1 00:00:05,040 --> 00:00:06,280 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Stephen Ferdick. 2 00:00:06,280 --> 00:00:09,360 Speaker 2: I'm the pastor of Elevation Church and this is our podcast. 3 00:00:09,520 --> 00:00:11,639 Speaker 2: Be sure to subscribe so we can get you these 4 00:00:11,680 --> 00:00:13,720 Speaker 2: new sermons every week. 5 00:00:14,000 --> 00:00:15,040 Speaker 1: Hope you're blessed today. 6 00:00:20,200 --> 00:00:24,079 Speaker 3: Today, I would like to dedicate my sermon to a 7 00:00:24,160 --> 00:00:27,320 Speaker 3: very special group of women. I've never dedicated a sermon before, 8 00:00:27,840 --> 00:00:31,440 Speaker 3: but today's sermon is dedicated to all the mothers of 9 00:00:31,600 --> 00:00:32,760 Speaker 3: teenage boys. 10 00:00:35,320 --> 00:00:37,040 Speaker 1: Well, all the mothers of teenage boys. 11 00:00:37,200 --> 00:00:39,680 Speaker 3: Just lift your hand, hold it up real high in 12 00:00:39,720 --> 00:00:42,160 Speaker 3: the chat. You can even tell us your son's name 13 00:00:42,240 --> 00:00:43,040 Speaker 3: and age in the chat. 14 00:00:43,159 --> 00:00:43,760 Speaker 1: No, I'm serious. 15 00:00:43,760 --> 00:00:45,360 Speaker 3: If you're a mom of teenage boys, I want to 16 00:00:45,400 --> 00:00:51,440 Speaker 3: see your hand. Everybody look around. We need your prayer. 17 00:00:53,159 --> 00:00:57,320 Speaker 3: Keep your hand up high, everybody look pray for us. 18 00:00:58,800 --> 00:01:06,760 Speaker 3: Parenting boys is no joke. Here's a picture of me, 19 00:01:06,760 --> 00:01:11,760 Speaker 3: me and my boys. All right, So that's Elijah. 20 00:01:11,400 --> 00:01:13,520 Speaker 1: On the well, I don't know. I guess he's on 21 00:01:13,560 --> 00:01:14,000 Speaker 1: the right. 22 00:01:14,840 --> 00:01:18,360 Speaker 3: I'm so bad at directions. Elijah's the older one. He 23 00:01:18,640 --> 00:01:22,880 Speaker 3: is seventeen, and he had just finished all of his 24 00:01:22,920 --> 00:01:26,720 Speaker 3: school work this week. He is graduating high school. 25 00:01:26,760 --> 00:01:27,360 Speaker 1: And I just. 26 00:01:31,480 --> 00:01:33,440 Speaker 4: I'm on the stage show. 27 00:01:33,480 --> 00:01:35,280 Speaker 3: I get to say whatever I want. I'm just gonna 28 00:01:35,280 --> 00:01:38,959 Speaker 3: mom brag for a second. This boy is graduating with 29 00:01:39,000 --> 00:01:40,640 Speaker 3: a high school diploma. 30 00:01:40,360 --> 00:01:42,800 Speaker 1: And an AA in business at the same. 31 00:01:42,880 --> 00:01:49,160 Speaker 3: Time, and he's going to be heading off to college 32 00:01:49,160 --> 00:01:50,680 Speaker 3: in the falling. I don't know if I'm sad or 33 00:01:50,720 --> 00:01:51,480 Speaker 3: excited about that. 34 00:01:51,640 --> 00:01:52,680 Speaker 1: I'm both. 35 00:01:54,440 --> 00:01:58,360 Speaker 3: And then Graham is fifteen and he's just finishing up. 36 00:01:58,440 --> 00:01:59,600 Speaker 1: His freshman year. 37 00:01:59,800 --> 00:02:01,880 Speaker 3: Just for fun, here's an old picture of us. 38 00:02:05,600 --> 00:02:07,160 Speaker 1: Keep it up there for a second. Let me tell 39 00:02:07,160 --> 00:02:10,400 Speaker 1: you something about these two little boys. They ate my 40 00:02:10,520 --> 00:02:11,720 Speaker 1: lunch every. 41 00:02:11,639 --> 00:02:19,160 Speaker 3: Day, literally and figuratively. They were wild from the minute 42 00:02:19,160 --> 00:02:21,799 Speaker 3: their little feet hit the floor. They were jumping and 43 00:02:21,919 --> 00:02:27,160 Speaker 3: running and wrestling constantly and taking family. 44 00:02:26,840 --> 00:02:28,520 Speaker 1: Pictures with them. 45 00:02:29,880 --> 00:02:36,080 Speaker 3: It's like this weird form of self inflicted torture. So okay, 46 00:02:36,120 --> 00:02:44,280 Speaker 3: here's another one and one way. 47 00:02:44,919 --> 00:02:49,400 Speaker 1: Here they are today. Not much has changed. 48 00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:55,720 Speaker 3: I was not prepared for the energy of boys, and 49 00:02:55,840 --> 00:02:58,120 Speaker 3: I wasn't prepared that my husband was going to like 50 00:02:58,320 --> 00:03:00,240 Speaker 3: encourage it, and just. 51 00:02:59,760 --> 00:03:02,239 Speaker 1: Just I grew up in a house with. 52 00:03:02,160 --> 00:03:04,960 Speaker 3: My mom and my dad and my two sisters, and 53 00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:11,720 Speaker 3: in our house tears and estrogen ruled. And now those 54 00:03:11,960 --> 00:03:15,600 Speaker 3: wild little boys are young men, and here I am. 55 00:03:15,639 --> 00:03:19,760 Speaker 3: I just have to say that this whole testosterone, weightlifting, 56 00:03:20,200 --> 00:03:26,280 Speaker 3: protein eating situation, it's just enlightening for me. This is 57 00:03:26,280 --> 00:03:28,840 Speaker 3: why we need your prayers. I shared this story when 58 00:03:28,880 --> 00:03:31,160 Speaker 3: we were on tour this spring, but not too long ago, 59 00:03:31,240 --> 00:03:34,239 Speaker 3: our middle son, Graham told me. Came in the kitchen 60 00:03:34,280 --> 00:03:36,160 Speaker 3: and we were talking and he said that he was 61 00:03:36,200 --> 00:03:42,160 Speaker 3: constantly sizing himself up against every person that crosses his path. 62 00:03:43,200 --> 00:03:46,680 Speaker 3: And he told me when he sees someone, he thinks, 63 00:03:47,800 --> 00:03:48,680 Speaker 3: would I win in a. 64 00:03:48,680 --> 00:03:54,440 Speaker 1: Fight against that guy? And then he said, Mom, do 65 00:03:54,560 --> 00:03:59,960 Speaker 1: you ever do that? I'm like, are you a smc? 66 00:04:00,240 --> 00:04:02,840 Speaker 1: A fight to break out at any moment? Is this 67 00:04:02,920 --> 00:04:06,400 Speaker 1: what boys think? This is news to me? And then Graham, 68 00:04:06,520 --> 00:04:09,240 Speaker 1: he kept talking. You said something that really spoke to me. 69 00:04:09,320 --> 00:04:13,839 Speaker 3: He said, And then Mom, I just decide that if 70 00:04:13,880 --> 00:04:17,480 Speaker 3: I wouldn't win in a fight, I pretty much always 71 00:04:17,640 --> 00:04:23,600 Speaker 3: know that my dad could take them. So today I 72 00:04:23,640 --> 00:04:29,120 Speaker 3: want to talk to you about sudden Strength. If you've 73 00:04:29,120 --> 00:04:31,000 Speaker 3: been in church with us in the past few weeks, you 74 00:04:31,040 --> 00:04:33,359 Speaker 3: know that we have been looking at the life of 75 00:04:33,480 --> 00:04:35,960 Speaker 3: David through the lens of Psalm thirty four and the 76 00:04:36,000 --> 00:04:39,799 Speaker 3: events that inspired David to write that Psalm two weeks 77 00:04:39,839 --> 00:04:44,479 Speaker 3: ago we learned about ugly trust, and can I just say, like, 78 00:04:44,560 --> 00:04:47,040 Speaker 3: I don't know if you put two and two together. 79 00:04:47,320 --> 00:04:51,320 Speaker 3: That week, but that particular week, Stephen preached in arenas 80 00:04:51,640 --> 00:04:56,320 Speaker 3: all over the Midwest eight times in ten days, and 81 00:04:56,360 --> 00:05:00,040 Speaker 3: then he came home and continued to pro out some 82 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:01,400 Speaker 3: thing fresh to us. 83 00:05:01,520 --> 00:05:02,960 Speaker 1: That's when he preached ugly trust. 84 00:05:03,320 --> 00:05:07,200 Speaker 3: And then the next week we learned about delayed praise. 