A Diminished God: A Theological Review of ‘Seeking Who You Are Is Finding Jesus’

[00:00:00] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]
[00:00:00] WELL, I GOT THINGS I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU TONIGHT OUT OF JOHN CHAPTER 1, IF YOU WOULD TURN OVER THERE.
[00:00:10] AND THIS IS THE RECORD OF JOHN THE BAPTIST WHEN THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES CAME AND ASKED HIM WHO HE WAS.
[00:00:19] SO THIS IS IN JOHN CHAPTER 1 AND BEGINNING WITH VERSE 19.
[00:00:25] IT SAYS, THIS IS THE RECORD OF JOHN, WHEN THE JEWS SENT PRIESTS AND LEVITES FROM JERUSALEM TO ASK HIM, WHO ART THOU?
[00:00:37] AND HE CONFESSED AND DENIED NOT, BUT CONFESSED, I AM NOT THE CHRIST.
[00:00:45] AND THEY ASKED HIM, WHAT THEN?
[00:00:47] ART THOU ELIAS?
[00:00:49] AND HE SAID, I AM NOT.
[00:00:51] ART THOU THAT PROPHET?
[00:00:52] AND HE ANSWERED, NO.
[00:00:53] THEN SAID THEY UNTO HIM, WHO ART THOU?
[00:00:58] THAT WE MAY GIVE AN ANSWER TO THEM THAT SIN US.
[00:01:01] WHAT SAYEST THOU OF THYSELF?
[00:01:03] HE SAID, I AM THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, MAKE STRAIGHT THE WAY OF THE LORD, AS SAID THE PROPHET ISAIAH.
[00:01:15] AND LET ME JUST SAY THAT THIS...
[00:01:17] LET'S SEE, WHAT IS TODAY?
[00:01:18] TODAY IS THURSDAY, I GUESS.
[00:01:20] IT WAS...
[00:01:21] I THINK IT WAS SATURDAY, SUNDAY OR SOMETHING OF THIS WEEK.
[00:01:25] THE LORD WOKE ME UP AT 3 IN THE MORNING WITH THESE VERSES JUST GOING THROUGH THERE, AND HE SPOKE A LOT OF THINGS SPECIFICALLY TO ME.
[00:01:33] I GOT UP AND I'VE WRITTEN ABOUT 20-SOMETHING PAGES ON THIS, AND I'M GONNA MAKE A BOOK OUT OF THIS.
[00:01:39] BUT I'M NOT GONNA SHARE WITH YOU EVERYTHING HE SAID TO ME, BUT THE LORD JUST SAID THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT EVERYBODY HAS TO DEAL WITH.
[00:01:47] YOU HAVE TO KNOW, WHO ARE YOU?
[00:01:50] WHO ARE YOU?
[00:01:52] AND OF COURSE, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT JUST, YOU KNOW, YOU DESCRIBING WHETHER YOU'RE MALE OR FEMALE, OR MAYBE YOUR NAME, OR HOW TALL YOU ARE, OR WHAT YOU DO FOR A LIVING, OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
[00:02:02] YOU HAVE TO FIND OUT WHO YOU ARE, WHO GOD CREATED YOU TO BE.
[00:02:09] AND THERE'S A LOT IN THIS.
[00:02:12] I'M JUST GONNA GIVE AN OVERVIEW OF SOME THINGS.
[00:02:14] BUT LET ME SAY THAT FIRST OF ALL, YOU CAN'T FIND OUT WHO YOU ARE UNTIL YOU HAVE A PROPER UNDERSTANDING OF WHO GOD IS.
[00:02:23] BECAUSE WE HAVE TO FIND OUR IDENTITY AND EVERYTHING THAT WE ARE IN CHRIST.
[00:02:28] YOU KNOW, PASTOR GREG WAS MAKING A GREAT POINT OF THAT THIS MORNING ABOUT IF YOU JUST SEE YOURSELF IN CHRIST, COULD YOU SEE CHRIST DOING THESE THINGS?
[00:02:37] AND IF YOU'VE GOT A DISTORTED VIEW OF WHO GOD IS, LIKE IF YOU'RE ONE OF THOSE THAT BELIEVES, LIKE ONE OF THESE TESTIMONIES, THAT GOD WAS THE ONE WHO DID TRAGEDY IN YOUR LIFE, THEN THERE IS NO WAY THAT YOU CAN FIND YOUR TRUE IDENTITY IF YOU'VE GOT A WRONG IMPRESSION OF WHO GOD IS, BECAUSE AGAIN, WE ARE MADE IN HIS IMAGE.
[00:02:57] AND SO THE FIRST QUESTION WE HAVE TO ANSWER IS WHO IS GOD?
[00:03:01] AND I'M NOT GONNA TEACH ON THAT SPECIFICALLY TONIGHT.
[00:03:03] I'VE GOT A TEACHING ENTITLED THE TRUE NATURE OF GOD, THE WAR IS OVER, AND JUST A LOT OF DIFFERENT TEACHINGS THAT WILL GO INTO DETAIL.
[00:03:12] BUT YOU HAVE TO FIND WHO GOD IS BEFORE YOU CAN REALLY FIND YOURSELF.
[00:03:16] BUT THEN YOU DO HAVE TO COME TO A PLACE OF WHO AM I?
[00:03:20] WHAT DID GOD CREATE ME TO DO?
[00:03:23] AND I'VE GOT A LOT OF TEACHING ON THIS ALSO.
[00:03:25] I'M NOT GONNA GO INTO ALL OF THAT, BUT I'VE GOT A TEACHING ENTITLED HOW TO FIND GOD.
[00:03:28] HOW TO FIND, FOLLOW, AND FULFILL GOD'S WILL.
[00:03:30] AND ONE OF THE MAJOR POINTS THERE IS, PEOPLE THINK THAT THEY JUST EVOLVED.
[00:03:35] YOU KNOW, EVOLUTION HAS BECOME POPULAR IN OUR DAY, AND SAD TO SAY THERE'S A LOT OF CHRISTIANS THAT BELIEVE THAT TOO.
[00:03:42] BUT THE SCRIPTURE TEACHES SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
[00:03:45] IT SAYS IN PSALMS 139 BEGIN...
[00:03:48] AROUND VERSE 14 DOWN TO VERSE 16.
[00:03:50] IN VERSE 16, IF YOU LOOK IT UP IN A MODERN TRANSLATION, IT SAYS THAT WHILE YOU WERE STILL IN YOUR MOTHER'S WOMB, AND IF YOU LOOK UP THE HEBREW WORDS, THERE'S A WORD THAT'S USED THERE.
[00:03:59] IT'S THE WORD FOR EMBRYO.
[00:04:01] WHEN YOU WERE STILL AN EMBRYO IN YOUR MOTHER'S WOMB, GOD WROTE IN A BOOK WHAT EVERY DAY OF YOUR LIFE WAS INTENDED TO BE.
[00:04:12] NOT JUST THE OVERVIEW OF YOUR GENERAL LIFE, BUT EVERY DAY OF YOUR LIFE IS RECORDED IN A BOOK, WHAT GOD INTENDED IT TO BE.
[00:04:22] NOW HE DOESN'T FORCE YOU TO FOLLOW IT.
[00:04:24] YOU ARE A FREE MORAL AGENT, AND HE DOESN'T FORCE HIS PLAN ON ANYBODY, BUT HE HAS YOUR LIFE PLANNED DOWN TO EVERY SINGLE DAY.
[00:04:34] THAT'S PHENOMENAL.
[00:04:35] AND I WOULD SAY THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT, AND BECAUSE OF IT, THEY JUST THINK IT'S UP TO THEM TO CHOOSE THEIR OWN PATH AND TO DO THEIR OWN THING.
[00:04:43] THIS IS THE REASON THE BIBLE SAYS, TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL OF YOUR HEART AND LEAN NOT UNTO YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING.
[00:04:50] IN ALL OF YOUR WAYS ACKNOWLEDGE HIM AND HE SHALL DIRECT YOUR PATH.
[00:04:54] IT SAYS IN JEREMIAH 10 23, I THINK I QUOTED THIS LAST NIGHT, THAT, OH LORD, I KNOW THAT THE WAY OF MAN IS NOT IN HIMSELF, IT IS NOT IN MAN THAT WALKS TO DIRECT HIS STEPS.
[00:05:06] GOD GAVE US THE CHOICE TO CHOOSE OUR OWN PATH, BUT THE RIGHT CHOICE IS TO SAY, GOD, I DON'T KNOW ENOUGH TO RUN MY OWN LIFE.
[00:05:13] WHAT DID YOU WRITE IN MY BOOK?
[00:05:16] WHAT DO YOU WANT MY LIFE TO BE?
[00:05:20] AND IT'S REALLY NOT HARD.
[00:05:21] PASTOR GREG, AGAIN, MADE A GREAT POINT OF THAT TODAY, THAT IT'S REALLY NOT HARD TO FIND THE WILL OF GOD.
[00:05:27] GOD WANTS TO SHOW YOU HIS PERFECT PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE AND WHO YOU ARE MORE THAN YOU WANT TO KNOW IT.
[00:05:34] HE CREATED YOU FOR THIS PURPOSE.
[00:05:37] AND YOU JUST HAVE TO PRAY.
[00:05:39] YOU KNOW, I WAS THINKING TODAY, THEY SANG THIS MORNING THE CHORUS TO HOW GREAT THOU ART.
[00:05:46] AND MANY OF YOU DON'T KNOW THIS, BUT WHEN I WAS 12 YEARS OLD, MY DAD DIED AND HIS FAVORITE SONG WAS HOW GREAT THOU ART.
[00:05:53] AND AT HIS FUNERAL, I REMEMBER STANDING, THEY HAD AN OPEN CASKET AND I WAS ON LIKE THE FRONT ROW AND I WAS ONLY 5 OR 6 FEET FROM HIS CASKET.
[00:06:01] THEY HAD AN OPEN CASKET AND I WAS LOOKING AT HIS DEAD BODY AND THEY WERE SINGING HOW GREAT THOU ART.
[00:06:07] AND IT JUST SEEMED SO IRONIC TO ME THAT WE WERE SINGING ABOUT HOW GREAT GOD WAS AND YET I HAD EVEN FASTED AND PRAYED FOR 6 WEEKS THAT MY DAD WOULD BE HEALED AND HE WASN'T HEALED.
[00:06:20] AND I REMEMBER JUST SIT...
[00:06:22] STANDING THERE THINKING, GOD, IF YOU'RE GREAT, REVEAL YOURSELF TO ME.
[00:06:25] WHO ARE YOU?
[00:06:27] AND WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO?
[00:06:28] 12-YEAR-OLD KID.
[00:06:30] AND YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T THINK MUCH ABOUT IT AT THE TIME, BUT WHEN I HAD THIS EXPERIENCE, MARCH THE 23RD, 1968, WHEN I WAS 18 YEARS OLD, THE LORD REMINDED ME THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M ANSWERING THAT PRAYER.
[00:06:41] AND THAT'S HOW SIMPLE IT IS.
[00:06:42] A 12-YEAR-OLD KID JUST SAYING, GOD, WHO ARE YOU?
