1 00:00:02,120 --> 00:00:04,480 Hey, welcome to the City Point Church podcast. 2 00:00:04,480 --> 00:00:07,280 Thanks for joining us. Every day is an opportunity to 3 00:00:07,280 --> 00:00:10,280 take hold of. So we hope this message inspires 4 00:00:10,280 --> 00:00:13,560 you and build your faith, but it helps you have more of a God 5 00:00:13,560 --> 00:00:15,880 perspective for your day. Enjoy. 6 00:00:17,040 --> 00:00:19,640 I know what you are feeling because I'm feeling it too. 7 00:00:21,000 --> 00:00:23,520 There's been multiple opportunities in this service 8 00:00:23,520 --> 00:00:28,640 already to respond, am I right? This is a service of activation. 9 00:00:28,640 --> 00:00:30,800 Maybe just tell the person beside you, Are you ready to 10 00:00:30,800 --> 00:00:40,840 respond? Justine, when she let out in 11 00:00:40,840 --> 00:00:44,880 that beautiful song of consecration a moment where we 12 00:00:45,720 --> 00:00:49,920 got real with the Lord and said, I'm desperate for you and you 13 00:00:49,960 --> 00:00:53,840 are the only thing I'm seeking could have said at that moment, 14 00:00:53,840 --> 00:00:57,480 come on everybody, shoes off. This place is holy ground 15 00:00:57,640 --> 00:00:59,440 because the Spirit of the Lord is here. 16 00:01:01,720 --> 00:01:06,400 And when Pastor Rach came and LED, she could have literally 17 00:01:06,400 --> 00:01:13,000 finished the meeting there for it warranted a response from us 18 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:20,240 that each and every one of us are called to serve all of us. 19 00:01:21,160 --> 00:01:26,160 There are no spectators in this building today, I promise you, 20 00:01:26,240 --> 00:01:29,080 although they're wonderful to attend, today is not a 21 00:01:29,080 --> 00:01:37,280 basketball game. I as a church do not want to be 22 00:01:37,640 --> 00:01:42,640 deemed as a sport because we're only as good as our last game. 23 00:01:45,120 --> 00:01:51,280 We as a church are participants and partners with God with what 24 00:01:51,280 --> 00:01:55,320 He wants to do. And I can tell you now that God 25 00:01:55,320 --> 00:02:00,120 is not finished with us yet. He is not finished with our 26 00:02:00,120 --> 00:02:04,000 great nation of Australia. For it is a prophetic 27 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:07,440 declaration over us that we are the great Southland of the Holy 28 00:02:07,440 --> 00:02:10,840 Spirit. And so Pastor Nicole could have 29 00:02:10,840 --> 00:02:16,560 also literally had us respond and say I will commit. 30 00:02:17,600 --> 00:02:20,080 But I promise you, if you had any of those moments this 31 00:02:20,080 --> 00:02:22,600 morning and you were like, I wish they would have just called 32 00:02:22,600 --> 00:02:30,720 us forward, there will be an opportunity yet because you and 33 00:02:30,720 --> 00:02:34,880 I were not supposed to sit down. I am tempted to leave you there. 34 00:02:35,560 --> 00:02:38,960 Tempted. But I too have also got a little 35 00:02:38,960 --> 00:02:41,600 bit of a thing happening on the side of my back right here. 36 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:45,520 So I have grace because that is the Lord grace and truth 37 00:02:45,520 --> 00:02:48,240 together. So you may take your seats this 38 00:02:48,240 --> 00:02:51,240 morning, but don't get comfortable. 39 00:02:53,680 --> 00:02:55,320 Don't get comfortable this morning. 40 00:02:56,520 --> 00:03:00,120 Because I can tell you this morning warrants a response. 41 00:03:01,840 --> 00:03:06,680 It warrants a response not just from me, not just from the team, 42 00:03:07,400 --> 00:03:11,240 not just those who have passed it before their name, not just 43 00:03:11,240 --> 00:03:15,360 for the young people because they've got energy and maybe 44 00:03:15,360 --> 00:03:20,560 time, but it warrants a response for each and every one of us. 45 00:03:21,320 --> 00:03:24,360 You were born for such a time as this. 46 00:03:24,840 --> 00:03:27,760 You are not an accident. And somebody needs to hear that 47 00:03:27,760 --> 00:03:30,400 this morning. You were never an accident. 48 00:03:31,040 --> 00:03:37,160 You were formed and planned by God for this moment in history. 49 00:03:38,440 --> 00:03:43,880 You are here for a purpose. I am here for a purpose. 50 00:03:45,520 --> 00:03:49,400 And what I want this morning for you to catch, as I share this 51 00:03:49,400 --> 00:03:54,000 morning, just for a few minutes, what God is about to do in our 52 00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:59,080 region through this church. I want you to think for a 53 00:03:59,080 --> 00:04:07,400 moment, is there a possibility he's going to use me, not just 54 00:04:07,400 --> 00:04:13,840 me, but you. I wonder if even before we start 55 00:04:13,840 --> 00:04:18,240 this, this morning, if you'd be brave enough, whether it be out 56 00:04:18,240 --> 00:04:23,000 loud or under your breath to say, God, are you seriously 57 00:04:23,000 --> 00:04:29,120 calling me? Are you commissioning me? 58 00:04:30,920 --> 00:04:34,360 Is there a purpose for me in this plan? 59 00:04:35,800 --> 00:04:37,680 Would you right now, just right where you are, Why don't you 60 00:04:37,680 --> 00:04:42,480 close your eyes? I want you to put the challenge 61 00:04:42,480 --> 00:04:45,400 out. If you're brave this morning and 62 00:04:45,400 --> 00:04:49,320 ask the question of the Lord, have you called me? 63 00:04:51,320 --> 00:04:57,720 Lord, have you called me? Am IA part of this plan? 64 00:05:07,630 --> 00:05:10,510 I could answer this for you this morning with a simple yes, 65 00:05:12,310 --> 00:05:16,510 because every single person on planet earth has been created 66 00:05:16,510 --> 00:05:23,350 for a purpose and not just to exist, but to leave a mark on 67 00:05:23,350 --> 00:05:30,160 this world for Jesus to leave a legacy of people who follow in 68 00:05:30,160 --> 00:05:36,240 the faith because of your faith. But I wanted to create a moment 69 00:05:36,240 --> 00:05:40,560 this morning before I started to allow you to ask the Holy Spirit 70 00:05:40,560 --> 00:05:45,040 because I trust the Holy Spirit speaks and He can speak to you. 71 00:05:46,640 --> 00:05:49,440 And way better than hearing words from me this morning that 72 00:05:49,440 --> 00:05:53,080 might lift your spirit or put a fire in your belly. 