WEBVTT

1
00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:09.000
God never asks something of us without also empowering us to fulfill that obligation and what he does is he demands faith.

2
00:00:09.000 --> 00:00:18.000
He's given every person and this is what the Scripture says, a measure of faith and then it's on every individual person to grow with their faith, to develop their faith.

3
00:00:18.000 --> 00:00:26.000
And faith really can only grow one way and that's by the Word of God. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.

4
00:00:26.000 --> 00:00:35.000
Welcome to the City Light Church podcast. Thanks for joining us today as we look into God's Word and discover the hope and truth that he has for us.

5
00:00:35.000 --> 00:00:44.000
If you want to connect with City Light Church, feel free to visit us at citylightnyc.com that's citylightnyc.com.

6
00:00:44.000 --> 00:00:52.000
Pastor Boyan Jansik and his team believe that the power of the Holy Spirit is already working in our hearts and minds.

7
00:00:52.000 --> 00:01:04.000
As you listen to today's teaching, remember that you are deeply loved by God, that you are surrounded by His grace and that He has a real hope and a future for you.

8
00:01:04.000 --> 00:01:15.000
Welcome to City Light. I just got back late last night. It was a wonderful trip to Serbia and Bosnia. Absolutely awesome.

9
00:01:15.000 --> 00:01:23.000
So just a quick recap because we have so many people from different segments in City Light's history.

10
00:01:23.000 --> 00:01:31.000
We've had an ongoing missions program for nearly 20 years and in 2015 we partnered with a church in Montenegro.

11
00:01:31.000 --> 00:01:40.000
Many of you know the couple, Pastor Yubitsa and his wife, Savka. They came here a year and a half ago and we partnered with them.

12
00:01:40.000 --> 00:01:50.000
They had been pastoring in Montenegro. They're Serbian but they were pastoring in Montenegro. That's like me saying like I'm from New York but I'm pastoring in New Jersey.

13
00:01:50.000 --> 00:01:59.000
Not that far but the country went through a brutal civil war in the 90s and got Balkanized into six different nations.

14
00:01:59.000 --> 00:02:08.000
So he was a missionary from Serbia to Montenegro and we partnered with him in 2015 and I've supported him actually to relieve him.

15
00:02:08.000 --> 00:02:19.000
After that time I think it was 17 years I forget now and I'm bad at doing math on the spot. He had never had a break and I took over the church in Montenegro for this summer and the team here ran City Light.

16
00:02:19.000 --> 00:02:32.000
And I got to say it was difficult and from my bloodline I'm Montenegro. I consider myself I don't want to mess with you in politics and this gets so weird and deep.

17
00:02:32.000 --> 00:02:45.000
I'm Serbian but my bloodline is from Montenegro and it broke my heart to see that it's the small nation of 630,000 people but there's about 150 known believers.

18
00:02:45.000 --> 00:03:04.000
It was hard and he grew the church, he raised the builders, he raised the point in particular and passed the church on to him and then he planted a church in Serbia which we helped him with a few years back, helped him in addition to the monthly support, get the seats, the projectors, the musical equipment.

19
00:03:04.000 --> 00:03:13.000
When I say we I mean you so thank you for that but it was such a difference ministering in Serbia and it's amazing how different it can be in New Jersey.

20
00:03:13.000 --> 00:03:30.000
Just culturally and the way the way people received the way they just were you know in Montenegro it was hard. You know I understand why it would be hard like with unbelievers but even in the church the attitude was kind of like I dare you to bless me. Just go ahead and try.

21
00:03:30.000 --> 00:03:43.000
If you try too hard I'll have something smart to say about it but in Serbia they were warm and open and hungry and it was just awesome.

22
00:03:43.000 --> 00:03:54.000
One thing in particular I noticed in the first service was there was this condemnation hanging over the people and we come from a very shame based culture.

23
00:03:54.000 --> 00:03:59.000
If you're a small kid you're going to hear shame on you.

24
00:03:59.000 --> 00:04:09.000
Shame on you over and over again and if you don't consistently preach the fullness of the gospel particularly our right standing in Christ, freedom from guilt and shame.

25
00:04:09.000 --> 00:04:13.000
What the blood of Jesus actually does and how he's thoroughly cleansed you.

26
00:04:13.000 --> 00:04:22.000
Religion will creep in Satan will come and he'll push those buttons and Luke traveled with me and we could just feel it over the people.

27
00:04:22.000 --> 00:04:29.000
Last night I hit that hard to break the back of that thing and that's easy for me to break the back of that thing because Jesus broke the back of that thing.

28
00:04:29.000 --> 00:04:35.000
I just have to proclaim what he did. Amen. Hallelujah.

29
00:04:35.000 --> 00:04:41.000
Traveling with Luke was trippy.

30
00:04:41.000 --> 00:04:45.000
He is a walking revival.

31
00:04:45.000 --> 00:04:51.000
How many of you have ever seen Jesse Deplantis's close encounters of the God kind?

32
00:04:51.000 --> 00:04:54.000
Let me see your hands.

33
00:04:54.000 --> 00:04:58.000
All right the usual suspects.

34
00:04:58.000 --> 00:05:01.000
Do yourself a phase. This is like from 30 almost 40 years ago.

35
00:05:01.000 --> 00:05:10.000
Go on YouTube and put Jesse Deplantis close encounters of the God kind and he talks about his experience of getting caught up into heaven.

36
00:05:10.000 --> 00:05:14.000
You have to see this. I mean it'll launch you out.

37
00:05:14.000 --> 00:05:20.000
You'll feel I don't believe everything I hear and see but when the anointing is on something that means something to me.

38
00:05:20.000 --> 00:05:29.000
And he talks about how when he first got caught up into heaven there was an angel escorting him and he would just say he would just say like glory to God and as soon as he would say it all

39
00:05:29.000 --> 00:05:36.000
in heaven would erupt and glory to God and then the other angels would go glory to God and then the cherubim would go glory to God.

40
00:05:36.000 --> 00:05:40.000
That's how it is traveling with Luke.

41
00:05:40.000 --> 00:05:45.000
It was awesome. Like I have this habit of just like praising God under my breath.

42
00:05:45.000 --> 00:05:52.000
Like just not for anyone to hear just like praise you Lord but as soon as I would say it.

43
00:05:52.000 --> 00:05:59.000
So you know and he had the bed next to mine so the whole hotel room the whole time was I just be like you know like oh Lord I love you.

44
00:05:59.000 --> 00:06:03.000
Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah.

45
00:06:03.000 --> 00:06:09.000
And I just wanted to let out a five second prayer next I know I'm caught up in a 20 minute prayer session. It's awesome.

46
00:06:09.000 --> 00:06:13.000
I mean whenever you're available you're coming with Luke that was just awesome.

47
00:06:13.000 --> 00:06:20.000
It was sad to see you leave. It really was. He left a week before me and it's just wonderful.

48
00:06:20.000 --> 00:06:27.000
Watch close encounters of the God kind. It was awesome.

49
00:06:27.000 --> 00:06:34.000
So I want to minister to you on an all important subject which I like to touch on frequently and that's the subject of faith.

50
00:06:34.000 --> 00:06:39.000
I like to touch on it frequently because Jesus taught on it much.

51
00:06:39.000 --> 00:06:43.000
We should focus on the things that Jesus focused on.

52
00:06:43.000 --> 00:06:50.000
And to like what a church's messages are it should somewhat be in proportion to what Jesus emphasized.

53
00:06:50.000 --> 00:06:59.000
And Jesus constantly emphasized faith and isn't it peculiar that you hear so little preaching on the subject of faith.

54
00:06:59.000 --> 00:07:02.000
When Jesus talked about it all the time.

55
00:07:02.000 --> 00:07:09.000
You know in the movies when they want to see if something's radioactive and they take out a guyger counter.

56
00:07:10.000 --> 00:07:16.000
Jesus is like he had a faithful meter, a faithometer and he would inspect people's faith.

57
00:07:16.000 --> 00:07:19.000
And he would comment on it.

58
00:07:19.000 --> 00:07:27.000
You of little faith. Great is your faith. If the meter didn't go off at all he'd say where is your faith.

59
00:07:27.000 --> 00:07:32.000
And he taught on faith all the time whenever he did miracles.

60
00:07:32.000 --> 00:07:35.000
He would reference it. He would say according to your faith.

61
00:07:35.000 --> 00:07:42.000
In other words you get to decide according to your faith be it unto you.

62
00:07:42.000 --> 00:07:53.000
So we're going to hear multiple sermons on faith this morning because I brought out my team, the big guns, the pastors of city like the elders.

63
00:07:54.000 --> 00:07:59.000
And so they did just such a phenomenal job. I'm so blessed.

64
00:07:59.000 --> 00:08:03.000
I love them. They're on fire. I said this in the first service.

65
00:08:03.000 --> 00:08:07.000
The second church I went to the pastor was absolutely on fire.

66
00:08:07.000 --> 00:08:10.000
But as elders looked always like grumpy and beat up.

67
00:08:10.000 --> 00:08:14.000
You know I was two years old in the lords. I was checking everyone out.

68
00:08:14.000 --> 00:08:18.000
And it would be praise and worship. But they just look like what are they so mad at?

69
00:08:19.000 --> 00:08:22.000
Is this what happens when you've been saved 20 years, 30 years?

70
00:08:22.000 --> 00:08:25.000
I thought we're supposed to get better and better. They look upset.

71
00:08:25.000 --> 00:08:29.000
But then during worship I peek at them and they're all just like totally on fire.

72
00:08:29.000 --> 00:08:33.000
I love the Lord. I love each other. Awesome men of God.

73
00:08:33.000 --> 00:08:39.000
So you're going to get what we affectionately call a salsa service here this morning.

74
00:08:39.000 --> 00:08:46.000
It kind of ended up being called that. I don't know if it really references the dance, the music, or what we eat with chips.

75
00:08:46.000 --> 00:08:51.000
So the dip, lot of ingredients and salsa.

76
00:08:51.000 --> 00:08:56.000
So you're going to get a lot of ingredients and a bet four or five are going to speak directly to you.

77
00:08:56.000 --> 00:08:59.000
First I want to invite Pastor Brian up here.

78
00:09:03.000 --> 00:09:08.000
Love this man. He is an attorney. That's why he's the best dressed out of all of us.

79
00:09:08.000 --> 00:09:11.000
He owns his own law firm.

80
00:09:11.000 --> 00:09:17.000
And he's just a wonderful guy who loves, and I got to just say this about you.

81
00:09:17.000 --> 00:09:21.000
One thing that I was taught early on was, look, we talked about this.

82
00:09:21.000 --> 00:09:25.000
Being a good deflector. What does that mean?

