1 00:00:01,560 --> 00:00:02,840 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Stephen Ferdik. 2 00:00:02,840 --> 00:00:05,840 Speaker 2: I'm the pastor of Elevation Church, and this is our podcast. 3 00:00:05,920 --> 00:00:08,360 Speaker 2: I wanted to thank you for joining us today. Hope 4 00:00:08,360 --> 00:00:11,080 Speaker 2: this inspires you. Hope it builds your faith. Hope it 5 00:00:11,080 --> 00:00:13,600 Speaker 2: gives your perspective to see God is moving in your life. 6 00:00:13,880 --> 00:00:18,160 Speaker 2: Enjoy the message. I want to read your scripture from 7 00:00:18,160 --> 00:00:21,960 Speaker 2: Exodus chapter twenty three, verses twenty through thirty one, and 8 00:00:22,239 --> 00:00:23,360 Speaker 2: it's a scripture. 9 00:00:22,960 --> 00:00:24,599 Speaker 1: About how God makes away in our life. 10 00:00:24,680 --> 00:00:28,520 Speaker 2: We're in this series called Waymaker, and this scripture has 11 00:00:28,560 --> 00:00:31,360 Speaker 2: a subheading in my Bible that says God's Angel to 12 00:00:31,480 --> 00:00:36,560 Speaker 2: prepare the way. God's Angel to prepare the way. God 13 00:00:36,600 --> 00:00:39,639 Speaker 2: says this verse twenty. See, I am sending an angel 14 00:00:39,680 --> 00:00:43,879 Speaker 2: ahead of you to guard you along the way. If 15 00:00:43,880 --> 00:00:45,960 Speaker 2: you don't think it's sacrilegious to write in your Bible 16 00:00:46,120 --> 00:00:49,800 Speaker 2: circle that phrase along the way, it's important. I am 17 00:00:49,840 --> 00:00:52,760 Speaker 2: sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along 18 00:00:52,800 --> 00:00:55,160 Speaker 2: the way and to bring you to the place I 19 00:00:55,240 --> 00:00:59,680 Speaker 2: have prepared. Pay attention to him and listen to what 20 00:00:59,680 --> 00:01:00,000 Speaker 2: he's says. 21 00:01:01,240 --> 00:01:02,560 Speaker 1: Do not rebel against him. 22 00:01:03,560 --> 00:01:05,600 Speaker 2: See, God can send things into your life that you 23 00:01:05,640 --> 00:01:10,280 Speaker 2: don't access because your attention is elsewhere. Come on, God 24 00:01:10,360 --> 00:01:14,240 Speaker 2: can send you instruction, wisdom, and provision, but you miss 25 00:01:14,280 --> 00:01:16,600 Speaker 2: it because you were paying attention on something stupid. 26 00:01:18,040 --> 00:01:20,040 Speaker 1: I'm not talking about fantasy football. I'm talking about other 27 00:01:20,040 --> 00:01:21,240 Speaker 1: stupid stuff you pay attention to. 28 00:01:21,240 --> 00:01:26,360 Speaker 2: I wouldn't rebuke you for that, It's fine. But he says, 29 00:01:26,400 --> 00:01:29,080 Speaker 2: do not rebel against him. He will not forgive your rebellion, 30 00:01:29,160 --> 00:01:31,360 Speaker 2: since my name is in him. If you listen carefully 31 00:01:31,360 --> 00:01:33,640 Speaker 2: to what he says and do all that I say. 32 00:01:34,280 --> 00:01:36,600 Speaker 1: I will be an enemy to your enemies. 33 00:01:36,640 --> 00:01:39,760 Speaker 2: This is God speaking how he feels about his people. 34 00:01:40,200 --> 00:01:45,280 Speaker 1: I will be an enemy to your enemies. Now touch 35 00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:47,000 Speaker 1: your neighbors, say you better be nice to me. 36 00:01:47,080 --> 00:01:53,280 Speaker 2: I got back up. Be careful how you talk about me. 37 00:01:53,360 --> 00:01:56,200 Speaker 2: God likes me a little bit. I mean, how do 38 00:01:56,240 --> 00:01:59,720 Speaker 2: you act when somebody talks about your child. Imagine how 39 00:01:59,760 --> 00:02:02,800 Speaker 2: God feels about it. Imagine how God feels about it. Well, 40 00:02:02,840 --> 00:02:04,560 Speaker 2: that's what he said. He said, I will be an 41 00:02:04,680 --> 00:02:08,120 Speaker 2: enemy to your enemies and will oppose those who oppose you. 42 00:02:08,960 --> 00:02:12,480 Speaker 2: My angel, here's this angel again, will go ahead of 43 00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:18,560 Speaker 2: you and bring you into the land of the Amorites, Hittites, Parazites, Canaanites, Hivetes, 44 00:02:18,560 --> 00:02:22,720 Speaker 2: and Jepizites, and I will wipe them out. Get them 45 00:02:22,720 --> 00:02:25,480 Speaker 2: out of your way. Now, do not bow down before 46 00:02:25,520 --> 00:02:28,400 Speaker 2: their gods or worship them, because after I get them 47 00:02:28,400 --> 00:02:30,119 Speaker 2: out of your way, don't get in your own way 48 00:02:30,160 --> 00:02:34,400 Speaker 2: by doing what they did. Sometimes God removes something from 49 00:02:34,440 --> 00:02:36,280 Speaker 2: your life and you trip over it like it was 50 00:02:36,320 --> 00:02:38,079 Speaker 2: still there because. 51 00:02:37,880 --> 00:02:40,880 Speaker 1: You can't change your mind and be renewed according to 52 00:02:40,919 --> 00:02:41,800 Speaker 1: your new reality. 53 00:02:42,639 --> 00:02:45,520 Speaker 2: Okay, this is not I'm just kind of flowing right now, 54 00:02:45,560 --> 00:02:46,960 Speaker 2: not in my notes, and I'm gonna let you sit 55 00:02:46,960 --> 00:02:49,520 Speaker 2: down in a minute. But there's a lot in this passage, 56 00:02:49,560 --> 00:02:51,560 Speaker 2: and I've been excited about it, and I was eating 57 00:02:51,560 --> 00:02:54,240 Speaker 2: cranberry sauce and thinking about just if we could get 58 00:02:54,240 --> 00:02:56,120 Speaker 2: here together, I could share this with you because I 59 00:02:56,160 --> 00:02:58,920 Speaker 2: was really excited about it. But really, here's where it starts. 60 00:02:59,560 --> 00:03:04,079 Speaker 2: Skip all the way down to verse twenty eight. I 61 00:03:04,120 --> 00:03:08,079 Speaker 2: will send the hornet, because God's a Charlottean, I will 62 00:03:08,120 --> 00:03:08,760 Speaker 2: send the hornet. 63 00:03:08,760 --> 00:03:10,080 Speaker 1: I've been trying to tell you all that. 64 00:03:11,200 --> 00:03:14,040 Speaker 2: I will send the hornet ahead of you to drive 65 00:03:14,120 --> 00:03:19,320 Speaker 2: out the Hiites, Canaanites, and Hittites out of your way. Okay, 66 00:03:19,880 --> 00:03:25,680 Speaker 2: I'm gonna take away all those Ipeshites, Canaanites, sell you lights, 67 00:03:26,040 --> 00:03:29,480 Speaker 2: all of them. They gotta go, somebody said, they gotta go. 68 00:03:31,000 --> 00:03:33,080 Speaker 2: As I bring you into the place that I promised you, 69 00:03:33,520 --> 00:03:35,160 Speaker 2: I'm gonna get them out of your way. But I 70 00:03:35,200 --> 00:03:38,960 Speaker 2: will not drive them out in a single year, because 71 00:03:39,000 --> 00:03:43,000 Speaker 2: the land would become desolate and the wild animals too 72 00:03:43,080 --> 00:03:48,680 Speaker 2: numerous for you. Little by little, I will drive them 73 00:03:48,720 --> 00:03:52,280 Speaker 2: out before you until you have increased enough. 74 00:03:53,320 --> 00:03:55,920 Speaker 1: Until you you're. 75 00:03:55,800 --> 00:03:59,160 Speaker 2: Waiting on God to show up, and he's waiting for 76 00:03:59,200 --> 00:04:09,560 Speaker 2: you to grow up, my little and you don't even 77 00:04:09,600 --> 00:04:11,800 Speaker 2: notice the things that are growing right before your eyes. 78 00:04:12,440 --> 00:04:14,240 Speaker 2: That's why it takes a grandparent to tell you that 79 00:04:14,280 --> 00:04:16,240 Speaker 2: your kids have grown, because you're with. 80 00:04:16,200 --> 00:04:16,800 Speaker 1: Them every day. 81 00:04:17,600 --> 00:04:21,400 Speaker 2: But God is doing things incrementally in our lives, and 82 00:04:21,440 --> 00:04:23,520 Speaker 2: so he says, little by little, I will drive them 83 00:04:23,560 --> 00:04:25,640 Speaker 2: out before you until you have increased enough to take 84 00:04:25,680 --> 00:04:26,600 Speaker 2: possession of the lamb. 85 00:04:26,720 --> 00:04:31,680 Speaker 1: Can I give you one more verse? It's not rhetorical. 86 00:04:33,560 --> 00:04:38,080 Speaker 2: I will establish your borders from the Red Sea to 87 00:04:38,200 --> 00:04:42,039 Speaker 2: the Mediterranean Sea, and from the desert to the Euphrates River. 88 00:04:42,240 --> 00:04:46,080 Speaker 2: I will give into your hands the people who live 89 00:04:46,160 --> 00:04:49,400 Speaker 2: in the land, and you will drive them out before 90 00:04:49,480 --> 00:04:52,599 Speaker 2: you say man for the word of God. Hey, those 91 00:04:52,600 --> 00:04:54,680 Speaker 2: of you in a control, don't throw my title because 92 00:04:54,680 --> 00:04:56,040 Speaker 2: I'm changing it and the one you have is the 93 00:04:56,080 --> 00:04:58,080 Speaker 2: wrong one. I want to preach a message to you 94 00:04:58,120 --> 00:04:59,840 Speaker 2: from my heart today, and I want you to look 95 00:04:59,839 --> 00:05:01,400 Speaker 2: at your neighbor and give them my title that I 96 00:05:01,440 --> 00:05:02,839 Speaker 2: just thought of right now, but I want to share 97 00:05:02,839 --> 00:05:04,680 Speaker 2: it with you, and I believe it's a message for 98 00:05:04,720 --> 00:05:07,800 Speaker 2: you today. Look at your neighbor and say, neighbor, don't 99 00:05:07,800 --> 00:05:17,320 Speaker 2: waste your angel, please be seated. The sense that I 100 00:05:17,360 --> 00:05:19,520 Speaker 2: get from the text is that God is giving his 101 00:05:19,640 --> 00:05:26,600 Speaker 2: people the resources that they need for the responsibility that 102 00:05:26,640 --> 00:05:27,320 Speaker 2: they are facing. 