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 --> 00:00:08,320 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 --> 00:00:13,560 Speaker 2: gives your perspective to see God is moving in your life. 6 00:00:13,840 --> 00:00:20,400 Speaker 1: Enjoy the message while you're standing. While you're standing, I 7 00:00:20,480 --> 00:00:28,760 Speaker 1: just want to thank God for our amazing pastors. They're 8 00:00:28,800 --> 00:00:33,920 Speaker 1: the best. God is a god of people and places. 9 00:00:35,240 --> 00:00:37,320 Speaker 1: And then when you find your people, and you find 10 00:00:37,320 --> 00:00:44,760 Speaker 1: your place and never leave. And Pastor Stephen and Pastor 11 00:00:44,800 --> 00:00:50,919 Speaker 1: Hawley are my peoples, and Elevation is my place. And 12 00:00:51,240 --> 00:00:53,840 Speaker 1: God has used this house to change our lives and 13 00:00:53,880 --> 00:00:59,200 Speaker 1: impact our lives, and use this ministry to change us 14 00:00:59,240 --> 00:01:02,160 Speaker 1: and shape us. And I just want to take a 15 00:01:02,200 --> 00:01:06,600 Speaker 1: moment to thank God for the amazing leaders that He's 16 00:01:06,680 --> 00:01:09,920 Speaker 1: put in our life. Amen, can you clap your hands? 17 00:01:13,560 --> 00:01:19,720 Speaker 1: And God must really love you, and God must really 18 00:01:19,760 --> 00:01:25,760 Speaker 1: love this region because he put such amazing gifts in 19 00:01:25,920 --> 00:01:28,760 Speaker 1: this place. And Pastor seven and Pastor Hawley, and I 20 00:01:28,920 --> 00:01:32,560 Speaker 1: just honor you guys. I know they're probably watching from 21 00:01:33,200 --> 00:01:35,200 Speaker 1: I don't know, a tour bus or whatever they're doing 22 00:01:35,280 --> 00:01:38,479 Speaker 1: right now. But we love you, we celebrate you, we 23 00:01:38,520 --> 00:01:42,240 Speaker 1: pray for you, we pray for your kids. We bless 24 00:01:43,680 --> 00:01:47,840 Speaker 1: Abby and Elijah and Graham, and just thank God for them. 25 00:01:47,880 --> 00:01:49,720 Speaker 1: And I thank God for this whole team, this whole 26 00:01:49,760 --> 00:01:52,600 Speaker 1: staff that loves you and cares for you, and pastors 27 00:01:52,600 --> 00:01:54,480 Speaker 1: you are. You're grateful for the team here at the church. 28 00:01:54,560 --> 00:02:00,440 Speaker 1: That just amen. Amen, Amen, Amen, So to be here. 29 00:02:00,440 --> 00:02:02,280 Speaker 1: We're gonna go to God's words. I will let you 30 00:02:03,080 --> 00:02:04,760 Speaker 1: grab a seat. Just look at three or four people 31 00:02:04,800 --> 00:02:06,200 Speaker 1: as you're sitting down and say, it looks like you've 32 00:02:06,240 --> 00:02:08,000 Speaker 1: been losing weight. Come on, tell them, it looks like 33 00:02:08,080 --> 00:02:14,600 Speaker 1: you've been What are you doing? Look at your neighbors, 34 00:02:14,600 --> 00:02:16,840 Speaker 1: say is that Ozmpic? What are you doing? No, don't 35 00:02:16,840 --> 00:02:27,360 Speaker 1: say that, don't say that. Well, I bring greetings from 36 00:02:27,720 --> 00:02:33,160 Speaker 1: Las Vegas, and we just celebrated our seventh year of ministry. 37 00:02:33,560 --> 00:02:38,240 Speaker 1: And to God be the glory. And hey, if you're 38 00:02:38,240 --> 00:02:41,560 Speaker 1: ever in Vegas, to everyone here, every one at every 39 00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:45,400 Speaker 1: location Epham around the world, when you're in Las Vegas 40 00:02:45,520 --> 00:02:57,000 Speaker 1: doing ministry, Amen, witnessing to the blackjack dealers and blessing 41 00:02:57,040 --> 00:03:00,280 Speaker 1: the bartenders. Amen. I'm not here to judge, but hey, 42 00:03:00,280 --> 00:03:01,880 Speaker 1: when you do come to Vegas, and I know many 43 00:03:01,880 --> 00:03:04,040 Speaker 1: of you do, please come say hi to us. We'd 44 00:03:04,120 --> 00:03:07,440 Speaker 1: love to see you. We are a portable church. As 45 00:03:07,480 --> 00:03:10,440 Speaker 1: of right now, we meet in a high school every Sunday, 46 00:03:11,240 --> 00:03:14,120 Speaker 1: but our church city like church next month will actually 47 00:03:14,160 --> 00:03:17,240 Speaker 1: be moving into our first building. And a man so 48 00:03:17,280 --> 00:03:23,880 Speaker 1: grateful for that. And to God be the glory. Genesis 49 00:03:24,080 --> 00:03:27,600 Speaker 1: chapter thirty two. For some of you are very familiar 50 00:03:27,680 --> 00:03:30,680 Speaker 1: passage of scripture. For others of you, maybe this will 51 00:03:30,720 --> 00:03:32,799 Speaker 1: be new. But there is a story actually in your 52 00:03:32,800 --> 00:03:37,240 Speaker 1: Bible about a man named Jacob who wrestles with God, 53 00:03:38,080 --> 00:03:40,440 Speaker 1: and we're going to talk about it today. Genesis chapter 54 00:03:40,480 --> 00:03:45,840 Speaker 1: thirty two. I am a preacher. Teachers tell it, Preachers 55 00:03:45,920 --> 00:03:50,400 Speaker 1: yell it, and so if I start yelling, just yell back, 56 00:03:50,440 --> 00:03:53,880 Speaker 1: it'll be less awkward. Amen, everybody, just give me an 57 00:03:53,880 --> 00:03:56,720 Speaker 1: amen every once in a while, give me an uh huh, 58 00:03:57,040 --> 00:04:01,800 Speaker 1: give me a preacher, whatever you feel, and we're gonna 59 00:04:01,840 --> 00:04:04,560 Speaker 1: have a little We're gonna have a little conversation today, okay. 60 00:04:04,720 --> 00:04:09,760 Speaker 1: Genesis chapter thirty two. So Jacob was left alone and 61 00:04:09,840 --> 00:04:13,360 Speaker 1: a man wrestled with him till daybreak. And when the 62 00:04:13,400 --> 00:04:16,160 Speaker 1: man saw that he could not overpower him. He touched 63 00:04:16,200 --> 00:04:19,159 Speaker 1: the socket of Jacob's hips so that his hip was 64 00:04:19,200 --> 00:04:21,600 Speaker 1: wrenched as he wrestled with the man. Then the man said, 65 00:04:21,680 --> 00:04:26,760 Speaker 1: let me go, for it is daybreak. But Jacob replied, 66 00:04:27,920 --> 00:04:31,359 Speaker 1: I will not let you go unless you bless me. 67 00:04:31,440 --> 00:04:34,240 Speaker 1: Let's say that phrase together everybody. I will not let 68 00:04:34,279 --> 00:04:38,360 Speaker 1: you go unless you bless me. Then the man asked them, 69 00:04:38,760 --> 00:04:44,279 Speaker 1: who are you? What is your name? Jacob? He answered. 70 00:04:44,880 --> 00:04:47,000 Speaker 1: Then the man said, your name will no longer be Jacob, 71 00:04:47,000 --> 00:04:51,640 Speaker 1: but Israel, because you have struggled, You've wrestled, You've you've 72 00:04:51,680 --> 00:04:56,640 Speaker 1: faced God and humans and have overcomes here. Our life 73 00:04:56,760 --> 00:05:00,200 Speaker 1: is like a cross vertical and horizontal, and we have 74 00:05:00,320 --> 00:05:04,520 Speaker 1: to fight and deal with the God issue in life, 75 00:05:04,520 --> 00:05:06,800 Speaker 1: but we also have to deal with the humanity issue 76 00:05:06,800 --> 00:05:10,839 Speaker 1: of life. We have to face God and ourselves. And 77 00:05:10,880 --> 00:05:13,920 Speaker 1: I find that most people are running from God and themselves. 78 00:05:15,120 --> 00:05:20,000 Speaker 1: But if you would ever face God and face your 79 00:05:20,040 --> 00:05:26,479 Speaker 1: own humanity, you can overcome and live such an amazing life. 80 00:05:26,680 --> 00:05:30,240 Speaker 1: Now now, now, Jacob says, why I told you my name? 81 00:05:30,279 --> 00:05:32,520 Speaker 1: Please tell me your name. But he replied, why do 82 00:05:32,560 --> 00:05:36,599 Speaker 1: you ask my name? Then he blessed him. There, so 83 00:05:36,800 --> 00:05:41,960 Speaker 1: Jacob called the place face to face or penile, saying 84 00:05:42,000 --> 00:05:44,279 Speaker 1: it's because I saw God face to face, yet my 85 00:05:44,400 --> 00:05:48,320 Speaker 1: life was spared. The sun rose above him as he 86 00:05:48,360 --> 00:05:52,360 Speaker 1: passed Pnial, and he was limping because of his hip. 87 00:05:53,360 --> 00:05:55,960 Speaker 1: And I want to talk just for a few moment moments. 88 00:05:55,960 --> 00:05:57,480 Speaker 1: I really kind of want to just give you maybe 89 00:05:57,480 --> 00:06:01,359 Speaker 1: a life verse and a life thought God, and maybe 90 00:06:01,440 --> 00:06:04,560 Speaker 1: less of a sermon and more of just how I 91 00:06:04,600 --> 00:06:07,560 Speaker 1: attempt to live my life. And I want to talk 92 00:06:07,600 --> 00:06:11,840 Speaker 1: about how to surrender to God. How to surrender to God. 93 00:06:11,880 --> 00:06:14,480 Speaker 1: Your life is going to be a series of surrenders. 