1 00:00:01,520 --> 00:00:02,800 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Stephen Ferdick. 2 00:00:02,800 --> 00:00:05,840 Speaker 2: I'm the pastor of Elevation Church and this is our podcast. 3 00:00:05,880 --> 00:00:08,320 Speaker 2: I wanted to thank you for joining us today. Hope 4 00:00:08,320 --> 00:00:11,040 Speaker 2: this inspires you. Hope it builds your faith. Hope it 5 00:00:11,039 --> 00:00:13,600 Speaker 2: gives your perspective to see God is moving in your life. 6 00:00:13,840 --> 00:00:14,720 Speaker 1: Enjoy the message. 7 00:00:17,480 --> 00:00:21,040 Speaker 2: The scripture I want to use for this series as 8 00:00:21,040 --> 00:00:25,000 Speaker 2: a window into the principles that I believe God wants 9 00:00:25,040 --> 00:00:28,320 Speaker 2: to teach us is in Second King's thirteen. I don't 10 00:00:28,320 --> 00:00:30,639 Speaker 2: know if you've ever heard this Bible story. It's a 11 00:00:30,640 --> 00:00:33,559 Speaker 2: little bit obscure, but sometimes it's in the stuff that 12 00:00:33,600 --> 00:00:35,760 Speaker 2: you skip over in the Bible that God can speak 13 00:00:35,800 --> 00:00:38,120 Speaker 2: to you in a fresh way because you don't think 14 00:00:38,120 --> 00:00:40,920 Speaker 2: that you know it already. And this would be a 15 00:00:40,920 --> 00:00:43,360 Speaker 2: little story that I bet a lot of us have. 16 00:00:43,360 --> 00:00:44,360 Speaker 1: Never really studied. 17 00:00:44,840 --> 00:00:47,239 Speaker 2: And it's going to give us, as I said, a 18 00:00:47,280 --> 00:00:51,240 Speaker 2: window into the way God works in our lives over 19 00:00:51,240 --> 00:00:52,519 Speaker 2: the next few weeks. 20 00:00:52,520 --> 00:00:53,640 Speaker 1: And I'm excited about it. 21 00:00:53,680 --> 00:00:57,160 Speaker 2: I preached this passage in the year twenty thirteen around 22 00:00:57,200 --> 00:00:57,640 Speaker 2: the world. 23 00:00:58,000 --> 00:00:59,400 Speaker 1: I never preached it in our church. 24 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:02,000 Speaker 2: I'm glad I didn't, because when I was preaching it 25 00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:05,280 Speaker 2: in other places, I was skimming the surface. But as 26 00:01:05,280 --> 00:01:08,319 Speaker 2: I've been studying it, I've been seeing some things that 27 00:01:08,400 --> 00:01:11,760 Speaker 2: are very significant and relevant to our lives and the 28 00:01:11,840 --> 00:01:15,920 Speaker 2: season that we're in and the opportunities that God is 29 00:01:15,959 --> 00:01:19,039 Speaker 2: calling us to seize. So I want to share the 30 00:01:19,040 --> 00:01:22,679 Speaker 2: scripture with you. In tewod King's thirteen, verse fourteen, rock Hill, 31 00:01:22,720 --> 00:01:27,679 Speaker 2: y'all doing okay today, Matthews, I saw our university city location, 32 00:01:27,920 --> 00:01:35,560 Speaker 2: Lake Norman, Melbourne, Florida, Roanoke, Virginia, Raleigh, North Carolina, Toronto, Canada, 33 00:01:35,680 --> 00:01:49,520 Speaker 2: Uptown Charlotte, Gaston County, Concord, Blakeney, and Ballentine. We had 34 00:01:49,520 --> 00:01:52,480 Speaker 2: a full house at Valentine. And when I say full house, 35 00:01:52,520 --> 00:01:55,000 Speaker 2: I don't just mean no empty seats. I mean this 36 00:01:55,160 --> 00:02:03,800 Speaker 2: place is full of expectation. Y'all weren't too convincing. I said, 37 00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:06,400 Speaker 2: this place is full of expectation. 38 00:02:07,080 --> 00:02:12,600 Speaker 1: There it is there, it is there, It is amen. Now. 39 00:02:12,639 --> 00:02:16,799 Speaker 2: Elisha had been suffering from the illness from which he died. 40 00:02:17,880 --> 00:02:20,880 Speaker 2: Jeho Ash, King of Israel, went down to see him. 41 00:02:21,520 --> 00:02:24,200 Speaker 2: He went down to see him because he wouldn't be 42 00:02:24,240 --> 00:02:25,120 Speaker 2: around much longer. 43 00:02:25,160 --> 00:02:26,440 Speaker 1: The window was closing. 44 00:02:26,480 --> 00:02:31,720 Speaker 2: Elisha was the seer for the nation of Israel, and 45 00:02:31,800 --> 00:02:36,040 Speaker 2: it was his sight, his insight, his divine insight, that gave. 46 00:02:35,880 --> 00:02:36,720 Speaker 1: Them their victories. 47 00:02:37,280 --> 00:02:40,959 Speaker 2: And he's dying, and the king, who has just newly 48 00:02:41,040 --> 00:02:43,920 Speaker 2: been crowned, wants to see the prophet, to see the 49 00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:47,920 Speaker 2: seer one more time before the window of opportunity closes. 50 00:02:48,160 --> 00:02:53,240 Speaker 2: How many knowe all opportunities are not created equal, and 51 00:02:53,320 --> 00:02:57,520 Speaker 2: every opportunity has an expiration day. And he wants to 52 00:02:57,520 --> 00:02:59,600 Speaker 2: hear the word of the Lord from Elisha one time 53 00:02:59,639 --> 00:03:02,400 Speaker 2: before the window closes. And so we went down to 54 00:03:02,480 --> 00:03:04,560 Speaker 2: see him, which was uncommon for kings to do, but 55 00:03:04,639 --> 00:03:07,640 Speaker 2: he was in a desperate situation. And sometimes it takes 56 00:03:07,639 --> 00:03:09,919 Speaker 2: a desperate situation to drive you. 57 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:13,240 Speaker 1: To God for guidance. And we haven't heard. 58 00:03:13,160 --> 00:03:15,800 Speaker 2: From Elijah the Prophet in a couple of decades. But 59 00:03:16,080 --> 00:03:20,040 Speaker 2: the window is closing, and he's weeping over the loss 60 00:03:20,440 --> 00:03:21,040 Speaker 2: of this. 61 00:03:21,280 --> 00:03:23,400 Speaker 1: Great prophetic figure, and. 62 00:03:23,280 --> 00:03:26,560 Speaker 2: He cries out, my father, my father, the chariots and 63 00:03:26,639 --> 00:03:28,800 Speaker 2: horsemen of Israel. 64 00:03:28,680 --> 00:03:30,840 Speaker 1: What are we going to do without you? He seems to. 65 00:03:30,800 --> 00:03:33,720 Speaker 2: Be saying, it wasn't our troops that won the battles, 66 00:03:33,880 --> 00:03:36,160 Speaker 2: It was the word of God threw you that brought 67 00:03:36,240 --> 00:03:36,920 Speaker 2: us the victory. 68 00:03:37,160 --> 00:03:39,320 Speaker 1: And we don't know what we'll do without you. But 69 00:03:39,400 --> 00:03:43,680 Speaker 1: Elijah said, get a bow and some arrows. 70 00:03:44,560 --> 00:03:50,080 Speaker 2: God is about to teach you how to fight, how 71 00:03:50,120 --> 00:03:53,760 Speaker 2: to fight battles on a spiritual level. You've been fighting 72 00:03:53,760 --> 00:03:56,119 Speaker 2: on a physical level. That's why you've been losing. That's 73 00:03:56,120 --> 00:03:59,680 Speaker 2: why you've been tired. But the prophet said, get a 74 00:03:59,720 --> 00:04:02,120 Speaker 2: bow and some arrows. And he did so. And then 75 00:04:02,120 --> 00:04:05,000 Speaker 2: he told him take that bow in your hands. And 76 00:04:05,040 --> 00:04:07,840 Speaker 2: he said to the King of Israel, to take a 77 00:04:07,840 --> 00:04:09,800 Speaker 2: bow and some arrows. And when he had taken it, 78 00:04:09,840 --> 00:04:12,720 Speaker 2: Elisha put his hands on the king's hands. He gave 79 00:04:12,800 --> 00:04:17,440 Speaker 2: him guidance, divine guidance from the man of God. And 80 00:04:17,560 --> 00:04:21,760 Speaker 2: verse seventeen is our key verse for the series. He said, 81 00:04:21,839 --> 00:04:28,599 Speaker 2: open the east window. There's our word. Open the east window. 