103 00:05:28,160 --> 00:05:30,320 Speaker 1: And I love that about God is. 104 00:05:30,279 --> 00:05:34,000 Speaker 2: That he always has the resource ready before he gives 105 00:05:34,040 --> 00:05:37,280 Speaker 2: the assignment. In fact, I've learned this and I would 106 00:05:37,320 --> 00:05:38,800 Speaker 2: love for you to write it down. If you are 107 00:05:38,839 --> 00:05:46,080 Speaker 2: the note tape taking type, realize that the greater the assignment, 108 00:05:47,279 --> 00:05:49,200 Speaker 2: the greater the assistance. 109 00:05:50,720 --> 00:05:52,000 Speaker 1: Now, if you are married. 110 00:05:51,680 --> 00:05:55,000 Speaker 2: To someone who is a little difficult, perhaps that will 111 00:05:55,000 --> 00:05:57,800 Speaker 2: be good news to you. My brother from the United 112 00:05:57,800 --> 00:05:59,760 Speaker 2: States Air Force is visiting with us today. 113 00:06:00,120 --> 00:06:00,440 Speaker 1: You help me. 114 00:06:00,440 --> 00:06:07,640 Speaker 2: Thank God for my brother visiting all the way from 115 00:06:07,680 --> 00:06:14,360 Speaker 2: New Jersey. He's married now and we're thankful I had 116 00:06:14,360 --> 00:06:18,440 Speaker 2: the great privilege to perform their wedding. If I do 117 00:06:18,520 --> 00:06:20,080 Speaker 2: a wedding, which I don't get to do them very 118 00:06:20,160 --> 00:06:22,440 Speaker 2: much because usually people like to get married on Saturdays, 119 00:06:22,440 --> 00:06:25,400 Speaker 2: and I preach on Saturdays. So when I get to 120 00:06:25,400 --> 00:06:27,240 Speaker 2: do it, I like to make it creative because I 121 00:06:27,279 --> 00:06:28,560 Speaker 2: don't know how to do it the right way because 122 00:06:28,560 --> 00:06:28,919 Speaker 2: I don't do. 123 00:06:28,920 --> 00:06:29,440 Speaker 1: It that much. 124 00:06:30,760 --> 00:06:33,240 Speaker 2: And I almost did something when I performed your wedding. 125 00:06:33,960 --> 00:06:36,159 Speaker 2: I never told you this, because you got all the 126 00:06:36,160 --> 00:06:39,560 Speaker 2: typical sections of a wedding where you have the exchange 127 00:06:39,600 --> 00:06:42,400 Speaker 2: of the rings and the exchange of the vows. I 128 00:06:42,400 --> 00:06:49,160 Speaker 2: almost did a whole section called realistic expectations, and. 129 00:06:49,160 --> 00:06:49,920 Speaker 1: I didn't do it. 130 00:06:50,600 --> 00:06:52,560 Speaker 2: Maybe one day I'll get that opportunity, but it would 131 00:06:52,560 --> 00:06:54,880 Speaker 2: be the part of the wedding ceremony that's not poetic. 132 00:06:54,920 --> 00:06:56,279 Speaker 1: It'd be the part that's practical. 133 00:06:56,720 --> 00:06:58,640 Speaker 2: And I would have told you things like, you know, 134 00:06:59,120 --> 00:07:03,800 Speaker 2: be prepared for this woman whom you love to bring 135 00:07:04,000 --> 00:07:08,000 Speaker 2: items into your bathroom that you have never seen before 136 00:07:09,040 --> 00:07:10,600 Speaker 2: or known of their existence. 137 00:07:10,880 --> 00:07:12,480 Speaker 1: Be prepared, make. 138 00:07:12,440 --> 00:07:16,840 Speaker 2: Space on your counter for a pharmacy, and don't be surprised. 139 00:07:17,240 --> 00:07:18,960 Speaker 2: Little things like that I would have put into it. 140 00:07:19,280 --> 00:07:20,960 Speaker 2: If they would have done this for being Holly's they 141 00:07:20,960 --> 00:07:23,360 Speaker 2: would have said a lot. 142 00:07:23,240 --> 00:07:24,560 Speaker 1: Fifty extra minutes. 143 00:07:26,560 --> 00:07:28,760 Speaker 2: When you are telling your wife what time to be 144 00:07:28,880 --> 00:07:31,520 Speaker 2: ready for an event, lie to her, put her on 145 00:07:31,720 --> 00:07:35,480 Speaker 2: daylight savings time and back it up an hour, and 146 00:07:35,920 --> 00:07:37,679 Speaker 2: you might possibly be on time. 147 00:07:38,600 --> 00:07:41,200 Speaker 1: But I'll be honest with you. 148 00:07:40,440 --> 00:07:43,440 Speaker 2: My wife, now something has shifted in the balance of 149 00:07:43,480 --> 00:07:45,320 Speaker 2: our marriage relationship. 150 00:07:44,920 --> 00:07:47,600 Speaker 1: And she's usually the one telling me. 151 00:07:47,960 --> 00:07:49,840 Speaker 2: You're looking to see how she's responding to this part 152 00:07:49,880 --> 00:07:53,280 Speaker 2: of the sermon, aren't you with that? As she walked out, 153 00:07:54,320 --> 00:08:00,040 Speaker 2: what would that say about the pastor's spiritual life? So 154 00:08:00,480 --> 00:08:03,920 Speaker 2: she's actually the one who's usually telling me. Now she's 155 00:08:04,040 --> 00:08:07,040 Speaker 2: usually telling me, if you can believe this, she says 156 00:08:07,040 --> 00:08:09,160 Speaker 2: something to me the other day. I never thought i'd 157 00:08:09,160 --> 00:08:11,440 Speaker 2: hear this out of my wife's mouth. She said, I'm 158 00:08:11,480 --> 00:08:12,280 Speaker 2: ready when you are. 159 00:08:13,640 --> 00:08:16,160 Speaker 1: It's just things you never think you're going to hear. 160 00:08:17,280 --> 00:08:20,480 Speaker 2: You never think like that's like hearing your teenager say I'll. 161 00:08:20,360 --> 00:08:21,920 Speaker 1: Do it, Like. 162 00:08:21,920 --> 00:08:25,200 Speaker 2: It's just stuff you never expect to hear from that person. 163 00:08:26,320 --> 00:08:29,000 Speaker 2: But it's true nine times out of ten. Now she's 164 00:08:29,240 --> 00:08:33,079 Speaker 2: ready before I am. Something has shifted in the relationship. 165 00:08:33,120 --> 00:08:34,120 Speaker 1: And I pointed out. 166 00:08:34,000 --> 00:08:39,400 Speaker 2: Because in Exodus twenty three, it's not a marriage relationship, 167 00:08:39,480 --> 00:08:42,520 Speaker 2: but it's a covenant relationship between God and his people. 168 00:08:42,920 --> 00:08:46,920 Speaker 2: And they have waited now for over four hundred years 169 00:08:46,920 --> 00:08:50,080 Speaker 2: for God to deliver them out of their slavery and 170 00:08:50,160 --> 00:08:54,719 Speaker 2: their cruel bondage. But now something has shifted. They are 171 00:08:54,800 --> 00:08:59,880 Speaker 2: so used to waiting on God, and now a bus 172 00:09:00,000 --> 00:09:03,559 Speaker 2: there are turn of events. God says to his people 173 00:09:03,960 --> 00:09:08,640 Speaker 2: through Moses, I'm ready when you are. Now, he's already 174 00:09:08,640 --> 00:09:11,200 Speaker 2: brought them out of Egypt. He's already brought them out 175 00:09:11,240 --> 00:09:14,200 Speaker 2: of slavery. But there is a difference between coming out 176 00:09:14,240 --> 00:09:15,920 Speaker 2: physically and coming out mentally. 177 00:09:18,800 --> 00:09:21,160 Speaker 1: Some people are perpetually stuck. 178 00:09:21,080 --> 00:09:24,400 Speaker 2: In the stage of their life. Even though God has 179 00:09:24,440 --> 00:09:27,080 Speaker 2: set them free, they still dragged the shackles of a 180 00:09:27,160 --> 00:09:31,720 Speaker 2: situation that God long since delivered them from. So he 181 00:09:31,760 --> 00:09:34,440 Speaker 2: gives them several gifts, several gifts, several gifts. I'll mention 182 00:09:34,480 --> 00:09:37,960 Speaker 2: a few the Ten commandments. He gives them the ten commandments. 183 00:09:38,160 --> 00:09:41,679 Speaker 2: Thou shalt, thou shalt not not to prohibit them, not 184 00:09:42,040 --> 00:09:42,800 Speaker 2: to prohibit them. 185 00:09:43,880 --> 00:09:44,960 Speaker 1: How many of you have a dog. 186 00:09:45,280 --> 00:09:46,920 Speaker 2: Did you put in a fence in your yard for 187 00:09:47,000 --> 00:09:53,080 Speaker 2: the dog? Why so he could run around? So he 188 00:09:53,120 --> 00:09:59,400 Speaker 2: could run around without getting killed. The fence brings freedom right. 189 00:10:00,840 --> 00:10:05,360 Speaker 2: When God establishes parameters for your life, what He's really 190 00:10:05,360 --> 00:10:09,360 Speaker 2: doing within those parameters is giving you permission to enjoy 191 00:10:09,720 --> 00:10:14,000 Speaker 2: his promises, within the parameters of his principles, so that 192 00:10:14,040 --> 00:10:16,920 Speaker 2: you are not destroyed by the very thing that God 193 00:10:16,920 --> 00:10:20,360 Speaker 2: intended to bless you with. And then he gives them 194 00:10:20,040 --> 00:10:24,000 Speaker 2: some laws, regulations, and statutes for living with one another 195 00:10:24,040 --> 00:10:28,040 Speaker 2: in relationship as a community. He speaks about social injustice. 196 00:10:29,040 --> 00:10:32,960 Speaker 2: He speaks to them about treatment of one another and foreigners. 197 00:10:34,240 --> 00:10:36,839 Speaker 1: He speaks to them specifically. 198 00:10:36,240 --> 00:10:39,000 Speaker 2: About festivals that he wants them to keep, and three 199 00:10:39,000 --> 00:10:40,760 Speaker 2: times a year he says, I want you to send 200 00:10:40,800 --> 00:10:44,199 Speaker 2: all the men to the sanctuary, and nobody should come 201 00:10:44,280 --> 00:10:45,000 Speaker 2: empty handed. 202 00:10:45,520 --> 00:10:46,840 Speaker 1: I want you to bring me an offering. 