1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:07,280 Speaker 1: So incredibly honored to be home, y'all, my cousin and them, Now, 2 00:00:09,160 --> 00:00:14,480 Speaker 1: what's up, family, So so honored to be here, and 3 00:00:14,640 --> 00:00:17,520 Speaker 1: I've got a pause for the cause and just celebrate, 4 00:00:18,320 --> 00:00:21,599 Speaker 1: in my opinion, not just one of the greatest preachers 5 00:00:21,600 --> 00:00:24,360 Speaker 1: I've ever heard, but one of the greatest people I've 6 00:00:24,400 --> 00:00:29,800 Speaker 1: ever met, and that is your incredible pastor, my friend 7 00:00:29,960 --> 00:00:38,880 Speaker 1: and brother, Pastor Steven. We celebrate him and this incredible church. 8 00:00:38,960 --> 00:00:41,760 Speaker 1: And to the Dream Team, to volunteers. I've learned this 9 00:00:41,880 --> 00:00:44,000 Speaker 1: a long time ago. You don't go as far as 10 00:00:44,040 --> 00:00:47,360 Speaker 1: your dream, you go as far as your team. So 11 00:00:47,479 --> 00:00:51,960 Speaker 1: come on, let's make some major noise for dream Teams 12 00:00:51,960 --> 00:00:58,640 Speaker 1: in every location and online. Epham excited. I'm a part 13 00:00:58,640 --> 00:01:02,720 Speaker 1: of the e fam because between my services, I'm pulling 14 00:01:02,840 --> 00:01:06,919 Speaker 1: up on YouTube. But just incredibly excited to be here. 15 00:01:08,560 --> 00:01:10,800 Speaker 1: I heard y'all talk back to the preacher at this church, 16 00:01:13,800 --> 00:01:15,640 Speaker 1: so there's some on my heart I want to share. 17 00:01:15,720 --> 00:01:17,720 Speaker 1: I want to read just a couple of verses of 18 00:01:17,760 --> 00:01:23,000 Speaker 1: scripture from a story found in the Old Testament. It's 19 00:01:23,040 --> 00:01:27,959 Speaker 1: captured in a book called First Samuel. First Samuel seventeen, 20 00:01:29,440 --> 00:01:31,360 Speaker 1: and I want to read just a couple of verses 21 00:01:31,400 --> 00:01:34,840 Speaker 1: beginning at verse thirty nine, and I'm reading today from 22 00:01:34,880 --> 00:01:39,560 Speaker 1: the new International version of the Scriptures, and this is 23 00:01:39,600 --> 00:01:45,080 Speaker 1: what first Samuel seventeen, verse thirty nine says. It says 24 00:01:45,240 --> 00:01:49,400 Speaker 1: David fastened on his sword over the tunic, and he 25 00:01:49,520 --> 00:01:52,680 Speaker 1: tried walking around because he was not used to them. 26 00:01:54,000 --> 00:01:57,880 Speaker 1: I cannot go in these, he said, Tasaul, because I'm 27 00:01:57,920 --> 00:02:03,040 Speaker 1: not used to them. So he took them off. Then 28 00:02:03,840 --> 00:02:09,240 Speaker 1: he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth 29 00:02:09,400 --> 00:02:12,760 Speaker 1: stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of 30 00:02:12,960 --> 00:02:16,919 Speaker 1: his shepherd's bag, and with his sling in his hand, 31 00:02:17,720 --> 00:02:21,640 Speaker 1: he approached the philistine. I want to read verse forty 32 00:02:21,639 --> 00:02:25,480 Speaker 1: if I can one more time. Verse thirty nine inns 33 00:02:25,520 --> 00:02:28,680 Speaker 1: with saying, so he took them off. Then he took 34 00:02:29,120 --> 00:02:35,160 Speaker 1: his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from 35 00:02:35,200 --> 00:02:39,400 Speaker 1: the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd's bag, 36 00:02:39,919 --> 00:02:46,080 Speaker 1: with his sling in his hand, and approach of the philistine. 37 00:02:46,280 --> 00:02:50,640 Speaker 1: I think I'm gonna read that one more time. Verse 38 00:02:50,680 --> 00:02:59,359 Speaker 1: thirty nine says, so he took off Saul's armor, And 39 00:02:59,400 --> 00:03:01,959 Speaker 1: then verse five forty said, not only did he take 40 00:03:01,960 --> 00:03:06,040 Speaker 1: off SAAL's armor, but then he took his staff in 41 00:03:06,200 --> 00:03:09,520 Speaker 1: his hand. He chose five smooth stones from the stream, 42 00:03:09,600 --> 00:03:12,840 Speaker 1: put them in the pouch of his shepherd's bag, with 43 00:03:13,080 --> 00:03:18,360 Speaker 1: his sling in his hand, and approach the philistine. I 44 00:03:18,400 --> 00:03:20,400 Speaker 1: want to stop reading right there, and I want to 45 00:03:20,440 --> 00:03:22,840 Speaker 1: tag a title to this text. I want to talk 46 00:03:23,080 --> 00:03:27,919 Speaker 1: from this subject in our time together today. This doesn't fit, 47 00:03:30,240 --> 00:03:35,760 Speaker 1: This doesn't fit. If you're excited about God's word, let's 48 00:03:35,800 --> 00:03:44,320 Speaker 1: clap our hands wherever we are family. I want to 49 00:03:44,360 --> 00:03:47,400 Speaker 1: start this sermon with a statement. It's a statement that 50 00:03:47,480 --> 00:03:51,720 Speaker 1: I think is extremely important, yet often overlooked. And here 51 00:03:51,760 --> 00:03:57,520 Speaker 1: it is, how far you go and how much you grow? 52 00:03:58,600 --> 00:04:01,880 Speaker 1: It's not just determined and by what you believe about God. 53 00:04:03,640 --> 00:04:07,040 Speaker 1: It is equally impacted by what you believe about you. 54 00:04:09,600 --> 00:04:12,800 Speaker 1: I'm gonna say that one more time. How far you 55 00:04:12,960 --> 00:04:18,400 Speaker 1: go and how much you grow is not just determined 56 00:04:19,040 --> 00:04:23,599 Speaker 1: by what you believe about God. It is equally impacted 57 00:04:24,200 --> 00:04:28,839 Speaker 1: by what you believe about you. A sage named Solomon 58 00:04:29,080 --> 00:04:31,240 Speaker 1: framed it this way in a book of the Bible 59 00:04:31,279 --> 00:04:35,560 Speaker 1: called Proverbs. Solomon says this, as a man or woman 60 00:04:36,400 --> 00:04:42,840 Speaker 1: thinks in their heart, so is he notice now? Notice 61 00:04:43,000 --> 00:04:47,200 Speaker 1: what Solomon did not say, He did not say, as 62 00:04:47,240 --> 00:04:50,760 Speaker 1: a man, watch this or excuse me. As God thinks 63 00:04:50,800 --> 00:04:55,640 Speaker 1: about a man or a woman, so is he, he says, 64 00:04:55,680 --> 00:04:59,240 Speaker 1: as a as a man thinks in his heart, so 65 00:04:59,480 --> 00:05:02,440 Speaker 1: is he. In other words, you will always behave in 66 00:05:02,480 --> 00:05:06,400 Speaker 1: a way that is consistent with how you see yourself. 67 00:05:12,400 --> 00:05:16,200 Speaker 1: Meaning there it is possible for there to be some inconsistency, 68 00:05:16,560 --> 00:05:20,440 Speaker 1: some dissonance, a gap between what God thinks about you 69 00:05:20,880 --> 00:05:24,240 Speaker 1: and what you think about yourself. And what God is 70 00:05:24,279 --> 00:05:28,200 Speaker 1: attempting to do on our journey of spiritual growth is 71 00:05:28,240 --> 00:05:32,080 Speaker 1: aligned what He thinks about us with what we think 72 00:05:32,120 --> 00:05:35,479 Speaker 1: about ourselves, so we can behave in a way that 73 00:05:35,640 --> 00:05:39,040 Speaker 1: is consistent with what He thinks about us, and not 74 00:05:39,440 --> 00:05:43,000 Speaker 1: just what we thinks about what we think about ourselves. 