[00:06:46] WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO?
[00:06:49] AND GOD REVEALED HIMSELF TO ME IN A SUPERNATURAL WAY.
[00:06:52] I'VE NEVER GOTTEN OVER IT.
[00:06:54] AND MY LIFE, WHEN WE WALK AROUND, WE WERE SINGING THAT SONG YESTERDAY MORNING ABOUT YOU...
[00:06:58] ALL MY LIFE, YOU HAVE BEEN FAITHFUL.
[00:07:00] MAN, IT WAS ALL I COULD DO TO KEEP MY COMPOSURE ABOUT HOW GOOD GOD HAS BEEN TO ME.
[00:07:06] IT'S NOT HARD TO FIND GOD'S WILL.
[00:07:10] YOU NEED TO FIND WHAT HE WROTE IN THAT BOOK.
[00:07:13] IT'S NOT UP TO YOU TO PICK AND CHOOSE.
[00:07:17] JEREMIAH CHAPTER 1, VERSE 4 IS A SCRIPTURE THAT THE LORD SPOKE TO ME SUPERNATURALLY.
[00:07:21] I HAD AN ENCOUNTER WITH THE LORD JANUARY OF 1971.
[00:07:25] I HAD AN ENCOUNTER WITH THE LORD IN 1983, AND I WON'T GO INTO ALL OF IT, BUT HE TOLD ME, HE SAYS, BEFORE I FORMED YOU IN YOUR MOTHER'S WOMB, BEFORE YOU CAME FORTH OUT OF HER BELLY, I SANCTIFIED YOU AND ORDAINED YOU TO BE A PROPHET UNTO THE NATIONS.
[00:07:39] AND THEN JEREMIAH SAID, AH, LORD GOD, I CAN'T SPEAK.
[00:07:42] I'M A CHILD.
[00:07:42] AND HE SAID, DON'T YOU EVER SAY, I'M A CHILD.
[00:07:44] YOU WILL GO TO ALL THE PEOPLE.
[00:07:46] YOU WILL SPEAK THE WORDS THAT I'VE SPOKEN.
[00:07:49] AND THEN HE GAVE ME JEREMIAH 5, 14, BECAUSE YOU SPEAK THIS WORD, AND I'LL MAKE MY WORD IN YOUR MOUTH FIRE, AND THE PEOPLE WOULD, AND IT SHALL DEVOUR THEM.
[00:07:58] AND GOD HAS JUST FAITHFULLY BEEN MOVING IN JEREMIAH IN MY LIFE.
[00:08:03] IT'S AMAZING, THE THINGS THAT HE'S DONE.
[00:08:06] SO AGAIN, I'M ASKING, JUST LIKE THEY ASKED JOHN THE BAPTIST, WHO ARE YOU?
[00:08:11] AGAIN, NOT THESE OUTWARD THINGS ABOUT WHAT DO YOU DO, BUT WHO DID GOD MAKE YOU TO BE?
[00:08:20] AND BEFORE I GET RIGHT IN TO TALKING ABOUT THAT, LET ME SAY THAT THEY CAME AND ASKED HIM THIS QUESTION.
[00:08:25] SO ONE OF THE THINGS YOU NEED TO DO IS FIGURE OUT WHO'S ASKING, WHO ARE YOU?
[00:08:30] YOU NEED TO FIND THAT OUT, BUT DO YOU KNOW WHAT?
[00:08:32] OTHER PEOPLE ARE ASKING.
[00:08:36] AND I COULD SPEND A LOT MORE TIME ON THIS, BUT PEOPLE, THEY MAY NOT VOICE IT THIS WAY, YOU MAY NOT UNDERSTAND IT, BUT PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR HELP.
[00:08:45] MANY PEOPLE ARE JUST MISERABLE AND THEY'RE PRAYING AND ASKING GOD FOR HELP, AND THEY MAY NOT VERBALIZE IT AND SAY IT THIS WAY, BUT THEY ARE LOOKING FOR AN ANSWER TO PRAYER AND GOD HAS IT WRITTEN IN HIS BOOK THAT YOU ARE THEIR ANSWER TO PRAYER.
[00:09:00] YOU HAVE HIS POWER LIVING ON THE INSIDE OF YOU, AND IF YOU DON'T GO AND DO WHAT GOD TOLD YOU TO DO, OTHER PEOPLE'S PRAYERS ARE NOT GONNA BE ANSWERED.
[00:09:09] GOD DOESN'T MOVE INDEPENDENT OF PEOPLE.
[00:09:12] HE DOESN'T MOVE SOVEREIGNLY.
[00:09:14] YOU'LL HEAR THAT OFTEN, BUT THE WAY THAT THAT'S USED IN OUR DAY AND AGE IS THAT GOD MOVES INDEPENDENT OF PEOPLE.
[00:09:20] THAT IS COMPLETELY CONTRARY TO WHAT SCRIPTURE SAYS.
[00:09:24] EPHESIANS CHAPTER 3, VERSE 20 SAYS, NOW UNTO HIM WHO IS ABLE TO DO EXCEEDING ABUNDANTLY ABOVE ALL WE ASK OR THINK, AND MOST PEOPLE JUST STOP RIGHT THERE AND SAY, GOD CAN DO ANYTHING.
[00:09:35] WELL, HE HAS THE POWER, BUT IT GOES ON TO SAY HE DOES IT ACCORDING TO THE POWER THAT WORKS IN US.
[00:09:41] IF THERE'S NO POWER WORKING IN US, WE STOP GOD FROM MOVING.
[00:09:47] THE LORD SPOKE TO ME JANUARY THE 31ST, 2002 FROM PSALM 78-41 AND SAYS, IN THEIR HEART THEY TURNED BACK AND LIMITED THE HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL.
[00:09:58] THAT VERSE SAYS YOU CAN LIMIT GOD.
[00:10:00] GOD DOES NOT MOVE INDEPENDENT OF US.
[00:10:03] HE FLOWS THROUGH PEOPLE.
[00:10:06] HE TOLD US TO GO HEAL THE SICK, CLEANSE THE LEPERS, RAISE THE DEAD.
[00:10:09] MATTHEW CHAPTER 10, VERSE 8, THE REASON MORE PEOPLE AREN'T HEALED ISN'T BECAUSE GOD HASN'T PROVIDED IT.
[00:10:15] HE'S ALREADY PROVIDED HEALING FOR EVERYBODY, BUT HE HAS TO FLOW THROUGH PEOPLE.
[00:10:20] AND THE AVERAGE PERSON ISN'T GOING OUT AND HEALING THE SICK.
[00:10:23] THEY'RE GOING AND SAYING, OH GOD, WE ARE NOTHING.
[00:10:26] WE HAVE NOTHING AND WE CAN DO NOTHING, BUT WE KNOW THAT YOU CAN DO ALL THINGS.
[00:10:30] WOULD YOU STRETCH FORTH YOUR HAND TO HEAL?
[00:10:32] THAT WILL STOP THE POWER OF GOD.
[00:10:34] HE DIDN'T TELL YOU TO GO ASK HIM TO HEAL.
[00:10:36] HE SAID, I'VE GIVEN YOU AUTHORITY AND POWER.
[00:10:39] YOU SPEAK TO THE MOUNTAINS.
[00:10:40] YOU TAKE YOUR AUTHORITY.
[00:10:42] AND WE, THE BODY OF CHRIST, AREN'T WALKING IN EVERYTHING THAT GOD HAS GIVEN US.
[00:10:47] AND THAT'S THE REASON THAT MORE PEOPLE AREN'T RECEIVING.
[00:10:50] YOU HAVE OTHER PEOPLE'S MIRACLE INSIDE OF YOU.
[00:10:55] AND IF WE DON'T LIVE UP TO THE POTENTIAL, THEN THERE'S OTHER PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO MISS THEIR MIRACLE.
[00:11:03] THEY'RE GOING TO MISS THEIR ANSWER TO PRAYER.
[00:11:05] SO THEY MAY NOT KNOW IT, BUT WHEN THEY'RE PRAYING AND SAYING, GOD, WHERE ARE YOU?
[00:11:10] HE'S IN YOU.
[00:11:12] HE'S IN ME.
[00:11:14] AND IF WE DON'T DO OUR PART, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE DONE.
[00:11:20] THE SCRIPTURE SAYS, HOW CAN THEY HEAR EXCEPT THEY...
[00:11:23] I MEAN, HOW CAN THEY BELIEVE EXCEPT THEY HEAR?
[00:11:25] HOW CAN THEY HEAR EXCEPT SOMEBODY IS SENT?
[00:11:28] HOW CAN THEY BE SENT?
[00:11:30] YOU HAVE TO HEAR THE WORD OF GOD.
[00:11:32] AND SO WHETHER YOU KNOW IT OR NOT, OTHER PEOPLE ARE ASKING, WHO ARE YOU?
[00:11:38] THEY'RE LOOKING FOR SOMEBODY THAT'LL STAND UP.
[00:11:40] THEY'RE...
[00:11:41] YOU KNOW, THE SCRIPTURE SAYS THAT THE WHOLE CREATION IS GROANING, LOOKING FOR THE MANIFESTATION OF THE SONS OF GOD IN ROMANS CHAPTER 8.
[00:11:50] PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THAT THEY MAY BE TURNED INTO DRUGS, ALCOHOL, OR OTHER THINGS TRYING TO FULFILL THAT VOID, BUT WHAT THEY REALLY NEED IS WHAT IS ON THE INSIDE OF US.
[00:11:58] SO JUST LIKE JOHN THE BAPTIST, PEOPLE CAME TO HIM SAY, WHO ARE YOU?
[00:12:02] OTHER PEOPLE ARE GOING TO ASK WHO YOU ARE.
[00:12:05] SOME BECAUSE THEY'RE SEEKING, OTHER BECAUSE THEY'RE MAUKING, AND THEY'RE GOING TO TRY AND USE ANYTHING YOU SAY AGAINST YOU.
[00:12:11] I'M SURE THAT WAS PART OF WHAT THEY WERE DOING WITH JOHN WAS TRYING TO TRAP HIM AND GETTING HIM TO SAY THAT HE WAS ONE OF THESE PEOPLE.
[00:12:18] BUT OTHER PEOPLE ARE ASKING, WHO ARE YOU?
[00:12:22] AND THEN YOU HAVE TO ALSO, FIRST OF ALL, KNOW WHO YOU ARE NOT.
[00:12:28] THEY ASKED JOHN WHO HE WAS.
[00:12:30] ARE YOU ELIAS?
[00:12:32] NO.
[00:12:33] ARE YOU THE PROPHET?
[00:12:34] NO.
[00:12:35] YOU KNOW, IN MY LIVING COMMENTARY, I THINK I'VE GOT THIS HERE ON MY PHONE THAT I CAN PULL UP.
[00:12:42] NO, IT'S IN A DIFFERENT PLACE.
[00:12:43] I TELL YOU, I AM CHALLENGED LET ME SEE IF I CAN FIND THIS.
[00:12:48] RIGHT HERE IT IS.
[00:12:49] ALL RIGHT, HERE'S THE SCRIPTURE.
