1 00:00:00,640 --> 00:00:05,040 Speaker 1: Are you glad to be in the House of God today? 2 00:00:06,480 --> 00:00:08,239 Speaker 1: I want to do something real quick. But my name 3 00:00:08,280 --> 00:00:12,920 Speaker 1: is Robert Madou. I bring your greetings from the great 4 00:00:12,920 --> 00:00:17,040 Speaker 1: country of Texas. And I didn't lift up my hand 5 00:00:17,079 --> 00:00:18,720 Speaker 1: when they said first time guest. I am not a 6 00:00:18,720 --> 00:00:21,360 Speaker 1: guest here. I'm a part of the Elevation family. And 7 00:00:23,360 --> 00:00:26,560 Speaker 1: I love this church. I love this church. I love 8 00:00:26,600 --> 00:00:30,120 Speaker 1: this church because it is a true reflection of your pastors, 9 00:00:30,400 --> 00:00:32,159 Speaker 1: who are dear friends, and my wife and I. And 10 00:00:32,200 --> 00:00:34,279 Speaker 1: before I say anything else, I want us to give 11 00:00:34,360 --> 00:00:36,880 Speaker 1: honor to where honors do. Help me. Thank God for 12 00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:40,440 Speaker 1: Pastor Stephen thirty, for Pastor Holly. Come on, you uncle, 13 00:00:40,520 --> 00:00:42,120 Speaker 1: do better than that. Would you let them know how 14 00:00:42,200 --> 00:00:45,400 Speaker 1: much you love them? Come on, would you let them 15 00:00:45,440 --> 00:00:54,640 Speaker 1: know how much you appreciate him. Pastor Stephen is my brother. 16 00:00:54,880 --> 00:00:57,840 Speaker 1: He is my brother from another mother. And I'm just 17 00:00:57,920 --> 00:00:59,760 Speaker 1: thankful for him. There's so many things I could say 18 00:00:59,760 --> 00:01:02,720 Speaker 1: about him, his brilliant mind to declare the word of 19 00:01:02,760 --> 00:01:04,880 Speaker 1: the Lord, the incredible songs that he's written. But I'm 20 00:01:04,920 --> 00:01:07,480 Speaker 1: just thankful that he is a brother. When I tell you, 21 00:01:07,520 --> 00:01:09,480 Speaker 1: there have been Sundays before I get up to preach 22 00:01:09,520 --> 00:01:12,200 Speaker 1: I'll get a text from Pastor Stephen saying you're anointed, 23 00:01:12,280 --> 00:01:14,120 Speaker 1: You're a man of God. You can do it. Preach 24 00:01:14,200 --> 00:01:18,080 Speaker 1: the gospel. That's that's just the heart of your pastor. 25 00:01:18,880 --> 00:01:25,479 Speaker 1: We have a church called Social Dallas, and the first 26 00:01:25,600 --> 00:01:28,399 Speaker 1: church to sow into us when we got ready to 27 00:01:28,440 --> 00:01:31,840 Speaker 1: plant just a year ago, was your church. Your pastors, 28 00:01:32,319 --> 00:01:36,039 Speaker 1: and my wife and I are just incredibly grateful for 29 00:01:36,080 --> 00:01:38,720 Speaker 1: this house. And I want you to stay standing because 30 00:01:38,800 --> 00:01:40,880 Speaker 1: oh my right toe is tingling. I feel like preacher. 31 00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:44,280 Speaker 1: I'm gonna go straight to the word of God. I'm excited. 32 00:01:44,319 --> 00:01:46,360 Speaker 1: I'm excited about what God has given me to share 33 00:01:46,360 --> 00:01:47,880 Speaker 1: with you today. And I don't want to waste another 34 00:01:47,920 --> 00:01:49,920 Speaker 1: second or another moment. But can we thank God for 35 00:01:49,960 --> 00:01:54,440 Speaker 1: the incredible worship team that just let us so beautifully 36 00:01:55,440 --> 00:01:59,360 Speaker 1: into the presence of God. Also, because I'm with family, 37 00:01:59,360 --> 00:02:00,920 Speaker 1: I mean as well show you my fam you know, 38 00:02:00,920 --> 00:02:02,680 Speaker 1: I got to give you the family update. This is 39 00:02:02,720 --> 00:02:08,880 Speaker 1: my bride and my three little humans right there. That's 40 00:02:08,880 --> 00:02:12,520 Speaker 1: the Madou crew. We did good. We did good. So 41 00:02:12,600 --> 00:02:14,760 Speaker 1: y'all pray for us. That is an eight year old, 42 00:02:14,800 --> 00:02:17,919 Speaker 1: a seven year old and a five year old. Amen, Yes, 43 00:02:18,040 --> 00:02:20,920 Speaker 1: pray for your boy. Pray for your boy. But that's 44 00:02:20,919 --> 00:02:23,359 Speaker 1: my family. But I have a word, and I want 45 00:02:23,360 --> 00:02:25,280 Speaker 1: you to stay standing because I want to jump straight 46 00:02:25,320 --> 00:02:28,600 Speaker 1: into it. Did you come to get a word from God? Oh? 47 00:02:28,639 --> 00:02:30,240 Speaker 1: If y'all feel like hearing it like I feel like 48 00:02:30,280 --> 00:02:33,600 Speaker 1: preaching it, something's going to happen in here today, go 49 00:02:33,720 --> 00:02:40,600 Speaker 1: with me to Acts Chapter sixteen, Acts sixteen, And for 50 00:02:40,639 --> 00:02:44,000 Speaker 1: the benefit of brevity, I want to look at verses 51 00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:49,880 Speaker 1: sixteen through eighteen. Acts Chapter sixteen started verse sixteen, and 52 00:02:49,919 --> 00:02:53,920 Speaker 1: will land at verse number eighteen. When you're ready to 53 00:02:53,960 --> 00:02:59,720 Speaker 1: read it, say yeah, you're not ready. You need some times. 54 00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:03,560 Speaker 1: Hold up. I heard that. Hold up. Come on, hurry up. 55 00:03:05,639 --> 00:03:07,360 Speaker 1: They gonna put it on the screen. You're good, You good. 56 00:03:08,200 --> 00:03:11,120 Speaker 1: Shout out to all the campuses and the Epham everybody. 57 00:03:12,880 --> 00:03:18,440 Speaker 1: Acts Chapter sixteen, starting in verse number sixteen, and it 58 00:03:18,480 --> 00:03:23,000 Speaker 1: says once when we were going to the place of 59 00:03:23,120 --> 00:03:29,040 Speaker 1: prayer that we is Paul and Silas. We were met 60 00:03:29,040 --> 00:03:31,600 Speaker 1: by a female slave who had a spirit by which 61 00:03:31,600 --> 00:03:35,400 Speaker 1: she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of 62 00:03:35,440 --> 00:03:39,360 Speaker 1: money from her owners by fortune telling, and she followed 63 00:03:39,360 --> 00:03:42,600 Speaker 1: Paul and the rest of us shouting, these men are 64 00:03:42,680 --> 00:03:45,920 Speaker 1: servants of the Most High God, who are telling you 65 00:03:46,040 --> 00:03:49,720 Speaker 1: the way to be saved. She kept us up for 66 00:03:49,800 --> 00:04:01,560 Speaker 1: many days. Finally Paul became so I was falalsing for 67 00:04:01,600 --> 00:04:06,760 Speaker 1: you to say it annoyed that he turned around and 68 00:04:06,840 --> 00:04:11,400 Speaker 1: said to the spirit, in the name of Jesus Christ, 69 00:04:11,680 --> 00:04:18,080 Speaker 1: I command you to come out of her. At that moment, 70 00:04:19,000 --> 00:04:26,599 Speaker 1: the spirit left her. Can you say amen? Spoiler alert 71 00:04:27,839 --> 00:04:34,039 Speaker 1: that girl's liberation led to their incarceration. But they found 72 00:04:34,040 --> 00:04:36,160 Speaker 1: out at midnight that even in change, you can still 73 00:04:36,200 --> 00:04:42,520 Speaker 1: have church. And they started singing worthy, you were worthy, 74 00:04:43,279 --> 00:04:45,200 Speaker 1: and the chains broke. You know the story. You bet 75 00:04:45,240 --> 00:04:49,040 Speaker 1: at church the doors flew open. But none of that 76 00:04:49,480 --> 00:04:52,680 Speaker 1: is what drew me to The text is verse eighteen, 77 00:04:53,600 --> 00:05:02,240 Speaker 1: where it says Paul finally became so annoyed. I want 78 00:05:02,240 --> 00:05:06,200 Speaker 1: to preach for about six and a half hours today, 79 00:05:06,960 --> 00:05:08,520 Speaker 1: but I want to do something. I want to do something. 80 00:05:08,520 --> 00:05:10,479 Speaker 1: I'm at home so I can do this. I want 81 00:05:10,480 --> 00:05:13,559 Speaker 1: to do something that I've never done in a sermon before. 82 00:05:13,760 --> 00:05:16,640 Speaker 1: I'm gonna give you part of my title right now, 83 00:05:17,440 --> 00:05:19,400 Speaker 1: and then the other half of it I'm gonna give 84 00:05:19,400 --> 00:05:21,799 Speaker 1: you at the end of the message. Is that cool? Okay? 85 00:05:21,800 --> 00:05:23,680 Speaker 1: So if you leave early or epam you log off, 86 00:05:23,680 --> 00:05:26,080 Speaker 1: You're gonna be lost. Okay it. I'm only giving you 87 00:05:26,120 --> 00:05:28,039 Speaker 1: half of the title right now, but here's the half 88 00:05:28,080 --> 00:05:29,320 Speaker 1: I want you to get. I want to talk to 89 00:05:29,360 --> 00:05:36,640 Speaker 1: you from this thought. I'm annoyed. I'm annoyed. I'll give 90 00:05:36,680 --> 00:05:38,400 Speaker 1: you the second half later, but for right now, look 91 00:05:38,400 --> 00:05:43,240 Speaker 1: at your neighbor, whichever one you like the best, and say, neighbor, Oh, 92 00:05:43,279 --> 00:05:44,800 Speaker 1: come on, don't be afraid to talk to your neighbor 93 00:05:44,800 --> 00:05:46,719 Speaker 1: in church. You know I can see you. Come on, 94 00:05:46,800 --> 00:05:53,480 Speaker 1: say neighbor. Can I be honest? I'm annoyed. Look at 95 00:05:53,480 --> 00:05:56,720 Speaker 1: your other neighbor, say other neighbor. You're my second option. 96 00:05:59,680 --> 00:06:04,720 Speaker 1: And I gotta tell you this title. Say I'm annoyed. 97 00:06:05,360 --> 00:06:07,040 Speaker 1: If you believe God's going to speak, would you give 98 00:06:07,120 --> 00:06:14,080 Speaker 1: us some praise? Right now? Father, I have your way today. Amen, 99 00:06:14,120 --> 00:06:16,599 Speaker 1: you may be seated in the presence of the Lord. 100 00:06:18,560 --> 00:06:25,400 Speaker 1: I'm annoyed. I forgot to mention that I am not 101 00:06:25,480 --> 00:06:28,840 Speaker 1: here by myself. My father is here with me. Robert 102 00:06:28,920 --> 00:06:32,880 Speaker 1: madeu senor Dad. Would you just stand up real quick? 