94 00:06:15,360 --> 00:06:18,760 Speaker 1: And the more God can get a yes from you, 95 00:06:20,080 --> 00:06:23,160 Speaker 1: the more he can do in your life. So let's 96 00:06:23,200 --> 00:06:24,960 Speaker 1: just practice right off the bat. We're all going to 97 00:06:25,040 --> 00:06:29,080 Speaker 1: pray this prayer together. Everybody say yes Lord in Jesus' name, 98 00:06:30,279 --> 00:06:35,119 Speaker 1: Amen and Amen and amen. So we find Jacob now 99 00:06:36,120 --> 00:06:39,680 Speaker 1: in chapter thirty two, and Jacob is on the run. 100 00:06:41,360 --> 00:06:47,320 Speaker 1: He is stolen his brother Esau's birthright. He is lied 101 00:06:47,440 --> 00:06:50,160 Speaker 1: to his father in law Laban, and now both men 102 00:06:50,200 --> 00:06:52,760 Speaker 1: are chasing him down and they both want to kill him. 103 00:06:53,320 --> 00:06:55,400 Speaker 1: They don't know this, but they're both in hot pursuit 104 00:06:55,440 --> 00:06:58,200 Speaker 1: of Jacob, and Jacob is on the run. He's running 105 00:06:58,240 --> 00:07:00,680 Speaker 1: from his brother, he's running from his father in law, 106 00:07:00,760 --> 00:07:05,520 Speaker 1: he's running from his decisions, he's running from his consequences. 107 00:07:05,560 --> 00:07:08,400 Speaker 1: He's really running from himself. And ultimately, I would say 108 00:07:08,400 --> 00:07:12,160 Speaker 1: that he's running from God. He's on the run. If 109 00:07:12,200 --> 00:07:14,000 Speaker 1: you want to know who Jacob is, let me give 110 00:07:14,040 --> 00:07:15,880 Speaker 1: you kind of Jacob one oh one. If you're trying 111 00:07:15,920 --> 00:07:18,280 Speaker 1: to figure out who is this Jacob guy in the Bible, 112 00:07:18,720 --> 00:07:21,880 Speaker 1: it can be defined in one verse. Excuse me. Genesis 113 00:07:21,960 --> 00:07:25,600 Speaker 1: chapter thirty one. Thirty one says I rushed away because 114 00:07:25,640 --> 00:07:33,440 Speaker 1: I was afraid. That's just that's just Jacob discontent, unsettled, 115 00:07:34,440 --> 00:07:41,240 Speaker 1: rushing away, on the move, scared, insecure, always trying to 116 00:07:41,280 --> 00:07:46,240 Speaker 1: cover up for his last lie, never settled where he's at, 117 00:07:46,320 --> 00:07:51,280 Speaker 1: always going somewhere. This is Jacob, And here's really the 118 00:07:51,280 --> 00:07:54,040 Speaker 1: good news of the text. We find Jacob in chapter 119 00:07:54,080 --> 00:07:57,640 Speaker 1: thirty two, really at his lowest point, in his lowest moment, 120 00:07:58,640 --> 00:08:01,360 Speaker 1: And the good news of the text is it is 121 00:08:01,520 --> 00:08:06,920 Speaker 1: here that God finds him. Oh I love this that 122 00:08:06,960 --> 00:08:11,960 Speaker 1: God doesn't meet him at his best place. M all right. 123 00:08:13,360 --> 00:08:15,120 Speaker 1: I thank God that he's the God of the mountain. 124 00:08:15,160 --> 00:08:18,000 Speaker 1: But I'm really grateful that he's the God of the valley. 125 00:08:19,520 --> 00:08:21,520 Speaker 1: He is the God of my strength, and he's the 126 00:08:21,520 --> 00:08:23,720 Speaker 1: God of my annoying and he's the God of my calling. 127 00:08:23,720 --> 00:08:25,840 Speaker 1: But he's also the God of my secrets and the 128 00:08:25,840 --> 00:08:29,480 Speaker 1: God of my weakness, and he's the God of my issues. Yes, 129 00:08:29,520 --> 00:08:31,480 Speaker 1: he's the God of my future, but he's still the 130 00:08:31,520 --> 00:08:34,480 Speaker 1: God of my past. He's the God of light, but 131 00:08:34,520 --> 00:08:37,679 Speaker 1: he knows how to find me in the darkness. I'm 132 00:08:37,880 --> 00:08:41,280 Speaker 1: so grateful for a God that can find me at 133 00:08:41,400 --> 00:08:45,880 Speaker 1: my lowest place. If you feel low today, I've got 134 00:08:45,920 --> 00:08:48,079 Speaker 1: good news for you. God knows how to go low. 135 00:08:49,640 --> 00:08:52,080 Speaker 1: David said. Even if I make my bed in hell, 136 00:08:52,200 --> 00:08:54,440 Speaker 1: You'll be there, even if I try to go hide 137 00:08:54,480 --> 00:08:57,880 Speaker 1: in the dark. Darkness is like light to you. God 138 00:08:57,920 --> 00:09:02,920 Speaker 1: has a way of finding and pursuing and chasing down 139 00:09:03,160 --> 00:09:07,120 Speaker 1: his people. My testimony after serving God now for twenty 140 00:09:07,160 --> 00:09:10,040 Speaker 1: six years is not how good I am, how faithful 141 00:09:10,080 --> 00:09:13,160 Speaker 1: I've been, how annointed I am, how gifted I am, 142 00:09:13,240 --> 00:09:16,760 Speaker 1: how holy I am. No, my testimony is God keeps 143 00:09:16,960 --> 00:09:23,640 Speaker 1: chasing me down. Anybody grateful for the mercy of God. Oh, 144 00:09:23,720 --> 00:09:25,760 Speaker 1: I know, I just started preaching like three minutes ago, 145 00:09:25,800 --> 00:09:28,480 Speaker 1: But can we take our first praise break and just 146 00:09:28,600 --> 00:09:33,480 Speaker 1: thank God that we're all here by the grace of God. 147 00:09:34,240 --> 00:09:36,680 Speaker 1: There's not a perfect person on your road. There's not 148 00:09:36,760 --> 00:09:40,360 Speaker 1: anybody who has it all together. We're all trophies of 149 00:09:40,760 --> 00:09:44,680 Speaker 1: God's mercy and God's grace. Oh, I told you two 150 00:09:44,720 --> 00:09:47,360 Speaker 1: men were chasing Jacob. If there was a third man 151 00:09:47,640 --> 00:09:52,000 Speaker 1: chasing Jacob, his name was God Almighty. And he has 152 00:09:52,080 --> 00:09:56,240 Speaker 1: a way of chasing us down. He is a way 153 00:09:56,280 --> 00:09:59,920 Speaker 1: of pursuing us. See, he has a way of running 154 00:10:00,080 --> 00:10:03,720 Speaker 1: after us. And that's the beauty of what God can do. 155 00:10:03,800 --> 00:10:09,240 Speaker 1: And here's our response. Yes, Lord, our response to God's 156 00:10:09,280 --> 00:10:12,680 Speaker 1: hot pursuit, our response to God's love, our response to 157 00:10:12,760 --> 00:10:17,000 Speaker 1: God's grace is yes. And that's what I want to talk. 158 00:10:17,000 --> 00:10:20,320 Speaker 1: I want to talk about your surrender, because the more 159 00:10:20,360 --> 00:10:23,920 Speaker 1: God can get of you, the more God can do 160 00:10:24,080 --> 00:10:28,440 Speaker 1: through you. So let's talk about it a little bit. 161 00:10:28,440 --> 00:10:31,200 Speaker 1: If I'm going to surrender to God. Firstly, you have 162 00:10:31,280 --> 00:10:37,240 Speaker 1: to stop running. All right, It's gonna get better. I 163 00:10:37,280 --> 00:10:39,599 Speaker 1: promise gonna get better. You gotta stop. You got to 164 00:10:39,600 --> 00:10:42,040 Speaker 1: stop running. Verse twenty four that the text begins with 165 00:10:42,240 --> 00:10:47,000 Speaker 1: Jacob was left alone. Here's what you find when you 166 00:10:47,360 --> 00:10:52,080 Speaker 1: study Jacob, he's never alone. He's chasing Daddy's blessing. He's 167 00:10:52,160 --> 00:10:54,240 Speaker 1: hanging out with Mama. He's the first mama's boy in 168 00:10:54,280 --> 00:11:00,280 Speaker 1: the Bible. He's in pursuit of his brother's blessing. He's 169 00:11:00,400 --> 00:11:05,640 Speaker 1: running after Laban's daughters. He's he's always busy, always moving, 170 00:11:06,679 --> 00:11:11,920 Speaker 1: always running, and always active and always around people. He's 171 00:11:12,080 --> 00:11:17,040 Speaker 1: never alone. And he finally gets alone. And I find 172 00:11:17,040 --> 00:11:21,680 Speaker 1: that so many people have traded in fruitfulness for busyness. 173 00:11:24,520 --> 00:11:27,200 Speaker 1: They think to themselves, as long as I'm busy and 174 00:11:27,280 --> 00:11:33,120 Speaker 1: tired and depressed and worn out, I must be holy. 175 00:11:35,960 --> 00:11:40,839 Speaker 1: Uh was that for somebody in this section? Amen? And 176 00:11:40,920 --> 00:11:46,480 Speaker 1: so so they're always active, but never growing, always busy 177 00:11:46,559 --> 00:11:51,920 Speaker 1: but rarely fruitful, always running, so they never have to 178 00:11:51,960 --> 00:11:56,320 Speaker 1: face God or themselves. They never have to deal with 179 00:11:56,360 --> 00:11:59,960 Speaker 1: the God issue in their life. And so what Jay 180 00:12:00,040 --> 00:12:02,560 Speaker 1: Jacob finally has to do is he finally has to 181 00:12:02,559 --> 00:12:05,400 Speaker 1: get alone long enough for God to do something in 182 00:12:05,440 --> 00:12:09,280 Speaker 1: his life. And and it's here that he finally gets alone. See, friend, 183 00:12:09,480 --> 00:12:11,679 Speaker 1: I've seen this. Now. I'm a rookie pastor, I've only 184 00:12:11,679 --> 00:12:14,560 Speaker 1: been pastoring for seven years, but I have seen that 185 00:12:14,559 --> 00:12:18,600 Speaker 1: that man. People just love to be moving, and they 186 00:12:18,640 --> 00:12:24,200 Speaker 1: go from job to job, career to career, guy to guy, 187 00:12:24,320 --> 00:12:30,839 Speaker 1: girl to girl, marriage to marriage, sometimes church to church, 188 00:12:33,880 --> 00:12:39,319 Speaker 1: city to city. They're always moving. You know what I've learned. 