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 that it helps you have more of a God 5 00:00:13,560 --> 00:00:15,880 perspective for your day. Enjoy. 6 00:00:19,280 --> 00:00:21,040 Could you declare out loud today? 7 00:00:21,040 --> 00:00:27,520 My heart is open. My ears are alert to grow and 8 00:00:27,520 --> 00:00:33,640 change and never be the same. Who wants to never be the same? 9 00:00:34,360 --> 00:00:36,680 Yeah. That means you're open for God 10 00:00:36,680 --> 00:00:40,600 to do something in your life. You know, in my life, I realize 11 00:00:40,760 --> 00:00:43,080 I look like I have it all together. 12 00:00:43,560 --> 00:00:47,480 And I I look like the best husband and father that the 13 00:00:47,480 --> 00:00:51,280 world has ever seen. But the more I live, the more I 14 00:00:51,280 --> 00:00:55,480 realize I need to change. I need to grow, and I need the 15 00:00:55,480 --> 00:00:57,360 one who can do that, to do that in my life. 16 00:00:57,400 --> 00:01:00,960 Amen. And learning, unlearning, 17 00:01:01,200 --> 00:01:04,200 relearning, that's the way we do the Christian life. 18 00:01:04,400 --> 00:01:05,920 Why don't we take a seat this morning? 19 00:01:07,280 --> 00:01:11,880 It's so good. I just want to thank everyone 20 00:01:11,880 --> 00:01:15,800 for their generosity with faith, love, hope, and thank you for 21 00:01:15,800 --> 00:01:19,760 your vulnerability to put your praise and your prayer up on the 22 00:01:19,760 --> 00:01:22,480 cross. And we'll continue to believe 23 00:01:22,480 --> 00:01:24,960 for miracles in your life throughout the year. 24 00:01:26,160 --> 00:01:31,920 Today, I want to just talk about David and Goliath for just a 25 00:01:31,920 --> 00:01:34,720 moment. And it's a classic biblical 26 00:01:34,720 --> 00:01:38,520 story about David and Goliath. And we, probably all of us have 27 00:01:38,520 --> 00:01:40,840 heard of it in one way or another. 28 00:01:41,320 --> 00:01:45,840 And in the Holy Bible, Goliath, the Philistine was against 29 00:01:45,840 --> 00:01:50,760 Israel and the Israelite army. David, we know him as King 30 00:01:50,760 --> 00:01:54,080 David, but at that point in history, he was around 12 years 31 00:01:54,080 --> 00:01:59,360 old of age and he was bringing food out for his brother out on 32 00:01:59,360 --> 00:02:03,040 the army front lines. And basically you have Israel 33 00:02:03,040 --> 00:02:07,320 out fighting the Philistines. And they, the Philistines had 34 00:02:07,320 --> 00:02:10,800 giants and, and Goliath was one of these. 35 00:02:10,800 --> 00:02:14,000 And Goliath would come out and mock the Philistines and mock 36 00:02:14,000 --> 00:02:17,640 the sorry, mock the Israelites and mock the God of the 37 00:02:17,640 --> 00:02:21,280 Israelites. And because of the giants, the 38 00:02:21,280 --> 00:02:23,720 Israelites were looking with these eyes. 39 00:02:23,880 --> 00:02:26,240 But who knows that we don't live by these eyes. 40 00:02:26,240 --> 00:02:31,560 We live with the eyes of faith. And and so David was a shepherd 41 00:02:31,560 --> 00:02:35,720 out in the field and he really wanted to be out in the battle 42 00:02:35,720 --> 00:02:39,480 with his brothers, but his dad wouldn't allow this to happen. 43 00:02:39,840 --> 00:02:44,240 And after a lot of persuasion and and pestering dad and coming 44 00:02:44,240 --> 00:02:47,800 in from the field looking after the sheep everyday he wanted he 45 00:02:47,800 --> 00:02:50,480 just kept asking can I go out with my brothers and fight this 46 00:02:50,480 --> 00:02:53,120 battle? Now there's a reason why David 47 00:02:53,120 --> 00:02:56,960 wanted to do this. It wasn't just a a young punk 12 48 00:02:56,960 --> 00:03:00,000 year old who knew nothing about life wanting to go out with his 49 00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:03,760 Big Brothers. David was fierce for the things 50 00:03:03,760 --> 00:03:06,880 of God. And David had a fire and a 51 00:03:06,880 --> 00:03:12,840 hunger for his God to never be mocked or never be put to shame, 52 00:03:13,080 --> 00:03:16,840 and for the world to see the might, the power, and the love, 53 00:03:16,840 --> 00:03:22,440 enduring love of his God. And even as a 12 year old, David 54 00:03:22,440 --> 00:03:27,920 just had such a raw, living fire inside of him that he wanted to 55 00:03:27,920 --> 00:03:32,120 go out to battle against the ones that were trying to oppress 56 00:03:32,120 --> 00:03:35,400 the Israelites. And so he asked his dad all the 57 00:03:35,400 --> 00:03:38,160 time. And finally his dad gave in and 58 00:03:38,320 --> 00:03:41,920 said, well, why don't you take lunch out to your brothers on 59 00:03:41,920 --> 00:03:43,840 the battlefield? Now, I think that this is 60 00:03:43,840 --> 00:03:47,120 embarrassing, not for David, but for the brothers. 61 00:03:47,400 --> 00:03:50,840 I mean, who's a soldier equipped with swords and Shields, and 62 00:03:50,840 --> 00:03:53,600 their little squeezely brother comes out. 63 00:03:53,880 --> 00:03:56,720 Oh, here you go. Dad gave you some sandwiches, 64 00:03:57,120 --> 00:03:59,600 and you got to eat the sandwiches in front of the whole 65 00:03:59,600 --> 00:04:03,440 army while they're just pulling heads off deer and eating raw 66 00:04:03,440 --> 00:04:06,720 meat. You know, maybe I don't think 67 00:04:06,720 --> 00:04:09,320 that worked because you weren't meant to eat blood. 68 00:04:09,560 --> 00:04:13,600 But anyway. So it's an interesting, 69 00:04:13,600 --> 00:04:19,360 interesting moment in the Bible. And David heard while he was out 70 00:04:19,360 --> 00:04:23,760 there that the king was offering a reward for whoever would take 71 00:04:23,760 --> 00:04:27,920 this giant. But if you've ever seen the the 72 00:04:27,920 --> 00:04:33,000 cartoons about, you know, David and Goliath, what you realize is 73 00:04:33,000 --> 00:04:36,800 that David was there hearing about this reward, but he turns 74 00:04:36,800 --> 00:04:40,680 around to the army, and they're acting like kids. 75 00:04:41,440 --> 00:04:45,320 They're too scared to go up against the giant. 76 00:04:45,680 --> 00:04:49,960 And often we can feel like this as well because we look with our 77 00:04:49,960 --> 00:04:54,560 natural eyes and we forget who's fighting with us. 78 00:04:55,040 --> 00:04:58,320 We forget who's in this battle for us. 79 00:04:58,560 --> 00:05:04,400 We forget whose strength we walk with and what we walk with into 80 00:05:04,560 --> 00:05:07,600 our battles. And so David turned around and 81 00:05:07,600 --> 00:05:12,240 he saw the army whimpering at the giants. 82 00:05:12,280 --> 00:05:15,200 And David was like, what's with everyone here? 83 00:05:15,440 --> 00:05:18,680 And so he rose up and we're going to pick up the story in 84 00:05:18,880 --> 00:05:24,240 First Samuel 1728 to 29. And it says this in your, your 85 00:05:24,240 --> 00:05:27,640 Bible. It says now Ilyab, his oldest 86 00:05:27,640 --> 00:05:30,840 brother, heard when he spoke to the man. 87 00:05:31,160 --> 00:05:35,360 And Ilyab's anger was aroused against David because David was 88 00:05:35,360 --> 00:05:37,800 talking with all the sides. Hey, hey, how you going? 89 00:05:37,800 --> 00:05:41,520 Why aren't you fighting? And so they were aroused against 90 00:05:41,520 --> 00:05:45,000 David. And he said, why did you come 91 00:05:45,000 --> 00:05:48,240 down here? Basically, he's mocking his 92 00:05:48,240 --> 00:05:51,880 little brother. And with whom have you left 93 00:05:51,880 --> 00:05:54,440 those few sheep in the wilderness? 94 00:05:54,880 --> 00:05:57,240 He's trying to degrade his little brother. 95 00:05:59,600 --> 00:06:04,800 I know your pride and your insolence of your heart, for you 96 00:06:04,800 --> 00:06:06,760 have come down to see the battle. 