82 00:04:28,760 --> 00:04:32,560 Speaker 2: Notice the prophet didn't open it for him. He told 83 00:04:32,640 --> 00:04:36,640 Speaker 2: him to open it. We've been asking God to give 84 00:04:36,720 --> 00:04:39,560 Speaker 2: us opportunities. God is waiting for us to seize the 85 00:04:39,680 --> 00:04:43,360 Speaker 2: opportunities that are right in front of our own eyes. 86 00:04:44,720 --> 00:04:49,680 Speaker 2: I feel like preaching today. I feel like preaching. Open 87 00:04:49,760 --> 00:04:52,320 Speaker 2: the east window, he said, and he opened it. Shoot, 88 00:04:52,360 --> 00:04:56,680 Speaker 2: Elisha said, and he shot the Lord's arrow of victory, 89 00:04:57,000 --> 00:04:59,680 Speaker 2: the arrow of victory over Iram. 90 00:05:00,160 --> 00:05:02,120 Speaker 1: Elisha declared, the arrow. 91 00:05:01,880 --> 00:05:06,320 Speaker 2: Of victory over depression, the arrow of victory over addiction, 92 00:05:06,560 --> 00:05:10,480 Speaker 2: the arrow of victory over rebellion, the arrow of victory 93 00:05:10,480 --> 00:05:14,239 Speaker 2: over doubt, the arrow of victory over bitterness, the arrow 94 00:05:14,320 --> 00:05:23,680 Speaker 2: of victory. I see a victory in this house. You 95 00:05:23,760 --> 00:05:29,000 Speaker 2: will completely destroy the Aramians at affect And I want 96 00:05:29,040 --> 00:05:31,400 Speaker 2: to use for installment one of this series. 97 00:05:31,480 --> 00:05:37,560 Speaker 1: Work your window, the power of precision. On your way to. 98 00:05:37,520 --> 00:05:39,839 Speaker 2: Your seat, Touch your neighbors. Say I'm aiming at something 99 00:05:39,880 --> 00:05:43,000 Speaker 2: this year. I'm aiming at something this year, the power 100 00:05:43,080 --> 00:05:52,320 Speaker 2: of precision. You may be seated. I'm gonna talk to 101 00:05:52,360 --> 00:05:55,920 Speaker 2: this guy. He's leaning forward, he looks interested. I feel 102 00:05:55,960 --> 00:06:01,560 Speaker 2: real sorry for King Jehoash because I understand and his predicament, 103 00:06:01,640 --> 00:06:04,320 Speaker 2: because I was studying what would bring him to Elisha 104 00:06:04,400 --> 00:06:05,760 Speaker 2: in such a desperate state. 105 00:06:06,760 --> 00:06:08,200 Speaker 1: And to really. 106 00:06:08,240 --> 00:06:12,080 Speaker 2: Understand his plight, you have to understand the patterns that 107 00:06:12,120 --> 00:06:14,960 Speaker 2: he inherited all the kings that had gone before him. 108 00:06:15,000 --> 00:06:18,599 Speaker 2: The examples that he had seen set in his lifetime 109 00:06:18,640 --> 00:06:23,240 Speaker 2: were negative examples of half hearted kings who tried to 110 00:06:23,400 --> 00:06:28,000 Speaker 2: fulfill their God given role their own way, and when 111 00:06:28,040 --> 00:06:32,400 Speaker 2: you're stuck in a pattern. When you're stuck in a 112 00:06:32,440 --> 00:06:37,599 Speaker 2: predictable pattern, the feet becomes automatic, and victory is a 113 00:06:37,640 --> 00:06:43,320 Speaker 2: strange sight. Now, so much oppression has besieged God's. 114 00:06:43,040 --> 00:06:45,200 Speaker 1: People that not only is. 115 00:06:45,200 --> 00:06:48,800 Speaker 2: Jeho Ash, the king that I mentioned in tewod King's thirteen, 116 00:06:49,640 --> 00:06:55,760 Speaker 2: trying to deal with this transitional responsibility shift. Now he's 117 00:06:56,200 --> 00:06:58,320 Speaker 2: wearing a crown that's a little big for his head. 118 00:06:58,360 --> 00:07:01,200 Speaker 2: Have you ever had the step into a situation that you. 119 00:07:01,160 --> 00:07:02,760 Speaker 1: Didn't feel quite prepared for? 120 00:07:04,640 --> 00:07:06,920 Speaker 2: If you are a father or a mother, you ought 121 00:07:06,920 --> 00:07:10,360 Speaker 2: to raise your hand. You were so cocky when you 122 00:07:10,360 --> 00:07:17,160 Speaker 2: were reading baby books. And not only is he transitioning 123 00:07:17,160 --> 00:07:19,120 Speaker 2: into a new role, but he's going to have to 124 00:07:19,200 --> 00:07:26,200 Speaker 2: do it without Elisha because the window is closing. And 125 00:07:26,640 --> 00:07:30,200 Speaker 2: before the window closes, he goes to the prophet and 126 00:07:31,200 --> 00:07:36,760 Speaker 2: he receives some final instructions. He wants to know what 127 00:07:36,960 --> 00:07:44,200 Speaker 2: to do next. He's weeping, probably because of Elisha's lost, 128 00:07:44,240 --> 00:07:47,560 Speaker 2: but also because of the pressure he was under. And 129 00:07:48,200 --> 00:07:51,360 Speaker 2: it wasn't just pressure coming from one enemy. It was 130 00:07:51,400 --> 00:07:54,840 Speaker 2: pressure coming from the north and the south, and. 131 00:07:54,800 --> 00:07:56,600 Speaker 1: The east and the west. 132 00:07:57,040 --> 00:08:00,160 Speaker 2: And if you never felt that kind of pressure, you 133 00:08:00,160 --> 00:08:03,520 Speaker 2: won't relate to joho Ash's predicament. But he feels it 134 00:08:03,640 --> 00:08:06,960 Speaker 2: closing in from every side, and it seems like he's 135 00:08:07,000 --> 00:08:11,400 Speaker 2: being attacked over here and attacked over there, and he's 136 00:08:11,440 --> 00:08:13,480 Speaker 2: having a hard time at work, and then he goes home, 137 00:08:13,520 --> 00:08:16,080 Speaker 2: and he is hard at home. And sometimes it'd be 138 00:08:16,120 --> 00:08:17,760 Speaker 2: easier to be at work than it would be to 139 00:08:17,800 --> 00:08:20,520 Speaker 2: be at home. And it's one thing when you've got 140 00:08:20,560 --> 00:08:23,600 Speaker 2: pressure coming from one direction, but when it's coming from 141 00:08:23,600 --> 00:08:27,120 Speaker 2: every side, it can get a little overwhelming to be 142 00:08:27,200 --> 00:08:30,560 Speaker 2: pressured from every side, to be pressured from every direction. 143 00:08:30,960 --> 00:08:32,120 Speaker 1: No wonder he's weeping. 144 00:08:32,200 --> 00:08:35,080 Speaker 2: No wonder he's made the trek as uncommon as it 145 00:08:35,120 --> 00:08:38,160 Speaker 2: would be for a king to condescend to a dying profit. 146 00:08:38,480 --> 00:08:40,960 Speaker 2: No wonder he showed up to kneel down at his 147 00:08:41,120 --> 00:08:44,840 Speaker 2: bedside and cry, my father, my father, What do I do. 148 00:08:44,920 --> 00:08:47,480 Speaker 2: I'm attacked on the right, I'm attacked on the left. 149 00:08:47,640 --> 00:08:50,760 Speaker 2: I'm attacked in my finances, I'm attacked in my family. 150 00:08:50,800 --> 00:08:55,040 Speaker 2: I'm under attack internally externally. Seems like I can't get 151 00:08:55,080 --> 00:08:55,760 Speaker 2: any relief. 152 00:08:56,120 --> 00:08:57,079 Speaker 1: What do I do? 153 00:08:57,160 --> 00:09:00,480 Speaker 2: He needs some comfort, but Elisha does and give him 154 00:09:00,520 --> 00:09:01,160 Speaker 2: any comfort. 155 00:09:01,200 --> 00:09:03,040 Speaker 1: He gives him an instruction. 156 00:09:04,760 --> 00:09:08,559 Speaker 2: Because God is a god of action, touch somebody. 157 00:09:08,200 --> 00:09:11,559 Speaker 1: And say work your window, work your window. 158 00:09:11,640 --> 00:09:14,360 Speaker 2: He doesn't tell him everything's going to be all right, 159 00:09:14,559 --> 00:09:17,040 Speaker 2: or sing him the fourth Stanza of amazing Grace when 160 00:09:17,040 --> 00:09:19,679 Speaker 2: we've been there ten thousand years. Instead, he gives him 161 00:09:19,720 --> 00:09:25,160 Speaker 2: a simple instruction. Get a bow, get an arrow. You 162 00:09:25,240 --> 00:09:29,120 Speaker 2: are not going to experience victory weeping over what is dying. 