The Danger of Prophetic Declarations: A Theological Audit

• Waiting on the Lord 00:02:24 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor introduces Isaiah 40, defining the new season as a time to gain strength by waiting on the Lord, contrasting human weariness with divine renewal.
• Joy and Sorrow Cycle 00:04:54 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor explains that it is acceptable to experience both sorrow and joy within a 24-hour period, citing the biblical principle that sorrow lasts for a night but joy comes in the morning.
• Overcoming Shame 00:05:05 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor encourages the congregation not to feel shame for their struggles or 'crashing out,' asserting that allowing God into those moments leads to becoming overcomers.
• Celebration Before Victory 00:08:28 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor urges the congregation to celebrate and give offerings before their circumstances change, emphasizing trust in God's character rather than just His actions.
• Faith and Trust 01:15:33 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor explains that God is building a lifestyle of trust in believers because He is faithful, and faith is connected to His nature.
• The Promised Land 01:16:23 ▶️ 📄
  > Described as a territory of complete absolute fulfillment where believers become all that God intended them to be, requiring them to enter the atmosphere to discover it.
• The Spies in [Numbers 13](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers+13&version=KJV) 01:18:41 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor recounts how Moses sent leaders from each tribe to spy out the land, and how ten spies brought back a discouraging report that caused the people to resist God's plan.
• Unbelief and Negativity 01:20:02 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor illustrates how unbelief is contagious and spreads easily, often masquerading as wisdom, leading people to focus on the size of the problem rather than the size of God.
• The danger of negative counsel and unbelief 01:19:34 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor uses the biblical account of the ten spies to illustrate how negativity spreads and how bad counsel can keep people from their destiny.
• Delayed obedience as disobedience 01:23:13 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor argues that analyzing too much leads to inaction, whereas immediate response to God's voice is required.
• The nature of true courage vs. unbelief 01:26:20 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor explains that the language of the ten spies appeared to be courage but was actually a language of unbelief and fear.
• Complaining vs. living in the promise 01:27:49 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor asserts that complaining is incompatible with living conscious of God's promise and the abiding presence of the Spirit.
• The necessity of risk in the Christian life 01:32:20 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor defines the church as a 'people of risk' who must act courageously to allow God to display His power.
• Community and accountability in risk-taking 01:35:28 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor distinguishes between community as a luxury for those living safely versus community as a necessity for those living with great risk.
• Ministry defined by call rather than skill 01:36:23 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor argues that ministry is defined by God's call, requiring believers to pursue spiritual gifts earnestly because they lack natural skill.
• Risk and Community 01:35:58 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor argues that true community requires living with risk, rather than just seeking comfort.
• Ministry and Spiritual Gifts 01:36:23 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor contrasts defining ministry by skill versus defining it by God's call, emphasizing the need to pursue spiritual gifts earnestly when one lacks natural ability.
• The Promised Land and Prophetic Witness 01:37:33 ▶️ 📄
  > Using the story of the twelve spies, the pastor illustrates the difference between seeing the promise (milk and honey) and resisting it due to pride or fear.
• Living with Risk in Ministry 01:43:16 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor encourages the congregation to take risks in prayer and ministry, even when the outcome is unknown, to allow God to be glorified.
• Covenant and Apostolic Age 01:43:30 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor calls for a reaffirmation of a covenant to live with courage, risk, and community, marking a transition from the church age to an apostolic age.
• Prayer and National History 01:56:26 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor uses the story of Benjamin Franklin at the Constitutional Convention to illustrate how prayer shifts history, both nationally and personally.
• Prophetic Declaration of Hope 01:59:34 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor declares that despite past struggles, a new era of hope and divine intervention is beginning for the congregation.
• Prayer and Divine Intervention 01:59:55 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor connects the historical anecdote to the present, asserting that prayer shifts both national and personal history.
• Biblical Promise of New Beginnings 02:00:42 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor cites Isaiah 43 to promise that former things have passed and new things are being proclaimed.

• Sermon Illustration 00:11:45 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor shares a personal testimony of receiving prophetic words from children in the hall, which he reads to the congregation as a message of encouragement.
• Sermon Illustration 01:11:15 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor shares a personal anecdote about receiving prophetic words from children in the hall, one of which said 'pray dude,' illustrating that God is up to something even when it seems unclear.
• Sermon Illustration 01:18:41 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor uses the biblical story of the twelve spies sent into Canaan, noting that ten spies focused on the giants and discouraged the people, while Joshua and Caleb brought a positive report, illustrating how negativity spreads and unbelief becomes contagious.
• Sermon Illustration 01:30:26 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor recounts a personal anecdote about attending Catholic Masses in Canada during his sabbatical, specifically noting a priest's sermon that emphasized lay responsibility for healing and casting out demons, which resonated with his own beliefs.
• Sermon Illustration 01:37:55 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor shares a personal anecdote about his first trip to Israel, where he sought souvenirs but was drawn to a small brass sculpture of two men carrying a huge bunch of grapes, which he views as a prophetic symbol of the promised land.
• Sermon Illustration 01:42:17 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor recounts a story from his past in Weaverville where they lacked knowledge of healing but took risks by copying videos, resulting in people being healed on Main Street despite not knowing what they were doing.
• Sermon Illustration 01:56:42 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor tells the historical story of Benjamin Franklin at the Constitutional Convention, who urged prayer when the delegates were deadlocked, leading to the signing of the Constitution and a shift from the sun setting to rising.
• Sermon Illustration 01:58:50 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor recounts a story about Benjamin Franklin and the carving on Independence Hall, noting that while some saw it as the sun setting on the nation, Franklin saw it as the sun rising. He uses this as a metaphor for the congregation's current state, urging them to see their lives not as ending but as beginning.

• Pastoral Charge 01:35:26 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor calls the congregation to increase their level of spiritual risk-taking and boldness.
• Pastoral Charge 01:50:45 ▶️ 📄
  > Pray aloud for neighbors, laying hands on them and asking for supernatural courage.
• Pastoral Charge 01:51:23 ▶️ 📄
  > Lift voices in prayer specifically for greater courage.
• Pastoral Charge 01:51:51 ▶️ 📄
  > Verbally affirm personal courage and identity as a risk-taker.
• Pastoral Charge 02:00:15 ▶️ 📄
  > Pray together, thanking God for being the 'house of the rising sun'.
• Pastoral Charge 02:00:10 ▶️ 📄
  > Raise hands to indicate being in a 'tough place'.

[00:00:00] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_15]
[00:00:00] What is up? We about to have fun, y'all. Hello! Do you guys know Rory? You know Rory. I think so. They know you. I know. Guys, Rory leads our Young Saints. If you don't know, wow, they said we have a whole day to do this live. Wow, the timer is crazy. It says 24 hours. Come, I told you, this was a good morning. I literally was already prophesying. Something crazy was about to happen with y'all that just hopped on this morning. Come on. Guys, if you're joining us, say something in the chat.
[00:00:30] If you're watching back, just know we're saying hello.
[00:00:32] We miss you.
[00:00:33] We hope you're having the best day, whatever day it is that you watch this back.
[00:00:37] We've got so many people joining.
[00:00:38] Jim, Tom, Dodie, Marsha, Chris, Elias.
[00:00:44] We love you guys.

[00:00:45] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]
[00:00:45] Welcome to church this morning, or I guess whenever you watch this.
[00:00:49] Totally.
[00:00:49] Welcome.
[00:00:50] For those who are online right now, it is.
[00:00:53] Hey, that's pretty cool.
[00:00:54] Time work, you know?

[00:00:55] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_15]
[00:00:55] It is pretty cool.

[00:00:57] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]
[00:00:57] It's pretty cool.
[00:00:57] Well, guys, we have a fun morning.
[00:00:59] this uh we are in our series right now of vision sundays week three week three and today we we are just have the special privilege of having our fearless leader pastor bill back pastor bill
[00:01:15] bill johnson is back in the house he has been on a wonderful sabbatical yeah and uh so kindly long yes and we you know he needs it was his first one ever in ministry can you believe that i'm like

[00:01:27] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_15]
[00:01:27] Here's what I want it said of us, that it won't take us 50 years.

