1 00:00:01,520 --> 00:00:02,800 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Stephen Ferdick. 2 00:00:02,800 --> 00:00:05,800 Speaker 2: I'm the pastor of Elevation Church and this is our podcast. 3 00:00:05,880 --> 00:00:08,320 Speaker 2: I wanted to thank you for joining us today. Hope 4 00:00:08,320 --> 00:00:11,040 Speaker 2: this inspires you. Hope it builds your faith. Hope it 5 00:00:11,039 --> 00:00:13,600 Speaker 2: gives your perspective to see God is moving in your life. 6 00:00:13,840 --> 00:00:20,760 Speaker 2: Enjoy the message. This week, I have one more installment 7 00:00:20,840 --> 00:00:22,800 Speaker 2: on Gates of Change and. 8 00:00:22,720 --> 00:00:23,840 Speaker 1: It's in Second King seven. 9 00:00:24,520 --> 00:00:28,440 Speaker 2: And I think this story for most of you will 10 00:00:28,480 --> 00:00:34,400 Speaker 2: be unfamiliar, which is good. It's good because I'm praying 11 00:00:34,440 --> 00:00:36,440 Speaker 2: that God will use it to speak to you in 12 00:00:36,479 --> 00:00:38,960 Speaker 2: a personal way and kind of catch you off guard 13 00:00:38,960 --> 00:00:42,800 Speaker 2: today and create change in your life. Here's what the 14 00:00:42,840 --> 00:00:45,960 Speaker 2: Bible says, Second King, chapter seven, Verse wan Elisha said, 15 00:00:46,440 --> 00:00:50,279 Speaker 2: here the word of the Lord. You've been listening to 16 00:00:50,320 --> 00:00:53,080 Speaker 2: your doubts so long. You've been listening to your dysfunctions 17 00:00:53,360 --> 00:00:55,880 Speaker 2: so long. You've been listening to your disappointments so long. 18 00:00:55,920 --> 00:00:58,600 Speaker 1: But here the word of the Lord. 19 00:00:58,640 --> 00:01:01,680 Speaker 2: This is what the Lord says about this time tomorrow 20 00:01:01,720 --> 00:01:03,840 Speaker 2: a sea of a flower will sell for a shekel, 21 00:01:03,840 --> 00:01:06,200 Speaker 2: and to see us a barley for a shekel at 22 00:01:06,240 --> 00:01:10,920 Speaker 2: the gate of Samaria. And the officer on whose arm 23 00:01:11,040 --> 00:01:13,199 Speaker 2: the king was leaning, said to the man of God, 24 00:01:13,280 --> 00:01:18,039 Speaker 2: looks even this joker, even if the Lord should open 25 00:01:18,280 --> 00:01:21,200 Speaker 2: the floodgates of heaven, could this happen? 26 00:01:25,440 --> 00:01:26,400 Speaker 1: You know how certain. 27 00:01:26,160 --> 00:01:29,600 Speaker 2: People always want to put limits on what God can 28 00:01:29,680 --> 00:01:38,000 Speaker 2: do Taylor's secret. I actually love limitations. I know that 29 00:01:38,120 --> 00:01:41,200 Speaker 2: usually in church they say, you know, take the limits off. 30 00:01:42,800 --> 00:01:48,720 Speaker 2: I personally love limits. In fact, I'm calling this final 31 00:01:48,880 --> 00:01:53,240 Speaker 2: bonus message in the Gates of Change series, Embracing limitation. 32 00:01:54,800 --> 00:01:56,000 Speaker 1: Embracing limitation. 33 00:01:56,160 --> 00:02:00,640 Speaker 2: I think limitation can be a good thing. I think 34 00:02:00,680 --> 00:02:03,960 Speaker 2: it's a good thing that sometimes we limit our consumption 35 00:02:04,160 --> 00:02:05,040 Speaker 2: on certain foods. 36 00:02:05,160 --> 00:02:07,320 Speaker 1: Say amen, I'm a. 37 00:02:07,280 --> 00:02:10,560 Speaker 2: Real strict person on my eating because I'm too wild. 38 00:02:11,000 --> 00:02:11,600 Speaker 1: I'm too wild. 39 00:02:11,639 --> 00:02:13,320 Speaker 2: I need the I need the uh, I need the 40 00:02:13,400 --> 00:02:15,480 Speaker 2: what do they call it? The gutters on the I 41 00:02:15,520 --> 00:02:17,680 Speaker 2: will I will bowl into the gutter every time if 42 00:02:17,720 --> 00:02:18,160 Speaker 2: I don't have. 43 00:02:18,120 --> 00:02:19,000 Speaker 1: Those little guards. 44 00:02:19,480 --> 00:02:21,760 Speaker 2: So I actually do it where I'm not allowed to 45 00:02:21,800 --> 00:02:24,960 Speaker 2: eat past a certain time or before a certain time, 46 00:02:25,240 --> 00:02:27,320 Speaker 2: but during that certain time I can. 47 00:02:28,560 --> 00:02:31,480 Speaker 1: I can do it. But I need limits. I need limits. 48 00:02:31,520 --> 00:02:32,040 Speaker 1: Are you like me? 49 00:02:32,280 --> 00:02:34,680 Speaker 2: Maybe I have no self control? I need limits. I 50 00:02:34,680 --> 00:02:38,920 Speaker 2: don't even like restaurants with big Menus Cheesecake factory gives 51 00:02:38,960 --> 00:02:44,800 Speaker 2: me heart palpitations. The menu looks like Encyclopedia Britannica. 52 00:02:45,120 --> 00:02:47,560 Speaker 1: I can't do it. I need prozac to. 53 00:02:47,600 --> 00:02:51,520 Speaker 2: Make it through my my my order and usually I'll 54 00:02:51,560 --> 00:02:53,480 Speaker 2: get Holly to narrow it for me. I'll be like, 55 00:02:53,520 --> 00:02:55,600 Speaker 2: can you tell me just three things that I might like? 56 00:02:56,120 --> 00:02:59,000 Speaker 2: And can you just narrow the options for me? Because 57 00:02:59,040 --> 00:03:01,920 Speaker 2: I can't do it. I like limitations. I like to know, 58 00:03:01,960 --> 00:03:05,079 Speaker 2: even in preaching, when I go somewhere to preach, they'll say, 59 00:03:05,080 --> 00:03:07,680 Speaker 2: take as long as you want, And I'll say, well, 60 00:03:07,680 --> 00:03:11,160 Speaker 2: how long are the people expecting me to preach? Because 61 00:03:11,160 --> 00:03:13,079 Speaker 2: I want to know how long I have to work 62 00:03:13,160 --> 00:03:15,799 Speaker 2: before they tune me out because they won't. I can 63 00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:17,520 Speaker 2: preach as long as I want, but they might not 64 00:03:17,600 --> 00:03:18,560 Speaker 2: listen as long as I. 65 00:03:18,480 --> 00:03:19,160 Speaker 1: Want to preach. 66 00:03:19,960 --> 00:03:23,800 Speaker 2: Why y'all clapping about that? That was a little awkward 67 00:03:24,840 --> 00:03:28,960 Speaker 2: while I'm saying that, Because limitation can be a good thing. 68 00:03:29,880 --> 00:03:32,160 Speaker 2: It really can. It can be a good thing. And 69 00:03:32,280 --> 00:03:35,960 Speaker 2: especially one thing that I love is when somebody tries 70 00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:39,600 Speaker 2: to put a limit on me that contradicts what I 71 00:03:39,640 --> 00:03:41,160 Speaker 2: believe God has called me to do. 72 00:03:43,000 --> 00:03:44,400 Speaker 1: Maybe it's my ego. 73 00:03:46,600 --> 00:03:51,040 Speaker 2: Maybe I have wounds from my childhood failed wrestling career 74 00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:55,560 Speaker 2: that I'm still compensating for. But I like somebody to 75 00:03:55,640 --> 00:03:56,960 Speaker 2: tell me that I can't do. 76 00:03:57,000 --> 00:04:00,440 Speaker 1: Something I do. It fuels my faith. 77 00:04:01,480 --> 00:04:03,640 Speaker 2: And when we were getting ready to start the church, 78 00:04:04,320 --> 00:04:06,920 Speaker 2: one time I sat down with a guy and I 79 00:04:06,960 --> 00:04:09,880 Speaker 2: was sharing my vision with him, and I was telling 80 00:04:09,960 --> 00:04:13,520 Speaker 2: him that we were going to start a church. And 81 00:04:13,560 --> 00:04:15,920 Speaker 2: I didn't have any better sense than to tell this 82 00:04:16,000 --> 00:04:20,640 Speaker 2: guy my dreams. He was a little older and jaded 83 00:04:20,760 --> 00:04:26,400 Speaker 2: because he had been disappointed in his life. And it's 84 00:04:26,440 --> 00:04:29,839 Speaker 2: a dangerous thing you ready to write something down. It 85 00:04:29,960 --> 00:04:33,839 Speaker 2: is a dangerous thing to entrust your dream to someone 86 00:04:33,839 --> 00:04:39,360 Speaker 2: else's disappointments. And a lot of times that's what happens 87 00:04:39,560 --> 00:04:42,880 Speaker 2: is we share our dream, Joseph, and we show our 88 00:04:42,960 --> 00:04:48,080 Speaker 2: coat to people who are not really ready to receive 89 00:04:49,000 --> 00:04:52,440 Speaker 2: what we speak, and so then if we receive their doubt, 90 00:04:53,960 --> 00:04:55,839 Speaker 2: they will diss our appointment. 