1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:02,800 Today I want to talk to you about the joy of Christmas. 2 00:00:02,800 --> 00:00:05,760 I meant somebody excited about the joy of Christmas. 3 00:00:06,160 --> 00:00:08,520 Oh, Hallelujah. So, yeah, I'll just put an 4 00:00:08,520 --> 00:00:12,560 update for us. The joy of Christmas. 5 00:00:12,800 --> 00:00:14,920 I'm just so excited because joy is here. 6 00:00:15,320 --> 00:00:17,920 Hallelujah. The joy of the Lord is our 7 00:00:17,920 --> 00:00:19,520 strength. The joy of Christmas. 8 00:00:19,520 --> 00:00:22,640 This is some power anointing in that the joy of Christmas. 9 00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:24,960 Tell your neighbors, say the joy of Christmas is here. 10 00:00:25,760 --> 00:00:28,320 Yeah, the joy of Christmas is here. 11 00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:30,720 Hallelujah. Praise God. 12 00:00:31,160 --> 00:00:35,600 And so, I mean, this week, Michelle and I, we went to our 13 00:00:35,600 --> 00:00:40,520 boys nativity school play. And you know, they those 14 00:00:41,280 --> 00:00:45,440 nativity school plays, they are the most real, the most honest 15 00:00:45,440 --> 00:00:48,640 Christmas services. You've got little Mary up there 16 00:00:48,640 --> 00:00:53,320 waving while teaching Mom, David standing there confused, 17 00:00:53,320 --> 00:00:56,280 standing around. Why do I have any lines? 18 00:00:56,640 --> 00:00:59,040 And you've got the Angel circling around because they're 19 00:00:59,040 --> 00:01:02,640 all excited, and you've got the teachers whispering directions. 20 00:01:02,640 --> 00:01:06,320 You know, you've got the parents laughing and crying at the same 21 00:01:06,320 --> 00:01:10,880 time, and it's so real. And I just love that because 22 00:01:10,880 --> 00:01:15,600 it's a picture of real life. Life is not always perfect or 23 00:01:15,600 --> 00:01:20,480 polished, OK, But it's full of heart, it's beautiful, it's 24 00:01:20,480 --> 00:01:23,960 real, it's genuine. And that's Christmas, isn't it? 25 00:01:23,960 --> 00:01:29,560 Christmas is not always perfect. Christmas is not always a calm, 26 00:01:29,720 --> 00:01:33,320 silent night, OK? Most good times, Christmas is 27 00:01:33,320 --> 00:01:37,720 loud night, loud explosion. OK, busy schedules. 28 00:01:38,040 --> 00:01:41,880 OK, So you know, amazing moments, people everywhere, 29 00:01:41,880 --> 00:01:46,000 emotions running wild up and down, travel plans, travelling, 30 00:01:46,000 --> 00:01:47,640 you know, their cooking adventures. 31 00:01:48,040 --> 00:01:52,040 And there's something, some surprises that flips things 32 00:01:52,040 --> 00:01:56,040 upside down. And so you finally get the kids 33 00:01:56,680 --> 00:02:02,320 dressed, fed in the car, ready to go to church. 34 00:02:02,800 --> 00:02:06,520 And then just as we stuck in traffic, then we just hear a 35 00:02:06,760 --> 00:02:08,440 little voice somewhere at the back. 36 00:02:08,720 --> 00:02:14,360 Mommy, dad, I need a wee, I need the bathroom. 37 00:02:14,360 --> 00:02:17,040 And there's no exit inside. We stuck in traffic. 38 00:02:17,360 --> 00:02:21,520 There's no bathroom sign inside. And I mean, anybody. 39 00:02:21,520 --> 00:02:22,920 Bombay. OK. 40 00:02:22,960 --> 00:02:24,920 Yeah. I got a wee daddy and mommy. 41 00:02:24,920 --> 00:02:27,000 I'm like, OK, well, we're stuck in traffic, right? 42 00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:28,520 Yeah. They'll say we're like, what do 43 00:02:28,520 --> 00:02:30,360 we do now? And that's my prayer. 44 00:02:30,560 --> 00:02:32,720 Your prayer gets real, real quick. 45 00:02:32,960 --> 00:02:39,440 Oh, Lord, help Jesus, help us. You know, and just sometimes, 46 00:02:39,440 --> 00:02:46,440 you know, in this season for us as parents, the only peace on 47 00:02:46,440 --> 00:02:51,680 earth for us parents, OK, in this season is when the kids are 48 00:02:51,680 --> 00:02:56,200 finally asleep. That's the only piece on earth, 49 00:02:56,800 --> 00:02:59,600 OK, because finally the kids are asleep. 50 00:03:00,360 --> 00:03:03,600 We can breathe. Thank you. 51 00:03:03,720 --> 00:03:05,520 Jesus. Peace on earth. 52 00:03:06,400 --> 00:03:08,520 Now, I want to. I've got to tell you about those 53 00:03:08,520 --> 00:03:12,200 wish lists. Wow. 54 00:03:12,560 --> 00:03:18,400 Now OK, now tell the wish list when I was a kid was simple. 55 00:03:19,840 --> 00:03:24,760 The wish list was so simple. It's like a two way car and like 56 00:03:24,760 --> 00:03:29,640 some sweets please. Nowadays the wish list is like 57 00:03:29,640 --> 00:03:34,320 electric scooter, hoverboard, the latest iPhone, a puppy, the 58 00:03:34,320 --> 00:03:38,800 Xbox, PlayStation. I'm like Oh my Lord, I read that 59 00:03:38,800 --> 00:03:40,760 wish list. Unlike sweetheart. 60 00:03:41,600 --> 00:03:46,280 I mean, how about some socks and a whole lot of Jesus? 61 00:03:47,680 --> 00:03:51,200 Yeah, it's just some socks and a whole lot of Jesus. 62 00:03:51,280 --> 00:03:53,640 Amen. I mean, you know, the other day 63 00:03:53,640 --> 00:03:57,640 I saw a real funny clip online. This dad is trying to be really 64 00:03:57,640 --> 00:04:00,400 high tech. And so he decided he's going to 65 00:04:00,400 --> 00:04:04,440 take his drone, and he's going to use his drone to decorate the 66 00:04:04,440 --> 00:04:05,920 Christmas tree. OK. 67 00:04:05,920 --> 00:04:07,640 Right. So no ladder needed. 68 00:04:07,880 --> 00:04:10,760 Very smart, right? That sounds really genius. 69 00:04:10,760 --> 00:04:15,320 OK, And so the drone goes wrong until the drug goes wild and 70 00:04:15,320 --> 00:04:19,720 buzzing like a mad bee. And so it's just knocking 71 00:04:19,720 --> 00:04:22,720 ornaments, flying, tangling in the tinsel and crashing there 72 00:04:22,720 --> 00:04:25,680 right into the Christmas tree. Christmas tree for and the whole 73 00:04:25,680 --> 00:04:29,520 family dunking and diving again on the floor, laughing in a heap 74 00:04:29,520 --> 00:04:32,600 on the floor in the maze. Then you can almost hear the biz 75 00:04:32,920 --> 00:04:36,360 crash. And so that's Christmas. 76 00:04:36,360 --> 00:04:40,280 You know our best plans. Sometimes it flocks, OK? 77 00:04:40,680 --> 00:04:46,000 And in all of the beautiful chaos, the drone disasters, 78 00:04:46,360 --> 00:04:52,480 God's joy still breaks through. It's real, it's messy, it's this 79 00:04:52,480 --> 00:04:55,200 and that. But in all of that, Jesus is 80 00:04:55,280 --> 00:04:57,600 still with us. And that is what I love about 81 00:04:57,600 --> 00:05:02,560 Christmas, that God stepped into our imperfect lives. 82 00:05:02,680 --> 00:05:05,960 It's our everyday lives with our everyday struggles are 83 00:05:05,960 --> 00:05:08,320 imperfection. And he's making all things 84 00:05:08,320 --> 00:05:09,760 beautiful. Amen. 85 00:05:09,760 --> 00:05:11,800 Come on, somebody. Hallelujah. 86 00:05:12,320 --> 00:05:16,480 And so, yes, we love all the Christmas, the fun parts and the 87 00:05:16,480 --> 00:05:19,960 shining lights, the twinkling lights, the beautiful, joyful 88 00:05:20,120 --> 00:05:24,120 music and the delicious food and those precious family moments. 89 00:05:24,120 --> 00:05:27,360 Yeah, we love all that. But let me just shift us for a 90 00:05:27,360 --> 00:05:32,400 second because I know for this season it's not easy for 91 00:05:32,400 --> 00:05:36,280 everybody, OK? And so some of us are smiling 92 00:05:36,280 --> 00:05:41,240 big on the outside, but deep inside we have carried, maybe 93 00:05:41,240 --> 00:05:44,040 carrying something like a heavy load, something difficult, 94 00:05:44,040 --> 00:05:47,240 something struggling. And maybe this year has been a 95 00:05:47,240 --> 00:05:49,720 hard, rough year. And it's been pressure, it's 96 00:05:49,720 --> 00:05:52,760 been grief, disappointment, anxiety. 97 00:05:53,160 --> 00:05:57,000 And you have been showing up strong for others. 98 00:05:57,200 --> 00:06:02,560 But deep inside you feel warm down, tired, stretched out. 99 00:06:02,920 --> 00:06:07,000 And I just want you to hear that today that God knows your 100 00:06:07,000 --> 00:06:09,240 challenges, God knows what you've been facing. 