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We are one church. 
We love God, love people, love 

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His mission, and love His 
church. 

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Welcome to the One Church 
podcast. 

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Some years ago a young lady we 
knew was baptised and this was 

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her story. 
She writes this When I was 13 my

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mum died. 
Two years later my dad also 

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died. 
Growing up as a first born, 

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orphaned and entirely 
responsible for the life of my 

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younger sister has not been 
easy. 

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Having lost my parents, our 
money and inheritance, we were 

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left alone and I was at the edge
of reason. 

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This resulted in my life in drug
abuse, suicide, contemplation 

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and other things I will not go 
into. 

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There's an expression that means
to lose all you have to hit rock

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bottom. 
And I hit rock bottom and I 

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realised that when you hit rock 
bottom, there is a rock at the 

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bottom. 
His name is Jesus. 

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And from the pit of nothingness,
God has blessed me in my life, 

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rescued me and provided me with 
everything I lacked. 

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I have found Him to be my 
father, mentor, my Saviour, my 

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courage, my wisdom, my resting 
place, my daily bread and my 

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strength. 
People everywhere are looking 

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for a purpose. 
They're asking, is my life 

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making a difference? 
And the truth is that many are 

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missing the plan that God has 
for them. 

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People can climb a ladder 
successfully their whole life 

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and then realise it was on the 
wrong wall because in the end 

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very little is going to matter. 
Money, position, fame will be 

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forgotten because one thing is 
important, to know Jesus for 

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ourselves and then to live the 
life we were created for because

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we get one life. 
Reincarnation is a lie. 

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You are now living the one life 
you have been given. 

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Now how's it going? 
When your Creator made you, you 

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were wanted and precious, and 
you were born with a purpose, 

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whether you realise it or not. 
And today I want to remind us 

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all about the life we were 
created to live, because God 

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created you to live a certain 
life. 

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And if we've not started this 
life, Jesus with Jesus, there's 

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an invitation here today. 
And if you have begun and you've

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got lost on the way, there's an 
invitation to get up and start 

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again. 
And if you've begun and you're 

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continuing to walk in it, 
there's an invitation to keep 

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going with passion. 
And we're here looking in Luke 

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chapter 3 and we'll just read 2 
verses together. 

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When all the people were being 
baptised, Jesus was baptised 

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too. 
Let me just pause there. 

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If you've not yet been baptised 
in water, I'd like to point out 

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to you that single verse which 
overcomes every single argument 

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in this room. 
Because Jesus, at the age of 30,

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having lived a sinless life, was
baptised in water. 

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How much more should we be 
baptised? 

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And if you've not been baptised,
stop praying for the right time,

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not looking. 
Stop looking for a date when 

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everybody can come and see you. 
It's time to get baptised in 

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water. 
Just decide go and see your 

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sight. 
Pastors, don't put it off 

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anymore, get baptised anyway. 
And as Jesus was praying, heaven

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was opened and the Holy Spirit 
descended on him in bodily form 

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like a dove and a voice came 
from heaven. 

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You're my son whom I love with 
you. 

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I am well pleased. 
This is the life you also are 

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created to live. 
Firstly, to walk with an open 

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heaven. 
As he was praying, heaven was 

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opened. 
People can say God is distance, 

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but His promise has always been 
that He will be close to you. 

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I've known since I met Susan 
that I would always be second in

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her life. 
Jesus was forever going to be 

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first and that she was going to 
walk with Him first. 

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But I've discovered this, The 
closer she is to Jesus, the 

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closer she is to me. 
Because something happens when 

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we walk closely with Him. 
We are destined to live close to

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Him. 
And a life with an open heaven 

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is a blessed life. 
It's a life that knows God. 

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It's a a life that experiences 
his grace and his forgiveness. 

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It's a life that knows closeness
in every season, closeness in 

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the summer times when life is 
alive and thriving. 

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Closeness in the autumn, when 
things begin to lose their 

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shape, when they start to wane. 
Closeness in the winter, when we

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face death and when we face 
sadness. 

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Closeness in the spring when new
life and New Hope comes and we 

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begin to hear again, just 
perhaps you're called to live a 

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life that knows closeness in 
every moment. 

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Stephen, as he was being stoned 
to death in the book of Acts, 

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said this. 
Look, I see heaven opened and 

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the Son of Man standing at the 
right hand of God. 

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We were never promised an easy, 
stress, free challenge, free 

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suffering, free life. 
Sometimes it's been taught, come

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to Jesus and everything will 
always be sorted. 

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And if we kind of teach that 
kind of gospel, we don't prepare

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people for the challenge of 
living in a fallen world, in a 

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world where there is sin and 
brokenness and selfishness. 