163 00:09:33,000 --> 00:09:36,400 Speaker 2: You are not going to see victory in this season 164 00:09:36,480 --> 00:09:38,840 Speaker 2: if you are stuck in a memory of the last one. 165 00:09:39,400 --> 00:09:43,320 Speaker 2: Who am I preaching to today? Get your bow, Get 166 00:09:43,400 --> 00:09:48,760 Speaker 2: your bow and your arrows, because everything you need for 167 00:09:48,960 --> 00:09:54,880 Speaker 2: victory in this season is within your reach. You have 168 00:09:54,920 --> 00:10:01,120 Speaker 2: a window of opportunity now. Leonard Ravenhill said that the 169 00:10:01,160 --> 00:10:07,360 Speaker 2: opportunity of a lifetime must be seized in the lifetime 170 00:10:08,040 --> 00:10:15,760 Speaker 2: of the opportunity. Trouble doesn't last always, and neither does opportunity. 171 00:10:16,600 --> 00:10:19,960 Speaker 2: Trying to teach this to my children, trying to teach 172 00:10:20,000 --> 00:10:23,840 Speaker 2: them that their brain has plasticity right now, and there 173 00:10:23,880 --> 00:10:25,719 Speaker 2: are things they can learn while they're young that will 174 00:10:25,800 --> 00:10:28,560 Speaker 2: be difficult if they wait until they're older. 175 00:10:29,720 --> 00:10:31,720 Speaker 1: So that's why you got to go to piano lessons. 176 00:10:31,760 --> 00:10:32,600 Speaker 1: I know you hate it. 177 00:10:32,640 --> 00:10:36,160 Speaker 2: But you will thank your mom one day because your 178 00:10:36,200 --> 00:10:39,800 Speaker 2: fingers will memorize it better with your brain right now 179 00:10:40,320 --> 00:10:45,800 Speaker 2: than they will later. So seize this opportunity. Learn stuff 180 00:10:45,840 --> 00:10:50,720 Speaker 2: in school so you won't be stupid later on googling 181 00:10:50,800 --> 00:10:53,280 Speaker 2: stuff that you could have found out in fifth grade. 182 00:10:56,040 --> 00:10:59,040 Speaker 2: You got a window. You got a window. That's why 183 00:10:59,080 --> 00:11:01,920 Speaker 2: I don't understand any of y'all that are texting while 184 00:11:01,960 --> 00:11:05,360 Speaker 2: I'm preaching. Can't you give God fifty solid minutes to 185 00:11:05,400 --> 00:11:08,280 Speaker 2: speak to you out of a whole twenty four seven, 186 00:11:08,360 --> 00:11:17,240 Speaker 2: three sixty five, this is your window? And he comes 187 00:11:17,280 --> 00:11:19,720 Speaker 2: to the prophet. Now it's an old prophet and a 188 00:11:19,760 --> 00:11:21,600 Speaker 2: young king, and he says, show me what to do. 189 00:11:21,880 --> 00:11:25,600 Speaker 2: And the prophet put his hands on his hands, and 190 00:11:25,640 --> 00:11:28,680 Speaker 2: he showed him three things that will kind of set. 191 00:11:28,440 --> 00:11:30,240 Speaker 1: The course for I want this series to go. 192 00:11:30,440 --> 00:11:33,640 Speaker 2: I pray to the Lord of Heaven and Earth that 193 00:11:33,679 --> 00:11:36,760 Speaker 2: you will give me more than one week to preach 194 00:11:36,840 --> 00:11:41,280 Speaker 2: this word to you, because as it unfolds, it's going 195 00:11:41,320 --> 00:11:45,479 Speaker 2: to become very practical. But before we get to the practicality, 196 00:11:45,520 --> 00:11:47,400 Speaker 2: I want to show you the power in it. There's 197 00:11:47,440 --> 00:11:50,480 Speaker 2: three things. It's a very simple parable inaction. 198 00:11:50,200 --> 00:11:51,040 Speaker 1: That we see here. 199 00:11:51,720 --> 00:11:56,320 Speaker 2: It is highly symbolic, and see in Eastern literature you'll 200 00:11:56,360 --> 00:11:59,920 Speaker 2: see this often. We as Western minds, we like lists. 201 00:12:02,000 --> 00:12:03,880 Speaker 1: But God is a god of action. 202 00:12:05,360 --> 00:12:08,840 Speaker 2: So often when the prophets would prophesy, they would work 203 00:12:08,920 --> 00:12:12,600 Speaker 2: the word rather than just speaking the word. And so 204 00:12:12,640 --> 00:12:15,360 Speaker 2: it's not a surprise to me that Elijah says, get 205 00:12:15,400 --> 00:12:21,880 Speaker 2: a bow, get some arrows, stop crying, take action. Push 206 00:12:21,880 --> 00:12:23,079 Speaker 2: your neighbors say, take action. 207 00:12:24,520 --> 00:12:25,079 Speaker 1: Take action. 208 00:12:25,600 --> 00:12:27,880 Speaker 2: You are not blessed according to the word of God 209 00:12:27,920 --> 00:12:30,120 Speaker 2: that you hear, but according to the word of God 210 00:12:30,160 --> 00:12:31,920 Speaker 2: that you apply and act upon. 211 00:12:33,040 --> 00:12:33,640 Speaker 1: Take action. 212 00:12:35,800 --> 00:12:39,880 Speaker 2: God doesn't give a biology lesson about healing. 213 00:12:39,920 --> 00:12:43,600 Speaker 1: He heals. He's not just a god of instruction. 214 00:12:43,720 --> 00:12:47,359 Speaker 2: He is a god of implementation and execution is everything. 215 00:12:48,720 --> 00:12:51,720 Speaker 2: So instead of instructing him about what to do, he shows. 216 00:12:51,480 --> 00:12:53,560 Speaker 1: Him how to do it. That's what my mom used 217 00:12:53,559 --> 00:12:57,000 Speaker 1: to say. She would say, I can show you better 218 00:12:57,679 --> 00:13:00,840 Speaker 1: than I can tell you. And that's what God is saying. 219 00:13:01,160 --> 00:13:04,600 Speaker 2: He's saying, get your bow, get your arrow, let's get 220 00:13:04,600 --> 00:13:06,360 Speaker 2: to work. I want to work on this word for 221 00:13:06,360 --> 00:13:08,559 Speaker 2: the next six weeks. And the first thing I want 222 00:13:08,559 --> 00:13:12,520 Speaker 2: to encourage you to do in accordance with this little perihope. 223 00:13:12,720 --> 00:13:14,840 Speaker 1: That's a seminary word. You got to bust out that 224 00:13:15,080 --> 00:13:16,560 Speaker 1: education every once in a while. 225 00:13:17,200 --> 00:13:20,240 Speaker 2: Just a fancy word that means story. This little story 226 00:13:20,320 --> 00:13:23,640 Speaker 2: is highly symbolic, but is highly instructive. And the first 227 00:13:23,640 --> 00:13:28,880 Speaker 2: thing God told me to tell you is view the victory. 228 00:13:29,679 --> 00:13:34,760 Speaker 2: He told him to open the window. Open the window. 229 00:13:36,040 --> 00:13:41,600 Speaker 2: You've been staring at your walls long enough. Open the window. 230 00:13:42,679 --> 00:13:45,600 Speaker 2: You've been looking at your limitations long enough. 231 00:13:46,559 --> 00:13:47,480 Speaker 1: Open the window. 232 00:13:49,559 --> 00:13:51,600 Speaker 2: And after he had opened the window, he told him 233 00:13:51,600 --> 00:13:54,720 Speaker 2: to do something strange. He told him to shoot an 234 00:13:54,840 --> 00:13:59,880 Speaker 2: arrow in the direction of aarm. Aarm was a loose 235 00:14:00,160 --> 00:14:02,840 Speaker 2: federation of nations that would only assemble together to fight 236 00:14:02,880 --> 00:14:05,880 Speaker 2: a common enemy. You might know it better as Syria. 237 00:14:06,520 --> 00:14:09,319 Speaker 2: You probably never heard of King jase L, but he 238 00:14:09,360 --> 00:14:09,760 Speaker 2: would be. 239 00:14:09,720 --> 00:14:10,600 Speaker 1: Similar to Hitler. 240 00:14:11,360 --> 00:14:14,560 Speaker 2: The way he had oppressed God's people, the way he 241 00:14:14,640 --> 00:14:18,280 Speaker 2: had decimated the fighting forces of Israel. 242 00:14:18,360 --> 00:14:19,400 Speaker 1: He seemed unbeatable. 243 00:14:21,040 --> 00:14:23,920 Speaker 2: And the man of God tells the newly minted king, 244 00:14:24,560 --> 00:14:29,240 Speaker 2: open the window, the one that faces your enemy and 245 00:14:29,280 --> 00:14:34,480 Speaker 2: gets your bow and gets your arrow, and shoot your 246 00:14:34,640 --> 00:14:40,800 Speaker 2: arrow over Aram. This is important because the battle hasn't 247 00:14:40,840 --> 00:14:41,840 Speaker 2: even begun yet. 248 00:14:42,760 --> 00:14:44,800 Speaker 1: But the prophet wants the king to see. 249 00:14:44,600 --> 00:14:53,080 Speaker 2: The victory before the fight starts. This is why I 250 00:14:53,120 --> 00:15:00,920 Speaker 2: love being a Christian, because I don't fight for victory. 