85 00:05:07,240 --> 00:05:11,240 Speaker 3: And on top of both of these insanely amazing messages, 86 00:05:11,279 --> 00:05:15,039 Speaker 3: they were centered around a song that he wrote for 87 00:05:15,160 --> 00:05:16,119 Speaker 3: our church. 88 00:05:16,240 --> 00:05:18,680 Speaker 1: Can we just take a minute to thank. 89 00:05:18,400 --> 00:05:22,400 Speaker 3: God for the feast that our pastor labors to bring 90 00:05:22,480 --> 00:05:25,000 Speaker 3: to us every single week? 91 00:05:28,800 --> 00:05:43,680 Speaker 4: Amazing He pours any pores, any pores, and he ministers 92 00:05:43,720 --> 00:05:45,080 Speaker 4: to me every week, as I know. 93 00:05:45,080 --> 00:05:46,479 Speaker 1: He does to you too. 94 00:05:46,800 --> 00:05:54,239 Speaker 3: So ugly Trust, delayed praise, and now sudden strength, because 95 00:05:54,279 --> 00:06:00,320 Speaker 3: the truth is, sometimes an unexpected fight does break out, 96 00:06:01,040 --> 00:06:04,800 Speaker 3: not a fist fight, but maybe a fight for your marriage, 97 00:06:04,800 --> 00:06:07,880 Speaker 3: a fight for your health, a fight for your child, 98 00:06:07,920 --> 00:06:13,120 Speaker 3: and you find yourself sizing yourself up against what you 99 00:06:13,520 --> 00:06:17,600 Speaker 3: are facing. And today I want to talk about the sudden. 100 00:06:17,560 --> 00:06:19,680 Speaker 1: Strength that can be yours when. 101 00:06:19,560 --> 00:06:23,320 Speaker 3: You realize that you have a heavenly father who is 102 00:06:23,440 --> 00:06:27,440 Speaker 3: backing you up. And when you combine his power in 103 00:06:27,480 --> 00:06:31,039 Speaker 3: you with the weapons that he has given you, you 104 00:06:31,600 --> 00:06:35,680 Speaker 3: can take whatever you find yourself up against. 105 00:06:36,240 --> 00:06:39,039 Speaker 1: Can we talk about this today? All right? 106 00:06:39,080 --> 00:06:42,040 Speaker 3: So turn in your Bible to our passage for today, 107 00:06:42,080 --> 00:06:46,120 Speaker 3: which is First Samuel, chapter thirty. And while you're turning there, 108 00:06:46,560 --> 00:06:49,080 Speaker 3: I want us to slow down and I want to 109 00:06:49,080 --> 00:06:52,120 Speaker 3: bring you up to speed on where we are in 110 00:06:52,200 --> 00:06:55,920 Speaker 3: David's life, because David's story is extensive. David is one 111 00:06:55,920 --> 00:06:59,360 Speaker 3: of the most important characters in the Bible. And sometimes 112 00:06:59,640 --> 00:07:02,880 Speaker 3: we and we dropped down in a passage of scripture 113 00:07:03,160 --> 00:07:05,200 Speaker 3: and we preached you and you don't know, like, Okay, 114 00:07:05,240 --> 00:07:08,240 Speaker 3: I know David, but like, is this before Goliath? Or 115 00:07:08,440 --> 00:07:11,400 Speaker 3: is this after best Shiba? Like where does this come 116 00:07:11,760 --> 00:07:14,240 Speaker 3: in his story? So a little bit of backstory, don't worry. 117 00:07:14,360 --> 00:07:18,280 Speaker 3: I'm really good at giving backstory. Sometimes I've had to 118 00:07:18,360 --> 00:07:22,000 Speaker 3: learn because people don't like the story before the story. 119 00:07:22,040 --> 00:07:23,640 Speaker 1: But I'm gonna give it to you quick, okay. 120 00:07:24,120 --> 00:07:27,200 Speaker 3: So David was anointed to be king when he was 121 00:07:27,200 --> 00:07:30,520 Speaker 3: a fifteen year old boy tending sheep in his father's field. 122 00:07:30,680 --> 00:07:34,520 Speaker 3: Not long after that, he defeated Goliath, and then he 123 00:07:34,600 --> 00:07:37,440 Speaker 3: lived as a part of Saul's court. That's where David 124 00:07:37,720 --> 00:07:42,360 Speaker 3: became best friends with the king's son Jonathan. But then 125 00:07:42,400 --> 00:07:44,880 Speaker 3: the king began to get jealous of David and he 126 00:07:44,920 --> 00:07:47,040 Speaker 3: wanted to kill him, so he had to flee to 127 00:07:47,120 --> 00:07:51,280 Speaker 3: the wilderness. And eventually David has gathered a small army 128 00:07:51,360 --> 00:07:54,520 Speaker 3: for himself of about six hundred men who are following 129 00:07:54,600 --> 00:07:58,240 Speaker 3: him and who are protecting him. And they're constantly on 130 00:07:58,320 --> 00:08:01,440 Speaker 3: the run from Saul his army, and it's getting more 131 00:08:01,680 --> 00:08:05,120 Speaker 3: and more dangerous. So David and his men they settle 132 00:08:05,480 --> 00:08:09,080 Speaker 3: all the women and children in a town called Zicklag. 133 00:08:09,400 --> 00:08:11,640 Speaker 1: And then David, as our pastor told. 134 00:08:11,440 --> 00:08:14,400 Speaker 3: Us, does the next best thing that he knows to. 135 00:08:14,400 --> 00:08:17,720 Speaker 1: Do, and he and his men flee to the. 136 00:08:17,720 --> 00:08:21,280 Speaker 3: Enemy territory of the Philistines to work as mercenaries. And 137 00:08:21,280 --> 00:08:25,000 Speaker 3: that is where Pastor Stephen left us off last week. 138 00:08:25,120 --> 00:08:26,440 Speaker 1: All right, now we. 139 00:08:26,480 --> 00:08:30,840 Speaker 3: Come to First Samuel, chapter thirty, and it says this now, 140 00:08:30,880 --> 00:08:33,320 Speaker 3: when David and his men came to Zicklag on the 141 00:08:33,360 --> 00:08:37,000 Speaker 3: third day, the Amalekites had made a raid against the 142 00:08:37,120 --> 00:08:41,760 Speaker 3: Negeb and against Zicklag. They had overcome Zicklag and burned 143 00:08:41,800 --> 00:08:45,920 Speaker 3: it with fire and taken captive all the women and 144 00:08:46,080 --> 00:08:49,400 Speaker 3: all who were in it, both great and small. They 145 00:08:49,480 --> 00:08:52,079 Speaker 3: killed no one, but they carried them off and went 146 00:08:52,120 --> 00:08:55,040 Speaker 3: their way. And when David and his men came to 147 00:08:55,120 --> 00:08:58,880 Speaker 3: the city, they found it burned with fire, and their 148 00:08:58,920 --> 00:09:03,280 Speaker 3: wives and sons and daughters taken captive. Then David and 149 00:09:03,320 --> 00:09:06,240 Speaker 3: the people who were with him raised their voices, and 150 00:09:06,320 --> 00:09:10,160 Speaker 3: they wept until they had no more strength to weep. 151 00:09:10,920 --> 00:09:13,880 Speaker 1: David's two wives have been taken captive. 152 00:09:13,640 --> 00:09:17,640 Speaker 3: A Henoum of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabel 153 00:09:17,679 --> 00:09:22,600 Speaker 3: of Carmel. And David was greatly distressed for the people 154 00:09:22,720 --> 00:09:26,360 Speaker 3: spoke of stoning him, because all the people were bitter 155 00:09:26,880 --> 00:09:31,120 Speaker 3: in soul, each for his sons and daughters. But David 156 00:09:31,200 --> 00:09:36,800 Speaker 3: strengthened himself in the Lord his God. All this time, 157 00:09:37,640 --> 00:09:42,320 Speaker 3: David has been running from Saul and living in the 158 00:09:42,360 --> 00:09:49,120 Speaker 3: Philistine territory, and he finally returns home to see his family, 159 00:09:49,360 --> 00:09:52,280 Speaker 3: and he finds that an enemy that he didn't see 160 00:09:52,360 --> 00:09:56,080 Speaker 3: coming has burned their town to the ground and has 161 00:09:56,160 --> 00:10:00,559 Speaker 3: taken his family, and he is devastated, and so are 162 00:10:00,600 --> 00:10:02,880 Speaker 3: his men and the men are looking for someone to blame, 163 00:10:03,080 --> 00:10:06,400 Speaker 3: as we often do when we find ourselves in despair, 164 00:10:07,080 --> 00:10:12,680 Speaker 3: and David it's all alone. Jonathan's not there to protect him, 165 00:10:13,160 --> 00:10:16,640 Speaker 3: Abigail's not there to encourage him, Samuel the Prophet is 166 00:10:16,640 --> 00:10:20,360 Speaker 3: not there to remind him of his calling. And everyone 167 00:10:20,520 --> 00:10:23,880 Speaker 3: near and dear to him is gone, and his men 168 00:10:24,000 --> 00:10:28,480 Speaker 3: are plotting to kill him. We're watching David in one 169 00:10:28,520 --> 00:10:34,240 Speaker 3: of his lowest moments. He's tired, he's depleted, he's scared. 