97 00:06:06,760 --> 00:06:09,720 And David said, what have I done now? 98 00:06:11,040 --> 00:06:15,120 Is there not a cause? In other words, David's saying 99 00:06:15,120 --> 00:06:19,840 to his his older brother, You always treat me like this, but 100 00:06:19,840 --> 00:06:24,800 can you not see the greatest 'cause that you are part of you? 101 00:06:24,840 --> 00:06:29,360 You look at me like your little brother, but I look at you as a 102 00:06:29,600 --> 00:06:33,240 a brother who should be under the lordship of our king. 103 00:06:33,680 --> 00:06:36,600 Have his boldness upon your shoulders. 104 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:40,480 You know, what have I done now? Typical brothers, right? 105 00:06:40,480 --> 00:06:45,240 So the the Holy Bible teaches us that David had fire in his heart 106 00:06:45,280 --> 00:06:50,160 and zeal for his God. David was resolute that no one 107 00:06:50,160 --> 00:06:54,800 can stand against God and his God's purposes. 108 00:06:55,160 --> 00:06:59,920 David had determined in his heart beforehand that nothing 109 00:07:00,160 --> 00:07:06,320 will stand between him and God, that nothing will stand between 110 00:07:06,320 --> 00:07:11,120 him and God's purposes, that nothing will stand between him 111 00:07:11,320 --> 00:07:15,640 and God's calling, and that nothing would stand between him 112 00:07:15,880 --> 00:07:19,200 and God's great cause on planet earth. 113 00:07:19,200 --> 00:07:21,680 Who's like this today in the House of God? 114 00:07:21,960 --> 00:07:26,160 Nothing will stand against you, between you and the call that 115 00:07:26,160 --> 00:07:31,520 God has for you. David had determined this inside 116 00:07:31,520 --> 00:07:34,080 of him beforehand. Which leads me to the title. 117 00:07:34,480 --> 00:07:38,360 I have determined. Can you say out loud, church, I 118 00:07:38,360 --> 00:07:43,680 have determined. I wonder if you have determined 119 00:07:43,680 --> 00:07:47,080 things. You know the greatest way you 120 00:07:47,080 --> 00:07:54,120 overcome addictions in your life is to predetermine the the 121 00:07:54,360 --> 00:08:00,240 greatest way to overcome fear in your life is to predetermine 122 00:08:00,920 --> 00:08:03,240 anger in your life is to pre Why? 123 00:08:03,240 --> 00:08:04,360 How do you do this? What is it? 124 00:08:04,360 --> 00:08:07,600 What am I talking about? So if you're struggling with 125 00:08:07,600 --> 00:08:14,080 lust, you predetermined that next time I get this thought, I 126 00:08:14,080 --> 00:08:17,120 will take it captive before it becomes a feeling. 127 00:08:18,360 --> 00:08:22,120 And because you predetermined, you now know what to do when the 128 00:08:22,120 --> 00:08:24,760 enemy brings the thought. Because he can. 129 00:08:25,000 --> 00:08:27,080 He's allowed to do that. You might say, well, I'm a 130 00:08:27,080 --> 00:08:29,080 Christian, you know, isn't this method? 131 00:08:29,080 --> 00:08:31,840 No, no, no, no. It's the mind is these 132 00:08:31,840 --> 00:08:34,679 battlefields. That's how he tries to overcome 133 00:08:34,679 --> 00:08:37,600 you and I. But because we have the wisdom 134 00:08:38,039 --> 00:08:42,120 and the discernment of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we have the 135 00:08:42,120 --> 00:08:46,400 power to predetermine what the outcome will be. 136 00:08:46,840 --> 00:08:50,840 And we do that by predetermining what your response will be. 137 00:08:51,120 --> 00:08:53,080 Anger. If you struggle with anger in 138 00:08:53,080 --> 00:08:57,080 your life, you predetermine what you're going to do when that 139 00:08:57,080 --> 00:09:00,880 emotion begins to rise up. It might be something like 140 00:09:00,880 --> 00:09:04,480 sitting down in psychology. You have a rubber band around 141 00:09:04,480 --> 00:09:06,920 you and you pull it as hard as you can and you flick it. 142 00:09:07,320 --> 00:09:11,840 And it's like to remind you is to jut you back into reason. 143 00:09:12,200 --> 00:09:18,000 And so to predetermine is to plan your life or to create 144 00:09:18,040 --> 00:09:21,760 strategy in order to be a victor. 145 00:09:22,280 --> 00:09:24,640 Is this good? Nothing to do with my message, 146 00:09:24,640 --> 00:09:26,360 but I know this is helping you this morning. 147 00:09:27,480 --> 00:09:32,920 And so when we predetermine things in our life, I look at 148 00:09:32,920 --> 00:09:37,040 that person and say to myself, that's a person on their way to 149 00:09:37,040 --> 00:09:40,360 success. That's a person who's going to 150 00:09:40,360 --> 00:09:44,400 conquer the issues that they're facing that will not be in 20 151 00:09:44,400 --> 00:09:48,880 years time, still looking at the same issues in their life 152 00:09:49,080 --> 00:09:53,320 because they acknowledge they bring it before God in prayer 153 00:09:53,640 --> 00:09:56,160 and they say, Holy Spirit, would you help me? 154 00:09:56,320 --> 00:10:00,000 And he says, great, I'll give you some ideas to predetermine 155 00:10:00,240 --> 00:10:03,440 so that when the enemy brings that back up, you know how to 156 00:10:03,440 --> 00:10:05,760 fight. We don't fight against flesh and 157 00:10:05,760 --> 00:10:08,280 blood, but against principalities and powers. 158 00:10:08,480 --> 00:10:12,080 In other the words, we need the Holy Spirit proactive in our 159 00:10:12,080 --> 00:10:16,600 world, which means we need to be spending time in silence with 160 00:10:16,600 --> 00:10:20,920 Him, waiting upon the Lord, and so that we can hear His prompt 161 00:10:20,920 --> 00:10:24,440 things and leadership so that when these things in our life 162 00:10:24,440 --> 00:10:26,920 arise, we know what to do as a response. 163 00:10:26,920 --> 00:10:30,720 Does that make sense in in opposition to that? 164 00:10:30,720 --> 00:10:35,040 The way we often live is the thing comes up and then we try 165 00:10:35,040 --> 00:10:37,520 to think about your response, but it's too late. 166 00:10:37,760 --> 00:10:41,920 The bodies reacted, the feelings and the emotions of engaged and 167 00:10:41,920 --> 00:10:45,280 you are now in a moment of a lack of self-control. 168 00:10:45,480 --> 00:10:49,120 Does that make sense? So we predetermined David had 169 00:10:49,360 --> 00:10:56,520 this down in spades in his life. You know what gave David the 170 00:10:56,520 --> 00:11:01,600 confidence to even stand before a giant when all the trained 171 00:11:01,600 --> 00:11:04,200 soldiers didn't have the same confidence? 172 00:11:05,840 --> 00:11:09,920 What gave him the confidence was his pre training. 173 00:11:11,640 --> 00:11:17,040 And as we know the story, David already fought a lion and 174 00:11:17,040 --> 00:11:20,160 conquered and fought a bear and conquered. 175 00:11:20,160 --> 00:11:23,960 But what didn't happen, he wasn't just walking around 176 00:11:24,160 --> 00:11:28,240 worrying and whinging about being a, a shepherd and going, 177 00:11:28,680 --> 00:11:31,600 you know, every single day everyone's out doing this. 178 00:11:31,600 --> 00:11:34,760 You know the heck, I'm so and so's got a motorbike and so and 179 00:11:34,760 --> 00:11:39,520 so owns a car and, and so and so has this hobby and and so and so 180 00:11:39,520 --> 00:11:42,880 has the better house than me. And so and so's got like the 181 00:11:42,880 --> 00:11:46,160 better girlfriend or the better boyfriend, or they might not 182 00:11:46,160 --> 00:11:48,680 have one, but every girl and every boy wants to be their 183 00:11:48,680 --> 00:11:51,680 boyfriend or girlfriend. You know, so and so seems to 184 00:11:51,680 --> 00:11:54,800 always, Ebony always has new clothes when she's on the 185 00:11:54,800 --> 00:11:59,040 platform. And David, David wasn't out in 186 00:11:59,040 --> 00:12:05,680 the field and, and looking at life and seeing all the, the, 187 00:12:05,760 --> 00:12:11,000 the detriment or seeing all the issues or what he was seeing is 188 00:12:11,000 --> 00:12:14,360 God, if you've got me here, you've got me here for purpose. 189 00:12:15,000 --> 00:12:20,080 And he realizes that even along a a young boy and so out in the 190 00:12:20,080 --> 00:12:25,720 fields, he would worship, he would praise, He knew his 191 00:12:25,720 --> 00:12:30,640 spiritual weapons, He would worship praise. 