251 00:15:02,040 --> 00:15:05,280 Speaker 1: I fight from victory. 252 00:15:08,040 --> 00:15:12,440 Speaker 2: I need you to see this year the arrow a 253 00:15:12,600 --> 00:15:18,800 Speaker 2: victory over Aram before you fight the battle. And I 254 00:15:18,880 --> 00:15:24,760 Speaker 2: certain I certainly as a. 255 00:15:23,880 --> 00:15:25,400 Speaker 1: Pastor, want to encourage. 256 00:15:25,000 --> 00:15:29,720 Speaker 2: You to review your victories as regularly as possible. I 257 00:15:29,760 --> 00:15:31,960 Speaker 2: told Grahama on Monday night, I said, you watch all 258 00:15:31,960 --> 00:15:35,680 Speaker 2: the highlights you can of this Clemson National championship because 259 00:15:35,680 --> 00:15:38,200 Speaker 2: they might not be Bama like this again, this might 260 00:15:38,240 --> 00:15:41,000 Speaker 2: be once in a lifetime. The opportunity of a lifetime 261 00:15:41,080 --> 00:15:43,920 Speaker 2: must be seized in the lifetime of the opportunity. In fact, 262 00:15:43,920 --> 00:15:46,040 Speaker 2: my son Graham has no frame of reference. Last year 263 00:15:46,080 --> 00:15:49,280 Speaker 2: the Clemson Tigers and the Carolina Panthers were in the 264 00:15:49,360 --> 00:15:51,640 Speaker 2: championship and I had to explain to him this is 265 00:15:51,680 --> 00:15:56,800 Speaker 2: not normal. This is like a lunar eclipse. Man, this 266 00:15:56,880 --> 00:16:00,160 Speaker 2: might not happen much. So enjoy it why you can. 267 00:16:00,280 --> 00:16:03,000 Speaker 2: And you know, when God gives you a victory, you 268 00:16:03,040 --> 00:16:05,800 Speaker 2: gotta ce you gotta you gotta celebrate your wins where 269 00:16:05,800 --> 00:16:09,680 Speaker 2: you can get them. Even if God does small things 270 00:16:09,720 --> 00:16:12,840 Speaker 2: in your life don't just climb to the top of 271 00:16:12,880 --> 00:16:15,360 Speaker 2: the mountain and climb back down. Do a little dance 272 00:16:15,400 --> 00:16:18,840 Speaker 2: while you're there. I mean, if you're gonna climb, why 273 00:16:18,880 --> 00:16:23,920 Speaker 2: not celebrate. Graham has been watching all the highlights of 274 00:16:24,080 --> 00:16:29,320 Speaker 2: uh of, of Dabbo Sweeney's Clemson Tigers and Deshaun Watson's 275 00:16:29,400 --> 00:16:35,360 Speaker 2: championship game, and I'm glad that he's doing it. I 276 00:16:34,640 --> 00:16:40,320 Speaker 2: I want my son to learn how to review victories. Yeah, 277 00:16:40,440 --> 00:16:43,800 Speaker 2: because there's gonna be enough hard stuff in life for 278 00:16:43,880 --> 00:16:48,080 Speaker 2: you to replay your regrets and not review your victories. 279 00:16:49,400 --> 00:16:49,840 Speaker 1: Amen. 280 00:16:51,240 --> 00:16:54,760 Speaker 2: I'm gonna tell you I have to do this. Occasionally, 281 00:16:54,800 --> 00:16:57,000 Speaker 2: something good will happen to me, and if I'm not 282 00:16:57,120 --> 00:17:01,760 Speaker 2: quick to celebrate it, I'll forget it. We released a 283 00:17:01,840 --> 00:17:04,600 Speaker 2: song this week on iTunes, Quick Little plug. 284 00:17:05,080 --> 00:17:05,760 Speaker 1: I wanna. 285 00:17:07,240 --> 00:17:08,760 Speaker 2: Take a moment and tell you about There is a 286 00:17:08,800 --> 00:17:12,480 Speaker 2: Cloud released in March seventeen, twenty seventeen. You could download 287 00:17:12,480 --> 00:17:14,680 Speaker 2: it on iTunes or wherever music and sold. 288 00:17:15,480 --> 00:17:18,320 Speaker 1: Sorry about that. We're my window, my plug in. 289 00:17:19,400 --> 00:17:23,040 Speaker 2: And we released a single this week, There is a Cloud. 290 00:17:23,040 --> 00:17:26,240 Speaker 2: We released a single and I logged onto iTunes and 291 00:17:26,280 --> 00:17:33,959 Speaker 2: I saw it was number one on the Christian charts. 292 00:17:32,640 --> 00:17:35,359 Speaker 1: And I'll tell you what I did. I got my phone. 293 00:17:35,480 --> 00:17:38,320 Speaker 2: I took my phone, and as quick as I could, 294 00:17:38,920 --> 00:17:41,040 Speaker 2: I took a screenshot. 295 00:17:40,920 --> 00:17:42,000 Speaker 1: Of that chart position. 296 00:17:43,000 --> 00:17:46,040 Speaker 2: Because I might not be number one for long, but 297 00:17:46,119 --> 00:17:48,760 Speaker 2: I was number one for a minute. Come on, somebody, 298 00:17:48,800 --> 00:17:52,119 Speaker 2: Every once in a while, you gotta take a screenshot 299 00:17:52,960 --> 00:17:55,400 Speaker 2: and say, I don't know what I have to fight next, 300 00:17:55,760 --> 00:18:04,440 Speaker 2: but right now I'm happy. 301 00:18:02,680 --> 00:18:07,240 Speaker 1: Got that screen shot. I don't know, Hillsong might knock 302 00:18:07,320 --> 00:18:10,120 Speaker 1: us off the top, but I got a screen shot. 303 00:18:11,160 --> 00:18:14,200 Speaker 2: Touch your neighbors, say I got a screenshot. Yeah, you 304 00:18:14,240 --> 00:18:18,200 Speaker 2: gotta take a screenshot because your next battle might be tough. 305 00:18:18,240 --> 00:18:20,720 Speaker 2: So you gotta get your victories really embedded in your 306 00:18:20,760 --> 00:18:23,399 Speaker 2: spirit to give you the strength and the courage to fight. 307 00:18:23,800 --> 00:18:26,720 Speaker 2: But Elisha was not telling the king to look back 308 00:18:26,760 --> 00:18:27,440 Speaker 2: on a battle. 309 00:18:29,000 --> 00:18:30,680 Speaker 1: He was telling him to look. 310 00:18:30,600 --> 00:18:34,680 Speaker 2: Forward to a battle as if it had already been won. 311 00:18:37,880 --> 00:18:43,240 Speaker 2: View your victory. You gotta see it before you can 312 00:18:43,280 --> 00:18:49,960 Speaker 2: seize it. You gotta see it before you can seize it. 313 00:18:50,000 --> 00:18:51,840 Speaker 2: And to see it before you can seize it, you 314 00:18:51,840 --> 00:18:53,199 Speaker 2: got to see it before you see it. 315 00:18:54,680 --> 00:18:58,680 Speaker 1: That sounded kind of confusing, didn't it? All right? 316 00:19:00,000 --> 00:19:02,960 Speaker 2: He Bruce eleven says that faith is the substance of 317 00:19:03,040 --> 00:19:12,359 Speaker 2: things hope for and the evidence of things not seen. 318 00:19:14,040 --> 00:19:15,959 Speaker 2: So close your eyes real quick. Will you do this. 319 00:19:16,000 --> 00:19:17,960 Speaker 2: I promise nobody's gonna take your purse. This is a 320 00:19:17,960 --> 00:19:23,080 Speaker 2: safe place. We've got great security. Close your eyes. And 321 00:19:23,119 --> 00:19:25,320 Speaker 2: I know that this concept has been abused and people 322 00:19:25,400 --> 00:19:25,760 Speaker 2: use it. 323 00:19:25,720 --> 00:19:26,800 Speaker 1: For all kinds of purposes. 324 00:19:26,800 --> 00:19:32,480 Speaker 2: But I want you to visualize, visualize your victory this year. 325 00:19:34,080 --> 00:19:39,720 Speaker 2: I want you to see yourself according to what God 326 00:19:40,440 --> 00:19:42,320 Speaker 2: has spoken over your life. I want you to see 327 00:19:42,359 --> 00:19:51,080 Speaker 2: yourself healed, see your hearthole, See yourself passionate, See yourself 328 00:19:51,160 --> 00:19:56,200 Speaker 2: fulfilling your purpose. See yourself powerful and mighty in God. 329 00:19:57,440 --> 00:20:03,040 Speaker 2: See yourself pulling down strongholds. See yourself free from pornography, 330 00:20:03,560 --> 00:20:08,280 Speaker 2: free from drugs, free from alcohol, See your self loving, 331 00:20:08,720 --> 00:20:12,760 Speaker 2: See your self kind, see your marriage in a different light. 332 00:20:13,400 --> 00:20:17,800 Speaker 2: See you gotta see it before you see it. You 333 00:20:17,880 --> 00:20:21,960 Speaker 2: gotta see it before you see it. And we should 334 00:20:22,080 --> 00:20:27,000 Speaker 2: understand as Christians how to see the unseen. We should 335 00:20:27,080 --> 00:20:30,719 Speaker 2: understand more than anybody the hope of an empty grave. 