83
00:09:25.000 --> 00:09:31.000
The whole problem with Lucifer is that he absorbed some of the glory that should have just been passing through him.

84
00:09:31.000 --> 00:09:36.000
Lucifer means light bearer, but not light producer.

85
00:09:36.000 --> 00:09:43.000
His job was just to reflect and let God's glory pass through and transfer it all over, but he kept a little bit for himself.

86
00:09:43.000 --> 00:09:49.000
And if you ever listen to a preacher and it leaves a bad taste in your mouth, it's because they weren't deflecting.

87
00:09:49.000 --> 00:09:53.000
They were absorbing. Maybe they were really doing a bang up job and they knew it.

88
00:09:53.000 --> 00:09:58.000
And people, yeah, and people go, hallelujah, they're like that positive.

89
00:09:58.000 --> 00:10:01.000
And they're absorbing the glory of men.

90
00:10:01.000 --> 00:10:05.000
And I got to tell you, you'll never hear it from him, but he has in the natural a lot.

91
00:10:05.000 --> 00:10:08.000
He could be very proud and arrogant about it.

92
00:10:08.000 --> 00:10:11.000
But he's a great deflector. It just doesn't want any of that.

93
00:10:11.000 --> 00:10:14.000
He lays his crown at the feet of Jesus. I have to say that.

94
00:10:14.000 --> 00:10:16.000
Bless you, man.

95
00:10:16.000 --> 00:10:19.000
Thank you, Pastor Boat.

96
00:10:19.000 --> 00:10:21.000
Good morning, city light.

97
00:10:21.000 --> 00:10:26.000
I'm going to talk about the power of testimony.

98
00:10:27.000 --> 00:10:29.000
Power of testimony.

99
00:10:29.000 --> 00:10:32.000
Let's go.

100
00:10:32.000 --> 00:10:34.000
All right. So what is a testimony?

101
00:10:34.000 --> 00:10:39.000
A testimony is a declaration of what Jesus has done or is doing.

102
00:10:39.000 --> 00:10:42.000
We read in Revelation 12-11.

103
00:10:42.000 --> 00:10:49.000
It says about the church that we would overcome the devil by the blood of the lamb, the word of their testimony,

104
00:10:49.000 --> 00:10:53.000
and they wouldn't love their own lives even until the death.

105
00:10:53.000 --> 00:10:58.000
So right there next to the blood of the lamb, you have the word of their testimony

106
00:10:58.000 --> 00:11:04.000
as being a key component to victory on earth over the kingdom of darkness.

107
00:11:04.000 --> 00:11:06.000
That's pretty incredible.

108
00:11:06.000 --> 00:11:09.000
It got my attention. I want to know more about the testimony.

109
00:11:09.000 --> 00:11:11.000
What is a testimony?

110
00:11:11.000 --> 00:11:16.000
Testimony declares to us that what God has done in the past, he will do again.

111
00:11:16.000 --> 00:11:19.000
What he's done in someone else's life is available to your life.

112
00:11:19.000 --> 00:11:23.000
So when we hear a testimony, our posture is not like the world's posture.

113
00:11:23.000 --> 00:11:26.000
They hear a success story of someone else, and they say, you know what?

114
00:11:26.000 --> 00:11:28.000
I'm envious.

115
00:11:28.000 --> 00:11:30.000
There's not enough left over for me.

116
00:11:30.000 --> 00:11:33.000
That person got the nice car, that person got the nice house.

117
00:11:33.000 --> 00:11:36.000
With a testimony, it's the exact opposite in the church.

118
00:11:36.000 --> 00:11:41.000
There's an invitation to each of us to participate in the things of God through testimony

119
00:11:41.000 --> 00:11:45.000
because there's an unlimited God standing behind it.

120
00:11:45.000 --> 00:11:51.000
And so when we hear a testimony, there's an invitation being extended by the Almighty God.

121
00:11:51.000 --> 00:11:53.000
It doesn't matter who the vessels is bringing it.

122
00:11:53.000 --> 00:11:57.000
The point is that God showed up for them, and he'll show up for you.

123
00:11:57.000 --> 00:12:02.000
And there's something about putting the testimony out verbally speaking it out,

124
00:12:02.000 --> 00:12:05.000
whether you're speaking it out in public, whether you're speaking it in prayer,

125
00:12:05.000 --> 00:12:11.000
whether you're reminding yourself of the things that God's done that gives a visibility

126
00:12:11.000 --> 00:12:13.000
to the work and ministry of Jesus.

127
00:12:13.000 --> 00:12:19.000
Jesus actually becomes visible through our testimonies to the world and to ourselves.

128
00:12:19.000 --> 00:12:23.000
We actually see Jesus as we speak testimony.

129
00:12:23.000 --> 00:12:28.000
There's a scripture that in an also in Revelation, Revelation 1910,

130
00:12:28.000 --> 00:12:33.000
it says that the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

131
00:12:33.000 --> 00:12:38.000
So you know that Paul, in 1 Corinthians 12, 13 and 14, says that the most important

132
00:12:38.000 --> 00:12:41.000
spiritual gift in the church is the gift of prophecy.

133
00:12:41.000 --> 00:12:44.000
Why? He said because the gift of prophecy builds people up.

134
00:12:44.000 --> 00:12:47.000
It encourages people, it strengthens people.

135
00:12:47.000 --> 00:12:50.000
When you testify about the things that Jesus has done,

136
00:12:50.000 --> 00:12:55.000
you're actually releasing a prophetic message into the spirit realm,

137
00:12:55.000 --> 00:12:58.000
and you're saying that what Jesus has done for me, he will do again.

138
00:12:58.000 --> 00:13:00.000
What he has done for someone else, he will do for you.

139
00:13:00.000 --> 00:13:02.000
There's no partiality in God.

140
00:13:02.000 --> 00:13:05.000
He doesn't pick and choose winners and losers.

141
00:13:05.000 --> 00:13:11.000
He is available, his kingdom is available, and it's available to be grabbed a hold of.

142
00:13:11.000 --> 00:13:16.000
So when Pastor Bo gives his testimony about financial prosperity,

143
00:13:16.000 --> 00:13:21.000
it's an opportunity for us to receive it in faith and reach out.

144
00:13:21.000 --> 00:13:25.000
There's an action required on our part to grab a hold of it and say,

145
00:13:25.000 --> 00:13:28.000
that's for me too, because there's an infinite God behind it.

146
00:13:28.000 --> 00:13:30.000
He hasn't run out.

147
00:13:30.000 --> 00:13:34.000
There's not just a little bit for the pastors and not that much left for everyone else.

148
00:13:34.000 --> 00:13:37.000
It's for every single person to grab a hold of.

149
00:13:37.000 --> 00:13:40.000
And so we want to be a community who shares our testimonies.

150
00:13:40.000 --> 00:13:44.000
Even the small testimonies remind us that God cares about the little things.

151
00:13:44.000 --> 00:13:46.000
That he's tuned into our lives.

152
00:13:46.000 --> 00:13:48.000
So we sometimes downplay it.

153
00:13:48.000 --> 00:13:53.000
My first point is you have a testimony, you have many testimonies, share them.

154
00:13:53.000 --> 00:13:57.000
Because there are people who need to hear what you have to say about what Jesus has done for you.

155
00:13:57.000 --> 00:13:59.000
And sometimes we downplay and we say, you know what?

156
00:13:59.000 --> 00:14:02.000
I didn't have that dark history, I didn't have that dark past.

157
00:14:02.000 --> 00:14:05.000
I didn't have that dramatic coming back to the Jesus story.

158
00:14:05.000 --> 00:14:11.000
I wasn't, you know, some drug addict or promiscuous person like Pastor Brian.

159
00:14:11.000 --> 00:14:18.000
I was just a regular Christian, you know, kind of a little lukewarm.

160
00:14:18.000 --> 00:14:21.000
And then I came, you know, and then I was turned on, you know,

161
00:14:21.000 --> 00:14:23.000
turned, set on fire by the Lord.

162
00:14:23.000 --> 00:14:25.000
But you know, somebody needs to hear that testimony.

163
00:14:25.000 --> 00:14:28.000
Somebody needs to hear how Jesus got a hold of you.

164
00:14:28.000 --> 00:14:32.000
Someone needs to hear about what he did in your relationships, what he did in your finances,

165
00:14:32.000 --> 00:14:35.000
what he did in your body if he healed you.

166
00:14:35.000 --> 00:14:36.000
Somebody needs to hear that.

167
00:14:36.000 --> 00:14:37.000
It's not just for you.

168
00:14:37.000 --> 00:14:41.000
And when you speak it out, it's immense something in your own spirit.

169
00:14:41.000 --> 00:14:43.000
It gives you strength in your own spirit.

170
00:14:43.000 --> 00:14:44.000
It actually blesses you.

171
00:14:44.000 --> 00:14:48.000
Just like everything else in the kingdom when you give it away, it rebounds to you.

172
00:14:48.000 --> 00:14:52.000
So as you start to speak and articulate the testimonies of God in your life,

173
00:14:52.000 --> 00:14:55.000
you actually find that you're being strengthened and you're being encouraged

174
00:14:55.000 --> 00:15:00.000
and you're being reminded of his faithfulness because every testimony has an echo that says he is faithful

175
00:15:00.000 --> 00:15:02.000
and he always comes through.

176
00:15:02.000 --> 00:15:03.000
He always comes through.

177
00:15:03.000 --> 00:15:05.000
He always shows up.

178
00:15:05.000 --> 00:15:06.000
He is with you.

179
00:15:06.000 --> 00:15:07.000
He is for you.

180
00:15:07.000 --> 00:15:11.000
That same message is behind every testimony big and small that God is faithful.

181
00:15:11.000 --> 00:15:14.000
And as you begin to speak it out, you start to notice, oh, there's a pattern here.

182
00:15:14.000 --> 00:15:16.000
There's a pattern here of answered prayer.

183
00:15:16.000 --> 00:15:18.000
There's a pattern here of God showing up in my life.

184
00:15:18.000 --> 00:15:23.000
There's a pattern here of, as I pray and I expect God to move, he moves.

185
00:15:23.000 --> 00:15:26.000
I don't know always when and how, but he moves.

186
00:15:26.000 --> 00:15:32.000
And you have a testimony of his faithfulness that you need to release out of your mouth and begin to declare

187
00:15:32.000 --> 00:15:34.000
that God has been faithful in my life.

188
00:15:34.000 --> 00:15:37.000
And as the devil comes against you in a new area, you say, no, no, no.

189
00:15:37.000 --> 00:15:38.000
I've got history here.

190
00:15:38.000 --> 00:15:39.000
He came through on my marriage.