[00:01:31] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]
[00:01:31] Oh, she said, I want a sabbatical early.
[00:01:35] I'm ready for one at my 40th and then my 50th.
[00:01:38] No, I'm just kidding.
[00:01:39] But Bill is back.
[00:01:40] We're really excited.
[00:01:40] He is going to have a word today.
[00:01:42] So expectant.
[00:01:43] So fun.
[00:01:44] But yeah, this morning is about to be a good morning.
[00:01:46] I woke up with a lot of anticipation this morning for church.
[00:01:49] And I really feel like the Lord is about to meet people right here online, right where you're at.
[00:01:55] You know, I knew it was something special because I didn't even remember I was doing this, but I felt so much from the Lord for his church.
[00:02:03] And when I woke up, so sometimes, you know, you wake up and you know you're doing something.
[00:02:06] So you're kind of like, am I creating?
[00:02:08] No, this morning was not that.
[00:02:10] But I do want to like, I want to go after some stuff because I feel like even before we start church, the Lord is just ripping off disappointment from the past season.
[00:02:20] And I woke up this morning.
[00:02:21] I heard him say, Rory, it's a new season.
[00:02:23] I'm doing a new thing.
[00:02:24] and uh you know obviously we know that verse but then he said isaiah 40 and i want to read it because i feel like we're supposed to walk into church with this in mind it's isaiah 40 and it
[00:02:35] says though youth grow weary and tired vigorous young men stumble badly yet those who wait for the lord will gain new strength they will mount up with wings like eagles they will run and not
[00:02:46] get tired they will walk and not become weary there's a new strength coming and i really feel that the new season is actually a new strength to wait on the Lord.
[00:02:54] And it's the ability to go, and no matter what's happening, I'm confident that God is going to come through.

[00:03:01] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_15]
[00:03:01] That's right.

[00:03:01] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]
[00:03:01] And yeah.

[00:03:02] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_15]
[00:03:02] Maybe you're watching right now and you feel like you're in a waiting season.
[00:03:05] Aren't we all?

[00:03:06] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]
[00:03:06] Always.

[00:03:07] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_15]
[00:03:07] Guys, aren't we all?
[00:03:08] Forever.

[00:03:08] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]
[00:03:08] It's kind of like a joke though, because in a weird way, we're waiting for the return of the Lord.
[00:03:11] He said, you're going to watch and wait.

[00:03:14] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_14]
[00:03:14] Yeah.

[00:03:14] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]
[00:03:14] And I feel like so many Christians are like, I'm trying to get out of this waiting season.
[00:03:17] I'm like, that was literally the job of this life is to wait for Jesus to come back, whether it's just for me individually or for all of us.

[00:03:26] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_15]
[00:03:26] Totally.
[00:03:27] But if you're in the midst, and I think the beauty is that we wait and there's certain promises that we're waiting on and then we see fulfillment.
[00:03:34] Sometimes we see a long period of time as we're waiting for things to come.
[00:03:40] And in those periods, weariness can come.
[00:03:43] People can actually fall away from the Lord.
[00:03:45] It's wild the things that can happen.
[00:03:47] And so this scripture that you're speaking out, let those who wait for the Lord gain new strength.

[00:03:55] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]
[00:03:55] Yes.

[00:03:55] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_15]
[00:03:55] I love the promise that's in this passage that says that they will run and not get tired.
[00:04:00] They will walk and not become weary.
[00:04:02] Guys, if I could run and not become tired, we'd be in a whole different space.
[00:04:05] But you know what?

[00:04:06] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]
[00:04:06] I've been hearing the Lord speak something to me, guys, and I want us to try it this morning.
[00:04:10] Or, you know, as you go through this week, and maybe you can share testimonies next week on it.
[00:04:15] because I feel like there's a combination of things as we come into the house of God every week.
[00:04:22] He spoke something to me because in the waiting, we've been in a waiting season, me and my wife, waiting for a miracle, pushing in, all of that.
[00:04:28] And I always thought like, how do I get strength?
[00:04:31] Because the joy of the Lord's my strength, but there's always hard things.

[00:04:35] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_14]
[00:04:35] Yeah.

[00:04:35] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]
[00:04:35] You know, so then I'm always sad.
[00:04:37] So then do I wait till the season changes to find joy?
[00:04:40] But joy is supposed to be the strength that gets me through.
[00:04:42] I don't understand this.
[00:04:43] and I heard the Lord say Rory sorrow lasts for a night joy comes in the morning it's okay to experience both in 24 hours and actually it's okay to go from joy back into sadness
[00:04:54] cry and get right back into joy that's how you make it it's how you wait on the Lord for the promise to be fulfilled is sometimes you have to do the whole cycle and so this morning one don't
[00:05:05] feel shame I want to just break shame off you're about to come into the house of the Lord you're about to go into his presence yeah we never need to feel ashamed if we were like crashing out last
[00:05:13] night you know I've crashed out so many times I've crashed out before coming to church you know like on the drive to church crashing out like oh my god god are you with me are you for me do you love me
[00:05:22] you know all the things and uh and I just want to say one don't don't be ashamed the crash out actually leads to somewhere if you let it come on it's the waiting in the waiting you're not like
[00:05:32] this like perfect hope filled faith filled I'm so at peace abiding no nothing can you know take me out, actually stuff's going to take you out. But if we allow the Lord in, we become the overcomers
[00:05:47] he's promised. And if we don't, and if we try to be something for God, man, then it, then this stuff does take us out. So it's true this morning, hope in the Lord. So good. The joy of the Lord is our
[00:05:59] strength. It doesn't mean we don't cry sometimes or get weary. Yeah. We, uh, we want to pray for

[00:06:04] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_15]
[00:06:04] you. If you've got a space in your life where you're like, oh, this is what I'm waiting for the Lord to do. I actually want to share a testimony I just saw in the chat from Carmen.
[00:06:12] She said, two Sundays ago, I asked you to pray for a 10-year-old girl who's deaf.
[00:06:16] She is healed. Thank you, Jesus. Amen. She said, Lynn is hearing without her aid. Thank you, God.
[00:06:23] And then it says later in the chat, she said, I just saw it. It said, her mother came forward in church this morning to give her life to Jesus. So God, we just thank you right now that there
[00:06:35] were things that um Carmen was praying for this young girl to get her hearing back and yes her hearing has been restored but also her mother has now come into faith and has given her life to the
[00:06:48] Lord and so God we just thank you for radical miracles where it feels like one day you're in anguish one day you're in pain one day you're waiting for God to move and then suddenly
[00:06:58] everything changes she's able to hear but also her mother can now see her mother is actually a part of the family of God. And so if you're waiting and you're like, oh, I'm exactly where Rory is. Like that's what he said. Like I crashed out. I have a little bit of shame, but I
[00:07:15] also know that God is good. I know that God is moving on my behalf. And so right now we just say, God, would you do it again? If you're contending for the exact same miracle, I just saw someone
[00:07:25] was asking for prayer for the next season in relationships and with jobs. We also see for another person, for uterine fibroids to be healed and for toothache to be gone. And Maggie, I hate fibroids. I hate them. I want to see fertility. I want to see women who are not having reproductive
[00:07:43] issues. I want to see women who have no reproductive pain. And so right now, Maggie, we just bless your body. Fibroids, we say, dissolve, pop, go in the most easy, simple way right now in Jesus' name.
[00:08:01] We see another prayer request for Alfred, for someone's dad where they found cancerous cells and chemo with pills is enough.
[00:08:08] Oh, that's actually a huge thing.
[00:08:10] And so God, we're just right now just praying for Alfred.

[00:08:13] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]
[00:08:13] Come on, and we release healing over you, Alfred.
[00:08:16] We believe that they don't even need to go through the full chemo pills.
[00:08:20] I understand that.
[00:08:21] They don't even need them, that there's about to be substantial breakthrough in this.
[00:08:25] And I release the joy of the Lord over us.
[00:08:28] that I just want whatever need we have this morning I want to encourage you guys drink in the joy of God celebrate God before the victory if you can imagine yourself this morning stand up and dance or when you watch back and you go I have this thing in my life
[00:08:43] and it's not changing today's the day to give an offering to the Lord to say God in the midst of this not changing I still trust you in the midst of my questions I still love you in the midst of
[00:08:56] my misunderstanding or sometimes delusionment man I still want to abide in your presence and so this morning wherever you're at it's a morning of celebration we're about to be across nations celebrating Jesus for who he is that's right not just what he does in our life that's right there's

[00:09:14] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_15]
[00:09:14] a verse in Psalm this is how we're going to close it's Psalm 13 and it says how long oh Lord and it's these wild prayers of David how long God will you forget me forever and he ends with this but I
[00:09:25] have trusted in your steadfast love. My heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord because he has dealt bountifully with me. The Lord has dealt bountifully with you. The Lord has dealt bountifully with me. The Lord has dealt bountifully with us. And we're about to go
[00:09:40] in to worship the Lord together, to praise him because he's good. No matter what our circumstances are, no matter what we're going through, he is good and he is worthy of our praise. Guys, we'll
[00:09:50] see you after service. We'd love to hear what the Lord is doing in your life throughout the service.
[00:09:55] If God's moving, testify, glorify his name.
[00:09:59] We'll see you afterwards.
[00:10:00] Bye.