103 00:06:33,080 --> 00:06:41,200 Speaker 1: Do I love it? Because he hates it. He is 104 00:06:41,320 --> 00:06:45,279 Speaker 1: annoyed right now because I made him stand up. But 105 00:06:45,960 --> 00:06:49,400 Speaker 1: traveling with him actually gave me a flashback. He gave 106 00:06:49,440 --> 00:06:55,560 Speaker 1: me a flashback to a ministry moment that is indelibly 107 00:06:55,720 --> 00:06:58,880 Speaker 1: etched in my mind. I'll never forget this moment. It's 108 00:06:58,960 --> 00:07:01,679 Speaker 1: years years ago. I was just starting off in the ministry, 109 00:07:01,800 --> 00:07:05,200 Speaker 1: just starting off preaching, years years ago, just a young 110 00:07:05,240 --> 00:07:08,840 Speaker 1: buck preaching the gospel. I was preaching and working at 111 00:07:08,880 --> 00:07:13,600 Speaker 1: Banana Republic. Yes, yes, yes, working at Banana during the weekend, 112 00:07:13,640 --> 00:07:16,080 Speaker 1: preaching on the weekends. Yes, I had a ministry of 113 00:07:16,120 --> 00:07:19,640 Speaker 1: folding khakis during the week and preaching the gospel on 114 00:07:19,640 --> 00:07:22,200 Speaker 1: the weekend. And I'll never forget I got invited to 115 00:07:22,280 --> 00:07:26,240 Speaker 1: this church to preach their Sunday morning services. I'll never 116 00:07:26,240 --> 00:07:29,080 Speaker 1: forget it. I was elated. I was excited because I 117 00:07:29,080 --> 00:07:32,080 Speaker 1: had primarily preached just to the youth group and to 118 00:07:32,120 --> 00:07:33,960 Speaker 1: the youth camps of this church. So when they called 119 00:07:34,000 --> 00:07:36,120 Speaker 1: me to preach Sunday morning, I said, oh, how at 120 00:07:36,160 --> 00:07:39,480 Speaker 1: your boy, I have made it to the big leagues 121 00:07:40,040 --> 00:07:43,120 Speaker 1: from moving on up And uh, I got the itinerary. 122 00:07:43,160 --> 00:07:45,040 Speaker 1: I got the itinerary before I got ready to go 123 00:07:45,080 --> 00:07:47,800 Speaker 1: preach there, and I noticed something on the itinerary and 124 00:07:47,960 --> 00:07:53,520 Speaker 1: immediately arrested my attention. It was my accommodations where I 125 00:07:53,640 --> 00:07:55,520 Speaker 1: was staying while I would be preaching there. And it 126 00:07:55,600 --> 00:07:59,000 Speaker 1: said that I would be staying who at a motel? 127 00:08:00,240 --> 00:08:03,800 Speaker 1: Mo mo hotel, Not a hotel, but a motel. I 128 00:08:03,920 --> 00:08:05,880 Speaker 1: wasn't too alarmed at first. I said, hold on, don't 129 00:08:05,920 --> 00:08:07,600 Speaker 1: judge a book, bise cover. Wait till you see the 130 00:08:07,600 --> 00:08:10,800 Speaker 1: motel first. Robert and Pastor picked me up. I'll never 131 00:08:10,800 --> 00:08:12,640 Speaker 1: forget it. And we pulled up to the motel and 132 00:08:12,680 --> 00:08:17,040 Speaker 1: oh it was a mo. It was a mo. Tell 133 00:08:17,320 --> 00:08:21,040 Speaker 1: everything about the exterior of this motel. Let me know 134 00:08:21,120 --> 00:08:23,480 Speaker 1: what the interior was going to look like. I will 135 00:08:23,520 --> 00:08:26,960 Speaker 1: never forget. The pastor handed me the key to my room, 136 00:08:27,000 --> 00:08:28,400 Speaker 1: said I'll pick you up tomorrow. I had to meet 137 00:08:28,440 --> 00:08:32,240 Speaker 1: the key to my room. The key to my room, 138 00:08:32,280 --> 00:08:38,200 Speaker 1: not a card, a physical key to my room at 139 00:08:38,280 --> 00:08:39,839 Speaker 1: the motel. I said, you know what, Lord, I said, 140 00:08:39,840 --> 00:08:41,360 Speaker 1: if you can use anything, you can use me. So 141 00:08:41,400 --> 00:08:44,720 Speaker 1: I'm cool and open the door. Open the door to 142 00:08:44,800 --> 00:08:47,800 Speaker 1: the motel. And as soon as I opened the door, 143 00:08:47,920 --> 00:08:50,600 Speaker 1: my goodness, the room looked like a scene from CSI. 144 00:08:51,360 --> 00:08:55,440 Speaker 1: The pungent odor that was permeating from the carpet hitting 145 00:08:55,480 --> 00:08:58,720 Speaker 1: me in the face, said, singed my nose here there 146 00:08:58,800 --> 00:09:02,640 Speaker 1: was stains on the bed and stays on the carpet 147 00:09:02,679 --> 00:09:06,080 Speaker 1: and stays on the dress. So I said, this is ridiculous. 148 00:09:06,120 --> 00:09:08,240 Speaker 1: What happened in this room? I looked to the right. 149 00:09:08,360 --> 00:09:10,439 Speaker 1: The roaches were looking at me like, you're gonna stay here? 150 00:09:10,480 --> 00:09:13,800 Speaker 1: For real? Are you gonna slave here? Never forget it, 151 00:09:13,800 --> 00:09:15,439 Speaker 1: I'll never forget it. And uh, I said, boy, it's 152 00:09:15,440 --> 00:09:17,440 Speaker 1: gonna be rough. It's gonna be rough, rough, rough trip. 153 00:09:17,480 --> 00:09:20,000 Speaker 1: And so I was stinking to myself. I said, I 154 00:09:20,000 --> 00:09:22,240 Speaker 1: can't stay here. I can't stay here. And I noticed 155 00:09:22,320 --> 00:09:26,120 Speaker 1: that down the street from the motel was a hotel. 156 00:09:26,240 --> 00:09:29,520 Speaker 1: What's a hotel, you know, nothing, nothing fancy but a 157 00:09:29,559 --> 00:09:31,760 Speaker 1: few stars above this one. I said, you know what, 158 00:09:31,920 --> 00:09:34,000 Speaker 1: I can go to that hotel and go to that 159 00:09:34,080 --> 00:09:36,000 Speaker 1: hotel and I can just stay. I'm like, I'll pay 160 00:09:36,000 --> 00:09:37,720 Speaker 1: for it. I realized, you know, I ain't even ask 161 00:09:37,760 --> 00:09:39,920 Speaker 1: anybody to pay for it. I'll go. And the problem 162 00:09:40,080 --> 00:09:43,720 Speaker 1: was the pastor dropped me off and he was picking 163 00:09:43,760 --> 00:09:46,439 Speaker 1: me up in the morning. So I was in a conundrum. 164 00:09:46,440 --> 00:09:47,600 Speaker 1: I said, wait a minute. If I go to the 165 00:09:47,640 --> 00:09:49,640 Speaker 1: hotel and leave the motel, what am I gonna do 166 00:09:49,679 --> 00:09:51,120 Speaker 1: in the morning when he comes and picks me up. 167 00:09:51,120 --> 00:09:52,880 Speaker 1: I'm either gonna have to go to the hotel then 168 00:09:52,880 --> 00:09:55,360 Speaker 1: come all the way back to the motel for him 169 00:09:55,400 --> 00:09:57,000 Speaker 1: to pick me up in the morning. So I was like, oh, 170 00:09:57,280 --> 00:09:59,000 Speaker 1: I said, is that gonna look bad? I don't want 171 00:09:59,000 --> 00:10:00,640 Speaker 1: to be rude. This is my first big Sunday. I 172 00:10:00,640 --> 00:10:02,240 Speaker 1: don't want to miss this. Up, I was like, is 173 00:10:02,240 --> 00:10:05,200 Speaker 1: that gonna be rude if I switch hotels? So I 174 00:10:05,200 --> 00:10:08,320 Speaker 1: call my father who was here with me, and I 175 00:10:08,320 --> 00:10:12,600 Speaker 1: should say my Nigerian father, and I call him up. 176 00:10:12,640 --> 00:10:15,920 Speaker 1: I will never forget this. I called him and said, Dad, 177 00:10:16,280 --> 00:10:17,880 Speaker 1: I don't know if you can smell this through the phone. 178 00:10:19,400 --> 00:10:21,440 Speaker 1: I said, but they got me out here at the 179 00:10:21,520 --> 00:10:24,720 Speaker 1: motel and I want to switch. I want to switch 180 00:10:24,720 --> 00:10:26,199 Speaker 1: to the hotel. Dad. I'm gonna pay for it. I 181 00:10:26,240 --> 00:10:28,360 Speaker 1: want to switch to the hotel. But I don't know 182 00:10:28,400 --> 00:10:32,040 Speaker 1: if it's gonna look bad or look rude if I switch. 183 00:10:32,120 --> 00:10:33,880 Speaker 1: Do you think it would be bad? Dad? If I 184 00:10:33,960 --> 00:10:37,640 Speaker 1: switched from the motel to the hotel, I will never 185 00:10:37,679 --> 00:10:41,440 Speaker 1: forget for this, Nigerian man said to me. First words 186 00:10:41,440 --> 00:10:46,720 Speaker 1: out of his mouth were, oh, my goodness, oh my God, 187 00:10:46,800 --> 00:10:49,920 Speaker 1: what didn't look bad? Wood did look bad if you switch, 188 00:10:50,120 --> 00:10:53,040 Speaker 1: of course, it would look bad if you switch to 189 00:10:53,160 --> 00:10:57,640 Speaker 1: a different hotel. Son, you are only death for one night. 190 00:10:57,880 --> 00:11:01,040 Speaker 1: You are death for one night. You are not there 191 00:11:01,080 --> 00:11:06,199 Speaker 1: on vacation. You are there to preach the gospel of Jesus' Christ. 192 00:11:06,480 --> 00:11:11,640 Speaker 1: You adare foul one night, he said, it's the apostle. 193 00:11:11,720 --> 00:11:17,160 Speaker 1: Paul can be shipwrecked and beaten and witch for the gospel. Charlotte, 194 00:11:17,240 --> 00:11:28,840 Speaker 1: you can't stand I did motel found one hung up 195 00:11:28,880 --> 00:11:36,920 Speaker 1: the phone. Will never ever forget that moment. I was 196 00:11:37,040 --> 00:11:45,000 Speaker 1: so annoyed. I was annoyed then, but in retrospect I 197 00:11:45,040 --> 00:11:49,760 Speaker 1: realized the wisdom of my father. He said, I thought 198 00:11:49,800 --> 00:11:52,760 Speaker 1: that he wasn't feeling me. I thought he wasn't being 199 00:11:52,800 --> 00:11:56,760 Speaker 1: empathetic to my plight in my situation. But upon further reflection, 200 00:11:56,840 --> 00:12:00,119 Speaker 1: I realized not that he wasn't being empathetic to my situation. 201 00:12:00,320 --> 00:12:02,800 Speaker 1: It's not even that he was advocating for me to 202 00:12:02,840 --> 00:12:07,960 Speaker 1: stay in nasty motels. For what he was doing in 203 00:12:08,000 --> 00:12:11,720 Speaker 1: that moment was trying to get me to look at 204 00:12:11,720 --> 00:12:16,880 Speaker 1: my circumstance through the lens of my purpose. He was 205 00:12:16,920 --> 00:12:20,800 Speaker 1: trying to get me to look at my circumstance through 206 00:12:20,840 --> 00:12:24,200 Speaker 1: the lens of my purpose. That's why he kept saying 207 00:12:24,400 --> 00:12:28,440 Speaker 1: one night, you are just there for one night. He 208 00:12:28,520 --> 00:12:31,200 Speaker 1: was trying to get me to see that my stay 209 00:12:31,400 --> 00:12:34,800 Speaker 1: at that motel was temporal, but the gospel that I 210 00:12:34,920 --> 00:12:38,720 Speaker 1: was preaching is eternal, and if I can focus on 211 00:12:38,760 --> 00:12:43,280 Speaker 1: the purpose, it ought to give me clarity for the circumstance. 