1 00:00:00,560 --> 00:00:02,960 Welcome to the Illuminate Church podcast. 2 00:00:03,400 --> 00:00:05,520 We hope today's message is encouraging to you. 3 00:00:11,240 --> 00:00:14,160 I believe today's going to be a special day. 4 00:00:17,440 --> 00:00:21,160 I believe the guy wants to put life in the dry and dead bones 5 00:00:21,600 --> 00:00:23,520 in Jesus name. I believe that he wants to put 6 00:00:23,520 --> 00:00:26,520 streams in the middle of the wilderness, in the wasteland, 7 00:00:26,960 --> 00:00:30,160 and so if you feel like that today, then you have come to the 8 00:00:30,160 --> 00:00:33,480 right place. In Jesus name. 9 00:00:33,920 --> 00:00:37,080 Hello to you watching online. Wherever you're watching, you're 10 00:00:37,080 --> 00:00:39,640 in the right place too. If there's a local church near 11 00:00:39,640 --> 00:00:42,920 you, get there. If you're near here, get here. 12 00:00:43,120 --> 00:00:46,080 Love to have you with us. I want to tell you that in two 13 00:00:46,080 --> 00:00:50,120 weeks we are going to be celebrating our 13th anniversary 14 00:00:50,120 --> 00:00:55,200 here at Illuminate Church. Blessed 13. 15 00:00:56,200 --> 00:00:58,480 Yeah, Anniversary came about because we didn't know if it's 16 00:00:58,480 --> 00:01:00,400 an anniversary or birthday. We didn't know what to call us. 17 00:01:00,400 --> 00:01:02,960 It became an anniversary the first year and it just stuck and 18 00:01:02,960 --> 00:01:05,160 it's stuck ever since. And I have to explain it every 19 00:01:05,160 --> 00:01:06,240 year. So there you go. 20 00:01:06,640 --> 00:01:10,080 Anniversary, October 5th or 6th, whatever. 21 00:01:10,080 --> 00:01:14,200 That Sunday is the 5th and it's going to be a special time. 22 00:01:14,200 --> 00:01:16,560 We have a guest coming from Africa who's going to be here 23 00:01:16,560 --> 00:01:17,880 with us. We're going to preach kind of 24 00:01:17,880 --> 00:01:19,480 together. You'll see it's a special 25 00:01:19,480 --> 00:01:21,240 Sunday. We haven't had a Sunday like 26 00:01:21,240 --> 00:01:24,600 this in a long time. And also the night before is our 27 00:01:24,600 --> 00:01:28,400 Dream Team weekend. The guy who wrote the last song, 28 00:01:28,400 --> 00:01:30,960 only Jesus that we just sang, his name's Martin Smith. 29 00:01:30,960 --> 00:01:33,680 He's written so many songs that you sing that you don't even 30 00:01:33,680 --> 00:01:36,600 know that he wrote. He will be here for our Dream 31 00:01:36,600 --> 00:01:39,160 Team weekend, for our Dream Team members on Saturday night. 32 00:01:39,160 --> 00:01:40,760 It's going to be a special time together. 33 00:01:41,440 --> 00:01:43,640 I'm looking forward to that wholeheartedly. 34 00:01:45,400 --> 00:01:49,120 I wanted to mention last week just a little bit, if you didn't 35 00:01:49,120 --> 00:01:51,920 see it, I sent out a message. Anybody see the message that I 36 00:01:51,920 --> 00:01:53,800 sent out on YouTube? It looks like this. 37 00:01:53,800 --> 00:01:56,080 I'm wearing a red shirt. I got a big giant forehead and 38 00:01:56,080 --> 00:01:59,440 the shirt makes me look fat. I don't know why, but there's 39 00:01:59,440 --> 00:02:02,840 that. I was explaining why we did what 40 00:02:02,840 --> 00:02:08,520 we did last Sunday and why we had a normal service when the in 41 00:02:08,520 --> 00:02:11,000 the aftermath of what happened with Charlie Kirk and his 42 00:02:11,000 --> 00:02:13,880 family. And there was some a concern 43 00:02:13,880 --> 00:02:16,600 that we didn't spend enough time or too much time, all these kind 44 00:02:16,600 --> 00:02:19,280 of thoughts going on. And I'll say the Holy Spirit 45 00:02:19,520 --> 00:02:21,120 speaks to us. We believe. 46 00:02:21,120 --> 00:02:23,760 And he says like no matter what the problem is, the answer is 47 00:02:23,760 --> 00:02:27,080 always going to be Jesus. So when people show up in droves 48 00:02:27,080 --> 00:02:29,320 and they showed up in droves, you all showed up in droves last 49 00:02:29,320 --> 00:02:31,240 week. The Holy Spirit said, just give 50 00:02:31,240 --> 00:02:32,440 them what you normally give them. 51 00:02:32,440 --> 00:02:35,640 And that is Jesus. And if I didn't connect the dots 52 00:02:35,640 --> 00:02:38,000 well for you last week, I apologize for that. 53 00:02:38,000 --> 00:02:40,360 But that was our intent. Like, let's get in the house. 54 00:02:40,520 --> 00:02:43,600 Let's acknowledge the grief and the pain and the various views 55 00:02:43,600 --> 00:02:46,000 of which we are approaching Charlie Kirk's assassination, 56 00:02:46,240 --> 00:02:49,800 and then let's center ourselves under the headship. 57 00:02:49,800 --> 00:02:51,840 Of Jesus by. Worshiping him and then getting 58 00:02:51,840 --> 00:02:54,560 into the word that Pastor Valdemar so beautifully and 59 00:02:54,560 --> 00:02:57,320 powerfully delivered. His name is Valdemar. 60 00:02:58,800 --> 00:03:01,520 No more shame. Amen. 61 00:03:01,520 --> 00:03:02,880 Hallelujah. Yeah. 62 00:03:02,880 --> 00:03:08,680 Praise God, and God certainly is using what the enemy meant for 63 00:03:08,680 --> 00:03:11,960 harm for good. I want to tell you that if you 64 00:03:11,960 --> 00:03:15,680 still have lingering thoughts, need to process, just want to 65 00:03:15,680 --> 00:03:18,480 pray for our nation, pray for yourself, pray for other 66 00:03:18,480 --> 00:03:20,560 believers. We're going to be right in this 67 00:03:20,560 --> 00:03:24,080 room Tuesday night from 6:30 to 8:00, and we invite you all to 68 00:03:24,080 --> 00:03:25,160 come. There may be 10 of us. 69 00:03:25,160 --> 00:03:28,560 There may be 10,000 of us. I don't know if there's 10,000, 70 00:03:28,560 --> 00:03:31,320 we're in trouble. There may be 1000 of us, so 71 00:03:31,320 --> 00:03:33,240 please coming out a special time of prayer. 72 00:03:33,400 --> 00:03:35,800 It's not a debate forum. There's not going to be 73 00:03:35,800 --> 00:03:38,640 disagreements and what you see on social media division. 74 00:03:38,640 --> 00:03:41,600 There's going to be unity and some time to process what it is 75 00:03:41,600 --> 00:03:45,320 we're thinking and feeling and ultimately submit that all under 76 00:03:45,320 --> 00:03:47,640 the headship of Jesus Christ and his word. 77 00:03:47,720 --> 00:03:50,000 Amen. Tuesday night at 6:30. 78 00:03:50,000 --> 00:03:56,880 You say it perfect. We had record attendance last 79 00:03:56,880 --> 00:04:02,440 week other than Easter and Christmas, which means people 80 00:04:03,120 --> 00:04:07,080 are looking for answers when what we see before our eyes is 81 00:04:07,080 --> 00:04:08,840 what we see. We should not see what we have 82 00:04:08,840 --> 00:04:11,520 seen in the last. Really with not just Charlie, 83 00:04:11,520 --> 00:04:15,000 but across our globe, it looks like disarray. 84 00:04:15,280 --> 00:04:17,600 It does not look like the order of God for certain. 85 00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:22,320 And I want to show you like a video that one of our guys, 86 00:04:22,320 --> 00:04:24,200 Garrett Harder took. He's one of our usher's a good 87 00:04:24,200 --> 00:04:27,680 friend of mine. And he, he filmed just driving 88 00:04:27,680 --> 00:04:29,120 into church. It's like, whoa, there's a lot, 89 00:04:29,200 --> 00:04:30,920 a lot of people. Did anyone see this video? 90 00:04:31,280 --> 00:04:33,480 Yeah. And and then he like, here's the 91 00:04:33,480 --> 00:04:35,160 line coming in. Do you guys know this line? 92 00:04:35,160 --> 00:04:37,840 Are you familiar with this line? Isn't it great to have to wait 93 00:04:37,840 --> 00:04:39,400 to get into church in Jesus name? 94 00:04:39,400 --> 00:04:41,120 Is that a blessing? Is that a blessing? 95 00:04:41,280 --> 00:04:43,160 It's so great to wait to get into. 96 00:04:43,160 --> 00:04:45,280 OK, good. And then just filming the 97 00:04:45,280 --> 00:04:46,440 church. And he posted this. 98 00:04:46,440 --> 00:04:48,800 Now Garrett has five reels. The other four reels. 99 00:04:48,800 --> 00:04:52,560 This is the fifth one, the highest grossing reel as terms 100 00:04:52,560 --> 00:04:58,040 of views with 694 OK and most of his reels, which is just the 101 00:04:58,040 --> 00:05:02,320 other three, have an average of about 300 views for those reels. 102 00:05:02,320 --> 00:05:05,480 This reel of our church being packed out last Sunday has 103 00:05:05,600 --> 00:05:17,640 nearly 1 million views, which means God is taking what the 104 00:05:17,640 --> 00:05:19,360 enemy meant for harm and using it for good. 105 00:05:20,040 --> 00:05:22,280 We weren't the only church packed out last weekend. 106 00:05:22,280 --> 00:05:24,280 People are coming. And let me say this to you. 107 00:05:24,280 --> 00:05:27,120 If you showed up last week because of what happened to 108 00:05:27,120 --> 00:05:30,120 Charlie and if you showed up looking for answers and saying 109 00:05:30,120 --> 00:05:33,440 there's something is not right and I believe the answer is 110 00:05:33,440 --> 00:05:35,840 found in a church. So I'm going to go to this 111 00:05:35,840 --> 00:05:38,680 church. Let me tell you, I'm so glad 112 00:05:39,080 --> 00:05:41,040 you're here and I'm just a human. 113 00:05:41,440 --> 00:05:44,000 I can only imagine what the Lord our God thinks that you showed 114 00:05:44,000 --> 00:05:47,960 up to His house to hear from Him and His Word and to worship Him. 115 00:05:48,320 --> 00:05:51,040 And this is the counsel I give you this, the best counsel I can 116 00:05:51,040 --> 00:05:53,080 give you. If you're brand new in the last 117 00:05:53,080 --> 00:05:55,720 couple weeks or if you've been here a long time, it doesn't 118 00:05:55,720 --> 00:05:57,720 matter. Stick around. 119 00:05:59,600 --> 00:06:01,160 Don't leave when the feelings leave. 