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The reality is, is that it is a 
fallen world, and suffering and 

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challenge are part of the 
journey. 

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But he has promised an open 
heaven where he is always close 

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in every season. 
John the Apostle writes in the 

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Book of Revelation. 
After this I looked, and there 

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before me was a door standing 
open in heaven, and the voice I 

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had first heard speaking to me 
like a trumpet, said, Come up 

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here and I will show you what 
must take place. 

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And at once I was in the Spirit,
and there before me was a throne

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in heaven with someone sitting 
on it, a picture of an open 

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heaven, hearing God, seeing 
Jesus touched by his presence. 

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You were called to walk through 
an open door under an open 

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heaven with the closeness of 
God. 

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This is the life you were 
destined for. 

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This is the plan God has for 
you. 

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It's not a future hope. 
It's a now reality and we have 

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to live in it. 
This is the life we're created 

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for. 
But the passage goes on, he 

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says. 
And as he was praying, the Holy 

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Spirit descended on him in 
bodily form, like a dove. 

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The life he's destined for you 
is to be Holy Spirit filled. 

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When you became a Jesus 
follower, something happened in 

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your life. 
Look at this from the book of 

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Ephesians. 
When you believed, not before. 

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When you believed, you were 
marked in him with a seal. 

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The promised Holy Spirit who is 
a deposit guaranteeing our 

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inheritance. 
The Holy Spirit at conversion 

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comes to live in US. 
Every Christian has Holy Spirit 

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living in them. 
But there's more. 

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The word dunamis is used around 
120 times in the New Testament. 

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It means strength and power and 
ability. 

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It's the root word of dynamite 
for Mary. 

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She was told that the Holy 
Spirit would The Holy Spirit 

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will come on you and the power, 
the dunamis of the Most High 

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will over shadow you so that the
one to be born will be called 

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the Holy One of God. 
For Jesus, they said about him, 

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with authority and power 
dunamis, He gives orders to 

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impure spirits, and they come 
out, and through the bride in 

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the name of Jesus, He still does
that today. 

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And Jesus said to us in Acts, 
you'll receive power dunamis 

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when the Holy Spirit comes on 
you to be filled to overflowing.

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This is the life you were 
created for, to have the 

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dunamis, the dynamite of the 
Spirit in your life. 

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I was rereading this week an 
account of a moment in the 

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Hebridean revival when God came 
in power over these simple 

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people. 
Susan and I went to that area 

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last year and we read this in 
that moment when the Spirit came

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in Dunamis power, it says. 
A solemn hush came over the 

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church and the whole 
congregation lingered outside, 

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reluctant to disperse. 
Others were drawn from their 

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homes by an irresistible power, 
and the Spirit of God fell on 

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the people, and they were so 
gripped with the subduing 

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presence of God that no one 
could move any further. 

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The sense of being filled with 
the power of the Spirit. 

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When we encounter the Spirit, it
changes us. 

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Paul puts it like this. 
The Spirit God gave us does not 

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make us timid, but gives us 
power, love and self-discipline.

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Do you know if you've been an 
introvert your whole life? 

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You find it hard to talk to 
everybody? 

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You you prefer your own company 
or you you you, you shrink back 

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rather than engage. 
When the Spirit comes on you, 

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you can be His mouthpiece. 
That changes a generation, which

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is why God can use anybody when 
the Spirit comes on him. 

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You were created to encounter 
the dunamis of God, to know the 

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power of the Spirit, to 
experience His presence flowing 

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over you and and to walk with 
the gifts of the Spirit to speak

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in tongues. 
Every single believer can be 

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filled with the Spirit and speak
in tongues. 

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It's not an elitist Pentecostal 
gift. 

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It's not a gift that's for a few
people who like intercession. 

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When we speak in tongues, we 
build ourselves up in the Holy 

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Spirit. 
Every person can stop 

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complicating it in your head. 
I'm making it up. 

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Oh, I've tried so many times. 
Susan, when she was waiting to 

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be filled with the Spirit, went 
into a room and she would almost

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open her mouth and put her 
tongue out and wait for God to 

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come and go. 
You have to speak, and as you 

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speak, you develop tongues and 
interpretations. 

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When there's a public tongue, 
there needs to be a public 

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interpretation. 
Come on Brian, keep interpreting

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tongues, words of wisdom, words 
of knowledge, discernment, 

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healing, miracles come when the 
dunamis of the Spirit comes on 

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you, and the fruit of the Spirit
when it begins to manifest 

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through as if we're all on a 
journey. 

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Lovejoy, peace, patience, 
kindness, goodness, 

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faithfulness, gentleness, 
self-control, all the attributes

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that you truly want in your 
life. 

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They come to you as you allow 
the Spirit to move through you. 