101 00:06:09,560 --> 00:06:11,200 God knows what you've been going through. 102 00:06:11,200 --> 00:06:13,960 God understands the challenges, the difficulties. 103 00:06:14,200 --> 00:06:16,840 He knows. He understands the pain. 104 00:06:17,080 --> 00:06:20,440 He sees you, OK? You are not forgotten, You're 105 00:06:20,440 --> 00:06:23,640 not overlooked. God knows that God sees you. 106 00:06:23,960 --> 00:06:27,440 And today I have a word from the Lord for us today. 107 00:06:28,200 --> 00:06:32,600 And I really believe this word has got the power to turn a 108 00:06:32,600 --> 00:06:35,560 situation around, to turn hearts. 109 00:06:35,800 --> 00:06:39,480 Maybe you have felt despair. I believe God is turning the 110 00:06:39,480 --> 00:06:44,800 spare into joy, turning what is heavy into holy. 111 00:06:45,040 --> 00:06:48,880 And I believe with all of my heart that joy is rising in this 112 00:06:48,880 --> 00:06:51,160 place. Come on, somebody, make a joyful 113 00:06:51,160 --> 00:06:53,480 voice. Give God some praise. 114 00:06:54,000 --> 00:06:56,520 Hallelujah. Yeah, OK. 115 00:06:56,520 --> 00:06:59,760 Because Christmas, it's not just an historic event. 116 00:06:59,760 --> 00:07:03,600 It's not just tradition or a one time moment or something that 117 00:07:03,600 --> 00:07:06,160 happened in the past. Christmas is the big heavens 118 00:07:06,160 --> 00:07:09,360 announcement. Christmas is havens 119 00:07:09,600 --> 00:07:13,720 announcements and the big announcement declare in the book 120 00:07:13,720 --> 00:07:19,600 of Luke 2 the declaration that good news of great joy. 121 00:07:19,600 --> 00:07:23,600 Somebody say good news of great joy. 122 00:07:23,600 --> 00:07:28,200 You see God, Heaven did not send a self help plan, Heaven send a 123 00:07:28,200 --> 00:07:31,880 savior. Heaven didn't just whisper, but 124 00:07:31,880 --> 00:07:37,760 heaven declared out loud good news of great joy, Hallelujah. 125 00:07:37,760 --> 00:07:41,680 Come on, somebody shout, make a joyful noise, declare it, come 126 00:07:41,680 --> 00:07:47,200 on, shout it out, declare it good creators of great joy. 127 00:07:47,800 --> 00:07:49,920 Hallelujah. Now let's go to the word it says 128 00:07:49,920 --> 00:07:54,480 here in Luke chapter 2 and we'll just read the verse 10. 129 00:07:56,000 --> 00:08:01,040 It says there. But the Angel said to them, do 130 00:08:01,040 --> 00:08:06,160 not be afraid. I bring you good news that will 131 00:08:06,160 --> 00:08:09,960 cause great joy for all the people. 132 00:08:09,960 --> 00:08:14,800 Now I love that the good news and the great joy because 133 00:08:14,800 --> 00:08:18,040 church, that great joy is for us today. 134 00:08:18,920 --> 00:08:23,400 Hallelujah, great joy. Now the Angel didn't say I bring 135 00:08:23,400 --> 00:08:26,640 you a good suggestion. The answer I brought, I bring 136 00:08:26,640 --> 00:08:33,159 you good news of great joy. OK, now that talks about the 137 00:08:33,159 --> 00:08:36,960 word of God. The word of God is good news. 138 00:08:37,760 --> 00:08:40,559 Come on somebody, the gospel is good news. 139 00:08:40,640 --> 00:08:43,559 Okay, so here comes the Angel he's bringing. 140 00:08:43,559 --> 00:08:46,800 Now how do you faith and joy and how to rise in our hearts? 141 00:08:46,800 --> 00:08:50,520 The Bible says that faith comes by hearing and hearing the word 142 00:08:50,520 --> 00:08:52,000 of God. Here comes the word of God. 143 00:08:52,400 --> 00:08:55,520 Here comes the good news. What happens when the Word of 144 00:08:55,520 --> 00:08:59,160 God comes and they receive it? It releases faith. 145 00:08:59,280 --> 00:09:03,880 Faith rises, hope rises. All of a sudden it brings great 146 00:09:04,040 --> 00:09:05,840 joy. So why did you see the 147 00:09:05,840 --> 00:09:09,200 connection between the announcement from heaven, which 148 00:09:09,200 --> 00:09:13,640 is the word of God, which is good news that releases great 149 00:09:14,200 --> 00:09:16,800 joy? Because I believe as we are 150 00:09:16,800 --> 00:09:20,040 preaching this word today to you and it's falling in hearts that 151 00:09:20,040 --> 00:09:23,320 it will produce this faith and it will release joy in our 152 00:09:23,320 --> 00:09:28,240 lives, the greatest joy ever. And that good news brings great 153 00:09:28,240 --> 00:09:31,720 joy. Somebody say good news of great 154 00:09:31,720 --> 00:09:35,120 joy. OK, so the scripture says that 155 00:09:35,120 --> 00:09:38,640 the great joy is for all people, much as they select few. 156 00:09:39,680 --> 00:09:43,800 It specifically says everyone, not just a religious bunch, not 157 00:09:43,800 --> 00:09:47,120 just a specific group, not just the perfect flawless people. 158 00:09:47,360 --> 00:09:49,960 It's for everyone. That is for you, your family, 159 00:09:49,960 --> 00:09:51,480 your neighborhood, your community. 160 00:09:51,480 --> 00:09:53,880 It's for everyone. It's for everyone. 161 00:09:53,880 --> 00:09:58,080 Oh my God, it is for all of us. There's great joy. 162 00:09:58,080 --> 00:09:59,640 Hallelujah. Praise God. 163 00:09:59,640 --> 00:10:03,720 Can you say I mean somebody? Because here is the key. 164 00:10:04,160 --> 00:10:10,120 Here is the truth that holds you steady when life feels shaky, 165 00:10:10,800 --> 00:10:14,200 when it gets shaky, when it gets uncertain. 166 00:10:14,440 --> 00:10:17,840 This is the truth that holds and holds us steady. 167 00:10:17,840 --> 00:10:23,720 Because Christmas is not just a move, it's better than just a 168 00:10:23,960 --> 00:10:27,800 good move. Christmas is heaven's 169 00:10:27,960 --> 00:10:31,200 announcement that Jesus can close. 170 00:10:33,520 --> 00:10:37,760 So the joy of Christmas is here because Jesus is here. 171 00:10:37,960 --> 00:10:39,480 Come on, somebody's getting that. 172 00:10:40,040 --> 00:10:43,520 Because, listen, that is the anchor for our lives. 173 00:10:43,840 --> 00:10:46,200 That is the anchor. The thing that we are standing 174 00:10:46,200 --> 00:10:49,560 on today, that the joy of Christmas is here because Jesus 175 00:10:49,760 --> 00:10:50,960 is. Yeah. 176 00:10:51,320 --> 00:10:55,720 Now joy is here not because everything is perfect. 177 00:10:55,720 --> 00:10:58,480 Joy is here not because circumstance is perfect, not 178 00:10:58,480 --> 00:11:02,280 because the bills are paid, not because there is a holiday lined 179 00:11:02,280 --> 00:11:03,240 up or presents. OK. 180 00:11:03,800 --> 00:11:06,800 Joy is here because Jesus is here. 181 00:11:07,120 --> 00:11:09,360 Hallelujah, somebody. OK. 182 00:11:09,640 --> 00:11:15,840 And so when Jesus is here, hope easier, faith easier, joy 183 00:11:15,840 --> 00:11:19,120 easier. When Jesus is here, you are not 184 00:11:19,280 --> 00:11:20,960 alone. Hallelujah. 185 00:11:21,160 --> 00:11:25,440 The Bible calls it Emmanuel. Emmanuel means God with us. 186 00:11:25,440 --> 00:11:30,680 Somebody, say God with us, give, give God some praise, somebody. 187 00:11:31,960 --> 00:11:35,520 Now I want to just play quickly. Father, thank you for your 188 00:11:35,520 --> 00:11:38,880 presence in this room. Lord Jesus, we thank you that 189 00:11:38,880 --> 00:11:44,120 you are Immanuel, God with us. And Lord, I pray that your good 190 00:11:44,280 --> 00:11:49,640 news will touch every heart and release great joy in your 191 00:11:49,640 --> 00:11:52,240 people. Holy Spirit, do what only you 192 00:11:52,240 --> 00:11:54,880 can do. In Jesus mighty name we pray. 193 00:11:55,200 --> 00:11:57,840 Amen. So the joy of Christmas is here. 194 00:11:59,200 --> 00:12:01,440 Tell your neighbor the joy of Christmas is here. 195 00:12:03,320 --> 00:12:10,680 Yeah, OK, Now why? Tell them why the joy of 196 00:12:10,680 --> 00:12:12,680 Christmas is here. Why not? 197 00:12:12,680 --> 00:12:15,440 Because situations and everything's perfect and we've 198 00:12:15,440 --> 00:12:19,120 got money in there. All the joy of Christmas is 199 00:12:19,120 --> 00:12:20,080 here. Tell them why? 200 00:12:20,160 --> 00:12:23,520 Because. Oh, Jesus is here. 201 00:12:24,160 --> 00:12:25,680 Oh, somebody's already getting this. 202 00:12:25,680 --> 00:12:28,240 Basically, somebody's already preaching this word, Hallelujah. 