191
00:15:39.000 --> 00:15:41.000
He came through with my kids.

192
00:15:41.000 --> 00:15:42.000
He came through with my finances.

193
00:15:42.000 --> 00:15:44.000
And now he's coming through on this.

194
00:15:44.000 --> 00:15:49.000
So point two is that God wants us to actually build a history of testimony,

195
00:15:50.000 --> 00:15:53.000
where there's things in our lives that mark our lives,

196
00:15:53.000 --> 00:15:57.000
but there's things in our lives that God's victory over that mark who we are.

197
00:15:57.000 --> 00:15:59.000
They are central to our identity.

198
00:15:59.000 --> 00:16:04.000
They are core to our faith and they define who we are.

199
00:16:04.000 --> 00:16:10.000
We see this with King David before he was the big shot when he had been anointed,

200
00:16:10.000 --> 00:16:12.000
but he was still child.

201
00:16:12.000 --> 00:16:16.000
He was heading into, to take care of his brother, bringing food and different things.

202
00:16:16.000 --> 00:16:23.000
And he saw Goliath taunting the people of God, taunting the armies of God.

203
00:16:23.000 --> 00:16:26.000
And he didn't have the same reaction as everyone else.

204
00:16:26.000 --> 00:16:27.000
He had faith.

205
00:16:27.000 --> 00:16:28.000
He had a strength.

206
00:16:28.000 --> 00:16:31.000
He had a confidence that others didn't have.

207
00:16:31.000 --> 00:16:34.000
And he proposed that he go and fight the giant.

208
00:16:34.000 --> 00:16:39.000
And Saul said, you're not able to do this because you're just a boy and he's a seasoned warrior.

209
00:16:39.000 --> 00:16:42.000
And David said, no, no, no, I have a testimony.

210
00:16:42.000 --> 00:16:46.000
And the testimony is that God came through when I had to defeat the lion.

211
00:16:46.000 --> 00:16:50.000
God came through when I had to defeat the bear that I was a shepherd boy.

212
00:16:50.000 --> 00:16:54.000
And when I was out in the wilderness, God came through for me against the lion and the bear.

213
00:16:54.000 --> 00:16:58.000
And he said, come through with for me again against the giant.

214
00:16:58.000 --> 00:17:02.000
And that's the way the Lord wants to build a history of testimony in your life

215
00:17:02.000 --> 00:17:07.000
where you can point back to victories you've had that you don't forget that you don't just move on.

216
00:17:07.000 --> 00:17:10.000
That when the victory comes, you cement it in your spirit.

217
00:17:10.000 --> 00:17:16.000
There's something about, there's something about even the active communion when we remember what Jesus has done.

218
00:17:16.000 --> 00:17:21.000
We're not just remembering the cross and his death and resurrection as powerful as that is,

219
00:17:21.000 --> 00:17:24.000
but everything that came out and threw that into our lives.

220
00:17:24.000 --> 00:17:26.000
We're remembering when he healed and restored our marriage.

221
00:17:26.000 --> 00:17:28.000
We're remembering when he healed our bodies.

222
00:17:28.000 --> 00:17:33.000
We're remembering when he helped us find that new job or broke through on our finances.

223
00:17:33.000 --> 00:17:38.000
We're remembering everything that he's done for us and we're reminded to do that regularly.

224
00:17:39.000 --> 00:17:44.000
Do this in remembrance of me, Jesus said, because we have a tendency to sometimes forget.

225
00:17:44.000 --> 00:17:46.000
We have a tendency to come into a season of victory.

226
00:17:46.000 --> 00:17:52.000
Some of you are walking and answered prayers right now and you just need to take a minute and smell the roses and go, God,

227
00:17:52.000 --> 00:17:55.000
I'm standing right in that relationship I prayed for for years.

228
00:17:55.000 --> 00:17:57.000
I'm standing right in that job that I prayed for for years.

229
00:17:57.000 --> 00:17:59.000
I'm standing in the midst of the victory right now.

230
00:17:59.000 --> 00:18:04.000
I'm not going to mark this in my spirit so that when the next battle comes, I can say, no, no, no.

231
00:18:04.000 --> 00:18:09.000
God has granted me victory again and again and he will do again what he did before.

232
00:18:11.000 --> 00:18:16.000
Last point is that sometimes you hear a message on faith,

233
00:18:16.000 --> 00:18:19.000
but there's this annoying thing in your mind.

234
00:18:19.000 --> 00:18:21.000
There's some disappointment you've suffered.

235
00:18:21.000 --> 00:18:28.000
There's some pain that you haven't been able to shake and while everyone else seems to get pumped up about faith

236
00:18:28.000 --> 00:18:31.000
and everyone else seems to be succeeding in their life, you're still in the midst of it.

237
00:18:31.000 --> 00:18:37.000
There's something anchoring you down and keeping you back and you feel stuck.

238
00:18:37.000 --> 00:18:43.000
I want to speak specifically to that right now and I want to tell you that God is the God of the testimony

239
00:18:43.000 --> 00:18:46.000
and bringing the testimony directly to that place of pain.

240
00:18:46.000 --> 00:18:52.000
In other words, he turns pain into purpose and we see this again and again and again.

241
00:18:52.000 --> 00:18:57.000
He always turns pain into purpose, always, always.

242
00:18:57.000 --> 00:19:03.000
Daria to find me an example where he doesn't turn the pain in someone's life into purpose when they commit it to him

243
00:19:03.000 --> 00:19:06.000
and when they follow him, he always does it.

244
00:19:06.000 --> 00:19:07.000
He always does it.

245
00:19:07.000 --> 00:19:12.000
And so if you're in the middle of it, I would just encourage you just to give it to the Lord and say,

246
00:19:12.000 --> 00:19:14.000
God, I don't know how you're going to do it.

247
00:19:14.000 --> 00:19:17.000
I don't know when you're going to do it, but I believe that you're coming through for me.

248
00:19:17.000 --> 00:19:21.000
I believe that one day I'm going to testify about your faithfulness in this area.

249
00:19:21.000 --> 00:19:23.000
I don't know how it's coming through, but it's coming.

250
00:19:23.000 --> 00:19:27.000
I'm standing. I'm going to declare it before it comes.

251
00:19:27.000 --> 00:19:31.000
I'm going to speak it out before it comes and one day I'm going to share with my friends and family

252
00:19:31.000 --> 00:19:33.000
how you came through in this area of pain.

253
00:19:33.000 --> 00:19:38.000
It will no longer be a place of pain but a place of praise in Jesus' name.

254
00:19:38.000 --> 00:19:43.000
Awesome. Awesome. Hallelujah.

255
00:19:43.000 --> 00:20:04.000
The disciples, after the feeding of the 5,000, I think only one gospel references this.

256
00:20:04.000 --> 00:20:09.000
The feeding of the 5,000, which is really the feeding of the 15 to 20,000,

257
00:20:09.000 --> 00:20:16.000
a short while after that, they had another little food shortage crisis, similar scenario.

258
00:20:16.000 --> 00:20:20.000
And they freaked out all over again.

259
00:20:20.000 --> 00:20:24.000
Where are we going to get the food? And Jesus goes,

260
00:20:24.000 --> 00:20:30.000
did you forget? Like the other week.

261
00:20:30.000 --> 00:20:35.000
Now maybe they'd rehearse their testimony.

262
00:20:35.000 --> 00:20:42.000
They wouldn't have flipped, but you know, and we read that I go, those disciples, weak and pathetic.

263
00:20:42.000 --> 00:20:45.000
But that's in there because we're them.

264
00:20:45.000 --> 00:20:50.000
And the problem comes, go, and we forget what he did.

265
00:20:50.000 --> 00:20:56.000
And so your testimonies, each one is a bullet.

266
00:20:56.000 --> 00:21:03.000
May I suggest the magazine with 30 rounds?

267
00:21:03.000 --> 00:21:09.000
Share your testimony often. If no one wants to hear it, do what the Psalmists did.

268
00:21:09.000 --> 00:21:20.000
Share it with God. Read the Psalms and you'll see that they're really just sharing to the Lord what the Lord did to them and for them.

269
00:21:20.000 --> 00:21:23.000
You know, we don't like to do that or we tend not to because we're like, well, he was there.

270
00:21:23.000 --> 00:21:26.000
What does he need to hear it for? He did it.

271
00:21:26.000 --> 00:21:29.000
But it's really not for God. It's for you.

272
00:21:29.000 --> 00:21:33.000
So recount, out loud, out loud is a key.

273
00:21:33.000 --> 00:21:41.000
What the Lord has done for you and it'll raise your faith. Amen.

274
00:21:41.000 --> 00:21:46.000
Pastor Rob Martino is going to come up next.

275
00:21:46.000 --> 00:21:49.000
Pastor Brian is the best dress of us.

276
00:21:49.000 --> 00:21:52.000
Pastor Rob is the most muscular. Oh, look at.

277
00:21:52.000 --> 00:21:58.000
Oh, look, quick. Pray for my hand, quick. I broke a finger.

278
00:21:58.000 --> 00:22:02.000
He flexed on it and it just snapped out of joint.

279
00:22:02.000 --> 00:22:06.000
He is a sergeant with the NYPD, a dear friend.

280
00:22:06.000 --> 00:22:09.000
I just want to boast on you a little bit.

281
00:22:09.000 --> 00:22:15.000
There is such a shepherdly spirit of gentleness on him.

282
00:22:15.000 --> 00:22:17.000
I remember a few years back. I haven't referenced this.

283
00:22:17.000 --> 00:22:22.000
I remember when I was under attack, you were one of the first phone calls to just say,

284
00:22:22.000 --> 00:22:26.000
back then, Pastor Boyan.

285
00:22:26.000 --> 00:22:29.000
Just want to let you know we love you. We stand with you.

286
00:22:29.000 --> 00:22:33.000
We're for you with gentleness and love. I'll never forget that.

287
00:22:33.000 --> 00:22:36.000
Hallelujah.

288
00:22:36.000 --> 00:22:38.000
Praise the Lord. Good morning, city light.

289
00:22:38.000 --> 00:22:43.000
Before I get started really quick, between the services, somebody stopped me and questioned my outfit choices,

290
00:22:43.000 --> 00:22:48.000
particularly the shirt. And in my defense, Pastor Boy texted about a salsa service.

291
00:22:48.000 --> 00:22:52.000
I was confused. I thought I would be dancing.

292
00:22:52.000 --> 00:22:57.000
And my wife hooked me up with this shirt and I appreciate it.

293
00:22:57.000 --> 00:23:00.000
All right. Good morning, good morning.