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They're all here in the Spirit. 
This is the life you were 

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created for. 
This is why you were made. 

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Be a brilliant doctor, an 
amazing nurse, a phenomenal 

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teacher, a dynamic student. 
But this is the life you were 

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created for. 
We read this as the Spirit came.

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We read in our passage a voice 
came from heaven. 

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You were created to hear him 
speak, to hear God speak. 

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Our God's a speaking God. 
To learn to hear him speak is a 

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journey. 
And sometimes he is close to you

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and silent and you have to wait.
I rarely find that easy. 

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I'm sure you don't. 
But we live in the instant, but 

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God in the eternal. 
We have to wait. 

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But He's a speaking God. 
He's closer than you imagined. 

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So how does He speak to us? 
Well, firstly and always. 

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Firstly and most powerfully, He 
speaks through the Bible. 

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Living words. 
I could share you what God has 

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said to me from my journal this 
week, but that's not where I 

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want to go. 
He spoke to us in 2007. 

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He said to us from Genesis 12, 
one to two go from your country,

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your people and your father's 
household to the lands I will 

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show you and I will make you and
I will bless you and you will be

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a blessing. 
And we felt the the Lord quicken

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us that we should come to 
Leicester from where we were. 

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And even though we were in 
Nottingham at the time, it felt 

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literally like 1,000,000 miles 
away to come. 

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And we came. 
And I'm so glad we did in 

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response to His Word. 
And it changed everything in our

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lives and has always been worth 
it. 

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And we've been here just a short
time. 

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And the Lord spoke to us from 
the Word to place compassion at 

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the heart of our vision. 
It's not this He said again in 

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Isaiah 58. 
The kind of fasting I've chosen 

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to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke.

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To set the oppressed free and 
break every yoke. 

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Is it not to share your food 
with the hungry and to provide 

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the poor wanderer with shelter? 
When you see the naked, is it 

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not to clothe them and not to 
turn away from your own flesh 

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and blood? 
Welcome to the mission of the 

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Church. 
The Church has never been a 

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Bless Me club. 
This is my seat. 

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I went to a church recently for 
and this lady came to see me and

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said would you like to sit? 
It was a funeral and she came 

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and said would you like to sit 
in this seat? 

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This was always their seat. 
May somebody sit in your seat 

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every time you arrive? 
May somebody new be there 

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forcing you to go somewhere 
else. 

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May it feel uncomfortable. 
We as the church are to open our

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doors and help people. 
The church should be good news 

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to every person, should be the 
best thing there is everywhere. 

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You're the church that helps 
people, that loves people, that 

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00:14:46,240 --> 00:14:49,240
welcomes people, that goes the 
extra mile for people. 

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And to place compassion at the 
heart of our church was a 

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sacrifice building on the vision
that was set before we arrived. 

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We carried on in establishing 
open hands. 

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It's we sold a house as a church
and invested heavily. 

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It was stretching with 
volunteers and time and pressure

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and it wasn't easy. 
The complex needs of people, the

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setting of systems in place. 
But as I look back 17 years, 

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every need was met an open hands
continues to be a blessing to 

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10's and 10s of thousands of 
people who visited our centres 

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00:15:23,600 --> 00:15:26,480
in high fields and Saint 
Matthews and it changed our 

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00:15:26,480 --> 00:15:30,000
hearts. 
And then what about in 2013 when

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he spoke to us to become multi 
site as a church? 

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00:15:33,640 --> 00:15:39,520
Enlarge the place of your tent. 
Stretch your tent curtains wide.

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00:15:40,720 --> 00:15:45,320
That's such a powerful picture 
with this as a larger tent 

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00:15:45,320 --> 00:15:49,560
surrounded by many tents. 
Lengthen your cords, strengthen 

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00:15:49,560 --> 00:15:51,360
your stakes. 
You'll spread out to the right 

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and the left. 
Your descendants will 

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00:15:52,960 --> 00:15:56,240
dispossessed nations and settle 
in their desolate cities. 

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00:15:57,880 --> 00:16:04,360
The heart of God here in Isaiah 
talking to to a specific group 

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00:16:04,360 --> 00:16:10,880
of people but promises to us 
through Christ and we didn't 

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00:16:10,880 --> 00:16:14,640
want to be platform driven as a 
church and I have a growing 

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00:16:14,800 --> 00:16:18,320
growing periphery of people who 
love the celebration but didn't 

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00:16:18,320 --> 00:16:21,160
really carry the heart and 
vision of the house. 

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00:16:23,920 --> 00:16:27,440
Don't let that ever be said of 
you don't just go on for a top 

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00:16:27,440 --> 00:16:30,120
up. 
The body of Christ is more than 

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00:16:30,120 --> 00:16:33,800
a top up. 
It's a dynamic army that changes

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00:16:33,800 --> 00:16:35,800
the world when it does what he 
calls it to do. 

