1 00:00:04,960 --> 00:00:06,200 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Stephen Ferdick. 2 00:00:06,240 --> 00:00:09,280 Speaker 2: I'm the pastor of Elevation Church and this is our podcast. 3 00:00:09,440 --> 00:00:11,600 Speaker 2: Be sure to subscribe so we can get you these 4 00:00:11,640 --> 00:00:13,680 Speaker 2: new sermons every week. 5 00:00:13,840 --> 00:00:16,600 Speaker 3: I hope you're blessed today. 6 00:00:22,440 --> 00:00:23,720 Speaker 1: Come on, Elevation Church. 7 00:00:23,760 --> 00:00:26,120 Speaker 4: Why don't we lift up the name of Jesus all 8 00:00:26,200 --> 00:00:30,840 Speaker 4: over this room? Come on, anyone gotta testimony a story? 9 00:00:32,720 --> 00:00:38,600 Speaker 1: Guys, that song? That song? You know, I don't know. 10 00:00:38,600 --> 00:00:42,479 Speaker 4: If you study church history, well you go back, Welsh Revival, 11 00:00:42,520 --> 00:00:45,199 Speaker 4: Great Awakening, as Zusa Street, go through any of them. 12 00:00:45,520 --> 00:00:49,800 Speaker 4: The common thread is as darkness began to prevail on 13 00:00:49,800 --> 00:00:54,960 Speaker 4: a culture, racism, brokenness, division, disunity. It was like at 14 00:00:54,960 --> 00:00:58,200 Speaker 4: the right time, God would look at the brokenness of 15 00:00:58,280 --> 00:01:01,120 Speaker 4: culture and say, that's my moment to pour my spirit out. 16 00:01:02,040 --> 00:01:04,720 Speaker 4: And I just want to prophesy and declare this. Can 17 00:01:04,760 --> 00:01:07,840 Speaker 4: we just say we're due for another great awakening, We're 18 00:01:07,920 --> 00:01:10,679 Speaker 4: due for an outpouring of God's told me spirit, do 19 00:01:10,800 --> 00:01:12,240 Speaker 4: it in our children. 20 00:01:11,880 --> 00:01:13,520 Speaker 1: O God, do it in our nation. 21 00:01:13,720 --> 00:01:14,160 Speaker 3: O God. 22 00:01:15,520 --> 00:01:19,679 Speaker 4: I'm just believing that's gonna be like the soundtrack. And 23 00:01:19,760 --> 00:01:23,800 Speaker 4: I'm just so grateful to be here. God is doing 24 00:01:23,800 --> 00:01:27,800 Speaker 4: a mighty thing in our day. Before we go a 25 00:01:27,840 --> 00:01:30,440 Speaker 4: step further, can we just make sure we give honor 26 00:01:30,440 --> 00:01:33,480 Speaker 4: where honor is due. Just before you cheer, Here's the 27 00:01:33,520 --> 00:01:35,840 Speaker 4: thing you need to know about Elevation Church. This is 28 00:01:35,840 --> 00:01:39,840 Speaker 4: a church that unapologetically believes that God's gonna plan a 29 00:01:39,880 --> 00:01:41,480 Speaker 4: hope in the future for the next generation. 30 00:01:42,600 --> 00:01:43,640 Speaker 1: So if you showed up. 31 00:01:43,600 --> 00:01:46,720 Speaker 4: To church today and you're like, why are all these 32 00:01:46,760 --> 00:01:53,920 Speaker 4: young people on stage, I'll just say this that there's 33 00:01:53,960 --> 00:01:58,080 Speaker 4: a cultural narrative that maybe the next generation is lost. 34 00:01:58,440 --> 00:02:00,840 Speaker 4: The next generation is too much on their phone. That 35 00:02:00,920 --> 00:02:06,800 Speaker 4: might be true, TikTok is infiltrating their culture and their 36 00:02:06,840 --> 00:02:10,840 Speaker 4: mind and they're lost. I just want to deliver a 37 00:02:10,880 --> 00:02:16,200 Speaker 4: different perspective that we're about to see. Thousands of students 38 00:02:17,120 --> 00:02:22,360 Speaker 4: from this community say I'm gonna lean into what God's doing, 39 00:02:23,240 --> 00:02:25,560 Speaker 4: and I just think the darker the world come on, 40 00:02:25,680 --> 00:02:29,080 Speaker 4: the more Taylor made anointing God has for this generation. 41 00:02:29,520 --> 00:02:32,200 Speaker 1: My Bible tells me this that in the last. 42 00:02:31,960 --> 00:02:34,600 Speaker 4: Days, what's going to happen the old men, but the 43 00:02:34,760 --> 00:02:38,080 Speaker 4: young men will dream dreams and prophesy, And I just 44 00:02:38,160 --> 00:02:40,440 Speaker 4: believe the best days are yet to come for the 45 00:02:40,440 --> 00:02:46,360 Speaker 4: next generation. And you serve it out of church that 46 00:02:46,440 --> 00:02:51,280 Speaker 4: your pastor's heart burns to see young people come to 47 00:02:51,360 --> 00:02:55,959 Speaker 4: find Jesus. So we'll put resources, we'll put time, we'll 48 00:02:55,960 --> 00:02:59,480 Speaker 4: put effort, we'll put music. So on behalf of what 49 00:02:59,520 --> 00:03:00,240 Speaker 4: God has done. 50 00:03:00,240 --> 00:03:00,720 Speaker 1: I know snow. 51 00:03:00,720 --> 00:03:02,880 Speaker 4: This this is how you honor a movement. You honor 52 00:03:02,880 --> 00:03:06,080 Speaker 4: a movement by bringing it forward. And can we just 53 00:03:06,080 --> 00:03:07,919 Speaker 4: take a moment right now and just give honor where 54 00:03:07,919 --> 00:03:11,840 Speaker 4: honor is due to Pastor Stephen and Holly Ferdick for 55 00:03:12,000 --> 00:03:14,679 Speaker 4: creating a space in a room for the next generation. 56 00:03:16,080 --> 00:03:19,240 Speaker 4: Thank you for being a role model to so many 57 00:03:19,320 --> 00:03:22,480 Speaker 4: young guys and girls like myself. We all just dream 58 00:03:22,520 --> 00:03:25,840 Speaker 4: one day could we just be like even half as 59 00:03:25,880 --> 00:03:31,799 Speaker 4: anointed in Jack his pastor Stephen Ferdick. Good lord, my 60 00:03:31,919 --> 00:03:34,760 Speaker 4: name is Ben Graves. I come from San Diego, California, 61 00:03:35,120 --> 00:03:41,800 Speaker 4: and uh yeah, the land of shamou SeaWorld really suffering 62 00:03:41,840 --> 00:03:42,480 Speaker 4: for the gospel. 63 00:03:42,560 --> 00:03:43,320 Speaker 1: Someone's got to do. 64 00:03:43,400 --> 00:03:47,960 Speaker 4: It is seventy five degrees year round. And my wife 65 00:03:48,040 --> 00:03:50,040 Speaker 4: and I Brooke, and our two beautiful babies. I think 66 00:03:50,040 --> 00:03:52,320 Speaker 4: we have a photo of them. We just send our love. 67 00:03:52,360 --> 00:03:58,000 Speaker 4: God's been so good to us. And that's our daughter 68 00:03:58,080 --> 00:04:01,320 Speaker 4: Banks and our little one Benji. I was thinking about 69 00:04:01,360 --> 00:04:02,720 Speaker 4: this last week. I'll let you sit in a moment 70 00:04:02,720 --> 00:04:07,120 Speaker 4: Maory scripture, but the one with the cute pigtails. The 71 00:04:07,160 --> 00:04:10,480 Speaker 4: craziest moment when she was born was, of course, like 72 00:04:10,600 --> 00:04:12,480 Speaker 4: when it's delivered and there's young people in the rooms. 73 00:04:12,480 --> 00:04:16,000 Speaker 4: I'll spare you the details, but there's this moment parents 74 00:04:16,040 --> 00:04:17,599 Speaker 4: in the room. You know, this moment where like you 75 00:04:17,680 --> 00:04:19,640 Speaker 4: kind of live in this fairy tale land of like 76 00:04:20,040 --> 00:04:22,920 Speaker 4: having nurses and doctors check in on you and they're 77 00:04:23,000 --> 00:04:24,880 Speaker 4: teaching you how to change a diaper, and then this 78 00:04:25,000 --> 00:04:27,599 Speaker 4: moment comes where you kind of sign your life away 79 00:04:27,600 --> 00:04:32,240 Speaker 4: on these documents and then the nurse just kind of goes, 80 00:04:32,360 --> 00:04:36,960 Speaker 4: see ya, and you're like holding a car seat you 81 00:04:37,000 --> 00:04:39,560 Speaker 4: learn how to put together on YouTube fifteen minutes prior. 82 00:04:41,600 --> 00:04:42,640 Speaker 1: I'll kind of look at my wife. 83 00:04:42,640 --> 00:04:47,919 Speaker 4: I'm like, they're just letting us leave, didn't even background 84 00:04:48,040 --> 00:04:51,800 Speaker 4: check me, and I'm a California driver. 85 00:04:51,920 --> 00:04:52,640 Speaker 1: Yellow means go. 86 00:04:52,800 --> 00:04:56,160 Speaker 4: But when that girl got in my car, all of 87 00:04:56,160 --> 00:04:58,120 Speaker 4: a sudden, I turned to sixty five years old, leaving 88 00:04:58,120 --> 00:04:59,719 Speaker 4: my retirement community. 89 00:05:01,560 --> 00:05:02,159 Speaker 1: Slow down. 90 00:05:04,400 --> 00:05:07,440 Speaker 4: And there's this portion of scripture that just reminds me 91 00:05:07,480 --> 00:05:09,240 Speaker 4: of this moment because I went in one moment from 92 00:05:09,279 --> 00:05:12,839 Speaker 4: just being ben to like an instant getting this new title. 93 00:05:13,600 --> 00:05:14,120 Speaker 1: Dad. 94 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:17,320 Speaker 4: I didn't earn it. I didn't really know what it 95 00:05:17,360 --> 00:05:19,640 Speaker 4: all meant. But every day of my life. 96 00:05:19,440 --> 00:05:22,839 Speaker 1: Has been a journey of growing and maturing into this 97 00:05:22,920 --> 00:05:23,600 Speaker 1: title had been given. 98 00:05:23,640 --> 00:05:25,560 Speaker 4: And Paul writes something in two Corinthians want to read 99 00:05:25,600 --> 00:05:28,760 Speaker 4: this text for us today. He says this, that we 100 00:05:28,800 --> 00:05:34,359 Speaker 4: are now Christ's ambassador. I just felt for someone in 101 00:05:34,360 --> 00:05:36,520 Speaker 4: the room, like, what is an ambassador? It's just someone 102 00:05:36,520 --> 00:05:39,920 Speaker 4: who represents one kingdom inside of another. 