1 00:00:01,520 --> 00:00:02,800 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Stephen Ferdick. 2 00:00:02,800 --> 00:00:05,800 Speaker 2: I'm the pastor of Elevation Church and this is our podcast. 3 00:00:05,880 --> 00:00:08,319 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 --> 00:00:13,560 Speaker 2: gives your perspective to see God is moving in your life. 6 00:00:13,840 --> 00:00:17,400 Speaker 2: Enjoy the message. 7 00:00:18,360 --> 00:00:25,280 Speaker 1: Yo, I'm at Elevation child. I know y'all, know y'all 8 00:00:25,520 --> 00:00:26,400 Speaker 1: how good you have it. 9 00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:29,240 Speaker 3: But sometimes you can get so close to something that 10 00:00:29,280 --> 00:00:31,159 Speaker 3: you take it for granted and you're like, oh, this 11 00:00:31,320 --> 00:00:34,040 Speaker 3: is church every Sunday, and you have no idea how 12 00:00:34,080 --> 00:00:37,479 Speaker 3: blessed you are. People don't get to walk into places 13 00:00:37,520 --> 00:00:40,400 Speaker 3: like this all over the world every Sunday. You are 14 00:00:40,440 --> 00:00:44,519 Speaker 3: the favored of the Lord. Somebody say Amen. And one 15 00:00:44,560 --> 00:00:46,599 Speaker 3: of the reason why God favors you the way that 16 00:00:46,640 --> 00:00:49,560 Speaker 3: he does is because of the phenomenal leadership that God 17 00:00:49,560 --> 00:00:52,640 Speaker 3: has given you. And Pastor Stephen and Pastor Holly, come on, 18 00:00:52,720 --> 00:00:55,840 Speaker 3: can you put your hands to get come on with 19 00:00:55,880 --> 00:00:56,800 Speaker 3: these golf collaps? 20 00:00:56,880 --> 00:00:57,640 Speaker 1: Can you honor? 21 00:01:01,720 --> 00:01:04,520 Speaker 3: If you know anything about us preachers, we're a little extra. 22 00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:07,800 Speaker 3: And I was thinking about Pastor Stephen and us pastors. 23 00:01:07,800 --> 00:01:10,039 Speaker 3: We have these terms that we use and we kind 24 00:01:10,040 --> 00:01:12,400 Speaker 3: of delegate him for only a few type of people. 25 00:01:12,480 --> 00:01:15,839 Speaker 3: But we'll say certain people are generals of the faith, 26 00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:18,400 Speaker 3: like you ever talk people about talking about like Billy 27 00:01:18,400 --> 00:01:21,000 Speaker 3: Graham or whatever, generals of the faith. And when you 28 00:01:21,000 --> 00:01:24,080 Speaker 3: think about a general, they're the one that gives the 29 00:01:24,240 --> 00:01:27,400 Speaker 3: orders for the army to march out. And I don't 30 00:01:27,440 --> 00:01:29,399 Speaker 3: know if y'all notice that I probably shouldn't say this 31 00:01:29,440 --> 00:01:32,680 Speaker 3: from a platform, but there are bootleg elevation churches all 32 00:01:32,720 --> 00:01:36,600 Speaker 3: over the world following what you guys do here, and 33 00:01:36,640 --> 00:01:37,880 Speaker 3: it's not copycat. 34 00:01:38,000 --> 00:01:39,039 Speaker 1: It's because God is. 35 00:01:39,000 --> 00:01:42,080 Speaker 3: Giving you a general that is setting the pace for 36 00:01:42,200 --> 00:01:46,720 Speaker 3: the Kingdom of God. And we are grateful, grateful, grateful. 37 00:01:46,800 --> 00:01:49,560 Speaker 3: And I'm not just saying this. Pastor Holly is one 38 00:01:49,640 --> 00:01:51,240 Speaker 3: of my favorite preachers. 39 00:01:50,800 --> 00:01:53,200 Speaker 1: On the planet. Come on out. A lot of times 40 00:01:53,200 --> 00:01:54,639 Speaker 1: when you think about preachers, you're. 41 00:01:54,520 --> 00:01:56,560 Speaker 3: Like, oh, are they funny? You know, love how they 42 00:01:56,560 --> 00:01:59,200 Speaker 3: tell stories or breakdown the word. But there's some preachers 43 00:01:59,240 --> 00:02:01,640 Speaker 3: that when they preach, it's not the stories, it's not 44 00:02:01,720 --> 00:02:04,440 Speaker 3: the word. It's the fact that you can tell that 45 00:02:04,520 --> 00:02:07,920 Speaker 3: person has been somewhere with God and they have proven 46 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:10,720 Speaker 3: God in their life, and it loses out of everything 47 00:02:10,760 --> 00:02:13,799 Speaker 3: that she says. One last time, put your hands together, 48 00:02:13,840 --> 00:02:14,800 Speaker 3: Come on, get your honor. 49 00:02:16,800 --> 00:02:18,000 Speaker 1: Ah thluyah. 50 00:02:18,320 --> 00:02:20,400 Speaker 3: Hey, before you take a seat, high five two people. 51 00:02:20,720 --> 00:02:25,680 Speaker 3: Tell them I've got perfect church attendance this year. Come on, 52 00:02:25,880 --> 00:02:30,919 Speaker 3: tell somebody I have not missed a Sunday in twenty 53 00:02:31,720 --> 00:02:35,160 Speaker 3: twenty five. Hey, turn to your Bible to First Samuel 54 00:02:35,520 --> 00:02:39,280 Speaker 3: chapter twenty one, First Samuel chapter twenty one. And while 55 00:02:39,320 --> 00:02:41,600 Speaker 3: you turn there, I want to show you why I 56 00:02:41,680 --> 00:02:45,080 Speaker 3: am more blessed that you are. And I know that 57 00:02:45,080 --> 00:02:48,160 Speaker 3: sounds ignorant because blessings are not a competition. But it's 58 00:02:48,200 --> 00:02:50,880 Speaker 3: not a competition because I win and you lose. I 59 00:02:50,960 --> 00:02:53,760 Speaker 3: am more blessed than you are because my family is 60 00:02:53,800 --> 00:02:57,079 Speaker 3: better looking than your family. 61 00:02:57,080 --> 00:02:58,360 Speaker 1: Don't blame me, blame your mama. 62 00:02:58,800 --> 00:03:02,120 Speaker 3: But uh, they're gonna throw up a picture of my 63 00:03:02,200 --> 00:03:06,919 Speaker 3: beautiful family. Standing on my far left is my beautiful wife. 64 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:10,760 Speaker 3: I call her my African Queen. She hails from Cile On, 65 00:03:10,919 --> 00:03:14,240 Speaker 3: West Africa. Her name is Zai Chandler. She is the 66 00:03:14,280 --> 00:03:17,760 Speaker 3: preacher of the family. I am on the backup Standing 67 00:03:18,320 --> 00:03:20,720 Speaker 3: next to me on my right is my son. He 68 00:03:20,840 --> 00:03:23,200 Speaker 3: is my twin. He's six years old. His name is Roman. 69 00:03:23,280 --> 00:03:26,560 Speaker 3: His rapper name is Roro. Sitting on the bench is 70 00:03:26,600 --> 00:03:29,960 Speaker 3: my beautiful Queen, my oldest she's eight. Her name is Zoe. 71 00:03:30,320 --> 00:03:34,240 Speaker 3: Her rapper name is Zozo. Then on my lap is 72 00:03:34,320 --> 00:03:37,400 Speaker 3: my fallen angel, my three year old. Her name is 73 00:03:37,520 --> 00:03:40,960 Speaker 3: Jade Mariah. Her rapper name is Jamo's. Somebody say Jamo. 74 00:03:41,760 --> 00:03:43,640 Speaker 3: Can y'all do me a favorite? Can you pray for Jmo? 75 00:03:43,840 --> 00:03:47,720 Speaker 3: She is not a Christian, she looks like an angel. 76 00:03:47,800 --> 00:03:50,040 Speaker 3: She acts like a fallen angel. And we were praying 77 00:03:50,120 --> 00:03:52,400 Speaker 3: for the salvation of that cutie pipe. 78 00:03:52,400 --> 00:03:52,960 Speaker 1: But I'm pumped. 79 00:03:52,960 --> 00:03:56,400 Speaker 3: I'm ready to preach because my children are in Maryland 80 00:03:56,520 --> 00:03:59,360 Speaker 3: and I am in Charlotte, which means I got the 81 00:03:59,440 --> 00:04:02,640 Speaker 3: bestly last night I've had in a long time. Don't 82 00:04:02,640 --> 00:04:05,480 Speaker 3: tell them, Mama, but I am pumped. I'm ready to go. 83 00:04:05,680 --> 00:04:07,920 Speaker 3: Last thing before I preach. I've got a brand new 84 00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:13,040 Speaker 3: book coming out in just two weeks. Relationship road Maps. 85 00:04:13,080 --> 00:04:14,920 Speaker 3: If you're single, come on, can you wave at me? 86 00:04:14,960 --> 00:04:15,800 Speaker 3: Can you wave at me? 87 00:04:15,840 --> 00:04:16,160 Speaker 1: Put it? 88 00:04:16,279 --> 00:04:19,359 Speaker 3: Keep your hand up, keep a hand up, put it 89 00:04:19,400 --> 00:04:22,200 Speaker 3: in the chat. One of the reasons you're single is 90 00:04:22,240 --> 00:04:24,920 Speaker 3: because you run right to your car after church. 91 00:04:25,160 --> 00:04:28,719 Speaker 1: Linger in the lobby, look around the room. 92 00:04:28,880 --> 00:04:32,039 Speaker 3: There ain't a better place to get chose than in 93 00:04:32,120 --> 00:04:35,159 Speaker 3: the House of God. But it's where everywhere where books 94 00:04:35,160 --> 00:04:37,360 Speaker 3: are sold. And I'm telling you it's gonna be a 95 00:04:37,360 --> 00:04:41,559 Speaker 3: blessing to you. Are y'all ready to work today? Not preach? 96 00:04:41,640 --> 00:04:43,960 Speaker 3: Preaching ain't my job, it's our job. But God's gonna 97 00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:47,039 Speaker 3: work through this text. It says this and for Samuel, 98 00:04:47,120 --> 00:04:49,400 Speaker 3: chapter twenty one, verse six. And let me give you 99 00:04:49,400 --> 00:04:51,719 Speaker 3: a little context before I preach it. This is the 100 00:04:51,839 --> 00:04:56,800 Speaker 3: period when David was running for his life. Saul had 101 00:04:56,920 --> 00:05:00,280 Speaker 3: just thrown spears at his head, trying to kill him. 102 00:05:00,400 --> 00:05:03,240 Speaker 3: Jonathan said, let me test out my dad and see 103 00:05:03,240 --> 00:05:06,280 Speaker 3: if he's serious about these death threats. And Jonathan comes 104 00:05:06,320 --> 00:05:09,360 Speaker 3: to David and said, no, no, he's serious. He's trying 105 00:05:09,400 --> 00:05:11,800 Speaker 3: to kill you. You've got to run for your life. 106 00:05:11,839 --> 00:05:15,880 Speaker 3: So David leaves everything, brings no weapons, brings no food. 107 00:05:16,040 --> 00:05:19,559 Speaker 3: And ah, I'm not preaching yet, but the first place 108 00:05:19,600 --> 00:05:22,760 Speaker 3: he runs to is to the House of God as 109 00:05:22,800 --> 00:05:25,440 Speaker 3: he is running for his life. This ain't even the message, 110 00:05:25,480 --> 00:05:26,840 Speaker 3: but let me preach it already. 