91 00:04:58,400 --> 00:05:00,120 Speaker 1: I put that in for Holly. 92 00:05:00,720 --> 00:05:03,400 Speaker 2: Holly dared me to put that in my sermon today, 93 00:05:03,839 --> 00:05:05,320 Speaker 2: and I didn't get it at nine thirty. 94 00:05:05,440 --> 00:05:07,000 Speaker 1: So there it is. Maybe you owe me some. 95 00:05:07,400 --> 00:05:15,640 Speaker 2: Uh, but it's a it's a dangerous thing to speak. 96 00:05:15,440 --> 00:05:16,920 Speaker 1: Something So here's here's what happened. 97 00:05:17,000 --> 00:05:19,040 Speaker 2: We're sitting down having lunch, and I'm like, I'm. 98 00:05:18,880 --> 00:05:21,400 Speaker 3: Gonna start at church. It's gonna be awesome. It's gonna 99 00:05:21,440 --> 00:05:24,080 Speaker 3: be great. We're gonna we're gonna reach the city. We're 100 00:05:24,080 --> 00:05:26,240 Speaker 3: gonna go to Charlotte. We're gonna we're gonna have church. 101 00:05:26,240 --> 00:05:28,480 Speaker 3: We're gonna reach people. We'll break the rules. It's not 102 00:05:28,520 --> 00:05:31,320 Speaker 3: gonna be all this tradition and religion. We're gonna do it. 103 00:05:31,320 --> 00:05:34,000 Speaker 3: It's gonna be edgy, it's gonna be for church people. 104 00:05:34,120 --> 00:05:36,400 Speaker 3: We're gonna reach people far from God. We're gonna beima. 105 00:05:36,760 --> 00:05:38,800 Speaker 2: And the more I was talking, the more he stuffed 106 00:05:38,800 --> 00:05:40,560 Speaker 2: his mouth and just smirked at me. 107 00:05:40,920 --> 00:05:41,800 Speaker 1: Now scowled at me. 108 00:05:42,040 --> 00:05:44,720 Speaker 2: He didn't look mad, he just looked amused. He was 109 00:05:44,800 --> 00:05:47,359 Speaker 2: just smirking at me. And he's stuffing his face with 110 00:05:47,480 --> 00:05:51,039 Speaker 2: French fries. You know, Oh, overweight pastor just deepness. 111 00:05:51,720 --> 00:05:54,000 Speaker 1: I'm just trying to color the story a little bit. 112 00:05:54,200 --> 00:05:56,080 Speaker 1: I don't even remember if he was overweight. 113 00:05:56,320 --> 00:05:58,599 Speaker 2: But what I remember is I went on and on 114 00:05:59,000 --> 00:06:00,200 Speaker 2: telling him it's gonna. 115 00:06:00,120 --> 00:06:02,320 Speaker 1: Be We're gonna write worship songs and. 116 00:06:02,279 --> 00:06:05,479 Speaker 3: We're gonna do worship songs gonna touch the world, and 117 00:06:05,520 --> 00:06:07,320 Speaker 3: we're gonna write songs that are gonna go around in 118 00:06:07,320 --> 00:06:07,719 Speaker 3: the world. 119 00:06:07,880 --> 00:06:10,880 Speaker 2: Oh and it's not just gonna be a white church. 120 00:06:11,160 --> 00:06:13,440 Speaker 2: It's gonna be a lot of different kinds of people. 121 00:06:13,640 --> 00:06:17,039 Speaker 2: It's gonna be white people and black people, and old 122 00:06:17,080 --> 00:06:23,320 Speaker 2: people and young people and Presbyterians and Pentecostals and atheists 123 00:06:23,360 --> 00:06:26,880 Speaker 2: and agnostics and just all kind of people and single 124 00:06:26,920 --> 00:06:30,280 Speaker 2: people and marry people and divorced people. I'm going on 125 00:06:30,440 --> 00:06:33,240 Speaker 2: and on, and he's just eating looking at me, mm hmm. 126 00:06:33,480 --> 00:06:35,120 Speaker 2: And when I finished, he looked at me and said, 127 00:06:35,240 --> 00:06:40,279 Speaker 2: not gonna happen, Bud, Not in the South, Not in 128 00:06:40,360 --> 00:06:46,559 Speaker 2: the South, not gonna happen. 129 00:06:47,040 --> 00:06:49,440 Speaker 1: To be fair, look down your role real quick and 130 00:06:49,560 --> 00:06:50,200 Speaker 1: check your role. 131 00:06:51,560 --> 00:06:55,160 Speaker 2: And I dare you to shout at the top of 132 00:06:55,200 --> 00:07:01,839 Speaker 2: your little sanctified Sunday morning voice, somebody shouts happen. And 133 00:07:01,880 --> 00:07:05,000 Speaker 2: as a matter of fact, I kind of hope that 134 00:07:05,120 --> 00:07:09,840 Speaker 2: he watches this sermon on television, y'all excuse me for 135 00:07:09,880 --> 00:07:12,480 Speaker 2: a minute, so he can see. 136 00:07:12,240 --> 00:07:14,240 Speaker 1: Black people and white. 137 00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:18,280 Speaker 4: People and Hispanic people and Latina people come on and 138 00:07:18,480 --> 00:07:23,040 Speaker 4: loud people acquire people and big people and little people 139 00:07:23,280 --> 00:07:27,120 Speaker 4: and young people, and old people and broken people. 140 00:07:27,080 --> 00:07:32,080 Speaker 1: And all people altogether. Somebody's shad is happening. 141 00:07:46,200 --> 00:07:51,560 Speaker 2: Is something because the limitations you embrace will regulate the 142 00:07:51,640 --> 00:07:58,080 Speaker 2: blessing you experience. And when you allow beliefs to limit 143 00:07:58,240 --> 00:08:02,040 Speaker 2: your God, because you're mind set is too small to 144 00:08:02,160 --> 00:08:07,720 Speaker 2: accommodate the magnitude of His glory, you miss out on 145 00:08:07,760 --> 00:08:11,000 Speaker 2: the very miracles that have your name on them. 146 00:08:12,880 --> 00:08:16,960 Speaker 1: Please follow me for a moment. When the officer said. 147 00:08:16,760 --> 00:08:20,360 Speaker 2: To the prophet, look, even if the Lord should open 148 00:08:20,600 --> 00:08:25,360 Speaker 2: the floodgates of the heavens, could this happen? What he 149 00:08:25,400 --> 00:08:30,040 Speaker 2: did is he closed the gate on the gift that 150 00:08:30,080 --> 00:08:36,760 Speaker 2: God was giving him. So it was a desperate situation 151 00:08:36,880 --> 00:08:40,199 Speaker 2: in the nation because the famine had been going on 152 00:08:40,559 --> 00:08:44,120 Speaker 2: so long that within the gates of the city walls, 153 00:08:44,160 --> 00:08:46,040 Speaker 2: the people had resorted to cannibalism. 154 00:08:47,280 --> 00:08:48,480 Speaker 1: And I debated whether to. 155 00:08:48,520 --> 00:08:51,160 Speaker 2: Tell you this, but it's right in chapter six, should 156 00:08:51,160 --> 00:08:53,079 Speaker 2: you choose to read it, They had started eating their 157 00:08:53,080 --> 00:09:03,160 Speaker 2: own babies. It sounds extreme, However, I think we can 158 00:09:03,200 --> 00:09:08,200 Speaker 2: all see ways that at times we compromise the next 159 00:09:08,240 --> 00:09:14,080 Speaker 2: generation when our value systems get shifted, and so as 160 00:09:14,080 --> 00:09:18,000 Speaker 2: the value system has shifted within the nation. The favor 161 00:09:18,080 --> 00:09:22,080 Speaker 2: of God has not been so much withheld as it 162 00:09:22,120 --> 00:09:24,320 Speaker 2: has been held up. 163 00:09:24,320 --> 00:09:25,160 Speaker 1: And here's the difference. 164 00:09:25,960 --> 00:09:28,720 Speaker 2: When you read about famine in the Bible, you probably 165 00:09:28,760 --> 00:09:31,400 Speaker 2: associate famine with drought. 