[00:10:02] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]
[00:10:02] Hello, everybody.
[00:10:40] Hey, let's stand up together.
[00:10:41] I'm going to give you just 15 seconds to get ready.
[00:10:45] Stand up.
[00:10:49] Focus up here.
[00:10:58] How is everyone this morning?
[00:11:01] Oh, oh, oh, oh.
[00:11:05] How is everyone this morning?
[00:11:09] Listen, I need you to be full of faith before we go on with the service.
[00:11:13] It was so good.
[00:11:14] Listen, I was in the hall today.
[00:11:15] We come to the, uh, the eight and then we go out for the huddle. Uh, there's a, if you didn't know, there's a kind of a huddle with the teams that helped to lead each service, uh, each before.
[00:11:23] So I was walking kind of out of the team huddle and there's some really sweet kids that are in the hall that are helping with kids ministry. So I'm walking by and, uh, two of them say,
[00:11:34] we have something for you. And they handed me these kids prophetic words that they gave me.
[00:11:41] And I want to read them to you. They're for me, but I'm going to share them.
[00:11:45] with you. Are you ready? Listen, here's what they said about me. You can take this for you.
[00:11:52] There are so many things God loves about you. So many things, which means there's a few things he wants to change. Listen, let me give you a word for today. There's so many things God loves
[00:12:08] about you. And there's a few things. No, he needs you to adjust. He needs you to adjust. And that was the first sword I got. And then I was walking away and this sweet little girl, Brittany, sweet
[00:12:19] little girl, she came up and said, I have something for you too. So she was going to hand me one. And then she took it back and said, no, this one. And she gave me a different one. And this is what it
[00:12:30] says. It says her name up top and it says, pray dude. That's what it says. I don't know what the Lord is up to, but he is up to something. Listen, we get to come today with a bunch of amazing
[00:12:51] people to meet with him. We meet with him because we love him. We worship him. We adore him. And in meeting with him, we get to be more like him. And that's, that's incredible. We're going to take
[00:13:02] time today to do both of these things and, and to pray together and to worship together and to love the Lord together. It's going to be incredible. This is the third of our Vision Sundays that we
[00:13:13] have, that we have going on. Bill will be here shortly. He's at Twinview right now. So it's his first Sunday back. Listen, yeah, that's exciting, incredible. He may be rusty. I don't know. I'm just throwing it out there. He might need a little extra help today. Here's what we're going to do.
[00:13:27] We're going to get into worship in just a little bit, but you're around some amazing people. Could you take just 30 seconds? Find someone that you don't know, someone you didn't drive here with, someone you didn't come in the car with, someone you've never met before, and just connect. Say
[00:13:39] hello. Tell them Jesus loves them. Bless them for just a moment, and then we're going to get into

[00:13:46] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]
[00:13:46] it together back to your seats young saints in this room today can i get away from our young saints i see you we love our young saints any tribe tribe members hallelujah we love having

[01:03:28] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]
[01:03:28] you here so cool amen well as you guys are making your way to your seats what a good sunday i've been at a few of these services don't tell the earlier services but it's just getting better
[01:03:43] and better and better you guys if you have a seat next to you can you raise your hand we have some walking in the back looking for seats. Just say how many you have. One, two seats
[01:03:54] next to you. Thank you so much. We have more than enough in this room. You guys, there's some seats over here. Junior high, you're welcome to head to the dining room now. They're excited for you. Listen, if you had that verse, you'd get a donut today. So they're ready
[01:04:08] for you. Beautiful. Well, welcome church. My name's Ashley. I am the church life pastor here and we're so glad you're here this morning. We are excited for what's happening in Vision Sundays for the last two weeks and we have more to come today. I'm so excited for who's sharing
[01:04:25] with us today. But before we get into anything else, if you are visiting us for the very first time, we know some of you are here for Open Heavens. We're so excited. Would you just raise
[01:04:34] your hand? We would love to honor you. Church family, can you welcome all of those that have made it. It took you guys a long journey probably to find yourself in Reading. I met someone out
[01:04:46] in the hall, just Kimmy from England. You're visiting us. I'm so grateful for all of our visitors. If you would just keep your hand raised, our ushers are going to give you a gift just to
[01:04:56] say thank you for joining us. And we have an incredible team in our South Lobby over here afterwards. I see some of them ready. They're ready to prophesy already for you guys. They're going to gather in the south lobby if you're visiting us just to pray and prophesy and meet
[01:05:09] you would you meet them there after the service and then one last announcement for today as you guys are finding your seats we have something exciting happening for vision sunday this week um if you would show them on the screens our ministry fair is taking place after each service
[01:05:25] yeah you can get excited listen if you come and are excited on sundays but have no idea how to get connected throughout the week, this is your opportunity.
[01:05:34] We have women's and men's, the youngest ministries with our kids to the eldest with our Diamond Fellowship out there.
[01:05:40] We have Foster Shasta Hospitality.
[01:05:43] Guys, there's so many amazing ministries and leaders ready to connect with you.
[01:05:47] So after the service, if you find yourself in the Breezeway or the Hebrews Lobby, come and join them.
[01:05:52] We have changed out there.
[01:05:54] There's some incredible ministries doing things throughout the week.
[01:05:57] And we want you to come more than just Sunday.
[01:05:59] We want you to feel connected and a part of what God's doing in this house.
[01:06:02] So join us after the service and the breezeway.
[01:06:05] We're so excited to connect with you.
[01:06:07] Now for church news.

[01:06:20] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_13]
[01:06:20] Hi, Bethel family.
[01:06:21] I am Jenna Zint.
[01:06:22] I'm a deacon here at Bethel.
[01:06:23] Don't do that.
[01:06:25] Respect my elders.
[01:06:26] Oh my gosh.
[01:06:26] Here at Bethel Church.
[01:06:28] And this week is an exciting week at Bethel.
[01:06:31] From continuing with the Vision Month to actually open Heaven's Conference this week.
[01:06:35] There's a lot to be that level of excited about.

[01:06:38] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_20]
[01:06:38] Yes, and I'm Tori Baker, the events director here at Bethel.
[01:06:41] Let's take a look at what's happening this coming week on Church News.
[01:06:45] Bethel Women, we are gathering for a powerful wonder night on October 8th at 6.30 in the College View Sanctuary for a time of worship, encounter, and connection.
[01:06:53] Will you be there?
[01:06:54] A hundred percent.
[01:06:55] It's going to be a wild, powerful time.
[01:06:57] So women, if you're looking for a place to get connected, this is your opportunity to come.
[01:07:01] I want to see you in the room.
[01:07:02] And if you're a mom, we have kids ministry available from zero to K.
[01:07:06] So come on.
[01:07:07] We want to see you in the room.

[01:07:08] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_13]
[01:07:08] Bethel Español wants to invite you to a night of encountering God, worshiping together, and making room for the Holy Spirit to move.
[01:07:15] Our heart is to see the Spanish-speaking community strengthened and awakened and equipped to carry His presence wherever God has called them.
[01:07:22] So you need to come hungry.
[01:07:24] You should come expectant.
[01:07:25] You should come ready for all that God wants to do.

[01:07:28] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_20]
[01:07:28] For the last 10 years, I've been part of Young Saints.
[01:07:31] It's our youth ministry here at Bethel, and we put on a conference just for youth.
[01:07:35] And every year we've gathered, I've seen kids healed, encountered the Holy Spirit, given their life to Jesus, and we would like you to be in the room.
[01:07:43] So parents, make sure you sign up your kids.
[01:07:45] Here's a sneak peek of what this year will be.
[01:07:47] Can you guys feel it?
[01:07:48] I can totally feel it.
[01:07:49] Let's see.