73 00:05:53,440 --> 00:05:57,640 One word from the Lord and you'd be unstoppable. 74 00:06:00,880 --> 00:06:05,640 So I wonder if for those of you who take notes, if right at the 75 00:06:05,640 --> 00:06:10,560 beginning, your notes before my title comes out, would you ask 76 00:06:10,560 --> 00:06:14,840 that question in your notes? God, what part of this plan is 77 00:06:14,840 --> 00:06:18,800 for me? Would you put it up there and 78 00:06:18,800 --> 00:06:20,600 seek the Lord over that this week? 79 00:06:21,600 --> 00:06:25,840 Because there is something for us to do as a church and I can 80 00:06:25,840 --> 00:06:29,960 tell you now we've all got to be part of it for us to see it come 81 00:06:29,960 --> 00:06:33,720 to pass. Church, we are not here by 82 00:06:33,720 --> 00:06:37,640 accident. God has positioned this church, 83 00:06:37,880 --> 00:06:42,280 City Point, Caboolture and the churches that we have impact 84 00:06:42,280 --> 00:06:46,800 over City Point Bribie. He has placed us here in this 85 00:06:46,920 --> 00:06:50,360 city for a 'cause that is greater than comfort. 86 00:06:51,680 --> 00:06:56,560 You and I have been called to bring spiritual and social 87 00:06:56,560 --> 00:07:03,240 transformation to this city. Not someday, not in a few years 88 00:07:03,240 --> 00:07:07,360 time, not just for the young ones when they grow up and they 89 00:07:07,360 --> 00:07:12,640 rise up and they do something. But right now, say right now, 90 00:07:13,400 --> 00:07:16,400 right now is our time in our city. 91 00:07:16,720 --> 00:07:22,320 And God has given us a cause and it that's in this time that we 92 00:07:22,320 --> 00:07:29,120 the church say we the church are to partner with him to see it 93 00:07:29,120 --> 00:07:34,200 become a reality. There is a cause burning in the 94 00:07:34,200 --> 00:07:38,880 heart of God for this city. Does anybody else here this 95 00:07:38,880 --> 00:07:42,560 morning believe that God is for our city? 96 00:07:43,960 --> 00:07:47,600 Does anybody else here believe that God has a plan for this 97 00:07:47,600 --> 00:07:50,440 city? Now, here's a really honest 98 00:07:50,440 --> 00:07:53,160 question. Do you think we are living in 99 00:07:53,160 --> 00:07:59,520 the reality of it today or is there still work to do? 100 00:08:00,400 --> 00:08:04,600 There is still work to do. We are not called to be 101 00:08:04,600 --> 00:08:07,880 spectators. In his story that he is writing 102 00:08:07,880 --> 00:08:13,360 for this city. We, you and I say I, I have been 103 00:08:13,360 --> 00:08:18,040 called to pass Patna in the mission that God has entrusted, 104 00:08:18,040 --> 00:08:25,360 say entrusted me, say entrusted me, He's entrusted you with for 105 00:08:25,360 --> 00:08:30,160 this sitting. And God today is asking you and 106 00:08:30,160 --> 00:08:36,799 I, every single one of us, if you, if I would put skin in the 107 00:08:36,799 --> 00:08:42,960 game for his purpose, for this sitting skin in the game. 108 00:08:44,480 --> 00:08:46,920 I'm going to read this morning or I'm going to share this 109 00:08:46,920 --> 00:08:51,720 morning from a passage of scripture in one Samuel 17. 110 00:08:52,800 --> 00:08:57,400 And in this chapter, it is a story about a young boy called 111 00:08:57,400 --> 00:08:59,120 David. He's just a youth. 112 00:08:59,680 --> 00:09:02,440 In actual fact, he's a shepherd. I was pondering on this this 113 00:09:02,440 --> 00:09:05,280 morning because I like to put myself actually into the Bible 114 00:09:05,280 --> 00:09:08,600 story and either create an additional character called Mel, 115 00:09:08,600 --> 00:09:12,240 Mel and David, or sometimes try to picture what it would be 116 00:09:12,240 --> 00:09:13,840 like. But that's a bit awkward because 117 00:09:13,840 --> 00:09:18,120 I am not a David. But I do have a fairly good and 118 00:09:18,120 --> 00:09:20,760 vivid imagination. And so I was thinking about 119 00:09:20,760 --> 00:09:24,960 this, and I'm wondering today why we don't have Staffs, 120 00:09:25,920 --> 00:09:28,800 shepherd Staffs. Do you know when Joshua said, 121 00:09:28,800 --> 00:09:32,600 like Pastor Rachel said today, As for me, in my house, we will 122 00:09:32,600 --> 00:09:34,400 serve the Lord. He would have had a staff. 123 00:09:35,720 --> 00:09:38,160 So when he drew a line in the sand, he could literally draw a 124 00:09:38,160 --> 00:09:42,560 line in the sand. I love this literal stuff. 125 00:09:42,800 --> 00:09:46,920 I would be a shepherd and have a shepherd's staff just so that I 126 00:09:46,920 --> 00:09:51,680 could go here and no father to the enemy. 127 00:09:52,040 --> 00:09:55,640 Does anybody else feel like that sometimes where you go, there it 128 00:09:55,640 --> 00:09:57,800 is. Don't try and cross it. 129 00:09:58,120 --> 00:10:03,240 This land, this space, this thing that we have been called 130 00:10:03,240 --> 00:10:07,960 to possess, we are going to do spiritual warfare in and we're 131 00:10:07,960 --> 00:10:11,600 going to see victory. And the enemy can come this far 132 00:10:11,600 --> 00:10:14,440 and no father. Come on, Who else wants a staff? 133 00:10:14,840 --> 00:10:20,520 Staffs for everybody in church next week now this young man 134 00:10:20,520 --> 00:10:28,360 David, he, he's just a shepherd. His job, his day job is not at 135 00:10:28,360 --> 00:10:32,680 the KFC drive through. It's looking after the animals 136 00:10:32,680 --> 00:10:40,280 before they get there. But it's an important job 137 00:10:40,280 --> 00:10:42,520 because the quality of the meat is important. 138 00:10:43,080 --> 00:10:49,200 We care about this today, right? So his job is to look after 139 00:10:49,200 --> 00:10:51,720 this. And of course, in this space, 140 00:10:52,040 --> 00:10:53,880 nobody would have called him a warrior. 141 00:10:54,920 --> 00:10:57,640 Nobody would have called him a soldier, right? 142 00:10:57,640 --> 00:11:02,440 But in this particular chapter, in chapter 17 in Juan Samuel, 143 00:11:03,360 --> 00:11:06,760 David's father sends him to the battle lines where the rest of 144 00:11:06,760 --> 00:11:09,120 the brothers are now. Daniel is the runt of the 145 00:11:09,120 --> 00:11:10,360 family. He's the youngest. 