203 00:10:47,480 --> 00:10:50,000 Speaker 2: I want you to bring me an offering because I 204 00:10:50,040 --> 00:10:54,960 Speaker 2: want you to be protected. There's a keyword protected from 205 00:10:55,000 --> 00:10:59,160 Speaker 2: trusting in your provision. So every time I bless you, 206 00:10:59,600 --> 00:11:03,240 Speaker 2: I want you to engage in the discipline of intrusting 207 00:11:03,559 --> 00:11:05,640 Speaker 2: to me what I've invested in. 208 00:11:05,720 --> 00:11:07,600 Speaker 1: You got it. 209 00:11:09,000 --> 00:11:12,079 Speaker 2: In that context, God makes his people a promise because 210 00:11:12,120 --> 00:11:16,559 Speaker 2: He has given them a great assignment, a great assignment 211 00:11:17,280 --> 00:11:21,920 Speaker 2: to occupy this land that's full of enemies, enemies that 212 00:11:21,960 --> 00:11:26,439 Speaker 2: are bigger and stronger, more skilled and experienced in warfare 213 00:11:27,000 --> 00:11:28,640 Speaker 2: than this nation, who. 214 00:11:28,440 --> 00:11:30,559 Speaker 1: Has barely become a nation at this point. 215 00:11:31,520 --> 00:11:34,480 Speaker 2: In this he gives them three promises from verse twenty. 216 00:11:34,520 --> 00:11:36,800 Speaker 1: I'll lift them now, write them down, put them on 217 00:11:36,840 --> 00:11:39,760 Speaker 1: a sticky note, because these three promises apply to you. Two. 218 00:11:40,120 --> 00:11:42,560 Speaker 2: These are three things God has promised you. I'll hit 219 00:11:42,600 --> 00:11:46,240 Speaker 2: them one by one. See, I am sending an angel 220 00:11:46,840 --> 00:11:50,319 Speaker 2: ahead of you. In the Jewish tradition, it is mostly 221 00:11:50,360 --> 00:11:53,840 Speaker 2: believed that the angel is Moses. However, most of us 222 00:11:53,880 --> 00:11:58,600 Speaker 2: would think that the qualifications that are listed here as 223 00:11:58,640 --> 00:12:00,840 Speaker 2: in my name is in him, and the ability to 224 00:12:00,840 --> 00:12:04,560 Speaker 2: forgive sins goes beyond Moses. So this must be a 225 00:12:04,640 --> 00:12:08,240 Speaker 2: foreshadowing of the second person of the Trinity, Jesus Christ. 226 00:12:08,880 --> 00:12:13,240 Speaker 2: I will send my angel ahead of you to guard 227 00:12:13,559 --> 00:12:16,520 Speaker 2: you along the way and to bring you to the 228 00:12:16,600 --> 00:12:18,560 Speaker 2: place I have prepared. 229 00:12:18,720 --> 00:12:19,760 Speaker 1: They're all three right there. 230 00:12:19,800 --> 00:12:22,680 Speaker 2: The first one is God promises to protect his people. 231 00:12:24,040 --> 00:12:28,240 Speaker 2: God promises to protect his people, and specifically he says, 232 00:12:28,600 --> 00:12:32,840 Speaker 2: I will guard you along the way. I was interested 233 00:12:32,880 --> 00:12:35,560 Speaker 2: in that phrase because a lot of times God is 234 00:12:35,640 --> 00:12:38,280 Speaker 2: guarding you from things in your life that you don't 235 00:12:38,280 --> 00:12:41,440 Speaker 2: even know you need to be guarded from. And so 236 00:12:41,520 --> 00:12:43,320 Speaker 2: the way it works, you can follow me real quick 237 00:12:43,360 --> 00:12:46,840 Speaker 2: with the cameras. God will guard you along the way, 238 00:12:47,240 --> 00:12:51,640 Speaker 2: but you will only see it looking back. That's how 239 00:12:51,679 --> 00:12:54,640 Speaker 2: life works, is that God is doing it for you 240 00:12:55,040 --> 00:12:58,040 Speaker 2: along the way. Now, notice, in order for God to 241 00:12:58,160 --> 00:13:01,480 Speaker 2: protect you, you have to be an motion. God cannot 242 00:13:01,520 --> 00:13:02,720 Speaker 2: guard you until you. 243 00:13:02,720 --> 00:13:04,480 Speaker 1: Are along the way. 244 00:13:04,559 --> 00:13:06,920 Speaker 2: And so when you are praying for God to protect you, 245 00:13:07,040 --> 00:13:09,200 Speaker 2: but you're sitting on your couch doing it instead of 246 00:13:09,240 --> 00:13:12,840 Speaker 2: obeying the instruction that he's given you, God cannot dispatch 247 00:13:12,920 --> 00:13:15,600 Speaker 2: his assistance for an assignment that you are not present for. 248 00:13:17,520 --> 00:13:17,640 Speaker 1: This. 249 00:13:17,720 --> 00:13:21,760 Speaker 2: One intern was asking me recently on the subject how 250 00:13:21,760 --> 00:13:26,120 Speaker 2: do I deal with feeling insecure? And I shocked myself 251 00:13:26,120 --> 00:13:27,880 Speaker 2: the answer I gave her because I usually say, quote 252 00:13:27,880 --> 00:13:30,120 Speaker 2: the Bible and confessions of faith, and you are the 253 00:13:30,200 --> 00:13:33,360 Speaker 2: righteousness of God in Christ. But I found something coming 254 00:13:33,400 --> 00:13:34,520 Speaker 2: out of my mouth was kind of weird. 255 00:13:34,559 --> 00:13:35,360 Speaker 1: I said, do the work. 256 00:13:37,200 --> 00:13:40,880 Speaker 2: Do the work, because it is in completing your assignment 257 00:13:40,960 --> 00:13:45,120 Speaker 2: that you receive your assistance. It's the best thing you 258 00:13:45,160 --> 00:13:47,959 Speaker 2: can do. If you feel insecure like I can't do it, 259 00:13:48,040 --> 00:13:51,520 Speaker 2: to do it. And as you do it, you will 260 00:13:51,559 --> 00:13:53,560 Speaker 2: receive the strength for the assignment. 261 00:13:54,120 --> 00:13:56,600 Speaker 1: But let me tell you this, you will not get. 262 00:13:56,400 --> 00:13:59,440 Speaker 2: The assistance praying for God to make the assignment easier. 263 00:14:00,240 --> 00:14:02,880 Speaker 2: He does not promise that. And I don't care how 264 00:14:02,880 --> 00:14:05,320 Speaker 2: hateful y'all look at me. God is not going to 265 00:14:05,360 --> 00:14:06,199 Speaker 2: make it easier what. 266 00:14:06,160 --> 00:14:06,800 Speaker 1: He said I'll do. 267 00:14:07,280 --> 00:14:12,960 Speaker 2: I will release my assistance in correspondence with your assignment. 268 00:14:14,080 --> 00:14:14,680 Speaker 1: And if you. 269 00:14:14,679 --> 00:14:18,240 Speaker 2: Insist on trying to fulfill somebody else's assignment. 270 00:14:18,559 --> 00:14:20,040 Speaker 1: Don't expect my assistance. 271 00:14:20,880 --> 00:14:24,600 Speaker 2: But if you will do you right here, right. 272 00:14:24,440 --> 00:14:26,440 Speaker 1: Now, and quit wishing she. 273 00:14:26,600 --> 00:14:29,520 Speaker 2: Was your wife, and love the wife you've got as 274 00:14:29,680 --> 00:14:35,160 Speaker 2: Christ loved the church, I will release my assistance in. 275 00:14:35,160 --> 00:14:39,800 Speaker 1: Correspondence with your assignment. Hey man, good preaching. Only JJ's 276 00:14:39,800 --> 00:14:42,400 Speaker 1: standing up. I don't know. He must need the Lord 277 00:14:42,440 --> 00:14:42,880 Speaker 1: this week. 278 00:14:45,680 --> 00:14:48,080 Speaker 2: To me, I think it's significant all the different times 279 00:14:48,080 --> 00:14:50,720 Speaker 2: that God gave people an assignment that was greater than them, 280 00:14:51,320 --> 00:14:55,360 Speaker 2: in fact, often contrary to their natural ability. Because Abraham 281 00:14:55,600 --> 00:14:57,680 Speaker 2: could have had a baby for God when he was forty, 282 00:14:58,840 --> 00:15:02,280 Speaker 2: not when he's eighty. God likes him at eighty better 283 00:15:02,320 --> 00:15:05,080 Speaker 2: than forty. I know why, but I'm not gonna tell 284 00:15:05,120 --> 00:15:07,680 Speaker 2: you why. I know why I studied it. I know 285 00:15:07,720 --> 00:15:09,920 Speaker 2: why God picked him at eighty and not forty. 286 00:15:10,640 --> 00:15:11,360 Speaker 1: Okay, I'll tell you. 287 00:15:13,480 --> 00:15:15,320 Speaker 2: If you do it at forty, you'll think you did it. 288 00:15:19,560 --> 00:15:22,320 Speaker 2: But if God gives you something that you know. 289 00:15:26,600 --> 00:15:28,960 Speaker 1: You shouldn't be able to do it. 290 00:15:29,800 --> 00:15:34,640 Speaker 2: Somebody say, don't waste your angel, and you waste the 291 00:15:34,680 --> 00:15:37,320 Speaker 2: assistance of your angel. 292 00:15:38,680 --> 00:15:40,280 Speaker 1: This is so good. I'm gonna help you. 293 00:15:40,280 --> 00:15:42,240 Speaker 2: Right there, right there, You right there, right there, I'm 294 00:15:42,240 --> 00:15:42,840 Speaker 2: so glad you know. 295 00:15:42,960 --> 00:15:44,800 Speaker 1: Not you her, I'm gonna help her right there. 296 00:15:46,480 --> 00:15:49,080 Speaker 2: You got a giant assignment. That's good. 297 00:15:49,480 --> 00:15:52,800 Speaker 1: The greater the assignment, the greater the assistance. 298 00:15:54,920 --> 00:15:58,480 Speaker 2: Now I can look back on several phases of my 299 00:15:58,600 --> 00:16:02,480 Speaker 2: life where God, God was protecting me with what I 300 00:16:02,560 --> 00:16:07,520 Speaker 2: thought was a problem. You know, God has a defense system. 301 00:16:07,520 --> 00:16:09,800 Speaker 2: I have a security system in my house. A couple 302 00:16:09,920 --> 00:16:12,800 Speaker 2: nights ago, me and Holly shot straight up in the bed, screaming, 303 00:16:12,840 --> 00:16:15,560 Speaker 2: both of us just screaming. The alarm went off so loud. 304 00:16:15,640 --> 00:16:18,240 Speaker 2: I never heard it that loud, and I jumped off, screaming. 305 00:16:18,360 --> 00:16:21,240 Speaker 2: She jumped up, screaming. We're screaming at each other. Five 306 00:16:21,280 --> 00:16:23,840 Speaker 2: seconds later, I had that baseball bat that I keep 307 00:16:23,920 --> 00:16:26,800 Speaker 2: under my bed. I was crouched going through the house too. 308 00:16:27,000 --> 00:16:29,320 Speaker 2: I was shaking the bat. I was saying stuff under 309 00:16:29,360 --> 00:16:32,280 Speaker 2: my breath that wasn't prayer oriented, you know, just getting 310 00:16:32,320 --> 00:16:38,080 Speaker 2: ready for what the situation required. But how could it 311 00:16:38,120 --> 00:16:41,120 Speaker 2: be that loud. It was the loudest thing I ever heard. 