294
00:23:00.000 --> 00:23:05.000
So today we're going to talk about the difference between faith and hope.

295
00:23:05.000 --> 00:23:09.000
Very quick impromptu service. Obviously, the impromptu service.

296
00:23:09.000 --> 00:23:12.000
We had a great, great response to this in the first service.

297
00:23:12.000 --> 00:23:18.000
You here are holding on to an expectation of future promise, a vision from the Lord.

298
00:23:18.000 --> 00:23:21.000
How many of you got it? I'm included in that group there.

299
00:23:21.000 --> 00:23:23.000
How many of us here?

300
00:23:23.000 --> 00:23:28.000
We are actively trusting the Lord. Remembering what he's done for us already.

301
00:23:28.000 --> 00:23:32.000
That he's going to see us through to that promise. How many of us here?

302
00:23:32.000 --> 00:23:34.000
We're halfway through the battle here today.

303
00:23:34.000 --> 00:23:37.000
We're going to talk about the difference between hope and faith.

304
00:23:37.000 --> 00:23:42.000
A future outcome. And one is a now active trust in the Lord.

305
00:23:42.000 --> 00:23:46.000
We're going to refer right now to Hebrews 111, particularly in the Amplified.

306
00:23:46.000 --> 00:23:49.000
I like what it says here. It says, now faith is the assurance.

307
00:23:49.000 --> 00:23:52.000
The title deed confirmation of things hoped for.

308
00:23:52.000 --> 00:23:55.000
Divinely guaranteed. That term title deed.

309
00:23:55.000 --> 00:23:59.000
And when you have that title to that home, to that car, to that business,

310
00:23:59.000 --> 00:24:03.000
that gives you ownership. You can take that thing to the bank, right?

311
00:24:03.000 --> 00:24:06.000
The evidence of things not seen, the conviction of their reality.

312
00:24:06.000 --> 00:24:09.000
Even if you don't see it, it is a reality for you.

313
00:24:09.000 --> 00:24:14.000
Biblical hope is not the way we refer to hope too in our common vernacular.

314
00:24:14.000 --> 00:24:17.000
We speak to one another. It's not a hope that it doesn't rain tomorrow.

315
00:24:17.000 --> 00:24:19.000
It's not a hope that I look like Brian when I grow up.

316
00:24:19.000 --> 00:24:25.000
It is a hope that is an expectation or confidence with assurance of a future good.

317
00:24:25.000 --> 00:24:29.000
Although there's a variety of different words that are used in the Hebrew and Greek.

318
00:24:29.000 --> 00:24:31.000
The majority of them have this connotation.

319
00:24:31.000 --> 00:24:34.000
It's expectancy. It's something waited for.

320
00:24:34.000 --> 00:24:38.000
And it's anticipation of an unseen good to come.

321
00:24:38.000 --> 00:24:41.000
I love the illustration of hoping the Bible with Abraham, right?

322
00:24:41.000 --> 00:24:46.000
It refers to having a hope, a desire to be a father of many nations.

323
00:24:46.000 --> 00:24:50.000
But in the Bible, we see that Abraham's situation didn't match that.

324
00:24:50.000 --> 00:24:54.000
He was, I think the biblical term here is old as dust.

325
00:24:54.000 --> 00:24:57.000
And his wife was equally old.

326
00:24:57.000 --> 00:24:59.000
And so it didn't make sense.

327
00:24:59.000 --> 00:25:00.000
But what do we see?

328
00:25:00.000 --> 00:25:04.000
Hope generally refers to a desired unseen outcome.

329
00:25:04.000 --> 00:25:09.000
But the Bible tells us it requires faith to be empowered and strengthened.

330
00:25:09.000 --> 00:25:11.000
Woman's 420 tells us.

331
00:25:11.000 --> 00:25:15.000
He did not doubt her waiver but grew strong and empowered by faith.

332
00:25:15.000 --> 00:25:18.000
He was confident and expected in the promise to come.

333
00:25:18.000 --> 00:25:20.000
But his faith was in the one who could do it.

334
00:25:20.000 --> 00:25:23.000
Another example is the woman with the issue of blood.

335
00:25:23.000 --> 00:25:25.000
She had hope that she would be healed.

336
00:25:25.000 --> 00:25:28.000
And natural did it make sense every doctor could not cure her.

337
00:25:28.000 --> 00:25:30.000
We spent all her money and still no cure.

338
00:25:30.000 --> 00:25:31.000
But she had that hope.

339
00:25:31.000 --> 00:25:34.000
And when she saw Jesus, that hope met faith.

340
00:25:34.000 --> 00:25:37.000
And when Jesus healed her, as she touched the hell of this garment,

341
00:25:37.000 --> 00:25:40.000
he said to her, your faith has restored you to health.

342
00:25:40.000 --> 00:25:44.000
Every future hope we have should be anchored in the Lord.

343
00:25:44.000 --> 00:25:47.000
Biblical faith, as we move on from home,

344
00:25:47.000 --> 00:25:49.000
Biblical faith takes on a more active connotation.

345
00:25:49.000 --> 00:25:52.000
It's an established, lasting, continuing,

346
00:25:52.000 --> 00:25:55.000
and certain trust and reliance upon the Lord.

347
00:25:55.000 --> 00:25:57.000
I like it to amplify where it calls it,

348
00:25:57.000 --> 00:26:00.000
abiding trust in God and His promises.

349
00:26:00.000 --> 00:26:03.000
And the New Testament, particularly in the Greek,

350
00:26:03.000 --> 00:26:07.000
the word that's used, I think 245 times something that effect is beasties.

351
00:26:07.000 --> 00:26:09.000
And that was not AI that gave me that fact.

352
00:26:09.000 --> 00:26:11.000
That was strong concordance.

353
00:26:11.000 --> 00:26:12.000
I dusted it off.

354
00:26:12.000 --> 00:26:13.000
Dusted it off.

355
00:26:13.000 --> 00:26:15.000
My first time using it though, it's fine.

356
00:26:15.000 --> 00:26:18.000
A few verses later, in 11-6,

357
00:26:18.000 --> 00:26:20.000
we see faith is necessary to walk with God.

358
00:26:20.000 --> 00:26:24.000
It says, without faith, it is impossible to please Him, right?

359
00:26:24.000 --> 00:26:26.000
He's a rewarder of those who seek Him.

360
00:26:26.000 --> 00:26:27.000
It's an active term.

361
00:26:27.000 --> 00:26:29.000
Now, while you can hope for something,

362
00:26:29.000 --> 00:26:32.000
you can have a heart state of expectation toward the healing,

363
00:26:32.000 --> 00:26:35.000
towards the deliverance, towards the promise,

364
00:26:35.000 --> 00:26:38.000
you have to marry that thing to hope with faith.

365
00:26:38.000 --> 00:26:40.000
You have to have the substance behind that hope.

366
00:26:40.000 --> 00:26:43.000
Faith is trusting in, relying on,

367
00:26:43.000 --> 00:26:46.000
and fully submitting oneself to God no matter what may come.

368
00:26:46.000 --> 00:26:48.000
It's believing, in spite of not seeing,

369
00:26:48.000 --> 00:26:50.000
and I would even argue it's having the posture of,

370
00:26:50.000 --> 00:26:52.000
even if I don't see it, my faith will stand.

371
00:26:52.000 --> 00:26:55.000
A quick illustration of the gospel is what I call

372
00:26:55.000 --> 00:26:57.000
undeterred faith in Mark 5.

373
00:26:57.000 --> 00:27:00.000
We see the synagogue official who worked in the synagogue,

374
00:27:00.000 --> 00:27:02.000
the same people that were actively hunting Jesus,

375
00:27:02.000 --> 00:27:04.000
finding a way to put Him to death.

376
00:27:04.000 --> 00:27:07.000
He saw Jesus, he had hoped for His daughter to be healed.

377
00:27:07.000 --> 00:27:08.000
The Bible says, He begged.

378
00:27:08.000 --> 00:27:09.000
He spoke to Jesus.

379
00:27:09.000 --> 00:27:11.000
He begged anxiously for that healing.

380
00:27:11.000 --> 00:27:12.000
And as they were traveling,

381
00:27:12.000 --> 00:27:13.000
what did He get to witness?

382
00:27:13.000 --> 00:27:16.000
Goes hands in hand with the testimony that we talk about.

383
00:27:16.000 --> 00:27:19.000
He saw the woman with the flow of blood healed.

384
00:27:19.000 --> 00:27:22.000
He had that testimony that he was able to see and witness.

385
00:27:22.000 --> 00:27:24.000
And it was important because right after that,

386
00:27:24.000 --> 00:27:27.000
a member of his own household comes out to discourage Him and say,

387
00:27:27.000 --> 00:27:29.000
don't even bother Jesus anymore.

388
00:27:29.000 --> 00:27:30.000
Your daughter is dead.

389
00:27:30.000 --> 00:27:32.000
But Jesus Himself encourages His faith and says,

390
00:27:32.000 --> 00:27:36.000
do not be afraid, only keep on believing.

391
00:27:36.000 --> 00:27:40.000
Who was allowed in that room when Jesus healed his daughter,

392
00:27:40.000 --> 00:27:42.000
the father, the mother, and the three of Jesus in a circle,

393
00:27:42.000 --> 00:27:45.000
almost the only one who was allowed to witness that miracle,

394
00:27:45.000 --> 00:27:47.000
the ones who maintained faith until the end.

395
00:27:47.000 --> 00:27:49.000
And I would be remiss if I did not use my own life,

396
00:27:49.000 --> 00:27:51.000
my life's life as an example.

397
00:27:51.000 --> 00:27:52.000
Right?

398
00:27:52.000 --> 00:27:55.000
We, for eight years, we were attempting to have children.

399
00:27:55.000 --> 00:27:58.000
And we went through IVF, through a miscarriage.

400
00:27:58.000 --> 00:28:00.000
But we, we had that hope in our heart.

401
00:28:00.000 --> 00:28:03.000
We believed the promise that God put in our heart.

402
00:28:03.000 --> 00:28:06.000
We, we partnered in faith.

403
00:28:06.000 --> 00:28:08.000
We found scriptures that spoke to it.

404
00:28:08.000 --> 00:28:11.000
We spoke in our home that we would have that life come.

405
00:28:11.000 --> 00:28:14.000
And it did not come the way we expected to, but it came.

406
00:28:14.000 --> 00:28:15.000
In Jesus name.

407
00:28:15.000 --> 00:28:16.000
Right?

408
00:28:16.000 --> 00:28:21.000
So in conclusion, hope and faith are vital parts of our Christian walk

409
00:28:21.000 --> 00:28:24.000
with hope we can assuredly expect the fulfillment of the promise

410
00:28:24.000 --> 00:28:25.000
of the one who has saved us.