103 00:05:42,279 --> 00:05:44,520 Speaker 1: And Paul doesn't say one day you will be. 104 00:05:45,920 --> 00:05:49,159 Speaker 4: He doesn't say maybe when you get a certain degree 105 00:05:49,240 --> 00:05:49,640 Speaker 4: you will be. 106 00:05:50,680 --> 00:05:51,640 Speaker 1: He just says you are. 107 00:05:53,360 --> 00:05:56,000 Speaker 4: Did anyone ever struggle with this reality that you go 108 00:05:56,040 --> 00:05:57,960 Speaker 4: from death to life? But there's still this part of 109 00:05:57,960 --> 00:06:00,880 Speaker 4: you that sometimes doesn't feel like walking in this call 110 00:06:00,960 --> 00:06:04,360 Speaker 4: of ambassadorship? And when I think of being an ambassador, 111 00:06:04,400 --> 00:06:06,960 Speaker 4: I think every person in this room, young or old. 112 00:06:06,800 --> 00:06:07,400 Speaker 1: You have been giving. 113 00:06:07,680 --> 00:06:10,000 Speaker 4: You have been given a sphere of influence, a domain 114 00:06:10,080 --> 00:06:13,159 Speaker 4: that you are called to be a leader and ambassador 115 00:06:13,240 --> 00:06:16,320 Speaker 4: representing the Kingdom of God in this kingdom here on earth. 116 00:06:16,640 --> 00:06:18,039 Speaker 1: You have been given a family. 117 00:06:18,360 --> 00:06:21,279 Speaker 4: Moms and dads catch this You've been given young people, children, 118 00:06:21,760 --> 00:06:24,799 Speaker 4: even the snatty toddlers. You have been given a domain. 119 00:06:26,920 --> 00:06:29,880 Speaker 4: And what I've just learned culturally, especially around this next generation, 120 00:06:30,839 --> 00:06:33,280 Speaker 4: is some of us have forfeited or not lived up 121 00:06:33,320 --> 00:06:36,280 Speaker 4: into this title of a representation of Christ. 122 00:06:36,120 --> 00:06:38,880 Speaker 1: Pleading to a world come back to God. Because we 123 00:06:38,920 --> 00:06:39,799 Speaker 1: spend a lot. 124 00:06:39,640 --> 00:06:42,080 Speaker 4: Of time looking at the brokenness and the turmoil of 125 00:06:42,120 --> 00:06:44,320 Speaker 4: the world, and some of us have just become like 126 00:06:44,400 --> 00:06:49,520 Speaker 4: professional pointer outers of all the broken things. In what 127 00:06:49,560 --> 00:06:52,640 Speaker 4: we do when we focus on out there is sometimes 128 00:06:52,640 --> 00:06:57,240 Speaker 4: we forfeit the territory God's given us here. And I 129 00:06:57,360 --> 00:06:59,280 Speaker 4: just want to encourage someone. Maybe you felt like this 130 00:06:59,320 --> 00:07:02,880 Speaker 4: week you didn't live like an ambassador for Christ, felt 131 00:07:02,880 --> 00:07:06,640 Speaker 4: like you live for an ambassador of insecurity, an ambassador 132 00:07:06,640 --> 00:07:10,320 Speaker 4: of trauma. I just came today to say God's got 133 00:07:10,320 --> 00:07:13,840 Speaker 4: a special amount of grace that he wants to impart 134 00:07:13,880 --> 00:07:17,320 Speaker 4: into your heart this morning. Because here's what this next 135 00:07:17,320 --> 00:07:20,760 Speaker 4: generation needs. It needs moms and dads and aunties and 136 00:07:20,840 --> 00:07:24,080 Speaker 4: uncles and business owners and workplace leaders that would say, 137 00:07:24,120 --> 00:07:27,640 Speaker 4: I want to be a representation to this broken world 138 00:07:27,920 --> 00:07:33,560 Speaker 4: saying come back to God. So Jesus, this morning we 139 00:07:33,640 --> 00:07:37,160 Speaker 4: say use us. Father, we don't want to vacate what 140 00:07:37,200 --> 00:07:40,840 Speaker 4: you've called us to lead in love the words of 141 00:07:40,880 --> 00:07:43,480 Speaker 4: Paul God, we are we grab. 142 00:07:43,240 --> 00:07:45,240 Speaker 1: On to that. I am. 143 00:07:45,320 --> 00:07:48,560 Speaker 4: This is my core duty, this is my role. I'm 144 00:07:48,560 --> 00:07:50,679 Speaker 4: a son and daughter of God. But then he gives 145 00:07:50,720 --> 00:07:55,640 Speaker 4: me this mission to represent who Christ is, not just 146 00:07:55,720 --> 00:08:00,000 Speaker 4: represent what he's against, but to represents who he is. 147 00:08:01,240 --> 00:08:04,120 Speaker 4: So God, today I pray that every individual in this room, 148 00:08:04,480 --> 00:08:06,880 Speaker 4: the sound of my voice, watching online, watching all over 149 00:08:06,920 --> 00:08:10,480 Speaker 4: the campuses, that today Lord, their hearts would be softened 150 00:08:10,480 --> 00:08:12,360 Speaker 4: and open to the reality. 151 00:08:12,680 --> 00:08:16,600 Speaker 1: That God, you want to use me. I didn't see it. 152 00:08:16,560 --> 00:08:18,400 Speaker 4: This way, but you want to use me. I'm just 153 00:08:18,440 --> 00:08:20,440 Speaker 4: a mom, but you want to use me. I'm just 154 00:08:20,680 --> 00:08:23,640 Speaker 4: a dad, but you want to use me. Today, God, 155 00:08:23,680 --> 00:08:25,680 Speaker 4: I pray that your Holy Spirit would move all over 156 00:08:25,720 --> 00:08:29,160 Speaker 4: this room. God, we don't want to leave this sing 157 00:08:30,000 --> 00:08:33,439 Speaker 4: transform us from the inside out. Jesus, we love you, 158 00:08:33,559 --> 00:08:37,840 Speaker 4: We praise you, and all God's beautiful people said, hey, man, come. 159 00:08:37,679 --> 00:08:39,199 Speaker 1: On, why don't we give God a shout of praise? 160 00:08:39,280 --> 00:08:41,640 Speaker 4: High five someone as you find your seat? 161 00:08:42,559 --> 00:08:46,079 Speaker 1: What up you dam how we doing? The merch looks good. 162 00:08:46,120 --> 00:08:51,440 Speaker 1: The merch looks good. 163 00:08:53,160 --> 00:08:55,719 Speaker 4: I am beyond excited for what God is going to 164 00:08:55,800 --> 00:08:56,440 Speaker 4: do today. 165 00:08:57,120 --> 00:08:58,240 Speaker 1: If you have your Bible turned to the. 166 00:08:58,240 --> 00:09:03,720 Speaker 4: Book of Judges chapter six, through this portion of scripture. Really, 167 00:09:03,760 --> 00:09:06,360 Speaker 4: anytime we study the Old Testament in Israelites and the 168 00:09:06,360 --> 00:09:09,679 Speaker 4: people of God, think of them really as an archaeotype 169 00:09:10,200 --> 00:09:13,080 Speaker 4: of all of humanity in many ways, right like we 170 00:09:13,120 --> 00:09:15,720 Speaker 4: see them in bondage and slavery in Egypt, and what 171 00:09:15,760 --> 00:09:16,400 Speaker 4: does God do? 172 00:09:16,480 --> 00:09:18,000 Speaker 1: He frees them. 173 00:09:18,160 --> 00:09:20,520 Speaker 4: This is the very same thing Christ does from your 174 00:09:20,559 --> 00:09:23,120 Speaker 4: sin in bondage and slave and his Holy Spirit through 175 00:09:23,120 --> 00:09:23,839 Speaker 4: the blood of Jesus. 176 00:09:23,880 --> 00:09:25,280 Speaker 1: What does it do? It frees you. 177 00:09:26,280 --> 00:09:28,560 Speaker 4: So ever we look at the Israelites, it's like they're 178 00:09:28,640 --> 00:09:32,319 Speaker 4: kind of even like schizophrenic in their walk with God 179 00:09:32,880 --> 00:09:35,840 Speaker 4: because you see them being like the prize called chosen 180 00:09:35,880 --> 00:09:39,320 Speaker 4: people of God. But then you see them not be 181 00:09:39,400 --> 00:09:42,480 Speaker 4: able to let go of this love for other gods 182 00:09:42,480 --> 00:09:46,079 Speaker 4: and other nations and other cultures. And in Judges chapter six, 183 00:09:46,200 --> 00:09:48,400 Speaker 4: where we land, you got to remember that this is 184 00:09:48,640 --> 00:09:51,199 Speaker 4: before we ever saw King step onto the scene. And 185 00:09:51,640 --> 00:09:53,559 Speaker 4: a judge different than a judge in our culture. A 186 00:09:53,600 --> 00:09:55,880 Speaker 4: judge in our culture would you know, justify the law. 187 00:09:56,000 --> 00:09:57,800 Speaker 4: Judge in this day would have been almost like a 188 00:09:57,880 --> 00:10:00,920 Speaker 4: superhero given to the people of God, pointed to be 189 00:10:00,960 --> 00:10:04,360 Speaker 4: a deliverer, someone to call the people back. So watch this, 190 00:10:04,480 --> 00:10:07,160 Speaker 4: When the Israelites would drift from God, he would then. 191 00:10:07,120 --> 00:10:08,440 Speaker 1: Send a a judge. 192 00:10:09,520 --> 00:10:11,400 Speaker 4: Now you read the Book of Judges and you'll see 193 00:10:11,400 --> 00:10:14,120 Speaker 4: that there are twelve different judges mentioned in this book, 194 00:10:14,960 --> 00:10:17,560 Speaker 4: which tells us that they would drift, God would. 195 00:10:17,320 --> 00:10:19,120 Speaker 1: Send a judge. 196 00:10:19,320 --> 00:10:21,520 Speaker 4: They would then drift again, and God would send another 197 00:10:22,000 --> 00:10:26,960 Speaker 4: judge twelve different times. And that is because no human 198 00:10:27,000 --> 00:10:29,160 Speaker 4: being is the answer to the condition of their heart. 199 00:10:31,120 --> 00:10:34,800 Speaker 4: I mean Moses, Abraham, all the Old Testament, Gideon, Deborah, 200 00:10:34,840 --> 00:10:38,000 Speaker 4: all the judges, all of them are just a preview. 201 00:10:39,000 --> 00:10:39,880 Speaker 1: Pointing too. 202 00:10:40,360 --> 00:10:43,600 Speaker 4: We can't fix this, but God is sending someone who can, 203 00:10:43,880 --> 00:10:46,920 Speaker 4: and his name is Jesus, his only son. So we 204 00:10:47,000 --> 00:10:49,760 Speaker 4: see God send judges to try and call the people 205 00:10:49,800 --> 00:10:50,680 Speaker 4: back to God. 206 00:10:51,559 --> 00:10:53,800 Speaker 1: And then once again the people would fall and fall 207 00:10:53,800 --> 00:10:54,120 Speaker 1: and fall. 208 00:10:54,160 --> 00:10:56,200 Speaker 4: And where we find ourselves in this text today is 209 00:10:56,240 --> 00:10:58,720 Speaker 4: the reality that the people of God have once again 210 00:11:00,040 --> 00:11:01,480 Speaker 4: did evil in the eyes of the Lord. I want 211 00:11:01,480 --> 00:11:03,400 Speaker 4: to read this Judge chapter six one through six, and 212 00:11:03,440 --> 00:11:05,960 Speaker 4: it says this, the Israelites did evil in the eyes 213 00:11:05,960 --> 00:11:07,600 Speaker 4: of the Lord, and for seven years he gave them 214 00:11:07,640 --> 00:11:08,880 Speaker 4: into the hands of the Midianites. 