189 00:12:39,360 --> 00:12:46,520 Speaker 1: I've learned that wherever we go, there we are. You 190 00:12:46,600 --> 00:12:49,400 Speaker 1: discovered that, yet you moved to Charlotte. You still you? 191 00:12:49,520 --> 00:12:56,400 Speaker 1: Ha ha. You married the man of your dreams and 192 00:12:56,440 --> 00:13:00,840 Speaker 1: you still you. Sir. You were me single and you're 193 00:13:00,880 --> 00:13:06,840 Speaker 1: me married. We just need to have a baby. And 194 00:13:06,880 --> 00:13:10,120 Speaker 1: then you have a baby. And there you did that. 195 00:13:10,200 --> 00:13:12,880 Speaker 1: Scare anybody else? When you had a child, You went, Jesus, 196 00:13:13,679 --> 00:13:18,200 Speaker 1: that's me. And then as they get older, they start 197 00:13:18,200 --> 00:13:20,600 Speaker 1: acting like you go, who raised you? Oh? My bad, 198 00:13:20,720 --> 00:13:26,400 Speaker 1: My bad, my bad? I thought. See a lot of 199 00:13:26,440 --> 00:13:30,640 Speaker 1: times we're running from things, but we're not facing things. 200 00:13:30,679 --> 00:13:34,360 Speaker 1: We're running from things, but we're not wrestling with things. 201 00:13:34,440 --> 00:13:38,079 Speaker 1: We're we're running from ourselves. But it's not until we 202 00:13:38,120 --> 00:13:43,160 Speaker 1: wrestle with God and with humanity that we can finally overcome. 203 00:13:44,920 --> 00:13:47,839 Speaker 1: Jesus has a better way, and it's it's actually called repentance, 204 00:13:47,880 --> 00:13:51,400 Speaker 1: he says in Matthew chapter four. He says, repent of 205 00:13:51,440 --> 00:13:55,080 Speaker 1: your sin, turn from your sins, repent of your sins. 206 00:13:55,120 --> 00:13:58,760 Speaker 1: But then he says this, and turn to God. See 207 00:13:58,760 --> 00:14:00,680 Speaker 1: a lot of people don't like their sin. They don't 208 00:14:00,720 --> 00:14:03,400 Speaker 1: like their issues, they don't like their secrets, they don't 209 00:14:03,440 --> 00:14:05,960 Speaker 1: like their whatever they're going through, but they don't have 210 00:14:06,000 --> 00:14:07,840 Speaker 1: any power over it. Here's why, because you haven't turned 211 00:14:07,880 --> 00:14:13,880 Speaker 1: to God. See, the issue is not disliking a part 212 00:14:13,920 --> 00:14:18,600 Speaker 1: of your life. The issue is loving God. See. God 213 00:14:18,840 --> 00:14:23,680 Speaker 1: is the power of repentance, not remorse. God is the 214 00:14:23,680 --> 00:14:27,760 Speaker 1: power of repentance, not guilt. There are so many Christians 215 00:14:27,760 --> 00:14:31,440 Speaker 1: that hate themselves but don't have freedom. Why because they 216 00:14:31,440 --> 00:14:34,840 Speaker 1: have not learned how to love God. Yet the powers 217 00:14:34,840 --> 00:14:37,280 Speaker 1: in loving God. Here's what Jesus is really saying. It's 218 00:14:37,320 --> 00:14:40,000 Speaker 1: not as much of a sin issue as a God issue. 219 00:14:41,320 --> 00:14:45,520 Speaker 1: That what you really need is God. Well. Now, now 220 00:14:45,520 --> 00:14:50,360 Speaker 1: Paul goes further in Ephesians, and here's how he would 221 00:14:50,360 --> 00:14:52,360 Speaker 1: say to me that same scripture. He says, don't get 222 00:14:52,400 --> 00:14:55,720 Speaker 1: drunk with wine. Now, this is old King James, where 223 00:14:55,760 --> 00:14:59,800 Speaker 1: in excess. That's just a fancy way of saying it's 224 00:14:59,800 --> 00:15:08,320 Speaker 1: an never gonna be enough. Whatever it is. The wine 225 00:15:08,360 --> 00:15:10,560 Speaker 1: will never get you drunk enough. The drugs will never 226 00:15:10,560 --> 00:15:13,480 Speaker 1: get you high enough. The sex will never be good enough, 227 00:15:14,360 --> 00:15:16,280 Speaker 1: your husband will never be nice enough, the kids will 228 00:15:16,320 --> 00:15:19,240 Speaker 1: never act good enough. The house will never be big enough, 229 00:15:19,280 --> 00:15:23,840 Speaker 1: the car will never be fast enough, the bank account 230 00:15:23,880 --> 00:15:28,920 Speaker 1: will never be full enough. What am I saying? I'm 231 00:15:28,920 --> 00:15:35,440 Speaker 1: saying anytime you get inebriated on a world system, can 232 00:15:35,480 --> 00:15:38,520 Speaker 1: I talk to anybody? Maybe you've been drinking from the 233 00:15:38,560 --> 00:15:41,480 Speaker 1: wrong well. Jesus looked at a woman in John chapter four, 234 00:15:41,520 --> 00:15:43,200 Speaker 1: and he said, you keep drinking from the wrong well, 235 00:15:43,200 --> 00:15:44,920 Speaker 1: and that's why you're always circey. But if you would 236 00:15:44,920 --> 00:15:48,600 Speaker 1: ever drink of the living water, you would never thirst again. See, 237 00:15:48,640 --> 00:15:52,640 Speaker 1: maybe the issue, maybe it's not what you think it is. 238 00:15:54,640 --> 00:15:57,120 Speaker 1: See I'm trying to fix my life with all these 239 00:15:57,160 --> 00:16:00,440 Speaker 1: temporal things. But maybe the craving is eternal. Because Paul 240 00:16:00,440 --> 00:16:01,880 Speaker 1: would go on and say, don't get drunk with wine 241 00:16:01,880 --> 00:16:03,960 Speaker 1: wearing excess. In other words, it's never gonna be enough. 242 00:16:04,000 --> 00:16:08,160 Speaker 1: Instead be filled with the Holy Spirit. So what Paul 243 00:16:08,240 --> 00:16:10,720 Speaker 1: is saying is he's saying there's a God issue. See, 244 00:16:10,800 --> 00:16:15,160 Speaker 1: Jacob had had money, Jacob had family. Jacob had camels 245 00:16:15,200 --> 00:16:18,880 Speaker 1: and donkeys and horses and cows. And that's like saying 246 00:16:19,040 --> 00:16:23,480 Speaker 1: Mercedes nbmw's and a Corvette and a four f one 247 00:16:23,560 --> 00:16:25,880 Speaker 1: fifty Raptor and a private I mean he had everything, 248 00:16:25,960 --> 00:16:34,320 Speaker 1: yet y'all. He had wives. I didn't say a wife 249 00:16:35,400 --> 00:16:40,560 Speaker 1: and wives, he had kids, he had he had stuff, 250 00:16:40,800 --> 00:16:45,680 Speaker 1: but he was missing God. And C. S. Lewis says 251 00:16:45,680 --> 00:16:47,840 Speaker 1: that if if you have everything the world has to 252 00:16:47,920 --> 00:16:51,680 Speaker 1: offer and you still feel empty, maybe it's because you 253 00:16:51,760 --> 00:16:56,840 Speaker 1: were made for another world. Maybe it's Ecclesiastes chapter three 254 00:16:56,880 --> 00:16:59,400 Speaker 1: that says eternity is in our hearts and so we're 255 00:16:59,400 --> 00:17:01,840 Speaker 1: trying to fill with the temporal things of this life. 256 00:17:01,840 --> 00:17:05,080 Speaker 1: But in reality we need God. See Jacob had a 257 00:17:05,119 --> 00:17:08,320 Speaker 1: God issue. Friend, I got a God issue. We we 258 00:17:08,400 --> 00:17:11,880 Speaker 1: have a we need God. And Paul says, you're you're 259 00:17:11,960 --> 00:17:14,400 Speaker 1: trying to get drunk, You're trying to find peace, You're 260 00:17:14,640 --> 00:17:17,280 Speaker 1: trying to get inebriated on a world system that is 261 00:17:17,400 --> 00:17:23,399 Speaker 1: never gonna be enough. You're always gonna need excess. But 262 00:17:23,520 --> 00:17:25,919 Speaker 1: instead you can be filled with the spirit. In other words, 263 00:17:26,000 --> 00:17:31,280 Speaker 1: it's it's God that you're looking for. Anybody know they 264 00:17:31,320 --> 00:17:33,760 Speaker 1: need God today? Man, I know I need God. I 265 00:17:33,800 --> 00:17:39,760 Speaker 1: need I need more of God. So so God is 266 00:17:39,800 --> 00:17:42,200 Speaker 1: creating in the Book of Genesis. He's he's the creator 267 00:17:42,240 --> 00:17:45,960 Speaker 1: in Genesis. He's he's the artist in Genesis. And something 268 00:17:46,080 --> 00:17:48,320 Speaker 1: very interesting happens. In the Book of Genesis. The Bible 269 00:17:48,359 --> 00:17:54,560 Speaker 1: says that God makes dirt. Okay, he doesn't make trees, 270 00:17:54,600 --> 00:17:58,359 Speaker 1: he makes dirt, doesn't make flowers. He makes dirt. He 271 00:17:58,400 --> 00:18:01,080 Speaker 1: doesn't make grass, He makes dirt. The Bible said that 272 00:18:01,160 --> 00:18:06,159 Speaker 1: he creates dirt, he creates land, and then he talks 273 00:18:06,200 --> 00:18:10,600 Speaker 1: to the dirt and he says, dirt, get to work, 274 00:18:10,640 --> 00:18:13,719 Speaker 1: and the dirt says, yes, sir, And the dirt starts 275 00:18:13,800 --> 00:18:19,960 Speaker 1: producing trees and flowers and grass and bushes, and the dirt, 276 00:18:20,080 --> 00:18:23,520 Speaker 1: the dirt begins to produce. This is amazing. That's why 277 00:18:23,560 --> 00:18:27,000 Speaker 1: whenever you remove a tree from the dirt, the tree dies, 278 00:18:27,920 --> 00:18:34,240 Speaker 1: because you've removed the tree from its source. Gentlemen, maybe 279 00:18:34,280 --> 00:18:36,800 Speaker 1: you've bought your wife flowers. Maybe it's been a while, 280 00:18:36,960 --> 00:18:39,359 Speaker 1: Maybe do that tonight. You buy your wife flowers, and 281 00:18:40,600 --> 00:18:42,399 Speaker 1: you give it the flowers and they're so beautiful, right, 282 00:18:42,440 --> 00:18:44,320 Speaker 1: and they sit in the kitchen and they're so beautiful. 