212 00:12:43,320 --> 00:12:45,680 Speaker 1: I don't know who this message is for today, but 213 00:12:45,720 --> 00:12:48,120 Speaker 1: I felt like God wanted me to remind you that 214 00:12:48,160 --> 00:12:51,280 Speaker 1: if you could learn to look at your circumstance through 215 00:12:51,320 --> 00:12:54,079 Speaker 1: the lens of your purpose, if you could look at 216 00:12:54,120 --> 00:12:57,440 Speaker 1: the frustrations and the agitations in your life through the 217 00:12:57,520 --> 00:13:02,720 Speaker 1: lens of your divine assigned that would change everything for you. 218 00:13:03,080 --> 00:13:05,439 Speaker 1: As a matter of fact, there is nothing more powerful 219 00:13:05,600 --> 00:13:08,160 Speaker 1: than somebody that is learned to look at what they're 220 00:13:08,200 --> 00:13:11,800 Speaker 1: going through through the lens of what they are called to. Oh. 221 00:13:11,960 --> 00:13:14,640 Speaker 1: If you want to see somebody that's unstoppable, look at 222 00:13:14,640 --> 00:13:16,960 Speaker 1: somebody that knows who they are and they know the 223 00:13:17,040 --> 00:13:19,640 Speaker 1: mission and the call that is on their life. Nothing 224 00:13:19,880 --> 00:13:23,400 Speaker 1: can stop that person. Every obstacle will turn into an 225 00:13:23,400 --> 00:13:27,000 Speaker 1: opportunity because they know there's a greater story there's a 226 00:13:27,040 --> 00:13:32,800 Speaker 1: greater call than what I say right now. A matter 227 00:13:32,840 --> 00:13:37,319 Speaker 1: of fact, the Apostle Paul could write a master's class 228 00:13:37,600 --> 00:13:40,679 Speaker 1: on what it's like to look at your circumstance to 229 00:13:40,800 --> 00:13:44,240 Speaker 1: the lens of your divine purpose. I'm telling you, the 230 00:13:44,280 --> 00:13:47,920 Speaker 1: Apostle Paul could do a ten hour ted talk on tenacity. 231 00:13:48,240 --> 00:13:51,320 Speaker 1: Who else but the Apostle Paul. Who else but the 232 00:13:51,320 --> 00:13:55,080 Speaker 1: one who said, I glory in my sufferings, the one 233 00:13:55,080 --> 00:13:57,480 Speaker 1: that said, oh that I may know him in the 234 00:13:57,559 --> 00:14:00,360 Speaker 1: fellowship not of his success, but in the fellowship of 235 00:14:00,440 --> 00:14:04,760 Speaker 1: Christ's suffering and his resurrection. Who else but the Apostle Paul, 236 00:14:04,920 --> 00:14:09,720 Speaker 1: that tenacious tent maker from Tarshiss, that gospel globe trotter 237 00:14:09,880 --> 00:14:12,480 Speaker 1: who was full of tower and authority. You know, Paul 238 00:14:12,600 --> 00:14:15,680 Speaker 1: was unstoppable. He was off the chain. Every city he 239 00:14:15,720 --> 00:14:19,280 Speaker 1: went into, he would turn the city upside down because 240 00:14:19,320 --> 00:14:21,280 Speaker 1: he knew there was a greater call, there was a 241 00:14:21,280 --> 00:14:23,640 Speaker 1: greater mission on his life. They could not stop the 242 00:14:23,720 --> 00:14:27,840 Speaker 1: Apostle Paul. Everywhere he went. He was effective in ministry. 243 00:14:27,960 --> 00:14:30,360 Speaker 1: They said, Paul, we gonna kill you. He said, that's 244 00:14:30,360 --> 00:14:33,640 Speaker 1: cool to die? Is game? They said, okay, then, Paul, 245 00:14:33,760 --> 00:14:35,680 Speaker 1: we're gonna let you live. He said, that's cool too, 246 00:14:35,720 --> 00:14:38,080 Speaker 1: to live as Christ. They said, all right, then, Paul, 247 00:14:38,080 --> 00:14:40,520 Speaker 1: were gonna make you suffer. He said, that's cool too, 248 00:14:40,640 --> 00:14:42,680 Speaker 1: because I already know that the present sufferings of this 249 00:14:42,760 --> 00:14:45,480 Speaker 1: world are not worthy to be compared to the glory 250 00:14:45,520 --> 00:14:48,720 Speaker 1: of God that's gonna be revealed down on the inside 251 00:14:48,760 --> 00:14:53,840 Speaker 1: of me. Paul. He was absolutely off the chain. And 252 00:14:53,880 --> 00:14:58,840 Speaker 1: no wonder my dad said if the Apostle Paul could 253 00:14:58,840 --> 00:15:03,640 Speaker 1: be shipwrecked, and surely you can stay there for one night, 254 00:15:04,200 --> 00:15:06,840 Speaker 1: we'll get to my Texas. In Acts chapter sixteen, Paul 255 00:15:06,920 --> 00:15:09,920 Speaker 1: is on his second missionary journey. But let us not 256 00:15:09,960 --> 00:15:13,440 Speaker 1: forget how he stepped into his purpose. Acts chapter nine 257 00:15:13,640 --> 00:15:18,080 Speaker 1: lets us know the conversion and the commissioning of the 258 00:15:18,160 --> 00:15:21,680 Speaker 1: Apostle Paul the Artist formerly known as Saul. I love 259 00:15:22,040 --> 00:15:25,960 Speaker 1: Paul because Paul was actually not waiting to be converted 260 00:15:26,000 --> 00:15:28,440 Speaker 1: to move at the speed of his purpose. He was 261 00:15:28,640 --> 00:15:31,760 Speaker 1: already headed somewhere. You know that church planner used to 262 00:15:31,760 --> 00:15:34,400 Speaker 1: be a Christian killer. He was on his way to 263 00:15:34,640 --> 00:15:37,600 Speaker 1: kill more Christians when all of a sudden, God just 264 00:15:37,760 --> 00:15:41,440 Speaker 1: interrupted him on his journey. A bright light came from 265 00:15:41,480 --> 00:15:45,920 Speaker 1: heaven and interrupted him. He wasn't seeking after God. God 266 00:15:46,040 --> 00:15:49,360 Speaker 1: wasn't on his radar. Oh, but he was on God's radar. 267 00:15:49,600 --> 00:15:52,080 Speaker 1: I'm want to pause right there. I thank God that 268 00:15:52,240 --> 00:15:55,840 Speaker 1: sometimes when you're not thinking about him, he's thinking about you. 269 00:15:56,280 --> 00:15:59,720 Speaker 1: I thank God that sometimes when you're not even having 270 00:15:59,760 --> 00:16:02,920 Speaker 1: an appointment with him on your schedule, God will have 271 00:16:02,960 --> 00:16:05,840 Speaker 1: an appointment with you on his schedule. Somebody watching this 272 00:16:06,000 --> 00:16:08,440 Speaker 1: right now, you don't even know. God is interrupting your 273 00:16:08,480 --> 00:16:11,840 Speaker 1: regular schedule program because He has a call on your life. 274 00:16:11,880 --> 00:16:14,120 Speaker 1: He has a purpose for your life, and you might 275 00:16:14,160 --> 00:16:16,640 Speaker 1: be headed in the wrong direction. But buckle up your 276 00:16:16,680 --> 00:16:19,480 Speaker 1: feet out because when God wants to get your attention, 277 00:16:19,840 --> 00:16:23,480 Speaker 1: he will get your attention. Somebody came to church today 278 00:16:23,720 --> 00:16:31,440 Speaker 1: because God is trying to get your attention. Got Paul's 279 00:16:32,080 --> 00:16:34,720 Speaker 1: got Paul's attention in next chapter nine, But in next 280 00:16:34,840 --> 00:16:37,720 Speaker 1: chapter sixteen, let us not forget that this is Paul's 281 00:16:38,200 --> 00:16:42,400 Speaker 1: second missionary journey. It's a secure missionary journey. And he's 282 00:16:42,400 --> 00:16:46,400 Speaker 1: got his homeboy Silas with them. He's got Silence. He's 283 00:16:46,440 --> 00:16:48,320 Speaker 1: even got this young cap by the name of Timothy 284 00:16:48,320 --> 00:16:51,640 Speaker 1: with him. And you can't even really appreciate the connection 285 00:16:52,120 --> 00:16:56,840 Speaker 1: between Paul and Silas until you first understand the separation 286 00:16:57,600 --> 00:17:02,520 Speaker 1: that occurred between Paul and Barnabas. This is his second 287 00:17:02,720 --> 00:17:06,600 Speaker 1: missionary journey, and Silence, believe it or not, was Paul's 288 00:17:06,720 --> 00:17:10,960 Speaker 1: second choice. Oh yeah, he didn't pick Silas first. He 289 00:17:11,080 --> 00:17:13,879 Speaker 1: actually had a missionary journey Acts thirteen to fifteen and 290 00:17:13,920 --> 00:17:16,920 Speaker 1: he was with Barnabas. Barnabas Barney. I love it because 291 00:17:16,920 --> 00:17:21,040 Speaker 1: the Holy Spirit separated Paul and Barney put them together 292 00:17:21,280 --> 00:17:24,040 Speaker 1: to accomplish a call. Proof positive that whenever God has 293 00:17:24,040 --> 00:17:25,679 Speaker 1: a call on your life, he will make sure that 294 00:17:25,720 --> 00:17:28,760 Speaker 1: you are connected with somebody to do it. There are 295 00:17:28,800 --> 00:17:31,600 Speaker 1: no lone rangers in the Kingdom of God. All of 296 00:17:31,640 --> 00:17:33,879 Speaker 1: y'all up in here talking about I don't need nobody, 297 00:17:34,000 --> 00:17:36,920 Speaker 1: I don't need the church. It's me myself and I no, no, no, no, 298 00:17:36,920 --> 00:17:39,480 Speaker 1: no no. If your dream and your vision only affects you, 299 00:17:39,760 --> 00:17:42,320 Speaker 1: it is not from the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom 300 00:17:42,320 --> 00:17:46,240 Speaker 1: of God will always cause a divine collaboration with somebody. 301 00:17:46,320 --> 00:17:51,639 Speaker 1: You need, somebody else hardwired for connection and community. So 302 00:17:51,680 --> 00:17:54,320 Speaker 1: wouldn't it be just like the Holy Spirit to connect 303 00:17:54,320 --> 00:17:58,200 Speaker 1: Paul and Barney to go plant churches and preach the gospel. 304 00:17:58,200 --> 00:18:00,480 Speaker 1: Can you see Paul and Varney go on out, They're 305 00:18:00,480 --> 00:18:03,760 Speaker 1: planting churches, They're preaching the gospel. It was an effective trip. 306 00:18:03,840 --> 00:18:06,200 Speaker 1: It was so effective. Paul said, let's run that back again. 