166 00:09:31,840 --> 00:09:34,200 Speaker 1: And usually when you see. 167 00:09:34,160 --> 00:09:37,520 Speaker 2: A famine in the Bible, it is connected to a 168 00:09:37,720 --> 00:09:41,559 Speaker 2: pronouncement by a prophet, like when Elijah said, there will 169 00:09:41,600 --> 00:09:43,520 Speaker 2: be no rain or do in the land in the 170 00:09:43,559 --> 00:09:46,040 Speaker 2: next few years except at my word to King Aha. 171 00:09:46,480 --> 00:09:51,360 Speaker 2: And God withheld the rain from the heavens, and God 172 00:09:51,400 --> 00:09:54,440 Speaker 2: cut off the source of supply so that the people's 173 00:09:54,440 --> 00:09:58,440 Speaker 2: hearts would turn back to him. Now, in antiquity, people 174 00:09:58,440 --> 00:10:03,720 Speaker 2: did not regard famine and drought only with agriculture or 175 00:10:03,800 --> 00:10:11,680 Speaker 2: weather conditions. In antiquity, people regarded the rain as a 176 00:10:11,720 --> 00:10:14,840 Speaker 2: sign or symbol of the presence and blessing of God, 177 00:10:15,640 --> 00:10:19,680 Speaker 2: because blessing was associated with life and life with blessing 178 00:10:19,760 --> 00:10:21,760 Speaker 2: and without rain, there can be no life. And so 179 00:10:22,080 --> 00:10:24,240 Speaker 2: where there is no blessing, there is no life. Where 180 00:10:24,280 --> 00:10:27,160 Speaker 2: there is no rain, there is no food. Where there 181 00:10:27,200 --> 00:10:29,720 Speaker 2: is no presence of God, where there is no worship, 182 00:10:29,800 --> 00:10:34,640 Speaker 2: there can be no life, no strength, no hope. However, 183 00:10:34,679 --> 00:10:37,960 Speaker 2: this is a different kind of famine that was not 184 00:10:38,080 --> 00:10:39,320 Speaker 2: created by a drought. 185 00:10:39,360 --> 00:10:41,319 Speaker 1: This famine started with a siege. 186 00:10:42,559 --> 00:10:46,720 Speaker 2: Ben Adad was an excellent military strategist, and so when 187 00:10:46,720 --> 00:10:50,720 Speaker 2: he surrounded the northern Kingdom of Israel, which was known 188 00:10:50,720 --> 00:10:55,880 Speaker 2: as Samaria, what he did of common military tactic was 189 00:10:55,920 --> 00:10:59,480 Speaker 2: that he cut them off from their supply. And when 190 00:10:59,480 --> 00:11:02,439 Speaker 2: he cut their line to their food supply, it wasn't 191 00:11:02,440 --> 00:11:06,080 Speaker 2: that he eliminated the food. It was that he prevented 192 00:11:06,120 --> 00:11:11,000 Speaker 2: them from accessing it. And so, since the devil cannot 193 00:11:11,080 --> 00:11:15,720 Speaker 2: prevent God from blessing you, his only alternative is to 194 00:11:15,760 --> 00:11:18,280 Speaker 2: put you in a state of spiritual siege, so that 195 00:11:18,320 --> 00:11:22,440 Speaker 2: you cannot access the blessing that God has freely given you. 196 00:11:24,440 --> 00:11:28,040 Speaker 2: Sometimes we are starving not because of something that God 197 00:11:28,520 --> 00:11:32,480 Speaker 2: did not supply, but because of something he supplied that 198 00:11:32,520 --> 00:11:37,560 Speaker 2: we cannot cease. When the enemy puts you in a 199 00:11:37,600 --> 00:11:39,679 Speaker 2: state of unbelief, it. 200 00:11:39,760 --> 00:11:42,200 Speaker 1: Blocks you from your own blessing. 201 00:11:43,080 --> 00:11:46,720 Speaker 2: And King Jehoram had the wrong people around him at 202 00:11:46,720 --> 00:11:48,920 Speaker 2: this time. We saw it in the text the Officer 203 00:11:49,040 --> 00:11:52,679 Speaker 2: verse two, on whose arm the king was leaning A 204 00:11:52,840 --> 00:11:55,560 Speaker 2: side note for all the students, be careful who you 205 00:11:55,640 --> 00:12:02,240 Speaker 2: lean on. He was leaning on man who would not believe, 206 00:12:02,880 --> 00:12:06,760 Speaker 2: who would not connect to the prophecy by faith, and 207 00:12:07,000 --> 00:12:11,960 Speaker 2: when you lean on people who insist on dragging you 208 00:12:12,120 --> 00:12:17,040 Speaker 2: into their dysfunctional way of thinking. This might be only 209 00:12:17,080 --> 00:12:21,520 Speaker 2: for five people, but sometimes something you lean on in 210 00:12:21,559 --> 00:12:25,120 Speaker 2: one season that props you up can paralyze you in 211 00:12:25,160 --> 00:12:29,800 Speaker 2: the next season. And sometimes we build in our lives 212 00:12:29,840 --> 00:12:32,800 Speaker 2: support systems that are unable to accommodate the weight of 213 00:12:32,800 --> 00:12:36,000 Speaker 2: what God is speaking to us. So be real careful 214 00:12:36,040 --> 00:12:38,200 Speaker 2: who you lean on. Ask somebody, can I lean on you? 215 00:12:39,600 --> 00:12:41,360 Speaker 2: Because see, I don't want to get in the middle 216 00:12:41,360 --> 00:12:43,920 Speaker 2: of a famine and be leaning on someone who doesn't 217 00:12:43,920 --> 00:12:46,840 Speaker 2: have faith. For the life that I'm trying to live, 218 00:12:47,000 --> 00:12:51,000 Speaker 2: I can't just be surrounded by people who refuse to 219 00:12:51,040 --> 00:12:54,000 Speaker 2: believe that better days are ahead and that greater things 220 00:12:54,040 --> 00:12:58,920 Speaker 2: are in store. So sometimes I have to restrict access, 221 00:12:59,480 --> 00:13:02,800 Speaker 2: and I can't just be around anybody, and I can't 222 00:13:02,880 --> 00:13:06,679 Speaker 2: just listen to anything, and I cannot believe everything I see, 223 00:13:07,120 --> 00:13:11,040 Speaker 2: and I certainly cannot believe everything I think. So sometimes 224 00:13:11,040 --> 00:13:13,960 Speaker 2: I've got to shut it down, and sometimes I got 225 00:13:13,960 --> 00:13:17,040 Speaker 2: to mute some people, and sometimes I got to spend 226 00:13:17,080 --> 00:13:20,120 Speaker 2: some time in the presence of God, because my signal 227 00:13:20,120 --> 00:13:23,560 Speaker 2: to noise ratio has caused me to miss the provision 228 00:13:23,600 --> 00:13:27,439 Speaker 2: of God, because I'm leaning on the wrong people and 229 00:13:27,559 --> 00:13:29,560 Speaker 2: listening to the wrong voices. 230 00:13:29,720 --> 00:13:30,959 Speaker 1: This is the word of the Lord. 231 00:13:35,280 --> 00:13:38,440 Speaker 2: I'm not saying be mean to people, just don't lean 232 00:13:38,480 --> 00:13:43,920 Speaker 2: on them. Lean on the everlasting arms, lean on the 233 00:13:43,920 --> 00:13:44,959 Speaker 2: promises of God. 234 00:13:45,360 --> 00:13:46,920 Speaker 1: Build your house. 235 00:13:46,720 --> 00:13:52,800 Speaker 2: On a solid foundation, not the shifting sands of people's opinions. 236 00:13:54,360 --> 00:13:57,240 Speaker 2: And the man on whose arm the king lean said, 237 00:13:57,320 --> 00:14:03,480 Speaker 2: could this happen? Responded he said, you will see it 238 00:14:04,679 --> 00:14:12,200 Speaker 2: with your own eyes, but you ain't getting none of it. 239 00:14:15,040 --> 00:14:18,080 Speaker 1: That's the new new international version, new. 240 00:14:18,040 --> 00:14:23,120 Speaker 2: New I was just thinking how sad that was that 241 00:14:23,240 --> 00:14:27,880 Speaker 2: it was a day of deliverance and the top advisor 242 00:14:27,960 --> 00:14:29,920 Speaker 2: to the king starved to death. 243 00:14:29,960 --> 00:14:31,440 Speaker 1: As a matter of fact, he didn't. 244 00:14:31,200 --> 00:14:32,680 Speaker 2: Even get the chance to start, because look when the 245 00:14:32,680 --> 00:14:35,160 Speaker 2: people went into the enemy's camp and plundered the enemy's 246 00:14:35,160 --> 00:14:37,920 Speaker 2: camp in accordance with the word of the Lord. Verse 247 00:14:37,920 --> 00:14:40,800 Speaker 2: seventeen says, now the king had put the officer on 248 00:14:40,840 --> 00:14:43,560 Speaker 2: whose arm he leaned, in charge of the gate. Question, 249 00:14:43,840 --> 00:14:46,600 Speaker 2: who have you put in charge of your gates? 250 00:14:49,000 --> 00:14:51,200 Speaker 1: What regulates your thoughts? 251 00:14:51,640 --> 00:14:56,560 Speaker 2: What regulates your belief, what regulates your self image. Look, 252 00:14:57,000 --> 00:15:00,160 Speaker 2: he put the man in charge of the gate. There's 253 00:15:00,160 --> 00:15:02,360 Speaker 2: a lot of revelation in this message. I'm gonna give 254 00:15:02,360 --> 00:15:03,840 Speaker 2: you all of it I can, but you will need 255 00:15:03,880 --> 00:15:08,040 Speaker 2: to lean into this message because sometimes you have put 256 00:15:08,080 --> 00:15:14,400 Speaker 2: a past experience in charge of the gate to your future. Listen, 257 00:15:14,520 --> 00:15:19,440 Speaker 2: and when you let your past experience regulate access to 258 00:15:19,520 --> 00:15:23,640 Speaker 2: your future, you will always be stuck in a stage 259 00:15:23,640 --> 00:15:27,440 Speaker 2: of life that can no longer accommodate what God is 260 00:15:27,520 --> 00:15:29,640 Speaker 2: speaking in this season. 