411
00:28:25.000 --> 00:28:28.000
And in faith, see that he'll see us through every need

412
00:28:28.000 --> 00:28:32.000
as we actively currently in the now, trust, rely, and seek Him.

413
00:28:32.000 --> 00:28:34.000
I hope this blessed you this morning.

414
00:28:34.000 --> 00:28:35.000
Awesome.

415
00:28:35.000 --> 00:28:37.000
Awesome.

416
00:28:38.000 --> 00:28:39.000
Awesome.

417
00:28:44.000 --> 00:28:45.000
Hallelujah.

418
00:28:45.000 --> 00:28:48.000
Faith says I have it now.

419
00:28:48.000 --> 00:28:50.000
Hope is important.

420
00:28:50.000 --> 00:28:53.000
But hope is always in the future.

421
00:28:53.000 --> 00:28:58.000
Don't be that person that's always hoping for something.

422
00:28:58.000 --> 00:29:01.000
And then that thing is always in the future.

423
00:29:01.000 --> 00:29:03.000
I know a few people like that, they depress me.

424
00:29:03.000 --> 00:29:05.000
I have to immediately go and worship,

425
00:29:05.000 --> 00:29:08.000
because I have the presence of the Lord to get the depression off.

426
00:29:08.000 --> 00:29:11.000
Because like for 20 years it's the same, you know,

427
00:29:11.000 --> 00:29:14.000
and it's always one day.

428
00:29:14.000 --> 00:29:16.000
It's good to have hope that's in the future.

429
00:29:16.000 --> 00:29:20.000
But faith then says I have it now.

430
00:29:20.000 --> 00:29:23.000
Faith is the substance of things hope for.

431
00:29:23.000 --> 00:29:26.000
In the amplified, it amplifies the word substance.

432
00:29:26.000 --> 00:29:29.000
It says title deed.

433
00:29:29.000 --> 00:29:33.000
I'm hoping for it, but by faith I have it now.

434
00:29:33.000 --> 00:29:34.000
Where is it?

435
00:29:34.000 --> 00:29:35.000
I have it.

436
00:29:35.000 --> 00:29:36.000
By faith.

437
00:29:36.000 --> 00:29:38.000
When do you have now?

438
00:29:38.000 --> 00:29:39.000
I don't see it.

439
00:29:39.000 --> 00:29:40.000
Don't worry about it.

440
00:29:40.000 --> 00:29:42.000
I have it now.

441
00:29:42.000 --> 00:29:46.000
And if you can be stubborn about that, it'll manifest.

442
00:29:46.000 --> 00:29:48.000
And you've got to be stubborn.

443
00:29:48.000 --> 00:29:50.000
Abraham was stubborn.

444
00:29:50.000 --> 00:29:52.000
When he was, what's the biblical term again?

445
00:29:52.000 --> 00:29:55.000
Old as dust.

446
00:29:55.000 --> 00:30:00.000
When he was old as dust, it says in Romans,

447
00:30:00.000 --> 00:30:05.000
he considered not his own body already dead.

448
00:30:05.000 --> 00:30:10.000
So he was stubborn and ignored his dustiness.

449
00:30:10.000 --> 00:30:12.000
Consider not his own body.

450
00:30:12.000 --> 00:30:14.000
And pay attention to that.

451
00:30:14.000 --> 00:30:17.000
But he clung to the promise of God and said,

452
00:30:17.000 --> 00:30:19.000
I have a son now.

453
00:30:19.000 --> 00:30:21.000
Hallelujah.

454
00:30:21.000 --> 00:30:23.000
So don't keep that thing in the future.

455
00:30:23.000 --> 00:30:25.000
Hope is important.

456
00:30:25.000 --> 00:30:28.000
But then release faith that says I have it now.

457
00:30:29.000 --> 00:30:32.000
The next elder in pastor that's going to minister

458
00:30:32.000 --> 00:30:34.000
to you needs no introduction.

459
00:30:34.000 --> 00:30:37.000
My brother from another mother passed your moh.

460
00:30:37.000 --> 00:30:41.000
He's my brother.

461
00:30:41.000 --> 00:30:42.000
My brother.

462
00:30:42.000 --> 00:30:43.000
Amen.

463
00:30:43.000 --> 00:30:46.000
Good day to all of you.

464
00:30:46.000 --> 00:30:49.000
No.

465
00:30:49.000 --> 00:30:51.000
Yeah, right?

466
00:30:51.000 --> 00:30:53.000
Don't tense me.

467
00:30:53.000 --> 00:30:57.000
So here's the thing.

468
00:30:57.000 --> 00:31:00.000
We're talking about understanding faith today.

469
00:31:00.000 --> 00:31:04.000
And I've learned that part of understanding faith

470
00:31:04.000 --> 00:31:07.000
is a practical application.

471
00:31:07.000 --> 00:31:10.000
Like God is going to put you in a situation

472
00:31:10.000 --> 00:31:13.000
where you need to utilize your faith.

473
00:31:13.000 --> 00:31:18.000
You need to be able to move and act in your faith.

474
00:31:18.000 --> 00:31:22.000
And in order to do that, he's going to do what all parents do.

475
00:31:22.000 --> 00:31:25.000
He's going to ask you to do stuff.

476
00:31:26.000 --> 00:31:30.000
Now, I'm going to share something with you.

477
00:31:30.000 --> 00:31:32.000
I wanted to be a parent for a long time,

478
00:31:32.000 --> 00:31:38.000
and specifically just so that I could ask my kids for things.

479
00:31:38.000 --> 00:31:41.000
I'm not going to lie, because I grew up in a West African home,

480
00:31:41.000 --> 00:31:43.000
and tell me if this sounds familiar to you

481
00:31:43.000 --> 00:31:46.000
if you have any background with a parent.

482
00:31:46.000 --> 00:31:48.000
I was in my room doing my homework, and all I hear is,

483
00:31:48.000 --> 00:31:51.000
Mohammed!

484
00:31:51.000 --> 00:31:53.000
They would never say anything.

485
00:31:53.000 --> 00:31:54.000
Well, at least my dad.

486
00:31:54.000 --> 00:31:57.000
He would never say anything else, because he expected when I call you,

487
00:31:57.000 --> 00:31:58.000
you come.

488
00:31:58.000 --> 00:32:00.000
You do what I say, do what I say, do it.

489
00:32:00.000 --> 00:32:03.000
It's a rush out.

490
00:32:03.000 --> 00:32:04.000
Yes, dad.

491
00:32:04.000 --> 00:32:06.000
Yes, sir.

492
00:32:06.000 --> 00:32:09.000
Pass me the remotes.

493
00:32:10.000 --> 00:32:12.000
And as a kid, I'm not going to lie.

494
00:32:12.000 --> 00:32:15.000
I learn my eyes twitching a little bit.

495
00:32:15.000 --> 00:32:18.000
What did you just say to me?

496
00:32:18.000 --> 00:32:21.000
Is Victor smiling?

497
00:32:21.000 --> 00:32:24.000
Yes.

498
00:32:24.000 --> 00:32:27.000
Is it?

499
00:32:27.000 --> 00:32:30.000
Because he's sitting on the couch, and this is the coffee table,

500
00:32:30.000 --> 00:32:33.000
and the remotes on the coffee table.

501
00:32:33.000 --> 00:32:36.000
And you have stopped me from doing the thing that I need to do

502
00:32:36.000 --> 00:32:41.000
in order to come and do it, and pass you the thing that is right here.

503
00:32:41.000 --> 00:32:43.000
You mean this?

504
00:32:43.000 --> 00:32:44.000
Yes.

505
00:32:44.000 --> 00:32:48.000
Give it to me.

506
00:32:48.000 --> 00:32:51.000
You know, it's also West African homes,

507
00:32:51.000 --> 00:32:54.000
so the eye twitching was about as far as it got.

508
00:32:54.000 --> 00:32:58.000
Because I learned quickly from watching my older brother pull one of these moves.

509
00:32:58.000 --> 00:33:00.000
Get it just...

510
00:33:00.000 --> 00:33:02.000
He didn't even finish the sentence.

511
00:33:02.000 --> 00:33:05.000
I've never seen my dad move that fast in his life.

512
00:33:05.000 --> 00:33:07.000
Say it again.

513
00:33:07.000 --> 00:33:09.000
I'm like, whoa.

514
00:33:09.000 --> 00:33:14.000
So parents do ask their children for things.

515
00:33:14.000 --> 00:33:17.000
But the beauty is this.

516
00:33:17.000 --> 00:33:19.000
The parent might ask their child for something,

517
00:33:19.000 --> 00:33:23.000
an unbeknownst to the child that is actually for the benefit of the child.

518
00:33:23.000 --> 00:33:25.000
See, I often tell my daughter.

519
00:33:25.000 --> 00:33:26.000
My daughter is...

520
00:33:26.000 --> 00:33:28.000
She's double digits now.

521
00:33:28.000 --> 00:33:30.000
She's ten.

522
00:33:30.000 --> 00:33:32.000
Yeah.

523
00:33:32.000 --> 00:33:36.000
She's going to have those talks about how to secure fire arms for New York City residents.

524
00:33:36.000 --> 00:33:41.000
Right after the service, praise the Lord.

525
00:33:41.000 --> 00:33:43.000
But the thing is what I tell her is,

526
00:33:43.000 --> 00:33:45.000
because she's very smart,

527
00:33:45.000 --> 00:33:48.000
and sometimes that could be a hindrance to me teaching her new things,

528
00:33:48.000 --> 00:33:50.000
because she's so smart already.

529
00:33:50.000 --> 00:33:52.000
But I tell her, you know, in a very practical sense,

530
00:33:52.000 --> 00:33:54.000
I'm taller than you.

531
00:33:54.000 --> 00:33:56.000
So I can see further than you.

532
00:33:56.000 --> 00:33:59.000
I've been here longer than you, so I know more than you.

533
00:33:59.000 --> 00:34:02.000
Hey, shut up.

534
00:34:02.000 --> 00:34:07.000
So we know that parents do ask their kids of things, right?

535
00:34:07.000 --> 00:34:08.000
Amen.

536
00:34:08.000 --> 00:34:09.000
All right.

537
00:34:09.000 --> 00:34:12.000
So turn with me to Genesis 22.

538
00:34:12.000 --> 00:34:14.000
And I won't even read all of it,

539
00:34:14.000 --> 00:34:19.000
but the idea is that the father wanting to get something to Abraham,

540
00:34:19.000 --> 00:34:23.000
ask him for something.