170 00:10:34,800 --> 00:10:35,600 Speaker 1: And what does he do? 171 00:10:36,600 --> 00:10:40,240 Speaker 3: How does he get up and do the next best 172 00:10:40,440 --> 00:10:44,319 Speaker 3: thing again, as we've seen him do over and over 173 00:10:44,640 --> 00:10:49,040 Speaker 3: in his story. Verse six tells us, but David strengthened 174 00:10:49,360 --> 00:10:52,920 Speaker 3: himself in the Lord his God. 175 00:10:53,040 --> 00:10:57,000 Speaker 1: What do you do when you need sudden strength and 176 00:10:57,080 --> 00:10:57,679 Speaker 1: no one is. 177 00:10:57,640 --> 00:11:03,559 Speaker 3: There to help you. Sometimes you got to strengthen yourself. 178 00:11:05,880 --> 00:11:10,640 Speaker 3: So David gathers every ounce of strength that he has left, 179 00:11:10,679 --> 00:11:12,600 Speaker 3: which he doesn't feel like is very much, and he 180 00:11:12,720 --> 00:11:13,240 Speaker 3: uses that. 181 00:11:13,240 --> 00:11:16,360 Speaker 1: Strength to seek God. Look what he does next. 182 00:11:17,520 --> 00:11:21,000 Speaker 3: And David said to a be a, oh man, I 183 00:11:21,080 --> 00:11:22,400 Speaker 3: practice how to say this word. 184 00:11:22,440 --> 00:11:27,839 Speaker 1: You guys. It's Abafar, son of Ahimelech. 185 00:11:28,160 --> 00:11:31,520 Speaker 3: Bring me the ephod so aba far brought the ephod 186 00:11:31,600 --> 00:11:35,960 Speaker 3: to David, and David inquired of the Lord. Shall I 187 00:11:36,040 --> 00:11:40,400 Speaker 3: pursue after this band? Shall I overtake them? David had 188 00:11:40,400 --> 00:11:43,559 Speaker 3: to get his next step from God. 189 00:11:44,960 --> 00:11:46,040 Speaker 1: He didn't have a pity party. 190 00:11:47,200 --> 00:11:51,520 Speaker 3: He didn't avoid the situation by hiding or numbing. He 191 00:11:51,559 --> 00:11:54,080 Speaker 3: didn't go into one of his caves. He didn't turn 192 00:11:54,120 --> 00:11:57,839 Speaker 3: around and blame his men, Well, you guys, we should 193 00:11:57,840 --> 00:12:01,920 Speaker 3: have left someone here to He didn't take a from them. 194 00:12:02,559 --> 00:12:06,240 Speaker 3: He cried until he had no tears left to cry, 195 00:12:07,280 --> 00:12:10,920 Speaker 3: and then when he could, he mustered all of the 196 00:12:10,960 --> 00:12:14,160 Speaker 3: strength that he had, and he took his pain and 197 00:12:14,200 --> 00:12:19,360 Speaker 3: his confusion and his fear right into the presence of God, 198 00:12:19,559 --> 00:12:21,240 Speaker 3: and he sought the Lord. 199 00:12:22,679 --> 00:12:24,160 Speaker 1: When we experience a. 200 00:12:24,160 --> 00:12:29,439 Speaker 3: Difficult situation, we have two choices. We can wonder why, 201 00:12:30,800 --> 00:12:37,520 Speaker 3: or we can ask what next. There is a time 202 00:12:37,559 --> 00:12:40,400 Speaker 3: to grieve and to mourn, and even a time to 203 00:12:40,440 --> 00:12:42,360 Speaker 3: be angry and confused. 204 00:12:42,400 --> 00:12:47,600 Speaker 1: But at some point you have to move on with it. 205 00:12:48,280 --> 00:12:50,640 Speaker 3: And I want to tell you the pain will most 206 00:12:50,800 --> 00:12:54,439 Speaker 3: likely still be there no matter what you do. Stay 207 00:12:54,440 --> 00:12:57,240 Speaker 3: in it, move on. The pain's going to be there. 208 00:12:57,600 --> 00:12:59,679 Speaker 3: But I don't know about you. I find in my 209 00:12:59,800 --> 00:13:03,520 Speaker 3: life when I sit in my pain for too long, 210 00:13:04,080 --> 00:13:09,400 Speaker 3: I get stale, and I get bitter, and nobody. 211 00:13:08,880 --> 00:13:13,640 Speaker 1: Wants to be around me. But when I drag my. 212 00:13:13,840 --> 00:13:19,480 Speaker 3: Pain to the feet of Jesus, sometimes over and over again, 213 00:13:19,800 --> 00:13:24,720 Speaker 3: when I seek God, he answers Now. Sometimes he doesn't 214 00:13:25,000 --> 00:13:28,040 Speaker 3: answer the way I hope that he will. Sometimes he 215 00:13:28,160 --> 00:13:31,960 Speaker 3: says stay when I want to go. Sometimes he says 216 00:13:32,320 --> 00:13:35,200 Speaker 3: forgive when I want to hold on to that hurt. 217 00:13:35,400 --> 00:13:40,679 Speaker 3: Sometimes he says stop. And here in this case, God 218 00:13:40,760 --> 00:13:45,400 Speaker 3: responds to David with a call to action. God said, 219 00:13:45,720 --> 00:13:50,360 Speaker 3: pursue the enemy, David, they're not dead, go and get 220 00:13:50,400 --> 00:13:54,640 Speaker 3: them back. And David set out the Bible tells us, 221 00:13:54,679 --> 00:13:57,800 Speaker 3: along with his six hundred men, to go and get 222 00:13:57,800 --> 00:14:01,600 Speaker 3: them back. There will always be times in your life 223 00:14:02,360 --> 00:14:07,000 Speaker 3: when the only person who can strengthen yourself is you. 224 00:14:08,720 --> 00:14:12,040 Speaker 3: If you want to have big muscles, you're gonna have 225 00:14:12,120 --> 00:14:16,120 Speaker 3: to lift heavyweights, right my boys have taught me. You 226 00:14:16,120 --> 00:14:19,400 Speaker 3: also have to eat lots of protein and sometimes drink 227 00:14:19,480 --> 00:14:26,240 Speaker 3: powdery drinks. No one can exercise for you. The only 228 00:14:26,280 --> 00:14:29,720 Speaker 3: way for you to get strong is to get up 229 00:14:30,200 --> 00:14:35,400 Speaker 3: again and again and again, even when you're tired of 230 00:14:35,440 --> 00:14:38,520 Speaker 3: getting up. So let's talk about tired for a second. 231 00:14:38,520 --> 00:14:40,480 Speaker 1: Because David is exhausted. 232 00:14:41,000 --> 00:14:43,800 Speaker 3: He's been living in enemy territory, which you can imagine 233 00:14:43,840 --> 00:14:48,360 Speaker 3: would be stressful, and he's traveled three days to come 234 00:14:48,440 --> 00:14:53,960 Speaker 3: home to his family, and what do you think he's planning. 235 00:14:53,560 --> 00:14:54,840 Speaker 1: Like this whole three day trip. 236 00:14:54,880 --> 00:14:58,920 Speaker 3: He's planning on feasting and relaxing and hugging his wife 237 00:14:59,000 --> 00:15:02,560 Speaker 3: and playing with his kids. And he arrives home only 238 00:15:02,640 --> 00:15:06,840 Speaker 3: to find them stolen by an enemy that he didn't 239 00:15:06,880 --> 00:15:10,360 Speaker 3: see coming. For so long he'd been running from Saul 240 00:15:10,920 --> 00:15:14,640 Speaker 3: that he left himself vulnerable in another area of his. 241 00:15:14,560 --> 00:15:17,320 Speaker 1: Life, and now he's just blindsided by it. 242 00:15:18,040 --> 00:15:22,200 Speaker 3: And so he wept until he had no strength left 243 00:15:22,280 --> 00:15:24,360 Speaker 3: to weep, and then he got up and he sought 244 00:15:24,360 --> 00:15:26,600 Speaker 3: the Lord, and God tells him to do something that 245 00:15:26,720 --> 00:15:28,760 Speaker 3: I'm guessing he didn't really want to do. 246 00:15:28,800 --> 00:15:32,600 Speaker 1: He wanted God to bring him back. God said, go 247 00:15:33,280 --> 00:15:33,880 Speaker 1: after them. 248 00:15:34,880 --> 00:15:39,040 Speaker 3: He said, you will recover everything that was taken. So, 249 00:15:39,160 --> 00:15:45,280 Speaker 3: on tired legs, David and his men set out to 250 00:15:45,400 --> 00:15:49,120 Speaker 3: get back what was theirs. And they had to travel 251 00:15:49,160 --> 00:15:51,480 Speaker 3: fast because they're having to catch up to the enemy. 