75 00:05:44,080 --> 00:05:47,640 Speaker 1: And this may be the reason that God regularly and 76 00:05:47,760 --> 00:05:53,400 Speaker 1: repeatedly and consistently all throughout scripture reminds us of who 77 00:05:53,400 --> 00:05:56,880 Speaker 1: we are. When you really go from Old Testament to 78 00:05:56,960 --> 00:06:00,920 Speaker 1: New Testament, it seems a bit excessive. You will see 79 00:06:01,000 --> 00:06:10,600 Speaker 1: God regularly and repeatedly telling you who you are, salt, light, royal, chosen, peculiar, beloved, 80 00:06:10,800 --> 00:06:16,280 Speaker 1: special annointed head, not tail above only not beneath am 81 00:06:16,279 --> 00:06:19,200 Speaker 1: I'm making sense. So if I am that, why does 82 00:06:19,240 --> 00:06:22,239 Speaker 1: he have to keep telling me that? Because he knows 83 00:06:22,320 --> 00:06:26,440 Speaker 1: who I am is my truth, that's his truth, but 84 00:06:26,600 --> 00:06:31,599 Speaker 1: his truth and always my experience. So he says, that's 85 00:06:31,640 --> 00:06:35,120 Speaker 1: who you are, that's truth, that's truth, that's what I know. 86 00:06:35,480 --> 00:06:38,640 Speaker 1: But it doesn't become what you experience until you believe it. 87 00:06:42,800 --> 00:06:46,880 Speaker 1: If I'm making sense, say yes, and what I want 88 00:06:47,000 --> 00:06:49,800 Speaker 1: us to see here? When we get this revelation, it 89 00:06:49,839 --> 00:06:54,040 Speaker 1: should cause a revolution because when the enemy cannot change 90 00:06:54,520 --> 00:06:58,600 Speaker 1: what you think about God, his next step is to 91 00:06:58,640 --> 00:07:05,520 Speaker 1: try to change what you think about you. But I've 92 00:07:05,520 --> 00:07:09,680 Speaker 1: got good news elevation. I said, I've got good news elevation. 93 00:07:10,760 --> 00:07:12,720 Speaker 1: They would say it this way in the church I 94 00:07:12,720 --> 00:07:17,240 Speaker 1: grew up in. The devil is a liar. Now, no, 95 00:07:17,520 --> 00:07:19,720 Speaker 1: this is what that means. It doesn't mean he just 96 00:07:19,920 --> 00:07:23,880 Speaker 1: doesn't tell the truth. It means he can't tell the truth. 97 00:07:24,600 --> 00:07:27,840 Speaker 1: Jesus said the truth is not even in him, which 98 00:07:27,880 --> 00:07:31,760 Speaker 1: means whatever he is telling you about you can't be true. 99 00:07:32,560 --> 00:07:36,480 Speaker 1: So instead of panicking based on what he's telling you 100 00:07:36,560 --> 00:07:40,520 Speaker 1: about you, you ought to start praising based on what 101 00:07:40,600 --> 00:07:44,800 Speaker 1: he's telling you about you. Because whatever he is telling you, 102 00:07:45,240 --> 00:07:48,960 Speaker 1: the very opposite is true. And so if he's telling 103 00:07:49,000 --> 00:07:51,200 Speaker 1: you you're not gonna make it, you're getting ready to 104 00:07:51,240 --> 00:07:54,000 Speaker 1: make it. If he's telling you you not coming out, 105 00:07:54,120 --> 00:07:56,760 Speaker 1: you're getting ready to come out. If he's telling you 106 00:07:56,840 --> 00:08:00,640 Speaker 1: it's over, it's just beginning. And I know, is there 107 00:08:00,680 --> 00:08:05,680 Speaker 1: anybody online, anybody at the locations that will just pause 108 00:08:05,800 --> 00:08:10,080 Speaker 1: and give God a praise? Because the devil is a liar. 109 00:08:21,360 --> 00:08:24,040 Speaker 1: He's a liar, and one of the things he wants 110 00:08:24,080 --> 00:08:29,560 Speaker 1: to lie to us about is our identity. There's this. 111 00:08:29,640 --> 00:08:33,280 Speaker 1: Some embrace it, some don't. It's this principle of biblical interpretation. 112 00:08:33,640 --> 00:08:36,280 Speaker 1: We will call it a hermaeutic. It's called the law 113 00:08:36,320 --> 00:08:39,800 Speaker 1: first mentioned, which means that that very often, specifically in 114 00:08:39,840 --> 00:08:42,080 Speaker 1: the Book of Genesis, if you see something mentioned for 115 00:08:42,120 --> 00:08:45,360 Speaker 1: the first time, that might be a picture or a 116 00:08:45,480 --> 00:08:48,240 Speaker 1: pattern of how that thing's going to be seen throughout 117 00:08:48,240 --> 00:08:51,319 Speaker 1: the thread of scripture. And when we see the enemy's 118 00:08:51,400 --> 00:08:54,640 Speaker 1: interaction with the human species for the very first time, 119 00:08:55,040 --> 00:08:57,800 Speaker 1: what did he try to create? He tried to create 120 00:08:57,840 --> 00:09:03,480 Speaker 1: an identity crisis when he is engaged watching this. Remember so, 121 00:09:03,480 --> 00:09:05,800 Speaker 1: so whether this is literal, literal, or metaphorical, this is 122 00:09:05,800 --> 00:09:09,280 Speaker 1: what's happening in the garden. There's a snake and why 123 00:09:09,400 --> 00:09:12,800 Speaker 1: why is the snake significant in the garden. It's significant 124 00:09:12,880 --> 00:09:16,920 Speaker 1: because you wouldn't be surprised to see a snake in one, 125 00:09:18,360 --> 00:09:29,920 Speaker 1: because sometimes the devil shows up looking like he belongs. Right, 126 00:09:30,240 --> 00:09:34,840 Speaker 1: So he's he's engaging in conversation with Eve, right and 127 00:09:34,920 --> 00:09:37,240 Speaker 1: telling Adam and Eve listen, no, no no, no, it's okay, 128 00:09:37,320 --> 00:09:39,120 Speaker 1: you can you can eat that. You can eat that, 129 00:09:39,240 --> 00:09:41,040 Speaker 1: And this is what he says. He says, he says, 130 00:09:41,320 --> 00:09:46,400 Speaker 1: God knows if you eat that, you'll be like him. 131 00:09:46,600 --> 00:09:49,160 Speaker 1: That's what he said, right, God knows if you eat that, 132 00:09:49,360 --> 00:09:54,120 Speaker 1: you'll be like him. Well, you see this, this engagement 133 00:09:54,160 --> 00:09:56,480 Speaker 1: happening in Genesis three. But you go all the way 134 00:09:56,480 --> 00:10:01,720 Speaker 1: back to Genesis one, you'll see when God's having a 135 00:10:01,760 --> 00:10:08,280 Speaker 1: conversation about creation. He says, let us make man in 136 00:10:08,400 --> 00:10:14,280 Speaker 1: our image and likeness. So Satan tells Eve, god knows 137 00:10:14,280 --> 00:10:17,200 Speaker 1: if you eat that you'll be like him. But in 138 00:10:17,240 --> 00:10:20,640 Speaker 1: Genesis one, when he created Adam and Eve, he created 139 00:10:20,679 --> 00:10:24,600 Speaker 1: them in his image and likeness. They weren't God, but 140 00:10:24,640 --> 00:10:28,640 Speaker 1: they were like God in some ways. So she's trying 141 00:10:28,679 --> 00:10:34,560 Speaker 1: to become what she already is. Did you hear what 142 00:10:34,600 --> 00:10:38,160 Speaker 1: I just said? I said, she's trying to become what 143 00:10:38,320 --> 00:10:42,040 Speaker 1: she already is. Because what the enemy does is he 144 00:10:42,080 --> 00:10:45,800 Speaker 1: can't take your worth, but he can't take your awareness 145 00:10:45,840 --> 00:10:49,040 Speaker 1: of it. He can't take your value, but he can't 146 00:10:49,080 --> 00:10:52,600 Speaker 1: take your vision. He can't take your gift, but he 147 00:10:52,640 --> 00:10:56,360 Speaker 1: can't take your grit. But I just believe I just 148 00:10:56,360 --> 00:10:59,000 Speaker 1: feel something in this room and in your living room 149 00:10:59,520 --> 00:11:02,720 Speaker 1: and that every location. I believe there are some people 150 00:11:03,160 --> 00:11:05,880 Speaker 1: that are getting ready to make an exit and the 151 00:11:06,000 --> 00:11:10,120 Speaker 1: exodus out of your identity crisis. And you're gonna start 152 00:11:10,160 --> 00:11:13,760 Speaker 1: saying to yourself, I am who he says I am. 153 00:11:13,920 --> 00:11:18,160 Speaker 1: I'm blessed, not cursed. I'm the head not to tell 154 00:11:18,360 --> 00:11:22,160 Speaker 1: I'm above only not beneath. I'm not just a conqueror. 