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00:16:36,200 --> 00:16:39,000
And why do we go multi site? 
Because it was to inspire us to 

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00:16:39,000 --> 00:16:41,240
train more leaders. 
And I look now we've just 

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00:16:41,240 --> 00:16:45,360
invited 198 leaders to our next 
leadership gathering. 

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00:16:45,960 --> 00:16:48,520
And if you got an invite, I'm 
waiting for the response. 

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00:16:49,840 --> 00:16:54,800
What hindereth thee? 
It challenged the periphery 

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00:16:54,800 --> 00:16:57,400
because everyone's needed. 
It gave room for the gifts of 

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00:16:57,400 --> 00:16:58,640
the Spirit. 
I think. 

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00:16:58,920 --> 00:17:02,200
I think that's next week in 
every side we it addressed any 

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00:17:02,200 --> 00:17:04,319
ego that it wasn't about the 
senior leaders. 

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00:17:04,480 --> 00:17:07,760
Sometimes we can get this 
picture, this green room culture

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00:17:08,040 --> 00:17:11,319
of the mighty man or woman of 
God, separate from the people 

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00:17:11,480 --> 00:17:16,119
coming in. 
I don't want to disappoint you, 

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00:17:17,400 --> 00:17:20,880
but that ain't us. 
Because without the grace of 

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00:17:20,880 --> 00:17:27,280
God, I'm done. 
But we still have this vision. 

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00:17:28,840 --> 00:17:32,640
Next week in Beaumont Le School,
next week in the Oak Centre in 

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00:17:32,640 --> 00:17:37,280
Braunstone, next week in a Manor
School in OB, next week in the 

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00:17:37,280 --> 00:17:39,560
Charnwood Dance School in 
Loughborough. 

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00:17:39,560 --> 00:17:41,680
And here in the central site 
we'll go again. 

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00:17:41,840 --> 00:17:43,800
What? 
Needing everybody to play their 

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00:17:43,800 --> 00:17:47,480
part, inviting everyone to carry
the vision of the house, 

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00:17:47,680 --> 00:17:51,160
pressing in for souls and 
community and breakthrough. 

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00:17:51,360 --> 00:17:55,520
This is what God said to us. 
And I just want to say during 

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00:17:55,520 --> 00:17:58,920
August, if you're part of the 
central site, why not take one 

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00:17:58,920 --> 00:18:03,120
week to go and try a more local 
site to you, another, another 

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00:18:03,120 --> 00:18:07,280
one church site and go and bless
them and see what happens. 

283
00:18:07,720 --> 00:18:10,280
You were created to hear Him 
speak. 

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00:18:10,480 --> 00:18:14,080
He speaks firstly and most 
powerfully through the Bible, 

285
00:18:14,200 --> 00:18:16,080
but He also speaks through 
prophecy. 

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00:18:16,880 --> 00:18:21,880
This is the call of your life. 
In 2021, the Father spoke to US.

287
00:18:22,640 --> 00:18:27,960
One church came from 2 churches 
who joined together and Acts 27 

288
00:18:27,960 --> 00:18:30,640
and 28 became what we lived 
through together and it was a 

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00:18:30,640 --> 00:18:34,120
prophetic word to us all. 
One of us had been in a 

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00:18:34,120 --> 00:18:37,640
shipwreck and needed a Malta 
that would be a safe place that 

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00:18:37,640 --> 00:18:41,880
showed unusual kindness, would 
help restoration and healing and

292
00:18:41,880 --> 00:18:45,400
being equipped and to go again 
and with honour and very little 

293
00:18:45,400 --> 00:18:47,720
agenda. 
We served one another and God 

294
00:18:47,720 --> 00:18:50,080
moved and our hearts were 
knitted together. 

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00:18:50,760 --> 00:18:54,880
And in November 21, Susan and I 
were in a meeting on the 3rd row

296
00:18:54,880 --> 00:18:57,960
and somebody asked us to stand 
up and they said to us, the Lord

297
00:18:57,960 --> 00:19:00,960
wants you to climb up from 
Habakkuk 2, climb up a 

298
00:19:00,960 --> 00:19:05,440
watchtower, stand at my guard 
post and I'm going to tell you, 

299
00:19:05,440 --> 00:19:07,160
the Lord's going to tell you 
what you are to do. 

300
00:19:07,160 --> 00:19:11,320
So we climbed a mountain and 
knelt in a watchtower, and we 

301
00:19:11,320 --> 00:19:13,800
laid everything down. 
And the Lord spoke to us that 

302
00:19:13,800 --> 00:19:16,080
the two were to become one. 
And we came back and shared it 

303
00:19:16,080 --> 00:19:18,120
with others and a miracle 
happened. 