111 00:05:27,000 --> 00:05:27,880 Speaker 1: Hey, if you are. 112 00:05:27,880 --> 00:05:31,440 Speaker 3: Running from something, don't run to gossip, don't run to friends, 113 00:05:31,480 --> 00:05:34,039 Speaker 3: don't run to confusion, run. 114 00:05:33,839 --> 00:05:36,520 Speaker 1: To the house of God. 115 00:05:37,160 --> 00:05:39,520 Speaker 3: This is in verse six says So the priest gave 116 00:05:39,640 --> 00:05:43,039 Speaker 3: him holy bread, for there was no bread there but 117 00:05:43,160 --> 00:05:46,080 Speaker 3: the showbread, which had been taken from before the Lord 118 00:05:46,160 --> 00:05:49,440 Speaker 3: in order to put hot bread in its place on 119 00:05:49,520 --> 00:05:53,279 Speaker 3: the day when it was taken away. Now a certain 120 00:05:53,320 --> 00:05:55,560 Speaker 3: man of the servants of Saul was there that day, 121 00:05:56,000 --> 00:05:58,880 Speaker 3: detained before the Lord, and his name was Doeg and 122 00:05:59,040 --> 00:06:02,440 Speaker 3: eat a mite, the chief of the herdsman who belonged 123 00:06:02,839 --> 00:06:11,160 Speaker 3: to Saul. Doeg worked for David's enemy, and not the message. 124 00:06:11,200 --> 00:06:13,480 Speaker 3: But just know that when you're in the presence of God, 125 00:06:13,960 --> 00:06:16,359 Speaker 3: the enemy is going to try to whisper to you 126 00:06:17,040 --> 00:06:20,160 Speaker 3: opposite of what God has promised you. And you've got 127 00:06:20,200 --> 00:06:23,599 Speaker 3: to develop the discipline of blocking out the thoughts and 128 00:06:23,640 --> 00:06:26,640 Speaker 3: the whispers of the enemy and being anchored in what 129 00:06:26,720 --> 00:06:29,000 Speaker 3: God has said over your life. 130 00:06:29,520 --> 00:06:30,080 Speaker 1: Verse aid, and. 131 00:06:30,120 --> 00:06:34,080 Speaker 3: David said him, is there not here on hand a 132 00:06:34,240 --> 00:06:35,480 Speaker 3: spear or sword? 133 00:06:35,960 --> 00:06:38,440 Speaker 1: For I have brought neither my sword. 134 00:06:38,240 --> 00:06:41,960 Speaker 3: Nor my weapons with me because the king's business required hays. 135 00:06:42,040 --> 00:06:44,080 Speaker 3: Now he was lying, he ain't on no king's business. 136 00:06:44,160 --> 00:06:46,880 Speaker 3: He's running for his life. So the priest said, the 137 00:06:46,920 --> 00:06:51,880 Speaker 3: sword of Goliath, the philistine whom you killed in the 138 00:06:51,960 --> 00:06:54,360 Speaker 3: value of Ela. There it is wrapped in a cloth 139 00:06:54,440 --> 00:06:57,640 Speaker 3: behind the ephought if you will take that, take it, 140 00:06:58,000 --> 00:07:01,719 Speaker 3: for there is no other except that one here. And 141 00:07:01,839 --> 00:07:04,839 Speaker 3: David said, there is none like it. Give it to me, 142 00:07:05,000 --> 00:07:08,680 Speaker 3: somebody shout, give it to me. When David arose and 143 00:07:08,760 --> 00:07:11,800 Speaker 3: fled that day from before Saul and went to Akish, 144 00:07:11,840 --> 00:07:15,280 Speaker 3: king of Gath, and the servants of Akish said to him, 145 00:07:15,440 --> 00:07:19,120 Speaker 3: is this not David, the king of the land. Did 146 00:07:19,120 --> 00:07:22,400 Speaker 3: they not sing of him to one another in dances 147 00:07:22,480 --> 00:07:28,880 Speaker 3: saying Saul has slain his thousands and David his ten thousands. 148 00:07:29,400 --> 00:07:30,720 Speaker 1: Here's the message. 149 00:07:30,840 --> 00:07:34,840 Speaker 3: Now, David took these words to heart and was very 150 00:07:35,200 --> 00:07:37,240 Speaker 3: much afraid of. 151 00:07:37,320 --> 00:07:40,600 Speaker 1: Akish, King of Gath. 152 00:07:41,520 --> 00:07:44,960 Speaker 3: Before we pray, can you give your neighbor my sermon title, 153 00:07:45,000 --> 00:07:48,080 Speaker 3: Look at your neighbor and tell them the battle made me. 154 00:07:48,960 --> 00:07:51,239 Speaker 1: Come on, tell somebody, tell somebody the battle. 155 00:07:51,760 --> 00:07:57,800 Speaker 3: What you're looking at on battle orn? Father God, we're grateful, 156 00:07:57,840 --> 00:08:00,760 Speaker 3: We're thankful for this moment. We say that we trust 157 00:08:00,800 --> 00:08:06,360 Speaker 3: in you. Got You're heired, healed, delivered, and transformed, open 158 00:08:06,400 --> 00:08:08,120 Speaker 3: eyes to move supernaturally. 159 00:08:08,680 --> 00:08:10,840 Speaker 1: God, do what only you can do. 160 00:08:11,440 --> 00:08:13,120 Speaker 3: And God will be ever so careful to give you 161 00:08:13,120 --> 00:08:16,800 Speaker 3: all the glory, honor, and praise in Jesus' name, we pray. 162 00:08:16,880 --> 00:08:18,800 Speaker 3: Come on, shot at me like you shot at your kids. 163 00:08:19,080 --> 00:08:28,440 Speaker 3: Somebody say amen and amen. I I'm not gonna lie 164 00:08:28,440 --> 00:08:31,720 Speaker 3: to you. I feel a little bit uncomfortable coming with 165 00:08:31,800 --> 00:08:35,840 Speaker 3: a message about David, and uh, don't judge me, but 166 00:08:36,000 --> 00:08:39,720 Speaker 3: I feel like David, particularly David and Goliath, is like 167 00:08:40,040 --> 00:08:43,320 Speaker 3: elementary preaching. I feel like when you get your trial 168 00:08:43,400 --> 00:08:45,680 Speaker 3: sermon and it's like, this is my first time preaching 169 00:08:45,720 --> 00:08:46,880 Speaker 3: that you don't know what to preach. 170 00:08:46,960 --> 00:08:49,160 Speaker 1: David and Goliath is what you go for. 171 00:08:49,360 --> 00:08:53,080 Speaker 3: Why, because you can't mess up David and Goliath. You 172 00:08:53,120 --> 00:08:55,960 Speaker 3: get up there. The little guy was against the big guy. 173 00:08:56,000 --> 00:08:59,000 Speaker 3: He took a stone. God helped them. Giants will fall 174 00:08:59,040 --> 00:09:01,800 Speaker 3: in your life. Aim you fold up your Bible, you 175 00:09:01,920 --> 00:09:06,360 Speaker 3: step down. You successfully accomplished your first message. But for 176 00:09:06,440 --> 00:09:10,480 Speaker 3: some reason, I get stuck on these biblical characters. And 177 00:09:10,520 --> 00:09:14,679 Speaker 3: in this season, I'm just stuck on David because you see, 178 00:09:14,800 --> 00:09:18,800 Speaker 3: as the Bible walks through his life, the hand of 179 00:09:18,960 --> 00:09:23,840 Speaker 3: God and God's favor on his life every single step 180 00:09:24,040 --> 00:09:27,280 Speaker 3: of the journey, and it is impossible to see how 181 00:09:27,360 --> 00:09:31,880 Speaker 3: God's hand is on David's life and not also recognize 182 00:09:31,920 --> 00:09:35,720 Speaker 3: how God's hand has been on your life every single 183 00:09:35,920 --> 00:09:39,800 Speaker 3: step of the journey. When we are introduced to David, 184 00:09:40,160 --> 00:09:43,720 Speaker 3: we find him in the backside of a wilderness taking 185 00:09:43,760 --> 00:09:48,120 Speaker 3: care of sheep that was a servant's responsibility, but yet 186 00:09:48,160 --> 00:09:52,520 Speaker 3: his father relegated him to something that honestly was beneath him. 187 00:09:52,559 --> 00:09:55,920 Speaker 3: The priest showed up and said, God has anointed a 188 00:09:56,040 --> 00:09:58,360 Speaker 3: new king, and it's none of these sons. 189 00:09:58,720 --> 00:09:59,840 Speaker 1: Is there not another? 190 00:10:00,120 --> 00:10:04,640 Speaker 3: So we see God plucking David out of his family 191 00:10:05,000 --> 00:10:07,760 Speaker 3: that is not a called family, bringing him out of 192 00:10:07,800 --> 00:10:10,960 Speaker 3: a place of wilderness to use him in a great way. 193 00:10:11,000 --> 00:10:12,120 Speaker 1: And it doesn't take. 194 00:10:12,080 --> 00:10:15,280 Speaker 3: Much to look at your story and realize that God 195 00:10:15,360 --> 00:10:19,600 Speaker 3: plucked you out of your family and annoying you for 196 00:10:19,720 --> 00:10:23,920 Speaker 3: a particular reason. Here on earth, can somebody testify that 197 00:10:24,080 --> 00:10:26,839 Speaker 3: the part of the country I come from, my town, 198 00:10:27,280 --> 00:10:31,240 Speaker 3: my community, my family, it does not actually produce what 199 00:10:31,360 --> 00:10:35,600 Speaker 3: God is producing through my life, but the favor of God. 200 00:10:36,800 --> 00:10:39,480 Speaker 3: We've got a church in Maryland. I get irritated every 201 00:10:39,480 --> 00:10:41,160 Speaker 3: time I tell people my church is in Maryland. 202 00:10:41,360 --> 00:10:46,920 Speaker 1: Ooh, Baltimore. Is it like the wire. No. 203 00:10:48,800 --> 00:10:52,120 Speaker 3: But what they're saying is almost like Nazareth. Can anything 204 00:10:52,240 --> 00:10:56,040 Speaker 3: good come out of Baltimore? No, except for the hand 205 00:10:56,080 --> 00:10:59,560 Speaker 3: of God plucking somebody out of a place that God 206 00:10:59,640 --> 00:11:03,040 Speaker 3: is ready to do something. As we walk through David's story, 207 00:11:03,280 --> 00:11:05,079 Speaker 3: not only do we see God pluck him out of 208 00:11:05,120 --> 00:11:08,120 Speaker 3: a family, but we see God pour oil on his head, 209 00:11:08,240 --> 00:11:12,040 Speaker 3: anoint David, and we see David get results out of 210 00:11:12,080 --> 00:11:15,160 Speaker 3: his life that are not equal to the effort that 211 00:11:15,200 --> 00:11:15,960 Speaker 3: he puts in. 212 00:11:16,520 --> 00:11:19,520 Speaker 1: Just in case you were wondering what anointing is. 213 00:11:19,920 --> 00:11:23,200 Speaker 3: Anointing is when you put in human efforts and you 214 00:11:23,320 --> 00:11:27,040 Speaker 3: get back supernatural results. When you look at the results 215 00:11:27,080 --> 00:11:29,640 Speaker 3: you get back and you realize it is not equal 216 00:11:29,679 --> 00:11:31,120 Speaker 3: to the effort I put in. 217 00:11:31,440 --> 00:11:34,440 Speaker 1: This was none other than the hand of God. 218 00:11:34,760 --> 00:11:37,120 Speaker 3: And if you would be honest, and I'll be honest 219 00:11:37,160 --> 00:11:39,120 Speaker 3: with you, ain't a lot of honest people in church. 