283 00:18:44,520 --> 00:18:46,480 Speaker 1: And then after like three days, you walk downstairs one 284 00:18:46,520 --> 00:18:48,200 Speaker 1: day you go, oh, my god, what happened to the flowers. 285 00:18:48,240 --> 00:18:53,360 Speaker 1: They died. No, they were already dead. They were already 286 00:18:53,359 --> 00:18:58,120 Speaker 1: dead because you remove them from their source. Okay, then 287 00:18:58,200 --> 00:19:03,119 Speaker 1: he makes water. He doesn't make fish. He makes water, 288 00:19:04,040 --> 00:19:07,960 Speaker 1: and he tells the water water, get to work and 289 00:19:08,040 --> 00:19:11,040 Speaker 1: straight at him a wana two. That water says yes, sir. Sorry, 290 00:19:11,040 --> 00:19:14,760 Speaker 1: I got an eight year old. My bad. That water 291 00:19:14,880 --> 00:19:17,880 Speaker 1: says yes, sir. And the water this is in your Bible, 292 00:19:18,160 --> 00:19:22,360 Speaker 1: starts producing fish. That's why when you remove a fish 293 00:19:22,480 --> 00:19:26,840 Speaker 1: from the water, the fish starts flopping and hopping, and 294 00:19:27,000 --> 00:19:30,920 Speaker 1: he's gonna die. It's gonna die because water is its source. 295 00:19:32,040 --> 00:19:36,680 Speaker 1: Water made the fish, and the fish needs its creator. 296 00:19:38,960 --> 00:19:43,040 Speaker 1: I'm going somewhere. I'm not lost. But when God made 297 00:19:43,119 --> 00:19:47,359 Speaker 1: at him, when God made you, when God made me, 298 00:19:47,640 --> 00:19:50,320 Speaker 1: he didn't talk to the dirt. He didn't talk to 299 00:19:50,359 --> 00:19:53,960 Speaker 1: the water. He did not even talk to oxygen. When 300 00:19:54,040 --> 00:20:00,320 Speaker 1: God created humanity, God had to talk to himself, and 301 00:20:00,359 --> 00:20:05,320 Speaker 1: he said, let us make man in our image and 302 00:20:05,400 --> 00:20:07,480 Speaker 1: in our likeness. What am I saying. I'm saying that 303 00:20:07,520 --> 00:20:10,480 Speaker 1: a tree needs dirt, and a fish needs water, and 304 00:20:10,600 --> 00:20:15,800 Speaker 1: Jabin needs Jesus, and we need God. And anytime we 305 00:20:15,880 --> 00:20:19,480 Speaker 1: try to live our life separate from God. We gonna 306 00:20:19,520 --> 00:20:22,520 Speaker 1: be like a fish flopping on the ground. We're gonna 307 00:20:22,520 --> 00:20:26,280 Speaker 1: be like flowers dying in the vase. Friend, we need God, 308 00:20:26,400 --> 00:20:28,600 Speaker 1: not just money. We need God, not just food. We 309 00:20:28,680 --> 00:20:31,480 Speaker 1: need God not just shelter. We need God. Man does 310 00:20:31,640 --> 00:20:35,480 Speaker 1: not live by bread alone, but by every word that 311 00:20:35,640 --> 00:20:39,520 Speaker 1: proceedeth out of our creator, out of our souls. He 312 00:20:39,600 --> 00:20:43,800 Speaker 1: is God. And I need God today. Oh, if you 313 00:20:43,880 --> 00:20:45,800 Speaker 1: know you need him, come on, just give him praise 314 00:20:45,880 --> 00:20:50,480 Speaker 1: for a moment. In him I live, and in him 315 00:20:50,520 --> 00:20:53,000 Speaker 1: I move, and in him I breathe, and in him 316 00:20:53,040 --> 00:20:58,600 Speaker 1: I have my bee. And just because life might be 317 00:20:58,800 --> 00:21:01,920 Speaker 1: comfortable right now, Jacob, does not mean that you don't 318 00:21:01,960 --> 00:21:07,720 Speaker 1: need God. Oh it's easy to be reminded in the 319 00:21:07,800 --> 00:21:11,320 Speaker 1: valley that I need him. But sometimes when things start 320 00:21:11,320 --> 00:21:14,000 Speaker 1: working out, we start telling ourselves we've done this and 321 00:21:14,040 --> 00:21:20,439 Speaker 1: we got this. We good. But I have to be 322 00:21:20,520 --> 00:21:26,560 Speaker 1: reminded that every time I get a little bit prideful, 323 00:21:26,600 --> 00:21:30,760 Speaker 1: I just looked like that fish flopping on the side 324 00:21:31,520 --> 00:21:36,240 Speaker 1: of the river. I need God. I gotta stop running. 325 00:21:36,359 --> 00:21:42,040 Speaker 1: The secondly, I have to admit that I have issues. Yeah, yeah, elbow, 326 00:21:42,080 --> 00:21:44,320 Speaker 1: your neighbor, can he tell him? Don't judge me. Tell him, 327 00:21:44,320 --> 00:21:47,760 Speaker 1: don't judge me. Look at one more person say I 328 00:21:47,800 --> 00:21:50,000 Speaker 1: could tell you're judging me. Stop it, just stop, just 329 00:21:50,119 --> 00:21:58,639 Speaker 1: stop judging me. See, now that Jacob is finally wrestling 330 00:21:58,680 --> 00:22:04,000 Speaker 1: with God, God goes, who are you? Who are you? 331 00:22:05,080 --> 00:22:08,720 Speaker 1: This is an interesting question because God does not ask 332 00:22:08,800 --> 00:22:12,840 Speaker 1: questions because he doesn't know the answer. Nothing's ever occurred 333 00:22:12,880 --> 00:22:20,760 Speaker 1: to God. God knows who he's wrestling with. It's not 334 00:22:20,840 --> 00:22:25,760 Speaker 1: that God doesn't know. It's that Jacob has to get honest. 335 00:22:25,960 --> 00:22:27,920 Speaker 1: It's not that God's going to learn something new. It's 336 00:22:27,920 --> 00:22:31,240 Speaker 1: that Jacob's about to learn something new. Anytime God asked 337 00:22:31,280 --> 00:22:33,400 Speaker 1: you a question, it's not because he doesn't know the answer. 338 00:22:33,440 --> 00:22:35,240 Speaker 1: It's because he's trying to reveal a truth to you. 339 00:22:37,240 --> 00:22:40,680 Speaker 1: He says, who are you? And Jacob is finally going 340 00:22:40,720 --> 00:22:46,960 Speaker 1: to admit I am Jacob. One theologian in one commentary 341 00:22:47,040 --> 00:22:49,800 Speaker 1: said that Jacob probably had not used his name in 342 00:22:49,880 --> 00:22:53,720 Speaker 1: ten to fifteen years. Well, why is that important? Because 343 00:22:53,760 --> 00:22:57,679 Speaker 1: in today's world names don't mean a lot. We just 344 00:22:57,760 --> 00:22:59,760 Speaker 1: kind of name our kids. We want name our kids, 345 00:23:00,160 --> 00:23:02,240 Speaker 1: have a family name, but nothing is that significant. But 346 00:23:02,320 --> 00:23:05,040 Speaker 1: in Bible days, you were given a name based off 347 00:23:05,080 --> 00:23:08,240 Speaker 1: of the pregnancy, or based off of the season of 348 00:23:08,240 --> 00:23:10,159 Speaker 1: the pregnancy, or based off of the birth, and so 349 00:23:11,040 --> 00:23:13,960 Speaker 1: names were significant because the parents believe that these were 350 00:23:14,040 --> 00:23:18,959 Speaker 1: prophetic declarations over the child, that the name was going 351 00:23:19,040 --> 00:23:22,000 Speaker 1: to represent the character and the future of the child. 352 00:23:23,160 --> 00:23:27,320 Speaker 1: So the Bible says that Jacob is a twin. There 353 00:23:27,359 --> 00:23:29,400 Speaker 1: was a war that happened in the womb of Rebecca, 354 00:23:30,240 --> 00:23:34,359 Speaker 1: and the scripture says that as Rebecca is giving birth 355 00:23:34,560 --> 00:23:39,920 Speaker 1: to Jacob and Esau leaves the womb first, and as 356 00:23:40,280 --> 00:23:43,400 Speaker 1: Esau is leaving the womb, the scripture says that Jacob 357 00:23:43,440 --> 00:23:47,480 Speaker 1: reached out and grabbed the heel of Esau. This is graphic, 358 00:23:47,560 --> 00:23:51,640 Speaker 1: this is Genesis, Amen, this is rated r. He grabs 359 00:23:51,680 --> 00:23:57,920 Speaker 1: the heel of Esau, and Rebecca blurts out, oh, this 360 00:23:58,160 --> 00:24:02,520 Speaker 1: is this is my Jacob. This is my heel grasper 361 00:24:02,640 --> 00:24:05,640 Speaker 1: or subplanter, the one that knocks you off balance. This 362 00:24:05,680 --> 00:24:10,200 Speaker 1: is my deceiver. She was basically saying, keep an eye 363 00:24:10,240 --> 00:24:12,960 Speaker 1: out on the second boy. He's gonna be my troublemaker. 