146 00:11:10,360 --> 00:11:12,640 Anybody any other runts in the family here? 147 00:11:13,120 --> 00:11:14,800 I'm not. I'm the eldest. 148 00:11:14,800 --> 00:11:18,040 So I am about to be heard in the Bible as the bossy older 149 00:11:18,040 --> 00:11:19,760 brother. All right. 150 00:11:20,640 --> 00:11:24,480 In this particular passage, he gets sent to the battle lines 151 00:11:25,000 --> 00:11:30,000 with food just to give them food because the battle has been 152 00:11:30,000 --> 00:11:34,360 going on a long time, 40 days, in fact, right now. 153 00:11:34,680 --> 00:11:37,080 I think it's interesting that the Bible calls it a battle 154 00:11:37,080 --> 00:11:42,920 because in reality it's a camp and quite an uneventful game. 155 00:11:42,920 --> 00:11:48,840 It doesn't look like youth camp. There are no young men and women 156 00:11:48,840 --> 00:11:53,000 with a fire in their belly who say we can take this city in 157 00:11:53,000 --> 00:11:56,120 this camp. There is a lot of people sitting 158 00:11:56,120 --> 00:12:02,960 around campfires having a whinge about the other camp and about 159 00:12:03,000 --> 00:12:05,040 the terrible things that are happening in the life of that 160 00:12:05,040 --> 00:12:08,320 camp. And they are in actual fact, 161 00:12:08,320 --> 00:12:12,600 being influenced and impacted by the other camp. 162 00:12:13,640 --> 00:12:17,400 It's a significant story. But we come down to this 163 00:12:17,400 --> 00:12:20,240 particular part of the story where David gets into camp. 164 00:12:20,960 --> 00:12:24,200 He actually hears this big dude. His name is Goliath. 165 00:12:24,200 --> 00:12:26,920 If you were here in our Christmas season, you would have 166 00:12:26,920 --> 00:12:30,160 seen our epically amazing Christmas trees on the edge of 167 00:12:30,160 --> 00:12:32,840 the stage. They were Goliath sized 168 00:12:32,840 --> 00:12:36,040 Christmas trees. Gives you a little bit of 169 00:12:36,040 --> 00:12:39,680 context with his helmet and all, he would have got pretty close 170 00:12:39,680 --> 00:12:42,200 to the top. But he wasn't just triangle 171 00:12:42,200 --> 00:12:44,000 shaped. He was built like a brick. 172 00:12:44,840 --> 00:12:46,840 All right. When the when you read this 173 00:12:46,840 --> 00:12:50,200 passage, it describes what his armor had to be like, what his 174 00:12:50,200 --> 00:12:51,880 spear had to be like, the weight of them. 175 00:12:52,120 --> 00:12:57,640 It was significant. And so the Israelites, the camp 176 00:12:57,640 --> 00:13:00,680 that David is going to, because his brothers are part of this 177 00:13:00,720 --> 00:13:07,600 army, are listening to the taunts of this giant and are 178 00:13:07,600 --> 00:13:11,160 sitting around the camp immobilized. 179 00:13:13,040 --> 00:13:16,240 They are afraid. And David rolls into camp, and I 180 00:13:16,240 --> 00:13:19,440 love this because he's just such a great young punk. 181 00:13:19,440 --> 00:13:25,800 He says things like, has anybody heard what he's saying? 182 00:13:26,720 --> 00:13:29,520 Who's is anybody going to do something about it, send 183 00:13:29,520 --> 00:13:34,080 somebody out who's going to do something about this and his Big 184 00:13:34,080 --> 00:13:36,280 Brother. So this would have been my role. 185 00:13:36,720 --> 00:13:38,600 OK. His Big Brother comes out and 186 00:13:38,600 --> 00:13:42,240 goes, would you shut up? Who are you? 187 00:13:42,320 --> 00:13:44,800 I know exactly who you are and where you should be. 188 00:13:47,360 --> 00:13:49,920 Go back and look after your little sheep. 189 00:13:50,520 --> 00:13:53,800 That's all you're good for. All right, Go back. 190 00:13:54,600 --> 00:13:57,960 You have no business getting involved in this. 191 00:13:59,000 --> 00:14:02,960 And David says this statement, well, I'd love, I actually love 192 00:14:02,960 --> 00:14:05,560 it because it is not a complete statement by just saying, is 193 00:14:05,560 --> 00:14:09,240 there not a 'cause he actually says, what have I done now? 194 00:14:11,920 --> 00:14:13,200 Typical little brother statement. 195 00:14:13,200 --> 00:14:15,600 What have I done now to the Big Brother? 196 00:14:15,680 --> 00:14:20,040 And then then he goes like a receiving interaction with the 197 00:14:20,040 --> 00:14:22,840 brother and then a beautiful big spiritual slap. 198 00:14:23,480 --> 00:14:28,320 Is there not a cause? What David is actually saying 199 00:14:28,320 --> 00:14:33,200 is, is there not a man who can see what is before us and whom 200 00:14:33,200 --> 00:14:37,560 we stand with? Is there not something greater 201 00:14:38,400 --> 00:14:41,080 than this thing that is taunting? 202 00:14:41,800 --> 00:14:45,320 Is there not ground and land to possess over here? 203 00:14:46,080 --> 00:14:50,560 Has the Lord not said this is the great S land of the Holy 204 00:14:50,560 --> 00:14:53,320 Spirit? Then why do we sit here and go, 205 00:14:53,480 --> 00:15:00,800 SH, I know exactly who you are, Go back to KFC, serve your 206 00:15:00,800 --> 00:15:07,120 chicken. This, you're out of place. 207 00:15:07,280 --> 00:15:09,560 You're not a warrior, you're a shepherd. 208 00:15:11,880 --> 00:15:14,080 But David asks this poignant question. 209 00:15:14,560 --> 00:15:20,400 He says, is there not a 'cause now I need to tell you, church, 210 00:15:21,840 --> 00:15:26,000 that this scenario we don't see often, that I, I haven't 211 00:15:26,000 --> 00:15:30,160 actually witnessed a David and Goliath slingshot moment in my 212 00:15:30,160 --> 00:15:36,960 life in the last 44 years, but I see the scenario every day over 213 00:15:36,960 --> 00:15:38,760 and over and over and over and over. 214 00:15:39,760 --> 00:15:43,280 There are modern day Goliaths that you encounter, that I 215 00:15:43,280 --> 00:15:47,880 encounter, maybe you even experience every single day of 216 00:15:47,880 --> 00:15:51,080 the week. And it echoes this same story. 