220 00:11:40,600 --> 00:11:43,960 Speaker 3: You cannot take credit for everything that has happened in 221 00:11:44,000 --> 00:11:47,040 Speaker 3: your life. I know you are edgumicated, I know you 222 00:11:47,160 --> 00:11:47,800 Speaker 3: worked hard. 223 00:11:47,840 --> 00:11:48,760 Speaker 1: I know you put that. 224 00:11:48,760 --> 00:11:51,880 Speaker 3: Effort in, but the results you are seeing in your 225 00:11:51,960 --> 00:11:55,680 Speaker 3: life are not comparable to the effort that you've put in. 226 00:11:55,800 --> 00:11:57,679 Speaker 1: It is none other than. 227 00:11:57,520 --> 00:12:01,400 Speaker 3: The hand of God on your life. 228 00:12:02,160 --> 00:12:03,560 Speaker 1: Be careful being. 229 00:12:03,440 --> 00:12:06,360 Speaker 3: Jealous of what somebody else has because you have no idea. 230 00:12:06,440 --> 00:12:09,360 Speaker 3: They didn't get it based on their effort. They got 231 00:12:09,360 --> 00:12:14,680 Speaker 3: it based on the favor you. Ever, we're family, y'all 232 00:12:14,679 --> 00:12:16,480 Speaker 3: said it, so you're gonna get the family stuff. I 233 00:12:16,480 --> 00:12:19,199 Speaker 3: get irritated when you run into certain people and they 234 00:12:19,240 --> 00:12:21,640 Speaker 3: begin to take credit for things that they should not 235 00:12:21,679 --> 00:12:22,360 Speaker 3: take credit for. 236 00:12:23,280 --> 00:12:24,520 Speaker 1: You run into a married couple. 237 00:12:24,559 --> 00:12:27,080 Speaker 3: I'm talking about real married couples, not like five years 238 00:12:27,160 --> 00:12:29,920 Speaker 3: or ten years. I'm talking about thirty five years, thirty 239 00:12:29,960 --> 00:12:31,360 Speaker 3: seven years, forty years. 240 00:12:31,360 --> 00:12:31,640 Speaker 1: Come on. 241 00:12:31,720 --> 00:12:34,079 Speaker 3: Now, you run into some folks that have been married 242 00:12:34,120 --> 00:12:35,160 Speaker 3: for three or four decades. 243 00:12:35,240 --> 00:12:38,520 Speaker 1: Wow, how do I build a godly marriage? Like you? 244 00:12:38,720 --> 00:12:40,840 Speaker 1: And they've got the nerve to give you an answer? Whaw? 245 00:12:41,920 --> 00:12:42,160 Speaker 1: You know? 246 00:12:42,360 --> 00:12:45,680 Speaker 3: Yeah, just gotta be long suffering. You gotta keep knowing 247 00:12:45,760 --> 00:12:48,360 Speaker 3: record of wrong. You gotta make sure that you for 248 00:12:48,400 --> 00:12:51,080 Speaker 3: a give and make sure that you come. I'm sure 249 00:12:51,120 --> 00:12:54,600 Speaker 3: you communicated, I'm sure you forgave, but homicide was on 250 00:12:54,679 --> 00:12:57,800 Speaker 3: your mind at least one night. You made it thirty 251 00:12:57,840 --> 00:13:02,320 Speaker 3: five years because of the favor and and mercy of God. 252 00:13:04,360 --> 00:13:06,559 Speaker 3: When you look at David. You see him plucked out 253 00:13:06,559 --> 00:13:09,319 Speaker 3: of his family. You see the anointing of God. You 254 00:13:09,440 --> 00:13:15,200 Speaker 3: also see outrageous victories that David won. And God just 255 00:13:15,280 --> 00:13:18,360 Speaker 3: had a way of making David win in front of 256 00:13:18,400 --> 00:13:21,559 Speaker 3: his haters. It wasn't just a victory in the backside 257 00:13:21,559 --> 00:13:25,000 Speaker 3: of nowhere, but the exact brothers that said, how dare 258 00:13:25,080 --> 00:13:27,679 Speaker 3: you leave those sheep? What are you doing here? Who 259 00:13:27,760 --> 00:13:30,439 Speaker 3: do you think you are? They had to watch David 260 00:13:30,559 --> 00:13:34,840 Speaker 3: defeat Goliath. They had to watch David be celebrated. If 261 00:13:34,880 --> 00:13:37,520 Speaker 3: you would look back over your life, you would see 262 00:13:37,679 --> 00:13:41,400 Speaker 3: victories that God brought because of his hand of favor. 263 00:13:41,679 --> 00:13:50,120 Speaker 3: Somebody shout Amen in his play. The problem with David's story, 264 00:13:50,240 --> 00:13:54,520 Speaker 3: y'all know, preachers, all that was a setup is you 265 00:13:54,679 --> 00:13:59,040 Speaker 3: don't just see God pluck David out of obscurity. You 266 00:13:59,080 --> 00:14:03,040 Speaker 3: don't just see anointed for the supernatural. You don't just 267 00:14:03,080 --> 00:14:07,959 Speaker 3: see massive victories in David's life. The Bible also shows 268 00:14:08,040 --> 00:14:13,120 Speaker 3: us the battles that David had to fight that David 269 00:14:13,240 --> 00:14:17,240 Speaker 3: wish he never had to fight. It doesn't just tell 270 00:14:17,320 --> 00:14:19,200 Speaker 3: us about the anointing, and it tells us about the 271 00:14:19,240 --> 00:14:22,520 Speaker 3: lion that jump on him, that he had to fight 272 00:14:22,600 --> 00:14:24,880 Speaker 3: for the sheep and fight for his life. And it 273 00:14:24,960 --> 00:14:28,520 Speaker 3: tells us about the bear, It tells us about Goliath, 274 00:14:28,640 --> 00:14:31,240 Speaker 3: it tells us about the time that he was in 275 00:14:31,400 --> 00:14:36,000 Speaker 3: battle against his own son. As you look over the 276 00:14:36,040 --> 00:14:38,640 Speaker 3: life of David, you see the favor of God, but 277 00:14:38,720 --> 00:14:41,920 Speaker 3: you see battles that David wish he had never fought. 278 00:14:42,160 --> 00:14:44,920 Speaker 3: And if you look back over your own life, you 279 00:14:45,000 --> 00:14:48,080 Speaker 3: can see the favor of God. But we all see 280 00:14:48,240 --> 00:14:52,000 Speaker 3: battles that we wish we never had to fight. Maybe 281 00:14:52,000 --> 00:14:55,800 Speaker 3: it was battles with depression, maybe it was battles with sickness, 282 00:14:56,000 --> 00:14:59,320 Speaker 3: maybe it was battles with confusion, or relational battles. But 283 00:14:59,760 --> 00:15:03,880 Speaker 3: we we all have battles in our stories that we 284 00:15:03,920 --> 00:15:07,520 Speaker 3: would not wish on our worst enemy. And we sometimes 285 00:15:07,600 --> 00:15:10,720 Speaker 3: ask God, why did I have to go through this? 286 00:15:10,800 --> 00:15:14,360 Speaker 3: And here's what I've discovered, That you can waste a 287 00:15:14,400 --> 00:15:20,400 Speaker 3: lot of time commiserating over all the battles that you've 288 00:15:20,440 --> 00:15:24,040 Speaker 3: been through, that you can actually forget all of the 289 00:15:24,080 --> 00:15:29,280 Speaker 3: blessings and favor and open doors of what God has done. 290 00:15:31,440 --> 00:15:33,960 Speaker 1: New Year twenty twenty five, let's go. 291 00:15:35,520 --> 00:15:38,640 Speaker 3: It is hard to find somebody that has something good 292 00:15:38,640 --> 00:15:42,480 Speaker 3: to say about twenty twenty four. Man, so glad that 293 00:15:42,560 --> 00:15:46,320 Speaker 3: year was over. Believe in God has more for me 294 00:15:46,360 --> 00:15:48,560 Speaker 3: in a new year. And yes, you may have had 295 00:15:48,640 --> 00:15:51,520 Speaker 3: some rough things in twenty twenty four, but I'm telling 296 00:15:51,560 --> 00:15:54,040 Speaker 3: you you had some miracles, and you had some favor, 297 00:15:54,080 --> 00:15:56,920 Speaker 3: and you had some open door. It is all based 298 00:15:57,040 --> 00:16:01,760 Speaker 3: on what you choose to obsess over. And I'd like 299 00:16:01,840 --> 00:16:04,240 Speaker 3: to submit to you that, whether you realize it or not, 300 00:16:04,400 --> 00:16:07,600 Speaker 3: the battles that you wish you could have avoided, there 301 00:16:07,720 --> 00:16:12,680 Speaker 3: is a blessing in those battles because for some reason, 302 00:16:12,840 --> 00:16:19,160 Speaker 3: God uses battles to make us. You are not just 303 00:16:19,200 --> 00:16:22,400 Speaker 3: who you are because of the parents who raised you. 304 00:16:22,400 --> 00:16:24,560 Speaker 3: You are not just who you are because of the 305 00:16:24,600 --> 00:16:25,720 Speaker 3: effort that you put in. 306 00:16:25,800 --> 00:16:26,880 Speaker 1: You're not just who you. 307 00:16:26,800 --> 00:16:29,680 Speaker 3: Are because how have you educated yourself and developed you. 308 00:16:29,960 --> 00:16:33,040 Speaker 3: There are some things that were developed through the battles 309 00:16:33,200 --> 00:16:34,320 Speaker 3: that you had to fight. 310 00:16:34,560 --> 00:16:37,520 Speaker 1: There are parts of your personality. 311 00:16:36,680 --> 00:16:39,560 Speaker 3: That you built based on the fights that you had 312 00:16:39,600 --> 00:16:40,120 Speaker 3: to fight. 313 00:16:40,320 --> 00:16:42,920 Speaker 1: And I'm telling you it is the battle. 