364 00:24:13,000 --> 00:24:16,399 Speaker 1: He's gonna be our black sheep. He Oh, he's gonna 365 00:24:16,440 --> 00:24:21,640 Speaker 1: be our problem child. He's he's a trickster. We gonna 366 00:24:21,640 --> 00:24:25,240 Speaker 1: have issues with him, and guess what, everything Rebecca declared 367 00:24:26,520 --> 00:24:31,240 Speaker 1: Jacob became side note, parents, this is why it's so 368 00:24:31,320 --> 00:24:37,280 Speaker 1: important to protect the language of your house. Let me 369 00:24:37,359 --> 00:24:39,840 Speaker 1: just talk about it for three seconds. Just really quick 370 00:24:40,440 --> 00:24:43,920 Speaker 1: watch what you say around your child and to your child, 371 00:24:43,920 --> 00:24:48,040 Speaker 1: because they are like spiritual sponges that are picking things up. 372 00:24:48,080 --> 00:24:51,159 Speaker 1: And I'll move on from that, but it's important. And 373 00:24:51,200 --> 00:24:54,040 Speaker 1: so she declares this over her son, and that's what 374 00:24:54,160 --> 00:24:56,919 Speaker 1: Jacob became. He became a liar, he became a deceiver, 375 00:24:57,000 --> 00:25:00,840 Speaker 1: he became a trickster, He became everything that she said 376 00:25:00,880 --> 00:25:02,879 Speaker 1: he would become. So when God says who are you? 377 00:25:04,040 --> 00:25:06,400 Speaker 1: God is trying to get Jacob to the place where 378 00:25:06,400 --> 00:25:08,640 Speaker 1: he can reveal who he is so that God can 379 00:25:08,640 --> 00:25:11,560 Speaker 1: transform him. Because God won't heal or change what you 380 00:25:11,600 --> 00:25:14,840 Speaker 1: won't reveal. You've got to bring it into the light, 381 00:25:14,880 --> 00:25:18,639 Speaker 1: as he's in the light. And so now Jacob is 382 00:25:18,680 --> 00:25:23,640 Speaker 1: finally going to admit I'm I'm Jay, I am who 383 00:25:23,680 --> 00:25:28,480 Speaker 1: Rebecca told me I am? Oh man, this is huge. 384 00:25:28,480 --> 00:25:33,679 Speaker 1: And see, Jacob could have told God the truth kind 385 00:25:33,680 --> 00:25:37,399 Speaker 1: of God could have said j J. God could have 386 00:25:37,400 --> 00:25:38,760 Speaker 1: said who are you? And he could have said, I'm 387 00:25:38,800 --> 00:25:45,080 Speaker 1: Abraham's grandson. I'm one of Isaac's kids. I'm one of 388 00:25:45,119 --> 00:25:51,359 Speaker 1: Rebecca's boys. I'm one of Esau's brothers. I'm I'm one 389 00:25:51,400 --> 00:25:54,119 Speaker 1: of Laban's son in laws. I see he could have 390 00:25:55,160 --> 00:25:59,840 Speaker 1: he could have told the truth ish, but it would 391 00:25:59,840 --> 00:26:02,679 Speaker 1: not have dealt with the real issue. Oh man, I 392 00:26:02,720 --> 00:26:05,840 Speaker 1: see people every week they coming to church. Old praise God, Hallelujah, 393 00:26:05,840 --> 00:26:09,960 Speaker 1: Glory to God. Everything good, blessed, so blessed. We're so good. 394 00:26:11,080 --> 00:26:13,960 Speaker 1: We're just so good right now, aren't we. Babe, babe, 395 00:26:13,960 --> 00:26:15,800 Speaker 1: babe baby. It's like blink twice if you're in trouble, 396 00:26:15,840 --> 00:26:17,800 Speaker 1: you know what I mean. It's like, kids are so good, 397 00:26:17,840 --> 00:26:21,880 Speaker 1: We're just so blessed. We're just so happy. Ah, We're 398 00:26:21,960 --> 00:26:24,080 Speaker 1: just Oh. I love God, I love Church. I love 399 00:26:24,119 --> 00:26:26,439 Speaker 1: waiting in that line out there. Man, what a blessing. 400 00:26:26,600 --> 00:26:34,919 Speaker 1: Woo love it. Let me say something. You don't need 401 00:26:34,960 --> 00:26:37,040 Speaker 1: to be real with everybody, and I definitely don't want 402 00:26:37,040 --> 00:26:41,000 Speaker 1: you to walk around with a dark cloud of negativity, 403 00:26:41,080 --> 00:26:45,520 Speaker 1: but somebody has to know the real you can we 404 00:26:45,560 --> 00:26:48,320 Speaker 1: talk about it, and God ought to know the real you. Like, 405 00:26:48,359 --> 00:26:51,080 Speaker 1: if you're gonna get honest and open with anybody, you 406 00:26:51,080 --> 00:26:53,840 Speaker 1: ought to get honest and open with God. That's why 407 00:26:53,920 --> 00:26:56,399 Speaker 1: we play the music so loud here at Elevation, so 408 00:26:56,440 --> 00:26:59,760 Speaker 1: that while the worship's going on, you can just utter 409 00:26:59,760 --> 00:27:02,440 Speaker 1: a prayer to the Lord, like, Lord, I still got 410 00:27:02,440 --> 00:27:05,080 Speaker 1: some Jacob in me, I still got some mess in me. 411 00:27:05,160 --> 00:27:07,600 Speaker 1: I still got some issues, i still got some trauma 412 00:27:07,680 --> 00:27:11,160 Speaker 1: and some drama. I'm still carrying some baggage. But God, 413 00:27:11,160 --> 00:27:14,040 Speaker 1: I'm inviting you into this space. I'm not gonna fake 414 00:27:14,080 --> 00:27:16,280 Speaker 1: it around God. I'm not gonna I'm not I'm not 415 00:27:16,359 --> 00:27:19,560 Speaker 1: just gonna smile around God. See, denial is not faith. 416 00:27:21,520 --> 00:27:24,120 Speaker 1: Jesus did not say, deny the mountain and it'll eventually 417 00:27:24,160 --> 00:27:25,880 Speaker 1: go away. No, he said you gotta talk to it. 418 00:27:26,280 --> 00:27:27,760 Speaker 1: And if you're gonna talk to the mountain, that means 419 00:27:27,800 --> 00:27:31,320 Speaker 1: you have to admit that it's actually there. Is. This 420 00:27:31,400 --> 00:27:34,240 Speaker 1: is not just you know, smile and be positive till 421 00:27:34,240 --> 00:27:38,480 Speaker 1: everything turns around. No, it's inviting God into your issues, 422 00:27:38,520 --> 00:27:42,720 Speaker 1: inviting God into your brokenness. It's inviting God into your 423 00:27:42,760 --> 00:27:46,160 Speaker 1: pain and saying, God, I'm inviting you into this space. 424 00:27:46,359 --> 00:27:49,919 Speaker 1: Do something with my life. And God loves that. If 425 00:27:50,160 --> 00:27:52,040 Speaker 1: if you think you have to be perfect to be 426 00:27:52,119 --> 00:27:54,720 Speaker 1: a Christian. You have heard the wrong gospel. Friend, this 427 00:27:54,800 --> 00:27:57,359 Speaker 1: is this is not a message for perfect people. And 428 00:27:57,400 --> 00:28:00,359 Speaker 1: this is not a church for perfect people, he says, 429 00:28:00,359 --> 00:28:05,280 Speaker 1: a church for people who know they need God. Oh 430 00:28:05,320 --> 00:28:07,239 Speaker 1: are you grateful for that today? That we don't have 431 00:28:07,320 --> 00:28:09,879 Speaker 1: to fake it with the Lord. We're not faking it 432 00:28:09,960 --> 00:28:16,520 Speaker 1: till we make it. So he says, I'm I'm jacobing. 433 00:28:17,920 --> 00:28:21,400 Speaker 1: Now God can finally do something. Oh but so many 434 00:28:21,400 --> 00:28:24,239 Speaker 1: times we want to live in denial about where we 435 00:28:24,280 --> 00:28:31,760 Speaker 1: are and who we are. And but now God, God knows, Okay, 436 00:28:31,800 --> 00:28:36,720 Speaker 1: I can I can get involved in this moment. I 437 00:28:36,760 --> 00:28:40,320 Speaker 1: can begin to move in this moment. I can begin 438 00:28:40,360 --> 00:28:44,600 Speaker 1: to do something in this moment because I have revealed it. 439 00:28:46,920 --> 00:28:48,680 Speaker 1: And so the third thing that you have to do 440 00:28:50,280 --> 00:28:53,040 Speaker 1: now that you've stopped running and you've admitted that you 441 00:28:53,080 --> 00:28:58,600 Speaker 1: have issues, well, now you got to hold onto God. 442 00:29:00,880 --> 00:29:03,560 Speaker 1: Somebody say, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on. 443 00:29:04,400 --> 00:29:09,760 Speaker 1: Jacob said, I will not let you go unless you 444 00:29:09,800 --> 00:29:16,760 Speaker 1: bless me. This is an amazing text. It's an amazing 445 00:29:16,800 --> 00:29:23,080 Speaker 1: text because God picks the fight with Jacob. God begins 446 00:29:23,120 --> 00:29:27,680 Speaker 1: to fight with Jacob, and then it feels pretty short. 447 00:29:28,480 --> 00:29:31,720 Speaker 1: They're wrestling and all of a sudden, God taps out 448 00:29:31,720 --> 00:29:37,240 Speaker 1: and goes, all right, I'm done, wrap it up, You're done. 449 00:29:37,920 --> 00:29:40,120 Speaker 1: And it's kind of like, God, why you pick a 450 00:29:40,160 --> 00:29:42,800 Speaker 1: fight with me and then leave me? Y'all ever felt 451 00:29:42,800 --> 00:29:46,360 Speaker 1: that way? Come on this March right now, But in 452 00:29:46,480 --> 00:29:48,760 Speaker 1: January got picked a fight with you and goes, gonna 453 00:29:48,760 --> 00:29:51,600 Speaker 1: be my year. God's gonna do something awesome at twenty 454 00:29:51,640 --> 00:29:55,840 Speaker 1: twenty five. I'm coming alive. I'm gonna thrive at twenty 455 00:29:55,880 --> 00:30:00,280 Speaker 1: twenty five. And now it's March, and you're going, my God, 456 00:30:00,320 --> 00:30:03,040 Speaker 1: my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Where? Where are Where? 457 00:30:03,080 --> 00:30:10,600 Speaker 1: Where are Where are you? Jesus? Yeah, yeah, yeah, Yeah, 458 00:30:10,920 --> 00:30:12,800 Speaker 1: That's what God's That's what God's do. You're not the 459 00:30:12,800 --> 00:30:17,200 Speaker 1: first one to experience it. That's what God's doing with Jacob. God. 460 00:30:17,480 --> 00:30:19,920 Speaker 1: God pursues Jacob and then he lets Jacob go and 461 00:30:20,000 --> 00:30:22,880 Speaker 1: he goes, all right, we're done. And see, I believe 462 00:30:22,880 --> 00:30:27,400 Speaker 1: that God was testing Jacob. I believe God was testing 463 00:30:27,480 --> 00:30:38,080 Speaker 1: Jacob because Jacob always ran in moments of discomfort. He 464 00:30:38,240 --> 00:30:41,920 Speaker 1: ran from his home, he ran from his brother, he 465 00:30:42,040 --> 00:30:44,440 Speaker 1: ran from his father in law. He's always on the run. 466 00:30:44,680 --> 00:30:46,800 Speaker 1: And here's what God saying, Jacob, go ahead and run, 467 00:30:46,880 --> 00:30:51,440 Speaker 1: do what you've always done, and get what you've always got. Jacob, 468 00:30:51,480 --> 00:30:53,959 Speaker 1: go ahead. I give you permission to continue the cycle. 