217 00:15:52,080 --> 00:15:59,240 They are circumstances that taunt God's people today, and 218 00:15:59,240 --> 00:16:05,400 they leave us immobilized and they have us sitting around in 219 00:16:05,400 --> 00:16:14,560 circles in the cafe or at camp talking about consumed by these 220 00:16:14,560 --> 00:16:17,440 Goliaths. Can I just give you a few? 221 00:16:18,320 --> 00:16:20,960 Maybe you have seen these in our city. 222 00:16:21,120 --> 00:16:25,280 Maybe you're experiencing them. I want to tell you this morning 223 00:16:25,280 --> 00:16:27,920 what God says about them and your part to play in it. 224 00:16:29,280 --> 00:16:33,480 Here are some of the modern Goliaths, the Goliath of fear. 225 00:16:34,280 --> 00:16:40,200 Fear that whispers you are not enough, you cannot overcome, you 226 00:16:40,200 --> 00:16:42,880 cannot win, and God will not come through. 227 00:16:44,160 --> 00:16:49,600 We see the Goliath of anxiety and mental health and exhaustion 228 00:16:49,600 --> 00:16:55,120 in this region, and it says that the constant mental war thou 229 00:16:55,120 --> 00:16:59,640 shouts louder than God's peace. This is a lie. 230 00:17:00,520 --> 00:17:05,040 It is a false lie, but it stands in our region like a Goliath. 231 00:17:07,160 --> 00:17:11,960 We have the Goliath of family breakdown that says the enemy is 232 00:17:11,960 --> 00:17:15,720 taunting people with generational patterns. 233 00:17:16,520 --> 00:17:22,599 It's taunting that division in a family unit is OK and that 234 00:17:22,599 --> 00:17:29,480 hopelessness in homes is normal. Another modern Goliath is the 235 00:17:29,480 --> 00:17:34,840 Goliath of addiction, that substances and screens and 236 00:17:34,840 --> 00:17:38,720 habits and cycles that say you will never be free. 237 00:17:40,280 --> 00:17:42,200 Come on this morning, let's get real. 238 00:17:44,240 --> 00:17:47,200 These Goliaths are not just found in our city. 239 00:17:47,680 --> 00:17:51,560 They're often found in our lives and many of you this morning as 240 00:17:51,560 --> 00:17:53,080 I am even saying them out might go. 241 00:17:53,080 --> 00:17:56,640 That's my Goliath has been taught in me for long enough. 242 00:17:59,520 --> 00:18:01,880 I wonder if you were this morning as I go through them 243 00:18:02,320 --> 00:18:08,560 would have the courage to say is there not a cause, A cause great 244 00:18:08,560 --> 00:18:13,320 enough to face Goliath? The Goliath of financial 245 00:18:13,320 --> 00:18:19,040 pressure, bills, debt, rising costs, yelling God cannot 246 00:18:19,040 --> 00:18:25,800 provide, you must provide. The Goliath of isolation and 247 00:18:25,800 --> 00:18:33,800 loneliness, the lie that says no one sees you, no one cares, you 248 00:18:33,840 --> 00:18:37,320 are on your own. The Goliath of identity 249 00:18:37,320 --> 00:18:42,880 confusion that has a generation hearing daily you are whatever 250 00:18:43,240 --> 00:18:47,720 culture says you are. God doesn't define you. 251 00:18:49,440 --> 00:18:53,840 The Goliath of cultural pressure, a world that mocks 252 00:18:53,960 --> 00:19:00,200 holiness, purity, conviction, taunting believers, saying why 253 00:19:00,200 --> 00:19:04,000 stand for God? Just blend in. 254 00:19:06,160 --> 00:19:11,000 The Goliath of broken dreams, the ache of disappointment, 255 00:19:11,000 --> 00:19:15,800 saying it's too late, nothing will ever change. 256 00:19:17,000 --> 00:19:21,240 And the Goliath of sickness, oh, this is a one that loves to be 257 00:19:21,240 --> 00:19:24,080 glorified. And it taunts and it shouts. 258 00:19:24,600 --> 00:19:29,320 It says diagnosis and uncertainty shout louder than 259 00:19:29,320 --> 00:19:32,600 the promises of God. Come on. 260 00:19:33,320 --> 00:19:36,000 The Goliath of shame and past mistakes. 261 00:19:36,240 --> 00:19:40,480 The voice that says you can't be used, God can't redeem that. 262 00:19:42,000 --> 00:19:46,280 The Goliath of spiritual apathy, the subtle taunt that says just 263 00:19:46,280 --> 00:19:55,960 stay comfortable, don't give, don't serve, don't grow, don't 264 00:19:55,960 --> 00:20:02,320 change, stay comfortable. 13 The Goliath attacking our children 265 00:20:02,320 --> 00:20:04,920 and our young people. This huge. 266 00:20:05,400 --> 00:20:09,960 Dark influences, peer pressure, screens and confusion. 267 00:20:09,960 --> 00:20:15,160 Mocking God's plan for the next generation to carry the Spirit 268 00:20:15,160 --> 00:20:21,360 of God across this nation #14 the the Goliath of division. 269 00:20:22,040 --> 00:20:24,520 This one loves to taunt the church. 270 00:20:24,880 --> 00:20:30,800 Conflict, offense, church hurt and relational fractures. 271 00:20:30,800 --> 00:20:35,400 Saying God's people can never walk in unity. 272 00:20:35,680 --> 00:20:40,320 It's a lie. I wonder if you believe that 273 00:20:40,320 --> 00:20:42,800 this morning. It's a lie. 274 00:20:43,720 --> 00:20:50,560 God's people can can we can, we can walk in unity. 275 00:20:51,160 --> 00:20:56,840 The Goliath over our city, the brokenness, addiction, violence 276 00:20:56,880 --> 00:21:00,800 and poverty and spiritual darkness that taunts us. 277 00:21:01,560 --> 00:21:03,720 And here's what this Goliath shouts. 278 00:21:04,040 --> 00:21:06,160 The church can't change anything. 279 00:21:07,440 --> 00:21:12,560 The city is too far gone. I can tell you now, church, that 280 00:21:12,560 --> 00:21:14,600 our God is greater than any Goliath. 281 00:21:16,000 --> 00:21:22,280 And you know, he partners with us like he partnered with a 282 00:21:22,280 --> 00:21:25,400 teenage boy to deal with Goliaths. 283 00:21:26,760 --> 00:21:28,600 That means he partners with you and I. 284 00:21:29,800 --> 00:21:32,040 He didn't partner with a seasoned soldier. 285 00:21:32,560 --> 00:21:37,160 He partnered with a boy who was willing and out of fire in his 286 00:21:37,160 --> 00:21:40,760 belly in the faith to go, my God is bigger than this giant. 287 00:21:40,960 --> 00:21:44,920 He didn't not see the giant. He didn't not hear the taunt, 288 00:21:47,720 --> 00:21:51,720 but he had the fire in his belly enough to say, Is there not a 289 00:21:51,920 --> 00:21:56,520 cause like Goliath? These situations mock God's 290 00:21:56,520 --> 00:22:01,680 power, imitate God's people, paralyze believers, defy God's 291 00:22:01,680 --> 00:22:05,840 promises, and challenge the identity of the church. 