314 00:16:42,560 --> 00:16:47,160 Speaker 3: That God allowed you to walk through that made you. 315 00:16:47,720 --> 00:16:50,120 Speaker 3: Three thoughts, Three Krik thoughts about the battles that we face. 316 00:16:50,160 --> 00:16:53,880 Speaker 3: The first one is this, Some battles come looking for me. 317 00:16:55,040 --> 00:16:58,000 Speaker 3: Some battles come looking for me. Pastor Steven a few 318 00:16:58,000 --> 00:17:02,720 Speaker 3: weeks ago about how trying to avoid drama or battles 319 00:17:02,840 --> 00:17:06,040 Speaker 3: is not a way to live in life. It doesn't 320 00:17:06,080 --> 00:17:10,200 Speaker 3: matter how safe you try to live, some battles will 321 00:17:10,240 --> 00:17:13,040 Speaker 3: find you. Now. I wish I had a great story 322 00:17:13,200 --> 00:17:15,520 Speaker 3: about how I grew up. I used to fight and 323 00:17:15,840 --> 00:17:17,800 Speaker 3: all this other kind of stuff. But the reality is, 324 00:17:17,840 --> 00:17:20,280 Speaker 3: I'm not a fighter. I'm a pastor's kid. 325 00:17:20,320 --> 00:17:20,639 Speaker 1: Okay. 326 00:17:20,800 --> 00:17:22,960 Speaker 3: And not only am I a pastor's kid, but I 327 00:17:23,000 --> 00:17:26,480 Speaker 3: was homeschooled, so the only people to fight at school 328 00:17:26,520 --> 00:17:29,399 Speaker 3: were my siblings. So I don't have any like I 329 00:17:29,480 --> 00:17:32,280 Speaker 3: got into fistfights growing up. I've got one story. It's 330 00:17:32,280 --> 00:17:34,159 Speaker 3: the only story half about a fight ever. Actually, what 331 00:17:34,200 --> 00:17:36,359 Speaker 3: happened is a kid came to my house and he 332 00:17:36,440 --> 00:17:38,840 Speaker 3: rang the doorbell. It was one of those deals, you know. 333 00:17:38,920 --> 00:17:41,040 Speaker 3: Back in the nineties, parents used to live their kids 334 00:17:41,040 --> 00:17:43,520 Speaker 3: at home. Nowadays it's oh, you can't leave your kids. Well, 335 00:17:43,520 --> 00:17:45,639 Speaker 3: they used to leave us at like six, seven, eight whatever. 336 00:17:47,320 --> 00:17:50,120 Speaker 3: I think the statute of limitation is over. Sorry, dad, 337 00:17:51,160 --> 00:17:53,000 Speaker 3: So my dad's at work, my mom's gone. You know 338 00:17:53,040 --> 00:17:55,879 Speaker 3: how it is. Don't open the door for anybody. A 339 00:17:55,960 --> 00:17:57,800 Speaker 3: kid comes to the door, and I didn't like this kid. 340 00:17:57,840 --> 00:17:59,439 Speaker 3: The kid didn't like me. We knew we didn't like 341 00:17:59,480 --> 00:18:02,000 Speaker 3: each other. Rings the doorbell, and because my mom said 342 00:18:02,000 --> 00:18:03,880 Speaker 3: don't open the door, I do what every kid does. 343 00:18:03,920 --> 00:18:07,240 Speaker 3: I open the door and I'm like, what do you want? 344 00:18:08,280 --> 00:18:10,000 Speaker 3: And he goes I came to borrow some. 345 00:18:10,000 --> 00:18:17,080 Speaker 1: Cheese, He said, cheese. I don't got no cheese. 346 00:18:17,560 --> 00:18:19,720 Speaker 3: He said, then, why don't you scrape it off your 347 00:18:19,720 --> 00:18:20,480 Speaker 3: mother's teeth. 348 00:18:28,680 --> 00:18:30,000 Speaker 1: That's what I said. 349 00:18:32,440 --> 00:18:35,680 Speaker 3: Now, this pastor's kid, who's homeschooled and has never been 350 00:18:35,680 --> 00:18:38,280 Speaker 3: in a fight in his life, it don't take a 351 00:18:38,359 --> 00:18:42,160 Speaker 3: high IQ to understand you've got to protect your mother's honor. 352 00:18:42,840 --> 00:18:45,720 Speaker 3: So I said what I took off running out the door. 353 00:18:45,960 --> 00:18:47,560 Speaker 3: He took off running. I don't know if my dad's 354 00:18:47,560 --> 00:18:50,480 Speaker 3: have heard the story. Sorry dad. Anyway, he goes running. 355 00:18:50,480 --> 00:18:52,960 Speaker 3: I mean, we're running through the neighborhood, through people's backyards. 356 00:18:53,040 --> 00:18:56,480 Speaker 1: I'm chasing him. I finally catch him. I tackle him. 357 00:18:57,400 --> 00:19:02,719 Speaker 1: But remember I've never been in a fight before. I 358 00:19:02,720 --> 00:19:06,159 Speaker 1: didn't think this far. I do, what do you do now, y'all? 359 00:19:06,200 --> 00:19:06,920 Speaker 1: I hit him. 360 00:19:07,119 --> 00:19:10,359 Speaker 3: It didn't cross my mind. So I went take it back, 361 00:19:14,119 --> 00:19:15,400 Speaker 3: and he like, that's it. 362 00:19:16,600 --> 00:19:20,040 Speaker 1: I take it back. I'm like, yeah, for it away. 363 00:19:20,119 --> 00:19:20,960 Speaker 1: I walk home. 364 00:19:21,200 --> 00:19:29,000 Speaker 3: You can't tell me, nah, some fights come and find you, 365 00:19:30,840 --> 00:19:32,720 Speaker 3: no matter if you do everything. 366 00:19:32,359 --> 00:19:34,800 Speaker 1: You possibly can in life to avoid drama. 367 00:19:35,040 --> 00:19:38,080 Speaker 3: The Bible says in First Samuel seventeen thirty thirty four. 368 00:19:38,520 --> 00:19:42,280 Speaker 3: But David said to Saul, your servant used to keep 369 00:19:42,320 --> 00:19:45,680 Speaker 3: his father's sheet. And when a lion or a bear 370 00:19:45,800 --> 00:19:48,720 Speaker 3: came and took a lamb out of the flock, I 371 00:19:48,800 --> 00:19:52,119 Speaker 3: went out after it and struck it and delivered the 372 00:19:52,240 --> 00:19:55,600 Speaker 3: lamb from its mouth, And when it arose against me, 373 00:19:55,920 --> 00:20:01,040 Speaker 3: I caught it by its beard and killed it. We're asking, David, 374 00:20:01,080 --> 00:20:03,399 Speaker 3: why do you think you have what it takes to 375 00:20:03,560 --> 00:20:06,919 Speaker 3: feat this nine foot giant? And David said, because this 376 00:20:07,040 --> 00:20:10,000 Speaker 3: fight ain't my first fight. I didn't go looking for 377 00:20:10,080 --> 00:20:12,600 Speaker 3: a fight. But a lion came and found me, and 378 00:20:12,640 --> 00:20:14,840 Speaker 3: that lion bit off more than he could chew, and 379 00:20:14,880 --> 00:20:17,040 Speaker 3: a bear came and found me. And because I fought 380 00:20:17,040 --> 00:20:19,600 Speaker 3: the lion, and because I fought the bear, I am 381 00:20:19,680 --> 00:20:22,359 Speaker 3: now prepared to fight this giant in front of me. 382 00:20:22,560 --> 00:20:27,080 Speaker 1: Hear me, some fights come and find you. 383 00:20:27,440 --> 00:20:31,400 Speaker 3: By the way, be careful judging people for what they're battling. 384 00:20:33,400 --> 00:20:37,560 Speaker 3: Do you really think they picked that fight. They didn't 385 00:20:37,600 --> 00:20:41,680 Speaker 3: pick that fight. That fight picked them. They didn't pick addiction. 386 00:20:41,880 --> 00:20:46,400 Speaker 3: Addiction picked them. They didn't pick mental torment. Mental torment 387 00:20:46,440 --> 00:20:49,119 Speaker 3: picked them. And hear me, just because the fight picks 388 00:20:49,160 --> 00:20:51,879 Speaker 3: you does not mean you get to surrender. You have 389 00:20:52,119 --> 00:20:54,560 Speaker 3: Almighty God on the inside of you. You've got to 390 00:20:54,680 --> 00:20:58,720 Speaker 3: fight the fight that comes your way. But not all fights. 391 00:20:58,760 --> 00:21:01,679 Speaker 3: We pick some of them like us. And here's what 392 00:21:01,840 --> 00:21:05,240 Speaker 3: was wild. David gott in a fight with a lion 393 00:21:05,280 --> 00:21:10,200 Speaker 3: and a bear and it wasn't even his sheep. He 394 00:21:10,359 --> 00:21:14,359 Speaker 3: was taking care of his father's flock and God in 395 00:21:14,480 --> 00:21:17,800 Speaker 3: a drama with an enemy because he was protecting something 396 00:21:17,840 --> 00:21:20,320 Speaker 3: that does not belong to him. Some of you have 397 00:21:20,440 --> 00:21:23,880 Speaker 3: been fighting for your life and you believe the lie 398 00:21:23,920 --> 00:21:27,480 Speaker 3: of the enemy that you did something wrong, that maybe 399 00:21:27,600 --> 00:21:30,240 Speaker 3: I messed up some way and that's why I'm battling 400 00:21:30,240 --> 00:21:32,600 Speaker 3: the way that I'm battling, or maybe because of the 401 00:21:32,640 --> 00:21:35,679 Speaker 3: fight that you're facing. You're like, has God forgotten about me? 402 00:21:35,760 --> 00:21:38,199 Speaker 3: Has he abandoned me? Has he left me? You're not 403 00:21:38,359 --> 00:21:42,240 Speaker 3: fighting because you did something wrong. You are fighting because 404 00:21:42,280 --> 00:21:46,159 Speaker 3: your Father's kingdom and purpose is on the inside of you, 405 00:21:46,480 --> 00:21:50,040 Speaker 3: and the enemy is attacking the potential that God has 406 00:21:50,160 --> 00:21:53,280 Speaker 3: placed on the inside of you. The fight has found 407 00:21:53,280 --> 00:21:58,400 Speaker 3: you because there's destiny on your life. And by the way, 408 00:21:58,720 --> 00:22:02,320 Speaker 3: the size of your fight is an indication of the 409 00:22:02,359 --> 00:22:05,520 Speaker 3: size of the call of God on your life. You're wondering, 410 00:22:05,560 --> 00:22:08,439 Speaker 3: why does it seem like I am fighting for my 411 00:22:08,560 --> 00:22:11,800 Speaker 3: life because of the potential that God has placed on 412 00:22:11,880 --> 00:22:14,320 Speaker 3: the inside of you. The enemy said, let me take 413 00:22:14,359 --> 00:22:16,760 Speaker 3: you out before you even realize who God has called 414 00:22:16,760 --> 00:22:17,080 Speaker 3: you to be. 415 00:22:17,320 --> 00:22:20,080 Speaker 1: As you track through scripture, the enemy did it all 416 00:22:20,119 --> 00:22:20,560 Speaker 1: the time. 417 00:22:21,160 --> 00:22:24,160 Speaker 3: When he knew Moses, the Deliverer was coming, he tried 418 00:22:24,200 --> 00:22:27,159 Speaker 3: to have all the Hebrew boys executed. Why because he 419 00:22:27,200 --> 00:22:31,160 Speaker 3: will always attack in infancy. What he does not want 420 00:22:31,200 --> 00:22:34,520 Speaker 3: to deal with immaturity with somebody elbow. Your neighbors say, 421 00:22:34,560 --> 00:22:37,280 Speaker 3: but he failed. He failed. He should have taken me 422 00:22:37,320 --> 00:22:39,520 Speaker 3: out when he got a chance. He should have taken 423 00:22:39,520 --> 00:22:41,240 Speaker 3: me out when I did not know God and did 424 00:22:41,280 --> 00:22:43,480 Speaker 3: not in my right mind. But I made it a 425 00:22:43,640 --> 00:22:46,359 Speaker 3: church today. I made it into the house of God. Today, 426 00:22:46,520 --> 00:22:48,879 Speaker 3: I made it into an atmosphere that is telling me 427 00:22:48,960 --> 00:22:49,600 Speaker 3: who I am. 428 00:22:49,880 --> 00:22:54,000 Speaker 1: And whose I am. The fight did not take me out. 429 00:22:59,520 --> 00:23:00,359 Speaker 1: You've