[00:12:51] WHEN IT REFERS TO ELIAS, MALACHI CHAPTER 3 VERSE 1 SAYS, BEFORE THE GREAT AND NOTABLE DAY OF THE LORD, I WILL SEND YOU A MESSENGER.
[00:12:59] AND THEN IN MALACHI CHAPTER 4 VERSES 5 AND 6 IT SAYS, BEHOLD, I WILL SEND YOU ELIJAH, THE PROPHET, BEFORE THE COMING OF THE GREAT AND DREADFUL DAY OF THE LORD, AND HE SHALL TURN THE HEART OF THE FATHERS TO THE CHILDREN, AND THE HEART OF THE CHILDREN TO THEIR FATHERS, LEST I COME AND SMITE THE EARTH WITH THE CURSE.
[00:13:17] SO WHEN THEY ASKED, ARE YOU THAT PROPHET?
[00:13:20] ARE YOU ELIJAH, THE PROPHET?
[00:13:22] THAT'S WHAT THEY WERE REFERRING TO.
[00:13:24] AND JOHN THE BAPTIST SAYS, NO, THAT'S NOT HIM.
[00:13:28] AND THEN THEY SAID, ARE YOU THE PROPHET THAT WAS SPOKEN OF?
[00:13:31] AND THAT'S REFERRING TO WHAT MOSES SAID IN DEUTERONOMY CHAPTER 18 AND IN VERSE 15 THROUGH 18, IT SAYS, THE LORD, THY GOD, WILL RAISE UP UNTO THEE A PROPHET FROM THE MIDST OF THEE OF THY BRETHREN.
[00:13:44] LIKE UNTO ME, UNTO HIM YE SHALL HARKEN, ACCORDING TO ALL THAT THOU DESIREST OF THE LORD, THY GOD, IN HORUB, IN THE DAY OF THE ASSEMBLY, SAYING, LET ME NOT HEAR AGAIN THE VOICE OF THE LORD, MY GOD, NEITHER LET ME SEE THIS GREAT FIRE ANYMORE THAT I DIE NOT.
[00:14:01] AND THE LORD SAID UNTO ME, THEY HAVE WELL SPOKEN THAT WHICH THEY HAVE SPOKEN.
[00:14:05] I WILL RAISE THEM UP A PROPHET FROM AMONG THEIR BRETHREN, LIKE UNTO THEE, AND WILL PUT MY WORDS IN HIS MOUTH, AND HE SHALL SPOKE UNTO THEM ALL THAT I SHALL COMMAND THEM.
[00:14:17] SO WHEN THEY SAID, ARE THOU, ARE YOU THAT PROPHET?
[00:14:19] THIS IS WHAT THEY WERE REFERRING TO, AND THIS PROPHECY IS REFERRING TO JESUS.
[00:14:23] JESUS WAS THAT PROPHET.
[00:14:25] AND SO JOHN THE BAPTIST KNEW THAT HE WASN'T THE MESSIAH.
[00:14:29] YOU KNOW, BEFORE YOU CAN FIND OUT WHO YOU ARE, YOU ALSO GOT TO KNOW, JUST LIKE JOHN DID, WHO YOU ARE OR NOT.
[00:14:37] AND THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT HONESTLY HAVE AN INFLATED OPINION OF THEMSELF.
[00:14:43] AND YOU THINK, THAT YOU ARE AWESOME.
[00:14:50] AND IN CHRIST, WE'RE ALL AWESOME.
[00:14:53] AND JUST LIKE MELISSA WAS SHARING, MAN, THE LOVE OF GOD FOR US, AND THE WAY THAT HE'S EMPOWERED US, IT'S THE...
[00:14:59] YOU KNOW, YOU PLACE A VALUE ON SOMETHING BY WHAT PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO PAY FOR IT.
[00:15:05] AND GOD ALMIGHTY PAID EVERYTHING.
[00:15:08] HE BECAME A MAN AND SUFFERED FOR US.
[00:15:10] AND SO, MAN, THAT PUTS GREAT VALUE ON US, BUT THAT...
[00:15:14] THAT IS WHO WE ARE IN CHRIST.
[00:15:16] PAUL SAID THIS.
[00:15:18] HE SAYS HE HAD NO CONFIDENCE IN THE FLESH.
[00:15:21] PHILIPPIANS CHAPTER 3, THE VERY LAST PHRASE OF THAT VERSE.
[00:15:25] HE SAID IN 1 CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 15, THAT I AM NOT EVEN WORTHY TO BE CALLED AN APOSTLE.
[00:15:30] I'M LEAST OF ALL OF THE APOSTLES.
[00:15:33] AND TODAY, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HINDERS PEOPLE FROM REALLY FINDING OUT WHO THEY ARE IN CHRIST, WHO GOD MADE THEM TO BE, IS BECAUSE THEY HAVE AN INFLATED OPINION OF THEMSELF.
[00:15:44] THEY LOVE THEMSELF SO MUCH THAT IF YOU THINK YOU ARE AWESOME, YOU WILL NEVER FIND OUT WHO YOU REALLY ARE IN CHRIST.
[00:15:54] YOU WILL BE ADDING JESUS ON TO WHO YOU ARE.
[00:15:57] YOU'LL BE TACKING IT ON TO YOURSELF.
[00:16:00] GOD'LL GIVE YOU A WORD AND YOU'LL MAKE A PARAGRAPH OUT OF IT.
[00:16:04] THINKING, OH, GOD, NO WONDER YOU CHOSE ME.
[00:16:07] I'M AWESOME.
[00:16:07] I CAN SEE THE WISDOM OF THIS.
[00:16:10] THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT MOSES DID.
[00:16:13] IT WAS SUPERNATURAL HOW HE MADE THEM HOW MOSES' LIFE WAS SPARED AND THEN HE WAS RAISED IN PHARAOH'S HOUSE, THE VERY PERSON WHO WAS TRYING TO KILL HIM.
[00:16:20] IT WAS MIRACULOUS AND HE JUST ASSUMED THAT GOD WAS GONNA USE HIS POSITION.
[00:16:24] AND SO HE WENT OUT KNOWING, IT SAYS IN ACTS 7, HE KNEW THAT HE WAS THE DELIVERER AND HE SUPPOSED THAT HIS BRETHREN WOULD HAVE UNDERSTOOD HOW THAT GOD WOULD DELIVER THEM BY HIS HAND, BUT THEY UNDERSTOOD NOT.
[00:16:38] MOSES WAS TRYING TO DO GOD'S WILL, BUT HE WAS DOING IT IN HIS OWN FLESH.
[00:16:43] AND MOST OF US WOULD HAVE FALLEN FOR THE SAME WAY OF THINKING BECAUSE IT WAS SO MIRACULOUS THE WAY THAT HE WAS PRESERVED.
[00:16:49] THE ONLY THING THAT WAS WRONG WITH HIS THINKING WAS THAT IT WASN'T GOD'S PLAN.
[00:16:54] GOD WASN'T GONNA DELIVER THE ISRAELITES THROUGH HIS MILITARY MIGHT AND HIS POSITION.
[00:16:59] HE WAS GONNA DO IT THROUGH MIRACULOUS THINGS THAT WOULD JUST KNOCK AT THE ROOT OF ALL OF THE EGYPTIANS' GOD AND THE EGYPTIANS WOULD FALL ON THEIR FACE AND SAY THAT YOUR GOD, HE'S THE TRUE GOD.
[00:17:12] HE HAD A DIFFERENT PLAN AND MANY OF US WOULD HAVE JUST DONE THE SAME THING.
[00:17:17] IF GOD OPENS UP A DOOR, IF YOU'VE GOT A GREAT SINGING VOICE, NO WONDER GOD CHOSE YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE JUST SO AWESOME.
[00:17:24] YOU NEED TO COME TO THE END OF YOURSELF BEFORE YOU FIND WHO YOU ARE IN GOD.
[00:17:31] THANK YOU FOR THOSE COUPLE OF AMENS.
[00:17:34] NOT MANY PEOPLE LIKE THAT.
[00:17:36] AND YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S HAPPENED IN THE BODY OF CHRIST, THEY HAVE SELF-ESTEEM THINGS.
[00:17:40] THEY WILL HAVE CLASSES ON SELF-ESTEEM AND WANT YOU TO FEEL GOOD ABOUT YOURSELF.
[00:17:45] THE SCRIPTURE SAYS IN JEREMIAH CHAPTER 17, VERSE 9, THAT THE HEART IS EVIL AND DESPERATELY WICKED.
[00:17:54] WHO CAN KNOW IT?
[00:17:56] THERE IS A CONSENSUS AMONG PEOPLE TODAY THAT PEOPLE ARE BASICALLY GOOD.
[00:18:01] AND IF WE JUST TOOK AWAY THEIR POVERTY AND IF WE GAVE THEM ENOUGH MONEY AND IF WE DID THIS AND IF WE DID THAT, THAT PEOPLE WOULD BASICALLY BE GOOD.
[00:18:09] IT'S NOT WHAT THE SCRIPTURE TEACHES.
[00:18:10] THE HEART IS DESPERATELY WICKED.
[00:18:13] IT'S EVIL.
[00:18:14] IT SAYS IN EPHESIANS CHAPTER 2 THAT WE WERE BY NATURE THE CHILDREN OF WRATH EVEN AS OTHER...
[00:18:20] AND THE CHILDREN THAT THE SPIRIT OF DISOBEDIENCE WORKS IN US BEFORE YOU GET BORN AGAIN.
[00:18:26] BEFORE WE GET BORN AGAIN, MAN'S NATURE IS NOT GOOD.
[00:18:31] YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE SELF-ESTEEM.
[00:18:32] YOU SHOULD HAVE CHRIST-ESTEEM.
[00:18:34] YOU OUGHT TO FIND WHO YOU ARE IN CHRIST.
[00:18:37] AND YOU NEED TO FALL OUT OF LOVE WITH YOURSELF.
[00:18:42] AND YOU KNOW WHAT?
[00:18:43] THERE'S A LOT OF BENEFITS TO THAT, BUT ONE OF THEM IS THAT WHEN YOU DIE TO YOURSELF, LIKE MIKE AND CARRIE WERE TALKING ABOUT, AND WHEN YOU GET TO WHERE YOU AREN'T PROMOTING YOURSELF AND YOU AREN'T BUILDING YOUR KINGDOM, THEN WHEN SOMETHING GOES WRONG, YOU DON'T FALL APART LIKE A TWO-DOLLAR SUITCASE.
[00:19:02] BECAUSE YOUR GOAL IN LIFE ISN'T ABOUT YOURSELF.
[00:19:05] YOUR GOAL IS KNOWING THE LORD.
[00:19:07] AND IF THINGS DON'T GO YOUR WAY, IT'S FINE.
[00:19:10] YOU CAN REJOICE AND PRAISE GOD.
[00:19:12] IF PEOPLE CRITICIZE YOU, IT'S NOT GONNA BREAK YOUR HEART BECAUSE YOU AREN'T IN LOVE WITH YOURSELF.
[00:19:21] I COULD MINISTER ON THIS FOR DAYS, ON THIS ONE THING, BUT BEFORE YOU CAN FIND OUT WHO YOU ARE, YOU GOTTA FIND OUT WHO YOU AREN'T.