312 00:16:42,120 --> 00:16:44,160 Speaker 2: You know, those little AirPods that you put in your ear. 313 00:16:45,480 --> 00:16:49,160 Speaker 2: I forgot that I had fallen asleep with my AirPods in. 314 00:16:49,920 --> 00:16:52,760 Speaker 2: And it wasn't the security system in the house that 315 00:16:52,840 --> 00:17:01,080 Speaker 2: went off. It was an amber alert on my phone. 316 00:17:01,880 --> 00:17:02,880 Speaker 1: And here I am. 317 00:17:04,400 --> 00:17:08,199 Speaker 2: Ready to kill something that's not even there. And you know, 318 00:17:08,320 --> 00:17:12,240 Speaker 2: sometimes you let the devil in your head to the 319 00:17:12,280 --> 00:17:15,160 Speaker 2: point where you're waking up in the middle of the night, 320 00:17:16,000 --> 00:17:18,080 Speaker 2: chasing an enemy that ought to. 321 00:17:18,080 --> 00:17:19,240 Speaker 1: Be running from you. 322 00:17:21,080 --> 00:17:21,480 Speaker 3: Where are my. 323 00:17:21,640 --> 00:17:25,120 Speaker 2: Powerful people at that know you have the Holy Spirit, 324 00:17:25,440 --> 00:17:27,920 Speaker 2: a deposit guaranteeing your inheritance. 325 00:17:28,359 --> 00:17:33,240 Speaker 1: Make some noise about it, make all the quiet people uncomfortable, 326 00:17:33,600 --> 00:17:35,040 Speaker 1: shout if you know, God's. 327 00:17:34,760 --> 00:17:38,200 Speaker 2: Got a defense system and a surveillance on your life, 328 00:17:38,359 --> 00:17:39,800 Speaker 2: and the devil can only. 329 00:17:39,600 --> 00:17:45,760 Speaker 1: Go so far. Get out of my head because I'm protected. 330 00:17:45,880 --> 00:17:54,480 Speaker 1: High five point three people say, I'm protected and God, God. 331 00:17:54,320 --> 00:18:03,800 Speaker 2: Will even protect you from your own prayers. You will 332 00:18:03,840 --> 00:18:07,160 Speaker 2: pray for him to ask you out, and he will 333 00:18:07,200 --> 00:18:11,120 Speaker 2: walk right by you to your best friend, and she 334 00:18:11,200 --> 00:18:12,760 Speaker 2: doesn't even have a prayer life. 335 00:18:13,560 --> 00:18:14,400 Speaker 1: And that's why he. 336 00:18:14,440 --> 00:18:18,560 Speaker 2: Walked past you, because you were praying. God, I want 337 00:18:18,720 --> 00:18:23,200 Speaker 2: what you want for me. Protect me from anything that's 338 00:18:23,240 --> 00:18:24,359 Speaker 2: not from you. 339 00:18:24,800 --> 00:18:27,360 Speaker 1: I got an angel. Somebody said, I got an angel. 340 00:18:27,920 --> 00:18:37,679 Speaker 1: You can't see anybody's there. That's weird. It's weird. You 341 00:18:37,760 --> 00:18:40,520 Speaker 1: believe in angels. What do you believe in? 342 00:18:42,960 --> 00:18:50,040 Speaker 2: Some of y'all believe in college age boys in tight pants. 343 00:18:50,640 --> 00:18:54,479 Speaker 2: Your hope is in them. And I can't have an angel. Oh, 344 00:18:54,520 --> 00:18:58,159 Speaker 2: I got angels. Don't make me flap it you I 345 00:18:58,200 --> 00:18:59,560 Speaker 2: will flap right in your face. 346 00:18:59,560 --> 00:19:03,359 Speaker 1: I got angels. I got something better than an angel. 347 00:19:04,720 --> 00:19:10,280 Speaker 2: I have the spirit that raised Christ from the dead. 348 00:19:10,160 --> 00:19:14,920 Speaker 1: And I'm protected. I'm protected. 349 00:19:16,600 --> 00:19:20,720 Speaker 2: Even sometimes what you will call a disappointment in one 350 00:19:20,760 --> 00:19:23,000 Speaker 2: season of your life, you will see as a defense. 351 00:19:24,880 --> 00:19:26,720 Speaker 1: Later you will see that. 352 00:19:26,680 --> 00:19:29,720 Speaker 2: If I had gotten what I wanted when I wanted it, 353 00:19:29,720 --> 00:19:32,960 Speaker 2: it wouldn't have been a blessing because I wasn't ready. 354 00:19:33,760 --> 00:19:40,040 Speaker 2: I hope I'm helping somebody. I hope I'm helping somebody. 355 00:19:41,480 --> 00:19:44,320 Speaker 2: I will guard you along the way, God says, I'll 356 00:19:44,359 --> 00:19:46,760 Speaker 2: protect you, and the second one he says, I will 357 00:19:46,760 --> 00:19:50,200 Speaker 2: bring you to the place, So I'll guard you along 358 00:19:50,240 --> 00:19:50,960 Speaker 2: the way. 359 00:19:51,000 --> 00:19:52,280 Speaker 1: And I'll bring you to the place. 360 00:19:53,080 --> 00:19:55,840 Speaker 2: If guard you along the way is God's promise to protect. 361 00:19:56,600 --> 00:19:58,920 Speaker 2: Bring you to the place is his promise to position. 362 00:20:00,320 --> 00:20:02,320 Speaker 2: And one thing I've really come to believe is that 363 00:20:02,359 --> 00:20:05,080 Speaker 2: God is good at getting me where he wants me 364 00:20:05,720 --> 00:20:08,960 Speaker 2: when he wants me, for reasons that I do not 365 00:20:09,119 --> 00:20:15,760 Speaker 2: understand while I'm there. And honestly, some of the places 366 00:20:16,040 --> 00:20:17,800 Speaker 2: that God has sent me in my life is not 367 00:20:17,840 --> 00:20:20,840 Speaker 2: where I wanted to go. And I'm gonna say something 368 00:20:20,840 --> 00:20:22,719 Speaker 2: to you that I never ever said before in public. 369 00:20:23,160 --> 00:20:25,040 Speaker 2: I said it to Holly, I might have said it 370 00:20:25,040 --> 00:20:27,680 Speaker 2: to a few of our team members thirteen years ago, 371 00:20:27,960 --> 00:20:29,879 Speaker 2: but I never said it in a big room like this. 372 00:20:30,920 --> 00:20:36,600 Speaker 2: I didn't even want to come to Charlotte because it 373 00:20:36,640 --> 00:20:43,240 Speaker 2: seemed to me like Charlotte had churches covered. Have you looked, 374 00:20:45,640 --> 00:20:50,120 Speaker 2: there's trees and steeples. People, there's a lot of them already. 375 00:20:51,920 --> 00:20:54,479 Speaker 2: I say, God, what could it possibly have to do 376 00:20:54,520 --> 00:20:58,200 Speaker 2: with me to be in this town where there's already 377 00:20:58,800 --> 00:21:03,960 Speaker 2: all these big churches. It was Joe's crabshack that God used, 378 00:21:06,480 --> 00:21:08,199 Speaker 2: and just in a way I can't explain. And I'm 379 00:21:08,240 --> 00:21:11,000 Speaker 2: preaching to somebody with an attitude right now because you 380 00:21:11,040 --> 00:21:12,160 Speaker 2: don't even like where you live. 381 00:21:14,320 --> 00:21:15,240 Speaker 1: You don't even like it. 382 00:21:16,640 --> 00:21:22,680 Speaker 2: But often God positions you according to a higher priority 383 00:21:22,840 --> 00:21:28,760 Speaker 2: than your preference, and it's called his purpose. I'm sending 384 00:21:28,800 --> 00:21:32,119 Speaker 2: my angel and he will bring you to the place. 385 00:21:32,880 --> 00:21:34,000 Speaker 1: Here's the interesting thing. 386 00:21:34,840 --> 00:21:37,800 Speaker 2: The angel can bring you to the place, but it 387 00:21:37,840 --> 00:21:38,960 Speaker 2: cannot go in for you. 388 00:21:40,960 --> 00:21:41,879 Speaker 1: All God can. 389 00:21:41,800 --> 00:21:44,440 Speaker 2: Do, because it is a cooperation of grace and faith 390 00:21:44,440 --> 00:21:47,000 Speaker 2: that causes his kingdom to operate on earth as it 391 00:21:47,080 --> 00:21:47,639 Speaker 2: is in heaven. 392 00:21:48,280 --> 00:21:51,000 Speaker 1: All he can do is set you up. But He 393 00:21:51,040 --> 00:21:52,359 Speaker 1: will not take the step for you. 394 00:21:53,840 --> 00:21:55,840 Speaker 2: If God took the step for you, it would not 395 00:21:55,960 --> 00:21:57,480 Speaker 2: be kindness, it would be cruelty. 396 00:21:58,359 --> 00:21:59,360 Speaker 1: If God took. 397 00:21:59,119 --> 00:22:00,840 Speaker 2: The step for you, he would put you in a 398 00:22:00,880 --> 00:22:04,639 Speaker 2: place that your faith was not prepared for. So the 399 00:22:04,720 --> 00:22:09,160 Speaker 2: great tragedy of Exodus twenty three is that God sent 400 00:22:09,280 --> 00:22:13,800 Speaker 2: the protection to bring them to the place. Yet an 401 00:22:14,000 --> 00:22:16,320 Speaker 2: entire generation never entered in. 402 00:22:18,760 --> 00:22:19,320 Speaker 1: Did you hear me? 403 00:22:19,680 --> 00:22:23,480 Speaker 2: The entire congregation that Moses is delivering the message to 404 00:22:24,320 --> 00:22:28,199 Speaker 2: doesn't get to experience the benefits of God's promise. And 405 00:22:28,240 --> 00:22:30,520 Speaker 2: here's where it's a little theologically controversial. 406 00:22:30,680 --> 00:22:37,680 Speaker 1: God's promises are not automatic. They're optional. Joy is optional. 407 00:22:37,920 --> 00:22:41,159 Speaker 1: Peace is optional. You can have it or you can 408 00:22:41,280 --> 00:22:41,639 Speaker 1: leave it. 409 00:22:42,720 --> 00:22:46,280 Speaker 2: You can live in bitterness or you can live in deliverance. 410 00:22:47,000 --> 00:22:48,720 Speaker 1: But you have to take the step. Now. 411 00:22:48,760 --> 00:22:52,640 Speaker 2: God says, I've positioned you. I've protected you. I kept 412 00:22:52,680 --> 00:22:55,359 Speaker 2: you alive. I brought you through it. The sea didn't 413 00:22:55,400 --> 00:22:58,159 Speaker 2: sweep over you. The slave master didn't kill you with 414 00:22:58,240 --> 00:23:00,520 Speaker 2: this whip. All I did was bring you out with 415 00:23:00,560 --> 00:23:03,360 Speaker 2: the possession that you need to go into the place that. 416 00:23:03,359 --> 00:23:05,040 Speaker 1: I've prepared for you. Three. 