541
00:34:23.000 --> 00:34:28.000
Because it's not that he wants to take something from you,

542
00:34:28.000 --> 00:34:32.000
but God wanting to bless you is going to ask you for something

543
00:34:32.000 --> 00:34:36.000
that is going to cause you to need to utilize your faith.

544
00:34:36.000 --> 00:34:40.000
You are going to have to get up from your blessed assurance

545
00:34:40.000 --> 00:34:46.000
and actually move into the things of God via faith.

546
00:34:46.000 --> 00:34:52.000
So God taking that which is as old as dirt.

547
00:34:52.000 --> 00:34:55.000
And he blesses him with a child.

548
00:34:55.000 --> 00:34:57.000
And now the child has grown to a certain age.

549
00:34:57.000 --> 00:34:59.000
And he's enjoying the beautiful.

550
00:34:59.000 --> 00:35:02.000
He's walking in the promise of God.

551
00:35:02.000 --> 00:35:05.000
How many can I identify?

552
00:35:05.000 --> 00:35:06.000
Third row.

553
00:35:06.000 --> 00:35:07.000
You better raise your hands.

554
00:35:07.000 --> 00:35:08.000
Third row.

555
00:35:08.000 --> 00:35:09.000
All right.

556
00:35:09.000 --> 00:35:10.000
All right.

557
00:35:10.000 --> 00:35:11.000
Third row.

558
00:35:11.000 --> 00:35:13.000
I leave the third row alone.

559
00:35:13.000 --> 00:35:15.000
It's married people.

560
00:35:15.000 --> 00:35:16.000
It's engaged people.

561
00:35:16.000 --> 00:35:17.000
A lot of people at third row.

562
00:35:17.000 --> 00:35:18.000
They're on their way.

563
00:35:18.000 --> 00:35:19.000
Amen.

564
00:35:19.000 --> 00:35:21.000
Sitting there too cute.

565
00:35:21.000 --> 00:35:22.000
No.

566
00:35:22.000 --> 00:35:23.000
The Lord has blessed you.

567
00:35:23.000 --> 00:35:25.000
If you walk in the promise, you better declare it.

568
00:35:25.000 --> 00:35:26.000
All right.

569
00:35:26.000 --> 00:35:27.000
All right.

570
00:35:27.000 --> 00:35:30.000
Angerier than I need to be.

571
00:35:30.000 --> 00:35:32.000
Angerier than I need to be.

572
00:35:32.000 --> 00:35:33.000
Yeah.

573
00:35:33.000 --> 00:35:37.000
So walking in the promise.

574
00:35:37.000 --> 00:35:38.000
The Lord says,

575
00:35:38.000 --> 00:35:44.000
I want you to give me the thing that I gave you.

576
00:35:44.000 --> 00:35:50.000
Now, what we don't see in the scriptures is our normal response.

577
00:35:50.000 --> 00:35:53.000
This is normally the response when God asks us to do something.

578
00:35:53.000 --> 00:35:57.000
And it's something that might be considered crazy or wild or out there.

579
00:35:57.000 --> 00:35:58.000
Like, hey, I want you to fast.

580
00:35:58.000 --> 00:35:59.000
I want you to pray.

581
00:35:59.000 --> 00:36:01.000
Like, those things are not actually crazy.

582
00:36:01.000 --> 00:36:03.000
Those are beneficial things for you, amen.

583
00:36:03.000 --> 00:36:08.000
But sometimes the Lord will ask you to do something that it requires

584
00:36:08.000 --> 00:36:12.000
our spiritual perspective to understand that it's not crazy.

585
00:36:12.000 --> 00:36:16.000
Because in the outside it very much looks crazy.

586
00:36:16.000 --> 00:36:21.000
And what we do sometimes is we rationalize things.

587
00:36:21.000 --> 00:36:25.000
Well, you never, the Lord couldn't possibly be asking me to do that.

588
00:36:25.000 --> 00:36:27.000
That just wouldn't be exercising.

589
00:36:27.000 --> 00:36:28.000
Was it a matter of fact?

590
00:36:28.000 --> 00:36:29.000
That's murder.

591
00:36:29.000 --> 00:36:30.000
No, no, no, no.

592
00:36:30.000 --> 00:36:32.000
He's definitely not asking me to do that.

593
00:36:32.000 --> 00:36:33.000
Give my only son.

594
00:36:33.000 --> 00:36:34.000
No.

595
00:36:34.000 --> 00:36:36.000
He didn't, here's another thing too.

596
00:36:36.000 --> 00:36:38.000
He didn't delay.

597
00:36:38.000 --> 00:36:43.000
The Bible says that that morning they head out.

598
00:36:43.000 --> 00:36:49.000
When the Lord asked you to move in faith, step one, don't delay.

599
00:36:49.000 --> 00:36:54.000
The late obedience, it's not that the late obedience is disobedience per se.

600
00:36:54.000 --> 00:36:57.000
But it gives you too much wiggle room.

601
00:36:57.000 --> 00:37:02.000
When you delay, you give yourself this room for rationalization

602
00:37:02.000 --> 00:37:06.000
and you wiggle out into the, well, maybe I ought not.

603
00:37:06.000 --> 00:37:10.000
And you try to convince yourself not to do the thing that God is asking you to do.

604
00:37:10.000 --> 00:37:15.000
But we need to understand the wisdom of God that if God is ever asking you to do something,

605
00:37:15.000 --> 00:37:16.000
it is with purpose.

606
00:37:16.000 --> 00:37:17.000
Amen?

607
00:37:17.000 --> 00:37:20.000
Actually, you know what?

608
00:37:20.000 --> 00:37:24.000
I'm going to give you a quick story just so you can understand that.

609
00:37:24.000 --> 00:37:29.000
So often the Lord will ask you to do something that is beyond you.

610
00:37:29.000 --> 00:37:33.000
But it is with purpose even if you yourself can't see it.

611
00:37:33.000 --> 00:37:39.000
So when I first got saved, I was working for the Staten Island YMCA counseling service.

612
00:37:39.000 --> 00:37:42.000
It's a substance abuse counseling service.

613
00:37:42.000 --> 00:37:46.000
And if any of you know some of my testimony, you know that.

614
00:37:46.000 --> 00:37:50.000
I used to sell drugs, not for a living because I worked at the YMCA for a living.

615
00:37:50.000 --> 00:37:52.000
But on the side, I sold drugs.

616
00:37:52.000 --> 00:37:56.000
Now, those two things seem congruent to each other.

617
00:37:56.000 --> 00:38:00.000
And you know how Paul talks about being the chief of all sinners?

618
00:38:00.000 --> 00:38:02.000
He's actually lying. That was me.

619
00:38:02.000 --> 00:38:09.000
And to my shame, I can say that my mind worked this way.

620
00:38:09.000 --> 00:38:14.000
I worked at a substance abuse counseling center where people were coming to get help

621
00:38:14.000 --> 00:38:16.000
for addiction and substances.

622
00:38:16.000 --> 00:38:19.000
And I was a drug dealer and a drug user.

623
00:38:19.000 --> 00:38:25.000
And that just meant that I had access to clientele.

624
00:38:25.000 --> 00:38:30.000
Yeah.

625
00:38:30.000 --> 00:38:33.000
So I find myself in this place where I'm using drugs.

626
00:38:33.000 --> 00:38:37.000
I'm selling drugs even to the clients that I'm meant to serve.

627
00:38:37.000 --> 00:38:43.000
And then I get saved radically transformed by the God, the Lord's love, the God of Heaven.

628
00:38:43.000 --> 00:38:46.000
The God of Heaven is a term on my tongue right now.

629
00:38:46.000 --> 00:38:49.000
It's part of my worship leaking out. I'm sorry.

630
00:38:49.000 --> 00:38:51.000
You know when you wish a wife, you go, hey, boo.

631
00:38:51.000 --> 00:38:53.000
I mean, come here first lady.

632
00:38:53.000 --> 00:38:57.000
Yeah, well, it's just my boo, the God of Heaven.

633
00:38:57.000 --> 00:39:01.000
But I'm in that place.

634
00:39:01.000 --> 00:39:04.000
And it's a terrible place, but I get saved.

635
00:39:04.000 --> 00:39:06.000
And I'm spending time with the Lord.

636
00:39:06.000 --> 00:39:08.000
And then the Lord asks me a question.

637
00:39:08.000 --> 00:39:11.000
He asks me to do something for him.

638
00:39:11.000 --> 00:39:14.000
He says, I want you to reach out to your boss.

639
00:39:14.000 --> 00:39:20.000
And I need you to testify of what I've done to you.

640
00:39:20.000 --> 00:39:25.000
And in my mind, I mean, I did what I thought Abram should have done.

641
00:39:25.000 --> 00:39:31.000
I said, could you please speak more clearly into the microphone?

642
00:39:31.000 --> 00:39:35.000
But no sooner than two seconds that I really get the sense from heaven like I'm not playing,

643
00:39:35.000 --> 00:39:40.000
I want you to call him, set up a meeting, sit down, and tell him all the things that you've done

644
00:39:40.000 --> 00:39:45.000
and how you're not doing them anymore because I came into your life.

645
00:39:51.000 --> 00:39:54.000
So now I have a choice.

646
00:39:54.000 --> 00:40:05.000
Either I'm going to obey promptly or delay and give myself the temptation of the wiggle room of rationalization to not do this thing.

647
00:40:06.000 --> 00:40:08.000
So I moved with obedience, called my boss.

648
00:40:08.000 --> 00:40:10.000
This is not even my direct supervisor.

649
00:40:10.000 --> 00:40:13.000
This is my supervisor supervisor.

650
00:40:13.000 --> 00:40:16.000
So I called him up and said, hey, I need to meet with you.

651
00:40:16.000 --> 00:40:22.000
And the reason that I met with him is because, and I'll show you this from the book of Hebrews.

652
00:40:22.000 --> 00:40:25.000
Hebrews 11-17.

653
00:40:25.000 --> 00:40:29.000
By faith, Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac.

654
00:40:29.000 --> 00:40:34.000
And he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,

655
00:40:34.000 --> 00:40:38.000
of whom it was said in Isaac your seed shall be called.

656
00:40:38.000 --> 00:40:41.000
Concluding, that's a very important word right now,

657
00:40:41.000 --> 00:40:49.000
concluding that God was able to raise him up even from the dead from which he also received him in a figurative sense.

658
00:40:49.000 --> 00:40:55.000
Abraham was able to obey because he had it in his mind.

659
00:40:55.000 --> 00:41:00.000
He concluded the Bible says that regardless of whether I have to kill this boy,

660
00:41:00.000 --> 00:41:05.000
I already know that God said he's going to give me this boy.

661
00:41:05.000 --> 00:41:10.000
He obeyed believing and knowing the end result.