[00:19:30] AND WITHOUT JESUS, YOU ARE NOTHING.
[00:19:33] JESUS SAID, WITHOUT ME, YOU CAN DO NOTHING.
[00:19:35] YOU ARE A ZERO WITH THE RIM KNOCKED OFF.
[00:19:40] YOU ARE NOTHING WITHOUT CHRIST.
[00:19:43] AND AND THOSE OF YOU THINK, OH NO, I'M REALLY AWESOME.
[00:19:47] YOU'LL NEVER FIND OUT WHO YOU REALLY ARE UNTIL YOU RECOGNIZE THAT YOU WERE NOTHING WITHOUT CHRIST AND WHATEVER GOOD HAS HAPPENED IN YOUR LIFE, IT'S GOD THAT HAS DONE IT.
[00:19:58] SO JUST LIKE JOHN THE BAPTIST, HE HAD TO FIND OUT WHO HE WASN'T.
[00:20:03] HE SAID, NO, I'M NOT ELIAS.
[00:20:05] NO, I'M NOT THAT PROPHET.
[00:20:07] AND THEY SAID, WHO ARE YOU THEN?
[00:20:10] AND SO HE QUOTED FROM, UM, LET ME SEE IF I CAN FIND THIS.
[00:20:15] IT'S, UH, ISAIAH CHAPTER 40 AND VERSE 3.
[00:20:20] THAT VERSE SAYS, THE VOICE OF HIM THAT CRIETH IN THE WILDERNESS, PREPARE YE THE WAY OF THE LORD, MAKE STRAIGHT IN THE DESERT A HIGHWAY FOR OUR GOD.
[00:20:30] JOHN THE BAPTIST HAD A REVELATION OF WHO HE WAS AND WHAT HIS...
[00:20:34] WHAT THE CALL ON HIS LIFE WAS.
[00:20:37] AND I GUARANTEE YOU, YOU ARE NOT GONNA ACCIDENTALLY DISCOVER WHO YOU ARE.
[00:20:43] IT HAS TO BE PURSUED.
[00:20:45] BILLY MAKES THIS STATEMENT THAT YOU DON'T COAST TO THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN.
[00:20:49] YOU DON'T FLOAT UPSTREAM.
[00:20:52] THIS WHOLE WORLD AND EVERYTHING IS GOING CONTRARY TO THE WAYS OF GOD.
[00:20:57] AND IF YOU WANNA SEE GOD'S WILL PERFORMED, IF YOU WANNA FIND OUT WHO YOU ARE AND FULFILL WHAT GOD CALLED YOU TO DO, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO PURSUE IT.
[00:21:07] AND AGAIN, THERE'S THIS, UH, UNGODLY TYPE OF...
[00:21:11] OF SOVEREIGNTY TEACHING THAT GOD JUST SOVEREIGNLY MAKES EVERYTHING HAPPEN.
[00:21:16] THAT IS NOT TRUE.
[00:21:18] I COULD PROVE THAT IN...
[00:21:19] I GOT A LITTLE BOOKLET ENTITLED, THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD.
[00:21:24] IF YOU HADN'T GOT THAT, YOU OUGHT TO GET IT.
[00:21:26] BUT GOD DOES NOT CONTROL EVERYTHING.
[00:21:29] THE SCRIPTURE MAKES IT VERY CLEAR, 1 PETER, CHAPTER 3, VERSE 9, THAT GOD IS NOT WILLING THAT ANY SHOULD PERISH, BUT THAT ALL SHOULD COME TO REPENTANCE.
[00:21:38] AND YET, THE MAJORITY ARE PERISHING.
[00:21:40] GOD'S WILL IS NOT AUTOMATICALLY COMING TO PASS.
[00:21:43] GOD IS NOT THE ONE WHO'S ORDAINED RAPE, AND MURDER, AND HATRED, AND ALL OF THE WOKENESS THAT WE SEE.
[00:21:51] HE'S NOT DOING THOSE THINGS.
[00:21:53] YOU KNOW, BARRY BENNETT, HE... HE PUTS IT THIS WAY.
[00:21:56] HE SAYS, IS GOD CONTROLLING EVERYTHING IN YOUR LIFE?
[00:22:00] AND EVERY ONE OF YOU WOULD HAVE TO SAY, WELL, NO, THERE'S TIMES THAT I KNOW GOD TOLD ME TO GO THIS WAY, AND I WENT THIS WAY.
[00:22:05] IF HE DOESN'T CONTROL YOU, WHAT MAKES YOU THINK HE'S CONTROLLING EVERYBODY ELSE?
[00:22:11] THAT'S WRONG TO THINK THAT YOU ARE JUST CONTROLLED TO SOVEREIGNLY FIND GOD'S WILL AND BRING IT TO PASS.
[00:22:18] YOU HAVE TO PURSUE IT.
[00:22:20] AND LET ME SAY AGAIN, TO THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE HERE QUESTIONING WHETHER GOD WANTS YOU TO COME TO BIBLE SCHOOL, IT'S LIKE MIKE SAID EARLIER TODAY.
[00:22:28] I CAN GUARANTEE YOU, IT'S NOT THE DEVIL THAT PUT THIS DESIRE IN YOUR HEART, AND IT'S NOT YOUR FLESH.
[00:22:35] YOUR FLESH DOES NOT WANT TO COME TO BIBLE SCHOOL AND SIT UNDER THE WORD AND BE TRANSFORMED.
[00:22:41] IF YOU HAVE A DESIRE, AND I ASSUME THAT IF YOU CAME HERE TO CHECK OUT THE SCHOOL, THAT'S BECAUSE GOD PUT THE DESIRE IN YOUR HEART.
[00:22:48] AND IF YOU HAVE THAT DESIRE, YOU NEED TO FOLLOW IT BECAUSE IT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN SOVEREIGNLY.
[00:22:53] IT WON'T HAPPEN WITHOUT YOU PURSUING IT.
[00:22:56] IF YOU PURSUE THE WILL OF GOD AND TO FIND OUT WHO YOU ARE, THEN YOU'LL FIND IT.
[00:23:01] BUT IF YOU DON'T PURSUE IT, YOU WON'T GET IT.
[00:23:03] IT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN.
[00:23:05] AND MANY OF YOU HAVE LIVED FOR DECADES AND YOUR LIFE HAS BEEN OUT OF CONTROL.
[00:23:09] THERE'S OTHERS THAT MAYBE IT'S GOING RELATIVELY GOOD, BUT YOU KNOW THAT THERE'S SOMETHING MORE.
[00:23:14] THAT'S WHY YOU'RE HERE.
[00:23:16] AND IF YOU DON'T PURSUE IT, YOU WON'T GET IT.
[00:23:21] AND JUST LIKE SOMEBODY ELSE, I FORGET EXACTLY WHO THIS WAS TODAY SAYING THIS, BUT INSTEAD OF LOOKING AT ALL OF THE HINDRANCES AND REASONS WHY YOU SHOULDN'T DO IT, AND IT'S GONNA COST ME THIS OR COST ME THAT, YOU...
[00:23:33] I THINK IT WAS DANIEL TALKING ABOUT, YOU NEED TO PLACE VALUE ON WHAT GOD IS GONNA DO AND RECOGNIZE THAT WHATEVER THE COST IS, IT IS WELL WORTH IT.
[00:23:45] SO JOHN THE BAPTIST RECOGNIZED WHO HE WAS THROUGH SCRIPTURE.
[00:23:50] IT'S THE WORD OF GOD.
[00:23:51] YOU FIND WHO YOU ARE IN SCRIPTURE.
[00:23:53] AND IF I HAD TIME TONIGHT, I COULD GIVE YOU A TESTIMONY ABOUT I HAD THIS MIRACULOUS EXPERIENCE, AND I SAW WHO GOD WAS, AND I IMMEDIATELY WANTED TO SERVE HIM WITH EVERYTHING I HAD, BUT IT WAS ABOUT FOUR YEARS LATER THAT I WAS GOING THROUGH FRUSTRATION BECAUSE I SAW WHAT GOD WAS AND WHAT HE WANTED ME TO BE, AND I WAS SO FAR REMOVED FROM THAT THAT, I MEAN, I FOUGHT DESPERATION.
[00:24:21] IT WASN'T DEPRESSION IN THE SENSE THAT I WAS MISERABLE, BUT I WAS SO LONGING TO BE WHAT GOD WANTED ME TO BE, AND IT SEEMED LIKE FROM...
[00:24:28] TO GET FROM WHERE I AM TO WHERE GOD WANTED ME TO BE WAS AN IMPOSSIBLE DREAM, AND I WAS FRUSTRATED.
[00:24:35] AND WHEN I UNDERSTOOD WHAT I CALL SPIRIT, SOUL, AND BODY, MY IDENTITY IN CHRIST, WHEN I FOUND OUT THAT IN MY SPIRIT IS WHERE THE CHANGE TOOK PLACE, AND IN MY SPIRIT, I'M PERFECT.
[00:24:47] I'M AS COMPLETE IN JESUS RIGHT NOW AS I'LL EVER BE IN ETERNITY.
[00:24:52] AS IT SAYS IN 1 JOHN 4, 17, HEREIN IS OUR LOVE MADE PERFECT THAT WE MAY HAVE BOLDNESS IN THE DAY OF JUDGMENT, BECAUSE AS HE IS, JESUS, NOT AS HE'S GOING TO BE, BUT AS HE IS RIGHT NOW, SO ARE WE IN THIS WORLD.
[00:25:07] NOT IN THE WORLD TO COME, BUT IN THIS WORLD.
[00:25:10] IN MY SPIRIT, I'M IDENTICAL TO JESUS, AND I'M NOT A BABY JESUS, I'M FULL-GROWN JESUS.
[00:25:17] I HAVE HIS FAITH, HIS POWER, HIS AMOUNT.
[00:25:20] WHEN I UNDERSTOOD WHO I WAS IN CHRIST, THEN THE REST OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS JUST RENEWING MY MIND TO THIS, ROMANS CHAPTER 12, VERSE 2, DON'T BE CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD, BUT BE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND THAT YOU MAY PROVE WHAT IS THE GOOD, ACCEPTABLE, AND PERFECT WILL OF GOD.
[00:25:38] AND WHEN I SAW WHO I WAS IN CHRIST, IT LIT A FIRE ON THE INSIDE OF ME, AND IT'S TAKEN A LONG TIME TO RENEW MY MIND.
[00:25:46] I'M STILL RENEWING MY MIND.
[00:25:47] I HADN'T ARRIVED, BUT I'VE LEFT.
[00:25:50] AND I GUARANTEE YOU, MY LIFE TRANSFORMED WHEN I BEGAN TO UNDERSTAND WHO I WAS IN CHRIST.
[00:25:59] PRIOR TO THAT TIME, LIKE I SAID, I PRAYED FOR MY DAD TO BE HEALED, BUT I DIDN'T SEE ANY POWER.
[00:26:05] DID YOU KNOW PRIOR TO THE REVELATION OF WHO I WAS IN CHRIST, IF YOU WOULD HAVE ARRESTED ME FOR BEING A CHRISTIAN, THERE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO CONVICT ME.