215 00:11:09,760 --> 00:11:11,079 Speaker 1: Because the power of midian. 216 00:11:10,920 --> 00:11:13,640 Speaker 4: Was so oppressive, the Israelites prepared shelters for themselves and 217 00:11:13,760 --> 00:11:18,400 Speaker 4: mounting clefts, caves and strongholds. Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, 218 00:11:18,440 --> 00:11:22,119 Speaker 4: the Midianites, Emmaclites and other Eastern peoples invaded the country. 219 00:11:23,080 --> 00:11:24,360 Speaker 1: They camped on the land. 220 00:11:24,120 --> 00:11:26,120 Speaker 4: And ruined their crops all the way to Gaza, and 221 00:11:26,200 --> 00:11:29,880 Speaker 4: did not spare a living thing for israel either sheet, 222 00:11:29,960 --> 00:11:33,040 Speaker 4: nor cattle nor donkeys. They came up with their live 223 00:11:33,120 --> 00:11:37,520 Speaker 4: stock in their tents like swarms of locusts. This is 224 00:11:37,520 --> 00:11:41,200 Speaker 4: fascinating imagery here, right, because we saw in the delivery 225 00:11:41,200 --> 00:11:43,959 Speaker 4: of God's people from Egypt. Do you remember how God 226 00:11:44,080 --> 00:11:47,120 Speaker 4: judged the emperor the time said he would send swarms 227 00:11:47,160 --> 00:11:50,240 Speaker 4: of locus. Now we see this imagery bought back into 228 00:11:50,280 --> 00:11:52,240 Speaker 4: the text again. It's like saying, the thing that God 229 00:11:52,320 --> 00:11:54,040 Speaker 4: used to judge the enemy is now the thing that 230 00:11:54,160 --> 00:11:57,360 Speaker 4: is conquering them in their oppression. Here. Oh, this is 231 00:11:57,400 --> 00:11:59,840 Speaker 4: interesting because we see that no longer are the people 232 00:11:59,840 --> 00:12:02,760 Speaker 4: of God because at this point they have made it 233 00:12:02,800 --> 00:12:06,720 Speaker 4: to the promised land. So they've made it now to 234 00:12:06,800 --> 00:12:08,160 Speaker 4: what God has promised for them. 235 00:12:09,120 --> 00:12:10,559 Speaker 1: But read this, they're. 236 00:12:10,400 --> 00:12:13,320 Speaker 4: Getting so beat up and so defeated by the enemy 237 00:12:14,760 --> 00:12:18,600 Speaker 4: that they have literally vacated the promise, and the Bible 238 00:12:18,640 --> 00:12:21,560 Speaker 4: says they have made homes for themselves in mountain clefts 239 00:12:21,559 --> 00:12:24,640 Speaker 4: and caves. Now, I don't know if you've ever been 240 00:12:24,640 --> 00:12:26,360 Speaker 4: in a season where you feel like you're just getting 241 00:12:26,400 --> 00:12:29,600 Speaker 4: beat up left and right by the enemy, that you 242 00:12:29,679 --> 00:12:31,640 Speaker 4: feel like, man, I thought I conquered this thing, but 243 00:12:31,679 --> 00:12:35,280 Speaker 4: it keeps coming back into my current situation. Maybe some 244 00:12:35,360 --> 00:12:37,840 Speaker 4: of you today you feel like, man, I've had seasons 245 00:12:37,840 --> 00:12:39,839 Speaker 4: of winning in seasons of losing. I just want to 246 00:12:39,880 --> 00:12:42,720 Speaker 4: ease your heart a little bit. That's walking with Jesus 247 00:12:44,720 --> 00:12:47,680 Speaker 4: that oftentimes it doesn't always feel like up into the right. 248 00:12:48,720 --> 00:12:50,679 Speaker 1: But we see the people of God here make it 249 00:12:50,720 --> 00:12:51,600 Speaker 1: to the promised land. 250 00:12:52,360 --> 00:12:55,800 Speaker 4: And because they're so oppressed, because the enemy is running 251 00:12:55,920 --> 00:12:58,840 Speaker 4: ravage in their day, it says that they. 252 00:12:58,920 --> 00:13:02,200 Speaker 1: Vacate and they go and hide. 253 00:13:02,360 --> 00:13:04,040 Speaker 4: Like I just imagine, like what was one of the 254 00:13:04,080 --> 00:13:07,360 Speaker 4: dads one day, just like getting beat up and scrolling 255 00:13:07,440 --> 00:13:17,560 Speaker 4: zillow dingy dark cave, fix her upper. I think he 256 00:13:17,640 --> 00:13:19,480 Speaker 4: probably had a moment. I just imagine it this way. 257 00:13:19,480 --> 00:13:22,200 Speaker 4: There was one dad who was just so tired of 258 00:13:22,240 --> 00:13:25,240 Speaker 4: his food being plumbaged, of his life being. 259 00:13:25,080 --> 00:13:25,800 Speaker 1: Taken from him. 260 00:13:26,720 --> 00:13:28,120 Speaker 4: He looked at his kids and went, you know what, 261 00:13:29,360 --> 00:13:32,360 Speaker 4: I think we could take him up to this cave 262 00:13:33,679 --> 00:13:35,280 Speaker 4: and we could just hide out a little bit. The 263 00:13:35,320 --> 00:13:38,760 Speaker 4: many nights can't get us up there. And maybe just 264 00:13:38,800 --> 00:13:42,240 Speaker 4: one family went up and made themselves a little shelter, 265 00:13:43,400 --> 00:13:45,280 Speaker 4: and one night turned to two nights and three nights 266 00:13:45,360 --> 00:13:47,520 Speaker 4: into four knights, and other family saw, man, they're safe 267 00:13:47,559 --> 00:13:50,920 Speaker 4: up there, and then another family leaves. 268 00:13:50,640 --> 00:13:51,400 Speaker 1: And packs up. 269 00:13:52,920 --> 00:13:55,280 Speaker 4: I just wonder if they really meant for it to 270 00:13:55,320 --> 00:13:58,640 Speaker 4: become their home. I think what they thought was going 271 00:13:58,720 --> 00:14:02,199 Speaker 4: to be shelter for a night, without knowing it became 272 00:14:02,200 --> 00:14:07,360 Speaker 4: now their defense for life. And now the promised land 273 00:14:07,400 --> 00:14:13,400 Speaker 4: of God is running with the enemy, and the people 274 00:14:13,440 --> 00:14:19,840 Speaker 4: of God are hiding. Remember same people shouted walls of 275 00:14:19,920 --> 00:14:25,120 Speaker 4: Jericho fall down are now hiding watching the enemy run ravish. 276 00:14:25,160 --> 00:14:27,840 Speaker 4: And here's what I know about our life. We all 277 00:14:27,880 --> 00:14:35,400 Speaker 4: have Midianites. There are annoying things in our lives, sin tendencies, background, 278 00:14:35,520 --> 00:14:39,760 Speaker 4: family of origin, things that we sometimes feel like we have. 279 00:14:39,920 --> 00:14:43,320 Speaker 1: Tried and tried and tried, and you don't feel delivered. 280 00:14:43,360 --> 00:14:45,720 Speaker 4: It's things that are beating you up, things that keep 281 00:14:45,760 --> 00:14:49,360 Speaker 4: you feeling down. And I just learned that oftentimes in 282 00:14:49,400 --> 00:14:52,240 Speaker 4: my life, I have a tendency not to fight when 283 00:14:52,280 --> 00:14:56,640 Speaker 4: I get tired, but to hide in. Hiding in twenty 284 00:14:56,680 --> 00:15:00,120 Speaker 4: twenty six is bougie, easy and accessible. 285 00:15:01,120 --> 00:15:03,080 Speaker 1: Because you ain't even got to go find a cave. 286 00:15:03,160 --> 00:15:06,840 Speaker 4: You can just hop on your phone. 287 00:15:07,080 --> 00:15:08,680 Speaker 1: I learned this thing as a dad. I was like, 288 00:15:10,280 --> 00:15:11,680 Speaker 1: I've get stressed, overwhelmed. 289 00:15:11,680 --> 00:15:14,360 Speaker 4: I'm like, I'm just gonna go take a bathroom break. 290 00:15:17,800 --> 00:15:23,160 Speaker 4: And then God invented something called YouTube golf. But I 291 00:15:23,200 --> 00:15:27,160 Speaker 4: got convicted by the Lord one day. Don't imagine it 292 00:15:27,160 --> 00:15:28,800 Speaker 4: too much, but I got it convicted by the Lord 293 00:15:31,240 --> 00:15:35,960 Speaker 4: because I could hear my kids outside, and the Lord 294 00:15:35,960 --> 00:15:36,880 Speaker 4: decid to me, you're hiding. 295 00:15:38,440 --> 00:15:42,120 Speaker 1: That's the domain I've called you to lead in, and 296 00:15:42,160 --> 00:15:42,720 Speaker 1: you're hiding. 297 00:15:44,080 --> 00:15:45,840 Speaker 4: I think for some of us, it's like I'm just 298 00:15:45,880 --> 00:15:48,480 Speaker 4: so overwhelmed with the pressure to provide. I mean, let's 299 00:15:48,560 --> 00:15:50,400 Speaker 4: just talk about being a mom or a dad. It's like, 300 00:15:50,440 --> 00:15:53,080 Speaker 4: now it's not even just can you raise kids to survive? 301 00:15:53,120 --> 00:15:55,000 Speaker 4: It's like, but can you make sure they get no 302 00:15:55,160 --> 00:15:57,360 Speaker 4: red forty and make sure that they eat perfectly, and 303 00:15:57,400 --> 00:15:57,880 Speaker 4: make sure. 304 00:15:57,720 --> 00:15:58,480 Speaker 1: They're working out. 305 00:15:58,880 --> 00:16:01,600 Speaker 4: Inject peptides into that early so that they just get strong, 306 00:16:02,000 --> 00:16:03,880 Speaker 4: and make sure you're watching all this stuff and learning 307 00:16:03,960 --> 00:16:05,160 Speaker 4: this book and you're raising them up. 308 00:16:05,200 --> 00:16:06,920 Speaker 1: And it's just this whole thing. And I've just learned this. 309 00:16:06,960 --> 00:16:08,720 Speaker 4: It's like, also, I got to provide, and also I 310 00:16:08,720 --> 00:16:10,080 Speaker 4: got to be fit, and also I got to make 311 00:16:10,080 --> 00:16:11,720 Speaker 4: sure they're in the right sports, and also I got 312 00:16:11,720 --> 00:16:13,320 Speaker 4: to make sure I'm smart, and I'm reading my Bible 313 00:16:13,480 --> 00:16:16,040 Speaker 4: and all of the different things sometimes can cause us 314 00:16:16,040 --> 00:16:17,040 Speaker 4: to leave and just hide. 315 00:16:18,640 --> 00:16:21,440 Speaker 1: But can I remind you you have. 316 00:16:21,320 --> 00:16:26,680 Speaker 4: Not been called to vacate the promised land, parent, young person. 