203 00:12:28,720 --> 00:12:33,760 And so church heaven has announced good news of great 204 00:12:34,080 --> 00:12:35,960 joy. And here's what I want you to 205 00:12:35,960 --> 00:12:41,800 grab hold of today. God brought that joy into a real 206 00:12:42,040 --> 00:12:44,800 world. OK, not a perfect one because so 207 00:12:44,800 --> 00:12:48,320 many people think, well, God will show up when I've got my 208 00:12:48,320 --> 00:12:51,720 life sorted out, when everything falls in play, when everything 209 00:12:51,720 --> 00:12:54,600 comes together, you know, when I'm in a good place, I'm calm, 210 00:12:54,640 --> 00:12:57,400 I'm stable, I'm happy. You know, when precious lives. 211 00:12:57,640 --> 00:12:59,480 But Christmas says something different. 212 00:12:59,680 --> 00:13:03,400 Christmas says something better. God doesn't wait for your life 213 00:13:03,400 --> 00:13:07,080 to be tidied. God steps into our everyday 214 00:13:07,080 --> 00:13:09,680 lives, into real life. Somebody. 215 00:13:10,200 --> 00:13:13,320 Yeah, real life. That's how new Chapter 2, we see 216 00:13:13,320 --> 00:13:15,760 that so clearly. I mean, it's not fairy tale 217 00:13:15,880 --> 00:13:19,800 language, OK? Look, it's everyday real life 218 00:13:20,000 --> 00:13:25,080 language where the king, the, the, the Roman Empire, Augustus, 219 00:13:25,080 --> 00:13:29,240 he releases this decree. Now when Caesar Augustus 220 00:13:29,240 --> 00:13:33,000 releases this decree, I mean, that's real, that's pressure, 221 00:13:33,000 --> 00:13:36,840 that's paperwork, that's my, that's disruption, OK, travel 222 00:13:36,840 --> 00:13:39,080 arrangements. And yes, Mary pregnant, we have 223 00:13:39,120 --> 00:13:43,360 got to go, not because we have got a holiday, cozy holiday 224 00:13:43,360 --> 00:13:48,480 somewhere planned out because the, the decree life demands it, 225 00:13:48,920 --> 00:13:51,320 OK. And so they are on their way 226 00:13:51,320 --> 00:13:53,200 travelling all the way to Bethlehem. 227 00:13:53,440 --> 00:13:57,480 And when they got there, the Bible says that there was no 228 00:13:57,480 --> 00:14:01,040 room, no space, no comfort, no room. 229 00:14:01,200 --> 00:14:05,920 The door was shut and closed. Now, some of you know what that 230 00:14:05,920 --> 00:14:08,960 feels like. You know what it feels like? 231 00:14:09,200 --> 00:14:14,160 Maybe this year you have had some clothes room, some no room 232 00:14:14,360 --> 00:14:19,960 moments in your life. OK, so you went to a tour and 233 00:14:19,960 --> 00:14:22,400 you found the chart. You've applied for the job, 234 00:14:22,600 --> 00:14:26,200 you've applied for the position you have, you've pressed onto 235 00:14:26,200 --> 00:14:29,080 the but you found the door in shut and it didn't work out. 236 00:14:29,240 --> 00:14:31,720 You have hoped that it would have been different, but it 237 00:14:31,720 --> 00:14:33,200 didn't. It didn't work out. 238 00:14:33,320 --> 00:14:36,320 So many of us know what that feels like. 239 00:14:36,360 --> 00:14:42,400 I know room situation where you have expected an open door, you 240 00:14:42,400 --> 00:14:46,920 have respected space, but you have got resistance. 241 00:14:47,320 --> 00:14:48,920 Come on, am I talking to somebody? 242 00:14:48,920 --> 00:14:52,200 And there's some real people that's had some resistance this 243 00:14:52,200 --> 00:14:53,960 year. You thought that it's going to 244 00:14:53,960 --> 00:14:56,360 happen and it didn't happen. OK. 245 00:14:56,760 --> 00:14:59,680 And so there's no room situation. 246 00:15:00,800 --> 00:15:05,000 The miracle of Christmas shows us something very powerful. 247 00:15:06,520 --> 00:15:11,640 Even in the no room situation, even in the resistance 248 00:15:11,640 --> 00:15:17,280 situation, Jesus still thank. Oh, I feel the anointing in this 249 00:15:17,280 --> 00:15:20,440 place. Because God cannot be stopped. 250 00:15:20,720 --> 00:15:23,800 You cannot stop. Nothing can stop our God. 251 00:15:24,120 --> 00:15:27,640 Even in the no room, even in the closed door, Jesus still around, 252 00:15:27,960 --> 00:15:30,560 Jesus still thank. Even in the pressure, even in 253 00:15:30,560 --> 00:15:32,360 the resistance, Jesus still thank. 254 00:15:33,360 --> 00:15:37,560 Ah, buddy, Hallelujah. Somebody shout Hallelujah, 255 00:15:37,560 --> 00:15:39,120 because this is a word for somebody. 256 00:15:39,680 --> 00:15:44,120 This is your word. Somebody listen close balls 257 00:15:44,280 --> 00:15:49,640 don't stop God. Season of justice, don't stop 258 00:15:49,680 --> 00:15:52,200 God. The Prime Minister, don't stop 259 00:15:52,200 --> 00:15:54,520 God. The politician, don't stop God. 260 00:15:55,080 --> 00:16:00,160 You cannot stop God. The economies that cannot, don't 261 00:16:00,160 --> 00:16:03,960 stop God. No resistance, no pressure. 262 00:16:04,160 --> 00:16:09,160 The pressure, don't cancel your promise, the disappointment and 263 00:16:09,160 --> 00:16:12,400 derail your destiny. The close door, the difficulty, 264 00:16:12,400 --> 00:16:16,720 the challenge Jesus told comes through for us. 265 00:16:18,280 --> 00:16:23,240 Somebody's getting this word. Mary, Joseph had a close. 266 00:16:23,440 --> 00:16:27,800 Oh, I did not stop the Saviour of the world to come into our 267 00:16:27,800 --> 00:16:33,200 world and Simon rescue us. There is no government, no 268 00:16:33,200 --> 00:16:35,240 closed doors, nothing that can stop. 269 00:16:35,240 --> 00:16:38,280 Oh my God, nothing can stop the move of power. 270 00:16:38,960 --> 00:16:41,720 I'm telling you right now, I don't care what country you are, 271 00:16:41,720 --> 00:16:45,800 if you're in South Africa, the UK and the US, the Australia, I 272 00:16:45,800 --> 00:16:49,120 don't care. No government gets stopped there 273 00:16:49,120 --> 00:16:53,280 and I love power. Nothing gets stumped. 274 00:16:53,320 --> 00:16:57,280 Jesus Christ. I feel the anointing of Jesus 275 00:16:57,280 --> 00:16:59,120 Christ. They got on the door. 276 00:16:59,120 --> 00:17:01,560 There's no room in Bethlehem. He's still kind. 277 00:17:03,360 --> 00:17:07,760 You cannot stop God. No religion can stop God. 278 00:17:07,760 --> 00:17:11,599 God is God. Nobody faulted God in. 279 00:17:11,960 --> 00:17:16,000 God created us. God does not report to abort. 280 00:17:17,079 --> 00:17:19,079 God does not need to ask permission. 281 00:17:19,440 --> 00:17:24,760 When God moves, he moves season of God says no, no we can stop 282 00:17:24,760 --> 00:17:26,640 it. No, you cannot stop God. 283 00:17:27,000 --> 00:17:33,400 Now connect this with first John 114 the word became flesh and 284 00:17:33,400 --> 00:17:37,000 made his dwelling among us. Now that means that God didn't 285 00:17:37,000 --> 00:17:40,280 stay distance. God didn't loved you from far 286 00:17:40,280 --> 00:17:44,440 away and send a message from heaven and say good luck down 287 00:17:44,440 --> 00:17:50,200 there. The Bible says he can't close my 288 00:17:50,200 --> 00:17:52,720 God, I feel the anointing of the Holy Ghost in this place. 289 00:17:53,160 --> 00:17:57,520 The Bible says that a word of God put on flesh. 290 00:17:57,880 --> 00:18:01,000 Now listen, God is spirit and God put on skin. 291 00:18:03,640 --> 00:18:08,480 God is his spirit and he put on skin Jesus Christ. 292 00:18:08,480 --> 00:18:11,800 He became one of us. God put on skin. 293 00:18:12,160 --> 00:18:16,680 Walter monsters lift moves into the wood like they say you know 294 00:18:16,680 --> 00:18:21,840 the hood the neighborhood thank Jesus moving to our lives a job 295 00:18:21,840 --> 00:18:25,600 community and he came close. Are you with me somebody so 296 00:18:25,920 --> 00:18:29,240 listen Joy he's not waiting for perfect conditions. 