120 00:06:02,320 --> 00:06:04,960 Don't leave when the new cycle changes to the next thing. 121 00:06:05,120 --> 00:06:09,320 God drew you here in this time to capture your heart, and if 122 00:06:09,320 --> 00:06:11,280 you will stick around, here's what will happen. 123 00:06:11,640 --> 00:06:13,680 The Lord Jesus will avail himself to you. 124 00:06:14,600 --> 00:06:17,680 Those who seek, find. So stick around and seek. 125 00:06:17,840 --> 00:06:19,520 You will be. Found by Jesus, you will be 126 00:06:19,520 --> 00:06:21,560 loved by Jesus, you will be saved by Jesus. 127 00:06:21,680 --> 00:06:26,800 You're going to love your life with Jesus in it if you'll stick 128 00:06:26,800 --> 00:06:29,200 around. The world is starting to say you 129 00:06:29,200 --> 00:06:31,360 can do church out there, you don't need a church. 130 00:06:32,080 --> 00:06:35,200 Well, the Lord himself says in Hebrews did not forsake the 131 00:06:35,200 --> 00:06:39,880 gathering of the Saints, and you've made a good choice to be 132 00:06:39,880 --> 00:06:41,840 here and to be a part of the gathering. 133 00:06:42,280 --> 00:06:43,360 Amen. So look at your neighbors, say 134 00:06:43,360 --> 00:06:45,760 stick around. Look at your other neighbors, 135 00:06:45,760 --> 00:06:50,240 say stick around. Yep, the second neighbor is the 136 00:06:50,240 --> 00:06:53,360 one you love second, by the way, and they know it. 137 00:06:54,240 --> 00:06:58,360 You chose that other person 1st. And if you are sticking around, 138 00:06:58,360 --> 00:06:59,920 the best place to start is life step one. 139 00:07:00,480 --> 00:07:03,560 Life step one, if you haven't been, head to Connect Central 140 00:07:03,560 --> 00:07:05,760 after this service is right out there in the lobby and they will 141 00:07:05,760 --> 00:07:08,240 help you get into life step one. We have another one coming 142 00:07:08,240 --> 00:07:10,200 October 5th, the same day as anniversary. 143 00:07:10,360 --> 00:07:12,840 A one hour experience that can change all the rest of your 144 00:07:12,840 --> 00:07:16,560 hours for the rest of your life. Life step one, everybody clap 145 00:07:16,560 --> 00:07:24,160 twice. All right, well, I'm glad you're 146 00:07:24,160 --> 00:07:26,040 here. Today we're in our series called 147 00:07:26,040 --> 00:07:28,480 Weeds in My Garden where we are getting honest about mental 148 00:07:28,480 --> 00:07:31,480 health and bringing a light to our most places don't want to 149 00:07:31,480 --> 00:07:33,040 bring it to light. And if we keep it in the 150 00:07:33,040 --> 00:07:36,040 darkness, the people struggling with mental illness stay in the 151 00:07:36,040 --> 00:07:39,560 darkness and we want to be a church that brings it all to the 152 00:07:39,560 --> 00:07:40,720 light. Somebody say Amen. 153 00:07:41,440 --> 00:07:44,080 When we began the series, I was a more than a little nervous 154 00:07:44,080 --> 00:07:46,320 basically because you say, hey, we're going to do 12 weeks of 155 00:07:46,320 --> 00:07:49,040 mental health. Will anybody be here at the end? 156 00:07:49,480 --> 00:07:50,720 Like, are you going to stick through? 157 00:07:50,720 --> 00:07:52,840 Are you even going to show up? And what we actually saw as a 158 00:07:52,840 --> 00:07:55,600 10% growth in attendance and it stayed that way. 159 00:07:55,600 --> 00:07:58,080 We've had at least 33 salvations. 160 00:07:58,080 --> 00:08:00,880 That doesn't even include last week or this morning service, 161 00:08:00,880 --> 00:08:02,920 the 9:00 AM service where a bunch of people raised their 162 00:08:02,920 --> 00:08:06,160 hand for salvation. And here's what we've seen. 163 00:08:06,680 --> 00:08:09,080 God has set people free of demonic oppression. 164 00:08:09,200 --> 00:08:10,760 We have seen deliverance. We have. 165 00:08:10,760 --> 00:08:14,680 Seen it? God is breaking chains for 166 00:08:14,680 --> 00:08:16,400 people. And if you're still in the 167 00:08:16,400 --> 00:08:19,440 middle of your journey, what we're seeing is hope restored in 168 00:08:19,440 --> 00:08:22,920 the middle. There is a way forward because 169 00:08:22,920 --> 00:08:23,800 of Jesus. Amen. 170 00:08:24,760 --> 00:08:26,920 Amen. Yeah. 171 00:08:26,920 --> 00:08:28,840 And so what's happened is the opposite. 172 00:08:28,840 --> 00:08:30,840 I thought we'd go down in attendance, and we've gone up in 173 00:08:30,840 --> 00:08:32,600 attendance, and it's just incredible. 174 00:08:32,720 --> 00:08:35,200 Thank you for being here. Thank you for saying that this 175 00:08:35,200 --> 00:08:37,000 matters. And I know that not everyone 176 00:08:37,000 --> 00:08:41,360 here is inclined to this series. Like you're like. 177 00:08:41,440 --> 00:08:42,799 OK, some people need it, but I don't. 178 00:08:42,960 --> 00:08:45,520 I mean, I'm great. I don't, you know, and you don't 179 00:08:45,520 --> 00:08:47,560 mean that in a prideful way. You're just doing great in life 180 00:08:47,560 --> 00:08:49,880 right now. Praise God, but you're still 181 00:08:49,880 --> 00:08:51,920 here. And I want to say to you, thank 182 00:08:51,920 --> 00:08:54,600 you for sticking around and leading and loving. 183 00:08:54,840 --> 00:08:58,320 Well, One of the great signs of maturity and a believer is when 184 00:08:58,320 --> 00:09:01,680 you become others focused, you recognize that this service 185 00:09:01,680 --> 00:09:06,160 isn't all about you. In fact, this entire service is 186 00:09:06,160 --> 00:09:07,360 all about. Him. 187 00:09:08,120 --> 00:09:11,320 And we get the byproduct of His presence here with us to help us 188 00:09:11,320 --> 00:09:13,600 in our lives. But this is a worship service. 189 00:09:14,200 --> 00:09:17,320 And we don't worship ourselves. We worship the King. 190 00:09:17,320 --> 00:09:20,560 It's a sanctuary, not an auditorium, not a theater. 191 00:09:21,880 --> 00:09:25,440 So we're not here for a show. We're here to worship and to 192 00:09:25,440 --> 00:09:28,040 receive from him. And so when you say it's not 193 00:09:28,040 --> 00:09:30,320 about you and you hit sticking around, here's what I do know. 194 00:09:31,120 --> 00:09:35,080 All of us know somebody or will know somebody that we love and 195 00:09:35,080 --> 00:09:36,880 care for that's going to struggle with a mental health 196 00:09:36,880 --> 00:09:39,320 issue. And as you stick around here, I 197 00:09:39,320 --> 00:09:43,200 want you to be prepared to be a moment for them of light in the 198 00:09:43,200 --> 00:09:45,040 darkness. I want you to be ready to love 199 00:09:45,040 --> 00:09:47,440 and to lead them well. I want you to be prepared to 200 00:09:47,440 --> 00:09:50,240 offer solid counsel to them, to give them a biblical framework, 201 00:09:50,400 --> 00:09:51,920 and most of all, to give them hope. 202 00:09:52,520 --> 00:09:57,120 This is not the end. There's more and you get a 203 00:09:57,120 --> 00:10:00,440 chance to say that one of the things that we've done here with 204 00:10:00,440 --> 00:10:02,800 favorite things we've done here, and you may not even know yet on 205 00:10:02,800 --> 00:10:06,240 your app, we have a resource page, the church Center app or 206 00:10:06,240 --> 00:10:08,440 illuminate dot church. It looks like this. 207 00:10:08,440 --> 00:10:10,560 If you open up your church app, you click on the weeds in my 208 00:10:10,560 --> 00:10:13,520 garden like this, like that, and then it's going to flip to that 209 00:10:13,520 --> 00:10:16,520 screen just like that. And those are the series of the 210 00:10:16,520 --> 00:10:18,000 rest of the messages that we're going through. 211 00:10:18,000 --> 00:10:21,200 And then beyond that are the resources videos. 212 00:10:21,200 --> 00:10:23,600 There's 10 videos there by a professional licensed mental 213 00:10:23,600 --> 00:10:25,520 health counselor, Christian dude, amazing. 214 00:10:25,640 --> 00:10:27,920 Watch those 10 videos. And then you got the national 215 00:10:27,920 --> 00:10:30,240 resources, the local resources, including our biblical 216 00:10:30,240 --> 00:10:32,480 encouragers here, our freedom group scriptures. 217 00:10:32,480 --> 00:10:34,920 You can pray. And then note this warning signs 218 00:10:35,080 --> 00:10:37,320 of suicide. We're going to talk about that 219 00:10:37,320 --> 00:10:39,120 today. They're listed here. 220 00:10:39,440 --> 00:10:41,760 And you'd be surprised. What's on the list of warning 221 00:10:41,760 --> 00:10:45,160 signs that people that near suicide sometimes get very 222 00:10:45,160 --> 00:10:48,880 joyful because they finally think my misery is about to end 223 00:10:49,840 --> 00:10:51,960 and you think why they're doing so much better, but really 224 00:10:51,960 --> 00:10:54,720 what's happening is they're giving you a sign and we need to 225 00:10:54,720 --> 00:10:55,880 pay. There's lots of signs that you 226 00:10:55,880 --> 00:10:58,640 need to pay attention to them. All those resources are there on 227 00:10:58,640 --> 00:11:01,520 the app, Church Center app. If you need to download it, you 228 00:11:01,520 --> 00:11:03,960 can download it or go to Illuminate that church. 229 00:11:05,160 --> 00:11:10,720 Well, today may very well be the most difficult message that I 230 00:11:10,720 --> 00:11:15,120 deliver all year long. I have been preparing for a 231 00:11:15,120 --> 00:11:18,720 bunch of weeks on how best to deliver this message in both a 232 00:11:18,720 --> 00:11:23,640 meaningful and a conscientious matter, because today here at 233 00:11:23,640 --> 00:11:25,840 Illuminate Church, we're going to talk about suicide. 234 00:11:27,760 --> 00:11:31,560 It's time to bring this into the church and discuss. 235 00:11:32,960 --> 00:11:35,480 Suicide is now the third leading cause of death for teens and 236 00:11:35,480 --> 00:11:41,360 young adults between 15 and 24. 