317 00:16:27,680 --> 00:16:29,400 Speaker 1: You have been giving a sphere of influence. 318 00:16:29,440 --> 00:16:31,600 Speaker 4: And what I've learned is when a sphere of influence 319 00:16:31,720 --> 00:16:35,800 Speaker 4: is vacated by an ambassador, it becomes an open door 320 00:16:35,840 --> 00:16:37,040 Speaker 4: for the enemy to rampage. 321 00:16:38,200 --> 00:16:40,000 Speaker 1: And I wonder if you feel like. 322 00:16:40,000 --> 00:16:43,000 Speaker 4: There is chaos raving inside of your life right now, 323 00:16:44,120 --> 00:16:46,480 Speaker 4: and could it be because God has called you to 324 00:16:46,520 --> 00:16:50,520 Speaker 4: that domain to lead, to pray, to make sure you're interceding, 325 00:16:50,720 --> 00:16:55,040 Speaker 4: to be present. But you find yourselves like the Israelites 326 00:16:55,040 --> 00:16:59,600 Speaker 4: in this text oftentimes retreating and hiding and not leading. 327 00:17:00,640 --> 00:17:02,440 Speaker 4: They find themselves in caves. Well, the next time you 328 00:17:02,440 --> 00:17:05,159 Speaker 4: see a cave in scripture, you would see in the 329 00:17:05,160 --> 00:17:07,439 Speaker 4: Book of Second Kings, you would see a man named Elijah, 330 00:17:07,480 --> 00:17:10,400 Speaker 4: just after defeating an enemy, he finds himself hiding out 331 00:17:10,400 --> 00:17:11,960 Speaker 4: in in a cave. 332 00:17:13,960 --> 00:17:14,720 Speaker 1: You see this all over. 333 00:17:14,760 --> 00:17:18,840 Speaker 4: You see David, King David running from Saul, who's supposed 334 00:17:18,840 --> 00:17:21,359 Speaker 4: to be his mentor his king, who's insecure. In the 335 00:17:21,400 --> 00:17:23,400 Speaker 4: Bible says that David runs and starts to hide out 336 00:17:23,400 --> 00:17:26,800 Speaker 4: into a cave. When go to the New Testament, two 337 00:17:26,800 --> 00:17:30,800 Speaker 4: sisters Mary Martha, Jesus finds them weeping outside of a 338 00:17:30,920 --> 00:17:36,719 Speaker 4: cave as their brother is now Dad Lazarus. Go google 339 00:17:36,760 --> 00:17:40,760 Speaker 4: what an ancient tomb look like in Biblical times. Even 340 00:17:40,840 --> 00:17:46,359 Speaker 4: Jesus found himself inside of a cave. But you know 341 00:17:46,440 --> 00:17:49,920 Speaker 4: what every cave in scripture has in common. Let's look 342 00:17:49,920 --> 00:17:53,840 Speaker 4: at Elijah for a moment. What happens. He's depressed, he's anxious, 343 00:17:53,880 --> 00:17:55,919 Speaker 4: he wants to take his own life. Guess who shows 344 00:17:56,000 --> 00:17:59,120 Speaker 4: up the spirit of God and brings him a meal. 345 00:18:00,560 --> 00:18:01,439 Speaker 1: Go to King David. 346 00:18:01,440 --> 00:18:03,960 Speaker 4: What happens, He's depressed, he's insecurity. He's inside of a cave. 347 00:18:04,000 --> 00:18:08,000 Speaker 4: Guess who shows up. God sends brothers friends to lift 348 00:18:08,040 --> 00:18:10,800 Speaker 4: him up. Go to Mary and Martha. They're crying outside 349 00:18:10,800 --> 00:18:14,440 Speaker 4: of a cave. Jesus shows up, weeps with them, powerful, 350 00:18:17,040 --> 00:18:20,880 Speaker 4: and then says, Lazarus, get out that cave. Because God 351 00:18:20,960 --> 00:18:23,680 Speaker 4: is not afraid of caves. We serve a God who 352 00:18:23,720 --> 00:18:27,360 Speaker 4: is in the business of showing up to caves and 353 00:18:27,400 --> 00:18:31,520 Speaker 4: redeeming and calling out. Jesus three days in a cave. 354 00:18:31,560 --> 00:18:33,600 Speaker 4: We all know the end of the story, friends, that 355 00:18:33,680 --> 00:18:36,280 Speaker 4: he did not stay in that cave. But three days 356 00:18:36,320 --> 00:18:38,800 Speaker 4: later he got up out of the grave and defeated 357 00:18:38,880 --> 00:18:39,879 Speaker 4: sin death in the grave. 358 00:18:40,040 --> 00:18:41,639 Speaker 1: So here's what I know for your life. 359 00:18:41,840 --> 00:18:44,400 Speaker 4: You might have been hiding, you might be in secret, 360 00:18:44,600 --> 00:18:45,480 Speaker 4: you might being. 361 00:18:45,280 --> 00:18:47,840 Speaker 1: Broken, But good news that we serve a. 362 00:18:47,800 --> 00:18:50,520 Speaker 4: God who loves to show up in caves and call 363 00:18:50,600 --> 00:18:53,720 Speaker 4: his sons and daughters back home. Come on, can I 364 00:18:53,720 --> 00:18:56,840 Speaker 4: get an amen in the house of God today. He's 365 00:18:56,880 --> 00:18:59,359 Speaker 4: in the business of showing up in dark places. The 366 00:18:59,359 --> 00:19:03,760 Speaker 4: Bible says, while we were still sinning, I'll be super 367 00:19:03,800 --> 00:19:06,240 Speaker 4: playing with you while you were hiding, while you were 368 00:19:06,280 --> 00:19:08,199 Speaker 4: getting drunk, while you were messing up while you were 369 00:19:08,240 --> 00:19:10,840 Speaker 4: running from God. Fill in the blank with whatever that 370 00:19:10,880 --> 00:19:13,719 Speaker 4: sin issue is. The Bible says that while you were sinning, 371 00:19:16,080 --> 00:19:19,399 Speaker 4: that's when He shows up. So some of us, what 372 00:19:19,440 --> 00:19:20,960 Speaker 4: we do is we go, Man, I'm just in a 373 00:19:20,960 --> 00:19:22,720 Speaker 4: bad season. I've been hiding in. What we do is 374 00:19:22,760 --> 00:19:25,000 Speaker 4: we double down and we make a lifestyle. What if 375 00:19:25,000 --> 00:19:27,000 Speaker 4: God's called to be something you get called out of 376 00:19:28,680 --> 00:19:30,520 Speaker 4: and today what I believe God is doing in a 377 00:19:30,520 --> 00:19:32,120 Speaker 4: lot of our lives. You need to meet the man 378 00:19:32,160 --> 00:19:34,159 Speaker 4: who will show up to your cave today and he 379 00:19:34,240 --> 00:19:36,359 Speaker 4: will call you home with his grace, his mercy, and 380 00:19:36,400 --> 00:19:38,480 Speaker 4: his Holy Spirit. What he wants to do in and 381 00:19:38,520 --> 00:19:40,840 Speaker 4: through your life you have no idea, But here's what 382 00:19:40,920 --> 00:19:41,159 Speaker 4: I know. 383 00:19:41,240 --> 00:19:42,600 Speaker 1: You have been given a territory. 384 00:19:43,320 --> 00:19:46,680 Speaker 4: You have been given a promise in This next generation 385 00:19:46,880 --> 00:19:50,160 Speaker 4: needs leaders and parents and people who will not vacate 386 00:19:50,240 --> 00:19:52,880 Speaker 4: the promise in the place God's given me in sit 387 00:19:52,960 --> 00:19:55,480 Speaker 4: and hiding. But the spirit of the Living God, here's 388 00:19:55,480 --> 00:19:58,000 Speaker 4: what I know. There's a tailor made anointing for you, Mom, 389 00:20:00,000 --> 00:20:02,200 Speaker 4: a tailor made anointing for you to do the thing 390 00:20:02,240 --> 00:20:04,720 Speaker 4: God's called you to do. You do know this, God 391 00:20:04,760 --> 00:20:06,719 Speaker 4: will never call you to do something, but not equip 392 00:20:06,760 --> 00:20:10,119 Speaker 4: you through it. So in every season you are in, 393 00:20:10,320 --> 00:20:13,879 Speaker 4: remind yourself this today that even if I've been hiding, 394 00:20:13,920 --> 00:20:17,480 Speaker 4: the hiding doesn't define me and it's not where you 395 00:20:17,520 --> 00:20:20,600 Speaker 4: were called to live. I get it, it's been a 396 00:20:20,600 --> 00:20:21,800 Speaker 4: hard season. I get it. 397 00:20:21,800 --> 00:20:25,040 Speaker 1: Things have been difficult, But you can't live there. 398 00:20:26,440 --> 00:20:31,240 Speaker 4: There's too much a stake. Who else is coming for 399 00:20:31,320 --> 00:20:36,119 Speaker 4: this next generation? Many of us are just like, so, 400 00:20:36,280 --> 00:20:41,960 Speaker 4: you've Passor's job. It's a preacher's job. It's Bryce Crawford's 401 00:20:42,000 --> 00:20:43,920 Speaker 4: job on Instagram, whatever you're looking for, it's their job. 402 00:20:45,359 --> 00:20:47,000 Speaker 4: We need to take a hard look in the mirror 403 00:20:47,040 --> 00:20:49,680 Speaker 4: and go no, no, no. If God's placed me here, 404 00:20:50,320 --> 00:20:52,919 Speaker 4: that means he wants to use me to reach people 405 00:20:52,960 --> 00:20:56,479 Speaker 4: out there. And we got to stop complaining about the 406 00:20:56,520 --> 00:20:59,720 Speaker 4: cave and start stepping into the anointing God has given 407 00:20:59,800 --> 00:21:03,440 Speaker 4: us to lead this next generation to the purpose of Jesus. 408 00:21:03,520 --> 00:21:04,360 Speaker 1: How do we do it? 409 00:21:04,520 --> 00:21:06,600 Speaker 4: Teach them how to pray, teach them how to read 410 00:21:06,600 --> 00:21:09,480 Speaker 4: your Bible, teach them how to intercede. They need to 411 00:21:09,640 --> 00:21:14,240 Speaker 4: watch Christians not be hiding, but Christians being ambassadors. 