261 00:15:33,360 --> 00:15:34,240 Speaker 1: Not gonna happen. 262 00:15:34,320 --> 00:15:37,480 Speaker 2: But what if I had listened to him, we wouldn't 263 00:15:37,520 --> 00:15:41,080 Speaker 2: get to hang out today. What if I had listened 264 00:15:41,120 --> 00:15:43,160 Speaker 2: to him, I would have built me a little white 265 00:15:43,240 --> 00:15:45,960 Speaker 2: church with some little white people, and it'd be about 266 00:15:46,000 --> 00:15:48,560 Speaker 2: fifty of us, and we would just preach to the choir, 267 00:15:48,800 --> 00:15:51,600 Speaker 2: and we wouldn't change anything, and we wouldn't touch anything, 268 00:15:51,800 --> 00:15:54,840 Speaker 2: and we wouldn't have Epham watching all over the world. 269 00:15:55,080 --> 00:15:59,040 Speaker 2: The devil is a liar is happening, and it's gonna happen. 270 00:15:58,760 --> 00:16:01,400 Speaker 1: Within or without you. You might as well get in 271 00:16:01,480 --> 00:16:08,600 Speaker 1: on it, because it's here preaching. My watch off my wrists. 272 00:16:09,520 --> 00:16:13,160 Speaker 2: So if somebody says, happening and what a horrible thing 273 00:16:13,240 --> 00:16:15,120 Speaker 2: for it to be happening right in front of you, 274 00:16:15,200 --> 00:16:20,120 Speaker 2: but you don't experience it. The man on whose arm 275 00:16:20,200 --> 00:16:25,400 Speaker 2: the king leaned stood in the gate, and while the 276 00:16:25,440 --> 00:16:29,720 Speaker 2: people were running to the victory, the Bible says, they 277 00:16:29,760 --> 00:16:33,040 Speaker 2: trampled him in the gateway. 278 00:16:33,600 --> 00:16:38,600 Speaker 1: He died in the gate of what was possible. Y'all 279 00:16:38,680 --> 00:16:44,840 Speaker 1: give me a minute. I don't really know what to do. 280 00:16:45,760 --> 00:16:52,080 Speaker 1: It's a little too minute. Touch somebody say, get out 281 00:16:52,080 --> 00:16:56,320 Speaker 1: of the gate till twelve people sucking he it. 282 00:16:58,560 --> 00:17:00,240 Speaker 2: My love, Tom, come on, twelve people, get out of 283 00:17:00,240 --> 00:17:00,480 Speaker 2: the gate. 284 00:17:04,920 --> 00:17:08,400 Speaker 1: Oh, nobody coming to help me either. Buck, I don't 285 00:17:08,440 --> 00:17:12,800 Speaker 1: need you. I don't need you. Buck, and do this myself. 286 00:17:13,880 --> 00:17:15,600 Speaker 1: I started with week one. 287 00:17:15,880 --> 00:17:18,119 Speaker 2: I was saying, get back in the gate, but I 288 00:17:18,160 --> 00:17:19,760 Speaker 2: heard the Lord saying, this time, get out. 289 00:17:19,600 --> 00:17:21,160 Speaker 1: Of the gate. I said, what is it? He said, 290 00:17:21,240 --> 00:17:21,760 Speaker 1: make a move. 291 00:17:22,880 --> 00:17:26,240 Speaker 2: You hear all this teaching, you, hear all this excitement. Ah, 292 00:17:26,240 --> 00:17:29,879 Speaker 2: that's good, but you got to get started. And he 293 00:17:30,280 --> 00:17:37,520 Speaker 2: died in the gateway. He blocked his own breakthrough. He 294 00:17:37,640 --> 00:17:42,200 Speaker 2: saw it, but he did not experience it because he would. 295 00:17:41,920 --> 00:17:44,320 Speaker 1: Not believe it. 296 00:17:42,600 --> 00:17:47,960 Speaker 2: It is our unbelief that blocks our blessing, not others. 297 00:17:50,920 --> 00:17:55,920 Speaker 2: Some of us we block ourselves by blaming others, and 298 00:17:56,000 --> 00:18:00,639 Speaker 2: so we stay locked in prisons of offence and we 299 00:18:00,800 --> 00:18:04,880 Speaker 2: miss blessings because we would rather blame somebody else than 300 00:18:04,920 --> 00:18:06,040 Speaker 2: believe God. 301 00:18:07,160 --> 00:18:08,200 Speaker 1: See, let me preach this. 302 00:18:08,359 --> 00:18:12,320 Speaker 2: You cannot believe God and blame them. At the same time, 303 00:18:14,080 --> 00:18:16,280 Speaker 2: you can't believe God and blame others. 304 00:18:16,640 --> 00:18:18,120 Speaker 1: Either you believe. 305 00:18:18,160 --> 00:18:21,680 Speaker 2: That what people meant for evil God means for good, 306 00:18:22,080 --> 00:18:25,920 Speaker 2: or you don't. If you believe God, it means there's 307 00:18:26,040 --> 00:18:29,080 Speaker 2: nothing life can do to you. There's nothing people can 308 00:18:29,119 --> 00:18:31,800 Speaker 2: throw at you. There's nothing they can say about you, 309 00:18:32,280 --> 00:18:35,040 Speaker 2: think about you, or lock you out of that will 310 00:18:35,119 --> 00:18:37,760 Speaker 2: keep you from receiving what God is a signed to 311 00:18:37,960 --> 00:18:46,720 Speaker 2: your life. So here's the announcement, Elisha. You can have 312 00:18:46,880 --> 00:18:49,679 Speaker 2: your breakthrough or you can have your blame, but you 313 00:18:49,760 --> 00:18:57,440 Speaker 2: can't have both. When the king came to Elisha, he said, 314 00:18:58,560 --> 00:19:02,800 Speaker 2: this is God's fault that we're in this famine. 315 00:19:03,119 --> 00:19:05,280 Speaker 1: It wasn't the lord's fault. It was the fault of 316 00:19:05,280 --> 00:19:05,720 Speaker 1: the leader. 317 00:19:07,600 --> 00:19:11,840 Speaker 2: And sometimes we will not lead our own lives and 318 00:19:11,920 --> 00:19:17,879 Speaker 2: take initiative for our own repentance, so we block our blessings. Boys, 319 00:19:17,960 --> 00:19:23,960 Speaker 2: do you hear me. We block our own blessings, not 320 00:19:24,040 --> 00:19:31,280 Speaker 2: the devil, our disbelief. God's going to do it. The 321 00:19:31,320 --> 00:19:34,679 Speaker 2: other day, a great man of God was encouraging me. 322 00:19:35,040 --> 00:19:37,359 Speaker 2: Great man of God. If you made a list of 323 00:19:37,400 --> 00:19:40,720 Speaker 2: the top five people in the world, he would be, 324 00:19:43,160 --> 00:19:51,399 Speaker 2: in my opinion, somewhere in the top ten. But I 325 00:19:51,440 --> 00:19:53,680 Speaker 2: respect him so much. Now why I respect him? He 326 00:19:53,720 --> 00:19:59,520 Speaker 2: has longevity and ministry. And he was introducing me to speak, 327 00:20:00,000 --> 00:20:03,800 Speaker 2: invited me to speak, and he got up to introduce me, 328 00:20:05,400 --> 00:20:07,600 Speaker 2: and the things he was saying about me, they were 329 00:20:07,600 --> 00:20:09,600 Speaker 2: so nice and encouraging, I thought he. 330 00:20:09,560 --> 00:20:11,600 Speaker 1: Was talking about someone else. 331 00:20:13,359 --> 00:20:16,840 Speaker 2: It was a kind of introduction where he wasn't just 332 00:20:16,880 --> 00:20:19,320 Speaker 2: speaking like he wrote a book or he pastor to church. 