25% of adults between 18 and 24 237 00:11:41,360 --> 00:11:44,320 reported having seriously considered suicide in the past 238 00:11:44,320 --> 00:11:47,800 month, while 18% of high schoolers reported seriously 239 00:11:47,800 --> 00:11:50,440 considering suicide in the last year. 240 00:11:51,440 --> 00:11:55,240 In 2024 in the United States of America, there were 16,000 241 00:11:55,240 --> 00:12:00,760 homicides and there were 49,000 suicides. 242 00:12:02,440 --> 00:12:04,880 That means in the United States of America, you're three times 243 00:12:04,880 --> 00:12:07,640 as likely to die by suicide as you are by homicide. 244 00:12:11,120 --> 00:12:14,680 There's a suicide death in America every 11 minutes. 245 00:12:15,600 --> 00:12:19,720 There is one death for every 25 attempts, which means there is 246 00:12:19,720 --> 00:12:23,000 an attempted suicide every 27 1/2 seconds. 247 00:12:24,640 --> 00:12:27,000 That means from the moment that this message started until it 248 00:12:27,000 --> 00:12:31,960 ends about 45 ish or so minutes later 90. 249 00:12:31,960 --> 00:12:35,480 Eight people in America will have attempted suicide. 250 00:12:36,760 --> 00:12:45,160 And seven of them, that's what we're talking about today. 251 00:12:46,520 --> 00:12:48,840 To bring it closer to home, we did a survey right before the 252 00:12:48,840 --> 00:12:52,360 series started of our church body, how are we doing in mental 253 00:12:52,360 --> 00:12:54,600 health? And we got all these responses 254 00:12:54,600 --> 00:12:56,680 back. One out of every 20 people said 255 00:12:56,680 --> 00:13:00,400 they are struggling with either suicidal thoughts or self harm. 256 00:13:03,120 --> 00:13:10,760 People here right now. 20% were in their teens, 30% were in 257 00:13:10,760 --> 00:13:15,360 their 30s, and 30% were in their 40s, which means 80% of those 258 00:13:15,640 --> 00:13:18,760 thinking about suicide or self harm are under the age of 50. 259 00:13:19,720 --> 00:13:23,080 Even split between men and women, if these patterns hold 260 00:13:23,080 --> 00:13:25,240 true throughout the entire church, not just those who took 261 00:13:25,240 --> 00:13:28,960 the survey, it means about 100 people in the church right now 262 00:13:28,960 --> 00:13:33,400 sitting next to you or maybe sitting in your seat are 263 00:13:33,400 --> 00:13:38,600 considering self harm are suicide they're silently 264 00:13:38,600 --> 00:13:43,280 battling on Sunday mornings. Now there may be some of you 265 00:13:43,280 --> 00:13:47,000 here that say I'm not suicidal, but I can tell you this, most 266 00:13:47,000 --> 00:13:49,800 people who died by suicide were probably not suicidal at some 267 00:13:49,800 --> 00:13:52,720 point. Or maybe you think I'm not going 268 00:13:52,720 --> 00:13:54,360 to do that. But most people who died by 269 00:13:54,360 --> 00:13:56,720 suicide were probably thinking at one point, I'm not going to 270 00:13:56,720 --> 00:13:59,280 do that. Or you say that can never happen 271 00:13:59,280 --> 00:14:00,800 to me. But most people who died by 272 00:14:00,800 --> 00:14:05,240 suicide, who at one point were numbered amongst us, would have 273 00:14:05,240 --> 00:14:09,240 also said that I'm never going to let that happen to me. 274 00:14:11,120 --> 00:14:13,640 So we need to pay attention. As I preach this, there are 275 00:14:13,640 --> 00:14:16,560 three groups of people that I'm primarily thinking about. 276 00:14:17,320 --> 00:14:19,640 First of all, I'm thinking about those of you who are followers 277 00:14:19,640 --> 00:14:22,000 of Jesus. You love God and you want to 278 00:14:22,000 --> 00:14:23,920 help people because you love people. 279 00:14:23,920 --> 00:14:26,440 You care deeply for the people around you, and you know that 280 00:14:26,440 --> 00:14:30,320 some of them are dealing with deep battles in their mind. 281 00:14:31,080 --> 00:14:32,840 You can. You can hear the darkness in 282 00:14:32,840 --> 00:14:34,920 their words. You can see the pain written all 283 00:14:34,920 --> 00:14:36,600 over their face. You want to do something, but 284 00:14:36,600 --> 00:14:40,120 you're not sure what to do. You want to say something, but 285 00:14:40,120 --> 00:14:43,120 you're not sure what to say. You want to help, but you're not 286 00:14:43,120 --> 00:14:47,720 sure what help even. Looks like we're going to help 287 00:14:47,720 --> 00:14:51,560 you today #2 I'm thinking about those of you who have lost a 288 00:14:51,560 --> 00:15:00,720 loved one to suicide. Me too, A horrific pain. 289 00:15:01,720 --> 00:15:04,680 Your heart isn't broken. Your heart is in pieces is 290 00:15:04,680 --> 00:15:06,360 absolutely and utterly. Shattered. 291 00:15:07,480 --> 00:15:10,480 You can't even begin to articulate the pain that you 292 00:15:10,480 --> 00:15:17,480 experienced in the loss of your loved one through suicide and 293 00:15:17,480 --> 00:15:22,400 the grief that comes in waves. Sometimes you'd be out somewhere 294 00:15:22,400 --> 00:15:25,520 and somebody has a mannerism that looks like your loved one 295 00:15:25,520 --> 00:15:32,440 who died and it hits you. Sometimes they walk by somebody 296 00:15:32,440 --> 00:15:34,160 and. They you just got the Cologne or 297 00:15:34,160 --> 00:15:38,080 the perfume and that's all it takes, right? 298 00:15:38,640 --> 00:15:42,400 Or their favorite season hits like Man She loved Christmas. 299 00:15:45,240 --> 00:15:49,600 Or their birthday comes. Or you walk down the hallway and 300 00:15:49,600 --> 00:15:54,760 there's their room, untouched. The heaviness. 301 00:15:59,560 --> 00:16:01,920 You can also feel things like guilt and shame because you have 302 00:16:01,920 --> 00:16:06,040 a good day and you feel horrible having a good day. 303 00:16:09,840 --> 00:16:11,440 Also today I'm thinking about those of you. 304 00:16:11,440 --> 00:16:15,320 Mostly I'm thinking about those of you who are right now self 305 00:16:15,320 --> 00:16:19,720 harming or you inundated with suicidal thoughts. 306 00:16:22,520 --> 00:16:24,240 Your mother's. You are brothers. 307 00:16:24,600 --> 00:16:28,800 You are fathers, your husbands, your daughters, you are sons, 308 00:16:28,800 --> 00:16:34,920 your wives. And behind the smiles and behind 309 00:16:34,920 --> 00:16:37,760 the long showers, the never ending fatigue, there is this 310 00:16:37,760 --> 00:16:42,280 endless erosion of hope happening in you. 311 00:16:42,280 --> 00:16:46,120 And the thoughts that you have become whispers and the whispers 312 00:16:46,120 --> 00:16:48,200 become shouts. And then you pry to silence the 313 00:16:48,200 --> 00:16:50,920 shouts and you cover your ears. But it only gets louder because 314 00:16:51,120 --> 00:16:52,920 the shouts are coming from in here. 315 00:16:55,600 --> 00:16:59,480 You can barely hear anything other than these shouts. 316 00:17:00,280 --> 00:17:05,119 So I want to address you who are hurting like this with suicidal 317 00:17:05,119 --> 00:17:08,280 thoughts or self harm and I want to address you first and I want 318 00:17:08,280 --> 00:17:11,560 to address you last. I want today to saturate your 319 00:17:11,560 --> 00:17:14,040 soul. With truth, and I want you 320 00:17:14,040 --> 00:17:18,560 church to, I don't know, affirm these statements. 321 00:17:19,400 --> 00:17:21,640 Whatever comes out of your spirit, if it's a yes, if it's 322 00:17:21,640 --> 00:17:24,880 an Amen, if it's clapping or whatever to encourage and 323 00:17:24,880 --> 00:17:28,160 saturate the people around you who may be struggling. 324 00:17:29,840 --> 00:17:33,360 First truth is this you listen to me. 325 00:17:34,000 --> 00:17:40,440 You are the one and only. You there? 326 00:17:40,600 --> 00:17:43,800 We say this about God. We say there's no one like you. 327 00:17:44,120 --> 00:17:46,320 Guess what? It's true of you too. 328 00:17:47,080 --> 00:17:51,520 There is no one. Like you, there is no one that 329 00:17:51,520 --> 00:17:53,520 can replace you. You are irreplaceable. 330 00:17:53,720 --> 00:17:57,760 Even if you're a twin, you're the one and only you. 331 00:17:58,320 --> 00:18:04,120 There'll never be another you. It's you and you only You have 332 00:18:04,320 --> 00:18:07,520 incredible value. To the Lord your God, somebody 333 00:18:07,520 --> 00:18:11,920 say yes, extraordinary value. You are loved by the Father and 334 00:18:11,920 --> 00:18:14,720 you are loved by us. Not only that, you are seen by 335 00:18:14,720 --> 00:18:16,960 God. How do I know? 336 00:18:18,760 --> 00:18:20,320 Because you're sitting in the service. 337 00:18:22,960 --> 00:18:27,080 Would you believe? I believe this God loves you so 338 00:18:27,080 --> 00:18:30,560 much that he designed this entire series for you right now. 339 00:18:32,200 --> 00:18:35,920 Because he sees you. He sees your thoughts, He 340 00:18:35,920 --> 00:18:39,200 understands the pain, and he's come to intervene in the middle 341 00:18:39,200 --> 00:18:42,960 of the story and reverse the lie of the devil that is trying to 342 00:18:42,960 --> 00:18:46,000 destroy. Because he sees you, He sees. 343 00:18:46,000 --> 00:18:48,680 You right here, right now, in this place. 344 00:18:52,360 --> 00:18:55,320 You are loved by the Father and you are loved by us. 345 00:18:55,320 --> 00:18:57,360 Lastly, you are not your thoughts. 346 00:18:58,160 --> 00:19:00,320 Pastor Valdemar was teaching this last week. 347 00:19:00,840 --> 00:19:03,160 When we hear these thoughts, we think they're ours, but it's the 348 00:19:03,160 --> 00:19:06,160 voice of the enemy. You are not bad. 349 00:19:06,160 --> 00:19:08,800 You are not broken beyond the hair repair. 350 00:19:08,800 --> 00:19:11,160 You are not meaningless or worthless. 351 00:19:12,920 --> 00:19:16,480 You are a creation of the Lord our God, and He gifted you with 352 00:19:16,480 --> 00:19:17,760 the breath of life. Hallelujah. 