[00:26:15] MATTER OF FACT, I HAD A GUY WHO WAS MY BEST FRIEND IN GRADE SCHOOL.
[00:26:18] WE WERE REALLY CLOSE.
[00:26:19] WENT OVER TO EACH OTHER'S HOUSE, SPENT TIME TOGETHER AND STUFF, AND HE SAW ME ON TELEVISION.
[00:26:26] I FORGET HOW LONG AGO.
[00:26:28] WELL, IT WAS AROUND 2002 BECAUSE HE CAME HERE WITH THE NATIONAL FOREST SERVICE WHEN WE HAD THE HAYMAN FIRE, AND HE WAS WITH THE FOREST SERVICE, AND HE CAME HERE TO WORK IN THE FOREST AND PLANT TREES.
[00:26:39] BUT ANYWAY, WHEN HE CAME HERE, WE RECONNECTED, AND HE TOLD ME HE'D GOTTEN INTO DRUGS AND ALCOHOL.
[00:26:45] HE WENT THROUGH A REHABILITATION THING.
[00:26:47] HE'D HAD TWO MARRIAGES AND THEY WERE DIVORCED, AND HE WAS JUST A MISERABLE PERSON.
[00:26:52] AND WHEN HE WENT THROUGH THIS REHAB THING, ONE OF HIS COUNSELORS, HE WOUND UP FALLING IN LOVE WITH HER, AND HE MARRIED HER, AND SO HE AND HIS WIFE CAME OUT HERE, AND HE WAS GIVING ME...
[00:27:01] WE WERE OUT TO EAT, AND HE WAS GIVING ME HIS TESTIMONY ABOUT, MAN, IT'S AWESOME WHAT JESUS DID, AND HE WAS SO THRILLED TO SEE ME ON TELEVISION, AND HE SAID, SO WHEN DID YOU GET BORN AGAIN?
[00:27:12] AND I SAID, WHEN I WAS EIGHT.
[00:27:14] AND HE WAS SHOCKED.
[00:27:17] YOU WERE A CHRISTIAN?
[00:27:19] YOU DIDN'T LET ME KNOW?
[00:27:20] YOU DIDN'T TELL ME THE WAY...
[00:27:22] AND I FELT TERRIBLE.
[00:27:27] BUT I WASN'T...
[00:27:29] I WASN'T MANIFESTING IT.
[00:27:32] BUT MAN, WHEN I FOUND OUT WHO I WAS, I MEAN, IT LIT A FIRE ON THE INSIDE OF ME, AND I JUST...
[00:27:39] I...
[00:27:40] I WASN'T SEEING ANY DIFFERENCE IN MY ACTIONS AT THAT MOMENT, BUT ALL OF A SUDDEN, I KNEW THAT GOD HAD ENABLED ME.
[00:27:47] LIKE IT SAYS OVER IN JOHN 1, I THINK IT'S VERSE 12, BUT TO AS MANY AS RECEIVED HIM, TO THEM GAVE HE POWER TO BECOME THE SONS OF GOD, EVEN TO THEM WHO BELIEVE ON HIS NAME.
[00:27:59] IF YOU HAVE BELIEVED ON JESUS, YOU HAVE WITHIN YOU EVERYTHING IT TAKES TO REFLECT GOD, TO BE A SON OR A DAUGHTER OF GOD, AND TO FULFILL HIS WILL.
[00:28:09] BUT YOU HAVE TO FIND WHO YOU ARE IN HIM.
[00:28:13] YOU HAVE TO QUIT LIVING OUT OF YOURSELF AND OUT OF YOUR OWN STRENGTH AND OUT OF YOUR OWN POWER.
[00:28:18] IT'S LIKE PAUL SAID OVER IN 2 CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 12, WHEN I'M WEAK, THEN I'M STRONG.
[00:28:25] MOST PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT.
[00:28:26] THEY'RE TRYING TO BE STRONG FOR THE LORD.
[00:28:28] NO, YOU NEED TO FIND OUT HOW WEAK YOU ARE SO YOU'LL QUIT TRUSTING IN YOURSELF, AND YOU'LL GO TO DEPENDING ON WHO YOU ARE IN CHRIST.
[00:28:36] AND IT'LL BE LIKE PAUL, WHERE HE SAYS, IT'S NOT ME LIVING, IT'S CHRIST LIVING THROUGH ME, GALATIANS CHAPTER 2 VERSE 20.
[00:28:44] SO YOU HAVE TO FIND YOUR IDENTITY IN CHRIST.
[00:28:48] AND I TELL YOU, THIS IS CONTRARY TO THE WHOLE WORLD.
[00:28:51] THE WHOLE WORLD IS TRYING TO TELL YOU, YOU'RE AWESOME.
[00:28:53] YOU CAN DO ANYTHING.
[00:28:56] THAT'S NOT TRUE.
[00:28:58] SOMEBODY SAY, OH YEAH, PHILIPPIANS 4 13, I CAN DO ALL THINGS.
[00:29:02] BUT YOU LEFT OFF THROUGH CHRIST.
[00:29:04] IT'S ONLY IN CHRIST.
[00:29:07] AND THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE REALLY TALENTED PEOPLE, IF YOU'RE A TENTALENT PERSON, I PITY YOU IN A WAY.
[00:29:15] BECAUSE IT'S SO EASY FOR YOU TO DO THINGS IN YOURSELF.
[00:29:18] WHEN YOU ARE A PERSON THAT DOESN'T HAVE ANY TALENTS, IT'S EASY TO DEPEND UPON GOD.
[00:29:23] AMEN?
[00:29:24] WHEN THE LORD SHOWED ME ALL OF THESE THINGS, I DIDN'T HAVE MUCH TO GIVE UP BECAUSE I'VE NEVER BEEN THE BEST AT ANYTHING.
[00:29:30] PROBABLY THE BEST THING I EVER DID, I WAS ON THE FOOTBALL TEAM AND IN OUR DIVISION, GAME, I WAS THE LONG DISTANCE SNAPPER AND WE WERE UP AGAINST THE GOAL LINE ON THE ONE-YARD LINE ON OUR OWN GOAL LINE.
[00:29:42] AND I CENTERED THE BALL AND BECAUSE HE DIDN'T HAVE 15 YARDS TO GO BACK, IT WAS ONLY 11 YARDS, I CENTERED IT HIGH.
[00:29:49] IT WENT THROUGH HIS HANDS, HE TOUCHED IT, AND WE LOST THE DIVISION PLAYOFF BY THE TWO POINTS FOR THAT SAFETY.
[00:29:55] I WAS THE WORST PERSON IN THE WHOLE SCHOOL.
[00:29:58] EVERYBODY HATED ME.
[00:30:00] AND THAT'S THE WAY MY LIFE WENT.
[00:30:01] BUT WHEN MEN WIN THE LORD, WHEN THE LORD FOUND ME, THERE WASN'T MUCH FOR ME TO GIVE UP.
[00:30:07] I DIDN'T HAVE ANY TROPHIES TO SURRENDER.
[00:30:13] AND THIS IS WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS, THAT YOU SEE YOUR CALLING, BROTHER, IN FIRST CHAPTER OF 1 CORINTHIANS 1 VERSE 26, YOU SEE YOUR CALLING, BROTHER, HOW THAT NOT MANY MIGHTY, NOT MANY WISE MAN AFTER THE FLESH, NOT MANY MIGHTY OR NOBLE ARE CALLED, BUT GOD HATH CHOSEN THE FOOLISH THINGS OF THE WORLD.
[00:30:33] COULD YOU PUT THE REST OF THAT UP?
[00:30:35] FOOLISH THINGS OF THE WORLD TO CONFOUND THE WISE, AND GOD HATH CHOSEN THE WEAK THINGS OF THE WORLD TO CONFOUND THE THINGS WHICH ARE MIGHTY, AND BASED THINGS OF THE WORLD, AND THINGS WHICH ARE DESPISED HATH GOD CHOSEN, YEA, AND THINGS WHICH ARE NOT, TO BRING TO NAUGHT THINGS THAT ARE.
[00:30:55] IF YOU'RE A NOTHING, GOD CHOSE YOU.
[00:30:59] IF YOU'RE A SOMETHING, HE'S NOT LOOKING FOR YOU.
[00:31:03] HE DOESN'T NEED YOUR POWER.
[00:31:04] HE DOESN'T NEED YOU.
[00:31:05] YOU KNOW, GOD IS SO AWESOME.
[00:31:07] HOW CAN YOU EVER REPRESENT GOD PROPERLY?
[00:31:13] MANKIND AT ITS BEST IS NOT A GOOD REPRESENTATION.
[00:31:16] SO YOU KNOW WHAT GOD DOES?
[00:31:17] HE TAKES THE WEAKEST, THE-THE WORST REPRESENTATION, AND WHEN YOU YIELD YOURSELF TO GOD, HE FLOWS THROUGH YOU WITH HIS SUPERNATURAL POWER, AND PEOPLE LOOK AT YOU AND THINK, THAT'S NOT THEM.
[00:31:29] THAT'S GOD.
[00:31:31] I REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME I EVER WENT TO A CATHERINE COLEMAN MEETING.
[00:31:34] I WAS RAISED A BAPTIST, AND WE WERE TAUGHT THAT WOMEN COULDN'T TEACH ANYBODY BUT LITTLE BOYS, BUT THEY COULDN'T TEACH MEN, AND SO WE WERE PREJUDICED AGAINST WOMEN PREACHERS.
[00:31:43] AND SO I WENT THERE WITH A CHIP ON MY SHOULDER.
[00:31:45] AND THEN WHEN CATHERINE COLEMAN CAME OUT, I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF YOU EVER SAW CATHERINE COLEMAN, BUT SHE WAS WEIRD.
[00:31:51] WEIRD.
[00:31:52] I MEAN, REALLY WEIRD.
[00:31:54] AND SHE CAME FLOATING OUT LIKE A BUTTERFLY, AND SINGING AND SAYING, ME THANKS.
[00:31:59] AND THERE WASN'T A THING IN THAT WOMAN THAT I LIKED.
[00:32:05] BUT DID YOU KNOW WHAT?
[00:32:06] I WAS AN USHER, AND I TOOK A WOMAN OFF OF A STRETCHER BECAUSE THEY HAD TO CLEAR THE AISLES, AND I PUT HER IN THE SEATS, AND I COULD...
[00:32:13] SHE ONLY WEIGHED ABOUT 60 POUNDS.
[00:32:14] I COULD PUT MY HAND AROUND HER THIGH.
[00:32:18] SHE WAS LIKE A HOLOCAUST VICTIM.
[00:32:19] SHE COULDN'T RAISE HER HAND.
[00:32:20] SHE COULDN'T HOLD HER HEAD UP.
[00:32:23] SHE WAS...
[00:32:24] SHE WAS JUST NEARLY DEAD.
[00:32:25] AND SO AFTER I DID THAT, I CAME DOWN, AND I WAS SITTING RIGHT HERE, RIGHT IN FRONT OF HER, THREE OR FOUR FEET AWAY, WATCHING EVERYTHING, TRYING TO FIGURE THIS LADY OUT.