662
00:41:10.000 --> 00:41:14.000
Has God spoken something to you?

663
00:41:14.000 --> 00:41:18.000
Do you know the end result of what he has already promised you?

664
00:41:18.000 --> 00:41:26.000
Then I want you to be able to move in faith and answer the call and be obedient.

665
00:41:26.000 --> 00:41:29.000
With swift obedience, because here's the kicker.

666
00:41:29.000 --> 00:41:33.000
I go into this meeting and he goes, why did you want to meet?

667
00:41:33.000 --> 00:41:36.000
And then I laid the whole thing out for him.

668
00:41:36.000 --> 00:41:40.000
Because in my mind, I had already rationalized that, okay, this is what I had concluded.

669
00:41:40.000 --> 00:41:45.000
Lord, you probably want me to pay penance for the fact that I've done so much wicked and evil in my life.

670
00:41:45.000 --> 00:41:46.000
And I'm okay with that.

671
00:41:46.000 --> 00:41:47.000
I'm okay with living under a bridge.

672
00:41:47.000 --> 00:41:51.000
I'll probably be able to minister to all the whole bows down there, praise God.

673
00:41:51.000 --> 00:41:55.000
My ministry will get started. Hallelujah.

674
00:41:56.000 --> 00:41:59.000
And he does something super odd.

675
00:41:59.000 --> 00:42:00.000
I lay out this whole thing.

676
00:42:00.000 --> 00:42:03.000
He walks to his office door and he closes it.

677
00:42:03.000 --> 00:42:09.000
So now I'm thinking, oh my God, I got to fight this guy too on top of it.

678
00:42:09.000 --> 00:42:20.000
And he walks up to me and he goes, you can't ever tell anybody this story.

679
00:42:20.000 --> 00:42:22.000
I'm sorry, bro.

680
00:42:22.000 --> 00:42:27.000
My statute of limitations on this is over 10 years ago, praise God.

681
00:42:27.000 --> 00:42:36.000
But he says, he actually testified to me that now he knows of a certainty that God is real.

682
00:42:36.000 --> 00:42:41.000
Because there's no way that I would be willing to risk everything coming to him like this.

683
00:42:41.000 --> 00:42:47.000
He saw the conviction of my faith and it helped him along in his journey of faith.

684
00:42:47.000 --> 00:42:50.000
I would not have known that just by thinking of it.

685
00:42:50.000 --> 00:42:54.000
All I knew was I wanted to obey what God said, do.

686
00:42:54.000 --> 00:43:00.000
So in order to move in faith, you are going to have to get up and actually do something.

687
00:43:00.000 --> 00:43:03.000
But there's also one more thing that you have to do.

688
00:43:03.000 --> 00:43:04.000
You have to conclude.

689
00:43:04.000 --> 00:43:05.000
You have to see the end.

690
00:43:05.000 --> 00:43:08.000
You got to do a little believe in.

691
00:43:08.000 --> 00:43:12.000
But there's also this beautiful part that we actually, we're going to go back to Genesis.

692
00:43:12.000 --> 00:43:18.000
This one last part that Abraham does and it goes in tandem with your believing.

693
00:43:18.000 --> 00:43:21.000
He said the right things.

694
00:43:21.000 --> 00:43:32.000
God asked him to do something and his outlook of faith was connected to what he was saying.

695
00:43:32.000 --> 00:43:37.000
And Abraham said to his young men, stay here with the donkey.

696
00:43:37.000 --> 00:43:42.000
The lad and I will go yonder and worship and we will come back to you.

697
00:43:42.000 --> 00:43:46.000
Now that sounds pretty when you feel like he's talking to them.

698
00:43:46.000 --> 00:43:48.000
But we know what he knows.

699
00:43:48.000 --> 00:43:53.000
God has asked him to sacrifice his son.

700
00:43:53.000 --> 00:43:57.000
But yet his words are words of faith.

701
00:43:57.000 --> 00:44:00.000
I'm going to go do this thing.

702
00:44:00.000 --> 00:44:08.000
I'm going to obey the Lord and notice that he counts he equates obeying the Lord with worship.

703
00:44:08.000 --> 00:44:15.000
He says I'm going to worship me and the boy and the boy is going to come back because we already read from Hebrews that he concluded.

704
00:44:15.000 --> 00:44:18.000
Regardless of whether I sacrifice him or not, this is the one that God gave me.

705
00:44:18.000 --> 00:44:23.000
So God is going to give me him.

706
00:44:23.000 --> 00:44:29.000
There are promises in your life, things that God has spoken, things that God has asked you of.

707
00:44:29.000 --> 00:44:35.000
Will you obey to get what he wants you to have?

708
00:44:35.000 --> 00:44:39.000
That is the question you have to ask yourself.

709
00:44:39.000 --> 00:44:40.000
Will I trust him?

710
00:44:40.000 --> 00:44:51.000
Will I speak the right things and move in faith or stand still in delayed obedience?

711
00:44:51.000 --> 00:44:56.000
Hallelujah.

712
00:44:56.000 --> 00:45:01.000
Hebrews 116.

713
00:45:01.000 --> 00:45:10.000
It says without faith, it is impossible to please God.

714
00:45:10.000 --> 00:45:19.000
Those of you who are in faith, that Jesus is your Lord and Savior, that you have his righteousness, you're already pleasing to God.

715
00:45:19.000 --> 00:45:24.000
But nevertheless, God does demand faith.

716
00:45:24.000 --> 00:45:26.000
And you see that in the gospels.

717
00:45:26.000 --> 00:45:30.000
The Jesus, he demanded faith.

718
00:45:30.000 --> 00:45:34.000
He wants us to be a people of faith.

719
00:45:34.000 --> 00:45:39.000
It says that without faith, it's impossible to please him.

720
00:45:39.000 --> 00:45:52.000
For he who comes to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder, not a subtractor or takeer or a wayer, but a rewarder of those who diligently seek him.

721
00:45:52.000 --> 00:46:02.000
So God never asks something of us without also empowering us to fulfill that obligation and what he does is he demands faith.

722
00:46:02.000 --> 00:46:07.000
He's given every person, and this is what the Scripture says, a measure of faith.

723
00:46:07.000 --> 00:46:12.000
And then it's on every individual person to grow with their faith, to develop their faith.

724
00:46:12.000 --> 00:46:17.000
And faith really can only grow one way, and that's by the Word of God.

725
00:46:17.000 --> 00:46:21.000
Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.

726
00:46:21.000 --> 00:46:26.000
The more of God's Word you get inside of you, the more your faith will grow.

727
00:46:26.000 --> 00:46:32.000
But I want to specifically just talk about what kind of faith Jesus is talking about.

728
00:46:32.000 --> 00:46:34.000
What is this faith?

729
00:46:34.000 --> 00:46:41.000
And the answer is in Mark chapter 11, and then courage you when you get home, read the entire chapter.

730
00:46:41.000 --> 00:46:49.000
But Jesus goes by a fig tree, inspects it, notices there's no fruit growing on it, and he curses it.

731
00:46:49.000 --> 00:46:55.000
And he curses it just by saying, let no fruit grow on you from this day forward.

732
00:46:55.000 --> 00:47:01.000
You know, it's interesting, it says presently the fig tree withered away.

733
00:47:01.000 --> 00:47:11.000
But it was then several days later that disciples came by to the fig tree and noticed that it was decaying, that it was dying.

734
00:47:11.000 --> 00:47:14.000
But which one is it? Is it several days or is it presently?

735
00:47:14.000 --> 00:47:17.000
This isn't my main point, but I just want you to catch this.

736
00:47:17.000 --> 00:47:22.000
The scripture says presently, like right away, but they didn't see it till several days later.

737
00:47:22.000 --> 00:47:24.000
And that's typically how faith works.

738
00:47:24.000 --> 00:47:29.000
When Jesus cursed to die, the death began right away, but it was on the inside.

739
00:47:29.000 --> 00:47:31.000
It was in the invisible.

740
00:47:31.000 --> 00:47:34.000
Several days later, they came back and noticed the fig tree was dying.

741
00:47:34.000 --> 00:47:36.000
And they started commenting on that.

742
00:47:36.000 --> 00:47:40.000
And as they're commenting on the fig tree, Jesus says something interesting. He says,

743
00:47:40.000 --> 00:47:43.000
have the God kind of faith.

744
00:47:43.000 --> 00:47:47.000
In the English Bible, it says, have faith in God, but I challenge you.

745
00:47:47.000 --> 00:47:50.000
Go into the Greek. Go into the syntax.

746
00:47:50.000 --> 00:47:54.000
And it's much more closely to have the God kind of faith.

747
00:47:54.000 --> 00:47:58.000
Jesus saying, have the God kind of faith.

748
00:47:58.000 --> 00:48:03.000
And then he says, this is Mark 1123, have the God kind of faith.

749
00:48:03.000 --> 00:48:07.000
And then he says, whoever says to this mountain.

750
00:48:07.000 --> 00:48:11.000
And he goes into one of the greatest faith teachings ever, and how to get answer to prayer.

751
00:48:11.000 --> 00:48:15.000
What is the God kind of faith?

752
00:48:15.000 --> 00:48:19.000
It is faith that speaks.

753
00:48:19.000 --> 00:48:29.000
God created this earth, created the universe, not by thinking it, but by saying, let there be.

754
00:48:29.000 --> 00:48:30.000
Let there be.

755
00:48:30.000 --> 00:48:34.000
Salvation came to you, and it's available to all men.

756
00:48:34.000 --> 00:48:41.000
The Bible says, if you confess with your mouth, the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart.

757
00:48:41.000 --> 00:48:45.000
So faith is half in your heart, but half in your mouth.

758
00:48:45.000 --> 00:48:48.000
And it must be released by the words that you speak.

759
00:48:48.000 --> 00:48:56.000
And this is so crucial, because I dare say the vast majority of Christians keep that faith bottled up in their heart,

760
00:48:56.000 --> 00:49:01.000
but they never actually released it out of their mouth.

761
00:49:01.000 --> 00:49:04.000
Jesus released it out of his mouth all the time.

762
00:49:04.000 --> 00:49:12.000
When you get this, the gospels will come alive to you, and you'll see that faith is voice activated.

763
00:49:12.000 --> 00:49:17.000
The leper came and said, if you're willing, are you making me clean?

764
00:49:17.000 --> 00:49:19.000
Jesus said, I'm willing.

765
00:49:19.000 --> 00:49:23.000
Be made. It was when he said, be made clean.

766
00:49:23.000 --> 00:49:29.000
Peter saw that. It was so powerful that when he was on the ship, he didn't just jump out on the water,

767
00:49:29.000 --> 00:49:32.000
he said, Jesus, bid me to come on the water.