307 00:18:06,680 --> 00:18:09,840 Speaker 1: Let's do it again. Barnabas was like, cool, I'm cool 308 00:18:09,840 --> 00:18:12,040 Speaker 1: with that. Let's run it back again. And then Paul says, 309 00:18:12,080 --> 00:18:14,800 Speaker 1: all right, let's go. And then Barney goes, well, let's 310 00:18:14,840 --> 00:18:19,120 Speaker 1: bring John Mark, my nephew with us. And Paul said, 311 00:18:19,119 --> 00:18:21,840 Speaker 1: oh no, no, no, no, no, hold on, we can 312 00:18:21,880 --> 00:18:23,359 Speaker 1: bring a whole lot of people if we are not 313 00:18:23,600 --> 00:18:29,080 Speaker 1: bringing your little stinky nephew, Sean Mark. Don't forget due 314 00:18:29,119 --> 00:18:31,720 Speaker 1: your due diligence and read Joe Bible. You remember John 315 00:18:31,760 --> 00:18:36,280 Speaker 1: Mark was their assistant who abandoning them halfway in the journey. 316 00:18:36,320 --> 00:18:39,159 Speaker 1: And Paul still felt some type of way about it. 317 00:18:39,160 --> 00:18:41,240 Speaker 1: He said, no, no, no, we can bring a whole 318 00:18:41,280 --> 00:18:43,480 Speaker 1: lot of people, but we are not bringing John Mark. 319 00:18:43,600 --> 00:18:47,479 Speaker 1: I got beat and whipped stones hitting my head on 320 00:18:47,520 --> 00:18:50,280 Speaker 1: that last missionary journey. And John Mark left because he 321 00:18:50,320 --> 00:18:52,400 Speaker 1: had a little tummy age because he was sea fig 322 00:18:52,560 --> 00:18:54,880 Speaker 1: and went back to Jerusalem. There is no way he's 323 00:18:54,920 --> 00:18:57,560 Speaker 1: coming back. See, I like Paul I'm actually on Paul's side. 324 00:18:58,480 --> 00:19:01,120 Speaker 1: Oh yeah. They got into a heated disagreement because Paul 325 00:19:01,320 --> 00:19:04,680 Speaker 1: is a builder. He is ride or die, And Paul said, 326 00:19:04,680 --> 00:19:06,600 Speaker 1: if I'm gonna build with somebody, I need to build 327 00:19:06,640 --> 00:19:09,159 Speaker 1: with somebody who's faithful. I need to build with somebody 328 00:19:09,200 --> 00:19:11,600 Speaker 1: that will show up. Is anybody like me. I like 329 00:19:11,680 --> 00:19:14,520 Speaker 1: people that are dependable. I like people that when they 330 00:19:14,520 --> 00:19:16,680 Speaker 1: tell you they're gonna be there at seven o'clock, they'll 331 00:19:16,720 --> 00:19:20,240 Speaker 1: be there at six thirty five. I won't Sarada die 332 00:19:20,280 --> 00:19:24,560 Speaker 1: people in my life. I'm on, Paul said. Paul said 333 00:19:24,600 --> 00:19:27,919 Speaker 1: that boy is not coming with us because he abandoned us. 334 00:19:28,119 --> 00:19:31,359 Speaker 1: Problem with Paul's he's a builder who Barnie is an encourager. 335 00:19:32,840 --> 00:19:35,040 Speaker 1: You know how them encourage us are. He's like, come on, Paul, 336 00:19:35,240 --> 00:19:38,960 Speaker 1: give him another chance. Didn't God give you another chance? 337 00:19:39,480 --> 00:19:42,240 Speaker 1: He's the one killing Christians, don't act brand new? How 338 00:19:42,240 --> 00:19:44,840 Speaker 1: come you can't give him another chance? And they keep 339 00:19:44,880 --> 00:19:48,639 Speaker 1: going back and forth. It was a heated argument between 340 00:19:48,680 --> 00:19:51,240 Speaker 1: the two and all of a sudden there was no resolve. 341 00:19:52,080 --> 00:19:56,359 Speaker 1: They disagreed and they win their separate race. They had 342 00:19:57,000 --> 00:20:02,520 Speaker 1: a disagreement that made them go their separate ways. Paul said, cool, 343 00:20:02,600 --> 00:20:05,080 Speaker 1: I'm out. John Mark said cool, and I'll take Barnabas 344 00:20:05,160 --> 00:20:08,480 Speaker 1: with me. They went their separate ways and just agreed 345 00:20:09,280 --> 00:20:12,040 Speaker 1: to disagree. Do you know what's from with our culture 346 00:20:12,119 --> 00:20:15,679 Speaker 1: today is we have lost the art of civil discourse. 347 00:20:16,119 --> 00:20:20,280 Speaker 1: We have lost the art of just agreeing to disagree. 348 00:20:20,520 --> 00:20:23,240 Speaker 1: We live in a society that anybody that doesn't agree 349 00:20:23,280 --> 00:20:25,720 Speaker 1: with you, anybody doesn't think like you think, talk like 350 00:20:25,760 --> 00:20:28,320 Speaker 1: you talk, walk like you walk, vote like you vote. 351 00:20:28,400 --> 00:20:31,159 Speaker 1: You got an issue with you want to demonize that person. 352 00:20:31,359 --> 00:20:34,760 Speaker 1: But we don't know how to just agree to disagree. 353 00:20:35,000 --> 00:20:37,400 Speaker 1: And you go your way and I'll go my way. 354 00:20:37,640 --> 00:20:41,639 Speaker 1: And here's the powerful thing. The gospel of Jesus Christ 355 00:20:41,960 --> 00:20:45,880 Speaker 1: was still preached. With Barnabas going his way and Paul 356 00:20:46,000 --> 00:20:48,800 Speaker 1: going his way. Oh God said, I know how to 357 00:20:48,840 --> 00:20:51,879 Speaker 1: turn division and to multiplication. I know you went just 358 00:20:52,000 --> 00:20:55,960 Speaker 1: separate ways, but the gospel is still don't be preached 359 00:20:56,040 --> 00:21:00,440 Speaker 1: in the way. Y'all don't like that. You want to 360 00:21:00,520 --> 00:21:03,280 Speaker 1: demonize the people you disagree with. But can I tell 361 00:21:03,359 --> 00:21:06,800 Speaker 1: you God reserves to right to use people that you 362 00:21:06,960 --> 00:21:11,120 Speaker 1: disagree with. God reserves to write to use people that 363 00:21:11,160 --> 00:21:15,880 Speaker 1: you don't like. You use them and not even check 364 00:21:15,960 --> 00:21:21,680 Speaker 1: with you. It was still effective. John Mark and Barnabas 365 00:21:21,880 --> 00:21:24,960 Speaker 1: were still effective, and Paul said, I'm gonna be effective 366 00:21:25,000 --> 00:21:28,080 Speaker 1: too because I'm rude or die, He said, I got 367 00:21:28,080 --> 00:21:31,240 Speaker 1: to get me somebody else and picks up silence with them. 368 00:21:31,280 --> 00:21:34,880 Speaker 1: Can you see that interview? He's already feeling some type 369 00:21:34,920 --> 00:21:36,720 Speaker 1: of way because John Mark quit on him. He's like, oh, 370 00:21:36,800 --> 00:21:39,159 Speaker 1: silence or you ride or die? You sure you can 371 00:21:39,240 --> 00:21:41,320 Speaker 1: roll with me? Sounds like of course. He's like, all right, 372 00:21:41,359 --> 00:21:43,920 Speaker 1: let me just check punches them in a gut. You 373 00:21:44,040 --> 00:21:46,840 Speaker 1: use my epogetical imagination. Sounds like, oh, what's that for? 374 00:21:46,920 --> 00:21:48,440 Speaker 1: He's like, it's real out here in these church playing 375 00:21:48,440 --> 00:21:51,359 Speaker 1: the streets. I'm just trying to make sure you can 376 00:21:51,400 --> 00:21:53,640 Speaker 1: take a looking to keep on ticket. By the way, 377 00:21:53,680 --> 00:21:56,160 Speaker 1: can you sing? Can I sing? Yes? Can you sing? Yes? 378 00:21:56,200 --> 00:21:57,720 Speaker 1: I want to know somebody pop off at midnight. I 379 00:21:57,800 --> 00:22:00,080 Speaker 1: want to know if you still got to praise in 380 00:22:00,160 --> 00:22:02,800 Speaker 1: your belly saying something right now? Silence is like right now, 381 00:22:02,960 --> 00:22:08,360 Speaker 1: right now, I'm gonna see y victory. I've gotta see you. Yeah, 382 00:22:08,359 --> 00:22:10,000 Speaker 1: you're off key, but you're good. Come on, let's go 383 00:22:12,640 --> 00:22:17,160 Speaker 1: look at him. He's got Silas with him. He picks 384 00:22:17,240 --> 00:22:21,520 Speaker 1: up Timothy along the way, who follows not playing first 385 00:22:21,520 --> 00:22:23,800 Speaker 1: thing he does with Timody, another young youngster, just like 386 00:22:23,840 --> 00:22:26,880 Speaker 1: John Mark's like, oh you call. Timothy's like yeah, you call, 387 00:22:27,119 --> 00:22:29,439 Speaker 1: all right, let me cut you. Circumcises them on the 388 00:22:29,480 --> 00:22:32,760 Speaker 1: first day, just trying to make sure you're ready to roll. 389 00:22:34,640 --> 00:22:40,880 Speaker 1: And uh. They start moving into Figuria. They're effective. They 390 00:22:40,920 --> 00:22:45,440 Speaker 1: start moving, guided by the Holy Spirit, into Galatia. They're effective. 391 00:22:46,040 --> 00:22:49,359 Speaker 1: The ministry is thriving. Paul says, you know what, how 392 00:22:49,400 --> 00:22:52,679 Speaker 1: about we go to the Province of Asia. This is 393 00:22:52,720 --> 00:22:56,000 Speaker 1: modern day Turkey. And they get ready to go to 394 00:22:56,040 --> 00:22:58,119 Speaker 1: the Province of Asia, and the Bible says something that 395 00:22:58,119 --> 00:23:00,000 Speaker 1: we have yet to read in the Book of act 396 00:23:00,600 --> 00:23:06,280 Speaker 1: It says the Holy Spirit forbid them from going to 397 00:23:06,359 --> 00:23:10,240 Speaker 1: the province of As. I said, okay, maybe not, hey, 398 00:23:10,240 --> 00:23:13,000 Speaker 1: sul let's go to Bithynia. So they start setting sell 399 00:23:13,119 --> 00:23:15,600 Speaker 1: getting ready to go to Bithynia, and the Bible says 400 00:23:15,600 --> 00:23:21,359 Speaker 1: again that the Holy Spirit forbid them from going into Bithnia. 