469 00:30:55,080 --> 00:30:57,600 Speaker 1: I give you permission to continue to do what you've 470 00:30:57,800 --> 00:30:59,840 Speaker 1: go ahead, go ahead and run me go go ahead. 471 00:30:59,840 --> 00:31:04,040 Speaker 1: And if you want to run, run and hear me. Friend. 472 00:31:05,000 --> 00:31:11,960 Speaker 1: You can run or you can wrestle, but you can't 473 00:31:12,000 --> 00:31:20,000 Speaker 1: do both. You can't run and wrestle. You're gonna have 474 00:31:20,040 --> 00:31:23,040 Speaker 1: to make a decision. And, by the way, the life 475 00:31:23,080 --> 00:31:27,560 Speaker 1: you want you will not get by running every time 476 00:31:27,600 --> 00:31:33,240 Speaker 1: things get uncomfortable. The life you want is gonna take 477 00:31:33,840 --> 00:31:37,080 Speaker 1: a wrestling match with God. See, you thought you came 478 00:31:37,080 --> 00:31:39,960 Speaker 1: to church today, but this is a giant octagon in 479 00:31:40,040 --> 00:31:42,640 Speaker 1: the Holy Gos. This is a heavenly octagon, and God 480 00:31:42,720 --> 00:31:46,560 Speaker 1: is inviting you into a wrestling match with Heaven today 481 00:31:46,880 --> 00:31:49,880 Speaker 1: where you can finally face God and face yourself and 482 00:31:49,920 --> 00:31:53,640 Speaker 1: say I'm done running, I'm done being flaky. I'm done 483 00:31:53,680 --> 00:31:56,560 Speaker 1: going from thing to thing and from life to life. 484 00:31:56,600 --> 00:31:59,880 Speaker 1: I'm ready to finally embrace what God wants to do 485 00:32:00,280 --> 00:32:02,040 Speaker 1: in my life. Let me just remind you, a church 486 00:32:02,120 --> 00:32:05,120 Speaker 1: like this is not built by pastors who run every 487 00:32:05,120 --> 00:32:07,280 Speaker 1: time it gets challenging. A church like this is not 488 00:32:07,400 --> 00:32:10,920 Speaker 1: built by pastors who run every time there's a tension, 489 00:32:11,000 --> 00:32:13,840 Speaker 1: or there's an attack from the enemy or there, or 490 00:32:13,880 --> 00:32:16,400 Speaker 1: there's a different crisis is going on. No, no, no, 491 00:32:16,440 --> 00:32:18,520 Speaker 1: A church like this is built by a man and 492 00:32:18,560 --> 00:32:21,760 Speaker 1: a woman of God who say God has called us here, 493 00:32:21,800 --> 00:32:25,800 Speaker 1: and we ain't going nowhere. We are wrestling with God. 494 00:32:25,960 --> 00:32:29,240 Speaker 1: We're wrestling with each other. We're wrestling with our own humanity. 495 00:32:29,400 --> 00:32:32,760 Speaker 1: Anybody grateful for that today that God has given you 496 00:32:32,840 --> 00:32:36,160 Speaker 1: a fighter in this pulpit? And can I tell you 497 00:32:36,200 --> 00:32:39,080 Speaker 1: the life you want, you're gonna have to fight for it. Oh, 498 00:32:39,120 --> 00:32:41,360 Speaker 1: come on, somebody shall fight for it. Fight for it. 499 00:32:41,400 --> 00:32:43,920 Speaker 1: The marriage you want, you're gonna have to fight for it. 500 00:32:43,960 --> 00:32:45,920 Speaker 1: The purity you want, You're gonna have to fight for it. 501 00:32:46,000 --> 00:32:48,360 Speaker 1: The season you're in, you're gonna have to fight for it. 502 00:32:48,400 --> 00:32:50,280 Speaker 1: The business you're believing God for, You're gonna have to 503 00:32:50,360 --> 00:32:53,000 Speaker 1: fight for it. The faith that you want to step into, 504 00:32:53,120 --> 00:32:56,360 Speaker 1: you're gonna have to fight for it. And God goes Jacob. 505 00:32:56,440 --> 00:32:58,240 Speaker 1: If you want to run, go ahead and run. But 506 00:32:58,280 --> 00:33:01,760 Speaker 1: if you're ready to wrestle, I am ready to transform 507 00:33:01,840 --> 00:33:06,520 Speaker 1: your life, change your name and do something amazing in 508 00:33:06,560 --> 00:33:08,880 Speaker 1: your life. Oh come on, can I get a yes, 509 00:33:09,080 --> 00:33:12,960 Speaker 1: Lord from somebody today that says I'm going all in 510 00:33:13,360 --> 00:33:22,880 Speaker 1: this year? And it's here that you don't quit when 511 00:33:22,920 --> 00:33:26,960 Speaker 1: you want to quit, You don't leave when you want 512 00:33:26,960 --> 00:33:30,520 Speaker 1: to leave, You don't run when you want to run, 513 00:33:30,560 --> 00:33:35,680 Speaker 1: and sometimes you do. Sometimes your humanity is strong, and 514 00:33:36,520 --> 00:33:43,840 Speaker 1: sometimes you're saved, but your flesh forgets it. Amen. I 515 00:33:43,920 --> 00:33:47,760 Speaker 1: didn't want forgot their save before anybody in traffic, anybody ever. Okay, okay, okay, 516 00:33:47,920 --> 00:33:51,680 Speaker 1: just making sure I'm still talking to real people. A 517 00:33:51,680 --> 00:33:54,000 Speaker 1: couple of months ago, I tried to quit. I'll just 518 00:33:54,040 --> 00:33:57,360 Speaker 1: be honest with you. I walked downstairs, and I looked 519 00:33:57,400 --> 00:34:01,040 Speaker 1: at my wife kind of just stared at each other 520 00:34:01,120 --> 00:34:03,080 Speaker 1: awkwardly in the kitchen for a second, and then I 521 00:34:03,120 --> 00:34:04,880 Speaker 1: turned around. I went to the freezer and I got 522 00:34:04,880 --> 00:34:07,520 Speaker 1: a half gallon, A half gallon, not a not a pint, 523 00:34:09,680 --> 00:34:12,240 Speaker 1: A half gallon of Blue Belt ice cream, A half gallon. 524 00:34:12,800 --> 00:34:14,600 Speaker 1: People always ask me what flavor. I don't know why 525 00:34:14,640 --> 00:34:19,239 Speaker 1: they want to know that, but Vanilla, like, thank you 526 00:34:19,320 --> 00:34:21,239 Speaker 1: for telling me a little ozb about that I needed 527 00:34:21,280 --> 00:34:24,640 Speaker 1: to know. So I got my half gallon of blue belt. 528 00:34:24,719 --> 00:34:27,839 Speaker 1: And then I walked over to the to the countertop 529 00:34:28,040 --> 00:34:29,560 Speaker 1: and my wife, I don't know what, ladies, why you 530 00:34:29,560 --> 00:34:31,680 Speaker 1: do this? But she has a she has like a 531 00:34:31,760 --> 00:34:34,520 Speaker 1: vase of like fancy spoons that we're not allowed to use. 532 00:34:36,560 --> 00:34:38,279 Speaker 1: There's a spatula I'm not allowed to use, a pair 533 00:34:38,280 --> 00:34:41,520 Speaker 1: of tongs. I'm not allowed to use it. And there's 534 00:34:41,560 --> 00:34:45,000 Speaker 1: this like big slotted spoon. And I walked up to 535 00:34:45,040 --> 00:34:47,879 Speaker 1: her and I grabbed it like I'm four years old. 536 00:34:47,880 --> 00:34:50,360 Speaker 1: I mean, it's a giant spoon. Come on, somebody, I 537 00:34:50,400 --> 00:34:52,719 Speaker 1: grabbed this big old spoon in this ice cream. And 538 00:34:52,760 --> 00:34:56,560 Speaker 1: I looked at her and I said, I'm not leaving you, 539 00:34:57,760 --> 00:35:01,200 Speaker 1: and I'm not leaving God with this shirt. I'm quitting. 540 00:35:01,360 --> 00:35:03,520 Speaker 1: I'm gonna quit tomorrow. So if you want to be 541 00:35:03,560 --> 00:35:06,000 Speaker 1: the pastor, go ahead, Women Empowerment, Amen, you could be 542 00:35:06,000 --> 00:35:09,600 Speaker 1: the pastor. If you want to call pastor Steven, Pastor 543 00:35:09,640 --> 00:35:12,760 Speaker 1: Howley make it Elevation Vegas, go ahead. But I'm quitting 544 00:35:13,200 --> 00:35:15,120 Speaker 1: tomorrow and I'm gonna go eat my ice cream. And 545 00:35:15,120 --> 00:35:18,400 Speaker 1: I turn around, real dramatic, beau, I'm a preacher. And 546 00:35:18,480 --> 00:35:21,719 Speaker 1: I started walking up my stairs with my bluebell ice 547 00:35:21,719 --> 00:35:28,160 Speaker 1: stream and my wife from the sink doing the dishes. Now, 548 00:35:28,200 --> 00:35:29,799 Speaker 1: she says she's five foot, but we all know she's 549 00:35:29,840 --> 00:35:36,080 Speaker 1: four eleven. Amen. She's four eleven, four eleven, Latina, Pentecostal, 550 00:35:36,160 --> 00:35:42,040 Speaker 1: Holy ghost Field, wild woman. By the way, I quit 551 00:35:42,080 --> 00:35:44,120 Speaker 1: when I was at least thirty feet away from her, Amen, 552 00:35:44,160 --> 00:35:45,960 Speaker 1: because if she threw anything at me, I knew I 553 00:35:45,960 --> 00:35:51,000 Speaker 1: could say, you know, I'm smart, Pentecostal and passionate. Amen. 554 00:35:51,080 --> 00:35:54,920 Speaker 1: So so she's at the dishes and I'm walking up 555 00:35:54,920 --> 00:35:56,759 Speaker 1: the stairs and I think she's gonna let me get 556 00:35:56,760 --> 00:36:00,160 Speaker 1: away with it. And all of a sudden, half way 557 00:36:00,200 --> 00:36:05,600 Speaker 1: up the stairs, this is all I hear. Wow. I 558 00:36:05,680 --> 00:36:08,320 Speaker 1: turned around. Y'all got us by witness. I protected the 559 00:36:08,320 --> 00:36:10,640 Speaker 1: ice cream like it was my child. I went, it's okay, baby, 560 00:36:11,480 --> 00:36:13,400 Speaker 1: it's okay. Mom's mad right now, but we're gonna be 561 00:36:13,440 --> 00:36:17,720 Speaker 1: a It's okay, it's okay, it's okay. Just it's okay. 562 00:36:18,840 --> 00:36:20,279 Speaker 1: And I said, what do you mean? She said, you're 563 00:36:20,320 --> 00:36:23,760 Speaker 1: not quitting. She said, so go eat your ice cream 564 00:36:23,800 --> 00:36:26,399 Speaker 1: and have a pity party and then pray, and when 565 00:36:26,440 --> 00:36:28,840 Speaker 1: you wake up tomorrow you're still gonna be the pastor. 