[01:07:50] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]
[01:07:50] When you were born again, what did you become?

[01:07:58] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_11]
[01:07:58] We aren't the first, but it is our turn.

[01:08:03] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]
[01:08:03] The blueprints from the saints who have gone before aren't tradition or religion.
[01:08:06] They are mandates from heaven.

[01:08:09] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_20]
[01:08:09] The call hasn't changed.
[01:08:12] Trust in the Lord with all your heart.

[01:08:13] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]
[01:08:13] Wow, I should do a promo.

[01:08:58] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_19]
[01:08:58] I mean, I should do an altar call right after the promo.
[01:09:00] That's great.
[01:09:01] Would you go ahead and stand?
[01:09:02] We're going to have a time of just giving to the Lord and honoring him.
[01:09:07] One of our core values here is generous like my father.
[01:09:10] And they're going to put up a little, not a cheat code, but kind of like a cheat code.
[01:09:15] If you want to give, just go ahead and aim your phone at the screen there and have a giving opportunity right there.
[01:09:23] I'll give you a minute to get ready.
[01:09:24] As well, the buckets will go by in just a moment.
[01:09:28] Generous like our father, God is generous.
[01:09:30] Every good gift comes from him.
[01:09:32] All of creation is a gift.
[01:09:34] He created out of overflow, not out of need.
[01:09:38] And then you and I are his image bearers.
[01:09:41] We look like him and are supposed to be becoming more and more good looking as we look like him.
[01:09:48] And so our giving is one of the ways we become like our father, generous like our father.
[01:09:54] And so we just celebrate those that have been tithing and giving offerings here and so appreciative of how you help continue the work here.
[01:10:00] as well. If you're visiting, your tithe belongs in your own home church. If you want to have a given offering above that, then you're welcome to do that. And again, the buckets will go around
[01:10:09] in just a moment, but some of you, you might need that phone code in order to give. We're just going to, we make a declaration. So many of us have our giving just automated. The bank just
[01:10:18] takes it out. And so if we're not careful, we don't think about it, but this is the moment we think about it. This is the moment we attach our faith to it again and go, that's right. This is
[01:10:27] what I'm doing in that moment. So we're going to make a declaration. We're going to say out loud the things we believe about God and about the finances we're contributing. So we're going to do offering reading number two, where we speak to ourselves and to the Lord with faith.
[01:10:42] As we receive today's offering, we are believing you for heaven open, earth invaded, storehouses unlocked and miracles created, dreams and visions, angelic visitations, declarations and impartations, divine manifestations, anointings, giftings and calls, positions and promotions,
[01:11:06] provisions and resources to go to the nations, souls and more souls from every generation saved and set free, carrying kingdom revelation.
[01:11:19] Thank you, Father, that as I join my value system to yours, you will shower favor, blessings, and increase upon me so I have more than enough to co-labor with heaven and see Jesus get his full reward.
[01:11:34] Hallelujah.
[01:11:35] Beautiful.
[01:11:37] Heavenly Father, we are a grateful people, a grateful people, and we just say, continue to build your kingdom for the sake of your name. And in the name of Jesus, we pray.
[01:11:47] Amen. Amen. Ushers, go ahead and pass that. And then we're going to welcome, you might've heard