412 00:21:15,359 --> 00:21:19,400 Speaker 1: Because we speak for who God. 413 00:21:20,040 --> 00:21:23,960 Speaker 4: The guy who stars into this galaxy, the guy who 414 00:21:24,000 --> 00:21:27,119 Speaker 4: formed you in your mother's room, the one who holds 415 00:21:27,160 --> 00:21:28,320 Speaker 4: all this in the Palla's hands. 416 00:21:28,320 --> 00:21:33,520 Speaker 1: You speak for for him. I don't think you're hearing this. 417 00:21:34,640 --> 00:21:38,080 Speaker 4: God says, you speak for him when you cry out 418 00:21:38,080 --> 00:21:42,320 Speaker 4: to a broken world come home, which means the authority 419 00:21:42,359 --> 00:21:45,399 Speaker 4: of God is on your life. In your call for 420 00:21:45,440 --> 00:21:47,840 Speaker 4: young people to come back to Jesus, for coworkers to 421 00:21:47,880 --> 00:21:50,760 Speaker 4: come back to Jesus, he has anointed you and given. 422 00:21:50,560 --> 00:21:51,639 Speaker 1: Him your power. 423 00:21:52,440 --> 00:21:55,959 Speaker 4: So reading this text, they find themselves syndicate and Jesus 424 00:21:55,960 --> 00:21:57,600 Speaker 4: shows up this time with a conversation. 425 00:21:57,720 --> 00:22:00,000 Speaker 1: If you know this narrative, it's beautiful and it's powerful. 426 00:22:00,920 --> 00:22:01,760 Speaker 1: But we see he shows up. 427 00:22:01,800 --> 00:22:03,600 Speaker 4: In verse eleven, he says, the Angel Lord sat down 428 00:22:03,600 --> 00:22:06,160 Speaker 4: in the oak of Oprah, which belonged to josh Sebreezia, 429 00:22:06,720 --> 00:22:09,119 Speaker 4: where Sun Gideon was threshing wheat in a wine press 430 00:22:09,560 --> 00:22:11,640 Speaker 4: to keep it from the midy nights. Verse twelve, when 431 00:22:11,680 --> 00:22:14,840 Speaker 4: the Angel Lord appeared to Gideon and he said, the Lord. 432 00:22:14,640 --> 00:22:19,320 Speaker 1: Is with you, mighty warrior. Now where does he find Gideon? 433 00:22:20,200 --> 00:22:22,040 Speaker 4: We don't really know much proby about threshing wheat, but 434 00:22:22,119 --> 00:22:24,320 Speaker 4: here's what I've just learned about it is Normally the 435 00:22:24,320 --> 00:22:26,280 Speaker 4: wheat threshing would take place on the top of a 436 00:22:26,280 --> 00:22:30,080 Speaker 4: mountain where wind could blow through and help them to 437 00:22:30,080 --> 00:22:33,119 Speaker 4: collect the wheat. So he's doing a work on should 438 00:22:33,119 --> 00:22:35,119 Speaker 4: be on top of a mountain, but he's doing it 439 00:22:35,160 --> 00:22:39,320 Speaker 4: inside of a wine cave. So he's trying to mow 440 00:22:39,400 --> 00:22:40,360 Speaker 4: his lawn in his backyard. 441 00:22:41,480 --> 00:22:42,600 Speaker 1: This thing doesn't make. 442 00:22:42,480 --> 00:22:46,720 Speaker 4: Sense because when you're operating from a place of fear 443 00:22:46,760 --> 00:22:50,320 Speaker 4: and hiding, oftentimes you'll be trying to do the right thing, 444 00:22:51,800 --> 00:22:54,760 Speaker 4: but it just won't make sense. And where we find 445 00:22:54,800 --> 00:22:59,080 Speaker 4: Gideon here is operating in fear. He's operating in fear. 446 00:22:59,119 --> 00:23:01,240 Speaker 4: We took my little daughter on a flight not too 447 00:23:01,240 --> 00:23:04,120 Speaker 4: long ago, and I remember we were kind of taken off, 448 00:23:04,119 --> 00:23:06,800 Speaker 4: and I was surprised how chill she was about the 449 00:23:06,800 --> 00:23:07,720 Speaker 4: whole flying experience. 450 00:23:08,320 --> 00:23:10,040 Speaker 1: And we're kind of. 451 00:23:10,119 --> 00:23:13,000 Speaker 4: Beginning our descent back into San Diego and I kind 452 00:23:13,000 --> 00:23:14,560 Speaker 4: of look over at her and the windows open. She 453 00:23:14,560 --> 00:23:16,520 Speaker 4: can see out the window. I look over it and 454 00:23:16,600 --> 00:23:18,760 Speaker 4: I go, hey, Mabe, isn't this cool. 455 00:23:18,800 --> 00:23:19,280 Speaker 1: We're flying. 456 00:23:20,920 --> 00:23:24,679 Speaker 4: She's like yeah, goes back to playing whatever's playing, and 457 00:23:24,720 --> 00:23:26,640 Speaker 4: I go no, and I start to explain to her. 458 00:23:26,960 --> 00:23:27,680 Speaker 1: Look out there. 459 00:23:28,840 --> 00:23:32,640 Speaker 4: We're in the air and see the little people down there. 460 00:23:33,520 --> 00:23:37,119 Speaker 4: We're way above them. She's like, yeah, I go, no, 461 00:23:37,200 --> 00:23:38,680 Speaker 4: see the cloud right there, We're going to go through 462 00:23:38,680 --> 00:23:39,040 Speaker 4: the cloud. 463 00:23:39,080 --> 00:23:39,440 Speaker 1: We're hot. 464 00:23:39,480 --> 00:23:42,880 Speaker 4: I'm trying to explain this to her, and then all 465 00:23:42,880 --> 00:23:47,000 Speaker 4: of a sudden we go under some cloud cover and 466 00:23:47,040 --> 00:23:51,760 Speaker 4: it clicks in her head and she goes shut the window, 467 00:23:51,800 --> 00:23:53,399 Speaker 4: shut the windows, shut the window, shut the window. 468 00:23:56,480 --> 00:23:58,880 Speaker 1: And for the rest of the flight, I would try 469 00:23:58,880 --> 00:24:00,680 Speaker 1: and open that window. No, shut the window, shut the window, 470 00:24:00,680 --> 00:24:01,240 Speaker 1: shut the window. 471 00:24:04,080 --> 00:24:07,239 Speaker 4: She got a lens of fear and it changed how 472 00:24:07,280 --> 00:24:11,240 Speaker 4: she operated on the flight. And I think some of 473 00:24:11,280 --> 00:24:15,160 Speaker 4: us when we look backwards and we look at what 474 00:24:15,240 --> 00:24:18,560 Speaker 4: happened to us. We looked at what happened to Mom, 475 00:24:19,160 --> 00:24:20,879 Speaker 4: look to what happened to Grandma, We look at what 476 00:24:20,920 --> 00:24:23,199 Speaker 4: happened in our twenties. We look at what happened. It 477 00:24:23,240 --> 00:24:24,680 Speaker 4: has given you a lens of fear. And how you 478 00:24:24,720 --> 00:24:27,359 Speaker 4: see the future. What is fear? 479 00:24:28,280 --> 00:24:30,480 Speaker 1: It's just imagining a future without God in it. 480 00:24:34,160 --> 00:24:37,719 Speaker 4: And I just think for you today, stop being so 481 00:24:37,840 --> 00:24:40,680 Speaker 4: focused on what's in front of you that you forget 482 00:24:40,720 --> 00:24:43,639 Speaker 4: who's above you. Because can I remind you in your 483 00:24:43,680 --> 00:24:47,800 Speaker 4: fear that you might see turmoil, you might see no 484 00:24:47,880 --> 00:24:50,800 Speaker 4: way out, you might see brokenness and all of this 485 00:24:50,960 --> 00:24:52,720 Speaker 4: in front of you. But some of us seed a 486 00:24:52,840 --> 00:24:55,639 Speaker 4: pause on a Monday morning and look up to heaven 487 00:24:55,840 --> 00:24:58,359 Speaker 4: and say, God, give me a perspective, give me a 488 00:24:58,400 --> 00:25:01,119 Speaker 4: fresh lens, so for me to see my kids, my family, 489 00:25:01,160 --> 00:25:04,560 Speaker 4: my future like you see them God. Because he says 490 00:25:04,600 --> 00:25:10,240 Speaker 4: this to Gideon, mighty warrior. He didn't find them like 491 00:25:10,480 --> 00:25:14,879 Speaker 4: bench pressing. You didn't find him sharpening a spear. 492 00:25:16,240 --> 00:25:17,280 Speaker 1: He finds him hiding. 493 00:25:19,080 --> 00:25:23,840 Speaker 4: And that's because God sits in his prophetic future. He 494 00:25:23,920 --> 00:25:26,760 Speaker 4: sits in his future, and he's calling him out, speaking 495 00:25:26,800 --> 00:25:30,320 Speaker 4: identity to him before he steps into it. And what 496 00:25:30,400 --> 00:25:32,280 Speaker 4: many of us do is we hear the prophetic word 497 00:25:32,280 --> 00:25:36,080 Speaker 4: of God over our life, ambassador, and we go, there's 498 00:25:36,160 --> 00:25:39,560 Speaker 4: no way man, not me. Have you seen my past? 499 00:25:40,240 --> 00:25:42,720 Speaker 4: Have you seen what I've walked through? Have you seen 500 00:25:42,720 --> 00:25:46,800 Speaker 4: what I've done? I am not that, but can I 501 00:25:46,880 --> 00:25:50,399 Speaker 4: remind you sometimes you got to turn down the voice 502 00:25:50,440 --> 00:25:53,200 Speaker 4: of lies in your mind, and you need to get 503 00:25:53,200 --> 00:25:56,080 Speaker 4: the voice of God in your prophetic future and your destiny, 504 00:25:56,080 --> 00:25:59,240 Speaker 4: calling you who you are, mighty warrior. Ambassador, Son and 505 00:25:59,320 --> 00:26:02,080 Speaker 4: daughter of God. This is what God does to his 506 00:26:02,119 --> 00:26:05,720 Speaker 4: own son. Before Jesus ever does an act of ministry, 507 00:26:05,920 --> 00:26:07,000 Speaker 4: what does the voice. 508 00:26:06,720 --> 00:26:09,919 Speaker 1: Of the Father speak over him? Identity? 509 00:26:11,480 --> 00:26:14,040 Speaker 4: Now, this has been like, this is gospel, this is Bible. 510 00:26:14,200 --> 00:26:16,760 Speaker 4: This is called atomic habits that came out. That is 511 00:26:16,800 --> 00:26:19,800 Speaker 4: now like reiterating the same thing. Atomic Habit says this 512 00:26:19,920 --> 00:26:22,360 Speaker 4: that before you can ever change what you get. 513 00:26:22,200 --> 00:26:25,040 Speaker 1: The outcome, you got to change what you do. 514 00:26:26,119 --> 00:26:29,320 Speaker 4: But before you can change what you do, you gotta 515 00:26:29,440 --> 00:26:32,840 Speaker 4: change who I am. He says, identity drives what you do, 516 00:26:32,880 --> 00:26:35,760 Speaker 4: and what you do drives what you get. I love 517 00:26:35,800 --> 00:26:39,080 Speaker 4: this because this is the gospel. Before you ever have 518 00:26:39,160 --> 00:26:42,720 Speaker 4: to earn anything, do anything, he just affirms your identity, 519 00:26:42,800 --> 00:26:46,080 Speaker 4: son and daughter of God. Now, a lot of times 520 00:26:46,080 --> 00:26:48,280 Speaker 4: what we do is we go I'm so broken and 521 00:26:48,320 --> 00:26:50,159 Speaker 4: I'm so in this mess that what I do is. 522 00:26:50,119 --> 00:26:53,800 Speaker 1: I gotta fix what I do. So I'm gonna drind 523 00:26:53,840 --> 00:26:55,240 Speaker 1: harder and work harder. 