566 00:36:34,400 --> 00:36:37,000 Speaker 1: And I said, I'll pray about it. And I walked 567 00:36:37,080 --> 00:36:43,040 Speaker 1: up the stairs and I ate a half gallon of Amen. 568 00:36:43,080 --> 00:36:46,360 Speaker 1: You don't get like this without discipline. Amen, somebody what 569 00:36:46,520 --> 00:36:51,080 Speaker 1: you talking about? This is a fight right here. Amen. 570 00:36:51,200 --> 00:36:58,680 Speaker 1: To keep this waight up. In case you missed it online, 571 00:36:58,840 --> 00:37:02,880 Speaker 1: I said, I ate that half galls wow, and I 572 00:37:02,880 --> 00:37:04,759 Speaker 1: hate that half gallon ice scream. And I had a 573 00:37:04,800 --> 00:37:08,000 Speaker 1: pity party, and then I prayed. And I woke up 574 00:37:08,040 --> 00:37:10,160 Speaker 1: the next morning with a stomach ache, and I'm still 575 00:37:10,160 --> 00:37:12,799 Speaker 1: in the ministry. Can I get a good Amen? Everybody? 576 00:37:15,480 --> 00:37:20,240 Speaker 1: Sometimes you just got to wrestle. My mentor, Pastor Tommy Barnett, said, Jabin, 577 00:37:20,719 --> 00:37:22,960 Speaker 1: be encouraged every time you want to quit. I said, 578 00:37:23,000 --> 00:37:24,680 Speaker 1: why would I be encouraged every time I want to quit? 579 00:37:24,800 --> 00:37:26,479 Speaker 1: He said, because that means you have something to quit, 580 00:37:28,360 --> 00:37:30,360 Speaker 1: And then you get happy that you could quit, but 581 00:37:30,360 --> 00:37:33,360 Speaker 1: you're not going to quit. You get encouraged that you 582 00:37:33,400 --> 00:37:35,439 Speaker 1: could quit, but you don't quit, and then you keep 583 00:37:35,440 --> 00:37:38,440 Speaker 1: moving forward. I said, Amen, I like that. So I 584 00:37:38,440 --> 00:37:41,680 Speaker 1: thought about quitting and then I didn't quit. And this 585 00:37:41,719 --> 00:37:43,960 Speaker 1: is what God is saying, Jacob. If you want to 586 00:37:44,800 --> 00:37:46,239 Speaker 1: if you want to quit, go ahead, But if you're 587 00:37:46,280 --> 00:37:50,840 Speaker 1: ready to wrestle. I want you to wrestle. I have 588 00:37:50,880 --> 00:37:59,520 Speaker 1: the team come. And it's here that Jacob realizes I'm 589 00:37:59,520 --> 00:38:06,880 Speaker 1: not wrestling with a man. This is God. And the 590 00:38:06,920 --> 00:38:12,839 Speaker 1: Bible says that Jacob realizes, I'm wrestling God right now. See, 591 00:38:12,840 --> 00:38:18,080 Speaker 1: when you choose not to run and you wrestle, you 592 00:38:18,160 --> 00:38:22,560 Speaker 1: get to see a side of God you've never seen before. 593 00:38:26,680 --> 00:38:28,640 Speaker 1: It's one thing to know there's a God, and there's 594 00:38:28,640 --> 00:38:32,960 Speaker 1: one thing to sense God. But it's another thing when 595 00:38:32,960 --> 00:38:40,160 Speaker 1: you can say I've seen God face to face. That's 596 00:38:40,200 --> 00:38:44,000 Speaker 1: the invitation of heaven. And that's what happens when you wrestle. 597 00:38:46,320 --> 00:38:50,959 Speaker 1: And as they're wrestling, Jacob says this, Okay, I told 598 00:38:50,960 --> 00:38:57,399 Speaker 1: you my name. What's your name? I told you who 599 00:38:57,440 --> 00:39:03,640 Speaker 1: I am? But who are you? Oh? This is the 600 00:39:03,719 --> 00:39:08,640 Speaker 1: question every believer must ask, and if you'll ask it, 601 00:39:08,680 --> 00:39:12,960 Speaker 1: God will answer you. It's the question Moses asked in 602 00:39:13,000 --> 00:39:17,200 Speaker 1: Exodus three, who are you? It's the question David asked 603 00:39:17,239 --> 00:39:19,400 Speaker 1: in Psalm eighteen, who are you? It's the question that 604 00:39:19,440 --> 00:39:21,799 Speaker 1: the disciples asked in Matthew eight who are you? It's 605 00:39:21,840 --> 00:39:24,719 Speaker 1: the question Peter needed to answer in Matthew sixteen, Who 606 00:39:24,760 --> 00:39:27,279 Speaker 1: is Jesus? It's the question Paul would ask on the 607 00:39:27,320 --> 00:39:31,719 Speaker 1: road to Damascus in next chapter nine, Lord, who are you? 608 00:39:33,400 --> 00:39:35,600 Speaker 1: I've heard about you from my parents. I've heard about 609 00:39:35,640 --> 00:39:37,960 Speaker 1: you from my pastor. I've heard about you from the preacher. 610 00:39:38,000 --> 00:39:40,680 Speaker 1: I've heard about you from my praying grandmother. But God, 611 00:39:40,719 --> 00:39:41,319 Speaker 1: who are you? 612 00:39:44,400 --> 00:39:44,560 Speaker 2: Oh? 613 00:39:44,600 --> 00:39:48,040 Speaker 1: You're the God of Abraham, and you're the God of Isaac. 614 00:39:48,080 --> 00:39:49,880 Speaker 1: But I want you to be the God of Jacob. 615 00:39:51,080 --> 00:39:55,120 Speaker 1: Who are you? And if you will ask, God will answer? 616 00:39:56,800 --> 00:39:58,960 Speaker 1: And God answered, But I want you to watch this. 617 00:40:00,120 --> 00:40:07,280 Speaker 1: He does not answer the way he normally answers. Moses 618 00:40:07,320 --> 00:40:09,960 Speaker 1: asked who are you? And he said, I am that 619 00:40:10,080 --> 00:40:14,040 Speaker 1: I am. Paul asked who are you, and he said, 620 00:40:14,080 --> 00:40:20,399 Speaker 1: I am Jesus, the one you persecute. Abraham asked who 621 00:40:20,440 --> 00:40:25,200 Speaker 1: are you? And God said, I am Jehovah. But when 622 00:40:26,120 --> 00:40:33,520 Speaker 1: Jacob asks who are you, God doesn't answer him with 623 00:40:33,600 --> 00:40:37,560 Speaker 1: a word. He doesn't answer him with a name. He 624 00:40:37,840 --> 00:40:48,799 Speaker 1: answers him with an action. He blesses him. Please watch this, 625 00:40:48,840 --> 00:40:52,680 Speaker 1: Please watch us. This word blessing is what a parent does. 626 00:40:52,760 --> 00:40:57,040 Speaker 1: The Hebrew thought behind this is like a parent and 627 00:40:57,080 --> 00:40:59,719 Speaker 1: the child is running towards the parent, and the parent 628 00:40:59,760 --> 00:41:04,759 Speaker 1: gets on his hands and knees, and often his hands 629 00:41:04,800 --> 00:41:08,600 Speaker 1: have a real wide and the parent gets on eye 630 00:41:08,640 --> 00:41:12,879 Speaker 1: to eye with the baby. And this word blessing means 631 00:41:12,920 --> 00:41:14,920 Speaker 1: to get on your knees, come face to face with 632 00:41:14,960 --> 00:41:20,960 Speaker 1: a child, put your hands on the child, and speak 633 00:41:21,160 --> 00:41:31,760 Speaker 1: affirmation and blessing over them. And when Jacob wrestles with God, 634 00:41:33,239 --> 00:41:40,359 Speaker 1: God stops the wrestling, Maginie blesses him. It's like God 635 00:41:40,480 --> 00:41:49,000 Speaker 1: was saying, I'm not Rebecca. I don't curse my kids. 636 00:41:51,719 --> 00:41:56,080 Speaker 1: I'm not Isaac. I don't have just enough for you. 637 00:41:56,400 --> 00:42:01,680 Speaker 1: Or he saw, I'm the God of more than enough. 638 00:42:02,560 --> 00:42:06,880 Speaker 1: My name is hill Shade. I'm the everlasting God. And Jacob, 639 00:42:06,920 --> 00:42:10,120 Speaker 1: I've got enough for you. And he saw and you 640 00:42:10,680 --> 00:42:15,000 Speaker 1: and you and you and you and you, and I 641 00:42:15,040 --> 00:42:18,479 Speaker 1: don't speak curses over my kids. I speak blessings over 642 00:42:18,520 --> 00:42:22,920 Speaker 1: my children. And he blessed him there, and he blessed 643 00:42:22,960 --> 00:42:25,279 Speaker 1: him there with a new name. He said, you are 644 00:42:25,280 --> 00:42:30,080 Speaker 1: no longer your past. You are no longer what Rebecca 645 00:42:30,200 --> 00:42:33,920 Speaker 1: said about you. You are no longer what Isaac allowed 646 00:42:33,960 --> 00:42:36,120 Speaker 1: to be said over you. You are no longer your 647 00:42:36,160 --> 00:42:40,000 Speaker 1: worst season. You're no longer you're past. You're no longer 648 00:42:40,719 --> 00:42:44,400 Speaker 1: you're famine. You're no longer you're mistakes. You're no longer 649 00:42:45,360 --> 00:42:50,200 Speaker 1: the pain you've been through. You're your longer the curse. 650 00:42:50,280 --> 00:42:53,759 Speaker 1: You're no longer the death. You're no longer the divorced. 651 00:42:54,239 --> 00:42:58,480 Speaker 1: You're no longer the addiction. You are no longer Jacob. 652 00:42:58,640 --> 00:43:05,520 Speaker 1: You ah Israel. Somebody give God a massive shout of praise. 