417 00:23:05,240 --> 00:23:07,520 Speaker 2: Not only will he protect me, not only will he 418 00:23:07,600 --> 00:23:10,680 Speaker 2: position me, but he will prepare me. Now we got three, 419 00:23:10,720 --> 00:23:14,159 Speaker 2: peace less preach. God has been setting you up for 420 00:23:14,200 --> 00:23:17,639 Speaker 2: this step all of your life, and before you is 421 00:23:17,680 --> 00:23:21,040 Speaker 2: the goodness and the glory of God made possible by 422 00:23:21,040 --> 00:23:24,280 Speaker 2: the grace of Jesus Christ. If it's just three people, 423 00:23:24,480 --> 00:23:27,720 Speaker 2: I came with an announcement. You're ready now. You don't 424 00:23:27,760 --> 00:23:30,040 Speaker 2: have to live in what was any longer, and you 425 00:23:30,040 --> 00:23:32,399 Speaker 2: don't have to stay stuck in a mindset then no 426 00:23:32,480 --> 00:23:36,399 Speaker 2: longer accommodates your anointing. You're ready now, the says the 427 00:23:36,560 --> 00:23:39,200 Speaker 2: spirit of the Lord. I kept you all your life. 428 00:23:39,440 --> 00:23:42,600 Speaker 2: I sustained you through many dangers, cause and stairs, and 429 00:23:42,680 --> 00:23:47,280 Speaker 2: now you're ready. A mind somebody looks happy say I'm ready. 430 00:23:52,119 --> 00:23:57,040 Speaker 2: I will protect you, I will position you, and I 431 00:23:57,160 --> 00:24:02,560 Speaker 2: will dirty word prepare you. Not a very fun one, 432 00:24:03,080 --> 00:24:05,919 Speaker 2: I know, I know. And the way he does it 433 00:24:05,960 --> 00:24:08,159 Speaker 2: is terrible. The way he does it is terrible. Did 434 00:24:08,240 --> 00:24:09,520 Speaker 2: y'all hear about the boiled frog? 435 00:24:10,840 --> 00:24:13,280 Speaker 1: Have you heard this? They teach. I don't know why 436 00:24:13,280 --> 00:24:14,239 Speaker 1: someone would want to do this. 437 00:24:14,560 --> 00:24:16,880 Speaker 2: I'm not recommending it, but if you want to boil 438 00:24:16,920 --> 00:24:19,800 Speaker 2: a frog, you ever just get it in your mind 439 00:24:19,840 --> 00:24:21,560 Speaker 2: you want to boil a frog? If you heard this before, 440 00:24:22,240 --> 00:24:25,920 Speaker 2: it's the old preacher thing. If you want to boil 441 00:24:25,920 --> 00:24:29,680 Speaker 2: a frog, don't put it in a boiling pot. Put 442 00:24:29,720 --> 00:24:34,240 Speaker 2: it in a pot and turn up the heat little 443 00:24:35,480 --> 00:24:38,520 Speaker 2: by little, and the frog won't know he's being boiled. Now, 444 00:24:38,520 --> 00:24:40,160 Speaker 2: I don't know what made the preacher want to boil 445 00:24:40,160 --> 00:24:44,280 Speaker 2: a frog. I can't answer that, but he is correct. 446 00:24:45,480 --> 00:24:48,119 Speaker 2: When the enemy wants to steal your confidence in the 447 00:24:48,119 --> 00:24:49,840 Speaker 2: promise of God, he doesn't do it all at once, 448 00:24:51,400 --> 00:24:53,440 Speaker 2: because if that alarm really went off, you jump out 449 00:24:53,440 --> 00:25:01,960 Speaker 2: the bed. So what does he do? Little by little? 450 00:25:03,040 --> 00:25:05,240 Speaker 2: And that's the warning that God is giving his people. 451 00:25:06,320 --> 00:25:09,320 Speaker 2: I'm sending my angel ahead of you. But if you 452 00:25:09,320 --> 00:25:12,320 Speaker 2: don't pay attention, and if you don't listen to what 453 00:25:12,359 --> 00:25:15,960 Speaker 2: he says, you will come to the place. And I 454 00:25:16,000 --> 00:25:19,600 Speaker 2: can prove to you that this happened to them because. 455 00:25:19,320 --> 00:25:23,760 Speaker 1: They got to the edge of the promise and they stopped. 456 00:25:24,760 --> 00:25:28,680 Speaker 2: And the reason that they stopped is because two spies 457 00:25:28,760 --> 00:25:31,320 Speaker 2: went in to the land and came out with faith 458 00:25:31,760 --> 00:25:34,440 Speaker 2: that they could do it. Ten spies went in and said, 459 00:25:34,640 --> 00:25:40,720 Speaker 2: they're bigger than us, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Jeptizites, 460 00:25:41,520 --> 00:25:47,120 Speaker 2: the Parizites, the Hiptites, the Amorites. They're bigger than us. 461 00:25:47,760 --> 00:25:51,959 Speaker 2: They're but guess what. They were already on the run. 462 00:25:53,600 --> 00:25:58,119 Speaker 2: Sometimes you are running from something that God has already. 463 00:25:57,720 --> 00:26:01,800 Speaker 1: Defeated ex trus you. 464 00:26:02,800 --> 00:26:05,640 Speaker 2: So they're standing at the place God has protected them 465 00:26:05,680 --> 00:26:10,080 Speaker 2: along the way. God has what's the second one? Position 466 00:26:10,240 --> 00:26:14,040 Speaker 2: them for this moment? What's the third one? He prepared them? 467 00:26:14,040 --> 00:26:15,280 Speaker 1: But guess what the angel can't do. 468 00:26:15,800 --> 00:26:17,800 Speaker 2: There's one thing the Angel can't do and will not do. 469 00:26:17,840 --> 00:26:20,000 Speaker 2: There's one thing God won't do for you. He'll protect you. 470 00:26:20,160 --> 00:26:22,960 Speaker 2: He'll keep you. He'll keep your mind, he'll keep your sanity. 471 00:26:23,160 --> 00:26:25,080 Speaker 2: He'll keep you from people that would harm you. He 472 00:26:25,119 --> 00:26:26,960 Speaker 2: will keep you from places that you didn't even know 473 00:26:27,000 --> 00:26:28,439 Speaker 2: if you would have been there, what would have happened? 474 00:26:28,480 --> 00:26:30,200 Speaker 1: And you will never even know on this side of. 475 00:26:30,160 --> 00:26:33,199 Speaker 2: Life, how many times God blocked stuff and turned stuff 476 00:26:33,280 --> 00:26:35,840 Speaker 2: and shifted stuff and moved stuff. And you thought it 477 00:26:35,920 --> 00:26:37,280 Speaker 2: was just you were a little bit late because you 478 00:26:37,320 --> 00:26:38,199 Speaker 2: forgot your wallet. 479 00:26:38,320 --> 00:26:39,240 Speaker 1: But there was a car. 480 00:26:39,080 --> 00:26:41,639 Speaker 2: Accident on seventy seven that had your name on it. 481 00:26:41,720 --> 00:26:44,120 Speaker 2: And when the devil said they're out, God said, I've 482 00:26:44,119 --> 00:26:45,120 Speaker 2: got sore. 483 00:26:45,640 --> 00:26:46,040 Speaker 1: Anyway. 484 00:26:46,080 --> 00:26:48,720 Speaker 2: There are so anyway anyway, there's so many things you 485 00:26:48,760 --> 00:26:51,600 Speaker 2: don't even know to thank God for. If you could see, 486 00:26:51,640 --> 00:26:54,879 Speaker 2: for one moment all of the things that God kept 487 00:26:54,880 --> 00:27:05,080 Speaker 2: you from, Listen to me, Blakeney, if we ever got 488 00:27:05,080 --> 00:27:08,320 Speaker 2: a revelation of what God kept us from, it would 489 00:27:08,359 --> 00:27:11,639 Speaker 2: be a bad day for the worship team, because all 490 00:27:11,680 --> 00:27:15,119 Speaker 2: the worship leaders wouldn't have a job, because we wouldn't 491 00:27:15,119 --> 00:27:18,560 Speaker 2: even need them, because we would lead ourselves in worship, 492 00:27:19,320 --> 00:27:20,720 Speaker 2: because we would walk in the door. 493 00:27:20,920 --> 00:27:21,880 Speaker 1: And we will walk in the. 494 00:27:21,800 --> 00:27:27,119 Speaker 2: Door clapping and shouting and rejoicing and praising God that 495 00:27:27,240 --> 00:27:30,200 Speaker 2: sometimes we don't see all the things that He's kept 496 00:27:30,280 --> 00:27:32,679 Speaker 2: us from and brought us to. 497 00:27:33,800 --> 00:27:37,480 Speaker 1: And now we're at this place and God has protected us. Yeah. 498 00:27:38,119 --> 00:27:44,040 Speaker 2: God has positioned us absolutely, and God has prepared us. 499 00:27:44,920 --> 00:27:48,480 Speaker 2: But there's one thing he won't do. He will not 500 00:27:48,680 --> 00:27:52,800 Speaker 2: possess the land for you. Here's the word of the Lord. 501 00:27:54,680 --> 00:27:58,320 Speaker 2: I will go before you, but I will not go 502 00:27:58,400 --> 00:28:00,800 Speaker 2: for you. 503 00:28:00,800 --> 00:28:05,680 Speaker 1: Your faith must make the step. Your faith must make 504 00:28:05,680 --> 00:28:08,200 Speaker 1: the step. And most of them never did. 505 00:28:09,440 --> 00:28:12,280 Speaker 2: Now, if they had gone in, they would have seen 506 00:28:12,320 --> 00:28:15,080 Speaker 2: that the giants that were still in the land were 507 00:28:15,119 --> 00:28:18,359 Speaker 2: left there on purpose. That was always confusing to me. 508 00:28:19,280 --> 00:28:22,080 Speaker 2: God said, I'm going to be an enemy to your enemies. 509 00:28:22,119 --> 00:28:24,800 Speaker 2: I'm going to oppose those who oppose you, and when 510 00:28:24,840 --> 00:28:25,720 Speaker 2: you get to the land. 511 00:28:25,520 --> 00:28:26,960 Speaker 1: I'm going to start driving them out. 512 00:28:28,119 --> 00:28:30,400 Speaker 2: I'm going to chase them away so you can inherit 513 00:28:30,480 --> 00:28:33,560 Speaker 2: what I have promised to you. But then he says, 514 00:28:34,200 --> 00:28:38,600 Speaker 2: I'm not going to do it all at once. I'm 515 00:28:38,600 --> 00:28:45,480 Speaker 2: going to do it like the frog, little by little, 516 00:28:46,400 --> 00:28:47,000 Speaker 2: I'm gonna do it. 517 00:28:47,560 --> 00:28:48,320 Speaker 1: We wait a minute. 