292 00:22:06,040 --> 00:22:11,000 But today, with my hypothetical staff, I draw a line in the 293 00:22:11,000 --> 00:22:14,800 sand. And I say for us, As for me and 294 00:22:14,800 --> 00:22:19,160 my house, we're going to do something different. 295 00:22:19,160 --> 00:22:24,200 We're going to serve the Lord, say we're going to serve the 296 00:22:24,200 --> 00:22:29,960 Lord. And when we do, it's going to 297 00:22:30,040 --> 00:22:33,920 actually have an impact. And we're going to see things in 298 00:22:33,920 --> 00:22:37,800 our city that is not happening in other cities around 299 00:22:37,800 --> 00:22:42,560 Australia. Does anybody here have the faith 300 00:22:42,560 --> 00:22:47,080 to believe that we could be the epicenter for revival in this 301 00:22:47,080 --> 00:22:52,000 nation? Not so that we hit the news, but 302 00:22:52,000 --> 00:22:57,160 that so our city comes to Jesus and our discipled and have an 303 00:22:57,160 --> 00:23:03,320 impact all over this world. I've got the faith for it. 304 00:23:04,480 --> 00:23:07,240 I live for it. It's the reason I get up in the 305 00:23:07,240 --> 00:23:09,640 morning. It's the reasons you came in to 306 00:23:09,680 --> 00:23:13,120 open doors today. I know you thought it was air 307 00:23:13,120 --> 00:23:18,040 con in relief of the heat, but I promise you there is a fire in 308 00:23:18,040 --> 00:23:25,120 here that is greater than the heat outside and I pray this 309 00:23:25,120 --> 00:23:30,000 morning that it touches you, even if just a little bit sets 310 00:23:30,040 --> 00:23:35,520 you on fire. I can't sit still, I can't 311 00:23:35,640 --> 00:23:41,000 remain comfortable because there are Goliaths who are taunting, 312 00:23:42,080 --> 00:23:46,760 taunting the next generation, taunting our city, taunting your 313 00:23:46,760 --> 00:23:50,480 workmates, taunting the people in your schools. 314 00:23:52,240 --> 00:23:55,080 And all it takes is a young man who says, is there not a cause? 315 00:23:55,640 --> 00:23:59,600 Or a young woman, a man or a woman who says, is there not a 316 00:23:59,600 --> 00:24:02,360 cause? Do you know the same spirit that 317 00:24:02,360 --> 00:24:05,400 empowered David dwells in us, in the church today. 318 00:24:05,680 --> 00:24:09,120 He dwells in you. That is what His Word says. 319 00:24:09,680 --> 00:24:14,640 And these Goliaths only fall when God's people stop standing 320 00:24:14,640 --> 00:24:18,040 on the sidelines and they ask the same question asked. 321 00:24:18,560 --> 00:24:24,440 Is there not a 'cause this question by David was on a 322 00:24:24,440 --> 00:24:27,680 battlefield long before he ever became a king? 323 00:24:28,720 --> 00:24:31,800 This. This wasn't poetic, it wasn't 324 00:24:31,800 --> 00:24:34,000 reflective, and it wasn't gentle. 325 00:24:35,400 --> 00:24:38,560 This was confrontational. It's confrontational. 326 00:24:38,560 --> 00:24:41,320 If you go away after the service today and read through that 327 00:24:41,320 --> 00:24:44,400 chapter so that you get the fullness to what is happening in 328 00:24:44,400 --> 00:24:49,760 this book, you will see it as a confrontation to the people 329 00:24:49,760 --> 00:24:53,960 sitting around him. David doesn't just say it once. 330 00:24:54,120 --> 00:24:56,320 He leaves the conversation with his brother and he goes and 331 00:24:56,320 --> 00:24:59,080 continues to have the conversation with others in the 332 00:24:59,080 --> 00:25:01,760 camp. And I believe the Holy Spirit is 333 00:25:01,800 --> 00:25:05,760 asking the same question of us in this church today. 334 00:25:06,040 --> 00:25:09,720 Is there not a cause? Because God has placed us in 335 00:25:09,720 --> 00:25:13,960 this region not by accident, but for a reason, for a purpose. 336 00:25:14,120 --> 00:25:21,120 He has a plan and that plan, that purpose is to see spiritual 337 00:25:21,120 --> 00:25:25,040 and social transformation for this whole region. 338 00:25:25,560 --> 00:25:30,280 That it would be unrecognizable in the statistics when you do 339 00:25:30,280 --> 00:25:34,120 your senses that it will not have the same statistics. 340 00:25:34,520 --> 00:25:39,280 I am tired of watching and reading the same statistics. 341 00:25:39,760 --> 00:25:43,800 I am tired of watching some of the infrastructure in our area 342 00:25:43,880 --> 00:25:48,520 have to grow larger and larger and larger to support Goliaths. 343 00:25:51,920 --> 00:25:56,520 And so church, I ask you today, would you get ready to respond? 344 00:25:56,840 --> 00:26:01,400 Because we're going to respond because God is calling each and 345 00:26:01,400 --> 00:26:03,640 everyone of us to be part of this. 346 00:26:03,640 --> 00:26:05,600 Is there not a 'cause it's not a slogan. 347 00:26:06,160 --> 00:26:10,560 This is a mandate for you and I. It is our mission walking 348 00:26:10,560 --> 00:26:14,720 forward from today. And it is a cause worth living 349 00:26:14,720 --> 00:26:18,240 for. That is the the the title of my 350 00:26:18,240 --> 00:26:21,840 message this morning for those of you who love to take notes is 351 00:26:21,840 --> 00:26:26,280 skin in the game. This is our part to play in this 352 00:26:26,280 --> 00:26:29,560 'cause that God has for us at his skin in the game. 353 00:26:29,560 --> 00:26:33,600 Why does it require skin in the game from you and I? 354 00:26:33,960 --> 00:26:39,120 Number one, it's very simple. God never moves without 355 00:26:39,120 --> 00:26:44,720 partnership. He never moves without your eye. 356 00:26:45,720 --> 00:26:48,880 He moves with us. From the beginning, God has 357 00:26:48,880 --> 00:26:54,560 invited His people into mission. He could have saved Noah and his 358 00:26:54,560 --> 00:26:57,560 family, but he asked him to build an ark. 359 00:26:59,120 --> 00:27:02,600 He could have delivered Israel without Moses. 360 00:27:02,920 --> 00:27:06,120 Truthfully, he could have just smited it. 361 00:27:06,320 --> 00:27:09,280 Wait, right? But he didn't. 362 00:27:09,520 --> 00:27:11,840 He asked Moses to confront Pharaoh. 363 00:27:13,840 --> 00:27:18,480 Jesus could have fed 5000 people without anybody's help. 364 00:27:20,920 --> 00:27:24,240 But he asked the disciples, what do you have? 365 00:27:25,240 --> 00:27:28,360 What do you have, Dan? What do you have, Wayne? 