336 00:20:31,720 --> 00:20:35,960 Speaker 2: Sometimes you gotta see resurrection while you're still hanging. 337 00:20:35,680 --> 00:20:36,520 Speaker 1: On a cross. 338 00:20:37,359 --> 00:20:41,560 Speaker 2: Sometimes you gotta see liberty while you're still in bondage. 339 00:20:41,800 --> 00:20:46,240 Speaker 2: Sometimes you gotta see joy while you're still weeping over 340 00:20:46,280 --> 00:20:50,880 Speaker 2: the dying body of Elisha. My faith is the substance 341 00:20:51,320 --> 00:20:56,320 Speaker 2: of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. 342 00:20:56,800 --> 00:20:59,760 Speaker 1: I see an aerrow flying over an arrow. 343 00:21:00,359 --> 00:21:03,200 Speaker 2: I am more than a conqueror for a hand O 344 00:21:03,440 --> 00:21:07,320 Speaker 2: love me wats it takes seventeen seconds, and give God 345 00:21:07,320 --> 00:21:12,800 Speaker 2: a pre praise for every victory it's gonna break to pass. 346 00:21:12,640 --> 00:21:23,040 Speaker 1: In your life this year by a swear. This is 347 00:21:23,119 --> 00:21:24,520 Speaker 1: called a preview praise. 348 00:21:26,280 --> 00:21:30,159 Speaker 2: This is when you see yourself in the future stronger 349 00:21:30,160 --> 00:21:33,280 Speaker 2: than you've ever been, why ser than you've ever. 350 00:21:33,200 --> 00:21:37,800 Speaker 1: Been, and you rejoice in it. Dance I guess already done. 351 00:21:38,280 --> 00:21:40,040 Speaker 1: I gotta pray you I win. 352 00:21:46,960 --> 00:21:52,680 Speaker 2: I see an arrow flying over aarrow. Everybody's got an 353 00:21:52,840 --> 00:21:55,440 Speaker 2: rob everybody's. 354 00:21:54,840 --> 00:21:56,080 Speaker 1: Got something oppressing you. 355 00:21:56,800 --> 00:22:02,960 Speaker 2: State of mind, situation in life, emotional dysfunction. I could 356 00:22:03,000 --> 00:22:06,960 Speaker 2: spend three minutes with you and guess your erum. I've 357 00:22:06,960 --> 00:22:10,120 Speaker 2: been pastoring people a long time. I know I look 358 00:22:10,200 --> 00:22:15,000 Speaker 2: twenty three, but I got experience. I met crazy people, 359 00:22:15,840 --> 00:22:21,200 Speaker 2: rich crazy people, skinny crazy people, poor crazy people, fat 360 00:22:21,280 --> 00:22:27,040 Speaker 2: crazy people, black crazy people, like crazy people Latino crazy people. 361 00:22:27,400 --> 00:22:29,639 Speaker 1: I know crazy when I see it, and I'm. 362 00:22:29,520 --> 00:22:32,760 Speaker 2: Looking at twenty seven thousand crazies in the church today. 363 00:22:33,200 --> 00:22:36,119 Speaker 1: Everybody has an AERM. Why are you cheering about that? 364 00:22:36,280 --> 00:22:37,520 Speaker 1: It's awkward. 365 00:22:39,760 --> 00:22:42,879 Speaker 2: Cheering because you're crazy. 366 00:22:43,480 --> 00:22:44,280 Speaker 1: It's that thing. 367 00:22:44,400 --> 00:22:50,880 Speaker 2: Watch this view of the victory, but focus the fight. 368 00:22:52,119 --> 00:22:57,760 Speaker 2: He told him which window to open, which signified. 369 00:22:57,200 --> 00:23:01,160 Speaker 1: Which battle he needed to fight. A lot of us aren't. 370 00:23:00,960 --> 00:23:04,480 Speaker 2: Winning anywhere because we're trying to win everywhere. 371 00:23:13,600 --> 00:23:14,760 Speaker 1: Y'all don't remember the scene. 372 00:23:14,760 --> 00:23:19,800 Speaker 2: But Rocky told Polly, he said, I three, I see 373 00:23:20,080 --> 00:23:21,440 Speaker 2: I see three of them out there. 374 00:23:21,440 --> 00:23:22,480 Speaker 1: He was fighting. 375 00:23:22,600 --> 00:23:26,159 Speaker 2: Drago in Russia on Christmas Day. You need to know 376 00:23:26,200 --> 00:23:32,960 Speaker 2: your history, and Polly told him, Ray, I think I 377 00:23:33,000 --> 00:23:35,560 Speaker 2: think it's a word for somebody. He said, hit the 378 00:23:35,560 --> 00:23:40,760 Speaker 2: one in the middle. I got it coming from the 379 00:23:40,800 --> 00:23:42,840 Speaker 2: north and the south and the east and the west, 380 00:23:45,080 --> 00:23:47,439 Speaker 2: and I don't I don't know where to fight first. 381 00:23:51,800 --> 00:23:55,879 Speaker 2: Any IT department will tell you that you can't do 382 00:23:55,920 --> 00:23:57,840 Speaker 2: any work if you've got too many windows open. 383 00:24:05,560 --> 00:24:11,320 Speaker 1: I'm gonna help you this year. Open one window at 384 00:24:11,359 --> 00:24:11,720 Speaker 1: a time. 385 00:24:13,960 --> 00:24:19,000 Speaker 2: View your victory, but clarify the conflict. God, here's a 386 00:24:19,040 --> 00:24:24,440 Speaker 2: prayer to pray, pray this prayer, God, show me where 387 00:24:24,480 --> 00:24:29,960 Speaker 2: to shoot. See because action without aim leads to exhaustion. 388 00:24:33,720 --> 00:24:35,680 Speaker 2: And a lot of people go into a new year 389 00:24:38,080 --> 00:24:43,240 Speaker 2: not with a sense of apathy, but with a sense 390 00:24:43,280 --> 00:24:47,760 Speaker 2: of activity that is aimless, and they are out of 391 00:24:47,960 --> 00:24:59,360 Speaker 2: arrows before February starts. Seventeen resolutions. Can't keep one too 392 00:24:59,400 --> 00:25:06,040 Speaker 2: many windows. Oh, I could preach on the power of priority. 393 00:25:06,840 --> 00:25:10,160 Speaker 2: It's not just that the prophet showed him the victory. 394 00:25:10,440 --> 00:25:13,840 Speaker 2: He showed him which one needed to be next. And 395 00:25:13,880 --> 00:25:17,119 Speaker 2: you know God wants to speak to you if you 396 00:25:17,119 --> 00:25:20,840 Speaker 2: will get with him. The king went down to the prophet, 397 00:25:22,000 --> 00:25:25,119 Speaker 2: and the prophet pointed, not only at the victory, the 398 00:25:25,320 --> 00:25:28,920 Speaker 2: arrow flying over aarm. Everybody in here has an arm, 399 00:25:29,920 --> 00:25:31,200 Speaker 2: and everyone has an arrow. 400 00:25:32,760 --> 00:25:36,160 Speaker 1: Are you more focused on your aram or your arrow? 401 00:25:38,000 --> 00:25:40,440 Speaker 2: A lot of us get so focused on the aram 402 00:25:40,520 --> 00:25:43,800 Speaker 2: that we're facing that we lose sight of the arrow 403 00:25:43,840 --> 00:25:47,199 Speaker 2: of victory. We become discouraged in the fight because we 404 00:25:47,320 --> 00:25:54,000 Speaker 2: have no focus. Watch the arrow, because if you look 405 00:25:54,040 --> 00:25:57,280 Speaker 2: at arim, you'll always be intimidated. If you look at 406 00:25:57,280 --> 00:26:00,440 Speaker 2: how big the enemy is, you will always loose strength, 407 00:26:00,520 --> 00:26:02,400 Speaker 2: heart and courage. 408 00:26:03,160 --> 00:26:04,440 Speaker 1: But if you'll watch the arrow. 409 00:26:05,880 --> 00:26:08,640 Speaker 2: If you'll look for the activity of God, he will 410 00:26:08,800 --> 00:26:11,520 Speaker 2: show you where to shoot. He will show you what 411 00:26:11,720 --> 00:26:16,320 Speaker 2: to work on. And you can't win everywhere at once. 412 00:26:17,880 --> 00:26:19,800 Speaker 2: I've had to learn this the hard way because I 413 00:26:19,840 --> 00:26:23,280 Speaker 2: can be a very arrogant person. I can think I 414 00:26:23,320 --> 00:26:26,000 Speaker 2: can handle stuff I can't handle, and do more than 415 00:26:26,040 --> 00:26:28,680 Speaker 2: I can do until I collapse. 416 00:26:30,240 --> 00:26:31,919 Speaker 1: And it was in a. 417 00:26:31,400 --> 00:26:35,320 Speaker 2: Ministerial meltdown that Pastor Craig taught me the most valuable 418 00:26:35,359 --> 00:26:37,320 Speaker 2: lesson he ever taught me, and he's taught me a lot. 419 00:26:37,880 --> 00:26:39,600 Speaker 1: He said, you've spent. 