518 00:28:48,320 --> 00:28:53,400 Speaker 2: God, if these are giants who can kill us and 519 00:28:53,480 --> 00:28:56,520 Speaker 2: cause us to worship other gods, shouldn't you get rid 520 00:28:56,560 --> 00:28:59,760 Speaker 2: of them as soon as possible? Come on, I mean, 521 00:29:00,400 --> 00:29:02,640 Speaker 2: wouldn't it make sense that if God wants something out 522 00:29:02,680 --> 00:29:04,840 Speaker 2: of your life, he would take it out right away? 523 00:29:05,480 --> 00:29:07,480 Speaker 2: And maybe this is just me because I grew up 524 00:29:07,520 --> 00:29:10,200 Speaker 2: in churches where they said, if you will pray this prayer, 525 00:29:10,280 --> 00:29:12,920 Speaker 2: Jesus will come into your heart and he will take 526 00:29:12,960 --> 00:29:15,640 Speaker 2: away your fear, and he will take away your pain, 527 00:29:16,400 --> 00:29:18,240 Speaker 2: and he will dry every tear from your eye. 528 00:29:18,280 --> 00:29:19,480 Speaker 1: And then I cried that night, and. 529 00:29:19,440 --> 00:29:22,320 Speaker 2: I couldn't figure out where did that Kleenex go, that 530 00:29:22,560 --> 00:29:25,240 Speaker 2: cosmic Kleenex that Jesus was gonna bring and wipe every 531 00:29:25,240 --> 00:29:27,440 Speaker 2: tear from my eye? I couldn't figure it out because 532 00:29:27,480 --> 00:29:34,600 Speaker 2: I was expecting sanctification to work like salvation. When Jesus 533 00:29:34,680 --> 00:29:38,720 Speaker 2: saves you, he does it all at once. He doesn't 534 00:29:38,760 --> 00:29:42,640 Speaker 2: set you up on a thirty year payment plan. Salvation 535 00:29:42,840 --> 00:29:46,000 Speaker 2: is not a mortgage. When he comes in he comes. 536 00:29:45,720 --> 00:29:47,880 Speaker 1: All the way in. And for those of. 537 00:29:47,760 --> 00:29:50,040 Speaker 2: You who have received his grace, let me tell you 538 00:29:50,080 --> 00:29:51,000 Speaker 2: something is amazing. 539 00:29:51,040 --> 00:29:52,880 Speaker 1: It's amazing. Here a shot, lean on the edge of 540 00:29:52,920 --> 00:29:53,360 Speaker 1: your seat. 541 00:29:53,520 --> 00:29:57,080 Speaker 2: You will never be more forgiven than you are right now. 542 00:29:58,000 --> 00:30:00,240 Speaker 1: You will never be more love than you are right now. 543 00:30:02,960 --> 00:30:06,960 Speaker 2: When He forgives you, he forgives you completely, immediately, fully, 544 00:30:07,200 --> 00:30:10,480 Speaker 2: without qualification. There is no corner of your heart he 545 00:30:10,480 --> 00:30:14,720 Speaker 2: didn't see when he sent his spirit to live within you. 546 00:30:14,720 --> 00:30:17,240 Speaker 2: You will never be more forgiven than you are right now. 547 00:30:17,480 --> 00:30:22,880 Speaker 2: But there is a difference between forgiveness and freedom. 548 00:30:23,160 --> 00:30:24,680 Speaker 1: Forgiveness happens all at once. 549 00:30:25,760 --> 00:30:33,479 Speaker 2: Freedom happens little by little, by little by little, and 550 00:30:33,640 --> 00:30:37,520 Speaker 2: is often so incremental that you don't even think is happening. 551 00:30:39,080 --> 00:30:42,400 Speaker 2: This is for everybody who's forty and thought you would 552 00:30:42,440 --> 00:30:47,040 Speaker 2: be smarter than you are right now, and you keep 553 00:30:47,080 --> 00:30:49,720 Speaker 2: doing dumb stuff that you've been doing all your life, 554 00:30:50,880 --> 00:30:53,080 Speaker 2: and you still feel outrage to the back row. 555 00:30:53,120 --> 00:30:54,000 Speaker 1: I don't need any love. 556 00:30:55,640 --> 00:30:58,160 Speaker 2: You're doing stuff right now that you are doing at 557 00:30:58,200 --> 00:31:01,040 Speaker 2: age fourteen, and you got your own thirteen year old 558 00:31:04,200 --> 00:31:08,000 Speaker 2: and you still feel like a little kid yourself. And 559 00:31:08,200 --> 00:31:15,320 Speaker 2: it happens. It happened to Paul. Paul was that great apostle. 560 00:31:15,840 --> 00:31:18,600 Speaker 1: Have you heard of him? He took the gospel to 561 00:31:18,640 --> 00:31:19,880 Speaker 1: the Gentiles. 562 00:31:20,360 --> 00:31:24,160 Speaker 2: What God started through Abraham he continued through Paul. He 563 00:31:24,200 --> 00:31:26,360 Speaker 2: told Abraham, he said, I got an assignment for you. 564 00:31:26,920 --> 00:31:29,080 Speaker 2: All the nations of the earth will. 565 00:31:28,960 --> 00:31:30,360 Speaker 1: Be blessed through you. 566 00:31:31,480 --> 00:31:34,520 Speaker 2: A What an assignment, he said, But don't worry about it. 567 00:31:34,880 --> 00:31:37,840 Speaker 1: I'm going to bless you so you can be a blessing. 568 00:31:38,320 --> 00:31:42,160 Speaker 2: I will not require from you a resource that I 569 00:31:42,200 --> 00:31:43,160 Speaker 2: do not put within you. 570 00:31:44,680 --> 00:31:47,320 Speaker 1: You hear me. If God called you to. 571 00:31:47,360 --> 00:31:49,960 Speaker 2: Raise those hard headed kids, he will make your head 572 00:31:50,000 --> 00:31:56,160 Speaker 2: even harder. Boom, You met your match now because God 573 00:31:56,240 --> 00:31:59,560 Speaker 2: gave me. God gave me a cranium that can withstand 574 00:31:59,600 --> 00:32:06,520 Speaker 2: all of your craziness. Now God gives him the assignment, 575 00:32:07,280 --> 00:32:09,360 Speaker 2: and he gives him the assistance. 576 00:32:10,760 --> 00:32:13,000 Speaker 1: And Paul, in many ways, was grace. 577 00:32:13,360 --> 00:32:15,960 Speaker 2: He was grace to be able to speak eloquently. He 578 00:32:16,120 --> 00:32:19,600 Speaker 2: was grace to be able to preach to the diaspora 579 00:32:19,760 --> 00:32:23,080 Speaker 2: of the Jewish tradition that he himself came from. But 580 00:32:23,120 --> 00:32:26,320 Speaker 2: one thing about Paul he couldn't understand. He couldn't understand 581 00:32:26,400 --> 00:32:30,040 Speaker 2: there was something in his life that he expected God 582 00:32:30,080 --> 00:32:33,720 Speaker 2: to take away that God left. You got anything like that, 583 00:32:35,840 --> 00:32:38,480 Speaker 2: fella looking at me so weird right now? 584 00:32:39,960 --> 00:32:41,120 Speaker 1: Maybe you're beyond Paul. 585 00:32:41,160 --> 00:32:43,160 Speaker 2: I would understand if you were holier than Paul, that 586 00:32:43,440 --> 00:32:44,200 Speaker 2: would make sense. 587 00:32:45,160 --> 00:32:46,800 Speaker 1: But Paul was struggling. He hadn't quite a. 588 00:32:46,800 --> 00:32:50,600 Speaker 2: Arrived to your level of spiritual development and maturity. Paul said, 589 00:32:50,840 --> 00:32:55,040 Speaker 2: there was something that I asked God to do for 590 00:32:55,200 --> 00:32:58,400 Speaker 2: me that he would not do. Now, if you want 591 00:32:58,400 --> 00:33:00,560 Speaker 2: to know what it was, Paul's going to disappoint you 592 00:33:00,760 --> 00:33:01,840 Speaker 2: because he refuses to. 593 00:33:01,800 --> 00:33:02,560 Speaker 1: Name it by name. 594 00:33:04,040 --> 00:33:05,760 Speaker 2: And I'm glad he didn't name it by name because 595 00:33:05,760 --> 00:33:07,440 Speaker 2: if he would have said it, I couldn't relate to it. 596 00:33:07,840 --> 00:33:09,480 Speaker 2: But the fact that he used this image, and I 597 00:33:09,480 --> 00:33:11,920 Speaker 2: want to read it to you now two Corinthians twelve seven. 598 00:33:12,200 --> 00:33:16,000 Speaker 2: It means that whatever is left in your life, whatever 599 00:33:16,160 --> 00:33:19,280 Speaker 2: is left in your life that you have been blaming 600 00:33:19,360 --> 00:33:24,960 Speaker 2: on the devil, can be used by God to fulfill 601 00:33:25,280 --> 00:33:29,520 Speaker 2: his purpose for your life. If you got anything like that, 602 00:33:29,560 --> 00:33:31,600 Speaker 2: wave at me, so I can see the seven people 603 00:33:31,880 --> 00:33:36,200 Speaker 2: that God gave me this message for. Paul said, I 604 00:33:36,240 --> 00:33:40,560 Speaker 2: was ascended to the third heaven. I saw things inutterable. 605 00:33:40,760 --> 00:33:43,960 Speaker 2: I was used by God in ways that are astounding, 606 00:33:44,040 --> 00:33:46,440 Speaker 2: in fact, beyond human vocabulary. 607 00:33:46,920 --> 00:33:49,680 Speaker 1: Therefore, now watch this. This is crazy, he says. 608 00:33:49,920 --> 00:33:54,000 Speaker 2: Because of that level of blessing, God gave me an 609 00:33:54,040 --> 00:34:01,200 Speaker 2: equal burden. Because the greater the assignment, the greater the adversity. 610 00:34:02,400 --> 00:34:05,680 Speaker 2: The greater the assignment, the greater the attack. 611 00:34:06,560 --> 00:34:09,680 Speaker 1: So Paul said, God took me up so. 612 00:34:09,880 --> 00:34:14,000 Speaker 2: High and showed me so much that there had to 613 00:34:14,080 --> 00:34:17,560 Speaker 2: be something in my life that would keep me grounded 614 00:34:17,600 --> 00:34:21,520 Speaker 2: to his grace. He doesn't name it by name. He 615 00:34:21,560 --> 00:34:24,680 Speaker 2: doesn't need to, because he knows you have your own. 616 00:34:25,480 --> 00:34:29,960 Speaker 2: So he simply says, therefore, in order here's the clue 617 00:34:30,400 --> 00:34:37,919 Speaker 2: to keep me from becoming conceited, there was something that 618 00:34:38,000 --> 00:34:42,160 Speaker 2: God gave Paul to keep him in a space called grace, 619 00:34:43,760 --> 00:34:46,640 Speaker 2: so that he would never forget who led. 620 00:34:46,560 --> 00:34:49,320 Speaker 1: Him along the way, So that he would never. 