155 00:11:22,280 --> 00:11:26,280 Speaker 1: We don't just barely conquer. I'm more than a conqueror. 156 00:11:26,640 --> 00:11:30,600 Speaker 1: I don't just survive. I thrive. Who am I preaching 157 00:11:30,720 --> 00:11:41,800 Speaker 1: to today? And it's an identity crisis? And one of 158 00:11:41,840 --> 00:11:46,319 Speaker 1: the ways he orchestrates this, man, I've seen this. I've 159 00:11:46,360 --> 00:11:48,400 Speaker 1: been seeing this so much recently. One of the ways 160 00:11:48,440 --> 00:11:56,040 Speaker 1: he orchestrates this is by infecting us. Infecting us watch 161 00:11:56,080 --> 00:12:04,640 Speaker 1: this with inadequacy, can we just talk we family, y'all, 162 00:12:04,679 --> 00:12:08,439 Speaker 1: my cousin, right, Okay, So this is I want to 163 00:12:08,480 --> 00:12:14,280 Speaker 1: say this. Let's talk. The same enemy that orchestrates arrogance 164 00:12:15,320 --> 00:12:23,760 Speaker 1: is the same one that orchestrates inadequacy. But in a 165 00:12:23,800 --> 00:12:29,120 Speaker 1: lot of our religious spaces, the emphasis is on arrogance. 166 00:12:31,200 --> 00:12:37,840 Speaker 1: There is an obsession with arresting and addressing arrogance. Be humble, 167 00:12:39,720 --> 00:12:43,120 Speaker 1: humble yourself under the mighty hand of God, and due 168 00:12:43,160 --> 00:12:48,600 Speaker 1: season he will exalt you. That's important, that's necessary. It's 169 00:12:48,640 --> 00:12:54,600 Speaker 1: not incorrect. But if that's all we address, is incomplete 170 00:12:56,640 --> 00:12:59,840 Speaker 1: because in some ways the enemy is working attempting to 171 00:13:00,320 --> 00:13:04,480 Speaker 1: people to think too highly of themselves. But then in 172 00:13:04,559 --> 00:13:08,480 Speaker 1: other ways the enemy is working causing people to think 173 00:13:08,520 --> 00:13:13,160 Speaker 1: too low of themselves. And I am telling you that 174 00:13:13,480 --> 00:13:18,920 Speaker 1: watch this, that inadequacy has assassinated just as many assignments 175 00:13:19,120 --> 00:13:24,320 Speaker 1: as arrogance has. That the devil uses inadequacy just as 176 00:13:24,400 --> 00:13:27,800 Speaker 1: much as he uses arrogance. As a matter of fact, 177 00:13:28,200 --> 00:13:31,360 Speaker 1: very often, when we see people being called to do 178 00:13:31,440 --> 00:13:36,520 Speaker 1: something significant in scripture, before they accept the assignment, God 179 00:13:36,600 --> 00:13:42,480 Speaker 1: has to talk them out of inadequacy. It's all throughout scripture. See, 180 00:13:42,640 --> 00:13:45,280 Speaker 1: just because you aren't thinking low about yourself doesn't mean 181 00:13:45,280 --> 00:13:54,640 Speaker 1: you're thinking right. He called Moses. Moses responds with inadequacy. 182 00:13:55,200 --> 00:13:57,040 Speaker 1: He says, Moses, I'm gonna use you. You're gonna go 183 00:13:57,080 --> 00:13:59,240 Speaker 1: back to Pharaoh, and you're gonna be a leader. You're 184 00:13:59,280 --> 00:14:01,560 Speaker 1: gonna lead people out of a place and a space 185 00:14:01,600 --> 00:14:04,839 Speaker 1: and a state that's inconsistent with my intention for their life. 186 00:14:05,080 --> 00:14:07,400 Speaker 1: And most like, wait a minute, time out, hold up, 187 00:14:07,600 --> 00:14:12,920 Speaker 1: flagged on the play, Wait a minute. I don't you 188 00:14:12,960 --> 00:14:16,800 Speaker 1: say I'm gonna I'm gonna go before Pharaoh and speak. No, 189 00:14:16,880 --> 00:14:22,120 Speaker 1: I'm a background person, sus you're calling me to do 190 00:14:22,160 --> 00:14:26,840 Speaker 1: something that is that watch this, that's in the exact 191 00:14:27,120 --> 00:14:33,800 Speaker 1: area I feel inadequate in. He said, I'm slow a speech. 192 00:14:33,840 --> 00:14:43,760 Speaker 1: I don't do that speaking thing. Moses is like, I 193 00:14:43,800 --> 00:14:52,880 Speaker 1: can't do this without you, and God's like, exactly, that's 194 00:14:52,880 --> 00:14:56,760 Speaker 1: why I picked you, because you know you can't do 195 00:14:56,800 --> 00:14:59,640 Speaker 1: this without me, and you will never try to do 196 00:14:59,680 --> 00:15:03,680 Speaker 1: this without me. What you feel like is inadequacy, Moses, 197 00:15:03,880 --> 00:15:09,280 Speaker 1: it's actually insurance, Moses. It's insurance because now I'm insured 198 00:15:09,400 --> 00:15:12,880 Speaker 1: or assured that you're always gonna lean on me, depend 199 00:15:12,960 --> 00:15:18,000 Speaker 1: on me, trust me, look to me, consult me. He 200 00:15:18,120 --> 00:15:22,560 Speaker 1: called Moses. Moses's inadequacy responded when he called a gentleman 201 00:15:22,640 --> 00:15:26,280 Speaker 1: named Jeremiah. Jeremiah responded with inadequacy. He said, I can't 202 00:15:26,320 --> 00:15:28,680 Speaker 1: do this. I'm but a youth. I don't have the experience. 203 00:15:30,720 --> 00:15:32,760 Speaker 1: And we could take that same text and oh, Jeremiah 204 00:15:32,800 --> 00:15:35,920 Speaker 1: talks about how young he is. We could take that 205 00:15:36,040 --> 00:15:39,440 Speaker 1: text and just apply it generally to something called age 206 00:15:39,560 --> 00:15:42,480 Speaker 1: in general, and some people would say, I'm too old, 207 00:15:45,320 --> 00:15:49,520 Speaker 1: it's too late. He's calling him to do something, and 208 00:15:49,560 --> 00:15:53,520 Speaker 1: he's and Jeremiah's using his age as a limitation inadequacy. 209 00:15:54,040 --> 00:15:58,840 Speaker 1: He calls get in. Get in uses this family, he said, 210 00:15:58,840 --> 00:16:05,120 Speaker 1: do you know who my cousin is? So you have 211 00:16:05,280 --> 00:16:09,000 Speaker 1: generations of people who are waiting on them to unleash 212 00:16:09,040 --> 00:16:12,400 Speaker 1: what God put in them. And because the enemy cannot 213 00:16:12,560 --> 00:16:16,480 Speaker 1: ungift them, he arrests their ability to use their gift 214 00:16:17,160 --> 00:16:19,680 Speaker 1: by causing them not to see the value of what 215 00:16:19,800 --> 00:16:22,840 Speaker 1: God has put on the inside of them. But I 216 00:16:22,920 --> 00:16:26,080 Speaker 1: came today to be a matchmaker, and I'm not talking 217 00:16:26,080 --> 00:16:29,200 Speaker 1: about Christian mingo. I came to be a matchmaker to 218 00:16:29,240 --> 00:16:31,880 Speaker 1: hook you up, not with somebody else. But to hook 219 00:16:31,920 --> 00:16:35,200 Speaker 1: you up with you, I want to introduce you to 220 00:16:35,320 --> 00:16:39,080 Speaker 1: a you you hadn't met yet, a stronger you, a 221 00:16:39,240 --> 00:16:43,240 Speaker 1: wiser you, are more courageous you. There's some things on 222 00:16:43,360 --> 00:16:47,320 Speaker 1: the inside of you that God wants to unleash and unlock. 