420 00:26:39,400 --> 00:26:42,560 Speaker 2: Your whole life trying to figure out how to win. 421 00:26:43,520 --> 00:26:47,480 Speaker 2: Now you need to decide where to win. Where does 422 00:26:47,600 --> 00:26:55,000 Speaker 2: God want you to win? I'm asking you where Concord, Where? 423 00:26:55,320 --> 00:26:57,520 Speaker 1: Lake Norman? Where Blakeney? 424 00:26:58,040 --> 00:27:03,800 Speaker 2: Where does God want you to win? Because you can't 425 00:27:03,800 --> 00:27:07,840 Speaker 2: win every battle at once. Aaron wasn't the only enemy, 426 00:27:07,920 --> 00:27:12,200 Speaker 2: it was the next one. I can't win everywhere at once. 427 00:27:12,240 --> 00:27:22,119 Speaker 2: And I'm gonna tell you something else. I can't please everybody. 428 00:27:23,800 --> 00:27:25,840 Speaker 1: I've got to let some people down. 429 00:27:27,119 --> 00:27:29,919 Speaker 2: In order to aim my life in the direction of 430 00:27:29,960 --> 00:27:35,480 Speaker 2: my destiny. I can't please everybody. Can you imagine what 431 00:27:35,600 --> 00:27:37,879 Speaker 2: kind of pastor I would be if I tried to 432 00:27:37,920 --> 00:27:39,720 Speaker 2: please everybody. 433 00:27:40,440 --> 00:27:42,200 Speaker 1: Huh, how many times would. 434 00:27:42,040 --> 00:27:45,119 Speaker 2: I have to change clothes during one sermon if I 435 00:27:45,160 --> 00:27:50,679 Speaker 2: wanted to please everybody. Can't please everybody. I'm not aiming to. 436 00:27:52,240 --> 00:27:58,560 Speaker 2: If I please God and Holly, I'm good. Did you 437 00:27:58,680 --> 00:28:05,280 Speaker 2: notice a footnote? I'm aiming at something. I'm aiming at something. 438 00:28:06,080 --> 00:28:10,520 Speaker 2: I'm aiming at something. I'm not just shooting every direction 439 00:28:10,680 --> 00:28:13,320 Speaker 2: this year. I'm aiming at something That means I have 440 00:28:13,400 --> 00:28:16,120 Speaker 2: to be realistic, not only about where I want to win, 441 00:28:16,920 --> 00:28:17,760 Speaker 2: but where I might. 442 00:28:17,680 --> 00:28:18,320 Speaker 1: Have to lose. 443 00:28:21,400 --> 00:28:24,600 Speaker 2: I don't want to hurt your feelings. But you might 444 00:28:24,640 --> 00:28:30,400 Speaker 2: not get around to all of it this year. Okay, 445 00:28:30,800 --> 00:28:35,920 Speaker 2: you might lose some this year. You might not get 446 00:28:35,920 --> 00:28:40,600 Speaker 2: to eat organic and get out of debt this year. 447 00:28:43,680 --> 00:28:46,360 Speaker 2: You might have to save a little bit so you 448 00:28:46,400 --> 00:28:53,400 Speaker 2: can afford to shop at whole foods. So get the money, 449 00:28:54,080 --> 00:28:55,200 Speaker 2: then get the apples. 450 00:28:55,320 --> 00:29:01,960 Speaker 1: You follow me. You might not get to take. 451 00:29:01,760 --> 00:29:03,760 Speaker 2: The promotion while your kids are young and be at 452 00:29:03,760 --> 00:29:06,520 Speaker 2: the house like you want to. You might need to 453 00:29:06,520 --> 00:29:09,680 Speaker 2: make a little less because the window of more money 454 00:29:09,720 --> 00:29:11,600 Speaker 2: will be there in ten years, but the window of 455 00:29:11,720 --> 00:29:12,880 Speaker 2: childhood is closing. 456 00:29:13,520 --> 00:29:18,400 Speaker 1: You might have to make some decisions to win. 457 00:29:18,600 --> 00:29:29,960 Speaker 2: To aim, you might not get to take Tina. 458 00:29:29,880 --> 00:29:33,560 Speaker 1: To every dance competition. You might have to teach her 459 00:29:33,560 --> 00:29:42,200 Speaker 1: that we go to church on the weekend. I'm closing. No, 460 00:29:42,400 --> 00:29:42,840 Speaker 1: I mean. 461 00:29:44,560 --> 00:29:50,320 Speaker 2: He said, shoot out the east window. God show me 462 00:29:50,480 --> 00:29:54,400 Speaker 2: the right direction to aid my arrows this year. 463 00:29:54,760 --> 00:29:56,880 Speaker 1: I don't want to waste my time. I don't want 464 00:29:56,880 --> 00:29:59,480 Speaker 1: to waste my money. I don't want to waste my thoughts. 465 00:30:00,000 --> 00:30:01,080 Speaker 1: I want to waste my pain. 466 00:30:01,360 --> 00:30:05,560 Speaker 2: I want to apply myself in. 467 00:30:05,560 --> 00:30:07,880 Speaker 1: The direction of my destiny. 468 00:30:09,160 --> 00:30:11,040 Speaker 2: And I believe God's going to show us some stuff 469 00:30:11,600 --> 00:30:14,320 Speaker 2: in this series. He's going to show you how to 470 00:30:14,360 --> 00:30:16,400 Speaker 2: point your life in the direction of your purpose. 471 00:30:16,960 --> 00:30:18,440 Speaker 1: Oh that's going to be a good week when we 472 00:30:18,480 --> 00:30:22,360 Speaker 1: get to that. People, Please, this is just an introduction. 473 00:30:23,280 --> 00:30:24,960 Speaker 2: I got some stuff to show you from the word 474 00:30:24,960 --> 00:30:26,800 Speaker 2: of God. I hope you're going to be here every 475 00:30:26,840 --> 00:30:27,840 Speaker 2: week of this series. 476 00:30:28,920 --> 00:30:29,600 Speaker 1: Make it your. 477 00:30:29,480 --> 00:30:34,480 Speaker 2: Aim, make it your aim, you show up to other 478 00:30:34,520 --> 00:30:40,840 Speaker 2: stuff consistently. I don't feel angry when I'm saying this. 479 00:30:40,960 --> 00:30:45,080 Speaker 2: I just feel accurate. I just feel like this is 480 00:30:45,120 --> 00:30:49,040 Speaker 2: exactly what you need to hear. Take the bow, open 481 00:30:49,080 --> 00:30:52,600 Speaker 2: the window, shoot let's go through the passage one more time, 482 00:30:52,800 --> 00:30:59,000 Speaker 2: he said verse fifteen, get a bow, take the bow, 483 00:31:01,320 --> 00:31:09,600 Speaker 2: open the window, and when he shot the arrow out 484 00:31:09,640 --> 00:31:16,440 Speaker 2: the window, he promised him victory. The progression of the 485 00:31:16,480 --> 00:31:23,120 Speaker 2: text is a little unsettling at this point. What happens 486 00:31:23,160 --> 00:31:26,520 Speaker 2: next is what happens in a lot of our lives 487 00:31:26,520 --> 00:31:31,440 Speaker 2: when church is over and we have to apply what 488 00:31:31,480 --> 00:31:36,080 Speaker 2: we have heard. And my first point is view your victory, 489 00:31:37,200 --> 00:31:38,440 Speaker 2: and I want you to see it, and I want 490 00:31:38,480 --> 00:31:39,360 Speaker 2: you to shout about it. 491 00:31:39,880 --> 00:31:40,600 Speaker 1: That's important. 492 00:31:42,120 --> 00:31:47,480 Speaker 2: My second point was focus the fight, because you can't 493 00:31:47,520 --> 00:31:49,440 Speaker 2: win everywhere at once, and you've got to decide what 494 00:31:49,520 --> 00:31:51,000 Speaker 2: God has called you to do. You don't have to 495 00:31:51,040 --> 00:31:53,280 Speaker 2: raise your kids like they raise their kids. You raise 496 00:31:53,280 --> 00:31:57,360 Speaker 2: your kids the way God shows you to raise your kids. Amen, 497 00:32:00,200 --> 00:32:03,520 Speaker 2: And you got to focus the fight for your fight, 498 00:32:04,640 --> 00:32:07,560 Speaker 2: for your battle, for your calling. It might not look 499 00:32:07,640 --> 00:32:13,680 Speaker 2: like everybody else's, But can I tell you something. Jehoesh's 500 00:32:14,520 --> 00:32:19,160 Speaker 2: real fight was not against aaron, even though they were 501 00:32:19,200 --> 00:32:21,760 Speaker 2: his external enemy. 502 00:32:21,880 --> 00:32:23,240 Speaker 1: His biggest fight was not. 503 00:32:24,960 --> 00:32:29,120 Speaker 2: Out the east window, and your biggest fight is never 504 00:32:29,840 --> 00:32:34,360 Speaker 2: out there. After the prophet told him to open the 505 00:32:34,400 --> 00:32:38,320 Speaker 2: window and get a victory in view, shoot the arrow 506 00:32:38,400 --> 00:32:43,040 Speaker 2: in the direction of his next battle, focus his attention, 507 00:32:43,560 --> 00:32:46,000 Speaker 2: focus his energy, focus his effort. 