304
00:19:18,360 --> 00:19:21,840
We became one church, laying 
down our names and embracing 

305
00:19:21,840 --> 00:19:24,120
something new together. 
And look what the Lord is doing.

306
00:19:24,400 --> 00:19:27,280
He speaks through the Bible, 
through prophecy, through His 

307
00:19:27,280 --> 00:19:29,480
creation. 
He speaks through dreams and 

308
00:19:29,480 --> 00:19:31,520
visions. 
Susan sleeps most nights with a 

309
00:19:31,520 --> 00:19:35,200
notebook at the side of the bed 
to record either the shopping 

310
00:19:35,200 --> 00:19:38,160
list that she remembers or 
anything God might say to her in

311
00:19:38,160 --> 00:19:40,640
the night. 
He speaks through circumstances.

312
00:19:40,720 --> 00:19:43,240
He speaks through a still, small
voice. 

313
00:19:43,400 --> 00:19:48,120
He speaks through encouragement.
A minister wrote to me this week

314
00:19:48,120 --> 00:19:50,640
and said, good afternoon, 
pastor, I hope you're well. 

315
00:19:50,640 --> 00:19:53,000
And I felt something come 
immediately into my heart. 

316
00:19:53,000 --> 00:19:55,880
And I wrote to them and said, 
hi, Daniel, we are well. 

317
00:19:56,320 --> 00:19:58,720
Never forget how much the King 
of Kings loves you. 

318
00:19:59,520 --> 00:20:01,720
And he wrote back to me and he 
said, this is the word I needed,

319
00:20:01,720 --> 00:20:05,320
Sir, Thank you. 
Simple encouragement. 

320
00:20:05,320 --> 00:20:07,640
You can hear his voice. 
He's speaking to you. 

321
00:20:09,080 --> 00:20:12,680
This is the life you're created 
for, to walk with an open 

322
00:20:12,680 --> 00:20:15,640
heaven, to be Holy Spirit 
filled, to hear him speak. 

323
00:20:15,640 --> 00:20:18,240
But there's more. 
A voice came from heaven saying,

324
00:20:18,320 --> 00:20:19,920
you are my Son, whom I love with
you. 

325
00:20:19,960 --> 00:20:23,400
I'm well pleased you were 
created to know the Father. 

326
00:20:23,560 --> 00:20:28,080
This is the life you were 
created for to live to know the 

327
00:20:28,080 --> 00:20:33,120
Father. 25 years ago I was 
standing in the NEC, Birmingham 

328
00:20:33,120 --> 00:20:37,960
with 11,000 other people with my
eldest son Samuel, and I 

329
00:20:37,960 --> 00:20:42,440
realised that though the concert
he had chosen was not my first 

330
00:20:42,600 --> 00:20:46,080
choice of entertainment, this 
moment with him as his dad was 

331
00:20:46,080 --> 00:20:49,560
precious. 
And as I listened to extremely 

332
00:20:49,560 --> 00:20:54,240
dubious lyrics and incredibly 
loud music, I stood there and 

333
00:20:54,240 --> 00:20:57,080
wondered if there were any other
Christian ministers at this Iron

334
00:20:57,080 --> 00:21:04,080
Maiden concert. 
See, the word father evokes so 

335
00:21:04,080 --> 00:21:07,160
many emotions. 
For some of the the word brings 

336
00:21:07,160 --> 00:21:09,320
wonderful memories. 
For others, it's a feeling of 

337
00:21:09,320 --> 00:21:12,120
deep pain and disappointment. 
And whether the word father 

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00:21:12,120 --> 00:21:15,400
stimulates in you an image of 
protection or vulnerability, 

339
00:21:15,560 --> 00:21:19,080
it's important to acknowledge it
because it can impact the way 

340
00:21:19,080 --> 00:21:24,480
you view God as Father. 
You were created, yes, but he 

341
00:21:24,480 --> 00:21:26,840
became your father when you were
saved. 

342
00:21:27,120 --> 00:21:30,880
I love this in in Romans we can 
say he's the Father of all. 

343
00:21:30,920 --> 00:21:33,680
He becomes your father at 
salvation. 

344
00:21:34,760 --> 00:21:38,280
The Spirit you received does not
make you slaves so that you live

345
00:21:38,280 --> 00:21:40,680
in fear again. 
Rather, the Spirit you received 

346
00:21:40,680 --> 00:21:42,520
brought about your adoption to 
sonship. 

347
00:21:42,520 --> 00:21:44,280
Listen to this. 
And by him we cry. 

348
00:21:44,440 --> 00:21:47,960
ABBA, Father. 
The Spirit himself testifies 

349
00:21:47,960 --> 00:21:49,960
with our spirit that we're God's
children. 