366 00:27:28,360 --> 00:27:31,600 That's what he asked. Now I have a full confidence. 367 00:27:31,640 --> 00:27:33,720 I know how many people I can feed on my own. 368 00:27:34,560 --> 00:27:39,440 That's pretty good. But he didn't do it alone. 369 00:27:40,680 --> 00:27:44,120 He literally said to his disciples, what do you have? 370 00:27:46,400 --> 00:27:48,240 Elijah said to the woman with the jars. 371 00:27:48,960 --> 00:27:51,640 How many jars do you have? Now go and get them from others. 372 00:27:53,200 --> 00:27:55,840 He partners with us. Why? 373 00:27:56,440 --> 00:27:59,680 Because relationship always requires partnership. 374 00:28:01,000 --> 00:28:03,360 We use the church. We love God's promises. 375 00:28:03,360 --> 00:28:05,360 We love to stand on them, We love to clean them. 376 00:28:05,840 --> 00:28:12,480 But we often hesitate at God's processes, but the Kingdom of 377 00:28:12,480 --> 00:28:18,560 God advances through people who say God whatever you ask I'm in. 378 00:28:20,200 --> 00:28:23,080 I wonder if that could be the cry of your spirit even right 379 00:28:23,080 --> 00:28:25,200 now in this message. OK go on. 380 00:28:26,160 --> 00:28:33,280 I'm in and Church of our vision is truly to bring social and 381 00:28:33,280 --> 00:28:35,640 spiritual transformation to our city. 382 00:28:36,120 --> 00:28:42,440 It's not going to be fulfilled by good ideas, good ideals, or 383 00:28:42,440 --> 00:28:48,880 good intentions. It's also not going to be 384 00:28:49,160 --> 00:28:53,200 completed by gathering in this beautiful place and sitting. 385 00:28:54,280 --> 00:28:58,440 It's going to require an active and alive a serving, 386 00:28:59,400 --> 00:29:05,120 participating with God group of people who decide this is the 387 00:29:05,120 --> 00:29:07,600 cause. And He's called me to it. 388 00:29:08,480 --> 00:29:12,040 It will be fulfilled by people who carry the weight, who show 389 00:29:12,040 --> 00:29:18,000 up, who serve, who sacrifice, who say God, you can use me. 390 00:29:18,360 --> 00:29:23,080 That's skin in the game. And if God always invites us 391 00:29:23,080 --> 00:29:29,440 into partnership, then what he, what does he have if that's what 392 00:29:29,440 --> 00:29:33,680 he always does first? Why does He do this before he 393 00:29:33,680 --> 00:29:38,400 sends us? What does he do before he sends 394 00:29:38,400 --> 00:29:41,080 us? Has anybody figured it out? 395 00:29:42,120 --> 00:29:45,360 Who's done anything at all significant for the Lord? 396 00:29:45,360 --> 00:29:50,440 Who has witnessed to somebody and seen them come to Christ? 397 00:29:52,160 --> 00:29:55,720 Incredible. Who has had the opportunity to 398 00:29:55,720 --> 00:29:59,600 lay hands on somebody and see them recover from sickness? 399 00:30:00,120 --> 00:30:06,040 Come on, these things that we do when God partners with us 400 00:30:06,440 --> 00:30:09,400 require something to happen first. 401 00:30:10,040 --> 00:30:13,120 Say first, God is a God of order. 402 00:30:13,120 --> 00:30:16,240 He's not a God of chaos. I promise you that. 403 00:30:17,360 --> 00:30:19,840 When we say we just want to invite the Holy Spirit to come 404 00:30:19,840 --> 00:30:21,840 and do exactly what He's going to do, I promise you He's going 405 00:30:21,840 --> 00:30:24,320 to do exactly what He wants to do because he's not me. 406 00:30:27,920 --> 00:30:30,200 If we really want the Holy Spirit to come and do exactly 407 00:30:30,200 --> 00:30:32,800 what He wants to do, it starts at a place. 408 00:30:33,280 --> 00:30:34,880 It starts at a place of consecration. 409 00:30:37,400 --> 00:30:43,200 And so if God always invites us into partnership, then what He 410 00:30:43,200 --> 00:30:51,960 does before he sends us, before advancement, before we take 411 00:30:51,960 --> 00:30:55,920 ground, before there is a breakthrough, He brings each and 412 00:30:55,920 --> 00:30:59,560 every one of us to a place of consecration. 413 00:31:01,520 --> 00:31:04,680 And I want to talk about this a little bit this morning because 414 00:31:04,680 --> 00:31:09,400 if we are truly going to have an impact in our region, and if 415 00:31:09,400 --> 00:31:13,720 we're going to grab a hold of the cause, don't be surprised if 416 00:31:13,720 --> 00:31:20,120 God calls you first to consecrate your life to Him, not 417 00:31:20,120 --> 00:31:23,520 just in salvation, but a laying down of everything. 418 00:31:24,360 --> 00:31:27,000 Because before advancement comes consecration. 419 00:31:27,880 --> 00:31:29,920 I want to talk a minute, just for a minute, about one of the 420 00:31:29,920 --> 00:31:32,840 strongest partnership moments in Scripture. 421 00:31:32,840 --> 00:31:38,840 It's in Joshua 5. It's quite a wild story, right? 422 00:31:38,960 --> 00:31:43,440 Joshua and the Israelite camp have travelled their distance, 423 00:31:43,440 --> 00:31:47,720 their 40 years in the in the desert, and they have finally 424 00:31:47,720 --> 00:31:51,240 crossed and they are standing in the promised land. 425 00:31:51,240 --> 00:31:58,040 But before them stands Jericho, a fortified city, another 426 00:31:58,040 --> 00:32:02,480 external expression of Goliath. All right. 427 00:32:03,440 --> 00:32:07,720 And they're standing right here in Joshua 5, right? 428 00:32:08,400 --> 00:32:10,760 Israel's crossed the door, and they're standing in their 429 00:32:10,760 --> 00:32:14,880 promise, but they don't have full access to it. 430 00:32:15,760 --> 00:32:18,480 There is a fortified giant in front of them. 431 00:32:18,560 --> 00:32:22,600 Jericho is ahead. Victory is close, And God says 432 00:32:22,600 --> 00:32:26,640 something completely unexpected to Joshua. 433 00:32:27,200 --> 00:32:33,680 You ready? It's not charge and it happens 434 00:32:33,800 --> 00:32:36,240 before. Walk around the city and I'll 435 00:32:36,240 --> 00:32:40,960 cause it to fall. A faith journey, he says. 436 00:32:43,520 --> 00:32:45,840 It's a skin in the game moment. You ready? 437 00:32:45,840 --> 00:32:48,240 He says. Circumcise the men again. 