[00:32:35] AND I DIDN'T LIKE THE WAY SHE PREACHED.
[00:32:36] SHE WASN'T A GOOD PREACHER.
[00:32:39] I DIDN'T LIKE ANYTHING ABOUT HER.
[00:32:41] BUT YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED?
[00:32:42] THE WOMAN THAT I HAD TAKEN OFF THE STRETCHER AND COULDN'T EVEN HOLD HER HEAD UP, HER HAND...
[00:32:47] SHE CAME RUNNING DOWN THE AISLE, PUSHING HER STRETCHER, AND JUMPED UP ON THE PLATFORM.
[00:32:52] AND I SAID, THAT'S GOD.
[00:32:54] I KNEW IT WASN'T CATHERINE COULEMAN.
[00:32:56] I KNEW IT WAS GOD FLOWING THROUGH HER.
[00:32:58] HE CHOSE WEAK THINGS OF THE WORLD.
[00:33:01] AND IF YOU ARE TRUSTING IN YOURSELF AND PROMOTING YOURSELF, THAT'S THE VERY THING THAT HINDERS GOD FROM USING YOU, BECAUSE HE'S NOT GOING TO SHARE HIS GLORY WITH YOU.
[00:33:10] HE'S NOT GOING TO DO THINGS IN A WAY THAT YOU GET ALL OF THE CREDIT.
[00:33:13] HE'S GOING TO DO THINGS THAT WHEN GOD USES YOU, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SAY, THAT HAS TO BE GOD.
[00:33:18] IT'S NOT THAT PERSON.
[00:33:23] YOU NEED TO FIND OUT WHO YOU ARE, AND YOU GOTTA FIRST OF ALL, FIND OUT WHO YOU ARE, AND YOU GOTTA QUIT TRUSTING IN YOURSELF.
[00:33:29] AND LET ME SHARE ONE OTHER THING.
[00:33:30] DID YOU KNOW THAT...
[00:33:34] IF I CAN GET BACK TO WHERE I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE.
[00:33:37] DID YOU KNOW THAT WHEN THEY ASKED HIM, ARE YOU ELIAS?
[00:33:42] HE SAID, NO.
[00:33:45] LET ME GO BACK...
[00:33:46] I'M ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE FIRST VERSE.
[00:33:49] THESE STUPID PHONES.
[00:33:54] I'LL GET THERE, JUST GIVE ME A SECOND.
[00:33:57] SO IN VERSE 23, HE SAYS, I AM THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS.
[00:34:05] BUT LOOK AT THIS, IN MATTHEW CHAPTER 11 AND VERSE 14, JESUS SAID, IF YOU WILL RECEIVE IT, THIS IS ELIAS, WHICH WAS FOR TO COME.
[00:34:19] AND DID YOU KNOW THAT WHEN JOHN WAS BORN, HIS FATHER ZACHARIAH HAD THE ANGEL TELL HIM THAT THIS IS ELIAS, WHO I'M GONNA SEND BEFORE THE MESSIAH, AND HE'S GONNA PREPARE THE WAY.
[00:34:33] AND THEN ALSO JESUS SAID THIS, IF I CAN FIND THIS, IT'S IN MATTHEW CHAPTER 17.
[00:34:41] ANYWAY, I'LL JUST QUOTE IT TO YOU.
[00:34:42] I DON'T SEE IT RIGHT NOW.
[00:34:43] BUT IN MATTHEW CHAPTER 17, WHEN HE WAS ON THE MOUNT OF TRANSFIGURATION, HIS DISCIPLES SAW MOSES AND ELIJAH TALKING WITH JESUS ABOUT HIS DEATH THAT HE WAS GONNA PRAY.
[00:34:57] THAT HE WAS GONNA BE ACCOMPLISHING IN JERUSALEM.
[00:34:59] AND WHEN THEY SAW THIS, THEY WERE JUST AMAZED.
[00:35:01] AND THEY ASKED HIM AFTERWARDS, THEY SAID, WHY THEN DO THE SCRIPTURES SAY THAT ELIJAH HAD TO COME FIRST?
[00:35:08] AND ELIJAH SAID, HE HAS COME FIRST.
[00:35:11] AND THEY HAVE DONE WITH HIM WHATSOEVER THEY WANTED.
[00:35:13] AND THEN THE SCRIPTURES SAYS, THIS SPAKE HE OF JOHN THE BAPTIST, THAT JOHN THE BAPTIST WAS ELIJAH TO COME BEFORE.
[00:35:22] DID YOU KNOW, JOHN THE BAPTIST SAID, NO, I'M NOT ELIJAH.
[00:35:25] I'M THE VOICE OF HIM CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS.
[00:35:29] BUT JESUS SAID HE WAS ELIJAH.
[00:35:31] SO HERE'S ANOTHER THING I GET OUT OF THIS, IS THAT JOHN THE BAPTIST DIDN'T HAVE A FULL REVELATION OF WHO HE WAS.
[00:35:39] JESUS SAID HE WAS ELIJAH.
[00:35:41] HE WAS THAT MESSENGER THAT ISAIAH 43 TALKED ABOUT, BUT HE WAS ALSO ELIJAH.
[00:35:47] JESUS SAID IT TWICE, AND THEN THE SCRIPTURES CONFIRMED THAT HE WAS ELIJAH, BUT HE DIDN'T KNOW IT.
[00:35:52] I DON'T THINK HE LIED ABOUT IT.
[00:35:56] I DON'T THINK HE HAD A FULL REVELATION OF WHO HE WAS.
[00:35:59] AND YOU KNOW WHAT?
[00:36:00] THIS IS WHAT...
[00:36:01] WHEN...
[00:36:01] WHEN THE LORD SHOWED ME THESE THINGS, THIS IS WHAT HE WAS SPEAKING TO ME, IS THAT I DON'T HAVE A FULL REVELATION OF WHO I AM, THAT I NEED TO INCREASE.
[00:36:10] I NEED TO UNDERSTAND.
[00:36:12] AND YET, LOOK WHAT JOHN DID.
[00:36:15] HE DIDN'T HAVE A FULL REVELATION.
[00:36:17] I'M NOT SURE THAT ANYBODY HAS EVER HAD A FULL REVELATION OF WHO THEY ARE IN CHRIST.
[00:36:23] I THINK THAT GOD HAS MADE EVERY ONE OF US FOR MUCH, MUCH, MUCH MORE THAN WHAT ANY OF US HAVE EVER DONE.
[00:36:31] AND YET, BECAUSE HE OPERATED ON THE REVELATION THAT HE HAD, HERE WE ARE 2,000 YEARS LATER TALKING ABOUT JOHN THE BAPTIST.
[00:36:38] JOHN THE BAPTIST PREPARED THE WAY FOR JESUS.
[00:36:41] JESUS DIDN'T HAVE TO DRAW CROWDS.
[00:36:43] JOHN THE BAPTIST ALREADY HAD THE CROWDS DRAWN AND EVERYBODY WAS LOOKING FOR THE MESSIAH AND ALL HE HAD TO DO WAS SAY, BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD THAT TAKES AWAY THE SINS OF THE WORLD AND HIS DISCIPLES AND EVERYBODY ELSE WENT AFTER JESUS.
[00:36:57] GOD USED JOHN THE BAPTIST IN A MIRACULOUS WAY AND JESUS EVEN SAID OF JOHN THE BAPTIST IN MATTHEW CHAPTER 11, I THINK IT'S VERSE 11, HE SAID, AMONG THOSE WHO'VE BEEN BORN OF WOMEN, WHICH INCLUDES EVERYBODY BUT HIM, THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A GREATER THAN JOHN THE BAPTIST.
[00:37:16] JOHN THE BAPTIST WAS THE GREATEST OLD TESTAMENT PROPHET.
[00:37:20] HE BEAT MOSES, ELIJAH, ELISHA, DAVID, SOLOMON, SAMUEL, ANYBODY YOU WANT TO MENTION.
[00:37:27] JESUS SAID, HE'S THE GREATEST MAN THAT'S EVER BEEN BORN ON THE EARTH.
[00:37:31] NEVERTHELESS, HE THAT IS LEAST IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS GREATER THAN HIM.
[00:37:39] IF YOU THINK THAT YOU ARE THE LEAST SAINT, IF YOU THINK THAT YOU ARE THE MOST UNLIKELY PERSON FOR GOD TO EVER USE, YOU'RE GREATER THAN JOHN THE BAPTIST.
[00:37:50] THAT'S WHAT JESUS SAID.
[00:37:52] YOU ARE BORN AGAIN.
[00:37:53] YOU'VE GOT SOMETHING THAT JOHN THE BAPTIST DIDN'T HAVE.
[00:37:55] HE WASN'T BORN AGAIN.
[00:37:58] YOU HAVE EVERYTHING IN YOU THAT IS NEEDED FOR YOU TO FULFILL GOD'S WILL AND PURPOSE FOR YOUR LIFE.
[00:38:05] BUT YOU'VE GOT TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT.
[00:38:07] YOU'VE GOT TO KNOW THAT IT'S THERE.
[00:38:09] LIKE IT SAYS IN PHILEM IN CHAPTER 1, VERSE 6, THAT THE COMMUNICATION OF YOUR FAITH BECOMES EFFECTIBLE.
[00:38:15] THAT MEANS IT BEGINS TO WORK BY THE ACKNOWLEDGING OF EVERY GOOD THING WHICH IS IN YOU IN CHRIST JESUS.
[00:38:23] WHAT YOU DON'T...
[00:38:24] DON'T KNOW IS KILLING YOU.
[00:38:27] IF ALL YOU DO IS KNOW YOURSELF IN THE MIRROR, WHEN I STARTED AND SAID, WHO ARE YOU?
[00:38:34] AND IF YOU IMMEDIATELY THOUGHT OF YOUR NAME OR OF YOUR FAMILY OR OF YOUR RACE, WHAT COLOR YOU ARE, WHAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT GENDER YOU ARE, IF THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT YOU THOUGHT OF, THAT'S...
[00:38:46] THAT'S NOT KNOWING YOU.
[00:38:48] YOU'VE GOT TO FIND OUT WHO YOU ARE IN CHRIST.
[00:38:50] YOU HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THOSE THINGS.
[00:38:53] AND I TELL YOU, IT DOESN'T COME JUST AUTOMATICALLY.
[00:38:57] YOU DON'T JUST INTUITIVELY KNOW THESE THINGS.
[00:39:00] YOU HAVE TO SEEK THE LORD.
[00:39:01] IF YOU SEEK, YOU FIND.
[00:39:03] IF YOU KNOCK, IT'S OPENED UNTO YOU.
[00:39:05] BUT IF YOU DON'T SEEK, IT WILL NOT HAPPEN.
[00:39:09] AND SO YOU HAVE TO FIND OUT WHO YOU ARE.
[00:39:14] WHO HAS GOD MADE YOU TO BE?
[00:39:18] YOU KNOW, WHEN I MINISTER ON A THING THAT I CALL HOW TO FIND, FOLLOW, AND FULFILL GOD'S WILL, AND WHEN I MINISTER IN A CONFERENCE AND DO THIS OVER THREE OR FOUR DAYS, I'LL GIVE AN INVITATION.