333 00:20:19,680 --> 00:20:22,679 Speaker 2: He was saying things that he saw in me and 334 00:20:22,680 --> 00:20:26,800 Speaker 2: how God had called me and our ministry and a 335 00:20:26,880 --> 00:20:30,920 Speaker 2: voice to the generation, a bridge to reconciliation, just things 336 00:20:30,920 --> 00:20:35,240 Speaker 2: that while he was saying them, at the same time 337 00:20:35,280 --> 00:20:38,879 Speaker 2: that he was affirming me, watch this, there was another 338 00:20:39,119 --> 00:20:43,160 Speaker 2: There was another voice, not on the stage, but inside 339 00:20:43,200 --> 00:20:48,439 Speaker 2: my soul. You ever had this happen, Like somebody is 340 00:20:48,480 --> 00:20:54,119 Speaker 2: trying to affirm you, trying to love you, trying to 341 00:20:54,240 --> 00:21:00,760 Speaker 2: validate you, but you cannot receive that because your gates 342 00:21:00,760 --> 00:21:07,000 Speaker 2: are blocked. There is something in the way called you 343 00:21:09,760 --> 00:21:13,800 Speaker 2: that will not allow you to receive the love that 344 00:21:13,840 --> 00:21:18,800 Speaker 2: God is trying to give you through someone else. And 345 00:21:18,840 --> 00:21:22,600 Speaker 2: while he was saying these things about me, it's almost 346 00:21:22,640 --> 00:21:25,080 Speaker 2: like the more he said good about me, the worse 347 00:21:25,160 --> 00:21:29,280 Speaker 2: I felt, because what I thought is he doesn't know me. 348 00:21:31,320 --> 00:21:33,280 Speaker 2: The problem with you is you've got too much dirt 349 00:21:33,320 --> 00:21:39,000 Speaker 2: on yourself. And the problem with you is you think 350 00:21:39,080 --> 00:21:44,600 Speaker 2: you know yourself better than God does. The moment the 351 00:21:44,680 --> 00:21:47,560 Speaker 2: revelation hits your life that the only one who knows 352 00:21:47,600 --> 00:21:50,600 Speaker 2: you completely is the same one who loves you unconditionally, 353 00:21:51,160 --> 00:22:00,119 Speaker 2: you will be unstoppable in the Kingdom of God. And 354 00:22:00,119 --> 00:22:02,720 Speaker 2: while he was sitting there affirming me and saying things 355 00:22:02,760 --> 00:22:06,480 Speaker 2: about me, the devil that will, slithering serpent that came 356 00:22:06,520 --> 00:22:09,240 Speaker 2: crawling up the eve talking about did God really say 357 00:22:09,640 --> 00:22:14,639 Speaker 2: he was placing limitations? It was my own limitation. It 358 00:22:14,720 --> 00:22:17,400 Speaker 2: is hard for you to take on giants when you. 359 00:22:17,359 --> 00:22:22,040 Speaker 1: See yourself as a grasshopper. It's hard for. 360 00:22:22,000 --> 00:22:23,760 Speaker 2: You to come out of a famine when you are 361 00:22:23,760 --> 00:22:25,800 Speaker 2: living in the depths of your own frustration. 362 00:22:26,359 --> 00:22:27,639 Speaker 1: And even when I preach. 363 00:22:27,720 --> 00:22:30,600 Speaker 2: Sometimes some of you play me off and hold me 364 00:22:30,680 --> 00:22:33,439 Speaker 2: off and cross your arms and close your heart and 365 00:22:33,480 --> 00:22:36,280 Speaker 2: you lean back, and it is your way of shutting 366 00:22:36,320 --> 00:22:36,800 Speaker 2: the gates. 367 00:22:37,000 --> 00:22:39,359 Speaker 1: But you are missing the miracle. 368 00:22:44,200 --> 00:22:52,840 Speaker 2: Because you feel unworthy. But God never predicated his blessing 369 00:22:53,400 --> 00:22:54,359 Speaker 2: on your worthiness. 370 00:22:57,960 --> 00:23:01,160 Speaker 1: Perfection is not the price of admission to. 371 00:23:01,200 --> 00:23:03,639 Speaker 2: The Kingdom of God, nor to the great works and 372 00:23:03,760 --> 00:23:05,359 Speaker 2: mighty things that He has called you to do in 373 00:23:05,400 --> 00:23:05,800 Speaker 2: the earth. 374 00:23:07,080 --> 00:23:08,399 Speaker 1: I feel annoyed to tell. 375 00:23:08,280 --> 00:23:12,679 Speaker 2: You today, imperfection has never stopped God from blessing anybody. 376 00:23:13,280 --> 00:23:17,600 Speaker 2: The only thing that blocks your blessing is unbelieved. But 377 00:23:17,720 --> 00:23:20,240 Speaker 2: I dare you to shout right now, loud enough where 378 00:23:20,240 --> 00:23:21,399 Speaker 2: that devil can hear you. 379 00:23:22,080 --> 00:23:27,680 Speaker 1: I believe I am the righteousness of God. I need 380 00:23:27,720 --> 00:23:30,640 Speaker 1: you all this shout. My voice is tired. Shout. I believe. 381 00:23:38,840 --> 00:23:42,640 Speaker 2: Elijah said you'll see it, but you won't experience it. 382 00:23:44,560 --> 00:23:46,600 Speaker 2: He doesn't say how he ever, knows how. God doesn't 383 00:23:46,600 --> 00:23:49,960 Speaker 2: give you a lot of the details. Sometimes I wish 384 00:23:49,960 --> 00:23:54,040 Speaker 2: he did it be super nice, but he doesn't. All 385 00:23:54,080 --> 00:23:58,679 Speaker 2: he says is this time tomorrow the famine is going 386 00:23:58,720 --> 00:23:59,160 Speaker 2: to be over. 387 00:24:00,720 --> 00:24:03,000 Speaker 1: How's he gonna do it? What are we gonna get 388 00:24:03,040 --> 00:24:08,560 Speaker 1: some manna from heaven. A little flashback Friday famine flashback, 389 00:24:10,000 --> 00:24:11,439 Speaker 1: because remember we're there in willerness the job. 390 00:24:11,520 --> 00:24:13,119 Speaker 2: Drop down a man out of heaven and say, a 391 00:24:13,160 --> 00:24:15,600 Speaker 2: man out of having what's it gonna look like? 392 00:24:16,480 --> 00:24:17,840 Speaker 1: How's he gonna do it? This time? 393 00:24:19,440 --> 00:24:25,159 Speaker 2: You might be surprised how God bless us and delivers 394 00:24:25,400 --> 00:24:28,520 Speaker 2: the nation. Because the Bible says, oh, I love this 395 00:24:28,600 --> 00:24:32,320 Speaker 2: part right here? Can you tell that I love what 396 00:24:32,400 --> 00:24:37,159 Speaker 2: I do to preach to you? Because I really feel 397 00:24:38,040 --> 00:24:41,639 Speaker 2: like I've been cooking this all week and we're about 398 00:24:41,680 --> 00:24:43,199 Speaker 2: to eat something right now. 399 00:24:44,080 --> 00:24:48,840 Speaker 1: I mean I smell it. Who smells good? Verse three. 400 00:24:48,960 --> 00:24:50,400 Speaker 1: Now there were four men. 401 00:24:50,440 --> 00:24:53,600 Speaker 2: Everybody say four four four number of creation in the north, south, 402 00:24:53,600 --> 00:24:55,720 Speaker 2: the east, and the west. You know, winter, spring, summer, fall, 403 00:24:55,760 --> 00:24:59,679 Speaker 2: four represents creation. So there's a creative miracle on the 404 00:24:59,720 --> 00:25:06,200 Speaker 2: horiz And now there were four men with leprosy at 405 00:25:06,200 --> 00:25:10,760 Speaker 2: the entrance of the city gate. Now contrast emerges. I 406 00:25:10,800 --> 00:25:15,120 Speaker 2: got somebody in the gate who doesn't believe, and then 407 00:25:15,119 --> 00:25:16,040 Speaker 2: we've got a group of men. 408 00:25:16,080 --> 00:25:18,000 Speaker 1: They are outside the gate. 409 00:25:18,480 --> 00:25:25,159 Speaker 2: Not because they're coming back from whole foods. This is 410 00:25:25,200 --> 00:25:30,480 Speaker 2: a gated community in the sense that these men. When 411 00:25:30,480 --> 00:25:33,080 Speaker 2: the white, flaky spots started showing up on their skin, 412 00:25:33,640 --> 00:25:37,880 Speaker 2: they had to go to the priest. Leprosy was used 413 00:25:37,960 --> 00:25:41,040 Speaker 2: to refer to a wide variety of skin diseases in 414 00:25:41,080 --> 00:25:45,040 Speaker 2: this day, from the most moderate being a change in 415 00:25:45,080 --> 00:25:50,480 Speaker 2: coloration to bloody sores. And since leprosy is a progressive disease, 416 00:25:52,000 --> 00:25:54,080 Speaker 2: eventually maybe your fingers start falling off. 417 00:25:54,200 --> 00:25:56,360 Speaker 1: But it's also a contagious disease. 418 00:25:57,320 --> 00:26:00,560 Speaker 2: So when you start to see the sun and you 419 00:26:00,600 --> 00:26:06,439 Speaker 2: are pronounced ceremonially unclean, they move you and quarantine you 420 00:26:07,359 --> 00:26:11,640 Speaker 2: and position you outside the gate. And now your only 421 00:26:11,680 --> 00:26:14,000 Speaker 2: hope of survival is to beg because you can't even 422 00:26:14,040 --> 00:26:17,119 Speaker 2: carry on a normal conversation. If you approach somebody, you 423 00:26:17,200 --> 00:26:22,040 Speaker 2: have to announce your condition before you engage, And so 424 00:26:22,880 --> 00:26:25,960 Speaker 2: to even get into the gate, you would have to 425 00:26:25,960 --> 00:26:29,640 Speaker 2: start hollering within about ten or twenty feet. 426 00:26:29,400 --> 00:26:32,000 Speaker 1: Unclean, unclean. 427 00:26:33,600 --> 00:26:36,880 Speaker 2: Can you imagine if you had to announce your condition 428 00:26:37,440 --> 00:26:40,760 Speaker 2: to people out loud before you. 429 00:26:40,720 --> 00:26:45,640 Speaker 1: Met them, you would have no friends. I'm serious. 