252 00:15:51,760 --> 00:15:53,640 Speaker 3: And the story goes on to tell us that they 253 00:15:53,640 --> 00:15:57,440 Speaker 3: were so exhausted that two hundred of the men stopped. 254 00:15:58,080 --> 00:16:01,480 Speaker 3: They're like, we can't go any further. But David had 255 00:16:01,520 --> 00:16:04,600 Speaker 3: to keep going because if he didn't, he was gonna 256 00:16:04,600 --> 00:16:08,000 Speaker 3: lose everything. And so David and the four hundred remaining 257 00:16:08,040 --> 00:16:11,520 Speaker 3: men they finally catch up to the Amalekite camp, not 258 00:16:11,600 --> 00:16:14,000 Speaker 3: to just have a little talk with them, but they 259 00:16:14,040 --> 00:16:19,760 Speaker 3: have to fight now, and they arrive to the battle tired. 260 00:16:21,480 --> 00:16:24,600 Speaker 3: Just wondering, is anybody in this room tired today? 261 00:16:25,120 --> 00:16:28,560 Speaker 1: Raise your hand. It's okay, raise your hand. All right. 262 00:16:29,480 --> 00:16:33,800 Speaker 3: You might be sleepy, you might just be tired of it, 263 00:16:36,560 --> 00:16:39,600 Speaker 3: but look around. Raise your hand again. If you're tired, 264 00:16:39,920 --> 00:16:47,000 Speaker 3: We're all tired. Tired is a part of life now. 265 00:16:47,080 --> 00:16:52,520 Speaker 3: Some of us are stupid tired. Like perhaps you're a 266 00:16:52,560 --> 00:16:56,960 Speaker 3: teenage boy and you stayed up till four am playing 267 00:16:57,000 --> 00:17:02,640 Speaker 3: Fortnite or whatever game of your choice, and now you're 268 00:17:02,640 --> 00:17:07,320 Speaker 3: in church with your mom and you're. 269 00:17:07,240 --> 00:17:08,119 Speaker 1: Trying to stay awake. 270 00:17:09,960 --> 00:17:12,480 Speaker 3: Maybe you're tired because it's May and it's the end 271 00:17:12,520 --> 00:17:14,520 Speaker 3: of the school year and you have all of the 272 00:17:14,600 --> 00:17:18,960 Speaker 3: end of your programs and parties and teacher Gibson final 273 00:17:19,040 --> 00:17:21,840 Speaker 3: exams and making sure your kids cross the finish line, 274 00:17:21,840 --> 00:17:24,760 Speaker 3: and you've way over scheduled yourself this year. 275 00:17:25,320 --> 00:17:26,840 Speaker 1: Anybody on here that kind of tire. 276 00:17:28,040 --> 00:17:31,640 Speaker 3: Some of you are legitimately tired with no end in sight. 277 00:17:31,680 --> 00:17:35,080 Speaker 3: Maybe you're a single mom on Mother's Day with no help, 278 00:17:35,680 --> 00:17:38,000 Speaker 3: and you go every day from the time your eyes 279 00:17:38,080 --> 00:17:40,040 Speaker 3: open in the morning until the time your. 280 00:17:39,920 --> 00:17:42,280 Speaker 1: Head hits the pillow at night. 281 00:17:42,840 --> 00:17:48,119 Speaker 3: It's important to recognize when you're tired and why you're tired, 282 00:17:48,119 --> 00:17:51,320 Speaker 3: and it's important to evaluate your schedule, and even to 283 00:17:51,480 --> 00:17:55,080 Speaker 3: learn and to ask for help when you need help. 284 00:17:55,320 --> 00:17:58,639 Speaker 3: And we need rests in our lives, we do. We 285 00:17:58,680 --> 00:18:01,600 Speaker 3: need times of rest and Sabbath and all of those 286 00:18:01,640 --> 00:18:05,080 Speaker 3: wonderful things. But you know what I've learned in twenty 287 00:18:05,080 --> 00:18:06,680 Speaker 3: plus years of being a grown up. 288 00:18:09,440 --> 00:18:13,159 Speaker 1: I even get tired on vacation. I'm serious. Like for me, 289 00:18:13,320 --> 00:18:15,199 Speaker 1: I don't know what it's like when you wake up 290 00:18:15,240 --> 00:18:18,399 Speaker 1: in the morning, But if I get five. 291 00:18:18,160 --> 00:18:22,679 Speaker 3: Hours of sleep or nine hours of sleep, when I 292 00:18:22,720 --> 00:18:25,320 Speaker 3: open my eyes in the morning, I don't want to 293 00:18:25,320 --> 00:18:29,800 Speaker 3: wake up. I'm still tired, and I don't want to 294 00:18:29,840 --> 00:18:35,880 Speaker 3: sleep my life away. I want to stop being surprised 295 00:18:36,240 --> 00:18:37,000 Speaker 3: that I'm tired. 296 00:18:38,320 --> 00:18:41,480 Speaker 1: Tired is a part of being a grown up. 297 00:18:42,359 --> 00:18:45,960 Speaker 3: It is no longer an excuse to not get done 298 00:18:46,200 --> 00:18:50,000 Speaker 3: what needs to get done. Baby sleep when they're tired. 299 00:18:51,040 --> 00:18:56,080 Speaker 3: Grown up sleep when the day is done. Some of 300 00:18:56,119 --> 00:18:59,479 Speaker 3: the most defining moments in my life happened when I 301 00:18:59,600 --> 00:19:03,719 Speaker 3: was tired, when I pushed through and came out on 302 00:19:03,800 --> 00:19:08,000 Speaker 3: the other side. And perhaps the biggest lesson that I 303 00:19:08,040 --> 00:19:10,920 Speaker 3: have had to learn in my life is that tired 304 00:19:11,280 --> 00:19:16,320 Speaker 3: is a part of it every day. So we've got 305 00:19:16,400 --> 00:19:20,359 Speaker 3: to learn how to fight when we're tired, because if 306 00:19:20,400 --> 00:19:23,920 Speaker 3: you wait until you feel one hundred percent, you're never 307 00:19:24,000 --> 00:19:29,760 Speaker 3: gonna get back what has been stolen from you. Guys, 308 00:19:29,880 --> 00:19:35,720 Speaker 3: David was tired, not fifteen minutes tired now I stayed 309 00:19:35,800 --> 00:19:39,479 Speaker 3: up too late last night. Tired. He was fifteen years 310 00:19:40,040 --> 00:19:44,760 Speaker 3: tired of fighting a physical battle against Saul and a 311 00:19:44,880 --> 00:19:49,800 Speaker 3: mental battle against himself, constantly wondering if God was really 312 00:19:49,840 --> 00:19:52,359 Speaker 3: gonna do what he said that he was gonna do 313 00:19:52,480 --> 00:19:53,320 Speaker 3: through David. 314 00:19:53,400 --> 00:19:55,640 Speaker 1: Or if Saul was just gonna eventually get him. 315 00:19:56,840 --> 00:20:01,360 Speaker 3: There is a real enemy out there, and he wants 316 00:20:01,400 --> 00:20:07,120 Speaker 3: you to be too tired to fight back for. 317 00:20:07,160 --> 00:20:10,040 Speaker 1: The things that he has stolen from you. 318 00:20:11,760 --> 00:20:14,560 Speaker 3: He wants you to give up on the calling that 319 00:20:14,600 --> 00:20:18,840 Speaker 3: God has placed on your life. But you can't stop 320 00:20:19,080 --> 00:20:22,760 Speaker 3: short of the victory that God has for you. Look 321 00:20:22,800 --> 00:20:26,119 Speaker 3: at Ephesian six. I know many of you just finished 322 00:20:26,119 --> 00:20:31,040 Speaker 3: studying Ephesians. This was my favorite part if even six. 323 00:20:31,119 --> 00:20:36,520 Speaker 3: Verse ten says, finally, be strong in the Lord and 324 00:20:36,600 --> 00:20:38,080 Speaker 3: in his mighty power. 