297 00:18:29,440 --> 00:18:33,160 Joy is standing in the room with you now. 298 00:18:33,160 --> 00:18:36,720 Let me take you back to a season on my own life. 299 00:18:42,460 --> 00:18:45,660 And this is amazing because I I fight for always those in my 300 00:18:45,660 --> 00:18:49,720 heart every time I think about this when Michelle and I just 301 00:18:49,720 --> 00:18:52,200 stepped into full time minister and this is now going back what 302 00:18:52,960 --> 00:18:55,920 8-9 years, like a decade. OK, so we're in a time of 303 00:18:55,920 --> 00:18:59,480 transition. So we gave up our our full time 304 00:18:59,480 --> 00:19:05,240 jobs. So everything cave everything 305 00:19:05,240 --> 00:19:08,480 away. God said start the church by 306 00:19:08,480 --> 00:19:11,960 faith, not with savings to the bank from strats. 307 00:19:13,240 --> 00:19:16,520 And so there we are with our one and only our first born son, 308 00:19:17,960 --> 00:19:19,200 very excited. Yeah. 309 00:19:19,200 --> 00:19:24,960 And we we're excited about what God has called us to do, but in 310 00:19:24,960 --> 00:19:27,320 and through that transition period, because now we're still 311 00:19:27,320 --> 00:19:30,360 living in Bristol and we still don't know where we're going. 312 00:19:30,360 --> 00:19:36,440 So in that transition period, we find ourselves in a no room 313 00:19:36,440 --> 00:19:41,600 situation because we have given up our jobs, we have moved out 314 00:19:41,600 --> 00:19:46,120 of our little flat and we literally needed accommodation 315 00:19:46,160 --> 00:19:49,360 budgetly. And we saw in that time of 316 00:19:49,360 --> 00:19:52,000 tradition, just like Mary and Joseph, they travelled all the 317 00:19:52,000 --> 00:19:53,320 way back. They got there. 318 00:19:53,480 --> 00:19:59,400 No, what do you do when you have got a word from God? 319 00:20:00,680 --> 00:20:04,200 We follow God, Mary and Joseph on that way. 320 00:20:04,200 --> 00:20:06,880 She's pregnant. We are on the move in transition 321 00:20:06,880 --> 00:20:12,200 travelling and we get to close door because we it was this, 322 00:20:12,240 --> 00:20:14,800 we're like this, we there's no way to live. 323 00:20:15,360 --> 00:20:17,640 Where do we start? Doors are not opening, we're 324 00:20:17,640 --> 00:20:21,360 phoning around, finances are tight. 325 00:20:21,360 --> 00:20:23,280 We've given everything away and then we are. 326 00:20:24,960 --> 00:20:27,200 We are praying hard, trying everything. 327 00:20:27,920 --> 00:20:33,720 And those are the moments where God loves to move. 328 00:20:35,160 --> 00:20:39,360 Those are the moments where you see Joseph and Mary, God making 329 00:20:39,360 --> 00:20:41,720 a way. Because listen, God has given us 330 00:20:41,720 --> 00:20:45,240 a word and Mary you will carry like very the very Christ in the 331 00:20:45,240 --> 00:20:46,760 inside. The word is being about to be 332 00:20:46,760 --> 00:20:49,360 born. We're about to pull out a church 333 00:20:49,360 --> 00:20:51,440 because we've got a word of God. Now what do we do? 334 00:20:51,640 --> 00:20:53,720 Same situation of Mary and Joseph. 335 00:20:53,720 --> 00:20:57,280 Yeah, I am with my wife. We're like Lord, where are we 336 00:20:57,280 --> 00:20:59,920 going? And I love the fact how God 337 00:21:00,000 --> 00:21:05,480 steps in and out of nowhere, a beautiful African family from 338 00:21:05,480 --> 00:21:08,520 the church file that opened the doors. 339 00:21:09,040 --> 00:21:12,720 They say, listen, come and live in our house. 340 00:21:12,720 --> 00:21:21,840 We are family, my God. And so we live there in Bristol 341 00:21:22,120 --> 00:21:24,800 with their family. They cared for us. 342 00:21:25,080 --> 00:21:28,720 They feed us all and I love, I love the coke meat, I love 343 00:21:28,720 --> 00:21:32,240 African flavour food, I love it. And they, they loved us, they 344 00:21:32,240 --> 00:21:34,440 cared for us, for us and our son. 345 00:21:34,720 --> 00:21:39,160 And we were all there for a whole month until God swung open 346 00:21:39,240 --> 00:21:43,880 the next door in Bracknell. And so we're in, we're in 347 00:21:43,880 --> 00:21:47,720 Bristol and so we've moved like Mary Joseph from Bethlehem and 348 00:21:47,720 --> 00:21:49,920 we're like, right, thank you, Lord, for opening the door and 349 00:21:49,920 --> 00:21:53,040 Bracknell, and that's where we plant the church. 350 00:21:53,040 --> 00:21:54,400 Hallelujah. Praise God. 351 00:21:54,640 --> 00:22:00,040 Now God knows how to turn pressure into promise. 352 00:22:00,320 --> 00:22:03,280 Hallelujah. And so he made a way for us 353 00:22:03,440 --> 00:22:08,040 where there was no way in the national God opened the door for 354 00:22:08,040 --> 00:22:11,800 us and he took our no room season and he folded with 355 00:22:11,800 --> 00:22:14,840 people, with his promise and with his praises. 356 00:22:15,320 --> 00:22:18,840 And so if God did it for us, He will do it for you. 357 00:22:19,160 --> 00:22:23,480 If God did it for Michelle and I and I, I believe that God is the 358 00:22:23,480 --> 00:22:28,280 same God today for you and He will open up some doors for you 359 00:22:28,920 --> 00:22:32,880 and into the ministry we God has planned for you to go the word 360 00:22:32,880 --> 00:22:35,120 of the Lord open those doors for you. 361 00:22:35,320 --> 00:22:39,320 Whatever door right now feels closed and feels shut, whatever 362 00:22:39,320 --> 00:22:45,680 need feels urgent, I believe that God is stepping in and God 363 00:22:45,680 --> 00:22:49,760 is bringing breakthrough and God is making the way for you. 364 00:22:50,320 --> 00:22:54,440 Oh Hallelujah, that always makes him way because he is a 365 00:22:54,440 --> 00:22:57,440 winemaker. Somebody said winemaker. 366 00:22:58,440 --> 00:23:01,480 Hallelujah, no breakthrough is here. 367 00:23:01,480 --> 00:23:04,400 I decree and declare and I prophecy under the unscrilled. 368 00:23:04,440 --> 00:23:09,000 The Holy Ghost open doors. Your breakthrough is here. 369 00:23:10,120 --> 00:23:12,840 Hallelujah. If he Derek for us, he'll do it 370 00:23:12,840 --> 00:23:14,920 for you. Come on. 371 00:23:14,920 --> 00:23:20,200 Waymaker miracle worker. Almost Kitty light in the 372 00:23:20,200 --> 00:23:24,440 darkness. My God, that is who you are. 373 00:23:24,600 --> 00:23:27,640 Listen, that is who you are. That is what we are declaring 374 00:23:27,640 --> 00:23:31,840 that God is a waymaker. Hallelujah. 375 00:23:32,120 --> 00:23:37,760 Now it shows if God steps into real life, our lives into the 376 00:23:37,760 --> 00:23:42,560 real world, that tells us something about God's heart. 377 00:23:44,200 --> 00:23:47,960 It tells us something about his character, his nature. 378 00:23:48,200 --> 00:23:51,640 That Christmas doesn't just show us something that God did in the 379 00:23:51,640 --> 00:23:56,400 past and a historic event, but that he is stepping into the 380 00:23:56,400 --> 00:23:59,800 real world, into our world, our situations. 381 00:24:00,160 --> 00:24:08,080 And that shows us who is that God came close, that God came to 382 00:24:08,080 --> 00:24:09,960 us. We didn't reach out for God. 383 00:24:10,120 --> 00:24:13,520 God reached out for us. It's not like we God came to us, 384 00:24:13,560 --> 00:24:18,640 Emmanuel and so God reach us. And so some people, you know, 385 00:24:18,640 --> 00:24:21,120 they grew up thinking, well, God is distant. 386 00:24:21,120 --> 00:24:23,240 God is hard to reach. God is near to only the 387 00:24:23,240 --> 00:24:25,720 religious folk. God is near to people that's got 388 00:24:25,720 --> 00:24:29,080 their lives either black, you know, God is now real because I 389 00:24:29,080 --> 00:24:31,560 had a perfect week of you. You've you've prayed your 390 00:24:31,560 --> 00:24:33,800 perfect praise. Now God is near and God is 391 00:24:33,800 --> 00:24:38,240 close. Now God is saying I am close, I 392 00:24:38,240 --> 00:24:42,680 am with you Emmanuel. Now watch this Matthew chapter 393 00:24:42,680 --> 00:24:48,280 one verse 23. The Virgin will conceive and 394 00:24:48,280 --> 00:24:53,840 give birth to his Son and they will call him Emmanuel, which 395 00:24:53,920 --> 00:25:00,600 means God with us. Emmanuel, God with us, not 396 00:25:00,600 --> 00:25:07,280 against us, not tolerating us. God is with us, God is for us. 397 00:25:07,520 --> 00:25:14,440 God near you, not God near you. Only when you do well, God with 398 00:25:14,440 --> 00:25:18,440 you. Emmanuel is not just a once a 399 00:25:18,440 --> 00:25:23,120 year God with us. Emmanuel is not seasonal, just 400 00:25:23,120 --> 00:25:24,720 Christmas time. God is with us. 401 00:25:25,080 --> 00:25:28,880 Emmanuel is daily. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, 402 00:25:28,880 --> 00:25:31,320 Thursday, Friday, Saturday everyday. 403 00:25:31,320 --> 00:25:37,480 God with you on the school run. God with you in the family. 404 00:25:37,640 --> 00:25:41,760 God with you when life hurts. God with you when things are 405 00:25:41,760 --> 00:25:45,720 difficult and troubling. God with you when you are tired. 406 00:25:45,960 --> 00:25:49,120 God with you. When the enemy whispers lies 407 00:25:49,440 --> 00:25:54,840 that the enemy just like the God is far, the God is this that he 408 00:25:54,840 --> 00:25:56,800 forgot. Now the scripture says the 409 00:25:56,800 --> 00:26:00,400 opposite. The scripture says in Psalm 3418 410 00:26:00,400 --> 00:26:06,480 that the Lord is clown to the broken hearted and saves those 411 00:26:06,800 --> 00:26:10,160 who are crushed. So close to the broken hearted, 412 00:26:10,480 --> 00:26:14,240 not the perfect, the broken hearted. 413 00:26:14,240 --> 00:26:17,560 That's it close. So the the lonely God is close, 414 00:26:18,840 --> 00:26:23,160 the grieving God is close, they're anxious, God is close. 415 00:26:23,440 --> 00:26:26,680 The parent, he's pouring out and feels empty. 416 00:26:26,880 --> 00:26:30,320 God is close. So if you are feeling broken 417 00:26:30,320 --> 00:26:34,720 today, if you are feeling crushed today, I believe with 418 00:26:34,720 --> 00:26:36,680 all of my heart that God is close. 419 00:26:36,800 --> 00:26:39,160 He's leaning in and he's referring you. 420 00:26:39,360 --> 00:26:42,680 He's refreshing you, He's strengthening you, He's pouring 421 00:26:42,680 --> 00:26:45,000 joy. Come on, it's in your life right 422 00:26:45,000 --> 00:26:47,760 now. God is close to you. 423 00:26:48,160 --> 00:26:51,880 Somebody said God is close. Yeah, say it again. 424 00:26:51,880 --> 00:26:56,000 God is close. Yeah, God is closer than you 425 00:26:56,000 --> 00:26:59,720 think. He's so close. 426 00:27:00,560 --> 00:27:05,400 Now here's where joy comes in. Because God doesn't just come 427 00:27:05,400 --> 00:27:11,200 close just so that we can have a warm, cosy Christmas, OK? 428 00:27:11,560 --> 00:27:17,120 God comes close because joy is in his presence. 429 00:27:19,000 --> 00:27:22,920 OK, now I'm going to show you this because listen his presence 430 00:27:22,920 --> 00:27:26,280 and and when God's go, his presence is fullness of joy 431 00:27:26,280 --> 00:27:28,840 right now. It says here, Psalm 16, verse 432 00:27:28,840 --> 00:27:33,040 11, you will show me the path of life in your presence is 433 00:27:33,040 --> 00:27:38,200 fullness of joy. OK, so that means Joy has got an 434 00:27:38,200 --> 00:27:40,240 address, a home address where joy lives. 435 00:27:40,240 --> 00:27:42,680 OK, Now let me just ask somebody here, right? 436 00:27:42,680 --> 00:27:46,600 OK, where does joy lives? Because when I'm telling you the 437 00:27:46,600 --> 00:27:52,040 problem says that joy has a home address, it has a source, OK? 438 00:27:52,440 --> 00:27:56,320 The joy lives in his presence, yes. 439 00:27:56,480 --> 00:27:59,080 So that's what he says. So in the presence of God, 440 00:27:59,240 --> 00:28:02,800 that's where joy is. So that's where the joy, the 441 00:28:02,800 --> 00:28:07,360 source of joy does his prison. So joy and I, I want you to get 442 00:28:07,360 --> 00:28:11,080 this because joy is in his presence. 443 00:28:11,280 --> 00:28:14,720 It does not say perfect circumstances. 444 00:28:16,160 --> 00:28:21,120 It doesn't say in perfect circumstances, this fullness of 445 00:28:21,120 --> 00:28:24,000 joy. It doesn't say, OK, right, my 446 00:28:24,000 --> 00:28:26,440 bank account is full. I've got money in the bank all 447 00:28:26,440 --> 00:28:28,840 his while kids family nowadays joy. 448 00:28:29,080 --> 00:28:33,680 It does not say that it doesn't say when life is good when I'm 449 00:28:33,680 --> 00:28:36,400 living lying on the beach somewhere I'm happy all 450 00:28:36,400 --> 00:28:38,200 circumstances of family. Everything's perfect. 451 00:28:38,200 --> 00:28:39,480 There's no pressure being neutral. 452 00:28:39,680 --> 00:28:44,240 No, the Bible is very specific that he says where do we find 453 00:28:44,240 --> 00:28:46,880 joy Now I thank God for Christmas gifts and all these 454 00:28:46,880 --> 00:28:50,240 things we buy and all of that. But listen how how many of you 455 00:28:50,240 --> 00:28:53,240 know that another smart TV or phone account. 456 00:28:53,240 --> 00:28:55,280 It does not give you joy. I'm not sure about him happening 457 00:28:55,640 --> 00:28:58,920 joy. How do we get joy is the Bible 458 00:28:58,920 --> 00:29:09,320 says in his presence? OK, so Christmas joy, the source 459 00:29:09,320 --> 00:29:13,400 of joy is in his Christmas. Christmas joy is not mainly 460 00:29:13,400 --> 00:29:20,040 about what's under the tree. Christmas joy is found in his 461 00:29:20,440 --> 00:29:24,840 presence. So the joy of Christmas is here 462 00:29:25,680 --> 00:29:29,680 because Jesus is here. Let's say that again, the joy of 463 00:29:29,680 --> 00:29:33,920 Christmas is here because Jesus is here. 464 00:29:34,560 --> 00:29:39,600 That's what joy is all about. Joy is about who came to the 465 00:29:39,600 --> 00:29:44,080 earth, the present Saviour, the praises of God. 466 00:29:44,800 --> 00:29:47,960 This is what we are enjoying is his praises. 467 00:29:48,160 --> 00:29:51,600 That's why we are full of joy, full of the strength of the law, 468 00:29:52,880 --> 00:29:55,480 and this is our time to shine. So people out there can 469 00:29:55,480 --> 00:30:01,040 understand that Joy is not found in another holiday, in another 470 00:30:01,040 --> 00:30:04,120 full bank account. Joy is not found in drugs. 471 00:30:04,400 --> 00:30:09,840 Joy is found in his prisons. That's when he finds joy. 472 00:30:13,600 --> 00:30:20,880 So again, the home address of Joy, Joy Lips, where Jesus is. 473 00:30:21,480 --> 00:30:24,760 Let's stop. It's such a simple message to 474 00:30:24,760 --> 00:30:27,440 die, but it's powerful. That's joy. 475 00:30:27,600 --> 00:30:32,360 Come on, say it. Joy loves where Jesus is. 476 00:30:33,320 --> 00:30:36,960 Say it again. Joy loves where Jesus is. 477 00:30:37,600 --> 00:30:42,400 The joy of Christmas is here because Jesus is here. 478 00:30:43,080 --> 00:30:45,160 Come on, give me some praise. Hallelujah, somebody. 479 00:30:46,280 --> 00:30:49,280 Yeah. OK, so you can be going through 480 00:30:49,280 --> 00:30:52,520 some tough, difficult time, circumstances and still feel 481 00:30:52,640 --> 00:30:55,520 full of joy. You can have some hardships, 482 00:30:55,520 --> 00:31:00,680 challenges, hurts, rejection. You can still have joy because 483 00:31:00,840 --> 00:31:05,000 Jesus has the final sight. You can be going through a 484 00:31:05,080 --> 00:31:09,080 process and still have the presence of God, still have the 485 00:31:09,080 --> 00:31:11,240 joy because Jesus has the final say. 486 00:31:11,480 --> 00:31:13,840 And so where Jesus is, that is where joy is. 487 00:31:13,840 --> 00:31:16,880 So if you walk in the service feeling heavy and tired, the 488 00:31:16,880 --> 00:31:21,520 presence of Jesus lifts up. It lifts off the heaviness, it 489 00:31:21,520 --> 00:31:25,440 turns the despair into joy because of His presence. 490 00:31:25,640 --> 00:31:30,600 The presence of God is lifting the heavy weights because joy is 491 00:31:30,600 --> 00:31:33,200 in His presence and that Hallelujah. 492 00:31:33,440 --> 00:31:36,040 Now can we go a little deeper, OK? 493 00:31:36,360 --> 00:31:38,160 Because I want to go. I want to go. 494 00:31:38,320 --> 00:31:40,440 Can we just, I just want to go all out here today. 