223 00:16:53,080 --> 00:16:57,240 Speaker 1: But he wants us to cultivate not arrogance, but confidence 224 00:16:58,520 --> 00:17:04,560 Speaker 1: in the way you've been wired and how you've been crafted. 225 00:17:06,000 --> 00:17:10,080 Speaker 1: And in my estimation, there are there is no better 226 00:17:10,280 --> 00:17:15,040 Speaker 1: example of what I'm trying to articulate than the example 227 00:17:15,119 --> 00:17:18,000 Speaker 1: that is seen in the life and in the leadership 228 00:17:18,080 --> 00:17:22,800 Speaker 1: of a dude named David. We read a brief part 229 00:17:22,840 --> 00:17:26,800 Speaker 1: of his story found in First Samuel chapter number seventeen, 230 00:17:27,200 --> 00:17:32,480 Speaker 1: but contextually his story begins in First Samuel chapter number sixteen, 231 00:17:33,000 --> 00:17:37,640 Speaker 1: when God is looking for a successor to a king 232 00:17:37,800 --> 00:17:41,399 Speaker 1: named Saul, and in First Samuel sixteen, verse one, this 233 00:17:41,680 --> 00:17:44,320 Speaker 1: is one of the most interesting parts of David's story. 234 00:17:44,520 --> 00:17:46,919 Speaker 1: This is what it says. It said the Lord said 235 00:17:47,000 --> 00:17:51,200 Speaker 1: to a civil and spiritual leader named Samuel, how long 236 00:17:52,640 --> 00:17:57,400 Speaker 1: will you mourn for Saul? Since I rejected him as 237 00:17:57,480 --> 00:18:04,439 Speaker 1: king over Israel? Samuel, how long are you going to 238 00:18:04,600 --> 00:18:15,960 Speaker 1: nurture an emotional attachment to something I'm done with. Right, 239 00:18:16,960 --> 00:18:21,800 Speaker 1: Saul represents an era of leadership in Israel. It represents 240 00:18:21,840 --> 00:18:25,480 Speaker 1: a season, an age, and so it's like God's asking, Samuel, 241 00:18:25,840 --> 00:18:31,800 Speaker 1: how long are you going to keep nurturing an emotional 242 00:18:31,880 --> 00:18:36,360 Speaker 1: attachment to a season that I'm not going to revisit. 243 00:18:41,640 --> 00:18:45,639 Speaker 1: It's like he's he's It's like you're saying, Samuel, now, 244 00:18:45,680 --> 00:18:47,919 Speaker 1: if you're going to continue to walk with me, you 245 00:18:48,040 --> 00:18:57,720 Speaker 1: have to master moving on without closure. Did you hear 246 00:18:57,760 --> 00:19:01,359 Speaker 1: what I just said? Because if you're like me, you 247 00:19:01,400 --> 00:19:05,320 Speaker 1: want closure. You want an explanation. If they hurt me, 248 00:19:05,480 --> 00:19:07,840 Speaker 1: I want to know why. I want to know what 249 00:19:07,880 --> 00:19:10,240 Speaker 1: you were thinking. And I want to know how could 250 00:19:10,280 --> 00:19:13,080 Speaker 1: you do this to me based on what I've done 251 00:19:13,080 --> 00:19:16,760 Speaker 1: to you? Right? I want closure, I want closure. I 252 00:19:16,800 --> 00:19:22,680 Speaker 1: want explanations. But watch this where where where Where trust 253 00:19:23,280 --> 00:19:30,439 Speaker 1: is present, Explanations aren't needed. God says, if you have 254 00:19:30,480 --> 00:19:33,960 Speaker 1: an explanation, you don't need trust. But you need to 255 00:19:34,000 --> 00:19:37,840 Speaker 1: trust my character and trust who I am when you 256 00:19:37,880 --> 00:19:41,520 Speaker 1: don't understand what I'm doing. And He's like, Samuel, I 257 00:19:41,600 --> 00:19:46,119 Speaker 1: know you enjoy this season with Saul, but this is 258 00:19:46,119 --> 00:19:54,000 Speaker 1: done with I'm doing something new, So I want to 259 00:19:54,040 --> 00:19:57,080 Speaker 1: know how long are you going to keep crying over this? 260 00:19:58,119 --> 00:20:10,880 Speaker 1: Because your tears don't change my will? He said, Samuel, 261 00:20:11,480 --> 00:20:14,680 Speaker 1: I need to know how long are you going to morn? 262 00:20:16,960 --> 00:20:21,600 Speaker 1: And the reason is, Samuel, as soon as you start 263 00:20:21,760 --> 00:20:26,439 Speaker 1: stop talking about what was, I can start talking about 264 00:20:27,080 --> 00:20:33,000 Speaker 1: what is, Samuel. As soon as you start stop talking 265 00:20:33,000 --> 00:20:36,040 Speaker 1: about what you used to have, I can start talking 266 00:20:36,040 --> 00:20:39,560 Speaker 1: to you about what you're getting ready to have. As 267 00:20:39,560 --> 00:20:42,679 Speaker 1: soon as you stop talking about how it used to be, 268 00:20:43,480 --> 00:20:46,439 Speaker 1: I can start talking to you about how it's getting 269 00:20:46,480 --> 00:20:50,960 Speaker 1: ready to be. Because the ladder is going to be 270 00:20:51,160 --> 00:20:55,240 Speaker 1: greater than the flower. Let me just contemporize it. The 271 00:20:55,280 --> 00:20:59,800 Speaker 1: best is not behind me, The best is in front 272 00:20:59,800 --> 00:21:03,280 Speaker 1: of me. And God is saying I will never take 273 00:21:03,359 --> 00:21:07,800 Speaker 1: something from you and give you something inferior in exchange. 274 00:21:08,280 --> 00:21:11,200 Speaker 1: So if I took something you liked, I'm getting ready 275 00:21:11,200 --> 00:21:16,639 Speaker 1: to give you something you lost. Somebody praised God in 276 00:21:16,720 --> 00:21:27,919 Speaker 1: this room, in your living room, in every room, y'all. Okay, 277 00:21:27,960 --> 00:21:32,680 Speaker 1: I'm almost done. Okay, here it is. He says, how 278 00:21:32,720 --> 00:21:36,680 Speaker 1: long verse thirteen, Verse one, How long will you mourn? Oversaw? 279 00:21:36,880 --> 00:21:40,800 Speaker 1: Since I've rejected rejected him as king over Israel. Then 280 00:21:40,840 --> 00:21:44,800 Speaker 1: he says this fill your horn with oil and be 281 00:21:44,960 --> 00:21:50,439 Speaker 1: on your way. I'm sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. 282 00:21:51,359 --> 00:21:55,480 Speaker 1: Watch what he says, fill your horn with oil, because 283 00:21:55,520 --> 00:21:58,080 Speaker 1: I'm getting ready to send you to the right place 284 00:21:58,359 --> 00:22:11,000 Speaker 1: to pour it. He's saying, your oil doesn't belong there anymore. See, 285 00:22:11,000 --> 00:22:14,840 Speaker 1: you're trying to pour your oil on someone who no 286 00:22:14,920 --> 00:22:21,080 Speaker 1: longer values it, no longer wants it, no longer respects it. See, 287 00:22:21,119 --> 00:22:24,479 Speaker 1: your oil can represent your ability. The biblical word here 288 00:22:24,560 --> 00:22:28,119 Speaker 1: is annaying, right, that's what it represents. And he says, listen, 289 00:22:28,520 --> 00:22:31,520 Speaker 1: I don't want you to watch this. I don't want 290 00:22:31,560 --> 00:22:35,000 Speaker 1: you to waste the oil that I've given you, So 291 00:22:35,160 --> 00:22:38,280 Speaker 1: I'm gonna give you direction on how to use it 292 00:22:38,520 --> 00:22:41,119 Speaker 1: in this season. I want to tell some of you 293 00:22:41,560 --> 00:22:44,960 Speaker 1: nothing's wrong with your oil. You've just been pouring it 294 00:22:45,000 --> 00:22:54,879 Speaker 1: in the wrong places. So Samuel obeys it. He goes down. 295 00:22:55,119 --> 00:22:59,480 Speaker 1: He goes to Jesse's house. He said, Jesse, do you 296 00:22:59,520 --> 00:23:06,639 Speaker 1: have any you're ridden? He said, yeah, I got, I 297 00:23:06,680 --> 00:23:10,080 Speaker 1: got seven sons. And he called. He said, call the 298 00:23:10,160 --> 00:23:13,040 Speaker 1: sons because the next king, Jesse is in your house. 