401 00:23:22,520 --> 00:23:26,280 Speaker 1: I'm confused. It's not like they're going to sell drugs, 402 00:23:29,040 --> 00:23:32,200 Speaker 1: they're going to plant churches, They're going to go preach 403 00:23:32,359 --> 00:23:35,199 Speaker 1: the gospel. She would think that if my motive is 404 00:23:35,280 --> 00:23:37,560 Speaker 1: right and I'm going to do something that I know 405 00:23:37,600 --> 00:23:39,919 Speaker 1: God has called me to do, that I would always 406 00:23:39,960 --> 00:23:43,440 Speaker 1: have an open door. I can understand what God closes 407 00:23:43,480 --> 00:23:45,920 Speaker 1: a door if I'm about to go do something bad, 408 00:23:46,600 --> 00:23:49,160 Speaker 1: like I get that. If my car don't start before 409 00:23:49,160 --> 00:23:53,280 Speaker 1: I go to Chrispy Kreme, I get that because it's 410 00:23:53,320 --> 00:23:57,520 Speaker 1: not good for me. But what do you do when 411 00:23:57,560 --> 00:24:01,600 Speaker 1: you're called to do something and you're running to a 412 00:24:01,760 --> 00:24:06,960 Speaker 1: closed door? That is annoying. It is annoying when you 413 00:24:07,160 --> 00:24:09,840 Speaker 1: set out to do something that is your divine call, 414 00:24:10,160 --> 00:24:12,760 Speaker 1: it is your mission, it is your mendate, and you 415 00:24:12,920 --> 00:24:16,440 Speaker 1: keep running into closed door after closed door. I don't 416 00:24:16,440 --> 00:24:18,680 Speaker 1: know who this is for, but somebody knows what it's 417 00:24:18,800 --> 00:24:23,200 Speaker 1: like to walk into a closed door. The Holy Spirit 418 00:24:23,280 --> 00:24:25,920 Speaker 1: forbid them to go. See, this is where I got 419 00:24:25,920 --> 00:24:29,080 Speaker 1: annoyed with doctor Luke. Because doctor Luke is writing the 420 00:24:29,080 --> 00:24:32,040 Speaker 1: Book of Acts, and he's a doctor. Doctor's a thorough Luke. 421 00:24:32,119 --> 00:24:35,080 Speaker 1: You could have told us how the Holy Spirit forbid 422 00:24:35,119 --> 00:24:37,600 Speaker 1: them to go. That would have been some helpful information. 423 00:24:38,000 --> 00:24:40,960 Speaker 1: Let me know, how did the Holy Spirit forbid them 424 00:24:40,960 --> 00:24:43,280 Speaker 1: from going? Did the Holy Spirit just show up in 425 00:24:43,280 --> 00:24:45,840 Speaker 1: physical form and say, y'all, don't go with the boat, 426 00:24:45,920 --> 00:24:49,200 Speaker 1: not start. Tell me how did Paul get a stomach ache? 427 00:24:49,520 --> 00:24:52,400 Speaker 1: How did the Holy Spirit stop them? But but but 428 00:24:52,480 --> 00:24:55,119 Speaker 1: Luke doesn't give us those details of how. He just 429 00:24:55,200 --> 00:24:57,719 Speaker 1: lets us know that the Holy Spirit, the one that 430 00:24:57,840 --> 00:25:01,639 Speaker 1: empowers us, is the same one that guys us. And 431 00:25:01,680 --> 00:25:04,000 Speaker 1: if the Holy Spirit is gonna guide you, the Holy 432 00:25:04,040 --> 00:25:07,800 Speaker 1: Spirit will sometimes let you hit a closed door. The 433 00:25:07,840 --> 00:25:11,399 Speaker 1: Holy Spirit will sometimes let you walk straight into a No. 434 00:25:12,000 --> 00:25:14,919 Speaker 1: I want to pause right now and thank God for 435 00:25:15,040 --> 00:25:17,240 Speaker 1: the Holy Spirit. I want to thank God for the 436 00:25:17,280 --> 00:25:20,879 Speaker 1: Holy Spirit that doesn't just empower me and give me empowerment. 437 00:25:21,040 --> 00:25:23,480 Speaker 1: I'm thankful for the Holy Spirit that gives me discernment, 438 00:25:23,680 --> 00:25:27,000 Speaker 1: that'll speak to me and say no, don't go there, No, 439 00:25:27,080 --> 00:25:29,800 Speaker 1: don't go there. I need the Holy Spirit to guide me. 440 00:25:30,080 --> 00:25:32,480 Speaker 1: Is there anybody that can relate to the fact that 441 00:25:32,520 --> 00:25:35,000 Speaker 1: life is above you'll pay grade and you need some 442 00:25:35,119 --> 00:25:39,359 Speaker 1: divine direction. God, show me which way I'm supposed to go. God, 443 00:25:39,440 --> 00:25:42,320 Speaker 1: close every toy that needs to be closed, and open 444 00:25:42,400 --> 00:25:44,720 Speaker 1: every door that needs to be opened. Show me what 445 00:25:44,880 --> 00:25:47,119 Speaker 1: job I'm supposed to take, and show me where I'm 446 00:25:47,160 --> 00:25:49,639 Speaker 1: supposed to land, show me who I'm supposed to marry, 447 00:25:49,760 --> 00:25:55,960 Speaker 1: and if I'm not giving me a no? When was 448 00:25:56,000 --> 00:25:59,720 Speaker 1: the last time you praise God for a no? When 449 00:25:59,880 --> 00:26:02,480 Speaker 1: was the last God that you thank God because he 450 00:26:02,560 --> 00:26:05,119 Speaker 1: gave you a shut door and a big old no. 451 00:26:05,520 --> 00:26:07,920 Speaker 1: I know you want God to give you a yes, 452 00:26:08,200 --> 00:26:10,000 Speaker 1: but I want to pause and thank God for all 453 00:26:10,040 --> 00:26:15,520 Speaker 1: the times He's given me a no. No, don't do it, no, 454 00:26:15,800 --> 00:26:20,480 Speaker 1: I want to thank God for his no. God will 455 00:26:20,520 --> 00:26:24,000 Speaker 1: often guide you, not just with his yeses, but with 456 00:26:24,040 --> 00:26:28,320 Speaker 1: his nose. Would you just say no, I'm won't say 457 00:26:28,320 --> 00:26:31,160 Speaker 1: it with your chest, say no? Have you ever done that? 458 00:26:31,440 --> 00:26:32,840 Speaker 1: Have you ever had the Holy Spirit just hit you 459 00:26:32,880 --> 00:26:35,760 Speaker 1: with a come on you on the date you ain't 460 00:26:35,800 --> 00:26:38,840 Speaker 1: even order the advertisers, and all of a sudden, the 461 00:26:38,840 --> 00:26:42,480 Speaker 1: Holy Spirit is like, all right, I guess they see. 462 00:26:43,400 --> 00:26:46,879 Speaker 1: I wouldn't much rather have a no than to have nothing. 463 00:26:47,760 --> 00:26:49,879 Speaker 1: I need his discernment. As a matter of fact, I 464 00:26:49,880 --> 00:26:51,600 Speaker 1: don't know how God speaks to you, but I'll tell 465 00:26:51,600 --> 00:26:54,040 Speaker 1: you how he speaks to me. Sometimes his nose are 466 00:26:54,080 --> 00:26:57,440 Speaker 1: louder than his yeses. Sometimes I'll be getting ready to 467 00:26:57,480 --> 00:27:01,199 Speaker 1: open the door and yeah, okay, all right, and then 468 00:27:01,240 --> 00:27:05,200 Speaker 1: the yes will be like yes, but God on you 469 00:27:05,280 --> 00:27:08,920 Speaker 1: sho like hold a sudden again. Have you ever been 470 00:27:08,920 --> 00:27:11,199 Speaker 1: there before, whether the yes was just quiet but the 471 00:27:11,320 --> 00:27:13,920 Speaker 1: no was so loud and the yes yes just a 472 00:27:13,920 --> 00:27:15,919 Speaker 1: little mini mouse yes, and you have to go like 473 00:27:15,960 --> 00:27:18,240 Speaker 1: on a five day fast and start praying like God 474 00:27:18,280 --> 00:27:20,560 Speaker 1: that I'll hear you or no. Oh see, some of 475 00:27:20,640 --> 00:27:22,280 Speaker 1: y'all don't like this because some of y'all want the 476 00:27:22,320 --> 00:27:25,280 Speaker 1: direction before you go. But I'm telling you, God won't 477 00:27:25,280 --> 00:27:27,520 Speaker 1: always give you the yes or the no before you go. 478 00:27:27,680 --> 00:27:30,399 Speaker 1: Sometimes it's not until you take that step and you 479 00:27:30,560 --> 00:27:33,560 Speaker 1: actually start trying to open the door that you find 480 00:27:33,560 --> 00:27:40,520 Speaker 1: out whether they say yes or they tried to go 481 00:27:41,240 --> 00:27:43,480 Speaker 1: and they got to know. And I've learned in my 482 00:27:43,520 --> 00:27:48,800 Speaker 1: life to embrace the know. I've learned that sometimes it's 483 00:27:48,800 --> 00:27:52,080 Speaker 1: not until i'll go then I'll get to know. I've 484 00:27:52,160 --> 00:27:54,720 Speaker 1: learned sometimes that if my steps are going to be 485 00:27:54,840 --> 00:27:57,879 Speaker 1: ordered by God, then my stops must be ordered by 486 00:27:57,960 --> 00:28:04,159 Speaker 1: him too. Sometimes he'll hit you with an hour so 487 00:28:04,200 --> 00:28:06,919 Speaker 1: they couldn't go to Bithynia, they couldn't go to the 488 00:28:06,920 --> 00:28:10,200 Speaker 1: province of Asia. What do you do when you've gotten 489 00:28:11,000 --> 00:28:14,760 Speaker 1: no and you don't know where to go. You pause 490 00:28:15,680 --> 00:28:19,200 Speaker 1: and you wait to hear. See. God is not playing 491 00:28:19,240 --> 00:28:21,560 Speaker 1: games with you. He wants you to know his will 492 00:28:21,560 --> 00:28:24,280 Speaker 1: more than you want to know his will. But some 493 00:28:24,320 --> 00:28:27,160 Speaker 1: of us have sensory overload. You got too many things 494 00:28:27,160 --> 00:28:29,520 Speaker 1: going on. No wonder you can't hear God. You always 495 00:28:29,520 --> 00:28:32,159 Speaker 1: scroll left, you always on Netflix, You're always talking to 496 00:28:32,200 --> 00:28:34,439 Speaker 1: other people about it. But if you could ever quiet 497 00:28:34,480 --> 00:28:40,240 Speaker 1: your soul to hear, he will speak. All of a sudden, Paul, 498 00:28:40,480 --> 00:28:44,880 Speaker 1: he gets a vision at night of a man in 499 00:28:44,920 --> 00:28:50,040 Speaker 1: Macedonia that says, come here and help us. He gets 500 00:28:50,040 --> 00:28:54,160 Speaker 1: a vision, don't miss this of a man in Macedonia. 501 00:28:54,880 --> 00:28:57,479 Speaker 1: This says, come here and help us. Can you imagine that? 502 00:28:57,520 --> 00:29:00,400 Speaker 1: Next morning, the clarity he got, He's like, y'all out, 503 00:29:01,520 --> 00:29:05,440 Speaker 1: I got the clarity. I saw a man in Macedonia saying, 504 00:29:05,480 --> 00:29:08,200 Speaker 1: come help us. We're going to Macedonia. Don't you love 505 00:29:08,200 --> 00:29:10,160 Speaker 1: it when God speaks and you got the clear vision 506 00:29:10,600 --> 00:29:12,280 Speaker 1: he said, we got to go. There is a man 507 00:29:12,360 --> 00:29:15,920 Speaker 1: in Macedonia that needs the gospel. Who they sailed to 508 00:29:16,000 --> 00:29:19,560 Speaker 1: Macedonia pull up on the shore. Don't forget it was 509 00:29:19,600 --> 00:29:22,400 Speaker 1: a man he saw in his vision saying come help us. 510 00:29:23,040 --> 00:29:25,920 Speaker 1: After getting the vision of the man, they walked straight 511 00:29:25,960 --> 00:29:33,239 Speaker 1: into a women's Bible study. There are a group of 512 00:29:33,240 --> 00:29:37,400 Speaker 1: women by the riverside having a prime meeting. He was thinking, 513 00:29:37,440 --> 00:29:39,040 Speaker 1: he's gonna go to the synagogue, but there was no 514 00:29:39,120 --> 00:29:41,920 Speaker 1: synagogue because you had to have at least ten Jewish 515 00:29:42,000 --> 00:29:44,320 Speaker 1: men in the city to have a synagogue. So the 516 00:29:44,320 --> 00:29:46,640 Speaker 1: fact that these women are gathered by the riverside is 517 00:29:46,680 --> 00:29:49,920 Speaker 1: that you know, thuk aren't even ten dudes in the city. 518 00:29:51,160 --> 00:29:53,280 Speaker 1: And here he got a vision of a man saying, 519 00:29:53,320 --> 00:29:56,719 Speaker 1: come help me, and walk straight into a women's Bible study. 