768
00:49:32.000 --> 00:49:34.000
Jesus gave him one word, come.

769
00:49:34.000 --> 00:49:39.000
When Jesus spoke, come, Peter, then you, I can jump out of the boat and walk on water.

770
00:49:39.000 --> 00:49:42.000
You have been given this power in your mouth.

771
00:49:42.000 --> 00:49:47.000
Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they that love it will lead the fruit thereof.

772
00:49:47.000 --> 00:49:54.000
And so too many Christians think that faith is quietly, really, really believing something positive.

773
00:49:54.000 --> 00:49:59.000
It's so much more than that. It's actually opening your mouth and speaking God's word.

774
00:49:59.000 --> 00:50:05.000
And most Christians don't like to do it because Satan comes and lies to them and tells them they're acting crazy,

775
00:50:05.000 --> 00:50:08.000
they're being foolish, or they're just part of the term.

776
00:50:08.000 --> 00:50:10.000
They're just spiritually lazy.

777
00:50:10.000 --> 00:50:14.000
And Satan on top of that is working extra to keep your lips buttoned.

778
00:50:14.000 --> 00:50:17.000
Do not let them be buttoned. Open your mouth and speak.

779
00:50:17.000 --> 00:50:19.000
You say, what should I speak?

780
00:50:19.000 --> 00:50:24.000
Well, whatever the problem is, find the solution and God's word and say that out loud.

781
00:50:24.000 --> 00:50:28.000
I just had like a 14, 16. I don't even know how many hours, door to door, travel day.

782
00:50:28.000 --> 00:50:33.000
And typically when I come in from out of Europe, you know, it's tough going over there,

783
00:50:33.000 --> 00:50:36.000
but coming back because of the time difference is actually quite nice.

784
00:50:36.000 --> 00:50:39.000
I did not have nice last night.

785
00:50:39.000 --> 00:50:42.000
I was up all throughout the night, tossing and turning.

786
00:50:42.000 --> 00:50:45.000
At one point, it was like between three and four AM, I was wide awake.

787
00:50:45.000 --> 00:50:48.000
And I thought, how am I going to even make it into service?

788
00:50:48.000 --> 00:50:51.000
I am just, I'm beyond exhausted and like I'm loopy.

789
00:50:51.000 --> 00:50:53.000
I don't even know how I can drive myself there.

790
00:50:53.000 --> 00:50:55.000
And I thought, you know what I'll do?

791
00:50:55.000 --> 00:50:58.000
I'll do that thing I'm going to preach about tomorrow.

792
00:50:58.000 --> 00:51:00.000
I'm going to say a few things.

793
00:51:00.000 --> 00:51:05.000
So I just said, under my breath in Jesus' name, I'm going to wake up absolutely strong.

794
00:51:05.000 --> 00:51:07.000
I'm going to wake up clear-headed.

795
00:51:07.000 --> 00:51:09.000
Tomorrow's service is going to be wonderful.

796
00:51:09.000 --> 00:51:11.000
The anointing will be upon all of us.

797
00:51:11.000 --> 00:51:13.000
People will get what they need.

798
00:51:13.000 --> 00:51:15.000
I just started speaking it.

799
00:51:15.000 --> 00:51:16.000
I woke up.

800
00:51:16.000 --> 00:51:18.000
It was not like that right away.

801
00:51:18.000 --> 00:51:20.000
I say that so you know what to expect.

802
00:51:20.000 --> 00:51:22.000
This is not Instacoffee.

803
00:51:22.000 --> 00:51:25.000
It was not like that right away.

804
00:51:25.000 --> 00:51:27.000
But then one foot out of the bed.

805
00:51:27.000 --> 00:51:28.000
The next one.

806
00:51:28.000 --> 00:51:29.000
Lord, I thank you.

807
00:51:29.000 --> 00:51:30.000
You're strengthening me with every step.

808
00:51:30.000 --> 00:51:32.000
You go before.

809
00:51:32.000 --> 00:51:33.000
The Bible says you will quicken.

810
00:51:33.000 --> 00:51:35.000
That means make a live.

811
00:51:35.000 --> 00:51:37.000
You will make a live my mortal body.

812
00:51:37.000 --> 00:51:38.000
Your spirit brings life.

813
00:51:38.000 --> 00:51:40.000
I thank you that's in me right now.

814
00:51:40.000 --> 00:51:42.000
And then that started to manifest.

815
00:51:42.000 --> 00:51:47.000
So be a word speaker.

816
00:51:47.000 --> 00:51:52.000
In fact, in Genesis, when it says that God made Adam a living soul,

817
00:51:52.000 --> 00:51:54.000
look into that.

818
00:51:54.000 --> 00:51:56.000
He means speaking spirit.

819
00:51:56.000 --> 00:51:57.000
You're amenning me.

820
00:51:57.000 --> 00:51:59.000
You've heard this.

821
00:51:59.000 --> 00:52:02.000
What was Adam's first job?

822
00:52:02.000 --> 00:52:05.000
Come and name the animals with me.

823
00:52:05.000 --> 00:52:06.000
God said.

824
00:52:06.000 --> 00:52:09.000
Come and be a part of creation by speaking.

825
00:52:09.000 --> 00:52:12.000
And it doesn't mean the tiger was called Tom.

826
00:52:12.000 --> 00:52:14.000
And the lion was called Harry.

827
00:52:14.000 --> 00:52:16.000
When he said name the animals,

828
00:52:16.000 --> 00:52:19.000
he said sign to them that their purpose.

829
00:52:19.000 --> 00:52:22.000
So when he said you are lion, you are king of the jungle.

830
00:52:22.000 --> 00:52:23.000
You roar.

831
00:52:23.000 --> 00:52:24.000
You are an apex predator.

832
00:52:24.000 --> 00:52:25.000
You're an ant.

833
00:52:26.000 --> 00:52:28.000
When Adam said you are an ant,

834
00:52:28.000 --> 00:52:31.000
you can lift 50 times your body weight.

835
00:52:31.000 --> 00:52:32.000
You move in a colony.

836
00:52:32.000 --> 00:52:35.000
And he gave him their purpose and their destiny.

837
00:52:35.000 --> 00:52:37.000
But it was through speaking.

838
00:52:37.000 --> 00:52:39.000
So, hallelujah.

839
00:52:39.000 --> 00:52:42.000
Release that faith, bottled in your heart through speaking.

840
00:52:42.000 --> 00:52:44.000
Amen.

841
00:52:44.000 --> 00:52:48.000
Hallelujah.

842
00:52:48.000 --> 00:52:50.000
God is good.

843
00:52:50.000 --> 00:52:54.000
He is a very present help.

844
00:52:54.000 --> 00:52:56.000
In a time of trouble.

845
00:52:56.000 --> 00:52:58.000
Are you already the worship and honor of the Lord

846
00:52:58.000 --> 00:53:01.000
with your ties and offerings?

847
00:53:01.000 --> 00:53:04.000
You know how I always say give and faith?

848
00:53:04.000 --> 00:53:05.000
That's what I mean.

849
00:53:05.000 --> 00:53:06.000
It doesn't mean like hey,

850
00:53:06.000 --> 00:53:08.000
you have a positive attitude when you give.

851
00:53:08.000 --> 00:53:11.000
It means actually talk.

852
00:53:11.000 --> 00:53:13.000
There's some financial things I'm believing for.

853
00:53:13.000 --> 00:53:17.000
Whatever I've had so far I believe was just a test.

854
00:53:17.000 --> 00:53:19.000
It was the appetizer.

855
00:53:19.000 --> 00:53:20.000
Me personally.

856
00:53:20.000 --> 00:53:22.000
I'm just sharing with you to the main course.

857
00:53:22.000 --> 00:53:24.000
I know I'm doing some speaking.

858
00:53:24.000 --> 00:53:25.000
What should I say?

859
00:53:25.000 --> 00:53:26.000
Well, I like to say thank you,

860
00:53:26.000 --> 00:53:30.000
Lord, that whatever I give comes back to me multiplied.

861
00:53:30.000 --> 00:53:31.000
That's in your word.

862
00:53:31.000 --> 00:53:33.000
Thank you, Lord, that you take pleasure

863
00:53:33.000 --> 00:53:35.000
in the prosperity of your servant.

864
00:53:35.000 --> 00:53:37.000
Lord, you're not the God of poverty.

865
00:53:37.000 --> 00:53:39.000
You're the God of prosperity.

866
00:53:39.000 --> 00:53:41.000
Everything you touch, you make a life.

867
00:53:41.000 --> 00:53:44.000
Thank you that I'm alive physically in my emotions,

868
00:53:44.000 --> 00:53:46.000
financially, spiritually.

869
00:53:46.000 --> 00:53:47.000
Speak those things.

870
00:53:47.000 --> 00:53:48.000
Amen.

871
00:53:48.000 --> 00:53:50.000
In fact, right now let's do it together.

872
00:53:50.000 --> 00:53:55.000
Lord Jesus, I'm the head, not the tail.

873
00:53:55.000 --> 00:54:01.000
Everything I've ever sewn comes back to me multiplied.

874
00:54:01.000 --> 00:54:05.000
And super abundant, mighty harvest.

875
00:54:05.000 --> 00:54:07.000
In Jesus name.

876
00:54:07.000 --> 00:54:09.000
Amen.

877
00:54:09.000 --> 00:54:13.000
So give in faith, hallelujah.

878
00:54:13.000 --> 00:54:16.000
This is the City Light Church podcast.

879
00:54:16.000 --> 00:54:18.000
If you've missed any part of today's message

880
00:54:18.000 --> 00:54:20.000
or if you would like to find out more

881
00:54:20.000 --> 00:54:23.000
about Pastor Boyan Jansik in City Light Church,

882
00:54:23.000 --> 00:54:26.000
visit us at citylightnyc.com.

883
00:54:26.000 --> 00:54:29.000
That's citylightnyc.com.

884
00:54:29.000 --> 00:54:32.000
Feel free to visit us online or in person anytime.

885
00:54:32.000 --> 00:54:35.000
We would love to connect with you.

886
00:54:35.000 --> 00:54:37.000
We pray that you have been encouraged today.

887
00:54:37.000 --> 00:54:40.000
That you have been reminded how much God loves you

888
00:54:40.000 --> 00:54:43.000
and that you are surrounded by grace.

889
00:54:43.000 --> 00:54:45.000
Thank you for listening.

890
00:54:45.000 --> 00:54:47.000
Make sure that you subscribe to City Light Church podcast

891
00:54:47.000 --> 00:54:51.000
wherever you find your favorite podcasts worldwide.