524 00:26:54,960 --> 00:26:56,720 Speaker 4: And make sure I fix my habits and fix my 525 00:26:56,760 --> 00:26:58,200 Speaker 4: screen time and fix all the things. And those things 526 00:26:58,200 --> 00:27:00,720 Speaker 4: aren't all bad, but we get so don't focus on 527 00:27:00,760 --> 00:27:04,000 Speaker 4: what we do that we forget the rootsources. I just 528 00:27:04,000 --> 00:27:05,760 Speaker 4: got to get a fresh word from God and identity 529 00:27:05,760 --> 00:27:06,960 Speaker 4: over who I am. 530 00:27:07,200 --> 00:27:08,280 Speaker 1: And here's what I've learned. 531 00:27:08,600 --> 00:27:10,879 Speaker 4: There is no way you can operate in freedom if 532 00:27:10,880 --> 00:27:12,000 Speaker 4: you see yourself as a slave. 533 00:27:14,000 --> 00:27:15,440 Speaker 1: There is no way you will see. 534 00:27:15,280 --> 00:27:17,520 Speaker 4: Yourself as an ambassador if you see yourself as a 535 00:27:17,680 --> 00:27:21,240 Speaker 4: havoc to the kingdom of God. When God called you, 536 00:27:21,800 --> 00:27:27,040 Speaker 4: he knew your background. God's not in heaven like confused. 537 00:27:26,920 --> 00:27:32,160 Speaker 1: On who you are. Oh, in the nineties, dang. 538 00:27:33,920 --> 00:27:37,280 Speaker 4: Must have missed that part, all right, never mind send 539 00:27:37,320 --> 00:27:41,520 Speaker 4: the kids back. When God called you, he knew your mess, 540 00:27:41,520 --> 00:27:43,399 Speaker 4: he knew your breakup, he knew the everything that had 541 00:27:43,400 --> 00:27:45,240 Speaker 4: ever happened to you. And still what does he do? 542 00:27:45,560 --> 00:27:50,240 Speaker 4: He calls you, mighty warrior. Gideon gets this prophetic call 543 00:27:50,440 --> 00:27:53,600 Speaker 4: from God. And for some of you today, what you 544 00:27:53,640 --> 00:27:54,960 Speaker 4: need to get you out of this cave is you 545 00:27:55,040 --> 00:27:55,359 Speaker 4: just need. 546 00:27:55,280 --> 00:27:59,359 Speaker 1: To be reminded you're called you're a leader. 547 00:28:00,640 --> 00:28:04,520 Speaker 4: God puts something on the inside of you. God doesn't 548 00:28:04,560 --> 00:28:06,120 Speaker 4: need another dad for those kids. 549 00:28:06,119 --> 00:28:06,639 Speaker 1: He needs you. 550 00:28:08,880 --> 00:28:11,040 Speaker 4: God could have had somebody else leave the business, but 551 00:28:11,080 --> 00:28:11,800 Speaker 4: he put you there. 552 00:28:13,000 --> 00:28:14,840 Speaker 1: So some of you got to get some confidence back 553 00:28:14,920 --> 00:28:15,399 Speaker 1: today and go. 554 00:28:15,680 --> 00:28:18,600 Speaker 4: If God's placed my feet in this family, if God's 555 00:28:18,600 --> 00:28:21,560 Speaker 4: face my feet in this place. That means God wants 556 00:28:21,600 --> 00:28:24,480 Speaker 4: to use me to for his kingdom. So this is 557 00:28:24,520 --> 00:28:27,760 Speaker 4: good news for us. So so Gideon, who ReBs up, 558 00:28:27,880 --> 00:28:29,800 Speaker 4: so he So Gideon has this moment. Here's mighty warrior 559 00:28:29,800 --> 00:28:32,080 Speaker 4: from him, because God sees who he's becoming, not just 560 00:28:32,080 --> 00:28:35,040 Speaker 4: who he is. And God will always speak to who 561 00:28:35,119 --> 00:28:38,640 Speaker 4: you are becoming to help you get a picture and 562 00:28:38,680 --> 00:28:40,000 Speaker 4: to guide your next step. 563 00:28:40,600 --> 00:28:41,560 Speaker 1: This is why I love the Bible. 564 00:28:41,560 --> 00:28:43,880 Speaker 4: It says, it's a lamp unto our feet, not a 565 00:28:43,920 --> 00:28:46,640 Speaker 4: headlight fifty feet in front of us. So you need 566 00:28:46,640 --> 00:28:48,920 Speaker 4: the word of God to just step into the identity 567 00:28:48,960 --> 00:28:49,600 Speaker 4: that next step. 568 00:28:50,400 --> 00:28:52,320 Speaker 1: So he speaks this into you, and then Gideon goes 569 00:28:52,360 --> 00:28:53,320 Speaker 1: on this whole rant. 570 00:28:53,320 --> 00:28:55,520 Speaker 4: He gives a ted talk on twenty reasons why God 571 00:28:55,600 --> 00:28:59,920 Speaker 4: shouldn't use him and whatever do this before You're like, 572 00:29:00,040 --> 00:29:02,280 Speaker 4: God's like pumping your heart, like go pray for that 573 00:29:02,320 --> 00:29:08,960 Speaker 4: person over there, And you're like, haven't I coffee yet? 574 00:29:10,800 --> 00:29:14,760 Speaker 4: They have tattoos? I don't, I don't know whatever reason. 575 00:29:15,640 --> 00:29:18,960 Speaker 4: Watch what Gineon does in this response. He says, pardon me, 576 00:29:19,000 --> 00:29:25,120 Speaker 4: my Lord. He tries to correct God. But if the 577 00:29:25,120 --> 00:29:27,200 Speaker 4: Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us. 578 00:29:28,360 --> 00:29:30,640 Speaker 4: I just imagine he's got this like weak, whimpy voice. 579 00:29:30,680 --> 00:29:33,640 Speaker 4: I don't know where are all the wonders of our 580 00:29:33,680 --> 00:29:36,240 Speaker 4: ancestors told us about when they said to the Lord, 581 00:29:36,320 --> 00:29:38,520 Speaker 4: not bring you up out of Egypt. But now the 582 00:29:38,520 --> 00:29:41,600 Speaker 4: Lord has abandoned us. Look at this, he's speaking like 583 00:29:41,640 --> 00:29:43,880 Speaker 4: this is fact that God. 584 00:29:43,720 --> 00:29:48,040 Speaker 1: Has abandoned him. Who's standing in front of him? 585 00:29:49,120 --> 00:29:52,240 Speaker 4: He goes on and on, pardon me, my Lord, how 586 00:29:52,280 --> 00:29:53,479 Speaker 4: can I save Israel? 587 00:29:54,160 --> 00:29:58,600 Speaker 1: My clan is the weakest in Messiah. I'm the least 588 00:29:58,640 --> 00:30:00,959 Speaker 1: in my family. The Lord answered, watch this. 589 00:30:01,760 --> 00:30:07,280 Speaker 4: He doesn't rebuttal, he doesn't correct him. Gideon gives the 590 00:30:07,320 --> 00:30:09,320 Speaker 4: list of the reasons why he shouldn't be used. 591 00:30:09,200 --> 00:30:10,360 Speaker 1: And what does he say. 592 00:30:11,320 --> 00:30:15,120 Speaker 4: I'll be with you, and some of you have memorized 593 00:30:15,120 --> 00:30:17,480 Speaker 4: and gotten so obsessed with why God can't use you. 594 00:30:19,520 --> 00:30:21,000 Speaker 4: And here's what I love about God. Every time I've 595 00:30:21,000 --> 00:30:22,400 Speaker 4: come to God and be like, no, it's not me, 596 00:30:23,200 --> 00:30:27,440 Speaker 4: I'm not the guy. God doesn't like fight with me. 597 00:30:28,360 --> 00:30:32,280 Speaker 4: He's like, yeah, I know you're weak, No, I know 598 00:30:32,360 --> 00:30:33,000 Speaker 4: you're shortcoming. 599 00:30:34,320 --> 00:30:39,240 Speaker 1: Yeah, I know who your mom was, Yeah, I know 600 00:30:39,280 --> 00:30:42,880 Speaker 1: what you did in high school. But I'll be with 601 00:30:42,920 --> 00:30:48,520 Speaker 1: you because all you need is the Lord on your side. 602 00:30:49,120 --> 00:30:51,320 Speaker 4: And what I've learned is you can line up every 603 00:30:51,480 --> 00:30:54,800 Speaker 4: excuse of why God can't use you, and his response 604 00:30:54,880 --> 00:30:57,800 Speaker 4: back will be I know, but I'll be with you 605 00:30:57,840 --> 00:31:01,719 Speaker 4: anyone grateful that in your weak moment, God doesn't neglect you, 606 00:31:01,960 --> 00:31:04,480 Speaker 4: he doesn't run from you, but he says, I'll stand 607 00:31:04,520 --> 00:31:09,040 Speaker 4: by your side. Translation, you plus God is all you need. 608 00:31:10,920 --> 00:31:13,240 Speaker 4: I love the workout program, and I love you're getting 609 00:31:13,240 --> 00:31:14,040 Speaker 4: down in theology. 610 00:31:14,120 --> 00:31:16,240 Speaker 1: I love you're going to church. It's awesome. But you 611 00:31:16,480 --> 00:31:20,320 Speaker 1: plus God is all you need. Some of you think 612 00:31:20,440 --> 00:31:23,560 Speaker 1: I'm just not him. I'm not hurt. 613 00:31:23,960 --> 00:31:25,800 Speaker 4: Some of you gotta get the confidence, getna give. So 614 00:31:25,800 --> 00:31:28,520 Speaker 4: Gidding gets the confidence. Finally, now he's like, okay, I'll 615 00:31:28,560 --> 00:31:30,840 Speaker 4: do it. There's this testing moment and they go back 616 00:31:30,880 --> 00:31:32,880 Speaker 4: and forth, and finally God proves like, I'm for real, 617 00:31:32,960 --> 00:31:34,880 Speaker 4: You're gonna be the one to deliver my people from 618 00:31:34,880 --> 00:31:35,520 Speaker 4: the Midia Nites. 619 00:31:36,120 --> 00:31:38,680 Speaker 1: And Gideon gets his call. He's like, Okay, let's do it. 620 00:31:38,720 --> 00:31:42,400 Speaker 4: And if I'm Gideon, I'm thinking, Okay, let's get the 621 00:31:42,400 --> 00:31:45,480 Speaker 4: strongest boys, start. 622 00:31:45,200 --> 00:31:48,160 Speaker 1: Sharpening the spear. Let's put power. 623 00:31:48,200 --> 00:31:53,440 Speaker 4: By Kanye west On ah, hey, let's rally the boys. 624 00:31:53,640 --> 00:31:57,320 Speaker 1: We're going to war. We're watching Saving Private Ryan together. 