got Aha. 430 00:23:03,480 --> 00:23:06,440 Speaker 3: I gotta get dramatic because I think sometimes we don't 431 00:23:06,480 --> 00:23:09,840 Speaker 3: realize that that part of being a Christian means you're 432 00:23:09,880 --> 00:23:13,680 Speaker 3: gonna take some shots. And it's not because of who 433 00:23:13,760 --> 00:23:17,640 Speaker 3: you are, it's because of who your dad is. We 434 00:23:17,680 --> 00:23:20,560 Speaker 3: are not living in a demilitarized zone. 435 00:23:20,680 --> 00:23:22,080 Speaker 1: We are at war. 436 00:23:22,160 --> 00:23:24,760 Speaker 3: And there is an enemy and he is trying to 437 00:23:24,880 --> 00:23:28,439 Speaker 3: take out the Kingdom of God. And you've got to 438 00:23:28,560 --> 00:23:32,520 Speaker 3: stand ten toes down saying I've got in a sick 439 00:23:32,600 --> 00:23:35,280 Speaker 3: I know who my dad is, and I'm gonna fight 440 00:23:35,359 --> 00:23:38,200 Speaker 3: for what he's One of the problems is we think 441 00:23:38,240 --> 00:23:42,560 Speaker 3: what we're fighting over belongs to us. So I'm confused 442 00:23:42,600 --> 00:23:45,320 Speaker 3: while I've got to battle so much over this marriage 443 00:23:45,560 --> 00:23:47,560 Speaker 3: because this is my marriage. Can I put you on 444 00:23:47,680 --> 00:23:51,680 Speaker 3: notice that ain't your marriage. That marriage belongs to God. 445 00:23:52,320 --> 00:23:54,879 Speaker 3: God created marriage a husband loving a wife and a 446 00:23:54,880 --> 00:23:57,840 Speaker 3: wife loving a husband as an example to the world 447 00:23:58,080 --> 00:24:00,399 Speaker 3: of God's love for his church and his bride. 448 00:24:00,560 --> 00:24:02,720 Speaker 1: And as you, guys, love each other. 449 00:24:02,560 --> 00:24:05,120 Speaker 3: And build a family that God has called you to build, 450 00:24:05,200 --> 00:24:08,520 Speaker 3: it is example to unbelievers of the hope and love 451 00:24:08,640 --> 00:24:11,480 Speaker 3: and joy of God, you're not just fighting for love, 452 00:24:11,600 --> 00:24:16,080 Speaker 3: you are fighting for the Kingdom. I get in trouble 453 00:24:16,080 --> 00:24:17,679 Speaker 3: because I tell these stories about my family and then 454 00:24:17,760 --> 00:24:22,040 Speaker 3: y'all start thinking my family was ratchet, and we were, 455 00:24:22,119 --> 00:24:26,080 Speaker 3: but we were educated in love God too. I was 456 00:24:26,160 --> 00:24:27,600 Speaker 3: driving with my mom when I was a kid, and 457 00:24:27,640 --> 00:24:31,240 Speaker 3: this would happen quite often. And there's this one mall 458 00:24:31,359 --> 00:24:33,200 Speaker 3: up in Maryland. If you're from Maryland, you know it. 459 00:24:33,200 --> 00:24:35,119 Speaker 3: It's a massive, one of those, you know, kind of 460 00:24:35,160 --> 00:24:37,800 Speaker 3: outlet malls. And there's like enough room in the mall 461 00:24:37,880 --> 00:24:40,880 Speaker 3: for a million people, but they only have four parking spaces. 462 00:24:42,160 --> 00:24:44,160 Speaker 3: I don't know if they want to have like Instagram 463 00:24:44,160 --> 00:24:46,199 Speaker 3: fist fights. I don't know what it is, but you 464 00:24:46,359 --> 00:24:50,119 Speaker 3: spend more time looking for parking that you spend in 465 00:24:50,160 --> 00:24:52,160 Speaker 3: the mall. So I'd go to this mall my mom, 466 00:24:52,240 --> 00:24:54,359 Speaker 3: my siblings in the car, and my mom would be 467 00:24:54,440 --> 00:24:57,439 Speaker 3: driving up one aisle and she would see a parking 468 00:24:57,480 --> 00:25:00,679 Speaker 3: space in the other aisle. You would look at me 469 00:25:00,760 --> 00:25:06,359 Speaker 3: and she would say, Stephen, I love these moments and 470 00:25:06,440 --> 00:25:08,320 Speaker 3: preach it because half of y'all, like my mama, did 471 00:25:08,400 --> 00:25:10,680 Speaker 3: the same thing, and half of y'all light I. 472 00:25:10,680 --> 00:25:14,640 Speaker 1: Don't know, and they say it's going. Hey, my mama said, 473 00:25:14,640 --> 00:25:15,560 Speaker 1: get out the car. 474 00:25:16,440 --> 00:25:18,720 Speaker 3: Y'all have to say mama and go stand in that 475 00:25:18,800 --> 00:25:21,360 Speaker 3: parking space until I could drive around. 476 00:25:23,359 --> 00:25:25,440 Speaker 1: So I come like, I'm like ten twelve, So I 477 00:25:25,520 --> 00:25:26,160 Speaker 1: get out of the car. 478 00:25:26,320 --> 00:25:29,440 Speaker 3: I go stand in that parking space and my mom, 479 00:25:29,680 --> 00:25:31,359 Speaker 3: I mean, it would seem like it take her four 480 00:25:31,440 --> 00:25:33,919 Speaker 3: hours to go up and come back down. And as 481 00:25:34,000 --> 00:25:36,800 Speaker 3: I'm standing there, a car would come and try to 482 00:25:36,840 --> 00:25:39,639 Speaker 3: park in the space and they go honk, honk, and 483 00:25:39,640 --> 00:25:42,040 Speaker 3: they move a little closer, and I'm like, it's taken. 484 00:25:44,400 --> 00:25:46,680 Speaker 3: And they'd be like, you're not a car. Honk honk, 485 00:25:46,840 --> 00:25:47,600 Speaker 3: and they move a little. 486 00:25:47,840 --> 00:25:48,720 Speaker 1: I'm like it's taken. 487 00:25:49,320 --> 00:25:52,800 Speaker 3: And sometimes it would get a little dicey, and it's 488 00:25:52,840 --> 00:25:55,119 Speaker 3: like almost like they're gonna hit me with their car. 489 00:25:55,840 --> 00:25:58,760 Speaker 3: What they did not realize is you hitting me with 490 00:25:58,920 --> 00:26:02,840 Speaker 3: your car not hurt as much as what my mama 491 00:26:02,920 --> 00:26:05,520 Speaker 3: gonna do to me if I So, you do what 492 00:26:05,560 --> 00:26:07,880 Speaker 3: you gotta do. But I'm gonna say it, I need 493 00:26:07,960 --> 00:26:11,080 Speaker 3: some believers that know what God has promised them, And 494 00:26:11,200 --> 00:26:14,400 Speaker 3: you are gonna stand ten toes down on the healing, 495 00:26:14,640 --> 00:26:18,159 Speaker 3: on the hope, on the purpose, on the joy, devil. 496 00:26:18,240 --> 00:26:20,240 Speaker 3: You can give it your best shot, but I know 497 00:26:20,320 --> 00:26:22,520 Speaker 3: what my God has promised me, and I am not 498 00:26:22,840 --> 00:26:31,040 Speaker 3: moving off of this. And you might not have picked 499 00:26:31,080 --> 00:26:34,359 Speaker 3: the fight, the fight picked you. But you do not 500 00:26:34,480 --> 00:26:37,160 Speaker 3: have the option of backing down. So there is a 501 00:26:37,440 --> 00:26:42,680 Speaker 3: blessed scene in the battle. Do you realize that there 502 00:26:42,720 --> 00:26:45,119 Speaker 3: are some things that you learned about yourself in the 503 00:26:45,200 --> 00:26:49,000 Speaker 3: fight that you would have never learned about yourself if 504 00:26:49,000 --> 00:26:51,840 Speaker 3: it had not been in that fight. You learn that 505 00:26:51,960 --> 00:26:55,960 Speaker 3: you have more faith than you thought you did. You 506 00:26:56,080 --> 00:26:59,280 Speaker 3: learn that you have more fortitude than you thought you 507 00:26:59,280 --> 00:27:02,680 Speaker 3: You learn that you have more creativity. Who takes a 508 00:27:02,880 --> 00:27:08,679 Speaker 3: stone and a sling against someone who has their back 509 00:27:09,000 --> 00:27:12,680 Speaker 3: against the wall and knows who their God is? 510 00:27:14,880 --> 00:27:15,080 Speaker 1: Man? 511 00:27:15,119 --> 00:27:17,080 Speaker 3: The worst fight of my life was when my mom 512 00:27:17,160 --> 00:27:20,520 Speaker 3: was battling cancer for thirteen years and ended up passing 513 00:27:20,560 --> 00:27:23,320 Speaker 3: away after thirteen years. And by the way, you can't 514 00:27:23,359 --> 00:27:25,240 Speaker 3: tell me my God is not a healer because the 515 00:27:25,320 --> 00:27:28,439 Speaker 3: doctor gave her three months to live, said that we 516 00:27:28,440 --> 00:27:30,960 Speaker 3: could do with you. Go home, make your peace with God, 517 00:27:31,119 --> 00:27:35,840 Speaker 3: and God extended her life thirteen years. But hear me 518 00:27:36,119 --> 00:27:40,000 Speaker 3: walking through that battle, watching her battle the faith that 519 00:27:40,040 --> 00:27:43,199 Speaker 3: it built in me to still preach about healing and 520 00:27:43,280 --> 00:27:47,199 Speaker 3: hope and purpose. There is something that battles develop on 521 00:27:47,280 --> 00:27:51,080 Speaker 3: the inside of you that nothing else can. Some battles 522 00:27:51,520 --> 00:27:55,880 Speaker 3: will find me, but some battles I go looking for. 523 00:27:56,840 --> 00:27:59,200 Speaker 3: Here's what it says in First Samuel seventeen thirty two. 524 00:27:59,520 --> 00:28:03,560 Speaker 3: Then he even said to Saul, let no man's heart 525 00:28:04,000 --> 00:28:08,679 Speaker 3: fail because of him, your servant will go and fight 526 00:28:09,080 --> 00:28:16,040 Speaker 3: with this philistine. So in one passage we find David 527 00:28:16,160 --> 00:28:19,320 Speaker 3: fighting a lion and a bear that he did not 528 00:28:19,640 --> 00:28:23,760 Speaker 3: want to fight. In just a few passages later, we 529 00:28:23,960 --> 00:28:28,520 Speaker 3: find David running towards a battle that nobody else wanted 530 00:28:28,560 --> 00:28:28,920 Speaker 3: to fight. 531 00:28:29,800 --> 00:28:32,520 Speaker 1: What happened, well, what happened was. 532 00:28:34,080 --> 00:28:37,000 Speaker 3: When you make it through a few battles and you 533 00:28:37,119 --> 00:28:40,640 Speaker 3: realize that the victory belongs to the Lord, it brings 534 00:28:40,680 --> 00:28:43,480 Speaker 3: a confidence on the inside of you that all of 535 00:28:43,520 --> 00:28:46,360 Speaker 3: a sudden in your life. I'm not intimidated by a fight. 536 00:28:46,680 --> 00:28:49,440 Speaker 3: Matter of fact, I'm looking for a fight. And instead 537 00:28:49,480 --> 00:28:52,760 Speaker 3: of running from the enemy, I start running towards the enemy. 