325 00:20:38,760 --> 00:20:42,440 Speaker 1: Put on the full armor of God so. 326 00:20:42,359 --> 00:20:45,200 Speaker 3: That you can stand against the devil's schemes. Now listen 327 00:20:45,200 --> 00:20:46,960 Speaker 3: to these verses because they're kind of scary if you 328 00:20:47,000 --> 00:20:49,960 Speaker 3: really read them. For our struggle is not against flesh 329 00:20:49,960 --> 00:20:53,840 Speaker 3: and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against 330 00:20:53,840 --> 00:20:56,960 Speaker 3: the powers of this dark world, and against the spiritual 331 00:20:57,000 --> 00:21:00,960 Speaker 3: forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore, he says 332 00:21:00,960 --> 00:21:04,840 Speaker 3: it again, put on the full armor of God, so 333 00:21:04,880 --> 00:21:08,040 Speaker 3: that when the day of evil comes, you may be 334 00:21:08,119 --> 00:21:14,160 Speaker 3: able to stand your ground. Paul is not talking about 335 00:21:14,280 --> 00:21:18,920 Speaker 3: a fight for us to take new ground. Jesus's work 336 00:21:18,960 --> 00:21:22,480 Speaker 3: on the Cross won the victory against sin and death. 337 00:21:23,200 --> 00:21:26,600 Speaker 3: Salvation is ours. We don't have to fight for that. 338 00:21:26,680 --> 00:21:31,600 Speaker 3: We receive that by grace through faith. But just because 339 00:21:31,640 --> 00:21:34,720 Speaker 3: we receive salvation doesn't mean that there is not still 340 00:21:34,760 --> 00:21:37,000 Speaker 3: a very real enemy. 341 00:21:37,600 --> 00:21:42,240 Speaker 1: And he is going to do everything he can. He 342 00:21:42,359 --> 00:21:45,760 Speaker 1: came to steal, kill, and destroy. 343 00:21:46,920 --> 00:21:50,320 Speaker 3: And we are fighting against spiritual forces in realms that 344 00:21:50,440 --> 00:21:53,359 Speaker 3: we don't see, things that you don't even know about, 345 00:21:53,520 --> 00:21:56,840 Speaker 3: stuff that you would read in a fantasy book. Abby 346 00:21:58,200 --> 00:22:03,359 Speaker 3: demons and spiritual forces that are battling for your soul. 347 00:22:03,840 --> 00:22:08,000 Speaker 3: And if he can't take your salvation, he's gonna blindside you. 348 00:22:08,920 --> 00:22:10,080 Speaker 3: He's gonna take your peace. 349 00:22:12,320 --> 00:22:15,880 Speaker 1: His job is to get you focused on how tired 350 00:22:16,080 --> 00:22:18,719 Speaker 1: you are. You've been fighting for your marriage for years. 351 00:22:19,200 --> 00:22:21,800 Speaker 3: He's going to do everything he can to get you 352 00:22:21,840 --> 00:22:24,919 Speaker 3: to give up on it. He wants you to be 353 00:22:24,960 --> 00:22:27,159 Speaker 3: too tired to get your joy back, he wants you 354 00:22:27,200 --> 00:22:28,880 Speaker 3: to be too tired to get. 355 00:22:28,680 --> 00:22:31,000 Speaker 1: Your confidence back. And if he can. 356 00:22:30,840 --> 00:22:35,760 Speaker 3: Take those things from you, you will live your life saved. 357 00:22:35,520 --> 00:22:37,600 Speaker 1: But in defeat. And he won. 358 00:22:39,680 --> 00:22:43,320 Speaker 3: As believers in Christ. So we're not fighting in our 359 00:22:43,440 --> 00:22:45,960 Speaker 3: own power. That's the amazing thing. 360 00:22:46,359 --> 00:22:50,959 Speaker 1: PAULSA be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 361 00:22:51,040 --> 00:22:54,000 Speaker 3: It's his mighty power that is at work on the 362 00:22:54,080 --> 00:22:55,120 Speaker 3: inside of you. 363 00:22:56,359 --> 00:22:59,200 Speaker 1: But sometimes you gotta get up. 364 00:23:00,160 --> 00:23:03,320 Speaker 3: If you want to activate God's power in your life, 365 00:23:03,400 --> 00:23:04,200 Speaker 3: you got to move. 366 00:23:05,080 --> 00:23:08,720 Speaker 1: You got to seek him. Again and again and again. 367 00:23:09,000 --> 00:23:12,320 Speaker 3: You got to arm yourself so that you can stand 368 00:23:12,480 --> 00:23:13,600 Speaker 3: against the enemy. 369 00:23:13,800 --> 00:23:17,919 Speaker 1: Don't give in, don't let him win, keep fighting even 370 00:23:17,960 --> 00:23:19,359 Speaker 1: when you're tired. 371 00:23:21,080 --> 00:23:24,800 Speaker 3: So David and his men fought the battle against the Amalekites, 372 00:23:25,200 --> 00:23:28,120 Speaker 3: and the Bible says that it lasted a full twenty 373 00:23:28,560 --> 00:23:30,000 Speaker 3: four hours. 374 00:23:30,720 --> 00:23:34,439 Speaker 1: That's how long they had to fight. And look what 375 00:23:34,600 --> 00:23:35,920 Speaker 1: happened though verse eighteen. 376 00:23:37,560 --> 00:23:43,920 Speaker 3: David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken, and David 377 00:23:43,960 --> 00:23:45,080 Speaker 3: rescued his two wives. 378 00:23:45,520 --> 00:23:47,840 Speaker 1: Nothing was missing, whether great. 379 00:23:47,720 --> 00:23:51,840 Speaker 3: Or small, sons or daughters, spoil or anything that had 380 00:23:51,840 --> 00:23:55,760 Speaker 3: been taken. Every tiny little piece of jewelry that was stolen, 381 00:23:56,280 --> 00:24:02,320 Speaker 3: David brought back all. Look at this one. David also 382 00:24:02,440 --> 00:24:06,280 Speaker 3: captured all the flocks and herds, and the people drove 383 00:24:06,400 --> 00:24:11,120 Speaker 3: the livestock before him and said, this is David's spoil. 384 00:24:11,400 --> 00:24:14,480 Speaker 3: Skip down the verse twenty six. When David came to Ziglag, 385 00:24:14,960 --> 00:24:17,399 Speaker 3: he sent part of the spoil to his friends, the 386 00:24:17,440 --> 00:24:20,640 Speaker 3: elders of Judas, saying, here's a present for you from 387 00:24:20,640 --> 00:24:26,480 Speaker 3: the spoils of the enemies of the Lord. Somehow, when 388 00:24:26,520 --> 00:24:30,879 Speaker 3: you fight tired, you push through the longest battle of 389 00:24:30,920 --> 00:24:32,880 Speaker 3: your life. 390 00:24:32,960 --> 00:24:36,920 Speaker 1: You're gonna came away with spoils leftovers. 391 00:24:38,400 --> 00:24:42,880 Speaker 3: There's nothing Stephen Verdick loves to eat more than good leftovers. 392 00:24:44,880 --> 00:24:46,639 Speaker 1: So when I cook something. 393 00:24:46,320 --> 00:24:49,320 Speaker 3: Good, like I know he loves this meal, I cook extra. 394 00:24:49,440 --> 00:24:53,520 Speaker 3: I plan for leftovers. When you fight for something in 395 00:24:53,560 --> 00:24:56,400 Speaker 3: your life, I'm here to tell. 396 00:24:56,240 --> 00:24:58,720 Speaker 1: You you can plan for leftovers. 397 00:25:00,400 --> 00:25:04,600 Speaker 3: When you fight to get your peace back, You're gonna 398 00:25:04,640 --> 00:25:08,280 Speaker 3: have enough to share with those around you. When you 399 00:25:08,320 --> 00:25:11,720 Speaker 3: feel your joy slipping away and you're tired, but you 400 00:25:11,840 --> 00:25:14,800 Speaker 3: take the time to write in your gratitude journal and 401 00:25:14,840 --> 00:25:18,040 Speaker 3: you stay focused on the faithfulness of God, you better 402 00:25:18,080 --> 00:25:21,959 Speaker 3: bet that you're gonna have joy overflowing to the people 403 00:25:22,000 --> 00:25:26,160 Speaker 3: around you. When you feel you're confidence slipping, but you 404 00:25:26,240 --> 00:25:29,199 Speaker 3: fight back, you find your versus. You put it on 405 00:25:29,280 --> 00:25:32,120 Speaker 3: post it notes. You remind yourself of who you are 406 00:25:32,119 --> 00:25:34,760 Speaker 3: in Christ. You're gonna look up and your middle school 407 00:25:34,800 --> 00:25:38,960 Speaker 3: daughter is gonna be more confident too. You are equipped 408 00:25:39,000 --> 00:25:43,280 Speaker 3: for this fight. The weapons are there, They're in your hands. 