353 00:19:18,800 --> 00:19:22,360 You are loved by the Father and you are loved by us. 354 00:19:25,240 --> 00:19:27,640 I think I've told you before, but on Fridays I come in here 355 00:19:27,640 --> 00:19:32,560 and there's nobody else here. The staff has Friday off mostly 356 00:19:33,240 --> 00:19:34,520 and I sit. Right about where you are. 357 00:19:34,520 --> 00:19:36,240 What's your name again? Julia? 358 00:19:36,240 --> 00:19:38,080 You told me that before service and I already forgot. 359 00:19:38,080 --> 00:19:39,600 Forgive me. Thank you. 360 00:19:40,720 --> 00:19:43,200 I sit where you are, Julie, and I read the word and I journal 361 00:19:43,200 --> 00:19:45,320 some and then I pray. And when I normally pray, I just 362 00:19:45,320 --> 00:19:48,560 touch every single seat, all the seats, even the seats up there 363 00:19:48,560 --> 00:19:50,200 and the seat you're sitting over there in the corner. 364 00:19:50,200 --> 00:19:51,320 I see you. Hello. 365 00:19:53,960 --> 00:19:56,520 But this Friday I got up to do that and I started walking 366 00:19:56,520 --> 00:20:00,640 towards this aisle, these seats here where I normally start, and 367 00:20:00,800 --> 00:20:02,960 the Lord just had me come to this corner and I started just 368 00:20:02,960 --> 00:20:08,440 walking laps, Just walking laps. And I'm not getting exercise in. 369 00:20:09,400 --> 00:20:11,880 I'm praying. And I felt like what the Lord is 370 00:20:11,880 --> 00:20:15,280 saying is, I want to encircle you with my love. 371 00:20:16,360 --> 00:20:21,240 I want to fully encircle you so that no part of you is outside 372 00:20:21,240 --> 00:20:24,520 of my love. To completely embrace you with 373 00:20:24,520 --> 00:20:26,480 my love. And as I'm praying, I got this 374 00:20:26,480 --> 00:20:30,880 weird idea. Y'all, can we do this? 375 00:20:32,200 --> 00:20:33,680 It's going to take some courage from you. 376 00:20:34,680 --> 00:20:38,240 Can we do this? This is what I felt like the 377 00:20:38,240 --> 00:20:42,320 Lord put on my heart. But there's somebody here right 378 00:20:42,320 --> 00:20:47,880 now, many somebodies, lots of people who are in. 379 00:20:47,880 --> 00:20:52,320 Desperate need to feel the love of God, the embrace of God. 380 00:20:53,120 --> 00:20:57,360 I'll say it to you this way. Is there anyone here who could 381 00:20:57,360 --> 00:21:00,400 use a hug? Here's what we're going to do. 382 00:21:01,040 --> 00:21:04,240 I'm going to count to 3. And if you need a hug from the 383 00:21:04,240 --> 00:21:07,360 Lord? Allow us the body of Christ. 384 00:21:07,640 --> 00:21:13,200 To be His body to you and embrace you in a holy embrace. 385 00:21:15,120 --> 00:21:16,880 We could do this rightly, correct? 386 00:21:17,920 --> 00:21:20,480 Correct. So if you need a hug, here's 387 00:21:20,480 --> 00:21:22,800 what's going to happen. You're on a count of three. 388 00:21:22,840 --> 00:21:27,040 You're going to stand up and just a second behind that, the 389 00:21:27,040 --> 00:21:30,280 rest of the body without me even telling them what to do, is 390 00:21:30,280 --> 00:21:31,880 going to do what they know they should do. 391 00:21:32,600 --> 00:21:36,120 If you need a hug from the Lord, and you allow it to be us on the 392 00:21:36,120 --> 00:21:39,520 count of three, stand 123, come on. 393 00:21:56,900 --> 00:21:57,340 Thank you. I know. 394 00:22:25,310 --> 00:22:32,320 I know you needed one. I know he knows too, thank. 395 00:22:50,240 --> 00:22:51,120 You, how are you? Love you brother. 396 00:22:51,400 --> 00:22:55,840 Thank you did. Everyone get what they needed. 397 00:22:58,840 --> 00:22:59,960 Did everyone get what they needed? 398 00:23:01,480 --> 00:23:12,540 Praise the Lord, have a good Sunday. 399 00:23:12,620 --> 00:23:14,700 Thank you, Rob. See you next week. 400 00:23:21,920 --> 00:23:27,480 Let's talk about suicide. Let's peel back the curtain and 401 00:23:27,480 --> 00:23:28,640 bring it into the light. Amen. 402 00:23:29,880 --> 00:23:32,080 Is suicide in the Bible? The answer is yes. 403 00:23:32,520 --> 00:23:34,640 I'm just going to answer some questions so that we're all 404 00:23:34,640 --> 00:23:39,680 biblically equipped a little bit brighter and can speak with 405 00:23:39,680 --> 00:23:42,640 wisdom to the subject. Yes, it's in the Bible. 406 00:23:42,640 --> 00:23:45,200 Depending on how many you count or how you count, there's either 407 00:23:45,200 --> 00:23:49,280 6 or 7 suicides in the Bible. You'll understand why one of 408 00:23:49,280 --> 00:23:51,240 them is questionable here in a minute. 409 00:23:51,240 --> 00:23:54,200 But the first is Abimelech in judges Chapter 9 who was an evil 410 00:23:54,200 --> 00:23:56,920 king. He burned down a temple and 1000 411 00:23:56,920 --> 00:23:58,920 people died. He goes to the next town to burn 412 00:23:58,920 --> 00:24:02,360 down a tower and a lady in the tower drops a giant rock on his 413 00:24:02,360 --> 00:24:05,080 head. His head splits open and he's 414 00:24:05,080 --> 00:24:08,560 going to die and he says to his armor bearer, I cannot be known 415 00:24:08,560 --> 00:24:13,800 as a man who got killed by a woman, so run your sword through 416 00:24:13,800 --> 00:24:19,000 me and the armor bearer takes his life. 417 00:24:19,000 --> 00:24:22,600 There was Samson and Judges chapter 16 and this is the one. 418 00:24:22,600 --> 00:24:26,000 Some consider his act as a suicide, while others do not. 419 00:24:26,000 --> 00:24:29,080 But he wished. To die with his enemies. 420 00:24:29,600 --> 00:24:33,080 And so there in the temple, he pushed against the column, and 421 00:24:33,080 --> 00:24:35,960 the temple came down and killed everybody in it, including 422 00:24:36,720 --> 00:24:40,240 Samson. There was King Saul, the first 423 00:24:40,240 --> 00:24:41,560 king of Israel. This is the one who brought 424 00:24:41,560 --> 00:24:43,480 David into the palace. This is the one who led David 425 00:24:43,480 --> 00:24:47,120 into the battle with Goliath. Saul was in a battle. 426 00:24:47,600 --> 00:24:49,040 Pastor Valdemar talked about this last. 427 00:24:49,040 --> 00:24:51,960 Week he got. Pierced with three arrows and 428 00:24:52,800 --> 00:24:55,920 was about well he was very weak and so he said to his armor 429 00:24:55,920 --> 00:24:57,680 bearer. Run me through with your sword. 430 00:24:57,680 --> 00:25:01,240 The armor bearer refused, so Saul turned his sword around and 431 00:25:01,240 --> 00:25:05,120 he fell on his own sword. The next verse is armor bearer 432 00:25:05,120 --> 00:25:08,200 seeing that Saul was dead, the king was dead, he himself fell 433 00:25:08,200 --> 00:25:11,200 on his own sword and died with his king. 434 00:25:12,120 --> 00:25:15,280 In Second Samuel chapter 17 verse 23, there's a man that's a 435 00:25:15,280 --> 00:25:16,920 hard name to say. It's Apathofil. 436 00:25:18,120 --> 00:25:21,400 He is one time a good friend and companion of David, but his 437 00:25:21,400 --> 00:25:25,440 relationship with David soured and Apathofil, that name became 438 00:25:25,440 --> 00:25:28,160 friends with David's son Absalom, and the two of them 439 00:25:28,160 --> 00:25:31,720 fought against David and it didn't go well for Apathofil. 440 00:25:32,160 --> 00:25:33,760 He didn't feel like anyone was listening to him. 441 00:25:33,760 --> 00:25:36,080 He went home, put his things in order in his house and he hung 442 00:25:36,080 --> 00:25:40,920 himself. First Kings chapter 16. 443 00:25:41,760 --> 00:25:45,360 An evil king named Zimri. He gets his way to power with 444 00:25:45,360 --> 00:25:47,880 like deception and betrayal. All this terrible things. 445 00:25:47,880 --> 00:25:49,560 Everything finally catches up to him. 446 00:25:49,800 --> 00:25:52,600 He goes into the palace, he lights it on fire and he 447 00:25:52,600 --> 00:25:58,480 perishes within the fire. And then there's the most 448 00:25:58,480 --> 00:26:01,880 famous. Suicide of all Judas. 449 00:26:02,680 --> 00:26:05,400 Who betrayed Jesus? Matthew chapter 27 Early in the 450 00:26:05,400 --> 00:26:07,760 morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people 451 00:26:08,080 --> 00:26:10,440 made their plans how to have Jesus executed. 452 00:26:11,320 --> 00:26:14,000 So they bound him, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate, 453 00:26:14,000 --> 00:26:16,120 the governor. When Judas, who had betrayed 454 00:26:16,120 --> 00:26:19,880 him, saw that he was condemned, he was seized with remorse and 455 00:26:19,880 --> 00:26:23,720 returned to the 30 pieces of silver to the chief priests and 456 00:26:23,720 --> 00:26:26,320 the elders. I have sinned, he said. 457 00:26:26,320 --> 00:26:28,160 For I have betrayed innocent blood. 458 00:26:29,480 --> 00:26:30,720 What is that to us? They replied. 459 00:26:30,720 --> 00:26:34,880 That's your problem. So Judas threw the money into 460 00:26:34,880 --> 00:26:40,040 the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged 461 00:26:40,040 --> 00:26:43,960 himself. I share these with you to 462 00:26:43,960 --> 00:26:47,840 explain to you that suicide is not a new problem. 463 00:26:50,280 --> 00:26:55,520 It's been haunting us, if you would, even in biblical times, 464 00:26:55,520 --> 00:27:00,440 even with Jesus on the earth. Suicide. 465 00:27:01,120 --> 00:27:05,040 The word means to cut off the self. 466 00:27:05,160 --> 00:27:07,680 The side is the cut off. The sewer is the self. 467 00:27:07,920 --> 00:27:11,560 Pesticide, Cut off the pest, infanticide. 468 00:27:11,560 --> 00:27:13,760 Abortion. Cut off the baby. 469 00:27:15,800 --> 00:27:18,080 Decide. Know what this word means? 