350
00:21:50,120 --> 00:21:54,080
When you believed, you were no 
longer an orphan. 

351
00:21:54,440 --> 00:21:58,200
You were a son with a father. 
So many live as orphans. 

352
00:21:58,840 --> 00:22:02,280
Many Christians live as orphans.
Greedy. 

353
00:22:02,400 --> 00:22:05,000
Me first, because there might 
not be any tomorrow. 

354
00:22:06,280 --> 00:22:09,440
I'm grateful, I deserve it. 
Fighting for our rights. 

355
00:22:09,640 --> 00:22:12,920
But a son is different. 
A son knows that they are always

356
00:22:12,920 --> 00:22:17,120
wanted, always welcome, always 
precious, so they don't need to 

357
00:22:17,120 --> 00:22:20,640
fight. 
This is the Father who sees you 

358
00:22:20,640 --> 00:22:25,840
from a distance, who runs to you
and embraces you and kisses you 

359
00:22:26,040 --> 00:22:29,040
and gives you a new robe, which 
says welcome home, gives you 

360
00:22:29,040 --> 00:22:32,800
shoes, which says freedom, and 
gives you a ring, which says you

361
00:22:32,800 --> 00:22:36,120
are family. 
The father's in the room here 

362
00:22:36,320 --> 00:22:38,760
and he's close to you. 
This is the life you were 

363
00:22:38,760 --> 00:22:41,600
created for. 
But there's more to know. 

364
00:22:41,720 --> 00:22:46,640
We are loved. 
You are my son whom I love. 

365
00:22:47,320 --> 00:22:52,280
Friend of ours was singing a 
song about how precious Jesus 

366
00:22:52,280 --> 00:22:55,560
is. 
And as she sang, she sends God 

367
00:22:55,560 --> 00:22:58,280
speak to her. 
That's how I feel about you. 

368
00:23:00,680 --> 00:23:03,360
And sometime later she was 
speaking to another person and 

369
00:23:03,360 --> 00:23:06,120
she said this. 
It's easy for me to hear God 

370
00:23:06,120 --> 00:23:09,640
speak about the little things, 
but harder to hear him on the 

371
00:23:09,640 --> 00:23:12,720
bigger things. 
And that night God spoke to her 

372
00:23:12,720 --> 00:23:17,040
again and he said your 
priorities are all wrong because

373
00:23:17,040 --> 00:23:21,560
I spoke to you about the biggest
thing there is in life. 

374
00:23:22,520 --> 00:23:28,080
You are precious to me. 
You are loved. 

375
00:23:30,200 --> 00:23:33,680
This is the life you were 
created for, to be loved. 

376
00:23:35,800 --> 00:23:40,960
I know loneliness can be a real 
thing, and sometimes Susan and I

377
00:23:40,960 --> 00:23:45,000
would love to solve all the 
loneliness that can be found in 

378
00:23:45,000 --> 00:23:51,600
church life, but in the middle 
of times when you're on your 

379
00:23:51,600 --> 00:23:56,200
own, you are always loved. 
I love these verses here in 

380
00:23:56,200 --> 00:23:59,680
Isaiah. 
This is what the Lord says, He 

381
00:23:59,680 --> 00:24:02,080
who created you, He who formed 
you. 

382
00:24:02,120 --> 00:24:05,160
Israel, do not fear, I've 
redeemed you. 

383
00:24:05,160 --> 00:24:06,680
I've summoned you by name, your 
mind. 

384
00:24:06,680 --> 00:24:08,640
When you pass through the 
waters, I'll be with you. 

385
00:24:08,640 --> 00:24:11,080
When you pass through the 
rivers, they will not sweep over

386
00:24:11,080 --> 00:24:12,440
you. 
When you walk through the fire, 

387
00:24:12,600 --> 00:24:14,800
you will not be burned. 
The flames will not set you 

388
00:24:14,800 --> 00:24:17,560
ablaze. 
For I am the Lord your God, the 

389
00:24:17,560 --> 00:24:19,320
Holy One of Israel, your 
Saviour. 

390
00:24:19,520 --> 00:24:22,240
And since you're precious and 
honoured in my sight, and 

391
00:24:22,240 --> 00:24:25,480
because I love you, I will give 
people in exchange for you, and 

392
00:24:25,480 --> 00:24:27,800
nations in exchange for your 
life. 

393
00:24:28,360 --> 00:24:33,640
You may have been hurt by some, 
ignored by others, forgotten by 

394
00:24:33,640 --> 00:24:38,040
a few, but you are loved by the 
One who really, really matters. 

395
00:24:39,960 --> 00:24:43,760
You're never alone. 
You've never once been rejected 

396
00:24:43,760 --> 00:24:46,640
by Him. 
You never pass by. 