520 00:29:56,840 --> 00:29:59,520 Speaker 1: Who I'm gonna bring it right home to you. What 521 00:29:59,560 --> 00:30:03,680 Speaker 1: do you do when your reality looks contradictory to the 522 00:30:03,800 --> 00:30:07,120 Speaker 1: vision that God gave you. Have you ever been there 523 00:30:07,160 --> 00:30:10,000 Speaker 1: before when God gave you a vision you were sure 524 00:30:10,040 --> 00:30:12,560 Speaker 1: about a God set moved to Charlotte and you said, 525 00:30:12,560 --> 00:30:15,120 Speaker 1: all right, you move and you walk into a situation, 526 00:30:15,440 --> 00:30:18,880 Speaker 1: and all of a sudden, the reality looks completely contradictory 527 00:30:18,920 --> 00:30:21,520 Speaker 1: to the vision that you God. What do you do? 528 00:30:21,680 --> 00:30:23,640 Speaker 1: He got a vision of a man and saw a 529 00:30:23,800 --> 00:30:26,920 Speaker 1: women's Bible study. I'll tell you what you do when 530 00:30:26,920 --> 00:30:30,600 Speaker 1: your reality is contradictory to your vision. Here's what you do. 531 00:30:30,720 --> 00:30:34,120 Speaker 1: You stick to the mission. Stick to the mission whenever 532 00:30:34,240 --> 00:30:38,000 Speaker 1: your reality is contradictory to your vision. Paul had been 533 00:30:38,040 --> 00:30:41,160 Speaker 1: given a mission and a mandate to declare the gospel 534 00:30:41,200 --> 00:30:43,520 Speaker 1: of Jesus Christ. And Paul had to learn by the 535 00:30:43,600 --> 00:30:46,520 Speaker 1: riverside that I can still preach this gospel at a 536 00:30:46,560 --> 00:30:49,320 Speaker 1: women's Bible study. I don't have to be in the synagogue. 537 00:30:49,400 --> 00:30:55,400 Speaker 1: I gotta stay on my mission. Never your situation seems 538 00:30:55,440 --> 00:31:00,320 Speaker 1: contradictory to your vision, stick to your mission. There he 539 00:31:00,440 --> 00:31:03,720 Speaker 1: is preaching at a women's Bible study, and I'm glad 540 00:31:03,800 --> 00:31:05,880 Speaker 1: he got the preaching. Because there was a business woman 541 00:31:06,000 --> 00:31:09,600 Speaker 1: named Lydia who who was a baller and a shock 542 00:31:09,720 --> 00:31:12,920 Speaker 1: collar sister girl owned the tsarra that all they sold 543 00:31:13,040 --> 00:31:16,480 Speaker 1: was purple cloth. She was a wealthy businesswoman that knew 544 00:31:16,520 --> 00:31:19,240 Speaker 1: about God, but hadn't had an encounter with this God. 545 00:31:19,440 --> 00:31:21,400 Speaker 1: And all of a sudden, not only does she get saved, 546 00:31:21,560 --> 00:31:24,640 Speaker 1: her whole household. God saved. Because if God can just 547 00:31:24,680 --> 00:31:27,600 Speaker 1: find somebody who is available and will stick to the mission, 548 00:31:27,920 --> 00:31:31,000 Speaker 1: you have no clue the ramifications of what would happen. 549 00:31:32,240 --> 00:31:36,520 Speaker 1: Lydia gets saved, her whole household gets saved and Lydia 550 00:31:36,680 --> 00:31:39,760 Speaker 1: begs Paul to come stay at her house. Can you 551 00:31:39,800 --> 00:31:43,360 Speaker 1: see Paul and Silas and their whole crew walking into 552 00:31:43,440 --> 00:31:50,880 Speaker 1: Lydia's six bedroom house, Marble everywhere. Paul's like, wooo, it's 553 00:31:50,920 --> 00:31:53,920 Speaker 1: a good thing to preach this gospel. Oh can you 554 00:31:53,960 --> 00:31:55,720 Speaker 1: see him? You know, Lydia had a good house. I 555 00:31:55,720 --> 00:31:59,280 Speaker 1: can see him sleeping on that beautiful down feather pillow, 556 00:31:59,400 --> 00:32:03,440 Speaker 1: going off, Oh, thank you Lord for Lydia. I'm just 557 00:32:03,520 --> 00:32:06,239 Speaker 1: being obedient. This ain't a motel right here, this is 558 00:32:06,920 --> 00:32:13,040 Speaker 1: this is nice. Slept real good, woke up the next day, 559 00:32:14,000 --> 00:32:17,360 Speaker 1: started staying on mission again, preaching the gospel. He goes 560 00:32:17,400 --> 00:32:20,560 Speaker 1: to preach, probably by the riverside it said this day. 561 00:32:21,320 --> 00:32:24,320 Speaker 1: Right before he gets up to preach, probably behind him, 562 00:32:24,920 --> 00:32:28,440 Speaker 1: he hears his voice, These manservants are the most time. 563 00:32:28,560 --> 00:32:33,440 Speaker 1: Did that said service is about to start? He's like phrase. 564 00:32:33,520 --> 00:32:38,280 Speaker 1: Guy goes the next day to preach again, same woman, 565 00:32:38,400 --> 00:32:40,800 Speaker 1: same voice, These man of service in the most time. God, 566 00:32:41,760 --> 00:32:43,960 Speaker 1: all right now, just trying to preach the word appreciation. 567 00:32:44,960 --> 00:32:47,720 Speaker 1: Day three, getting ready to preach these man of serves 568 00:32:47,760 --> 00:32:50,160 Speaker 1: in the most time. Don all right, sister girl, thank 569 00:32:50,200 --> 00:32:52,160 Speaker 1: you can you post it on my Instagram page. I'm 570 00:32:52,160 --> 00:32:56,320 Speaker 1: trying to preach day four. This man is saved the 571 00:32:56,320 --> 00:32:59,400 Speaker 1: most I got day after every time he got ready 572 00:32:59,400 --> 00:33:01,880 Speaker 1: to preach, this girl is shouting out, these man are 573 00:33:01,880 --> 00:33:04,800 Speaker 1: savings in the most time. Guy. Day twenty three. She's 574 00:33:04,800 --> 00:33:07,040 Speaker 1: still going these not silence if you don't take her out. 575 00:33:07,040 --> 00:33:10,480 Speaker 1: I'm about to take her out. This man heavy. I 576 00:33:10,480 --> 00:33:11,880 Speaker 1: don't know how long it happened, but I know it 577 00:33:11,920 --> 00:33:14,560 Speaker 1: happened for a long time, a long time. Give us 578 00:33:14,600 --> 00:33:17,640 Speaker 1: subscripture for it. Look at it at chapter sixteen, verse eighteen. 579 00:33:17,960 --> 00:33:20,800 Speaker 1: It says, look at this, it says, and this she 580 00:33:20,880 --> 00:33:24,160 Speaker 1: did for many days. I don't know how long many 581 00:33:24,240 --> 00:33:27,960 Speaker 1: days is, but it was a long time. Finally, Paul 582 00:33:28,320 --> 00:33:33,760 Speaker 1: got so annoyed that he turned around and he looked 583 00:33:33,840 --> 00:33:36,360 Speaker 1: at her. Hold on before I say what he said. 584 00:33:36,520 --> 00:33:39,600 Speaker 1: I find it intriguing that this woman is possessed by 585 00:33:39,720 --> 00:33:46,280 Speaker 1: a demon, but she's saying something that was right. This 586 00:33:46,400 --> 00:33:49,000 Speaker 1: is why you need the Holy Spirit, not just for empowerment, 587 00:33:49,040 --> 00:33:53,680 Speaker 1: for a discernment, because most of us would have listened 588 00:33:53,720 --> 00:33:55,760 Speaker 1: to what she said, and yeah, we would have been 589 00:33:55,760 --> 00:33:58,000 Speaker 1: over saying, well, least she's saying the right thing. At 590 00:33:58,080 --> 00:34:01,120 Speaker 1: least she's saying the right thing. But paul On understood discernment, 591 00:34:01,280 --> 00:34:04,040 Speaker 1: and the Holy Spirit began to speak to him as 592 00:34:04,040 --> 00:34:06,480 Speaker 1: he was out administering the Gospel. But she was saying 593 00:34:06,480 --> 00:34:09,320 Speaker 1: the right thing. And that's actually how the enemy works. 594 00:34:09,560 --> 00:34:11,600 Speaker 1: In fact, when the Bible says she has the spirit 595 00:34:11,640 --> 00:34:14,560 Speaker 1: of divination, it was actually the spirit of the Python. 596 00:34:14,880 --> 00:34:18,200 Speaker 1: And that's what the enemy does. He loves to deceive, Hugh, 597 00:34:18,440 --> 00:34:22,040 Speaker 1: and he will rap a truth with a lie. You'll 598 00:34:22,120 --> 00:34:25,320 Speaker 1: rap a truth with deception. But I'm thankful for paul 599 00:34:25,320 --> 00:34:27,600 Speaker 1: who was full of the Holy Spirit, who was able 600 00:34:27,640 --> 00:34:30,120 Speaker 1: to look past the deception and saying, you're saying the 601 00:34:30,200 --> 00:34:32,680 Speaker 1: right thing, but it's coming from the wrong spirit. So 602 00:34:32,840 --> 00:34:35,759 Speaker 1: he spoke to the spirit, because we rush so knock 603 00:34:35,920 --> 00:34:39,640 Speaker 1: with flesh and blood, but with principalities. So finally he 604 00:34:39,719 --> 00:34:42,920 Speaker 1: got so annoyed and turned around and said, in the 605 00:34:43,080 --> 00:34:48,040 Speaker 1: name of Jesus Christ, I command you to come out. Oh, 606 00:34:48,239 --> 00:34:50,920 Speaker 1: I came to tell somebody you better start speaking to 607 00:34:51,040 --> 00:34:54,320 Speaker 1: the spirit. He just speak to the woman. He spoke 608 00:34:54,360 --> 00:34:58,680 Speaker 1: to the spirit. I'm faithful for sermons, I'm faithful for counselor, 609 00:34:58,920 --> 00:35:01,000 Speaker 1: but every once in a while, you better get some 610 00:35:01,120 --> 00:35:05,440 Speaker 1: authority and some determined and speak to that spirit. Speak 611 00:35:05,480 --> 00:35:09,000 Speaker 1: to the spirit of depression, speak to the spirit of anxiety. 