299 00:23:13,280 --> 00:23:16,320 Speaker 1: He say for real. He said, yeah, for real, for real? 300 00:23:17,800 --> 00:23:20,480 Speaker 1: He said yeah. So he calls his sons and the 301 00:23:20,520 --> 00:23:28,800 Speaker 1: first one walks up. His name is Iliab. He's swaggy. 302 00:23:29,760 --> 00:23:34,120 Speaker 1: The Bible talks about his appearance and his vibe and 303 00:23:34,160 --> 00:23:38,040 Speaker 1: his aura. He looks like what you think a king 304 00:23:38,119 --> 00:23:43,320 Speaker 1: would look like. And Samuel looks at Iliab and say, 305 00:23:43,359 --> 00:23:49,080 Speaker 1: this is surely this is the Lord's annoying. And God 306 00:23:49,240 --> 00:23:53,400 Speaker 1: has to correct Samuel. He's a judge. He has what's 307 00:23:53,440 --> 00:23:55,800 Speaker 1: called prophetic gifting. He's able to see things that were 308 00:23:55,840 --> 00:24:05,600 Speaker 1: called seers, and the seer couldn't see. His attachment to 309 00:24:05,680 --> 00:24:12,600 Speaker 1: the past was affecting his discernment in the future because 310 00:24:12,680 --> 00:24:21,040 Speaker 1: ili Ab kind of looked like Saul. The Bible describes 311 00:24:21,119 --> 00:24:25,119 Speaker 1: Saul that way. So his attachment to the past was 312 00:24:25,160 --> 00:24:29,119 Speaker 1: affecting his discernment in the present. And God has to 313 00:24:29,160 --> 00:24:32,480 Speaker 1: tell Samuel and remind him we don't use the same 314 00:24:32,600 --> 00:24:38,160 Speaker 1: criteria when it comes to picking kings. He says, man 315 00:24:38,240 --> 00:24:41,680 Speaker 1: looks at the outward appearance, but I look at the heart. 316 00:24:42,840 --> 00:24:47,760 Speaker 1: There's heart criteria that I'm looking for to determine who 317 00:24:47,760 --> 00:24:50,359 Speaker 1: I'm going to use. So he says, Iliab isn't it. 318 00:24:51,680 --> 00:24:56,719 Speaker 1: So another son comes, he's not it. Another son comes, 319 00:24:57,320 --> 00:25:02,800 Speaker 1: he's not it. Seven sons come to Samuel, and God's 320 00:25:02,880 --> 00:25:09,879 Speaker 1: like no, no, no, no, no, no, no seven. And 321 00:25:09,960 --> 00:25:13,280 Speaker 1: Samuel's confused, so he says to Jesse, he says, are 322 00:25:13,320 --> 00:25:19,840 Speaker 1: these all your sons? He says, yeah, I got one more. 323 00:25:19,880 --> 00:25:26,919 Speaker 1: But I know he's not the one. Samuel said, you 324 00:25:27,000 --> 00:25:32,480 Speaker 1: got one more? Call him. We won't sit down until 325 00:25:32,480 --> 00:25:37,359 Speaker 1: he gets here. And the Bible says, here comes David, 326 00:25:38,960 --> 00:25:42,680 Speaker 1: and God says to Samuel, that's the one. Now wait 327 00:25:42,720 --> 00:25:47,520 Speaker 1: a minute, I want you to catch this. Seven people 328 00:25:49,960 --> 00:26:01,320 Speaker 1: got to Samuel before David. Seven people got to the 329 00:26:01,359 --> 00:26:10,479 Speaker 1: opportunity before David. Seven people got to the door before David. 330 00:26:11,320 --> 00:26:18,520 Speaker 1: Let's contemporarize it. Seven people met Samuel before David. Seven 331 00:26:18,600 --> 00:26:29,240 Speaker 1: people applied before David. But God held it in place 332 00:26:30,480 --> 00:26:34,720 Speaker 1: until David got there. Because when God has something for you, 333 00:26:35,760 --> 00:26:41,640 Speaker 1: it doesn't matter who gets there first. They can see 334 00:26:41,640 --> 00:26:45,240 Speaker 1: it first, they can apply first, they can call first. 335 00:26:45,320 --> 00:26:48,040 Speaker 1: But if your name is on it and God has 336 00:26:48,119 --> 00:26:52,080 Speaker 1: assigned you to it, what God has for you is 337 00:26:52,280 --> 00:27:09,080 Speaker 1: for you. Notice what the text says for Samuel sixteen thirteen. 338 00:27:09,320 --> 00:27:13,439 Speaker 1: It says, so Samuel took the horn of oil and 339 00:27:13,600 --> 00:27:15,960 Speaker 1: anointed him. Now I don't know. I love the Bible. 340 00:27:15,960 --> 00:27:17,960 Speaker 1: I read the Bible. I try to read it objectively 341 00:27:18,000 --> 00:27:20,040 Speaker 1: as I can. This seem a little petty to me. 342 00:27:20,119 --> 00:27:22,879 Speaker 1: I love it. I love it, though it's the pettiness 343 00:27:22,880 --> 00:27:25,240 Speaker 1: for me, I just I love it. Here it is, 344 00:27:25,600 --> 00:27:28,119 Speaker 1: he says, So Samuel took the horn of oil and 345 00:27:28,240 --> 00:27:31,320 Speaker 1: anointed him. Listen to what the writer says, in the 346 00:27:31,359 --> 00:27:34,840 Speaker 1: presence of his brothers. I don't see the necessity of 347 00:27:34,880 --> 00:27:38,359 Speaker 1: that detail. I don't see how that's relevant to the story. 348 00:27:38,840 --> 00:27:41,280 Speaker 1: It feels a little petty to me. But I'm here 349 00:27:41,320 --> 00:27:43,840 Speaker 1: for it. I'm here for it all. He says. He 350 00:27:43,880 --> 00:27:46,879 Speaker 1: anointed him in the presence of his brothers. So the 351 00:27:47,040 --> 00:27:51,919 Speaker 1: same people that did not think enough of him to 352 00:27:52,080 --> 00:27:57,200 Speaker 1: even invite him to meet Samuel are the same people 353 00:27:57,840 --> 00:28:02,080 Speaker 1: that have to sit there and watch him get what 354 00:28:02,200 --> 00:28:14,040 Speaker 1: they didn't think he'd deserted. And I think this is 355 00:28:14,080 --> 00:28:18,960 Speaker 1: a powerful picture of divine retribution, or what the apostle 356 00:28:19,040 --> 00:28:24,760 Speaker 1: Paul calls vengeance. See, vengeance is not God inflicting harm 357 00:28:24,880 --> 00:28:29,639 Speaker 1: on your enemies. Vengeance is God empowering you to succeed 358 00:28:30,400 --> 00:28:33,879 Speaker 1: in spite of what your enemies did, and then putting 359 00:28:33,880 --> 00:28:37,960 Speaker 1: your enemies in close proximity, and their punishment is to 360 00:28:38,120 --> 00:28:45,680 Speaker 1: watch you win. I want somebody online, somebody in every location, 361 00:28:46,520 --> 00:28:49,320 Speaker 1: to give God praise because he's about to punish your 362 00:28:49,480 --> 00:29:00,360 Speaker 1: enemies by making them what you win. Now, I want 363 00:29:00,360 --> 00:29:05,360 Speaker 1: to tell somebody they watching. They're not commenting under the post, 364 00:29:05,440 --> 00:29:09,440 Speaker 1: but they're watching. They're not pressing that light button, but 365 00:29:09,480 --> 00:29:28,160 Speaker 1: they're watching. They're seeing everything God's doing in your life. 366 00:29:29,360 --> 00:29:34,360 Speaker 1: Here this from I want to see. It's here. None 367 00:29:34,360 --> 00:29:36,640 Speaker 1: even President's brothers. That's not all it says. And from 368 00:29:36,680 --> 00:29:40,760 Speaker 1: that day on, the spirit of the Lord came powerfully 369 00:29:41,080 --> 00:29:44,680 Speaker 1: on David. You gotta see that. So it says, from 370 00:29:44,720 --> 00:29:48,560 Speaker 1: that day on, the spirit of the Lord came powerfully 371 00:29:49,040 --> 00:29:52,720 Speaker 1: on David. From that day on, spirit of the Lord 372 00:29:52,760 --> 00:29:55,400 Speaker 1: came palp up David. Okay, but then this was this 373 00:29:55,440 --> 00:29:59,120 Speaker 1: said this confusing to me. It says Samuel then went 374 00:29:59,200 --> 00:30:05,080 Speaker 1: to rama. This is the one point in the sermon. 