625 00:31:57,360 --> 00:31:59,680 Speaker 1: We're getting fired up, and we're gonna take down these 626 00:31:59,720 --> 00:32:05,440 Speaker 1: Median knights. And watch what God says back to him 627 00:32:06,720 --> 00:32:07,560 Speaker 1: that night. Lord said to. 628 00:32:07,600 --> 00:32:12,040 Speaker 4: Him, take your father's bowl in the second bowl seven 629 00:32:12,120 --> 00:32:14,880 Speaker 4: years old, and pull down the altar to bail that 630 00:32:14,960 --> 00:32:18,960 Speaker 4: your father has, and cut down the astral pole that 631 00:32:19,040 --> 00:32:21,960 Speaker 4: is besides it, and build an altar to the Lord, 632 00:32:21,960 --> 00:32:24,760 Speaker 4: your God, on top of the stronghold there with stones 633 00:32:24,800 --> 00:32:27,160 Speaker 4: laid in due order. Then take the second bowl and 634 00:32:27,240 --> 00:32:28,880 Speaker 4: offer as a burnt offering with the wood of the 635 00:32:28,920 --> 00:32:32,120 Speaker 4: astro that you shall cut down. So Gidding gets the 636 00:32:32,200 --> 00:32:35,240 Speaker 4: confidence to go take down the enemy. Feel this, you 637 00:32:35,240 --> 00:32:39,200 Speaker 4: feel real confident, like, yeah, this addiction right in the 638 00:32:39,280 --> 00:32:43,000 Speaker 4: me today. This mean person on the freeway. 639 00:32:42,760 --> 00:32:45,360 Speaker 1: Ran in to me today. You get fired up. The 640 00:32:45,360 --> 00:32:46,120 Speaker 1: God's gonna using. 641 00:32:48,400 --> 00:32:50,440 Speaker 4: And God doesn't say the enemy is the midy knights. 642 00:32:50,440 --> 00:32:53,600 Speaker 4: Watch me, does He says, before you go to the battlefield, 643 00:32:54,840 --> 00:32:57,640 Speaker 4: go to your backyard. 644 00:32:58,680 --> 00:33:07,000 Speaker 1: Totch this. The enemy wasn't the enemy. The enemy was 645 00:33:07,000 --> 00:33:07,720 Speaker 1: in their backyard. 646 00:33:09,640 --> 00:33:12,040 Speaker 4: The Bible says that there was an altar a statue 647 00:33:12,800 --> 00:33:14,440 Speaker 4: to the false god of Bail and this culture. 648 00:33:14,480 --> 00:33:17,200 Speaker 1: Bail would have been the God that represents. 649 00:33:16,720 --> 00:33:19,560 Speaker 4: Productivity, success, sexuality, all the things that they would go 650 00:33:19,600 --> 00:33:20,320 Speaker 4: to in this culture. 651 00:33:21,080 --> 00:33:23,000 Speaker 1: Now this isn't starting Judge's sakes. Go back to Judge 652 00:33:23,040 --> 00:33:25,840 Speaker 1: chapter one. God gives a. 653 00:33:25,920 --> 00:33:28,200 Speaker 4: Very simple commandment to the people of God when it 654 00:33:28,200 --> 00:33:31,239 Speaker 4: comes to the enemy nation. He doesn't say play with them, 655 00:33:31,280 --> 00:33:32,840 Speaker 4: he doesn't say invite them in their house. He says 656 00:33:32,960 --> 00:33:38,280 Speaker 4: drive them out. In all of Judges, you see a 657 00:33:38,320 --> 00:33:41,719 Speaker 4: different people group, a different nation come through their lives 658 00:33:42,480 --> 00:33:44,680 Speaker 4: and instead of them following what God said, drive them out, 659 00:33:44,720 --> 00:33:45,200 Speaker 4: you know what he does. 660 00:33:45,240 --> 00:33:45,560 Speaker 1: They do. 661 00:33:46,040 --> 00:33:49,680 Speaker 4: They take some as workers, try and monetize what God 662 00:33:49,720 --> 00:33:52,320 Speaker 4: asks them to drive out. They take some as wives, 663 00:33:54,320 --> 00:34:00,600 Speaker 4: and what God had called bondage they've kept around for 664 00:34:00,720 --> 00:34:01,800 Speaker 4: generation and generation. 665 00:34:02,600 --> 00:34:03,600 Speaker 1: Now this is interesting. 666 00:34:03,720 --> 00:34:06,000 Speaker 4: God says, go to your father's house, which tells me 667 00:34:06,000 --> 00:34:06,680 Speaker 4: Gideon would have. 668 00:34:06,640 --> 00:34:07,240 Speaker 1: Grown up. 669 00:34:08,840 --> 00:34:14,600 Speaker 4: Watching his dad worship Bail, call himself a part of 670 00:34:14,640 --> 00:34:18,280 Speaker 4: the people of God, but worship Bail. 671 00:34:20,520 --> 00:34:22,240 Speaker 1: So for Gideon, he was just used to this. 672 00:34:24,040 --> 00:34:26,160 Speaker 4: And the call from God to Gideon before it's go 673 00:34:26,200 --> 00:34:29,719 Speaker 4: to the battlefield, he says, go deal with that thing 674 00:34:29,760 --> 00:34:34,080 Speaker 4: in your dad's house because it's been running through the generation. 675 00:34:34,920 --> 00:34:37,919 Speaker 4: But Gideon, it's about to run into you, and watch 676 00:34:37,960 --> 00:34:41,080 Speaker 4: this Gideon. Many theologians believe Gideon was actually a nickname. 677 00:34:42,440 --> 00:34:44,719 Speaker 1: Hacker, that he would. 678 00:34:44,520 --> 00:34:51,399 Speaker 4: Have gotten from being good at chopping wood. So when 679 00:34:51,400 --> 00:34:56,360 Speaker 4: God calls him, Gideon thinks it's to like be a warrior. 680 00:34:57,680 --> 00:35:01,000 Speaker 4: God's looking at his nickname and go, I'm gonna use 681 00:35:01,040 --> 00:35:03,879 Speaker 4: what you've been good at in your life, and you're 682 00:35:03,880 --> 00:35:07,879 Speaker 4: gonna use it to cut down a false alter. Now, 683 00:35:07,920 --> 00:35:10,160 Speaker 4: when it happens, it says the fire God. 684 00:35:10,160 --> 00:35:10,839 Speaker 1: He says, don't just. 685 00:35:10,760 --> 00:35:13,760 Speaker 4: Cut it down, but build a new altar to King Jesus, 686 00:35:13,760 --> 00:35:17,120 Speaker 4: to God. And when it happens, the Bible tells us 687 00:35:17,120 --> 00:35:18,320 Speaker 4: this that his father looks. 688 00:35:18,120 --> 00:35:19,200 Speaker 1: At him and gives him a new name. 689 00:35:20,040 --> 00:35:22,560 Speaker 4: From the rest of this book, he's no longer called Guineon. 690 00:35:22,600 --> 00:35:28,920 Speaker 4: He's called Jerubal, which means let bail contend with me. 691 00:35:32,239 --> 00:35:34,120 Speaker 1: And here's what I came to preach. 692 00:35:33,840 --> 00:35:38,160 Speaker 4: To somebody today that some of us, the war is 693 00:35:38,160 --> 00:35:43,840 Speaker 4: not out there. The war is not that candidate. The 694 00:35:43,880 --> 00:35:47,920 Speaker 4: war is not that issue. The war is something in 695 00:35:47,960 --> 00:35:53,960 Speaker 4: my heart. It's pride. It's insecurity. I think very similar. 696 00:35:54,640 --> 00:35:58,120 Speaker 4: Before you saw God give the people of God forty 697 00:35:58,200 --> 00:36:01,440 Speaker 4: years of freedom, he asked them to first tear down 698 00:36:01,440 --> 00:36:05,040 Speaker 4: this altar. And I've learned this that every family passes 699 00:36:05,080 --> 00:36:10,040 Speaker 4: something down. For some of us, it's watches, it's cars, 700 00:36:10,080 --> 00:36:14,520 Speaker 4: it's things, it's last names. But many of us are 701 00:36:14,600 --> 00:36:16,560 Speaker 4: very familiar with maybe the darker things that have been 702 00:36:16,560 --> 00:36:22,359 Speaker 4: passed down addiction, security, divorce, brokenness. 703 00:36:23,520 --> 00:36:25,799 Speaker 1: In my family, my grandfather, he. 704 00:36:25,800 --> 00:36:28,120 Speaker 4: Just passed away just a couple months ago, and who 705 00:36:28,120 --> 00:36:31,720 Speaker 4: were at his memorial? And my grandfather was a pastor 706 00:36:34,640 --> 00:36:37,239 Speaker 4: and man for more than forty plus years of his life. 707 00:36:37,520 --> 00:36:43,080 Speaker 4: He struggled with deep addiction. It messed up so many relationships, 708 00:36:43,840 --> 00:36:48,440 Speaker 4: blew up a church, blew up a marriage, blew up 709 00:36:48,480 --> 00:36:51,840 Speaker 4: relationship with his kids. It was like this thing he 710 00:36:51,880 --> 00:36:58,160 Speaker 4: could not get over. But about twelve years ago he 711 00:36:58,239 --> 00:37:01,560 Speaker 4: looked back at his life said I've made a mess. 712 00:37:03,239 --> 00:37:06,080 Speaker 4: But something in him said, I still got some time 713 00:37:06,080 --> 00:37:10,920 Speaker 4: in front of me. About twelve years ago, he got clean, 714 00:37:11,000 --> 00:37:15,920 Speaker 4: He did work, and he started ministry. Anytime a guy 715 00:37:15,960 --> 00:37:24,520 Speaker 4: would know we can play, the attends Life Church. 716 00:37:24,520 --> 00:37:25,040 Speaker 1: And any time a. 717 00:37:25,040 --> 00:37:28,400 Speaker 4: Guy at Life Church would have a similar addiction, his 718 00:37:28,480 --> 00:37:29,480 Speaker 4: pastor would call wrong. 719 00:37:30,800 --> 00:37:31,920 Speaker 1: For twelve years of his life. 720 00:37:31,800 --> 00:37:33,520 Speaker 4: He just met with men, and met with guys, and 721 00:37:33,560 --> 00:37:35,560 Speaker 4: met with husbands and met with people struggling with people 722 00:37:35,560 --> 00:37:38,800 Speaker 4: who are broken. My brother and I and our family 723 00:37:38,840 --> 00:37:40,480 Speaker 4: got to Sitisen a memorial. 724 00:37:41,960 --> 00:37:42,879 Speaker 1: Not with the name of. 725 00:37:43,200 --> 00:37:52,440 Speaker 4: Sinner, addict, marriage wrecker, moral failure. We sat in the 726 00:37:52,440 --> 00:37:55,359 Speaker 4: front road of his memorial and watched dude after dude 727 00:37:55,480 --> 00:38:02,600 Speaker 4: after dude get up on stage with tears in their eyes. Say, 728 00:38:02,680 --> 00:38:06,520 Speaker 4: Ron saved my marriage in my darkest moment. He showed 729 00:38:06,600 --> 00:38:09,480 Speaker 4: up when I didn't think I was gonna make it. 730 00:38:09,920 --> 00:38:13,960 Speaker 4: He invited me to his house. I was thinking about 731 00:38:13,960 --> 00:38:17,799 Speaker 4: the sit in the memorial. His name could have been 732 00:38:17,800 --> 00:38:21,480 Speaker 4: a lot of things, but somewhere he made a decision. 