409 00:25:43,280 --> 00:25:45,320 Speaker 1: If Phesian six goes on to say. 410 00:25:45,160 --> 00:25:47,280 Speaker 3: I remember Paul said several times put on the full 411 00:25:47,400 --> 00:25:49,160 Speaker 3: armor of God, and he goes on to tell us 412 00:25:49,359 --> 00:25:52,400 Speaker 3: you have the belt of truth, you have the breastplate 413 00:25:52,440 --> 00:25:55,720 Speaker 3: of righteousness. Your feet are fitted with the Gospel of Peace. 414 00:25:55,920 --> 00:25:58,560 Speaker 3: The helmet of Salvation is on your head. And in 415 00:25:58,640 --> 00:26:01,080 Speaker 3: one hand you've got the shield of faith, and in 416 00:26:01,119 --> 00:26:04,000 Speaker 3: the other hand you've got the sword of the Spirit. 417 00:26:04,200 --> 00:26:09,000 Speaker 3: You're equipped for this fight. He's given you everything you need. 418 00:26:09,040 --> 00:26:14,119 Speaker 3: The victory is yours for the taking. You got to 419 00:26:14,200 --> 00:26:20,120 Speaker 3: take it. God said, go back, get what is rightfully yours. 420 00:26:21,800 --> 00:26:26,320 Speaker 3: You have the weapons in your hands, and so David 421 00:26:26,400 --> 00:26:30,879 Speaker 3: went back and he brought back all that was taken 422 00:26:30,920 --> 00:26:37,000 Speaker 3: from him, with leftovers to share. So this week I've 423 00:26:37,040 --> 00:26:39,720 Speaker 3: been talking with Stephen about what I felt like God 424 00:26:39,880 --> 00:26:40,960 Speaker 3: was wanting me to say. 425 00:26:41,000 --> 00:26:41,359 Speaker 1: Today. 426 00:26:42,119 --> 00:26:44,359 Speaker 3: Of course I'm going to talk to Stephen Verdi about 427 00:26:44,400 --> 00:26:47,280 Speaker 3: preaching right. I mean, lives in the house with me. 428 00:26:47,440 --> 00:26:50,199 Speaker 3: So we've been talking about it on and off and 429 00:26:50,800 --> 00:26:52,639 Speaker 3: about David, and I was telling him about you know, 430 00:26:52,720 --> 00:26:55,240 Speaker 3: I just loved this idea of how David strengthened himself, 431 00:26:55,320 --> 00:26:58,200 Speaker 3: and so it was kind of an ongoing conversation. A 432 00:26:58,240 --> 00:27:03,120 Speaker 3: couple days later, he came from upstairs and he said, Babe, 433 00:27:03,280 --> 00:27:06,280 Speaker 3: you are not going to believe what I just read. 434 00:27:06,680 --> 00:27:09,560 Speaker 3: And so he showed me this verse in first Chronicles, 435 00:27:09,600 --> 00:27:12,320 Speaker 3: and I'm telling you, my heart leapt. 436 00:27:12,760 --> 00:27:13,560 Speaker 1: Neither of us had. 437 00:27:13,400 --> 00:27:15,920 Speaker 3: Ever seen this first before I got to show. 438 00:27:15,720 --> 00:27:16,040 Speaker 1: It to you. 439 00:27:16,280 --> 00:27:17,720 Speaker 3: So before I show it to you, I just have 440 00:27:17,760 --> 00:27:21,000 Speaker 3: to say this is in Chronicles. So we're jumping ahead 441 00:27:21,440 --> 00:27:24,720 Speaker 3: to the end of David's life. He's finally become king, 442 00:27:25,600 --> 00:27:29,040 Speaker 3: and he wanted to build the Lord's Temple, but he 443 00:27:29,119 --> 00:27:32,120 Speaker 3: only got to make plans for the temple because God 444 00:27:32,160 --> 00:27:35,760 Speaker 3: had chosen Solomon, David's son, to build the temple. 445 00:27:35,800 --> 00:27:38,280 Speaker 1: So in this passage, David. 446 00:27:38,240 --> 00:27:41,280 Speaker 3: Is giving one of his final speeches to Israel as 447 00:27:41,320 --> 00:27:44,040 Speaker 3: they're king. He's an old man and he turns to 448 00:27:44,119 --> 00:27:48,960 Speaker 3: Solomon and he gives him this charge to build the temple. 449 00:27:50,000 --> 00:27:51,280 Speaker 1: Verset Chronicles twenty eight ten. 450 00:27:51,359 --> 00:27:55,720 Speaker 3: It says, consider now, David says to Solomon, for the 451 00:27:55,840 --> 00:28:02,160 Speaker 3: Lord has chosen you to build house as the sanctuary. 452 00:28:03,080 --> 00:28:06,800 Speaker 1: Be strong and do the work. 453 00:28:08,000 --> 00:28:12,720 Speaker 3: David's looking his son in the eyes, and he's speaking 454 00:28:12,760 --> 00:28:19,000 Speaker 3: to him from experience. He knew that his strength began 455 00:28:19,560 --> 00:28:22,800 Speaker 3: with his identity, that from the age of fifteen, God 456 00:28:22,920 --> 00:28:26,840 Speaker 3: had chosen him and anointed him and equipped him for 457 00:28:27,000 --> 00:28:29,879 Speaker 3: every part of the journey, every battle that he would 458 00:28:29,880 --> 00:28:34,360 Speaker 3: have to fight. David knew from experience that there would 459 00:28:34,400 --> 00:28:38,960 Speaker 3: be moments where Solomon would feel worn out by. 460 00:28:38,800 --> 00:28:40,840 Speaker 1: The burden of leadership, that he. 461 00:28:40,840 --> 00:28:43,920 Speaker 3: Would feel discouraged, and he would feel disappointment, and he 462 00:28:43,920 --> 00:28:47,040 Speaker 3: would feel alone, and that there would be many days 463 00:28:47,080 --> 00:28:51,560 Speaker 3: where Solomon would feel like he didn't have. 464 00:28:51,520 --> 00:28:54,760 Speaker 1: The strength to do what he'd been chosen to do. 465 00:28:56,000 --> 00:28:59,760 Speaker 3: And just as David looked in Solomon's eyes, I want 466 00:28:59,760 --> 00:29:02,360 Speaker 3: to lie get each one of you today, whether you're 467 00:29:02,360 --> 00:29:05,920 Speaker 3: watching from here at Valentine or one of our locations, 468 00:29:06,000 --> 00:29:08,680 Speaker 3: or maybe you're sitting in a hospital room, or maybe 469 00:29:08,720 --> 00:29:10,959 Speaker 3: you're in your bed because you didn't have the strength 470 00:29:11,000 --> 00:29:13,920 Speaker 3: to get up and come to church today. 471 00:29:13,920 --> 00:29:18,920 Speaker 1: Listen to me. The Lord has chosen you. 472 00:29:20,560 --> 00:29:32,720 Speaker 3: Be strong and do the work. He's chosen you to 473 00:29:32,880 --> 00:29:35,960 Speaker 3: raise that special needs child. Be strong in do the 474 00:29:36,000 --> 00:29:40,480 Speaker 3: work He's chosen you to care for your ailing father. 475 00:29:41,200 --> 00:29:42,600 Speaker 1: Be strong in do the work. 476 00:29:43,160 --> 00:29:46,720 Speaker 3: He's placed you in this school or in this apartment building, 477 00:29:46,960 --> 00:29:51,040 Speaker 3: in this job, and there is work to be done. 478 00:29:51,280 --> 00:29:55,600 Speaker 3: Be strong and do the work. All the steps are 479 00:29:55,680 --> 00:29:59,560 Speaker 3: right there. Put the verse back up. Okay, consider now 480 00:30:00,720 --> 00:30:07,520 Speaker 3: just stop. Let it really sink in. The Lord has 481 00:30:07,720 --> 00:30:15,560 Speaker 3: chosen you for what's the assignment? Build the house as 482 00:30:15,600 --> 00:30:22,400 Speaker 3: this sanctuary. Build a temple, Paul said, our bodies are 483 00:30:22,440 --> 00:30:26,480 Speaker 3: a temple of the Holy Spirit who is inside of you. 484 00:30:26,480 --> 00:30:29,760 Speaker 3: You were bought with a price. You don't have to 485 00:30:29,800 --> 00:30:33,360 Speaker 3: live in defeat. You're backed by a heavenly father who 486 00:30:33,440 --> 00:30:36,520 Speaker 3: is strong and mighty, and he has given you the 487 00:30:36,560 --> 00:30:40,920 Speaker 3: power of his spirit inside of your temple. So build 488 00:30:41,200 --> 00:30:48,280 Speaker 3: the temple and be strong. That's the part where you 489 00:30:48,360 --> 00:30:51,760 Speaker 3: talk to yourself when no one else is there. 