470 00:27:19,040 --> 00:27:22,240 When you decide you're not choosing for something, you're 471 00:27:22,240 --> 00:27:26,600 eliminating all other options. I'm cutting off every other 472 00:27:26,600 --> 00:27:29,720 option so that when I marry my beautiful wife 27 years ago, 473 00:27:29,720 --> 00:27:39,600 last two Fridays ago, every other woman from then that 4th 474 00:27:39,600 --> 00:27:42,320 is dead to me. And I don't mean that in a weird 475 00:27:42,320 --> 00:27:43,560 way. You're alive. 476 00:27:43,560 --> 00:27:47,160 Are you breathing? Yeah, but you're dead to me, so 477 00:27:53,360 --> 00:27:56,120 you know what I mean. To decide means to put all their 478 00:27:56,120 --> 00:28:01,840 options to death. Suicide, the cutting off of 479 00:28:01,840 --> 00:28:03,800 self. Is suicide a sin? 480 00:28:03,800 --> 00:28:10,120 The answer is yes, Exodus. Chapter 20, verse 13 You shall 481 00:28:10,120 --> 00:28:11,720 not murder. It's the six of the 10 482 00:28:11,720 --> 00:28:15,320 commandments. Suicide is self murder. 483 00:28:16,840 --> 00:28:19,360 We are told in the Psalms that God is the giver of life that 484 00:28:19,360 --> 00:28:20,920 comes from Him. Psalm 36, nine. 485 00:28:20,920 --> 00:28:22,280 For with you is the fountain of life. 486 00:28:22,320 --> 00:28:26,000 In your light we see light. We are also told in Job chapter 487 00:28:26,000 --> 00:28:28,440 14 that our days belong to the Lord. 488 00:28:29,160 --> 00:28:32,000 A person's days are determined you. 489 00:28:32,000 --> 00:28:34,120 This is God. You have decreed the numbers of 490 00:28:34,120 --> 00:28:37,440 his month and have set the limits he cannot exceed. 491 00:28:38,880 --> 00:28:42,840 Suicide is against God's will because it robs us of our 492 00:28:42,840 --> 00:28:46,400 potential in Christ and it robs us of our participation in the 493 00:28:46,400 --> 00:28:49,680 glorious mission of breaking forth the Kingdom on the earth. 494 00:28:49,680 --> 00:28:53,640 It cuts short the days that God has laid out for. 495 00:28:53,640 --> 00:29:04,520 Us it is a sin, however is suicide and unforgivable sin. 496 00:29:07,760 --> 00:29:10,600 When I was in student ministry, about 10 years in the ministry, 497 00:29:10,960 --> 00:29:16,160 I went to seminary 2000 and. 6. 11 years in, I guess Audrey had 498 00:29:16,160 --> 00:29:21,160 just been born. We of course we had Owen and I 499 00:29:21,160 --> 00:29:23,400 was driving down here to Orlando because that is where my 500 00:29:23,400 --> 00:29:26,560 seminary was, Asbury Theological Seminary, their main campuses in 501 00:29:26,560 --> 00:29:28,240 Wilmore. You might have heard about them. 502 00:29:28,240 --> 00:29:31,200 They had a revival last year on campus for like. 503 00:29:31,520 --> 00:29:36,960 Weeks and weeks I am. Sitting in a class, it's a small 504 00:29:36,960 --> 00:29:38,680 campus, so you kind of know everybody. 505 00:29:39,240 --> 00:29:42,720 And an administrative guy point pokes his head in the door in 506 00:29:42,720 --> 00:29:45,400 the middle of class and says, Tim, I need to see. 507 00:29:45,400 --> 00:29:48,200 You. My first, I was like, did I not 508 00:29:48,200 --> 00:29:50,440 pay my tuition? And then my second thought was, 509 00:29:51,200 --> 00:29:56,440 did somebody in my family die? What's wrong? 510 00:29:56,440 --> 00:29:59,840 Something's not right. I go out and in the hallway he 511 00:29:59,840 --> 00:30:00,600 says. We just. 512 00:30:00,600 --> 00:30:05,000 Got a call from your church? One of your students has killed 513 00:30:05,000 --> 00:30:09,800 himself. Sweet boy. 514 00:30:11,120 --> 00:30:15,240 A piano prodigy. I see his face right here. 515 00:30:18,480 --> 00:30:19,600 Some of you have gotten these calls. 516 00:30:22,160 --> 00:30:24,560 They said the family wants you to come to their house. 517 00:30:25,840 --> 00:30:31,880 I'm like, what? Me Like, what am I going to say? 518 00:30:33,120 --> 00:30:34,880 I'm grieving myself. I love this kid. 519 00:30:37,000 --> 00:30:38,440 Yeah, you need to. Go. 520 00:30:38,440 --> 00:30:39,920 I go until the class. The class prays. 521 00:30:39,920 --> 00:30:42,920 For me, I get in the car, in the entire car ride, I'm praying, 522 00:30:42,920 --> 00:30:46,760 Lord, I have no idea what to say, what to do. 523 00:30:46,800 --> 00:30:51,440 I'm grieving myself like I show up to the house. 524 00:30:51,440 --> 00:30:52,480 I. Remember sitting in the car and 525 00:30:52,480 --> 00:30:54,840 having like one of them talk to yourself most like you got. 526 00:30:54,960 --> 00:30:59,120 This ready Go go, go. Walk up the sidewalk, knocking 527 00:30:59,120 --> 00:31:00,560 the door. Dad answers the door. 528 00:31:02,880 --> 00:31:05,040 I've been praying this whole Time Lord tell me what to say 529 00:31:05,560 --> 00:31:07,560 and as soon as he opened the door I knew I was supposed to 530 00:31:07,560 --> 00:31:16,120 say nothing and just hold him and he and I embraced and then 531 00:31:16,120 --> 00:31:20,160 there was like a bunch of family including his brother hugging. 532 00:31:20,160 --> 00:31:23,520 Nobody was talking for seemed seemed like a long time was. 533 00:31:23,520 --> 00:31:26,400 Probably like 3 minutes, we're just embracing going on the line 534 00:31:26,720 --> 00:31:28,040 and I get to the end of the line. 535 00:31:31,080 --> 00:31:38,240 There's his Mama, her name is Mary and she's the first one 536 00:31:38,240 --> 00:31:47,200 that talks and she says barely a whisper, it's my son in heaven 537 00:31:49,600 --> 00:31:52,000 and y'all God answered my prayer in a powerful way. 538 00:31:52,000 --> 00:31:54,440 I felt it from my feet all the way up into my bosom and I just 539 00:31:54,440 --> 00:31:56,800 burst it forth with this righteous answer to her. 540 00:31:56,800 --> 00:32:02,120 And I said today your son met Jesus face to face. 541 00:32:02,760 --> 00:32:06,320 And as soon as the words came out of my mouth, she slumped 542 00:32:06,320 --> 00:32:08,920 into me with such force that we fell back onto the There was a 543 00:32:08,920 --> 00:32:11,160 couch right here. And I just sat down, plopped and 544 00:32:11,160 --> 00:32:15,200 she rested upon me for like it. I think it was half an hour. 545 00:32:15,680 --> 00:32:18,000 And the entire time she's weeping. 546 00:32:18,840 --> 00:32:24,280 She wet my shirt with her tears. This Mama thought there was a 547 00:32:24,280 --> 00:32:29,280 potential because somebody taught her bad theology that her 548 00:32:29,280 --> 00:32:36,240 son was in hell. Is suicide an unforgivable sin? 549 00:32:36,240 --> 00:32:41,280 The answer is no. It is absolutely forgivable. 550 00:32:41,800 --> 00:32:44,520 And I am absolutely amazed at how well the lie has been 551 00:32:44,520 --> 00:32:47,040 perpetuated. That suicide sends you to hell 552 00:32:47,040 --> 00:32:50,560 if you're a believer. And I'm sorry that if you have 553 00:32:50,560 --> 00:32:52,640 been taught that, that somebody taught that to you. 554 00:32:53,960 --> 00:32:55,880 I can't imagine looking at a family. 555 00:32:56,240 --> 00:32:59,480 Who's trying to put all these pieces back together and 556 00:32:59,480 --> 00:33:02,480 somebody speaking something that is so foreign to the biblical 557 00:33:02,480 --> 00:33:08,040 text and the gospel truth. The reason people sometimes. 558 00:33:08,040 --> 00:33:14,000 Say that suicide is unforgivable is because you can't repent of 559 00:33:14,000 --> 00:33:17,200 the sin of suicide because you're dead. 560 00:33:19,840 --> 00:33:21,160 Can I just say some truth to you? 561 00:33:22,520 --> 00:33:27,080 Nobody is saved. Based on their repentance of 562 00:33:27,080 --> 00:33:32,560 sins, no one. There are sins you commit every 563 00:33:32,560 --> 00:33:36,320 day that you don't repent of. Some of them you are aware of 564 00:33:36,320 --> 00:33:38,000 and some of them you are not aware of. 565 00:33:38,000 --> 00:33:42,000 We are not saved. Based on our last act, we are 566 00:33:42,000 --> 00:33:49,040 saved. By the blood of Jesus alone we 567 00:33:49,040 --> 00:33:54,360 are not saved by our sinless state by but however we are 568 00:33:54,360 --> 00:33:56,120 saved by a sinless Savior. Amen. 569 00:33:59,120 --> 00:34:03,320 That's what grace is. If you add anything to grace, 570 00:34:03,320 --> 00:34:06,600 it's no longer grace, even repentance. 571 00:34:11,080 --> 00:34:13,040 There is only one sin that is unforgivable. 572 00:34:13,040 --> 00:34:16,800 It's found in Matthew chapter 12 verse 3031. 573 00:34:16,800 --> 00:34:21,320 I start with and so I tell you, every kind of slander, every 574 00:34:21,320 --> 00:34:24,040 kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against 575 00:34:24,040 --> 00:34:27,280 the Spirit will not be forgiven. Anyone who speaks a word against 576 00:34:27,280 --> 00:34:29,719 the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against 577 00:34:29,719 --> 00:34:33,120 the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or 578 00:34:33,120 --> 00:34:36,280 the age to come. What kind of sin can be 579 00:34:36,280 --> 00:34:39,159 forgiven? Daniela shown 31 again, what's 580 00:34:39,159 --> 00:34:41,920 it say? What's it say? 581 00:34:43,040 --> 00:34:47,880 Every kind of sin and suicide is a kind of sin. 582 00:34:48,800 --> 00:34:52,400 It can be forgiven. What cannot be forgiven is this. 583 00:34:53,239 --> 00:34:57,760 When the Holy Spirit comes to you and says, let me show you 584 00:34:58,120 --> 00:35:02,400 salvation in Jesus, let me woo you with grace and love and the 585 00:35:02,400 --> 00:35:05,560 majesty of the earth and the majesty of the church. 586 00:35:05,560 --> 00:35:08,280 When people are loving and living right, let me show you 587 00:35:08,280 --> 00:35:10,720 the kindness of God and here is Jesus. 588 00:35:10,880 --> 00:35:14,240 Receive Jesus as Savior and you say no. 589 00:35:14,240 --> 00:35:18,640 Holy Spirit, I won't do that. And when you don't receive the 590 00:35:18,640 --> 00:35:20,720 work of the Holy Spirit, you don't receive Jesus. 