[00:39:29] AND THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE SPIRIT-FILLED PEOPLE THAT COME TO MY MEETINGS.
[00:39:33] THEY'RE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT JUST THE NOD TO GOD CROWD.
[00:39:35] THESE ARE THE ONES THAT ARE REALLY SEEKING GOD.
[00:39:39] AND YET, WHEN I GIVE AN INVITATION, HOW MANY OF YOU DON'T KNOW FOR SURE WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT GOD CALLED YOU TO DO?
[00:39:48] IF THAT'S YOU, I WANT YOU TO STAND UP.
[00:39:50] AND IT'S NOT UNCOMMON TO GET AT LEAST 80% OF THE BODY OF CHRIST THAT COME TO MY MEETINGS TO STAND AND SAY THEY DON'T KNOW FOR SURE.
[00:40:00] THEY HOPE THAT WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS PLEASING GOD.
[00:40:02] BUT YOU KNOW, THE CHRISTIAN LIFE ISN'T YOU DOING YOUR OWN THING AND ASKING GOD TO BLESS IT.
[00:40:08] THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS YOU FINDING OUT, GOD, WHO DID YOU MAKE ME TO BE?
[00:40:12] WHAT IS YOUR PLAN FOR MY LIFE?
[00:40:15] AND UNTIL YOU DISCOVER THAT, THERE IS NO WAY THAT YOU'RE GONNA ACCIDENTALLY OR SOVEREIGNLY JUST FALL INTO IT.
[00:40:23] YOU GOTTA PURSUE IT.
[00:40:25] SO I'M GONNA ASK YOU THE SAME QUESTION THAT THEY WERE ASKING JOHN.
[00:40:29] AND JUST LIKE JOHN DIDN'T HAVE A COMPLETE FULL REVELATION AND YET HE...
[00:40:34] THE LITTLE BIT THAT HE KNEW WAS AWESOME.
[00:40:37] HE SAW PROBABLY THE GREATEST REVIVAL THAT THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN IN SIX MONTHS PERIOD OF TIME.
[00:40:43] HE WAS OUT IN THE DESERTS.
[00:40:45] DID YOU KNOW MOST PEOPLE GO INTO THE CITIES WHERE THE PEOPLE ARE?
[00:40:49] AND THAT'S NOT WRONG BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT PAUL DID.
[00:40:52] PAUL WOULD GO INTO EPHESUS.
[00:40:53] AND THEN HAVE PEOPLE GO OUT FROM THERE.
[00:40:56] I'M NOT SAYING IT'S WRONG, BUT JOHN THE BAPTIST WENT OUT INTO THE DESERT AND STARTED PREACHING.
[00:41:02] AND THE PEOPLE CAME OUT.
[00:41:04] I IMAGINE THAT SOMEBODY WAS JUST PASSING THROUGH THE DESERT AND HEARD THIS MAN PREACHING.
[00:41:09] HE WAS SO IMPACTED HE WENT AND TOLD SOMEBODY ELSE.
[00:41:12] AND THEY TOLD SOMEBODY ELSE.
[00:41:13] AND IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, HE TURNED NOT ONLY THE NATION OF ISRAEL, BUT THE NATION OF IDOMEA AND ALL OF THOSE NATIONS AROUND THERE.
[00:41:20] EVERYBODY WAS LOOKING FOR THE MESSIAH.
[00:41:23] IN SIX MONTHS TIME, HE TURNED A NATION TOWARDS GOD BY GOING OUT INTO THE DESERT.
[00:41:29] AND IT WASN'T HIS FANCY CLOTHES THAT DREW HIM.
[00:41:33] IT WASN'T HIS DIET THAT DREW HIM.
[00:41:36] HE HAD LOCUS AND WILD HONEY.
[00:41:38] I CAN JUST IMAGINE SOME HONEY BEING STUCK IN HIS BEARD AND A LOCUS LEG HANGING OUT OF IT.
[00:41:46] IT WAS A POWERFUL ANOINTING OF GOD ON HIS LIFE.
[00:41:50] AND YOU KNOW WHAT?
[00:41:51] WHAT YOU HAVE IS GREATER THAN WHAT JOHN THE BAPTIST HAS.
[00:41:55] THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS HE KNEW HE WAS THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS.
[00:42:01] HE HAD A REVELATION FROM GOD OF WHO HE WAS.
[00:42:06] DO YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE?
[00:42:08] DO YOU KNOW WHO GOD MADE YOU TO BE?
[00:42:12] YOUR LIFE WILL NOT BE SATISFIED.
[00:42:14] YOU WON'T FIND CONTENTMENT UNTIL YOU DISCOVER THAT.
[00:42:17] AND OTHER PEOPLE WILL MISS OUT ON THE MIRACLE THAT GOD HAS FOR THEM IF YOU DON'T FULFILL GOD'S PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE.
[00:42:27] AND YOU KNOW, THERE IS A HOLY DISSATISFACTION THAT I THINK A LOT OF CHRISTIANS HAVE.
[00:42:32] IT'S NOT A DEMONIC DISSATISFACTION, AND IT'S NOT BECAUSE YOU AREN'T IN LOVE WITH GOD, BUT THERE IS...
[00:42:40] THERE'S A CONTENTMENT THAT GOES ALONG WITH BEING IN THE CENTER OF GOD'S WILL THAT YOU CAN'T GET DOING ANYTHING ELSE.
[00:42:46] YOU COULD BE A GOOD PERSON.
[00:42:47] YOU COULD BE HELPING OTHER PEOPLE.
[00:42:49] YOU COULD BE LIVING A HOLY LIFE.
[00:42:51] AND YET, IF YOU AREN'T DOING WHAT GOD TELLS YOU TO DO, YOU AREN'T GOING TO HAVE THAT SATISFACTION.
[00:42:58] I TELL YOU, THERE'S BEEN TIMES IN MY LIFE THAT I JUST KNEW THAT I WAS EXACTLY WHERE GOD WANTED ME TO BE, AND THE FEELING OF SATISFACTION AND CONTENTMENT THAT YOU GET OUT OF THAT CANNOT BE MATCHED BY ANYTHING ELSE.
[00:43:14] I'VE HAD MANY, MANY TIMES THAT THAT WAS TRUE.
[00:43:16] I REMEMBER...
[00:43:17] ANYWAY, I COULD GIVE YOU A...
[00:43:18] LET ME JUST TELL YOU, ONE TIME I WAS IN CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA, AND ONE OF MY PARTNERS INVITED ME TO MINISTER TO HIS STAFF.
[00:43:27] HE HAD ABOUT 30 STAFF MEMBERS, AND EVERY YEAR, I'D GO AND PREACH TO HIM, AND HE'D SAY, THE CLOCK'S RUNNING.
[00:43:32] LISTEN TO THIS GUY.
[00:43:33] I'M PAYING YOU AS LONG AS HE WANTS TO TALK.
[00:43:35] AND THEN AFTER I SPOKE, I'D GO BACK INTO THE BREAK ROOM, AND I'D LEAD PEOPLE TO THE LORD AND PRAY WITH THEM AND DO THINGS.
[00:43:41] AND ANYWAY, ONE YEAR AFTER I HAD SPOKEN, I CAME OUT, AND THERE WAS AN ORIENTAL LADY THAT WAS SITTING AT THE RECEPTION DESK, AND I JUST GREET HER, AND I ASKED WHO SHE WAS, AND SHE SAID, OH, I'M THE NEW KID ON THE BLOCK, AND THEY PUT ME ANSWERING THE PHONES WHILE EVERYBODY ELSE WAS IN THE BACK.
[00:44:00] SHE SAID, WHO ARE YOU?
[00:44:02] AND I TOLD HER MY NAME, AND SHE SAYS, WHAT DO YOU DO?
[00:44:05] AND I SAID, I'M A MINISTER.
[00:44:07] AND BOY, HER EYES GOT BIG, AND SHE SAID, FOR WHO?
[00:44:11] AND I SAID, FOR THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.
[00:44:14] AND SHE SAYS, YOU'RE THE ONE.
[00:44:16] AND I SAID, I'M THE ONE WHAT?
[00:44:19] AND SHE TOLD ME THAT THE NIGHT BEFORE, SHE WAS GOING THROUGH BUDDHIST RITUALS, AND IN THE VERY MIDDLE OF IT, SHE JUST STOPPED, AND SHE SAYS, GOD, I KNOW YOU'RE REAL, BUT THIS CAN'T BE IT.
[00:44:30] SHE SAYS, I KNOW THAT THERE'S A GOD, BUT WHO ARE YOU?
[00:44:35] HOW DO I KNOW WHO YOU ARE?
[00:44:36] AND SHE SAID, THIS BALL OF LIGHT CAME IN FRONT OF HER, AND SHE HEARD AN AUDIBLE VOICE SAYING, TOMORROW, I'LL SEND YOU A MAN WHO'LL TELL YOU WHO I AM.
[00:44:46] AND SHE SAYS, YOU'RE THE MAN.
[00:44:47] AND I SAID, I AM THE MAN.
[00:44:49] AMEN.
[00:44:50] AND I GOT TO LEAVE THIS LATE, TO THE LORD, AND INTO THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, AND I WENT OUT, AND IT WAS HOT IN CHARLOTTE.
[00:44:57] IT WAS OVER 100 DEGREES, AND I SAT IN THAT CAR FOR A WHILE BEFORE I COULD EVEN TURN IT ON.
[00:45:03] I WAS JUST WORSHIPING THE LORD, THINKING ABOUT, MAN, GOD, I WAS IN THE EXACT SPOT THAT YOU WANTED ME TO BE AT THE EXACT MOMENT.
[00:45:11] AND THERE IS SUCH A SENSE OF SATISFACTION KNOWING THAT YOU'RE DOING WHAT GOD CALLED YOU TO DO.
[00:45:19] THERE'S NOTHING ELSE LIKE IT.
[00:45:21] AND I'M SAYING THIS IN LOVE, BUT I JUST KNOW THAT THERE'S SOME OF YOU THAT HAVE NEVER FULLY EXPERIENCED THAT, AND THAT'S A SHAME.
[00:45:29] THIS ISN'T A DRESS REHEARSAL.
[00:45:32] IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE PRACTICING FOR THE REAL THING.
[00:45:35] EVERY DAY, YOU'RE EITHER GETTING CLOSER TO WHAT GOD CALLED YOU TO BE, OR YOU'RE JUST BURNING DAYLIGHT.
[00:45:41] YOU'RE WASTING TIME.
[00:45:44] MAN, WE NEED TO BE PURSUING GOD WITH EVERYTHING WE'VE GOT, AND WE NEED TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION ABOUT, WHO AM I?
[00:45:51] WHAT HAS GOD CALLED ME TO DO?
[00:45:54] WHO AM I IN CHRIST?
[00:45:56] ARE YOU STILL TRUSTING IN YOURSELF?
[00:45:58] ARE YOU STILL ENAMORED WITH YOURSELF?