430 00:26:45,880 --> 00:26:48,560 Speaker 2: If you had to externalize things that people don't know 431 00:26:49,200 --> 00:26:51,520 Speaker 2: what's wrong with you, some of y'all would have to announce, 432 00:26:52,359 --> 00:27:00,240 Speaker 2: you know, I don't know, Amazon addict, Huh what if 433 00:27:00,280 --> 00:27:02,639 Speaker 2: you had to announce everything that was wrong with you 434 00:27:02,640 --> 00:27:04,560 Speaker 2: you had done a loss perversion? 435 00:27:04,680 --> 00:27:09,159 Speaker 1: What would that be like? What would it be like? 436 00:27:09,359 --> 00:27:11,840 Speaker 1: I talk bad about you the other day, but Hi, 437 00:27:11,920 --> 00:27:19,919 Speaker 1: how you doing? I can't stand you announce their condition? 438 00:27:21,920 --> 00:27:27,760 Speaker 2: And they're outside the gate and they're isolated, and they're desperate, 439 00:27:29,400 --> 00:27:34,719 Speaker 2: and they're not welcome, and they're starving, and the doggie 440 00:27:34,760 --> 00:27:37,880 Speaker 2: bags have stopped coming because the people inside the gate 441 00:27:37,920 --> 00:27:40,200 Speaker 2: are going to take care of themselves first and foremost. 442 00:27:41,400 --> 00:27:45,800 Speaker 2: And they're outside the gate and there's four of them, 443 00:27:45,840 --> 00:27:49,119 Speaker 2: like those four men. You remember the New Testament, don't you, 444 00:27:49,800 --> 00:27:53,199 Speaker 2: because Jesus was preaching. Maybe we'll preach about it in 445 00:27:53,240 --> 00:27:56,480 Speaker 2: my next series. And so many people were in the house, 446 00:27:57,280 --> 00:28:00,480 Speaker 2: nobody could get in, but there were four crazy men 447 00:28:01,440 --> 00:28:03,879 Speaker 2: who were a friend to this man, and so they 448 00:28:03,920 --> 00:28:07,080 Speaker 2: got creative and they don't you try this if you 449 00:28:07,119 --> 00:28:08,159 Speaker 2: come to Elevation. 450 00:28:07,920 --> 00:28:08,680 Speaker 1: Church and it's full. 451 00:28:08,920 --> 00:28:12,000 Speaker 2: They ripped the roof off of the house and lowered 452 00:28:12,119 --> 00:28:13,840 Speaker 2: I promise security will wrap you up. 453 00:28:13,880 --> 00:28:16,840 Speaker 1: But this was Bible Times. They ripped the roof. I'm 454 00:28:16,880 --> 00:28:18,639 Speaker 1: sitting an overflow, Yes you are. 455 00:28:19,080 --> 00:28:21,919 Speaker 2: They ripped the roof lowered the man down, and the 456 00:28:21,920 --> 00:28:25,360 Speaker 2: man got healed because of the faith of four crazy men. 457 00:28:25,400 --> 00:28:28,200 Speaker 2: Now watch the crazy faith so much, say crazy faith. 458 00:28:29,160 --> 00:28:30,320 Speaker 1: I'm just gonna say this right now. 459 00:28:30,359 --> 00:28:31,720 Speaker 2: I don't mean to offend you, but some of you 460 00:28:31,760 --> 00:28:33,679 Speaker 2: have way too many limits on what you will and 461 00:28:33,720 --> 00:28:37,840 Speaker 2: won't do to obey God. You have too many limits, 462 00:28:37,920 --> 00:28:40,400 Speaker 2: You have too many conditions. You don't want to look weird, 463 00:28:40,440 --> 00:28:42,080 Speaker 2: you don't want to be different, you don't want to 464 00:28:42,120 --> 00:28:44,200 Speaker 2: stand out, you don't want people to talk about you. 465 00:28:44,120 --> 00:28:47,160 Speaker 1: And so you're starving inside. 466 00:28:48,120 --> 00:28:50,760 Speaker 2: But these men, they didn't have the option to stay inside, 467 00:28:51,800 --> 00:28:53,280 Speaker 2: and they couldn't stay. 468 00:28:53,040 --> 00:28:53,720 Speaker 1: Where they were. 469 00:28:55,040 --> 00:28:58,000 Speaker 2: The Bible says that they eventually, after many days of this, 470 00:28:58,120 --> 00:29:01,480 Speaker 2: said to each other, why stay. 471 00:29:01,200 --> 00:29:05,720 Speaker 1: Here until we die? What a question? 472 00:29:06,960 --> 00:29:12,560 Speaker 2: In other words, it is complacency that kills us. It 473 00:29:12,680 --> 00:29:16,880 Speaker 2: is our willingness to stay in places where we are 474 00:29:16,960 --> 00:29:22,920 Speaker 2: starving because we fear the repercussions of our obedience, and 475 00:29:23,000 --> 00:29:26,120 Speaker 2: so we don't join an E group because we're scared 476 00:29:26,160 --> 00:29:28,800 Speaker 2: of being seen, so we stay in isolation. 477 00:29:28,960 --> 00:29:29,840 Speaker 1: I'm gonna push these E. 478 00:29:29,880 --> 00:29:34,640 Speaker 2: Groups today, and we die outside because we won't let 479 00:29:34,680 --> 00:29:39,400 Speaker 2: anybody in. But they didn't have that option anymore. They 480 00:29:39,440 --> 00:29:42,040 Speaker 2: did not have the luxury to sit back and wait 481 00:29:42,160 --> 00:29:44,680 Speaker 2: and see what God would do. They no longer had 482 00:29:44,680 --> 00:29:47,080 Speaker 2: the luxury of patience. So they said to one another, 483 00:29:47,480 --> 00:29:51,720 Speaker 2: we can't stay here, and if we say verse four. 484 00:29:51,760 --> 00:29:53,000 Speaker 1: We'll go into the city. 485 00:29:53,240 --> 00:29:56,480 Speaker 2: The famine is there, so we can't go there, and 486 00:29:56,520 --> 00:29:59,960 Speaker 2: we can't stay here. So we only have one thing 487 00:30:00,240 --> 00:30:00,680 Speaker 2: left to do. 488 00:30:01,400 --> 00:30:02,560 Speaker 1: Let's go. 489 00:30:03,080 --> 00:30:06,760 Speaker 2: Somebody shout, let's go. You didn't shout at shout, let's go. 490 00:30:07,720 --> 00:30:11,160 Speaker 2: So let's go over to the enemy's camp. 491 00:30:12,600 --> 00:30:19,760 Speaker 1: And surrender. If they spare us, we live. If they 492 00:30:19,880 --> 00:30:26,760 Speaker 1: kill us, at least we die quick. Because I'm hungry. 493 00:30:27,840 --> 00:30:33,960 Speaker 1: Let's go. Let's go, let's go. We can't stay here. 494 00:30:34,800 --> 00:30:38,360 Speaker 2: And we can't go there because we're outside the gate. 495 00:30:39,360 --> 00:30:42,080 Speaker 2: Here's what I love. If you've ever felt like an outsider, 496 00:30:42,160 --> 00:30:43,920 Speaker 2: raise your hand right now. If you've ever felt, yeah, 497 00:30:44,000 --> 00:30:46,000 Speaker 2: like an outsider, that surprises you, right, because where are 498 00:30:46,040 --> 00:30:48,920 Speaker 2: the insiders? If we all feel like outsiders? That was 499 00:30:49,000 --> 00:30:51,200 Speaker 2: kind of weird. How more of us feel like outsiders? 500 00:30:51,400 --> 00:30:54,480 Speaker 2: Here's good news for the outsiders. These men were on 501 00:30:54,520 --> 00:30:57,040 Speaker 2: the outside of the city gate because of their condition. 502 00:30:57,760 --> 00:31:00,960 Speaker 2: But what I love is God was using their condition 503 00:31:01,840 --> 00:31:06,720 Speaker 2: to position them in the place so that they would 504 00:31:06,800 --> 00:31:09,240 Speaker 2: not be comfortable enough to stay. 505 00:31:10,040 --> 00:31:12,800 Speaker 1: And their condition here's what I love. I love a 506 00:31:12,880 --> 00:31:15,400 Speaker 1: preaching to you. I'm appreciate this whole point just to you. 507 00:31:16,160 --> 00:31:20,920 Speaker 2: Their condition position them to be God's secret weapon to 508 00:31:21,080 --> 00:31:24,680 Speaker 2: save the whole nation. I am trying to say that 509 00:31:24,880 --> 00:31:26,480 Speaker 2: sometimes the thing that. 510 00:31:26,400 --> 00:31:29,520 Speaker 1: You hate is the thing that God will use. 511 00:31:30,120 --> 00:31:33,560 Speaker 2: Sometimes the thing that makes people not like you and 512 00:31:33,680 --> 00:31:36,800 Speaker 2: reject you is the very thing I'm about to fall 513 00:31:36,840 --> 00:31:40,040 Speaker 2: off the stage that will cause God to select you 514 00:31:40,320 --> 00:31:43,400 Speaker 2: and choose you and use you for a breakthrough. 515 00:31:43,680 --> 00:31:45,360 Speaker 1: Does anybody believe. 