375 00:30:05,440 --> 00:30:10,360 Speaker 1: I'm okay. If you confused, I want you to be 376 00:30:10,400 --> 00:30:13,520 Speaker 1: confused right now because this is I want you to 377 00:30:13,520 --> 00:30:24,480 Speaker 1: picture this. Let's use imagery. Here. David is sitting outside greasy. 378 00:30:26,880 --> 00:30:34,920 Speaker 1: He's just greasy, just allly everywhere greasy, right, Daddy, hugging him. 379 00:30:34,960 --> 00:30:39,800 Speaker 1: You're gonna be king. I'm so proud of you. Samuel 380 00:30:40,280 --> 00:30:42,600 Speaker 1: puts all this all on his head, has him greasy. 381 00:30:42,760 --> 00:30:47,320 Speaker 1: Then leave now, you're not just about to greeze me 382 00:30:47,440 --> 00:30:57,360 Speaker 1: up and leave me. If I'm David, I'm like I'm 383 00:30:57,400 --> 00:31:01,880 Speaker 1: the next king, right, Yes, you got all this oil 384 00:31:01,960 --> 00:31:09,640 Speaker 1: on me. Yes, I'm sitting here cooking into crisco. Right, 385 00:31:10,680 --> 00:31:14,200 Speaker 1: So so you're leaving? So what you know? You're gonna 386 00:31:14,200 --> 00:31:16,320 Speaker 1: send the uber. You're gonna send the chariot uber back 387 00:31:16,360 --> 00:31:22,160 Speaker 1: to get me because I'm annoying it to be king, 388 00:31:24,160 --> 00:31:28,320 Speaker 1: my annoying has changed the spirit of the Lord came 389 00:31:28,360 --> 00:31:31,160 Speaker 1: up on them that day powerfully. My ability has changed, 390 00:31:32,080 --> 00:31:39,760 Speaker 1: but my responsibility Hadn't you mean you annoyed? You mean 391 00:31:39,760 --> 00:31:43,920 Speaker 1: you annoyted me for something I'm not about to do yet. 392 00:31:48,840 --> 00:31:53,960 Speaker 1: Have you ever felt like your oil is greater than 393 00:31:53,960 --> 00:31:59,120 Speaker 1: your assignment? Have you ever felt like your ability it's 394 00:31:59,160 --> 00:32:02,760 Speaker 1: greater than your risk responsibility? You like? How am I 395 00:32:02,800 --> 00:32:08,600 Speaker 1: sitting here this greasy and have to go right back 396 00:32:08,640 --> 00:32:14,120 Speaker 1: to tending to my father's sheep? Because all of us 397 00:32:14,280 --> 00:32:20,640 Speaker 1: go through seasons where our ability and our responsibility don't match. 398 00:32:22,240 --> 00:32:28,000 Speaker 1: That's not listen to me. That is not punishment. That's purposeful. 399 00:32:29,280 --> 00:32:32,360 Speaker 1: It's what I call the God gap, and it's a 400 00:32:32,400 --> 00:32:35,440 Speaker 1: gift to you, he says, because what I need to 401 00:32:35,520 --> 00:32:38,560 Speaker 1: do is I need to use this length of time 402 00:32:38,600 --> 00:32:43,160 Speaker 1: where your ability and responsibility don't match to do some development, 403 00:32:43,680 --> 00:32:47,520 Speaker 1: not just on what you can do, but development on 404 00:32:47,720 --> 00:32:51,240 Speaker 1: who you are. Because when you get to the palace, 405 00:32:51,400 --> 00:32:54,479 Speaker 1: there's more than a throne waiting on you. There's a 406 00:32:54,600 --> 00:33:00,600 Speaker 1: jealous ex king Saul. So I need to develop the 407 00:33:00,720 --> 00:33:03,920 Speaker 1: character in you, David, so that when you get to 408 00:33:04,240 --> 00:33:07,880 Speaker 1: where I'm taking you, you have the character to handle 409 00:33:08,160 --> 00:33:10,440 Speaker 1: what's about to happen to you. Because I know you, 410 00:33:11,200 --> 00:33:14,640 Speaker 1: and I know you, and I know you defeated a 411 00:33:14,720 --> 00:33:17,160 Speaker 1: lion and a bear with your bad hands. I know you, 412 00:33:17,480 --> 00:33:19,120 Speaker 1: and I know if I don't deal with you. When 413 00:33:19,120 --> 00:33:23,400 Speaker 1: Saul throw that first spear, you throwing one back. Let 414 00:33:23,440 --> 00:33:27,760 Speaker 1: me see who's going to be honest at elevation, he says. 415 00:33:27,800 --> 00:33:30,520 Speaker 1: He said, you're gonna get okay, Saul, I respect you 416 00:33:30,560 --> 00:33:33,080 Speaker 1: and everything, but we we got one more time to 417 00:33:33,160 --> 00:33:40,400 Speaker 1: throw a spear. It's the God gap, he says. It's 418 00:33:40,880 --> 00:33:43,640 Speaker 1: the time I use to get you ready for what 419 00:33:43,680 --> 00:33:48,960 Speaker 1: you're ready for, but you're not ready for You're ready 420 00:33:49,000 --> 00:33:50,480 Speaker 1: for it, like I'm ready, he says, but you're not 421 00:33:50,520 --> 00:33:53,760 Speaker 1: ready for it because there's a backside to this. There's 422 00:33:53,760 --> 00:33:57,000 Speaker 1: a front side to the blessing, that's the promotion. There's 423 00:33:57,040 --> 00:34:00,560 Speaker 1: a backside to it, that's the pressure. And he says, 424 00:34:00,600 --> 00:34:02,920 Speaker 1: I'm gonna use the gap to You're ready for the 425 00:34:02,920 --> 00:34:04,560 Speaker 1: front side, but I need the gap to prepare you 426 00:34:04,600 --> 00:34:10,279 Speaker 1: for the backside, because when you get to destiny underdeveloped, 427 00:34:10,280 --> 00:34:13,000 Speaker 1: what should feel like a blessing starts feeling like a curse. 428 00:34:18,239 --> 00:34:24,120 Speaker 1: And so God, God uses it's just a supernaturally like 429 00:34:24,280 --> 00:34:27,360 Speaker 1: arrange his circumstances to get David in the palace and 430 00:34:27,480 --> 00:34:30,919 Speaker 1: actually gets in the palace by working for Saul as 431 00:34:30,920 --> 00:34:34,359 Speaker 1: a musician, and Saul loves David so much he moves 432 00:34:34,400 --> 00:34:36,880 Speaker 1: in from musician to what's called an armor bearer, a 433 00:34:36,920 --> 00:34:39,759 Speaker 1: person who would literally bear and carry and take care 434 00:34:39,800 --> 00:34:43,160 Speaker 1: of the king's armor. And David would work for Saul 435 00:34:43,480 --> 00:34:46,399 Speaker 1: and then go back home and tend to his father's sheep. 