[01:11:51] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_12]
[01:11:51] of him, Bill Johnson and Linda. Come on. Something happened when I took a break.
[01:12:31] We love you too. Thank you. Thank you. It's good to be back. We got married one month and two days So I've had one month and two days of heaven on earth.
[01:12:49] Such a wonderful, wonderful time.
[01:12:51] Thank you.
[01:12:52] We watched when the announcement came that I was getting married, we played a little video and you all cheered and brought tears to my eyes.
[01:12:59] So thank you, thanks so much.
[01:13:07] You can be seated, thanks.
[01:13:28] I understand Gabe had you pray for me because I was rusty.
[01:13:38] So we'll see if your prayers worked or not.
[01:13:44] I, I'm thankful for Bethel TV and the ability to watch online, but I just, I miss so much worshiping with you and that, that I can worship along with you on TV, but it's not the same.
[01:14:01] I'm glad to be in the house and looking forward to much more encounters with the Lord.
[01:14:09] Yeah, I, I had a, I don't want to call it an experience. I had a, just a moment with the Lord where I was reading the story of Israel in the wilderness and their entrance into the promised land.
[01:14:26] That story has fascinated me my entire Christian walk because it's such a prophetic picture of our life in Christ.
[01:14:34] And so it provokes me every time I have the chance to go through it.
[01:14:37] So anyway, a couple months ago, I was going through the book of Numbers, and I just got struck with something that I don't remember ever thinking before and it's what I'm going to talk to you about today.
[01:14:51] It has to do with the spies that were sent into the promised land.
[01:14:57] We don't know for sure how many Israelites were in the wilderness.
[01:15:00] Some say as many as two million, so for illustration's sake, let's just use that number.
[01:15:06] So Israel has a couple million people released from Egypt.
[01:15:10] they have been released into a place where God cares for his people it's important to remember that because God promised to take care of them didn't mean they were going to be without problems didn't mean they were going to be without lack and what it meant was God would fix all those things
[01:15:33] but they would come in his time and the Lord is actually building out of all of us a lifestyle of trust. It's like the supreme value that he has. Because he is faithful, I should be full of faith
[01:15:51] because it's actually connected to his nature, his character. And so anyway, Israel is in the wilderness and the Lord took care of them. I mean, they were without food, so he put man on the
[01:16:03] ground every day. And they were without water and they complained and God brought water out of a rock. And so it wasn't that they did have crisis. It was that in every crisis, God was there
[01:16:15] and met them and healed them or provided for them, whatever the situation might've been.
[01:16:23] God gave a promise to them. In fact, we just know the promise as the promised land. It was a territory of complete absolute fulfillment for why they were alive. It was like stepping into a room
[01:16:40] except nations, stepping into a place where you actually become all that God intended you to be.
[01:16:47] But you needed to be in that place to know it.
[01:16:50] You needed to be in that atmosphere to discover it.
[01:16:53] And so the Lord gave promise to them that they would inherit these lands.
[01:16:59] And two million people heard the promise and none of them entered except for Joshua and Caleb.
[01:17:10] It's interesting because there are so many believers.
[01:17:12] I run into this constantly around the world.
[01:17:15] So many believers that are struggling because they have promises from God and no fulfillment.
[01:17:22] And it would be easy to think, well, God just didn't keep his word.
[01:17:28] Larry Randolph helped me with this years ago.
[01:17:30] He told us, he said, God will keep all of his promises, but he's not obligated to keep our potential.
[01:17:39] He keeps his promise, but there are a certain percentage, I don't know what it is, but a certain percentage of promises he gives us that are actually completely dependent upon us doing or becoming what he designed us to become,
[01:17:53] to inherit it.
[01:17:55] Some things I'm thankful he does without my cooperation.
[01:17:59] He just does it because he's good.
[01:18:01] But many people define their Christian life as that and never discover what God intended for them because they never pressed beyond what was comfortable in receiving to push into what was possible.
[01:18:14] So here's Israel.
[01:18:15] They've got this land of promises in front of them.
[01:18:20] And God gives them instruction.
[01:18:21] We're going to read through this.
[01:18:22] If you want to turn to Numbers 13, we're going to read through that in just a little bit.
[01:18:28] God talks to Moses, and he tells Moses that he's to pick a leader from each tribe and to send them.
[01:18:41] Or that's what Moses does.
[01:18:42] He picks a leader from each tribe.
[01:18:44] God told him he's to send spies into this land of promise and then bring back a report.
[01:18:51] And so he does.
[01:18:52] He picks a leader, a primary person, a standout person from every tribe.
[01:18:59] There's 12 of them.
[01:19:01] And he sends them into the line of promises.
[01:19:04] And they're to bring back a report that would help to strengthen Israel's resolve to go in and possess what had been promised to them.
[01:19:15] But instead of the spies bringing back a report that would build faith and courage.
[01:19:24] They brought back a report that discouraged them and actually moved them into resistance to what God had planned for their life.
[01:19:34] 10 spies brought back an evil report.
[01:19:37] Two spies, Joshua and Caleb, brought back a positive report.
[01:19:43] Think about the odds of this.
[01:19:46] 10 people persuaded 2 million.
[01:19:50] Ten people, it's how easy negativity spreads.
[01:20:02] It's how easy unbelief becomes contagious.
[01:20:09] But it never, unbelief never shows up as unbelief.
[01:20:15] It shows up as wisdom and other things.
[01:20:27] So ten people, through their bad report, through their emphasis on the size of the problem, instead of the emphasis on the size of their God.
[01:20:43] Fear became a self-fulfilling prophecy.
[01:20:49] And 10 people persuaded 2 million to resist what God had promised them.
[01:20:57] It's a crazy story because God had intended them to inherit something that they would grow into and become a significant people.
[01:21:08] And yet they resisted and rejected that very word.
[01:21:14] I want to read to you this part of the story because I want you to see a few things because here's my point is the 10 spies are still alive.
[01:21:28] The 10 spies are still alive.
[01:21:35] So are the two.
[01:21:41] There are voices that when you hear them provoke you to want to go kill a giant, so to speak.
[01:21:51] And there are voices that when you hear them, you think it's wisdom to withdraw and play it safe.
[01:21:59] Let's look at this passage in Numbers 13.
[01:22:07] It says in verse one, it says, the Lord spoke to Moses saying, send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I'm giving to the children of Israel.
[01:22:16] From each tribe of their fathers, you shall send one man, everyone a leader among them.
[01:22:23] So Moses sent them from the wilderness of Paran according to the command of the Lord.
[01:22:28] And all of them, men who were heads, of the children of Israel.
[01:22:35] Now jump over to verse 27.
[01:22:38] Then they told him, this is after they came back from the land, they told him and said, we went to the land where you sent us.
[01:22:47] It truly flows with milk and honey and this is its fruit.
[01:22:53] Nevertheless, the people who dwell in the land are strong.
[01:22:57] The cities are fortified and very large.
[01:22:59] Moreover, we saw the descendants of Anak there.
[01:23:02] Those are the giants.
[01:23:04] Verse 30, then Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, let us go up at once.
[01:23:11] Why did he say at once?
[01:23:13] Because delayed obedience is disobedience.
[01:23:17] If you stop and analyze, you'll talk yourself out of the lifestyle God called you into.
[01:23:23] There's a difference between acting presumptuously and acting immediate to the voice of the Lord.
[01:23:30] and he's looking to raise up a body of believers that live immediate in response to the voice of the Lord because I can analyze something to death and kill all the life that was in that word
[01:23:42] that the Lord gave.
[01:23:46] Verse 30, Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, let us go up at once and take possession for we are well able to overcome it.
[01:23:55] But the men who had gone up with him said, we are not able to go up against the people.
[01:24:00] They are stronger than we.
[01:24:01] they gave the children of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out saying the land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants and all the people whom we saw in it
[01:24:16] are men of great stature there we saw the giants the descendants of Anak who came from the giants and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight and so we were in their sight let's take that for a moment we're going to read a little bit more out of chapter 14
[01:24:36] it's it's interesting what the 10 spies i'm going to use that figuratively as the voices of caution that will keep you from your destiny wisdom caution is often regarded as wisdom if you can imagine being in the two million and these 10 spies come to you and they tell you about
[01:25:06] the giants, and they tell you about the fortified cities, and they tell you about the land that devours its inhabitants. They start giving you the report of what they saw. These 10 spies suddenly become your heroes because they saved you from destruction. Picture yourself in that moment.
[01:25:27] You're there, a part of the people. You've heard this thing from Moses for a long time now, and finally somebody had the courage to stand up and oppose the leader driven by fantasy and warn the people of impending doom. And suddenly you got 10 people who are the heroes
[01:25:50] of a nation. You can just imagine the conversation. Brother, thank you. I had that sense in my heart that we were not supposed to do this and you saved us. Thank you. Thank you for having the courage
[01:26:08] to stand up against that one who's been leading us all this time.
[01:26:13] It would have been better we died in the wilderness than to face this.
[01:26:20] None of that language appeared to be a language of unbelief.
[01:26:24] It all appeared to be a language of courage.
[01:26:27] It all appeared to be what God was bringing to the surface for them, to warn them of impending doom.
[01:26:37] But the reality is the bad news bearers kept them from what they were born for two million people missed what they were born for two million because ten brought a report that emphasized the size of the
[01:27:02] problem and not the size of the promise you can tell by people's conversation how much they live under the influence of a promise or not it says in in verse two of chapter 14, it says, and all the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron.
[01:27:33] The whole congregation said to them, if only we had died in the land of Egypt, or if only we had died in this wilderness. You can tell what influences a person's life by their conversation.
[01:27:49] Complaining is the land of Egypt. You cannot complain and live conscious of a promise.
[01:28:03] It's near impossible to complain when you live in the abiding presence of the Spirit of God.
[01:28:15] Those aren't meant to be moments of just high experience that you get in some revival meeting somewhere.
[01:28:21] They're actually designed as a lifestyle.
[01:28:26] And I've got this conviction that this could be the generation that could enter into what God has had on his promise list for 2,000 years that has never yet been touched.
[01:28:40] Is that fantasy or did God actually promise things that we've not yet seen?
[01:28:49] People find comfort in bad counsel because it reaffirms their unbelief.
[01:29:05] Bad counsel will keep you comfortable with unbelief.
[01:29:10] It won't be offensive.
[01:29:13] It's the righteous counsel of two spies that we need in our lives.
[01:29:19] I have certain people I need in my life.
[01:29:23] Because they provoke me out of thinking that is so inferior to what God has purposed for my life.