192 00:12:30,840 --> 00:12:33,960 He would pray. He would use the time like we 193 00:12:33,960 --> 00:12:38,000 would dream to have time to, to be able to pray like he did, you 194 00:12:38,000 --> 00:12:40,840 know, to have that that level of time in our lives. 195 00:12:41,360 --> 00:12:45,520 He would do these things, and because his heart was so set 196 00:12:45,520 --> 00:12:49,440 before the Lord, the Lord had him already. 197 00:12:49,680 --> 00:12:52,880 Because he was in times of waiting, he could hear the the 198 00:12:52,880 --> 00:12:56,520 voice of the Holy Spirit. His world wasn't so loud. 199 00:12:56,720 --> 00:13:01,200 His focus was so determined upon the Lord that the Lord was 200 00:13:01,240 --> 00:13:06,040 easily able to train him in a rock and a little piece of 201 00:13:06,040 --> 00:13:14,720 leather against a boring tree or a boring Bush or trying to hit. 202 00:13:15,000 --> 00:13:17,080 You know, I remember when I was young, you can't do this. 203 00:13:17,080 --> 00:13:19,000 So, so please don't try this at home. 204 00:13:19,000 --> 00:13:22,320 But we had an air rifle. Does anyone remember having air 205 00:13:22,320 --> 00:13:23,800 rifles? Yep. 206 00:13:23,880 --> 00:13:27,440 And I used to sit in the back patio shooting flies. 207 00:13:29,560 --> 00:13:34,000 And I think now I reflect now and I realize I'm a lot like 208 00:13:34,000 --> 00:13:39,520 King David. I can see it so clear. 209 00:13:40,560 --> 00:13:46,960 Yep, still there. And David was practicing on 210 00:13:47,080 --> 00:13:51,000 flies. He was practicing on hitting, 211 00:13:52,080 --> 00:13:57,120 you know, leaves and trees from and then practicing on how far 212 00:13:57,120 --> 00:13:59,880 could he hit the same thing and distance. 213 00:13:59,880 --> 00:14:03,000 And then if I was really close, what's the effects? 214 00:14:03,360 --> 00:14:09,360 David, God trained him out in the wilderness for the moment in 215 00:14:09,360 --> 00:14:14,920 history that would be written down of victory that would lead 216 00:14:14,920 --> 00:14:20,040 a whole nation into victory towards the King of Kings and 217 00:14:20,040 --> 00:14:23,160 the Lord of Lords. Isn't it amazing that your 218 00:14:23,160 --> 00:14:29,400 desert season is what's called to set you up for one of the 219 00:14:29,400 --> 00:14:33,200 greatest recorded moments in all of history? 220 00:14:34,160 --> 00:14:39,320 What's an example? Well, in my life, it might be 221 00:14:39,640 --> 00:14:44,880 the greatest recorded thing that could possibly ever happen with 222 00:14:44,880 --> 00:14:49,320 my life. For all of history to know and 223 00:14:49,320 --> 00:14:54,000 for it to be recorded forever and ever and ever would be to 224 00:14:54,000 --> 00:14:58,120 lead someone to Jesus Christ. And if you're sitting here 225 00:14:58,120 --> 00:15:02,960 today, would you allow God train you and your life? 226 00:15:02,960 --> 00:15:06,560 Maybe it's through boldness, maybe through your sickness, 227 00:15:07,000 --> 00:15:10,600 maybe through your poverty, maybe through your lack of this 228 00:15:10,600 --> 00:15:13,880 or lack of that or comparisons or whatever it is for you the 229 00:15:14,280 --> 00:15:18,240 the job you have right now. Rather than looking with their 230 00:15:18,240 --> 00:15:21,920 natural eyes, why don't you say, God, you have me here. 231 00:15:22,160 --> 00:15:26,960 What's the purpose? Show me Holy Spirit, because 232 00:15:27,000 --> 00:15:32,440 through the that understanding, your greatest days are yet ahead 233 00:15:32,440 --> 00:15:33,320 of you. Amen. 234 00:15:33,480 --> 00:15:38,720 You believe that today? So David was saying to his 235 00:15:38,720 --> 00:15:44,440 brother, what is wrong with you? You were worried about a few 236 00:15:44,440 --> 00:15:46,480 sheep, which he knew they weren't. 237 00:15:46,480 --> 00:15:50,720 They were just mocking him over the enemy, mocking our gods. 238 00:15:51,400 --> 00:15:53,400 Do you feel like that in today's world? 239 00:15:53,640 --> 00:15:57,680 I do, yeah. I'm not a social media person, 240 00:15:57,680 --> 00:16:01,880 but I am a YouTube, a visual YouTube. 241 00:16:03,640 --> 00:16:06,880 Don't create content. I'm not a content maker. 242 00:16:10,720 --> 00:16:12,320 Got no idea what I'm talking about. 243 00:16:13,120 --> 00:16:18,520 Just know the app YouTube. But I'll watch it and I'm seeing 244 00:16:18,520 --> 00:16:23,320 too much mockery of my God and I'm not OK with it. 245 00:16:24,200 --> 00:16:26,760 I'm not OK with it. But what does it do? 246 00:16:26,760 --> 00:16:30,000 It doesn't drive me onto social media to tell everyone they're 247 00:16:30,000 --> 00:16:32,920 wrong. It drives me to prayer and to 248 00:16:32,920 --> 00:16:36,360 witness, to prayer and to witness. 249 00:16:36,760 --> 00:16:41,040 Let me tell you, church, the end days aren't a long way off. 250 00:16:42,040 --> 00:16:44,680 They're closer than what they've ever been, which completely 251 00:16:44,680 --> 00:16:47,040 makes sense. It's always closer. 252 00:16:48,880 --> 00:16:54,120 But the end days, I believe, are literally around the corner. 253 00:16:54,800 --> 00:16:57,240 Let's not #1 be called off guard. 254 00:16:57,760 --> 00:17:01,160 Let's read the Word of God. Read the Ezekiel, read 255 00:17:01,160 --> 00:17:05,160 Revelations. OK, and let's let's know the 256 00:17:05,160 --> 00:17:07,920 word of God. But more than anything else, 257 00:17:07,920 --> 00:17:11,839 let's make sure we have boldness inside of us that we are 258 00:17:11,839 --> 00:17:15,800 prepared to look to be embarrassed for the the sake of 259 00:17:15,800 --> 00:17:18,440 the gospel. And let's make sure we are 260 00:17:18,440 --> 00:17:21,640 always inviting to church because this is where hope is 261 00:17:21,640 --> 00:17:23,800 found. Let's make sure that we're 262 00:17:23,800 --> 00:17:26,800 always witnessing to our neighbors, our friends, our 263 00:17:27,040 --> 00:17:28,800 whoever. If they're living, they're 264 00:17:28,800 --> 00:17:32,880 beating their hearts, beating either practice of them on them 265 00:17:32,880 --> 00:17:35,400 because they're a lizard or witness to them because they're 266 00:17:35,400 --> 00:17:38,160 a human being. But if there is blood pumping in 267 00:17:38,160 --> 00:17:42,760 their veins, we need to forget the gospel of Jesus Christ out 268 00:17:42,760 --> 00:17:46,360 there. He literally is the only answer. 269 00:17:46,800 --> 00:17:51,240 And our world needs Jesus now more than ever before. 270 00:17:51,240 --> 00:17:55,840 Your neighbor, your needs to know about Jesus and if they're 271 00:17:55,840 --> 00:17:59,800 your neighbor or your friends, you are the catalyst that God 272 00:17:59,800 --> 00:18:02,240 wants to use to bring Jesus to them. 273 00:18:02,240 --> 00:18:05,480 Amen. And so with this understanding, 274 00:18:05,640 --> 00:18:10,000 we get this sense or we get this prayer of God. 275 00:18:10,040 --> 00:18:14,480 God, would you instill a new level of boldness? 276 00:18:14,480 --> 00:18:16,600 This is predetermining the outcome. 277 00:18:16,920 --> 00:18:20,440 Would you instill a a level of boldness? 