436 00:34:46,600 --> 00:34:49,560 Speaker 1: So no matter what happened outside his father's house, he 437 00:34:49,719 --> 00:34:52,919 Speaker 1: was still faithful to the father's house. God blessed him 438 00:34:53,239 --> 00:34:56,239 Speaker 1: outside the father's house. But he's still faithful to the 439 00:34:56,280 --> 00:34:59,480 Speaker 1: father's house because he recognized I got found in the 440 00:34:59,520 --> 00:35:02,640 Speaker 1: father's house and and he so he goes back to 441 00:35:02,680 --> 00:35:04,680 Speaker 1: the father's house and one day he's getting ready to 442 00:35:04,719 --> 00:35:06,920 Speaker 1: go to work, and his dad tells him, take this 443 00:35:07,040 --> 00:35:09,279 Speaker 1: food to your brothers who are on the who are 444 00:35:09,280 --> 00:35:11,440 Speaker 1: in the military when you go back to work. So 445 00:35:11,600 --> 00:35:16,640 Speaker 1: David is taking this brother's food. And while he's taking 446 00:35:16,680 --> 00:35:19,280 Speaker 1: his brother's food before he gets ready to go to work, 447 00:35:19,719 --> 00:35:23,799 Speaker 1: he hears this nose this talking. He said, what is that? 448 00:35:25,960 --> 00:35:31,560 Speaker 1: And it's this philistine giant named Goliath who's just insulting Israel. 449 00:35:33,560 --> 00:35:39,840 Speaker 1: And David's dropping off the ham sandwiches. He say, David 450 00:35:39,840 --> 00:35:44,960 Speaker 1: start looking around. He say, uh, y'all, don't hear that? 451 00:35:49,160 --> 00:35:53,840 Speaker 1: Nobody has a problem with that. Why are we just 452 00:35:54,000 --> 00:35:57,520 Speaker 1: letting him talk to us like that? This is what 453 00:35:57,600 --> 00:36:04,000 Speaker 1: I call unique agitation. That God not only gives us anointings, 454 00:36:04,200 --> 00:36:08,319 Speaker 1: he gives us customized agitations. That you and I can 455 00:36:08,360 --> 00:36:10,360 Speaker 1: walk in the same room and you can see something 456 00:36:10,360 --> 00:36:12,920 Speaker 1: and it bothers you, and it not bothered me. Because 457 00:36:12,960 --> 00:36:16,040 Speaker 1: the problems that bother you the most are the problems 458 00:36:16,040 --> 00:36:18,280 Speaker 1: that you're being created to solve. Purpose is an answer 459 00:36:18,320 --> 00:36:21,719 Speaker 1: to a problem. And so did you hear what I 460 00:36:21,800 --> 00:36:24,160 Speaker 1: just said? So God has to give you an agitation 461 00:36:24,400 --> 00:36:27,040 Speaker 1: for the thing that you've been called to do something about. 462 00:36:27,239 --> 00:36:30,040 Speaker 1: And the reason other people could live with what Goliath 463 00:36:30,160 --> 00:36:33,240 Speaker 1: was doing is because they weren't born to take him out. 464 00:36:33,680 --> 00:36:36,719 Speaker 1: And there are some golias that exists in our communities, 465 00:36:36,960 --> 00:36:40,600 Speaker 1: that exist in culture that you've been called to address 466 00:36:40,920 --> 00:36:47,000 Speaker 1: and dress. And God gives you a unique agitation for 467 00:36:47,080 --> 00:36:52,959 Speaker 1: the whose things? They say, who is this? It's feel 468 00:36:53,080 --> 00:36:58,320 Speaker 1: estate who dares to defy the armies of the living God. 469 00:37:00,080 --> 00:37:06,279 Speaker 1: He said, y'all scared? I'm not scared. Word gets back 470 00:37:06,320 --> 00:37:10,400 Speaker 1: to the king that David was in a fight. The 471 00:37:10,520 --> 00:37:14,680 Speaker 1: King tries to talk David out of it, and David 472 00:37:14,760 --> 00:37:18,640 Speaker 1: convinces the king. So the King says, all right, you're 473 00:37:18,640 --> 00:37:23,400 Speaker 1: ready fight to life. This is no problem. Take my armor. 474 00:37:25,880 --> 00:37:29,960 Speaker 1: This is the best in the land. I want you 475 00:37:30,000 --> 00:37:35,680 Speaker 1: to wear this. Take my sword. It's the best sword available. 476 00:37:36,360 --> 00:37:39,839 Speaker 1: I want you to use this. It's the King's army, 477 00:37:41,120 --> 00:37:47,200 Speaker 1: it's the best. It was probably battle tested, it was 478 00:37:47,280 --> 00:37:53,440 Speaker 1: probably something that was successful for Saul. Are you following me? Elevation. 479 00:37:54,640 --> 00:38:00,200 Speaker 1: But just because it worked for Saul doesn't mean it 480 00:38:00,239 --> 00:38:07,279 Speaker 1: fit David. So in order for David to accomplish his assignment, 481 00:38:07,800 --> 00:38:13,640 Speaker 1: David had to recognize what doesn't fit him. Can you 482 00:38:13,760 --> 00:38:17,359 Speaker 1: imagine the tension he's dealing with with a king that 483 00:38:17,400 --> 00:38:22,120 Speaker 1: he respects so much and honors and loves, and he 484 00:38:22,200 --> 00:38:24,960 Speaker 1: has to tell a king. I know that's the way 485 00:38:25,040 --> 00:38:28,560 Speaker 1: culture does it. I know that's the way everybody says 486 00:38:28,600 --> 00:38:31,320 Speaker 1: it has to be done, and I know many people 487 00:38:31,360 --> 00:38:34,319 Speaker 1: have done it that way and been successful, But that 488 00:38:34,520 --> 00:38:38,200 Speaker 1: is not the way God wired me. And I am 489 00:38:38,280 --> 00:38:42,080 Speaker 1: telling you. One of David's most courageous acts wasn't just 490 00:38:42,120 --> 00:38:46,600 Speaker 1: fighting Goliath. One of David's most courageous acts was rejecting 491 00:38:46,640 --> 00:38:52,080 Speaker 1: that armor, because it took courage for David to say, 492 00:38:52,320 --> 00:38:55,200 Speaker 1: everybody uses a sword, but I'm gonna use a rock 493 00:38:56,880 --> 00:39:01,359 Speaker 1: because my rock will work if I work it right. 494 00:39:02,080 --> 00:39:07,440 Speaker 1: And the Bible says that David goes out against that philistine, 495 00:39:07,840 --> 00:39:11,360 Speaker 1: and that philistine is thinking he's about y'all excuse me. 496 00:39:11,440 --> 00:39:14,400 Speaker 1: I grew up watching wrestling, not this new wrestling. I 497 00:39:14,440 --> 00:39:18,920 Speaker 1: grew up watching real wrestling, that old school wrestling. The 498 00:39:19,040 --> 00:39:23,440 Speaker 1: Hulk Hogan Wrestling, the Ultimate Warrior Wrestling. I'm about to 499 00:39:23,480 --> 00:39:25,200 Speaker 1: date some of y'all's. It's too old for some of y'all. 500 00:39:25,200 --> 00:39:30,640 Speaker 1: The junk Yard Dog, Okay, okay, the Superfly, Jimmy Snooker. 501 00:39:30,680 --> 00:39:34,120 Speaker 1: I'm talking about the role warriors wrestlings, right, And so 502 00:39:34,200 --> 00:39:36,680 Speaker 1: I can imagine Goliath thinking I'm about to put him 503 00:39:36,680 --> 00:39:39,920 Speaker 1: in a headlock. I'm about to I'm about to do 504 00:39:40,000 --> 00:39:43,920 Speaker 1: him like Jake the Snake Robert. But he doesn't watch this, 505 00:39:44,160 --> 00:39:49,280 Speaker 1: He doesn't realize. Goliath doesn't realize his advantages only work 506 00:39:49,760 --> 00:39:56,440 Speaker 1: in close. Comebat, that your sword only works in close. Comebat, 507 00:39:57,320 --> 00:40:01,400 Speaker 1: that your strength only works in close. Comeback, that the 508 00:40:01,440 --> 00:40:06,360 Speaker 1: spear only works at a distance. So what some people 509 00:40:06,480 --> 00:40:12,279 Speaker 1: saw in David as a disadvantage was actually his advantage. 