[01:29:31] I purposefully expose myself to what they have to say, what they think.
[01:29:36] Because I need, I need to be, I need those subtle moments of drifting into ease and comfort as a primary goal instead of marching into risk as a primary goal.
[01:29:53] if there were two things I could say about this house as a family.
[01:30:01] I need to be careful only because I don't want to communicate the wrong thing, which I sometimes unintentionally do.
[01:30:11] I believe every local church has a unique call.
[01:30:15] I also believe there's a commonality.
[01:30:17] There are so many things that we have in common with all the other local churches around Reading and around the world, really, and I love visiting these places.
[01:30:26] In fact, I went to two Catholic masses on my sabbatical up in Canada.
[01:30:33] And I'll tell you what, don't let me forget where I was in my message because I am now chasing a rabbit.
[01:30:39] But this is a fat rabbit.
[01:30:41] I want you to hear.
[01:30:43] The first mass I went to, Linda's French-Canadian, and we went first for her son's graduation, graduated from aeronautics engineering school, smart one.
[01:30:56] and wanted to be there to honor him.
[01:30:58] And then we went back two weeks before our wedding because her father died.
[01:31:04] And so both trips got to go to Catholic Mass.
[01:31:07] And the first one, the Catholic priest stood up and said, we are followers of Jesus.
[01:31:15] We're supposed to be doing what he said we're to do.
[01:31:18] We're supposed to be doing what he did.
[01:31:20] Don't look to me as the priest.
[01:31:22] This is all of our responsibility.
[01:31:24] We're supposed to lay hands on the sick.
[01:31:26] We're supposed to cast out demons.
[01:31:28] He just starts going after it.
[01:31:30] I thought, where am I?
[01:31:32] Where am I?
[01:31:33] I got translated to home.
[01:31:35] I love this.
[01:31:41] It was cool.
[01:31:43] Every church has a unique call.
[01:31:45] I believe that.
[01:31:45] I really do.
[01:31:47] And I don't know that every local church has the same demand put on them.
[01:31:51] But I can tell you who we are.
[01:31:53] If there's two things I could say to describe the nature of who we are as a church family, I realize we have guests.
[01:32:01] I realize we have people here that are just for a short season.
[01:32:04] I get that.
[01:32:05] But who we are as a core, as a body of believers, two things.
[01:32:09] Number one, we prioritize the presence of God.
[01:32:12] It's about welcoming and giving place to the Holy Spirit to do as he pleases, number one.
[01:32:16] But number two, we are a people of risk.
[01:32:20] We are a people of risk.
[01:32:22] If I say to you, I can quote the Scripture, nothing is impossible with God, but I don't believe it if I don't follow it with risk.
[01:32:29] it's just a comfortable doctrine if I don't follow with risk it's risk that proves I burn with the conviction that for him there is nothing impossible and I owe it to him to give opportunity
[01:32:46] for him to display who he is see the lifestyle of risk gives opportunity for God to come and reveal himself in scripture on two occasions end of Mark and somewhere else it's Acts chapter 4
[01:33:03] in both places.
[01:33:05] Mark 16 and Acts chapter 4.
[01:33:07] God responds to the boldness of his people. They weren't bold because he responded.
[01:33:17] So many people pray for strength so they can act courageously. No, act courageously and watch the strength come.
[01:33:24] Watch God show up and reinforce, reaffirm what he's called you to do, to be.
[01:33:30] You can tell people that are under the influence of 10 spies by their complaining.
[01:33:45] And that includes you and that includes me.
[01:33:47] I don't live under that influence, but there are times, there are times. See, there's counselors, millions of them all over the world. The Bible talks about not subjecting us up to ungodly counsel. Have you discovered yet that you can actually get godly counsel from an ungodly person?
[01:34:16] That's terrifying. What's even more terrifying is you can get ungodly counsel from a godly person.
[01:34:24] There's a lot of godly people that don't want you to take risk.
[01:34:27] there's a lot of really good people that want to keep you from the despair of something not working they want to keep you from the pain of getting your hopes built up 30 years ago one of the first
[01:34:55] things i spoke when i when i came here i said listen if things have to work good for you every time you experiment with something if it has to succeed every time you will not want to follow me
[01:35:04] because it just doesn't work that way.
[01:35:08] We try stuff, it doesn't work.
[01:35:10] We repent, we fix it, and we go back at it again.
[01:35:14] Many people would like to see us withdraw right now.
[01:35:18] It's not going to happen.
[01:35:19] We're upping the ante.
[01:35:26] It's time for greater risk.
[01:35:27] But I'll tell you what.
[01:35:28] If you live with great risk, you need community.
[01:35:33] If you don't live with great risk, community is a luxury.
[01:35:42] That was so good.
[01:35:47] If you live with great risk, you need community.
[01:35:49] Why?
[01:35:50] Because that's what keeps us healthy, keeps us honest, keeps us responsible.
[01:35:54] Ah, I got to fix.
[01:35:55] I didn't mean to do that mess, but I did fix that.
[01:35:58] But if you don't live with risk, community is just something that helps to make you feel warm and fuzzy whenever you need it.
[01:36:06] God has made us a body of believers, a community of believers who live with a mandate, value presence, and live with risk.
[01:36:23] So many people define their ministry by what they're good at.
[01:36:29] In other words, their ministry is defined by their skills.
[01:36:33] No, your ministry is defined by the call of God.
[01:36:38] Yeah, but I felt called to do this and I'm not good at it.
[01:36:42] Awesome.
[01:36:43] Now you have to depend on God.
[01:36:48] He said, pursue earnestly spiritual gifts.
[01:36:51] If it comes automatically with your skill set, why do you need to pursue it earnestly?
[01:36:57] You pursue it earnestly because God called me to be this and I don't know how to do it.
[01:37:02] And I need these gifts functioning in my life for me to be successful.
[01:37:06] So now I have to put myself on display before the Lord for him to do something in me to make me qualified to carry out what he's called me to do.
[01:37:16] Does that make sense?
[01:37:20] Risk is what you were born for.
[01:37:27] Here's something that stands out to me in verse 27 of chapter 13.
[01:37:33] Now these are all 12 spies come back with this report.
[01:37:36] specifically 10 carried this message verse 27 they told him that's Moses we went to the land where you sent us it truly flows with milk and honey and this is its fruit my first trip to
[01:37:55] Israel little sideline my first trip to Israel I only wanted you know so many souvenirs you can buy I mean you can have a house full of amazing and interesting and unique souvenirs from the
[01:38:08] holy land. But when I went there, I actually saw only one thing that I wanted. And it was a little tiny statue. It was on a piece of marble. It was a brass sculpture of two men with a pole on their
[01:38:24] shoulders and a huge bunch of grapes. And the whole thing's about this big. It's in my office to this day. It prophesies to me promised land. Promised land is the language of the people of God
[01:38:37] who live with purpose, who live with understanding, there is more.
[01:38:43] I, you drew a picture of the, yeah, yeah, he did.
[01:38:56] I've inspired art coming out of Chris, which is a miracle.
[01:39:04] This is a bona fide miracle right here.
[01:39:08] So here it says, we went to the land where you sent us.
[01:39:11] It truly flows with milk and honey.
[01:39:13] And here is its fruit.
[01:39:14] And the story goes on, two men with pole on their shoulders carrying a bunch of grapes that was so large, it required two men to carry it. That's the testimony. So now follow me here. The 10 spies
[01:39:28] saying, truly the land flows with milk and honey. Where do the 10 spies start their language into your life and mine? It's by agreeing in measure with truth. Here's the 10 spies.
[01:39:47] I'm not saying God doesn't heal today.
[01:39:58] I'm not saying the joy isn't a result of the Holy Spirit's work.
[01:40:06] However, this laughter thing, I'm not saying there aren't actually prophets today, but embracing a partial promise is actually enough just to ruin you.
[01:40:39] I don't know if that made sense.
[01:40:40] It made sense in my head, but I'm not sure it came out right.
[01:40:44] The land truly is flowing with milk and honey.
[01:40:46] however nevertheless the 10 spies have butts and those butts get in the way of the will of god i wasn't going to say that on the streaming service my apologies to our international friends does it make sense to you the 10 spies want to come into enough agreement with a promise that
[01:41:30] their conscience doesn't kill them but resist it when it comes down to practical application we call it protecting our reputation of having a good name with the community but it's actually a pride that says i want to make sure i look successful and good the very reason we live
[01:41:57] with a lifestyle of risk is sometimes we don't know what we're doing i i that may not have sounded right let me put it differently in in weaverville years ago we we didn't know we had prophet friends and so we groomed ourselves by being trained by those we knew and trusted in
[01:42:17] the prophetic but we didn't know anything about healing and so we just bought videos and just we would watch them and take risks we'd do what they did on the video we just copy them and sometimes
[01:42:28] somebody got healed sometimes they didn't but we didn't know what we were doing so we had to try to experiment we had to try to well maybe this will work maybe that'll work years ago here this
[01:42:39] some of the craziest stuff we've had happen.
[01:42:41] Some of our people would go, they would draw a picture of a human being and then they would pray and get a part of the body that's hurting.
[01:42:48] They'd draw a circle and a red line through it.
[01:42:50] Then they'd walk around downtown.
[01:42:52] They'll tell them they found someone that had that part of their body hurting.
[01:42:56] They'd look at the picture and say, sir, does your right shoulder hurt?
[01:42:59] Yeah, how did you know?
[01:43:00] Well, it's here on the picture.
[01:43:06] Is that something we recommend doing?
[01:43:08] No, no, I've never told anyone to do that.
[01:43:10] but we have people that are willing to live with risk enough to say, you know what?
[01:43:16] Let's give God an opportunity to be glorified by him doing something that seems unreasonable.
[01:43:21] And then that person would be healed right on Main Street.
[01:43:26] Our history is filled with that stuff.
[01:43:28] So here's, let me get to the point.
[01:43:30] I believe the Lord is bringing us to a place of reaffirming our covenant.
[01:43:37] It's a covenant to live with courage.
[01:43:42] It's a covenant to live with risk.
[01:43:43] it's a covenant to live in community so that we can succeed together and that's who we are we value the Holy Spirit not just as someone who comes to massage my ego but as one who comes
[01:44:03] to make me like Jesus and that's the ambition so Father I pray that for us as a people right now I do, I pray that you would enable us, give us the grace to be a
[01:44:24] risk oriented people driven by your voice, driven by your heart, driven by the wind of your presence, your Holy Spirit, in such a way that miracles take place, that the church, the body of Christ,
[01:44:42] we can enter in to the promised land you earmarked for us, you designed for us, you planned for us since the beginning of time that we would be a generation to enter fully into what you described for us.
[01:44:57] you said greater works than these would we do it's not happened yet but God let this be a generation because of a willingness to obey you at a level where we lose all sense of personal pride but a
[01:45:09] willingness to glorify you let this be a generation that steps fully into what you promised I ask in Jesus name we're going to pray together a bit more in a minute I want you to watch a video
[01:45:23] that is just so fun to watch I've seen it twice now today and once yesterday or day before and I love it so much I want you to watch it then we're going to stand we're going to pray together our worship
[01:45:35] team's going to help us in just a moment as well watch the video it's just signs that make you