591 00:35:20,720 --> 00:35:22,560 And Jesus is the one who forgives. 592 00:35:23,320 --> 00:35:26,440 And so there is no forgiveness for the one who hasn't received 593 00:35:26,960 --> 00:35:31,520 forgiveness in Jesus Christ. I'm going to give you a chance 594 00:35:31,520 --> 00:35:34,880 today, later, to receive that forgiveness if you never have. 595 00:35:35,800 --> 00:35:37,520 Make today your day. Amen. 596 00:35:39,720 --> 00:35:42,680 What do I do if I know someone is struggling with suicidal 597 00:35:42,680 --> 00:35:44,280 thoughts? I want to give you biblical and 598 00:35:44,280 --> 00:35:45,560 practical. Can I give you both? 599 00:35:45,560 --> 00:35:48,440 Say yes. We've been saying this 600 00:35:48,440 --> 00:35:50,760 throughout the entire series. You want to love them the way 601 00:35:50,760 --> 00:35:55,400 that you would want to be loved. Mark chapter 12 verse 3031. 602 00:35:55,560 --> 00:36:00,120 Love your neighbor as yourself. Love them the way that you would 603 00:36:00,120 --> 00:36:01,720 want to be loved. If you were struggling, if you 604 00:36:01,720 --> 00:36:04,320 had suicidal thoughts, if you were self harming, what would 605 00:36:04,320 --> 00:36:07,000 you want somebody to do and go do? 606 00:36:07,000 --> 00:36:08,840 That. Don't ask their permission. 607 00:36:09,880 --> 00:36:11,320 Go and do that. Go and be that. 608 00:36:11,320 --> 00:36:13,640 Be the all in friend. Be the I will go with you, Fred. 609 00:36:13,640 --> 00:36:16,840 I will check you in. I'm going to make the call that 610 00:36:16,840 --> 00:36:18,640 you don't want me to make that I'm going to make it. 611 00:36:18,840 --> 00:36:21,960 You would rather make the call and offend them than to lose 612 00:36:21,960 --> 00:36:26,840 them. First John, chapter 318. 613 00:36:26,840 --> 00:36:29,880 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech, but with 614 00:36:29,920 --> 00:36:37,080 actions and in truth. Galatians chapter 6, verse 2. 615 00:36:37,080 --> 00:36:41,280 Carry each other's burdens. And in this way you fulfill the 616 00:36:41,280 --> 00:36:43,680 law of Christ. What's the law of Christ? 617 00:36:44,520 --> 00:36:50,280 Mark chapter 12, verse 31. Love your neighbor as yourself 618 00:36:50,440 --> 00:36:53,960 and right before it, love the Lord your God, love God, love 619 00:36:53,960 --> 00:36:55,880 people. When you carry one another's 620 00:36:55,880 --> 00:36:59,760 burdens, you fulfill this law. When somebody's hurting, when 621 00:36:59,760 --> 00:37:02,240 somebody's wrestling with suicidal thoughts and you love 622 00:37:02,240 --> 00:37:06,560 them and serve them instead of rejecting them and distancing 623 00:37:06,560 --> 00:37:08,720 from them because it's too much and too weird. 624 00:37:08,720 --> 00:37:16,240 And remember, it is not a sin to be sick when somebody is. 625 00:37:16,240 --> 00:37:18,880 Suicidal is the last. Time to be judgmental. 626 00:37:19,440 --> 00:37:21,560 Meaning it's not the last That sounded weird. 627 00:37:22,200 --> 00:37:24,000 It's the worst time to be judgmental. 628 00:37:26,840 --> 00:37:28,160 They're in a fight for their life. 629 00:37:29,880 --> 00:37:32,280 There's many things arrayed against in the, most of which is 630 00:37:32,280 --> 00:37:35,400 demonic activity seeking to destroy the very thing that God 631 00:37:35,400 --> 00:37:39,600 has given them, which is life. When you add to that potentially 632 00:37:39,600 --> 00:37:42,760 chemical malfunctions going on in their body, situational 633 00:37:42,760 --> 00:37:45,880 trauma that's around them, or clinical diagnosis, all of this 634 00:37:46,000 --> 00:37:48,760 seems to crash in on them at once. 635 00:37:49,240 --> 00:37:54,000 So what do you do? You be a life buoy right in the 636 00:37:54,000 --> 00:37:56,920 middle of it. You give them something to hold 637 00:37:56,920 --> 00:38:01,440 on to, your stability in your faith in God and in His Word. 638 00:38:01,720 --> 00:38:03,600 Be near to them. Be a voice of hope. 639 00:38:04,400 --> 00:38:08,040 Be a voice of truth. Also take suicide seriously. 640 00:38:10,200 --> 00:38:13,040 Take suicide seriously. It is never a joke. 641 00:38:13,400 --> 00:38:17,400 It is always better to be safe than sorry when it involves 642 00:38:17,520 --> 00:38:19,840 suicide. The national suicide hotline 643 00:38:19,840 --> 00:38:26,280 number is 3 numbers 988 you say it 988. 644 00:38:27,200 --> 00:38:30,240 When you call 988 you will be directed. 645 00:38:30,240 --> 00:38:32,640 First you got to go through some prompts, like are you a veteran? 646 00:38:33,000 --> 00:38:35,480 Do you need another language? And then you hang on the line 647 00:38:35,480 --> 00:38:37,760 and while you're waiting, what they're doing is they're routing 648 00:38:37,760 --> 00:38:41,760 the call to Central Florida. If you were living in Minnesota, 649 00:38:41,760 --> 00:38:44,520 they'd route it to Minnesota. They're trying to get you help 650 00:38:44,520 --> 00:38:48,040 near people around you so you can go and meet with them. 651 00:38:48,120 --> 00:38:50,600 What they really want to do when you're on the phone line is stay 652 00:38:50,600 --> 00:38:54,600 with you through the wave of whatever is happening to you or 653 00:38:54,600 --> 00:38:57,400 the person that you're with. Talk about suicide. 654 00:38:58,920 --> 00:39:01,520 It is a myth that talking about suicide with the person who's 655 00:39:01,520 --> 00:39:03,760 thinking of it will make them think about it more and want to 656 00:39:03,760 --> 00:39:06,280 do it. It's actually the opposite. 657 00:39:06,640 --> 00:39:09,560 Asking someone directly about their suicidal feelings will 658 00:39:09,560 --> 00:39:13,880 often lower their anxiety level and act as a deterrent. 659 00:39:13,880 --> 00:39:15,760 Why? Because your openness and 660 00:39:15,760 --> 00:39:19,440 concern and asking about suicide allows them whoever's 661 00:39:19,440 --> 00:39:22,680 experienced the pain to begin the process it and speak about 662 00:39:22,680 --> 00:39:25,200 it out loud. It allows the person with 663 00:39:25,200 --> 00:39:30,520 suicidal thoughts to feel like I'm not alone, I'm not isolated. 664 00:39:31,440 --> 00:39:35,320 And actually, they end up being a bit relieved because now 665 00:39:35,320 --> 00:39:38,040 they're not the only one carrying this big, dark, deep 666 00:39:38,040 --> 00:39:41,480 secret. You're carrying their burden. 667 00:39:41,600 --> 00:39:44,840 With them, you just showing up and asking sends a message. 668 00:39:45,080 --> 00:39:49,640 Somebody cares for me, somebody loves me. 669 00:39:50,600 --> 00:39:53,640 If we hide from the subject of suicide, they will hide the 670 00:39:53,640 --> 00:39:58,080 subject of suicide from us until it's to late. 671 00:39:59,440 --> 00:40:01,440 If you're going to talk about it, talk about it directly. 672 00:40:02,240 --> 00:40:04,320 When you notice the warning signs that you can see there on 673 00:40:04,320 --> 00:40:06,600 the app that I showed you earlier in the resource page, 674 00:40:06,760 --> 00:40:09,240 It's important to ask directly about suicide. 675 00:40:09,400 --> 00:40:12,160 Don't ask kind of vaguely. Are you thinking about hurting 676 00:40:12,160 --> 00:40:13,120 yourself? That's vague. 677 00:40:14,200 --> 00:40:16,600 Direct question is are. You thinking about killing 678 00:40:16,600 --> 00:40:20,280 yourself? Hey, I love you Kenny. 679 00:40:20,280 --> 00:40:25,840 Are you thinking about suicide? And once you've asked that 680 00:40:25,840 --> 00:40:28,240 question, you get the three kind of famous questions that you 681 00:40:28,240 --> 00:40:30,360 hear people say you need to ask them. 682 00:40:30,480 --> 00:40:32,560 Have you thought about how you would kill yourself? 683 00:40:32,760 --> 00:40:34,320 Have you decided when you would do it? 684 00:40:34,440 --> 00:40:36,920 And have you done anything to get the things you need to kill 685 00:40:36,920 --> 00:40:39,720 yourself? Let me say it again. 686 00:40:39,720 --> 00:40:41,720 Have you thought about how you would kill yourself? 687 00:40:42,200 --> 00:40:43,800 Have you decided when you would do it? 688 00:40:44,000 --> 00:40:46,240 And have you done anything to get the things you need to kill 689 00:40:46,240 --> 00:40:48,000 yourself? If the answer is yes to any of 690 00:40:48,000 --> 00:40:50,640 these questions, skip 988 and call 911. 691 00:40:52,840 --> 00:40:57,280 It's immediate intervention, don't let it linger when you 692 00:40:57,280 --> 00:41:01,120 call 911 asked to be. Sometimes the dispatcher will 693 00:41:01,120 --> 00:41:03,840 have the ability to connect you to a mental health crisis 694 00:41:03,840 --> 00:41:06,600 professional on the spot and then you. 695 00:41:06,600 --> 00:41:10,360 Stay with the person, whether they're on the phone, whether 696 00:41:10,360 --> 00:41:13,320 they're next to you. Stay with the person until the 697 00:41:13,320 --> 00:41:16,760 wave passes. We're going to talk more about 698 00:41:16,760 --> 00:41:19,920 in a second, What do you do if you've lost someone to suicide? 699 00:41:21,880 --> 00:41:24,200 I want you to remember that God knows what it's like to lose a 700 00:41:24,200 --> 00:41:29,080 loved one deeply, personally, he's been through the pain. 701 00:41:30,000 --> 00:41:32,920 He knows the pain of death and he especially understands the 702 00:41:32,920 --> 00:41:35,680 pain of a life cut. Short. 703 00:41:38,520 --> 00:41:41,720 But the Lord our. God also knows the beauty of the 704 00:41:41,720 --> 00:41:45,320 resurrection. And we need to start align in 705 00:41:45,320 --> 00:41:47,760 our hearts with Him. Remember that God is close. 