278 00:18:20,560 --> 00:18:23,520 I've never walked in. And then we make partnership 279 00:18:23,520 --> 00:18:26,560 with God. We don't just wait there and 280 00:18:26,560 --> 00:18:30,480 say, God give me this boldness and when I my muscles pop out, 281 00:18:30,680 --> 00:18:33,160 then I'll go and do it. OK. 282 00:18:33,280 --> 00:18:37,320 You don't know you've got boldness until you find yourself 283 00:18:37,320 --> 00:18:40,360 in that situation that you need boldness in. 284 00:18:41,120 --> 00:18:45,880 Because if you had pre boldness, pre muscle, so to speak, then 285 00:18:45,880 --> 00:18:49,800 it's in your own strengths. But God doesn't want us to 286 00:18:49,800 --> 00:18:54,240 operate in our strength. He wants us to operate in His 287 00:18:54,240 --> 00:18:56,840 strength. And why is that? 288 00:18:57,240 --> 00:19:01,280 Because He has the strength to overcome darkness and 289 00:19:01,280 --> 00:19:05,080 principalities and powers, and we do not Amen. 290 00:19:05,480 --> 00:19:09,200 And so when we lean into God more, what happens is He 291 00:19:09,200 --> 00:19:13,520 empowers you with His Spirit, the understanding of His Spirit, 292 00:19:13,720 --> 00:19:17,040 and then the outworking of the power and the wonder of His 293 00:19:17,040 --> 00:19:19,200 Spirit. And then you see boldness 294 00:19:19,200 --> 00:19:21,920 manifested. You see gladness and joy 295 00:19:22,160 --> 00:19:25,680 manifested, and you see the gospel manifested, and you will 296 00:19:25,680 --> 00:19:27,640 reap a harvest. Amen. 297 00:19:28,000 --> 00:19:35,680 The Bible says we don't pray for the harvest, we pray for the 298 00:19:35,880 --> 00:19:37,720 labourers. Why? 299 00:19:37,920 --> 00:19:41,280 Because the harvest is ready, man. 300 00:19:41,280 --> 00:19:49,960 If this is true, if this is true, our job is so easy and 301 00:19:49,960 --> 00:19:54,200 there literally is no reason for this church to not be 302 00:19:54,200 --> 00:19:56,320 overflowing with people next Sunday. 303 00:19:58,160 --> 00:20:01,400 If we could just, I just want to pause on a moment because this 304 00:20:01,400 --> 00:20:03,880 is truth. This is reality. 305 00:20:05,120 --> 00:20:09,880 If the harvest truly is plentiful, they just need to 306 00:20:09,880 --> 00:20:11,480 hear. They need a witness. 307 00:20:13,280 --> 00:20:17,760 What this means is if you and I all went out this week and said 308 00:20:17,760 --> 00:20:21,000 God. I'm not trying to win my whole 309 00:20:21,000 --> 00:20:25,080 community, I'm trying to win one person. 310 00:20:26,800 --> 00:20:31,080 And if the harvest is ripe, I don't have to look far. 311 00:20:34,040 --> 00:20:39,080 One person this week, this building overflows next Sunday. 312 00:20:40,960 --> 00:20:46,200 One person the following week. We are into multiple services. 313 00:20:46,200 --> 00:20:52,040 The following Sunday, one person for everyone, then the week 314 00:20:52,040 --> 00:20:55,680 after that. In three weeks, I don't know 315 00:20:55,680 --> 00:20:59,280 what's going to happen. I just think it'll be like, I 316 00:20:59,280 --> 00:21:00,760 don't have leadership yet for that. 317 00:21:01,360 --> 00:21:03,080 Let's work it out when the problem comes. 318 00:21:03,080 --> 00:21:05,400 But I think it's a Monday night service. 319 00:21:06,120 --> 00:21:08,760 I think it's, I think we're looking at revival where people 320 00:21:08,760 --> 00:21:11,720 just want God more than anything else. 321 00:21:12,560 --> 00:21:16,200 Let me tell you, if we all did that, if actually, you know 322 00:21:16,200 --> 00:21:20,640 what, if just this church did it, every church will get filled 323 00:21:20,640 --> 00:21:23,840 by the Christmas time, if just we did it. 324 00:21:24,360 --> 00:21:27,760 But I know we're in a great community of churches who think 325 00:21:27,760 --> 00:21:30,440 the same, who have the same mind as this. 326 00:21:30,880 --> 00:21:32,800 You know how revival's going to happen. 327 00:21:32,840 --> 00:21:35,600 You know, I believe that the Holy Spirit will move and just 328 00:21:35,600 --> 00:21:38,880 do His thing. But I have this real just sense 329 00:21:38,880 --> 00:21:42,040 through the Word of God that He always wants to do things in 330 00:21:42,040 --> 00:21:46,240 unity with you and I. I think what really happens out 331 00:21:46,240 --> 00:21:51,120 of all of this, if the Holy Spirit moves our hearts and we 332 00:21:51,120 --> 00:21:55,000 go out and do the book of Matthew, the Great Commission, 333 00:21:55,000 --> 00:21:58,120 go into all the world and share the gospel, share the good news. 334 00:21:58,680 --> 00:22:04,480 And when that happens, the income, the increase just goes 335 00:22:04,480 --> 00:22:07,360 crazy. But then when that happens, the 336 00:22:07,360 --> 00:22:11,880 miracles go to another level because those in need have an 337 00:22:11,880 --> 00:22:13,840 open heart to receive. Amen. 338 00:22:14,240 --> 00:22:18,280 Does that make sense? So we must do something. 339 00:22:18,280 --> 00:22:23,880 Our future is at stake. Is there no determination inside 340 00:22:23,880 --> 00:22:26,280 of us? I know today that there is in 341 00:22:26,280 --> 00:22:29,120 this church. These words are just as true 342 00:22:29,120 --> 00:22:32,640 today. If we don't declare holy values, 343 00:22:33,240 --> 00:22:37,600 if we don't get involved in the mission, if we don't do 344 00:22:37,600 --> 00:22:43,080 something as the church, what we believe in and what we stand for 345 00:22:43,080 --> 00:22:46,040 won't be reinstated through society. 346 00:22:46,600 --> 00:22:51,120 Let me say that again. What you and I believe in and 347 00:22:51,120 --> 00:22:57,680 what we stand for won't be reinstated through society if we 348 00:22:57,680 --> 00:23:00,240 don't give a voice and then the action to it. 349 00:23:01,840 --> 00:23:05,440 A truth is, evil prevails when good people do nothing. 350 00:23:05,880 --> 00:23:10,440 However, when we have determined to never stop pushing forward, 351 00:23:10,920 --> 00:23:16,080 to see revival in the physical and in the spiritual, to grow 352 00:23:16,080 --> 00:23:21,000 our capacity to be used by God more than ever before, to pray 353 00:23:21,000 --> 00:23:25,080 until there is an outcome. And we don't stop praying until 354 00:23:25,200 --> 00:23:29,000 we see the outcome. We are no longer pushed around 355 00:23:29,000 --> 00:23:34,000 by the giants of this world, the gossip, the pressures, the false 356 00:23:34,000 --> 00:23:38,360 teachings, the self doubt, the insecurities, the deniers of the 357 00:23:38,360 --> 00:23:42,400 Christian faith. Because I have determines, 358 00:23:42,640 --> 00:23:46,280 Church, would you say out loud this morning I have determines. 359 00:23:49,840 --> 00:23:52,160 Could we say out loud with a bit of fire in our belly? 360 00:23:52,480 --> 00:23:57,160 Is that all right? I have determined. 361 00:23:57,640 --> 00:24:00,600 You know what? I love you guys. 362 00:24:00,680 --> 00:24:03,560 You're great. Feel like I should be in youth 363 00:24:03,560 --> 00:24:07,320 right now. Can you believe 133 were here at 364 00:24:07,320 --> 00:24:12,080 you on Friday night? And what's greater than that? 365 00:24:12,080 --> 00:24:14,720 We had 7 salvations on Friday night. 366 00:24:18,440 --> 00:24:21,960 You know what our youth have determined, haven't they? 367 00:24:22,000 --> 00:24:25,440 They're unashamed right now. They're just like going crazy. 368 00:24:25,960 --> 00:24:28,160 And you know what I believe I'm just saying it out. 369 00:24:28,160 --> 00:24:30,360 This Graham theology is Graham theology. 370 00:24:30,360 --> 00:24:32,960 All right, I'll talk to the youth because they accept Graham 371 00:24:32,960 --> 00:24:37,680 theology really easy. Graham theology is this the 372 00:24:37,680 --> 00:24:42,400 revival that user allowed the predetermination to just, it's 373 00:24:42,400 --> 00:24:46,600 not going to stop this time. It's just going to continue and 374 00:24:46,600 --> 00:24:51,680 continue and roll and roll and roll until our Messiah comes 375 00:24:51,680 --> 00:24:55,840 back. We cannot afford to not be 376 00:24:55,840 --> 00:24:58,200 involved. We can't afford this. 377 00:24:58,680 --> 00:25:02,640 Life is too precious. In fact, your life is so 378 00:25:02,640 --> 00:25:07,400 precious, it's too precious to not be involved in the greatest 379 00:25:07,400 --> 00:25:11,280 mission that humanity has ever known. 380 00:25:11,520 --> 00:25:15,920 This generation and the generation to come are counting 381 00:25:15,920 --> 00:25:19,320 on us to make a stand and to have a resolve. 