495 00:31:40,560 --> 00:31:41,640 Can we go deeper? OK. 496 00:31:41,680 --> 00:31:45,160 Because once you know that the joy is in his presence. 497 00:31:45,160 --> 00:31:48,040 I want us to go deeper because here's what makes it 498 00:31:48,040 --> 00:31:50,960 unshakeable, OK? Are you ready for this? 499 00:31:50,960 --> 00:31:55,960 Because Christmas proves that God keeps his word. 500 00:31:57,760 --> 00:32:02,440 So when life gets uncertain, when life gets challenging and 501 00:32:02,440 --> 00:32:07,200 there's difficulties and hurts and challenges that we face, the 502 00:32:07,200 --> 00:32:11,760 first thing that the enemy attacks is your confidence in 503 00:32:11,760 --> 00:32:13,480 the Word. That's the fact. 504 00:32:13,560 --> 00:32:18,120 That's one of the first places that the enemy attacks is your 505 00:32:18,120 --> 00:32:21,560 confidence and your trust in the word of God. 506 00:32:23,440 --> 00:32:26,960 And so the enemy whispers, well, God won't come through. 507 00:32:27,600 --> 00:32:33,840 The promises are not for you. But Christmas is God's answer to 508 00:32:33,840 --> 00:32:37,880 that lie. Christmas proves that God is 509 00:32:37,880 --> 00:32:42,760 faithful to his Word. God's faithful to perform and to 510 00:32:42,760 --> 00:32:45,240 fulfill His word. Are you getting this? 511 00:32:45,240 --> 00:32:47,840 Somebody listen, let me just break it down to you. 512 00:32:47,840 --> 00:32:50,680 Let me just explain it to you. Because hundreds of years before 513 00:32:50,680 --> 00:32:52,640 Jesus was born, we're going back. 514 00:32:52,640 --> 00:32:56,520 Hundreds of years before Jesus was born, God promised. 515 00:32:57,800 --> 00:33:02,080 He promised that how the Messiah would come one day. 516 00:33:02,360 --> 00:33:06,920 God promised it, He declared it, He prophesied it, He put it in 517 00:33:06,920 --> 00:33:09,040 his words. And I'll give you one in the 518 00:33:09,040 --> 00:33:11,400 book. I'll give you 1 haziahs. 519 00:33:11,640 --> 00:33:15,360 Now what's this prophecy, this promise of God that one day a 520 00:33:15,360 --> 00:33:17,640 Messiah will come? Watch each word. 521 00:33:18,000 --> 00:33:22,320 Isaiah 714 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. 522 00:33:22,600 --> 00:33:25,560 The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will 523 00:33:25,560 --> 00:33:30,320 call him Emmanuel. God prophesied it, God said it, 524 00:33:30,640 --> 00:33:35,400 He promised it, and it happened. Hallelujah. 525 00:33:37,040 --> 00:33:39,920 He's not a liar, He's not a man that he's a liar. 526 00:33:40,080 --> 00:33:43,160 He prophesied it, He declared it, He did it, it happened. 527 00:33:43,360 --> 00:33:45,680 And then He went even deeper. He said, listen, you want some 528 00:33:45,680 --> 00:33:48,920 details, I will show you even where. 529 00:33:50,320 --> 00:33:55,000 Oh my God, you want to tell me hundreds of years before the 530 00:33:55,000 --> 00:33:57,160 same you're going to tell me where he's going to be born? 531 00:33:57,160 --> 00:34:01,200 Yes, Let me give you another powerful prophet. 532 00:34:01,360 --> 00:34:03,040 Come on, can we prophecy in this place? 533 00:34:03,360 --> 00:34:05,120 Let's put our prophecies in this place. 534 00:34:05,320 --> 00:34:09,800 It says Micah 5 is to but you Bethlehem and from that though 535 00:34:09,800 --> 00:34:12,199 you are swollen among the clans that you know out of you will 536 00:34:12,199 --> 00:34:16,800 come for me one who will be ruling over all of his listen, 537 00:34:16,800 --> 00:34:22,239 God made the town God prophesied put the promise in his word the 538 00:34:22,239 --> 00:34:24,520 clear the clan in the town of Bethlehem. 539 00:34:24,760 --> 00:34:26,920 That's where the Saviour will come. 540 00:34:27,120 --> 00:34:30,600 Now listen, Luke chapter 2, I decree. 541 00:34:32,000 --> 00:34:36,960 Yeah, from Augustus. That decree. 542 00:34:37,080 --> 00:34:42,960 Now, this is amazing. Mary and Joseph moved, shifted 543 00:34:43,679 --> 00:34:50,280 because of the decree. Now that looked like a 544 00:34:50,280 --> 00:34:55,239 disruption, but it's actually divine direction. 545 00:34:57,280 --> 00:35:00,880 You mean a Roman Empire? You mean a decree from the 546 00:35:00,880 --> 00:35:05,360 government, from the politician? That decree look like this, but 547 00:35:05,360 --> 00:35:14,080 it was divine direction. So God used that decree to shift 548 00:35:14,080 --> 00:35:17,480 and move Mary and Joseph to the place that he prophesied. 549 00:35:17,480 --> 00:35:22,280 Yeah. Oh, God used it. 550 00:35:23,320 --> 00:35:28,240 God used the decree of that interim to fulfill his word. 551 00:35:28,920 --> 00:35:32,400 Is somebody getting this? God can do the same with your 552 00:35:32,400 --> 00:35:37,160 situation looks like the pressure, that pressure that 553 00:35:37,160 --> 00:35:39,320 looks in your life that difficult, that challenge. 554 00:35:39,320 --> 00:35:44,560 Whatever the situation, God will use it to shift you, to move you 555 00:35:44,560 --> 00:35:48,560 into your promise, into your colleague, into when you are. 556 00:35:49,760 --> 00:35:53,360 Somebody's getting this today, my Lord. 557 00:35:53,920 --> 00:35:57,400 Yes, God looks like pressure in your life. 558 00:35:57,400 --> 00:36:00,920 God will use it to shift you into his promise. 559 00:36:02,240 --> 00:36:07,720 If God can use a decree from the Emperor Augustus to fulfil his 560 00:36:07,720 --> 00:36:11,960 word, he can use your situation, your difficult, your challenging 561 00:36:11,960 --> 00:36:14,560 situation in this world, in the UK. 562 00:36:14,560 --> 00:36:18,840 He can use governments, politicians to move us into his 563 00:36:18,840 --> 00:36:22,680 plan. God can use it all for our 564 00:36:22,680 --> 00:36:28,640 goods, but somebody didn't get out excited and his Yes, he'll 565 00:36:28,680 --> 00:36:30,240 use this. That's what I hear what the 566 00:36:30,240 --> 00:36:36,920 Spirit is saying that what God spoke over your life in private, 567 00:36:38,200 --> 00:36:40,040 He's about to bring it to pass the public. 568 00:36:40,040 --> 00:36:43,640 Yeah. Come on, come on. 569 00:36:43,640 --> 00:36:47,160 Somebody sitting here whole perfect moment is coming. 570 00:36:47,640 --> 00:36:50,880 You're perfect of the ministry. You're perfect of the call. 571 00:36:51,240 --> 00:36:53,400 You're perfect. Something is about to happen in 572 00:36:53,400 --> 00:36:55,200 your life. It's the spirit of war. 573 00:36:56,160 --> 00:37:00,960 It's a prophecy. Grab hold of His word today. 574 00:37:01,760 --> 00:37:02,600 Whoa. Hallelujah. 575 00:37:02,600 --> 00:37:05,600 I feel anointing in this place. Your moment is coming. 576 00:37:05,600 --> 00:37:09,480 Somebody shout out Hallelujah. Yeah, that's right. 577 00:37:09,920 --> 00:37:14,960 Listen, God kicked His word over those hundreds of years, over 578 00:37:14,960 --> 00:37:19,360 centuries. God get His word and He will 579 00:37:19,360 --> 00:37:24,120 keep His word in your situation. He will keep His word if He kept 580 00:37:24,120 --> 00:37:28,040 His word for those times hundreds of years for Jesus to 581 00:37:28,040 --> 00:37:29,840 be born. He's keeping his word in your 582 00:37:29,840 --> 00:37:32,160 life. If you are believing God for 583 00:37:32,160 --> 00:37:34,920 healing in your body, if you are believing God for provision, if 584 00:37:34,920 --> 00:37:38,520 you are believing God for a family member, a marriage or 585 00:37:38,520 --> 00:37:42,600 situation, children, a family restoration, If you are 586 00:37:42,600 --> 00:37:45,360 believing God for future direction. 587 00:37:45,560 --> 00:37:50,600 Listen, Christmas is saying God keeps his word. 588 00:37:50,920 --> 00:37:55,200 Oh Hallelujah, Hallelujah. God keeps his word. 589 00:37:55,400 --> 00:37:59,040 God is faithful for full prophecy. 590 00:37:59,520 --> 00:38:02,720 It shows that God is faithful. We see that in scriptures, 591 00:38:02,880 --> 00:38:06,120 prophesied for fault, prophesied for fault. 