[00:46:00] HAVE YOU EVER COME TO THE END OF YOURSELF?
[00:46:03] IT'S ONLY WHEN YOU COME TO THE END OF YOURSELF THAT YOU GET TO SEE THE BEGINNING OF GOD.
[00:46:08] GOD DOESN'T NEED YOUR HELP.
[00:46:11] YOU NEED HIS HELP.
[00:46:13] SO LET ME ASK THIS, IF YOU AREN'T SURE OF WHO YOU ARE IN CHRIST, AND AGAIN, THERE'S ALL VARIATIONS OF THIS.
[00:46:20] THE LORD IS SPEAKING THIS TO ME, THAT I NEED TO GET A GREATER REVELATION OF WHO I AM AND WHAT GOD'S CALLED ME TO DO.
[00:46:26] I NEED TO COME UP HIGHER.
[00:46:27] IT'S BIGGER THAN WHAT I'VE BEEN OPERATING IN.
[00:46:31] SO I'M NOT SAYING THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE A FULL REVELATION, BUT IF YOU DON'T REALLY HAVE A CLUE, AND YOU...
[00:46:39] YOU DON'T KNOW FOR CERTAIN THAT YOU'RE DOING WHAT GOD'S CALLED YOU TO DO, THEN I WANT TO ASK YOU TO JUST BE HUMBLE ENOUGH JUST TO STAND AND SAY, I DON'T KNOW, AND I WANT YOU TO PRAY FOR ME, AND I'M GOING TO PRAY AND ASK GOD TO REVEAL HIMSELF TO YOU.
[00:46:56] IF THAT'S YOU, I JUST WANT YOU TO BE BOLD ENOUGH TO STAND RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE AND LET ME PRAY FOR YOU.
[00:47:05] AND I KNOW THAT SOMETIMES PEOPLE SAY, WELL, COULD YOU HAVE EVERYBODY BOW THEIR HEAD AND CLOSE THEIR EYES?
[00:47:12] I'M WANTING YOU TO COME TO THE END OF YOURSELF.
[00:47:14] I WANT EVERYBODY'S HEAD UP AND THEIR EYES OPEN SO YOU GET THE MAXIMUM HUMILIATION OUT OF THIS.
[00:47:21] I'M GOING TO PRAY THIS WON'T WORK IF YOU'RE SEATED.
[00:47:28] YOU CAN'T BOOTLAG THIS PRAYER.
[00:47:31] YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO STAND.
[00:47:34] AND YOU KNOW, IF YOU...
[00:47:34] IF YOU UNDERSTOOD AND YOU HAVEN'T REALLY GOT ANY CLUE, YOU AREN'T SURE, YOU HAVEN'T EVEN BEGUN THE JOURNEY YET, AND IF THERE'S THIS MANY PEOPLE STANDING, NO WONDER THAT THINGS ARE GOING THE WAY THAT THEY ARE.
[00:47:46] I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A HOLY DISSATISFACTION.
[00:47:49] GOD HAS PUT THIS IN YOU BECAUSE HE'S TRYING TO TELL YOU THERE'S MORE.
[00:47:53] HE'S GOT MORE FOR YOU THAN WHAT YOU'RE EXPERIENCING.
[00:47:58] FATHER, WE LOVE YOU AND THANK YOU FOR LOVING US.
[00:48:03] THANK YOU, FATHER, THAT YOU LOVE US MORE THAN WE COULD EVER UNDERSTAND.
[00:48:07] THANK YOU THAT YOUR PLANS FOR US ARE BETTER THAN OUR PLANS FOR OURSELF.
[00:48:13] FATHER, RIGHT NOW, WE JUST REPENT AND WE COME TO THE END OF OURSELF AND DOING OUR OWN THING AND ASKING YOU TO BLESS IT AND JUST SUPPOSING THAT WE WILL SOMEHOW SUPERNATURALLY JUST STUMBLE INTO YOUR PERFECT WILL.
[00:48:27] FATHER, WE REPENT OF THAT KIND OF THINKING AND TONIGHT, WE DO WHAT THE WORD SAYS.
[00:48:32] WE BECOME A LIVING SACRIFICE.
[00:48:34] WE YIELD OURSELF.
[00:48:36] WE CRAWL UP ON THE ALTAR AND SAY, HERE WE ARE.
[00:48:40] AND FATHER, YOU CAN DO ANYTHING WITH US THAT YOU WANT.
[00:48:43] YOU CAN TOTALLY CHANGE OUR LIFE, CHANGE OUR DIRECTION.
[00:48:49] FATHER, WE JUST GIVE YOU CART BLANC TO DO ANYTHING IN OUR LIFE.
[00:48:52] WE COME TO THE END OF OURSELF AND WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU'VE WRITTEN IN OUR BOOK.
[00:48:58] WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT EVERY DAY OF OUR LIFE IS SUPPOSED TO BE LIKE.
[00:49:02] WE WANT TO HAVE YOUR SUPERNATURAL POWER FLOW THROUGH US AND WE DO NOT WANT TO BE LIVING OUR OWN LIFE.
[00:49:09] WE WANT TO BE LIKE PAUL AND SAY, IT'S NOT ME LIVING, IT'S CHRIST LIVING IN ME.
[00:49:15] FATHER, WE WANT TO BE A TESTIMONY TO OTHER PEOPLE.
[00:49:17] WE WANT TO TAKE THE MIRACLES AND THE THINGS THAT YOU'VE WRITTEN IN US AND FOR THE PEOPLE WHO NEED HELP, WE WANT TO...
[00:49:24] WE WANT TO RELEASE THOSE MIRACLES AND LET THIS POWER FLOW THROUGH US.
[00:49:30] SO FATHER, TONIGHT WE ARE JUST MAKING OURSELF A LIVING SACRIFICE, CRAWLING UP ON THE ALTAR AND I'M ASKING THAT YOUR FIRE WOULD FALL INTO PEOPLE'S LIVES RIGHT NOW.
[00:49:41] THAT THEY WOULD MAKE A COMMITMENT TO PUT YOU FIRST AND TO HONOR YOU MORE THAN THEY HONOR THEMSELVES, MORE THAN THEY HONOR ANYTHING ELSE.
[00:49:51] AND FATHER, YOU SAID THAT YOU KEEP THAT WHICH WE COMMIT.
[00:49:57] NO COMMITTING, NO KEEPING.
[00:49:59] BUT WE ARE MAKING A COMMITMENT AND WE ASK YOU TO HOLD US TO IT.
[00:50:02] WE ASK YOU TO OPEN UP OUR HEARTS, TO REMIND US OF THIS AND WE JUST BEGIN THE PROCESS TONIGHT OF RENEWING OUR MIND AND FINDING OUT WHO WE ARE IN CHRIST.
[00:50:16] AND SO WE TRUST YOU THAT YOU WANT THIS MORE THAN WE DO AND SO AS WE MAKE THIS COMMITMENT, WE JUST THANK YOU, FATHER, AND BELIEVE THAT THIS IS GONNA BE A COMPLETE TURNAROUND IN THESE LIVES.
[00:50:28] THAT WHETHER YOU CALL THEM HERE OR YOU HAVE SOMETHING ELSE FOR THEM, I THANK YOU THAT FROM THIS DECISION ON, THEIR LIFE IS GONNA TAKE ON A NEW DIRECTION AND WE ARE GONNA BEGIN TO START SEEING YOU MOVE THEM INTO WHO THEY REALLY ARE AND WHAT YOU REALLY WANT THEM TO DO.
[00:50:45] AND SO WE THANK YOU IN ADVANCE.
[00:50:47] I PRAISE YOU, FATHER, THAT THIS IS GONNA BE AWESOME.
[00:50:51] THAT THIS'LL BE A TURNING POINT IN THEIR LIFE AND WE THANK YOU FOR THAT.
[00:50:55] WE AGREE AND WE RECEIVE IT IN THE NAME OF JESUS.
[00:51:00] AMEN.
[00:51:01] AMEN.
[00:51:03] MAN, THAT'S AWESOME.
[00:51:06] PRAISE GOD.
[00:51:07] YOU CAN BE SEATED.
[00:51:09] YOU KNOW, I MADE THAT DECISION IN MARCH THE 23RD, 1968 AND MY LIFE HAS NEVER BEEN THE SAME.
[00:51:18] THAT IS NEARLY 58 YEARS AGO AND I GUARANTEE YOU, IT HAS JUST TRANSFORMED MY LIFE AND I'M STILL GROWING AND GOD'S STILL SHOWING ME THAT THERE'S MORE JUST LIKE ELIJAH OR LIKE JOHN THE BAPTIST AND HE DIDN'T RECOGNIZE THE FULL CALLING THAT WAS ON HIS LIFE.
[00:51:35] I DON'T THINK ANY OF US HAVE EVER OBTAINED EVERYTHING.
[00:51:38] WE'RE STILL GROWING BUT MAN, IT'S A PROCESS AND YOU'VE MADE A COMMITMENT AND GOD'LL HOLD YOU TO THAT.
[00:51:44] HE'LL KEEP THAT WHAT YOU COMMIT.
[00:51:46] AMEN.
[00:51:47] AND FOR SOME OF YOU, IF GOD IS SPEAKING TO YOU ABOUT CARE, PARIS, YOU NEED TO OBEY.
[00:51:52] AMEN.
[00:51:55] AND QUIT LOOKING AT ALL OF THE PROBLEMS AND ALL THE REASONS WHY IT CAN'T WORK.
[00:51:59] LOOK AT WHY IT COULD WORK AND TRUST GOD.
[00:52:02] TAKE A STEP OF FAITH AND I GUARANTEE IF YOU'LL DO THAT, IT'LL BE AWESOME.
[00:52:06] AMEN.
[00:52:08] THAT'S AWESOME.
[00:52:08] I WANT TO ASK OUR PRAYER TEAM IF THEY'LL COME DOWN HERE AND SOME OF YOU COULD HAVE BEEN TOUCHED IN WAYS BEYOND JUST THAT ONE COMMITMENT THAT WE'VE MADE.
[00:52:16] THERE COULD BE OTHER THINGS THAT GOD SPOKE TO YOU.
[00:52:18] MAYBE YOU NEED ANYTHING AND THESE PEOPLE HERE ARE AWESOME PEOPLE.
[00:52:23] THEY'VE ALL BEEN TRAINED.
[00:52:24] THEY'VE GONE THROUGH A PRAYER TEAM TRAINING AND THESE ARE AWESOME PEOPLE.
[00:52:29] SO IF THERE'S ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO HELP YOU, THEY'RE HERE TO PRAY WITH YOU.
[00:52:33] MATT, HAVE YOU GOT SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SAY?
[00:52:35] ALL RIGHT, SO MATT, I'M GOING TO WELCOME MATT TO COME BACK AND SHARE WITH YOU.
[00:52:40] BUT MAN, I BELIEVE IT'S GOOD TONIGHT.
[00:52:42] IF YOU RECEIVE THAT, YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO BE THE SAME.
[00:52:47] IF THAT DOESN'T LIGHT YOUR FIRE, YOUR WOOD'S WET.
[00:52:49] PRAISE GOD.
[00:52:50] THANK YOU.