382 00:25:19,560 --> 00:25:23,320 Let me tell you, more than standing, we need to have a 383 00:25:23,320 --> 00:25:26,920 resolve. A resolve means unwavering. 384 00:25:27,640 --> 00:25:31,960 A resolve means an assurance that our God is for us. 385 00:25:31,960 --> 00:25:36,320 So who can be against us? A resolve means that when you 386 00:25:36,320 --> 00:25:39,760 speak, it will come to place. Why? 387 00:25:39,760 --> 00:25:42,040 Because you're not speaking idle words. 388 00:25:42,200 --> 00:25:45,640 You're speaking the word of God. The words of hope, the words of 389 00:25:45,640 --> 00:25:50,920 faith, the words of breakthrough are overflowing in who you are. 390 00:25:51,600 --> 00:25:56,400 And so because of this, gossip has no way in your life any 391 00:25:56,400 --> 00:25:59,920 longer. When you feel yourself, when you 392 00:25:59,920 --> 00:26:04,760 feel your temple, the temple of the Holy Spirit we are when you 393 00:26:04,760 --> 00:26:09,560 feel this person up with the promises and the sense of 394 00:26:09,560 --> 00:26:14,640 revival and the hunger for God and the the desire to see 395 00:26:14,640 --> 00:26:19,400 people, human beings, individuals come to know Jesus. 396 00:26:19,560 --> 00:26:23,320 What you will come to realise is gossip loses its place. 397 00:26:23,560 --> 00:26:26,960 Words of of of damnation lose their place. 398 00:26:27,080 --> 00:26:31,000 Words that are that form curses, you lose their place. 399 00:26:31,160 --> 00:26:33,920 Words over people that brings people down. 400 00:26:33,920 --> 00:26:38,440 Like the Aussie culture loses its place because it's all about 401 00:26:38,440 --> 00:26:43,840 seeing breakthrough for people. It's all about seeing Jesus for 402 00:26:43,840 --> 00:26:47,240 people. So we can't afford to not be 403 00:26:47,240 --> 00:26:49,000 involved. This is what faith, love, hope 404 00:26:49,000 --> 00:26:52,920 is about for us as a church. It's about for for us as a 405 00:26:52,920 --> 00:26:56,640 church, uniting as the Church of God. 406 00:26:56,960 --> 00:27:00,200 And we, we unite through our prayers. 407 00:27:00,320 --> 00:27:03,920 We unite through our praising the things that God has done, 408 00:27:04,080 --> 00:27:06,840 but we also unite through our finances. 409 00:27:06,840 --> 00:27:10,000 Why? Because my life has one purpose. 410 00:27:10,200 --> 00:27:16,000 It's to see the Church of God grow with new souls, with new 411 00:27:16,240 --> 00:27:21,680 Christians, with new believers. Listen, listen, I don't care too 412 00:27:21,680 --> 00:27:26,240 much about the sound desk and the screen. 413 00:27:26,240 --> 00:27:29,000 That seems to just do its thing. We've tried everything, but it 414 00:27:29,000 --> 00:27:35,960 just doesn't seem to work. But we do spend finance on that. 415 00:27:36,640 --> 00:27:40,520 Let me tell you why. This is the House of the Lord. 416 00:27:42,360 --> 00:27:46,400 You will not come into the House of God and see it neglected, 417 00:27:47,120 --> 00:27:52,280 uncared for, unloved. When people come to the House of 418 00:27:52,280 --> 00:27:57,920 God, they see a difference. They should see a difference. 419 00:27:58,520 --> 00:28:01,640 And right now our shopping centers look better than our 420 00:28:01,640 --> 00:28:04,880 houses. But that's going to change. 421 00:28:05,080 --> 00:28:10,160 It's changing, I should say, not because we want glamour and 422 00:28:10,160 --> 00:28:12,800 performance and lighting and all of that. 423 00:28:13,320 --> 00:28:16,880 It's not about that. It's literally about this is the 424 00:28:16,880 --> 00:28:21,320 House of the Lord. This is God's representation on 425 00:28:21,320 --> 00:28:24,560 planet earth. Not the building, but the people 426 00:28:24,560 --> 00:28:27,840 who come to it. And, and I don't know about you, 427 00:28:27,840 --> 00:28:32,520 where do we all go on the hottest day in summer shopping 428 00:28:32,520 --> 00:28:33,360 centres? Why? 429 00:28:33,360 --> 00:28:38,120 Because they're icons. Where should we all go on the 430 00:28:38,120 --> 00:28:41,720 hottest day of the church? Into the House of God to thank 431 00:28:41,720 --> 00:28:44,240 Him for the air con. You know what I mean? 432 00:28:47,280 --> 00:28:51,640 My point is, is some of these natural things are natural 433 00:28:51,640 --> 00:28:56,680 things, but you are human and spiritual, OK? 434 00:28:56,960 --> 00:29:02,080 And so we do this, but it's not our primary thing. 435 00:29:02,560 --> 00:29:06,520 Our primary thing is seeing people come to Jesus and 436 00:29:06,520 --> 00:29:09,520 whatever that takes. And I've come to realize 437 00:29:09,560 --> 00:29:13,160 everything that takes almost requires finance. 438 00:29:13,840 --> 00:29:16,840 And we can go, Well, sharing the gospel doesn't require finance, 439 00:29:16,840 --> 00:29:19,040 No, But you can't walk the streets because you've got to go 440 00:29:19,040 --> 00:29:22,040 to work. So someone needs to be on staff 441 00:29:22,040 --> 00:29:23,920 to do that. Does that make sense? 442 00:29:24,480 --> 00:29:27,120 You, you can't drive somewhere if you don't have a car. 443 00:29:27,240 --> 00:29:29,600 Well, either can the church. So we need a car. 444 00:29:29,960 --> 00:29:32,520 We can't deliver food if we don't have trucks. 445 00:29:32,840 --> 00:29:35,080 So we need trucks to deliver food. 446 00:29:35,080 --> 00:29:36,920 Does that make sense? They're not cheap. 447 00:29:36,920 --> 00:29:39,600 They're very expensive. Then there's insurances, this 448 00:29:39,600 --> 00:29:43,040 and that and everything else. And so just like you running 449 00:29:43,040 --> 00:29:45,760 your house, the House of God also has to run. 450 00:29:46,520 --> 00:29:51,000 But we can't afford as the Saints to not be part of this 451 00:29:51,000 --> 00:29:52,720 great mission. Why? 452 00:29:53,040 --> 00:29:55,840 This is the greatest mission earth has ever known. 453 00:29:56,000 --> 00:29:59,120 Amen. So the goal of the Christian, 454 00:29:59,120 --> 00:30:03,280 the believer, the church, is not just to get to heaven, but to 455 00:30:03,280 --> 00:30:07,440 help bring heaven to earth. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be 456 00:30:07,440 --> 00:30:10,400 done on earth as it is in heaven. 457 00:30:10,880 --> 00:30:13,720 The more of heaven we bring to earth, we know this from past 458 00:30:13,720 --> 00:30:17,200 the mark, the more of earth we will see go to heaven. 459 00:30:17,400 --> 00:30:20,160 Let me say it again. The more of heaven we bring to 460 00:30:20,160 --> 00:30:24,480 earth, not the more of your strategy, not the more money, 461 00:30:25,760 --> 00:30:31,520 not the better buildings, not the perfect circumstance. 462 00:30:32,800 --> 00:30:36,400 Not when my husband sorts this out because you'll be waiting a 463 00:30:36,400 --> 00:30:44,880 long time. It's not when my school's school 464 00:30:44,880 --> 00:30:47,800 fees are finally paid off, then I'll be part of it. 465 00:30:50,360 --> 00:30:58,840 It's when I get a heart and a revelation that this is true. 466 00:31:01,240 --> 00:31:03,280 What do I mean by that? Because I know everyone here 467 00:31:03,280 --> 00:31:09,800 today believes in the Bible. When you give, the windows of 468 00:31:09,800 --> 00:31:13,960 heaven will open. You'll be blessed, pressed down, 469 00:31:13,960 --> 00:31:15,840 shaking together, and running over. 470 00:31:16,960 --> 00:31:21,920 When we believe that, we have no problem giving into what we 471 00:31:21,920 --> 00:31:25,200 believe is the best mission planet Earth has ever known. 472 00:31:25,960 --> 00:31:31,560 When we believe that, and I know that those words right there are 473 00:31:31,560 --> 00:31:37,000 very strong, because the opposite would be me suggesting 474 00:31:37,160 --> 00:31:43,240 people don't believe that. But one of the greatest things 475 00:31:43,240 --> 00:31:50,640 that ever got said to me, it was I won't say the situation, but 476 00:31:50,640 --> 00:31:55,000 the words that were said to me is because Gray, you don't 477 00:31:55,000 --> 00:31:58,760 believe. And I was pretty offended. 