621 00:34:49,120 --> 00:34:52,640 Speaker 2: Forget who brought him out of bondage and darkness into 622 00:34:52,680 --> 00:34:56,320 Speaker 2: the marvelous life. God said, I'm gonna I'm gonna lead 623 00:34:56,880 --> 00:35:03,759 Speaker 2: some stuff in your life. And so in order to 624 00:35:03,840 --> 00:35:08,040 Speaker 2: keep me from becoming conceited, there was given to me. 625 00:35:09,000 --> 00:35:11,560 Speaker 2: Sounds like he's about to get a new car, right, 626 00:35:12,160 --> 00:35:14,319 Speaker 2: He gave me gave me. 627 00:35:14,480 --> 00:35:16,120 Speaker 1: This's got me in the mindset of a gift. What 628 00:35:16,200 --> 00:35:18,520 Speaker 1: did he give you, Paul? Did he give you a house? 629 00:35:18,560 --> 00:35:20,960 Speaker 1: Did he give you a promotion? Did he give you 630 00:35:21,000 --> 00:35:22,040 Speaker 1: a blessing? No? 631 00:35:22,040 --> 00:35:27,000 Speaker 2: No, no, Paul said, one day the devil showed up 632 00:35:27,000 --> 00:35:30,560 Speaker 2: on my doorstep with a package and it had a 633 00:35:30,560 --> 00:35:34,400 Speaker 2: bow on it. I opened the package and in the 634 00:35:34,440 --> 00:35:36,480 Speaker 2: package was a thorn. 635 00:35:37,480 --> 00:35:40,239 Speaker 1: Now it was a gift, but it didn't look like 636 00:35:40,280 --> 00:35:40,720 Speaker 1: a gift. 637 00:35:41,840 --> 00:35:44,680 Speaker 2: It was a gift, but it was wrapped in something 638 00:35:44,800 --> 00:35:45,799 Speaker 2: that looked like pain. 639 00:35:46,840 --> 00:35:47,720 Speaker 1: I was given. 640 00:35:48,080 --> 00:35:53,360 Speaker 2: Watch this a thorn in my flesh? Was it a sickness? 641 00:35:54,440 --> 00:35:58,439 Speaker 2: Was it a temptation Paul had? Was it people talking 642 00:35:58,480 --> 00:35:59,880 Speaker 2: about him and he couldn't shut him up? 643 00:36:00,600 --> 00:36:03,440 Speaker 1: Was it Facebook? Probably? 644 00:36:07,840 --> 00:36:13,240 Speaker 2: And he calls it this is crazy, a messenger of Satan. 645 00:36:15,719 --> 00:36:18,560 Speaker 2: How can he refer to it as a gift. If 646 00:36:18,600 --> 00:36:22,960 Speaker 2: it came from the enemy, it was sent to torment him. 647 00:36:23,040 --> 00:36:25,880 Speaker 2: That was the devil's intention to torment him. 648 00:36:28,120 --> 00:36:28,640 Speaker 1: Paul said. 649 00:36:28,840 --> 00:36:34,440 Speaker 2: God took what the enemy intended to torment me and 650 00:36:34,640 --> 00:36:36,160 Speaker 2: used it to transform me. 651 00:36:38,440 --> 00:36:41,960 Speaker 1: So the enemy's tools. 652 00:36:41,520 --> 00:36:44,680 Speaker 2: Of torment become God's tools of transformation. 653 00:36:46,960 --> 00:36:47,879 Speaker 1: And now I get it. 654 00:36:48,840 --> 00:36:52,080 Speaker 2: Now I get Exodus twenty three, because it's not just 655 00:36:52,200 --> 00:36:54,759 Speaker 2: the angels that God sends ahead. 656 00:36:54,520 --> 00:36:57,680 Speaker 1: Of you that he uses to bless you. Those are wonderful. 657 00:36:57,960 --> 00:37:00,600 Speaker 2: It's not just all of the promotions, and it's not 658 00:37:00,680 --> 00:37:04,160 Speaker 2: just the prosperity, and it's not just the peaceful situations. 659 00:37:04,360 --> 00:37:05,680 Speaker 1: It's not just the yeses. 660 00:37:06,160 --> 00:37:10,120 Speaker 2: Sometimes God uses the nose to lead you to a 661 00:37:10,160 --> 00:37:14,280 Speaker 2: greater yes. God said, no, I won't take it away, 662 00:37:14,840 --> 00:37:19,000 Speaker 2: but yes, I will give you so much grace that 663 00:37:19,160 --> 00:37:23,440 Speaker 2: you will be stronger than it, and you will discover 664 00:37:23,960 --> 00:37:28,520 Speaker 2: a power that you could have never known if you 665 00:37:28,560 --> 00:37:34,600 Speaker 2: didn't have a problem. But he said to me, my grace, 666 00:37:34,840 --> 00:37:39,080 Speaker 2: by shock grace. Shout grace, don't mumble, shout grace. Shot 667 00:37:39,120 --> 00:37:41,840 Speaker 2: grace like you need it. Shout grace like you can't 668 00:37:41,840 --> 00:37:44,360 Speaker 2: make it without it. Shout grace like it's not just 669 00:37:44,440 --> 00:37:45,360 Speaker 2: something you say. 670 00:37:45,239 --> 00:37:48,440 Speaker 1: Before you eat. Shalt grace like you live by it. 671 00:37:48,480 --> 00:37:50,680 Speaker 1: Shout grace like he died to give it. 672 00:37:50,719 --> 00:37:55,200 Speaker 2: Shout grace like you know it's the avenue of pless. 673 00:37:58,800 --> 00:38:02,760 Speaker 2: So he didn't give me relief, He gave me grace. 674 00:38:05,880 --> 00:38:06,920 Speaker 1: And now I get it. 675 00:38:07,719 --> 00:38:11,239 Speaker 2: Why God left the giants in the land, because he 676 00:38:11,320 --> 00:38:17,400 Speaker 2: had them under contract. See they were They weren't used 677 00:38:17,400 --> 00:38:19,360 Speaker 2: to having to keep up their own land yet. 678 00:38:19,840 --> 00:38:21,720 Speaker 1: So God said, I'm gonna do you a favor. 679 00:38:22,600 --> 00:38:27,359 Speaker 2: I'm gonna keep some enemies on your property. But don't 680 00:38:27,400 --> 00:38:30,760 Speaker 2: worry about your enemies. They work for me. I am God. 681 00:38:33,480 --> 00:38:35,520 Speaker 1: What's good to me? It's good to me, it's good 682 00:38:35,560 --> 00:38:35,799 Speaker 1: to me. 683 00:38:37,320 --> 00:38:39,880 Speaker 2: Would it be bad if I downloaded this podcast myself? 684 00:38:41,520 --> 00:38:43,799 Speaker 1: He said, I'm gonna leave some things. I'm gonna lease 685 00:38:43,840 --> 00:38:47,319 Speaker 1: some weaknesses in your life. Take it away now, I'm 686 00:38:47,320 --> 00:38:48,120 Speaker 1: gonna work through it. 687 00:38:49,440 --> 00:38:51,960 Speaker 2: Now, I'm gonna leave that weakness in your life, and 688 00:38:52,040 --> 00:38:56,120 Speaker 2: your weakness is going to lead you to my strength. 689 00:38:58,000 --> 00:38:58,840 Speaker 1: God says. 690 00:38:59,480 --> 00:39:05,480 Speaker 2: Sometimes times I drive the giants out. Sometimes I let 691 00:39:05,520 --> 00:39:11,200 Speaker 2: them stay and I give them a job. Sometimes I 692 00:39:11,360 --> 00:39:16,920 Speaker 2: use the devil to deliver my mail. Sometimes I use 693 00:39:17,320 --> 00:39:23,120 Speaker 2: adversity to create an advantage in your life. Sometimes I 694 00:39:23,320 --> 00:39:24,840 Speaker 2: take what people meant. 695 00:39:24,640 --> 00:39:26,720 Speaker 1: For evil and use it for. 696 00:39:26,600 --> 00:39:29,879 Speaker 2: Good because I'm God like that, and I got so. 697 00:39:30,000 --> 00:39:31,759 Speaker 1: Bad and I'm already there. 698 00:39:40,560 --> 00:39:45,160 Speaker 2: So I'm gonna use not only my angel, but I'm 699 00:39:45,160 --> 00:39:49,120 Speaker 2: gonna use your enemies, and I'm gonna leave them there. 700 00:39:50,360 --> 00:39:54,280 Speaker 1: Why would you leave enemies on my territory, very simple. 701 00:39:56,360 --> 00:40:00,240 Speaker 1: Historians tell us that the land of Canaan at this time. 702 00:40:01,600 --> 00:40:05,560 Speaker 2: Was populated with wild animals that the Canaanites knew how 703 00:40:05,560 --> 00:40:09,759 Speaker 2: to deal with, but the Israelites didn't yet, particularly the 704 00:40:09,840 --> 00:40:14,399 Speaker 2: lions that lived in the land. And so God knew, 705 00:40:14,400 --> 00:40:16,880 Speaker 2: if I clear out all the enemies at once, the 706 00:40:16,960 --> 00:40:18,160 Speaker 2: lions will take them over. 707 00:40:20,440 --> 00:40:21,839 Speaker 1: What's a group of lions called? 708 00:40:22,040 --> 00:40:27,240 Speaker 2: Does anybody know what? 709 00:40:27,239 --> 00:40:27,439 Speaker 1: What? 710 00:40:29,200 --> 00:40:31,560 Speaker 2: So? God said, if I clear all your enemies out 711 00:40:31,840 --> 00:40:45,200 Speaker 2: all at once, pride, we'll take over. Paul said, I 712 00:40:45,360 --> 00:40:57,120 Speaker 2: delight in weaknesses, Canaanites, insults, parasites, hardships, heavites. Don't you 713 00:40:57,160 --> 00:41:01,719 Speaker 2: see it, Paul said, I'm glad for my giants. I 714 00:41:01,760 --> 00:41:05,719 Speaker 2: don't just thank God for my angels. I thank Him 715 00:41:05,719 --> 00:41:08,759 Speaker 2: for my giants too. They taught me how to fight. 716 00:41:09,440 --> 00:41:15,839 Speaker 2: They built my faith. So it's a deep message. It's 717 00:41:15,880 --> 00:41:19,239 Speaker 2: a deep message. It's one thing to praise God for 718 00:41:19,320 --> 00:41:23,080 Speaker 2: your protection, but it's another thing to praise him for 719 00:41:23,120 --> 00:41:30,240 Speaker 2: your problems. I want to suggest that sometimes your problems 720 00:41:30,280 --> 00:41:32,080 Speaker 2: are your protection from yourself. 721 00:41:39,880 --> 00:41:42,560 Speaker 1: You've had an addiction all your life, and. 722 00:41:42,480 --> 00:41:44,759 Speaker 2: You've asked God to take the desire away, and he 723 00:41:44,880 --> 00:41:51,799 Speaker 2: won't why because I want you to need me, and 724 00:41:51,840 --> 00:41:54,160 Speaker 2: I want you to choose to serve me. 725 00:41:55,400 --> 00:41:58,600 Speaker 1: I will not force you to be free. I want 726 00:41:58,600 --> 00:41:59,880 Speaker 1: it to be your decision. 727 00:42:00,440 --> 00:42:02,640 Speaker 2: So I'm going to leave some things in your life 728 00:42:02,680 --> 00:42:04,480 Speaker 2: that I know you want me to take out. 729 00:42:05,760 --> 00:42:09,160 Speaker 1: But I'm not sending you into the fire alone. 