612 00:35:09,280 --> 00:35:11,959 Speaker 1: Speak to that spirit and say you, in the name 613 00:35:12,040 --> 00:35:16,759 Speaker 1: of Jesus, I command you to come out. Oh, I 614 00:35:16,840 --> 00:35:20,360 Speaker 1: need somebody that still believes in the delivering power of God, 615 00:35:20,800 --> 00:35:23,680 Speaker 1: just to take fifteen seconds and give him some place 616 00:35:24,000 --> 00:35:31,919 Speaker 1: like you know, he still has power to deliver people today. Hallelujah. 617 00:35:34,800 --> 00:35:39,840 Speaker 1: He didn't speak to the girl, He spoke to the spirit, 618 00:35:41,640 --> 00:35:48,759 Speaker 1: and in an instant, this girl was delivered and said free. 619 00:35:49,920 --> 00:35:53,480 Speaker 1: You gotta be careful sometimes when you're doing what God 620 00:35:53,480 --> 00:35:57,080 Speaker 1: has called you to do, you gotta be careful of 621 00:35:57,120 --> 00:36:01,680 Speaker 1: the ramifications of it. Because this girl had owners that 622 00:36:01,760 --> 00:36:08,400 Speaker 1: were using her gift for their financial gain. They didn't 623 00:36:08,440 --> 00:36:12,959 Speaker 1: care about her. They only cared about what she could 624 00:36:12,960 --> 00:36:18,600 Speaker 1: do for them, how her gift benefited them. In that 625 00:36:18,640 --> 00:36:22,480 Speaker 1: what the enemy does. He didn't care about you, but 626 00:36:22,560 --> 00:36:25,600 Speaker 1: he wants to use you. Not just the enemy. Some 627 00:36:25,600 --> 00:36:30,879 Speaker 1: of you are connected to people who you think care 628 00:36:30,920 --> 00:36:34,200 Speaker 1: about you, but they don't. They care about what you 629 00:36:34,520 --> 00:36:37,480 Speaker 1: offer them. They care about the benefit that you are 630 00:36:37,560 --> 00:36:40,359 Speaker 1: to them, and they actually don't want you free. They 631 00:36:40,440 --> 00:36:45,000 Speaker 1: want you to stay co dependent and connected to them, 632 00:36:45,239 --> 00:36:52,080 Speaker 1: since this girl completely free. But the ramifications of it, 633 00:36:52,080 --> 00:36:56,760 Speaker 1: it tored the city up. They took Paul and Silas 634 00:36:58,280 --> 00:37:04,759 Speaker 1: and they beat them. A crowd gathered around them and 635 00:37:04,920 --> 00:37:10,960 Speaker 1: stripped their clothes and beat them and kicked them and 636 00:37:11,200 --> 00:37:15,920 Speaker 1: punched them. Understand that even the Jewish law had a 637 00:37:15,960 --> 00:37:19,120 Speaker 1: restriction on how many times you could whip and beat somebody. 638 00:37:19,719 --> 00:37:23,440 Speaker 1: You had to stop at thirty nine. Forty was a limit. 639 00:37:23,480 --> 00:37:26,359 Speaker 1: But they said stop at thirty nine because you could 640 00:37:26,360 --> 00:37:30,280 Speaker 1: get caught up as you're mad and rage and lose 641 00:37:30,280 --> 00:37:35,960 Speaker 1: your count. But they are in a different province. The 642 00:37:36,040 --> 00:37:42,160 Speaker 1: Romans didn't have that rule. They kept beating and kicking 643 00:37:43,239 --> 00:37:49,840 Speaker 1: and punching them. They took them from the beating into 644 00:37:49,880 --> 00:37:54,920 Speaker 1: an inner prison. There was three levels to the prison. 645 00:37:55,880 --> 00:37:57,719 Speaker 1: It wasn't the outer part of the middle part. It 646 00:37:57,880 --> 00:38:00,719 Speaker 1: was the inner part of the press. And it was 647 00:38:00,920 --> 00:38:09,600 Speaker 1: a dungeon where they're bleeding, flesh lacerated, perhaps coughing up 648 00:38:09,680 --> 00:38:15,960 Speaker 1: blood bruised in the inner part of the prison, a 649 00:38:16,239 --> 00:38:21,080 Speaker 1: dungeon where it is dark. Everybody shouts about at midnight. 650 00:38:21,200 --> 00:38:25,799 Speaker 1: They didn't know what time it was. This is Luke 651 00:38:25,880 --> 00:38:28,879 Speaker 1: writing this when you're in a dark place, you don't 652 00:38:28,920 --> 00:38:35,359 Speaker 1: know whether it's sunlight or whether it's midnight. And there 653 00:38:35,360 --> 00:38:40,759 Speaker 1: they are bleeding and bruised. And the thing I kept 654 00:38:40,760 --> 00:38:46,480 Speaker 1: asking myself is what got them in the inner prison. 655 00:38:47,960 --> 00:38:56,759 Speaker 1: It was not their disobedience, It was their obedience. Their 656 00:38:56,840 --> 00:39:04,280 Speaker 1: obedience got them beat Their obedience got them punched and kicked. 657 00:39:04,320 --> 00:39:09,440 Speaker 1: Their obedience got them in the inner part of the prison. 658 00:39:09,480 --> 00:39:13,960 Speaker 1: What do you do when you're calling has become a crime? 659 00:39:16,640 --> 00:39:21,120 Speaker 1: What do you do when you obeyed God and you 660 00:39:21,200 --> 00:39:24,839 Speaker 1: still ended up in a dark place. Most of us, 661 00:39:24,880 --> 00:39:28,279 Speaker 1: if we're honest, we cry out to God when our 662 00:39:28,320 --> 00:39:32,360 Speaker 1: disobedience got us in a dark place. Isn't that something 663 00:39:32,360 --> 00:39:34,719 Speaker 1: when you just you know it was your bad decisions 664 00:39:34,719 --> 00:39:36,960 Speaker 1: and your disobedience got you in that place. You're like, God, 665 00:39:36,960 --> 00:39:38,680 Speaker 1: I know I messed up. It was me. It was me. 666 00:39:38,800 --> 00:39:40,840 Speaker 1: I'm reaping the consequence of what I did. Most of 667 00:39:40,920 --> 00:39:43,200 Speaker 1: us cry out to God, then, but what do you 668 00:39:43,239 --> 00:39:47,320 Speaker 1: do when your obedience got you in a dark place 669 00:39:48,520 --> 00:39:55,040 Speaker 1: and you're bleeding and your bruised. That's annoying. It's annoying 670 00:39:56,160 --> 00:40:01,239 Speaker 1: to be in a dark place. It was your obedience 671 00:40:01,239 --> 00:40:04,360 Speaker 1: that got you there. I wish I could tell you 672 00:40:04,360 --> 00:40:07,320 Speaker 1: that every time you obeyed God, you'd be in beautiful, 673 00:40:07,320 --> 00:40:11,680 Speaker 1: bright places. But this text is proved positive that you 674 00:40:11,719 --> 00:40:14,239 Speaker 1: can do the right thing and still end up in 675 00:40:14,280 --> 00:40:18,480 Speaker 1: the wrong place. You can be fully obedient and still 676 00:40:18,640 --> 00:40:22,040 Speaker 1: have pain in your body and be in a dark place. 677 00:40:22,080 --> 00:40:24,480 Speaker 1: And maybe you're in this room or watching online and 678 00:40:24,520 --> 00:40:27,359 Speaker 1: your obedience has gotten you in a dark place. And 679 00:40:27,400 --> 00:40:29,680 Speaker 1: God told me to tell you that He can still 680 00:40:29,800 --> 00:40:32,879 Speaker 1: show up in a dark place. And just because it's 681 00:40:32,920 --> 00:40:36,520 Speaker 1: a dark place doesn't mean that God can't do a miracle. 682 00:40:36,880 --> 00:40:39,280 Speaker 1: Just because you're in a dark place doesn't mean God 683 00:40:39,400 --> 00:40:42,520 Speaker 1: is done with you. Yet they were bleeding, they were 684 00:40:42,600 --> 00:40:45,920 Speaker 1: broken because their obedience got them there. What do you 685 00:40:46,040 --> 00:40:48,839 Speaker 1: do when you're in that place? I tell you what 686 00:40:48,920 --> 00:40:51,120 Speaker 1: you do, what will come out of you is what 687 00:40:51,239 --> 00:40:55,000 Speaker 1: has always been on the inside of you. No wonder. 688 00:40:55,080 --> 00:40:58,560 Speaker 1: Paul and Silence decided to lift up their voice and 689 00:40:58,760 --> 00:41:02,680 Speaker 1: worship and pray He's God. They weren't doing it at midnight, 690 00:41:02,920 --> 00:41:05,239 Speaker 1: they didn't know what time it was. But when your 691 00:41:05,320 --> 00:41:08,880 Speaker 1: disobedience and your obedience has got you in a dark place, 692 00:41:09,040 --> 00:41:10,880 Speaker 1: and you know God is the one that got you 693 00:41:10,960 --> 00:41:12,919 Speaker 1: in it, if you want to make the enemy man 694 00:41:13,200 --> 00:41:16,919 Speaker 1: start crying out to the very same God that got 695 00:41:17,000 --> 00:41:20,600 Speaker 1: you in the situation. Oh, this is why the enemy 696 00:41:20,640 --> 00:41:23,359 Speaker 1: wants you to keep your mouth shut. The enemy wants 697 00:41:23,360 --> 00:41:26,200 Speaker 1: you to be mad and be offended and be hurt 698 00:41:26,360 --> 00:41:29,040 Speaker 1: and stop talking to God. But I came to tell 699 00:41:29,080 --> 00:41:33,000 Speaker 1: you don't stop talking to him, even if your obedience 700 00:41:33,120 --> 00:41:36,520 Speaker 1: to him got you in their place. Oh that's where 701 00:41:36,560 --> 00:41:40,120 Speaker 1: the enemy messed up. See, the enemy shackled their feet, 702 00:41:40,360 --> 00:41:43,640 Speaker 1: the enemy shackled their arms, But he should have shackled 703 00:41:43,680 --> 00:41:47,239 Speaker 1: their mouth, because whenever you opened up your mouth and 704 00:41:47,440 --> 00:41:51,000 Speaker 1: crawled to God, he has to come in the situation. 705 00:41:52,400 --> 00:41:55,200 Speaker 1: Oh I need somebody to exercise this right now, and 706 00:41:55,360 --> 00:41:57,919 Speaker 1: just begin to open up your mouth and give God 707 00:41:58,000 --> 00:42:01,800 Speaker 1: some place, even in the dark, even in the place 708 00:42:01,800 --> 00:42:05,239 Speaker 1: where you can't see, and your old pede has got 709 00:42:05,280 --> 00:42:14,839 Speaker 1: you there, preached this all the time. The magic wasn't 710 00:42:14,840 --> 00:42:19,239 Speaker 1: at midnight. They were in the dungeon. They couldn't see 711 00:42:19,239 --> 00:42:23,160 Speaker 1: what the time was. They weren't even praising God so 712 00:42:23,280 --> 00:42:27,279 Speaker 1: he could send the earthquake. Come on, think about this. 713 00:42:28,400 --> 00:42:31,000 Speaker 1: It's not like we have any scriptural evidence that people 714 00:42:31,040 --> 00:42:34,440 Speaker 1: that praise got an earthquake. It's not like they were singing, 715 00:42:34,520 --> 00:42:36,720 Speaker 1: going Okay, if we just sing long enough, he's gonna 716 00:42:36,719 --> 00:42:38,879 Speaker 1: come on the third stands of the Here they didn't know. 717 00:42:40,680 --> 00:42:44,920 Speaker 1: They weren't praising for deliverance. They were praising out of devotion. 