538 00:28:52,920 --> 00:28:54,040 Speaker 1: I start picking a fight. 539 00:28:54,160 --> 00:28:57,320 Speaker 3: I start looking for places to push back the forces 540 00:28:57,360 --> 00:29:00,000 Speaker 3: of darkness. The Bible says in Matthew Chapter A Lie 541 00:29:00,160 --> 00:29:02,920 Speaker 3: and Versuol that says the days of John the Baptist. 542 00:29:03,160 --> 00:29:07,320 Speaker 3: The Kingdom of God has suffered violence, but the violent take. 543 00:29:07,120 --> 00:29:07,960 Speaker 1: It by force. 544 00:29:08,240 --> 00:29:12,200 Speaker 3: I believe this year, a supernatural violence is gonna begin 545 00:29:12,320 --> 00:29:14,480 Speaker 3: to rise up in the people of God, and we 546 00:29:14,560 --> 00:29:17,040 Speaker 3: begin to realize I'm no longer gonna be on the 547 00:29:17,200 --> 00:29:18,680 Speaker 3: defense against. 548 00:29:18,320 --> 00:29:21,120 Speaker 1: The enemy, but I'm going on the offense. 549 00:29:22,640 --> 00:29:27,320 Speaker 3: Why did David run after Goliath because Goliath dared to 550 00:29:27,400 --> 00:29:30,400 Speaker 3: defy who God was. 551 00:29:31,200 --> 00:29:32,240 Speaker 1: Here's the battles. 552 00:29:32,280 --> 00:29:35,800 Speaker 3: You need to start picking in your life anything that 553 00:29:35,960 --> 00:29:39,760 Speaker 3: defies the promise that God has made over your life. 554 00:29:39,840 --> 00:29:40,520 Speaker 1: You've got to. 555 00:29:40,600 --> 00:29:44,720 Speaker 3: Stop allowing the enemy to occupy territory that does not 556 00:29:44,840 --> 00:29:47,600 Speaker 3: belong to him, and begin to declare, this is what 557 00:29:47,640 --> 00:29:50,240 Speaker 3: God has promised me, and I'm taking it back. I'm 558 00:29:50,280 --> 00:29:53,280 Speaker 3: taking my joy back, I'm taking my peace back. I'm 559 00:29:53,320 --> 00:29:56,520 Speaker 3: taking prosperity back. I will not lack, i will not 560 00:29:56,680 --> 00:29:59,840 Speaker 3: have not enough. I'm taking my health back, no matter of. 561 00:30:00,280 --> 00:30:03,680 Speaker 3: I'm taking back every unbelieving family member in my family. 562 00:30:03,920 --> 00:30:07,400 Speaker 1: As for me and my house, we will serve the 563 00:30:07,480 --> 00:30:08,280 Speaker 1: Lord Devil. 564 00:30:08,400 --> 00:30:10,960 Speaker 3: Get your hands off my teenager, get your hands off 565 00:30:11,000 --> 00:30:14,040 Speaker 3: of my spouse, get your hands of aunt, off my uncle, 566 00:30:14,280 --> 00:30:18,000 Speaker 3: addiction is broken in my family in the name of Jesus. 567 00:30:18,320 --> 00:30:22,480 Speaker 3: Divorce is canceled in my family in the name of Jesus. 568 00:30:22,840 --> 00:30:25,360 Speaker 3: You've got to start attacking. 569 00:30:27,080 --> 00:30:28,720 Speaker 1: What God has promised you. 570 00:30:31,240 --> 00:30:31,400 Speaker 3: Here. 571 00:30:32,360 --> 00:30:38,360 Speaker 1: Here's the problem. What happens when you're fighting. 572 00:30:38,840 --> 00:30:42,680 Speaker 3: Is is sometimes you don't know how to calm down. 573 00:30:44,800 --> 00:30:46,000 Speaker 1: And I see this a lot. 574 00:30:46,120 --> 00:30:50,600 Speaker 3: Can I just be ignorant on social media? People fighting 575 00:30:50,640 --> 00:30:55,280 Speaker 3: fights that they ain't got no business fighting. As you 576 00:30:55,560 --> 00:30:58,480 Speaker 3: are running after the fights that God has for you, 577 00:30:58,600 --> 00:31:02,880 Speaker 3: make sure you're not picking fights that don't stand between 578 00:31:02,920 --> 00:31:05,880 Speaker 3: you and the destiny that God has for you. Because 579 00:31:05,880 --> 00:31:08,040 Speaker 3: one of the things the enemy wants is to get 580 00:31:08,080 --> 00:31:11,280 Speaker 3: you occupied in a fight that ain't got nothing to 581 00:31:11,360 --> 00:31:13,520 Speaker 3: do with what God has called you to do. 582 00:31:14,080 --> 00:31:15,040 Speaker 1: It happened to David. 583 00:31:15,200 --> 00:31:18,240 Speaker 3: He's fighting a lion, he's fighting a bear, he's fighting Goliath. 584 00:31:18,400 --> 00:31:20,800 Speaker 3: He don't know who Insaul's army he can trust. And 585 00:31:20,880 --> 00:31:22,960 Speaker 3: next thing you know, him and his army they're marching 586 00:31:23,120 --> 00:31:26,160 Speaker 3: and they go ask a man, Hey, we have no food. 587 00:31:26,480 --> 00:31:29,120 Speaker 3: Can you feed us? The man said, I don't know 588 00:31:29,120 --> 00:31:31,040 Speaker 3: who you are. Y'all could be thieves, y'all, y'all could 589 00:31:31,040 --> 00:31:33,240 Speaker 3: be enemies. I'm not gonna feed you. You know what 590 00:31:33,320 --> 00:31:37,920 Speaker 3: David said, We gonna kill him. And it took somebody 591 00:31:37,960 --> 00:31:43,040 Speaker 3: talking David down. Of David, this ain't your fight. Leave 592 00:31:43,200 --> 00:31:44,800 Speaker 3: that alone. Some of us men. 593 00:31:44,960 --> 00:31:47,080 Speaker 1: People talk to you the wrong way. Say something. Oh, 594 00:31:47,080 --> 00:31:48,440 Speaker 1: I'm gonna give you a peace. 595 00:31:48,280 --> 00:31:52,520 Speaker 3: In my mind. First of all, you don't have much 596 00:31:52,560 --> 00:31:57,360 Speaker 3: mind left. You can't be handing pieces out all willy nilly, Okay. 597 00:31:57,400 --> 00:31:59,920 Speaker 3: You need to keep all the mind that you've got, 598 00:32:00,200 --> 00:32:05,480 Speaker 3: keep your mind stayed on him, and you've just got 599 00:32:05,480 --> 00:32:06,400 Speaker 3: to make a decision. 600 00:32:06,560 --> 00:32:07,800 Speaker 1: I'm not going to fight a. 601 00:32:07,880 --> 00:32:12,600 Speaker 3: Fight that doesn't have the ability to splock me from 602 00:32:12,640 --> 00:32:19,280 Speaker 3: all that God has for me. Bible's Sysition, Chapter twenty one, 603 00:32:19,560 --> 00:32:23,080 Speaker 3: verse eight. When David is in that temple, it says, 604 00:32:23,080 --> 00:32:26,560 Speaker 3: then David said to a Himelek, is there not here 605 00:32:26,760 --> 00:32:31,480 Speaker 3: on hand a spear or a sword? For I have 606 00:32:31,600 --> 00:32:35,520 Speaker 3: brought neither my sword nor my weapons with me because 607 00:32:35,560 --> 00:32:40,120 Speaker 3: the King's business required. Hayes, You've got to understand us, pastors. 608 00:32:40,160 --> 00:32:43,480 Speaker 3: Our brains are like Rupek's cubes, and we write messages 609 00:32:43,520 --> 00:32:46,360 Speaker 3: and then the message writes itself. Even as I'm reading this, 610 00:32:46,440 --> 00:32:49,240 Speaker 3: I'm reminded when Jesus told his disciples when they went out, 611 00:32:49,400 --> 00:32:52,280 Speaker 3: don't bother to take anything with you, because when you 612 00:32:52,400 --> 00:32:54,320 Speaker 3: get to the place, it is going to give you 613 00:32:54,400 --> 00:32:57,480 Speaker 3: the resources that you need to accomplish what you need 614 00:32:57,520 --> 00:33:03,040 Speaker 3: to accomplish. The priest said, the sword of Goliath, the Philistine. 615 00:33:02,400 --> 00:33:05,000 Speaker 1: Whom you killed. 616 00:33:05,280 --> 00:33:11,360 Speaker 3: Watch this in a past battle, is now available in 617 00:33:11,400 --> 00:33:14,920 Speaker 3: your moment of need, wrapped in a cloth behind the 618 00:33:15,000 --> 00:33:18,680 Speaker 3: ephod if you will take that ticket, for there is 619 00:33:18,840 --> 00:33:23,200 Speaker 3: no other except that one. Ear and David said, there 620 00:33:23,360 --> 00:33:27,920 Speaker 3: is none like it. Give it to me. Come on, 621 00:33:28,120 --> 00:33:31,360 Speaker 3: where's my bible scholars at You've already preached this to yourself. 622 00:33:31,600 --> 00:33:36,200 Speaker 3: If I'm David and I'm fighting Goliath, the only thing 623 00:33:36,360 --> 00:33:41,600 Speaker 3: I am thinking about is don't die. I ain't worried 624 00:33:41,640 --> 00:33:44,080 Speaker 3: about being king. I'm not worried about the rest of 625 00:33:44,080 --> 00:33:46,760 Speaker 3: the Philistines. I'm not worried about who talking about me. 626 00:33:47,000 --> 00:33:50,120 Speaker 3: I'm just worried about don't die. I'm trying to take 627 00:33:50,160 --> 00:33:53,480 Speaker 3: Goliath out now. While I'm trying to take Goliath out, 628 00:33:53,920 --> 00:33:57,360 Speaker 3: God ain't even thinking about the battle that I'm in 629 00:33:57,520 --> 00:34:00,800 Speaker 3: right now. He's already two three year ahead in in 630 00:34:00,880 --> 00:34:04,000 Speaker 3: my future and knowing yeah, Goliah's a big battle when 631 00:34:04,000 --> 00:34:06,360 Speaker 3: you're gonna need a win. But make sure, David, you 632 00:34:06,560 --> 00:34:10,120 Speaker 3: snatch his sword at the end of this battle, because 633 00:34:10,160 --> 00:34:13,640 Speaker 3: this battle is not about this battle. This battle is 634 00:34:13,680 --> 00:34:16,799 Speaker 3: about equipping you for a battle that is coming on 635 00:34:17,000 --> 00:34:19,960 Speaker 3: from your future. Hear me, Some of you are so 636 00:34:20,200 --> 00:34:23,319 Speaker 3: consumed in this situation that you're in right now you 637 00:34:23,400 --> 00:34:25,880 Speaker 3: can't see two three years down the road and not 638 00:34:26,040 --> 00:34:28,320 Speaker 3: realize that this may be a battle to the enemy. 639 00:34:28,440 --> 00:34:30,399 Speaker 1: But it's only training ground to God. 640 00:34:30,680 --> 00:34:33,640 Speaker 3: This is a season where He is preparing you for 641 00:34:33,760 --> 00:34:36,000 Speaker 3: what He is getting ready to take you to. 642 00:34:36,480 --> 00:34:38,120 Speaker 1: Can anybody testify? 643 00:34:38,440 --> 00:34:40,600 Speaker 3: I wouldn't want to go through that fight again, but 644 00:34:40,719 --> 00:34:43,080 Speaker 3: I learned some things in that fight. 