730 00:42:09,360 --> 00:42:11,960 Speaker 2: I will be with you to deliver you, and I 731 00:42:12,000 --> 00:42:17,360 Speaker 2: will protect you, and I will prepare you, and I 732 00:42:17,400 --> 00:42:20,719 Speaker 2: will position you. But I cannot possess it for you. 733 00:42:21,840 --> 00:42:25,600 Speaker 2: Only you can possess this place. Only you can do it. 734 00:42:26,200 --> 00:42:29,240 Speaker 2: I can preach to you these principles, but I cannot 735 00:42:29,320 --> 00:42:30,000 Speaker 2: possess them. 736 00:42:31,239 --> 00:42:32,480 Speaker 1: No one can do it for you. 737 00:42:34,480 --> 00:42:37,440 Speaker 2: Stop expecting for God's deliverance to be sudden. 738 00:42:38,760 --> 00:42:44,239 Speaker 4: The greatest gift God can give you is gradual change, 739 00:42:44,840 --> 00:42:47,759 Speaker 4: so that he hides you from your own progress to 740 00:42:47,880 --> 00:42:50,800 Speaker 4: prevent your pride. 741 00:42:51,719 --> 00:42:58,319 Speaker 1: God doesn't even want you to know you're growing. He 742 00:42:58,360 --> 00:43:01,719 Speaker 1: wants you to trust his grace. And that's why God said. 743 00:43:01,480 --> 00:43:04,760 Speaker 2: To Paul, I'm not going to give you the gift 744 00:43:05,440 --> 00:43:09,839 Speaker 2: of relief. I'm gonna give you something greater, grace. It 745 00:43:09,880 --> 00:43:15,040 Speaker 2: looks like a thorn, but it's really grace. The devil 746 00:43:15,120 --> 00:43:17,640 Speaker 2: might have dropped it off at the doorstep. But I'm 747 00:43:17,640 --> 00:43:19,000 Speaker 2: the one who addressed it to you. 748 00:43:21,320 --> 00:43:24,040 Speaker 1: And no, I won't drive them all out, And no 749 00:43:24,160 --> 00:43:25,560 Speaker 1: I'm not going to make it easier. You know what. 750 00:43:25,640 --> 00:43:31,080 Speaker 2: God won't fix your attitude. He'll give you his spirit 751 00:43:32,840 --> 00:43:37,399 Speaker 2: little by little as you serve and pray, show up. 752 00:43:38,640 --> 00:43:40,840 Speaker 2: Trust that He's working in your life. Little by little, 753 00:43:41,800 --> 00:43:45,120 Speaker 2: little by little, I am bringing you into the place 754 00:43:45,160 --> 00:43:50,200 Speaker 2: that I have prepared for you. The greater assignment gets 755 00:43:50,239 --> 00:43:53,799 Speaker 2: the greater assistance. If you've been going through some of 756 00:43:53,800 --> 00:43:57,960 Speaker 2: the things that Paul mentioned, weakness, insults, hardship, persecution, difficulties, 757 00:43:58,040 --> 00:44:00,799 Speaker 2: he mentions five and verse ten. I believe they are 758 00:44:00,840 --> 00:44:02,840 Speaker 2: the five giants that God leaves a measure of in 759 00:44:02,880 --> 00:44:03,640 Speaker 2: all of our lives. 760 00:44:05,040 --> 00:44:06,319 Speaker 1: I believe He leaves a little bit of. 761 00:44:06,239 --> 00:44:08,319 Speaker 2: All of that in all of our lives to teach 762 00:44:08,400 --> 00:44:11,480 Speaker 2: us to trust it. If it's been speaking to you 763 00:44:11,520 --> 00:44:13,360 Speaker 2: today while I've been preaching, and you would like for 764 00:44:13,440 --> 00:44:16,000 Speaker 2: me to agree in prayer for you to take your 765 00:44:16,040 --> 00:44:18,520 Speaker 2: next step in faith, stand to your feet, and I 766 00:44:18,560 --> 00:44:28,520 Speaker 2: will please at every location something that you wanted God 767 00:44:28,560 --> 00:44:31,840 Speaker 2: to take away, but He's left it for a reason. 768 00:44:34,640 --> 00:44:37,400 Speaker 2: Please don't leave because somebody might be standing about something 769 00:44:37,440 --> 00:44:39,480 Speaker 2: that's much more serious than traffic. 770 00:44:40,000 --> 00:44:41,239 Speaker 1: So please stay right where you are. 771 00:44:44,120 --> 00:44:46,359 Speaker 2: When God releases a word like this into your life, 772 00:44:46,360 --> 00:44:49,440 Speaker 2: it's kind of like that angel. It can only transform 773 00:44:49,560 --> 00:44:51,480 Speaker 2: you to the level that you put your attention on 774 00:44:51,520 --> 00:44:54,439 Speaker 2: it and decide to obey it. And so what you've 775 00:44:54,440 --> 00:44:56,560 Speaker 2: heard today has been a principle from God's word, a 776 00:44:56,600 --> 00:45:01,680 Speaker 2: principle of possession. And the principle is it. It's ready 777 00:45:01,680 --> 00:45:06,920 Speaker 2: when you are, It's ready when you are. God gave 778 00:45:06,960 --> 00:45:09,480 Speaker 2: you the giant as a gift to teach you to 779 00:45:09,640 --> 00:45:10,920 Speaker 2: drive it out by faith. 780 00:45:11,520 --> 00:45:12,840 Speaker 1: That's how He strengthens you. 781 00:45:14,120 --> 00:45:19,080 Speaker 2: And the opportunity is before you today. 782 00:45:19,920 --> 00:45:21,000 Speaker 1: God said, I'll protect you. 783 00:45:22,360 --> 00:45:26,400 Speaker 2: I will, I'll prepare you, I'll position you, but I 784 00:45:26,400 --> 00:45:29,480 Speaker 2: will not possess it for you. The gift that I'm 785 00:45:29,480 --> 00:45:32,920 Speaker 2: going to give you is the grace to be patient 786 00:45:33,880 --> 00:45:38,719 Speaker 2: as you possess the promise. Father, would you minister right 787 00:45:38,760 --> 00:45:42,800 Speaker 2: now to each son and daughter that you have called 788 00:45:42,840 --> 00:45:47,279 Speaker 2: by name and chosen for this time, the grace that 789 00:45:47,320 --> 00:45:52,560 Speaker 2: they need for their specific situation. You said to Paul, 790 00:45:53,000 --> 00:45:58,560 Speaker 2: my grace is sufficient for you. I believe that promise 791 00:45:58,640 --> 00:46:00,400 Speaker 2: is personal for me. 792 00:46:00,480 --> 00:46:01,000 Speaker 1: And for them. 793 00:46:02,120 --> 00:46:05,400 Speaker 2: I don't believe there's a situation in this room that 794 00:46:05,440 --> 00:46:10,680 Speaker 2: you would not declare over My grace is enough. So 795 00:46:11,520 --> 00:46:15,799 Speaker 2: we stand in the sufficiency of your Spirit and your 796 00:46:15,800 --> 00:46:20,520 Speaker 2: son today and on every location. I come into agreement 797 00:46:20,960 --> 00:46:25,600 Speaker 2: with your people that we will not waste our Angel. 798 00:46:26,640 --> 00:46:30,520 Speaker 2: We will not waste this message. We will not waste 799 00:46:30,920 --> 00:46:34,640 Speaker 2: this moment. You have brought us this far. You have 800 00:46:34,760 --> 00:46:38,759 Speaker 2: brought us too far. You have been too good and 801 00:46:38,880 --> 00:46:43,080 Speaker 2: done too much for us to stand outside of freedom, 802 00:46:43,360 --> 00:46:46,680 Speaker 2: wishing about it, thinking about it and singing about it, 803 00:46:46,760 --> 00:46:48,279 Speaker 2: but not experiencing it. 804 00:46:48,560 --> 00:46:50,440 Speaker 1: I declare, in the name. 805 00:46:50,280 --> 00:46:56,280 Speaker 3: Of Jesus, we shall be free. We shall possess the land. 806 00:46:56,640 --> 00:47:01,400 Speaker 3: We shall inherit the promise. We shall receive all. 807 00:47:01,239 --> 00:47:04,560 Speaker 2: That you'll die to provide. We shall rise as you 808 00:47:04,680 --> 00:47:08,360 Speaker 2: are risen. Come on, put a sut on that people, 809 00:47:09,280 --> 00:47:10,279 Speaker 2: put a sut on it. 810 00:47:11,520 --> 00:47:12,640 Speaker 1: Put a sut on it. 811 00:47:19,520 --> 00:47:24,239 Speaker 2: By faith, we will inherit the land God. I come 812 00:47:24,239 --> 00:47:27,360 Speaker 2: against the spirit of discouragement today. The devil is a liar, 813 00:47:28,160 --> 00:47:30,680 Speaker 2: that spirit that always tells us, what's the point, You're 814 00:47:30,760 --> 00:47:33,720 Speaker 2: just like you were never gonna We say to that spirit, 815 00:47:33,760 --> 00:47:36,360 Speaker 2: shut up. In the name of Jesus, you're already defeated. 816 00:47:36,920 --> 00:47:39,600 Speaker 1: Get under our feet. We are the people of God. 817 00:47:41,680 --> 00:47:42,600 Speaker 1: Get beneath us. 818 00:47:43,920 --> 00:47:46,080 Speaker 2: Right now we are walking on what we used to. 819 00:47:46,120 --> 00:47:49,200 Speaker 1: Run from in the name of Jesus. And every place 820 00:47:49,280 --> 00:47:50,040 Speaker 1: we set. 821 00:47:49,760 --> 00:47:53,240 Speaker 2: Our foot, You've already given it to us. If we step, 822 00:47:53,320 --> 00:47:56,279 Speaker 2: you step, If we go, you go, If we will, 823 00:47:56,400 --> 00:47:57,000 Speaker 2: you will. 824 00:47:57,320 --> 00:47:59,239 Speaker 1: You are God, and we trusted you. 825 00:48:01,760 --> 00:48:07,960 Speaker 2: We declare this day total victory. 826 00:48:08,960 --> 00:48:13,319 Speaker 1: This is our declaration. Thank you for joining us. 827 00:48:13,640 --> 00:48:16,080 Speaker 2: Special thanks to those of you who give generously to 828 00:48:16,160 --> 00:48:19,640 Speaker 2: this ministry. Is because of you that this ministry is possible. 829 00:48:20,080 --> 00:48:22,640 Speaker 2: You can click the link in the description to give now, 830 00:48:23,160 --> 00:48:27,040 Speaker 2: or visit Elevationchurch dot org slash podcast for more information 831 00:48:27,560 --> 00:48:30,360 Speaker 2: and if you enjoyed the podcast, you can subscribe. 832 00:48:30,640 --> 00:48:31,960 Speaker 1: You can share it with your friends. 833 00:48:32,239 --> 00:48:34,520 Speaker 2: You can click the share button, take a screenshot and 834 00:48:34,560 --> 00:48:36,680 Speaker 2: share it on your social stories and tag us at 835 00:48:36,719 --> 00:48:37,560 Speaker 2: Elevation Church. 836 00:48:37,640 --> 00:48:44,239 Speaker 1: Thanks again for listening. God bless you.