718 00:42:46,160 --> 00:42:49,000 Speaker 1: They were doing what they had always done. They were 719 00:42:49,080 --> 00:42:52,080 Speaker 1: doing what was always hit them. They said, God, I know, 720 00:42:52,200 --> 00:42:55,000 Speaker 1: obeying you got us here, and this don't look nothing 721 00:42:55,040 --> 00:42:58,160 Speaker 1: like Lydia's house. It's looking alive, like a little motel. 722 00:42:58,480 --> 00:43:01,320 Speaker 1: But you are still worthy of the praise in spite 723 00:43:01,360 --> 00:43:04,120 Speaker 1: of how I feel. I know my obedience got me here, 724 00:43:04,320 --> 00:43:07,360 Speaker 1: but I gotta look at this circumstance through the lens 725 00:43:07,440 --> 00:43:14,799 Speaker 1: of my purpose and ask their praise God. An earthquake 726 00:43:14,920 --> 00:43:19,080 Speaker 1: came in the foundations of the prison were shaken, and 727 00:43:19,440 --> 00:43:25,120 Speaker 1: everybody's chained God loose. Oh right, y'all. Don't like that 728 00:43:25,239 --> 00:43:27,200 Speaker 1: right there, I'm trying to tell you, you think you're 729 00:43:27,320 --> 00:43:30,040 Speaker 1: praise on a Sunday is just for you. What would 730 00:43:30,040 --> 00:43:32,400 Speaker 1: you do if I told you that your praise had 731 00:43:32,440 --> 00:43:35,840 Speaker 1: the power to set somebody else free, that your praise 732 00:43:35,960 --> 00:43:38,839 Speaker 1: had the power to reach your child who's not even 733 00:43:38,840 --> 00:43:42,880 Speaker 1: in service, that your praise have the power to act generations. 734 00:43:43,120 --> 00:43:50,200 Speaker 1: If you get praise them in a dark you know 735 00:43:50,280 --> 00:43:56,040 Speaker 1: the story. I'm done. The doors are open, the chains 736 00:43:56,239 --> 00:44:02,600 Speaker 1: are loosed. Anybody in their right mind after you've praised, 737 00:44:03,440 --> 00:44:05,560 Speaker 1: when it was your obedience to God that got you 738 00:44:05,640 --> 00:44:08,920 Speaker 1: in the situation. And he finally shows up and the 739 00:44:08,920 --> 00:44:12,160 Speaker 1: doors are open, anybody in their right mind. He said, 740 00:44:12,160 --> 00:44:15,799 Speaker 1: this is my time to go. You did it, Lord, 741 00:44:16,560 --> 00:44:19,560 Speaker 1: your waymaker, promise keep a miracle worker. The door's open. 742 00:44:21,080 --> 00:44:28,000 Speaker 1: I'm gonna run. But they stayed. They stayed. What would 743 00:44:28,080 --> 00:44:32,360 Speaker 1: make Paul and Silence stay in the prison when the 744 00:44:32,400 --> 00:44:37,279 Speaker 1: doors have been opened and they could run free. They 745 00:44:37,320 --> 00:44:44,719 Speaker 1: saw the jailer pull a sword and get ready to 746 00:44:44,880 --> 00:44:49,759 Speaker 1: kill himself, and Paul says, hold on, don't do it. 747 00:44:51,080 --> 00:44:54,720 Speaker 1: All of us are here. Don't do it. Don't kill yourself. 748 00:44:54,760 --> 00:44:58,840 Speaker 1: Stop because this jailer knew that the consequence of letting 749 00:44:58,840 --> 00:45:01,480 Speaker 1: all of them prisoners free would been his own murder, 750 00:45:02,520 --> 00:45:04,360 Speaker 1: so he said, I'd rather just do it myself for 751 00:45:04,480 --> 00:45:07,080 Speaker 1: Paul in the middle of the night, says hold on, 752 00:45:07,160 --> 00:45:11,920 Speaker 1: hold on, don't do it. Why did Paul and Silas 753 00:45:12,000 --> 00:45:15,239 Speaker 1: refuse to leave. I don't know why they stayed, but 754 00:45:15,280 --> 00:45:18,080 Speaker 1: I do know that up until this point in the text, 755 00:45:18,840 --> 00:45:28,920 Speaker 1: all he had run into were women. Remember the vision 756 00:45:29,000 --> 00:45:33,360 Speaker 1: that he got was not of a woman in Macedonia. 757 00:45:33,760 --> 00:45:37,160 Speaker 1: It was of a man in Macedonia. And as soon 758 00:45:37,200 --> 00:45:39,680 Speaker 1: as he got there he saw Lydia, and he opened 759 00:45:39,719 --> 00:45:42,279 Speaker 1: up his mouth. That Lydia's household got saved. Then he 760 00:45:42,360 --> 00:45:44,480 Speaker 1: kept on preaching and stayed on mission, and all of 761 00:45:44,520 --> 00:45:46,840 Speaker 1: a sudden the slave girl got set free, and she 762 00:45:46,960 --> 00:45:49,359 Speaker 1: got saved. But he still hadn't ran into a man 763 00:45:49,719 --> 00:45:53,400 Speaker 1: until after he praised in a dark place and prison 764 00:45:53,480 --> 00:45:56,759 Speaker 1: doors were open. And maybe the reason he couldn't leave 765 00:45:57,360 --> 00:46:00,279 Speaker 1: is because that jailor looked a lot like the man 766 00:46:00,360 --> 00:46:03,520 Speaker 1: that is tall and his vision, and said, you're the 767 00:46:03,640 --> 00:46:08,759 Speaker 1: reason why I'm here. Don't you care of yourself? We 768 00:46:08,920 --> 00:46:20,319 Speaker 1: are still here. That Jaela put down his sword and 769 00:46:20,400 --> 00:46:23,840 Speaker 1: said the most powerful words perhaps written in the New Testament. 770 00:46:24,080 --> 00:46:27,239 Speaker 1: He says, sir, would you tell me what must I 771 00:46:27,360 --> 00:46:31,680 Speaker 1: do to be saved? He got saved, His whole family 772 00:46:31,840 --> 00:46:37,040 Speaker 1: got saved because Paul understood, Oh, I might be annoyed, 773 00:46:37,520 --> 00:46:40,080 Speaker 1: Can I get you the rest of my title? I'm annoyed, 774 00:46:40,400 --> 00:46:44,480 Speaker 1: but I'm a signed. I'm annoying, but I'm a sign. 775 00:46:45,000 --> 00:46:47,840 Speaker 1: I was called to you. You're the one I signed 776 00:46:48,000 --> 00:47:01,160 Speaker 1: my vision. I had to be in this trick, whole household. 777 00:47:02,120 --> 00:47:13,080 Speaker 1: God saved this jailer, Lydia and this slave girl would 778 00:47:13,080 --> 00:47:18,759 Speaker 1: be the first members of a church at Philippi. That 779 00:47:18,920 --> 00:47:23,480 Speaker 1: Paul would write a letter to later and say, I 780 00:47:23,640 --> 00:47:27,600 Speaker 1: thank God every time I think of you. That Paul 781 00:47:27,640 --> 00:47:32,960 Speaker 1: would write out of the joy remembering them because he's 782 00:47:32,960 --> 00:47:39,600 Speaker 1: looking back, going, oh yeah, how was annoyed? I didn't 783 00:47:39,640 --> 00:47:43,680 Speaker 1: like it when doors kept shutting, and I like it 784 00:47:43,719 --> 00:47:47,239 Speaker 1: when she kept getting on my nurse saying the right 785 00:47:47,280 --> 00:47:51,080 Speaker 1: thing but from the wrong spirit. I didn't like getting 786 00:47:51,120 --> 00:47:54,840 Speaker 1: beat in and whipped when I was just being obedient. 787 00:47:56,560 --> 00:48:01,799 Speaker 1: I was annoyed, But I'm a signed And when you 788 00:48:01,880 --> 00:48:07,800 Speaker 1: understand your assignment, you can stay in a motel or 789 00:48:07,800 --> 00:48:15,320 Speaker 1: a prison one night, because it is the assignment that 790 00:48:15,480 --> 00:48:22,160 Speaker 1: puts the annoyance in perspective. I don't know what's annoying 791 00:48:22,200 --> 00:48:25,759 Speaker 1: you right now, but can I tell you you're assigned, 792 00:48:27,760 --> 00:48:32,719 Speaker 1: signed to that family, sign to that job. Don't you 793 00:48:32,840 --> 00:48:38,319 Speaker 1: let that annoyance make you walk away from your assignment. 794 00:48:39,880 --> 00:48:46,120 Speaker 1: You're annoyed, but you're assigned. You buy your heads. I 795 00:48:46,160 --> 00:48:49,359 Speaker 1: want to pray for you, Father. I pray for my brother, 796 00:48:49,480 --> 00:48:55,239 Speaker 1: I pray for my sister. God, I'm not denying the annoyance. 797 00:48:57,400 --> 00:49:02,919 Speaker 1: I'm not denying the pain. God. We're not denying being 798 00:49:02,920 --> 00:49:08,839 Speaker 1: in a dark place. Lord, I thank you that You're 799 00:49:08,880 --> 00:49:12,480 Speaker 1: able to use all of the pain and the annoyances 800 00:49:13,840 --> 00:49:20,560 Speaker 1: for your divine purpose. Though the vision waits, though the 801 00:49:20,640 --> 00:49:25,640 Speaker 1: vision tearies, God will wait for it to come to pass. So, Lord, 802 00:49:25,680 --> 00:49:30,000 Speaker 1: I pray strainths over my brother, over my sister, to 803 00:49:30,080 --> 00:49:36,400 Speaker 1: look at every annoyance through the lens of their divine assignment, 804 00:49:37,880 --> 00:49:40,520 Speaker 1: knowing that He who began a good work in us 805 00:49:41,960 --> 00:49:47,239 Speaker 1: will be faithful to complete it until the day of Christ. Jesus, God, 806 00:49:47,280 --> 00:49:52,240 Speaker 1: give us strength and give us grace for the divine 807 00:49:52,280 --> 00:49:56,239 Speaker 1: assignment that you placed on all of our lives in 808 00:49:56,320 --> 00:50:04,279 Speaker 1: Jesus a mighty matchless name. Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen. God 809 00:50:04,320 --> 00:50:10,640 Speaker 1: bless you Elevants. Well. If you enjoyed today's podcast, there 810 00:50:10,640 --> 00:50:12,600 Speaker 1: are a couple of things I'd love for you to do. 811 00:50:12,719 --> 00:50:17,080 Speaker 1: Make sure to subscribe, rate, and review this podcast. You 812 00:50:17,120 --> 00:50:19,560 Speaker 1: can also help us reach others by investing today at 813 00:50:19,560 --> 00:50:23,560 Speaker 1: Elevationchurch dot org. Slash give and thanks again. For joining 814 00:50:23,640 --> 00:50:25,200 Speaker 1: us on the Elevation Podcast,