706 00:41:47,760 --> 00:41:50,560 Psalm 3418. The Lord is close to the broken 707 00:41:50,560 --> 00:41:53,440 hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. 708 00:41:53,600 --> 00:41:57,160 I cannot think of a more broken hearted or crushed in spirit 709 00:41:57,160 --> 00:42:02,600 circumstance than coming home to a letter getting the phone. 710 00:42:02,600 --> 00:42:11,120 Call or finding the body. Wow, God is close to you. 711 00:42:12,600 --> 00:42:14,800 And his strength is going to get you through. 712 00:42:16,200 --> 00:42:18,640 I also may ask you to release any guilt or shame that you 713 00:42:18,640 --> 00:42:20,080 carry. Maybe you've heard these words 714 00:42:20,080 --> 00:42:21,720 before, but receive them into your spirit. 715 00:42:21,720 --> 00:42:25,040 What happened was not your fault. 716 00:42:27,920 --> 00:42:30,080 Any guilt or shame that you feel doesn't come from God. 717 00:42:30,080 --> 00:42:32,400 Rather, it comes from the devil who's trying to use the horrific 718 00:42:32,400 --> 00:42:36,120 choice of your loved one and the horrifying pain that you feel to 719 00:42:36,120 --> 00:42:40,360 continue to devour you, to isolate you, to rob from you, 720 00:42:40,360 --> 00:42:43,360 your purpose, to rob from you, your future, and make you sit in 721 00:42:43,360 --> 00:42:46,200 this pain. As if it. 722 00:42:46,200 --> 00:42:49,880 Was your fault You did what you thought was best. 723 00:42:50,920 --> 00:42:53,920 If you knew then what you know now, of course, you might have 724 00:42:53,920 --> 00:42:56,480 done things differently. But you didn't know then what 725 00:42:56,480 --> 00:43:02,480 you now know. I pray Proverbs 3 five and six 726 00:43:02,480 --> 00:43:06,160 is helpful to you today. Trust in the Lord with all your 727 00:43:06,160 --> 00:43:07,840 heart. Now watch this. 728 00:43:08,160 --> 00:43:10,360 Do not lean on your own understanding. 729 00:43:10,720 --> 00:43:14,880 You know that when some trauma hits you, your brain is not 730 00:43:14,880 --> 00:43:17,520 working right. Your emotions are trying. 731 00:43:17,520 --> 00:43:20,240 To fool you. And the devil gets into that 732 00:43:20,240 --> 00:43:24,400 space and tries to get you to do wicked things to medicate you 733 00:43:24,400 --> 00:43:27,520 from the pain. Verse 6. 734 00:43:27,520 --> 00:43:30,920 Rather, here's the better option in all your ways. 735 00:43:31,120 --> 00:43:35,120 Acknowledge him, and he alone will make. 736 00:43:35,120 --> 00:43:39,200 Your path straight. If you've lost the love in the 737 00:43:39,200 --> 00:43:41,000 suicide, you're in a horrible spot. 738 00:43:41,720 --> 00:43:44,560 It's gut wrenching. It's life altering and you 739 00:43:44,560 --> 00:43:48,240 cannot rely on your own feelings in the middle and you cannot 740 00:43:48,240 --> 00:43:51,280 rely on your own strength to get you through. 741 00:43:51,400 --> 00:43:55,280 You're going to need, we all going to need to fully trust in 742 00:43:55,280 --> 00:43:57,960 the strength of God, the strength of His word, and the 743 00:43:57,960 --> 00:44:00,880 power of the Spirit to pull us through. 744 00:44:00,880 --> 00:44:04,640 Otherwise, we make decisions that only make the matters 745 00:44:04,640 --> 00:44:08,280 worse. A suicide in a family can 746 00:44:08,480 --> 00:44:13,720 potentially turn into divorce or financial problems or addictions 747 00:44:13,920 --> 00:44:17,320 or relationship woes. With all your friends and family 748 00:44:17,600 --> 00:44:22,200 in the middle of this journey, the valley you find yourself and 749 00:44:22,200 --> 00:44:25,560 remember what Jesus promised that I will walk you through. 750 00:44:26,040 --> 00:44:30,520 The Good Shepherd walks you through Don't put up furniture 751 00:44:30,520 --> 00:44:33,320 in the valley. Don't put up artwork in the 752 00:44:33,320 --> 00:44:34,640 valley. This is not your home. 753 00:44:36,000 --> 00:44:40,440 Walk through and He'll lead you. I believe that we serve a God 754 00:44:40,440 --> 00:44:42,880 who loves you, who cares for you and has a purpose for you. 755 00:44:43,960 --> 00:44:46,320 I believe that we serve a God who can bring beauty out of the 756 00:44:46,320 --> 00:44:48,200 ashes and strength from weakness. 757 00:44:49,000 --> 00:44:51,560 I believe that we serve a God who makes all things beautiful 758 00:44:51,560 --> 00:44:54,000 in His timing. I'm not asking you to forget the 759 00:44:54,000 --> 00:44:58,160 person, or to stop mourning or last, or to stop hurting in 760 00:44:58,160 --> 00:44:59,880 their absence. I'm asking you. 761 00:45:00,400 --> 00:45:03,240 To stop carrying the guilt and the shame that Satan is trying 762 00:45:03,240 --> 00:45:08,280 to put on you to expand his already heavy toll. 763 00:45:12,600 --> 00:45:14,720 Lastly, let's talk to the people who are in the room. 764 00:45:14,720 --> 00:45:18,880 What do I do if I'm struggling with self harm or suicidal 765 00:45:18,880 --> 00:45:22,080 thoughts? Full stop. 766 00:45:22,080 --> 00:45:27,640 Call 988. Like that as soon as the 767 00:45:27,640 --> 00:45:30,920 thoughts start. Don't let the thoughts take root 768 00:45:30,920 --> 00:45:32,960 and go deep. Call 988. 769 00:45:32,960 --> 00:45:38,200 It's an intervention moment. You're giving space for a person 770 00:45:38,200 --> 00:45:41,080 to talk to you while this thing passes. 771 00:45:42,400 --> 00:45:47,000 Or run to the church. Drive here, get here and we will 772 00:45:47,000 --> 00:45:49,840 sit with you. Till it passes, but sometimes 773 00:45:49,840 --> 00:45:52,880 it's 2:00 in the morning. That's why I'm telling you 98898 774 00:45:52,880 --> 00:45:56,120 is always up. So is the Lord your God. 775 00:45:58,000 --> 00:46:02,280 Maybe pray and then 988. OK, can we put the two together? 776 00:46:03,080 --> 00:46:04,600 Two things. Understand the trick of the 777 00:46:04,600 --> 00:46:07,640 enemy. Hear me very clearly. 778 00:46:08,760 --> 00:46:12,480 Let this soak into your brain. The devil is trying to kill you 779 00:46:13,800 --> 00:46:18,840 himself. From the very beginning, his job 780 00:46:18,840 --> 00:46:22,880 description has been to steal, kill and destroy. 781 00:46:25,880 --> 00:46:30,440 The killing is of your body. He's lying to you. 782 00:46:32,200 --> 00:46:35,440 It's a scheme of the wicked, one of the most disastrous of forms. 783 00:46:35,440 --> 00:46:39,160 He wants to take away all the promise of who you are and who 784 00:46:39,160 --> 00:46:41,360 you can be. When we lose someone to suicide, 785 00:46:41,360 --> 00:46:43,640 we don't just lose a person. We lose the potential of 786 00:46:43,640 --> 00:46:45,400 everything that was supposed to come after. 787 00:46:47,280 --> 00:46:49,640 And this is what the the enemy's trying to steal. 788 00:46:49,640 --> 00:46:53,680 All the potential of what's to come, all the beauty, The 789 00:46:53,680 --> 00:46:57,320 Walking down the aisle, the holding of hands with your 790 00:46:57,320 --> 00:47:00,960 children, all, I mean, we could just make a long list here. 791 00:47:01,440 --> 00:47:03,640 All of this is what the enemy is trying to steal. 792 00:47:05,120 --> 00:47:06,480 And at some point we're like, wait a second. 793 00:47:07,880 --> 00:47:12,240 I'm not falling for this trick. I will not allow him to steal 794 00:47:12,240 --> 00:47:14,960 this from me or from the people that I love. 795 00:47:15,160 --> 00:47:16,600 Remember some of these famous words. 796 00:47:16,600 --> 00:47:19,520 You've heard this before, but suicide is a permanent solution 797 00:47:19,720 --> 00:47:24,560 to a temporary problem. Rick Warren who is a kind of a 798 00:47:24,560 --> 00:47:27,480 famous pastor with the purpose driven life, incredible great 799 00:47:27,480 --> 00:47:33,120 man, very loving man. His son died in suicide and he 800 00:47:33,120 --> 00:47:35,560 says this. Most people don't want to die, 801 00:47:36,200 --> 00:47:38,160 they just want out of their pain. 802 00:47:39,320 --> 00:47:44,320 And I'm here to tell you, you do not have to end your life to end 803 00:47:44,320 --> 00:47:48,240 your pain. There is another way, there is 804 00:47:48,240 --> 00:47:52,480 another truth, and there is another life in Jesus name. 805 00:47:58,200 --> 00:48:00,400 I think you know this, but emotions don't last forever. 806 00:48:00,400 --> 00:48:02,360 I found this out in my battle with anxiety. 807 00:48:02,720 --> 00:48:05,800 About two years in. I realized that the anxiety 808 00:48:05,800 --> 00:48:09,960 would come and go. And then I began to realize 809 00:48:09,960 --> 00:48:14,680 like, oh wait, if I just outlast the anxiety and endure, I'll be 810 00:48:14,680 --> 00:48:16,880 all right. So it hit me and I'm like, it's 811 00:48:16,880 --> 00:48:19,520 going to go away. I know it's going to go away. 812 00:48:20,280 --> 00:48:23,440 In Jesus name, it's going away and all the chemicals that get 813 00:48:23,440 --> 00:48:25,680 dumped in your body, whether it's depression, anxiety and all 814 00:48:25,680 --> 00:48:28,800 this, all this stuff, the body reabsorbs them and the Spirit of 815 00:48:28,800 --> 00:48:31,480 God comes and ministers peace and all of a sudden you've made 816 00:48:31,480 --> 00:48:34,680 it through. And the more you learn to endure 817 00:48:34,680 --> 00:48:37,720 and make it past the wave, the more the waves seem to get 818 00:48:37,720 --> 00:48:41,560 smaller and smaller and smaller until they're just waves lapping 819 00:48:41,560 --> 00:48:44,320 at your feet, trying to get your attention, occasionally building 820 00:48:44,320 --> 00:48:47,360 up this big tidal wave like. Uh huh. 821 00:48:49,760 --> 00:48:55,320 No way this will pass when it hits you. 822 00:48:57,160 --> 00:49:00,400 Make sure that you say I know this is a scheme of the enemy 823 00:49:01,800 --> 00:49:03,880 and it will pass. Here's the last thing. 