397
00:24:50,520 --> 00:24:55,320
If you don't respond to him, I 
don't quite know how it'll work,

398
00:24:55,880 --> 00:24:58,000
But if you're not a Jesus 
follower and you don't respond 

399
00:24:58,000 --> 00:25:05,200
to Him one day with deep sadness
and tears, you will be rejected,

400
00:25:06,880 --> 00:25:08,920
which is why you need to find 
Him in this life. 

401
00:25:09,520 --> 00:25:14,840
You're forever loved. 
Our love is conditional so often

402
00:25:14,840 --> 00:25:17,960
even in a close relationship. 
If you love me, I love you, but 

403
00:25:17,960 --> 00:25:19,800
if you hurt me, you better watch
out. 

404
00:25:21,240 --> 00:25:24,480
Where is the love of God is? 
I love you because I love you 

405
00:25:24,480 --> 00:25:27,000
because I love you and nothing 
can ever stop it. 

406
00:25:28,680 --> 00:25:31,760
Your life is planned to be 
surrounded by His love. 

407
00:25:34,440 --> 00:25:38,160
Our passage says this. 
As he was praying, heaven was 

408
00:25:38,160 --> 00:25:41,240
opened and the Holy Spirit 
descended on him in bodily form 

409
00:25:41,240 --> 00:25:45,320
like a dove, and a voice came 
from heaven saying, You are my 

410
00:25:45,320 --> 00:25:49,320
son whom I love with you. 
I am well pleased. 

411
00:25:50,040 --> 00:25:53,880
This is the life you were 
created for, to walk with an 

412
00:25:53,880 --> 00:25:58,840
open heaven, to be Holy Spirit 
filled, to hear Him speak, to 

413
00:25:58,840 --> 00:26:04,000
know Him as Father, to be loved 
and lastly to live in favour 

414
00:26:04,840 --> 00:26:12,400
with you. 
I am well pleased learning to 

415
00:26:12,400 --> 00:26:14,880
live. 
Not striving for approval of 

416
00:26:14,880 --> 00:26:20,400
people is a real journey. 
Deciding to not make it your 

417
00:26:20,400 --> 00:26:25,000
goal to be favoured by people 
can be a challenge for many. 

418
00:26:27,280 --> 00:26:28,760
And we're all on a mission, 
aren't we? 

419
00:26:28,760 --> 00:26:33,960
To understand that the embrace 
of the Father, the smile of 

420
00:26:33,960 --> 00:26:43,320
Jesus and the closest of the 
Spirit is all we really need and

421
00:26:43,360 --> 00:26:49,240
all that is already ours. 
The Creator of the universe who 

422
00:26:49,240 --> 00:26:54,400
hears the words of 8 billion 
people at the same time while 

423
00:26:54,400 --> 00:27:00,240
storing their individual tears 
in a bottle whilst holding the 

424
00:27:00,240 --> 00:27:09,360
whole universe together with his
other hand, celebrates you. 

425
00:27:09,360 --> 00:27:14,680
I'm not quite sure if it works 
like this, but there's probably 

426
00:27:14,760 --> 00:27:17,240
a moment when the Father is 
called. 

427
00:27:17,920 --> 00:27:22,320
Maybe Michael, I don't know. 
One of the angels, I looked down

428
00:27:22,320 --> 00:27:24,800
at you and said, look, look, 
look, can you see that one 

429
00:27:24,800 --> 00:27:27,600
there? 
They're my child. 

430
00:27:29,200 --> 00:27:31,080
And perhaps they look at one 
another and they go woo. 

431
00:27:31,200 --> 00:27:36,560
And the words come again, I love
you. 

432
00:27:37,600 --> 00:27:41,960
You are made for great things. 
There is yet more in you. 

433
00:27:42,720 --> 00:27:45,320
Reach for everything you're 
called to be. 

434
00:27:46,240 --> 00:27:48,680
I will never leave you or 
forsake you. 

435
00:27:48,840 --> 00:27:53,600
Let's run together in everything
I have created you for, with 

436
00:27:53,600 --> 00:27:55,320
you. 
I'm well pleased. 

437
00:27:55,680 --> 00:27:57,920
This is the life you were 
created for. 

438
00:27:57,920 --> 00:28:01,480
And what a life we have. 
This is why we must tell 

439
00:28:01,480 --> 00:28:07,600
everyone everywhere of the life 
they were called to live. 

440
00:28:09,960 --> 00:28:12,440
I love that care for the poor is
at the heart of our vision. 

441
00:28:12,800 --> 00:28:15,720
I love that care for the world 
is at the heart of our vision. 

442
00:28:15,720 --> 00:28:18,840
I love that care for the lost is
at the heart of our vision. 