[01:45:44] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[01:45:44] wonder and it's uh it's it's really a big deal that we have things we can't explain or understand or control I wondered if it's okay to for us to run to a corner of a room and stand in a watch
[01:45:56] and take pictures.
[01:45:57] I think he rather enjoys it.
[01:46:00] I think as long as we don't prostitute it for our glory, as long as we give him glory and celebrate it, it feels like children, you know, just discovering him.

[01:46:12] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_22]
[01:46:12] Not be who we are if it wasn't for all you crazy people.
[01:46:19] For you crazy people that left everything to come here to say, I want to find a company of crazy ones.

[01:46:29] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_17]
[01:46:29] a company of fiery ones I believe we're moving from the church age to the apostolic age see God's no longer interested in just having church He's interested in transforming nations and what I'm getting at is this
[01:46:46] is that we're going from coming to church to becoming the church and we're becoming an apostolic people

[01:46:51] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_21]
[01:46:51] and I hear Him say your destiny is not to be a chicken your destiny is to be an eagle and I want to call you up I want to call you up to higher ground
[01:47:06] where you can see above the dust above the storm and I want to call you to see where I'm moving the earth keep praying

[01:47:20] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]
[01:47:20] revival everywhere keep praying revival everywhere keep your hands and say Lord fill me pass me by Hey, just worship Jesus, would you?

[01:48:05] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[01:48:05] Just work as best you know how.
[01:48:08] Just worship.
[01:48:09] Just invite the glory of the Lord.
[01:48:16] Because God is good.

[01:48:17] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]
[01:48:17] A fresh baptism of fire.

[01:50:13] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_12]
[01:50:13] I can sense.
[01:50:15] We just say, we put our entire life on the line, believing for God to do something in our lifetime that we have never heard of before.
[01:50:42] We have never seen.
[01:50:43] It's on the pages of Scripture.
[01:50:45] but we've never tasted it for ourselves and we will pursue with absolute courage that which God has purposed for us I want you to pray out loud I want you to pray for the one on your right and left
[01:50:58] put your hand on their shoulder do something I want you to pray for a supernatural gift of courage to come upon them a supernatural gift of courage we want more than what can be humanly inspired
[01:51:11] more than what can be inspired by good ideas supernatural courage to explode within the hearts of people. Lift your voices in prayer.
[01:51:23] Lift your voices in prayer. Lift your voices. Greater courage. Greater courage. Greater courage.
[01:51:51] Courage. I'm a risk taker. Let's say it again. I am courageous. I'm a risk taker. Say it again.
[01:55:06] I am courageous. I'm a risk taker. Stay with us. He said, this was his idea. It's better for you that I go. He actually meant that. The life he's given us is better than him walking in the flesh
[01:56:06] with us. He made so many statements that are yet to be discovered. So one more prayer together.
[01:56:26] Father, I ask that you give us a gift of holy dissatisfaction. Thankfulness always, but holy dissatisfaction. Truly be a generation that lived with a burning conviction. Nothing's

[01:56:42] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_18]
[01:56:42] impossible that's a good word right there and um during the constitution constitutional convention in philadelphia in 1787 benjamin franklin who was a deist most of his life meaning you know what deist means like the sovereignty of god is whatever's going to
[01:57:22] happen is going to happen because god's in charge and they got but our nation was trying to unite and become the United Nations and this went on for months and months and they couldn't come to a decision and it looked like the it looked like the whole thing was going to
[01:57:42] implode and Benjamin Franklin got up 81 years old and he said you know we've been doing this for months and we've come to no conclusion I think we should pray and then he said when we pray
[01:57:59] God changes history this is a deist who decided that the wisdom of man wasn't going to solve the problem and he he recounts this story that behind George Washington where Washington was sitting for those all those months there was a carving and the part of the carving he could see
[01:58:21] while they were debating all these months was the sun rising or setting and he said I couldn't he said throughout the months i couldn't figure out if that was a carving of the sun setting
[01:58:36] like it's over or the sun rising like it just began and he said after they began to pray and that's a longer story it took them several it took him another month to debate whether they
[01:58:50] should pray and when they began to pray for 38 of the 41 states signed right away and franklin got back up and he said I see that that carving wasn't the sun setting on our nation but the sun rising
[01:59:08] and I believe that there's many people in this room and on online I just had the sense this morning in first service that a lot of people have been looking at that carving it's a metaphor you
[01:59:21] got it you've been looking at that carving your life and you've been saying is the sun setting or is the sun rising and I want to give you a prophetic declaration I read that story yesterday
[01:59:34] about Franklin and I and and I just have this deep sense that the prophetic word to you is the sun is rising that the sun is rising in your life that when you pray God answers and he shifts
[01:59:55] the course of national history but he shifts the course of personal history if you're in here is it morning if you're in here this afternoon and you're in a tough place would you just raise
[02:00:10] your hand. Just raise your hands. And if you're online, do the same. Just raise your hands.
[02:00:15] Jesus, I just thank you right now. In Jesus' name, I thank you, Lord, that we are the house of the rising sun. S-O-N. We are the house of the rising sun. God, I pray that every house that's
[02:00:29] been challenged and it's been in debate, that's been in this place of God, I don't know if we're going to make it God I just declare over every house that's in the sound of my voice that the
[02:00:42] that every house would be the house of the rising sun that would not be the setting sun to be the rising sun that a new day is coming and Lord I just prophesy Isaiah 43 that the former things
[02:00:53] have come to pass behold I proclaim new things to you sing to the Lord a new song and I just bless everyone with a new song the house of the rising sun it's a new song not the rock song just the
[02:01:10] new song the house of the rising sun and I bless you in Jesus name I bless you amen all the promises

[02:01:19] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_11]
[02:01:19] of God are yes and amen can we say yes and amen to what God's done today yes and amen yes and amen ministry team, if you want to make your way forward. So powerful. As the ministry team is
[02:01:33] making their way forward, I really believe that we need also, we don't have time right now, but maybe you need to come forward. There's a time of repentance. Turning from complaining and turning into a new language of faith. Amen? So if that pricks your heart, come. Let us pray for you.
[02:01:52] Receive prayer. If you want healing in your body, we want to minister to you. God bless you, church family, make your way to the exit. But if you need prayer in any way, if you want someone to agree
[02:02:04] in faith for God to move mountains in your own life, we want to pray with you today. We want to see God heal, deliver, restore. Maybe you need someone to agree as you just confess, that's been
[02:02:17] me. That's been, I need an upgrade in my declaration of faith in Jesus' name. God bless you. God bless you God bless you if you're visiting for the first time don't forget out in our south lobby
[02:02:33] we have people who want to pray and prophesy over you this morning dang I told you this morning

[02:02:41] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_15]
[02:02:41] God's about to get us God got me God got me I almost didn't I almost didn't make it over here

[02:02:49] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]
[02:02:49] I pulled myself off the floor I said oh better be there for Cassie and the people and the Lord

[02:02:55] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_15]
[02:02:55] told me Cassie you better get up you better go if God's touching you right now wherever you are you don't have anywhere else to be it's good God we pray that we would be people who respond
[02:03:08] to you no matter what you're asking us to do whether it's repentance whether it's just a moment to surrender whether you're just full of gratitude and thanksgiving for what God's done in and through this house in and
[02:03:20] through your own lives and yet asking for more yeah come on respond to him whatever it looks like don't worry what we're saying but God we pray right now that you would meet people that you would meet people Jesus that you would fill them God with hope again but more than
[02:03:34] anything that they would meet you that they would know you that they would get filled by you God that nothing else would matter but right now just having a moment with you yeah and we just