508 00:32:47,120 --> 00:32:49,040 Speaker 1: The next thing he tells him to do is what 509 00:32:49,120 --> 00:32:52,760 Speaker 1: you must do if you're going to move past intention 510 00:32:53,040 --> 00:32:55,080 Speaker 1: into implementation. 511 00:32:57,360 --> 00:33:01,760 Speaker 2: And go from seeing it to seizing it. Then he said, 512 00:33:01,960 --> 00:33:06,680 Speaker 2: next instruction verse eighteen. Take the arrows, the same ones 513 00:33:06,680 --> 00:33:11,040 Speaker 2: that were just flying. Now take them. And the king 514 00:33:11,120 --> 00:33:11,560 Speaker 2: took them. 515 00:33:12,880 --> 00:33:14,560 Speaker 1: Elizha told him strike the. 516 00:33:14,440 --> 00:33:22,880 Speaker 2: Ground, and he struck it three times and stopped three 517 00:33:22,920 --> 00:33:30,360 Speaker 2: times and stopped. I heard the prophet say get, I 518 00:33:30,400 --> 00:33:34,560 Speaker 2: heard the prophet say take, I heard him say open, 519 00:33:36,080 --> 00:33:40,240 Speaker 2: I heard him say shoot, and I heard him say strike, 520 00:33:41,440 --> 00:33:49,320 Speaker 2: but I didn't hear him say stop. And I hear 521 00:33:49,400 --> 00:33:55,520 Speaker 2: God saying to someone someone who has taken the arrow 522 00:33:55,560 --> 00:33:58,640 Speaker 2: in your hand, and you've kind of half heartedly done 523 00:33:58,680 --> 00:34:01,440 Speaker 2: it and kind of met around with it and kind 524 00:34:01,440 --> 00:34:05,400 Speaker 2: of try it at it and stopped short. 525 00:34:06,000 --> 00:34:07,560 Speaker 1: See this is what I used to preach. 526 00:34:08,120 --> 00:34:09,920 Speaker 2: I had this sermon, and when I would get to 527 00:34:09,960 --> 00:34:11,840 Speaker 2: this point, I would take my microphone. 528 00:34:11,840 --> 00:34:13,200 Speaker 1: I preached this all over the world. 529 00:34:13,640 --> 00:34:17,000 Speaker 2: I didn't I ap preached it in Australia, in London, 530 00:34:17,040 --> 00:34:20,520 Speaker 2: England and South America. And I'll get to this point 531 00:34:20,640 --> 00:34:23,320 Speaker 2: and I would demonstrate. I'd take the microphone, I start. 532 00:34:23,160 --> 00:34:28,240 Speaker 1: Pounding it on my Bible. I pound that microphone. 533 00:34:28,360 --> 00:34:32,520 Speaker 2: I was the most feared preacher for every sound technician. 534 00:34:34,280 --> 00:34:36,879 Speaker 1: In the world. And I'm not going to do. 535 00:34:36,840 --> 00:34:40,319 Speaker 2: That illustration here because this microphone is expensive and I 536 00:34:40,400 --> 00:34:41,000 Speaker 2: pay for it. 537 00:34:41,520 --> 00:34:44,879 Speaker 1: But but he. 538 00:34:44,960 --> 00:34:50,840 Speaker 2: Stopped short, and he stopped striking, and the prophet watched this. 539 00:34:51,320 --> 00:34:54,799 Speaker 2: The Man of God Verse nineteen was angry with him 540 00:34:54,800 --> 00:35:00,600 Speaker 2: and said, you should have struck the ground five or 541 00:35:00,680 --> 00:35:08,520 Speaker 2: six times. In other words, I didn't say stop. You're 542 00:35:08,560 --> 00:35:14,279 Speaker 2: good at starting stuff, but the moment your hands get 543 00:35:14,360 --> 00:35:17,680 Speaker 2: tired and the ground gets hard, you stop. 544 00:35:23,880 --> 00:35:24,640 Speaker 1: You should have. 545 00:35:25,000 --> 00:35:30,920 Speaker 2: What a terrible place to end your year. You should 546 00:35:31,040 --> 00:35:35,960 Speaker 2: have kept striking. Then you would have defeated Aerin and 547 00:35:36,000 --> 00:35:39,800 Speaker 2: completely destroyed it. But now you will defeat it only 548 00:35:40,120 --> 00:35:44,560 Speaker 2: three times. Look at verse twenty Elisha died and was buried. 549 00:35:46,200 --> 00:35:52,920 Speaker 1: And the window closed, and you should have you should have. 550 00:35:55,200 --> 00:35:57,960 Speaker 2: I don't know about you, but I don't want to 551 00:35:57,960 --> 00:36:02,560 Speaker 2: look back on any more seasons of my life thinking 552 00:36:02,600 --> 00:36:09,799 Speaker 2: about what I should have and what could have. This year, 553 00:36:11,040 --> 00:36:20,560 Speaker 2: I will work my window this year, and let me 554 00:36:20,600 --> 00:36:22,839 Speaker 2: tell you. Let me tell you how I know I 555 00:36:22,920 --> 00:36:29,880 Speaker 2: have determined the decision in advance. Quitting is not an option. 556 00:36:31,640 --> 00:36:35,000 Speaker 2: It's not an option. It's not an option for me 557 00:36:35,040 --> 00:36:43,040 Speaker 2: to stop short. It's not optional. I have determined the decision. 558 00:36:44,520 --> 00:36:47,480 Speaker 2: I don't wait until I get tired to decide if 559 00:36:47,480 --> 00:36:53,000 Speaker 2: I'm going to do it. I decided it in advance. 560 00:36:53,120 --> 00:37:00,000 Speaker 2: I predecided it. I pre decided, I pre I pre side. 561 00:37:00,040 --> 00:37:06,320 Speaker 2: I did pre decision, pre decision before I get into temptation. 562 00:37:06,719 --> 00:37:12,759 Speaker 2: I determine my response before I get discouraged. I determined 563 00:37:12,800 --> 00:37:18,600 Speaker 2: to keep going. It's the power of precision. I have 564 00:37:18,840 --> 00:37:22,719 Speaker 2: aimed in the direction of completion, and I will. 565 00:37:22,480 --> 00:37:24,920 Speaker 1: Not stop until it comes to past. 566 00:37:25,320 --> 00:37:28,160 Speaker 2: Somebody give us seventy seconds of praise. 567 00:37:30,120 --> 00:37:39,480 Speaker 1: I'm aiming at it. Take aame, Take action, take ame. 568 00:37:39,680 --> 00:37:42,200 Speaker 1: Come on, the arrow is flying. Take aame. 569 00:37:43,600 --> 00:37:49,680 Speaker 2: Take action, take aame, take action. Tell your neghver take aim, 570 00:37:50,640 --> 00:37:54,680 Speaker 2: take action, take aim, take action. 571 00:37:55,520 --> 00:37:59,440 Speaker 1: My God is fighting for me. I cannot be defeated. 572 00:38:07,080 --> 00:38:07,920 Speaker 1: Stand to your feet. 573 00:38:08,920 --> 00:38:11,680 Speaker 2: It is not what happened in the air that determined 574 00:38:11,680 --> 00:38:14,160 Speaker 2: the outcome of the battle. It's what happened on the ground. 575 00:38:18,200 --> 00:38:24,759 Speaker 2: The arrow flew over aaron. The victory was his. But 576 00:38:24,880 --> 00:38:25,840 Speaker 2: because he stopped. 577 00:38:29,640 --> 00:38:35,440 Speaker 1: He lost over the next Uh, what do you think 578 00:38:35,440 --> 00:38:41,560 Speaker 1: we should do? Four weeks, five weeks, six weeks. 579 00:38:44,000 --> 00:38:46,280 Speaker 2: We can't stuck on six shibo is seven weeks. 580 00:38:49,160 --> 00:38:49,920 Speaker 1: I'm gonna tell you what. 581 00:38:51,280 --> 00:38:53,560 Speaker 2: I'm approached this until your window is open. If I 582 00:38:53,560 --> 00:39:00,640 Speaker 2: have to bust it open with a rock, how many 583 00:39:00,680 --> 00:39:02,799 Speaker 2: of y'all thought I might throw that microphone? 584 00:39:02,800 --> 00:39:08,200 Speaker 1: I said, we're going to get this thing open this year. 585 00:39:09,640 --> 00:39:12,360 Speaker 2: We're going to get your focus off of your wishes 586 00:39:13,840 --> 00:39:17,719 Speaker 2: and put the word to work in your life. Many 587 00:39:17,719 --> 00:39:21,120 Speaker 2: of us already know enough to do it. If we 588 00:39:21,160 --> 00:39:24,040 Speaker 2: would do what we knew. Tell your neighbor, if you 589 00:39:24,080 --> 00:39:27,480 Speaker 2: would do what you knew, you could win the battle. 