592 00:38:06,440 --> 00:38:08,520 It shows us we serve a faithful God. 593 00:38:09,240 --> 00:38:11,800 That is Christmas for us. He keeps His word. 594 00:38:11,800 --> 00:38:13,160 Let's look at it, say it out loud. 595 00:38:13,480 --> 00:38:20,440 God is faithful to His word. What God promised, He will 596 00:38:20,440 --> 00:38:24,760 before. If God said it, he will do it. 597 00:38:25,520 --> 00:38:28,920 Come on, give God some praise somebody Hallelujah. 598 00:38:32,960 --> 00:38:37,760 That is confidence in his Word. It's confidence and trust in the 599 00:38:37,760 --> 00:38:39,880 whatever. You don't have to live afraid. 600 00:38:40,960 --> 00:38:42,320 I love that. Look to the first. 601 00:38:42,320 --> 00:38:44,800 You don't be for good news. You don't have to look the 602 00:38:44,800 --> 00:38:46,400 fright. You don't have to look defeated. 603 00:38:46,600 --> 00:38:49,640 You can look your head up hearts and you can remember the peak 604 00:38:49,640 --> 00:38:54,440 announcement from heaven. Good news of great joy for all 605 00:38:54,560 --> 00:38:57,800 people, everyone, somebody, Hallelujah, That's for you. 606 00:38:58,200 --> 00:38:59,720 It's for me. It's for all of us, our 607 00:38:59,720 --> 00:39:03,160 families, our communities, for everyone. 608 00:39:03,400 --> 00:39:05,400 Hallelujah. So choose family. 609 00:39:05,400 --> 00:39:08,560 As we wrap up this space, I want you to grab hold of this message 610 00:39:08,600 --> 00:39:11,080 in your spirit today. That Christmas was not just an 611 00:39:11,080 --> 00:39:14,920 historic event sometime in the past, but Christmas joy is 612 00:39:14,920 --> 00:39:16,440 fresh. It's alive. 613 00:39:16,640 --> 00:39:18,920 It's breaking through into our lives today. 614 00:39:19,160 --> 00:39:21,000 Papa, Are you ready for this somebody? 615 00:39:21,200 --> 00:39:22,640 Because I want to bring this to a close. 616 00:39:22,840 --> 00:39:26,520 Because now we have seen how God keeps His promise. 617 00:39:26,680 --> 00:39:29,880 We have seen how God stepped into our amazing situations. 618 00:39:29,880 --> 00:39:34,080 Our lives are real, whole world. And Emmanuel, how God is with us 619 00:39:34,280 --> 00:39:38,440 and we have said how the joy it's in the presence of God, 620 00:39:38,680 --> 00:39:43,040 Hallelujah, fullness of joy, the greatest joy is in his presence. 621 00:39:43,200 --> 00:39:45,720 Now, Now I'm going to bring this to a close. 622 00:39:46,000 --> 00:39:50,200 Are you ready for this one? OK, because this one is, is is 623 00:39:50,200 --> 00:39:54,280 this amazing, one of the most beautiful ways how God brings 624 00:39:54,280 --> 00:39:57,160 joy to us. Are you ready for this one? 625 00:39:57,160 --> 00:39:59,400 OK, because I really believe this is going to stir your 626 00:39:59,400 --> 00:40:01,200 faith. It's going to take you to 627 00:40:01,200 --> 00:40:03,720 another level. The next level it's going to. 628 00:40:04,120 --> 00:40:08,000 Are you ready for this? OK, Toy has a sound. 629 00:40:08,360 --> 00:40:10,120 Come on, grab all of that in your spirit. 630 00:40:10,120 --> 00:40:11,640 Feel that. Receive that in your spirit. 631 00:40:11,920 --> 00:40:17,400 Toy has a sound. OK, now it shows us exactly how 632 00:40:17,400 --> 00:40:19,520 heaven moves. I want you to get this because 633 00:40:19,520 --> 00:40:23,760 heaven did not announce Jesus with a whisper, with a quiet 634 00:40:23,760 --> 00:40:25,040 little note. No way. 635 00:40:25,320 --> 00:40:28,200 Heaven announced Jesus with praise. 636 00:40:28,560 --> 00:40:32,680 Toy has a sound and now it's Jesus with praise. 637 00:40:35,120 --> 00:40:39,120 Oh Hallelujah. The angels exploded with a 638 00:40:39,120 --> 00:40:42,480 massive choir. Watch this Luke 2 verse 13. 639 00:40:42,680 --> 00:40:47,520 It says suddenly a great company of heavenly hosts appeared with 640 00:40:47,520 --> 00:40:53,040 the Angel praising God, saying glory to God in the highest 641 00:40:53,520 --> 00:40:57,040 heaven. That's how God is showing us how 642 00:40:57,040 --> 00:41:03,960 joy comes into our lives with a sound, a voice, with a song. 643 00:41:05,440 --> 00:41:07,480 Praise and worship. It's not just something nice 644 00:41:07,480 --> 00:41:10,600 that we do, OK? It's powerful. 645 00:41:10,760 --> 00:41:14,080 Listen praise. Praise is against changer. 646 00:41:14,080 --> 00:41:17,040 It's shifts. That was your open statement and 647 00:41:17,040 --> 00:41:20,160 breakthrough comes in quick. Be open up and answer. 648 00:41:20,160 --> 00:41:22,920 We give our claims. That's what happens now. 649 00:41:22,920 --> 00:41:26,160 All through history that God has brought hope through song. 650 00:41:27,840 --> 00:41:32,560 It's almost hard to believe what a simple Carol can do. 651 00:41:35,200 --> 00:41:39,360 One song. Think about the amazing 652 00:41:39,360 --> 00:41:42,040 Christmas trees in 1940 in World War One. 653 00:41:42,040 --> 00:41:47,840 In the trenches, mud, enemies everywhere, guns shooting in the 654 00:41:47,840 --> 00:41:49,240 battlefield. Fear. 655 00:41:50,000 --> 00:41:56,560 But on Christmas Eve, German soldiers started singing Silent 656 00:41:56,560 --> 00:42:02,000 Night in that language. The British heard it across the 657 00:42:02,000 --> 00:42:05,040 battlefield. They heard it, and the British 658 00:42:05,040 --> 00:42:07,640 joined in with the Germans in their own language in English, 659 00:42:08,200 --> 00:42:14,840 singing Silent Night. The gun stopped. 660 00:42:17,760 --> 00:42:21,880 The Carroll stopped the guns. Why did the gun stop? 661 00:42:21,880 --> 00:42:25,080 Why did the fighting stop? Because the song went down. 662 00:42:26,360 --> 00:42:28,000 What you mean? What? 663 00:42:28,000 --> 00:42:33,160 Carol, The soldiers step out of the trenches, shook hands, 664 00:42:33,760 --> 00:42:40,120 stared food, even play football. Yeah, yeah. 665 00:42:40,680 --> 00:42:45,760 Read the streets there. One cattle stop guns on the 666 00:42:45,760 --> 00:42:51,520 battlefield. So if one cattle can bring peace 667 00:42:51,520 --> 00:42:55,480 amongst enemies, what can your praise do today? 668 00:42:57,920 --> 00:43:02,120 No praise, listen, no praise can bring peace in your mind. 669 00:43:03,720 --> 00:43:06,000 Because we might not be in a battlefield right in the 670 00:43:06,000 --> 00:43:08,520 trenches out there, but the battlefield is in the mind. 671 00:43:08,960 --> 00:43:11,280 Your peace can bring peace in your marriage. 672 00:43:12,680 --> 00:43:15,600 Your praise can bring peace in your home and your family and 673 00:43:15,600 --> 00:43:19,160 your children. Your praise can bring peace and 674 00:43:19,160 --> 00:43:21,440 restoration in your life. Peace. 675 00:43:21,680 --> 00:43:25,040 Because when the song goes up, when the praise rise, peace 676 00:43:25,040 --> 00:43:27,480 comes down. Come on somebody, give God some 677 00:43:27,480 --> 00:43:33,040 praise. Wow, a simple plow. 678 00:43:36,960 --> 00:43:42,960 So instead of a quarrel, because listen, your praise can bring 679 00:43:43,320 --> 00:43:47,560 peace in your relationships, in marriages, instead of a quarrel, 680 00:43:47,600 --> 00:43:56,560 why don't you sing a Carol? OK, listen, can I just give 681 00:43:56,560 --> 00:43:59,960 somebody's advice here? Because that's what we do in our 682 00:43:59,960 --> 00:44:02,560 car when we like talking, we're like, OK, let's just break out 683 00:44:02,560 --> 00:44:08,200 and wave my car for a moment. We like, look, we we're going to 684 00:44:08,200 --> 00:44:10,480 say some words. Listen, we are not talking about 685 00:44:10,480 --> 00:44:13,040 that anymore. Come on, kiss Mummy and Daddy. 686 00:44:13,040 --> 00:44:18,560 We're all singing white. Yeah, that's right. 687 00:44:18,560 --> 00:44:20,840 When price rise, peace comes down. 688 00:44:21,360 --> 00:44:23,400 God knows how to gain joy to you. 689 00:44:24,680 --> 00:44:27,680 And so when the anxiety rises, just raise a song. 690 00:44:29,360 --> 00:44:32,400 Because when there's situations in our lives, in the car, just 691 00:44:32,400 --> 00:44:34,360 sing. Open the mouth. 