478 00:31:58,920 --> 00:32:02,240 I was a 30 year old Christian. Tell me I don't believe. 479 00:32:03,360 --> 00:32:04,840 Who are you? You know my dad. 480 00:32:04,840 --> 00:32:06,720 My dad can speak into my life, but not you. 481 00:32:09,440 --> 00:32:15,160 But I pondered on those words for a couple of years and 482 00:32:15,160 --> 00:32:19,960 searched my heart took me a long time and I searched and I went. 483 00:32:19,960 --> 00:32:25,280 You know what? Deep down I don't. 484 00:32:25,280 --> 00:32:31,920 And when I got that revelation, it wasn't like, oh, you're a bad 485 00:32:31,920 --> 00:32:34,520 boy. It was Jesus expanding my 486 00:32:34,520 --> 00:32:39,200 capacity of understanding and faith, expanding my faith. 487 00:32:39,280 --> 00:32:42,000 This is good stuff. I love it, I welcome it. 488 00:32:42,960 --> 00:32:48,000 And so while he was doing this in my life and I could identify, 489 00:32:48,720 --> 00:32:53,760 I actually don't. How do you know if you don't? 490 00:32:54,560 --> 00:32:57,000 You know, if you don't, if you've heard the truth and you 491 00:32:57,000 --> 00:33:05,880 don't do, the only reason why we don't do is because we don't. 492 00:33:07,440 --> 00:33:12,400 If you if you go to Townsville, and I know no one's probably 493 00:33:12,400 --> 00:33:14,200 going to do that. So let me just tell you the 494 00:33:14,200 --> 00:33:17,240 story. When you go to Townsville. 495 00:33:17,240 --> 00:33:20,360 No, no. OK, Let me just, if a person was 496 00:33:20,360 --> 00:33:26,280 to ever go to Townsville and endure the steam, I mean the 497 00:33:26,280 --> 00:33:32,680 weather, you just drive about 40 minutes north and there's a 498 00:33:32,680 --> 00:33:36,840 place called Frosty Mango. All right now they're they're 499 00:33:36,840 --> 00:33:39,080 actually mounted mangoes. They're not frosted. 500 00:33:39,080 --> 00:33:47,080 Nothing frost in Townsville. And you only go to Frosty Mango 501 00:33:47,080 --> 00:33:52,000 for a 40 minute drive in the middle of nowhere, a random shop 502 00:33:52,000 --> 00:33:57,400 on a highway, because when you get there you know the ice cream 503 00:33:57,400 --> 00:34:05,360 is worth the drive. And somehow this equals faith. 504 00:34:05,400 --> 00:34:16,679 I don't know where I'm going with this, but I do because I 505 00:34:16,679 --> 00:34:21,120 know I do that. I put the family in that I 506 00:34:21,120 --> 00:34:24,480 don't, but I would if I lived in towns, which I won't. 507 00:34:29,280 --> 00:34:35,760 OK, you go to Dreamworld and you empty your bank account to do 508 00:34:35,760 --> 00:34:41,199 that for fuel, lunch tickets, so on so forth. 509 00:34:41,199 --> 00:34:43,679 It just goes on and on, right? Photos. 510 00:34:44,360 --> 00:34:50,960 And so you empty your bank account because you know 100%, 511 00:34:51,840 --> 00:34:56,199 you know that this is a good day. 512 00:34:56,480 --> 00:34:59,960 It will form memories that your children will have forever. 513 00:35:00,640 --> 00:35:03,120 It'll it'll do something for you. 514 00:35:03,120 --> 00:35:06,400 I don't know what that something is, but it will do something for 515 00:35:06,400 --> 00:35:08,160 you and your family that is good. 516 00:35:08,360 --> 00:35:14,120 You know when you get there, that ride is worth it because 517 00:35:14,120 --> 00:35:19,040 it's going to be so much fun. Now that's simple. 518 00:35:20,000 --> 00:35:25,000 But when it comes to the things of God, we do because we know 519 00:35:25,000 --> 00:35:30,680 when we do, it happens. We don't do because we don't 520 00:35:30,680 --> 00:35:33,600 believe when we do, it will happen. 521 00:35:34,320 --> 00:35:39,120 But if the Bible is the word of God, which it is today church, 522 00:35:39,520 --> 00:35:44,040 which means it's living, it never returns void, which means 523 00:35:44,040 --> 00:35:48,560 it never returns unanswered. Let me let me say it like this. 524 00:35:48,560 --> 00:35:50,840 I'm starting to run out of time and I've only done my first 525 00:35:50,840 --> 00:35:54,880 paragraph but we'll move on. But let me say it like this, 526 00:35:55,200 --> 00:35:59,680 just because Jesus doesn't heal you when I pray for you or or I 527 00:35:59,680 --> 00:36:03,520 lead a praise for you, it doesn't mean Jesus isn't a 528 00:36:03,520 --> 00:36:07,880 healer. He is the healer and you can 529 00:36:07,880 --> 00:36:12,240 place your 100% faith in that 100%. 530 00:36:12,520 --> 00:36:16,840 And if you have 100% faith in that, you'll have no problems 531 00:36:16,840 --> 00:36:21,880 praying for someone for healing. And it's the same when it comes 532 00:36:21,880 --> 00:36:24,800 to say, finances. For instance, you might say 533 00:36:24,800 --> 00:36:27,520 pastor, great, I've tried the tithing thing. 534 00:36:27,840 --> 00:36:33,360 No, you haven't. You've given 10%, but you 535 00:36:33,360 --> 00:36:37,920 haven't tried the tithing thing, because the tithing thing is a 536 00:36:37,920 --> 00:36:42,400 faith step, not an aimless action. 537 00:36:44,200 --> 00:36:47,200 We can all give money. Rich people give a lot, a lot of 538 00:36:47,200 --> 00:36:49,960 money. I give a lot, a lot of money. 539 00:36:50,240 --> 00:36:54,840 You see what I just did? I give. 540 00:36:54,960 --> 00:36:58,840 I give money, but it's not my tithe. 541 00:37:00,800 --> 00:37:07,880 Sometimes I give more than 10% of my wage to something, but 542 00:37:07,880 --> 00:37:11,920 it's not my tithe. Although the word tide means 543 00:37:11,920 --> 00:37:16,520 10%, it's not about 10%. It's about faith. 544 00:37:17,680 --> 00:37:21,600 And when you have faith in what you give, you will reap the 545 00:37:21,600 --> 00:37:23,600 rewards. The windows. 546 00:37:23,600 --> 00:37:26,440 This is why we say faith is the currency of heaven. 547 00:37:26,720 --> 00:37:31,840 It's because when you exercise faith in your giving, God goes, 548 00:37:31,840 --> 00:37:36,960 whoa, did you see that? And he opens up the window to 549 00:37:36,960 --> 00:37:39,520 have a look. And when he does that, guess 550 00:37:39,520 --> 00:37:43,440 what happens? He flows out blessing, favour, 551 00:37:43,560 --> 00:37:46,800 abundance, because it's all who he is. 552 00:37:46,800 --> 00:37:50,400 Does this make sense? So our Christian walk, whether 553 00:37:50,400 --> 00:37:54,080 it's prayer, you can pray and you may as well just go to 554 00:37:54,080 --> 00:37:58,120 McDonald's with your friends. Honest on the is this OK? 555 00:37:58,120 --> 00:37:59,600 Is this real? The real Christianity? 556 00:37:59,600 --> 00:38:02,120 Is this alright in this church? It's not OK. 557 00:38:02,200 --> 00:38:09,360 So I'll just move on. So when you pray, you pray with 558 00:38:09,360 --> 00:38:14,120 faith, otherwise don't expect a result. 559 00:38:14,160 --> 00:38:18,440 That's called religion. This is the difference between 560 00:38:18,440 --> 00:38:24,600 Christianity and religion. Is religions about principles, 561 00:38:24,800 --> 00:38:30,560 laws and outcomes. Christianity is about faith. 562 00:38:31,320 --> 00:38:36,200 Abraham, the forefather of our faith. 563 00:38:37,560 --> 00:38:41,280 Everything in the Bible is about faith and you will never have 564 00:38:41,280 --> 00:38:47,520 faith until you know Jesus, never have this sort of faith. 565 00:38:47,520 --> 00:38:53,640 I should say Christian biblical faith without Jesus, and then to 566 00:38:53,640 --> 00:38:58,560 the depth of your revelation of who he is will be the depth of 567 00:38:58,560 --> 00:39:01,480 the level of your faith. That was good, what I just said. 568 00:39:02,680 --> 00:39:07,200 The depth of the revelation you have of Jesus will be the depth 569 00:39:07,200 --> 00:39:11,040 of the revelation of your faith. Let me say that once more. 570 00:39:11,040 --> 00:39:14,320 This is a this is gold. I didn't know where this come 571 00:39:14,320 --> 00:39:17,040 from, but this, this, Yeah. Holy Spirit, let's just go with 572 00:39:17,040 --> 00:39:20,440 that. The depth of the revelation you 573 00:39:20,440 --> 00:39:28,080 have of your Savior is the depth of the revelation of your faith. 