me the Lord was
reminding me where is that project what
happened to your ambitions to go back to
school what happened to completing that
program what have you done with that we
thank you Lord that you are having your
way in this house in the hearts of your
people in the minds of your people Lord
Jesus and that you are gonna manifest
your word thank you Lord we thank you
that even some of us
we we thank you Lord that even some of
us in this house thank you see here some
of us in this house that we have given
up on people and you’re showing us even
now we’ve given up on people we’ve given
up on people who have given up on
certain people that you have actually
called to be a major part of our lives
but we are looking we’re not seeing them
properly and so we cannot even invest in
them properly we have given up on people
because of their mistakes but lord I
pray that even as we spend time with you
as we spend time with you Lord you would
give us the wisdom to know how to move
in our relationships you will give us
the wisdom Lord thank you Jesus you will
give us the wisdom Lord to know how to
identify our relationships
because I’m reminded even now about how
Jesus picked his disciples it looked
like people that were insignificant and
some of us have been praying for God to
help us build our team and he’s showing
me now that your team has always been in
front of you you just have not seen them
and so Lord I agree in this house that
you would open our eyes you would open
the eyes of our understanding then Lord
we will see like YouTube we would move
like you to give us your eyes Lord Jesus
that we will not overlook the very
blessing that we have been praying for
thank you Jesus
have your way Lord have your way still
this word in our hearts and in our minds
Lord God we thank you that this moment
doesn’t end here this moment is a
starting point this is a starting point
of us going back to say Lord
I’m gonna be committed again and this
commitment I’m not gonna waver because
the Lord was in his faithfulness he will
always pursue you this word is pursuing
you this word was sent as water to dry
places because this word has opened you
up for the spirit to be invited in
and so Holy Spirit as your people are
opening rooms that have been shut to you
I thank you that you would give them
wisdom and understanding about how to
move forward thank you Lord in Jesus
name Amen
[Applause]
[Music]