653 00:43:05,800 --> 00:43:10,920 Speaker 1: In this place. You are left. You aren't healed, you 654 00:43:11,040 --> 00:43:14,640 Speaker 1: aren't child of God, saved, redeem from the curse. You 655 00:43:14,719 --> 00:43:17,920 Speaker 1: are holy, You are forgiven, You are free, you are 656 00:43:17,960 --> 00:43:25,160 Speaker 1: well supplied, protected. Promise, you are no longer Jacob. Oh. 657 00:43:25,280 --> 00:43:27,319 Speaker 1: You can have what God said you can have. You 658 00:43:27,360 --> 00:43:29,799 Speaker 1: could be who God said you could be. You can 659 00:43:29,920 --> 00:43:39,080 Speaker 1: do what God said you can do. You're Israel. Here Israel. 660 00:43:40,040 --> 00:43:45,600 Speaker 1: You can let go of the names and take on 661 00:43:45,760 --> 00:43:52,279 Speaker 1: His name for you. It is amazing. If you just 662 00:43:52,280 --> 00:43:55,200 Speaker 1: said your name right now, every location online around the world, 663 00:43:55,360 --> 00:43:57,080 Speaker 1: just you don't have to shout it loud, but just 664 00:43:57,320 --> 00:44:00,920 Speaker 1: just say on count three, just say your name one, two, three, Jabin. 665 00:44:02,719 --> 00:44:13,320 Speaker 1: Who That name comes with drama, bagage, history issues, family 666 00:44:13,520 --> 00:44:18,480 Speaker 1: tree stuff. And you know what. One of my favorite 667 00:44:18,480 --> 00:44:21,399 Speaker 1: scriptures is in the Book of Revelation, God says, when 668 00:44:21,440 --> 00:44:22,959 Speaker 1: you get to heaven, I'm giving you. 669 00:44:22,920 --> 00:44:32,040 Speaker 3: A new name. He gives Jacob a new name. And 670 00:44:32,080 --> 00:44:33,600 Speaker 3: now and now Jacob. 671 00:44:33,480 --> 00:44:36,719 Speaker 1: Is under this blessing, and watch what happens. He's who 672 00:44:36,800 --> 00:44:45,000 Speaker 1: he's limping. He went from running to wrestling to limping. 673 00:44:47,000 --> 00:44:51,879 Speaker 1: I don't trust anyone who doesn't have a limb. I'm 674 00:44:51,920 --> 00:44:54,240 Speaker 1: not talking about swag or trip or riz or whatever 675 00:44:54,280 --> 00:44:57,680 Speaker 1: the kids say. I'm talking about ow. I'm talking about 676 00:44:57,680 --> 00:45:00,600 Speaker 1: God changed my walking, God changed my talking. God changed 677 00:45:00,600 --> 00:45:04,240 Speaker 1: my life, and God changed my name. And I'm talking 678 00:45:04,280 --> 00:45:07,200 Speaker 1: about I died with Christ in the water and I 679 00:45:07,280 --> 00:45:09,560 Speaker 1: came out a new person. I'm talking about I've been 680 00:45:09,600 --> 00:45:13,480 Speaker 1: born again. I'm talking about goodbye Yesterday. God has done 681 00:45:13,520 --> 00:45:17,919 Speaker 1: a work in Oh. Anybody grateful for a new name. 682 00:45:19,640 --> 00:45:23,040 Speaker 1: He's a limpid And then it doesn't stop there? Do sup? 683 00:45:23,120 --> 00:45:31,240 Speaker 1: There does stopped there? I promise I'm almost done. He 684 00:45:31,239 --> 00:45:35,080 Speaker 1: he's now limping. And then here's the next thing he's doing. 685 00:45:35,120 --> 00:45:39,080 Speaker 1: This is now Hebrews Hebrews chapter eleven. He's watch us 686 00:45:39,080 --> 00:45:44,919 Speaker 1: put it up on the screen. He's leaning watches by faith. 687 00:45:45,000 --> 00:45:50,279 Speaker 1: Jacob was dying. That's number four. Because we we're all 688 00:45:50,320 --> 00:45:53,600 Speaker 1: gonna die. I hate to say it. I don't want 689 00:45:53,600 --> 00:45:57,080 Speaker 1: it to happen, but it's gonna happen. But as he's 690 00:45:58,000 --> 00:46:03,720 Speaker 1: I want you to watch how he dies because because 691 00:46:03,760 --> 00:46:09,800 Speaker 1: he died so different than how he was born. Sorry 692 00:46:09,840 --> 00:46:13,239 Speaker 1: about that. That's called a Pentecostal shape. But I had 693 00:46:13,280 --> 00:46:14,719 Speaker 1: to speak in tongues. I had to get it out 694 00:46:14,760 --> 00:46:16,400 Speaker 1: of my arm. Amen, because I'm at I had to 695 00:46:16,400 --> 00:46:20,359 Speaker 1: behave because I'm at elevations. I had to So wh's this? Sorry? Sorry? Sorry, 696 00:46:20,560 --> 00:46:23,480 Speaker 1: I was rayed. Sorry, he's dying, but he's going to 697 00:46:23,560 --> 00:46:29,080 Speaker 1: die so different than he was born. He's dying blessing. 698 00:46:33,200 --> 00:46:38,720 Speaker 1: He's now doing the thing that God did for him. 699 00:46:38,760 --> 00:46:42,680 Speaker 1: He's now on his hands and knees blessing his son 700 00:46:42,760 --> 00:46:54,080 Speaker 1: and his grandsons. Wat's this blessing, worshiping, leaning on his 701 00:46:54,800 --> 00:47:03,000 Speaker 1: leaning on his reminder of his God encounter. The Hebrew 702 00:47:03,040 --> 00:47:06,600 Speaker 1: scholars tell us that the staff was a generational gift 703 00:47:06,600 --> 00:47:09,520 Speaker 1: that you would give to your children, and it was 704 00:47:09,560 --> 00:47:13,640 Speaker 1: a history lesson. You would actually carve into the staff 705 00:47:13,719 --> 00:47:16,800 Speaker 1: different big God moments in the life of the family. 706 00:47:20,520 --> 00:47:25,160 Speaker 1: So no doubt, as he's blessing his grandsons, I could 707 00:47:25,200 --> 00:47:30,799 Speaker 1: almost imagine him looking at his grandson's going. If you 708 00:47:30,920 --> 00:47:36,239 Speaker 1: knew me then and I could almost mention on his 709 00:47:36,239 --> 00:47:39,959 Speaker 1: grandson's going, Papa Israel, Papa Israel, what do you mean? 710 00:47:42,239 --> 00:47:44,200 Speaker 1: And he looks at that staff and he goes, let 711 00:47:44,200 --> 00:47:49,520 Speaker 1: me take you here. I used to be Jacob. I 712 00:47:49,640 --> 00:47:52,000 Speaker 1: used to be a liar, a deceiver, a taker. I 713 00:47:52,040 --> 00:47:54,680 Speaker 1: was so full of fear, us, so full of insecurity. 714 00:47:54,719 --> 00:48:04,840 Speaker 1: I was so full of But God, And he starts 715 00:48:04,960 --> 00:48:15,120 Speaker 1: telling the story. The man who was born taking blessing 716 00:48:16,560 --> 00:48:23,960 Speaker 1: dies giving blessing. The man who is born under Rebecca's 717 00:48:24,000 --> 00:48:28,080 Speaker 1: curse dies under God's blessing. Al can I tell you 718 00:48:28,080 --> 00:48:31,440 Speaker 1: you can die different, You can live a radically different 719 00:48:31,560 --> 00:48:35,399 Speaker 1: life than what was predicted, than what they said, than 720 00:48:35,440 --> 00:48:38,840 Speaker 1: what you thought, That you can live under the blessing 721 00:48:39,040 --> 00:48:41,560 Speaker 1: of God. That you don't have to just repeat the 722 00:48:41,600 --> 00:48:44,960 Speaker 1: cycles of Rebecca, that you don't have to repeat the 723 00:48:45,000 --> 00:48:48,040 Speaker 1: cycles of family history. That you don't just have to 724 00:48:48,040 --> 00:48:51,799 Speaker 1: repeat the cycles, but you can actually step into a 725 00:48:51,840 --> 00:48:54,880 Speaker 1: new thing that God has for you. That when you 726 00:48:55,080 --> 00:48:58,040 Speaker 1: tell the story to your family, they will look at 727 00:48:58,080 --> 00:49:00,319 Speaker 1: you and go, you could have never been that way. 728 00:49:00,360 --> 00:49:02,560 Speaker 1: Our family could have never been that way. And you said, Oh, 729 00:49:02,560 --> 00:49:05,960 Speaker 1: that's who we were. But we met a man named Jesus, 730 00:49:07,200 --> 00:49:10,120 Speaker 1: and he changed our life, and he changed our name, 731 00:49:10,200 --> 00:49:16,480 Speaker 1: and he changed our walk. Oh, this is the story 732 00:49:17,200 --> 00:49:21,640 Speaker 1: of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That he could turn 733 00:49:21,680 --> 00:49:24,560 Speaker 1: it around, that he could turn it around. That I 734 00:49:24,760 --> 00:49:29,200 Speaker 1: sought the Lord and he heard me, and he answered me, 735 00:49:29,280 --> 00:49:33,080 Speaker 1: and he delivered me from all of my fears. If 736 00:49:33,120 --> 00:49:35,520 Speaker 1: you're grateful for that, can we just stand to gift 737 00:49:35,520 --> 00:49:47,200 Speaker 1: God a massive shout of praise. Thank you for joining us. 738 00:49:47,480 --> 00:49:49,920 Speaker 2: Special thanks to those of you who give generously to 739 00:49:50,000 --> 00:49:53,480 Speaker 2: this ministry. Is because of you that this ministry is possible. 740 00:49:53,960 --> 00:49:56,439 Speaker 2: You can click the link in the description to give now, 741 00:49:57,040 --> 00:50:00,399 Speaker 2: or visit Elevation Church dot org slash podcast for more 742 00:50:00,400 --> 00:50:04,000 Speaker 2: information and if you enjoyed the podcast, you can subscribe. 743 00:50:04,480 --> 00:50:05,800 Speaker 1: You can share it with your friends. 744 00:50:06,080 --> 00:50:08,360 Speaker 2: You can click the share button, take a screenshot and 745 00:50:08,440 --> 00:50:10,520 Speaker 2: share it on your social stories and tag us at 746 00:50:10,560 --> 00:50:11,440 Speaker 2: Elevation Church. 747 00:50:11,480 --> 00:50:12,480 Speaker 1: Thanks again for listening. 748 00:50:12,520 --> 00:50:18,080 Speaker 2: God bless you.