516 00:31:46,840 --> 00:31:51,240 Speaker 2: Then? To show the pillers rejectives? Way, y'all leave and 517 00:31:51,320 --> 00:31:54,680 Speaker 2: I'm preaching good. Somebody shouted, you know, God's. 518 00:31:54,400 --> 00:31:55,800 Speaker 1: Use an unlikely people. 519 00:32:07,840 --> 00:32:10,760 Speaker 2: If they had been inside the camp, they would have died. 520 00:32:11,880 --> 00:32:14,440 Speaker 2: It was the fact that they were not allowed in 521 00:32:14,520 --> 00:32:16,600 Speaker 2: the camp that led to them. 522 00:32:17,040 --> 00:32:19,000 Speaker 1: Look what they did. This is so stupid what they did. 523 00:32:19,280 --> 00:32:23,640 Speaker 1: It makes no sense. It makes no sense. 524 00:32:24,120 --> 00:32:27,480 Speaker 2: Sometimes, in order to see what God has spoken come 525 00:32:27,680 --> 00:32:31,880 Speaker 2: to pass, you can't be so focused on making sense. 526 00:32:32,200 --> 00:32:35,400 Speaker 2: Your senses are killing you. Living by what you see 527 00:32:35,600 --> 00:32:38,600 Speaker 2: is killing you. Living by what you feel is killing you. 528 00:32:38,960 --> 00:32:43,960 Speaker 2: Living by what you hear is killing you, and they 529 00:32:43,960 --> 00:32:46,960 Speaker 2: had no choice. These are not the people who come 530 00:32:47,000 --> 00:32:48,680 Speaker 2: to church to check it off a list because it's 531 00:32:48,680 --> 00:32:50,280 Speaker 2: a nice thing to do, and their grandma would be 532 00:32:50,320 --> 00:32:51,800 Speaker 2: proud if she was still alive today. 533 00:32:52,120 --> 00:32:53,280 Speaker 1: These are the people who. 534 00:32:53,160 --> 00:33:00,680 Speaker 2: Come to church because I need God to survive. These 535 00:33:00,720 --> 00:33:02,640 Speaker 2: are not people who come to church so they can 536 00:33:02,680 --> 00:33:06,040 Speaker 2: get a good parking space, perhaps on Tuesday morning. These 537 00:33:06,040 --> 00:33:08,360 Speaker 2: are the people that come to church because I. 538 00:33:08,320 --> 00:33:09,160 Speaker 1: Can't make it. 539 00:33:10,040 --> 00:33:13,160 Speaker 2: I live and I breathe, and I move, and I 540 00:33:13,280 --> 00:33:17,280 Speaker 2: have my being in Him. And that dusk, before the 541 00:33:17,360 --> 00:33:19,600 Speaker 2: light came, they got up and went to the camp 542 00:33:19,640 --> 00:33:22,600 Speaker 2: of the Aramias. And when they reached the edge of 543 00:33:22,680 --> 00:33:31,880 Speaker 2: the camp, watch this nobody was there. God had already 544 00:33:32,720 --> 00:33:35,440 Speaker 2: displaced their enemies. 545 00:33:37,440 --> 00:33:40,360 Speaker 1: All they had to do was show up. 546 00:33:43,200 --> 00:33:47,080 Speaker 2: See, they went to surrender to the enemy, but the 547 00:33:47,360 --> 00:33:54,800 Speaker 2: enemy had already surrendered to them. When will we realize 548 00:33:55,200 --> 00:33:58,560 Speaker 2: that when we run from the devil, we are running 549 00:33:58,600 --> 00:34:02,920 Speaker 2: from a defeated f Oh. See, the Bible says that 550 00:34:03,000 --> 00:34:06,960 Speaker 2: he is already under my feet. So all I have 551 00:34:07,080 --> 00:34:10,080 Speaker 2: to do to have the victory in my life is 552 00:34:10,160 --> 00:34:13,320 Speaker 2: to take another step. Now, I want to apologize to 553 00:34:13,440 --> 00:34:16,560 Speaker 2: John Gray because he preached so good last week. But 554 00:34:16,680 --> 00:34:18,880 Speaker 2: he said something that I want to take a step further. 555 00:34:19,200 --> 00:34:22,840 Speaker 2: He said, these gates are voice activated. 556 00:34:23,120 --> 00:34:24,359 Speaker 1: I'm not correcting him. 557 00:34:24,560 --> 00:34:28,680 Speaker 2: I'm simply adding in addendum they are not only voice activated, 558 00:34:29,000 --> 00:34:33,760 Speaker 2: they are motion activated. See God moves when you move, 559 00:34:34,120 --> 00:34:37,239 Speaker 2: the title runs. When you take your stand, when you 560 00:34:37,400 --> 00:34:40,600 Speaker 2: put on your sealed of faith, the fiery darts of 561 00:34:40,719 --> 00:34:45,080 Speaker 2: the wicked one will be quinched. So when when they 562 00:34:45,160 --> 00:34:47,320 Speaker 2: got to the edge, care somebody say. 563 00:34:47,200 --> 00:34:48,520 Speaker 1: I'm moving, I'm moving. I'm moving. 564 00:34:48,640 --> 00:34:51,359 Speaker 2: I'm not dying here. I'm not dying like this. I'm 565 00:34:51,360 --> 00:34:53,920 Speaker 2: not living in this mess. I'm not passing this on 566 00:34:54,000 --> 00:34:54,680 Speaker 2: to my kids. 567 00:34:55,000 --> 00:34:56,319 Speaker 1: I'm not going out like this. 568 00:34:56,719 --> 00:34:59,360 Speaker 2: I'm not startling with my God owns the cattle on 569 00:34:59,480 --> 00:35:04,879 Speaker 2: a thousand, who's not like this? For the Lord had 570 00:35:05,000 --> 00:35:10,160 Speaker 2: caused the Aramians to hear the sound of chariots and horses. 571 00:35:10,600 --> 00:35:14,399 Speaker 2: God casts the enemy to hear an army that wasn't 572 00:35:14,440 --> 00:35:15,000 Speaker 2: even there. 573 00:35:15,440 --> 00:35:17,840 Speaker 1: When he lies to release the word of God. 574 00:35:18,200 --> 00:35:21,760 Speaker 2: When you make a declaration of faith, it goes before 575 00:35:21,800 --> 00:35:23,040 Speaker 2: you into your future. 576 00:35:23,480 --> 00:35:25,359 Speaker 1: Matter of fact, why not shall right now? 577 00:35:31,880 --> 00:35:34,960 Speaker 2: Because when we praise God, the devil gets a. 578 00:35:35,040 --> 00:35:38,400 Speaker 1: Panic attash and he has to turn loose. I saw it. 579 00:35:38,840 --> 00:35:40,040 Speaker 1: I feel like the price. 580 00:35:48,560 --> 00:35:52,120 Speaker 2: I'm real sorry if you don't like it loud like this, 581 00:35:54,120 --> 00:35:58,800 Speaker 2: but somebody is starving in this church today. And it 582 00:35:58,840 --> 00:36:01,160 Speaker 2: wouldn't be so bad if you were starving and there 583 00:36:01,239 --> 00:36:05,600 Speaker 2: was no food. But when Christ died to give you life, 584 00:36:06,480 --> 00:36:09,400 Speaker 2: and the thief came to us, kill, steal, and destroy. 585 00:36:10,200 --> 00:36:14,360 Speaker 2: I'm sorry, but I can't stand by silent while the 586 00:36:14,480 --> 00:36:16,279 Speaker 2: devil white silad generation. 587 00:36:17,360 --> 00:36:19,520 Speaker 1: I can't stand by silent. 588 00:36:19,440 --> 00:36:23,040 Speaker 2: While teen suicide is in an all time I I. 589 00:36:23,040 --> 00:36:29,919 Speaker 1: Can't stay silent. The gates of hell won't. 590 00:36:32,120 --> 00:36:33,040 Speaker 2: I believe. 591 00:36:38,880 --> 00:36:43,680 Speaker 1: If we stay silent, we die. If we hide our leprosy, 592 00:36:43,760 --> 00:36:44,480 Speaker 1: it kills us. 593 00:36:46,920 --> 00:36:49,520 Speaker 2: God nuse somebody who wasn't even allowed in the city 594 00:36:49,600 --> 00:36:54,879 Speaker 2: to save it. God's gonna use all of you who 595 00:36:54,880 --> 00:36:59,359 Speaker 2: feel unworthy, and all of you who feel not good enough, 596 00:37:01,760 --> 00:37:06,000 Speaker 2: and all of you who have been ostracized, and all 597 00:37:06,040 --> 00:37:07,400 Speaker 2: of you who feel limited. 598 00:37:09,520 --> 00:37:13,640 Speaker 1: That's how God works. It's through your limitation. 599 00:37:17,280 --> 00:37:22,320 Speaker 2: These men were so diseased that no one was allowed 600 00:37:22,320 --> 00:37:23,040 Speaker 2: to even touch them. 601 00:37:23,080 --> 00:37:28,359 Speaker 1: Come here. He couldn't even touch them. And that's who 602 00:37:28,400 --> 00:37:33,239 Speaker 1: God chose. So they went in the camp. Let me 603 00:37:33,239 --> 00:37:33,640 Speaker 1: show this. 604 00:37:34,520 --> 00:37:37,480 Speaker 2: They went in the camp, and they saw that the 605 00:37:37,600 --> 00:37:39,480 Speaker 2: enemy was already gone, because a lot of times what 606 00:37:39,520 --> 00:37:42,120 Speaker 2: you're scared from got what you're running scared from, God 607 00:37:42,120 --> 00:37:42,880 Speaker 2: has already dealt with. 608 00:37:46,440 --> 00:37:50,279 Speaker 1: But the enemy has you under siege, and. 609 00:37:50,200 --> 00:37:53,480 Speaker 2: He puts a spirit of fear on you, because if 610 00:37:53,480 --> 00:37:55,200 Speaker 2: the spirit of fear ever lives, you will find out 611 00:37:55,200 --> 00:38:00,640 Speaker 2: who you really are in Christ. But when they got 612 00:37:59,880 --> 00:38:04,200 Speaker 2: they saw that it was theirs for the taking. 