692 00:44:34,360 --> 00:44:37,640 Just sing a camel. Anytime we're out and about, 693 00:44:37,640 --> 00:44:40,360 just start singing. That's right. 694 00:44:41,480 --> 00:44:45,440 So a Carol for the quarrel. Yeah. 695 00:44:45,480 --> 00:44:47,040 There we go. Yeah, exactly. 696 00:44:47,040 --> 00:44:48,080 That's what happened this morning. 697 00:44:48,360 --> 00:44:51,120 And that is so powerful. We just because when you raise 698 00:44:51,120 --> 00:44:55,520 this song, the atmosphere shifts open. 699 00:44:55,520 --> 00:45:02,240 Heavens, peace comes down and your soul becomes a doorway to 700 00:45:02,240 --> 00:45:04,360 joy. All of a sudden Joy's bubbling 701 00:45:04,360 --> 00:45:07,360 up. You mean what, Carol? 702 00:45:07,360 --> 00:45:13,760 One soul. You see the enemy doesn't mind. 703 00:45:14,160 --> 00:45:21,080 Quiet Christians, they can have. Quiet Christians don't mind 704 00:45:21,080 --> 00:45:23,560 quiet bleeders. Silent Christians don't mind at 705 00:45:23,560 --> 00:45:28,320 all. Little polite little clappies, 706 00:45:28,320 --> 00:45:30,560 you know, like a little, you know, when you're at the golf 707 00:45:30,560 --> 00:45:32,600 because I like, well, let's get a little golf clap. 708 00:45:32,640 --> 00:45:34,880 We got to be cute. We got to be very polite. 709 00:45:34,880 --> 00:45:37,680 Oh, I got to be all, you know, at the golf course. 710 00:45:37,680 --> 00:45:39,240 We got to be all like, very cuties. 711 00:45:43,200 --> 00:45:47,600 David doesn't mind that how trembles when you start opening 712 00:45:47,600 --> 00:45:52,120 your mouth and you decree on the prayer and you twice who is your 713 00:45:52,160 --> 00:46:00,320 God in Ayo yay, Hallelujah, Papa, somebody stand up, get us 714 00:46:00,320 --> 00:46:05,320 and pull me in this place. Troy to the world, Troy to your 715 00:46:05,320 --> 00:46:09,040 house, joy to your family. Somebody shout Hallelujah. 716 00:46:09,080 --> 00:46:13,080 Give him the loudest, longest place. 717 00:46:13,680 --> 00:46:17,120 Oh, no. And give him praise. 718 00:46:17,120 --> 00:46:19,040 Somebody. Yeah. 719 00:46:19,040 --> 00:46:21,440 That's what we do. God is here. 720 00:46:24,200 --> 00:46:27,120 We will not be silent. We will not stay silent. 721 00:46:27,120 --> 00:46:31,520 But we will open our mouths just like those soldiers. 722 00:46:31,520 --> 00:46:33,640 And we will sing and decree and declare. 723 00:46:33,640 --> 00:46:36,600 And we will sing, sing, sing. Joy to the world. 724 00:46:36,600 --> 00:46:40,320 The Lord is here. OK, so great joy is flooding 725 00:46:40,320 --> 00:46:42,160 this place right now. I know. 726 00:46:43,120 --> 00:46:44,320 Now keep standing. We got to pray. 727 00:46:44,560 --> 00:46:46,040 I'm going to pray for you. Are you ready? 728 00:46:46,440 --> 00:46:49,120 Are you ready somebody? Because joy is coming back. 729 00:46:49,120 --> 00:46:51,520 The joy of Christmas is coming back. 730 00:46:52,280 --> 00:46:54,920 He's coming back. Oh, Hallelujah. 731 00:46:57,320 --> 00:46:59,160 So come on, declare it one more time. 732 00:46:59,160 --> 00:47:02,200 If you believe like you believe it with all of your heart, with 733 00:47:02,200 --> 00:47:07,040 every fibre in your being, say the joy of Christmas is here 734 00:47:07,720 --> 00:47:11,880 because Jesus is here. Hallelujah. 735 00:47:13,000 --> 00:47:18,000 Listen, the greatest joy is yours, your greatest joy, your 736 00:47:18,000 --> 00:47:20,480 greatest Christmas. This is your moment. 737 00:47:20,480 --> 00:47:22,200 It's your best. Days are ahead. 738 00:47:22,600 --> 00:47:25,920 Now I want to pray for some people here today because I'm, 739 00:47:25,960 --> 00:47:28,240 I've been feeling this since I've been praying this morning 740 00:47:28,240 --> 00:47:34,080 that some people, some of us are carrying heavy loads alone and 741 00:47:34,080 --> 00:47:37,880 so trying to be strong for others and holding it together 742 00:47:37,880 --> 00:47:41,160 for other people. But inside you feel tired and 743 00:47:41,160 --> 00:47:44,480 heavy and anxious, worn down. Now here's the invitation. 744 00:47:44,480 --> 00:47:47,760 If you have been carrying heaviness and you feel 745 00:47:47,760 --> 00:47:50,320 discourage, anxiety and grief, this is your moment. 746 00:47:50,320 --> 00:47:54,440 I want you to put your hand on your heart, lift your other hand 747 00:47:54,440 --> 00:47:56,560 just as a sign that you're receiving from God. 748 00:47:58,160 --> 00:48:00,320 So 1 handset, Lord, this is what I've been carrying. 749 00:48:00,600 --> 00:48:02,520 The other one, Lord, this is what I'm receiving. 750 00:48:02,520 --> 00:48:05,360 I'm ready to receive what you're ready to give me. 751 00:48:05,360 --> 00:48:07,080 So let me just pray for you right now. 752 00:48:07,080 --> 00:48:09,200 So just receive this. Pray, Jesus, we come before you 753 00:48:09,200 --> 00:48:11,320 right now, not because we are perfect, but because you are 754 00:48:11,320 --> 00:48:15,880 your Lord, because of your presence and because you came 755 00:48:15,880 --> 00:48:19,400 close and that you are Emmanuel. God, that you are with us now. 756 00:48:19,400 --> 00:48:23,880 Father, in the name of Jesus, I break every power of heaviness 757 00:48:24,480 --> 00:48:26,960 right now. Every white, every dark cloud, 758 00:48:27,520 --> 00:48:31,560 every discouragement, every anxiety, every fear that's been 759 00:48:31,560 --> 00:48:35,000 stealing peace. I command thee to lift now. 760 00:48:35,000 --> 00:48:40,200 In the name of Jesus, break every heavier right now. 761 00:48:40,520 --> 00:48:43,800 Remove every heavy burden right now from God's people there. 762 00:48:43,800 --> 00:48:45,200 It's lifting. It's lifting right now. 763 00:48:45,600 --> 00:48:49,560 Thank you, Lord, that you gave us the garment of praise instead 764 00:48:49,560 --> 00:48:53,600 of despair. So today we lay down heaviness 765 00:48:54,000 --> 00:48:59,400 and receive a fresh oil of joy. We lay down fear and we receive 766 00:48:59,400 --> 00:49:02,880 strength. Jesus, right now release your 767 00:49:02,880 --> 00:49:05,680 joy. Restore joy to your people. 768 00:49:05,920 --> 00:49:10,360 Restore the oil of joy right now, fresh oil for tired people. 769 00:49:10,400 --> 00:49:13,600 All because you promise in your world that the joy of the Lord 770 00:49:13,600 --> 00:49:16,440 is our strength. So right now, Lord, joy in 771 00:49:16,440 --> 00:49:21,760 homes, but I felt tense not restore joy, joy that comes from 772 00:49:21,760 --> 00:49:24,440 your presence. Your word says in your presence 773 00:49:24,640 --> 00:49:29,400 is fullness of joy. So right now, Lord, release your 774 00:49:29,400 --> 00:49:33,720 fullness, your great joy upon every heart in this place. 775 00:49:33,880 --> 00:49:40,560 Big joy breakout breaklist put a song back into the hearts of 776 00:49:40,560 --> 00:49:42,760 your people. Let people sing and I cry for 777 00:49:42,760 --> 00:49:45,760 the grieving today. That is that feel broken hearted 778 00:49:45,760 --> 00:49:47,760 Lord that you come close right now. 779 00:49:48,040 --> 00:49:53,760 Comfort, strengthen, Lord, let them feel your love in a real 780 00:49:53,760 --> 00:49:56,880 way in Jesus name. There's the power, there's the 781 00:49:56,880 --> 00:49:58,480 power, there's the power, there's the anointing, there's 782 00:49:58,480 --> 00:50:00,240 the presence. Thank you Holy Spirit. 783 00:50:00,240 --> 00:50:03,440 God is stretching out his hands. God is stretching out and 784 00:50:03,440 --> 00:50:05,680 releasing his presence upon his people right now. 785 00:50:06,000 --> 00:50:07,400 Hallelujah. Come on, let's make some 786 00:50:07,400 --> 00:50:11,760 declaration. Say I declare joy is coming back 787 00:50:11,760 --> 00:50:17,720 into my life. Jesus is close to me right now. 788 00:50:18,440 --> 00:50:25,160 My house will know God's joy what God had promised, he won't 789 00:50:25,160 --> 00:50:28,000 before. Fear is breaking. 790 00:50:29,320 --> 00:50:33,360 Peace is settling. The joy of Christmas is here 791 00:50:34,400 --> 00:50:37,080 because Jesus is here. Come on, Simony, Hallelujah.