645 00:34:43,080 --> 00:34:45,480 Speaker 1: That I'm telling you, baby, I'm using right now. 646 00:34:45,719 --> 00:34:47,759 Speaker 3: I'm not happy that they walked out on me and 647 00:34:47,840 --> 00:34:50,480 Speaker 3: stabbed me in my back, but I picked up desernment 648 00:34:50,640 --> 00:34:52,880 Speaker 3: in that moment and ain't gonna get me twice. I 649 00:34:52,880 --> 00:34:56,480 Speaker 3: can see it coming a myt somebody shout prove it. 650 00:34:57,719 --> 00:35:00,960 Speaker 3: There was this passage in this Bible. The prophet came 651 00:35:01,040 --> 00:35:03,120 Speaker 3: to this widow. It was just her and her son. 652 00:35:03,160 --> 00:35:05,319 Speaker 3: There was a famine, you probably know the story, and 653 00:35:05,360 --> 00:35:07,680 Speaker 3: they had nothing to eat. The prophet said, can you 654 00:35:07,800 --> 00:35:10,960 Speaker 3: make me a cake? She said, bro, I ain't got nothing. 655 00:35:11,120 --> 00:35:12,799 Speaker 3: We're gonna make a cake for me and my son. 656 00:35:12,920 --> 00:35:15,400 Speaker 3: Then we're gonna die and that's it. He said, great, 657 00:35:15,560 --> 00:35:19,719 Speaker 3: do that, but first make me a cake. She had 658 00:35:19,920 --> 00:35:23,160 Speaker 3: enough faith to obey the word of God, even though 659 00:35:23,200 --> 00:35:26,040 Speaker 3: it made no common sense. She made a cake for 660 00:35:26,080 --> 00:35:28,600 Speaker 3: the prophet and then for her. And it said that 661 00:35:28,640 --> 00:35:33,160 Speaker 3: the flour and the oil sustained her through the famine. 662 00:35:33,200 --> 00:35:34,800 Speaker 1: Somebody say they survived the battle. 663 00:35:35,960 --> 00:35:38,200 Speaker 3: The Holy Spirit showed me something that passage that blew 664 00:35:38,239 --> 00:35:40,520 Speaker 3: my mind years later. Here's what it says. It says 665 00:35:40,600 --> 00:35:48,480 Speaker 3: after they survived that famine. Later on her son died. Uh, oh, 666 00:35:48,560 --> 00:35:54,600 Speaker 3: what's a bigger deal, hunger or death. But when her 667 00:35:54,640 --> 00:35:59,560 Speaker 3: son died, it was not her first battle, and she 668 00:35:59,680 --> 00:36:03,280 Speaker 3: knew who her God was. And she said, I wonder 669 00:36:03,719 --> 00:36:07,680 Speaker 3: if the same God who can multiply flour and oil 670 00:36:08,080 --> 00:36:10,960 Speaker 3: can breathe life back into my dead boy. Let me 671 00:36:11,080 --> 00:36:13,160 Speaker 3: take him to the same place where God did the 672 00:36:13,280 --> 00:36:14,120 Speaker 3: last miracle. 673 00:36:14,440 --> 00:36:16,160 Speaker 1: Whole time, it was never. 674 00:36:16,000 --> 00:36:19,360 Speaker 3: About the famine, never about the flower, never about the oil, 675 00:36:19,640 --> 00:36:21,200 Speaker 3: all about building. 676 00:36:20,800 --> 00:36:21,960 Speaker 1: That faith muscle. 677 00:36:22,200 --> 00:36:25,359 Speaker 3: For when she actually needed it, she knew how to 678 00:36:25,480 --> 00:36:28,640 Speaker 3: use it. Hear me, the battles that you fought in 679 00:36:28,680 --> 00:36:33,000 Speaker 3: your past were only preparing you for the victory that 680 00:36:33,160 --> 00:36:36,959 Speaker 3: God has a head of you. You may have called 681 00:36:37,000 --> 00:36:39,399 Speaker 3: it a battle, but I'm telling you it was a 682 00:36:39,440 --> 00:36:43,279 Speaker 3: blessing because it made you who you. 683 00:36:44,680 --> 00:36:44,839 Speaker 1: Are. 684 00:36:48,200 --> 00:36:50,920 Speaker 3: Some battles, come find me, some battles I go looking 685 00:36:51,000 --> 00:36:52,759 Speaker 3: for the last thing? 686 00:36:52,840 --> 00:36:53,160 Speaker 1: Is this? 687 00:36:54,280 --> 00:37:00,759 Speaker 3: But running from battles is not an option? Says this 688 00:37:00,840 --> 00:37:04,239 Speaker 3: in verse eleven, the end of that story. David eat 689 00:37:04,280 --> 00:37:06,680 Speaker 3: the bread, he has the sword, and it says the 690 00:37:06,800 --> 00:37:11,040 Speaker 3: servants of Acus said to him, is this not David 691 00:37:11,600 --> 00:37:14,120 Speaker 3: the king of the land? By the way, y'all, he 692 00:37:14,160 --> 00:37:18,160 Speaker 3: was anointed king, but he wasn't operating his king. Here 693 00:37:18,440 --> 00:37:24,959 Speaker 3: was the enemy calling David by his future, even though 694 00:37:25,040 --> 00:37:28,040 Speaker 3: nothing about his current situation looked like the future that 695 00:37:28,080 --> 00:37:31,160 Speaker 3: God had promised him. They said, is this not David 696 00:37:31,160 --> 00:37:33,520 Speaker 3: the King of the land? Did they not sing of 697 00:37:33,640 --> 00:37:36,520 Speaker 3: him to one another and dances saying Saul has slain. 698 00:37:36,360 --> 00:37:38,640 Speaker 1: His thousands and David his ten thousands. 699 00:37:38,880 --> 00:37:42,400 Speaker 3: Now David took these words to heart and was watched 700 00:37:42,480 --> 00:37:49,319 Speaker 3: this very much afraid. You would think, if people are 701 00:37:49,400 --> 00:37:52,719 Speaker 3: reading your resume that your chest. 702 00:37:52,520 --> 00:37:54,799 Speaker 1: Would go out. Yeah, that's me. That's me. 703 00:37:55,560 --> 00:38:01,840 Speaker 3: I'm been killing for the days. Said fear came over David, 704 00:38:03,480 --> 00:38:08,520 Speaker 3: and he says, watch this. So he changed his behavior 705 00:38:10,400 --> 00:38:16,080 Speaker 3: and pretended madness in their hands, scratched on the doors 706 00:38:16,160 --> 00:38:20,480 Speaker 3: of the gate, and let his saliva fall down. 707 00:38:21,400 --> 00:38:26,640 Speaker 1: On his beard. You can play him done. Here's David. 708 00:38:28,000 --> 00:38:32,040 Speaker 3: In the face of a new enemy with a resume 709 00:38:32,200 --> 00:38:38,080 Speaker 3: of victory, and instead of standing ten toes down and saying, 710 00:38:38,120 --> 00:38:40,919 Speaker 3: the God who brought victory in every season of my life, 711 00:38:40,920 --> 00:38:45,520 Speaker 3: he will do it again, David started to pretend to 712 00:38:45,600 --> 00:38:50,000 Speaker 3: be less than who God called him to be because 713 00:38:50,000 --> 00:38:54,880 Speaker 3: he didn't want to fight another battle elevation. Hear me, 714 00:38:56,280 --> 00:39:01,879 Speaker 3: there will be opportunities in your future if you do 715 00:39:01,960 --> 00:39:06,919 Speaker 3: not have the right perspective to diminish who God has 716 00:39:06,960 --> 00:39:12,000 Speaker 3: called you to be just to avoid another fight. Oh man, 717 00:39:12,000 --> 00:39:13,680 Speaker 3: when I get around these people and I talk about 718 00:39:13,680 --> 00:39:15,200 Speaker 3: all that God's going to do through my life. 719 00:39:15,000 --> 00:39:17,600 Speaker 1: They get angries. So I'm just gonna stop talking. 720 00:39:19,000 --> 00:39:21,960 Speaker 3: When when I when I walk in boldness and I'm 721 00:39:22,040 --> 00:39:24,920 Speaker 3: actually moving that, I get pushed back, I get flack, 722 00:39:25,000 --> 00:39:27,719 Speaker 3: I get attacked. So let me there are gonna be 723 00:39:27,840 --> 00:39:32,240 Speaker 3: temptations of let me just shrink, let me just stop dreaming, 724 00:39:32,360 --> 00:39:35,280 Speaker 3: let me just stop pushing, let me just stop pressing. 725 00:39:38,640 --> 00:39:42,200 Speaker 3: And if you're not careful, you can look at the 726 00:39:42,200 --> 00:39:44,080 Speaker 3: blessings that God is done in your life up to 727 00:39:44,080 --> 00:39:44,560 Speaker 3: this point and. 728 00:39:44,560 --> 00:39:48,400 Speaker 1: You can say this is good enough. The heat that 729 00:39:48,520 --> 00:39:53,680 Speaker 1: I've had to take to get this far, I don't 730 00:39:53,680 --> 00:39:54,440 Speaker 1: want to fight anymore. 731 00:39:58,640 --> 00:40:00,560 Speaker 3: A lot of times people they passed me that message, 732 00:40:00,560 --> 00:40:05,359 Speaker 3: which just for me. Sometimes I'm transparent, sometimes I'm not. 733 00:40:05,480 --> 00:40:07,239 Speaker 1: But in this moment, I will be going. I tell you, 734 00:40:07,280 --> 00:40:08,879 Speaker 1: this message ain't for you. This is for me. 735 00:40:10,680 --> 00:40:12,919 Speaker 3: Because I'm walking out of a season where I just said, God, 736 00:40:13,239 --> 00:40:14,320 Speaker 3: I don't want to fight anymore. 737 00:40:15,440 --> 00:40:17,480 Speaker 1: This thinks I'm tired. I'm exhausted. 738 00:40:19,080 --> 00:40:21,439 Speaker 3: Our church has been outrageously blessed, and God has moved 739 00:40:21,480 --> 00:40:23,839 Speaker 3: it forward and leaps and bounds, and every time it's 740 00:40:23,880 --> 00:40:28,120 Speaker 3: moved forward, there has been an insane attack prior. And 741 00:40:28,160 --> 00:40:29,920 Speaker 3: I'm like, God, if this is what building your kingdom 742 00:40:29,960 --> 00:40:33,759 Speaker 3: is like, count me out. And I'm not talking about 743 00:40:33,840 --> 00:40:36,680 Speaker 3: like stupid attacks like people talking about you. How many 744 00:40:36,719 --> 00:40:38,600 Speaker 3: people know people talking about you ain't got nothing to 745 00:40:38,640 --> 00:40:39,560 Speaker 3: do with nothing. 746 00:40:41,360 --> 00:40:43,720 Speaker 1: But it's tax like you know your children. 747 00:40:44,640 --> 00:40:46,799 Speaker 3: Our church went through the season where we grew exponentially, 748 00:40:46,800 --> 00:40:48,880 Speaker 3: and right before we grew exponentially, we sit down in 749 00:40:48,880 --> 00:40:51,480 Speaker 3: the doctor's office and doctor tells me my seven year 750 00:40:51,520 --> 00:40:53,439 Speaker 3: old is losing her hearing and she'll never be able 751 00:40:53,440 --> 00:40:56,600 Speaker 3: to hear. Let's begin to start this process of figuring 752 00:40:56,640 --> 00:40:58,160 Speaker 3: out how she's going to live without hearing. 