438 00:32:52,880 --> 00:32:58,600 I'm not trying to be crass. I promise you there is something 439 00:32:58,600 --> 00:33:00,360 significant to be found here for you and I. 440 00:33:00,360 --> 00:33:04,160 This is, it's not just the weird gore and the stuff in the Bible 441 00:33:04,160 --> 00:33:05,880 that we go, oh, that's not for me. 442 00:33:06,440 --> 00:33:09,440 Everything is there for a reason and it teaches you and I 443 00:33:09,440 --> 00:33:11,800 something. He says. 444 00:33:11,800 --> 00:33:14,520 God says to Joshua, circumcise the men again. 445 00:33:15,400 --> 00:33:20,120 They are standing in front of a fortified city that literally is 446 00:33:20,120 --> 00:33:23,080 a threat to the nation. God says, circumcise the men 447 00:33:23,080 --> 00:33:24,800 again. This was painful. 448 00:33:25,040 --> 00:33:27,680 This was vulnerable and it was costly. 449 00:33:31,440 --> 00:33:34,160 Now this had been done. The reason why it says again, 450 00:33:34,160 --> 00:33:38,000 this had been done many, many years before. 451 00:33:38,360 --> 00:33:41,720 This command was given to Moses in the desert and the men who 452 00:33:41,720 --> 00:33:44,240 had left Egypt. This had taken place. 453 00:33:44,480 --> 00:33:49,680 But for those who had been born along the way, those who had 454 00:33:50,080 --> 00:33:54,480 come upon come into the journey and had learnt from the men 455 00:33:54,480 --> 00:33:57,320 before them, this had not been done. 456 00:33:58,160 --> 00:34:02,320 And so God asked for consecration to deal with what 457 00:34:02,320 --> 00:34:07,080 had come before, before He advanced them forward. 458 00:34:07,800 --> 00:34:13,040 Some of you today are wondering why that door is not swung wide 459 00:34:13,120 --> 00:34:16,760 open before you and ground has not been able to put been 460 00:34:16,760 --> 00:34:18,719 possessed. But He's been calling you to 461 00:34:18,719 --> 00:34:22,440 consecration. First, allow me to deal with 462 00:34:22,440 --> 00:34:26,440 what has come before. I know that you love me, and I 463 00:34:26,440 --> 00:34:29,080 know that you've accepted me, and I know that I am your Lord 464 00:34:29,080 --> 00:34:32,440 and Savior, but I actually want to do in you a work that will 465 00:34:32,440 --> 00:34:37,080 deal with you, deal in you what has come before, so that when 466 00:34:37,080 --> 00:34:40,719 you take on the promises, you don't take the old man with you. 467 00:34:42,000 --> 00:34:45,040 And so he brings us to this place of consecration. 468 00:34:46,120 --> 00:34:49,320 This particular thing would have put them at great risk, for they 469 00:34:49,320 --> 00:34:52,840 could not fight or defend themselves for a series of time. 470 00:34:53,159 --> 00:34:57,880 It's a vulnerable place, and yet it is a journey God takes each 471 00:34:57,880 --> 00:35:02,920 and every one of us on if we're going to possess what He wants 472 00:35:02,920 --> 00:35:07,320 for us in the future, if we're going to take that ground, why 473 00:35:07,320 --> 00:35:09,480 would God do that? Why? 474 00:35:09,480 --> 00:35:13,920 Because God refuses to advance a people who are not consecrated 475 00:35:13,920 --> 00:35:18,120 to Him. He didn't want warriors with 476 00:35:18,120 --> 00:35:21,320 swords in that moment. He wanted followers with 477 00:35:21,320 --> 00:35:27,920 surrender. Circumcision in Scripture is so 478 00:35:27,920 --> 00:35:34,360 significant for you and I today. Circumcision in Scripture is so 479 00:35:34,360 --> 00:35:37,160 significant because it actually represents covenant. 480 00:35:38,840 --> 00:35:44,320 It is a marking, a setting apart and a declaration that I fully 481 00:35:44,600 --> 00:35:49,320 belong to the Lord. We fully belong to the Lord in 482 00:35:49,320 --> 00:35:51,560 this passage. That's exactly what these men 483 00:35:51,560 --> 00:35:55,560 were declaring. We fully belong to the Lord. 484 00:35:57,560 --> 00:36:04,920 No covenant, no conquest, no consecration, no Jericho, no 485 00:36:04,920 --> 00:36:07,640 skin in the game, no promised Land. 486 00:36:08,480 --> 00:36:12,960 It's significant. God calls each and every one of 487 00:36:12,960 --> 00:36:18,840 us into this consecration time, this consecrated space, this 488 00:36:18,840 --> 00:36:25,920 consecrated attitude in covenant with Him so that we are poised 489 00:36:25,960 --> 00:36:29,440 and ready to possess all that He has for US. 490 00:36:29,720 --> 00:36:31,360 Church. If we want to see spiritual and 491 00:36:31,360 --> 00:36:35,640 social transformation in our city, if we want to see soul 492 00:36:35,640 --> 00:36:40,880 saved, families restored and together, if we want to see 493 00:36:40,880 --> 00:36:45,800 young people disciple, addiction broken, and the name of Jesus 494 00:36:45,800 --> 00:36:50,280 Christ lifted up in this city all over this region, then it 495 00:36:50,280 --> 00:36:53,480 starts with us and it starts in a place of consecration. 496 00:36:53,920 --> 00:36:58,000 And God is asking us today, will you be consecrated? 497 00:36:58,960 --> 00:37:03,560 Will you be marked by me? Will you let me prepare you 498 00:37:04,040 --> 00:37:11,280 before I send you? If consecration comes before 499 00:37:11,280 --> 00:37:17,280 conquest, then what does ownership look like for us 500 00:37:17,280 --> 00:37:20,560 facing a giant or a fortified city in front of us? 501 00:37:23,880 --> 00:37:26,800 David exhibited this in the passage where he says, is this 502 00:37:26,800 --> 00:37:30,880 not a cause? David owned the situation and he 503 00:37:30,880 --> 00:37:34,520 made it his own. He made it his responsibility. 504 00:37:35,760 --> 00:37:39,320 I believe for the last number of years, God has been calling men 505 00:37:39,320 --> 00:37:44,720 and women all over this house and in this region and been 506 00:37:44,760 --> 00:37:49,240 asking them to take responsibility for this region. 