443
00:28:18,840 --> 00:28:21,720
I love that the care for people 
is at the heart of our vision. 

444
00:28:21,720 --> 00:28:24,440
And I love that the care for the
One is at the heart of our 

445
00:28:24,440 --> 00:28:27,080
vision. 
We will always be about loving 

446
00:28:27,080 --> 00:28:30,040
God and loving people and loving
His mission and loving His 

447
00:28:30,040 --> 00:28:33,960
church and will be a house that 
calls the best out of you. 

448
00:28:36,680 --> 00:28:40,920
This is the life you were 
created for, to walk with an 

449
00:28:40,920 --> 00:28:45,880
open heaven, to be Holy Spirit 
filled, to hear him speak, to 

450
00:28:45,880 --> 00:28:48,400
know him as Father, to be loved,
to live in favour. 

451
00:28:52,680 --> 00:28:59,360
We're surrounded by so many who 
are facing despair and 

452
00:28:59,360 --> 00:29:06,720
desperation and sadness, and if 
we're honest, it visits the 

453
00:29:06,720 --> 00:29:16,560
church often. 
The biggest killer of under 50s 

454
00:29:17,320 --> 00:29:26,240
in our country is suicide, and I
felt compelled to say this to 

455
00:29:26,320 --> 00:29:30,400
everyone who's in the room today
and watching this online. 

456
00:29:32,560 --> 00:29:38,280
But suicide is never ever, ever,
ever God's plan. 

457
00:29:40,160 --> 00:29:45,440
It's always a deception. 
It's always a lie. 

458
00:29:46,960 --> 00:29:50,880
And you can get some help. 
Shame. 

459
00:29:51,080 --> 00:29:55,040
Sometimes shame leads us to 
places where we think I'm not 

460
00:29:55,040 --> 00:29:57,480
clean, I'm dirty. 
Hazel stands here and talks 

461
00:29:57,480 --> 00:29:59,600
about holiness. 
And you think if you knew me, 

462
00:29:59,760 --> 00:30:08,720
you would not want to touch me. 
But Grace, the grace caused us 

463
00:30:08,720 --> 00:30:13,000
to say there's some repentance 
to do, yes, there's some change 

464
00:30:13,000 --> 00:30:15,440
to make. 
Yes, there may even be some 

465
00:30:15,440 --> 00:30:21,680
consequences. 
Yes, but you can live close to 

466
00:30:21,680 --> 00:30:24,040
me and you can lift your head up
again. 

467
00:30:33,240 --> 00:30:38,320
If you suffer with sadness and 
depression, let the shame be 

468
00:30:38,320 --> 00:30:41,480
lifted off your life. 
You are deeply loved. 

469
00:30:42,000 --> 00:30:44,040
Never ever feel that you are 
less. 

470
00:30:44,800 --> 00:30:46,400
You're on a journey to 
wholeness. 

471
00:30:46,960 --> 00:30:50,200
And together we'll stand and 
believe God that we'll all be 

472
00:30:50,200 --> 00:30:54,040
more healed than we've ever been
and more changed by grace 

473
00:30:55,200 --> 00:30:59,040
because he's able to minister to
you and me today and take us 

474
00:30:59,040 --> 00:31:01,760
from some of what we carry to 
what we can be. 

475
00:31:02,480 --> 00:31:06,520
But if you have considered 
recently taking your life, I 

476
00:31:06,520 --> 00:31:11,280
want to urge you with every bit 
of my heart today to put your 

477
00:31:11,280 --> 00:31:12,240
hand up. 
Not now. 

478
00:31:12,600 --> 00:31:18,240
Get some help. 
Text a friend, say pray with me,

479
00:31:18,920 --> 00:31:21,640
please. 
You are never alone. 

480
00:31:25,920 --> 00:31:28,200
Today we've heard of what God's 
plan is. 

481
00:31:31,440 --> 00:31:35,320
This is the plan for you and me.
I don't know about you, but why 

482
00:31:35,320 --> 00:31:37,280
would anyone not want to be a 
Christian? 

483
00:31:39,720 --> 00:31:49,800
Did you hear anything of works 
having to to earn shame being 

484
00:31:49,800 --> 00:31:52,000
poured on you in what I've 
shared today? 

485
00:31:53,040 --> 00:31:56,280
Because the life you were 
created for, as the Son of the 

486
00:31:56,280 --> 00:32:01,960
living God, is to live free of 
those things. 

487
00:32:05,520 --> 00:32:09,360
The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make His face shine 

488
00:32:09,360 --> 00:32:13,560
upon you and be gracious to you.
The Lord turn his face towards 

489
00:32:13,560 --> 00:32:15,280
you and give you peace.