490 00:30:51,880 --> 00:30:55,040 Speaker 1: That's the part where you coach yourself. Be strong, Holly, 491 00:30:55,800 --> 00:31:01,000 Speaker 1: be strong and do the work. This is my new 492 00:31:01,040 --> 00:31:01,600 Speaker 1: life motto. 493 00:31:02,160 --> 00:31:04,400 Speaker 3: I am going to shout it from the mountaintops, so 494 00:31:04,400 --> 00:31:06,479 Speaker 3: you're gonna see it on my Instagram and my YouTube. 495 00:31:06,520 --> 00:31:08,520 Speaker 3: I'm gonna put it on next year's Mother's Day. Moug 496 00:31:10,360 --> 00:31:14,480 Speaker 3: be strong and do the work. How do I keep going? 497 00:31:14,680 --> 00:31:18,080 Speaker 3: Be strong and do the work. Strength comes as you go, 498 00:31:18,360 --> 00:31:20,880 Speaker 3: So get up, move, get out of bed. 499 00:31:20,920 --> 00:31:24,200 Speaker 1: Do the work that you have been given to do today. 500 00:31:24,480 --> 00:31:27,120 Speaker 1: Take the kids to school, get to work on time, 501 00:31:27,360 --> 00:31:29,600 Speaker 1: go to the soccer game, pay the bills, read. 502 00:31:29,480 --> 00:31:33,400 Speaker 3: Your Bible, play worship music, practice breathing, forgive over, and 503 00:31:33,640 --> 00:31:40,120 Speaker 3: over again. Be strong and do the work. Build your temple. 504 00:31:42,720 --> 00:31:47,040 Speaker 3: The only temple you can build is yours. So stop 505 00:31:47,080 --> 00:31:50,080 Speaker 3: trying to build your husband's temple. Stop trying to build 506 00:31:50,080 --> 00:31:51,120 Speaker 3: your child's temple. 507 00:31:51,160 --> 00:31:52,880 Speaker 1: Build your temple. 508 00:31:53,160 --> 00:31:56,640 Speaker 3: Make it good, make it strong, give it a good foundation. 509 00:31:57,800 --> 00:32:01,120 Speaker 1: Be strong, and do the work that He has chosen 510 00:32:01,440 --> 00:32:04,760 Speaker 1: you to do. Your work, not my work, your work. 511 00:32:06,120 --> 00:32:08,480 Speaker 1: But I'm not strong. Do the work. 512 00:32:09,960 --> 00:32:12,680 Speaker 3: The strength that you're going to need tomorrow is in 513 00:32:12,800 --> 00:32:21,960 Speaker 3: the work that you're doing today. When we go on 514 00:32:22,080 --> 00:32:26,160 Speaker 3: tour with elevation nights, there's a part of the experience 515 00:32:26,440 --> 00:32:28,800 Speaker 3: where I go on stage and I do a little 516 00:32:28,800 --> 00:32:32,600 Speaker 3: welcome and I have to say, this is never easy 517 00:32:32,640 --> 00:32:32,920 Speaker 3: for me. 518 00:32:33,920 --> 00:32:34,280 Speaker 1: I don't know. 519 00:32:34,240 --> 00:32:37,680 Speaker 3: About you, but speaking to ten thousand people at one time, 520 00:32:37,960 --> 00:32:40,880 Speaker 3: it's pretty much the most intimidating thing that a person 521 00:32:41,280 --> 00:32:45,680 Speaker 3: can do. And there are many times that just as 522 00:32:45,720 --> 00:32:49,560 Speaker 3: I'm about to walk on the stage, I think to myself, 523 00:32:50,880 --> 00:32:55,520 Speaker 3: I really don't want to do this. And the first 524 00:32:55,600 --> 00:32:59,240 Speaker 3: night is always the hardest. So this past tour no exception. 525 00:33:00,240 --> 00:33:04,440 Speaker 3: This time I decided that every time I had the 526 00:33:04,480 --> 00:33:07,080 Speaker 3: thought I really don't want to do this, I was 527 00:33:07,120 --> 00:33:10,560 Speaker 3: going to pray a little prayer that my husband taught me. 528 00:33:10,600 --> 00:33:12,040 Speaker 1: At the beginning of this year, he. 529 00:33:12,040 --> 00:33:16,520 Speaker 3: Started writing these little short prayers and confessions and he 530 00:33:16,560 --> 00:33:19,520 Speaker 3: would share them with me and our kids, and one 531 00:33:19,520 --> 00:33:23,600 Speaker 3: particular one that he shared with me really stuck with me. 532 00:33:23,720 --> 00:33:24,920 Speaker 3: I think he might have said it in one of 533 00:33:24,920 --> 00:33:27,560 Speaker 3: his sermons. I know he posted it on his YouTube 534 00:33:27,640 --> 00:33:29,880 Speaker 3: for one of his Basin teachings. By the way, if 535 00:33:29,880 --> 00:33:33,640 Speaker 3: you're not watching those Basin videos, you're really missing out. 536 00:33:34,560 --> 00:33:36,600 Speaker 3: So if you did see it, just for the record, 537 00:33:36,640 --> 00:33:37,600 Speaker 3: he taught it to me first. 538 00:33:39,520 --> 00:33:40,640 Speaker 1: Anyway, here's how it goes. 539 00:33:40,680 --> 00:33:44,000 Speaker 3: It goes like this, I breathe you in Holy Spirit, 540 00:33:47,440 --> 00:33:54,959 Speaker 3: and your strength comes suddenly, and your peace fills me completely. 541 00:33:56,960 --> 00:33:59,960 Speaker 3: So I stood side stage and just as they were 542 00:34:00,040 --> 00:34:04,960 Speaker 3: finishing the song Gyra under my breath, I prayed the prayer, 543 00:34:06,280 --> 00:34:10,879 Speaker 3: I breathe you in Holy Spirit, and I looked out 544 00:34:10,920 --> 00:34:15,160 Speaker 3: at all those people. I said, and your strength comes suddenly, 545 00:34:17,960 --> 00:34:19,719 Speaker 3: and your piece fills me completely. 546 00:34:21,320 --> 00:34:23,239 Speaker 1: And I walked onto the stage feeling pretty good. 547 00:34:23,920 --> 00:34:27,200 Speaker 3: And as I was opening my eyes finishing my prayer, 548 00:34:28,239 --> 00:34:33,919 Speaker 3: my notes were not on the screen. Listen, my last 549 00:34:34,000 --> 00:34:37,400 Speaker 3: name is Ferdic, but my first name is not Stephen. 550 00:34:38,920 --> 00:34:40,600 Speaker 3: And if you think that I get up on the 551 00:34:40,680 --> 00:34:41,200 Speaker 3: stage and. 552 00:34:41,160 --> 00:34:44,680 Speaker 1: I'm like winging it, You're wrong. 553 00:34:47,360 --> 00:34:51,239 Speaker 3: And that black screen was one of my worst fears 554 00:34:51,719 --> 00:34:57,879 Speaker 3: come true. And for eight minutes, do you know how 555 00:34:57,880 --> 00:35:04,120 Speaker 3: long eight minutes is? For eight minutes, I stood on 556 00:35:04,160 --> 00:35:08,560 Speaker 3: that stage and talked to ten thousand people with no notes, 557 00:35:09,520 --> 00:35:12,640 Speaker 3: And let me just say, I don't know. 558 00:35:12,680 --> 00:35:14,600 Speaker 4: You weren't there, so you might not want to clap. 559 00:35:16,920 --> 00:35:19,840 Speaker 3: Let me just say they said that I seemed that 560 00:35:19,920 --> 00:35:22,000 Speaker 3: I was calm, and a lot of people said really 561 00:35:22,080 --> 00:35:23,480 Speaker 3: nice things to me, but I think they were just 562 00:35:23,480 --> 00:35:26,759 Speaker 3: trying to make me feel better. On the outside, I'm 563 00:35:26,800 --> 00:35:30,359 Speaker 3: not sure how I appeared, but on the inside I 564 00:35:30,600 --> 00:35:36,680 Speaker 3: was freaking out, like you know that fight or flight thing. 565 00:35:36,800 --> 00:35:39,920 Speaker 1: I was trying my best to remember what. 566 00:35:39,920 --> 00:35:42,000 Speaker 3: I had planned to say, and I mean I've said it. 567 00:35:42,239 --> 00:35:44,719 Speaker 1: I don't know. Probably this is probably like twenty. 