753 00:41:00,080 --> 00:41:05,359 Speaker 1: God, if this is I ain't signed up for this church. 754 00:41:05,440 --> 00:41:08,640 Speaker 3: Crew on the other side got supernaturally healed her, no 755 00:41:08,760 --> 00:41:21,160 Speaker 3: healing problems, whatsoever. Another season like that comes, church grows exponentially. 756 00:41:21,160 --> 00:41:22,960 Speaker 3: Me and my wife are traveling at some conference or 757 00:41:22,960 --> 00:41:25,080 Speaker 3: whatever may be. We get a phone call or two 758 00:41:25,160 --> 00:41:30,040 Speaker 3: year old broke her femur and is in the hospital 759 00:41:30,040 --> 00:41:33,239 Speaker 3: and we're in another city. I am you want to 760 00:41:33,239 --> 00:41:38,200 Speaker 3: talk about naus just nauseousness, I said, God, if this 761 00:41:38,280 --> 00:41:43,120 Speaker 3: is the fight, count me out those last year She's 762 00:41:43,200 --> 00:41:45,160 Speaker 3: run around healthy, healed, perfect good. 763 00:41:45,200 --> 00:41:53,160 Speaker 1: God's covered by the way. Pray for your pastors every time. 764 00:41:53,200 --> 00:41:53,799 Speaker 1: God bless us. 765 00:41:53,800 --> 00:41:55,560 Speaker 3: You have no idea the battles that they fought and 766 00:41:55,600 --> 00:41:58,240 Speaker 3: they won, But there's such a temptation. 767 00:41:58,320 --> 00:41:59,200 Speaker 1: I know that's my story. 768 00:41:59,239 --> 00:42:01,960 Speaker 3: You've got your own story of man, I just can't 769 00:42:02,000 --> 00:42:04,960 Speaker 3: handle another fight, Dave. I read this and I'm gonna it' 770 00:42:05,000 --> 00:42:06,920 Speaker 3: Second Samuel eleven, verse one. It says this, it happened 771 00:42:06,920 --> 00:42:08,359 Speaker 3: in the spring of the year, at the time when 772 00:42:08,480 --> 00:42:12,960 Speaker 3: kings go out to battle, that David sent Job and 773 00:42:13,000 --> 00:42:16,040 Speaker 3: his servants with him in all Israel, and they destroyed 774 00:42:16,040 --> 00:42:19,240 Speaker 3: the people. If I'm on besiege watched this, but David 775 00:42:19,719 --> 00:42:22,480 Speaker 3: remained at Jerusalem. 776 00:42:22,640 --> 00:42:24,680 Speaker 1: Y'all Bible scholars, you know the story. You could preach 777 00:42:24,680 --> 00:42:25,280 Speaker 1: it to yourself. 778 00:42:25,400 --> 00:42:27,839 Speaker 3: David was supposed to be at war, and Steady stayed home, 779 00:42:28,080 --> 00:42:32,000 Speaker 3: ran across this chick called Bathsheba, and wrecked the whole deal. 780 00:42:34,400 --> 00:42:37,719 Speaker 3: If you look at the life of David, there's one 781 00:42:37,719 --> 00:42:42,440 Speaker 3: thing that you might miss that the only times David 782 00:42:42,680 --> 00:42:48,759 Speaker 3: nearly died was when he was in the palace, not 783 00:42:48,960 --> 00:42:53,240 Speaker 3: when he was out on the battlefield. The safest place 784 00:42:53,320 --> 00:42:56,839 Speaker 3: for David was out fighting the debt battles that God 785 00:42:56,880 --> 00:42:59,440 Speaker 3: called him to fight. It was in the palace that 786 00:42:59,640 --> 00:43:02,200 Speaker 3: sold tried to kill him. It was in the palace 787 00:43:02,200 --> 00:43:05,359 Speaker 3: that Absalom created that q ku and tried to take 788 00:43:05,440 --> 00:43:07,719 Speaker 3: him out. It was in the palace that he thought 789 00:43:07,719 --> 00:43:11,960 Speaker 3: about Sheheba and ruined his legacy. David was safest when 790 00:43:12,000 --> 00:43:15,000 Speaker 3: he was on the offense, going after all that God 791 00:43:15,040 --> 00:43:17,720 Speaker 3: had called him to go after. But when David allowed 792 00:43:17,760 --> 00:43:21,080 Speaker 3: the intimidation of the enemy to keep him blocked up 793 00:43:21,120 --> 00:43:24,160 Speaker 3: in what he thought was a safe place, is when. 794 00:43:24,000 --> 00:43:25,840 Speaker 1: He was not safe at all. 795 00:43:25,960 --> 00:43:29,760 Speaker 3: Hear me, you are safest not when you're playing it safe, 796 00:43:29,880 --> 00:43:33,720 Speaker 3: but when you are running forward in faith towards all 797 00:43:33,760 --> 00:43:36,879 Speaker 3: that God has for you. And you may say, hey, 798 00:43:37,239 --> 00:43:39,600 Speaker 3: I don't want to fight another battle, hear me, don't 799 00:43:39,600 --> 00:43:42,080 Speaker 3: look at it as another battle. Look at it another 800 00:43:42,239 --> 00:43:44,920 Speaker 3: victory on the other side of this battle that I'm 801 00:43:44,960 --> 00:43:47,960 Speaker 3: gonna walk through. What in ten spies say, Hey, we 802 00:43:48,080 --> 00:43:51,080 Speaker 3: can't take the city. There's giants in the land. What 803 00:43:51,200 --> 00:43:54,000 Speaker 3: in two spies say, when we kill these giants, we're 804 00:43:54,000 --> 00:43:57,520 Speaker 3: gonna sleep in giants' beds, and we're gonna live in giants' houses, 805 00:43:57,600 --> 00:44:00,600 Speaker 3: and we're gonna have giant blessings on the other. 806 00:44:00,520 --> 00:44:01,279 Speaker 1: Side of this. 807 00:44:01,440 --> 00:44:04,360 Speaker 3: Hear me, I got bad news and I got good news. 808 00:44:04,480 --> 00:44:07,200 Speaker 3: The bad news is there's some battles ahead of you. 809 00:44:07,200 --> 00:44:09,920 Speaker 3: You cannot avoid them. Here's the good news. If you 810 00:44:09,960 --> 00:44:12,239 Speaker 3: don't back up, if you don't quit, if you don't 811 00:44:12,239 --> 00:44:16,200 Speaker 3: throw in the towel. Victory has your name on it, 812 00:44:16,480 --> 00:44:19,719 Speaker 3: and the size of the blessing on the other side 813 00:44:19,760 --> 00:44:22,759 Speaker 3: of the battle will be greater than any battle you 814 00:44:22,800 --> 00:44:23,799 Speaker 3: can face. 815 00:44:23,640 --> 00:44:26,279 Speaker 1: In your life. If you believe it. 816 00:44:26,760 --> 00:44:30,000 Speaker 3: Somebody shot hallelujah. 817 00:44:30,280 --> 00:44:32,319 Speaker 1: Come on, Can you hop up on your feet? Father God, 818 00:44:32,360 --> 00:44:33,120 Speaker 1: We're grateful. 819 00:44:34,640 --> 00:44:38,839 Speaker 3: God, We're thankful that you said, though the enemy comes 820 00:44:38,880 --> 00:44:41,719 Speaker 3: in like a flood, that you will raise up a. 821 00:44:41,880 --> 00:44:42,920 Speaker 1: Standard against him. 822 00:44:42,920 --> 00:44:43,120 Speaker 2: God. 823 00:44:43,120 --> 00:44:46,000 Speaker 3: I pray over every single person under the sound of 824 00:44:46,040 --> 00:44:49,600 Speaker 3: my voice, God, that your victory will go before us, 825 00:44:49,600 --> 00:44:52,080 Speaker 3: that you would cover us, that we would see your 826 00:44:52,160 --> 00:44:55,399 Speaker 3: hand on everything that we do. Come on, right where 827 00:44:55,400 --> 00:44:56,839 Speaker 3: you are, Can you close your eyes? Can you pray 828 00:44:56,840 --> 00:44:59,560 Speaker 3: this prayer? Say, Holy Spirit, what are you. 829 00:44:59,520 --> 00:45:01,960 Speaker 1: Saying to me? And just give God a moment to. 830 00:45:01,960 --> 00:45:04,239 Speaker 3: Make this time to make this message personal to you. 831 00:45:04,320 --> 00:45:06,799 Speaker 3: For some of you, you are in the fight of 832 00:45:06,840 --> 00:45:10,640 Speaker 3: your life, and God's word to you, as you're not alone, 833 00:45:11,320 --> 00:45:14,880 Speaker 3: this will end in victory. Your best days are ahead 834 00:45:14,880 --> 00:45:17,600 Speaker 3: of you, not behind you. For some of you, if 835 00:45:17,600 --> 00:45:21,000 Speaker 3: you'd be honest, you are fighting this fight by yourself 836 00:45:21,560 --> 00:45:24,480 Speaker 3: because you've never asked God to be a part of 837 00:45:24,520 --> 00:45:28,040 Speaker 3: your story. Well, if that's you, this is your moment 838 00:45:28,800 --> 00:45:30,919 Speaker 3: where if you find yourself. If you say, pastor, I'm 839 00:45:31,040 --> 00:45:35,840 Speaker 3: tired of fighting by myself. I need God to be 840 00:45:35,960 --> 00:45:38,759 Speaker 3: my victory. Right where you're standing, pray this prayer. Say 841 00:45:38,800 --> 00:45:43,239 Speaker 3: Lord Jesus, this is my moment. I surrender to you. 842 00:45:43,840 --> 00:45:47,520 Speaker 3: I believe it was your cross, it was your blood 843 00:45:47,920 --> 00:45:49,240 Speaker 3: that bought my freedom. 844 00:45:49,680 --> 00:45:53,640 Speaker 1: And in this moment, I give you all of me. 845 00:45:54,239 --> 00:45:58,799 Speaker 3: Be my Lord, be my savior, and use me for 846 00:45:58,920 --> 00:46:01,160 Speaker 3: your glory in Jesus' name. 847 00:46:01,840 --> 00:46:03,279 Speaker 1: Amen and Amen. 848 00:46:03,000 --> 00:46:06,479 Speaker 3: Come on, Can you celebrate for every single person? God 849 00:46:06,480 --> 00:46:06,880 Speaker 3: bless you. 850 00:46:09,760 --> 00:46:12,319 Speaker 2: Thank you for joining us. Special thanks to those of 851 00:46:12,360 --> 00:46:15,319 Speaker 2: you who give generously to this ministry. Is because of 852 00:46:15,360 --> 00:46:18,319 Speaker 2: you that this ministry is possible. You can click the 853 00:46:18,320 --> 00:46:22,080 Speaker 2: link in the description to give now or visit Elevationchurch 854 00:46:22,239 --> 00:46:25,480 Speaker 2: dot org slash podcast for more information and if you 855 00:46:25,560 --> 00:46:27,920 Speaker 2: enjoyed the podcast, you can subscribe. 856 00:46:28,200 --> 00:46:29,520 Speaker 1: You can share it with your friends. 857 00:46:29,800 --> 00:46:32,080 Speaker 2: You can click the share button, take a screenshot and 858 00:46:32,120 --> 00:46:34,239 Speaker 2: share it on your social stories and tag us at 859 00:46:34,280 --> 00:46:35,120 Speaker 2: Elevation Church. 860 00:46:35,200 --> 00:46:36,200 Speaker 1: Thanks again for listening. 861 00:46:36,239 --> 00:46:41,800 Speaker 2: God bless you.