574 00:39:29,640 --> 00:39:32,840 If you need more faith, you can ask God for it. 575 00:39:32,840 --> 00:39:36,760 Did you know that this morning you can actually ask God for 576 00:39:36,760 --> 00:39:39,360 faith? He won't give you a rock. 577 00:39:39,920 --> 00:39:44,720 He will give you faith. He will give you faith. 578 00:39:44,720 --> 00:39:47,840 Why will He give you faith? Because it's the currency on 579 00:39:47,840 --> 00:39:49,480 heaven. Let it be done on earth. 580 00:39:51,480 --> 00:39:57,200 As to your faith, let it be done on earth as it is in heaven. 581 00:39:57,200 --> 00:40:00,600 What's the connector? Anyone got an idea? 582 00:40:01,400 --> 00:40:04,800 Faith. Let it be done on earth. 583 00:40:05,240 --> 00:40:07,600 What's the connector when you're praying for someone? 584 00:40:07,600 --> 00:40:11,400 Faith. It doesn't mean they didn't get 585 00:40:11,400 --> 00:40:16,080 healed because of a lack of faith that it doesn't work like 586 00:40:16,080 --> 00:40:18,480 that. It means we pray for them to get 587 00:40:18,480 --> 00:40:20,600 healed because of an abundance of faith. 588 00:40:21,600 --> 00:40:25,280 What our Savior does with our Savior is up to our Savior. 589 00:40:25,920 --> 00:40:31,400 But what we do in relationship with our Savior requires faith. 590 00:40:31,600 --> 00:40:34,280 Amen. I've got a real cool story, so I 591 00:40:34,280 --> 00:40:36,680 want to say it, and then we'll finish up. 592 00:40:37,360 --> 00:40:51,010 When I was young, my brother had a predetermined thing plan for a 593 00:40:51,330 --> 00:40:54,210 great outcome. This is my brother Stephen, by 594 00:40:54,210 --> 00:40:56,050 the way. I just want everyone to know who 595 00:40:56,050 --> 00:40:59,080 it was. You can put it on social media. 596 00:40:59,720 --> 00:41:03,640 You got permission. My brother Stephen had a 597 00:41:03,760 --> 00:41:07,640 predetermined outcome of a good time. 598 00:41:08,680 --> 00:41:10,640 And so we jumped on our skateboard. 599 00:41:10,640 --> 00:41:13,920 Do you remember those plastic, real skinny skateboards from the 600 00:41:13,920 --> 00:41:15,040 80s? Nineties? 601 00:41:15,200 --> 00:41:19,920 Yeah. Lexi boards and flexi boards. 602 00:41:19,920 --> 00:41:21,160 Is that it? Flexi boards. 603 00:41:21,920 --> 00:41:27,720 And so we're on our flexi boards and I'm going up and down our 604 00:41:27,720 --> 00:41:30,080 driveway. And because he was 605 00:41:30,080 --> 00:41:33,280 predetermined, he had something that I didn't have. 606 00:41:34,280 --> 00:41:38,680 It was a rubber band, and it was those timber skewers that Mom 607 00:41:38,680 --> 00:41:40,680 uses for cooking. You know what I'm talking about. 608 00:41:41,160 --> 00:41:43,200 The sharp ones, they're pretty sharp, aren't they? 609 00:41:45,200 --> 00:41:46,800 You need to know how sharp they are. 610 00:41:47,280 --> 00:41:51,600 They're really sharp. So he was predetermined that 611 00:41:51,600 --> 00:41:53,720 this is going to be the greatest day of his life. 612 00:41:53,720 --> 00:41:55,680 And so here we are on skateboards. 613 00:41:55,680 --> 00:41:58,880 I don't know, this sounds so boring, but it was fun back then 614 00:41:58,880 --> 00:42:01,320 when you had kids, right? He's at that end of the driveway 615 00:42:01,360 --> 00:42:02,880 about this end, and we're skating. 616 00:42:04,000 --> 00:42:05,800 That's what you do on a straight driveway. 617 00:42:06,120 --> 00:42:08,800 And so that was the extent of our excitement. 618 00:42:09,240 --> 00:42:12,200 Anyway, he's down there, I'm down here, and we're just 619 00:42:12,200 --> 00:42:14,680 skating past each other like we've done for 10 times. 620 00:42:15,040 --> 00:42:20,160 He pulls out a rubber band in the skewer because he had it all 621 00:42:20,160 --> 00:42:26,920 planned, and he fires it at me, and guess where it's stuck out 622 00:42:26,920 --> 00:42:32,280 of my head. Yeah, predetermined. 623 00:42:32,320 --> 00:42:38,560 You know what God is after such commitment. 624 00:42:43,320 --> 00:42:50,520 And then I was in my notes. I've got like David anyway, I've 625 00:42:50,520 --> 00:42:51,920 just got to skip down to the end. 626 00:42:52,240 --> 00:42:54,200 I told you I've got a lot like I'm still going. 627 00:42:54,920 --> 00:42:56,680 Didn't even get my opening. Oh, there we go. 628 00:42:56,680 --> 00:43:05,540 All right. I wonder if we are real willing 629 00:43:06,700 --> 00:43:14,100 to bring this into our lives such a predetermined this is 630 00:43:14,100 --> 00:43:17,540 what the rest of my life is going to look like now. 631 00:43:17,540 --> 00:43:21,220 You might not be able to, to fulfil that bill right yet. 632 00:43:22,640 --> 00:43:27,960 OK, But it's the journey of life when you have a predetermined, 633 00:43:27,960 --> 00:43:31,560 you know what? I am going to be that person. 634 00:43:32,120 --> 00:43:33,880 Oh, man, I'm so far away from that. 635 00:43:33,880 --> 00:43:37,040 It's it's, but that's the person I want to be for the rest of I 636 00:43:37,040 --> 00:43:40,280 want to be a witness, Sir. I want to be unashamed of the 637 00:43:40,280 --> 00:43:42,520 gospel. But the reality is, is I am 638 00:43:42,520 --> 00:43:45,360 embarrassed. That's the that's OK. 639 00:43:45,920 --> 00:43:48,600 But let's predetermine who we're going to be. 640 00:43:48,720 --> 00:43:52,360 Let me tell you, you're already doing it, but I'm just trying to 641 00:43:52,360 --> 00:43:56,880 put purpose to it today. The person you are today is 642 00:43:56,880 --> 00:44:00,960 because of all the decisions you've made in your past, and 643 00:44:00,960 --> 00:44:04,000 most of them were probably not predetermined. 644 00:44:04,800 --> 00:44:08,720 How do we change where we will be tomorrow and in five years 645 00:44:08,720 --> 00:44:13,000 and in 10 years, we predetermined that, and then we 646 00:44:13,000 --> 00:44:15,480 bring it to prayer and submission before God. 647 00:44:16,480 --> 00:44:20,960 Mel and I knew that one day we wanted to be in ministry in one 648 00:44:20,960 --> 00:44:24,040 format or another. So I remember years and years 649 00:44:24,040 --> 00:44:29,760 ago, like probably 20 something years ago, 27 years ago, we 650 00:44:29,760 --> 00:44:34,640 always found ourselves not only in church, in every service. 651 00:44:34,640 --> 00:44:36,600 Why? Because that's where ministers 652 00:44:36,600 --> 00:44:37,680 are. Why? 653 00:44:37,680 --> 00:44:39,680 Because that's where the presence of God is. 654 00:44:39,880 --> 00:44:41,440 Why? Because that's where I get 655 00:44:41,440 --> 00:44:45,600 trained and equipped, not just by people, but by God himself in 656 00:44:45,600 --> 00:44:48,760 His presence. And then we always found 657 00:44:48,800 --> 00:44:51,280 ourselves submitted to leadership. 658 00:44:52,000 --> 00:44:56,520 Listen, keywords submitted to leadership not trying to tell 659 00:44:56,520 --> 00:44:59,760 them how they should leave for our generation or how old they 660 00:44:59,760 --> 00:45:04,160 are, you know how out of date they are or or you know the 661 00:45:04,160 --> 00:45:06,800 latest craze we were submitted to. 662 00:45:06,960 --> 00:45:10,000 In other words, whatever they asked, we just did it. 663 00:45:11,280 --> 00:45:14,200 And we always found ourselves in these situations. 