507 00:37:50,760 --> 00:37:53,680 And it's not just leaders and it's not just people in ministry 508 00:37:53,680 --> 00:37:56,120 right now. I honestly believe that that 509 00:37:56,120 --> 00:37:59,800 call has been going out by the Holy Spirit for about 5 years 510 00:37:59,800 --> 00:38:03,120 now and that seeds have been planting and been planted in 511 00:38:03,120 --> 00:38:06,000 people's spirit. And he's been fanning that flame 512 00:38:06,000 --> 00:38:08,720 and saying, come on, come on, I'm inviting you to partner with 513 00:38:08,720 --> 00:38:10,040 this. You're going to see something so 514 00:38:10,040 --> 00:38:13,040 extraordinary in your lifetime. But would you come be 515 00:38:13,040 --> 00:38:19,520 consecrated before me and then take responsibility for what 516 00:38:19,520 --> 00:38:22,840 I've entrusted you with? Don't sit on your hands any 517 00:38:22,840 --> 00:38:26,640 longer, but rise up and take responsibility. 518 00:38:26,640 --> 00:38:31,600 Because the difference in David's statement compared to 519 00:38:31,600 --> 00:38:33,160 the rest of the camp was ownership. 520 00:38:34,960 --> 00:38:37,120 When David arrived at the battlefield, he saw the same 521 00:38:37,120 --> 00:38:41,280 giant that Israel saw, but he had something different than 522 00:38:41,280 --> 00:38:43,520 what they had. He had ownership. 523 00:38:44,720 --> 00:38:49,000 Israel said someone else should deal with this, soul should deal 524 00:38:49,000 --> 00:38:52,160 with this. David said this is my battle and 525 00:38:52,160 --> 00:38:56,280 there is a cause. Israel saw danger, David saw 526 00:38:56,280 --> 00:38:59,920 responsibility. Israel said it's not my problem, 527 00:39:00,600 --> 00:39:03,760 it's not my season, I'm not equipped. 528 00:39:04,320 --> 00:39:07,680 The leaders should handle it, the next generation should 529 00:39:07,680 --> 00:39:10,320 handle it. And David says this. 530 00:39:10,920 --> 00:39:16,360 Who was this uncircumcised Philistine who defies the armies 531 00:39:16,400 --> 00:39:25,440 of the living God? He speaks out who ultimately he 532 00:39:25,440 --> 00:39:30,720 stands with, Who is partnered with him, who he is consecrated 533 00:39:30,720 --> 00:39:34,080 to? Who's this uncircumcised 534 00:39:34,080 --> 00:39:36,960 Philistine? Who is this Goliath that taunts? 535 00:39:39,240 --> 00:39:44,280 I am in covenant with the Lord. I am in partnership with the 536 00:39:44,280 --> 00:39:51,440 Lord and he will go with me. David invoked covenant, the mark 537 00:39:51,440 --> 00:39:54,560 of ownership. He understood God is with me, so 538 00:39:54,560 --> 00:39:58,560 I'm stepping in. And so David when moved. 539 00:39:58,880 --> 00:40:00,760 So when David moved, heaven moved. 540 00:40:01,080 --> 00:40:05,360 When David stepped forward, God stepped in in the most unlikely 541 00:40:05,360 --> 00:40:08,640 ways, but that's exactly how God does it so that he gets the 542 00:40:08,640 --> 00:40:11,880 glory church. The difference between passive 543 00:40:11,880 --> 00:40:14,760 Christianity. And a transformer. 544 00:40:14,960 --> 00:40:19,600 Transformer can't even say it. Transformational Christianity is 545 00:40:19,600 --> 00:40:22,920 very, very simple. It's ownership. 546 00:40:24,960 --> 00:40:27,000 We say, I will take responsibility. 547 00:40:29,520 --> 00:40:33,720 When we, the church, carry ownership, revival can break 548 00:40:33,720 --> 00:40:36,800 out. When we, the church, carry 549 00:40:36,800 --> 00:40:39,800 ownership, this city gets transformed. 550 00:40:40,600 --> 00:40:45,360 When we, the church, carry ownership, giants in this region 551 00:40:45,360 --> 00:40:48,360 get slain. Come on, church. 552 00:40:48,560 --> 00:40:53,760 When we, the church, carry ownership, the enemy is defeated 553 00:40:53,760 --> 00:40:58,640 here. This is why our vision cannot be 554 00:40:58,640 --> 00:41:02,800 something that we admire. It must be something that we 555 00:41:02,800 --> 00:41:08,960 carry. We exist to bring spiritual and 556 00:41:08,960 --> 00:41:12,120 social transformation to the city. 557 00:41:12,120 --> 00:41:14,920 I wonder if you would say it with me this this morning. 558 00:41:14,960 --> 00:41:24,800 I exist to bring spiritual and social transformation to the 559 00:41:24,800 --> 00:41:28,960 city. Let's say it again, I exist to 560 00:41:28,960 --> 00:41:35,920 bring spiritual and social transformation to the city. 561 00:41:36,520 --> 00:41:40,080 If you are taking responsibility and have ownership for this, 562 00:41:40,080 --> 00:41:42,800 this morning, I wonder if you would stand to your feet in this 563 00:41:42,800 --> 00:41:50,000 moment and say with me, I exist to bring spiritual and social 564 00:41:51,560 --> 00:41:57,120 transformation to this city because church, it requires a 565 00:41:57,120 --> 00:42:04,360 response. It requires a response from you 566 00:42:04,360 --> 00:42:09,000 and I. It requires a movement, an army 567 00:42:09,000 --> 00:42:15,520 of people that exist to bring. That means to serve, that means 568 00:42:15,520 --> 00:42:18,760 to be involved in. That means not to sit around and 569 00:42:18,760 --> 00:42:25,480 talk about, but engage in and say where do you need me? 570 00:42:26,760 --> 00:42:29,640 What do you want of me, Lord? How can I help? 571 00:42:30,680 --> 00:42:36,040 Here I am, Lord. Send me in this moment right 572 00:42:36,040 --> 00:42:38,280 now. I believe it elicits a response. 573 00:42:39,960 --> 00:42:45,440 Not just the standing 2 feet, but before God sends us, before 574 00:42:45,440 --> 00:42:48,120 there is ground taken, there is a moment of consecration. 575 00:42:50,240 --> 00:42:52,560 And so in this beautiful atmosphere and presence of the 576 00:42:52,560 --> 00:42:59,800 Holy Spirit, I wonder if if you truly are saying this morning, I 577 00:42:59,800 --> 00:43:02,360 exist. This is my purpose. 578 00:43:02,360 --> 00:43:06,000 This is why God has got me here for such a time as this. 579 00:43:07,040 --> 00:43:12,720 I will not stand by or sit by and watch my region be torunted 580 00:43:12,720 --> 00:43:19,480 by Goliath anymore. I exist to partner with the Lord 581 00:43:20,160 --> 00:43:25,360 and just marvel at what He does when in a place of consecration. 582 00:43:25,840 --> 00:43:30,080 I give my life to Him wholeheartedly, fully 583 00:43:30,320 --> 00:43:34,320 sacrificially and say here I am. Use me. 584 00:43:34,920 --> 00:43:38,520 I'm not going to leave this earth and have not partnered 585 00:43:38,520 --> 00:43:43,360 with you and seen transformation all over the city, if that is.