510 00:40:13,000 --> 00:40:17,840 Speaker 1: The thing most people would have had inadequacy about is 511 00:40:17,880 --> 00:40:22,080 Speaker 1: the thing that made him uniquely capable of taking out Goliath, 512 00:40:22,719 --> 00:40:25,160 Speaker 1: because no one probably could have got him with hand 513 00:40:25,200 --> 00:40:28,359 Speaker 1: to hand combat. But David didn't fight him close up. 514 00:40:29,360 --> 00:40:32,919 Speaker 1: David fought him at a distance because of your rock 515 00:40:33,600 --> 00:40:38,680 Speaker 1: has been designed to work against the giant. You've been 516 00:40:38,760 --> 00:40:43,680 Speaker 1: called to knock down. And if you don't use your 517 00:40:43,800 --> 00:40:48,239 Speaker 1: rock you lose your advantage. I want to tell you 518 00:40:48,239 --> 00:40:51,399 Speaker 1: you must be willing to live through a season where 519 00:40:51,440 --> 00:40:54,520 Speaker 1: you feel weird so God can push you in a 520 00:40:54,560 --> 00:40:59,040 Speaker 1: season where you feel relevant. The same thing that makes 521 00:40:59,080 --> 00:41:02,359 Speaker 1: you feel small in one season, it's the same thing 522 00:41:02,480 --> 00:41:06,080 Speaker 1: God will use to enable you to do something big 523 00:41:06,239 --> 00:41:09,400 Speaker 1: in another. And I just came to tell my cousin 524 00:41:09,880 --> 00:41:14,440 Speaker 1: and my friends and my family at Elevation, your rock works. 525 00:41:15,200 --> 00:41:19,960 Speaker 1: And don't you allow anybody, any enemy or the inner 526 00:41:20,080 --> 00:41:23,879 Speaker 1: you to talk you out of using what God has 527 00:41:24,000 --> 00:41:28,000 Speaker 1: given you. You stir up the gift of God on 528 00:41:28,120 --> 00:41:34,040 Speaker 1: the inside of you, and you will knock your giant 529 00:41:34,400 --> 00:41:42,680 Speaker 1: down because of your rock works. Your rock works, your 530 00:41:42,800 --> 00:41:59,040 Speaker 1: rock works. I'm done. I came for people today like 531 00:41:59,160 --> 00:42:09,080 Speaker 1: me who for most of my life didn't quite feel 532 00:42:10,280 --> 00:42:20,160 Speaker 1: like I ever quite fit in anywhere. Came for people 533 00:42:20,239 --> 00:42:26,760 Speaker 1: like me who felt like I wondered was there something 534 00:42:26,840 --> 00:42:34,880 Speaker 1: wrong with me because I felt so weird. Came for 535 00:42:34,960 --> 00:42:39,480 Speaker 1: people like me who wrestled with inadequacy, and inadequacy is 536 00:42:39,520 --> 00:42:42,360 Speaker 1: an inside job. I got a bunch of degrees I 537 00:42:42,440 --> 00:42:50,960 Speaker 1: feel like a thermometer, but none of them made me 538 00:42:51,000 --> 00:43:02,359 Speaker 1: feel any better about me. Just felt different, felt weird. 539 00:43:04,920 --> 00:43:07,120 Speaker 1: Even when I got called to ministry, I learned something. 540 00:43:07,400 --> 00:43:14,080 Speaker 1: Your calling is not your healing. And I saw the 541 00:43:14,080 --> 00:43:17,120 Speaker 1: way other people were approaching pastoral ministry and I was like, 542 00:43:18,160 --> 00:43:22,359 Speaker 1: that's so amazing and it's working. I can't wear that 543 00:43:22,480 --> 00:43:28,520 Speaker 1: though it doesn't fit. I gotta lead, but I gotta write, 544 00:43:29,840 --> 00:43:35,080 Speaker 1: and I gotta lead, but I gotta teach. And I 545 00:43:35,120 --> 00:43:40,920 Speaker 1: felt so weird until I got to a season where 546 00:43:41,000 --> 00:43:45,120 Speaker 1: God began to show me that what makes you feel 547 00:43:45,160 --> 00:43:49,640 Speaker 1: weird in one season is what makes you relevant in another. 548 00:43:51,880 --> 00:44:03,160 Speaker 1: You aren't weird. You're right because difference makers are different. 549 00:44:06,960 --> 00:44:12,880 Speaker 1: So today I'm challenging you. I'm challenging us to embrace 550 00:44:15,000 --> 00:44:22,800 Speaker 1: your unique design. I'm telling you that there are people 551 00:44:23,040 --> 00:44:28,560 Speaker 1: depending on you to be you and use your rock, 552 00:44:33,480 --> 00:44:38,440 Speaker 1: and I'm getting ready to pray for you that God. 553 00:44:38,960 --> 00:44:40,640 Speaker 1: You know, we talk about miracles, but I think some 554 00:44:40,680 --> 00:44:46,399 Speaker 1: of the most significant miracles are emotional ones. Is when 555 00:44:46,440 --> 00:44:53,279 Speaker 1: God does something in my heart in a unique and 556 00:44:53,800 --> 00:44:58,640 Speaker 1: accelerated way. They're calling me epiphanies and culture a light bulb. 557 00:45:00,400 --> 00:45:04,440 Speaker 1: I'm praying for that because your problem in this season, 558 00:45:05,400 --> 00:45:08,280 Speaker 1: because I've been there. It's not that you aren't seeing 559 00:45:08,280 --> 00:45:15,920 Speaker 1: God right, it's you're seeing you wrong. Number thirteen. We 560 00:45:15,920 --> 00:45:21,280 Speaker 1: were like grasshoppers in our own eyes. You're not losing 561 00:45:21,280 --> 00:45:24,000 Speaker 1: to the giant out there. You're losing to the grasshopper 562 00:45:24,040 --> 00:45:30,240 Speaker 1: in here because you're grasshopper. It's bigger than your giant. 563 00:45:33,280 --> 00:45:36,400 Speaker 1: So I want to pray for you for a miracle 564 00:45:36,440 --> 00:45:44,600 Speaker 1: in our hearts. So Father, in this room, online, at 565 00:45:44,600 --> 00:45:54,440 Speaker 1: every location, I pray for spiritual epiphanies. You did it 566 00:45:54,480 --> 00:45:58,239 Speaker 1: for Gideon, you did it for Jeremiah, you did it 567 00:45:58,280 --> 00:46:02,160 Speaker 1: for Moses. I pray that you do it for us. 568 00:46:04,360 --> 00:46:06,560 Speaker 1: That you give us the courage not to wear what 569 00:46:06,680 --> 00:46:13,160 Speaker 1: doesn't fit us, but to be uniquely who you've called 570 00:46:13,239 --> 00:46:18,040 Speaker 1: us to be, and to do what you've called us 571 00:46:18,120 --> 00:46:20,279 Speaker 1: to do the way you've called us to do it. 572 00:46:20,440 --> 00:46:26,720 Speaker 1: May our eyes be open to see us as you do. Lord, 573 00:46:26,880 --> 00:46:32,600 Speaker 1: open our eyes. This is my prayer for your people, 574 00:46:33,880 --> 00:46:36,200 Speaker 1: and as we see ourselves correctly. May it be said 575 00:46:36,200 --> 00:46:37,959 Speaker 1: of us as it was said of the early Church. 576 00:46:38,080 --> 00:46:42,800 Speaker 1: These are they that have turned the world upside down 577 00:46:43,440 --> 00:46:52,560 Speaker 1: in Jesus' name. Amen. Well, if you enjoyed today's podcast, 578 00:46:52,600 --> 00:46:54,680 Speaker 1: there are a couple things I'd love for you to do. 579 00:46:54,800 --> 00:46:59,120 Speaker 1: Make sure to subscribe, rate, and review this podcast. You 580 00:46:59,160 --> 00:47:01,600 Speaker 1: can also help us teach others by investing today at 581 00:47:01,640 --> 00:47:05,239 Speaker 1: Elevation Church dot org, slash give and thanks again for 582 00:47:05,320 --> 00:47:07,279 Speaker 1: joining us on the Elevation Podcast