664 00:45:14,320 --> 00:45:19,440 Because of this, we always found ourselves in conversations with 665 00:45:19,440 --> 00:45:21,640 people we should never have been part of. 666 00:45:22,560 --> 00:45:27,160 It was way beyond our abilities or even understanding, but we 667 00:45:27,160 --> 00:45:31,240 seem to find ourselves there. We'd hop in the car and go, what 668 00:45:31,240 --> 00:45:34,360 on earth was that? Whoa, this world's so much 669 00:45:34,360 --> 00:45:38,560 bigger, you know what I mean? And then we always just because 670 00:45:38,560 --> 00:45:43,520 of this submission and, and saying, God, we, we want this 671 00:45:43,520 --> 00:45:47,600 world that you have for us. We found ourselves playing as 672 00:45:47,600 --> 00:45:53,000 the head team at international conferences and I remember band 673 00:45:53,000 --> 00:45:57,360 directing the team, the music team and going. 674 00:45:57,640 --> 00:46:01,680 But when I go home, I'm just a assistant in a a church. 675 00:46:02,800 --> 00:46:07,520 But we found ourselves because God was going well, you partner 676 00:46:07,520 --> 00:46:10,480 with me. I am going to partner back with 677 00:46:10,480 --> 00:46:13,720 you. And sometimes all he wants is 678 00:46:13,720 --> 00:46:16,160 for us to predetermine in our lives. 679 00:46:16,680 --> 00:46:23,040 God, I'm not yet. God, my finances aren't yet at 680 00:46:23,040 --> 00:46:26,320 that level that you're placing on my heart to give. 681 00:46:27,960 --> 00:46:32,000 In fact, this will always be the case in Christianity. 682 00:46:33,520 --> 00:46:36,480 If you want more for your life, I need to say that again, and 683 00:46:36,560 --> 00:46:43,680 then we're going to close. It's always the case, always 684 00:46:45,520 --> 00:46:52,720 that you feel not you are, that you feel less equipped, less 685 00:46:52,720 --> 00:46:58,640 financial, less whatever for what God's calling you into. 686 00:46:59,440 --> 00:47:06,160 It's always the case. I've never seen or been heard a 687 00:47:06,160 --> 00:47:09,840 testimony where it's otherwise. I've never experienced it 688 00:47:09,880 --> 00:47:13,760 otherwise. Always feel less equipped. 689 00:47:14,000 --> 00:47:16,800 Finances are always less equipped. 690 00:47:17,440 --> 00:47:22,280 My knowledge is always less equipped to where I know God's 691 00:47:22,280 --> 00:47:25,760 taking. My leadership ability is always 692 00:47:25,760 --> 00:47:29,120 less equipped to where I know we're already going. 693 00:47:30,200 --> 00:47:35,480 My faith is always less to where I know that what God has shown 694 00:47:35,480 --> 00:47:38,680 me in my spirit. Sometimes I go, God, I don't 695 00:47:38,680 --> 00:47:44,040 have the faith, but you do. So I pray for it. 696 00:47:44,160 --> 00:47:48,280 I ask for it. Let me tell you if God placed on 697 00:47:48,280 --> 00:47:52,200 your heart and amount for faith, love, hope this year and you 698 00:47:52,200 --> 00:47:57,120 said no to that, I would urge you, urge you, Oh man, I wish I 699 00:47:57,120 --> 00:48:00,600 got to the rest of my message. I need to do a point B of 700 00:48:00,600 --> 00:48:06,760 Timothy and he urged his church. He didn't suggest he didn't. 701 00:48:07,080 --> 00:48:10,080 He didn't say this is a good idea for your soul. 702 00:48:10,640 --> 00:48:12,920 He didn't say good Christianity acts like that. 703 00:48:12,920 --> 00:48:17,640 He urged his church to give money. 704 00:48:18,200 --> 00:48:22,920 He urged them to. You urge someone to when you 705 00:48:22,920 --> 00:48:28,200 understand there is a breakthrough for that person on 706 00:48:28,200 --> 00:48:31,160 the other side. That's why you urge. 707 00:48:32,680 --> 00:48:34,960 I've lived it. I've experienced it. 708 00:48:35,920 --> 00:48:39,360 I might not be a millionaire, but that's not what you, that's 709 00:48:39,360 --> 00:48:44,280 not what you see as the goal. I don't view money as my goal. 710 00:48:44,280 --> 00:48:50,160 I view faith as my goal and go. God has grown my faith through 711 00:48:50,160 --> 00:48:52,920 money. He's growing my faith through 712 00:48:52,920 --> 00:48:55,880 family lack. He's growing my faith when I 713 00:48:55,880 --> 00:48:59,040 lost my houses. He's growing my faith through 714 00:48:59,040 --> 00:49:02,440 the the trials. When I had $1.00 to buy a 715 00:49:02,440 --> 00:49:06,400 chicken wing from Woolworths for for lunch, he was stretching my 716 00:49:06,400 --> 00:49:08,520 faith. Imagine being a pastor in a 717 00:49:08,520 --> 00:49:13,120 church and you preach every week about giving and faith and you 718 00:49:13,120 --> 00:49:16,520 have $1.00 yourself for lunch. That was me. 719 00:49:18,080 --> 00:49:23,720 But success wasn't what I had. Success was the level of faith I 720 00:49:23,720 --> 00:49:27,000 had. Because with faith as a mustard 721 00:49:27,000 --> 00:49:31,080 seed, you can move. Come on church, faith as a 722 00:49:31,080 --> 00:49:34,640 mustard seed you can move mountains. 723 00:49:35,400 --> 00:49:38,520 You can do anything with faith, but you can't with money. 724 00:49:39,200 --> 00:49:41,520 Because what man gives, man takes away. 725 00:49:41,760 --> 00:49:46,000 What God gives, God sustains. Does that make sense? 726 00:49:46,840 --> 00:49:50,440 And so this morning, Church, I know we're talking heavily about 727 00:49:50,440 --> 00:49:57,440 money and faith of hope and all that, but money is the currency 728 00:49:57,440 --> 00:49:59,880 of earth. And if you're bound by the 729 00:49:59,880 --> 00:50:05,560 currency, you're bound by Earth. Told you about our soundness. 730 00:50:05,560 --> 00:50:15,840 That's good, good timing. And so faith is the currency of 731 00:50:17,240 --> 00:50:21,720 let it be done on earth as it is in heaven. 732 00:50:22,320 --> 00:50:27,320 Faith. Would you predetermine that if 733 00:50:27,320 --> 00:50:32,640 you got doubts, fears, if your family's hungry, maybe your 734 00:50:32,640 --> 00:50:36,200 family's a bit torn in directions, not following Jesus, 735 00:50:36,880 --> 00:50:42,600 You don't win these battles by anything but faith in your Lord 736 00:50:42,600 --> 00:50:46,240 and Savior. And today maybe you've been 737 00:50:46,240 --> 00:50:52,600 living this life and life itself is all consuming. 738 00:50:53,960 --> 00:50:56,440 Maybe you've been living without Jesus. 739 00:50:59,440 --> 00:51:02,960 There's a key to faith I didn't mention but I reverted on a bit 740 00:51:02,960 --> 00:51:11,640 earlier in my message is that faith is a moral faith. 741 00:51:13,080 --> 00:51:15,320 It is not actually a Christian term. 742 00:51:18,080 --> 00:51:26,560 Faith is faith, and reason why I say it like that is people. 743 00:51:26,560 --> 00:51:30,680 I'm just going to give you one example for time. 744 00:51:31,640 --> 00:51:35,880 If you sow negative words all the time, you'll be saturated 745 00:51:35,880 --> 00:51:39,800 with negative people and you find yourself in a loop you can 746 00:51:39,800 --> 00:51:41,720 never get rid of. Why? 747 00:51:42,040 --> 00:51:46,240 Because you let your faith come out and you sowed seeds and you 748 00:51:46,240 --> 00:51:50,400 reap the harvest. Does that make sense? 749 00:51:52,120 --> 00:51:57,360 Into the Kingdom of God, faith is the same, and you might be 750 00:51:57,360 --> 00:52:01,640 living a life here today where you look at your life without 751 00:52:01,640 --> 00:52:08,520 Jesus part of it. And the reality is, as much as 752 00:52:08,520 --> 00:52:13,840 its circumstances, sometimes history, what's happened to your 753 00:52:13,840 --> 00:52:19,320 life? That's one part, but the other 754 00:52:19,320 --> 00:52:26,400 part is the acceptance of that. But in Jesus we have a new way. 755 00:52:28,400 --> 00:52:31,480 You know, in Christianity we call it being born again. 756 00:52:32,840 --> 00:52:39,200 In other words, it's taking your faith from darkness, the enemy's 757 00:52:39,200 --> 00:52:47,400 camp, living for self and placement in Jesus and being 758 00:52:47,400 --> 00:52:51,640 born again, becoming a new creation, being filled with 759 00:52:51,640 --> 00:52:55,600 life, with light, with hope, with purpose. 760 00:52:56,800 --> 00:53:01,920 No longer just trying to live life, but trying to now live the 761 00:53:01,920 --> 00:53:03,920 best you can towards this life.