733 00:38:22,760 --> 00:38:23,960 Speaker 1: I'm not gonna let it define me. 734 00:38:26,000 --> 00:38:29,560 Speaker 4: And I wonder today if I say, Dad in the room, 735 00:38:29,960 --> 00:38:31,600 Speaker 4: who your name needs to be changed, the one that 736 00:38:31,640 --> 00:38:35,280 Speaker 4: contended with addiction. There's a mom in the room today 737 00:38:35,280 --> 00:38:37,840 Speaker 4: that your name needs to be changed, the one who contended. 738 00:38:37,840 --> 00:38:39,640 Speaker 1: For your kids. 739 00:38:39,680 --> 00:38:42,360 Speaker 4: Someone in the room today says, I contended for my college, 740 00:38:42,840 --> 00:38:45,480 Speaker 4: I contended for my high school. Because there is a 741 00:38:45,560 --> 00:38:47,440 Speaker 4: name for you on the other side of you. Embracing 742 00:38:47,480 --> 00:38:50,800 Speaker 4: the grace of Jesus. And here's what I know. Fifty 743 00:38:50,880 --> 00:38:53,680 Speaker 4: years or so he might have messed up, But the 744 00:38:53,719 --> 00:38:56,760 Speaker 4: twelve years of faithfulness unlocked fifty plus years and fifty 745 00:38:57,000 --> 00:39:09,080 Speaker 4: other people's lives, what's your legacy gonna be. I know 746 00:39:09,160 --> 00:39:13,200 Speaker 4: it's been hard. I know hiding has gotten comfortable. But 747 00:39:13,360 --> 00:39:16,400 Speaker 4: God today, like Gideon, is saying it's time to tear 748 00:39:16,440 --> 00:39:20,759 Speaker 4: that thing down. I know it's been living in your backyard. 749 00:39:20,840 --> 00:39:22,560 Speaker 4: I know it's been in your heart. I know it's 750 00:39:22,600 --> 00:39:23,480 Speaker 4: been in your mind. 751 00:39:23,600 --> 00:39:24,640 Speaker 1: But enough is enough. 752 00:39:25,920 --> 00:39:29,080 Speaker 4: But don't just tear it down and stay there. You 753 00:39:29,200 --> 00:39:32,120 Speaker 4: build a new altar unto me. Because when you tear 754 00:39:32,200 --> 00:39:34,600 Speaker 4: down the sin and the brokenness of your life and 755 00:39:34,640 --> 00:39:37,960 Speaker 4: receive grace and you make it worship unto God, what 756 00:39:38,080 --> 00:39:40,400 Speaker 4: He will do is use you in ways you can 757 00:39:40,480 --> 00:39:43,960 Speaker 4: never imagine. He'll send you to people that need your help. 758 00:39:44,040 --> 00:39:46,600 Speaker 4: He'll break off things in your life to help you 759 00:39:46,640 --> 00:39:47,320 Speaker 4: break off. 760 00:39:47,160 --> 00:39:47,960 Speaker 1: Things in others. 761 00:39:48,160 --> 00:39:50,520 Speaker 4: God's got a plan, it a purpose for your life. Friends, 762 00:39:52,560 --> 00:39:54,560 Speaker 4: you weren't called to ki, you weren't called to a cave. 763 00:39:54,640 --> 00:39:58,480 Speaker 4: You weren't called to hide. And I hope one day. 764 00:40:00,040 --> 00:40:02,240 Speaker 1: There would be people that would tell stories of you your. 765 00:40:02,080 --> 00:40:08,120 Speaker 5: Life that would be they helped, they sent me free. 766 00:40:08,600 --> 00:40:10,040 Speaker 1: So today, when we stand up to our feet all 767 00:40:10,040 --> 00:40:10,399 Speaker 1: over this. 768 00:40:10,400 --> 00:40:23,799 Speaker 5: Room, some of us need to build a new altar 769 00:40:23,840 --> 00:40:24,239 Speaker 5: right now. 770 00:40:25,800 --> 00:40:26,279 Speaker 3: Would you do this? 771 00:40:26,320 --> 00:40:31,800 Speaker 1: Would you just put your hand over your heart and 772 00:40:31,920 --> 00:40:32,959 Speaker 1: the best way you know. 773 00:40:34,960 --> 00:40:38,960 Speaker 4: What'd you just say, God, I give you everything in 774 00:40:39,000 --> 00:40:40,760 Speaker 4: my life that is holding me back. 775 00:40:40,560 --> 00:40:41,520 Speaker 1: And keeping me hiding. 776 00:40:42,640 --> 00:40:45,360 Speaker 4: And today God, I say, in this room, at this place, 777 00:40:45,960 --> 00:40:49,719 Speaker 4: I'm building a new altar to you. God, use my 778 00:40:49,800 --> 00:40:53,640 Speaker 4: weakness as worship. Use what should have taken me out 779 00:40:53,680 --> 00:40:55,319 Speaker 4: as help for another individual. 780 00:40:57,120 --> 00:40:58,400 Speaker 1: It's not in our strength. 781 00:40:58,400 --> 00:41:01,920 Speaker 4: But today we remind our heart that the Lord is 782 00:41:01,960 --> 00:41:03,840 Speaker 4: on our side. 783 00:41:03,880 --> 00:41:04,120 Speaker 1: God. 784 00:41:04,160 --> 00:41:08,480 Speaker 4: Today, would new stories be written, would generational curses be broken? 785 00:41:09,160 --> 00:41:11,920 Speaker 4: And God, would you raise up an army of ambassadors 786 00:41:11,920 --> 00:41:14,960 Speaker 4: for Christ that would plead to their territory, to their 787 00:41:15,000 --> 00:41:17,920 Speaker 4: promised land. There is nothing that is going to stop them. 788 00:41:17,960 --> 00:41:20,399 Speaker 4: The Bible says this that the gates of hell will 789 00:41:20,440 --> 00:41:23,759 Speaker 4: not prevail against the Church of Jesus Christ, which means 790 00:41:23,760 --> 00:41:26,359 Speaker 4: the safest place we can be is in the one 791 00:41:26,440 --> 00:41:30,480 Speaker 4: place in the bride in the church saying God, protect 792 00:41:30,520 --> 00:41:33,520 Speaker 4: me and use me. Oh God Father, we want to 793 00:41:33,560 --> 00:41:36,520 Speaker 4: be ambassadors for you. So, Father, right now I pray 794 00:41:36,600 --> 00:41:39,319 Speaker 4: for a supernatural infusion of faith. 795 00:41:40,760 --> 00:41:42,040 Speaker 1: To our hearts, to our minds. 796 00:41:42,080 --> 00:41:44,719 Speaker 4: I right now pray sins of addiction to fall off 797 00:41:44,760 --> 00:41:45,960 Speaker 4: in the mighty name of Jesus. 798 00:41:47,440 --> 00:41:49,280 Speaker 1: Where the spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 799 00:41:49,320 --> 00:41:51,840 Speaker 4: And right now declare freedom over moms and dads and 800 00:41:51,880 --> 00:41:55,920 Speaker 4: business owners and young people in this room. Today, Father, 801 00:41:56,000 --> 00:41:58,799 Speaker 4: we thank you that our past does not disqualify us. 802 00:41:58,680 --> 00:42:03,239 Speaker 1: But it makes room for your glorified So today. 803 00:42:02,920 --> 00:42:05,160 Speaker 4: God, we say, use us as a living offering, a 804 00:42:05,160 --> 00:42:06,080 Speaker 4: living sacrifice. 805 00:42:06,080 --> 00:42:07,480 Speaker 1: Would it be worship unto you? 806 00:42:07,840 --> 00:42:10,160 Speaker 4: Everything that we are, every breath we take, we want 807 00:42:10,160 --> 00:42:13,960 Speaker 4: to glorify you King Jesus. So Father, we give you 808 00:42:14,040 --> 00:42:17,719 Speaker 4: the honor, we give you the glory, and we give 809 00:42:17,719 --> 00:42:18,360 Speaker 4: you the praise. 810 00:42:19,760 --> 00:42:23,400 Speaker 1: And all God's people said, amen, and amen and amen. 811 00:42:23,480 --> 00:42:25,120 Speaker 4: Come on. Can we lift up a shout of praise 812 00:42:25,160 --> 00:42:27,520 Speaker 4: all over this room? Come on, as God been good 813 00:42:27,520 --> 00:42:29,960 Speaker 4: to you, as he set you free. Can I see 814 00:42:29,960 --> 00:42:31,640 Speaker 4: a hand wave if you're saying I want to be 815 00:42:31,760 --> 00:42:34,360 Speaker 4: used by God in this next generation. I want to 816 00:42:34,400 --> 00:42:37,640 Speaker 4: be an ambassador for King Jesus. Come on, the enemy's 817 00:42:37,680 --> 00:42:40,120 Speaker 4: got a plan for gen z but God's got a 818 00:42:40,160 --> 00:42:41,160 Speaker 4: better one. 819 00:42:40,880 --> 00:42:42,160 Speaker 1: And it's my name in it. 820 00:42:42,400 --> 00:42:44,640 Speaker 4: I'm not gonna allow the gates of hell to prevail 821 00:42:44,680 --> 00:42:46,480 Speaker 4: on my family or my kids. 822 00:42:46,640 --> 00:42:48,040 Speaker 1: Come on, give God a shout. 823 00:42:47,840 --> 00:42:53,920 Speaker 4: Of praise all over this room. 824 00:42:53,960 --> 00:42:56,560 Speaker 2: Hey, I hope you enjoyed the podcast, and if you did, 825 00:42:57,080 --> 00:42:59,640 Speaker 2: make sure to share it and subscribe so we can 826 00:42:59,680 --> 00:43:02,319 Speaker 2: get you all of these new messages as soon as 827 00:43:02,320 --> 00:43:05,120 Speaker 2: they're available. I also want to take a moment and 828 00:43:05,200 --> 00:43:07,000 Speaker 2: thank all of you who are a part of Elevation. 829 00:43:07,520 --> 00:43:10,840 Speaker 2: Whether you support us financially, or serve with us, or 830 00:43:11,239 --> 00:43:13,960 Speaker 2: just share these messages, it's because of you that we're 831 00:43:13,960 --> 00:43:16,400 Speaker 2: able to reach people all around the world. 832 00:43:16,640 --> 00:43:19,120 Speaker 3: And if you want more information on how to be 833 00:43:19,160 --> 00:43:22,360 Speaker 3: a part of Elevation, click the link in the description. 834 00:43:22,880 --> 00:43:23,880 Speaker 1: Thanks again for listening. 835 00:43:23,880 --> 00:43:27,239 Speaker 2: Make sure to leave a review, share the message, and subscribe. 836 00:43:27,520 --> 00:43:36,880 Speaker 3: God bless you.