568 00:35:44,520 --> 00:35:47,359 Speaker 3: Four, my twenty fifth time. I say almost the same 569 00:35:47,360 --> 00:35:50,000 Speaker 3: thing every time, but I don't remember what it was. 570 00:35:50,040 --> 00:35:54,200 Speaker 1: So I'm trying to remember, and I'm trying to say. 571 00:35:54,000 --> 00:35:56,279 Speaker 3: The things that I'm supposed to say and the things 572 00:35:56,280 --> 00:35:57,839 Speaker 3: that I felt got it later on in my heart, and 573 00:35:58,120 --> 00:36:03,719 Speaker 3: all the while my mind was screaming, get off this stage, 574 00:36:04,280 --> 00:36:08,520 Speaker 3: abort mission, just pray and leave, just pray in Jesus, 575 00:36:08,600 --> 00:36:13,160 Speaker 3: nay Amen, Holly, just get off the stage. But I didn't, 576 00:36:14,280 --> 00:36:17,560 Speaker 3: and I finally finished. If I mean it was like 577 00:36:17,800 --> 00:36:22,800 Speaker 3: eight hours, I think, and I prayed, and I exited 578 00:36:22,800 --> 00:36:25,439 Speaker 3: the stage and I got off the stage, and I was. 579 00:36:25,640 --> 00:36:28,600 Speaker 1: Physically shaking from head to toe. 580 00:36:28,719 --> 00:36:32,880 Speaker 3: I've never felt like that before. Even as I'm telling 581 00:36:32,920 --> 00:36:35,759 Speaker 3: you about it, I feel nervous in my stomach and 582 00:36:35,800 --> 00:36:38,360 Speaker 3: I feel shaky in my hands, and I just have 583 00:36:38,480 --> 00:36:39,279 Speaker 3: to say to you. 584 00:36:39,400 --> 00:36:42,799 Speaker 1: Strength came suddenly. 585 00:36:43,719 --> 00:36:46,400 Speaker 3: Even though it wasn't exactly the strength that I was 586 00:36:46,520 --> 00:36:47,920 Speaker 3: envisioning when I. 587 00:36:47,640 --> 00:36:52,359 Speaker 1: Prayed the prayer side stage. Here's the crazy part. 588 00:36:53,360 --> 00:36:59,320 Speaker 3: The next night, I was filled with even more fear, 589 00:37:00,120 --> 00:37:03,960 Speaker 3: like I really did not want to get on that stage. 590 00:37:04,000 --> 00:37:06,200 Speaker 1: Like all the money in the world, I did not 591 00:37:06,280 --> 00:37:07,280 Speaker 1: want to get on that stage. 592 00:37:07,280 --> 00:37:09,800 Speaker 3: In fact, they were having to move some stuff around 593 00:37:09,800 --> 00:37:14,480 Speaker 3: in the set list, and I volunteered more than. 594 00:37:14,360 --> 00:37:18,480 Speaker 1: Once for them to just caught my part. True story. 595 00:37:18,520 --> 00:37:23,480 Speaker 3: I was like, just take my part out, it's fine. 596 00:37:24,000 --> 00:37:27,520 Speaker 3: They just want to sing rattle and here from pastors seating. 597 00:37:27,560 --> 00:37:28,160 Speaker 3: They mean me. 598 00:37:29,640 --> 00:37:31,080 Speaker 1: Twenty four hours later. 599 00:37:30,880 --> 00:37:35,959 Speaker 3: There I was doing the work and John Soo is singing. 600 00:37:35,719 --> 00:37:41,160 Speaker 1: Gyra, and I was standing at the steps, and. 601 00:37:41,040 --> 00:37:48,319 Speaker 3: I prayed, I breathe you in Holy Spirit, and your 602 00:37:48,320 --> 00:37:55,600 Speaker 3: strength comes suddenly, and your peace fills me completely. I 603 00:37:55,640 --> 00:38:00,520 Speaker 3: walked up on the stage. I did my work with 604 00:38:00,600 --> 00:38:11,319 Speaker 3: the notes at time. Sometimes every moment is a choice. 605 00:38:11,480 --> 00:38:14,520 Speaker 1: I'm gonna get out of bed today, I'm gonna take 606 00:38:14,520 --> 00:38:18,080 Speaker 1: a shower. Now, I'm gonna take care of my family. 607 00:38:19,320 --> 00:38:23,160 Speaker 1: I'm gonna go to work. I'm gonna get out of 608 00:38:23,239 --> 00:38:25,760 Speaker 1: my car, go into my job. 609 00:38:28,000 --> 00:38:33,040 Speaker 3: Remember what David said, I will bless the Lord at 610 00:38:33,040 --> 00:38:41,680 Speaker 3: all times. Listen, just because you have to fight doesn't 611 00:38:41,719 --> 00:38:46,480 Speaker 3: mean you aren't strong, and it certainly doesn't mean that 612 00:38:46,520 --> 00:38:47,400 Speaker 3: you aren't called. 613 00:38:48,040 --> 00:38:52,840 Speaker 1: In fact, the opposite is true. You gotta fight for 614 00:38:52,960 --> 00:38:59,160 Speaker 1: your calling. So be strong and do the work. Be 615 00:38:59,320 --> 00:39:03,359 Speaker 1: strong and do the work. I say it one more time, 616 00:39:03,800 --> 00:39:06,640 Speaker 1: be strong and do the work. 617 00:39:07,960 --> 00:39:10,600 Speaker 3: Just a few weeks ago, Stephen and a few others 618 00:39:10,640 --> 00:39:15,200 Speaker 3: got together and they put that prayer into a song. 619 00:39:15,320 --> 00:39:19,080 Speaker 3: Of course he did, and he told me that we 620 00:39:19,120 --> 00:39:23,880 Speaker 3: could close the message by introducing this song to our church. 621 00:39:25,040 --> 00:39:27,239 Speaker 3: So normally I close my messages with a. 622 00:39:27,320 --> 00:39:30,720 Speaker 1: Prayer and I get off the stage. But today. 623 00:39:32,239 --> 00:39:34,120 Speaker 3: I just want to look you in the eyes as 624 00:39:34,160 --> 00:39:37,719 Speaker 3: best as I can through this camera, and I want 625 00:39:37,760 --> 00:39:41,800 Speaker 3: to tell you, as a mother would to her own children. 626 00:39:43,040 --> 00:39:50,439 Speaker 1: Be strong and do the work. You can do this. 627 00:39:52,400 --> 00:39:54,960 Speaker 3: You're not alone, you're. 628 00:39:54,760 --> 00:40:03,879 Speaker 1: Not unqualified, you're not ill equipped. Be and do the work. 629 00:40:05,480 --> 00:40:05,759 Speaker 1: All right? 630 00:40:05,840 --> 00:40:12,239 Speaker 3: Repeat after me. I breathe you in holy spirit. Take 631 00:40:12,280 --> 00:40:20,040 Speaker 3: a deep breath and your strength comes suddenly. 632 00:40:22,600 --> 00:40:28,759 Speaker 1: Take another breath and your piece fills me completely. 633 00:40:30,440 --> 00:40:36,000 Speaker 2: Elevation Nights is coming your way. It's a special night 634 00:40:36,120 --> 00:40:40,200 Speaker 2: for us to worship our amazing God together and expect 635 00:40:40,560 --> 00:40:44,279 Speaker 2: great things in his presence. I'll be preaching a message 636 00:40:44,440 --> 00:40:45,880 Speaker 2: I bring in Elevation Worship. 637 00:40:46,160 --> 00:40:47,239 Speaker 1: We'll be singing. 638 00:40:46,960 --> 00:40:50,440 Speaker 2: All your favorite songs, and of course Holly is coming 639 00:40:50,560 --> 00:40:54,319 Speaker 2: with me too. We're believing that your faith is going 640 00:40:54,360 --> 00:40:56,000 Speaker 2: to be inspired. 641 00:40:55,760 --> 00:40:56,840 Speaker 1: Like never before. 642 00:40:57,280 --> 00:41:01,920 Speaker 2: Go get your tickets right now at Elevation Nights dot com. 643 00:41:02,000 --> 00:41:02,719 Speaker 2: We'll see you there. 644 00:41:03,719 --> 00:41:03,919 Speaker 3: Hey. 645 00:41:03,960 --> 00:41:06,279 Speaker 2: I hope you enjoyed the podcast, and if you did, 646 00:41:06,840 --> 00:41:09,440 Speaker 2: make sure to share it and subscribe so we can 647 00:41:09,480 --> 00:41:12,080 Speaker 2: get you all of these new messages as soon as 648 00:41:12,080 --> 00:41:14,880 Speaker 2: they're available. I also want to take a moment and 649 00:41:14,960 --> 00:41:16,760 Speaker 2: thank all of you who are a part of Elevation. 650 00:41:17,239 --> 00:41:20,560 Speaker 2: Whether you support us financially, or serve with us, or 651 00:41:21,000 --> 00:41:23,719 Speaker 2: just share these messages, it's because of you that we're 652 00:41:23,719 --> 00:41:26,680 Speaker 2: able to reach people all around the world. And if 653 00:41:26,680 --> 00:41:29,200 Speaker 2: you want more information on how to be a part 654 00:41:29,200 --> 00:41:33,120 Speaker 2: of Elevation, click the link in the description. Thanks again 655 00:41:33,160 --> 00:41:35,640 Speaker 2: for listening. Make sure to leave a review, share the 656 00:41:35,640 --> 00:41:46,680 Speaker 2: message and subscribe. God bless you.