824 00:49:03,880 --> 00:49:05,520 Understand the victory of the Savior. 825 00:49:06,640 --> 00:49:09,360 Hear me clearly. The one who is in the heart of 826 00:49:09,360 --> 00:49:14,160 the believer is far greater, supersedes the one that is in 827 00:49:14,160 --> 00:49:18,560 the world far and above. It's not even a close match. 828 00:49:19,160 --> 00:49:22,040 It's like comparing the size of a mosquito to the size of the 829 00:49:22,040 --> 00:49:24,560 universe. Greater is the one that is in 830 00:49:24,560 --> 00:49:26,840 the heart of the believer than the one who's in the world. 831 00:49:26,840 --> 00:49:30,240 Greater is the Holy Spirit in you than the enemy who's trying 832 00:49:30,240 --> 00:49:33,840 to devour you. Right after we learned of the 833 00:49:33,840 --> 00:49:36,760 devil's job description, the very next verse his job. 834 00:49:36,760 --> 00:49:38,280 Description is steal, kill and destroy. 835 00:49:38,400 --> 00:49:40,120 Jesus gives us his job description. 836 00:49:40,960 --> 00:49:46,440 He says I have come to the earth to give them life and to give it 837 00:49:46,440 --> 00:49:49,960 to them in the full, and the devil is trying to steal the 838 00:49:49,960 --> 00:49:54,280 gift of life that God himself in Jesus Christ has given you. 839 00:49:55,760 --> 00:49:57,520 So let's make a declaration today. 840 00:49:58,320 --> 00:50:00,280 Would you sit up a little straight in your seat? 841 00:50:02,040 --> 00:50:03,640 Would you make your back straight? 842 00:50:04,360 --> 00:50:06,680 Would you make your spirit in agreement with your heart and 843 00:50:06,680 --> 00:50:11,080 your mind and repeat these words after me saying Devil in the 844 00:50:11,080 --> 00:50:19,120 name of Jesus, My life is a gift from God and I'm going to live 845 00:50:19,120 --> 00:50:24,840 it. Devil in the name of Jesus, my 846 00:50:24,840 --> 00:50:31,520 life is a gift from God and I'm going to live it to the full. 847 00:50:32,640 --> 00:50:38,240 Close your eyes please, one more time now mean it in your spirit 848 00:50:38,280 --> 00:50:44,440 to yourself saying devil, my life is a gift from God. 849 00:50:46,280 --> 00:50:50,240 Get your hands off me In the name of Jesus. 850 00:50:54,320 --> 00:51:01,690 Thank you, Father, Father, in the name of Jesus. 851 00:51:01,690 --> 00:51:08,610 May this be the last day that we think about suicide, the last 852 00:51:08,610 --> 00:51:12,970 time we entertained the temptation to take what you have 853 00:51:12,970 --> 00:51:16,290 given. Thank you for your victory over 854 00:51:16,290 --> 00:51:19,010 the enemy. If you're here today, I want you 855 00:51:19,010 --> 00:51:21,720 to know. That Jesus is the only permanent 856 00:51:21,720 --> 00:51:25,880 solution to all of our problems. Romans chapter 10 says that if 857 00:51:25,880 --> 00:51:29,240 you believe in your heart and confess with your mouth that 858 00:51:29,240 --> 00:51:31,440 Jesus is Lord, you will be saved. 859 00:51:31,960 --> 00:51:35,400 Hallelujah. As you have your eyes closed and 860 00:51:35,400 --> 00:51:37,120 your heads bowed, I want you just consider. 861 00:51:37,120 --> 00:51:38,920 Have I ever confessed him as Lord? 862 00:51:39,640 --> 00:51:42,720 Have I ever been saved by faith in Jesus Christ? 863 00:51:43,760 --> 00:51:46,800 Let's make a good confession. The entire church here praying. 864 00:51:46,800 --> 00:51:49,000 If you're online, pray this at home in your room. 865 00:51:49,000 --> 00:51:52,120 They're saying these words, Father, come a whole church. 866 00:51:52,120 --> 00:51:58,560 Father, in the name of Jesus, I recognize that I am a Sinner in 867 00:51:58,560 --> 00:51:59,680 need. Of a savior. 868 00:52:00,440 --> 00:52:07,000 And I confess and I believe that Jesus is that Savior, and I 869 00:52:07,000 --> 00:52:12,720 receive you into my heart today. Come and live your life. 870 00:52:13,320 --> 00:52:18,920 Through me, Yeah. Just as you're there praying. 871 00:52:20,200 --> 00:52:23,840 Make that personal. Yes, God, I believe I'm crossing 872 00:52:23,840 --> 00:52:30,160 the line of faith. It's by faith that we are saved. 873 00:52:33,440 --> 00:52:35,520 If you pray that prayer for the first time today, I'm going to 874 00:52:35,520 --> 00:52:39,480 ask you to do one thing and one thing only, very boldly, just in 875 00:52:39,480 --> 00:52:42,080 the same way that Jesus boldly went to the cross for you. 876 00:52:42,720 --> 00:52:44,800 I'm going to count to 3 and if you prayed that prayer to 877 00:52:44,800 --> 00:52:48,120 receive Jesus as Savior for the first time today when I hit 878 00:52:48,120 --> 00:52:50,440 three, you're going to throw your arm up in the air as high 879 00:52:50,440 --> 00:52:54,400 as it can go and hold it there for a few moments so that we 880 00:52:54,400 --> 00:52:57,480 might bring you a gift. You need this gift on the count 881 00:52:57,480 --> 00:52:58,640 of three. If you prayed that prayer for 882 00:52:58,640 --> 00:53:01,000 the first time, raise your hand one. 2. 883 00:53:01,000 --> 00:53:03,800 Three in the mezzanine on the floor online. 884 00:53:03,800 --> 00:53:05,800 If you're raising your hand, just keep them nice and high. 885 00:53:05,800 --> 00:53:08,080 We see you we're going to bring something to you. 886 00:53:08,560 --> 00:53:11,160 Praise God. It's just going to take a minute 887 00:53:11,160 --> 00:53:15,000 because they're walking around. Come on. 888 00:53:15,000 --> 00:53:16,160 Did we get everyone in the back there? 889 00:53:16,160 --> 00:53:17,760 We got some on the side. Way over here. 890 00:53:18,360 --> 00:53:20,720 Way over here. Javier, you see? 891 00:53:21,440 --> 00:53:24,160 Yeah. You got to figure that out. 892 00:53:26,320 --> 00:53:28,640 Any others up in the mezzanine? Are we good? 893 00:53:29,040 --> 00:53:30,880 OK, we got you. Well done. 894 00:53:32,320 --> 00:53:38,040 Did we get you? Praise God how He loves you. 895 00:53:42,680 --> 00:53:45,400 Now would you rise? Everybody, everyone stand. 896 00:53:46,000 --> 00:53:51,400 If we missed you, I pray we didn't miss you. 897 00:53:51,440 --> 00:53:54,360 That's all I'm going to say. Here's what I want to close. 898 00:53:54,920 --> 00:53:57,000 I'm going to tell you before the prayer ministers come. 899 00:53:57,000 --> 00:54:03,360 The altar is right now open. And if anything in this power 900 00:54:03,360 --> 00:54:07,200 that we spent with the Lord has moved in your spirit, I want you 901 00:54:07,200 --> 00:54:09,640 to come forward to the altar. There's not an actual altar 902 00:54:09,640 --> 00:54:12,000 here. That's an altar of a meeting 903 00:54:12,000 --> 00:54:15,000 with the Lord. And I want you to come and just 904 00:54:15,000 --> 00:54:17,320 be present with the Lord. No prayer, ministers. 905 00:54:17,680 --> 00:54:21,440 Just you hearing from God himself, him to love on you. 906 00:54:21,680 --> 00:54:24,000 And so if that's you today, somebody's going to be the bold 907 00:54:24,000 --> 00:54:26,600 first one and come. And once one comes, the door of 908 00:54:26,600 --> 00:54:29,640 faith opens and other people come because courage is at least 909 00:54:29,640 --> 00:54:31,320 in the house. If you're in the mezzanine, get 910 00:54:31,320 --> 00:54:33,400 all the way down here. We got space for you. 911 00:54:33,640 --> 00:54:35,720 Anything that you need. Your heart is broken over 912 00:54:35,720 --> 00:54:37,720 suicide. You're thinking about suicide. 913 00:54:37,840 --> 00:54:42,200 You've lost somebody to suicide or you got a hard week at work. 914 00:54:43,320 --> 00:54:46,160 You lost your job. If your marriage is in trouble, 915 00:54:46,320 --> 00:54:48,320 the altar is open it. Here's what I'm saying to you. 916 00:54:48,400 --> 00:54:51,240 There's a gigantic buffet of grace and goodness up here. 917 00:54:51,440 --> 00:54:54,800 Why not come and eat and see what the Lord has for you? 918 00:54:54,800 --> 00:54:57,600 So that's you. Come now, come now, I'm not 919 00:54:57,600 --> 00:55:00,040 manipulating you, I'm encouraging you with all my 920 00:55:00,040 --> 00:55:01,840 might. Don't waste what the Lord has 921 00:55:01,840 --> 00:55:03,080 prepared for. You come now. 922 00:55:03,480 --> 00:55:06,360 It's if it's on your heart to move, just move. 923 00:55:07,440 --> 00:55:09,120 Don't be afraid. This is a House of faith. 924 00:55:09,120 --> 00:55:11,280 Come now, Mezzanine. I'm still waiting for one of 925 00:55:11,280 --> 00:55:11,720 you. Here you come. 926 00:55:11,720 --> 00:55:12,920 Are you coming? I see you. 927 00:55:13,160 --> 00:55:14,360 Come on. I knew you were coming. 928 00:55:14,960 --> 00:55:21,080 Who else? Come on, if you need somebody to 929 00:55:21,080 --> 00:55:23,520 go with you, grab them. You're like, I can't go by 930 00:55:23,520 --> 00:55:26,640 myself, just grab them. Here comes the whole family. 931 00:55:26,960 --> 00:55:32,720 Come on, I rejoice. Hallelujah indeed. 932 00:55:44,660 --> 00:55:49,140 Come on, bring your baby to the altar. 933 00:55:50,280 --> 00:56:00,090 It's a blessed baby. I'm going to be quiet for a 934 00:56:00,090 --> 00:56:05,210 minute because I don't want any human to intervene. 935 00:56:06,490 --> 00:56:10,490 I want you to hear from the Lord and make the exchange. 936 00:56:11,570 --> 00:56:19,410 Ashes for beauty, mourning for the oil of gladness, rags for 937 00:56:19,410 --> 00:56:22,570 crowns. It's a swap meet of God. 938 00:56:23,560 --> 00:56:28,880 Make the exchange. Thanks for joining us today. 939 00:56:29,360 --> 00:56:31,920 We hope God is speaking to your heart through this message. 940 00:56:32,280 --> 00:56:34,920 If you'd like to connect with us, you can text connect to 941 00:56:34,920 --> 00:56:41,440 407-588-0115 or visit Illuminate dot church. 942 00:56:41,880 --> 00:56:43,160 Have a great week.