[02:03:44] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]
[02:03:44] we right now just as a community we we repent forever listening to the 10 spies yeah father we ask right now that you would eradicate foolish counsel from every person that is connected to our
[02:03:59] house I ask that anybody online and anyone in person that is watching this even during the week that by your spirit you would reveal and eradicate foolish counsel that has looked like wisdom we thank you Holy Spirit that we are a community of wild ones a community of risk takers a community
[02:04:22] of lovers of your presence that look foolish and we ask that you would remove any space that the enemy has tried to lie to us I just really encourage you guys right now that this is a
[02:04:36] message that's not just something we listen to move on from but let it let it become part of your prayer time this week where you say God have I been listening to any spirit other than the Holy
[02:04:49] Spirit. Have I been in reservation mode? Have I been in self-protection mode? When I'm supposed to be in advancement mode, the kingdom of God suffers violence, but the violent take it by force. We move from glory to glory. We are advancing. And so right now I just prophesy
[02:05:09] that over you, that even when it's hard, it doesn't mean there's a lack of advancement.
[02:05:13] It doesn't mean something's wrong. It doesn't mean you're doing something wrong. It actually means you're taking ground and that we would be like Caleb who took the high country because he wanted to destroy the giants at 80 years old that took him out of the promised land when he was 40
[02:05:29] and that's what he did he said I want the hill country so I can go and take out the very things that came against the people of God entering in and that we would be a community of people that
[02:05:41] would start taking out the giants that have held our families in captivity.
[02:05:47] Some of us, we've had generational things that have stopped us from taking risks because people go, play it safe, play it safe, be wise, be wise.
[02:05:54] And the Lord has been stirring you to take the risk.
[02:05:57] I want to encourage you, it is time to step out of that false wisdom and take the risk in community, but take the risk.

[02:06:05] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_15]
[02:06:05] That's right.
[02:06:05] I love the quote that Bill was saying about being people who take risk and needing community, you know, like it's accountability, we're submitted and being those people.
[02:06:15] And so God, we just even pray right now for our online community, any places where the Lord's inviting you to take risks, to be a people who follow him, who know that nothing is impossible for the Lord.
[02:06:28] God, I even pray in this next week that there would be moments where we would take great risk.
[02:06:32] And maybe for you, you're like, Cassie, that sounds scary, great risk.
[02:06:36] I don't know if I'm ready for great risk.
[02:06:37] Well, maybe you're gonna take a little risk and maybe you're just gonna take a little step, but little steps and little risks lead to bigger ones.
[02:06:44] And so God, we just thank you, Lord, for opportunities to be obedient this week, to listen to your voice and say, no, no, but my God is leading me into places of hope, places of abundance, places of provision,
[02:06:56] that he's a good God.
[02:06:58] And I see so many people who are contending.
[02:07:02] You need healing in your body.
[02:07:04] You need God to come through with housing or jobs or whatever it is, whether it's super practical or you're just wanting more of the Lord.
[02:07:12] But God, we're just standing with your people and saying nothing is impossible for the Lord.
[02:07:17] God, that you would come, that you would bring healing to bodies, to hearts, to minds, God, that you would stand in the gap.
[02:07:22] I know the Lord is praying.
[02:07:23] He's the great intercessor.
[02:07:25] He's praying on your behalf too.
[02:07:27] And I saw someone who was looking for housing.
[02:07:30] Like in six weeks, you're gonna be homeless.
[02:07:33] And so God, right now, we just pray for opportunity, Lord.
[02:07:36] the right place to land, the right housing situation, God, that you would even knock on the doors of people's hearts, God, that would say, hey, I'm going to open this space up to you, that there would be great provision in ways that you didn't even think to be possible
[02:07:48] right now in Jesus' name.

[02:07:50] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]
[02:07:50] Yeah, and we just, I want to encourage us, man, that last word from Chris Vallotton about the house of the rising sun.
[02:07:56] I want to encourage you that the sun is rising.
[02:08:01] It's weird because this morning when I woke up, I heard the Lord say that verse out of Isaiah 43 to me.
[02:08:08] And he said, you know, don't you perceive it?
[02:08:10] I'm doing a new thing.
[02:08:11] And he said, it's a new season again, like something is awakening.
[02:08:15] And I feel like so, so often we want to believe that when the sun is at noon, full day.

[02:08:21] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_14]
[02:08:21] Yeah.

[02:08:21] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]
[02:08:21] When everything is working, when everything is right.
[02:08:24] And we're like, oh yeah, I see the sun.
[02:08:25] So I believe it.
[02:08:26] And I'm here to tell you, it is the first signs of light.
[02:08:30] This is what's happening right now.
[02:08:32] is there's there's signs of light and you almost don't know how to perceive it because you go is it is it setting or is it rising that would mean the sun has not shown the direction yet of where it's
[02:08:42] going there's just signs and I I just encourage you to to take hope to have hope to be courageous to pray for that courage of the spirit to really believe God in this hour because it is it is
[02:08:56] necessary across the earth to have Christians that believe in the radical gospel, that God's plan for the earth is not gone. It is not lost. It is not dead. God's plan for our nations.
[02:09:10] God's plan for our cities. God's plan for our families. God's plan for our finances, marriages, children, all of it is not lost. It can't get lost. I love that. It's not like he loses it.
[02:09:23] he actually awaits for a people to provoke it into action by faith and so right now I just want to encourage us this week in this in this I don't know this place of we're declaring
[02:09:36] big things yeah it's time to look in your mirror and declare big things what are the things that feel impossible to be to be changed or moved and declare them into existence as if they are
[02:09:50] declare for that healing as if you already have it declare for that kid coming back home to love God as if they're already sitting at your dinner table confessing Jesus to you

[02:10:00] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_15]
[02:10:00] this is an hour of faith yeah I agree I think we get to stand up we actually get to go for it we can shift even our mindsets our perspectives of is this impossible am I more entertained by the
[02:10:12] size of the problem or am I looking at the Lord and saying wow I have a really big God I have a huge God who can do anything.
[02:10:20] Nothing is impossible for him.
[02:10:21] He can bring breakthrough in a moment.
[02:10:24] And the power of life and death is in the tongue.
[02:10:26] So to be people who would begin to speak life over situations, over impossibilities, that's who we are.
[02:10:32] That's what we do.
[02:10:34] That's what we get to do.
[02:10:35] I'm not gonna let a problem limit me.
[02:10:38] I'm not gonna let complaining get in the way of what the Lord is doing in my life.
[02:10:41] I actually wanna take territory.
[02:10:44] I wanna, I know we're gonna start to close.
[02:10:46] We're gonna pray for you in just a second.
[02:10:47] and just so you know, we have prayer rooms available after this. I want to remind you that after they brought the report of the spies in verse 30 of number 13, it says, but Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, let us go up at once and occupy it for we
[02:11:02] are well able to overcome it. Even though he was overcome by the other people who said, no, no, no, it'd be too hard. He had great courage. God, I pray that we would have great courage like Caleb
[02:11:13] to overcome even the people around us who were saying, no, it's too hard.
[02:11:17] And he's like, guys, we can do this.
[02:11:20] This is what God said.
[02:11:21] Let us become people who say that, who are saying, no, God's on our side.
[02:11:25] God is for us.
[02:11:26] This is the promise.
[02:11:27] This is what the Lord has spoken.
[02:11:29] And that we would actually be those people who are on the side of the Lord saying, I'm going to watch my God be faithful.
[02:11:35] I'm going to watch my God do what feels absolutely impossible.
[02:11:38] Yet that's who he is.
[02:11:41] Rory, why don't you pray for us?

[02:11:42] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]
[02:11:42] Yeah, Holy Spirit, we just thank you for this morning.
[02:11:45] We thank you for every person that is watching right now or will be watching.
[02:11:50] And we just ask for great courage to take risks.
[02:11:54] Great courage, again, to take risks.
[02:11:56] We thank you, Father, that you are a big God, that you have created all things, that by you all things live, move, and have their being, that there is nothing outside of your grasp, nothing outside of your hand,
[02:12:10] nothing too powerful for you, for you have overcome all things. And we thank you, Holy Spirit, for great faith being infused to your people, the gift of faith being infused to your people right now in Jesus' name. And courage, courage to obey immediately, courage for quick

[02:12:29] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_15]
[02:12:29] obedience in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. Guys, we get to do this. Come on. We get to do this. We love you, our prayer rooms are the Zoom ministry room. Sorry, prayer rooms is something different. Zoom
[02:12:42] ministry rooms are about to open up. We'd love to pray for you guys. Go after a prophesy, pray for healing, whatever you need. Hit that link in the chat. The rest of the community, guys, we love you.
[02:12:54] We bless you. Have the most incredible week and we'll see you later.