590 00:39:30,320 --> 00:39:32,760 Speaker 2: It wasn't what you don't know. He told him the window, 591 00:39:33,440 --> 00:39:37,520 Speaker 2: and he told him what to do. But when the 592 00:39:37,520 --> 00:39:40,640 Speaker 2: prophet took his old hands. Some think that Elishah could 593 00:39:40,640 --> 00:39:41,560 Speaker 2: have been one hundred and ten. 594 00:39:41,520 --> 00:39:42,439 Speaker 1: Years old at this point. 595 00:39:43,719 --> 00:39:45,840 Speaker 2: And when he took his hands, his old, tired hands, 596 00:39:45,840 --> 00:39:48,759 Speaker 2: his callous hands that had worked miracles. Remember, Elisha was 597 00:39:48,760 --> 00:39:51,080 Speaker 2: an action man. He's the one who told the kings 598 00:39:51,080 --> 00:39:52,839 Speaker 2: to dig the ditches in the valley where they saw 599 00:39:52,880 --> 00:39:53,279 Speaker 2: no rain. 600 00:39:53,400 --> 00:39:57,839 Speaker 1: Because if you will do it. If you will do 601 00:39:57,920 --> 00:39:59,879 Speaker 1: what you can do, God will do what you can't. 602 00:40:03,600 --> 00:40:07,680 Speaker 2: Listen to me, I never felt so strong and so 603 00:40:07,800 --> 00:40:10,400 Speaker 2: clear in my spirit about what to say. I never have. 604 00:40:10,719 --> 00:40:13,560 Speaker 2: God said, it's his arrow, but it's your effort. 605 00:40:16,560 --> 00:40:22,160 Speaker 1: It's his victory. But it starts with your vision. And 606 00:40:22,239 --> 00:40:23,319 Speaker 1: so we're gonna drive it down. 607 00:40:23,400 --> 00:40:25,359 Speaker 2: He said, you should strike five or six times. That's 608 00:40:25,360 --> 00:40:27,560 Speaker 2: what we're gonna do over the next several weeks. And 609 00:40:27,640 --> 00:40:29,520 Speaker 2: every week you come, it's gonna be a principle. 610 00:40:29,680 --> 00:40:33,840 Speaker 1: I'm gonna call them my six power windows. None of 611 00:40:33,880 --> 00:40:39,319 Speaker 1: this come on. 612 00:40:39,400 --> 00:40:41,560 Speaker 2: Somebody, roll it down, Roll it down, Roll it down, 613 00:40:42,360 --> 00:40:42,959 Speaker 2: roll it down. 614 00:40:43,840 --> 00:40:44,960 Speaker 1: Six power windows. 615 00:40:45,880 --> 00:40:47,160 Speaker 2: And I want you to come, and I want you 616 00:40:47,200 --> 00:40:49,480 Speaker 2: to tune in online. And I want some of you 617 00:40:49,520 --> 00:40:50,799 Speaker 2: to make a trip and come be with. 618 00:40:50,760 --> 00:40:52,359 Speaker 1: Us, live, make a road trip out of it, make 619 00:40:52,400 --> 00:40:56,840 Speaker 1: a weekend out of it, because this is our open season. 620 00:41:00,400 --> 00:41:03,960 Speaker 2: Precision, Take aim, God, what is it you want me 621 00:41:04,000 --> 00:41:04,960 Speaker 2: to focus on this year? 622 00:41:05,000 --> 00:41:08,680 Speaker 1: We're gonna sort that out. Take action? What do you 623 00:41:08,680 --> 00:41:10,960 Speaker 1: want me to do? 624 00:41:10,960 --> 00:41:14,239 Speaker 2: Do it like it's already done. Do it like it's 625 00:41:14,239 --> 00:41:18,759 Speaker 2: already done. Mom, Is it true? I used to walk 626 00:41:18,800 --> 00:41:21,920 Speaker 2: around with my walkman all around the neighborhood listening to 627 00:41:22,000 --> 00:41:24,560 Speaker 2: cassette tapes of Pentecostal preachers. 628 00:41:25,920 --> 00:41:27,640 Speaker 1: I went to a Baptist church, so I had to 629 00:41:27,640 --> 00:41:29,680 Speaker 1: pull out my cassette tapes to get some real preacher. 630 00:41:29,880 --> 00:41:32,480 Speaker 1: I'm just kidding. That was a joke. I went to 631 00:41:32,520 --> 00:41:33,360 Speaker 1: a Baptist school. 632 00:41:33,440 --> 00:41:38,440 Speaker 2: Leave me alone, and I would envision the day I 633 00:41:38,440 --> 00:41:43,840 Speaker 2: could preach to people. They found a tweet from Deshaun Watson. 634 00:41:43,880 --> 00:41:47,680 Speaker 2: I'm sorry to keep talking about Clemson, but I had 635 00:41:47,719 --> 00:41:52,840 Speaker 2: to work my window. We're four years ago as a 636 00:41:52,920 --> 00:41:55,200 Speaker 2: high school junior. Google this, I promise. 637 00:41:54,960 --> 00:41:55,680 Speaker 1: You is the truth. 638 00:41:56,400 --> 00:42:01,560 Speaker 2: Google will verify what I'm saying to you. He tweeted 639 00:42:01,640 --> 00:42:05,480 Speaker 2: as a junior in high school, me in a national 640 00:42:05,520 --> 00:42:12,680 Speaker 2: championship game, waiting for that chance, and Graham is reviewing 641 00:42:13,360 --> 00:42:19,320 Speaker 2: the victory because he previewed the victory. 642 00:42:18,360 --> 00:42:21,960 Speaker 1: And he didn't just wait for it, he worked on it. 643 00:42:23,239 --> 00:42:25,240 Speaker 1: We're going to get to work this year. Hans lifted 644 00:42:25,280 --> 00:42:27,439 Speaker 1: all over this place. The spirit of God is here. 645 00:42:28,320 --> 00:42:29,120 Speaker 1: Pray it out loud. 646 00:42:29,160 --> 00:42:36,120 Speaker 2: Lord, show me where to shoot, show me where to focus. 647 00:42:36,840 --> 00:42:38,239 Speaker 1: Now let's make some declarations. 648 00:42:38,320 --> 00:42:44,600 Speaker 2: I declare the victory of God over every weakness in 649 00:42:44,680 --> 00:42:51,560 Speaker 2: my life. I declare the arrow of victory over aerim 650 00:42:51,600 --> 00:42:56,440 Speaker 2: over fear, over anxiety, over my past. 651 00:42:57,360 --> 00:43:04,120 Speaker 1: Come on, I declare, so come to pass. This is 652 00:43:04,200 --> 00:43:08,080 Speaker 1: my ear. Come on high by somebody. 653 00:43:07,760 --> 00:43:08,840 Speaker 3: That'll take the shock. 654 00:43:09,680 --> 00:43:10,520 Speaker 1: Take the shot. 655 00:43:10,680 --> 00:43:14,040 Speaker 3: You'll see, don't it if you'll take it, doll me, 656 00:43:14,560 --> 00:43:21,720 Speaker 3: You'll make it if you'll take it. 657 00:43:23,040 --> 00:43:25,480 Speaker 2: What the enemies of Jesus didn't know as he was 658 00:43:25,560 --> 00:43:29,080 Speaker 2: hanging on the cross is that the cross was always 659 00:43:29,120 --> 00:43:34,279 Speaker 2: pointing toward the empty tomb. Every crucifixion points to resurrection, 660 00:43:34,840 --> 00:43:37,080 Speaker 2: every defeat points toward victory. 661 00:43:37,400 --> 00:43:39,200 Speaker 1: Come on, lift your hands one more time. 662 00:43:39,520 --> 00:43:42,160 Speaker 2: Why don't you point your praise in the direction. 663 00:43:41,840 --> 00:43:42,640 Speaker 3: Of your promise. 664 00:43:43,200 --> 00:43:45,719 Speaker 2: Come on, point at it, point at call it out, 665 00:43:46,080 --> 00:43:47,719 Speaker 2: call it out, call your shot. 666 00:43:47,880 --> 00:43:51,359 Speaker 1: This year, This year I will, This year I win. 667 00:43:51,800 --> 00:43:53,400 Speaker 1: I'm declaring in advance. 668 00:43:54,040 --> 00:43:56,920 Speaker 3: I am a victor, I am an overcomer. 669 00:43:57,280 --> 00:44:10,719 Speaker 1: I am ill. Thank you for joining us. 670 00:44:11,000 --> 00:44:13,440 Speaker 2: Special thanks to those of you who give generously to 671 00:44:13,520 --> 00:44:17,000 Speaker 2: this ministry. Is because of you that this ministry is possible. 672 00:44:17,480 --> 00:44:19,960 Speaker 2: You can click the link in the description to give now, 673 00:44:20,560 --> 00:44:24,400 Speaker 2: or visit Elevationchurch dot org slash podcast for more information 674 00:44:24,960 --> 00:44:27,520 Speaker 2: and if you enjoyed the podcast, you can subscribe. 675 00:44:28,000 --> 00:44:29,320 Speaker 1: You can share it with your friends. 676 00:44:29,600 --> 00:44:31,880 Speaker 2: You can click the share button, take a screenshot and 677 00:44:31,960 --> 00:44:34,080 Speaker 2: share it on your social stories and tag us at 678 00:44:34,080 --> 00:44:34,919 Speaker 2: Elevation Church. 679 00:44:35,000 --> 00:44:36,640 Speaker 1: Thanks again for listening. God bless you.