613 00:38:05,920 --> 00:38:07,839 Speaker 1: So now the first thing they did wasn't to pray 614 00:38:07,880 --> 00:38:12,439 Speaker 1: and give God their glory. First thing they did was eat, 615 00:38:14,120 --> 00:38:15,960 Speaker 1: and they went in. They went in this tent. 616 00:38:17,200 --> 00:38:18,560 Speaker 2: And when they reached the edge of the camp, they 617 00:38:18,680 --> 00:38:21,720 Speaker 2: entered one of the tents and they ate and drank. 618 00:38:22,920 --> 00:38:24,879 Speaker 1: No no, no, no, no, no no no, no no no. 619 00:38:26,320 --> 00:38:46,080 Speaker 2: And then they started carrying away the spoils, the silver, gold, clothes, vibranium. 620 00:38:46,120 --> 00:38:48,080 Speaker 1: This is good, this is good, this is good. But 621 00:38:48,120 --> 00:38:49,200 Speaker 1: then they went off and hit. 622 00:38:49,160 --> 00:38:53,000 Speaker 2: Them, went off and hit them, because that's what you 623 00:38:53,120 --> 00:38:53,920 Speaker 2: do when you're a leper. 624 00:38:55,600 --> 00:38:57,840 Speaker 1: You high. 625 00:38:57,920 --> 00:39:01,400 Speaker 2: That's that's what you do when you're ashamed, you high. 626 00:39:01,600 --> 00:39:03,520 Speaker 2: That's when you do when you feel like an outsider. 627 00:39:04,840 --> 00:39:08,840 Speaker 2: Remember the man in the parable that said, I was afraid, 628 00:39:08,960 --> 00:39:11,839 Speaker 2: so I took what you gave me, and I hid it. 629 00:39:14,400 --> 00:39:15,479 Speaker 1: The enemy wants to keep. 630 00:39:15,400 --> 00:39:18,239 Speaker 2: You in hiding, and if he can, he give you 631 00:39:18,280 --> 00:39:23,120 Speaker 2: a condition that will cause you to hide your gift. 632 00:39:24,360 --> 00:39:25,960 Speaker 1: You hear this word I'm trying to preach to you. 633 00:39:27,520 --> 00:39:30,839 Speaker 2: I wish I could sit down one on one with 634 00:39:30,880 --> 00:39:35,000 Speaker 2: everybody in the church and say, what are you hiding? 635 00:39:36,640 --> 00:39:39,880 Speaker 2: Because here they are. God has given them the victory 636 00:39:40,080 --> 00:39:44,880 Speaker 2: and they're hiding it. And sometimes we hide because we 637 00:39:44,960 --> 00:39:47,319 Speaker 2: are convinced that we are not worthy. And sometimes we 638 00:39:47,400 --> 00:39:50,920 Speaker 2: hide because we are afraid of what might happen if 639 00:39:50,920 --> 00:39:54,960 Speaker 2: we let our lights shine. But they had a revelation 640 00:39:55,160 --> 00:39:58,200 Speaker 2: in verse ten. I believe it is nose first nine, 641 00:39:59,200 --> 00:40:00,600 Speaker 2: and they said to each you know. 642 00:40:03,800 --> 00:40:10,160 Speaker 1: This is not right. Here we are. We don't deserve 643 00:40:10,239 --> 00:40:11,120 Speaker 1: to be here. 644 00:40:12,960 --> 00:40:19,200 Speaker 2: This is a day of good news, and we're keeping 645 00:40:19,239 --> 00:40:20,640 Speaker 2: it to ourselves. 646 00:40:22,239 --> 00:40:22,399 Speaker 1: Now. 647 00:40:22,400 --> 00:40:25,759 Speaker 2: If we wait till daylight, if we hold this in, 648 00:40:27,400 --> 00:40:31,640 Speaker 2: if we keep this to ourselves, punishment will overtake us. 649 00:40:34,760 --> 00:40:41,120 Speaker 2: What you hold inside. When you don't show your issues, 650 00:40:41,200 --> 00:40:45,040 Speaker 2: you die. When you don't share your gift, you die. 651 00:40:46,480 --> 00:40:50,480 Speaker 2: You are dying because of what you are hiding. If 652 00:40:50,520 --> 00:40:55,480 Speaker 2: we wait, if we sit on this, we die. If 653 00:40:55,480 --> 00:40:58,839 Speaker 2: we expose our sin, we can be healed. If we 654 00:40:58,920 --> 00:41:01,960 Speaker 2: hide it, we will die. And here's the thing. 655 00:41:02,280 --> 00:41:04,680 Speaker 1: A lot of us are dying on the inside because 656 00:41:04,680 --> 00:41:05,560 Speaker 1: our issues are. 657 00:41:05,480 --> 00:41:12,279 Speaker 2: Beneath our skin. So we stay outside the camp, don't 658 00:41:12,280 --> 00:41:19,280 Speaker 2: tell anybody. Fine, I'm good, good, good. 659 00:41:20,320 --> 00:41:24,200 Speaker 1: We post and we pretend to our thing. But they 660 00:41:24,239 --> 00:41:24,960 Speaker 1: had a revelation. 661 00:41:25,120 --> 00:41:28,680 Speaker 2: God is blessing us now and we have to share 662 00:41:28,719 --> 00:41:32,239 Speaker 2: what the Lord has done, even though we're lepers, even 663 00:41:32,280 --> 00:41:39,120 Speaker 2: though I'm imperfect. You know how preposterous it is for 664 00:41:39,160 --> 00:41:44,560 Speaker 2: me to preach to you when I struggle, Like I struggle, 665 00:41:46,760 --> 00:41:49,440 Speaker 2: I stand on this stage before you each week by faith. 666 00:41:52,239 --> 00:41:53,560 Speaker 1: See what the thing about it is? 667 00:41:56,920 --> 00:41:59,520 Speaker 2: What if the reason God chose the lepers to discover 668 00:41:59,600 --> 00:42:13,840 Speaker 2: the treasure was because they knew how to make an announcement. See, 669 00:42:14,680 --> 00:42:19,040 Speaker 2: once they found the goodness of God, they said, let's 670 00:42:19,120 --> 00:42:23,480 Speaker 2: go at once and report this in the royal palace 671 00:42:23,600 --> 00:42:28,319 Speaker 2: and then look at verse ten. So they went and 672 00:42:28,400 --> 00:42:34,000 Speaker 2: called out because that's what leopards do. Only this time 673 00:42:34,080 --> 00:42:38,520 Speaker 2: they were not shouting unclean, unclean. 674 00:42:40,200 --> 00:42:48,239 Speaker 1: This time they were shouting let's go, let's go. The 675 00:42:48,280 --> 00:42:49,120 Speaker 1: only one. 676 00:42:48,920 --> 00:42:52,400 Speaker 2: Who can really shout the victory is the one that 677 00:42:52,600 --> 00:42:54,600 Speaker 2: God has raised from the. 678 00:42:54,600 --> 00:42:56,280 Speaker 1: Ashes up defee. 679 00:42:56,800 --> 00:42:59,920 Speaker 2: So I want to give you an opportunity. If he healed, 680 00:43:00,680 --> 00:43:03,520 Speaker 2: if he saved you, if he raised. 681 00:43:03,120 --> 00:43:06,000 Speaker 1: You, if he's been good to you, if you have 682 00:43:06,080 --> 00:43:07,720 Speaker 1: a testimony. 683 00:43:07,400 --> 00:43:10,360 Speaker 2: If you are not a say I'm a gospel of 684 00:43:10,560 --> 00:43:11,480 Speaker 2: Jesus Christ. 685 00:43:12,120 --> 00:43:21,319 Speaker 1: All the grateful people south right, thank you for joining us. 686 00:43:21,640 --> 00:43:24,080 Speaker 2: Special thanks to those of you who give generously to 687 00:43:24,160 --> 00:43:27,640 Speaker 2: this ministry. Is because of you that this ministry is possible. 688 00:43:28,120 --> 00:43:30,600 Speaker 2: You can click the link in the description to give now, 689 00:43:31,200 --> 00:43:35,040 Speaker 2: or visit Elevationchurch dot org slash podcast for more information 690 00:43:35,600 --> 00:43:38,360 Speaker 2: and if you enjoyed the podcast, you can subscribe. 691 00:43:38,640 --> 00:43:39,960 Speaker 1: You can share it with your friends. 692 00:43:40,239 --> 00:43:42,520 Speaker 2: You can click the share button, take a screenshot and 693 00:43:42,600 --> 00:43:44,680 Speaker 2: share it on your social stories and tag us at 694 00:43:44,719 --> 00:43:45,560 Speaker 2: Elevation Church. 695 00:43:45,640 --> 00:43:47,279 Speaker 1: Thanks again for listening. God bless you